that will afterwardes carpe and reproue the same proue he maie wel him selfe a foole or maliciouse or not catholike but me an heretike shall he neuer proue Hetherto S. Hierome with whome if one would after this sorte expostulate What meane yowe S. HieroÌ„ to boaste so much apon the iudgemeÌ„t of one who as he is a maÌ„ although learned yet not the learnedest in the world so maie he both dâ—ceaue and be deceauid Whie saie yow that who so euer â—â—ndeth faulte with your faithe â–ª after Damasus the popes approbation and allowance thereof shall neuer be hable to proue yowe an heretike Maie not many heades finde out that wherein one hath failed Me thincketh I saie to him that should thus question with him I heare him expounding his owne wordes and answering for him selfe in this wise What arte thow man that findest faulte with my wordes and vnderstaÌ„dest not my meaning Am I thinckest thow he that will pinne my faithe to anie mans backe what so euer he be Doe not I knowe as well as thow that Damasus is a man that he maie deceaue and be deceauid yea truelie But on thother side as I knowe all this rightwell so am I not ignoraÌ„t that he that sitteth in Peters chaire that the B. of Rome in matters of faithe can not giue wrong iudgement And therefore cease to maruell if apon the trust of this priuileage I chalenge all the whole worlde and saie that of them all there is no one that can proue me an heretike whome Damasus being thus qualified hath alowed for a good christian It is not Damasus so hath this qualitie to be the chief gouernour of Christes churche altered him that I stay my self apon It is Peter it is Christ him self If apon anie other persuasion I had vsed thiese wordes â–ª well might I haue bene saide to haue abused my self But that this was euen from the beginning my meaning and not inueÌ„ted sence for my defence loke once again to my wordes where I saie not simplie I desire to be corrected of the but of the which holdest Peters faithe and seate nor yeat spake of the alowing of my faithe by Damasus but apostolatus sui iudicio by the iudgement of his seate of his apostleship Thus much touching S. Hierom. of whose minde if any man yeat doubte in this coÌ„trouersy him shall I praie to take the paines for his better instruction to reade a certeine other epistle of his to Damasus and apon these wordes which he vttred of Peters chaire Quicunque extra hanc domuÌ„ agnuÌ„ comederit prophanus est who so euer eateth the lambe he meaneth receiueth the blessed body and bloud of Christ out of this house he is prophane to serche for the iudgement of Erasmus where he shall finde in expresse wordes that S. Hieromes opinion was that all churches should be subiect to the churche of Rome S. Austen as before yow hard called Peter B. of Rome heade of the churche he tolde Bonifacius his successor that he was placed in Christes churche aboue the rest of the bishoppes And did he not well de clare by sending to the same Bonifacius his boke written ageinst the two epistles of the PelagiaÌ„s to be iudged and examined by him that he tooke him for no lesse in deede then he had pronounced of him in wordes For trulie S. Austens learning being such as in his age there liued not his matche for the perusing of his worckes bothe had he had little neede oâ— his helpe and if he had had much there liued yet manie to haue bene consulted thereapon better learned then he and more nearer to him toe then was Rome to the place where he had his abiding had it not bene that persuading him selfe as did S. Hierome in the like case before he had made his full and sure account first that his iudgement in that that he was Peters successor and heade of the churche was by the verie mouthe of Christ him selfe warranted in matters of faithe neuer to erre and nexte that his worcke being confirmed by auctoritie such as was his should so quell and beate downe to the grounde the heretikes his aduersaries as with the worlde they should neither be hable to susteine their credite gotten nor after that gaine newe Theodoritus saide of the B. of Rome Vos enim summosesse conuenit for yow must be the chiefest of all other and of the churche it selfe that it was the greatest the noblest of all other and that which gouerned all the worlde It is euideÌ„t that he wrote as he thought wheÌ„ being vniustly deposed he appealed to the B. of Rome desired his helpe and that he would coÌ„maunde him to appeare before him there to pleade his cause and showe his righte as he did in dede and was restored by him By these auctorities it appeareth M. Iuell that the fathers of Christes churche be not so thinne soweÌ„ on our side as yow beare the worlde in hande theie ar seing that I haue here brought yow not one alone as yow demaunded but manie not their bare wordes which although of theÌ„ selfe moste plaine and manifest might perhappes haue bene subiect to your wrangling interpretations but their seuerall actes and deedes the best expositors of their owne mindes confirming most manifestly the same Will yow haue nowe some allowed example of the primitiue churche to testifie the same What better examples can yowe haue then that in all controuersies arising either betwene bishop and bishop priuatelie or in the whole churche publickelie sence the beginning the B. of Rome hath bene onelie he to whome the parties grieued wer they catholikes or heretikes good or bad haue had recourse for helpe What better examples then that emongest so manie appeales made vnto him there is not so much as one instance to be giuen of some one that laufullie and orderly appealed from him and whose such appeale toke effect Who hath cited to his coÌ„sistorie euen from the fardest parte of the Easte churche and as Theodoritus writeth ecclesiasticam secutus regulâ—â— folowing the rule of the churche offenders and transgressors of the holie canons The B. of Rome Who is it without whose licence and consent the primitiue churche forbad councels to be holden or bisshoppes to be condemned Trulie the pope The whole councell of Nice affirming the same if we will giue credite to Athanasius who was present thereat and affirmeth it to be so although the canon thereof for of 70. there agree apon we haue onelie at this daie 20. be perished and not nowe to be had Where I can not but note by the waye the circumspect manner of writing vsed by Athanasius who saieth not that the councell of Nice decreed or ordeined this but onelie that by their iudgemeÌ„tes they coÌ„firmed and renewed the same His wordes ar these In Nicena synodo 318. episcoporuÌ„ concorditer ab omnibus roboratum â–ª it was in the councell holden at Nice by ful consent of all the
bishoppes in nombre 318. roborate or confirmed non deberi absque R. pontificis sententia celebrari concilia nec Episcopos damnari that without the auctoritie of the B. of Rome neither councelles should be kepte nor bishops condemned So that herebie we may gather that it was before taken for a truthe but then by reason of some busie braines that began to call it in to question by the iudgement of the councell confirmed and put out of all doubte Who but he excommunicated all the churches of Asia and prouinces bordering apon it no man finding fault with the doing thereof for lacke of iurisdiction which would no doubte where partes be taken as at that time there wer aboute the keping of the Easter daye of all other things first haue bene espied and reprehended if it had bene doen with out auctoritie although some complained of ouer much rigour and would haue wisshed a little more discretion in Victor then pope which did it But to goe forwarde in thexamples of thauncient councels To whome did the second generall councell gathered at Constantinople declare that the honour of being chief ouer all other bishops did apperteigne To anie other then to the bishop of Rome In whose place was Cirillus president of the thirde generall councell holden at Ephesus but in the B. of Rome his Whome called the fowerth generall councell of Calcedon vniuersae ecclesiae episcopum bishop or ouersear of the vniuersall churche but him Who commaunded the bodie of the same councell that theie should in no wise suffer Dioscorus the bishoppe of Alexandria to sit emongest them but the pope by his legates Whie was Lucentius one of the popes legates forbidden at the same time to accuse Dioscorus but because the fathers tould him