A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two years ago…A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two yeres agoe…

Howbeit, like as in other Churches, as of Antioch, Alexandria, Corinth, Philippos, Ephesus, Caesarea, and the rest, there were pastors or teachers which were called Bishops, set over the Church of God, which by their holy ministry served severally their own sheep that were committed to them, and not other mens sheep, or in many places at once: (for at the beginning, every pastor had his flock appointed and committed unto him.) So also was done in the Church of Rome, which is named Apostolic Sea or Chair. I would not have any man amazed at the terms of Sea & Chair, and surmise and imagine any Popishness by them. Men in old time gave the terms of Sea and Chair, not only to the Church of Rome, but to any of the notable Churches, I mean which the Apostles them selves founded, and in which the traditions or the doctrine ⟨p. 29⟩of the Apostles and of the Gospel sounded or was preached & flourished still uncorrupted. For Tertullian in his prescriptions of heretics, saith: Peruse the Apostolic Churches, among which the very chairs of the Apostles are yet still sitting in their places, & among which their authentical letters are still read, resounding the voice and resembling the face of every of them. If Achaia be next thee, thou hast Corinth: if thou be not far from Macedonia, thou hast Philippos, and thou hast Thessalonice. If thou list to go into Asia, thou hast Ephesus. And if thou border upon Italy, thou hast Rome, from whence also we have authority at hand. O happy Church whereupon the Apostles bestowed their whole doctrine together with their blood, where Peter was matched with his Lord in passion, where Paul was crowned with the end of John Baptist, and where the Apostle John, after he had ben plunged in scalding oil & felt no harm at all, was banished into the Isle of Patmos. Thus saith he. Otherwise the Chair is properly a high place in the Church furnished for the ministers to teach out of the more commodiously, as from whence they may the better be seen and heard of their audience that is assembled in the Church. Such as the men of old time are known to have had, as appeareth by the doings of Achaz king of Judah, and by the viij. chapter of Nehemiah. It is commonly called a Pulpit or preaching stool. It is not a cloth of estate, or a Solomons throne, or a kings chair of estate.

Howbeit, like as in other Churches, as of Antioche, Alexandria, Corinth, Philippos, Ephesus, Cesarea, and the rest, there were pastors or teachers which were called Bishops, set ouer the Church of God, which by their holy ministerie serued seuerally their owne shéepe that were committed to them, and not other mens shéepe, or in many places at once: (for at the begynnyng, euery pastor had his slocke appointed and committed vnto him.) So also was done in the Church of Rome, which is named Apostolicke Sea or Chayre. I would not haue any man amased at the termes of Sea & Chayre, and surmyse and imagine any Popishnesse by them. Men in old time gaue the termes of Sea and Chayre, not onely to the Church of Rome, but to any of the notable Churches, I meane which the Apostles them selues founded, and in which the traditions or the doctrine