of our Saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. No other willeth God for all his benefites but that we be thankfull and call vpon his name Thus shall the number of those whom God hath elected to life eternall encrease and so the kingdome of sinne death the diuell which is the kingdome of lies of false new doctrine confirmed with dreames false miracles and illusions of the diuell shal be destroied and that of grace life and of Christ which is the kingdome of truth the true and old doctrin confirmed with the word of God shal abide for euer To whom which is one God Father Sonne and holy Spirit who liueth and raigneth be perpetuall honâ—â— and glory Amen An Addition I In the moneth of Aprill 1588. Philip the second of that name king of Spaine pretending to send his inuincible fleet for the Conquest of England made choise by the aduise of the Prioresse of the monastery of the Anunciada whose name was Mary of the Visitacion as most worthie for her holinesse to blesse his Standard royall the which she did with vsing diuers other câ—remonies in the deliuery thereof to the Duke of Medina Sedonia who was appointed chiefe Generall she did pronounce openlie good successe and victory to the Duke in saying he should return a victorious Prince This standard was carried in procession by Don Francisco de Cordoua who was a Spaniard the tallest Gentl. that could be found he being on horse backe to the end it might be the better seen at the solemnzing wherof there was such a number of people assembled that diuers of them perished with the throng There was present the Archduke Albertus which then was Cardinall and Gouernor of the kingdom of Portugal the Popes Nuncio the Archbishop who was head inquisitor with diuers other Nobles Prelates Gentlemen This solemnization dured so long that Albertus fainted with fasting and this holy Nunne to comfort him caused a messe of the broth which was for her owne diet to be brought presenting it to him which he accepted most willingly coÌ„ming from the handes of so holy a Nun as then she was holden to be but about the beginning of DeceÌ„ber next after all her holines false miracles and great dissimulations was then found out and she condemned punished for the same according as is râ—bersed in this booke About the end of this yeare 1588 that this holy Nun was discouered in Lisbon there was also discouered in Seuil one father â—yon who was counted to be a most deuour and religious man but by his owne fellowes of his profession he was discouered to be a great hypocrite and a most vicious 〈◊〉 giuen to carnall lustes and for this and diuers other causes he was committed to the prison which is in the Cardinals house of 〈◊〉 A Table wherein by certaine Antitheses is declared the difference and contrarietie which is betweene the ancient doctrine of God contained in the holy scripture and taught in the reformed Churches and the new doctrine of men â—aught and maintained in the Roman or Popish Church Ierem. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord stand in the wayes and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therein ye shall find rest for your soules THe ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the holy Scripture being the word of God diuinely inspired hath most sufficient authority of it selfe containeth all necessary doctrin to pietie and our saluation as S. Paul clearly teacheth 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. The new doctrin of meâ— teacheth that the holy Scripture although it be the word of God should haue no authority were it not for the approbation of the Church and that it is an vnperfect and maimed doctrine which containeth not doctrine sufficient to pietie nor our saluation but that this defect must be supplied by vnwritteÌ„ traditions Belar de verb. Deâ— noÌ„ scrip l. 4. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that ignorance of the holy scriptures is the cause and mother of errors as Iesus Christ our Lord doth witnesse Mat 22. 19. saying to the Sadduces Ye erre because yee know not the Scriptures nor the power of God and therefore the duty of euerie faithfull Christian is to reade meditate and search the holy scripture as God commandeth his people Deut. 6. 7. chap. 12. 32. chap. 17. 19. Iosua 18. Esa 8. 20. And Christ our Lord in the new Testament Ioh. 5. 39. And as did the faithfull in the time of the Apostles Act 17. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 15. The new doctrin of men doth teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and that to keepe religion safe it is needful to forbid the lay or secular men the reading of the holy scriptures seeing it is the cause of many heresies Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 2 cap. 15 16. cens col f. 19. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that many deceiuers and false Prophets are gone out into the world and that the faithfull therfore are to proue the spirits whether they be of God 1. Io. 4. 1. And that the holy scripture is the touch whereby this proofe and examination ought to be made Ioh. 5. 39. Act 17. 11. So that all doctrine contrary and repugnant to holy Scripture be it of Councels Fathers Doctors old or new and that as saith the Apostle of himselfe or of an Angel from heauen ought not to be receiued nor taught in the Christian Church Gal. 1. 8. 1. Tim. 1. 3. chap. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 4. 11. 2. Ioh. 10. The new doctrin of men doth teach that whosoeuer coÌ„tradict the Pope his decrees human traditions be false teachers that the Pope hath authority to iudge of all controuersies and of the true sense of holy Scriptures and that from his iudgment it is not lawfull to appeale Bellar. de verbo Dâ—â— interp lib. 3. cap. 3. c. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that we ought to serue God alone which is the Creator and gouernour of all the world following the doctrin of Christ which saith Matt. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serue The new doctrine of men doth teach that we ought not to serue God alone but also the Saints that they hold them for patrons of kingdoms people cities societies and infirmities Bellarm. de Sanct. beat lib. 1. cap 12. Cens Col. fol. 230. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the lawful worship of God is to be founded vpon the holy Scripture that God will be serued according to his will and word in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. and not after the opinion nor by the traditions nor customes of men as God by his prophet Eze. 20. 18. doth very expresly teach vs saying Walk not in the ordinances of your fathers nor obserue their lawes nor defile your selues with their idols I am the Lord your God Walke in mine ordinances and
Sadduces shamelesly denied the resurrection and allowed neither Angel nor spirit As by the disputation which they held with Christ about the woman that had seauen husbands appeareth Matth. 22. 22. and in the Acts 23. 8. The Essees apart had their opinions It was a people solitarie like the Charterhouse Monkes They had no wiues drunk no wine nor did they eat any flesh a people they were very austere and euery day fasted Whiles the Church was deuided into these sects when all was confused came the sonne of God into the world With such he conuersed And of such for preaching the truth vnto thē he was crucified When the light of the Gospel was come which Christ and his Apostles preached who allowed it not but rather killed and crucified those that preached the same The same people of God the Church of God chiefly the Scribes Pharisies priests and high priests These came togither held a Councell wherein they concluded that Christ should die and all those that should preach the same Doctrine They tooke him because they wanted authoritie to put any to death with false witnes they accused him before Pilate Deputy to the Emperour Tiberius and thisin the holy Ierusalem And so was he condemned for an euil doer for such a one was crucified O what a Church O what a Councell if the cheife Preist may erre and erred in dede The Lord by diuine power eftsoones raysed vpp who suborned his keepers to say that his disciples had stollen him away Who assembled a Councell to persecute the Apostles and commaunded them that they should not preach who caused S. Iames to be put to death Who made S. Peter to be taken to cause him to die had not the Angel of the Lord deliuered him The visible Church of God the scribes and Pharisies and high Priests Not without cause faid the Lord speaking of Ierusalem Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the prophets and stonest those that be sent vnto thee Afterwards the very same hath hitherto happened leauing former times spake we of these wherein we liue Who hath for the space of 70 or 80. yeares hitherto shed so much bloud of Martyres they that call themselues the Church of Iesus Christ chiefly the peeuish Friars Bishops chiefe Bishops and the same shal they doe vntill the end of the word And so Christ speaking of his second comming when he shall come to the vniuersall Iudgement saith Luke 18. 8. The son of man when he commeth shall he find faith vpon the earth As if he should say no. And in the XXIIII chapter of Saint Matthewe he maketh a discourse hereof verse 12. And because saith he iniquitie shal be increased the loue of many shal be cold And verse 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect And thinke we not these false Christs and false Prophets shal bee Turkes and Iewes Christians they shal be and for such shall they be holden Bishops and chiefe Bishops shal be the principally as at this day they be I haue sufficiently proued me thinketh by many examples and passages of the old and new Testament that the Church of God may erre and hath erred indeede which to our aduersaries seemeth vnpossible Now will we resolue a doubt and this it is If the Church bee such and subiect to fall into Errours superstitions heresies and idolatries as before we haue proued How shall that be vnderstood which the scripture saith That the Church is the body of Iesus Christ That the Church is the spouse of Christ That the Church is the pillar of truth founded vppon the sure foundation That the Churche is without spot or wrincle and wholy faire That the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her and other like commendations and prayses thereof the word of God witnesseth To this may we answere that both the one and the other may very well stand For God neuer suffered all his Church to fall togither into Error But rather hath alwayes reserued some good and some times also seauen thousand As said he speaking of Elias albeit in corners which neuer bowed the knees to Baal Such as these the common error dispatched wherewith all the Church was generally deceaued Against this Error such others of these spake preached and wrote and most times it cost them their liues and had each one of them had a thousand liues a thousand liues would each one of them haue lost for the same cause That Church wherein Catholiquely and vniuersally raigned that Errour or heresie shee and her Bishoppes did persecute condemned and kill them As by examples wee haue confirmed the same So that when the scripture saith All Israel all Iuda all the inhabitants of Ierusalem turned away from God committed Idolatrie c. Of such a manner ingenerall must wee vnderstand which hath it Exceptions for in the middest of these Errours and idolatries so Catholique fo vniuersall had alwayes God some particular men whom he reserued cleane and pure from that common errour So reserued God Moses and Iosua and some other particular persons also which worshipped not the calfe when all Israel ingenerall and Aaron the high Priest him selfe worshipped it The same will wee say of the time of the Iudges that God neuer forsoke his Church The same wee say also of the times of the kings of Israel and of Iuda When all committed Idolatrie God raysed vp an Esaias a Micheas a Ieremias an Ezechiel a Daniel c. Who reproued vices and false Doctrine and declared the truth But which of these did not the Church and her high priests persecute and kill So also reserued the Lord vnro himselfe at his first comming into the worlde A Simeon an Anna widdowe a Ioseph and his spouse the virgin Marie mother of our sauiour An holie Elizabeth and her sonne Saint Iohn Baptist which were Godly very well thought of the true religion and agreed neither with the Pharisies nor Sadduces nor Essees And so the Lord in so vnhappy times preserued his Church And so likewise vntill now hath he preserued the same And now also in these lest miserable times wherein neither faith Luk. 18 8. nor loue is found Matth. 24. 12. God reserueth some which oppose themselues to the tyranny of the Antichrist of Rome and to the common errour and Idolatrie of all the Romane Church ingenerall And so God hath not permitted that his Church hath wholly bene deceiued nor according to his promise I am with you vnto the end of the world Wil he euer permit the same Euer thē hath God reserued fome that haue not bene deceiued with the cōmon errour many from time to time be enlightened As by experience we haue seene it God of his infinit mercy increase them that the number of his chosen may be fulfilled so sinne may cease and only Christ
