now within these three yeares pleased God to giue me his grace to read his holy scriptures and other good authours and Doctours of his Church to my great comfort and consolation Whereby I was stirred vppe to gather in this little treatise these thinges which moued me to see and know the trueth that if it were Gods will they might doe some good to the instruction of others also to the only glorie of his sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who haue your honour alwayes in his gratious protection May. 1580. Your good Lordships most humble at Commaundement William Chauncy To the Christian Reader THe moste excellent thing that Almightie God hath giuen to mankinde is the knowledge of the trueth the treasure of his wisdom expressed in his holy scriptures For without it we can neither know God nor Iesus Christ his sonne our Sauiour and Redeemer who saith of him selfe Ego sum via Iohn 14. veritas Vita I am the way the trueth and the life and no man commeth to my father but by me and he that knoweth me knoweth also my father But the knowledge of this truth which lightneth our mindes with the faith of God and of his sonne Iesus Christ by his holy word deliuered in the Scriptures hath bene many hundred yeres couered and hidden from the most part of all temporall men as they are called yea from mightie Emperours Kings Princes and Magistrates of this world through the craftie practises of the Bishoppes of Rome Who to extoll themselues and their Cleargie aboue all Emperours and princes haue by wicked pollicie hidden and withdrawen from them and from all Christians the sacred Scriptures conteined in the old and in the newe Testamentes that thereby the detestable pride of the Bishops of Rome and their Cleargie might not be knowen to men least they should perceiue how farre they did varie frō the example of Christ and the humble godly liues of his Apostles and disciples of Bishops and ministers for the space of vj. hundred yeares after the church was planted by our sauiour Christ So that it came to passe that the Bishops of Rome raged and raigned like Gods vpon the earth and no temporal prince durst as much as looke vpon the worde of God nor haue any bookes of the holie scriptures least they should haue bene excommunicated for heretikes An vngodly pollicie deuised of them to the intent that their deuelish pride intollerable ambition might not be reformed by the doctrine of Christ which is most cōtrarie to their vsurped authoritie supremacie which they haue chalenged and vsed sith the time that the Emperour Phocas more then sixe hundred yeres after Christ did grant vnto Boniface the third of that name the title and authoritie of vniuersal Bishop ouer all other Bishoppes a thing most contrarie to our Sauiour Christes institution and commandements Wherefore gentle Reader to the intent that good Christian people should be no longer abused deceiued through the crafty practises of the Bishop of Romes decrees and counterfet gloses whereby he hath vsurped his most vniust authoritie and title of supremacy with which he hath almost blinded all Christian people kingdoms I haue in this treatise briefely declared the truth of our Sauiour Christs two cōmissiōs giuen ioyntly to all his Apostles in suche manner that they should be in like authoritie and power not one aboue the other in any degree I haue also shewed how earnestly and straightly Christe did forbid all superioritie and dominion to be amongest thē which I haue approued both by the holie Scriptures and by Godly auncient writers I haue noted farther what account was made of the Bishop of Rome in the foure first generall Councels euen the same which was made of other Bishops of the chiefe Sees in Aegypt in Asia in Greece and other prouinces I haue declared when this vsurped supremacie did first begin and by whome moreouer how greatly the Bishops of Rome did fall from true Godlinesse from the faith of Christe after they had obtained of the Emperours that proude vngodly title of vniuersall Bishoppe Wherein I haue touched the wicked behauiour of a fewe of them to giue as it were a taste of the fruites of their supremacie Lastly I haue opened the dealinges of good princes againste their wickednesse and tyrannie in our owne countrie making thereby manifest that King Henrie the eight was not the first king of this realme who did expell that vsurped authoritie but that almost ful two hundreth yeares before King Henrie the eight it was