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
blotted out for my sake The selfe same sentence Marke expressed albeit it wer in other wordes when he sheweth how Christe after his resurrecâ—ion from death saied to his Apostles going through out the vniuersall worlde preache the gospell to all creatures And Mathewe Goe forthe teache al people Lucke wryteth that Christe sayed it is written and therfore it must bee that Christe shall suffer and rise agayne from deathe the thyrde daye in whose name repentaunce and remission of synnes must bee preached to al people beginning at HierusaleÌ„ It is plain that the Euangelistes agre hetherto Iohn furthermore doeth adde that Christe sayed vnto them take ye the holy goste Which thing Luke declareth after another sorte saying that Christ opened theyr myndes that they might vnderstaÌ„d the scriptures which is the very trewe office of the holy goste wherefore he gaue them the holy gost brething vpon them that is as Luke doeth declare he opened theyr myndes and knowledge that they might vnderstande the holy scriptures and that was so done that they myght knowe and perceaue that the Gospell whiche they shoulde preache was no vayne or newe thynge but trewe and of antiquitie spoken of before by the vnfayned sayinges of the prophetes Which thing they beleuinge vndoutedly throughe an earnest styrringe and motion of the holy gost shoulde preache the gospell throughe out the whole world Now afterward when he gaue them the keyes Iohn writeth that he sayed whose synnes so euer ye forgeue they bee forgeuen them and whose sinnes so euer ye retaine they be retayned That is to say I deliuer you the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and giue you authoritye and power to open and shit thesame by the kingdom of heauen he vnderstandeth the kyngdome of grace and the kyngdome of glorye The synnefull manne was driuen out of the kingdome of the heauenly fauour neither can he fynde any meanes or wayes to entre into thesame agayne but by faithe Accordinge to the doctrine of paule He can not beleue of the common sorte onles he heare the worde of the gospell whiche can not be without preaching So that there was authoritie geuen vnto thapostles and keyes deliuered vnto theÌ„ that they should open the kingdome of heauen to the wicked when Christ gaue them authoritie to preache the gospeâ—l that is to saie to teach that men be saued by Christ. Because that when thei were sinners and without the kingdome of the grace of Christe neyther had any waye opened whereby they might entre thapostles in preachinge the gospell opened the gate of the fauour and grace of god vnto them which guided them in y e ready and plaine waye wherby they might obteyne to them selues the fauor of god by beleuing that Christ died for them by whose mean and helpe they are saued thapostles did moue and styre men to giue credit to this truthe And suche of them as beleued entred in the kyngdome of Chryste by fayth and the Apostles opened the gate vnto theÌ„ by preaching the word of the gospel did set open the waye for their entrye But if y e hearers of this preachiÌ„g beleued not thapostles dyd shut the gate of gods fauor wheÌ„ they taught in their preachinge that onles they beleued the gospell there was no hope of saluacion neither any other way or meanes wherby they mought entre the kingdome of the fauor of god Not withstandinge they had done as many good workes as bee in the whole worlde And so is this opening and shutting as a man may call it a lousing and a bindinge as Christe declared when he saied to Peter to the wil I giue the keies of the kingdome of heuen What soeuer thou shalt bind in earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeur thou lousest iÌ„ earth it shal be also â—oused iÌ„ heaueÌ„ Now these keies and power to open and shut to looâ—e and bynd were geueÌ„ to the Apostles wheÌ„ Christ said vnto theÌ„ whose synnes ye forgeue they shall bee forgeuen and whose synnes ye retayne they shall bee retayned Not that the Apostles themselues should haue power and authoritie to pardon and forgeue sinne for that belongeth to God alone And that shoulde be a wonderful ydolatry and blasphemy to attribute and assigne that thynge to man whiche belongeth to god onely Who is onelye he that forgyueth sinnes for Christes sake euen as it is onely he whiche powreth fayth into vs and men be hys seruantes and ministers in that they preache the gospell and moue men to beleue But the beleuinge it