after crownes but to watch ouer their soules and when hee obeyeth the King then hee prescribeth the doctrine of obedience to others as Christ Paul and Peter went before them both in precept and practise § 183 Then Calander you haue satisfied me abundantly Patriot Primacie of order onely due to Peter in the distinction of these powers now if you please I desire the other about the largnes of that spirituall power which the Pope now vsurpes whether the former Councells did grant the same Then Patriot the Fathers saith he doe grant to Peter the primacie of order and to the Byshoppe of Rome as to his successour whom certaine doe call the Byshoppe of the first sea but they deny vnto him the primacie of power as I said either ouer Kings or ouer their fellow Byshoppes Ierusalem Anâ—ioch Alexandria Constantinople Rome There were either foure or fiue Patriarches among whom the gouernment of the whole Church was diuided That all the rest were equall to the Patriarch of Rome in all points of iurisdiction whose power was bounded within certaine limits out of which he might not passe doth appeare by that notable Cannon the sixt The Nicene Councell of 318. Byshops of the Nycene Councell Which was gathered together by the authoritie of Constantine the great in the yeare of Christ 325. wherein 318. Byshoppes met together and set out 20. true Cannons only as Ruffinus numbers them the true copies whereof remained in all the patriarchall Churches and are extant in many others at this day The sixt Cannon of the Councell doth make the gouernment of the Byshoppe of Rome the forme of gouernment of the Byshoppe of Alexandria as it is said before Where it doth appeare that the gouernment of the byshoppe of Rome was shut within the compasse of his owne Prouince For if it had reached into other Prouinces it had not beene the forme of the gouernment of Alexandria Rome no larger in iurisdiction then Alexandria which was contained in one Prouince Againe it appeareth by the Cannon that the byshoppe of Rome had the same fashion Therfore the gouernment of Alexandria was like vnto Rome How could there otherwise bee a likenesse For there could be no likenesse betweene an vniuersall byshoppe and a prouinciall The second generall Councell was the first Councell § 184 of Constantinople assembled by Theodosius the elder in the yeare of Christ 381. wherein 150. Constantinople Councell the first of 150. Byshoppes byshoppes met together who confirmed the decree of the Nicene Councell Then came the third generall Councell the first of Ephesus The Councel of â—phesus of 200. Byshops gathered together by Theodosius the younger in the yeare of Christ 4â—1 it consisted of 200. byshoppes in which two Councells the Prouinces of the Christian world were diuided and euery Prouince assigned to his owne Patriarch and the byshoppe of Constantinople by name made equall to the byshoppe of Rome without any difference of honour but that the byshop of Constantinople was next after the byshop of Rome in place had the second voice in all answers and subscriptions The 4. The Councel of Chalcedâ—ne of 630. Byshoppes generall Councell of Chalcedon gathered by Valentinian and Marcian in the yeare of Christ 451. which consisted of 630. byshoppes who decreed thus in the 28. Cannon we euery way following the decrees of the holy Fathers and acknowledging the Cannon of the 150. byshoppes we also decree the very same and ordaine the same about the priuiledges of the most holy Church of Constantinople which is new Rome For to the throne of old Rome because that Citie bare rule ouer all the Fathers by right giue the priuiledges Constantinople equall with Rome and the 150. Fathers being mooued with the same consideration doe giue equall priuiledges to the most holy throne of new Rome rightly iudging that citie which is honoured both with the Presence and Senate of the Empire and doth enioy equall priuiledges with Rome that ancient Lady should be aduanced in causes Ecclesiasticall aswell as she and be as much esteemed being the next vnto her § 185 But the fathers of the Councell of Chalcedone Acto 3. write thus to Leo the most holy and blessed vniuersall Archbishop and Patriarch of great Rome Note saith Binius that in these bookes Leo is called the vniuersall Archbishop Suri tom 2. Concil pag. 111. Bini tâ—m 2. Concil fol. 215. But note also that which Binius concealed that it is added to Leo the Archbishop of the Romanes Note heere the authority of the Bishop of Rome saith Surius but it may be that these words slipt out of the margent into the text though they bee most true saith Binius But we appeale from these two pararasites of the Romane Bishop to the very acts of the Councell themselues which we before alleadged But this canon is reiected say they by Leo the Bishop of Rome about the priuiledges and eminency of the Bishop of Constantinople because he presupposeth that the Roman seat was made the head of the Church not by Gods Law but by mans Law as Binius saith fol. 180. whom shall we beleeue Leo who out of his ambition reiected the canon or Gregorie who with all reuerence receiued the whole Councell as it is in Gratian distinct 15. cap. sicui But the Councell say they in their Epistle writ Leo the head of the vniuersall Church Because Leo so writeth Piniuâ—iâ— anno in hanc Synod 188. lib. 3. epist 3. to Eulogius the Bishop of Alexandria your holinesse knoweth that by the holy Synode of Chalcedon the name of vniuersality was giuen to the seat of the Bishop of Rome onely wherein now by Gods prouidence my selfe doe serue Why then is not the name of vniuersall prefixed before the Epistle of the fathers It was prefixed say they but by the craft of some Scribe it was taken out what a iest is this as if it were not more likely that the Popes Epistle admitted a fraudulent addition Whether one Leo or 600. Bishops are rather to bee beleeued then the Epistle of the generall Councell a subtraction But hee it so let Leo haue written so Whether is it more meete to giue credit to the Pope priuately in his owne cause or to 600 Bishops in the cause of the Church decreeing against it in a publike Councell especially when as Gregorie the great doth plainely write that none of his predecessours did euer vse the title of vniuersall Bishoppe Farther the fift generall Councell was the second of § 186 Constantinople assembled in the Empire of Iustinian 2. Constantinople Councell of 280. Bishops in the yeere of Christ 586. wherein were present 280. Bishops who repeating word for word the former decree of Chalcedon renewed in the 36. canon Whereby it is euident that Constantinople had no lesse authority in Ecclesiasticall causes then Rome had and that Rome had obtained the primacy of order because it was the cheife
seat of the Empire which so many fathers in fiue Synodes gathered together would neuer haue sayd if they had iudged the primacie of Peter had beene founded vpon the institution of Christ What can we imagine that so cheife an article of the Catholike faith was vnknowen to fathers so many for number so famous for holinesse so excellent for learning and that in fiue seuerall the most renowned generall Councels If the supremacie was plainely grounded vpon the Scripture Note then did the Councels very ill to take away the supremacie If the Councels did well in taking it a way certainely the supremacie is not so plainely founded vpon the Scripture If you shall lay enuie to their charge whereby men of such iustice and integrity would not behold a matter so manifest we will wonder at it If you obiect ignorance to them that hauing eies in their heads they could not see wee will laugh at it Neither can wee conceiue any other cause alleadged by you but either blinde enuie or enuious blindnesse An irony Concordan li. 2 cap. 13. O blind or enuious Cusan who rested content in the decrees of these Councels and whatsoeuer right belongeth to the Pope doth thinke the same was giuen him by the Church Dâ—fens part 2. de cap. 18. O malicious and dull pated Marsilius Patauine who thought he had no power either aboue Bishops or other Churches by any Law either diuine or humane but that onely which was giuen the Pope either absolutely or for a time in the Nicene Councell If all this power was giuen first by the Scripture not therefore by the Church if by the Church as Cusan and Marsilius say not therefore by the Scripture § 187 The sixt Councell was the Councell of Carthage in the yeere of Christ 418. The Councel of Carthage of 217. Bishops wherein 217. Bishops were assembled among whom Austin was present In which Councell as in the rest the power of all the Patriarches was made equall the right of appealing to the Bishop of Rome to such as were condemned by the Archbishop of their owne Diocesse was denied Which Cardinall Bellarmine notwithstanding doth auow to belong to all Bishops by the Law of God Cap. 25. de primi Rom. sedis yea if any were condemned by a Synode of their own prouince among the Antipodes they might prouoke to the consistorie of the Bishop of Rome Which Cardinall I thinke liues not in our Horizon but with the Antipodes who is wont to tread contrarie steps against so many men aliue not only of ours but against his own Doctors also Vnlesse peraduenture he descended lower then the Antipodes who dare be so bold to goe against so many