An elucidation touching this title, Ʋniversall Bishop.

The occasion of these speeches of Gregory against this title of Vniversall Bishop, was the pride of Iohn, who was Patriarch of the Church of Constantinople, who did indea∣vor to draw that title vnto himselfe, against which Gregory as you see excepteth, and would not that either Iohn, or any other should vsurpe that name. And as Gregory Page  41withstood it then, so doe we now; & set him against the Church of Rome, as opposite to it. The Papists finding Gregories testimo∣nies true, doe yet put a difference (in secreat meaning) betweene the power and authority which Iohn intended by it for himselfe, and that which they intend by it for the Pope: which is this. Iohn (say they) by striuing for that title attributed it so vnto himselfe, that he meant to be called Bishop alone, so as Bishopricke should bee taken away from all other; and to be such an one as is a Bishop alone and altogether and only, so as there be no other Bishop besides him: finally, that Bi∣shop Vniversall by Gregory, is as much as al Bishops; whereas we giuing it to the Pope, de∣barre not others from being Bishops, or the Church from hauing such, but make him V∣niversall Bishop, over and aboue all other, as being the highest of all, and hauing power over all other Bishops. Therefore the autho∣ritie of Gregory is in this case very imperti∣nētly alleaged against the Pope, who doth not take it in that nature wherein Iohn would haue vsurped it, but rightly vseth it, accor∣ding to Gregories meaning. Thus say they; but here is a bare, a naked, and an idle spe∣culation Page  42of their owne braine. For it shal ap∣peare notwithstanding this fond illation of theirs from the very text and tenor of Gre∣gories wordes by the precedent authorities, and some more of his consequent, that Iohn never meant, nor Gregory never so did vn∣derstand him, as that he would be vniversal Bishop, thereby to take away all other, but e∣ven as the Bishop of Rome now doth, thereby to bring the rest in subiection vnto him. Which if it be so, then is not the autohrity answered, but they condemned by the ver∣dict of their great S. Gregory, who is in time from vs more then 1000 yeares.

To proue this let vs record the first testimony againe.

He that claimeth that title (saith Gregory) is the forerunne of Antechrist, be∣cause in making himselfe prowd, hee set∣teth himselfe before other. Loe! A plaine text, against their forged glosse. Gregory doth not say,* hee would haue no other but himselfe: But that he setteth himselfe be∣fore other. Before other. marke that.

In the second. He is like to him in the Page  43singularity of his pride, that despised the equalitie of ioy among Angels, saying. I will advance my throne aboue the stars of heauen, &c. Here is seene the singulari∣ty of one, that would be aboue many; but nothing of one, that would haue none besides himselfe.

In the last there, it is said.* Though goest about to subdue all the members of Christ vnto thee. To subdue them; but not to take them cleane away.

Writing to Mauritius the Emperour a∣bout this matter, he saith,* Vtinam vel sine aliorum (non sublatione sed) imminutione vnus sit, qui vocari appetit vniversalis. I would to God he might be one, without the lessning of others, who desireth to bee called vniversall. Without the lessning of others (saith he) not without vtter taking away of others.

To the Empresse Constantia thus.* Illud appetere Iohannem vt omnibus dignior esse videatur. Iohn desireth that hee might seeme worthier than all other. Not but that there should be others as well as he: But that hee might seeme worthier than other.

To Elogius Bishop of Alexandria Per elationem pompatici sermonis, Christi sibi studet membra subiugare. By the hautines of a glorious title hee studieth to bring in∣to subiection vnto him the members of Christ. To bring them vnder subiection (saith he) not to cut of any.

To Iohn himselfe thus. Appetere eum vocabulum hoc,* vt nulli subesse, & solus omnibus praesse videretur. That he did af∣fect that title, that he might be subiect to none, and seeme only to be over all. So, it appeareth here also, that he would not be Bishop alone; but subiect to none, and a∣boue all. Moreover hee faith vnto him Quid dicturus es,* qui non solum Pater sed Generalis Pater in mundo vocari appetis? What wilt thou say who dost not desire to be called only father in the world, but vniversall or generall father? Generall fa∣ther (saith he) not father alone. And that which in this qestion taketh away all scruple (he saith) Cupere Iohannem Epis∣cops semetipsum vocabulo elationis praepo∣nere, eos{que} sub se premere. That Iohn doth desire by this title of pride to set himselfe before all other Bishops, and to tread thē Page  45vnder him. But set himselfe before others or bring others vnder him, he could not, vnlesse there bee some, whom he may bring vnder, & before whō he may exalt himselfe. Iohn there would be chiefe, ex∣toll himselfe, be greater than the rest, bee called generall father: But he would not expell the rest of the Bishops, but bring them vnder him, subiect them to him; di∣minish their authoritie, and bring them to naught.

A second elucidation or cleering of the same Question.

