from death to life and that hee shall not enter into condemnation Did he send vs to Rome or any other place Doth he not say if wee cate his fleshe and drinke his bloud which he had preposed before in these termes if we come to him and if we beleeue in him he dwelleth in vs and wee in him Can there be any charity to expose so many persons to infinite paines trauailes and daungers to put them in great charges to leaue their houses and vocations to goe a long iourney to seeke that which they may haue at home at their own dores if they haue a true faith working by charity But I pray you doth not the holy Father and his supports shew a manifest contradiction in their opinions and by consequent what spirit of error lying speaketh by their mouths and not the spirit of truth They proclaime with hewe and crye that in their Masse the Sacramentall wordes being pronounced the substance of bread is transubstantiated into the body of Christ and the wine into the bloud Now Iesus Christ ordaining the holy Supper would there by assure vs that if wee communicate worthily and examine our owne consciences we communicate his body which was deliuered for vs and his bloud which was shed for the remission of our sins To be short wee are participants of the efficacy vertue of his death and passion If then it be so that Iesus Christ very God and very man is there as they pretend yea in corporall presence Is it not a great folly and indiscretion to goe so far to seeke that which they may haue among themselues Wherefore should Iesus Christ present himselfe there vnto vs and should not haue so much power in his corporall presence as men are made beleeue that the bones sepulchers Temples and Images of S. Peter and S. Paul haue Is it not to make lesse account without comparison of the Master then of the seruaunts Yea is it not a despising of the Lord who is alwaies liuing to adore and worship the putrified carkasses of his seruantes If then it bee true that they are his seruants who will deny it to be a manifest blasphemy Wherefore all these goodly exhortations by the Pope made both to the Prelates and to Kings and Princes are like to Suger and other Spices wherewith he seeketh to sweeten his venomous drinke thereby the easier to impoyson all the world We must not stay nor attend the 100. yeare of the Romaine Iubile to amend our liues correct our vices to dispose our selues to doe good and to be intentiue to the word of God to read the holy Scriptures to exercise charity to giue honor to whome honor belongeth and tribute to those that ought to haue tribute and to pray to God one for an other and namely for Kings Princes and such as are in authority Such holy exercises are necessary for all the faithfull and at all times and seasons And also such as are called to feede the Lords flocke ought not to attend vntil that time to teach and instruct the people committed to their charge Act. 20. but they are alwaies to doe it as S. Paul writeth to the Bishop of Ephes yea in time and out of time according to the instruction by him giuen to his Disciple Timothy For that following their Masters example they must trauel in his Vineyard the 12. houres in the day without staying till euening comes Wherfore you my maisters of the church of Rome if you desire to be participants of saluation harken rather to the voyce of the great Pastor of al Pastors our only Sauiour redeemet Iesus christ Math. 11. who so sweetly inuiteth you vnto his word Come vnto me all you that are laden and I will comfort you Also If any man haue thirst let him come vnto mee and I will refresh him Ioh. 7. Then vnto these false Prophets which make you runne from place to place binding your consciences cause you to doubt of your saluation And the better to empty your purses set before your eyes a fire of purgatory wherein after you haue bin tormented in this world by fastings abstinences pilgrimages and other corporall exercises you must as they make you beleeue passe through and therein remaine to be as it were new boyled and refined before you enter into Paradice But the Sonne of God maketh one selfe same promise vnto all those who by a true faith shall seeke their saluation in him as he did vnto the poore theefe when hee said vnto him this day shalt thou be with me in Paradice that is to say if we commit our soules into his hands he will receiue them and place them in ease and rest attending the moste happy resurrection by meanes whereof he will leade vs all both in body and soule into his Paradice which is the heritage prepared for vs before the foundation of the world This great eternall and vniuersall Iubile whereunto God calleth and summoneth vs euery day hath bin written by the precious bloud and signed by the death and passion of our Lord Iesus Christ the eternall Sonne of the eternall God our great King and onely soueraigne Sanctifier Vnder written by the holy Apostle that Preached and declared it vnto all the world to be indifferently receiued and celebrated in all places where the name of God is called vpon and sealed with two great seales of his Maiesty Baptisme and the holy Supper Ga. 1. Whosoeuer Preacheth any other Gospel let him be accursed 1. Cor. 16. If there be any man that loueth not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be accursed Maranatha FINIS
