in this poynt euen as the mother after she hathe conceaued and brought forth a childe she is alwayes the childes mother be she neuer so euell neither can the Emperour cause her leaue of to bee a mother or make her not to haue had a chylde whome she hathe brought forthe because that thinge is once done and past of a lyke sorte after that I am once made the mother of al other churches that by Themperors authorite Themperour can not bring it to passe with al the power he hath that I shal not be euermore the mother of them whome I haue begotten The people ▪ And howe may it bee that you haue begotten al churches when it is euident that ther was a great number before you yea and that you wer begotten of other The churche O braynles head Knowest thou not that when Christ honge vpon the crosse and shewed Iohn to hys mother and sayed woman beholde thy sonne forthwith he was made her trewe and naturall sonne so that after those wordes once pronounced it shall be alwayes trewe that Iohn was borne of her Now of the same fashion when the Emperor sheweth vnto me all churches and saythe behold thy doughters by by am I made theyr trew lawfull naturall mother And then began thys sentence fyrst to be trewe that they were all borne of me and therfore canne it not bee but that I begat them and am theyr mother for euer The people Chryste by thys worde mynded to declare nothynge els to his mother but that she should from thence forward take Iohn in stede of her sōne and that he should take Mary in stede of his mother as he alwayes dyd but his mynde was not that she shoulde be Iohns naturall mother as she was that conceaued and bare him The churche Loe nowe ye come in with your tropes and figures the wordes of Christe are simply to bee vnderstanded Christ sayd to hys mother behold thy sonne and he sayd to Iohn beholde thy mother so that it folowethe wel Mary was Iohns very trew mother and Iohn was Maries very trewe sonne but howe this thinge may be it behoueth vs not curiosly to serche Of a lyke fashion the wordes which Christe spake at hys last supper when he there ministred to his disciples taking breade into his handes and deliuerynge it broken to them that sat with him sayinge this is my body be semply and planly to be vnderstanded that is to say that the bread is the very body of Christe and not the breade is a figure of the body of Christ of the very same fashion the Emperours wordes muste be taken when he shewed me all churches sayinge behold thy doughters these wordes must be vnderstanded plainly as they stand wherfore I conclude that they be my trewe lawfull doughtets and I am theyr mother The people What when you neuer begat them I neither knewe nether cold beleue that the Emperoure had euer any such authority that he could make that thīg to be done which was neuer done in this world that is to say that he could make you brīg forth those churches which ye neuer brought forth Yf themperour haue so greate power that he canne make those thinges to haue ben whiche were neuer no doubt he can bring to passe also that those thinges were neuer which haue ben and so may he cause also that ye neuer wer neither euer shal be theyr mother I woulde very fayne that ye coulde perswad thesame thinge which ye tolde me to your monkes and prestes that is that the wordes of Christ are simply to be vnderstāded without any trope or figure as this other saiing of Christ is some there be whiche haue geldyd thēselues for the kingedō of god for takinge it plainly they would gelde themselues and let my women alone vndefiled neither would they be stayned with so much wicked filthines which thynge they should more willynglye do for that they so frowardlye defend that they wyll take no wyues To possesse thynges not nedefull appereth to me not only superfluose but also folyshe Thys woulde I lerne of you when themperour sayed vnto you beholde thy doughters what thīg was it y t he shewed vnto you The churche All churches The people The churches of Christ or the churches of the Deuell The curche I am indifferent The people If it be as you saye I thynke he shewed vnto you the churches of Satan As touchynge my parte I dare boldly saye there is no cause why I should reioyse in this dignitie but rather lament for wheras before I was your onelye sonne and heyre now when ye haue a meany of doughters ye must giue to euery one of thē theyr dowery so that I shal remayne a beggar The church Naye thou shalt bee rychest of all other knowe ye not the fashion of the turkes which selleth theyr doughters for a certaine sūme of money to thē that shal be theyr husbandes so will I sell my churches and byshoprikes to them that will giue moste money and so shall the spoyle of all other prouinces come immediatly to Rome The people Then will ye commit simonie and norishe a den of theues The churche I tolde thee afore that I can not erre and so must thou beleue if thou wilt be accounted my sonne yea although thou sawest me commit dayly all kindes of abhominacion The peo This cānot be except I lose my fiue wittes The churche Naye I woulde ye shoulde not onelye be persuadyd that I cannot erre but also that I am most holy ought to be called most holy after such a sort that he which nameth me holy not most holy is to be thought not to speake of me The people Then when the Apostles in the Crede saye we muste beleue one holy churche wee must not thynke that sayng to belong to you But I heard say not longe agone a thynge more to bee wondered at that our Byshop is made most holy of all and moste blissed of all other a goddes name The churche Thou hittest the nayle on the head The people Then as concerning holynes he shal be superior to Christ who by the authoritie of scripture is named holy of holies but this good blode of ours is called by the mouthes of mē most holy Therefore should he not desire to come into heauē For be it that he were there euen nowe more then blissed should he not be and being in yearth he is accountyd most blissed Wherfore he should not ascende to a higher state of felicitie but rather descende to a lower And it is maruayle yf thangelles and Saynctes whiche be in heauen come not with spede to Rome and there begynne to sue for thys dignitie of the Byshopryke of Rome that they may be made more blissed and more holy then they nowe be I heard more ouer that he is declared the head of all other churches Thechurch So it is in dede The people Had not then the misticall bodye of the
honour before manne or for thobteynyng of riches or imperiousely to vse the seruice of hys subiectes neyther to seke for any priuate commoditie but to serue other and to â—eke for the profyt of other The power therefore and thegreatnes of the ministers of Christe is alltogether spiritual and standeth wholly in the seruice and gouernaunce of soules helthe But y e bishop of Rome seketh for no other thing theÌ„ to be estemed greate before the worlde that he maye bee worshipped in earthe as it were a god and haue lybertie to vse tyranny ouer all churches to spoyle and destroy them at his pleasure Yf the church of Christ wer now as in times paste it was ordeyned to be he shoulde be thought greater then all the reste who is indued with more lyght from aboue and hath receaued more gyftes and benefites of Goddes hand and this worthynes of hys woulde he onelye vse in settynge forthe of the gospell whereby he might wynne as many soules as myght bee to Christ. So that be it that Christe had geuen the power of the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to Peter onely and by him to you that be byshoppes of Rome which thinge is not trewe what other power or authoritie shoulde you haue therby I pray you then to preach the gospell then to be witnesses that synnes bee pardoned to them that beleue and retayned to theÌ„ that beleue not then to administer the Sacraments accordynge to Christes institucion theÌ„ to exhorte to admonysh to correcte with gentlenes and loue such as be prone to synne then to excommunicat whiche is the chiefe matter of all suche as bee open notoriouse synners when they amend not after monicion geuen accordinge to the doctrine of Christe and wyll not obeye the church Thus farre extendeth your power and authoritie geuen by Christe and no further except ye will confound the boundes and thorder of the power ciuile and the power ecclesiastical Mas. This confusion shoulde not our byshoppe in any wise suffer and that for two causes The fyrste because he will haue all hys power estemed of men to be spirituall and heauenlye al though he ouer run the whole worlde with his vnbrydled tyranny The latter because if he woulde saye that thecclesiasticall power might be mingled and confouÌ„ded with power ciuile he might be afrayed leste haply the Emperor should chalenge theÌ„ both so be made both Emperor and Pope I remembre that I haue hearde tel howe Christe was desiered of a fellowe to make deuision of inheritaunce betwene him and hys brother vnto whome Christe made aunswere who made me your iudge Who gaue me authority to deuide thinheritaunce betwene you As thoughe he had sayed I came not neither am I sent of my heauenly father that I