might get the true copies of that Nicen council from those places making no doubt but if those copies did agree which came from thence they must be most true as they all acknowledge writing to pope Boniface When the copies came they could finde no such thing Is it not then very plaine that the Bishop of Rome his legate vsed false writings for proofe of a bad cause But maister Bellarmine telleth vs that Saint Augustine and all they of they council mistooke the matter being deceaued by ignorance because they knew not what the council of Sardis did set downe concerning that point The question is whether the council of Nice did giue superiority ouer all other to the bishop of Rome as his legates did affirme And it is most plaine that it did not And therefore that which is in the councill of Sardis which if we shall beleeue the booke of councils set forth by Peter Crab a frier and a papist was at the least fortie yeares after the councill of Nice it maketh nothing to iustifie them and excuse their falsehoode that for the decrees of the Nicen council doe alleadge that which was ordained in that council of Sardis And of that council of Sardis it may truly be said as in the Lateran council or at the least in the Tripartit worke added vnto it complaint is made that now adaies it is harde to finde either olde or newe councils insomuch as the authour doth there maruell that the church of Rome hath beene so negligent in that pointe as not to take order for the better keeping of them Augustine writeth of that council of Sardis that is was an Arrian council holden against Athanasius The time also when it was kept is very vncertaine Yea almost al the circumstances argue great doubtfulnes of that council They that write the story of that council doe write thereof so diuersly both for the number of bishops assembled there and also concerning the Arrians being there which some affirme some deny that therby we may learn how little credit is to be giuen to it for to ground any vncertain or doubtful doctrine vpon y â— it might haue credit But that which maister Bel. doth afterwards say is yet more absurd For hauing affirmed that he is indeed perswaded that these canons which the church of Rome alleadgeth for her supremacy are not in the Nicen couecil but onely in that of Sardis yet he thinketh that Zozimus and Boniface two bishops of Rome did therefore name them the decrees of the Nicen council because they were both written together in a booke at Rome the ignoraunce whereof did much trouble the fathers as he saith Can master Bellarmine suppose that those fathers whose earnest indeuour was at that time to keepe the decrees of the councill of Nicen were ignorant what was to be accounted of that council or what articles belonged to the same Or is it likely that the copies of the councill of Nice shoulde bee more perfect at Rome so many hundreds of miles distant from Nice then at Constantinople which is hard by it or at Antioch or Alexandria not so far distant from it Or doth he thinke it reason that one Romish and another vnknowen copie writen perchance with that councill of Nice by some that sought thereby to increase the dignitie of the church of Rome of set purpose to bring it to that credit that it should be accounted as parcel of the council of Nice can he I say thinke it reason that those two copies should correct and control so many of better credit by a great deale then they are No these are but shifts to blind mens eies and indeede but bables for fooles to play withall Master Bellarmine doth also labour in this place very earnestly to prooue that the council had many decrees moe then those that are in the first tome of councils set forth by Peter Crab or spoken of by Ruffâ—nus To what end is all this Forsooth to excuse his holy fathers that they should not be thought to giue counters for gold or lead for siluer But how can hee excuse them for that they added to the begining of the sixt canon that the church of Rome hath alwaies had the supremacie in which false tricke Paschasinus Legate vnto the Bishop of Rome was taken in the council of Chalcedon For it is not the translation out of Greeke of Dionyse an Abbat almost three hundred yeares after that council was kept that Alan Cope speaketh of and master Bellarmine before hath aleaged for his defence that can haue credit against so many authenticall copyes so diligently sought and sent for so carefully examined by so many hundreds of learned men and so faithfully deliuered for discussing euen of this controuersie for Paschasinus hauing alleadged in that councill of Chalcedon for his maister the Bishoppe of Rome the wordes before mentioned was by those copies disprooued And whereas maister Bellarmine doth set downe this as the intent of the Bishop of Rome in the Councill of Carthage that he meant to shew that not onely all men might appeale to him but also that it were expedient for the church that so they should do Marke how directly the councill of Carthage doeth oppose it selfe against the Pope therein in their epistle which hath this title The Epistle of the Affrican Council to pope Celestine bishop of the citie of Rome For whereas master Bellarmine did confesse that the causes of inferiour ministers might be heard at home but Bishops must be heard at Rome this councill in this epistle saith directly contrary vsing it as an argument from the lesse to the greater If say they the causes of inferior clarks by the councill of Nice are prouided for how much more is it ordered then that bishops if they be excommunicate in their prouince shall not of your Holinesse be hastily or rashly or against order thought to be restored to the communion Thy will him to banish from him such as seeke such wicked refuges because say they the Nicene decrees haue plainely committed not inferiour clarkes onely but also the Bishops to their metropolitanes They assure themselues that no prouince shall want the grace of Gods spirit to order these things And that euerie man may if he mislike of the iudgement of them that haue heard his cause appeale to a councill either prouinciall or generall no wordes of appealing to the pope Unlesse a man will imagine say they that God will grant his spirite of triall of matters to euery one and deny it to all assembled in a Councill And further they alleadge that the trueth of matters examined farre from home can hardly be found out by reason that witnesses can not well be carried so farre For as for the legates à latere that should come from the popes side for examination of such matters they vtterly mislike as a thing not to be found in any of the synods of the
Christ himselfe as man onely for he was taught of his father what to doe and what to say much lesse then would his vicar of Rome if he had but one sparke of christian humilitie claime such absolute power ouer the whole earth Seeing therefore by this name head hee chalengeth greater power then either any good man would haue in Gods church for the godly can be content to speake of God as God teacheth them and to doe as hee woulde haue them or is fit for any man to haue as his vnruly doings do sufficiently declare we iustly denie that euer any bishop of Rome was of the godly called the head of the church in that sence that it is now vsed as their doings doe plainly teach vs. As for the name Papa or pope it was a common name to all bishops as is confessed by Baronius yea and graunted also in this place by master Bellarmine himselfe And it signifieth as much as father or grandfather so that it seemeth that it was first giuen vnto bishops by godly christians who did honour and reuerence them for their calling And why may not this name be aptly giuen to any diligent bishoppe or pastour in the church of god No master Bellarmine wil haue this name after a more particular maner to be giuen to the bishop of Rome then to any other Then we must learne of Christ not to call any man our father vpon earth For there is but one our father which is in heauen And therefore if he wil otherwise be our father then man may be our father let him seeke for other children for to such a father we owe no obedience The name of vniuersal bishop was giuen in the councill of Chalcedon to the bishop of Rome maister Bellarmine telleth vs. We deny it not But without a fauourable and good vnderstanding that title may be very odious For euen Gregory himselfe a bishop of Rome and no man more vehemently inueieth against that proud title in many plaids His places are so commonly alleadged that I neede not come to any particular But Bellarmine going about to deliuer this title from all suspition of antichristian ambition telleth vs that this name vniuersall bishop may be taken in two sorts One way that a vniuersall bishop should signifie an only bishop that is such a one as woulde haue none to be bishop but himfelfe onely And such a vniuersall bishop saith master Bellarmine Saint Gregory condemneth And doth he not otherwise condemne Iohn of Constantinople his pride but because he would haue no bishop but himselfe No master Bellarmine the stories are more plaine then that such shifts may go for currant The controuersie was whether the bishop of Constantinople should be as now the bishop of Rome is in his owne account a bishop aboue al bishops Read all the histories and it wil easily appeare his indeuour was only to haue the commanding of other bishops Neither could he be called vniuersal if he were the only bishop but rather the singular bishop But master Bellarmine bringeth two or three testimonies out of Gregory wherein he complaineth that Iohn patriarch of Constantinople would be bishop alone Gregories meaning is plaine enough that he saith he would only be bishop because he only would haue the commanding of all that others should indeede be his suffraganes and at his commandement which reason of Gregory against that title of vniuersall bishop if it be wel marked giueth I thinke a wound vncurable to the church of Rome A soueraigne authoritie in one to commaund all saith he is to take away all bishops but that one onely but such soueraigne authoritie ouer bishops the pope doth chalenge in this name of vniuersall bishop as experience teacheth therefore he maketh him selfe the onely bishop And this is the thing that Gregorie so mislyketh in Iohn bishop of Constantinople therefore I cannot see how it can be tolerable in him of Rome But one may be called a vniuersall bishop saith he in another sence as he hath a care of the whole church and so the Pope may be called a vniuersall Bishop But herein master Bellarmine giueth very litle authoritie to the bishop of Rome For this generall care belongeth not onely to euery Bishop but also to euery Christian as Caesar Paronius doeth plainly