neither anie lawe nor iudgement hath power or iurisdiction ouer him for that he is the liuelie fâ—unteine of lawe and iudgement who as touching matters of our faith can not in anie point faile or misse and therefore hee may order and determine vpon all matters touching our beleefe and faith and so interprete the Scripture as he thinketh good he onelie may take and leaue doe and vndoe In so much that though all the worlde were against him yet must we take his part To be briefe there is no man to bee compared vnto him but God alone and therefore can he do all things that God doth For looke what soeuer God doeth in heauen the like doth the Pope here in earth What should a man say more His authoritie and power is so great that no tongue can expresse it neither is it possible for the capacitie of man to conceiue it as Zodoricus Zamorensis and Bartholus Chassaneus yea the whole Catholike church of Rome hath determined and concluded For as Antonius Florentinus doth testifie he is aboue al creatures and his might and power doeth extend euen to matters in heauen earth and hell for that he is the cause of causes and the Lord of Lords the Head Bridegrome of the whole church yea the high and principall Gouernour of the worlde vniuersall he is the light the brightnesse the verie foundation of faith and the verie summe and touchstone of the trueth hee is the hiest step of the staires and all in all whatsoeuer can be thought or said For as touching the giuing and distributing of Kingdomes Dukedomes lands and countries to whom when he shall think good that office he hath fast sure in possession and doth dailie practise put the same in exercise as is right to bee vnderstood by this pretie verse folowing Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rodulpho That is to say The Rocke gaue Peter and his race a princelie and emperiall crowne And Ralfe receiu'd from Peters Grace a royall diademe of renowne Which trimme verse was by the before named Pope Gregorie 7. after that hee had excommunicated the saide Emperour Henrie 4. and cursed all his adherents sent vnto Ralphe the Duke of Swaben with am Imperiall crowne aduertising him plainlie therewithall that it lay wholie in his handes to giue to whem soeuer it pleased him as well the Empire as the crowne wherein hee did finelie prophesie in such order as Caiphas the Iewish Pope had prophesied saying That hee would neuer be esteemed as Pope if there did not die the same yeere before Whitsuntide a false or vniust King For it came euen so to passe Not that the Emperour Henrie by whom hee spake did die that yere but that the lotte fell vpon Ralphe to whom the Pope had giuen the Imperiall crowne who was the same yere pitifullie slaine his hands first cut of he lamenting sore before the Bishops That through informing of the Pope their prouokings he had made him and his accursed and rebelled against his owne lord and supreme head Nowe a litle after this did succeede Pope Paschalis 2. who againe excommunicated afreshe the Emperour and commaunded the Earle of Flaunders called Robert to destroy with fire and sword the territories of Luek and Camericke because that they would remaine true vnto their naturall lord and Souereigne the Emperour Henrie Yea hee did giue the Imperiall crowne with all the iewels of the Empire to Henrie the 5. sonne vnto the said Henrie the 4. Emperour herein preuailed so much that he did prouoke the sonne to rebell and persecute his owne Lord and naturall father yea with such horrible and vnnaturall malice that he let him most pitifullie starue in the prison at Luek which happened in the yeere of our Lorde 1108. Neither would hee receiue the Lukeners to grace til such time as they had taken vppe the dead carcase of his father which was by theÌ„ there buried cast the same out into the fields like the carion of a dogge And by that meanes the Lukeners were likewise discharged of the excommunication which Pope Paschalis had laid vpon them Men may likewise verie well conceiue the same by the example of the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa who after a great manie of excommunications and curses was in the ende within the towne of Venice vpon the great market called Saint Markes place at the toppe of the staires of the great church or palace troden vpon the necke by Pope Alexander 3. euen with his feete who for the establishing of his authoritie and power did vsurpe and openlie pronounce before al the people this saying in the Psalme Super Aspidem Basiliscum equitabis coÌ„culcabis Leonem Draconem that is to say Thou shalt ride vpon the Lion and the Adder the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou treade vnder thy feete c. And thus likewise was Franciscus Dandalius Duke of Venice excommunicated and banished by Pope Clement 5. and enioyned vnto certeiâ—e penance which was That he should goe creeping alongest the Popes palace vpon his handes knees with a collar about his necke like a dogge So that it is apparant that the Pope of Rome hath ful and absolute power ouer al Kings Dukes and Princes and therefore may commaunde them as his subiectes and tenantes and may extoll or aduance and disgrade or depose them euen as he shall thinke good Which authoritie of his doeth extende and reache so farre that hee hath likewise full power commaundement and iurisdiction ouer the Kings and Emperours of Turkie and other Heathen countries In so much that a man may lawfullie appeale vnto him in anie matter from before anie earthlie Prince or Potentate In summe hee hath vnder him the rule and gouernement of all Emperiall Princelie and Spirituall iurisâ—iction for hee is consecrated as a Priest and crowned as a King and is therefore the King of Kings and Lorde of Lordes For as touching that which these Heretikes do alledge against this That Christ should haue said Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which to God belongeth that saieth our mother the holie church was not a perpetuall rule but stood in effect onlie for a short time to wit till such time as Christ had suffered and was ascended vp into heauen For now to answere that where hee saith After that I shal be lifted vp from the earth I will drawe all things vp after me that is thus to bee vnderstood saieth the holie church of Rome That Christ after his ascension into heauen should take al Kingdomes Dukedomes and such like out of the possession of Kings Dukes c. and that by meanes of his souldiers especiallie by his Romishe Apostles And whereas in other places hee doeth forbid his Disciples to seeke after or to receiue golde or siluer that must likewise be vnderstood but till such time onelie as they haue
