it ¶ In the leafe of C. the .xii. page the. xxvi lyne for names reade canons A TREATISE OF the Popes primacie by Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonia THe adherentes of the Romishe churche affirme Fyrst that S. Peter was made chiefe of thapostles by Christ hym selfe and therefore had the keies of heauen worthily deliuered vnto hym and that the churche was buylded on hym agaynst the whiche the gates of hell shulde not preuaile forasmuche as Christ had praied for his faith and had commanded him bothe to strengthen his bretherne and also to feede his shepe They heape togither also muche more wherby they thynke that the primacie of Peter may be proued Secondarily they hold that the Pope is Peters successour and that he hath by succession all his preeminence and therfore may doo in matters of religion all thynges after lyke sorte and fashion as he might haue doone And therfore they saye that it is vnpossible for the Pope to falle frome the true faith for if that shuld happen the christen religion and the whole church whyche is buylded vppon hym muste needes perisshe To the prose whereof they alledge a testimonie of their own out of Pope Agathon whiche in a certaine Epistle affirmeth that the churche of Rome was neuer entangled with any erroure neyther hathe any tyme swarued frome the true waie of veritie And therfore they say that the Pope hath had his supremacy always sence the Apostles tyme. Also they saye lykewyse that other Metropolitanes and Archebyshoppes are subiecte to hym in lyke maner as the Byshoppes and Prelates whyche are vnder the Arcebyshop of Constantinople are subiect to the sayd archbyshoppe Theu they saye that the Pope hathe appellation They affirme moreouer that he may iudge all menne and that none maye iudge hym neyther in his manners neyther in faythe or doctrine Besydes this they hold that the pope is byshop of no certayne place neither is he so called as other are but simply without circumscription he is named a Bishoppe To the profe wherof they brynge the Pope hymselfe to wytnes who neuer in his letters termeth hym selfe Byshop of Rome Also they affyrme that Rome onely hathe been called the sea Apostolike because that Peter the Apostle bothe ledde his lyfe there a longe tyme and also dyed there Item they affirme that the Pope only hath authoritie to call a counsell Their last assertion is that no lawe can be made without the consent of the pope neither any thynge ordeyned in the churche Then they conclude that the Pope hath all the aforesayde rightes and priuiledges of Peter and that therfore all men owe hym obedience and no man ought to gaynesay any of his commandementes All these thynges the adherentes of the Romysshe churche alledge for the mayntenaunce of the popes dominion and authoritie Vnto the whiche assertions of theirs I nothynge doubte what to aunswere but afore whom I may pleade For yf I should make answere before the Latins themselues and adherentes of the Romishe church what rightful iudgement myght I loke for in submyttyng my selfe to the iudgement of myn enemies But yf I shuld pleade afore our Grekes then myght the Latines haue iuste cause to complayne of me where as I make the Grecians iudges ouer them whom they thinke to be their aduersaries in matters Ecclesiasticall What then must we doo verily Gods truthe ought not to be buried vp in silence euerlastyng but rather we ought to speake freely hauynge good confidence and wishing that those to whom this Booke shall come desire nothyng more than the truthe For surely suche as fauour the truthe shall hereby also profyte somewhat FYRST therfore concernyng the primacy of Peter after what sorte he was chiefe of that holy congregation or what priuilege was geuen or ought vnto hym I thinke it not now so nedeful to be reasoned of For be it after suche sorte and so great yea as it lyketh any man to deuyse yet neuer truely shall it therby be proued that the Pope hath suche right of Peter where by he may rule all other byshops whiche is our aduersaries seconde position For concernyng the Pope two thynges must be consydered the one That he is Byshop of Rome by the whyche title the sacred Synodes terme hym The other that he would be chiefe and hyghest of all byshops The fyrst truely he hathe of Peter that is to wete the byshoprike of Rome But the other his primacie he hath of certayne fathers and kynges whiche for desyre of good order gaue it hym many yeares after thapostles tyme. And to proue this to be true I wyll bryng forth wytnesses not two or three or twise so many but sire hundred and thirty yea and chose holy fathers Rede the xxviii Canon of the fourth holy Synode or councell of Calcedonia where are these woordes We folowyng the decrees of the fathers and waying the Canon euen now rehersed of the. 150. Byshoppes gathered togyther at Constantinople called newe Rome in the tyme of the moste holye Emperour Theodosius the same also doo we ordeyne decree concernyng the honoures and prerogatiues of the said church of Constantinople or new Rome For vnto the sea of old Rome the Fathers