selfe and the faythe it selfe and the remission of synne whiche is by it procured is the gift of God Then the Apostles had no power to remitte and reâ—ayne synnes at their owne wyll and pleasure Neither to loose and bynde neyther yet to brynge manne in or out of the kyngdome of God when they lusted so to doe but they had power to preache the gospell and to shewe that thys preachynge must be beleued and that thys gospell must be embraced with a sound faythe yf they intend to haue forgyuenes of sinnes at goddes handes and so to be loosed to enter into the kingdom of grace For they onely haue their sinnes forgyuen theÌ„ which beleue the gospell they onely be loosed and enter into the kyngdome of god They had also authoritie to declare that their sinnes were retayned whiche beleued not the gospell and that they onelye bee bounde and shut out of the kyngdome of God Yt is euident and playne by Saynct Luke that thys is the wil and mynde of Christe who declarethe the selfesame sentence with more playne wordes saying Christ sayed to his Apostles y t Christ must dey as it was writteÌ„ ryse agayne the thirde daye from death and that repentaunce and remission of sinne must be preached to all nacions in hys name So that by thys it is easie to be perceyued that Christe gaue hys Apostles keyes and power not properly to forgyue synne but to preache remission of synnes to all them that beleue throughe Christ. The selfe same thyng maye also be confirmed by the authoritie of Saynct Marke who expondyng thesame sentence although it be in other wordes sayeth that Christe sayed to his Apostles Goe through out the whole worlde and preache the gospell to all creatures who so beleueth and is baptised shal be saued and he that beleueth not shall be dampned Whereby it maye be well perceyued that the authoritie power which Christ gaue vnto hys Apostles was nor to saue and condempne but onely to preache the gospell and to shewe the waye of saluacion in that they moued meÌ„ to enter into that way and they declared hym to be within the compasse of condempnacion which gaue no credit to the gospell and went about to disuade men from thys vnbelefe These be the keyes thys is the power whiche Christ gaue to hys Apostles and not onely to his Apostles but also vnto all their successors Which thyng doeth
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
al the rest of thapostles and namely to Paule who wryteth in special wordes that he labored more then all the rest did in the ministery of preaching Yea and Christe himselfe before he spake these wordes to Peter commaunded the selfe same thynge to all the Apostles sayinge goe ye throughe out the vniuersall worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures So that it can not be sayed that the office of preachynge was gyuen by Christe onely to Peter and to the Byshoppes of Rome in ordinary succession after him by whose appoyntment it shoulde also descend to other For then must it be graunted that there hath bene very fewe lawefull and trewe Byshoppes whiche had lawefull authoritie to preache and so fewe that Peter onely maye bee accountyd the trewe Byshoppe whiche preached lawefully and a fewe besides who were by him appoynted in such countryes where as he preached By thys meanes Paule and the elleuen Apostles and suche as were by them conuerted to the faythe neither were truely bishoppes neither yet preached lawefullye because they neither had their Bishoprike neither authoritie to preache of Peter And more ouer none after the death of Peter should haue bene made Bishop neither haue licence to preache besydes the Byshoppe of Rome And truely the Byshoppes of Rome haue committed a greuouse offence in that they haue hyd this large and greate authorytye of theyrs that they had so necessarye in the churche of God Then replied master Falsidicus euen as Peter quod he loued Christ more earnestly then the rest of the Apostles as it is plaine by the wordes of his aunswere when Christe demaunded him whether he loued hym more feruentlye then the rest dyd so had he more authoritie gyuen vnto hym ouer the shepe of Christ then the rest of the Apostles To this answered thimbassador of CoÌ„staÌ„tinoble And where I praye you haue you founde that Peters aunswere was to Christ that he was more earnestly beloued of him then of the rest of y e Apostles Not withstandyng that he was so demaunded yet hys aunswere was onely in thys wyse Thou knowest O lorde that thou art belouyd of me He sayed not