a Glutton Againe who wotteth noâ— what woordes were spoken agaynste Sainct Paule the most earnest and vehement preacher and maintainour of y e truth Somtime that he was a sediâ—â—ous and busy man a raiser of tumultes a causer of rebellion somtime againe that he was an heretique sometime y t he was mad Somtime that onely vppon strife and stomacke he was bothe a blasphemer of Gods lawe and a despiser of the Fathers ordinances Further who knoweth not howe Sainct Stephan after he had throughly sincerely embraced the truth and beganne franklye and stoutly to preache and set forthe the same as he ought to do was immediatlye called to aunswere for his life as one that had wickedly vtered disdainâ—ul and haynous wordes against the lawe against Moyses against the Temple and against God Or who is ignorant that in tymes past there werre some which reproued the holye Scriptures of falsehood saying they conteined thinges both contrary and quite one against an other and howe that the Apostles of Christe did seuerallye disagree betwixt them selues and that S. Paule did vary from them all And not to make rehearsal of al for that were an endles labour who knoweth not after what sorte our Fathers were railed vpon in times past which first began to acknowledge and professe the name of Christe howe they made priuat conspiracies deuised secrete councels against the common welth to that end made earelie and priuie meetinges in the darke kylled yonge babes fedd themselues w t mens fleshe and lyke sauage and brute beastes didde drinke their bloude In conclusion howe that after they had put out the candels they committed adulterye betweene themselues and without regarde wrought incest one with an other that Brethren laie with their sisters sonnes with their Mothers without any reuerence of nature or kynne without shame without difference and that thei wer wicked men without all care of Religion and without anye opinion of God being the very ennemies of mankinde vnworthy to be suffered in the worlde and vnworthie of lyfe All these thinges wer spoken in those daies against the people of God against Christ Iesu against Paul against Stephan and against all them whosoeuer they were which at the first beginninge imbraced the truthe of the Gospell and were contented to be called by the name of Christians which was then an hatefull name amonge the common people And although the thinges whiche they said wer not true yet the Diuel thought it shoulde be sufficient for him yf at the least he coulde bringe iâ— so to passe as they might bee beleeued for true and that the Christians might bee brought into a commoÌ„ hatred of euery body and haue their death and destruction sought of all sortes Herevpon Kings and Princes beinge ledde then by suche perswasions killed all the Prophetes of God lettinge none escape Esai with a sawe Ieremy with stones Daniell with Lyons Amos with an yron barre Paule with the sword Christ vpon y e crosse and condemned all Christians to imprisonmentes to tormentes to the pikes to be thrwone doune headlong from rocks stepe places to be caste to wild beastes and to be burnt made great syres of their quicke bodies for y e only purpose to giue light by night for a very scorne mockinge stocke and didde compt them no better then the vilest fylth thofscouringes and laughing games of y e whole worlde Thus as ye see haue the Authors and professours of the trueth euer ben entreated Wherefore wee oughte to beare yt the more quyetlye which haue taken vppon vs to professe the Gospell of Christ yf we for the same cause be handled after the same sorte and yf wee as our forefathers weare longe ago bee lykewyse at thys day tormented bayted with raylings with spitefull dealinges and with lyes and that for no desert of our owne but onely bicause we teach and acknowledge the truthe They crye out vpon vs at thys present euery wheare that we are all heretiques and haue forsaken the fayth and haue with newe perswasions and wicked learninge vtterly dyssolued the concorde of the Churche that we renew as it weare fetche againe from hell the olde and many a daye condempned heresyes that we sow abroade newe sects and suche broyles as neuer yearst weare hearde of also that we are already deuided into contrarye partes and opinions and coulde yet by no meanes agree well amonge oure selues that wee be cursed creatures lyke y e Gyauntes do warre againste God him selfe and lyue cleane without any regarde or worshippinge of God that we despise all good deedes that we vse noe discipline of vertue no lawes no customes that we esteeme neither righte nor order nor equitie nor iustice that we geue y e brydell to al naugh tines and prouoke the people to all lycenciousnes and lust that we labour seke to ouerthrowe the state of Monarchies and Kyngdomes and to bringe al thinges vnder the rule of the rashe incoÌ„stante people and vnlearned multitude that wee haue seditiously fallen from y e Catholique Churche and by a wycked schisme and diuision haue shaken the whole worlde and trobled the common peace and vniuersal quiet of the church and that as Dathan and Abyron conspired in times past against Moises and Aaron euen so wee at this day haue renounced the Byshop of Rome without anye cause resonable y t we set nought by the aucthoritie of thauncient fathers and Councels of oulde time that wee haue rashly and presumptuously disanulled the olde cerimonies which haue ben well alowed by oure fathers and forefathers manye hundreth yeare past bothe by good customes and also in ages of more puritie and that wee haue by our owne priuate head without the aucthoritie of any sacred and general Councell brought new traditions into y e Church and haue don all these thinges not for Religions sake but only vppon a desyre of contention and stryfe But that they for theyr parte haue chaunged no maner of thinge but haue helde and kepte still suche a nomber of yeares to this verye day all thinges as they were deliuered from the Apostles and well approued by the most auncient Fathers And that thys matter shoulde not seeme to be don but vppon priuie slaunder and to be tossed to and fro in a corner onely to spyte vs there haue ben besides wyâ—ely procured by the Bysshop of Rome certaine parsons of eloquence yenough and not vnlearned neyther whiche shoulde put theyre helpe to thys cause now almost despaired of should polyshe and set furth the same both in bookes and with long tales to the end that when the matter was trymlye and eloquently handled ignorant and vnskilfull persons mighte suspecte there was som great thing in it In deede they perceiued that their owne cause did euerye where go to wracke that their sleightes were nowe espyed and lesse esteemed that their helpes did dayly fayle them that their matter stoode altogether in great neede of
and that they muste giue place to vs in nothynge Or yf there be anye faulte yet must it be tried by Byshopes and Abboâ—tes only bycause they be y e directers Rulers of matters and they be the Church of God Aristotle saith that a Citie cannot consist of Bastardes but whether the Churche of God may consiste of these men let their owne selues consider For doubtles neither be the Abbottes legitimat Abboâ—tes nor the Byshopes naturall right Byshoppes But graunt they be the Churche let them be heard speak in Councelles let theÌ„ alone haue auctoritie to gyue consent yet in olde tyme when the Churche of God yf ye will compare it with their Churche was very well gouerned both Elders and Deacons as saith Cyprian and certeine also of the coÌ„men people were called ther vnto and made acquainted with ecclesiasticall matters But I put case these Abbottes and Byshâ—pes haue no knowledge what yf they vnderstande nothing what ReligioÌ„ is nor how we ought to thinke of God I put case the pronouncyng and ministringe of the lawe be decayed in preists and good counsell faile in the Elders and as the Prophete Micheas saith the night be vnto them in stede of a vision and darkenes in sted of prophesieng Or as Esaias saith what yf al y e watchemeÌ„ of y e city are become blind what yf y e salt haue lost his propre strength and sauerines and as Christe saith be good for no vse scant woorthe the castyng on the doungehyl Wel yet then they wil bring al matters before the Pope who cannot erre To this I say firste it is a madnes to thynke that the holy Ghoste