Serenus his Judgment thinking it meet that Images whereunto Idolatry was committed should be destroyed had taken place Idolatry had been overthrown For to that which is not no Man committeth Idolatry But of Gregory's Opinion thinking that Images might be suffered in Churches so it were taught that they should not be worshipped What ruine of Religion and what mischief ensued afterward to all Christendom Experience hath to our great hurt and sorrow proved First By the Schism rising between the East and the West Church about the said Images Next By the Division of the Empire into two parts by the same occasion of Images to the great weakening of all Christendom whereby last of all hath followed the utter overthrow of the Christian Religion and Noble Empire in Greece and all the East parts of the World and the increase of Mahomet's false Religion and the cruel Dominion and Tyranny of the Saracens and Turks who do now hang over our Necks also that dwell in the West parts of the World ready at all occasions to over-run us And all this do we owe unto our Idols and Images and our Idolatry in worshipping of them Eutrop. lib. de rebus Ro. 23. But now give you ear a little to the process of the History wherein I do much follow the Histories of Paulus Diaconus and others joyned with Eutropius an old Writer For though some of the Authors were Favourers of Images yet do they most plainly and at large prosecute the Histories of those times Platina in vitis Constantini Greg. 2. whom Baptist Platina also in his History of Popes as in the Lives of Constantine and Gregory the second Bishops of Rome and other places where he treateth of this matter doth chiefly follow After Gregory's time Constantine Bishop of Rome assembled a Council of Bishops in the West Church and did condemn Philippicus then Emperor and John Bishop of Constantinople of the Heresie of the Monothelites not without a cause indeed but very justly When he had so done by the consent of the learned about him the said Constantine Bishop of Rome caused the Images of the ancient Fathers which had been at those six Councils which were allowed and received of all Men to be painted in the entry of Saint Peter's Church at Rome When the Greeks had knowledge hereof they began to dispute and reason the matter of Images with the Latins and held this Opinion That Images could have no place in Christs Church and the Latins held the contrary and took part with the Images So the East and West Churches which agreed well before upon this contention about Images fell to utter enmity which was never well reconciled yet But in the mean season Philippicus and Arthemius or Anastasius Emperors commanded Images and Pictures to be pulled down and rased out in every place of their Dominion After them came Theodosius the Third he commanded the defaced Images to be painted again in their places But this Theodosius reigned but one year Leo the third of that Name succeeded him who was a Syrian born a very wise godly merciful and valiant Prince This Leo by Proclamation commanded That all Images set up in Churches to be worshipped should be plucked down and defaced And required specially the Bishop of Rome that he should do the same and himself in the mean season caused all Images that were in the Imperial City Constantinople to be gathered on an heap in the midst of the City and there publickly burned them to ashes and whited over and rased out all Pictures painted upon the Walls of the Temples and punished sharply divers maintainers of Images And when some did therefore report him to be a Tyrant he answered That such of all other were most justly punished who neither Worshipped God aright nor regarded the Imperial Majesty and Authority but maliciously rebelled against wholsom and profitable Laws When Gregorius the Third of that Name Bishop of Rome heard of the Emperors doings in Greece concerning the Images he assembled a Council of Italian Bishops against him and there made Decrees for Images and that more Reverence and Honour should yet be given to them than was before and stirred up the Italians against the Emperor first at Ravenna and moved them to Rebellion Treason and Rebellion for the defence of Images And as Vspurgensis and Anthonius Bishops of Florence testifie in their Chronicles he caused Rome and all Italy at the least to refuse Obedience and the payment of any more Tribute to the Emperor And so by Treason and Rebellion maintained their Idolatry Which Example other Bishops of Rome have continually followed and gone through withal most stoutly After this Leo who Reigned Thirty four years succeeded his Son Constantine the Fifth who after his Fathers example kept Images out of the Temples and being moved with the Council which Gregory had assembled in Italy for Images against his Father He also assembled a Council of all the Learned Men and Bishops of Asia and Greece although some Writers place this Council in Leo Isauricus A Council against Images his Fathers later days In this great Assembly they sate in Council from the Fourth of the Idus