full mouth so much The olde Cannons that are called the Canons of the Apostles doe with wonderfull seueritye manace and threaten them who frequenting the Church hearing the preachings doe sequester themselues from receauing the Communion On this wise did Pope Calixt who would doe nothing without the Censures ecclesiasticall exhort and perswade all men to communicate publiquely together wheresoeuer the supper of the Lorde was ministred The wordes of Ierome be in each respect no lesse euident The Supper of the Lord sayth he ought to be generall to all because Christ himselfe did equally distribute the Sacrament to all his disciples that were present And how doth this geare agreé with the celebrating of your priuate Masses The same Canons prouided that the Byshop should be deposed which would ioyne a ciuill office with a spirituall fūction The same also did Pope Clement detest as horrible haynousnes And what doth the Pope then meane by that newe power of both swordes is it because he will be armed to fight a new combate with the Dragon that fought agaynst the Aungel Michaell Many yeares sithence did the Councell of Carthage forbid that nothing should be read in the Churche but the Canonicall Scriptures Which Scriptures Iustiniā the Emperour commaunded to be vttered with a lowd audible voyce that the people might gather some fruite thereby If Antiquitie of time or authoritye of Councels could haue obtayned any creditt amongest the Romanistes the olde councell Elibertine did decreé that nothing should be paynted in the Church that might be an occasion to moue the people to worshippyng So did also Epiphanius that aūcient Father accoūt it for an intollerable sacriledge yf any man would be so hardy as to set vp in Churches of Christians any kinde of Image yea though it were the Image of Christ himselfe The Auncient Fathers were no lesse godly zelous then zelously studious to perswade enduce the people to the Readyng of holy Scriptures and to the buying of Bookes of the same that emongest themselues euery one in his seuerall familye wyues with their husbands children with their parentes the plowgh man at the plowe the weauers in their Loomes women and maydens spinning and carding might debate of the holy Scriptures and sing some sonets and songes of the same as Origen Chrisostome and Ierome do testifie It was not tollerable in the time of Augustine that A Moūck should idely cōsume his time in slouth and sluggishnes or should vnder visor and pretence of holynes lyue vpon an other mans trencher but by the sweate of his owne browes such a one also Appollonius also doth lyken to a theéfe There was an auncient custome of this Land instituted from the auncient fathers that no person should appeale to the Pope for any cause without the kings leaue at what time our kings yelded to the popes no submission at all Whereupon when Anselme did deliuer the Popes letters to the king What haue we to do sayd the king with the Popes letters we will not breake the lawes of our kingdome Whosoeuer shall presume to infring the Custome of our Realme the some is a traytor to our Crowne and dignitye he that doth take away our Crowne from vs is an enemy and Traytor to our owne person There was an ordinaunce sometime within the Realme no lesse profitable then auncient That if any man did possesse two Benefices at one time bearing charge of sowle especially the same should be depriued from both And this ordinaunce continued so long in force vntill the Pope with his medley of dispensation innouating all thinges and turning all thinges vpsydowne after his owne lust and pleasure did leaue nothing in Churches that had any smatch of Antiquitye And no maruell though he were so malapertly sawcy with the Lawes of our Realme when as in the last Councell holden at Trydent skarcely 24. yeares sithence by publique authoritye and consent of the whole Councell an Edict was established that no person should enioy two benefices at once this Cannon notwithstanding there is so litle regard of authoritye of that Councell emongest these Prelates that a mā may easily seé now a dayes many Monasteries two Byshopprickes yea sometimes threé or fowre swallowed vp into one paunch all at one tyme. The same may be verified of the Coūcels of Cōstance and Basile Where though many matters were determined vpon wickedly enough this decreé notwithstanding was published being good and profitable for the Church That generall Councells assembled together by lawfull Sommons were and ought to be esteémed better and higher in authoritye then the Pope And yet this decreé sone razed out by the power of the Pope how quickly was it dispatcht so farforth doth nothyng delight these fine heads of Rome that whether it be old or new nothyng can please them but that which is for their owne toothe Wherein I would wishe that Osorius would marke diligently this one thing sithence this Seé doth conuey her lawfull discent not frō any decreés of mē but frō christ himselfe as he affirmeth what doe these Fathers of the Coūcell of Constance and Basile meane by this decreé Wherein they commaunded that the Romishe Seé should be gouerned by the generall Councells Now what may be spoken or imagined of the Prouisiones Reseruations yearely penciōs Pardons Priuiledges Exemptions Dispensations Graces Preuentions Expectatiues Palles Uisitations and other lyke snares and trappes of that Romishe Seé what shall we number these trinketts also emongest thother sacred Reliques receaued in that Apostolique age aboue xv hundreth yeare sithence I come now more neare vnto those partes of Religiō wherin all the glory and vaunte of your Antiquitye triumpheth chiefly And first that doctrine of Trāsubstantiatiō your onely Goddesse and chiefe vpholder of that your popish kingdome From whence did it issue and who was the author of it before Pope Innocent 3. in the Councell of Lateran not many yeares ago At what tyme the consecrated hoste was commaunded to cast away all her nature of Bread or at least before Nicholas 2. and his Successor Hildebrand in a Councell holden at Rome at what Councell Berengarius was forced to Recant And why were not Pope Gelasius Theodoret Augustine Tertullian Origen Eusebius and with them also the whole Greéke Churche cited to Recant For the same error of Berengarius Why was not the Church of Moskouites compelled to abiure which from thence euen to this day doe minister the Communion with bread broken and distributed in deéde but not consecrated into the body of the Lord To passe ouer other Churches why was not all this Church of Saxons in our kingdome condemned for hereticall which maintayned the same cause that Berengarius did as of late hath bene declared by certeine auncient Recordes lately found out emongest vs in the Saxons tongue Although this opinion of consecrated bread beganne to sparckes◠abroad not many yeares agoe after the Councell of Nice the second
like equitie and patience of minde to admitte our confutation thereof into your presence whereby eche partie beyng discouered according to truth your highnes may more certeinly determine of the cause There is a notable Law and an othe established in the Iudgementes of the auncient Athenians To heare with both eares that indifferent eares should be open to eche partie But what maner of custome is vsed now a dayes in this perplexitie and coÌ„bate of opinions where Byshops armed with the aucthoritie of Princes doe stand raunged in mayne battell agaynst the manifest veritie and doe so bende the whole coÌ„sent of their fayth to the one partie that all libertie once to mutter is vtterly cutte of from the other partie But here may some contrary doubtfullnes paradueÌ„ture trouble your Royall thought not so much proceedyng from your gracious nature as whyspered into your godly eares by the subtill and slaunderous practizes of glaueryng glosers who vnder the counterfaict vysour of this glorious couÌ„terfaict Church haue wonderfully bewitched the eyes and eares of many noble personadges vnder preteÌ„ce of succeeding course of many yeares do make glorious bragges that this new-fangled Church wherein the Romish Byshopp in enthronized is the onely Catholicke Church and the supremacy thereof to be onely obeyed alleadgyng the same Church to be the Empresse and gouernesse of all other Churches and which of right ought to be esteemed aboue all Kinges Emperours as ouer the which Christ hath substituted the Byshopp of Rome his sole Vicar and Vicegerent earth and therfore that all degrees ought and may safely submitt themselues to the aucthoritie and determination of that Churche as which beyng continually vpholden by the power and blessing of the holy Ghost was neuer seene hitherto to haue erred ne yet could by any meanes swarue one title from the right lyne and knowen trade of the true fayth taught in holy Scriptures And that all other persons whatsoeuer sequestering theÌ„selues froÌ„ the prescript Rules and Cannons of that Churche cann not chuse but runne headlong into wandryng errours amazed blindenes and extreme maddnes Wherefore those Lutheranes and Hugonoughtes are worthely to be expelled from the vnitie of that Church and deseruedly adiudged to fier and fagottes as most dampnable heretiques not worthy of any fauorable protection no not their writinges so much as to be touched with any maÌ„s handes bycause they dare presmouÌ„te once to quacke agaynst the supremacy of that Angelicke Ierarchy As touchyng which slaunderous surmises albeit nothyng cann be more falsely and shamefully imagined then those Sorcerous enchauÌ„tementes it is wonder how much this poysoned Dolldreanche hath betyppledd the sences of many great personadges and hath so long preuailed in great admiration with sundry estates through the onely ignoraunce of learnyng and ouermuch credulitie of godly Princes vntill of late by the incomprehensible prouidence of Almightie God the worthy Arte of Emprintyng was erected by meanes whereof good Letters and Bookes came to the Marte and Printers shoppes discouered the foggy and darkened cloudes of this olde mothe eaten barbarousnes Hereby it came to passe that the tedious deepe doungeons of lothesome ignoraunce beyng surprised with a certein new and cleare dawnyng day of purer doctrine as also of all other liberall Sciences beganne to shyne abroade nor will leaue I trust to ouerspread his brighte glisteryng beames dayly more and more vntill with the inaccessible brightenes thereof it do either thoroughly vanquishe the whole kyngdome of darkenes or at the least chauÌ„ge the same into some better countenaunce And to the ende we may conceaue assured hope of good successe herein two thynges do minister vnto vs especiall comfort Wherof the one consisteth in the mearcy of the Lord the other remayneth in your handes that be Kynges and Princes next vnder the God being the Lordes watchmen For the first we haue an infallible Argument which cann neuer deceaue the assured testimony of Iesus Christ who hath prophecied in his holy Scriptures that the same shal be brought to passe the greater part whereof we haue allready experimented to be accomplished in these our dayes That the Lord with the breath of his mouth shall confounde the pride of the Beast so arrogantly vaunting him selfe in his holy Temple For the next That other is of no small force I meane your vigilant wisedomes and singuler godlynes which causeth vs to coÌ„ceaue well of you that are Princes whom the Lord of his infinite mearcy hath ordeyned to exercize chief rule and gouernemeÌ„t next vnder him vpon the face of the earth especially whenas him selfe hath pronounced out of his owne mouth in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn That he will lende his helpyng handes hereunto saying And the tenne hornes sayth he which thou didst see vpon the Beast are those â—enne Kinges which shall abhorre the Babylonicall Strampett and shall make her desolate and naked and shall deuoure her fleshe and burne her Carkasse in flames of fire for the Lord hath inspired into their hartes to bring this to passe euen as it hath pleased him Apocal. 17. Wherfore awake you noble Princes and Christian Captaines march on in Gods name Atchieue an exployte worthy your noble Race and be no longer trayned with the trayterous sleightes of subtill sycophaÌ„tes but pursue with the power the godly guidyng of the Lord of hostes Emongest whom I most humbly call vpon your highnes most singuler Paterne of Princely Royaltie not to the ende to teaze you to exercize cruelty agaynst that viperous generation Onely my petition is that for the loue you beare to Iesus Christ and your owne soules health ye vouchsafe to deliuer simple innocentes from the bloudy iawes of those rauenyng Wolues and horrible blouddsuckers That enterchaunge of thynges beyng made the true and pure word of God may be heard what it teacheth And that ye lett lowse the reynes of their licentious insolency no longer so that they do not hereafter abuse you as the Iewes did handle our Lord Iesu Christ whose faceÌ„ when they had blindefolded they beate his body with whippes There hath bene to many broyles allreády emongest vs Christians to much Christian bloud hath bene spilte to much crueltie and horror hath bene exequuted whiles you in the meane space in whose power rested the staye of this outrage either wincked at their bootchery or at the least left poore innocentes succourlesse in their slaughter houses How long shall this Romishe Nymrod vaunt in his throne how long shall he make a scorne of your patience most excellent Princes when will your Royall hartes and noble courage daunte his pride when will you resume into your handes the whole sword of Iustice the better part whereof the Romishe Russian hath bereft you when will you surcease to be bondeslaues vnto them whom the mighty God hath made vassalles to your lawfull RegimeÌ„t how long will ye suffer your mouthes to be mooseled and your eyes muffeled with such blynde errours contrary to the manifest light of the Gospell If
through swiftenesse of opinioÌ„ doe affirme her to be such a Church as cann by no meanes goe astray and whatsoeuer this Church doth denouÌ„ce and commaunde the same they doe most greedely catche after with the whole bente of their fayth and defende it with tooth and nayle Out of this sincke were plumped at the first mens traditions and sundry preiudiciall opinions as certein vnreproueable determinations they call them Vnwritten Verities which by leysure they do coÌ„ferre with the Scriptures but in such sorte that whatsoeuer shall seeme to serue for their purpose they Canonize the same as inuiolable but if ought be founde contrary to their expectation then either they submitt it to the IudgemeÌ„t of the Church or with violent wrestyng do racke the same to colour their suggestions And hereof sprang all that Darnell and Cockell of errours and dissensions bycause many men did fashion their fayth after this frameshapen chaungelyng and not after the simple conduct of the word In which Church when they perceaued those and such other doctrines to be embraced as these to witte that the Romish See ought to be supreme Empresse ouer all other Churches that Purgatory must be beleeued That Pardons were necessary that vowes made to remayne vnmaried were meritorious That Mounckery and cowled profession hadd a certein wonderfull perfectioÌ„ That Images ought to be worshipped Sainctes prayed vnto and that the Grace and deseruynges of Iesu Christ could not of it selfe suffice to the attaynement of Saluation That no man could obteyne righteousnes through fayth without workes That Christ him selfe flesh bloud and bones was conteined and sacrificed in the Masse vnder bare accidentes That lay persons should be denied the vse of readyng the Scriptures participatyng the cuppe of the Lord. All these and many other like drugges though they neuer could finde in the liuely wellsprynges of holy Scriptures yet bycause they perceaue them to be shryned in the Decrees and Decretalles of Rome they doe constauntly beleeue that they must be of as autentique aucthoritie as if they were so many Oracles letteÌ„ downe from heauen Hereby cometh to passe that vnder the vysour of the Churche sondry deformed byshapes of doctrine are fostered vpp in the Church and vnder the pretence of Christ the true Gospell of Christ is in no small daunger to be vtterly defaced So that the lamentable complaynte vttered by Chrisostome could neuer so aptly be applyed as to this our Age Many doe walke sayth he vnder the name of Christians but very fewe in the trueth of Christ. But bycause we haue debated these matters with Osorius hereafter at large I will not deteigne your Royall Maiestie with any further Register thereof It remayneth that we make humble intercession to almightie God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that of his immeasurable mearcy and loue wherewith he disdayned not to disclose him selfe vnto mankynde by his Sonne he will vouchsafe to beautifie and establishe and with his mighty power and outstretched arme to defende and make permanent from all errours and bloudy bootchery the true light of his holy Gospell the bright beames whereof hath allready enlightened the earth We beseeche him likewise that by the Trompett and dewe administration of his Gospell the kyngdome of darkenesse may dayly more and more be subuerted and the Church and kyngdome of his Sonne Iesu Christ may be dispersed abroad ouer the face of all the earth and preached thorough our all Nations and tounges Lastly we pray that he will endue all Christian Kynges and Princes beyng sett in aucthority and especially the puissaunt and victorious Sebastian Kyng of Portingall with all Princely ornamentes to enriche him with all perfect and absolute clemency in vertue and true godlynesse and to enlighten him with the knowledge of his glorious countenaunce and establishe his throne to the settyng forth of his glory and aduauncement of his Church through the merites of the same our Lord Iesus Christ who graunt you in this world millions of his grace and in the world to come lyfe euerlastyng Amen ¶ Faultes escaped in them printyng with correction of the same Wherein note that the figures direct to the Foland and A. B. to the first and second Page FOl. 3. b. President Presidentes ibidem is verified which is verified 15. b. lyfe hereof lyke hereof 15. b. groundewordes groundeworkes 16. a. endyng enduyng 23. b. iugglyng ianglyng 4.2 a. you say lay you 43. b. can vvith can not with 46 b. slaunder slaunderer 56. b. in a by a. 61. a. knowen an vnknowen ibidem to the of the. 66. b. was no litle was litle 96. b. with which 97. a. pitie pictie .105 a. of him in him .106 b. ofter after 10â— b. that may that we may .111 b. excludeth excluded .112 a. in other in an other 114 b Sophistically a Sophisticall lye ibidem rather of the rather the .116 a. of a. for a .117 a. requireth required .118 a. geauen be geauen .122 b. they do they that do ibidem the sentence these sentences .130 b. not one no not one .135 b. obiect obiecteth .136 a. of Luthers owne workes he alledgeth Luthers owne wordes .136 b. deny denyeth .137 b. do to to do 137 b nature the nature .151 a. frameth frame .165 a. do thteach doth teach 177. a. iudged be iudged .190 a. deliuered be deliuered .195 a. to onely to the onely 208. a. eare are .231 a. is it not .237 b. may be not may not be .239 b. includeth included .258 b. finally which finally in which .259 a. not but wonder not wonder .266 a. agaynst agayne .275 a. is neither as neither .278 b. to the by the .280 a. to credite no no credite to .285 a. Minister Minster 286. a. fourth a fourth .292 a. yee he .293 b. circumuerted circumuented .300 b. agaynst agayne .303 b. passe to passe .305 a. successours predecessours .313 a. pardon pardoned .329 b. nevves nevv .336 a. same the same ibidem yea yee .357 b. Romeo Rome do .360 b. this these .373 b. dot do not .379 a. hundred hyndred .392 a. by be .426 b. proued prouided .430 a. our your .437 a. sword word .446 a. seduced enduced .446 b. I he it he .462 b. this these 504. b. herefore there hereof therefore To the godly Reader Walter Haddon sendeth greetyng in our Lord Iesu Christ A Few yeares past a certeine Portingall named Ierome Osorius wrate a tedious Epistle to the Queenes Maiestic In the which he imagined many monstruous errours to bee frequented in our church with reprochful rayling most vnreuerently depraued the professours of the Gospel This publicke quarell against my nature countrey troubled me not a litle To some particular pointes wherof I thought good to aunswere although not to all in generall Partly bycause I wated tyme thereunto partly bycause I supposed that Osorius was deluded by some malicious report of our aduersaries therefore I hoped the man would haue bene somewhat satisfied with myne aunswere There passed ouer one yearâ—
Peter particularly yea and in earnest will you vrge and defende stoutly the very same senteÌ„ce wherein Mathew Iohn by manifest proofe do coÌ„uince you who expresly do protest that the very same power of byndyng and loosing was geuen by our Sauiour Christ to the other Apostles in generall what will you not dare to do in the darcke good Syr that practize to defraude vs of the cleare shynyng sunne how will you peruert and wrest the fathers that will so craftely iuggle with the expresse wordes of the Scriptures truely you must either bewray your pestilent â—eger de mayne in this place or confesse your grosse errour Your thyrd place is this I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth saynte not and thou beyng at last conuerted confirme thy brethren And what hereof Can any man bee so witlesse to say that those wordes of our Sauiour Christ were not aswell spoken to the rest of the Apostles as to Peter by name I will therfore first scanne the wordes of the Euangelist in order that they may be more apparaunt But you are they which haue perseuered with me in all my temptations And I do prouide for you euen as my Father hath prouided for me a kingdome that you may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome and may sit on seates iudging the xij Tribes of Israell And the Lord sayd Symon Symon behold Sathan hath desired to sist you as wheate but I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth faint not and thou at length being coÌ„uerted confirme thy brethren In this parcell of Scripture is nothyng particular to Peter but the same is common to all the Apostles That they perseuered with Christ was common to them all The reward likewise is common to them all videl to sit at the heauenly table Agayne the thyrd parcell had relation to them all Symon Symon Sathan hath desired to sift you as wheate Sithence the whole processe of the Text therfore was referred to them all by what Argument may it be applyed vnto Peter onely Namely sithence our Lord Iesus goyng a whiles after suffer death and makyng preparation for his Ascention into heauen poured out most earnest prayers vnto his Father with a long and vehement repetition of wordes not for Peter particularly but for all the rest of the Apostles in generall whiche last and generall prayer of Christ to the Father who so aduisedly considereth shall easely conceaue that our Lord Iesu Christ made not intercession for Peters faith alone but for all the rest of the Apostles And hereof will also maruell much how great learned Clarkes dayly exercised in the Scriptures can Iudge therof otherwise Truly the most notable of the auncient Fathers do constantly affirme that the very same sentences wherewith Supremacie is challenged vnto Peter are commoÌ„ to all the other Apostles together with Peter And this haue I most manifestly proued by the selfe same places which your selfe vouched And albeit we passe ouer all these geue eare to the holy Ghost speakyng vnto vs by the mouth of the sacred Scriptures yet all this Monarchie of Peter which you do so exquisitely aduaunce aboue the Moone and the seuen Starres shal be founde to haue bene vsurped by the inordinate ambition of Byshops of Rome and not by any authoritie grosided vpon the doctrine of the auncient Apostolicke Church I will begyn with our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ who hauyng spoken these wordes Thou art Peter c immediately after calleth Peter Sathan and commaunded him to departe from him bycause hee knew not the thynges that apparteined vnto God How did Christ then I beseéch you erect the supremacie of his Church in the person of Peter whom immediately almost with one breath he rebuked bytterly by that most execrable name of Sathan and that not without cause for hee dissuaded him from goyng to Ierusalem Moreouer if Christ made intercession to the Father for Peter onely that his fayth should not faynt how came it to passe that within a few dayes after Peter onely with open mouth denyed forsware Christ his Lord and Maister But I doe much miscontentedly make mention of the fall of so notable an Apostle whoÌ„ I do acknowledge the most excellent amongest the famous Apostles Onely this I would to be knowen that he was ordeined to no seuerall supremacie in the Churche of Christ by any authoritie of the Scriptures We haue heard Christ let vs come now a litle lower to his Apostles and namely vnto Paule who laboured in the Churche of God as hee reporteth of him selfe more then they all he therefore doth playnly and constantly affirme that he had receaued as great authoritie from Christ to be an Apostle ouer the Gentiles as Peter had ouer the Iewes and addeth further that he had conference with Iames Cephas and Iohn whom he nameth Pillers of the Church as the chief of all the rest Yet in the meane whiles hee acknowledgeth no singular prerogatiue of prheminence in Peter Nay rather he vseth great libertie of speach agaynst Peter him selfe without all respect of Principalitie or mention of dignitie But why seéke we other testimonies Peter is a good witnesse concernyng him selfe I beseech the Elders whiche are amongest you sayth heé that am also an Elder and a witnesse of the Passion of Christ and partaker of the same glorie which shal be reuealed c. Behold here the dignitie behold the Supremacy and Monarchie of this reuerend father He is an Elder amongest Elders A witnesse amongest other witnesses of the Passion of Christ partaker with the rest of the same glory to be reuealed Here is a Triple Crowne truely yea a most precious Crowne not made of goldâ— nor beset with precious stones A most honorable Ambassadour of the heauenly glory to bee reuealed not of any Temporall or earthly dominion Lastly a most Reuerend Father not in any singular Lordlynes but by especiall ordinary power of his fellow brethren Who so will throughly sift the doctrine the ordinaunces the lyfe and conuersation of the Apostles shall finde a most perfect patterne of vnchaungeable consent but shall not smell any tast no not one sparke so much of this Lordly Monarchie wherof this ghostly Prelate doth so subtlely and largely dispute Unlesse perhaps he will driue vs to friuolous gesses as to picke vp children kyckesses together As that Peter went before That hee spake oftentymes first that hee looked into Christes Sepulchre before Iohn But if we shall hunte after such gnattes The honour geueÌ„ to Iames is of more substaunce Namely when in their publicke assembly the rest of the Apostles did subscribe to the ordinaunce that he made And that other also to wit when Peter was desirous to know who should betray our Lord Sauiour Iesu Christ to the Iewes him selfe did not enquire therof but beckened to Iohn whiche did leane vpon the breast of our Lord that hee might demaunde the question But howsoeuer these
thynges are construed The callyng of the Apostles was equall one maner of function amongest them all the authoritie indifferent one selfe same holy Ghost poured vpon eche of them at one tyme the promises generall the reward proportionall The which though I doe knit vp briefly makyng hast foreward yet if any man will behold euery seuerall parcell and withall enter into a deépe consideration of the most pure and vndefiled Church of Christ and his Apostles as he shall perceaue an enterchaūgeable communion in that strickte societie of Apostleshyp so shall he soundly iudge of that Monarchie and superioritie in possessiōs in giftes and other functions and all other priuiledges of dignitie especially That they were vtterly renounced of Peter and of all that sacred Brotherhood These former positions therefore beyng now thus well fenced your cutted Apishe Sophisme is cut of by the rumpe wherewith you conclude so ridiculously If it be euidēt say you yea more apparaūt then the sunne in mid-day that Peter was aboue all the other Apostles in superioritie of degree then is it most manifest that the same honour and preheminence in dignitie is due to all them that suceede him in place O leaddagger Argumēt in which what shall I blame first If Peter you say were a Prince It is all one forsooth as if this our holy father had wynges perhaps he would flye like a Wildgoose But admit that Peter were placed in Pontisicalibus as you would haue it though it be quyte contrary as I haue already proued But we will graunt it vnto you for a tyme. What will you gayne hereby That the same dignitie is due to the Successours wherfore I pray you The priuiledge of the person is not extended beyond the person And therefore if the Maiestie of Peter were peculiar to Peter euen so it ended in him selfe But if you had no leysure to learne the Ciuill Law can not common reason teache you that whatsoeuer priuiledge is geuen to one person alone may not bee translated to his successours vnlesse it bee limited by name But if these two crooches deceaue you come of and learne of our Sauiour Iesu Christ him selfe what kinde of superiority that was wherof Christ made mentiō to Peter Blessed art thou Symon Bariona for fleshe and bloud haue not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Thou art Peter c. Which wordes doe playnly conuince that flesh and bloud were not partakers of this promise nor that any especiall choise was made of the person of Peter but of his fayth and confession onely For God doth not accept the person of any man In like maner neither flesh nor bloud may challenge any succession in this promise whether it be Iuly Boniface or any other But the fayth and confession of Peter is the true succession of Peter For if his succession were due vnto personages then should this dignitie be oftentymes committed to Sorcerors and heretiques but this is altogether repugnaunt to the sacred institution of our Sauiour Christ to builde his Churche vpon so stinkyng a puddle Therfore cast away this your patched conclusion lame and haltyng of euery legge For without all question Peter obteined no such interest in Principalitie or if he did it was but in his confession of fayth onely And therfore can no man clayme any other succession as lineally from him vnlesse perhaps you may cōmaunde God to loue an Italian Prelate because he is borne in Italic better then an English or Spanish Byshop or that ye will locke fast the holy Ghost to the Citie of Rome But the Spirite will blow where him listeth and the tyme commeth and is euen now already come that neither in this Mount nor in Ierusalem nor in any appointed place God shall be worshipped God is a spirite and his true worshippers shall worship him in spirite and truth But will ye come nearer home harken to your own Doctour Ierome whose iudgement I haue here noted worthy surely to he engrauen in letters of gold If authoritie bee enquired for the world is greater then a Citie whersoeuer a Byshop be either at Rome or at Eugubium or at Rhegium or at Constantinople or at Alexandria all be together equall of like merite and of like Priesthoode The power of riches or basenes of pouertie maketh not a Byshop higher or lower They all are the successours of the Apostles wheresoeuer they sit and of what estate so euer they be c. To the same effect writeth Cyprian in these wordes The same thyng verely were the Apostles that Peter was endued with like partakyng of honour and power But the begynnyng first entered by vnitie to the entent that the vnitie of the Church might be shewed to be one Is it euen so Cypriā is this thy verdite that all the Apostles were endued with like partakyng of honour and power But you my Lord affirme cleane contrary That Peter was appointed chief of all the Apostles and that this is more manifest then the Sunne in midday and that hereunto agree the Scriptures auncient fathers and that generall cōsent of antiquitie Truly you speake many wordes but no mā besides your fraternitie will beleue you not of any pleasure of gaynesaying but bycause you alledge nothyng that may enduce to yeld And bycause you seéme somewhat tymorous of the successe of your Diuinitie in this deépe principall cause of Monarchie you catch hold fast of a Sophistical target That in the church wiche is but one ought to be one chief Ruler vpon whom all men may depende by whose authoritie troubles may be appeased and outragious opinions may be suppressed c. There is in deéde but one Church generally as there is but one confession of Christian fayth yet this generalitie of the Church is distributed into many particular congregatiōs as all Nations haue their seuerall administrations of Iustice. Now therefore as euery dominion is deuided into seuerall distinctions of gouernement so to euery particular Church are ordeined seuerall Pastours and yet in the meane whiles finde no lacke at all of your new vpstart Monarchie whereof was neuer question moued in the golden age of the primitiue church But you Reply with pretie poppet reasons That contentious can not bee calmed nor outrages suppressed except some one be ordeined chief and head of the Church This fonde distinction the common course of humaine actions doth vtterly extinguish For euery seuerall Prince doth gouerne his common weale with wholesome distinct ordinaunces and yet make not so great aduauncement of this stately Monarchy as you do phantastically dreame But perhappes this is neédefull in matters of Religion why I pray you more then in temporall regiments The gouernement of Rome it selfe for the singularitie wherof you play the champion wil minister examples vnto vs of either part Augustus was an honorable Emperour Vespasian indifferent but Caius Caligula and Nero were horrible monsters who did not onely
weaken the Maiestie of the Romane Empire but ransacked and rent in peéces the whole world almost Euen so the Romishe Byshops in the first swathling cloutes of the first primitiue time of the church were very godly and sounde and to vse the wordes of the scripture did many tymes withstand the enemies of the Gospell euen with losse of lyfe But after they had erected this Lordly superioritie of the Papane Monarchy there was of godlynes and integritie of lyfe no dramme at all but of intollerable ambition vnbridled licentiousnes whole swarmes did appeare And yet I speake but a litle It is not therefore requisite to hang all the keyes vnder one maus gyrdle alwayes nor yet scarse good pollicie For if it were so there might be some daūger therein lest the frowardnesse of one person might ouerthrowe the whole estate of Christianitie There is farre lesse ieoperdy where seuerall Prouinces are ruled by their seuerall Pastours for proofe wherof if it be not sufficient to haue alledged reason experience I will recite vnto you out of the Register of Romish Byshops for witnes Gregorie the first Who in this matter vttereth the same reason in the same wordes And for playnesse of the matter I will set them downe as hee hath spoken them whiche are these If we haue but one onely head the fall of that head is the fall of the whole Churche it any mā presume to take vpon him this name of vniuersall Byshop the whole Church falleth downe from her estate when he falleth which is called vniuersall But farre may this name of blasphemie be from all Christian myndes whereby the honour of all Priests is diminished in part whiles this arrogaunt singularitie is presumed vpon c. May any thyng be sayd more playnly or plentyfully can any thyng be pronounced more vehemently or effectually agaynst this extraordinary and presumptuous Lordlynes of Papacie Neither did Gregorie otherwise then he spake For when this Satanicall name of vniuersall Byshop was offred vnto him by the Coūcell of Calcedon hee refused it with great detestation and would by no meanes be acquainted therewith although you deny the same most shamelesly as shal be declared afterwardes But here you obtrude agaynst vs the misticall Sonet of Salomon Wherein he commaundeth his spouse to catch the Foxes destroying the vynes which be as you interpret it heretiques peruertyng the Churche And this you affirme cā by none other meane be brought to passe except some one be set in authoritie that may roote vp the mores of hereticall contagion before they be ripe First of all Osorius it is hard to establish a firme doctrine by an Allegorie Moreouer the denomination of Foxes doth no more resemble heretiques then any other wicked persons But to graunt this vnto you in some respect by what argument do ye proue that heretiques can by no meanes els be apprehended vnlesse your singular Monarchy be admitted The Emperour Phocas did first of all erect this Papal Empire in Boniface the iij. What then Had not Peter long before Foxes in chase and the other Apostles likewise Call to your remembraunce Ananias Saphira and Elymas the sorcerour forget not other pestilent examples like vnto the same and you will be better aduised Proceéde a degreé lower to those graue Fathers the first Byshops of the Romish Church Clemēs Anacletus Marcellus many others Could the holy Martyrs haue sealed our Religion with their bloud vnlesse they had first daunted the pride of Tyrauntes and heretiques with the sword of the Scriptures But here paraduenture you will Triumph bycause I make so honorable mention of the Romish Seé I wis it is neédelesse For I doe here commend Byshops not Popes Martyrs not Monarches And yet in truth I haue no quarell with the Romishe Seé or the Byshop therof nor euer had It is that vsurped authoritie that exalteth it selfe aboue all earthly power which I do challenge and will proclaime open warre agaynst whiles breath is in my body except I finde a stronger Goliath then you are hetherto But we will returne to your Foxes whereof I haue noted the ouerthrow of sondry most subtill and craftie before the Papacie This our later age praysed be God doth punish and vtterly suppresse whole sects of heresies although the same doth not acknowledge your Papane principalitie I dare be bold to vouch England and I conceaue no lesse frendly of other common weales agaynst the which you can not forge any probable reason to the contrary or why it should not be so For if there were no vniuersall Monarche of the Churche sittyng in that stately chayre at Rome ought that be any estoppell to the Byshops of England Scotland Poland or Germany yea of Spayne or Portingall or any other dominion or common weale but that they may apprehend hereticques yea and punish them Haue they no Magistrates do they lacke lawes are they voyde of sense and vnderstanding Put on your spectacles Osorius and behold all Christian Nations and marke wel the maners of the people Are they not sufficiently prouided for their common safetie and tranquilitie by their owne peculiar lawes do not Princes gouerne their seuerall territories in orderly pollicie may they administer all other matters well and can not confute the absurdities of heresies without this Tyrannous Ierarchy of Rome Can not we touch an heretique or can not other Regions do the like which are in the furthermost part of the world seuered from the costes of Italy except they gad to Rome for a Pelting Oracle do you iustifie this Osorius is this the wisedome of an old man are you so altogether voyde of learnyng experience and discretion also Yea rather before any Pope was at all heretiques were layd handes vpon Euen now also rigour of law is executed agaynst them Neither can any Foxe be foside so crafty as your reasons alluded vnto thē are vtterly friuolous vnskillfull But ye skippe from Salomon to Paule and of him you write in this maner Therfore Paule in his second Epistle to the Thessaloniās denyeth that it may come to passe that Antichrist shall come before there be a departyng from the fayth First of all this is somewhat straunge in you that you note the place And surely in very good tyme haue ye done it for euen here your vnshamefast imprudencie is taken tardy Paule pronounceth in that place that our Lord Iesu Christ shall not come before a departyng be of the fayth first but you for our Lord and Sauiour Christ haue placed Antichrist Paules wordes are these Let no man deceaue you by any meanes for the Lord shall not come except there come a departyng first and that sonne of perdition be reuealed You are caught Osorius and so entangled in this snatch that ye can not escape Are you not ashamed to depraue Paules sentence so blasphemously can you with so execrable impietie and horrible ignoraunce place Antichrist in steéde of Christ and the sonne
