him nothing at all vnlesse hee canne prooue that Peter had suche large power and authoritie as hee pretendeth by these keies These thynges if eyther hee or a nye of his whelpes can prooue vnto mee than wyll I say more vnto them in the meane time I rest perswaded that hee is so farre from hauing any power in or ouer the Churche of God vppon earth by reason of these keyes or any thing els that hee is not so muche as a member of the same But notwythstandinge I confesse that Peter receyued the Spirituall Keyes of the kingdome of heauen that is the power of bindyng and loosing of sins togeather with the power and gyfte of expoundinge interpretynge and explaning of the holy Scriptures to the people And not onely did Peter receiue these keyes but also all the reste of the Apostles wythe hym and in them all other faithfull Preachers Pastours Doctours and Ministers of the Gospell as effectually as fully and as amplie as the Apostles themselues Phile. What is meant by these keies Stupe A key yee knowe is an instrument that men vse to open and to shut withall Therefore is this Metaphor borrowed thereof by which keyes is meant potestas soluendi ligandi the power of bynding and loosing as I tolde you before in the Page precedent Phile. How is binding loocing perfourmed Stupe By preaching of the lawe and the Gospel as for example When the lawe is preached and the fearefull threates and comminations therof thundred foorth against any impenitent sinner then may hee bee saide to be bounden and his sinnes to bee retained And when the glad tidings of the Gospel is preached too the penitent and contrite sinner then may he be saide to be loosed and his sinnes to be remitted Again when any one ariseth against the Maiestie of GOD and rebelleth against his lawes and commaundements without eyther remorse of conscience feare of God intention of amendement or repentaunce at all this man is bounden and his sinnes retayned But vpon the other side if hee sinne of frailtie and afterwarde truelie repenteth amendeth and turneth too the Lorde wythall hys hearte wyth an intention neuer to committe the same offence againe and constantly beléeuing in Iesus Christe trusting too bee saued and pardoned by his death then is hee loosed and hys sinnes cleerely put away and remitted In this sorte and in this case hath euerie faithfull Pastour and Preacher of the Gospell full absolute and Plenarie power too binde the impenitent sinner that is to pronounce hym by the warraunt of Gods worde to be bound and to loose him agayne that is to pronounce hym by the woorde of God too bee loosed when hee repenteth and turneth to the Lorde with all his hearte as I haue saide Thus ye see the power of the keies that is of bynding and loosing is restrayned within the Pale and wall of Gods woorde and not in suche a lauish maner and raunging sorte as pleasethe Magister noster our greate Master the Pope too determine For if it were true or coulde bee prooued that the Pope hadde this Plenarie power too bynde and loose whome hee would wythout the warraunt of the woorde of GOD then woulde I not blame them yf all the worlde wente after him and not onely worshypped hym as a manne but as a GOD vppon earthe Is it any maruaile though hee hath withe thys Sweete Bayte and venemous Hooke drawen vntoo hym selfe the moste Kingdomes and Nations of the woorlde But nowe GOD bee thanked they beeing better instructed in the woorde of GOD and seeynge hys horrible Blasphemie Superstition Idolatrie and euen Diuelrie it selfe haue the most of them made Defection and shrunke from hym And dayly doe they fall from his Antichristian kingdom and the Lord graunt that more and more may fall from hym euery day and houre tyll there be none left with him that God may be glorified and they eternally saued in the daye of the Lord Iesus Phile. Mee thinke that menne might easily spie out his doings being so detestable as they bee and hauing spied them out myght then eschewe them might they not Stupe Yes And God bee praysed so they doe dayly Englande hathe spied out his knaueries and therefore hath spewed hym out Scotlande hath done the like Fraunce hath abandoned hym Germanie hath vtterly forsaken hym Yea and part of his owne countrie of Italie seeing hys abhominations haue and doe dayly fall from hym with infinite other places Countries and Nations which for breuities sake I omit Phil. It cānot otherwise be but hauing the woorde of God amongest them they must needes finde out his knaueries being so grosse that a man with halfe an eye as they vse to say may easily perceiue them Stupe You saye the trueth But if the worde of God shoulde once bee set a broch and come to light then he knoweth it verye well his kingdome of ignoraunce and darknesse woulde soone decay and come to naught And therefore to the end that he may the better maynteine his kingdome of ignoraunce hee clappeth vppe the Byble forbidding all men whatsoeuer to reade it or once to looke one worde vpon it and that vppon payne of