of February to the sixth of the Idus of August and made concerning the use of Images this Decree It is not lawful for them that believe in God through Jesus Christ to have any Images neither of the Creator nor of any Creatures set up in Temples to be Worshipped but rather that all things by the Law of God and for the avoiding of Offence ought to be taken out of the Churches And this Decree was executed in all places where any Images were found in Asia or Greece And the Emperor sent the Determination of this Council holden at Constantinople to Paul then Bishop of Rome and commanded him to cast all Images out of the Churches Which he trusting in the Friendship of Pipine a Mighty Prince refused to do And both he and his Successor Stephanus the Third who assembled another Council in Italy for Images condemned the Emperor and the Council of Constantinople of Heresie and made a Decree That the Holy Images for so they called them of Christ the Blessed Virgin and other Saints were indeed worthy Honour and Worshipping When Constantine was dead Leo the Fourth his Son Reigned after him who Married a Woman of the City of Athens named Theodora who also was called Irene Or Eirene by whom he had a Son named Constantine the Sixth and dying whilst his Son was yet young left the Regiment of the Empire and Governance of his young Son to his Wife Irene These things were done in the Church about the year of our Lord 760. Note here I pray you in this process of the Story that in the Churches of Asia and Greece there were no Images publickly by the space of almost Seven Hundred years And there is no doubt but the Primitive Church next the Apostles time was most pure Note also
than one dumb Idol or Image standing by itself But from learning by painted Stories it came by little and little to Idolatry Which when godly Men as well Emperors and learned Bishops as others perceived they commanded that such Pictures Images or Idols should be used no more And I will for a Declaration thereof begin with the Decree of the ancient Christian Emperors Valens and Theodosius the second who reigned about four hundred years after our Saviour Christ's Ascension who forbad that any Images should be made or painted privately For certain it is that there were none in Temples publickly in their time These Emperors did write unto the Captain of the Army attending on the Emperors after this sort Valens and Theodosius Emperors unto the Captain of the Army Whereas we have a diligent care to maintain the Religion of God above in all things we will grant to no Man to set forth grave carve or paint the Image of our Saviour Christ in Colours Stone or any other matter but in what place soever it shall be found we command that it be taken away and that all such as shall attempt any thing contrary to our Decrees or Commandments herein shall be most sharply punished This Decree is written in the Books named Libri Augustales the Imperial Books gathered by Tribonianus Basilides Theophilus Dioscorus and Satira Men of great Authority and Learning at the Commandment of the Emperor Justinian and is alledged by Petrus Crinitus a notable learned Man in the Ninth Book and Ninth Chapter of his Work intituled De honesta Disciplina that is to say Of honest Learning Here you see what Christian Princes of most ancient times decreed against Images which then began to creep in amongst the Christians For it is certain that by the space of three hundred years and more after the death of our Saviour Christ and before these godly Emperors reigned there were no Images publickly in Churches or Temples How would the Idolaters glory if they had so much Antiquity and Authority for them as is here against them Now shortly after these days the Goths Vandals Huns and other barbarous and wicked Nations burst into Italy and all parts of the West Countries of Europe with huge and mighty Armies spoiled all places destroyed Cities and burned Libraries so that Learning and true Religion went to wrack and decayed incredibly And so the Bishops of those later days being of less Learning and in the midst of the Wars taking less heed also than did the Bishops afore by ignorance of Gods Word and negligence of Bishops and especially barbarous Princes not rightly instructed in true Religion bearing the Rule Images came into the Church of Christ in the said West parts where these barbarous People ruled not now in painted Cloth only but embossed in Stone Timber Metal and other like matter and were not only set up but began to be worshipped also And therefore Serenus Bishop of Massile the head Town of Gallia Narbonensis now called the Province a godly and learned Man who was about six hundred years after our Saviour Christ seeing the People by occasion of Images fall to most abominable Idolatry brake to pieces all the Images of Christ and Saints which were in that City and was therefore complained upon to Gregory the first of that Name Bishop of Rome who was the first learned Bishop that did allow the open having of Images in Churches that can be known by any Writing