Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	militant_a	saint_n	triumphant_a	2,884	5	10.8885	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07768	The mysterie of iniquitie: that is to say, The historie of the papacie Declaring by what degrees it is now mounted to this height, and what oppositions the better sort from time to time haue made against it. Where is also defended the right of emperours, kings, and Christian princes, against the assertions of the cardinals, Bellarmine and Baronius. By Philip Morney, knight, Lord du Plessis, &c. Englished by Samson Lennard.; Mystère d'iniquité. English	Mornay, Philippe de, seigneur du Plessis-Marly, 1549-1623.; Lennard, Samson, d. 1633.	1612 (1612)	STC 18147; ESTC S115092	954,645	704

thinke nothing more vnworthie or more vnbefitting their dignitie The Monkes are rauening Wolues in sheepes clothing diuels transformed into Angels of light Scribes Pharisies hypocrites painted sepulchres to whom hee applies that prophesie of Paul against false Prophets in the last times 2. Timoth. 3. and the like places The Monasteries of men and women are so many brothell houses their diuinitie meerely scholasticall and that properly which S. Paul would decipher in these words Jdem in Epist de Theolog. studio They dote about questions and strife of words c. Their fruits are like those of the lake of Sodome outwardly faire but inwardly smoke and ashes Ecclesiasticall persons are simoniacall no man hath Orders without argent no man put backe that brings money be he neuer so wicked To such an excesse are they growne in lasciuious wantonnesse that their people the better to defend their wiues chastitie will haue no Priests except they haue concubines The traditions of men euen the least are more esteemed than the lawes of God which whosoeuer shall omit or commit any thing against them shall bee grieuously punished The Legends of Saints are read in stead of Scriptures and consequently the Saints brought into the place of God But because all these corruptions diuers other the like are defended vnder the onely name of the Church he ouerthroweth this foundation Idem in Tractatu contra Simoniacos Notwithstanding saith he the authoritie of the Church militant be great because founded vpon a firme rocke c. yet we are not to attribute vnto it the titles of the Church triumphant That it cannot be deceiued That it cannot sinne for many times it deceiueth Idem contra noua Sanctorum festa and is deceiued I doe not say in matters of faith c. but of fact or manners or iudgement c. And writing to a scholer of Paris touching certaine ordinances of the Councell of Constance Truely saith he it seemeth not conuenient to me to proue the Acts of the Councell by the Councell Jdem ad Scolasticum Parisicus c. but if all the Acts of the Councell be definitions of faith when some produce many Decrees of the holie Fathers and Synods on the contrarie part see what a thing it is this schisme still hanging and in so great varietie of things and opinions and controuersies of learned men to ordaine so many articles of faith whereas it seemeth vnto me to be not onely conuenient but necessarie that those other constitutions or determinations which they affirme to be alledged by others in the contrarie part should be interpreted in behalfe of the truth and of faith and proued not to be contrarie to these least otherwise the Church might seeme to erre in matter of faith determining the contrarie And whereas you say That the Decrees of the Fathers are not woont to depend vpon reason Truely with your good leaue be it spoken if the question be of faith or matter in controuersie it is their manner to rest themselues vpon reasons especially drawne out of the Scriptures or the definitions of the holie Fathers from whose footsteps they depart not without great reason c. And as for that place of Saint Augustine which you alledge c. I should not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Church did not compell me Truely it seemes strange at the first view that he should seeme to preferre the authoritie of the Church trauelling vpon the earth before the authoritie of the Gospell since in many things that may be deceiued this neuer and that the authoritie of the Church as touching the root and foundation thereof consists principally of the Gospell neither can the institution power edification thereof be drawne from any other so expresly and certainely as from the Gospell especially since Paul himselfe saith thereof If an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise let him be accursed otherwise that is a contrarie Gospell He therefore answereth That S. Augustine neuer thought any such thing but was to deale with the Maniches who had their Scriptures proper to themselues and receiued not ours As if he should say It is not out of mine owne particular iudgement that I receiue the Gospell for Canonicall Scripture but the authoritie of the Church which hath acknowledged it to be such That is to say of the Primitiue and Apostolike Church which hath appointed the Canon of the Scriptures some of those being yet liuing that writ them Apostles Euangelists Disciples of the Apostles