who as appeareth euidently was called of the most godly Prince Constantine God seeing it is manifest God cannot bee iudged of men Another saith r Baldus in c. Eccles vt tit pend The Pope may doe all things aboue Law contrary to Law and without Law Moreouer Å¿ Bonis Distinct. 40. Si Papa If the Pope be found to neglect the saluation of his brethren vnprofitable and slacke in his office silent in that which is good hurtfull to himselfe and all others yea though hee leade with him innumerable soules by heapes to the diuell of hell yet may no mortall man finde fault with him or presume to reprooue him for so doing For as another saith t C. inter in corpor de translat Praela car Paris in conc 63. num 162. vol. 4. Those things hee doth hee doth them as God So that they say little lesse of him then what Saint Paul Rom. 9. saith of God Who art thou that pleadest against God Or that which Iob saith of God chap. 9. Who shall say vnto him What dost thou 5 Thirdly in authorising his Decrees equall with Gods saying thus v Alexander to Philip King of France That which the Pope doth is to be receiued as Canonicall Againe * Adrian caus 25. qâ—â—st i.q. generaâ—â— It is not lawfull to adde or diminish any thing the Pope hath done Also x Ibidem Whosoeuer shall violate or break the Popes Decrees shall be accursed Againe y Ibidem Who so offendeth in breaking the Popes Lawes shall neuer be forgiuen And lastly z Herâ—â—ans de poâ—â—â—â— papa cap. 23. The Pope is by power and vertue the whole Church wee may not swarue from his iudgement neyther to the right hand nor to the left * Iara in Deut. cap. 17. Though hee tell thee that thy right hand is thy left or that thy left hand is thy right hand such a sentence must bee held for good Thus are his Lawes in their account like those of which Christ speaketh in the Gospell Matthew 5. Whosoeuer shall breake one of these least commaundements and teach men so hee shall bee called the least in the Kingdome of Heauen 6 Fourthly in subiecting Gods word and holy Scriptures vnto his censure as thus a Summa Angelan Dist. Pap. The Pope may dispence for any Commaundement of the Old or New Testament b 6. q. 1. Quicunque in glossa The Popes priuiledges may be graunted against the Lawe of God c Nicola Cusan ad Bohaemos epist. 2. There be no commaundements of Christ in the Gospell but such onely as are taken and holden by the Church d Syluester Prierias contra Lutherium The doctrine of the Scriptures take their force and authority of the Pope and his doctrine e Ibidem The authority of the Church of Rome and of the Popes is aboue the authority of the Scriptures Lastly f Pighnus in contro De Ecclesia The Scriptures are a nose of waxe a dead letter and dumbe Iudges Whereupon another sayth g John Maria verracties Editius est Anno 1561. Wee most humbly confesse that the authority of the Church is aboue the authority of the Gospell 7 So that by all these testimonies out of the mouthes of their grauest Writers wee see plainely that the Romish church holdeth and esteemeth the Pope to be not a terrestiall Good but rather a celestiall God For in that they will haue him called God in a diuine sense and taken not for a pure man but for a true God and will haue him to be worshipped with diuine honours as God and to haue power in heauen earth and hell ouer Angells Diuells and men and to be able to deliuer from hell and to giue the kingdome of heauen and free him from all censure and controlement of any and make his Decrees not onely equall with Gods but aboue them they will haue him to bee a celestiall god euen in the highest degree For it is cleare that his Lawes and decrees that are the most highest aboue all lawes and decrees is the most highest aboue all gods And heerein they prooue him to be indeede that great Antichrist The man of sinne mentioned by Saint Paul 2 Thes 2. 2. Thessal 2. That should sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God and exalting himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped That is not onely aboue all Princes and Maiestrates which in some sense are called Gods but aboue the three persons vnto whom all diuine worship and honour is only due and so we may conclude but they say no and who then shall be Iudge betweene vs that shall these sixe vnpartiall Iudges Ioacham Abbas Iraeneus Anselmus Saint Hierome Gregory the Great and Erasmus Ioacham saith h Joacham Abbas Hee it is that exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped which is called Holy Lord and most Holy Pope Iraeneus sayth i Iraeneus lib. 5. lest chapter saue one Antichrist notwithstanding he be but a slaue yet he will be worshipped as if he were God and proclaimed as a King Anselmus sayth k Anselmus 2. Thessal 2 Antichrist shall faine himselfe to be holy that hee may deceiue men vnder the colour of holinesse Yea and hee shall call himselfe God and shall cause himselfe to be worshipped and shall promise the Kingdome of heauen Saint Hierome sayth l Hierom. in Zachar. 