holy fathers being dead He doth admit with his followers many fraudulent deuices whereby he goeth about to weaken the authoritie of this Councell Boniface the second with one blot of a greeuous accusation doth wipe out all the decrees of that Councell and damnes them all For hee saith that Aurelius sometime Bishop of the Church of Carthage with the rest of his Colleagues among whom was S. Austin began to waxe proud at the instigation of Satan in the times of Boniface and Celestine his predecessours against the Romane Church It is a hard case to say that Austin with his Colleagues at the instigation of Sathan beganne to waxe proud against the Church because they had resisted both by their decrees and letters three proud Romane Bishops Zozimus Boniface and Celestine in a iust cause common to all Churches Apiarius a wicked Preist whom for his lewdnesse in § 188 discharge of his ministerie Apiarius Vrbane the Bishop had iustly depriued appealed to Zozimus Bishop of Rome who sent three Legates Faustine Philip and Asellus to the Councell at Carthage in fauour and aid of Apiarius them he enioyned among other things that they should lay claime in his name to the right of appeales to him and his seat if anie Bishop accused or condemdemned did appeale to Rome that the Bishop of Rome might commit that cause by his letters to bee determined by the next prouinces or send Legates from his side who might sit about the businesse in his turne and with other Bishops might determine of the whole matter To that purpose he deliuered to his Legates the title and instrument of his right written with his owne hand the Canon of the Nycene Councell Concil Carthag 6. cap. 3. whereby he affirmed that the right of appeales was bestowed vpon him The fathers of the Carthaginian Councell assoone as they had heard the Legates answered that they neuer had read anie such thing in the canons of the Councell of Neece and withall willed the Legates that if they had that canon they should giue it to Daniel the publike Notary A false canon offered for a true to reade it openly They in stead of the canon of the Nicene Councel offer the third chapter of the Councel of Sardis but mangled and gelded For in the authenticke it is thus written Osius said If any Bishop be condemned for any cause and thinketh that he haue no euill but a good cause that the iudgement may be againe renewed doth it please you that for charitie we honor the memorie of Peter the Apostle that it may be written of them who haue examined the cause to Iulius the Bishop of Rome and if he shall thinke that the iudgement is to be renewed it be renewed appoint Iudges to that end But if he proue the cause to be such that those things be not repealed which were already spred those which he decreeth shall stand firme if this please all the Sinode answered It pleaseth Council Sard cap 3. apud Surium Tom 1. The Pope corrupteth the words of Osius But the Bishop of Rome curtoling those words of Osius Doth it please you that for charitie we honor the memorie of Peter the Apostle and by writ to Iulius the Rom Bishop goeth on thus Osius the Bishop said It pleaseth that if a Bishop be accused and the Bishops of the same Country being assembled shall iudge and depose him from his degree if be that is cast of do appeale and flye to the Bishop of the Roman Church would haue himselfe heard if he shall thinke it in â—â—t the iudgment be reuerst or do vouchsafe to write the examination of the cause to those Bishops that be of the next Prouince that they make diligent inquirie and determine it according to the credit of the truth And if any man will haue his businesse againe to be heard and shall moue the Bishop of Rome with his petition to send his Legate let it be in his power to do what he will in the businesse and what he shall thinke best The Popes deuise to cosen the African Fathers Here marke the notable tricke wherewith the Bishop of Rome went about to cosen the African Fathers First he pretends a Canon of the Nicene Councell for the right
sincere humblenesse of minde Did not Meltiades the Bishop of Rome acknowledge Constantine the great to be supreme head in things spirituall Meltiades Euseb l. 1. cap. 5 August lib. 1. con Parmen Epist 162. alibi Reticio materno Marino and did he not humblie obey him when as hee as the Emperour commanded together with others did heare the cause of Cecilianus and Donatus about the choice of a Bishop committed by the Emperour not to himselfe alone but to other Colleagues who when as Donatus first appealed from the sentence of Meltiades hee committed the whole matter againe to bee discussed by the Councell Aralatense called together by him excluding Meltiades out of it from which Councell when Donatus did the second time appeale because Caecilianus had receiued his ordination from Foelix hee referred Foelix businesse to Aelianus a ciuill Magistrate to whose sentence when Donatus would not stand the Emperour called the whole cause before himselfe and determined it Meltiades was farre from the soueraigntie of all temporalties when the Emperor committed an Ecclesiasticall cause first to him and other Delegates and after appointed second Iudges and lastly called the whole cause before his Royall Maiestie and by himselfe determined it Meltiades being excluded § 96 Damasus Siritius Anastasius did they not acknowledge Theodosius the elder their supeme Lord Theodor. lib. 5. cap. 23. Damasus Siritius Anastasius and most humbly submitted themselues vnto him when as Flanianus was greeuously accused before the Emperours Maiestie that hee had intended vpon the See of Antioch against the canons of the Church was freed by the Emperour against their willes and commanded to returne to his countrey and feede his flocke committed to his charge Innocentius I thinke Innocent did acknowledge Arcadius sonne to Theodosius his supreme Lord when we was an humble suter to the Emperour that hee would command a Councell to be assembled for the examination of Chrysostomes cause whom for all that the Arrian Emperour did reiect in a good cause Nicephor lib. 13. cap. 3. and sent away his messengers with reproach as perturbers of the Westerne Empire draue Chrysostome farther off into banishment publisht a decree wherein he inflicted a penalty of depriuation vpon all Bishops who fauoured either Innocent or Chrysostome and would not communicate with Atticus Chrysostomes successour Innocents cause was the better at that time but Arcadius authority was the greater It was then no new matter that the Bishops of Rome were humble supplicants to Emperours so farre was it that they had rule in ciuill causes Leo the Bishop did humbly entreat Theodosius the § 97 younger to command a Councell of Bishops to be called together in Italy to represse Eutiches heresie Leo Epist 9. which place the Emperour would not heare off but assembled the Councell at Ephesus where when Dioscorus the Bishop of Alexandria had opprest the truth and confirmed Eutiches heresie and had cast out Orthodoxall Flauianus from his Bishopricke of Constantinople Leo did the second time earnestly entreate the Emperour that he would command a generall Councell to be gathered in Italy Epist 24. which for all that Theodosius would not grant to the good olde man If at that time the Bishop could haue commanded the Emperour what neede had hee to entreate him if the power of assembling Councels had beene in Leo why did he giue such deep sighes why did he shed so many teares wherewith he might mooue the Emperours gentlenesse in that businesse which when hee saw was denied him in so great an hatred of the Christian faith why did not the Lyon beginne to roare and affright the Emperour with excommunication why did hee not cast him out of his throne why if hee might haue done it lawfully did hee not deale with him by threatnings or by force of armes but then the Bishops of Rome did attempt all things with prayers and teares not with threats and weapons Epist. 