Romani pontificis Which maketh me to thinke that he had no supremacie sith that he did not exercise any part of it as his behauiour in the Acts of the Apostles doth shew And this albéeit I haue proued it by other of his déedes already yet it may be séene more clearely by that which is written in the 15. of the Actes where the councel is set forth that was helde by the Apostles and Disciples at Ierusalem In the which councel although the bookes of councels set forth by the Papistes doe report that Peter was heade and as it were the Iudge and chiefe ruler of it yet if a man do reade the wordes of saint Luke in the Actes of the Apostles Actes 15. Peter shuld séeme rather in that councell to be one of the meanest out of doubt not the chiefest For it is the common and auncient order that wheras matter doth come in question to be argued the meanest vseth to begin and so as they are of greater authoritie for age or degrée or knowledge or such respect they doe follow orderly vntill that the chiefest speake last and take vp the matter Wherefore those bookes of councels Summa conciliorum Fr. Barth Carranzae and the abridgement of them which doe make Peter to be head of the coūcell holden at Ierusalem which was holden vnder him being the first Pope as they fondly speake of him they doe say more of him than they can proue out of the actes of the Apostles out of the which they must proue whatsoeuer they report of this councell or else they forge it For there it is written that when Paul and Barnabas had proposed the matter whereof the controuersie was Peter did first begin to declare his minde of it after great disputation And when Peter had saide then Barnabas and Paul spake their mindes also When they helde their peace Iames ended the matter giuing his sentence and iudgement of the controuersie The truth of al the which that it may be the more manifest I will set downe the very wordes of Saint Luke as they are writen in the Actes so farre foorth as they pertaine to the declaring of this matter Then came downe certaine from Iudea and taught the brethren saying except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses Actes 15. ye can not be saued And when there was great dissention and disputation by Paul and Barnabas against them they ordeined that Paul and Barnabas and certaine other of them should go vp to Ierusalem vnto the Apostles and Elders about this question And when they were come to Ierusalem they were receiued of the Church and of the Apostles and Elders and they declared what things God had done by them But said they certaine of the sect of the Pharisees which did beleeue rose vp saying that it was needful to circumcise them and commaund them to keepe the lawe of Moses Then the Apostles and Elders came together to look to this matter And when there had bene great disputation Peter rose vp and said vnto them Ye men and brethren ye knowe that a good while agoe among vs God chose out me that the Gentiles by my mouth should heare the worde of the Gospell and beleeue And God which knoweth the hearts bare them witnesse in giuing vnto them the holy Ghost euen as he did to vs and he put no difference betweene vs and them after that by faith he had purified their hearts Nowe therefore why tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples neckes which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare But we beleue through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they doe Then all the multitude kept silence and heard Barnabas and Paul which tolde what signes and wonders God had done among the Gentiles by thē And when they helde their peace Iames answered saying Men and brethren hearken vnto me Simeon hath declared howe God did first visit the Gentiles to take of them a people vnto his name And to this agree the words of the Prophets Which words Iames hauing rehearsed doth in this sorte conclude and end the matter Wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them of the Gentiles that are turned to God but that we write vnto them that they abstaine them selues from filthinesse of idols and fornication and that that is strangled and from bloud Vpon this sentence and iudgement of Iames it séemed good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to send chosen men of their owne companie to Antiochia with Paul and Barnabas to wit Iudas whose syrname was Barsabas and Silas which were chefe men among the brethren and they wrote letters by them after this manner The Apostles and Elders and the brethren vnto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antiochia and in Syria and in Cilicia send greeting For as much as we haue heard that certaine which departed from vs haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your mindes saying ye must be circumcised and keepe the lawe to whom we gaue no such commaundement it seemed therefore good to vs when we were come together with one accord to send chosen men vnto you with our beloued Barnabas and Paul men that haue giuen vp their liues for the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ We haue therefore sent Iudas and Silas which shall also tell you the same things by mouth For it seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs to lay no more burthen vppon you then these necessarie thinges that is that ye abstaine from things offered to idols and bloud and that that is strangled and from fornication from which if ye keepe your selues ye shall doe well Fare ye well This Epistle containing the decrée of the councel agréeth fully with that which Iames before did speak when he gaue his iudgement of the matter that was in question Sauing that in the Epistle it is said Visum est spiritui sancto nobis It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs. It is not saide Visum est spiritui sancto Petro It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to Peter but to the holy Ghost and to vs meaning the Apostles the Elders and the brethren the whole congregation of Christe at Ierusalem Wherfore in the councel where Peters supremacie should appeare chiefly there appeareth none at all and sith that neither he claimed any neyther the rest did giue him any it is to be thought he had not any If any man thinke otherwise he beléeueth not S. Peter 1. Pet. 5. who calleth himselfe compresbyterum a companion and fellowe of the Elders of the Church and forbiddeth them to play the Lordes ouer Gods heritage Which ouerthroweth his Supremacie whom the Papistes do call Sanctissimum dominum nostrum Papam Our most holy lord the Pope God giue them grace to acknowledge with vs him that is in déede our most holy Lord our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Chap. 10. That in the
