Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 4 · Chapter 7
Cap. 7. Of the beginning & encreaſing of the Papaſie of Rome, vntil it aduanced it ſelfe to this height, whereby both the liberty of the church was oppreſſed, and all right gouernment ouerthrowne.
THE Nicen Synode gaue the firſt place to ye Biſhop of Rome among the Patriarkes, & it was commaunded to looke vntounto the Cities adioining to it: but in Councels which followed not the Biſhop of Rome, but others, helde the Supremaſie.
2 In the Councell at Calcedon although it tooke the chief place, yet was it by an extraordinary meanes, and not obſerued of the Succeſſours and other Councels.
3 Yea the auncient Fathers did not vouchſafe him ſuch titles. For Cyprian making mention of Cornelius, Lib. 2. Eiſt. 2. & lib. 4. Epiſt. 6.ſetteth him out with no other name, then Brother, fellow Biſhop, or in fellowe office.
4 But Gregory ſtoutly impugneth it, when the Biſhop of Conſtantinople woulde hauehave circumuented him, neither yet did hée challenge it to himſelfe by the right of his owne ſeate.
5 The authoritie of the Biſhop of Rome grewe, when not onelyonly the godly being too much gréeued in other parts for ſuccours ſake: but alſo the wicked being condemned of their owne Biſhops, for an vniuſt defence dyd flye thither: al which the chiefe Biſhop continually did gréedily receaue.
6 The Eccleſiaſticall power is conteined in foure pointes, none of theſe perteine to the Biſhop of Rome, that is neither the appointment of the Biſhops:
7 Nor admonitions or Cenſors:
8 Nor the calling togeather of Synodes:
9. 10 Nor the right of hearing appeales.
11 Notwithſtanding thoſe Decretall Epiſtles which they alledge for themſelues.
12. 13 Although in Gregories time the authoritie of Rome was much encreaſed, yet it tended to no other purpoſe then to helpe other Biſhops, not to hinder them. Moreouer it greatly diſpleaſed Gregory, that by ſuch meane it was diſtracted.
Cap. ….14. 15 In the Counſell at Loraine it was decreed, that thoſe Cities which in the Ciuill gouernment, were the chiefe Cities of eueryevery Prouince ſhould be the chiefe ſeas of Biſhops, & if it happned the honor of the ciuil gouernment to be remooued from one Citie to another, that then the right of the Metropolitan Citie ſhoulde therewithall bée remooued thither. Herevpon roſe great ſtrife of the ſeconde place betwéene the Biſhoppes of Conſtantinople and Rome.
16 Within a little after Iohn Biſhop of Conſtantinople ayded by the fauour of Maurice the Emperor, vſurped the name of vniuerſall Patriarch. But then Gregorie did conſtantly ſet himſelfe againſt him (yet not ſo that hee woulde challenge to himſelfe that which hee denied to an other) and was alſo angry with the Biſhop of Alexandria, Lib. 7. Epiſt. 3….by whom he was ſaluted by ſuch a title.
17 But at length Boniface the third obteined of Phocas, that Rome might bée head of all Churches: but this was almoſte of no waight, tyll at length Fraunce by euill wayes came into his power.
18 From that time thinges by little and little fel to worſe, as Bernard with gréeuous complaintes bewayleth the Church of his time.
19 And that it may better appeare, if wée graunt to the Biſhop of Rome that dignitie and preheminence which he had in the time of Leo and Gregory, yet it maketh nothing for the Supremaſie, which at this day they challēge: firſt, hée ſheweth that there are foure principall: pointes, wherein they are wont to exerciſe their tyranny. Moreouer, alſo he addeth certayn other thinges belonging to this ſelfe ſame argument.
20 Nor thoſe thinges which they father vponupon the olde fathers, as they falſly imagine, muſt bée graunted them: neither was Gregorie the nienth, Martin, and other content with them which hauehave inuented them ſelues certaine newe thinges, and thoſe vtterly vnméete.
21 Although Cyprian might be ſet againſt this ſo great inſolencie, the councell of Carthage, and many things out of hiſtories, Synods and bookes of olde fathers: yet by this one they may ſufficiently be vrged, but if they hauehave any ſhame in them, they can neuer defende their tyranny which ſo often Gregorie condemneth, which not only reiected the title of vniuerſall Biſhop & head, but alſo the power to commande.
22 The preſent ſtate of Papiſtrie cannot without ſhame bée defended, as alſo manifeſtly appeareth by that that Gregory and Bernard very lamentably complained of the malice of their age, which is certainly knowne doeth abounde a hundreth times more now.
23 To conclude, that he may more vehemently wring them, & make himſelfe way to the treatiſe following, of Antichriſt:Looke Cap. 2. Sect. 11.12. he denieth yt at Rome there is either a Church or Biſhop; all things are at this day ſo corrupted.
24 That he confirmeth, and thervpon includeth, that there is no Apoſtolike ſea, where we can ſée nothing but horrible Apoſtaſie: the ſame is not the mother of all Churches where wée ſée the ſeate of Antichriſt ſet.
25 The Biſhoppe of Rome is Antichriſt him ſelfe.2. Theſ. 2.4. Dan. 7.25.
26 Therefore the Supremaſie may not be bounde to the place, although in tymes paſt it hath bin chief of all, chiefly ſéeing the Church is now turned to a Court.
27 Hitherto hauing ſpoken of ye thing it ſelf, now he commeth to the perſons, and firſt as touching religiō, he accounteth all in general, none other then Lucians and Atheiſts.
28 Then alſo Iohn the 22. namely erred in the doctrine of the immortalitie of the ſoule: and therefore neceſſarie i… be wiped out, yet they ſay, that becauſe it was ſayde to Peter,Luk. 22.32. that his Fayth ſhould not faynte, they can not erre, but if they will be Peters ſucceſſours, they muſt all be Sathans,Ma…. 16.23. and herein more then he, becauſe they folow Sataniſme continually, which he forſooke.
29 Moreouer as touching their manners, they are moſt filthie both in the wickednes of others and their owne.
30 Cardinals were nothing elſe in tymes paſt, then Prieſts of the Romiſh Churche, and muche inferiour to Biſhops, but as they are nowe, they hauehave no true and lawful office in the church.