in the vniuersities procured not the vtter defacing dissanulling of all the auncient Canons there gathered together seing they be so derectly contrary to the doctrine and authority of the popes But it was the prouidence and will of God that it should so be Now then you must first of all vnderstand that the auncient doctors of the church do oftē vse this name of pope which signifyeth a father and in aunciēt time was indifferently vsed to all Bishoppes aswell meane as great But in the end the Boshop of Rome appropriated the same to himselfe alone and from that tyme forth this name of pope hath euer bene taken as it is still in these dayes not for a father but for a supreme head and vniuersall Bishop of all the Christian churches of the world which title of vniuersall is reproued by all the auncient Canons so consequently the estate which the pope of Rome doth take vpon him at this present is condemned For it is well knowne that he nameth himselfe the vniuersall Shepheard or Bishop and that he chalengeth authority ouer all churches and councels Now harken to the very words of a Canō which putteth him to his neck-verse Let no Patriarke at any tyme vse the name of vniuersall For the Patriarke which nameth himselfe vniuersall taketh the name of Patriarke away from all others But Godforbid that any of the faythfull should chalendge honor to himselfe to the derogation of his brethren be it neuer so little Wherefore we besech you of your charity let none of you from henceforth in his letters geue the title of vniuersall to any man any more least ye take away the title due vnto your selues by attributing the same vnduely vnto orhers The next Canon following doth sing the same song which ought to be of so much the more force among the Romish Catholicks for that it is taken out of an Epistle of S. Gregory sēt to the patriark of Allexandria Thus therefore doth he say in expresse wordes Behold euen in the very preface of your letters which you wrote vnto me you go about to cast the proud name of vniuersal pope vpon me euen vpon me I say who haue forbiddē other men to vse it Wherefore I besech your holines euen of your curtesy to do so no more for you take from your selfe to geue to an other without cause why I seek not to aduaunce my selfe in tytles but in manners neither thinke I that I ought to purchase honour to my selfe with the losse of the honour of my brothers for my honor is to honor the vniuersall church and to behaue my selfe vprightly towardes my brethren And I thinke my selfe then most honored whē euery of them hath his due honour yelded vnto him But if your holines name me the vniuersall pope then in attributing the whole vnto me ther is nothing left to others which God forbid wherefore let vs driue away these termes farre from vs which inflame vs with vanity and hurt charity The reason of these Canons is very euident namely for that it is impossible for one man to gouerne the vniuersall church and to be Byshop of the whole world seeing that euen they which are best able do finde themselues greatly combred in the gouerning of one onely Byshoprick well Besides this the title of vniuersal Bishop is to stately and proud to be matched with the true Shepheardes of gods church which ought to walke in humility voyd of al pride and ambition The same thing is verified by a canō in these expres words Whosoeuer desireth supremacy vpon earth shall finde confusion in heauen And he that speaketh of primacie shall not be nūbred amongest the seruātes of god Let euery body therefore study not how he may seem greater thē others but by what means he may most imbase himselfe For hee is not the most righteous which amongst men is most honored but he is most honorable which is most righteous Hereunto agreeth well the Canon which sayth that all churches are equall in authoritye and that the church of Rome hath no superiority ouer other churches This Canon is takē out of S. Ierom and sayth thus We ought not to think that there is any ods between the church of rome the churches of any other place of the world In Fraunce England Affrik Persia the East and the Indies and all the Barbarous nations do honor Christ and obserue one rule of truth If regard bee to bee had of authority the world is greater then the City of Rome Wheresoeuer there is a Byshop be it at Rome be it at Eugubiū be it at Constantinople be it at Rhegium be it at Allexādria be it at Thebes or be it at Garmace it is all of one worthines of one selfsame degree of priesthood The greatnes of Riches or the meanesse of pouerty setteth not a Bishop in higher or lower degree To bee short all of them be the successors of the Apostles Now then it appeareth plainly by these Canons that the pope who in all his bulles doth name himselfe the Bishop of Rome is no greater than another meane Bishop that neither he nor the Church of Rome can claime to themselues any authoritie ouer other Bishops and Churches otherwise than by tiranny and vsurpation And truely besides the forealleaged Canons taken out of S. Gregory who so will reade his epistle shal find that he vtterly detested this title of vniuersall Shepheard or Bishop from his hart as a wicked title not meete for any but for Antichrist or for his forerunner