euidently appeare by the wordes of Christ when he sayeth to his Apostles That whiche I saye to you I saye to all Neither semeth it any thing lykely that he spake that thyng whiche he taught to them only but to all Truelye thys is certayne as Saynct Hierome wrot vpon thys sayng To the I will gyue the keyes of the heauenly kyngdome That y e bishops priestes haue thought hitherto by the reason of their pryde and pharisaical arrogancie that they had power to condempne the gyltles and to deliuer the gyltie But truelye they bee deceyued all ouer the fielde Because that the question is not before God of the iudgement of the priest but of the life of the sinner Whereby he playnlye declarethe that the choyse of binding and loosinge is not left in the libertie of the priest but in the sinner who is coÌ„maunded to beleue The minister of Gods word doeth not absolue but he publisheth declareth man to be absolued likewise he declareth man to be bound and condempned onles he beleue Euen as y e scepter royal signifieth a kinges power and the swerde the empire So likewise doth the keyes betoken the spirituall gouernaunce of the kingdome of god For whosoeuer he be that preache the gospell be it whosoeuer ye will in that he preacheth he doeth all that lyeth in him to open the kingdome of heaueÌ„ to the hearers whether it be openly or priuatly that he preache to one or to many More ouer he delyuereth all the beleuers he forgiueth all theyr synnes he saueth them and bringeth them into the kingdome of God when he teacheth that they be fre by faythe and because they beleue that theyr synnes bee forgeuen them they bee saued and in the kingdome of Christe Agayne on the other syde he byndeth al them which beleue not he retayneth their synnes he condempneth them and shutteth them out of the kingdome of heauen when he teacheth them that they are bound that they remaine in theyr sinne that they be dampned and shut out of the kingedome of grace by the reason of theyr vnbelefe But thys thing is worthye to be noted y t there is two kingedomes of Christe in earthe whereof the one is spirituall and canne not bee seen wherin dwell onely the godly and righteouse men and another that is much greater wherein abyde not onely the good but also all other that bee Baptized whiche will seme to bee christians Neyther were the keyes of bothe these kingdomes deliuered onely to Peter but also to all the rest of thapostles and by them to the successours of thapostles that the ministers of the worde of god might not onely shut and open the fyrste kingdome as it is before declared but also the second For they maye suspende and excommunicate synners openly when they amende not aâ—ter suche order as Christe hathe appoynted and so shut them out of the seconde kingdome and bannishe them the company of other christians They maye also loose when they shewe forthe tokens of penaunce that is to say they maye declare in the christian congregacion that they be fre euen as before they declared them to bee bound by that meanes open vnto them the seconde kyngdome and graunte vnto them the libertie to dwel and abyd in the company of other christians with them to receaue the holy Sacramentes Then were these the keies thys the authoritie that Christ spake of wheÌ„ he sayd to his apostles what so euer ye shal bynde in earth it shall be bounde in heauen and what soeuer ye shall loose in earth it shal be loosed also in heauen The ministers also of the churche of Christe may and ought to enioyne penaunce to suche as bee excommunicated at such time as they conuerte and repent that they maye openly shewe tokens of a penitente harte not that they may thynke thereby to satisfy make a sufficient recompense for theyr offeÌ„ces in the sight of God for y e which Christ hath suffered long a goe y t neither they theÌ„selues neither other folowing their example should any more committe the lyke offences neither should withstand the correction of the churche and of the ministers But as touchynge the signes that bee vnknowen and secret the ministers ought not scrupulously to inquire for y e knowleage of them Neuerthelesse the manne that is troubled with thys kynde of synnes and commynge to a sobre and learned minister in christiaÌ„ knowledge telling him of the trouble of hys conscience and requiryng of hym what were best for him to doe wherby to be restored agayne to goddes mercye Then shall thys Phisician preache to the soule so repentaunt the gospell and moue him to beleue that Christ is he who hath satisfied for hys synnes also for the sinnes of the whole worlde Whiche thyng when the sinner beleueth immediatly the minister of goddes worde openeth vnto him the kyngdome of heauen and beareth witnes that hys sinnes be nowe forgyuen hym and also the sinner so repentaunt may make a rehersall and a confession of hys fayth before the sayd learned minister and maye demaunde of hym whether that bee a true and liuely fayth which shal suffice to saluacion Then shall thys minister open vnto hym the whole doctrine of Christes fayth and so induce him to the true fayth and shewe him the waye wherby he maye attayne to the right fayth and remayne therin increasing continually Then shall the minister open vnto hym remedies mete for hym wherby he may preserue himselfe safe and vnspotted from suche greuouse offences as he perceyueth hym most enclined vnto And who so hath a true faythe goeth streyght wayes to Christe with the Samaritane to render present thankes in hys presence But who so hath not that fayth he shall alwayes be a wicked manne and an infidell though he confesse hymselfe euery daye a thousand tymes Thys is the power whiche Christ gaue not onely to Peter but to all the Apostles of hys churche that is to saye to preache the gospell to declare the remission of sinnes to all them that beleue and to holde in synne suche as beleue not to minister the sacramentes according to the word of god Christes institucion and to punishe them that offende openly and will not repent when they be entreated after suche a sort as Christ hath appoynted That is first that they be excomunicat and then yf they amend to be receyued agayne into the christian congregacion This power being gyuen by Christ vnto his churche is not extendyd but to them onely whiche be in thys lyfe whiles they liue here And therfore sayed Christ whatsoeuer ye shall bynde or whatsoeuer ye shall loose not indifferently in all places but in earth shal be bounde and loosid Wherfore it is true that the churche militant hath no power vpoÌ„ theÌ„ that be passed out of this lif and rest in the lorde Neither gaue he any authoritie to the churche militant to gyue pardons a