wit If the head of an horse be put to a humane body A distinction truly very rediculous Conclude we this matter with that which was ordeyned in the Councell of Eliberis in Spaine holden about the yeare of the Lord. 335. whose 36. Cannō was as Carranza noteth in his Summa Conciliariorum Placuit picturas in Ecclesia esse non debere ne quod colitur aut odoratur in parietibus depingatur It pleaseth vs that pictures ought not to be in the Church lest that be worshipped or adored which is painted on the walles Eliberis where was celebrated this ancient Councell was a Cittie neare vnto that place where is now Granada Eliberis was destroyed and of the ruines thereof was Granada builded or augmented And there is one gate in Granada euen to this day called the gate Deluira corrupting the worde in steed of Elibera The gate is so called because men goe that way to Elibera Had this Cannon made in our countrie of Spaine 1263. yeares past bene obserued in Spaine there had not bene such Idolatrie in Spaine as now there is Vp Lord regard thine owne honour Conuert or confound not being of thine elect all such as worship Pesel grauen or carued Images or Temuna picttures or patternes All that whatsoeuer we haue sayd against Images is meant of those that are made for religion seruice worship and to honour serue and adore them Such Images are forbidden by the law of God And so the Arte of caruing grauing painting and patterne making not done to this end is not forbidden but lawfull The superstition and Idolatrie taken away the Arte is good If there be any people or nation that haue and doe commit inward and outwarde Idolatrie it is the Popish Church For what else see we in their Temples houses streetes and crosse-streetes but Idolles and Images made and worshipped against the expresse commaundement of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image No nation hath bene so barbarous to thinke that which they outwardly beheld with their eyes to be God They supposed as before we haue said their Iupiter Iuno Mars Venus to be in Heauen whom they worshipped in the Images that did represent them Many of the Moores Turkes and Iewes would conuert vnto Christ were it not for the offence and scandall of Images in the Churches Therefore said Paulus Pricius a most learned Hebrew which became in a Christian Paue that it was very meet Images should be taken out of the Temple for they were the cause that many Iewes became not Christians The Popish Church doth not onely commit the Idolatrie of the Gentiles but farre exceed them also One Idolatrie it committeth which neuer Pagan nor Gentile euer committed It beleeueth the bread and wine in the Masse called a sacrifice celebrated by her Pope or a Priest made by the authoritie of the Pope to be no representation nor commemoration of the Lordes death but his very body and bloud the same Iesus Christ as bigge and great as he was vpon the crosse And so as very God doth worship it We will then in this first Treatise proue by the Lords assistance whose cause we now maintaine the Pope to be a false Priest and very Antichrist that such Idolatrie and other much more he hath inuented in the Church In the second Treatise we will also proue by the same assistance the Masse to be a false Sacrifice and great Idolatrie And because our chiefe purpose is not so much to beat downe falshood as to aduance the truth after we haue shewed the Pope to be a false Priest And the Masse a false Sacrifice we will shew also which is the argument of the Apostle in the Epistle written to the Hebrewes Iesus Christ to be the true and onely Priest and his most holy body and bloud which he offered vnto his father vpon the Crosse to be the true and only sacrifice where with the eternall father is well pleased and receiueth vs into his fauour and friendship iustifying vs by faith and giuing vs his holy spirit of Adoption whereby we crie Abba father and liue in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life And so be glorified of him to reigne ' with him for euer Many will wonder that we with so great constancie or as they call it sawsinesse reiect condemne and abhore the Pope and his Masse And therefore doe slaunder and defame vs not among the common people onely but amongest the Nobles also and great Lordes Kinges and Monarches that we are fantasticke heady arrogant sedicious rebellious partiall and many other false reportes they raise against vs wherewith they fill and breake the eares of the ignorant and of all those that take pleasure to heare them To shew them then that it is no foolish opinion nor fantasie which doth lead vs neither any ambition vaine glory nor other passion that doth alter moue or transport our minds but a good zeale rather of the glory of God and feruent desire of the health of our owne soules A reason will we giue in this first Treatise vnto all that desire to heare vnderstand it of that which we beleeue hold concerning the Pope and his authoritie And chiefely if we be asked because as saith Saint Peter we ought to be ready with meekenesse and reuerence to make answere to euery one that demaundeth a reason of the hope which we hold The reason then which we giue for reiecting condemning and abhorring the Pope and flying from him as from the pestilence is his euill life and wicked doctrine Note also what the Doctors and ancient Councels the holy Scriptures in three wonderfull places chiefly for that purpose say concerning him In the second Treatise we will declare what wee thinke of the Masse and the holinesse thereof The Pope and Masse two pillers of the Popish church be very ancient For it is now a thousād yeares past since they first began to be buylded Their beginnings were very small but they dayly increased adorning and decking themselues vntill they attayned to the estate wherein we now see them For aswell the Pope as the Masse is holden and called God Without are they made very beautifull couered ouer with silke gold siluer cloth of gold rich stones but within is superstition hypocrisie and Idolatrie I haue often pondred with my selfe whether of these two pillers the Pope or the Masse were strongest and more esteemed The vertues excellencie holinesse and diuinitie which they say is in the Masse who can declare How profitable it is for al things liuing and not liuing quick dead By cōsideratiō hereof the Masse I supposed was chiefest and therefore ought to begin with it But the Pope vpon better aduisement mee seemed notwithstanding to be the chiefest piller The reasons mouing me so to beleeue are these that the cause in dignitie is before the effect the creator before the creature the maister before the seruant the Priest before the
the 2. to Timoth. cap. 4. 1. 2 which some what before his martyrdome he wrote the second time being prisoner in Rome and in the Epistle to Philemon verse 23. and 24. Also in the Epistle which he wrote to the Romanes he not once maketh mention of Saint Peter to whom no doubt he would haue sent salutations had hee bene in Rome and which is more Saint Peter being Bishop at Rome as they say 25. yeares Read the last chap. of this epistle and thou shalt see the catalogue which S. Paule maketh from the fift verse to the fifteenth he saith onely Salute such a one salute such a one c. without naming of Saint Peter Because he neither was Bishop of Rome nor yet was in Rome Also the Iewes which dwelled in Rome as reciteth S. Luke Act. 28. 21. 22. said to S. Paule when he came prisoner to Rome that they had not heard nor vnderstood any thing concerning him and prayed him to declare his opinion touching that sect which was gainsayd and euill spoken of in all places vnderstanding by this sect the Gospel which Saint Paule preached Who will beleeue that S. Peter which as they say was before come to Rome and a Minister of the Circumcision had not taught nor spoken ought vnto them of the Gospell These reasons taken out of holy Scripture are me seemeth as they be very sufficient to proue the common opinion holden of S. Peters being Bishop of Rome and that 25. yeares to be false Whereupon that of the Papists appeares plainely to be meere ignorance or which is worse extreame malice when they call the Pope Saint Peters successor Vicar of Iesus Christ as though hee were Saint Peter and therefore vniuersall Bishop Against the Primacie of the Pope we will speake in the end of this Treatise Seeing then Saint Peter was not Bishop of Rome we place Linus for the first All the Bishops of Rome that were from Linus to Syluester who was in the time of the Emperour Constantine the great whom we will put in the first order were in generall trulie Bishops and holy men who with their good doctrine and holy life and conuersation wrought great fruit in the Church of God They were the salt of the earth the light of the world a Citie built vpon a mountaine a candle light and set vpon a candlesticke These be the titles wherewith Christ adorneth his apostles and ministers Math. 5. These were the Angelles of God according to the saying of Malachie speaking of Leuie and consequently of the good Ministers The lawe of trueth saith he was in his mouth and no iniquitie was found in his lippes In peace and equitie he walked with me and turned away from iniquitie For the priestes lippes should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Angell of the Lord of hosts Many more titles are comprised in the holy scriptures wherewith the true ministers are adorned which I will passe ouer to auoide tediousnes In the ende these good bishops of Rome sealed the Gospell which they had preached with their bloud and so were Martyrs of Iesus Christ Men they were poore in spirit and simple of heart strangers to couetosnes and ambition they were true bishops for the space of almost three hundred yeares And so the Church of the Lord hauing such ministers was then happie and rich in the sight of God albeit in the eies of men contemptible miserable such as the Apostle in the eleuenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes from the 36. to the 38. verse describeth Others saith he haue benetryed by mocking and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds and imprisonment 37. Others were stoned others were hewen asunder Others were tempted others slayne with the sworde Others wandered vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and in goats skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented 38. whome the worlde was vnworthie of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaynes and dens and caues of the earth c. These Bishops caried on their heads not Miters but coifes not honor but dishonor not riches but pouerty following herein their Maister as Esaias the Prophet in his chapter 53. 