brought in subiection and vnder them all Kingdomes and so to leaue the same by will and testament vnto the Popes of Rome their successours for then endeth that determination And that was the cause why the Popes beganne to trauell with a deliberate intention to make a diuision of the Imperiall crowne of Rome who then had the East and West countrie of Greece and almost the whole world in subiection as Pope Alexander 3. did plainlie acknowledge vnto the Embassadors of Emanuel Emperour of Graecia declaring plainlie That hee in no wise would haue the Empire of Graecia the Empire of Rome vnited or ioyned together againe in one which was done especiallie to the intent that hee might bee the better able to ouerrule them both And out of that it doth likewise growe that Gregorie the ninth and Innocentius the fourth Popes of Rome did depose the Emperour Fredericke the second and absolued his subiectes of their othe which they had taken and made vnto him and aboue that did excommunicate and banishe all such his subiectes as did remaine faithfull and true vnto him And furthermore graunted great indulgence and pardon to such as would rebelliouslie rise vppe to destroy and confound them And yet besides all this after that hee with the summe of an hundred and twentie thousand markes of golde in weight had redeemed and set free him selfe out of the excommunication of the said Pope Gregorie yet was hee notwithstanding that once againe accursed and banished In so much that Henrie Lantgraue of Thuringe was chosen Emperour and after his death which was verie sudein the Imperiall crowne was giuen to one William then Earle of Hollande who verie shortlie after that was by the Freeses slaine After whose death the Empire did remaine seuentene yeres complete without head or Emperour And yet I pray you consider Do wee not finde by all perfect histories that Pope Vrbane the fourth did about the yeere of our Lorde 1264. violentlie dispossesse Conradinus sonne to Conrade then Emperour of the kingdome of Sicilia notwithstanding the same did by iust title of inheritance apperteine vnto him and gaue the same to Charles Earle of Angiou de Prouince and brother to Lodoâ—ike King of Fraunce and his successour Clement the fourth did set the Crowne vpon his head with condition that hee shoulde yeerelie pay to the Sea of Rome fourtie thousand crownes of golde Nowe to deface that deede and intent Pope Nicholas the third about the yeere of our Lorde 1268. caused Peter the King of Aragon who had maried the cousine germane of the said Conradinus to come out of Italie to depriue the saide Charles of the same and brought the matter so farre that he tooke perforce the said kingdome of Sicilia hauing first by a craftie practise in one night caused most cruellie to be murthered by the Sicilians all the French both men women and children yong and olde that were within the whole Island of Sicilia by reason whereof they vse yet at this day for a common by woorde to call it The Sicilian Euensong And then after to the contrarie of this his successour Pope Martin the fourth did both banishe and curse the said Peter and so not onelie committed the defence and custodie of the said kingdome of Sicilia vnto Robert Earle of Artois for and to the vse of the sonne of the said Charles who was kept prisoner in the handes of his enimies but did likewise take from him the kingdome of Arragon which hee possessed and enioyed by patrimonie and did giue the same kingdome of Arragon vnto Charles Earle of Valois and sonne to Philippe the Frenche King. And did not Pope Bonifacius the eight in like manner curse Philippe the French King and gaue his kingdome to the Emperour Albertus by authoritie and gift of the holie and catholike Church of Rome and that because the said Philippe would not acknowledge accepte and receiue the Pope of Rome for his superiour In so much that the foresaid king of France was forced of necessitie to sende out secretlie vnder the gouernement of Sarra Colomna three or foure hundred horsemen who in the night tooke the Pope prisoner at Anagnia where he was at that time resident and so brought him to Rome as prisoner where within foure and twentie dayes after hee died like a beast as by a common prouerbe which hereafter shal be more expreslie set forth doeth appeare We haue likewise seene not long agoe that Pope Alexander the seuenth did giue vnto Ferdinando king of Castile grand father vnto the Emperour Charles the fift all the countries of the newe Indians which lie Westwarde from Spaine in the Ocean Seas and that in such order and maner as by the Bull is specified Motu proprio that is to say Of his owne meere motion and beeing not therevnto required but much rather De mera liberalitate ex certa scientia ac de Apostolicae potestatis plenitudine that is to say Of meere liberalitie and an assured knowledge and by full power Apostolicall In so much that the King of Peru called Atabaliba who being ouercome by the Spaniardes in a battell saide verie vnwiselie That hee did not esteeme the Pope