who could giue testimonie to the truth of these Scriptures that this or that man was the Author of this or that booke being directed by the spirit of God which being inspired from aboue ought to be the rule of our faith and Church To be briefe saith he thou art not ignorant that both Christ our Law-maker and his Apostles preaching the law and faith vnto vs alledged many times their proofes out of the old Testament and the sayings of the Fathers and Prophets to confirme their owne than which we can propose vnto our selues no example more certaine for our imitation since his actions are a most infallible instruction of our manners and actions c. And therefore it is not their parts who hold the Councell by a certaine bolnesse and libertie to doe what pleaseth them to thinke with themselues Wee are the generall Councell let vs carrie our selues boldly we cannot erre They that were at the Councel of Pisa defined and caused it to be published That they by a new election at the instance of certaine ambitious men had taken away the schisme and restored the peace of the Church And yet who is so blind in the Church that by experience of things apparently seeth not how much this opinion deceiued both themselues the whole Church For saith he of what kind of men for the most part doe Councels consist doubtlesse of Lawyers Canonists rather than Diuines of temporal persons whose care is of the things of this world not spirituall How then canst thou hope for a reformation of the Church from them If then saith he they assemble themselues for the recouerie of the temporall peace of the Church there is no necessitie that we should presently beleeue that they are come together in the name of Christ First because they know not whether it be expedient for the health of the Church and that Christ hath determined by this meanes to heale this diuision For what else are temporall afflictions wherewith the Church is oppressed but bitter potions and medicines whereby temporal auarice pride and wantonnesse is beaten downe And who will say that they are assembled in the name of Christ who with this mind seeke the vnitie of the Church who neuerthelesse are so many that they can hardly be numbred These carcall sonnes of the Church doe not onely not care for spirituall things nor haue any feeling of them but persecute those that are according to the spirit as since the time of

Fol. 5. Fol. 144. Fol. 78. by reason of a scedule which Frier Leo saw to descend from heauen and fell vpon the head of Saint Francis wherein it was written This man is the grace of God wholly conformable vnto Christ the example of all perfection deified in the glorie of God the Father in the glorie of the Saints vnited to God whereby he preceeded all liuing creatures is made one and the same spirit with God whom the Militant Church hath deserued to be an Aduocat with God in whom the passion of Christ is renewed for the saluation of all mankind in so much that God hath beene pacified for the whole world through one Masse of S. Francis All are saued that dye in the Order and vnder the rule of S. Francis for Francis prayed vnto God and obtained of God that none of that Order might dye any euill death The same grace descendeth vpon him who taketh vpon him that Order of religion Bernard in Rosario Thom. in l. 4. Sent. dist 4. ex vitis Patrum as vpon him that is baptised And the putting on of the hood giueth vnto them full remission of sinnes and freeth as well from the punishment as the sinne and taking vpon him a new purpose of a vow the which afterward he may repent is neuerthelesse baptized againe and hath pardon Wilt thou any more Christ hath prayed Francis hath obtained And when shall we haue an end of these blasphemies This booke notwithstanding was exhibited in the generall Chapter of the Franciscans by Frier Bartholomew of Pisa and approued by all with a generall consent in the citie of Assise the second of August 1389 with this expresse clause We haue searched debated and caused this booke diligently to be examined and we find nothing therein worthie correction therfore it is called by them The Golden Booke and sent by the commaundement of the Popes Gregorie the ninth Alexander the fift and Nicholas the third to all the faithfull vnder the paine of heresie to beleeue the markes of S. Francis Liber conformitatum Impressus Bononiae an 1590. fol. 3. 254. Item fol. 3. 250. Anthon. parte 3. tit 23. 1. 