spurned at and diuers lawes and statutes were made by diuers Kinges of this Realme against it So that by reading ouer of this little worke they that desire to see the truth of this matter shal wander I trust no longer in the doubtes of darkenesse for lacke of knowledge of the trueth whiche is reuealed to vs by the worde of God that CHRISTE our Sauiour teacheth vs euen hee who doeth say Ioh. 8.12 Ego sum lux mundi I am the light of the werlde Doubtlesse he that walketh in this light shall knowe the trueth and shall not wander in darkenesse of any Popish traditions and superstitions which is the most daungerous and deadly kinde of darkenesse Now it is saide of Christe Ioh. 12.35 Qui ambulat in tenebris nescit quò vadit He that walketh in darkenesse knoweth not whether hee goeth Let vs therefore heare our Sauiour Iesus Christe Ambulate dum lucem habetis ne vos tenebrae comprehendant Whilest ye haue the light of Gods worde walke in it least the darkenesse come vpon you and you returne againe vnto it 2. Pet. 2.22 Pro. 26.11 ut canis ad vomitum sus ad volutabrum As a dogge to his vomit as a sow to her wallowing in the filthie mire of Popishe superstitions To the which entent my trust is in God that this little booke shall somewhat helpe you forward by satisfying the consciences of good people who will reade it with desire to learne the trueth GOD graunt that we may all both learne it and followe it that we neuer flie from it vnto errours of vaine deuises of men but onely put our whole hope our confidence and trust in the death and passion of our sauiour Iesus Christ and leade a holie life according to his worde to the glorie of God to whome be all honour Dominion and Maiestie for euer and euer Amen ¶ The rooting out of the Romishe supremacie wherein is declared that the authoritie which the Pope of Rome doeth challenge to himselfe ouer all Christian Bishops and Churches is vnlawfully vsurped Chap. 1. That in controuersies of religion the truth must be tried by the holy Scriptures That by the Scriptures no apostle nor Bishop hath a supremacie ouer others IN al maner of doubts controuersies which may arise in our Christian religion the trueth therof must be tried with the touche of Gods word as well in matters that concerne godly instruction as
primitiue church of Christe the Bishop of Romes supremacie was not acknowledged as it is proued by the foure principal and first generall councels which tooke order against it THat the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome hath not any ground in the holy Scriptures neyther in the commissions of our sauiour Iesus Christe neyther in the practises of his holy Apostles I hope it is manifest to such as are desirous to search out the truth by that which hitherto hath bene saide Nowe if we goe forward from Christ and his Apostles to the ages which ensued we shall easily perceiue that it was not receiued of the primitiue Church nay it was repressed when it beganne to take roote and spread abroad amongst them The which doth appeare by the foure principall first generall councels wherein the Christian Bishops did assemble them selues together to the rooting out of heresies and ouerthrowing of disorders which began to bud in the Church of Christe The first of these councels Histor tripa lib. 2. was the councel of Nice at the which there were present thrée hundred and eightéene Bishops beside a great number of other learned men called together by the good Emperour Constantine the great in the yeare of our Lorde thrée hundred twentie seuen or there about against the heresie of Arrius But to passe ouer other things handled in the councel touching the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome this decrée was made Con. Nicen. can 6. in the sixt Canon Mos antiquus perduret in Aegypto Libya Pentapoli vt Alexandrinus Episcopus horū omnium habeat potestatem quoniam quidem Episcopo Romano parilis mos est Similiter autem apud Antiochiam caeterasque prouincias honor suus vnicuique seruetur Ecclesiae Let the ancient customes continue in Egypt and Libya and Pentapolis that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the gouernement ouer them all For the Bishop of Rome hath the like order Likewise at Antioch and in other Prouinces let the due preeminence and honour be reserued vnto euery Church Which wordes doe not giue any supremacie to the Bishop of Rome aboue all other Churches but they doe limit him the bounds of his owne