gaue worthyly the chiefe honour and primacy bycause that Citie then ruled all the worlde the same cause moued the. 150. foresayd byshops to geue the lyke honoure and preeminēce to the sea of new Rome iudgyng it reasonable that this Citie condecorate with the empire and senate imperiall and equal in dignitie with the old imperiall seate should as muche excell in matters ecclesiasticall seyng that it is the next vnto it Then what may we lerne hereby Verily nothyng els but that the Superioritie ouer other churches was geuen to the pope not by the Apostles but by the fathers and that for no greater or iuster cause then that the citie of Rome at that tyme had dominion ouer the whole world For the Canon sayeth playnely That the primacie or superiour dygnitie was geuen to the sea of Rome by the fathers So that the pope hath therfore the Superioritie geuen hym of the Fathers bycause in tymes paste the Citie of Rome had the Empire Then he hath it not as Peters successour neither as geuen hym of the Apostles But for the more apparaunt truthe let vs reade the hundreth newe decree of Iustinian to the ende that it maye appeare that the truthe hath wytnesses on euery syde We ordeyne sayth he accordynge to the Decrees of the Synodes that the moste holy Byshop of olde Rome is the chiefe of all priestes and that the moste blessed byshop of Constantinople or newe Rome is nexte vnto hym and aboue all other Do you not heare that the Emperoure sayeth That the primacye of the Pope of Rome is gyuen hym by the Decree of holye Councelles If that the Pope dooe holde his Supremacye onely by the Decree of Councelles I beseeche you howe may it be trewe that somme menne affyrme that he hath it by succession
sayth Leo in his epistle written to the Emperor conceruynge the said sinode Also we holde accursed the authors of the new heresy thatis to wite Theodorê° bish of Pharanite Cirus of AlexaÌ„dria Sergius Pirrhus Paule Peter successours rather thaÌ„ bishops of the church of ConstaÌ„tinople and also Honorius who hath not beautified this Apostolike church with doctrine lefte by the apostles but rather hath assayed with prophane treason to subuert the vnsported and pure faithe In the fourth place where as our aduersaries say that the pope is after the same sort and fashion superiour to the Bishop of Constantinople as the saide Bishop is to the Byshop of Cesaria or to any other Byshop vnder hym that truelye as it is manifestelye false so maye it in no wise be suffered for certaynly the Bishop of Rome is therfore called first because the Bishop of Constantinople in respect to hym is second in order and worthynesse But the bysshop of Constantinople in respecte of the bysshop of Cesaria is not called fyrst neyther the sayd byshop neyther any other of these that are vnder hym hath the seconde degree or place of dignitie as nexte vnto hym But he is so fyrst of them that ar vnder hym that as though he were alone he hath none adioyned to hym that maye in anye poynt as seconde in degree be compared with him in worthines The bishop of Cesarea is not called seconde in respect of the bishop â—f Constantinople But first in comparison of theim that with him at subiect to the bishop of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople of the which one is secoÌ„d to hym another thirde an other fourth And that the primacye of the bishop of Rome is not lose and free as though it were a monarchye but vnited with others as the dignities of felowes in office are conioyned togyther betweene them selues yet may be easily proued For the xxxvi Canon of the foresayd Synode hath these wordes Renuyng the decrees of the huÌ„dred and fifty holy fathers who helde a counsell in this imperiall Citie preserued of God And of the vi hundred and thirty gathered togyther at Calcedonia we doo ordeyn and constitute that the sea of Constantinople haue equall dignitie with the sea of olde Rome haue as much priiledge in matters ecclesiasticall as the sayd sea seynge that it is nexte vnto it and next to Constantinople lette the bishop of the great citie Alexandria haue place and after him let the bishop of Hierusalem be placed If so be that the Pope doo therfore chalenge to him dominion ouer other bicause he is first named and hath the fyrst degree in honour he must lykewise grant the same power to the bysshop of Constantinople bycause he is named seconde ouer them that in order folowe hym the byshop of Alexandria and others And also to the bishop of Alexandria who is named thirde authoritie ouer the bishop of Antioche and to the byshop of Antioche who is fourthe power ouer the byshop of Ierusalem who hath the .v. place in noumber and order But this were neyther iuste neyther any thyng els but a disturbance of the churche of God And hereby maye we perceyue that the byshop of Rome is not superiour to the byshop of Constantinople in lyke sorte as the sayd byshop is to the byshop of Cesarea for asmuche as the bishoppe of Constantinople ordeyneth bothe the bish of Cesarea and al other subiecte to hym But the byshoppe of Rome ordeyneth neyther the byshop