your owne Doctours and their whole doctrine is yours They were tractable for a tyme in the mariage of Priestes in the receauyng of the Sacrament vsing the necessitie of the present tyme but in all the rest as much as in them was they did gorgiously garnishe their Romish kyngdome And therefore in this last place you were fondly foolishe to affirme that your owne chieftaines displayed banner vnder your enemyes enseignes Truly either your memory is very slipperie or your wittes went a wollgatheryng when you were ouer earnest in your slaunderous imagination Yet are you much miscontented with these men likewise bycause they seéme to varie amongest them selues For they correct I will vse your intricate wordes by your leaue they alter they turne in and out they blotte out the old and make new places c. When you name places I suppose you meane common places of Scriptures or litle bookes of common places If it be so you ought to haue remembred the Grecian Prouerbe The secoÌ„d determinations are accoÌ„pted wiser then the first Neither can any thyng resemble the Christian modesty more nearely then if we amend our selues as neéde requireth We haue a notable example hereof Aurel. Augustine who made a booke of his errours entitled a Retractation But you are in an other predicament That is to say you are apprentices and so addicted bondslaues to these drowsie dreames the dayly practize whereof hath so betwitched your senses that no streÌ„gth of the truth caÌ„ mollifie your harts cloyed altogether in that phantasticall puddle of schoolemyre But howsoeuer you shall remaine stiffenecked your selues you ought not yet reproue the modestie of others whiche fashion them selues nearest to Christian simplicitie Neither was any exaÌ„ple at any tyme more coÌ„mendable in the Church of Christ then this of Augustine was You seé now what a stinckyng reward you haue gotten for this pursuyte of Sectaries and yet as if you had besturred your stumpes haÌ„dsomely you triumph in these wordes What can you Replie to this was there a generall consent betwixt them that sprang out of Luther no disagreement no contradiction in opinions But how much better had it bene for you to haue reuerenced that lead whereat you scorne so much then to haue opened such a gappe to so moÌ„struous pestiferours errours I aunswere that these your metie questions concerne me nothyng at all For I am an English man not a Lutherane I stand for England and not for Luther agaynst you Yet do I pronouÌ„ce this also that there was a generall consent amongest the Lutherans no disagreément no contradiction in opinions For they all sticke fast to Augustines coÌ„fession nor will suffer them selues to be drawen from it But that confession say you I do not allow Neither is this matter now in question what maner of confession that was for howsoeuer that be it is most certeine that the Lutherans did perseuer stedfastly therein As for the rest whiche you heape together are either fayned or coyned by you or banished from all men as well from vs as from you Or els they be your owne sweéte sworne brethren sauyng that they haue somewhat more modestie discretion then you Therfore this is but a slender ArgumeÌ„t to enduce me to reuerence your lead except I were too too leaddish by nature But sithence you haue shronke from your tackle and forsaken the leaden Bulles of your Monarche in so succourlesse a shipwracke without helme or cable in such dispayred perplexitie you are to be esteémed not onely a leadden and woodden but a durtie aduocate also of your Romish Monarchie if at the least any thyng may be more filthy then durte Yet that ye may the better proceéde you spitte on your handes and take hold of my wordes which are these But there came a thundercracke into our eares out of the heauenly authoritie of the sacred Scriptures that made our consciences afrayde and compelled vs to abandonne and forsake all mens Traditions and too putte our whole confidence in the onely freémercy of God Well I acknowledge this speache to be myne owne yea and gladly also And I finde nothyng therein blameworthy But what sayth Osorius to this grace Doe ye not say gramercy to Luther sayth hee that linked you so fast with such a singular benefite to abandonne all fearefulnes from you What is the matter my Lord what Planet hath distempered you I haue nothyng here to do with Luther nor with his doctrine of fayth I shewed that our consciences were terrified with the authoritie of sacred Scriptures and constrained to fleé to the freé mercy of God you say Luther hath written erroniously touchyng fayth forsooth these two hang together like a sicke mans dreame As if a man would argue in this wise Osorius is a most impudent rayler Ergo his companion of Angrence is a perfect Logician Are you not ashamed to cite whole sentences from an other writer beyng vnable to frame any probable obiections agaynst any one of them For as concernyng Luther albeit I haue not vndertaken to defende him as I haue oftentymes protected yet this doe I suppose that neither he nor any other interpretour of that Scriptures ought to bee admitted vpon euery particular Assertion but to haue relation to the whole discourse and meanyng of the Authour If this especiall regard bee had vnto Luther as in deéde it ought he shal be founde a profounde scholemaster both of fayth and a good workes and so farre to excell you in learnyng that ye shall not be worthy to beare his bookes after him howsoeuer you delight your selfe to gnaw vpon a few wordes of his vnaduisedly throwen out in some heate of disputation But by the way you stuÌ„ble also at an other straw of myne bycause I wrate that we haue forsaken and reiected the traditions of men And with many iâ—gglyng wordes challenge vs that we are beholdyng herein to Luther Zuinglius Melancthon Bucer Caluin and Peter Martyr O my ouer tedious and toylesome lucke that hoped to dispute with a learned and discrete Diuine who would without good grounde haue blamed nothyng nor vsed any cauillatioÌ„s but now finde all contrary For I am pestered with a fonde brabblyng clatterer which delightyng altogether in vncessaunt chatteryng snatcheth and snarleth at thynges ratified and approued by all men I am therfore constrayned now to play the child agayne in the principles of Diuinitie as he doth and those questions must be debated wherof no man hauyng any skill can be ignoraunt In the same maner therfore we haue cast away traditioÌ„s of men as our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ hath pronounced in the Gospell vnder the person of Esay the Propet But in vayne they worshyppe me teachyng the doctrine and traditions of men And as our Lord Iesu a litle before rebuked the Phariseis You haue made frustrate sayth he the commaundement of God through your owne traditions We geue eare vnto men as they be men but if they ones teach contrary
the father in Paradise confirmed by the Patriarches and Prophetes established by the Apostles and Martyrs continued most honorable in the best and purest ages of the world and by most notable personages Dare you with so blasphemous a mouth defile the dignitie of this Matrimonie beautified with so many ornamentes Dare you name that execrable furie of hell to be President at this honorable Mariage Beseémeth an old man a Byshop a Minister of the Sacraments so to dally and scoffe in matters of so great importaunce Forsoth I do reprehend say you the Mariages which the Votaries do contract together Uery well remēbred Syr what monument then can you geue vs of those gay professours of chastitie in that golden age of the primitiue Church when our Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles did dwell vpon the earth If you can shewe vs no one exāple of those chast soules in that most blessed tyme Nay rather if that pestilent cōtagion of Uotaries did long after begyn to infect the Churche Packe ye hence with that deuilishe Priest of hell from vs and acknowledge your owne Priest that Satanish hellhounde Hildebrand who first of all enacted by publicke authoritie that infamous Canon of cōstrained vnmaried life Curse ye that your own hellhounde Priest and batter him with your thunderboltes of wordes and Sentences For Beelzebub him selfe withall the furies of hell could neuer haue practized a more pestilent infection of lyfe You proceéde to defend Images wherein you fight so stoutly agaynst your selfe that you neéde none other aduersary But first ye furnish your selfe with a startyng hole wherein you may shroude your selfe from a showre For you deny that Images are worshypped that pictures are honored but you confesse that in them is a certeine naturall power which may bryng some helpe to vnlettered persons If it were so Osorius we could be somewhat tractable herein would somewhat frendly tollerate the rude weakenesse and grosse ignoraunce of the people But how say you Is not worshyp geuen to Images Truly people fall prostrate before thē they stretch out their handes vnto them they perfume them with frankencense they set cādles before them they call vpō them by name they decke them gorgeously they carry them solēnely abroad and make a shew of them openly they waxe hoarse with scrichyng and cryeng out vnto them in their sicknes and diseases They gadde many a wéerysome iourney on pilgrimage vnto them they powre out prayers vnto them with great reuerence they enlarge vnto then magnificently yea they do beléeue that they do worke miracles If all these doe not playnly denounce worshyppyng by what other Argument may a man discerne the nature of worshyppyng But if ye yeld not that these blasphemies are committed in your Romishe Church yea in your owne Temples of Siluania it is very well and I would to God it were true for your credites sake But if you graūt it as ye can not deny it why doe you so impudently deny in wordes the thyng whiche you know to bee haynously handled in dayly practize How much better had it bene for you Osorius to haue defended worshyppyng of Images as well as ye could though without all colour of truth thē so stoutly to deny that which your women and childrē do sée to be dayly hourely frequented in your Churches yea your selues the very Authours therof ministryng example to others But you haue lost both your witte and modestie that in so dayly and manifest abuses will séeme to be ignoraunt and withall mainteine your vntruth with pretie popet demaundes so blockish and so farre from the purpose that a man may iudge you to be fast a sleépe with your eyes open You demaunde earnestly of me whether the Images of the Cherubines were placed before the Arcke of Couenaunt in the old tyme and whether the Brasen Serpent were erected that such as were wounded with Serpentes might behold it and be made hole what then wise man as though any man could or would deny that Images pictures were made in all ages or that it came euer into my thought to condemne the commendable Arte of Engrauyng Paintyng I graunt that there may bee some vse of Images but I deny worshyppyng of them I doe allow that there may be pictures but I do abhorre all honor in them And the same hath our Lord and heauenly father prohibited by expresse commaundement You tell vs that the Auncient Israelites had diuers Images of Cherubines I confesse it but you can not shew that they were worshypped at any tyme. The Image of the Brasen Serpent◠as a remedy for them that were bytten with Serpentes I graunt it But when in processe of tyme the people came at length to worshyp it the godly kyng Ezechias detestyng their Idolatry cōmaūded the Image to be taken downe and broken in peéces and herein your selfe do wonderfully cōmende him You marre therfore all your owne matter Osorius by this your owne example For ye graunt that the worshyppyng of Images is damnable defiled with poysoned Idolatry Ye deny that men are now at this present or euer heretofore were at any tyme so blockish and senselesse as to beleue that godlynesse was included in Images and withall yeld your selues to be accoūpted for madde and buzzardly blynd if this can be iustified agaynst you What els do ye then whenas you throw your selues prostrate before pictures and neuer make any end almost of embracyng them lickyng them kissyng them deckyng them presentyng them with giftes goyng on pilgrimage vnto them when you call vpon inuocate the Images of dead persons by the proper names of your Saintes pictured there when you keépe such a sturre before stockes and stones and confesse neuerthelesse that in thē is neither vertue nor sense your selues surely be worse thē rotten blockes that will geue such reuerēce to dead stockes But I will sticke somewhat neare to your skinne in this matter The people of Israell as ye know were a chosen Nation an holy kinred a peculiar and elect people and yet in the absence of Moyses they forged a golden Calfe and beleued that there was in this Image not onely lyfe and sense but with open mouth did professe also that it was God yea the very same God that brought them out of the land of Egypt For when they had commaunded that this Image should be borne before them as the cōduct of their iourney they added hereunto these blasphemous wordes also These be thy Gods O Israell whiche brought to passe that thou were deliuered out of the land of Egipt There followeth yet more And Aaron seyng this erected an Aultar before it What say you Osorius Truely though you conceaue neuer so well of your selfe and loue your coūtrey as meéte is you should neuer so much yet you do not beleéue I suppose that those your countrey men what soeuer they be are more deare now vnto God then the children of Israell
ceremonies of chief Priest vsed of old amongest the Iewes Sithence therfore these thynges are so apparaunt either you doe wickedly dissemble the truth or you bee shamefully ignoraunt in all Diuinitie when as in the meane time you being an old man and a Bishop will neédes be accoumpted a most passing Deuine Here our Ierome tosseth and tumbleth to and fro and snatcheth after Sophisticall shadowes but the more he trauaileth to get out the more he is entangled in perplexities He sayth that we defende the title of kyngs not the authoritie bycause many are foūde aswell in Portingall as in England which do exercise kyngly authoritie without the name of kyng and those a Gods name he thinkes must be called petty kynges Truely I am not able to speake any certeintie of your vsage in Portingall But of Englād I dare affirme that no mā as of him selfe doth presume vpō authority royall further thē he is thereunto authorized by the kyng neither doe we know any such pettye kynges but of your shamelesse custome in lyeng we are most assured the same can not choose but abhorre in respect of your person Like idle tyme ye bestow vpon debatyng of your Monarchie As though it were as necessary that there should bee one chief supreme Byshop ouer the vniuersall Church of Christ as we defende in England the supreme power of the kyng O most senselesse Sophister Perceaue ye not how your comparison is wrested to thynges that are meére contrary eche to other Can you not seé that the one part of your comparison cōcerneth the particular Churche of England the other part indirectly altogether all the whole Churches of Christendome And yet sufficeth it not that you play the foole mōstruously your selfe vnlesse with your supposall ye make me partener also of your errours which all and euery of my senses doe vtterly abhorte and detest nay rather your cōparison ought to haue bene framed contrarywise As bycause in all seuerall cōmon weales seuerall kynges haue the principall and chief preheminence so in all seuerall Churches seuerall Priestes should gouerne who ought to haue singular authoritie in matters of Religion After this maner should your cōparison haue proceéded if you had followed herein the aduise of Philosophie But sithēce we argue now as Deuines settyng Philosophie apart we must enforce onely the testimonies of holy Scriptures wherein bycause we finde cōmaūded by expresse wordes that it is the will of God That we must honour the king that we must obey the king that we must be subiect to the king that we must feare the kinges sword that we must pay Tribute to the king that we must make our supplication and prayers to God first and chiefly for the king We can not choose but acknowledge reuerēce this chief royall kyngly authoritie so oftē in so many sondry maners mētioned in the Scriptures As for your high chief Byshop we will make no more accoumpt of then of a straunger vntill ye can iustifie his supremacie by the authoritie of the holy Scriptures And yet in the meane tyme shall you finde amongest vs all degreés of Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall by the which all matter apperteining to the Church is duely and orderly executed Which albeit can not cōtent our troublesome Prelate yet we doubt not but will throughly satisfie all vertuous wise well disposed persons I did write that the garmēt of Christ was not cut in peéces amongest our Deuines as you seémed to conster of vs but that the Byshop of Romes Pall peraduenture was somewhat scratchte What do you say to this Do you make any demonstration by holy Scriptures that we have deuided or rente asunder the vnitie of the Church I meane alwayes the Catholicke Apostolicke church do you alledge any argumēts hereunto do you proue it with exāples you do nothyng lesse What do ye then truly euē as you are wont and as you haue accustomed to doe as ye haue learned of your father the deuill that is to say you doe continually throw out of that foule mouth most noysome poyson of slaūderous lyeng Wherein though ye be so nooseled that hee haue stuffed vp the greater part of your Inuectiues with false venemous accusations Yet bycause this place doth bewray your mōstruous insolēcie by singular demōstratiō I will set down here your own wordes as you haue pēned thē that the Christiā Reader may by the same discerne the meékenes of a Byshop the modestie of an aunciēt Deuine and with what spirite also ye were inspired when ye vomited out this foule filthy cholericke baggadge And these are your wordes When as ye do dayly behold swarmyng rounde about you such pestiferous dissensiōs of sectes and so horrible diuisions whereas you haue no sure fayth no agreement in Religion whenas dayly almost you bryng in newe confessions Articles of the Creede amended old places blotted out and new places propte vp in their places when as many sundry sectes growe and encrease and the auncient Churche is rent and cut in so many gobbettes dare ye yet say that this fallyng awaye hath not cut the garment of Christ in peeces When as also ye see with your eyes insolencie arrogancie rebellion lauishnes of toung slaunderous backbyting lust wickednesse vncleanesse tumultes and vprores to attempt all thynges in all places boldly wheresoeuer your maisters take once footyng with what face dare ye affirme that your maners and conuersatiō of lyfe hath bene well ordered amiddes all this rebellion The matter declareth it selfe euidently dayly examples make good profe therof the places of publicke gouernemēt yea the most secret closettes do bewray the same Behold here good Reader the liuely paterne of Osorius his eloquence Behold a mighty vnconquerable champion of the Romish Seé is not this felow worthie to be made a Cardinall suppose you that in so many choloricke sharpe venemous and Scorpion-like wordes hath vttered nothyng but that the most Rogishe Rascall commyng out of some Brochellhouse would haue bene halfe ashamed of hath hee not made a trimme speake agaynst vs proued thereby that we haue most haynously scattered abroad and torne in sunder the vnitie of Christes Churche in this that he doth nothyng els but exclaime agaynst vs backebiters insolent slaunderous lecherous wicked vncleane and rebelles O franticke and mischieuous raylour of whose cursed speach bycause I haue deliuered this litle tast I will from henceforth as much as I may in silēce despise passe ouer his infinite accusatiōs will deale with his pretty poppet Argumentes briefly I dyd cite out of Paule One God one Fayth Now sayth he neither one God nor one Fayth is receaued amongest the Ministers of your Gospell First of all I did not signifie of what opinion euery of vs were particularly but I shewed what ought to be receiued of all Christiās generally Then where you affirme that we do not worshyp one God onely nor professe one fayth onely how can you persuade so incredible
whom though some may bee of opinioÌ„ to excell in the knowledge of the Ciuill Law yet will not forthwith vnder that title yeld vnto me the lyke commendation in the interpretyng of holy Scriptures All this matter is resolued at a word O counterfait GrammariaÌ„ For if accordyng to the doctrine of Peter and Paule certaine degreés bee limited in eche dignitie and by the same doctrine likewise determined that the royall dignitie of a Kyng doth excell aboue all other power Then is it manifest by the same decreé that the authoritie of the kyng must be honored without all coÌ„parison as chiefest But after your wonted guise ye runne at raundon with many wordes concernyng the meanyng of Paule and of a distinction to bee made betwixt the ciuill and Ecclesiasticall authoritie First of all no maÌ„ can so snaffle that vnbridled touÌ„g but that it will roue and raunge triflyngly whether it lusteth And yet the meanyng of Paule and Peter can not bee vnknowen to any men that will haue but a will to vnderstand it for they doe make a diuision or speciall distinction of Magistrates by certaine degreés and in the same doe precisely and manifestly ascribe chief rule and highest authoritie to kyngs And albeit ye triumphe iolylye in your differeÌ„ce of tymes yet this will nothyng preuayle you For ye beleue that this speache of the Apostles ought not to be applyed to ChristiaÌ„ kynges bycause it was written in the tyme of wicked Emperours which were enemies to Christian Religion Consider the sayings of the Apostles more aduisedly peéuish Prelate and acknowledge once at last your owne vnskilfulnesse Peter writeth in this maner Submit your selues to euery humane creature for the Lord whether it be to the king as to the most excelleÌ„t or to the Rulers as vnto them who are sent by him to punishe the wicked doers and to aduaunce the well doers Now therfore I demaunde this question of you Osorius whether God did send Nero that sauadge and beastly cruell Tyraunt as you know an horrible bloudsucker of Christian professioÌ„ to punish the wicked aduaunce the well doers if ye affirme that he dyd you are madde if ye deny it then all your former AssertioÌ„ lyeth in the durte Let vs seé likewise what Paule sayth Whose sentence herein is much more plentyfull Princes sayth he are not fearefull to well doers but to the wicked wilt thou not feare the power doe well then and thou shalt haue prayse of the same for they be the ministers of God appointed for thy wealth But if thou doe euill then feare thou for they beare not the sworde in vayne For they bee the ministers of God to take vengeauÌ„ce on them that do euill What say you now could this speach of Paule touch Nero in any respect whiche embrued his sword in the bloud of innumerable ChristiaÌ„s who alwayes oppressed the innocentes who wallowed all his lyfe long in all maner of outrage and crueltie No discreét or sober person will thinke so But albeit the Apostles beyng enspired with the holy Ghost gaue these preceptes in the time of tyrannous Emperours yet they had relation thereby to Christian and godly kynges because they should vndertake the defence of their subiectes and should be nurses of the congregation of Christ accordyng to the Prophecie of Esay And yet due obedience is not thereby forbidden to be geuen vnto kynges in Ciuill causes though they bee inâ—idels as appeareth manifestly both by the example and doctrine of our Sauiour Christ. You are contented that kinges should be placed aboue the Nobilitie Ciuill Magistrates and other officers in temporall causes accordyng to the saying of Peter but not to be aboue the holynesse of Churches nor the profession of Religâ—ous persons ne yet to reconcile the fauour of God Paule commaundeth euery soule to be in subiection to the hygher power amongest whom the kyng is chiefest And therfore all ye Byshops together with all other what soeuer Ecclesiasticall orders are holden subiect vnder the authoritie of the kyng vnlesse ye bee without soules as perhappes your maistershyp is if then ye be subiect to kynges ye ought to obey their commaundementes vnlesse they prescribe agaynst God And yet they beare no function in your Churches nor â—it in your Churches as rulers of them nor administer the Sacramentes but they may and ought to chastize you reduce you into good order if happely ye neglect your dueties or behaue your selfe vnseémely in your function which is to be approued by the authoritie of both the old and new Testament as it is ofteÌ„times repeated before To coÌ„firme your AssertioÌ„ you bryng for example Core Dathan and Abyron of a singular blockishnesse and ignoraunce For they made Rebellion agaynst Moses and to vse the very wordes of the holy Scriptures They were gathered together agaynst Moses and Aaron and sayd vnto them Ye take enough and to much vppon you seyng all the multitude are holy euery one of them and the Lorde is amongest them Why lifte you your selues vppe aboue the Congregation of the Lord Behold here in this their execrable speach ouer and besides a most pernitious rebellion we heare also in the same one onely equabilitie in all degrees For asmuch therefore as they did abrogate all maner of authoritie from Magistrates beyng appointed by God as the Anabaptistes of our age do practize they were accordyng to their desert swallowed vp of the gapyng gulfe prouided by God for that purpose But why do ye thrust these persons into the stage who caÌ„ occupy no part of the play For we doe neither entreate of any Rebellion nor of any trayterous suppression of Magistrates but our coÌ„munication tendeth to this ende whether kynges haue any lawfull gouernement ouer Ecclesiastical persons No lesse foolishly haue ye patcht to your purpose Oza Ozias and Balthesar whom ye do affirme to haue bene greuously plagued of the Lord bicause they did rashly handle holy thynges and thus ye say was done accordyng to their deserte Likewise should our kynges be worthely punished of the Lord if they would vndertake to minister Baptisme to infantes or would in their owne persons distribute the Lordes Supper or clymbe vp into pulpittes and vsually preache For they should entrude into other mens functions namely Ministers and Elders whom God hath peculiarly chosen to execute those orders in Ministerie Euen so the Lord hath aduaunced kynges in hyghest superioritie bycause they should commauÌ„de and prouide that all matters should be executed by others their subiectes in due conuenient order This doctrine beyng both â—ounde and profitable approued by the testimonies and examples of the purest ages and most applyable to the ordinauÌ„ce of holy Scriptures yet this our pelting Prelate seémeth so squeymishe at it that he spareth not to curse vs to the pitte of hell bycause we will not agreé with him in his most friuolous Assertions Ye maruell much why I am so hatefully bent agaynst the Byshop of Rome why
to this your poore sheépe a litle whiles to accept of his seély bleatyng There was lately in these parties a very discrete person named Charles Miltitius your holynes Secretary and Chāberlaine with a greéuous complaint to the most renowmed Prince Fridericke touchyng my vnreuerent behauiour and vnaduised rashnesse agaynst the Church of Rome and your holynes requiryng punishmēt for the same the hearyng wherof greéued me not a litle sorowyng that my great and inward carefulnes of duetie and good will employed for the aduauncement of the honour and dignitie of the Churche of Rome was accused for vnreuerent and condemned for so maruelous wicked namely in the audience of the very head of the same Church But what shall I doe most holy Father I am altogether voyde of counsell herein I am not able to endure the power of your wrath and how I shall escape it I know not He doth require me to make a recantation of my disputations whiche if might be done to any such purpose as is imagined would come to passe I would do it wtout any let But whereas now through the unportunate resistaūce exclamations of my aduersaries my disputations are scattered farther abroad then euer I thought they would haue bene and withall are more deépely rooted in the hartes of many men then can easily be pluckt vp agayne besides this also sithence our countrey of Germany doth wōderfully floorish at this day with pregnaunt wittes sounde Iudgementes and aboundaunce of learnyng I perceaue that if I doe honor the Church of Rome I must be throughly aduised to make no recantation at all For in this maner to recant were nothyng els but to contaminate and defile the Churche of Rome much more thē before and to betray her to the open reproche and manifest infamy of all Nations and toungues Those euen those O most holy Father whom I withstoode to witte those which with their most vnsauory preachynges vnder colour of your holynes haue made a Relligion of those detestable marketts and haue defiled the holy place with the shamefull and abhominable Idolatry of Egypt haue wrought all this mischief and outrage with vs in Germany as though this were not villany enough do accuse me who withstoode them in their monstruous beggyng to be the authour of all their misdemeanour before your holynes Now most holy Father I doe here protest before God and the world that I neither was willyng nor at this present am willyng to impeach the Maiestie of the Churche of Rome nor the authoritie of your holynesse by any meanes nor by any colourable practize to deface the same but doe freély and frankely confesse that the Iurisdiction of this Church is aboue all thyngs and that nothing in heauen aboue or in earth beneath is to be preferred aboue the power of this Church sauyng onely Iesus Christ my Lord and my Sauiour To the contrary wherof let not your holynes beleéue any vntrue surmises deuised agaynst your poore Luther And that one thing which I am able to do herein I do vowe here to your holines That is to say to surcease her after from dealing any more with this matter of pardōs will become altogether mute so that mine aduersaries likewise will lay down their glorious and reprochefull slaunders raysed agaynst me will publish an instrument of my scilence herein that the cōmon people may know and acknowledge the dignitie of the Church of Rome and yeald due reuerence to the same and not to impute the rashnes of this beggarly pardoners to that honorable Seé nor to imitate the sharpenes which I haue vsed or rather haue abused agaynst the Seé Apostolicke wherein I was somewhat ouerlauish agaynst these lewde Lurdeynes This will I doe in hope that this disorder rashly raysed may by Gods grace and this meanes be alayed agayne if it be possible For in all that doyng myne onely endeuour was that our mother Churche of Rome might not be infamed for other mens couetousnes and that the vnlettered people might not be carried into errour and perswaded to set lesse stoare by charitie then by those Pardons All other thynges as beyng but matters indifferent I do make not great accompt of If besides this I can do any thyng or can learne how otherwise to please your holynesse I will yeld my selfe vnfaynedly at your commaundement Christ preserue your holynes for euer Frō Aldenburghe the iij. of Marche 1519. Now I beseéch you Osorius what can be more myldly written then these Letters of Luther more beseémyng a godly and well disposed mynde or on all partes more duetyfull in respect of humanitie The which I thought it not amysse to set downe in this place that the shamelesse slaunder of Hosius might be made more apparaunt hereby who produceth Luther into the open Stage standyng agaynst the whole world entryng into that combate for none other cause but of a greédy desire to purchase credite to hauke after the glory of the worlde and to plye the paūche who as one pricked in the buttocke with a boddkynne whē he perceaued this market of Pardons to come in question amongest the Dominicke Friers by the motion of the brothers of his own fraternitie begā therfore to sturre these coales And this he iustifieth to be true by wordes vttered out of his owne mouth For whenas in the beginnyng of his disputation agaynst Eckius he seémed somewhat to passe the boūdes of modesty and was aduertized therof by some that in Gods cause he should moderate him selfe in the spirit of lenitie he affirmeth that he brake out into these speaches namely that those disputatiōs were neither begon for Gods sake nor could be ended for Gods sake Which wordes to be either falsely imagine vpon Luther by his aduersaries neuer spokē of him or els not vttered in that sense as they be alledged by Hosius the matter it selfe doth expresse the same with open euident proofes And yet it may be that Luther both spake truly Iudged no lesse of Eckius whom he knew to be a notable Parasite of the Pope For what is he that wayeng duely both the glorious insolency of Eckius the manifest perill of Luther will dought hereof that all these broyles were neuer vnder taken of Eckius for Gods sake but begun ended also onely for the Popes sake Surely they can in no respect be construed vpō Luther not by any probable coniecture so much considering he was by Eckius forced to disputatiō very much agaynst his will But we will speake of Hosius an other tyme by gods permissiō To returne now to Osorius For as much as Luther demeaned him selfe so humbly as you seé and prostrated him selfe wholy euen vnder the feéte of the Pope what would you haue had him doe els Osorius I suppose veryly he should haue done this namely haue recāted and fallen vpon his kneés as boyes are wont when they feare the rodd should haue yelded a fault
doctrine And in the meane time to passe ouer that whereat I cannot choose but laugh I meane this addicion not ioyned with any rashe or vayne confidence As though any one thing vnder the heauens can be more arrogant vayne thē that perswasion of yours whereby you are wont to bring poore simple soules in beliefe that such as are buryed in the cowle weéde of a Francifcane Fryer are forthwith defensible enough agaynst all the Deuilles and furies of hell Againe in buing your pardōs who soeuer shall make best stake with you as soone as theyr coyne shall cry chink in your boxes shall haue as many soules as they will deliuered out of purgatory and send them vp presently fleéing rype to heauen To passe ouer in the meane tyme other gamboldes toyes not a few in nūber much more foolish apishe then these being desirous to make an end once not for lack of such good matter more then sufficient Euen as fruiolous and vayne may I say is all the rest that followeth concerning your Church vpon the which when yeé haue bestowed neuer so many delicate colours and besmeaared her with neuer so freshe and oryent oyles berduers yet shall you seeme to doe nothing but bedawbe olde rotten putrified walles with new morter Let no man sinisterly interprete of these wordes as spoken agaynst the true church of Christ. I do knowe and confesse that Christ neuer wanted neyther shall euer want his Church which shall continue one vniforme holy Apostolicke and truely Catholicke which being builded vpon the rock of the Apostles shall enioy generall participation in one body and within one bowells as it were with the whole cōmunion of all the saynetes and godly faythfull throughout all the whole world And I cannot wonder enough truely with what face you dare so hedge vp within the boundes of the Romish particuler Church onely this vniuersall Church which is not restrayned within any limittes of place nor tytles of persōs by the publique authoritie of the christian Fayth but is dispersed abroad generally and without compasse farre and wide vpon the face of the whole earth wheresoeuer the Apostolique Fayth is of any force in so much that to your seéming may beé no Catholique Church now but that Romishe at Rome from which your Church and Synagogue ye banish and expell all such as professe Christ after any other maner then after the Romish Fashion none otherwise then as if they professe no Fayth nor followed any order of any Church at all And hereof aryseth that your crabbed and snappish accusation agaynst Luther Melanchton Zuinglius Caluine Haddon and others not because they are not Christianes but because they are not Romanistes not because they haue swarued an heare breadth from the doctrine of the Apostles and Euangelistes but because they will not become treacherous traytours agaynst the Apostles and the expresse worde of God as your high Bishop is O singuler cause O profound and Catholique accusation But how wisely should you haue done in this if you hadde brought to passe that it might haue bene notified to the Christian people that your Romish Church were and is a sound member of the true Church of Christ rather then that the vniuersalitie of Christes Church should be forced to so narrow a hoale of subiection as Rome is For this sufficeth not Osorius though you cry out a thousād times wider the you do that your church was foūded by Christ established by the Apostles defēded with the army of Martirs amplified beautified with the traditions of godly men and made strong and for euer inuincible agaynst all the battery and countermoyles of Heretiques by power of the holy ghost without the whiche no hope of Saluation may be hoped for c. If besides vayne crakes of smoky speeches ye shewe no demonstration of sounde proofe why these bragges of yours should be true let vs graunt your saying Or els if onely speeches shall be credited and if to babble and prate whatsoeuer a man listeth may like you to allow of for an vndoughted Oracle Why may not I as well with the like lauishnes of tongue gene lill for loll and saye that thys Church of Rome whereupon you bragge so much was neuer erected by Christ but hath degēdered frō Christ vnto Antichrist from the auncient primer paterne of the primitiue Church of Rome to a certayne new fangled kynde of lyfe doctrine not Instituted by the Apostles but frō the Apostles quite fallen away into Apostasye not garded with the army of Martyrs but gorged embrued yea and drucken with the bloud slaughter of infinite Martyrs such so many as neuer any Nero or Maxentius did euer send more to heauē thē this Babilonicall strūpeth hath done Now where you adde beautified with the traditions of holy and godly men and made strong and for euer inuincible against all assaults and battrry of Heretiques and shall so continue permanent by the ayd of the holy Ghost Truely in these very wordes you feéme to resemble those persons which in the Prophett did call darcknes light and light darcknes euill good and good euill First as concerning mens traditions how holy those men were I know not this is most true that your Church is fully fraught with traditions and doctrine of men in deed in so much that who so shall vncloache your Church of those traditions and Implementes of mens patcheries shall leaue her altogether naked without all kynde of furniture to couer her shame except it be a poore ragge of Moyses Iaunitas solitudo Haue we not heard the Romishe church very notably defended by this Camille Camell I had almost sayd now sake an other vnuāquishable argumēt such as all the Heretiques wedges with all their Beatelles and malles can not beate abroad when they haue done all that they can where he knitteth vpp the knott forsooth on this wise Agaynst all the assaultes of Heretiques defensible by the power of the holy ghost shall cōtinue inuinciblefor euer How shall this be knowne forsooth because the Numa of our age Osorius doth Iustifie the same with hys wordes who is no more able to make a lye then the Pope is able to erre what remayneth therefore for vs to do but that beyng vanquished with the truth we become the Popes vassalles and worshippe the foothstoole of hys feete But to aunswere briefly to this Parrotte I will demaund this one thing first not of Osor. but of the whole brotherhood fraternitie of Shauelinges If they beleue themselues to be so garded by the power and force of the holyghost agaynst all the assaultes of heretiques as this reuerend Lord the Lord Bishop of Sylu doth boast why do they vphold their pylfe with such outrage and Tirannye with such boochery and blood with such horrible burninges stiflinges fryer fagotts emprisonmentes Rackinges Constrayntes to recantation Famine and sword Finally with all maner of horrible tortures without