28. Bonauent in Legenda B. Francis likewise by the commandement of Benedict the twelft to celebrate the day whereon they had receiued it And that by a Bull of Alexander the fourth the hi●● of Auernia whereon they say these things happened should be receiued into the protection of the See of Rome And yet the Authors of these times doe not agree among themselues vpon these marks for Bonauentura who liued fortie yeres after saith in his Legend That they were seene and acknowledged of many euen to the putting in of the nailes Mathew Paris cleane contrarie a most superstitious Monke who liued at the same time affirmeth that there appeared not any marke or trace either in his side his feet or hands There was no lesse fained of Dominick especially when he was to bee opposed against the Albienses Antonius Archiep parte 3. tit 23. l. 1. § 3. Therefore the Archbishop Anthonie who was of his Order so compareth his myracles with those of Christs as euer they excell them both in weight and number Christ saith he raised three onely that were dead Dominick three in the citie of Rome But what should wee thinke of those fortie strangers that suffered shipwracke in the great riuer neere Tolouse the ship being ouerwhelmed and they a long time vnder water but that by the prayer of S. Dominick they came safe out of the riuer and were restored to life Christ being immortall entred twice among his Disciples the gates being shut but Dominicus as yet but a mortall man which is much to bee admired entred in the night into the Church the doores being shut least he should waken his brethren Christ said after his death All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth and this power saith he is not a little communicated to Dominick ouer all celestiall terrestriall and infernall things Note how he alwayes quarels for the better For he had the holie Angels at his seruice the elements did obey him and the diuels trembled at him and were not able to disobey him This hee proueth by many examples He addeth That at Venice before Dominick was borne into the world there was in Saint Markes Church two Images to be seene of all whereof one was in a verie religious habit of the Order of the Preachers with a Lilie in his hand the other had the similitude of the Apostole S. Paul as they vse to paint him ouer whom was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paulus S. Paul but vnder the feet of the Image was written Per istum itur ad Christum By this man we come to Christ Aboue the other figure was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominicus that is S. Dominick but vnder him Facilius itur per istum The way is easier by this man that is to say by Dominick for saith Anthonie The doctrine of S. Paul and so likewise of the other Apostles was a doctrine leading to faith and obseruance of the commaundements the doctrine of Dominick to the obseruance of Counsels and therefore the way more easie by him to come to Christ And so thou hast one superiour to S. Paul and the rest of the Apostles and his rule better than Apostolicall doctrine But worse followeth Because he was like vnto Christ he was aptly named Dominicus by our Lord Christ for Dominicus quasi totus Domini was that principally and by possession which our Lord was absolutely and by authoritie For the Lord saith I am the light of the world and the Church singeth of Dominick Yee are the light of the world The Prophets diuers wayes foretold of our Lord for they all beare witnesse of him Of Dominick and his Order saith Zacharie in his eleuenth Chapter speaking of the person of God I haue taken vnto me two staues the one I haue called Decorem Beautie the other Funiculum a Cord or a Band Beautie is the Order of S. Dominick for the beautifull habit of their Prelats the Cord is the Order of the Minors because they are girt with a cord Thus play they with the Scriptures Furthermore The Lord was borne vpon the naked earth but the Virgine his mother for feare of the cold puts him into a manger Dominick being borne and a little infant vnder the custodie of his nurse getting out of his cradle detesting as it were the delights of the flesh was found oftentimes by his nurse lying all naked vpon the bare earth At the birth of our Lord there appeared a star which guided the wise men vnto him thereby insinuating that the whole world should be enlightened by him likewise in the forehead of Dominick as he was baptised the godmother beheld a starre signifying that a new light was come into the world c. The prayer of the Lord was euer heard whensoeuer he wold for that

thou dissemblest it These Iuglers in the meane time are nor ashamed to tell vs in bookes printed to that purpose That Antichrist is borne at Babylon with the teeth of a Cat with rowling eyes growen to his full stature in an instant made knowen by his miracles and presently marching towards vs with a huge armie What opinion haue these men either of your sottishnesse or their owne sufficiencie that they should thinke to blind you with these fooleries How long shall they with their brazen faces goe scotfree or you euen with the losse of your owne soules with your leaden minds Shall they alwaies lull you asleepe with these fables and will you neuer find a time to awaken neuer haue vnderstanding to discerne them Let me therefore speake vnto you O ye people why doe ye still make delaies Being so often deluded why doe ye not obey the voyce of God thundering from heauen Apoc. 18. v. 4. 