euer after the order of Melchisedech Psalm 110. 4. As much to say as in that Melchisedech was thy figure and likenesse As Mechisedech in that he was a figure of Christ was an euerlasting Priest so thou also the Messiah art the same That which the Apostle saith that Melchisedech was without father without mother is to be vnderstood insomuch as he was the figure of Christ for otherwise had he father and mother and so think some that Melchisedech was Sem. The Priests after the order of Aaron were mortall and none of them continued for euer but he of the order of Melchisedech is immortall and euerlasting Of the order of Aaron were there many but of the order of Melchisedech was there but onely one the same Messiah our redeemer and Lord who in that he is the eternall son of God hath no mother in that he is man borne in this world when the fulnesse of time was come hath no father and as hee is eternall so shall his priesthood be eternall Euery day sing they in their euensongs Iurauit Dominus non poenitebit eum Tu et Sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech But I call their owne consciences to witnesse that dayly sing it if they vnderstand that which euery day they sing Of this order of Melchisedech expect no other priests then Christ But Antichrist is he that shall so terme himselfe to be as he saith the vicar of Christ Hee and all his shavelings and fatlings will say themselues to be Priestes after the order of Melchisedech and not after the order of Aaron But so are they not after the order of Melchisedech sith there is no more but one which is Christ as little are they after the order of Aaron seeing with the death of Christ ceased the Leuiticall priesthood What priests then be the Papists After the order of Baal and so they be enemies of God and of his Prophets which preach against idolatrie The third thing that the Apostle noteth wherein Melchisedech was the figure of Christ is that Melchisedech by reason of his priesthood was much more excellent than Abraham and so as the greater blessed Abraham And Abraham himself acknowledging this maioritie and superioritie gaue vnto him the tithes of the spoyles Such a one truly is Christ vpon whom the redemption righteousnesse sanctification not of Abraham only but of all the faithful also doe depend Here see you the things wherin may we beleeue the Apostle a vessell of election Melchizedeck was the figure of Christ No mention at all maketh he of the sacrifice of bread nor of wine which we doubt the Apostle would haue done had Melchizedeck in this bene a figure of Christ The place which they cite of Malachy saith thus For from the rising of the sun vntill the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles And in euery place shal be offered to my name pure incense and Myrrach which we translate present or guift The common edition wherunto our aduersaries giue more credit then to the Ebrew text translateth Et in omni loco sacrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio munda To wit And in euery place is sacrificed and offered to my name a cleane offering Here hence they conclude that this cleane offering which in euery place is sacrificed and offered is the sacrifice of the masse But the Masse being a profanatiō of the holy supper as before we haue proued it cannot be a present nor offering which is offered to God nor acceptable to him whereof it followeth that this Incense and present Of which speaketh Malachy is another thing farre different from the Masse It is say I the sacrifice not expiatory but Eucharistical of prayse and thanksgiuing which the faithful euery day and moment doe offer to God As before wee haue said in the one hundred forty one Psal and 2. verse The Prophet vseth these two very names which we translate Incence and offering The which place none vnderstand of the Masse because the Prophet saith An euening sacrifice But their Masse is said in the morning It is no new thing with God when his people his priests and princes prouoked him with their superstitions and Idolatries to threaten them that he would forsake them that he would nought esteeme them that he would take vnto himselfe another people which should serue him much better Of whom he would haue great regard S. Paul alleageth to this purpose a notable passages when he saith But I say hath not Israel attained to knowledge First Moses saith I will prouoke you to ielousie with a people which is not mine with a foolish people I will prouoke you to wrath also Esaias is bold to say I was foūd of those that sought me not I was manifested to them that enquired not for me c. The same doth the Lord in the place of Malachias which we haue in hand forsaking the Iewes he saith I take no pleasure in you saith the Lord of hostes neither do I regard the offerings of your handes You see here how he forsaketh the Iewish people And then in the following verse hee admitteth the Gentiles saying For from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles And in euery place shal be offered to my name Incense and a pure offering Then saith God That his Church should now no more be straightned in Iudea But that it should extend throughout all the world Which was fulfilled when the Lord sent his Apostles throughout all the world to preach the Gospell to euery creature Then did Malachy prophesie the calling and conuersion of the Gentiles which hartily conuerted should offer Incense and a pure offering vnto God That is to say That they shall serue him with spirituall worshippe and seruice and shall worship him in spirit and truth and not in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem As said Christ to the woman of Samaria but throughout al the world The prophets when they will speake of the calling of the Gentiles are wont to signifie the spirituall worship Whereunto they exhort them by the ceremonies of the lawe And in stead of saying that all the people should turne vnto God They say That they shall goe vp to Ierusalem In stead of saying that all the people of the South and of the East shall worship God they say that they shall offer for a present the riches of their land To shewe the great and abundant knowledge which he was to giue to his faithfull in the kingdome of Christ they say That the Daughters shal prophesie the young men shal see visions old men shal dreame dreames So now Malachy willing to say that the Gentiles shall worship God in spirit and in truth saith that they shall offer Incense and an offering which bee things which God in the lawe commaunded the Iewes to offer vnto him and addeth pure to
