maine and principall grounds vpon the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome and vpon the authoritie of generall Councils ONVPHRIVS to vphold the one vndoeth the other and to cleare HONORIVS of all suspition of heresie he bringeth the generall Councill vnder a suspition of falsification Then let ONVPHRIVS either produce the true and vncorrupt acts of the sixt generall Councill which he will neuer be able to doe or else for all his fectlesse apologie HONORIVS name is spotted with the blame of heresie And of late dayes the Romaine chaire hath not onely renued but also doubled the heresie of the Collyridians damned in the dayes of EPIPHANIVS For the Collyridians gaue onely some piece of diuine honour to the blessed virgin the mother of our Lorde but the Romaine Bishops in suffering by their toleration conniuence or rather allowance the Psalter of our Lady as they call it to be printed diuulgat and vsed by Christian people wherein all the honour due to Christ not excepting the sitting at the right hand of the Father Psal. 110. is all attributed vnto the virgine MARIE In so doing I say they haue not onely renued but also doubled the heresie of the Collyridians In the Councill of Basil gathered Ann. 1431. EVGENIVS 4 then B. of Rome was deposed by the general Councill of Basil as a notable schismaticke and perturber of the peace of Christes Church Yet his name is in the roll of the succession of Romaine Bishops and all these who haue sitten in the chaire of Rome since the dayes of EVGENIVS 4. are successors to a perjured schismaticke justly deposed by the generall Councill of Basil with consent of the Emperour SIGISMVND Now let Romanists advise whether they will blame the generall Councill or the Bishop of Rome EVGENIVS 4. If they blame the general Councill then the generall Councill may erre euen in great fundamentall points of their owne faith for it leaneth vpon the authoritie of the B. of Rome Councils And if they wil blame EVGENIVS 4. as a schismaticke worthy of deposition then is their succession whereof they glorie so much vtterly cut off since the dayes of EVGENIVS the fourth As touching idolatrie I dare boldly set the Romaine chaire in higher degree then the idolarrous Jewes of old of whom IEREMIE speaketh that according to the number of their cities was the number of their gods Ier. 2. ver 28 Nowe there are not so many cities in Juda as there are Angels Apostles martyres and Saints in heauen to whom the Romaine chaire giueth the glory of Christ maketh them mediators of intercestion Therefore it is an impudent presumption to brag of Apostolicke succession when as by heresie schisme and idolatrie they haue so oft fallen and yet continue in falling away from the footsteps of the Apostles Now because commonly like errours haue like grounds let vs consider what was the ground of the error of the succession of AARON and thereby may easily be discerned the ground of the error of the alledged Apostolicke succession The posteritie of AARON beeing reprooued by IEREMIE the Prophet tooke the reproofe in a very euill part supponing that they were exeemed from errour in maters of religion because of the promises of God made to the tribe of LEVI therfore they say Come and let vs imagine some deuise against Jeremiah for the Lâ—…w shâ—…ll not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet Cone and let vâ—… smite him for his tongue and let vs not takâ—… heede to his words Ier. 18. ver 18. The promises made to the tribe of LEVI are contained Deut. 33 ver 8. 9 10. 11. And after the captiuitie of Babylon MALACHI making an ample declaration of the promises made to LEVI saith My couenant was with him of life peace Igaue him feare he feared me was afraid before my name The Lawe of trueth waâ—… in his mouth and there was none iniquitie found in his l ps he walked with me in peace and equitie did turne many away from iniquitie For the Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should secke the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Mal. 2. ver 5. 6. 