approued of the Popes supreame titles and authorities See the next Chapter 19. Section whether these words doe not concerne the Bishop of Rome as well as others 11 About the yeere of Christ 410. liued Saint Chrisostome who finding the Bishop of Rome to exalt the City of Rome in excellency of dignity aboue all the Cities in the World to plucke downe her proud Peacockes-tayle wrote thus in disdaine of her pride q Chrisostome Hom. 35. the 40. distinct Multi Our Citie of Antioch is most deerest to Christ aboue all others And like as Peter did first preach among the Apostles so among Cities this had first of all the name of Christians as a certaine wonderfull Crowne and no Citie in the World hath this besides no saith hee in scorne of Rome not the Citie of Romulus Againe in that booke called Opus imperfectum which goeth vnder the name of Chrysostome the vnlawfulnesse of the Popes supremacie is in these words made manifest r Hom. 3. ad Pop. Antiche He that seeketh primacie in earth in heauen he shall finde confusion and he that doth but once intreat of primacie is not worthie to be numbered amongst the seruants of Christ Now then if the Pope for seeking supremacie in earth shall find confusion in heauen and is not worthie to be numbred amongst the seruants of Christ because of his horrible ambitious pride how is that true that all Councels and Fathers euer approued of the Popes vniuersall supremacie 12 About the yeare of Christ 431. there was a third generall Councell holden of two hundred Bishops in the Citie of Ephesus where for the preseruing the priuiledges of the other Patriarkes and prouinciall Bishops it was thus decreed ſ Councel of Ephesus last chap. It seemed good to the holy vniuersall Synod keeping to euerie Prouince pure and sound their priuiledges which by auncient custome and from the beginning belong to the same Wherefore the Patriarkes of Ierusalem Antioch and Alexandria hauing had by auncient custome the same prerogatiues which they had with Rome in the vniuersall gouernement by vertue of this Decree wee see they shall haue the same priuiledges to continue still and all Prouinciall Bishops vnder them as they had at the first by their ordination And where then as yet is to be found the Bishop of Romes singular dominion ouer all 13 About the yeare of Christ 451. the fourth generall Councell was holden by sixe hundred and thirtie Bishops in the Citie of Chalcedon in which it was thus decreed t Councel of Chalcedon chap. 28. Our fathers worthily gaue the first place of honour to the Sea of olde Rome because that Citie then raigned and vpon like consideration the one hundred and fiftie Bishops in the royall Citie of Constantinople hath giuen the like degree of honour to the same Citie being new Rome Wherefore then seeing the highest degree of honour that was giuen to the Bishop of Rome was 〈…〉 sit highest in Councels and Assemblies and that not of any right from Peter but onely because his Sea was the most auncient seate of the Emperour and that after the same Emperour was remoued from Rome to Constantinople for the same cause the like degree of honour was giuen to the Bishop of Constantinople and also for that little degree of honour seeing it was not established to the Bishop of Rome till the Councell of Nice which was aboue three hundred yeares after Christ how can that bee true that from Christ and Peter the Pope had not only the chiefest place but was Prince and ruler ouer all 14 About the yeare of Christ 540. there was a fift generall Councell holden at Constantinople in which also it was thus decreed u Councel of Constantinople chap. 35. Renewing those things which were ordayned by the one hundred and fiftie Fathers which were assembled in this Citie and by the sixe hundred and thirtie which were gathered together in Chalceden wee decree that the Sea of Constantinople haue like and equall dignitie with the Sea of old Rome So that hereby we see still continued and confirmed the Bishop of Constantinoples equallitie with the Bishop of Rome onely whensoeuer it should happen that they were both in place the Bishop of Rome should haue the highest place But I demaund what was here now for him to challenge an vniuersall dominion by It is one thing for some one Noble man to haue that honour in Councels and Assemblies to sit in the highest roome and another thing to take vpon him therefore to be supreame head of all the Kings Dominions if any should bee found so presumptious should he not soone be conuicted of high Treason yea verily and well worthie Also what is here to be found by these Councels and Fathers to proue the Popes vniuersall supremacie approued of by generall consent or not the contrarie Againe if the truth thereof would haue serued their turne what needed they then to haue sought such shifts by flat forgeries as they haue done For whereas these words are further added in that Cannon Forgerig And in ecclesiasticall matters the Sea of Constantinople bee aduaunced as farre forth as the Sea of elder Rome The Popes Lawe hath put in bee not as appeareth