thee beholde it is layd ouer with gold and siluer and there is no breath in it In like manner The stocke saith Ieremie is a doctrine of vanitie Againe Euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge Euery founder is confounded by his grauen Image for his melting is but falshood and there is no breath therein They are vanitie and the worke of errors c. wherefore well said Athanasius When a liuing man cannot moue thee to knowe God how shall a man made of wood cause thee to know him Epiphanius Bishop of Cypres comming into a Church and seeing a veyle wherein the Image of Christ or some other Saint was pictured cōmanded to take it thence and that the veyle should be imployed for the buriall of some poore vsing these wordes To see in the Temples of Christians the Image of Christ or any Saint pictured is horrible abhomination Of this moreouer wrote he to Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem vnder whose Iurisdiction was that people of Anablatha where the veyle was to prouide that no such veyles which be contrary to that which Religion permitteth should thenceforth be had in the Church of Christ So greatly did this epistle please Saint Ierome that he translated the same out of Greeke into Latine The same Epiphanius said Remember my beloued sonnes that you place no Images in the Church nor churchyardes but carry God euer in your hearts and yet say I further permit them not in your houses For to be fixed by the eyes but by meditation of the minde c. is vnlawfull for a Christian c. The most ancient Councell of Eliberis holden in Spaine as now we will declare and many other ancient Councels condemned Images and manie Christian Emperours haue forbidden them And for that purpose wrote Valens and Thedosius to the chiefe Gouernor of the Councell house saying As our care is in and by all meanes to mainteine the religion of the most high God so permit wee none to purtrayt engraue or picture in colours stone or any other matter whatsoeuer the Image of our Sauiour Moreouer we commaunde that wheresoeuer such an Image can bee founde it be taken away and all those to be chastised with most grieuous punshment that attempt ought against our decrees and commaund Seeing then the Christian Emperours Doctors and ancient Councels yea and that which is all the scripture it selfe to forbid Images let not our Aduersaries be obstinate Let them not thinke it to be nowe as in time passed when the blind led the blind and so both fell into the ditch Blessed be God we nowe see and neede not them which be more blind to guide vs. Where or when I demaund hath God commaunded to doe that which they doe Let them giue me one only example of the olde or newe Testament that any of the Patriarches Propetes Apostles or Martyrs of Iesus Christ did that which they doe adored or honored God or his saints in their Images They will not giue it Then let them not be more wise then they Let them take heede least God say vnto them Who required these thinges at your handes This is not the worship by God appointed but humane and diuelish inuention And so shall God punish them as hee punished Nadab and Abihu Leuit. chap. 10. ver 1. that offered strange fire which he neuer commaunded them Hold we fast that which God hath commaunded Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. And so shall we not erre The Church of Rome hath taken away the second commandment and hath but nine commaundements But to fill vp the number of tenne of the tenth commandement which forbiddeth lust in generall and afterward the chiefe kind and partes thereof hath shee made two But the Hebrewes and ancient Doctors Greeke and Latine do not so who place that of Images for the second commaundement Some thinke saith Origen hom 8. vpon Exod that all this together meaning the first and second commandements is one commaundement which if it so should be taken there wold want of the number of ten commaundements and where then should be the tenth of the Decalog of ten commaundments but deuiding it as afore we haue distinguished the full number of the ten commaundements will appeare So that the first commaundements is Thou shallt haue no other Gods but me And the second Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. hitherto Origen Chrisostome hom 49. vpon Saint Math. Exposition 2. Athanasius in Synopsi Seripturarum Saint Ambrose vpon the sixt chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians and Saint Ierome vpon the same place all these Fathers place as we doe that against Images for the second commaundement And for the third Thou shalt not take the name of the lord c. For the 4. Remember