a windowe in a basket when hee was in great danger in Damascus doth prooue Paule to hee the head of the church Of the nineteenth I haue spoken before pag. 10. The twenteenth prerogatiue Paule went to Hierusalem to see Peter What must he therefore needes be head of the church Belike then for the three yeares wherein he sawe him not but went preaching into Arabia and to Damascus he confessed him not to be head but as if he had forgoten himselfe all this while hee now at the last yeldeth him seme reuerence But if he had done it in any such respect he would and should at 〈…〉 before he had taken his office vpon him haue had Peters alowance And thus much concerning Peters priuileges or prerogatiues which they alleage out of Gods booke Which although many of them are euident arguments of excellent graces that God had bestowed vpon him and great mercies which God shewed to him yet if master Bellarmine or any other will out of them conclude Peters supremacie the weaknesse of his argument will be seene of very children But yet because before he made Peters prerogatiues his second proofe of this his supremacie I haue thought it necessarie to reckon them for other confutation of them needeth not that all may see what weak proofes they doe bring for this their chiefe point of doctrine As for the other eight prerogatiues they are not worth speaking of Both because we may iustly doubt of the truth of many of them as being proued but by fabulous writings and also because if they were true it were not matteriall for the point in question And therefore letting them alone as rotten propes which will fall in pieces of themselues if any weight be layed vpon them I hasten to his third proofe that hee promised And that is out of the fathers And herein it is needles to examine euerie particular testimony Onely I will set downe in what sense the fathers truly may and often doe ascribe vnto Saint Peter many excellent titles that thereby examining the fathers and finding them to keepe within the bounds of gods word we may with reuerēce receiue them But if they passe those lists I trust master Bellarmine and al his friends will beare with vs if we reiect the doctrine of men as himselfe in this very booke before refuseth the iudgement of Origene and Theophilact and of others in other places First therefore this word in latine primatus which wee now call Supremacie but indeede doth signifie that I may make such a word Firstnesse is ascribed vnto Peter of the fathers in respect of time as in the place alleaged here out of Ciprian neither Peter saith Ciprian whom the Lord chose first and vpon whom he did build his church whereas Paul did afterward reason of circumcision did boast himselfe or did take vpon him any thing insolently or proudly saying he had the primacy and that new ones and aftercommers shall rather obay him him This place is alleadged by master Bellarmine often to proue Peters supremacy or iurisdiction ouer others But the wordes are very plaine that Cyprian speaketh of his being first not in dignity but in tune as appeareth not onely in that he saith he was first chosen but also by the wordes of newe ones or after-commers But maister Bellarmine wil say that Andrew was chosen before him to be an apostle and therefore that Cyprian was deceiued if so he meant It may so be For men may erre But the question is not nowe whether Cyprians iudgement herein be true or not but vpon what occasion or in what respect Cyprian giueth Peter the primacy which is most plainly in this place set downe to be in respect of time And so may other of the fathers in this respect vse this word and giue him this title And sometime this title of primacy is giuen vnto him in regarde of some excellent thinges that he was indued withall by reason whereof his fellowes and brethren amongst themselues and the fathers after might giue vnto him some kinde of reuerence in name or otherwise But this wil do no good for proofe of popish supremacy For they doe hold that Peter in his owne right and by that iurisdiction which by Gods word he hath is head of the church and hath the supremacy aboue all other We say that because of his gifts of zeale knowledge constancy or boldnes he was admitted and allowed to speake and to doe many things but that in his owne right he was but equall with the rest and as he calleth himselfe a fellowe elder with them that were meaner then apostles Therefore to be a chiefe man or a head man among them is not to prooue him to haue iurisdiction ouer them In all corporations or fellowships as aldermen in citties although in regarde of that place they are alike none more or lesse an alderman then another yet among them some are better esteemed of euen of themselues because of their learning wisedome dexterity in gouernement credit power or wealth not because they can in right claime it but because other doe for such things as they see in them yeelde it vnto them not that they haue power ouer them but onely they are of good accompt among them