the fayth of Peter, fayled for a tyme by the denyall of Christ, but the fayth of the Churche, whose person Peter did represent, did alwayes perseuere inuiolate.

MarginaliaByshops of Rome are heretiques.As touching the bishops of Rome, if time would suffer vs, we could rehearse many examples, how that thei either haue bene heretikes, or replenished with other vices. Neither are we ignoraunt how that Marcellinus at the Emperours commaundement, did sacrifice vnto Idoles, and that an other (which is more horrible) dyd attayne vnto the Papacye by a diuelishe fraud and deceite.MarginaliaHe meaneth Syluester the second. Notwithstanding the testimony of Paule vnto the Hebrues shall suffise vs at this time, who saith euerye bishop to be compassed in w^t infirmity: that is to say, with wickednes and sinne. MarginaliaThe church is without sinne, and the pope is a sinner.Also the testimonies of Christ him selfe do approue, that the Churche remayneth alwayes without sinne: for in Mathew he sayth, I am with you euen vnto the end of the world. The which wordes were not onelye spoken vnto the Apostles (for they continued not vnto the end of world) but also vnto their successors: neyther would Christ then signifie that he was God, dispersed throughout all the worlde, as he is also perceiued to be amongest synners, but woulde declare a certayne gift of grace, through his assistance, whereby he would preserue the holy Church consisting emongest his Apostels and their successors, alwayes immaculate and vndefiled. And agayne in an other place I (sayth he) wyll pray. and he shall geue you an other comforter, that he may remaine with you for euer, euen the sprite of truth whom the world cannot receaue, because the worlde seeth him not, neyther knoweth him, but you shall knowe hym, because he shall remayne with you. The whych wordes being spoken vnto the Disciples of Iesus, are also vnderstanded to be spoken vnto their successours, and so consequently vnto the church. And if the spirit of truth be continually in the churche, no man can denye, but that the church ought to continue vndefiled. By the same authoritye also that Christe is called the spouse of the Church, who seeth not, but that the churche is vndefiled? MarginaliaThe church one flesh with Christ.For the husband and the wyfe (as þ^e Apostle saith) are two in one fleshe, and (as he doth also adde) no man hateth hys own fleshe: thereby it commeth to passe, that Christ can not hate the church, for somuch as she is hys spouse, and one flesh with him, and no mā can hate him selfe: Ergo, the church doth not sinne: for if it did sinne, it shoulde bee hated, for sinners the Lorde doth hate. The which authorities being gathered together, we ought with the Apostle to confesse that the church of God hath neyther spot nor wrincle. MarginaliaThe church is without spot or sinne, is to be vnderstand not by nature, but only by imputation.Also he writing vnto Timothe affirmeth the church to be the pyller and foundation of the truth: whereupon in this song of the Spouse it is sayd: My friend thou art altogether faire and bewtiful, neyther is there any spot in thee.

