A Sparing Restraint of Many Lavish Untruths, To the reader
¶ To the Christian Reader.
WHen I first perused this Reioinder of master Hardings, good Christian Reader, and savve in vvhat sort he made answere to M. Iuels Replie, I vvas grieued bothe for his own sake, that so many good giftes should be so yll applied, and especially for thy sake, least peraduenture his deceitful talk should beguile thee. I sawe on the one side, the inclination of many, very daungerously bent to the louelove of that religion. On the other side much wordly wisdome, and vnderstanding, countenaunced with suche a singulare boldnesse, and impudencie, that without the especiall working of almighty God, I saw but litle hope of their further libertie, whose hart was set to receiue bondage. I coulde not be ignoraunt of the common prouerb, which I had heard so often, that fair words do make fooles faine, and I sawe againe, the subtile kinde of wryting, the sugred words, and entising speaches, which the enimie did vse to call away the simple vntounto their destruction. These euils, the more perillous they were, so I thought it appertained vntounto all good men, by what meanes possible to seke the spedier remedie. And therefore in the great businesse, which that good Bishop had in hande, whose happy Sermon did first so much enflame the enimie, I thought it some parte of my duetie, according to the gift that God had giuen me, so to make aunswere vntounto the subtile aduersarie, and helpe to confirme in Gods truthe suche our simple brethren, as were falling away. VponUpon this occasion I first toke vponupon me to meddle with this Reioinder. And when in reading it, I founde the whole nothing worthy answer, I did chuse only so farre to touche it, as I might bothe make a sufficient discharge of all suche blame, as was laid vponupon maister Iuel, and shewe forthe an open, and vndoubted proofe of the residue of maister Hardings labour. Then I toke vponupon me the aunswer of his long Epistle, written to M. Iuell, wherein he spareth nothing, saue only truthe, to allure his reader, and the defence of those .225. vntruthes, whereby he would discredite Gods true religion. By this meanes, I did trust, that some would quench their longing thirst, to drinke of that golden cuppe, full of poison, and spirituall whoredomes, and perceiuing the whole grounde of their religion, to be nothing else but quarels, and wranglings, would at last runne forthe of their vngodly synagoges, and most frowarde assemblies. This labor I had finished more than .xij. monthes since, with so little diligence, that it made wiser men to consider better of it, whose wisdome was also a longer stay vntounto me, least either my true meaning might run in blame for want of consideration, or my vnripe writing, might giuegive occasion to the enimie of triumph. But afterwarde remembring the good councell of Plutarche, foreign. So I, after some continuaunce of time, read ouer againe mine owne doing, in which as I could hauehave wished something altered, if I had sought the commendation of learning, so I sawe nothing but truthe maintained, and that in suche sort, as maister Harding might not wel contemne it. Then knowing assuredly, that bothe the defence of truthe might edifie the learned, and the manner of my wryting minister grace vntounto the godly Reader, I would no longer suppresse that, which being set abroade, might be fruitful. And vponupon this aduise I deliuered it vntounto the Printer: but after perusing it, I espied in the Printing many faultes, which the indifferent reader, will not lay vpō me. Only for my discharge I thought good in this Epistle to admonishe thee of some, that by them thou mightest knowe whome to blame for the rest. In the .38. leafe for the house of …, thou shalt finde printed the churche of Rome, and straight after, modest, for immodest. In the .40. leafe, such language, for such laughing. In the .46. leaf, the same hath made vsus free, for the sonne hath made vsus free. In the .53. leafe, way for …ay, fol. 64. corner it, for couer it. fol. 65. is not yet, for, is yet. In the .96. leafe, thou shalt find king Ionathas, yet good re…der, I wrote king Iosaphat. If that fault had ben mine, I wold thē hauehave alowed M. Harding, naming the holy captain Iosue, for the Prophet Ose. fo. 98. foreign, for foreign. fo. 100. expresse, for represse. fol …od. alone hereof, for, in earth aboue hir. fol. 