and afterward intending to ascend into heauen because he coulde not be at the selfe same tyme in heauen and aâ—so susteyne and gouerne his congregacion as though it had bene one tyred with rulynge and laboringe left Peter in his place and so after theÌ„ all the Bishops of Rome in ordinary succession Howe beit yf men and not Christ were the foundacion of the churche of christendome whiche dyd susteyne and beare thesame trewlye it shoulde haue weake and verye feble pillers to leaue vpon and so feble that it woulde not once but more then a thousand tymes haue ben ouerthrowen namely because this thing is without controuersie When the Byshope of Rome is dead there is not by and by another chosen in his roume but some dayes at the least come betwen wherin the church of Christ should lacke a head thoughe it neuer lacked one at any tyme elles Nowe maye you perceyue whether the churche were then destroyed or not And this dare I boldlye saye yf the churche of Christ shoulde leane vpon men after thys sorte as vpon the foundacion hell gates had preuayled agaynst it longe before thys tyme. Furthermore yf we were grounded vpon men and shoulde trust to them as to oure grounde worke and foundacion we shoulde be all accursed accordyng to the sayng Cursed be that manne whiche putteth hys trust in manne And then shoulde not our churche be the churche of Christ but the Sinagoge of Satan and Peter shoulde haue erred excedyngly Christe beyng lyfted vp in to the highe place of heuen and he lefte for the foundacion of the churche in earthe in y t he exhorteth Christian men not to buylde vpon hym but vpon Christe the true and suer foundacion and grounde worke of his churche And this also is very true Euen as Christ dyd not onely aske Peter but all the rest of the Apostles with him when he sayed but whom saye you that I am So also Peter made aunswere in the name of all the Apostles or els they al being demauÌ„ded should euery one haue answerid for theÌ„selues But there was muche communicacion amongest theÌ„ at suÌ„dry times before they al coÌ„fessed with one accorde that he was the sonne of God althoughe Iudas with a lyuelye faythe beleued not so And Christ at another time asked al his Apostles wyll you also depart Peter onely in the name of the reste made aunswere Thou hast the wordes of eternall life Whiche thing is euident of the wordes that folowe to whom shal we goe we knewe beleued longe agon that thou art Christ the very sonne of the liuing God Of a lyke sort he aunswered in the name of them all when he spake these wordes Thou art Christe the sonne of God And because Peter in the name of them all confessed Christe to be the sonne of god ye must graunt that when Christ sayd Thou art Peter and vpon thys rocke will I buyld my church â–ª that he spake not onely to Peter but to them all althoughe it were in the name of Peter As though he had sayed Peter onely is not the liuely rocke but all suche as folowinge hys example verelye beleue and confesse Christ to be the sonne God be liuely rockes which be buylded vpon the vnchauÌ„geable precious corner stone Christ the only foundacion of his church But I praye you tell me in good earnest what sayed master Falsidicus to such thiÌ„ges as were obiected Lepi. Would ye know sayed he how Christ minded by these wordes to make Peter the foundacion and head of his church Reade the wordes that folow ye shal perceyue that he spake to Peter wheÌ„ he sayd To thee wyll I gyue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen And whatsoeuer thou shalt bynde in yearth it shall also be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest in yearthe it shall be loosed in heauen Yt is not to be thought but that Christ being most true of hys promise performed most habouÌ„dantly y t whatsoeuer he promysed Peter And so muste it bee graunted that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were deliuered to Peter therfore hath he power to open and to shit vp heauen to whome so euer it shall please hym and to bringe in and dryue out whome he shal thinke mete as he will him selfe so may he lose also and bynde And forasmoche as by the woordes of Christe Peter only had thauthority to loose binde to opeÌ„ and shut heuen it foloweth that Christ gaue authoritie ful and whole to Peter and ordeyned him onely to bee head of hys churche Mas. Yf onely Peter and the byshoppes of Rome haue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and they only haue power to open thesame forsothe I would not dye when the sea of Rome is vacant and voyd of a byshop For then shoulde there bee no body whiche shoulde open heauen gates to me And I maruayle more ouer of whome they gatte the keyes of purgatory for it apereth by theyr own coÌ„fession that Christ gaue hym none other keâ—es but of the kyngdom of heauen onely But I coulde haue choked hym euen with one worde Lepi. Howe Mas. Thus would I haue sayed Themperours porter hathe the keye of themperour hys court and