of Spaine would not obey the lawe which commanded them to leaue their wiues At the hearing whereof Siricius was angry and sayd That such as were in the flesh could not please God Rom. 8. 8. The same Siricius alleageth this authoritie in the fourth epistle which he wrote to the Bishops of Africa Siricius vnderstanding this place of maried folks writhed and wrested the scripture So also was this place wrested by Innocent the first But S. Paule by this in the flesh meant not maried folks for therby should he condemne the estate of matrimony instituted by God in Paradise Gen. 3. 24. sanctified by his sonne Iesus Christ with his presence working there his first miracle Ioh. 2. 11. Very well knew the Apostle Mariage to be honorable among all men and the bed vndefiled Very well did he know that God would chastise fornicators and adulterers Heb. 13. 4. Wherfore he commandeth that they which had not the gift of chastity should marie 1. Cor. 7. 2 9. And he himselfe defendeth the liberty which he and Barnabas being Apostles had to haue their wiues and to carry them with them Or haue not we authority saith he 1. Cor. 9. 5. to leade about a sister that is to say faithful aswell as the other Apostles and the brethren of the Lord c. Paule then with fauour of Siricius and Innoncent 1. by being in the flesh vnderstandeth not the maried but carnal men and vnregenerate by the Spirit of God Such saith he be they single maried or widdowes cannot please God And that this is so appeareth by that which the same Apostle speaking to the Romanes of whom many were maried saith But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit because the Spirit of God dwelleth in you c. Rom. 8. 9. By this interpretation which Siricius and Pope Innocent 1. made of the place of S. Paule shall our aduersaries see albeit they denie it that the Pope may erre that in the interpretation of the Scriptures Siricius after Platina hauing bene Pope almost 16. yeares died Anastasius the first Innocentius the first Zozimus the first and Bonifacius the first succeded him Betwene Boniface and Eulalius was the 4. Sisme in the yeare 420. Eulalius verie vnwillingly renounced but yet was made Bishop in Campania Celestine succeeded Boniface Sistus 3. succeeded Celestine who being falsely accused made answere for himselfe in an open Sinod and Bassus his aduersarie was condemned The councels were then aboue the Pope Leo 1. Hillarius Simplicius Felix 3. Gelasius succeeded Sistus To this Gelasius that notable saying of communicating in both kindes is attributed which we will alleage in the Treatise of the Masse After Gelasius 1. Anastasius 2 succeeded Anastasius 2. tooke parte with the Eutichians and other heretiques and communicated with them For confirmation hereof reade Gracian in the decree dist 19. Cap. Secundum ecclesiae Catholicae And Cap. Anastasius And the 2. Tome of the Councels and Platina Beleeue not the Popes Parasites as be D. Illescas and the two late writers Albertus Pighius Diego de Couarrunias whom he alleageth Anastasius in doing his needes voided say Volateramus and Platina his guttes into the draught At this time in Spaine the Gothes reigned who began there to reigne in the yeare of the Lord. 417. where expelling the Roamanes and other nations they reigned three hundred yeares After Anastasius succeeded Symachus Between Symachus and Laurencius was the 5. Sisme But Laurencius renounced and in the 498. yeare as saith Panuinus was made Bishop of Nucesino after Symachus succeeded Hormisda Hormisda Campanus was the first as saith S. Isidor that by means of Iustin the Emperor in the 520. year of an Archbishop was made Patriarch by litle litle they proceeded they wil shortly be Popes I wold say perfect Antichrists He excoÌ„municated the Emperor Anastasius because he said the Emperor was to coÌ„mand the Bishop to obey At this time began Antichrist to appear Hormisda died in the 523. year Genselaricus reigning in Spaine and Iohn 1. succeeded Hormisda Iohn 1. a Tuscan being made Patriark was iointly with others sent Embassador for Theodoricus king of Italy vnto Iustinus the Emperor The Bishops of Rome had not as yet that absolute or to speake better that dissolute power which now they hold He died a Martyr in the 527. yeare I cannot omit a ridiculous historie which Friar Iohn de Pineda speaking of this Iohn the first reporteth for a miracle About to go saith he to the Emperour he tooke a borrowed horse which when Pope Iohn was mounted vpon him would not permit his maisters wife to ride Felix the third called the fourth succeeded Iohn and Boniface the second succeeded Felix In the 530. yeare was the 6. Sisme betweene Boniface the second Dioscorus After Boniface Iohn the 2. Agapetus Siluerius Vigilius succeeded Vigilius a Romane and a crafty accuser of his predecessour Siluerius by deceit aspired to the Bishopdome whereunto he was aduanced by meanes of Theodora Augusta and of Antonina the wife of Belisarius But God who is iust gaue them both their reward Vigilius by subtilty and Siluerius the sonne of Pope Hormisda by force obtained the Bishopdome This was the seuenth Sisme And Theudiselo or Theodisco in Spaine at this time reigned Pelagius a Romane was the first that affirmed the primacie of the Church of Rome to depend neither of the Councels nor men but of Christ himself dist 21. But the Cannonists are against him saying that Omnis maioritas minoritas etiam Papatus est de iure positiuo that is all maioritie and minority yea the Popedome it selfe is of the positiue lawe He ordained that Ecclesiasticall persons should pray or mumble vp the seuen Canonicall houres which be the Mattens Prime Third Sixt Tenth the Euenings and Completes Pelagius ordained saith D. Illescas that the Priestes should each day pray ouer the seuen houres which we call Canonical And the same Illescas vpon the life of Sabinianus saith Sabinianus was the first that set an order in prayer diuiding the Office into seuen houres which we call Canonicall How can Sabiniaâ—â—us be the first that ordained the 7. Canonicall houres if Pelagius had first ordained them This institution was an occasion that Ecclesiasticall persons should not read the Bible And so we see that very few Church-men in Spaine haue the Bible in their houses but none of them is with his Breuiarie which all of them do hold for a verie Catholike booke but the Byble in generall doe they call a booke of heresies One day will God punish this blasphemie In the time of this Pelagius Agila reigned in Spaine and in the 561. yeare Iohn 3. sucâ—eded Pelagius Iohn 3. made a contrary decree to that which his predecessor Pelagius had made and Dist 99. comaunded that none should call him high priest nor vniuersall bishop So one Pope did that