of CoÌ„stantinople neyther any other Metropolitan But that it may more euidently apere that the Pope hath no power ouer all other byshops let vs rede the .vi. canon of the Nicen couÌ„sell wher it is playnly commanded that the Byshop of Alexandria shulde rule somme churches the byshop of Rome other and other the byshop of Antioche Neither maye any of them medle in others proince Lette the olde custome take place whiche was that the bysshop of Alexandria shulde be chiefe and haue the highest dignitie in Egypte Lybia and the .v. cities bycause this is a custome with the byshop of Rome also Lykewise at Antioche and in other prouinces lette the primacie hyghnesse dignttie and authoritie of the churches he maynteyned Here ye playnely see that the canon of Nice commaundeth the olde custome to be kept and al men to be content therwith whiche custom dothe attribute and preserue to euery churche his owne worthinesse so that the churche of Alexandria shoulde rule some the churche of Antioche other that is to say those whiche are in bothe Syrias The churche of Rome other and other the Churche of Ierusalem euen those as the seuenth Cannon of the Synoda appoynteth whiche are Phenicia Palestina and Arabia and to Constantinople by the .xxviii. Canon of Calcedonia the churches of Asia Pontus and Thracia Therefore all Metropolitanes that are contente with their owne churches kepe the decree the lawe and ordinance And yf any manne not contente with his owne desyrethe an nothers he trewely oughte to bee counted a breaker of custome and of the decrees of holye Fathers for as muche as the decree of Nice doothe straightly forbydde it and wylleth the olde vsage herein to bee folowed If the Canon hadde deuyded the worlde betweene other Metropolites and hadde geuen nothynge vnto the Bysshoppe of Rome but onely haue sayde That he oughte to rule the reste then myghte a manne of lykelyhoode haue gessed that he oughte all togyther to rule all congregations of the whole worlde and that all other as welle Byshops as Metropolitanes are vassalles and subiecte vnto hym euen as to the Bysshoppe of Constantinople other Bysshoppes of his prouynce that ar his inferiours Nowe seeynge that sundrye countreyes are appoynted to the Bysshoppe of Rome other to the Bysshoppe of Alexandria and other to the bysshop of Constantinople no more are they subiect to hym then he is to theym Then our aduersaries say that the Pope hathe prouocation in matters ecclesiasticall and that therefore he is chiefe of all other The same prouocatione hathe the byshop of Constantinople and yet therby hath he neyther authoritie neither iurisdiction of other Metropolitans Therefore neyther the Pope oughte to let or hynder the iurisdiction of other Metropolites And that it may appeare that I haue sayde truely that the byshop of Constantinople hath prouocation I wyl alleged the .ix. canon of the .iiii. Synode or couÌ„sell of Calcedonia If one clerke haue an action against an other let hym not leaue his owne bysshop and runne to the secular iudge but lette the matter be fyrst debated afore his owne bishop or at the least by thaduise of their owne byshop let theim take suche a iudge as bothe the parties shall bee contented with If any doo otherwise he shall bee in daunger of the decree If any clerke haue an action agaynste his owne byshop or any other lette the matter bee tried afore the Synode of the same prouince And yf any byshoppe or clerke haue a complaynte agaynst the Metropolitane let
ofttēimes not of himself only but of other called a byshop without mention of any place For we reade Theodosius the moste glorious conqueror and always moste valyant greteth the byshop Cirillus without any mention of the place wherof he was bysshop But what shall we say of those whiche leaue out the title of a Byshop and vse onely their owne proper names Shall we saye that they are no byshoppes or that they haue a greatter dignitie then an vniuersall byshoprike for as muche as the Pope of Rome wyll be an vniuersall byshop bycause the place is not named whereof he is bishoppe There may many suche inscriptions and subscriptions be broughte out of bokes of authoritie wherin the name of the bishop is plainly omitted Furthermore our aduersaries affirm that y e name of apostolike agreeth only to the Pope whiche surely is very vntru For it is cōmon to other with him as it appeareth by the .xi. session of the vi synode where we rede in this wise Constantine the moste holy archdeacon of this holye catholike and apostolike churche and again in the subscriptions of the same synode we rede Peter an elder and one that supplieth the rome of the apostolike sea Alexandria I George the least of the elders one that occupieth the place of Theodorus Theophilactus an elder and vicegerēt to the apostolike throne of the holy sea and citie of our god Hierusalem haue subscribed And again loke in the first session of the .vij. synode which beginneth in this maner In the name of the lord Iesus Christ our tru god c. wherafter the rehersall of them that wer sēt frone Rome foloweth mention of the