or History of Antiquity And upon this Gregory do all Image-worshippers at this day ground their Defence But as all things that be amiss have from a tolerable beginning grown worse and worse till they at the last became intolerable So did this matter of Images First Men used privately Stories painted in Tables Cloths and Walls Afterwards gross and embossed Images privately in their own Houses Then afterwards Pictures first and after them embossed Images began to creep into Churches learned and godly Men ever speaking against them Then by use it was openly maintained That they might be in Churches but yet forbidden that they should be worshipped Of which Opinion was Gregory as by the said Gregory's Epistle to the forenamed Serenus Bishop of Massile plainly appeareth Which Epistle is to be found in the Book of Epistles of Gregory or Register in the tenth part of the fourth Epistle where he hath these words That thou didst forbid Images to be worshipped we praise altogether but that thou didst break them we blame For it is one thing to worship the Picture and another thing by the Picture of the Story to learn what is to be worshipped For that which Scripture is to them that read the same doth Picture perform unto Idiots or the unlearned beholding and so forth And after a few words Therefore it should not have been broken which was set up not to be worshipped in Churches but only to instruct the Minds of the ignorant And a little after Thus thou shouldst have said If you will have Images in the Church for that instruction wherefore they were made in old time I do permit that they may be made and that you may have them and shew them that not the sight of the Story which is opened by the Picture but that worshipping which was inconveniently given to the Pictures did mislike you And if any would make Images not to forbid them but avoid by all means to worship any Image By these Sentences taken here and there out of Gregory's Epistle to Serenus for it were too long to rehearse the whole ye may understand whereunto the matter was now come six hundred years after Christ That the having of Images or Pictures in the Churches were then maintained in the West part of the World for they were not so forward yet in the East Church but the worshipping of them was utterly forbidden And you may withal note That seeing there is no ground for worshipping of Images in Gregory's Writing but a plain condemnation thereof that such as do worship Images do unjustly alledge Gregory for them And further if Images in the Church do not teach Men according to Gregory's Mind but rather blind them It followeth that Images should not be in the Church by his sentence who only would they should be placed there to the end that they might teach the ignorant Wherefore if it be declared that Images have been and be worshipped and also that they teach nothing but Errours and Lyes which shall by God's Grace hereafter be done I trust that then by Gregory's own Determination all Images and Image-worshippers shall be overthrown But in the mean season Gregory's Authority was so great in all the west-West-Church that by his Incouragement Men set up Images in all places But their Judgment was not so good to consider why he would have them set up but they fell all on heaps to manifest Idolatry by worshipping of them which Bishop Serenus not without just cause feared would come to pass Now if
not have found a meeter Patron for the maintenance of such a matter than this Irene whose Ambition and desire of Rule was insatiable whose Treason continually studied and wrought was most abominable whose wicked and unnatural cruelty passed Mâ—dea and Progne whose detestable Parricides have ministred matter to Poets to write their horrible Tragedies And yet certain Historiographers who do put in writing all these her horrible Wickednesses for love they had to Images which she maintained do praise her as a Godly Empress and as sent from God Such is the blindness of false Superstition if it once take Possession in a Man's Mind that it will both declare the Vices of wicked Princes and also commend them But not long after the said Irene being suspected to the Princes and Lords of Greece of Treason in alienating the Empire to Charles King of the Francons and for practising a secret Marriage between herself and the said King and being convicted of the same was by the said Lords deposed and deprived again of the Empire and carried into exile into the Island Lesbos where she ended her lewd Life While these Tragedies about Images were thus working in Greece Another Council against Images the same question of the use of Images in Churches began to be moved in Spain also And at Eliberi a notable City now called Granate was a Council of Spanish Bishops and other learned Men assembled and there after long deliberation and debating of the matter it was concluded at length by the whole Council after this sort in the 36. Article Doctors of the Council against Images We think that Pictures ought not to be in Churches lest that which is honored