The rooting out of the Romishe Supremacie Wherein is declared that the authoritie which the Pope of Rome doth chalenge to him selfe ouer all Christian Bishops and Churches is vnlawfully vsurped contrarie to the expresse word and institution of our Sauiour Iesu Christ who did giue equall power and authoritie to all the Apostles Bishops and Ministers of his Church whereof he is the true corner stone and only heade Set foorth by William Chauncie Esq AT LONDON Printed by H. Middleton for Iohn Perin AN. 1580. TO THE RIGHT Honourable and his singular good Lord the Lorde Robert Dudley Earle of Leycester Baron of Denbigh Knight of the most Honourable orders of the Garter and of Saint Michell Master of the Queenes Maiesties horses and one of the Lordes of her highnes moste honourable Priuie Councell William Chauncy Esquier wisheth prosperous continuance of health long life and honour with increase of the grace and all blessings of Almightie God IT is very well knowen and very woorthy to bee considered how the transgression and breaking the commandement of Almightie God by our first parent Adam in Paradise did so vehemently displease the Lord through disobedience and so greatly infect al mankinde with sinne that Adam lost thereby not only his Angelical estate of innocencie but also the most blessed ioyes of paradise from the which he was driuen out into this worldly vale of miserie therein to get eate his foode with the sweate of his face Gen. 3.19 as God did him commaund Whereof it came to passe that his two first naturally begottē sonnes of Eua his wife the Elder named Caine the younger Abel being the two first brethren in this world who therfore should most singularly and intirely haue loued ech the other aboue al other creatures yet the infection of their Father Adams sinne wrought so that because Abels oblation to God dutifully made was of him well accepted and Cains oblation was not regarded Caine therfore did so much hate enuie his brother Abel that when they were in the fielde Gen. 4.8 he maliciously fell vpon and did wilfully murther him of whom he neuer was offended This malice and sinful enuie of Cain hath euer sith that time so cleaued to mans nature and infected all mankind that no excellent worke or deede can be lightly done by any man but some other straightways are readie through enuie to despise it and speake reprochfully of it Yea not so much as the singular and famous learned in diuinitie or in any other knowledge of commendable artes can set his penne to the booke for the deuising or setting forth of any worke to the aduancement of the glorie of God and benefite of his Churche but some there are who moued with malice enuie by writing or speaking will hinder depraue it to the vttermost of their powers as by plaine experience in all Christian kingdomes hath beene and is shewed dayly too manifestly to the whole worlde How greatly then right honorable ought I beeing not brought vp in any Vniuersitie nor instructed in the artes of Logike and Philosophie be abasshed to take vpon me to set downe in writing this my simple collection out of the Scriptures and other lawes and histories to be thereby made by some others a mocke and a gasing stocke to euil disposed persons Wherefore had not your honour so earnestly required to haue a copie of it whereof my promise beeing past I might not denie it otherwise truely it should neuer haue gone further but haue still remained in my owne handes for the onely putting of my selfe in memorie of the thinges therein gathered as it may appeare by the simple doing of it But to present it to you this also made me the bolder that I know your Lordship is of so Noble a nature courteous conditions that you wil be a patrone and defender of it against all malicious and enuious persons which hereafter shall endeuour them selues by worde or writing to defame and slaunder it I present it therefore vnto your Honour according to my promise committing it wholy to your honourable protection as vnto one moste worthy of it for your true fauoring of Gods holy word for setting forth of his glorie for mainteyning the doctrine of his onely sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ the suppressing of the Romish vaine and superstitious traditions and abuses The which your godly vertues are ioyned together with singular affabilitie iustice clemencie specially in forgiuing of iniuries Which appeareth by that you haue not sought or wrought reuengement or hinderance of any body for any wrongs don either to your own person or to your noble progenitors at any time sith you haue ben in great authority vnder our prince and right able to haue reuenged them but gently quietly haue borne al such things with great mildenes and without opprobrious rebukes and rehearsals of them made to any person as farre as euer I could heare of or learne Wherein your great modestie and magnanimitie hath so much redounded to your immortall fame and honour that I may right wel therefore compare you with the right noble Germanicus Caesar Lieutenant vnto the Emperour Tiberius ouer all Italie Who during the time of his Lieuetenantship did behaue himselfe so gently and vprightly to all men that he seldome entered into the Citie of Rome with out great peril danger of his life by reasō of the throng presse of the multitude of people which gathered about him for verie loue and desire they had to see and welcome him to the Citie These excellent giftes and qualities of that noble man Germanicus Caesar I say can no more staine or blemish your most noble vertues before touched then the burning candle is able to dimme or darken the cleare bright shining sonne at the noone day whereof I my selfe in the time of my great aduersities thorough most iniurious vexations and troubles of some enuious persons haue felt and tasted to my great comfort and reliefe as I can not but remember as long as I liue For the which I can but pray as I doe heartily to almightie God and wishe vnto your honour the same blessing that he promiseth to the iust and righteous man by his holie prophet Dauid Psal 91.16 Longitudine dierum replebo eum ostendam illi salutare meum Which blessing of long life assurance of saluation from almightie God how heartily I wish vnto your honour I haue giuen testimonie by presenting vnto you this my little worke set forth for the vtter rooting out of the vsurped Romish Supremacie out of all the Church of Christe chiefely out of this Church of England and also for the declaring of the most true perfect equal authority giuen by our Sauiour Iesus Christ to al his Apostles his Bishops and godly ministers of his word sacraments within his true Church wherof he is the only head chiefe corner stone Which thinges I my selfe haue bene ignorant of vntil it hath