hathe authoritie to open and shit and the Mayor of a citie hathe authoritie to bynde and loose and yet neither of them bothe is themperour Of a like sorte be it that Peter had the keyes authorytie to binde and lose it followeth not therfore that he is the head and lord of the churche of god that he is equall with Christe or elles at leste his vicar of equall authoritie by whome our faythe may be stable and suer that he is the vmpieâ— and iudge of all controuersies whiche arise in holie scripture But tell me thys one thynge what answere made thembassadour of Constantinople to thys thinge Lepidus Fyrste he aunswered that Christ gaue not the keyes euen then to Peter but promysed them only not doutinge but that Christe kept promes with him But he was desirous to know of master Falsidicus the time when he deliuered the keies to Peter and gaue him thauthoritie to louse to bind what wordes he sayed when he gaue them For by that meanes the trueth might appere what was ment by these keyes and what is thys authoritie To thys master Falsidicus made aunswere That he assuered Peter of them when after hys resurrection he asked Peter whether he loued hym more earnesâ—ly then the rest dyd or not vnto whome Peter made aunswere saying Thou knowest O Lord that I loue the then Christ gaue him iniunccion to feede his shepe In the very selfe same houre he made him the chiefe shepard and bishop of al soules TheÌ„ Thembassador of Constantinople smylinge sayed yf preachinge the worde of God be the fedinge of soules as the holy doctors with one assent doeth expound it it is with out dout that that office was not onelye gyuen to Peter but also to
they haue or shall receyue of god So that they shal imagine them selues hable to deserue so much glory that god is not hable to repay and rewarde the thynge that he oweth vnto them And therfore shall they fell their merites to other meÌ„ as thoughe they had superfluous and to manye And because they can neuer sell or giue so many but that they shal alwayes haue a number remayninge they shal make oure holy father the pope the inheritour of theyr merites that he maye accomplyshe all thinges for all men requisit And this riche treasorer of merites he shall sell wonderfull dearely in his Iubilies and pardones so fonde an opinion shall they haue that they shal thiÌ„ke theÌ„ selues hable to deserue gods fre electioÌ„ and shal thinke gods heuenly prouidence and all thinges that belonge to saluacion to hange vpon theyr fre will and vpon theyr pope Beelze Yf it be so as ye say then is free wil a greate Lorde shal be a boue god him selfe For as I perceaue he shall either chose or refuse healthe or condempnacion like a lord and god as his seruaunt shal minister occasions and tyme conuenient vnto him so shall the will of god be lyke a bonde woman and the wil of man like vnto a Quene it shal be necessary not that manne shall applye hys will to gods wyll but that god shal applye hys will to mans wyl Neither canne god chose men without the popes license So that incase god had neuer so reproued and reiected any manne and the pope in whose hande all power is mindeth to saue thesame manne gods determinacion shal be voyde And so shal the pope be greater theÌ„ Christe and mannes fre wil also because the whole saluacion of al man kynde shal be in theyr owne power But Christe aunsweringe the children of zebedee of whome the one disired to syt on the right hand of Christe and the other on the left sayed it was not in him to geue that thinge because all hong vpon gods free election and Christe also sayed not trewe when he so saied for he shoulde haue graunted that al depended vpon the pope and mans free wil. Luci. Yf he were not suche a one he shoulde not be Antichriste And because the election of god dothe abase a man casteth hym down more theÌ„ any thing els whiche thinge manne beinge naturally inclyned to esteme highely himselfe can not abyde therefore shal it be an easy thynge to perswade to menne that al the whole matter hangeth vpon hys owne fre wil and not vpon god Therefore wil the pope neuer forsake thys office to promote and further this our purpose by al the meanes that he canne and that for many other causes but chiefly for that mannes merites shall be as it were a grounde worke of all hys marchandise and vauntage Howe beit that he maye the beâ—tâ—r sell and vtter theÌ„ he shal mingle some merites of Christ amongest them and shall boast that he hath the key of al these treasures and ful authoritie to distribute to apply to sel and to giue al at hys will and pleasure And also a tyme there shall come when the worlde shal beleue because they shal thynke hym a god in earthe indued with moste greate authoritie that he can bothe bynd and loose saue or condempne when it shal be hys pleasure Nowe maye ye easelye perceaue whether menne wyl runne to hym or not to bye heuen and paradise of hym Oh howe many and howe abhominable fantasyes shall menne committe when they shal saye to them selues what care I of thys am I suer that I canne be absolued for money What a number of soules shal bee damned thinking to be saued by theyr own merites by the popes pardones and absolutions because they shal be without faythe and without Christe Out of thys deuelyshe fouÌ„taine shal spriÌ„g Iubilies statioÌ„s pardoÌ„s absolucioÌ„s dispensacioÌ„s relaxations an infinit number of monstors whiche dayly they shal deuise to sel Christ and hys merites and heuen and paradise with all Furthermore we will cause that this oure mischeuouse paricideÌ„ shal by his fraude and craft perswade Christian menne that Christe with al hys merites passion death and benefites be not sufficient to saue I will not saye the reproued and reiected sorte but euen the very chosen of god be it that they beleue in Christe with neuer so lyuely a faythe For