vnto them the name of Most Christen All that which the Pope holdeth and all that almost which was the Kinges of France for that which they say of Constantines donation is mockery and lies as Laurencius Valla and other learned men haue proued it may be and is so to be thought that God will raise vp some of France which will take it from him seeing by himselfe it is so il vsed Zacharie dyed in the 752. yeare In his time Don Alonso the first called Catholique reigned in Spaine Stephen 2. or as some call him 3. because Stephen 2. was before him which was not Pope but 3. or 4. dayes being inuaded by Astolpho king of Lombardie sent with great instance to demaund ayd of Pipin who was very diligent to serue him and taking Exarcado from the Emperour gaue it to the Pope This is the blacke donation which they falsely call Constantines Pipin prostrate on the ground before the Pope kissed his feete held his stirrop with one hand and his bridle with the other Thus the king of France made the Pope rich and the Pope seeing himselfe rich made himselfe mightie high presumptuous a tyrant God in the earth ouer all Christian Princes and them his vassalls and feodaries In the 757. yeare dyed this Stephen In his time in Spaine reigned Froila Paul 1. excommunicated the Emperour Constantine 5. who nothing regarding the foolish excommunication perseuered to forbid that which God in his holy law forbiddeth Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. This Paul as saith Vicelius the Popes notable parasite exceeding much reuerenced the body of Saint Petronilla daughter of Saint Peter vpon whose marble tombe as saith Carsulano he found this Epitaph written with the proper hand of Saint Peter a lye qualified with supersticion To Petronilla made of gold most sweete daughter Paul dyed in the 767. yeare and Aurilio in his time reined in Spaine Great Sisme which was the 10. arose in the Roman Church wherin Theophilatus which renounced and Constantine that was deposed were chosen Constantine 2. by meanes of his brothee Desiderius King of Lumbardy albeit he had many competitors was made Pope In this Pope a very rare thing hapned that he being a lay or or secular man was imediately made Pope And therefore of many not reckened among the Popes One yeare very pontifically he executed the Popes office In whose time a Councell was holden wherein he was deposed And it was commaunded that all whatsoeuer Constantine 2. had done and ordeyned Baptisme and holy oyntment excepted should be voyd and of no vallewe I demaund now of our aduersaries what thinke they of the Bishops and priestes in this Popes time and that which they did by his authoritie What say they of the Masses which the celebrated did they consecrate or no If they did not consecrate then the Pope that ordeyned them was not Pope nor they priestes And so both Pope and they were disgraded and by the same reason all those that heard their Masses did commit Idolatrie according to their owne Cannons which say that he cosnecrateth not which is no Priest And moreouer it is meete the priest haue an intent to consecrate which wanting there is no consecration at all Constantine thus depriued was put into a monasterie and his eyes puld out but king Desiderius his brother reuenged this iniurie by pulling out their eyes that pulled out the eyes of his brother Cestantine Silo at this time reigned in Spaine Now also was the eleuenth Sisme wherein Phillip was chosen but at the endeoffiue he dayes was deposed and Stephen elected Stephen 3. or after others 4. demaunded ayde of Charles the great against Desiderius king of Lumbardie This Stephen condemned the actes of his predecessour Constantine He condemned the 7. Councell of Constantinople against Images commaunded they should be worshipped and censed after the maner of the Gods of the Gentiles In the 772. yeare he died and Silo then reigned in Spaine In this busines touching Images insisted Adrian 1. he wrote a booke of the adoration of them and condemned Felix and all the enemies of Images Charles the great the sonne of Pipine for the great benefite receaued of Pope Adrian who tooke part with him against the sonnes of Charles Manno his brothers right heires of the kingdome and made him king deliuered the Pope from all vexation This Adrian called Charles the great Most Christian and gaue him power to choose the Pope When Adrian had bin Pope almost 24. years in the 795. yeare he died Maugaretto at this time reigned in Spaine In the time of this Adrian Constantine and his mother Hirena ruling the Empire was holden the second Councell of Neece called the seuenth generall Councell wherein it was decreed that Images ought to be adored c. and the reliques of saints worshipped This Constantine as saith Rodrigo Sanchez bishop of Palencia in the third part of his Spanish historie was in name 10. years Emperour with Irena his mother who ruled all but 10 yeares expired he reigned alone without his mother Herein saith he did he Imitate Ninus who depriued Simiramis his mother of the kingdome of Babylon But Irena tooke the Empire from Constantine her sonne and incited with infernall rancor put out his eies and so depriued him both of life and Empire Wherefore and for that she sought to marry with Charles the Great the Grecians shut her vp in a Monasterie and made Nicephorus Emperour Thus far Rodrigo Sanchez Terrible was this cruelty when was it heard that a mother to rule pulled out the eies and tooke away the life of her sonne and chiefly being of age to inherite and rule the Empire of his deceased father Frier Iohn de Pineda lib. 18 Cap. 13. of his Ecclesiasticall Monarchie sufficiently speaketh against the wickednes cruelty and ambition of this Irena Leo 3. in an oration which he made to make Charles the Great Emperor in the West among other reasons for that purpose giueth this Seeing saith he that by the renunciation of Augustus the Empire at least in the west was voide and strictly examining the businesse as well may it also be said that the Empire of Greece was voyd sith a woman held it almost by tyrannie These selfe same wordes reciteth Illescas vpon the life of Leo the third And notwithstanding holdeth Irena for most holy and so vppon the life of Adrian the first these words saith he of her Most faire was Irena and one of the most excellent and famous women in all kind of vertues and of all Christendome the most renowmed And a little lower Irena as a holy and Catholike woman which she was and euer had bene c. Thou seest here what a one was Irena the great Patronesse Defendresse of Images In causing images to be adored she sinned against the second commandement