11. This shepheard is so wicked that hee is not called a worshipper of Idols but an Idol it selfe because he calleth himselfe God and will be worshipped of all men Gregory the Great sayth m Gregory in his 25. booke vpon the 34. 14. chapter of Iob. Whereas hee is a damned man and not a spirit liuing he faineth himselfe to be God To conclude Erasmus sayth thus of the Pope n Erasmus vpon the 16. hap of the Râ—u lat 2. Sect. That beast at Rome of whom we spake before is the very right Antichrist which worketh against the Gospell of Christ. And yet for a more full resolution that the Pope is the same great Antichrist which Saint Paul calleth The man of sinne and sonne of perdition that should exalt himselfe aboue God their Saint Hildigard a Nunne o Hildig in her third â—ook the 11. Vision giueth the Pope these very same titles The man of sinne and sonne of perdition And their prophâ—â— Paracelsus in his twelft figured Prediction directed to the Pope prooueth him also to be the same For saith â—â—e p Paras 12. Prediction Thou hast lifted thyselfe on high And a little after Thou hast exalted thy selfe aboue God and he shall returne vnto thee the reward thou hast sought Now then whereas some haue doubted whether the Pope be that great Antichrist for that the great Antichrist should come vnto such an exceeding great height of pride and vaine-glory as that none before him could neyther after
1. Inocentius 3. Nicholas 5. Anastatius 1. Damassus 1. Alexander 3. Calistus 2. Lando 1. Leo 8. Vrbanus 3. Pius 1. Iohn 7. Victor 1. Clement 3. Paul 2. Leo 5. Steuen 8. Gregory 9. Xistus 1. Steuen 6. Nicolas 2. Inocentius 4. Inocentius 7. Iohn 8. Alexander 1. Haedrian 5. Alexander 5. Leo 6. Gregory 6. Iohn 17. Pius 2. Steuen 7. Victor 2. Nicolas 3. Iulius 1. Martinus 3. Vrbanus 1. Martin 4. Leo 9. Agapitus 1. Paschalis 2. Honorius 4. Â Iohn 9. Gelasius 1. Nicholas 4. Â Leo 7. Gallistus 1. Calestinus 4. Â 2 These euen from the very time of the decease of their predecessour and head began to put in practise their Antichristian authority receiued from him for the subduing of all Churches that did resist them amongst which the Church of Rauenna was one which as the Popes Decretall testifieth thought scorne to be brought in subiection to Rome neuerthelesse the same Decretall declareth that in the end Pope Domnus made her to yeeld And this was about 64 yeeres after the first vniuersall Pope Also the same Decretall declareth that the Church of Aquila resisted but yet about some 20. yeeres after the other Pope Sergius got the victory and forced her to yeeld And thus did they continue vanquishing all Churches in the West part till neere Luthers time But yet not so but that maugre the heads of all the Popes we had a Church continued in the Romish iurisdiction till within some 20. yeeres before Luthers rising though not alwaies a standing state but a dispersed company scattered here and there by meanes of persecution Reuelat. 12.14.15.16 wherein that prophecie was fulfilled Reuel 12. which testifieth that in the time of Antichrists reigne the Church of Christ within his dominions should be driuen into the wildernesse of this world and great floods of persecution sent after her to ouerwhelme her but as the Text saith The earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the floud That is she was preserued by meere temporall and earthly people for amongst the spiritualtie both she and her seed were holden as heretiques and that chiefly for these causes First for that when as they saw that vniuersall dominion which the Pope had gotten ouer the Clergie they affirmed him to be that Angell of the Bottomlesse Pit prophecied of in the 11. verse of the 9. chap. of the Reuelation that should attaine to be king of the Clergie whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greeke named Appolyon which in English signifieth a destroyer Secondly for that when as they saw the Pope to bring into the Church and establish for Principles of Religion his Heathenish vnwritten verities The Pope reuealed himselfe to be Antichrist and those olde heresies wherewith the false Apostles and other Heretiques had corrupted the puritie of the Gospell and that he did offer them to the Church in the name of Christs Gospell they affirmed him to be that whore of Babylon foretold in the 4. verse of the 17. chap. of the Reuelation that should offer to