43. When Theodosius was dead he did as humbly and as earnestly entreat Martian who had gathered together the Chalcedone Councell that with his Imperiall decree hee would disanull the Councell of Ephesus and command the Chalcedone Councell that they should not swarue from the Nycene faith Leo's piety certainely was great farre greater then his authoritie but his piety at the last obtained that it required Wherein Leo was not superiour but happier in that the Imperiall authority was answerable to the Bishops holinesse § 98 Gregorie the great did humbly tell Mauritius the Emperour Gregor Q. 2. Epist 61. that the charge he enioyned him as hee thought was vniust and yet being commanded did publish the Emperours decree I did said hee performe my duty each way who both gaue obedience to the Emperour and for God deliuered my minde what I thought Lib. 5. Epist ad ora de bal. fili tradendis I thinke he did imitate Ambrose whose answer to Valentinian the younger being an Arrian Emperour is very memorable being commanded to allot one church in Millain to the Arrians which though he condemned the thing granted I will said hee neuer willingly part with my right and being compelled I haue learnt not to resist So keeping a sincere conscience to God denied not obedience to the Emperour Let the Bishop of Rome now goe and learne modestie of those ancient Bishops at lest of his owne precessours but especially of their great Gregorie who acknowledged Mauritius the Emperor from whom Iohn of Constantinople had receiued the title of vniuersall Bishop to be his most reuerend Lord and himselfe his seruant as manie had done before him But Gregorie the great did more lessen and abase himselfe who am I that speake to my Lord that am but dust and a worme how far off was this worme from deposing of Lyons which he professed not with a fained but sincere humblenesse of minde and submitted himselfe to his Lord not with a shew of humility but with a necessity of duty vnlesse peraduenture you will imagine Gregorie to be a dissembler reuerencing the Emperour with fained not true obedience and submitting himselfe in iest rather then earnest But after that Boniface Gregories successour had § 99 from Phocas obtained the title of vniuersall Bishop the Bishops perchance did denie their obedience to Emperours No indeede for Agatho when Constantine did call diuers learned and holy men out of the West who should communicate with the Greekes in the sixt generall Councell about the truth of religion he writ back that hee had sent his fellow-seruants to his most excellent Lord according to the most holy decree of his Princely Maiestly and the duty be ought vnto him Our submission hath obediently performed which is by you enioyned and in another Epistle all the Bishops saith he both of the North and of the West the Christian seruants of your Empire doe giue thankes to God for your religious minde Yea truely two hundred yeeres after the vniuersall § 100 title when the
A LOOKING-GLASSE FOR THE POPE Wherein HE MAY SEE HIS owne Face the expresse Image of ANTICHRIST Together with THE POPES NEW CREEDE containing 12. Articles of superstition and treason set out by Pius the 4. and Paul the 5. masked with the name of Catholike Faith Refuted in two Dialogues Set forth by LEONEL SHARPE Doctor in Diuinitie And translated by EDWARD SHARPE Bachelour in Diuinitie 1. KING 18. How long will you halt betweene two religions if GOD be GOD follow him if Baal be GOD follow him LONDON Printed by EDWARD GRIFFIN dwelling in the little old Bayly neere the Kings-head 1616. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY to the most Reuerend Clergie of ENGLAND IT must not seeme strange most Reuerend Fathers in GOD and my much beloued Brethren if seeing the Captaines of Israel be gone forth to warre against Antichrist a Souldier of a meaner rancke moued with the goodnesse of the cause enter the battaile and ioyne himselfe to the standard For all doe see the Pope renew the old warres and cannot rest quiet but assayes by all meanes Papistas nostros nostras dicerem how he may recouer the possession of GREAT BRITAINE being lost and in a vaine hope thereof our Papists in the masculine I should haue said in the feminine but that I should seem to some to haue spoken false Latine are growne more in number and farre more insolent then they were wont heretofore Who then though he be the meanest seruant of Christ borne vnder or rather with the Gospell restored without which he would not deeme Paradise it selfe to be a pleasant Country would not resist and withstand to his teeth Antichrist himselfe renewing his forces and taking courage vnto him with such earnestnesse to recouer that seat from whence aforetime he was iustly cast out I was not ignorant what labours were to bee vndertaken what wronges were to be digested by them who enter combate and maintaine fight with so cruell an enemie so that it were better for them to be silent if they thought what were auaileable rather for their owne priuate then for the publicke estate of the Church of Christ But that which vsually falles out in warre that the tried prowesse of the Captaines doth by their ensample whet on the courages of the Souldiers and doth stirre vp and pricke forward their sluggish mindes to the effecting of some exploite The very same doth happen to Gods Ministers in this spirituall warfare to whom there is abilitie giuen from God to some greater to some lesse to all some Whereby though they can adde nothing to the matters in controuersie and it may bee they ought not because not new things are to be deliuered by Diuines but after a new manner as Vincentius wrot nor with a diuers faith but with a diuers stile as Austen warneth yet notwithstanding both by the consent of their testimony with the difference of their giftes and the varietie of discourse they can and ought giue their helping hand to the Gospell That was also an encouragement that assoone as the beast wounded with the kings speare began to grunt Bellarmine Parsons Pacenius Christano Becan Coquaeus and many others it presently cast vp out of his mouth a great swarme of Iesuites who should not so much refute with arguments as traduce with slanders written with the hand of scorpions the Kings maiestie being not onely the best of Kings but the best of men and vndoubtedly the true Defender of the Faith Right Heretickes who murther men not with the sword but with their wiles as Ierome writeth for a mans style may bee counted aswell a cutthroate as a sworde drawne against Kings whose honour seemes to be more deare and tender vnto them then their liues So that Iames Clement or Francis Rauillacke were no more cruell in wounding the Kings body then Bellarmine or Pacenius in wounding the Kings name It is said that Ethnicke Rome did imprint that letter whereof Cicero makes mention not to the table of iudges as diuers interpret it but as Cicero and Pliny to the head and forehead of false accusers to the leaden head and iron forehead that they may carry countenances as stigmaticall slaues branded with the markes of those letters in disgrace of their slanderous tongues whom Plautus doth therefore tearme litered men Truely it may seeme very vniust if I doe not desire that those Iesuits should be accompted litered whom popish Rome doth nourish and cherish within her as those old geese and dogges who by their cackling and barking did pursue any that assaulted the capitall Adde that those two staues whereof Zacharie the Prophet maketh mention the authority of Magistrates and the obedience and agreement of Subiects Za cap. 1. vers 7. calling the one the staffe of beauty the other the staffe of bondes These gracelesse Iesuits endeauour to breake them both making rebellion an Arittle of their faith wherein they goe so farre that they be not only conuinced of our side but euen of their owne For of late certaine secular Priests as they are called more moderate in shew then the rest that they may the more freely disperse abroad closly among vs the seedes of superstition do cunningly inueigh against the Articles of treason brought in by the Iesuits whenas Alan and many other secular Priests do both command and practise treason Our men therefore both as good Patriottes and as faithfull Ministers being bound with the double bond of warfare euery one of them for his Graces for his time and place much more for his power ought to oppugne both these Articles whereby we may maintaine according to our vocations the liberty of the kingdome vnder which we were borne together with the truth of the Gospell by which we were borne again Wherein the most learned Byshoppe of Elye doth very iustly taxe the Ministers that are luke-warme and silent in a businesse of such importance Epist Dedicat to the KING who do not bestow their paines in writing when as this cause as hee saith is to be reckoned among those wherein he that gathereth not with Christ doth scatter abroad with the enemie of Christ wherein if any man shall not deliuer his faithfull knowledg eâ—e shall not deliuer his owne soule And doth adde this that in such a busines you were better want power then will and abilitie then faithfulnesse Which I remember was sometime tould me of that most Reuerend Archbyshoppe D. Whitgift then when the quarrell on both sides was not so hot when hee wished that in so great a plenty of excellent Diuines among vs there were more that would imploy their spare times from their duty of preaching in the paines of writing I am come therefore into the fielde being thereto prouoked with the goodnesse of the cause the ensample of the Captaines the iniury of the enemie the Oath of warfare the encouragement of the Fathers that I might somewhat daunt the enemie insulting so vnworthily To which purpose I thought good to set this taske
