a moment and twinckling of an eye make them to fall backwarde to the earth yea and cast them headlong to the depth or bottome of hell O that tyrants persecutors would thinke well of these matters But what What should a man do to hard hartes and to blinde eies The wicked become more proude through the prosperitie which they haue in this world as though that no punishmente for their cruelties were perpared for them It fareth with them as with Dionisius the tyraunt who after hee had spoyled and robbed a Temple went to the Sea and seeing hee had a good winde beganne to say that the Gods fauoured Churche robbers or spoylers of Temples So likewise these men when they behode that their offences remaine vnpunished and that their villanies and wickednesses are not corrected immediately they giue themselues ouer to worke wickednesse outragiously and to conclude in their carnall and fleshly vndestanding that there is no iudgemente of GOD at all and that hee hath no punishmentes readie and prepared for their iniquities But as the holye Scripture determineth and pronounceth the quite and cleane contrarie so ordinary and common experience of the examples of Gods wrath doeth sufficientlye shewe vnto vs that when God spareth the wicked persecutors of his people for a time and maketh as though hee seemed not to looke vpon their extortions outrages and violences it is not because hee is fauourable vnto them neither because hee reacheth them his hande and helpeth them for it cannot otherwise bee but that one day as hee is a iuste iudge hee will giue vnto the enemies of his glorie and the good and saluation of his Children suche recompence and hyre as they shall haue deserued first in this life if it bee expedient that they may shamefully and wickedly ende their dayes and afterwardes in the other worlde that they may vtterly perishe if they repent and amend not in this life and may bee tormented eternally in Hell fire where there is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth FINIS ¶ A Table conteining the principall matters handeled in this present booke A AFflictions and the causes thereof Pag. 333. c. Afflictions of the Church Pag. 274. Afflictions of the Church and the ends which God respecteth therein Pag. 340. c. Afflictions of the Church increase when the deliuerance thereof is high Pag. 325. Afflictions of the Churche is alwaies ordered and gouerned by Gods hande Pag. 321. Afflictions come not without the prouidence of God Pag. 318. Afflictions their issue in respect of the faithfull Pag. 345. Afflictions and their issue in respect of the persecutors Pag. 357. Auncients Pag. 133. Antiochus Pag. 359. Apostles Pag. 128. Archbishops Pag. 69 144. Aurelian Pag. 304. 372. Augustine and in what sense hee saide that hee woulde not beleeue the Gospell without the authoritie of the church Pag. 222. Auncient fathers did not acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for Pope Pag. 92. c. B BAptisme of the Romane Church Pag. 115. Bishop Pag. 69. 133. 143. Bishop vniuersal is a title of Antichrist when it is giuen to men Pag. 94. C CAlling see vocation Cardinals Pag. 146. Censures Pag. 247. Censures three ends thereof Pag. 252. Censures of the Churche must bee applied with out respect of persons Pag. 255. Chaplines Pag. 140. Councels Pag. 202. Consistorie Pag. 241. Corrections and censures Pag. 257. Curates Pag. 142. Church whence it commeth Pag. 2. Church how many waies taken Pag. 2. Churche whiche is true hath two susbstantiall markes Pag. 15. Church and her continuance Pag. 55. Church and her head is Iesus Christ alone Pag. 68. Churche and her holinesse Pag. 184. Churche compared to a palme tree roses lilies and to a vine Pag. 332. Olde Churche of Rome what a one it was according to Ter tullian his iudgement Pag. 106. Church Catholike is one alone Pag. 11. Church catholike and inuisible what it is Pag. 7 Church distinguished into three sortes Pag. 4. Churche in what sense called the piller and grounde of truth Pag. 200. Church in what sense saide to bee without spot or wrinckle Pag. 189. Church whether aboue the Scripture Pag. 213. Church whether more olde then the scripture Pag. 220. Church must not be iudged by the great number Pag. 58. Church whether it may erre Pag. 197. Church why called catholike Pag. 9. Church why saide to bee inuisible Pag. 12. Churche represented by a bright lampe or fire brand in the middest of a burning or smoking furnace Pag. 330. Church represented by the burning bush Pag. 330. Church of Rome hath not the markes of the true church Pag. 19. Church of Rome is not the true churche Pag. 102. Church of Rome hath not true vnitie Pag. 113. Church increaseth in the middest of persecutions Pag. 330. Church visible what it is Pag. 14. D DEcius Pag. 299. 370. Deacons Pag. 136. Diaconisses Pag. 244. Dioclesian Pag. 305. 373. Discipline necessarie in the Church Pag. 235. Discipline incrocheth nothing vpon the magistrate Pag. 237. Doctors Pag. 132. Domitian Pag. 283. 365. Donation of Constantine to Siluester Pag. 87. E EVangelistes Pag. 130. ExcoÌ„munication 3 endes thereof Pag. 235. Exposition of Scriptures and two principles necessarie therein Pag. 20. Elders Pag. 135. G GAlerius Pag. 376. Galien Pag. 30â— God deliuereth his Church out of afflictions when it is time Pag. 327. God why hee afflicteth rather his church then other people Pag. 319. God why he sendeth not succour to his church so soone as it is afflicted Pag. 323. H HEad of the Church is Iesus Christe alone Pag. 68. Herode Agrippa Pag. 362. Herode Antipas Pag. 392. Herode the great Pag. 360. High or chiefe Bishop Pag. 97. Holinesse of the church vnperfect Pag. 187. I IGnorance excuseth not Pag. 125. Iulian the apostata Pag. 313. 377. K Keyes in the Church and the vse thereof Pag. 79. L Lawes Ecclesiasticall Pag. 258. M MArcus Aurelius Pag. 293. 35â— Maximianus Herculien Pag. 305. 373. Maximinus Pag. 297 369. Metropolitanes Pag. 69. 144. 