haue a respecte vnto a godly life let that at al times take place which our Sauiour Christe hath willed vs to search out the trueth of them by the Scriptures Iohn 5. For in the fifth Chapter of the Gospell after saint Iohn when hee had rebuked the Iewes because they woulde not beleeue his doctrine which he brought them from God his Father he saide vnto them Verbum ejus non habetis manens in vobis quia quem misit ille huic vos non creditis Scrutamini scripturas quia vos putatis in ipsis vitam aeternam habere illae sunt quae testimonium perhibent de me You haue not gods word saith Christ remaining in you for you doe not beleeue him whome the father hath sent Search you the scriptures for in them you think to haue eternal life and they beare witnes of me Which wordes of our Sauiour Christ haue enforced me the more boldly to search out by his holy scriptures the bishop of Rome his suspect authority I meane his supremacie and vniuersall iurisdiction most vniustly clamed and vsurped by him for these eight or nine hundred years cleane contrarie to Christ his word and commaundement For it is forbidden by him as the stories of the Euangelistes do shewe in the holy scriptures And as it doth appeare by storyes ecclesiasticall the Byshoppes of Rome haue chalenged and vsed it onely sith Boniface the thirde obtayned it of the Emperour Phocas of whom he was proclamed vniuersall Byshoppe to the ouerthrowe of true religion in the Church of Christ of vertue godlinesse humilitie and obedience amonge all the cleargie of the imperiall estate and maiestie of the noble Emperours and kinges from whome they had their first authoritie and not from our Sauiour Iesus Christ The which I will endeuour to shewe in this litle worke specially by the two cōmissions that he gaue the one before his death and passion the other after his resurrection to all his Apostles in like and equall manner that not one of them might thereby challenge any iote of authoritie or power ouer or aboue the other as by the commissions themselues the whole world easily may see Nowe as no subiecte can haue any higher or larger authoritie then is limited and expressed by plaine wordes in his commission by his emperours or prince whosoeuer it be that graunteth it and as euery one of the commissioners to whom it is directed haue that authoritie which in their commission is mentioned and no other euen so in the commission that our Sauiour Christ gaue to his Apostles euerie one of them ought obediently to obserue their maisters commaundemente with his authority giuen to them and not to breake it and goe beyonde the bondes and lemitation of it Yea much lesse shold they dare to breake it then any subiecte dare the commaundement and commission giuen him by his Prince a Prince of this worlde whose commission no subiect will be so bolde to breake in any one point because he knoweth the daunger of it As for the Bishoppes of Rome howe they haue brokē their master Christes commission you shal find by their doings most cōtrary to his two special cōmissions before mētioned specially in taking vpon thē higher power greter authoritie then any other Bishoppe hath or euer had from our sauiour Christ to wit that they are and ought to be soueraigne heades and rulers not onely ouer all other bishopes in this worlde but also aboue all Emperours Kinges and Princes Which being cleane contrarie to their Maister Christes commaundement commission thereby they haue manifested themselues to be of those very Antichristes of whom the scriptures do make mention 1 Iohn 2. Chap. 2. That the first commission of Christ to his Apostles when he sent them to preach the Gospell did giue no authoritie to Peter aboue the rest but like and equall vnto them all THE first message and commission giuen by our sauiour Christe to his Apostles is declared by the holy Euangelist Saint Matthew in the 10. Chapter of his Gospell Matt. 10. Where he sheweth that the twelue Apostles being called together they had power giuen them ouer all vncleane spirites that they might cast them out and also cure heale all manner sicknesse and diseases Whervpon hauing recited the names of Christes Apostles he saith these wordes Hos duodecim misit Iesus praecipiens eis dicens in viam gentium ne abieritis in ciuitates Samaritanorum ne intraueritis sed potius ite ad oues quae perierunt domus Israel Euntes autem praedicate dicentes appropinquauit regnum coelorum Infirmos curate mortuos suscitate leprosos mundate daemones eijcite gratis accepistis gratis date These twelue his Apostles Iesus sēt forth cōmāding saying to thē You shal not go into the way of the gētiles you shall not enter into the cities of the Samaritās but rather go you to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and as you go preach saying the kingdome of heauen is at hand heale the sicke raise the dead cleanse the leopers and cast out diuels freely you haue receiued these things of me freely giue thē In this first message and commission of Christ giuen to his twelue Apostles you may plainely vnderstande that he gaue equall and like authority vnto them al without any preferring of any one of them before all his fellowes he gaue the very lowest if any were lowest as greate and large power as he gaue vnto the highest no exception being made of any one as higher in authority then they all So that neither Peter nor any supposed successour of Peter can claime any superiority by this ordinaunce and commission of our sauiour Christ And therefore if they enter into any higher authority it must be otherwise then by Christ belike by that way which Christ himself doth mention in the gospel of Saint Iohn where he sayth Ego sum ostium Iohn 10. qui non intrat per ostium in ouile ouium sed ascendit aliunde ille fur est latro I am the dore he that entreth not by the dore into the Shepehouse but climeth vp some other way he is a theefe and a robber Whereof it followeth that if the Byshops of Rome haue challenged suche authority which our sauiour Christ hath not giuē them but they haue obteined it otherwise by worldly pollicies then they deserue to be called by the names that Christe hath appointed for them euen théeues and robbers Now this wil easily and clearely be proued that the Bishop of Rome hath had no such vniuersal authority from our sauiour Christ Then what names what titles of dignity ought we to attribute to the Byshops of Rome which so haue abused Christes Church sith the time of the good byshop Gregory the first who did vtterly withstād the decrée of the Emperour Mauricius by the which he would haue made Iohn the patriarch of Cōstātinople vniuersall bishop ouer all the byshops of Christs catholike Church
euident by Christes words Chap. 4. That the second commission which Christ gaue out to his Apostles was giuen in like sort as the first not with any greater authoritie to Peter then to any of the rest THe second commission whiche our sauiour gaue to all his Apostles was giuen to them after that he had suffered death vpon the crosse for al mankinde and hauing redéemed them with his precious bloude was raised vp againe from death vnto life This commission is declared by the Euāgelist saint Mark in these wordes Mark 16. Nouissimè autem recumbentibus illis vndecim apparuit et exprobrauit incredulitatem illorum duritiem cordis quia his qui viderant eum resurrexisse non crediderunt Et dixit eis euntes in mundum vniuersum praedicate euangelium omni creaturae qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit saluus erit qui verò non crediderit condemnabitur Last of all he appeared to the eleuen Apostles sitting at the table and rebuked them for their vnbeleefe and hardnes of their heartes because they did not beleeue them which had seene him being risen from death And he sayde vnto them Go you into all the world and preach the gospell to euery creature He that shal beleeue and be baptised shal be saued But who so will not beleeue shall be damned vnto which commission he added further promises what signes should followe thē who beléeued to wit that in his name they should cast out diuels they should speake new languages they shoulde take away serpentes yea if they did drinke poyson it should not hurt them they