now within these three yeares pleased God to giue me his grace to read his holy scriptures and other good authours and Doctours of his Church to my great comfort and consolation Whereby I was stirred vppe to gather in this little treatise these thinges which moued me to see and know the trueth that if it were Gods will they might doe some good to the instruction of others also to the only glorie of his sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who haue your honour alwayes in his gratious protection May. 1580. Your good Lordships most humble at Commaundement William Chauncy To the Christian Reader THe moste excellent thing that Almightie God hath giuen to mankinde is the knowledge of the trueth the treasure of his wisdom expressed in his holy scriptures For without it we can neither know God nor Iesus Christ his sonne our Sauiour and Redeemer who saith of him selfe Ego sum via Iohn 14. veritas Vita I am the way the trueth and the life and no man commeth to my father but by me and he that knoweth me knoweth also my father But the knowledge of this truth which lightneth our mindes with the faith of God and of his sonne Iesus Christ by his holy word deliuered in the Scriptures hath bene many hundred yeres couered and hidden from the most part of all temporall men as they are called yea from mightie Emperours Kings Princes and Magistrates of this world through the craftie practises of the Bishoppes of Rome Who to extoll themselues and their Cleargie aboue all Emperours and princes haue by wicked pollicie hidden and withdrawen from them and from all Christians the sacred Scriptures conteined in the old and in the newe Testamentes that thereby the detestable pride of the Bishops of Rome and their Cleargie might not be knowen to men least they should perceiue how farre they did varie frō the example of Christ and the humble godly liues of his Apostles and disciples of Bishops and ministers for the space of vj. hundred yeares after the church was planted by our sauiour Christ So that it came to passe that the Bishops of Rome raged and raigned like Gods vpon the earth and no temporal prince durst as much as looke vpon the worde of God nor haue any bookes of the holie scriptures least they should haue bene excommunicated for heretikes An vngodly pollicie deuised of them to the intent that their deuelish pride intollerable ambition might not be reformed by the doctrine of Christ which is most cōtrarie to their vsurped authoritie supremacie which they haue chalenged and vsed sith the time that the Emperour Phocas more then sixe hundred yeres after Christ did grant vnto Boniface the third of that name the title and authoritie of vniuersal Bishop ouer all other Bishoppes a thing most contrarie to our Sauiour Christes institution and commandements Wherefore gentle Reader to the intent that good Christian people should be no longer abused deceiued through the crafty practises of the Bishop of Romes decrees and counterfet gloses whereby he hath vsurped his most vniust authoritie and title of supremacy with which he hath almost blinded all Christian people kingdoms I haue in this treatise briefely declared the truth of our Sauiour Christs two cōmissiōs giuen ioyntly to all his Apostles in suche manner that they should be in like authoritie and power not one aboue the other in any degree I haue also shewed how earnestly and straightly Christe did forbid all superioritie and dominion to be amongest thē which I haue approued both by the holie Scriptures and by Godly auncient writers I haue noted farther what account was made of the Bishop of Rome in the foure first generall Councels euen the same which was made of other Bishops of the chiefe Sees in Aegypt in Asia in Greece and other prouinces I haue declared when this vsurped supremacie did first begin and by whome moreouer how greatly the Bishops of Rome did fall from true Godlinesse from the faith of Christe after they had obtained of the Emperours that proude vngodly title of vniuersall Bishoppe Wherein I haue touched the wicked behauiour of a fewe of them to giue as it were a taste of the fruites of their supremacie Lastly I haue opened the dealinges of good princes againste their wickednesse and tyrannie in our owne countrie making thereby manifest that King Henrie the eight was not the first king of this realme who did expell that vsurped authoritie but that almost ful two hundreth yeares before King Henrie the eight it was spurned at and diuers lawes and statutes were made by diuers Kinges of this Realme against it So that by reading ouer of this little worke they that desire to see the truth of this matter shal wander I trust no longer in the doubtes of darkenesse for lacke of knowledge of the trueth whiche is reuealed to vs by the worde of God that CHRISTE our Sauiour teacheth vs euen hee who doeth say Ioh. 8.12 Ego sum lux mundi I am the light of the werlde Doubtlesse he that walketh in this light shall knowe the trueth and shall not wander in darkenesse of any Popish traditions and superstitions which is the most daungerous and deadly kinde of darkenesse Now it is saide of Christe Ioh. 12.35 Qui ambulat in tenebris nescit quò vadit He that walketh in darkenesse knoweth not whether hee goeth Let vs therefore heare our Sauiour Iesus Christe Ambulate dum lucem habetis ne vos tenebrae comprehendant Whilest ye haue the light of Gods worde walke in it least the darkenesse come vpon you and you returne againe vnto it 2. Pet. 2.22 Pro. 26.11 ut canis ad vomitum sus ad volutabrum As a dogge to his vomit as a sow to her wallowing in the filthie mire of Popishe superstitions To the which entent my trust is in God that this little booke shall somewhat helpe you forward by satisfying the consciences of good people who will reade it with desire to learne the trueth GOD graunt that we may all both learne it and followe it that we neuer flie from it vnto errours of vaine deuises of men but onely put our whole hope our confidence and trust in the death and passion of our sauiour Iesus Christ and leade a holie life according to his worde to the glorie of God to whome be all honour Dominion and Maiestie for euer and euer Amen ¶ The rooting out of the Romishe supremacie wherein is declared that the authoritie which the Pope of Rome doeth challenge to himselfe ouer all Christian Bishops and Churches is vnlawfully vsurped Chap. 1. That in controuersies of religion the truth must be tried by the holy Scriptures That by the Scriptures no apostle nor Bishop hath a supremacie ouer others IN al maner of doubts controuersies which may arise in our Christian religion the trueth therof must be tried with the touche of Gods word as well in matters that concerne godly instruction as