149. Ministerie and howe much shoulde bee giuen thereto Pag. 179. Ministerie of the worde ordeined by God for our weakenesse sake Pag. 177. Ministerie necessarie in the Churche Pag. 160. Ministers considered after two sortes Pag. 180. Ministers of the Churche and their degrees or orders Pag. 128. Myracles are not sufficient to proue a calling Pag. 53. Multitude maketh nothing at al for the church Pag. 58. N Nero. Pag. 184. 364. O Orders of the Pope his Cleargie Pag. 139. P POpe Pag. 79. 152. Pope and his blasphemies Pag. 75. Popes two at Rome at one time Pag. 91. Pastors Pag. 131. Patriarkes Pag. 69. 149. Paule shoulde rather bee taken for Pope then Saint Peter Pag. 100. Persecutions of the Church Pag. 274. Persecutions of the Church tenne greate and generall and a discourse thereof Pag. 279. Persecutions come not without Gods prouidence Pag. 318. Persecution the first vnder Nero. Pag. 283. Persecution the second vnder Domitian Pag. 283. Persecution the third vnder Traian Pag. 284. Persecution the fourth vnder Marcus Aurelius Pag. 293. Persecution the fift vnder Seuerus Pag. 296. Persecution the sixt vnder Iulian Maximinus Pag. 298. Persecution the seuenth vnder Decius Pag. 299. Persecution the eight vnder Valerian and Galien Pag. 302. Persecution the nienth vnder Aurelian Pag. 304. Persecution the tenth vnder Dioclesian and Maximianus Pag. 305 Pharao Pag. 358. Peter whether hee were Bishop of Rome is vncertaine Pag. 98. Peter was not the head of the Church Pag. 71. Pilate Pag. 363. Pontifex or high Bishop Pag. 97. Predecessours of ours who died in the faith of the Romane church whether saued or condemned Pag. 126. Priâ—stes Pag. 140. Prophetes Pag. 129. Parsons Pag. 158. S SAbaoth changed to the Sunday Pag. 228. Sanctitie or holinesse of the Churche is vnperfect Pag. 18â— Sanctification howe wrought in vs. Pag. 186. Sanctification and three degrees of it Pag. 169. Saincts in what sense wee are called Pag. 185. Sennacherib Pag. 358. Seuerus Pag. 296. 269. Succession and three sortes thereof Pag. 26. Succession to what ende and in what sense the auncient Doctors vsed an argument taken therefrom Pag. 28. Succession personall hath some times had a breache in the seate of Rome Pag. 35. Succession and calling of persons Pag. 24. T TRaian 284 356. Teachers Pag. 132. V VAlens the Emperor Pag. 314. 378 Valerian Pag. 362. 371. Vicars Pag. 140. Vnitie in verity is not in the Romish church Pag. 113 Vocation of Pastors three things necessarie therein Pag. 39. Vocation ordinarie and extraordinarie Pag. 47. FINIS ☜ Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for Thomas â—â—an 1582.
liued vnder Domitian and euen vnto Traian his dayes Nowe if they of the Church of Rome will say that the Popes whiche succeeded Saint Peter were the heads of the church to whom all the rest of the Bishoppes ought to bee subiecte they must of necessitie be driuen to confesse that S. Iohn was subiect to Linus to Cletus and to Clemens Moreouer if S. Peters successors be the heades of the Churche Clemens who succeeded him in the third place as they say was so likewise But let vs heare what hee himselfe saith in an Epistle which as some say he writ to Iames Bishop of Hierusalem The title or inscription is this Clemens Tom. 1. concil pag. 135. col 2. to Iames the Lordes brother Bishop of Bishops gouernour of the Churche of Hierusalem and of all other Churches which by the prouidence of God are throughout all the worlde If Clemens were the vniuersall Bishop why did hee spoyle him selfe of his owne titles to attribute ascribe and giue the same vnto Iames to whome they did not belong Furthermore who is hee that hath lifted vp the Pope into this goodly degree of honour Is it Iesus Christe or his Apostles No in deede for wee reade that Bonifacius the thirde of that name Bishop of Rome was by the Emperour Phocas ordayned the firste souereigne or chiefe of all Christendome and the Church of Rome established heade of all the Churches in the world and this was about the yere of Christ sixe hundred and foure This Phocas as the historie writers rehearse and record was a traitor and an vnfaithful murderer of the Emperor Mauritius his master for as the said Mauritius at a certaine time shewed him selfe ouer seuere and rigorous against his souldiers they being giuen to debate and contention chose Phocas for Emperour who in Calcedonia immediately caused to be cut off the forenamed Mauritius his owne heade his wiues also and his three sonnes named Theodorus Tiberius and Constantine But hee receiued his paiment and reward for it afterwards For hauing reigned eight yeares he was at the laste slaine by the common people in the yeare of Christ 612. Beholde and marke by whom the primacie of the Romish Church was established and the Romane byshoppe made an vniuersall bishop there beeing before not so muche as anye newes of it For as concerning a certain Edict or decree which they alledge by which Constantine the greate a Christian Emperor gaue vnto Siluester the bishop of Rome aboute the yeare of Christ 317 spirituall domination and gouernement ouer all the Churches of the whole worlde also the iewels and kingly ornaments yea the Empire it selfe and politike gouernement ouer all the West partes it is a writing found and forged for and at their pleasure ful of lyings also and falshoods which may be easily proued by these reasons There are none of all the approued historiographers during certaine ages which make mention thereof after any sorte as Eusebius Eutropius Ruffinus Socrates Theodoretus Beda Euagrius Paulus Diaconus Zonaras Nicephorus Orosius eyther other the like yea they whiche haue written the liues of the Emperours and Popes haue not any whitte at all spoken thereof No more haue the auncient Doctours Athanasius Basilius Saint Ambrose Gregorie Nissenus Gregorius Nazianzenus Optatus Mileuitanus Saint Augustine Chrysostome whiche is more the Bishops of Rome them selues haue not saide any thing thereof no not in Councelles when they haue taken vpon them the care and charge to maintaine their primacie whiche woulde notwithstanding haue been a good buckler and shield of defence for them If Constantine gaue to the Romane Bishop the primacie