our saueour Christes birthe CCCC LXXI For Odoacer ordayned the seate of his reigne in the cytie of Rome and reigned in it fourtene yeares and that with so myghtye a power and great puyssaunce that he coulde not be gotten out for no deuise nor force of warre that Zeno the Emperour of Constantinopole could do Howbeit within a fewe yeares after that is to wete in the yeare of our Lorde Iesu Christ CCCCC LXX Iustinianus the Emperour ordayned Iustinianus a new Magistrate in Italie whoÌ„ men called the Exarche But he laye at Rauenna not at Rome bicause it was miserably throwen downe wasted spotled by the Barbarians breaking into it To conclude whilest the weste The contencion for the Supremacy of Churches Empire fadeth in the cytie of Rome is after this maner vtterly dispatched that litel prety horne which Daniel speaketh of that is the Bishop of Rome beganne out of hande to thrust furthe hym selfe to worke the mistery of Antichrist For in the tyme of Odoacers reigne in the citie of Rome the yeare of our Lorde CCCC lrxx Achatius the Bisshop of CoÌ„stantinopole Note wrote to Simplicius the bishop of Rome desyryng that he wolde also coÌ„demne Perre bishop of Alexandria of heresie for folowing Eutices this Achatius being bishop of the head churche whose autoritie was very muche regarded with all men But takyng occasion herby a sorte of ambicious persones began anone to reason of the dignitie of the church of Rome the autoritie of the Bishop of Rome and stil went on with disputacions so farre that they contended that the Sea of Rome was the heade of all churches and that the Bishop of Rome was the head of all Bishoppes and euen the catholike or vniuersall bishop ouer al. Howbeit those bishoppes of Constantinopole that succeded Achatius obiected them selues agaiÌ„st these mennes ambicion For they coÌ„tended that the supremacie belonged vnto their churche inasmuche as the Emperours of Rome hade made CoÌ„stantinopole the seate of their empire and for that cause this honour ought to be graunted to the bishop of ConstaÌ„tinopole that he maye be called the vniuersal of all prelates and the bishop of bishoppes And this same so vnworthye a contencion and so ambicious a strife continued a long season that is to saye an Cxij yeares vntill that horne of Antichrist yet litel weake burst out wyth bigger streinghtes growed out not a litel For in the yeare of Christ our saueours birthe DC ther was one Iohan bishop of Constantinopole a notable prowde arrogaunt man and excedingly ambicious The bishop of Constantinopole made the Supreme head This man whaÌ„ Mauricius was emperour called the Greke bishoppes together vnto ConstaÌ„tinopole to kepe a counsail wherin it was decreed and ordayned that the bishop of Constantinopole should be called the general or vniuersal bishop of al churches And whan Mauricius the Emperour Gregorius magnus sent ouer the decree of the counsail vnto the bishop of Rome Gregorie which afterwarde was called Gregorius magnus meaning to obteyne of Gregorie that he wolde also submitte him self his churche to Iohn the bishop of Constantinopole Gregorie wyth a great aduisednesse and a singular constauncie refused and contraried him not that he thought him self superiour and of more dignitie than Iohan but that he so vehementlye abhorred the insolent statelynesse and prowde ambicion of the cleargie which than begonne to growe vp by litell and litell Wherevpon among certain other thinges to Gregories answer to the supremacie the Emperour Maurice Be is the forrennyng messagier of Antichrist ê™ he who so euer he be that coueteth to be called the vniuersal Bishop And in an other place the same Gregorie writting to Anastasius Bishop of Antioche and Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria against the ambicion of the Bishop of Constantinopole saithe thus Your reuerende holynesse knoweth that this name vniuersal was offred by the sacred counsail of Chalcedon vnto the Bishop of the sea Apostolike whych by Goddes disposicion I serue howbeit none of my predecessours consented to vse that so lewde a worde to be called by For you must vnderstande if one Patriarke alone be called the vniuersal patriarke the name of patriarkes is taken away from the residue But farre be it from a christian mynde to scratche that thing from any man to him self wherby he might seme neuer so litell to minishe the honour of his brethren Verily these are Gregorie the bishoppes wordes wherwith he so earnestly taunteth those prowde and ambicious titles of bishoppes abhorring dephyeng those titles as cursed and abominable whom at this daye their endeauour is with force of armes and most cruell policies to chalenge to them selues Notwithstanding albeit Gregorie wrote thus vpoÌ„ a godly zele and syncere mynde and immediatly to the intent to brydle those ambicious spirites of the bishoppes he was the furst as some saye that named him selfe Seruum Seruorum the seruaunt of seruauÌ„tes Yet his successours by and by forgette all this gaire and folowed their owne sondry deuises For wher that most arrogaunt slaue of ambicion Iohn the bishop of Constantinopole after Gregories deceasse wolde not only not geue ouer his begonne purposes but rather with the greatest forcasting fatches that he might he entreprised to chaleÌ„ge to him self that title of vniuersal and the supremacie of all the hole churche anon Boniface of Rome Boniface the. 3. the thrid of that name steart vp Who being puised vp with like folie and ambicion set his fote against him and sought meanes to conueye the same title and honour of the highest autoritie vnto him selfe and to the churche of Rome And whan he hade once taken in hande that deuise of Phocas ordayned Rome to be the head of al churches stryfe and ambicion he stiffely set it forewarde stil and gaue not ouer till he hade obteyned of the emperour Phocas that Rome shoulde be called the head of all churches In this behalfe we must note welbeloued brethren in Christ what a man this Phocas was Euen he that kept the Empire by treason and robbery For he toke Mauricius the emperour being a good man and a godly and than his wife and his children by sedicion and in his wicked manfulnesse slewe furst his wife and than his children before Mauricius owne face and last of all he also slewe the Emperour him selfe being a man of good age as a man is that is aboue three score and three yeares This man was the furst I saye that ordayned the Bishop of Rome to be head of the churche and graunted to those ambicious and insolent Bishoppes of Rome the tyrannous power that they hade long wished for Those most holy fathers therfore haue to boast goodly of in the Deuilles name in that they are promoted to so highe dignitie and power by suche a mannes autoritie who lyke as he caryed an heart infected wyth treason and falsehead euen so he was not afrayde to defile his handes also in the
Lumbardes restoring it to her auncient peace and libertie Than Pipine not forgetting the good turne that he hade receaued of Bishop Zacharie before allowed Pope Stephanes peticion and promisyng him aide against his enemie gathered out of hande a myghtie valeaunt power of French-men He wente wyth Pope Stephan beyonde the Alpes and at the straite of the mountaynes geuing the onlette vpon the Lumbardes he wanne the victorie and ranne through the fielde and vehemently besieged their king Aistulphus lyeng in Papia for his sauegarde and at leynght he compelled Aistulphus perforce by marcial power to graunt these condiciones that he should graunt peace and obedience to the churche of Rome and also to sende ouer to Pipine fourtie men to be pledges in confirmacioÌ„ of the mater By reason wherof Pipine him selfe retiered in to Fraunce and sent Pope Stephan wyth Folradus the kinges chaplayne and a doughtie coÌ„panie of FrenchemeÌ„ to Rome These thinges were done in the year of our saueours birthe DCCLV Notwythstanding bicause Aistulphus king of the Lumbardes perfourmed nothing that he hade promised to Bishop Stephane and hade coÌ„firmed by an othe being constrayned therto by Pipines force of armes Pipine immediatly the next yeare folowing weÌ„t agayn in to Italie wyth a mightie rowte of Frenchemen to deliuer the Pope from the LuÌ„bardes armye And assone as he passed the alpes cam downe in to Italie Gregorie themperour CoÌ„stantine the fourthes chief secretorie with other of them perours embassadours mette him and admonished him in themperours name that he shoulde not meddle wyth the Exarcheship of Rauenna whom the Lumbardes hade possessioÌ„ of themperour being letted of the Saracenes either to chalenge it for him self or geue it to the pope or to the Romaynes but forasmuche as they were of the empire and not the popes he shoulde cause them to be restored to Constantine agayne Hereunto Pipine saide naye and affirmed that he wolde not serue either Constantine or any man elles sauing the churche of Rome protesting that he hade put on harnesse for that intent to deliuer the sea apostolike from the iniurie of all men on the earthe and therupon that he wolde doo the best for the commodities of it that shoulde lye in his vttermost possible power to doo And so assone as he hade wonne the victorie and ouerthrowne the power of the Lumbardes he gaue to the sea of Rome the Exarcheship of Rauenna and what so euer places elles hade before that tyme ben in subiection to the Emperour and Empire WhervpoÌ„ it came to passe that the Grelie Emperour beyng before dryuen out of Italie by the Lumbardes force of armes yet not cleane spoiled of his ryght and title of iuste possession hathe nowe lost them altogether and beyng dryuen out of al hole Italie hathe loste al the Empire that before he had in it Nother was he hable to resiste the Popes wicked endeauours ne reuenge the wronges done vnto him bicause he was letted by the Saracenes warres which disquieted the east Empire with coÌ„tinual inuasions of batailles And surely it is to see the Popes subtile wylynesse to be suche that they haue ê“uided for their owne maters at that tyme specially as they haue sene the inperours and other kinges that were against theÌ„ occupied with other warres so as they should be the lesse hable to wythstande their endeauours But Pipine for doyng these his so large good turnes for the bishoppes of Rome hade worthily for his labour the excellent highe title of Most Christian Kyng Most christian king bothe to him his successours which the Frenchekinges are prowde of eueÌ„ at this daye for this one cause you must vnderstande that they toke the places which belonged to the Emperour in Italie out of the Lumbardes handes restored not them to the emperours agayne as ryght was but gaue them to the churche of Rome Notwithstanding al this gaire the Popes ambicion couetousnesse was not satisfied as long as they sawe the Lumbardes whose powers were at that tyme exceading great in Italie not al together ouerthroweÌ„ extinct King Desiderius Pope Adriane And therfore whaÌ„ their last king Desiderius began to attempte some thing against Pope Adriane the furst of that name by by he also besought Charles that sonne of Pipine who afterward for his nobly done dedes receaued the name of Charles the great for the defense of the sea Apostolike And he easyly Charlemayne obteyned his desyre For Charles renneth through by by into Italie with an hoost of men whan he mette Desiderius wyth his armie of Lumbardes he cruelly bette them downe in the fielde he hade all their townes yelded vp vnto him and sent the king prisoner wyth his wife and children awaye in to Fraunce as banished folkes And in dede thus was the reigne of the Lumbardes which they hade possessed in Italie more than CC. yeares all together despeched And therfore the thrid horne was through Antichristes