Gregor epistolarum Lib. 4. Epist 32. 38. For he would not suffer this decrée to be receiued within his prouince of Italy but vtterly reiected it and wrote not only to the emperour how greatly he did offend almighty God in admitting this new prophane blasphemous name and authoritie into the Church of Christ empairing the authority which he hath giuen to the rest of his byshops and ministers but also to Iohn the patriarke that he by taking and vsurping that authority did shewe him self in pride and presūption to be the very forerunner of Antichrist Wherby it came to passe that Mauricius the Emperour was so greatly offended with this good Gregory Platina de vitis pontificum Romanorū in Gregorio primo Volaterranus Centuria 6. fol. 872. that as Platina doth report he exhorted the Lūbardes to set vppon the city of Rome which Agilulfus the king of Lumbardy did beséeging it a whole yeare Howbeit in the end he was faine to go away without any hurt done to the city that was saued by the mighty prouidence of God Chap. 3. That Christ in the promise of his second commission saying vnto Peter To thee will I giue the keyes of heauen doth giue him no supremacie Neither by these wordes I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not NOwe to returne to the commissions of Christe because that betwixt the first whiche was giuen before his passion to his Apostles as I haue declared and the second which he gaue them after his death and resurrection Christ did open to them in the meane time his purpose and intent both for giuing them further authoritie then before he gaue them and for instructing of them what they should doe with it he therefore demaunded of his disciples what men did talke of him and whom they saide him to be To whome when they aunswered some that Thou art Iohn Baptist and some Elias others Ieremias or one of the prophets Matt. 16. then Iesus said vnto them Vos autem quem me esse dicitis Respondens Simon Petrus dixit tu es Christus filius Dei viui Respondens autem Christus dixit ei beatus es Simon Bar-iona quia caro sanguis non reuelauit tibi hoc sed pater meus qui est in coelis Et ego dico tibi tu es Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam portae inferni non praeualebunt aduersus eam Et tibi dabo claues regni coelorum quidcunque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum in coelis quidcunque solueris super terram erit solutum in coelis But whom saith Christ do you say that I am He said not Peter who dost thou say that I am but in the plurall nomber to all his Apostles who doe you say that I am Then Peter as the mouth and speaker of them al said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God To whom our sauiour Christ aunswered and saide blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it to thee but my father which is in heauen And I say to thee Tu es Petrus alluding to the name of Peter for his perfect faith on the head corner stone the is to say on Christ wherevpon Peter him selfe was builded and not Christ vpon Peter therefore Christ said Vpon this rocke or stone of thy confession of me to be the sonne of the liuing God will I builde my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Christ did not say against thée Peter but against it that is his true Church builded vpon that faith that Peter then confessed and not vpon Peters person I doe beléeue there is no man so ignoraunt or voide of knowledge that will iudge our Sauiour Christ would build his Church vpon so weake and fraile a foundation as Peter was if we regard not his profession but his person who shewed himselfe more wauering and vnstable then any other of the twelue Apostles as one that vtterly denied his Maister Christe thrée times in one day Matt. 26. and also before that did speake such carnall and worldly wordes vnto him that Christe was faine to answere him Thou art an offence vnto me and added moreouer Matt. 16. Get thee be hinde me Sathan Wherefore I do leaue it to the iudgement of euerie good Christian man whether it be more agréeable to our faith and safe for the Church of God to be founded vpon Christ or vpon Peter vppon the sonne of the liuing God whō Peter confessed or vpon a man who vttterly denied the sonne of the liuing God saying Non noui hominē istum and that cum iuramento Matt. 26. I do not knowe this man and bound it with an othe as the Gospel doth testifie It is certaine that Christ builded his Church vpon that rocke or stone Iuellus in replicatione ad responsum Hardingi fol. 221. 222. 246. 262. which was sure stedfast euen vpon the faith confessed by Peter and not vpon Peter And that by the iudgement of the olde fathers as Hillarie affirmeth in his second booke De Trinitate Haec est vna foelix fidei Petra quam Petrus ore suo est confessus This is the onely blessed rocke of faith whiche Peter confessed by mouth And Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 51. Super hanc petram in hac fide confessione aedificabo Ecclesiam Vpon this rocke vpon this faith and confession will I builde my Church And Saint Augustine in his 13. sermon vpon Matthew saith Non me aedificabo super te sed aedificabo te super me I wil not builde my selfe of thee but I will build thee vpon me And this was the meaning of Christ For after Peter had saide Tu es Christus filius dei viui Christ said not Super te Petrum vpon thee Peter but super hanc petram vpon this rocke or stable stone euen thy confession of me to be the sonne of the liuing God I will build my Church and the gates of hell shal not preuaile against it He saide not against Peter but against his Church which he builded vpon that rocke of faith that Peter helde For Christes words are Matt. 16. Portae inferni non praeualebunt aduersus eam in the feminine gender against it which must needes haue relation to Ecclesiam His Church not to Peter for then he would haue said Non preualebit aduersus eum Likewise he saide immediately Tibi dabo claues regni coelorum To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Now it is plain that he gaue those keies vnto his Church and not to Peters onely person though he saide to him but as to his Apostle the charge pertayning to al his Apostles and all the ministers of his Churche by like right Quodcunque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum in coelis quodcunque solueris super terram erit solutum in coelis Whatsoeuer thou shalt
