thynges are construed The callyng of the Apostles was equall one maner of function amongest them all the authoritie indifferent one selfe same holy Ghost poured vpon eche of them at one tyme the promises generall the reward proportionall The which though I doe knit vp briefly makyng hast foreward yet if any man will behold euery seuerall parcell and withall enter into a deépe consideration of the most pure and vndefiled Church of Christ and his Apostles as he shall perceaue an enterchaūgeable communion in that strickte societie of Apostleshyp so shall he soundly iudge of that Monarchie and superioritie in possessiōs in giftes and other functions and all other priuiledges of dignitie especially That they were vtterly renounced of Peter and of all that sacred Brotherhood These former positions therefore beyng now thus well fenced your cutted Apishe Sophisme is cut of by the rumpe wherewith you conclude so ridiculously If it be euidēt say you yea more apparaūt then the sunne in mid-day that Peter was aboue all the other Apostles in superioritie of degree then is it most manifest that the same honour and preheminence in dignitie is due to all them that suceede him in place O leaddagger Argumēt in which what shall I blame first If Peter you say were a Prince It is all one forsooth as if this our holy father had wynges perhaps he would flye like a Wildgoose But admit that Peter were placed in Pontisicalibus as you would haue it though it be quyte contrary as I haue already proued But we will graunt it vnto you for a tyme. What will you gayne hereby That the same dignitie is due to the Successours wherfore I pray you The priuiledge of the person is not extended beyond the person And therefore if the Maiestie of Peter were peculiar to Peter euen so it ended in him selfe But if you had no leysure to learne the Ciuill Law can not common reason teache you that whatsoeuer priuiledge is geuen to one person alone may not bee translated to his successours vnlesse it bee limited by name But if these two crooches deceaue you come of and learne of our Sauiour Iesu Christ him selfe what kinde of superiority that was wherof Christ made mentiō to Peter Blessed art thou Symon Bariona for fleshe and bloud haue not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Thou art Peter c. Which wordes doe playnly conuince that flesh and bloud were not partakers of this promise nor that any especiall choise was made of the person of Peter but of his fayth and confession onely For God doth not accept the person of any man In like maner neither flesh nor bloud may challenge any succession in this promise whether it be Iuly Boniface or any other But the fayth and confession of Peter is the true succession of Peter For if his succession were due vnto personages then should this dignitie be oftentymes committed to Sorcerors and heretiques but this is altogether repugnaunt to the sacred institution of our Sauiour Christ to builde his Churche vpon so stinkyng a puddle Therfore cast away this your patched conclusion lame and haltyng of euery legge For without all question Peter obteined no such interest in Principalitie or if he did it was but in his confession of fayth onely And therfore can no man clayme any other succession as lineally from him vnlesse perhaps you may cōmaunde God to loue an Italian Prelate because he is borne in Italic better then an English or Spanish Byshop or that ye will locke fast the holy Ghost to the Citie of Rome But the Spirite will blow where him listeth and the tyme commeth and is euen now already come that neither in this Mount nor in Ierusalem nor in any appointed place God shall be worshipped God is a spirite and his true worshippers shall worship him in spirite and truth But will ye come nearer home harken to your own Doctour Ierome whose iudgement I haue here noted worthy surely to he engrauen in letters of gold If authoritie bee enquired for the world is greater then a Citie whersoeuer a Byshop be either at Rome or at Eugubium or at Rhegium or at Constantinople or at Alexandria all be together equall of like merite and of like Priesthoode The power of riches or basenes of pouertie maketh not a Byshop higher or lower They all are the successours of the Apostles wheresoeuer they sit and of what estate so euer they be c. To the same effect writeth Cyprian in these wordes The same thyng verely were the Apostles that Peter was endued with like partakyng of honour and power But the begynnyng first entered by vnitie to the entent that the vnitie of the Church might be shewed to be one Is it euen so Cypriā is this thy verdite that all the Apostles were endued with like partakyng of honour and power But you my Lord affirme cleane contrary That Peter was appointed chief of all the Apostles and that this is more manifest then the Sunne in midday and that hereunto agree the Scriptures auncient fathers and that generall cōsent of antiquitie Truly you speake many wordes but no mā besides your fraternitie will beleue you not of any pleasure of gaynesaying but bycause you alledge nothyng that may enduce to yeld And bycause you seéme somewhat tymorous of the successe of your Diuinitie in this deépe principall cause of Monarchie you catch hold fast of a Sophistical target That in the church wiche is but one ought to be one chief Ruler vpon whom all men may depende by whose authoritie troubles may be appeased and outragious opinions may be suppressed c. There is in deéde but one Church generally as there is but one confession of Christian fayth yet this generalitie of the Church is distributed into many particular congregatiōs as all Nations haue their seuerall administrations of Iustice. Now therefore as euery dominion is deuided into seuerall distinctions of gouernement so to euery particular Church are ordeined seuerall Pastours and yet in the meane whiles finde no lacke at all of your new vpstart Monarchie whereof was neuer question moued in the golden age of the primitiue church But you Reply with pretie poppet reasons That contentious can not bee calmed nor outrages suppressed except some one be ordeined chief and head of the Church This fonde distinction the common course of humaine actions doth vtterly extinguish For euery seuerall Prince doth gouerne his common weale with wholesome distinct ordinaunces and yet make not so great aduauncement of this stately Monarchy as you do phantastically dreame But perhappes this is neédefull in matters of Religion why I pray you more then in temporall regiments The gouernement of Rome it selfe for the singularitie wherof you play the champion wil minister examples vnto vs of either part Augustus was an honorable Emperour Vespasian indifferent but Caius Caligula and Nero were horrible monsters who did not onely
through swiftenesse of opinioÌ„ doe affirme her to be such a Church as cann by no meanes goe astray and whatsoeuer this Church doth denouÌ„ce and commaunde the same they doe most greedely catche after with the whole bente of their fayth and defende it with tooth and nayle Out of this sincke were plumped at the first mens traditions and sundry preiudiciall opinions as certein vnreproueable determinations they call them Vnwritten Verities which by leysure they do coÌ„ferre with the Scriptures but in such sorte that whatsoeuer shall seeme to serue for their purpose they Canonize the same as inuiolable but if ought be founde contrary to their expectation then either they submitt it to the IudgemeÌ„t of the Church or with violent wrestyng do racke the same to colour their suggestions And hereof sprang all that Darnell and Cockell of errours and dissensions bycause many men did fashion their fayth after this frameshapen chaungelyng and not after the simple conduct of the word In which Church when they perceaued those and such other doctrines to be embraced as these to witte that the Romish See ought to be supreme Empresse ouer all other Churches that Purgatory must be beleeued That Pardons were necessary that vowes made to remayne vnmaried were meritorious That Mounckery and cowled profession hadd a certein wonderfull perfectioÌ„ That Images ought to be worshipped Sainctes prayed vnto and that the Grace and deseruynges of Iesu Christ could not of it selfe suffice to the attaynement of Saluation That no man could obteyne righteousnes through fayth without workes That Christ him selfe flesh bloud and bones was conteined and sacrificed in the Masse vnder bare accidentes That lay persons should be denied the vse of readyng the Scriptures participatyng the cuppe of the Lord. All these and many other like drugges though they neuer could finde in the liuely wellsprynges of holy Scriptures yet bycause they perceaue them to be shryned in the Decrees and Decretalles of Rome they doe constauntly beleeue that they must be of as autentique aucthoritie as if they were so many Oracles letteÌ„ downe from heauen Hereby cometh to passe that vnder the vysour of the Churche sondry deformed byshapes of doctrine are fostered vpp in the Church and vnder the pretence of Christ the true Gospell of Christ is in no small daunger to be vtterly defaced So that the lamentable complaynte vttered by Chrisostome could neuer so aptly be applyed as to this our Age Many doe walke sayth he vnder the name of Christians but very fewe in the trueth of Christ. But bycause we haue debated these matters with Osorius hereafter at large I will not deteigne your Royall Maiestie with any further Register thereof It remayneth that we make humble intercession to almightie God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that of his immeasurable mearcy and loue wherewith he disdayned not to disclose him selfe vnto mankynde by his Sonne he will vouchsafe to beautifie and establishe and with his mighty power and outstretched arme to defende and make permanent from all errours and bloudy bootchery the true light of his holy Gospell the bright beames whereof hath allready enlightened the earth We beseeche him likewise that by the Trompett and dewe administration of his Gospell the kyngdome of darkenesse may dayly more and more be subuerted and the Church and kyngdome of his Sonne Iesu