Forly holding the Lady thereof inclosed therein Was not this a fayre celebrating the Iubile and getting of pardons to oppresse poore Widowes and fatherlesse children Guichardin saith also Guicciar Lib. 5. in his fift booke And to the end saith he that he might not omit any kinde of gaine he sent pardons into Italy and all other nations which are called Iubile celebrated in Rome with a great assembly of people inhabiting beyond the mountaines and gaue to those that could not come meanes to obtaine the sayd pardons so they payde for them which money so gotten with all the treasure that hee could by any meanes drawe from the Treasors and Landes of the Church he gaue it to his Sonne that dyed at Forly In the fixt booke he addeth that he being poysoned all the Citty ran in great troupes vnto the Church of S. Peter to see his body and none of them could satisfie theyr eyes to beholde this Dragon dead who by his immoderate ambition pestiferous dissimulation and all sortes of examples of horrible crueltyes monstrous couetousnesse and vnspeakeable greedinesse hauing solde without distinction both sacred and profaine things had poysoned all the world He saith that Rome is the place which God hath chosen Rome I say that hath been in horrour and execration to all the world since the Popes haue vsurped this tiranny ouer the bodies and soules of men Mounsier de Januille that hath written the life of S. Loys among other thinges saith that the King returning from Palestina and passing thorough Italy would not goe to salute the Pope fearing to beholde the vices and euill examples of the Court of Rome Petrarke in his Epistles saith thus heere saith he dwelleth Namroth the fearfull builder of the great Tower Heere is resident Simiramis with her quiuer monstrous Minos guideth the processe Rhadamanthus Cerberus dwell there To be short all monstrous execrations haue their nestes therein all confusions obscurites and horrors raygne therein most puisantly The Cannonists themselues cease not to speake of the corruptions that are in this court of Rome As among the rest Iohn Andre in his glose vpō these words Gens sancta wherupon the Pope will ordaine his church of Rome In cap fundamenta de electione et electi potest In the sixt saith thus touching the mallice of the Romaines John the Monke refereth vs heerein to the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines and saith that Saint Barnard hath written of them to Pope Eugenius Which we likewise read in the mirrour of Histories Lib. 29. cap. 27. The said Iohn the Monke sayd that Rome was Founded by rouers theeues other such like persons that it yet sauoreth of the beginning that it was called Rome as gnawing the handes alleadging a verse to the same purpose Roma Manus rodit quos rodere non valet odit This Pope addeth that it is the spirituall Sion the holy Jerusalem not according to the letter but by antephrase Spiritually from whence the law of God and the light of the Euangelicall truth from the first birth of the Church hath been distributed and spread throughout all the world c. We must not wonder why this holy Father and his Coherents so straightly prohibit to the laytye the reading of the holy Scriptures vnlesse they be permitted by their Prelate Bycause it is the onely meanes to license them to preferre all what pleaseth them and to make men beleeue that blacke is white and falshood truth It is certaine that the Church assembled of the faithfull is the true celestiall Jerusalem But what resemblaunce hath it with the Church of Rome the which much more sauoureth of Agar the seruant then of Sara the free woman Gal. 4. For euen as the childe of the seruaunt which was ingendred after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit So is it now And to prooue it read S. Paul Gal. 5. Continue sayth he in the liberty by the which Christ hath deliuered vs. After that he addeth all ye are voyde of Christ that are iustified by the law are destitute of the grace for wee stay for the hope of iustice by the spirit which is of faith For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision nor vncircumcisiō do preuaile but faith which worketh by charity Now to tye mans saluation to good works to induce an infinite number of ceremonies contrary to the liberty freedom which Christ hath obtained for vs to