should chaleng to me any political power but spiritual onely I come to preach vnto you the whole spiritual kyngdome to bring you to that highnes of mynde that ye shoulde leaue not onelye the worlde but your selfe also for the glory of god and not to be an arbitrer or iudge of your stryfes Yf therfore our Byshoppe were Pope neuer so much as he striueth to be and Christes vicar in earthe it is very trewe that he hath no more power or authoritie gyuen hym by Christ then had Christe himselfe And therfore whensoeuer there shoulde be any ciuile matters brought before him in iudgement he should make aunswere with Christe who made me youre iudge or elles who gaue me authoritie to deuide or put together to absolue or condempne by a ciuile fashioÌ„ of iudgement Thys power must come some other waies it eÌ„ by Christ. But I feare me muche leste oure popes shall by thys their newe authority bee so much occupied in worldly businesses y t they shal haue no space or time to thinke any whit of God And more ouer so much shal theyr tyranny increase y t they shall wyllynglye desire and drawe to themselues and to their iudgemente seates all maner of controuersies not to make an ende of them but to inuolue them and make them more doubtfull by the meanes whereof the sewtes indure the longer And furthermore wheÌ„ they be once made dronke with the bloud of martyrs they wyll sow deadly discorde and continuall contenâ—ion amongest christian princes and wyll bee the authors almoste of all warres whiche shall continue for manye yeres For it is not possyble that common welthes should be quyet where they shall haue rule But I pray you tell me in good earnest brought the embassador any other authoritie of scripture agaynst the Popeshyppe Lepi He brought amoÌ„gest other as farre as I remeÌ„ber thautorite of Sayncte Paule who wrote to the Galathians that Peter was the Apostle of the Iues euen as Paule was of the Gentiles Wherefore he was neither the Apostle sayed he neither the Pope of Rome neither anye of other nacions but of the Iewes onely Neither was he vniuersall Byshoppe of all christendome neither you that be the byshops of Rome be the successors of Peter because ye be not the Apostles nor bishops of the Iewes But Paule shoulde rather haue bene Pope of the gentiles and so much y â— more aboue Peter bicause that y e geÌ„tiles of whom Paule was the Apostle were moe in numbre then were the Iewes and moe of the Gentiles were conuerted to Christe then of the Iewes And Paule preached also in suÌ„dry places of the world brought forthe the fruite of the gospell more plentifully then dyd Peter wherfore he was an Apostle more vniuersall and more profitable also to the churche of Christ. And Paule more ouer addeth thys thyng in the same place that he had no lesse grace beinge the Apostle of the Gentiles then Peter had being the Apostle of the Iewes Then was not Peter a greater Apostle then Paule was And so consequentlye doethe it folowe that he not hys head yea and Paule doeth playnlye call hym in speciall wordes felowe euen as he dyd bothe Iames and Iohn And Peter also wrytynge to the pastors of other churches commaundeth them not imperiouslye as though he were their superior but exhorteth them gently as hys felowes callynge Christe and not hym selfe the chiefe Pastor And furthermore when he was rebuked of Paule he sayed not that he was aboue all lawes and coulde not erre because he was Pope but gaue place to Paule when he was checked of hym openlye And also when he was sent by the apostles in to Samaria he withstod them not He sayed not it is my office to commaunde I haue authoritie to send whom I will or els to goe my wayes yf it please me for I am youre head But he obeyed their commaundementes as a membre of the churche of Christ. And when thimbassador would haue folowed hys matter that he intended more at large and haue brought moe places of scripture for the vtter subuercion of all the popship Then master Falsidicus thinkyng hymselfe not well handled with thimbassadors manyfolde and
Clement was ordeyned vniuersall Byshoppe of all churches but onelye the byshoppe of the church of Rome Besides this if Clement was made Byshoppe of Rome by Peter as you saye he was and not chosen of the people no doubt hys successors woulde haue folowed the same example whiche thyng they dyd not and therefore it is false that Peter made hym Byshoppe I will passe ouer that neither Eusebius neither Hierome number these Epistles amongest Clementes workes Yea Clement hym selfe in these Epistles prayseth a boke that he shoulde write the title wherof is Itinerarium Clementis whiche boke of trueth was neuer of hys makynge And furthermore thys boke maketh mencion of dioceses archbyshoprikes primacies and bishoprikes whiche orders and names were not yet distincted and appoynted out neyther doeth he anye thyng els in these Epistles but set forth the dignitie and fredome of priestes whome he wyll haue so free that they shall not intermedle themselues with anye handycraft for a profe of the which absurditie he citeth certayne places of holye scriptures wrythed beyond the nocke More ouer in his second Epistle he is so bolde to teach Iames of what sorte he shoulde minister the Sacramentes And yet that fashioÌ„ is not obserued thys daye namely in the administracion of the lordes supper Furthermore none of the auncient writers make any mencion of these Epistles neither yet of them y t Anacletus or Euaristus should wryte He citeth out of the newe and olde testament that it is not laweful for priestes to sacrifice or syng masse but when the Byshoppe commaundeth them which thynge can neither be founde in the newe neither in the olde testament In the fyft Epistle he affirmeth that all thynges wyfes and other shoulde be common and that yf it be not so it commeth of the wyckednes of menne There bee also in thesame Epistles many other folishe thynges and lyes whiche he rehersed but bycause ye maye read them your selfe I wyll reherse no more Master Pseudologus shewed also certeyne other epistles wrytten as he sayed by Anacletus and Euaristus whereby he minded to stablysh this popeshippe But thimbassadour proued by good reasons that they all were of none authoritie because that it is conteined in them that Clement should be his predecessor which thing Hierome denieth also Ireneus Further he would not y t priestes should be accused or iudged for a profe wherof allegeth y e scriptures with out iudgemeÌ„t or reasoÌ„ he wil haue Byshoppes iudges in seculer matters and that euery manne maye apeale to them When it is well knowen that that thynge was neuer graunted vnto them before the tyme of Theodosius the Emperour and agayne he sayeth that Cephas signifieth a head where as in dede it signifieth a stone And furthermore I can proue the Epistles of Euaristus to be of none authoritie not onely by that he bryngeth manye sentences of scripture sasly writhed y t priestes should not be accused of any lay meÌ„ but also because he writeth ad Gallium BarduaÌ„ two Counsels in whose tyme Anacletus was Byshop of Rome not Euaristus which thing is euident by the histories Master Pseudolog us blushed was ashamed wonderfully when these thinges were layd to his charge because he appeared openlye to all mens sight to haue played a false parte whiche thinge when the embassador of Antioche perceyued he left hym as he was and gaue place to the imbassador of HierusaleÌ„ who spake than wonderfully in this wise There is no doubt but that Christ who was the chiefe and vniuersall Byshop of hys churche preached his gospell chiefely at HierusaleÌ„ in y e which place he was contented to dye for our sakes And this is also certaine y t Iames succeded in hys roume who was nexte Byshoppe in Hierusalem after Christ. Wherfore yf there shoulde be any supreme vniuersall and visible head stablished in yearth of the church of Christ militant because it is sufficiently proued that Peter was not the chiefe Byshoppe our Byshoppes of Hierusalem oughte to be Popes and not the Byshoppes of Rome For you woulde haue your Byshoppes of Rome to be Popes because of none other reason but that they succeded Peter we maye muche the better chalenge oure Byshoppes of Hierusalem to bee chiefe Byshoppes because they succeded Christ in so muche as Christ is greater and more excellente then Peter As touching Christe it is knowen ryght well that he was the vniuersall head of hys churche and that he was crucified in Hierusalem And more ouer not onely Paule nameth Iames first before Peter and Iohn but also in the first consell of the Apostles where as Peter Paule Barnabas and the rest of the Apostles speake he as their heade and iudge sayed his mynde laste whiche was aproued of all thapostles and of the whole congregation And it is not to be doubted but that if the church of Hierusalem be the mother as she is in dede of all other churches and of whome all other churches had theyr beginninge wherefore she ought to bee called mother as it was determyned in Nicene counsell Then muste the byshop of Hierusalem as the spouse of the churche be called the vniuersall father of all other churches and the chiefe