the Lord and there let the Church be sought out Now what the experience of Osorius doth seé let him selfe looke thereto Sure I am that Cyprian seémeth to haue experimented an other kynde of experimeÌ„t where he writeth Hereupon grow all maner of Scismes sayth he bycause the head is not sought for meÌ„ come not to the wellspring it selfe neither are the ordinaunces and rules of the heauenly Maister kept nor obserued Wherein I thinke you seé matter sufficieÌ„t enough by how much the testimony of this Martyr doth differre from you whereas you do racke all thynges to humaine authoritie onely he calleth all men backe to the very founteines of the Scriptures rather And yet doe I not deny but that humaine authoritie doth many tymes auayle very much to bridle the vnruly raungyng of sectes if Osorius would limitte this authoritie humaine within certeine measurable boundes But he raketh all thynges now to the authoritie of the Romishe Seé onely as though there were none other authoritie elles that might stay sectes and Schismes besides this Romishe Pope onely Which Assumption is altogether vntrue And therefore to make the same appeare more euidently Let vs note the wonderfull Logicke of Osorius somewhat more aduisedly The Authoritie of the Romishe See beyng taken away sayth he will be an occasion that heresies will grow in vse How shall this be knowen bycause Osorius doth seé it for such are the strongest pyllers of Osorius buildyng for the more part Thus sayth Osorius Thus is well knowen to the world who doth not see this Experience teacheth all men this But what if some meéry conceipted Carneades of the Academickes schoole will deny your bare Affirmatiues to your teéth what if he will geue no credite to your opinions no nor yet to your wapper eyes that are bleared dimme with raÌ„cour malice as it is a kynde of Philosophers you know well enough very hard laced scarse applyable to credite any maner of bare Affirmatiues Nay rather what if some other hauyng bene enured to contrary experieÌ„ce will contend with you on this wise say That he doth seé with his eyes that this Romish Seé wherof you speake is the chief Metropolitane of all sectes and heresies what shall become of this your notable defeÌ„ce The thyngs which are seene with the eyes say you whiche are knowen which are notorious in all mens mouthes which experieÌ„ce witnessing also doth ratifie to be true which are sensibly felt with eares and eyes to call these thynges in question whether they be true or no is meare ignoraunce but to deny them is a point of most shamelesse impudency Not so Osorius we do not deny the thynges that men do seé with their eyes But the thyngs that you do Assume falsely for thinges certeine concludyng false and slaunderous cauilles for meére truth those thynges we do constantly deny to be true not bycause we trust not mens senses which be of souÌ„de IudgemeÌ„t but bycause we geue to credite no Osorius lyeng But goe to Let vs moue forewardes a litle that we may seé the thyng at the length that this sharpe sighted Lynx doth so easily seé Forsooth he doth see sayth he that noysome sectes and troublesome controuersies would forthwith raunge in the Churche if the authoritie of the Romishe see should be cleane put downe I beleéue it in deéde But with what eyes doth he seé this with that left eye I thinke which is couered with a pynne and webbe of desire to slaunder But if he would vouchsafe to open agayne that right eye I would not dought but that experience wherof he speaketh would teach him a new lesson For if this Romish authoritie were vtterly abolished he shall by experience proue that this will forthwith ensue which many of vs through the inestimable benefite of God haue proued to be most true in all places namely that common weales shall recouer their auÌ„cient priuiledges consciences shall possesse their wonted freédome men shall be restored to the sauetie of their lyues all Christendome shall enioy peace and tranquilitie he shall seé horrible fiers quenched whole pyles of Fagottes and fier coÌ„sumyng â— bodyes of Christians to Ashes to be extinguished stockes to be set wyde open imprisonmentes rackynges recantations and Fagottes to be shaken from mens shoulders he shall seé the lyues and goodes of many thousands to be saued out of the â—awes of death and froÌ„ the bloudy bootchers knife he shall seé pilladge polladge confiscations of goodes Popish exaction deceiptfull buyng and sellyng of Pardons fayres and gaynefull marketts of dispensations taxes of Citizens spoylinges of the CoÌ„mons tenthes first fruites of benefices yearely contributions of Byshops great impositions of Monasteries payementes of pentions for Palles for mysters for ringes for liberties for exemptions Finally for whores and concubines to be diminished and vtterly abolished he shall seé their drousie superstitions and ceremonies and their triflyng traditioÌ„s geue place to the Orient bright Sunne shynne of the truth Temples cleansed agayne from filthy Idolatry Kynges to become Kynges and Lordes of their own and once agayne at the last to beare their sword theÌ„ selues which before bare nothyng but bare titles and scarse titles onely he shall seé Citizens and Subiectes deliuered from straunge Tyranny and subiect to their lawfull authoritie â—o them onely to yeld obedience vnto whom they ought to doe Finally he shall seé coÌ„moÌ„ weales begyn to take breath agayne after a certeine sort now at the length and the hartes of the faythfull to rayse them selues vp at the ioyfull countenaunce of their auncient sauetie and to geue most humble thankes to almightie God for their most happy peace and deliueraunce Certes Osorius if the chaunges and chaunces of thynges which men seé with their eyes feéle by practize and dayly experience may without checke be open to the viewe of the worlde you should playnly discerne and seé all those thynges if you were here in England and not in England onely but in Germany in Denmarke Sweuland Scotland Polande and the more part of FrauÌ„ce in SwitzerlaÌ„d finally throughout all incorporatioÌ„s and freé Citties this authoritie vtterly abolished Goe to And where now are those sectes Schismaticall dissentions which you do obiect agaynst vs If you know not this to be true Osorius or if happely you be ashamed to confesse the thynges that you know I will confesse the same for you and will speake the same as frankely as truely If I shall say that euen with you in the very Court of Rome in your Churches in your Monasteries Colledges Rules and Orders of Friers briefly wheresoeuer that shauelyng marke of the Romish Prelate is emprinted or wheresoeuer that authoritie is of most force that there are whole swarmes and sectes most outragiously raungyng I feare nothyng lesse least that my wordes may seéme to emporte more then the truth Nay rather I am sure I haue yet spoken very litle I should haue spoken in this maner
onely begynnyng And that the pope of Rome onely if we may beleéue the Popes Parasites must now be Lord of Lordes and Kyng of Kynges to whoÌ„ is due the fulnes of all power more then Princely authoritie ouer all maner of subiectes All which beyng so vndoughtedly true ratified with the generall consent of all Historiographers that no man can be able to deny it I beseéch you Osorius by your beautyfull foreheaded if you haue not rubbed all shamefastnes away from it where is shame become where is fayth where is Catholicke obedience so many tymes bragged vpon by you wherewith you affirme boldly that you do not refuse the commauÌ„dement of any lawfull authoritie for the coÌ„futation of which wordes of yours what shall I say vnto you so much as the liues of them whoÌ„ you defend most do most of all bewray you to be a great lyar though I held my peace Chronicles and Hystories are full of examples complainyng of no one thyng more greéuously then of a certeine singular continuall and vnappeasable rebellion of this your holy order agaynst the lawfull Magistrates Call to remembraunce Osorius how discretly and humbly Pope Iohn the 12. of that name behaued him selfe who conspiryng first with Berengarius the 3. afterwardes agayne with his sonne most trayterously supported their treachery agaynst Otto the first beyng the lawfull Magistrate And how afterwardes beyng sommonned to the Councell by the Emperour he disobeyed his lawfull commaundement and refused to come And for that cause beyng deposed from his Ecclesiasticall function by the generall consent of the whole Councell did not yet so geue ouer his trayterous practizes agaynst the lawfull Maiesty Anno. 963. It would make a great Uolume to gather together all the seditions and contentions one after other that happened betwixt the Emperoures the Popes afterwardes I will here there touche and runne ouer some as many as shall suffice for the present purpose And first of all What shall I speake of Gregory the 7. of whom I can neuer speake sufficiently enough Who after that he had contrary to the auncient Decreés and receaued custome of the Elders wrested wroong out of the handes of the Emperour Henry the 4. all right of chusing the Pope of disposing the promotions of the Church of callyng Councels not satisfied as yet with this horrible treason agaynst the Imperiall Maiestie Rusheth moreouer most furiously like a brute sauadge Tyger agaynst the Emperour his own person thundereth out excommunications agaynst him dispencing with his subiectes for their Oathe of allegiance which they had sworne vnto him what shall I say that this most arrogaunt Mastigo would scarse after threé dayes admit to come within the walles of Canusium the Emperour him selfe with his Empresse and young Sonne threé dayes I say submittyng them selues bare-footed and barelegged in frost and snow at the gates of the Citie And yet beyng not herewith contented did notwithstanding not absolute him from his fault which was none at all without doing a whole yeares penauÌ„ce Besides all this the greédy Cormoraunt beyng not yet with all these reprochefull iniuries fully gorged became so monstruously madd as to prouoke by all meanes possible Rodolphe Duke of Sueâ—ia to driue him out of his Empire in the yeare 1074. Not long after this Gregory succeéded Vrbane 2. Pascalis wherof the one did teaze Conrade sonne heyre of the same Emperour by his first wife to wage warre agaynst his naturall Father the other after that Conrade was slayne enlured Henry the 5. his other sonne vnto like outrage agaynst his own Father the Emperour In the yeare 1300. O miraculous and Catholicke reuerence towardes the higher powers to speake nothyng in the meane tyme of the warres that Pascalis mainteyned agaynst Ptolome and Stephen Cursus a Romane Citizen of great power and agayne how the same Pope prouoked Anselme Archb. of Canterbury to pricke proudely and insolently agaynst Henry 1. Kyng of England After the death of the Emperour Henry the 4. succeéded in the Empire HeÌ„ry the 5. who beyng no more courteously entreated of Pascalis and Gelasius 2. and of Albert Arch. of Meniz through whose deadly practizes and infinite seditioÌ„s the Emperour beyng throughly worne out was driueÌ„ at the last to that extremitie that maugre his hart he must agreé to the Popes commaundement yeld to his will stand to his courtesie and deliueryng ouer the preéminence of the Imperiall scepter was coÌ„strained of necessitie to thrust his necke into the yoake of the Ponrificall tyranny 1122. By meanes of which submission and yeldyng of Henry 5. it is scarse credible to be spoken how monstruously these holy Fathers raysed their crestes what outragious atteÌ„ptes they practized afterwardes whereby they might bryng to passe to haue the Empire vtterly troden vnder their feéte which them selues had miserably wasted and taken out of the Emperours handes before and withall how they might reteigne vnto them selues the authoritie of the keyes of the whole Church wherof they had vnlawfully likewise dispoyled the Emperour preteÌ„ding an authoritie from aboue geuen vnto them by Christ him selfe whereby they were made Lordes my Iudges of all Churches Byshops Pastours Kyngs finally Lordes of whole ChristeÌ„dome in all causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Temporall WhereupoÌ„ they enforced the Byshoppes to purchase their Election at the popes handestand to these keyes they annexed freé and absolute power to ordeyne dispence with and to coyne new lawes the breach and violatyng of the which must be taken for as haynous offence as if they had Sinned agaynst the holy Ghost according to the Decreé of Demasus For euen so they spake of them selues besides this also they armed them selues with those terrible gunneshottes of Excommunications of Decreés enioynyng of penaunce and cursinges and withall did rake vnto them selues a certeyne Heauenly power out of the very Heauens and exercized the same vpon the earth so that from thence forth no humane creature might be so hardy as once to mutter agaynst this new vpstart Peacocke whereupon the Decretalles of Gratian had bestowed no small plumes of gay glitteryng feathers euen now hatched and peépyng abroad at the first to establish an absolute monarchy power by the Decreés Councels of Byshops of let purpose as it were to ouerthrowe the Maiesty Imperiall Now these holy Fathers beyng thus throughly garded with this munition and engynes hauyng also subdued the highest power of the world do begyn to bende their force agaynst the Inferiour powers Potentates And first Innocent 2. choppes away at one blow the auncient order dignitie of Senatours of Rome and doth besiege Rogerius in the Castell of Gallucius in the yeare 1130. How execrable the insolency was of Alexander 3. the Cardinalles agaynst Fridericke Barbarossa agaynst whom beyng their liege Lord most worthy Emperour besides horrible thuÌ„derâ—rakes of curses they raysed all Italy and the Venetians is
determine vpoÌ„ an other Emperour to be chosen And when Themperour sent Embassadours to the Pope to be receaued into fauour The Pope drew him out an InstrumeÌ„t with these coÌ„ditions annexed to witte that he should confesse the errors and heresies of his Princes and Cytties which were none at all that he should depart froÌ„ his Empyre and should committe hymselfe his Children and all his goodes and possessions to hys mercy and from thenceforth should neuer meddle with any of them without hys permissioÌ„ and sufferaÌ„ce Which articles albeit TheÌ„perour was not vnwilling to yealde vnto yet because the Pope perceaued that the States of the Empyre woulde not accepte it hys owne sacred holynes vpon Easter day appoynteth an other Emperour Charles 4. At the last Ludouick beyng poysoned not without the procurement and practize of this most mercifull Clement departed thys lyfe as Ierome Marius doth record within a yeare after the Election of this Charles in the yeare 1347. At the length the same Charles whom the Pope annoynted Emperour contrary the ordinaunce of all the States to th end to confirme the dignitie Imperiall to hys sonne and hys Successors so ioyneth in league with the Electors what with fayre promises bribes that he passeth ouer the reuenewes of Th empyre to the Electors this did he to establishe the Succession in hym and hys posteritie as Aeneas Siluius doth report Agayne the Electors bound the sayd Charles by oathe that he shoulde neuer require restitution of those reuenewes agayne which the Electors do enioy euen to this day By meanes whereof it came to passe that the Romayne Empyre beyng thus embased and the Reuenewes of the same empayred The Turkishe outrage hath long sithence freely possessed a great part of Christendome without resistaunce and is like to preuayle further yet for as much as the power and force of the Christianes beyng rent asunder and skattered abroad there is now none other power or PoteÌ„tate that is eyther able or dare adueÌ„ture to withstand the mighty puyssaunce of that outragious furye And the verye cause of all these mischiefes haue for the more part issued out froÌ„ that pestilent sincke of Rome who building hys rauenous neast with none other furniture more then with the scrappes that heé skrapeth together through violent seditious partaking of factions and dissentions of Princes hath brought Christendome to so small a handful now at the last that the Christian Princes iarring alwaies emoÌ„gest theÌ„selues do seeme that they will neuer be williÌ„g to be at one and agreé togethers for prouisioÌ„ to be made against the Turckes nor will be able at any tyme to make their partyes good agaynst the coÌ„tinuall inuasuones and Roades whiche this Tyraunt doth dayly make into Christendome But we haue shewed Recordes and examples sufficient whiche if be not true Let Osorius himselfe confute them by hys Antiquitie whereof he vauÌ„teth so singuler a skill But if they be most true as they be in deéde if he shall neuer be able to disproue theÌ„ where is now become that wonderfull obedience to the lawfull Magistrate where is that consideration of the Maiestie which as he sayth refuseth no ordinaunce of the higher power but doth yelde that vnto Cesar that belongeth to Cesar that vnto God that is due vnto God he addeth moreouer For we beleeue according to the testimony of Paule that lawfull Magistrates are so established by the ordinaunce of God that he that resisteth the lawfull aucthoritie outh to be adiudged not so much to resiste man as to resiste God himselfe If these wordes were as hartyly and vnfaynedly vttered as you professe honorably in wordes I meruayle theÌ„ froÌ„ wheÌ„ce came that so cruell rebellion of that Ecclesiasticall Seignorie agaynst the Superiour powers and from whence those moÌ„struous turmoyles of Empires and so execrable alterations of States these many hundred yeares came at the first The principall causes of all whiche tumultes commotioÌ„s and alterations â—prang from no where els then fromout that boyling fornace of the Popes canckered contumacye agaynst their liege Lordes and Emperoures From hence came the warres of the Emperour Henry the 4. 5. then of Fridericke 1. and 2. from hence the battell of Ludowicke of Bauiere and Ludowicke of Austriche In which vproares the Maiestie of the kyngdomes was not onely violated the power of the same weakened Princes combatyng against ech other like the brethren of Cadmus destroyed but Churches also were miserably torne and many godly consciences driuen into greéuous anguish of minde and most perillous staggering vncerteintie through these outragies of the Byshops who to extoll and enlarge their false forged dominion conceaued by as false forged opinioÌ„ were in effect the very cankers and botches of the Church and of all Europe besides What stroake then shall the authority of Paule who forbiddeth all resistauÌ„ce beare amongest these ruffling Prelates who delightyng and sporting them selues priuely to seé Princes and their Subiectes together by the eares and to rende and teare a sunder common weales and the publique peace and tranquilitie of the Church with Ciuill discentioÌ„s seditious Bulles and pestilent Libelles who through their priuiledges and immunities exemptyng them selues from publique Iustice and Ciuill Lawes do vse abuse Monarches and Tetrarches lyke bondeslaues after their owne lust and pleasure do blesse them curse them commaunde them intreate them rewarde them punish them allow disallow set vp set downe treade vpon with the heéles yea with their Papane power and Maiesticall prerogatiue cast downe into hell betray theÌ„ poyson theÌ„ how true this report is the Grecian FreÌ„ch and Germany Emperours playne patternes of their fury doe euidently and aboundauntly declare the smart therof felt Chilpericke the French kyng whom the Pope deposed from his kingdome and thrust into a Monckery Henry the 2. kyng of EnglaÌ„d whose Princely crowne takeÌ„ froÌ„ his head you reteigned by the space of foure dayes Iohn kyng of England who was first driuen out of his kyngdome by Pope Innocent 3. at the length poysoned by a Monke Henry 7. Emperour of Germany whom ye destroyed by poyson as ye did Victor likewise whose lyfe also a certeine Relligious lozell of your owne order cut short of a white or a blacke Moncke for he was a Dominicane Friar by ministryng vnto him the Sacrament dypped before in deadly poyson What shall I say of Phillippe the French kyng agaynst whom Pope Boniface 8. did procure Edward kyng of England to mainteyne mortall warres what shall I speake of Henry 6. Emperour of Rome agaynst whom as rebelles reuolted the Byshop of Collen and Leodicensis in which tumult Leodicensis was slayne And for breuities sake to passe ouer infinite other Dukes and Princes of Sycile Arragon Tuscane Calaber Naples Venice Germany Fraunce England Boheme Italy Rome Emperours Kynges Princes Marquestes Dukes Counsellours Senatours Consuls whom I dare auow were neuer more horribly molested in all their whole lyues then
vs turne out penne towardes Spayne though swaruyng but litle frō the question Not many Monethes agoe arriued there an English Shyppe richly laden with English wares in the same besides sundry Passengers were xx Mariners more or lesse who beyng vnder sayle on Seaborde did worshyp the Lord after their countrey maner in their owne mother toung This shyppe whether carried in her right course or forced by Tempest arriued at the length vpon the coast of Spayne The Shippe had scarse thrust her nose into the Hauen but by what occasion I know not the holy Inquisitours beyng flocked together flew into the shyppe They Sommon the Mariners to appeare before the Inquisition and by constraint of oathe enforced them to shew the bookes of their Common Prayers hereupon threw into prison Queéne Elizabeth hauyng intelligēce of the matter addresseth Letters vnto Kyng Phillippe for the deliuery of her Subiectes The Kyng desirous to graunt her request made aunswere that there wanted no good will in him to do what he might to the vttermost and that he had also to his power and Princely authoritie entreated for them very earnestly but that the Maiestie of the Sacred Inquisition in his kingdome was of such force that him selfe must neédes be obedient vnto it do ye not seé here a notable kyng Osorius who may commaunde nothing more in his kyngdome thē shall like the subiectes are ye wont in this sorte to obey the cōmmaundement of your kyngs Yes ye obey in deéde but such ordinaunces as your selues do make not such as they commaunde nor do ye otherwise obey then as it may serue your owne turnes and when you list your selues About fiue hundred yeares sithence more or lesse how fewe kyngs haue bene in this litle Brittaine that haue not bene greéuously molested by beggerly Monckes and amōgest all others by the Monckes of Caūterbury chiefly how insolently did Anselme withstand William Rufus and Henry 1. kynges of Englād how proudly did Theobald behaue him selfe agaynst kyng Stephen How great vnspeakeable Tragedies played Thomas Archb. of Caunterbury agaynst Henry 2. Which Thomas your holy fathers for his treachery and Treason haue shryned for a Sainte The Byshop of Elye an execrable Traytour not onely to kyng Richard 2. his own person but to all the Nobilitie of England besides it is a wonder to seé what a sturre he kept No man is ignoraunt of the manifold iniuries that kyng Iohn suffred at the handes of Stephen Langton No lesse trayterous was Edmund Archb. of Canterbury agaynst Henry the 3. Which Henry succeéded Edward his sonne whom Iohn Peccham resisted wonderfull obstinately leauyng after him a successour Robert who degeneratyng nothyng at all from his successours trechery was at continuall iarre with the kyng ech of them an Archbishop eche of them a Traytor to the Maiestie What shall we say of Gualter the Archb whom sufficed not to take away Adrian Byshop of Herford frō the Temporall Iudges in despight of the kyng and his Counsell and to set him at libertie vnpunished but he must also become a confederate of Queéne Isabels conspiracy agaynst kyng Edward the 2. And to passeouer in the meane space the sundry outragies conspiracies and seditions agaynst their owne Princes by Ludeines of that coate was there euer so beggerly a Moncke or so lowsie a cowled lozell that being supported by the popes authoritie and armed with the granneshotte of his excommunicatiō would not quickely contemne and set at nought any Potentate or Magistrate were he neuer so mighty Whereas an auncient custome was established by solemne consent amongest the auncient antiquitie that Byshopprickes the dignities and possessiōs Ecclesiasticall should not be disposed and geuen but by speciall cōfirmation of Kynges and Princes and that no Appeale should be made to the Pope of Rome for any cause without the kyngs consent Popish ambition preuailed so farre forth immediately after the enthronizyng of Hildebrand That kynges were called kynges onely in name but the rule order and administratiō of all causes caught away from kynges should remaine with Monckes and such like shauelynges who would both rule the roast and the game After Becker was slayne Kyng Henry 2. made earnest intercession with cappe in hand to the Monckes of Caunterbury Priour wherof was one Odo that for his sake they would vouchsafe an Archb. of his admittaunce and withall nominated him The request was honest yea it was a request of one which neéded not to desire it but might of very iustice by the prerogatiue Regall institute and appoint Byshops within his owne kyngdome All which notwithstandyng in contempt of the kynges authoritie and without any regard had to his humble petition was an other chosen not whom the kyng desired but whom the Monckes them selues liked best in the yeare 1173. The like vnto the same was done also in the Election of Baldwyne the next successour in the yeare 1184. In which Election the kyng was compelled to yeld to the Monckes whether he would or no. And where is now that Catholicke obedience of Monckes towardes their Monarches where is the commaundement of the Apostle Wherein kinges are commaunded to be honored I will adde hereunto one example more for to recken vppe all would make a great peéce of worke Pope Gregory the 9. sent his Legate Otto by name into England as the other Popes were accustomed before him to doe to gather vppe his haruest sheaues together plentyfull enough I warrant you they call it Procuraria This haruest was on this maner That euery particuler Church throughout all England should pay one yearely reuenew of foure Markes to the pope the summe was infinite Letters were deliuered to the Archb. And Byshops commaundyng them to assiste the Legate in gatheryng this money and withall should prouide threé hundreth of the fattest Benefices to be employed vpon iij. C. Italians of the popes appointment Kyng Henry 3. vnderstandyng the matter calleth a Synode of Byshops caused cōference to be vsed with the Byshops in their cōuocation house first addresseth his Letters to the pope touchyng their aūswere aswell in his owne name as in the behalfe of his Subiectes when he could not this way preuayle he openeth the matter to his Counsell and states assembled in Parliament writeth to euery particuler Byshop declareth vnto them the great inconueniēce that would ensue by meanes of that collection humbly beseécheth them that they would not be so earnestly affected towardes Straungers as to seéke the vtter spoyle and vndoyng of their natiue Countrey wherein they were borne nor would so empouerish their owne Churches Afterward he doth threaten them yea denounceth the penaltie of the lawes and auncient Statutes of his Realme agaynst them openly Finally vpō their allegeaunce chargeth them that they deliuer no money out of the Realme whereby the Common weale may be empouerished If ye consider the authoritie of him that doth commaūde what could
bycause she loued much And agayne where excludyng all other by helpes he willed the Maister of the Synagoge to beleeue onely and sayd vnto an other all things are possible to him that doth beleeue And to the sicke of the palsey all sinnes are forgeuen thee without openyng mouth to any confession at all what shall we say that Sinnes are not therfore forgeuen bycause this word of confession was neuer heard of before or shall we say that God hath not heard their confession bycause there wanted priestes at that tyme If it suffice not to open the secretes of the hart vnto GOD what do these wordes of Chrisostome emporte where writyng vpō the 51. Psalme Homel 2. If thou be ashamed sayth he to confesse thy Sinnes to any mā confesse them dayly in thy hart I bidd thee not to confesse them to thy fellow seruaunt which may reproche thee cōfesse thee to him that may heale thee And agayne in an other place I bidd thee not to come before the people nor that thou accuse thy selfe to others But I will haue thee follow the wordes of the Prophet saying Open thy sinnes vnto the Lord. Confesse thy faultes therfore vnto God open thyne offences vnto the true Iudge with harty prayer not with thy toūg but with a remorse of consciēce c. And yet I speake not this as though that priuate confession of sinnes ought not be receaued in the church as vnprofitable whereas the counsell of a godly Minister is desired or consolation required by troubled consciences where the exercize of priuate absolution which is the word of the Gospell is by authoritie of the Gospell vttered by the Ministers And yet I doe so allow of it as that this name priuate Confession wherewith you haue wickedly entangled Godly consciences may neither participate with any nature of a Sacrament nor be deliuered to any as cōmaūded by Gods law Moreouer neither so necessary at all tymes as though without it sinnes were not forgeuen to the contrite and sorowfull in hart groūdyng them selues vpon the infallible fortresse of Fayth Wherfore if you be so farre in loue with this sacred eare cōfessiō Osori you may a Gods name go to your Priest as oftē as much as ye liste If we content our selues to be washed in the bloud of Iesu Christ if we repose all our hope affiaunce whatsoeuer in him alone trouble vs not nor hinder vs I beseéch you For thus are we directed by the authoritie of the Scriptures to beleéue that to be dypped ouer head cares in this most comfortable and sacred fonte is sufficient for the clensing and purgyng of our sinnes and agayne that neither this most blessed bloud of Iesu Christ is any other wayes effectuall vnto vs nor appliable to our comfort any other wayes then through Fayth onely which is to beleéue in his name Whatsoeuer Resemblaunce of truth your decreés do expresse vnto vs doughtlesse the Scriptures cannot lye wherein we are taught that our hartes are washed cleane by Fayth and that remission of sinnes is receaued through Fayth which is in Christ Iesu. Addyng moreouer the testimony of all the Prophetes that it must come to passe that as many as beleeue in Iesu Christ shall obteine forgeuenesse of their sinnes So that neédelesse Stole of your Catholicke confessours is altogether fruteles towardes the cleansing of our consciences In the meane space if the soule be afflicted with some more greéuous scrupule wherein brotherly consolation may seéme to be requisite we gaynsay no man that will goe to some godly learned Minister nay rather we do hartely allow therof we our selues also do the same many tymes yet such is our repaire togethers as tendeth rather to seéke counsell and comfort then for any necessitie to craue pardon for our sinnes Neither do we compell any man to do so nor do we make to speake Chrisostomes owne wordes a necessitie of Freédome neither make we a Sacrament therof Nor yet require we a Beadroll of all their Sinnes neither doe we enforce any person to state tymes of the yeare Finally we do not burdeine them with any clogge of satisfactory penaunce which of all other is most horrible Wherein it is a wonder to seé what is be fallen vpon you and the rest of your Catholickes Osorius I thinke veryly that Dame folly her selfe if could speake with toung would neuer vtter nor do any so wittles a foolery as hauing first pardoned acquited the offendour cleare from crime to enioyne him afterwardes to penaūce whereby he should be compelled after pardon receaued to make satisfaction notwithstandyng and so to send him after into Purgatory where he must satisfie to the vttermost far thyng I beseéch you Right Reuerēd Father for the honor of your great wisedome if all the filthynes of your consciences be thoroughly clensed first by Confession to what purpose serue any satisfactory and penall lawes where the offence beyng pardon remaineth nought now to be satisfied If they be not throughly clensed whereunto then auayleth that Priestly Stole Priestly crossing what becommeth of that absolution which you promise who will euer say that his offence is forgeuen which must be forced to make satisfaction by some maner of composition Moreouer if Christ haue made full satisfaction for our Sinnes and if his satisfaction be a generall release of punishmēt and crime what other neéde is there of any humaine satisfaction Agayne if Christes satisfaction be not a full satisfaction but that there must be enioyned a Temporall punishment then do I demaunde further what is it that the Priestes Stole and Crossing or the Popes pardons cā geue more to the releasing of punishment and crime thē the bloud of Iesu Christ the sonne of God was able to geue But to proceéde Now that this Catholicke people haue with this spunge of penaunce cleane purged all the spottes and blottes of conscience so happely what do they stay here No I suppose but steppyng foreward from vertue to vertue The myndes beyng furnished after this maner they doe forthwith addresse thē selues to that most holy mystery of all other most miraculous the Euchariste not rushyng rashely thereunto nor with vnwasht handes as the Prouerbe is but with feare and tremblyng doe humbly kneéle vpon their kneés with great reuerence open their mouthes to the priest ready to receaue that heauenly banquet in that which they tast not any bread at all no wine at all no nor any other terrestriall matter nor yet that substaunce which they do seé with their eyes and handle with their fingers but all substaunce of bread and wine beyng vtterly driuē away they do at one morsell receaue swallow down the very same body of Christ which was borne of the virgine Mary and the naturall bloud shed out of his side though vnder the forme colour and kynde of wine and not of bloud contrary to all sense and feélyng of
surely the authority of such as represent the person of Christ vpon earth must neédes be of very great estimation For this was the legacy that Christ himselfe the Testator of the new Testament bequethed vnto them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And agayne whose Sinnes soeuer ye remitte the same shall be remitted c. This is a great authority doubtles but due consideration must be had of the causes whereupon this authority must be exercised of that persons with whom it must be reuÌ„ant That is to say in none other persons but in those to whom the same Testator speaketh saying Receiue ye the holy ghost c. Moreouer the whole force of this Euangelical authority doth consist in the power of the holy ghost not in the glorious ostentation of Pompe and must be employed to edify withall not to destroy to subdue all hauty arrogancy extolling it selfe agaynst the knowledge of God vnto the obedieÌ„ce of Christ not to cut the throates of the poore flocke which seéketh nothing els but the obedieÌ„ce and glory of Christ. And therefore such as represeÌ„t the maiesty of Christ vpoÌ„ earth if they be bold of counterfayting and hipocrisy must neédes be exalted yea and in great authority But in the meane space let such braggers and boasters be well aduised what and whose person they do represent not the person of Moyses but of Christ not of a controller but of a teacher a comforter a fauourer a refresher and of one that is full of compassion not of a furious fretter and raging reuenger of euery gnatte in the Skie For he was a milde Seruaunt but preseruing all poore yet enriching all boasting very litle but geuing aboundaunce Iniuried of all but iniurious to none Humble in hart meék in speéch base to behold but in power mighty teaching with authority so voyd of al color to aueÌ„ge that he would pray for his enemies and not so much as brusing a broken reéde vnder his feéte enlightning all men comming into this world burning none And the day shall come when he shall come againe in glory to iudge both the quick and the dead All which notwithstanding he remayneth one selfe same person still which continually crieth out in the gospell it is not I that doe accuse you before the father but there is one that doth accuse you Now such as will take vpon them to represent the person must resemble him likewise in manners and life And yet the Church of God is not without her Iurisdiction I confesse But in this Church I recken to be reuÌ„ant aswell Emperors Princes as Popes and prelates Moreouer a distinction also must be made here betwixt the flesh and the spirit that without confusion of Iurisdiction ech authority may enioy it own priuiledge But of this hereafter by the sufferaunce of God Hauing thus ouerrunne the principall poyntes that concern the censures consistories and chaunceries of the holy mother Church of Rome It followeth now in order that with like diligence we harken to that which is vsuallye done in Churches Wherein the godly reader is to be forewarned by some preface as it were to keépe his couÌ„tenauÌ„ce somewhat grauely a whyle not to smile whiles our Osor. reckeÌ„ vp in ranck that comely kaleÌ„der of his church holidayes and solemne ceremonies of his double feastes in a long brabling beadroll And yet hath he not iâ—â—bled vp all the ceremonies thereof nor his euer able to number them For they are as infinitely past number as they be ridiculous and Apish But brauyng out the better sort of them he fetcheth their pedigreé from a wonderfull farre compasse you will say that the man was either at excellent good leysure or destitute of some necessary matter to occupy his pregnant witte vpon which would vndertake so weérysome a course for his Rhetoricall â—uffe in so tunable trinkettes of these Romish Reliques And first of all begynnyng at the Kalendes of DeceÌ„ber at what tyme the Church of Rome makyng preparation for the commyng of the Lord and so forth proceedyng foreward to other state feastes as euery of them commeth about by the course of the yeare from the begynnyng to the end doth accustome it selfe to great solemnitie and prayer and setteth downe in order the hygh and solemne ceremonies celebrated in euery seuerall feast for renewyng the ioyfull remeÌ„braunce of Deuine thyngs But in the meane tyme how idelly the common people bestow the tyme in these feastes how they plye that pauÌ„che franckly tappe the canne freély hoppe daunce lustely swill and swincke soundly make meéry mightely drinke droÌ„ke deuoutely scratch and byte boystorously moyle and turmoyle madly dyce carde surffett sumptuously more like bellygoddes then godly defilyng them selues more in filthy behauiour beastly then in tenne other workyng dayes employed orderly Osorius maketh not a word so much slyly and herein hath he not played the foole very wisely Moreouer he maketh no mention at all of the maner of the prayers vsed in these Sacred Saturnalles in their croochynges maskyng Masses Anthemes Songes Sonettes Sacrifices lamentable Dirges in their gaddynges Processions how odious and filthy vnseémelynes how horrible Idolatry impietie and superstition isvsed in those Prayers Hymnes and cunnyng chaunting euen abhominable to be named Wherein I so much the more commende the wisedome of the man who thought better craftely to cloake those clouteries then to display them to the view As when in that solemne feast of S. Thomas Becket the Church prayeth very deuoutly that the bloud of S. Thomas may make a way for their prayers to wende where Christ our Lord and Sauiour before did ascende And agayne makyng Inuocation to Thomas him selfe it prayeth on this wise O sweete S. Thomas geue vs thy helping hand confirme them that stand rayse them that are fallen reforme our maners conuersatioÌ„ and liues and direct vs into the way of peace c. Not vnlike vnto that where amongest other CoÌ„fessours S. Swythune is called vpon that he would vouchsaue by his godly intercession to wash away our sinnes Where S. Rocke is spoken vnto Honor and glory be geuen vnto thee holy S. Rocke how glorious is thy name blessed Rocke which with thy intercessions and prayers hast skill to cure all diseases come downe and preserue vs from botche and pestilence and graunt vs a sweet and wholesome ayre Whenas also S. Albane is commauÌ„ded to powre out his prayers for the sauetie of the faithfull When Wenefred is called vpon that she will bring them to the heauenly ioyes which doe celebrate her memory Whenas in the Feast of all Saintes prayer is made to the Saintes that their merites may bring vs to the kingdome of heauen c. And that the holy company of Martyrs the confession of Priestes and the chastitie of the Uirgines may clense vs from our Sinnes c. Agayne in the Anthemes song of the blessed Uirgine Mary mother of Christ