entertaine a great part of those obserued in the old law which were al abolished at the comming of Iesus Christ is it not an imposition of a most insuportable yoake vpon the shoulders of the faithfull Is it not to reduce a more hard straight seruitude then that from the which Iesus Christ hath deliuered vs And the P. would make vs beleeue that the church of Rome which is this Agar Apoc. 7. yea two-folde more slaue then Agar is the celestiall Ierusalem the spirituall Sion but he should rather say that it is the great Citty which spiritually signifieth Sodoma But when he saith that from Rome the law of God is deriued the truth of the Euangelical faith frō the beginning of the church hath bin distributed throughout all the world Esay 2. Is not this a manifest contradiction to the holy ghost which teacheth the contrary The Prophesie of Esay was it not manifestly accomplished in the citty of Ierusalem when the Apostles other holy men hauing there receiued the holy ghost preached therin went from thence to goe preach the Gospell throughout all the world as Iesus Christ had commanded them Doth not S. Mar. about the end of his gospel say that Iesus Christ after he had spoken with his Apostles was taken vp into heauen there sitteth on the right hand of God And they being gone forth preached the gospel in all places Now this issuing or going foorth ought to be vnderstood of Jerusalem not of Rome Clement speaking so after his predecessors doth he not wrong to the rest of the Apostles as if they were Ciphers or that they were idle persons contenting themselues with the names titles of Apostles as in truth the Popes other Prelates of their tyrannical dignities do for that only excepted they haue nothing but the bare name But is it not euident and manifest vnto vs by the Actes of the Apostles Rom. 15. that when S. Paul wrote that Epistle he had preached the gospell from Ierusalem and all about it vnto Jlltrica Esclauoma that is to say in diuerse places of Asia Europe Beholde now yee Romaines how that because you neither wold nor wil receiue the loue of the truth therby to be saued God sendeth you the efficacy of deceipt Thes 1. that you should beleeue lyes c. This holy father addeth that it is that happy Citty wherof the faith being cōmended by the mouth of the Apostle is preached throughout the world c. Alas where do
AN ANSWERE OR ADMONITION to those of the Church of Rome touching the Iubile proclaimed by the Bull made and set foorth by Pope Clement the eyght for the yeare of our Lord. 1600. Translated out of French LONDON Printed by E. Allde for Iohn VVolfe An aduertisement or admonition to those of the Church of Rome touching the Iubile proclaimed by the Bull made and set foorth by Pope Clement the eyght for the yeere of our Lord. 1600. YOu of the Church of Rome that beare the name of Christians and vaunt your selues to be Catholike members of the Catholike and Apostolike Church adding thervnto the name of Romaine Now it is time that you awake from the profound sleepe wherein long time you haue continued and open your eies in a manner blinded with the obscurity of errors where with you haue continually bin nourished and fed by the traditions of worldly men vnder the beautifull tytles which by vsurpation they attribute vnto themselues for if euer you had matter or occasion to acknowledge that the sonne of perdition of whome Saint Paul speaketh in the 2. to the Thess 2. is reuealed and that he sitteth in the Temple of God making himselfe God and vsurping the power and authority that appertaineth onely vnto God yea and lifting vp himselfe aboue that which is called God in that he taketh vpon him to controwle the ordinaunces and decrees of God certainly it is now or else neuer And againe if you will looke narrowly into and examine the contents of the Bull rightly to bee termed a bubble or bottle of water touching the Iubile you shal most manifestly perceiue it God grant you the grace that in truth this yeere may be vnto you the agreeable and peaceable yeere of your saluation and remission of your sinnes in one only Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 1. Act. 4. our wisedome Iustice Sanctification and redemption who is onely giuen vs by the Father to this effect Pope Clement the eyght following the good and commendable custome of his Predecessors as he saith therby the better to strengthen and increase the Kingdome of Antichrist and more and more to bring in subiection the consciences of men vnder his tiranny hath pronounced the Iubile for the yeere of our Lord 1600. adorning and inriching the same with most beautifull tytles the better to cause his Marchandize to be esteemed But as being placed in this seate he is the eldest Sonne of Sathan that he hath rather succeeded Simon Magus then Simon Peter in this pretended authority