vngodlye séeke to rule There is also very great difference béetwéene the auntient Churche of Rome and the firste Bisshoppes thereof and the Churche of Rome Pope Cardinalles and byshops which be now at this day The antient Byshopes of the Church of Rome whiche lyued and sate there from the yere of Christ 70. vnto y yere 314. and during the time of Constantine the great were in number 32. who wer all faithfull in their callyng profitynge the Churche by teachinge and otheir meanes and for christe and his Gospels sake were martyred and slayne They medled not at all with the ciuill gouerment there was no Court of Rome no senat of scarlet Cardinalles no guarde for the body no other superfluities which now adayes are frequented by Popes Histories of credit do confirme this same such as were not writen in flatterie of the Popes Also the name of Pope at that time was not proper onely to the Bysshoppe of Rome but other Bishoppes also abroade in other Prouinces were called by the same name For Aurelius and Ciprian Byshops of Carthage Ambrose Byshop of Millaine and other Byshops in other places were also called Popes And lykewise Saincte Ierome termeth S. Augustine whiche was Bysshop of Hippo in certen Epistles by the name of Pope For this woorde Papa Pope in the Syracusian tounge signifieth as mutch as this word Pater a Father as Suidas testifieth For it behooueth the Ministers of the church to be faithfull fathers of the people as Sainct Paule writeth Moreouer amonge all the Byshops of Rome from Constantinus the great and Pope Syluester vnto Gregorye the firste which were in number xxxvi ther was not one within compasse of 280. yéeres that vsed y pompe pride maiestie and power which the Popes vse accustomably now now a daies Their aucthoritie was great amonge other Churches and Byshops because for the most parte they were learned and skilfull men neither infected with heresies as some other Byshops in other Churches were but principally because thei were Ministers of the same Churche whiche the Apostles planted at the béeginninge which was therfore called the Apostolick Churche and the Apostolick seate and Sainct Peters Chaer. Howbeit the title and name of the Apostolick seat was not giuen only to the Romane Church but vnto other Churches also namely Ierusalem and Antioche And this woord seate signifieth not a iudgment seat or a princes throne but an ecclesiasticall preachers pulpit So that our forefathers in the ould time termed the aboue named churches Apostolike seates of the Apostolicke doctrine bycause the Apostles taught in those places and from those Apostolick Churches the Apostolick doctrine stretched foorth vnto other Churches aswell farre as nere Wherfore those places in which is not the Apostolick doctrine can not glory of the Apostolick seat although indéed it were ther many hundred yéeres béefore For there is also a seate of the Diuell as Saynt Iohn declareth in the 2. Chapter of the Reuelation But in the time of Pope Gregory the first whiche was within 300. yéeres after the birth of Christe the Church of Rome was so farre from the dominion which now it obtaineth that Gregorye very vehemently with stood Iohn which was bisshop of Constantinople who ambitiously sought to haue cheif place and superioritie in the Church would also bée called vniuersal bysshop Which title notwithstandinge and greater to the bysshops of Rome do vse at this day but Gregorie said that this was a Deuilish pride and the malice of Antichriste Hée that lust let him reade the fourth sixte books of Saint Gregories Epistles touchinge this matter Howbeit not longe after the death of Gregory Bonifacius the 3. vsurped that title which was graunted vnto him by Phocas the emperour a naughtie and wicked man For Otho bysshop of Frisingen a writer of Cronacles in the v. booke and eight Chapter reporteth how Pope Bonifacius the 3. had obtained of Phocas the Emperour that by his aucthoritie power and commaundement the Churche of Rome might bée cauled and also bée indéede the head of all other Churches Beda also writeth the same And Vrspurgensis saith that Rome ought to bée mother of all other Churches Nauclerus writeth that al other Churches in the worlde ought to obey the Churche of Rome and the Bishop therof Wherby it may bée easely perceaued how that this decrée of Phocas the Emperour whom all Hystoricians do verie mutch reprooue was no decree or institution of the Apostles made by Peter or Paule The Sea of Rome béeyng exalted after this maner the bishops which consequently ensued began more more to busie and medle themselues with ciuile matters neither sought they only for power and dominion but deuised how they might plucke their necks from the emperours iurisoiction and extol themselues aboue them how they might challenge bryng in subiection vnder them their prouinces peoples and maiestie But in y meane season they quight forgot their submission and duty departing far wide from thence became altogether vnlike vnto y first bishops of Rome At length the matter proceeded so farre that they durst boldly withstande y emperours and rise agaynst them for euen so Gregory the .ij. and Gregory the .iij. Popes of Romes opposed themselues