Christ may be dispersed abroad ouer the face of all the earth and preached thorough our all Nations and tounges Lastly we pray that he will endue all Christian Kynges and Princes beyng sett in aucthority and especially the puissaunt and victorious Sebastian Kyng of Portingall with all Princely ornamentes to enriche him with all perfect and absolute clemency in vertue and true godlynesse and to enlighten him with the knowledge of his glorious countenaunce and establishe his throne to the settyng forth of his glory and aduauncement of his Church through the merites of the same our Lord Iesus Christ who graunt you in this world millions of his grace and in the world to come lyfe euerlastyng Amen ¶ Faultes escaped in them printyng with correction of the same Wherein note that the figures direct to the Foland and A. B. to the first and second Page FOl. 3. b. President Presidentes ibidem is verified which is verified 15. b. lyfe hereof lyke hereof 15. b. groundewordes groundeworkes 16. a. endyng enduyng 23. b. iugglyng ianglyng 4.2 a. you say lay you 43. b. can vvith can not with 46 b. slaunder slaunderer 56. b. in a by a. 61. a. knowen an vnknowen ibidem to the of the. 66. b. was no litle was litle 96. b. with which 97. a. pitie pictie .105 a. of him in him .106 b. ofter after 10â— b. that may that we may .111 b. excludeth excluded .112 a. in other in an other 114 b Sophistically a Sophisticall lye ibidem rather of the rather the .116 a. of a. for a .117 a. requireth required .118 a. geauen be geauen .122 b. they do they that do ibidem the sentence these sentences .130 b. not one no not one .135 b. obiect obiecteth .136 a. of Luthers owne workes he alledgeth Luthers owne wordes .136 b. deny denyeth .137 b. do to to do 137 b nature the nature .151 a. frameth frame .165 a. do thteach doth teach 177. a. iudged be iudged .190 a. deliuered be deliuered .195 a. to onely to the onely 208. a. eare are .231 a. is it not .237 b. may be not may not be .239 b. includeth included .258 b. finally which finally in which .259 a. not but wonder not wonder .266 a. agaynst agayne .275 a. is neither as neither .278 b. to the by the .280 a. to credite no no credite to .285 a. Minister Minster 286. a. fourth a fourth .292 a. yee he .293 b. circumuerted circumuented .300 b. agaynst agayne .303 b. passe to passe .305 a. successours predecessours .313 a. pardon pardoned .329 b. nevves nevv .336 a. same the same ibidem yea yee .357 b. Romeo Rome do .360 b. this these .373 b. dot do not .379 a. hundred hyndred .392 a. by be .426 b. proued prouided .430 a. our your .437 a. sword word .446 a. seduced enduced .446 b. I he it he .462 b. this these 504. b. herefore there hereof therefore To the godly Reader Walter Haddon sendeth greetyng in our Lord Iesu Christ A Few yeares past a certeine Portingall named Ierome Osorius wrate a tedious Epistle to the Queenes Maiestic In the which he imagined many monstruous errours to bee frequented in our church with reprochful rayling most vnreuerently depraued the professours of the Gospel This publicke quarell against my nature countrey troubled me not a litle To some particular pointes wherof I thought good to aunswere although not to all in generall Partly bycause I wated tyme thereunto partly bycause I supposed that Osorius was deluded by some malicious report of our aduersaries therefore I hoped the man would haue bene somewhat satisfied with myne aunswere There passed ouer one yearâ—
to this your poore sheépe a litle whiles to accept of his seély bleatyng There was lately in these parties a very discrete person named Charles Miltitius your holynes Secretary and Chāberlaine with a greéuous complaint to the most renowmed Prince Fridericke touchyng my vnreuerent behauiour and vnaduised rashnesse agaynst the Church of Rome and your holynes requiryng punishmēt for the same the hearyng wherof greéued me not a litle sorowyng that my great and inward carefulnes of duetie and good will employed for the aduauncement of the honour and dignitie of the Churche of Rome was accused for vnreuerent and condemned for so maruelous wicked namely in the audience of the very head of the same Church But what shall I doe most holy Father I am altogether voyde of counsell herein I am not able to endure the power of your wrath and how I shall escape it I know not He doth require me to make a recantation of my disputations whiche if might be done to any such purpose as is imagined would come to passe I would do it wtout any let But whereas now through the unportunate resistaūce exclamations of my aduersaries my disputations are scattered farther abroad then euer I thought they would haue bene and withall are more deépely rooted in the hartes of many men then can easily be pluckt vp agayne besides this also sithence our countrey of Germany doth wōderfully floorish at this day with pregnaunt wittes sounde Iudgementes and aboundaunce of learnyng I perceaue that if I doe honor the Church of Rome I must be throughly aduised to make no recantation at all For in this maner to recant were nothyng els but to contaminate and defile the Churche of Rome much more thē before and to betray her to the open reproche and manifest infamy of all Nations and toungues Those euen those O most holy Father whom I withstoode to witte those which with their most vnsauory preachynges vnder colour of your holynes haue made a Relligion of those detestable marketts and haue defiled the holy place with the shamefull and abhominable Idolatry of Egypt haue wrought all this mischief and outrage with vs in Germany as though this were not villany enough do accuse me who withstoode them in their monstruous beggyng to be the authour of all their misdemeanour before your holynes Now most holy Father I doe here protest before God and the world that I neither was willyng nor at this present am willyng to impeach the Maiestie of the Churche of Rome nor the authoritie of your holynesse by any meanes nor by any colourable practize to deface the same but doe freély and frankely confesse that the Iurisdiction of this Church is aboue all thyngs and that nothing in heauen aboue or in earth beneath is to be preferred aboue the power of this Church sauyng onely Iesus Christ my Lord and my Sauiour To the contrary wherof let not your holynes beleéue any vntrue surmises deuised agaynst your poore Luther And that one thing which I am able to do herein I do vowe here to your holines That is to say to surcease her after from dealing any more with this matter of pardōs will become altogether mute so that mine aduersaries likewise will lay down their glorious and reprochefull slaunders raysed agaynst me will publish an instrument of my scilence herein that the cōmon people may know and acknowledge the dignitie of the Church of Rome and yeald due reuerence to the same and not to impute the rashnes of this beggarly pardoners to that honorable Seé nor to imitate the sharpenes which I haue vsed or rather haue abused agaynst the Seé Apostolicke wherein I was somewhat ouerlauish agaynst these lewde Lurdeynes This will I doe in hope that this disorder rashly raysed may by Gods grace and this meanes be alayed agayne if it be possible For in all that doyng myne onely endeuour was that our mother Churche of Rome might not be infamed for other mens couetousnes and that the vnlettered people might not be carried into errour and perswaded to set lesse stoare by charitie then by those Pardons All other thynges as beyng but matters indifferent I do make not great accompt of If besides this I can do any thyng or can learne how otherwise to please your holynesse I will yeld my selfe vnfaynedly at your commaundement Christ preserue your holynes for euer Frō Aldenburghe the iij. of Marche 1519. Now I beseéch you Osorius what can be more myldly written then these Letters of Luther more beseémyng a godly and well disposed mynde or on all partes more duetyfull in respect of humanitie The which I thought it not amysse to set downe in this place that the shamelesse slaunder of Hosius might be made more apparaunt hereby who produceth Luther into the open Stage standyng agaynst the whole world entryng into that combate for none other cause but of a greédy desire to purchase credite to hauke after the glory of the worlde and to plye the paūche who as one pricked in the buttocke with a boddkynne whē he perceaued this market of Pardons to come in question amongest the Dominicke Friers by the motion of the brothers of his own fraternitie begā therfore to sturre these coales And this he iustifieth to be true by wordes vttered out of his owne mouth For whenas in the beginnyng of his disputation agaynst Eckius he seémed somewhat to passe the boūdes of modesty and was aduertized therof by some that in Gods cause he should moderate him selfe in the spirit of lenitie he affirmeth that he brake out into these speaches namely that those disputatiōs were neither begon for Gods sake nor could be ended for Gods sake Which wordes to be either falsely imagine vpon Luther by his aduersaries neuer spokē of him or els not vttered in that sense as they be alledged by Hosius the matter it selfe doth expresse the same with open euident proofes And yet it may be that Luther both spake truly Iudged no lesse of Eckius whom he knew to be a notable Parasite of the Pope For what is he that wayeng duely both the glorious insolency of Eckius the manifest perill of Luther will dought hereof that all these broyles were neuer vnder taken of Eckius for Gods sake but begun ended also onely for the Popes sake Surely they can in no respect be construed vpō Luther not by any probable coniecture so much considering he was by Eckius forced to disputatiō very much agaynst his will But we will speake of Hosius an other tyme by gods permissiō To returne now to Osorius For as much as Luther demeaned him selfe so humbly as you seé and prostrated him selfe wholy euen vnder the feéte of the Pope what would you haue had him doe els Osorius I suppose veryly he should haue done this namely haue recāted and fallen vpon his kneés as boyes are wont when they feare the rodd should haue yelded a fault
