A15061:223
An answer to a certain book, writtenAn answere to a certeine booke, written
An answer to a certain book, written by Master William Rainolds student of divinity in the English college at Rhemes, and entitled, A refutation of sundry reprehensions, cavils, etc. by William Whitaker ...An answere to a certeine booke, written by Maister William Rainolds student of diuinitie in the English colledge at Rhemes, and entituled, A refutation of sundrie reprehensions, cauils, etc. by William Whitaker ...
Printed at London : For Thomas Chard, 1585
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Century Collectors declare indeed how that mystery of iniquity wrought and increased then in the Roman sea,1 in that the Bishops thereof took upon them more rule and authority over their brethren, then they ought: and namely this Gregory, in whom the virtue & godliness of Roman Bishops died. But have you found in the Centuries such plain proofs of the Popes supremacy, as you affirm? First, you bring nothing, but the speeches or practises of Gregory, 2who was a Bishop of Rome: secondly you can not thereof gather that he was universal Bishop, or head of the Church. For that he calleth the Apostolical sea head of all Churches, he meaneth nothing else, but that it was the chief Church,3 which is confessed. That he saith, the Church of Constantinople is subject to the Apostolical sea, who denieth this? but what subjection mean you, M. R? that the Roman Church had power over the Church of Constantinople, to command, ⟨p. 165⟩ordain, disannul at her pleasure? that is utterly false, and disproved by all stories that have written, testifying that the Church of Constantinople accounted her self equal in all privileges too the Roman, save only that the Roman in order was the first. That he intermeddled in the doings of certain Bishops of diverse provinces, it is evident: but not in all Churches of all provinces over the world. For the Church of Christendom was then divided into parts, & the same were assigned to the government of Patriarchs. The Roman province was greatest, containing the Churches of the west: wherein Gregory had authority, not by Gods word, but by appointment of man: and yet his authority was no other, but the same that the other Patriarchs practised in their provinces, & namely S. Chrysostom long before Gregory over Thrace, all Asia, and Pontus, as Theodoretus writeth.4 What can you allege more for Gregory, then I can for Chrysostom? Gregory reproved & corrected Bishops of Sicily, Africa, Spain: Chrysostom punished and deposed Bishops of Thrace, of Pontus, of Asia. Hereof is concluded no less the supremacy of Chrysostom, then of Gregory: such ⟨p. 166⟩