A Survey of the Popes Supremacy, Title page – Dedication
A SVRVEY OF THE POPES SVPREMACIE.
VVherein is a triall of his title, and a proofe of his practiſes: and in it are examined the chiefe arguments that M. BELLARMINE hath, for defence of the ſaid ſupremacie, in his bookes of the biſhop of Rome.
By FRANCIS BVNNY ſometime fellow of Magdalene Colledge in Oxford.
Hoſ. 8. 4.
They hauehave ſet vp a king, but not by me, they hauehave made princes but I knew it not.
AT LONDON, Printed by Ʋalentine Simmes for Ralfe Iacſon dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the ſigne of the white Swan. 1595.
To the right Honorable his very good Lord, HENRY Earle of Huntingdon, Baron of Haſtings, lord Hungerford, Buttrois, and Molleignes, Knight of the moſt Noble Order of the Garter, L. Preſident of the Council at Yorke, & lord Lieutenant in theſe North parts vnderunder her Maieſtie FRANCIS BVNNY wiſheth increaſe of all graces here, and euerlaſting life elſe-where.
COnſidering with my ſelfe (right Honourable) how many that hauehave ſome deſire to wake in right wayes and perfect paths, are ſeduced and miſſe-led, and that willingly, hauing this perſwaſion once ſetled in their hearts, that the biſhop of Rome is their head here vponupon earth, whom they ought to obey: Seeing alſo on the other ſide, not a fewe, that cloke and colour many their trecheries and treaſons, when they ſuffer as euil doers for their wicked purpoſes and practiſes, as if for their conſcience ſake they were thus delt withall; I thought I could not beſtow time better, then if by any means poſſible, I might by my paine & trauel, light the candle of trueth to them that are in darkneſſe and ignorance, and diſcouer the hypocriſie of the other ſort, who vnderunder pretence of conſcience, doe againſt all conſcience and duetie. Both which partes, my deſire hath bene to performe in this treatiſe. For if by triall of the Popes title, and examining his euidence I prooue that he maketh an vniuſt claime, to the ſupremacie ouer the whole Church of Chriſt: and if in view of his doings, and proofe of his practiſe it may plainlie appeare,Iohn 10. 1, 10. that as he like a thiefe entred into that honor that now he inioyeth, ſo in the ſame he plaieth the thiefe in deed, & doeth nothing els but rob and ſteale, and kill: I hope then the ſimple, and ſo the better ſort of the two, will not ſo readilie as they hauehave done reſt vponupon him, in whom they ſhall ſee neither warrant, power to hauehave his fulneſſe of power, nor any Chriſtian-like moderation to vſe the ſame: And as for the other ſort, they will finde no cauſe for them to crake of their conſcience, when it ſhal appeare to the world, that it is not vponupon any ſure ground, neither ſtaied vponupon any good foundation. For doubtleſſe, if a good conſcience doe giuegive vntounto Caeſar that that is Caeſars or belongeth to him,Mat. 22. 21 whether obedience, tribute, or any thing elſe, as Chriſt commaundeth: If it make ſubiects to ſubiect their very ſoules to the higher powers, as S. Paul biddeth,Rom. 13. 1. and frameth vsus to ſubmit our ſelues to all maner ordinance of man for the Lordes ſake, as Saint Peter willeth:1. Pet. 2. 13. And if theſe dueties of inferiours towardes their ſuperiours, muſt bee performed for conſcience ſake, as the ſame Apoſtle exhorteth vsus, and S. Paul alſo, Rom. 13. 5. I pray you what conſcience can there bee in denying their obedience to their Soueraigne, and giuing it to another? or in preferring him whom their ſelues hauehave made their prince and king, that Romiſh prieſt, before ſuch as God hath ſet ouer vsus? doubtleſſe, if in conſcience wee bee bound to obey God, then can no man hauehave ſo much as a ſhewe of conſcience, ſo to robbe Gods magiſtrates of that authoritie that he giueth them, as doeth the church of Rome. Men ſometime will make conſcience where none is, as theſe men do, in tying themſelues to keep other lawes then God hath giuen them. And if their ſinne were no greater then ſo, yet ſhould they hauehave no more thankes at Gods hand, then the Iewes had for ſuch will-worſhippings, who when they looked to merite by ſuch works,Eſa. 1. 12. it was ſaid vntounto them, Who hath required theſe things at your hands? But ſeeing the iudgement wherein we and our workes muſt bee tried,Rom. 2. 