binde vpon the earth it shall be bound in heaueÌ„ whatsoeuer thou shalt loose vpon the earth it shal be loosed in heauen For otherwise those keyes of loosing binding had ben lost cleane and the authority of Christes church had bene ouerthrowen for euer if Peter onely shoulde haue possessed those keyes as parteining to himselfe alone and not to Christes Church For it followeth in the same chapter how Christ telling his Apostles that he must go to Ierusalem and there suffer many things by the elders scribes and princes of the priestes and beâ—lains and the third day rise againe from death Peter tooke him aside and rebuked him saying Let this be farre from thee let not this happen to thee Wherevpon Christe turning him selfe to Peter sayd vade post me Satana scandalum es mihi quia noâ— sapis ea quae dei sunt sed ea quaâ— sunt hominum Get thee behinde me thou Satan or Diuell thou art an offence vnto me for thou doest not sauour of the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men So that whatsoeuer Christ said to him before if the same had not concerned the authority of his whole church but onely Peters person theÌ„ al the vertue of those sayinges had bene clearely quenched and taken from Peter when Christ called him Sathan and bad him come behinde him But that the right of these wordes doth belong vnto the whole Church it is euident by the wordes of Christe that do follow in the eightéene Chapter spoken to the Church Matt. 18. Quaecunque ligaueritis in terra erunt ligata in coelo Et quaecunque solueritis in terra erunt soluta in coelo What soeuer ye binde in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Yea to regarde the substance of Christes wordes touching that authority of binding and loosing mentioned to Peter Christ said not tibi do claues regni coelorum Matt. 16. I doe giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to thee but tibi dabo I will giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to loose and to binde So that Christes wordes were spoken of the time to come not of the time present to be giuen afterward not as giuen presently Whereof it doeth follow that none of the Apostles had authoritie of binding and loosing of retaining and remitting the sinnes of all estates of men through all nations vntill our sauiour Christ had suffered his death and had washed away our sinnes with his bloud and had conquered death by rising from death At the which time they receaued the holie Ghost as it shall appeare in the second commission and had that perfourmed whiche was promised when Christ saide Iohn 20. I wil giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen But in the mean season before that was performed Christ perceiuing by his diuine prescience and foreknowledge that Peter should denie him thrise in one day he saide vnto him Simon Luke 22. Ecce Satanas expetiuit vos vt cribraret sicut triticum ego autem oraui pro te vt non deficiat fides tua tu aliquando conuersus confirma fratres tuos Ipse verò dixit ei Domine tecum paratus sum in carcerem in mortem ire At ille dixit dico tibi Petre non cantabit hodie gallus donec ter abneges nosse me Simon saith the Lord to Peter Behold Sathan hath desired you to syfte you like wheat but I haue praied for thee that thy faith fayle not therefore when thou at length art conuerted confirme stablish thy brethren Then Peter saide vnto him Lorde I am ready to go with thee into prison vnto death But Christ saide Peter I tell thee the cocke shall not crowe this day vntill thou hast thrice denied that thou knowest me Whiche wordes of Christ were fulfilled the same night as soone as he was brought before the high priest For Peter being amongst them that stoode by the fire when he was reported of by a maide that he was one of those which were with Christ he aunswered I doe not knowe him When againe he was tolde by another man who stoode by the maide that he was of them he answered I do not know him Anone after the thirde time when another man said verily this man was with him for he is also a Galilean then Peter cursed and did sweare as S. Matthew doth witnes that he knew not Christ And immediately the cocke did crowe Matt. 26. And Christe looked back vpon Peter and Peter went forth and did wéepe bitterly This I haue recited so muche the more at large because there be some who would proue authoritie giuen to Peter by the former wordes of Christ which if they be well considered are but a manifestation partly of Christs Godhead in that he did foreknow Peter would denie him partely of his mercie shewed gratiously to Peter whose faith he did establish with his praier that he should not dispaire as Iudas Iscariot did who after he had sold Christ went and hanged himselfe So vpon this verie sentence of Christ Ego rogaui pro te Petre vt not deficiat fides tua Chrisostomus in Mat. Cap. 26. Hom. 83. Saint Chrisostome doth say that Christe the more sharpely to reproue Peters pride who did presume more of him selfe then any other of the Apostles doeth signifie before vnto him that his fall shal be worse then the fall of the rest and therefore néedeth greater helpe to raise him vppe againe Wherefore that he might sée and féele his owne weakenes Christe suffered him to fal told him of it before it happened yet he preserued him wtall through his great care fauour that he should not fall from him though he did denie him wherwith he coÌ„forted him in saying I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith fail not Now as saint Chrisostome doth shewe that Christ did thus manifest his diuine knowledge and fauour vnto Peter by foreshewing him his fall and promising that he would rayse him so likewise holie Beda writing on the same wordes saith that he who onely knoweth what is in man Beda in EuangeliuÌ„ Lucae cap. 22. lib. 6. both as God did foretell in what sorte at what time how often Peter should denie him and as merciful did promise him the help of his defence least that any of the faithful either vnaduisedly should presume of his owne standing or more vnaduisedly should dispaire for his owne falling Wherefore to passe ouer other thinges that might be saide hereby it is manifest that the words of Christ spoken to Peter of his prayer for him haue no force at all to proue any preeminence or superioritie in Peter but they are rather of greate force against him and those that chalenge to be his successors sith they doe shewe a notable fall of Peter by occasion that he had too greate a confidence in himselfe as it is
