The Pope confuted The holy and apostolic Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…The Pope confuted The holy and apostolique Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…

Because (sayeth he) so much is derogated from your dignity, as is more then reasonably yielded to any other. I do not desire to be honoured in words, but in good life: neither do I account that to be honour, wherein I do know my brethren to be any jot abridged of their honour. &c. I would wish therefore all such as with so gay a countenance of religion do strive so lustily about the prerogative of the Romish Sea, to have an especial regard and consideration of the words of Gregory in this place.

Because (sayeth hee) so much is derogated from your dignitie, as is more then reasonably yelded to any other. I doe not desire to bee honoured in wordes, but in good lyfe: neyther doe I accompt that to be honour, wherein I doe knowe my brethren to bee any iotte abridged of their honour. &c. I would wishe therfore all such as with so gaye a countenaunce of religion doe striue so lustely about the prerogatiue of the Romish Sea, to haue an especiall regard and consideration of the wordes of Gregory in this place.

My honour (saith he) is the honour of the universal ⟨image 32⟩Church:¹ my honour is the flourishing honour of my brethren: then am I honoured aright, when due honour is not denied to every particular brother. For if your holiness do call me universal Pope, you renounce your s•lues to be the self same, which you yield unto me in name of universality. But God forbid. Let speeches that puff up to arrogance, and impair Christian charity, be abandoned, &c. And again in another place, writing to the Bishop of Constantinople, requireth him to be well advised what he enter upon, because in that presumptuous rashness the unity of the whole Church is perverted upside down:² and thereby ariseth a flat denial of the general grace poured upon all indifferently. And forthwith after: For what else be your Bishops of the universal Church, but the Stars of heaven, above whom whilst thou presumest to exalt thy self by proud title of stately sovereignty, what imply these words else, but that I will ascend into heaven, and will exalt my Seat above the Stars of heaven? &c. Adding moreover in the same epistle no less wisely, then considerately an admonition both to himself, and the other Bishops. Let us be afraid (sayeth he) to be recounted of that number, which prowl for the highest Seats in the Synagogues, and gape after greetings in the maket place, and to be called of men Rabbi: For there is but one master, but all you be brethren.