shoulde lay their hands vpon diseased persons they should recouer The meaning and manner of this commission that Christe did giue them is declared farther by the Euangelist saint Iohn in that he doth say Cùm ergo serò esset die illo Iohn 20. vna sabbatorum fores essent clausae vbi erant discipuli congregati propter metum Iudaeorum venit Iesus stetit in medio dixt eis pax vobis Et cū haec dixisset ostendit eis manus latus Gauisi sunt ergo discipuli viso domino Dixit ergo eis iterum pax vobis sicut misit me pater ego mitto vos Hoc cùm dixisset insufflauit dixit eis Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis quorum retinueritis peccata retenta sunt The same day then at nighte which was the first daye of the weeke and when the dores were shut where the disciples were assēbled for feare of the Iewes Iesus came stood in the middest of thē and said vnto thē peace be vnto you And when he had sayd that he shewed vnto them his hands and his side then were the disciples glad when they had seene the Lord. Then saide Iesus againe vnto them peace be vnto you as my father sent me so I also send you And when he had saide this he breathed vpon them and sayde vnto thē receiue you the holy ghost Whosoeuers sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whosoeuers ye retein they are reteined By this later commission our sauiour Christ gaue to all his Apostles like power and equal authority to go through the whole world to prech the gospell of saluation to all creatures of whome he said in general He that shal beleeue and be baptised shall be saued he that will not beleeue shall be damned He gaue them equall authority and power to remit and reteine the sinnes of all both Iewes and Gentiles which by their first commission they could not because they had not authority to preach vnto any but to the lost shéepe of the house of Israel I say this authority nowe giuen the Apostles was giuen in equall and like manner to them all and not to one more then to all the rest Wherfore vnlesse that Satan had mightily puffed vp the bishops of Rome naming them selues Peters successours whome Christe once called Satan and I know not in what they be his successours vnlesse it be in that it might séeme strange that any man pretending the name and faith of a Christian shoulde so farre abuse Christes worde and commission as to claim such authority so far greater then his worde and commission doth extend vnto But it is a true saying who is so blind as he that wil not see Verily if the Papistes woulde read and sée with an humble spirit and obedient hart to the almighty God that which is written in his worde as I beséeche the Lorde they may then out of doubt they shoulde finde that Peter had no greater or larger authority then other the Apostles had Neither did he euer chalenge such authority aboue other the Apostles as the Byshops of Rome haue done aboue all other bishops vnder the false pretence that they are Peters successours because for sooth they are Byshops of Rome therein as they say doe succéede Saint Peter Chap. 5. That Peter was neuer at Rome as farre as may be gatherd by the scriptures Therefore the Popes supremacie may not be laide on that foundation BVT to touch this by the way for so much as they make so much a do about it by the scriptures they can not proue that Peter was euer at Rome much lesse that he was Byshop of Rome But this we can proue that he was at Ierusalem and in many other places gouerning and instructinge the congregation of Christe Yea aboue three yeares after saint Paules conuersion Galat. 1. we read that he went to Ierusalem to see Peter and hauing bene in sundry countries after other fouretéene yeares he went vp to Ierusalem againe talked with him Peter afterward came to Antioche where saint Paul also mette with him as his words doe witnes to the Galatians Galat. 2. Cùm autem venisset Petrus Antiochiam in faciem ei restui quia reprehensibilis erat Prius enim quà m venirent quidā 〈◊〉 Iacobo cū gentibus edebat quū autē venissent subtrahebat segregabat se c sed cū vidissem quòd non rectè ambularent ad veritatē euangelij dixi Cephae corā omnibus si tu cū Iudaeus sis gentiliter viuis non Iudaicè quomodo gentes cogis Iudaizare Therefore when Peter did come to Antioche saith saint Paul I withstood him to his face because he was to bee rebuked For before that some came from Iames he did eate with the gentiles when they were come he did withdrawe him selfe c. But when I sawe that they went not the right way to the truth of the Gospel I saide to Cephas that is Peter before them all if thou being a Iewe liuest as a gentile and not like a Iewe why doest thou cause the gentiles to liue after the manner of Iewes Nowe this rebuke of Paul for that is worth the notinge also Peter did patiently beare and suffer at Paules handes Whereby it is manifest that Peter did not claime the Popish
binde vpon the earth it shall be bound in heaueÌ„ whatsoeuer thou shalt loose vpon the earth it shal be loosed in heauen For otherwise those keyes of loosing binding had ben lost cleane and the authority of Christes church had bene ouerthrowen for euer if Peter onely shoulde haue possessed those keyes as parteining to himselfe alone and not to Christes Church For it followeth in the same chapter how Christ telling his Apostles that he must go to Ierusalem and there suffer many things by the elders scribes and princes of the priestes and beâ—lains and the third day rise againe from death Peter tooke him aside and rebuked him saying Let this be farre from thee let not this happen to thee Wherevpon Christe turning him selfe to Peter sayd vade post me Satana scandalum es mihi quia noâ— sapis ea quae dei sunt sed ea quaâ— sunt hominum Get thee behinde me thou Satan or Diuell thou art an offence vnto me for thou doest not sauour of the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men So that whatsoeuer Christ said to him before if the same had not concerned the authority of his whole church but onely Peters person theÌ„ al the vertue of those sayinges had bene clearely quenched and taken from Peter when Christ called him Sathan and bad him come behinde him But that the right of these wordes doth belong vnto the whole Church it is euident by the wordes of Christe that do follow in the eightéene Chapter spoken to the Church Matt. 18. Quaecunque ligaueritis in terra erunt ligata in coelo Et quaecunque solueritis in terra erunt soluta in coelo What soeuer ye binde in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Yea to regarde the substance of Christes wordes touching that authority of binding and loosing mentioned to Peter Christ said not tibi do claues regni coelorum Matt. 16. I doe giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to thee but tibi dabo I will giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to loose and to binde So that Christes wordes were spoken of the time to come not of the time present to be giuen afterward not as giuen presently Whereof it doeth follow that none of the Apostles had authoritie of binding and loosing of retaining and remitting the sinnes of all estates of men through all nations vntill our sauiour Christ had suffered his death and had washed away our sinnes with his bloud and had conquered death by rising from death At the which time they receaued the holie Ghost as it shall appeare in the second commission and had that perfourmed whiche was promised when Christ saide Iohn 20. I wil giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen But in the mean season before that was performed Christ perceiuing by his diuine prescience and foreknowledge that Peter should denie him thrise in one day he saide vnto him Simon Luke 22. Ecce Satanas expetiuit vos vt cribraret sicut triticum ego autem oraui pro te vt non deficiat fides tua tu aliquando conuersus confirma fratres tuos Ipse verò dixit ei Domine tecum paratus sum in carcerem in mortem ire At ille dixit dico tibi Petre non cantabit hodie gallus donec ter abneges nosse me Simon saith the Lord to Peter Behold Sathan hath desired you to syfte you like wheat but I haue praied for thee that thy faith fayle not therefore when thou at length art conuerted confirme stablish thy