7. Of this promise of God spoken by MOSES and long after amplified by the Prophet MALACHI many did collect that the successors of AARON LEVI could not erre in religion but how erroneous false this conclusion was the wordes of the Prophet MALACHI immediatly after following do declare But ye are gone out of the way ye haue caused many to fall by the Lawe ye haue broken the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of Hostes Mal. 2. ver 8. If we had no further to alledge but these two testimonies that IEREMIE MALACHI did reprooue the successors of LEVI AARON of great errours defection notwithstanding of the promises made to them their posteritie yet these two witnesses being Prophets of God doe aboundantly prooue that promises made to LEVI and AARON do not exeeme their succession from error in religion But marke another circumstance in the ground of this errour of AARONS succession which was this God made a promise conditionall which they supposing to be absolute tooke libertie to doe what they lifted The conditions are clearely set downe by the Prophet MALACHI cap. 2. If they feared God conuerted others from their wicked waies kept the key of knowledge then they should be counted the Ambassadours of the Lord of hostes but these conditions being broken they hauing gone out of the way hauing caused many to fall by the law hauing broken the couenant of LEVI they were so far from being counted the Ambassadours of God that God made them vile before al the people ver 9 Yea the Lord cursed them cast doung vpon their faces euen the doung of their solemne feastes made them like vnto it ibid. ver 3. This was the tragicall euent of AARONS successours who opened one of their eares to heare the promise of God but closed the other eare from hearing and marking the conditions that were required of them to whom the promise was made The Romaine Church not vnlike to the successors of AARON haue their eare opened to heare the promise of God made to the Apostles their successors in these words Behold I am with you vnto the end of the world Mat 28 ver 20. but they close their eares from hearing the condition required of the Apostles their successours contained in the same verse in these words teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I command you Although they teach a doctrine repugnant to Christs commandement yea and a doctrine of deuils as PAVL speaketh 1. Tim. 4. yet must they be counted the Apostles successors and that Christ is with them that they do not erre But God wil cast their doung in their faces and make them like to
it that is vile and filthie as hee did vnto the Priests of the succession of AARON If any man wil obstinatly contend that the promise made to the Apostles and their successours was absolute and not conditionall consider the inconuenients that will follow Seeing this promise was not made to PETER onely but also to all the rest of the Apostles and their successours then as none of the Romaine Bishops can erre in religion because they are the successours of PETER as they alledge so in like maner the Bishops of Ierusalem Alexandria Antiochia Ephesus Philippi Thessalonica Corinth diuerse other places are all exeemed from errour because the Apostles and Euangelists preached and constitute Churches in all-these places they are successours to the Apostles in that same sense that the Bishops of Rome are successours to PETER And if none of all these can erre what priuiledge hath the church of Rome aboue all other Churches Or how can that be performed which was foretolde by the Apostle concerning apostasie that should fall out the reuelation of the man of sinne childe of perdition 2. Thess. 2 For all the successours of the Apostles beeing exeemed from error what place could be giuen to the Antichrist or what doore could haue bene opened to MAHOMET by whose delusions the Orientall Church hath bene so miserably abused But seeing the Apostles had some extraordinarie things such as calling gifts and prerogatiues They were called immediatly by Christ and were taught immediatly by his Spirit and mouth Gal. 1. They receiued from heauen the gift of tongues and languages to vtter this celestiall knowledge to all tongues nations Act. 2. They had power by imposition of hands to conferre to others the gift of the holy Spirit Act 8 With these extraordinarie giftes they had also extraordinarie prerogatiues that in teaching the doctrine receiued from Christ they should not erre Now these who cal themselues successors to the Apostles they dare not clame to the Apostles immediat calling nor yet to their extraordinarie gifts but that which of all the rest was most extraordinarie to the Apostles viz. to be exeemed from errour in teaching and writing that is so fast adhered vnto that it is one of the principal grounds of the Romaine faith in our dayes that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in faith and religion Yea so infortunate are the Bishoppes of Rome of late