may keepe alwaies as for example he that prayseth God with his tongue cannot do it euer that member must haue rest as well as the other parts of the bodie but hee that praiseth God with his life conuersation may euer do it Euen so do I commend the words works of peace vnto you or if you think me vnworthie to commend such a diuine blessing looke if it be not the word of a Great mighty King that is far aboue all exception He cōmandeth it vnto vs from the Author of peace Beati pacifici not pacidici but pacifici blessed are not the praysors but the practisers of peace Let the Mountaines bring peace the little Hills righteousnesse vnto thy people O thou Prince of peace And so The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus the great shepheard of the sheep thorough the blood of the euerlasting Couenant make you perfect in all good workes working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be praise for euer euer Amen FINIS AN ADDITION To the former Treatise of SOVERAIGNETIE SHEWING THAT THE POSSESSION THEREOF HATH NOT beene in Popes saue by Vsurpation and Practises but in Emperours and Kings by a continued or perpetuall Descent DVBLIN Printed by the Societie of Stationers 1. Cor. Chap. 3. Vers 21.22.23 Therefore let no man glorie in men for all things are yours Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the World or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours And yee are Christs and Christ is Gods TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE GERALD Earle of KILDARE and the rest of the Nobles or Gentrie in Jreland CHRISTOPHER by the mercie of God Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all IRELAND wisheth much happinesse heere and full in the world to come HOnoured Lords and esteemed Gentlemen I haue published aswell the former Treatise as this addition of Soueraignetie for your sakes whom J am bound to informe by the dutie of my place and in retribution of the respects you giue vnto me otherwayes that since the sound of my voice cannot reach to the eares of euerie one now it is grown low with yeares and infirmities the Meditations of my heart may neuerthelesse be offered to the eyes and iudgement of all which J desire you to peruse and examine by the weights or standard of Truth without preiudice or forestalled opinion ⸫ ⸫ AN ADDITION To the former Treatise of SOVRAIGNETIE AT the first institution of the Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall authoritie in the Church God saith to Moses Thou shalt speake to Aaron and put the wordes in his mouth and J will bee with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what you ought to doe And hee shall be thy spokesman vnto the people and he shall be euen he shall be as the mouth and thou shalt bee to him as God Aaron obeyed Moses and Moses called for an account of Aaron Salomon being King according to his Fathers appointment ordained the Offices of Priests in their Ministeries Leuits in their orders that they might giue thankes and minister before the Priest after the order of euery day For so commanded Dauid the man of God neither did the Priests or Leuits omit any thing of all that hee had commanded So it is written of King Iehosaphat that hee appointed the Leuites and Priests And of King Iosias likewise that he appointed Priests to minister in their seuerall Offices In the New Testament our Sauiour Christ at his birth acknowledged subiection to Augustus the Emperor being borne vnder his tribute and setting the example of his owne subiection before his Disciples asketh Who is Superior hee that sitteth at the Table or hee that serueth Js not he Superior that sitteth but J am among you as hee that ministreth and serueth Before Pilate he disauowed to haue any earthly kingdome and acknowledged that the Roman Empire had authoritie ouer his body life for both were then in question and for blasphemy too which is a spiritual crime After the death of Christ his Apostle Paul appealed from the Iewes to Cesars iudgement and saith in expresse termes That there he ought to be iudged And his cause was for preaching the Gospel Peter likewise patiently endured Nero his Swoord for teaching the truth This was the condition of Christ and his Apostles they professed themselues subiects to the Romane Emperour Eleutherius B. of Rome did write vnto Lucius then king of the Britans to take Lawes for the Gouernement of his kingdome out of the Olde Testament and the New which were then in the Kings hands giueth this reason of his aduise Yee are Gods Vicar within your owne kingdome A.D. 220 Tertullian Wee Christians worship the Emperour as man next vnto God inferior onely to God For so is the Emperour greater then all men when hee is lesse then the onely true God A.D. 225 Cyprian would not giue way to Cornelius Bishop of Rome to absolue any of Africk excommunicated there A.D. 340 Before the Councell of Nice there was small or no regard had of the Church of Rome but euery Church was ruled by their owne Canons or by the common aduise of Bishops vntill the