therfore he beginneth his goodly Bull with a most manifest and open lye And to speake truth he could not otherwise maintaine his trumpery and abhominable errors He saith that the Iubile ought to be celebrated according to the custome within the Citty of Rome because it is found to be so by the auncient traditions c. But he cannot shew that this custome hath bin ordained and appointed by Iesus Christ our great Doctor and onely Master Neither yet that it was euer practised nor put in vse by the Apostles For as the auncient Doctor S. Tertullian saith Iesus Christ saith not I am the custome Against Hermogenes but I am the truth And Saint Ciprian conformable thereunto custome without the truth is the antiquity of error And if wee must onely heare Iesus Christ we must not stay nor lay holde vpon that which any one before vs shall haue esteemed lawfull to be done but vpon that which Christ who is before all men hath first done for wee must not follow the customes of men but the truth of God And althought Clement the eyght saith that this institution hath not proceeded from a vaine superstition but of a pure and religious worshipping Yet can it not be true but cleane contrary for that all whatsoeuer is done without faith is sinne and faith is not grounded vpon the institution and traditions of men but onely vpon the pure word of God So that then it appeareth that the superstition grounded vpon insatiable auarice and immoderate ambition of such as haue attained vnto this Seate haue forged this Iubile after the manner of the secular yeere of the Romaines That is of a certaine Feast and playes which was celebrated euery hundred yeeres within the Citty of Rome among the Pagans as in like manner Candlemas day hath been established by them in place of the Feast which the Pagans vsed to celebrate vpon the same day and with the like ceremonies of Candles and Lights in the honor of their Goddesse Proserpin Marke then how these good Prelates and heades of the Church haue transfigured the feastes of the Pagans into their Papistical Feastes onely changing the names But let vs see the antiquity of the institution of this Bul Platine vpon Boniface 8. Naucler we finde by writing that in Anno 1300. Pope Boniface the eight caused the first Iubile to bee published to the same ende aforesaid as hee said according to the institution mentioned in the olde Testament Gen. 44. and commaunded it to be celebrated euery hundred yeares Beholde the originall of the Iubile edified vpon a good foundation beholde a good successor of the Apostles that taught vs a ful deliueraunce and discharge from the yoake of the cerimonies of the Law and this Pope will inclose and holde vs in a much more straiter seruitude The Iewish Iubile ordained by the expresse commaundement of God was indifferently obserued throughout all Iudea Leuit. 25. not any man for that cause beeing bound to goe vnto Ierusalem And this Pope incloseth it within his Citty of Rome but of that we will speake more heereafter There are then but three hundred yeares fully accomplished since that this inuention hath been established and so by consequence it was not at any time vsed within the precedent 1300. yeares Beholde the great antiquity wherewith these Holy Fathers seeme to fight against vs and by the meanes thereof abuse so many poore people But what is this Boniface of happy memory of whome Clement the eyght is successor If wee may beleeue certaine Historiographers as in truth his entrye into the Papacie all the course of his life and his death manifestly declare he was one that entred like a foxe raigned like a lyō and dyed like a dogge Is he not then a Pope of happye memorye Notwithstanding it is no meruayle though Clement saith so for that the memorie of the most parte of the rest of the Popes is not much better and diuers of them much more abhominable The Historians aforesaid speaking of the wicked acte he had played with this Pope Clement his predecessor which was that after he had perswaded him like a craftie foxe to leaue the Papacie whē this poore Celestine went againe vnto his Hermitage he like a furious lyon caused him to be cast in prison where with griefe he dyed Adde further that this man appeared to be a personage ful of great ingratitude and deceit in this that being prouoked by