Elephant fell to the ground vppon him and there he dyed Iudith cutte of the head of Holophernes The warre that Antiochus and Holophernes made against the people of God was vniust but the warre which Henry the third made against the league which had conspired against him to kill him and take from him his kingdome was most iust So that herein was hee no tyrant Besides this both liuing and dying hee was of the same religion of the league as at his end appeared For in that small time that he liued after he was wounded hee confessed communicated and was anoynted But leauing these humane reasons come we to the holy scripture It appeareth by the scripture that Saule was a wicked king an hypocrite a tyrant forsaken of God and so hath God to Samuel How long doest thou morne for Saul seeing I haue forsaken him and that he shall not reigne ouer Israell And commanded him to goe and anoynt for king one of the sonnes of Issai which was Dauid and in the same chap. verse 14. it is said The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and the euill spirit of the Lord did torment him Albeit such a one was Saul yet did not God commaund Samuel or any other to kill him And so Dauid although God had chosen him and Samuell annointed him for king when manifest occasion and meanes were twise offered him to kill Saul yet killed he him not Also when Dauid and his followers were hid in a caue for feare of Saul as 1. Sam. 24. appeareth Saul entred the same caue to doe his needs then did Dauids men aduise him not to let slippe occasion but to kill Saule But Dauid instructed in a better schoole then were they answered The Lord keepe me from doeing such a thing against my maister and the annointed of the Lord that I stretch not out my hand against him for he is the Lordes annointed And not only did not kil him but grieued to haue cut of the lap of his garment as if herein he had done some great disgrace And in the 26. chap. of the same booke it is reported that Dauid Abisai came by night to the camp of Saule found him sleeping c. Then Abisai said to Dauid God hath closed thine enemy into thine hands this day now therfore I pray thee let me smite him once with a speare vnto the earth and I will not smite him agayne And Dauid said to Abisai Destroy him not for who can lay his hand on the Lords Annoynted and be guiltlesse Moreouer Dauid said As the Lord liueth either the Lord shall simite him or his day shall come to dye or he shall descend into battayle and perish The Lord keepe me from laying myne handes vpon the Lordes annoynted c. And when one brought newes of the death of Saule saying that hee had slaine him what gaue Dauid vnto him for his good tidings He said vnto him How wast thou not affraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the Annointed of the Lord Then Dauid commanded one to kill him who wounded him and so he died And Dauid said vnto him Thy bloud be vpon thine owne head for thine owne mouth hath testified against thee saying I haue slaine the Lords annointed And Dauid mourned for Saule c. Whereupon we will conclude that wickedly did this Friar and those of his counsell in murthering their king and that wickedly did the Pope in praising and cannonising this fact What reuelation had Sistus 5. that God had wholly cast off Henrie the third that he should forbid any obsequies and honours accustomed to be made for the dead should be made for him commanded also that they should not pray for him Samuel and Dauid had most sure reuelation that Saule was forsaken of God and that as such a one was he fallen into a reprobate sence yet notwithstanding did they let him liue coÌ„spired not his death If a Prince in our time be he heretike as they call him or Catholike shall not fully obey whatsoeuer the Pope commandeth him albeit it be to the depriuing him of his kingdome and giuing it to another then shall he be cursed and excommunicate both in bodie and soule and the most vile person if we beleeue Sistus 5. with good conscience may kill him And such a one that shall murther him shall haue done an act very meritorious and holy for the which he deserueth to be cannonized What Christian religion is this that one shall be cannonized for committing that which by the word of God as by exaÌ„ples we already haue proued is expresly forbidden Oh times oh customes But vpon such will his day come these swine shall not escape as they say without their Saint Martin With Sistus 5. conclude we saying that in the moneth of September and 1590. yeare he died whom Vrban 7. which poped 12 dayes succeeded At the end of the yeare 1590. Gregorie 14. succeeded him and died in September 1591. Innocent 9. succeeded Gregorie 14. who a small time poped So that in the space of 14. moneths foure Popes died Sistus Vrban Gregorie and Innocent and it is to be thought the most or all of them died of poyson For Brazuto is not dead that giueth theÌ„ poyson This Brazuto killed 6 Popes with poison as vpon the life of Damasus 2. we haue declared In the 1592. yeare Innocent 9. being dead Clement 8. or 9. or 10. succeeded This Clement poping in the 1599. yeare a Friar Capuchan incited by the Iesuits attempted to kill the French king Henry 4. but his treason was discouered and so was he caught In the time of this Pope in September 1598. died the king Don Philip 2. aged 70 yeares Don Philip 3. sonne of the forenamed Don Philip 2. and of the daughter of Maximillian the Emperour and of the Empresse Dona Maria de Austria sister of the king Don Philip 2. succeeded him God grant him grace as the dutie office of a king requireth night and day to meditate in the law of the Lord accomplish that which God Deut. 17. 18. commandeth a king shuld do When he shall sit saith God speaking of the king vpon the throne of his kingdome he shall cause to be written the booke of this law c. And it shall be with him and he shall reade therein all the dayes of his life Note ye Spaniards that God commandeth the king to reade the holy Scriptures and then saith he he is to reade them that he may learne to feare the Lord his God that he may keepe all the words of this Law and these ordinances to do them That he lift not vp his heart aboue his brethren nor turne fâ—rm the commandement to the right hand nor to the left that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdome he and his sonnes c. And God not onely comaundeth the king to reade the holy scripture but his captaines also when they be in warres to reade the