confesse of whom master Bellarmine doth write that he is a singular good man and without all doubt most learned And therefore I trust hee will by him be perswaded to let this name of vniuersall bishop be a name that may belong to mo then to him of Rome and so not to make it his peculiar title A fourth name of his is that hee is called most holy And here master Bellarmine doth maruelously insult ouer master Luther for insinuating that the names of most high and most holy had not beene hard of in the dayes of Gregorie Master Luther said not so master Bellarmine onely feared that he ment some such matter and therefore quareleth with him and telleth him that he lieth Well Leo the pope is called most holy in three seuerall titles that three Graecians wrote to him It is true master Bellarmine and in the same action in a great number of places besids the bishops yelding their consent do call him most holy He is there also called holy and why would not that name holy which is there also giuen to him as well content the bishop of Rome now as to be called most holy Or why should that be a peculiare name to him alone that was giuen in that place as well to others as to him For Anatolius the patriarch of Constantinople is often called most holy Yea and the council writeth vnto Dioscorus patriarch of Alexandria whome they depriued of his dignitie because he was a manitainer of Futiches that notable heretick yet I say the conncill writing vnto him doe call him also most holy And whosoeuer marketh that councill shall see no titles more common then most holy most blessed or happie mow beloued of God and such like Neither were these things giuen vnto them as names to continue to them and their seate but onely such titles as they thought well bestowed vpon such persons as they vsed them to As Leo bishop of Rome who although he were not without his infirmiries yet sure he was a man of great gifts And they in aboundance of affection towardes him called him most holy Must it therefore be a name hereditary to that sinfull and shamelesse broode that since hath sprong vp in that place It were absurd to thinke that coniurers inchaunters poyseners adulterers and such ruffians and rakehelles should be called by right of their seat most holy And yet now nothing more common then this title His fauourites must not speake of him but with this tearme of most holy Looke all his bulles and writings and you shall see that hee that is most vnholy before God and men yet by a lying
fables that deserue no credit or vpon impertiment matters that proue nothing to the purpose as if I be forced hereafter therto I doubt not by Gods grace with ease to proue His third and last reason is of it selfe sufficient to shew that themselues haue no great hope to proue it to be a catholike doctrine that is a doctrine taught and beleeued of all the godly or almost of all at all times in all places for Vincentius Lyrinensis thus defyneth catholike But the first authour that maister Bellarmine alleadgeth is more then two hundreth yeers after Christ So that the doctrine that cannot be proued to haue bene beleeued for two hundreth yeares in the purest times of the church cannot be called catholike or be said to haue the true antiquitie And yet there is nothing that soundeth so much in the mouthes of our aduersaries as Catholike Catholike Antiquitie Antiquitie whereas in trueth nothing can be catholike vnlesse it haue the true antiquitie And the true antiquitie must begin at God himselfe It must spring from him as from the first fountaine As most notably and more than once that ancient and learned father Tertullian hath said That there is nothing true but that onely which the church receiued of the apostles the apostles from Christ Christ from God And this is indeede ancient trueth and true antiquitie Now I must also take a view of the maior proposition which is this whatsoener iurisdiction Christ gaue to Peter and not to the rest of the apostles al that belongeth to the church of Rome And master Bellarmine beginneth to prooue this in his second Booke beginning with Peters being at Rome But whether he were there or not it maketh no great matter For it is laide of Paule and Marke and others that they were there also but that maketh them not supreame heades of the church But whereas he confidently affirmes that many of the fathers teach that Peter first of all preached to the Romanes and founded the church there because perchance he thereupon would inferre that he was then bishop of Rome it is not amisse to examin his proofe herein First that which he alleageth out of Iraeney that the church of Rome was founded by Peter and Paule maketh nothing for proofe of Peters first founding the church there for Iraeny maketh them both alike in that worke Neither by founding the church can be meant the first beginning of the same but rather that they by their testimony and death did confirme the godlie there and perfected and established the church that was already begunne by all likelihoode as after shall be shewed And whereas master Bellarmine addeth to Iraeny his own glose that is to say saith he first of Peter and after of Peter and Paule as it is affirmed without proofe so it may go without answere That which he reciteth out of Eusebius for Peters first preaching at Rome though he write First with great letters is not true In Musculus interpretation there are no like words to thē that are heere alleadged And that out of Arnobius who saith that Rome was conuerted to Christ because it sawe the fierie charets that Simon Magus had caused to bee blowen awaie with the blast of Peters mouth may well bee vnderstoode of the more plentifull conuersion of christians there not because there were none before For I will say nothing of the iust causes that may be alleadged to doubt of this storie alleadged out of Agisippus of Simon Magus his fierie charetes And Epiphanius is wrong delt withall by maister Bellarmine For whereas hee saieth that Peter and Paule were first apostles and bishops in Rome he maketh him saie that Peter and Paule were first in Rome thereupon inferring that first they preached there which Epiphanius saith not That which out of Chrysostome hee alleageth prooueth not Peter first to haue preached there as neither that out of Leo or Theodosius For Chrysostome saieth that hee did occupie the kingly citie Leo that hee was appointed to the chiefe place of the Romaine Empire and Theodosius speaketh of the religion deliuered by Peter But this doeth not proue that it was first deliuered by him Orosins and Gregorie of Turon say that Peter being there Christians beganne which may be vnderstoode of their more bolde profession of Christianitie then before For that there were christians before Peter came there are in my iudgement strong reasons to prooue Indeede Theodoret saith that great Peter first preached to them the doctrine of the gospell Perchance he meant that he not first of all but first of the apostles did preach the gospell there For Sadolet a Cardinall and a Romish catholike in his commentaries vpon Paules epistle to the Romaines doth thinke that the gospell was first preached and the church at Rome first assembled by some of the disciples that fled out of Iury. And he nameth Priscilla Aquila Andronicus and Iunia And in this respect it seemeth that Paule giueth this commendation vnto Andronicus and Iunia that they were notable among the apostles because their ministery was so necessary for the church there for he doeth not in anie other Epistle speake of them But in this epistle Sadolet saith that Saint Paule doth giue vnto them this great commendation that they might haue the better credite among the godly at Rome and the greater reuerence might be shewed towardes them in discussing and ending of these controuersies which were begunne amongst them and for staying of which Saint Paule doth write this Epistle as Sadolet confesseth And of these Primasius an ancient father saith in like sorte that Andronicus and Iunia were accounted notable amongst others that were sent to Rome by whom they might beleeue or by whose example they might haue beene confirmed Now if Peter had beene the first that preached there which master Bellarmine a papist affirmeth but Sadolet a Cardinall very confidentlie denieth Saint Paule who woulde not builde vppon anothers foundation as he writeth vnto the Romanes would not haue taken vpon him to haue decided their controuersies and to haue commended vnto them the ministerie of others also to that ende but would either not at all haue medled with them or haue put them in minde of Peter their Bishop But contrariwise hee challengeth them for his owne flocke and as belonging to his charge which wrong he would neuer haue offered to Saint Peter if he first had planted the church and his seat there Neither would the Iewes who in euery place were Peters especiall charge that were at Rome when Paule came thither bee so desirous to be instructed of Paule as they were if they had beene taught before by Peter and he had beene their Bishop and had beene there at this time for this Epistle was written long after they say that he was bishop of Rome or if they had knowne their owne bishop to be the vniuersall bishop or head of all