saying that hee would giue away to another that which was none of his owne For Frier Vincent Valuerda had let him plainlie vnderstande out of his Breuiarie or Portesse That Christ the Sonne of GOD did at his departing out of this worlde appoint and leaue the Pope of Rome for his Liefetenant with power and authoritie to giue and distribute all kingdomes at his will and pleasure And that the Pope of Rome had giuen all his countrie of Peru and the newe Indians to the King of Spaine And likewise in the yeere of our Lord 1515. Leo 10. would haue giuen Frances the French king who was then at Bolonia in Italie and that to make confederacie and league with him the whole Empire of Constantinople But the king giuing him worthie thankes woulde not accept the gift vnlesse he would put him in possession of it which our holy father the Pope had no minde to do because it would haue cost him a great deale more monie than the sealing of his Bulles And not long before this about the yeare of our Lorde 1466. Pope Paule 2. had deposed by sentence George the naturall king of Boemia from his said kingdome and giuen the same to the Dukes of Germanie marie with this condition that they should go and take it perforce at their own cost and charges in which attempt they lost aboue an hundred thousand men both horsemen and footemen and yet did preuaile verie little For such presentes and gifts are of the nature of his Bishoprikes of Hierusalem and other townes in Turkie which he giues to this man and that man whereof the Bishops neuer inioy anie more but the bare title which they haue well wrapped vp in a Bull
Sonne of God They woulde haue Bishops renouncing the name office of tyrannical Inquisitors to preache the gospell to leaue of their trapt Horses and Mules and goe on foote They did esteeme all manner of meates good and lawfull first saying grace in their mother tongues neither did they much regarde the eating of fleshe in Lent no not euen on Good Friday In Summe they went wholy about to bring in a new reformation of religion and discipline ecclesiasticall the like whereof was neuer seene of the holie Churche of Rome nor of our forefathers They tooke in hande to restore all againe to the olde and former state of the Apostles and Euangelistes what pitie what care what sorowe had this bene to our dearly beloued mother the holie Catholike Churche of Rome and to all her good subiectes But praised be our blessed Ladie of Antwerpe your honour did well foresee and in time diligently withstand that inconuenience in that you haue placed the inquisition in the lande driuen away the Gewses or Heretikes laide the Magistrates in prison banished and brought to the Butchers stall the Gentlemen and good subiectes made a way and open passage for the Spaniardes into the lande set vp fire and swoorde in token of victorie and in euerie corner reared vp gallowes and plentifully shed the blood of those newe Euangelistes In Summe your diligence your quicke expedition your great zeale your newe Bishoppes and your holie Inquisition haue so well aduised counselled perswaded or rather forced our Souereign Lord the king his Maiestie much rather to see the destruction of his Patrimoniall lande the ruine of his Subiectes yea the imprisonment and death of his owne onelie sonne then to permit the holie Catholike Church of Rome to suffer suche shame and that in place of the Popes decrees and decretals of the Masse booke Hortulus animae and suche other seruice bookes the Gospel holy Scripture onelie should succeed take possession Therefore your Honour is highly to be praised for such noble actes And euerie man is duely bound herein to assist further you in your enterprise to the vttermost of his knowledge abilitie This Right Honorable and blessed Bishop is the cause which hath moued me poore vnworthie brother of Saint Frauncis order to dedicate and sende this my simple present to your honour to the ende that I with this my small gifte of good will may somewhat though but a little helpe to strengthen repaire the decaied walles of the Romishe Church and establish againe the right perfect foundation of our most holie father the Pope Therefore hauing a while agoe seene marked that in the Citie of Antwerpe was a small booke sette foorth in French Flemish intituled named A Letter Missiue Or An Epistle directed vnto the Apostates Backsliders from the true Christian beleefe compiled and made by Maister Gentian Heruet c And for that the same booke was greatly desired and verie much esteemed of all good and Catholike hearts I haue with all diligence and circumspection perused and read ouer the same wherein I haue founde in effect that in the same is briefly declared and set foorth the whole grounde and foundation of the holie Romish religion which your Honour euen with fire and swoorde to the subuersion and vtter ruine of the whole land doth seke most zealously to mainteine And I am thereby persuaded that the same booke was most worthie to be read ouer of all men to the ende that all startbackes from the faith might returne into the right way and the good faithfull Catholikes thereby strengthened confirmed But nowe considering the saide booke to bee verie shorte and something darke for a matter of suche importaunce and likewise had either none or verie few proofes out of the Scriptures Councels holie Fathers and Decrees of the Popes therefore I haue thought good to set penne to Paper and to set foorth and declare the same at large that nothing needefull should be lacking Moreouer cōsidering that it is most necessarie to declare something more at large especially touching the woorthines and authoritie of the holie Churche of Rome and the true exposition of the holie Scripture wherevppon the summe of all our matters doe depende for that we haue alwayes beene forced to call vpon the Church especially now