iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome ANd first to begin with the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the Bishop of that Sea which they affirme at this day to extend it selfe not only ouer all nations kingdomes and prouinces of the world but also ouer al estates degrées synods and assemblies of men When the disciples contended amongst themselues Mat. 18. Mar. 9. Luke 9. who should be the greatest good occasion was offered vnto our Sauiour if he had intended any such Hierarchie or supremacie then by shewing whom he would aduaunce to that dignitie for euer to haue decided this question But as one intending no such matter hée perswadeth them rather in perfect humilitie and lowlinesse of mind one to goe before another In deed after his resurrection hee gaue them commission saying Go into all the world teaching all nations c. but no where nor at any time did hee say to them or any of them Goe to Rome Antioch or Hierusalem and be thou intituled or installed there for Bishop that thou mayest be prince of Priests supreme heade of the Church my vicar vppon earth not to bee iudged of any hauing all knowledge of Scriptures lawes within thy breast and that I giue to thée I will also tie and binde my selfe by promise to giue to all those shall in that place succéede thée And as Christ no where gaue any such prerogatiue to any of his disciples aboue the rest so did none of them euer vsurpe or take vpon them any such matter Yea the Apostle Peter was so farre from chalenging vnto himselfe any such prerogatiue aboue his felow Apostles that he did not onely giue the right hand of felowship to Paul Gal. 2. but also was content to be reprooued by him And as for the Church of Rome there was no more respect had vnto it in olde time as appeareth euidently by the testimonie of Pope Pius the second Ex Epist Pij secundi 301 theÌ„ to other churches But euery Church was then ruled by his owne gouernance till the yéere of our Lord 3â—0 Anno. 340. Then folowed the CouÌ„cel of Nice wherein was decréed not that the Bishop of Rome should be vniuersal Bishop chiefe priest of the worlde prince of the Church or any such matter but that the whole vniuersitie of Christs Church which was now farre spred ouer all the world Ex concil Nicen. should be distinguished in foure prouinces or precincts whereof euery one should haue his head church and chiefe bishop called then Metropolitane to haue the ouersight of such Churches as did lie about him In the nuÌ„ber of which patriarches or Metropolitanes the bishop of Rome had the first place not for any dignity of the person of him that then was bishop or of him that succéeded or of him whoÌ„ he is said to succeed but onely in the place wherein he did sit Ex Concil Calc ca. 2â— as most plainly may be proued by the Councel of Calcedon which saith Our fathers did worthily attribute the chiefe degrée of honor to the sea of old Rome because the principall raigne or emperie was in that city The same also is confirmed by Euseb Caesariensis Ex Gabriel Bicl lect 25. declaring that the excellencie of the Romane Emperie did aduance the Popedom of the Romane Bishop aboue other Churches Moreouer the said Caesar saith the councell of Nice gaue this priuiledge to the Bishop of Rome that like as the king of the Romanes is named Emperor aboue other kings so the bishop of the same city of Rome should be called pope aboue other bishops Thus although the B. of Rome for the dignity excellency of that city had the first place giueÌ„ to him this was don by maÌ„s authoritie not by the authoritie of God And all this notwithstanding he had no more nor greater authority theÌ„ the other Metropolitans but euery of the 4. had his peculiar circuit and precinct to him peculiarly apointed Ex Concil Constant cap. 36. in such sort as one of them should not deale within anothers precinct and also that there should be among theÌ„ equalitie of honor Whervpon we reade so oft in the decrées of the old couÌ„cels equal degrée of thrones and of honours amongst Priestes and ministers And againe speaking of the said Patriarkes Conc. Con. cap. 2.3 or Primates we reade in the Councell of Constantinople that Bishops should not inuade the dioces of others without their borders nor confound togither Churches The old doctors also for the most best sort of them accord in one sentence that all Bishops placed wheresoeuer in the Church of God be of one merit of like honor and all to be successours together of the Apostles For S Hierome sayth plainly Omnes Episcopi pares haeredes sunt sedis Apostolicae That is Al Bishops are equall and are the heires of the Apostolicall sea And by examples he sheweth that the Bishop of a small towne hath like authoritie as a Bishop of a great citie And that if one Bishop be higher or lower then another it is because one Bishoprike is richer or poorer then another otherwise they are all the successors of the Apostles For this cause when Victor which was Bishop of Rome