same So comaunded he Iosua the Generall and most warlike captaine of the people of God saying vnto him The booke of this lawe shall neuer departe from thy mouth but daie and night shalt thou meditate therein that thou maist obserue and do according to all thinges that are written therein For then shalt thou make thy way prosperous And then shalt thou vnderstande God of his infinite goodnes giue to our king and Lord his captaines and gouernors the grace to reade the scripture which god hath comaunded them and the Pope hath forbidden that ruled thereby they may well gouerne his subiects Albeit by that we haue said it clerely appeareth the popes I meane from Boniface 3. which was in the yeare 605. vnto Clement the 8. or 10. which nowe tirannizeth to be of euill life and of worse doctrine by reason whereof they neither are nor in any wise can be successors of Peter nor vicars of Christ but truly Antichrists yet for better confirmation with reasons and notable sayinges of the doctors of the Church with Decrees of Ancient Councels cheifly with 3. passages of holy scripture admirable for this purpose we will confirme it not with standing But before we do this we wil set downe certaine ancient Spanish prouerbs declaring what are the liues of these ecclesiasticall persons and how we ought to flye them The Spanish toung is not only eloquent and copious but sententious also Many prouerbes it hath by vs called Refranes which be certen breife sayinges sentencious and true so by common consent and that of long time allowed To such prouerbes in all tongues aswell learned as vnlearned geue great credit because they be some cheife principles which the latines call Perse nota Contrary whereunto whosoeuer will speak shal be holden for vnlearned and ignorant That the Spanish toung is plenteous in prouerbes briefe sentences the booke called Celestina the first part I say for the rest is falsified a booke doubtlesse did it intreat of some other matter worthy to be read doth very euidently declare The book of Prouerbs which Hernan Nunes the ComeÌ„dador most excellent professor of Rhethoâ—icke and Greeke in Salamanca collected doth shew also the same Whose purpose was not only to collect so infinite a number of Spanish prouerbes but also would had not death preuented him haue glosed and commented vpon them as did Erasmus vpon the Latine prouerbes Verily had the Comendador effected his purpose our Spanish tongue should haue had a great treasure But to what end wilt thou say vnto me intreating of the Pope and his Clergie sayest thou this To great purpose I answere haue I sayd this because here I will alleage many Spanish prouerbes which very briefly and most truly do naturally with liuely colours paint out the life of the priests and Fryers and of all the other ecclesiastical persons from the little Nouice that helpeth to say Masse euen to the Pope himselfe Of the wicked life of the Clergie their deceits subtilties hypocrisies couetousnesse robberie whordoms ambition and simonie c. speake these vndoubted true prouerbes and so command vs to fly from theÌ„ All these prouerbes following are drawne out of the said book of the Comendador OF THE WICKED LIVES OF Ecclesiasticall men Sin Clerigoy palomar teruas limpio tu lugar Of priests and doues where is a want There 's cleannesse rife and foulnesse scant Siboo negocio trazedes frade podeys falar de la calle Potuguez Speake Frier if good it light doth craue If bad it darkenesse seekes to haue Entrays Padre sin licencia o os sobrà favor o falta verguenâ—a Here freely father entrest thou Or vnder leaue or shamelesse now Cregos frades pegas e choyas do à ordemo quatro joyas Gallego clerigos frayles picaâ—as y grajas do al diablo tales quatro alhajas â— joyas Priests Fryars Pyes Dawes and such like chaffer All iewels foure to the diuell I offer Frayle ni Iudio nunca buen amigo Nor Friar nor Iew euer friends true Hize ami hijo monazillo y tornoseme diablillo A nouice young my sonne do make For demi deuill do him take Quien quisiere su hijo vellaco del todo meta lo missario o moâ—o de corâ— Of knauery who listeth to haue his son heire Make him a Masse priest or youth of a Quire Moço missero y Abad ballastero y frayle cortes reniego de todos tres A massing youth a flattering Friar A hunting Priest a hatefull lyar Monja para parlar y frayle para negociar jamas se vido talpar A Nunne to prate a Fryer to proule Who ere two such hath seene so foule Ni amistad con frayle ni con monja que te ladre With flattering fryar nor puling Nunne No friendship els thou art vndone Ni fies en monje prieto ni en amor de nieto In coale blacke fryar haue thou no trust Nor rest on grandchilds loue thou must Ni à frayle descalço ni à hombre callado ni à muger baruuda no le des posada To barefoot Friar nor silent man Nor bearded shee subiect thee than Nunca vide de cosas menos que de Abrilee y Obispâ—s buenos Things lesse I neuer vnderstood Then Aprils faire and Bishops good Bendita la casa que no tiene corona rasa quiere dezir rapada Este Refran es tomado de Italiano Beata quella casa que non ha cheregarasa The dwelling house is surely blest Wherein no shaueling hath his nest This Prouerbe is taken from the Italian Beata quella casa que nen ha cherega rasa Ni fies muger de frayle ni barajes con alcayde No woman trust a holy Freyr Nor yet scolde with a Iudge for feare Ni mula mohina ni moça Marina ni poyo à la puerta ni Abad por vezino No Mule of colour sad Nor bench haue at thy doore Nor maid of Marians trade Nor priest for thy neighbour Ni fraylâ— por amigo ui Clerigo por vezino A Frier for friend see thou forsake And priest for neighbour do not make Ni buen frayle por amigo ni malo por enemigo No good Frier for a friend do choose Nor bad for foe els shalt thou loose Por las haldas del vicario sube la moça al campanario By Vicars skirts the mayd Vp to the Belfry goeth Yet nought at all afrayd What makes she there who knoweth Muchas vezes de hombres casados Clerigos y soldados no son amados Holy Priests and Souldiers then Are oft not lou'd of maried men Obispo dâ— Calahorra haze los asnos de Corona For bribes do bishops orders giue To Asses shorne ô that they liue Ni de frale ni de menja no esperar de recebir nada Of Frier nor Nunne ought to receiue The hope that is will sure deceiue Si con Monia quieres tratar cumplete de guardar If with a Nunne thou list to deale Stand on thy gard