or worshipped be painted on Walls And in the xlj Canon of that Council it is thus writtten We thought good to admonish the faithful that as much as in them lyeth they suffer no Images to be in their Houses but if they fear any violence of their Servants at the least let them keep themselves clean and pure from Images if they do not so let them be accounted as none of the Church Note here I pray you how a whole and great Country in the West and South Parts of Europe nearer to Rome a great deal than to Greece in scituation of place do agree with the Greeks against Images and do not only forbid them in Churches but also in private Houses and do excommunicate them that do the contrary Yet another Council against-Images And another Council of the learned Men of all Spain also called Concilium Toletanum Duodecimum decreed and determined likewise against Images and Image-worshippers But when these Decrees of the Spanish Council at Eliberi came to the knowledg of the Bishop of Rome and his Adherents they fearing lest all Germany also would decree against Images and forsake them thought to prevent the matter and by the consent and help of the Prince of Francons whose Power was then most great in the West Parts of the World assembled a Council of Germans at Frankford and there procured the Spanish Council against Images aforementioned to be condemned by the Name of the Foelician Heresie for that Foelix Bishop of Aquitania was chief in that Council and obtained that the Acts of the second Nicone Council assembled by Irene the holy Empress whom ye heard of before and the sentence of the Bishop of Rome for Images might be received For much after this sort do the Papists report of the History of the Council of Frankford Notwithstanding the Book of Carolus Magnus his own writing as the Title sheweth which is now put in print and commonly in Mens hands sheweth the Judgment of that Prince and of the whole Council of Frankford also to be against Images and against the second Council of Nice assembled by Irene for Images and calleth it an arrogant foolish and ungodly Council and declareth the assembly of the Council of Frankford to have been directly made and gathered against the Nicene Council and the errors of the same So that it must needs follow that either there were in one Princes time two Councils assembled at Frankford one contrary to the other which by no History doth appear or else that after their custom the Popes and Papists have most shamefully corrupted the Council as their manner is to handle not only Councils but also all Histories and Writings of the old Doctors falsifying and corrupting them for the maintenance of their wicked and ungodly purposes as hath in times of late come to light and doth in our days more and more continually appear most evidently Let the forged gift of Constantine The forged gift of Constantine c. and the notable attempt to falsify the first Nicene Council for the Pope's Supremacy practised by Popes in St. Augustine's time be a Witness hereof Which practice indeed had then taken effect had not the diligence and wisdom of St. Augustine and other learned and godly Bishops in Afric by their great labour and charges also resisted and stopped the same Nicene Council like to be falsified Now to come towards an end of this History and to shew you the principal point that came to pass by the maintenance of Images Whereas from Constantinus Magnus time until this day all Authority Imperial and princely Dominion of the Empire of Rome remained continually in the right and Possession of the Emperors who had their continuance and Seat Imperial at Constantinople the City Royal. Leo the Third then Bishop of Rome seeing the Greek Emperors so bent against his Gods of Gold and Silver Timber and Stone and having the King of the Francons or French-Men named Charles whose Power was exceeding great in the West-Countries very applyable to his mind for causes hereafter appearing under the pretence that they of Constantinople were for that matter of Images under the Pope's Ban and Curse and therefore unworthy to be Emperors or to bear Rule and for that the Emperors of Greece being far off were not ready at a beck to defend the Pope against the Lombards his enemies and others with whom he had variance This Leo the Third I say attempted a thing exceeding strange and unheard of before and of incredible boldness and presumption For he by his Papal Authority doth translate the Government of the Empire and the Crown and name Imperial from the Greeks and giveth it unto Charles the Great King of the Francons not without the consent of the forenamed Irene Empress of Greece who also sought to be joined in Marriage with the said Charles These things were done about the 803 year of our Lord. For the which cause the said Irene was by the Lords of Greece deposed and banished as one that had betrayed the Empire as ye before have heard And the said Princes of Greece did after the deprivation of the said Irene by common consent elect and create as they always had done an Emperor named Nicephorus whom the Bishop of Rome and they