subtilties and violence smytten of also in the yeare of our Lorde DCClxxvi Than Charles the Frenche king which was Pipines sonne after this gaire was done came in to a perpetuall league wyth the Bishoppes of Rome and what his father Pipine hade geuen before to Stephane the seconde of the landes that he hade violently taken from the Emperour he coÌ„firmed the same also wyth more ample priuileges and with a solenne othe to make sure worke Hitherto now it hathe with cleare euideÌ„t exposicion ben declared welbeloued brethren in Christ that the olde notable saienges of the holy goost which are in Daniel be most truly fulfilled by the Bishoppes of Rome that the B. of Rome is that littell horne which figureth vnto vs the emperial autoritie of Antichrist which in dede at the furst begynnyng of his reigne was but vile naught set by but anon he ouerlaide three very mightie kingdomes with his wyly fatches and deceates and wyth their powers which he claymed to him selfe he was aduaunced to so great a height of reignyng Now it remayneth dearely beloued brethren that we consideratyuely weighe out of the Emperours histories wyth what craftes he made sure and augmented his streinght and power and how he became superiour and aboue euen the emperours them selues The bishoppes of Rome being not The translating of the empire to the Frenche men wythout cause afraide of the greke emperours powers for the many and sondry wroÌ„ges and most mysheuous losses that they hade occasioned vnto theÌ„ least padueÌ„ture the Saracenes other eastren enemies being wel tamed the emperours hauing leasure wolde set vpoÌ„ Italie goo about to clayme to them selues again the Exarcheship of Rauenna other places beloÌ„ging to the empire which Pipine and Charles hade violently takeÌ„ from theÌ„ and bestowed vpoÌ„ the churche of Rome by by they beganne as they are myschieuous wylie felowes to bende their for casting studies to this ende that they might plucke all the greke Emperours power force awaye from
them that was yet lefte in the west parte of the empire and to translate it from them som whider elles and that they might get suche Emperours whose powers they shulde haue the lesse nede to be adradde of and by whose autoritie and empire they shoulde be defended from the driftes and conspiracies of their foes For which cause Leo the thrid sake pope Leo the thrid being endued wyth very large benefites of Charles the great and seing euidently his valeaunt courage of stomacke his notable boldenesse his ioyous successe of victories his redy good wil wythal towardes the churche of Rome the Bishoppes of the same toke vpoÌ„ him so bolde an entreprise to doo so great a feate as none of his pÌ„decessours euer did greater nor aueÌ„tured with more perile that was to traÌ„slate the empire Than to thintent he might get the most men to fauour his purpose and the more easily bring the mater to passe that he wolde he complayned long many tymes to the people and cleargie of Rome of the decayed streynght of the empire and of the vnprofitablenesse of the greke emperours For they ê™ he dwelling being so very farre of can be hable in no wise to assiste sely Italie being many wayes distressed especially seing they were daily vexed with newe and that most haynous batailes And therfore sauegarde peace and freedome can not be better restored to Italie again than if a newe chosen emperour in the west take vpon him all the dignitie of the empire and the charge of the same These wordes in dede moued many meÌ„nes heartes which being ledde wyth the likelyhode of the wordes perceaued not manifestly what the popes drift was Than perceauing the greatest parte of the people to incline to his purpose in the yeare of our Lorde Iesu Christ DCCCiij he brought the mater to ful effecte For in Petres churche after the solemne seruice by the sentence and at the besechinges of the people of Rome the pope ordayned Charles with a great lowde voice emperour gaue him the crowne Imperial and ther vnto the people of the Romaynes shouted three tymes aloude To Charles the mightie crowned of God the great and peacemaking Emperour be life and victorie And albeyt the greke emperours toke these maters right greuously yet they were not hable to leste these thinges froÌ„ doing bothe in that they were turmoiled with innumerable warres and also bicause the empresse Hirene being polluted with the cruel murthering of her sonne stered vp newe hurly burlies and exceding great stormes of busynesse for she can in nowise seme to haue ben vnknowing of this dede seing Charles now made emperour went about to mary her she her selfe not being discoÌ„tented So the bishoppes of Rome vsing these knackes promoted the Frenche kinges their most earnest defendours and most trusty aiders with wonderful sleyght subtiltie to the highe dignitie of the empire by whose helpe and mayntenaunce they became afterwarde of higher power than all their enemies Than after Lewis that was called Pius gaue Rome to the Pope emperour Charles the great Lewis his sonne succeded who also for his great liberalitie was very dearely beloued of the bishoppes of Rome for that cause they named him Pius godly or deuout For he did not only coÌ„firme the gifte of his progenitours that is to saye of Pipine his grandfather and of his father Charles but he also wonderfully augmented it and gaue them ouer those thinges they hade before the citie of Rome with his iurisdicioÌ„ and al the landes rouÌ„de about with the cities hauens and sea coastes of Hetruria Wher vpon bishop Antichrist is encreaced agayn with newe streynghtes is become Lorde of the olde auncient seat of the Empire that is to wete Rome Ther is no cause welbeloued christian brethren why we shoulde maruaile that the bishop of Romes dignitie and power growed vp on such an heyght that he hade all the bishops not only of Italie but also of Fraunce Germanye and Spayne vnder their daungier and in subiection to their sea seing they coulde fynde out such men to be their defendours and patrones which hade the administracion of all those naciones and the power of the empire it self in their owne handes Nowe though all these maters which we haue hitherto made rehearsall of are muche vnworthye and also full of wickednesse and falsehead yet the bishoppes of Rome not conteÌ„t herewith thought they might be bolde to doo more vnworthye more wicked entreprises thaÌ„ al those And to thintent they might vse their dignitie and power with the more ease quietnesse they were nothing ashamed at all to mocke the Frenchemen also with the same falshead that they practiced before against the greke emperours For they thought to chearishe and make muche of Princes and peoples freÌ„dship so farre as it might serue to mayntene their pleasur idlenesse Kyng Beringarius And for that cause wher as Berengarius whych at that tyme bare the rule in the LuÌ„bardes landes greued al Italie very muche with his power disquieted it many wayes the Frenchemen cam not whan they were called but gaue ouer their aide froÌ„ the defeÌ„ce of Italie of the church of Rome ne yet folowed the example of their auÌ„cettours forewardenesse in that behalfe Bishop Agapetus and after him Iohn the. 13 of that name wrote lettres to Ottho which thaÌ„ being king of Germanye Prince of SaxoÌ„ was after warde made emperour and garnished wyth this syrname Augustus humbly beseching him for the loue of God the apostles Petre Paule to de liuer the holy churche of Rome out of the daungier of Berengarius and his coÌ„plices In this mater Ottho being a very mightie Prince and moued Ottho also by other meÌ„nes instaunt desires and lettres tendred the bishoppes peticiones And therupon he gathered a great armye of Germaynes cam in to Italie He ouercame Berengarius and whan he hade takeÌ„ him prisoner he banished him away wyth his wife and Albert his sonne in to Babenberge and so deliuered all Italie from the feare and tyrannye of him And than like a conquerour he entred the citie of Rome and was most honourably receaued of pope IohnÌ„ and crowned in the title of the Empire of Germany Pannonye To be brief this IohnÌ„ through whose crafte and deuise the empire was translated was he that as the Italian writours recorde being euen froÌ„ his springing youthe tyme spotted with al the villanye in the worlde and all filthynesse and geuen more to hunting if he hade any spare tyme from hooring than to praier shamed the churche of Rome wonderfully with his lyuing polluted that sea in many behalfes and at leynght being takeÌ„ in the abominable synne of hooredome was slayne and suffred worthie paynes of his wickednesse and hooreoome But how muche either of honour or profite in the wanyaunt came hereof vnto king Ottho being otherwise a very good and a right noble man it
maye be playnly ynough perceaued of the othe that he was constrayned to bynde him self in to pope IohnÌ„ that monstre of hooredome For his successours enrolled the forme of it in their Canones and decrees on this wyse To thee Lorde Pope IohnÌ„ I Kyng Otthoes othe Ottho doo promyse and sweare by the father the GoÌ„ne and the holy Goost by this tree of the quickening crosse and by these reliques of sayntes that yf by the sufferaunce of God I shal come to Rome I shal exalte the holy churche of Rome and thee the gouernour of the same according to my power lyfe and membres and thou shalt nor lose the honour that thow haste by my will or by my couÌ„sail or by my coÌ„sent or by myne exhortacion and in Rome I shall make no pleaye nor ordinaunce in al the thinges that perteyne to thee or to the Romaynes And what so euer shall come to our possession of G. Petres lande I shall rendre it to thee againe And to whom so euer I shallcommytte the gouernaunce of Italie I shall make him sweare to be thy helper to defende G. Petres lande according to his power Lo welbeloued brethren in christ this is the soleÌ„ne excellent othemaking of the emperour Ottho which othe dothe well beare witnesse that Ottho hade non other rewarde geueÌ„ him for his most large good turnes shewed to the pope and for the deliueraunce of all Italie but that he was constrayned to bynde him selfe to the popes seruice and become a mayntenour a defeÌ„dour of that hoore of Babilon and of her wicked tyranny Besydes this assone as he came furst in Apo. 17. to the citie he was commaunded to subscribe with his owne hande to the donacion of king Lewis wherof we haue spoken a litell before to this ende you must vnderstande that he should by no clayme chalenge to the Empire either the citie of Rome or other places belonging to the Empire out of the popes handes and that the bishoppes of Rome might vse their wickedly goteÌ„ goodes with the more ease and securitie These maters as they are now set out the historie wrytours make meÌ„cioÌ„ were done about the yeare of Christes birthe DCCCC lxij Furthermore albeit the FreÌ„che men toke it very euil that the title and dignitie of the empire was taken from them and translated to the Germaynes yet the bishoppes of Rome considered that suche mightie emperours of the Germaynes which hade bounden them selues by a sore othe vnto their will as it is allready declared should not be reiected And for that cause they set their myndes with diligent studie to this ende the rather that by som haÌ„dsom meane they might confirme the Empire to the Germaynes and reserue the clayme and dignitie of it in their owne hande And in this case pope Gregorie the. 5. Gregorie the. 5. shewed his sleightye witte which helped and set forewarde this deuise very mightyly For he inasmuche as he was borne in Sarone and was kynsman also to Emperour Ottho the thrid of that name toke this establishement for chosing the emperour Ottho him self not denyeng but coÌ„senting to it rather that it should