vpon them mens traditions pelting gloses and olde wiues tales in steede of Christes Gospell that yee may rob the lay people of the woorde of God with holding it fast lockt from them in an vnknowne and barbarous tongue That yee may scatter abroade the doctrine of Diuelles But the Lorde be highly thanked for it there lacketh no store of godly personages amongst them which are able too execute that holy function of preaching Gods woorde and do execute it indeede without ayde of the Laterane Bishopp freely and with good successe yea so muche the more freely by howe muche they bee seuered from your tyranny by distaunce of place What is the cause theÌ„ that ye may determin their causes and controuersies But where may controuersies bee more happily decided and more speedily ended then where the speciall circumstances of the greeuances began first and are best knowne Heere of came that sacred decree of those godly Fathers in the Africane Councell as Cyprian doth testifie That euery mans cause should bee pleaded in the same prouince where the offence was coÌ„mitted wher also might be both accusers and witnesses of the cryme And for this cause it was decreed further That to euery pastor some particular portion of the flocke shoulde bee appoynted which euery of them shoulde rule and direct rendering accounte of his proceedings therein to the Lorde c. In their Englishe affayres therefore what interest may the Romishe Inquisition challenge sithens the States of his owne Nation of Affricke haue vtterly renounced it But happily the authoritie of the Pope is holden verie necessarie to choose Byshoppes and to dispose other orders Ecclesiastical for this they mainteyne for inuiolable that all maner election of Bishops is vtterly vnlawfull except they bee consecrated by the Romishe Sea But what is this else then to robbe the Churche of her lawfull right and interest in her free election and to yeeld ouer the Church her selfe which ought to be the Spouse of Christ a seruile bondmayde to the Pope and not the Pope to the Church when as notwithstanding the Apostle Paule writing to the Corinthians doubted nothing at all to make the Apostles themselues subiect to the Church speaking on this wise All thinges are yours sayeth he whether it bee Paule or Cephas or Apollo whether they be thinges present or things to come but you are Christes hee doth not say you are the Popes and Christ is God Briefely as concerning that laying on of handes which the Papistes account altogither vnlawfull without the Popes annoynting why shoulde it bee lesse lawfull for vs to put the same in execution in our Churches in ecclesiasticall elections and ordering our owne Ministers and Pastours then the Cardinalles of Rome in the choise of their Pope For sithens in Rome it selfe is no such necessarie succession of personages or Palles but that which is purchased for the penie and sithens no consecration almost doeth passe there that is not rather besmeared with Oyle of money then with any Oyle else I beseech youâ— what should be the cause why the proceedings of our Churches may not bee adiudged more legitimaâ—e and canoâ—icall being exeâ—uted according to the prescript ordinaunces of the Canons not without due trial of learning good consideration of conuersation common consent and voyces oâ— the Congregation namely for as much as the Lorde hath promised wheresoeuer two or three doe agree together in any one thing in his name that the Father will graunte them theyr requestes Which being agreed vppon I demaunde what cause of iuste complaint you can alleadge against vs ye Romane Bishop or what iniury haue you susteyned at our handes If none at all why doe ye fret and fume wherefore doth your choler boyle so monstrously to what ende are those thunder clappes of bulles and warlike wild sier scattered abroade wherewith like a most vnmercifull Caligula ye seeme ready bent to scorch and cut all our heads from our shoulders at one blow if you were able The stay wherof surely proceded not of any relent of your crueltie nor of any your fearefulnesse too commit the facte but from Gods onely merciful benignitie which doth for the most part rebounde back malitious attemptes either vpon the wicked authours themselues or as vapours and clowdes scatter them to naught But goe to let vs graunt vnto you that by this excluding of you some particular Churche haue beene iniurioâ—s to your maiestie which being neuerthelesse most vntrue yet let vs imagine it to be euen so It behooued you notwithstanding to call to your remembrance of what spirite ye were ofâ— if at the least ye belong to Christe whose vicar you doe challenge your self to be Of whom if you haue not yet learned the lesson which ought to haue bin first chiefly learned too wit To pray for your enimies ye should at the least not haue forgotten the lesson next vnto the same That whatsoeuer iniury had bene offred you against equitie right yee may not be iudge yet of your own priuate grieuauÌ„ce but haue committed the same wholy to be auenged of the Lorde For so you reade commaunded by Gods owne mouth Vengeaunce is myne and I wil rewarde saith the Lord. So might you not in any wyse haue misdoughted but that he vpon some good liking of your cause vndertaking the defence thereof woulde of his sincere Iustice both more orderly more mightely haue repulsed the iniury then your self were able too doo For proofe wherof as there be sundry examples in the scripture so amongst al other that counsel of Gamaliel wherewith he appeased the outragious insolency of the Pharisees from sleing the Apostles ought to haue bin remembred agreeing with Gamaliel in counsel If that which these men do be of men or the counsel of men it will come too nought of it self But if this couÌ„sel be of God theÌ„ shall I as wickedly as in vayne striue against it as one not only rebellious against men but against God himselfe Al which I do hither too debate with you in such sorte as if you had iust cause of complaint were it neuer so litle against vs for empayring your dignity which if it were true yet doth not the Apostolique grauitie vsually let loose the reynes of priuate reuenge so grieuously nor any of the scripture enstruct therevnto The milde lenytie of the Gospel wold rather allure too deale more fauourably with the brethren yea though they were faulty who albeit they be not Romaines yet bicause wee bee Christians behooued you euen for Christes sake whom we do woorshippe though wee woorshippe not you to haue had dewe consideration of the mutual amytie and necessary bondes that ought too bee betwixt Christians if at leste yee bee a true Christian your selfe Certes this rayling and slaunderous reproches wherewith yee doo practize and procure vs too bee hated of all and our common weales and kingdomes to bee rent asunder withall and brought to vtter confusion doeth iâ— no