as was declared before And this was to cleare him selfe Osorius not to purge cleanse the Gospell with like submission humblenesse he testified his innocencie and vttered his conscieuce before the Emperour freély standyng then in perill of his owne life rather then making any bragge or vaunt of him selfe Phil. Mclancthon beyng Sommoned to appeare before the Councell rendered a Confession of his Fayth not so much of any hope to do any good as enforced by necessary constraint of obedience to make aunswere for him selfe beyng in no lesse hassard of his life then Luther The same in his common places of Diuinitie what vaunting or bragges hath he vttered Bucer and before him then Huldricke Zuinglius also after them both Iohn Caluine many other Deuines besides those for the earnest desire they had to know the truth applyed their wittes industry to the readyng of holy Scriptures For what could they do more coÌ„meÌ„dably wherein wheÌ„ they had well trauailed read and vnderstoode them immediately began the couert conueyaunces of fraude and desceipt to be made manifesâ— none otherwise then as thynges that lurcke before in darknesse do at the enlightenyng of a candle or torche immediately discouer them selues Now let Osorius tell vs what he would haue these faythfull Pastours do should they be mumme and say nothyng their coÌ„science would not permitte them For this had bene not to teach the flocke of Christ but to forsake it not to guide but to beguile it not to play the Shepheardes but wolues Theéues should they truly then and freely vndertake to defend the forlorne estate of the Veritie EueÌ„ this is it this is the very thyng they vndertooke if you be ignoraunt thereof Osorius and besides this nothyng els Whereas you say that this was a great and a hard enterprise you speake herein but the truth For whereas Veritie is a matter of great importaunce and doth commonly engeÌ„der to it selfe hatred surely they could not haue attempted any one thyng with more perill of their owne liues nor more daungerous for that present tyme yea I caÌ„ not well tell whether the Apostles them selues professing the Fayth of Christ first or the Prophetes when theâ— reproued mens traditions superstitious obseruatioÌ„ of ceremonies to much affiaunce in Sacrifices and the blind and preposterous opinioÌ„s of their people did euer enter vpon matter of more difficultie or daunger And therfore as touchyng the substaunce of the matter I do confesse that it was a perillous and an hard enterprise when they vndertooke the defence of the Veritie And yet they neuer attempted it of any such courage or confidence as to dare to promise any good successe of their labours to any others For neither was the state of that tyme so appliable as would permit them to promise any thing of theÌ„ selues though they would neuer so fayne wherein if they could escape without losse of life albeit they atchieued nought els yet they might well iudge that they had done a notable exploite So farre was it of that they could euer imagine or dreame of so great a renewyng of the Church of the vtter ouerthrow of the pope and Idolles and the like successes that ensued thereupoÌ„ the which thyng Luther shameth not to confesse simply without all dissimulation as that he could neuer so much as hope for the hundreth part of those thynges which God of his meare mercy and goodnesse brought to passe in them Whereby we do you to vnderstand Osorius that these matters were not begon by mans power or pollicie nor through any lightenes or braggyng of men but performed perfitted by the onely worke of the holy Ghost doubtles And therefore this Tertullus makyng his foundation with a manifest lye doth with like deceaueable falsehoode proceéde to the rest of his declamation that so he may seéme neuer vnlike him selfe You sayth he haue afflicted the Authoritie of the Bishop of Rome c. O affliction O cruell tormentes O holy Martyrdome O greéuous passions and woundes which this Godly Pope doth suffer for Christes sake Whiles I was readyng these wordes of yours Osorius I began to be sodenly in some doubt whether this were an ouerscape of your penne or the ouersight of Theobald your Printer whenas in steade of the Pope afflicted You would haue sayd the Lutherans afflicted or at least you should haue sayd so Certes if you indifferently and vprightly render a iust accompt of all the imprisonmentes setters gibbettes burning plates pyles of flaming woode recaÌ„tatioÌ„s beheadings boocheries fiers repeales armies tortures hostes rackynges and persecutions by fier and fagot it will easily appeare whether part hath afflicted and doth dayly afflict the other But bycause mention is made here of the afflictions of the Romish Authoritie it were neédefull for me to enquire of Osorius first what kinde of Authoritie Osorius doth define vnto vs For if he meane that Iurisdiction which the Byshop of Rome hath ouer his owne Seé of Rome and the other Prouinces aunexed to the same limited him by the Councell of Nice no man will striue agaynst him for this Authoritie But if by this name of Authoritie he will haue to be signified that hygh and vniuersall Authoritie which the Pope doth exercize and vsurpe equall with God him selfe ouer all Churches Prouinces Pastours and Byshops and aboue all generall Coâ—â—cels This Authoritie for as much as the true written Veritie doth not geue vnto him in any place yea rather oppugneth it very mightely and doth call it the See of the Beast to the which also it threateneth a vyall of vtter darkenes it can by no meanes be auoyded but one of these must neédes come to passe either that this vnmeasurable Authoritie of the Pope must geue place to the Scriptures of God or that this vniuersall Byshop shall triumphe and haue the victory the Scriptures of God beyng vtterly vanquished and put to sciâ—ence For as much as these two Authorities beyng so directly contrary eche to other can not stand together For if Christ would not permitte any superioritie amongest his owne Apostles will he suffer it amongest Byshoppes If the Lord himselfe came for this purpose as the scriptures do witnesse to become a minister to others to wash the feét of his disciples if he refused to be a king being sought vpon earnestlye for the same will there be any so proude a Disciple of Christ that will with his heéles treade vpoÌ„ the neckes of Emperours and will blaze abroad Scepters and Diademes of S. Peter in the poore and base Church of Christ what although the Pope of Rome will take vpon him more then the Authoritie of the Scriptures will allow him shall it not be lawfull therfore for godly Pastours learned Deuines to professe freély by the testimonies of the holy Scriptures that which they seé with their eyes and feéle with their handes but that they must be accounted scourgers of the Seé Apostolick But how much more wisely
Cannons made for the vse of the Masse ech contrary to other botcht vpp partly by Gratian which afterwards were enlarged with new vpstart and more horrible blasphemies by Pope Gregory the 9. about the yeare of our Lord 1227. and after him by Pope Boniface the 8. about the yeare of our Lord 1330. And this is euidently to be found in Historyes euery where Touching Images Idols pictures pilgrimages worshipping of Sayntes and praying for the dead yf antiquitye be demaunded what it can say I would desire you to aunswere me at a word Osorius whether you thinke those Ages and Churches to be more auncient that neuer hadd the vse of them or els those which haue had them Concerning the Celebrating of the Communion If you can Iustify by any probable recorde or testimony that the florishing age of the Apostles or of the auncient Fathers that euer any mention or motion was made of the lifting the bread aloft of transubstantiating it of worshipping it of hanging it vppe of carrying it about of sacrificing it for the sinnes of the people of deuouring it alone or of any of all these toyes which you haue chopt into the Church at this day you shall winne the victorye But if you can not Surcease then at the length for very shame to vrge Haddon so earnestly to defend his Noueltye seing your selfe are not able to defend your owne by any manifest or probable authoritye Agayne for mariage of Priestes forbidden by publique authoritye Choyce of meates Uigilles State holydayes and Imber dayes ouer much babbling in your intercessions and prayers ioyned with a certeine opinion of Religion and obteining forgeuenes for the same Be it generally spoken as before I will not speake much of your Canons Decrees Decretalls by force whereof you haue erected to your selues a plaine Emperiall kingly and poltique Superioritye in the Churche contrary to all Antiquitye and cleane contrary to the nature of the Gospell It is vndoughted true that the Sonne of God was sent from aboue not to establishe any worldly or seculer principalitye in this world but a spirituall and euerlasting kingdome which is vnited and knitt together by the preaching and ministery of the word not by any humaine power force of Armes Imperiall dignity bodely pollicy And as for your infinite rable of Lawes innumerable decrees and Cannos partely Sinodals partely Prouincialls some prerogatiues of the Pope others peculiar of seuerall Bishopps wherewith Christian consciences are so miserably entangled to what end tend they all at the last or what doe they emplye other then vnder the title of the Church to fortify you a kingdome Tyranicall Ierarchye vpon the earth Which no power nor potentate of this world may be able to counteruayle Otherwise what doe these wordes of your Decretalls emport wherein you chalenge vnto Peters chayre the authoritye of the temporall sword If any man gaynesay you herein you doe forthwith exclayme that he doth not well vnderstand to speake your owne wordes that saying of the Lord. Putt vppe thy sword into thy sheathe Agayne where you force th one sword vnder subiection of the other so that the Temporall sword must of necessitye be subiect to the spirituall sword And at the last measuring the proportion of your Authoritye by ynchmeale as it were how much and by how many degreés it surpasseth the Temporall authoritye you alledge for profe these wordes Whereas the earth is seuē times greater then the Moone and the Sonne eight tymes greater then the earth it remaineth therefore according to this proportion that the Popes superexcellency must surmount in dignitye all kingly royaltye fiftye times sixtye degrees At the length hauing on this maner enthronized your Ierarchye ye haue forced the matter to this passe That if any man will be so hardy as once to mutter agaynst the Maiestye of this triple dignitye you haue Decreés and Cannons farre worse then Cannonshotte to hale the poore Heretique to the stake and consume him to Ashes I come now to the orders and armies of Monckes and Friers and that whole generatiō of Cowled Crauines whos 's first foundation if you search for we shall finde that they are start vp long sith the age of the Apostles and that purer age of the primitiue Church If you desire to know to what ende they were erected the matter will declare it selfe manifestly that these cācred Caterpillers were sent for a speciall plague onely to deuoure the Gospell of Christ and to fill vppe the full measure of the mystery of iniquitie which is enough thoughe I speake no more of them Howbeit I deny not but that in the tymes of Augustine Ierome and Basile wanted not a great nomber of men and wemen who either forced through cruelty of persecution or loathyng the losenes licentious life of the commō people did abandon them selues into desertes and solitary places chusing rather to liue farre from company with a few then amyddes the turmoyles and troubles of worldly affaires to be carried from the quiet and tranquillitie of their myndes But Monckery was then a sequestration departyng frō the world not a profession in the world And euen those Monckes were thē in nomber but few none other but of the lay people whom not Religion not coates not cowles not colours not rules not vowes did sequester from the company of the laytie nor were they soiourning then in the Cities or Townes But coucht close vpon toppes of moūtaines or in vnhaunted woodes and fennes nor lay snortyng in slouth or pamperyng the paunche vpon other mens purses but either liued moderatly with their own reuenewes or gatte their liuyng with the sweate of their browes Emongest whom was no foundation layed as yet of those threé Vowes with the other trinckettes apperteinyng to the same vowes namely wolle flaxe colour cowle leather belt or gyrdle of knotted coard shoes cut or whole fish egges pulse heary cloth scilence night Orisons The Seraphin had not yet ouerspread the world with his sixe Monckish wyngs wherof the first was all orderly obedience the second Euāgelicall pouertie the thyrd immaculate virginitie the fourth most humble humilitie the fift peacemakyng Simplicitie the sixt Seraphicall Charitie of whom though I dare not affirme that they were not altogether voyde of those godly gifts yet was not so Celestiall and Seraphicall a profession of them flowen from out the fiery Firmament into the earth as yet And no maruell for as much as these Seraphicall fraternities of Cowled Cloysterers nor the roysting vpstartes of Religious rowte had not yet cloyed the earth namely first the Carthusians whose founder was Bruno erected vnder Pope Vrban the 2. in the yeare .1084 Then the order of Cistersians which start vppe within a whiles after in the yeare .1098 Emongest the which was Bernarde not the least ornament of that order out of whō sprang a fresh sprought of momish Monckes After them followed
more commodious for vs namely sith him selfe hath spoken in the Gospell It behoveth you that I go for if I go not the comforter can not come If the corporall presence of Christ seéme in your conceiptes so necessary and so effectuall vnto Saluation Then bethinke this with your selfe how long the Apostles should haue neéded the vse of his bodyly presence how weake they were how grosse their vnderstandyng was notwithstandyng their dayly familiaritie and acquaintaunce with God and man notwithstandyng so may miracles seéne with their eyes notwithstanding so many apparaunt demonstrations notwithstādyng their dayly teachyng proceédyng from that heauenly voyce yet loe whē he should ascēde into heauē doth he not cast their incredulitie in their teéth And what was the cause hereof els but bycause the effectuall power and mighty force of the comforter could not enlighten their hartes vnlesse the fleshly presence of Christ had bene first takē away from them And do you not yet cease so drowsily to dreame vpon Christes flesh and euen for that cause haue you made such an horrible slaughter of so many thousand soules continuyng still in that sauadge and vnappeasable vnmercyfulnes And yet after this so great and cruell a bootchery may ye not endure to haue that your notable Prelate called by the name of Antichrist In deéde is this your aūcient Religion my Lord to speake nothyng in the meane space of that wherevnto the Rhetoriciās are wont to fleé whē they assayle their aduersaries most greéuously by an Impossibilitie of proofe as this that it is not possible for you to proue that your fleshly Assertiō of the Sacrament by any reason or by any deuise or imagination For how can you possibly bryng to passe that two contradictories may be verified of one selfe same body at one selfe instaunt so that the same selfe body of Christ seyng you will haue it one selfe body may be at one selfe same tyme in one and in diuerse places at one instaunt of tyme both glorified not glorified visible and not visible corruptible incorruptible which is not onely wonderfully absurde to be spoken but as impossible to be done and which also will admitte no miracle at all namely that the thyng that is true by nature should be false by miracle and be conceaued both true false at one instaunt of tyme. But bycause we determined not to prosecute Disputation hereof in this place but to treate onely of the antiquitie of doctrine I returne agayne to your Church which you garnish with a very gorgeous but in very deéde counterfaite and false title of Antiquitie wherein you deale also as subtelly and craftely Not much vnlyke to harlottes who when they will be atcompted for honest do as much as they may frame them selues to the resemblaunce of vertuous matrones from whose conuersatiō and maners they do varry notwithstandyng altogether Euen so fareth it with your Church I speake of that shape and countenaunce of the Church that now is not that which was long agoe For as I may not deny that the Church of Rome in that pure and primer age deserued wonderfull yea the principall commendation of all others not onely in respect of the noumber of Martyrs that suffred there but also in respect of her vnstayned sinceritie and Fayth euen so comparyng the Church that now is with the Church that then was The example is so farre of frō any liuely resemblaunce of the first patterne that it seémeth quite transformed and I can not tell how mishapen into a certeine chaungelyng Else without any mauer of likely applyable nesse to the feature or countenaunce of that first and auncient simplicitie and sinceritie For such was the lyfe of Christians in that purer age that they would not swerue one tytle so much from their profession Moreouer such was their profession that it would not raunge an hearebredth from the prescript rule of the Institutions Apostolique And such was the rage of persecution then as would now supper them to be Idely sluggish or to geaue themselues to vnlusty Lazines As for delightes and pleasures to rake riches together to build pallaces to seéke the exalting of themselues by honorable titles and dignityes they had neuer one minute of spare tyme to bestowe their wittes vpon Their dayly exercise then was a continuall wresting agaynst the world and the Deuill They spent all their tyme in labors and perills their whole lyfe was a paynfull turmoyle all their power was nought els but prayer Their fortresse was grounded vpon Christ Yea for Christ onely was their whole warfare Neither were those valiant souldiours destitute in the meane time of a singuler Chefetayne Christ himselfe was the chief generall of this Army who did either mitigate the horror and cruelty of their agonyes by his omnipotent power or with some comfortable restoratyue qualifie their greéues so ordering and attempering the proceédyngs and alterations of his Church that he would neither suffer the vaynes and sinowes of the same to gather any infection by ouerflowing plenty of ytching delights of this flattering world nor to be discouraged or vanquished with any immoderat assaultes or excessiue stormes of aduerse fortune and at the last would conduct them to a ioyfull Triumph and end of all their Troubles and afflictions And this was the very order of the first foundation and building of that auncient Church So that neither tickeling enticementes of the world could defile the lyfe of the godly nor any contagious error infect their doctrine For the very same ordinaunces and rules of doctrine which thapostles receaued of Christ and the holy ghost the same also which came from the Apostles vnto the Church were reteined with vnremoueable cōstancye So also was nothing at all mingled or chopt in for vse or worshippe vnlesse being deliuered from Christ or his Apostles had the rootes thereof vnseparably planted in the knowen authoritye of the sacred worde Inuielable as yet was that sacred rule of this commaundement See that you adde nothing nor diminishe any thing And that other also of Saint Paule Whosoeuer shall teach you any other Gospell lett him be holden accursed And this also They doe worshippe me in vayne teaching the doctrine and traditions of men c. Those superfluous swarmes of superstitious traditions of men were not yet growen in vre men were not yet ouercloyed with the cumbersume clusters of crabbed constitutions For it seemed good to the holye ghost not to burdeine the Gentiles with the ordinaunces prescribed in the old lawe That vnmeasurable heape of ragged Rytes were not yet raked together nor hard of in the Church Nor was there any neéde of naked ceremonies where sufficed to euery person to serue and worshippe God in spirite and trueth Nether was any thing worshipped then but his Deitye alone Afterwardes in deéde the age of the Apostles being runne ouer and the number of Christians encreasing certaine ordinaunces were instituted by
the Fathers and Elders which did apperteine to the well ordering and gouernmēt of outward discipline Yet euen in these was such a moderation consonauncy obserued as should nether extinguishe the glory of the Gospell nor entāgle consciences with combersome charge but serue onely for preseruation of necessarye orders For due obseruation of the which was graunted to the Church a certayne authoritye and power to dispose and determine according to the nature of places and necessitye of tymes such thinges as might seéme most agreéable and couenable for their assemblies But this authority hedged in as it were within her certein limits and boundes as was but humaine so forced it not such a necessitye of obseruance as did those other commaunded immediately from God For lyke consideration may not be taken of humaine precepts commaunded by men onely as must be had of thordinaunces of God Hereof commeth it that the breach or not performaunce of that one being done without arrogant cōtēpt or reprochful disdayn is not punishable as mortall deadly sinne In lyke maner the godly ministers of the Church were not without their due honor and authority yet such it was as exceéded not the appointed lymittes and measure For as then function ecclesiasticall was a Ministery and seruice not a Maistry or Lordshippe which consisteth in two thinges chiefly In preaching the worde and ministring the Sacraments and in directing outward discipline and ordering maners and misdemeanours In which kinde of ministery although cōmaundement be geuē to yeald due obediēce vnto the pastors yea though we heare these wordes spoken of Ministers He that heareth you heareth me Yet tend they not to this end that they may after their owne wittes and pleasures make new innouations frame new fashions of doctrine and coyne new Sacraments thrust in new worshippings and new Gods or thereby to erect a kingdome in the Church But their whole power and authoritye is restrayned to the prescript rule of the Gospell not to dispence and dispose thinges after their owne luste but to be the dispensors and disposers of the misteries of God Wherevpon in matters appertayning to Gods Lawe conscience is bound to yealde due obediēce to the pastoures according to this saying He that refuseth you refuseth me In other thinges that concerne the Tradicions of men or that haue no assurance of their creation by any principle of doctrine herein ought speciall regard to be had First to what end they are commaunded then also by what authoritye they are brought into the Church For the ordinaunces which are thrust in vnder such maner and condition as may enfeéble true confidence in the Mediator as may dispoyle cōsciences of their freédome and ouerthrowe the maiestie of gods grace or are linked together with a vayne opinion of righteousnes of worshipping of remission of sinnes of merites of Saluation or of vnauoydable necessitye Such I say ought without all respect to be hauished and abandoned as pestilent batches from the communion and congregation of the Church Consideration also must be had of the difference betwixt these thinges which the Church doth charge mens consciences withall by mans authoritye onely and the thinges which are established and proclaimed by the expresse word and commaundement of God For although the Church may of duety require a certein subiuection to the ecclesiasticall ministers as that we ought to obey the ordinaunces that are instituted for preseruation of ciuill societye and couenable decency Yet must the ministers be well aduised least vnder pretence and colour of ecclesiasticall authoritie they eyther commaund the things that are not expedient or oppresse the simple people with vnmeasurable Burdeines or thinke with them selues that the Church is tyed of neccessity to any Lawes established by men Euen so and the same that hath bene spoken of mēs Constitutions may in effect be applyed to Iudicall Courts Iudgementes For although authoritye be committed to the Church to iudge and determine of doctrines and outward misdemeanours although the resolution of doubtfull cōtrouersies the discouerie and opening of matters obscure the declaring and debatyng of matters confuse the reformation and amendement of matters amysse be left ouer to the Censure and iudgement of the Church many tymes Yet is not this ordinary authoritye so arbitrary and absolute but is also fast tyed to the direct rule of the worde So that in matters of controuersie this Authoritie came conclude commaunde nothing but that which the word of the Gospel must make warrantable Neither hath this authoritye any such prerogatiue to make any alteration of Gods Scriptures or to forge false and vntrue interpretations which may auaile to establishe an authoritye of men or of orders or to make any new articles of fayth or to bring in straunge Inuocations which are directly repugnant to the manifest authoritye of the Scriptures And therfore we creditt the Church as a Mistres and a teacher foreshewing the truth yet after an other maner altogether then as we be bound to obey the word of the Gospell preached in the Church by the mouth of Gods faythfull ministers which authoritye when they put in execution according to the authoritye of Gods word we doe beleue them yet so neuerthelesse beleue them as that our creditt is not grounded now vpon the testimonie of the Church nor vpon men but vpon the worde of God namely because their iudgemēt is agreable and consonant with the rule of the sacred scriptures and with a free confession of the Godly iudging directly accordyng to the voyce and worde of God The Church therfore hath authoritie in decyding controuersies of doctrine Yet so that it selfe must be ouerruled by the authoritie of the word Otherwise the Church hath neither authoritye nor iudgement contrary to the consonancy of the Scriptures In lyke maner in discipline and reformation of maners the Church may determine and iudge But here also consideration must be had of the differēce For the censures ecclesiasticall are of one kinde but Iudgements temporall of an other kinde For in forinsicall and temporall causes when Iudgementés are geuen although they receaue their authoritie from the word of God yet are they in force in respect of the authoritye of the Prince and the Magistrate And therefore they minister correction with punishment corporall according to the qualitye of the trespasse But the iudgements of the Church are farre vnlyke For in those maner of offences which appertayne to the ecclesiasticall Consistorye the Church hath her proper iudgements and peculiar punishments Wherewith it doth not afflict or crucifie mens bodyes notwithstandyng nor pursue vnto death but cutteth of from the congregation onely and common society of men such as doe wilfully and stubburnely sett themselues agaynst the Ministerye and such as doe harden themselues and obstinately perseuer in wickednes agaynst order and conscience and continue in errors and other notorious crimes contrary to the prescript rule of sound doctrine
Agaynst such the Church thundereth out endles excommunicatiōs denoficing the horrible curse of Gods euerlasting wrath and vnappeasable displeasure except they repent And these punishmentes of the primitiue Church in old tyme called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as were neuer ministred but vpon greuous and vrgent causes so was there no hope of release from the same vnlesse playne demonstration were made by open and publique confession of true and vnfayned repentaunce Which kinde of censure the aūcient Fathers deuided into threé degreés 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excommunication Whereby all maner of offenders aswell spirituall as temporall were as it were cut of from all societye and partaking of the Church and Sacramēts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depriuation Whereby such as were but newly professed were remoued from their function 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sequestration Whereby all offendours whatsoeuer were excluded from the Sacraments some from partaking of all the Sacramentes and some from the Communion onely whom the Grecians doe note by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remouyng from the Communion table onely And thys was the very order and gouernement of the prymityue and Apostolique Church wherein florished not onelye that sincerity of doctrine whereof I spake before but also Ecclesiasticall discipline touching distrybution of dignityes placing of elders ordering of times reading of lessons frequenting of exercises Inquisition of lyfe Reformation of manners and other profitable ordinaunces established after the best manner was dayly exercised All which the prymytyue and vndefiled antiquity of the auntient Fathers obserued purely and sincerely after the age of the Apostles and in all respects very reuerently and orderly as the decrees and Canons of godly assemblies and Synods together with the Hystoryes and Monumentes of auntient Fathers do playnely and manifestly record Hauing now described and faythfully expressed the verye face and countenaunce of the auncient primitiue Church I referre me to any equall and indiferrent iudgement to discerne whether the Lutheran Church or the Lateran Churche of Rome to resemble that primitiue Church neérest And as for that primitiue Church of Rome hath bene aboundauntly and sufficiently spoken of already Now could I wish that the Romish prelates would vouchsafe to deliuer likewise some painted vysour of theyr Ieratohye if it myght please them or if they refuse so to do we will not disdayne to do so much in their behalfe whereby godly mindes may euydently perceyue the true causes that moued those Lutherans iustly to sequester themselues from that Romysh Reuell In which theyr sequestration notwithstanding from Rome they haue not remoued themselues one ynche so much the more from the Church of Christ. I speak of the Romish Church once agayne I say in that state that it is now The first Institution whereof touching doctrine and Traditions if be sifted and searched by comparing of her first foundation to the true Church of Christ it will euydently appeare that thys Romysh Church being but a late newfāgled vpstart doth expresse no sparke of resemblaunce of that auncient antiquity but patcht and botcht vppe altogether with new opinions erroneous abuses Idolatries traditions deuised by authority of men ioyned with an opinion of necessary worshipping and obseruaunces It is most certayne that the foundations of Christes church were grounded first vpon sure playne infallible and vnmoueable demonstrations proclaymed from aboue in the writinges propheticall and Apostolicall which be builded vpon the true knowledge of the essentiall will of God vpon true inuocation and prayer vpon vnfayned obedience to godward vpon assured acknowledgemēt affiaūce in the Mediator wh is very God and very mā and which doth display abroad the kingdome of Christ to be a spirituall and an euerlasting kingdome not temporall nor instituted or gouerned by mans pollicye or power but begonne by the preaching of the Gospell and enlarged by fayth in them which doe beleue and obay the word of doctryne and life with a pure and sincere affection On the contrary part the foundations of the Romish Ierarchy are builded vpon the decrees of Popes entangled with most intricate and I know not what most crabbed and crooked questions of Scholeianglers Polluted with most manifest errors vtterly dissentyng and cleane contrary to the prescript rule of Gods word which being apparaunt enough in very many matters besides yet is notably discernable in iiij principall pointes chiefly Fyrst Because this doctrine doth abolish quite the doctrine of the law of repentaunce of righteousnes by fayth and commaundeth a mammering doubtfulnesse out of which puddle yssueth an outragious ouerflowing Sea of papisticall errors Secondaryly because it doth transpose merites and worshippings which are proper and peculiar vnto the sonne of God into adoration oblation and application of the consecrated breade for the quicke and the dead by merite meritorious in theyr masking Masse and without theyr masse whereas in very deéd the Gospell doth playnely teach that the benefittes of the sonne of God are not applied to any person but in respect of euery theyr proper and peculiar fayth Thirdly after the manner of Infidels Because it translateth to dead men Inuocation which ought to be yelded to God onely Fourthly because it commaūdeth traditions of men Mounckish vowes Canonicall satisfactions pilgrimages and innumerable such dredge with an opinion of merite worshyppyng and necessary obseruaunce and doth preferre the same before the commaundementes of the law which God hath commaunded to be especially obserued To this Beadroll appertayne more then dottered Bussardly fables of Purgatory Pardons secret and compulsary confesūon pompous Processions and superstitious supplications wherein is carryed abroad to be gazed vpon the consecrated bread profaning of the Lordes Supper making sale thereof as it were in open Fayre or Markette Magicall consecrations of naturall thinges to wytte of water wyne oyle salt and such like What shall I say of that more then whorysh shamelenesse when as the Popes without all proofe or probabilyty of aunciēt antiquity of a certayne insolent arrogancy not by any Dyuyne authoryty but through theyr owne trayterous treachery haue raysed to them selues not a true Catholicke and Apostolycke Church to Christ Iesu but a Seraphycall Ierarchy exceédyng all earthly prymacy superiority and potentaty Wherein reygneth in place of Christ a proud Popysh Peacock For the Apostles cormoraunt Cardinalles For Martyres monstruous Mounckes for professors pestiferous persecutors For fathers Bellygod Byshoppes and Gorbelly Abbottes For Euangelistes cruell Canonistes Copistes Decretaries Summularyes seditious Sententioners For Minysters sheépysh shauelinges And for Pastours Maskyng Massemongers Who hauyng rauenously Raked the ryght of the Church haue turned and chaūged it into a newfangled fashion of an earthly kingdome where it may not suffice to serue Chryst Iesu our pastor and head onely to settle our selues vpon hym whollye to depend vpon hys mercy onely Unlesse we become vassals and bondslaues to thys popysh Byshoppe and honour him as a certayne other Chryst vpon earth who vnder a delycate vysor of
