MarginaliaApostles equall together without any difference of superioritye.In the wordes also of Paul aboue writtē, this might be noted, as seruyng to my purpose, that Peter had no preeminence or primacy aboue the other, MarginaliaIames named before Peter.for Iames is named afore hym, whiche Paul would not haue done, (I thinke) knowyng Peter to bee Iames superiour. Therefore hee makyng no such varietye in order, put Iames afore, saying: and Iames, Peter and Iohn, that appeared the principals (quoth he) gaue vnto me & to Barnabe their right handes in signe of felowship. MarginaliaContētion about superioritie, whence it procedeth.Yet notwithstādyng Paul loued good order (I suppose) as well as any that now are, whiche contendeth so sore for superiour rowmes and preeminency, claymyng to bee the Apostles successours. I would it were so much for the common wealth of Christen people, as it is suspecte that they do it for vayne glory, and worldly luker. Accordyng to this, shal you find Act. xi. where is shewed, MarginaliaAct. 11.that after Peter by instincte of the holy ghost, had gone vnto one of þ^e Gentiles called Cornelius a petie Captayne, hauyng the gouernaunce of an hundreth men, teachyng hym the wayes and doctrine of Christ, and Baptising hym and other with hym assembled, beyng lyke as hee afore was, Paganes: the Apostles and other Christen brethren that were in Iewrye, hearyng therof, MarginaliaEmperours geue more obeysance to the Pope, then euer did the apostles vnto Peter.when Peter came into Hierusalem, they which helde vppon Circumcision, made none obeysaunce vnto hym (albeit I thyncke verely hee had more holines thē euer had any other Pope) as the Emperour is fayne to do to the Pope at his coronatiō, fallyng downe to kysse the Popes feete, or to holde the Popes stirrup while he mounteth vpō his horsebacke, accordyng to the forme of law writtē, I am not certein whether in the Decrees or els in the Decretals, or in both rather (for such ordinaunces are inuiolable and worthy to bee principally recorded) MarginaliaDifference betwene Peter, and the Pope.but they reasoned sore and disputed both agaynst S. Peter, and also hys doyng, saying: you haue gone amongest them that you ought not haue had to do with, ne to haue medled among them, that are men vncleane, bycause they are vncircūcised: yea and that is more, you haue eate and dronke with them. MarginaliaPeter was content to be charged of the brethren.
The Pope requireth his feete to kyssed of Emperours.Peter mildly and coldly made aunswere agayne, rehearsing all the maner of hys doyng in order shewyng: that hee was so instruct to doe by myghty and cleare reuelations of God, and not by hys owne fantasie and pleasure.

Which aunswere beyng heard, the other that afore had made sore obiectiōs against hym (which were both of the Apostles, and other christen brethren) were contente, holding their peace without any more complayning, and gaue glorie therfore to God, saying: Then hath God graunted also vnto the Gentiles to take repentaunce, and so to come to eternall life. MarginaliaPeter vicar of Christ no more than other Apostles.Where in you may see, that the other Apostles were as bould with Peter, as before is shewed of Paule, to dispute agaynst hym. Neither were they therfore by Peter reproued of inobediencie. He dyd not alleage any preeminēce or authoritye, to rebuke them for their complayninge, as one would saye: why should you that are my sheepe, controlle me, that am the head of the Church and your pastor, or Christes generall vicare, hauing both iurisdiction temporall, and spirituall: with such other lyke? but shewed them it was the will of God, that he had done, goynge to the Gentiles to tell them of eternall lyfe, whiche God pleased to geue to them as well as to the Iewes. In token wherof the holye ghost dyd sensiblye come amonge them, and so were they baptised.

MarginaliaVicare of Christ.Thus may you see, that if Peter were the Vicare of Christ, euen so likewise was Paule, and all the other Apostles. And I do not thinke contrarye, but that Peter and all other of the Apostles were Christes Vicares, if you meane by this word vicare, a deputye or such like for to preach hys Euāgelie (which is an office of all other most soueraigne) to minister Sacraments, and to do such other diuine seruice in Gods Churche. And thus were they worthie to be called (as the Scripture nameth them) Christes true Apostles, Bishops, Priests, Legates, or any such like. Which authoritye was geuē thē by Christ after hys resurrectiō, when he sayd vnto them these wordes: Peace bee amongest you. Like as my father hath sent me, so do I sent you. Take you the holy ghost: whose sinnes so euer you shall forgeue, are forgeuen them: and whose sinnes you shall retayne, are retained. MarginaliaLuke. 24.And the same authoritye did they receyue when Christ spake vnto all the Churche, after the minde of Sainct Augustine & other, in Peter, saying: Peter fede my shepe.MarginaliaIohn. 21.