vaunt himselfe to be the chiefe Prelate Bishop of Bishoppes and head of the whole vniuersal Church Wherein hee may thinke it lawefull for him to do what him lusteth through the which slipping his neck out of the coller of his dewe obedience to the higher powers he may presume to enforce vnder his yoake kinges and countreys and therby set al nations in vproare with fire and sworde and vsurpe more then lordly controllership ouer al other Churches and himself lyke a tragical king vppon a stage sitting in a golden chayre crowned with a tryple crowne garnished in a coape of tyssue with kingly scepâ—er in haÌ„d twoo swords and a golden Dyademe beset with pearle and precious stoanes ryde lyke a lurdeiâ— lordling I would say vpon noble mens shoulders O sweeâ—â— Sainct Peter Is this to succeede Peter in Apostleshippe is this to sit in Peters chayre without any sparke of Peters qualities or is it to sit in the chayre of pestilence And what if the Turke spoyling the Pope of the same chayre should sit therein would the dignitie of the place make him Peters successor foorthwith or what if the Pope himselfe as hee sitteth in Peters chayre had also nowe in possession Peters fisherboate shoulde hee therefore for Peters fisherboate become any whiâ—â—e the more skilful fisherman Wherein to my simple conâ—eite seemeth to haue chaunced too the Pope a matter not much vnlike to that whereof wee reade mention made by Lucian of one Neanthus the sonne of Pittacus who hauing Orpheus harpe altogither â—ccording to the olde prouerbe an asse vpon the harpe conceauing a vaine foolishe opinion of himselfe was perswaded that immediatly vpon the sounding of the harpe hee shoulde make wooddes and rockes to runne hopping after him This cockeborrel clowne therefâ—re wâ—ndering abroade ouer hilles and dales and merueling that â—he woodes rocks would noâ— sturre out of their place at the soâ—â—de of the harpe but stande stil as before vnmoueable neuer left stryking streâ—ching thumping and sounding the harp vntil at length hee made himselfe to bee loathed of the brute beasts with the hâ—rshe and confused noyse skraping the sâ—rings and so became a pray to dogges which tare him in pieces and did gnaw his flesh and boanes into gobbets And what els dooth this Romishe prelate present vnto vs with his stately stoole whervpon hâ—e doateth no lesse fondly franticke â—hen the seely caytif vpoÌ„ his harpe For what shold let it but that Orpheus harpe may aswel make a cunning harper as Peters chayre an holy bishop if wee haue therein no further consideration then of the material chayre But heere loe againe a freshe reply of a long and neuer discontinued succeeding of bishoppes rusheth out against vs wherby they sucke out the very source and welspring of their succession euen from the Apostles themselues and to countenaâ—ce out the matter amongest the auncient doctors are alledged as champions of valour Tertullian Irene and Augustine who doo not a little aduaunce the dignitie of ecclesiastical succession They doo yeelde to the Church honor in deede but how and when forsooth in their disputations to confirme the antiquity of the scriptures against such as did vtterly deny them Let vs also consider the tyme when they did so foorsooth euen then when as the very auncient integritie of godlinesse vertue true religion and sinceritie of doctryne was resiaunt in the succession of Bishoppes and when as yet the Sea of Rome taught nothing else but that which was agreable too the Catholicke doctrine approued and allowed in Christian Churches Hithertoo yet was no cause giuen why they shoulde make any special complaint against that Sea the fundation whereof they had hearde say might bee attributed too Peter especially byâ—ause they perceaued that the countenaunce thereof auailed much to the appeasing of schismes But if Augustine and the other auncient Fathers were lyuing nowe and shoulde heare and see these horrible heresies monstruouse maskinges and peeuishe puppettes wherewith this holy Sea ouerwhelmeth the whole world at this present they woulde chaunge their note and sing a farre other manner of song of the intollerable pryde and ambition of this Sea and woulde with no lesse vehemency of spirite then other godly mynisters at this present bende themselues tooth and nayle against the same And yâ—t touching that beadrol of succession wherevppon they bragge as neuer at any time discontinued with what face dare these Romish Rutterkynes face it out with a carde of tenne as it were which hath beene so many yeeres turmoyled with schismes encombred with so many chaunces and chaunges of bishoppes eche striuing against other for the title of that Sea where many tymes three Popes and for the more parte twoo Popes haue challenged the chayre not vnlyke lusty gallaunces who bee ielouse of theyr paramoures in so much that it coulde not bee easily discerned who ought to bee receaued for the true Pope that I speake nothing meanewhyles of al those which by fraude by symony by violence by murthers by witchecraft necromancy and diuelishe practises I say not haue crept couertly in but rudely rusht vppon the foresaide succession To passe also ouer that filthy discontinuance of the same Sea wherin was chopt into chayre