against Leo the .iij. and Constantine the .v. emperours For these calling certen coūsels vnto which there assembled a great numbre of learned men and bishops of Asia Grecia and other regions they argued the controuersie of Images namely whether it were lawfull to haue and to woorship the Images of Christe and the holly saincts in the Churches of the Christians Whereas at that time it was concluded and confirmed out of the holy scriptures and doctrine of the auncient fathers that Images ought not to be worshipped nor to be suffred in churches but to bée taken away whersoeuer they were founde But after that th' emperors had giuen foorth cōmaundment to the Popes and vnto other vnder the Roman Empire that all of them accordyng to the woord of God and the meaning therof discussed in this present coūseil should take downe th'images out of their Churches sutch was the presumption of the Popes that béeyng called to y counsel they neither appered and afterwarde by their owne aucthoritie contrary to the cōmandement of the Emperours they called peculyer Counsels of Italian Byshops wherein they decréede y Images ought bée to retained in churches and more worshipped then euer they had bin before Nether presumed they onely thus farre but withdrue the Emperours subiectes from due obedience towards hym excommuncaityng the Emperours themselues withoute cause raising morouer tumults great feditions wherein the Emperours lieutenantes and debites were slayne as namely Paulus at Rauenna and Mauritius with Adriane his sunne in Campania And by this meanes all dutifull seruice and obedience was denied to the Emperours they were driuen from the gouerment of Italye But by what right the Popes brought these thinges to passe by
all these things patiently and ouercame them and continued alwaies constant vnder y crosse The cause why the Iewes were enemies to Paul to y church surely was none other then y wherwith being before mooued they persecuted Christ y apostles as we haue declared before Moreouer hystories beare recorde that the twelue Apostles in all their life time and durynge the tearme of their administration in the gospel sustayned gréeuous afflictions and were all of them for Christe and his woords sake persecuted and put to death Although all writers doo not agrée of their kinds of death yet they al coÌ„stanly affirme y thei were miserably slain Peter and his brother Andrew were both crucified Iames the elder as wée haue shewen before was béeheaded by Herod surnamed Agrippa Whose brother Iohn the Euangelist the béeloued disciple of Christ only of them al is reported to haue died a naturall death Notwithstandyng hée was apprehended and brought bounde out of Asia to Rome and conuented béefore DomitiaÌ„ th'emperour and there as Tertullian writeth plunged ouer head and eares in hot boylinge oyle But after that the lorde graciously prouiding for him this cruell déede nothing indamaged his life hée was banished into y Isle Pathmos Phillip was nayled to a crosse there hangynge was stoned to death Barthelmew thei say was by his enemies most horribly flayne and afterward béeheaded Othersome say hée was burnt The enemies of Christe thrust Thomas through with a sworde and so as it is reported they dealt with Mathew Iames the younger the pastor doctor of the church of Ierusalem was throwne downe headlonge from an high place and afterwarde slayne beinge buffeted with stones vntill hée died Likewise both Apostles Simon and Iudas Thaddaeus ended their liues beinge by the heathen slain in a certen temple of Idols Some also say that Mathias was crucified others say hée was stoned and béeheaded Al these bare witnes of Christe not with their mouth and doctrine only but with ther blood also and for the trueth of the gospell which they preached were contented to die with wel willing and moste valient courage Now for as mutch as all the Apostles were slayn by the enimies of God who obtayned the souerainitye ouer them as apperteyninge to the bodye shall wée therfore say that superstitions of Gods enemies were right and the Apostles religion and doctrine false and erroneous who shall accuse God bycause hée deliuered not his seruantes from a reprochfull death but that hée gaue to the worst men in the whole worlde sutch power agaynst his holly Apostles Who although they were ministers of the trueth and innocent men yet were they put to death for the greatest enemies of God as malifactours and wicked persons for sutche were they accused to bée and therefore at this our age in the lyke cause wee must iudge so of their beléefe doctrine who ar shamefully executed for christs sake as indéede the trueth standeth in the sight of Christe ¶ Of the. 6. Tragicall Acte or persecutioÌ„ which was vnder Nero and of the seuenth which was vnder Domitian and of the eight vnder Vlpius Traian Emperours Chapter VI. PAulus Orosius an olde historician who liued in the time of Austine and wrote vnto hym seuene bookes of Storyes beginneth the recitall of the persecutyon of the Christian Churche from the persecution whiche Nero had moued which hée accounteth the first whose order the later Historicians also insued And we lykewise in describing the Tragedies