that the parsons of the iudge and th'accuser must be distincte â–ª and that the iudge might in no wise take on him the others name or office And howe was Lucentius emongest them a iudge because he represented the popes parson And whie was the pope his maister iudge because he was the chief iudge and heade in earthe of the churche Can yow tell anie other cause M. Iuell And for this cause Lucentius gaue ouer and Eusebius an other bishop accused him Finallie to make an ende with this councell of Calcedon knowe ye that after manie reasons on bothe sides and long debating toe and fro in the same touching the B. of Rome his prerogatiue the fathers at the length concluded the matter and knit vp the knot in this wise Ex his quae gesta sunt vel ab vnoquoque deposita perpendimus omnem quidem primatum honorem praecipiâ—um secundum canones antiquae Romae Deo amantissimo archiepiscopo confirmari That is to saie By those thinges which haue passed emongest vs or haue bene by euerie one of vs alleaged we perceiue according to the canons all souerentie and chief â—onour to be confirmed to the welbelouid of god tharchebishop of olde Rome Note here I beseche yowe good indifferent readers which a littell before I noted to you out of Athanasius alleaging for the B â–ª of Rome his sâ—â—erioritie the first councell of Nice that the councell of Calcedon determined here no newe thing of the popes auctoritie but confessed them selues by boulting out the truthe to haue founde that the canons and rules of the churche in times past had giuen him that chief honour aboue all other and that therefore theie perceiued that by them it ought to be confirmed What can we here thincke of the councell of Calcedon referring it selfe to the canons but that it meÌ„t of the councell of Constantinople and Nice going before And of the councel of Nice what can we iudge but that their confirmation had relation to the verie institution of Christe him selfe The fathers assembled in the two councels of Carthage and Mileuite of whome S. AusteÌ„ was one wrote vnto Innocentius then pope of Rome to confirme their doings ageinst the two heretikes Pelagius and Celestius The who le councell of Carthage writing to the pope did so theie saide vt statutis suae mediocritatis etiaÌ„ apostolicae sedis adhiâ—eatur authoritas to the entent that to their ordonaÌ„ces which wer but of meane auctoritie the weight and maiestie of th'apostolicall seate might adde the more The fathers in the councell Mileuitan of their writing for the confirmation of their decrees alleaged this to be the cause Quia te Dominus gratiae suae praecipuo munere in sede apostolica collocauit that is because our lorde hath placed yow by the gift of his especiall grace in the apostolicall seate To the first of these two councels Innocentius the pope making answer how doeth he praise and extoll the fathers for that that theie not leaning to their owne iudgementes had obseruing th' examples of auncient traditions and being mindefull of the ecclesiasticall discipline not contemning the ordinaunces of the fathers in times past who decreed not by the sentence of man but of god him selfe that the determination of all doubtes should be reserued to the See of Rome from whence all other churches should receaue the same none otherwise then as all waters procede from the heade spring referred the whole processe of their doinges to his iudgement To the other councell he made answer that theie had behaued theÌ„ selues bothe diligentlie and decentlie in regarding th' apostles honour his honour quoth he I saie who beside the care of externall thinges hath also to prouide for all churches in asking what was to be folowed in doutefull matters wherein he saide theie had folowed the forme of the auncient rule He added also that as ofteÌ„ as there was anie doubte of matters of faithe his brothers and fellow bishoppes should referre the same to no other but to Peter in which doing theie should refer theÌ„ to the giuer bothe of that name and the honour belonging theretoe with manie oâ—her wordes to this ende And last of all in the same letters he excommunicated bothe Pelagius and Celestius commaunding that his sentence remained inuiolable that they entred not in to the churches that theie shoulde haue no pastorall charge but yet that if theie repented pardon should not be denied them Here perhappes some one will aske of me why passing ouer the notable testimonies touching this matter of Anacletus Clemens Euaristus Alexander Xistus Telesphours of whome the last liued within seuen score yeres after Christe I rather allege Innocentius who although he be also auncieÌ„t as liâ—ing well neare eleuen hundred yeres agoe and proue right well â—he point for the which he is brought in might yet either for the one respect or the other haue giuen place to any of them To whome I make this answer that as I haue willingly and wittingly suffered my selfe to lacke such necessarie defence for the proufe of this controuersie as out of the writinges of such graue fathers and holie martirs
for your soules Here considre I beseche yow that S. Paules placing of th'apostels and in them the bishops and priestes their successors in the first and chiefest place in Christes churche his calling of them the rulers thereof and appoincted so to be not by man but by the holie gost was not to deceiue vs. Remembre that if in matters of religioÌ„ the â—ishoppes and priestes should haue solowed the ciuile magistrates ordinaunces it had byn in vaine that Ignatius and Policarpus bad the people emperours and Kinges none excepted to be obedient and subiect to them For wherein should they be subiect or in what thing should they obey if not in religion and matters thereunto apperteining Reade ouer the auncient histories aswell of the Griekes as of the Latines peruse the doinges of Iues and Gentiles paganes heathen or what so euer people or nation yow list and yow shall neuer finde any to haue byn so barbarouse or far out of ordre that first they had not their religion and next their bishoppes and priestes to whome they wholie referred th'ordre and disposition thereof But to procede Chrisostom calleth the priestes the hart and stomack of the churche his reason is quia in rebus Spiritualibus per eos totus popâ—lus gubernatur because in spirituall gouernement all the people is gouerned by them Lo good readers here may yow see that in Chrisostomes time in that pure state of the primitiue churche all the people was in matters spirituall gouerned by not the kinges or other ciuile magistrates but the bisshoppes and priestes Then wer the priestes in those matters iudges and emperours them selues subiectes Then had emperours and kinges this persuasion that they could garnish their stile with none more excellent title or name more honorable then to be called the children of the churche Thus thought Constantinus the greate the first empâ—rour that is reported to haue openly professed Christ. who as Ruffinus witnesseth of him being present at the first generall councel of Nice which was assembled aboue twelue hundred yeares agoe had there deliuered vnto him certein libelles and billes of complaintes that the bishoppes had one of them put vp ageinst an other The which all as he receiued and put vp into his bosom so after that he had refused to be iudge in their causes affirming that it becaÌ„ not him to iudge them to whome god had giuen power to iudge him and that therefore their querels what so euer they wer they should referre to the iudgement of almighty god as hauing no other iudge emongest men he caused without once opening them to see the contentes to be throwen into the fier that the brawle and discord he said of priestes might neuer goe farder into the knowledge of men But here our aduersaries as blame theÌ„ I can not seing they will nedes be patrones to desperat causes if theie be glad to catche holde of a little will perhappes â—ay that I haue vndiscretely behaued my self in alleaging this auctoritie which fardereth me not so much one waie as it hindreth me an other in that by the historie it apâ—eareth that th'emperour sat in the councell with the bishoppes Well of th' alleaging of this place who is like to get shame and who honestie who to winne and who to lose therebie for our aduersaries also I am not ignorant thereof ar wont to bring this example for them the triall