3. doth liuelie describe him Despised and forsaken of men a man full of sorrowes hauing experience of infirmities and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not This was the outward apparance of the Primitiue Church and so hath it bene in our time sithens the reformation of the Church began these 70. or 80. yeers vnto this time how many haue bin burned drowned beheaded hāged banished shamefully disgraced and died of hunger Truly innumerable and that which is more admirable the more they burned and killed the more they increased and multiplied For the bloud of the Martyrs as saith Tertullian is the seed of the Gospell From the passion of the Lord vnto Saint Siluester which is the time of the first order were almost three hundred yeares wherein the Emperours of Rome became Lords of Spaine The Romanes in two hundred and so manie yeares that they conquered Spaine vntill the time of Augustus Caesar were neuer absolute Lords thereof Augustus was the first that vanquished the Montanists and Biscayes and made himselfe absolute Lord of all Spaine The Romists as those say they that haue held the command and staffe for many yeares to giue antiquitie and authoritie to their ceremonies and humane traditions haue falsly reported that manie of these good Bishops of Rome whom we place in the first order ordained them Clement the fourth Bishop of Rome say they ordained the confirmation of young children the Masse and holy garments wherewith the Priests are clothed They do not consider that he was a a man poore and for preaching of the Gospell banished into mines where he hewed Marble stones and tyed in the end to an anchor they cast him into the sea D. Illescas speaking of Pope Caius in his Pontificall historie saith He ordained that no laye man might bring a Clearke to iudgement That no pagan nor heretike might make accusation against a Christian c. How can this be true sith Caius liued and died in the time of the tenth persecution which as Illescas himselfe saith was of all the most cruell and lasted many yeares Let the Romists be ashamed and cease with lies to confirme their religion Now is it not the time that was wont to be when the blind led the blind c. So say they also that Euaristus Alexander and Sistus fifth sixth and seuenth Bishops of Rome made the popish decrees namely the ordering of the Clergie holy water and holy garmentes Telesphorus say they that was the eighth Bishop of Rome ordained three Masses to be sayd on the day of the Natituitie These good Bishops had other cares and embraced not such childish and superstitious toyes Saciety and idlenesse brought them forth O what euils haue riches wrought to the Church of God Wisely therfore said
nor absolue anie and those which were so ordained ought to be againe ordained yet the grace of the Sacrament did she obtaine for those that with a good faith by an inuincible ignorance did receiue it I answer he deceiues himselfe for those are not Sacraments which are not administred by those whom God hath ordained albeit they haue many imperfections yea although they be hypocrites as by the Priestes that liued in the time of Iesus Christ appeareth which albeit they were wicked yet because they were of the tribe of Leui and so outwardly called their Sacrifices were Sacrifices and their Sacraments were Sacraments And so the Lord and his Apostles when they found them sacrificing and celebrating in the Temple held them for such Contrariwise the Sacrifices which the Priestes of Ierohoam did offer and the Sacraments by them administred were no Sacrifices nor Sacraments because they were not administred by those of the Tribe of Leuie whome God himselfe had ordained Ione then being a woman I say was no Priest and being no Priest had authoritie neither to ordeine nor yet to consecrate and therefore the Priestes by her authoritie ordained were not the Priestes of God but of Ieroboam or of Baal And these I say that receaued their sacrament had no sounde faith for Faith is founded vpon the word of God Faith saith the Apostle commeth by hearing and heariing by the word of Christ Other maner of consolation and quietnes of conscience haue they which beleeue that Iesus Christ euer was is and shal be the head and foundation of his Church and that there is no other head nor foundation but he alone as saith Saint Paule 1. Cor. 3. 11. Other foundation saith he then that which is Iesus Christ can no man lay he onely is the foundation he onely is the head of his Church whose Vicar generall is his Spirit as he himselfe witnesseth That Comforter the holie Spirit whom the Father shall sende in my name he shall teache you all thingâ—s and bring to your remembrance all that whatsoeuer I haue said vnto you Pero Mexia by a good faith meaneth that faith as they call it of the Collier This Collier being at point to die a learned man the diuell say some others came to tempt him demanding of him what he beleeued I beleeue answered he that which the holy mother the church beleueth The deuill replying and what beleeueth the Church That answered the Collier which I beleeue And so often as the diuill demanded the veriâ— same did the collier answer For the poore man knew not what he beleeued much lesse what the Church beleeued Of that sort was he which not knowing what they beleeue sayd they beleeue in God à pies Iuntillos fully Hosius Bishop of Varmiens intreating in his third booke of or against the authoritie of holy scripture doth hold it a very safe thing to followe the example of this Colliar Oh fearefull ignorance which shall not excuse sinne God commaundeth to reade and search the scriptures and they will neither reade nor search theÌ„ what excuse wil they haue with their ignorance Saint Peter exhorteth euâ—rie faithfull Christian to be readie to yeeld accompte of his hope And who shall giue accompt of his hope or faith that neither readeth nor heareth the word of God For knowe this that as the wyke in a candle or Lampe no longer burneth then oile continueth no more also can faith liue but whiles it is nourished with the word of God He that neither readeth nor heareth nor meditateth vpon the worde of God what faith can he haue that which they call fully to beleâ—ued in God and that of the Colliar which neither knewe what the Church nor he himselfe beleeued But returne we now to our Pope Ione The Emperour Lewes 2. sonne of Lotharius in the time of this Ione came to Rome at her handes receiued his septer and crowne Imperiall together as they call it with Saint Peters blessing In her time also Don Alonso the third reigned in Spaine as Don Rodrigo Sanchez Bishop of Palencia describing the life of Don Alonso the third saith In his time saith he at Rome sate Leo the fourth Iohn the eight Benedict the third and Nicholas the first And Don Alonso of Carthagena speaking in his Concurrence of this Don Alonso the third saith there was Leo the fourth and Iohn the English Pope Ione dying in sort as before said Benedict the third was chosen He was the first that sate in holed seate c. The cause why vpon the life of Ione we haue before declared Lewes the Emperor sent his Embassadours to confirme this election At this time Don Alonso the third raigned in Spainâ— The thirteenth Sisme was betweene this Benedict and Anastasius but Anastaâ—sius renounced In the the presence of Lewes the Emperour Nicholas the first was chosen but when the Emperour was departed out of Italie the Pope made many â—â—nstitutions and among others these That the life of the Clergie should not be iudged by the Laytie that none should any way dispute of the Popes authoritie That the Christian magistrate had no authoritie ouer the chiefe Bishop because the chiefe Bishop say they is called God Anton. tit 16. The constitution that the diuine office should be celebrate in Latine he renewed Yet dispensed with them of Slauonia and Polonia which did celebrate it in their vulgar tongue He ordeined that the constitutions of the Popes should be equall in authoritie with those of the Apostles The Beastes hornes growe very seuere was this beast against married Priestes To which impietie Huldricke Bishop of Augusta oposed himselfe and wrote an Epistle which excellently shewed the cursed fruites of constrained single life The summe whereof speaking of Gregorie the first we haue before declared This Nicholas with other Bishops forbad all faithfull Christians to heare Masse said by a wenching Priest If this were obserued few Masses would be heard because the greatest parte of priestes be wenchers In the 867. yeare dyed Nicholas In whose time in Spaine reigned Don Alonso 3. and Don Garcia his sonne After Nicholas succeeded Adrian 2. and after Adrian Iohn 9. whom others omitting Ione call Iohn 8. Martin 2. by deceit and wicked arts was made Pope with the ceremony of the seat c. and confirmed without any authoâ—itie or consent of the Emperor For now the hornes of the Popes were growne and of the Emperour they nothing esteemed he dyed in the yeare 884. Adcian 3. being Pope made a decree that in the election of the chiefe Bishop the Emperour should not be regarded but that the Clergie people of Rome might freely make choise without any confirmation at all of the Emperour Thus lost the Emperour his right in Rome and in the choise of the chiefe Bishop And by reason of the Emperours then warres with the Normans the Pope swayed the matter Adrian dyed