end that I might Preach vnto the poore that I might heale those that are contrite of hart that I should annownce deliuerance vnto captiues and sight vnto the blinde and set at liberty those that are bruised and broken in peeces c. But how did Iesus Christ doe this did he command the Iewes to whome he Preached to come and finde him in a certaine place there to cause them to visit certaine Temples and Churches and for the space of thus many or so many dayes with other such like follies as they must do at Rome Was it not rather in Preaching repentaunce and amendment of life and free remission of sinnes vnto all that are true repentant by the faith which they ought to haue in Iesus Christ without sending them hyther and thither with Tapers golde and siluer And did it not onely in Nazareth Mar. 1. but throughout all Iudea and in Jerusalem it selfe as you may read in the Euangelistes especially in Saint John Math. 25. Act. 1. The like he commandeth his Apostles when he saith goe and Preach the Gospell throughout all the world Also you shall bee witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem and through all Iudea and Samaria and to the end of the world In doing this did he ordaine the celebration of the true spirituall Iubile to bee in one certaine place and to be celebrated at the end of euery 100. of 50. yeares This solemne Feast ought it not to be celebrated euery day as Saint Paul also exhorteth vs touching the spirituall celebration of the true Paschall Lambe our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 5. The Apostles among others Saint Peter and Saint Paul did they vse by theyr Buls to proclaime this yeare of Iubile Did they not Preach it openly themselues going personally from towne to towne and vilage to vilage to announce and declare remission of sinnes by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ to all beleeuers as also conuersion and amendment of life They also sent Epistles to the Churches but not to cause the faithfull to come to the places where they were resident there to kisse theyr Pantables and to receiue a signe of the Crosse as they call it Neither yet attribute vnto them selues such a tyrannicall power ouer the Kings Princes and people of the earth as the Popes doe The Sonne of God neither yet his Apostles did not appoint a certaine time place nor daies to perswade the faithful to repentance Euery day and euery yeare ought to bee the yeare of Iubile to all the faithfull It is therefore a plaine mockery to publish this goodly Iubile The Pope saith that he Preacheth as being the Ambassador of Iesus Christ vnto al the world But who gaue him that charge a certain number of Cardinals And from whom haue they this authority Act. 1. 6. 14. Is it from Christ No for it was not so from the beginning when S. Mathias should be chosen others likewise that were called to any Ecclesiastical charge But it is the Pope himselfe that hath aduaunced them to this high dignity to establish fortifie his realme of Abbadon Had the Apostles this proude manner when they went into any country to send for Kings Princes and people to come to kisse theyr Pantable Did they cause themselues to be borne vpon mens shoulders as this goodly Ambassador doth Cornelius the Centinier did he goe to S. Peter But according to the instruction of the Angel did not he send to fetch him did he not say vnto him that he had well done that he came It is true he would haue worshipped him but he was sharply admonished to the contrary So much there wanted that S. Peter wold haue made him to kisse his pantable It is therfore necessary for the Pope for the well exercising of his office of Ambassador to go as the Apostles did preaching the gospel thorow out all the world not to content himselfe with sending a peice of paper to cause so many people to come to Rome to obtaine pardons In truth it is a good exhortation that he gieth vnto al men to conuert turn vnto God For so the doctrine of the gospel teacheth vs. But to speake with the authority of soueraigne Pastor it is the part of Antichrist as also to assigne a certaine place certaine daies to do penaunce and obtaine pardon These are thinges that may not bee prolonged neyther yet posted ouer til the next day as Dauid saith Psal 95. Psa 95. To day when you heare his voice harden not your hearts The grace of God is not at this day tyed to a certaine place but is spread thorowout all the world to all the faithfull which giue certaine testimony of their faith by a true repentaunce and amendment of life As touching that which this holy Father saith that if it were need he would shed his bloud for those that are strayed out of the way I leaue that to the secret iudgement of God seeing that there is not any likelihood or apparance that those who so long and many yeares haue bathed themselues in the bloud of so great numbers of peoples nations especially such as haue sought their saluatiō in the bloud of Iesus Christ would shed their owne bloud But the Sonne of God at the day of his iudgement so much desired by his elect so fearefull to the wicked will iudge them But if Pope Clement had neuer so little feare of this iudgement which hee calleth feareful if he would beleeue that there is a God iudge of all the world would hee not tremble in his heart Would not his hayres stare and stand vpright