thereof I leaue till such time as it shalbe laied more whotly to my charge which shalbe hereafter in bringing to light such simple store as they haue gathered together for the confirmation of their parte from th' examples of such emperours as sence christes time haue reigned Yeat this may I be bould to say in the meane season that as Constantinus sat in the councell with the bishoppes there was neuer yet emperour nor kinge for bidden I dare well say to sitte nor neuer I trowe shall And ouer this that in there being it is not very likely that he encroched any thing apon the spirituall iurisdiction bothe by that which yow haue hard before and also for this that being on a time as S. Austen reporteth of him required by the Donatistes to take apon him the hearing of the cause which depended betwene them and Cecilian th'archebishop of Carthage he refused to meddle there with all because saith he non est ausus de causaeepiscopi iudicare because he durst not be iudge in a bisshops cause But leauing this for the while let vs examine the doings of other good and catholike emperours Valentinianus th'emperour was from that desire of gouerning in churche matters and ecclesiasticall causes so far that as Sozomenus writeth of him being required on the behalf of the bishoppes that inhabited the partes of Hellespontus and Bithinia that he would vouchesauf to be present with them to entreat of certein pointes in religion to be refourmed he made them this asnwer To me being one of the people it is not laufull to search out such thinges But the priestes to whome the charge thereof belongeth let them assemble them selues where they list This is the same ValentiniaÌ„ who willing the bishoppes to chose a meete man to the see of Millain being by the deathe of Auxentius then voide vsed to theâ— thiese wordes Talem in pontificali constituite sede cui nos qui guberâ—amus imperium sincerâ— nostra capita submittamus cuius â—onita dum tanquam homines deliquerimus necessariò velut curantis medicamenta suscipiamus that is to say Choose yow such a bishop as to whome eueÌ„ we which gouerne the empire may syncerely submit our selues and whose monicions while like men we fall as pacients doe the phisicions receiptes we may necessarily receiue This to be short is he which would not so much as be present wheÌ„ Sixtus the B. of Rome was charged with certein accusations but rising from the councel left him to be iudged of him self His sonne also Valentinian succeding his father in th'empire proclaymed he him self chief gouernor in causes ecclesiasticall True it is that being yet a childe and seduced by his wicked mother Iustina to fauour the horrible heresie of the Arrians he began to affect that title But after S. Ambrose like a true bishop and faithefull councelor had tolde him that it apperteigned not to him to pretend any auctoritâ—e or right to meddle with the ouersight of gods matters that to him belonged his palaces and to the priestes the churches that he should not auaunce him self but be subiect to god and giue to hiÌ„ that wich was his reseruing to Cesar that which was Cesars after that he had proposed to him the example of his father who not onelie in wordes saide that it was not his parte to iudge emongest the bishoppes but established also a lawe that in causes of faithe and religion yea in th'examination of the maners of bishoppes and priestes onelie â—ishoppes
by common consent and is rightely termed the certificate of their doinges to Leo the pope wherein they called him the heade and them selues the membres and in that that they termed him the man to whome our lorde committed the keping of his vineyarde doe moste plainelie affirme the same there is nowe left to our aduersaries no starting hole to escape Besides all this that yowe haue hard there is a notable testimonie of Iustinian the emperour who in his Codex calleth in plaine wordes Ioannes that was then the pope of Rome caput omnium ecclesiarum that is the heade of al churches And thus much for such as within the first sixe hundred yeares haue called the B. of Rome by this name heade of the churche To come nowe to those who although they haue not vsed the same terme haue named him yet notwithstanding by the like and haue attributed vnto hiÌ„ and acknowleged in him in all poinctes the same iurisdiction and auctoritie I shall first bring furth the testimonie of that stroÌ„g piller and vnmoueable rocke of Christes churche Athanasius and yet not him alone but accompanied with the whole noÌ„bre of the bishoppes of Egipt Thebaida and Libia Who writing to three seuerall popes Marcus Liberius and Felix called first Marcus S. Ro. Apostolicae sedis atque vniuersalis ecclesiae papam that is the bishop or pope for the worde is in the auncient doctours vsed indifferentlie for bothe of the holie apostles seate at Rome and also of the whole vniuersall churche of Christ and the churche of Rome the mother and heade of all churches acknowleged in the secoÌ„de written to Felix that almighty god had placed the bishoppes of Rome insummitatis arce omnium ecclesiarum curam habere praecepit in the chiefest tower that he had commaunded them to take on them the charge not of their owne propre and peculier churche of Rome onlie as though their charge extended no farder but of all churches vniuersallie witnessed beside whereof theie coulde not be ignorant them selues being present there and then which they coulde not haue brought a stronger proufe to proue the superioritie of that See that in the first councell holden at Nice it was ordeined and agreed apon that no councells should be holden or bisshoppes condemned without the auctoritie of the B. of Rome And in their lettres last of all to Liberius the popeâ— doe so openlie and manifestlie witnesse their opinion in this controuersy in saieng that to him as pope was committed the vniuersall churche of Christe to labour for all to helpe euerie one that I can not ynough maruell at your impudency M. Iuell who standing in defence of the contrary beate in to the eares of the people that this doctrine of the popes auctoritie is newe and hath for warrante thereof not so much as one auncient writers approbation and that as suerly as god is god the Catholikes if they had vouchesaufed to folowe the scriptures the generall councels the examples of the primitiue churche or opinions of th'auncient fathers would neuer haue brought in the pope again being once banished out of the realme The seuerall answers of euerie one of thiese popes wherein they acknowleged no lesse burden of charge then was by these fathers laiâ—d apoÌ„ theÌ„ I here forbeare to bring in lest theie maie by yow perhappes be chaleÌ„ged as principall partes to the title in strife The which because I knowe yow can not say by S. Hierom S. Ambrose S. Austen and other such like I shall here of many alleage some for the confirmation thereof S. Hierome called Damasus who was B. of Rome the chief and highest prieste S. Ambrose calleth him ruler of the churche Ecclesia saieth he domus dei est cuius hodie rector est Damasus The churche is goddes house the gouernor whereof at this day is Damasus S. Austen saieth in writing to Bonifacius the pope ageinst the Pelagians that although the office of being a bishop be to them all comon that yet he was in that care placed aboue the rest And in an other place comparing together the blessed apostle S. Peter and the holie martir S. Ciprian he had cause to feare he saied least he might seme to be towardes S. Peter contumeliouse not as though touching the crowne of martirdome they wer not bothe equall but in respect of their seates and bishoprikes Quis enim nescit illum apostolatus principatum cuilibet episcopatui praeferendum for who is quoth he ignorant that that principalitie of apostleship is to be preferred before all bishoprikes To these shall I adde Theodorite the B of Cyrus who writeth in this wise to Leo the pope Si Paulus praeco veritatis tuba sanctissimi spiritus ad magnum Petrum cucurrerit vt ijs qui Antiochiae de institutis Legalibus contendebant ab ipso adferret solutionem multò magis nos qui abiecti sumus pusilli ad apostolicam vestram sedem currimus vt ecclesiarum vlceribus medicinam à vobis accipiamus Vos enim per omnia primos esse conuenit If Paule that is to saie the messanger of truthe and trumpet of the holie ghost ran vnto mighty Peter to fetch from him