haue best of all knowne Christs minde and to deliuer it most faithfully about the gouernment of the Church although they granted a primacie of order and difference to the Bishop of Rome yet they denyed him a supremacie of power and iurisdiction and according to the sixt Canon of the Nicene Councell hembde in the See of Rome into certaine limits wherein being included shee should not breake forth Yet for all that they brake ouer the bounds set downe both by God and Men. God that he might punish the contempt of the Gospell brought so grieuous a sluggishnes vpon the world and so generall an apostacie vpon the Church that the time it selfe laying vp and hiding all meanes of helpe did not only bring to light the bramble formerly hid in the ground but brought it abroad and set it aloft and placed it aboue all the Cedars of Libanus First aboue Bishops in Boniface the third after aboue Kings and Emperors in Gregorie the 7 whose wings being so often clipt by foure Councells Wormes Papta Brixis and Montze grew againe in the successors so farre that they flew at the last aboue Councells Till the three generall Councells of Pisa Constance and Basil Constant Con Sess 1. did not only displace Popes out of the Popedome but decreed that Councels were aboue the Popes For the Pisan Councell did cast two Popes Gregorie and Benett out of their seats and choose Alexander the fift And the Councell of Constance assembled by the summons of Iohn the 23. for refusing their tryall and for his abominable symonie and wicked life and manners depriued him of his Popedome Sess 10 12. Sess 4. 5. and after condemned Gregorie the twelfth not appearing and cut him of as a withered member and an incorrigible heretike and schismatike as they plainly termed him And that it may seeme not to haue dealt rashly This holy generall Synode say they lawfully assembled in the Holy Ghost and representing the Church militant hath immediate power from Christ not from the Pope but from Christ whose power any whosoeuer of what estate and condition soeuer euen the Pope himselfe is bound to obey And farther declareth if the Pope do obstinately refuse to obey the statutes ordinances and iniunctions which either this holy Synode or any other hereafter generall Synode lawfully assembled either now haue or hereafter shall decree that he is to be constreyned to a condigne satisfaction and worthily to be punished and so Iohn the 23. being deposed and cast out it choose Martin the fift for Pope The Pope and the Councell did long contend about the maioritie and superioritie as they terme it but the Councell had the vpper hand Here comes to my minde a certaine tale not vnpleasant of the spawne of a frog which a Calfe had troden vpon in the absence of the Damme which Calfe when one escaping from the rest had described to the frogge his damme to bee a great beast how bigge I pray said shee and puffing out hir selfe thus bigge greater by the half said the young one Horaec Sermo 2 Saâ—y 2. what by so much said the Frog when shee had blowne vp hir-selfe more and more not if you breake your selfe said he can you be equall to it The Councell of Constance with her foote trode vpon two frogs though they would haue fled from tryall and declared it selfe to be greater and higher than the Pope though he sweld neuer so bigge The Councell had done well if it had not crusht in peeces two Doues and had not decreed that cuppe which Christ for diuers causes had commanded in his supper should bee giuen to the people for moe and more weighty causes as they say was to bee taken from them Which the Councell of Basill did restore afterward Sess 13. being assembled by Martin the fifts Bull and confirmed by the letters of Eugenius the 4. whom shee deposed and being ratified by the Bull of Nicholas the fift who succeeded Eugenius declared the decree of the Councell of Constance about the power of the generall Councell against the Pope to be a truth of the catholike faith Basil Con Sess 16. and adiudged him an heretike that did obstinately resist the two former truths Therefore let the Pope either submit himselfe vnder the generall Councell or by the iudgement of the generall Councell he must needs confesse himselfe to be an heretike Hence is all their griefe and their secret quarrell against the Scriptures and the former Synods and the latter also though they somwhat fauoured the Romish superstition because they did represse her ambition Till at the last two other Councells the Laterane and the Tridentine did lift vp the Pope not onely aboue all Councells but aboue all Scriptures that hee at his pleasure might put out the Crowes eyes as the Prouerbe is and as if hee were the 13 Apostle set forth a doctrine at his owne liking contrary to the Scripture After this sort after many ages and dangers the Pope got place aboue Bishops Kings Councels and Scriptures themselues So great a worke it was to build the Romish seate The very naked name whereof is opposed against all our encounters as it were Gorgons head Do we alledge the Fathers what maruell is it if when he perceiueth they stand against him hee reiects them in seuerall when hee contemnes them all in generall Do we alledge Councels The former are corrected by the later the better by the worse and the more by the fewer Do we alledge the Scriptures what good do we thereby when we haue a Sphinx at home who can lay open the Scripture as it were a riddle according to his owne sense and his best auaile Thus they reduce all things at the last to the mother the Church or rather to the father of the Church For they make the mother to be of the masculine gender and bring the most generall generall to one that is singular that is to the Pope for the time ruling With whose spirit that Synagogue being filled it seemeth closely to be offended with none of the Apostles more than with S. Paul by whose silence shee taks her selfe not only not to be assisted but to be hurt by his testimonie when as the merit of workes being abandoned hee concludeth the onely mercy of God in Christ being apprehended by faith to be mans iustice before God Which conclusion doth ouerthrow all Poperie as it shall afterward appeare It doth plague the Synagogue for it toucheth two things to the quicke the Bishops miter and the Monkes bellies for faith being placed in the only merits of Christ hath diminished the Indulgences the treasure of the Church and makes the offrings to images to be more rare and sparing So that the Synagogue doth sometime as well closely accuse S. Paul of heresie as Luther and Caluin I once heard two old popish Doctors one of them a Fryer Ieronimite in Portugall another a Iacobine in France say when they were prest with
Church At the last he calleth Luther that falling starre That falling starre not Luther and the Lutheranes Heretikes and the Protestants Locusts whose armie he brought out of the bottomelesse pit when hee fell Of that anone now I demand how an abiect silly Fryer as they call him out of his cloyster that examineth all things by Scriptures can bee that starre falling from heauen not that great Lucifer much lesse that little Luther can be called the falling starre but some great Byshop as loftie as the starres Lucifers mate who a good while since hath forsaken heauenly doctrin and holy life and hath betaken himselfe to earthly businesses and wicked manners that is hath fallen from heauen to earth For then are Byshops said to stand in heauen What the fall of a star meaneth when they performe their duties and then fall to the earth when forsaking holy life and doctrin they seeke after worldly matters But this doth not agree with the Pope onely for many other starres hauing beene pulled downe by the Dragons taile are falne to the earth The Popes key and the effects of it True But none besides the Pope is of that power as holy Iohn ascribes vnto him For the key of the bottomlesse pit was giuen to this falling starre This great Byshoppe while he shined as a starre in the Church that is in heauen he vsed the key of heauen committed to him as he ought but after he fell from heauen he tooke to himselfe the key of the bottomlesse pit Therefore Antichrist the Angell of the bottomlesse pit is the key keeper of hell Apoc. 9.1 1. Tim. 4.1.3 Whereof blessed Paul giueth a double reason One that by that his key hee brought into the Church the doctrine of Diuells in forbidding meates and marriages Another that lifting vp himselfe aboue all that is called god that is aboue Kings and Emperours hee doth shut them out of their kingdomes and thereby hath brought the darkenesse of the bottomlesse pit into the common wealth Is not this the liuely image of the Pope who assoone as he left of to be a starre by his fall began afterward to be a foolish fire Ignis satuus Whose key is now no longer the key of heauen but of hell For his hatred to that doctrine and gouernment that proceede from God is a most certaine brand of Antichrist Of the key I shall speake more hereafter in the Creede CHAP. VI. Wherein Antichrist is proued an Apostata and vniuersall Bishop WHom Saint Iohn tearmeth a falling starre Saint Paul tearmeth an Apostata from the faith and makes him a Captaine not of a particular but an vniuersall Apostasie whom he so sets downe with his proper markes that he seemeth to haue pointed his finger at the Church of Rome to whom euery way they doe agree She forbiddeth marriages and meates not in open blasphemie as some old Heretickes did but in hidden hypocrisie as the forenamed Apostataes as the Apostle noteth Whence I inferre thus The head of the vniuersall and generall Apostasie is Antichrist The Pope is the head of the vniuersall and generall Apostasie Therefore the Pope is Antichrist Therefore Antichrist is not a Iew or head of the Iewes who cannot be said to haue departed from Christ before they came to him but an Apostaticall Christian Lib. 4. Epist 32.34.38 And as it is obserued by Gregorie the great A Bishoppe beleigerd with an armie of Priests not a Bishop onely but an vniuersall Bishop Not that hee alone for that cause did depose all other Bishops but that he aduanc'd himselfe before all others Whence againe I argue thus An Apostaticall Christian an vniuersall