MarginaliaTo the 44. article.
Successour of Peter.In the. xliiij. where you aske, whether I beleue, that the Pope ordinatly chosen for a tyme (his proper name being expressed) be the successour of S. Peter? I saye, that it seemeth to me a thing of no great value, whether a man beleue so or no. I can not see that it should be nōbred amongest the articles of oure fayth. Notwithstanding I will shewe my rude thought in it, which is this.

MarginaliaHow the Pope may be a successour of Peter.The Pope may succeede in S. Peters stead or office, and do the same duely & diligently feeding Christs flocke, and shewing vertuous ensample of liuing to the same, and so doing, he maye and ought to be thought and named a true successor of S. Peter. And thus is your Lordship, S. Peters successor, performing the cōdicions aforesayd, with other like properties requisite to your order and duety: MarginaliaEuery good Bishop may be successour of Peter.yea, and as many other as do truely their duety and duely the office of a Bishop. And otherwise may not the Pope be called the successour of Peter, for because hee is entred into S. Peters office, not regarding to do that is requisite for the same, ne folowing the trace of vertue, but the contrarye. And then is he wrongfully named, if at any time such be, which is not vnpossible. For what should men call those Peters successors, that play the pageantes and folow with the condicions of Cayphas, Simon Magus, or Iudas? Such verely if any be, can not rightwisly claime to bee Peters successors, nor more then þ^e ngiht may claime to be successor of the daye: for Peter was neuer so minded, ne taught them so. MarginaliaThe Pope rather may be Peters aduersarie, then his successour.Yea, they ought rather to bee called Peters aduersaries, for somuch as they doe not his will, that is shewed by his own actes & writing, but worke against the same. Of suche maye be sayde: Non Sanctorum filij sunt, qui tenent loca Sanctorum, sed qui exercent opera eorum. That is to saye, they are not all Sainctes children, that occupye the roumes of Sainctes, but they are theyr children, that exercise their workes. MarginaliaHierome.
As the night is the successour of the day, So is the pope successour of Peter except he follow the steppes of Peter.Yea, of such maye be sayde, that is written of S. Hierome. All Bishops (quod he) are not Bishoppes. Marke you wel Peter, but marke also Iudas. Behold Steuē, but behold Nicolas. Ecclesiasticall dignity maketh not a Christen mā. Cornelius the Centurion beyng yet a pagane, was made cleane thorow the benefit of the holy Ghost. Contrariwise, Daniel being a childe, condemneth Priestes, or auncient men. It is no easye thing (sayeth he) to stande in the roume of Peter and Paule, and to keepe the seat of them now reigning with Christ: For vnsauery salte is nought elles worth, but to be throwen out of the doores, and troden downe of hogges. This saieth S. Hierome.

MarginaliaAugust.
Let vs marke not how the byrde speaketh, but how he fedeth.Wherunto agreeth well S. Augustine. Euery one (quod he) þ^t saith vnto you, Pax vobis, ought not to bee heard, or to be belued, as a doue. MarginaliaThe Crow fedeth vpon carion, the Doue not so.Crowes be fedde of dead carion: and so is not a doue: but liueth by þ^e frutes of the earth. Her liuyng is pure, innocent, & hurtlesse. Wherby you may see, that ill Bishops are no Bishops, and þ^t they which folow no Saincts in vertuous liuing, are not þ^e sucessors of Sainctes, but vnsauerie salt, þ^t is, neither of the Church, ne shall come in heauē to reigne there with Peter and Paule, but be throwen out with great contempt. For God knoweth a doue frō a crow, and an innocent liuer from a deuourer of carion. But such as declare and shewe good deedes, as the Sainctes did, be their children and successors, and shal with them reigne in heauen.

So that to conclude, I saye, that the Pope ordinatly