taketh his flight from a generall Councell to run to Rome to thende yf he doubt or sticke in any matter and cannot expound it of him selfe he maye take counsell of some other spirite I wote not what that is better learned then him selfe For yf this be true what neded so many Byshopps with so great charges and so farre iorneyes haue assembled their ConuocatioÌ„ at this present at Trident Yt hadde ben more wisedom and better at least it had ben a moche nearer way and handsommer to haue brought all thinges rather before y e Pope and to haue come streght furth and haue asked counsell at his diuine breast SecoÌ„dly it is also an vnlaufull dealing to tosse our matter from so many Byshoppes and Abbottes and to bryng it at laste to the trial of one onely man specially of hym who him selfe ys appeached by vs of hainous and foule enormities and hath not yet put in hys aunswere who hath also afore hand coÌ„dempned vs without iudgement by order pronounced and or euer we were called to be iudged How saye ye do wee deuise these tales Is not this the course of the Councelles in these dayes are not all thynges remoued from the whole holy Councell and brought before the Pope alone that as though nothing had ben don to purpose by the iudgementes and consentes of suche a numbre he alone maye adde alter diminishe disanull alow remytt and qualifie what soeuer he lyst whose wordes be these then and whye haue the Byshoppes and Abbottes in the last Councell at Trident but of late concluded with sayng thus in thende Sauing alwyes the auctoritie of the sea Apostolique in all thynges Or whye doth Pope Pascall write so proudelie of him selfe as though saith he there were any general Councell able to prescribe a law to the Church of Rome wheras al couÌ„celles both haue ben made and haue receued their force strength by the Church of Romes auctoritie and in ordinaunces made by Councelles is euer plainely excepted the auctoritie of the Byshop of Rome Yf they will haue these thynges alowed for good why be Councels called but yf they commaunde then to be voyd why are they left in their bokes as thinges alowable But be it so Let the Byshop of Rome alone be aboue all CouÌ„celles y t is to say lette some one parte be greater then the whole let hym be of greater power let hym be of more wysedome then all his and in spite of Hieromes head let y e aucthoritie of one Citie be greater then the aucthoritie of the whole worlde Howe then if the Pope haue sene none of these things haue neuer read either y e scriptures or y e olde Fathers or yet his owne couÌ„celles How if he fauour y e ArriaÌ„s as once Pope Liberius did or haue a wicked and a detestable opinion of the lyfe to come and of the immortalitie of the soule as Pope Iohn had but few yeres synce or to encrease nowe his owne dignitie do corrupt other Councelles as Pope Zosimus corrupted the Councell holden at Nice in times past and do say that those thinges were deuised and appoincted by the holy Fathers which neuer once came into their thought and to haue the ful sway of auctoritie do wrest the Scriptures as Camotensis saith is an vsual custome with the Popes How yf he haue renounced the faith in Christ and become an Apostata as Liranus sayth many Popes haue bene And yet for all this shall the holye Ghoste with turning of a hand knock at his breast eueÌ„ wheter he will or no yea wholy against hys will kindle hym a lyght so as he maye not erre shall he streght waye be the head spring of al right and shal al treasure of wisdome and vnderstanding be founde in him as it were laide vp in store Or yf these thinges be not in him can he giue a right and apte iudgement of so weightie matters Or yf he be not able to iudge wold he haue that al those matters should be brought before hym alone What will ye say yf the Popes Aduocates Abbottes and Byshops dissemble not the matter but shew them selues open enemies to the Gospell though they see yet they will not see but wrye the Scriptures and wyttingly knowingly corrupt and counterfeite the word of God and fouly and wickedlye applye to the Pope al the same thinges whiche euidently and proprely be spoken of the person of Christ only nor by no meanes can be applied to any other And what thoughe they saye the Pope is all and aboue all Or that he can do asmuch as Christ can and that one iudgemeÌ„t place and one Councel house serue for y e Pope and for Christ both together Or that the Pope is the same light which should come into the worlde whiche wordes Christ spake of hym selfe alone and that who so is an euil doer hateth and flieth from that light Or that all the other Bysshoppes haue receaued of the Popes fulnes Shortly what though thei make Decrees expreslye against Gods worde and that not in huckermucker or couertly but openly in the face of the worlde muste it needes yet be Gospell straighte whatsoeuer these men say shall these be Gods holy army or will Christe bee at hande amonge them there shall the
and vtterly made awaye the hil aultres and Groues wherby he saw Goddes honoure hindered and the people holden backe with a priuate superstition from the ordinarie Tēple whiche was at Ierusalem wherto they should by ordre haue resorted yearely from euery part of the Realme Kynge Iosias w t great diligence put the Preists and Byshops in myde of their duety Kyng Iohas bridled the Ryot and arrogancie of the preistes Iehu put to death the wicked Prophetes And to rehearse no more exampls out of the old law let vs rather cōsider since the birthe of Christ howe the Churche hath ben gouerned in the Gospels time The Christian Emperours in old time appoincted the Councelles of the Bysshops Constantine called the Councell at Nice Theodotius the first called the Councell at Constātinople Theodotius the second the councel at Ephesus Martian the Councell at Chalcedone and when Rufine the heretike had alleadged for authoritie a Councell whiche as hee thought shoulde make for him Hieroin his aduerrsarie to confute him Tell vs quod hee what Emperour commaunded that Councell to be called The same Hierome againe in his Epitaphe vpon Paula maketh mention of the Emperours letters whiche gaue commaundement to call the Bysshoppes of Italie and Grecia to Rome to a Councel Continuallye for the space of fiue hundreth yeares Themperoure alone appointed thecclesiasticall assemblies and called the Councelles of the Bysshops togither We nowe therefore maruail the more at the vnreasonable dealinge of the Bysshoppe of Rome who knowinge what was the Emperoures right when the Churche was well ordered knowinge also that it is nowe a common right to all princes for so muche as Kinges are now fully possessed in the seuerall partes of the whole Empire dothe so without consideration assigne that office alone to himselfe and taketh it sufficient in summoning a general Councel to make a man that is prince of the whole world no otherwise partaker thereof then hee woulde make his owne seruaunte And although the modestie and mildenes of the Emperour Ferdinando be so greate that hee canne beare this wronge bycause peraduenture hee vnderstandeth not well the Popes packinge yet ought not the Pope of his holines to offer him that wronge nor to claime as his owne an other mans right But hereto some will replye the Emperour in deede called Councelles at that tyme ye speake of bycause the Bysshop of Rome was not yet growen so greate as hee is nowe but yet the Emperour didde not then sitte togeather with the Bysshoppes in Councell or once bare any stroke with his authoritie in their consultation I aunswere nay that it is not so for as witnesseth Theodorete Themperour Constantine sate not only together with them in the Councell at Nice butte gaue also aduice to the Bysshoppes howe it was best to trye out the matter by the Apostles and Prophettes writinges as apeereth by these his own woordes In disputation saithe hee of matters of diuinitie wee haue sette before vs to followe the doctrine of the holye Ghoste For the Euangelistes and the Apostles woorkes and the Prophettes sayinges shewe vs sufficientlye what opinion wee ought to haue of the will of God The Emperour Theodotius as sayeth Socrates didde not onely sitte amongest the Byshoppes but also ordered the whole arguinge of the cause and tare in peeces the Heritiques bookes and allowed for good the iudgemente of the Catholiques In the Coūcell