gloryous name coūterfaytyng the hornes of the immaculate Lambe doth vnder the person of Chrystes Uycar on earth attempt nothyng els in very deéde but that he may be the chiefe Monarch of the whole world and that all others Princes and Potentates of the earth may become buxam and bonnair vnto hys beck and commaundement For may it be lawfull Osorius for a man to speake the trueth franckely and in playne wordes to call a Toad a Toad Let that vysor of presumptuous pretence be pluckt from your pates and but a litle whyles turne downe that tytle and cloake of the Church wherewith you couer your selues and lette vs behold the thyng as it is in deéd to wytte the whole course of your conuersation your treasury myghty Maiesty gallant trayne pryncely pallaces stately dignyty pompous pryde terryble Lawes your lofty Castles presumptuous power what difference shal we seé betwixt the hyghest gouernemēt of an Empyre and the supremacy of the Pope betwixt the courtes of Kinges and the Reuelyng Rout of Rome betwixt Princes parliamēts and the Popes generall councels Now if you lyst to take a view of the gallaunts themselues what is the Pope himselfe other thē the Monarch and chiefe Ruler of thys world sauyng that other worldly Prynces be crowned wyth one single Dyademe onely but thys Ruffeler can skarse be satisfied wyth a Tryple Crowne Cardynalles what do they represent els then kynges and kynges Sonnes what do the Patryarches Archbyshoppes Byshopps and Abbottes in that pontificall kyndome shew themselues other then earthly prynces Dukes Earles equall or rather exceédyng them in sumptuousnesse wayted vpon wyth stately trayne wheresoeuer they goe and Ryde and many of them also Rynged and Chayned to whom a man may lawfully lyncke the Lubberly Rowt of monstruous Mounckes and false Fryers in stead of a gard Finally what one thing is done in any common wealth or pryncely courtes that these iolly Rufflers haue not conueyed into the Church of Christ by ambytious emulation Kynges and Emperours enduced hereunto for necessary preseruation of theyr state doe ioyne vnto them counsellors and Piers Those haue theyr Ambassadours and Messengers they haue also theyr pryuy ligiers and skowtes what doth the Pope want his consistory hath not this most holy father his Synodaryes doth he lack his legates nati legates de latere who wheresoeuer they be sent vse no lesse pompe thē any other Piere or potētate of highest nobility yea though he be neuer so sumptuous No more is he destitute of his skowtes and spyes whom he hath priuelye lurkyng euery where armed with treason at a pynche in princes courtes in theyr councels yea in the closettes pryuy chambers of Kynges and Queénes Do ye not thinke that thys is a comely concordaunce Osorius and a reasonable resemblaunce of Chrystes lyfe and commaundementes agreéable with the Apostles and Euangelists with the auncient Fathers with the ordinaunces of the primitiue Church and with the former presidēt of the Elders The Lord cryeth out in the Gospell As my lyuing Father sent me euē so do I send you What and do you thinke that he was so sent into the world that he should establish a new Regyment on earth and like an other Romulus builde an other stately and Emperiall Rome Or do ye thinke that the ministers of Chryst were sent after any other sort then the Sonne himselfe was sent from the Father Christ proceédeth yet foreward Receaue ye the holye Ghost sayth he whosoeuer Sinnes you shall forgeue the same are forgeuen them whosoeuer Sinnes you shall retayne the same also shal be retayned Other power then this he neuer did entitle his Church withall nor yet gaue this power to any but vnto them onely whom he purposed to endue with his holy spirite If we will value the Church of Christ by Christ his owne Lawes and not after the decreés of Popes what can be more euident then the wordes which he spake vnto his Disciples Ye know that such as will seeme to rule ouer Nations are Lordes ouer them theyr Princes haue dominion ouer them But it shall not be so with you for he that will be greatest shall humble himselfe minister to all the rest For the Sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister to other himselfe and to geue his lyfe to be a redemption for many Agayne Who made me iudge betwixt you we are taught like wise in Paule that the weapons of our warrefare are not carnall but mighty in the power of God wherewith we captiuate all vnderstanding and wisedome in subiection vnto Christ. And agayne Let euery man so esteeme of vs as the ministers of Christ and Stewardes of the misteryes of God And the same Paule in an other place Not because we be Lordes ouer your faith but we be helpers of your ioy For by fayth you are made perfect In the same sence also Peter Not being Lordes ouer the Clergy sayth he And agayne in the thyrd chapter of the same Epistle meaning to expresse the efficacy of the Gospell he doth call it a ministery not of the flesh but of the spirite And therefore to the end he may make vs more spirituall he doth wisely forbidde not the ministers onely but generally all other to be alike fashioned to this present word what would he now say If he did beholde the shape and vgly deformity of the Romish Church as it is now if heé aduised well the Royaltyes of S. Peter the fulnes of power the authority of both swordes the Keyes of all Churches stollen away and hanged all vpon the Romish bunch the toppe gallaūt of the pontificall maiesty the Cardinalles the Legates preuayling aboue Prynces the empalled and Mytred Byshoppes the orders of Shauelings the swarmes of Mounckes and Fryers the Lawes Bulles decreés which they vse as forcible as Cānon shotte theyr might and power fearefull yea terrible also to Princes The Lord hymselfe cryeth out mightely in the Gospell that his kingdome is not of this world nor canne away with the thinges that are mighty of the earth But our pontificall prelate will storme and waxe wroth if the world enioy any thyng that is not subiect vnto his power And this Ierarchy meane whiles more then wordly they fayne and God will to be the Church at whose becke as at the sight of Gorgones vgly face they make astonyed all the Monarches and Tetrarches of the earth And the same haue they magnified with the name of Catholicke forsooth By vertue of which name they will haue to be notyfied not a congregation dispersed vpon the face of the whole earth agreéing together in one conformity of doctryne and worshypping of Christ whyche doth make a true Catholicke Church But they meane hereby that onely Ierarchy which they will haue tyed fast to the Romyshe Seé And hereunto for the greater aduauncement of the authority they haue deuised a trymme tytle of Antiquity
Behold say they was there euer any Church if the Church of Rome were not a Church glorying as it were vpon the tytle of Antiquitye whereas neuer any one thing doth differre more from all antiquity wherein these Romish skippiacks seéme in my conceit not much lyke litle boyes playing the Comedyes of Plautus vpon some stage where one playeth the part of Chremes an other of Menedemus or Cremilus who beyng not yet come to be hoary and grayheaded by course of yeares because they will sette a graue countenaūce vpon the matter and seéme olde men before the gazers vpon them about on the Skaffoldes they put vpon them counterfayt trynckets to witte a white hoary beard vpon theyr chynne gray and white lockes vpon theyr heades counterfayting theyr gate with stooping and crooching they rest their handes vpon some staffe shaking and tremblyng and fashion theyr voyces bigge like olde men doyng all this with a certayne witty and crafty conueyaunce of counterfayting so that if you behold theyr outward handling and gesture you would say they were olde men but if you discharge them of theyr Roabes and plucke of theyr vysours you shall finde them nothing lesse then such as they haue fayned themselues to be Not much vnlike is this dottrell Ierarchy of Rome which it is a wonder to seé how many yeares it vaunteth of continuaunce in wordes in voyce in countenaunce gesture and outward resemblaunce Fiftene hundreth yeares and more say they did our predecessors beginne to sitte in this chayre euen from the first foundatiō of the prymitiue Church which being erected in Christ himselfe established by the Apostles confirmed with a cōtinuall course of neuer fayling Succession receiued by generall consent from the Auntient Fathers and from them hath remayned bene deriued vnto vs by aperpetuall and permanent deliuery of Succession But your Church which you call an Euangelicall Church where was it euer seene or heard at any time of any man These verely be the vysours and stagelike gugawes wherewith this Romish counterfaytes haue played their tragicall partes wherewith they haue beguiled many simple people hetherto But lett vs plucke of theyr visors and discouer this bellygod Pope a whytes that we maye throughly behold what manner of puppette this smoath Apish Church is within About fiftene hundreth yeares sithence and more they say that this Church wherein they raygne now like Lordes was and hath had vnchaunged continuaunce Albeit this be but to small purpose what cōtinuaunce things that are false and altogether vntrue do prescribe vpon Yet if the age of the Church be so great as they pretēd it to be lette them shew thē out of all the antiquities of thinges places tymes or persons what one of all the Apostles or Euangelistes what one auncient Father or auncient Church did euer heare the name of vniuersall Pope before these thousand yeares last past or if they now heard it would permitt it in the Church what Law did euer enforce and binde all churches generally to the ordinary Succession of one Churche or euer appoynted so great a toppegallaunt of Maiesty which as before the chiefe and hyghest iudge may clayme prerogatiue of Iurisdiction ouer all causes in the world to be decided within hys owne consistory which might arrogantly challenge the fulnesse of power which as it were out of one high court of parlyament might rule ouer all Churches and beare dominion ouer all the world as ouer one peculier dioces which might challēge the authority of both swordes might be Lord ouer the Spyritualty and Temporalty which being the wellspring and Closette of the whole Law finally beyng King of Kinges Queéne and Princesse of all potētates and rulers might surmount in superiority all earthly dignity seuenty times sixty degreés when as there are not yet much more then a thousand yeares sithence Gregory a Pope of Rome did frāckely and openly confesse that there was neuer any of his predecessors that would euer take vpon him this name of Singularity or enter vpon any such hawtinesse of arrogant title to be named with such an heathenish name wherein sayth he was a wonderfull iniury committed agaynst Christ the head of the whole Church vnto whom should a sharpe and dreadfull account be rendred by him whosoeuer heé were that would enterprise to bring vnder his owne subiection all the rest of his members vnder the name and tytle of Vniuersality And ouer and besides annexeth hereunto with great vehemency of speéch whosoeuer doth call himselfe vniuersall Byshopp or doth attēpt to be so called the same doth by that his intollerable pryde denounce him selfe playnely to be the very forerunner of Antichrist Let the Romanistes shew where was not onely the order but the name also of Cardinals litle aboue one thousand yeares sithence or where this prettye forme of election was heard of which is now frequented in the Romish Church before that Pope Nicholas 2. gathering together a Couent of Piers apparelled in purple from amongest the Deacons of that Citye and the neighbour Byshops there did transferre all the right and interest of chusing the Pope to a few Cardinalles contrary to the prescript custome of the auncient Fathers Touchyng the Election of Cornelius a Byshop of Rome the wordes of Cyprian are very euident which I haue thought good to inserte in this place Cornelius was made Byshop sayth he by the Iudgement of GOD and his Christ by the consent of all the Clergie almost by the voyces and acclamations of the people that were present and by the Congregation of the Auncient Priestes aud godly personages For as yet Emperours were not professed Christians At the length Constātine being Emperour the Church was gouerned after his time vntill the time of Henry the 4. in such sorte that neither Byshoppes should be created but by thauthoritye Emperiall nor councells Sommoned nor Ecclesiasticall Reuenewes distributed by any Byshop before the Emperors grace did allowe thereof That this is true appeareth by the Recordes of most aūcient monumēts but aboue others chiefly by that decreé of Charles the great and Otto Emperours proclaymed in a Synode of Byshopps The forme of the decreé is extant in the 63. Distinct. The force of which decreé remained firme and inuiolable during the whole lyne and race of the sayd Charles vntill the time of Otto the 1. And after him also vntill the Battels and ouerthrowes of Henry the 4. and Henry the 5. For as concerning the forme of the oathe annexed to the same distinction whereby they doe falsly imagine that themperor Otto did sweare him selfe to the Pope it is manyfest by the autētick and true Recordes of Histories that it was shame fully forged and counterfait as also the graunt Donatiue of Ludouicus Pius which is immediatly set before the same oath in the distinction which Recordes doe playnely conuince the same to be detestable lyes And where now be these xv hundreth yeares whereupon they prate with so
entred into any order Ecclesiasticall foreswearing to be coupled in wedlock should sweare them selues to obserue perpetuall vow of vnmaried lyfe If any man be of opiniō that this Tyrāny was brought in by the Apostles and not rather directly agaynst the ordinaūce of the Apostolicke Church is much deceaued in imagination whereas that law was neuer begon nor euer heard of before the tyme of Hildebrand And although I can not deny that there were many vnmaried Ministers many dayes agoe in the Church of Christ at that tyme when as there was not such a huge multitude of Priestes and more plentyfull giftes of chastitie possessed Christian Churches yet did neuer any man read or heare that this necessitie of vowyng chastitie became a publique cōmon coaction before Hildebrād was borne How earnestly the Germaines did set them selues agaynst this wicked prohibition decreéd by Pope Gregory the 7. at what tyme the Archbyshop of Mentz Sollicitour of this Popish decreé was almost slayne let the Histories beare witnesse As touchyng what was done in England I will note somewhat my selfe For on this wise writeth Henry Huntyngton in his Chronicle Anselme sayth he did prohibite Mariadge of Priestes in England which was neuer prohibited before Which seemed to some a matter of wonderfull continēcie but to other very pernitious and perillous least whiles they should couet for a cleannes that surmounted their power they might rushe healong into horrible filthynes to the great reproche and dishonour of Christian name This much he with whom also accordeth the testimony of Monumetensis touchyng the same matter Herbert Byshop of Norwiche sayth he by the commaundement of Anselme and a Decree of a Prouinciall Synode did endeuour by all meanes possible to sequester the Priestes from their Wiues in his Diocese And when he could not bring it to passe he was constrained to send to Anselme for Counsell This is to be founde in a written History pag. 240. The same also happened to Gerrarde Archb. of Yorke about the same tyme. Now what will Osorius say to this If I shall be able to shew him out of our own auncient Recordes more then 40. Recordes and Rolles which doe make mention not onely of our Priestes companying together with their Wiues but also that do by publique authoritie and law of the land prouide that their Wiues ought to be endowed in landes and possessions There was an old Decreé in the Councell of Gangren That no man should make any difference betwixt an vnmaried Priest a maried Priest as to Iudge the one more holy then the other in respect of his vnmaried lyfe I will annexe the wordes of the Coūcell If any man doe take exception betwixt a Maried Priest at that in respect of his Mariadge he ought not to minister the Communion and so sequester him selfe from Communicating with him let him be accursed There ensued after this the Councell of Areletens the 2. wherein was a contrary Decreé made that no person should be admitted to Priesthood that was Married to a Wife vnlesse he vowed to depart from his Wife c. Whereunto also agreéd a Decreé of Pope Lucius long after the other Whereby Priestes and Deacons and such as serued the Altares should lyue continently And this hetherto tollerable enough But what kynde of cōtinency he did meane let vs marke by the sequele But if it happen sayth he that a Minister doe go to bedd to his Wife after he haue once receaued orders let him not enter within the Chaūcell nor be made bearer of the Sacrament nor yet come a neare the Altar c. As touchyng Images Inuocation Sacrifies for Sinnes and Freéwil hath bene spoken sufficiently before And what shall I adde more of the rest of the rascall rable to witte of Purgatory of Satisfactory Constitutions of vowes of other lyke peltyng pelfe of the newfangled Romish Traditions and of the antiquitie of all the rest but euen as they be in deéde namely that in them all appeareth no countenaunce of true Antiquitie but are deuises altogether of mens inuētions bastardes and misbegotten chaungelyngs of Scholeianglers and cowled crauens not grounded vpon any authoritie of the Scripture altogether vnknowen vnto the aūcient primitiue Church the most part wherof hath bene hatcht thrust abroad into the world within these 500. yeares within which compasse of tyme that noumber of yeares began to be fulfilled which was long before Prophecied of for the lettyng louse of Sathan into the world whose libertie out of that bottomles gulfe of hell was foretold by the Propheticall Scriptures should be after a thousand yeares to the end he might now preuaile to deceaue the people dwelling vpon the foure corners of the earth Gog and Magog c. By meane of which pestiferous deceauing it is scarse credible to be spoken what mōstruous ruine dissipation of Empires and Kyngdomes with in these 500. yeares what an alteration hath ensued in that church chiefly how much of Christian force hath bene decayed through Ciuill warres priuate grudgynges how greatly the power of foreine Nations hath increased to our destruction and vndoyng And how in the meane tyme whiles the Turke doth inuade the Christian Church without seékyng with foreine force to vndermine it The Popish Prelates be no lesse busily bent to builde vppe their fortresse of furious Tyranny euen within the bowels of the same Church and to fill vppe their Coffers with Treasures they moyle and turmoyle all thynges Procure warres and bloudshed for the establishment of their primacy sturre vppe Ciuill warres and commotions turne all thynges vpsidowne Wherupō commeth to passe that doctrine is nought sett by by how much their treasory aboundeth in ouer flowing-plenty by so much to speake with Ierome their vertues are pyned away with famine skarsity Idolatry ambitiō superstitiō haue growne to an vnmeasurable excesse all things are defiled with abuse Religiō ruleth the roast with violence cruelty Finally all things are come to nought Trueth is turned to playne lying and treachery The place of sincere fayth possesseth false hipocrisie Praying for the dead kneéling and crowching to Images supplyeth the place of the true and pure worshipping of God The word of the Lord is troden downe with mans authoritye The most godly and auncient ordinaunces are transformed into new fangled traditiōs the simple meaning of the Scriptures is entāgled with scholetrickes and Sophystrye Luste and vnbrideled licentious outrages preuayle aboue godly conuersation and seueritye of discipline Presūptuous pride and greédy desire of Lordlynes and superioritye doe wrestle agaynst lowlynes and humilitye huge heapes of new Noueltyes increase dayly errors and falshode flocke abroad vnmeasurably Finally the whole state of the auncient Church is become a very stage of an earthly Monarchye and a filthy forgeshoppe of foolishe fond ceremonies But now assoone as the Lord of his louing mercy good pleasure towardes vs vouchsafed to amend this dayly drowsy darkenes with
some glymering of dawning day and to refresh the razed Rent of his ruynous Church and to restore a recouery of his auncient recordes of written veritye the Braynesuck beastes of Romyshe rowte ganne fret aud fume and our sweéte shauelinges seéke at the length that we render them a reason of our Noueltye And because veritye Euangelicall oppressed with Tyranny through the Reuell of Sathās raunging abroad these few yeares eyther durst not shewe it selfe into the open world or could not be heard to plead for it selfe through their outragious vilaines being now quickened from aboue beginneth to display her oryent beames she is called to corā before these cloisterers as though Christe and the doctrine Apostolicall were some straunger in the world and commaunded to Iustifie her chalenge of Antiquitye to them which are neither able to render any reason of theyr counterfayt Antiquitie nor Iustify the trueth of their own cause by any recordes or reportes of probable auncienty or by any testimonie or president of the prymatyue Churche whatsoeuer Wherein me seémeth they behaue themselues no more modestly and shamefastly then theéues and murtherers which breakyng in by nyght into an other mans house hauing by violnce and wrong either slayne or thrust the true owner out of dores chalenge vnto themselues a title of possession And so pleadyng in possession by wrongfull disseisin for tearme of certeyne yeares doe plead occupation and prescription of time agaynst the lawfull heire that hath right by lawe to recouer and demaund Iudgement thrusting the true heire out from his true inheritaunce who in ryght equitye demaundeth restitution For what other thing doe they herein who finding their cause to be no way bettered by vouching of Scriptures which make nothing for thē at all fleé ouer forthwith to yt. Fathers Custome continued of olde by long prescription of time crying out agaynst vs with full mouthes that they haue enioyed their possession in the Church more then xv hundreth yeares and commaund vs to tell them where our Church was litle aboue xl yeares sithence And because they aske it I will tell them conditionally that they will distinctly tell me first what they doe meane by this worde Church If they meane the people perhappes we were not all borne then if they vnderstand the Roofes Walls and Tymber of the Churches they stand euen now in the same place where they were wont to stand are enuironed with the same churchyardes where they stood of old But yf they speake of the doctrine verely it was in the word of God and in the Scriptures discernable enough where also it resteth now rested euer heretofore and shall rest hereafter for euer If they demaund of the forme of gouernment It was in the primitiue Church and many yeares after in Asia Greece Affrick Europe dispersed abroad in all Churches at what tyme euery particular Church was gouerned by theyr peculiar Patriarches and not pente vppe and straighted into one hole vnder the commaundement of one man onely when also neither was any Byshoppe called vniuersall Byshoppe no nor my Lord Byshoppe of Rome called as then vniuersall Byshoppe I haue now told where our Church was before these fourtye yeares It remayneth that I be so bold to demaund agayne of them but especially of our Osorius that he vouchsafe to declare vnto vs where this fine Ciceronisme thys braue poolyshed speach where thys exquisited eloquence of writyng and speaking where this gorgeous furniture of fyled toūges this pyked and straunge statelynes of style was fourty yeares agoe where this wonderfull increase of Artes and Mathematicall sciences was will he eyther say that it is newely found out now or restored agayne rather and deliuered long sithence from olde auncient teachers If he will confesse that they be not new nor speciall deuises of our proper wittes but renewed and reuiued rather out of auncient authors let him then so account him selfe satisfied in his question touching the state of the Church not that it is a newe vpstart but reuiued from olde not garnished with new Coapes but returning agayne in her old Fryse gown For we doe not now build a new Church but we bring forth and beautifye the olde Church But now if any man will seéme to maruell what the verye cause reason should be that these artes and disciplines do rather in these dayes now florishe agayne at length after so long scylence and so long continuaunce in exile and banishment and would neédes know the very true naturall cause hereof What better aūswere shall I make him then that it is done by the speciall prouidence of GOD who of his inestimable goodnesse vouchsafed in these latter dayes to discouer abroad into the world the famous Art of Emprinting By meanes wherof aswell the seédes and principles of all liberall sciences as the knowledge of Diuinitye are extant and in dayly exercise not newly begon now but sproughted vppe of the olde Rootes and recouering their olde beauty So that you haue lesse cause to wonder Osorius that our Deuines beyng enlightened thus with so opē a light of the manifest scriptures and furnyshed with so great store of bookes and helpes of learning doe seé much more in matters of Diuinitye than many our Elders haue done Which helpes and furnitures of bookes if had bene so plentifull in those aūcient yeares of Gregory 7. Nicholas 2. and Innocent 3. for the exercise of wittes as we seé them now dayly and hourely handled and frequented beleue me Osorius The Pope of Rome had neuer so long lurcked in his lazye denne nor so long had bewitched the senses of selly ones with his leger demayne and crafty conueyaunce Nor had Osorius euer sturred his stumpes so stoughtly in this quarell agaynst Haddon Nor had Haddon bene forced to this streight to make defence of his Noueltye at this present But here some one of Osorius Impes will say peraduenture For as much as the state condition of the Church is such that wheresoeuer it be it must neédes be visible and apparaunt to be seéne not thrust vnder a bushell but set on hygh vpon an hill that it may shyne clearely vnto all and for as much also as the Churche of Rome was euer euē from the very swathlyng cloutes of Christian Religion of that excellency as to be able to Iustifie her dignitie and renowme by the whole and full agreable consent of all estates times and places euen vnto this day and that none other Church besides this one alone can mainteyne so lōg a continuaunce of yeares and so great a title of authoritie who may dought hereof but that this Seé of Rome is the onely Seé where onely is refiaunt a true face and profession of the true Church And that on the contrary part the Lutheranes Church beyng but of a few yeares continuaunce and neuer heard of before must therfore be accoumpted not worthy of place or name of a Church
For this is almost the whole strength substaunce of their defence And I am not ignoraunt how plausibly this probable shew glittereth in the eyes of vnskilfull and vnlettered people For so do Philosophers define Probabilitie to be such as seémeth probable either to all men or many or at the least to wise personages But in heauenly thyngs ought a farre other maner of cōsideration be had For if we grounde our selues vpon many we are taught by Christ himselfe That many are called but few are chosen And agayne in an other place That his flocke is a very litle flocke And afterwardes he demaundeth If when the Sonne of mā shall come whether he shall finde any Faith vpō the earth Neither are those thyngs alwayes best wt delight many Agayne if we shall depend vpon the Iudgemēt of the wise we heare likewise the same Lord him selfe geuing thākes vnto his Father that he had hiddē those thinges frō the prudent and wise of this world and reuealed them to litle ones And agayne we read in Paul The wisedome of this world is very foolishnes with God And therfore where as they would haue the Church to be placed on high apparaūt to the view of all the world truly they Iudge not amysse herein namely if they meane of the preaching of the word And yet this is no good Argumēt notwithstādyng that euery Citie vaūced on highest hill shall be forthwith esteémed the true church of God or els what shall be sayd to that famous great City mētioned in the Apocalips Which was foreprophecied should be built not vpon the Toppe of on hill onely but vpon seuen hills Or what shall we Iudge of that exceédyng wondering and worshyppyng of so many Nations so reuerētly hūbled to that Beast whose marcke it is sayd that small and great young and old riche and poore freemen and bondmen yea and those in noumber not a fewe but vniuersally all shall be marked withall in their right handes and in their foreheades Uerely if common sence and consent of people do make a Church where was euer a greater consent or more well likyng and greater admiration of fautours and frendes But they say that the cōsent cōmunitie of their Church is vniuersall Catholick which may not erre by any meanes Now let vs seé how they proue it The Apostle say they in his Epistles did greatly cōmēde the fayth of the Romaine Church This is true Peter also did both consecrate the same to be a See and instruct it in the Fayth I am in dought of this But what hereof After the Apostles tyme many of the Apostles Disciples say they learned Doctours and holy Martyrs Ignatius Irenaeus Cyprian Tertulliā Augustine and all that auncient age of graue Fathers did alwayes most gloriously esteeme of this Church Is there any more yet In the tyme of Basile Nazienzene Chrisostome the Church of Rome was not onely had in highest estimation but also was diuers tymes sought vnto for counsell and ayde neither will I deny this to be true couple herewith if you will that whē other Churches were tossed and turmoyled euery where with Schismes and rent in sunder with seditious factions no one Church besides stoode so long in so quiet a calme not assaulted with any such contētious sectes or variable opiniōs which did not a litle aduaunce the estimation of the Church and gate it no small authoritie Go to and what shal be concluded at the last out of all this For sooth The Church of Rome whiles it reteigned the sounde doctrine and simplicitie of the Fayth was commended of the holy Fathers by the name of a Catholicke and an Apostolicke Church Ergo The Church of Rome is the head and Metropolitane Church of all other Churches which hath neuer hetherto swarued from the true tracke of the truth nor shall euer erre vnder the which all other Churches must be subiect of very necessitie the cōmaundement wherof is an haynous obstinacie to disobey From the which to depart is manifest Schisme agaynst the which to resist and stand is playne heresie all the cōmaundements whereof to sweare obedience vnto is the surest way of sauety moreouer also a very necessary Article of eternall Saluation You do seé I suppose the whole force and subtiltie of your Catholicke cutted Enthymeme Whereof if you will seé a right proportion it is this The Church of Rome was allowed of the holy Apostles or the most auncient Fathers and all the most approued Doctours of the Church for Catholicke and Apostolicke But our Church is the Church of Rome Ergo Our Church is approued for Catholicke and Apostolicke by the consent of all the godly First we aunswere to the Maior proposition The auncient primitiue Church of Rome was approued by the famous cōsent of the learned for Catholicke and Apostolicke Peraduenture it was so yet was not this Church of Rome accompted so alone nor yet to this end so accompted bycause it should be the vniuersall Church of all other Churches For this will forthwith be gayne sayd by the Councels of Nice Mileuitane and by Pope Gregory and all the learned Deuines of that age vntill the cōmyng of Boniface 3. Moreouer neither was it for that cause so famously commended with so great consent bycause it was the Church of Rome but bycause it was a Christian Church Neither for any prerogatiue of the place though Peter sate there a thousand tymes For euen this also will an aūcient Pope Gregory deny as appeareth euidently by the Decreés Neither the places nor the dignities do make vs more acceptable to our Creatour but either our good deedes doe couple vs vnto him or our euill deedes do exclude vs frō him Moreouer not bycause it can prescribe an ordinary Succession of Byshops For Ierome also will not admit this They be not children of holy ones forthwith sayth he that occupie the possessiō of the holy ones but they that practize the workes of the holy ones But bycause with the Succession of Byshops they did ioyne agreable profession in true Religion bycause they did apply them selues to imitate the Fayth Religion and order of worshyppyng instituted by the Apostles bycause they did not varry frō well ordered Churches in any part of sounde doctrine For this cause I say namely for their sincere vnstayned Fayth and constaunt vprightenes of Religion not defiled with filthy stenche of erroneous doctrine the Church of Rome obteined of the auncient godly Fathers to haue a place amongest the Catholicke Apostolicke Churches But what is this O ye Apostolicke Princes to this your Romish Church in the state that it is now in the disorderous order whereof as it is at this day reuelyng with Cardinalles riotyng in Court glorified with this title of Uniuersall head garnished with tripple Crowne garded with the double sword magnified with Patriarches and innumerable other titles of dignitie armed with Abbottes mounted with Mounkes saluted
souereigne with shauelyngs and infinite skulles of fectes fortified with those Canons Decreés Decretalles and Rescriptes pampered vppe with Pardons exalted with Idolatry sumptuous in superstition entangled with so many snares and Articles embrued in so bloudy a bootchery of Saintes that might easily fill vp a thousand Toonnesfull of Babilonicall horrour and crueltie aduaunced with so many more then Pharisaicall Traditions and peltyng Ceremonies which would easily ouerlade a monstruous Carricke glitteryng in gold precious stones and pearle enriched with large and great possessions patrimonies beautified with purple and scarlet finally so blazing in brauery with the Royalties of S. Peter If S. Peter if Paule the Apostle if the holy Fathers and auÌ„cient Doctours of that pure primitiue Church had seéne these glorious gawdyes which we seé veryly I doe beleéue they would so litle acknowledge this Church for Catholicke that they would euen from the bottome of their hartes vtterly abhorre it and would scarsely acknowledge it by the name of a Christian Church And thus much to your Maior Now I do aunswere to your Minor wherein you haue committed a great eskape in the word which the Logitians do terme aequiuocum or ignoratio Elenchi For this word Romayne Church is in the Maior taken after one sort in the Minor after an other sort In the Maior it noteth such a Church as did retayne the true worshippyng of God and sincerity of Religion as into the which were no poysoned infections of sinister Doctrine no filth of false opinyons crept But in the Minor thys word Church is of a farre contrary condition and quality as the which doth carry no resemblaunce at all of that auntient and primitiue Church besides a bare name onely and a certayne whorysh dissembling counterfayt of outward Succession In all thynges els which do make a true vnspotted and vndefiled Church it beareth so no countenaunce at all as that it seémeth rather vnder the name and Tytle of the Church to be at defiaunce with the Church rather and vnder the name of a ChristiaÌ„ souldior to fight agaynst Christ her captain trayterously to betraye him to Antichryst For if Christ be the verity it selfe surely counterfayt verity as Origen sayth is very Antichrist And therfore if they will iustify theyr consent and Antiquity by good argument Let them yelde vs such a Church of Rome as the auncient Fathers did honourably esteéme of and then shall it not want our agreéable and mutuall assent and allowaunce And let them make vs a playne demonstration of those ornaments which are worthely ascribed to a true Christian Church and we will confesse it to be a true Church Where the Church is sayeth Irene there is the holy Ghost and where the Spirite of God is there is also the Church and all grace But the Spyryte is the verity therefore verity is the life of the Church without the which the Church is blinde and euen dead being aliue and deserueth not so much as the name of a Church no more then the portraiâ—t or counterfayt of a man doth deserue to be called a maÌ„ properly whereupon the Church is with the Apostle very fittely called a sure piâ—ler and a foundation not of mans authority but of Gods verity And by the testimony of Lactantius that Church is called the onely Catholicke Church wherein God is worshipped aright which Church if the ofspring of the auncient Romanistes did now professe as truely and in the same forme as the Catholicke Fathers did extoll prayse it with such great commendation there would be no controuersy at all On the other side if they haue determined with theÌ„selues neither to admit the trueth within theyr Citie themselues nor to tollerate the same to beé preached being brought in by others let them accuse themselues not the Lutherans who had rather patiently endure coÌ„tinuall enmity and hatred of them then to become open aduersaries of the truth Moreouer lette them also cease hereafter to pray in ayd of antiquity number of voyces for defence of their church forasmuch as they can alleadge no true report of the one and the other can helpe them nothing at all For if it may be lawfull for vs renouncing the verity to mayntayne one cause by vouching antiquity and number of nations namely in those thynges which appertayne properly to Christ and his Church then let vs not spare to argue after the same forme of Logick The Religion of Mahumette hath bene of as long a continuaunce of tyme and yeares as the Church of the Pope Ergo Mahumettes Religion is of as great authority as the Popes And agayne The greatest part of Priestes haue long sithence bene ouer gredily couetous Ergo They that doe inueigh agaynst theyr greedy Auarice most be accounted Cosen Germaynes to the valdenses heresy Agayne The greater part of the people did cry out Crucifige and stoaned Stephen to death And the most part of meÌ„ do at this day follow their owne sensuality and lust Ergo Let vs all ioyne together in sensuality and lust If on this wise we shall thinke to measure the truth and sincerity of Religion by the standard of Antiquity and number of yeares what shall we winne by this argument when we doe heare that many are called but few are chosen when as fooles also be in number infinite when as from the highest to the lowest all are become couetous when as euen from the Prophette to the Priestes all worke deceit What shall we win I say by this argument but that the part of Sathan which is more in number shall be of greater force and seéme to tryumph agaynst the Lord But to lette passe the Romysh Church I returne to our own Church In the which Osorius hauing alleadged nothing hetherto nor being by any meanes able to alleadge any matter truely that may seéme either new or straunge in our doctrine or that doth in any respect swarue from the institution and discipline of the Apostles he runneth away from the question that concerneth the sincerity of Religion and doctrine and commeth to this point to catch some occasion of outward life and maners of men whereby he may reproch vs subtlely enough I warrant you imitating herein the old crafty Rhetoricall Foxes who feéling themselues altogether vnable to prosecute the cause which is specially in hand with effect do wring the state of the Question an other way or enforce the whole bent of theyr accusation agaynst theyr aduersary with some contrary cauillation turning Catte in the Panne that so being not otherwise able to compas theyr cause it selfe they may yet at least entangle theyr Aduersary with some perill and daunger Not much vnlike hereunto happeneth now to Osorius in this kinde of controuersy who being not able to mayntayne the cause of his guilty Church with any iustifiable argumentes bendeth himselfe wholly to defame our Churches with falsehoodes and vntruethes And on this wise at length addresseth his