Anno 200. Anno. 200 went about to excommunicate the East Churches for the obseruation of Easter day hée was not permitted by Ireneus so to doe Also when Boniface the first required of the Bishops of Carthage to sende vp their appellations to the Church of Rome he was not only denied thereof Con. Cart. 6 but also the learned and godly men of Carthage assembling themselues in a Councell to the number of 217 Bishops made a publike decrée that none out of that countrie shoulde make anie appeale ouer the sea Yea the fathers in that Councell by their letters exhorted the Bishops of Rome that he would not induce the swelling pride of the worlde into the Church of Christ which sheweth and giueth the light of simplicitie and humilitie to such as loue to sée God c. And after this about the yéere of our Lord 583. Anno. 583. When Ioannes Bishop of Constantinople went about to establish that proude title of vniuersall Bishop to the sea of Constantinople the Bishop of Rome that then was Ex Palagi 20. dsti 99. cap. nullus Ex Anton. tit 12. cap. 3. called Pelagius the second his next successour Gregorie the first were so farre off either from giuing vnto the Bishop of ConstaÌ„tinople that proud title or from chalenging it to themselues that when it was offered by certaine Bishops vnto Gregorie hée refused it saying none of my predecessours were so arrogant as to vsurpe this proude title calling it newe foolish proude peruerse wicked prophane such as to consent vnto it is as much as to denie the fayth Yet for all this there is no one thing for the which the Bishops of this later Church of Rome doe more egerly fight and contende
as may appeare not onely by the decrée of Boniface the eight wherein he commaundeth euery man vpon paine of damnation not onely to beléeue but also to be subiect to the primacie or supreme authoritie of the Bishope But also by that they doe euery where burne those for heretikes which acknowledge not the same The seuenth Chapter Howe the Bishops of Rome in olde time were subiect to ciuill Magistrates AND as in olde time the Bishops of Rome kept themselues within the bounds limits of their own prouince and precinct so were they also as wel as all other ecclesiastical persons subiect to their Emperors lawful magistrates yea and that not onely in causes ciuill but also in ecclesiasticall gouernement Gregorius surnamed Magnus was subiect to Mauritius called him Lord saying you were then my Lord when you were not Lorde of the whole Empire Gregor ad Mauritium August lib. Epist 3. Epist 61. behold Christ himselfe shall make you answer by me which am his most simplest seruant and yours And before him Eleutherius his predecessor bishop of Rome writing to Lucius king of this realme calleth him by the name of Christs vicar Boniface also the first by humble supplication obteined of Honorius his Emperour that a lawe was established none should be made Bishop of Rome by ambition Dist 97. ca. Ecclesiae ca. Victor Iustinian also Emperour of Rome ordeined and constituted many wholesome lawes for the ordering and gouernement of the Cleargie as that no Bishop or Priest should excommunicate any man before his cause were knowen and proued to be such as for the which the auncient Canons of the Church woulde him to be excommunicate And if any should otherwise procéed contrarie to the same then the excommunicate person to bée absolued by an higher degree and the excommunicator to be sequestred from the Communion 24. q 3. cap. dc illicita so long as it should be thought méete by him that had the execution thereof c. Besides these many other such like examples if it were not to auoyde tediousnesse might be inferred But séeing the question groweth to this issue whether the Bishops of Rome ought by the diuine law of Gods word to be subiect to their lawful magistrates or not we will omit and cease to heape vp a multitude of examples out of mās law and produce a fewe witnesses out of the worde of God And first of all Christ our Sauiour did not onely commaund his disciples to giue their alleageance to Cesar but also himselfe paide tribute And the Apostle Paul writing to the ancient Romanes saith Rom. 13. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers vnder whose obedience neither Pope Cardinall Patriarch Bishop Priest Frier nor Monke is excepted nor exempted Theophil as Theophilactus expounding the same place declareth saying Hee teacheth all sorts whether he be Priest or Monke or else Apostle that they should submit themselues vnder their Princes And S. Augustine writing ad Bonifacium sayeth in such like sort Whosoeuer refuseth to obey the lawes of the Emperour which make for the veritie of God incurreth the danger of great punishment Aug. contra Cresco lib. 3 cap. 5. Also writing vnto Cresconium hee hath these wordes Kings according as it is inioyned them of God doe serue God in that they are kings if they in their kingdome commaund those things that be good and forbid things that be euill such as appertaine not onely to humane societie but also to Gods religion Vnder the olde Testament were not the Priests and Leuites subiect to the ciuill Magistrates yea euen in matters of Ecclesiasticall gouernement when king Dauid disposed them into foure and twentie orders or courses appointing them continually to serue in the ministerie 1. Para. 23. 