byshop of Constantinople in this sort Iohn and Thomas the mooste holye elders Monkes by profession and suppliynge the place of the apostlike seas of the easte This shall ye fynde in the beginnyng of euery acte in the .vii. synode Also in the subscriptions ye shall reade I Iohn by the grace of God an Elder and assistant to the Patriarke substitute of the .iii. apostolike seas Alexandria Antioche and Hierusalem folowyng the doctrine of the fathers and tradition of the churche geuynge finall sentence haue subscribed Also I Thomas by the grace of God an elder and primate of the habitation of the holy father Arsenius whiche is in Egypt beyonde Babylon substitute to the .iii. apostolike thrones Alexandria Antioche and Hierusalem folowyng the doctrine of the fathers and tradition of the churche geuyng finall sentence haue subscribed The lyke shall ye fynde in all their subscriptions Here ye maye playnely see that not onely the sea of Rome but also the seas of other churches ar called apostolike Wherfore if we weigh the matter according to reason either we shal equally esteeme all those seas and churches whyche as we haue declared are called Apostolike orels we shal not make so muche of Rome for this title seyng that it is not onelye propre vnto that churche But what shal we say to that where Chrysostome writynge to one affirmeth that al the priests of the new testament syt in Christes chayre lyke as they of the olde testament sat in the chaire of Moyses yea he sayeth that they haue a greater dignitie then thangels and archangels so that there can be no excellency in that he boasteth the sea Apostolike seyng that all byshops sytte in the chayre of Christe and haue a more ample dignitie then thangels themselues Agayne the Popes secte holde that it perteyneth by ryght to the Pope only to call togyther generall councels wherin they striue agaynst a manyfest truthe It is a wonder to see that the Pope is not ashamed to aduance hym selfe and to lyfte vp his combe in the churche for a matter wherof Kynges myght boast them selues I speake not this as thoughe I esteemed not the excellency of Kynges For vnto them we owe bothe honour and obedience But bycause the ecclesiasticall dignitie settyng at naughte all earthly glorye and rychesse shoulde desyre and seeke for a heauenly preeminence and renoume Therefore I wylle proue that this right pertayneth rather to kyngs then to bishops For so hath the Actes of the fyrst holy counsell of Nice To the holy and greate churche by the grace of god of Alexandria and to the learned brethern whiche are in Egypt Lybia and the fiue cities the byshops assembled and holdyng a great and holy synode at Nice sendeth gretyng For as much as vnto vs that are gathered togyther oute of dyuers cities and prouinces by the grace of God our most godly prince Constantine c. Also in the third or Ephesine councel we rede To the moste holy emperours and beloued of god Theodosius and Valentinian most mighty and victorius conquerours the holy Synod by the grace of god and the authoritie assembled in the citie Ephesus Also in the ende of the counsel of Calcedonia ye shal fynd in the inscription of the holy Synode The holy great and vniuersal Synode assembled by the grace of God and the decree of our moste holy emperours at Calcedonia in Bythinia to the moste holy and blessed archbysshop of Rome Leo. That therfore it appertayneth to the dignitie of christen kynges to calle generall councelles it may sufficiently appere by the places nowe alledged But lette vs brynge foorthe that also where byshop Leo wrytyng to the emperour Theodosius humbly desyreth as a great benefyte that he wolde prouyde a prouinciall Synode to bee gathered in Italy Which truely he wold not haue craued with suche humilitie if he had thought before that it was his owne right The wordes of his epistle are these All our churches and all our priestes moste humbly with teares beseeche your clemency that accordyng to byshop Flauians booke ye vouchesafe to commande a prouinciall councel to be assembled in Italy If it moue any man that Peter ended his lyfe at Rome he ought muche more to be moued with that the Sonne of God suffered at Ierusalem his passion most holsom to mankynde But peraduenture somme manne wyll saye that the Fathers dydde attribute muche vnto the Churche of Rome I aunswere they dydde it not because they thought that God gaue any greate prerogatiue to that sea but partelye for the desyre of good order the strengthe and profyte wherof is great For by order thynges bothe in heauen and earthe are preserued and maynteyned and partely as desyrous to obserue goddes commandementes preuent one an other in geuing honor c. orels bicause they endeuored to imitate thexample of humilitie professed by Christ to his disciples in washing their fete and such lyke no table counsels and holsome examples lefte vnto vs. S Paule writinge to the Corinthians calleth him selfe their seruaunte for Christes sake yea the Pope in the beginninge of all his letters calleth him selfe a seruaunt of seruauntes What meruayle is it thenne yf the fathers some what debased themselues afore hym and graunt hym as we haue declared the chiefe degree in honour Last of all our aduersaries