brethren Then Peter saide vnto him Lorde I am ready to go with thee into prison vnto death But Christ saide Peter I tell thee the cocke shall not crowe this day vntill thou hast thrice denied that thou knowest me Whiche wordes of Christ were fulfilled the same night as soone as he was brought before the high priest For Peter being amongst them that stoode by the fire when he was reported of by a maide that he was one of those which were with Christ he aunswered I doe not knowe him When againe he was tolde by another man who stoode by the maide that he was of them he answered I do not know him Anone after the thirde time when another man said verily this man was with him for he is also a Galilean then Peter cursed and did sweare as S. Matthew doth witnes that he knew not Christ And immediately the cocke did crowe Matt. 26. And Christe looked back vpon Peter and Peter went forth and did wéepe bitterly This I haue recited so muche the more at large because there be some who would proue authoritie giuen to Peter by the former wordes of Christ which if they be well considered are but a manifestation partly of Christs Godhead in that he did foreknow Peter would denie him partely of his mercie shewed gratiously to Peter whose faith he did establish with his praier that he should not dispaire as Iudas Iscariot did who after he had sold Christ went and hanged himselfe So vpon this verie sentence of Christ Ego rogaui pro te Petre vt not deficiat fides tua Chrisostomus in Mat. Cap. 26. Hom. 83. Saint Chrisostome doth say that Christe the more sharpely to reproue Peters pride who did presume more of him selfe then any other of the Apostles doeth signifie before vnto him that his fall shal be worse then the fall of the rest and therefore néedeth greater helpe to raise him vppe againe Wherefore that he might sée and féele his owne weakenes Christe suffered him to fal told him of it before it happened yet he preserued him wtall through his great care fauour that he should not fall from him though he did denie him wherwith he coÌ„forted him in saying I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith fail not Now as saint Chrisostome doth shewe that Christ did thus manifest his diuine knowledge and fauour vnto Peter by foreshewing him his fall and promising that he would rayse him so likewise holie Beda writing on the same wordes saith that he who onely knoweth what is in man Beda in EuangeliuÌ„ Lucae cap. 22. lib. 6. both as God did foretell in what sorte at what time how often Peter should denie him and as merciful did promise him the help of his defence least that any of the faithful either vnaduisedly should presume of his owne standing or more vnaduisedly should dispaire for his owne falling Wherefore to passe ouer other thinges that might be saide hereby it is manifest that the words of Christ spoken to Peter of his prayer for him haue no force at all to proue any preeminence or superioritie in Peter but they are rather of greate force against him and those that chalenge to be his successors sith they doe shewe a notable fall of Peter by occasion that he had too greate a confidence in himselfe as it is
vos debetis alter alterius lauare pedes Exemplum enim dedi vobis vt quemadmodum ego feci vobis ita vos faciatis AmeÌ„ Amen dico vobis noÌ„ est servus maior domino suo neque Apostolus maior est eo qui misit â—llum Si haec scitis beati eritis sifeceritis ea So after that he had washed their feete and had taken his clothes wheÌ„ he was set down againe he saide vnto them know you what I haue done vnto you you call me maister and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lorde and maister haue washed your feete you also ought to wash one an others feet For I haue giuen you an example that you should doe euen as I haue done vnto you Verily verily I say vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then his maister nor the Ambassadour greater then he that sent him If you know these thinges happie shall you be if you doe them Thus we sée that Christ did giue expresse commaundement to all his Apostles that they shoulde flie ambition of hauing rule one ouer an other that none of them should chalenge superioritie dominion ouer their brethren whereto hee did giue them a moste notable example of his owne humilitie whch he willed them to followe acounting them happie if they did as hee willed them And these wordes of Christ a man would thinke were to be heard credited and obeyed if they were recited but by some one of the Euangelistes but now to the intent they might the better bée obserued and kept most carefully of al the Apostles so of all the ministers of the Church of Christ the holy ghost hath prouided that all the fower Euangelistes should recite and repeate them in diuerse wordes and sundrie times all to one effect to beate in hatred of ambition into the mindes of his disciples and keepe them at vnity in that equall authoritie which hee had giuen to theÌ„ Which the auncient Doctours also of the Church do teach in like sort to the same intent as Saint Cyprian saying of the Apostles Cyprian de simplicitate praelatorum Hoc erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus Pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis The rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was all endued with like felowshippe both of honour and power And why shoulde not Paul be chiefe as well as Peter for Ambrose vpoÌ„ 2. Cor. 12. hath this saying Inter Petrum Paulum quis cui praeponatur incertum est Betwene Peter and Paul whether ought to be preferred before other it is vncertaine Hieronymus in epistola ad Euagrium As saint Ierom saying of all Bishoppes Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Eugubij siue CoÌ„stantinopoli siue Rhegij siue Alexandriae siue Tanis eiusdem est meriti ejusdem sacerdotij Wheresoeuer there is a Bishoppe at Rome or at Eugubium at Constantinople or at Rhegium at Alexandria or at Tanis he is of the same worthines of the same office and function in the ministerie As many others to be shorte speaking against such ambition do say the same in substance that one of them in words hath vttered Chrysost in opere imperfecto in Mat. Homil. 36. Quicunque desiderat primatuÌ„ in terra inueniet confusionem in Coelo Whosoeuer desireth primacy in earth he shall finde confusion in heauen But howsoeuer the fathers haue spoken it the Pope of Rome is not moued with it What merueile sith the wordes of Christ doe not moue him Nay verily I thinke that if Christe him selfe shoulde haue come downe from heauen and haue shewed him selfe to some that haue beene Bishops of Rome within these certaine hundred yeares they woulde haue vsed him I feare me as euill as euer the Iewes did so far are they froÌ„ yelding vnto any thing that makes againste their ambition Chap. 9. That after Christes ascention Peter did not exercise a supremacie ouer his brethren neither did the Apostles yeeld any such vnto him I Haue shewed hitherto that Peter the Apostle on whom the Popes of Rome do grouÌ„d their supremacie had not by Christs commission any greater power and authority giuen him then had the rest of his Apostles Nay he was forbidden as were the rest also to exercise dominion and supremacie ouer others Now I will go forwarde and shewe that as Peter had no suche authoritie committed to him of Christ so he neuer chalenged nor vsed any such as may appéere by those things which the Apostles did after Christes ascension set down in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles Wherin we do reade that the Apostles and Disciples gathered together Actes 1. first they did choose Matthias an Apostle in the place of Iudas Iscarioth not by saint Peters appointment but by lot Afterward the multitude of the Disciples chose seuen deacons whom they set before the Apostles Actes 6. and they prayed and laide their handes vpon them When the Gospel of Christ was receiued in Samaria Actes 8. the Apostles who heard of it at Ierusalem sent Peter and Iohn vnto hem to instructe them farther confirme them in the faith with the giftes of the holie Ghost When Peter had preached the Gospell to the Gentiles and was accused of the brethren because he went in to men vncircumcised and did eate with them he giueth an account of his fact vnto the brethren Actes 11. and so is acquited as it were of them All the which thinges done by Peter and the Apostles doe shewe that Peter vsed not any supremacy ouer them but did behaue himselfe as their equal rather taking no more vpon him in elections then they did going wheÌ„ they sent him to preach where they thought good content to giue to them an account of his doeinges Nowe we must remember it appeareth by the scriptures that Peter was of greater boldenesse and audacitie then any of the twelue Apostles When Christ asked of them Matth. 