persecutions committed against the Church wyll follow the same order as consequently they follow one another But since it is manifest y the fiue aboue recited persecutioÌ„s were before these as the scriptures do shew that which Orosius maketh the firste we make the sixt although the matter be of no great importaÌ„ce in this respect Orosius writeth that Nero firste that is to say among the Roman Emperours gaue forth commaundement that at Rome and in al other prouinces belonging to the Roman Empire the Christians shoulde bee molested and slayne And y this was his determination to roote oute the Christian faith all Christians wheresoeuer they were The causes that moued Nero to persecute y Christians are not so dilygentlye set downe by christian historicians as they are by prophane writers Suetonius Tranquillus in the lyfe of Nero and Cornelius Tacitus in the. 15. booke of the lyues of the Emperours Nero y emperour was y sinke of al beastly sinfulnesse fulnesse chiefly of lechery and vnspeakable incest defilyng himselfe against al course of nature so y in all Histories of you shal not finde his match This horrible wickednesse he openly committed at Rome without al shame in sight of y Senate and people But there was no man that durste speake against hym mutch lesse to reproue him or assay to punish hym but euery man winked at hym the most filthy beast in the meane time doyng what he list Wherfore God being offended with the citie of Rome punished it with fire as he did Sodome Gomorrha euen by Nero himself when as for his Sodomitical beastlinesse hée deserued to be burned himself And séeing Rome winked at his naughtinesse and did not y which it ought to haue done the horryble Sodomite Nero caused the citie to be set on fire For being certen places in the cittie wherewith Nero mislyked and the streates and passadges there verye narrow he caused the houses to be sette on fire that after they were brent they might be builded againe more faire and sumptious He himselfe beheld the fire out of Mecoenas tower saying that he much desired to se the burning of Troy which he beheld now som what resembled by that burning of the citie singing therwhiles the destruction of Troy and delighting himselfe with beholdyng the great fire Suetonius reporteth that from that time that Rome was firste built it neuer sustayned so much hurte by fire for it continued alwayes burnning the space of six dayes and so manye nights The same is also diligentlye described by Tacitus But when the fire through the wrath of God had brent farther then Nero had thought it shoulde and indamaged the Citie with an vnrepayrable losse and hinderaunce the citizens which had sustained so great harme were very much moued and â—ffended Wherefore the Emperour Nero to the intent that hee might put ouer from himself the 〈◊〉 of the déede raised a rumour among the commons that this whole mischeif was long of the Christians that they were aduersaries to the Gods and Religon of the Romans and wicked burners of cities and townes who also in that sort had defaced the citie And that this report might séeme to carie some trueth and auctoritie hée cast manie Christians into prison and examined them by tortures and tormentes that they should confesse how the citie was set on fire by them And in dede there were some fownd who not beinge able to abide tormentes
but rather wisshing to die falsly accused themselues other Christians confessinge that they had set the citie on fire Wherfore immediatly there was a proclamation published by the emperour against christiaÌ„s in which it was commaunded that in Rome and al prouinces thei should be rooted out as enemies to the gods and religion of the Romanes and men practised in burning setting on fire And this was the beginning of y persecution and blouddy tragedie For some in reproche and for a mockyng stocke were sowed into the skinnes of wild beasts as Tacitus writeth cast vnto dogs to be torne Other were brent some â—aâ—â—â—ed and crucified and so destroyed with sundrie and most cruel punishments inso mutch that as Tacitus writeth the common people of Rome were mooued with greate pitie towards them But with Nero ther was no mercy no end of torments In this persecution were slayne as historicians do testifie and we also haue declared before the Apostles Peter Paul. There be also numbred by Chroniclers many notable and godly men whiche in this persecution suffred gréeuous affliction reproches punishment of bitter death not at Rome only but here there in other prouinces of the Romane empire Since therfore this persecution was first moued by Nero for a filthy horrible cause who shall accuse God for graunting such power to a wicked and Sodomiticall person against so many thousands of holy and innoceÌ„t men yea freinds of God or why hee suffred the christians to be brent for house burners and did not rather hale foorth Nero the true house burner and beastly Sodomit castinge him into the thickest of the people to bee torne in peces when therfore in our age the lyke do happen let all men humbly submit themselues to the power of God and his mightye hande beare their crosse with pacience which the Lord layeth vpon them giue