And thus much to proue that that is not sufficient which maister Bellarmine saith will serue the turne to proue that the fathers say that Peter was head or had primacy ouer y e church For neither his estimation in respect of his gifts neither if by voluntary subiection they did submit themselues vnto him it can proue him to haue right to rule ouer them And this they must proue or els they gaiue nothing to their cause that Peter by the word of God hath authority ouer the whole church and ouer the apostles And therefore it maketh no great matter what men say of Peters authority but how truely they grounde their sayings vpon Gods word And thus I trust it appeareth to the indifferent reader that the minor proposition of that argument which I haue set downe in the end of my answere vnto maister Bellarmine ninth chapter of this booke wherein consisteth the great strength of the popish Monarchy is not agreeable vnto the truth or catholike doctrine howsoeuer that church of Rome reioiceth in that title that is none of hers thereby deceiuing the world as if all that shee taught were sound and catholike The proposition is this that Christ gane iurisdiction vnto Peter ouer the vniuersal church The chiefest profes that either they all haue or that maister Bellarmine can alleadge is out of Saint Matthew the xvi where they say this iurisdiction is promised and Saint Iohn xxi where they say it is giuen which their interpretation as I haue shewed cannot stand with the text it selfe or the interpretations of the sounder fathers His second reason which consisteth of the prerogatiues which Saint Peter had is grounded either vpon
ancient writers of their time and that maketh me thinke that they did speake for themselues and were somewhat pricked forward with a purpose to aduance their seat Therefore letting them passe as partiall in this cause let vs come to this next proofe which is out of the greeke fathers And first commeth in Ignatius who writeth to the church that ruleth for I will admit the worst that Maister Bellarmine or any other can alleadge ont of this place in the Romane region But will Maister Bellarmines logicke conclude that therefore the church of Rome hath supremacy ouer the whole church He must first bring the vniuersall church within the place of the Roman region before that can be Out of Ireny he hath these words For vnto this church for the more mighty principality speaking of the church of Rome it is necessary that the whole church doe come that is the faithful from al places in which alwaies of them that are from all places is kept that tradition which is from the Apostles The wordes as you may see are somewhat hard by reason that he who translated Ireny out of greeke did here as in many other places translate him very darkely But I haue englished them word for word His meaning is that they that come from other places of the world be it neuer so farre off yet doe not alter the tradition that the apostles left vnto them and yet many must needes come thither because that in respect that Rome is the Imperiall citty the church also hath the more mighty principality and so in deciding of causes hath the more reuerence and authority And thus doth he proue that to be true that in the beginning of that chapter he said that it is an easie matter for him that will to see the tradition of the apostles manifested through the whole world because that from whence soeuer they do come yet still they keepe one tradition By this argument doth Ireny confute the heretikes because the tradition of the apostles being kept in all places not only in the church of Rome although because it was best known or most famous he bringeth that for example yet no such doctrine as the heretikes speake of is taught among them But nowe maister Bellarmines vnseasonable collection out of this place is very farre from Irenies meaning That it is necessary saith he that all churches should hang of the church of Rome He proueth first by that which goeth before because principality is giuen to this church secondly of that which followeth because hitherto al in that church haue kept the faith that is in being vnited and cleaning to that church as the head and mother These are maister Bellarmines words But first he saith wrong of Ireny that he should indeuour to proue such necessity in comming to the church of Rome especiall taking as here he doth for a bounden duty For it is maister Bellarmines meaning to make the church of Rome the onely church that must heare all great matters decide all doubtfull questions and commande all other churches But Ireny his meaning is that all other men had occasion to seeke rather of that church then of any other for helpe and direction because that in respect of the greatnes of the citty the church there was in some greater accompt as before I haue shewed but he neuer saide that all were bound to submit themselues to that church as maister Bellarmine and his partakers would haue him be thought to speake Secondly he