thou keepe holy c. for the 5. Honor thy father and thy Mother c. and for the tenth that we shall not couet any thing of our neighbors c. Iesephus in his 3. book of Antiquites chap. 6. and Philo in his booke which he made of the tenne comandements deuide them in like manner with vs. If this be the true deuision of the Decalogue as it is and by the expresse word of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image as by the Hebrew Greeke and Latin Doctors we haue proued Hereupon it followeth that the Church of Rome is accursed of God because she hath dared to diminish and adde any thing to the most holy eternall and inuiolable lawe of God whereunto being perfect full and entire no man ought to adde or take away according to that which the same God saith Thou shalt adde nothing to the word which I commaund thee neyther shalt thou take ought therefro but keepe the commaundements of the Lord your god which I commaunde you Deut. 4. 2. Deut. 12. 32. Prouerb 30. 6. If the Church of Rome heere in a thing so cleere so notable and of so great importance hath so apparantly and without shame dared to adde and diminish what will they not dare Let vs looke more neerely The belly say they hath no cares These things will not the Romists heare Images in the Popedome fill the bellies and the chests Great is the treasure that is giuen to Images Oyle waxe perfumes silke siluer gold cloth of gold and precious stones wherein Theeues and wicked women are most liberall The Pirestes and friers doe clothe and decke their Images with the giftes of strumpets wherein they transgresse the commaundement of God which commandeth that none shall bring the hier of an whore into the house of the Lord c. because God who is iust and pure abhorreth robbery and detesteth that which with sinne and filthinesse is euill gotten And the Glosse in Decret dist 90. Cap. Oblationis determineth that no gaine of a whore be offered in the Church And that the suprestitious vulgar sort may giue the more they make them beleeue
sacrifice which he offereth The Pope is he that made and created the Masse as afterwardes God willing we will proue Therefore is the Pope of greater dignitie then the Masse This proueth the Pope to be maister and the sacrament his seruant because when the Pope goeth from one people to another he sendeth before him yea and some time a day or two dayes Iourney his sacrament vpon a horse carying at his necke a little bell accompained with the scumme and baggage of the Romane court Thither goe the dishes and spits old shooes caldrons and kettels and all the sculery of the Courte of Rome whores and Iesters Thus the sacrament arriued with this honorable traine at the place whither the Pope is to come it there awayeth his comming And when the maister is knowne to approach neere the people it goeth forth to receiue him Open thine eyes O Spaine or which is better God open them and behold what account the Pope maketh of the sacrament which he himselfe saying it is thy God for thy money selleth vnto thee Fryar Iohn de Pineda in the third part of his Ecclesiasticall Monarchie lib. 23. ¶ 2. saith That the first Pope which caused the Sacrament to be carried before him was Benedict 13. a Spaniard when for feare he fled from France into Aragon from that time remained it in custome that the Pope caried the most holy Sacrament for his gard before him The Popes in this carrying of the Sacrament before them doe imitate the kinges of Persia before whom went a horse carrying a little Altar vpon him whereupon among a few ashes shone a small flame of holy fire which they called Orismada This fire as a certaine diuinitie did the Persians reuerence and adore So that the King to seeme more then a man and to be ioyntly worshipped with the diuinitie which did accompany him with this pompe went he publikely Read for this purpose the Embleme of Alciatus Non tibi sed Religioni pag. 17. where he treateth of a little asse that went laden with mysteries He also that sacrificeth is of more dignitie and estimation then the sacrifice which he offereth For God regardeth not so much the gift or sacrifice to him offered and presented as the person that offereth it The Lord saith the scripture had respect to Abell and his present and to Caine and his present he had no regard The Apostle giueth a reason saying By saith Abell offered to God a better sacrifice then Caine. The Pope is the Priest the Masse is the sacrifice which he offereth Therefore is the Pope of more dignitie then the Masse By these reasons and others that may be drawne I conclude the Pope to be chiefe piller that susteyneth the Popish Church