Bishop is Antichrist The Pope is an Apostaticall Christian and an vniuersall Bishoppe The Pope therefore is Antichrist And that title of vniuersall Bishop Pope Gregorie calleth wicked prophane sacrilegious Whereunto to consent is nothing else saith he but to lose the Faith As hee writ to Anianus and thereby to aduance himselfe in honour aboue the Empire as he writ to Mauritius which whosoeuer doth as Iohn Bishop of Constantinople did already and Ciricius did afterward he doth pronounce him confidently to be the follower of Lucifer and the fore-runner of Antichrist The Pope first vniuersall Bishop Pope Gregory was a true Prophet alas too too true a Prophet for within fiue yeers after that King of pride whom he foretolde to be so neere at hand with his army of priests did vsurpe that chaire from whence Gregory did deliuer that Oracle and hath held it now aboue 1000. yeeres being first called the vniuersall Bishop Then vniuersall Prince because he hath the iurisdiction ouer all Bishops As first Boniface that falling starre After that vniuersall Prince created out of himselfe because he had the soueraignty ouer all Kings and Emperours as Gregorie the seuenth So that the Bishop of Rome is by a Bishop of Rome prophetically concluded to bee for his treason Lucifer Lastly Lucifer and Antichrist for the losse of his faith Antichrist But the Bishop as themselues affirme cannot erre in his definitiue sentence for hee hath the Spirit assistant and tied to the Chaire The Bishop therefore is Antichrist for that I may cast vp all into a short summe Antichrist is a falling starre a degenerating shepheard a domineering Bishop CHAP. VII Antichrist within the Church in stead of God and how he lifts vp himselfe against God DOe you not behold your selfe in this Looking-glasse Paul the fift suffer not your selfe to bee deceiued by those men who imagine Antichrist to be an outward aduersarie whom the Apostle doth make an homebred stubborne Traytor for as he doth abuse the name of a King against a King so he doth oppugn Christ in the name of Christ Whom therefore Paul doth place within the Church not without it and sitting not in a bodily gesture but in a spirituall gouernement Besides that Theod. in 2. Thess 2. the thrones of Kings are called the seats of Bishops And he sitteth not in a materiall Temple for Temple is not any where so taken in the new Testament as Bellarmine confesseth therefore in the spirituall Church for the which the Temple of God is alwaies taken as the Fathers expound it Chrysostomus Oecumenius Hieronimus ad Algasium quae 11. who all affirm he shall sit in the Church not in the Temple of Ierusalem Antichrist hee sitteth in the Temple of God not in the Temple which hee shall re-edifie in Ierusalem as is imagined for that should not bee called the Temple of God but of the Diuell Againe he is said to sit against the Temple as Augustine did well translate it out of Greeke as if he were the Temple of God that is the Church Wherein the wretched man bearing rule doth not thinke himselfe to bee God much lesse God alone as Bellarmine dreameth Antichrist is not such a foole but in stead of God for he sitteth as God and taketh vpon him as he were God
Ecbertus ruine Eebertus flying out of his throne into a sincke-hole to saue his life lost it Conradus the elder sonne being rightly disinherited of his fathers kingdome which hee had betrayed died miserably Conradus ruine Henry the younger sonne being instructed by the Popes lesson to breake his oath wherewith hee bound himselfe to his Father Henries treacherie against his father first leuied an armie against his Father And when by the intercession of diuers of the nobilitie who regarded the sunne rising more then the sunne setting the quarrell seemed to be ended between the Father and the Sonne the sonne allured the Father with promises teares and Oathes to enter into a castle whom he receiued as an Emperour but detained as a prisoner and made him this offer that either he should resigne his crowne or his head O most periurde and vilanous parricide O most wicked scholler of a wicked master That stone which Gregorie the 7. first moued against § 104 Henry the 4. Emperour with his ouerthrow as it appeareth the same other Popes afterward haue not left off to cast downe vpon other Emperours and Kinges sometime with no better successe alwaies with no lesse disgrace to the Church As Adrian the 4. and Alexander the third against Fredericke the first Honorius and Gregorie the 9. and Innocent the 4. against Fredericke the 2. two very wise deuoute and valiant Emperours that we name no others For Adrian the 4. Adrian against Fredericke an agreement being made with the Cardinalls and William King of Sicely and other peeres and cities of Italy that they should expell Fredericke the first out of Italie first cast out his bolt of excommunication And when a flie shortly after had choakt Adrian as he was a drinking Choakt with a flie Alexander the third persecuted the Emperour in the same footsteppes hee sent out his Cursitors out of his owne bosome who should sollicite Crema Placentia Vâ—rona Mylaine Brixia to rebellion he did more incense William the King of Sicely his aduersarie to assault Fredericke He did corrupt Henry Duke of Saxonie and made him forsake his soueraigne in the field hee raised vp the French the English the Spanish and the Venetian to molest and vexe him with these deuises and engines he endeauored to strippe the Emperour of his kingdome and his life But God did so blesse and assist his seruant Fredericke that he tooke the cities of Italy and ouerthrew them droue the treacherous Duke out of his dukedome and the Pope from his Popedome and made him flie to Saint Marke at Venice vnder the habite of a Cooke Although hee afterward being mooued by naturall affection to release his sonne out of captiuity suffred himselfe to be there trod vpon by Alexanders feete Alexander trod vpon the Emperours necke Which base indignity was not so reproachfull for the Emperour to suffer as for the Pope to commit § 105 It is not requisite to touch the causes why the Popes thought meete that Henry the 4. As Cardinall Wolsie deâ—lt with King Henrie the 8. Emperour and Fredericke the first should bee deposed whenas there was no lawfull power or iust reason for any Popes at any time to depose Emperours Adrian the Pope that followed was displeased with Fredericke the first because the Emperour had set his name in his letters before the Popes name because he forbad the Cardinalls vnder the colour of visiting the Churches to robbe and to spoile them i. because hee withstood the Byshops ambition and auarice As Gregorie the seuenth set vpon Henry the fourth that hee might transferre the donation of byshoprickes taken from the Emperour to himselfe so Adrian to exempt the persons of Byshops whereby neither in respect of their benefice or duty they might adheare to Princes Fredericke the second had good successe against the Pope Pla. in Greg. 9 The like causes did incense Honorius and Gregorie the 9. and Innocent the 4. against Fredericke the second his Nephew whom God did assist being so vnworthily abused that hee handled the treacherous Cardinalls according to their deserts plagued the Popes and his Priests shut vp Gregorie the ninth and brought him to that miserie that he died in great anguish of minde Let the Pope take heede lest if hee Gregorize with Princes Princes Henrize and Frederize with Popes Neither is Innocent the 4. Conuina Theobaldus Franciscus Gulielm de San. Seuerino Pandulphus therefore the more happy § 106 man that by the name of the Church the power of the keyes the discord of princes the negligence of Byshoppes the superstition of the people he droue Fredericke the second out of his Empire and prouided two other to bee chosen in his roome For if they had not preuailed more with conspiracies and poysonnings then elections Caspini in Freder 2. Fredericke murthered they could neuer haue surprized Fredericke that noble Prince But at last hee was taken away by poyson as he returned into Apulia Whereof when he seemed to haue recouered hee was choaked with a pillow by Manfred his bastard sonne as hee lay in his bed These bee the actes of Popes whereby they ruinate Princes and so highly aduance their Popedome The popish engines against Princes Excommunications wherewith as with hookes they catch after kingdomes and as with whippes to scourge kings open rebellion whereby they tosse Princes vp down as balles with their feete and secret conspiracies wherby as with ginnes they lay for and entangle Princes and take them vnawares that they may more couertly take them out of the way by poyson That there is a great doubt as I said left whether the Byshoppe of Rome grew more by the vertue and obedience of his predecessors or by their treacherie and wickednes whether by the beneficence of former Emperors or patience of the later he is come to that height and toppe of greatnesse that the world wonders at I haue now laid the two foundations of obedience toward a King whatsoeuer he bee and of the fealtie of their subiectes One in the perpetuall and vnchangeable decree of Christ the other in the perpetuall practise of the ancient Christians and chiefly of the Byshops of Rome for eight hundred yeares at the least till worldly ambition had cleane put out all pietie and religion § 107 Here Saturnine that I may omit saith he other things least our disputation be ouerlonge which you haue collected out of histories concerning the Byshoppes of Rome that one I cannot passe ouer that you said that Gregorie the 7. whom you defaced as much as you could was the first Authour that excommunicated and deposed Kings For both Leo the 3. Emperour was excommunicated by Gregorie the 2. and plainely depriued of all his temporalties he held in Italy and the Greeke Emperors were remoued from the Empire by Leo the third Byshoppe of Rome for defect in religion and forsaking the defence of the Church and the Empire translated to the Germaines The defence