iurisdiction no lesse then they doe others As it is more plainely declared by Ruffinus who writing in his storie the thinges that were done at the councel of Nice doth say that it was decréed in this Canon Ruff. hist ecclesiast lib. 1. cap. 6. Vt apud Alexandriam in vrbe Romana vetusta consuetudo seruetur vt vel ille Aegypti vel hic suburbicariarum ecclesiarum sollicitudinem gerat That at Alexandria and the citie of Rome the auncient custome be kept that the Bishop of the one haue care ouer Egypt the other ouer the Churches that are about the citie of Rome And thus much of the councel of Nice which was the first The second generall councel was holden at Constantinople Histor tripertit lib. 9. where there were assembled a hundred and fiftie Bishops called together by the Emperour Theodosius about the yeare of the Lord thrée hundred foure score and fiue for the suppressing of the heresie of Macedonius In the which councel touching the preeminence and authority of the Bishops Concil Constantinop Canon 2. this decrée was made Episcopi qui super dioecesin sunt and ecclesias quae extra terminos eorum sunt non accedant neque confundant permisceant ecclesias Sed secundum regulas constitutas Alexandriae quidem Episcopi gubernent ea solùm quae sunt Aegypti Episcopi orientis solius orientis curam gerant seruatis honoribus primatus ecclesiae Antiochenae qui in regulis Nicenae Synodi continentur sed Asianae dioecesis Episcopi ea quae sunt in Asia tantūmodo gubernent Ponti autem episcopi Ponticae tantùm dioecesis habeant curam Thraciae verò ipsius tantummodo Thraciae Bishops that haue the charge of a diocesse let them not com vnto the Churches which are without their bounds neither let them confound or mingle the Churches But accordinge to the Canons and orders appoynted let the Bishops of Alexandria deale with the gouernement of Aegypt onely the Bishops of the East only with the East reseruing the priuilege and preeminence of honor to the Churche of Antioche accordinge to the rules of the councell of Nice In like sort the Bishops of diocesse in Asia let them gouerne onely Asia and the Bishops of Pontus the diocesse of Pontus and the Bishops of Thracia the diocesse of Thracia Nowe as this decrée was made by them in generall touching al Churches for the gouernment and rule of them howsoeuer in places and order of dignitie they set one aboue another as Rome firste Histor tripertit lib. 9. Cap. 13. Constantinople next so in the Epistle written from the most of them to the Bishops of the West neither do they submitte all their doinges to Damasus Bishoppe of Rome neither giue they greater titles vnto him then to the rest but onely name him first neither come they to the councel of Rome at his request whereof they giue this reason one among others that they haue not the consent of their fellowe-bishops in their prouinces so to doe Whereby it is manifest that at the time of this councel of Constantinople the prouinces were gouerned by their owne Bishops the Bishops in generall by their councels and assemblies neither was there any one Patriarch set ouer them as the Bishop of Rome would be who therfore claymeth this supremacie though there were many patriarches appointed in that councell vnto sundrie prouinces as it is declared in the Tripartit storie Historia tripartit lib. 12. The third generall councell was celebrated at Ephesus about the yere of our Lorde foure hundred thirty thrée by the commaundement of the Emperour Theodosius the younger who called together two hundred Bishops into that Citie to quenche the heresies of Nestorius And in this assembly by occasion that was giuen them to speake of the authoritie of certain Bishops ouer others through complaint made by the Bishoppes of Cyprus against the Bishop of Antioch Concil Ephesin Can. 8. as vsurping ouer them first they do forbidde the Bishop of Antioche to ordeine Bishops in Cyprus giuing the Bishops of Cyprus full authority to ordeine their owne Bishops themselues Then do they decrée the same point in generall of all other diocesses and prouinces wheresoeuer that no Bishop doe vsurpe and take vpon him the gouernment of another prouince whiche was not before and from the beginning vnder him or his predecessors that if any haue done so and by force haue brought a prouince in subiection to him selfe he shall restore it least the Canons and orders of the fathers be broken and vnder colour of holy function in the gouernement of the Church Potentiae tumor The swelling ambition of bearing rule of dignitie doe priuily créepe in and so at vnwares by little and little we lose that libertie which our Lorde Iesus