this condition that the Consuls should not be first admitted to beare rule before they should prostrate them selues at the popes feéte and sweare faythfully to become bonnaire and buxome to the Pope and the Church of Rome Blond 6. booke In the yeare 1182. albeit the first begynnyng and entring of Lucius 3. into the Popedome was somewhat cleare from sedition yet within a whiles after him selfe did minister cause of great Tumultes bycause he practized to roote out the honorable name of Consuls out of the Citie of Rome not much degenerating from Lucius was for his troublesome head called Turbulentus But bycause this place doth minister oportunitie to treate of sectes and schismes why do we protract any more tyme For if a sect be defined truly to be any opinion whatsoeuer oppugneth the naturall meanyng of the Gospell how great a champion of sectes may Pope Innocenâ—ius the 3. of that name be called I meane that Innocentius the most detestable enemy of the true Gospell aboue all other who in the yeare 1215. in the CouÌ„cell of Laterane sowed the feédes of all the broyles and troubles almost in the Church wherewith the whole Christian Nation is molested at this day Whenas first he established the heresie of Transubstantiation he yoaked Christians to auricular Confession commauÌ„ded that Remission of Sinnes should be receaued none otherwise but at the deliuerie of a Priest spoyled the lay people of the one part of the Sacrament was the first deuisor of this Tyrannicall persecution by fire namely of all such as durst but once quacke against that Catholicke Seé of Rome This is that Innocent Pope who was the very authour of all the bloudshed and calamities in the Church which hath doth consume the Protestaunts and Papistes at this day Not much vnlike vnto this monster were his next successors Honorius 3. Innocentius 4. Gregorius 9 most rebellious traytors agaynst the Emperour Fridericke the 2. in whose tyme the order of Friers Beggers was instituted Here also commeth to memory that in the tyme of this Pope Gregory 9. of whom I made mention before and through his occasion chiefly began the schismes and factions of the Guelfianes which mainteyned the authoritie of the Pope and the Gibellynes who sought the preseruation of the state Imperiall By whiche occasion how cruell and horrible warres were arered scarse calmed in an huÌ„dred yeares afterwardes the auncient Recordes and conference of Hystories whereof you vaunt a plentyfull knowledge can manifestly declare vnto you I come now to Celestine 5. which was Byshop but halfe a yeare in the yeare 1294. whom after the first moneth of his Popedome succeéded or rather rusht lyke a ruffler into that Seé Boniface 8. who kept this Celestine in prison Platin. AEmil But by what pollicie this Pope aspired to the Popedome I would desire Osorius to tell me in his next Letters if he write any after to our Queénes Maiestie For if this Boniface did cast that Celestine into prison as he sayd not of any malice but of purpose to take away occasioÌ„ of mutine that might haue groweÌ„ by the confederates on the contrary parte touchyng the Popedome why did he not restoare him agayne then when the tumultes were pacified why did he craftely deuise his exile by a deuilish practise of the souÌ„de of certeine voyces imagined to be sent from heauen into the Chamber of the Pope Marius This Pope Boniface the botcher of the Decretalls was so maliciously enflamed against certeine Cardinalles of the houses of ColuÌ„ne Vrsine as many as remained fautors of the Gibelline factioÌ„ beyng him selfe the most factious of all others that he put to the sacke and razed to the hard earth all their mansions and Castells wheresoeuer he came This is that most holy and Angelicke Patriarch who beyng at Genua vpon an Ashewednesday threwe Ashes into the eyes of Porcherus Archbyshop of Genua without regard of reuerence either of the place of the tyme or the persons that were present speakyng after this maner Memento home quod Gibellinus es cum Sibillinis in Cinerem reuerteris That is to say Remember maÌ„ that thou art a Gibellyne and with the Sibyllines shalt returne agayne into dust At the length in the most cruell Itallian warres betwixt the Sicilians fauoryng the partes of the Arragones and Robert the Duke of Calabria whenas this pope would not seéke by his authoritie to pacifie the Timult though thereunto required sundry tymes very instantly beyng not loÌ„g after taken prisoner him selfe in an vproare and carried to Rome did pyne him selfe to death for sorrow and anguish of mynde What shall I speake of Innocentius 6. and of Gregory 11. whereof the one in the yeare 1352. did after an vnspeakeable maner of cruelty commit to flamyng fier one Iohn a Frier FraÌ„ciscane bycause he taught what would become of Antichrist and of the popes of Rome From the other diuers Cities of Italy reuolted in a seditions tumult as Volaterane recordeth what shall I say of all that other factious rable of popes succeeding in order who by meanes of certayne ciuill disturbances in the Citie of Rome forsooke the Citie and translated the Seé into Fraunce continued the Election of popes in the French Nation excludyng the Romaines 74. yeares After this maner the Court of Rome playeng as it were vpon a rollyng Stage albeit it chaunged their Seé now and then yet neuer founde any place of assured rest For it was scarse as yet returned agayne within the walles of Rome from her long and werysome exile but it was wellcomed home immediately with a new Tumult For in the yeare 1378. whenas Vrbanus 6. was by force enthronized in the Popedome by meanes of the Italians the French Cardinalles mislikyng the same did chuse an other one Robert Gilbonensis to witte Clement 7. which held his Seé likewise at Auinion The vnitie of the Romishe Seé by this meanes rent a sunder in that diuision and Schisme eche Pope did excoÌ„municate the other the variable people fauored both the popes This schisme coÌ„tinued by the space of 40. yeares Vrbanâ— to be aueÌ„ged of the Cardinalles the wronges susteined by the procuremeÌ„t of Iohn kyng of Sycile procureth woÌ„derfull vproares Charles kyng of HuÌ„gary raysed an army agaynst Ioane who fauored the clayme of Clement whom afterwardes Ludowicke duke of Angew deliuered The same pope furnished one Iohn Hachut an English man with munition men whoÌ„ Vrbanus the v. had made Generall of his Army before sent him with a bande of FloreÌ„tines to Naples agaynst the sayd Ioane of whom we made mention before and withall sounded the defiaunce agaynst Charles the Kyng of Naples bycause he would not make his nephew Prince of Campania At the length this Pope beyng straightly besieged by this Charles was priuely conueyed to Genua He kept 7. Cardinalles in fetters whereof fiue he drowned in the Riuer of Tiber beyng tumbled and knitte vp into sackes He ruled the
gloryous name coūterfaytyng the hornes of the immaculate Lambe doth vnder the person of Chrystes Uycar on earth attempt nothyng els in very deéde but that he may be the chiefe Monarch of the whole world and that all others Princes and Potentates of the earth may become buxam and bonnair vnto hys beck and commaundement For may it be lawfull Osorius for a man to speake the trueth franckely and in playne wordes to call a Toad a Toad Let that vysor of presumptuous pretence be pluckt from your pates and but a litle whyles turne downe that tytle and cloake of the Church wherewith you couer your selues and lette vs behold the thyng as it is in deéd to wytte the whole course of your conuersation your treasury myghty Maiesty gallant trayne pryncely pallaces stately dignyty pompous pryde terryble Lawes your lofty Castles presumptuous power what difference shal we seé betwixt the hyghest gouernemēt of an Empyre and the supremacy of the Pope betwixt the courtes of Kinges and the Reuelyng Rout of Rome betwixt Princes parliamēts and the Popes generall councels Now if you lyst to take a view of the gallaunts themselues what is the Pope himselfe other thē the Monarch and chiefe Ruler of thys world sauyng that other worldly Prynces be crowned wyth one single Dyademe onely but thys Ruffeler can skarse be satisfied wyth a Tryple Crowne Cardynalles what do they represent els then kynges and kynges Sonnes what do the Patryarches Archbyshoppes Byshopps and Abbottes in that pontificall kyndome shew themselues other then earthly prynces Dukes Earles equall or rather exceédyng them in sumptuousnesse wayted vpon wyth stately trayne wheresoeuer they goe and Ryde and many of them also Rynged and Chayned to whom a man may lawfully lyncke the Lubberly Rowt of monstruous Mounckes and false Fryers in stead of a gard Finally what one thing is done in any common wealth or pryncely courtes that these iolly Rufflers haue not conueyed into the Church of Christ by ambytious emulation Kynges and Emperours enduced hereunto for necessary preseruation of theyr state doe ioyne vnto them counsellors and Piers Those haue theyr Ambassadours and Messengers they haue also theyr pryuy ligiers and skowtes what doth the Pope want his consistory hath not this most holy father his Synodaryes doth he lack his legates nati legates de latere who wheresoeuer they be sent vse no lesse pompe thē any other Piere or potētate of highest nobility yea though he be neuer so sumptuous No more is he destitute of his skowtes and spyes whom he hath priuelye lurkyng euery where armed with treason at a pynche in princes courtes in theyr councels yea in the closettes pryuy chambers of Kynges and Queénes Do ye not thinke that thys is a comely concordaunce Osorius and a reasonable resemblaunce of Chrystes lyfe and commaundementes agreéable with the Apostles and Euangelists with the auncient Fathers with the ordinaunces of the primitiue Church and with the former presidēt of the Elders The Lord cryeth out in the Gospell As my lyuing Father sent me euē so do I send you What and do you thinke that he was so sent into the world that he should establish a new Regyment on earth and like an other Romulus builde an other stately and Emperiall Rome Or do ye thinke that the ministers of Chryst were sent after any other sort then the Sonne himselfe was