Thou knowest O Lorde that thou arâ—e more feruentlye belouyd of me then of the rest For so coulde he neuer haue sayed without greate suspicion of arrogancie because it was vnknoweÌ„ to hym how much y e rest loued Christ. But let it be graunted that Christ was more earnestly beloued of Peter then of the rest doeth it therefore folowe that Christ gaue him more power Or in case he gaue hym more was it therfore most of all For it is not all one thing to saye fede my shepe and to saye be thou head of my churche or elles Take thou more authoritie then the other Apostles And as for that Christe demaundyd of him thryse whether he loued hym or not it was done for thys ende and purpose that hys loue beinge declared by thryse confessynge myght counteruayle and somewhat make amendes for his fault WheÌ„ he thrise denied him he minded to haue Peters loue sealed as it were warranted before he would commit vnto him the cure of soules that all menne myghte knowe no man can bee a good shephard onles he loue Christ earnestly Furthermore yf your reason were a good reason it shoulde rather folowe therof that Christe declared Ihon the chiefe Byshop then Peter For it is written of Iohn this is the disciple whom Christ loued Wherfore if he were beloued of Chrisâ— aboue other he gaue vnto him more worthye gyftes replenished him more abouÌ„dantlye with grace and therfore placed hym aboue the other and namelye for that he was more mete for the purpose by the reason of the excellent giftes whiche he receiued at Goddes handes And so much the more bycause it shoulde rather appeare that Ihon loued Christ more then the other did was loued againe of Christ knew hiÌ„ more thorowly therfore more like to be iudged worthye to feed the shepe of Christe Yt maybe proued that Christ would haue ordeined hym the vniuersall shepard not onely by reason of the noble light of the heuenly spirit wherwith he was indued and was alwayes nighe and familiare to Christe and amongest all the rest of thapostles he alone folowed him to the crosse but chiefly for thys cause that when he was vpon the crosse he committed his mother vnto him in whome only as you your selues doe confesse the lyuely churche of Christe remayned after Christes death For al thapostles were not a litle afrayed and dismayd with that terryble dolefull sight of Christes death vpon the crosse accordingly as Christe had told hym before And if Iohn were not ordeyned the supreme head of the churche of Christe then muche lesse was Peter Then sayed master Falsidicus will ye see howe Christe ordeyned onely Peter to be the chiefe Pastor of all Reade the Gospel of Luke and there shal ye fynde spoken onely to Peter Thou shalt be a fisher of menne Thereunto aunswered thimbassadour And will you see how Christe ordeyned not Peter to bee the chiefe Pastor of all Reade the Gospell of Mathewe and Marcke and there shal ye finde the same spoken also of Christ to Andrewe and the two sonnes of zebedei Wherfore it foloweth that Peter onely was not assigned of Christ to be the fisher of men Yea and consequently not alone of his owne shepe Christ neuer sayed to Peter onely fede thou my shepe be thou onely a fisher of menne To the onely will I gyue the keyes of the kingedome of heauen No he neuer saied so much as this be thou onely a shepard and a fysher aboue the reste of thapostles Take thou more authoritie then they haue But he sayed in simple and plaine wordes I will gyue vnto thee the keyes of the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ and so he kept promes Mary he gaue thesame keyes also to the reste of thapostles And that this is trew it is euident For Christe gaue the keyes to Peter and to the reste of thapostles after his resurrection from deathe standynge in the middest of them when he had saluted them and shewed hys handes and hys syde that they should both see and know him that talked with them and deliuered them the keies to be in dede very Christe the sonne of god he sayed vnto them as Iohn wryteth Euen as my father sent me so I send you As though he had sayd my father sent me in to thys worlde that I shoulde preache the gospel as Esay the prophet saied longe agoe Therfore do I send you euen of thesame fashion throughe out the worlde to preache thys glad tidinges that I am nayled vpon the crosse and dead for the sinnes of the whole worlde that I am the onely and euerlastynge redempcyon and reconciler who haue purchased the fauour of the eternall father to all mannekynde by the price ranâ—ome of my bloude and that al the synnes of al the menne in the worlde be pardoned and