scripture This ancient archybshop lyued not longe after the dayes of Charles the great aboute whose tyme the seuenth Synode was helde at Nice whereof the authour in this boke eft soones maketh mencion He wrote as we may gather by coniectures about the yere of our lord 787. His stile and maner of writynge is very playne and easy and sauereth much of that reuerent antiquitie as the lerned in the tongue maye well perceaue This booke of his is but breefe yet it conteyneth many graue sentences and weighty reasons it hath strong argumentes and piththy coÌ„clusions against that loftye and arrogante authoritie of the Romishe bishop Al the Popes lymmes may blushe and be abashed if their faces were not harder than brasse to say that the byshop of Rome hath had that authoritie and power whyche he now vsurpeth in quiete possession sens the Apostles tyme sithe it is proued by the most ancient doctours and holy fathers that that whiche in dede he had was gyuen hym long after the apostles tyme and that which he nowe boasteth hym selfe of hath ben at all tymes and in all ages denied hym by suche godly and lerned pastors as this Nilus was Whose boke as thou seest I haue translated into englisshe to thende that my countreymen whiche are not experte in the toungues may be ware of them whiche to the mayntenance of the Popes authoritie haue alwayes in their mouthes antiquitie antiquitie And that they may perceyue howe lyttell veritie is ioyned with the aniquitie they speake of the fyrst founder wherof was auncient Sathanas their great grandfather the old forger and father of lies from whom procedeth all presumption vanitie and vntruthe whom the Pope and his secte so lyuely expresse in theyr doynges that a maÌ„ may behold in their hypocriticall faces replenished with all dissimulation a perfect patern and liuely image of their holy father Belzebub In translatyng I haue endeuoured my self to speake playnly that the rude and ignorant myght rede it to the encrease of their knowledge in the true religion and to the auoidyng of such forged reasons as the Pope and his complices falsely alledge for the vpholdynge and maynteynyng of theyr tyrannicall and beastly kyngdome If I wold haue studyed for fynenesse of speche or preferred my priuate commoditie before the profite that maye redounde to manne I myghte easyly in lesse tyme more to myne owne furtheraunce haue fynyshed greatter thynges and with more fauour yea and thankes to at somme mennes handes haue abstayned from this payneful and daungerous enterprise But I rather chuse to haue respecte to the glorye of Christe and his holy churche then to myne owne ease and estimation Euery weapon wherwith we may beate downe errours and lies must be takeÌ„ in hand to the defence of the truth neither ought we to consider how fine eloquent it is but rather what strength force efficacy it hath to ouerthrow the enemies of gods veritie I beseche thee therfore good christeÌ„ Reder to accept what soeuer I haue done to thy furtherance in the knowledge of goddes eternall truth and most holy religion And where as my doinges may peraduenture seme scarce thanke worthy yet for my trauayle in thy behalfe suffer me not if any thynge haue escaped in translatyng in that I minded the good to mysse of thy gentyll pardon Whiche if thou graunt me I shall not onely thynke my self sufficiently recompensed for my trauaile but also thereby I shalbe encoraged to attempt greater things to thy coÌ„moditie Now I protest afore god who knoweth y e secretes of al hartes that in translating herof I haue had respecte chiefly to the commoditie of such as for lacke of instruction haue ben to muche deceyued and seduced by the craftye sophistications and subtyll gloses of the Pope and his impes who to the stuffyng of their gredy paunche and maintenance of their beastly ydle lyfe are not ashamed to paint their positions with fayned gloses and feble distinctions But almyghty god hath and wyl reuele to his elect their falsehode subtilie to their opeÌ„ shame coÌ„fusion Wherin as all true christians ought to refuse no paynes but to do y e vttermost of their endeuors so I by gods grace wyll neuer ceasse to doo all that I may eyther in translatyng or otherwyse to the ende that all men may perceyue on howe weake a ground they haue gone about by fyre and fagotte and all extremitie to compell men to laye the foundation of theyr faith And also how that all that they teache as well in this matter as in other poyntes of religion conteineth not one iote of sounde doctrine if it bee tried by the holye scriptures I speake not this that I malyce the pope or his adherentes any thing whose persons as God knoweth I hate not although I abhore their detestable and erronius doctrine but that I myghte drawe out of that stinckynge puddle of wylful ignorance as many as I could I hate the errour and not the menne Whiche if they forsake I shall gladly yelde them all christen loue and due