When Iohn died Cyriacus succeded. Iohn sate there tenne whole yeares. Iohn had sitten there tenne whole yeares, hee claymed the title of Vniuersall to his death, nor weighed hee the admonitions of Gregory, yet carried hee himselfe for those tenne yeares for Vniuersall, yet in al that time, did not hee discharge any Bi∣shop of his place. Wherefore it is a meere fable, to thinke there should be no Bishop or Patriarch if there were any called Vni∣uversall. Cyriacus as in seat, so in title suc∣ceeded Page  46Iohn, He tooke away no Bishops. He called a Councel of Bishops, to which when Eusebius came, Gregory desired of him by his letter, that he would not sub∣scribe to that title, least any thing should be there determined preiudiciall touch∣inge any place or person. But neither in that synode, nor for eleuen yeers after, while Cyriacus held the sea (& that with the title of Vniuersall) was there any Bi∣shop remoued from his place, or any feare that any should be remoued. Therfore that devise before is a meere dream. Tou∣ching Cyriacus this is certaine, that hee never left off the title of Vniuersall, be∣fore that Phocas the Emperour tooke it from Constantinople, and gaue it vnto Rome. And this was done by Phocas in malice towards Cyriacus who was offen∣ded with him, and in favour of Boniface 3. Bishop of Rome who intreated for it,* and when he was the Bishops Chancelour in∣sinuated himselfe into Phocas his loue, & had vndertaken for his child at baptisme. This decree of Phocas,* Baronius doth thus report, The Bishop of Rome is only to bee called Vniversall Bishop, the Bishop of Con∣stantinople Page  47not so.

Iohn and Cyriacus therefore usurped nothing, but that which vpon the grant of Phocas, the Romane Bishop doth now claime, vnder whom they remain in their place, and are Bishops; And so vnder Iohn did they remaine, neither did the title of Ʋniversall hinder them any thing. Not∣withstanding, within a little while after there is a great change made touching the name. In the Bishop of Constantinople, it was a foolish, prowd, wicked, perverse, pro∣phane, and blaspheamous name; within two yeares after, it was none of all those in the Bishop of Rome. Marveilous was the sen∣tence of Phocas, who determined that a name wicked and blasphemous (if wee be∣leeue Gregory) should not belong to the Bishop of Constantinople, and yet might be proper to the Bishop of Rōe. Wonder∣full also was the intent of Boniface, who accepted it; neither would he that the Bi∣shop of Constantinople should bee pre∣ferred, or be aboue others, but to him & other the Bishops of Rome such reve∣rence is due, although he that shal haue it (witnesse Gregory) should bee in that the Page  48follower of Lucifer, the forerunner of An∣techrist. In the meane while Gregory was a true Prophet, touching what that word would come too in the end. For touching that title hee told the Emperour that hee that should reioyce in it,* would build him∣selfe by that vpon the honour of the Em∣pire, and is it not come so to passe? And to Anianus he said. That to consent to that wicked name, is no other thing then to destroy the faith. And did the faith suffer no hurt, by that that Phocas consented to it? Gregories prophecie was true in both, that name was deadly, both to the Em∣pire and to the Church; and his successour Boniface, was toward the Empire Luci∣fer, and toward the Church Antechrist.

But they insist,* and reply, the words are plaine. It remaineth that then you are no Bishops: hee onely indeavoreth to bee called Bishop. Therefore Gregory doth expound himselfe. We reioine, thus hee writeth to Iohn. Cupis Episcoporum nomen, tui com∣paratione calcare. Thou dost desire in cō∣parison of thy selfe, to tread vnder the name of Bishops. In comparison of thy selfe, saith he. Therefore what he saith, he Page  49saith it comparatiuely, or by way of com∣parison, not absolutely. Yee are indeed Bi∣shops, but in comparison of him, yee are none; and he is not absolutely a Bishop a∣lone, but in comparison of you, he only is to be called a Bishop. For when the title of Ʋniversall is admitted, whereby one may be aboue another, and depresse the rest; they fall from the ancient right of Bi∣shops, by which right they are of one me∣rit and priesthood. Neither doth the po∣tency of Rome make an higher Bishop, nor the poverty of Eugubium make a low∣er. All are to bee depriued of this due ho∣nour, if any thing private be giuen to one (as Gregory saith to Mauritius) & there∣fore surely in comparison of him, (which they were before) are not to be called Bi∣shops: speaking after the vsuall phrase, wherein, when any one is not, that he was, he is said indeed not to be at all; so that hee may be said to bee alone, who in any thing is singular. For they who were Fathers, were to be made the Sonnes of this Vni∣versall father; They who were Pastors, were to come into his flocke; & in com∣parison of him, to be called a flocke. And Page  50this is the nature of Gregories words; he∣ther they reach. Against this they cannot be drawne; excep against the truth of the histories, by which it is certaine, that al∣though for the space of twentie yeares Iohn first,* and Cyriacus after, held the title of Ʋniversall with tooth and naile: yet in all that time they never indeavored to strip any of his Bishopricke, or so to carry themselues as though they alone would be Bishops, or vsurped the name of Bishop only to themselues.

These things being thus, and thus cō∣sidered; that which was said at first re∣maineth full and sound; That the Pope v∣surpeth the title of Ʋniversall Bishop. That Gregory condemned it in Iohn. And lastly that Iohns intent then, & the Popes now touching that title, is one and the same, to all constructions and purposes; any thing, in any wise said to the contra∣ry notwithstanding.