Emperors became Christians Then Socrates testifieth in his Ecclesiasticall Historie in this wise We haue also herein comprised the Emperours liues for that since the Emperours were first Christened the affaires of the Church hath hanged on them and the greatest Councells both haue bin are kept by their aduise Eusebius writeth Constantine the Emperour appointed Councells of Bishops to assemble together disdained not to sit in the middest amongst them to be pertaker of their doings This great Constantine about the yeare of our Lord 340. called a generall Councell at Nice So Theodoret writeth A great and holy Councell was gathered to Nice by the grace of God by the godly Emperor So Eusebius also testifieth that Constantine gathered a generall Councell and by honourable Writs called the Bishops of all Countries to repaire together And the same Author witnesseth that the Emperor Constantine confirmed the determinations of the Councell of Nice More also The whole Councell sate in Reuerend comely order quietly in silence looking for the Princes comming and when the watchword was giuen that the Emperor was come the Bishops stood vp from their places and his Maiestie passed a long through the middest of them as if hee had beene an Angel of God In that Councell of Nice the whole bodie of Christendome was deuided into foure Patriarcheships whereof the first place was giuen to the Bishop of Rome the second to the Bishop of Alexandria the third to the Bishop of Antioch the fourth to the Bishop of Ierusalem afterward came in the B. of Constantinople in the place of the B. of Antioch these foure Patriarches had their peculiar
Circuites Precincts appointed in such sort as one of them should not meddle within anothers Iurisdiction to confound their authorities The cause why the Fathers assembled in Councell gaue the first place to the See of olde Rome was not for that either Christ or his Apostle Peter had so appointed but that the Citie of Rome was the most noble Citie and of greatest renowne in all the World as appeareth in the Councell of Calcedon which writeth That the Fathers in the Councell of Nice did worthily giue the chiefetie to the See of olde Rome because that Citie had the Soueraignetie ouer others Saint Ambrose speaking of himselfe and other Bishops which were at the Councell of Aquileia saith thus Wee are met together at Aquileia by the commaundement of the Emperour About the yeare of our Lord. 383 In the Councell of Constantinople the Bishops wrote thus vnto Theodosius the Emperour Wee are come to Constantinople by your Maiesties Commission And afterward at the end of that Councell We beseech your Maiestie that as you haue honoured the Church by your Letters wherewith you haue called vs together so it may please you to Confirme the finall Conclusion of our Decrees with your sentence and with your Seale About 420 To the Councell of Carthage where S. Augustine was present Sozimus B. of Rome sendeth Legats Faustinus Philippus and Asellus in fauour of Apiarius a Priest that fled to Rome for ayde against Vrbanus his Diocesan who had depriued him both of his function the Cōmunion for his lewdnesse To these Legates the Pope gaue charge to claime this Priuiledge for him his See That if anie Bishoppes were accused or deposed which appealed to Rome the Bishoppe of Rome might eyther write to the next Prouince to determine the matter or send some to represent his Person and to sit in iudgement with the Bishoppes And to proue his desire lawfull he alleaged in writing vnder his hand a Canon of the Councell of Nice tending to that purpose The godly Fathers assembling themselues out of all Affricke to the number of 217 finding no such Canon in their Bookes either Greeke or Latin writ to the Patriaches of Alexandria Constantinople Antioch for true and authenticke Copies of the Nicene Councell finding their owne Copies agree word for word with those that were brought and no such prerogatiue to bee seene in anie Canon there First by their Decree they cut off all appeales to Rome viz. That Priests Deacons and inferior Clerkes if they complained of the iudgement of their Diocesians should be heard by the Bishops adioyning and if they thinke to appeale from them also let them not appeale but to the Councells of Africa or to the Primates of their owne Prouince and hee that aduentureth to appeale ouer the Sea let him be receiued of no man within Africa vnto the Communion After this Decree with which they had withstood three Bishops of Rome Sozimus Boniface and Celestinus to the last when the Bishops of Affrica had gotten Copies of the Nicene Councell they writ on this wise Wee writ earnestly prayed you that hereafter you would not lightly giue audience to those that come from hence to you neither any more receiue such to the Communion as wee haue excommunicated because your Reuerence shall easily perceiue the order taken by the Nicene Councell For if there appeare a prouiso for inferior Clerks or Laymen how much more would the Synode haue the same obserued in Bishops that being