nothing is impossible as may further also appear by the inward Regeneration and Sanctification of Mankind When Christ said to Nicodemus Unless a Man be born a-new of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God he was greatly amazed in his mind and began to reason with Christ demanding how a Man might be born which was old John 3. Can he enter saith he into his Mothers Womb again and so be born anew Behold a lively pattern of a fleshly and carnal Man He had little or no intelligence of the Holy Ghost and therefore he goeth bluntly to work and asketh how this thing were possible to be true whereas otherwise if he had known the great power of the Holy Ghost in this behalf that it is he which inwardly worketh the Regeneration and New Birth of Mankind he would never have marvelled at Christs words but would rather take occasion thereby to praise and glorifie God For as there are three several and sundry Persons in the Deity so have they three several and sundry Offices proper unto each of them The Father to Create the Son to Redeem the Holy Ghost to Sanctifie and Regenerate Whereof the last the more it is hid from our understanding the more it ought to move all Men to wonder at the secret and mighty working of Gods Holy Spirit which is within us For it is the Holy Ghost and no other thing that doth quicken the Minds of Men stirring up good and godly Motions in their Hearts which are agreeable to the Will and Commandment of God such as otherwise of their own crooked and perverse Nature they should never have John 5. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit As who should say Man of his own Nature is fleshly and carnal corrupt and naught sinful and disobedient to God without any spark of goodness in him without any vertuous or godly Motion only given to evil Thoughts and wicked Deeds As for the Works of the Spirit the Fruits of Faith charitable and godly Motions if he have any at all in him they proceed only of the Holy Ghost who is the only worker of our Sanctification and maketh us new Men in Christ Jesus Did not Gods holy Spirit miraculously work in the Child David when of a poor Shepherd he became a Princely Prophet 1 Sam. 17. Mat. 9. Did not Gods Holy Spirit miraculously work in Matthew sitting at the receit of Custom when of a proud Publican he became an humble and lowly Evangelist And who can choose but marvel to consider that Peter should become of a simple Fisher a chief and mighty Apostle Paul of a cruel and bloody Persecutor a faithful Disciple of Christ to teach the Gentiles Such is the power of the Holy Ghost to Regenerate Men and as it were to bring them forth anew so that they shall be nothing like the Men that they were before Neither doth he think it sufficient inwardly to work the Spiritual and New Birth of Man unless he do also dwell and abide in him 1 Cor. 3. Know ye not saith St. Paul that ye are the Temple of God and that his Spirit dwelleth in you Know ye not that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is within you Again he saith You are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit For why Rom. 8. 1 John 2 the Spirit of God dwelleth in you To this agreeth the Doctrin of St. John writing on this wise The Anointing which ye have received he meaneth the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you And the Doctrin of Peter saith the same 1 Pet. 4. who hath these words The Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you O what comfort is this to the heart of a true Christian to think that the Holy Ghost dwelleth within him Rom. 5. If God be with us as the Apostle saith who can be against us O but how shall I know that the Holy Ghost is within me Some Man perchance will say forsooth As the Tree is known by his Fruit so is also the Holy Ghost The Fruits of the Holy Ghost according to the mind of St. Paul are these Love Joy Peace long Suffering Gentleness Goodness Gal. 5. Faithfulness Meekness Temperance c. Contrariwise the Deeds of the Flesh are these Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Wantonness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Debate Emulation Wrath Contention Sedition Heresie Envy Murder Drunkenness Gluttony and such like Here is now that Glass wherein thou must behold thy self and discern whether thou have the Holy Ghost within thee or the Spirit of the Flesh If thou see that thy Works be vertuous and good consonant to the prescript Rule of Gods Word favouring and tasting not of the Flesh but of the Spirit then assure thy self that thou art endued with the Holy Ghost otherwise in thinking well of thy self thou dost nothing else but deceive thy self The Holy Ghost doth always declare himself by his fruitful and gracious gifts namely by the word of Wisdom by the word of Knowledge which is the understanding of the Scriptures by Faith 1 Cor. 12. in doing of Miracles by healing them that are Diseased by Prophesie which is the Declaration of Gods Mysteries by discerning of Spirits diversities of Tongues