16. who do you say that I am Peter answered for them all When Christe did shewe vnto them that he must go to Ierusalem there be put to death Matth. 26. Peter tooke him aside and did rebuke him for it When there came a great company with clubbes and swordes in the night to take Christ and carrie him to the high priests Peter nothing fearing the number of the men did stretche out his hand and drawe his sworde and stroke the seruaunt of the highe prieste and cut off his eare By whiche and many suche tokens saint Peter shewed himselfe to haue suche stoutnes and courage that we may well coniecture if he had had any supremacie and authoritie aboue the rest of the Apostles such as the Papistes giue vnto him his stomache was better then that hee woulde haue lost it and neuer haue taken any part of it vpoÌ„ him Haec ratio reperitur in quaestionibus tubingensibus in titulo de primatu
Romani pontificis Which maketh me to thinke that he had no supremacie sith that he did not exercise any part of it as his behauiour in the Acts of the Apostles doth shew And this albéeit I haue proued it by other of his déedes already yet it may be séene more clearely by that which is written in the 15. of the Actes where the councel is set forth that was helde by the Apostles and Disciples at Ierusalem In the which councel although the bookes of councels set forth by the Papistes doe report that Peter was heade and as it were the Iudge and chiefe ruler of it yet if a man do reade the wordes of saint Luke in the Actes of the Apostles Actes 15. Peter shuld séeme rather in that councell to be one of the meanest out of doubt not the chiefest For it is the common and auncient order that wheras matter doth come in question to be argued the meanest vseth to begin and so as they are of greater authoritie for age or degrée or knowledge or such respect they doe follow orderly vntill that the chiefest speake last and take vp the matter Wherefore those bookes of councels Summa conciliorum Fr. Barth Carranzae and the abridgement of them which doe make Peter to be head of the coūcell holden at Ierusalem which was holden vnder him being the first Pope as they fondly speake of him they doe say more of him than they can proue out of the actes of the Apostles out of the which they must proue whatsoeuer they report of this councell or else they forge it For there it is written that when Paul and Barnabas had proposed the matter whereof the controuersie was Peter did first begin to declare his minde of it after great disputation And when Peter had saide then Barnabas and Paul spake their mindes also When they helde their peace Iames ended the matter giuing his sentence and iudgement of the controuersie The truth of al the which that it may be the more manifest I will set downe the very wordes of Saint Luke as they are writen in the Actes so farre foorth as they pertaine to the declaring of this matter Then came downe certaine from Iudea and taught the brethren saying except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses Actes 15. ye can not be saued And when there was great dissention and disputation by Paul and Barnabas against them they ordeined that Paul and Barnabas and certaine other of them should go vp to Ierusalem vnto the Apostles and Elders about this question And when they were come to Ierusalem they were receiued of the Church and of the Apostles and Elders and they declared what things God had done by them But said they certaine of the sect of the Pharisees which did beleeue rose vp saying that it was needful to circumcise them and commaund them to keepe the lawe of Moses Then the Apostles and Elders came together to look to this matter And when there had bene great disputation Peter rose vp and said vnto them Ye men and brethren ye knowe that a good while agoe among vs God chose out me that the Gentiles by my mouth should heare the worde of the Gospell and beleeue And God which knoweth the hearts bare them witnesse in giuing vnto them the holy Ghost euen as he did to vs and he put no difference betweene vs and them after that by faith he had purified their hearts Nowe therefore why tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples neckes which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare But we beleue through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they doe Then all the multitude kept silence and heard Barnabas and Paul which tolde what signes and wonders God had done among the Gentiles by thē And when they helde their peace Iames answered saying Men and brethren hearken vnto me Simeon hath declared howe God did first visit the Gentiles to take of them a people vnto his name And to this agree the words of the Prophets Which words Iames hauing rehearsed doth in this sorte conclude and end the matter Wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them of the Gentiles that are turned to God but that we write vnto them that they abstaine them selues from filthinesse of idols and fornication and that that is strangled and from bloud Vpon this sentence and iudgement of Iames it séemed good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to send chosen men of their owne companie to Antiochia with Paul and Barnabas to wit Iudas whose syrname was Barsabas and Silas which were chefe men among the brethren and they wrote letters by them after this manner The Apostles and Elders and the brethren vnto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antiochia and in Syria and in Cilicia send greeting For as much as we haue heard that certaine which departed from vs haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your mindes saying ye must be circumcised and keepe the lawe to whom we gaue no such commaundement it seemed therefore good to vs when we were come together with one accord to send chosen men vnto you with our beloued Barnabas and Paul men that haue giuen vp their liues for the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ We haue therefore sent Iudas and Silas which shall also tell you the same things by mouth For it seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs to lay no more burthen vppon you then these necessarie thinges that is that ye abstaine from things offered to idols and bloud and that that is strangled and from fornication from which if ye keepe your selues ye shall doe well Fare ye well This Epistle containing the decrée of the councel agréeth fully with that which Iames before did speak when he gaue his iudgement of the matter that was in question Sauing that in the Epistle it is said Visum est spiritui sancto nobis It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs. It is not saide Visum est spiritui sancto Petro It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to Peter but to the holy Ghost and to vs meaning the Apostles the Elders and the brethren the whole congregation of Christe at Ierusalem Wherfore in the councel where Peters supremacie should appeare chiefly there appeareth none at all and sith that neither he claimed any neyther the rest did giue him any it is to be thought he had not any If any man thinke otherwise he beléeueth not S. Peter 1. Pet. 5. who calleth himselfe compresbyterum a companion and fellowe of the Elders of the Church and forbiddeth them to play the Lordes ouer Gods heritage Which ouerthroweth his Supremacie whom the Papistes do call Sanctissimum dominum nostrum Papam Our most holy lord the Pope God giue them grace to acknowledge with vs him that is in déede our most holy Lord our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Chap. 10. That in the