sent from the Father Christ proceédeth yet foreward Receaue ye the holye Ghost sayth he whosoeuer Sinnes you shall forgeue the same are forgeuen them whosoeuer Sinnes you shall retayne the same also shal be retayned Other power then this he neuer did entitle his Church withall nor yet gaue this power to any but vnto them onely whom he purposed to endue with his holy spirite If we will value the Church of Christ by Christ his owne Lawes and not after the decreés of Popes what can be more euident then the wordes which he spake vnto his Disciples Ye know that such as will seeme to rule ouer Nations are Lordes ouer them theyr Princes haue dominion ouer them But it shall not be so with you for he that will be greatest shall humble himselfe minister to all the rest For the Sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister to other himselfe and to geue his lyfe to be a redemption for many Agayne Who made me iudge betwixt you we are taught like wise in Paule that the weapons of our warrefare are not carnall but mighty in the power of God wherewith we captiuate all vnderstanding and wisedome in subiection vnto Christ. And agayne Let euery man so esteeme of vs as the ministers of Christ and Stewardes of the misteryes of God And the same Paule in an other place Not because we be Lordes ouer your faith but we be helpers of your ioy For by fayth you are made perfect In the same sence also Peter Not being Lordes ouer the Clergy sayth he And agayne in the thyrd chapter of the same Epistle meaning to expresse the efficacy of the Gospell he doth call it a ministery not of the flesh but of the spirite And therefore to the end he may make vs more spirituall he doth wisely forbidde not the ministers onely but generally all other to be alike fashioned to this present word what would he now say If he did beholde the shape and vgly deformity of the Romish Church as it is now if heé aduised well the Royaltyes of S. Peter the fulnes of power the authority of both swordes the Keyes of all Churches stollen away and hanged all vpon the Romish bunch the toppe gallaūt of the pontificall maiesty the Cardinalles the Legates preuayling aboue Prynces the empalled and Mytred Byshoppes the orders of Shauelings the swarmes of Mounckes and Fryers the Lawes Bulles decreés which they vse as forcible as Cānon shotte theyr might and power fearefull yea terrible also to Princes The Lord hymselfe cryeth out mightely in the Gospell that his kingdome is not of this world nor canne away with the thinges that are mighty of the earth But our pontificall prelate will storme and waxe wroth if the world enioy any thyng that is not subiect vnto his power And this Ierarchy meane whiles more then wordly they fayne and God will to be the Church at whose becke as at the sight of Gorgones vgly face they make astonyed all the Monarches and Tetrarches of the earth And the same haue they magnified with the name of Catholicke forsooth By vertue of which name they will haue to be notyfied not a congregation dispersed vpon the face of the whole earth agreéing together in one conformity of doctryne and worshypping of Christ whyche doth make a true Catholicke Church But they meane hereby that onely Ierarchy which they will haue tyed fast to the Romyshe Seé And hereunto for the greater aduauncement of the authority they haue deuised a trymme tytle of Antiquity
entred into any order Ecclesiasticall foreswearing to be coupled in wedlock should sweare them selues to obserue perpetuall vow of vnmaried lyfe If any man be of opiniō that this Tyrāny was brought in by the Apostles and not rather directly agaynst the ordinaūce of the Apostolicke Church is much deceaued in imagination whereas that law was neuer begon nor euer heard of before the tyme of Hildebrand And although I can not deny that there were many vnmaried Ministers many dayes agoe in the Church of Christ at that tyme when as there was not such a huge multitude of Priestes and more plentyfull giftes of chastitie possessed Christian Churches yet did neuer any man read or heare that this necessitie of vowyng chastitie became a publique cōmon coaction before Hildebrād was borne How earnestly the Germaines did set them selues agaynst this wicked prohibition decreéd by Pope Gregory the 7. at what tyme the Archbyshop of Mentz Sollicitour of this Popish decreé was almost slayne let the Histories beare witnesse As touchyng what was done in England I will note somewhat my selfe For on this wise writeth Henry Huntyngton in his Chronicle Anselme sayth he did prohibite Mariadge of Priestes in England which was neuer prohibited before Which seemed to some a matter of wonderfull continēcie but to other very pernitious and perillous least whiles they should couet for a cleannes that surmounted their power they might rushe healong into horrible filthynes to the great reproche and dishonour of Christian name This much he with whom also accordeth the testimony of Monumetensis touchyng the same matter Herbert Byshop of Norwiche sayth he by the commaundement of Anselme and a Decree of a Prouinciall Synode did endeuour by all meanes possible to sequester the Priestes from their Wiues in his Diocese And when he could not bring it to passe he was constrained to send to Anselme for Counsell This is to be founde in a written History pag. 240. The same also happened to Gerrarde Archb. of Yorke about the same tyme. Now what will Osorius say to this If I shall be able to shew him out of our own auncient Recordes more then 40. Recordes and Rolles which doe make mention not onely of our Priestes companying together with their Wiues but also that do by publique authoritie and law of the land prouide that their Wiues ought to be endowed in landes and possessions There was an old Decreé in the Councell of Gangren That no man should make any difference betwixt an vnmaried Priest a maried Priest as to Iudge the one more holy then the other in respect of his vnmaried lyfe I will annexe the wordes of the Coūcell If any man doe take exception betwixt a Maried Priest at that in respect of his Mariadge he ought not to minister the Communion and so sequester him selfe from Communicating with him let him be accursed There ensued after this the Councell of Areletens the 2. wherein was a contrary Decreé made that no person should be admitted to Priesthood that was Married to a Wife vnlesse he vowed to depart from his Wife c. Whereunto also agreéd a Decreé of Pope Lucius long after the other Whereby Priestes and Deacons and such as serued the Altares should lyue continently And this hetherto tollerable enough But what kynde of cōtinency he did meane let vs marke by the sequele But if it happen sayth he that a Minister doe go to bedd to his Wife after he haue once receaued orders let him not enter within the Chaūcell nor be made bearer of the Sacrament nor yet come a neare the Altar c. As touchyng Images Inuocation Sacrifies for Sinnes and Freéwil hath bene spoken sufficiently before And what shall I adde more of the rest of the rascall rable to witte of Purgatory of Satisfactory Constitutions of vowes of other lyke peltyng pelfe of the newfangled Romish Traditions and of the antiquitie of all the rest but euen as they be in deéde namely that in them all appeareth no countenaunce of true Antiquitie but are deuises altogether of mens inuētions bastardes and misbegotten chaungelyngs of Scholeianglers and cowled crauens not grounded vpon any authoritie of the Scripture altogether vnknowen vnto the aūcient primitiue Church the most part wherof hath bene hatcht thrust abroad into the world within these 500. yeares within which compasse of tyme that noumber of yeares began to be fulfilled which was long before Prophecied of for the lettyng louse of Sathan into the world whose libertie out of that bottomles gulfe of hell was foretold by the Propheticall Scriptures should be after a thousand yeares to the end he might now preuaile to deceaue the people dwelling vpon the foure corners of the earth Gog and Magog c. By meane of which pestiferous deceauing it is scarse credible to be spoken what mōstruous ruine dissipation of Empires and Kyngdomes with in these 500. yeares what an alteration hath ensued in that church chiefly how much of Christian force hath bene decayed through Ciuill warres priuate grudgynges how greatly the power of foreine Nations hath increased to our destruction and vndoyng And how in the meane tyme whiles the Turke doth inuade the Christian Church without seékyng with foreine force to vndermine it The Popish Prelates be no lesse busily bent to builde vppe their fortresse of furious Tyranny euen within the bowels of the same Church and to fill vppe their Coffers with Treasures they moyle and turmoyle all thynges Procure warres and bloudshed for the establishment of their primacy sturre vppe Ciuill warres and commotions turne all thynges vpsidowne Wherupō commeth to passe that doctrine is nought sett by by how much their treasory aboundeth in ouer flowing-plenty by so much to speake with Ierome their vertues are pyned away with famine skarsity Idolatry ambitiō superstitiō haue growne to an vnmeasurable excesse all things are defiled with abuse Religiō ruleth the roast with violence cruelty Finally all things are come to nought Trueth is turned to playne lying and treachery The place of sincere fayth possesseth false hipocrisie Praying for the dead kneéling and crowching to Images supplyeth the place of the true and pure worshipping of God The word of the Lord is troden downe with mans authoritye The most godly and auncient ordinaunces are transformed into new fangled traditiōs the simple meaning of the Scriptures is entāgled with scholetrickes and Sophystrye Luste and vnbrideled licentious outrages preuayle aboue godly conuersation and seueritye of discipline Presūptuous pride and greédy desire of Lordlynes and superioritye doe wrestle agaynst lowlynes and humilitye huge heapes of new Noueltyes increase dayly errors and falshode flocke abroad vnmeasurably Finally the whole state of the auncient Church is become a very stage of an earthly Monarchye and a filthy forgeshoppe of foolishe fond ceremonies But now assoone as the Lord of his louing mercy good pleasure towardes vs vouchsafed to amend this dayly drowsy darkenes with