vos debetis alter alterius lauare pedes Exemplum enim dedi vobis vt quemadmodum ego feci vobis ita vos faciatis AmeÌ„ Amen dico vobis noÌ„ est servus maior domino suo neque Apostolus maior est eo qui misit â—llum Si haec scitis beati eritis sifeceritis ea So after that he had washed their feete and had taken his clothes wheÌ„ he was set down againe he saide vnto them know you what I haue done vnto you you call me maister and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lorde and maister haue washed your feete you also ought to wash one an others feet For I haue giuen you an example that you should doe euen as I haue done vnto you Verily verily I say vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then his maister nor the Ambassadour greater then he that sent him If you know these thinges happie shall you be if you doe them Thus we sée that Christ did giue expresse commaundement to all his Apostles that they shoulde flie ambition of hauing rule one ouer an other that none of them should chalenge superioritie dominion ouer their brethren whereto hee did giue them a moste notable example of his owne humilitie whch he willed them to followe acounting them happie if they did as hee willed them And these wordes of Christ a man would thinke were to be heard credited and obeyed if they were recited but by some one of the Euangelistes but now to the intent they might the better bée obserued and kept most carefully of al the Apostles so of all the ministers of the Church of Christ the holy ghost hath prouided that all the fower Euangelistes should recite and repeate them in diuerse wordes and sundrie times all to one effect to beate in hatred of ambition into the mindes of his disciples and keepe them at vnity in that equall authoritie which hee had giuen to theÌ„ Which the auncient Doctours also of the Church do teach in like sort to the same intent as Saint Cyprian saying of the Apostles Cyprian de simplicitate praelatorum Hoc erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus Pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis The rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was all endued with like felowshippe both of honour and power And why shoulde not Paul be chiefe as well as Peter for Ambrose vpoÌ„ 2. Cor. 12. hath this saying Inter Petrum Paulum quis cui praeponatur incertum est Betwene Peter and Paul whether ought to be preferred before other it is vncertaine Hieronymus in epistola ad Euagrium As saint Ierom saying of all Bishoppes Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Eugubij siue CoÌ„stantinopoli siue Rhegij siue Alexandriae siue Tanis eiusdem est meriti ejusdem sacerdotij Wheresoeuer there is a Bishoppe at Rome or at Eugubium at Constantinople or at Rhegium at Alexandria or at Tanis he is of the same worthines of the same office and function in the ministerie As many others to be shorte speaking against such ambition do say the same in substance that one of them in words hath vttered Chrysost in opere imperfecto in Mat. Homil. 36. Quicunque desiderat primatuÌ„ in terra inueniet confusionem in Coelo Whosoeuer desireth primacy in earth he shall finde confusion in heauen But howsoeuer the fathers haue spoken it the Pope of Rome is not moued with it What merueile sith the wordes of Christ doe not moue him Nay verily I thinke that if Christe him selfe shoulde haue come downe from heauen and haue shewed him selfe to some that haue beene Bishops of Rome within these certaine hundred yeares they woulde haue vsed him I feare me as euill as euer the Iewes did so far are they froÌ„ yelding vnto any thing that makes againste their ambition Chap. 9. That after Christes ascention Peter did not exercise a supremacie ouer his brethren neither did the Apostles yeeld any such vnto him I Haue shewed hitherto that Peter the Apostle on whom the Popes of Rome do grouÌ„d their supremacie had not by Christs commission any greater power and authority giuen him then had the rest of his Apostles Nay he was forbidden as were the rest also to exercise dominion and supremacie ouer others Now I will go forwarde and shewe that as Peter had no suche authoritie committed to him of Christ so he neuer chalenged nor vsed any such as may appéere by those things which the Apostles did after Christes ascension set down in the booke of the Acts of the Apostles Wherin we do reade that the Apostles and Disciples gathered together Actes 1. first they did choose Matthias an Apostle in the place of Iudas Iscarioth not by saint Peters appointment but by lot Afterward the multitude of the Disciples chose seuen deacons whom they set before the Apostles Actes 6. and they prayed and laide their handes vpon them When the Gospel of Christ was receiued in Samaria Actes 8. the Apostles who heard of it at Ierusalem sent Peter and Iohn vnto hem to instructe them farther confirme them in the faith with the giftes of the holie Ghost When Peter had preached the Gospell to the Gentiles and was accused of the brethren because he went in to men vncircumcised and did eate with them he giueth an account of his fact vnto the brethren Actes 11. and so is acquited as it were of them All the which thinges done by Peter and the Apostles doe shewe that Peter vsed not any supremacy ouer them but did behaue himselfe as their equal rather taking no more vpon him in elections then they did going wheÌ„ they sent him to preach where they thought good content to giue to them an account of his doeinges Nowe we must remember it appeareth by the scriptures that Peter was of greater boldenesse and audacitie then any of the twelue Apostles When Christ asked of them Matth. 16. who do you say that I am Peter answered for them all When Christe did shewe vnto them that he must go to Ierusalem there be put to death Matth. 26. Peter tooke him aside and did rebuke him for it When there came a great company with clubbes and swordes in the night to take Christ and carrie him to the high priests Peter nothing fearing the number of the men did stretche out his hand and drawe his sworde and stroke the seruaunt of the highe prieste and cut off his eare By whiche and many suche tokens saint Peter shewed himselfe to haue suche stoutnes and courage that we may well coniecture if he had had any supremacie and authoritie aboue the rest of the Apostles such as the Papistes giue vnto him his stomache was better then that hee woulde haue lost it and neuer haue taken any part of it vpoÌ„ him Haec ratio reperitur in quaestionibus tubingensibus in titulo de primatu