dayes that they would climme vp to the highest top and preeminence of Apostolicke dignitie to be exeemed from errour when as in things of lesse importance they cannot attaine as we speak to the Apostles garters This proud conceit of Apostolick succession with power of binding and loosing exemption from errour made some of the Bishops of Rome so high minded so vaine and ridiculous that learned fathers conueened together in Councils thought their pride more worthie to be receiued with scoffing wordes then with prolixe refutations Example whereof wee haue in a Councill gathered at Rome in the time of the Emperour OTTO the first about the yeere of our Lord 956. In which Councill IOHN 13. Others write Pope IOHN the 12. hee fled for feare of the Emperour OTTO Many grieuous accusations were giuen in against him such as incest murther saeriledge playing at dice and drinking to the deuill admitting of boyes to be Bishops for money with many other villanous things ouâ—…r and beside his perfidie in assisting BERENGARIVS and his sonne ALBERTVS against the Emperour OTTO contrarie to his promise and oath made before to the Emperour Libertie being granted to Pope IOHN to compeare without feare to answere to the accusations objected against him he beeing conuict in conscience would not compeare but he sent a short letter to the Council bearing that he was PETERS successor and had power of binding loosing by vertue of this power hee band them vnder paine of cursing that they should not proceede to his deposition To this proud letter the Councill gathered at Rome returned this answere that Christ gaue power of binding loosing to all his disciples as well as to PETER but one of them to wit IVDAS by abusing his power lost his power only he retained some power of binding to wit he had libertie to binde his owne necke to the gallous In which wordes they call him IVDAS and biddes this vile beast goe and hang himselfe if he lift Hist. Magdeb urg Cent. 10. cap. 9. PLATINA callâ—…th IOHN 13. homo sceleratissinus a most wicked man ONVPHRIVS the aduocate of all wicked causes blusheth and dare not stand at the barre to pleade the cause of IOHN 12. the predecessour of LEO the eight for both are one man he whom PLATINA calleth 13. and he whome ONVPHRIVS counteth 12. The Bishops of Rome might haue bene admonished by this one example if there were no mo not to be high minded not to cum to the supreame top of Apostolicke preeminence In a worde the Bishops of Rome of late yeeres are moâ—…e like to the successours of CAIAPHAS who would needes haue Christe to stand before his judgement seat judge of Christ his doctrine disciples Ioh. 18 ver 19. then they are like to the successours of PETER for I can see no inexcusable boldnes in CAIAPHAS damning Christs doctrine but I grope the like in the Romaine church that vsurpeth authoritie ouer the written word ouer Councils and consequently ouer Christ himselfe To conclude this treatise I will compare succession wherof the Romaine church braggeth so much to the way that lay betweene Samaria and Jerusalem this way led the people of Ephraim Manasse Jssachar Zabulon Nephthali and Aser to Jerusalem when they set their face Southward when they went vpward but the same way againe led them from Jerusalem when they turned their faces Northward when they went downward Euen so if a man set his face toward heauenly Ierusalem he shal finde a number of holy successors of the Apostles in puritie of doctrine honestie of conuersation patience in suffering that shall leade him to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem but againe it is as certaine if a man will set his face Northward to defection to backsliding and to preferre the traditions of men to the ordinances of God there shall not inlacke a number of guiders in the roll of personall successours as they call it to the Apostles who shall lead him from Jerusalem to Samaria from the mountaine of God to the valley of Benhinnon Therefore while we are in the way take heed what way our faces are set whether to Ierusalem or to Samaria and if they be set to Ierusalem let vs followe these sure guides who were true successours to the Apostles and they shall indeede leade vs to Christ to heauenly Ierusalem and to the glory which in heart and minde we waite for whereunto God lead vs for his Christs sake Amen CENTVRIE III. Chap. 1. Seuerus AFter PERTINAX and IVLIAN SEVERVS gouerned 17 yeeres 8. months
