the most Gorgeouse harlot BabiloÌ„ So that the beutiful harlot must not be vnderstanded now of Niniue peculiarly as S. Hierome applieth it but of the whore of Babilon Which by the interpretation of the whorish heretikes is the See of Rome Iudge now whether this be to interpret S. Hierom or to make a tale of their owne by the gifte of theyr lieing Sprite FroÌ„ theÌ„ce sayth S. CypriaÌ„ spring schismes sects Apolog. because meÌ„ seke not yâ— head haue not theyr course to the Fountaine of the Scriptures and keepe not yâ— rules geauen by the heauenly teacher Where hath S. Cyprian these words Or where speaketh he of the fountaines of the Scripture Confut. .347 Or the Original of truthe Of seeking to an head Of the doctrine of the Heauenly teacher He speaketh in the treatise De simplicitate Praelatorum or vnitate Ecclesiae and he bringeth al those three pointes to this end that Christe made Peter the head of his Church But of those fountaines of Scriptures we caÌ„ not tel wheâ— he speaketh and we knowe you so wel by this tyme that we can not beleue you except ye shew it The Euangelistes and the Apostles Prophetes sayinges shew vs sufficiently Apolog. what opinion we ought to haue of the will of God This is a true sayinge Confut. .313 yet Theodorete speaketh not of the wil of God generally but lib. 1. ca. 7 â–ª 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Godhead For the controuersie was then betwene the Catholiks and Arrians about the Consubstantialitie of God the Sonne with his Father And therefore interprete him better or vse not his Authoritie The 5. Chapiter declaring how Councels are belyed and abused in the Apologie of the Church of England According to the iudgment of the Nicen Councel Apolog. we say that the Bishop of Rome hath no more iurisdiction ouer the Church of God than the rest of the Patriarkes of Alexandria or Antiochia haue The Canon is Conf. 50. Let the auncient custome continue in force whiche he is it Egypt Libya and PeÌ„tapoli that the bishope of AlexaÌ„dâ—ia haue power ouer them all for asmuch as the Bishope oâ— Rome hath thus vsed In these words for asmuch as the Bishoppe of Rome hath thus vsed appeareth manifestlie the prerogatiue of the Bishoppe of Rome as from whose maner and custome they take an example of theyr doeinges For if it should be so vnderstanded that because the Bishoppe of Rome hath power ouer the couÌ„trie about him therefore the Bishope of Alexandria and not the Bishope of Antiochia should â—ule Egypt Libya and Pentapoly that hangeth no better togeather than if you should say let the Bishop of Canterbury be Archbishop of Yorkeshire or Ireland because the Bishoppe of Rome hath power ouer the Countreies about him And allthoughe this Argument maie seeme to conclude à Simili thus as the Bishoppe of Rome ruleth his Countrie so let euerie Metropolitane in like maner beare rule ouer his owne Countrie yet to appointe by name either Eygpte to the Bishope of Alexandria or Ireland to the Bishop of Canterbury that must depeÌ„d of some other cause and not of this that the Bishop of Rome hath iurisdictioÌ„ in Italy Now consider the mater as the truth is that the Bishoppe of Rome hath supreme authoritie emong al Bishopes and then it foloweth by good reason that the Bishop of Alexandria shall rule Egypt because the Bishop of Rome hath so vsed That is because it is so apointed and so receiued at Rome that Aegypte Libya and PeÌ„tapolis should perteine to the Bishoppe of Alexandria therefore let that order continue And this is the meaning of the Nicene Councell and this maketh for the Popes Supremacy and this proueth you to belye the Nicene CouÌ„cel which hath not at al any such wordes as you mention that he hath no more Iurisdiction ouer the Churche than the rest of the Patriarches The Councel of Carthage Apolog. did circumspectely prouide that no Bishoppe shoulde be called either the highe Bishope or Chiefe Priest The Councell doth not say No Bishope but Conf. 53. A Bishop of a first See shal not be called Chiefe of Priestes or highest Priest For whereas there be other priestes besides in the world which are not subiect vnto his see reason it is that his title extend it selfe to no more than those that are vnder his Iurisdiction Also this Canon was for the Bishopes of the prouinces of Aphrica And last of all it extendeth it selfe only to the first sees which are many according to the numbre of Countries and not to the Apostolike See and chiefe aboue all which is but one The Councel of Nice Apolog. as is alleaged by some in greeke plainly forbiddeth vs to be basely affectiouated or bent toward the Bread and Wine whiche are sette before vs. This disproueth nothinge at all the real presence of Christ in the SacrameÌ„t Conf. 108 especiallie if you would haue added that whiche foloweth in the verie selfe same sentence and not haue clipped so worthie a Councell For it foloweth thus But lyfting vp our minde lette vs by faithe