as successor not Iohn a bishop but Ioane that shamelesse struÌ„pet whose successors they must needes confesse themselues to bee euen as yet if to deriue the succeeding order of successiue Prelates from the direct lyne of the predecessors bee of so greate emportaunce But of Peter and his succession ynough nowe whome albeeit wee yeelde to haue sometyme sitte as Bishoppe in Rome which maketh not so greatly to the purpose yet what is that to the Pope of Rome nowe forsoothe Christ gaue charge you 〈◊〉 sâ—a of his sheepe to Peter This is true indeede but it was to the ende hee shoulde feede them and not to plucke their skinnes from of their backes But you feede not but suck the blood of Christs sheepe and yet requyre to be accompted Christes vicars and Peters successors And thinke you in this so glorious a light of good learninge and Euangelicall doctryne to finde such bloâ—kish bussardes whome yee may persuade that your bragges bee true wherewith yee may bee able too bleat the eyes of men any longer with that glauering shadowe of vaine tytle and name If you bee of that minde by your leaue syr you doo erre wonderfully if at least the â—ishop of Rome may possibly erre But I wâ—l not say you do erre if you see it notâ— but I wil boldely affirme you are starke madde rather For what shal I say doo yee not perceaue howe your councelles â—ee discouered daâ— yee not feele your craftes fraudes disceits practiâ—es robberies lyes filthinesse crakes vanities errours blasphemies dâ—uises too bee lâ—ide open before al mens eyes Is it not apparaunt vnto you that mens consciences do nowe perfectly beholde your cankred malice and cursed conspiring against Christes Gospel â—hat I neede not meane whyles rippe
as in very deed they were the broode of the deuil Neither wanâ—ed such like busibodies in the Apostles tyme whome S. Paul worthely reprouing spared not to cal false Apostles false brethren dogs euil workmen enemies of Christes crosse The Angel in the Apocalipse speaketh of theÌ„ on this wise they would be accompted Iewes but in very deede they be the synagogue of Sathan To conclude with what sort of people hath not only Christes churche but al commoÌ„ weales also bene pestered more at any time then with such kinde of naughtipackes which when either can not or wil not walke the right way to true renowme do foorthwith not only seeke pilladge of the people but procure also the hassard of their soules health couÌ„terfait hypocrites gloasing flattering the vulgar sort of people entraping the simple The like crafty colour vsed the sect of Mahomet who bicause would not seeme to be Agarenes coyned theÌ„ selues the name of Saracenes as though they were generation of Sara so deceaued the people And the beast mentioned in the Apocalips beeing nothing lesse then a Lambe did wonderfully bewitche men vnder the counterfaict face and hornes of a lambe But here again happly wil some friend of the Romish Churche take me vp for stumbling saying what a matter is this do ye on this wise compare so sacred a Sea to the Agarenes and Saracenes seeing that these do carry no shewe or any resemblance at all of the visible churche neither ought to be named by the name of ChristiaÌ„s On the other side though the Patriarke of Rome be not allowed amongst you as head of the church yet can he not be denied to bee a member of the visible churche and to haue a place amoÌ„gst the Christian congregation For as much then as this bishop hath his place of a Christian in the Christian church for this cause surely it doth not beseeme Christians to sâ—quester them â—elues from Christians What needeth longer answere hereto then at one worâ—e to answere with Cicero Why should I hearken to speeches when I see deedes Certes if he bee a Christian byshop as he requireth to be accompted his offence is so much the more haynous in this that vnder the visor of a Christian he executeth such outrage so furiously and so sauadgly breathing out slaughter vtter destruction of Christians as that no man may doute but that this Abadon hath murthered burnte and oppressed greater heapes of Christian carcasses then any one of all the heathenish sauadge which proclayme them selues to bee open enemies of Christianitie Yea by so much the more is he to be detested then the Saracenes by how much lesse an open enemy hurteâ—h in respect of the priuie lurking and domesticall Scorpion whereof the one may somewhat be preuented by foresight but this other doth â—urther at vnawares before any notice or warning giuen Moreouer to admitte also to be true that this same prelate hath the place of greatest preeminence not onely amongest the Christians but also in the very bosome of the visible churche howe farre forth I pray you will this aâ—ayle for as much as Antichriâ—t him selfe must plante his seate in the chiefest temple of God garded with so great a guarrison of humble attendauntes the multitude whereof is described vnto vs by the prophetical scripture in these woordes And hee made all bothe small and great ryche and poore free and bonde to receiue a marke in their right hande or their foreheades And that no man might buye or sell but hee that had the marke of the name of the beast or the number of his name c. Nowe therefore if a man doe shunne and flee from this poyson and venimous contagion though it be enshrined neuer so gloriously in the visible churche it foloweth not therefore hereupon necessarily that the same doth vtterly renounce the visible church of Christe No more is this true likewyse though the Pope with his shauelings and Cardinals be some part and portion of a visible church that therefore the state of the vâ—â—uersall churche consisteth wholy in them But they proceede neuerthelesse too their suttle â—ophismes What say they doth not the vniuersal church of Christe embrace the faith of Rome euery where Go to and what then I praye you Ergo he that seâ—ludeth him selfe from the faith of Rome can not choose but renounce the vniuersall church of Christe What answere shall I frame better too this suttle sophisme