haue said I doe not inioyne you these thinges as Peter who was your bishop But the greatest matter that he espieth in Peter and Paule is that they are apostles And writing vnto the Ephesians he moueth them to depende vpon their bishop as the Church hangeth vpon the Lord and the Lord vpon his father How happeneth that in this reckoning of these goodly couples the Ephesians and their bishoppe the church and Christ Christ and God there is not any mention of Peter or his successour Doubtlesse as yet this conceit was not hatched which yet more plainely maie be seene in that exhortation that he maketh to the Saintes in Smirna to honour God as the maker and Lorde of all but their bishoppe for that he speaketh of their owne bishop the whole epistle sheweth as the high priest the Image of God and the most excellent thing in the Church Nowe I pray yon what account is here of Peters chaire or of his succession Not one word This also in his epistle is to be obserued that hee seemeth to make more especiall account of Paul then of Peter As writing to the Philadelphians he saith Be ye folowers of Paul and the other Apostles as they folowed Christ which it is to be thought he would not haue don if Peter had beene in such account then as since he is said to be Nowe for Iustinus Martir who wrote about the yeare 147. doth neuer so much as make mention of Peter being bishop of Rome although in his second Apologie he maketh mention of Simon Magus how hee was honoured at Rome but not of his fierie chariots destroied by Peter as some doe whereof I spake before Seeing therefore Iustinus hauing so good an occaston and writing and dwelling in Rome as by Hierom it appeareth speaketh not one worde of it there neither yet afterwards in the end of the apologie wherein he sheweth the sinne of christianitie it is likely that Rome was not then knowen to be either Peters chaire or the bishop thereof to bee vniuersall bishop Eusebius writeth of Denis of Corinth who florished about the yeare one hundred seuentie and foure howe hee did write vnto the Romans and yet nothing is there of Peter that he was bishop there but onely that Peter and Paul did plant the church there And in the same place Eusebius reporteth of Caius who as he saith was made bishop of Rome after Zephirinus which Zephirinus died the yeare of the Lord two hundred and twentie that he writing vnto Proclus an hereticke put him in minde of the monuments of the Apostles that he could shew Whereas hee might haue made a better bragge to hane serued for his purpose if hee could haue told them of Peters chaire But as yet there was no such matter knowen As for that which master Bellarmine himselfe aleageth out of Irenie it proueth nothing for him For in saying that Peter and Paul together did found a church there he ascribeth nothing to Peter alone And Tertulian that was about 200. yeares after Christ doth seeme rather to make Clement the first bishop of Rome so litle doth he dreame of Peters chaire or bishoprick there Neither yet doth Cyprian plainly affirme that Peter was bishop of Rome He doth somtime indeede call that church Peters chaire in respect of the doctrine that Peter taught and published which at that time was beleeued at Rome which also perchance he in Rome confirmed by his death As also our Sauiour Christ speaketh of Moses chaire and saith that the priests did sit in Moses his chaire so long as they taught the lawe that Moses from God deliuered to them But as for Moses hee neuer came neere the place where Ierusalem was built to establish any chaire there And thus we see that in all these ancient fathers who liued more then two hundred yeares after Christ for Ciprian florished about two hundred and fiftie yeares after Christ there is no plaine proofe of Peters being bishop of Rome And excepting Ciprians words who if he allude vnto the words of our sauiour Christ as he seemeth to do can make no more for the opinion of the church of Rome then any of the rest there is nothing in them all that hath any likelyhood of proofe of the thing in controuersie But if any man answere that it is no good argument thus to reason Such men haue not written that Peter was bishop of Rome therefore hee was not bishop there I reply that if this that out of them hath beene said doe not substantially prooue that Peter was not bishop of Rome as if the allegations be wel considered of they are strong presumptions yet doe they inuincibly prooue that for this space of more then two hundred yeares they cannot shew of any authentike author that hath acknowledged Peter to be bishop of Rome Yea the first that is aleaged by master Bellarmine is Ireny who liued after Christ not much lesse then two hundred yeares And therefore this doctrine doth easily appeare not to be catholike and the godly fathers which slace haue affirmed that he was bishop of Rome either do so call him in respect of the worke of a bishop which if he were there by his care of Gods flocke and constancie in his truth he did shew or else they teach that which had not bin taught in the dayes next vnto the apostles times A second argument that vnanswerably prooueth this to be no catholike doctrine is the dissenting of y ◠most anciēt authors that they alleage from themselues in this point wherin they affirme that Peter was bishop of Rome For Ireny who is first alleaged of master Bellarnine Tertulian whome in the second place he produceth then also Epiphanius and Dionysius bishop of Corinth out of Eusebius do al with one consent ioyne Peter and Paul together I say not Peter onely so that vnto the one as well as vnto the other belongeth that dignitie by their records And Damasus himselfe a pope I maruel if he would erre in this point saith that Peter came to Rome Nero being emperour which must be at the least twelue yeares after the reckoning that is nowe holden for good in the church of Rome And Eusebius doth aleage out of Origen how Peter in the latter end of his life came to Rome and therefore he is not like to be Bishoppe there xxv yeares This doubtfulnesse and vnconstancie of their deliuering this doctrine is an infalible argument that there was not in those times any catholike doctrine taught of this matter but that men might thinke thereof as they saw cause But now it is no lesse then heresie to denie that Peter was Bishoppe of Rome Now if vnto this that hath bin said we adde the vocation or office of Saint Peter recorded in the holy Scripture that he should be the Apostle of the circumcision whereof that euer he was discharged all the Iesuites in Rome and Rheimes
there is no necessitie that his seate wherein hee must bee succeeded is either at Rome or Antioch But wee denie first that Peter himselfe had this vniuersall charge And in this respect wee thinke it a verie needlesse matter for vs to beate our heades about his successour in the same But I pray you what meaneth this that master Bellarmine taking in hande to write of the controuersies of these tymes and to impugne and withstande them that in these dayes doe speake agaynst his Popes supremacie doth so suddenlie turne his backe vppon them and incounter with Nilus who is much more friendlie to him in this matter chen we can bee For whereas hee hath promised to prooue that the Bishop of Rome dooth succeede Peter in the vniuersall Bishopricke by Gods lawe and by reason of succession his arguments onely intend and prooue thus much Peter had this vniuersall charge and therefore another must haue it also And that Peter had it hee saieth Nilus dooth graunt it But that is it that wee denie and master Bellarmines store will not affoorde him one argnment agaynst vs directlie except hee haue anie confidence in the two last the fifth and the sixt And for the sixt as also his other arguments that may any thing touch vs they are answered almost in the beginning of this Treatise Let vs then see what strength this argument hath that so much of the weight of the cause must rest vppon Saint Paule saith the church is one body but he head can not say to the feete I haue no neede of you therefore the Church must haue another head vpon earth besides Christ If the argument be hard fauoured and mishapen and ill tied together and agree like strings al out of tune blame him that make it so For master Bellarmine doth so reason These are his wordes The church is one body and hath her kinde of head here vppon earth besides Christ as appeareth out of 1. Corinthians and the twelfth chapter In which place after that the Apostle Saint Paule hath said that the church is one body hee addeth The head cannot say to the feet I haue no need of you Which his reason if it be drawen into a forme of argument must as I thinke be formed into such a monstrous shape as you haue seene But to omit the shape of his argument let vs see what substaunce there is in it And if it bee examined it hath as little found matter as good making For out of these wordes of Saint Paule the head can not say to the feete I haue no neede of you hee thus inferreth but Christ may say that hee standeth in neede of none of vs therefore by this head heere Christ can not be meant Is not this very clarkely handled of maister Bellarmine to apply that vnto Christ our head in the church which S. Paul speaketh of the head of a naturall bodie whereof he hath borrowed a similitude to teach how necessary the members of Christ his mysticall body are one to an other so that none may without wronging himselfe despise another which collection of M. Bellarmine is most plainely against the text it selfe and the iudgement of all good expositours Nay I suppose I neede except no expositor but maister Bellarmine himselfe And yet we haue in that very place an other argument of his For a man may see that he was sore pained in trauaile of this argument For seeeing no way how to deliuer it well he was faine to heape vp much stuffe in few lines for al this matter is contained in little more then eight short lines to make a shew as though he had much to say when as that which he said is farre worse then iust nothing Well let vs view his argument One head besides Christ there must be but there is no other then Peter therefore Peter must be the head We flatly deny that we need any head but Christ as before I haue proned Lastly Peter dying the church must not want a head therefore Peter must haue a successor But this argument supposeth that Peter is the head of the vniuersall church which they cannot prooue and vntill they can prooue it we will content our selues with Christ our head Thus we see how master Bellarmines fift argument as a plenteous spring sendeth forth three streames but there is no cleare water in any of them but bad couers of a bad messe And what is all this to the bishop of Rome if Peter must haue a successour For as we deny Peters supremacie so may wee doubt whether he might be a bishop being not an apostle only as were the rest but an apostle of the Iewes wheresoeuer they were we doubt of his resignation of the bishopricke of Antioch if he were at any time bishop there we doubt of his being bishop of Rome and lastly whether this succession must needes belong to the bishops of Rome if Peter had it for it might bee personall in Peter And master Bellarmine who in other questions is plentifull of his reasons and will make some reasonable shew of proofe in this greatest matter and which it especially behoueth him to prooue is so barren that he hath almost nothing to say no reason to alleage although by his promise he made vs looke for great matters And yet when all is done he must either haue vs to graunt him the thing that is in question which we cannot doe or else he can say nothing to it But there are many strong reasons that moue vs to denie that Peter had any such vniuersall authoritie ouer all Christs flock or that any man the bishop of Rome or any other should haue such supremacie First the greatnesse of the change which is far aboue the abilitie of many much lesse can any one performe it Secondly that our sauiour Christ doth shew a litle before his death as appeareth in Saint Iohns gospell a fatherly affection and tender care to comfort his disciples being pensiue because of his departure and yet neuer vseth this argument or giueth them this commaundement that Peter should be their head and they should obay him Although good oportunitie was offered to haue spoken of it if it had beene so when Christ told them that it was expedient that he should departe He doth not then tell them that Peter must be in his place and supply his roome or that one should haue general charge of his church But on the contrarie he appointeth his vicar and vicegerent euen his spirit to supply his want Who can be in all places at once in euery particular church yea in euery particular member of the church to comfort instruce direct defend and to do to and for the godly whatsoeuer is needefull or expedient for them Thirdly the apostles after Christ ascension and Saint Luke that writeth the acts of the apostles make no mention of such a supremacie in Peter vnlesse we could