welbeloued spouse whome I my selfe haue redemed washed and clensed with myne owne proper bloude Mich. We see all together and meruayle truely very much howe ye could suffer now aboue foure hundreth yere suche horrible abhominacions Christ. Althoughe the iudgementes of god be for the most parte hid from the knowledge of humayne creatures yet must they be taken as they be in dede to be righteous and holy For the wyll of God as it is moste ryght of necessitie it is not onelye impossible that it shoulde erre it selfe but also it is a rule of all other willes and therefore muste euery creature take it for beste reason And yet one cause canne I brynge whye god woulde suffer so muche euell to reigne so longe space Mich. We take the vnkyndnes of manne to haue deserued these great mischiefes that so it ought to be y e god should suffer theÌ„ so to fall as they haue falleÌ„ into so great euill darkenes heresies and michiefes bicause they loued not thee as they ought thou being the chiefe lyght trueth wisdom lyfe and ryghteousnes neither woulde they obey thy worde Christ. There be many causes why god hathe so suffered thys longe space But the chiefe is that he woulde make his glory more notable And you know that durynge the reygne of thys Antichrist not one of the electes haue perished Seinge they be in the handes of me and my heauenly father none shall take theÌ„ from me neither canne anye of them perishe And ye knowe also that thys wicked abhominacion with all hys malice craftes fraude suttelties errours deceytes prodicions offences euyl examples michiefes promises flatterynges rewardes thretnynges slanders persecucions tormentes and deathes haue not hurte any whit in any one poynt the soule of any one of my choseÌ„ But their malice hath rather made mine more gloryous in that their vertue hath ben tried as golde in the fornace and those that be false christians by thys profe be declared to be hypocrites And therfore whether he wyll or not I haue vsed hym as an instrument and a seruaunt for the larger setting forth of goddes glory And more ouer God woulde haue all the deuilles of hell and all euil menne to abuse thys head of theirs to the distruccioÌ„ my of kyngdom by deceate and violence that I being moued by that occasion shoulde withstande ouercome and destroye thys head of abhominacion and triumphe worthelye of hym as ye shall shortly see by the whiche victorye I myght set forthe more clearely the power and wisdome of God Marke therfore now and ye shall see how that in destroyeng of hym y t he may be destroyed w t more ignonimie I wyll not vse my power but the bare worde of my ministers wherby I wyll disclose these great mischiefes and wyll lighten their mindes with the knowledge of the trueâ—he I knowe that menne wyll then open their eyes and when they shall perceyue that they haue bene so longe tyme buried in such darkenes of ignoraunce in that they haue wurshipped abhominacion it selfe in stede of God they wyll humble themselues vnder the stronge hande of God and shall know what a miserable creature manne is and what he canne doe when he is destitute of God into howe many daungers he fallethe headlonge and howe necessary a thing the grace of god is for hym Nowe be all mischiefes and abhominacions come euen to the hiest state and degre that they canne come the measure is full their wickednes excedeth and is spread ouer all therfore must I no longer suffer For as I haue promised I muste and wyll shorten these wofull dayes of malice for the loue of my choseÌ„ I must disclose thys wycked head of this abhominacion to hys confusion and goddes glorye For as I haue sayed before there is nothyng hidden but must be reueled Ye shal see y t when as I toke maÌ„hod vpon me and appeared visible into the world althoughe synne reygned stirred vp by the lawe and ruled all with a great force and power yet I in dyinge vpon the crosse had the victory and ouercame valiantly all the enemies of God euen so nowe wyll I triumphe of thys shameles and wycked head of abminacion Fyrst and formost I wyll destroye the tyraÌ„nicall dominion whiche he hathe wrongfully vsed in the simple consciences of menne and afterward will I take awaye from hym hys temporall power And to hys further rebuke Euen as the worlde hath taken him for a god in earthe thys long space so wyll I nowe cause the worlde to acknowledge hym to be the moste wicked tyrant