laud and praise vnto God and constantlye cleaue to his holy worde whiche at Neroes time was also true and iust although it was behouefull that the faithfull should suffer afflictions and Nero ouercome them and haue power ouer them with his prophane and superstitious Relygion After this about the yere of our Lord 97. with intollerable and diuellish pride Domitian the Emperour set foorth him self sunne to Vespasian brother to Titus by whom the Citie of Ierusalem was destroyd the Iewes vanquished in battle and opressed The same was not ashamed to boast himselfe to be God Lord and would so be called and worshipped of al meÌ„ and y which no Emperour required before him he commanded y they should kisse his féete wherin no Emperour followinge hym dyd the lyke except Dioclecian onely a cruell Tyrant and a murtherer of holy men This Dominitia set a broch the .vii. persecutions against Christians in the which many holy men were driuen into banishment many flayne or spoyled of their goods and troubled most bitterlye Amongst whom Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist was brought prisoner from Ephesus to Rome vnto the Emperour and there tormented Flauia also and Domicilla of greatest nobilitie in the citie with diuers other mo were by Domitian sent into banishment But Iohn afterward returned vnto Ephesus and there died in the yere of our Lorde 102. after the passion of Christe 68. and the third yéere of the reygne of Traiane the Emperour After this about the yéere of our lord 110. Vlpius Traiane a mightie and victorious Emperour was the cause and authour of the eight persecution against the Christians in Rome and in other places vnder the Romaine Empire Whiche thynge cheifly prouoked him and other Emperours that came after him to persecute the Christians bicause they thought good that there should bee no Schisme suffred in the empire specially in religion but that there should bée one only religion receaued whiche their forefathers had obserued béefore time Now that disagréement in religion nourisheth coÌ„tentions and hatred a thing not to bée suffred in any empire Moreouer y they feared gréeuous calamities and punishments if their gods were not woorshipped after their accustomed maner and therfore the Christians bicause they hated their temples aulters sacrifices images and hollydayes blamyng and disdaynynge the religion of the Romanes were in no wise to be suffred Wherfore if any calamities should chaunce to rise in y Romane empire as are troubles dearth of corne famine warre seditions pestilence diseases with other discommodities by and by y Romans burthened the Christians with y cause of all these anoyances for contemnyng their gods and religion and doyng contrarie vnto the same That they woorshipped one God acknowledgyng Christ alone the sunne of God to bée the only sauiour openly pronouncyng that the Romane religion was false and of the diuel that their faith in Christe was true right nether that God ought to bée worshipped with images and temples sacrifices and hollydayes but in spirite and trueth accordyng to his woorde As for the Romans and other nations abroad in the worlde they were altogether addicted to superstitions valiently sheadyng their blood leesing their goods and liues in defence of their religion exhortyng other firmely to retain y same For they boasted how they receaued y religion of their elders which were no fooles but excellent wisemen Moreouer that there were many learned men in their collegies of priests that their beléef was confirmed with manie notable wounders and miracles y whilst they obserued that religion they obtayned sundry great victories and y who le empire of al the worlde attributyng al their good successe and salftie to their religion which had remained manie thousand yéeres not béeyng so new and but thyrtie yéeres ould as was the christian religion That their Gods were friendly and liberall vnto them helpyng them in sutche sorte that they wanted nothynge on the otherside the christians were poore and vnfortunate wherfore they should doo amisse if they erred the breadth of one heare or spared the sacrilegious enemies of their ancient and victorious religion Wherfore these causes which wee haue now recited prouoked the Romane Emperours to persecute the Christians The causes of the persecutions likewise in our age are not mutche vnlyke whoso weyeth them both vprightly Wherefore in this persecution moued by Traiane there was an vnspeakable deale of Christian bloud shed â–ª At Ierusalem Simeon Byshop of the citie beinge an hundred and twenty yeares ould was crucified S. Ignatius also the seruant of Christe and Disciple of the Apostles was brought from Antioche where he was Bishop vnto Rome cast vnto wilde beastes and by them torne in péeces Their Tragedies were so cruel their slaughters so great the sheadinge of Christian blood so horrible that Plinie the seconde a wise gentleman and lieutenant to the emperour wrate vnto the emperour giuinge vnto the Christians a singulare testimonie of their innocencie This epistle is to bée séene in the 〈◊〉 booke of Plinies epistles By which meanes the state of Christians was some deale the