102. but you hauehave, for, but your churche hath fol. 104. cansabo, for, cantabo. fol. 111. Antonius, for, Antoninus. And after thou shalt finde foreign. for foreign, destruction, for distinction, could easily, for could not easily. These and suche other faultes escaped in the printing of my boke, as well in the wordes, as in the pointing, how many so euer thou shalt ascribe vntounto me, so many iniuries thou shalt doe me. He is a simple scholer that can not write truely, and the pointing is not so difficult, that it requireth any great learning, for other things what so euer shalbe founde blame worthy, the fault is mine owne, and wherein souer the enimy shall finde his fault, I doubt not but I shall by Gods grace be able to defend it. The force of truth is such, that though the patrone be simple, yet she will defend hir self, especially suche truth, as hath made hir selfe so manifest. The truthe of God that standeth vponupon a hill, and may be seene of all men, the truth, that shineth as a light in a darke place, and as the day starre, arising in our heartes, that truthe, whose glorious beautie hath darkned the painted, and deceiueable lokes of the purple whore of Babilon. It is now no mastery, sith we know God, to know him, that lifteth vp himself against God, sith we know Christ to know Antichrist, sith we know Peter, to know Peters forged successoure. And for as much as to this issue al our controuersie is come, that what right, or authoritie so euer the Pope chalengeth, he maketh his whole claime from Peter, and the papists themselues will defende him no further, but so farre as he succedeth Peter, I will speake a little of Peters bishoprike of Rome, so farre as the scriptures shall be my warrant. Consider thou of it, good christian Reader, that shall be said, and if thou see, that all the glorying of Peters being at Rome, is but a fasing out of an impudent he, then iudge what is their other religion. First, here I must forwarne thee, that as a lie can not long agree with it selfe, so in all this matter thou shalt hardly finde in all pointes two popishe chronicles agree togither. So that what so euer I wryte, as touching the exacte computation of yeres, there must needes be many against me. Therefore in that I will not striue, only I will wryte that which is certaine, and shall hauehave as I said, either some warrant of scripture, or shall be agreed on, by the consent of all ages. Our sauioure Christ was crucified for our sinnes, the .18. yeare of Tyberius, as by all histories it is manifest. Peter is said to be put to deathe in Rome, the last yeare of Nero, so Peter liued after Christ, vnderunder Tyberius .v. yeare, Caligula 4. yeare, Claudius .13. yeare, Nero. 13 yeare. In all .36. yeares and odde monthes according to the raigne of the saide Emperoures, in these .36. yeares and odde moneths, they vvryte of Peter thus. He vvas bishop ▪4. yeares in the East partes .7. yeares at Antioche, and .25. yeares at Rome, vvhere at last he died. Heere this fable doeth almost bevvray it selfe, suche hasty enstallings, and so many translatings out of one bishopprike into an other doeth not vvell agree vvith oure sauiours vvordes, that they should hauehave affliction in the vvorlde. But let vsus searche the scriptures, and trie hovve these Bishopprikes vvil stande. After that our Sauioure is ascended, they goe into Ierusalem all the Apostles togither, they choose Mathie the Apostle.Act. 1.12. Act. 2.4. After fiftye dayes they receiue the holy Ghost, Peter conuerteth many.
After certaine dayes Peter,Act. 3.1. and Iohn goe vppe in to the Temple, they heale the lame, they are put in prisone, they are forbidden to preache anye more in the name of Iesus, then they returne vntounto the other Apostles, and tary many daies togither,Act. 4.18. Act. 5.12. working many miracles amōg the people, in so much that the Cities round about resorted daily to Ierusalem, to hauehave their sick, and diseased healed. Then again, the Apostles are put in prison, and God deliuereth thē, and many dayes they preach in the temple, and in eueryevery house. After this came a great persecution against the Church at Ierusalem, in so much, that they were all dispearsed sauing the Apostles.Act. 8.1. Then at the laste after many dayes, Peter is sent out of Ierusalem into Samaria, where he preacheth in diuers townes about. Thus farre good Reader, thou seest plainly Peter is no