Apostles The force of the argument consists in this that since they sent him or delegated him he had none and consequently he was not Oecumenick Bishop Secondly Herod did not delegate the wise men not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between which two verbs there is great difference the first signifying a sending with authority the second many times a dimission only as appears in several Classick Authors having the same signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Homier odyss 15. and other where Their third instance is from Joshua 22. Where the people sent Phine has the High-Priest to the Reubenites and Gadites Josephus also lib. 20. cap. 7. Antiquit. relats That Ishmael the High-Priest was sent to Nero by the people of the Jews But it is answered These instances are not to the purpose And first Phinehas was not High-Priest but only the Son of Eleazar the High-Priest it is great impudence in Stapleton to affirm he was High-Priest Bellarmin calls him not High-Priest but only Priest but he reasons from him as he were High Priest As for Ishmael Bellarmin takes no heed that he was sent as a Legat as Rufinus interprets but Bellarmin will not grant that Peter was sent as a Legat neither will he grant that Ishmael being a Legat was greater then these who sent him Bellarmin useth other instances of Paul and Barnabas sent Acts 15. from the Church of Antioch to Jerusalem who were the chief Doctors of the Church Whence saith he To be sent doth not import that these who sent them were greater then they But it is answered First The question is not whether the Apostles who sent Peter were greater then he But whether he was greater then they were We do not affirm The other Apostles were greater then Peter but only since they sent him as a Legat he was not greater then the other Apostles Secondly Acts 15. the Greek verbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not used by Luke but the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a honorable deduction or dimission And so Cajetanus the Cardinal and Salmero the Jesuit interpret the place Fisher Bishop of Rochester affirms That Pius second the Cardinal thinking it fit had an intention to go against the Turks in person But it is answered He had no intention to go in commission from the Cardinals but only to follow their advice Stapleton instances So did Peter go to Samaria out of his own accord not necessitated by any authority But he is refuted by the Greek verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which evermore signifies a sending with authority as appears by John 1. where it is said That the Jewes sent Priests and Levites to Jerusalem And likewise 2 Timothy 4. Tychicus was sent to Ephesus And likewise Acts 11. Barnabas was sent in all which missions the great verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used but not so Acts 10. when Paul was sent from Antioch The best solution of all is given by Renatus a Sorbonist who grants that Peter was sent by the other Apostles as Legat and less in authority then they But saith he it doth not follow he was not Oecumenick Bishop because the authority of the whole Church is more then the authority of an Oecumenick Bishop It cannot be denyed that this answer of Renatus takes away the force of the Argument But it is much doubted that this answer is owned at Rome since the doctrine of the particular Church of Rome the infallibiliy of which is defended by Bellarmin and all the Italians is that the authority of the Bishop of Rome is above a General Council which after many debates and oppositions in the Council of Constance and Basil at last was concluded in the Council of Florence whence the argument is yet in force against the doctrine of the Church of Rome although not against Renatus and others of his opinion The second argument against the Supremacy of Peter from his carriage Acts 11. 3. where he was challenged by the brethren for going in to men uncircumcised The Argument is this An Oecumenick Bishop cannot be questioned for any thing he doth but Peter was questioned Ergo He was not an Oecumenick Bishop The first proposition is proved from the Canon Law in Gratianus Distinct 40. Canon Si Papa Where it is expresly affirmed and likewise Distinct 19. and Caus 17. quaest 4. And likewise in the same distinction 19. cap. in memoriam The words are Licet vix ferendum ab illa sancta sede imponatur jugum tamen feramus pia devotione toleremus But the Gloss in the Decretals cap quantò Personam de translatione Episcopi affirms That the Bishop of Rome hath coelesle arbitrium ideo naturam rerum mutare substantialia unius rei applicando alii de nullo posse aliquid facere sententiam quae nulla est facere aliquam necesse qui ei dicat Cur ita facis poâ—se enim suprajus dispensare de injustitia facere justitiam corrigendo jura mutando demum plenitudinem obtinere potestatis By which it appears expresly that none will question an Oecumenick Bishop And Since Peter was questioned by those men it is evident they did not acknowledge him Oecumenick Bishop Bellarmin lib. 