and at length confirmed with their bloud For after manie and diuerse torments they were slayn with the sworde by Decius the Romane lieutenant that dwelte in the castle of zuirick And these most holly Germans haue left vnto vs the most holly and precious treasure of the Gospell and Christian fayth These our Apostles or rather teachers sent vnto vs from heauen are farre more auncient then y counsailes These liued and taught and are blesledly departed this life béefore the Papisticall Churche was establyshed in forme and manner as it is for at theyr time there was not that Papacie which afterwarde ensued there were then no Images in Churches there was no sacryfice of Mas no inuocatiō of saints no Munks no institutiōs or foūdations of Abbeies for they lyued in those yeres after Christe whiche wée haue before noted so that the Christyan fayth hath contynued amongst vs and also the auntient Congregation of Zuirick aboue 1270. yeares whiche I praye God alwayes with his grace to preserue But when this losse whiche the Churche had sustayned and this token of the wrath of God against his people had mooued but fewe in the Churche to repentaunce the more parte remaynynge carelesse and impenitent and alwayes procéedynge farther in theyr vnthankefulnesse God also increased the correction suffryng the Churche to bée oppressed with a moste sharpe persecution For in the .xix. yéere of Dioclecian which was the. 306. after the birth of Christe in the month of March euen on Easter day were published euery where edictes from y emperours againste the Christians wherin was charge giuen that Churches and Oratories of the Christians shoulde bée plucked downe to the grownd the Bibles and all bookes of holly scripture burned and whosoeuer of the Christians hée were that were in any honour office and dignite should bée disgraded and made imfamous with many other commaundmentes of that sorte Shortly after it was commaunded by another edict from the emperours that in euery place the bysshops and ministers of the Church should bée apprehended and constrained to do sacrifice to the Gods if anie spake against it they should be enforced therto or slaine Héerevpon ensued a miserable and cruell slaughter For the christian byshops doctours and ministers of the Churches were thicke and thréefolde led and drawn to the temples of Idols to do sacrifice and manie times those that lead them mooued with certein compassion exhorted them whom they lead to holde their peace and if they woulde but dissemble as though they dyd sacrifice they woulde then lette them departe But they declared with a loude voyce that they neither had Sacrificed neither woulde Sacrifice but that they were the seruantes and ministers of Christe wherfore vnaccustomed and new tormentes and diuerse tortures and punishments were laid vpon the Christians in execution wherof the tormenters and officers were more wery in appliyng then the Christians in suffringe them For they through thée goodnes of God continnued constant in the Christian faith vnto death notwithstandinge certen through feare and greatnes of paine and torment renounced their faith to the wounderfull sorowe and greif all the godlie At Nicomedia in Bythynia when the emperours commaundement and proclamation was openly set abroade and both emperours at that present soiurned at Nicomedia a certen noble citizen and of great dignitie in that city rent downe the emperours edict and tore it all to péeces wherfore with out delaye hée was brought vnto the emperours Who after that hée had confessed that hée was a Christian and that whiche hée had doone hée did it on a feruent zeale hée was deliuered vnto the hangemen and Iurmagantes who tormented him with sundrie torments vntill hée died But amonge the outragious tormentes wherewith they martyred him there neuer appéered any one sygne of sorrowe in his countenaunce At the same tyme were tormented and slayne the chéeife Prynces and nobles of the Emperours householde amonge whom Peter after sundrie vexations and tortures was layde vpon a Gridyron and roasted with this moste cruell kynde of deathe endynge his lyfe Lykewyse Dorotheus and Gorgonius Gentilmen of the Emperours Chamber after the bitter taste of sundrie tormentes were laste of all hanged Anthimus also bysshop of Nicomedia was at that time slayne with the sword and with him a great numbre of cityzens as shéepe followynge their sheapheard through tormentes and death with a most constant faith In Nicomedia at that time there arose a great fire suddeinly within the kinges palace as who should say that God ment to punishe the extreame crueltie of the emperours and the heathen people which had burned and broiled so manie innocent and godlie men But the same chaunced which befell at Rome in the time of Nero for like as hée imputed the cause of burninge the citie vnto the giltlesse Christians beeinge cause therof himselfe so these emperours published new commaundementes wherby they strayghtly charged y the Christians should bée extinguished with fier sword in euery place In Syria likewise the faithfull Doctours noble and vnnoble men and women younge and ould were drawen by heapes into prison in so mutch that the prisons and common places