bishop, nor yet in any speciall authoritie, when the other Apostles sende him out to preache. Then he returneth againe to Ierusalem, and this is one yeare after the death of our sauioure Christ, as the histories do all agree in reporting the conuersion of S. Paule, which was nowe done, as appeareth. Act. 9. This is the yeare of our Lord .35. In the yere of our Lord .38. He dwelleth in Ierusalem. Gal. 1.18. Likewise in the yere of our Lorde .46. he is imprisoned at Ierusalē. Act. 12.2. Againe in the yeare of our Lord .48. he is at the councel holden in Ierusalem. Act. 15.7. from that day forward, he giueth his faith vntounto Paule, and Barnabas, that he will be an Apostle, not to the Romaines, but to the Iewes. Gal. 2.9. vvhichwhich truely he accompli…hed euen vntill his death, and doubtlesse neuer came at Rome. Now christian reader, seing the scripture lieth thus, that Peters aboade in Ierusalem, after the conuersion of S. Paule Anno Domini .35. is recorded .iij. seuerall times. And after the last time a couenaunt made, that he woulde continue among the Iewes. If I shall proue vntounto thee, that these seuerall times are rightly numbred, according to the yeare of the Lorde, that is, that the first time was the .38 yeare, the seconde time, the .46. yeare, the third time, the .48. yeare, and then in the meane while betwene the .35. yeare, and the .38. likewise the .38. and the .46. and betwene the .46. and .48. that Peter was not in Rome, last of all, that he was true of his promise, and after the .48. yeare, came not at Rome, then I trust thou wilt confesse with me, that Peter was neuer .25. yeares Bishop of Rome. But that all poperie, as it is in it selfe nothing but lies, so it is grounded wholly, and altogither vponupon lies. First it is agreed vponupon by all, & the thing is plaine in it self, Paule was conuerted the yere of our Lord .35. Thē Paule himself writeth thus.Galat. 1.18. Act. 9.26. After three yeres I came to Ierusalē to see Peter, and abode in his house .xv. dayes, so this was the .38. yere of our Lord, when Peter is first in Ierusalē. When he was after imprisoned at Ierusalem, Act. 12.2. that it was the .46. yeare of our Lorde, it is proued thus. The countreis about▪ that is, Tyre,Act. 12.20. Suetonius in Claudio. Euse. Beda. Orosius. lib. 7. cap. 6. and Sidon, were then nourished with the kings prouision. But that prouision Claudius made, in the great famine▪ the .4. yere of his raigne, which was the yeare of our Lord .46. Againe immediatly after, the scripture mēcioneth *Act. 12.23.the death of Herode. But Herode was made king in the first yeare of Caligula, and raigned 7. yeare, so he died in the .4. yeare of Claudius. And consequently, as is said, the .46. yeare of our Lorde. Peter being now in prison at Ierusalem, and thus the seconde time, that Peter is mencioned to be in Ierusalem, is the .46. yeare of Christ. Afterward, when the Apostles helde the councell in Ierusalem,Other number these .14. yeres from his firste going to Ierusalem, and so this councell is holden▪ An. 51. that it was the .48. yeare of our Lord, it is proued by S. Paule, who after he had mentioned his conuersion, and his first going to Ierusalem, whereof we spake before, he saith thus. *Gal. 2.1.Then after .14. yeres, I went vp again to Ierusalem. So it was the .48. yeare of our Lord, this being .14. yeare after his conuersion, and he conuerted in the .35. of our Lorde, and thus it is proued, that in the yeares of our Lord .35.38.46.48. Peter was in Ierusalē. Now it resteth to proue, that in the meane space Peter came not to Rome. That he was not at Rome betwene the .35. and the .38. yeare, I hauehave this profe. In the yeare of our Lorde .37. Pilate wrote his letter… vntounto Tiberius the Emperor of Christ, and of his doctrine,Eus. li. 2. ca. 1. Tert. in apol. Orosius. Nauclerus. fol. 512. and how the Iewes accompted him a God, whereby the Emperoure was so moued, that he wold nedes make Christ a God in Rome▪ If Peter had bene in Rome, Pilates letters had not ben necessary. The Emperor should hauehave had better instruction. Thus in those three yeares Peter was not in Rome. Betwene the .38. yere, and the .46. yeare they say, suche is their impudencie, that Peter was Bishop all the while at Antioche. If it be so, then by their owne confession he was not at Rome. But the scripture is plain he was neither at Antioche, nor yet at Rome. And howe these 