In one of his Epistles he complaineth greatly to the Emperor Maurice that Iohn Bishop of Constantinople did trouble the Church of God by seeking to vsurpe the title of vniuersall Bishop For to the intent ye may vnderstand the very roote and originall beginning of this discourse you must consider that in those daies and long time before Constantinople was called new Rome and the other in Italy was called olde Rome And because the Emperor of Rome did most commonly keep his residence at new Rome and olde Rome was at that time greatly vexed with the barbarous Gothes Lumbards which warred vpon Italy and destroyed it without doubt the new Rome was then a more flourishing Citie and in higher estimation than olde Rome or any other Citie in all the wholl Empire Wherupon the said Bishop Iohn being of an ambitious dispositiō and minding to aduance himselfe by the dignitie of the Citie whereof he was bishop began to preach and persuade the people and diuers of the bishops that like as the Emperor extended his dominion ouer all the prouinces and countreys of the Empire euen so the Bishoppe of Rome that is to say of new Rome which was then in more estimation than old Rome ought to extend his power and autooritie ouer all the prouinces and countreys of Christendome And truly this Bishop Iohn did so much by his continuall trauell that he caused him selfe
to be proclaymed vniuersal Bishop in a certain Sinode or Counsell wheragainst S. Gregory who was then bishop of old Rome did set himselfe very manfullye And therefore writing againe to the same Emperor Maurice he saith amongst other thinges there written that the name of vniuersal Bishop is a title of pride and pompe which troubleth the church the lawes and the sinodes and the commaundements of Christ And that S. Peter neuer was ne neuer called himselfe vniuersall Apostle And that it was the Emperors duty if he meant that God should long preserue his empire to cut of that sore and to bridle the disease by his authoritie if it could not otherwise be healed Afterward he addeth these words worthy to be noted If any man saith he doe attribute vnto himselfe the name of vniuersall Bishop in the church what will al honest men iudge of him For the estat of the vniuersall Church must nedes fall which God forbid if he fall which is called the vniuersall Bishop Therfore let this blasphemous name be banished from the harts of all Christians whereby the honor of all Priestes is taken away and wrongfully vsurped by one alone And in the Epistle following S. Gregory maketh his mone to the Empresse Constance that the said Emperor Maurice her husband went about to perswade him to leaue of his setting of himselfe against it which I cannot doe saith he for I defend the cause of the Gospell and the Canons and the truth of equitie and humilitie And it is to greeuous intollerable a thing that the sayd Iohn our fellow brother and bishop should seeke to haue the name of bishop to himself alone But what other thing doth he geue vs to vnderstand by this his pride but that the time of Antichrist draweth neare For he followeth the steps of the wicked feend who despising the ioy which he had in common amongst the legions of other Aungels dyd seeke to set himselfe in the hyghest roome to raigne as soueraigne all alone And in an other Epistle the same S. Gregory answering to the whiche the sayd Emperour Maurice had written vnto him which was that hee ought not to bee so precisely wedded to his own will for the terme of vniuersall Bishop for such strife about termes hinder the vnion and peace of the church did disproue his reasons with very good grace saying thus But I beseech your maiestie of your goodnes to consider that of words fondly spoken some doe no harme at all other some doe great harme As for example when Antichrist shall come and call himselfe God that speech is very fond neuertheles as it is fonde so is it also very pernicious If you looke no further thā to the wordes there are but two sillables but if you way the meaning of the wordes it is the full importance of all iniquitie And I dare boldlye say vnto you that whosoeuer calleth himselfe or causeth himselfe to be called the vniuersal priest the same partie through his vaingloryousnes is the foreronner of Antichrist because that by his pride he exalteth himselfe aboue all others I besech you therefore of your good zeale to God-ward to commaund that no cause of offence be geuen by taking vp such a fond title See how S. Gregorye declareth and denowceth him to be the foreronner of Antichrist which doth name himselfe vniuersall Byshop forasmuch as he taketh vpon him the aucthoritye of all other Byshops as wel neere all the Popes of Rome haue done which haue bene since his time And yet to confirme this his sentence better I wil adde the warning which he gaue by his letters to the Byshops of Greece to be well ware that they gaue not the title of vniuersall Byshop to Siriacke Byshop of Constantinople next successor of the said Iohn after his decease good brethren quoth he yee shall vnderstand that the late Iohn who not long since was prelate Passing the bondes of modestie and of the measure of his calling did wrongfully in a Synode vsurpe the proud and pestilent title of