ouer Constantinople Antioch Alexandria Hierusalem and all other Churches what reason had he to suffer in the councel of Nice whereat hee him selfe was president that the contrary should there be determined and concluded Concil Nic. Can. 6. habetur tom 1. Concil pag. 342. For in that Councell it was concluded that the Bishop of Rome shoulde not bee preferred before the Bishop of Alexandria or of Antioch or of Hierusalem If the foresaid Emperour ordained that the Bishop of Rome shoulde bee helde and taken for the head of all the Churches of the worlde wherefore then did Bonifacius demaunde and seeke the same of Phocas whereas he shoulde rather haue required to haue kept the same to him selfe and his successors which was long before graunted by Constantine to his predecessors With what conscience woulde Constantine giue vnto Siluester lordshippe and gouernment ouer the Churches and the Empire hee him selfe beeing a Christian and therefore by consequent knowing very wel that there was a destinction and difference betweene the office of the Pastours of the Churche and the charge and duetie of Magistrates Eusebius euen as Eusebius witnesseth of him that hee was accustomed to say that the Lorde had giuen and committed the inwarde charge of the Churche to the elders ministers but the outwarde to him If wee woulde consider Siluester with what conscience also coulde hee accepte the sayde donation or gift the vse whereof as he well inough knewe Iesus Christe had forbidden him Luk. 22.25 Mat. 22.21 for hee was not ignorant of this sentence The kinges of the nations beare rule c. but it shall not bee so amongest you Also Giue vnto Caesar the thinges whiche are Caesars Wherefore seeing that Iesus Christ hath distinguished the offices of the Magistrates and the charges of the pastors of the Church Siluester did very yll to confounde and iumble them together in his owne person Yea also there is a certaine Canon to this purpose Distinct 96. Can. Quū ad Nico c. auouched and alledged vnder the name of a Pope that these offices are distinguished by Iesus Christ If so be that Constantine gaue the empire of the west partes to Siluester they must say that Siluester possessed the same and left it to his successors and that if his successors doe not any longer hold it they must say that they haue beene thrust and driuen out of the possession thereof But let them shewe if they can any matter touching this point in the histories Verilye so far is it that Siluester those which succeeded him euen vnto Hildebrande who was named Gregorie the seuenth and was created Pope about the yeare of Christe one thousande seuentie foure did holde the Empire of the West that indeede they had not rule or authoritie ouer the Citie of Rome but did peaceably and quietlye acknowledge the Emperors for their Lords and were subiect to their lawes neither was there at any time a Pope chosen or created without the authoritie of the Emperour The change came in in the time of the foresaide Gregorie It is about fiue hundred yeres agoe since the Popes haue by little little incroched vpon the Empire haue at the last brought into their subiection the Citie of Rome and since they did accomplishe that there is not passed aboue a hundred threescore and nine
deuided the people into certaine circuites and countries or rather parishes in deede whereof some were cōmitted to the charge of certaine pastors and othersome to the charge of certaine other Pastors From thence came the name Curate although some woulde haue it deriued from Cura that is to say from the care that the pastors ought to haue ouer their flocks which were giuen committed vnto them in charge And the abuse comming on and growing vp more more they called the benefice or reuenewe that was assigned them to maintaine themselues vpon for the doing of their office by the name of Cure And from thence it commeth that when any one goeth about to get suche a benefice they diligently enquire of the value thereof and that wherof they seeme to haue the greatest regard is to know how muche the cure is worth As concerning Bishops and Elders Bishops and elders or according to papistes Priestes Hierom. ad Euagrium or as they cal them priests we haue before shewed and seene that these two names signifie one and the selfe same office or charge And S. Ierome in his Epistle to Euagrius witnesseth that in the time of the apostles there was no distinction or difference betweene these two degrees but afterwardes whiles schismes were in the church one was chosen from among the elders placed in the highest roome and called Bishop because hee differed from the Elders onely for the executing of order Nowe by these wordes wee may easily knowe and gather that this difference beganne in the Churche about that time and in that the office of a Bishop is held and accounted for a more high or more excellent office than the office of Elder or as they terme thē priestes it was not doone by the institution and ordinance of God but rather by mans authoritie that for the maintenance as they suppose of order and discipline Archbishop or Metropolitanes The names of Archbishoppes and Metropolitanes which were taken for one and the same estate were vnknowen to the Apostles and to the olde and auncient Churches but marke howe they were brought in Princes hauing put certaine degrees betweene their cities and townes making a difference betweene some of them in respecte of dignities and priuiledges they called those which they woulde establishe aboue the reste Metropolites as if you woulde say Concil Calcedon Canc. 12. Mother Cities as wee may gather out of many histories and namely and expresly out of the Councell of Calcedonia where it is saide that they ought not to account any Townes or Cities for Metropolites but onely those to whome Kings and Princes haue shewed and giuen this honour by their Edictes and statutes Nowe as Princes lifted vp their Metropolitane Cities to beare rule ouer others vnder their obedience so the Bishops placed in those Cities vsurped iurisdiction and authoritie ouer