the resolution of such doubtes as rising apon th' obseruation of the Lawe ministred to them occasion of strife that wer at Antioche much more neede had we which ar weake and abiect to run vnto your apostolicall seate from thence to fetch salues for the sores of the churche For expedient is it that in all pointes before all other yow haue the preeminence And a little after he addeth that the churche of Rome is of all other maxima praeclarissima quae praeest orbi terrarum the greatest the noblest and that which ruleth all the worlde By occasion of this place of Theodoritus calling the churche of Rome the chief of all other which yet he doeth not alone neither for so did well neare two hundred yeares before his daies Irinaeus when he would haue euery churche that is as him selfe expoundeth it all faithefull Christians from all partes of the worlde to mete and conforme them selues to the imitation of this churche propter potentiorem principalitateÌ„ saieth he for the chiefest souereintie that it hath and after him aswell S. Ambrose whose opinion was that Rome hath bene more honored thorough the preeminence and principalitie of the apostolicall priestehood by hauing there the chief tower of religion then it was before when it had there the chief throne of worldly power and ciuile iurisdiction as also S. AusteÌ„ affirming that in that churche the preeminence and chief honour of the apostolicall priestehood hath alwaies florished I shall here make this argument for the better coÌ„firmation of this controuersie that the B. of Rome is the heade and chief of the whole churche this allwaies presupposed that yowe M. Iuell whome I desire to solute this argument ar stille of this minde that the
owne handes to Cleophas and his companion And Paule as he sayled did not onely blesse the breade but he deliuered it also to Luke and the other disciples And within a fewe wordes after he addeth This breade is holinesse it selfe and maketh holy the receiuor therof By the testimonie of thiese twoo notable pillers of the Grieke and Latine churche it appeareth how this historie of the ghospell is to be vnderstande not of common breade but of the blessed sacrament and so withall that Christ the author of this sacrament ministred the same vnder one kinde which our aduersaries so stoutely denie and yow especially emongest the rest with termes moste odiouse ageinst the whole councell of Constance M. Iuell That th' apostles did the like and practised the same in such wise as Christe their maister did before thereof if there be any maÌ„ that doubteth him sende I to S. Luke in whome he shall finde that as many as receiued the apostles doctrine Eranâ— perseueraÌ„tes in doctrina apostâ—loruÌ„ coÌ„municatione fractionis panis orationibus wer coÌ„tinuing in the doctrine of the apostles the communion of breaking of breade and praiers In which wordes you can vnderstaÌ„de M. Iuell no other breade then the sacramentall breade if yow pondre reuerently the text For truly the writer of that historie making there mention of such spirituall exercises as the faithefull spenâ— their time in it is not likely that betwene the doctrine of the apostles which he remembred in the first place and their paiers which he placed in the last he woulde euer haue couched the breaking of prophane breade in the middest Of this breaking of breade haue we also mention in an other place where it is sayde Vna autem sabbaâ—i cùm conuenissemus ad frangendum panem The morow after the Saboth day when we came together to breake breade What remaineth now M. Iuell seing that the scriptures beare so manifestly witâ—esse of the communion ministred first by Christ and after by his apostles vnder the kinde of breade but that either yow yealde and ioyne with vs or flee to youre olde and last refuge the help of some fauorable figure as before yow Melanchton being sore pressed with these auctorities was forced to doe This figure for soothe is yow saye Syneâ—doche by which S. Luke would by naming the one parte of this sacrament signifie the whole But truly whereas euen in them that take in hande to write prophane histories such figures ar nothing commendable where the truthe ought wholly and truly without concealing or dissembling any parte thereof to be expressed but that the same lawe ought of all other especially in holy histories and those that coÌ„teine the actes and doinges of Christe hym selfe inuiolably to be obserued there is no man I thincke that douteth And yeat of all other if any of the Euangelistes would so haue written of them all S. Luke was moste vnlikely as the man who by the common veredict of the learned was not of his wordes scarse or pinching but plentifull and liberall Or if he woulde nedes vse figures where was no nede yeat ought euery good man to thincke that the holy ghost the director of his penne to whome being god and hauing all thinges present before his eyes this troubelouse hurliburly that should afterwardes happeÌ„ in the churche aboute the receauing of this sacrameÌ„t either in one kinde alone or bothe together coulde not be vnknowen would so haue prouided that so little a worde whereby so greate troubles might be raised should not by any figure in this place in this high mysterie in this pretiouse iewell where all thinges ought most perspicuously to be expressed haue bene omitted And thus much touching the apostles ministring of this sacrament Now that the churche long after the apostles continued the same manner what better proufe can yow haue then maye be deduced from that worde so well knowen to the fathers so frequent and common in the olde generall councelles Laica communio the laye mans communion Of this communion of the laye men maketh mention the blessed martyr S. Cyprian in an epistle written by him to Antonianus where he telleth of one Trophimus that hauing bene a bishop and an heretike was then returned from his heresies and become a catholike and receiued thereapon by him in to the churche and admitted also to the communion but so that he shoulde communicate vt laicus non vt sacerdos as the laye man vseth to doe not as the priest Of this communion reade we first in the councell holden at Sardica vnder Iulius then pope aboue 12. hundred yeares sence next in the couÌ„cell kept at Agatha in Fraunce in the yeare of our lorde 430. and in diuerse other which might be here alleaged What can we here thincke M. Iuell but that there was a difference in the laye mannes coÌ„munion and the priestes And what other difference can yow giue then this that the one receiued bothe the kindes the other but one For of all other it is moste ridiculouse that for answere hereunto you ar wont to alleage that the priestes vsed to receiue the sacrameÌ„t in a place of the churche appointed therefore by them selues alone and the laytie in some other place a parte also and that hereof rose the worde Laica communio For admitting this to be true how doeth yet the place make a difference in the communion Betwene his dinner that sitteth at the vpper ende of a table and his that is placed at the neither if there be the same meates like courses of seruice semblable arte of cookery can yow put any differeÌ„ce Beside this the auncient councell of Sardica maketh in such wise mention of the laye mannes communion that the wordes will in no wise admit your wrangling interpretation For there in the seconde canon is it decreed ageinst such bishoppes as chaunging their bishoprikes be translated to other that they shalbe excluded from euer receiuing the communion ita vt nec Laicam in fine communionem talis accipiat so excluded that such a one shall not be admitted so much as to the laye mannes communion no not in the ende of his life not at the houre of his deathe Thus haue we here plaine euideÌ„ce that the laye mannes communion is not to be vnderstande of difference of places in the churche whereas the canoÌ„ of this councell hath that at the houre of his deathe he shall not be admitted thereunto At which time euery man will I suppose thincke him to be at home in his chambre not out of his house at the churche After this sorte appeareth it by S. Austen that his mother Monica receiued this sacrament When as he saieth being on witsonday refresshed with that breade that came downe from heauen she continued by the space of a whole daie and a night without all corporall foode Thus much semed he also to signifie to vs in an other place where he hath these wordes Si
