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The keyes were equallye geuen to al (though he promi∣sed them but to Peter alone) when Christe brethed vppon them and sayd receyue the ho∣ly ghost, whose sinnes ye for∣giue they be forgiuen. &c.
The keyes were geuen to the churche, but in the person of Peter bicause of the vnitye. And here first note that there
is no mention made of the key¦es but onlye Mathue the .xvi. where as only to Peter Christ promised them: but his pro∣misse and his saying is his do∣ing. So that although to for∣geue sinnes, which was geuen to all the apostels and .72. disci¦ples also (as is declared in the laste answere but one) do per∣teyne to the keyes as a parte therof: yet is there in the key∣es a muche more large power conteyned. For therein is com¦prehended the fulnesse of all ec¦clesiasticall power and digni∣tye: whiche euen then in the xvi. of Mathue Christe gaue onlye to Peter (sayinge tibi to thee) and through hym to all his successours. He promissed
theym onelye to him but his promissinge or his sayinge (as I saide) was his doinge (Eius dixisse est fecisse) & that it is so, by goddes helpe I shall nowe trye by sufficient testimonye. But first note that when christ had spoken of the churche and that the gates of hell shoulde not preuayle agaynste it, he no further continued hys pro∣misse to the church but turned then his speache to Peter, say∣inge I wil giue to thee the key¦es: so that the churche recey∣ueth them throughe Peter, to whom in his own person then they were geuen as to the heade and foundacion of the churche vnder Christe.
But now let vs heare testimo¦nies hereof.
¶Tertulian libro de prest. haer.
Was there anye thinge hid from peter (as ye haue it twise before) whiche was called the stone of the foundacion of the church? Which had the key¦es of heauens geuen him and power to lose and binde both in heauens and in earthes? Tertulian here speaketh of that Christ sayde to Peter af∣ter he had geuen him the bles∣synge Mathue the .xvi. that which I do nowe thou know∣est not, and yet he graunteth there that Peter had receiued the keyes before: which can be no time els but euen when the promisse of geuinge them was
made, as wil appere by confer¦rynge the textes, the places, and the times together. ¶S. Ambrose also in the xx. of Luke.
Peter which came later, first entred into the sepulchre, as he which had receyued the keyes of the kingdome to open vnto other. Marke here Sayncte Ambrose saythe likewise that the keyes were geuen to Pe∣ter before the passion whyche must nedes be euen at the pro¦misse Math .16. or els neuer, as shal appeare by reding the pro¦cesse of the ghospell.
S. Ambrose also in libro de Isaac. &c.
Christ sayd to Peter thou canst not folowe me nowe. &c. but he had before geuē to him
the keyes of the kingdome of heauens. &c. Loe, all this was before the passion. Therefore we must nedes graunt that he gaue the keyes when he pro∣myssed them, seinge none can shew any other time of geuing them. ¶S. Aug. con. 124. de tempore.
In declaringe the geuinge of the keyes Mathew the .xvi. he saith, Christ gaue the keyes then to Peter: and therfore he saith tibi dedi claues regni celo∣rum I haue geuen to thee the keyes of the kingdome of hea∣uens, the like S. Aug. hathe tract. 50. in Ioa. et. li. 2. contra gau dentii epistolam.
S. Hilari in. psa. lii.
S. Hilari saith that christ toke
not away the keyes from Pe∣ter whē he denied him, here we see S. Hilari iudgeth that the keyes were geuen before the passion: but that must be when he promyssed them: Mathew the .xvi. &c. S. Hilari in psal .cxxxi.
Christ saide to Peter come after me sathā (or aduersarye) to whome he had geuen the keyes before. But that must nedes be when he promyssed them, seing this foloweth euen streight after in the same cha∣piter the .xvi. of Mathew.
Chrisostome in explicando pro∣pitius esto tibi. &c. Math .xvi.
He saith. O Peter what is this? thou which haddest a he∣uenlye reuelacion, and the keyes geuen to thee of the
heauens, arte thou so sone fal∣len so sore?
By al these auncient writers it appeareth yt the keyes were geuen whē they were promes∣sed: and that Christ gaue them presentlye in saing I wil geue thee the keyes. And this hath caused that euer since, ye keyes iustlye haue bene put vnto all Peters successours, & to none other. As for the power to mi∣nister the sacramēt of penaūce and to forgeue sinne, was ge∣uen after the resurreccion both to the Apostels and to the .27. Disciples (as a parte of the keyes) and yet as vnder Pe∣ter he beynge the head. But who I praye you is so foonde to saye that the .27. Disciples
receiued the keyes equallye with Peter?
math. 16.
Ioa. 20.
Ioa. 13.