borow master Bellarmines spectacles by which hee can spie that one pope is contained in these words one bodie and one spirit as he doth also find out the supremacie plainely set downe in these words hee gaue some to be apostles and yet more plainly if we may beleeue him in the epistle to the Corinthians he hath ordained in the church first apostles then prophets Now let them that can picke that soueraigne Supremacie out of those wordes say so But for my part I confesse my sight is so dimme that I can not see so farre into that mill stone These and such like reasons beeing compared with their proofs out of scripture which make nothing for them vnlesse they be sore wrested from their naturall and true meaning doe euen proclame it to the world that this doctrine of the popes supremacie is nothing else but a deuise of mans braine a fruit of his pride And thus to thinke I am the ealelier perswaded when I see how master Bellarmine toileth himselfe to set downe the state of the question For although in the beginning almost of this twelfth chapter he promised to prooue that the bishop of Rome is by the lawe of God successor vnto Peter in the supremacie of the vniuersall church yet afterwards he confesseth that the church of Rome hath not this succession by Christs first institution of this succession and that perchaunce for so he speaketh to testifie how loth hee is to confesse the truth plainly though he cannot denie it perchance he saith it cannot be proued by the lawe of God that the bishop of Rome as he is bishop of Rome is Peters successor And yet although it cannot be proued to be decreed by Gods lawe it is saith hee a thing that belongeth to the catholike faith For saith hee to be of the fayth and to be by Gods lawe is not all one for it is not by Gods lawe that Paul should haue a cloke hee might haue said as much also for Tobias dog yet this must be beleeued I would not haue thought that Pauls cloke had beene such a necessarie relique but I remember that Balthasar Cossa who was pope Iohn the three and twentieth of that name gained well by Peters cloke when time was for by casting it vpon his owne shoulders he made himselfe pope But can master Bellarmine find no better stuffe to perswade vs to beleeue the popes supremacie They make it a matter of damnation not to beleeue the supremacie of the pope And is it of as great necessitie to beleeue that Paul had a cloke If master Bellarmine be so perswaded I lament his follie If hee thinke otherwise why doth hee bring it to prooue that to beleeue the supremacie of the bishop of Rome is a pointe of the catholike faith although by Gods lawe this supremacie cannot be prooued And as they stagger in setting downe by what authoritie right or lawe they claime this soueraigntie so they haue no great proofe for their manner of this their dignite whether it be personall or not By Christs first institution master Bellarmine telleth vs it was personal If Christ made it personall who could change that estate and make it successionall master Bellmine answereth that it was personall generall or publike so that it belonged to him and his successors Whether that can be called personall that is to say belonging to the person onely which belongeth also to his successours let the indifferent Reader iudge But how is this prooued that Christ gaue this prerogatiue to him and his Master Bellarmine saith so often times especially in the twelfth chapter of his first booke but his proofe is litle else then his affirmation Againe hee saieth that this succession is made both personall and locall by Peters dying bishop of Rome But as alreadie I haue proued that doctrine of Peters beeing at Rome bishop is not so certaine that christians may build their faith thereupon So that we see there building is altogether vpon the sand their proofe weake their reasons obscure and their places nothing pregnant for that they are brought And I maruell that nowe it should be counted heresie not to beleeue the Romish bishop to be by Gods lawe supreame head of the whole church seeing that in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand fiue hundred and twentie Albert by the goodnesse of God cardinall priest of the holy church of Rome of the title of Saint Chrysogon Arbhbishop of the holy churches of Magdeburge and Mentz primat of Germany and prince elector gouernour of Halberstade and marques of Brandenburge for these litles hee giueth himselfe in an epistle writen to Luther sheweth himselfe griued and displeased that some diuines of good accoumpt did so earnestly contend for their friuolous opinions and trifling questions namely of the power of the bishop of Rome whether it be by Gods lawe or by mans lawe And of free will and many other such toyes not much concerning a christian man This cardinall you see thinketh it not worth contending for And I am verely perswaded many moe will bee of his mind vnlesse they see better matter then master Bellarmine canne bring to prooue it to be by Gods lawe But although hee haue no store of Scripture for him yet hath hee great hope in councilles and fathers And I assured my selfe that the councilles if hee will trust them will most plainly decide this question whether that superiority that the church of Rome challengeth ouer all other churches be by Gods law or mans law as hereafter it shall if God will appeare Nowe therefore to examine maister Bellarmines next proofe which is out of the counsels And the first counsel that he alleageth is the Nicen counsel not that which themselues haue deliuered to vs as authenticall and true in the tomes of counsels set foorth by themselues but to serue this turne we must haue a new addition and a strange interpretation not that which agreeth best with the words and is thought most true of them that liued neare vnto the daies of that counsell First therefore we must adde saith maister Bellarmine to the beginning of the sixt canon the church of Rome alwaies had the supremacy And why must those wordes be added Paschasinus forsooth a bishop in the counsell of Chalcedon did so cite that canon He did so but he was legate for Leo then bishop of Rome that did alleadge it by Aetius Archdeacon of Constantinople he was disproued who read not onely the coppy of the canon by a also the approbation of the same counsell and canon by a counsell holden at Constantinople of 150. bishops Nectarius being bishop there But one found out a greeke coppy of that counsellong since and in that saith maister Bellarmine those wordes are If the coppies that we haue haue thus long beene thought true and good I see no reason why for some one greeke coppy which might very well be falsified by some fauorite of the
that those good bishops did much good with that their authority to the church of God and were a great reliefe to the oppressed a comforte to the troubled and a good stay for religion We yeeld moreouer that a care ouer the whole church a belongeth not to the bishop of Rome only but to euery christian as Baronius a papist telleth vs. And as Saint Paule saith of himselfe although hee were not an vniuersall Bishop or pope ouer all the church yt that he had a care ouer all the Churches Which care as it shoulde be in all yet it should be greatest in them whom God hath beautified with greatest graces of power wisedome knowledge credite or any other thing whereby they may doe good to others So that the effect of Athanasius his wordes vnto Felix is that as God hath inabled him so also he should apply his greatnesse to doe him good We doe not yet see the Bishop of Rome to haue iurisdiction ouer the whole church but that the greatnesse that hee hath hee should vse it to the comfort of the godly But indeede the Bishop of Rome in steed of the care that he should haue doth exercise the power that he hath And the excercising of his power beganne somewhat soone in that chaire And therefore the fathers in the sixt council of Carthage as it seemeth were moued in the canons of the Nicen council to alter one worde For hauing agreed in the ninth canon or chapter of that council of Carthage to heare the Nicen decrees read when they come to the sixt chapter where the Nicen council hath that the bishop of Alexandria should hane power ouer the churches of Lybia Egipt Pentapolis as the bishop of Rome hath within his libertie in steede of the word power they read care Which no doubt those godly fathers did because they sawe how immoderately and by what bad shifts they did then seeke to bring vnder their subiection all others And therefore by this meanes they would teach them to whome they did graunt such honorable places that they were called rather to a burden then to an honour to looke vnto their charge rather then to ouer â—ooke them So then this care that the bishop of Rome should haue ouer all churches we wish also that hee would haue And yet we doe not hereby make him the bishop of the vniuersall church And for the third place out of Athanatius it hath lesse waight then any of the rest For because some accused the bishop of Alexandria to the bishop of Rome therefore he concludeth that the bishop of Rome is chiefe iustice aboue all and may take vpon him to iudge all matters but accusations are for the most priuat And who can hinder but that any may make complaint to a man that hath nothing to doe in the matter And many such complaints wil be made to such as will be willing to heare all matters as were many of the B. of Rome to increase their owne power That which is aleaged out of Basil is a request that Basil did purpose to make to the bishop of Rome like vnto that which Athanasius made to Felix and therefore one answere doth serue them both But in that epistle Basil calleth Athanasius the Top of all christians which name they would faine should be peculiar to their pope That out of Gregorie Nazianzene was not woorth blotting of so much paper For hee saieth the Citie of Rome beareth sway ouer the whol world what is that to the