heretikes Which they haue so done within these fewe yeares with such spirituall fruite and encrease with such exceding greate gaine of lost soules not sparing their owne bloud and liues in Christes cause in Africa in India in Persia and elles where that god hath well testified by sundry miracles wrought now by them in those parties no lesse then once in the primitiue churche by his apostles how highly he estemeth their labour loke I saie apon them whose vertuouse life and godly conuersatioÌ„ shall once I trust be the bane and vtter ruine of all heresiesâ— and yow shall finde it to be true that bothe at Colein at Augusta at Treuires at Cambray at Tournay and in other places of their abode there passeth no Sonday or holie day in the yeare in which there communicate not with the priest bothe of men and women greate store And yet arre they it is well knowen as farre all this while from yowe in your heresies as yow be from them in perfection of life and true religion Well although the testimonies of Clemens Dionisius Iustinus martir with the rest sarue not your purpose yeat yow haue other that touche vs more neere you will saie as fivst the. 10. canon of the apostles which yowe alleage in this manner Fideles qui in ecâ—lesiam ingrediuntur scripturas audiunt communionem sanctam non recipiunt tanquâm ecclesiasticae pacis perturbatores a communione arceantur that is to say Such christian men as come to the churche heare the scriptures and receiue not the holy communioÌ„ let them be excommunicated as men that trouble the peace and quietnes of the churche To this I answere that this canon being truly alleaged according to the Greke the founteine from whence it was taken first hath no such thing in it that all that be present at the Masse or holy communion shoulde communicate but onely continue there to the ende that by their either often whipping in and oute either ouer hasty departure from thence they might not trouble the churche or be scandulouse to any Secondarily that if it wer to be vnderstand as yow say that yeat yow must adde some more force thereto before it well will serue your turne seing there is neuer a worde there that forbiddeth which is the thing that yow must proue the prieste to receiue alone if none will receiue with him And for the first that yowe maie perceiue how this translation hath deceiued yow and how euell it squareth with the grieke knowe yow that the founteine and originall copie hath thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wordes Haloander a birde of the same wing that yow arre translateth after this sorte neque apud praeces sanctam coÌ„munionem permanent that is they that abide not out or continue not to the ende of the praiers and holy communion This translation beside that the wordes in the greke doe beare it 〈◊〉 for the other there is neuer a worde to signifie or â—â—â—resse the receauing of the communion it hath also to â—â—inteine it the auctoritie of Theodorus Balsamon the grieke writer and Patâ—â—â—ke of Antioche who in his commentaries apon the canon next before this hath these wordes Dicere fideles laicos consecratos qui sacra non tractant oportere quâ—â—â—die sanctis commâ—â—â—care alioqui segregari nec est ex senteÌ„tia canonis nec potest fieri Eâ— ideo nonus canon dixit puniri 〈◊〉 qui non 〈◊〉 that is To saie that the faithefull laie men and those that be not laie but yeat handle 〈◊〉 the holy misteries ought daily to communicate 〈◊〉 to be excommunicate it is neither the meaning of the canon nor it can sâ— be and therefore the. 9. canon the next which in some bookes is noted for the. 9. in some other for the. 10. hath that the faithefull not continuing to the ende shalbe punished Thus vnderstandeth he the seconde canon of the councell holden at Antioche in the daies of Aureliaenus the emperour Where examining those wordes of the canon by which all they arre excoÌ„municated who comming to the churche refuse the holy participation of the sacrament propter aliquam insolentiam for some insolency he writeth thus Diâ— quôd iâ— non existimabuntur sacram participationeÌ„ auersari qui â—am odio habent abominantur velqui vt nonnulli dicebant propter pietateÌ„ humilitateÌ„â—am fugiunt Illi enim non solum segregabuntur fed etiam vt haeretici extermin abuntur hi vero propter pietatem venia digni habebuntur Sed illi qui prae contemptu arrogantia ex ecclesia ante sanctam participationem inordinatè exeunt nec intueri sustinent That is in effect to say thus much Thincke not that the canon here speaking of theÌ„ which shoonne the participation of the blessed sacrament is to be vnderstand of them that haue it in hatred or abhomination or of them as some saied that of a certeine pietie and humilitie absteine from it For of these two kinde of men the first shall not onely be segregate for a time but as heretikes rooted out for euer the other for their deuotion and worthy reuerence towardes the sacrameÌ„tes shalbe thought worthy pardon But those ar they whome this canon noteth who of contempte and arrogancie departe ageinst ordre out of the churche before the holy participation not so much as vouchesausing to beholde the same Thus yow see M. Iuell how this patriarke and learned Grecian expoundeth the canon by yow alleaged not as to signifie a precise necessitie in all that be present at the Masse to receiue with the prieste but to continue there onely to the ende that by that meanes although they did not sacrameÌ„tally they might year at the leaste in ioining their praiers with the priestes and by holy meditating apon Christes deathe and passion together with him communicate the one with the other spiritually He addeth in his saide commentaries apon the aboue named seconde canon of the councell of Antioche that he thinketh the distribution of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which name I iudge he calleth oure holy breade to haue bene taken oute of this canon that they which wer not partakers of the liuely and holie misteries shoulde be bouÌ„de to tarito the ende of the diuine ministery and to receiue the same at the priestes handes ad sanctificationem to sanctifie them Thus vnderstandeth this greke canon Ioannes Monachus Zonoras him selfe a Grieke borne also as in his commentaries extant thereapon to him that listeth to searche maye be more at large seene But let the canon be expounded euen as oure aduersaries would haue it let it be so that the primitiue churche appointed greate penalties for them that being present at the Masse woulde not receiue with the priest Yeat is there all this while nothing brought ageinst the priestes receuing the sacrament alone why he may not take it being so disposed if other will not And yet is this the point ye wote well
so odiouse a thinge was in his eares the name of the churche that for the worde churche he gaue the worde Reipub. coÌ„mon welthe Much like honestie showed an other of youre coÌ„panions in translating the Grieke writer of the ecclesiasticall historie Socrates Who making mention of certeine lettres sent by Iulius then pope to the bishoppes assembled at Antioche wherein he repreheÌ„deth them that contrarie to the canons and rules of the churche theie had holden a Councell not calling him thither whereas by the order of the churche there maie be no Councell kepte withoute the auctoritie of the B of Rome He turned the wordes there maie be no lawes made or no councell holden into these there maie be no churches consecrate without the B. of Romes auctoritie Which wordes if they had bene so had giueÌ„ yet no small preeminence to the B. of Rome for whose licence to consecrate a churche theie shoulde be faine to runne from the fardest parte of the Easte churche to Rome in the west But seing this coulde by no meanes be the minde of the author who in that chapitre mencioneth not one worde of the dedicating of anie churche and that the complaint of the bishop had bene moste childishe and without all witte to haue saide that theie had done euel in not calling him to their councell because by the canons without his auctoritie there mighte be no churches consecrate and that also thereof he him selfe coulde not be ignorant it must necessarilie folowe that he did it of wicked malice In your doinges and allegations M. Iuell is your faithe the 〈◊〉 yowe and dealing any