Oycumenicall that is to say vniuersall Byshop agaynst God and the Church and to the despight derogatiō of the whole order of Preesthode Wherupon wee wrote twise vnto him that he should not omit any thing which might concerne the peace of the Church exhorting him to leaue that proud name and to submit his hart to the humilitye which our Lord and master hath taught vs Whereof forasmuch as he held scorne we haue vsed the lyke admonitions vnto our brother Siriacke his successor But sith wee see that Antichrist the enemy of mankinde beginneth to shew himselfe opēly by his foreronners in this latter tyme and that the preestes themselues which ought to resist him by their holy humblelyfe be the partyes that serue him for his foreronners by intitling thēselues with his proud name of vniuersall I beseech yee yea and charge ye that none of you at any tyme receyue admit write allow written or subscribe vnto that title But that as becommeth the seruauntes of the almighty God euery of you keepe himselfe pure and cleare from this venemous infection without yelding of him selfe to the deceitfull craftines of the enemy for surely that title tendeth to no other end but to the hurt and diuision of the Church and to the slaunder of you all as I haue sayd before because that if he onely as he imagineth is the vniuersall Byshop it followeth that you be no Byshops There are yet diuers other like sayings in the writings of S. Gregory which I could here alleadge but these which I haue here before set downe may suffice in mine opinion to declare and shew vnto the Romish Catholicks by the authority of that god doctor whom they themselues take to haue beene one of the greatest worthiest of all the Popes in respect whereof they haue surnamed him the great S. Gregory that the name and office of the Pope which is nothing else but an vniuersall and supreme Byshop or shepheard ouer all other Byshops and Priestes is condemned as the name and office of Antichrist or of his forerunner and as a title and estate full of pride iniury diuision and contempt of Gods commaundemēts and of the holy decrees and counsels which haue bene holde before that tyme. But now that we haue made S. Gregory to fight sufficiētly against the popes that were his successors let vs returne to our Canons to shew that S. Peter was neuer pope that is to say prince or soueraine ouer the Apostles I will only alleadge one Canon which saith that S. Paule and S. Peter were equal yea euen at the same time that they were both at Rome and that the one was no way greater than the other whereof it followeth that S. Peter was no more pope than was S. Paule Now S. Paule was neuer pope nor euer reputed so to be by the very maintayners of the popedome themselves For these be the very words of the Canon
taken out of S. Ambrose S. Peter and S. Paule haue preheminence aboue all other Apostles by speciall prerogatiue But yet is it vncertayne whether of them two were preferred before the other For I think that they were both equall in deserts likewise in their deathes and passions and also that they liued in like deuotion of faith and finally came Both together to the glory of martirdome And I beleue that it hapned not with out some cause that they both suffered martirdome in one day in one place and vnder one persecuter for they suffered in one day that they might goe together in company to Christ and in one place to the end that Rome should not want either of them both vnder one persecuter that both of them might be partakers of one cruelty The day therefore was ordayned for their desert the place for their glory and the persecuter for their vertue And they both suffered martirdome at Rome the soueraign Lady and head of all nations to the end that where the head of superstition was there should rest the head of holines where the princes of the Gentils dwelt there should remayn the Princes of the Church By which Canon it may easely be iudged that S. Peter was in nothing to be preferred before S. Paule that both were equal in all respects which sheweth plainly that S. Peter was neuer head of the Church neither in respect of nature nor in respect of ministration For if he had been thē should as much haue been sayd of S. Paul according to the Canon And so by consequence we should say that the Church had then two heads like a monster a thing that were to absurde strange I know wel that such as imagine the gouernment of the Church to be like the gouernment of a kingdome doe thinke it meete that there should be one supreme head and gouerner and that the same should haue Cardinals as great Princes of his court Archbishops somewhat in lower degree than the Cardinals and Bishops as inferiors to the Archbishops and so consequently Abbots Priors Channons and Curats ech in degree vnder other And in good sooth this order of holy gouernment hath a fayre outward shew but there is one thing that marreth all which is that it hath no foundation in the word of God which doth not teach that there is any inequalitie amongest the Shepheards but that they ought to gouern their Churches with one common consent by Gods word making assemblies or meetings which are cōmonly called Sinodes or Councels for the same purpose if need require And