the world The abhomination and filthinesse of her fornication in a golden Cup to wit in the name of Christ Thirdly for that when as they saw the Pope gotten aboue the Secular powers and that Emperours and Kings did yeeld him such subiection as to fall downe before his footstoole to kisse his feete to carrie him vpon their shoulders to leade his horse to hold his stirhop whiles hee gets on horse-backe yea euen to become his Vassalles they affirmed him to be the same great Antichrist mentioned in the 13. verse of the same chap. vnto whom the Text declareth The Kings of the earth should giue their power and authoritie Fourthly for that when as they saw the Pope to be come to that great height of pride as we plainely did demonstrate in our first Chapter namely to take vpon him the title of God and to suffer himselfe to be called our Lord God the Pope An vndoubted and true God on earth And to suffer men to prostrate themselues before him and to crie vnto him O thou our Sauiour which takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. And to exalt his power ouer the Angels in heauen diuels in hell and ouer the dead and his decrees aboue the decrees of God and to haue power to fetch out of hell as many soules as he will and place them in heauen they affirmed him to be same Man of sinne and sonne of perdition foretold by S. Paul 2 Thes 2. That should sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe to be God and exalting himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshiped Lastly for that when as they saw that with tooth and naile he laboured to frame and fashion all things to the similitude of the first beast The Heathen Empire they affirmed him to be that second beast mentioned in the 11. and 12. verses of the 13. cap. of the Reuel which should arise in the Romane kingdome after the Romane Emperours of whom S. Iohn saith thus And I beheld another beast Reuel 13.11.12 comming vp out of the earth which had two hornes like the Lambe but he spake like the Dragon and he did all that the first beast could doe before him and hee caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast That is by bringing them to honour reuerence and obserue all the former Heathenish and Idolatrous ordinances set vp againe by him Whereunto because that part of our Church among them would not yeeld it grew into contempt with them and was most grieuously persecuted and the faithfull Christians driuen from place to place and from countrie to countrie being of the most part among them taken and holden for notorious heretiques such as they hold vs to be at this day And because they grounded all their assertions vpon those and such like places of Scriptures whereby the Popes calling began to be called into question the Scriptures were forbidden to be written any longer in a knowne tongue and for that cause also it was that they so blasphemously depraued the Scriptures calling them c Pigghius Hierar lib. 3. cap. 3. fol. 203. A nose of waxe an inkie letter a dead letter and a blacke Gospell and that they are none otherwise to be vnderstood then the Pope and his Church will interpret them and that they must follow the Church and not the Church them and that the authority of the Pope and Church of Rome is aboue them Asoius Hosius Hence it was also that Lay men were forbidden to reade the Scriptures perswading them that they did but leade men into errour and that ignorance is the mother of deuotion howbeit all this did nothing preuaile for the faithfull in euery Coast and Countrey among them did the more diligently follow Christs commandement Iohn 5. Search the Scriptures Ioh. 5.39 and that euen in the greatest heate of persecution which was
in their proper shape and true likenesse And this was also at the time of the rising of Luther when as there was neither sound doctrine true faith nor religion to be found in all the Romish iurisdiction according to that Prophecie of their S. Hildegard a Nunne which saith In the Apostolike order to wit in the Roman Sea no religion shall be found Truely Christian Reader it seemeth very apparent that God hath made speciall choyse of England aboue all the Nations in the world to be the chiefe for the recouering and reducing of that part of his Church the Romish iurisdiction and the ouerthrow of Antichrists kingdome and religion For whereas in the 17. chapter of the Reuelation the tenne hornes are declared to be the maine strength of the seauen-hilled Citie to wit Rome and that the text declareth also those hornes to be so many kingdomes and that the learned expound them to be these tenne head kingdomes of the Romish iurisdiction England Scotland Denmarke c. the first whereof