excommunicated in their owne Prouince they should not sodainely hastily or vnduly be restored to the Communion by your holinesse And likewise your holynesse must repell these wicked refuges of Priests and other Cleargie men as becommeth you for that by no determination of the Fathers this is derogated from the Church of Africa and the Nicene Canons doe most euidently commit both inferior Clergie men and the Bishops themselues to their owne Metropolitans No doubt they most wisely and rightly prouided that all matters should bee ended in the places where they did first arise Neither will the graces of the Holy Ghost bee wanting to any Prouince by which equitie may bee grauely weighed and stoutly followed by the Priests of Christ especially where euerie man hath libertie if he mislike the iudgement of those that heare his cause to appeale to the iudgement of his own Prouince or to a generall Councell Or how can the iudgements ouer Seas bee good whereto the necessary persons of witnesses either for sexe or for age or sundrie other impediments cannot be brought For that any should bee sent from your Holinesse side wee finde decreed by no Synod of the Fathers That which you sent vs hither by Faustinus as a part of the Nicene Councell in the truer Copies which wee haue receiued from holy Cirill B. of Alexandria and Reuerend Atticus Bishop of Constantinople taken out of the Originalls which also we sent to Boniface your predecessor Jn them we say we could finde no such thing As for your Agents or Messengers send them not at euery mans request least wee seeme to bring the smokie pride of the world into the Church of Christ c. Marke how many wayes the Bishops of Affrica withstood the Bishop of Rome Appeales to Rome which Sozimus claimed by the Councell of Nice they cōfute by the same Councell impugne them by other graue pithie reasons Legates à latere they reiect as neuer spoken of in any Coūcell though hee claimed them Running to Rome they call a wicked refuge and sending Messengers from Rome a smokie pride of the World The corrupting of the Nicene Canons by Sozimus they disproue by Copies that were true authenticke Appiarius whom the B. of Rome had harboured to the Church the second time they banished from the Church of Christ What would those men haue done if Sozimus had claimed to be head of the Church or Vice-God vpon Earth by Christs appointment If any Scripture had sounded that way neither the B. of Rome would haue left that certaine proofe trusted only to the testimonie of a Canon in a Councell which could not bee found but in his owne Librarie nor yet Augustine with his holy learned companie would haue resisted this demaund if it had either been grounded vpon Scripture or determined in the Nicene or other Councell or had stood with equitie good order or reason So the Church of Affrica continued vntill Boniface the second came to bee Bishop of Rome Hee by communications threatnings and allurements brought Eulalius the. Metropolitane of Carthage certaine other Bishops of Affrica to submit themselues to the Bishop of Rome and to anathematise the sixt Councell of Carthage where S. Augustine was present A.D. 440 Polychronius Bishop of Jerusalem would haue had his See first greatest because it was the holy Citie which God had chosen of olde because Christ taught there suffered there rose againe there gaue the Holy Ghost there Peter
will haue it euer hee will neuer resigne it to any of his Apostles Hee sent them but as his Father sent him into the World that was without any Royaltie or Kingly power But after his Resurrection he saith All power is giuen mee both in Heauen and in Earth and addeth Go therefore vnto his Apostle By that power which was giuen him both in Heauen in Earth he sheweth that hee hath authoritie to send forth his Apostles so he addeth rightly Goe ye therfore But how shall they goe Suerly not with that fulnesse of Power ouer Heauen Earth which hee mentioned instantly before and then was the fittest time to haue giuen it But Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all things that J haue commaunded you This is their Charter their Commission their Letters Patents and it containeth all the notes and markes of the Church Those things bee within their charge the preaching of the Gospell the administration of the Sacraments the setling not of any one modell but of that discipline that may bring men to the obedience obseruation of CHRIST his Commaundements For planting or transplanting of kingdomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no Title in all their Commission Bellarmine makes much adoe about the translation of the Romane Empire from the Greekes to Charlemaine by the B. of Rome and pleaseth himselfe with coniecture more then his Iudicious Reader with soliditie of reason The verie trueth of that storie is that Charles the great had it not by the authoritie of the Pope but by Conquest and Transaction with Nicephorus the Greeke Emperor when he could hold it no longer But allow the Cardinall that which he cannot proue that