Gregorie went to Arimino and Benedict to his land of Cataluna Thus at this time were there three Popes Benedict 13. made in Auignon Gregorie 12. made in Rome and Alexander the Cretian made in the Councell of Pisa Poets do feigne Cerberus the porter of hell to haue three heads which fable we see now verified in the Popedome whose porter which is the Pope hath three heads and as touching the kingdome of Antichrist as well the one as the other was the head Gregorie cast Nicholas de Luca downe from the pulpit and for punishment to him and example to other put him in prison because in his preaching for the good of the Church he exhorted him him to vnitie The fathers in the end and the 1415. yeare assembled in the Councell of Constance wrot vnto him to come or at least to send some in his place to the Councell who seeing their desire was to haue him renounce forthwith there renounced but shortly after for very griefe and sorrowe dyed Petrus de Luna was alwayes called Benedict 13. against whom Iohn Gerson a famous diuine often said in the Councell whiles Luna liueth there shall no peace be in the Church but neither the authoritie of the Councell nor the threates nor requests which they vsed could cause him renounce and so till he died which was aboue thirtie yeares was Pope In the 1424. yeare he dyed Alexander 5. a Cretian was made Pope in the Councell of Pisa as before we haue said An Alexander he was in giuing and so was he accustomed to say merily of himselfe that he had bene a rich Bishop a poore Cardinall and a begging Pope So haughty was his humour that being in the Councell of Pisa Ladislaus king of Naples of whō we haue made mention in the life of Vrban 6. he depriued of his kingdome This Pope ordeyned that all Christians should beleeue as an article of their faith that his Saint Frauncis had the 5 woundes which Christ imprinted vpon him and commaunded solmnely to celebrate the feast of the woundes of Saint Frauncis Herein did Alexander shew himselfe to be very Antichrist seeing he vsurped authoritie to make new articles of faith which whosoeuer would not beleeue should for the same be condemned Saint Paul doth teach vs that if any albeit an Angel from heauen shall preach another Gospell vnto vs then that which he had preached vnto vs he should be anathematized cursed and excommunicate such a one then was Pope Alexander This Alexander which afore time called himselfe Petrus de Candia being as reporteth Theodoricus of Nyem at the point of death said that he neuer knew father nor mother nor brother nor any of his kindred that when he was yong he liued by begging for Gods sake from dore to dore He said that a Franciscan Italian Friar tooke him from that course of life and taught him Grammer afterwardes made him Friar of his orders and carried him with him into Italic And that from Italic he went into England and in Oxeforde studied and after he had continewed many yeares in this vniuersitie he went to Paris where he was made maister in diuinitie from thence he went into Lombardie where by the meanes of Duke Iohn Caleaço he was made bishop of Vincentium and afterwardes Archbishop of Milan then Cardinall and in the end Pope In the 1411. yeare he died The cause of his death as saith Baptista Panecius in his 6. sermon was poyson which his Phisition Marcillias of Parma corrupted with money by Cardinal Baltassar Cossa who sought to be pope as he was gaue him D. Iohn 2. thē reigned in Castil Iohn 24. as Platina calleth him or 23. or 22. for the causes before mentioned with the poyson which he caused to be giuen to Alexander his predecessor was made Pope Hee better knew how to manage armes then bookes and so as noteth Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 23. cap. 10. ¶ 5. a man he was notable for matters of the world but ignorant in spirituall things a very good beginning for confirmation hereof he aleageth Leonardus Aretinus Blundus Flauius Pius 2. More by violence thē free election as the papists themselues do witnes was he made Pope For when Alexander was dead the Cardinals assembled to chuse a Pope in Bologna he being Legat in Bologna and hauing like a good captaine many souldiars very much threatned the Cardinals except they should chuse a Pope according to his wil. For this cause named they many saying wilt thou haue this wilt thou haue this other but with none of thē was he pleased And when they praied him to name whom he would haue Pope Giue me said he the mantle of S. Peter and I will put it vpon him that shal be Pope And when they had giuen it he put it vpon himself said I am Pope This is like that which is reported of Don Fernando grandfather of Don Charles the Emperor king of Spaine maister for maister this let it be so casting vpon him the habit made himselfe maister of S. Iames. The like election to this was that of Pope Iohn 23. as before we haue declared This deed of the Pope displeased the Cardinals Yet thought they it best to dissemble with him and for that he was so terrible a man to passe with the election In this man saith Platina was more fiercenes boldnes then besemed his profession all his life almost was soulderlike such were his customes that many things vnlawfull to be spoken of he thought it lawfull to doe And such were his abhominations that Platina shamed to speake them When he was Pope he wrote to the Emperor Sigismund that he would crowne him He began to hold a Councell in Rome whereunto when the Emperor and diuers nations could not freely come by reason of the discord that the Pope had raised in Italy at the request of almost all nations the Pope apointed Constance the 1. of Nouember in the 1414. yeare In which Councel he himselfe would be present And albeit that some did coūsel him not to go to the Councell lest he thence returned without his bishoprick yet went he notwithstanding carying with him subtil aduocats to defend him if ought were obiected against him Thē begā the general Coūcel by cōsent of pope Iohn Sigismūd the Emp. other Christian princes The night of the natiuitie the Emp. as a Deacon sang the Gospel which began Exijt edictum à Caesare c. When the Coūcel was set licence of free speech to each one giuē they obiected and proued against Pope Iohn in the presence of the Emp. more then 40. hainous offences he was then cōstrained by the Coūcels cōmand to renounce The causes were for that to make himselfe Pope he had caused poyson to be giuē to Alexander 5. because he was an heretique Symonist a liar an hipocrite a murtherer a witch a gamester an Adulterer a
Sodomit c. Wherfore Iohn changing his garmeÌ„t fled from ConstaÌ„ce went to Friburg but by coÌ„mand of the CouÌ„cell after he had 5. yeares poped he was depriued of his Popedome euery other office He was sought for found caught imprisond in the castle of Hidelberga in Germany where he was 3 yeares prisoner in great affliction for that his kepers were Germans simple rude which neither vnderstood Latine nor yet Italian the miserable Pope neither spake nor vnderstood Duch From this prison he afterward escaped The questioÌ„ whether the Pope be aboue the CouÌ„cel or the Councel aboue the Pope was in this CouÌ„cel debated And in the 4. 5. SessioÌ„s coÌ„cluded as Caranâ—a himselfe saith that a general Councel lawfully assembled which represeÌ„teth the catholike church millitaÌ„t had it authoritie imediatly of Christ which Councel euery person of what estate dignitie soeuer yea the Pope himselfe ought to obey in matter coÌ„cerning the faith c. This decre of the CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„staÌ„ce is confirmed in the 3. and 18. Sessions of the Councell of Basile In the Councell of Constance was Iohn Gerson a famous diuine present who not onely with wordes but also with writing approued and extolled this decree that the Pope was to be subiect to the Councell This decree he saith deserued to be fixed in all Churches and in all publike places for a perpetuall remembrance He saith that those which brought this tyranny into the Church that the chiefe Bishop ought not to obey the Councell and that the Councell neither ought nor could Iudge the Pope were pernicious flatterers As though the Councell receiued all that power and dignity of the chiefe Bishop and could not be assembled but at the will of the Pope As though there were no law for the Pope nor account to be demaunded of that which he did Such monstrous words saith he ought to be far from vs as those that be contrary to lawes equitie and reason He saith that all authoritie whatsoeuer the Church holdeth the same holdeth the Councell and that apleales from the Pope ought and may be made to the Councell He saith that they which demaunde whether the Pope or Church be greater Doe no lesse then they that demaunded whether the whole or parte bee greater The Councell saith he hath authoritie and right to chuse Iudge and depose the chiefe Bishop All which with the Councell of Constance Gerson confirmed This Councell Iudged the causes of three Popes Gregorie 12. Benedict 13. and Iohn 24. and finding them all there faulty deposed them and elected Martin 5. Eneas Siluius afterwardes called Pius 2. was present in the Councell of Basill and wrote all whatsoeuer was there debated extolling to the clouds that was there decreed but afterwards being Pope he changed his opinion saying that the Councell ought to be subiect to the Pope The vniuersitie of Paris a few moneths before Luther handled the question of Indulgence from Leo 10. appealed to the Councel This decree of the Councels of Constance and Basill did not nor yet doth please the Popes flatterers who against their owne consciences make the Pope God in the earth absolute Lord of all Iohn Wickeliffe an Englishman before in England deceased for freely preaching the euangelical Doctrin which discouereth hypocrisie and false papisticall doctrine was in this Councell condemned For the same also were Iohn Hus Ierome of Prage who suffered their Martyrdome with great constancie and ioyfulnes condemned and burned Pius 2. saith that Iohn Hus was greater in age authoritie but Ierome was greater in learning and eloquence And a little before he saith both suffered death with a constant mind as if they had bene inuited to some banquet they prepared themselues to go to the fire When the fire began they sung a Psalme which the flame rushing in of the fire could hardly hinder None of the Philosophers with such constancy fortitude of mind is read to haue suffered death as these men endured the fire Eneas Siluius albeit an enemy thus speaketh of them Vnder safe conduct came these two to dispute maintaine their cause as they did in the Councell But neither faith nor promise regarded they against all law and reason were condemned and burned The reason which the Papists yeeld for this deed doing is because no faith is to be kept with heretiques This faith-breach was cause of great bloodshed in the great warres which afterwards happened in Bohemia as Siluius himselfe reporteth Great praise worthy are the Bohemians that with great constancy haue continewed in the good Doctrine and reformation which these holy martirs of Iesus Christ taught them And so much the more is their praise by how much the more they haue suffered troubles persecutions for almost 200 yeares yet by the mercy of God doe they stil vse this good doctrine and reformation which from thence hath crept to Morauia and Polonia the bordering regions In our time hath God stretched the same through Germany from theÌ„ce spread throughout al Europe and hath further passed the great Ocean sea and gone to India all the lets of Antichrist by meanes of his Inquisitors notwithstanding and the more they shall burne the more will it spread abroad because as before we haue said of Tertulian The bloud of the Martirs is the seede of the Gospell Carança in his Summa Conciliorum noteth 45 errors as he calleth them of Iohn Wickelife and 30 of Iohn Hus who listeth to knowe what Iohn Hus taught let him read Carion lib. 5. When Iohn 24. had as we haue said escaped out of prison he came to present himselfe to Pope Martin 5. who was chosen in the CouÌ„cel of Constance to Florence came he prostrated himselfe at the feet of Pope Martin acknowledging him to be Pope kissed his feet Martin moued with this humilitie within few dayes after made him Cardinal Bishop of Tuscan read Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 23. cap. 20. ¶ 3. O. what a Cardinal O what a Bishop if that be true as it was which was obiected and proued against him in the Councel of CoÌ„stance But no new thing it is that the Popes Cardinals bishops should be as he was But a few moneths after Iohn in his Cardinalship of very griefe is supposed in the 1419. yeare died Friar Iohn de Pineda saith that it was suspcted they gaue him poyson And saith that most solemnly was hee buried in the chappel of S. Iohn Baptist Don Iohn 2. theÌ„ reigning in Castil Martin 5. was made Pope in the Councel of CoÌ„sance of whose electioÌ„ Sigismund the Emp. much reioyced so thaÌ„ked the Councel for chusing such a Bishop And prostrating himselfe before the Pope kissed his feete This pope embraced him as his brother gaue him thankes that by his meanes and trauell the Church was quieted after so great a Sisme But for all this