of the citie were full of prisoners and but few men there were that walked abroade the place resemblyng the shew of a forlorne wildernesse Wherof when the Emperours were aduertised they willed that sutche as would do sacrifice to the gods should bée released the residew that continued in the christian béeléefe should bée put to death with moste cruell kindes of tormentes The people of Tyrus also in the land of Palestine whole flockes as it were of men and women in places of common resorte for shewes were thrown vnto wylde beastes and when the wild beastes were more gentyl towards the Christians then the men neither forced vpon them to teare them yea rather teare their kéepers and maisters that egged them to others notwithstanding these faithlesse tyrants crueller then all beastes ranne vpon the miserable christians woundyng them stabbyng them and cruelly without all pittie murtheryng them A strainge kynde of crueltye also the vngodly in Egipt and Thebais practized against the faithfull wherwith they slew infinite numbers of them They vsed in certayne places to bend downe two Trées and to bynde the faithfull vnto eche trée by the legge then to let them rise agayne and so tearyng the men in péeces And Vspurgensis reporteth how at the same time in one monethes space were seuentéene thousand men martyred and slayne Eusebius in the. 9. and. 10. Chapters of the 8. booke describeth the strange torments and punishments of many christians which he himselfe dyd beholde amonge whom he mentioneth one Phileas a worthy man who was a Martir himselfe and had wroten of Martirs There was also in Phrigia a certen famous Citie wherein all the people highest and lowest young and old professed the Christian faith The same Citie the Emperours army beseidged round about and set it on fire burninge
their practizes euery man that is indued with common sence and hath any knowledge of iustice mai soone vnderstand Al these things were doone with in 30. yéeres after y yere of our lorde 724 or nere therupon vnto the yéere of our Lorde 754 In the yéere of our Lorde 750. Pope Zacharie the. 1. of that name tooke vpon him teÌ„porall matters began to medle with the ciuill gouerment assisted to depose the king of France froÌ„ his crowne and to place another in his rowme For through his help and counsell Hilderik king of France of the antient familie of Merouingi was deposed from y crown and Pipine of the familye of Charles thurst into his place But shortly after this great benifite of the Popes Pipine brought an army of FrenchmeÌ„ into Italy against Estulphus king of Lumbardy when hauing taken in war the greater parte of the cuntrey hée gaue it for reward vnto pope Steuen the second and then first S. Peter obtained an inheritaÌ„ce who béefore y time y space of 700. yéeres neuer had any and although y Constantius y emperour sent Embassadours vnto Pipine that hée would not alienate the Prouinces of the Romane Empire yet notwithstanding Steuen the Pope gladlye receiued those Prouinces peopls and ciuill gouerment whiche certenly S. Peter would neuer haue doone forasmuch as hee refused the charge ouer the poore Actes the vi The Popes followinge thereafter immitated the déedes of theÌ„ which went before nothinge lyke the déedes of the Apostles For Hadriane the Pope lykewise receiued all those thinges willyngly which Charles surmamed the great King of Fraunce gaue vnto him when he had vanquished and ouercome the Lumbards and taken prisoner Desiderius their king But Leo the third attempted more For he tooke vpon him the aucthoritie ouer all the Empire which then appertayned to the Emperours of Constantinople and crowned Charles Emperour of Rome withoute the knowledge and consent of the lawfull Emperours when as then as Palmerius accompteth the west had lacked their owne Emperour the space of 330. yéeres The yéere of Christe 860. Pope Nicholas the firste ruled the sea of Rome a passinge ambitious man institutinge sundry thinges not appertayning to the gouerment of the Church but to confirmation and establishinge of the popishe tyrany First that no prince no not the emperour himselfe should bée present in the counseiles of the Clergie Also that no lay man should set in iudgment ouer a clarke or ecclesiasticall person Moreouer that the Popes decrées and sentences ought to bée iudged by no man yea that the Pope is subiect vnto no ciuile power bicause he is god Reade Antoninus Titul xvi Paragra 9. and likewise in the decrées in the 76. and. 28 â–ª distinction Afterward in the yéere of Christ 962. the Popes of Rome grue vnto so great power that when Otho the. 1. emperour of that name came vnto Rome hée must néedes take an othe vnto Pope Iohn the xii that hée would defende the inheritance of Peter c. Reade the. 63. distinction which béeginneth Tibi Domine Ioanni But in the yéere after the birth of our Lord sauiour Christ 1000. the tyranny of Popes against y emperours brak foorth into light for casting away their yoke from their neckes they béegan fréely to bear rule at their owne plesure nothinge regardynge any Magistrate yea bringynge Princes kynges and Emperours into subiection vnder them and compellyng to obey them or otherwise through