but too deny both partes thereof both the assumption and conclusion For the church did neither heretofore alwayes confesse the Romish faith that is now to be vniuersall neither doth the vniuersall churche of the whole worlde confesse the same at this present as the which groundeth her ankerholde vpon the Apostolike faith and not vpon the Romishe faith Neither we though we do not allowe but abrogate vtterly all singuler the assertions of the Romish religion being now in vre haue therefore renounced the vniuersal church Ouer besides to yelde thus much also y â— a great yart of the vnlettered multitude do at this preseâ—â— receiue the Romish ragges yet behoueth vs to haue consideration not of that which the common people do affectionate but what may be iustifiable by the touchstone of truth So neither must we regarde what the Romish faith is at this present rather we must be wel aduised what the first faith thereof was and what it ought to be now also That person surely which withdraweth him selfe from erroneous doctrine chopt into the churche through the ignorance and treacherie of some teachers doth not fall away from the church but rather â—oth seeke to salue the soares of the church If the Pope of Rome such as professe them selues to be pillers of the Romishe churche will make proofe vntoo vs that their Romishe church swarueth nothing from the Apostolike churche that their faith withal is not defiled with many filthy vnsauery dregges errors then let them condemne vs of Apostasy for our departure from them But if they be not able to do soâ— yea if they theÌ„ selues haue not by much more probable arguments renouncing the doctrine of the Apostles the discipline of the best approued church transfourmed them selues into a certein newfangled doctrine let the indiffereÌ„t reader iudge hereof whether they or we desâ—rue most iustly to be condemned of Apostasie But you were sometime militant in the same churche where we be now will they say from whence you are nowe fallen awaye and departed from vs. It is true in deede So did your predecessours agree once well and godly wiâ—h Christ with his Apostles with the ancient and godly fathers why haue you abandoned them and changed your tippeâ—tes theâ— If you may thinke it lawfull for you to raunge at randon out of â—he true track of religion wherein you did treade sometime a right and to suffer your sâ—lues to be carried away through rockâ—s and â—ragges
must iustifie it selfe with substantiall matter I make no reckoning at all of their outward portely ambitious challenge This one thing do I seeke and craue to know what the truth it selfe doth make iustifiable in deede But in seeking what do I finde to conclude all in one word euen all thinges tourned topsy turuie vnder a lambes skynne shrowded rauening wolues vnder the attire of the spouse crept in the strompet of Babylon vnder poore beggerly weâ—des of Christian name conquerours warriours vypers monsters tyrantes scorpions enemies of Christes blood To be briefe nothing lesse then they resemble ouâ—wardly and expressing them selues in all their actions to nothing more neare then to the very I had almost sayde Iewes them selues In this that I name them Iewes let my woordes be condemned for vayne and vtterly voyde of all credit if the matter it selfe doe not approue this to bee true by most euident demonstration and proofe First like as the Iewes put the sonne of God to death long agoe pretending the name of God Euen so these vnder the name of Christe doe hale and drawe without measure without cause without mercy the members of Christe and the sonnes of the Churche in most horrible wyse with execrable crueltie and woluishe sauadgenes to slaughter to fagot and fier and to all maner of vnspeakeable tortures As the olde Iewes leauing the spirite did embrace only the letter which killeth coÌ„uerted all their expositions and interpretations to that vtter letter What doe our Romanistes at this present els then vrge plodde vpon and exact all things to the onely outward letter of the mysticall scripture as to the onely infallible rule of religion They regarde onely the outward speeches of the Gospell but make no reckoning nor any estimat at all of the Lordes meaning hidden vnder the veyle of wordes vnder figures and parables nor what the heauenly wisdome doth deliuer vnder them nor whereunto the holy Ghost doth direct vs thereby They gnawe vpon the outward huske and fleshly exposition of the scripture but aspire not too the spirituall sense neither pearce into the marowe sinowes of the scripture It is a wonder to see howe nimble and suttle witted how earnest whâ—t they be in colde and naked parings and trifles rotten elementes of this worldâ— but in the things which auaile most and be most profitable they be more blinde then beetels and skarce luke warme therein Amongest the Iewes all thinges were handeled with outwarde ceremonies and outwarde traditions Such was the state of that tyme. But if a man will nâ—we examine the shape of Papisticall doctrine accordingly aâ—d compare it to that plattefourme What shall he approue the Papistes to bee els then very naturall Iewes â—auing that the Iewes were exercised in the ce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presâ—ribed vnto them by Gods speciall commaundement But our Romanists hauing no such â—â—arrant from God nay rather being by expresse testimonies of scriptures commanded to raise themselues from these corporall exercises vnto the consideration of more high and heauenly matters yet contrarie to the expresse direction of the Apostolike doctrine they cleaue so amazedly to dumbe ceremonies that all things almost seeme to be transformed by them into colde ceremonies so that on this behalfe the state of the Iewes may seeme much more tollerable then the state of Christians It was counted a great fault amongst the Iewes in the olde time and that also sharply rebuked not without cause for that being so immoderately affected to their ceremonies and traditions they regarded not the commaundements