Charles obtained the Empire by the Popes authoritie then he may call to minde That the restitution of the Romane Monarchie must be done by Antichrist as it is in the 13. Chap. of the Reuelation But Bellarmine tells vs that the B. of Rome effected the restitution of the Romane Empire therefore Bellarmine makes the Bishop of Rome to be Antichrist which I will not confute You haue heard how CHRIST his Censure doth deiect the Pope from his vsurped Monarchie Vos autem non sic You that be Ministers of the Gospel may not raigne like Kings And some of our Brethren alleage the same words also to dispossesse the Reuerend Bishops of this Church from their Superioritie But they set CHRISTS wordes vpon the tentar-hookes and stretch them too farre His meaning is not to make an equalitie amongst the Ministers but to set a difference betweene Kings the Ministers of the Word that none should inuade the right of Princes vnder the pretence of their Ministerie As for Aequalitie when one aduised Lycurgus to establish it amongst the Lacedaemonians whereby the least meanest might beare like sway and rule with the greatest The wise man answered that he which calleth for that should begin it first at home in his owne house And if all men be carefull to exclude Paritie out of their priuate families if men experienced in Policie and Gouernement will not admit it into the Common-wealth because that cannot bee preserued with equalitie but by authoritie and rule Why are not men as sensible of the House of God as of their own houses why should Aequalitie that is found intollerable in other Societies be obtruded to the Church Because distinctions and inequalitie of Pastors cannot bee proued by Scripture That is not so There were diuers Pastors vnder the Law so I thinke I may call the Priests but they were not equall for there was one High Priest as it were a Transcendent aboue them all But his eminencie was to expresse the Soueraignetie of IESVS CHRIST But then there were Captaines of euerie family of the Leuites and that proues an inequalitie Last of all there were two ioyned with the high Priest which are called Rulers in the House of God in the first Paralip Chap. 24. Vers 5. In the New Testament there was distinction and inequalitie betweene the Apostles themselues or else Paul would neuer haue called Peter Iames Iohn cheife pillars of the Apostles There was distinction inequalitie betweene the twelue Apostles the seuentie Disciples Paulus Appellat seipsum Architectum Wee reade of many Pastors at Ephesus Act. 20. in the Reuelat. John writeth To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus which euicteth necessarily that there was one greater then the rest Par in partem non habet Imperium One equall hath no power ouer another But Paul gaue Timothy authoritie ouer Pastors Therefore he intended ordained an inequalitie no paritie amongst the Pastors of the Church The reasōs of those that call for equalitie in the Ministers of the Church are not made to build vp and they are too weake to pull doune Zeale is good a sweet thing it is to vow your hearts vnto God but euery Sacrifice must be seasoned with Salt least yee goe about to reform the Church with one hand to subuert the state with the other Abraham sayes grauely vnto Lot Let there be no Contentions betweene mee and thee for wee are Brethren That is one reason And it is both good pleasant for Brethren to dwell together Againe The Chananite the Peryzite are yet in the land that is another motiue In which case who knows not that the aduersaries of our doctrin wil sooner be ouercom with vnited thē distracted forces And so we that fight the Lords battels cannot dis-joyne our selues without preuarication bootie Away then with all singularitie and admiring our owne opinions know ye not that it is the Seminary of inward Contention The spirit of the Prophets must be subiect vnto the Prophets Let vs haue but one heart one way that we may fill the Lords House with Garlands of victories that wee may beat our Aduersaries from humane merits and bring them to the diuine mercies from Free-will and the possibilities of Nature to the Grace of God from Traditions to the written Word from Eleuation Adoration Circumgestation Transubstantiation of the Sacrament to the Commemoration of Christs death a sweet fruition thereof by Faith from their Hierarchy visible Monarchy to the Headship of our Lord IESVS CHRIST from superstition to the true worship of God Oh how glorious are these holy triumphes how instantly doe they call vpon vs to combine our selues together that the Conuersion Offering vp of the Papists may be acceptable and sanctified And thus much for Concord to my Brethren of the Ministerie I would not dismiss you of the Laity after this long discourse of contention without som short exhortatiō to peace The very name of Peace is a sweete word but the worke is sweeter I cannot alwayes speak of it but that which I cannot speake of alwayes you