church of Rome And that that is alleaged out of Chrysostom in the first place is not much material because Chrisostome maketh that request to the B. of the west church and not to Innocentius alone Yea not Chrysostom only in the same his epistle but Socrates also in his historie testifieth that Chrysostom appealed from his aduersaries not to the pope which he would doubtlesse haue done if hee had taken his authoritie to haue beene such as now the church of Rome would haue it imagined but to the generall council And not hee onely appealed to a council but the multitude also were readie to make a tumult for him and said it was meete the matter should be heard not by the pope but in a generall council Secondly out of Chrysostom he alleageth these words we alwayes thanke you for that you haue declared vnto vs your fatherly good will What will the charitable affection of the pope prooue him to be head of the whole church If it will not this will doe no good his third place is this I intreate your watchfullnesse that although they haue filled all with tumults yet if they will haue their desease healed they be neither afflicted neither put out of mens companie Must the bishop of Rome bee the supreame head or else this request be in vaine He being as it is alwaies confessed of great authoritie although not so great as they imagine might either by intreating or by authority winne many to be of his minde and so hinder the excommunication of Chrysostomes aduersaries So that none of these arguments can conclude for the popes supremacie as we see And yet they wring whatsoeuer is said or done to the church of Rome as if it were a strong proofe for supremacie Whereas the godly of the east church being thus distressed were in policie forced and not for religious causes to seeke for helpe of the West church and of the bishop of Rome for their owne quietnesse And this doth appeare most plainly in an epistle that Basil writeth vnto the bishop of the west church for their helpe and especially by the aduise that hee giueth to Athanasius to that end wherein hee sheweth that there is no way for their safetie but to cause the bishops of the West church to take good parte with them And then if they chance to seeke for this at the popes hand by and by without all doubt hee must be head of the church It maketh me weary euen but to reade their arguments They doe so force their authorities that they bring and so vnnaturally apply them that it is tediousnesse to thinke of it Such is that also that foloweth out of Ciril For Ciril did thinke that if Nestorius would not reuoke his heresies within the time limited by Celestine bishop of Rome all men ought to shunne his companie as a person excommunicat and deposed And writing to Celestinnus he doth desire to know of him whether he thinke good that men shuld yet communicat which Nestorius or they should shunne his company And what if Ciril sawe that in Celestine that he thought him worthie to be especially regarded in these matters doth it thereupon folow that he would haue him to haue soeuraigne iurisdiction ouer the whole church Or if hee thinke him meete to deale in his owne matter must he needs giue him power ouer all men in all causes Master Bellarmine must make
The greatest bishop and yet not he but Liberius was then bishop of Rome And for this name head as I haue shewed it is nothing strange in all societies to haue a heade man and yet he not to haue iurisdiction ouer them By all which it appeareth howe weake an argument may be drawen from these names which may be common to so many to proue the supremacy which the bishop of Rome challengeth to himselfe onely Nowe maister Bellarmine hauing wrung what he can which is not much out of the fathers of the greeke church commeth to the latin writers to try what gleanings he can get among them Whom I doubt not but we shall finde speaking very reuerently of the church of Rome as in truth it well deserued because that the bishop of Rome although he began very soone to encroche somewhat vpon other mens right and to enlarge his power yet he vsed his greatnesse and authority for a long time to the maintenance of true religion the comfort of the distressed and to withstande by himselfe and other the bishops of the West church the heresies that troubled especially the East churches In al which things we know that by their place for that they were bishops of the Imperiall city and the authority that they were come vnto by fauour of the Emperours they were as it were ringleaders vnto others so that although they were moued sometimes to these good things by a desire that they had to be medling in all matters which was one of the waies whereby they came to their greatnes yet in that they did good vnto the church the godly did both commend them and also beare with them although sometime they were too forward and stept too farre before others But when they would haue had this authority confirmed to them in councils and established as a law of the church then did the ancient fathers wisely withstand their vnlawfull desires as the vi councils of Carthage and the councill of Chalcedon doe plainly proue So that the godly learned fathers of those times partly to incourage them in their well doing did giue them due commendation when they deserued it and partly for quietnesse sake and the peace of the church did wincke at many of their inordinate proceedings and vnorderly attempts so long as they were but their priuate actions yet would not the iurisdiction of the vniuersall church And these things being well remembred I may I trust be shorter in answering to the particular places And first for the place out of Cyprian which maister Bellarmine prosecuteth in many words as he is forced to doe that he may get out of him but a shew of an argument It is answered in few words For indeede maister Bellarmine groundeth vpon a false principle which I dare not say that he could not but see his errour but it is maruell if he can be ignorant of it The wordes wherein he especially trusteth are these This commeth to passe that heresies growe in the church whilst there is no returning to the beginning of the truth neither is the head sought for neither is the doctrine of our heauenly maister kept Nowe by this word head he vnderstandeth the head of the church whom he maketh Peter Whereas it is most certaine that Cyprian doth meane nothing els here then in another place where he endeuoureth to perswade after the same maner and by that very argument where by the head he meaneth that which the apostles taught For saith he if we returne to the head and beginning of the tradition of the apostles mans errour ceaseth And there he teacheth vs by a similitude howe we should come to the heade by the similitude I say of a conduct wherein if the water faile we goe to the head of it that is to the fountaine and so from thence examine the want of the water so saith he must Gods priestes goe to the beginning when there is any question of Religion And that he meaneth that head in this place the very wordes by him alleadged do prooue because the former wordes put vs in minde of returning to the originall or beginning of the trueth and the wordes that follow leade vs to the heauenly doctrine Well then the head in this place doth signifie the spring and fountain from which our doctrine must beginne and so master Bellarmines argument is quite ouerthrowen And hauing proued that he buildeth his reason vpon a false ground I trust I neede not bestow any more labour to prosecute him in his wandering wordes Optatus is the second who speaketh nothing to helpe this desperate cause For although he commend vnto vs that one chaire in respect of the vnitie of doctrine for all the priests nowe saith Chrysostome must sit not vpon Moses chaire but vpon Christs chaire yet in the wordes alleadged by master Bellarmine he addeth and we haue proued that that is ours by Peter Optatus a bishop in Affrike not of Rome sitteth in Peters chaire Therefore Peters chaire and the popes chaire are not all one vnlesse their doctrine be one It is not tied to Rome or to that church But alluding to that place of Moses his chaire which our Sauiour Christ speaketh of because the Scribes and Pharises taught that which Moses did teach Optatus also saith that he doth sit in Peters chaire because hee taught that which Peter did confesse and teach Yea and he prooueth by this argument against the Donatists who taught that they onely were the church that the church is also where he taught because euen there is Peters chaire so that if Optatus your owne witnesse speake truly then you haue maruellously abused the world for many yeares in making them beleeue that S. Peters chaire is at Rome onely But Saint Ambrose seemeth somewhat plainer then the rest in that first place alleadged by maister Bellarmine The church is called Gods house whereof Damasus is a ruler this day But yet the words do not import any such thing as may prooue the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome For wee will not deny that the Bishop of Rome is a ruler in the church but that he is the only ruler we can not graunt But Saint Ambrose expounding those wordes of Paule wherein he teacheth Timothie how to behaue himself in Gods house takes occasion to shew both what is Gods house namely the church and who they are that are rulers in Gods house namely the bishops or pastours to whom the ministery is committed And to make this plaine by an example he setteth before vs the house of God at Rome which is the church there and the ruler of Gods house there who is Damasus their bishop If any man aske how it commeth to passe that he rather nameth Damasus then any other bishop Sundry reasons of it may be yeelded First Ambrose himselfe was a bishop in Italy for Milaine is in Italy vnder the popes wings and therefore the bishop of Rome was the most