reuerence Therfore I lytle esteme what any man either of malice or ignorance shall report of these my doynges knowyng that whatsoeuer the one saythe procedeth of a peruerse iudgement and what so euer the other reporteth commeth of rashues rather then of reason in iudgyng that which he knoweth not Wherfore as I regarde nat what they saye of me in this behalfe so I submyt bothe this and all my dooynges to the iudgement of the true christian reder whose hart god hath opened to acknowledge and receaue the veritie of his holy wyll besechyng almighty god of his great goodnes and infinite mercye to bryng to the knowledge of his truthe all those whom the god of this worlde yet holdeth in captiuitie that they can not perceyue the power of saythe neyther knowe the Lorde aright in his only sonne Iesus Christ our alone aduocate and true head of the congregation to whome with the father and the holye ghoste bee all honour and glorye euerlastyng Amen LEt rankour not you rule O men of Romyshe secte Expell theÌ„ poyson froÌ„ your brests That dothe you thus infecte Let not that hauty whoore That boasts her selfe for god That rules the realms of Cesars right With her vsurped rod Let not this hag I say Bewitche your earthly eyes That here embraceth beastly ioye And vertue dooth despyse Antiquitie she sayth Gaue her this stately place Lo here Antiquitie you see Dothe her and hers deface Lo here dothe Nilus teache A man of ancient tyme Howe muche she is to be abhorde Howe muche she swelles with crime Leaue her therfore in tyme Forsake her wicked wayes Let vs and you agree in one So God shall haue his prayse Finis ê™ B. G. Fautes escaped in the printyng ¶ In the leafe of B. the .xi. page or side the .xxvii. lyne for indifferent rede muche different In the same leaf of B. the xvi page the vii lyne for yet reade
hym go to the magistrate of the diocesse or elles to the sea of the chiefe citie Constantinople and there lette hym be iudged So also sayth the xvii decree of the sayd Synode Moreouer the .xx. and .xxxvi. canon of the .vi. Synode gyueth in all poyntes as muche dignitie and prerogatiue to the one as to the other as muche to the sea of Constantinople as to the sea of Rome wherby they declare that prouocatioÌ„s may be made to the byshop of ConstaÌ„tinople Then where as our aduersaries babble that the Pope maye iudge all men and that no man may iudge hym that veryly is full of arrogancy vanitie vntruthe and farre dissonant from the modest and equall decrees of the apostles For yf that Paule dyd therfore conferre his doctrine with the reste of the apostles that he myghte not seeme to runne in vayne Peter bare myldly and paciently the sharpe reprofes of Paule by what right or with what face maye the Pope of Rome chaâ—â—nge to hym selfe that be onely lyke a tyraunt should geue accompte to no man of his lyfe and deedes althoughe he boaste hym selfe to bee Peters successour But experience it selfe shall easyly proue that to bee moste vntrue For Honorius as wee haue shewed was not onely iudged of the syxt Synode but also condemned for his false doctrine yea and accursed to his deth and graue nothynge auaylynge agaynst that seueritie of the counsaile And as for other dedes and matters Ciuile and Politicall besydes his doctrine in that behalfe also he is no lesse subiecte then any other Bysshop for as muche as he hym selfe also is termed a Bysshoppe Many suche Lawes and Decrees there are partely made by the Apostles and some made by the holy Councelles Yea I canne alledge a place where the Bysshoppe of Rome is separately reproned of a Councell as the thyrtenthe Cannon of the syxte generall Councell doothe euidentely shewe where it is sayd after this sorte For as muâ—â—e as wee vnderstande that in the Churche of Rome in the Decree of Orders it is appoynted That who so euer taketh the orders of a prieste or Deacon shall fyrste professe That they haue no copulatione with theyr wyues Wee folowynge the olde Canon and constitutions of the Apostles wylle and decree that the lawfull matrimonye of holy menne shall be auaylable and that theyr copulation with theyr wyues shall by no meanes be broken neyther that one depriue the other of familiaritie in tyme conuenient Then the canon makynge the sentence more plain and manifest saith moreouer If any maÌ„ presume contrary to the rules of the apostles to depriue any prieste or deacon of the contract or felowshyp of his laufull wyfe let hym bee deposed Lykewyse yf a Priest or Deacon forsake his wyfe for relygions sake let hym be excoÌ„municate and if he so continue lette hym bee deposed The .lv. Canon of the sayde Synode wytnesseth the same The words ar these For asmuch as we vnderstand that certain in the citie of Rome contrarye to the receyued custome of the churche doo fast in the Saboths in the tyme of lent it semeth good to this holye Synode to bynde the churche of Rome by all meanes to the canon whiche sayth If any clerke be found to fast on the sonday or sabboth day one sabboth day onely excepted let hym be deposed If any laie man be founde so doynge lette hym be