others they beeing fauoured by their Princes and Magistrates who easily accorded and consented to this that their Bishops shoulde bee placed in authoritie aboue others For this cause the Bishops of those places were named in the councel of Nice Metrepolitanes Conce Nice can 6. Conc. Calce can 1. and their seates were called in the councell of Calcedon the first seates You see then what was the fountaine and beginning of Archbishops or Metropolitanes who at the beginning were lifted vp to such a degree for a good end and purpose in outward shew for they were so placed and established as it were Ecclesiasticall presidents and rulers in their prouinces to the end they might guide gouern the affaires of the Churches and direct call Synods in good order without confusion when there was neede thereof Conc. Nice can 6. Conc. Anti. can 13. yet none among them had any authoritie one ouer an other For that effect and purpose the councels ordained that al Metropolitās should haue like power and equall authoritie Conc. Sardi can 19. Conc. Constātinopolita can 2. euerie one in his own prouince that the Bishop of Rome who was also Metropolitan had at Rome in the churches which were vnder his charge Whereby it appeareth that the Bishop of Rome was not then Pope and vniuersall bishop ouer all churches but that he had his charge limited bounded hauing no more authoritie and iurisdiction ouer other Metropolitanes than the other had ouer him Cardinals Touching Cardinals I know not what we may speake of certaintie because there is not so much a one onely authour who liued or writ while the churche was in some puritie that maketh any mention therof at all Yet we cannot be deceiued in speaking of that which we finde touching it We read in Nauclerus Nauclerus that in the time of Pontianus Bishop of Rome who was about the yeere of Christ 235. there was at Rome 36. Priestes Cardinals that is to say principall and chiefe among the rest Volateran lib. 22. Antropolo For as Volateranus saith in his Antropologie the name Cardinal was in old time take to signifie as much as principall was saith hee giuen to the Priestes as they call them and Deacons of the Church of Rome because that as the Bishop of Rome was held taken for the principall and chiefe of Bishops because he was in the principall citie of the Empire so the Priestes as they call them and Deacons of that citie were helde and taken for Cardinals that is to say for principall and chiefe among other Priestes and Deacons Whereupon hee addeth some examples There is a certaine Epistle saith he of Gregorie the first to them of Peloponezus who demaunded a Prieste to minister the sacraments vnto them wherein he saith we send vnto you our beloued sonne A Prieste Cardinall Also there is amongst the auncient Charters in the Church of Aretinum a donation or gift of a certaine Romane Senator named Zenobius which was made vnto the saide Churche in the time of Damasus the high Bishoppe wherin there is contained this subscription And I Io. S. R. E. Deacon Cardinall doe on the behalfe of the high Bishoppe Damasus approue and confirme c. And of these Priestes or Deacons Cardinals Marcellus Bishop of Rome ordained fifteene to baptise children Petr. de Nat. lib. 2. cap. 83. Polydor. lib. 4. cap. 9. and to burie the dead about the yeere of Christ 301. If the Cardinals of these dayes woulde take their beginning from these let them marke then what is their charge calling without taking that vpon them which belongeth not vnto them But we know what great difference there is betweene their estate and these because at this day we may in euery place beholde it to bee an estate or calling of honor not of office charge as it was then Beside when was it that they were so lifted vp and by whom A thousand yeeres and more were spent before that the Church was burdened with such cardinals as wee haue at this day hauing
GOD. It followeth then that Saint Peter was not an vniuersall Apostle nor a soueraigne and high bishoppe ouer all the Churche Otherwise Saint Paul shoulde haue done yll in so limiting and hedging in as it were the charge and office of his Apostleshippe yea that eighteene yeares after the death of Iesus Christ But I woulde wishe the Romish Catholikes to take some better viewe of and heede to this reason For if their Pope snatche and take vnto himselfe the primacie for this reason because hee is Saint Peters successour he must then exercise his primacie or popedome ouer the Iewes and preach vnto them the Gospell that he may gaine them and drawe them to Iesus Christ leauing vnto him whosoeuer he be that will take vppon him to be called the successour of S. Paul primacie ouer the Gentiles The fourth reason One wife hath but onely one husband which is her head But the Church is the spouse of Christ 2. Cor. 11.2 Ephe. 5.22 Reue. 21.9 2. Cor. 11.2 Ephesians 5.22 Reuelat 21.9 The Church then hath none other but Christe alone for her husband and head The fifth reason It is certaine that Saint Peter vsed the power and authoritie which Iesus Christe gaue him for otherwise hee shoulde haue neglected his charge and hidden his talent in the ground and so by consequent haue disobeyed his Maister not seruing him purely and faithfully But so it is hee neuer vsurped any primacie ouer the other Apostles or ouer the Churche for hee maketh him selfe equal to the other pastors naming himselfe a Pastor and an Elder with them 1. Pet. 5.1.21 c. and hee hath saide also that it is not lawfull at any hand for any man to haue Lordshippe ouer the Lordes inheritaunces Then it followeth that he receiued not any primacie or Lordshippe from Iesus Christ ouer the church of God The sixth reason Act. 8.14 Saint Peter was sent together with Iohn into Samaria by the other Apostles Nowe if hee had beene the head of the churche and had had rule and authoritie ouer the Apostles it had apperteined vnto him to sende others and not others to sende him The seuenth reason If Saint Peter had had the right of primacie to what ende woulde he haue suffered himselfe to haue beene reproued by S