that withdrew her power from Rome was England it is manifest England is the chiefe I know Christian Reader it would be thought strange to say that that which was done by King Henry was foretold in the booke of the Reuelation Neuerthelesse a very learned man writing vpon these words in the 13. verse of the 11. chap. And the tenth part of the Citie shall fall saith plainely It is a thousand to one but that it is meant of King Henry meaning his withdrawing his power from Rome And indeed it is tenne thousand to one but that it is meant of him For plaine experience doth euidently demonstrate England to be the chiefe of those tenne Kingdomes also which the 16. verse of the 17. chap. declareth shall be the meanes of the finall fall of the Citie of Rome and power of Antichrist for that after this worke was set abroach by King Henry we saw it so greatly to preuaile vnder the raigne of that famous Queene his Daughter Elizabeth that at her decease the Pope had scarce three of those Kingdomes signified by those hornes left to adhere with him intirely And I doe finde also by diuers of the olde Romish Predictions that as God made King Henry the maine beginner of the ruine and decay of the strength of Romish Babylon so he hath ordained a most worthy King of the name of Iacob to second him in that worke And as touching that which shall be further effected by him thus hath their Robertus a Dominican Frier written long agoe in his second Sermon But Iacob flying from the Serpents face which Serpent in his third vision hee affirmeth the spirit told him was Antichrist the Pope is ioyned to those that doe praise my name For which cause hee declareth the Pope whom in the same Sermon hee compareth to Esau should put in practise the destruction of the spirituall Iacob as also for refusing to ioyne with him and to be of his societie For there hee bringeth in the Pope speaking in this manner to his spirituall sonnes Goe to my Sonnes and enter into a consultation among your selues how I may bring him vnder for by his destruction my treasure shall bee exceedingly increased I haue neede of much because the name of my house is great vpon the face of the earth Deglutiamus eum virum Come therefore let vs swallow him vp aliue Which Prophecie albeit wee saw fulfilled in the Powder-treason yet as the same Frier sheweth that all the Pope could doe should nothing at all preuaile so thankes be to our good God we saw it did not Againe the same Frier in his sixeteenth Sermon fore-sheweth that it shall come to passe that the same Iacob whom there hee calleth the Lyon King shall visite the Emperour and the rest of the Roman and other Catholique Princes of Christendome by his Christian and royall exhortations to helpe to subdue the Pope and to bring the Church of Rome into the same state of primitiue puritie as it was in the happy dayes of Constantine the Great Theodosius Valentinian c. Whereby he declareth not onely how greatly the Church of Rome is fallen from her primitiue purity in religion but also that shee shall be reformed by the speciall meanes of our Nation of England And to the like effect are these words of their Saint Bridgit cannonized for a Saint by Pope Boniface the ninth in her sixt booke of Reuelations 26. chap. where she bringeth in Christ complayning of the decaied state of the Church of Rome shewing him to exhort all Christian Kings what course to take for the perfect reformation thereof saying Wherefore the King for whom thou dost pray ought to call and assemble a Councell of Spirituall men such as are wise through my wisedome and he ought to enquire diligently of those that haue my spirite and aske their aduice how and by what meanes the wall of my Church may be built againe amongst Christians how God may be restored to his honour true Religion made to flourish anew godly charity made more feruent my passion more deepely imprinted in the hearts and mindes of men and my Commaundements loued with greater zeale and respect Let him therefore gather together the vpright and true kinde of Christians that hee together with them may repaire the spirituall breaches of my Church the which verily hath departed too farre from mee By which wee see shee giueth all true Christian Princes to vnderstand that God requireth of them that they ioyne together and vse all meanes by godly and learned instructers to reclayme the Romish Church and to reduce her to that most auncient Catholique faith and religion which Saint Paul so commended her for at the first which albeit at the first or on the sodaine shee will not receiue but as their Abbot Ioachim vpon the 22. chapter of Ieremy sayth Will stoppe her eares lest shee should heare