in Distinction 22. Renouantes turning the affirmatiue into a negatiue thereby vtterly peruerting the true sense to their great shame Againe because some when they were excommunicated in Affrica to shift off their punishment appealed to Rome the Councell of Affrica made this decree * Caus 2. quaest 6. placuit If any within Affrica offer to appeale ouer the Seas let none within Affrica receiue him to the communion they haue foysted in these words Except they appeale to Rome And so that which the Councell did to keepe men chiefly from Rome their Law peruerteth to draw them to Rome Caus 2. quest 6. placuit Againe whereas to draw vniuersall authoritie to Rome for the hearing all appeales Zozimus then Bishop of Rome when the Councel was holden at Affrica Councell of Affrica chap. 101.102.103.104.105 whereat Saint Augustine was present alledged for himselfe a Cannon of the Councell of Nice But the Councell withstanding his claime of vniuersall authoritie answered We haue the Councell of Nice in which wee finde no such Cannon And therefore Alypius who was also present at the same Councell being then Bishop of Tagasta finding himselfe greatly grieued at such iugling by the Bishop of Rome said thus x Councel of Carthag 6 chap. 4. This thing moueth me much that when we laid together and examined the originalls of the Nicene Councell written in Greeke these things concerning the superioritie of the Pope we found not there And thus Christian Reader thou seest that saying of Bellarmine to bee but a fond fable to wit that all the Christian World ouer the Popes vniuersall supreame authoritie was approued of by all Councels and Fathers Now it remaineth that wee answere an Obiection which the Iesuites
made to mee in their late answere whereby notwithstanding they would proue the Popes vniuersall supremacie to bee vniuersally approued of before this our prescribed time and the rest which we say was not till two yeares after Gregories death These be their wordes * The Iesuites answere to me page 4. Besore his time the Doctrine of the Popes supremacie was current And for proofe they bring in Iustinian the elder Emperour of the East and Valentinian the Emperour of the West both which gaue to the Bishop of Rome the title of vniuersall Bishop But what of this doth it therefore follow that because these two Emperours did so the one of the East the other of the West they may conclude that the Popes vniuersall supremacie was approued of by generall consent of Councels and Fathers from East to West Mauricius would haue had his Bishop of Constantinople to be supreame Fredericke counted the Popes supremacie Antichristian in Epist to Otho If this be a sound conclusion then is this also as sound namely that because two Emperous Mauricius the Emperour of the East and Fredericke the second the Emperour of the West denied the Bishop of Rome supremacie therefore it was denied by generall consent of Councels and Fathers from East to West and then what haue they gained by their two Emperours 15 True it is that Iustinian at the first gaue that title to the bishop of Rome and sought meanes to aduance his Sea a degree aboue his fellowes the Patriarkes as may appeare by these words y Cod. de summa Trinita Fide cath Inter â—â—aras Wee labour to aduaunce the honour of your Sea and the authoritie thereof Wee labour to subdue and to ioyne all the Priests of the East part vnto the Sea of your holinesse Thus shall the authority of your Sea encrease Then which nothing can make it more manifest that albeit hee gaue him the title of vniuersall Bishop as yet he was not so from East to West which was well towards sixe hundred yeares after Christ Also the effect doth plainly proue that the title which Iustinian gaue to the Bishop of Rome and the supreame dignitie which hee seemed to labour to aduance him vnto was onely but in pollicie euen to lift him vp a degree aboue his place and fellow Patriarkes that he might place his Bishop of Constantinople in his roome to be established a commissioner among the Patriarkes which thing when he had accomplished he thus reioyced thereat and said z Cod. de sacrosan Eccles omninouation Now our Citie of Constantinople enioyeth the prerogatiues of elder Rome Also it may appeare that he did it onely but for that very same purpose for that when as he had effected that matter immediately he tooke from him both the title and authoritie as doth euidently shew in that first he made his title common with the other Partriarkes when he said a Iustinian 230. Nouel Wee commaund the most blessed Patriarkes that is the Pope of Rome and of Constantinople and of Alexandria and of Antioch and of Ierusalem seeing it is acustome Secondly in that as soone as his aforesaid Councell was dissolued a Letter was sent to the Bishop of Rome with this commaundement b Genaâ—ius ad omnes Metropol ad Papam Roman Let your Holynesse see vnto your owne cures and to the Bishops that be subiect vnto you As also afterwards he making another new Patriarke gaue vnto him as great authoritie as he gaue before to the