primitiue church of Christe the Bishop of Romes supremacie was not acknowledged as it is proued by the foure principal and first generall councels which tooke order against it THat the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome hath not any ground in the holy Scriptures neyther in the commissions of our sauiour Iesus Christe neyther in the practises of his holy Apostles I hope it is manifest to such as are desirous to search out the truth by that which hitherto hath bene saide Nowe if we goe forward from Christ and his Apostles to the ages which ensued we shall easily perceiue that it was not receiued of the primitiue Church nay it was repressed when it beganne to take roote and spread abroad amongst them The which doth appeare by the foure principall first generall councels wherein the Christian Bishops did assemble them selues together to the rooting out of heresies and ouerthrowing of disorders which began to bud in the Church of Christe The first of these councels Histor tripa lib. 2. was the councel of Nice at the which there were present thrée hundred and eightéene Bishops beside a great number of other learned men called together by the good Emperour Constantine the great in the yeare of our Lorde thrée hundred twentie seuen or there about against the heresie of Arrius But to passe ouer other things handled in the councel touching the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome this decrée was made Con. Nicen. can 6. in the sixt Canon Mos antiquus perduret in Aegypto Libya Pentapoli vt Alexandrinus Episcopus horū omnium habeat potestatem quoniam quidem Episcopo Romano parilis mos est Similiter autem apud Antiochiam caeterasque prouincias honor suus vnicuique seruetur Ecclesiae Let the ancient customes continue in Egypt and Libya and Pentapolis that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the gouernement ouer them all For the Bishop of Rome hath the like order Likewise at Antioch and in other Prouinces let the due preeminence and honour be reserued vnto euery Church Which wordes doe not giue any supremacie to the Bishop of Rome aboue all other Churches but they doe limit him the bounds of his owne iurisdiction no lesse then they doe others As it is more plainely declared by Ruffinus who writing in his storie the thinges that were done at the councel of Nice doth say that it was decréed in this Canon Ruff. hist ecclesiast lib. 1. cap. 6. Vt apud Alexandriam in vrbe Romana vetusta consuetudo seruetur vt vel ille Aegypti vel hic suburbicariarum ecclesiarum sollicitudinem gerat That at Alexandria and the citie of Rome the auncient custome be kept that the Bishop of the one haue care ouer Egypt the other ouer the Churches that are about the citie of Rome And thus much of the councel of Nice which was the first The second generall councel was holden at Constantinople Histor tripertit lib. 9. where there were assembled a hundred and fiftie Bishops called together by the Emperour Theodosius about the yeare of the Lord thrée hundred foure score and fiue for the suppressing of the heresie of Macedonius In the which councel touching the preeminence and authority of the Bishops Concil Constantinop Canon 2. this decrée was made Episcopi qui super dioecesin sunt and ecclesias quae extra terminos eorum sunt non accedant neque confundant permisceant ecclesias Sed secundum regulas constitutas Alexandriae quidem Episcopi gubernent ea solùm quae sunt Aegypti Episcopi orientis solius orientis curam gerant seruatis honoribus primatus ecclesiae Antiochenae qui in regulis Nicenae Synodi continentur sed Asianae dioecesis Episcopi ea quae sunt in Asia tantūmodo gubernent Ponti autem episcopi Ponticae tantùm dioecesis habeant curam Thraciae verò ipsius tantummodo Thraciae Bishops that haue the charge of a diocesse let them not com vnto the Churches which are without their bounds neither let them confound or mingle the Churches But accordinge to the Canons and orders appoynted let the Bishops of Alexandria deale with the gouernement of Aegypt onely the Bishops of the East only with the East reseruing the priuilege and preeminence of honor to the Churche of Antioche accordinge to the rules of the councell of Nice In like sort the Bishops of diocesse in Asia let them gouerne onely Asia and the Bishops of Pontus the diocesse of Pontus and the Bishops of Thracia the diocesse of Thracia Nowe as this decrée was made by them in generall touching al Churches for the gouernment and rule of them howsoeuer in places and order of dignitie they set one aboue another as Rome firste Histor tripertit lib. 9. Cap. 13. Constantinople next so in the Epistle written from the most of them to the Bishops of the West neither do they submitte all their doinges to Damasus Bishoppe of Rome neither giue they greater titles vnto him then to the rest but onely name him first neither come they to the councel of Rome at his request whereof they giue this reason one among others that they haue not the consent of their fellowe-bishops in their prouinces so to doe Whereby it is manifest that at the time of this councel of Constantinople the prouinces were gouerned by their owne Bishops the Bishops in generall by their councels and assemblies neither was there any one Patriarch set ouer them as the Bishop of Rome would be who therfore claymeth this supremacie though there were many patriarches appointed in that councell vnto sundrie prouinces as it is declared in the Tripartit storie Historia tripartit lib. 12. The third generall councell was celebrated at Ephesus about the yere of our Lorde foure hundred thirty thrée by the commaundement of the Emperour Theodosius the younger who called together two hundred Bishops into that Citie to quenche the heresies of Nestorius And in this assembly by occasion that was giuen them to speake of the authoritie of certain Bishops ouer others through complaint made by the Bishoppes of Cyprus against the Bishop of Antioch Concil Ephesin Can. 8. as vsurping ouer them first they do forbidde the Bishop of Antioche to ordeine Bishops in Cyprus giuing the Bishops of Cyprus full authority to ordeine their owne Bishops themselues Then do they decrée the same point in generall of all other diocesses and prouinces wheresoeuer that no Bishop doe vsurpe and take vpon him the gouernment of another prouince whiche was not before and from the beginning vnder him or his predecessors that if any haue done so and by force haue brought a prouince in subiection to him selfe he shall restore it least the Canons and orders of the fathers be broken and vnder colour of holy function in the gouernement of the Church Potentiae tumor The swelling ambition of bearing rule of dignitie doe priuily créepe in and so at vnwares by little and little we lose that libertie which our Lorde Iesus