when there is none other shield or defence left vnto vs therefore haue I traueiled brieflie to shew of this matter where the sure grounde and foundation lies by what Scriptures by what holie fathers by what Councels by how many Decrees euerie point is defended and likewise howe and in what manner the Scripture and the holie Church of Rome are ioyned together and Catholikelie vnderstoode in suche order as the same shall in no wise serue the Heretikes anie thing at al to their purpose or aduantage And forsomuch as this woorke is sucked out of sundrie sortes of flowres gathered together therefore haue I named it The Bee hiue of the Romishe Churche thereby to geue to vnderstande ▪ that as the honie Bee doeth not gather her honie out of one flowre alone but out of manie and diuerse So doeth not the Churche of Rome stande vpon one Scripture Byble Councels or bokes of Decrees but doth catche and snatch out of eche of them that which best serueth her purpose as hereafter euerie man may plainelie perceiue and in the ende of this booke shall vnderstande more at large whereas the speciall causes are set foorth why and wherefore we haue christened this booke with such a name And now hauing vnderstoode that your Honour did a good while agoe set foorth a certaine booke against the confessiō of the faith of these newe Gospellers I did verie earnestly trauell to gette the same trusting that it might perhaps haue eased me of this my labour for that I thought your Honour shoulde haue set foorth these matters there at large But after that I had superficially and lightly reade ouer the saide booke not hauing the lucke to kepe the same lōg by me I was the more willing to set foorth this my Bee hiue for that I sawe it shoulde serue verie well to the opening and more plaine declaration of the foresaide booke which your Honour hath made and published considering that your honour is busie in euerie place with the aucthoritie and dignitie of the holie Churche of her ordinances or constitutions additions or traditions and of the spirituall exposition which shee hath made vppon the Scriptures perceiuing nothing to be clearly set foorth whereby one may finde out these constitutions and ordinances whether in the Scripture in the Fathers in the Decrees or in the Coūcels so that a simple man might alway stande in doubt what you will haue esteemed and holden for the commaundementes ordinances or traditions of the Churche and what men shall call the Churche and likewise what rule or inuiolable order this holie Churche doth commonly keepe and vse in the exposition of
be changed See nowe is not this a strong an inuincible foundation against which the gates of hell can not preuayle For that agrees euen as well together as a fiste in Gentianus nose Besides this are established out of these Rabbines the suburbes of hel and by them declared That the holy Fathers are lodged there against the comming of Messias For that could the Rabbines finely fish out of that which is written in the book of Ecclesiastes There are some iust which are killed in their righteousnesse Doeth not this serue wel for the purpose Furthermore out of the Thalmoode is proued that Marie our Lorde IESUS Christes mother was conceyued without original sinne For one of their Rabbines called Rabbi Iudas Simons sonne doth so speculate saying That the matter wherof the mother of the Messias should bee generate was formed before that Adam fell and so preserued from generation to generation without polluting And this doth he teache out of the Psalme wherein is written O Lorde seeke out the plante which thy right hand hath planted Is not that merueâ—â—ously well alledged the naile hit right on the head Verily it may verie well be compared with an other doctrine of theirs where they saye That God in the beginning did make two Whale fishes a male and a female and fearing least they should bring forth a monstruous generation he killed the one and so laid him in pickle against the comming of Messias at which time he will kill the other likewise and then shall the Iewes make a banket thereof and haue noble cheare for the one Whale fishe they shall eate freshe and the other well powdred And I maruell whether they will not bid our deare mother the holy Church of Rome to their banket But in that they may well inough beare one with another it is inough for vs to kâ—ow that they haue likewise established the fouÌ„dation of their beleefe and doctrine vppon the Thalmoode of the Iewes which is a meruelous great booke wherein all their Caballes that is to say all the doctrines monumentes of their Rabbines all their dreames and visions al their profound and bothomles speculations strange iestes are heaped vp together like a dunghill But nowe for that we shall not neede to rehearse euery thing particularly it is most true that the nation and Caballa of the Iewes is the best grounde and the truest well spring of all the ceremonies of the holie church of Rome For that is specially set forth noted in the booke of Decâ—ees where it is written That she hath borowed her Ember dayes of the Iewes whose order and maÌ„ner saith the text is the original spring whervnto the holy church must sticke fast Yea I pray you who is so grosse and dull of witte that can not conceiue of him selfe that shee hath had of the Iewes the verie example or paterne wherby she hath made and counterfeited so manie faire goodly ordinances statutes and ceremonies Whereby shee hath workmanlie wrought all her silken gilce and embrodered copes vestementes and myters euen as with a fine needle al the riche relikes prounking iewels altars candlestickes candles and torches and to be short al the goodly ornaments which you may see in the church were made by the exaÌ„ple paterne of them And their Sancta SanctoruÌ„ that is to saye The Holie of Holiest or The most Holie place