byshoppe and byshoppe ouer all other byshops as your Clement calleth hym in hys fyrste epistle if it bee hys as you doe alledge Then thus he sayed These wordes haue I spoken not that I thinke oure byshoppes to bee highest by any meanes for Christe onely is thuniuersall head of hys churche who is onelye sufficient but to declare vnto you by a certayne suer reason if there muste bee anye supreme heade in earthe thesame ought rather by right belonge to our byshop then to the byshop of Rome Ye maye nowe see howe muche vanitie there is in your reasons when our reasons bee so sclender and yet better then yours For Christe made neither Peter neither Iames y â— supreme head of his churche And yet in the fyrste counâ—ell of the Apostles Iames sayed hys mynde laste as byshop of Hierusalem and Paule nameth hym before Peter and Iohn But it followeth not therefore that he was vniuersall byshop aboue all other byshops Notwithstanding this one thinge is trewe that our churche muste be called the mother of all other churches not that it ought to gouerne all other churches as you make your argument Whiche thinge canne not be but because all other churches had theyr originall and fyrste begynnynge of it Wherefore oure byshoppes haue the fyrst place in the counsell appoynted vnto them and bee called bishops of the fyrst seate because of the estimacion of the citie wherein Christe was put to deathe But they muste not therefore bee called the byshops of other byshoppes and the vniuersall heades of the churche of Christe The imbassadour of Alexandrya interrupted thys imbassadour of hys tale sayinge What nede we so many wordes in so playne a matter Yf the byshoppes of Rome had receaued thys
a heuy thing for me if Rome shoulde be turned into Troy The curche Besides this noble dignitie of our byshop I am to muche occupied with an infinite number of matters of ceremonies of sutes and controuersies of other prophane thiÌ„ges that I haue no time left to scratch my head wherfore now wil I forsake you But I wyll tel you one thyng yet before I goe Sence this man was created pope I haue ben wonderfully vexed and sicke bothe in body and soule euen as though I had dronke a pocion of poyson And I canne not well tell whether I gat thys sycknes of to muche ioy wherewith I was replenyshed by the reason of the greatnes of my promocion or elles of thintollerable burden of businesses which grow towardes me dayly Nowe haue I nothinge elles to saye but that I offer my newe kindes of marchandise to bee solde to you before other and that better chepe than any straunger shall haue them The people I thanke you for youre marchant lyke ciuilitie and agayne I offer vnto you my fauor and all my strength and power to defend and increase the greatnes of your honour The Pope Mans Iudgement The people of Rome The Pope AT the last we be come to thys highe honor whiche we haue so much desired and that is more to bee wondered at by the whole consent of all the people of Rome I would neuer haue thought suche a numbre of the nobilitie woulde haue come to gratifie me and to increase my ioye They thynke verely that thys oure promocion shall increase and amplifie their ryches and power not a litle But I am informed for a certayntie that many foren churches were muche vexed therwith namelye suche as bee of the East partes Wherfore we vnderstande that they sende embassadors what they bee I can not tell to replye agaynst the thynge and it maye so be that they wyll dryue the matter to a disputacion Now is it therfore necessarie for vs to arme our selues for oure defence and as in a matter of great weyghte and importaunce to vse a wittie counsell Wherfore mans iudgement who art one of my pryuye counsell with thee I thynke it best to consult Mans iudge Truely sir I haue tossed turned al this matter in my minde agayne and agayne after long and earnest fantasyinge I conclude that there is no more presente remedie to preserue increase and establish thys your promocion kingdom and authoritie then to contend and earnestly to stand in it that it is not the ordinaunce of man but of God So that it is Christ hymself who hath ordeined you to be supreme head of the churche and that with a whole fulnes of power otherwyse shall ye hange alwayes vpon the Emperour who hath placed you in this highe estate of honoure by that meanes as he once gaue it you so maye he agayne take it awaye from you Moreouer your Empier and authoritie cannot be stretched out further then the coastes of the Empier of Rome extendith besydes thys all ChristendoÌ„ wyll laugh to scorne thys fayned and conterfect dominion Crying out that Christe is the supreme head of his churche and that he alone is able ynoughe to gouerne it well with out the helpe of an other head or of any other deceyptfull manne as he hath by hys ministers gouerned it hetherto But yf ye contende earnestly that it is Christ who hath put you in thys place ye shall bothe be deliuered from hanging vpon the Emperour and shall also be as farre aboue hym as holy and spirituall matters are to be preferred to matters prophane and worldely So that your authoritie being by thys meanes established ye shall enter into all the coastes of the yearth There shal be no Christian men in the worlde but when they shall bee persuaded that Christe was the author of thys ordinaunce who hath made you his vicar of whome ye haue receyued thys highe authoritie but they wyll come to you of their owne swynge as thoughe they would wurship this Godhead of yours in earth and wyll glorye that they maye obey you The Pope I woulde alowe thys counsell of yours very well yf it might be brought to passe by any meanes that I coulde persuade so manifest a vanitie to the worlde Mans iudge The folishenes of manne is growen so farre nowe accompanied with a wonderfull deceyt and wickednes I of my selfe am so subtile craftie that me thynketh it a thyng easie to persuade yea and that I nowe see the meanes howe The Pope I desire of all loues that ye wyll tell me by some inkeling what thyng it is that ye euen nowe mused vpon for ye may well know that it is my ioy to talke of suche thynges Mans iudge Yf there coulde bee one iote founde in the holy scripture wherupon wee myght leane for a profe that Paule the Apostle was ordeyned of God to bee supreme and vniuersall head of the churche militant yea thoughe it semed writhed and wrasted with the braakes of your authoritie and drawen by violence to our purpose agaynst the naturall sence yet so that there were some likeâ—yhod therin the victorye were ours For it is euident by the worde of god that Paule was some tyme at Rome thoughe he were then in prison yet shall wee persuade by all meanes possible that he was made Byshop of thys Citie whose office and dignitie you haue by inheritaunce and succeâ—syon obteyned I haue occupied my fantasie to and fro and haue chewed thys question diligently and so at the last I perceyue that there be many wordes in the holy scripture whiche with a litle wrasting woulde make the blinde ignoraunt common people gyue credite to thys vayne opinion that Paule was the chiefe of all the Apostles and vniuersall head of all the churches of Christe And yet shall we not therfore obteyne all our purpose For the selfe same holy scripture is in other places directlye and in playne wordes againste vs. Forasmuche as it is euident that Paule thapostle was none of the twelue Apostles of Christ yea and when Christ was here in earthe he was his enemie and persecutor and afterwarde also a certayne space Neither is it lykelye that Christ woulde ascende into heauen but woulde first well forsee to his churche and leaue vnto it one certayne head to be hys vicar occupie hys rowme Thys thyng was very necessary for him to doe This last reason must we alleage earnestly and defende it stoutly yf we intende to obtayne oure purpose But nowe haue I deuised a farre better waye There bee many places in the gospell whiche may easly be writhed to oure purpose That is to saye wherby some likelyhod maye be alleged that Peter thapostle was pronounced chiefe of the apostles by Christ his owne mouth and was created supreme head of his church militant Nowe yf we coulde bring hym to Rome make hym Byshop of thys citie it shall bee an easie thing to persuad that you be