better No truly For if it had neuer woulde yow so falsely and vntruly haue alleaged the wordes of that excellent and learned bishop of blessed memory Steuin Gardiner B. of winchestre vpon whome in youre replie to M. Doctour Cole yow father these wordes as writteÌ„ by him in his booke called Marcus Anton. Constantius Quôd ait panem in sua substantia vel natura manere vel substantiam sentit Accidente vel naturâ— proprietatem and calle it a strange phrase of speache to say Substantiam accidente as truly it had bene if he had either so saide or written But because he did neither yow haue well signified to the worlde that it is no newe or straunge thing with yow to carie aboute in youre vnquiet heade a lieng sclaunderouse tongue The wordes of the bishop entreating of the place obiected by the heretike out of Gelasius arre these Quòd addit in sua substantia vel natura manere he meaneth panem vinum which wordes go before vel subsistentiam sentit accidentium vel naturae proprietatem The which how farre they differ from youres all men may see and youre selfe can not be ignorant This manner of dealing to laie to the catholikes charges wordes that they neuer spake vsed long ago Celsus the heretike as Origene reporteth of him But to let this passe if yow had ment which of all other in goddes matters especially yow ought to haue done to deale plainely simply and vprightely woulde yow euer haue brought ageinst the reading of sainctes liues in the churche the third councell of Carthage Woulde you haue alleaged the first parte of the canon Placuit vt praeter scriptur as canonic as nihil in ecclesia legatur that is we haue agreed that nothing be reade in the churche besides the canonicall scriptures and haue lefte oute the last Sub nomine diuinarum scripturarum vnder the name of holie scripture Wherebie might haue appeared that the scope of those fathers gathered together in that councell was not to banishe oute of the churche the legendes of sainctes liues but to agree vpon such bookes of holie scripture as the auctoritie whereof being oute of doubte theie woulde haue to be readen in the churche for scripture and no other And therefore in that canon we finde named for canonicall scripture to be reade in the churche the bookes of the Machabees the epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues and also that of S. Iames all though theie be not enrolled in youre registâ—r of Genâ—ua And that this councell ment nothing lesse then to forbid the reading of sainctes liues in the churche the other wordes that folowe if yowe had not guilefullie suppressed them woulde well haue declared where the same councell by expresse wordes permitteth that yearelie on the martirs daies their liues maie be reade in the churche Thus plaide yow before with the decree of Anacletus excepte yowe will saie that there yowe cut of the first parte and here yowe left oute the last Thus alleaged yow corruptelie the wordes of Leo his epistle which being that the prieste maie celebrate Masse offer the sacrifice because yowe woulde not haue those wordes sticke in youre readers teethe yowe wer so bolde to change with him and as the englishe prouerbe hath to steale a goose and sticke in her place a fether Whereas for those wordes yowe saie that Leo permitteth the prieste to ministre two or three communions in one daie Thus till yowe coate the place where yowe finde those wordes will we saie that yowe haue sarued Theophilus Alexandrinus as before in the article of communion vnder one kinde I haue noted Thus alleaged yow once in a sermon that yow made in S. Peters churche in Oxford in the Lent a saing of S. Austen for the mariage of votaries then which neither he nor all the other fathers that euer wrote haue or can speake more directlie ageinst them And yet yow so cunning a Maister yow ar in youre arte made it iust to serue youre purpose For whereas S. Austens wordes ar these Quapropter non possum dicere a proposito meliori lapsas si nupserint foeminas adulteria esse non coniugia Sed planè non dubitauerim dicere lapsus ruinas à castitate sanctiori quae vouetur Deo adulterijs esse peiores that is wherefore I can not saie that such women if theie fall from their better purpose and marie that this is adulterie and not mariage but this I dare be bolde to saie that the falling and sliding awaie from holie chastite vowed to god is worse then adulterie yow deuide the senteÌ„ce iust in the middest and where he saithe that he caÌ„not calle such mariages adulterie that swete soppe yowe keepe for youre owne toothe but that which foloweth that he dareth be bolde to call such manner of dealing worse then adulterie that sower sauce yow make no mention of at all but leaue it to such scrupulouse consciences as will not breake their fast with youre deintie delicates Thus much touching youre vneuen dealing in Christes cause Whereof I can saie no more but hartelie praie to god that bothe yowe and as manie take youre parte maie earnestlie repent and be hartely sorie therefore YOVRE rebellion and open war proclaimed agenst youre prince your sacking his townes your robbing his treasour your
1. Reg. 15. 1. Reg. 15. 16 Numer Cap. 25. 3. Regum cap. 1. Ecclesiastici cap. 48. 4. Reg. Cap. 9. Cap. 22. 4. Reg. Cap. 22. Exod. 3. 12. Psalm 109. 1. cap. 2. That kinges should be subiect to priestes no absurditie at all Lucae 10. Lib. 4. histor suae Iosepus lib. antiq 11. cap. 16. Origin contra Celsum lib. 5. AlexaÌ„ders reuerence tovvards the high priest Examples brought by the protestants A similitude Libro 3. de vita Constantini CoÌ„stantinê° vvould not fit in the councel vvith the bisshops before he had asked leaue of them so to doe Lib. 1. Capâ— te 8 Hist. ecclestrip lib. 2â— Cap. 5. The church gouerned before Constantinus time either by priestes or by infidelles or by none Histor. eccles trip libro 9. cap. 18. Concilium Aquileien se. Lib. 5. â—pist 32. Actio 3. Act. 3. Euagâ—ius Lib. 2. cap. 4. Constantinus The difference be tvvene the bisshops subscribing in the Councel and the Emperours Ex relatioÌ„ Sinod Calcedon ad B. papam Leon. Hovv the Emperours gouernemeÌ„t in the councel is to be vnderstand Concilio Constantinopolit 3. Act. 18. Note the difference betvvene the bisshops and the Emperour Subscriptions in the old councels Act. 15. Concil 2 Aurasiâ—anum Hovv the laie men subscribed in the councel Aurasican The protestaÌ„ts example taken out of the councel Aurasican maketh ageinst them Iustiniâ—â— The aduersaries obiection turned against him self Bishoppes and priestes forbidden to marie by Iustinians Constitution Chastitie vovved in IustiniaÌ„s time Hovv Iustinian made lavves in matters of the churche The first fovver general councelles defined the popes superioritie not Phocas as the protestaÌ„ts maliciouly affirme a Constit. 131. Epistola inter claras C. de sum tri fid cathol The. pope confessed by Iustinian the emperour to be the head of all churches Ro. 13. 1. Cap. 2. Hobr. 13. That S. Petre vvas B. of Rome Lib. 1. hist. apostol Lib. 7. cap. 6. Ado. Lib. de praescript aduers haer Tertulliâ—Ì„s rule to knovve an heretike Lib. 1. Epistol 3. In Catalogo Epist. 42. Lib. 2. contra Doâ—atistas Sermoâ— 124. de teÌ„pore Sermon 1. 3. Homil. in Math. 55. Cap. 16. Homil in Math. 59. Lib. 2. de Sacerdot Au inuincible argument that by ChrisostoÌ„ the charge of the vvhole churche vvas coÌ„mitted to the BB. of Ro. Peters successors Augustin Leo. Chrisost. Lib. 4. Inst cap. 6. Sectione 8. Lib. 2. de Sacerdotio Hiâ—ron â–ª ad Euagrium Secundo commonito rio The B. of Rome heade of all the vvorlde Ex Epist. Paschâ—sini alioruÌ„ collegarum de damâ— natione Dioscoâ—â— Epist. inter claras â—desum triuit fid Cath. Athanasius The pope called the B. of the vniuersall churche of Christ. The first councell of Nice alleaged by Athanasius for the Popes auctoritie In praefat in 4. euaÌ„g Chief prieste 1. Tim. 3. Ruler of the churche Ad Bonifac contraduas epist. Pelagian lib. 1. cap. 1 Placed aboue all Bishoppâ—s Lib. 2. de Baptismat Cap. 1. Epist. commentar in Pauli epist. prâ—â—fix The churche of Rome ruleth all the vvorlde Lib. 3. Cap. 3. De vocat gentium lib. 2. cap. 6. Epist. 162. A reason to proue the pope head of the churche Chief bisshoppe of all bishoppes In confessione sua In aedicto Epist. ad Innoâ—â—â— tium 〈◊〉 5. Nicephâ— lib. 11 cap. 17. The tenor of the excoÌ„munication pronounced by Innocentiê° the pope ageinst Arcadius the Emperour This vvas aboue a thousand yeares agoe To. 1. 