famous bishop and better knowne to his people then any of the other patriarches and therefore fittest for an example Secondly there had beene a very great schisme or strife about the popedome one Vrsicinus standing for it against Damasus so that many of both sides were slaine in the very church in striuing for it But Damasus in the end obtaining the popedome Saint Ambrose to testifie his owne perswation and to assure others that Damasus and not Vrsicmus was bishop of Rome although he stood for it doth take occasion heere to name him Thirdly Damasus beeing pope was accused of whoredome whereof hauing cleared himselfe it is not vnlikely but that S. Ambrose did the rather take this occasion to pull al suspition out of other mens minds by giuing this testimony of him Another cause also may be added that as it seemeth he was as learned as any bishop of Rome before him For which S. Ambrose himself a being a learned man might then rather delight in naming him The rest of the places out of S. Ambrose haue no waight at all Satyrus did aske the bishop whether he agreed with the Catholicke bishops that is with the Church of Rome He meaneth by catholicke bishops such as held the catholicke faith that then was maintained at Rome If it be a good argument to say Rome is a catholicke church therefore it must gouerne all the churches in the world then will this also be a good argument Hippo was a catholicke church so was Millaine so are also the churches that we haue allowed in England by authority therefore they were and ours are heads ouer all others And that master Bellarmine will not allow But he asketh why the bishops are not catholickes that agree not with the church of Rome if it be not because Rome is the head of the catholike church I maruell much that maister Bellarmine whose wordes go for oracles with many will shew himselfe so ignorant of that he alleadgeth For if hee had read but the wordes that immediatly doe follow the reason is there rendered why he asked that question namely because the church there was in a schisme For one Lucifer had seperated himself from their communion Lo here M. Bellarm. he dreameth not of any headship of that church but asketh this question whether he helde the faith that then was preached at Rome And Athanasius in his creede speaketh in this sence of a catholike faith Yea the name of catholike was also as it were a note of their profession That whereas the Donatists gloried that they onely had the true church the catholikes on the contrary would be known by their name that in any place of the world they might be of the true church Yea there were Emperours that made a lawe that whosoeuer beleeued the one godhead in trinity and equal maiesty of the father the sonne and the holy ghost should be called Christians and Catholikes as their law doth testifie Yea Sozomen reporteth of a lawe made by the Emperour that all should beleeue the lawe deliuered by Peter the head of the apostles but howe he may be called head of the apostles I haue shewed before and that nowe Damasus bishop of Rome and Peter of Alexandria doe holde and that they onely that worship the trinitie with like honoure should be called the catholike church And doeth maister Bellarmine to make his bad proofe seeme better aske howe they may be called catholikes that agree with the church of Rome vnlesse it be in this respect that they take it to be the head of the catholike church heere are catholikes we see and yet not bound to beleeue that head After he alleadgeth two other places of like force The effect of them is that he woulde followe the paterne of the church of Rome So woulde I also if I had liued in those daies when they sincerely held the faith committed to them by Gods worde And he doubtlesse if he sawe the superstition and Idolatry and treasons that vnder coulour of religion are hatched there in our daies he would thinke euen the cotten ruines of Rome to bee ouer good to bee a cage for so badde birdes But to follow their example is not to yeelde vnto them power ouer vs. To go forward out of saint Ierome hee reasoneth thus Saint Ierome for pope Damasus answered the Synodicall consultations of the East and West therefore they that sought for answere from the seate of Rome in their matters acknowledged the superioritie thereof If I should tell Maister Bellarmine againe that Maister Caluine in his time and Maister Beza in his time haue answered more matters and questions that came from sundry of the reformed Churches and some particular men then many of the popes of that time yet I am sure he wil neuer confesse them to be vniuersall Bishoppes for that No more neede wee graunt to him that the Pope is a vniuersall Bishop because many questions were mooued to him Againe Saint Hierome confesseth himselfe to be Damasus his sheepe and that hee is of communion with him Alas what childish proofes are these May not Hierome confesse himselfe to depend vpon Damasus but that hee must thereby tie all others likewise to be subiect vnto him It is a shame for men so to deceiue the world aud to hasten euen their owne damnation by abusing the simple in such sort They crie it out in euery corner that there is no saluation to be hoped for vnlesse they doe acknowledge the Bishoppe of Rome to bee head of their Church and yet are they not able to yeelde so much as one good reason out of the Scriptures or ancient writers of the purer age for proofe of their doctrine It must bee beleeued as an article of faith and yet they coulde shewe no ground no warrant for it Out of saint Augustine is alleadged that in the Church of Rome the principalitie of Peters chaire hath alwayes flourished Augustine and Optatus as they were in one time so were they of one minde And as before out of Optatus I shewed and that by Christes testimony that the Apostles chaire is his doctrine so here doeth it signifie And saint Augustine his meaning is that Rome hath especially kept the Apostles doctrine or faith the which in Saint Augustines dayes might truely bee verified Againe out of Saint Augustine epist 92. he desireth pope Innocent to helpe them against the Pelagians which maruellously troubled Palestine and Affrike Now out of this will he conclude the popes Supremacie But saint Augustine himselfe denyeth that hee had any such meaning in that he was one of that sixt councill of Carthage that so stiffely denied supremacie vnto the pope seeking it so earnestly and by very false practises And the Bishop of Rome was then of great abilitie to doe good as also any other may be and yet not haue iurisdiction ouer them that seeke for that good at his hands I would haue them
to bring some plaine proofe and not so to stand vpon strange coniectures Againe Sozimus bishop of Rome willed hini to go to a councill at Cesarea and hee therefore saide that hee must needes goe If Sozimus did commaund and Augustine would not stand vpon his right in such a matter where perchance his going might be profitable to Gods church yet that would not make Sozimus head of the church No at that time they did not gather any such hard conclusions For although they would not refuse to do good euen being more imperiously commaunded then reason would yet supremacie as I haue shewed they would not acknowledge in the Bishop of Rome but rather were content to bee at great charges to conuince the popes falshoode In the last two places saint Augustine commendeth the bishop of Rome in that being so high as he was yet he would be friendly to them that were humble or lowe and then confesseth euery Bishoppe to be high yet him to be higher A man may be friend to them that are lower then he is and one Bishop may be higher than others and yet not haue iurisdiction ouer them Higher I say in gifts credite place or many other waies In England we see differences of bishoprickes where yet the one hath not iurisdiction ouer the other Now for Prosper it were hard if his poeticall amplifications should be able to carry away the weight of so great a cause But for his words if he say that Rome is Peters seat in respect of the doctrine that there was taught and maintained as before Optatus and Augustine of whome he was a great follower haue done wee yeelde vnto him Otherwise I leaue the godly Reader to the arguments before alleadged to consider what he should think concerning this point whether Peter was Bishop there or not And where he saith that Rome is made vnto the world the head of pastorall honour wee yeelde vnto that also that at that time there was no church that either more sincerely did keepe that which the apostles taught or had more credit and authoritie amongst other churches then Rome had in respect that she was able and willing to do good vnto many other But where he saith that what by armes shee could not by religion shee hath subdued is not simply true For there are manie that neuer were nor will be by likely hood subdued to Romish religion But in some respect we also confesse that to be so in that religion subdueth the heart and winneth the affection of men to bee subiect whereas that outward force can onely preuaile against the outward man Now for Victor Vticensis who calleth the church of Rome head of all other churches I haue often shewed that it may truly so be called in respect of the authoritie which by many occasions it had goten not in respect of any inrisdiction that Christ gaue vnto it more then to other The next is Vyncentius Lirinensis who alluding vnto the name or indeede rather giuing vnto Rome that name that was commonly giuen vnto it saith that the head of the world gaue testimonie vnto it meaning the council of Ephesus You see saith master Bellarmine that the bishop of Rome is called head of the world Nay you see howe our popes catholiks incroch more and more for that vnsatiable gulfe of the church of Rome which will neuer haue honour and authoritie enough Who euer before master Bellarmine hath called the pope the head of the world He hath wont to be but head of the church But I feare that if his kingdome continue a while Acharonta mouebit hee will keepe a stir in hell also But Vincensius giueth no such name to Iulius bishop of Rome He would not be so iniurious to the ciuil authoritie he had learned better then so to giue to Caesar that that belongeth to Caeser and to God that that is Gods although the church of Rome might quite blotte out of their bookes that lesson for any regarde that they haue to keepe it As for Vincentius his meaning is plaine enough to them that will see the trueth For hauing spoken of sundry places from whence learned men came to that councill of Ephesus first out of the East then also out of the West churches he nameth Iulius bishop of the citty of Rome which citty he calleth the head of the worlde as immediately after he calleth Carthage one of the South and Millaine one of the North the sides of the world But if he had made so very great accompt of the church of Rome as in these daies men would haue vs to doe he would haue had perchance some more regard in placing that church in some other order then to make it almost the last that he mentioneth Out of Cassiodor a senatour and a great officer in Rome maister Bellarmine alleadgeth somewhat You saieth he to Iohn Bishop of Rome sit as watchmen ouer christian people as you are called father you loue all I see nothing heere that can helpe maister Bellarmine or his cause For who euer did thinke otherwise then that the Bishoppe of Rome was a watchman ouer christian people Or who will say that the Pope hath not or at the least shoulde haue a fatherly affection towardes all Well it followeth It is our part to looke to somewhat you looke to all Cassiodor liuing vnder the popes nose is content either by this praising of him to teach him what care he indeede should haue not onely to doe good to the people of Rome where he was Bishop but also as occasions should be offered to helpe others also Or els it may be that hee giueth him greater praise then he deserueth But what is this for the popes supremacy Must not the building needes fall that standeth vpon such weake propes Much like is that which followeth that the seat which is pope Iohns peculiar place is giuen generally to the whole worlde that is as I take it to doe good to all If a Romane magistrate to the bishop of Rome doe extoll more then in truth he may the power of that citty or els tell how farre their benefits doe extende must this be so strained and wrung to prooue supremacie The last testimony alleadged by maister Bellarmine doth so little helpe his cause that if he had done wisely he should neuer haue spoken of it For by that Epistle and others that are set before that councill of Chalcedon it may easily appeare that Leo Bishop of Rome did then bestirre him vsing the discention of the East church as a meane to increase his owne authoritie For it is most plaine and cannot be denied that afterwardes in that councill by his legates he sought the supremacy very earnestly and in sundry of his Epistles disanulleth that the councill did against it And in these Epistles he maketh mone to many to procure Theodosius the Emperour to stand his friend Anâ— in this Epistle