of God and esteemed more of mens traditions than of Gods commandemeÌ„ts Make a comparison now betwixt these holy Prelates of the Romish Court with those Iewes what shall ye finde in theÌ„ that doth not onely resemble Iewishnesse in that kinde of superstition but also farre wonderfully exceede it For plaine demonstration whereof consider the streight iniunctions for breach of their decrees the mercilesse proceedings of their cruel iudgements the vntractable difficultie to obteine pardon for them that do transgresse the Popes lawes that breake their vowes offend in the decrees and traditions of men rather then for such as doe notoriously trespasse in the commaundements of God What should I speake of that wherein this glorious court of Rome doth so altogither agree with the Iewes y t ye shal be scarcely able to discerne whether the Papistes be verie Iewes or the Iewes verie Papists For euen as the Iewes did either heretofore long sithence or euen at this present nowe expect the comming of their Messiah which being furnished with worldly power as a most valiant conqueror garded with inuincible mighty garrisons of stoutest souldiours should with warlike puissaunce and dint of mightie sworde by most notable conquest establish for himselfe an Imperial throne here on earth yea such an Empire as should with inuincible and triumphant earthly pompe kingly royaltie riches dominion glorie and renowne of maiestie Imperiall enforce to be subiect vnto it all other Kings and Monarches of the world what do our holy Fathers of Rome I beseech you else then in like fantasticall drowsinesse wherewith the Iewes doe dreame of their fantastical Messiah forge vnto themselues a glorious worldly Uicar of Messiah whom they bedecke with golde beautifie with pearle and precious stones crowne with a triple diademe vaunce on stately and princely Palfray or rather support and carie abrode on mens shoulders blaze out with more than kingly anâ— Imperial titles endow with yearely reuenewes tributarie prouinces troupes of attendants highest chaire of maâ—estical state finally the verie fulnesse of most absolute power and what not Moreouer as they haue proclaimed this their Uicar of Messiah the chiefe heade Prince and Monarche of the vniuersal church after the same shape do they fashion vnto the same their Bishop a like bishoply church which least should not be in al poynts correspondent to her owne head must bee such as may glitter and shine in outwarde pompe magnificence and wel liking of the whole world which being garnished with â—arthly riches power made mightie and forcible with lawes may make both Prince and people stoupe at her countenance And for this cause to make the state of this their Churche more defensible the graue fathers haue decreed by a verie profouÌ„d Prouiso â— that Cardinals Patriarches and the other estates Syres ecclesiastical should be aduanced in highest honor and dignitie should glitter in golde and purple should abound in wealth possessions and pleasures should flourish in most gorgeous pompe and power princely palaces and courtes that by this meanes they might beautifie the maâ—estie of their glorious mother holy Church and make her to shine and seeme glorious in the eyes of the worlde This is that glorious Citie of God forsooth which is bâ—ilded vpon the holy hilles in the which appeareth neither wrinckle nor blemish in the which may neuer so litle a tytle of â—rrour possibly
sithence very necessity exacteth it of you as of duty vnlesse ye had rather become slaues to this false counterfait Pope then seruauntes to Iesus Christ. Wherefore awake yee most puissant Princes and most renoumed Potentates let your wysedome rayse it selfe out of this slumber at the length Repulse this outrage and impudency If the dueâ—iful consideration of your honorable estates and of euery of your particular liberties may little preuaile with you yeeld you thus much yet at the least to your Christe vntoo whome yee owe all that you haue that yee take compassion of his poore distressed Churche that yee deliuer the lyues of your subiectes from bloody butchery and their consciences from heathnishe impiety and that yee willingly faster not within the bosome of your common weales woolues whelpes too the rauenouse deuouring of the same Your whole natyue country dooth humbly beseeche you the whole society of al the godly dooth desire you yea with salte teares doth request you that yee wil once at the length after so many and merciles slaughters and flammes of the godly vouchsafe too open the vowelles of your mercy towardes the preseruation of the trueth towardes the safe keeping of simple innocencyâ— towardes the free deliueraunce of sounde doctrine which hath beene long ynough nowe oppressed that beeing so by your bounâ—eous consideration freed from al feare they may bee recomforted and recouer courage againe It lyeth in your honours too assuage these franticke and furiouse tumultes For performance whereof wee doo not require you to rush vppon the common enemy reuenge the butchery of your subiectes with force of armes There hath bin of warlyke inuasions more then ynoughâ— there hath bene too too great an effusion of ChristiaÌ„ blood But the request that our humble petition maketh to your honors is this which wil neuerthelesse redounde in eche respect as glorious too your estimation as profitable for the general sauety of al the godly Namely that of your authorities royal and imperial yee will vouchsafe too let bee proclaimed a general Summons for a generall councel according too the example of your famous auncestors which assembly may proceade to the exact determination and voices of the best learned and grauest fathers with such vprightnesse and integritie as that the same councel may bee no lesse free then general In the which let the Pope of Rome bee enforced too iustifie his monarchicall chaleng and doctrine by due authorities and good proofes of doctrine Who if bee able to iustifâ—e by sufficient testimonies of holy scriptures let him enioy his souereignty but if