moreouer that they ought to submit themselues to the Ciuill Magistrate And the very Canons themselues doe agree herewith specially one Canon which is taken out of S. Iherom seeing that in the time of the primitiue Church there was no difference betwixt a priest or an elder and a bishop and that the Church was then gouerned by the common councell of the elders Let vs heare the very words of the Canon In olde time an Elder and a Bishop were all one thing till scismes and parttakings crept into Religion by the deuils inspiration and that folke began to say I hold of Paule and I of Apollo and I of Cephas Vntill this time the Churches were gouerned by common aduice of the Elders But after that euery man began to brag of his own disciples whom he had baptised and not of Christ then it was ordayned that in euery Church one of the Elders should haue authoritie ouer the rest to take away the seede of scizme Wherefore like as the Priests know that by the custome of the Church they be put in subiection to the party that is set in authoritie ouer them So let the bishops know also that wheras they themselues are of more authoritie than the Priest it is not by the ordynance of God but by custome and that they ought to gouerne the Church by common aduise Which Canon in very truth is very notable specially for that it doth euidently shew that all the degrees and dignities which are infinite at this day in the Church of Rome are not grounded vpon the expresse ordinance of God but only vpon the positiue law of custome for looke what the Canon speaketh of Bishops is much more by all reason to be spoken of Cardinals Patriarches Archbishops and other dignities seeing that the office of a Bishop wherof the holy Scripture maketh mention was instituted long time before the dignities of the Cardinals and the others And hereupon it followeth that men should not make so great reckning of any of these great and pompous dignities which are founded but onely vpon custome which ought not to be of any or at least wise of very litle authoritie in the Church of God as shal be declared more at large in the last chapter of this booke As touching the residue if it be alleaged that the Bishop of Rome had in olde time and still ought to haue cheefe authoritie and preheminence at the least wise in the assemblies of coūcels and Sinodes the answere is that he hath nothing to doe with the matter for the Ecclesiastical histories and the acts of the auncient councels as that of Nice holden in the time of Constantine the Emperor doe witnesse vnto vs that the Bishoppe of Rome was so far of from ouerruling the coūcels that he tooke his place in sitting but as fourth in degree which is a good way offe from the first and cheef place as he did at the generall councell of Nice But forasmuch as in this point of the Popes Supremacie the Romish Catholicks chiefly the Canonists doe maintaine the authoritie of the Pope by meanes of a donation and of certaine prerogatiues which they affirme to haue been graunted vnto the Pope by the Emperor Constantine the great I will here a litle examine the truth of the matter I say therfore that this donation and graunt of prerogatiues inregistred by Gratian in his decrees is a thing inuented of pleasure and altogether false and that it neither is like nor possible that the Emperor Constantine did at any time make such a pretended gifte or graūt of prerogatiues as may easely be perceiued by the histories of his time And for proofe of this matter ye must first vnderstand that in their sayd surmised donation they make the Emperor Constantine to say within foure dayes after he was baptised that he wold haue all the Bishops and Priestes of the Romayn Empire to acknowledge and hold the Bishop of Rome for their head in like sort as the iudges of a Realme doe holde their king and that he should haue greater authoritie than the Emperor himselfe Geuing vnto Siluester the vniuersall Pope and to his successors his Imperiall Pallace of Lateran which is at Rome and the Citie of Rome it selfe with al the Prouinces Places and Cities of Italy and all the west part of the Empire together with
god For a true virgine maye wel be misused but she cānot be made a whore because the godly virgine is the church of God and her chastity cannot be defiled by the brothelhouse For the chastity of the minde abolisheth the infamy of the place For the vnderstanding of the which Canon we must haue an eye to the time of the primitiue Church when diuers among the heathen men did put their bondslaues whether they were wiues or maydens into brothel houses and common stewes to rayse gayne of the shamefull abuse of their bodies And it fel out oftentimes that their poore slaues were Christians and yet full ill against their willes they were faine to suffer that shamefull abuse in their bodies and to become as it were open brothels and harlots to make gaine to their Masters wherof they are excused by this Canon as hauing only their bodies abused by a forcible constrainte and not their mindes by consent of their willes Now therfore it may wel be discerned by these Canones whether this doctrine of the Protestants concerning mariage ought to be reputed erroneous or not and whether it be not more