24. 25 euery one in his proper order and turne as came aboute And when good king Ezechias renued the same institution of the Cleargie being decayed 2. Para. 31. 2. Parapo Chap. 31. But the Byshop of Rome at this day with his shaued Cleargie can not in anie kinde abide to bée ordered or disposed by any and therefore iudge good Christian Reader whether wée or they in this respect come nearer vnto the auncient constitution of the Primitiue Church The eight Chapter Of iustification NOw as we haue heard how the ancient Bishops in former time neither exempted themselues frō subiection to their lawful magistrates nor chalenged vnto themselues any vniuersall iurisdiction ouer others so let vs also in other points of their religion doctrine compare them with the first and primitiue time and we shall most plainly sée they are altogether vnlike vnto themselues And here to begin with the article of iustification first the blessed Apostles thēselues in al their writings and namely Paul the doctor teacher of the gentiles setteth forth no other meanes for iustificatiō or remission of sinnes but only faith aprehending the body or person of Christ Iesus crucified For as there is no way into the house but by the doore so is there no comming to God but by Christ alone which is by fayth And as the mortall bodie without bodily sustenance of bread and drinke can not but perish so the spirituall soule of man hath no other refreshing but only by faith in the bodie blood of Christ Iesus And for this cause it is saide To him doe all the Prophets witnesse that through his name Acts. 10. all that beléeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Hee that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life Iohn 3. and be that obeyeth not the sonne Ephes 2. shal not sée life but the wrath of God abideth on him For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God When the kéeper of the prison at Philippos asked Paul and Silas what he should doe to be saued they answered him Acts 16. saying Beléeue in the Lorde Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saued With this Charge and to this end our Sauiour sent foorth his disciples into all the world saying He that beléeueth and is baptised shal be saued but he that will not beléeue shall bee damned So Paul witnesseth that hee was called and sent of God to call the people to repentance that they might receyue forgiuenesse of sinnes Acts 16. and inheritance among them which are sanctified by fayth in Christ Thus the Apostles preached and thus were the olde Romanes to whom Paul sent a worthie Epistle notably deciding this question taught Acts. 10. The same did Cornelius a Romane and first that was baptised of all the Gentiles learne of Peter when he receiued the holy Ghost not by his own workes which he did according to the lawe but onely by hearing the fayth of Iesus preached And in this faith and doctrine not only the Church of Rome but the whole congregation of Gods people continued many yéeres as more plainely may appeare by the
the Apostles and yet in such things as appertained vnto the function of the ciuill Magistrate they did not onely themselues but also taught others to obey 1. Pet. 3. as Peter testifieth saying Submit your selues to all maner of ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superiour Tit. 3. c. And Paul writing to Titus sayth Put them in remembrance that they bee subiect to principalities and powers and that they bee obedient All this notwithstanding the Bishops of this latter Church of Rome with their clergie howsoeuer they glorie and boast themselues to be the successours of Christ and his Apostles yet in this matter of subiection and obedience to ciuill Magistrates they will accept no instance in any Secondly whereas it is saide that there is no power but of God learne thereby with Chrysostome to distinguish betwéene the person and the function For the power or authoritie is of God therefore must néedes be good but the abuse or misusing of the power or authoritie is from the corruption of mans nature and the malice of Satan as the Lorde complayneth saying Hosc ◠They haue reigned but not by mee that is not according to my will and ordinance but according to their owne lustes and appetites And yet wee are not to thinke but euen such persons are not onely for good causes stirred vp of God but also their inordinate procéedings directed by the wonderfull prouidence of God to such end as hee knoweth best And yet neither God to bee made the authour of euill nor they the authours of any good For although God gaue the person and stirred vp the party that woorketh