hee faile in his proofes let him haue his deserte In this so forlorne a calamity of al thinges what can bee demaunded of you either more commodiouse or more commendable for your royal mindes but if there remaine no hope of such a general councel too bee assembled yet that euery of you with in your seueral dominions at the least will not disdaine too put that in vre which ought haue beene accomplished in that generall councel namely that erroures may bee amendedâ— that the pure and liuely welspringes of true and sincere doctrine may bee restored too their auncient integritie abandoning and banishing intoo vtter exyle all manner pilfe dregges and patcheries of the Romishe ryot that your subiectes may freely frame their conuersations and consciences according too the holy direction of sacred scriptures and not after the Popes decrees and that it may bee sufficient for the same subiectes too bee subiect too their owne natural and liege Lordes and Princes only For els I see nothing whervnto this Romishe Reueller may be emploied with in any your Prouinces vnles it be to stir vp seditioÌ„s vproares In case the state of the christiaÌ„ coÌ„moÌ„ weale were such at this present as it was of old wheÌ„ the church being as yet greene was in subiectioÌ„ vnder the authority of Ethnick princes then might the ayde of Bishoppes bee implored for the ordering of the matters apperteyning to the church But nowe sithence it hath pleased the heauenly maiesty too vouchsafe those same princes whome hee hath called intoo his Churche too become Christians as the which doo no lesse dutyfully mynister vnto Christe then the Bishoppes them selues I see no cause too the contrary why the same Christian princes which beare soueraignty in states politique shoulde not also beare souereignty in the congregation of Christians So that there may seeme no cause to remayne nowe why this pontificall monarchy shoulde so presumptuously vsurpe any such prerogatiue in any their dominions that ought not to become subiect to the laweful Magistrates in euery of their seueral prouinces And thus much hithertoo touching the requeste that I thought good to sollicite your most excellent maiesties That which nowe remayneth to bee spoken I wil turne too the residewe of the people of Christendome as many as be brethren and ioynt Cytiziens with me coupled togither in one and the selfe same fellowship of Baptisme al and euery of whome I doo likewyse pray and beseeche that they take heede againe and againe that they suffer not themselues too bee haled backwarde from the truthe by any suttle slye inveigling nor any gloriouse tytle of names bee they neuer so plausible As there is nothing more safe and more souereignable then syncere religion which dooth display abroade direct too the right way of the true vndoubted saluation so doth there no thing more easily deceaue and wounde more deadly then counterfait hypocrisie creeping vnder the couert of false fayned holines her cozen germaine Solemne superstition Euen as that lying Prince of darkenes doth neuer deceaue more dangerously then when hee putteth on the vysor of an Angel So that so much the more vigilant and careful we must bee lest being circumuented with rashe and temerarious foreiudgement more then enduced by stayed consideration of minde do wee embrace false doctrine for the truth Antichrist for Christe the slaying fleshly sense of the letter for the spirit and trueth Proue the spirites saith Paule whether they be of God and be not carried away with euery blast of doctrine Whereupon the matter it selfe doth require this point chiefly in deed that with the Euangelicall simplicitie we ioyne serpentine prudence which may be able too discerne spirites which may proue all thinges which may holde fast that which is good which vnderstandeth aptly to distinguish betwixt light and darkenesse betwixt falshood truth finally that may be so simple that wee offer fraude to no man and withall be so prouident that we may shunne the suttletie of the guylefull Nowe this will be brought to passe without any great difficultie if setting parcialitie and greedines of affections apart we depend wholy vpoÌ„ the mouth of our heauenly maister not vppon mens decrees nor vpon consent of multitude ne yet vpon commoÌ„ custome of times and people and if we do so reclayme our whole heartes to the scriptures that as Hillary doth giue
17. Gregâ—ry in his 4 booke the 38 Epiâ—tlâ— to Luâ—oâ— Peter was neither head of the Church nor vniuersall Apoâ—â—lâ— Galat. 2. Chrysâ—st vpon Paules Epâ—stle to the Romanâ—s The vniuersall Iurisdiction of the Pope confuted Iohn .6 Luke .14 Iohn .13 Matth. 23. Luke .16 Matth. 5. In what sense Peter was calleâ— prince of the Apostles Peter called prince of the Apostles as Cicero was called prince of eloquence in reâ—pect of eâ—cellencie not of superâ—oritie Mat. 4. Luke 5. Iohn 21. Peter made fisher of men not prince of men Actes .8 Pope Alexander the 3. Hâ—stiensis Extrauagan dâ— eâ—ectâ— electi poâ—â—state Hadriâ—n Clâ—mâ—nt 5â— Honâ—rius 3. Gregory 9. Vrbanus 4. Innocent 4. Clement 4. All the French in Sicile yong and olde were slaine at the sound of a bell Martin 4â— Honorius 4. Nicholâ—s 4. Boniface 8. Clement .5 Iohn .22 Vrbane .6 Clement Martine .5 Pius .2 Sixtus .4 Iulius .2 Paulus .3 The succession of the Pope discouered and confuted 2. Quest. 7. Omnes Dist. 40. â—erome writing to Helyodore The councel of Constance The ordinary succession prefiteth nothing in the sight of God Maâ—asses Caiaphas The Iâ—wes Iohn .9 Mat. 3. Luâ—e 2. Mat. 23. Iames .1 Ephe. 5. No resemblaÌ„ce betwixt Peter and the Pope The state of the chayre of the Romish Monarchyâ— Betwixt the Pope and Peter Esay 5. 2. Ezechiel .34 It is not the chayre but the good life that maketh a man Apostolical Neanthus sonnâ— of Pittacus The continuance of succeeding Bishops in the Church is no sufficient cloke to coulor error The ordinary succession of popeâ— hath bin discontinued broken of The light of doctrine and trueth restoreâ— The Popâ—s Bullâ—s against the faithfâ—l sâ—ruants of Christâ— The slaunders of the Pope against the Queene of Englandâ— The Oration of Queene Elizabeth to the Pope Matth. 