at Chalridone a Ciuile magistrate condemned for heretikes by the sentence of hys owne mouthe the Bysshoppes Dioseorus Iuuenall and Thalasius and gaue iudgement to put them down from that promotion in the Curche In the third Councell at Constantinople Constantine a ciuile Magistrate dyd not only sit amongest the Byshops but dyd also subscribe with them For saith he we haue both read and subscribed In the second Councell called Arausicanum the Princes Embassadours being noble menne borne not only spake their minde touching Religion but set to their handes also aswel as the Byshops For thus is it writen in the later end of that Coūcel Petrus Marcellinus Felix and Liberius being most noble menne and the famous Lieutenauntes and Capitaines of Fraunce also Peeres of the Realm haue giuen their consent and set to their handes Further Syagrius Opilio Pantagattus Deodatus Cariattho and Marcellus menne of very great honour haue subscribed Yf it be so then that Lieutenauntes chyefe Capitaines and Peeres haue had authoritie to subscribe in Councell haue not Emperours and kinges the like authoritie Truely there hadde been no neede to handle so plaine a matter as this is with so many wordes and so at length if wee hadde not to doe with those menne who for a desire they haue to striue and to winne the mastery vse of course to deny all thinges be thei neuer so cleere yea the very same which they presentlye see and beholde with their owne eyes The Emperour Iustinian made a law to correct the behauiour of y e Cleargie and to cutt shorte the insolencie of the priestes And albeit hee were a Christian and a Catholique prince yet putte hee downe from their Papall Throne twooe Popes Syluerius and Vigilius not withstandinge they were Peters successours and Christes vicars Lette vs see then suche men as haue authoritie ouer the Bysshoppes suche menne as receaue from God commaundementes concerning Religion suche as brynge home againe the Arke of God make holy hymnes ouer see the preistes builde the Temple make Orations touching diuine seruice clense the Temples destroye the hil Aultres burne the Idolles groues teache the preistes their dewtie write them out Preceptes how they should lyue kill the wicked Prophetes displace the high Preistes call togyther the Councelles of Byshops sit togither wich the Byshoppes instructing them what they ought to doe condemne and punysh an Hereticall Byshop be made acquaynted with matters of Religion whiche subscribe and giue sentence and do al these things not by an other mans Commissiō but in their own name and that both vprightly and godly Shall we say it perteineth not to suche men to haue to do with Religion or shall wee saye a Christian Magistrate whyche dealith amongest others in these maters doth either naughtelie or presumpteouslye or wickedlye The moste aunciente and Christian Emperoures and kinges that euer were didde busy themselus with these matters and yet were they neuer for this cause noted eyther of wickednesse or of presumption And what is hee that canne finde oute either more catholique princes or more notable exaumples Wherefore yf it were lawfull for them to dooe thus beinge but Ciuile Magistrates and hauinge the chiefe rule of common weales what offence haue oure Princes at thys daye made whiche maye not haue leaue to dooe the lyke beinge in the like degree Or what especiall gifte of learninge or of iudgemente or of holynes haue these menne nowe that contrarye to the custome of all the aunciente and Catholique Bysshoppes who vsed to conferre with princes and peeres concerning religiō
him We can not also away in our churches with y e shewes sales byeng selling of Masses nor the carrieng about worshipping of bread nor such other ydolatrous and blasphemous foâ—dnes whiche none of them can proue y t Christe or his Apostles did euer ordaine or left vnto vs and we iustly blame y e Bishops of Rome who w tout y e word of God w tout y e authoritie of the holy fathers without any example of antiquitie after a newe guise do not onely set before y e people y t sacrameÌ„tal bread to be worshiped as God but doe also cary y e same about vpon an ambling horse whyther soeuer themselues iorney as in old time y e PersiaÌ„s fier y e reliques of y e goddesse Isis were solemly caried about in processioÌ„ haue brought y e sacraments of Christ to be vsed nowe as a stage play a solemne sight to the end that mens eyes should be fedde with nothing els but with mad gasinges and foolishe gaudes in the selfe same matter wherein the death of Christ ought diligently to be beaten into our heartes and wherein also the mysteries of our redeÌ„ption ought with all holines and reuerence to be executed Besides where they say and somtime doe perswade fooles that they are able by their Masses to distribute and applie vnto mens commoditie al the merites of Christes death yea although many tymes y e parties thinck nothing of y e matter and vnderstand ful litle what is don this is a mockery a Hethenyshe fansie and a very toye For it is our faith that applieth the death and crosse of Christe to our benefite and not the Acte of the Massing preest Faith had in the Sacramentes saith Augustine doth iustifie not the sacramentes And Origene saith Christ is the preest the propitiation and sacrifice which propitiatioÌ„ coÌ„meth to euerie one by meane of faith So that by this reconing we saye that the sacrameÌ„tes of Christ without faith doe not once profite those that be alyue a great deale lesse doe they profite those that be dead And as for their bragges they are woÌ„t to make of their Purgatory though we know it is not a thing so very late risen amongest them yet is it no better then a blockyshe and an olde wyues deuise Augustine in deed somtime saith there is suche a certaine place sometime he denieth not but there maye be suche a one sometime he doubteth sometime againe he vttrely denieth it to be and thinketh that menne are therin deceiued by a certaine naturall good wil they beare their frendes departed But yet of this one errour hath there growen vp suche a haruest of these Massemongers y e Masses being sould abrod comonly in euery corner the Temples of God became shoppes to get money and selie soules were perswaded that nothing was more necessarie to be bought In ded there was nothyng more gainefull for these men to selle As touching the multitude of vaine and superfluous ceremonies wee know that Augustin did greuously complain of theÌ„ in his owne time and therfore haue wee cut of a great numbre of them bycause we know that mens consciences were cumbred about theÌ„ and the Churches of God ouerladen with them Neuerthelesse we kepe still and esteeme not onely those ceremonies whiche wee are sure were deliuered vs from the Apostls but some others too besides whiche we thought myght be suffred without hurt to the churche of God because we had a desire that all thinges in the holy congregation might as Paul coÌ„mandeth be don with comelines and in good order but as for all those thinges whiche we sawe were eyther very superstitious or vnprofitable or noysome or mockeries or contrarie to the holy Scriptures or els vnsemelie for honest or discrete folkes as there be an infinite numbre now a dayes where Papistery is vsed these I saye wee haue vterly refused without all maner exception bycause wee would not haue the right worshypping of God any lenger defiled with suche folies We make our prayers in that tonge whiche all our people as meete is may vnderstand to thend they may as Paul counseleth vs take commoÌ„ commoditie by common prayer euen as all the holy Fathers and catholique Byshops bothe in the ould and new Testament did vse to pray them selues taught the people to praye to leaste as Augustin saith like parrottes and ousells wee shoulde seme to speake that we vnderstand not Neither haue we any other Mediatour and Intercessour by whome wee may haue accesse to God the Father theÌ„ Iesu Christ in whose onely name all things are obteined at his Fathers haÌ„d But it is a shamefull parte and full of infidelitie that we see euery where vsed in the Churches of our aduersaries not onely in that they will haue innumerable sortes of mediatours and that vterly without the auctoritie of Goddes word So that as Ieremie saith the Saintes be nowe as many in numbre or rather aboue the numbre of the Cities poore men cannot tel to which Sainct it were best to turne theÌ„ first And though there be so many as they cannot be tolde yet euery one of theÌ„â—hath his peculiar deuty and office assigned vnto him of these folkes what thiÌ„g they ought to aske what to giue â–ª and what to bring to passe but besides this also in that they do not only wickedly but also shamelesly cal vpon the blessed virgine Christes mother to haue her remember that she is a mother and to commaunde her sonne and to vse a mothers auctoritie ouer him We saye also that euery person is borne in sinne and leadeth his lyfe in sinne that no body is able truely to saye his hearte is cleane That y e most rightuous persone is but an vnprofitable seruaunte That the law of God is perfite and requireth of vs perfit and full obedience That we are able by no meanes to fulfill that lawe in this worldly lyfe That there is no one mortall creature whiche can be iustified by his owne desertes in goddes sight and therfore that our only succour and refuge is to flye to the mercy of our Father by Iesu Christ and assuredly to perswade our myndes that he is the obtayner of forgiuenes for our sinnes And that by his bloud al our spottes of sinne be washed cleane That he hath pacified and set at one all thinges by the bloud of his Crosse That he by the same one onely Sacrifice whiche he once offered vppon the Crosse hath brought to effect and fulfilled al things and that for that cause he sayd when he gaue vp the Ghoste It is finished â–ª as though he woulde signifie that the price and ransome was nowe full payde for the sinne of all mankind Yf there be any then that thinke this sacrifice not sufficient let them go in Gods name and seke an other that is better We verely bicause we knowe this to be the onely sacrifice are well contente with it alone and
all thy kinsefolke yet are they all thy aduersaries being Christs seruants thei serue Antichrist Beholde in my rest my bitternes is moste bitter Roger Bacon also a man of great fame after he had in a vehement Oration touched to the quicke the wofull state of his owne time These so many errours saith he require loke for Antichrist GersoÌ„ coÌ„plaineth how in his daies al y e substaÌ„ce efficacie of sacred diuinitie was brought into a glorious contention osteÌ„tatioÌ„ of wits to very sophistrie The Friers of Lions meÌ„ as touchiÌ„g y e maner of their life not to be misliked wer woÌ„t boldly to affirm y t the Romish church froÌ„ whence alone al counsel ordres was theÌ„ sought was the very same harlot of Babylon rowt of Diuels wherof is prophesied so plainely in y e Apocalyps I know wel enough y e authoritie of y e forsaid persoÌ„s is but lightly regarded amoÌ„gest these men How theÌ„ if I cal furth those for witnesses whoÌ„ themselues haue vsed to honor what if I say y e Adryan the Bysshop of Rome did franklye confesse that all these mischieues brast out first from the highe â—hrone of the Poper Pighius acknowlegeth herein to be a fault that many abuses are brought in euen into the verye Masse which Masse otherwise he wold haue seeme to be a reuerend matter Gerson saithe that through the number of moste fonde ceremonies all the vertue of the holye Ghoste whiche ought to haue full operation in vs all true Godlines is vtterlye quenched and deade Whole Grecia and Asia complaine howe the Bysshoppes of Rome with the martes of their Purgatories Pardons haue both tormented mennes consciences and picked their purses As touching y e tyranny of the Byshops of Rome and their barbarous Persian-like pride to leaue out others whom perchauÌ„ce thei reckeÌ„ for enemes bicause thei freely liberally find fault with their vices the selfe same men whiche haue ledd their lyfe at Rome in the holye Citie in the face of the moste holye Father whoe also were able to see all their secretes and at no tyme departed from y e Catholike faith As for example Laurentius Valla Marsilius Patauinus Fraunces Petrarke Hierome Sauanocola Abbott Ioakim Baptist of Mantua and before all these Bernarde the Abbotte haue manye a tyme and muche complayned of yt geuinge the worlde also sometyme to vnderstande that the Bysshoppe of Rome hymselfe by youre leaue is verye Antichriste Whether they spake yt truelye or falselye lette that goeâ— sure I am they spake it plainelye Neyther canne anye manne alledge that those authors were Luthers or Zwinglius schollers for they were not onelye certaine yeares but also certaine ages or euer Luther or Zwinglius names were hearde of They well sawe that euen in their dayes errours had crept into the Churche and wished earnestly they might be amended And what maruaile yf the Churche 〈◊〉 then caryed a waye with errours in that time specially when neither the Byshop of Rome who theÌ„ only ruled y e to 〈◊〉 nor almoste any other either didde his 〈◊〉 or once vnderstoode what was his duetie For it is harde to be belieued whyles they were ydle and fast a â—â—eâ—ne that the Diuell also all that whyle either fell a sleepe or els continually lay ydle For how they were occupied in the meane time and with what faithfulnesse they tooke care of Goddes house though wee holde oure peace yet â— playe you lette them heare Bernarde their owne friend The Bysshops saith he who now haue the charge of Gods churche are not teachers but deceauers they are not feeders butte begylers they are not Prelates butte Pylates These woordes spake Bernarde of that Bysshoppe who named himselfe the highest Bysshoppe of all and of the other Bysshoppes like wyse whiche then hadde the place of gouernement Bernard was no Lutherian Bernard was no heretike he had not forsaken the Catholike churche yet neuertheles he didde not lette to call the Bishoppes that then were deceiuers begilers and Pylates Nowe when the people was openly deceiued and Christian mennes eyes were craftely bleared and when Pilat satte in iudgement place and condemned Christ Christes members to the swoorde and fyer Oh good Lord in what case was Christes church then But yet tell me of so manye and grosse errours what one haue these men at anye time refourmed or what faulte haue they once acknowleged coÌ„fessed But for so muche as these men auouche the vniuersall possession of the catholike Churche to bee their owne and call vs Heretiques bicaucause wee agree not in iudgemente with them let vs knowe I beseeche you what propre marke and badge hathe that Churche of theyrs whereby it maye bee knowen to bee the Church of God I wys it is not so hard a matter to finde out Goddes Churche of a mantle will seeke it earnestlye and 〈◊〉 For the Churche of Godde is lette vpon a highe and glisteringe place in the toppe of an hill and buylte vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and prophettes There saith Augustine â—ette â—â— seeke the Churche there lette vs â—â—ye ourâ— matter And as he saith againe in an other place The Churche must be shewed out of the holy and canonicall scriptures and that whiche can not bee shewed out of them is not the Churche Yet for all this I wote not howe whether it be for feare or for conscience or despearing of victory these meÌ„ alway abhor and flie the woorde of God euen as the theefe fleeth the gallowes And no wonder truely for lyke as men saye the Cantharus by and by perisheth and dyeth assone as it is laide in balme notwithstandinge balme be otherwise a most sweete smellynge ointment euen so these men well see their owne matter is dampped and destroyed in the woorde of God as if it were in poyson Therefore the holy scriptures whiche oure Sauioure Iesu Christe didd not onely vse for authoritie in all his speache butte didde also at last seale vp the same with his owne bloude these menne to the entent they myghte with lesse busines driue the people from the same as from a thinge daungerous and deadlye haue vsed to call theim A bare letter vncertaine vnprofitable domme killing and dead which seemeth to vs all one as yf they shoulde say The scriptures are to no purpose or as good as none Hereunto they adde also a similitude not very agreeable howe the scriptures be like to a nose of war or a shipmans hose how they may be fashioned and plyed al manner of waies and serue al mennes turnes Wotteth not the Bysshop of Rome that these thinges are spoken by his owne minions or vnderstandeth he not he hath suche champions to fight him Let him harken then how 〈◊〉 how godlye one Hosius writeth of 〈◊〉 matter a Byshop in Polonia as he testifieth of himselfe a man doubtlesse wer spokeÌ„ not vnlerned a very sharp and 〈◊〉 mainteinour of that syde One