James and John taught there who were pillars of the Church The B. of Rome Sixtus III. not brooking this well gathereth a Synod at Rome questioneth Polychronius for violating the Canons suborneth Euphemius a Priest of Jerusalem to accuse Polychronius Accusers were sent to Ierusalem with the Emperour Valentinianus Letters and he was deposed but afterward was restored againe by the same Emperour when his innocencie was knowen and Euphemius his accuser had sentence of perpetuall condemnation A.D. 450 Hilarius Viennens did vsually discourse that Peter himselfe was not prince of the Apostles or had any authoritie ouer them neither ought the Pope to haue any power or right ouer the Churches in France A.D. 460 Pope Leo writeth thus to the Emperor Theodosius All our Churches all our Priests most humbly beseech your Maiestie with sobbs and teares that yee will commaund a generall Councell to bee holden within Italie This notwithstanding the Emperour contrarie to the Popes humble petition kept the Coūcell at Chalcedon not in Italie thither Pope Leo was summoned to appeare by the Emperours commaundement with other Bishops So that the Emperor commanded Councells when and where hee pleased whether the Pope would or no. And when that Councell of Chalcedon had made the Bishop of Constantinople equall in priuiledges and respects with the Bishop of Rome Lucentius Pope Leo his Legat intreated to haue that blotted out but the honourable Iudges made him answere negatiuely At the end of that Councell the Emperor Martion saith Wee confirme the Reuerend Councell by the holy edict of Our Maiestie A.D. 583 Iohn Bishop of Constantinople went about to illustrate his See by consent of the Emperour Councell of Constantinople wherein the said B. was stiled Oecumenicall Patriarch before any such Title was in the Citie of Rome and in Constantinople it was brought in not by any Law of God but by the fauour and graunt of the Emperours Pelagius Bishop of Rome withstood it first would haue no Bishop or Patriarch to bee vniuersall because that if any one man bee called vniuersall the name of Patriarch or Bishop is derogated from all others but let this be farre from all faithfull men to take that vpon him whereby the honour of his brethren is diminished Gregorie the great Bishop of Rome also opposed that Title with more vehemencie prouing that no man ought to bee called vniuersall Bishop which hee tearmeth a new foolish proud peruerse wicked and prophane name and to consent vnto it is as much as to denie the Faith Hee addeth further Whosoeuer goeth about to extoll himselfe aboue other Bishops therein followeth Sathan who was not content to bee equall or like vnto other Angels Gregorie also affirmeth That none of his Predecessors did euer vsurpe to himselfe that Title concluding That whosoeuer doth so declareth himselfe to bee a forerunner of Antichrist When Iohn before mentioned was preferred from the degree of a Moncke and made Patriarch of Constantinople and obtayned of Mauritius the Emperor also to be extolled aboue all other Bishops with the name of Vniuersall Patriarch hee requested Mauritius likewise to write vnto Gregorie then Bishop of Rome for his consent thereunto but Gregorie whether in detestation of that Title or for affectation to the thing it selfe I cannot tell would not agree And vnderstanding that he was in the Emperors displeasure for dissenting from it he writ to Constantina the Empresse declaring Iohn his presumption pride therein to bee both against the rule of the Gospel the Decrees of the Canons namely the sixt Canon of the Nicene Councell and that the noueltie of that new found Title did declare nothing else but that the time of Antichrist was neere at hand In the ambitious pursuites for this Supremacie as well by Iohn Patriarch at Constantinople as also in those which Boniface 3. Bishop of Rome vsed afterward it is worthie to be obserued that neither of the pretenders insisted vpon anie right in Scripture but both made their addresses to seuerall Emperours Iohn to Mauritius Boniface to Phocas both implying thereby that it was in the Emperours power and did belong to him in right to translate or conferre the Primacie of the Church It is certaine that in Pelagius and Gregories time before mentioned there was no challenge of Supremacie openly made for the Bishop of Rome but a contestation to the contrarie None of my Predecessors Bishops of Rome euer consented to vse this vngodly name no B. of Rome euer tooke vpon him this name of singularitie Wee the Bishop of Rome will not receiue this honour offered vnto vs. And it is not credible that the holy Fathers in the Councell of Nice could or would haue Decreed that three other Patriarchs should bee equall or haue like authority with the B. of Rome neither might they haue restrained the B. of Rome his authoritie to a certaine limit with this Prouiso that he should not inuade the Diocesse of other Bishops but content himselfe with the authoritie of his owne circuite if Christ had giuen vnto him the vniuersall gouernement of the Church or world As to the words of our Sauiour Christ Thou art Peter vpon this rocke will I build