7. yeares are passed, marke, and thou shalt see. In the beginning of these .7. yeares, Peter goeth forth a preaching. First into all Iury, Galile, and Samaria, which wold require some cōtinuance. Afterward he goeth vp to the saints at Lidda,Act. 9.32. and there tarieth. From thence he goeth to Ioppe, and there tarieth dies multos, a long while.Act. 9.39. From thence he goth to Caesarea, and ther couerted Cornelius,Act. 10.24. the first gentile that euer he conuerted, as is plain by the scriptures, then he abideth certain dayes at Caesarea, all this well nigh .400. miles from Antioche: and now for profe he maketh no hast to Antioche,Act. 11.2. he commeth home againe to Ierusalem, where he is againe ioyned with the Apostles. And now the Apostle heare word, that certaine gentiles at Antioche are conuerted, not by Peter, but by the disciples, that fled when Steuen was stoned.Act. 11.22. Act. 7.60. & 8.1. Well did the holy ghost here name them that preached this while at Antioche, or else here had ben some coloure for Peters bishoprike. But marke further, when the Apostles heare this, to confirme the gentiles, they send to Antioche. But vvhome sende they? Peter? Sure they vvoulde hauehave done, had he then bene their bishop, but Peter abideth still in Ierusalem, and Barnabas is sent to Antioche, where he abideth, after goth in to Tarsus to Paule, from thēce they come againe bothe to Antioche, and there tary afterwarde one whole yeare. About this time saith the scripture, Peter was put in prison,Act. 12.2. which was as is proued, the yeare of our Lord .46. And that he continued in Ierusalem euer since Barnabas was sent to Antioche, we hauehave this coniecture. When he was deliuered out of prison, and knockt at Maries dores, Rhoade the maide knewe him by his voice.Act. 12.15. And so well, that the Disciples said she was madde, or else it was Peters angell. Yet were the thing neuer so incredible, she said she was sure it was euen he. This perfecte knowledge of a mannes voyce, required some continuaunce of acquaintaunce. And thus we are come to the .7. yeare of his bishoprike of Antioche, in which time he yet neuer came at Antioche. Nowe the yeare of our Lord .46. the .4. of Claudius, he goeth from Antioche to Rome, and there is bishop .25. yeares, 2. months .8. dayes, from the .16. of Ianuary, to the .24 of March. Suche accompt I trow they make, that tell vsus how many mile it is to heauen. But be it so, he is gone out of the prisone in Ierusalem .2000. mile of to Rome to be made bishop. If the story of dame Ioane were so incredible as this, maister Harding vvith some countenaunce might hauehave written against it. But let vsus go foreward.Act. 15.7. Orosius. lib. 7 cap. 6. Suetonius. Nauclerus. In the yeare of our Lorde .48. notwithstanding this posting to Rome, he is yet at Ierusalem. *Gal. 2.9.And from hēceforth that he ment not to goe to Rome, but kepe his promise that he would continue among the Iewes, we hauehave this profe. First his othe where Iames, Peter, and Iohn doe sweare vntounto Paule, and Barnabas, that they would execute their Apostleships among the Iewes. Which sure Peter woulde not hauehave done, if he had thought to hauehave gone to Rome, and all the Papists in the world shall neuer be able to ansvver it, iangle hovv they vvil, that Peter vvas bishop of Rome. He vvas not, he ment it not, he kept his promisse. Paule calleth him the Apostle of circumcision.Gal. 2.11. Gal. 2.7. 1. Peter. 1.1. Iacob. 1.1. 1. Ioh. 2.24. He vvas aftervvarde among the Ievves at Antioche, he vvryteth▪ his Epistle to the Ievves, that vvere straungers, and scattered abroade in Asia, euen as Iames dothe to the tvvelue Tribes scattered among the nations, and Iohn to them that had heard and seene from the beginning, vvhichwhich vvere the Ievves. Thus did those Apostles minde their promise, though vve talke of bishopprikes, vve knovve not vvhat. But bicause there are yet three and twenty yeares behinde, let vsus as vve may, examine them by the scriptures. In the Actes vve read,Act. 18.2. Orosius. lib. 7 cap. 6. Suetonius. Nauclerus, & alij. that Priscilla and Aquila, and all the residue of the Ievves vvere banished out of Rome. But this vvas done the .9. yeare of Claudius. Anno Domini .51. When now Peter should hauehave bene more than .5. yeare bishop in Rome. Thus yll may this fable agree vvith the scriptures of God. But let vsus examine it further.