9. Goe out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues And O ye kings so long made drunken why stand ye at a gaze not executing the counsell of the Almightie which cannot be made frustrat nay which in a manner is alreadie fulfilled why doe ye not rather make that beast desolat and naked Apoc. 17. v. 16. and eating her flesh burne her with fire In danger otherwise to lament before her to be partakers of hir punishment her ruine since you haue so long enioyed her pleasures and committed fornication with her But thou O my Sauiour in the middest of this cunctation or rather carelesse securitie awaken and rise vp and come downe and behold the sinnes of this spirituall Sodome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are now consummat and come to their ful height Tread the wine presse alone though none of the people none of the kings ioyne with thee Esay 63.3 Gird thy sword vnto thee euen thy two edged sword wherewith that man of sinne shal be slaine the spirit of thy mouth thy holie word And let the wicked at the last cry out standing a farre off for feare of her tormonts Alas alas the great citie Babylon Apoc. 18. v. 10. the mightie citie for in one houre is thy iudgement come Let the godlie sing together and let them repeat it againe and againe Halleluiah Saluation and glorie and honour Apoc. 19. v. 2. and power be to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his iudgements for he hath condemned the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath auenged the bloud of his seruants shed by her hand And let me O Lord sing with old Symion being wearie of this world full of yeres and thirsting after thee Luk. 2. v. 29.30 Now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation The saluation and deliuerance of thy Church from the hands of her enemies the Lambe victorious and triumphant shortly celebrating the mariage of thine elect with the immaculat Lambe Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost be all honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen ❧ To the Reader POpe Paule the fift caused himselfe to be pourtrayed in the first page of diuers Bookes dedicated vnto him printed at Rome and at Bolognia as hath beene sayd in the Preface The first words of the Latine inscription are PAVLO V. VICEDEO take the numerall letters and you shall find the number of the Beast Apocal. c. 13. v. 18. PAV 5. L 50. O V 5. V 5. I 1. C 100. ED 500. EO 5. 50. 5. 5. 1. 100. 500. 666. THE MYSTERIE OF INIQVITIE That is to say The Historie of the Papacie Declaring by what degrees it is now mounted to this heigth and what oppositions the better sort from time to time haue made against it THE PREFACE Of the person of Antichrist of the time when and of the place where he was to be reuealed THe Mysterie whose proceedings we here intend to set downe in writing is none other than that which was foretold by S. Paule in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians and the second chapter and more particularly by circumstances and signes described by S. Iohn in the thirteenth fourteenth seuenteenth and eighteenth chapters of his Reuelation which Mysterie time it selfe from age to age hath euer interpreted by euents till now at length all prophesies fulfilled we see it clearely reuealed in these our dayes 2. Thess cap. 2. S. Paule therefore telleth vs That that day of Christ meaning that glorious day of his last comming shall not come vnlesse there first come that Apostasie and notable reuolt that is vnlesse some great part of the Church first fall away from the pure and vndefiled seruice of Christ and vnlesse that man of sinne be first reuealed that sonne of perdition which shall be ringleader and chiefe director in this desperate reuolt lost in himselfe and cause of perdition vnto others and is therefore called by S. Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a Destroyer Apocal. 9. vers 11. And to the end that none should take offence when these things should come to passe he forewarneth vs of the greatnesse of this reuolt by representing it to our vnderstanding vnder the name of Babylon and of an Horrible confusion comparing him who was to haue the chiefe direction and commaund in this worke Apocal. 17. vers 3. to a woman sitting vpon a Beast of scarlet colour eminent and in euerie respect glorious and consequently admired of all those who should behold her Ibid. vers 8. saue onely those whose names are written in the booke of life insomuch that euen Kings those I meane whom she shall make drunke with the wine of her abhominations shall giue her their authoritie and power to helpe warre vpon the Saints and that Peoples and Nations shall serue her for a seat to sit vpon Ibid. vers 13. The waters sayth he on which she sitteth are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues So that that Apostasie and that man of sinne make both together a kind of Estate or Kingdome whereof the Apostasie is the Bodie euen the Papacie which hath long since degenerated from the true doctrine of Christ drenching the world with Idolatrie and Superstition and that Man of sinne is the Head euen the Pope or Romane Bishop in whose person all this power and authoritie is combined and in his name executed Apocal. ca. 13. vers 12. And for this cause maketh S. Paule mention of an Apostasie and of a man of sinne and S. Iohn of a second Beast and of a Whore By which second Beast which exerciseth the authoritie of the first what can be meant but the Romane Hierarchie which hath deriued vpon her selfe all the authoritie of that ancient Commonwealth making the earth to adore the first Beast in the second that is the old