will maruaile I suppose howe a good manne coulde either conceaue so wickedlye or wryte so dispytefullye of those woordes whiche hee knewe proceeded 〈◊〉 Goddes mouthe and speciallye in 〈◊〉 sorte as hee woulde not haue it 〈◊〉 owne priuate opinion alone 〈◊〉 the common opinion of all that â—and He dissembleth I graunt you in deede and hydeth what hee is and setteth fourth the matter so as though it were nâ—â— hee and his syde butte the Zwenkfeldian heretiques that so didd speake Wee faythe hee will bidde awaye with the same scriptures whereof wee see brought not onelye diuerse butte also contrarye interpretations and wee will heare God speake rather then wee will resorte to these naked elementes and appoynt oure saluation to reste in them It behoueth not a manne to bee experte in the lawe and scripture butte to bee taught of God It is butte loste labour that a manne bestoweth in the scriptures for the scripture is a creature and a certaine bare letter This is Hosius saying vttered altogether with the same spirit and the same mind wherwith in times past Montane and Martion were moued whoe as men reporte vsed to saye when with a contempt they reiected the holye scriptures that themselues knew many mo and better things then eyther Christe or the Apostles euer knewe What thenne shall I saye heere O ye principall postes of Religion O ye Archegouernours of CHRISTES Churche is this that youre reuerence which ye geue to Goddes woorde The holye Scriptures whiche S. Paule saith came by the inspiration of Godde whiche God dyd commende by so many miracles wherin are the moste perfit 〈◊〉 of Christes owne steppes which all the holy Fathers Apostles and Aunâ—â—les â–ª whiche Christ hym selfe the sonne of God as often as was nedefull dyd alleadge for testimonie and proufe will ye as though they were vnworthie for you to heare had them AuauÌ„t away that is wil ye inioyne God to kepe silence who speakith to you mostclearely by his own mouth in y e Scriptures Or that word wherby alone as Paul saith we are reconciled to God and whiche the Prophet Dauid saith ys holye and pure and shall last foreuer will ye call that but a bare and dead lettre Or wil ye say that all our labour is lost whiche is bestoued in that thinge which Christ hath commauÌ„ded vs diligently to searche and to haue euermore before our eyes And wil ye faye that Christ and the Apostlâ— ment with subtelty to deceiue the people when they exhorted them to reade the holie Scriptures that therby they might sâ—ow in al wisedom and knowledge No maruaile at al though these men dispise vs and all our doinges which set so litle by God himselfe his infallible saiengs Yet was it but want of witt in them to thintent they might hurt vs to do so extreme iniury to the word of God But Hosius will here make exclamation saieng we do him wrong and that these be not his owne wordes but the words of the heretique Zwenkfeldius But how than yf Zwenkfeldius make exclamation on the other syde and saye that the same very wordes be not his but Hosius owne wordes For tell me where hath Zwenkfeldius euer writteÌ„ thee Or yf he haue writteÌ„ them Hosius haue iudged the same to be wicked why hath not Hosius spoken somuch as one worde to confute them Howsoeuer the mater goeth although Hosius paradueÌ„ture wil not allowe of those wordes yet he doth not disallow the meaning of the wordes For wel nere in all controuersies and namely touching the vse of the holy communion vnder both kindes although the wordes of Christ be plaine and euident yet doth Hosius disdainefully reiect them as no better then colde and dead elementes and commaundeth to giue faith to certaine new lessons apointed by the Church to I wot not what reuelations of the holye Ghoste And Pighius saieth men ought not to beleue no not y e most cleare and manifest wordes of the scriptures onles the same be allowed for good by the interpretatioÌ„ and auctoritie of the churche And yet as though this were to litle they also burne the holye scriptures as in times paste wicked kyng Aza dyd or as Antiochus or Maximinus did and are wont to name theÌ„ Heretiques boks And out of doubt to see to they woulde faine do as Herode in oulde time dyd in Iewrie that hee myghte with more surety kepe still his dominioÌ„ Who being an Idumean borne and a straunger to the stocke and kinred of the Iewes and yet coueting much to be takeÌ„ for a Iew so thende he might establish to him and his posteritie y e kyngdom of that countrey which he had gotten of Augustus Cesar he commaunded all the Genealogies and Petigrees to be burnte made out of the waye so as there shoulde remaine no recorde wherby he might be knowen to them that came after that he was an Aliaunt in bloud wheras euen from Abrahams time these monumeÌ„tes had been safelye kepte amongeste the Iewes and layde vp in theire thresury bicause in them it might easely moste assuredly be found of what linage euery one did descende So in good faith doe these menne when they woulde haue all their owne doinges in estimation as though they had ben deliuered to vs eueÌ„ from the Apostles or from Christe hymselfe to thende there might be founde no where any thinge able to conuince such their dreames and lies either they burne the holie Scriptures or els they crastely conueye them from the people surely Very rightlye and aptly doth Chrysostome writte against these menne Heretiques saith he shutt vp the doores against the trueth for they know ful wel yf the doore were open the Churche shuld be none of theirs Theophylact also Gods worde saith he is the Candle whereby the theefe is espyed and Tertullian saith the holy Scripture manifestlye findeth out the fraude and theafte of Heretiques For why do they hyde why do they kepe vnder the Gospell whiche Christ would haue preched alowde from the house top Why whealine they that light vnder a Bushell whiche ought to stande on a Candlestick why trust they more to the blyndenes of the vnskilfull multitude and to ignoraunce then to the goodnes of their cause thinke they their slightes are not alredy perceiued and y t they caÌ„ walke now vnespied as though they had Giges tyng to go inuisible by vpon theyre finger No no all men see nowe well and well agayne what good stuffe is in that Chest of the Bysshop of Romes bosome This thinge alone of it selfe maye be an argumente sufficiente that they worke not vprightly and truely Worthely ought that mater seme suspicious which fleeth trial and is afrayde of the light for he that doth euill as Christ saith seekith darkenesse hateth light A conscience y t knowith it selfe cleere coÌ„meth willingly into open shew that the workes whiche procede of God may be seen Neither be they so very blind but they se this wel ynogh howe
the. Now a dayes the Pope chalengeth to hym selfe both swordes and vâ—eth both wherefore it ought to seeme lesse maruaile yf y â— haue folowed whiche Clement saith that is that he hath deceiued both his own selfe those which haue giuen eate vnto him Pope Leo saith vpon one daye it is laufull to say but one masse in one Churche These men say daily in one Church coÌ„monly tenne Masses twentie thirty yea often tymes moe So y t the poore gaser on can scant tell which waye he were best to turne hym Pope Gelasius sayth it is a wicked deed and sibb to sacriledge in any man to diuide the CommunioÌ„ and when he receiued one kinde to absteine from the other These menne contrarie to Goddes worde and contrarie to Pope Gelasiusâ— commaunde that one kinde onely of the holy CommunioÌ„ be giuen to the people by so doing they make their preistes gilty of sacriledge But yf they will saye that all these thinges are worne now out of vre and nye dead and pertaine nothing to these present tymes yet to thend all folke may vnderstande what faith is to be geuen to these men and vpon what hope they call togithers their generall Councelles let vs see in few wordes what good heed they take to the selfe same things which they them selues these very last yeres the remembraunce thereof ys yet new freshe in their owne generall Councell that they had by order called decreed and commaunded to be deuoutely kepte In the last Councell at Trident scant fourtene yeares paste it was ordeined