the first fourth Chapter of that statute is declared Againe in his sixt yeare at the parleament holdē at Couentrie Capit. 1. there was a lawe made to ease Archbishops and Bishops of their great exactions taken by the Pope and his officers of his chamber for their first fruites Againe in his seuenth yeare an other lawe was made touching the Licences and Pardons graunted from Rome to the incumbents of any benefices that whether they were graunted or to be graunted they should be vtterly voyde and of none effect Againe in his ninth yeare bycause the Archbishoppes and Bishoppes of this realme Capit. 8. were after their elections greatly troubled by the Bishoppe of Rome it was enacted that the elections of Archbishops Bishops Abbats Priors and other spirituall persons should be frée from all manner of interruptions and incumbrances of the Bishop of Rome An. Do. 1407 It were tedious to goe forward in the like sort with the Princes that followed but by this taste the wise may easily perceiue howe no lawe could bridle the vnruly vsurpation of the Pope of Rome but almost vnder the reigne of euery Prince for the space of two or thrée hundred yeares they were compelled to renue olde and make newe prouisions and actes of Parliament against him Notwithstanding all the which his dealings were so outragious and gathered eftsoones new strength that they could neuer be throughly repressed vntill that God did raise vp our noble Prince of famous memorie King Henrie the eight who perceyuing and vnderstanding as well by his owne iudgement and knowledge as also by the learned Cleargie of his realme howe the Bishops of Rome haue of long time fallen away from the sound and pure religion of Christ by their corrupt doctrine and abhominable pride extolling them selues not onely aboue all Bishops but also aboue all Emperours Kings and Princes of the earth disobeying the authoritie of rulers and magistrates whom the Lord set ouer them whom Christ did obey whome the Apostles were subiect to speaking lyes through hypocrysie as they of whom S. Paul doeth prophecie 1. Tim. 4. forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing of thanks of them who beléeue and knowe the truth to come to the chiefest point deuising blind erronious prophane vngodly meanes of obtaining saluation by gadding in pilgrimage by oblations to images by kissing of reliques by numbring of Pater nosters and Aue Maries vpon beades by going barefoote and barelegged by créeping to crosses by their pardons a poena culpa with a number of péeuish toyes and superstitious ceremonies to the blemishing of true faith the anchorhold of all Christians grounded on assured hope of saluation by the death passion of our sauiour Christ which is empaired by Poperie the the Noble Prince therfore King Henrie the eight séeing and considering these detestable enormities and wicked vsurpation of the Pope of Rome did vtterly banish his counterfet authority out of this realme of England with the appurtenances of it Which hauing him selfe begun in part to doe he had it confirmed with the consent of the whole realme by statute and lawe made in the eight and twentie yeare of his reigne at a Parleament holden at Westminster An. Do. 1536. Capit. 10. to the great comfort of all his faithfull subiectes to the reuiuing of the dignitie of his imperiall crowne and most of all to the true honour and glory of the Almightie After this noble King there succéeded the godly worthie Prince his sonne King Edward the sixt who not onely confirmed that lawe against the Bishop of Rome but further procéeded in the establishment of true religion And of late againe albeit some interruption grewe in the time of Quéene Marie Our most vertuous and gratious Souereigne Quéene ELIZABETH following the godly steps of her noble father and brother had it inacted in her first parleament that the authoritie of the Bishoppe of Rome and of al other forraine power and potentates spirituall and temporall should vtterly be driuen away and remoued out of all her maiesties territories dominions that vpon such penalties vnto all her subiectes that to vpholde maintaine or set forth any such forraine authoritie wtin this realme it is in some pointes and degrées high treason so that they lose and forfaite their liues landes goodes