I demand what King he deposed you take exception that he farre before is deposed by him whosoeuer for time to come doth breake the priuiledge of that house so long as the world endured And thefore hee deposed Kings not onely before they were crowned but before they were borne But the proposition that you defend is as false as the reason you alleadge is friuolous What King soeuer doth infringe the priuiledge of the monasterie of Medard let him be depriued of his honour Whether is this rather a depriuation of a King or an imprecation Adde which you omitted and let him be damn'd in the lowest pit of hell with Iudas the traytour If the Pope haue power out of this place to depose a King he hath likewise power to damn him But he hath not power to damne him therfore he hath not power to depose him Are you well in your wits who take a vow for a censure and the forme of imprecation for a sentence of depriuation a former curse for a reuenge following § 113 And you neuer can sufficientlie adorne and set out Gregorie the seuenth your sweet delight and that worthily for that he shewed himselfe not onely a traytour as you are your selues and desire to make others like your selues but also a captaine and ring-leader of all treason to promote the glorie of Preists with diminishing the credit of the people For those praises which you laie vpon Gregorie and those reproaches you cast vpon Henrie doe nothing either helpe your cause or hurt ours but I wonder that this good Arch-deacon as you call him prooued so bad a Bishop Gregorie condemned and for what that all the Germaine Bishops almost did condemne him in the Councell of Wormes of monstrous periuries strange mis-behauiours and diuers outrages in his life But the Italians did acquit him Not so neither For thirtie of them beeing assembled at Brixia after they had receiued Ambassadours and letter from nineteene Bishops who had consulted at Mentz with the Nobles of Italy and Germanie did publikely testifie that Gregorie did most impudentlie inâ—rude himselfe into the See Apostolike by deceit and briberie did peruert all Church gouernment did trouble all gouernment in the Christian Empire did attempt the destruction both of bodie and soule of a Catholike and peaceable King and maintained a periured rebell against him Nor being therewith content at last adiudged Hildebrand a most shamelesse person committing sacriledge and robberie defending periuries and murthers calling into questiun the Catholicke and Apostolicke faith about the body and bloud of Christ being an ancient scholler of Berengarius the hereticke an euident obseruer of dreames and diuinations And therefore to be canonically deposed for his backsliding from the true faith Lambert in an 1077. and to bee thrust out of his Popedome But these factious fellowes fauoured the Emperour against the Pope What they that fauoured the Pope against the Byshoppe But Lambert Schafnaburgensis doth praise the man But the same very Lambert whenas he was the Popes Legate and had shewed that the Emperour had reconciled and submitted himselfe at Canufium yea by his owne report all of them the Italians began to chafe to hisse and clappe their handes and to scoffe at his apostolicall Legacie with flowting outcries and to cast out bitter and railing curses in their madde moode that they nothing regarded his excommunication whom all the Italian Byshoppes had excommunicated a goodwhile since vpon iust causes him who had climbd vp into the Apostolicke seat with simonicall heresie imbrued it with murthers defiled it with adulteries and capitall enormities that the King had done otherwise then became him and had much staind his honour for submitting the maiesty of a King to an Hereticall Pope most infamous for all villanies For all this wee excuse not the faults of the Prince but defend his right neither do we accuse the life of the Pope condemned by his own side but we weigh his fact we obserue this one thing that a Simoniacall and an adulterous Emperour as Marianus Scotus writeth was ill remooued by a Simoniacall and adulterous Pope as the Germaines and Italians call him I am not ignorant that Fredericke the first and second § 114 are after the same manner as bitterly traduced and disgraced by the Popes Flatterers as Henry the fourth was Princes traduced by popist writers as Ludâ—uicke the fourth Emperour by Iohn the 22. and Philippe the fourth surnamed the faire the French King by Boniface the 8. and Henry the 2. King of England by Alexander the 3. and Iohn King of England by Innocent all of them being once excommunicated were by the flattering stile of the Romane writers abused and slandered That it is no great matter to wonder at that the Princes of our time being taken for Heretickes by you though falsly Henry the 8. Edward the 6. Elizabeth and Iames the first be so vnworthily dealt withall who did euen then in the midst of popish darknesse so cruelly vexe their owne Princes But that not only the English whose faithfulnesse toward their Princes certaine hyred vassales of the Pope haue endeauored to corrupt in their bookes set out in English but that the Germaines the French the Spaniard the Italian may see out of their owne monuments the fidelitie of their ancesters toward their owne Emperours and Princes euen then when the Popes did most terribly thunder against them that they may acknowledge it with me and the rather imitate and expresse it in so cleare a light of the Gospell hearken I pray you hearken not what a few Lutheranes and Caluenistes but what the Catholickes of these nations almost without number haue often decreed in their Sinodes and Parliaments for their Kings against the Popes tyrannie which writers shall with authoritie easily ouercome the rest either old or new being few in number and corrupted by bribes § 115 You heard before what the Germanes Italians both Byshoppes and Nobles did decree publickely for their Emperour Henry the 4. against Gregorie the 7. Now heare what the Germanes did publickly first for Fredericke the second against Innocent the 4. then for Lewes against Iohn the 22. and after of the rest The Pope resisted by the popish clergy The Germane Byshoppes first whenas they had receiued a charge from Albert Pope Innocents Legate to publish the bull of excommunication against Frederick all of them refused it The Abbotes being commanded to curse the Byshoppes that refused neglected it The Clergie receiuing a new charge that they should choose new Byshoppes and the Monkes other Abbotes being greatly agast at the nouelty of the example began to disdaine and chafe and detest the rashnesse of the Popes Legate and greeuously to accuse euen the Pope himselfe for vndertaking so strange and shamefull an action against all equitie and right and filling all Germanie with troubles How did they entertaine Raberius a French man being another Legate sent from Innocent in the same businesse hauing his associate the
no errors The Pope of Rome doth erre by the Papists iudgement Peter de Aliaco a Cardinall Adrianus Pope The three Legates of the Trent councel I wonder that Peter de Aliaco a very learned Cardinall granted that there were many things not only in manners but in faith had neede of reformation Why did Adrian the sixt ill touching the fountaine it selfe say that all mischiefe came from the cheife Byshoppe into the whole Church and promised reformation of all things by his Legate Cheregatus to the Germaines I wonder also why the three Legates in the Councell of Trent did apply that Prophesie of Ieremy to themselues and to the popish people This people haue committed two great euills They haue forsaken mee saith the Lord the fountaine of liuing water and haue digged to themselues cisternes that can hold no water And in the Councell it selfe Cornelius the Byshoppe of Bitont did openly acknowledge the Apostasie of the Church of Rome in the chiefe heades both of doctrine and life I would to God saith he that they had not falne wholy from religion to superstition from faith to infidelitie from Christ to Antichrist from God to Epicurisme saying out of a wicked heart and with an impure mouth There is no God Neither did any Shepheard or Pope care for these things For all of them sought their owne and not one of them all sought for those things that belong to Iesus Christ § 137 I wonder also why after that Councell many not onely priuate Doctours did plucke in peeces the decrees of that Councell as Sixtus Senensis Canus The councell of Trent reiected by their owne side Lindanus the Byshoppe Catharinus Pighius Ouander Ferus and many more but Pope Pius himselfe confest that the