by the common consent of all degrees that one man shoulde not haue two benefices at one time What is become now of that ordinauÌ„ce is y e same to so sone worne but of mynde and cleane consumed For these men ye se giue to one man not two benefices onely but sundry Abbaies many times sometime also two Bishoprykes sometime three sometime foure and that not onely to an vnlearned man but often times eueÌ„ to a man of warre In the sayde Councell a decree was made that all Byshops should preach y e Gospell These menne neyther preache nor once go vp into the Pulpet neyther thinke they it any parte of their Office What great pompe crake then ys this they make of antiquitie Why bragge they so of the names of the auncient Fathers and of the new and olde Councelles Whye will they seme to trust to their auctoritie whome when they lyft they despise at their owne pleasure But I haue a special fansy to coÌ„mon a worde or two rather with the Popes good holinesse and to saye these thinges to his owne face Tell vs I praye you good holy Father seyng ye do crake so muche of all antiquitie and boast your selfe that all menne are bounde to you alone which of all the Fathers haue at any time called you by the name of the highest Prelate the vniuersall Byshop or the head of the Churche Whiche of them euer said that both y e swords were commited to you whiche of them euer said that you haue auctoritie and a right to call Councelles whiche of them euer saide that the whole worlde is but your diocesse which of them that al Bishops haue receiued of your fulnes whiche of them that al power ys gyuen to you as well in heauen as in yearth whiche of them that neyther kyngs nor the whole Clergie nor yet all people togyther are able to be iudges ouer you whiche of them y e kynges Emperours by Christes commaundement and wil do receiue aucthoritie at your hand which of them with so precyse and mathematicall limitacion hath surueied and determined you to be seuenty seuen times greater then 〈◊〉 mightiest kinges Whiche of them 〈◊〉 more ample authoritie is geuen to you then to y e residew of y e Patriarkes â—â—ich of theÌ„ y t you are y e Lord God or that you are not a meere naturall man but a certaine substaunce made and growen together of God and man Whiche of them that you are the onelye headespringe of all lawe Whiche of them that you haue power ouer purgatories Which of them that you are able to commaunde the Aungels of God as you list your selfe Which of them that euer said that you are Lorde of Lordes and the Kinge of Kinges Wee canne also go further with you in like sorte What one amongest the whole numbre of the olde Bysshops and fathers euer taught you either to say priuate Masse whyles the people stared on or to lyste vp the sacrament ouer your heade in whyche point consisteth nowe all your religion or els to mangle Christes sacraments to bereaue the people of the one parte contrarye to Christes institution and plaine expressed wordes But that wee may once come to an ende What one is there of all the Fathers whiche hathe taught you to distribute Christes bloud and the holy martyrs merites and to sell openly as marchandizes your pardons and all the roomes and lodginges of purgatorie These men are wont to speake muche of a certaine secreat doctrine of theires and manifolde and sundrye readings Then let them bring furthe somwhat now if thei can that it may apeare thei haue at least reade or do knowe somwhat They haue often stoutly noysed in all corners where they went how all the partes of their religioÌ„ be very old haue been approued not only by y e multitude but also by the conseÌ„t continual obseruation of al nations and times let them therfore once in their life shew this their antiquitie let them make appeere at eye that the thinges wherof they make such a door haue taken so longe and large encrease let them declare that all Christiâ—â—â—â— nations haue agreed by consent to â—his their religion Nay nay they tourne their backes â—s we haue said alreadye and flee from their owne decrees and haue cut of and â—bolished againe within a shorte space â—he same thinges which but a few years â—efore themselues had established for euermore forsoothe to continewe Howe shoulde one then trust them in the Fathers in y e olde Councels in the words â—pokeÌ„ by God Thei haue not good Lord â—hei haue not I say those things which â—hey boast they haue they haue not y e anâ—iquitie they haue not that vniuersalitie â—hey haue not that consent of all places â—or of all times And though thei haue a â—esire rather to dissemble yet thei themselues are not ignorauÌ„t herof ye somme also they let not to coÌ„fesse it openly And for this cause they say that the ordiâ—â—uÌ„ces of the old Councels and Fathers be such as may now and then be altered and that suÌ„dry and diuers Decrees seruâ—â— for sundry diuers times of the church Thus lurke they vnder the name of the Church and begile seely creatures with their vaine glosinge Yt is to be meruailed that either men be so blynde as they canne not see this or if they
see it to bee so pacient as they canne so lightly and quietly beare it But where as they haue commaunded that those Decrees shoulde be voyde as things now waxen to olde y t haue loste their grace perhappes they haue prouided in their steede certaine other better thinges and more profitable for the people For it is a common sayenge with them that if Christe himselfe or the Apostles were aliue againe they coulde not better nor godlyer gouerne Goddes Churche then it is at this presente gouerned by them They haue put in their steede in deede butte it is chaste in steede of wheate as Hieremie saithe and suche thinges as accordinge to Esayes words God neuer required at â—â—eir handes Thei haue stopped vp saith he al the vaines of cleere springing water and haue digged vp for the people â—â—ceiuable and puddlelike pyttes full of â—yre and filth whiche neither haue nor 〈◊〉 able to hold pure water They haue plucked away from the people the holie Communion the worde of God fromwhence all comforte shoulde bee taken the true worshippinge of God also and the right vse of sacramentes and prayer and haue geuen vs of their owne to play withall in the meane whyle salt water oyle boxes spittle palmes bulles iubilies pardons crosses sensinges and an indelesse rabble of ceremonies and as a man might tearm with Plautus pretie games to make sporte withall In these things haue they set al their religioÌ„ teachinge y e people that by these God may be duely pacified spirits be driuen away and mens consciences well quieted For these â—o be the orient colours and precious sauours of Christian religion these thinges doth God looke vpon accepteth them thankfully these must come in place to be honored and put quite away the institutioÌ„s of Christ and of his Apostls And like as in times past when wicked kinge Ieroboam had takeÌ„ from the people y e right seruing of God brought them to worship golden calues least perchauÌ„ce they might afterwards chaunge their minde and slippe awaye gettinge them again to Ierusalem to the Temple of God there hee exhorted them with a long tale to be stedfast saying thus vnto them O Israell these Calues be thy Gods In this sorte commaunded your God you should worshippe him For it shoulde be wearisome and troublous for you to take vpoÌ„ you a iorney so farre of and yearly to go vp to Ierusalem there to serue and honour your God Euen after the same sorte euery whit when these men had once made the lawe of God of none effect through their owne traditions fearing that the people should afterwards open their eyes and fall an other way and shoulde somwhence els seeke a suret meane of their saluation Iesu how ofteÌ„ haue thei cried out This is the same worshippinge that pleaseth God and whiche hee straitly requireth of vs and wherwith he wil be tourned from his wrath that by these thinges is conserued the vnitie of the Church by these al sinnes clensed and consciences quieted and who so departeth from these hath left vnto himselfe no hope of euerlasting saluation For it were wearisome and troublous saye they for the people to resorte to Christ to the Apostles and to y e auncient fathers and to obserue continually what their wil and commaundement should be This ye may se â–ª is to w tdraw the people of God froÌ„ y e weake elements of the worlde