see Rome againe whether Charles the Emperour with the Empresse came to salute him and then againe to remoue all suspition three moneths after hee departed out of Italie One onely thing Charles performed in this journey for hee caused the Pope to seeke for Peter and Paules heads amongst the old ruines and rubbish which saith our Authour beeing by Gods fauour and furtheraunce found hee put them in an eminent place in Saint Iohn Laterans Church adorned with much siluer gold and many gemmes Let the Reader but marke well this imposture what probabilitie or likelihood there is That after the reuolution of a thousand and three hundred yeares they could be discerned or distinguished from other sculls The Pope during all this was not idle for besides Carillaes erecting of cittadels in all the strong places of Romania Vrban particularly bent his whole studie to build palaces at Oruietto and Montefiascone for the Cardinalls Transalpines thither to retire in time of immoderat heat least complaining of distemperature of ayre they might make this an occasion to depart farre from the citie whither he meant to haue reduced them but that in his returne into France he died at Marselles These things occurred in the yeare 1371 when Peter Beaufort a Lymosine and nephew to Clement the sixt was created Pope by the name of Gregorie the eleuenth At which time Rome was gouerned by a Senator who by the Popes order was to be changed euerie sixt moneth and the gard of the citie was committed to certaine Banderets which is to say to diuers captaines of seuerall wardes or quarters so tearmed of certaine Banners or Colours which euerie one had And this order tooke place since vnder Vrban the fift certaine noble strangers being preferred to the dignitie Senatoriall as Rubeus Tissius a Florentine a Guelph out of Prato and Bolsena and Boniface and Richard out of Pistoria which I deliuer to this end because the Banderets to the yeare 1400 possessed the greatest part of the Roman State Italie moreouer was euerie where tumultuous with factions but especially the Florentines made some signe of affecting libertie whither many cities from all other parts sent their ayd and not being able to maintaine themselues they forraged all ouer the territories of the Church The Popes could not digest the Emperour neither at Rome nor in Italie and therefore Gregorie determed to reduced againe at length his See to Rome Blondus relates That a Bishop being admonished by him to repayre into his owne diocesse he made this answer And you holie Father why goe you not to your owne Church Others say he did this being persuaded in reuelations by S. Briget and Katherine of Sienna But when he saw this was dipleasing to the French Cardinalls and also to his neere kinsmen he caused a number of Tryremes to be priuily built vpon the Rhodan and so with such as he made priuie to his resolution he was in them first conueyed to Genoa from thence to Coruetto and so in the yeare 1376 in the moneth of Ianuarie he came to Rome by land Thus after seuentie yeares continuance his seat at Auignion came to an end But Gregorie not long after dying there began the most grieuous schisme that euer was in the Roman Church And at his first accesse Gregorie was entertained by the Romans with great applause they supposing that together with him wealth and riches would enter into their citie But when Gregorie seemed to terrifie the whole world with his thundrings and excommunications that he sent forth neere at hand among the rest excommunicating the Florentines by the meanes of Bernabo Visconti they drew thither one Iohn Haucut and English captaine a man of great fame for his martiall prowesse with his forces and nothing respecting the Popes interdict but contemning his censures they enforced the Priests to celebrate sacred offices and the Genowayes themselues permitted the vse of all holie functions to those Florentines which were fled into their citie though they were generally interdicted wheresoeuer they liued they therefore called likewise vpon themselues the Popes interdict And Bernabo whom he held for a friend afarre off comming neerer hand draue Gregorie into some suspition and jealousie least vnlookt for hee might procure him one disturbance vpon another Now therefore he began to repent himselfe of his returne and being at poynt of death in the yeare 1378 An. 1378. he aduised the Cardinals that they should no more giue any credit to reuelations seeing he being deceiued by the persuasions of S. Briget and Katherine of Sienna returned into Italie with such disastrous and ominous successe Amongst other Doctors Gerson notes this in his treatise De examine doctrinarum Machiauel l. 3. de Historia Florentino Machiauel is the Author that writes how this Cregorie while he liued in Auignion gouerned Italie by Legats who through their wonderfull auarice and pride ouerthrew many cities one of which had his seat at Bologna who abusing to his owne purposes the famine and dearth of an hard yeare attempted to make himselfe Lord of all Tuscan and namely of Florence by reducing them to such an extreame miserie and famine From whence sprung the