support and maintaine him A curse then was pronounced in this Councell not against Iohn of Constantinople but generally against whomsoeuer should take vpon him the title of vniuersall Bishop The Doctors which at this time liued and chiefly Saint Gregory do witnesse the same Let them read his epistles of the first booke the 76. 78. 80. 85. and of the second booke the 188. and 194. In none of these epistles saith S. Gregorie that the said Iohn wronged S. Peter nor withheld nor yet vsurped the right and title of the Bishops of Rome but protesteth that it is title profane sacrilegious and the forerunner of Antichrist And in the 4. booke and 48. chap. of the Register the same Saint Gregorie doubteth not to pronounce him that suffereth himselfe to be called vniuersal and chiefe Bishop to be the forerunner of Antichrist Reade for this purpose the same Saint Gregorie lib. 4. Epist 76. 78. 30. lib. 7. and 69. epist And in the 35. epist which he wrote to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who vsurped this title he saith All that was prophesied is fulfilled the king of pride namely Antichrist is neere at hand and that which is abhomination to speake an host of Priests make preparatiō for him And in an epistle which he wrote to Mauricius the Emperour hee saith And I say boldly that whosoeuer is called vniuersall Priest either in his pride desireth so to be called or is the forerunner of Antichrist for that in waxing proud he preferreth himselfe to the rest and with incomparable pride walketh in the way of error For as that peruerse man wil aboue al men be holden for God so neither more nor lesse is he be he what he will that seeketh to be called Priest ouer the other priests c. About the 1240. yeare Edward Archibishop of Salisburg speaking in the Councell holden at Ratisbon to represse the insolencie and tyranny of the Popes said these words we might haue perceiued had we not bene blind vnder the title of chiefe Bishop a most cruell wolfe in shepheards clothing The Roman bishops daring deceiuing and sowing the warres of warres drawe weapons against all Christians And becomming great they kill the sheepe cast peace and concord out of the world draw from hel ciuil wars and domesticall seditions more more weaken the strengths of all men to triumph ouer all men to deliuer vp all men and to put all men in bondage and captiuitie It is now saith he 170 yeares since Hildebrand he was called Gregorie 7. vnder colour of religion laid the foundations of the Empire of Antichrist he was the first that began this abominable warres which his successors vntil this day haue cōtinued And then the chiefe Bishops of Babylon desire to reigne they cānnot endure an equal Beleeue me that haue made experiēce cease they will not vntil hauing suppressed the Emperor defaced the maiesty of the Roman Empire oppressed the true Pastors they destroy by the same way all whatsoeuer remaineth they put al vnder their feet they sit in the temple of God lift vp thēselues aboue all that is worshipped He which is seruant of seruāts desireth as if he were God to be Lord of Lords In his breast tosseth he new Coūcels to establish a proper empire lawes he chāgeth and establisheth his owne This man of perdition whom they wontedly call Antichrist in whose forehead is written the name of blasphemy I am God I cānot erre polluteth robbeth spoyleth and killeth He is set in the temple of God making himselfe Lord of all And that moreouer which ye may reade in the 7. booke of the Annales of Auentino fol. 685. If such were the Popes 357. yeares since when malice was not yet come to the height what maner of men shall the Popes of our times be Surelie much worse for in nothing do euill men profite but in doing more euill Arnulphus Bishop of Orleans openlie in the Councell at Remes holden more then 560. yeares since called the Pope Antichrist Saint Bernard who liued in the 1150. yeare in his second third and fourth books of Considerations called the Pope Antichrist The Abbot Ioachin Calabres who liued 350 yeeres since called the Pope Antichrist About the 1101. yeare liued Bishop Fluencius that called the Pope Antichrist About the 1245. yeare liued Nicholas Gallus who seeing the deformitie of the Church wrote a booke against the Popes intituled Ignea sagitta a fiery arrow Marsilius a learned man wrote more then 200. yeares since against the Pope and his lawes At the same time almost liued Michael Cesenas Generall of the Minoritts who openly called the Pope Antichrist Aboue 200. yeres past Iohn Wicliffe wrote and preached against the Pope and reformed many popish abuses in England The same did after wardes Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage in Bohemia Francisco Petrarca an Italyan borne in the 1304 yere and in the 1374. yere dyed very truly wrote against the Pope and his court Read this 20. Epistle wherein he calleth the court Papall Babylon Babilonish strūper which is set vpon many waters Mother of all Idolatries and whoredomes Read his 92. which beginneth Del ' Empia Babilonia c. which word for word thus soundeth in English From wicked Babylon whence all shame is fled where no goodnesse remaineth Harbour of sorrowe mother of errours to prolong life am I fled Item the 106. Sonet which beginneth Fiamma d'oal ciel c. The flame of heauen vpon thy hayres or curled lockes O caytife which from the fountaine and wallet to wit from drinking of water and poorely feeding by impouerishing others art become rich and great Sith so much thou reioycest in doing euill Neast of treasons wherein what mischiefes are now spread through the world be hatched Seruant of wine bed and belly cheere in whome whoredome hath made her last proofe For thy Chamberlaines young and olde goe playing the wantons and Baelzabub in the middest with bellowes fire and looking glasses In the fether at the shadowe wast thou not brought but naked to the winde vnshod among the bushes c. Such now is thy life that the stinke is gone vp vnto God Also in the 107. Sonet which beginneth L'auara Babylonia c. Couetous Babylon so full hath heaped the sacke of the wrath of God and of wicked and peruerse vices that it bursteht and not Iupiter nor Pallas but Bacchus and Venus hath made her gods Expecting reason doth torment and consume me c. And foure verses further Her Idolles shall be holden for earth c. Also the 108. Sonnet which beginneth Fontana di dolore c. Fountain of griefe harbor of wrath schoole of errors and Temple of heresie Rome in elder time now false and peruerse Babylon for whom I so much weepe sigh O shop of deceit ô prison of wrath where goodnesse dyeth and euill is maintained and nourished hell of the liuing great wonder