who are guiltie of it A statute that may séeme seuere and is perhappes accounted of some ouerrigorous but they who marke it wisely cannot choose but sée howe sharpe tooles were necessary to roote out this wéede which many godly Princes before King Henrie the eight did endeuour to nip of by sundrie good lawes but it budded still againe brought forth such blossomes or rather fruits of rebellion ambition coueteousnes hipocrisie wicked superstition as it was to be feared woulde haue poysoned the whole lande had not our gratious prince vsed such sharpe instrumentes to roote it out vtterly Chap. 15. A short repetition of the pointes proued witha cōclusion of the whole And an exhortation to the people of Englande to embrace this truth with all the heauenly doctrine of Christes religion WHerefore I doe wishe euen from the very botome of my hearte that euerie faithfull subiect and right Christian mā woulde weigh both this point al the rest which I haue saide to satisfie his conscience in this matter of the supremacie least they builde vppon sande not on the rocke Iesus Christ Let vs consider that our sauiour did not graunt it to any of his Apostles nay he did expressely forbidde such ouerruling and dominion amongest them Let vs remember that as it was not giuen by him to Saint Peter so neyther did Saint Peter practise it nor the Apostles attribute it vnto him Though it had beene giuen to Peter amongest the rest yet what reason is it that the Bishoppe of Rome should be his heire in it syth we reade not in the scriptures that Peter euer was at Rome which we should haue redd doubtles if it had ben of so great weight Herevnto we must adde that in the primitiue Church this preeminēce was not acknowleged either to or by the Bishoppes of Rome The godly Bishoppes of that Citie who many of them were martyres did not take it vppon them The fower first principall and generall councels assembled out of all Christendome did not yeelde it vnto them What haue we then to do with Boniface the thirde to whome the title of supremacie was graunted firste by wicked Phocas What haue wee to doe with Boniface his successors who haue sat in the chaire of pestilenc and haue made their scepter a scepter of iniquitie shall wee rather followe them then Christ then Peter then the Apostles then generall councels then godly Bishoppes of Rome Shall we not be wise and learne to make a difference betwéene the first Byshoppes that were in the Citie frée frō such ambition and betwéene the later who
in those thinges which doe belong to a Christian conuersation Doctrine And first there must be brought in nothing into the Church of God but that which God commaundeth Moses therefore in giuing of lawes to the Israelites Doctrine diuerse sundrie times hath this saying Dominus locutus est Exo. 20.1 The Lord spake these wordes And in the dayes of Ahas when the seruice of God was polluted and they sacrificed their sonnes daughters vnto diuels by causing them to passe through the fire 8. Isay 20. the Prophet willeth them to repaire to the law to the testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them And therefore the fearce wrath of the Lorde was powred vpon Nadab and Abihu Leui. 10.1 sonnes vnto Aaron the high Priest because contrary to the lawe of God they offered strange fire And this was the cause that Vzzah was stroken slayne because contrary to Gods commandement he would haue stayed vp the Arke of the Lord. And albeit the man had a good intention an honest meaning yet the spirite of God reproueth the fact and saith God smot him in the place for his Fault 2. Sam. 6.7 there he died by the Arke of God And in the new Testament our Sauiour doth acknowledge that the doctrine was not his but his fathers and speaking of the spirit he saith that it shall call vnto minde those things which he hath spoken and the Apostle did deliuer nothing else vnto the Corrinthians but that which he had receiued of the Lorde Iesus And therefore Christ in the Gospell saith Iohn 10. My sheepe heare my voyce and as for a stranger they will not heare And this therefore moued the men of Berea to proue Pauls preaching by the writinges of the law and the Prophets Act. 17.11 and this moued Paul to denunce an accurse against those which went about to preach an other Gospell yea if it were himselfe or an Angel from heauen Gal. 1.8 And therfore Augustine hath this worthy saiing Audi dicit Dominus Epist 