〈◊〉 42. Tom. 2. Epist. 41. Erasmus iudgemeÌ„t against the Protestants Examples of the primitiue churche to proue the B. of Rome his supremacy Tripart hist. lib. 4 cap. 6. The odorit lib. 2. cap. 4. Triparti histor lib 4. cap. 9. Epist. ad Felicem Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 24. He liued in the yeare of our lorde 193. ConciliuÌ„ Constan. about the yeare of our lorde 369. ca. 5. Concil EphesinuÌ„ in the yeare of our lorde 433. CounciliuÌ„ CalcedoÌ„ The yeare 453. Act. 8. Sessione 1. Act. 16. The CoÌ„clusion of the CouÌ„cel of Calcedon tovvching the Popes superioritie Concilium Carthag MileuitanuÌ„ Apud August epist. 90. August epistlaÌ„ 92. August epist. 9â— Not man but god hath refer ued to the pope the determi nation of all doubtes August epist. 93. The yeare or our lord 470 Epist. 106 Epist. 95 Epiphâ— heresi 68. Athan. â—apolog 2. Histor. trip lib. 4. cap. 34. Socrates Lib. 2. cap. 15. Epist. 85. 83. 89. Lib. 2. Epist. 4. lib. epist. 1. epist. 75. S. Gregories place brought by the ProtestaÌ„ts ageinst the Popes supremacy examined The vvord vniuersall B. not taken vvith S. Gregorie to signifie the head of the churche Lib. 4. cap. 76. S. Gregorie expouÌ„ded to make nothiÌ„g for the protestaÌ„ts by his ovvne vvordes In vvhat sence it is true that no B. of Rome vvould euer be called vniuersall bisshop lib. epist. 4. Epist. 4. In the. 2. ansvvere to D. Coles 2. letttres The antiquitie of holie vvater Lib. 10. de ciuitatâ— dei cap. 6. Lib. de prescript ad â—ersus haer Lib. 4. de SacrameÌ„t Cap. 5. Super illud Lucae Hoc est corpus TertulliaÌ„ in the yeare of our lord 200 Lib. de Resur carnis Ciprian â–ª The yeare 349. Sermon de 〈◊〉 dâ—Ì„i TransubstantiatioÌ„ Athâ—nas the yeare 379. Lib. de passione imagiâ—is Christi Cap. vlâ— Homil. 5. de Paschâ—â— Transubstantiatio To alleage the oÌ„nipotency of god vvhat had it neded if there had bene no other chaunge in the bread and vvine theÌ„ the Protestants saie there is Ambrosius The yeare of our lorde 380 Lib. 4. de Sacrament cap. 4. Note that of breade the fleshe of Christ is made De ijs qui init myster cap. 9 In responad quaest 172. A Protestants faithe Lib. 1. 〈◊〉 15. Esaiae 40 Rom. 11. De Sacrâ—mentis Lib. 6. Cap. 1. Christâ—s true fleshe in the Sacrament 〈◊〉 6. VVhie in the Sacrament the accidents be not changed Lib. 4. de Sacraâ— Cap. 5. De his qui initiantur mystâ— râ—js Cap. vlâ—i The bodie consecrate by the priest the same that vvas borne of the virgin Lib. 6. de Sacram Cap. 1. Christes true flesh in the Sacrament euen as Christ vvas the true sonne of his father It had bene in vaine to haue brought examples of thingest urned in substance to proue the same in the sacrament if there had bene no such chaÌ„ge there Augustinan 400. in psal 98 A sinne not to vvorship Christes bodie in the Sacrament Adoratio Homiâ— 24 in 1. Cor. 10. Christe to be vvorshipped on the altar Ibidem Hovv Chrâ—steâ— bâ—die is vvorshipped in the SacrameÌ„t Psalm 33. Chrisostomus Ad populuÌ„ Antiochen homil 2. Christes cloke his fleshe Epist. 1. ad InnoceÌ„tium papam Nicephor lib. 13. cap. 19. Tertullian Oyprianus Athanas. Eusebiusâ— Ambrosi Really Ioan. 6. He liued Anno dnÌ„i 371. Naturally Concilium EphesinuÌ„ â— Anno domini 433. 1. Cor. 11. Lib. 5. Contrahaereses Valeâ— tini aliorum Substantially Vbi supra An absurditie in Irenaeus time to graunt that in â—he
of emperours and kinges ouer bishoppes and priestes Trulie that Iustinian did this it is but barelie affirmed nor any place in th'apologie is there coated where a maÌ„ that doubted might see it proued And therefore with the same auctoritie might it be denied with the which it is proposed to be beleued True it is that Theodora th'empresse as some write being alltogether giuen to the heresie of Eutiches after she had long trauailed first with Siluerius and after Vigilius bothe bishops of Rome to haue Menna the catholike archebishop of Constantinople depriued of his bishoprick and the heretike Anthimius remoued by Agapetus before restored again and could not obteine at their handes her wicked purpose did apon displeasure conceiued by this repulse â— procure by the meanes of Belisarius Iustinians chief â—apitaine the banishement first of th'one and after of th'other Who so euer deposed them or who so euer banâ—shed them true is it that this was the cause thereof and no other Which being as in dede it is most true let vs nowe graunte to our aduersaries that it was not the empresse but the emperour him self that deposed them and let vs see how they be hable to proue thereby that emperours and kinges may degrade priestes and depose bishoppes If they will deale vprightely they must to proue it â—eason thus Iustinian otherwise a Christian emperour but in this point a cruell heretike tirannously deposed two popes Siluerius and Vigilius onely because they would not doe wrong that is depriue him of his bishoprick to a catholike bishop and restore an heretike laufully before depriued Ergo th'emperour is aboue the pope Ergo kinges be aboue bishoppes Is not this a propre kinde of reasoning trowe yow Might they not haue reasoned after this sort that Nero deposed S. Petre that Traian put downe Clement with a nombre of such like examples For to saie that Iustinian was a christian whereas thiese wer infidelles is but a mist cast in to th'obiection to desell our eyes For who seeth not if he be not allreadie blinde that this deede if it should haue bene Iustinians to mainteine and defend an open heretike ageinst a faithefull and true catholyke had bene the act of a tyrant and infidell not of a Christian and good prince and that it is no better reason to say and conclude that he deposed them and therefore iustlie then it should be to say that he defended the heretike Anthimius and therefore rightefullie But seing this example will not serue our aduersaries turn let vs assaie to make it serue ours And first let vs examine what should be the cause why Iustinian should be so earnest with these two bishoppes of Rome to depose the B. of Constantinople and to restore the heretike that stoode depriued was he not emperour of all the worlde had he not by the meanes thereof as our newe doctours beare vs in hande the chief gouernement ouer all matters spirituall and temporall was on the other side the auctoritie of the bishoppes of Rome at that time such that it extended I will not saie out of their owne diocesse to any other bishoppes in the Latine churche but to Constantinople the chief of the Grieke Here ar they taken how so euer they answer For first if th'emperour had bene of that auctoritie that they saie the laie magistrates arre why did he not then by his owne mere and absolute power displace the one and place the other Might he not as well haue deposed one bisshop at Constantinople as two at Rome But if on the contrarie parte they answer that the pope was he that must necessarilie place and displace euen at that time and in the Grieke churche and not the emperour whie then should it be laufull at this time for emperours or kinges to doe that which was not laufull to be done then Or why should it not now be laufull for the B. of Rome which at those daies was not vnlaufull Thus may yowe see good Readers howe this history wholly and truly alleaged maketh not onely not against vs but also much with vs if it had bene true that th'apologie saieth that Iustinian had deposed those two popes Yea but say they yowe can not denie that the emperour made lawes of matters of religion that he absteined not euen in matters of the churche froÌ„ thiese termes Sancimus iubemus we ordeine we commaunde with such like Trulie this can I not denie and if I would there be whole constitutions of his ready to be brought againste me as that where he commaundeth that none be made bisshop that hath a wife and of them that haue had such as haue had oneâ—ie one the same no widowe neither deuorced from her husband neither forbidden by the holie canons and also that where he commaundeth that of priestes no other be receiued to that ordre but such as vel coelibem vitam agunt vel vxorem habuerunt aut habent legitimam eam vnam primam nequé viduam nequé diuortio separatam à viro aut alioquiî legibus aut sacris interdictam canonibus that is to saie as either leade a single life