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MARKE 9.35. And hee sate downe, and cal∣led the twelue, and sayeth vnto them, If anie man desire to
bee first, the same shall bee last of all, and servant of all.
Mat. 20.25. Yee know that the Princes of the Nations exercise dominion over them; and they that are great, exercise authorîtie vpon them: but it shall not bee so amongst you; but vvhosoever vvill bee great amongst you, let him be your servant.
Note then, That Christ decydeth not the controversie in Peter's favours; tel∣ling that hee had made him chiefe, or was to make him: but forbiddeth anie supremacie of jurisdiction one over an o∣ther, vnto them all alike. In like manner.
Mat. 19.28. In the regenera∣tion, vvhen the Sonne of Man shall sit in the Throne of His glorie, yee shall also sit (sayeth Christ) vpon twelue Thrones, judging the twelue Tribes of Israel.
Note then, That there is not a word heere of one throne for Peter aboue the rest; but twelue thrones, and equall judging, designing equall authoritie: even as they are all alike called the foun∣dation of the Church, Ephes. 2.20. and so not Peter alone, nor anie pretended successour.
1. Pet. 5.1. The Elders which •…•…re amongst you, I exhort, vvho am •…•…lso a fellow-elder, and a vvit∣•…•…esse of the sufferings of Christ, &c.
Remarke then, That these humble stiles •…•…nd manner of exhorting others, is farre •…•…om the prowde claime of Papall juris∣•…•…iction over all men, and these haughtie •…•…tles that the Bishop of Rome presump∣•…•…uouslie vsurpeth.
Acts 8.14. Now vvhen the Apostles that vvere at Ierusalem •…•…eard that Samaria had received •…•…he Word of GOD, they sent vnto •…•…hem Peter and Iohn.
Note then, Peter's submission to his •…•…ellow-brethren, pleading no exemption •…•…r priviledge of supremacie, nor impu∣•…•…ng to them anie saucinesse, as the Pope •…•…ould doe to other Bishops, if they pre∣•…•…med to send him in lyke sort to preach •…•…n anie forraigne Countrey.
Gal. 1.1. Paul, an Apostle, •…•…either of men, nor by man.
Note then, That hee disclaimeth the •…•…aving of his Apostolicke power anie •…•…ayes of Peter, as Superiour, nor anie •…•…ther power, as the following words •…•…stifie.
Gal. 2.6.11. They that see∣med to bee somewhat in conferenc•…•… added nothing to mee: bu•…•… vvhen Peter vvas come to An¦tioch, I vvithstood him to the face•…•…
Remarke then, How farre this fact o•…•… Pauls crosseth the supremacie: and if〈…〉〈…〉 Bishop would bee well intreated, tha•…•… now so publicklie would with-stand th•…•… Pope to his face in lyke manner.
Verse 9. And vvhen Iame•…•… Cephas, and Iohn, who seeme•…•… to bee pillars, perceived the gra•…•… vvhich vvas given to mee, they ga•…•… to mee and Barnabas the rig•…•… hand of fellowship.
Note then, That Peter is heere ranke•…•… after Iames, and all three are equall•…•… called pillars, and receiveth Paul an•…•… Barnabas as companions alway; Pa•…•… witnessing elsewhere, that hee was r•…•… inferiour to none of the Apostles:〈…〉〈…〉 which maketh plainlie against Peter's s•…•…¦premacie aboue all the rest as their he•…•… in authoritie.
Remarke then, by all the former pl•…•…¦ces: First, That Christ never gaue an•…•… supremacie of jurisdiction to Peter,•…•…¦boue the rest of the Apostles; but a-lyk•…•…
forbad it to all. Secondlie, That Peter never claymed anie such, as both his Scripturall Titles, and his actions make cleare. And thirdlie, That the rest of the Apostles never acknowledged anie such: which as well their speaches, as their deedes, make manifest. And so consequentlie, That his pretended Suc∣cessours wrongfullie vsurpe the same.