be lauful froÌ„ thensfurthe to the Germaines alone to chose the emperour And he ordayned sixe Electours which at the deceasse of euery Emperour should of duetie haue the charge of that mater that is to wete three Prelates of the bishoppes noÌ„bre as many princes The Emperour chosen by 6. Electours of Germany And vnto theÌ„ he added a seuenthe the king of Boheme to sattle the discorde of the ê‘tes But although he wold seme to haue coÌ„mitted al the power of chosing the emperour vnto them yet he hathe bouÌ„den both them al the Germaynes with this condicion that whom so euer they should haue chosen he should than be taken for emperour and Auguste in case the bishop of Rome hade comfirmed him These appeare euidentlie to be done in the year of our Lorde M. II. But in this place also it is to see the popes craftes and deceates to be in a maner vnauoideable wherby they confirmed their supremacie and power in more ample wise than afore with a newe addicion For furst of al he placed amoÌ„g the Princes Electrours three bishoppes who seing they are straitly bouÌ„deÌ„ to the sea of Rome by an othe they dare chose non other man to be Emperour but whoÌ„ they perceaue maye be allowed by the popes good will And moreouer although the election succede not all after the popes mynde yet hathe he reserued the confirmacion coronacion to himself which if he denye to him that is chosen he shall nother be called Emperour nor August Wherof it is manifestly apparent that the electours haue nothing geueÌ„ them but bare titles of honour and that the popes by this contrefaicte colour wolde cloke their ambicion and tyraÌ„nye which they are ashamed to practice more openly Hereof their owne Canons beare witnesse which saye that like as the secular sweorde wherby the armed Emperour reigneth ought to be in subiection to the spiritual that is to saye to the bishop of Rome him selfe so they clayme that power to the bishop also that he alone by his owne autoritie with out al consent either of the hole Counsail or any prelate maye depryue the Emperour of his dignitie yf he perceaue him to be in displeasure with him And verily they haue alwaies foughten with this their autoritie against euery of the most holy empeperours not wtout greuous losse of al Germanye like as the actes of HeÌ„ry ye. 4. Lewis ye. 4. Friderich Barbarosse others make meÌ„cioÌ„ of which maters it shal be treated more pleynteously and more clearely in the homilies folowyng Of these thinges now which hitherto haue ben reckoned vp I suppose it appeare sufficieÌ„tly opeÌ„ ynough with what beginninges they clymbed vp aloft vnto so highe estate of dignitie power wherof they vse euen at this daye so prowdely so shamelesly to boast that is to saye that they haue conueyed these maters to their owne haÌ„des through most wicked craftes treasoÌ„ robberies periuries falshead For furst of al they obteyned at Phocas that most cruel tyraÌ„nes haÌ„des the proude title of general vniuersal bishop not wtout stiffe striuing had with the bishoppes of ConstaÌ„tinopole And they vsed Phocas autoritie power furst of al against the emperours of the grekes which were their benefactours For wher they wolde not abide to haue ydolles nor maintenaunce of Idolatrie in their temples the popes layde at them with the cruell thoÌ„derbolt of cursyng expulsed them froÌ„ the coÌ„munioÌ„ of the church were so bolde as ê‘tly to kil their Exarches in Italie ê‘tly to driue theÌ„ out of Italie so as whaÌ„ they had draweÌ„ it al together to the Departing they plucked it cleane out of the emperours power FroÌ„ thece they ranne sawcely into FrauÌ„ce oppressed the kynges blood aduauÌ„ced such to the crowne of the realme as
might be obteyned with al that the B. of R. is the head the vniuersall bishop of all the churche as he that being successour of Petre the prīce of the apostles Christes vicare hath his sea in the principall churche And bycause this so ambicious and lickepeny lieng glose shoulde not lacke his countrefait colour these arrogaunt sawcy helhoūdes haue brought furth places of scripture violentlye wretchedly wrasted for their purpose And where as we reade that Christe sayd to Petre whan he confessed him to be the sonne of God Thou art Petre and vpon this rocke will I buylde my churche They sayde Christes wordes are thus to be vnderstanden that Christ made Petre the foundacion of hys churche and that al churches are bounden therfore of duetie to be vnder the obedience of Petres successour the B. of Rome Againe wher the Lorde saithe Petre fede my shepe these men haue expounded this worde fede so that they wold nedes haue the autoritie and supremacie of all bishoppes and churches geuen to the B. of Rome as vnto Petres successour They haue also violently wrasted this vnto the same purpose the Christ speaking of the keyes sayth What so euer thow shalt bynde in earthe shal be boūden in heauen and what so euer thow shalt lose on earthe shal be losed in heauen For they saide whom so euer either the B. of Rome him self or any other sacrificeing priest being consecrated by the B. of Romes autoritie assoiled was losed and ridde from the bondes of synnes and contrary wise that vnto whom so euer that maner of absolucion was denyed he was bounden still in the cheynes of synne and in the state of damnacion These toyes I saye and infinite other haue the subtil sleighty marchauntes beaten in to the eares and heartes of the common simple sorte And as sone as these maters beganne once to growe in to credence men beganne also to taste of the B. of Romes power and tirannye For if any mā hade so good a stomacke that he durst set his fote either against the B. of Rome or his he was straightwaies knocked in the head with the thonderbolt of excommunicacion and reputed of all men for a damned and an vndone man and thus the mater growed so farre furthe that euen most mighty emperours began to be afraide of the B. of Romes power For they spared not emperours but shotte of their ordinaunce at them also and commaunded straitly vnder great paynes that no mā should obey those emperours that were excommunicate as it is to see in the chronicles of the greke emperours by the vnworthy falles of the emperours Hēry ye. 4 5. Lewis ye. 4. Friderike ye. 1. 2. And doubtles albeit they did with al diligēt forsight resiste the wicked tirānie of the bishoppes of Rome entred Italie sondry tymes with roiall strong armies droue their enemies the bishoppes of Rome out of the title set others in their rowmes yet all their trauailes were vayne to no purpose nother were they hable to twytche awaye so muche as one heare of the bishoppes cruel violēce nor to pul it vnder any whitte at all For as sone as their backs were once turned departed Italie the bishoppes of Rome came in to the citie again occupied their lost tirannye afreshe and with the thonderclappes of their curse they made the Emperours fayne to be obedient vnto them And the only cause of this mischief was that the B. of Rome was not yet dead in mennes consciences bicause they beleued that he was Christes vicare hade power to lose bynde yea power ouer heauē hel to Therfore the streinght power of emperours was neuer hable to preuaile or bring any thing to passe against the craftye doiges force of the bishoppes of Rome For although emperours thē selues other of their courtes householdes espied the romishe fraudes deceueable wiles wel ynough yet the vulgare people being ignoraūt of al that thought that the B. of Romes decrees ought to be honoured as the lawes of God and bicause they dradde the thonderclappes of his curse as though they hade ben the fearfull sentences of the iudgemēt of God they wold nother meddle nor be of counsail with suche as they sawe knocked downe with the laitbolte of excommunicacion And this the bishoppes of Rome could the easylier bring to passe bicause ther were bishoppes and doctours of churches scatred throughout al the coastes of christendom which set furthe the autoritie of the churche of Rome for apostolike and godly But now let vs speake also of such maters as haue chaūced in our tyme that we maye see how Paul the Apostles prophecie is fulfilled at this daye At such tyme as it pleased God our heauenly and mercifull boūteous father to set his people at libertie which had ben long holden in bondage and to brydle Antichristes tirānie he chosed the small vesselles and such as were of no reputaciō to cōfoūde by thē those thinges that semed most mightie inuincible For two or thre faithful doctours ministres of churches being enlumined with the spirit of God whan they were growne to more perfite knowlage of the scriptures vttred openly the breathe of the Lordes mouthe that is to saye the worde of God and weaponed many a one with the same sharpe strong sweord Thā whā men hade once goten that weapon in their handes to kepe their heades against the craftye wiles of the false prophetes they began to acknowlage Iesus Christ and to beleue that he is the only head of his churche the chief priest and king the sufficient sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde and the only mediatour and aduocate wyth the heauenly father yea and such a one that is neuer absent from his churche and nedeth not the seruice of any vicare in his rowme And in dede the knowlage of these maters dothe also reproue the lies and legier demayne of the B. of Rome to the intēt they might see on the other parte that he is nother the head of the churche nor the high priest and king muche lesse the vicare of Christ our saueour They haue moreouer learned that the Masse is no sacrifice for synnes nor the popishe absolucion is of any autoritie Furthermore those places of scripture which the bishoppes of Rome like most shameles helhoundes hade violētly wickedly and sawcely wrasted were plainly opened in their owne true meanyng whan the light of the truthe was laide to them And out of those places men learned that Petre is not the rocke it self but that he hade his denominacion of Petra that is the rocke whiche he confessed Christ is the Rocke and not Petre. and so they acknowlaged that Christ is the rocke which is the only foundacion of the churche wherupon the churche of faithfull people being surely buylt can not swarue 1. Cor. 3. Men haue learned also that the office of feding signifieth not an empire or a kingdome but