vpon earth which she hath pacte vp at Rome in a corner of a chappell at S Iohn de Laterane whereof hath she gotten that but onely of the Iewes in whose Temple at Hierusalem the innermost most secret place where God did sometimes appeare called in their language Roodes radaschim that is to saye The holie of holiest For in place of that they had there the Arke of the promise with the couering called The Mercie seat or Propitiatorium wherein was kept a viole with Manna and the florishing rod of Moses which thinges our deare mother the holy church of Rome can not come by and therefore hath she set vp another chest with relikes in it wherein she doeth keepe very gingerly and deuoutly the foreskinne or Circumcision of our Lord Iesus Christ with his slippers and his nauell skinne as plainly appeareth by the verses which stand written before the same place which are these vnder written Circumcisa caro Christi sandalia clara Ac vmbilici viget hîc praecisio chara That is to say The foreskinne of Christ And his slippers likewise With the skinne of his nauell In this cofine lies Now after all this haue we not borrowed of the Iewes euen our holie father the Pope and all our Priestes and Deacons yea all our Temples Churches offerings and sacrifices yeâ— marie haue we or else all the holy fathers and Popes haue falsly lied in their heartes which haue scraped together the bookes of the decrees yea and then must Durandus What doe I speake of Durandus yea I say all our stoute Catholike doctours haue dallied with vs whereas they giue vs to vnderstande that they haue borrowed all that of the Iewes But what is this to the purpose Trulie we haue learned in their Phariseis seate and Synagogue That such must bee hanged which breake the Emperours placarde and will rather depende vpon Iesus Christ than vpon the ordinance of the Church Haue not the Doctors of Louen likewise borrowed of them the name of Rabbottenu or Rabbini that is to say Magistri nostri which soundeth in our mother tongue as much as Our masters prouided alwayes that men may not say Nostri magistri for that were herisie but we pronounce it after the Iewish phrase setting Nostri after Magistri as if we should say Masters ours and not Our masters Item that men must set them at the vpper ende of the table and the killing of Prophetes and Martyrs and thâ—n make them goodlie tumbes for therefore it is that they do mainteine the shrines of the Martyrs in such praier and worship in witnes as Christ himselfe said that they are the children of them which haue murthered the Prophets of God and the martyrs or witnesses of Christ Iesus and wil follow the steppes of their forefathers but it is not needfull to rehearse all things particularly considering that the holie Church hath set forth a generall rule hereof in the booke of decrees For in the same text where it is sayde That they haue learned of the Iewes to annoynt their altars and to trimme them with many proper things is argumented and reasoned thus Seeing that the Iewes which did but serue in a shadowe and darke figure did notwithstanding all those things howe much more ought we being by dutie bound to doe the like to whom the verie truth is manifestly reuealed Whereby men may plainly perceiue that is verie lawful for the holy Church yea and that of duetie she ought to doe all things whatsoeuer the Iewes haue done heretofore So that it is
holy Church cannot erre Christ must haue patience transubstantiation must take place But we haue yet a much clearer text to witte where Christ himselfe saieth This is my bodie for by those wordes doeth the holie Church of Rome plainely vnderstand that the same which before was breade is nowe no more breade although Paule woulde call it breade a thousande times but is chaunged into the verie bodie of Iesus Christ as long and as broade as it was hanging vpon the Crosse. And for that cause it is that shee doeth disallowe all the expositions and interpretations which Basilius Tertullianus Theodoretus Augustinus and other holie Fathers haue sette foorth vpon the same saying That those woordes must bee figuratiuely and sacramentally vnderstoode as Christ himselfe hath plainely saide I am the vine or as Paule saieth The stone was Christ and as GOD spake to Abraham saying This is my promise Cut off the fore skinne c. Which is as muche to say that the breade shoulde not chaunge his nature nor the verie bodie of Christ bee there present but onelie that it shoulde bee a true and holie token a Sacrament a warrant and pledge a Seale and assuraunce whereby wee are assured and fullie certified that hee hath giuen vppe his bodie and bloud for our saluation And for this cause doe they call it a figure or token and in the Greeke Typus and Antitypa that is to say Speciall tokens But I doe tell you that the holie Church of Rome will not allowe anie such interpretations vnlesse it were so that men woulde vnderstand them as Damascenus doeth interprete them and as was in the seconde Councell of Nice concluded by the Fathers to witte That the breade shoulde bee such a seale pledge figure and holie token onely before it be consecrated which is to say It should be a Sacrament before it is become a Sacrament For that this is their conceite and meaning it is apparaunt out of this That long before the breade and the wine bee consecrated or made a holie Sacrament they doe offer vppe the same vnto God for remission of sinnes as well of the liuing as of the dead For in the Canon of the Masse yea before the bread bee turned into fleshe or the fiue holy wordes of consecration be heard the Priest doeth pray That God will accept that offering of breade and through that deliuer him from eternall death And then That hee will blesse the saide offering of breade in all pointes and make the same holie profitable meate and acceptable That is may become