souereigne with shauelyngs and infinite skulles of fectes fortified with those Canons Decreés Decretalles and Rescriptes pampered vppe with Pardons exalted with Idolatry sumptuous in superstition entangled with so many snares and Articles embrued in so bloudy a bootchery of Saintes that might easily fill vp a thousand Toonnesfull of Babilonicall horrour and crueltie aduaunced with so many more then Pharisaicall Traditions and peltyng Ceremonies which would easily ouerlade a monstruous Carricke glitteryng in gold precious stones and pearle enriched with large and great possessions patrimonies beautified with purple and scarlet finally so blazing in brauery with the Royalties of S. Peter If S. Peter if Paule the Apostle if the holy Fathers and auÌ„cient Doctours of that pure primitiue Church had seéne these glorious gawdyes which we seé veryly I doe beleéue they would so litle acknowledge this Church for Catholicke that they would euen from the bottome of their hartes vtterly abhorre it and would scarsely acknowledge it by the name of a Christian Church And thus much to your Maior Now I do aunswere to your Minor wherein you haue committed a great eskape in the word which the Logitians do terme aequiuocum or ignoratio Elenchi For this word Romayne Church is in the Maior taken after one sort in the Minor after an other sort In the Maior it noteth such a Church as did retayne the true worshippyng of God and sincerity of Religion as into the which were no poysoned infections of sinister Doctrine no filth of false opinyons crept But in the Minor thys word Church is of a farre contrary condition and quality as the which doth carry no resemblaunce at all of that auntient and primitiue Church besides a bare name onely and a certayne whorysh dissembling counterfayt of outward Succession In all thynges els which do make a true vnspotted and vndefiled Church it beareth so no countenaunce at all as that it seémeth rather vnder the name and Tytle of the Church to be at defiaunce with the Church rather and vnder the name of a ChristiaÌ„ souldior to fight agaynst Christ her captain trayterously to betraye him to Antichryst For if Christ be the verity it selfe surely counterfayt verity as Origen sayth is very Antichrist And therfore if they will iustify theyr consent and Antiquity by good argument Let them yelde vs such a Church of Rome as the auncient Fathers did honourably esteéme of and then shall it not want our agreéable and mutuall assent and allowaunce And let them make vs a playne demonstration of those ornaments which are worthely ascribed to a true Christian Church and we will confesse it to be a true Church Where the Church is sayeth Irene there is the holy Ghost and where the Spirite of God is there is also the Church and all grace But the Spyryte is the verity therefore verity is the life of the Church without the which the Church is blinde and euen dead being aliue and deserueth not so much as the name of a Church no more then the portraiâ—t or counterfayt of a man doth deserue to be called a maÌ„ properly whereupon the Church is with the Apostle very fittely called a sure piâ—ler and a foundation not of mans authority but of Gods verity And by the testimony of Lactantius that Church is called the onely Catholicke Church wherein God is worshipped aright which Church if the ofspring of the auncient Romanistes did now professe as truely and in the same forme as the Catholicke Fathers did extoll prayse it with such great commendation there would be no controuersy at all On the other side if they haue determined with theÌ„selues neither to admit the trueth within theyr Citie themselues nor to tollerate the same to beé preached being brought in by others let them accuse themselues not the Lutherans who had rather patiently endure coÌ„tinuall enmity and hatred of them then to become open aduersaries of the truth Moreouer lette them also cease hereafter to pray in ayd of antiquity number of voyces for defence of their church forasmuch as they can alleadge no true report of the one and the other can helpe them nothing at all For if it may be lawfull for vs renouncing the verity to mayntayne one cause by vouching antiquity and number of nations namely in those thynges which appertayne properly to Christ and his Church then let vs not spare to argue after the same forme of Logick The Religion of Mahumette hath bene of as long a continuaunce of tyme and yeares as the Church of the Pope Ergo Mahumettes Religion is of as great authority as the Popes And agayne The greatest part of Priestes haue long sithence bene ouer gredily couetous Ergo They that doe inueigh agaynst theyr greedy Auarice most be accounted Cosen Germaynes to the valdenses heresy Agayne The greater part of the people did cry out Crucifige and stoaned Stephen to death And the most part of meÌ„ do at this day follow their owne sensuality and lust Ergo Let vs all ioyne together in sensuality and lust If on this wise we shall thinke to measure the truth and sincerity of Religion by the standard of Antiquity and number of yeares what shall we winne by this argument when we doe heare that many are called but few are chosen when as fooles also be in number infinite when as from the highest to the lowest all are become couetous when as euen from the Prophette to the Priestes all worke deceit What shall we win I say by this argument but that the part of Sathan which is more in number shall be of greater force and seéme to tryumph agaynst the Lord But to lette passe the Romysh Church I returne to our own Church In the which Osorius hauing alleadged nothing hetherto nor being by any meanes able to alleadge any matter truely that may seéme either new or straunge in our doctrine or that doth in any respect swarue from the institution and discipline of the Apostles he runneth away from the question that concerneth the sincerity of Religion and doctrine and commeth to this point to catch some occasion of outward life and maners of men whereby he may reproch vs subtlely enough I warrant you imitating herein the old crafty Rhetoricall Foxes who feéling themselues altogether vnable to prosecute the cause which is specially in hand with effect do wring the state of the Question an other way or enforce the whole bent of theyr accusation agaynst theyr aduersary with some contrary cauillation turning Catte in the Panne that so being not otherwise able to compas theyr cause it selfe they may yet at least entangle theyr Aduersary with some perill and daunger Not much vnlike hereunto happeneth now to Osorius in this kinde of controuersy who being not able to mayntayne the cause of his guilty Church with any iustifiable argumentes bendeth himselfe wholly to defame our Churches with falsehoodes and vntruethes And on this wise at length addresseth his
to witte That the Church is a multitude of people such as is bounde to obey the Pope of Rome seuered from other Nations by certeine Ceremonies which the Popes haue ordeyned fast tyed to the ordinary cōtinued course of Succession of Byshops and to that onely interpretation of Scriptures which the Byshops and Councels doe deliuer And this is the true proportion and full Definitiō of your Church if I be not deceaued But this Definitiō the learned in Logicke will deny to be good sounde where the thyng defined is not of all partes equiualēt with the Definitiō Which rule is not obserued here For to admitte this vnto you that in the true Church of Christ must be Popes Byshops who must be obeyed who also must haue an ordinary outward succession and who may challenge vnto them selues a speciall prerogatiue in the interpretation of the holy Scripture yet is not this by and by true that all Popes Byshops which are entituled by the name of Popes and Byshops which do pretende a continuall succession which do carry the countenaunce of consentes which do challenge a right in the interpretatiō of Scriptures are the true sheapherds of the Lordes flocke And why so forsooth bycause that thyng wāteth which makyng specially for the purpose you haue specially left out namely the truth of sounde doctrine which may be able to treade downe and crushe in peéces errour and hypocrisie That is to say That Byshops do truly and vnfaynedly become the same in the sight of God which in vtter shew they would fayne seéme in the sight of men Agayne that Succession be not of persons onely but a speciall Succession of Fayth vertuous lyfe that the obedience of the people may not proceéde so much of feare of punishment as of harty affection and willyngnesse of mynde that the interpretation of scriptures be not wrested to the maintenaunce of errour and mens sensualitie but be directed and aunswerable to the meanyng of the holy Ghost and the true naturall sense of the Scripture For these be the true markes Osor. whereby a true Church is discernable from a false not the title and name of a Church not the authoritie and Succession of Byshops not the opinion of a multitude besides the truth of Gods word But the very Rule of the word must be kept which will so describe vnto vs a true Church by true markes tokēs boundes and foundations That it be a Congregation dispersed abroad euery where ouer the face of the whole earth vnited agreéyng together in soūd◠doctrine of Fayth and the true worshyppyng of God which beyng sanctified by the holy Ghost and admitted by partaking the Sacramentes do truly beleéue in God through the Sonne of God Iesu Christ accordyng to the doctrine of the Gospell although some be enlightened with more spiritual graces gifts and some with lesse By this standard and Rule let vs measure now the Argumentes of Osorius Luther and Melancthon are fallen away from the Pope of Rome and his Cardinalles Ergo Luther and Melancthon haue rent in sunder the vnitie of the Church The onely Church of Rome hath an ordinary succession from Peter Ergo The onely Church of Rome is the true Church The great part of Christendome doth acknowledge the Church of Rome Ergo The Churche of Rome is the Mother Churche and Queene of all