vpon his head and all his body become pale and wan when hee dareth in such sort power out so many blasphemies all at one time First when he speaketh of the Iubile that was celebrated in Rome a hundreth yeares past vnder Pope Alexander the sixt will you know who that Pope was read the Histories of such as haue written his life Guichardine sayth his Pontificats being gotten by villanous meanes was peraduenture maintayned by more villanous meanes then euer were heard off And some there were that beleeued for there is nothing so wicked and vniust which was not thought to be in him that Baiazeth hauing intelligence that the King of Fraunce came into Italy corrupted the Pope with money by meanes of George Bucciard to cause him to procure the death of Iemy his brother All the rest that write speake of him as of a monster in nature And it appeareth by all the discourse of his life that the reason why he caused the Iubile to be celebrated was more to haue money whereof he was extreame couetous to inrich his Son Caesar Borgia then for any deuotion hee had to the holy Church And to prooue it at the beginning of the same yeare as it were at the very instant time when this goodly Iubile should beginne the aforesaid Caesar battered the Towne of
men at this day speake of the faith of the Romaines Is it in Turkie Persia or Tartaria but is it in the places subiect to the Pope It may be by those that know neither faith nor religion but beleeue onely by heresie and as they themselues alleadge beleeue in the faith of their Vicar But all those that know what Rome is how they gouerne liue therein will say and affirme that it is not onely the Schole of Epicurisme but also of Atheisme despising of God his holy word the receptacle support of all wickednes But behold a right papal lodgick The faith of the Romaine christians in the time of S. Paul was cōmended through the world therfore the faith of those that dwel in Rome now is commended through all the world as if faith were successiue in them if the true faith did not make it self knowne by good works But for that corruption is a thing successiue in such as are not regenerate by the holy ghost we might better trulyer reason thus the corruptions intollerable vices Sodomy that raigned among the Romaine Panims were known to all the world So at this day such vices raigne in Rome not onely among the people but among the principall of this infernall Hirarchy are known through al the world Thē it is not there that we must search the faith of these first christians for it is wholy buried vnder the earth Nowe if such a consequent as this which the Pope alledgeth of the time past to the time present were receauable wee might saye as much of those that dwell in Thessalonia for Saint Paul giueth the like witnesse to those that liued in his time yea a greater then of those in Rome You haue been saith he patrons to all the beleeuers as well in Macedonia as in Achaia For the word of God hath not onely shined from you into Macedonia and Achaia but your faith which is in God is spread throughout all the world Beholde then reasons well grounded to maintaine the excellency and prerogatiue of Rome But beholde one which crowneth the worke that is that the most blessed Princes of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul haue shed all theyr doctrine with their bloudes to the ende that by meanes of S. Peters chayre being made the capitall Citry in the world it should be the Mother of all the beleeuers and Mistresse of all other Churches c. But if it should be denyed him how could he prooue it but onely that it pleased the Popes his predecefsors builders of this tyranny for with other proofe he could not furnish himselfe If the preaching of the Gospel with effusion of bloud could obtaine this dignity who knoweth not but that Ierusalem ought to bee preferred therein before all others considering the great prerogatiues that it had before ouer all the Citties in the world For that besides them the Prophets did therein Preach the word of God and likewise were therein stoned and put to death There Iesus Christ did Preach there hee was scourged beaten spit vpon and lastly put to death Saint Peter also and his companions were there beaten and holden in prison because they Preached Iesus Christ within the Citty there S. Stephen was stoned for the same occasion and S. Iames beheaded and the other S. Iames killed with clubbes this neuerthelesse gaue no aduantage to Jerusalem much lesse to Rome The Pope knoweth wel or else he ought to know how much this primacy hath bin debated betweene Popes Pelagius and Gregory Bishops of Rome and Iohn Bishop of Constantinople that Gregory condemned the vnmeasurable ambition of the said John and that the Bishops of Rome neuer obtained it vntill the time of Boniface the third who by