damnation saying further that none ought to looke vpon it but he and his rabbynes or such others as he shal license and authorize therto by his bulles of dispensation This is cleane contrary to the doctrine of our sauiour Christ who biddeth vs searche the Scriptures saying Scrutamini Scripturas eae sunt enim qui testificantur de me Whiche is Searche the scriptures for those are they that beare witnesse of me In an other place he saith Scrutamini scripturas in eis enim speratis vitam eternam habere That is search the scriptures for in them you hope to haue eternal life This is contrary to the example of the Birreans in the Actes of the Apostles who searched the scriptures dayly to see whether the things preached by the Apostles were true or not Nowe whether it bee better to obeye Christe who commandeth vs to search the scriptures or the Pope who forbiddeth vs the sight of them iudge you And to the ende that he may bee sure to keepe the worlde in Cymmeriis tenebris in palpable darknesse grosse ignoraunce stil for ignorance he calleth the mother of deuotion whereas indeede it may well bee called the mother of damnatiō he not only locketh vp the byble vnder strong lockes keyes but also turneth it into a straunge tongue contrary to the doctrine both of our sauiour Christe his blessed Apostle Paul who commandeth that al thinges be done in the Church to edification in a knowen tongue also to the example of the Prymitiue and Apostolicall Church who euer vsed to haue the bible and other diuine bookes in the mother tongue which they vnderstoode And as though this restraint were not badde ynough he giueth in charge that
the kingdome of heauen VVthat is ment by the keies How binding and loosing is perfourmed Howe wee are saide to bee bound and loosed Howe the Ministers of the gospel haue power to remit sinne Binding and loosing restrained within the compasse of Gods worde The popes venemous hook and poysone bayte The most part of the popes â—ingdomes are â—alne froÌ„ him Kingdomes â—â—lne from the â—â—pe Gods worde the ouerthrow of the Popes kingdome The Pope forbiddeth the reading of the Scriptures The Popes doctrine contrary to Christes Al men ought to search the Scriptures Birreans their notable example Ignoraunce the mother of damnation not of deuotion Bible locked vp and in a strange toung 1. Cor. 14. Scripture to be no otherwise interpreted then pleaseth the Pope The pope would be thought onely wise Nether the Pope nor his Father the Diuell canne erre The Pope a deyfied creature and no man Peter denied hys Mayster thrise The Pope erreth in all things The Popes cooling carde No man may iudge of the Pope A maxime iâ— the Popes law The greate power of our Maister Pope The Pope must haue a share in euery thing The Pope heire apparent to the Emperour The Popes fray bugge The Pope crowneth emperours with his feete The Pope deposeth kynges and Emperors when hee lyâ—t No generall counsell can be gathered with out the Pope The next way for kinges to come by theyr owne at the popes hands Marke the coÌ„scyence of this fellow The proude Pope stampte vpon the neck of a good Emperour lyke a dogge Kynges made footstooles to the pope Kings holding the popes styrrops None dares mute against the pope The popes mercy in shedding of blood Al courts subiecte too the pope Appeale to the court of Rome The popes profession The pope enreth League wyth kings princes and why VVhat shyfte the pope maketh when he lackes money The popes beagles doe hunte for money The popes share The mark the pope leueleth at The pope thirsteth for blood The pope warreth in his owne person The popes marche in the field when hâ— fighteth for Ioanes beste cap. The popes leâ—nity and comâ—passion The pope a bloodsucker Bonefires at Rome for slaughter of Gods saints The popes metamorphosis The popes power sent into hell The pope caâ— make the paines of hell to ceasse The pope plaâ—eth the Rex The pope better then God The pope can do that God cannot doe Purgatory Nullibi The pope saith euery soule must be punished 7. yeeres in purgatorie for euery sinne that euer he coÌ„mitted in thyâ— life The Popes merchandize So sone as money rings in the boxes y e soules in purgatorye feele ease Money wyll sweepe Purgatory cleane The popes bandogs How the diuels â—remble Purgatorie the popes sowe The popes attyre A triple crown The popes crosier The popes gard The strange gestures of the papists All thinges the pope coÌ„meth nere are holy The pope carried on mens shoulders The great differeÌ„ce betwixt Christ and the Pope The pope wyll none of that If the Pope should goe on foote it would hurte hym for hee is so fatte that it would fry and melt hys grease wythin hym But the Pope meanes not to change hys crown of gold for Christes crowne of thornes The Pope ought to wear a quadruple crowne The pope proued antichrist The popes exactions too mayntayne his pride Pardons indulgences The gayn that commes in too the pope by pelting palles The popes chaffer The tresure