but sturred vpp by the flaming fyrebrandes of the furyes of hell and that they applyed themselues not to teach men but to peruert men Of the discention and variable opinions of Deuines and Churches hath bene spoken of before so that it shall be but neédeles to repeate the same agayne onely I will aunswere here to the argument God is not the Author of discention but of peace I doe know this and confesse it to be most true So also is the same God the fountayn of all righteousnes and father of all consolation The same is also Author of Matrimony and of all good thinges Go to now where can you finde in all the estates courses and actions of this transitory lyfe that fulnes and absolute perfection of righteousnes of consolation or of peace yea in the most holy estate of matrimonye as may be aunswerable to that absolute patterne of perfection Lett it suffice vs to haue receaued the first fruits thereof though we possesse not the Tenthes There will come a day and a place when as no darkened cloud of discention shall ouershadow this perfect peace betwixt vs. In the meane space whiles we lyue in this vale of misery men with men we shall neuer be destitute of one thing or other that will alwayes argue vs to be men dwelling in the tabernacle of Imperfection And therefore if Osorius will be so nyce as to exact of vs so precise a knitting together of vnvariable minds as may in no poynt swarue frō ech other lett himselfe become a president hereof in his owne Coūtrey and shew himselfe an Angell emongest his owne people And what maruell is it if in so great varietie of Iudgemētes and amongest so many men two men onely dissent somewhat in matter of so small importaunce whenas in this your so vniforme a Church whereof ye boast so proudly there is no parcell of Religion almost or order in profession wherein Schoole agaynst Schoole Uniuersitie agaynst Uniuersitie Colledge agaynst Colledge Councell agaynst Councell Canon agaynst Canon doe not mainteine continuall iarryng How is it then Osorius that with shuttevppe eyes ye can so lightly ouerlooke and not looke vpon so many and so monstruous Beames ouerspreadyng your Churches and not passe ouer one litle moate in our Church without controllyng your brethren but that ye must burst out into such whotte fury of hellish firebrandes With the Spirite of God say you is no dissensiō This is most true And so it is true also that Luther Zuinglius be not taken for Gods which can not erre nor dissent eche from other in some pointes Neither doth it therfore follow hereupon that bycause they do not reteigne a mutuall constaunt cōsent of myndes in all thyngs that therfore they were not raysed vppe by God Otherwise after this Logicke how many auncient and godly Fathers will you banish out of all Churches was there neuer any iarryng betwixt Moyses and Aaron That contention betwixt Paule Peter about the mainteynyng of the libertie of the Gospell and agayne that separatyng a sunder of Paule from Barnabas is well knowen to all mē It whiles the Lord him selfe lyued vpon the earth the Disciples them selues could be at variaunce about preéminence and superioritie what maruell now if his Disciples do not so well agreé together in all pointes sithēce Christ is not present emongest them who were more familiar then Basile and Gregory Nazienzene and yet in this marueilous consent of qualities and studies wanted not a certeine offence and breache of that mutuall amitie Victor did not of all partes agreé with Policarpus How earnest a conflict deuided Iohn Byshop of Constantinople and Epiphanius Byshop of Cypres Neither did Augustine in all thynges agreé with Ierome And yet I thinke you will not say that these men were not raysed vppe by the grace and Deuine inspiration of God Well now Let vs seé what this so great dissention was betwixt them which as you say proceéded from Luther What a brable was there betwixt them say you about wordes what varietie and inconstancy of opinions how disorderly how intricately and ouerthwartly do they speake in how many sondry matters and Argumentes do they not onely not agree with others but also disagree eche from other Forsooth if you will know Osorius and sith you require the same I will shew you in few wordes what and how monstruous this cōflict was betwixt thē First they do all togethers with one voyce confesse one God they doe all with one Fayth acknowledge the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost They do all with one mynde agreé togethers in the Articles of the Christian Creede with the true auncient and Catholicke Fayth of the Church of Christ. Of this Church they do all acknowledge the authoritie of the Scripture to be chief next vnder Christ the second place and dignitie they do yeld to the Church to the auncient and approued Councels The godly and auncient Fathers they do all with one consent allow and yeld vnto so farreforth as euery of them is founde to agreé with the expresse word of God Heresies and false opiniōs reproued by the authoritie of holy Scripture and the sacred antiquitie of the Church they do all generally oppugne besides this authoritie of Scripture the most couenable proportion of Fayth whatsoeuer hath priuily crawled and crept in by stealth into the profession of Fayth and true worshyppyng of God they do all vtterly and worthly abhorre whatsoeuer is most aunciēt in Fayth and most approued by cōstaunt allowaunce of antiquitie the same is had amongest thē in greatest admiration In the acknowledgemēt of one onely Mediatour in heauen one onely Sacrifice for Sinnes which is resiaunt not in the earth but in heauen in confessyng one onely generall head of the vniuersall Church in all these is there no discention nor brawlyng about wordes or Sentences Moreouer in this they agreé together all be of one mynde and iudgement all namely that the Pope of Rome is the very Antichrist whereof they haue assured and vndoughted proofe by the certeine and infallible Rules and forewarnynges of the holy Scripture and by his horrible persecution of the word of God Besides this also that all Idolles and Images ought to be abolished out of the Church of God That those choppyng chaungyng of Pardons ought to be abhorred That all affiauce of righteousnes of God ought to be settled in the onely Fayth of Iesu Christ and in nothyng els That superfluous vowes and Traditions of men which do yoake fast and clogge Christian libertie and well disposed consciences ought vtterly to be abolished That Ceremonies and Constitutions which are ioyned with an opinion of righteousnesse of worshyppyng of Saluation merityng ought worthely to be banished abandonned that Priestes Concubines ought to be conuerted into lawfull Matrimony that those mōstruous vpstartes of disguised professions rules and orders ought be rooted out that all thyngs may be reduced and leuelled
to witte That the Church is a multitude of people such as is bounde to obey the Pope of Rome seuered from other Nations by certeine Ceremonies which the Popes haue ordeyned fast tyed to the ordinary cōtinued course of Succession of Byshops and to that onely interpretation of Scriptures which the Byshops and Councels doe deliuer And this is the true proportion and full Definitiō of your Church if I be not deceaued But this Definitiō the learned in Logicke will deny to be good sounde where the thyng defined is not of all partes equiualēt with the Definitiō Which rule is not obserued here For to admitte this vnto you that in the true Church of Christ must be Popes Byshops who must be obeyed who also must haue an ordinary outward succession and who may challenge vnto them selues a speciall prerogatiue in the interpretation of the holy Scripture yet is not this by and by true that all Popes Byshops which are entituled by the name of Popes and Byshops which do pretende a continuall succession which do carry the countenaunce of consentes which do challenge a right in the interpretatiō of Scriptures are the true sheapherds of the Lordes flocke And why so forsooth bycause that thyng wāteth which makyng specially for the purpose you haue specially left out namely the truth of sounde doctrine which may be able to treade downe and crushe in peéces errour and hypocrisie That is to say That Byshops do truly and vnfaynedly become the same in the sight of God which in vtter shew they would fayne seéme in the sight of men Agayne that Succession be not of persons onely but a speciall Succession of Fayth vertuous lyfe that the obedience of the people may not proceéde so much of feare of punishment as of harty affection and willyngnesse of mynde that the interpretation of scriptures be not wrested to the maintenaunce of errour and mens sensualitie but be directed and aunswerable to the meanyng of the holy Ghost and the true naturall sense of the Scripture For these be the true markes Osor. whereby a true Church is discernable from a false not the title and name of a Church not the authoritie and Succession of Byshops not the opinion of a multitude besides the truth of Gods word But the very Rule of the word must be kept which will so describe vnto vs a true Church by true markes tokēs boundes and foundations That it be a Congregation dispersed abroad euery where ouer the face of the whole earth vnited agreéyng together in soūd◠doctrine of Fayth and the true worshyppyng of God which beyng sanctified by the holy Ghost and admitted by partaking the Sacramentes do truly beleéue in God through the Sonne of God Iesu Christ accordyng to the doctrine of the Gospell although some be enlightened with more spiritual graces gifts and some with lesse By this standard and Rule let vs measure now the Argumentes of Osorius Luther and Melancthon are fallen away from the Pope of Rome and his Cardinalles Ergo Luther and Melancthon haue rent in sunder the vnitie of the Church The onely Church of Rome hath an ordinary succession from Peter Ergo The onely Church of Rome is the true Church The great part of Christendome doth acknowledge the Church of Rome Ergo The Churche of Rome is the Mother Churche and Queene of all Churches The Churche of God hath a promise that it shall neuer erre Ergo He that doth interprete the Scriptures otherwise then after the meaning of the Church of Rome or that doth not acknowledge him selfe obedient to the Romish Decrees in all thynges is an heretique and doth sequester him selfe from the boundes and communiō of the Church To this aunswere shal be made briefly and logically These be meére fallacyes and deceites of the Equiuocation deriued from a false description of the Church and the succession thereof and from false markes For as touching the names and Tytles as touching the long pedigreés of neuer interrupted course of Succession as touching the consent of the multitude and the promises made by God if the other tagges were tyed to these poyntes and made suteable namely sound doctrine true godlynesse surely it would seéme somewhat to the purpose that Osorius mayntayneth But now whatsoeuer they bragge and vaunt of tytles and other reliques without the especiall coupling and cōioyning of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine is altogether nought els but smoake and winde nothing auayleable to establish the true vnity of the Church First as concerning the name of the Church we do heare Christ himselfe speaking Many shall come in my name Touching Successiō we heare out of Ierome Not they that sitte in the places of Sainctes c. Touching the multitude Augustine doth teach vs. That the consentes of voyces must be weyed and measured not numbred Touching Gods promise made for perseuerance in the trueth harken what Iohn Baptist speaketh Do not say we haue Abrahā to our Father For God is of power to rayse vppe sonnes to Abraham out of these stoanes If Osorius will argue after this maner why should not these arguments be of as great force The high Priest of the old law in the Iewish Regiment did beare the face and name of the Church with full allowaunce and cōmon consent of all the multitude yea euen in the tyme of Esay Ieremy Amos Elias and Christ. The same also did conuey theyr Succession from the priesthood of Aaron And did vouch also theyr authority seat lawe and the promise agaynst Ieremy agaynst the Prophettes and agaynst Christ. The Law say they shall not perish from the Priestes Ergo Those high priestes did enioy a true Church nor coulde possibly erre at any tyme. But if Osorius shall thinke with him selfe that these Argumentes were not forcible enough in the olde Church why should they be more effectuall in the new Churche In the olde lawe it was lawfull to examine the very prophettes themselues if they spake the word of the Lord yea certayne infallible tokens were set downe whereby they might be discerned In like maner euen in the new testament we are commaunded to proue the Spirites if obey be of God being forewarned by the spirite of God that we beleue not euery spirite And what kinde of people then be these Popes and Cardinals of Rome which of a more then Imperious Lordlynesse doe commaund and require all men to receaue and reuerence their Satutes Ordinaunces Ceremonies opinions and all theyr wordes and deédes ingenerall without exception and contradictiō vpon greéuous paynes and Penalties that shall ensue agaynst him whosoeuer dare presume to make a question of the right of their authoritye or to make any doubt of any theyr deuises and imaginations And so geuing the slippe to all those he commeth downe againe to our Church with a maruailous blaff of windy words but with no reason at all imagining to proue
agaynst Haddon that there is nothing in our Churche comparable with the auntient Church nor that any example out of the auncient Recordes or Antiquityes can be alleadged for our Church that doth fauour of any smacke of antiquitye And that on the contrary part the whole vniuersality of antiquity doth in their behalfe as he sayth beare witnesse agaynst vs. And that with them remayneth nothing at all but that which is throughly established by the testimony of the holy Scriptures by the authority of the godly Fathers and by all the consent of all antiquity How vntrue this is hath bene sufficiently declared before by the testimony of the auncient historyes as muche as may suffice for this present purpose Of the same stampe is the like deuise that followeth For whereas Haddon doeth take exception agaynst Osorius writyng on this wise In the aūcient most pure age of the Church sayth Haddon was neither name of Pope nor leaden Bulles for remission of sinnes nor martes and markettes of Purgatory nor croochyng to Images nor gadding on pilgrimage nor sacrificing Masses for the quicke and the dead nor many other such Bables c. These wordes of Haddon as though had bene vomited out from a wonderfull surfett of furious frēsye Osorius in great choler doth challenge and confuteth with these reasons Because without reason as he sayth without any testimony or exāple of antiquity without argument or proofe at all he hath spoken bare affirmatiues onely without proofe and the same in such wise spoken as that he seemeth to haue done nothing but spoken And first for the Supremacy what doth he shew But we sayth he are wont to make playne demonstration by the authoritye of the sacred Scriptures by the testimony of the holy Fathers by the autenticke Recordes of auncient antiquity by reasō vse and experiēce and by innumerable examples that this was the Supreame head of the Church alwayes c. If you haue so great and infinite a number of examples wherewith you be able to iustify this Supremacy as you say why then out of this vnmeasurable heape vouche you not one example at the least for examples sake whereby we may likewise discerne this supremacy hitherto as yet I do heare nothing but bare words and smoake and not a sparcke so much of Reason example or proofe But you committe this charge perhappes to Hosius or Pyghius and one of you helpeth to claw an other by the elbow so that Osorius with words whereof he hath stoare and Hosius with such witnesses as he can suborne shall vnderproppe thys Prymacy of the Romish Royalty as Atlas did sometime beare heauen vpon his shoulders But if these two gallaunt Gyaunts apply no stronger pillers besides thē selues to vphold the Maiesticall State of that theyr toppegallaunt of Rome it is much to be feared least it will haue a fall shortly be shieuered all in pieces and least theyr brauery come within the compasse of that sweet song whereof we heare the melody more then once in the sacred Reuelation Babylon is fallen Babylon is fallen that great Cytye the Mother of all the Whoredomes and abhominations of the earth c. ANd as for the fayres Marketts of Pardōs Purgatory if you do not perceiue that to be most true the Haddon hath affirmed surely you are more then poreblinde If ye doubt thereof you are very wittelesse if you deny it you are more then Impudent Fyrst if you will affirme that there were no Markettes and Martes of Pardons whereupon then grew that controuersy betwixt Luther your Church did it not arise by the meanes of buying and sellyng of Pardons and chopping and chaunging for Purgatory If you will say that those Markets were proclaimed without consent of your Church and contrary to theyr commaundement vouchsafe then I pray you to shew vs who it was that suborned that noughty packe Tecelius the Dominick Fryer to be proctor of that Mart if it were not Pope Leo the tēth and Albert Archbyshop of Mentz who made this compact ech with other that the one halfe of the spoyle shoulde redound to the Pope the other halfe to the Archbyshoppe to pay for his Pall In which Marte proclamation was made at the sound as it were the stroake of the Popes dromme as Masseus doth verify that whosoeuer would geue x.s. should redeéme what soule he listed out of the paynes of Purgatory But these Markettes sayth he if any such were holy Church doth not allow but doth banish away none otherwise thē as a detestable pestilence of the common weale What Church Osorius doth speake of here I know not this is out of all question that as there is none so horrible a kinde of falshood as that which lurking and cloaking her craft vnder a false vysor for piety doth dazell the sences of a number so if we narrowly sift out the very oryginall of this mischiefe we shall find that all this fatt feast and blessed banquet came from no where els thē out of the Popes kitchin from hence forsooth come that lewde largesse of pardons those Retchles Releases of paynes from hence plenary and full remission of sinnes from hence so many Iubiles so many stations visiting of Saint Peters Church all which where were they hatcht but euen in the Church of Rome From hence so many grauntes of free graces to eat to marry to weare linen or wollen freè libertye to be confessed where men listed were sette to sale the penny From hence so many Stationars Treasurers Fowkers Pardoners who haue long sithence wearyed out and made deafe the eares of the simple people with crying out Imponite Imponite Imponite for such was theyr proclaymation protesting withall that it should come to passe that all such as would buy those pearles of Pardons their soules should be sure to skippe vp into heauen at one leape without any lett Addyng hereunto that all such soules whō they were willyng to redeéme out of the flamyng fire of purgatory should immediately mount from thence into heauen assoone as the money which should be throwen into the redde Boxe did cry chinke For it was out of all questiō that the Pope of Rome was of power to rake Purgatory cleane by vertue of his Pardons of as many soules and whatsoeuer soules he listed And him also they magnified so gloriously that as they sayd no Sinne could be so horrible yea though agaynst all possibilitie a man had defiled the mother of God but could be redeémed by pickpurse Pardōs were not these the very speaches of your Romish rufflers wh if your Church did not allow of by what authoritie then did your Pardoners scrapers for money presume to pynche all Churches by the purse with such kynde of wares why were not these shamelesse Rūneagates put to scilence why could your holy mother Church suffer so horrible a Tympany and Impostume within her owne bowels so long if she
is no redemption at all but by the Popes Pardons Although the last part of this doctrine by monstruously absurde yet yf they would graunt the former part throughly and wholy the matter were somewhat more tollerable But now they are in this their partition so parciall and vneuen dealers that they will not leaue to Christ the whole cleansing of the guilt but will herein also ioyne a topemate with him that Romish vicar For this is their assertion to witte That the Pope of Rome being the vicar of Christ doth by power of his keyes bring to passe both that he may release from guilte and punishment both at once with his Bulles of PardoÌ„s That is to say From guylt through the Sacrament of Penaunce and from punishment by the Popes satisfactions and pardons If this be true lett vs bidd the bookes of the Euangelistes and Apostles adiew Farewell also Gods promises lett fayth and the Church pack vpp their trunckes and gett them to Cattai and lett vs with solemne procession receaue into the Church of Christ most holy Pardons and Indulgences and tourne Christ out at the Belfrye Sithence these pardons alone without Christ doe dispatch all matters cleare through the authoritye of the Pope No say they not so without Christ but partly by the superabouÌ„daunce of Christes merites partly by the bloud of Martyrs partly by the merites of Sayntes partly by charitable almes workes of supererogacion by the obeying the couÌ„celles and partly by seueritye and straight keéping the charge of holy orders or Indulgences doe stand in force and are auaylable The fourme of which absolucions forged by the Mounckes and Fryers to the behoofe of the common people followeth on this wise God be mercifull vnto thee good Brother THe merite of our Lord Iesus Christ and of the blessed Mary the perpetuall virgine and of all Saintes the merite of holy orders the heauy burdeine of Religion the humblenes of confession the contrytion of harte and the good workes that thou hast done and shalt doe for the loue of our Lord Iesu Christ grauÌ„t vnto theé remissioÌ„ of sinnes to the increase of merit grace and to the reward of lyfe euerlasting Amen There be also other formes of absolution extant which others graunted by the Popes Bulles as when hospitalls and brotherhoodes doe communicate with others the participation of all good workes on this wise We doe testifye that we haue receaued into the Beaderoll of the holy Brotherhood of S. Aâ—â—â—â—ny those persons graunting vnto them full partaking of all the good workes that haue bene done are to be done by our brethren from the beginning of our foundation euen to the end the foresayd order day and night in threé hundreth sixty iiii Monasteries and hospitalls c. Lyke as Apothecaries doe compound their Tryacle of many simples and drugges mixt together Euen so the Popes by gathering together the merites of Christ of the blessed virgine of the Martyrs of Saincts Mounckes as it were speciall spices and herbes do make vppe their hochepott of Pardons of which Pardous they do make portesale as parcell of the treasory of the Church to hospitalls Churches Chappell 's Brotherhoodes Monasteries Selles not for shillings or crownes but geue theÌ„ vnto euery of them gratis very hountifully If we may credit Osorius herein But in the meane space I would very fayne learne this of Osorius how we are sayd to be made perfect and for euer sanctified if the onely oblation of Christ once offred be not sufficient to saue vs without the merits of Saints and heapes of good workes Moreouer whereas out of this vnmeasurable treasory of the Church there is such an ouerflowing plenty of gracious Pardons I would also know this by what reason the Pope of Rome doth chalenge himselfe to be onely Porter keybearer of this precious Treasory excluding all other ministers and Byshoppes of the Church but such onely as whom by his power Apostolique he hath authorized to playe fast and loose what now Are not the merites of Christ open to all and singuler indifferently without exception or otherwise then as they be receaued by euery ones perticular fayth Or what kinde of power is that of one Byshop in the Church which is not also generall and common to all other Byshopps together with him Doe ye not seé Osorius how filthy and how absurde these reasons of yours be what an horrible deceite to the people what a great iniury is this to all other Byshoppes and how full of sacriledge what a monstruous reproche it is agaynst Christ him selfe And yet for all this you can not but maruell in the meane tyme what moued vs to abandone this prowd prelate with all his pelfe as a pestilent viper of the Church of Christ and why we cutt our selues away from him as farre as we may whome your selfe Osorius yf you were endued with any dropp of Christian bloud would neuer take vpon you to defend with such a prophane targett of Tullies Paganisme But would rather geue an onset vpoÌ„ him as the generall Enemie of all mankinde yf your hart were as well enlightned with the true and sincere knowledge of Christ as your fickle braynes are lewdely incensed with the bayne and heathenish admiration of Ciceroes eloquence And to say the truth I know not by what mishappe this happ hath happened that all these vntimely sproughtes of Ciceroes plants are by a certeine secrett yet most iust iudgement of God infected with this generall lurcking cancker and coÌ„tinually pestered as it were with a falling sicknes Which I haue specially noted in very many If question be moued of the proportion and qualitye of framing the speéch delicately If matter must be debated of the most excellent and finest phrases of Eloquence of the dignitye and chiefe ornament of an exquisite Orator that is to say of playne humaine toyes and earthly trifles good Lord what a glorious maiestie of wordes what hawty loftines of speéch what a childishe and foolishe stroaking and flattering of themselues diriding and skorning all others besides themselues perking ouer theÌ„ froÌ„ aloofe as it were vpon poore abiect shrimpes But yf they be requyred to shewe their conning to declame of Christ of the statelynes of his mighty Kingdome of the greatnesse of sinne of manâ—es forlorne nature of the power of fayth of iustification by grace of the naturall imperfection of mankinde of mans reconciliation a man can not but wonder how colde how astonied how voyd of reasoÌ„ how cowardly without any spirite at all almost Colourlesse huÌ„gry barrayne mute wretched hartlesse barbarous speachlesse senselesse they be vnable almost to vtter theyr mindes or open theyr mouthes Moreouer if these matters must be decided with the penne they behaue themselues therein as though they were raking after the Moone forreners straungers and altogether vnacquaynted with the cause As not long sithence a certayne person taking vpon him in Rome before the Pope and his Cardinalles
to exclayme agaynst Luther was hissed out of the place not without great gleé and delight of the beholders So small and so no acquayntaunce at all hath this proud hawty and loftye kynde of myncing Minnions with our Lord and Sauior Iesu Christ. I do willingly abstayne from naming of men because I would haue them forewarned rather to theyr benefitte then reproched to their infamy if there be any besides this Osor. whom this Ciceronian skabbe hath infected with like dottage But I come agayne to Pardons wherwith as they say they sweépe all Purgatory and make cleane riddaunce when they will and by which picklockes they locke fast the gates of hell opeÌ„ the gates of heauen to whom they list But I pray you Osorius by what authoritye doe they this By the same authoritye you will say where of was spoken to Peter I will geue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. That the keyes were geuen to Peter no man will denye But what is this to the Pope of Rome because next vnto Peter the succession of the See Apostolick falleth vpon the Pope forsooth And why so how will you proue this to be true I beseéch you What because he doth enioy Peters Chayre what had Peter no more Chayres but one or did he fitt no where but at Rome And what if he neuer sate at Rome But putt the case he sate at Rome I wil geue you an argument not much vnlike vnto this It was not vnknowne to be old Poetts what a skilfull Harper Orpheus was whom they imagined to haue drawen aâ—ter him with the sweétnesse of his Harpe stoanes and woodes It came to passe in processe of time that one Neanthus Sonne of Pittacus chaunced to come by the same Harpe who being farre vnlike this Orpheus in skill of playing altogether an Asse as the prouerbe speaketh at the harpe yet through a foolish opinion conceaued of himselfe dyd persuade himselfe that he should be able to draw after him Rocks and Woddes immediately vpon the sound of the Harpe This clownish Cocklorrell therefore wandring abroad ouer hilles and dales and maruayling that the Rockes and Woods stood still as before vnmoueable and would not sturre out of theyr place at the sound of the Harpe neuer surceased from striking from stretching from thumping the Harpe vntill hauing made hymselfe loathsome to the very cattell with the tedious and brutish noyse of the Harpe became a pray to dogges and was guawed and rent in pieces by them And what els doth this popish Prelate emport with his pompous pryde and stately Chayre wheron he is no lesse â—rantickly fond then this seély soule was vpon the Harpe I list not as now to gesse the garbroyle of his glory of the thing it selfe I dare boldly speake this much as Orpheus Harpe maketh not an Harper forthwith so neyther doe Peters Keyes shape a right succession but the onely confession and fayth of Peter And yet did the Church alwayes acknowledge the Byshoppe of Rome to be the Successour of Peter the Apostle So did also the consent of the Fathers and the Antiquity of time I do heare you But by what authority by what testimony and witnesses will you iustify this to be true or by why what reason or argument will you proue it what because he canne shew the Chayre that Peter sate in Nay rather lette him expresse the vertuous life and gratious giftes of Peter and in his life geue forth vnto vs as Peter did a President and patterne of the causes precedent and the true Circumstaunces for the which the Keyes were deliuered vnto Peter For on this wise are we enformed by the Gospell Because flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen You doe heare mention made first of the notable testimony of his faith and open confession of the Sonne of God which was not discouered vnto him by flesh and bloud nor by any naturall Philosophy nor engraffed within him by any force of natures lore but which being endued with heauenly inspiration he had receaued from aboue beyond all reatch of humayne Capacity For the knowledge of Christ commeth by the onely inspiration of the holye Ghost Which assoone as the Lord perceaued was engrauen within Peter wondring as it were at the greatnesse of the miracle doth first declare vnto him the glad tydings of blessednes froÌ„ God Thou art blessed Simon Bariona then alluding to the nature of his name because he was called Cephas that is to say Peter vpon that Petra that is to say vpon that Rocke of his fayth an confession he doth promise to establish the building of his Churche And added hereunto the promise of the Keyes I wyll geue thee sayth he the Keyes of the Kingdome of God c. By which CircumstauÌ„ces what are we taught els then that the foundation of the Church of Christ wheresoeuer it be is grounded vpon nothing els then vpon true fayth and vnfayned confession of the Sonne of God For when the Lord spake this vnto Peter he made no accouÌ„pt of his righteousnesse nor of hys vertues and conuersation of life neither of his fastings nor his dutifull obseruation of the commaundementes ne yet the holines of his Religion forasmuch as all these ornamentes dyd shyne as aboundauntly in others as they did in Peter But at the first vtterannce and confession of his excellent fayth the Lord doth denounce him to be blessed buildeth his Churche and doth promise the Keyes vpon the same Whereupon remayneth that we conclude at the last most truely that wheresoeuer the Keyes are exercised which are Christes true Keyes in deéd there of necessity must an influence and speciall inspiratioÌ„ of the holyghost and a certayn earnest and harty effectualnes of fayth and coÌ„stant confession of Christ goe before On the contrary part where no perseueraunce or feéling can be perceiued of the ingraued knowledge of Christ from the heauenly Father whose minde being not endued with any influence of the holyghost sauoureth of nothing at all beyond the retch of flesh and bloud who hath wedded his hart to earthly treasures to the Royalty pompe and gorgeousnes of this world who neglecting the glory of Christ is vassall and bondslaue to Ambition subiect to affections geueth himselfe to pamper the paunch and is drowned in the deépe doungeon of worldly cares who doth breath out of his nostrilles the blood and butchery of his brethreÌ„ That person in what Chayre soeuer he sitte doth with to much shamelesse arrogancy vaunte vpon the possession of the Keyes And therefore yf this Romishe ruffler doe meane to royst stille with Peters keyes he must endeuor to expresse in his maners the vertuous lyfe and godly conuersation of an Apostle and not chatt so much of a Chaire Otherwise to what purpose is it how sumptuously soeuer a man be enthronized yf he be wicked and vnworthy the place the place doth not
any such thing at any time no more can you make that iustifiable that you doe now by any approued testimony of the scripture or lawfull example of antiquitye But here will some one vrge agayne what did not Melchizedech offer bread and wine then I doe not deny it was he not a Priest Yes surely and a king also For he was both the king of Salem and the Priest of the most high God But he was not therefore a Priest because he did offer bread wine Nor did he geue bread and wine being a King because he would make a sacrifice thereof No more did he offer his presentes vnto God but vnto Abraham neither yet of any priestly duety but of a kingly magnificence moreouer he did not onely geue giftes which was the poynt of a princely hart but he blessed them also which was part of a priestly function For Priestes are wont to blesse men sometime but they do neuer accustome themselues to offer sacrifice to men The wordes of the History are playne and well knowne Therefore lett vs returne to the very springhead and originall according to the â—ounsell of Cyprian if it may please you After the olde TraÌ„slation the wordes be thus Melchizedech King of Salem bringing forth bread and wine for he was the Priest of the highest did blesse him c. Although here be not so muche as a word of Sacrificing Yet in this translatioÌ„ is no litle difference from the very originall whereas chaunging the copulatiue Hebrue sillable for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Moyses expresseth thys sentence after an other sort for he doth vse not the word of Sacrificing but hath Hozia which word what it signifyeth according to the verye naturall proprietye I referre me to the iudgement of the learned After the same maner also doth the chaldean expositor interpret the same And Iosephus an especiall witnesse hereof doth expound it after the same sence For Melchizedech sayth he did Banquet the souldiours of Abraham suffering them to lack nothing necessary for their sustenauÌ„ce and withall inuited Abraham to be a Guest of his owne Table Wherein the courtesy of the King is commended that disdained not to make Abraham a Guest of his owne Table Whereupon you seé that it is most false which they do assume in the Minor touching the oblation of Melchizedech who being both a Pryest and a Type of Christ is not called therefore a Pryest neuerthelesse in the history because he brought forth bread and wine as is declared before But agaynst this is there a strong countermure raysed namely the Authority of the Tridentine councell with a very horrible cursse annexed thundring out after this sort Whosoeuer shall say that the Masse is onely a sacrifyce of prayse and thankesgeuing or a bare memoriall of the Sacrifice performed vpon the Crosse and not a propitiatory sacrifice or that it auayleth to the Receiuer onely and ought not to be offered for the quick and the dead for sinnes for punishmentes satisfactions and other necessityes let him be holdeÌ„ accursed If he shall be holden accursed whosoeuer shall so say surelye the very same haue all the auncient Deuines before mentioned spoken and affirmed All the Doctors especially of the primitiue Church haue both sayd so and taught so neither did the whole Greéke Church almost teach otherwise not exempting out of the same beadroll all the Apostles of Christ no nor Christ himselfe vnlesse perhappes the Tridentine Lordinges will esteéme themselues to be of greater creditt and authoritye then Christ and the Apostles that so it may be lawfull for them to coyne a newfaÌ„gled Gospell wherew t Christ his Apostles were neuer acquainted First what the opinion of the doctors is herein hath bene expressely set downe before Surely Christ himselfe and the Apostle Paule do require nothing els in this celebratioÌ„ but onely a memoriall and an expressing and shewing forth of the Lordes death nor doth seéme to determine vpon any other end of this Sacrament then a remembraunce with a thankesgeuing This do ye sayth Christ in remembraunce of me And Paule deliuering to the Corinthians the same which he receiued of the Lord doth commaund them to shew forth the Lordes death whensoeuer they do celebrate this Supper vntill he come agayne Now I beseéch thee geÌ„tle reader doost thou heare any thing els in these wordes of Christ and his Apostle then the shewing forth of the Lordes death onely And what els will the Tridentine councell exact of vs Forsooth that we shall agayne and agayne offer the sonne of God for a sacrifice to God the Father for the remission of sinnes world without end a sacrifice I say not sacramentall onely but very propitiatorye which may helpe and be profitable not for the receiuer onely but may procure saluation for the quicke the dead also and wh thought to be offred of very necessity for the ease of punishmentes of satisfactions and of all other miseries afflictioÌ„s of this present lyfe But by what authority do they proue this where do they finde this of Christ of his Apostles or of any prescript word of Gods gospell No truly I am not of that mind But why do I demauÌ„d this of theÌ„ what warrant they haue by the word of God Lett it suffice me rather to admonish theÌ„ to beware lest through the selfe same Sacrifice wherewith they iudge themselues able to satisfy for their owne and other mens punishmentes and sinnes without all warrant of Gods word yea rather most wickedly requgnaunt to the expresse word of God they procure and heape vpon themselues lust damnation for this their shamelesse and horrible Idolatrye which they shall neuer be able to redeéme with all their massings and Iuggling Sacrifices It might seéme that we had alleadged sufficiently for thys matter and euicted the controuersy throughly if we were not pestered with such brawlers that dyd not delight rather to contend and striue for theyr owne victory then for the glorye of Christ or with such as would be satisfied with any authoritye of scriptures in the discouery of the truth of the question But they being now pressed downe and quyte ouerthrowen with the multitude of testimonies out of the sacred scripture fleé to the testimonies of men As though Diuinity as Tertullian sayth ought to be valued by the deuises of men or that the touchstone should be tryed by the golde and the golde not by the touchstone or that the course of the Sonne should be apportioned after the will of Iohn Clockekeéper and Iohn Clockekeéper not ruled rather by the course of the Sunne And on this wise now our catholicks bend their force with Testimonyes and Consent The Catholicke Churche hath alwayes hitherto from the age of the Apostles ratified those obseruaunces this doctrine of the sacrifice of the Masse whiche it would neuer haue done vnlesse this doctrine had bene agreable with the