that euer was or euer shal be amongest menne You myne angels that bee appoynted to the ministery of my chosen ye shall doe your dewties diligently And to the Gabriel as thou wast sent to Daniell to tell hym the tyme of the coÌ„minge of Messias and afterwarde also to zacharie to signifie vnto hym the commyng of my fore runner Iohn the Baptist and laste of all to my mother to declare vnto her my concepcioÌ„ so shalt thou now goe to Henry the eighte kinge of Englande in whose heart thou shalt prynt and perswade that all delayes set a parte he dryue thys cruell tyrant out of all his realmes and dominions Gabri Forsouth we wyll gladlye o lord and with a swyftenes of spirit performe your coÌ„maundemeÌ„t Christ. Ye shall vnderstande that Henry the eyghte shall deliuer hys dominions from the tiranny of thys mischieuous robber and he shall not vtterly clense it from ydolatry superstcion whose rotes be further enteryd in to the heartes of menne then that they can be pulled out agayne at the first plucke For he shall not long lyue after thys valiant interprise attempted But I wyll gyue hym a sonne named Edwarde the sixte and because he shal be one euen after myne own heart indwed with sundrye godly giftes as one that shall loue me vnfaynedly and shall perceyue howe manye and dyuerse wayes he is bounde to God he shall not abide this great and rancke enemie of mine Therefore folowynge hys fathers steppes he shall pourge all hys kyngdomes and dominions from all the supersticion and ydolatry of Antichrist I wyll be allwayes with hym neither shall he want of my fauour grace and defense at any time and he shal haue a Christian protectour whom I will vse as a meane and instrumente and very fyt messenger betwixt me and the kinge to performe thys my purpose whome I wyll geue vnto hym a very valiant manne both in noblenes and in vpryghtnes of mynde and a singuler louer and frende of right religion By whose wisdome and grauitie I wil haue myne Edwarde to be instructed and brought vp euen from hys chyldhod that all the dayes of hys lyfe he may haue continuall warre with al thinges that shal desplease god This chosen instrument of myne shall be the fyrst that shal bende his speare agaynst the fornamed myne vnpardonable enemy Whose wonderfull example moste worthye to be folowed of all other
the reste of the princes of Christendome shal be astonied to beholde and shall applye them selfes to folow his enterprise beinge incoraged by hys worthye vertue Neyther shall it be nedefull for hym to vse any violence wherby to purge his kingedomes of these michiefes lyes heresies supersticions Simonies ydolatries wickednesses betraying of â—oules wherwith y e whole worlde was replenyshed by the meanes of thys abhomynable thefe For all these thynges thoughe they bee very haynouse shall vanyshe awaye sodainly and be brought to nothing at the commyng of the lyght of my worde whiche he shall allwaye vse as a continuall burninge light bothe in this and all other his doinges Happy therfore shall you Englishe men bee in that ye shall frame all youre affayres earnestly to goddes glorye to the saluacion of hys chosen electes and my worthye triumphe Mich. So shal it be Henry the eyght Papista Thomas Archebishoppe of Cantorbury Henry WE haue sent for you in to oure prsence as for men whiche haue more knowledge in y e scriptures and olde writers then the rest of oure realme to resolue vs of a dout that is come to our minde Therefore two thynges we requier of you the one that euerye of you saye hys mynde frankelye and frely what he thinketh without respecte of fauoure or displeasure to any manne lyuynge And the other that ye kepe it secrete and disclose not one worde of the thinges that shal be here reasoned For it is a matter of great weight toucheth our honour wherfore we charge you so longe to keepe counsell vntill the truethe bee knowen and that you haue lycense of vs to open it There is a thought entred into oure head which we bee perswaded coÌ„meth of god That the Pope who heretofore hathe bene taken for a god in earth is very Antichrist and if we had certaine knowledge that this thinge were trewe we would as we are bouÌ„d bannishe him out of al the coastes of oure kingdome not onely because he should no more robbe vs of our threasure but muche rather leste he shoulde any longer exercise tyranny in mens consciences and bring suche a number of soules in daunger of euerlastinge damnacion Yf he were the vycar of Christe in dede we woulde be