1. cap. 16. mentions this Argument but doth not answer it but falls in a digression endeavoring to prove that Peter was not ignorant of that mystery of the calling of the Gentiles before that vision Acts 10. but he seems expresly to contradict Scripture as appears to any having the use of reason considering both that vision and also his speech meeting with Cornelius verse 34. Stapletonin Relect. Controvers 3. quaest 1. art 3. and in other places answers That it is the duty of a good Pastor to show himself ready to give an account of his actions to any who calls them in question But it is replyed Stapleton saith truth and Peter so in the same place but he takes not away the force of the Argument since in the sore-cited passages of the Canon Law it is forbidden by the Pope himself to call what he doth in question since he is bound to give an account of his actions to no power earthly either spiritual or temporal but only to God The third Argument is almost like the second but more puzling It is then from Galat. 2. 11. where the Apostle Paul affirms That in Antiochia he resisted Peter to his face for he was to be blamed which quite destroys the Supremacy of Peter in two particulars First that he was blamed and resisted Secondly That he was deservedly resisted This objection puts the Roman Doctors by the ears together how to answer it The most ingenuous among them confess that Paul in those words expresly thought himself equal to Peter otherwise he durst not have spoken them So Lombardus Cajetanus affirms That Paul in these words thought himself greater then
Emperour who made the Bishop of Rome oecumenick or universal Bishop And this much of the God-father of that Monster which is all the Jus Divinum the Bishops of Rome have for their Monarchy in the Church The next thing observable is the God-bairn gift or the title of Universal Bishop conferred by Phocas upon Bonefacius third Bishop of Rome in the beginning of the seventh Age or about anno 604. If your Lordships ask what sort of Title and Office it is Gregorius Magnus Bishop of Rome who died not two years before Bonifacius 3d was Bishop of Rome who was first made universal Bishop by Phocas And Pelagius second Bishop of Rome to hom immediatly Gregorius Magnus succeeded will inform your Lordships viz. That the Title and Office of universal Bishop were new not heard of before that time Scelerate Prophane Sacrilegious Blasphemous against the Mandates of Christ Constitutions of the Apostles Canons and Liberties of the Church Who ever took upon him that Office or Title He contaminated those very times in which he lived was that Man of Sin sitting in the Temple of God exalting himself above all that are called God So Pelagius in an Epistle to a Council at Constantinople that he was like the Devil exalting himself above the other Angels and equalling himself to God So Gregorius which expressions of Pelagius and Gregorius and many others too prolix to be inserted here are found word for word in their Epistles Those Testimonies at length ye will find in the second Book of the second Part of this following Treatise The third thing observeable by your Lordships is the reasons wherefore the Emperour Phocas bestowed that Title of oecumenick Bishop upon Bonifacius third They are mentioned by Barronius ad annum 604. and others also as Sabellicus and Platina there is not one word of Tu es Petrus or of the Bishop of Romes succession to Peter amongst them all They were all civil respects As first because the Emperour had his Title from Rome and since Rome was the old Imperial City It was reason that the Bishop of Rome should have jurisdiction over all Bishops This is the onely reason mentioned in the Edict of Phocas Others add there reasons One of which is this Mauritius the Emperour murthered by Phocas had bestowed the title of universal Bishop upon John called Jejunator Or the Faster Patriarch of Constantinople Pelagius and Gregory Bishops of Rome thunder both against the Title and the Function as we now mentioned but to no purpose John still possesseth both the Title and the Office In both which Cyriacus Patriarch of Constantinople succeeds which Cyriacus protected the Empress and Children of Mauritius against Phocas for which reason Phocas takes both the Title and the Office from â—yriacus and bestowed them upon Bonifacius third Bishâ—p of Rome his old friend as is confessed by Barronius Others add two other reasons the first is this Phocas having obtained the Empyre by murthering his Master Mauritius and all his race domineered with such tyrrany that he was abhorred of all fearing a revolt in the West to curry favour with Bonifacius third Bishop of Rome whose authority was very great in it he bestowed the title of universal Bishop upon him that by his moyen he might be established in his Empyre and acknowledged by the Romans The second reason related by some is that the said Bonifacius either gave or did promise to give to Phocas a hudge mass of Money and so bought the Office from him However whatever were the reasons which moved Phocas it is most certain that