of Rome infinite That was not the least part I warrant you Oh extreeme polyng Rome a deuouryng gulphe Al thyngs sold at Rome for money The wickednes corruption of Rome described A thyng to bâ— maruayled at Hee wil speÌ„de a huÌ„dred thousande crownes in a yere vpon whoores and harlots c. How the pope spendeth hys money The pope vnholy The place cannot make a manne good vvhiche before is nought The Diuel holier then the pope Cardinalles what they are â—Vherof Carâ—ynals take â—heir names The holy societie of cardinals The pope chosen by cardinals The othes thaâ— the cardinals take wheÌ„ they are admitted Oh cursed oth The constancâ— of these cardinals to theyr dad the pope The Pope maâ—eth whole â—yngdomes â—ountries â—ys pray thoâ—ow cardinals â—ood helpe The maner of â—eceiuyng of â—ardinals being â—ent as ambasâ—adours into aâ—y lande or â—ountry The concourse of people runnyng to meete cardinals The peoples cry to the cardinals grace The maner of the the Cardinals blessing The stately â—ort of cardiâ—als Cardinals beg â—â—rly attyre Cardinal Wolâ—â—y his example â—t wonderful â—ride Marke this geare wel Oh famous Cardynal Oh excelling pryde Oh surpassyng vanity Here were mo offyces then a fewe The pomp of the Cardinals Chappel Copes 44. in the cardinalles hall at one time Oh pontificall Prelate Here is good stuffe marke it who will Attendants vpon the cardynals person Oh Lucifer-like pryde who euer saw the like By S. Cronian he feasts a prety ordinary then This passeth the beggerlyenesse of poore Christ and his Apostles The maner of the Popes Byshops The proude humors of the Bishoppes of Rome The fat morsels of Romish Bishops VVhere the romish bishops lye Blynking Syr Iohns Friers c. the popes spanyels The papystes take â— greate heed least they preach anye truth Oh damnable othe None of the papistes dare preach Christ Iesus aryght The example of the bishopp of Coleyn who rather forsooke hys Bishoprick theÌ„ to dyshonour Christ Iesus as the papistes did The Papistes say preaching is not necessary By hearinge the worde of God preached men learn the pathwaye too heauen by papistry the path way to hell Idolatry committed vppon popish holydayes The ridiculous attyre of Popish bishops vpon holidayes This is dogin That is pat That is worth the wearyng then The popyshe byshops like so players The Byshops gestures at the high altar The byshop coniures Variety is pleasant Insteed of hys lemman The bishop in a brown study The lifting vp of the byshopâ— hands For flesh vpon his backe hee hath none and therefore hath need of cushyons The papistes delude the world wyth gewgawes A sword carried before popish bishops to the high altar and why Byshops conuersant in kinges courts Popish bishops skilful in the art of flattery Byshops victualers of campâ— A byshop suffragane The offyce of suffraganes in the church of Rome The order of the Papists hallowing of churches church yardes Holy water alwayes one Oh blasphemous villanie so to abuse the words of the psalm to such a lewde purpose as thys Mary it is a proud prelate whom all the diuels in hell cannot resist Holy water purifieth sanctifieth al things The maner of hallowyng the Altar He crosseth the altar so often to feare away diuels The play is ended The maner of gyuyng of popish orders Because they are bnzzardes cannot see These crownâ— shorne make 〈◊〉 many a man to weare a horn Let theÌ„ learne to reade it first good my lord before they learne it by heart The testament is
for youres And notwythstandyng all thys submyssion if they please him not well hee wyll not sticke to treade and crample vppon them lyke dogges As wee reade of a certayne Emperour whose neck the Pope proudly stampe vpon as though he had bin a beast There was also another pope who vsed to makkings Emperours his blocks to stand vpon when he mounted vpon his horse Some kings must hold his styrrops other some on either side one at the least must lead his horse by the bridle thorow thicke and thinne And thus maketh hee all men both Emperours kings princes euen all in generall subiecte vntoo him in the meane time he himselfe beeyng subiect to none And yet notwithstanding there is nowe neither emperor king nor prince that dares mute against him but him they obey as sole lord of heauen earth Whatsoeuer he commaundes they dare not but fulfil In so much that if he command them to make warre against the couÌ„trey people or nation theÌ„ gather they their troups legions of armed men to gether forwarde they go sacking spoyling and burning both cities towns countries And imbruing their hands in the blood of poore innocentes they slaye and kill euen all without mercy man woman and child putting all too the edge of the swoorde most cruelly too beholde And this they must doe Why Because the Pope commands theÌ„ so to do whose commandement whether it bee wrong or ryght aboue all thynges in the Worlde is to bee obeyed in euerye poynt without exception Phil. This is an intollerable slauery and seruilitye