they muste moreouer of necessitie confesse all theyr synnes bothe open priuate euen the verye inward thoughtes and desiers yea all the brauÌ„ches and circumstances of them and disclose al thinge whether they be to be spoken or not to a priest of hym apoynted Beelze This thinge is not possible to bee done for theyr synnes be innumerable Luci. Suerly oure priestes can not deuise a better waye to holde mens consciences in a perplexitie doutefull and vncerteyne And so when men shal bee in a continual doutinge whether they be in the fauor of god or not they shal runne oft to oure prieste and his gayne shall alwayes increase in that he shal receaue wel for his absolutions Beelze Yf there shoulde suche a tyme come when I myght see Christian men disclosing theyr secretes euen suche as be of greatiste weight and that slaunderinge them selues contrary bothe to the lawe of god and the lawe of nature and oftentymes also with no smal offence of their neighbour to a wicked thiefe shoulde also suffer their wiues their doughters sisters to opeÌ„ y e botome of their hartes matters of no honesty not alway to a gelded maÌ„ but most coÌ„monly to a vicious verlet I would be bold to saye they were the most foles in the vniuersall world But tell me in good fayth what profit shoulde insewe of this deuelishe folishenes yf it shoulde bee brought in to our churche Beelze Oh it should muche increase and amplyfie the honour of our byshop and hys members and bee a very greate gayne and profit to hys churche For then should men beleue that he by hys ministers did pardone synnes and not god and that the same syns were not forgeuen by the vertewe of the passion of Christ but by the vertew of the absolution that they herd the priest speake And in confession mentioÌ„ shal be made of all thinges sauyng of Christ and so shall we bury Christ together with his passion and death god with his grace And more ouer what a greate commoditie shall it bee to the pope trowe you when his ministers by thys means shall knowe all the secrets of princes I passe ouer how that in hearing of women secretly disclose theyr dishonestie with al the circumstaunces thereof and all vnhonest thoughtes and desieres suche confessours being inflamed with the communicacion and consideringe craftely howe theyr myndes bee inclined will beginne many fayer and handsom snares which they may easely make whereby to holde them euen as it were by the heere of the head when they are once made pryuye to their
a heuy thing for me if Rome shoulde be turned into Troy The curche Besides this noble dignitie of our byshop I am to muche occupied with an infinite number of matters of ceremonies of sutes and controuersies of other prophane thiÌ„ges that I haue no time left to scratch my head wherfore now wil I forsake you But I wyll tel you one thyng yet before I goe Sence this man was created pope I haue ben wonderfully vexed and sicke bothe in body and soule euen as though I had dronke a pocion of poyson And I canne not well tell whether I gat thys sycknes of to muche ioy wherewith I was replenyshed by the reason of the greatnes of my promocion or elles of thintollerable burden of businesses which grow towardes me dayly Nowe haue I nothinge elles to saye but that I offer my newe kindes of marchandise to bee solde to you before other and that better chepe than any straunger shall haue them The people I thanke you for youre marchant lyke ciuilitie and agayne I offer vnto you my fauor and all my strength and power to defend and increase the greatnes of your honour The Pope Mans Iudgement The people of Rome The Pope AT the last we be come to thys highe honor whiche we haue so much desired and that is more to bee wondered at by the whole consent of all the people of Rome I would neuer haue thought suche a numbre of the nobilitie woulde haue come to gratifie me and to increase my ioye They thynke verely that thys oure promocion shall increase and amplifie their ryches and power not a litle But I am informed for a certayntie that many foren churches were muche vexed therwith namelye suche as bee of the East partes Wherfore we vnderstande that they sende embassadors what they bee I can not tell to replye agaynst the thynge and it maye so be that they wyll dryue the matter to a disputacion Now is it therfore necessarie for vs to arme our selues for oure defence and as in a matter of great weyghte and importaunce to vse a wittie counsell Wherfore mans iudgement who art one of my pryuye counsell with thee I thynke it best to consult Mans iudge Truely sir I haue tossed turned al this matter in my minde agayne and agayne after long and earnest fantasyinge I conclude that there is no more presente remedie to preserue increase and establish thys your promocion kingdom and authoritie then to contend and earnestly to stand in it that it is not the ordinaunce of man but of God So that it is Christ hymself who hath ordeined you to be supreme head of the churche and that with a whole fulnes of power otherwyse shall ye hange alwayes vpon the Emperour who hath placed you in this highe estate of honoure by that meanes as he once gaue it you so maye he agayne take it awaye from you Moreouer your Empier and authoritie cannot be stretched out further then the coastes of the Empier of Rome extendith besydes thys all ChristendoÌ„ wyll laugh to scorne thys fayned and conterfect dominion Crying out that Christe is the supreme head of his churche and that he alone is able ynoughe to gouerne it well with out the helpe of an other head or of any other deceyptfull manne as he hath by hys ministers gouerned it hetherto But yf ye contende earnestly that it is Christ who hath put you in thys place ye shall bothe be deliuered from hanging vpon the Emperour and shall also be as farre aboue hym as holy and spirituall