saye the perticular he receaued of men whereby he was the Bishoppe of Rome The people I haue sene amongest them which professe mounkâ—y when they goe on theyr general visitacion of y e prouinces coÌ„mitted to their charge they wil not bee so generall prouincials that they wyll take vpon them to remoue them away whome they find but suffer theÌ„ to remayne and do their office as they did before and they also be contented with theyr office of visitacion Of a like sorte me thinketh if Christ had ordeyned Peter a vniuersall byshope of all other bishoppes his deutie should be to visit all other churches and yet to leaue euery byshop remayninge in his owne diocese and he himselfe to bee contented with his owne office and regarde nothinge to bee created byshop of euery sundry church But I pray you thys one thinge was Peter a bishope before he was made byshope of Rome and Antioche or not The pope He was but yet a generall byshope of the whole churche of Christe and no seuerall bishoppe of Rome or Antioche The people Then was he called an vniuersall Byshop of Christe and of hys churche by the means wherof he was called a christian byshope and not the bishop of Rome The Pope It is verye trewe as ye say The people Nowe maruayle I very muche whie after he was made byshoppe of Rome he refused the fyrst tytle and receaued the latter seinge that hys last byshoprike was no cause why he should lose the first that not withstandinge he woulde no more be called the chiefe Christian byshop but the byshop of Rome And yet without controuersy the fyrste tytle is more worthy tytle then is the latter And as for the fyrste name and tytle he had it of Christe the latter of man Yf Peter at any tyme woulde haue receyued and allowed to bee called the chiefe christian Byshoppe suerlye youre predecessours woulde haue vsurped and challenged thesame title Which thing because it is not done but they be called y e bishoppes of Rome many men will thinke that neither they neyther any of theyr predecessors were euer vniuersall byshoppe of all churches For if that had so been trewely they woulde haue chaunged the perticular title with the more general and more worthye title or at the leste wayes youre holynes shoulde nowe at the last begyn to be called neither the chiefe nether the Romish byshop but a Christian bishop of Christ and of his congregacion and create some priuat bishoppe of Rome in youre stede The Pope Ye canne not perswade vs to be so much a fole that we will refuse the byshoprike of Rome to runne invisitacion of churches hether thither lyke Egiptyans We wyll holde faste thys byshoprike of Rome and further more we will be and require so to be accounted the supreme head of all other byshops The people As for my parte I am right well contented and satisfied how so euer the matter goe neyther did I moue thys matter for any other purpose but because that name and title of a Christian byshoppe semeth to me muche more excellent then to be called byshope of Rome But and it may like your holynes was Peter the fyrste byshoppe of Rome The Pope That is without question The People Suerly I maruayle muche that Paule was so notable an Apostle and so muche estemed before Peter and yet was not made byshop of Rome And another thing I meruayle at muche more that althoughe the churche of Christe was at Rome yea and that many yeres before Paule came thether and many wyse and godly men were in it as it appereth in the Epistle whiche Paule wrote specially to them wher he saluteth them by name yet that theyr church was so euell ordered that it lacked a byshope The Pop. There were byshoppes there but Peter was not the first byshop of Rome but the first chiefe bishoppe of all other and he made an ordinance that all byshops of Rome which should afterward folow hym should also be y e highest bishops aboue all other The people Uerely I can not see from whence Peter had this authoritie to make suche an ordinance that all bishops of Rome shoulde be Popes and vicars of Christ althoughe they were wicked helhoundes me thinketh it had ben done accordinge to iustice equitie if any shoulde be ordeyned byshoppe aboue all other bishops and churches thesame should be chosen by the consent of all byshops and all churches And thys thinge is moste of all to be maruayled at howe it may come to passe that all your predecessors from Peter euen vntill thys day were highest byshoppes and heade of all churches and yet vsed not they this authorytie no there was neuer communicacion of it before thys presente The Pope Neuer thinke that that is so as thoughe they were not chiefe byshoppes in very dede but because it was not nedeful for them to vse theyr authoritie and of a certayne modestie they declared not theÌ„ selues chiefe bishopes as they were But nowe there bee so manye heresies arisen in the churche of god suche sundrye sectes and dissencions that we haue thought it necessary for a remedy agaynste so many mischefes to declare oure selues what power we haue by Christe so to vse oure most high authoritie The people I vnderstande you well Namelye because the chiefe byshoppes of Rome as I heare saye can not erre This one thing also can I not hyde whiche semeth to me sumwhat yf they haue receaued thys high authority of Christ they ought by no meanes to kepe it secrete and hid but to disclose it to the whole world whether they vsed it or not accordinge as the circumstances of thinges parsons tymes and places shoulde requier and that shoulde the more diligentlye haue bene done for that it is nowe opened with a greate offence of all good and godly menne and the worst poynt of all is that men be not so folishe nowe a dayes that they wyll gyue anye credyt vnto you But I as a good child of your holines will alwaies shewe my selfe obedient and redy to beleue you And because I woulde trouble youre holynes no longer with your blessed license I will departe The pope And we now geue the our blyssing frely Thomas Massuccius the master of the horse Lepidus the Popes chamberlayne Mas. YOnder I see master Lepidus commynge hastely and cherfully out of themperours courte I will wayte vpon hym to knowe whether he bringe vs any good tydinges God saue you master Lepidus Suerly you brynge vs some good newes as a man would iudge by your countenance ye seme so pleasant and mery Lepidus I haue so much ioye trussed vp in this brest of myne that I can scarsly staye my selfe within my skynne Mas. As nobell hartes of the worlde may bee estemed so muche the more happie the larger they spred abrode theyr happie state and felicitie Wherfore I beseche you vouchesafe to tell me wherof this ioy of yours ariseth that youre ioy may bee
euidently appeare by the wordes of Christ when he sayeth to his Apostles That whiche I saye to you I saye to all Neither semeth it any thing lykely that he spake that thyng whiche he taught to them only but to all Truelye thys is certayne as Saynct Hierome wrot vpon thys sayng To the I will gyue the keyes of the heauenly kyngdome That y e bishops priestes haue thought hitherto by the reason of their pryde and pharisaical arrogancie that they had power to condempne the gyltles and to deliuer the gyltie But truelye they bee deceyued all ouer the fielde Because that the question is not before God of the iudgement of the priest but of the life of the sinner Whereby he playnlye declarethe that the choyse of binding and loosinge is not left in the libertie of the priest but in the sinner who is coÌ„maunded to beleue The minister of Gods word doeth not absolue but he publisheth declareth man to be absolued likewise he declareth man to be bound and condempned onles he beleue Euen as y e scepter royal signifieth a kinges power and the swerde the empire So likewise doth the keyes betoken the spirituall gouernaunce of the kingdome of god For whosoeuer he be that preache the gospell be it whosoeuer ye will in that he preacheth he doeth all that lyeth in him to open the kingdome of heaueÌ„ to the hearers whether it be openly or priuatly that he preache to one or to many More ouer he delyuereth all the beleuers he forgiueth all theyr synnes he saueth them and bringeth them into the kingdome of God when he teacheth that they be fre by faythe and because they beleue that theyr synnes bee forgeuen them they bee saued and in the kingdome of Christe Agayne on the other syde he byndeth al them which beleue not he retayneth their synnes he condempneth them and shutteth them out of the kingdome of heauen when he teacheth them that they are bound that they remaine in theyr sinne that they be dampned and shut out of the kingedome of grace by the reason of theyr vnbelefe But thys thing is worthye to be noted y t there is two kingedomes of Christe in earthe whereof the one is spirituall and canne not bee seen wherin dwell onely the godly and righteouse men and another that is much greater wherein abyde not onely the good but also all other that bee Baptized whiche will seme to bee christians Neyther were the keyes of bothe these kingdomes deliuered onely to Peter but also to all the rest of thapostles and by them to the successours of thapostles that the ministers of the worde of god might not onely shut and open the fyrste kingdome as it is before declared but also the second For they maye suspende and excommunicate synners openly when they amende not aâ—ter suche order as Christe hathe appoynted and so shut them out of the seconde kingdome and bannishe them the company of other christians They maye also loose when they shewe forthe tokens of penaunce that is to say they maye declare in the christian congregacion that they be fre euen as before they declared them to bee bound by that meanes open vnto them the seconde kyngdome and graunte vnto them the libertie to dwel and abyd in the company of other christians with them to receaue the holy Sacramentes Then were these the keies thys the authoritie that Christ spake of wheÌ„ he sayd to his apostles what so euer ye shal bynde in earth it shall be bounde in