agreable to Gods word and the auncient Cannons than the doctrine of the Romish Catholickes And now let vs proceed on ¶ Of princes and Magistrates The x chapter THe Protestants hold opinion that all such as dwel within the lands Dominions or Prouinces of any Prince be they naturall subiectes or free Denizens ought to yeald faithful obedience to him and also to all Magistrates vnder him without any exception of persons or of their goods And that they ought to acknowledge and to honor him as Gods Lieutenant vpon earth hauing the sword in his hand to minister iustice to al men and to be the defender and maintayner of Gods commaundements and to cause his Subiectes to obay them Also they hold opinion that all folke ought to pray to God for the preseruation and prosperitie of the Prince and of all other Magistrates And they beleeue that to disobay the prince is a disobaying of God who hath set him vp And that mē must obay him not only for feare but also for the duety of conscience which doth binde vs to obay God and so consequently the Prince whom God hath commaūded vs to obay But the opinion of the Romish Catholicks is that such as are of the clergie be exempted from this generall rule and that they be not the subiects of temporall Princes but of the pope And that so by consequence the prince neither may nor ought to leuy any tribute beneuolēce loane or subsedy of the Cleargie of his Countreis nor of their goods Accordingly as Pope Boniface the eight in one of his decrees expresly forbiddeth all Kings Princes Dukes Earles Barons Potentates Captaines Officers Gouerners of Cities and Castles and all other persons of what estate degree or condition so euer they be to doe the like vpon paine of present interditing and excommunication whereof none other but only the Pope himselfe can geue absolution Also they hold opinion that the Prince whom they tearme secular hath no authoritie in matters of Tenthes nor in matters of Matrimony among the lay people nor in many other such like things Thirdly they hold opinion that the Pope hath power to put down kings and Princes and to depriue them of their Realmes and Principalities as Pope Gelasius vaunteth himselfe in an epistle sent to the Emperor Anastasius wherin he alleadgeth the example of Pope Zachary who deposed king Chelderike of Fraunce from his kingdome not for any wicked doings sayth he but because he was vnfitte to be a king And did set vp king Pipin the father of Charlemaine in his place Also by reason of this great authoritie which the Popes tooke to themselues ouer kinges they be puffed vp with such pride that they compare themselues to the Sun and to Golde and kinges and Emperors to the Moon and to leade tearming themselues the masters of them as the same Pope Gelasius did write to the sayd Emperor Anastasius Euery man therefore may iudge whether doctrine is the better either that of the romish Catholicks which doth so limmit cut short the authoritie of kinges and Princes to augment the greatnes of the Popes and Prelats Or that of the Protestants which doe not challenge but disalow such limitations affirming that the Pope hath no such iurisdiction ouer the Subiects of kings and Princes And seeing that Princes be the Lieutenantes of God here on earth holding their Scepters and Crowne of him No doute but the honor which is done to them is done to God himselfe And so consequently God is better honored by the doctrine of the Protestantes than by the doctrine of the Romish Catholicks The doctrine of the Protestantes is groūded euidently vpon the word of God which commaundeth all men without exception of any person to obay the Prince vnder whose Dominion they dwell not only for feare of his sword but also for conscience sake These be the words of S. Paule who speaketh generally Let euery man be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the authorities that be are ordayned of God and therefore we ought not to be subiect for fear of displeasure only but for conscience sake also And hereupon S. Chrisostome saith that this rule is so generall that there is neither Apostle nor Euangelist nor Bishop nor other person that is exempted from the obedience of the Prince And likewise S. Peter speaking to al Christians and to al Gods chosen flock sayth thus Submitte your selues to all ordinance of man for the loue of God whether it be to the king as to the chief or to the gouernors as to those which be sent and oppointed by the Prince to punish malefactors and to prayse the well doers And the reason why euery one ought to yeald obedience to the Prince is because the charge and estate which Princes take vpon them is of God For the Scripture doth call Princes Gods because they are the Lieuetenants of God. And therfore next after God we ought to feare and honor the Prince as sayeth S. Peter Feare God and honor the king And as Salomon doth also teach vs saying My Sonne feare the Lord and the king And it is to be noted that in these textes the king is put next after god as his Lieuetenant presenting God himselfe And we ought not onely to honor and feare the prince but also to pray to God for him and for all those which are in authoritie vnder him that their gouernment may be in peace and tranquility and that we may liue vnder their obedience in the seruing of God with all godlines and goodnes These be the very wordes of S. Paule I warne you therfore that before all other thinges you make intercessions prayers supplications and thankesgeuinge for all men and specially for kings and for al such as are