matters are to be preferred to matters prophane and worldely So that your authoritie being by thys meanes established ye shall enter into all the coastes of the yearth There shal be no Christian men in the worlde but when they shall bee persuaded that Christe was the author of thys ordinaunce who hath made you his vicar of whome ye haue receyued thys highe authoritie but they wyll come to you of their owne swynge as thoughe they would wurship this Godhead of yours in earth and wyll glorye that they maye obey you The Pope I woulde alowe thys counsell of yours very well yf it might be brought to passe by any meanes that I coulde persuade so manifest a vanitie to the worlde Mans iudge The folishenes of manne is growen so farre nowe accompanied with a wonderfull deceyt and wickednes I of my selfe am so subtile craftie that me thynketh it a thyng easie to persuade yea and that I nowe see the meanes howe The Pope I desire of all loues that ye wyll tell me by some inkeling what thyng it is that ye euen nowe mused vpon for ye may well know that it is my ioy to talke of suche thynges Mans iudge Yf there coulde bee one iote founde in the holy scripture wherupon wee myght leane for a profe that Paule the Apostle was ordeyned of God to bee supreme and vniuersall head of the churche militant yea thoughe it semed writhed and wrasted with the braakes of your authoritie and drawen by violence to our purpose agaynst the naturall sence yet so that there were some likeâ—yhod therin the victorye were ours For it is euident by the worde of god that Paule was some tyme at Rome thoughe he were then in prison yet shall wee persuade by all meanes possible that he was made Byshop of thys Citie whose office and dignitie you haue by inheritaunce and succeâ—syon obteyned I haue occupied my fantasie to and fro and haue chewed thys question diligently and so at the last I perceyue that there be many wordes in the holy scripture whiche with a litle wrasting woulde make the blinde ignoraunt common people gyue credite to thys vayne opinion that Paule was the chiefe of all the Apostles and vniuersall head of all the churches of Christe And yet shall we not therfore obteyne all our purpose For the selfe same holy scripture is in other places directlye and in playne wordes againste vs. Forasmuche as it is euident that Paule thapostle was none of the twelue Apostles of Christ yea and when Christ was here in earthe he was his enemie and persecutor and afterwarde also a certayne space Neither is it lykelye that Christ woulde ascende into heauen but woulde first well forsee to his churche and leaue vnto it one certayne head to be hys vicar occupie hys rowme Thys thyng was very necessary for him to doe This last reason must we alleage earnestly and defende it stoutly yf we intende to obtayne oure purpose But nowe haue I deuised a farre better waye There bee many places in the gospell whiche may easly be writhed to oure purpose That is to saye wherby some likelyhod maye be alleged that Peter thapostle was pronounced chiefe of the apostles by Christ his owne mouth and was created supreme head of his church militant Nowe yf we coulde bring hym to Rome make hym Byshop of thys citie it shall bee an easie thing to persuad that you be
Rome intendeth to attayne to the dignitie of y e chiefe priest and supreme head of Christes churche his studie is nothyng els but to make himselfe equall with Christ in spirtie knowledge vertue power and in all other giftes and graces Now whether thys be a blasphemous mynde or not iudge you For that man which hath not the spirite of god is not worthie to be called a membre of Christe or a prieste or els a christian manne No he is not worthie the name of a manne for hys greuouse offences Yea he ought to bee banyshed from all christian mennes company be excomunicated from the churche of Christe Yt can not be without a merueylous heynouse offence and a deuillishe pride ones to be so bolde to desire to haue the title of the supreme head of the churche of Christe Where as Paule describeth y e true image of y e church of Christe he sayeth Christe is ascended on highe and hath gyuen giftes to menne some to be Apostles some to be Prophetes some to bee Euangelistes and some to be Doctors And it is not to be doubted but he would also haue ordeined some other supreme head in earthe yf he had iudged it a thyng necessary And the holygoost in thys place whiche should haue made so muche for thys purpose woulde not onely haue expressed the thyng by the mouthe of Paule but also woulde haue named thys chiefe dignitie When Paule myndeth to persuade the Ephesians to remayne together in one spirite knyt with the bonde of peace the argumentes that he vseth be these saying that yf they be true christiaÌ„ men they be thevery membres of one body and they all haue one spirite euen as they all be called to one ende and haue one Lorde Iesus Christe one fayth one baptisme one onely god and eternall father No doubt he woulde haue also sayed in thys place and they haue one Byshope in earth who kepeth the churche of Christ in order and concorde yf he had euer mynded to appoynt suche a byshop Mas. Yf Paule had euer spoken such wordes he had lyed galantly For the bishops of Rome wil indeuour themselues to the vttermost of their power to moue coÌ„tencion and to set christian princes together by the â—ares for their owne inrichynge Lepidus That thyng maye chaunce to bee true But I praye you let me tell on my tale Then thimbassador sayed furthermore yt is not vnknowen vnto you that when the congregacion of the Corynthians auaunced themselues some time in the name of Peter some tyme in the name of Paule and some tyme of Apollo Paule chid theÌ„ bitterly for so doing he sayd not I wyll not haue you thiÌ„ke here after y t I am the head of the churche