Of it we will first take hold not to support it but to cast it downe and then we will after intreat of the Masse And this by the helpe of the almightie God the Father sonne ond holy Ghost whose cause we here defend To this name Papa the like as to some other wordes hath happened which in old time were taken in good part and were honourable titles but after with the time haue bene ill taken For example Tyrannis was in old time a King and so King Latinus as saith Virgill Aeneid 7. called Aenaeas whose friendship he desired Tyrant Sophista was taken for a man of wisedome now for a deceiuer or a flatterer Hostis did signifie a stanger now taken for an enemy Euen so in old time was Papa taken in good parte and giuen for a title to Bishops or ministers of Gods word for in the Primitiue Church the Bishop Minister and Pastor were all one Riches haue sithens made the difference as now we see Read to this purpose the Epistle of Saint Ierome to Euagr. tom 2. That Papa was so taken as a foresaid by the Epistle of the auncient Doctors as namely Ciprian Dionysius Alexandrinus Ierome Ambrose Auguistine Sidonius Appolinarius and Gregory and by the Actes of the Councels is proued The Grecians vntill this day call their Priestes Papaous the Germanies call them Psaffen and Flemings call them Papen names which be derined of this name Papa which in the Sicilian tongue after Suidas signifieth Father Of all these authors I will alleage here but onely two Ierome writing to Augustine saith Most hartily commend me I pray thee to our holy and venerable brother Pope Alipius And writing to Pamachius he saith vnto him hold Pope Epiphanius And writing to Augustine calleth him Pope In another place he saith Except Pope Athanasius and Paulinus yet neither Alipius nor Pamachius nor Epiphanius nor Aunor nor Athanasius nor Paulinus were euer Bishops of the Church of Rome Among the Epistles of Saint Ciprian there is one thus entituled The Presbiters and Deacons abiding at Rome send greeting to Pope Ciprian And this is to be noted that the Church of Rome giueth this title to Saint Ciprian who was Bishop of Carthage and neuer of Rome But when the couetuousnesse and ambition of the Bishop of Rome had so increased that he made himselfe a Prince and vniuersall Bishop and therefore Antichrist as Saint Gregorie calleth him then toke he from other Bishops the title of Pope and reserued it onely to himselfe So that none but the Bishop of Rome is now Pope and being Bishop of Rome Antichrist Hence commeth it that to all the Godly the name of Pope is so horrible and wicked because it is onely giuen to Antichrist That which hereafter we will say shall not be against the anciēt first taking of the name of Pope but against the second Which name well agreeth with him for the Pope Popely all to himselfe that is to say he deuonreth and glutteth it vp as he himselfe saith All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth And so the late writers take this name Papa pro Ingluuie that is to say gluttony As Anthonie de Lebrixa in his dictionary doth note it Iesus Christ our Maister whose voyce the Father commaundeth vs to heare and thereby to gouerne our selues hath giuen vs a sure marke and infallible token to discerne the good tree from the bad the true Christian from the false the good shepheard from the hierling A good tree saith he bringeth foorth good fruite Matth. chap. 7. 17. This he saith that we may knowe the hypocrites by their fruites or workes Speaking also of himselfe he saith The workes which I doe they beare witnesse of me Ioh. chap. 5. vers 30. The same Lord saith that the good shepheard giueth his life for his sheep not the hierling but rather flyeth Ioh. chap. 10. 11. Mē cannot iudge but that which they see God onely knoweth the heart Following then the counsel which the Lord hath giuen vs let vs see what hath bin the life doctrine of the Popes vntill this day and so will hold them either for good or bad for the true ministers of Christ