of touching this matter namelye the personall succession amongst those of the Romain Clergy wherof they doe so greatly brag thēselues against the Protestantes and their discipline As touching the first point they say they haue as it were a lineall succession from age to age of Bishops and Shepheards from the Primitiue Church and therefore that they be the true Shepheards that by the contrary reason the Ministers of the gospell which haue had no such succession be false Shepheards But this matter of succession is very easie to be answered For if you looke well into the histories of the Popes and conferre them with the canons both of late yeres and of olde time you shal finde that the most part of the Popes and Bishops came in at the window and not at the dore And that they haue been intruders and vsurpers not lawfull successors And to begin at the beginning the canons doe teach vs as truth is that Bishopricks and Ecclesiasticall offices ought to be bestowed by lawfull election and that it is not lawfull for Bishops and Shepheards to appoint in their latter dayes who shall succeede them but only to geue their opinion to their Churches concerning such as they deeme in their consciences to be most meete to succeede them Thus saith a Canon taken out of the Counsell of Antioch It is not lawful for a Bishop to choose or appoint who shall be his Successor though he be neere his death and whatsoeuer he doth in that case is nothing nor nothinge worth By which Canon it followeth that Pope Clement whom they vouch to be the Successor of S. Peter was no lawfull Pope For there is another Canon which saith if it be worthy to be beleued that S. Peter drawing nie the end of his life tooke S. Clement by the hand and betooke vnto him the Church of Rome choosing him to be his successor Also Pope Damasus who was about the yere of our Lord 371. in the time of the Emperor Valentiniā was made Bishop or Pope of Rome by great hurliburlies wherein there were a hundred and seuen and thirty men slaine in the streetes as Marcillinus doth witnes Pope Iohn the eightth being a woman and therfore not capable of the Popedome was borne in England held the Papacie about two yeres and a halfe Pope Siluester the second was a great Negromanser and came to be Pope by the help of the deuill to whom he gaue both body and soule as it is written in his history and he raigned foure yeares and certaine Monethes Pope Siluester the third was made Pope by tumults and factions For in those dayes as sayeth the history the popedome was growen to such a state that it was geuen to him that would geue most for it or which made most frends and fauour Pope Boniface the eightth was made Pope by faction and bribery hauing first by suttle practises gotten the resignation of his predecessor Pope Celestine a man of a simple Wit whom he caused to be straitly shut vp in prison where he dyed for grief of mind when he saw himself so deceiued and il handeled Wherupon it was sayd by this Boniface a good witnesse of his calling that he entered into the Popedome like a fox raigned like a Lion and died like a dog for he dyed mad Pope Iohn the four and twentieth vsurped the Papacie by force and violence and maintayned himselfe in it by the same meanes and was found to erre in the Christian faith in moe than in fortie Articles so holy was his holines To be short the histories of the popes are full of the wicked dealings and practises which the Popes did vse to attaine to that degree Now therefore I aske you whether these ought to be called lawfull successors of S. Peter and whether those Bishoppes which were consecrated by them were lawfully called or not or ought to be reputed the lawfull successors of the primitiue church whether the Curates and other Priestes that were promoted to holy order and to benefices by such Bishops may be reckned as lawfull successors of the Shepheards and Elders of the Primitiue Church It is very ceataine that they were not For then were the Canons vntrue which say that in all prouisions for persons meete for Benefices there ought to be a lawfull election wherein consideration is to be had of the fitnes of the parties age which is to be chosen and of the grauitie of his manners and of his learning and that as many as haue voyces in the election should be heard vpon paine of making the election of no force and that the party be denoūced as vnworthy and vnmeet to haue a benefice which is furthered or preferred therunto by the fauor or power of the world Neither are such diuelish seruings inforcementes subtilties and fauors to be called lawfull vocations but intrusions inuations vsurpations and wicked and damnable practises The Canons also doe confirme it to be Simonie to geue mony or ought els to be promoted to Orders or to be prouided of a Benefice or to obtayn a benefice in recompence of any temporall seruice And that al aduowsions and presētations made by Popes or Bishops in way of