worshippe of the Church of Rome had much swarued by continuance of time from the ancient institution Therefore these reuerend Doctours Cardinalls and holy Byshoppes doe giue mee both cause and leaue greatly to doubt Neither doe I desire only that the chiefe Articles of immediate Reuelation be discust which I embrace with all faith and reuerence but these articles of the second sort which are supposed to be fetcht from the first and in truth doe altogether ouerthrow them For whereas by the aduice of Austen the simplicitie of beleeuing noâ— the quickenesse of vnderstanding is required not an humble desire of learning things necessarie but a curious desire to seeke after high mysteries is forbidden by him For the simplicitie of beleife Implicite faith blinde Idoll doth as well shut out brutish ignorance as presumptuous knowledge I can therefore no longer adore that blinde Idoll implicite faith whereby we are taught to receiue with all reuerence what the Church teacheth and to beleeue as the Church beleeueth though wee doe not well know what the Church beleeueth Bellarm de iustific lib. 1. cap. 7. Neither can I giue credit to Bellarmine saying that faith doth consist in the assent not in knowledge and may better be defined by ignorance then vnderstanding Whence our learned aduersaries do too truly conclude that as Cleargy poperie was before nothing else but a catechisme of treason so Laicke-popery was nothing else but meere idiotisme and as they worthily laugh at the fox-like craft of our Doctors so likewise the asse-headed ignorance of our schollers Such faith which the colliar had so commended by Staphilus A certaine colliar being at the poynt of death Apolâ—g Staphi pars 1. pag. 53. was tempted by the Diuell and demanded what faith he held the colliar answered I beleeue and die in the faith of the Church of Christ The Colliars faith And beeing againe demanded what was the faith of the Church answered as it § 138 were in a circle it is that faith that I holde and so the Diuell being vanquished by this answer fled away if we may beleeue Staphilus Therfore the faith of a Romish Catholike is the Colliars faith that is a circular faith I pray you Saturnine teach mee first before I giue my assent and write to that reuerend Bellarmine that hee will prouide that implicite faith which is nothing else but blinde and affected ignorance bee put out of the creede wherewith the grauity and wisdome of the Catholike religion is greatly defaced I haue learnt at last to distinguish between the fictions of mans braine and the doctrines of Christian faith the foundations wherof are not the opinions of men but the oracles of God and those which are committed to writing by the Prophets and Apostles by inspiration of God wherein all necessarie principles of faith and precepts of life are plentifully contained as I heare it affirmed by the fathers Let vs now come to the creed § 139 Wherein first I demand whether the supremacy of Peter with such things as depend thereon haue her foundation directly in the Scripture as the Cardinall writeth in Tortus For I hold no doctrin necessary to be beleeued vnlesse it bee founded on the Scripture as Pope Gregorie the first reacheth I am a bad Text-man and I reade the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles but seldome the reading whereof the Church hath forbidden to vs lay-men fearing lest by reading we should fall into heresies But I am both ashamed and repent of that my ignorance and negligence Yet I leaue not off to reuerence the fathers both olde and new whose sonne I professe my felfe to bee and not their seruant I account them for schollers in the Scripture not masters witnesses and interpreters thereof not arbitrators and iudges Neither am I so much mooued with their names as with their reasons I seeke not then what they bring out of themselues but what they prooue out of the Scripture in the cause of faith I will henceforth admit of no definition of the Church vnlesse it relie vpon a manifest testimonie of holy Scripture or at the least a necessarie conclusion drawen from thence I will not haue the matter ordered by bare authority but let thing with thing cause with cause and reason striue with reason neither am I led with the number of arguments but with the waight * Number doth oppresse the memory waight doth beget knowledge Neither am I delighted with circumstances I desire breuity And I will preferre one sound argument shortly and directly concluded out of the Scripture before all the quirkes of men brought for pompe and shew Neither will I suffer any of you to leape from this one poynt to another before I see this bee fully sifted and discussed among you Buckle vp your selfe therefore Saturnine to set the onset and confirme the supremacy of Peter and the succession of the Pope and that power which you say is annext to the supremacie out of the holy Scripture but that you may not swarue from the state of the question remember that you are to prooue the primacy not of order and distinction which is granted to Peter but the primacy of power and iurisdiction which is denied For
Nycene Councell and denie them to be among the Canons as Turrian plainely in his proeme vpon the canons of Neece in Binius part 1. pag. 169. But of these constitutions which you vrge there will bee another time when you shall haue a particular answer Heere I rest heere I dwell heere I sticke fast against all the corruptions and falsifications where Austin hath taught me to set fast footing who doubteth saith hee that all the copies of the Nycene Councell are true which are brought out of so many sundrie places and from so noble Grecian Churches being compared together and do so well agree I giue credit to Cyrill of Alexandria so writing backe to the Carthaginian fathers I thought it necessarie to send ouer to your Charity Sur tom 1. rescript Cyril Alexan p. 586 the faithfullest copies out of the authenticke in the Synode held in Nice a a city of Bithinia Epist Atti. episc con ibidem fol. 190. Me thinkes I heare Atticus Bishop of Constantinople thus writing backe I haue sent vnto you the canons all of them as you commanded as they were decreed in the citie Neece by the fathers I ought not I cannot but must needes consent to 217. fathers assembled in the African Councell whereto Austin did subscribe Is anie man so mad to prefer the forged writings of a counterfet Mark and a counterfet Iulius fetcht I know not whence written in the darke and in a corner disagreeing betweene themselues before the true and vndoubted canons reserued in the Registry not onely of Carthage and Alexandria but of Constantinople and Rome exemplified in the light openly and agreeing in all points among themselues And will any man hearken to 3. suspected conuicted witnesses in their owne cause rather then to more then 200. witnesses assembled in a Councell in the common cause and those bringing in the pride hurtfull to the Church with out all reason these suppressing that pride with all forcible and holy reasons they could § 198 But there is brought vpon the stage by Bellarmine the ridiculous person of one Iohn Ridiculous Iohn brought vpon the stage whom hee calleth a very learned man who affirmeth in the Councell of Florence forsooth that he could shew many testimonies of the Ancient What doth this iolly Iohn affirme that the fathers of Carthage did at the last acknowledge that false and corrupt canons of the Nycene Councell were sent them from Alexandria and Constantinople Who affirmes it One Iohn Who tolde him so No body Onely hee saith on his bare word that hee can shew many testimonies of the Ancient Why then doth he not shew them Therfore what a certaine ignorant animall saith he can shew and doth not shall we accept it for a lawfull testimonie of a recantation made by so excellent and wise a Councell And because a certaine Robert hath brought in an obscure Iohn in the fagge end of all and calles him a very learned man therefore we must admit of him as a fit and sufficient witnesse against so many most reuerend fathers of Carthage And when he dare obiect ignorance to all these doth hee not see that in himselfe hee doth betray his owne arrogancy he doth attribute learning to one Iohn and ignorance to Austin forsooth he thinkes he can fetch smoake out of lightning and light out of smoake Minerua's heire who dreames that all knowledge is borne with him and shall die with him For otherwise hee would neuer haue obiected ignorance to Austin and the rest of the Carthaginian fathers as if they knew not to distinguish betweene the two Councels of Sardis when himselfe betraied more ignorance in confounding the Councels of Neece and Sardis But that we may returne thither where wee went aside § 199 necessarily to pursue the aduersarie Primacy of order granted to Rome but of power denied and shortly to set downe to you the iudgement of the Primatiue Church Calander concerning the primacie you see that the primacie of order and degree was granted to the Bishop of Rome but the primacie of power and iurisdiction was denied by sixe Councels I am not ignorant Victor did affect before the Nycene Councell what Leo did arrogantly seeke afterward like the two sonnes of Zebede one of them desirous to sit on the right hand of Christ the other on the left But the desire of glorie doth