About six yeares after this, and the beginning of the raigne of Nero, Paule wryteth his Epistle to the Romaines, as appeareth, for that he then caried vp to Ierusalem, for the pore saints there abiding, suche distribution as they of Macedonia and Achaia had gathered,Rom. 15.26. which was a little before Paules last going to Ierusalem, as most writers agree, in the last yeare of Claudius. And for profe it was so, now al things are quiet at Rome, Paule saluteth Priscilla, and Aquila, which in the .9. of Claudius were bothe banished, and the Actes doe specifie certaine yeares after, in which Paule and they were togither. So now being at Rome againe, it agreeth wel, that the Epistle to the Romains, was written about the beginning of the raigne of Nero, and the yeare of our Lorde .56. at which time Peter was not at Rome, as may be proued aboue all gesses, and coniectures, out of the worde of God. First he saluteth diuers by name, and yet he speaketh not of Peter,Rom. 16. a sure profe that Peter was not at Rome. Againe, he saluteth Andronicus, and Iunia, with this especial note, which are notable among the Apostles,Rom. 16.7. and were in Christ afore me. How muche more occasion had Paule, thus to salute and commende Peter, whome he calleth other where a piller of the Church, and who was not only before Paule,Gal. 2.9. but before all men, sauing Andrew his brother, called to be a disciple. Nothing may be here answered, but that only, which is true, Peter was not at Rome. If these reasons seme not strong inoughe, then good Reader, loke in the .15. to the Romaines, thou shalt hauehave an other, which by no meanes may be shifted off. Thus he wryteth, I enforced my self to preache the gosple, not where Christ was named, least I should hauehave built vponupon an other mannes foundation, but as it is vvritten,Rom. 16.20. to vvhome he vvas not spoken of, they shall see him, and they that heard not, shall vnderstande him. Then he addeth, therefore also I hauehave bene oft let to come vntounto you, by which words it is manifest, they had but weake maintenaunce of their faith, and the true Disciples had no long continuaunce among them. But how could this be, if Peter were .25. yeare, Bishop there. Again, he saluteth the houshold of Narcissus, which Narcissus saith, Ambrose vvas Presbiter eius ecclesiae, a chiefe ruler in that churche. and hovv coulde Paule here hauehave forgotten Peter, being Archpresbiter, the chiefe of all rulers, and Pope himselfe? Thus are vve past .xj. yeare of this Bishoprike, and yet vve can not once finde S. Peter in his diocesse. In the yeare of our Lord .58. and the seconde of Nero, Paule commeth to Rome, and then Peter is not at Rome,Eusebius in chronico. Act. 28.2…. as appeareth by this saying of the Scripture, vvhere the chiefe of the Ievves in Rome speake thus vntounto Paule. We vvill heare of thee vvhat thou thinkest, for as concerning this secte, vve knovve that eueryevery vvhere it is spoken againste. Then vvhen Paule had preached vntounto them, and some beleued, and some beleued not. The text saith, vvhen he had said these, the Ievves departed, and had great reasoning among them selues. Is it possible that Peter should now hauehave bene thirtene yeare bishop, and yet the chiefe of the Ievves that vvere there vvhen Paule came, had scarce any vnderstanding of Christ▪ They may beleue it, that vvill nedes be deceiued. Tvvo yeare after this, vntill the yeare of our Lorde 60. the fourthe of Nero, Paule abideth in Rome. All vvhichwhich while, vndoubtedly Peter came not once there, as may plain appeare, if thou reade the Epistles, vvhichwhich Paule vvrote in Rome. To the Galathians he speaketh muche of Peter, and of his conuersation vvith him, about tvventy yeares paste, but of his present being at Rome, not one vvorde, and yet he speaketh of him to this purpose, to get the more credite vntounto himselfe, vvhy then doeth he not name him, as novve present vvith him? In like case, vvryting to the Philippians,Philip. 