deceit and couen bryngynge them to the bent of their bow For I pray you what horrible tragedies and turmoiles did pope Gregory the seuenth stirre vp against Henrie the fourth For not only hée excommunicated him and intreated him most disdainfully but also discharginge his subiectes princes and nobles that were vnder the empire from their othe and allegeance raised a sedition against him causing an infinitie deale of blood to bée shead Who so is disposed let him reade this most cruell and strange historie in the yéearlye recordes of Ihon Auentine and in other historicians Pope vrbane the .ii. which succéeded Gregorie in the sea of Rome his verie true and vndoubted Disciple in the Claromont counsell was causer of the most cruell warre which the Christians made against the Sarracens wherof we haue spoken béefore Béesides hee prouoked Conrade the prince of Italye to rebell against his father the emperour Henrye the fourth which was a deede altogither against nature Likewise Paschalis the .ii. egged the sunne Henrye the v. against his father Henrye the fourth and thrise accursed him tausinge the bysshoppes of Ments and Coleine wourmes in his palace of Ingelheim by force to turne him out of his imperiall ornamentes disgrading the good ould emperour and adorninge therwith his sunne Henrye the fifte If anye man can bée delighted herewith let him read this wofull historye in his Saxonie of Albertus Crantius the firâ—â— booke the xx chapter The same Paschalis was troublesom also vnto the emperour Henrye the fift and was the cause of mutch bloodshead and all only for the donation and gift as they call them of certein ecclesiasticall benefices and prefermentes which vnto that time the emperour had alwayes and now the Pope went about forcibly to take them away But that which hée could not bringe to passe the same afterward Calixtus the. 2 assaid nether relented vntill hée had taken away from the emperour the same right of donation of spirituall prefermentes Wherof Abbas Vrspurgensis hath writen diligently These thinges were doone in the yéere of our lord God 1122. But the Popes of Rome were not contented with this but the later sorte haue insued the trade of their predicessours touching wickednes and mischeif in persecutinge the emperours For afterward they béecame gréeuous vnto them neuer makinge an ende of cursing seditions warres and perpetuall fraud and deceipt vntill at length they had oppressed the wéerie emperours and exalted their seate aboue theirs placinge themselues in power and superioritie aboue all other Who so desireth to haue a sounde and perfect knowledge of these matters let him reade the storye of Fridericus Barbarossa and those thinges which the Popes Adrian the fourth and Alexander the thirde practized against him of which the later most presumptiously trode vpon the Emperours necke with his foote Also what Caelestinus the fourth wrought against Henry the first Let him also there béeholde with what arrogancie pride and insolencie Pope Innocentius the third a loftie and bould Preist vsed against Philip the Emperour But specially let it bée well considered what the popes Honorius y third Gregorie the .ix. and Innocentius the. 4 committed wickedly and deceiptfully against Fridericke the seconde a notable and most excellent Emperour a man indued with most singular giftes whom most vnworthely and reprochfully they troubled afflicted as they did likewise his sunne Conradus the fourth emperour of that name These contentions persecutions and most cruell and perpetuall warres béetwéene the Popes and the emperours continued
hollie man and Seruant of God the Crosse affliction and persecution from god Vnto which purpose God vsed Satan as an instrument prescribing him bonds how farre he should persecute Iob. And Satan through his malice stirred vp the rauenous and gredie people of the Chaldees to breake in vpon Iobs goodes to spoile him and bringe him to pouertie Then Iob although hée vnderstood y â— â—through the instigation of Satan hée was in sutch sort endamaged by wicked and rauenous men notwithstandinge hée tooke regard vnto the principall cause of persecution and hée saide not as the maner is now a daies that hée was sore afflicted by Satan and maliciouslye spoiled by the Chaldees but said hée the Lorde hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away y name of the Lorde bée blessed for euer Likewise the scripture in the same signification calleth Nabuchodonosor the seruaunt of God which persecuted his people and lead them captiue into Babilon for so it is writeÌ„ in the second booke of Paralipomenon the last Chap. wherfore God sent his Prophetes vnto them exhorting theÌ„ to repent but they mocked at them And therfore the lorde béeinge displeased with them brought vpon them the king of Chaldees which was Nabuchodonosor and diliuered then into his hands Likewise in Daniel the. 9. y Lorde watched for a shrewd turne and hath brought it vpon vs Our Lord God is iust in all his woorkes which hée hath doone And although they were the Chaldees which lead away the people of God into hard and sharpe captiuitie notwithstandinge the Prophets of God Ieremie Ezechiel Daniel with many other hollie