suffre them to rushe in and to haue his churche somwhat exerciced therwithall For that cause the Lorde calleth the Kyng of Assiria the rodde of his furie Esa 10. Psal 17. and Dauid calleth the wicked Goddes hande and Goddes sweorde where as nother the Kyng of Assiria hade any respect vnto the wil of God nother do the wicked regarde the couÌ„sail of Goddes prouidence But thys louing brethren is ful of comforte that nother the aduersaries haue of them selues any power against vs nor that any thing befalleth vs without the wil of God For seyng the holye scriptures declare vnto vs that Psal 11. 2. Corin. 1. God is not only a ryghteous Lorde but that he is also a most merciful father certainly what aduersitie so euer chauÌ„ceth vnto vs through his couÌ„sail it threatteneth not to destroy or vndo vs but promiseth vs saluacion For how can he mynde the vndoing of meÌ„ which is the maker of maÌ„kynd wold a father haue his owne children destroyed wolde he be content to haue them vtterly destroyed slayne No. But forasmuche as that propertie is most farre froÌ„ the nature of a mortal maÌ„ that is a father doubtles we may Luce. 11. not thinke God which is the fountayne of mercie and grace to be more vngentil and harder harted than a mortall man Why than saye they suffreth he most merciles enemies to fall vpon vs by heapes so why dothe he cast vs in to their handes and vpon their we apones than But what are you good folkes that grunt at this gaire Thinke ye it a wondre or neuer hearde you that a father shaketh the rodde at his children yea Hebre. 12. and that he clappeth them on the buttockes to for their correction Let vs rather loke vpon our selues and we shall sone see the causes of all this gayre For where we being Psal 51. conceaued and borne in synne coulde not chose but be lyke our owne original state and therfore shoulde be the slaues of deathe and damnation the father of heauen tendring vs wyth mercie by his owne sonne hathe takeÌ„ awaye our sinnes choseÌ„ vs to be his childreÌ„ hathe made vs heires of his grace kingdome This ioyfull gracious prouideÌ„â— of our saluatioÌ„ euen the doctrine of the gospell bringeth vs worde of And that is it that telleth vs how we are endetted to god again therfore It enformeth vs how we must beleue it teacheth vs howe to frame our life and it correcteth our naughtie corrupte maners Howbeit forasmuche as our fleshe can not abide to be corrected nourtured it wolde not in this case be monished rebuked corrected nor founde fault at no it abuseth the doctrins of the gospell to clooke his licencious libertie and lust wythall the more careles securitie and libertie it hathe to liue at pleasure so muche the more it foloweth his owne affections and renneth wilde wythout bridling Than therfore it standeth wyth the heauenly fathers iustice that they which wolde not amende wyth courteous warnyng of wordes must be corrected with stripes And yet he sendeth not them for any cause but that we shoulde cast awaye our careles necligeÌ„ce turne in to the right way again As for examples or testimonies of scripture ther nedeth none in this case seing euery one of vs fâ—leth in our selues this corrupt disposicioÌ„ of our owne nature Neuertheles I thinke it not amysse to note suche thinges as haue fallen in our tyme. The worde of the gospell hathe by the fauourable grace of God ben reuealed and preached to the people of Germanye now about fyue twentie yeares and more Ther hathe ben disclosed the fraudes the false sleightes subtil wiles and blasphemous deuises of Antichristes tyrannye All darkenesse hathe ben scowred awaye by the light of the truthe The endles knottes that befor tyme were indissoluble and the most sorowfull boÌ„des Hebre. 4. of deathe were let lose and cutte in pieces wyth this most kene two edged sweorde the Gospell And whan this gaire was ones losed all that euer Antichrist hade buylded in mennes consciences fell sodaynly downe and the vayne dredes of conscience vanished away like smoke That made the Bishop of Rome sory for it straight at the furst begynnyng And right myghty Emperours Kinges Princes and people were greued at that Yea they laide their heades together at sondry counsailes wherby they wolde fayne haue troden downe the corne of the gospell which was than but grene newly sprongen vp But al wolde not serue No. we haue sene theÌ„ fall out among them selues and horribly torne and arayed wyth making warres one against an other which intended to make warre against Christ And now euen the same are at hande ready to cheoppe of our neckes now they set vpon vs wyth fyre and sweorde now they make hauocke of euery thing wyth murthering and smothering But what is the cause Is Christ more weake and lesse skilfull in his science than he hathe ben before tyme Is it bicause he is not hable to restrayne that he hathe restrayned and kepte of all this while vnto these dayes No That is not the mater But we haue deserued this miserie through our owne synnes We haue prouoked him vnto wrathe through our vnthankefulnesse Our aduersaries are weaponed wyth our owne wickednesses and therwith they make batail against vs. And bicause we haue synned in that we haue shamefully abused the quiete rest that God hathe geuen vs now a great while he loketh vpoÌ„ vs his necligeÌ„t naughty children wyth this his present sharp rodde Howbeit this we maye comforte our selues in that seing he is our father he desireth not the destruccioÌ„ nor the death nother the vndoing of vs his childreÌ„ but wold haue vs to ameÌ„de to be saued and to lyue And the very cause of the warres and persecutioÌ„ which the Bishop of Rome him selfe preteÌ„deth in euery place by his bulles is an vndeniable proofe of this mater For he crieth out to haue vs burned bicause he saithe we are heretikes But what heresie is it Mary Sir this bicause we will none of the Romishe supersticion we trust not to what is heresy wyth the Papistes our owne merites we layne to none but only Christ Him we acknowlage to be our head our king our Bishop our only sufficieÌ„t sacrifice bicause we accordingly as the Apostle Paule did knowe nothing sauing Christ Iesus and that he was crucified And although by reasoÌ„ of our wickednesses which forasmuche as we are infected wtall we frame not our selues according to the ê“fession of our faith our heauenly father suffreth vs to be plagued yet that is not the mater that they which are a great deale wickeder thaÌ„ we are angrye with vs for but for this only cause they are horne woode against vs that we holde vs to Christ alone are gone quite froÌ„ their filthy faithles God seruice For where som fynde fault at vs for a disobedience I wotte not what it is a most
that if it were possible the very electe shoulde be brought in to errour Beholde I haue tolde you before Wherfore if they saye vnto you Beholde he is in the deserte goo not you furthe Beholde he is in the secrete places beleue it not c. Our Lorde saueour Iesus Christ as his disciples behelde the mightie noble building of the temple of Ierusalem saide vnto them See you all these thinges verily I saye vnto you ther shall not one stone be left vpon another that shall not be destroyde And wyth these wordes of Christ his disciples were excedingly amased And where as according to the custome of their auncettours and of their owne tyme they hade as yet the busye and glistering gaye ceremonies of outwarde worishipping that in tymes past were set furthe by Moses lawe in great price and euen so estemed them worthy to be honoured and obserued wyth a certain deuocion of coÌ„science they were muche afraide at this so greuous and sharpe senteÌ„ce of their Lorde and maister Christ concernyng the temple WhervpoÌ„ at the tyme that they came al one vnto him whan he taried alone in the mountayne they desyred him to solute vnto them three questiones which they propounded vnto him Furst they asked him whaÌ„ the Temple and citie of IerusaleÌ„ shoulde be takeÌ„ destroyed Secondarily wher in the ende of the 23. Chaptre after he hade so sore quereled wyth the scribes chief rulers of the Iewes he made meÌ„cion of his last commyng they questioned therof wyth him also and of the despeching of all the hole worlde whan it shoulde be Thirdely they required tokens wherby they might discerne aswell whan the destruction of the citie and temple as also the finalle ende of all the hole worlde and his commyng again shoulde drawe nere and be at hande To these three questiones therfore the Lorde maketh answere in this chaptre And wher as he being a trusty teacher of those that his are dothe truly teache those thinges that only serue vnto our saluacion he talketh nothing in this place of the appointment of the tymes ne yet sheweth what yeare moneth or daye these thinges shall chaunce that is to wete bicause the certainly perceaued knowlage therof shoulde make nothing at al to the furtheraunce of our saluation or to thamendement of life but shoulde most specially prouoke vs vnto careles slouthfulnesse and necligent leauing vndone of good workes and vertuous dedes But he instructeth them wyth euident and vnfailing signes by token wherof they might clearely discerne that these thinges shall assuredly com to passe and also he teaceth them whether they shall shortly com to passe And forasmuche as Christ the Lorde is the vniuersall teacher of all the worlde vniuersally we shall not reckeÌ„ that these tokens were geuen to non other but to the Apostles alone for it is manifest that they were geuen no lesse to vs than vnto theÌ„ to thintent vndoubtedly that we shoulde be diligently occupied in the consideration of them and that whan we see them happen we shoulde shake of all drowsinesse of our myndes and like faithfull hearty seruauntes loke for the commyng of our Lorde For this conclusion of his doctrine the Lorde him selfe dothe most diligeÌ„tly treate vpoÌ„ in this Chaptre and in the Chaptre folowing Finally wheras the disciples desired to be instructed not as touching the destruccion of the citie and temple only but also concerning the final despeche of all the worlde and the last coÌ„myng of Christ and required for that purpose tokeÌ„s of sondry kyndes wher by they might be hable to discerne the truthe and the tyme of bothe those maters the Lorde setteth furthe such maner of tokens vnto them wherof the most parte of them maye ought to be applied to bothe the questiones on either parte For like as the Lorde God in tymes past chosed the people of Israel to him selfe peculiarly out of all other naciones and people and coupled them to him self with a most holy sacred couenaunt euen so was it his will that the same people shoulde be an example to al other wher into as in a certain coÌ„mon glasse all people shoulde loke And therfore that haynous and horrible destruccioÌ„ of that same people ought to be a figure of the last coÌ„myng of Christ the saueour and thending of all the worlde which indede to all wicked persones shal be bothe haynous and horrible But in this present place which I haue now out of Christes wordes rehearced before the eleuenth token is set furthe vnto vs not wythout exceading holsom commaundement and faithfull admonicion wherwith we are informed by our saueour what is to be done of vs in this behalfe Ther shall ryse ê™ he / false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shewe great myracles and wonders in so muche that if it were possible the very electe should be brought in to errour Therfore beleue not their false promises and feyned tradicions Herein furst of al welbeloued brethren in the Lorde this is our parte to searche out that we maye knowe fully what this worde Christe is what the meanyng of it is in the scriptures and what it signifieth For therby it shall also euidently appeare vnto vs without doubte who is a false Christ who be false Prophetes that coÌ„moÌ„ly set furthe vnto vs a false Christ This worde Christ is taken out of Greke signifieth the same that the Hebrues vnderstaÌ„de by their worde Meschia soundeth in Englishe anoynted And the maner of anointing amoÌ„g the people of Israel was this that the chief Bishoppes kinges should be anoynted wyth holy oile so dedicated to their offices in so muche that as coÌ„cerning kinges anoynting was the same amoÌ„g theÌ„ that the custome of CoronacioÌ„ is among vs. Here vnto the places of scripture do bear record as Exo. 29. Leui. 7. and. 8. and also 1. Re. 10. 16. Chap. wher the anoynting of Saul Dauid is treated of And of this maner custome of anoynting of Bishoppes kinges that sede that was promysed from the furst begynnyng of the worlde euen the saueour of all maÌ„kinde is called in Hebrue Meschia in greeke Christus in Latine Vnctus in Englishe Anoynted for this cause sake that he is anoynted wyth the oile of gladnesse that is to saye wyth the spirite of God euen he that very chief Byshop and most victorious King which came in to the worlde was made man and in offring him selfe vp for our sakes toke awaye the synnes of the worlde by his deathe and deliuered vs quite from the cruel tyranny of the deuil deathe and hell and so by this meanes he is become our most mightie valeauÌ„t king that proclaymeth the lawes of euerlastyng saluacion and defendeth and reuengeth vs from al the crafty wyles and assaultes of our enemy the deuil Finally lyke as he is the onlye sonne of God that for vs was made man and is the one only redemer saueour of vs all euen