now within these three yeares pleased God to giue me his grace to read his holy scriptures and other good authours and Doctours of his Church to my great comfort and consolation Whereby I was stirred vppe to gather in this little treatise these thinges which moued me to see and know the trueth that if it were Gods will they might doe some good to the instruction of others also to the only glorie of his sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who haue your honour alwayes in his gratious protection May. 1580. Your good Lordships most humble at Commaundement William Chauncy To the Christian Reader THe moste excellent thing that Almightie God hath giuen to mankinde is the knowledge of the trueth the treasure of his wisdom expressed in his holy scriptures For without it we can neither know God nor Iesus Christ his sonne our Sauiour and Redeemer who saith of him selfe Ego sum via Iohn 14. veritas Vita I am the way the trueth and the life and no man commeth to my father but by me and he that knoweth me knoweth also my father But the knowledge of this truth which lightneth our mindes with the faith of God and of his sonne Iesus Christ by his holy word deliuered in the Scriptures hath bene many hundred yeres couered and hidden from the most part of all temporall men as they are called yea from mightie Emperours Kings Princes and Magistrates of this world through the craftie practises of the Bishoppes of Rome Who to extoll themselues and their Cleargie aboue all Emperours and princes haue by wicked pollicie hidden and withdrawen from them and from all Christians the sacred Scriptures conteined in the old and in the newe Testamentes that thereby the detestable pride of the Bishops of Rome and their Cleargie might not be knowen to men least they should perceiue how farre they did varie frō the example of Christ and the humble godly liues of his Apostles and disciples of Bishops and ministers for the space of vj. hundred yeares after the church was planted by our sauiour Christ So that it came to passe that the Bishops of Rome raged and raigned like Gods vpon the earth and no temporal prince durst as much as looke vpon the worde of God nor haue any bookes of the holie scriptures least they should haue bene excommunicated for heretikes An vngodly pollicie deuised of them to the intent that their deuelish pride intollerable ambition might not be reformed by the doctrine of Christ which is most cōtrarie to their vsurped authoritie supremacie which they haue chalenged and vsed sith the time that the Emperour Phocas more then sixe hundred yeres after Christ did grant vnto Boniface the third of that name the title and authoritie of vniuersal Bishop ouer all other Bishoppes a thing most contrarie to our Sauiour Christes institution and commandements Wherefore gentle Reader to the intent that good Christian people should be no longer abused deceiued through the crafty practises of the Bishop of Romes decrees and counterfet gloses whereby he hath vsurped his most vniust authoritie and title of supremacy with which he hath almost blinded all Christian people kingdoms I haue in this treatise briefely declared the truth of our Sauiour Christs two cōmissiōs giuen ioyntly to all his Apostles in suche manner that they should be in like authoritie and power not one aboue the other in any degree I haue also shewed how earnestly and straightly Christe did forbid all superioritie and dominion to be amongest thē which I haue approued both by the holie Scriptures and by Godly auncient writers I haue noted farther what account was made of the Bishop of Rome in the foure first generall Councels euen the same which was made of other Bishops of the chiefe Sees in Aegypt in Asia in Greece and other prouinces I haue declared when this vsurped supremacie did first begin and by whome moreouer how greatly the Bishops of Rome did fall from true Godlinesse from the faith of Christe after they had obtained of the Emperours that proude vngodly title of vniuersall Bishoppe Wherein I haue touched the wicked behauiour of a fewe of them to giue as it were a taste of the fruites of their supremacie Lastly I haue opened the dealinges of good princes againste their wickednesse and tyrannie in our owne countrie making thereby manifest that King Henrie the eight was not the first king of this realme who did expell that vsurped authoritie but that almost ful two hundreth yeares before King Henrie the eight it was spurned at and diuers lawes and statutes were made by diuers Kinges of this Realme against it So that by reading ouer of this little worke they that desire to see the truth of this matter shal wander I trust no longer in the doubtes of darkenesse for lacke of knowledge of the trueth whiche is reuealed to vs by the worde of God that CHRISTE our Sauiour teacheth vs euen hee who doeth say Ioh. 8.12 Ego sum lux mundi I am the light of the werlde Doubtlesse he that walketh in this light shall knowe the trueth and shall not wander in darkenesse of any Popish traditions and superstitions which is the most daungerous and deadly kinde of darkenesse Now it is saide of Christe Ioh. 12.35 Qui ambulat in tenebris nescit quò vadit He that walketh in darkenesse knoweth not whether hee goeth Let vs therefore heare our Sauiour Iesus Christe Ambulate dum lucem habetis ne vos tenebrae comprehendant Whilest ye haue the light of Gods worde walke in it least the darkenesse come vpon you and you returne againe vnto it 2. Pet. 2.22 Pro. 26.11 ut canis ad vomitum sus ad volutabrum As a dogge to his vomit as a sow to her wallowing in the filthie mire of Popishe superstitions To the which entent my trust is in God that this little booke shall somewhat helpe you forward by satisfying the consciences of good people who will reade it with desire to learne the trueth GOD graunt that we may all both learne it and followe it that we neuer flie from it vnto errours of vaine deuises of men but onely put our whole hope our confidence and trust in the death and passion of our sauiour Iesus Christ and leade a holie life according to his worde to the glorie of God to whome be all honour Dominion and Maiestie for euer and euer Amen ¶ The rooting out of the Romishe supremacie wherein is declared that the authoritie which the Pope of Rome doeth challenge to himselfe ouer all Christian Bishops and Churches is vnlawfully vsurped Chap. 1. That in controuersies of religion the truth must be tried by the holy Scriptures That by the Scriptures no apostle nor Bishop hath a supremacie ouer others IN al maner of doubts controuersies which may arise in our Christian religion the trueth therof must be tried with the touche of Gods word as well in matters that concerne godly instruction as
Gregor epistolarum Lib. 4. Epist 32. 38. For he would not suffer this decrée to be receiued within his prouince of Italy but vtterly reiected it and wrote not only to the emperour how greatly he did offend almighty God in admitting this new prophane blasphemous name and authoritie into the Church of Christ empairing the authority which he hath giuen to the rest of his byshops and ministers but also to Iohn the patriarke that he by taking and vsurping that authority did shewe him self in pride and presūption to be the very forerunner of Antichrist Wherby it came to passe that Mauricius the Emperour was so greatly offended with this good Gregory Platina de vitis pontificum Romanorū in Gregorio primo Volaterranus Centuria 6. fol. 872. that as Platina doth report he exhorted the Lūbardes to set vppon the city of Rome which Agilulfus the king of Lumbardy did beséeging it a whole yeare Howbeit in the end he was faine to go away without any hurt done to the city that was saued by the mighty prouidence of God Chap. 3. That Christ in the promise of his second commission saying vnto Peter To thee will I giue the keyes of heauen doth giue him no supremacie Neither by these wordes I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not NOwe to returne to the commissions of Christe because that betwixt the first whiche was giuen before his passion to his Apostles as I haue declared and the second which he gaue them after his death and resurrection Christ did open to them in the meane time his purpose and intent both for giuing them further authoritie then before he gaue them and for instructing of them what they should doe with it he therefore demaunded of his disciples what men did talke of him and whom they saide him to be To whome when they aunswered some that Thou art Iohn Baptist and some Elias others Ieremias or one of the prophets Matt. 16. then Iesus said vnto them Vos autem quem me esse dicitis Respondens Simon Petrus dixit tu es Christus filius Dei viui Respondens autem Christus dixit ei beatus es Simon Bar-iona quia caro sanguis non reuelauit tibi hoc sed pater meus qui est in coelis Et ego dico tibi tu es Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam portae inferni non praeualebunt aduersus eam Et tibi dabo claues regni coelorum quidcunque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum in coelis quidcunque solueris super terram erit solutum in coelis But whom saith Christ do you say that I am He said not Peter who dost thou say that I am but in the plurall nomber to all his Apostles who doe you say that I am Then Peter as the mouth and speaker of them al said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God To whom our sauiour Christ aunswered and saide blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it to thee but my father which is in heauen And I say to thee Tu es Petrus alluding to the name of Peter for his perfect faith on the head corner stone the is to say on Christ wherevpon Peter him selfe was builded and not Christ vpon Peter therefore Christ said Vpon this rocke or stone of thy confession of me to be the sonne of the liuing God will I builde my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Christ did not say against thée Peter but against it that is his true Church builded vpon that faith that Peter then confessed and not vpon Peters person I doe beléeue there is no man so ignoraunt or voide of knowledge that will iudge our Sauiour Christ would build his Church vpon so weake and fraile a foundation as Peter was if we regard not his profession but his person who shewed himselfe more wauering and vnstable then any other of the twelue Apostles as one that vtterly denied his Maister Christe thrée times in one day Matt. 26. and also before that did speake such carnall and worldly wordes vnto him that Christe was faine to answere him Thou art an offence vnto me and added moreouer Matt. 16. Get thee be hinde me Sathan Wherefore I do leaue it to the iudgement of euerie good Christian man whether it be more agréeable to our faith and safe for the Church of God to be founded vpon Christ or vpon Peter vppon the sonne of the liuing God whō Peter confessed or vpon a man who vttterly denied the sonne of the liuing God saying Non noui hominē istum and that cum iuramento Matt. 26. I do not knowe this man and bound it with an othe as the Gospel doth testifie It is certaine that Christ builded his Church vpon that rocke or stone Iuellus in replicatione ad responsum Hardingi fol. 221. 222. 246. 262. which was sure stedfast euen vpon the faith confessed by Peter and not vpon Peter And that by the iudgement of the olde fathers as Hillarie affirmeth in his second booke De Trinitate Haec est vna foelix fidei Petra quam Petrus ore suo est confessus This is the onely blessed rocke of faith whiche Peter confessed by mouth And Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 51. Super hanc petram in hac fide confessione aedificabo Ecclesiam Vpon this rocke vpon this faith and confession will I builde my Church And Saint Augustine in his 13. sermon vpon Matthew saith Non me aedificabo super te sed aedificabo te super me I wil not builde my selfe of thee but I will build thee vpon me And this was the meaning of Christ For after Peter had saide Tu es Christus filius dei viui Christ said not Super te Petrum vpon thee Peter but super hanc petram vpon this rocke or stable stone euen thy confession of me to be the sonne of the liuing God I will build my Church and the gates of hell shal not preuaile against it He saide not against Peter but against his Church which he builded vpon that rocke of faith that Peter helde For Christes words are Matt. 16. Portae inferni non praeualebunt aduersus eam in the feminine gender against it which must needes haue relation to Ecclesiam His Church not to Peter for then he would haue said Non preualebit aduersus eum Likewise he saide immediately Tibi dabo claues regni coelorum To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Now it is plain that he gaue those keies vnto his Church and not to Peters onely person though he saide to him but as to his Apostle the charge pertayning to al his Apostles and all the ministers of his Churche by like right Quodcunque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum in coelis quodcunque solueris super terram erit solutum in coelis Whatsoeuer thou shalt
spiritual food to the soule wher of the wicked are not partakers who are yet partakers of the sacramental bread wine which do signifie the body bloud of Christ for our sauiour doth say Iohn 6. that Whosoeuer doth eate his flesh drink his bloud hath euerlasting life Wherfore it cannot be that the sacramental bread wine should be the verie natural bodie bloud of Christ for as much as the wicked who shal not liue for euer are partakers of them I mean of the bread wine in the sacrament as wel as the godly For as Paul doeth write to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10. Brethren I wold not haue you ignorant how al our forefathers were vnder the cloud al passed through the sea were baptised vnto Moses in the cloud and in the sea Et omnes eandem escam spiritualē manducarunt omnes eundē potū spiritualem biberunt bibebant autem de spirituali consequente eos Petrâ Petra autem erat Christus And they did al eat the same spirituall meate and they did all drinke the same spirituall drinke For they did drink of the spirituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ Wherein we sée first that the wicked among the Iewes with whome God was not pleased did enioye the same sacramentes of Christe the cloude the sea the meate the drinke which the godly did yet did they not enioy the same life by Christ which the godly did for it followeth in Saint Paul that God was not pleased with many of them Which wordes are meant of the wicked Secondly we sée that the godly amongest the Iewes did eate the same meate and drinke the same drinke that the godly amongest the Corinthians did to whome S. Paul doeth write yea that Paul him selfe the Apostles did Now the Iewes did it In spefuturi Christi In the hope of Christ to come for their redemption deliuerance from their sinnes and from death whereof it ensueth that our eating drinking in certa fiducia praeteriti Christi in true beliefe that Christ is come and hath redéemed vs and shed his blood for vs must bée the partaking of a meate spirituall and a spirituall drinke no lesse then that which Paul saith that their fathers did eate and drinke For he saith plainely They did eate the same meat and drunke the same drink that flowed out of the rocke and the rocke is Christ For as the Iewes did it in a figure of Christe by faith in whom to come they were saued as Christ doth say of Abraham Abraham desired to see my day Iohn 8. he saw it and reioiced so are we taught to doe it in remembrance of Christ by faith in whom being come we are saued wherevpon our sauiour said to his disciples Luke 22. Doe this in remēbrance of me Which Paul declareth farther in the first to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11 the eleuenth chapter where after that he had declared the maner of the Lords supper he addeth to both the parts of it Hoc facite ad mei re cordationem Quotie scunque enim manducabitis panem hunc calicem bibetis mortē domini annuntiabitis donec veniat Do this in remembrance of me saith Christe For as often saith Paul expounding the wordes of Christ as ye shall eat this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shewe the death of the Lord vntil he come So then if these thinges be well considered which I haue briefly touched out of the wordes of Christ declared by his holy