sedition against pope Leo the fifth that made great account of him and tooke the said Leo when he had beene pope but fortie dayes and so gote into the place as Rioche affirmeth by contention and euill meanes But nowe these Romish rabbies I would haue to open me one riddle Platina hauing set downe this historie learneth by this experience that it is most true that dignities are rather dignified or commended by men then men by them As the Censorship saith hee of Rome at the first as a meane office was nothing set by but when the chiefe men of the citie tooke that office vpon them then the greatest citizens thought themselues almost vnhappie if in their life they inioied not that office What Platina meaneth by this I cannot tell vnlesse he thinketh the bishop of Rome at the first was not in such estimation or account as afterwads hee grew to But that so it was I haue before declared For from mean beginning he is now growen to be a captions controler of the greatest princes And this as it seemeth Platina thinketh to be the reason why the bishopricke of Rome which was perchance in the beginning not worth suing for was afterwards by so great contention and fighting sought for And so men haue dignified that seat and not that seat the men And the place hath gotten authoritie by the bishops not the bishops by the place Which in my iudgement doth somewhat ouerthwart that fulnesse of power and that continuall spring of spirituall graces which they would make vs beleeue floweth from that chaire and that power which they say it hath from Christ himselfe Next after Christopher commeth Sergius the third He displaced Christopher by the helpe of Lotharuis the king and sate in his place and cast him into prison Now how himselfe was made pope Platina can tell you who saith that he persecuted Formosus his faction by whome he was before hindred from being pope for hee thought he waited to long for so good a place And thereupon Platina comparing the popes then with the first that were findeth them nothing like For in times past they refused that place being offered vnto them But now saith he they seeke it by briberie and ambition and euill meanes They gaue themselues to prayer and to teach These not regarding Gods seruice giue themselues to tyranous crueltie that after they may the more freely fulfill their lusts wheÌ„ no man dare control theÌ„ Thus saith Platina of them Not long after commeth Iohn the eleuenth a worthie prelate for such a place He was bastard sonne to pope Laudo howe holy his ellection was howe canonically hee was chosen is worth the hearing Theodora a shamelesse harlot that ruled all Rome was greatly in loue with this Iohn as soone as shee saw him And shee hauing for a time inioyed his companie and liking well of the same first made him bishop of Bondnia after archbishop of Raueâ—â—a and lastly bishop of Rome and was not this thinke you a canonicall election But whether this harlot Theodore did violently place this pope which especially belongeth to my matter in hand or that she by fauour obtained consent of the electours it is not certain But by lawfull meanes it is certaine he came not to it There was also another pope Iohn after him thrust into that rowme who although he be not numbred among the popes yet because he was bastard sonne to pope Sergius the third hee is woorth speaking of in respect of the good stocke he came of Therefore Theodora that famous harlot had a daughter maried to Guy Marques of Thuscia her name was Marozia Who following the good conditions of her mother by pope Sergius had a bastard whom she and her husband hauing dispatched pope Iohn the eleuenth by stopping his mouth with a pillow made pope and hee was called Iohn the twelfth Thus did Marozia kill her mothers paramour that shee might make her husbands bastard sonne by pope Sergius pope in his roume And thus we see howe this seat wherein they will make vs beleeue that none can sit but most holy fathers is become a denne for most prophane and godlesse ruffians and rakehels Iohn the twelfth by the their owne account was also intruded into that place by meanes of his father who was thought to bee Albert or Albericke king of Italie But howsoeuer he came to it he when he was in it was such a ruffianly companion and so vicious as that it is written that euen from his youth he was starke naught and was not ashamed openly to keepe harlots So youthfull he was that in him began that by-worde As merrie as pope Iohn He came of a good race For Marozia of whom before I spake was his grandmother And as his entrance was not good so yet his going out was too bad for some say the diuell killed him euen in his adulterie being in bed with an other mans wife some affirme it was the womans husband but that hee was killed euen in his filthinesse all agree And was not this a holy Father Neither did Boniface the seuenth get into this seate the right way but malis artibus by euill meanes as all stories almost speake And of the popes that were about this time doeth the storie called Fasciculus temporum giue this note That in these daies the bishops of Rome were slaine as well as in the primitiue Church but yet they are not Martyrs as were the other Their deathes were like but the cause vnlike And of this pope Boniface the seuenth manie stories report that hee committed theft and sacriledge stealing from Saint Peters Church all the Treasure and Iewels and sold them at Constantinople to make money thereof wherewith hee procured some friendship at his returne with more safetie to sit in that proude seate Among these also may Gregorie the fifth be reckoned who for fauour of the Emperour was made pope or as Platina saieth by the othoritie of Otho the Emperour and as Fasciculus temporum saieth at his request Bergomates saieth the Emperour did will and commaund him to take it vpon him Benedict the ninth entred vniustly and fearing that hee could not keepe the papacie hee solde it to Iohn the Archdeacon But of him I must speake after Siluester the third was intruded either by Symonie or ambition or for hatred of Benedict the ninth Benedict the tenth entered by force and briberie As for Gregorie the tenth how canonicallie he was chosen it may be seene by the olde verses that were made of his election whereby it appeareth that the discorde of the brethren made him who was an Archdeacon before father of fathers For the place I meana the popedome was nowe so much desired and so ambitiouslie sought for that the Cardinals manie times would for a long time bee diuided and could not agree about the chusing of the holie father As immediatelie after the death of
Christ his life and conuersation were inquired vpon by Charles the great the emperor All which things do plainly proue that it is most false that Gratian out of many of them doth affirme that the Emperours Christian did alwaies submit themselues vnto the bishops And the selfe-same examples also doe plainly declare that the clergie may not be accused onely before ciuil magistrats but punished also by them according to the qualitie of their offence Neither did our sauiour Christ whose immunities and exemptions I suppose they will confesse were as great as any may claime when hee was standing before Pilate to be iudge plead that they might not meddle with him neither yet Saint Paul when he stoode before Festus who if there had beene any such priuiledge belonging vnto clergie men would at the least haue claimed it that others might haue by their examples alleaged the like But saint Paul in appealing vnto Cesar dooth giue vs a strong argument to prooue that princes may middle with such as they call clergie men But of the matter it selfe there is no iust cause of doubt Neither can it be proued that such immunities and exemptions are grounded vpon any testimonie of Scripture but rather are most contrarie to that subiection to magistrats that they commaund and God requireth But by those priuileges there came to the ciuil estate dubble damage First because thereby euil subiects were maruelously imboldned to doe whatsoeuer the bishop of Rome that very baine of true christian obedience would set them to doe for inlarging his liberties As among as infinit mumber of examples that one of Thomas Becket that archtraitor of England and yet forsooth a Romish saint and martyr doth sufficiently declare For how traiterously he sought to in fringe the auncient liberties of his and our natiue countrie to the maintenence whereof he was also sworne yea how leudly he stoode in defence of the liberties that they claime vnto clergie men and that in an vnhonest cause for Philip Brocke a canon of Bedford being accused and tried of mâ—rder gaue euil words to the iudges and the archbishop would not suffer him to be punished by the ciuil magistrate how stifly he set himselfe against the king to the mislike of most of the bishops in the land Mathew of Paris though otherwise a well-willer of his doth plainly set downe Yea what safetie may kings haue to their persons or what quietnesse in their dominions if they who are called clergie men may within any princes dominions execute against them the popes rash and vniust decrees without punishment of them that beare the sword If vnquiet heades and