vnderstand on that holy table to be laied the laÌ„be of God that taketh away the synnes of the world which is sacrificed of Priestes vnbloudelie and receiuing his preciouse body and bloud verely let vs beleue these to be the pleadges of our resurrection Therefore the Councel in forbidding vs to be baselie affected intended not to make vs beleue that Christ is in heauen onlie and not also vpon the Aultar The old Councell at Rome decreed Apolog. that no man should come to the seruice saied by a Priest well knowen to keepe a Conucbyne We find no such Canon in the old Romaine Councels But Nicolaus and Alexander Popes haue willed that none should heare the Masse of that Priest whom he knoweth vndoutedly to kepe â— Concubine whereby ye may vnderstand the masse alowed and the lustes of the Clergie punished and your mistaking of the Councell corrected The olde councell Gangrense Apolog. commaundeth that none should make suche difference betwene an vnmaried Priest a maried Priest as he ought to thinke the one more holy than the other for single life sake The wordes be these Confut. 240. If anie make a difference of a Priest who hath ben maried as thoughe when he sacrificeth a man might not communicate with his oblation accursed be he The Councell therefore speaketh of suche as were first maried and afterwardes toke Priesthode vppon them and not contrarywise of such as were first of all pristes and then afterwards did fall to mariage In which poynte the obiection of Catholikes against you consisteth The Councell at Carthage coÌ„maunded Apolog. nothing to be reade in Christes coÌ„gregatioÌ„ but the Canonical Sciptures Why reade you then Homelies of your owne making Conf. 24â— But to the matter The wordes of the councel are these It hath seemed good vnto vs that
prieste should aske councell of God if any thing were to be done for Iosue and that Iosue should goe furth and come in at the word of Eleazar And this one answer serueth all the Examples which ye bring in of King Dauid Salomon Ezechias Iosaphat Iosias Ioas Iehu By which ye wold proue that they had iurisdiction in maters Ecclesiastical For they dyd nomore then than Christian princes doe now euen those princes that are obedieÌ„t to the See of Rome For they buyld Churches and finde Singingmen and Priestes to keepe dayly seruyce they geaue Bishoprikes they put Bishoppes byside theyr offices as Queene Marie did put CraÌ„mer anâ— Ridly aÌ„d tweÌ„ty thiÌ„gs moe they do abouâ— maters of religioÌ„ not as Supreme Gouernours but as deuout and faithfull Princes being glad to doe for the Churche whatsoeuer the Spiritual heades thereof shal moue them vnto and being ready to defend the faith of the Churche as they shall learne it of their Bishops It remaineth then that you shew not that the kinges in the olde lawe did set furth the Seruice of God displace Priests commauÌ„ded the temple to be clensed destroyed Idols c but that they did these thiÌ„gs by their absolute power without askiÌ„g aduise leue or instructioÌ„ of the priests Constantine called the Councell at Nice Apolog. Theodosius the Councel at Constantinople Theodosius the second the CouÌ„cel at Ephesus Martian the Councel at ChalcedoÌ„ Ergo Ecclesiastical matters perteine to the Office of Princes They called these Councels Confut. .308 not by vertue of their supreme autority but by the asseÌ„t of the B. of Rome And so Princes haue to do with the maters of the Churche at the second hand only The Emperour ConstaÌ„tine gaue in yâ— CouÌ„cel of Nice his aduise to yâ— Bishops Apolog. how it was best to trie out the mater by yâ— Apostles Prophets writings Ergo he bare a great stroke with his Authority in their consultation As great stroke as he bare Confut. .313 he strake not the head of the Church froÌ„ the body nor made himself Supreme Euseâ—ius in vita Constant. lib. 3. Theodor. lib. 1. c. 7. But that ye may vnderstaÌ„d how litle he toke vpoÌ„ hiÌ„ he came in last into the Councel with a smal coÌ„pany and sate not doune before he had desired the Bishops to permit it and then also he sate but in a low chaire As for geuing of aduise how things were best to be done it is lauful for the least â—rier Abbate or Doctor in a Councel to do the like and yet euery Frier that speaketh in a general CouÌ„cel is not supreme head of the Church nor of the vocation and Authoritie to define or geaue sentence on any Canon In the third Councel at Conâ—â—antinople ConstaÌ„tine a Ciuile Magistrate did not only â—itte among the Bishoppes but did also subscribe with them In the Councel called Arausicanum Apolog. the Princes Embassadours gaue their consent and put to their handes Ergo ecclesâ—iastical matters pertein to Princes So likewise to subscribe vnto the Decrees of a Councel Confut. 