These wordes perauenture may abashe some, that I do go about to proue the church to bee without sinne. For when as the church doth contayne all men whiche are called Christians, which also do agree and come together in one beliefe of fayth and participation of the Sacramentes, I do feare least some men wil think that I do affirme all men to bee without sinne: whiche is so farre from my meanyng, that I doo verelye thinke the cōtrarye to be most true. For I suppose, that there is no man in the church beyng clothed in thys mortall fleshe, without sinne. MarginaliaThe church without sinne how to be vnderstand.Neyther do these thinges vary or dissent among thēselues: For the church hath this gift, þ^t albeit euery parte & member therof may sinne, yet the whole body can not sinne. For there be alwaies good men in þ^e church, þ^e which, albeit þ^t they be subiect vnto humayn fragilitie, notwithstanding they haue so perfect a gifte of sincere & pure vertue, þ^t subduing all carnal desires & affections, they kepe themselues a pleasaunt & acceptable sacrifice vnto God. Neyther do I consent or agree vnto þ^e opiniō of diuers, which affirme þ^t the Virgin Mary only perseuered in faith at þ^e lordes passiō. MarginaliaThe errour of those which saye that onely the virgin Mary dyd perseuer constant at the tyme of his passion.Wherupō diuers haue not bene ashamed to say þ^t the faith myght be so debilitate & weakened, þ^t it shoulde returne to one onely olde woman. Whose opinion or rather madnes, Sainct Paule seemeth openly to reiecte, writyng thus vnto the Romaynes: do ye not know (sayth he) what the scripture writeth of Helias, how incessantly he called vpon God against the children of Israell (saying) O lord they haue slayne thy Prophets, and digged down thine altars, and I alone am left & they seeke after my soule? But what aunswer receyued he of God? I haue left vnto my selfe yet vij. M. men, which haue not bowed theyr knees vnto Baall. What other thyng doth this answer of God declare, then that it is a folishe opinion of them which thinke the church of God to be broughte vnto so small a number? We oughte to beleue the woordes of Christ, which are altogether repugnant vnto those men who affirme that the Virgine onely dyd perseuere in fayth. For Iesus said vnto his Father, O holye father saue them in thy name, whom thou hast geuen me, that they may be one as we are one. When I was with thē I kept them in thy name: I haue kepte them that thou gauest vnto me, and none of them perished, but onelye the sonne of perdition. And I doo not desire that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde, but that thou shouldst preserue thē frō euill. Beholde, Christ prayeth þ^t his Disciples should not fall, but shoulde be preserued frō euill, & he so praying without doubt is heard: for he sayth in another place, I knowe that thou hearest me. But how is he heard, if all those for whom he prayeth, swarued at the tyme of his passion? As for example: By what meanes did Christ hangyng vpon the Crosse, commend hys dearly beloued Mother vnto Iohn, if so be he were eyther then swarued or should by & by after haue swarued frō þ^e fayth? Moreouer, did not the Centurion by and by cry out and say: truely this is the sonne of God? The Iewes also which at that time were farre distant from Ierusalem, might both be called faythfull, and also saued by their fayth: seing that (as the Apostle sayth) men are bounde vnto the Gospell, after it is once knowen and reuealed vnto them. But let vs leaue these men & speake of þ^t which is more likely, and let vs iudge þ^t there hath bene & is a great number of good mē in the church,MarginaliaThe church comprehēdeth both the euill and good. & by thē as by þ^e more worthy part, let vs name the church holy and immaculate, the which doth comprehend as well the euill as the good. For þ^e church is compared vnto a net which is cast into the sea, and gathereth together all kynde of fishes. MarginaliaMath. 20.And agayne it is cōpared vnto a kyng, which made a mariage for his sōne, and sent forth hys seruauntes to call those whiche were bidden, vnto the weddyng, and they gathered together good and euil, as many as they could fynde. Wherfore, their opinion is erroneous, which affirme, that onelye good men be comprehended in the church: the which, yf it were true, it would cōfound all things, neither could we vnderstande or know where the churche were. But for so much as the scripture saith: no mā knoweth whether he be worthy of loue or hatred, MarginaliaThis saying of Ecclesiastes is not well translated, & also serueth to other sense, then is here ment.their opiniō is more to be allowed and truer, which include all the faythfull in the church: of whom, although a great part be geuen to voluptuousnes and auarice, yet some notwithstandyng are cleane from deadly sinne. The which part, as it is the moste worthye, it geueth the name vnto the church, to be called most holy: which is so often done, that we are commaunded to sing in our creede, vnam sanctam catholicam & Apostolicam Ecclesiam, that is to say, one holy catholike and apostolike churche: the which article the Synode of Constantinople, added vnto the rest: Wherefore if the church be holy, it is also without sinne. But to retourne to our former purpose, thys worde Sanctum, whiche signifieth holy (as Macrobius alledgyng Trebatius, affirmeth) is