spripture The same God which of old made Saint Paule to speake the same made Valer also to speake And as Paule was holden for a Preacher of Nouelties and foolish for such another was Valer held also The newe Pharesies seeing themselues thus handled demaunded whence he had such wisedome and knowledge of holy thinges whence being a secular man not hauing studied nor giuing himselfe to vertue but so euill spent his youth in vanities proceeded his bouldnesse so vnreuerently to handle the ecclesiasticall persons which be pillars of the Church By what authoritie demaunded they did hee this Who had sent him What signe had he of his callings The selfe same demaundes made the old Pharesies to Iesus Christ and his Apostles when they could not deny their villanies nor well be silent when he shewed them their wickednesse Behold how the old Pharesies and the new be all one and the sonnes of the deuill To these demaundes excellently and with great constancy answered Valer This knowledge of holy thinges he had obteyned said he not of his owne stincking pudles but of the spirit of God which maketh flowing riuers of wisedome runne from the harts of those which truly beleeue in Christ He told them that God and the cause he had in hand gaue him courage and bouldnesse that the spirit of God was not tyed to any estate how ecclesiastical soeuer the ecclesiasticall state especially of any other being the most corrupted and neerest to destruction That the spirit of God in old time made of secular vnlearned and fishermen Apostles that they might clerely shew the blindnesse ignorance of all the Synagogue so well instructed in the law and call by their preaching the That Christ had sent him That in the name and authoritie of Christ he did that he did But the adulterous generation said he which hath long time degenerate from the true race of the sons of God seeing that darknesse to be much manifested by the light and reshining of the sunne demaundeth a signe In conclusion for so liberall and constantly speaking was he called before the Inquicisitors valiantly did Valer dispute of the true Church of Christ her markes and signes of the Iustification of man and other like chiefe points of Christian religion the knowledge whereof Valer had obteyned without any ministery or humane helpe but by the pure and wonderfull reuelation of God His foolishnesse as the Inquisitors called it did then excuse him and so first confiscating all that hee had they sent him away To take away his goods pleasant meanes to reduce a mad man to his sence Valer notwithstanding this losse of goods ceased not to prosecute what he had begun A few yeares after for the selfe same cause they called him againe and yet supposing that he was a foole indeede they burned him not but made him to recant or deny not in open audience but to himselfe alone in the great Church betweene the two quiers For all his foolishnesse they condemned him to continuall wearing of a great Saint Benito or diuels coate and to perpetuall prison From this perpetuall prison euery Lords day they carried him with many other penitents to heare masse and sermons in the Church of Saint Sauiour where set to heare the Sermon albeit a prisoner he oft times rose vp before all the people and when he preached false Doctrine gaine said the preacher But the Inquisitors as then not so wicked with conceit of his folly excused him Much did it also auaile Valer to haue bene an old Christian and not descended of the Iewish or Morish race The Inquisitors in the end drew him from this perpetuall prison in Seuill and sent him to a monasterie in Saint Lucas called of our Lady of Barrameda where being 50 yeares old and vpwardes he died By the meanes of this Valer many that heard and conferred with him had knowledge of the true religion chiefly that famous and good Doctor Egidius Cannon preacher in the great Church of Seuill that so much good did in Seuill both with his good good life and Doctrine I haue long dwelled vpon discourse of this Historie of Valer but pardon me for this Valer was the first that openly and with great constance discouered the darkenesse in our time in Seuill After this persecution of Rodrigo de Valer many others were persecuted some of whom escaped as Doctor Iohn Perez who came to Geneua where he imprinted the new Teament other bookes in the Spanish tongue others aboade there stil of whom many perseuered And others of the Inquicitions conceiued such feare that they denyed the truth and which is worse were persecutors therof as was doctor Herman Rodriguez maister Garci Arias whom commonly they called maister White But God shewed mercy vpon White and of a woulfe made him a lamb so was he with great constancie burned This White when God had made him truly White said freely vnto the Inquisitors whē they examined him in the audience that they were fitter to follow a droue of asses then to sit and Iudge matters of faith which they nothing vnderstood In the 1555. yeare seuen persons men and women went out of Seuill and came to Geneua where they made their aboad In the 1557. yeare happened maruelous things in Seuill worthy of perpetuall memorie namely that in a monasterie called S. Isidor the most famous and rich in all Seuil the busines of true religion went so so plainely forward that vnable with good conscience there to stay longer 12 of the Friars in short time departed some one way and some another al which within a yeare came to Geneua whither at their departure they determined to goe None of thē there was that passed not great dangers perils but from all these perils God did free them with a mighty hand brought them to Geneua Thees that abode in the monasterie for it is to be noted that almost al those of the monasterie albeit they went in woulues habits had knowledge of Christiā religion suffered great persecution taken they were tormented disgraced very hardly cruelly intreated and in the end many of them burned and in many yeares almost was there no act of Inquisition in Seuill in which there went not more or lesse out of this monasterie Among those that went out and came to Geneua was the Prior vicar procurator of S. Isidor with thē the Prior of the Vale of Ecija of the same order And God with his mightie arme did not only deliuer these 12 from the cruel grype es the Inquisitors before the great persecution began in Seuill but afterwards also in the time of the great persecution deliuered other 6 or 7 from the same monasterie making foolish and of no worth nor effect all the stratagems Councels subtelties craftes deceits of the Inquisitors that sought but could not find them for who shall destroy whom God wil preserue In the same yeare
principal rich houses of that famous citie So wonderfull almost neuer seene was this calamitie that it was taken for a thing myraculous For the neighbour houses and neere adioyning to those that burned were not onely burned but the fire in a moment did leape from one streete to another farre of distant and beginning at the top of the house brought the whole presently with it to the earth Many marchandizes much wheat wine and other thinges which by reason of the great furie and fiercenesse of the fire could not be put in safe keepeing were lost The whole Citie was greatly troubled because none could know how or by whom the fire was kindled And all feared that it was some coniuration of the Lutherans And a little lower There is made euery yeare vpon Saint Mathewes day a most solemne procession to intreat our Lord to be pleased by the meanes of his holy Apostle to deliuer the citie from the like plague tribulatiō Thus far D. Illescas To the selfe same purpose wil I here also recount a very pleasant tale which I read in a historie I my selfe also heard D. Bourne who in Queene Maries time was bishop of Bathe in England tell the same The historie is this In the time of K. Henry 8. one Malary maister of Arte of the vniuersity of Cambridge was for profession of the Gospel of Iesus Christ condemned to doe publique penance in the Church of S. Mary in the vniuersitie of Oxford The penance was that he should publiquely recant and beare vpon his backe a faggot for the terrour of the studentes of that vniuersitie And for the more solempnitie of this recantation D. Smith diuinitie reader preached The principall and only matter which he handled in his sermon was concerning the Sacramēt of the altar The Doctor for more confirmation and credit of that he had to say in his sermon caused their holy and catholique peace of White bread which they call the Sacrament of the altar to be hanged in the pulpit before him To this spectacle ran very much people aswell students as citizens which heard the sermon with great attention hardly had the doctor halfe finished his sermon when a voyce of one that cried in the streete Fire fire was suddenly heard in the Church The cause of the crie was for that one comming along the streete espied a chimnie on fire and after the English vse in such cases he cried through the strete Fire fire Whē they within the Church nere to the doore heard fire fire they also began to say fire fire And so frō mouth to mouth went fire fire euen to the doctors the preacher himselfe who at the hearing of fire fire remayned astonished with the great feare he conceiued and marueyling what it might be began to lift vp his eyes and behold on all sides the roofe and walles of the Church His auditorie seeing him looke vp began with a loud voyce to crie Fire fire some demaunded of other some where see yee the fire To this demaunde one answered In the Church◠Hardly had the other answered In the Church when all in a moment began to crie out The Church burneth the heretiques haue set the Church on fire And albeit no man sawe any fire all notwithstanding together cryed Fire fire and each one supposed that was truth which he heard Then feared they indeede such was the concourse and tumult in the Church that cannot with wordes be expressed such as haue found themselues in the like cases haue experience thereof This strong Imagination of fire possessing their heades all whatsoeuer they saw or heard confirmed and increased in them the imagination conceiued The principall cause that augmented this suspition was to see him with his faggot whom they held for an heretique This made them beleue that al the other heretiques had ioyntly conspired with him to set fire on the Church The great dust which with the vnquietnes concourse tumult of the people was raised in the Church did augment in thē also this suspitiō This dust then seemed to be smoke of the fire which they had imagined This concourse was also the cause that many came to their deathes for the small ribs bones were broken whereof many died The people flocked to the doores of the Church but so great was the throng presse that none could go out of the Church In the end seeing no remedie they begā to crie out against the cōspiracie of the heretikes which had kindled the fire to burne thē aliue It was a world to see those great rabbines those great doctors with their long scarlet robes doctorall habits runne from one side to another blowing panting and sweating seeking some corners where to hide themselues In all this cōpany was there none more quiet then the poore penitent heretique who throwing from him the faggot it fell vpon the head of a Friar that was next him so abode quiet expecting what God would doe with him Among thē al was there none more feareful nor more cried out for feare then Smith the preacher who with the first began to crie from the pulpit saying These be the webs crafts of the heretiques against me Lord haue mercie vpō me Lord haue mercy vpō me But his breaddē God which he called Lord was hanged as we haue said neere vnto him could not quiet him Nought in this garboile more caused thē to feare then when the lead was to begin to melt for ye must know that many Churches in England are couered with lead many of thē began now to affirme that the molten lead fell vpon thē Then were they amased many of them that had authoritie cōmand seeing that neither by force regard of their learning nor authoritie they could ought preuaile they chāged their purpose began to vse very gentle words promising to them they would pull them from that daunger albeit by the eares a good reward There was a man that gaue 20 pound euery pound is forty Spanish ryals an other promised his garment others other like thinges They that might placed thēselues in the hollownes betweene pillar pillar that the lead which they said was moltē should not fal vpō thē A maister of the Colledge ther was which vnnailed a table couered therwith his head shoulders that the lead should worke him no anoyance There was a mā albeit very grosse who seeing there was no meanes to goe out of the Church needs would be breaking of the glasse to go out by the pane of a window but half of his body being forth he stuck fast in the grate so that he was not maister of himselfe nor could he go forward nor backward The poore paunched monke saw his danger doubled for if the fire or moulten lead should fal without that part then that was without the window would be in danger if it fell within the Church the part then within was in