48. non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincētius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus sed dicit dominus Heare the Lord saith it not Donatus saith it or Rogatus or Vincentius or Hilarius or Ambrose or Augustine but the Lord affirmeth aduoucheth And the same in an other place Aug. de nuptiis concupiscentia lib. 2. cap. 33. Ista controuersia iudicē quaerit iudicet ergo Christus cui rei mors eius profecerit ipse dicat This cōtrouersie seketh a iudge let Christ then iudge and let him tell what thing his death hath profited And this did that good most Christian Constantine in the councel of Nice for the appeasing of Sectes which were crept in to the Church referred the Bishoppes the councel to the scriptures of God Trip. lib. 2. cap. 5. But heretikes cannot away with the word of God as it may appeare in the Pharisees which did greatly regarde the doctrines of men Mat. 15. contemning despising the commandements of almighty God In Montanus 1. Tim. 4.3 who being delighted in the doctrine of Deuils forbidding meates mariage did leaue the word and did flee to reuelations in madde Manicheus who for the establishing of his errours did shroud him selfe in the harbour of his hellish inspiratiōs Chrisost de sancto adorando spiritu in Adimantus his disciple infected with the poyson of his master who did bend him selfe fully and wholy to dispraise the scriptures of God Aug. contra Adimantum cap. 3. but moste manifestly in the papistes which for the maintenaunce of their most vile and abominable superstition haue called the worde of God a nose of waxe or a shippmans hoose as of late did that fleshly carnall Cardinall Cusanus or a blacke or an inckie gospell as did of late time Eckius Pighius two princiall pillers of the popish Sinagogue or Semen Turcicū a turkish seede whereas it is the seede of the immortall and euerliuing God 1. Pet. 1.23 as some time did that pestilent prelate I meane poysoned Poole Therefore leauing these mē in their errours let vs remember that are the Children of God if there be any errour in doctrine to referre our selues to the written word of God And as in doctrine Conuersation so in like manner for the ordering of our conuersation and for the amendement of our leude liues And therefore by Moses Deu. 12.8 Num. 15.39.40 almightie God saith Let not euery one doe that which is right in his owne eyes but that which I commaund you shall obserue Yea god calleth the following of a mans owne fācie and the seeking for to accomplish the desire of his owne heart whoring And whereas the Iewes had a great opinion of their fathers doinges being drawen thereto by a natuall affection God reclameth them and by his prophet he saith You shall not goe in the wayes of your fathers I am the Lorde your GOD Ezech. 20.18 walke in my preceptes Psal 109. And therefore Dauid woulde haue a yong man to rule himselfe according to Gods worde and this would the graundmother of Timothie 2. Tim. 1.5 and therefore she trained him in the scriptures from his verie youth Verily verily the wayes of the Lord are righteous and the iust will walke therein but as for the vngodly which haue solde them selues vnto sinne do break in sunder the cordes of Gods lawe because they hate and abhorre to be reformed And therfore hauing committed the workes of darkenes doe enuie and mallice at nothing so much Iohn 3. as at the light for Qui malè agit odit lucem He that doth euill hateth the light As it may appeare in the Popes of Rome who will not haue their doinges to be called in questiō as it may appeare by that speach of Paul the second Platina in vita Pauli secundi Pontifex sum mihique licet pro arbitrio c. I am Pope I may do as I list And therfore this is decreed in their decretals Sacrilegij esset instar Distinct 40. si Papa in glossa disputare de facto Papae It should be accounted sacriledge for any man to reason of the Popes doing And the rest of the popish cleargie are sicke of a disease called Noli me tāgere But cleane contrary is it in the Church of God where the mēbers do committe themselues fully wholy to be censured by the worde of God neither going vnto the right hande or to the left and whereas they are called Gods building are gladd to be squared by the rule of the scripture and therfore no doubt but peace euen that peace which passeth all vnderstanding shall come vnto them which so walke Gal. 6.16 and mercy to the Israel which doth appertaine to God And therefore both in thinges which doe concerne doctrine or