must speake more plainely what he meaneth by this that principality is giuen to the church of Rome For if he meane that men yeeld great reuerence to the church of Rome we yeelde that in the primitiue church they did so that iustly because the true faith was there sincerely kept but this principality will not please maister Bellarmine or proue his intent And if Ireny had meant that this principality had beene giuen by Christ a man of meane vnderstanding will easily thinke that he would haue spoken it in more plaine tearmes But what neede I to vse many words the place it selfe is plaine For the more mighty principality saith Ireny if he had thought of the supremacy of the bishop of Rome he would haue said most mighty principality For more mighty principality doth but make him better then others in some respect not aboue all others which he claimeth to be So that to proue his intent he must haue better proofe For this will not warrant that soueraigne authority of the bishop of Rome Thirdly that which maister Bellarmine would tell vs out of this place that all churches must be vnited and cleaue to this church of Rome as their head mother hath at all no ground of Irenies words And thus we see howe he doth racke and rent the wordes out of their plaine sence to serue for his purpose which being wel weied of make rather against them and their supremacy Epiphanius is his third witnes who reporteth that Vrsarius and Valens two Arrian bishops being conuerted did go to Iulius bishop of Rome to giue an accompt of their errour and fault But if that proue the supremacy of the bishop of Rome then must Athanasius also haue that supremacy as well as he for it followeth immediatly after that they vsed the selfe same proofes that they repented of their errour vnto Athanasius So that the intent and cause of their going to pope Iulius or pope Athanasius for he is there so called was not to acknowledge his supremacy but as it was known that they had erred so woulde they haue it well knowen that they reuoked their heresie Neither did they craue pardon of their offence of Iulius bishop of Rome which out of Athanasius he endeuoured to proue because he had authority ouer all persons but because they knew their offence to haue beene against the whole church they were desirous that the bishop of Rome for his parte as a principall member of the church but not a head aboue all should not impute that fault vnto them And this is the part of euery christian man or woman hauing made a generall fault whereby many godly are offeuded to make also a publike satisfaction for the same And cannot this be done to pope Iulius but we must make him head of the church Athanasius also his letter to pope Felix is alleadged wherein Athanasius being much distressed of the Arrians and wrongfully dealt withall and not hauing any hope that the greeke Church coulde helpe him the Emperour himselfe being an Arrian the rather to mooue the bishoppe of Rome to pity his case saith thus For this cause God hath placed you and your predecessours Apostolicke prelates in the towre of height and hath charged you to haue care of all churches that you should helpe vs. That God by meanes of Constantine and other good Emperours aduanced high the Bishop of Rome we deny not And we also knowe
Allens which I haue to shew written I suppose with his owne hand to father D. P. Rectour of the English Colledge in Rome hee reporteth that M. George Gilbert came into Fraunce by the reuerend father Robert Parsons and other to kâ—epe himselfe vntill that Day What meane they by that Day What meaneth Allen to write it in great letters as a thing that should bee especially noted and did perchaunce good to him and such other viperlike traitours to thinke of it It was doubtlesse no other day then that which they hoped the rebellion in England the troubles in Ireland the Spanish fleete so long looked for and so much spoken of should haue brought vnto them Against such dayes of mischiefe they seeke to praepare men before by their reconciling as that letter of Bruise before mentioned and many other vnanswerable proofes doe teach vs. And therefore seeing that vnder praetence of reconciling men to God they doe in deede by all meanes possible deuote and tye them to serue the Pope and that insatiable tirant who haue a long time by many wicked and Popelike practises shewed themselues vtter enemies to our estate and Prince what reason can be yeelded why Princes may not by most seuere punishments preuent the perillous purposes of such secret conspiratours and knowen enemies May Popes vse pollicies to get authoritie which by no right they can claime and to keepe it when they haue obtained it as in this treatise it will appeare they did and may not Princes prouide for the safetie of their persons the establishing of their kingdomes and the maintenance of their ancient and lawfull dominions May vsurpers keepe that which wickedly they haue gotten and may not lawfull Kings and Queenes defend their true and