froÌ„ y e leauen of the Scribes Pharisies and from the traditions of meÌ„ It were reasoÌ„ no doubt y t Christes commaundementes and the Apostls were remoued that these their deuises might come in place O iuste cause I promise you why that auncient and so longe alowed doctrine should be now abolished and a newe forme of religion be brought into the Churche of God And yet whatsoeuer it be these menne crye stil that nothing ought to be changed that mens mindes are well satisfied here withal that the Churche of Rome y e church which cannot erre hath decreed these thinges For Siluester Prierias saith y t the Romish churche is the squyer rule of truth and that y e holy scripture hath receiued from thence bothe authoritie and credite The doctrine saith he of the Romish church is the rule of moste infallible faith from the whiche the holy scripture taketh his force And Indulgences and pardons saith he are not made knoweÌ„ to vs by y e authoritie of the scriptures but they are knoweÌ„ to vs by the authoritie of the Romyshe Church and of the Byshops of Rome whiche is greater Pighius also letteth not to say that without the licence or the Romyshe Church we ought not to beleue the very plaine scriptures much like as yf any of those that caÌ„not speake pure cleane Latin and yet can bable out quickely redily a litle some such law Latin as seruith the Courte would needes hold that all others ought also to speake after the same way which Mametrectus CatholicoÌ„ spake many yeare ago which them selues doe yet vse in pleadyng in Courte for so may it be vnderstand sufficiently what is said and mennes desires be satiâ—fyed and that it is a fondenes now in the later end to trouble y e worlde with a new kind of speaking and to cal againe the old fynesse and eloquence that Cicero and Cesar vsed in their dayes in the Latin tonge So much ar these men beholden to the follie and darknes of the former tymes Manye thynges as one writeth are had in estimation often tymes bycause they haue ben once dedicate to the temples of the Heathen goddes euen so see wee at this daye many thinges alowed and highlye sett by of these menne not bycause they iudge them somuch worth but only bycause they haue ben receyued into a custome and after a sorte dedicate to the Temple of God Our Churche saye they cannot erre they speake that I thinke as the Lacâ—â— demonians longe synce vsed to say that yt was not possible to fynde any Adulterer in all their common welth wheras in dede they were rather all Adulterers and had no certeintie in their mariages but had their wyues common amongest them all Or as the Canonistes at this day for theire bellies sake vse to saye of the Pope that forsomuche as he is Lord of all benefices though he sell for money Byshoprickes monasteries preiste hod spirituall promotions and partith with nothing freely yet bicause he counteth at his owne he cannot committ Simony though he woulde neuer so faine But how stronglye and agreablye to reason these things be spoken we are not as yet able to perceue except perchauÌ„ce these meÌ„ haue plucked of the wynges from the truth as the Romaines in olde tyme did proine and pinion their goddesse Victorie after they had once gotteÌ„ her home to thende that with the same wynges she shoulde neuer more be able to flee awaye from them againe But what yf Ieremye tell them as is afore rehersed that these be
who is so blinde that hee seeth not these menne bee the maisters by whome the people as saythe Hierome hathe been ledde into errour and lulled a sleepe Or who seeth not Rome that is their Niniue whiche sometime was paineted w t fairest colours but now her vizer being pulled of is both better seen and lesse sette by Or who seeth not that good menne beinge a waked as it were out of their deade sleepe at the lighte of the Gospell and at the voyce of God haue resorted to the hilles of the Scriptures waiting not at all for the Councelles of suche maisters Butte by your fauoure some will saye These thinges ought not to haue been attempted without the Bysshoppe of Romes commaundement forsomuche as hee onely is the knotte and bande of Christian societie he onely is that priest of Leuies order whom God signified in the Deuteronomy from whom counsell in matters of weight and true iudgemeÌ„t ought to be fetched and who so obeyeth not his iudgement the same man ought to bee killed in the sight of his brethren and that no mortall creature hathe authoritie to bee iudge ouer him whatsoeuer hee dooe that Christe reigneth in heauen and hee in earthe that hee alone canne dooe as muche as Christe or God hym selfe canne dooe bicause Christ and hee haue but one Councell house That without him is no faythe no hope no churche and who so goeth from him quite casteth awaye and renounceth his owne saluation Suche talke haue the Canonistes the Popes parasites surely but with small discretion or sobrenesse for they coulde stant saye more at leaste they coulde not speake more highlye of Christe him selfe As for vs truely we haue fallen from the Byshoppe of Rome vpon no maner of worldlye respect or commoditie and woulde to Christe hee so behaued himselfe as this falling away neded not but so the case stoode that oules we left him wee could not come to Christ. Neyther will he now make any other league w t vs then suche a one as Nahas the kyng of the Ammonites would haue made in tymes past with theÌ„ of the citie of Jabes whiche was to put out the right eye of eche one of the Inhabitantes Euen so will the Pope pluck from vs the holye Scripture the Gospell of our saluation and all the confidence which we haue in Christ Iesu. And vpon other condition can he not agree vpon peace with vs. For wheras som vse to make so great a vaunte that the Pope is onely Peters Successour as though therby he carried the holy Ghost in his bosome cannot erre this is but a matter of nothing and a very trieflyng tale Gods grace is promised to a good mynde and to one that fearith God not vnto Sees and SuccessioÌ„s Riches saith Ierome may make a Byshop to be of more might then the rest but all the Byshoppes whosoeuer they be are the Successours of the Apostles Yf so be the place and consecrating onely be sufficient why then Manasses succeded Dauid and Caiphas succeded Aaron And it hath ben often seene that an Idoll hath stand in the Temple of God In old tyme Archidamus the Lacedemonian boasted muche of hym selfe how he came of the bloud of Hercules but one Nicostratus in thys wise abated his prydes Nay quod he y u semest not to descende from Hercules for Hercules destroied yll men but thou makest good men euill And when the Pharises bragged of their linage how they wereof y e kynred and bloud of Abraham Ye saith Christ seeke to kyll me a manne whiche haue toulde you the trouth as I heard it from God thus Abraham neuer did Ye are of your Father the dyuel and wil nedes obey his will Yet notwithstandyng bycause wee will graunt somewhat to succession tell vs hath the Pope alone succeded Peter â–ª and wherein I praye you in what Religion in what Office in what peece of his lyfe hath he succeded hym What one thing tel me had Peter euer like vnto the Pope or the pope lyke unto Peter excepte paraduenture they will saye thus that Peter when he was at Rome neuer taught the Gospell neuer fedde y e flock toke away the keyes of the kingedom of heaueÌ„ hyd the treasures of his Lorde satte him downe onely in his Castle in S. Iohn Laterane poincted out with his finger al the places of Purgatorie and kyndes of punyshementes coÌ„mittyng some poore soules to be tormented and other some againe sodenlye â—â—leasing thence at his owne pleasure taking money for so doing or that he gaue order to say priuate Masses in euery cornere or that be mumbled vp the holy seruice with a lowe voice and in an vnknowen language or that he haÌ„ged vp y e Sacrament in euery TeÌ„ple and on euerie Aulter and caryed y e same about before hym whether soeuer he went vpon an ambling Iennett with lightes and belles or that he consecrated with hys holy breath oyle war wulle belles chalices churches aultres or that he solde Iubilees graces liberties aduousons preuentions first fruits Palles the wearing of Palles bulles Indulgences and pardons or that he called hym self by the name of the head of the Churche The highest Byshop Byshop of Byshopps alone Most holy or that by vsurping he tooke