the Edict or Gift of Phocas is the oldest Evident and Charter that the Bishop of Rome can produce to instruct his Monarchy in the Church which will more clearly appear by what followeth Seventhly your Lordships will find that new born Monster Christned universal Bishop by the Edict of Phocas shunned every where in the East in Spain in Britain in Germany in France yea in Italy it self under the walls of Rome the whole Church refusing to obey the Edict of Phocas or to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome universal Bishop One only Parasite excepted the Bishop of Cyprus who saluted him by that name out of envy to the Bishop of Constantinople So that in the end as it was recorded by some the Bishop of Rome for very shame gave over that Title of universal Bishop The posterior Emperoures also recalled that Edict of Phocas as appears by the 36th Canon of the sixth general Council called Trullanum convocated by Pogonatus Emperour of Constantinople anno 680. By which 36th Canon of the said Council was confirmed the 28th Canon of the Council of Chalcedon celebrated anno 450. By which the Bishop of Constantinople was made equal to the Bishop of Rome in Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction In the Eighth place your Lordships will find in the decay of the Grecian Empyre by the Inundations of barbarous Nations all enemies to the Empyre and each of them enemies to one another that the Bishops of Rome in these vicissitudes sided ever with the Conquerour being also courted by them to countenance them in the establishment of their new and unsettled conquests By which practices that Apocalyptick Monster almost blasted in the Budd and strangled in the Craddle revived again not only re-assuming the Title of universal Bishop bestowed on him by Phocas But also soaring higher taking upon him to excomunicate the Grecian Emperour to stir up the Longobards to bereave him of his possessions in Italy To destroy the Exharchat of Ravenna To bereave him of the Dutchy of Rome which the Pope got to his own share And when the Longobards demanded Tribute of him for the said Dutchy of Rome which the Bishops of Rome were acustomed to pay to the Grecian Emperours Then he called in the French by whose means he destroyed the Kingdom of the Longobards and to requite the French Services he made Pipin their General King of France shutting up the righteous King in a Monastery And also in contempt of the Grecian Emperour he made Carolus Magnus Son of the said Pipin Emperour of the West Since which time the Empyre of the West has been divided from that of the East until this day That is since the latter end of the Eighth Age or Century In the ninth place your Lordships will find a strange Catastrophy The Doctors of the Church of Rome brag much of the submissive obedience of Carolus Magnus to the power of the Bishop of Rome which in effect he seemed to do at first untill he obtained his ends but having accomplished his intentions he made it appear to posterity that both the spiritual and temporal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome was a Sword in a mad mans hand he curbed him so both in spirituals and temporals that he left him no more but the bare Title of universal Bishop but as to the power of it he made him a meer cypher as appears by what follows The History is very pleasant
Phocas the Emperor carried no good will to Cyriacus Patriarch of Constantinople he struck the Iron while it was hot after much contention pronounced in his favour The third Part entituled of an oecumenick Bishop contains the History of that interval between anno 600. and the Council of Trent It is divided in two Books in the first I insist most on those following particulars 1. What power was conferred by Phocas with that title of universal Bishop upon Bonifacus third Bishop of Rome 2. How the edict of Phocas was obâ—yed viz. resisted every where till in the end it was recalled by Pogonatus anno 680. in the sixth general Council as was shewed before 3. How during the vicissitudes of inundations of Barbarians the Bishop of Rome re-assumed that title of unâ—versal Bishop and usurped power in temporals over the Grecian Emperoâ—s as was already declared 4. How Carolus Magnus curbed him 5. How when the posterity of Carolus Magnus decayed he renewed and augmented his power by five steps as we shewed before also In the second Book those steps or increments of the Papacy between anno 600. and the â—Câ—ncel of Trent are dogmatically disputed by Scripture Fathers and it is proved by testimonies of the most learned Antiquaries of the Church of Rome that the oldest of those steps was not before anno 1000. It is true indeed that his power in temporals was attempted first by Constantine Bishop of Rome against Philippicus Emperour of Constantinople anno 720. because the said Philippicus caused pull down those Images of the Fathers of the sixth general Council placed in the Church of St. Sophia at Constantinople and a little after Gregory 2d and 3d. Bishops of Rome excommunicated Leo Isaurus and his son Copronymus for the