originall of that warre aboue mentioned All which his designes notwithstanding fell to the ground For other matters these good Popes were euer hammering of some deepe mysterie Gerson in Tractat de examin doctrinarum for Innocent the sixt instituted a feastiuall day in memoriall of the launce and nailes wherewith our Lord was pierced and by the same Theologie I pray you why may not Caiphas and Pilate be put into the Legend of Saints And Pope Vrban the fift consecrated that Sonday which is called Laetare Rosa which hymne was first sent to Ioan queene of Sicilia that famous harlot who killed her husband Then after him all his successors continued the custome euerie Lent to gratifie one Prince or other with this donatiue Aurea illa Rosa With that golden Rose which they consecrated in a Masse with wonderfull pompe diuers prayers annoynted ouer with Balsamum scattered with powdered Muske sprinkled with holie water and lastly fumed with Frankencense in signe say they both of triumphant and militant Ierusalem in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost For Antichrist Christs Ape must needs haue his Sacraments apart which Ierome foresaw would come to passe At the same time also came forth those Sigillaries certaine Formularies in the Roman Church called Agnus Dei which are vsually hallowed of the Popes in the first yeare of their Papacie and are also renewed in the seuenth yeare the prayers by which they are consecrated being altogether execrable and accursed By their veneration and honour blot out the sinnes of vs thy seruants let the spots of our offences be cleansed pardons obtained graces conferred and at length let them deserue to enioy eternall life together with thy Saints and elect Of Christ the true Lambe of God what could be spoken more

of all the great men in the Land which then flourished eitheir in letters or armes obtaining so far by his diuine labour and zeale that truth from his mouth was harkened vnto by many embraced and receiued and happily preached for many yeares so as that light of the Gospell reuiued by his operations and endeauours no puff or whirle-wind could extinguish but rather it kindled vnto vs another fire all Europe ouer I forbeare to speake of the learning incomparable soliditie of his writings all which being duely wayed especially in so tenebrous an age amiddest so fearefull flashings and lightnings whereat the greatest Princes of the world stooped and trembled I thinke no man can justly make any doubt but that his spirit receiued illumination courage and confidence from aboue that God wrought in and by him and in the weakenesse of a wretched and abject man in respect of the world he intended the ruine of Sathans Empire of that same plenarie power so much boasted of and so long time affected by the Popes In so much as Luther seemes to haue spoken most worthily The bodies of the Saints rise againe when there is a resurrection of the Gospell of Iesus our Sauiour so as these pettie desperat Bishops are able to preuaile nothing at all against them with their Herods and Pylats All the Clergie out of doubt he wonderfully amazed and astonisht For Thomas Waldensis in his Epistle to Martine the fift spares not to tell how he wondered and admired at his irrefragible assertions at the perspicuous authorities and inconuincible reasons which he produced Thom. Waldens in Epist ad Martin 5. Thom. Walsingham in Rich. 2. Gulielm Caxtonius in Chron. Anno 1171 1372. alias fructus temporum And the Chronologers of those times seeme greatly to complaine that both king Edward and all his chiefe Counsellors gaue attentiue eare to him as also that the king was woon by him to enact by Parliament That the Bishops from thenceforth should be confirmed by their Metropolitans as in times past and not be tied vpon this occasion to goe personally to Rome But Waldensis mentions some particular men that in England entertayned his doctrine certaine Diuines and Masters of the Vniuersitie of Oxford Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the same Vniuersitie together with the two Proctors and many others whom he seuerally nominates In the Court the king himselfe and the Prince of Wales his son were his auditors Iohn Duke of Lancaster Lewis Clifford William Neuill Iohn Klenbow Richard Struny Thomas Latimer Iohn Montacute who defaced Images throughout all his jurisdiction Iohn of Salisburie who being at poynt of death rejected the Papisticall Sacrament with diuers others of the chiefest Nobilitie Besides Iohn of Northampton the Major of London and sundrie other notable Citizens and Burgesses who many times disturbed the Bishops assemblies and conuenticles which were called for the suppressing of Wickliff But so on the other side he wanted not many potent and mightie aduersaries among the Bishops Prelats Monkes but especially the Mendicants who after Edwards death obtained of Richard the second that Wickliff should be expelled England he therefore repairing into Bohemia brought a great light to the doctrine of the Waldenses when Iohn Hus being yet but a young man had diuers conferences with him about diuine matters But at length beeing recalled home againe from