the charming of the inchaunter the voyce of him that admonisheth her yet vpon the 15.17.18.21 and 22. chapters he showeth that those admonitions shall in short time so worke that not onely the Germaine Empire shall forsake the Church of Rome but the Church it selfe with her Colledge of Cardinalls shal be diuided and fall into discord among themselues And vpon the 50. and 51. of Ieremy he sheweth by the effect that those admonitions shall so greatly preuaile that the Pope and the whole order of his Clergie his Consistorie and State shall be exceedingly impaired For saith he The Nobles of the Romaine Church shall perish the Monasteries shall be diminished the High Priest shall be purified and Christian Religion shall be winnowed as with a fanne And the same also did their Saint Katharine of Sienne foresee as may appeare by these her words written in a prayer of hers But what shall the Lord doe to these euill husband men he shall come and destroy them and let out his Vineyard vnto others c. By tribulations and afflictions and in such a manner
and most auncient Church had but two Sacraments How the other fiue crept into the Church That the Masse by their owne confession was made by diuers Bishops of Rome long after the Apostles That it tendeth to the vtter dissoluing of the whole Harmony of the Scriptures both Propheticall and Apostolicall the ouerthrow of the power of Christs death and passion and the casting mens mindes into a doubtfull wauering of their saluation 10 That the words of Christ touching the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud as also his other words concerning the sacrament are but figuratiue speeches 11 That wee ought to pray to God alone and not to Saints And to worship God alone and not Saints That none can be mediatour betweene God and man but onely he that is partaker of the natures both of God and man 12 That the originall authours of the doctrine of Purgatory were the Heathen Philosophers How it doth confound the iudgement of the Popish writers and how it doth deny the bloud of Christ to be sufficient for the purging of sinne The Chapter of Conclusion sheweth that we are iustified in the sight of God by faith onely without workes That we possesse Heauen only by the meanes of faith and being there the fruits thereof are rewarded with the degrees of glorie That the high way to damnation is to seeke saluation by merites The Popes deadly wound Tending to resolue all Men in the chiefe and principall Points now in controuersie betweene the Papists and Vs. CHAPTER I. This Chapter tendeth to resolue all men that notwithstanding both Protestants and Papists professe but one God one Faith one Baptisme and one Lord Iesus Christ that yet there is so great a difference in the manner of their profession that it is not possible that they should be combined and conioyned together to make one and the same true Church of Christ 1 IT hath beene imagined Christian Reader that forasmuch as the Papists and wee professe one and the same God c. there might well be an vnion betweene vs and them to make one and the same Vniuersall Church but I trust through the helpe of Gods spirit it shall be made manifest to the whole Church of God that it is no more possible then by mixing with the puritie of the Gospell the Abomination of desolation by which Saint Hierome saith a Hierome in his booke vpon thâ— 24. of Saint Matth. w. We may vnderstand all manner of peruerse and false doctrine there can bee made one and the same true Christian Religion True it is that many notable Heretikes of former times haue professed one and the same God with the Church and as Saint Chrysostome saith * Chrysostome of the Worke vpon Matth. Had gotten the notes and markes of the true Church to wit sayth he Churches the Scriptures of God Bishops and other orders of Clarkes and likewise Baptisme and the Sacrament of Thankesgiuing and to conclude Christ himselfe but yet as he sheweth that the true Church of Christ would not admit them into the fellowship thereof nor take them for true members of the same The reason was for that with their profession they mingled such erronious opinions of God as made him no God according to that which Saint Hilary saith b Hilary in Ps 1. To deuise fancies of God is as horrible as to say there is no God 2 For wee beleeue and professe but one diuine God according to Deuter. 