Paule and that before the people In sext decr de con cap. Licet distinct 19. ca. si Roman in Glossa de conces prae tit 8. ca. pro. posuit alibi for this was done euen then when hee both might and ought to haue shewed his authoritie and rule As at this day the Pope who saith that hee is aboue right neither is helde or bound by lawes that he may preferre through his interpretation equitie vnwritten before lawe written that wee ought to allowe or disallowe all that he alloweth or disalloweth that he is not subiect to any censure hauing all lawe and right in the coffer of his breste and stomacke Nowe Saint Peter did not alledge any whit or parte of all these blasphemies but tooke in good woorth Saint Paules censure and reproofe acknowledging himselfe his companion and fellowe and one that was ioyned with him and the other Apostles in felloweshippe of office yea inferiour to the whole bodye and subiect to the admonitions and censures of his brethren Luk. 22.24 c. The eight reason So it was that among the Apostles in the time that our Sauiour Christ was bodily conuersant with them there was a controuersie whiche of them shoulde bee esteemed or iudged the greatest but Christ laboureth to bring them to humilitie and to take from amongest them all ambition saying thus The kinges of the nations beare rule and they which exercise authoritie ouer thē are called Gratious lords but ye shall not bee so But let the greatest among you be as the least and the chiefest as hee that serueth And afterwardes hee setteth himselfe foorth for an example For who is greater he that sitteth at Table or he that serueth is not be that sitteth at the table And I am among you as he that serueth and yee are they which haue continued with mee in my temptations Lastly he concludeth Therefore I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me These are our principall reasons to declare that Saint Peter was not appointed Lorde ouer the Church and that hee had no more authoritie or preheminence in it than the other Apostles his companions and fellowes had Nowe let vs heare the contrarie reasons which the Romishe Catholikes make The first is this Iesus Christe hath saide to Saint Peter Thou art Peter Mat. 16 18. and vpon this rocke I will builde my Church It followeth then that Saint Peter is the foundation of the Churche and by consequent the heade thereof I aunswere that the holy spirite is not contrarie to it selfe but hee hath spoken plainely to the Corinthians That Iesus Christe alone is the onely foundation of the Church 1. Cor. 3 11. and that none can lay any other then that which is laide alreadie Therefore hee affirmeth not in that place of S. Matthewe the contrarie to this And mark this indeed Iesus Christ hath not said and vppon thee O Peter I will builde my Church but and vppon this rocke I will builde And what meaneth this vpon this rocke Let vs heare S. Augustine August in Iohan. tract 124 cap. 21. The Church sayth he is founded vpon the rocke of which rocke Peter hath taken his name for the rocke is not so called of Peter but Peter is so named of the rocke as Christ hath not taken his name of Christiās but Chhristians of Christ Therefore the Lord saith vpō this rocke I will build my Church because that Peter had confessed thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God He saith therfore vpon this rocke which thou hast confessed I will build my Church For the rocke was Christ vpō which foundatiō Peter also himselfe was builded Marke what S. Augustine saith S. Ambrose and S. Chrysostome vnderstande this to be spoken of the faith which is in Christe not as the Pope doth of the person of Peter Amb. in epl ad Ephe. cap. 2.20 S. Ambrose saith thus Iesus Christ saide to Peter vpō this rock I wil build my church that is to say vpon this confession of catholike faith I will establisshe the faithfull vnto eternall life Chrysostome sayth also Chryso Ser. 21. de Pentecost Iesus Christ saith Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke I will builde my Church Hee saith vppon this rocke and not vpon Peter For he hath founded or set his Church not vppon man but vpon the faith and confession of Peter And what was this fayth and confession Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God The seconde reason is Mat. 16.19 Iesus Christe hath giuen the keyes vnto Peter he hath therfore appointed him head of the Church I denie the consequent For by
the vse of the keyes is vnderstood not the rule or ouersight of the whole Churche but the power to binde and loose or else to pardon or not pardon sinnes as it is declared in the 18. Chapter of the Gospell after Saint Matthewe and Chap. 20. after S. Iohn Mat. 18.18 Iohn 20.23 Now seeing that so it is that power to remitte or to retaine sinnes was giuen not vnto Peter onely but equally vnto all the Apostles it followeth well that the vse of the keyes was not giuen to Saint Peter alone but also to all his companions fellowes by consequent if he were the head of the Church to whō the power of the keyes was giuen it woulde followe that the Churche had so many heads as it had then Apostles But some will say Iesus Christe speaketh onely to Peter It is true indeede Howe be it by the name of Peter is vnderstoode the whole Church For euen as Iesus Christ was willing to heare what iudgement not onely Peter but also all his fellowes had of him when he demaunded of them But whom say ye that I am Mat. 16.15.16 And that Peter alone in the name of all answered and made this confession Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God So on the other side Iesus Christ giuing the power of the Keyes vnto the Churche addressed his speeche vnto Peter alone although he meant to speake as well vnto all the rest Augu. in Iohan tract 50 And so doeth Saint Augustine vnderstande it for beholde howe hee speaketh Peter saith hee signifieth the whole Churche For if that in Peter there were not the figure of the Church Christ woulde not haue saide vnto him I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen And againe when Iesus Christ sayd