Bishop of Rome And this appeareth by these his owne words c Iustinian Nouel 131. Let the Bishop of the first Iustiniana haue vnder him the Bishops of Dacia c. and let him be consecrated by them and let him haue the same priuiledges ouer them which the Bishops of Rome hath ouer the Bishops that are placed vnder him And thus we see this Emperour to make so little for the Popes vniuersall supremacie as that he maketh directly against it Now let vs come to Valentinian the Emperour of the West 16 Thou shalt vnderstand Christian Reader that what titles or dignities hee gaue to the Bishops of Rome was as little materiall for he being a very simple minded man was neuer willing to trouble his head with any matter of controuersie as may well appeare in that when as the Bishope of Hellespontus and Bithynia besought him to haue the hearing and disputing of a matter in question betweene the Arrians and them he refused and said d Sozmen lib. 6. cap. 6. cap. 7. For me that am but a Lay man I thinke it not lawfull to search curiously into such deepe matters Therefore wee see hee might easily be seduced to giue any manner of Titles to the Bishops of Rome which they challenged for their due And therather for that as their Doctour Maister Harding declareth plainely e Harding Apolog cap. 6. Diuis 10. that from the beginning of the first Christian Emperours they were taught by the Bishops themselues what titles they should giue vnto them Therefore what can be effectually drawne from these two Emperours to proue that the Popes vniuersall supremacie was approued of by all Councels and Fathers from East to West or rather who seeth not that Iustinians words directly proue the contrary in shewing that the Bishop of Rome had but a patticular Cure in which onely those Bishops were subiect vnto him And now being come within the compasse of lesse then one hundred yeeres of our full number of six hundred and sixe let vs see how the rest were accomplished 17 Briefly in a word after this it fell out that as by giuing to the Romaine Emperours Bishop a degree aboue his fellow Patriarkes he sought to be vniuersall head ouer all so by making the Greeke Emperours Bishop his fellow Patriarke and his equall hee also sought to be supreame head ouer all Hence it was that that great contention grew betweene him and the Bishop of Rome which fell out for the Christian Churches great good for euen therby it pleased God to bring the truth of our cause to light For when as the Bishops of Rome who from the time of Irenaeus sought to aspire to that dignitie as first Victor whom as wee proued in our third Section was reproued for the same by Irenaeus and Polycrates as also by diuers others Secondly Stephanus whom we proued in our fift Section was reprehended by Saint Cyprian and other Bishops in the Councell of Affrica Thirdly Cornelius as we proued in the same Section for receiuing Appeales from the iurisdictions of others was reprehended by Cyprian Fourthly Sozimus and Bonifacius who for seeking superioritie ouer Affrica was withstood by Saint Augustine and two hundred and sixteene Bishops in the Councell of Carthage where it was proued the Bishop of Rome not to haue vniuersall authoritie nor his Title which he claimed from Peter to be called Prince of Priests or Highest Priest to be lawfull as appeareth in the tenth Section
who shall reforme the World in better and shall bring backe all Clergie-men to the ancient and primitiue manner of liuing according to the forme of the Disciples of Christ He shall conuert the Infidels and the Iewes c. And so there shall be one Law one faith and one Baptisme and one manner of liuing and all Christian people shall be of one minde and of one heart louing one another and their peace shall last many yeares but after the world hath beene reformed into better the malice of men shall againe awake and they shall returne to the committing the former euils yea they shall doe more wickedly then ere they did before for the which cause God shall hasten the end of the World And as the authors of those Prophesies who fore-told of the vtter desolation of Rome seemed to allude vnto the 21.22.23 and 24. Verses of the eighteenth chapter of the Reuelation by which words in those Verses the Angell fore-shewed the same so the latter end of this old Prophesie seemeth to haue relation to these words of Christ in the 12. Verse of the 24. Chapter of Saint Matthew And because iniquitie shall be increased the loue of many shall be cold As also to these words in the 22. Verse according to the vnderstanding of some And except those daies should be shortened there should no flesh be saued But for the Elect sake those daies shall be shortned And the former part seemeth also to allude vnto those words in the sixe and twentieth and 27. Verses of the 7. Chapter of the Prophet Daniel which sheweth that after Antichrist and his Kingdome is ouerthrowne the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in and the Iewes shall be called and so all shall be conuerted to the truth and serue the onely true God