4.35 and one mediatour betweene God and man Euen the man Christ Iesus according to Saint Paul 1. Tim. 2.5 The Papists professe that the Lord he is God but not God onely and that Christ is mediatour but neither wholly nor only as this first Chapter shall plainly demonstrate from their owne Doctors for one writeth thus c Fel. in cap. ego N. de iureiur The Pope hath the place vpon earth not of a pure man but of a true God The Bishop of Aeix saith d Contr Bassinet vt Hist. Gallica Our holy Father the Pope is an vndoubted and true God on earth In their Extrauagants he is termed e Extra coment in glossa Our Lord God the Pope besides their Councell of Trident f Trident. in sexto de lect decreed him to be God In the Councell of Lateraine one saluted the Pope with this title g Latr. sess 4. Thou art another God on earth which the Pope accepted as his due euen as Pope Nicholas seeking authority whereby he might claime that dignitie found these words treasured vp in the Popes Library * Nicholas Dist. 96. satis euidenter It is well knowne that the Pope of the godly Prince Constantine was called God To which words Augustine Steuche the keeper of the Popes Librarie added h Steuche libr. Donat. Constant. pag. 141. Dost thou not heare that the highest Bishop was called of Constantine God and that he was taken for God and worshipped as God with diuine honour Whereby it plainely appeareth that this title is not giuen him of flatterers against his will neyther fell it out of their fingers rashly or by chance but with good consideration and therefore they ascribe also vnto him the great power and authority not of a terrestiall God but euen of a celestiall and that in foure respects 3 First in graunting to him as large commaund as to God himselfe for thus they write i Extrauag De translat-Episcopi Quinto Hostin Sinne excepted the Pope in a manner may doe all that God may doe Againe k Counsel Lat. Leo. 10. In the Pope there is all manner of power aboue all power as well of heauen as of earth Also l Extrauag De Constitu lib. Statuta The Pope hath power ouer the Angells both good and bad And m Agrippa de vanitat Scient The Pope hath power to command the Angells and hath power ouer the dead Againe n Baldus in li. Barbarius De officio praetoris The Pope is all and aboue all Furthermore o L. Sacrilegij c. de crim sacril ind c. Ecclesia vt tit pend It is sacriledge to doubt of the Popes power * for he is the cause of causes therefore we must make no question about his power seeing there is no cause of the first cause Lastly p In Bull. Clem. 6. in Ant. Flo. The Pope hath so great power both in Purgatory and also in hell that he may deliuer by his Indulgences place in the heauen and habitation of the blessed as many Soules as he will So that in his power of commaunding hee is made equall with God as if hee might be bold to say with our Sauiour Matth. 28. All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth 4 Secondly they match him with God in giuing him priuiledge and exemption from all censure saying q Dist. Satis lib. Don. Constant. pag. 141. The Pope cannot at all be eyther bound or loosed by the Secular power
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
fall before any of the rest tooke the more care of him and paines with him and vsed greater motiues to incourage him to constancie it doth not therefore follow Peter Peter none but Peter Nay we see it most euident to be altogether no such matter onely it was a subtill illusion whereby they did cunningly conueigh all power in the Romish iurisdiction to the Pope and by which they labour still to retaine it and not onely that power which they faine Peter to haue had aboue the other Apostles but euen that also which God himselfe hath aboue all for thus doe they write * See Chap. 1. Sect. 3. In the Pope there is all manner of power aboue all power as well of heauen as of earth Againe * Ibidem The Pope hath power ouer the Angels both good and bad Againe * Ibidem The Pope hath power to commaund the Angels and hath power ouer the dead Againe * Ibidem The Pope hath so great power both in Purgatory and also in Hell that hee may deliuer by his Indulgences and place in the heauen and habitation of the blessed as many soules as he will Againe * Ibidem The Pope is all and aboue all By which what else will they proue but that the Pope is the God of all power and consequently an almighty God Moreouer thus doe they write * Ibidem It is sacriledge to doubt of the Popes power for he is the cause of causes therefore we must make no question about his power seeing there is no cause of the first cause And hereby they will proue him to be an eternall God But forasmuch as they fain the Pope to haue receiued al his power from Peter let them shew vs first in what place of Scripture they find Peter to haue receiued this power froÌ„ Christ secondly where any of all the Apostles haue thus written of Peters power if they can shew none then it is certaine Peter neuer had that power and