Reply Against Gilbert Brown, Section 37
Maiſter Gilbert Browne.
What he meanes that the Pope is now diſcloſed, I know not: for I vnderſtand that he hes not bene like their Kirk, that ſometimes is viſible, & ſometimes not: for he hes alwayes beene knowne by the viſible Kirk to bee the viſible head thereof in place of Chriſt.
Maiſter Iohn Welſche his Reply.
My meaning is this, that ſuppoſe in ye darkneſſe of Papiſtry he was taken to hauehave bene the Vicare of Chriſt, yet now the Lorde hes ſmitten him and conſumed him by the ſworde of his mouth, that is, …. Theſ. 2.8.the word of God: and hes diſcouered him to the full to all theſe, whoſe eyes the Lord hes opened, that he is that Antichriſt, whilk the Scripture hes foretolde was to come. And where you ſay that he hes bene alwayes knowne by the viſible Kirk to bee the viſible heade thereof in place of Chriſt, I ſee you regarde not what you ſay, for the maintenance of that head and kingdome of yours. For certainly either hes the Lord wonderfully blinded you, or elſe ye ſpeak againſt the light of your owne conſcience. For are you eue… able to produce one ſillabe in the whole Scripture to proou… this? Yea, hes not his Monarchie and ſupremacie bene condemned: firſt a)Math. 18 1. & 26. v. 25.26. Marc 10.42. Luc. 22.25.by the ſonne of God: next, by the b)2. Cor. …. 1 Pet. 5.Ap… ſtles themſelues: thirdlie, by the Fathers of the primitiu… cCyprian. epiſt. 55 ad Cornel.Kirk, in their ſynods and councels, both prouinciall and generall, as by the Biſhops of c)Cyprian. epiſt. 55. ad Cornel.Africke, about the yeare 255. By the generall councels of d)1. Canon 5.6.17.Nice, wherein was 318. Biſhops, anno 327. Of e)Canon. 2 3.5.Conſtantinople, wherein was 150. Biſhops, anno 381. Of f)Canon. 8.Epheſine, where was 200. Biſhops, anno 436. Of g)Actio. 16. Canon. 28.Chalcedonenſe, anno 454. where there was 630. Biſhops. Of h)Canon. 36.Conſtantinople 6. anno 681. where there was 289. Biſhops. Of i)Canon. 1.Nicene 2. anno 781. where was preſent 350. Biſhops. Of k)Canon. 17.Conſtantinople 8. where was preſent 383 Biſhops, anno 870. Of the councell of l)Seſſio. 4.5.Conſtance, wher was 1000. Fathers almoſte, anno 1418. And of m)Seſſio. 2.18.Baſile, anno 1431, all generall councels, condemning your Popes ſupremacie, as your Kirk nowe affirmes of him, ſome more, ſome leſſe. And alſo it is condemned by prouinciall councels, as of n)Canon. 6.12.23.14.15.19.20.Antioche, and of o)Canon. 11. anno. 404.Carthage, 2. and 3. confirmed in the generall councell of p)Canon. 26.Trullan, and 6. and by the councel of q)Canon. 22.Mileuis: condemned alſo by the Vniuerſities of r)Appellation. vniuerſi. pariſ. olione 10. ad futur, conſ…. infaſtic rerum expe. et fugi.Paris, and s)Aeneas Sylviu… de geſtis Baſil. conſil. lib. 1.Louane, and Colein, and t)Hiſtor. de Europa cap. 22.Vienna, and u)Comer. de rebus Poionorum lib. 21.Cracouia. So then by the authority of Councels, generall and prouinciall, and of Vniuerſities, the Monarchie and ſuperioritie of the Pope ouer all generall councels is diſallowed. And ſuppoſe the Kirks of France and Germanie did honour them, and gaue them ſome preheminence, both of honour and power, being blinded at that time with the ſmoake that came out of the bottomleſſe pit: yet it may appeare by their x)Ad Ludouicum 11. pro. libertate eccleſſi… gallican… aduerſus Rom. aulum defenſio pariſienſis cutiae. Grauamina nation… Germaniae exhibita Maxim. 1ſupplications that they did not allowe that full Monarchie of his, but miſliked it, & hated the ſame: yea y)In conuentu Bituricenſi.France made lawes againſt it. Nowe theſe are ſik whome your ſelues doe holde for Catholickes, and yet they acknowledged not the Monarchy of your Pope. The Kirks of a)Chalcho. con… dereb. Tur…. lib. 1. & 6Graecia, and of Aſia in the Eaſt, and of b)Iouius in MoſcouiaMoſcouia, in the North, and of c)Aluarez in deſcriptione aethiopiae c. 77. & 83.Aethiopia in the South, and of d)Aeneas Syluius hiſt. Bohem. c 33Boheme, e)Sleidan courment lib. 16.Prouince, f)M. Fox in the acts and mo… ments lib. 7.Piemont, and the reformed Kirks that are this day in France, Flanders, England, Scotland, & ſo forth throughout Europe, all hes condemned your Popes ſupremacie. So that if his ſupremacie were to be put to triall by the iudgement & will of men, ſo many thouſands of Paſtors, Doctors, Synods, Councels, Vniuerſities & Kirks through all ages, in all countries, of all ſorts & eſtates, may ſuffice to put the Pope from his ſupremacie: ſo that I thinke you may bluſhe, Maiſter Gilbert, that hes ſo boldly written that he hes bene alwayes acknowledged by the viſible Kirk to be the viſible head of the Kirk, ſeeing his Monarchie was neuer fully acknowledged vntill the (g)Seſſio. 11.Lateran councel, vnderunder Leo the 10. 1516. yeares after Chriſt. But ſeing the word of God is the only iuſt triall of it, and ſeing it is not written in the booke of life: therefore I conclude that his ſupremacie is not a citizen of that newe Ieruſalem, but a childe of Babel: and therefore they are bliſſed that ſhall daſhe it againſt the ſtones.