Circuites Precincts appointed in such sort as one of them should not meddle within anothers Iurisdiction to confound their authorities The cause why the Fathers assembled in Councell gaue the first place to the See of olde Rome was not for that either Christ or his Apostle Peter had so appointed but that the Citie of Rome was the most noble Citie and of greatest renowne in all the World as appeareth in the Councell of Calcedon which writeth That the Fathers in the Councell of Nice did worthily giue the chiefetie to the See of olde Rome because that Citie had the Soueraignetie ouer others Saint Ambrose speaking of himselfe and other Bishops which were at the Councell of Aquileia saith thus Wee are met together at Aquileia by the commaundement of the Emperour About the yeare of our Lord. 383 In the Councell of Constantinople the Bishops wrote thus vnto Theodosius the Emperour Wee are come to Constantinople by your Maiesties Commission And afterward at the end of that Councell We beseech your Maiestie that as you haue honoured the Church by your Letters wherewith you haue called vs together so it may please you to Confirme the finall Conclusion of our Decrees with your sentence and with your Seale About 420 To the Councell of Carthage where S. Augustine was present Sozimus B. of Rome sendeth Legats Faustinus Philippus and Asellus in fauour of Apiarius a Priest that fled to Rome for ayde against Vrbanus his Diocesan who had depriued him both of his function the Cōmunion for his lewdnesse To these Legates the Pope gaue charge to claime this Priuiledge for him his See That if anie Bishoppes were accused or deposed which appealed to Rome the Bishoppe of Rome might eyther write to the next Prouince to determine the matter or send some to represent his Person and to sit in iudgement with the Bishoppes And to proue his desire lawfull he alleaged in writing vnder his hand a Canon of the Councell of Nice tending to that purpose The godly Fathers assembling themselues out of all Affricke to the number of 217 finding no such Canon in their Bookes either Greeke or Latin writ to the Patriaches of Alexandria Constantinople Antioch for true and authenticke Copies of the Nicene Councell finding their owne Copies agree word for word with those that were brought and no such prerogatiue to bee seene in anie Canon there First by their Decree they cut off all appeales to Rome viz. That Priests Deacons and inferior Clerkes if they complained of the iudgement of their Diocesians should be heard by the Bishops adioyning and if they thinke to appeale from them also let them not appeale but to the Councells of Africa or to the Primates of their owne Prouince and hee that aduentureth to appeale ouer the Sea let him be receiued of no man within Africa vnto the Communion After this Decree with which they had withstood three Bishops of Rome Sozimus Boniface and Celestinus to the last when the Bishops of Affrica had gotten Copies of the Nicene Councell they writ on this wise Wee writ earnestly prayed you that hereafter you would not lightly giue audience to those that come from hence to you neither any more receiue such to the Communion as wee haue excommunicated because your Reuerence shall easily perceiue the order taken by the Nicene Councell For if there appeare a prouiso for inferior Clerks or Laymen how much more would the Synode haue the same obserued in Bishops that being excommunicated in their owne Prouince they should not sodainely hastily or vnduly be restored to the Communion by your holinesse And likewise your holynesse must repell these wicked refuges of Priests and other Cleargie men as becommeth you for that by no determination of the Fathers this is derogated from the Church of Africa and the Nicene Canons doe most euidently commit both inferior Clergie men and the Bishops themselues to their owne Metropolitans No doubt they most wisely and rightly prouided that all matters should bee ended in the places where they did first arise Neither will the graces of the Holy Ghost bee wanting to any Prouince by which equitie may bee grauely weighed and stoutly followed by the Priests of Christ especially where euerie man hath libertie if he mislike the iudgement of those that heare his cause to appeale to the iudgement of his own Prouince or to a generall Councell Or how can the iudgements ouer Seas bee good whereto the necessary persons of witnesses either for sexe or for age or sundrie other impediments cannot be brought For that any should bee sent from your Holinesse side wee finde decreed by no Synod of the Fathers That which you sent vs hither by Faustinus as a part of the Nicene Councell in the truer Copies which wee haue receiued from holy Cirill B. of Alexandria and Reuerend Atticus Bishop of Constantinople taken out of the Originalls which also we sent to Boniface your predecessor Jn them we say we could finde no such thing As for your Agents or Messengers send them not at euery mans request least wee seeme to bring the smokie pride of the world into the Church of Christ c. Marke how many wayes the Bishops of Affrica withstood the Bishop of Rome Appeales to Rome which Sozimus claimed by the Councell of Nice they cōfute by the same Councell impugne them by other graue pithie reasons Legates à latere they reiect as neuer spoken of in any Coūcell though hee claimed them Running to Rome they call a wicked refuge and sending Messengers from Rome a smokie pride of the World The corrupting of the Nicene Canons by Sozimus they disproue by Copies that were true authenticke Appiarius whom the B. of Rome had harboured to the Church the second time they banished from the Church of Christ What would those men haue done if Sozimus had claimed to be head of the Church or Vice-God vpon Earth by Christs appointment If any Scripture had sounded that way neither the B. of Rome would haue left that certaine proofe trusted only to the testimonie of a Canon in a Councell which could not bee found but in his owne Librarie nor yet Augustine with his holy learned companie would haue resisted this demaund if it had either been grounded vpon Scripture or determined in the Nicene or other Councell or had stood with equitie good order or reason So the Church of Affrica continued vntill Boniface the second came to bee Bishop of Rome Hee by communications threatnings and allurements brought Eulalius the. Metropolitane of Carthage certaine other Bishops of Affrica to submit themselues to the Bishop of Rome and to anathematise the sixt Councell of Carthage where S. Augustine was present A.D. 440 Polychronius Bishop of Jerusalem would haue had his See first greatest because it was the holy Citie which God had chosen of olde because Christ taught there suffered there rose againe there gaue the Holy Ghost there Peter
Peter I wil not build my selfe vpon thee but I will build thee vpon mee Asia and Affrica professing Christ as well as wee did not consent to the Bishop of Rome his Supremacie I confesse that the Eastern churches and Bishops for debates of matters of faith amongst themselues made suites to the Bishops of Rome but that was not for the superioritie of Iurisdiction that the See of Rome had ouer them but for the diuision that was within themselues by reason that the whole Easterne countries as well Bishops as others were much infected with the heresies of Arrius whereof the West was in a manner cleere So as amongst the Orients none were counted indifferent to decide those debates but all were suspect of affection for one cause or other wherefore they desired the opinions of the Bishops of the west as indifferēt not intangled with affections of anie of those parts vncorrupted of the Arrians Which appeareth by the Epistles of S. Basile written in all their names for that purpose wherein it is especially to be noted that their suit was not to the Bishop of Rome singularly by name but as the titles doe shew to the whole congregation of the BB. of Italy and France or of the whole West sometimes preferring the French BB. Gallis and Italis and neuer nameth the Romanes About the yeare of our Lord 610. Boniface 3 obtained of Phocas the wicked Emperor that slew his Mr. Mauricius his wife and children That hee the saide Pope might bee called the Prince of all Bishops Then the peoples deuotion to Religion and the beleefe which was setled in their minds of the power of the Keyes which were said to open and shut paradise to binde loose sinnes laid the foundatiō of the Popes greatnesse and authoritie Agatho B. of Rome writ to Constantine the 4. Most gratious Lord your sacred Letters encouraging vs to shew forth effectually our prompt diligent seruice for performing that which your Edict cōmanded for discharge of our duty c. And in a second Epistle All the Bishops of the North and West partes seruants of your Christiā Empire giue thākes to God for this your religious intēt in calling of a Councell A.D. 850 Leo the fourth Bish of Rome writ likewise to the Emperor As touching the chapters imperiall precepts of your Highnesse and the Princes your predecessors irrefragably to be kept and obeyed as much as in vs did or doth lie Wee by all meanes professe that wee will by Christs helpe now and for euer obserue the same Certainely the vaine Titles of the Pope as Vniuersall Bishop Prince of Priests supreame head of the vniuersall Church and Vicar of Christ here vpon earth likewise his vast pretended Iurisdiction came not into the Church altogether but with long working continuance of time by little little as occasions were giuen Partly by Boniface the third about the yere 610. partly by Pope Gregorie the seuenth called Hildebrād about the yere 1170. partly by Innocentius the third about the yeare of our Lord 1215. and finally by Pope Boniface the eight about the yere of our Lo 1300. Of which foure popes the first brought in a Title the second brought Iurisdiction the third pope Innocent with his Monkes and his Friers corrupted obscured the sinceritie of Christs doctrine and lastly pope Boniface the eight Clement the fift after him ouer and besides the Iurisdiction sufficiently