to pardon sinnes and that for money it being God alone which doth graciously pardon theÌ„ The Pope Who hath caused a little peece of white bread to be worshipped saying it is the true God which created heauen and earth The Pope Therefore is he Antichrist which neither honoreth nor a doreth the God of his fathers who in the bookes that the Pope burneth hath manifested himselfe to his faithfull The 2. marke is that he shall not regard the loue of women to wit that vnder colour of chastitie holines meritorious works he shall abhorre marriage So greatly hath the Pope abhorred marriage that a law he hath made that no Pope Cardinal Patriarke Archbishop Bishop Deane Archeacon Priest nor Friar Deacon nor subdeacoÌ„ nor any Nunne shal marry And wherefore For pure hypocrisie to be sold to the ignorant people for holy for Angels which are not fleshly but wholly spirituall And the miserable people dispising the meanes of marriage which God hath giuen them Will rather burne then marry And so God deliuereth them vp to shamefull vile affections and in their lusts doe they burne as saith S. Paule Fornicators they are adulterers Incestuous persons that moreouer which the Apostle meÌ„tioneth These be the fruits of his coÌ„strained chastitie of his angelical not fleshly life of his vowe of chastity vowed of so many and kept of so fewe Of such like the same S. Paul fore warneth his disciple Timothie saying that they shall speake lies through hypocrisie hauing their coÌ„sciences seared that they shall forbid marriage What nation in the world hath bene so barbarous so cruel so tyrannous Godlesse that hath forbidden marriage to so many thousands of men and women as are at this day of Priests Fryars and Nunnes Onely such law maketh Antichrist Only the Pope maketh it therefore is the Pope Antichrist which regardeth not his owne lawful wife but his Ganimeds and strumpets Much paine hath the Pope of long time taken to cause this his tyrannicall lawe to bee obserued Many people and nations seeing it a law tyrannous and preiudiciall to the Common-wealth haue withstood him because that priests and Friars not hauing proper wiues and being lusty men which liue in idlenesse and abundance a life inclyning men to luxuritie bestow themselues among the wiues daughters of their neighbours friends In the Councell of Nice was this busines proposed but through the Councell of good Paphnucius not affected S. Gregorie forbad marriage but taught afterwards by experience of 6000. heads of young Infants which they fouÌ„d in a pond adnulled reuoked his decree as before in his life we haue declared Note that which we haue said to this same purpose vpon the life of Siricius who so against the hayre alleaged the saying of S. Paul Those which be in the flesh cannot please God And that which we noted vpon Nicholas 1. in the life of Pius 2. of Paul 2. experience at this day sufficiently sheweth how impious and tyrannous this law is And suppose it were good yet is it not obserued Much better should it be to leaue to each one the liberty which God hath giuen them and not to lay sâ—ares for the conscience He that can passe without marriage shall doe very well not to marâ—y and chiefly the minister in time of persecution which iâ— to be free to preach the word of God wheresoeuer they shall call him But the guift of chastitie is not giuen to all and if to any yet is it not perpetuall The surest way then not to offend God nor defile his owne body wâ—ich is the temâ—le of the holy Ghost and â—herefore to be kept cleane is that euery man as Saint Paul doth aduise vs haue his owne wife and euery woman her owne husband to the great griefe of the Pope who is Antichrist and commaundeth the contrary The third marke is that Antichrist shall not care for any God to wit hee shal be an Atheist a Godlesse man and without religion This in many Popes haue wee fully and clerely seene which neither liueing nor dying had any religion He is not one alone that entred into the Popedome like a fox liued in the Popedome like a Lyon and dyed like a dogge Let their liues be read the reason of all this giueth Daniel saying for hee shall magnifie himselfe aboue all Antichrist which is the Pope hath made himselfe vniuersal Bishop head of the Church absolute or dissolute Lord aswell in the temporaltie as the spiâ—itualty euer all the Monarkes kings and Princes of the world that he may displace and place them when he pleaseth and no man ought to demaund why doest thou so And so causeth Emperours kings and great Lords to fall prostrate on the gorund in token of vassallrie slauerie and subiection kisse his feete and worship him The Pope truly is proud as the diuell who said to Christ All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me And so shall haue the wages that had the diuell Which thing Daniell declareth in the 36. verse of the 11. chapter saying that he shall prosper vntill the wrath bee accomplished for the determination is made and in the last words of this chapter he saith And his end shall come and none shall helpe him This is the comfort of a Christian that Antichrist the Pope his enemie and persecutor shall so end as he hath deserued And so shall the Church be from hiâ— tyranny The 2. passage is of S. Paul to the Thessalonians where clerely and plainely he calleth Antichrist man of sinne and sonne of perdition which opposeth liâ—teth vp himselfe against all which is God or that is worshipped So that as God he sitteth in the temple of Cod shewing himselfe that he is God And a little lower whose coÌ„ming is by the working of Sathan with great power signes lying wonders with all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse working in them that perish c. The papists themselues coÌ„fefse that Saint Paul here speaketh of Antichrist Now let vs fee if the Pope doe the same things and if he do them then is he Antichrist By Antichrist must we not vnderstand one man alone which is to be and happen but an estate a seat a succession of men an Empire exalted against Christ yet with the name and title of pastor and Bishop of the Church and with the title of the vicar of Christ Iesus himselfe Through hypocrisie and fayned humilitie he calleth himselfe the seruant of Gods seruants but through diuelish pride he maketh himselfe Lord of all In the time of S. Paul began this Empire of Antichrist as he witnesseth saying For all ready the misterie of Iniquitie beginneth to worke onely he which now ruleth shall let vntill he be taken out of the way This shal be when the Lord shall slay him with the spirit of his mouth as there saith the Apostle Now haue we proued