Churches The Churche of God hath a promise that it shall neuer erre Ergo He that doth interprete the Scriptures otherwise then after the meaning of the Church of Rome or that doth not acknowledge him selfe obedient to the Romish Decrees in all thynges is an heretique and doth sequester him selfe from the boundes and communiō of the Church To this aunswere shal be made briefly and logically These be meére fallacyes and deceites of the Equiuocation deriued from a false description of the Church and the succession thereof and from false markes For as touching the names and Tytles as touching the long pedigreés of neuer interrupted course of Succession as touching the consent of the multitude and the promises made by God if the other tagges were tyed to these poyntes and made suteable namely sound doctrine true godlynesse surely it would seéme somewhat to the purpose that Osorius mayntayneth But now whatsoeuer they bragge and vaunt of tytles and other reliques without the especiall coupling and cōioyning of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine is altogether nought els but smoake and winde nothing auayleable to establish the true vnity of the Church First as concerning the name of the Church we do heare Christ himselfe speaking Many shall come in my name Touching Successiō we heare out of Ierome Not they that sitte in the places of Sainctes c. Touching the multitude Augustine doth teach vs. That the consentes of voyces must be weyed and measured not numbred Touching Gods promise made for perseuerance in the trueth harken what Iohn Baptist speaketh Do not say we haue Abrahā to our Father For God is of power to rayse vppe sonnes to Abraham out of these stoanes If Osorius will argue after this maner why should not these arguments be of as great force The high Priest of the old law in the Iewish Regiment did beare the face and name of the Church with full allowaunce and cōmon consent of all the multitude yea euen in the tyme of Esay Ieremy Amos Elias and Christ. The same also did conuey theyr Succession from the priesthood of Aaron And did vouch also theyr authority seat lawe and the promise agaynst Ieremy agaynst the Prophettes and agaynst Christ. The Law say they shall not perish from the Priestes Ergo Those high priestes did enioy a true Church nor coulde possibly erre at any tyme. But if Osorius shall thinke with him selfe that these Argumentes were not forcible enough in the olde Church why should they be more effectuall in the new Churche In the olde lawe it was lawfull to examine the very prophettes themselues if they spake the word of the Lord yea certayne infallible tokens were set downe whereby they might be discerned In like maner euen in the new testament we are commaunded to proue the Spirites if obey be of God being forewarned by the spirite of God that we beleue not euery spirite And what kinde of people then be these Popes and Cardinals of Rome which of a more then Imperious Lordlynesse doe commaund and require all men to receaue and reuerence their Satutes Ordinaunces Ceremonies opinions and all theyr wordes and deédes ingenerall without exception and contradictiō vpon greéuous paynes and Penalties that shall ensue agaynst him whosoeuer dare presume to make a question of the right of their authoritye or to make any doubt of any theyr deuises and imaginations And so geuing the slippe to all those he commeth downe againe to our Church with a maruailous blaff of windy words but with no reason at all imagining to proue
from all the rest should be annexed to the Seé of Rome onely nor should from thenceforth be attempted by any other inferiour Byshops or gouernours of Churches vnlesse speciall graunt therof were obteined and had from the Maiestie and fullnesse of the Seé Apostolique first And these thynges for the more part began to be done in the same yeare of our Lord wherein Innocent the 3. did procure that this Councell at Laterane and inuested that Seé first with that notorious prerogatiue of that fullnesse of power Which fullnes beyng now planted and established by Innocent 3. not long after Succeéded in that place Innocent 4. and after him agayne Boniface the 8. in the yeare 1300. Who groundyng him selfe vpon this fullnes as him selfe confessed was the first that did institute the yeare of Iubilee emongest Christiās which should be euery hundreth yeare Wherein he graunteth Pardon not onely full and more full as aforesayd but the most fullest Pardon of all Sinnes But to whom was this largesse proclaimed at length to them forsooth who should come and visite the most honorable mother Churche of the Prince of the Apostles Peter And why I pray you was it not in force to them that tarryed at home sith the Popes were so enriched with such an ouerflowyng plenty of Indulgences and that so great a iourney could not be ouerrunne of all persons ingenerall without vnmeasurable charge toylesome labour and present perill of lyfe why then did he not powre out from out of that infinite heape of aboundaunce to all men gratis which he receaued gratis But the Porches and gates of the holy Apostles sayth he must be visited Go to and what then afterwardes when men were come once within the walles of the Citie was there no charge of money might men feade freély at the Popes table must the Apostles be saluted with bare Pater noster without peny There must a Bull be desired at the length I suppose or some scrow of Release from the Popes Scriuanoes What must there be no pence here for parchement for waxe for yncke bestowed vpon these Romish Rauenours No for all offices in Rome are frequented gratis for sooth What remaineth I will conclude Osorius After that a man is come once to these holy Pardons by infinite and great charges through so many daūgers labours watchynges fastynges cōfessions penaūces bribes rewardes Finally when as nothyng almost is attayned in all that your Church without some present pay or speciall couenaunt with what face or with what credite doe ye thinke to persuade vs that there were neuer any markettes and portesales of Pardōs procured in your Churches which this holy mother Churche did not prohibite and abhorre with all their harts worse then pestilent botches Now say you to this whereas Clement the 6. which abridge the Iubilee from the hūdreth yeare to the fiftyth in the yeare 1348. Whereas Gregory the 11. reduced the Iubilee to the 33. yeare Moreouer whereas Paule 2. and Sixtus the 4. not contented with these boundes streighted the Iubilee to the 25. yeare in the yeare 1475. what thinke you was the cause hereof Osorius except it were that holy hunger of gold where the belly of that holy mother thinketh euery mynute her throat cutt wtout present foode After these Succeéded Alexander 6. in the yeare 1500. Who scattered his Iubilees into farre Coūtreyes farre of from the Church of Rome That is to say wheresoeuer any money would be geuen there were plenary Pardons graūted as witnesseth Polidor Virgil. To speake nothyng in the meane space of Leo the 10. who deuising vpon a like shift of descant to make sweépestake for money nor beyng able to abyde the full end of the Iubilee with a new slipper deuise gaue for present pence the same grace in all respectes as effectuall before the end of the yeare of Iubilee as was accustomed to be graunted to pilgrimes that wonted to visite the Church of S. Peter at Rome and for this purpose sent his Proctours through all Nations erectyng vppe coffers in euery Churche openly as it were bowthes for their Receipt which was done in the yeare 1515. And yet Osorius doth deny that euer any such sales and markettes were made of such marchaundise of the Romaine Church either knowen to the Pope or allowed by him Now I would desire thee gentle Reader to think vpon this with me Whereas in disposing these Pardons the Popes vse not a like proportiō towards all persōs wherof to some graūts are more large to some more cutted and short whereas to some persons full Remission is geuen to some euerlastyng and to others a third endeale of their Sinnes forgeuē to some xij thousand yeares to others viij thousād yeares to many vij yeares or xij yeares are released out of Purgatory vpon what grew this inequabilitie and parcialitie of dispensation if there were no stakes layed downe for the game whereby it came to passe that the best purse escaped the greatest curse and the more man would geue the more the Pope would relieue euen to the full fullnes but he that sowed thinne his Pardon should be scarse worthe a pyane I purpose not to rippe vppe the remembraunce of these Reliques by examples which are past noumber I will tell you of one in our owne Realme of England in a Towne called Boston because I was borne nigh thereabout I can speake somewhat the better thereof I haue the Bulles of the same remayning yet with me both of the great and the lesse Pardon which they purchased of the Pope for the safety of their shipping and solue the same agayne afterwardes to others to their great profite and aduauntage I am not very inquisitiue to learne what the Somme amounted vnto of that monstruous markett onely this one thing would I haue Osorius to be throughly perswaded that if he be of that minde yet that those Bulles are obteyned gratis without money and begged onely of the Seé of Rome I haue president sufficient in my custodye wherewith I cann conuince him of vanitye and folly There are not many yeares sithēce the Surges of the swelling Seas surrounded all the low countrye of Flaunders which ministred a lamentable spectackle to the whole nation to behold By and by flew abroad Bulles of the highest and most liberali fulnesse The case it selfe moued all men to pitty very much and amongest the rest the fauour and authority of the Pope Adrian being a Germayne borne during whose Popedome this pittyfull case befell Legates were sent abroad who taking view of all places and breaches were able to make a true report of the wreckes that neéded reliefe and what the charge thereof would amount vnto The masse of money that was leuied by the meanes of those Bulles as was vnmeasureable so where it vanished away could not be knowen yea but it was knowne to well the poore countrey bare the name but others carryed away the game and no penny therof employed to