5. Lâ—â—ius The cause of the Popes malice against Elâ—zabeâ—h Queene of England How this saying without the Churche is no hope of saluation must be conâ—trued The Câ—tholâ—kâ— fayâ—h Athanasius Creede The Nycene Creede The Romish fayth Bâ—â—â—â— in his 78. Epiâ—â—le The Catholike church amongst the Grecians eâ—empt from the Church of Rome We read in our Creeâ— the holy and Catholike Church but not the Romain Church The onely faiâ—h and doâ—trine of Christ doth vnite Câ—ristiâ—â—s to the Câ—uâ—châ— Three Tabernacles â— Thessal 2. Luke â—2â— Matâ— 20. 2â—â— Luke 18. A compaâ—ison betwixt the auncieÌ„t church of Rome and the Romish prelates nowe The life and conuâ—rsation of the auncient aâ—d Apostolical â—hurche Great differeÌ„ce betwixt the biâ—hops of the ancâ—ent and the new churche of Rome Bernard in his Epistle to Eâ—genius â— The life of the Bishoppes of Rome may seeme lesse Apostolike then Apostatique The Popes doctrine conninced in nouelty The nouâ—lâ—y of the Popes docâ—ryne was in many things vnknown to the auncieÌ„t fathers In howe many how weighty matters the Apostolicke doctryne varyeth from the popes Tertullianusâ— Apocal. 2. Apoca. â—3 Cicero in his Tusculanes the 3. booke Apoc. 13. Though the Pope with his crew be part of the church yet be they not the vniuersall church The Popes arguments deducted from the vniuersalitie The Papiâ—â—â—â— obiection Two sortes of men in the visible Church A disagreement not a departure bâ—twiâ—t the protestantes and the Papistes Osâ—c â— The errours filthines of the Popes doctryâ—e A comparison betwixt the Iewes and the Romish catholikes The persecution of Christians by the pope and his papâ—sts The ceremonies of the Iewes and the Papistes compared together The superstitioÌ„ of the Romanists in defending their traditions is more than Iewish As the Iewes do looke for a worldly Messiâ—as so the Papists doe expect a worldly vicar Like Pope like Church The very pattâ—â—â—e â—â—age of the Romish Church The Papists do play the Iewes in establishing the doctrine of rightuousnesse by workes â—om 9 10â— How fayth is esteemed with the Papistes Only faith with out works â—oâ—h accomplish the whole worke of our iusâ—iâ—icatioâ— Oâ—orâ— agaynst Haddon pagâ— 94. Oâ—or in his Epistle to the Queene of England pag. 27. 32. Tridâ—â—â—in Conc. Ses. 6. cap. 7. How fayth dotâ— beget good workes Faith as oportunitie is offred can neuer cease from doing good working alwayes throâ—â— loue Fayth in iustification is onely and alone but in working is not alone Tridentin Conc. Ses. 6. cap. 16. The infallible doâ—trine of the Tridâ—ntine Councâ—ll Sâ—ssiâ— 6 Cap. 7 Ephesians 2. Iohn .6 Iohn .11 Euerlasting life promised to the beleeuers The diffeâ—ence betwixt the law and the Gospel The vse and duetie of the lawe Wherein the vse of the law consisteth properly The Euangelicall faith The preaching of faith * 2. Cor 3. Who hath made vs able ministâ—rs of tâ—e new Testament not of the letter but of the spirite The fruite and prayse of good workes Psalm â—5 In what respect good workes be auayleable and what they bring to passe Ianuensis is his booke called Cathoâ—ico Psal. 1â—â— From whence ariseth the welâ—spring of eternal life Iustificaâ—ion is proper to faith only Mark .9 Good woorkes do not procure a man to be iustâ—fiâ—d but bee fruites and effectes of him that is iustified alâ—eady August de graâ—ia 〈◊〉 Cap. 3. Romans 4â— Titus .3 Obiection The answeres of the Apostle Howe faith and good woorkes doe agree and disagree ech with other Tully in his orâ—tion for Milo The obiectioâ— is confuted Eâ—he 5. A brief Catalogue of the popish doctrine Osor. in his 7. booke de Iustitia â—ala 3. A comparison betwixt the preachers of the lawe and the Gospel and betwixt theÌ„ which plod vpon nothing els then the rightâ—ousnes of the lawe and workes The supremacâ— of the Pâ—pe confuted Luke 22.26 Inuocation of saintes confuted Hebr. 7. Pictures and images of saintes Uowes of vâ—maried life Masses and sâ—â—rifices Satisfactions â—or â—iâ—nes 1. Iohn 2â— Actes 1â— Osor. In his Epistle to the Queene of Englande Rightuousnes by faith Iustification free One only oblation The Papistes suppâ—r without wyne The holy ghost the vicar of Christ. Tertullian de praescrip aduersus Haereticos Being taken hence into heauen to the right hande of the father hee sent his vicar power of the holy Ghoste which might comfort the faithful Christ the ende of the lawe The ende and mark of romish doctryne Iohn .5 An vnknowne toung doth not edifie Mat. 24. Idolatroâ—s pilgrimages Peter the Apostle is denied to haue beene bishop of Rome The functions of Apostles and Bishoppes bee diuerse The Pope of Rome is falsely supposed to bee Peteâ—s successor How much the popes doctryne is swarued froÌ„ the disciplyne Apostolique 1. Peter .2 Of the sacramentes The abhominable corruptions of the papists in the Lordes supâ—er * Aug. ad Infantes is cyted by Bedâ— 1. Cor. 10. That which you see is bread and wine which also your eyes do declare maniâ—eâ—â—ly * Augustâ— de trinitate 3. booke cap. â— Myracles are properly applyed too declare to our senses some supernatural and heauenly power In the sacrament nothing
