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For whiche cause▪ that See hath euer hitherto of al Christian Nations, and now also ought to be hearde, and obeied in al pointes of Faith. For that See, though it hath failed sometimes in Charitie, and hath beene in case,* 1.1 as it might truely say the woordes of the Gospel, spoken by the foolishe Virgins,
Our Lampes be vvithout lighte: Yet it neuer failed in faithe, as Theodoretus witnesseth, and S. Augustine affirmeth the same. VVhiche special Grace, and singular Priuilege, is to be imputed vnto the praier of Christe, by whiche he obteined of God for Peter and his successoues, 108* 1.2 that their Faith should not faile. Therefore the euil life of the Bishops of Rome, ought not to withdrawe vs from beleeuinge and folowinge the Doctrine preached and taught in the holie Church of Rome.
For better credite hereof, that is earnestly to be considered, whiche S. Augustine writeth, Episto∣la 165. where, after that he hath rehearsed in order al the Popes, that Succeeded Peter, euen to him, that was Pope in his time, he saithe thus, In illum ordinem Episcoporum &c. In to that rewe of Bishops, that reacheth from Peter him selfe to Anastasius, which now sitteth in the same Chayre, if any traitour had creapte in, it shoulde nothinge hurte the Churche, and the innocent Christen folke, ouer whom our Lorde hauinge prouidence, saithe of euil rulers:* 1.3 VVhat they saye vnto you, doo ye, but what they doo, doo ye not: For they saye, and doo not: to thintent the hope of a faithful person may be certaine, and suche, as beinge set not in man, but in our Lorde, be neuer scattered abroade with tem∣pest of wicked Schisme. And in his 166. Epistle (he satthe) Our Heauenly Maister hath so farre fore∣warned vs, to be ware of al euil of dissension, that he assured the people also of euil rulers, that for their sakes,* 1.4 the seate of holsome doctrine should not be forsaken, in whiche seate euen the very euil men be compelled to saye good thinges. For the thinges whiche they saye, be not theirs, but Goddes, who in the seate of vnitie, hath put the doctrine of veritie.
By this we are plainely taught, that al be it the successours of Peter Christes Vicares in earthe, be found blame woorthy for their euil life, yet we ought not to dissent from them in Doctrine, nor seuer our selues from them in Faithe. For as muche as, notwithstandinge they be euil, by Gods prouidence for the suretie of his people, they be compelled to saye the thinges, that be good, and to teache the truthe: the thinges they speake, not beinge theirs, but Gods, who hath put the doctrine of veritie, in the seate or chayer of vnitie: whiche singular Grace commeth specially to the See of Peter, eyther of the force of Christes prayer, as is saide before, or in respecte of place, and dignitie, whiche the Bishops of that See holde for Christe,* 1.5 as Balaam coulde be brought by no meanes to curse that people, whom God woulde haue to be blessed. And Caiphas also prophesied, bicause he was high Bishop of that yeere, and prophesied truely, beinge a man otherwise most wicked. And therefore the euil doo∣inges of Bishops of Rome, make no argument of discreditinge their Doctrine. To this purpose the example of Gregorie Nazianzene maye very fittely be applied, of the Golden, Siluerne, and Leaden Seale. As touchinge the value of Metalles, Golde and Siluer are better, but for the goodnesse of the Seale, as wel dooth Leade imprinte a figure in waxe, as Siluer or Golde. For this cause that the See of Rome hathe neuer ben defiled with stinkinge Heresies, as Theodoretus saithe, and God hath al∣waies keapte in that Chaire of Vnitie, the doctrine of Veritie, as Augustine writeth: For this cause (I saye) it sitteth at the sterne, and gouerneth the Churches of the whole worlde: For this cause Bishops haue made their Appellations thither, iudgement in doubtes of Doctrine, and determination in al controuersies and strifes, hath bene from thence alwaies demaunded.
Matth. 25.
The .108. Vntruthe. For many Popes haue erred in Faithe, as shal ap∣peare.
Matth. 23.
S. Augu∣stine spea∣keth gene∣rally of al Bishops: and not one vvoord namely of the B. of Rome.
M. Har∣ding com∣pareth the Pope vvith Balaam and Caiphas.