excommunicate Hereby it playnly appereth that the byshoppe of Rome may and ought to be iudged as well in controuersies of doctrine as in all other his dedes and matters if he commytte any thynge agaynst ryght and equitie And that the pope is not aboue the degree of a Byshop as some men peruersely thynke hym to be it may be plainly proued by this that we haue said For how myght it be if he were in dignitie aboue a bishop that he shoulde be iudged of bysshops in the counsell and be compelled to render vnto them an accompt of his dedes It is manyfeste that the fathers when they write vnto hym call hym a byshoppe truely he is ordeyned of byshops whiche veryly myght not be so yf his dignitie were more then a bysshop For no manne can gyue that to an other whiche fyrst he hath not hymselfe And what els I pray you meane they that so saye but to breake and destroy the order ecclesiastical For Dionysius who lyued in the apostles tyme deuideth the regimente ecclesiasticall into deacons priestes and byshoppes neyther maye we by suspition gather out of his writynges that there is any dignitie in the churche aboue a bishop neyther may it be sayde by any lykelyhode that Dionysius eyther was ignorant that there was any such dignitie in the churche eyther that he of set purpose dyd dissemble it seyng that he professeth that he hath written fully of all the Ecclesiasticall regyment But suppose this to be true may our aduersaries say yet I pray you shew vs with what face ye dare alledge the canons of the .vi. Synode sithe that Synode hathe made no decree at all but those wherin the two natures of our Sauiour are agreed on agaynst the Monothelites to that I aunswere that although the canons which I haue euen nowe alledged were not true neyther the very decrees of the .vi. Synode yee our purpose that the Pope is not greater then other byshoppes neyther free from the iudgement of others may be manifestely proued by other thynges therof dependynge For yf there be no dignitie aboue a byshops then is no bishop greatter than an other in asmuch as he is a byshop For Dionysius saith that all bishoppes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye of one order and dignitie Therfore seyng the Pope is a byshop he ought to bee lyke other bysshops and subiecte to all lawes that other are bounde vnto And truely so many ar the byshoply lawes or lawes of byshoppes and so greate care hadde the holye Synodes in makynge them whose authoritie no maÌ„ ought to withstande that to reherse them all it wold be very harde Besyde that I may well aunswere that that is knowen to all men that are but meanely conuersant in matters ecclesiasticall that the forsayd Canons be the decrees of the sixte Synode and also that they oughte to bee reputed and taken of firme and ratified authoritie as they are in deede For when as neyther the .v. Synode neyther the syxte at the begynnynge hadde any regarde of these constitutions streyght after the .vi. Synode beynge renewed fynysshed that whiche before was neglected For as the other dydde only handle matters of doctrine leauyng and omittyng all other matters so the .vi. Synode beyng begunne agayne or renewed touched lyghtly matters of doctrine and made coÌ„stitutions only coÌ„cerning the gouernaÌ„ce of the churche and other matters ecclesiasticall And that this is the very same vniuersal sinode iterate or begun again it appereth first by the history of Basilius bishop of Gortines in Candy who supplied
the rome of the Pope in the said sinode Moreouer it is manifest in that the sinode calleth it selfe alwais vniuersall And it had not ben true so great a company of bishops wold haue feared to be taken in a manyfeste lye Besides that the .vii. holy synode sayth in the first decree therof We willingly gladly imbrace the godly cōstitutiōs and we confirme their stedfast and vndefyled authoritie as those that the trumpettes of the holy ghoste hath ordeyned that is to saye the apostles and holy fathers that haue bene gathered togither in dyuers places for the selfe same purpose For they inspired with the spirite of god decreed those thynges that they thought profytable Whome they accursed we accurse also whome they haue suspēded we suspend whom they haue deposed we depose And to be short when they by any other meanes dydde punyshe we also doo taxe in lyke maner Sainct Paule who was taken vp into the thyrd heauen and to whom those thynges were reueled that are not laufull to bee spoken of cryeth out that the maners of the holye ought to be farre from all couetousnes and that they shulde be content with their owne estate and condition Therfore seynge that neyther the .vi. Synode at the first comyng togyther neither the seuenth hath meddled with the constitutions of the apostles and the names of the .vi. vniuersall synodes but the sayd sixthe synode being iterate and renewed hath supplied the defecte therof it is manyfest that the .vii. Synode speaketh of the canons of the said .vi. counsel More ouer where as the Synode accursethe those that regarde not the authoritie of the decrees Is it not a