vnto Peter I will giue vnto thee the keyes c. Hee ment without doubt the whole Church And the reason would be marked why Iesus Christe in the person of one spake vnto all that is to the ende hee might comend set out the vnity of the Churche euen as also the auncient writers haue marked and obserued the same Cypr. tract 3 de simpli praelat S. Cyprian saith thus Our Lorde in the person of one man hath giuen the keyes vnto all thereby to denote and set out the vnitie of al. The other were the same in deede that Peter was fellowes in equall honour and in equal power But Iesus began with one man to the ende to shewe that the Churche is one And Augustine August in Iohan. tract 11. So it was saith he that all were asked Peter alone answered him thou art Christ c. and to him was it said I wil giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen as though power to bind loose had been giuen vnto him alone But as he answered for all so he receiued the keyes together withall bearing as it were the person of vnitie Wherefore he alone was named for all because there was vnitie among all 3 The third reason is Iohn 21.16 Iesus Christ commaunded Peter aboue all the rest yea that three times to feed his sheepe Hee then did constitute and make him an vniuersall Bishop and head of all Churches I aunswere that this consequent is false for there is a very great not onely difference but contrarietie betwene these two to haue charge to feede the sheepe of Christ and to haue a most high Empire and vniuersal rule ouer the whole Church Besides if to feede the sheepe of Christ bee no other thing but to minister and giue vnto them the spiritual food of their soules Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 by the preaching of the Gospel as it is in deede and seeing that it is most euident and plaine that Iesus Christe hath giuen this commission to al his Apostles generally it followeth very well that he hath not giuen it to Peter alone And indeed Peter himselfe doth well confesse the same 1. Pet. 1.5 c. when he exhorteth his fellowe ministers to feede the flocke of Christ which is committed vnto thē And Basil confirmeth the same saying Iesus Christ himselfe teacheth vs this to wit that he is the onely head of the Church who did constitute and appoint Peter the pastor of his Church after him For he saith Peter louest thou me feed my sheep consequently he hath giuen this very same power to all pastours and teachers and hereof this is a certayne signe and sure token that all binde and loose without any difference as well as hee The fourth reason S. Peter is diuers times in the scripture named the first among the Apostles Therefore he was chosen to haue rule aboue the other his fellowes yea aboue or ouer the whole Church I answere first that this argument is friuolous and vayne yea worthie to bee mocked and hissed at For be it that we confesse that S. Peter was the first and chiefe as it were amongst a fewe people that is to say amongst the twelue Apostles yet very farre set is this that it shoulde therefore followe that hee was the firste or chiefest ouer all Christians or that hee did beare rule ouer all the worlde Secondly if because that S. Peter is the first named he is therefore the first and chiefest among the Apostles wee must then say by the contrarie that the virgin Marie is the last and least of all women because in the first chapter of the Actes where also S. Peter is set the first in the catologue or nūber Act. 1.13.14 shee is set the last after others Which matter the Romishe Catholikes will not at any hande say or affirme which if they should it woulde be founde in deede a very absurde thing Thirdly we read in many places that S. Peter is not named first And S. Paule in the seconde Chapter of his Epistle to the Galathians Placeth Iames before him Gal. 2.9 Iames then by this reason shoulde haue authoritie ouer Peter because he is named before him Besides in the Councell of Hierusalem the speach and aduice of Iames which was had after that peter had giuen his Actes 15. 13 c. had such weight with it that al consented and agreed to his iudgement And this muche concerning the firste point Let vs come to the other which concerneth the Pope who sayth that he is Saint Peters successor and so by consequent the head of the Church First if it manifestly appeare by that which hath been said heretofore that Saint Peter was neuer established head of the Churche and that hee neuer had any suche preheminence and authoritie attributed vnto him by what title or right can or will the Pope who sayth that he is his successor pretende at this day any suche Lordshippe rule and authoritie Let vs also on the other side well marke this S. Peter dyed as they say vnder Nero and there succeeded him Linus Cletus and Clemens in the tyme of S. Iohn who
yeares or there about I holde my selfe contented to haue set down and declared this as it were by the way Hee that woulde more fullye see the falshod subtiltie whiche is in the deuice of this donatiō or gift may reade thē which haue cōfuted the same Marsili c. as Marsilius of Padua in his booke which hee intituled the defender of peace who liued about the yeare of Christ 1324. Moreouer Laurentius Valla Laur. Valla. Antonius Archiep. Cusan Cardinal Raphael volater who liued about the yere 1440. Also Antonius Archbishop of Florence in his historie Cardinal Cusanus in his third booke second chapter who sent his opinion to the Councell of Basill about the yeare 1460. Raphel Volateran who liued about the yeare 1500. Moreouer it is written in the ecclesiasticall historie that Liberius and Felix Niceph. lib. 9. cap. 37. both two together at one and the same time gouerned the seate apostolicall and did in common the duetie of a Bishop at Rome Sozo lib. 4. cap. 15 and that by the consent of the Church yea by the ordinance and decree of the Councell of Syrmia which of these two then was at that time the onely and vniuersall heade of all the Churches But let vs see whether the bishop of Rome were by the auncient fathers auouched or acknowledged for the high or chiefe bishop Cypri lib. 1. epi. 1. 