1.2. he beginneth his Epistle thus, Paule and Timothie, vvhy coulde he not heere, hauehave begon Paule and Peter? Nay what folly vvas it to bring Peters testimonie many yeares past, vvhichwhich novv might be doubted of, vvhen he might hauehave had his present, and most certaine vvitnesse, vvith subscription of his ovvne hande, to confirme his doctrine? Againe, he vvryteth thus vntounto the Philippians, that many brethren in the Lord vvere boldned through his bandes,Phil. 1.14. and durste frankely speake the worde, if bandes would hauehave made them faithfull, no doubt Peter had long before, confirmed them, surely he would not hauehave shronke neither for chaines, nor prisones. It is his owne doctrine, that heere vntounto we are called,1. Peter. 2.21. he coulde not so sone hauehave forgotten his owne good councell. Againe, Paule wryteth, he had no man like minded as Timothy was,Phil. 2.20. how coulde this be, if Peter had bene there? Againe he wryteth, he had only Aristarchus his prisone felow,Col. 4.10.11 sure Peter would hauehave bene in prisone too, if he had bene in Rome. Againe, Marke, and Iustus,Phil. 23. are onelyonly my felow workers, and shall we thinke that Peter was now bishop, yet would not helpe Paule in preaching? Read ouer all Paules Epistles, written in Rome, and if the spirite of truthe be within thee, thou wilt say Peter was not in Rome, yet now he shoulde hauehave bene euen in the floure of his bishoprike. Nowe are there only lefte ten yeares behinde, in which likewise it shall appeare, whether Peter were in Rome. At the latter ende of this ten yeare, Anno Domini .7d. Neronis .14. Paule commeth againe to Rome, and is againe imprisonned, whence he wryteth his seconde Epistle to Timothie, as Ierome, and Eusebius, and diuers other doe thinke. Then Peter is not in Rome. Only Luke is vvith me, saith S. Paule,2. Tim. 4.11. if this be true, vvhere then vvas Peter? Shall vve thynke he vvoulde not once see Paule a prisonner? Againe, at my first aunswering, no man assisted me, but all forsoke me.2. Tim. 4.16.
O vnthankefull vvretches, and deseruing yll of Peter, that vvoulde novve thinke Peter vvere Bishoppe. But heere are nowe nine yeares, in the meane season, in vvhichwhich it is sone proued, Peter coulde be no bishop. Paule reioysed that he had escaped out of the hands of Nero.2. Tim. 4.17. But what needed he, if that Peter could set quietly bishop? Seneca wryteth secretely epistles vntounto Paule,Seneca. and Paule vntounto Seneca, but neuer a worde of Peter. Nero made proclamation that no man shoulde speake either to Christian, or to Iewe, and howe coulde then Peter be bishop?Orosius lib. 7 cap. 7. Nero when he had set the Citie on fire in the .9. yeare of his raigne, to auoid the enuye of so great a mischiefe, he layde all the fault vponupon the Christians, whereof Tacitus, that wicked heathen, wryteth thus.Cornel. Tacitus. lib. 15. Repressa in praes…ns exitiabilis supersticio rursus …rump… bat. That wicked superstition, that was now well repressed, sprang vp againe. But is it like if Peter had bene then bishop, that christianitie shoulde hauehave bene so quenched, that no man did scarce remember it? But be it that all this were true, let Peter become vnfaithfull, let him forget to professe Christ, and feede his flocke, were he neuer so vnthankfull, yet sure he coulde not be then bishop of Rome. For in the .10. yeare of his raigne,Sueton. in Nerone. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 25. Egesip. lib. 4. Nero made suche great persecution of all Christians, that in no place they coulde be sure, but eueryevery where were drawne forthe vntounto moste shamefull deathes, and this persecution continued .4. yeares without intermission, and how vvas Peter then a bishop? They had beastes skinnes put vponupon them, and then were weryed with dogges, they laide them on heapes, and burnt them to giuegive light in the night time, they hong them vp quicke vponupon gibbets: they practised all kinde of exquisite crueltye against them, and yet for all this shall we thinke that Peter vvas bishop?2. Pet. 1.14. I leaue here to speake of Peters ovvne epistles, the last written a little before his death, what time this persecution shoulde hauehave bene in the greatest rage, yet Peter doeth not so muche as once mention any suche thing. The former was writē about the .12. yere of Claudius, and by expresse words dated from Babilon, which thing bicause it is a most euidēt token, that Peter was thē no bishop of Rome,Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 15. Therfore they make this glose vponupon it. From Babylon, that is from Rome, and vvhat a miserable shift is this, in defence of