Bishop of Rome and Pope vniuersall in the Church of God and in that seat ruled two yeares and thirtie and so many dayes And albeit placed in this throne yet liued she not chastly but vsed priuate familiaritie with her slaue in whom she much trusted and by whom she was great with child yet so diligently she cloaked it that no other but himselfe knewe it And as God would not suffer so great wickednesse to rest any longer vnpunished so it happened that vppon a day being the time of her child-birth as she went with accustomed pompe to visite Saint Iohn de Lateran of a secrete sinne it pleased God to shew an open punishment and comming to a certaine place betweene the Church of Saint Clement and the Theater which they call improperly Coliseo with extreme paine shee brought forth a creature to the wonderfull amazement of those that were present and therewithall sodainly died and without honour or pompe was buried For this so strange accident in this place happened it is commonly sayd that when the chiefe Bishops go sithence to the Church of Lateran comming neere vnto it they turne aside go not that way in detestation of so horrible a chance And lest happily another such like woman might worke the like deceit there is now in the sacred palace a seate open below that it may secretly be seene if it be a man that is chosen The Romans now ashamed at the ceremonie for which his seate was inuented call it a dunghill imploy it to other purpose Another like seat there is or was if it be not thence taken in the Monasterie de Monte Cassino where in olde time they chose many Popes The same Author proceedeth In that way saith he is also a statue of stone representing the child-birth and death of this bold woman Thus farre Pero Mexia That which he saith of the statue and the cause of it there being is most true But it is to be vnderstood that the ceremony of the seate to knowe whether it be man or woman is not now vsed because those which are chosen for Popes haue so honestly liued that wanting lawfull wiues amongst their concubines whores and strumpets which they keepe and by whom they haue had he or she bastards they haue shewed themselues to be men Sergius had a bastared by a notable strumpet called Marozia as saith Luithprandus an ancient Writer in his secend booke and thirteenth chapter and in his third booke and twelfth chapter This sonne of the Pope was Pope also called Iohn the twelfth This Iohn the twelfth had a bastard which also was Pope called Iohn the fourteenth Innocentius 8. had 8. sonnes and as many daughters But leauing out the auncient let vs come to our later Popes How manie hee and she bastards had our Spanish Alexander the sixth Of Leo the tenth it is sayd that he had bastardes and that Clement the seuenth was his sonne of whom the Bishop Paulus Iouius counteth manie abominations Paule the third had bastardes among whom was one and Pero Lewis his name the most abominable Sodomite of his time and for the same was put to death Pope Gregorie the thirteenth not long since deceased before and when he was Pope had also bastardes Iohn Pannonius giueth the like reason with vs in these verses Non poterat quisquam resorantes aethera claues Non exploratis sumere testiculis Cur igitur nostro mos hic iam tempore cessat Antè probat sese quilibet esse marem The Church of Rome then hauing such certaine proofes a seate now is not needfull Friar Alonso venero in his Enchiridion of times speaking of the vnhappines of these times saith thus What greater euil thē a woman by her subtiltie worldly learning dissembling her sexe and nature to vsurpe the Pontificall seat of Christ Friar Iohn de Pineda par 3. lib 18. cap. 23. ¶ 6 saith This deede caused great admiration that a woman did dare to be the vicar of God sith the holy virgin Marie for being a woman is held irregular for any ecclesiasticall act or holy gouernment soeuer c. So long haue I dwelled vpō this historie of Pope Ione and with so many to wit 12 authors at the least confirmed it to confound some papists of our time which seing the disorder of this Pope this shee Pope I saie because the Pope is oft of the common of two genders to auoide the same very maliciously denie any such Pope to haue bin and the more to fortifie their vntrueth they are not contented to speak but also to write and print the same Amongest whom Onuphrius Panuinus of Saint Augustins order as they call it is one who among many other notes vpon Platina concerning the liues of the chiefe Bishops speaking of this Pope Ione maketh one verie large note wherein he absolutely or rather dissolutely denieth any such Pope to haue bene And his chiefest argument drawne to confirme his opinion is that such a one and such c. writing of the liues of the chiefe Oishops doe not once mention this Pope Iohn 8. whereupon it followeth as he concludeth that there was neuer any such Pope To this I answer that the Authors by him alleaged either by forgetfulnesse or ignorance or which is more credible mallice or else at least for shame haue made no mention of him As a Logitian I further answer that an argument taken ab authoritate negando is nothing worth For example Cicero vsed not this word therefore it is not Latine but if any other Latine authour as Caesar Liuius Salust c. vsed it it shall be