And if anie might challenge the lar∣gest charge, or jurisdiction to bee cal∣led Ʋniversall Bishop, it was Paul; vnto whom was committed the Gentiles; and who sayeth, 2. Cor. 11.28. that hee had comming vpon him daylie the care of all the Churches.
TO this our doctrine against Peter's su∣premacie over the rest of the Apo∣stles, Antiquitie thus witnesseth: The rest of the Apostles (sayeth Cyprian) were the selfe-same that Peter was, endewed with a-lyke fellowship, both of honour and power. lib. de vnit. Eccles.
CHRIST would not haue the rest of the Apostles subject to Peter, (sayth Caietan) but all a-lyke, as Brethren. com∣ment. p. 278. cited in judice errarum Ca∣jetani a Catharin••.
EPhes. 5.23. For the Hus∣band is the Head of the Wife, even as Christ is the Head of the Church, and is the Saviour of the Bodie.
Note then, That as an Husband will bee onlie Head, and haue no substitute in his place, with his wife, vnder him: no more will Christ (who is a jealous God) haue anie other Head, or Hus∣band over His Church, vnder Himselfe.
Note also, That hee that is the head of his Church, is the saviour of the bodie: which seeing the Pope dare not take vpon him, neither should he the stile of head, that doth import the same.
Eph. 4.4. There is but one bodie: Therefore but one head. Where note, That the Church is not a perfect bodie, having an head of its own, beside Christ;
but Christ and His Church maketh vp a perfect bodie; Hee beeing the onelie Head, and the Church His Members.
2. Cor. 11.2. For I haue es∣poused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste Virgine to Christ.
Note, That hee sayeth to one, and not to two; for so the Church should not bee thought a chaste spouse to Christ onelie.
Iohn 3.29. Hee that hath the Bryde, is the Brydegrome: but the friend of the Brydegrome, who stan∣deth and h••areth him, rejoyceth with •…•…oy for the voyce of the Brydegrome.
Note, That Iohn maketh one onelie Brydegrome, as there is one onelie Bryde: and, that none can bee called Brydegrome, but that one, who oweth the B••yde: hee him-selfe (altho the grea∣•…•…est amongst the sonnes of women) and •…•…ll others, beeing but friendes onelie of •…•…he Brydegromes, but not having right •…•…o the Bryde her-selfe.
1. Cor. 3.11. For other Foun∣dation can no man lay, beside that which is layde, which is CHRIST IESVS.
Ephes. 2.20. Built vpon the foundations of the Apostles & Pro∣phets, Iesus Christ Himselfe being the chiefe corner stone.
Note then, That anie one, can never be called the foundation of the Church, but Christ alone: and as for others, the whole Prophets and Apostles are called so in common, in respect of their doctrine, and not of their persons: and they onlie themselues are so, but neither one of them aboue the rest, nor yet anie successour.
TO this our doctrine, that the Pope is not the head, husband, and foun∣dation of the Church, testifieth Antiqui∣tie: It is Satanicall pryde (sayeth Grego∣rie) by an arrogant title of Head, to sub∣ject so all Christs members to one man, which doe coheyre to one onelie head, Christ Iesus allanerlie. lib. 4. ep. 36. where hee showeth also the stile of Ʋni∣versall Bishop, to bee alyke Satanicallie prowde, and altogether Antichristian•…•… which he, nor none of his predecessours, would ever accept, nor vse. Adde heere∣vnto likewise the decree of that famou•…•… Councell of Chalcedon, against vniversall supremacie, Concil. Chalc. Act. 16. Next, for the title of Husband: if thou bee the friend of the Brydegroome (sayeth Ber∣nard.
Epist. 237.) call not his beloved spouse, thy chiefe one, but his; challen∣ging nothing as proper to thee over her: ex∣cept it bee that if necessitie so require, thou oughtest to giue thy lyfe for her: and if Christ haue sent thee, thinke that thou art not come to bee served, but to serue.
ANd last, for the stile of Foundation: When in holie Scripture (sayth Pope Gregorie) in the singular number a foun∣dation is spoken of, there is none other designed to be such, but Christ Himselfe allanerlie, in 38. Iob. cap. 9.