punished But for that the matter was obscure and none in particular but generally were accused they made an edict published it throughout al the Churches of the Archbishoprick of Seuil commanding al euery person of what estate or condition they were which had knowne heard or vnderstoode if any Fryar or Priest whatsoeuer that with their daughter or daughters at confession had to this end abused the sacrament of confession that such person vpon most grieuous payne shoud declare it to the holy office within 30 dayes This decree once published so great was the multitude of women which from Seuill only went to accuse their filthie confessors to the Inquisition that 20 notaries and so many Inquisitors sufficed not to take their depositions The Inquisitors finding themselues much wearied and vnable in 30 dayes to dispatch the businesse gaue them other 30 and yet these 30 not suffising againe and againe they prolonged the time Many honest matrons and many Ladies of qualitie held great warres within themselues The scruple of conscience on the one side to incurre the sentence of excommunication imposed by the Inquisitors vppon such as should conceale it moued them to goe And on the other side they feared lest their husbandes holding them for suspect should become iealous of them And so neither durst they nor yet found oportunitie to goe and speake with the Inquisitors But at last disguised and masked after the manner of Andaluzia as couert as they could they went to the Inquisitors yet how disguised and secret soeuer they were many husbands left not to follow them and watche them earely to knowe whither they went which was the cause of great iealousie On the other side it was a sport to see the priests and Friars fathers of confession to goe sad and sorrowfull hanging downe their heades by reason of their guilty conscience euery hower and mynute expecting when the Familiar of the Inquisition would lay handes vpon them Many of them supposed that a great persecution was to come vppon them yea and greater then that which the Lutherans then suffered yet was all their feare but winde and smoke which passeth away For the Inquisitors by experience foreseeing the great damage that would redound to all the Romane Church if their ecclesiastical persons should be despised and pointed at and the sacrament of confession should not be so prised nor esteemed as before would no further proceed in the busines but interposing their authoritie hushed all thinges as though nothing had euer happened And so no cōfessor was chastised no not those whose villanies were sufficiently proued which thing freed the ecclesiasticall order from great anguish of mind and all their sorrowe was turned into ioy But his day will come vppon such and the Inquisitors that smothered so great villanies and abhominations Who pardoning their friendes and houshold fathers of confession turned all their hate and fury against their enemies the Lutherans whom with fire and bloud they did not onely persecute in Seuill and Valladolid but in many partes of Spaine also And thus was Iesus Christ againe in his members condemned and Barrabas let loose About the 1550. yeare one Don Pedro de Cordoua priest made confession an Instrument to abuse his deuout penitents About 1576 yeare for the like businesse were many Theatinians or Iesuites called Alumbrados in Erena condemned the principall of whom was called Father Ternan daluares who dyed in the gallies Not many yeares since in Sicilia another such like chaunce happened not that which to this purpose saith Machauile in the third booke and first chapter of his discourses I alleage not Machauile because I hold him for Godly but for a wicked polititian doe I hold him the Historie that he recounteth doe I alleage Of all the Romane Bishops as saith Panuinus vpon the life of this Pope very fewe there were that from such lowe beginnings and in such short time had attained so great dignities as did Pius 5. for being a friar Dominick without any other office he came on foote to Rome and within 15 yeares obteined all these offices Inquisitor he was Bishop Cardinall and Pope His name at the font was Anthony because he was borne on S. Anthonies day when he was fifteene yeares old he placed himselfe a Fryar in a monasterie of the Dominicks and called he was Michaell This name he held vntill he was Pope and would then neither be called Anthony which was his Christian name nor Michael which was the name of his order but called himselfe Pius 5. which name well agreeth with the figure called Antiphrasis as when we call a Negro White Iohn So he being Impious called himselfe Pius Cōcerning his electiō might well be said that which said Iohn Bishop and Cardinall of Porta said as Panuinus reporteth of Gregorie 10. Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum The discorde among the Cardinals made Pius the fift Pope After hee was made Pope he gaue out against the most gracious Queen of England defendresse of the true Catholique faith a most pestilent bull wherin he absolued all her subiects from of their oathe of obedience which they had made and exhorted the Christian Princes to take armes against her This furious and brutish lightning effected no mischiefe al was turned to smoke nothing was heard but a certaine thunderclap noise of gunshot or childernes squibbes And so his bull was foolishnesse a little bubble it was which when is rayneth is made vpon the water and presently vadeth away He that brought this bull to England was caught and as a traitor sentenced to death and quartered the Pope his God on earth being vnable to helpe him nor with all the Masses they sayd for him could draw him out of hell And the Queene in her kingdome liueth and reigneth triumphing ouer her enemies maintaining and defending the holy catholique faith and making her kingdome a receptacle refuge and sanctuarie for poore strangers which from so many parts of Europe flying the tyranny of the Roman Antichrist haue these 40. yeares space with drawne themselues to it The powerfull arme of the most high God all sufficient whose name is Iehoua hath done this to him be the glory for euer euer amen For besides him is there no God cōfounded then be they that serue and worship carued Images those that worship Idols sith they neither can helpe them nor yet doe goodnesse This Impius 5. spunged out of Petrarque and Bocace the famous Italian Poets all that which with great liberty and truth they had said concerning the Pope the court of Rome and ecclesiastcall persons For ye must note that before God raised vp Luther and others more that succeeded the Italians and chiefly the subtill and free witted Florentines were those that with their liuely collours and proper shaddowes painted out the Pope his Roman Court and clergie Read Dant Petrark and Bocace but beware they be not those which the Pope hath gelded and thou
young maidens also This was the first occasion of the warres This warre ended others much more great had they wherein they so much increased and inriched themselues that not contented with Italy they made warres also vpon forreigne nations and leauing their owne limits they inuaded Affrike and Asia Thus were they dayly increasing vntill another Prince and Lord arose vp in Rome thrusting himselfe into the same seat of the Empire and at the side as it were of the Roman Emperour This new Prince at the first made no shew that he purposed ought to diminish the authority of the Emperor but only took care of the affaires of the Church wherein whiles he was so employed the strength of the Emperour Empire flourished But afterwards he began to thinke how to benefite himselfe of that opinion of religion and holinesse which he held and to attaine hereunto he doubted not to intreat the Emperour that by his authority he might hold the souereignty ouer all Churches The cause that this new Prince alleaged was that Rome was alwayes the Lady of the whole world and therefore was it meet that the Bishop of that city shuld go before other Bishops in degree dignity To obtaine this was a thing most difficult For albeit that the Emperour let it slip yet did the Bishops of other nations confidently gainesay him alleaging lawfull causes why they withstood him vnwilling to acknowledge the Bishop of Rome otherwise then for a brother companion and in power equall with them Notwithstanding all this he of Rome forslowed not but continually vrged to attaine to his purpose vntill he obtained of Phocas the Emperour who murthered Mauricius his good Lord and Emperour that which he would and so called himselfe vniuersall Bishop and what besides he best pleased Here may ye see that olde Rome was founded vpon one murder and the new which is the Popedome vppon another In this concerning the primacie was the Pope merely oposit to Christ who sharpely in his disciples reproued the like strife and ambition But the Pope mounted to this height by the benefit of the Emperours did nowe further dare to promise to himselfe greater matters yet long time proceeding with great dissimulation A hundred yeares almost after the death of Constantine the great was the Empire much weakned it lost Fraunce England and Almaine The Hunnes held Italie the Vandals Africke Such was the dissipation that the Emperours leauing Rome which is in the West went to Constantinople where they made their abode The Bishop of Rome seeing the scattering of the Empire minded not to let slippe occasion but armed a question for his parte against the Emperour The chiefe cause was that the Emperour commaunded all statues and Images to be taken out of the Churches So greatly did the Pope withstand this commaund that hee dared to excommunicate the Emperour so much nowe was the horne increased At this time in the East arose vp Mahomet who tooke many landes form the Empire The Emperours notwithstanding would haue it vnderstood that all the dignitie power and Maiestie which the Pope did hold depended vppon them The Pope then to bee freed from this subiection and the warres which the king of Lumbardie made in italie deuised a notable policie and this it was To aduaunce of