interpretation of Tongues and so forth All which gifts as they proceed from one Spirit and are severally given to Man according to the measurable distribution of the Holy Ghost even so do they bring Men and not without good cause into a wonderful admiration of Gods divine Power Who will not marvel at that which is written in the Acts of the Apostles Acts 5. to hear their bold confession before the Council at Jerusalem And to consider that they went away with joy and gladness rejoycing that they were worthy to suffer Rebukes and Checks for the Name and Faith of Christ Jesus This was the mighty work of the Holy Ghost who because he giveth patience and joyfulness of heart in Temptation and Affliction hath therefore worthily obtained this name in Holy Scripture to be called a Comforter Who will not also marvel to read the learned and heavenly Sermons of Peter and the Disciples considering that they were never brought up in School of Learning but called even from their Nets to supply the Rooms of Apostles This was likewise the mighty work of the Holy Ghost John 14. who because he doth instruct the hearts of the simple in the true knowledge of God and his Word is most justly termed by this name and title to be the Spirit of Truth Lib. 11. cap. 3. Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History cap. 3. telleth a strange Story of a certain learned and subtil Philosopher who being an extream adversary to Christ and his Doctrin could by no kind of Learning be converted to the Faith but was able to withstand all the Arguments that could be brought against him with little or no labor At length there started up a poor
them to beware of the subtil suggestions of such restless ambitious Persons and so to flee them that Rebellions though attempted by a few Ambitious through the lack of maintainance by any multitudes may speedily and easily without any great labor danger or damage be re-ressed and clearly extinguished It is well known as well by all Histories as by daily Experience that none have either more ambitiously aspired above Emperors Kings and Princes nor have more perniciously moved the ignorant People to Rebellion against their Princes than certain Persons which falsly challenge to themselves to be only counted and called Spiritual I must therefore here yet once again briefly put you good People in remembrance out of Gods holy Word how our Saviour Jesus Christ and his holy Apostles the Heads and chief of all true Spiritual and Ecclesiastical Men behaved themselves towards the Princes and Rulers of their time though not the best Governors that ever were that you be not ignorant whether they be the true Disciples and followers of Christ and his Apostles and so true spiritual Men that either by Ambition do so highly aspire or do most maliciously teach or most perniciously do execute Rebellion against their lawful Princes being the worst of all carnal Works and mischievous Deeds Mat. 17. d. 25. Mark 12. b. 14. Luke 20. d. 25. Mat. 27. Luke 23. Rom. 13. a. 1 c. 1 Tim. 2. a. 1. 1 Pet. 2. c. 13. John 6. b. 15. and 18. f. 36. Mat. 20. d. 25. Mark 10. f. 42. Luke 22. c. 25. Mat. 23. a. 8. Luke 9. f. 46. 2 Cor. 1. d. 24. 1 Pet. 5. a 3. Mat. 18. a. 4. 20. d. 28. Luke 9. f. 48. 22. c. 27. Sex decre lib. 3. tit 16. cap. unic lib. 5. tit 9. cap. 5. iâ— glossa The holy Scriptures do teach most expresly that our Saviour Christ himself and his Apostles St. Paul St. Peter with others were unto the Magistrates and higher Powers which ruled at their being upon the Earth both obedient themselves and did also diligently and earnestly exhort all other Christians to the like obedience unto their Princes and Governors whereby it is evident that Men of the Clergy and Ecclesiastical Ministers as their Successors ought both themselves specially and before other to be obedient unto their Princes and also to exhort all others unto the same Our Saviour Christ likewise teaching by his Doctrin that his Kingdom was not of this World did by his Example in fleeing from those that would have made him King confirm the same expresly also forbidding his Apostles and by them the whole Clergy all Princely Dominion over People and Nations and he and his holy Apostles likewise namely Peter and Paul did forbid unto all Ecclesiastical Ministers dominion over the Church of Christ And indeed whiles the Ecclesiastical Ministers continued in Christs Church in that order that is in Christs Word prescribed unto them and in Christian Kingdoms kept themselves obedient to their own Princes as the Holy Scripture doth teach them both was Christs Church more clear from ambitious Emulations and Contentions and the State of Christian Kingdoms less subject unto Tumults and Rebellions But after that Ambition and desire of Dominion entred once into Ecclesiastical Ministers whose greatness after the Doctrin and Example of our Saviour should chiefly stand in humbling themselves and that the Bishop of Rome being by the order of Gods Word none other than the Bishop of that one See and Diocess and never yet well able to govern the