Neuerthelesse wee may not vnderstand it to be meant of euery particular of all For howsoeuer Antichrist the Head and his successiue incorporate body shall vtterly be desolued so as that there shall neuer be any more a publique Church of Antichrist yet euen as it is now here in England and the other conuerted Nations some of the members of the misticall body of Antichrist will remaine scattered here and there in diuers parts of the World to the comming of Christ to iudgement For to the same effect are these words of S. Paul 2 Thessalonians 2. Chapter where he speaking of Antichrist and his members saith Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and abolish with the brightnesse of his comming And as that old Prophesie did foreshew the calling of the Iewes by the meanes of a godly and learned Bishop so in another Prediction had out of the Bishop of Limoges Library in France vttered more then 600. Yeeres agoe it is said that an holy Bishop shall cause a generall Councell to be called and shall perswade Christian Princes to ioyne together all their powers against the Sarazens and to rid Ierusalem of them which being done the same Bishop because of the iniquity of the Romans shall translate Saint Peters Chaire to Ierusalem and shall suffer none other Law but that onely of Iesus Christ And to this agreeth that Prophesie of Sauanarola the Dominican Friar which to shew that as Ierusalem was the first Church and the chiefe of all other so it should be at the last saith thus I saw in a vision in the yeere of our Lord 1482. two Crosses the one was blacke planted in the middest of the City of Rome spreading as it were the armes ouer the whole Earth and with the top touching the whole Heauen whereon was written these words Crux Irae Dei The Crosse of Gods anger or wrath which hauing seene behold incontinent I beheld and saw the aire darkened and troubled with tempestuous cloudes windes lightnings darts swords fire and haile and mee thought I saw an innumerable number of men destroyed through the force and violence thereof so that few were left behinde vnslaine Afterwards I saw a sweete faire and cleare time ensuing and loe I beheld and saw as it were a golden Crosse in the middest of Ierusalem of the brightnesse and height of the former so bright that it did inlighten the whole World and filled the same with new ioy and gladnesse and it had written vpon it Crux misericordiae Dei The Crosse of the mercy and fauour of God and loe incontinent and on a suddaine all the Nations of the World of both Sexe came in troupes from all parts to behold it Esay cap. 2. Verse 2. and imbraced it And this Vision seemeth to agree with that Prophesie of Esay Chap. the 2. where it is said It shall be in the last dayes that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all Nations shall flow vnto it And also with these words of Saint Paul Romans 11. If the fall of them to wit the Iewes be the riches of the World and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more shall their abundance be By which and other such like Visions saith the Translator the aforesaid holy man Sauanarola was forewarned of the future castigation and renouation of the Church of Rome and how that the Apostolike Sea should be remoued from thence to Ierusalem which is likewise according to the Prediction of the Franciscan Friar Ioannes de Rupe scissa and also to another Prediction had out of Limoges Library in France and finally to the Prediction of Marlinus Caldidonius And now Christian Reader as it seemeth apparant by these Romish Predictions agreeable to the Scriptures that God respecteth England as the holy Land of Canaan so is it made yet more apparant by William of Malmsbury in his second Booke of his Kings and second Booke of his Bishops where hee sheweth that in a Vision to holy Brithwall Bishop of Winchester this voyce was vttered Regnum Anglorum est Dei The Kingdome of England is Gods Which signifieth that howsoeuer all the Nations in the world are Gods as well as England yet hath God made speciall choyce of England aboue all other Nations in the World to effect some notable and extraordinary worke which worke we may easily gather by all the former Predictions is to be a chiefe instrument of the propagation of the Gospell to forraigne Lands both for the calling in of the remainder of the Gentiles and also of the whole Nation of the Iewes To the which I beseech our Lord God to giue good successe and to send peace and agreement amongst the Electors For their Astrologian Ruth in the second part of his Booke 7. Chapter sheweth that there shall be great tribulation and diuision amongst them and therefore admonisheth them to agree lest the Turke get so great aduantage by their discord as to driue the Bohemian Polonians Danes and English to be glad to contract a league of amity with him which thing God
the state of the Church the vniuersall Church is in danger 4 But now notwithstanding they come in yet with another obiection and say that Gregory hath also these words * Gregory in their answer to me Page 1. Whosoeuer he be that desireth to be Priest alone or the onely Priest By which they would inferre that the Bishop of Constantinople would haue beene Bishop alone without any others neuerthelesse it is cleare by these his words that follow He exalteth himselfe aboue other Priests he meant that he whosoeuer exalted himselfe for to be vniuersall Bishop or supreame head ouer all other Bishops would be Priest alone because hee would not admit any equall with him And for this cause in the words going before hee compared Iohn of Constantinople to Lucifer who he doth not say would haue had no Angels but himselfe for that had beene more then hee could haue proued And therefore we see it is onely this kinde of Priesthood which Gregory meant that would admit no manner of equality which we shall see anon he said would be the downefall of the ancient order of Priesthood 5 But now in the meane time wee may not let passe to answere another Obiection which happily may arise out of our English Catholikes words which before wee cited For in that they say The Title which the Bishop of Constantinople tooke vpon him was the Bishop of Romes right and auncient Title they would beare the world in hand that Gregory condemned it for vnlawfull in the Bishop of Constantinople onely but allowed it in the Bishop of Rome for their right and lawfull Title for to this effect indeed did they alleadge these very words Howbeit we shall see plainely by Gregories testimonies following that he condemned the Title to be as vnlawfull in the Bishop of Rome as in the Bishop of Constantinople For hee writing to the Emperour against his Bishop for his arrogant pride in taking vpon him the Title of Vniuersall Bishop said m Gregory lib. 4. Epist. 32. O my gracious Lord doe I heerein quarrell for mine owne right * Lib. 6. 30. Epist. I speake it boldly whosoeuer calleth himselfe Vniuersall Bishop or desireth so to be called is in the pride of his heart the forerunner of Antichrist and more then so he saith n Gregor libr. 4. Epist. 38. He is Antichrist that shall claime to be called Vniuersall Bishop and shall haue a guard of Priests to attend vpon him Yea it is cleare that he knew both the Title and Office to be odious euen in the Bishops of Rome else would hee not haue sought to haue purged all before his time from it as from a Title of shame setting downe the manner of his purgation thus o Gregor libr. 4. Epist. 32. 36. None of my predecessours Bishops of Rome euer consented to vse that vngodly name no Bishop of Rome euer tooke vpon him that name of singularitie wee the Bishops of Rome would neuer receiue this honour being offered vnto vs. Also in that Eulogius his fellow Patriarke of Alexandria seeing the Bishop of Constantinople so willing to haue taken the Title vpon him would rather that Gregory then Bishop of Rome should haue had it and therefore to vrge him to haue taken it vpon him in the superscriptions of certaine Letters which he wrote vnto him offered him the Title but Gregory to declare his detestation thereof not onely besought him to offer it him no more but because he saw hee would not giue ouer vrging him he thus flowted him for his folly p Gregor lib. 7. Epist. 30. Ecce saith he behold euen the Title of your Letter yee haue written the proud poesie meaning mee the Vniuersall Pope notwithstanding I haue forbidden it I beseech your Holinesse doe so no more for whatsoeuer is giuen to any aboue reason is taken from your selues Also when as he saw that such an Officer was like to be established in the Church as should be made Prince of all Christian Priests he counted that his rising to that dignitie would be the deadly downfall of the olde and auncient order of Priesthood and therefore said q Gregor lib. 4. Epist. 52. 55 Seeing the order of Priesthood is fallen within it cannot now stand long without By which he plainely declareth that it was contrary to the auncient order of Priesthood that one should be vniuersall head of all Priests Againe to declare how dangerous a thing it would be if one should be made supreame head of the whole vniuersall Church he said further thus r Gregor libr. 4. Epist. 32. Admaueri If we haue but one head the fall of that head is the fall of the Whole Church If any man presume to take vpon him the name of Vniuersall Bishop the whole Church falleth downe from her estate when hee falleth which is called Vniuersall but farre may that name of blasphemie be from all Christian mindes 6 So that hereby Christian reader we see the case to stand cleare that notwithstanding Gregory the great Bishop of Rome allowed the order of Bishops in the vniuersall Church yet did he acknowledge it vtterly vnlawfull for himselfe or any other Christian Bishop to take vpon him the title of vniuersall Bishop and to be supreame head of the vniuersall Church condemning it for vngodly blasphemous and Antichristian and therefore dehorteth all true Christians to be farre from that minde And here wee may further note that forasmuch as himselfe would none of it he condemneth that brag for a very fond fable