the authority of the cruell tyraunt and parricide Phocas obtayned the tytle of the vniuersall Bishop and yet the Popes did not as then mount vp into so high a degree of soueraignetie as at this day they are For as it is found written in the first lesson that is Song vpon the first day of Nouember which beginneth Legimus which within a certaine time hath been gelded of certaine breuiaries Pope Boniface that was the fourth Pope after Gregory by petition obtained of the Emperour Phocas one of the Pagans Temples within Rome called the Pantheon which he dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to the Holy Mattirs whereby it appeareth that the Popes as then were not Lords of Rome to dispose of the Temples therein at their pleasure as at this day they doe So this Soueraigntye hath been a most vniust and more then tyrannicall vsurpation All that is added that there is the stone of fayth the fountaine of sacerdotall vnity c. It is to be vnderstood which S. Paul saith 2. Thessal 2. That this Sonne of perdition will come with all fraud of injustice in those that perish For all that no not the least point can be found within the Citty of Rome namely that which he sayth that it is the fountaine of sacerdotall vnity For besides that this Pontificats is an vsurped dignity contrary to the expresse ordinaunce of Iesus Christ tending rather to the ruine of the Church then to the conuersation thereof It is a totall destruction of the sacerdotall dignity of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ But where was this faire spring of sacerdotall vnity when scismes raigned in this church more thē in any other especially when there were two seates one at Rome the other at Auignon and then when there was not onely two Popes but many times three Shall we say that there is the sincere verity where the traditions of men are in the like yea in greater authority then the word of God There where those that shall haue transgressed the commaundements of that which they name the holy Mother Church shall be more grieuously punished then swearers and blasphemers of the sacred name of God there where the Pope vsurpeth the authority to dispence against the word of God He saith that there that is to say at Rome are the keies of the kingdome of Heauen and the power to binde and vnbinde but it is an vsurpation for this authority doth properly belong to all those that are called to the charge of preaching declaring the doctrine of the Gospell As also that which he addeth that the Pope is the dispensator of the treasors of the Church which can neuer be diminished For all the true and faithfull Pastors of the Church of God are the true dispensators of the Treasors of Iesus Christ And we must mark well that which S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 4. That it is requisite that such a dispensator should be faithfull but where shall this fidelity be found in Popes that sell that which they call the Treasors of the Church yea and all thinges both sacred and prophane for ready money True dispensation doth it consist in making a signe with two fingers to present the Pantable to kisse and to giue a
peice of sealed paper or parchment Is it not in the sincere Preaching of the word of God the ryght administration of the holy Sacramentes Where doth the Pope this It should be a wonder to heare him Preach So it is neuerthelesse that in that sort the Apostles did dispence the Treasors of the grace mercy of God as wee may read in the booke of theyr Actes and in theyr Epistles But behold I pray you a right iest pure mockery to say that the gates of the most auncient Churches of Rome are opened with solemne ceremonies and that the faithfull are purged from the spots of sin to the end that the soules redeemed by the bloud of Iesus Christ by the Diuine vertues of the Sacramentes should be absolued and deliuered from the yoake of Iron and the tyranny of the deuill c. Is it possible in more manifest termes to mocke with God and to expose and bring in reproach the precious bloud of his most deare Sonne then in speaking in this manner From whence hath the Pope drawn this goodly yea rather damnable deuotion but onely from the pit of Hell The auncient Iubile was established among the Iewes by the expresse commandement of God Where will the Pope find that Iesus Christ hath or dained this which is the inuention of Boniface the eight and that first they must giue a blow with a small hammer wher with hauing stricken then with great blowes of leauers and staues open the gates of his Basiliskes to obaine all the benefits whereof hee speaketh This manner of action is not to bee found in any place of the holy Scriptures neither yet in the bookes of the most pure and first Doctors But that it hath bin reuealed to his predicessors if it were it was by the