although they lytel considered yet it is a most true sayeng For the nerer we are vnto Antichrist so muche the farther of we must nedes be from Christ Iesu vnto whom it becomed vs to cleaue with a constauÌ„t vndisseuered faithe Let this be sufficiently ynoughe sayde of the mater that we propouÌ„ded in the furst place We must now therfore passe ouer to the secoÌ„de question that is to were we must searche by what meanes reasons Antichrist shal occupie that so large so mightie an Empire of his Howbeit we shal knowe euen that same by the notable sayenges bothe of Daniel the prophet Paule thapostle which coÌ„sidered we will compare the bishop of Rome and his empire and tiraÌ„nye with them to thintent it maye euideÌ„tly appeare vnto vs whether it be he whom they haue set furthe in their writinges Daniel therfore mencioneth that the fourthe beast had ten hornes as he marked wel the hornes the litel horne by whom as I haue sayd Antichrist is figured growed vp whiche whaÌ„ it had taken away .iii. of the furst hornes it occupied their roume And the interpretour of these sayenges the angel teacheth that by the ten hornes ten kinges are represented which shoulde spring vp in the fourthe Empire that is to say the Empire of Rome Howbeit as sone as they are risen vp he saithe that Antichrist shoulde growe vp also which euen at the furst begynnyng of his kingdom shoulde oppresse three kinges and with their streingthes and substauÌ„ces which he shal chaleÌ„ge to him self shoulde confirme his owne kingdom Hereunto the sayenges of Paule agree in euery coÌ„dicioÌ„ which sayeth that a Departing shall com furst and than the man of synne the childe of perdicion shal be reuealed And a litell after he signifieth the very same thing sayeng For euen now the mysterie of iniquitie dothe worke and that only 2. Thes 2. is behinde vntil he that hindreth him be taken out of the waye thaÌ„ that wicked one shal be opened c. Which wordes of thapostle the eldest most catholike doctours of the churche saye ought to be vnderstandeÌ„ of the Empire of Rome that is to wete bicause whan it is takeÌ„ out of the waye Antichrist should starte vp which thaÌ„ was holdeÌ„ backe through the myghtie power of it For in dede Antichrist coulde not chalege to him self the Dominion of the citie of Rome nor reigne in it as long as the empire yet florished and increaced his power And for that cause the prophete Daniel maketh mencion that the empire of Rome must be diuided in to ten that is to saye many kingdomes And Paule maketh reporte of a Departing by the which many naciones and people shoulde departe froÌ„ the empire of Rome create kinges princes of their owne Than whan the empire of Rome throughe suche scismes and departinges shronke in to decay Antichrist hade occasion and place to burst out in to the same his Empire In this behalfe reade the sayenges of S. hierome to Algasia and of S. AusteÌ„ in his 20. boke intitled De Ciuitate Dei the. 19. chap. also the sayenges that Tertullian before them set furthe coÌ„cerning the Resurrection of the bodie and it shall openly appeare that I dashe in no newe nor straunge sense vpon this place But how this gaire hathe according to the sayengs of the scripture come to passe after what sorte they haue ben fulfilled in dede by the bishoppes of Rome we shall now shewe out of the most credible approued historie writers bothe of the greke and the latine At the tyme that whaÌ„ the greuous and horrible persecuciones of Christes churche were slaked which the The historie of the beginnyng successe of the Bisshoppes of Rome most cruell emperours of Rome had stered against it the administratioÌ„ of the Romane empire came vnto ConstaÌ„tine the great Helenes sonne who whaÌ„ he hade grauÌ„ted peace to the faithful christianes which they hade long wished for in the. 25. yeare of his Empire which was al most the CCC xxxvi year from Christ our saueours birthe he ordayned the citie of BizantiuÌ„ to be the seat of his Empire which whan he hade builded and garnished with many roiall buildinges he called it after his owne name Constantinopole And that was the occasion of the furst diuision of the Empire of Rome and shortly after it engendred also a very scisme in dede For the mightie chief emperour and monarke of the worlde reignyng at ConstaÌ„tinopole was called the king or the emperour of the easte And Cesar his felowe in office which bare the swynge at Rome they called the emperour of the west And this furst diuisioÌ„ of the Empire endured coÌ„tinually vnto the tyme of Valentinianus the thrid about Cxx. yeares that is to wete vnto the yeare of our Lorde CCCC lvi But in the meane while ther beganne a certain of nacions to conspire newe maters and in rising against the empire of Rome to set them selues at libertie by reasoÌ„ wherof the Departing came by and by whiche we haue read in Daniel and Paule the apostle For ther rose vp the most warlike people of the Vadalianes Gotthianes FreÌ„che men Lumbardes and Herulanes and many other besydes which as sone as they had created them kinges of their owne people they got on harnesse rebelled against the empire of Rome But as sone as Valentinianus the .iii. of that name was slayne at Rome of his owne folkes and ended his lyfe and west Empire al at once one Maximus a cytezen of Rome maried Valentinianus wyfe Eudoxia to hym selfe against her will Than commeth by by Gensericus the kyng of the Vandalianes beyng called out of Aphrica he inuadeth the cytie of Rome and whaÌ„ the tyrauÌ„t Maximus was slayne pulled in pieces and cast into Tiberis he caried Eudoxia Valentinianus the Emperours wyfe ouer into Aphrica And after him many inuaded the Empire of Rome Howbeit ther was none that reigned stably nor long seyng one slewe an other so as it myght trulier haue ben called a warfaryng thaÌ„ a reigning The last of them was Augustulus hauing a name of an vnlucky fortune who whan he had catched holde of the west Empire Odoacer king of the Herulanes gathered a great an huge exceding furnished armye of people out of Germanie and through he gothe into Italie And at Ticinum TicinuÌ„ is a citie in Lumbardie which now is called Pauia Orestes the father of Augustulus mette him and was ouercome and slayne in notable manly fightyng By reason wherof Augustulus threwe away his robes Imperial dignitie for feare and fled away from Rome Odoacer occupieth al Italie he entreth the cytie Rome called Odoacria lyke a conquerour and hauyng chauÌ„ged the name of it he called it after him selfe Odoacria And in dede after this sorte the empire of Rome whose myghtie power had letted Antichrist â—s Paule sayeth that he coulde not burst out was despeched oppressed and all together decaide about the yeare of
his father wyth besieging him he enuyroned him toke him by treason he robbed him of his empire and so taking him prisoner suffreth him miserably and sorowfully to dye And these prankes were not played by the commaundement of any barbarous tyraÌ„ne nor by the inceÌ„semeÌ„t of any Phalaris but by the couÌ„sail of the Phalaris was a tyranne in Agrigentine most holy father in the deuilles name Reioyce nowe you Caligulaes be mery you Neroes as many as haue hade the famous reporte of crueltie For you haue one which though he lefte The. B. of Rome is more cruell than either Caligula Nero. Friderich the. 1. you a long space behinde him yet he acquieteth you froÌ„ the infamie remeÌ„braunce of a cruel name euen the bishop of Rome which commauÌ„deth the sonne to bathe his sweorde in the fathers blood And God wotteth the noble feates of Adriane the. 4. and Alexander the. 3. may be also coupled to these rehearsalles which they practiced with most high wickednesse against the very godly and most valeaunt prince Friderike whose sirname was Barbarousse For albeit he hade the vpper hande ouer al his enemies yet it was not in his power either to auoide or to breake the tyraÌ„nie of the popes but after haynous batailes most lameÌ„table flaughtres he was coÌ„pelled ê‘force to fall huÌ„bly to the popes fete to laye downe his necke for Antichristes filthie fete to treade vpon Now who is it that wolde seke any charitie at their handes which haue not learned so much as to beare fauourably with the dignitie of an Emperour After that about the yeare of our Lorde Friderike the. 2. MCCxx Friderichus the secoÌ„de suffred no lesse wickednesse false head of theÌ„ also For whan he made warres against the Turkes they with most spiteful vilany abominable force of armes resisted him and as he with luckie successe warred against the enemies of Christes crosse they with their false driftes droue him backe and layeng at him with their thonderboltes they depryued him also of the communioÌ„ of faithfull christen people and of his Empire and chosed other emperours agaiÌ„st him Which thing was in dede the cause of most greuous batailes engeÌ„dred innumerable muche bloodsheading Morouer in the year of our lorde M. CCC whan Albert the duke of Austrike was choseÌ„ emperour Pope Bonesace the. 8. of that name wold nother confirme him nor crowne Boniface the. 8. him except he wolde furst promise that he wolde make warre against Philippe the FreÌ„che king and dryue him out of his realme And the cause of that warre was this that Philippe whaÌ„ he espied the sleightie shiftes of the sea of Rome denyed the pope al his reuenues of the realme of Fraunce And for that cause that holy father hauing goodly in mynde the precept of charitie to thintent he might prouide for his owne priuate commoditie purposed to set twoo the mightiest naciones of christendome FrauÌ„ce and Germanye together to warre cruelly the one against the other and glad to geue the loking on him self of the destroyeng of cities wasting of fieldes slaughter of men and al the myschief besides that warre bringeth with it so that it turne to his owne aduauÌ„tage But the father of heauen prouydeth better for mennes maters For he put those kinges in suche mynde that they forgate the pope and layeng downe their weapones conuerted the lamentable warres in to a ioyous mariage And here it is not to be omitted that the bishopes of Rome being of the same spirite did vnto Ladislaus king of Vngarie and Polone He hade Ladislau ouercome with wonderfull luckie notable victorie Amurathes the most mightie prince of the Turkes and scatred the turkishe armye and obteyned perforce such condiciones of peace as were harde to be obteyned of the enemye But whan the Turkes hade the ouerthrowe in that skyrmyshe they were fayne perforce and bicause of the condicions of peace to medle no longer with inuading Vngarie and beganne to make new roades in to Italie to stere vp daungers against the pope Eugenius the bishop of Rome to deliuer him self and Italie from Eugenius pope all daungier sent Cardinal Iuliane to Laudislaus to condemne his league with the Turkes as wicked and vnworthy and to persuade with all that christianes are in no wise bounden to kepe promise with infideles And he gaue not ouer counsailing and prouoking till he hade persuaded the king compelled him to breake the league and so to become a promyse breaker Anon than by the forwardenesse of the most holy father and the legate Iuliane the apostatalike apostlelike I wold saye blowing to the fielde ther was most cruell batail renewed which hauing vnluckye successe king Ladislaus was slayne and Amurathes caried awaye a large and a gorgeous victorie This was done in the year of our Lorde M. CCCC xliiij Lo this is the most holy fathers charitie this is the loue that he beareth to the Lordes flocke by the couÌ„sail