heauen and what soeuer ye shall loose in earth it shal be loosed also in heauen The ministers also of the churche of Christe may and ought to enioyne penaunce to suche as bee excommunicated at such time as they conuerte and repent that they maye openly shewe tokens of a penitente harte not that they may thynke thereby to satisfy make a sufficient recompense for theyr offeÌ„ces in the sight of God for y e which Christ hath suffered long a goe y t neither they theÌ„selues neither other folowing their example should any more committe the lyke offences neither should withstand the correction of the churche and of the ministers But as touchynge the signes that bee vnknowen and secret the ministers ought not scrupulously to inquire for y e knowleage of them Neuerthelesse the manne that is troubled with thys kynde of synnes and commynge to a sobre and learned minister in christiaÌ„ knowledge telling him of the trouble of hys conscience and requiryng of hym what were best for him to doe wherby to be restored agayne to goddes mercye Then shall thys Phisician preache to the soule so repentaunt the gospell and moue him to beleue that Christ is he who hath satisfied for hys synnes also for the sinnes of the whole worlde Whiche thyng when the sinner beleueth immediatly the minister of goddes worde openeth vnto him the kyngdome of heauen and beareth witnes that hys sinnes be nowe forgyuen hym and also the sinner so repentaunt may make a rehersall and a confession of hys fayth before the sayd learned minister and maye demaunde of hym whether that bee a true and liuely fayth which shal suffice to saluacion Then shall thys minister open vnto hym the whole doctrine of Christes fayth and so induce him to the true fayth and shewe him the waye wherby he maye attayne to the right fayth and remayne therin increasing continually Then shall the minister open vnto hym remedies mete for hym wherby he may preserue himselfe safe and vnspotted from suche greuouse offences as he perceyueth hym most enclined vnto And who so hath a true faythe goeth streyght wayes to Christe with the Samaritane to render present thankes in hys presence But who so hath not that fayth he shall alwayes be a wicked manne and an infidell though he confesse hymselfe euery daye a thousand tymes Thys is the power whiche Christ gaue not onely to Peter but to all the Apostles of hys churche that is to saye to preache the gospell to declare the remission of sinnes to all them that beleue and to holde in synne suche as beleue not to minister the sacramentes according to the word of god Christes institucion and to punishe them that offende openly and will not repent when they be entreated after suche a sort as Christ hath appoynted That is first that they be excomunicat and then yf they amend to be receyued agayne into the christian congregacion This power being gyuen by Christ vnto his churche is not extendyd but to them onely whiche be in thys lyfe whiles they liue here And therfore sayed Christ whatsoeuer ye shall bynde or whatsoeuer ye shall loose not indifferently in all places but in earth shal be bounde and loosid Wherfore it is true that the churche militant hath no power vpoÌ„ theÌ„ that be passed out of this lif and rest in the lorde Neither gaue he any authoritie to the churche militant to gyue pardons a
pena et culpa neither to ordayne newe kyndes of wurshippinges neither to deuise newe doctrines or to make newe articles of the faythe or to deuise newe commaundementes and that vpon such a condicion that mennes consciences must bee forced tyed to beleue thesame wicked decrees of menne with a tirannicall payne euen to the death to the sworde to the flame and fire appoinctyd for the transgressors of thesame ordinaunces Christ sayed to hys Apostles ye shal be my witnesses not onely in Hierusalem but also in all Iury and Samaria euen to the vttermoste partes of the worlde And it is playne that witnesses muste testifye the treuthe and neither adde nor take away from thesame any word namely when as the church of Christ is his spouse and she must be obedient vnto him as to her husband and speake those wordes only which she heareth of him For Christ opened to his Apostles and to the fyrste beginninge of his churche all thynges that semed profitable and necessary to thobteyninge of saluacion wherefore he sayed to his disciples I haue disclosed all thinges vnto you that I haue receaued of my father The holy gooste opened theyr myndes that they myght vnderstande the scriptures and informed and taught them all suche thynges as Christe had sayed vnto them So that it can not be without a very heynouse offence that any thinge should be added to the doctrine of Christ and thapostles and of the fyrste moste pure and syncere churche Wherfore eyther Christe is a lyar when he sayeth that he taught all or elles were the apostles wicked in that they did not put the rest of the articles of our faythe into the Creede whiche the byshoppes of Rome boaste they could fynd out afterwarde and that suche articles as they saie as be very necessary besides a greate number of preceptes whiche they haue inuented The Euangelistes also shoulde haue ben wicked creatures to kepe hidde thinges so necessary to oure saluacion But neither were thapostles wycked neyther Christe a lyar For bothe Christe taught all thynges necessary and they deliuered thesame to menne accordinglye And Christ commaunded them precisely that they should teache the people to obserue and kepe all those thynges not whiche they dreamed themselues but whiche he commaunded them Yea and Paule thapostle determined all creatures not humayne onely but celestiall also and angelicall to be accursed whiche preached any other gospel then the gospell of Christ. We be all borne a new by y e word of god by y ◠which thing onely as by a perfect and stronge norishement we liue and continewe Now then when master Falsidicus thought the keyes to bee taken out of the popes handes by vnaunswerable reasons by and by he clapped hys handes vpon hys weapon sayinge Reade Saynct Luke and ye shall see howe Christe willeth the disciples to prouide for themselues two swordes Who makinge aunswere that they had twayne in a readines Christ sayed they were enoughe Therfore hath the Pope two swordes and the highest power vpon both sydes the one spiritual the other temporall Mas Oh what a fyne dialecticall witte was that Truelye thys consequence and reason coulde not be aunswered to Uerely I meruayle muche whye they haue not caused thys long tyme Saynct Peter to be paynted with keyes hangynge vpon hys girdle and holdyng two swordes in hys handes the one in the ryght and the other in the left to declare hys chiefe prerogatiue and so to make menne afrayd with that fearefull syght But tell me I praye you what aunswered the embassador to this Lepi He aunswered that Christe promised and gaue to Peter and the Apostles keyes and not swordes and that when Peter vsed a sworde for the defence of hys master Christ hymselfe stayed hys vnaduised rashenes Bycause the kyngdome of Christe is not of thys worlde neither is it worldly and yearthlye but heauenly and spirituall Neither was he sent of his father to reigne in this world of a carnal fashiō as in a kingdom but he was sent to minister and serue and to geue hys life for our saluacion And forasmuche as he sent his Apostles euen of a lyke fashion as he hym self was sent of his father he sēt them not as though they shoulde reygne in the worlde but to be lyke innocent lambes amongest wolues And to mynde to stablishe one supreme head in the churche of Christe is nothynge els but a crownynge agayne of Christe with a crowne of thorne and when he is apparelled with a purple and a kyngly vesture to deliuer hym to menne to be made a laughing stocke as he was scorned in tymes past of the Iewes when he honge vpon the crosse Therfore Christ foreseing that his Apostles would be offended with his death and woulde slippe from that trust they had in hym as he prophecied to them before he demaunded of them whether they wāted any maner of thing whē he sent thē forth naked and destitute of all mannes helpe And when they aunswered that they wanted nothyng he sayed nowe then prouide you for swordes as thoughe he had sayed Hetherto haue I bene your mercifull master and gouernour I haue defended you I haue prouided all necessaries for you as for my beloued chyldrē ye lacked nothing I toke the tuition of you But bycause within thys short space when ye shall see me caught by the handes of the wicked and bounde in conclusion dye ye will be offended with that miserable syght and will faynt from that sure trust that ye haue had in me hetherto it is nedefull that from hence forth ye prouide for your selues and therfore I gyue you warninge to prepare ye swordes for youre defence for the persecution that commeth vpon you shal be great And when they shewed two swordes sayed master loe here be two swordes Christ answered them rebukingly with a priuie checke saing they be ynough Thys was a wonderfull declaracion and fygure of the dulnes of the Apostles and of the clemencie of Christe Euen as thoughe tender infantes shoulde haue shewed their father two speres made of reedes and then aske of hym whether that speres of reede were sufficient to ouercome an excedyng strong armie vnto whom the father shoulde aunswere with a smilling countenaunce saying yea they be sufficiēt as though he had sayed O ye tenderlynges thynke you y t speres of reed can preuayle without my helpe Now is it here euident first and foremost that Christ gaue not swordes to his Apostles whereof it foloweth that he gaue them not the supreme power and authoritie bothe spirituall and temporall whiche is shadowed as you holde opiniō by these two swordes And more ouer Peter only made not thanswere Loe here be two swordes but the disciples as Luke playnly doeth witnes Neyther is it red any where that Peter alone had two swordes And althoughe it were so that the highest supremacie wher shadowed by these two swordes yet maye