2. Cypri lib 2. epi. 1. c. S. Cyprian writing to the Bishoppes of Rome as Cornelius Stephanus and some others doeth not in any sorte call them either Popes or vniuersal Bishoppes but brethren and fellowes Cypria tract 3 de Simpli praelat Hee himselfe saith in an other place that there is no more but one Bishopprike wherof euery bishoppe in his owne charge holdeth a whole and sound portion Cypria in Synod Carthis August recitat haec verba lib. 3. de Baptism contra Donatist cap. 3. And againe none of vs sayth hee is appointed bishop of bishops to inforce his fellowes by tyrannous terror vppon necessitie to obey him Polycarpus Bishoppe of Smyrna came to Rome in the time of Anicetus Bishoppe of Rome not to frame some appellation before him neither yet to kisse his feete or to receiue his decrees but to conferre with him touching the feaste of Easter and hee alledged for him selfe the authoritie and custome of S. Iohn and of other Apostles of Christ But Anicetus did not alledge either S. Peters authoritie or his owne but onely sayde that it stoode him in hande to obserue the custome of the Elders whiche were his predecessors neither did hee constraine Polycarpus to doe the like or excommunicate him therefore and Polycarpus on his side did not thinke he had committed any offence in not consenting with the bishop of Rome in this matter touching the feast of Easter which hee woulde of a suretie haue done if he had acknowledged him for the heade or for the vicar of Iesus Christ constituted and placed in that office by the authoritie of God Irenaeus Euseb lib. 5. cap. 26. of whom wee haue spoken a litle before calleth Soter Anicetus Higinus Pius Telesphorus Xistus Elders as Eusebius in his fifth booke and sixe and twentye chapter reciteth Dionysius the Bishoppe of the Corinthians writing to the Romaines calleth Soter not Pope of Rome or high prelate but Bishoppe Marke what he saith Soter your good Bishoppe hath not onely obserued this custome but also hath augmented it Euseb lib. 4. cap. 23. Eusebius hath extracted or taken this out of the Epistle of the sayde Dionysius Lib. 4. cap. 3. Saint Ierome in an Epistle to Euagrius saith thus Hierom. ad Euagr. If a man dispute or reason of authoritie the world is greater then a citie In what place soeuer the Bishoppes be whether at Rome or at Eugubiū or at Constantinople or at Alexandria or else where they are all of equall ministerie and degree Chrysostome Chry. hom 43. in Saint Mat. ca. 23. whosoeuer saith hee shall among the Bishoppes desire primacie on earth shall finde confusion in heauen and he that shall affect or seeke to be the first shall not be counted amongest the seruantes of Christ Gregor lib. 4. epist 16 32.34 36 38.39 Gregor lib. 6. epist 24.28.29.30 S. Gregorie in diuers of his Epistles saith That he is an Antichrist that will attribute or giue vnto him the title of vniuersall Bishop But aboue all he putteth down a notable sentence in the two hundred and seuen and thirtie Epistle to Eugenius the byshop of Rome saying If Christe haue sent thee thou shouldest iudge that thou art come not to be serued Gregor ad Eugeni epi. 237. but to serue The true successour of Saint Paule will say with S. Paule Not that we haue Lordship ouer your faith but that we are ayded and comforted with your ioy Saint Peters heyre will heare S. Peter saying 1. Pete 5.3 Not as though yee were Lords ouer the Lordes heritage but being made ensamples to the flocke In the third Councell of Carthage whiche was helde about the time of Pope Syricius in the 26. Conci Cart. tertium can 26. habet distinct 99. ca. primae sedis c. Canon which is also alledged distinct 99. The fathers ordeined that the bishop of Rome shoulde not bee called the prince or chiefe of priestes or the high priestes or any such other like thing but only the bishoppe of the first seate and that he him selfe shoulde not bee called vniuersall Bishoppe whiche laste clause Peter Crabbe the compiler or gatherer of the Tomes of the Councelles hath lefte out either by deceit or negligence I knowe not whether You see testimonies in owe gathered out of the most approoued olde Doctours and such as bee best worthie of credite by which you may easily perceiue that this rule or authoritie ouer all Churches was not in their time attributed to the Bishop of Rome and that the Churches themselues had not anye superioritie or authoritie one of them ouer another but that they were all associated and vnited together that some obteyned not neyther more or lesse power then othersome yea we reade that when the Romishe Bishoppe woulde sometimes haue vsurped more authoritie than did appertaine vnto him other Bishoppes did stronglye and stedfastly resiste him whiche appeareth by the historie following that Socrates an ecclesiasticall historiographer writeth in his seconde booke and fifteenth Chapter and Sozomenus in his thirde booke and eight Chapter A certaine man named Athanasius and one Paulinus beeing deposed from their charges by the Bishoppes of Asia assembled and mett together with the Metropolitane would needes complaine to the Bishop of Rome who easily gaue them letters by which he did place them againe in their firste offices and did greeuouslye reprooue and chide them who had put them there from But the bishops of Asia tooke this in such sorte that they obteyned of the Councell of Antioch that letters should