our high priest offered with which wee being sinners and sonnes of wrath he reconciled vs to God Oh good newes Heare them then O Spaine and beleeue them In this Treatise I wil be short for many things which were here to be sayd haue we formerly sayd in the confutation of the false priestes which is the Pope and of the false sacrifice which is the Masse And there haue we sayd it for confutation of falshood For how can falshood be confuted but with the truth walke we then hence forth as Children of truth and light He that listeth to knowe who is this high priest and what is this his onely and eternall sacrifice Let him read the Epistle which the Apostle wrote to the Hebrewes there clerely shal hee find both the one the other And no booke there is in all the holie scripture which more to the purpose and more axcellently handleth this argument then this Epistle An Epistle truely worthie for each faithfull Christian to reade and reade againe and to retaine in memorie Seeing there in is handled a matter so necessary without the vnderstanding knowledge whereof it is impossible for mā to be saued For what thing is more necessary thē to know who my redeemer is how he hath redeemed me so to beleeue in him beleeuing in him to be thankful vnto him by liuing in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of my life His maiesty pardon our imperfections supply that much which is wanting But before we enter into this matter Let vs declare that which we beleue of Christ we confesse that Iesus Christ is truely God and truely man that in as much as he is God he is equall with the father with the holy Ghost in nothing inferior We confesse that in as much as he is man he is lesse then the father and lesse then the holy Ghost and in nothing equal We confesse these two so far different natures diuine humaine not to haue bin vnited nor conioyned for euer but in time as saith S. Paule when saith he the fulnes of time was come God sent his son made of a woman made vnder the lawe c. The same saith S. Iohn And the word was made flesh and dwelled among vs. So that from thenceforth is hee called and is true God and true man and so according to this coniunction Christ is lesse then the father For the father hath made him and giuen him vnto vs. For our king Prophets and priest Which three offices the name of Christ signifieth which is a Greeke word and is the same that is Messias in Hebrewe and Vngido in our Spanish tongue So also is it called because these three kindes of men were in olde time annointed And so doe wee read that Samuel annointed Saul for king Dauid also hee annointed Sadoc annointed Solomon c. Concerning the Prophets wee read that Elias annointed Eliseus Concerning the Priests annoynting it is seene in Exod. 30. 50. These 3. Offices doth the holie scripture attribute to Christ It calleth him king Psal 2. 6. I haue appointed to my selfe a king ouer Sion Also Luke 1. 33. And he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer his kingdōe shall haue no end Also Iohn 1. 49. 12. 15. Mat. 22. Al the places also which say Christ to be the head of the Church cōfirme Christ to be king a Prophet he is called Esaie 61. 1. Luk. 4. 19. Also Deut. 18. 15. It is promised that God wil raise vp a Prophet which place S. Peter in that excellēt sermō which S. Luke mentioneth vnderstandeth of Christ who is the Prophet of Prophets In the same maner vnderstādeth it S. Stephen A priest is hee called Psal 110. 4. Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedech Which place in the Epistle to the Hebrewes is oftentimes alleaged where it calleth him the only euerlasting priest But the difference between the kings Prophets priests of the olde Testament Christ is this they were the figure of Christ and annointed they were with materiall visible oyle But Christ is the thing figured is annointed not with visible oyle but with the grace of the holy spirit As he himselfe Luk. 4. 18. doth witnes in declaring the prophesie of Esaie The spirit of the Lord c Of this kind of ointmēt thus speaketh the Psal 45. 7. Thou hast loued righteousnes and hated Iniquitie Wherfore God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of goodnes aboue thy fellowes which place the Apostle vnderstandeth of Christ And Christ being annointed with the spirituall oyntment we vnderstand his kingdome not to be of this world his doctrine to be heauenly his priesthood to be euerlasting diuine Christ as king appointed of the father gouerneth his Church giueth her lawes which no prince nor the mightiest monarch of the world may disdaine or abolish For it is noted that all how mighty soeuer do acknowledge him for king of kings Lord of Lords For God as saith S Paul exalted Christ gaue him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euery knee do bowe in heauen in earth and vnder the earth Christ as a prophet doth teach vs the will of his father doth shewe vs what we ought to fly what we ouht to follow Whō the father gaue vnto vs for our Doctour maisterand teacher whē he said This is my beloued sonne in whom I take delight heare him He wil we should heare another Doctrine albeit an Angel from heauen doe preach it If an Angel from heauen saith Saint Paul shal preach vnto you another gospel thē that which I haue preached vnto you the which he had learned of the Lord Iesus Let him be accursed The office of the priest is to appeare before the diuine Maiestie to appease his wrath and to obtaine grace for vs. The which he performeth Offering a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable vnto him This did Iesus Christ offering vp himselfe vpon the Crosse Which sacrifice one only time offered and neuer more reiteratetd For reiteration should shewe imperfection to haue beene in it was so sweete and so good a sauour vnto God that he was pleased and being pleased was reconciled with men So that he pardoned all our sinnes and sanctified vs for euer Of these three offices treateth also the epistle to the Hebrewes In the 1 chapter it sheweth the excellencie and maiestie of Christ aboue the Angels and consequently ouer all Creatures In which it deuoteth his kingdōe In the third chapter the Apostle calleth him the teacher of the will of God Which thing did the Prophets chapter 13. 20. he calleth him Great Pastor By Pastor he vnderstandeth a teacher And so in the 7. verse he said Remember your Pastors which speake vnto you the word of God c. That Christ is a