Rome intendeth to attayne to the dignitie of y e chiefe priest and supreme head of Christes churche his studie is nothyng els but to make himselfe equall with Christ in spirtie knowledge vertue power and in all other giftes and graces Now whether thys be a blasphemous mynde or not iudge you For that man which hath not the spirite of god is not worthie to be called a membre of Christe or a prieste or els a christian manne No he is not worthie the name of a manne for hys greuouse offences Yea he ought to bee banyshed from all christian mennes company be excomunicated from the churche of Christe Yt can not be without a merueylous heynouse offence and a deuillishe pride ones to be so bolde to desire to haue the title of the supreme head of the churche of Christe Where as Paule describeth y e true image of y e church of Christe he sayeth Christe is ascended on highe and hath gyuen giftes to menne some to be Apostles some to be Prophetes some to bee Euangelistes and some to be Doctors And it is not to be doubted but he would also haue ordeined some other supreme head in earthe yf he had iudged it a thyng necessary And the holygoost in thys place whiche should haue made so muche for thys purpose woulde not onely haue expressed the thyng by the mouthe of Paule but also woulde haue named thys chiefe dignitie When Paule myndeth to persuade the Ephesians to remayne together in one spirite knyt with the bonde of peace the argumentes that he vseth be these saying that yf they be true christiaÌ„ men they be thevery membres of one body and they all haue one spirite euen as they all be called to one ende and haue one Lorde Iesus Christe one fayth one baptisme one onely god and eternall father No doubt he woulde haue also sayed in thys place and they haue one Byshope in earth who kepeth the churche of Christ in order and concorde yf he had euer mynded to appoynt suche a byshop Mas. Yf Paule had euer spoken such wordes he had lyed galantly For the bishops of Rome wil indeuour themselues to the vttermost of their power to moue coÌ„tencion and to set christian princes together by the â—ares for their owne inrichynge Lepidus That thyng maye chaunce to bee true But I praye you let me tell on my tale Then thimbassador sayed furthermore yt is not vnknowen vnto you that when the congregacion of the Corynthians auaunced themselues some time in the name of Peter some tyme in the name of Paule and some tyme of Apollo Paule chid theÌ„ bitterly for so doing he sayd not I wyll not haue you thiÌ„ke here after y t I am the head of the churche neither yet Apollo But Peter onely But he rather concluded all maner of men and sayed thus What were you baptised in the name of Paule was Paule euer crucified for you as though he had sayed Truely ye bee neitheir baptized in the name of Paule neither in the name of Peter neither of Apollo neither was there any of theÌ„ crucified for you but ye be baptized in Christs name only Only he suffered for you death vpon the crosse Onely he hath redemed you and saued you from sinne Onely he is your head from the which all heauenly giftes desceÌ„d Onely he is your lyghte youre wisdome youre lyfe your saluacion and therfore muste ye acknowledge hym onely and alone to bee youre supreme head in whose name only ye must reioyce And theÌ„ to knyt vp his disputacioÌ„ He sayd not maÌ„ must esteme and take Apollo and me for the ministers of Christ and Peter for the lorde and mayster but putting Peter and him selfe and Apollo altogether he sayed Man must take vs as the ministers of Christ. And in thys poynt he agreeth with the doctrine of Christ who perceyuing his Apostles to contend amonge themselues for the highest place because they herd saye that Iames Iohn had obteyned a prerogatiue of Christe by the procurement of theyr mother that one of them should sytte at his ryght hande and the other at hys lefte he sayd ye knowe ryght well that the prynces of nacioÌ„s beare lordelye rule and menne of power doe exercise their myght ouer them But it shall not be so amoÌ„gest you But he that wyll be greater amongest you shall be youre minister he that wyll be chiefe amongest you shal be your seruannt For the sonne of manne came not to bee serued of other but to serue other hym selfe and to geue hys soule for a redemption for many Wherby it is easie to perceiue y t the church of Christ is al together spiritual And it is not possible y t any maÌ„ caÌ„ be a true priest neither a true christian manne in this spirituall churche of Christe onles he haue the spirite of god and he is to be thought greater that is more inriched with strength and habundaunce of the spirite So that for asmuche as Christe onely hathe the greatest plentifulnes of the spirite he muste without controuersy be iudged and estemed the chiefe and head preste of al other Wherfore yf the byshoppe of Rome desier the place of the chiefe byshoppe he muste of necessitie haue greatest haboundance of the spirite euen as Christe had and then when he is equall with Christe he shall also be chiefe byshoppe and chiefe heade equal with Christ but this also is necessary to bee knowen that the dominion of the spirite is verye diuerse and contrary eueÌ„ as Christ taught to y e dominion of y e flesh for amoÌ„gest carnall men suche as haue more riches more streÌ„gth more fauour amoÌ„gest meÌ„ more freÌ„dshipes more nobilitie of bloud they be y e lordes ouer other they coÌ„mauÌ„d they haue other ministers to theÌ„ they be honoured and obeyed many times they oppresse the weaker and vse tyranny ouer them But it is coÌ„trarywise in the spirituall churche of Christe for such as haue greater light of the spirite they be higher and greater And they that bee suche serue all other by the helpe of the spirite as menne that hath receyued greater gyftes of god more light of knowledge more grace more spirite and a greater talent So that he which hath receaued more habouÌ„dance of the spirite helpeth more and serueth more the necessities of other and setteth forthe the glory of god more plentifully And because Christe had most singular plenty of the spirite therfore came not he to bee serued but to serue for the helth of his chosen Yea he serued all without excepcion and that also humblinge himselfe extremely vntyll that he moued of an exceding greate loue spent hys own life vpon the crosse Therefore woulde Christe haue it knowen to hys chosen that yf ye wil haue a trew nobilitie and worthynes ye muste haue a spirite Christe abused not this spirituall greatnes of hys whiche was in the highest degre of honour therby to chalenge anye
stronge reasons interruptyng his tale past all good maners as a mad man in hys fury cryed out with loud voyce and sayed Ye of the East churches bee full of sectes and heresies And therfore haue you of all other most nede of a supreme visible head in yearth by whose authoritie wisdom ye may be gouerned by whom the cōtenciōs that arise amongest you for sundrye interpretacions of scripture maye be pacified y e thīg being declared opened by the censure and iudgemente of the chiefe Byshoppe by the whiche meanes ye myghte knowe the trueth and remayne firme and stable in the trewe fayth quietly For thys cause shoulde you chiefely desire thys supreme head and gouernoure who nowe labour to hynder y e thyng for lacke of knowlage of y e profit that shall enshewe And therfore can I not stey my selfe but must a litle passe the bondes of pacience and speake my mind frely Yf the whole matter were put to me I know what I had to doe I say no more To these wordes thimbassador aunswered quietlye Master Falsidicus ye say yf the whole matter were put to you ye knowe what ye had to doe Bycause these wordes maye bee taken diuerslye seinge you expoūde them not your selfe there is none of vs that can well tel what ye meane by thē some may peraduenture gesse but none cā haue any certain assuraūce So that you onelye knowe what is ment by them euen as Paule wrote What manne is he liuinge that knoweth the inward partes thinwarde thoughtes desiers and craftes of man excepte it bee the spirit of man that dwelleth within him Euē so because men see not thinwarde thoughtes of menne they vnderstande not to what ende theyr wordes tende therefore is it no meruayle yf they atteyne