16. ſhall bee according to the Goſpel: that muſt bee the touch ſtone, the rule and the ſquare to prooue vsus, not our good intentions, deuotions, or the doctrines of men whatſoeuer.Mat…. 23. The Phariſes made conſcience in waſhing before meate, and many ſuch like things: but they are reproued of Chriſt, becauſe they were ſo carefull to keepe thoſe their owne traditions, ſo little regarding Gods commaundements; and yet their clenſings might ſeeme to be ſome imitation of Gods law. But with what forehead can the church of Rome pretend any conſcience in doing that which is expreſſely againſt that honour which God commaundeth to bee giuen to magiſtrates, and contrary to the humble duetie that good biſhops of the purer age did alwayes performe? It is not therefore conſcience carefully ſetled on Gods word, that any of them doeth ſuffer for: but for their doings that are expreſly againſt the ſame. For howſoeuer the anſwer to the Engliſh Iuſtice (as alſo other their words and writings) would ſeeme to iuſtifie that Catholike crew,Anſwere to the Engliſh Iuſtice. cap. 1. as if they dealt nothing in matters of … the euidence that hath bene ſufficiently and plentifully giuen, and proued againſt them, do plainely declare their vnnatural treaſons. Yea and that reconciling which themſelues confeſſe to be the principal worke of their Prieſt among vsus, and whereof the writer of the forenamed anſwere, ſayeth that it can nothing at all, touch or trouble the quiet of our Countrey: yet becauſe it is a vniting (of them that are reconciled) vntounto the Pope: (who is not onelyonly a ſpeciall enemie to our moſt gratious Soueraigne, but alſo a tirannous tormentour of all ſuch as will not holde their kingdomes of him, as many Stories doe proue) it is therefore a withdrawing of them, from their dutie and obedience towards her Maieſtie, whenſoeuer the Pope ſhall ſo commaund. Yea one whom themſelues truſt in great matters (called Bruiſe I ſuppoſe,Among the letters taken with Car the Hiſpauioliſed Scot. for the booke I hauehave not by mee) writing to the Duke of Parma, and reporting of the labours of ſuch Seminarie Prieſtes as were among them in Scotland, ſheweth that as they conuert the ſoules of ſuch as they deale withall ſo euen then in the ſame inſtant they doe affectionate them to the Catholicke King. What plainer words can there be to ſhew to what end this reconciling tendeth? You ſee Poperie and treaſon muſt bee taught together, they muſt bee as twinnes, they muſt grow together, and go together, foote by ſoote. Yea now a dayes it is not right Popery, vnleſſe it bring forth ſome treacherie. What hath their Catholicke K. (a gulfe that wil neuer be ſatiſfied) to doe, with them that are ſubiects to the King of Scots? yea I would ſaine knowe what Allen himſelfe and his brother Parſons doe meane by theſe words (vntil that Day?) For in a letter of father Will. William Allen his letter.Allens, which I hauehave 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 k…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 hauehave brought vntounto 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 vsus. And therefore ſeeing that vnderunder 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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,Cap. 4. 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 onelyonly, 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 hauehave 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 hauehave 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 vntounto the trueth, to know by what practiſes they are become ſo great, and to what ends they hauehave bent, or how they hauehave imployed their power which they hauehave gotten by craft and ſhifts: I hauehave therefore pointed vntounto ſuch meanes as they hauehave 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 ye good of Chriſts flocke, which they ſay is committed to them. And this I hauehave done by ancient or their owne hiſtories, ſeldome ſtanding vponupon the credit onelyonly 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, vponupon the reportes of Proteſtant writers, I ſhould hauehave the example of our aduerſaries for my defence. This treatiſe I ſet forth vnderunder 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 vponupon 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. [❀]