receiue a remēbraūce of that sacrifice celebratyng the mysteries accordyng to the ordinaūce deliuered by him selfe and rendring thankes vnto God for our safety And agayne We doe erect vnto him an Altar of vnbloudy reasonable sacrifices accordyng to new mysteries Furthermore he doth forthwith expresse what kynde of new Mysteries they be Christ did offer sayth he a wonderfull sacrifice for the safety of vs all That is to say he gaue vs a memoriall to offer to God commaundyng vs to offer a memoriall for a sacrifice c. What shall I say of Cyrill Who doth call the prayers and melodious singing of fayth full soules praysing God cōtinually vnbloudy sacrifices And the same Cyrill writyng agaynst Iulian We sayth he forsaking the grosse sacrifice of the Iewes haue a commaūdement that we shall make a simple spirituall and a pearcyng sacrifice And therfore we do offer vnto God for a sweete smelling sauour all kindes of godlynes fayth hope and charitie c. If this controuersie may be decided with the greatest part of voyces who would require more wittnesses if with authoritie who will demaunde more auncient and more learned if by expresse euidence of wordes what is he so voyde of Reason that cā not playnly conceaue by the premisses that there is no one thyng more vntrue then that which these braynesicke men haue by a most false and vnsauory inuention Imagined concernyng the application and propiciation of this Sacrifice for the vtter ouerthrow of which doctrine what will more fittly serue the oportunitie now offered what cā be applyed more aptly for this present and more agreable to Reason then to kill them with their own swordes and to catch them in their owne pittfall for whereas the chiefest substaūce of a Sacrifice especially such a Sacrifice as is offred for Sinnes consisteth in slayeng of a body and sheadyng of bloud I would therfore learne of them by what reason the denomination of a Sacrifice may be properly applyable to their Popish Masse whereas neither any slaughter of a body or any sheadyng of bloud is discernable But there is represented say they a memoriall of sheadyng of bloud I do graunt it The holy Euchariste therefore doth not expresse any actuall killyng of the body or actuall sheddyng of bloud in truth and in deéde but representeth it by a memoriall onely Which bycause can not be denyed we say that hereof it commeth to passe wheras Remission of Sinnes is not otherwise obteined then by killyng of some body and sheadyng of bloud that for this cause therefore the Euchariste which executeth no actuall sheadyng of bloud but representeth onely a memoriall thereof can not of it selfe geue forgeuenesse of Sinnes but onely represent vnto vs a memoriall of the true Remission of Sinnes by way of Representation onely And what accoumpt shall mē make now I pray you of that dreadfull Decreé of the Tridentine Fathers who haue hundred out such flashes of horrible lightenyng whereby they doe scorche cleane into powder with their cursed Bull all them whosoeuer dare vtter halfe a word so much to say that the Sacrifice of the Masse is onely a bare commemoration of that Sacrifice finished vpō the Crosse and not a propiciatory Sacrifice rather I draw now somewhat neare to the very Canō of the Masse whereunto as these godly Catholickes do sticke most earnestly and do settle in the same the chief prore and pewpe as the Prouerbe is and shooteanker of their whole Idolatrous Sacrifice So doe they also in the same shyppe bulge them selues most of all and with their owne cable ouerhale them selues into an vnrecouerable gulfe The Tenor of which Canon is this Commaunde these giftes to be carried by the handes of thy holy Angelles vnto thyne hyghe Altar c. What Can not Christ sitte on the right hād of his Father vnlesse he be posted ouer by the Priest to be transported by Angelles vnto the highe Altar whenas he hath bene in actuall possession of the highest heauens long sithence not holpen thereunto by any person and sitteth on the right hād of his Father farre surmoūtyng in power euen the most excellent ministery of Priestes and Aungelles It followeth in the same Canō Through whom thou doest alwayes create sanctifie and blesse all these good gifts What is this that I doe heare must Christ be created blessed and sanctified agayne I haue passed my boundes somewhat further perhappes in prosecutyng this controuersie then the proportion of this our Apology would well admitt But hereunto was I forced partly by the peruersnes of Osorius partly by allurement of necessary persuasion for as much as I perceaued that there is no one thyng throughout all the doctrine of this phātasticall Religion wherein our Catholickes doe sweate and turmoyle them selues more greédely and raunge at riotte more perillously And therfore I thought it not amysse to rippe abroad the whole matter euen frō the very rootes of the foundation and so to encounter the franticke attemptes and engynes of our aduersaries Wherein if I haue not satisfied all mens expectation yet I trust that I haue reasonably brought to passe by this simple discourse that the Reader may easily conceaue how peéuish a plattforme this glorious Peacocke hath forged for his peltyng Purgatory and mumblyng maskyng Sacrifice vauntyng them to be matters of such importaunce as which the Apostles did deliuer ouer by mouth and which their Disciples dyd deliuer ouer to the posteritie and which the greatest consent of auncient Antiquitie with most Religious obseruaūce hath reteyned and approued so many hundred yeares with the generall Fayth and allowaūce of the vniuersall Church without any disagreement But on the contrary part as touchyng the Lutheranes they are cōfuted with the authorities of the aūcient Fathers and confounded with the generall consent of the whole Church whō Osorius with his copemates haue vtterly discoūtenaunced and discomfited with vnuanquishable Arguments vncomptrollable testimonies vnreproueable examples and conuinced them of horrible impiety and wickednes c. In good sooth these be lofty glorious magnificall speaches but besides the bare soūde of wordes no matter at all which wordes if must of necessitie fleé into the Castle of creditt bycause they be naked wordes onely without feathers surely you are well furnished with a very ready pollicie of persuasion Osorius and with a speciall practize for the speedy conquest of the cause But by this very same deuise of yours what a singular plattforme haue you layed forth for others to finde out the way to persuade as matter of truth whatsoeuer they liste to blast out in bare wordes For what is more easie then to pretend in word in speach those two wordes onely Church and Antiquitie if men wil be contented to haue their mouthes choaked with such boanes If the world be come to this passe that whosoeuer cā with finest floorish of wordes lauish abroad in the Church whatsoeuer him listeth the same shall obteine greatest creditt and
or all the holy ordinaunces and benefices of Ministers But if you vnderstand of the personages of men that is to say of the Ministers themselues and of Byshoppes by whom those holy thynges are frequented If you do exempt those persons from the lawfull gouernement of theyr owne Prince herein you shew your selfe no lesse iniurious to our Queéne then a manifest rebell to S. Paule who geueth a farr other commaundement in the scriptures To witt That euery soule ought to submitt it selfe to the power of their owne Magistrates Upon which place of Paule Chrisostome making an exposition doth so exempt no kinde of people from this subiection that he spareth not to comprehend vnder the gouernement of the higher powers all persons by one law aswell Apostles themselues Prophettes and Euangelistes as Mounkes But lett vs peruse the Argumentes wherewith this gentle and obedient childe of the Popes good grace doth make his wordes warrantable Tell I pray you if you please fayth he where did you euer reade that a Christian Prynce dyd take vpon hym the office of the Pope Truely to confesse the trueth I did heare neuer of any For there was neuer any Christian Prynce so shamelesse to presume to take vpon him so grat a function to professe himselfe to be the head of the vniuersall Church to challenge the prerogatiue of the consistory in common with God and to vsurpe both swordes spirituall and temporall to compell all humayne creatures vpon payne of damnation to sweare him allegeaunce and to yelde all power and authority vnder him And therefore that I may be so bolde to demaund a like question of you in as few wordes I pray you tell vs if it may please you Osorius where did you euer discerne so shamelesse an Impudency in any mortall creature at any tyme that would presume so arrogaÌ„tly to entrude vpoÌ„ the onely possession and inheritauÌ„ce of almighty God and challenge an interest therein in his owne right besides this onely high Byshopp of yours But lett vs heare Osorius how he doth prosecute his argumentes Nay rather all Princes sayth he which did embrace godlynesse and iustice did reuerence the iudgementes of Priestes did obay the Byshoppes without any refusall and did most wiselye accompt it the greatest part of theyr honour to be subiect to theyr commaundementes And because his saying shall not be voyd of creditt for want of examples and witnesses there is vouched agaynst vs Englishmen our owne Countreyman Constantine the singuler ornament of our English Nation The Emperour Theodosius Lodowicke the French Kyng Princes aboue all other most famous All which besides that they were notably renowmed for theyr worthy actes and Princely exploytes yet deserued they not so great commendation and renowme for any one thing more then in that they did shew themselues so humble and obedient to the commaundementes of the Popes We are taught by the rules and principles of the ciuill law that matters of equity are not determinable by examples but by Law what Princes haue done or what they haue not done doth not make so much to the purpose But if right must be decided by law to witt what ought haue bene done I do auÌ„swere that there hath bene many and mighty Monarches whose ouermuch tendernesse and lenity towardes Popes and Byshoppes hath procured the destruction and vtter ruyne of theyr owne esâ—ate and theyr Realmes withall Whenas Rodolph Duke of SwelaÌ„d reuolted against his owne Emperor HeÌ„ry the 4. by the instigation of the Pope what successe his obedience to the Pope came vnto let Historyes report Henry the fifth became a Traytor agaynst the Emperour his owne Father by the procurement of the Pope he did obay the Pope vanquished his Father and famished him in Pryson Osor. is not ignoraunt what ensued vpon that obedieÌ„ce Phillipp the french Prince french Kinges sonne was teazed to lead an army agaynst Iohn King of England by the commaundement of the Pope he obayed and bidd him battell what he wann at the length by that submission obedience besides many miserable calamities appertayneth not for this place to make report There was a truce takeÌ„ with Amurathes the Turkish Emperour for tenn yeares by the HuÌ„garianes not long after league being broken contrary to the law of Armes by the abetting of the Pope Ladislaus King of Hungary is brought forth into the field to encounter with the Turke and ouerthrowen in the conflict In which battell the King was not onely bereft of life but Christendome also lost almost all Hungary withall I could make a great Register of the warres of Henry the 4. and Henry the v. agayne of Fredericke the first Fredericke the secoÌ„d After those of the battell of Ludouicke Prince of Bauiere Fredericke Duke of Austriche withall of the slaughter of many Christian Princes and Dukes But for as much as hath bene treated sufficiently hereof before it shall suffice to haue touched these fewe by the way by comparison whereof the Readers may vnderstand what kynde a thyng this obedience towardes this notorious Seé hath bene which hath bene the nourse of so many treasons conspiracies tumultes and vproares emongest Emperours Kynges Princes and Subiectes and which doth dayly inuade the Christian commoÌ„ weales with horrible outragies doth rende a sunder Ciuill societie doth disturbe the quiet calme of Christes Church with seditious Bulles and cruell curses doth entangle the most mighty Monarches of the world with vnappeasable mutynes vproares tumultes finally doth ouerwhelme the whole state of the world with vnrecouerable perniciousnes destruction dissipation For as it is a neédeles matter to reuiue the remembraunce of the old broyles of the late scattered world which doth flicke fast in our skyrtes yet scarse able to be shaken from the shoulders of all Chistendome euen yesterday almost in the fresh beholdyng of vs that are liuyng what one other grudge did prouoke the late Emperour Charles the v. to inuade the Germaines enflamed the Spaniardes to the bloudy spoyle of so many of their own bowels In EnglaÌ„d likewise what one thing did procure so many rebellions of the subiectes agaynst their liege Lordes Henry the 8. and Edward the 6 What thing teazed Mary the Queéne to so sauadge a cruelty agaynst her owne naturall subiectes rakyng together â—o many Fagottes loades of woodes to the broylyng of so many Martyrs finally what one thyng at this present doth captiuate and deteigne the whole Realme of Fraunce in such an vnentreatable massacre but this Popishe obedience wherewith Princes as Osorius doth suppose do most circumspectly thrust their neckes vnder the Popes gyrdle But I am of a contrary mynde and beleéue veryly that Princes might haue demeaned them selues much more wisely and prudently if in steéde of this childish submissioÌ„ seruile subiectioÌ„ they would with Princely seueritie haue snaâ—â—led the outragious insoleÌ„cy of so shameles arrogaÌ„cy in that proude Prelate folowyng the President of our most gracious
Queéne despising those franticke furies of broylyng Bulles and crauyne curses would banish this proud Tarquine from out their kyngdomes territories Which if they did it were not to be doughted but that the publique tranquillitie of all Christian Nations would enioy a farre more ioyfull countenaunce of freédome and concorde And yet I speake not this to the end that I would haue godly Prelates dispossessed from their dignitie or would wish their authoritie empayred the value of a rush S. Paule doth not in vayne admonish vs to yeld double honour to Byshops and Rulers of the Church but with this prouiso annexed to witte if they rule well if they do labour mightely in doctrine and preachyng But what prerogatiue can the Romish Byshop clayme from hence more then any other particular Byshop The Pope hath his owne Prouince lett him guide that as well as he caÌ„ lett him not encroche vpon others nor hawke for hawtyer Titles of honour then beseémeth his function The Ecclesiasticall dignitie is a ministery not an Empyre a charge and a burden rather then a Lordlynes or superioritie wherein he that will presume to rule the roaste ouer others must looke aduisedly to him selfe first that he gouerne well that he labour mightely in the word doctrine If the Byshops and Priestes be not negligent and retchelesse in their owne dutyes they shall neuer be defrauded of their due honour and dutyfull obedience nor euer were denyed therof For eueÌ„ for this cause that valiauÌ„t kyng of England Constantine that noble Emperour Theodosius that famous Ludouicke Pius the French kyng and other like Princes did esteéme highely of good and godly Christian Ministers and obeyed them which instructed them in the word of God did enure them selfes to their godly exhortations as the Emperour Valentinian doth report euen as to wholesome potioÌ„s and medicinable restoratiues Euen so Theodosius beyng excluded from partakyng the holy Communion by Ambrose did most modestly obay The same Theodosius also beyng determined to exercize cruell reuenge against the Thessalonians and beyng counsayled by Ambrose that in geuyng sentence vpon lyfe and death he would take breath pause by the space of xxx dayes least in rage and fury he should accomplish that whereof he might afterwardes repent him did willyngly and obediently submitt him selfe to the graue exhortation of the godly Father Semblably many other notable Potentates also in many great and weighty matters did humbly yeld to the sweéte persuations of such as were farre their inferioursâ— Princes for the preseruation of their health do obay the direcâ—â—â—n of their Phisitions In the lawes positiue they be guided and ledd by the conduct of the Lawyers And yet for all this such subiectes do not cease to be subiectes still neither refuse their due obedience to their liege Lordes and Gouernours It happeneth oftentymes that the maister will be aduised by his seruauÌ„t and the husband guided by the discretion of the wife yet ceaseth not therefore the Maister to be Maister nor the Husband to be head ouer his Wife As in all well ordered common weales be Maior alties Bayliwickes and many degreés of Officers which doe seuerally employ their functions for the preseruation of common societie yet must there be one onely soueraigne emongest them of some greater couÌ„tenaunce who by his wisedome and authoritie may guide the inferiour Magistrates and bridle the insolency of the rude multitude But the Catholickes doe deny that the Catholicke Church ought to be subiect to this authority If vnder the name of Church they do comprehend the ordinaunces and ceremonies wherewith the Church is administred they do speake truly In deéde the word of God the Articles of doctrine and of fayth the administration of the Sacramentes and the discretioÌ„ of byndyng and excoÌ„municatyng is not attempered by the regiment and commaundement of Princes nor doth the Ciuile Magistrate entermedle with the administration of any of these thyngs But if they meane the personages of men who are exercized in this holy function or the charge dispositioÌ„ of particular matters that are incideÌ„t to the Ministery they do say vntruly for as much as there is no Ciuile potentate vnto whoÌ„ is not coÌ„mitted the order gouernement of all members of the coÌ„mon weale indifferently as well Ministers Preachers of the word as all other inferiour Magistrates Subiectes Otherwise the doctrine of Paule were in vayne Let euery soule submit it selfe to the higher power the truth whereof is to be Iustified by the most approued exaÌ„ples of both the old and new Testamentes If we begyn at Moyses who supplyed the office of a Ciuile Magistrate and from him descend to all the Ages of our owne Emperours Potentates Emongest all which Magistrates we shall finde none but hath receaued by Gods commaundement the gouernement of Ecclesiasticall persones aswell as of Ciuile Magistrates as inferiour Subiectes It would require a long discourse to treate throughly of all the names and gouernementes of Emperours and Ciuile Potentates To make a brief rehearsall of the chiefest First in the old Testament how many examples are extaunt of such Princes â—s do prescribe ceremonies for the Tabernacle which doe fetche backe agayne the Arke of the couenauÌ„t which make holy Sonettes and Psalmes Rule ouer Priestes builde Churches moreouer do cleanse them agayne after they were defiled do ouerthrow Temples Altares reforme abuses which also sometymes doe pronounce exhortations to the people touchyng the worshyppyng of God do aduertise the Priestes of their dutyes and ordeyne lawes for them to guide their lyues by which appoint Orders and obseruations in the Church which doe kill wicked Prophetes yea and many tymes also doe prophecy in their owne persones In the new Testament lykewise how many examples are to be seéne in the recordes of the best ages of kinges and Monarches who within their owne Territories and dominions haue ordayned godly and learned Byshoypes to rule ouer prouinces and haue deposed such as haue bene vnworthye haue suppressed the riott and insolencye of Priestes who haue not onely Sommoned Synodes and Councells of Byshops but do sitt emongest them geue sentence with them yea prescribe orders vnto them which they shall obay are presidents ouer their Councells doe depose hereticall Byshoppes which geue iudgement vpon matters of Religion which doe sett downe articles pronounce sentence disanull the opinions of heretiques and ratifie the Doctrine of the Catholicke fayth If the most auncieÌ„t and most Christian kinges Emperors did not entermeddle heretofore in all these causes the report of Historyes is false If our kinges and Queénes doe the lyke at this present what cause hath Osorius to frett and fume If the charge of Religion and Religious persons doe not pertayne to the ciuill pollicye in any respect surely Constantine did not behaue himselfe discretely who in his owne person decyded the causes and controuersies of Byshopps which did appeale to his Maiestye entermedled his authoritye in
the pacyfying of quarells determined and ended complaynts and forced them to vnitye aud concord all which he ought to haue submitted to the pōtificall iurisdiction Moreouer this also was a part of no lesse insolencye in him to presume to fitt emongest the Byshopps in the Councell of Nyce as Theodoret doth testify to direct them with his councell commaunding thē earnestly to foreseé that in determining and decyding all matters of Religion they should haue a speciall regard to the wrytinges of the Apostles and Prophetts The same may be veryfied by the Emperor Theodosius who as Socrates reporteth did not onely sitt emongest the Byshopps and was present at their disputation but was president and chiefe of the Councell also and did vtterly condemne the opinions of the heretiques In the councell of Chalcedon when as Dioscorus Iuuenall Thalassius were condēned for heretiques who gaue sentence vpon them the ciuill Magistrate or the Byshoppes of Rome lett Osorius make aunswere at his best leasure In the 3. Councell of Constantinople the Emperour Constantine did not onely sitt together with the Byshopps but subscribed their decreés also with his owne hand on this wise We haue readd sayth he and haue subscribed them Lykewise in the Councell of Arausium we reade the same was done I doe not say of the Princes themselues but of thambassadours of Princes and states of the Potentates also who did not onely vtter their mindes in matters of Religion but did adde also their owne subscriptions emongest the Byshopps When as Iustinian the Emperor made a law touching the reformation of lyfe and the restrayning of the insolent licētiousnes of Priestes and when as he deposed two Popes Siluerius and Vigilius striuing together for Peters chayre In lyke maner here in our litle Brittaine when as Athelstane Edgar Egelrede and Canutus doe establishe Byshops in their Seés when as they doe make lawes touching the Sabbath touching payment of Tythes touching Ceremonies touching worshipping touching cases of Matrimony of Penaūce and Excommunication did they thinke that they had no charge committed vnto them for Reformation of Religion And what shall we aunswere to Ierome then who writyng agaynst Rufinus touching the lawfull aucthoritye of Councells Tell me sayth he what Emperour did commaund that Councell to be sommoned What shall I speake of August lykewise who taking vpon him to confute the error of the Donatistes emongest other many reasons forced this Argument chiefly Why did you conuent Cecilian Byshopp of Carthage before Constantine sayth he If it be not lawfull for an Emperour to determine vpon matter of Religion Moreouer how shall Chrisostome be aunswered who by the authoritye of that place of Paul before rehearsed doth restraine euery humaine creature not exempting the very Apostles and Euangelistes themselues to the dutiefull obedience not of one Byshopp but of euery of his owne particular Prince Furthermore what shall we say of the Apostle Paule himselfe who purposing to be tryed in the controuersie of Religion doth make his appeale not to Peter sitting as the Papistes doe say at Rome but to themperor Nero notwithstanding he was a most horrible Tyrant So that concerning the duetye of obedience on the behalfe of the subiect not the person that is in highest authority whether he be Kyng or Queéne but the estate it selfe which is ordeyned from God is to be considered Which beyng most certeynely true what cann be more voyde of shame then Osorius face more vnsauory then his writing and more false then his opinion who raking a heape of wordes together to bring vs to be more maligned and enuied Barketh agaynst vs Englishmen with his doggish Eloquence Who haue submitted the Sacred affayres of holy Churche not onely to a king which you doe accompt a haynousnes vnpardonable but also to a Queene contrary to all equitye and right contrary to the holynesse of most pure Religiō and contrary to the prescript ordinaunces of almighty God and haue translated also the Sacred dignitye of the highest Byshopp violently taken away from lawfull Byshopps to the gouernement and direction of a woman c. Loe here gentle Reader the substaunce of a most greuous complaynt agaynst the Sacrilegous Englishmen haynous enough considering the force of our accuser Osorius which because you shall not think but that it is in ech respect as true as it is cruell and odious and least his declamation may happen to light emongest such as be hard of beliefe and therefore skarse finde any place of creditt behold now with what Arguments with what force and with what kinde of proofe he iustifieth his accusation and therewith enforceth creditt not by reason onely but with aucthoritye and doth make it vnreproucable by the testimony of an Oracle so that now no man cann be so distrustfull as to conceaue any ill opinion of the Accuser being a man vncontrollable Namely because himselfe hath spoken the word euery of whose wordes be inuincible sentences Goe to then what is it that Osorius vpon his superexcellent creditt doth warrant vnto vs Marke well you wretched Englishmen you outcast and abandoned Nation which haue made subiect to a womans gouernement all holy Church and all holynesse rēnonucing the Pope of Rome his aucthoritye harkē vnto your cōplaint wherewith Osorius doth charge you Which thing verely I do affirme to be an haynous offence a beastly and sauadge wickednesse and a detestable and execrable abhomination It is enough for so our Tomme told vs. Neither hath he told it onely but hath proclaymed it also and doth so proclayme it not as the Iewes did sometyme exclayme whē Christ was accused for they cryed out on this wise We haue no king but Caesar. But Osorius pypeth vpp an other note wee haue no Kyng but the Pope And as for Priestes and Byshopps to be subiect to a womās aucthoritie he accompteth it an vnpardonable haynousnes worthy of a thousand Purgatories And I beseéch you Syr what was there done at Rome when as Ioane an English woman beyng Pope all Churches holynes were subiect not onely to the Iurisdiction of a woman but were at commaundement of a Strumpett But I lett this passe and retourne agayne to you who recompt it a matter intollerable that the affaires of holy Church should be ordered by any Magistrate other then by the Popes aucthoritie By what Argument do you proue this to be true Forsooth bycause Osorius hath spoken the word But farre otherwise spake and did Augustine Ierome and Chrisostome of whom we made mention before Otherwise also spake Gelasius a Bishop of Rome who doth franckly and boldly professe that the priuiledges of the Church are in the power of the Emperour deliuered vnto him from aboue I speake not here of the person man or woman nor yet of the maners of Princes but of the authoritie which whether happē to mā or womā if their prerogatiue be warranted by the ordinaunce of God there is no cause why it
in the world more readyly then to ioyne with you What can you craue more Osorius But if this request can not be brought to passe nor obteyned of you to witte that you abandonne out of your Church Idolles and prophane worshyppynges nor will yeld to a reformation of your filthy errours and corruptions of Religion accordyng to the true touchestone of sacred Scripture that the same confuse licentiousnesse of vncleane single lyfe croochyng and kneélyng to Images and greédy gaddyng to the Reliques of the deadd more then Heathenish may be vtterly banished that your breadworshypp Imageworshypp your prophane abuse of the Lordes Supper your false packettes of Pardons eare whisperyngs satisfactions merite meritorious and other vnmeasurable monsters of your ragged Religion may be altogether abrogated If these I say so many so horrible botches and cankers of superstitioÌ„ disceiptes vntruthes patcheries and impieties propped vppe in the Church by your filthy ignoraunce you will not raze and scrape cleane out of the Church of Christ but haue determined rather to mainteyne and vphold the same more then barbarously with slaughter bloud and all maner of sauadge cruelty nor will as yet yeld to be tryed by any lawfull aucthoritie but continue vnappeasable agaynst the manifest trueth and persist vnremoueable in the supportation of your blasphemous Idolatry with vnmercyfull greédynesse Briefly if you call vs to such a Churche and to the embracying of such a Fayth as no Christian faythfull man may by any meanes professe except he will renounce the true Churche of Christ vnlesse he will vtterly denye Christ him selfe and his Fayth herein neither shall it be conuenient for vs to agreé with you and become partakers of this your horrible bootchery nor shall it become you to require vs thereunto moreouer we assuredly trust that Christ will neuer permitt vs so to do I haue aunswered you now as briefly as I could yet will I speake it somewhat more briefly If any man dare be so hardy to chaunge to counterfeiâ—t to peruert the Lawes Statutes and autentique Monumentes of any earthly Prince or the Testament of any deadd person after this sort as you do Canuasse the word of God no Prince would permitt such a treachery in his Realme and an hundred Gallowes and Tortures would seéme to litle for so haynous an offence And what shal be sayd then to them who hauyng mangled and made hauocke of the euerlastyng Testament of GOD whereunto to adde or to diminishe therefrom any title is not lawfull vpon payne of damnation who treadyng vnder foote the ordinaunces of the the Lord of Lordes who hauyng chaunged and counterfayted the fine and pure gold of the sacred Scripture and coyned vnto vs such drosse and ofscombe of Religion wherein we must be forced to lyue now not after the Lawes and Ordinaunces of Christ but after their Decreés and Decretalles I beseéch you shall it be reasonable for Osorius to allure vs to such a kynde of conformitie and then after this lyfe to promise vs euerlastyng glory to the ioye of all the Company in heauen Wherein Osorius doth expresse in deéde a certein glorious presumption of a courage wonderfully fawnyng vpon his owne dexteritie Howbeit whatsoeuer sounde this shrill Trumpett of Osorius shall noyse forth from out of Portingall we must neuerthelesse geue our attentyue eare rather to the Trumpett of GOD and marke diligently whereunto it calleth vs as the which soundyng vnto vs a farre vnlyke marche commaundeth vs in any wise not to goe out of Raye nor to depart from our Auncient and Standarde vpon a greéuous payne least we be partakers of their Treason and be punished with their plagues And agayne with most cruell manaces threatenyng all such as shall receaue the marke of the Beast either on the forehead or on the hand to whom he doth promise not euerlastyng glory to the reioysing of all the company of heauen but the bitter cuppe of Gods euerlastyng wrathe which is myngled with wyne in the Cuppe of Gods vengeaunce And they shal be tormented sayth he with fire and Brimstone in the sight of the holy Angelles before the face of the Lambe and the smoake of their Tormentes shall ascende world without ende Apocal. 14. Which I doe most humbly and hartely beseéche the most mercyfull Lord that he will tourne farre away from you and from vs all And so is both your prayer come to an ende and our Apologye finished And so an ende A knitting vp to the Reader NOw for as much as Osor. and I haue sufficiently debated our matters together It remayneth that I vse some conference with the godly and Christian Reader herein whom I would aduertize by the way in few wordes to be well aduised of Osorius not of any malice truely nor of any vnhonest affection of disquieted minde conceaued agaynst the man but moued hereunto by necessary instinct of well wishing harte in respect of some young men not altogether voyde of commeÌ„dable knowledge and learning though perhappes otherwise not so well setled in Iudgement who may be easily carryed away into vayne conceipt allured with the outward glittering brauery of Osorius minion Eloquence as seély fishes caught with sugred hayte vnlesse they flee the hidden hooke whom for the same I thought good to admonish before haÌ„d Not meaning to dissuade them from reading of Osorius bookes altogether nor to defraud Osorius of any his prayseworthy grace of Eloquent style or to extenuate his glory if he haue deserued any therein For as for me truely as I am neither acquainted with the countenaunce of the man so doe I not so much regard the outward foyle of his paynted speéch howsoeuer any man shall streake himselfe with blazing the beauty of fyled tongue concerneth me nothing at all so also apperteigneth as little to the matter There is an other thing that I requier more namely in a Byshopp a Priest and a Deuine Therfore if any man shall take pleasure in the floorishing forme of Osorius phrase and will not be remoued from the fragraunt flowers of Osorius speéch lett him enioy his delight a gods name and lett him read his bookes the will yea I doe wishe hartely that all and euery person would reade and peruse him that so the more witnesses there be in the matter the more directly men may determine of the creditt of the person Therefore lett them reade him I say whosoeuer be so minded and lett them not onely carry the booke dayly in their handes but lull him also in their bosomes I will not gaynesay them therein This councell onely I geue that they reade him with Iudgement neuerthelesse and esteéme of him as a RhethoriciaÌ„ and an artificiall Orator but take him for no Deuine And that they become not so rauished with the gorgeous gaze of this prancked Peacocke nor fixed to faste in the fyne feature of his fawning feathers but behold below his blacke feéte withall lett theÌ„ be so enamored with the delicate deuises of their
required in philosipher so may the want therof be borne withall in a Deuine Ieromes Epistle to PaÌ„machius Luke 16. Esay 2. 1. Cor. 1. â— Osor. 163. Prouer. 16. Fine poolished speach is alwayes impudent An Exquisite affectation of Eloquence not so much to be regarded of Deuines Pag. 166. Osori inueighed against EnglaÌ„d but not agaynst all Osori pag. 167. What Osorius doth promise in this booke Osori Argument not able to be resolued Haddones auÌ„swere to Osori Argument Osor. pag. 167. The testimony of the world agaynst the Lutheranes The rebouÌ„ding of the Argument agaynst Osor. Osor. pag. 168. A trimme reason of Osor. Osor. pag. 169. Osor. Argument coÌ„futed The spirite of the Prophettes is not to be measured by the nomber of beleuers Moah Moses Esay Ieremy Stephen S. Paule The first beginning of Luther Luthers humble letters to pope Leo the tenth Pope Leo his proude insolency agaynst Luthers humble submission Luthers second letters to Leo the Pope Anno 1519. Luthers Protestation Luthers huÌ„ble Supplication to the Church of Rome Stanislaus Hosius in his first booke of heresies The Pope the seruauÌ„t of seruauÌ„tes of God by a figure called Antiphrasis The cause of Luther honest Osori conclusioÌ„s false Sophistry A comparison betwixt the professoures of the true Gospell the Papisticall Osor Pag. 169. The prayle of the Romish church after Osor. A fifth and euerlasting Gospell made on a tyme of the Dominick Fryers at Parise Anno Dom. 1256. Osor. pag. 169. Of the Fayth of the Romishe Church Whether the vniformitye of fayth be more discernable in the Romish Chur. or in the Lutheranes How many wayes the popes fayth is contrary to the right institution of the Gospell Arrogancy and vayne confidence The name of vniuersal Church is restrayned to the Romaynes onely contrary to the nature of the Gospell Osor. pag. 169. The false and lyeng braggeâ— of the Romish Church Osor. pag. 169. Esay 5. How the Church of Rome is laden with mens tradicions Emptynes and voyde Apoca. 13. Osor. pag. 170. By what Reasons the vniuersality of Christes Vicar is coÌ„firmed One head of the Church The doctrine of the Gospell doth call all the Ministers of the Church to humilitie permitteth superioritie to none in any wise August agaynst Petilian Epist. Cap. 3. Cyprian Whether the authoritie of the Romishe See be Necessary for the takyng away of Schismes The Romishe See the Metropolitane of Sectes Where the Romish authoritie is quite banished there is most rest The Papacie nothyng els then a certeine mighty faction and armed power of kyngs The slaunder of the Sectes and dissentioÌ„ of the Lutheranes FactioÌ„s and Schismes in the Church of Rome Diuerse coÌ„tentiones of papistes amongst theÌ„ selues touching the supper of the Lord. Whether Popes See were erected by god or men See hereof before Haddons discourse in the first booke pag. 15. Peter sate at Rome What a diuersitie is betwixt Rome now and as it was in the tyme of Peter The principallitie of the See of Rome by what begynnyng it crept to so great power and tyranny When the name of Vniuersalitie and the order of Cardinalles beganne Vrsinus Damasus Anno 369. How many and how great conflictes haue raunged in the Chur. of Rome about the choosing of the Pope Boniface Eulalius Anno. 420. Simachus Laurentius Anno. 499. Stephanus Constantinus Phillip Anno. 768. Anastasius Benedictus 873. Leo. Christoph. Sergius Iohn 13. Leo. 8. Anno. 968. Out of platina this Iohn the 13. was takeÌ„ committyng adultery and was slayne Benedict the 5. being taken prisoner was cast into Adrianes Doungeon Anno. 973. Donus 2. Boniface 7. ranne away with the Treasury of Rome 975. Gregor 5. Iohn 17. Siluester Anno. 995. Out of Cardinall Benno Clemens 2. 1048. Benedict 10 1058. Alexander 2. Cadolus 1062. Hildebrand Clement 3. Victor 3. Vrbanus 2. Anno. 1083. Pascalis Albertus Theodoric Maginulph Vibertus False Popes Platina Blondus Gelâ—sius 2. The Archbishop of Bacchara a false pope Anno. 1118. Calistus 2. Gregory 8. false popes Anno. 1124. Distinct. 76 Cap. Ieiunium The first institution of Cardinalles about the yeare 1124. Innocent 2. Anacletus 1130. Out of AEmilius his 5. bookes Blond Platina Guil. Tyrius 14. booke and the 12. Chapter The Consuls of Rome brought in subiectioÌ„ to the Pope Blond in his 6. booke Lucius 3.2 Schismatick 1182. Vrbanus 3. called Turbulent for his troublesome head 1185. InnoceÌ„t the 3. the chief champioÌ„ of all the calamities and troubles of the church 1215. Honorius 3 Innocent 4. Gregoâ—y 9. most rebellious traytours agaynst the Emperour Friderick 2 The factioÌ„s of the Guelsians and Gibellynes raysed by the meanes of this Gregory 9. Celestin. 5. Boniface 8. a firchrand of factions 1295. Platina AEmil The most impudent shamelenes of Boniface 8. agaynst the Archb. of Genua Innocentius 6. Gregorye 11. the greatest author of Schisme 1352. Vrbanus 6. thrust into the Popedome by violeÌ„ce 1378. The See of Rome deuided in Schisme by the space of 74. yeares A cruell coÌ„tention betwixt the Cowled generation about the Conception of our Lady 1400. Boniface 9. Innocent 7. a seditious murderer 1405. Gregory 12 AlexaÌ„der 5 a troublesome pope Iohn 24. by force and money occupyeth the Sec. 1411. Three Popes deposed at one time Martine 5. The Councell of CoÌ„stance The Conuenticle of Constance did coÌ„deÌ„ne Ierome of Prague and Iohn Husse to be burned Martin not the Vicare of Christ but of Bellona Engenius an other chicken of Bellona A CouÌ„cell at Basile 1435. Eugenius a Schismatick is deposed from the Popedome 1442. This schisme endured 9. yeares The battell agaynst the Heluetians and Basileans by the procuremeÌ„t of Eugenuius Rob. Gaguinus and Phrigio Thomas of Redon thorough the popes Tyranny burned 1436. Antonius others A non causa vt causaÌ„ The fallaxe of the accident Luther a speciall aduersary to Sedition Osor. pag. 187. Of the Româ—nistes obedience rowardes Princes pag. 170. The Emperoâ—â— translated from the Grecyanes to the Frenchmen by the popes contrary their oathes Charles the Great The Creeks inuaded by the Turkes An Auncient ordinaunce of the right of the Emperour and the Pope The Maiestye of the Empyre was translated from Fraunce into Germany by the pope A degree of Gregory the 5. Concluded vpon with Otho the thyrd Emperour The wayward Rebellion of the popes alwayes agaynst the Imperiall Maiestie An olde grudge of the popes agaynst the Emperours for the bestowyng of Ecclesiasticall promotions Benedicte doth rebell against HeÌ„ry 3. The horrible conspiracie of pope Gregory 7. and the Bishops agaynst Henry the fourth Rodolphe suborned agaynst his Lord and Emperour by the practize and treason of the pope Rebellion punished The pope beyng the firebrand of seditioÌ„ doth prouoke the sonnes to rebell agaynst their Father Gods iust iudgement executed vpon the sonne that rebelled agaynst his Father The popes absolute power The Maiestie Imperiall subdued and subiect to the popes De Maior obedi Cap. Insolitae De Maior Cap.