aduanced before by pope Hildebrand added moreouer the tēporall Sword to be carried before him and that no Emperor were he neuer so well elected should be sufficiēt or lawfull without the popes admission A confident and high challenge differing so much from the obedience and humilitie of Christ of the Apostles of Christ of the good and holy Bishops of Rome which did speake write to the Emperors in a milder language full of acknowledgements and respects that men vnpartially affected neede not doubt it proceeded frō another spirit But whē pope Boniface came to make experiment of the possession of this challenge and how Christian princes would giue way vnto his claim Philip the Faire King of France returneth to the popes insolent demaund an answere swere full of royall magnanimitie as appeareth by their Letters ensuing Boniface B. seruant of the seruants of God to Philip King of Frenchmen feare God and obserue his cōmandements Wee will thee to vnderstand that thou art subiect to Vs both in spirituall and temporall things and that it belongs not to thee to giue any Prebend or Benefice If thou hast the keeping of any of them being vacant thou must reserue the profits of them to the successors if thou hast giuen anie Wee iudge thy gift to be void and doe reuoke all that hath beene done and whosoeuer beleeueth otherwise We iudge them heretickes Giuen at Latran the 4. of the Nones of Decemb the sixth yere of Our Popedome The King answereth him thus Philip by the grace of God King of France to Boniface calling himselfe Soueraigne B. little health or none at all Let thy great Fool-ship be aduertised that in temporall things Wee acknowledge no Superior but God that the gift of Prebendes being voide belongs to Vs by Our Royall Prerogatiue and the fruites that growe thereby the which Wee will defend by the Sword against all them that shall seeke to hinder Our possession esteeming them fooles and without iudgement that shall thinke otherwise The Realme of England certainely was neuer by Lawes or long submission subiect to the Popes authority For when the Bishops of Affrica prayed Innocentius either to send for Pelagius the Britaine or to deale with him by Letters to shew the meaning of his lewd speeches tending to the derogation of Gods grace the B. of Rome made answer When will he commit himselfe to our iudgemēt write what letters I will when as he knoweth he shall bee condemned And if hee were to bee sent for they may better doe it that are neerer to him and not so farre distant from him as I am Jnnocentius 400. yeres after Christ confesseth that hee had no sufficient authoritie to call one poore Britaine out of this realme And 200. yeres after that the Bishops of Britaine would yeelde no subiection to Austine the Moncke neither did they accept him for their Archbishop Indeede their maner of Baptizing obseruing Easter and other Ecclesiasticall constitutions contrary to the rites and customes of the Church of Rome as Augustin then obiected vnto them make manifest proofe that they were neuer vnder the Iurisdiction of the B. of Rome Take a view of the Kings of England you shall finde that from the Conqueror vnto this day most of them haue either resisted or abated the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction which the Pope claimed in this land by right of the Crowne A.D. 1067 William the Conqueror said in a Parliament For asmuch as the King is the Vicar of the High King hee is therefore appointed to that purpose
may keepe alwaies as for example he that prayseth God with his tongue cannot do it euer that member must haue rest as well as the other parts of the bodie but hee that praiseth God with his life conuersation may euer do it Euen so do I commend the words works of peace vnto you or if you think me vnworthie to commend such a diuine blessing looke if it be not the word of a Great mighty King that is far aboue all exception He cōmandeth it vnto vs from the Author of peace Beati pacifici not pacidici but pacifici blessed are not the praysors but the practisers of peace Let the Mountaines bring peace the little Hills righteousnesse vnto thy people O thou Prince of peace And so The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus the great shepheard of the sheep thorough the blood of the euerlasting Couenant make you perfect in all good workes working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be praise for euer euer Amen FINIS AN ADDITION To the former Treatise of SOVERAIGNETIE SHEWING THAT THE POSSESSION THEREOF HATH NOT beene in Popes saue by Vsurpation and Practises but in Emperours and Kings by a continued or perpetuall Descent DVBLIN Printed by the Societie of Stationers 1. Cor. Chap. 3. Vers 21.22.23 Therefore let no man glorie in men for all things are yours Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours And yee are Christs and Christ is Gods TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE GERALD Earle of KILDARE and the rest of the Nobles or Gentrie in Jreland CHRISTOPHER by the mercie of God Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all IRELAND wisheth much happinesse heere and full in the world to come HOnoured Lords and esteemed Gentlemen I haue published aswell the former Treatise as this addition of Soueraignetie for your sakes whom J am bound to informe by the dutie of my place and in retribution of the respects you giue vnto me otherwayes that since the sound of my voice cannot reach to the eares of euerie one now it is grown low with yeares and infirmities the Meditations of my heart may neuerthelesse be offered to the eyes and iudgement of all which J desire you to peruse and examine by the weights or standard of Truth without preiudice or forestalled opinion ⸫ ⸫ AN ADDITION To the former Treatise of SOVRAIGNETIE AT the first institution of the Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall authoritie in the Church God saith to Moses Thou shalt speake to Aaron and put the wordes in his mouth and J will bee with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what you ought to doe And hee shall be thy spokesman vnto the people and he shall be euen he shall be as the mouth and thou shalt bee to him as God Aaron obeyed Moses and Moses called for an account of Aaron Salomon being King according to his Fathers appointment ordained the Offices of Priests in their Ministeries Leuits in their orders that they might giue thankes and minister before the Priest after the order of euery day For so commanded Dauid the man of God neither did the Priests or Leuits omit any thing of all that hee had commanded So it is written of King Iehosaphat that hee appointed the Leuites and Priests And of King Iosias likewise that he appointed Priests to minister in their seuerall Offices In the New Testament our Sauiour Christ at his birth acknowledged subiection to Augustus the Emperor being borne vnder his tribute and setting the example of his owne subiection before his Disciples asketh Who is Superior hee that sitteth at the Table or hee that serueth Js not he Superior that sitteth but J am among you as hee that ministreth and serueth Before Pilate he disauowed to haue any earthly kingdome and acknowledged that the Roman Empire had authoritie ouer his body life for both were then in question and for blasphemy too which is a spiritual crime After the death of Christ his Apostle Paul appealed from the Iewes to Cesars iudgement and saith in expresse termes That there he ought to be iudged And his cause was for preaching the Gospel Peter likewise patiently endured Nero his Swoord for teaching the truth This was the condition of Christ and his Apostles they professed themselues subiects to the Romane Emperour Eleutherius B. of Rome did write vnto Lucius then king of the Britans to take Lawes for the Gouernement of his kingdome out of the Olde Testament and the New which were then in the Kings hands giueth this reason of his aduise Yee are Gods Vicar within your owne kingdome A.D. 220 Tertullian Wee Christians worship the Emperour as man next vnto God inferior onely to God For so is the Emperour greater then all men when hee is lesse then the onely true God A.D. 225 Cyprian would not giue way to Cornelius Bishop of Rome to absolue any of Africk excommunicated there A.D. 340 Before the Councell of Nice there was small or no regard had of the Church of Rome but euery Church was ruled by their owne Canons or by the common aduise of Bishops vntill the Emperors became Christians Then Socrates testifieth in his Ecclesiasticall Historie in this wise We haue also herein comprised the Emperours liues for that since the Emperours were first Christened the affaires of the Church hath hanged on them and the greatest Councells both haue bin are kept by their aduise Eusebius writeth Constantine the Emperour appointed Councells of Bishops to assemble together disdained not to sit in the middest amongst them to be pertaker of their doings This great Constantine about the yeare of our Lord 340. called a generall Councell at Nice So Theodoret writeth A great and holy Councell was gathered to Nice by the grace of God by the godly Emperor So Eusebius also testifieth that Constantine gathered a generall Councell and by honourable Writs called the Bishops of all Countries to repaire together And the same Author witnesseth that the Emperor Constantine confirmed the determinations of the Councell of Nice More also The whole Councell sate in Reuerend comely order quietly in silence looking for the Princes comming and when the watchword was giuen that the Emperor was come the Bishops stood vp from their places and his Maiestie passed a long through the middest of them as if hee had beene an Angel of God In that Councell of Nice the whole bodie of Christendome was deuided into foure Patriarcheships whereof the first place was giuen to the Bishop of Rome the second to the Bishop of Alexandria the third to the Bishop of Antioch the fourth to the Bishop of Ierusalem afterward came in the B. of Constantinople in the place of the B. of Antioch these foure Patriarches had their peculiar