was taken out of the lawe and prophetes in like manner if any vnder the title and name of the spirite shall bring vnto vs any thing which is not contained in the Gospell let vs not beleue it For as Christ is the accomplishmente and fulfilling of the lawe and Prophetes so is the holie Ghost of the gospell But how can wee by this way or meane discerne and know the spirites that is to say whether the doctrine which they shall propound and set foorth vnto vs bee from the holy Ghoste or no After two sortes or by two meanes you shall knowe this First if it tend to this end to exalt establish and set vp the glorie of God For as Iesus Christe saith Ioh. 7.18 Hee that seeketh the glorie of God is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him Secondly if it bee conformable and agreeable Rom. 12.6 to the proportion of faith that is to say if it agree and accorde well with the heads foundations of Christian religion wherof we haue spokē more largely heretofore in the fourth Chapter The second thing that I aunswere touching the foresaide reason of the Romishe Catholikes is that the consequence thereof is not necessarie neither well grounded when they saye that the Churche yeeldeth testimonie to the worde of God and doth commend the same vnto vs that therefore the certaintie and authoritie of the worde of God dependeth vpon the authority and iudgement of the Church For as wee haue but a little while agoe alleadged out of Alfonsus de Castro The word of God is certaine not by reason of the Church whiche beareth witnesse thereof but because of it selfe and his owne credite The Apostles yelded testimonie and bare witnesse of Iesus Christe Iohn 15.17 Acts. 1.8 And who is hee that will therefore say that Iesus Christe his authoritie doth depende of the authoritie and iudgement of the Apostles The Goldsmith trieth the golde and putteth a difference betweene that which is good and pure and that which is naughtie mettall But doth hee therefore by his tryall and proofe make that the golde is either good or euill A Parliament receiueth some edict or lawe which commeth from the King that it may bee published and proclaimed Inquirie is diligently made whether it come from the King or no Afterwardes all knowe that it commeth from the King what doth the Parliament then It is true that it alloweth the edict that it acknowledgeth the same that it beareth witnesse to it and commendeth and setteth out the same yea and if neede bee interpreteth it according to the Kings intent and meaning But doth the parliament for all this cause it or make it to bee the kings lawe Doth it giue authoritie to it Hath it any authoritie to chaunge any thing in it or to adde any thing to it or to clippe or take any thing what so euer away from it It is certaine no. Euen so standeth the case with the Church For although it be an excellent testimonie to the worde of God yet it cannot at any hande giue it authoritie as to say that the certaintie of the worde of God hangeth vpon the authoritie and iudgement of the Churche For when the Church acknowledgeth and alloweth the worde of God and doth put a difference betweene it the doctrines and inuētions of men she doth no other thing but heare the voyce of her pastor discerneth knoweth it frō the voice of a strāger Ioh. 10.5 Now there is great difference betwene discerning the Pastors voice from a strangers and adding authoritie and credite thereto bringing to passe and that according to truth that it should be such or such that is either true or false The second reason is The Church is more auncient than the Scriptures For in the time of Adam Abell Seth Noah Abraham Isaac Iaacob there was no scripture For Moses was the first penman or writer of matters concerning religion and yet notwithstāding there was a church Wherfore it followeth that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the holy scripture First and formost I aunswere that the consequence of this argument is none at al. For graunt it that one thing be more ancient and old than another yet it followeth not for all that that it should be of greater authoritie and credite otherwise we must inferre that Moses hath more authoritie than Iesus Christe and the lawe more than the Gospel Secondly as touching the antecedent or former proposition I say that it is sophisticall captious and full of deceit For albeit that in these first times of the worlde there was no scripture which the father 's vsed yet for all that the worde of God ceased not to bee because it was written and ingrauen in the fathers heartes and moreouer founded verie cleerly in the Churche whiche worde was in good time brought and committed to writing first by Moses and afterwards by others and thereupon called the holie scripture wherefore seeing that the holy scripture and Gods worde is nothing but one and the selfe same thing it followeth very well that if our first fathers haue had the word of God they haue had also in substance the holy scriptures Aug. cont epist fundamen cap. 5. The third reason S. Augustine hath said I woulde not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not mooue mee thereto Wherefore it is certaine that the Gospell taketh his authoritie from the Church I answere that the consequence is starke naught for that which S. Augustin speaketh to one purpose or in one respect is applied to another end This holy doctor speaketh so as hauing regarde to that hee was then when he tooke the part of the Manichees and as it were disputing against them Now the Manichees would that the Epistles of Manicheus their authour which they called Fundamental containing in it all their false opinions should be of like and equall authoritie with the Apostles epistles Beside they allowed one part of the Gospel disallowed an other that not by the aduise and iudgement of the Church but of their owne proper and particular authoritie S. Augustine hauing taken in hand to confute the saide Epistle in the beginning speaketh thus The Epistle beginneth after this manner Manicheus the Apostle of Iesus Christe by the prouidence and appointment of God the Father I aske who is this Manicheus you wil answere the Apostle of Iesus christs I beleeue it not What wilt thou say thereto Perhaps thou wilt bring foorth the Gospel and thereby thou wilt lift vp and establish the person of Manicheus But what if thou haddest to doe and deale with a man who doth not yet beleeue the Gospel what wouldest thou do whē hee should say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospell For as touching my selfe I would not beleeue the Gospel if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not moue me thereto Beholde Saint Augustines wordes by which it is altogether