vnam Sanctam What kinde of obedieÌ„ce popes vse towardes Magistrates A conspiracie of Iohn 12. most abhominably practized against Otto the Emperour ContentioÌ„â— raysed betwixt the Emperours and the popes rehearsed out of Hystories A singuler president of the popes obedience towardes the lawfull Magistrate Conrade his brother HeÌ„ry the 5. teazed agaynst their own father through the popes faction Anselme agaynst HeÌ„ry 1. Kyng of England Henry 5. is enforced to yeld to the popes commauÌ„demeÌ„t 25. Quest. 1 violatores The popes of Rome do challenge a certeine heauenly power vpon earth Gratian his booke of Decretalls Ionocent 2. ouerthroweth the order of Senatours in Rome The cruelty of Alexander 3. agaynst the Emperour Fridericke Barbarossa The singuler insolency of Hadrian 4. in banishyng the dignitie of Consulshyp The troublesome seditions of HadriaÌ„ the pope Hadrian choaked with a flye 1159. The seditious tumults of AlexaÌ„der the pope agaynst Caesar his soueraigne Lord and Prince The vnspeakeable pride of a seditious pope A president of the popes pryde farre passing Tarquines pride Iudas â— Nazianzen Oration vpon the holy Penthecost The incredible fury and outrage of Innocent 3. of Honor. and Gregory 9. agrynst Frederick 2. Extimo Concil 49. Pag. 639. The filthy gaynes of the pope Innocent 4. doth sette vpon the same Frederick the Emperour Agaynst the Successours of Frederick do Vrbane 4. and Clement 4. kept warre The pope Clement doth conspire the death of Conrade Frydericke Nicholas 3. doth sowe the seedes of discention betwixt Charles King of Sycile and Peter Kyng of Arragon The seditiouse troubles of Boniface 8. agaynst Celestine agaynst the Family of Columne agaynst phillyppe the Frenche kyng and agaynst Albert the Emperour Clement 5. doth prescribe lawes to Emperours Ludouick the Emperour most shamefully abused by Clement 6. Charles 4. appoynted Emperour agaynst Ludouick the true Emperour by the procuremeÌ„t of Clement 6. The onely popes of Rome the common pestilence of Christianes and of all Europe How little the Romish obedience doth agree with the Rule of Paules obedience Chilpericke the French kyng Henry 2. kyng of England Iohn kyng of England Victor a Byshoppe Phillippe the French kyng Henry 6. the Emperour Wicked practize of Pius 2. agaynst the Emperour Out of Recordes of Germany Henry the 8. kyng of EnglaÌ„d excommunicated by pope Clement the 7. Pius the 5. keepeth a sturre agaynst Elizabeth Queene of England Osori pag. 170. B. The maner of Popishe obedieÌ„ce to their Princes The horrible crueltie of the Spanish Inquisitours against English Marchauntes The king of Spayne subiect to his owne subiectes Inquisitours How the Catholicks be obedient subiectes to their owne kynges Anselme Theobald Thom. Archb of cauÌ„terbury Byshop of Ely Stephen Langton Edmund Archb. of Caunt Iohn Peccham Rob. Wilkelse Gualter Archb. The froward coÌ„tumacy of Monckes agaynst their kyng Out of Mathewe Parisâ— vpon the lyfe of Henry 3. Math. Parisiensis The proude rebellion of the pope the Bishops agaynst the kyng A tenth of all moueables in EnglaÌ„d and in Scotland graunted to the pope Mathaeus Parisiensis The auncient lawes and ordinaunces of Emperours enfringed by Popes Dist. 63. Out of the Englishe Chronicles Osor. The Troumpetour of the Romishe Ierarchy Pag. 170. The picture of the crosse must be worshipped Images of Sainctes Sanctusâ—es Lord for the bloud of Thomas graunte our prayers to wend c. No Nation in the world hath any pictures or grauen Images in their Churches but Papistes onely Osorius doth defend pictures to be as Kalenders of remeÌ„braunce Osorius pag. 17. The monument of the Brasan Serpent and the bookes of SalomoÌ„ de curandis morbis abrogated by Ezechias for the abuse Osorius pag. 171. How the Fayth of the Catholickes is ioyned with hope and feare Confidence of workes by Osor. Fayth How feare ought to be ioined with the fayth of the gospell Of workes Osorius pag. 172. Of Ceremonyes and Sacraments Pag. 171. Of Confession Osori pag. 172. 1. Iohn â— Pag. 172. Plaut in Bacchid Luke 10. The Charecter of the priest The Character of the Beast in the Apocalips Math. 9. Luke 7. Mar. 5. Mar. 9. Luke 4. Chrisost. vpon the 51. Psalme Homel 2. Actes 15. Actes 26. Actes 10. The Reformation of Confession The Superstition of SatisfactioÌ„ A poena culpa Osori pag. 172. Osori pag. 173. FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce that so holy lyfe and so great chastitie of the papistes doth proceede The incredible force and efficacy of the Masse Osori pag. 173. Osorius reason to proue that the rude people should be restrayned froÌ„ readyng the Scriptures Vnknowne tounges in the Papists churches Osor. pag. 173. Smale care had of preaching the word in the popes churches The senteÌ„ce of Barnard To muche light or no light at all How light must bee quallified according to Barnard that there be not too much light nor to litle Psal. 19. Psal. No man ought to be forbidden from reading the Scriptures Ephes. 3. Ephes. 1. The cause is fouÌ„d out why the Byshoppes do fle so much the light of the scriptures What kinde of authority it is of the Popes and Byshoppes in the Popish church Osor. pag. 173. Out of the Trepartite history 9. Booke cap. 35. Si non caste tameÌ„ cauté How farre the lawfull authority of the church extendeth it selfe Luk. 10. Ioh. 20. The Ecclesiasticall dignitye wherein it consisteth There is one power of the church an other of this world Iohn 5. Of the Rites and state holy dayes of the Romish churche Osori pag. 174. How great occasion of idlenes and dronkennes the multitude of holy dayes do engender How blasphemous Idolatrous the songes of the Romish Churchebe Christemasse day Pag. 175. Ashewednesday Palmesonday Good Friday Easter EueÌ„ Easterday Ascention day Whitsonday All HolleÌ„day What thingeâ— be reproued in the papistes holy dayes ceremonies Esay â— Popish worshyppyng compared with the worshyppyng of the Iewes in the olde law The superstitioÌ„ of the people in their state holy dayes ceremonies ought to be reformed Osori pag. 175. Esay 58. Gala. 4. Osor. pag. 176. Principles of Osorius Religion How much commodity and necessity there is in outward ceremonies and signes in Osorius iudgement Sarcasmus a nipping skoffe An Aunswere to Osorius mocke The papists acquayntaunce with mortall fragility The vow of chastity What Ceremonies are necessary with the Christians Baptisme The Communion All Ceremonies are not to be coÌ„demned yet in the allowaunce of Ceremonies Reason and choyse must be â—â—dâ— Osorius spightfull â—nuectiue by a Rhetoricall figure wrest back vpon the Lutheranes Pag. â—77 Osor. pag. 178. Osor. pag. 179. Osorius bauld Rhetorick The confutation of Osorius inuectiue Luther Phillippe MelancthoÌ„ Martin Bucer Huldricke Zuinglius Iohn Caluiâ—e Luther vpoÌ„ the 15. Psalmes of Degrees How the Pope is afflicted by the Lutheranes Apoc. 1â— The authoritie of the Romish See can not agree with the authoritie of the Scriptures The complaint of Osori concernyng the ouerthrow of Monckeryes and Nunneries It was
Sacrament of bread and wine is called the body and bloud of Christ. August to Boniface 13. Episto August vppon the psalme 89. August agaynst Adimant 13. The circumstaunces about the Supper of the Lord are to be considered August vpon the wordes of the Lord in Lake Ser. 33. August in Ioh. tractar 25.26 The abseÌ„ce of the body of Christ more profitable for vstheÌ„ his presence An Argument in respect of the profit therof Antichrist An argument from Impossibilitye Contradictiories cann not be together not so much as by miracle A great diuersitie betwixt the auncient Church of Rome and this vpstart Church The lynes and couersatioÌ„ of the auncieÌ„t Fathers of the primitiue Church The first age of the Church Deut. 12. Gala. 1. Math. 7. In processe of time the maners and ordinaunce of ChristiaÌ„s were chauÌ„ged The middle age of the Church How sure forth humayne authoritye doth binde Ecclesiasticall function consisteth in two thinges chiefly How farre ecclesiasticall power doth extend it selfe In matters appertayning vnto God dew obedience ought to be geuen to the Pastors and Ministers How farre forth obedieÌ„ce ought to be geuen or not geueÌ„ to Pastours of the churche in matters of mens constitutioÌ„ What ministers ought to consider in makyng new ordinaunces Of iudiciall power of Churches The difference betwixt Ecclesiasticall temporall IudgemeÌ„ts Ecclesiasticall discipline in the primitiue Church The first institution of the primitiue church compared with the tymes of the latter Church The foundation of the christiaÌ„ Church The foundation of the Romyshe Church The Popes doctrine coÌ„uinced by foure principall pointes The popes Church more like an earthly kyngdome then the kyngdome of Christ. A smale discription of the Romishe Ierarchye A comparison betwixt the kingdome of the Pope and the kingdome of this world Iohn 20. A comparison betwixt the popes kyngdome and Christs kyngdome Luke 20. Mar. 10. Luce. 12. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Rom. 12. The shape of the Romish Ierarchy The counteâ—faite authoritie of popes The church wickedly defined by the papistes How the Romishe stagers doe counterfayt olde Antiquitye A manifest declaration of the Romish church as it is now to be nothing at all Gregor 4. booke 30. Epistle The order of Cardinalles The electioÌ„ of the pope of Rome Cyprian 4. booke Epistle 2. The auncient authoritie of Emperours in sommoning Councelles and in chusing popes A Decree of Charles the great Otto Distinct 6 3. The olde Canons do abhorre priuate Masses Canon 8. The power of both swords coÌ„trary to the old CanoÌ„s The thyrd CouÌ„cell of Carthage Cap. 47. In the new Constitutions 123. 146. Cap. 3. Antiquitie agaynst Images in Churches Origene vpon Leuit. Cap. 16. Chrisost. vpon Math. 1. Homel 2. Vpon Iohn Homel 31. August de opera Monach Malburiensis de pontificibus Lib. 1. An auncieÌ„t law of EnglaÌ„d against pluralities All thynges altered by the pope Out of the Tridentine Councell Generall Councels accordyng to the old constitutioÌ„s aboue the pope The Church of Rome as it is now is conuinced of Nouelty The Councell of Laterane A new doctrine first instituted in the same vnder Pope Innocent 3. Cap. 1. Of the sacrifice of the Masse Of priuate confession The Laterane councell vnder Innocent 3. Cap. 21. Chrisost. in his fourth Sermon of Lazarus Chrisost. vp on the psal 50. hom 2. Chriso vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues homi 31. Tripart histo lib. 9 Cap. 35. Erasmus iu his Apolo The Sacraments of the Romish Church Out of Huntington the 7. booke Out of the Chronicles of Monumetensis Councell of Gangren Cap. 4. Out of the 2. councel of Arelaten 2. cap. Pope Lucius decree distinâ— 81. Ministri The greatest part of the Romish doctrine newly fouÌ„d out and brought in within thâ—s 500. yeares Apoc. 21. Trueth suffereth violence A figure called Hypotiposis Whereby the state of the RomaÌ„s Church and the Reformed Churche is expressed In the question of the Churche many things are conteined People buildyng doctrine forme of gouernement Where the Churche of Lutheranes was fourtie yeares ago A Similitude betwixt the restitutioÌ„ of Religion the finest of the tounges Reason reÌ„dered why Religion is more pure at this tyme in the Churches then it was in many yeares before The Arte of Emprintyng The reason and obiection of the Catholicks in the defeÌ„ce of their Church Probable with Deuines Rome built vpon seuen hilles Apocal. 13. The reason of the papistes touchyng the consent and proofe of their vniuersalitie The captious conclusion of the Catholicks The aunswere to the Argument Distinct. 40. Non loca Distinct. 4. Non est A fallax in the Equiuocum which is of diuers significations The Rom. Church doth combate against the true Church of Christ vnder a coulour of christian name Origen vpon Mathew cap. 17. Irene 3. book cap. 4. The trueth is the life of the church Lactant. 5. institu cap. 30. ArgumeÌ„tes made from consent and multitude of authors are weake Math. 10. Eccle. 1. Ieremy 8. Osorious accusation which was properly bent against Doctrine is transposed to maners To what end tendeth the force of Osorius Accusation Osorius doth deny that Luthers doctrine hath any affinitye with the Apostolique Scriptures Pag. 181. Osor. pag. 182. Osorius lying Rhetorick The Argument of Osorius The Aunswere to the Argument Osorius quarell of lyfe and maners Tit. 1. Ill may the Snight the Woodcock twight for his long bill The lyfe of the Lutheranes compared with the Catholickes The vices of maners are not to be imputed to his doctrine The fruites of Luthres doctrine Osor pag. 182. The confutation of hisl aunder Artic. 21. The scoffe of Luthers doctrine Luther offeÌ„ded with the life of his countrey men Osor. pag. 187. Deut. 18. The argument of Osorius 1. Kinges Act. 1â— A true difference betwixt the false and the true Prophett Luther vpon the 130. Psalme Mens iudgemeÌ„ts in findyng faulte may be free so that they be vpright Out of Valer Ansel. Iohn Stella Out of BeÌ„uo a Cardinall Of couenauntes and promises not alwayes holden true emoÌ„gest the papistes Iere. cap. 23. Osorius argument out of Ieremy Aunswere to the argument The fallax of the consequent The aunswere to the Maior The reason to discerne betwixt false and true Prophetes accordyng to Osorius The aunswere of the Minor Osori pag. 190. The place of Ieremy expounded Iohn Husse The prophecy of Iohn Husse touchyng the doctrine of the Gospell to be restored by Luther A small coÌ„trouersy betwixt Luther and Zuinglius Osor. pag. 191. Of diuisioÌ„s of the churche Dissentions in the Papane church Dissentions amoÌ„gst the most godly A full consent of doctrine in reformatioÌ„ of Churches The Articles of the chief grouÌ„des of Religion wherin the Ministers of the Church do well agree together How great a concord is ctetwixt many Churches in the matter of the Sacrament Papistes murtherers of Martyrs Osori pag. 192. Osori doth beleue fame Authour of all his vntruthes A prouerbe
for the most perfect men and most purely catholicke towardes the attayning of perfect Religion Because mans minde hath alwayes some familiarity and acquayntaunce with transitory thinges of this worlde Which if be not poolished with this most excellent skanning of mysteries waxeth of her owne nature very dull quickly and is ouerwhelmed with forgetfulnesse And no maruell For as much as this new and wonderfull light of the Euangelicall knowledge which hath transsigured those Lutheranes hath not yet shined so brightly in the eyes of those meÌ„ nor are as yet so throughly carried away from this corporall familiarity as that they caÌ„ waÌ„t these signes of heaueÌ„ly things without great perill as these Celestial and Diuine men can do For with this skoffe doth he note them whom Luthers doctrine hath enstructed by a certayne figure called Sarcasmus But to auÌ„swere your pleasaÌ„ut scoffe good maister Bishop First what acquaintauÌ„ce familiarity you haue with the state of murtall men let other men iudge Surely I could hartely wish that you Massemongers and Shauelinges would take lesse acquaintaunce of your neighbors wiues and daughters with câ—Ì„cubynes and drenches of Baudrye to stay here and to rippe vp no more of your horrible dealinges But if you be not as yet estrauÌ„ged froÌ„ the assaults of the flesh as you do affirme nor haue yet so mortiffed the flesh but the generall ftaylty of nature will violently carry you away typsituruy as well as other men now and then into the naturall infirmities of the flesh what meaneth theÌ„ that rash temeraryous rushing rudely into vowes wherewith very solemnely you sweare sacred and perpetuall virginity both to God and vnto men As though there were nothing to be feared in you of that naturall and general disease of imbecillitye and weakenesse that is otherwise common to all men ingeneral Which if you doe as faythfullye performe as you doe rashlye sweare and vow beyng a matter aboue the reach and capacityâ— of humayne ability I cann seé no cause to the contrary but that we may reply these Surnames vpoÌ„ you much sooner to witt to call you Celestiall men and more then Diuine For as concerning Luther and others of his profession howsoeuer it pleaseth you to mockemeary being a very merry man tricke and trym altogether for holydayes all kind of pleasureablenes yet did they neuer challenge to themselues so Celestiall Deuine natures but that as men compassed about with weake and frayle bodies as all other mortall men are they waÌ„ted their introductions yea and enured themselues to the same not vnwillingly For both Religion and the Church of Christ hath her rudymentes hath also her ceremonyes and introductions not onely profitable to say as you say but very nacessary also I speake of those rudimentes and ceremonies chiefly which Christ himselfe deliuered to his Church in number but very few but in vse of greatest force and effectualnesse Namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord the one whereof Christ did institute as a pledge of our profession the other as aperpetuall memoryall of himselfe For other rudimentes of piety which are practised in externall actions Christ left none besides these of any expresse commaundement And yet if there be any other ceremonies profitable and appliable for the present time the Lutheranes doe not altogether abolish them But the matter doth bewray that these ceremonies rytes Gamboldes holidayes and new fangled ceremonies which your Clergye doth daylye patche vpon the olde are for the more part not onely fruitles but also verye Botches and Cankers of the pure and true Religion And thys much hetherto of the holy and sweét mother church of Rome and of the vniuersall Regiment of her fayth ceremonies and holydayes Of the which because Osorius seémeth to himself to haue spoken sufficiently returning at the length to the Lutheranes bendeth his declamation against them raked and skraped from out of the very bowels of Rhetoricke wherein he thrusteth himselfe vpon the stage to play the part and to expostolate with Luther in such wise as that in all that notable furniture of words skarcely ought can be found els then was sometimes especially noted in Anaximenes by one on a time to witt to haue whole fludds of words but not a dropp of good matter It were great pitty to rehearse the whole speéch a fresh then the which nothing can be more ouerlauish and babling The effect thereof as briefly as may be compiled together tendeth to this end These Lutheranes do seeme to haue taken vpon them a very great and labour some burthen Who seing the Church of Christ lameÌ„tably entaÌ„gled in such dissolute liceÌ„tiousnes of maners doctrine almost ready to fall to the grouÌ„d could not onely be coÌ„teÌ„ted to be agreeued thereat with bare prayer well wishing hartes helpe to vnderpropp it but that they would attempt to put their handes therto also by their industry practise the reformation of that which was past al recouery and because they saw that the inueÌ„tioÌ„ of man was not able to couÌ„teruayle so great an incoÌ„uenience by any meanes they vndertook the matter by the onely word of God renouncing all humaine pollicy and industry Go to and to what end are all these so farre fetche and false also Osorius at length our Tertullius goeth forward But because the efficacy of Gods word doth consist not in brauery and braggery of wordes but in vertue in the duetyes of lyfe and the workes of righteousnes He doth desire therfore that some president of this deuine workemanship may be shewed him wherein some shew at the least of this recouery and preseruation of the Church may shew it selfe But forasmuch as there could not possibly be a ReformatioÌ„ vnlesse those obstackles were vtterly takeÌ„ away which gaue the first occasion of this generall craze euen as in Phisicke wholesome potiones are not ministred before superfluous and noysome humors be throughly purged in buildings like as vnlesse the olde walles and rotten postes be first plucked downe no new building is supplied euen so and after the same maner the Lutheranes did purpose with themselues to proceed with theyr worke Which Osorius mislyketh nothing at all For he thinketh it expedieÌ„t that superstitions be vtterly cut of because vertue commoÌ„ly hath not greater Enemies then her owne counterfaytes Moreouer where he seeth many abuses taken away scattered abroad krusht in pieces neither doth Osorius reproue this in theÌ„ so long as this alteration is profitable for the Christian coÌ„mon weale and that in stead of these which be remoued some supply be made of better Nowe what is throwne downe he doth see playnely but what is new builded he seeth not yea it is apparaunt enough what thinges are moyled vppe by the Rootes but what is planted in that place he confesseth he caÌ„not as yet discerne But this he doth see namely the authority of the Byshoppe of Rome to be afflicted Monasteries and Nooneries rooted
vppe and theyr goods and possessions haled away the deuotion of ceremonies and Religion of Churches defyled Images Pictures Crosses and altars broken in pieces and troden vnder foot the holy ordinaunces Lawes and traditions of the Churche abrogated finally no hope of true deuotion nor any freedom of wil to be left souÌ„d safe Where in this life nothing is left so holy but is defiled with some spot no abilitie of will so great which is not yoaked fast with fatall and vnauoydable Necessity All which so many in this wise disordered rent torne a suÌ„der by the Lutherans albeit do moue many mens harts to rue Yet Osorius of his ouerflowing abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of patieÌ„ce coÌ„staÌ„cy could take all this in much more better part and be lesse a greeued thereat if he could be perswaded that the losse and ouerthrow of those things might agree with the safety of the Church and the maiesty glory of the Gospell But now perceiuing the matter to fall contrary hereupoÌ„ he is both greuously and with good cause offended with these Sectaries Lutheranes who hauing vndertaken so great a Charge as to restore to the former health integritie the disciplyne of the Church being greuously syck weakned hath so performed no iote at all of that their promise as that all thinges rather become worse and worsse and the new supplies farre more ill fauoured weake then the olde buildinges But how will this right reuerend father proue his saying to be true at the last For sooth whereas the purity of the Gospell and the whole meanes of reforming the Church consisteth in this that men maye be taught to leaue the beholding of earthly thinges and rayse vppe their mindes vnto heaâ—en to embrace modesty to be endued with an earnest desire to liue chastely to yelde due obedience first to the Church afterwardes to the princes Magistrates temporall to prepare themselues a way into heauen by meekenes patienee grauity constancy and other heauenly vertues These I say and other heaueÌ„ly ornaments like vnto these if would appear either in their churches where they teach or in the maners of them which are professours of their doctrine No man could be ignoraunt then what men might iudge of this newe Gospell and the fruit thereof But now whereas he doth playnely see that the professors of this new Gospell are not onely not made better but also much worsse and much more filthy of theyr conuersation as amongst the which lust rageth more outragiously vnpunished presumption of minde more readye to committe all manner haynousnesse more vproares and much more troublesome more theeuery moreouer more conspiracies against Princes finally more horrible atteÌ„ptes if Report be true be hard to be euery where the worlde may easily iudge by these so manifold and so great tokens that these men haue entred vpon a vayne enterprise vndertaken much fruitlesse labour in that lameÌ„table moilyng of thinges which they haue subuerted c. Behold here gentle Reader though not euery word yet the force and effect of euery word fully set downe and the whole purport of Osorius Inuectiue vnlesse I be deceaued All whose superfluous and neédeles bablyng whereas he might haue concluded together in one Sillogisme yet this idle trifler chose rather to come aloft with Peacocklike ruffling of his Rhetoricall plumes blazed abroad after a sort and to swell in brauery of eloquence In the which he hath placed the whole mayne battery of hâ—s eloquence with shotte and powder and by all meanes possible els to beate downe if he can the gladsome light of the glorious Gospell of Christ. But all in vayne for mightier is the force of the Veritie enuironed about with heaueÌ„ly garrison theÌ„ that it can be dasht out of countenaunce with Irishe hooboobbes or wandryng crakes of loftie speaches Let Osorius bende and enforce all the cramps and artillery of his eloquence and shoot of all his powder and shotte yet is this cause of more power theÌ„ can be vanquishable with such smoakes These be but Apsen leaues Osorius which you haue scattered abroad meére slaunders swollen and puft vp with rancour and malice You must gather a fresh supply or els fleé the field Where the chiefe trust of your fortresse is crazed and faultie there the more you teaze the aduersary the sooner wil he make a breache vpon you you shall be lesse able to endure his assault You say that these wonderfull men took vpon theÌ„ a very great and daungerous enterprise And who bee these wonderfull men whom you note The Captaines I thinke of these Euangelicall affaires Luther Melancthon Bucer Zuinglius Caluine Haddon and other like sproughtes and issues of the same plantes And why doe ye not ioyne in nomber with them Paule Peter Iohn all the Apostles and Prophetes nay rather Christ him selfe the authour and grauÌ„de Captaine of this Gospellâ— For as much as the other neuer atteÌ„pted any thing but vnder their conduct and staÌ„dard Go to and what is that so great and perillous an enterprise that this lusty gallants of the Gospell haue entred vpon may a man be so bold to know it First bycause they tooke vpon them the Cure of the wounded Christian Church I do heare you but you haue not declared yet who they were that wounded her first But abroad with your peddlers packe Moreouer that they would settle the Gospell in her auÌ„cient renowme and Maiestie that they would restoare the auncient earnest zeale to godlynes the abouÌ„daunce of Charitie and that desire to lyue the heaueÌ„ly life wherein the Churche florished in the Apostles tyme That the Gospell beyng cleansed and the superstitions thereof wholy rooted out they would reuiue the liuely sprankes of the auncient Church being vtterly extinct c. Truly if these notable men did take this enterprise vpoÌ„ theÌ„ if euer they made any such promise if they made any such vowe or oathe that they would bryng these thynges to passe I confesse they vndertooke a very great and hard enterprise in deéde But where did you euer Read any such matter in all their bookes or which of them did euer make any such promise of him selfe Tell the truth Osorius was this any promise of theirs or a false forged deuise of your own was it their bragge or the vnshamefastnes of your slaunder was euer any man yet so madd as to conceaue in his secret imagination or to dare to make any such promise to reforme the Gospell then the which no one thyng in the world can be more sincere and pure When Luther began first to peépe abroad he attempted agaynst the Popes Pardons somewhat franckly yet modestly notwithstandyng not so much allured there unto by any his own motion as prouoked by necessitie of coaction nor yet offryng any challenge but beyng iniuried first and almost wearied out with the importunacie of others Afterwardes beyng for that same cause coÌ„uict by Leo theÌ„ Pope of Rome he purged him selfe but very humbly
not to be marueâ—led that Monckeries were so soone ouerthrowen as that they stode so long Of the holynesse of ceremonies with Osorius Luke Iohn Collos. 2. Galat. 4. Mens traditioÌ„s ceremonies are not altogether sequestred from a Christian mans lyfe How great a perill is in ceremonies Christian RelligioÌ„ almost wholy turned into ceremonies Images Crosses Altars throweÌ„ downe Ezechiah Iosiah Iozaphat Gedeon Epiphanius in an Epistle to Iohn Byshopp of Ierusalem Phillippicus Leo Isaurick CoÌ„stantine Leo 4. Greeke Emperours agaynst Images Images banished by the couÌ„cels of ConstaÌ„tinople Elibertine and francksord Out of the councell of ConstaÌ„tinople Ex Elibertino coâ—cil can 36. Lactant. instit book 2. cap. 19. ChrisostoÌ„e Amphilochius Theodore Byshopp of Ancira Portraictes Eusebius Bysh. of Pamphil. The reasoÌ„s of Bysh. alleadged in the counsell of Constantinople Deut. 20. 2. Cor. 6. A figure called contraposition betwixt the decrees of God and the Popes Math. 10. 1. Iohn 5. Out of the Decrees of the Trydentine counsel 9. Sesio Iere. 10. Abacuâ— 3. The wicked and preposterous iudgements of the Papists in worshipping of Images Osor. pag. 178. Osorius slaunder agaynst Luther touching contrition and good workes condeÌ„ned is confuted Articul 31. How this sentence that the Righteous man doth offend in euery good worke is to be taken Gregory vpon Ioh. 9. August in his 3. booke of confess cap. 7. August to Boniface 3. book ca. 7. The words of Constantine to Acesius Aug. in his 1. booke de perfectione iustitiae Aug. in his booke of the perfection of righteousnes Of the auntient ordinaunces of the Church The ordinaunces of the primitiue church taken away now by our Catholicks The complaynt of abolishing the auntieÌ„t ordinaunces of the Church appliable to none so much as to the Papists By what meanes the Romanistes haue altered al thinges in the Church Osorius pag. 178. Osor. pag. 180. An aunswere in the behalfe of the Lutheranes liues agaynst slauÌ„deryng It is one thyng to iudge of maners an other thing to iudge of doctrine Dogges in the pallace of Rome Osori pag. 180.181 The popes blynd Decrees caÌ„ not away with the light of the Gospell The cauill of Osorius agaynst the lyues of Lutherans Osori rayseth all his slaunders of hearesay The fruites of the Gospell beyng restoared Doctrine ought not to be iudged after the qualities of mens manners Osorius malice agaynst the Lutherans Many are vntruely termed Lutherans that be no Lutherans Mauy counterfets lurke in the Church vnder presence of the Gospell The approued integritye of the-ProtestaÌ„ts The lyfe of Cranmer Archb. of Cant. The marriage of CraÌ„mer defended The name of a Concubine more holy with the Papistes then the name of a wife Nichol. Ridley Byshop of London Ferrar Bish. of Saynt Dauids Iohn Hooper Bish. of Worcest Glocester Famous men martyrred vnder Queene Mary Tho. Bilney Ioh. Bradford The liues of those which were burnt in Queene Maries raigne Erasmus testimony coÌ„cerning Luther See Osorius in his 1. booke 69. Roffensis of the doctrine of Luther Luthers doctrine not other then all other true Christians The Fallax of the consequent An Argument rightly deduced froÌ„ Signes Doctrine not to be applyed to maners but maners to doctrine Osorius pag. 181. 182. Of prescription of Antiquitye Osorius doth accuse the reformed Churches of Noueltye The reformed Churches now a dayes doe not vary froÌ„ the Apostles institution in doctrine Maner of lyfe thought neuer so disorderous maketh not an heretique The cause that enflameth Osor. agaynst the Lutheranes is not the life but the state of their doctrine The foundation of the questioÌ„ is not of maners but of the principles and grouÌ„des of Religion The condition agreed vpoÌ„ concerneth the triall of antiquitie The papists exception agaynst the obscurenes of the scriptures Of an vnpier in Ecclesiasticall causes A Request to the excellent king of Portingall The Antiquity of the Romish Religion couÌ„terfaite The false accusation of Noueltie agaynst the Lutherans The law of PrescriptioÌ„ Distinct. 8. August Gregory Custome Antiquitye PrescriptioÌ„ Cyprian distinc 8. No custome may prescribe agaynst the king much lesse anye Custome may prescribe agaynst god A defence agaynst the accusation of Nouelty falsly charged vpon the reformed Churches by Osorius Of the merites of Christ. Of true coÌ„fidence Tertulian touching prescription agaynst Heretiques Exod. 20. Of inuocation worshipping c. Of Sacraments Out of Iustine Of the freedome of Mariage Heb. 13. 1. Timo. 4. The mother tongue in Churches The Communion vnder both kindes Of Images Of rightâ— and Ceremonies Of the power of free-will Of iustifiyng fayth Rom. 3. Galat. Galat. How fayth onely doth iustifie and whom Luther Caluine MelancthoÌ„ Musculus Bullinger P. Martyr Hul. Zuinglius Occolampadius Iohn Iuell Gualter Rodolfe Theodore Beza The Lutherans acquited from all reprehention of Noueltye An olde quarrell of the Catholicks touching Noueltye Of the supremacy titles of the Pope The titles of the Romaine pope Math. 23. The outragious dignitie of the pope Chrisost. ad Romanos homil 23. Gregory The supremacy was first graunted by Phocas to Boniface The fulnes of power beganne in the tyme of Hildebrand Pope Cardinalls The election of the Pope translated from the Emperour and the people of Rome vnto the Cardinalls Of the Masse and her appurtenaunces The vse of Corpes in the Church Priuate Masses The Communion of the laye people abbridged froÌ„ thrice to once in a yeare by Clement 3 Vnleauened bread One part of the CoÌ„munion taken away from the lay people Corpus Christi day Of Image Of transubstantion of Eleuation of carying abroad of the Sacrament Of marriage of priestes and choyse of meates Of the Popes decrees and decretals Extrauaga de Maiorit obed cap. vnam De maior it obedientia cap. Solitae Of MouÌ„cks Fryers Three vows of MouÌ„kerye Sixe wings of Seraphin Aemilius in his 5. booke Carthusianes Castersianes Templars Premonstratenses Gilbertines Dominicanes Franciscans Eremites Augustines Carmelites Nuns of S. Clares order Out of the Councell of Lateran Innocent 3. Cap. 13. Minorites Augustine anes Crossebeabeares Whippers Iesuites In the Romish Churche are many things new altogether nothing auncient sauoring of thapostolique Antiquitye The carnall presence of Christ no where but in heauen The carnall presence of Christ one of the Popish doctrine How the Papistes dp doe differ from the Apostles in the ministring of the communioÌ„ Priuate Masse Hebr. 9. 8 10. 1. Tim. â— The true doctrine of traÌ„substantion iuuented by the paâ—istes TransubstaÌ„tiation was neuer knowen to the Apostles Many thou sandes of Martyrs lost theyr liues for this TransubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ The Churche of the Pope a Murtherer The papist caÌ„ reÌ„der no iust cause of spâ—llyng so much Christian bloud It is one thing to reuerence the SacrameÌ„ts an other thyng to turne Christ into a Sacrament The words of Christ. This is my body Christs wordes bespirit and lyfe Christ is called by sondry names in the Scriptures Christ is called bread in the Gospell By what similitude the