right inheritance Or must they suffer such serpents within their kingdomes such snakes as it were in their bosomes Wee cannot let such fugitiue traitours as seeke the ruine of their natiue countrey to wish also that such ready meanes to effect their desires might not be hindred No we cannot hinder their attempting of the same by their seditious pamphlets But wee hope that all Christian princes that knowe these their lewd practises not trusting the songs of those Syrens will before it be too late seeke to preuent the meanes that they vse to bring them to passe Neither need they who cal themselues though vntruely Catholikes and maintaine the Romish religion within their Dominions feare so to doe For Allen himselfe if that bee his answere to the English Iustice dare not say it is a matter yet defined but disputable onely whether the Pope may excommunicate or depriue a Prince in case of haeresie or apostacie and consequently to absolue his subiects from their othe and obedience to him If this be a case yet not ouerruled in the Popes Consistorie or at the least in any general Council then euen Popish princes need not bee afraide to withstand by all meanes that they can such dangerous deceiuers as come in sheepes clothing making shewe of Religion but are in deede rauening wolues secretly working treason In so much as they who fauour but too well the Romish Religion beginne now to know and detest these rouing runnagates whose counsels are mischieuous whose doings are treacherous And because the very ground of this their brag that they suffer for conscience sake is this supremacie of the B. of Rome and his power ouer all not Bishops only but Princes also which they would haue to be an article of religion so to touch the conscience whereas it is in trueth but a matter of Popish pride and ambition for this cause haue I indeuoured in this treatise to proue that it hath no warrant in the word or in the writings of the approued and auncient fathers Neither can al the Iesuites and Seminary priestes in Rome and Rheimes bee able to shew the article of the Popes supremacie to be a Catholique doctrine and therefore it is not to be receiued by their own rules And because it bringeth not a litle light vnto the trueth to know by what practises they are become so great and to what ends they haue bent or how they haue imployed their power which they haue gotten by craft and shifts I haue therefore pointed vnto such meanes as they haue vsed to aduance their seat and to some of their doings whereby it doeth most plainly appeare that their only care hath bin to make themselues great and rich nothing at al regarding the glory of God or y e good of Christs flocke which they say is committed to them And this I haue done by ancient or their owne histories seldome standing vpon the credit onely of our owne writers vnlesse it bee in report of the actes of the later Popes which cannot be reported by any but such as were in or after their dayes But if I had more relied then I doe vpon the reportes of Protestant writers I should haue the example of our aduersaries for my defence This treatise I set forth vnder the defence of your honours name to whom I acknowledge my selfe especially bound in many respects Which to do I am the rather moued that to that inward witnes of a good conscience whereby I knowe your L. is incited with a continual care and vigilant eye to preuent the perilous practises of those busie brokers for that Catholique king as they call him other enemies to this Common wealth might also bee added that outwarde testimonie of trueth confirmed by proofe and practise of the purer times to incourage you with a constant increase in godly zeale to discharge stil the duetie that God who hath called you to that honour hath layde vpon you and requireth of you to the seruice of her Maiestie and safetie of her subiectes Most humbly I craue you to take in good part this simple token of a sincere affection and slender pledge of my vnfained heart And thus committing the happie successe of this my traueile to Gods good blessing to whose direction and defence I also leaue your Lordship in all your doings I humbly take my leaue at my house at Ryton in the Bishopricke of Durham †⧠To such as are learned among our aduersaries who seeme in singlenesse of soule to seeke after the trueth THE Lord is my witnesse whome I serue in my spirite and to whose gaine I am desirous to bestowe my talent and whose glory I studie to aduance by all such meanes as of his mercy he hath affoorded me that I haue not written this or any other treatise because I am desirous to contend for we haue no such custome nor the Churches of God much lesse to purchase prayse of learning wherein vnfainedly I acknowledge my want and weaknesse but onely for defence of the trueth which in this countrey of ours is quite forsaken of many by reason of ignorance in all sortes which hath possessed men through their owne negligence and carelesse securitie of their owne soules health and is