neither yet Apollo But Peter onely But he rather concluded all maner of men and sayed thus What were you baptised in the name of Paule was Paule euer crucified for you as though he had sayed Truely ye bee neitheir baptized in the name of Paule neither in the name of Peter neither of Apollo neither was there any of theÌ„ crucified for you but ye be baptized in Christs name only Only he suffered for you death vpon the crosse Onely he hath redemed you and saued you from sinne Onely he is your head from the which all heauenly giftes desceÌ„d Onely he is your lyghte youre wisdome youre lyfe your saluacion and therfore muste ye acknowledge hym onely and alone to bee youre supreme head in whose name only ye must reioyce And theÌ„ to knyt vp his disputacioÌ„ He sayd not maÌ„ must esteme and take Apollo and me for the ministers of Christ and Peter for the lorde and mayster but putting Peter and him selfe and Apollo altogether he sayed Man must take vs as the ministers of Christ. And in thys poynt he agreeth with the doctrine of Christ who perceyuing his Apostles to contend amonge themselues for the highest place because they herd saye that Iames Iohn had obteyned a prerogatiue of Christe by the procurement of theyr mother that one of them should sytte at his ryght hande and the other at hys lefte he sayd ye knowe ryght well that the prynces of nacioÌ„s beare lordelye rule and menne of power doe exercise their myght ouer them But it shall not be so amoÌ„gest you But he that wyll be greater amongest you shall be youre minister he that wyll be chiefe amongest you shal be your seruannt For the sonne of manne came not to bee serued of other but to serue other hym selfe and to geue hys soule for a redemption for many Wherby it is easie to perceiue y t the church of Christ is al together spiritual And it is not possible y t any maÌ„ caÌ„ be a true priest neither a true christian manne in this spirituall churche of Christe onles he haue the spirite of god and he is to be thought greater that is more inriched with strength and habundaunce of the spirite So that for asmuche as Christe onely hathe the greatest plentifulnes of the spirite he muste without controuersy be iudged and estemed the chiefe and head preste of al other Wherfore yf the byshoppe of Rome desier the place of the chiefe byshoppe he muste of necessitie haue greatest haboundance of the spirite euen as Christe had and then when he is equall with Christe he shall also be chiefe byshoppe and chiefe heade equal with Christ but this also is necessary to bee knowen that the dominion of the spirite is verye diuerse and contrary eueÌ„ as Christ taught to y e dominion of y e flesh for amoÌ„gest carnall men suche as haue more riches more streÌ„gth more fauour amoÌ„gest meÌ„ more freÌ„dshipes more nobilitie of bloud they be y e lordes ouer other they coÌ„mauÌ„d they haue other ministers to theÌ„ they be honoured and obeyed many times they oppresse the weaker and vse tyranny ouer them But it is coÌ„trarywise in the spirituall churche of Christe for such as haue greater light of the spirite they be higher and greater And they that bee suche serue all other by the helpe of the spirite as menne that hath receyued greater gyftes of god more light of knowledge more grace more spirite and a greater talent So that he which hath receaued more habouÌ„dance of the spirite helpeth more and serueth more the necessities of other and setteth forthe the glory of god more plentifully And because Christe had most singular plenty of the spirite therfore came not he to bee serued but to serue for the helth of his chosen Yea he serued all without excepcion and that also humblinge himselfe extremely vntyll that he moued of an exceding greate loue spent hys own life vpon the crosse Therefore woulde Christe haue it knowen to hys chosen that yf ye wil haue a trew nobilitie and worthynes ye muste haue a spirite Christe abused not this spirituall greatnes of hys whiche was in the highest degre of honour therby to chalenge anye
authoritie at Christes hand y t they should be chief byshops gouernours of al other bishops as you say al churches and theyr byshops with theÌ„ the church of Rome onely excepted had ben from the deathe of christe vntill thys daye euer styll heretikes and scismatikes because they neuer acknowledged hym to be theyr supreme heade And moreouer all counsels whiche hathe ben holden vntill this day should haue bene but deuelish metynges because they neyther alowed neither declared the byshoppe of Rome to be Christes vicar and the supreme head of hys church But Nicene counsell chiefly shoulde haue ben deuelysâ—e not onely because it gaue not the fyrste place to the byshope of Rome but the fourth but also much more because they toke so greate and so heauenly a power awaye from hym the best parte whereof they gaue to oure byshoppe of Alexandria who had the charge committed vnto hym of the churches in the Easte parties vnto whome he was appoynted gouernor And the counsell of Affrike should haue passed all other in heresie wherein it was establyshed that the byshop of the fyrste seat ought not to be called the heade priest chiefe byshoppe neither by anye such lyke tytle but chiefely because there was an ordinaunce made in expresse wordes that the byshop of Rome by name muste not be called the vniuersall byshop This is very certayne if the byshopes receyued thys monarchie of god then were these counselles deuelyshe whyche toke thys diuine power away from them Cyprian also shoulde hauebene an heretike not onelye because he callethe the Byshop of Rome brother in hys epistles which he wrot vnto him but muche more because he maynteyneth with S. Augustine that there is none which is byshop of other byshops and that it is a greate tyranny to desier to be lorde ouer other byshoppes