rebellious persons may deuise and practise what they thinke good to follow their owne lust and get vnto themselues the raines of libertie and when these things shall any way breake out they may not be examined by princes or magistrates or accused before such authoritie In this respect therefore that by such immunities bad men were much imboldned either to performe the popes commaundements or their owne desires princes had the lesse abilitie and oportunitie to shake off that yoke of more than Egyptiacal bondage which the pope laid vpon them For if they once indeuoured to attempt any such thing they had within their realm euen such as shuld by christian duty and very naturall affection be their strength aid them that vnder pretence of obedience to the vicar of Rome would make faint the hearts of the princes friends and mightily strengtheÌ„ the hands of his worst sort of subiects And no maruell though in the dayes of deepe darknes or ignorance this leprousie did so infect and spread for we among whom the light of Gods trueth doth shine in some reasonable manner in many places and in great abundance in some yet cannot be rid of that scabbe For though God in his tender mercy towards vs hath banished out of this land that prowd authoritie of the pope and giuen vnto vs as an inestimable treasure the true libertie of conscience and ministery of the word yet because our princes and magistrates are farre short of that zeale that was commended in godly kings and should be in christian magistrates and we our selues euen the whole body of the subiects do not walke according to our calling or worke according to our profession but detaine the trueth in vnrighteousnesse euen for our sins I say doubtles it commeth to passe that there are so many Cananites in our land waiting still as occasion may serue to bee prickes in our eyes and thornes to pricke vs in our sides so that though their power will not serue yet to cast vs out of the land yet they can find meanes enough to grieue vs in the land It is our sinne also that bringeth in among vs these that creepe not into widowes houses onely but into the houses of men especially women that are simple and ignorant and laden with sinne many of them withdrawing them from the true knowledge of God and duty towards their magistrates I meane the Iesuits and seminary priests a kind of people as necessary and commodious to liue among good subiects or in any quiet common-wealth as the frogges lice fâ—ies and grashoppers of Egypt were or as caterpillers are for fruit corne or grasse They seeme to be the very locusts that came out of the darke smoke that issued out of the botomlesse pit whose sting is secret like the scorpions teaching rebellion to princes vnder colour of obedience to the pope They are nimble and want no courage like horses prepared to the battell They are crowned with the honourable name of Iesuites and haue faces like men in external profession of obedience and trueth They seeme like vnto women that is not like to do hurt but yet obstinate and stiffe they are in that they take in hand and cruel and mightie to doe much â—urt among them that receaue them They are armed with the habergeon of authoritie from Rome They are lifted vp with the wings of proude conceit of their owne knowledge whereby they make a noise as though they could beare downe all before them Lastly they haue a king set ouer them for the kings that are ouer other subiects are not good enough to rule this crowned companie The pope is their king him they serue to him they yeld their obedience And their trauel is to make other also to become his subiects Whose fiue monethes that is the time of whose contiunance among vs is not yet expired because our sinnes as I haue said and must say againe and again our sinnes prolong the time of our chasticement The second inconuenience that these immunities granted the clergie men did bring vnto ciuil estates was the iâ—finit swarmes of subiects that were accounted of that number For besides their clarkes regular and irregular which grew to maruelous great multitudes they had their lesser orders which had also their part in
if they cannot prooue it to be a doctrine generally receiued at all times euen in the dayes of the apostles and so by continuall succession constantly taught in the ages next folowing and so deliuered vs they do but too much abuse the simple to tel them that is catholike auncient that is but the dreame or late deuise of some later teachers Now I call them whatsoeuer antiquity they seeme to haue that swarue any thing from that which the auncient of daies hath taught or Christ who is our true antiquitie hath deliuered It behooueth therfore al christians to take heede of such as vnder pretence of being popish catholicks and vnder or colour of this glorious name which belongeth neither to them neither yet to their religion creepe into corners deceiue the ignorant seeke to make many of their profession by hauing onely in their mouths this worde catholike faith catholike religion catholike church whereas in truth as it seemeth that they being neither thought worthy of preferment at home neither yet finding that they looked for abroad euen as the cormorants gather where the carkas is to get their prey so these seeke their meate and maintenance by seducing such simple and sillie soules Neither doe I affirme that all are moued by these causes either to leaue their natiue countrie either to returne to sowe amongst her maiesties subiects this seede of seduction and sedition but they that doe trouble this Realme are for the most part such and moued by such reasons But as they can not proue by an catholike grounds their title to the supremacie to bee good so their practise is too bad and farre from that christian modestie and meekenesse which should be in Gods children For if saint Peter said truly that such as himselfe was should not as Lords beare rule ouer the Lords hereâ—age but be as examples to the flocke then howe can the pope claime that soueraigne authoritie ouer all kings and whom saint Peter calleth chiefe If none can enter into anie calling especiallie to haue the charge ouer the flocke of Christ vnlesse he be called therevnto as it is confessed by all men what reason can the bishops of Rome pretend why either they should without any warrant nay contrarie to the worde so exalt themselues aboue all other or so vnlawfully or rather by so vile practises and shifts as by violence and strife by buing and selling by falshood and craft by poisoning and murders by sorcerie and the diuels helpe get to be popes Or being placed in that proude place howe commeth it to passe that with so great boldnesse without feare without shame they prophane the maiestie of God and despise yea tread vnder foote the excellencie of man be he neuer so high Is this the fruit of their catholike doctrine Doe such lewde dealings become Christs vicar or Peters successour But to conclude seeing the popes title vnto the supremacie hath no shew of truth and seeing his exercise of the same is almost nothing else but a blaspheming of God and a defacing of all authoritie ordained by God raise and rouse vp your selues after your long sluggishnes O ye christian princes and magistrates shake off from your neckes this yoke of bondage wherein you serue that Italian priest Ioine your powers and strength togither Gather and call a free Councill in deed where the pope as a partie may plead his cause not sit as iudge Force him to content himselfe with that place which the worde of God will aâ—foord him If any more be giuen vnto him or any other yet let not the godly potentats giue vnto any as they haue done such reines of libertie but that they may knowe that authoritie to be but from man and that their power is not full or absolute but onely limited and that if they abuse the same they may and shall answere for their boldnesse according to the qualitie of their offence So shall you deliuer christendome from a heauie bondage your owne realmes from a most daungerous enemie and the church of God from a most manifest Antichrist So shall you vse your authoritie to the comfort of the godly as you should doe and as in dutie you are bound to Gods glorie and establishing of the Kingdome of Christ Now vnto the king euerlasting immortall inuisible vnto God onelie wise be honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen FINIS Iohn 10. 1 10. Mat. 22. 21 Rom. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Esa 1. 12. Rom. 2. 16. Matâ— 23. Answere to the English Iustice cap. 1. Among the letters taken with Car the Hispauiolised Scot. William Allen his letter Cap. 4. Matth. 25. 26. Philip 3. 16 2. Cor. 11. 13. De praescript 1. Pet. 1. 19. Heb. 9. 22. Heb. 9. 12. 10. 14. 2. Cor. 5. 20. Ad Pompeium contra epistolam Stephan Least necessary to saluation Most necessary in some other respects The popes supremacie an enemie to all princes The religion of Papists The popes suprâ—macie the decay of true religiòn Dist 40. cap. 51. Papa The Popes flattâ—reâ—s Praefat. in lib. dâ— Rom. pontif The Popes claim vniust The Church Triumphant Militant The question Whether monarchicall gouernement be best M. Bellarmines first argument to proue there must be one visible head Lib. de pontif Rom. 1. cap. 5. That is not of necessitie be â— gouernment for the Church that is best for other kingdomes De pontif Rom. liâ— 1. cap. 3. Christ king in his Church Reuel 19. 16. Ephes 1. 22. Dan. 7. 14. Psal 72. 8. A pastour in particular churches a particular head â— Sâ—m 8. 7 10. Two heades Bellar. lib. 1. de pontif Rom. c. 9. Pastors appointed of God The pope not of God De pontif Rom. lib. 2. cap. 12. The Popes pride His contempt of the sword of Gods word The Popes charge infinit Tertull. de praescientia haeretic M. Bellar. his second argument Argument 3. Answere Hebr. 8. 9 10. Aaron no figure of Peter The church not subiect to one hie priest De missa li. 1. c. 2 1. Kin. 17. Ionah 3. Arg. 4. Bellarm. Answere Praefat. in ps 139 De Immunit m. 6. e Quoniam Bell. arg 6. Answere Bell. arg 7. Answer Ruffin hist eccl lib. 1. cap. 9. Bellar. arg 8. Answere Prouer. 29. 2. Popish vnitie Psal 2. 2. Vnitie without supremacie Act. 15. â— De Rom pontif lib. 1. cap. 9. An argument against the visible head ouer the whole church The Papists argument for the supremacie De pontif Rom. lib. 1. cap 10. Whether Christ haue resigned his place Ephes 1. 22 and 4. 15. and 5. 23. Coloss 1. 18. Acts 4. 11. â—ad Popes Mat. 28. 25. Ioh 14. 16 17. De praescript haeretie De simplie prel Concil Carth. 6. Galced Concil Act. 16. Lib. â— cap. 3. Barenes of proofe for the supremacie De pontif Rom. li. 1. cap. 12. Mat. 16. 13. Iohn 1. 42. 1. Cor. 3. 11. Esy 28. 16. Bellarm maketh the Popethis stone or Peter