time of King Henrie the eight who did roote it out wholy THus hauing hitherto shewed declared how the supremacy and Papacie of Rome béeing not planted by Christe and his Apostles was rooted first in the Church by Boniface the third and afterward spreade abroade farther and farther by his successours so that it grew and brought forth the poysoned fruites which I haue rehearsed Now it doeth remaine that I proceede to shew how it hath ben rooted out of the Church of England by godly princes of famous memorie whose examples some princes haue I wish all princes of the earth would follow And herein I shall euidently discouer and refute their errour who béeing counted men of good knowledge and iudgement haue borne me in hand that the power authoritie of the Pope of Rome was neuer banished out of this our countrie vntill that King Henrie the eight did expell it in the xxvj yeare of his raigne in the yeare of our Lord a thousand fiue hundred thirtie foure For it is certaine and shal be clearely proued that many yeares before that King Henrie the eight was borne or King Henries Fathers Father the kinges of this Realme haue made lawes and statutes against the Bishop of Rome his authoritie and iurisdiction whiche he did wrongfully clayme and vsurp within their dominions and therefore they did iustly remoue it and expell it To the which purpose it must be firste considered that vnder the colour of the decrées aboue mentioned the Popes did take vpon them to preferre strangers vnto the roomes of Archbishops and bishops throughout the Realme of England many yeares together and to place whom they list Abbots and Priors in any religious houses when so euer that the places were voide neither onely to present vnto all manner of religious houses but also to Prebends Prouostries Deanries Parsonages and such like Which thinges as they were done to the great impeachment of the kings dignitie and crowne imperiall of the Realme so did they tend also to the disinheritance after a sort of his maiestie of his coūsellours of the nobilitie of other his subiectes which had by inheritaunce the giftes of such liuings and to the great losse of the whole countrie by decay of hospitalitie and conueying of our treasures out of the Realme through the meanes of straungers who were preferred to these liuinges and spirituall promotions For redresse of which faultes the nobles and commons of this Realme at the Parleament holden at Carlile in xxv Anno. Domini 1296. yere of the raigne of King Edward the first did present and exhibite a bill into the Parleament of all the inconueniences and iniuries offered to the kinges maiestie the nobles and commons by the Bishop of Rome Wherevpon the Parleament tooke order and enacted that from thence forth the Bishop of Romes authoritie shold take no place within this Realme in any such matters if he dealt in any they should be voide and of none effect Which act made againste the Bishop of Rome because there was no penaltie set vpō such as did mainteine or suffer his doings to preuaile against the order taken therefore not long after the death of this good king Edward the first Edward the second his sonne being king a man of no suche courage as his father was neither hauing leasure thorough his great troubles with the Earle Mortimer and the Quéene his wife to looke to such matters the Bishop of Rome did spring againe to doe what he would The substance of this Act made by king Edward the first is not recited in the statutes of the xxv yere of his raigne because it is wholy mentioned in the first part of the statute made the xxv yere of King Edward the third At the which time in a Parleament holden at Westminster the same petition and Act made at Carlile was returned Anno Domini 1350. cap. 1. and more ample order taken withal against the Bishop of Rome For it was prouided there and enacted that whosoeuer did fetche from Rome or take any such prouisions to disturbe any presentation or election made in this Realme or the persons that were in possession of any spirituall promotions that the prouisors and disturbers their procurators executors notaries and attournies should be attached and laid in prison without baile or mainprise there to remaine vntil both they had answered the king such fine and raunsome as shold be taxed at his pleasure and also had agréed with the partie wronged neither should they be deliuered vntill they had put in sufficient sureties neuer to attempt any suche thing afterward Cap. 1. Againe in the xxvij yeare of his raign in the Parleament holden at Westminster the same statute was inlarged and the penaltie made that the offenders therein if they came not to answere at their day in proper person and were found culpable they should forfaite all their landes and goodes their bodie should remaine in prison out of the kinges protection It appeareth farther in the xxx yeare that an excōmengment as they do tearme it was certified by the Pope whiche was disallowed by the Iustices and the bringer thereof should haue bene hanged and drawne if the Chancelour of England had not prayed to the king for him In the xxxviij yeare the like acte was made for such as procured any citations or processes from the court of Rome that their procurers and attourneyes should haue such punishmentes and forfaitures as are before mentioned Now in the time of king Richard the second who did next succéed him there was a statute made the thirtéenth yeare of his reigne Anno Domini 1363. Cap. 1. in the Parleament at Westminster againste prouisors of benefices with this penaltie that they should be out of the kings protection and forfeit the benefice But in the sixtéenth yeare of his reigne Cap. 15. the same king made more full and straite lawes against the Bishop of Rome whereby he banished his whole authoritie out of this realme enacting that no processe from Rome should be allowed Yea further Cap. 5. that if any subiect of this realme should receiue or fetch from Rome or set forth any maner Citations Presentations Fulminations Buls or any other things against the kings regaltie crowne he being conuict thereof should loose and forfet all his landes and goods to the king his body to be at the kinges pleasure and out of his protection and in the cause of praemunire The same punishment also appointed for him who so euer should sue any appeale to Rome King Henrie the fourth which succéeded Richard in the second yeare of his reigne in the parlament holden at Westminster An. Do. 1401. Capit. 3.4 did likewise make a lawe that no spirituall or religious person secular or regular should take any maner of promotiō or liuing spiritual or offices in any spiritual houses by any prouisions of Licences or Buls frō Rome vnder the payne contained in the praemunire as in