euangelists and Apostles the godly I trust shal easily perceiue that Pope Innocent the thirde could by no autority of scriptures proue any transubstantiation in the sacramēt although it were confirmed by neuer so greate a councel of men assembled at Rome hauing in it as they say Archbyshops 70. Byshops 400. Abbats 12. Priors conuentual 800. besides the Orators and Ambassadours of Gréece of the Romaine Empire of the kinges of Ierusalem France Spaine England Cyprus and other kingdomes Many but all to little to take vppon them to alter and change the ordinance and institution which our Sauiour Christ had with his owne wordes established and set in his church for the space of aboue twelue hundred yeares together before the contrary was decréed though some did dreame of it But Pope Innocent was sure to enact there what he wold for that he had aboue the number of twelue hundred shauen crounes in his councel with him so that neither Princes nor Orators of Princes might hinder his pretēses The lesse it is to be meruelled at that the byshop of Rome would take vppon him so proudly to be aboue al other byshops yea the Emperours themselues and kings of this world séeing that he tooke vpon him to do more then euer Christ did that is to make Christ our creator and redéemer of a péece of bread whensoeuer he list and to make that euery one of his priests and chaplens might do the same also as them selues haue a saying Sacerdos est creator creatoris sui The priest doth make his maker And all by the authority of this Lateran Councel not by Christs scriptures And all for the aduancing of his worldly glory extolling of his clergie throughout all Christian kingdomes which after came to passe to the taking away of the goods and liues of a great number of good true Christians who would not beleeue such a new deuised faith of the sacrament of Christ set forth so lately so fondly so vngodly neuer before allowed as any point of our christiā faith for the space of so many hundred yeres after Christ as I haue shewed For in the former ages the godly had bene taughte that Christe according to the presence of his naturall bodye was ascended into heauen but by the benefites of his spirite and by the fruite of his passion he is alwayes present with thē who doe beléeue in him Wherof he gaue them a most liuely moniment and pledge in the blessed sacrament of his body and bloud a moniment for vs to remember his death a pledge to vs of euerlasting life with out transubstantion of the breade and wine or any alteration thereof at all otherwise then of common bread and wine to make it by the words of Christ the sacramental bread wine the signes of Christes body and bloud he being by those creatures of bread wine represented to vs that we may therby with the mouth of our faith that I may so speak receiue spiritually the very selfe same Christ god and man that was borne of the virgin Mary suffered death for our sinnes ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty thence shall he come at the last day to iudge the quick the dead And this most heauenly maner of the spiritual receiuing of Christe is more agréeable to our christian religion then is the Romish dream of transubstantiation which doth as much abhorre from
religion as it doth from reason And therefore not to be suffered in the Church of Christ but vtterly to be rooted out for the manifolde absurdities and grosse errors that spring of it Thus much by the way againste the Popish heresy of transubstantiatiō wherof though not so greatly perteining to the matter that I haue in hād yet I thought good to say somewhat because I do know that the Pope of Rome hath lefte this errour behind him in the hearts of many simple men whome God of his mercy lightē that they may féele the knowledge and comfort of the truth Chap. 7. That Christes wordes to Peter after the seconde commission when hee saide thrise vnto him Feede my sheepe proue not any supremacie of him aboue his brethren TO returne therefore to my purpose to the supremacie of the Pope which I haue shewed alreadie how little ground it hath either on Christes commissions or on Peters being at Rome or on the foundation of the Church which is Christe Iesus I come to that which the Papistes haue so much in their mouthes that Christ when hee appeared last to his Apostles did aske of Peter thrise whether hee did loue him more then the other Apostles did Dixit Simoni Petro Iesus Iohn 21. Simon Iohannis diligis me plus his Ait ille etiam domine tu scis quia amo te dixit ei pasce agnos meos c. Iesus saide to Simon Peter Simon the sonne of Iona doest thou loue me more then these meaning the rest of his disciples there present Peter aunswered said Lord thou knowest that I do loue thee Christe saide vnto him feede my lambes He saide to him againe the seconde time Simon the sonne of Iona louest thou mee Peter aunswered yea Lord thou knowest I loue thee Christe saide vnto him feede my sheepe And when he asked him the thirde time the same question Peter beeing sorie he asked him so often and therefore answering him Lorde thou knowest all thinges thou knowest that I loue thee Iesus said vnto him feede my sheepe Vpon the which words so often repeated the Bishoppes of Rome faine would ground their authoritie that they haue the vniuersall cure and charge of all Christes flocke so much the more because Christ demaunded of Peter whether he loued him more then the other did But they must be giuen to vnderstand that Christe did aske Peter that question in respecte that he had iust cause to loue him more then all the other because he had sinned more grieuously against Christ in denying him thrise and he had forgiuen him Now reason doth require Luke 7. that he should loue more to whom more is forgiuen as as our sauiour doth teache And vpon this place Saint Cyril doeth note Who doeth adde also touching the thrée demaundes made by Christe to Peter whether he loued him that as he had openly denied thrée times that he did know Christ so he must openly confesse thrée times that he did loue Christ to the intent that he might recouer the honour of his Apostleship which he had forsaken as it were by denying him Cyril in Euangelium Iohan lib. 12. Cap. 64. Quia cum alijs apostolatus nomine Petrus ab ipso Christo decoratus ter in tempore passionis negauit iure nunc ab eo terna dilectionis confessio petitur vt terna negatio aequali dilectionis numero compensetur Because that Peter being aduanced with others by Christ to the Apostleshippe did thrise denie him at the time of his passion therfore he is iustly nowe required to confesse thrise that he doth loue him that his three denials may be recompensed with equall number of loue Ita quod verbis commissum fuit verbis curatur So the offence committed by wordes is cured by wordes Which iudgement of S. Cyril is in the same maner confirmed by saint Augustine So that this saying of Christ to Peter did not giue any further Augustinus in Euangel Iohan. Tract 123. or greater authority to him then the rest of the Apostles before had Which beside the iudgements of Cyril and Augustine might be proued farther by sundrie other reasons if it were not néedelesse to spend more wordes about it Especially sith that I haue already proued sufficiently I trust the equal authoritie giuen by our sauiour to all the Apostles Howbeit that it may be farther declared that one of them should not chalenge or desire authoritie aboue the other I will shewe in the next Chapter how Christ did forbidde them vtterly to claime or take vnto them any such supremacie commanding them to followe his ensample of humblenesse in ministring as seruants one to another and not in mastership or dominion one to clime aboue another Chap. 8. That Christ did not giue a supremacie to one of them aboue another but did expressely forbid them all dominion and superioritie IN the Gospel of the holy Euāgelist saint Mathew the twentie chapter it is written that our Sauiour by occasiō of the ambitious request that was made vnto him for the Zebedies Mat. 20. Iames and Iohn did call his disciples vnto him and saide vnto them Scitis quod principes gentium dominantur illis qui maiores sunt potestatem exercent in eas non ita erit inter