spirit of Sathan that transsigureth himselfe into an Angell of light that he might induce the simple people to commit two euils the one to sorsake God which is the spring of waters that continually without ceasing run into life eternall Ier. 2 the other to dig broken cesternes and such as holde no water But touching the true spirituall Iubile the Apostles declared it euery where and in all places as occasion serued according to their charge As S. Peter first in Jerusalem that all the house of Israell sayth he may know that this Iesus whom you haue crucified was by God made our Lord Christ Therfore be you repentant be you euery man baptised in the name of Iesus Christ Act. 2. to the remission of sins And in the Chap. following repent you saith he conuert to the end your sins may be defaced And in the 10. God cōmanded vs to preach vnto the people to witnes that Iesus is ordained of God to be iudge both of the quick the dead also al the Prophets beare him witnes that all those that beleeue in him shal receiue remission of their sins Now faith cōmeth not by going a long iourny ouer the mountains vnto Rome or els where but by hearing the word of God which is the word of faith Which S Pa. also saith that he Preacheth that is that if we confesse the Lord Iesus with our lips beleeue with our harts that God raised him frō the dead wee shal be saued Harken to that which S. Paul saith in the Act. 13 Brethren I would haue you know that the remission of sins by this Iesus is announced vnto you that euery one of you by this man is absolued of all the things wherof by the law of Moses you could not be absolued Now this was not at Rome that he spake this but at Antiochia in Pesidia Hee sent them not to Rome where according to Onuphrius allegation Saint Peter as then was resident but assured them if they there beleeued of the remission and intyre absolution of the paine and culpe of theyr sinnes For conclusion we wil ad that which S. Paul saith to Agrippa whereof the Pope hath inferred certaine words in his Bull. That Iesus Christ had appeared vnto him Act. 26. to establish him a minister and witnes as well of the thinges that he had seene as of the thinges that he would shewe vnto him deliuering him from the people of the Iewes and the Gentils to whome he sent him to the end saith Iesus Christ that thou maist open their eyes and that they might conuert from darkenes to light and from the power of Sathan to God to the end that they receyue remission of sinnes and part in the inheritaunce among the sanctified by the faith that is in me Wherupon saith S. Paul I was not disobedient to the celestiall vision But first I declared to them that are in Damas and in Jerusalem throughout all Iudea after that to the Gentils that they should repent and conuert vnto God doing workes worthy of those that repent Doth it not many sestly appeare by all these passages that it is not at Rome nor in the Baselisques that we must seeke these great benefits which the Pope promiseth vs by his Bull but in all places where the word of God is Preached and at all times such as by true faith doe receiue them are partakers of those benefits Wherefore what pretence soeuer Clement the eyght taketh as touching the actions of his predecessors whom he termeth Soueraigne Bishops and of the consent of the Cardinals it cannot be by Gods authority which neuer commaunded it much lesse by the Apostles who neuer practised the like but taught the contrary that he hath published his Iubile but rather by the authority of Sathan the father of lyes who by subtiltie and accustomed mallice hath in such fort prophaned this authority to remit and retayne sinnes as God hath giuen it to his church in the persons of true and faithfull pastors in causing it to be attributed vnto such as haue not any vocation in the Church if it be well considered neyther in matter nor forme and that make trassique and Marchandize of the grace mercy yea and of the iustice of God And which is more make certaine Stirrops to lengthen or shorten them as their accursed ambition auarice fauours and wicked wils leadeth them If therefore poore Romaine Catholiques you will be well assured to participate and haue part of the Treasors which Iesus Christ hath brought and dayly presenteth vnto vs and by consequent haue peace in your consciences It is not in any sort necessary that you should so much trauell your bodies to goe to Rome there to stay 15. daies or a month to goe visit the Basiliskes and Temples euery day during that time to haue a signe of the hand of a mortall man which you terme the signe of the Crosse and a blessing supposing by this meanes to haue full intyre remission of all your sinnes as well mortall as veniall The holy Ghost she weth you a way much more assured and a great deale shorter Rom. 10. when by his