himselfe another whom he liked and to name him Emperour of the Romans Who accknowledging the benefit should deeme himselfe happie to please and serue him in all that he would And so Charles the great he elected and declared Emperour who had chased out of Italie the king of Lumbardy and enemie to the Pope This caused great anger and strife betweene the Easterne and Westerne Emperours and not betweene them onely but the Churches also of both the one and other partie of all which the couetousnes and ambition of the Pope of Rome were the cause Much contention was there afterwards among the Italians French and Almaynes about the election of the Emperour But in the end when Otho the third Duke of Saxoni◠was Emperour and Gregorie 5. an Almayne Pope order was giuen that seuen electors should choose the Emperour as in the life of this Gregorie the fift we haue declared And this was done to exclude straunge nations that none but an Almayne should be Emperour Great garboyles arose afterwardes betweene the Pope and the Emperour who could no longer endure the vnmeasurable arrogancie and ambition of the Pope Reade the Histories of Henry the third and fourth and of Frederick the first second and to come neerer our time those of the Emperour Charles 5. whose host in the 1527. yeare sacked Rome tooke Pope Clement 7. and held him prisoner This Clement as sang the Spaniardes at the Popes windowe whiles hee was prisoner would haue taken away the cloke from the Emperour as vppon the life of this Clement we haue before declared So also sought Paule the fourth to take away the cloake from our king Don Philip the second The kingdome of Naples would he haue taken from him but the host of the king whose captaine was the Duke Dalua put the Pope into such a straight that he was contented to make peace and chiefly hearing of the taking of Saint Quintans which was in the 1557. yeare as vppon the life of this Paul the fourth before we haue said So proud is the Pope become that he hath made the forme of an oath the which he causeth the Emperour to sweare being in time past his maister and Lord and so Saint Gregorie called Lord the good Emperour Mauricius but now is he his seruaunt and vassall This forme of oath conteyneth that the Emperour by all possible wayes keepe increase and defend the goodes of the Roman Church and chiefe Bishopes their dignitie priueledges and decrees And so no Emperour but if he would be holden infamous a faith breaker durst in any thing contradict him The oath which the Emperour Charles 5. made to Clement 7. or 8. in the 1530. yeare at the time of his Coronation will I here put downe Ego Carolus Romanorū rex c. That is to say I Charles king of the Romans which by Gods assistance hold to be Emperour promise protest affirme and sweare to God blessed S. Peter that I will henceforth be protector and defendor of the chiefe Bishop and of the holy Church of Rome in all their necessities and profits keeping and preseruing their possessions dignities and rightes c. When he had made this oath was Don Charles made king of Lumbardy and after he was king of Lumbardy another oath in this forme hee made Ego Carolus c. I Charles king of the Romanes and Lumbardes promise and sweare by the father sonne and holy Ghost and by the word of the liuing flesh and by these holy reliques that if the Lord permit mee to come to be Emperour I shall to my power aduaunce to holy Romane Church the holinesse thereof and her
Rector and that by my will Councell consent nor exhortation he shall loose neither life member nor honour which he holdeth And I shall not make in Rome any decree or ordynation of all that to his holinesse or to the Romans perteyneth without your consent And all that of Saint Peters landes which shal be in our power we shall then restore and to whom soeuer I shall deliuer ouer the gouernement of Italiâ— I shall cause him sweare to be an ayder of his holinesse to defend to his power the landes of Saint Peter as God me helpe and by these holy Gospells of God c. After this 2. oath Don Charles was made a Chanon of Saint Peter and after a knight of Saint Peter These two oathes shall ye find in the Historie and 10. booke of the marquesse of Pescara Here may yee see how the world goeth contrary The Pope of a subiect to the Emperour hath made himselfe his Lord. This which I haue sayd touching the originall and growing vp of the Pope in an information presented to the princes and states of the Empire in the time of Don Charles the Emperour our king and Lord is handled more at large Hence will we conclude that the authoritie which the Pope boasteth to hold is neither by diuine nor humane right but diabolicall with subtilty he thrust himselfe into it with straunge force as saith Daniell he doth and shall maineteine the same vntill God destroy him with the force and power of his word By which saying it appeareth that the Popedome built as it is vppon hypocrysie craft auarice ambition and tyranny is not builded vppon the firme rocke which is Iesus Christ whom Saint Peter confessed saying Thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God And if the Popedome be not founded vpon Christ much lesse is the Pope the head or vniuersall Bishop of the Church of God but of the deuill And that he is not vniuersall Bishop I will confirme it prouing with short and apparant reasons that Saint Peter whose successor they say the Pope to be was not vniuersall Bishop of the Church The first reason Saint Clement Bishop of Rome writing as say our aduersaries to Saint Iames called him the brother of the Lord Bishop of Bishops Gouernour of the Church of Ierusalem and of all others through the whole world If this be true it followeth that so was not Saint Clement albeit he were Bishop of Rome 2. Also in the first Christian Councell whereof Saint Luke in his Historie maketh mention not S. Peter as vniuersall Bishop but S. Iames gouerned Who heard each one and among them S. Peter and when all had spoken Saint Iames as President concluded in the 19. verse saying wherefore my sentence is c. Read the chapter and you shall see that which I say to be truth Notwithstanding all this D. Illescas the Popes parasite in his part 1. fol. 20. saith That Saint Peter as chiefe Bishop was president in this Councell 3. Also the Apostles as reporteth Saint Luke hearing that Samaria had receiued the doctrin of the Gospell to teach and more fully instruct them sent Peter Iohn thither But who shall now send the Pope to preach Suerely the Counsell wil not be so bould and though the CouÌ„sel so should yet would not the Pope do it saying he is Immediate from God The Apostles sent Peter and Peter as a faithfull member of the. Church obeyed went and preached 4. Saint Paule reproued Saint Peter because faith Saint Paule he so deserued Saint Peter listened thereto and allowed the reprehension That he was imediate from God that he was vniuersall Bishop and therefore greater then he answered he not neither did he answere that none ought nor could reproue him nor yet demaund account of him why he did so or so as the Popes nowe and many yeares also to kings Emperours yea and generall Councels haue answered So shamelesse are some of our aduersaries that notwithstanding Saint Paule saith that beeing come to Antioche I withstood Peter to his face c. And verse 14. hee saith whom when I saw that they walked not rightly according to the truth of the Gospell I said to Peter before all c. yet say they that Saint Paul reproued not S. Peter but another which was called Cephas Read D. Illescas part 1. fol. 21. Whose words be these Before that S. Peter say they came to Rome he held equality with S. Paul in Antioch c. Illescas beleeueth not that which S. Paul witnesseth of this equalltie and therefore as one doubting saith They say what credit shall we giue to such a one that doubteth of that which Saint Paul affirmeth That Antichrist whosoeuer he shal be which Saint Paul calleth the sonne of perdition man of sinne shall sit in the temple of God and as addeth S. Iohn in the citie situate vpon 7 mountaines This citie as S. Ierome and many others declare is Rome Only the Pope sitteth in the Temple of God in the citie of seauen mountaines which is Rome Therefore onely the Pope is that Antichrist 6. Also in the first Councell of Nice assembled by Constantine that good Emperour to confound and destroy the heresie of Arrius who with this blaspheamous mouth tooke away the diuinitie of Iesus Christ the Legats of the Bishop of Rome not in the 1. 2. nor 3. but in the 4. place did sitte Ergo the Bishop of Rome was not then head nor vniuersall Bishop of the Church In this Nicen Councell the Limits of the Patriarkes were bounded to whom the same authoritie ouer their Churches was giuen as held the Bishop of Rome ouer his neighbour Churches The Papists as they knowe which haue read Histories haue endeauoured what they could to falsifie this decree Reade for this purpose the sixt Councell of Carthage whereof we will afterwardes make mention Cardinall Cusanus alleaging the Nicen Councell shewed the rialtie of the truth saying as followeth The Bishop of Rome of the ancients is often called Patriarke or Archbishop and like authoritie was giuen him in the Councell of Nice as to the other Patriarkes Here wee see what great authoritie hath the Pope newly in our times vsurped more then that which the holy and ancient constitutions gaue him and all this by continuance and custome of slauish obedience Neither Iuâ—us who then was Bishop of Rome nor his Legates which were in this Councell gaine sayd this decree And that which more is the same decree was afterwareds in the Councell of Antioche and in the Councell of Constantinople confirmed In the first Councell of Ephesus Cyrillus In the 2. Dioscorus Patriaches of Alexandria did gouerne albeit the Legats of the the Bishop of Rome were there present In the 5. CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„stantinople Menas as patriarke of the city where the Councel was holden gouerned In the General Councell holden in Aquilea S. Ambrose bishop of Milan was president not the