wherof he teacheth the Kyng rashly to violate his promise of peace and shamelesly to faile his fidelitie that he hade made and not that only but he also casteth both such as be very good to muche simple kinges the people ouerlight of belefe vpon the most cruel weapons of Christes enemies the Turkes so as he him selfe maye lyue safe and sure at Rome To be shorte least through aboundauÌ„ce of examples my tale growe out to ouer great a mater it semeth not necessarie that we should set furth with a busye paynted shewe of wordes the thinges that the Bishoppes of Rome haue in tymes past done against the lawe of charitie seyng that these our owne dayes can euidently ynoughe beare witnesse of the same For loke you dearly beloued brethreÌ„ in Christ vpoÌ„ these present hurly burlies warres of Germany at home wtin theÌ„ selues which is vndoubtedly occasioned by the trauaile deuise of pope Paule the iii. of his meÌ„bres And searche diligeÌ„tly Paule the 3. if it please you whether so much as one token or sparke of charitie be shewed in this dede doing For who knoweth not that the greater parte of christendome especially the hole flocke of them that are right wise and learned men haue allready complayned these many yeares of the tyrannye and intolerable yowke of popes And Emperours haue ben in the same thought which haue with most earnest faithfulnesse and godly aduise admonished them bothe to amende their owne maners and restrayne the ecclesiastical ministers and their lasciuious lyues and to exercice a worthye discipline among them to frame their hole life by But all is in vayne For they like most naughty me wold nother heare the coÌ„playntes of the congregacions nor doo after the admonishementes of emperours bicause they haue alwaies loued their owne lust more than all the discipline and honestie in the worlde Whervpon all thinges set aparte they haue vsed their owne lustes and vicious demeanour with al losenesse of
in no wise to say naye to it For ther is a notable place that is slaundred with that naughtie mater betwene the plaieng place which they cal Theatrum Colosseum and G. Clementes wherin the hoore pope being takē in the necke with sodaine panges and throwes was deliuered Which place the popes remēbring that detestable dede being ashamed of it shonne euē now to this day Ther are also credible histories of writours that haue nombred that excellent pastour of Christes shepfold with her childbearing in the noble ragge man rolle of those most holy fathers For yet though they wolde they dare not ouerhippe her if they wolde be reckoned trusty credible writours bicause of the freshe memorie of that facte For it chaūced after the tyme of Charles the great about the year of our Lord. DCCCLviij Of the same lecherours lust we haue Alexander the. 6. a witnesse Alexander the. 6. which being pope wythin our remembraunce lyued after suche rate that he could not acquyte the brute of his name frō suspicion of incest committed wyth his daughter We haue also recorde of all the hole life of all Cardinalles bishoppes prelates abbottes mōkes Chanones Friers and sacrificeing priestes who like as they neuer auoided the shame of open hooredome euen so haue they filled almost the hole worlde with their bastardes and vnlaufully begoten children As we maye also in the meane tyme passe ouer in silence the beastly lust of the abominable synne of Buggery vnworthy to be hearde of christian eares and many other wicked vices that the commō people certainly knowe that they are out of good name with all But least any man wolde say that Here folowe a mischieuous holy company of popes we were to muche vniust reportours and in the rehearsal hereof playde not an vpright faythful parte as thoughe we noted al fowle blemishes euen in the most holy fathers with to quicke and ouermuche iudgeing eye and to this ende that we myght afterwarde for the faultes and errours of a fewe renounce and condemne all the holerable of popes and the papacie it selfe to it semeth not vnprofitable nor frō the purpose we are in hande wythall to discribe in a short rehersall out of Platina the most diligent registr our of the popes names the lyfe names of a great meignye of Popes whyche wythin thys fewe yeares haue so arayed and defiled that sea of pestilence and abominaciō wyth most haynous cursed prankes that euen the very papistes could not passe ouer their dedes in silence ne yet by any clooking meanes excuse them About the yeare of our Lorde DCCCC stephan the. 6. ther was one Stephan the. 6. of that name whych had obteyned to be pope He persecuted the name of Formosus which was pope but a few yea res before him wyth suche vehement Note beadly hate that by and by he abrogated his decrees and made his actes of non effecte So that the consideracion of the good turnes that Formosus hade done for him and made him bishop of Anagnia coulde not reclayme him from his cruell purpose But bicause he hade hyndred Stephan before that he could not com to be pope euen whā he wolde he was so rageing madde against him whan he was dead that assone as he hade kept a counsail he commaunded Formosus bodye to be drawne out of his graue and to be stripped of his pōtifical habite to be lapped in a secular habite and so to be layde in the laye mennes burial But yet he caused two fyngres of his right hande to be cut of those two namely that the pristes vse to consecrate wtall to be cast in to Tiberis bicause as he sayd he hade cōtrary to the lawes of the sacrament come to Rome takē his priesthode again wherof he was depriued rightly by the lawe of Iohn ye. 8. Marke After this man by and by folowed Romanus the. 1. pope Romanus the furst who in that he fauoured Formosus partes allowed his cause and disallowed and toke awaye Stephanes decrees and actes out of hande His fotesteppes also folowed his two successours Theodorus the. 2. and Iohn̄ the. 10. Which immediatly restored Formosus cause in to his entier perfection against the willes of a great parte of the people of Rome by reason wherof ther rose so great a sedicion that they hade ben very like to haue layen together by the eares for it A litell after this whan Leo the. 5. Leo the. 5 Christophor clymbed vp to the honour to be pope anon the. 40. daye of his pontificalitie a familiar of his owne one Christophor being gredy to reigne aloft toke him cast him in prisone which thing coulde not be done without great sedicion and losse of many mēnes lyues But Christophor inuaded occupied the popes sea by violence But he gate it wyth naughtie artes and naughtyly he lost it For in the. 7. moneth he was thrust out of his dignitie and constrayned to take vpon him a monastical life the only refuge as platina saithe of comfortles persones and sone after he was drawne out of the monasterie and cast in prison by his successour Sergius the .iii. Sergius the. 3. But this Sergius is he that so repealed and disanulled Formosus actes that it was necessarie to admitte them afreshe vnto holy ordres again whō Formosus hade before admitted to the ordre of priesthode And yet not Note contenting him selfe wyth this shame done to the dead man he drewe his carcasse out of the graue and caused hym to be headed euen as yf he hade ben alyue and cast his bodye into Tiberis as vnworthy the honour of humaine burial Who is it that can not see hereby right louing brethren in Christ how litel autoritie the bishoppes of Romes actes and decrees ought to beare with any body seyng they condēne eche one other with mutual cursinges throwe away their dead mens carcasses with so vehemēt surie shamelesnes Anastasius the. 3. Laudus the. 1. Iohn̄ the .11 as it were rauēs grypes After Sergius ther succeded popes Anastasius the .iii. and Laudus the furst which were somwhat more quiete gentil than their predecessours But Iohn̄ the eleuenth succeded them who caried a stomacke more geuen to warre than to religiō and at leynght in an vproare of warre he was taken of men of warre being cast in to prisone he hade a keuerchieff thrust in to his mouthe so was killed And again after a certain fewe bishoppes of Rome being betwene that honour came to Iohan the 13. of that name of whom this is reported by the Romayne writours that ther was neuer none more mishieuous nor more vngracious a man occupied the sea of Rome before him And in dede the ende of him was answerably like vnto his life maners For after many filthyly wickedly played prākes in horedome as we sayed before he was taken and sticked to deathe Whan Iohan was despeched
not ignoraunt of it And yet the B. of Rome ascribeth that mater that is to say forgeuenesse of synnes after suche sorte to him self that he wickedly ê‘uerteth many places of the scripture and exerciceth the greatest parte of his tyraÌ„nye vnder pÌ„tese of it For hereof sprong the harde holding disputacion of the Keyes of power to bynde and lose of the feding of Christes shepe of other maters in numerable Hereof proceded auricular confessioÌ„ priestishe mumming absolucioÌ„ practiceing of countrefait penaunce the sheoppe of cases reserued the markettes of pardons and infinite other mo thinges ymagined to torment mennes confiences with all All which thinges if we loke more narowly vpoÌ„ them do attribute to the B. of Rome and to his massing sacrificers which are men drowned in the synke of all naughtynesse to his cloistred monkes chanones friers bishoppes and cardinailes what so euer are the offices of none other but of the only grace and power of God and of the merite of Christ Wherfore in this point he also maketh him self God and is exalted aboue the only true God Neuertheles I am not all ignorauÌ„t what answer aswel the bishops of R. them selfes as they that stowtely mayntene their partes will obiecte in this behalfe For the B. of Rome say they taketh not these maters other suche like vpon him selfe as though it were in his owne power to do them of him self but he exerciceth the power in that church which he receaued and was deliuered him of God that is to saye the power of God working by him towardes synners For the Lorde him self wypeth awaye all this excuse which with his owne worde spoke to the purpose by Esaye the prophet the. 42. chap. saithe thus I am the Lorde this is my name and I will not geue my glorie to any other nor my praise to grauen ymages And what other glorie is it that the Lorde receaueth of vs but that those what glorie God receaueth of vs. which be faithfull folkes acknowlage him to be their saueour redemour iustifiour sanctifiour and the onlye autour of their saluacioÌ„ These thinges in asmuche as he geueth to none other and specially to grauen ymages whom he excedingly abhorreth truly he wil not also geue them to the B. of Rome nor yet hathe he graunted them to any other which by making and worshipping of Images are become like vnto them Ther is no cause therfore why the B. of Rome should saye he receaued those thinges of God which he of his owne temerarious and churche robbing sawcye entreprise hathe taken vpon him self To be brief if we will set all this aparte and loke vpon their owne Canones and decrees than we shal at leynght heare those wonderfull and presumptuous thinges which Antichrist according to Danieles ê“phecie is accustomed to bring out against the Lorde For they are not content to haue claymed to the B. of Rome the dominion of all the churche and of the hole compasse of christendome but they also write that he hathe suche power and autoritie either to commaunde or inhibite what he will at his pleasure that all men are bouÌ„den necessarily to obeye him yea euen in those maters which are scarcely tolerable that he commaundeth Besides this they procede further on saye that non other man hathe any autoritie at all to iudge of him and so attribute such