euill yet God neither woorketh the euill himselfe nor yet in giuing the person or stirring vp the partie had any respect vnto euill but vnto that which is good both in respect of the profite of his Church and the aduauncing of his owne glorie as God gaue Pharaoh not that hee should doe euill but that his name might bee glorified in him And although Pharaoh as all other tyrants did all thinges not to the ende he might please God but to the ende hee might please himselfe yet God by his vnspeakeable prouidence whereby he draweth light out of darkenesse and turneth all that for good which he did onely for euill The good therefore that commeth of their euill gouernement is altogether to bée imputed to the prouidence of God who directeth and turneth their studies councels and labors to a far other ende then they intended So that though in respect of the effect and end they do nothing but that God would haue done yet do they offend grieuously in doing of the same because they regard not the will of God in doing of it but to satisfie their own wicked and vngodly desires And as their studies councels labors haue another ende then they either knewe or intended so shall they also haue another rewarde not then they haue deserued but then they looked for Finally where it is said Whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to thēselues iudgement Thereby we are taught not onely how magistrates should be obeyed that is more of conscience because the worde of God bindeth vs thereunto then for the feare of punishment because we cannot resist For though the magistrate were vnarmed a man might prouoke and contemne him fréely to wit without punishment for it yet is it no more to be attempted then if we sawe present vengeance to beat hand for it but also we are generally taught what end remaineth for all those that fight against God in respect of his prouidence to gouerne the world by magistrats and rulers namely a iudgement that is not onely in iust but also a most sure vengeance what way soeuer it come The xviij Chapter Of Purgatorie THe Paradoxes or rather the fantasies of the later Church of Rome cōcerning purgatorie be monstrous neither old nor apostolical For first wheras the Scriptures and worde of God make mention onely of two places after this life Iohn 3. As it is written hee that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life and he that obeyeth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Mat. 3. And Iohn Baptist speaking of Christ sayeth Hee will gather his wheate into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenehable fire In which words you sée mention to bee made of two places onely two sorts of people beléeuing or not beléeuing chaffe or wheate saued or els damned in the Lords garner or els in fire vnquenchable And the ancient fathers for the most and best part of them either vtterly denie that there is any third place or els speake of it verie doubtingly August in Enchir. ad Laurentiū cap. 69. as August in his Enchiridion to Laurentius sayth It is not incredible but some such thing may be after this life but whether it bee so in déed or not may be a question And in the same worke Chap. 67. hée sayeth plainely that hée thinketh them to be deceyued which doe beléeue that they who depart out of this life in their sins can by fire be clensed in the life to come Epiphanius likewise taketh away purgatorie Epiph. lib. 2 haeres 59. And Ambrose also in his booke de bono mortis ca. 2. Gregorius Magnus in his dialogues lib. 4. cap. 1. 39. writeth doubtingly of it And in his booke de ecclesiast dogmat cap. 77. 78 maketh no mention of it But in his booke de fide ad Petr. cap. 2. constantly denieth that there is any place for repentance after this life And in his fifth booke Hypognost sayeth after this sort The Catholike fayth through diuine authoritie belongeth the kingdome of heauen to be the first place and hell to be the second place a third place we know none at all neither doe wee find any in holy Scriptures Cyprian in his first tract against Demetrianus saith after a man is departed hence there is no place for repentance no effect of satisfaction life is either lost or woonne here Yea there is nothing more vsuall and common among the olde fathers then this saying And therfore conclude I with that exhortation of Augustine in a sermon that he maketh against drunkennesse saying Let no man deceiue himselfe brethren for there are two places and the third is not séene He that reigneth not with Christ shall without doubt perish with the deuill Yet our newe Catholikes haue not onely found out a third place which they call Purgatorie but also teach that lacke of beliefe thereof bringeth to hell And this Purgatorie in torture paine differeth nothing from hell but onely that it hath an ende the pains of hel haue none The fiery paine whereof say they fretteth and scowreth away sinnes before committed in the body Contrarie to the which holy scripture teacheth saying Iohn