men which sawe and felt these thinges chose rather with Iob to ascribe their affliction persecution vnto God and his iustice then vnto the vnbéeléeuing and wicked men So likewise at this day the faithfull had rather to suppose y they abide their afflictions at the handes of God then of men For they know that men can do nothing vnlesse God permitt them And in that he permitteth them againe thereby they know béeléeue y all thinges are done suffred by him to bée doone by his iust iudgment and for the profit of his people Wherfore by all these thinges we mai vnderstand that the crosse afflictions persecutions ar sent froÌ„ God laid also vpon holy and Godly men And as touching Iob God himself bereth witnes that hée was a single and righteous man fearing God and eschewing euell whose like was not vpon the earthe Moreouer all men acknowledge and confesse that the Prophetes Iohn the Baptiste and the Apostles were holly men and the seruantes of God and yet notwithstanding they al suffred persecutioÌ„ Besides this S. Peter writeth that Christians should not suffer as théeues or malefactours but only for God and the truethes cause The first epistle of Peter the. 4. chapter Secondly God sendeth persecution vnto sutch as ought to bée the people of God and partly also are indéede and so are named but are not so innocent pure and holly as of duetie they should bée as wée sayd erewhile of the people of God which were lead away into Babylon And Cyprian testifieth that the cause of the persecution at his time vnder the Emperour Decius was the dissolute life of the faithfull Eusebius sheweth the like causes where hée describeth the persecution of Dioclecian And it is séene that booth giltie and vngiltie good and bad altogither are subiect to the crosse I call vngiltie those whiche béeynge vnlike to the children of this worlde are not defiled with all kynde of wickednesse neuerthelesse haue their imperfections and as it were certein moales and staynyngs Wherefore they confesse their faultes and defectes vnto God and glorie nothyng of themselues Accordyng vnto which sence and opinion Iob sayth Surely I know it is true that no man is iust if hee be compared to god If hee will striue with him hee is not able to aunswere him vnto one for a thousand And althogh I haue doone some iust deede yet will I not answere but intreate my iudge And Dauid in the. 142. Psalme saith Enter not into iudgment with thy seruant O Lorde for there shall no liuing creature bee iustified in thy sight Wherfore those which bée giltlesse although they bée subiect to persecution with the most wicked men notwithstandinge they murmur not against y Lorde but accordinge to the scriptures they confesse and say Thy iudgements are iust O Lorde and all thy waies are trueth and holinesse Thirdly persecutions are sent from god vnto the Church to declare his glorie and Maiestie For when the Disciples vpon a time had enquired of the Lorde touching the man that was borne blind whether hée or his parentes had deserued the same by their offences the lorde answered them as appéereth in Iohn the ix chapter that this was doone that the glory of God might bée declared in him The like also hée said of the sicknes of his frend Lazarus in Iohn the 12. that the infirmitie was not vnto death but sent to the glorye of God that the sun of God might bée glorified therby For in persecutions the power of God is declared wherby hée preserueth his in the midst of afflictions and when hée séeth time deliuereth them with great glory as it is euidently expressed in the stories of Daniell Hester and Esdras Wherfore it is writen by Saint Paule wée haue the treasure of the Gospell in earthen vesselles that the excellencie of the power therof may be Gods and not our owne while in althinges wée ar pressed but not wronge we are in trouble but wée do not want wée suffer persecution but wée are not therin forsaken caste downe nor perishe wée carie the mortification of our Lorde Iesus Christe about with vs in our body to the intente that the lyfe which commeth by Iesus Christe may bée made manifest in our body the .ii. to the Corinthians the. 4. Chapter For which cause the same Apostle writeth how it was said vnto him by the Lorde my grace is sufficient for thée for my strength is made perfect through weaknesse the 2. to the Corinthias the xii chapter There is also another cause of persecutions for that it pleaseth God through them to reueale the trueth vnto men namely when the faithfull béeing apprehended in persecutioÌ„s and brought into iudgment do plainly and openly professe the Gospell And our sauiour christ saith you shalbée brought béefore Lieutenantes and kinges for my sake that this may bée a testimonie to them and the Gentiles Mathew the x. Chapter Moreouer by persecutions whiche God layeth vpon the Church hée prooueth the same how strong and constant it is purgynge those that are vncleane like as Goldsmithes vse to trie clense their golde and siluer in the fier For if the fleash continue in rest and idlenesse féelyng no maner of aduersitie oftentimes it waxeth wanton and lasciuious wherfore God exerciseth his seruantes with persecutions to awake them that they should not