not the perfect knoweledge of those thinges that be spoken namely when the wordes be douteful and ambigouse Therfore with what face dareth the byshop of Rome beinge a mortall manne chalenge vnto him authoritie and iudgement to expounde the worde of God as it shall please hym and to force menne to folowe his exposicion be it ryght or wronge Yt was the holye ghoste and not Peter that opened the mindes of thapostles whereby they myght vnderstande the holy scriptures and he taught them all his whole wyll as Christ promysed before and as Esay did wryte they were taught of god and the lawe of god was prynted in theyr stomakes and written in theyr hartes frō aboue as Hieremie prophecied longe before Iohn shadowed thesame thinge sayinge Ye haue no nede of any mannes helpe whereby to learne for thanoyntinge it selfe that is to saye the holy goste shall teach you all truethe The holy goste is the trewest teacher of al other and one that performeth his promes most haboundantly He is no lyar as men be that breake theyr faythe and promes it is he onely that canne declare the trew sence of the holy scripture it is he only that can open the myndes of menne that canne teach strengthen and stablyshe vs in all trueth and not the bishops of Rome And if you would say that the pope being lightened by the holy goost geueth light to vs I will aunswere fyrst The Pope is not alone lightened with the light of the holy gost For y e holy gost inspireth where as it pleaseth him and destributeth his giftes amongest men to euery one as hys will is Wherefore mens consciences must not bee bounden and tyed to beleue and thinke that the pope only hath the holy gost that the pope only can not erre that the pope onely is aboue the worde of god that the pope only must be the interpreter the declarer and ruler of holy scripture and that all we muste in all pointes obeye the popes iudgement Because that this is ones suer that visible thynges canne bringe no inwarde lyghte nor confirme menne in theyr faythe and quiet and pacify theyr consciences but the holy goost only canne performe al these thinges plentifully What nedeth many wordes he is very Antichriste whiche boasteth himself that he canne geue light to the mind either by an inwarde lyght or by some other meanes then by thexpresse worde of God as the minister of the worde by good example of lyfe and continuall prayer Yf all we should stande or fall by the iudgement of the pope why is there so much labor spent in gatheringe together of counselles Why spende we our lyues with so muche paine in study for knowledge in turninge our bokes yf we shall leane to the onely worde of the pope Then in the name of god let vs be short let vs come to the pope heare his word as it wer an Oracle and let vs worship him as a god But Paule the Apostle teacheth farre after another sorte when he commaundeth two or thre to speake in the churche in order one after another and the rest diligentlye to waye the iudgementes of them that speake And so the iudgement of Ecclesiasticall matters muste be sought for at the church it selfe and not at the pope of Rome And further Paule willeth in especiall wordes that when one of the members of the churche speaketh the truethe bee reueled to another that sitteth by hym that spake fyrste to holde hys peace thoughe he were Pope and gyue eare vnto the latter vnto whome the truethe is disclosed thoughe he bee one of the basest sorte and vnlerned For many tymes god hydeth the secretes of his wisdome from the prudent and wyse of thys worlde and openeth thesame to lytle ones And in another place he maketh Peter equall with the reste sayinge All thinges be yours whether it be Paule or Apollo or Peter as thoughe he shoulde saye let none bee youre superiors besides Christe and hys worde for Peter and Paule bee youre ministers Yea and Peter in the fyrst councell of the Apostles harkened to other declarynge hys owne iudgement in that poynt and geuynge authorytye to the churche to doe what they shoulde thinke good and willinglye and gladlye to obeye the iudgement which the whole congregacion approueth to be perfecte and suer And althoughe Christ sayed I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faythe should not fayle yet foloweth it not therefore that Peter coulde not erre For he erred after that tyme sundrye tymes and namely whē he expresselye denyed Christe the sonne of God But when Christe perceyued Peters temerous boldnes y ◠shortly after he would shamefully denye him to arme and strengthen hym agaynste the temptacion which shoulde insewe lest the greatnes of the fault myght hurle hym downe into desperacion he sayed vnto them Satan goeth about to sift you like chaffe and to vndoe and destroye you Yea you had bene all ready vtterly lost yf I had not praied for you and for the especially Peter by name that thy faythe should not fayle beecause thou wylt fall foulier then the rest and I knowe that God hathe herd my
glorye of god and ye haue taken vpon you the cause of Christe and hys electes agaynste all the enemies of god Neither canne there bee any more worthye meanes deuised to set forth both the glorye of god and also of youre moste excellent maiestie And it is not to be douted but that god will vse your maiestie as a heauenly meane and a fautles instrument to ouerthrowe hys greate enemy euen as in tymes past he vsed Dauyd for an instrumente to ouerthrowe Goliathe Youre maiestie maye stryke of hys head as Dauid Goliathes euen with hys owne sworde that is to saye with the worde of God whiche he hathe moste fylthely abused in despyte of Christe There were verely not a fewe of the olde Emperours who attempted the puttynge downe of thys tyrannye as Henry the fourthe fift Lewes the fourth Frederyke the fyrste and seconde and many moe who coulde not ouercome hym because he reygned in the myndes of men and the people tooke hym for theyr god in earth they feared his thunderboltes excommunications they thought theÌ„selues daÌ„pned yf they contraryed hym neuer so litle therefore coulde they not in good earnest put on theyr harnes take theyr weapons with a valyant corage of spirite to delyuer the Christyan common welthe from thys so great a tyranny Ed. Yf we minde to ouercome him in short space we must fyrste goe about to bryue him out of the heartes of menne for as soone as he hathe once lost his spiritual kingdome in mens consciences he shall forgoe by and by al the rest of his iurisdicciâ—Ì„ without any greate difficultie And to dryue him out of the heartes of men it is not nedefull to vse sword nor violence the sworde of the spirite that is the worde of god is sufficient wherby Christe ouercame and conquered hys enemy Sathan in the desert For all his whole popeshippe is nothinge elles but a manifest deceyt and lye What thynge canne it bee elles but a lye to saye the churche was buylded by Christ vpoÌ„ Peter and that Peter was instituted by Christ the heade of the other apostles and of the vniuersall churche and that Cephas in oure tonge signifieth a heade and that when Christ saied to Peter fede me shepe he made him the onelye shepard of soules and gaue to hym alone the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and power to loose and bynde yt is also a verye vayne lye to saye Peter was at Rome and that Peter had authority geuen him of Christ to leaue there and also that he left there the chiefe byshoppes seate as in one certayne pâ—ace there by succession continueally to remayne to the byshoppes of Rome as they holde opinion it is also a manifest lye and deceyte to saye that Christe is not oure onelye sauyour medyatour and aduocaâ— Purgatory also deuised by them is a lye and theyr lately deuised confessyons absolutions pardons Iubelies blessinges cursinges and excommunications bee all lyes And also theyr heresies hipocrisies Idolatry promesses flatteringes supersticioÌ„ theyr deuelishe tyrannicall authoritie which they vsurpe and chalenge with al their whole Popehod be altogether lyes Wherefore seinge the word of god is y e most bright light at the sight wherof all falsehod and lyes be knowen and auoyded and the trueth apeareth inuinsible it muste nedes be that eueÌ„ as darkenes vanisheth away at y e sight of y e suÌ„ne euen so at the shinynge of goddes worde all lyes deceytes treasoÌ„s wickednes of the Pope shal decaye vtterly be plucked vp by y e rotes This is y e spirituall sworde by whose edge as Paule prophecied he must be slaine Wherfore if we minde to attayne honor glory that neuer shal perishe by thys noble enterprise we muste searche all about and get the most faythfull ministers of goddes worde whiche be indued with a great light of y e spirite in the knowledge and exposicion of the scriptures with a heauenly eloquence boldnes and lybertye whiche ministers bothe canne and will prynte Christe in the heartes of manne Then with out doubt shall Antichrist and all his whole kingdom be ouerthroweÌ„ by and by This must be oure hoste these must be oure fotemen these must be our horse men if we mynde to ouercome this enemie of god And yf we can not fynde enough suche menne within oure owne dominions they muste bee sought