terrible thyng yea is it not ynough to moue any stony hart Besides that the bishop of Rome hym selfe so long as he agreed with the churches of the east dyd so muche approue and allow the decrees of this synode that Adrian the fyrst wrytyng to Taratius archebishop of Constantinople with great admiration cōmendeth hym bycause he dyd so constantely obserue these decrees Whiche may appere by the very wordes of his epistle whiche forth with I wyll alledge We doo perceaue sayth he by the synodall epistle how earnest your profession is in the right faith and how great a zele ye haue towardes the holy congregations and the .vi. holy Synodes and towardes the venerable and sacred Images whyche surely is wonderfull and wrothy great admiration Wherin it is playnely to be seene that in the laudable godly and right canons of the sixte synode that worshipful picture is allowed in which the lambe shewed by demonstration with the finger of the precursor is liuelie expressed which beinge receued of vs as a figure of grace doth represent vnto vs the true lambe by the lawe that is to wete Christ him selfe Therfore we receauyng the olde fygures sygnes and shadowes as tokens of the truthe and markes geuen to the churche dooe acknowledge the grace and truth as they that thynke it to be the fulnes of the law To the end therfore that that image may in liuely coloures he expressed to all mens eyes whiche representeth in manhoode the lambe that taketh away the synnes of the worlde that is to say our God we thynke good that from hensefoorth instede of the olde lambe there be a newe erected in the churches of God to the intent that we maye consyder the raysynge vp of the basenes of gods word and he put in mynde of that common welthe wherein he lyued in the flesshe and also be led as it were by the hande to the contemplation of his Passion and moste wholsome deathe by whiche the freedome of the worlde was purchased That therfore this cannon was alowed of Pope Adrian and that it is the .lxxiii. of the synode now mencioned the autenticall bookes do testifie But no man can sufficiently meruayle at the vnstedfastnesse and lyghtnesse of the Popes adherentes not only for that they nowe hate and deteste the holye generall counselles whyche sommetyme they allowed but also that the Popes theym selues are at varyaunce one with an other For as wee reade euen nowe Pope Adrian meruaylousely commendethe these decrees but Innocentius or some other reiecteth theym If any manne wyll affirme that the Pope is not subiecte to the lawes and rules of the Fathers he trewelye in no wyse is to bee suffered For that were moste vnwoorthy that the Pope shoulde not esteeme the Fathers by whome he hathe obteyned that dygnytie of prehemynence whereof we spake beefore Moreouer yf the Pope contempne decrees he despiseth his owne authoritie for he hymselfe hathe made many and so by the testimonye of Paule he maketh hymselfe an offender But we haue shewed and declared that he is bounde to gyue accompte bothe of his doctrine and also of his other gouernance and regiment ecclesiasticall so that he is of necessitie subiecte to the constitutions of the fathers and counsels Certainly it were not right that any man shuld reuerence the Pope as a Father seyng that he hymselfe regardeth nought so many holy Fathers Nowe the Popes adherentes saye that he is not byshop of any one place but that he is symply a Byshop that is to say Byshop of all the world Wherin truely they speake against the truth For fyrst we haue proued already that he is of one degree with other bishops and as a man woulde say in one order with theym Besyde that the synodes when by occasion they make mention of hym as it oftetymes happeneth alwaies they call hym Byshop of Rome So that yf he be byshop of Rome he is out of doubt a bishop of some determinate place onlesse perhappes any man deny Rome to be a certayne place but per aduenture some man wyll say that the Pope when he writeth to other termeth not hymselfe bysshop of Rome but symply a byshop wherby he declareth hym selfe to bee byshop of no one certayne place but of all the worlde To whom we may answer that he attempteth to proue matters of most importaunce with ouer lyght I wyll not say triflyng reasons Whiche kynde of profe yf we would vse we myghte more easily ouerthrowe the Popes dignitie then they establyshe the same For where as he nameth hymselfe by the vsed name of the common dignitie a byshop and not Pope neyther chiefe of all priestes with the whiche and other lyke titles his adherentes flatter hym it is a taken that the Pope hymselfe acknowledgeth his owne estate and testifieth the same foorthewith by his title But neyther we mynde to striue with suche stronge reasons in so weighty a matter agaynst the Pope neither he in vsyng these argumentes doth any more preuayl then if he shuld attempt to wrethe a rope of sande For if there wer so great force in this kynd of reasonyng then Cyrillus also shuld haue such highnes in honor y t he shuld be byshop of all the worlde yea that so much the sooner then the Pope in that he is