316. and to geue their coÌ„sent vnto matters there determined it is and may be ê‘ermitted vnto meane layemen but to define determine decree and geue Authority vnto a Canon it is neither for Embassadours nor Ciuile Magistrates nor Emperours of the whole world but for Bisshops only whom God hath apointed to gouerne his Church Gods grace is promised to a good mind Apolog to one that fereeth him Ergo not to the Sees and Successours This would folow Confut. 334. if God vsed to geue but one kinde of Grace such as maketh the receauer good But now there is a Grace of faith hope and charitie and it is not an euil minde that hath it There is the grace of preaching working of miracles healing of diseases c. and he may be euill that hath it To be a Kinge it is by the grace of God and that grace continued vntil a certaine time in the Seed and Succession of Dauid yet were not all they of a good mynde that were kinges of Iuda By which it appeareth that your Argument is false and that the grace of Authoritie and continuance is geauen not only vnto the good but the euill that folow in the race and succession Peter when he was at Rome Apol. neuer taught the Gospell neuer fed the flocke c. sate him doune onely in his castle in S. Ihon Laterane aud poynted out with his fynger the spaces of Purgatorie gaue orders to say priuate Masses c. consecâ—ated wyth hys holie breath oyle wax wolle belles c. mainteyned warres set Princes togeather at variance c. Ergo Peter did all thinges like vnto the Pope Of whose deuising is this Argument Confut. 335. Vndoubtedly no Catholike hath the 〈◊〉 to make it Do the ProtestaÌ„ts then speakâ—â—â—â— al this of S. Peter in sad ernest ' â— thinkeâ—â— not so euill of them although they can beâ—â—â— sometimes desperat How then Doe they speake it but in sport and dalie only with theyr Aduersaries The cause is to great to vse in so large wise such mockery Set him vpon the Stage with a furd cap and a motly cote he wil plaie the vice without a vizarde and make gaie sporte to the cumpanie Men say Apolog. that one Cobilon a Lacedemonian when he was sent Embassador to treate of a league found by chaunce them of the Courte playing at dice he retourned straytewayes home againe leauing his message vndone For he sayd it should be a greate reproche to his Common wealth to make a league with dycers Ergo it should be a greate blot to our name to returne to the Pope CabiloÌ„ might be parchaunce a wisemaÌ„ in his own generation but in these daies Confutation 337. he should not be much better than an impatient or Solemne Fole For to play at 〈◊〉 it is not absolutely and in all tymes â—laces and persons euil And to let that â—vndone vpon priuate coÌ„ceipt and iudgeâ—eÌ„t which is put vpoÌ„ any maÌ„ by coÌ„mon coÌ„sent aÌ„d authoritie it is not in most cases alowable But such now is the ê‘fection of the new Gospellers they wil not be at any league with dycers or euill lyuers aÌ„d in theyr coÌ„gregatioÌ„s aÌ„d fraternities ther is I trow no blot of infamy to be feared With what countenance then loke they wheÌ„ they come into the Courtes of Princes or noblemen Do they fin dno dycing â—here and no euil lyuing I haue so good opinion of these mens holines that if the Pope with al his Cardinalles would take themselues to Wyues so to cal harlotes aÌ„d in other things doe accordingly to the forme of the new Gospel he should not only haue a league made with him but also be mainteined in his supremacy which he hath in Christendome And the Cobiâ—on that should be sent Embassadour for the purpose wold neuer returne again â—â—â—uinge his message vndon though 〈◊〉
but only for that we confessed the Ghospel of Ihesu Christ and put our confidence in the lyuing God To speake of the holines and honesty of your behauiour Conf. 152 I truste to haue a better tyme in the meane season I aske you quietly was W. Flower put to death only for his confidence put in the lyuinge God Act. and Monuments pa. 1129. and not for striking and wouÌ„ding a Priest as he was ministring the Sacrament vnto the people Our purpose here ys not to take in hand at this present to bring to light and open to the world Apolog. those thinges which were meete rather to be syd and buried with the workers of them It be seemeth neither our Religion nor our modestye nor our shamefastenes Ye lye like hypocrites as ye are Conf. 154 doe ye not tarie longer in speaking the worst ye can of the Catholikes than in any other common place of your modest and shamefast booke Doe ye not put in writing most shamefull thinges either not done at al or done so longe a go that now they were hid and buried Doe ye not bring to Englishmens eares the vnknoweÌ„ praÌ„kes of foreners Doe ye not oft repeate Diasios and Cassios as though it stoode with modestie to iterat and exaggerat such tales But such is your Religion â–ª your modestie and your shamefastenes that it beseemeth you wel enough Let the Uicar of Christ and the Head of the Church remember Apolog. that they be of his canonists which haue tought yâ— people that fornication betwene single folke ys no synne It wil be harde for him to remember it Confut. because he neuer heard it or read