same quarrel of Images but their insolence was compesâ—ed by Carolus Magnus as we shewed before Those four steps are 1. Election by Cardinals 2. Power of convocating general Councils constantly preâ—iding in them of confirming and infirming them 3. Power in temporals 4. In fallibility as for the last step Divinity it is disputed in the fourth Part lib. 2. The fourth and last Part of this Treatise entituled of Antichrist is divided in two Books in the first the demonstrations of Sanderus Bellarmine and Lessius three Jesuits are answered by which they endeavour to prove that the Bishop of Rome is not Antichrist 2. The Bishop of Rome is proved to be Antichrist by Scripture Fathers Popish Doctors yea by the testimonies of some Popes themselves In the second Book two marks of Antichrist are chiefly insisted upon the first is his defection 2 Thess 2. where it is proved that the Doctrine of the Modern Church of Rome is that defection mentioned by the Apostle and that in the first six Centuries there was no such thing as the modern Popish Religion which is proved by an induction of all the contraverted points we have with the Church of Rome 2. Because those of the Church of Rome ordinarily object that they have not made a defection because it cannot be instructed at what time it was made by whom and who resisted it Two things are proved in the said Book first it is proved by Reason Experience Scripture Fathers that a defection may be made and yet it may be unknown by whom it is made at what time and who first resisted it 2. It is proved by an induction that most of the most substantial Tenets of the Church of Rome such as transubstantiation number of the Sacraments communion under one kind sacrifice of the Mass imperfection of the Scripture equalling of traditions to it adding a Apocrypha Books to it rejecting the Greek and Hebrew as not being authentick as making the corrupt vulgar Latine version authentick free-will Merits justification by Works caelibat of Priests worshiping of Images invocation of Saints set Fasts Prayer for the dead Purgatory Indulgences works of super-erogation all the steps of the Popes Supremacy c. were not only not from the beginning but also it is proved for the most part by testimonies of Popish Doctors themselves at what time and by whom the said Tenets as innovations were brought in the Church The second mark of Antichrist we insist upon is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all sort of deceiving and fraud 2 Thes 2. where it is shewed by what cheats the authority of the Bishop of Rome and his Doctrine are maintained such as perverting falsly translating and corrupting by adding and paring of the indices expurgatorii all the Writings of the Ancients Suppositions Revelations Saints Miracles c. My Lords and Gentlemen Thus I have represented unto you what I perform in this great Subject and what method I observe in it By which it will appear to any reasonable man what difference there is between this method and that of others if I perform what I promise of which let the judicious Reader be judge Now followeth the third thing which I desired your Lordships to take to consideration viz. what my scope and intention is which is twofold the first is to refute those marks 〈◊〉 which those of the Church of Rome endeavour to perswade their Disciples that the said Church of Rome is the true â—hurch The first mark is a continual succession of Bishops which they take great pains to enumerat from the dayes of the Apostles unto this time In which mark shall be proved a four-fold cheat The first is they make the world beâ—ieve that all those Bishops were of a like greatness in Power and Authority whereas it is proved that in the first three Centuries or at least before the dayes of Cypâ—ian that every Bishop was of equal authority with the Bishop of Rome And that between the times of Cyprian and the Council of Chalcedon every Metropolitan and from the Council of Chalcedon to anno 604. every Patriarch were of equal jurisdiction to him And when he was made universal Bishop by Phocas little more then a bare title was bestowed on him and yet that was after revocked by the sixth general Council As for those five steps we mentioned before in which chiefly the Modern Power of the Pope consists viz. Election by Cardinals 2. Authority of convocating general Councils 3. Temporal jurisdiction 4. Infability 5. and Divinity it shall be proved as we said before by the testimonies of Popish Doctors themselves that the oldest of them had not a beeing in the tenth Age and that the said Popish Doctors acknowledging the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church nevertheless some of them doubted not to call the Bishop of Rome Antichrist by reason of these steps which they call tyrannical Antichristian usurpations The second Cheat in that mark of succession is that they make ignorants believe that all the Bishops of Rome since the times of the Apostles professed the same Doctrine which is now taught in the Church of Rome whereas it shall be proved that the Doctrine of the modern