my Church Origen writeth Jf wee speake the same that Peter spake wee are made Peter vnto vs it shall be said Thou art Peter For hee is the Rocke that is the Disciple of Christ Cyprian when Paul had reproued Peter 2. Gal. Peter neither reuenged himself nor tooke any thing proudly vpō him as to say that he had the Primacie Or that others that were but nouices and after cōmers as Paul was ought to bee obedient vnto him A.D. 350 Hilarius This is that onely blessed Rocke of faith that Peter confessed with his mouth A.D. 380 Ciril The rocke is nothing else but the strong and assured faith of the disciple A.D. 5__ Ambrose Of Peter and Paul who ought to be preferred is not known If you say that the charge c principalitie of the whole Church was cōmitted vnto Peter Chrysost answereth Vnto Paul the whole world was committed Paul gouerneth the Church of the world Paul ruleth the whole world The same Father writeth Not vpon the person of Peter but vpon the faith of Peter Christ hath builded his Church and what is the faith Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God What is it to say Vpon this Rocke that is Vpon the confession of Peter for if wee should say the Church is builded vpon the person of Peter we should haue another foundation of the Church then Christ which is directly against S. Paul No man can lay anie other foundatiō but that which is laid alreadie which is Iesus Christ. A.D. __0 Augustine who died about the yere 432. at which time S. Patrick liued in great respect August I say doth write Christ was the rocke vpon which foundation Peter himselfe was built also addeth Christ saith to
Peter I wil not build my selfe vpon thee but I will build thee vpon mee Asia and Affrica professing Christ as well as wee did not consent to the Bishop of Rome his Supremacie I confesse that the Eastern churches and Bishops for debates of matters of faith amongst themselues made suites to the Bishops of Rome but that was not for the superioritie of Iurisdiction that the See of Rome had ouer them but for the diuision that was within themselues by reason that the whole Easterne countries as well Bishops as others were much infected with the heresies of Arrius whereof the West was in a manner cleere So as amongst the Orients none were counted indifferent to decide those debates but all were suspect of affection for one cause or other wherefore they desired the opinions of the Bishops of the west as indifferēt not intangled with affections of anie of those parts vncorrupted of the Arrians Which appeareth by the Epistles of S. Basile written in all their names for that purpose wherein it is especially to be noted that their suit was not to the Bishop of Rome singularly by name but as the titles doe shew to the whole congregation of the BB. of Italy and France or of the whole West sometimes preferring the French BB. Gallis and Italis and neuer nameth the Romanes About the yeare of our Lord 610. Boniface 3 obtained of Phocas the wicked Emperor that slew his Mr. Mauricius his wife and children That hee the saide Pope might bee called the Prince of all Bishops Then the peoples deuotion to Religion and the beleefe which was setled in their minds of the power of the Keyes which were said to open and shut paradise to binde loose sinnes laid the foundatiō of the Popes greatnesse and authoritie Agatho B. of Rome writ to Constantine the 4. Most gratious Lord your sacred Letters encouraging vs to shew forth effectually our prompt diligent seruice for performing that which your Edict cōmanded for discharge of our duty c. And in a second Epistle All the Bishops of the North and West partes seruants of your Christiā Empire giue thākes to God for this your religious intēt in calling of a Councell A.D. 850 Leo the fourth Bish of Rome writ likewise to the Emperor As touching the chapters imperiall precepts of your Highnesse and the Princes your predecessors irrefragably to be kept and obeyed as much as in vs did or doth lie Wee by all meanes professe that wee will by Christs helpe now and for euer obserue the same Certainely the vaine Titles of the Pope as Vniuersall Bishop Prince of Priests supreame head of the vniuersall Church and Vicar of Christ here vpon earth likewise his vast pretended Iurisdiction came not into the Church altogether but with long working continuance of time by little little as occasions were giuen Partly by Boniface the third about the yere 610. partly by Pope Gregorie the seuenth called Hildebrād about the yere 1170. partly by Innocentius the third about the yeare of our Lord 1215. and finally by Pope Boniface the eight about the yere of our Lo 1300. Of which foure popes the first brought in a Title the second brought Iurisdiction the third pope Innocent with his Monkes and his Friers corrupted obscured the sinceritie of Christs doctrine and lastly pope Boniface the eight Clement the fift after him ouer and besides the Iurisdiction sufficiently aduanced before by pope Hildebrand added moreouer the tēporall Sword to be carried before him and that no Emperor