the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ. Yea and before hee hath yet put the wine into the Chalice immediately after the Offertorie he saith thus O holie Father almightie and euerlasting God take and receiue this vnspotted sacrifice which thine vnworthie seruaunt doeth offer vppe vnto thee for my sinnes and innumerable misdeedes for my forgetfulnesse and vnthankefulnesse yea and for all these which are here present and for all faithfull Christians as well those that be liuing as those that be dead that it may bee acceptable auailable and effectuall vnto the saluation both of me and of them vnto eternall life Amen And in one of the secretes which is commonly read vpon the 24. Sunday after Trinitie Sunday he saith thus O Lord take and receiue mercifully this offering through which thou art pleased contented and pacified and hast receiued vs againe vnto saluation through the almightinesse and vnspeakablenesse of thy mercie c. Consider now here doeth our deare mother the holie Church ascribe vnto this bread all things which may be attributed vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God as to say That God is become mercifull to vs for the bread sake and hath pardoned vs our sinnes and that before the bread bee consecrated or in anie point transubstantiated or changed What maruell is it then that they doe make a God of it after the fiue wordes be spoken ouer it and yet make a Sacrament of it before it can be a Sacrament For as they can of a peece of breade make God himselfe and of nothing create something wherfore should not they likewise be able to make of no Sacrament a Sacrament and of a Sacrament no Sacrament That is to say that a simple peece of bread shoulde bee a holie token and seale of the bloud of Iesus Christ euen before it bee made holie and consecrated And then Econtra that the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ shall bee no more either a Sacrament or token but euen the verie bodie of Christ it selfe So that the holie Fathers must needes haue vnderstoode it so especially when they say that this Sacrament is but a token a seale and a pledge specialy before it is become a Sacrament For after that it is once a Sacrament then no remedie our deare mothers will is that it shall bee fleshe and bloud and not anie longer neither bread nor wine to signifie the fleshe and the bloud And therefore doeth she not make anie account of the exposition of Christ Iesus himselfe who after he had saide of the bread This is my bodie and afterward of the Chalice of Cuppe This is the new Testament in my bloud thereby declaring that those words This is my bodie must be so vnderstoode as if hee had saide This breade is the new promise in my bodie which shall bee broken for you For of that shoulde followe that the breade after the consecration and likewise after the speaking of the fiue wordes should still remaine breade and so bee but simplie a Sacrament and true token of the bodie of Iesus Christ as shewing vnto vs the promise of God made in the breaking of the bodie and shedding of the bloud of Christ Iesus our Sauiour as was saide of the Circumcision This is my couenant which I doe make with you to witte for that the Circumcision is a sure and holie promise a pledge and seale through which the promise of God is verie stronglie and substantiallie made vnto the faithfull No no I assure you that liketh the holie Church of Rome nothing at all She will lay fast holde vpon the first wordes of Christ and not seek after anie exposition or glosse how necessarie soeuer they bee And for that cause shall Paule go without anie Audiuit when he commeth in with his interpretation and saith That the bread which we do breake is the communion of the bodie of Christ. For thereby it should also seeme that it remaineth bread still after the consecration and that it is not the bodie it self but a remembrance of the bodie â–ª which thing the holie Church in no wise admitteth nor alloweth for life nor death But especiallie she will not accept nor like of the interpretation following wherein Paule proceeding doeth declare how and wherefore the bread is the communion of the bodie of Christ saying For al we which eate of one bread become one bodie Nowe truelie that
soundeth not well for we do not al becom one bodie in substance as the holie Church will haue the bread become the verie body of Christ in substance But then the similitude which after that he introduceth or bringeth in is to farre out of the way For hee saieth That those which feede of the altar are partakers of the altar and that those that offer vp to idols are partakers with the diuell And so making a comparison of the table of the Lord and the table of the diuell as though the Priestes could not eate vp that bodie of Christ otherwise than as idolaters eate vp the diuels and as though these wordes Eate that bodie of Christ did signifie nothing else but this through the power of the holie Ghost to be made one bodie ioyntlie with the bodie of Christ as the vngodly idolaters by power of the wicked spirite are vnited with the diuell That is to heynous an heresie and therefore wee may not stande vpon this similitude for it soundeth diâ—ectlie against our Transubstantiation But when you will haue a substantiall similitude you must search and seeke it out of Scotus and Thomas de Aquino or Panormitanus and such like For they bring in for this purpose a goodlie similitude of a Tauerne or common Inne where they sell wine For as there is commonlie a potte a garlande or Iuie bush hanged out betokening that to be a Tauerne and the Tauerne doeth signifie that there is wine plentie So likewise you see here the outward accidentes of bread to witte the roundnesse and the whitenesse which doe signifie that vnder the same is conteined the verie bodie of Christ which is to bee resembled to the