that the title and dignity of vniuersall Bishop descended to the Bishops of Rome by succession from S. Peter the Apostle Gregorie condemneth that for a fable that the title of vniuersall Bishop descended to the Bishop of Rome from S. Peter Also seeing he confesseth as we heard before that Peter himselfe was not called vniuersall Apostle he doth acknowledge it could not come from him And thus much for the prouing that the Papists had no Church for the first 605. yeeres after Christ For as no husband no wife so no vniuersall Pope no vniuersall spouse of the Popes And therefore the most auntient and Apostolike Church next after Christ was the same true Catholique Church yea the very selfe and same whereof we are now which as now so then it had no other vniuersall head but Christ Iesus onely and alone euen as Gregory also maketh it most manifest in that when as he reproued Iohn of Constantinople for seeking to be head of the vniuersall Church asked him as we heard right now how he could answere that point at the dreadfull day of iudgement to Christ the head of the vniuersall Church as did S. Augustine before his dayes as appeareth in his booke of the vnity of the Church cap. 2. cap. 3. cap. 16. 7 Now it remaineth that we speake of the other yeere to make out our number of 606. Decretall Know yee that next after Gregory succeeded Sabinianus who
continued but one yere then next after him entered Antichrist euen Boniface the third who with an impudent face fell to contend openly with the Bishop of Constantinople for his Antichristian title and dignity and by the meanes of Phocas the murtherer and Emperour obtained it and got to be established to him and his successours to be called supreame head of Christs vniuersall Church and father of all Christian Bishops and Rome the mother of all christian Churches And for plaine proofe hereof the Popes owne Decretall saith thus of this Boniface Å¿ Decretall This man by the meanes of Phocas the Emperour obtained against the Patriarke of Constantinople that the Sea of Peter should be the head of the Church As also Platina in these words t Platina of Bonifacius Pope Boniface the third obtained of the Emperour Phocas that Rome should be called the head of all Churches but with great contention and much adoe And heere was now the first singular vniuersall Pope established and marriage making betweene Antichrist and the Church which was no doubt in Gods iustice brought to passe for that she was now become most corrupt in doctrine and lewd in life as not onely Gregory witnesseth but also other histories at large doe declare But of the first beginning of their Church wee shall haue occasion to speake more plainely in the next Chapter in the meane time we will satisfie the reader what manner of supreame gouernment themselues affirme the Christian Church had from the time of the Apostles to the rising of Boniface which will also proue that to his time there was no singular vniuersall Pope allowed and established to be supreame head of the vniuersall Church 8 Their great Doctor Master Harding saith u Harding Apologie chap. 4. diuision 2. In great Cities where the highest Courts for iustice were kept and where the chiefe Pagan Priests of the Latines named Primi Flamines were resident before the comming of Christ there after Christs comming were Patriarkes or Primates placed by whom the weightie matters of Bishops should be decided Which if he will haue vs to beleeue then must we also beleeue that the first supreame gouernment that was ordained by the Apostles ouer Bishops and their vniuersall causes was by certaine chiefe or head Bishops and not by one and then where was this singular supreame gouernement of the Pope ouer all Bishops to be found But now to salue this fore commeth in their Iohannes Boemos with these words and saith * Boemos in his booke of the beginning of Arts Chap. 12. of the first rising of Christians The holy Apostles did all consent that Peter and all that followed him in the seate at Rome should for euer be called Papa vniuersall Father of Fathers A most horrible and blasphemous title forbidden by our Sauiour Christ to be giuen to any mortall man Matth. 23.9 Call no man your father vpon earth for there is but one euen your Father which is in heauen Therefore seeing this title is proper to God alone The title of vniuersall Father forbidden by Christ and forbidden by our Sauiour to be giuen to any other how can we beleeue that the Apostles of Christ durst consent to giue it to Peter or that Peter durst euer take it vpon him and yet notwithstanding hee addeth further and saith And that he should at Rome be President ouer the vniuersall Church as the Emperour there was ruler ouer the World And to match the Consuls which were twaine they appoynted foure head fathers in Greeke named Patriarkes one at Constantinople another at Antioch a third at Alexandria and the fourth at Ierusalem And hereby he would proue the Bishop of Rome to be supreame head ouer all but if Gregorie the Great had not condemned this for a fond fable by