autoritie vnto him that they saye he ought to be iudged of no mortal maÌ„ in what dede so euer he dothe But now let vs heare the beast him self speake Pope Agatho in his 19. dist Pope agatho writeth to all bishoppes on this sorte All the decrees of the see apostolike are so to be accepted as though they were coÌ„firmed by the diuine worde of Petre him self Again Boniface theight in his Extrauagauntes Com. Li. 1. Tit. De Maioritate Boniface the. 8. obedientia comprehendeth the hole mysterie of this beast in suche wise that if ther were non but that one only place it were hable to proue him to be the same that we saye he is For furst after he hathe proued that ther is but one churche he claymeth the supremacie and dominion of it to him self with a very goodly kynde of argument This ê™ he is the seameles coate which was not cut in pieces but came by casting of lottes And these wordes Boniface speaketh truly as the mater is in dede For if Christes coate the churche came to the bishoppes of Rome by castiÌ„g of lottes than truly they are not successours of the apostle Petre but of the most wicked hangmen that cast lottes for our Lordes coat vnder the crosse whan he him self loked vpoÌ„ theÌ„ Thus the barlot bewrayeth him self in his owne tale telliÌ„g But let vs tel on Therfore ther is but one bodye of one only churche and one head not two heades lyke a monstre that is to wete Christ and his vicare Petre and Petres successour What an open contradiction is in these wordes He saythe ther is but one head of the churche least he should make the churche a monstre And yet in thus sayeng he setteth two heades vpon it farre vnlyke the one to the other that is to saye Christ very true God and man and Petre a mortall man and a synner whych acknowlageth him selfe to be delyuered not by his owne righteousnesse but by the merite of Christ And yet for al that they thrust them self shamelesly in withal ThaÌ„ what shifte shal the most holy fathers make in this case Wil they say that Christ Petre are both but one the self same one That they can not be hable to doo in any wyse But they say not that Petre is the very head self but the vicare of Christ the very true head And thaÌ„ they make them selues successours to Petre. Nowe good meÌ„ at what tyme doth Christ the head departe from his body to geue place of vicarship vnto Petre WhaÌ„ also dothe the office glorie of the head returne vnto you if Christ and Petre be bothe absent Verily you seme to make the church like vnto those ymages which haue twoo heades the one for worke daies and the other being a more galaunt head they coÌ„monly weare at no tyme but vpoÌ„ their owne holydaies But least the father of this moÌ„stre Boniface might lightly haue ben laught to scorne he woulde grounde him self vpon the autoritie of scriptures For he saithe that these wordes ought thus to be beleued that our Lorde speaketh to Petre Fede my shepe Myne ê™ he and that generally not singularly these or those shepe by the which it is vnderstanden that he committed all vnto him vniuersally Therfore whether they be grekes or others the saye they were not coÌ„mitted vnto Petre his successours they must confesse of necessite that they are none of Christes shepe Wher as the Lorde saithe in Iohan that ther is but one shepefolde and one shepehearde Who is he that wolde not be astonied at this gaire brethreÌ„ who
And forasmuche as al men are not Antichrist fighteth wyth open force so ignoraunt blynde that all doo suffre them selues to be deceaued and blynded wyth this furst sweorde of Antichrist that is lies and false miracles Paule ascribeth vnto him that other sweorde of sathan also that is open violent force and power to doo wrong wherwyth he may openly laye vpon them that resiste him and oppresse and make them to couche that speake against him And this we may see as playnly in the Bishoppes of Rome as we doo their lies and falfe craftes For furst they are furnished well ynough wyth their owne streynght and their owne power They haue great cities obedient at their commaundement They haue great countreyes and great menne vnder their subiection and autoritie they haue great hostes of valeaūt and wel furnished warlike mē they haue also harnesse and weapones for the warres and al that can be required vnto marciall affaires and to make warres withal yea they not only haue them but also they occupie them openly against kynges princes cities and people that refuse to be vnder their subiection and dare be so hardy as to withstande their lawes Notwithstanding bicause they haue perceaued by experience the chaunce of warres to be vncertain and doubtfull the myschieuous subtil helhoundes haue made them newe kynde of armour and a newe sweorde so kene that they haue strikē downe euē most mightie kinges and emperours with the edge of it Excommunicacion I meane which a man may call rather a thonderbolt that they vse to strike and to curse suche princes withall as be not their frendes and to depryue them of their princely dignities and whan they haue put downe them to set other in their places And to thintent their tyrannye should want nothing they haue made their power so strōg wyth other mennes marcial force that they neuer myssed of som either princes or cōmō people which were content to put their iudgementes sentences in execuciō against suche as were enemies of the sea of Rome to hasarde them selues in most daungerous warres for the mayntenaunce of it Of this tirannie ioyned with wonderfull muche politike falshead the Greke Emperours felt their parte For the B. of Rome procured the Lumbardes in to Italie to make warres vpō thē till he hade wiped them besides the Empire of al Italie And yet the lumbardes them selues tasted of the like falshead and tirannie For whan they beganne to wexe to sore vpon the Bishoppes of Rome and to couet the empire of Italie and Rome wher the Bishop durst not meddle wyth them him self he calleth the Frenche kinges to helpe him by whose power he furst repressed the Lumbardes and at last he ouerlaide them so by Charles the great that he lefte them nothing of their realme which they hade kept in possession CC. yeares saue only the bare name And in our tyme we haue sene the B. of Rome doo to muche wronge to the Frenche men For he droue them also after his owne practiced maner by other mennes power namely by the armies of the Heluecianes at that tyme out of al Italie In dede these are the craftye trickes of this bawdye hoore of Babilon yea she is so connyng in these wilye knackes and can brewe madde loue cuppes so fynely that she can get her louers in euery countrey so trusty and so constraunt that they wil not sticke to put their owne lyues in hasarde so they may defende and mayntene her maistresship Yet least she should be constrayned to seke her newe louers and defendours or rather protectours euery daye afreshe she is crept so depe in to the bosomes of emperours that they suffre them selues to be bounden by their solēne othe to defēde this beast against all her foes who so euer they be as we maye vnderstande by the forme of the othe lately prescribed vnto the emperour Ottho and as it is somwhat more euidently recorded in other of the popes owne Canones For in the Extrauagauntes Com. li. 1. Tit. De Maioritate obedientia he writeth thus We are taught by the wordes of the Gospel that in this churche meanyng the churche of Christ which he vnderstādeth to be the churche of Rome and in the power of the same ther be twoo sweordes a spirituall sweorde and a temporall sweorde For whā the apostles saide Lo here are two sweordes that is to saye in the churche the Lorde answered them not that they were to many but ynowe Doubtles he that denyeth the tēporal sweorde to be in Petres power dothe marke euil the worde that the Lord speaketh Put vp thy sweord again in to the scaberde Therfore the churche hath power of both sweordes that is to saye the spirituall sweorde the material sweorde But the material sweord must be exercited for the churche the spiritual sweorde of the churche The spiritual sweorde is in the priestes owne hande and the material sweorde in the hande of kinges and knyghtes howbeit at the appointement and sufferaunce of the priest Marke here now brethren Antichristes external power and his bloody murthering sweorde which the B. of Rome chalengeth to him selfe by so playne wordes hauyng no grounded reason of the scriptures but wrasteth them so blasphemously so violently For he sayth ther be two sweordes in the churche that is the Ecclesiasticall power the Emperours power he maketh them bothe subiecte to the B. of R. And he sayeth that they misunderstande Christes wordes which denye the Emperours power to be subiecte to the B. of Romes pleasure And herein in dede the beast sayeth moste true For they that denye this do the greatest displeasure that can be to the sea of Rome while they wolde set the Emperours power at libertie wype the sea of Rome besyde so great autoritie to appoint and commaunde But let it suffice vs to haue learned thus muche hereout that it is out of question that the B. of Rome hathe snatched to him selfe that other kynde of Antichristes weapones And what nede we to beate any longer vpō this mater seyng experience telleth plainly that I saye the truthe For is not the Emperours sweord drawen now at the B. of Romes berke Doth it not rage and make hauocke alreadye of the Lordes saintes And I thinke ther is no man but he knoweth for what cause the B. of Ro. cōmaundeth this sweord to be drawne Ther be bulles that came frō Rome which testifye the same Mary that the Germanes muste be brought agayne to the obedience of the churche of Rome with fire and sweorde and be spoiled quyte of the ioyous cōfortable fodder of the Gospell Yet to bring vs the more out of doubte let vs heare what the beast him selfe sayeth The wordes of the Indulgence Idibus Iulii 1546 Therfore wher we vtterly despered of their amendement meanyng the Germanes and seyng that they were open enemies to the holy churche of God and at vtter dephyaunce with all godly men and that