Simonye be naught and of no valure or authoritie Now I leaue it to al people of any discretion to cōclude how the Bishops the priestes of these dayes may be called the lawfull successors of those of the primatiue Church For shall a man find any which geueth no mony for his orders or for the bulles of hys benefice Are not the Bishoprickes Abbyes Pryoryes and other Benefices geuen away now adayes and of long tyme agoe in recompence of temporall seruice yea and sometime for such vnworthy vile seruices as deserue rather punishement than recompence And seeing that the Popes and Byshops thēselues clymbe vp into their high degrees by Symonye must it not needes be that the collations which they make in bestowing the benefices of the patronages vpō other inferior priestes are Simonicall and so consequently voyd according to the foresayd Canons If the Romish Catholickes deny this they must also disauow their own Canons and deny the sonne to haue light And therefore the Romish Clergy are farre from the lawful and continuall successiō of the Shepherds and Priests of the primatiue Church wherein they imagine themselues to to remayn For sure Brybery Simonie and such other like practises are not the doore whereby they ought to enter into the succession of the auncient shepheardes and Elders as they doe But they ought to enter by lawful election made by calling vpon the name of God after dew examination of the party that is to be promotid that he be found meet for that charge who beyng so chosen must thenceforth haue the tokens of the auncient Shepheardes whiche are to preach Gods word purely to minister the Sacraments to mayntayn good discipline and to visite and comfort the sicke as the
Tim. 2.5 Ioh. 1.12 Math. 6.9 Sayntes can not heare the prayers that are made to them c. fatendum 13. 4 2. We are saued only by God without any help of our selues Workes superaboundant or of supererogation Ro 3.20.23 Eph. 1.8.9 Tit. 3.4.5 Phil. 3.8.9 Ro. 5.1.2 Iam. 1.12 Rom. 11.6 Luk. 17.10 Psalm 143 Luk. 16.15 c. Aduocaeuit c. vbi saua 24. q. 1. c. Vt euiden ter 1. q. c. c. Gratia. 1. q. 1. Basil lib. 1 de humilitate Ambrose in Psal. 32. ad Ro. c. 3.14 The auÌ„cient church taught no other doctrine than that of the Apostles c. Rogamus 24. q. 1. The sophisters make a double worde of God the one written and the other not written The destinction of good works dependeth vpon Gods ordinaunce By the doctrine of the Pope the richmen may better gayne Paradise then the pore sort Rom. 14.15 Hebru 1â— 6 Rom. 10.17 Vowes of pouerty Deut. 15.4 The vow of chastity Gen. 2.18 Mat. 19.11 1. Cor. 7. The vow of obedience Math. 15.9 Coloss 2.20 Moonkish contemplation 1. Cor. 13.2 Moonks are forbidden to preach C. Monachus C. Iuxta 16. q. 1. The habit of Moonkes hath no holines in it C. Ieiunium de Consec dist 5. C. nihil prodest de panit dist 3. Lib. 9. cap. 38. The diuersity that was in olde tyme in the length of Lent in the keeping thereof Pilgrimages C. Gloria 12. q. 2. The Moonkes of olde time did labor for their liuing C. NunquaÌ„ de consec dist 5. Hist. trip lib. 8. cap. 1. C. Si cupit C. Placuit 16. q. 1. No Monke ought to eat flesh C. Carnem de consecra dist 5. C. Sanctim 20. q. 1 Of Nuns 1. Cor. 11.6 C. Quecunque dist 30. That Monkes and Nunes may marry C. Quidem dist 27. De doctrina Christiana lib. 4. Virginitie is not to be preferred before honest mariage The abhominablenes of such as paynt their faces What the maÌ„ners and behauiour of virgines or maydens ought to be A prohibition of the inuenting of new orders of ReligioÌ„ The Pope hath defaced and wyped out the second of the ten commaundements A foÌ„d distinction beetweene worshipping seruing Venerabiles de consec dist 3. De ciuitate Dei. lib. 5. cap. 15. lib. 6. c. 1. lib 7. c. 32. lib. 10. cap. 1. 4. Au. de doctr christ lib. 3 cap. 7. How the Papistes deface the 3. commandement Deut. 6.13 C. considera c. Tu maluÌ„ c. Siquis 22. q. 1. The Papists haue corrupted the fourth commanodemeÌ„t Men may work vppoÌ„ the SuÌ„daies L. Omnes 3 C. de Ferijs C. peruenit de consec dist 3. The Papists corrupt the ninth commaundemeÌ„t Promise fayth ought to be kept inuiolable to all men C. primum 22. q. 2. C. Noli 13. q. 1. The seuenth Commaundement corrupted by the Papists C. Christ dist 34. c. meretrices 32. q. 4. Women ought not to baptise children Math. 19.23 Exo. 20.6 1. Cor. 7.14 Math. 18.9 Hebru 9.4 Act. 8.37.48.50 Gal. 3.27 The maner of baptising in the tyme of the Apostles Mat. 3.6 Iohn 3.22 Gen. 17.7 Deut. 5.10 Saluation dependeth not vpon baptim C. Baptisme c. cathecum de consec dist 4. C. Mulier de cons dist 4. C. duo tempora de coÌ„sec dist 4. C. Baptizados de consec dist 4. C. celebritatem de conse dist 3 C. verus c Non dubito de consecra dist 4. A man may be a catholick when he is vnbaptized C. Ego de const pise 2 Eccle. hist lib. 6. cap. 33 Absurdities that follow Transubstatiation Act. 3.21 Mat. 26.11 Mat. 28 Hebr. 4.17 Math. 17.2 Luk. 24.39 Luk. 22.20 1. Cor. 11.25 Io. 6.51.53 Iohn 15.1 Iohn 10.9 1. Cor. 10.4 Exo. 12.43 Gen. 17. 13. 