vos sed quicunque voluerit inter vos maior fieri sit vester minister qui voluerit inter vos primus esse erit vester seruus sicut filius hominis non venit ministrari sed ministrare You know saith Christe that the princes of nations haue dominion ouer them and they that be great exercise power and authoritie vppon them It shall not be so among you but whosoeuer will be great among you let him be your minister and hee that will be chiefe among you let him be your seruaunt euen as the sonne of man came not to be serued but to serue others Thus our Sauiour wee see hath expressely forbidden his Apostles to haue superioritie and dominion ouer their fellowseruants Which as it is witnessed by the Euangelist Sainte Mathewe Marke 22. so is it also by the rest of the Euangelistes Saint Marke in the tenth Chapter Saint Luke in in the two and twentie our Sauiour in each of them vsing his owne examples who was in the middest of them and did behaue him selfe as a seruaunt vnto them not like a Lorde or king aboue them that they by him might learne modesty to humble thēselues one to an other To the which intent in the Euangelist Saint Iohn we haue a notable storie of Christes exāple in this point howe he did washe the feete of his Apostles and gaue them the like instruction vpon it Iohn 13. Postquā lauit ergo pedes eorum accepit vestimenta sua cùm recubuisset iterum dixit eis scitis quid fecerim vobis vos vocatis me Magister Domine bene dicitis sum etenim si ergo ego laui pedes vestros Dominus Magister
subiect and obedient to all ordinaunce of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King as vnto the superiour or vnto the gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euil doers and for the praise of them that doe well Rom. 13. As saint Paul did warne the Romanes and in the Romanes all Christians Let euery soule be subiect vnto the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that be are ordeined of God Who so euer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement These lessons of Christe of Peter of Paul the ancient bishops of Rome did shewe by their example they thought them to pertaine not only to the laitie but also to the cleargie not only to the poorest but also to the richest Bishops They thought the same which Chrysostome doth write vpon Saint Paul that obedience to Princes is commanded to all estates Omnis anima potestatibus supereminentibus sit subdita Chrisostom in Epist ad Roma homilia 23. etiamsi Apostolus sis si Euangelista si propheta siue quisquis tandem fueris Neque enim pietatē subuertit ista subiectio Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers though thou be an Apostle saith Chrisostome though an Euangelist though a prophet for godlines is not empaired by this obedience and subiection They thought that Constantine did the duetie of a godly Emperour who when a councel of Bishops assembled at Tyrus had wrongfully and vniustly condemned Athanasius he commanded them all to come to him spéedily at Constantinople that you may proue saith he Historia tripartit lib. 3. Cap. 7. the soundnesse and vprightnes of your sentence and iudgement Coram me quem proprium esse Dei ministrum neque vos negabitis Before me whome your selues can not denie to be the true and right seruant of God But after that the successors of Boniface had felt the sauour of the supremacie neither our sauiour Christes example nor his Apostles authoritie nor the iudgement of the fathers nor the practise of the godly bishops coulde kepe the Pope within his boundes in subiection to the Emperour but he exempted first himself from his power afterward al the cleargie and lastly brought the Emperour in subiection to him self taking the two swordes vpon him the spirituall and the temporall Then ceased the Popes to call the Emperours their Lords Greg. Episto lib. 4. cap. 76. passim as Gregorie the first did call them after his godly predecessors and they beganne to call them their sonnes and their children as nowe they vse to write vnto them Then did they make decrees that the ciuil magistrate should haue nought to deale with any of the cleargie Nouell constitut Iustinian where as before Iustinian the Emperour did gouerne and rule the highest of them as his lawes do shew the which are yet extant Then did they count them selues the onely Vicars of God on earth not acknowledging that in Princes which Eleutherius did in Lucius the auncient kinge of Englande whome he willed as Gods Vicar within his own kingdome to drawe him lawes out of the scriptures there by to rule his owne subiectes Then did they forbid that bishoprickes and spirituall liuinges shoulde be taken at the handes of lay mē no not of Emperours they made them selues Lords of them and therefore did condemne both such as gaue them otherwise and such as receiued them To be short they grewe to such outrage of presumption of rebelliō of ryot of tyrannie of extortiō of lust and all enormities that a man might knowe the trée by the fruites and the wise must néede abhorre that supremacie out of the which such villanies and abhominations did springe into the worlde Chap. 13. What fruites did springe out of the supremacie wherein the wicked mischiefes and abominatiōs of the Popes liues and dealinges are touched by their owne writers THese fruites of the supremacy of the Romane Byshoppes woulde be considered further in their liues and doings which if I shoulde endeuor to runne them ouer all such as pertaine vnto this purpose I shoulde neuer make an ende Wherefore I will touch but onely certaine of the chiefest as it were for a tast noting out of them as neere as I can the very naturall fruites of the Romish supremacie Amongest the which first there commeth in place their contention and ambition in procuring of the Popedome for the which there hath ben cōmonly such corruption such bribery such debate such imprisoning murthering poysoning all euill meanes vsed betwixt them that in Platina their owne secretarie and writer of their liues it is a common note in verie many of them that they were made Popes some by Mars some by monie some by fauour of friendes some by power of noble men some by sorcerie and magike some by like pollicies of the Deuill Platina in Iohanne 10. Pontifices ipsi a Petri vestigijs discesserant saith Platina The Byshoppes of Rome were now departed from Peters steppes Which complainte he doth make vppon occasion of their hatred conceyued by one of them against another through their ambition For Iohn the ix was vexed by Martine the seconde so that being imprisoned he was faine to escape by flight Martine the seconde made Pope through euill meanes did restore Formosus whome Iohn had depryued Afterwarde Formosus getting the rome by bryberie came in by periurie vnto it and liued in it accordingly Steuen the sixt that succéeded him did abrogate and repeale al the actes of Formosus whose body he digged also out of his graue cut off his two fingers wherewith he hallowed Priestes and cast them into the riuer After Steuen came Romanus Theodorus and Iohn the tenth who did repeale the actes of Steuen and restored Formosus actes to full authoritie againe Which villanous dealing of them one against an other enforceth Platina him selfe Platina in Formos 1. Stephan 6. Romano 1. Benedicto 4. Christophero 1. c. though otherwise fauouring the Popes to breake out into these complaintes that the vertue and honestie of the Bishops of Rome nowe was decayed that they did aspire and attaine vnto the office by ambition and briberie that hereof did spring their hatred one against an other when they were put beside it that of this hatred there a rose a cōmon custome which was almost kept alwayes afterward that what the former Bishops had done decréed their successors would either wholy or in part take away that these petie Popes for so he doeth call them did thinke of nothinge else but how they mighte deface the name and dignitie of their predecessors by repealing of their actes that when the Church did waxe wanton with honor and wealth there being no prince in Rome to represse mens wickednesse the loose licentiousnesse of sinne did bring foorth these beasts who through ambition and briberie did inuade the sée of