Peters bishoprike, to confesse Rome to be Babylon? But Rome, as it is, it shal be Babylon, and their religion, as it is, it shall be the purple vvhore, and the Pope as he is, he shall be Antichrist, rather than they vvill lose this succession of Peter. And heere to make the fable perfect, they shut it vp vvith tvvo especiall lies.Eusebius. Hieronimus. Aegesippus Ambr. Epi. li. 5. ad auxentium. Act. 7.58. In Epist. ad Gal. cap. 1. The one, that Paule and Peter bothe died in one day. The other, that Christ met Peter flying avvay, and bad him goe back, and suffer death. As touching the first, vve reade of Paule vvhen he vvas conuerted, he vvas a yong man, and vvhen he vvent to Ierusalem to see Peter, Athanasius saith, he vvent for reuerence▪ that he bare to Peters age. So it seemeth Peter vvas gray headed, vvhē Paule vvas but young. *Philip. 9.About .25. yeres after Paule vvryteth to Philemon. Though I be, as I am, euen Paule an olde man. Then vvhat vvas Peter at these yeares? Yet Paule liueth after this ten yeare, and then wryteth of hym selfe,2. Tim. 4.6. that the tyme of his resolution is at hande. Paule had novv finished euen his naturall course, a very probable coniecture, that he outliued Peter. But this other vntruthe that vve speake of, is aboue all coniecture shamelesse, and vnreasonable. They saye that Peter the night before he shoulde suffer, fledde avvay, and as he vvas going, Christ met him, vvhome vvhen he had seene, Peter sayd vntounto him, Domine, quò vadis? Maister, vvhether goest thou?Egesip. lib. 3. cap. 2. Then christ made aunswere, Romam iterum crucifigi, to Rome that I may be crucified againe. Then Peter perceiued that Christ spake of him, and so he returned, and vvas crucified, as if Peter him selfe had neuer taught vsus, that the heauens must containe, and kepe Christ, vntill the time that all things be restored, vvhiche shall not be accomplished vntill the last day,Act. 3.21. and thus endeth the fable of Peters bishoprike in Rome.
Novv good christian Reader, thou consider of it, as the truthe shall moue thee, and vvay the Pope, and Papistry, vvhat it is. Searche the scriptures saith▪ our sauior Christ. For they doe beare vvitnesse of me.Ioh. 5.39. But searche the scriptures vvhile thou vvilt, thou canst not finde one line for the Popes supremacie, no title for proofe of Peters bishoprike in Rome. A certaine argument, the Pope is not of Christ. And as this head, and vvell spring of all this iniquitie, I meane the Pope him selfe, hath no vvarrant in the vvorde of God: so his religion, that it may be like him selfe, is altogether contrary, and beside the vvorde of God. What should I here recite all particulares? Searche the scriptures, thou shalt not finde neither Masse nor Mattens, Diriges, Trentals, Dispensations, Iubileis, Indulgences, Pardones, P…lgrimage, Holy water, Holy bread, Crucifixe, Rodes, Banners, Tapers, Sensors, Paxes, Pixes, Canopies, Copes Corporase, Vestments, Albes, Stoales, Tunicles, Saccaring, Eleuation, Altare, Altareclothes, Superaltaries, Howseling, Shriuing, Aneling, Dispeling, Creping, Halovving of Bels, Halovving of Churches, Halovving of Fountes, Monethes mindes, Lent, Vigill, Aduent, Praying to saintes, praying for the deade, praying in a straunge tongue, none other of the xxv. Articles, mencioned by maister Iuell. And vvhat shoulde I speake of all, that are almoste infinite. Reade their Portuise, and reade the Bible, thou shalt finde no leafe of agreement. And this none can denye, vvho so euer is most frovvardly bent. What resteth then, if vve louelove God, and his holy vvorde, but that vve consider our vvayes, and see vvhether vve vvalke as he hathe taught vsus. There is no heauen, but his dvvelling place, no vvalking vntounto it but by his cōmaundements, and his commandementes no vvhere to be founde, but in the Scriptures, vvhichwhich he hath left vsus.
Next vntounto Gods glory, we hauehave nothing so precious, as the sauegarde of our owne soules. And where shall we finde the saluation of our soules, but in the vvorde of God? God graunt vntounto thee his holy spirite, that thou mayest heare his worde, and keepe the same, to the obedience of his will, and the saluation of thine owne soule. Amen.
Farewell, from Christes colledge in Cambridge, the .iiij. of April. Anno Domini. 1568. Thine in the Lorde. Edward Dering.