his louyng children from hence forth as we haue bene in tymes past Saye nowe euery of you youre myndes soberlye and trewlye what he thinketh Papi I can not but meruayle very muche when I heare youre princely maiestie make a doubt question of matters that bee moste cleare questionles and certaine I can not perceaue y t it is lawfull to thinke muche lesse to speake of suche a matter without doinge God open wronge For such holy thinges as the popehod is ought to be worshipped and not douted vpon and called in question Hen. A trueth if it be a truth the diligentlier it is discussed and examined the clerer the bryghter and more plaine it appeareth Therfore when we dispute of thys matter trueth hathe no wronge but rather a benefit Therfore if the pope bee in dede Christes vicar in earthe the more seriously this trueth is reasoned of the more pleÌ„tifully shal it be published abrode and all men shal more gladly redely receaue it So that we will neither do the pope wronge neither the truth but shal rather shew theÌ„ both a singular pleasure And it is not to bee douted but y t heaueÌ„ly thinges must be worshipped but now here is the question whether the popeship be a heaueÌ„ly thing or not thys is y e matter which we desâ—er to haue discussed Papi Peraduenture your maiestie doeth minde to accuse al our forefathers al kinâ—domes al ChristeÌ„ men of heresie by whose iudgement the pope hathe alway bene and is to this day taken of Christes vicar in earthe Hen. That the trueth coÌ„meth to light is not y e cause that maketh men heretikes but rather deâ—iuereth theÌ„ from all error deceyte heresie and betrayinge And truely we desier nothing els then to haue the truthe boulted forthe by all meanes possible In the ende of our disputacion yf we shal be assuered that the pope is Christes vicar we wyll so take hym as we haue done hetherto and we shal be muche more strengthened in that opinion without hurâ—e of any creature But if we shall perceaue the contrary and be assured that he is Antichriste in dede then surely wiâ—l we indeuour our selues to ridde vs froÌ„ his tyranny wherin we haue lyued hetherto taking him to be a certaine god in earthe And also all other errors and incoÌ„modities muste be taken awaye whiche sprynge out of this counterfecte belefe and more ouer we wyl indeuour oure selues to ridde other men also from thesame So that I se not what can come of this dispuputation but that shal be good and godly Papi Trewly we might worthely bee noted of a temerous arrogancie if we should thinke our selues hable to knowe and iudge better then a number almost infinit of worthie men both in religion and doctrine who without al question beleued the popeship to be a heuenly thing And more ouer what opinion shall we conceaue of an innumerabe sorte of christiaÌ„ meÌ„ which either now be or els hath ben in times past and haue died in this fayth or liue therein this daye Surelye in so weyghtie a matter it behoueth vs to leue of disputing and fall to beleuinge Hen. Yf such as beleued that the popeship was an heuenly thinge were deceaued it is playne that they were neither lerned nor holy in that point And therfore ought we in a matter of so great importaunce to open oure eyes and be wiser then they As for y e blind multitude I thynke must not be folowed who receyueth that manifest errour for an article of their fayth but yf suche as beleued that the pope was Christes Uicar in earth were not deceyued but being in thys opinion thought well Surely we wyll take them both for learned and holy We minde not by thys our disputacion to take from them one iote either of their wisedom or holynes but we shall rather bee confirmed and strenghtened in thesame good opinion which we haue coÌ„ceyued bothe of theÌ„ and of the Popeshyp Yf our intent be to ouercome them with the lyght and knowledge of the trueth to goddes glorye puttynge not our trust in our owne strength but in the onely goodnes of god our godlye studie muste not be called a temerous boldnes Neither doe I allowe the sayinge that we ought simply to beleue it that is to saye grossely for then shoulde the Turkes and Heritykes be excused But as Paule sayeth we must proue all take onely that is good Papi Surely as for my part I can not persuad my selfe in my conscience that I maye put my tongue in heauen and despute of the Popeshippe as though I doubted of so great a matter Hen. Your diuines be not affrayed to put their mouthes and tongues bothe in heauen and to dispute in their