that of the ruyne of the Romane Empire the Pope who is Antichrist by little and little hath erected his kingdome All this to one man cannot be applyed but to an estate and condition of men Antichrist is a Greeke word as much to say as contrary to Christ See wee then some thinges wherein the Pope doth oppose himselfe to Christ The people sought to make Christ a king but Christ would not For his kingdome he saiâ—h is not of this world The Pope without demaunding or seeking it of the people hath made himselfe vniuersall king ouer all the kings of this world and so at his fantasie doth place and displace them The second opposition Christ being God humbled himselfe and to saue vs became man reconcyling vs with the father The Pope being a man maketh himselfe God saying that in hell he hath authoritie and power casting into it whom soeuer he will and also drawing out from thence If he please as did Pope S. Gregorie say they drawe the soule of the Emperour Traian who was an Infidel persecutor of the Church Authoritie hee hath in purgatorie drawing soules from thence as say they hee doth dayly Hee hath authoritie in earth binding and loosing whomsoeuer hee will He hath authoritie also in heauen placing therein whom hee will commaunding the Angels to carrie the Soule of whomsoeuer he shall please without passing the paynes of purgatorie as by the bull which Pope Clement the sâ—xt graunted to such as comming to Rome to obteyne the Iubile should die by the way doth appeare All this saith the Pope that hee can doe And so also saith his Parasites Yet all is but lies to condemne and carry vs with him to the house of his Father the diuell The third opposition Christ doth commaund vs to search the scripture and giueth a reason for by them shall we know him The Pope vnder most greiuous payne commaundeth vs not to reade them nor looke vppon them least that wee knowing Christ by reading of the Scriptures may also know him to bee Antichrist And to busie vs with some thing hee commaundâ— vs to reade lying Legends he commaunds vs to pray the Rosarie which Alanus with so great falsehood and impietie as we haue said in the life of Sistus 4. renewed So many Paternosters and so many Aue Maries before a câ—â—â—â—fixe before the Image of the virgin Mary or of this or that other he or she Saints he commaunds vs to pray To a certaine great Lady called Isabell graunted Pope Leo pardon of all her sinnes if kneeling in her owne lodging before the Image of any he or she Saint she should say fiue Paternosters and fiue Aue Maries Behold what agreement is there betweene the Aue Marta and the Crucifixe or the Paternoster and the virgin Mary What maner of prayer is this when he that prayeth neither knoweth nor vnderstandeth what he prayeth Oh blindnesse Oh ignorance The fourth opposiâ—ion Christ calleth vnto him all those that trauell and be afflicted in conscience that he may refresh them The Pope commands vs to goe to the virgin Marie and to hee and she Saints What other thing is this but to leaue the fountaine of liuing water as saith Ieremias and to dig pooles that can hold no water Between Christ and the Pope are there many other opposicions yet will we set downe but the last of all that Christ with great triumph is ascended into heauen and there sitteth at the right hand of his father And shamefully the Pope descendeth into hell and to the depth of hell falleth in the company of Iudas whose successor hee is and there by his owne Father the diuell shal be euerlastingly tormented Yee see here that the Pope is an aduersarie and opposeth and lifteth vp himselfe against all that is God or that is worshipped and sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe to bee God By that which the Apostle saith that Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God hee giueth to vnderstand that Antichrist shall neither bee Turke Moore Iewe nor Pagan but a Christian and that professeth Christian religion The Pope sitteth in Rome a City very ancient in Christian Religion where were so many good Bishops for almost the space of 300 yeares which sealed with their bloud the Doctrine which preached and nowe also in Rome notwithstanding the tyranny of Antichrist hath God his Church as hee had in Sodome where was Lot and his familie That which Saint Paule saith that the comming of Antichrist shal be with great power signes and lying woonders is to be noted and all this shall hee doe by the working of Sathan Here also it appeareth that the diuell worketh his miracles Which confirmeth the Spanish prouerbe Sease milagro y hagalo eldiablo Be it a Miracle and the diuell doth it but all to decâ—iue The mightie power of the Pope who is ignorant of That which Christ of himselfe saith dareth the Pope to say of himselfe Data est mihi omnis potestas all power is giuen vnto mee O blasphemy intollerable As touching his signes and lying wonders the world is full The very papists themselues that haue any vnderstanding are ashamed of them But the simple the Idiots the vulgar sort beleeue and holde them for true miracles and for them rather will die then for the Doctrine of the Prophetes or Apostles or Christ Iesus himselfe whereof they are wholly ignorant Oh ignorant blindnesse and blinde ignorance How many Images haue spoken How many haue sweate and that droppes of bloud The ignorant people beleeueth that the beard haires and nayles of the crucifixe of Burgos doe grow How many miracles say they doe the Images of our Lady of Guadalupe and that of Monsarrate How many Captiâ—es deliuer they How many dead doe they rayse againe How many blind giue they sight vnto c. Either this which they say is vntruth and not therefore to bee beleeued or else verily doe they these miracles if they doe them by the operation of Sathan that the vnbeleeuers â—hich wil not beleeue the truth may beleeue lies as in this selfe same chapter Saint Paule doth aduise vs not to beleeue such miracles as are â—or founded vpon the word of God In the Treatise of the Masse more shal be said concerning miracles Not to make an Image nor any likenesse c. Not to worship or do them reuerence doth God commaund vs. To make Images to worship and doe reuerence vnto them doth the Pope commaund vs that purgatory should be better beleeued O how many mâ—râ—cles howe many dreames visions apparitions haue there bene only one I will recite which is read in the Enchiridion of times composed by Friar Alonso Venero Thus then saith hee fol. 118. In the yeare of our Lord 1164. a certaine holy Hermit before deceased appeared in visioÌ„ to the bishop of LigoniuÌ„ said vnto him there dyed in all parts
remit they are remitted vnto them and whosesoeuers sinnes ye retaine they are retained To all equally doth Christ shewe mercy to all equally graunteth Christ the priueledge and giueth authoritie To thinke that Christ reserued matters for the sea Apostolique of Peter which neither Iohn nor Iames nor Paule nor any of the other Apostles were able to dispatch is meere mockerie and Impietie also In authoritie and dignitie were all the Apostles equall And long continewed this order in the Church among the ministers of the Gospell vntill couetousnesse and ambition crept in and confounded this good order making one greater and another lesse because one was more rich then another we speaking of the Primacy confirme this with the sayings of the ancient Doctours If Christ by these words Thou art Peter c. had appointed Saint Peter vniuersall Bishop and head of the whole Church as they say to what purpose did then the Apostles so often reason among themselues vpon this questioÌ„ of the Primacie who should be chiefe amoÌ„g them Saint Matthew from the 1 verse to the 5. of the 18 chapter maketh mention hereof S. Marke cap 9 from the 33. verse vnto the 37. S. Luke from the 46. verse vnto the 48. of the 9. chapter doth mention it S. Matth. 20. 20. saith That the mother of the sonnes of Zebedeus and as saith Saint Marke the sonnes themselues 10. 15. besought Christ that one might sit at his right hand and the other at his left for which cause as say both the Euangelists the tenne Apostles disdained at the 2. brethren Saint Luke cap 22. 24. telleth that there was a contention among the Apostles which of them should be greatest What answereth Christ Iesus to the demaund which the Apostles made Matth. 18. 1. who shal be the greatest c. He set in the middest of them a little child and said vnto them Whosoeuer shal humble himselfe as this little child he shal be the greatest c. S. Marke 9 35. saith he that will be the first he shal be the last seruant of al. S. Luke 9. 48. he that is least among you shal be great Christ reproueth the sonnes of Zebedeus for their ambitious demand He said vnto them ye know what yee aske c. the tenne were angry with them for this superioritie which they pretended Christ said vnto them that in a Politicall kingdome there it superioritie and so kings and princes holde authoritie ouer all But that in his kingdome which is spirituall wherein there neither is nor ought to bee superioritie it is not so But it shall not bee so saieth Christ among you c. Would our aduersaries well examine this they would be ashamed of their primacy and principalitie that they seeke to gâ—ue to their Pope which neither Saint Peter nor any other of the Apostles euer had For had Christ giuen the primacie to Saint Peter when hee heard them contend which of them should bee the greatest doubtlesse hee would haue said vnto them Wherefore striue you know yee not that I haue giuen the Primacy to Peter Doe yee not knowe that I haue made Peter the chiefest of you all Quiet then your selues and for such a one doe yee holde him The same also would Saint Peter haue said I am hee whom Christ hath appointed to bee the head of the whole Church c. But neither did Christ so say but rather for their ambition and affectation of the primacie reproued them Nor yet did Saint Peter alleage that Iesus Christ had said vnto him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke c. The second place fundamental which our aduersaries doe alleage to mainetaine the primacy of the Pope is that Christ saide to Peter Louest thou mee c. Peter answered Yea Lord c. Then said Christ vnto him Feede my sheepe Here doe they inferre that seeing that Christ said this to Saint Peter and sayd it not to any other of the Apostles that by the same reason hee made him Prince of the Apostles The most high wisedome and loue of Christ in Peters confirmation and comfort they nothing consider There times had Peter denyed Christ And Christ three times demaunded if hee loued him Twise answered Peter Yea Lord but the third time he waxed sorrowfull and to comfort him Christ saide vnto him Feede my sheepe As if he should haue sayd Thou hast thrise denyed mee Peter but hast repented and with most bitter weeping craued pardon for the same Thy sinnes I pardon and restore thee to the same state thou wast formerly in Feede then my sheepe And to cheere him the more he said â—nto him that he should be constant should not denie him And gaue him to vnderstand as there saith the Euangelist with what death he should glorifie God The same charge and office of feeding gaue Iesus Christ to all the Apostles Mark chap. 16. vers 15. when he commanded them to goe through the world and preach the Gospell to euery creatuâ—e and when he said vnto them Receaue yee the holy Ghost Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit c. So that in this carried not Saint Peter any preheminence ouer the rest of the Apostles In dignitie and authoritie all are equall and principall members of the mysticall body of Christ which is his Church which body seeing it is no monster hath but one only head which is Christ And yet say I further suppose that Saint Peter had bene Prince of the Apostles and of much greater authoritie then they all yet not withstanding the Pope not being Peters successour nor the Vicar of Christ as already we haue proued shall not be prince of Bishops nor vniuersall Bishop ouer all Churches He should content himselfe to be Bishop of Rome nor is he yet so but Antichrist These two be the principall fundamentall places wherewith the Romists endeuour to maintaine their primacy And seing they proue not these thinges much lesse will they prooue the rest by them alleaged to which may be answered that which I haue before said One thing wil I demaund of them and this it is If it be necessary for a man to beleeue the Pope to bee the successour of Saint Peter Vicar of Christ and vniuersall head of all the Church as Boniface the eight ordeyned what shall become of the Greeke Church which neuer so beleeued what shal become of all those that liued in the time of Pope Ione what shall become of all them that liued in the time of Anastasius 2. Liberius and Felix 2. these three Popes were Arians Iohn the 24. an heretique For the which and other great abhominations proued against him in the Councell of Constance he was deposed What shall become of them which liued in the time of this Pope and other heretiques and of the Popes that by Armes or bribes or both armes and bribes ioyntly obteyned the Popedome Such according to the decrees of the Popes themselues be not Popes And yet notwithstanding is this almoste