same did by intolerable Ambition challenge not only to he the Head of all the Church dispersed throughout the World but also to be Lord of all Kingdoms of the World as is expresly set forth in the Book of his own Canon Laws most contrary to the Doctrin and Example of our Saviour Christ whose Vicar and of his Apostles namely Peter whose Successor he pretendeth to be After this Ambition entred and his Challenge once made by the Bishop of Rome he became at once the spoiler and destroyer both of the Church which is the Kingdom of our Saviour Christ and of the Christian Empire and all Christian Kingdoms as an Universal Tyrant over all And whereas before that Challenge made there was great amity and love amongst the Christians of all Countries hereupon began Emulation and much Hatred between the Bishop of Rome and his Clergy and Friends on the one part and the Grecian Clergy and Christians of the East on the other part for that they refused to acknowledge any such Supream Authority of the Bishop of Rome over them The Bishop of Rome for this cause amongst other not only naming them and taking them for Schismatics but also never ceasing to persecute them and the Emperors who had their See and continuance in Greece by stirring of the Subjects to Rebellion against their Sovereign Lords and by raising deadly hatred and most cruel Wars between them and other Christian Princes And when the Bishops of Rome had translated the Title of the Emperor and as much as in them did lie the Empire it self from their Lord the Emperor of of Greece and of Rome also by right unto the Christian Princes of the West they became in short space no better unto the West Emperors than they were before unto the Emperors of Greece for the usual discharging of Subjects from their Oath of Fidelity made unto the Emperors of the West their Sovereign Lords by the Bishops of Rome the unnatural stirring up of the Subjects unto Rebellion against their Princes yea of the Son against the Father by the Bishop of Rome the most cruel and bloody Wars raised amongst Christian Princes of all Kingdoms the horrible murder of infinite thousands of Christian Men being slain by Christians and which ensued thereupon the pitiful losses of so many goodly Cities Countries Dominions and Kingdoms sometime possessed by Christians in Asia Africa Europe the miserable fall of the Empire and Church of Greece sometime the most flourishing part of Christendom into the hands of the Turks the lamentable diminishing decay and ruin of Christian Religion the dreadful increase of Paganism and Power of the Infidels and Miscreants and all by the practice and procurement of the Bishop of Rome chiefly is in the Histories and Chronicles written by the Bishop of Romes own Favorers and Friends to be seen and as well known unto all such as are acquainted with the said Histories The ambitious intents and most subtil drifts of the Bishops of Rome in these their Practices appeared evidently by their bold attempt in spoiling and robbing the Emperors of their Towns Cities Dominions and Kingdoms in Italy Lombardy and Sicily of ancient right belonging to the Empire and by joyning of them unto their Bishoprick of Rome or else giving them unto strangers to hold them of the Church and Bishop of Rome as in capite and as of the chief Lords thereof in which tenure they hold the most part thereof
take all their Commandments for Gods For as they would not suffer the Holy Scriptures or Church Service to be used or had in any other Language than the Latin so were very few even of the most simple People taught the Lords Prayer the Articles of the Faith and the Ten Commandments otherwise than in Latin which they understood not by which universal ignorance all Men were ready to believe whatsoever they said and to do whatsoever they commanded For to imitate the Apostles phrase if the Emperors Subjects had known out of Gods word their Duty to their Prince they would not have suffered the Bishop of Rome to persuade them to forsake their Sovereign Lord the Emperor against their Oath and Fidelity and to Rebel against him only for that he cast Images unto the which Idolatry was committed out of the Churches which the Bishop of Rome bare them in hand to be Heresie If they had known of Gods Word but as much as the Ten Commandments they should have found that the Bishop of Rome was not only a Traitor to the Emperor his Liege Lord but to God also and an horrible Blasphemer of his Majesty in calling his holy Word and Commandment Heresie and that which the Bishop of Rome took for a just cause to rebel against his lawful Prince they might have known to be a doubling and trebling of his most heinous wickedness heaped with horrible Impiety and Blasphemy But lest the poor People should know too much he would not let them have as much of Gods Word as the Ten Commandments wholly and perfectly Henry 4. Gregor 7. Anno Dom 167. Paschal 2. Anno 19â— withdrawing from them the second Commandment that bewrayeth his Impiety by a subtil Sacriledge Had the Emperors Subjects likewise known and been