or haue had a laufull wife or presently haue and that one and the first no widowe none diuorsed from her husband or otherwise by the lawes or holie canons forbidden and that of deacons also where he giueth coÌ„maundement that if he that should be deacon haue no wife presently he be not otherwise promoted except being first asked of him which giueth the ordres whether he caÌ„ from thence furth liue without a wife he answer yea In somuch that th'emperour plainely pronounceth that he that ministreth to him the ordres can not dispence with him to mary after and that if he should so doe the bishop which suffred it should be deposed But although this be true that th'emperour Iustinian not onelie in thiese matters which touched the cleargie but in manie other also hath entremedled yet hath he alwaies so tempered the matter as he hath showed him selfe to be a folower not a leader a ministre to execute not a gouerner to prescribe The which thing his owne wordes in all such places where he entreateth of such matters placed as it wer for the nones to take awaie all such sinistre suspicioÌ„ doe manifestlie declare For either he hath these wordes Sequentes ea quae sacris definita sunt canonibus folowing the definition of the holy canons or thiese Sacras per omnia sequentes regulas in all poinctes folowing the holie rules or such like wherebi he would haue testified to the worlde that he meaneth by his penall lawes seuerelie to execute the canons of the churche and nothing lesse then to make newe him selfe In this sense vsed he the worde Sancimus we ordeine Where speaking of the first fower generall councels and the B. of Rome he hath thiese wordes Sancimus vt secundum eorum definitiones sanctissimus veteris Romae papa primus omniâ—m
vultibus omnium iracundiam ac ferociam miram prae se ferentibus Sic opinor discedunt milites à concione ducis ad praelium exhortati Quis vnquam vidit in eorum concionibus quenquam fundentem lachrimas tundentem pectus aut ingemiscentem I neuer was that is to saye in any of their churches but some times I haue sene them coÌ„ming from the sermons as possessed of some euell spirite the countenaunces of them all declaring a certeine angre and cruelty So I wene vse the souldiours to departe from the oration of their capitaine when they haue bene exhorted to the battell whe euer sawe in any of their sermons any of them weeping knocking his breaste or yet sighing Thus much hath Erasmus touching youre newe gospell I passe ouer here in silence the infamouse companie of common minstrelles and entrelude plaiers who be all brothers of youre fraternitie membres of youre corporation and in so good credite emongest yow that they haue their charge of dispensing the worde as well as yow So farre furth that in youre filthy and dirty donghill of stincking martyrs yow call players one of the engines set vp by god ageinst the triple crowne of the pope to bring him downe Let the ciuile lawes note such marchantes with infamie Yeat emongest yow they maie goe for honest men Let the canons forbidde them to accuse euen them that be faultie Yeat youre churche admitteth them to blaspheme Christes sacramentes to sclaundre and speake euell of his ministres I meane not here bishoppes onely and priestes but princes also and other magistrates to whome vnder god the charge of the common wealthe hath bene committed Finally let S. Cyprian saie as long as he list that it is neither agreable to the maiestie of god nor discipline of his gospell that such be admitted to the holye communion whereby the honour of the churche should by their filthy and infamouse coÌ„tagion be defiled yeat is not youre communion so pure but that that honest kinde of men maye beâ—re yow company and sitte with yow euen at one messe nor youre churche so honorable or doctrine â—o parfecte that yow nede to feare the blemishing thereof in to whose handes or mouthes so euer it shall happen to come But all this I saye I passe ouer and shall goe forwarde in prosecuting of other causes that make me to abhorre youre doctrine THE nexte cause hathe bene apon the consideration of the parson of him that yow boaste to haue bene the author and founder of youre religion Was not he a lewde lecherouse frier an apostata Maried he not if by so honest a name I maie call so filthie a deede a nonne an acte besides the commaundementes of the scriptures so vnderstanden by the churche by the ciuile lawes also by Iouinian the emperour twelue hundred yeares agoe lacking three vnder the paine of deathe moste seuerelie forbidden Was he not one that passed all other in pride Deserued he not trowe yow for these qualitees that fauor and good grace at his fathers handes of the obteining whereof in diuerse passages of his worckes he reioiseth so much as of the conference that he saithe he had with his saide father the diuell when by force of his reasons he was constreined to write againste the Masse of the familiaritie that he showed him when it pleased him to kepe him so manie yeares companie as betwene them manie busshels of salt were eaten The which time we maie not thinke neither to hane bene idellie speÌ„t betweâ—ne them but as first in the Masse that so afterwarde he enstructed him sufficientlie in the rest Emongest which enstructions was it not trowe yow a lesson meete for such a scholemaister Si vxor nolit aut non possit ancilla venito If the wife will not yealde to her husbande the due debte of mariage or be not able let the maiden come And againe for the husband on the other side that if he be in that case that he can not reÌ„dre to his wife the same that she shall first aske leaue of him to repaire to his brother or some other of his bloude for such carnall companie and that finally if she can not obteine it she shall get her a waie and marie clam Is not this trowe yow proufe good ynough that youre doctrine commeth from the diuell while youre selues graunte to haue receiued it froÌ„ Luther and he bothe by wordes and deedes that he had it from him Boaste now of him as long as yow list call him the man of god claime him for youre patrone and founder terme him prestantissimus vir ad illustr andum orbem terrarum a deo datus the moste excellent man and sent euen from god to lighten the darckenesse of the worlde as in youre Apologie you doe For as we enuie not youre fortune so persuade we oure selues that had all the worlde till his comming bene as yow woulde beare vs in hande it was ouerwhelmed with errours god woulde yeat haue chosen an other manner of piece to bring it in frame againe then he either in his life or doctrine showed himself to be and that he which shoulde haue done such an entreprise ought to haue conferred with the holie spirite of god not with the cursed and wicked spirite of Sathan THE roote of this youre doctrine was it not auarice mixed with enuiouâ—e hatred whilest Luther the author thereof partlie for that the office of publishing certeine indulgences graunted by Leo then pope was taken from the order of the Augustine friers of the which he was one and committed to the friers preachers of the ordre of S. Dominicke wherewitheall no small gaine went also awaiâ— together from them partelie of enuie that theie of that religion shoulde be thought meter for the execution thereof then he or his And of such rootes shall we loke for good fruite Cast youre eye apon other countries where youre religion is now embrased Considre diligently by what meanes it founde first there entreteinement in some apon desier of reuengement in other by couetousnes by lechery and such like vices and in none by charitie and youre selfe I trust will saye with me that I had good reason to be moued by this consideration AN other cause why I haue abhorred youre doctrine and yeat doe is for that I finde by the auncient histories and alowed recordes of the fathers writinges that in many pointes of the same and in youre manners beside yow agree with the olde heretikes that haue heretofore troubled the churche of god with the Iues with the Ethnikes and paganes with tyrauntes and infidelles with Antichrist yea with Sathan him selfe If yow demaunde of euery one of these seuerall examples beholde here they follow Simon Magus To beginne first with Simon whome for his knowledge in Magike the histories haue called Magus for as much as of all heretikes he maye be rightly called the father as he that liuing in