Tauerne And this bodie of Christ doeth further signifie the holie Church of Rome which is made one with the bodie of Christ which they call Mysticum corpus Christi that is to say The spiritual or mystical bodie of Christ and this is that sweete wine which the Priestes drinke in that Inne or Tauerne And after this they doe likewise bring for a similitude the water which in Cana of Galilie was plainlie turned into wine which similitude doeth so wonderfull well serue for this purpose as to set a fift wheele in a wagon But it is pitie that the Priestes haue not other fiue wordes whereby they might do that too For then should the similitude serue their turne much better if that they might when they woulde conuerte and turne the water into good wine for that they might therewith the better scoure and refresh their drie throtes when they are become verie hoarse with singing of their seruice And it is verie true that they doe what they can for that purpose for on Saturday being Easter eeuen they praye vnto God that hee will also do so much as to turne their Beere saying O Lord holie Father almightie and eternal God which hast made both heauen and earth wherein the water is conteined I pray thee and instantly beseech thee in the name of Iesus Christ thy onlie begotten Sonne that thou of thy goodnesse wilt blesse and make holie this Beere as thou diddest blesse the dinner of Abraham and Isaak and as thou diddest blesse the sixe pottes in Cana of Galilie which were chaunged from water into good wine euen so change for thy seruantes sake which do beleeue in the Catholike faith this substance of Beere into pleasantnesse and mirth thorough the same c. But alas what can all this helpe when it will not so come to passe For they haue not this cunning and therefore they must needes haue bene deceiued and so drinke vp the bloud vppon rawe fleshe For men may say all what they will and Paule yea Christ him selfe may bring forth what interpretation they list but the holy church will stande to the first wordes This is my bodie and vpon that will she liue and die The texte is plaine ynough for her shee hath no neede either of glosse or interpretation And therefore vnto all the interpretations which these Heretikes bring in whether it be out of the Scriptures or out of the auncient Fathers wee will answere This is my bodie and sticke as sure to that as the Cuckoe to her song The v. Chapter Treating of the great stâ—ife and difference which is aâ—mongst the Romishe Doctours concerning the words of the Sacrament and yet all they agree and stande fast touching the Transubstantiation Herein are likewise set forth some textes of Scripture whereby Transubstantiation is established IT is verie true that our Catholike Doctours and subtile maisters of Diuinitie can not euen they them selues finde anie good resolution of these words neither can make them serue the turne well touching their Transubstantiation but that there doeth alway fall great difficultie and disorder therin The bookes sticke out in euery side like a spindle in a bagge in so much that they snarre and iarre amongst themselues in this matter like dogges cattes yea Quot capita tot sensus How many heads so manie opinions And yet notwithstaÌ„ding they all ioyntly crie together This is my bodie The text is cleare and needes no glosse yea they cleaue as close to Transubstantiation as claye to the cart wheele Although they can not tell which way to frame this plaine text For to begin withal they all flatly flie from that which was concluded in the foresaid Councell of Rome that is That the verie bodie of Christ shuld be Sensualiter that is to say Sensiblie and visiblie eaten and with the teeth chewed in morsels For to that they all affirme flatlie No and that it is a false lie notwithstanding it is set out in the Decrees verie substantially For say they the bodie of Christ can no more bee bitten eaten nor digested he can not now die nor suffer anie more nor bee broken in pieces he doth liue eternally Which is apparant by this token that yeerelie vpon Corpus Christi day our deare mother the holie church doeth in her vsuall Hymne or Sacramental Carroll sing these words folowing Sub diuersis speciebus Signis tantùm non rebus â–ª Latent res eximiae Caro cibus sanguis potus Manet homo Christus totus â–ª Sub vtraqué specie A sumente non concisus Non confractus nec diuisus â–ª Integer accipitur Sumit vnus sumunt mille Quantum isti tantum ille Nec sumptus absumitur c. That is to say Vnder signes most plaine to see Substance none which seeme to be Things lie hid most excellent The flesh is meate the bloud is wine â–ª A perfect Christ in either signe Remaineth of the Sacrament He is not dealt in morsels small Diuided cutte nor hurt at all But whole he is receiued A thousand taste a thousand eate And all alike feede of one meate He wastes not though digested Nowe see here thus do they deface their owne Councels and Decrees and make al the holie Fathers of the Councel of Rome liers After this