of any understanding in Gods Word would they at other times have rebelled against their Sovereign Lord and by their Rebellion have holpen to depose him only for that the Bishop of Rome did bear them in hand that it was Symony and Heresie too for the Emperor to give any Ecclesiastical Dignities or promotion to his learned Chaplains or other of his learned Clergy which all Christian Emperors before him had done without controlement would they I say for that the Bishop of Rome bare them so in hand have rebelled by the space of more than forty Years together against him with so much shedding of Christian Blood and murder of so many thousands of Christians and finally have deposed their Sovereign Lord had they known and had in Gods Word any understanding at all specially had they known that they did all this to pluck from their Sovereign Lord and his Successors for ever that ancient Right of the Empire to give it unto the Romish Clergy and to the Bishop of Rome that he might for the Confirmation of one Arch-Bishop and for the Romish Rag which he calleth a Pall scarce worth Twelve pence receive many thousand Crowns of Gold and of other Bishops likewise great Sums of Mony for their Bulls which is Symony indeed Would I say Christian Men and Subjects by Rebellion have spent so much Christian Blood and have deposed their natural most noble and most valiant Prince to bring the matter finally to this pass had they known what they did or had any understanding in Gods Word at all And as these ambitious Usurpers the Bishops of Rome have over-flowed all Italy and Germany with streams of Christian Blood shed by the Rebellions of ignorant Subjects against their natural Lords and Emperors whom they have stirred thereunto by such false pretences so is there no Country in Christendom which by their like means and false pretences hath not been over-sprinkled with the Blood of Subjects by Rebellion against their natural Sovereigns stirred up by the same Bishops of Rome And to use one Example of our own Country the Bishop of Rome did pick a Quarrel to King John of England â—ing John about the Election of Stephen Langton to the Bishoprick of Canterbury wherein the King had ancient Right being used by his Progenitors all Christian Kings of England before him the Bishops of Rome having no Right but had begun then to usurp upon the Kings of England and all other Christian Kings as they had before done against their Sovereign Lords the Emperors proceeding even by the same ways and means and likewise cursing King John and discharging his Subjects of their Oath of Fidelity unto their Sovereign Lord. Now had English-men at that time known their Duty to their Prince set forth in Gods Word would a great many of Nobles and other English-men natural Subjects for this Foreign and unnatural Usurper Innocent III. his vain curse of the King and for his feigned discharging of them of their Oath and Fidelity to their natural Lord upon so slender or no ground at all have rebelled against their Sovereign Lord the King Would English Subjects have taken part against the King of England and against English-men Philip French King with the French King and French-men being incensed against this Realm by the Bishop of Rome Would they have sent for and received the Dolphin of France with a great Army of French-men into the Realm of England Lewis Dolphin of France Would they have sworn Fidelity to the Dolphin of France breaking their Oath of Fidelity to their natural Lord the King of England and have stood under the Dolphins Banner displayed against the King of England Would they have expelled their Sovereign Lord the King of England out of London the chief City of England and out of the greatest part of England upon the South-side of the Trent even unto Lincoln and out of Lincoln it self also and have delivered the possession thereof unto the Dolphin of France whereof he kept the possession a great while Would they being English men have procured so great shedding of English-blood and other infinite mischiefs and miseries unto England their natural Country as did follow those cruel Wars and traiterous Rebellion the fruits of the Bishop of Romes blessings Would they have driven their natural Sovereign Lord the King of England to such extremity that he was inforced to submit himself unto that Foreign false Usurper the Bishop of Rome who compelled him to surrender up the Crown of England into the hands of his Legat who in token of possession kept it in his hands divers days and then delivered it again to King John upon that condition that the King and his Successors Kings of England should hold the Crown and Kingdom of England of the Bishop of Rome and his Successors as the Vassals of the said Bishop of Rome for ever in token whereof the Kings of England should also pay a yearly Tribute to the said Bishop of Rome as his Vassals and Liege-men Would English-men have brought their Sovereign Lord and Natural Country into this thraldom and subjection to a false Foreign Usurper had they known and had any understanding in Gods