were he neuer so well elected should be sufficiēt or lawfull without the popes admission A confident and high challenge differing so much from the obedience and humilitie of Christ of the Apostles of Christ of the good and holy Bishops of Rome which did speake write to the Emperors in a milder language full of acknowledgements and respects that men vnpartially affected neede not doubt it proceeded frō another spirit But whē pope Boniface came to make experiment of the possession of this challenge and how Christian princes would giue way vnto his claim Philip the Faire King of France returneth to the popes insolent demaund an answere swere full of royall magnanimitie as appeareth by their Letters ensuing Boniface B. seruant of the seruants of God to Philip King of Frenchmen feare God and obserue his cōmandements Wee will thee to vnderstand that thou art subiect to Vs both in spirituall and temporall things and that it belongs not to thee to giue any Prebend or Benefice If thou hast the keeping of any of them being vacant thou must reserue the profits of them to the successors if thou hast giuen anie Wee iudge thy gift to be void and doe reuoke all that hath beene done and whosoeuer beleeueth otherwise We iudge them heretickes Giuen at Latran the 4. of the Nones of Decemb the sixth yere of Our Popedome The King answereth him thus Philip by the grace of God King of France to Boniface calling himselfe Soueraigne B. little health or none at all Let thy great Fool-ship be aduertised that in temporall things Wee acknowledge no Superior but God that the gift of Prebendes being voide belongs to Vs by Our Royall Prerogatiue and the fruites that growe thereby the which Wee will defend by the Sword against all them that shall seeke to hinder Our possession esteeming them fooles and without iudgement that shall thinke otherwise The Realme of England certainely was neuer by Lawes or long submission subiect to the Popes authority For when the Bishops of Affrica prayed Innocentius either to send for Pelagius the Britaine or to deale with him by Letters to shew the meaning of his lewd speeches tending to the derogation of Gods grace the B. of Rome made answer When will he commit himselfe to our iudgemēt write what letters I will when as he knoweth he shall bee condemned And if hee were to bee sent for they may better doe it that are neerer to him and not so farre distant from him as I am Jnnocentius 400. yeres after Christ confesseth that hee had no sufficient authoritie to call one poore Britaine out of this realme And 200. yeres after that the Bishops of Britaine would yeelde no subiection to Austine the Moncke neither did they accept him for their Archbishop Indeede their maner of Baptizing obseruing Easter and other Ecclesiasticall constitutions contrary to the rites and customes of the Church of Rome as Augustin then obiected vnto them make manifest proofe that they were neuer vnder the Iurisdiction of the B. of Rome Take a view of the Kings of England you shall finde that from the Conqueror vnto this day most of them haue either resisted or abated the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction which the Pope claimed in this land by right of the Crowne A.D. 1067 William the Conqueror said in a Parliament For asmuch as the King is the Vicar of the High King hee is therefore appointed to that purpose
that hee should rule and defend the Kingdome and the people of the Lorde and aboue all things the holy Church And when the Popes eyes were fixed vpon the Bishopricks of England to bring them all spirituall promotions to his owne donation his Holinesse receiued admonition from the same Conqueror that hee should goe against the most auncient Lawes of his kingdome if he did admit or acknowledge the power of any forreiner as the Pope was A.D. 1088 So William Rufus sonne to the Conqueror did strictly forbid Anselm Archbishop of Canterburie and charged all other Bishops to haue no respect to Rome or to the Pope saying J cannot endure any equall in my kingdome so long as J liue A.D. 1114 Henry the first by his Atturney did forbid Anselm returning from Rome to enter his land vnlesse he would faithfully promise to keep all the customs both of William the Conqueror his Father and of William Rufus his brother A.D. 1164 Henrie the second made all the Bishops c. sweare in a generall assembly at Cloredon that these liberties of the Crown amongst which one was That no Archbishop Bishop or any other person should goe out of the Realme without the King his leaue Another did direct Appeales That if any were made they should come from the Archdeacon to the Bishop from the Bishop to the Archbishop and if the Archbishop fayled in doing Justice it shall bee lawfull at the last to come vnto the King that by his commaundement the matter may bee ended in the Archbishop his Court So that no person shall presume to appeale further without the King his consent And hee writ letters to all his Shiriffes Lieutenants in England in this manner I commaund you that if any Cleargie man or Lay