exile about the yeare 1387 the last of December An. 1387. he meekely in his Countrie yeelded vp his soule to God and was buried in the Church of Lutterworth within the Countie of Leicester not without a singular miracle shewed herein notwithstanding the implacable rage and furie of his aduersaries although in the yeare 1428 by Pope Martine the fifths order An. 1428. he was by the Prelats in England disinterred and burnt But God in his good time will re-demaund the bodies of his Saints of all the elements to whom he will then most gratiously communicat his hapinesse and glorie Amen Here we may also adjoyne the principall heads of Wicklifs doctrine as they are set downe by William Wydford his aduersarie who inuents many of them out of his owne braine the more to stir vp enuie against him but in a ward wee may boldly affirme that they are no other in substance then such as are receiued into the confessions of our Churches as may euidently bee seene in many treatises which are extant both in Latine and English Touching the Pope besides the points by vs premised he taught That in the Apostles time there were two only orders of Clerks those were Priests and Deacons for other degrees they proceeded from the pride of the Papacie That the Pope who counterfeitly professed himselfe to be the seruant of Gods seruants in the worke Euangelicall was of no place or degree but Sathans speciall Atturney and procurator that he might perpetually proiect and practise treason against Christ also that he was pointed at throughout all the Scriptures for Antichrist not his person simplie but the chaire and Papall dignitie from whence by meanes of the creeping in of all excesse and sensualitie confusion hath inuaded the Church how it was a most palpable heresie to beleeue that euerie militant Church in Europe depended on his See and authoritie That no man could ground out of the Scriptures how such a Vicar entred into the Church and therefore must needs haue come in otherwise by worldly courses and Sathans subtilties That Christ had neuer any meaning to constitute a Caesarian Pope one that should be both Pope and Emperour at an instant And therefore it belonged to Princes seriously to ioyne both their hearts and hands for the prohibiting of such a Sathan to beare rule in the church His principall Disciples in England grew verie famous both by edition of books and for Martyredome as Walter Bret Iohn Aston Iohn Ashwaly Nicholas Herford Iohn Puruer Richards Wits Iohn Oldcastle Peter Clarke William Taylor William With whose workes and labours Bale cites out of the auntient monuments the seed whereof brought forth afterwards the fruits into England which we both haue and daily see Thomas Walsingham specially notes Thomas Walsingham in Richarde 2. that when the Archbishop of Canterburie had sent Wicklifs condemnation to Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford to be diuulged he appointed them to preach that day whom he knew to be the most zealous followers of Wickliff in contempt saith he of the Archiepiscopall precept and among others he ordayned one Philip Rippinton a Chanon of Leycester to preach on Corpus Christi day who concluded his Sermon with these words For speculatiue doctrine saith he such as is the point of the Sacrament of the Altar I will set a barre on my lips while God hath otherwise instructed or illuminated the hearts of the Clergie The same Author sayth That in the yeare 1378 Pope Gregorie the eleuenth his Bull being presented and read at Oxford An. 1378. and seconded with expresse letters both to the

iust Abel whom carnall Kaine murdered it hath euer beene and will be to the worlds end These are they who for temporall commodities flie to the Church and liuing like secular men couet and scrape and rob desiring to beare rule but not to serue glorying in their superioritie oppressing their inferiours reioycing in their owne pride and luxurie They account gaine godlinesse and are alwayes readie to doe and endure whatsoeuer for the encrease of their temporalties howsoeuer they are gotten scorning and laughing at those that are willing to liue iustly holily chastly innocently spiritually To be briefe they thinke none other learned men to be profitable to the Church but such as haue learnt profitable sciences With such the Church at this day is full that almost in euerie Chapter and Colledge none other can hardly be found Since therefore no other are accounted in these dayes wise in the Church but these temporall persons and all things are swayed according to their disposition if any are to be sent either to the Court of Rome or of any other secular Princes or to the Councell in hope of greater preferment after which they gape by fauours and intercessions with great importunitie they labour to be sent For what doe these temporall men but seeke for temporall things thinke of temporall gaine Can we thinke that such will endeuour the reformation of the Church in manners and discipline and honestie of life who thinke that reformation their greatest calamitie and desire nothing so much as that it may be lawful for them to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth them freely without feare of punishment c. And here hee describe them at large But what concludes he hereupon Truely since the Prophet saith Vpon whom shall my spirit rest but vpon the humble and him that trembleth at my words wee must not looke that these Councels should be ruled by the spirit of God where the Decrees depend vpon voyces where for the most part carnall ambitious contentious persons puffed vp with vaine knowledge where subiects ill prepared to receiue the spirit of God where the workes of the flesh contentions emulations clamors beare sway since it is sayd quite contrarie The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous Yea since our auncient Fathers when they went about to celebrat a Councell to the end they might the better obtain the assistance of Gods spirit therein prepared themselues with prayer fasting teares contrition of heart humilitie of spirit searching and inquiring into the verie inward parts of their selues least they should offend any way therein that might auert his presence and whereby he should not speake more in them than they themselues If saith he they had by experience found that they could not be deceiued in those matters for which they were assembled what need was there of such diligence c. Since therefore the whole congregation assembled doth many times depend vpon the voyce and opinion of one man why as that one man may be deceiued in his iudgement may not likewise the whole multitude especially if out of humane presumption or any other grieuous crime it deserue to be deceiued Is it not onely proper vnto God to doe all things rightly and neuer to be deceiued But thou repliest saith he That in that the Councell cannot erre it proceedeth not from humane infirmitie but the power of the holie Ghost Doe thou tell me againe how thou knowest that the holie Ghost will alwayes giue his asststance to the greatest part c. especially since the greatest part is commonly the worse c. In the Councell of Achab the holie Prophet of the Lord Micha was present who without feare spake that which the spirit of God suggested vnto him but yet could persuade nothing with the king and the rest of the false Prophets who spake out of their own spirit and vnderstanding c. Read in the Prophesie of Ieremiah what the Lord spake of his Temple against those who falsely persuaded themselues that God would neuer forsake it for their iniquities Trust not in lying words saying It is the Temple of the Lord c. Therefore this house is made a denne of theeues whereupon my name is called before your eyes Behold what I did to Shilo for the wickednesse of my people Now therefore because ye haue done all these workes and haue not heard me I will doe vnto this house wherein ye trust as I haue done vnto Shilo and I will cast you out of my sight c. Now what is the Temple of the Lord but the Church of God For notwithstanding these things were spoken to the Iewes and written for them yet according to the Apostolicall tradition in a figure they are spoken to Christians But perhaps thou wilt yet say That promises of God can neuer faile where he hath bound himselfe to bee with his Church to the end of the world I confesse indeed that God can neuer faile of his promise but where and with whom he is by grace in his Church it is not for vs but for him to know God knoweth saith the Apostle who are his but we how should we know it The Church by grace may remaine in one simple woman as it is sayd to be in the Virgine onely at the time of the Passion Hath a Councell of Bishops in these times a greater authoritie and prerogatiue than the congregation of the Apostles who all declined and went astray Nay hath it a greater prerogatiue than the whole militant Church which S. Augustine sayth cannot accomplish that which the Apostle saith Offer it selfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle but onely in the celestiall Ierusalem where that shall be true that is written They are without spot before the throne of God What other cause can wee thinke there was why those foure Councels the Nicene Constantinopolitan first Ephesine and that of Chalcedon are accounted more holy and had a greater veneration than the rest but because they were assemblies of holie men and such as came thither were so accounted and therefore in them and by them God manifested his holie will c. Such the spirit of God assembleth such he assisteth and is in the middest of them At the last to shew that such euents must not be looked for from contrarie persons he reciteth the historie related by vs in the former Progression of the Owle that in the Councell at Rome celebrated by Iohn the foure and twentieth appeared after the inuocation of the holie Ghost Thus did Clemangis write to this Scholeman who was present at the Councell of Constance To conclude in his Epistles hee calls the Church of Rome a house of theeues no otherwise to be purged than with a whip as the Temple once was for what doth he differ from a theefe who being entred by the breaches and ruines to steale brings others in by the same way meaning the Pope Truely the Church at this day is made a shop of ambition trafficke theft The Sacraments Orders yea