vtter destruction which how much is to be feared on your behalfes I neéde not to certifie your wisedome with many wordes Certes what you haue hetherto done the matter doth euidently declare it selfe For sithence the first erecting and frequenting of this sacrifice amongest you if nothing els teach vs how you haue pacified the wrath of God with this sacrifice we may learne well enough by the continuall outrage of the Turke which beginning very neare about that blessed time not much after the Popedome of Innocent the 3. it exceédeth all creditt to be spoken with how wonderfull successe it hath preuailed all this time euer sithence And withall how many monstruous heapes of miseries and calamities haue burst out together with that sacrifice yea dayly raunge also vnreclaimeable all good and godly men do right well perceiue and be hartely sory for the same Sathā roareth greédy of the pray Impietie surroundeth euery where the world doth delight and sport it selfe at our manifold miseries and mischieues and the olde profane paganisme doth ware dayly I know not how mighty incorrigible almost nothing is sound through all Christendome all thinges be rent and torne in pieces skarse is any Peace vpon the whole face of the earth or any peaceable state of life The Christians lye snorting in security The Iewes waxe euery day more stiffnecked being molested and agreézed at no one disorder so great as at your Sacrifices Breadworshipp Idolatryes Pictures and Images which they doe plainly perceiue to be manifestly repugnaunt agaynst the Law of God And whiles you shrine your selues like Gods on the earth in purple and Golde the poore beggerly Churche of Christ which did once florish and triumph throughout all nations and tounges is now pent vpp and thrust together into so narrow a straight that it is ready to pyne away with anguish and grief which your Lordshippes receiuing from the old auncient Fathers in very good liking lustye and strong is by your meanes now become carrayne leane full of sicknesse and like an olde kebbe full of wrinckles In so much that if these outragies proceéd as they beginne you will be found shortly to leaue vs neuer a Church at all vnlesse the maiesty of God be otherwise reconciled to be mercifull to our despeired estates then by your Idolatrous Sacrifice First whatsouer the Gospell of Christ hadd sometyme obteyned in Asia and in Africa you haue vtterly loft altogether Ouer besides this also you haue lost Thracia all Greece of late yeares Hungarye and both the Regions of Pannonye what shall we say to this that the Venetians were not able to preserue Cipres for all their Masses and Sacrifices So puissaunt and so many voyages haue bene addressed so many armies leuyed against the Turkish power by Emperours Kyngs Christian Princes and Captaynes and most of all by the procurements and practizes of the Romish Popes Yet I suppose that all the meane whiles wanted no Masses and vnbloudy Sacrifices through all their Pauylions and Tentes if at least these Sacrifices could haue preuailed any thing to the appeasing of goods indignation And that I reckon not vpp in the meane time Ciuill broyles dayly raunging amiddes the very bowells of the Church Slaughters Warres Pestilences Outragies Vproares Schismes Murthers Persequutions Malice hartburningnes What kinde of mischiefe hath euer pestered any Common wealth wherewith the tranquillitie of Christian Peace is not shaken at this present yea spoyled and mangled more with cruell Combatts and tumultes at home then with any Forrayne inuasions or attemptes All which calamities seéming none other but speciall tokēs of gods greuous wrath waxen whotte agaynst vs how happeneth that they are not quallified by reconciling Gods fauor with that vnbloudy Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ which is dayly exequuted by so many handes of Sacrificing shauelinges for an attonement to be made of Gods displeasure agaynst sinne But you will impute the fault of all these Calamities to the disolute lyues and lycentiousnes of the lay people Be it as you say yet the matter rebowndeth back agayne from whence it came For if God being offended with the wickednes of the people could not be pacified by you in so great continuaunce of tyme hitherto to what vse then auayleth the power and vertue of that reconciliatory Sacrifice betwixt God and vs But I am of a farre contrary iudgement to you herein Osorius whereas the Turke preuayleth whereas such an infinite heape of mischieues doe ouerwhelme vs at home and from abroad on euery side Whereas we haue so long endured the vnappeasable wrath of Gods vengeaunce I doe beleue verely that it commeth to passe for none other cause more then for the very same Sacrifice wherewith you doe to stiffly perswade your selues that you doe tourne away his heauy displeasure For the dead say you and for such as be departed out of this lyfe Finally for the health and safetye of all Christian Realmes you doe make a Sacrifice most holy and most honorable of all other Sacrifices the vertue whereof of you can neither expresse with tongue nor comprehend within imagination or thought and doe stoughtly maintayne that the same ought to be accompted for the most holy and principall groundworke of all Religion I doe perceaue you and I doe cōmend your Catholicke industry but your Religion surely I can prayse by no meanes For what neéded Christ to haue susfredd death if the vnbloudy Sacrifice of his bloud may satisfy for the safety of all Christendome without shedding of any bloud if it can not with what Religion is this Sacrifice perfourmed of you nay rather how much monstruous Idolatry doe you vphold and bolster out with this one Sacrifice of yours Not so say you but we make intercessions to Christ which suffred his passion for vs to pacify the wrath of God in the behalfe of all Christian Nations Threé notable lyes in one sentence 1 First that which you doe assume of the body and bloud of Christ is false For Christ departing from hence did not leaue behinde him his body and bloud but deliuered vnto vs a mistery of his body and bloud onely 2 Moreouer the same whereof you treate so much touching your Sacrificing is as foolish and vayne For neither was that Mistery deliuered vnto vs to that end that it should be Sacryficed by thandes of the Priestes but that all the faythfull in generall without exception should be partakers thereof and feéde vpon the same Eate you all sayth Christ of this He doth not say Sacrifice this ye Priestes And I thinke to eate and to drinke is not all one to say as to Sacrifice 3 Finally this also is as vayne and ridiculous which you doe more then drowsily dreame vpon that this Eating should be instituted for the health of all Christian Realmes and for the reliefe of the quick and the dead For it was left emongest vs for a Remembraunce of the Lordes passion onely
and so left not that we should seéke for forgeuenes of Sinnes out of the same but that these outward signes deliuered vnto vs to Eate might putt vs in remembraunce of that euerlasting remission of sinnes which Christ should purchase for vs by the shedding of his precious bloud And for this cause he doth call it the upp in his bloud which shall be shedd for many sayth he into the remission of sinnes not transitory remission I suppose Osorius but into euerlasting forgeuenes of sinnes For other wise if it be a forgeuenes Temporall how will that saying of Ieremy be true And I will make with them an euerlasting couenaunt that I may not remember their sinnes any more If it be an euerlasting Release what neéde we then any further Sacrifices or what shall be sayd of that your holynes of Religion which doth make that thing transitory to vs that God hath vouchsafed for vs to be vnremoueable and to continue beyond all ages To be briefe that we may now knitt vp the matter by that that hath bene spoken before Behold here in few wordes the trueth and substaunce of this Sacrament Iustified with most true and approued Argumēts Whereunto if you will aunswere in your next letters to the Queénes Maiestie at your conuenient leasure you shall do vs a great pleasure 1. The Lord departing from hence did carry away with him out of the earth the substaunce of his body Ergo. He did not leaue the same substaunce behinde him 2. Christ did deliuer vnto vs a Mistery of his body onely Ergo. He did not deliuer his very naturall body 3. Christ did institute a Mistery of his body to be eaten onely Ergo. Not to be sacrificed In the remembraunce of forgeuenes of sinnes onely Ergo. Not a Sacrifice of cleansing and forgeuing of Sinnes 4 Saluation and remission of Sinnes is promised to them onely that beleue in Christ. Ergo not to them that doe sacrifice Christ. 