confessing that Peter himselfe was not called vniuersall Apostle and that no Bishop of Rome before his time euer had that title or dignitie yet hee himselfe hath For whereas he affirmeth the Patriarkes at the first ordination thereof to be foure in number which indeed they were before there was a sift at Constantinople and would haue Constantinople to be one of the foure by the Apostles owne ordination it is graunted by our English Catholiques * In their answere to mee about Page 4. that till after the Councell of Nice there was not so much as the name of Constantinople once heard of which was aboue three hundred yeares after Christ and about two hundred yeares after the decease of all the Apostles therefore how Constantinople could be one of the first foure by the Apostles owne ordination and deed let the Reader iudge As for the time before when she was poore and ruinous Byzantium shee could be none for as wee heard by their Doctor Harding right now that the Patriarchall Cities were the great and chiefe Cities But in this his foy sting in Constantinople for one of the first foure Patriarkes we see it euident he did it onely to exalt the Bishop of Rome a degree aboue the Patriarkes which as we heard in the 3. Section Gregorie in my 3. Section Gregorie condemned in that he said If one Patriarke be called Vniuersall hee derogateth from the other Pâ—â—triarkes Also If this name may goe currant honour is taken away from all the Patriarkes of whom he confesseth himselfe to be an equall and a fellow brother Againe seeing hee also confesseth that to his time no Bishop of Rome was aboue a Patriarke he proueth Boemous his testimonie false Also M. Hanmar in his Ecclesiast Historie of the first 600. yeares after Christ Fol. 564. to 600. M. Meredith Hanmar Doctor of Diuinitie albeit he be of their minde that the Patriarkes had their beginning from the time of the Apostles and would proue it by Eusebius Epiphanius Socrates Euagrius and others in this successiue manner setting downe the most ancients first and not last as Boemous doth Ierusalem The foure Patriarkdomes Antioch Rome Alexandria Iames the iust Peter Peter Marke Simion Cleophas Euodius Linus Anianus Iustus a Iew. Ignatius Clement Abilius Tobias Heros Cletus Cerdo Beniamin Corneli Anacletus Primus Iohn Marcus Auerastes Iustus Matthias Cassianus Alexander Eumenius Philip. Theophilus Sixtus Maricus Senecus Maximinus Thelesphoras Celadian Iustus Seraphion Higenius Agrippas Leui. Asclepiades Pius Iulianus Ephrem Philetus Anicetus Demetrus Ioseph Zebinus Soter Heraclas Iudas Babilas Elutherius Alexander Marcus Fabius Victor Dionisius Cassianus Demetrianus Zeuerinus Maximinus Publius Paulus Calistus Theonas Iulianus Domnus Vrbanus Peter Caius Timeus Pontianus Achillas Iulianus Cyrillius Anterus Alexander Capito Dorotheus Fabianus Athanasius Maximus Tyrranus Lucius Gregory Antonius Vitalis Steuen Peter Valens Phiologonus Xistus Lucius Dolichiâ— Eustatisius Dionisius Timothie Narcissus Felix Theophilus Dioâ— Eight yeares it was void Eutichianus Cyrilius Germamon  Caius Dioscorus Gor. Marcillinus Protorius Narcissus and Eulalius Marcilius Timothie Alexander Euphronius Eusebius Basilinus Masabanes Placitus Miltiades Peter Himineas Steuen Siluester
persecute mee in my members Their Prophetesse Mathilde saith p Mathilde in a prophesie of hers They are falne from Christ and become rauening Wolues deuouring and cutting the throats of Christs Sheepe 10 And that the vnpartial Reader may yet be the more fully resolued that these Priests which haue their callings from the Pope are not the Priests of Christ their Saint Bridgit bringeth in Christ thus disclaiming them vtterly saying q Bridgit lib. 1.47 Behold such Priests are not my Priests but very traytours for they both sell mee and betray mee like Iudas Wherefore notwithstanding they carrie the name of the Priests of Christ as Iudas carried the name of an Apostle of Christ yet the Reader may plainely see they are but counterfaits and as verie traytours to Christ as Iudas himselfe was And thus much for the answering these obiections namely that their Church was the most ancient and Apostolique Church That the succession of Popes descended from Saint Peter That wee had no Church till Luthers time That our Protestant Bishops and Ministers haue no lawfull callings Now it resteth in the next Chapter to trie whether the Popes owne calling be proued a lawfull calling by generall consent of Councels and Fathers as they avow or whether it be not a meere illusion of Antichrist so to say CHAP. VII Tending to resolue all men that the Papists great boasting of their generall consent from Saint Peters time is but a very Antichristian illusion that their antiquiy of the Popes vniuersall Supremacie is but a fallacie that the succession of vniuersall Popes descended from Saint Peter is without veritie and all of them together flat forgeries euen as wee haue already proued their other Principles to be and as in this Chapter God willing we shall proue them all to be FIrst N. D. in his Wardword Bellarmines