1. Cor. 12.12 Ephe. 1.23 c. Ego Beringarius de consec dist 2. c. Prima quidem de consec dist J. c. Vt quid paras deuteÌ„ de consec dist 2. c. Qui man ducant de consec dist 2. c. Qui discordat ibidem Au. de doctr Christ lib. 2 cap. 10.16 A rule wherby to know figuratiue speeches from playne speches The supper ought to be receiued in both the kindes c. Comperimus ibidem c. Seculares ibidem c. Quid autem 24. q. 3 Aug de doc Christ c. 11. C. vt veteruÌ„ dist 9. The only sacrifice of Christ is our saluation Heb. 9.11.12 Heb. 6.4.5.6 Hebr. 10.10 14.18 1. Cor. 10.16.17 Absurdities rising of TransubstaÌ„tiation C. Cum Marthae quesiuisti extr de celebr Miss C. Perniciosus extr eo C. in quadaÌ„ extr de celeb Miss The inuention of the Masse fathered vpoÌ„ S. Iames S. Basill C. Iacobus de consec dist 1. Câ—nocte de Cons dist 1 C. Ecclesi dist 2 C. Sacra de cons dist 2 C. vasa eo dist 1. C. Apost eo C. Pacem igitur eo dist 2. Io. Stella venetus de vitis Pontific Inconueniences insuing to such as heare Masse C. peract de consec dist 2. C. Praebet dist 32. C Si qui sâ—â— dist 81. C. Si quis dist 28. C. Sacerdotes 1. q. 1 C. Consulto de consecra dist 1. There must be two at the least to help a priest to say Masse C. Hoc quoque de consec dist 1. The Papists make fornication lawful and mariage vnlawfull C. Hac ratione 11. q. 3 C. Non oportet seq 33. q. 4 Gen. 2.18 1. Cor. 7.2 1. Tim. 4.3 That the Mariage of Priests is lawfull C. Nicena dist 31. C. QuoniaÌ„ dist 31. C. Placuit dist 26. Athanasius in his epistle to Dracontius C. quicuÌ„que dist 31. C. 2.32 q. 5 The clergy exempr theÌ„selues from the obedience of princes e. Clericis de immunit ecclie in 6. The Pope chalengeth power to put downe Princes C. alius 15. q. 6. c. Solitae extra de Maior obed c. Duo c. quis dubit dist 96. Rom. 13.1 5. Tit. 3.1 1. Pet. 2.15 Deut. 1.16 Psal 82.1 1. Pet. 2.17 Prou. 24.21 1. Tim. 2.1 Math. 17.27 22.21 Rom. 13.5.6.7 Dan. 6 2â— Act. 4 20. 1. Cor. 7.23 The Pope and his clergy ought to be in subiection to Princes c. Nos fi incompetenter â— q. 7. Greg. epist. lib. 4. epist. 29. lib. 5. epist. 163. lib 6. epist. 194 lib. 7. epist. 114 120. 126. lib 8. epist. 2. lib. 9. epist. 60. c. Tributum 13. q. 8. c. Imperatores dist 9. Princes caÌ„not bind meÌ„ to lawes that are agaynst Gods commandements C. Qui resiâ—â—et 11. q. 3. C. Iulianus 11. q. 3 The Pope can geue agene away benefyces c. Reatina c. Lectis dist 65. epist. lib. 4. epist. 29. lib. 6. epist. 170. Mat. 16.18 Christ hath no need of any Lieuetenant or vicar General on earth Ephe. 4.15 Ephe. 1.22 Eph. 5.23 Eph. 4.11 Ephe. 2.20 1. pet 2.5 Ioh. 20.23 Gal. 2.8.9 Act. 8.14 The name Pope signified in olde tyme a Father now a Prince c. Nullus c. ecce dist 99. C. Vlt. dist 40. Supremacy aboue others is to be eschued c. Legimus dist 93. All Bishops are of equall authority Greg. epist. lib. 4. ep 76. 78. S. Gregory whom the Catholicks take for an Archpope condemneth the authority of Popes Ep. lib. 6. ep 194. Epist. lib. 7. epist. 69. That S. paul and S. Peter were equall in degree c. Beate 2. q. 7. S. Peter was neuer head of the Church The Lordly gouernemeÌ„t of the churche disproued by the auncient Canons c. Olim. dist 95. The Pope had no prerogatiue aboue the generall counsels in old tyme. Hist trip lib. 2. cap. 1. The forged donation fathered vp on Constantine c. Constantius dist 96 The disproofe of the donation by the very donation it selfe Pomponius laetus in CoÌ„stantine Licinius Euseb lib. 9 cap. vlt. trip hist lib. 1. cap. 8. 9. Orosius lib. 7 cap. 28. Euseb lib. eccl. hist 8. cap. 16. Pom. lpaetus in vitis horum Imperatorum c. Olim. dist 12. c. Sunt quidam c. contra 25. q. 1. The Popes auchority in damning of mens soules c. Si papa dist 4 0. c. Cum aliquis 2. 4. q. 4 A personall succession in the order of clergy e. Episcopo c. vnde 8. q. 1. That the Popes are intruders of the Papacy Am. Marcellus lib. 27. Io. stella venetus Platina in vitis Pontificum c. Cum. in cunctis c. Bona c. Quisquis Extr. de Electione c. Eaquae 1. q. 3. Ci. c. cum essent extr de SimoÌ„ c cum detestabile Extra The discipline maÌ„ners of the Clergy c. In scripturis 8. q. 1. What manner of persons ought to haue benefices c. Licet ergo 8. q. 1. c. Si Episcopus dist 23. c. His igitur dist 23. Priestes ought to be Preachers c. Vlt. dist 43. c. Ignorantia dist 38. What the talke and communication of ClegimeÌ„ ought to be c. Pro reuerentia dist 44. What Byshops ought to be c. Qui episcopatum 8. q. 1. c. Vilissimus 1. q. 1. A descriptioÌ„ of a Popish praelats priesthood The vse of church goodes c. Clericus 12. q. 1. How the goods of the Church ought to be vsed c. Quatuor c. Mos. est 12. q. 2. Tithes are the tribute of the poore c. Decema 16. q. 1. c. Aurum 12 q. 2. c. Gloria 12. q. 2. They that conceale the truth mainteyne error c. Error dist 83. c. Facientie dist 83. Purgatory the inricher of the Clergye Apoc. 14.13 2. Machab. 12.43 15.39 Mat. 12.32 Prayer for the dead is disproued c. Inpraesenti 13. q. 2. c. 2. 24 q. 2. Whence prayer for the deade commeth c. Cum Marthae vlt. ext de celebr missa De Ciuit. Dei. lib. 2. c. 24. Dialog 4. c. 39. The smale power of Purgatory in clensing mens sinnes PrescriptioÌ„ can bear no sway in matters concerning God Religion Math. 5.21 c. Mala. c si consuetudinem c. Frustra c. Consuetudo c. si solus dist 8. The perilous effects of euill custome Al custome must giue place to trueth An exhortation vnto peace