vpon hym selfe the right and aucthoritie ouer other folkes Churches or that he exempted him selfe froÌ„ the power of anye civilie gouernement or that he mainteined warrâ— set Princes together at variaunce or that he sytting in his Chaire with his triple Crowne full of labelles with sumptuous Persianlike gorgiousnes with his Royall scepter with his Diademe of goulde and glittering with stones was caried about not upon Paâ—lfrâ—ie but upon the shoulders of noble menne These things no doubt did Peter at Rome in times past and left them in charge to his Successours as you would say from hand to hande for these thinges be now a dayes donne at Rome by the Popes and be so done as though nothing els ought to be don Or contrarie wise paraduenture they had rather saye thus that the Pope doth now all the same thinges whyche wee knowe Peter did many a daye a goe that is that he rounneth vp and downe into euerye Countreye to Preache the Gospell not onelye openlye abroad but also priuatelye from house to house that hee is diligente and applyeth that busines in seasone and out of seasone in dewe tyme out of dew time that he doth the part of an Euangelist that he fulfilleth the worke and ministerie of Christ that he is y e watcheman of the house of Israel receaueth answeares and wordes at Goddes mouth and euen as hereceiueth them so deliuereth them ouer to the people That he is the salte of the earth That he ys the light of the world that he doth not feed his owne selfe but his flock that he doth not entangle him selfe with the worldlie eares of this lyfe that he doth not vse a soueraintye ouer the Lordes people that he seeketh not to haue
wherein nothing was in good frame or once like to the Churche of God and whiche them selfes coÌ„fessed had erred many weies eueÌ„ as Lott in times paste gat hym out of Sodom or Abraham out of Caldie not vpoÌ„ a desire of contention but by y e warninge of God him selfe And y t we haue searched out of y e holy Bible whiche we are sure cannot deceiue one sure fourme of Religion and haue retorned againe vnto the Primatiue Churche of the auncient Fathers and Apostles that is to say to the first ground and beginning of thinges as vnto the very foundations head springes of Christes church And in very troth we haue not carried for in this matter the auctoritie or consent of the Trident Councell wherein we sawe nothing don vprightly nor by good ordre where also euery body was sworne to the maintenaunce of one man where our Princes Embassadours were contemned where not one of oure diuines could be heard and where partes taking and ambition was openly and earnestlye procured and wrought but as the holy Fathers in former time and as our predecessours haue commonly don wee haue restored our Churches by a Prouinciall Conuocation and haue cleane shaken of as our dewtie was the yoke and tyrannye of the Byshop of Rome to whome we were not bounde who also had no manner of thying lyke neyther to Christ nor to Peter nor to an Apostle nor yet like to any Byshopp at all Finally we saye that wee agree amongest our selues touching the whole iudgemeÌ„t and chiefe substaunce of Christian Religion and with one mouth and with one spirite do woorshipp God and the Father of our Lord Iesu Christ. Wherefore O Christian and godlye Reader forsomuche as thow seest the reasons and causes both whye wee haue restored Religion and whye wee haue forsaken these men thou oughtest not to maruaile though wee haue chosen to obeye our Maister Christe rather then menne Paule hath giuen vs warning how we shoulde not suffer our selues to be carried away with suche sundry learninges and to fly their companies in especiall whiche woulde sowe debate and variaunces cleane contrarie to the Doctrine whithe they had receiued of Christ and the Apostls Longe synce haue these mennes craftes and treacheries decaied and vanished and fled away at the sight and light of y e Gospell euen as the owle doth at the sunne rysing And albeit their trumperye be builte vp and reared as highe as the Skye yet euen in a momeÌ„t and as yt were of the owne selue fallyth yt downe againe to the ground and coÌ„meth to naught For you must not think y t al these things haue com to passe rashly or at adueÌ„ture It hath ben gods pleasure y t against al mennes willes wel nye the Gospell of Iesu Christe shoulde be spread abroad thorough out the whole worlde at these dayes And therfore men folowing godds biddings haue of their owne free will resorted vnto the Doctrine of Iesus Christ. And for our parts truely wee haue sought hereby neyther glorie nor welthe nor pleasure nor ease For there is plentie of all these thinges with our aduersaryes And when wee wer of their side we enioyed such worldlye commodyties muche more liberallie and bountefullye then wee doe nowe Neyther doe wee eschew concorde and peace but to haue peace with man wee will not be at warre with God The name of peace is a swete and pleasaunte thinge saith Hilarius But yet beware sayth he peace is one thinge and boundage is an other For yf it shoulde so be as they seeke to haue it that Christe shoulde be commaunded to keepe silence that the truth of the Gospell should be betraied that horrible errours should be cloked that Christian mennes eyes shold be bleared that they might be suffred to conspire openlye against God this were not a peace but a moste vngodlye couenaunt of seruitude There is a peace saith Nazianzene that is vnprofitable againe there is a discorde saith he that is profitable For we muste conditionallye desire peace so farre as is laufull before God so farre as we may conuenieÌ„tly For otherwise Christ him self broughte not peace into the worlde but a sworde Wherefore yf the Pope will haue vs reâ—onciled to hym his dewty is first to be reconciled to God for from thence saith Cyprian spring schysmes and sectes bycause menne seeke not the head and haue not their recourse to the Fountaine of y e Scriptures and kepe not the Rules gyuen by the heauenly teacher for saith he â—hat is not peace but warre neyther is he ioyned vnto the Churche which is seuered from the Gospel As for these men â—hey vse to make a marchaundize of the name of peace For that peace whiche they so faine would haue is onely a rest of idle bellies They and we might easily be brought to atonement touchyng all theâ—e matters were it not that ambitioÌ„ glutony and excesse did let it Hence commeth their whyenyng their hearte is on their Halfepennye Out of doubt their claymours and styrres be to none other ende but to maynteâ—ne more shamefully and naughtely yll gotten thinges Nowe a dayes the Pardoners complaine of vs the Dataries the Popes Collectours the Bawdes and others which take Gayne to be godlynesse and serue not Iesu Christe but their owne â—ellyes Many a day a go and in the old worlde a wonderfull great aduantage grew hereby to these kinde of people but now they recken all is losse vnto them that Christ gaigneth The Pope hym selfe maketh greate complaynere at this present that Charitie in people is waxen coulde And why so trow ye Forsooth because his profittes decaye more and more And for this cause doth he hale vs into hatred all that euer he maye laieng lode vpon vs with dispitetfull raylings and condemning vs for Heretiques to thende they that vnderstande not the matter maye thinke there be no woorse menne vpon earth then we be Notwithstanding we in the meane season are neuer the more ashamed for all this neyther ought we to be ashamed of y e Gospell for wee sett more by the glorie of God then wee doe by the estimation of menne Wee are suere all is true that we teach and we may not either go against our owne conscience or beare any witnes against God For yf we denye any part of the Gospel of Iesu Christ before menne he on the other side wil denye vs before his Father And yf there be anye that will still be offended and cannot endure Christes doctrine suche saye wee be blynd leaders of y e blynde the truth neuertheles must be preached and preferred aboue all and wee muste with patience wayte for Goddes iudgement Lett these folke in the meane tyme take good heed what they do and let them be well aduised of their owne Saluation and cease to hate and persecute the Gospell of the sonne of God for feare least they feele hym once a redresser and reueÌ„ger of his owne cause God will not suffer him selfe to be