assertion the Answere to Sir Frances Hastings Watchword page 102. wherof Bellarmine is supposed to be the originall Authour to enduce vs to beleeue that from Saint Peters time the Popes vniuersall Supremacie was approued of by all Councells and Fathers saith All the Christian world hath euer made this most certaine and infallible deduction that Christ gaue not to Saint Peter these imminent prerogatiues of authoritie and superioritie for himselfe alone but for his posterity and successours also that should ensue him in his seate and charge ouer the Church of Christ to the worlds end For this cause haue they reuerenced and respected so much the Bishops of Rome as by all generall Councels and Fathers and Ecclesiasticall Histories appeare THE ANSWERE 2 First as touching the ground of his Argument namely Peters Supremacie we shall proue at large in our next Chapter that it was but the same that the other Apostles had and therefore from him the Pope cannot claime any such prerogatiue of authoritie to be called vniuersall Bishop Christs Vicar generall or head of his vniuersall Church Secondly we haue already proued in our fifth Chapter that for the first 606. yeres next after Christ there was no vniuersall Pope approued of nor established Thirdly their great Doctour Maister Harding saith a Harding Apolog cap. 4. diuis 2 affirmeth the first supreame gouernement to be by foure therefore not by one In great Cities where the Highest courts for iustice were kept and where the chiefe pagan Priests of the Latines named Primi Flamines were resident before the comming of Christ there after the comming of Christ were Patriarkes or Primates placed by whom the weighty matters of Bishops should be decided Which if they will haue vs graunt to be true then must they graunt that from the Apostles times the first supreame gouernement that was ouer Bishops and their great and weightie matters was by certaine head Bishops and not by one and how then can that be true that from Saint Peters time the Bishop of Rome was supreame head ouer all 3 The first of all the Prelates that beganne to insult ouer other were the Bishops of Rome for that more honour beganne to be giuen to the Bishop of that Sea partly because Rome was then the most famous for Religion and partly also because it was then the Seate of the Emperour of the world they beganne proudly to vsurpe authoritie ouer their fellowes the first of which was Victor whose arrogancie when other Bishops espied they opposed themselues against Amongst whom was Policrates and Irenaeus who most sharpely reprehended him for it as Eusebius witnesseth b Eusebius And this was about the yeare of Christ 189. and therefore how is the consequent of Bellarmines assertion true that by the testimonies of all Histories the Christian world euer approued of the Popes superioritie aboue all 4 To the yeare of Christ 205. Euery Bishop sateâ— chiefe in his owne Citie or neare thereabout were holden these chiefe Synodes or Councels The first in Rome the second in Caesarea the third in Pontus the fourth in France the fifth in Ostroena and the sixt in Ephesus of which if they can proue the Bishop of Rome to sit as chiefe in any but in that of his owne Citie the victorie shall be theirs But it is euident by all these testimonies of Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 21. 22. 23. 24. lib. 1.21 and other places of his bookes that the Bishop of Rome sate as chiefe onely in his and the other in theirs wherefore how can that be true that all Councels and Fathers from Saint Peters time euer approued of the Popes chiefâ—tie 5 About the yeare of Christ 254. a Councell was holden at Carthage in which Saint Cyprian being Bishop of the same Prouince sate as chiefe who openly thus inueighed against the superioritie which Stephen then Bishop of Rome beganne to claime from Saint Peter and also thus cleared himselfe and the other Bishops there assembled from that arrogancie saying c Cyprian in sententijs Concilij Carthag ad Quirinum None of vs maketh himselfe a Bishop of Bishops neyther was Peter so arrogant to take things so insolently vpon him as to aduance himselfe as Primate and one vnto whom the rest as Nouices and Punies should be subiect Now therefore seeing Peter neuer had that prerogatiue of Superioritie and that so soone after Saint Peters death this Councell condemned the Bishop of Rome for attempting to aspire to that height of pride how is Bellarmines allegation true that all Councels and Fathers euer approued of the Popes Supremacie and the rather for that Saint Cyprian reprouing Cornelius Bishop of Rome for receiuing Appeales from others iurisdictions wrote thus vnto him d Cyprian lib. â— Epist. 3. Those that be vnder vs must not runne thus about to Rome vnlesse perhappes a few desperate and loose companions take the authoritie of the Bishops of Affrica to be lesse then at Rome Now then if those in that time so neare the Apostles which counted the authority of the Roman Bishops higher then the Affrican Bishops were accounted but as the offscomes of