the doctrine and example of Christ and depende holly of it And whan we see that he hathe ê“uided so for his church that he wolde not burthen it with an vnprofitable pompe of ceremonies but contenting him self with a fewe hath appointed only those that myght be sufficient vnto saluacioÌ„ as these almost are the preaching of the worde baptisme the token of regeneracion and the Lordes supper that acceptable remembraunce of the Lordes deathe and of our redempcion And so we contenting our selues also with those same wil thinke that nothing is to be added besydes these nother will we searche any deper yf we wil beleue in him acknowlage him to be our saueour kyng priest and the faythful scholemaister of maÌ„kinde As many therfore as diligently folowe this simple playne doctrine of Christ and the oracles of Goddes worde suffre not them selues to be drawen awaye with other meÌ„nes vaine ymaginacions vnto them this faythfull admonicion of Christ is both holsome and profitable But as many as will not haue their faythe and religion hedged within these bondes but leape ouer the hedge lyke a wylde beast and iudge otherwyse of Christ than is taught in the scriptures and seke saluacion and life elles wher thaÌ„ in Christ our only saueour and also lade the churche with newe ceremonies and with a newe forme of religion they forgette this faithfull admonicion and doo contrary to Christes commaundement goo out and suffre them selues to be seduced not without the present dauÌ„ger bothe of their owne soules and other folkes And therfore I thinke al men may plainly see what the causes are that let vs holde vs backe at this daye that we can not for sake either the knowne truthe and Christ our Lorde or becom papistes and submitte our selues to the B. of Romes doctrine and religion For the commaundement of Christ holdeth vs backe which it wer not only abominable for vs to transgresse but also it is tyed vnto vs with that extreme perile of our soules And I thinke ther is no man so blynde but he seeth that the B of Romes doctrine is such a one that he pulleth awaye suche as folowe his trace with it maketh them to goo out from Christ our only saueour For he speaketh not of Christ as the scriptures purporte For his woÌ„ted maner is to shewe those thiÌ„ges which ar frely geueÌ„ vnto maÌ„kind by Christ alone elles wher yea in other places iÌ„numerable besides christ The B. of Rome reasoneth of religion aswell inwarde as outwarde farre otherwise than Christ did in tymes past He sendeth men to sayntes and pulleth them awaye from the maker of all He hathe brought a coÌ„fused muckeheape and burthen of ceremonies in to the churche a great deale heauier than the leuitical priesthood was wherwith the vnlearned coÌ„mon peoples coÌ„sciences are miserably tormented Moreouer he teacheth meÌ„ to buy those thinges out with golde and siluer that are frely geueÌ„ vs by Christ and that ought to be hade by only faith What nede many wordes he sheweth Christ and the saluacion that Christ hathe wrought in such places as nother Christ nor saluacion is Wyth what heart than and with what conscience shal we be hable to folowe the B. of R. trade seing we heare Christ with plaine wordes an open lowde voice bidde Goo not out Shal we be so hardy than as to passe the bondes of the faithe and religion that Christ hathe prefixed vnto vs God defende vs from that wicked temeritie brethren Though the prince of the worlde rage though his vicare and minister the B. of Rome stampe and stare though princes that are stered vp by their driftes playe the deuil though Cardinalles patriarkes bishoppes prelates abbottes prouostes deanes suffraganes monkes chanones friers and all the hole rable of sacrificeing massemongers and religious persones of bothe sexes renne out of their wittes for angre and though men crye euery where CouÌ„sailes Counsailes yea though the couÌ„sailes blowe and blustre lighten and thondre neuer so thicke yet that one only sayeng ought to be of more autoritie with vs than that we should be afraide of al the mennes streinghtes power and policie in all the wide worlde and for drede of them to goo out from Christ contrary to Christes commaundement For Christ is that king of glorie the most victorious triumphaunt Emperour that holy sacred Maiestie that is mightie in dede in whose sight all knees ought to bowe For he shall beate his prowde scornefull stubburne enemies in pieces with his yron rodde make theÌ„ a fotestole for hym to treade vpoÌ„ vnder his fete Let vs now steppe ouer vnto the other The wil of God is our Sanctificacion chief point of Goddes will which Paule in his 1. Thessa 4. expoundeth on this wyse This is the will of God euen your sanctificacion or holynesse that you should absteine froÌ„ hooredome that euery one of you should knowe howe to possesse his vessell wyth holynesse and honour not wyth the luste of concupiscence as the heatheÌ„ do whiche knowe not God Here O you Romishe rufflers and moste shameles papistes lende me your eares a litel You I saye that go about to bring the faythe in Christ and the holy sacred doctrine of the gospelles truthe into slaunder hatred vnder pretense as though it neuer required good workes but reiected and forbade them as vnprofitable and superfluous For where we ascribe all the glorie of our redempcion and saluacion to Christ alone and attribute nothing vnto your workes and merites by and by ye burst out in a great rage and crye that we damne al good workes and open a wyndowe for meÌ„ to committe al wickednesse But how falsely how wickedly how vnaduisedly how shamelessi ye doo this learne it not of vs whom ye hate already before hande but of Paule the Apostle that chosen instrument of Christ our saueour For albeit he dothe euery where harpe and beate vpon this one thing that men shoulde knowe they are saued by Iesus Christ and confesseth also with playne wordes that he knoweth nothing elles saue Iesus Christ that he was crucified yet he saieth not that good worckes are eyther vnprofitable or suê‘fluous nor biddeth men folowe the lust the synful affections of their owne fleshe nother doth he appoynt suche a faythe as maye make men to synne carelesly as these wicked blasphemous antichristian Papistes coÌ„clude But this sayeth he is the wyl of God euen your holynesse For seyng Christ Iesus hathe washed vs wyth his owne blood and saÌ„ctified vs and made vs the temples of his spirite the apostle wold haue vs to be after such sorte that we contynue stil in this sanctificacion or holynesse and not defile our selues wyth the filthinesse of synnes And for that cause he maketh mencion of hooredome most chiefly in this place bicause the hooremonger vnhaloweth that holy sacred temple most specially in synnyng against his owne body yet vnder the name of hooredome he will
vaine tittle tattle euen the bishop of Rome him selfe ê“ueth theÌ„ lyers by his owne Bulles Let vs behold therfore the exceding Da. 3. 9. goodnes of God in this behalf we hade deserued to be destroyed for our synnes that are bothe haynous many for coÌ„teÌ„ning the worde of God for our vnthaÌ„kfulnes bycause we haue lyued carelesly we hade nede to be scourged but yet the Lorde wil not haue our payne slauÌ„dred with that title Act. 5. but reputeth vs worthye of this honour that his pleasure is to haue vs put in perile for his names sake for the true faithe for religion which is a mater of most excelleÌ„cie and of most high honour so to compt vs among the company of his holy martires O what a fatherly louiÌ„g kiÌ„dnes is this O most abundauÌ„t pleynteous mercy O most riche treasures of goddes gratious fauour he is coÌ„tent to make vs vessels of his grace which had alredy Ro. 9. made our selues vesselles of his wrathe and he voucheth safe to haue his glory set vp the vineyarde of his churche watred and his faithe and truthe testified in that blood of ours which deserued to be sheadde for our owne exceding great synnes Who is it therfore that coulde be weary of this crosse who caÌ„ be sory to suffre afflictioÌ„s In dede our most cruel blood thirstye enemies are not ware of this glorie of our persecutioÌ„ and therfore it is meate and drinke to them whaÌ„ our bodies are destroyed murthered They knowe not that iudgemeÌ„t abydeth them that whan our Lorde God hathe chastifed vs ynough wyth theyr furious madnesse they must be cast into euerlasting fyre lyke an vnfruteful rodde that is good for no vse any more But as for vs it is our parte to saye nowe with the Apostle Paule who shall separate vs from the loue of God shal affliction shal straite Rom. 8. keping shal persecutioÌ„ shal hoÌ„gre shal nakednesse shall perile shall sweorde naye in all these thinges we haue the victorie by him that hathe loued vs. Yea Christ the sonne of God hathe loued vs and like as he gaue him selfe vnto deathe for our sakes euen so dothe he loue vs and putteth vs to honour now at the last caste after suche wise that he turneth the infamie of the payne which we hade deserued in to the most glorious honour of the crosse which we must beare for his sake NotwithstaÌ„ding his mynde â—s not that we shoulde be so tormeÌ„ted and afflicted that al must perishe in his persecucioÌ„ suffring but he requiâ—eth this that we shoulde abandon fleshely securitie expresse that faithe in our conuersacion that we professe in our communicacion And as sone as we doo so he receaueth vs which are now vnthriftie children and clippeth vs harde in his armes and so he maketh his wordes to be ê“ued true which he spake long agoo As surely as I doo lyue I wolde not the deathe Ezech. 18. of a synner but that he shoulde repent and lyue These thinges therfore it is coÌ„uenient for vs to warne and teache the â—ongregations committed vnto our charge that the weake be not afrayde of persecucion that they be not offended whaÌ„ any thing chauÌ„ceth amysse and that they esteme not our faithe and religion therby but let them remeÌ„bre them selues of those thinges that they haue deserued the wrathe of God by amende them that they being turned to the Lorde God maye see him also turne vnto them Let the wordes sounde in mennes eares yea let them sounde continually that the Lorde speaketh by the prophete O that my people wolde haue harkened vnto me for yf Israel hade Psal 81. walked in my wayes I shoulde sone haue put downe their enemies and turned my haÌ„de against their aduersaries The haters of the Lorde shoulde haue fallen like slaues vnto their fete but their tyme shoulde haue endured for euer If men wolde take hede to these sayenges with atteÌ„tyue godly hartes they shoulde not be offended at persecucioÌ„ but should haue most preseÌ„t redresse of al their miseries But what want ther is euery where in this behalfe I thinke you see it not without greuous sorowes of your hartes louing brethren and felowe ministers MeÌ„ haue not yet layde awaye their pernicious securitie of synfull life We are not yet weary of our wickednesse we are not yet sory for our synnes And lyke as wicked obstinate meÌ„ haue not suffred them selues as yet to take curteous warning by the worde euen so it is not possible for them to be afrayde whan plagues come vpon them And forasmuche as we se perforce that kynde of vnbrydled licenciousnesse in our people we se also our aduersaries waxe dayly stronger and stroÌ„ger our selues shrinke become weaker and weaker But seyng the worlde is in this case that we shoulde Esa 1. vtterly despere of it yf the Lorde hade not reserued his remnauntes of chosen people it shal be our partes to applie our diligeÌ„t endeauour that none be cast awaye through our slouthfulnesse or necligence Let vs therfore exercice the talent that the Lorde hathe geuen vs. Let vs wynne as muche as lieth in our possible power The Lorde wyll not fayle them that applye theyr dueties godlye But lyke as he alone geueth the 1. Cor. 3. Math. 3. encreace euen so is he hable of stones to make children of Abraham Let the dauÌ„gerous vsing of our office constrayne vs to haue it alwayes in our mynde and to take hede to our selues and to the hole flocke that the churche susteyne no losse either by false doctrine or by grief of persecucion Let vs not spare any paynes taking let vs not spare for any labours for any watchiÌ„ges no nor yet for our owne life for it is rather to be called a deathe Let vs not spare our bodie for it can not be better spent thaÌ„ about the husbandrye of the Lordes vineyorde that at the later day in the dredful iudgemeÌ„t we be not fouÌ„de companiones of that slouthfull seruaunt but that we maye heare that pleasaunt and most comfortable sayeng Well fare you good and faithfull Math. 25. seruauntes you haue ben faithfull ouer a fewe thinges I will put you in autoritie ouer many thynges Entre into your Maisters ioye Amen Farewel brethren and reuerende felowe ministers At Zuirike the xii daye of DeceÌ„bre 1546. The furst of the fyue Homilies of Rodulphe Gualter concernyng the latter tymes and Antichrist In this furst Homilie are contayned two specialties Furst it proueth by Christes wordes in the. 24. of Matthieu that Antichrist is Seconde it coÌ„futeth the false gloses of certain men and teacheth what Antichrist is and bringeth furthe two places of scripture wherby Antichrist may be certaynly and truly perceaued knowen THan if any man saye vnto you lo here is Christ or ther Math. 24 beleue it not For ther shall aryse false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shewe great miracles and wonders in so muche