5 Remission of Sinnes is not geuen without shedding of bloud Heb. 9 In the vnbloudy Sacrifice of the Masse there is no effusion of bloud Ergo. In the Sacrifice of the Masse is no Remission of sinnes 6. Saluation and free Remission of Sinnes doth consist of the promise through fayth The Sacrifice of the Masse is not free but meritorious nor cōsisteth of fayth but of merite Meritorious Ergo. The Sacrifice of the Masse is vneffectuall to Saluation and to the Reconciling of God 7. There is no Materiall cause of forgeuenes of Sinnes but the onely shedding of Christes bloud and no formall cause but fayth The vnbloudy Sacrifice of the Masse is neither fayth neither hath in it any effusion of bloud Ergo in the Sacrifice of the Masse there is neither Materiall nor Formall cause of Remission of Sinnes 8. The Sacrifices that doe not cease to be offred for Sinnes doe not satisfie for Sinnes Heb. 10. The oblatiōs of the Lawe can neuer make the receauers thereof perfect for if they could they would neuer haue ceased to be offred c. The Sacrifices of the Altar doe not cease to be offred doth name it a Sacramentall ministration In Clement it is called a representation of the kingly body of Christ. Others doe call it a signe of a true Sacrifice sometymes it is called the Sacrifice of prayer and thankesgeuyng by a certein mysticall figure of speakyng As in a certein place Ambrose doth call our Soules Altares Where writyng of virgines I dare boldly affirme sayth he that your Soules are Altares In the which Christ is dayly offred for the redemption of the body Not bycause our Soules be Altares or that the flesh of Christ is naturally or materially offered of vs but these sayinges are to be taken in the same sence as many other like sayings of the old writers are to be vnderstanded As where Ierome writeth on this wise That which was borne of the Virgine is dayly borne vnto vs Christ is Crucified vnto vs dayly c. After the same maner also doth Augustine speake Then is Christ dayly slayne to euery of vs whē we beleeue in him that he was slayne And the same Augustine in an other place vpon the wordes of the Lord. Christ doth ryse agayne dayly vnto thee And in his 10. booke De Ciuit ate Dei Cap. 5. God is not delighted in the Sacrifices of slayne beastes but of a slayne hart Euen as Chrisostome speaketh likewise In the holy mysteries the death of Christ is executed Besides this also as Gregory de Consecrat Dist. 2. Christ doth dye agayne in this mystery c. And yet is there no man so senselesse to say that Christ is borne euery day or is Crucified ryseth agayne oftentymes or that his death is executed in the mysteries accordyng to the very substaunce thereof But these be figuratiue and vnproper kyndes of speaches wherein is celebrated a certein mysticall execution of those thynges for a Remembraunce so that the thyngs them selues be not present properly which were long sithence finished but are representations by certein applyable resemblaūces of thinges signified onely whereby our fayth may as it were from hād to hand be admonished by the application of these outward signes what was accomplished before spiritually for vs in that most excellent Sacrifice of Christ. Euē as the Natiō of the Hebrues were sometyme fedd with the visible Manna as our bodyes are at this present strenghthened with dayly food of nourishyng sustenaunce which would otherwise perish through want Semblably bycause there can be no saluation for our forlorne nature besides the bloud of Christ Christ is therfore worthely called the bread of our lyfe and the foode of the world whereby the bodies are not fed for a few yeares but the soules are nourished to euerlastyng lyfe And for this cause Christ takyng an occasion of their communication which were cōferryng together of Manna and the eatyng of his flesh not vnaptly alluding to that heauenly banquett in Moyses which dyd refresh the hunger of the body for a tyme did call him selfe bread in deéde and spake the same also truly And why truly bycause he is truly and in deéde the bread and foode of lyfe not onely of this trāsitory and temporall lyfe but of euerlastyng lyfe not this lyfe onely which we doe now enioy in this world but which we shall lyue much more truly in the world to come And for this cause purposing euen then to suffer death for vs he did note vnto vs his body and bloud vnder the names of bread wyne This is my body sayth he This is the cuppe of my bloud Not bycause that bread and that cuppe were chaunged into his body and his bloud naturally substauncially and in deéde but bycause he could not before his death represent vnto vs the force and efficacy of that euerlastyng and spirituall Sacrifice by any more apt similitude or application of any other likenes which might continually preserue the remembraunce of him in
dedicate a Church vnto Christ. Euē so haue many godly Princes done in many places within Rome it selfe as Cōstantinus others yet doth not any man condemne them for it In tymes past emongest so huge a multitude of the Iewishe Nation was no more but one Temple onely God did allow but one Altar And yet this Temple being raysed and builded by his owne appointement and commaundement neither was him selfe agreéued to haue vtterly defaced leauyng no one stoane vpon an other for the abuses frequented therein nor doth any man complayne of the same To be short what an infinite multitude of Tēples and Religiōs were there scattered ouer all the face of the earth long sithēce among the heathen of the which not so much as any ruines be to be foūd any where I speake not this as cōparyng Monckes and Friers with Heathen and Paynymes or their holy Churches with the Temples of the Gentiles but bycause I may make euident That in razing and pluckyng downe of Churches it is not enough bycause Osorius maketh complaint of the same vnlesse he make it knowen first That these Temples were Temples of true Religion and not Tabernacles of superstition and Idolatry Which he hath not proued as yet nor euer will be able to Iustifie But we doe kill some holy men some we do spoyle and tourmoyle with infinite afflictions others we force out into exile c. What holy men he meaneth in this place I know not But if they be the same whom I do coniecture to be who by the publicke authoritie and lawes of this Realme were executed for highe Treason in the reigne of kyng Henry the eight to condemne vs as blameworthy for due executiō of the Lawes of our Land and to call that their Trayterous treachery by the name of Holynes I meane their renouncyng due obedience to their liege Lord contrary to the manifest determination of Gods Scripture and contrary to all Religiousnes herein surely Osorius doth offer vs no small iniury I call not their crime in question here But this is most assured That neither More nor Roffensis nor the Charterhouse Monckes were so rude or vnlettered but that they knew sufficiently what was the duetie of Subiectes to their Princes Especially whenas they might haue learned out of Chrisostome by the testimony of the Apostle Although thou be an Apostle sayth he although thou be an Euangelist though thou be a Prophet or whatsoeuer thou be it behoueth that all persons be subiect to the higher powers For this dutyfull subiection doth not abate any pointe of godly Religion The same also doth Gregory declare not in one place alone Christ sayth he did geue authoritie to the Emperour to be Lord not onely ouer the Nobilitie but ouer Priestes also Wherefore in that you accuse vs of our misdemeanour agaynst those persons To aūswere briefly what better aūswere shall I make vnto you then the same that Augustine did aunswere vnto Petiliane in a cause not much vnlike vnto this Whereas you lyue sayth he most like vnto Theeues you bragge that ye dye like Martyrs ¶ Romish Reliques BUt emongest all other Osorius piety can not disgest by any meanes as a thyng altogether intollerable That these Lutheranes doe expresse such an vngodly malice and deadly hate agaynst the Reliques of holy men as he sayth and are so outragiously insolent in the destruction of holy Religiō In this one portion of accusation I doe perceaue two seuerall crimes compyled together whereof the one doth concerne the hatred of godlynesse the other the contempt and vnreuerent handlyng of Reliques First therfore touching that hatred veryly you behaue your selfe herin Osor as one that may seéme to haue expressed his mynde couragiously and lustely enough to speake Ciceroes wordes For he that hath once passed ouer and beyond all the boundes of modesty had neéde to become notably shamelesse that so he may neuer after blush to mainteyne a lye in any matter whatsoeuer euen to the hardhedg as they say It remayneth now that I speak of the Reliques Howbeit here neédeth no great matter of Refutation namely sith Osorius alledgeth nothyng but the bare name of naked Reliques though in deéde he erre somewhat also in the word Reliques it selfe For if he would haue assigned a true and proper denomination of those Reliques he ought not haue named them Reliques but delusions and liegerdemaine rather not the memorialles of holy mē but crafty conueyaunces of hypocriticall hellhoundes deuised not to pyke out the eyes of Crowes but to pyke out the eyes and hartes of Christians Wherein I doe maruell truly that Osorius doth speake so litle of the matter who regardyng these Reliques so reuerently yet doth not notifie by one word so much either what Reliques they be or where they be or els what Sainctes Reliques he doth meane which bycause he hath ouerskypt either for feare bycause he dareth not vtter them or for ignoraunce bycause he can not we will not be squeymish to supply his want of dutie herein Howbeit though I doe not reckon ouer all the Reliques in an exact and perfect accompt yet will I disclose a good quantitie of them whereby the Reader may the better know the qualities of them and what crafty cōueyaūces this vngodly Prelate doth brute abroad for Reliques of godly and holy personages And first of all to beginne at the very byrth of our Lord Chryst what shall we say of the Maunger which is shewed at Rome in the Cathedrall Church of Mary Maior notwithout penny crooching Is there any man of so grosse a dulnesse that may not playnely perceiue that this Maunger is not the same Maunger wherein Christ was layed when he was borne but rather a lymetwygg layed by Hypocrytes to gett money withall The Mounckes of Charrouia do vaunt that they haue the foreskinne of Christ that is to say the small filme of skynne which was cutt away from Christ when he was Circumcised and this they know to be the selfe same by certeyn small drops of bloud which do fall from it now and thē which albeit carrye no lykelyhood of trueth yet this might be either beleéued or imagined by vs to be a trueth after a sort because it is certayn that Christ had but one foreskinne if the same foreskinne were not shewed openly for an especiall trueth at Rome in the Cathedrall Church of S. Iohn Laterane No lesse monstruous is it that at Rome in the Church of Saynt Iames the Altar is to be seéne whereupon Christ was sayd when he was circumcised in the Tēple As though in that Church where Christ was Circumcised were many Altars as there be in the Romish Churches And yet were not this very much to be wondred at but that also in the Cathedrall Church of Peter and Paule at Rome is shewed the linnen cloth wherein the babe Christ was bedded a Ragg whereof is reported to be at S. Sauiours in Spayne also besides thys lynnen