to be counted of according to the greatnes of the promises annexed to the succession as namely the succession of DAVID of whom God said His seede also will I make to endure for euer his throne as the dayes of heauen Psal. 89. 29 againe ver 35. 36. I haue sworne once by my holynesse that I will not faile Dauid saying his seede shal endure for euer and his throne shall be as the Sunne before me Here are ample promises to DAVID his succession confirmed by the Lordes oath by the Sun Moone as faithfull witnesses in heauen And that which was more then all the rest this succession of DAVID was a line leading to the great King Christ Iesus who should sit in the throne of his father DAVID of his kingdome there should be none end Luc. 1. for all these causes the succession of DAVID was greatly regarded Yet it is to be marked that all the promises othes testimonies honors did not carie with them a necessity that euery successour of DAVID should be in faith and religion like vnto DAVID but rather God foreseeing the contrarie faith If his ch◅ldren forsake my Law and walke not in my Judgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my ordinances then w◅ll I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitte with strokes ibid ver 30. 31. 32. I suppone that no succession euer had more glorious and ample promises then the succession of DAVID yet these promises inferred no necessitie that euery king sitting on the throne of DAVID should bee heire also of the religion and faith of DAVID as well as of his kingdome And therfore to inferre vpon this ground that ample promises are made to the Apostles their successours that euery one who succeedeth to the Apostolick chaire shall keepe the true faith of the Apostles it is but a foolish and impertinent conclusion If any man shall replie that this was a succession of ciuill gouernours but the question now contrauerted is anent succession of Bishops and men in a spirituall calling True it is that DAVIDS successors succeeded to a ciuill gouernment yet seeing this succession was ratified by the oath of God and led also to Christ who is soueraine Lorde both of soule and body whatsoeuer priuiledge of standing in a good estate can be alledged in any succession the patterne of it is to be found in the succession of DAVID But this priuiledge that the successors of DAVID cannot erre in the true faith is not found no not in the great succession of DAVID Now to come to ecclesiasticall succession The priesthood of AARON was institute by God Numb 17. ver 5. It was confirmed by the miracle of the budding rodde ibid. ver 23. The vsarpers of AARONS office without a calling were also miraculously destroyed by fire that came downe from heauen Numb 16. Others were debarred from it euen in the dayes of NEHEMIAH Nehem. 7. ver 64. This succession of AARON was personall the son succeeding to the father in the Priesthood except some mutilation of a member or impotencie did hinder or any such like cause After AARON ELEAZAR and his son PHINEAS ABISHVA PHINEAS son and BVKKI HVZZI ZERACHIA MERAIOTH AMARIA ACHITVB ZADOK AHIMAAZ 1. Chron. 6. ver 50. 51. 52. 53. Many others after them were Priests of the stock of AARON yet did not all keepe fast the faith and religion of AARON yea some Priestes of AARONS stocke were notable Idolaters men-pleasers such as VRIAH in the dayes of AHAZ king of Juda who set vp an altar at the kings commandement according to the similitude of the altar of Damascus and offered sacrifices thereon 2. Reg. 16. Anent the succession of the Prophets euen when one good man succeeded to another good man the historie of scripture clearely declareth that men pointed out by God himselfe successours to an office yet by this are they not made succ◅ssours to their giftes for ELIZEVS was pointed out by God as successor to ELIAS in his prophetical office 1. Reg. 19. ver 16. yet by this was he not successor to his gifts as ELIZEVS petition of a double measure of the spirit of ELIAS clearely declareth 2. Reg. 2 ver 9 If the gift did necessarly accompany the succession what needed ELIZEVS to be carefull of the gift seeing he was sure of the succession The holy Apostles of Christ haue had a successiō shal haue vnto the end of the world to whō belōgeth the promise of Christ Behold I am with you vnto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20 But who are to be called true successors of the Apostles we haue declared already in the 1. Centurie taking our groūd out of scripture Act. 20 29. And out of Nazian in laudem Athanasii that darknes succeeding to light is not counted the true successor of lignt for the dissimilitude that is betweene darknes light But heere the question ariseth whether or not al Churches keeping the holy Apostolicke doctrine are bound to shew in write their succession from the Apostles◅ as the Priestes of the stocke of AARON after the captiuitie produced in write their lineal descent from AARON Nehem. 