And also youre S. Gregory shoulde not onely not haue ben a sayncte but also an extreme wicked and a condempned parsone For he wryteth expresly that he which woulde bee byshop of all other byshoppes shall not haue the place of Christ in earthe but of Lucifer and shal bee very antichriste hymselfe And further he bryngeth in a number of inconueniences whiche shoulde insewe yf the byshoppe of Rome shoulde take vpon hym the dygnitie of the chyefe byshoppe as thoughe it were by the lawe of god Then thus he sayed Seing then that thys your primacie is not godly nor of God ye must of force grauÌ„t that it is either of manne or els of the deuill But it is not of manne as I wyll proue by stronge reasons wherfore it is of the deuyll That it is not of manne thys wyll I proue The Emperour hymselfe can not gyue vnto you anye spirituall power For you youre selues graunte that thys dignitie whiche ye haue is not geuen you of the Emperour but of Christ. Wherfore ye must acknowledge Christ to be your supreme head as all other Byshoppes doth who confesse not that they receyued thys spirituall authoritie that they haue either of the Byshoppe of Rome or elles of the Emperour but of Christe onely So that the Emperour can not gyue vnto you any dominion or power sauinge that whiche is temporall and that onely in suche countreyes as be vnder hys gouernaunce Seing then he hathe no dominion either in Asia or eles in Affrike He caÌ„ not make you superiours to vs neyther haue we anye nede to haue you to be our gouernours the princes that we haue be sufficient for our tuicion He maye gyue vnto you some temporall power but yet only in such prouiÌ„ces as be vnder him in Europa but he can not gyue you the chiefe place onles he will willingly forsake his empire sette you in hys place and make you aboue hym selfe Ye crye and saye that ye be Christes Uicars truely yf ye bee Christes Uicars ye would indeuour your selues earnestly to folowe hym When the Iewes would haue made hym a kynge he fled and woulde not receyue that dignitie But you be farre from folowynge hys example whose Uicars ye seme to be that ye procured wonderful ambiciously thys chiefe supreme dygnitie contrary the expresse worde of Christ who perceyuing the Apostles to conteÌ„d which of them should be aboue other he sayed vnto them playnly he would not haue them stryue to be lordes and beare rule as the princes of thys world but rather to serue Christ him selfe as longe as he was here in earthe woulde take no temporall dominion vpon him that he might holly be bent to the sauinge of soules and that no let shoulde hinder him in settinge forthe the Gospel But you as though ye were superiours to Christ will like tyrauntes with the offence of all the whole worlde chalenge vnto you an vniuersall dominioÌ„ Seing theÌ„ thys primacie of yours is neither of God neither of manne ye must nedes graunt that it is of the deuil Wherfore we all as many as be here together protest with one assent and voyce in the name of oure churches that we wyll not admit thys primacie we alow it not neither wil grauÌ„t we theruÌ„to But vtterlye and exepresly we condempne it we wyll not obey it but wil withstaÌ„d this vnbridled terannye of yours to the vttermost of our powers Then arose master Gooplanus a stout proctour of the Pope thus he began Our chiefe bishop quod he hath not takeÌ„ this high dignitie vpon hym to the intent to offende you spoile you or to excercise any teraÌ„ny ouer you but onlye to defende you to endewe you with honor and to profit you and to enriche you with benefices titles dignities priuileges immunities benedictions stacions absolucioÌ„s dispeÌ„sacioÌ„s pardoÌ„s suffrages Iubilies in the whiche thynges he wyll serue you all he wylbe the seruauÌ„te of the seruauÌ„tes of god wherfore ye ought not to withstande hym in a thynge so profitable vnto you To thys the same imbassador aunswered saying As longe as ye can not proue by vnaunswerable argumentes that youre Byshoppe is equal with Christ in spirite and loue we wyll neuer assent that he shal be oure Byshoppe and supreme head Yf ye wyll haue vs to acknowledge hym not onely to be our chiefe Byshoppe but also oure chiefe prince as by youre argumentes ye appeare to goe about and that we ought to beleue that he may chalenge vnto hym both the authorities ecclesistical and ciuill ye must of necessitie first shewe that he is aboue Christe in wysdome power and loue bycause it is well knowen that Christ woulde in no wise take vpon hym any ciuile gouernaunce in thys worlde We be affrayed of so monstrous and horirible a head Wherfore we can not allowe this authoritie neither that he shoulde be oure superior Yf you intende to admit hym take heede ye be not to hastie for ye shall perceyue to your vtter vndoinge that he is no shepeherd but a bloudie woulfe Then arose master Thrasibristus so sodenly so fearslye that it appeared he coulde staye hym selfe no
the counsells for otherwyse is your argument playne false or at the least waye so made in a circle that in disputacion it beginneth agayne where it began before to no purpose Papi Yf it were so that the Bishoppe of Rome were Antichrist in dede as you saye yet for asmuche as he hathe bene accounted of Christian menne for Pope so many hundreth yeres and the chiefe Byshoppe of all other then the churche of Christe had decayed longe agone contrary to hys promes who sayed I am with you vnto the worldes ende Tho. arch As touchyng this poynte the same answere shall bee made to you nowe that was made in tymes past to Helias when he thought none aliue to imbrace the faythe of God but himselfe alone to whome God sayed I haue preserued to my self seuen thousandes who hath not bowed their knees before Baal Euen so is it nowe for in Europe Affrike and Asia there were alwayes manye christian menne who