not inferre an article of the faith Therefore the fathers of the Primatiue Church did prouide as farre as they might that one should not aduance himselfe aboue the rest The fathers of Neece did assigne a prouince aswell to the Romane Bishop as to the Bishop of Alexandria out of which hee might not depart The Bishops of Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon did make the See of Constantinople equall to the See of Rome The Carthaginians did denie the right of appealing from the African Synodes to Rome It is not credible that so many learned and holy fathers assembled in sixe Councels would haue denied that iurisdiction to the Romane Bishop which the Scripture had yeelded him But there are other started vp who saw more and vnderstood the Scripture better then 2000. fathers assembled in those sixe Councels Now they can shew vs an heauenly charter in many places wherein God gaue to Peter and to Peters successour as they presume the Bishop of Rome that vniuersall principality I will giue thee the keyes and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde c. and feede my sheepe and thou art Peter and vpon that rocke and diuers others of that kinde § 200 But those fathers though they searched vsually into all the mysteries of holy Scripture with peircing eyes Peters key was no better his tongue no more free then the rest yet they could not perceiue a greater key or a better giuen to Peter then to the rest of the Apostles nor a larger or a more shining fiery tongue sitting on Peters head as the cheife Prince then on the rest neither that one piller was set more sure and strong then the other 12. pillers but that they were al alike equal among themselues Acts 15. Acts 8. Peter not equall but inferiour to the rest nor that Peter alone was appoynted the Pastour of all the Apostles much lesse the Prince lifting vp himselfe aboue the rest of the Apostles aboue the Emperor aboue the Councell Therfore in the first Councell of Ierusalem Peter was not President but Iames. And Peter being sent by the rest of the Apostles with Iohn into Samaria obeied Now the superior is not sent by the inferior but contrary It followes that Peter was not aboue the rest but equal with the rest yea truly below the whole Councell to the which for going to Cornelius the Centurian being accused hee gaue accompt of his fact wherein he confessed himselfe to bee inferiour to the Councell which was kept not by Peters command but by the consent of all the Apostles Therein there was a great discourse of the summe of Christianitie of
not preferre himselfe before the sea of Alexandria and Antioch but the sea of Constantinople tooke them both away and did not equall himselfe to the Romane but abolished the Romane for he was the vniuersall and onely Byshoppe and made the other not his fellow but his Vicar For other were not Byshoppes but his Vicars onely as hee imagineth Gregorie to haue thought Lib. 4. epist 36. Lib. 4. ep 34. For Gregorie thought by that title not to take away all Byshoppes but to diminish them or that other Patriarches had their honour abrogated but derogated nor that all other were put downe but that hee was set vp aboue all other neither did hee goe about that one thing that he alone should be but be alone in authoritie or that other should be no Byshoppes at all but that he should seeme a Byshoppe of better worth then the rest and that hee should ioyne them as parts to himselfe not cut them off and should bee among Byshoppes as Lucifer among the Angells who preferred himselfe before others tooke not others away So this vniuersall Byshoppe suffered other Byshoppes to bee but to be in subiection if wee beleeue Gregorie a better interpreter of his owne minde then Bellarmine And this did Boniface the third effect when Boniface tooke nothing to him by the grant of Phocas which Iohn did not claime by the grant of Mauritius That which Boniface tooke to himselfe Paul the 5. retaineth and that much more He doth retaine therefore a new prophane wicked § 111 blasphemous name c. as Gregorie thought while hee is called vniuersall Byshoppe It is well said and truely an euill head is a head of euills And euery euill as it is more generall is the worse And therefore an vniuersall euill is the greatest euill from whence all other euills are powred into the Church and Common-weale into the Church heresies into the Common-weale treasons while it vtterly lost the faith of Christ and trod vnderfoote the maiestie of the Emperour Lib. 4. Ep. 39. Gregorie foretould each of them For thus he said to Anianus to consent to this wicked name what is it else but to loose the faith And how much damage the faith hath sustained it shall appeare by those Articles of the faith which follow And to Mauritius he writ Epist 32. that who so delighteth in that name doth thereby set himselfe aboue the honour of the Emperour And how much damage the Empire hath sustained the lamentable endes of many emperours doth declare Regius our Councellor shall tell you who they were Gregorie as I said was a true alasse too true a Prophet And our learned interpreter of Gregorie the Byshoppe of Chicester said well that the vniuersall Byshop is for the Empire Lucifer for the Church Antichrist § 212 Yet Gregorie himselfe they say though hee liked not the vniuersall title he exercised the vniuersall iurisdiction Wherein they imagine Gregorie to be not truly holy but prophanely politicke like to Caesar who refused the name of a King as odious that hee might more cunningly exercise the authority of a King Therefore they counterfet a certaine Epistle of Gregorie thus indorst to Iohn Byshoppe of Siracuse To Iohn Byshoppe of Siracuse concerning the Byshoppe of Constantinople accused of a foule fault In the Epistle it selfe the Bizancen primate is said to haue beene accused of a certaine fault Gregor lib. 7. Epist 64. whom the most holy Emperour would haue iudged by vs according to the cononical decrees But the error of name Bizancene or Biazene deriued not from Bizantium the citie of Constantinople Glosse in Grati. edita à Greg 13 but from Bizatium a Prouince of Africa is amended in the glosse of the Cannon law which saith that Anselme and Gratian were deceiued in the inscription of the Epistle of Saint Gregorie An epistle suspected to be forged because Bizancene did not signifie the Patriarch of Constantinople but the Primate of Africa Which things giues vs iust cause to suspect that the Epistle is forged as another wherein they bring in Gregorie affirming that the Constantinopolitane Church is subiect to the Apostolick-sea Lib. 7. epi. 63. Lib. 2. de Rom. Pontific c. 14. as Eusebius the Byshoppe of the same sea doth confesse Which place Bellarmine citeth But in Gregories time none did sit in the sea of Constantinople but Iohn and Siricius who did vsurpe the title of vniuersall Byshoppe Nicephorus a witnesse in his tripartite historie Whereby it appeareth that a counterfeit Eusebius is brought in as a witnesse of the Romane prerogatiue A counterfet Eusebius and a bastardly Epistle deuised by some scribe who testified that Gregorie wrot that being dead which while he liued hee reprehended so earnestly not only in another but in himselfe When this deuise tooke no successe they tried another § 213 way Baronius Bellarmine That there were very many of Gregories Predecessors who did write themselues Byshoppes of the Catholicke Church that is of the vniuersall The vniuersall Byshoppe and Byshop of the vniuersall Church not all one And that it is all one to be called the vniuersall Byshoppe of the Church and Byshop of the vniuersall Church Wherein they haue not onely Costerus gaine-saying them in his Euchiridion and Lindane in his Panoplie in whose iudgement these differ the vniuersall Byshoppe and the Byshoppe of the vniuersall Church or that all ambiguitie may be taken away they deny it to bee one to be called the Byshoppe of the Catholicke Church that is vniuersall and Catholicke that is vniuersall Byshop of the Church And they will deny it Is it all one to say Tortus is a learned diuine of the schoole of Papia and a Diuine of the learned schoole of Papia Nothing lesse For in that proposition false praise is giuen to Tortus in this true to Papia So the Pope is the Catholicke Byshoppe of the Church is one thing and the Pope is the Byshoppe of the Catholike Church is another For in that proposition a counterfet title of the Pope in this the true name of the Church is expressed But Catholicke and Vniuersall are all one What then But these propositions be not all one The Pope of Rome is the Byshoppe of the catholicke Church i. of the vniuersall therefore the Byshoppe is vniuersall no more then these two propositions be all one The King of Spaine is the Catholike King therefore the vniuersall King Or thus The King of Spaine is the King of the Catholicke Church therfore he is King of the whole Christian world For the power ouer all Churches doth no no more belong to the Pope who is called Catholike then the power ouer all kingdomes belongeth to the King that is called Catholike § 214 Although this vniuersall Bishop challenge the cheife gouernment not onely ouer spirituall but ouer temporall causes also so that the power ouer all things is in the Pope the execution of that power is sayd to reside in Emperours and Kings which