therefore the Pope could not receiue it from him and yet notwithstanding doe they further write thus * Cha. 1. Sect. â— The Pope hath the place vpon earth not of a pure man but of a true God Againe * Ibidem Our holy Father the Pope is an vndoubted and true God on earth Therefore * Sect. 4. Those things hee doth hee doth them as God * Sect. 2. And is to be taken for God and worshipped with diuine honour as God And to ratifie the truth heereof they close vp the whole with this title * Sect. 2. Our Lord God the Pope Therefore forasmuch as none is to be found in any part of all the Christian Churches in the vniuersall world that doth claime to himselfe the essentiall properties and prerogatiues of God but the Pope it is without all contradiction none but the Pope is that Antichrist The man of sinne and sonne of perdition fore-told by Saint Paul 2 Thessalonians 2. That should sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe to be God To be briefe as they cannot shew any one Scripture by the authoritie whereof the Pope may iustly claime from Peter these essentiall prerogatiues of God or the title of God so can they not shew by any one place of Scripture that Christ cuer gaue to Peter any such titles or dignities as the Pope yet further claimeth from him as to be called the Vicar of Christ Supreame head of the Church or Prince of Priests Nay albeit the contrary may be directly proued in that when as the strife was risen amongst the Apostles about supreame principalitie Luke 22. Christ himselfe tooke in hand the matter and thus resolued them saying Luke 22.24 Matth. 20.25 Marke 10.24 Matth. 20. Marke 10. It shall not be so among you but whosoeuer will be great among you shall be your seruant and whosoeuer will be chiefe of you shall be seruant to all the rest yet will they haue Peter to be the Prince of all the Apostles that so they might deriue that dignitie to the Pope to make him Prince of all Priests Therefore for the knitting vp of all that hitherto we haue intreated of and the manifest opening and clearing of the whole matter and of all that we haue said concerning this point this I say that forasmuch as wee haue proued this maine fundamentall principle not to stand vpon a sound ground whatsoeuer is built thereon can not stand For seeing Christ gaue no greater principalitie to Peter then hee did to any of the other Apostles it was not possible that Peter could be the supreame head of Christs vniuersall Church And that it may also appeare how vnlawfull it was for Peter or any but Christ alone so to be Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome himselfe plainely proueth from Saint Paul as may appeare where hee reprehending Iohn Bishop of Constantinople for attempting to be supreame head of the Church gaue him to vnderstand that therein he declared himselfe to be the fore-runner of Antichrist And to shew him that he was neuer able to answere that iniurie done to Christ he demaunded of him this question saying z Gregor lib. 4. Epist. 38. If Saint Paul would not haue the members of the Lords body to bee subiect to any head but to Christ no not to the Apostles themselues what wilt thou answere to Christ the head of the vuiuersall Church at the last iudgement that thus goeth about by the name of Vniuersall Bishop to make all his members subiect to thee Whom doest thou immitate in this so peruerse a name but Lucifer that would haue beene head ouer all the Angels in heauen By which hee proueth this saying of Cardinall Cusanus a Cusanus ad Bohemos epist 2. The members vmted to the Chaire ioyned to the Pope make the Church to be but an Antichristian delusion and the Pope for taking vpon him to be supreame head of Christs vniuersall Church to be that great Antichrist which the Church of Rome should take for her other husband besides Christ whereby she should proue her selfe to be indeed the whoore of Babylon mentioned by the Angell in the seauenteenth chapter of the Reuelation For it is manifest by Saint Paul Romans 7.2 That she that hath two husbands at once is an whoore And therefore this maketh the case to stand cleare that Rome cannot be the Mother of all Christian Churches vnlesse wee may conclude that all Christian Churches are the children of an whoore which God forbid 13 The Church of God vnder the Law The Church vnder the Law had God onely to her husbaÌ„d as the Church vnder the Gospel hath Christ onely had none other Head or husband but God himselfe as appeareth by the Pâ—ophet Esay 45.5 where hee said to the Church of the Iewes Hee that made thee is thine husband whose name is the Lord of Hostes So by the words of Saint Paul it appeareth as plainely that vnder the Gospell