of the Apostles I perceaue hee dooth not deny it I proceede then and demaunde further whether Saint Peter were one of the same number of Apostles to whome it was spoken Go yee intoo the whole world preaching to euery creature If you grauÌ„t it as yee can not wel deny it I aske now whether the order Apostolique be the self same estate which beareth to name Bishops If the functions bee seueral howe coulde both the estates bee giuen to one selfe person to wit that Peter shoulde exercise the office both of an Apostle and of a Bishoppe Then doo I desire to knowe If Christe did sende out Peter togither with the other Apostles into the whole worlde howe shall it appeare that the Lord allotted him to some one certaine place where hâ—e might sitte who without any mention of place at al was sent of the Lorde to goe not to sitte into the worlde not intoo a City vnlesse peraduenture wee ought too recompte the City of Rome to â—ee the whole worldeâ— and that wâ—oe so sitteth at Rome may be supposed to goe abâ—â—â—de into the whole worlde Not so But you wil say That Peter did enstalle Lynus to be Bishop of Rome It may be so and what hereof at the length So also did the selfe same Peter teach â—â—ch and long tyme at Ierusalemâ— in the which City Iames 〈◊〉 the Iuste is reported too haue beene 〈◊〉 Bishop by Peter Iames and Iohn Yet was no man eâ—â—r so madde to affirme that Iames was for this cause Peters suâ—cessor Semblably neither Timothe nor Tiâ—e wâ—re theâ—efore accompted Paules successors bicause Paâ—â—e â—ade them both Bishopsâ— no more â—hen iâ— the Popâ— of Rome would at this present ordeine Arâ—hbishoppeâ— biâ—hops or Cardinals at Rome it should be any way 〈…〉 make them successors of the Pope But of the succession hath beene sufficiently spoken before Nowe bicause this treaty concernâ—â—â— not the succession of Peter but his doctrine let vs â—ompare the orders of this Romish sea which is now wiâ—h the 〈◊〉 of Peter deliuered then Which howe â—ouly haue â—allen from that right â—quarier of Apostolique dâ—sciplyne may euen heereof appeare euidently That wheâ—eas Peter dooth vâ—ry grauely fatherly exhort them that mynister the woorde of the Gospel that withal â—umblenesse and reuerence they shoulde submitte them selues too them whoe beeing authorized by GOD doo beare rule ouer them whether they bee kinges set in hyghest authoritie or princes or rulers sent of GOD to gouerne the people Too countermaunde this Canon of Peter the practise of Rome coÌ„maundeth on this wise That they submitte themselues in deede vnto kings to al lawful magistrates so far foorth as their commaundements be not repugnant to Gods commaundementes or the Popes decrees Out of which obedience notwithstaÌ„ding the Popes holines with his other prelates haue so sâ—ipped the coller that I shame to vtter how treacherously they haue not onely shaken from their shoulders the yoake of their due obedience to kinges emperours but also how arrogantly they haue bene imperiouse ouer theÌ„ how they haue troaâ—en â—pon their necks with their feete forced them from out their kingdomes translated their sceptâ—rs crownes after their own lâ—st and pleasure But passing ouer this and many other enormities I come now to the sacraments In the which wheras many things are chopt in place to colour the credit of their doctriâ—e without the authority of the pure and sacred scriptures amoÌ„gst al other I can not tel how this peruersenes of men being so poore blind in matters of them self most manifest hath in any our thing bewrayed their blockishnes more notably then in the supper of the Lorde Heere is such an huge heape of monstruouse mockeries peeuish shiftes of most absurd errors thrust into this one sacrament as that the posteritie can neuer wonder sufficiently at the view of them For what can be more grossely absurd then to â—ake from out the sacraments the likenesse mutual resemblaunce out of which only groundwoork aryseth chiefly al the whole substaunce building of sacraments what can be more repugnant not only to al the very true proportionable relation of the scripture but also more disagreable too all conâ—eniency of reason common sense theÌ„ to tourne that to worshipping kneeling which was deliuered for a thankful remembraÌ„ce by most agreable application what can be more blockish then to embrace signes for things them selues what caÌ„ be more deuoide of shame then to enforce to beleeue contrary too that which the eyes doo see and whereof al the senses haue absolute feeling and perseueraunce for proofe wherof is neither any maner of necessitie too be vrged no not so much as any neuer so little probabilitie I doo acknowledge the omnipotent power of Christ in working miracles But where did he euer woorke miracle or exacte a miracle where the senses them selues beare no witnes thâ—â— it is a miracle In Cana of Galilee when he turned water into wine it was not beleued to bee a miracle before the senses bare testimony thereof The Apostles did see with their eyes Christ ryseâ— out of his graue they hearde him speake they felt him wiâ—h haÌ„ds finally their senâ—e perceaued him to be Christ before their faith did apprehende him Euen so we at this present though we see him not yet do beleeue that hee is rysen againe but not otherwyse then beeing â—ndured by the testimony of the Aposâ—les which saw him rysen or els we should neuer haue beleued But nowe wheras nother reason nor any other cause material hath made demonstration wheras the senses also do vtterly gainsay wherasâ— neither scripture nor Christ himself did euer coÌ„maund to beleue but to eate only what extreeme madnes were it to tourne that to matter of faith and to enforce a miracle there where neitherâ— any cause at al can enduce nor demonstration can discouer a miracle lastly for as much as nothing is more figuratiue or sette downe in darker figures â—hen the holy scripture is in explaning the mysteries of faith what â—rosse ignoraunce is this to apply that wholy to the bare letter which ought to be referred to the figuratiue aâ—d tropical interprâ—aâ—ion namely â—â—â—henes the Apostle Paul doth geue vs to vnderstaÌ„d that the letter killeth Christ also pronâ—uÌ„ceth that Fleshe auayleth nothing Lykewise Augustine affirmeth that the carnal sense of the letter is perillous especially in the figuratiue speeches which are vttered in the scriptures in so much that no manner of death can bee more aptly called the death of the soule which is also named by Bernarde The death in the poâ— Nowe if there bee any place in the scriptures meete to aâ—mitte a figure in what one place through all the whole scriptures may it be more properly applied then in the mysteries of sacramentes When I cal it a figuratiue speeche sayeth Ierome I doo shewe that the woordes ought not too bee