7. To this Tertul answereth lib. de pres◅ript adversus baret that Churches truely keeping the Apostolicke doctrine albeit they could not shew in write their succession from the Apostles yet are they to be counted Apostolicke Churches propter consang uinitatem doctrinae that is for their consanguinitie of doctrine But to come neerer and to examine whether the Romaine church hath kept Apostolicke doctrine in their succession without all spot of heresie as they affirme or not And first the chaire of Rome was not free of the heresie of EVTYCHES as clearly appeareth by the sixt generall Councill which was the third of those Councils which were gathered at Constantinople in the 12. yeere of the empire of CONSTANTINVS POGONATVS Ann. 681. Buco◅ In this Councill MACARIVS Patriarch of Antiochia and STEPHANVS his disciple stood vp pertinaciously defended the error of EVTYCHES were excommunicate by the Councill yet they had defended their opinion by the Synodicke letter of HONORIVS sometime B. of Rome written to SERGIVS B. of Constantinople Wherein it was clearely knowne that HONORIVS was infected with the errour of EVTYCHES for the which cause HONORIVS B. of Rome after his death in the sixt generall Councill was also excommunicat as an Heretique Tom Concil hist. Magdeb. This is not vnknown to some writers who notwithstanding defend this opinion that the Bishop of Rome cannot erre in maters of ◅aith ONVPHRIVS saith that the Acts of the sixt generall Councill containing a condemnatory sentence against HONORIVS Bishop of Rome were corrupted by the Grecians and that the Canons of this Councill as they are set foorth are supposititious and false Forsooth ONVPHRIVS is a worthy aduocate to pleade such a bad and reprobat cause The faith of the Romanists leaning vpon two
high Bishop and great Sheepheard of our soules only remaine with Christ who is only worthie of such high dignitie For like as many comforters came out of Hierusalem to comfort the two sisters Martha and Marie who lamented for the death of their brother Lazarus yet there was but onely one great comforter to wit Iesus Christ who could raise Lazarus out of the graue restore him to life again Euen so there are many bishops but there is only one great and vniuersall Bishop who can conferre eternall life to all that beleeue in him Let this royall garment bee laide vp in the Kinges wardrope and let none other man honour his owne bodie with it Let this oyle of consecration be kept in the Lords Sanctuary and let not the flesh of a stranger be annointed with it Let this inaccessible dignitie remaine as a fixed starre in heauen wherevnto no mortall man can reach his hand Let the death resurrection ascension and glorious sitting of Christ in heauen at the right hand of his Father budding foorth better fruite than the rodde of Aaron did testifie that this honour of the great Bishop of our soules belongeth only to Christ And finally Let him who onely is called the King of kinges the Lord of lordes the Prince of Prophets bee counted also the Bishop of all bishops who is worthie to be glorified for euer AMEN Vpon the necke of this Treatise if the next Treatise coÌ„cerning the Antichrist be subjoyned let no man maruell For in my opinion when the Popes hyrelinges cast themselues downe at his feete they testifie that they will bee subject vnto him as to the only Vicare of Christ vpon earth as to the Uniuersall bishop of the Church as to him that cannot erre in the Decrees of Doctrine concerning Faith and finallie as to whome onely it is lawfull as he listeth himselfe to determine of Religion and Christian Discipline So that these outwarde submissions of the bodie doe then appertaine to Idolatry when they are testimonies that the minde attributeth more vnto a creature than is meete But the miserie of all miseries is this that as it were by hereditarie succession euerie man who is seated in the chaire of Rome shall also haue right to gouerne the affaires of the whole Church how beit they bee not good common Christians let bee good Bishops and by the testimonie of their owne writers they be ambitious auaritious contentious and libidinous monsters Surelie