fashion and when they come to be full growen Bees then must they the thirde time bee salued againe with oyle and therewithall they come to a full naturall and most perfect kinde The locke of this Booke HErein I thought good to instruct thee good reader to the end thou mightest discerne the nature and propertie of these Bees from the other common honnie Bees and not to thinke that in all respectes they agree but differ in many But whosoeuer hath any vnderstanding will perfectly perceiue it of him selfe Therefore will wee not trouble thee any longer but make an end of this our Bee hiue Each reade consider specially ponder all the witnesses and allegations which are alledged herein as well out of the Scripture as other Bookes I trust he shall reape commoditie by it God the Lorde lighten all our hearts with his holy spirit and keepe vs from all errours through his euerlasting trueth wisdome and Sonne Iesus Christ to whom belongeth all praise honor and glorie with the Father in the vnitie of the holy Ghost Amen FINIS Afterwarde Bishop of Antwerpe Vinum 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 do 〈…〉 lie Vinum Co◠〈…〉 is to 〈…〉 good coloâ—â— smell and 〈◊〉 As well shee Saintes as hee Saintes They were called Geâ—ses 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 against the Papistes Lutheranâ—â— Huguenotes are Heretikes â–ª Church of God and Heretikes Ioh. 10.3 4 â— 14 25. Iohn 10 1â— Mat. 15.9 Ioh. 10.9 Iere. 7.4 Ephes. 2.20 Esai 59.21 Ephe. 4.15 16. Colo. 1.18 and 2.19 Iohn 15.6 which witnes is to this purpose set foorth of Iohn Audre as Panormitanus Hostiensis Bernardus Lutzenburgen in the 4. boke of the Heretikes in the 5. part and by other moe Catholike wrâ—ters Iohn Patriarch of CoÌ„stantinople Bonifacâ—us â— the first head of holy Church Phocas Popes accoâ—â—â—â— for Antichrists The Grekes against the Pope of Rome Iohannes the 23. pope The Grekes do answere pope Iohn This doth Iohn Man-deuil write of in his 7. booke Eâ—genius 4 Constantiâ—us Leo. Images forbidden despised The cause wherefore the Popes did diuide the Empire The Grekes and the Germanes did withstande the forbidding of priestes to marie â—il Boniface 8. did set it vp by force Berthramus Nota. Io. Scotus BereÌ„garius Huldricus Bishop of Auxburge Bernardus Iohannes Sarisburien Petrus Bloix Deuilish Griphines Petrus Valdo Petrus de Vinea Guilielmus de sancto Amore. Petrus Cass. Dulsimus Iohn VViclef Iohn Hus. Hieronym de Praga Nicholaus Clemangis Oldecastell VVight Paul Cravv Hieronym Sauanerolâ— Okam and Dante The Phariseis gloses The church is aboue the Scripture Deut. 4.1 12 32. Pro. 30.6 Apo. 22.18 This is thus set forth by Ioh. Eckiâ—s in his book called Enchiridium loco com Guilielmus Blindasinus The ten coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„ts falsified Look in the Catechisme or the suÌ„me of our beleeue printed at Antwerp by the commandement of the King of Spaine Item look in Thomas de Aquino vpoÌ„ the ten commandements and vpon al the catholike doctours euerie one of them All which haue cleane left out the seconde commandemeÌ„t â–ª in the lettting foorth of the ten commandements Mat. 26.27 Maâ— 14.23 Lu. 22.17 1. Cor. 11 2â— Marke touching this the Master of the Sentences in the 4. booke the 12. dist 4. ca. And vpon the Encherid of Eckius in the booke of Bernard of Luxen In the 12. part of the 4. booke of Heretikes and in al other Catholike writers who do specially treate of this matter This standeth in the third booke of the CouÌ„cels in the Councell of Constance in the 14. session 1. Cor. 7.9 and 2. 1. Timo. 3.4 A charge to the bishops Heb. 13.4 1. Tim. 3.4 This is set foorth in plain words in the Decrees of the Popes in the Chap. Proposuisti in the 82. dist and in the Chap. Decreminus the 22. dist and in the chap. Tene the 31. dist it is likewise in the book of the Sentences in the 17. dist â—n the 4 chap. In the 4. Epist. of Pope Cere in the first book of couÌ„cels fol. 422 col 2. and 423. This standeth euen thus word for word in the booke of Decrees in the chap. Sors noÌ„ est causa 26. quaest 2. Math. 5.32.19 7. Mar. 10.4 Luke 16.18 1. Cor. 7.10 Christning breakes matrimonie of the common laye people Deus dedit In the chap. Peruenit causa 31. quaest 1. Conc. Trib. the 6. chap. in the decrees in the cap. Impu in the ca. Si quis sacr caus 27. quaest 1. In the chap. Hac ratione cau 31. qu. â— Rom. 7.2.3 1. Cor. 7.9.28 1. Tim. 5.14 Strange languages in the Church 1. Cor. 14. the whole chapter thorough Eâ—lcius in his Encheiredion Figius in libro cont Hosius in a certeine boke which he set out of this matter onely a Deu. 4.2.5 32.12.4 8.13.32 Iere. 11.4.8 Esai 1 12.2â—.13 Mat. 15.9 Col. 2.20 21 22 23. Exod. 20.4 5.22 Deu. 12.8.9 Leuit. 26.1 Deut. 4. whole thorough Deut. 16â—22 Esai 40.41 42. whole through Iere. 10. Abacuk 2. Ps. 115. and in other innumerable places 1. Iohn 5.21 Leui. 19.26 Deâ—t 18.10 11. Con. Laodicen ca 30 Con. Cart. cap. 39. cap. Non oportet cap. Auguris caus 26 quaest 5. L. Vnica co de thesauris lib. 10 cap. illos 26. quaest 2. Coniuring This coniuratioÌ„ you shall find worde for word in the Masse booke More coniurations Nota. Senora Maria Osorio Christning and coniuring of Belles Bonifa 8. C. alma mater F. adijcimus de senten in sexto And Gregorie 9. Ea permittim in decreta 4 de Sententia excommunicat Peruse like wise Philippum Francum vpon the saide Cant. Alma mater F. adijcimus nu 4. other Canonists Caldar in tract de interdictis in par un â—7 Iohn Cald. Albert. de Rosat in dictionario supâ—r verbo Campane Processes for the knolling of Aue Maria. Christning of ensignes Iodocus Tiletanus not contented with the Gospel In his booke written agaynst the confessioÌ„ of the preachers of Antwerpe a This is also specified â–ª in â—ecisionibus rote in decisio 1. num 3. in nouis Anton. Maria in addit 1 decis rote nouas de Bigamis nuâ— â— is likewise defeÌ„ded by the Iurist Caâ—olo ruino in cons. 109. num 1 in the 5. booke and of SigismuÌ„dus Neapolitanus b Eckius in Encherid Locorum communiâ— in the chap. Ecclesia 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 1. Gal. 8.9 Cap soâ—s non est 26. quâ—st 2. Col. 2.2.3.4 5.6.7.8.9.10 and 20.21.22 The rules or 〈…〉 Dominiâ—ke 〈◊〉 Barnarde 1. Pet. 2.2 Iohn 14.29 Iohn 15.15 This is specially written in the 5. booke 〈◊〉 deâ—re in the Bul of Pope Nicholas 4. beginning exiit qui senec his 1. de verborum signis This standeth plainly in their Legends â–ª and in the booke made of the might of our Ladie Rosa Crans which Alanus did make by the inspiration of Marie the Egyptian or of Egypt To die in a gray friers habite Conformitiâ—ies Iesuits Egnatius Leguiola Garaffa This is specially writeÌ„ in the 5.