it And as hard it wil be to heare or reade that which was neuer spoken or writen of a Canoniste proue ye nowe that euer anie Canonist hath taught as you report Iohannesde Magistris to whom you refer vs in your margent can not be found to haue anie such wordes Perchance ye would saie Martinus de Magistris whiche vas no Canoniste but after the fasshion of Scholemen asking the question whether simple fornication be a deadly sinne maketh obiections first against the truthe and afterwarde refelling them concludeth most expresslie thus Simple fornication excludeth from the kingdome of God Ergo it is a mortal sinne Now if anie Iohannes de Magistris vnknowen yet to the worlde canne be brought furth of you to saue your honesty in so impudent a lye yet excepte ye can proue that he was one of the Popes own Canonistes ye can not but be giltie of one â—ie at the least in this place which yet I dare say shal be forgeueÌ„ you if ye caÌ„ but proue that euer any Canonist hath so coÌ„cluded Goe to now and proue your selues true meÌ„ aÌ„d burdeÌ„ the Popes Canonists with alowing of that which is expressly condemned by them Apolog. Let him remeÌ„ber they be of his owne which haue decreed yâ— a Priest ought not to be put out of his cure for fornication Confut. You must briÌ„g him the place or it is not possible he shuld find it for your marginal note willeth him to seke can 3. 9. 7. wher no such thiÌ„g is and the paragraph Quia which speaketh of such only as are not to be promoted to holy orders because of theyr Bygamie But the trueth is that by al Canons old and new Can. Si quis Ep â–ª the faulte is punished For by the old were he Bishop Priest Dit 81 â–ª or DeacoÌ„ he was deposed and put to penauÌ„ce by the later the party offendiÌ„g had tene yeres penaunce inioyned him Let him remeÌ„ber also Apolog. how Cardinall Campegius Albertus Pighius others many moe of his own haue taught that yâ— Priest which keepeth a concubine doth lyue more holily chastly then he which hath a wife in matrimonie If ye were Cardinalles to his holines Confut. no doubt ye would do him great seruice which being so far out of office and farre from Italy take such care to bring thinges to his remembrance But doe not ye not forget your selues in the meane tyme by affirming so boldly so many â—yes Campegius aÌ„d Pighius do not say that which you reporte of them For of two euilles there is no one the better both being euil but one is lesse euil than the other A coÌ„cubine with a priest is naught and an open harlot no mater though ye cal her his wife is worse They saie not that to keepe a coÌ„cubine is more holily and chastely done as though any holines were in it at al neither that to haue a wife in matrimonie is euill as though mariage were not honorable but of these two foule faultes a Priest to keepe a secrete harlot which goeth vndâ—r the name and pretense of a necessary seruaunt or the same to professe that she is his yoke felow and to take the parish to witnes that she is his at bed aÌ„d at bord the first is euil the seconde is worse the first hath not put al shame asyde the seconde is impudent the first may come of infirmitie the seconde wil haue it allowed by Authoritie I trust he hath not yet forgotten Apolo â–ª that there be many thousandes of harlotes in Rome that him selfe doth gather yerely of the same harlotes vppon a thyrtie thousand durkattes by the way of annual pension Neither can be forget howe him selfe doth maintaine brothel houses and by a most fylthie lucre doth fylthylie and lewdely serue his owne luste Speake ye by report of others Confut. or by experience If by report were they that reported it somewhat skilful in the mater or no If they were not but spake also by reporte standeth this with your purpose and doth this beseeme your Religion your modestie your shame fastnesse which ye acknowledge in your selues so absolutely to obiecte so greate a mater to so great a Bishop vpoÌ„ an heare saie onlie But if they spake of knoweledge howe came they by it Sate they in commission in Rome it self and called the harlottes before them by authoritie But how were that either tolerable or reasonable in a strange Citie to plaie the Magistrate or to labour in the numbring of harlottes Or went they from house to house with a pryuie serche making a worthie occupation for Ghospellers to be curious in Or through acquaintaunce with whores and bawdes was the whole accompte without further labour brought vnto them They are not to be accepted for honeste witnesses whiche are so wel acquainted or so muche fauored of those naughtypackes PerchauÌ„ce as they weÌ„t vp and doun in the streets they nuÌ„bred certaine scores of harlottes There was a simple eye then I trow and a deuout purpose in the marker of such occurrentes Yet if it were so howe gather they that manie thousands of harlots are in Rome because they obserued manie here and there to goe in the Citie What so euer shal be aunswered it will be