wurshipd not Antichrist Papi What were they al Heritikes Thomas arch They were by youre sayinge for they woulde neither obey Antichriste neither beleue purgatory neither woulde they kepe the feaste of Easter vpon the sondaye Hen. Ye haue reasoned now enough and enough now we see playnly that this felowe of whom we moued this questioÌ„ was is veâ—y right Antichrist FroÌ„ hence forth we wil in no wise consent to his euilnes lest god continue his anger agaynst vs. We haue suffered to longe a great deale so intolerable a tiranny We will proue suerly whether he be God iÌ„ yearth or not And whether we haue more full authoritie in oure owne dominions and kingdomes then he hath or not Papi Then shal your maiestie loose your title of defender of the fayth Hen Nay we wil be called the destroyers of the false faythe of Antichriste and maynteners of the trewe fayth of Christe Kynge Edwarde the sixte The Lorde Protectour Edvvardâ— ALexander the great dyd sette so muche by the honor and glorie of the worlde that when his father Philippe ouercame moe and moe Cities and contryes daylye and all other men reioysed very much of hys victories Yet he alone beynge of tender age lamented very muche therefore not withstandynge that he ought to haue bene ioyfull and glad beinge his fathers onely heire of all hys kyngdomes thynkynge that hys father woulde preuent hym and take awaye all occasions from hym whereby he mighte compasse the dominion of the worlde by hys owne wit and industrye wherof shoulde insewe worthye renowne and immortall memorie esteminge a kingdome as nothynge without glorye But for as muche as it hath pleased God to lighten our mynde with the cleare bryghtnes of heauenly doctrine therby to gyue vs knowledge that he hath placed vs in thys seat of a king that we shoulde direct the vse of oure scepter royall and the sterne of oure gouernement not to the glorye of the worlde but to the glorye of hym so muche more we be studious of the glorie of God aboue that the glory of the world as we know that the one is heauenlye excellent and durable and the other vayne slydynge awaye and able to continue but for a whyle And we can not but lament euen from the botom of â–ª our heart euen in this tender age of ours when we see our onelye Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe with no small rebuke of hys heauenlye and eternall father dryuen out of his seat kingdom such a cruell and wicked tyraunte placed in hys roume Wherfore we be very desierfull to restore Christ into his own former place agayne that by him god may be honoured not myndinge in any wise to suffer suche abhominacion to remayne within oure dominions All Christian menne haue euer more abhorred the name of Antichrist and shall we haue hym at home with vs. Knowinge hym to be suche a one as he is and shall leue hym vnbannished out of the coastes of our countryes That shal neuer be Suerly all the treasures honours frendeshippes pleasures and all the happie condicions of thys worlde canne neuer make vs happye no not so muche as in thys lyfe so longe as we see not Christe him selfe not Antichrist reigne in the hartes of his subiectes The maiestie Royall of kynge Henry the viii of famouse memory oure naturall father began thys worthye and noble enterpryse that we intende whose steppes we will followe for the performauÌ„ce of hys wyll seynge that he beinge preuented with deathe coulde not brynge that thinge to suche perfect end as hys mynd was at the fyrste attemptinge therof We haue determined therefore to pursewe the famouse enterprise of oure moste famouse father and not onely to plucke vp by the rootes and vtterlye baÌ„nishe out of our kingdome the name of Antichrist and his Iurisdiction but also clearely to purge y e mindes of oure subiectes from all wycked idolatry heresie and superstycyon and suche lyke deuelishnes as by hym was brought in And for asmuche as there is none other thynge that moueth vs thus to doe but the onelye glory of god we dout not but that Christ wil be with vs and will rule oure councelles and doynges with his holy sprite And althoughe I dout not but that you study likewise with an earnest feruentnes of spirite to set forthe this high glory of god yet haue we thought good to disclose thys oure intent and purpose to you being our dearely beloued and faythful couÌ„saylours To thintent that thys godly dede maye be the more spedely brought to passe Counseil Suerly your maiesty could haue tolde vs nothynge that could haue pleased vs better either that canne be more to the glory of God more profytable to the common welthe or elles more worthy and honorable to a Christian kynge Wherefore we be compelled to render immortal thankes to God and hauinge a tast of youre graces wisdome by thys thing to hope for greater and more excellent enterprises of you then any manne would conceaue in that we perceaue so muche sage and auncient wisedome in thys your so tender age and so feruent a Zeale to the settinge forth of goddes glorye For thys thynge is commonly seen by the common course of nature that suche menne as be of the common sort and of slender corage be colde and slacke in the waye of the Lorde yea and be many tymes offended with suche a confusion and varietie of iudgementes when they see noble men so caryed with a blynde and a wicked zeale with all that euer they canne make for the defense of wicked Babilon and of theyr deuelishe Antichrist not stayinge with blody handes and blody hartes to bee glutted and made dronke with the bloude of Christe and of his electes many times also haue they the better hand as the heauenly prophet Daniel prophecied But your pryncely maiestie as one indued with a high and a heauenly courage haue intended a gloryouse enterpryse and that beinge styrred vp and inflamed thereunto with a feruent zeale to the