man in your Countie appeale to the Court of Rome you attach him hold him fast-ward till Our pleasure bee known Henrie the third when it was propounded in Parliament whether one borne before Matrimonie may inherit in like maner as they that are born after And the Bishops intreating the temporall Lords to consent to the affirmatiue because the Canons Decrees of the Church of Rome are so all the Earles and Barons answered with one voyce That they would not haue the Lawes of England changed and so the statute passed with the Lords temporall against the orders of Rome The same King writeth in this wise to the Bishops seuerally to euerie one in his Diocesse Henry the third by the Grace of God to the Reuerend in Christ B. of N. Whereas Wee haue heretofore written vnto you once twise thrise as well by Our priuie Seales as also by Our Letters Patents that you should not exact or collect for the Popes behalfe anie tallage or other helpe of Our Subiectes either of the Cleargie or of the Layetie for that no such tallage or helpe either can or is vsed to bee exacted in Our Realme without the great preiudice of Our Princely dignitie which Wee neither can nor will suffer or sustaine Yet you contemning and vilipending Our Commaundement and contrarie to the Prouision made in Our last Councell at London graunted agreed vpon by Our Prelates Earles and Barons haue that notwithstanding proceeded in collecting the same your taxes and tallages Whereupon Wee doe greatly maruaile are moued especially seeing you are not ashamed to doe contrarie to your owne Decrees whereas you and other Prelates in the said Councell in this did all agree and graunt that no such exactions should bee heereafter vntill the returne of Our and your ambassadors frō the Court of Rome sent thither purposely of Vs and in the name of the whole Realme for the same to prouide for redresse against these oppressions Wherefore Wee straightly will and commaund you that from henceforth you doe not proceede any more in collecting exacting such tallages or helpes as you will enioy Our fauour and such possessions of yours as within this Our kingdome you haue and hold And if you haue alreadie procured or gathered any such thing yet that you suffer it not to bee transported out of Our Realme but cause it to bee kept in safe custody till the return of the said Ambassadors vnder the paine of Our displeasure in doing of the contrarie and also of prouoking Vs to extend Our hand vpon your possessions further thē you will thinke or beleeue Moreouer willing charging you that you participate make knowen this Our Inhibition with your Archdeacōs Officials which We here haue set forth for the liberties of the Cleargie and of the people as knoweth God c. A.D. 1212 When King John had refused the disordered election of Stephen Langton to the Archbishopricke and See of Canterburie Jnnocent the third forced the King to resigne his kingdome and to take it of him againe the said Pope at the yearely rent of 1000. Markes But the Barons the Bishops were so much displeased therewith that in plaine contempt of the Popes keyes curses they did choose them another King and chased King Iohn the Popes fermor in dispite of all his new Landlord could doe A.D. 1291 King Edward the first made a Statute at Carlile that the Pope should exercise no Iurisdiction in England and in his time one bringing an excommunication from Rome against a Subiect of England and the same being brought by complaint before the King and his Councell the fact was adiudged high Treason the offendor had suffred death but by the mediation of the Chauncellor Treasurer the King was content with his banishment Edward the second would not suffer the Peter-penie to bee collected otherwise then had been accustomed A.D. 1360 Edward the third reuiued the Statute of Premunire made by Edward the first Pope Gregorie the eleuenth writ to him that this Law might bee abrogated but preuailed not Shortly after this time Richard fitz Ralfe liued was made Archbishop of Armagh a holy learned man as appeareth by his labours and disputations against the begging Friers A.D. 1413 Henry the fourth made a Law that no Popes Collector thenceforth should leuie any money within the Realme for first fruites of any Ecclesiasticall liuing vnder pain of incurring the Statute of Prouisions or Premunire An. 5. Henr. 5. Act. 17. It was enacted in a Parliament That the Church all estates should enioy all their liberties which were not repealed or repealeable by the common Law meaning the excluding of the Popes forreine power which hath alwayes beene excluded by the common Law A.D. 1428 As King Henry the sixt with Duke Humfrey Lord Protector the rest of the Councell were in the Dukes house in the Parish of S. Bennets by Pauls Wharfe one Richard Candray Procurator in the Kings name behalfe did protest denounce by this publike instrument That whereas the king and all his Progenitors Kings before him of this Realme of England haue beene heretofore possessed time out of minde with speciall priuiledge custom vsed and