I maruell that euer christian princes will suffer theÌ„selues so to be abused and that of a greasie prelate Stupe Nay he proceedeth further as though the former abuses were not sufficyent hee maketh the lawes the Courtes and Offices of kynges and Prynces subiect vnto hym So that if any man dislyke of the lawes Courtes of their Prynces he maye frankely and freely make his appeale to the pope and Court of Rome By which meanes hee raketh in moneye not a lyttle euerye yeere Phile. Is it possible that princes will put vp this iniurie at his hands and not bee reuenged I praye you how doth hee behaue himselfe towardes them that they rise not vppe against him and pull him out of hys kingdom by the eares Stu. He feedes their humors he speaketh pleasant things vnto them hee flattereth fawneth vpon them in such sort as he makes them beleeue the moone is of green cheese and so it is indeede if he say so But for feare of the woorst and for further safegarde of hys personne hee entreth intoo league with all suche kings princes of euery couÌ„trey as are of any great force power least happily they might indanger his estate incase they shoulde resist his Maiesties person And if it happen that at anye tyme hee want money and knoweth not howe to come by any then sendeth he foorth hys Embassadours his Legates his Suffraganes and hys Cardynals into all landes thorow whose diligent industry he setteth kings and princes together by the eares and beyng at bloody warres amongst themselues then wil he be sure to take parte with him that is the stronger be it wrong or right that maketh no matter for of wrong he can make right Alwayes prouyded that in all spoyles prayes bootyes and escheates he haue the greatest share for that is the thinge that hee desires and the onely marke that hee shootes at Thus hee feedeth hymselfe wyth the blood of the poore innocent Lambes contrarye both to the law of God and his own calling which is to saue blood and not to shed innocent blood Phile. Doth he euer goe to field in his owne person Stupe Yea very often in this sort First of all hee is cloathed in hys ryche Corselet coate guilt and behanged with all manner of precious stones in hys shyrte of mayle and his heade peece all glystering in golde with his hoare goatishe bearde hanging downe too his gyrdlesteede And in this warlyke manner marcheth he forwarde with his â—andes of menne horses and charettes like the sandes of the Sea in number All whiche beeinge at his becke when he commaundeth they inclose mightye townes circumuall huge cities subuert castels towers trench in strong holds in fine battering them with great ordinance for munition waÌ„t they none they lay them leuell with the grounde And like mercilesse Tartarians they slaye man woman and child without respect had either of age sexe time place or person Which noble stratagem atchieued this bloodye Villayne with all his cut-throates returne agayne to Rome with no smal spoiles where is such bonefires such feasting and banqueting suche going of procession suche massyng and mummyng for ioye of thys greate vyctory or rather moste bloodye massacre of Gods Saintes as the lyke hath not beene seene of many yeeres before Philemon Mee thinke it is altogeather agaynste hys callyng as I sayde before that hee beeynge a Prieste shoulde shewe suche crueltie Stupe What Cruelty doe you call it No it is not crueltie You maye not flaunder our holye father so Doe you not knowe that of cruelty he can make lenity and of lenity cruelty changing any thing intoo the nature of another at his pleasure And although he rid theÌ„ of their liues in this world which of force they must once leaue if he were not yet caÌ„ he send theÌ„ packing into heauen when hee will and so haue they made a good change haue they not Or if they goe to hell euen thyther sends he hys power down with charms solemne ceremonies which reach euen vnto the smoaky pit it self vnto the burning lake of the same By means wherof althogh he can not peremptorily loose the daÌ„ned soules from their cheynes nor free them from theyr payns nor although he he not able to breake the turning wheeles to kil the dreadfull snake to coole y e boyling ledd nor to quench the flaming fire yet caÌ„ he ease make lesser their paines by farre And which is more som write that wheÌ„ he wil such is his absolute power he can bring to passe that the fire of hell cannot burne the wheeles turne the ledd boyle the snakes not sting nor the woormes gnawe or byte any more And if the dyuel anger him muche or it chaunce too rayne a golden showre he will empty hell in spite of the Diuelles heade and sende them wyth a pasporte into Heauen whether God will or not And why may he not doe this For hath hee not the keyes of Heauen gates and may he not open and shut them when he wyll Nowe he that can doe these thyngs may he not play the Rex wel ynough And is he not worthy to be made of accepted amongst men not as a man but as a God rather Phile Yea truly And as I remember one