before wee should conferre the glorie of CHRIST to such vile persons it were better that men should sacrifice their life for the honour of CHRIST For euen the LACEDEMONIANS when they were commanded to render their children answered to the MACEDONIANS Si grauiora morte imperatis mori volumus that is If yee commaunde thinges more grieuous than death wee will choose rather to die to wit than to obey such commaundementes And the verie Asse of Balaam is set downe vnto vs as an example of striuing against the vnlawfull commaundementes of vnlawfull prelates because the sword of the Angell of GOD is more terrible than the staffe of Balaam And albeit with Balaams Asse wee were thrise beaten with the staffe yet it is better to remember the by-past euilles which wee haue suffered than with the rich glutton to bee tormented not onelie with the sense of present paine but also with the remembrance of by-past pleasures which wee haue moste vnrighteously abused The Romane Church after the six hundreth yeere of our Lord had the wisedome of dogs who are wiser in senting than in barking for they knew that ambition was ambition and that verie fewe climbed vp to the papale dignitie by vertue but rather by procuration friendship bribes and other vnlawfull meanes but fewe durst barke against their doinges as dogges will not barke against men with whome they are familarly acquainted yea and men whome neceslitie of the extraordinary lewde conuersatioÌ„ of Pâ—…pes compelled at some times to barke Onuphrius the Aduocate of all cuill causes is ready with snurling words to reproue the reprehenders of them and by impudent deniall of the veritie of the historie to blind-folde the eyes of the simple and ignorant Reader Nowe is the way of righteousnesse made rough and difficill and the broad way is smoothe and easie and many walke therein But whensoeuer it pleaseth God to exercise the faith of his Saincts with difficill times it is not to mooue them to forsake a good course but rather to be well shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Indeede incase the course of vngodlinesse be made rough and difficill then the Lord hath set thorny hedges in our way to the ende that wee may repâ—…nt and returne to our owne husband againe from whom we haue wandered And happie is he who can discerne the way and the cause wherefore the Lord hath made it either rough or smoothe Now is the time come wherein Church-men are become like vnto carnall Iewes who loathed MANNA and the waters of the spirituall Rocke and the cloude of God and the holy Tabernacle yea and the flesh-pots of Aegypt are laide in ballance with all the treasures of the goodnesse of God bestowed vpon a carnall people Euen so Church-men at Rome after the sixe hundreth yeere of our Lord began to loathe the humilitie of Christ the patient suffering of the Apostles the riches of faith and other spirituall treasures which were the glorious ornamentes of the Primitiue Church whereunto are preferred the riches and honours of this world justly called by Nazianzenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Precious dungue IN the second head of this TREATISE it followeth to be declared that the bishops of Rome sought this dignitie of Papal supremacie vnhonestly and vsed it tyrannously and impiouslie after they had obtained it Concerning the seeking of it Philip Morney that Phoenix of FRANCE from whom I am not a shamed to borrow many things in this TREATISE hee prooueth by the testimonies of Paulus Diaconus Freculfus Regino Anastatius Hermannus Contractus Marianus Scotus Sabellicus Blondus Pomponius Laetus Platina Author compilationis Chronologicae and Otho Episcopus Frisingensis that Bonifacius the third begged at the handes of the Emperour Phocas that the Church of Rome should be called the head of all other Churches Hee who sought this supremacie was a flatterer hee at whose handes it was sought was a traitor a parricide and the vile excrement of all gouernours and the time wherein he sought it was at that time wherein the wordes of Gregorie the first vttered against Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bishop of Constantinople were in recent remembrance to wit That whosoeuer did vsurpe such a magnificke stile to be called Uniuersall Bishop hee was the fore-runner of the Antichrist But seeing the time was nowe come wherein the purpurate Harlot was to sit vpon the Citie of seuen Mountaines in her first entrie she laieth aside all shamefastnesse and modestie she wipeth her mouth