for where so euer they maye be founde good learniÌ„g must be made much of promoted forward good wittes must bee norished and prouoked to learnyng studie that the heauenly philosophie of Christ maye reigne alwayes in oure kingedom Then suerly shal we not be ashamed wheÌ„ we shalbe neuer so much excomunicated of y e wicked romishe Robber but we shall rather reioyce with a valiant and bold corage we shall laugh to scorne his cursinges and blessinges all together not settinge a strawe by the whole rabble of the rest of hys wickednes his absolucions dispensacions priuileges bulles and pardons Ed. Throughe the sinne of oure fore father Adam we bee naturallye so fraile and weake so blinde and froward y t we seke for nothinge els but our owne Wherfore yf we will be moued to set forth and amplifie the most high glory of god it is he that must moue stirre vs with hys heauenly spirite And for asmuche as we knowe and bee very well assured that all oure desire and purposes concerninge thys matter bee bent towardes the glory of god according to his word we maye be bolde to saye that thys intente of ours is a worke of God Therefore euen as it canne not be that God wyl forsake him self and leaue of to be God So also can it not be but that he wyl further thys worke to a good ende whiche is not oures but altogether his we doubt not therfore but that God wyll be of our syde and that he wyl triumphe ouer hys enemies Counsel Suerly it shal be a very easie thynge to obteyne what thyng soeuer is godly of youre maiesties subiectes For euen as after the transgression of Adam god grafted a certayne terriblenes of countenaunce in manne wherby he shoulde make beastes affrayed with lokyng vpon manne lest they shoulde hurt hym So hath he indued subiectes with a certayne naturall feare towardes their leage lordes that they may reuerently obey them Wherfore yf a Prynce or Kyng intende a thynge and then declare thesame to be hys mynde and pleasure with a certaine effectualnes and authoritie by and by they all obey namelye when he offereth matters vnto them that be iuste and godlye but as for the trueth of the doctrine of the gospell is of it selfe most effectual therfore we doubt not but it wil come to passe that it shall gladly be receyued of al menne especially when it shal be offered vnto them of the maiestie of a kynge and he shall confirme the same with vprightnes of lif Neither is it to be doubted that the gospell should breed any tumulte
in these dominions or cause any sedicioÌ„ or losenes of libertie for Christe dothe approue and confirme chiefelye the power and authoritie of princes and magistrates and causeth menne to thynke humbly and lowely of them selues to loue peace and quietnes and therfore as thoughe they were gentle lambes it shal be an easie thyng no great payne to rule them Ed. We know ryght well that a sicke body which is ful of corrupt humors can not be purged and clensed with out some commocion and stirryng of the body and membres and euen so is it of our kingdomes And we also knowe that the gospell is a moste swete and pleasant medecine to the chosen of god although it turne the stomake of suche as be reiected And euen as he shoulde not bee a good father who hauinge a soÌ„ne sicke that he could make whole again with some medicine and yet durst not minister thesame vnto him for feare of stirryng of hys body so suffer hys sonne to perish with the greatnes of the disease So should not we bee a good kynge yf when we shall see oure people sicke of a spirituall disease as in dede we doe shoulde suffer them to perishe eternally for feare of a coÌ„mocion should not minister vnto them the wholesome medecine of the gospell wherby to restore them agayne to health Wherfore we be in a full readynes to aduenture not onely our honor but also our lyfe it selfe for the wealth of our people and for the glory of God There be not a fewe that wyll goe about to stey vs from thys noble enterpryse They saye that the Greekes and other nacions of the East partes of the worlde were punished of God by the tyrannye of the Turke bycause they refused to obey the Pope As thoughe the Popes tyranny were not a great deale greater and crueller then is the tyranny of the Turke Or as thoughe Affryke and Asia had in tymes paste bene subiect to the Pope Neither minde we to rente or louse the seemeles coate of Christ as some peraduenture wyll thynke who hathe cut it into so manye smale peces that it canne be deuided nomore â–ª But we mynde to cutte and teare asunder the veale of hypocrysie that their vice and wickednes maye be knoweÌ„ of all menne Thys thing is without question as ofte as euer the Turke hathe fought with the Christian menne for the most parte he hath had the ouer hand whiche God suffered so to be not onely to punishe vs for that in stead of Christe we haue wurshypped Antichrist but also bycause he minded by litle litle to withdrawe vs and deliuer vs from the wicked tyranny of Antichrist And it is not to be doubted but y â— euen as the Iewes be punished chiefly for the sinnes of their priestes bycause they were y e causers of the deathe of Christe so be the Christian men punyshed thys daye for the sinnes of Antichrist and his priestes who haue crucified Christ agayne muche more in despite of God then the Iewes dyd in tymes paste Wherefore yf we wyll preuayle agaynst the Turke firste lette vs thrust thys wicked manne out of the churche of God whiche is a home dwellyng Turke for whose sinnes God beinge offended with vs vseth that whippe for the punishemente of the Christians and when god is once pleased and contented agayne with vs we shall easelye by goddes helpe giue hym the ouerthrowe Therefore let vs dryue all heresie idolatrye supersticion wickednes out of the church of god and then shall we not onely triumphe ouer the turkes but also they will bee conuerted to Christe when they shall see the beames of the light of the gospel and the holy life of the Christians sprede ouer al. This arrant these of Rome hath robbed y e worlde vnder the pretence of religion and battayle agaynste the turkes and to deliuer the Christians whiche bee amongest the turkes in seruitude and bondage Let hym nowe dryue hym selfe out of the churche of god if he mynde to delyuer vs out of bondage whiche is muche more cruell and tyrannical then the other Let hym dryue Sathan out of hym selfe and out of his wicked Babilon and then beinge conuerted and armed with spirituall vertues and with the sworde of goddes worde folowing thexample of Christ and hys apostles let hym fyght agaynste gods enemies And if it so be that he canne not be amended but wil continue on still in hys wicked and cruell tyrannye so that he will coÌ„pell force to be made let it be made agaynste hym for he onely noyeth more the church of Christe then all the enemies of god ioyned together We hate not the popes parson but hys abhominations whome all menne ought of deutie to abhorre Counsell Euen as y e doctrine of the gospell excelleth all other kindes of learninge in purenes gentlenes pleasauntnes propfytablenes excellencie and wonderfulnes So if it bee infected once with neuer so litle an heresy it is more pestilent and perniciouse then anye other Wherfore lette vs doe all oure indeuoure that it being pourged from all false and supersticious imaginacions and mannes traditions maye bee ministred to the people pure simple and syncere as it is of it selfe And as concernynge the articles of the faythe the worde of God ought to be sufficient except we wyll seeme wiser then God hym selfe And as touchynge woorkes the lawe that God hym selfe hathe made whiche is most pure and holye shal be sufficiente Whose preceptes be without spot sounde and cherefull to the mynde Whereunto Christes interpretacion muste bee annexed And as for prayer and inuocacion what shall wee rather alowe then the Lordes prayer whiche the sonne of God hymselfe taught vs. Whiche teacheth vs playnely and fullye what we ought to aske of God And it also teacheth howe we ought to aske all gyftes of God throughe Christe oure mediatoure Forsothe it is a wicked thynge to desyer to bee more wyse then was Christe hymselfe who delyuered vs that prayer as a perfecte forme of prayer wherefore it canne not bee well to adde any thynge thereunto Trulye all doctrine that is necessarye for saluacyon is playne and cleare yf we darken it not with the darkenes of mannes inuentions We wyll therefore dooe oure dylygence fyrste to put a waye all suche thynges as maye bee a hynderaunce to the goinge forwarde of the Gospell and hauynge allwayes goddes honour before oure eyes the helthe of soules we will pray that he wyll graunt vnto vs that purenes and earnestnes of spirit that we maye sette forth hys glory and serue hym in holines and that we may through Iesus Christ oure redemer gyue all prayse glory and honor to God the father euerlastynge Amen ¶ Imprynted at London for Gwalter Lynne dwellyng on Somers kaye by Byllynges gate Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Anno. Do. 1549. Esaâ—y xiiiâ— Lucke x. Apo. xiâ— Iohn xvij rom viii Gala. vi phil â— Iohn iii. phyl i. Gala. ii Heb. xiii i. Iohn v. Mat.