Latine though not vsed by Cicero I now likewise answer that albeit those Authors by him alleaged make no mention of this Iohn the eight others and manie more such also as Pero Mexia calleth faithfull Authours haue done it An argument taken not ab authoritate negando but affirmando is good Of this Pope Mautuan in his third booke vpon Alphonsus speaking of hell thither saith he Iohn the eight descended Hic pendebat adhuc sexum mentita virilem Foemina cuitriplici Phrygiam diademate mitram Et tollebat apex pontificalis adulter Here will we make to the Papists and with much more reason the same demaunds that we did speaking of Constantine the second What will they say of those Bishops Archbishops and other Ecclesiasticall persons by her or her authoritie ordained Take away the cause and the effect ceaseth As she by their owne Cannons was not Pope so all those that she ordained were not Priestes nor did celebrate nor consecrate And all the people in hearing their Masse committed idolatrie Who then was head and vniuersall Bishop of the Church Who Saint Peters successour Who the Vicar of Christ A woman and that a whore both before she was Pope and after Pero Mexia hereof aduising answereth that albeit neither she nor any other woman be capable to receiue any character of ordination nor to ordaine
Quintanes also were taken In the 1558. yeare and the moneth of September died in Spaine Don Charles the Emperour And the 17 of Nouember the same yeare dyed Mary Queene of England and Cardinall Poole in her place reigneth Ladie Elizabeth by whose meanes the great persecutions of fire and blood prisonment and banishment which the Church in the time of Queene Mary had suffered in England ceased Fortie whole yeares that this magnanimous and most prudent Queene hath reigned hath this kingdome by the mercie of God enioyed this freedome In which time this kingdome hath bene and is a refuge and sanctuarie for many straungers who escaping the tallons of the haukes and the teeth of the lyons and woulues haue thither retired God for his infinite mercie enrich it with his spirituall and temporall riches sith it hath entertayned and holpen poore straungers in the time of so great affliction and calamitie In the time of this Pope Paul 4. began the great persecution in Spaine and chiefly in the Cittie of Seuill and Valladolid At the end almost of the 1557. yeare this pesecution began as we will afterwardes declare The Cittie of Seuil is one of the most Ciuill populous rich ancient fruictfull and of most sumptuous buildings that is this day in Spaine To be most rich it plainely appeareth seeing all the Treasure of the west Indies cōmeth vnto it that the king hath thence euery yeare a million and a halfe of Duckets Which rent is so great that fewe kings there be that haue so much of one whole entire kingdome Most ancient it is For if we credit Histories Hispalo Nouono king of Spaine of whom it is called Hispalis built it and Hercules before the destruction of Troy did augment it That it is fruitfull is proued by that place Axarase where be such and so many oliue trees from which is drawne so great plenty and aboundance of oyle that it storeth not onely a great part of Spaine but many other landes also farre distant from Spaine It is seene also by the fieldes of Carmona and Zeres so abounding with wheate and by the pastures so full stored with vines oreng trees figge trees pomgranate and other infinit fruites And where nothing is sowne the earth bringeth forth much spirage and palme trees c It hath also much cattle chiefly sheepe from whence much woole is sent into Italy and flaunders The father of mercy hath not onely enriched this citie making it so ciuill populous rich auncient fruitfull and of such sumptuous buildings but hath also enriched blessed it with all spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges in Christ electing it before the foundation of the world all this saith Saint Paul of the citie of Ephesus to be the first citie of our Countrey of Spaine that in these times should knowe the abuses supersticions Idolatries of the Roman Church Wherwith Spaine hath so long time bene deceiued and knowing them to cause it to amend should publish as it hath published and dyuulged the same And so Iesus Christ might reigne in his Church and Antichrist be banished destroyed and slaine About the yeare 1540. one Rodrigo de Valer borne at Lebrixa liued in Seuill where also was borne the most learned Aentonius de Brixa restorer of the Latine tongue in our Countrie of Spaine This Valer passed his youth not in vertue nor spirituall exercises not in reading nor meditation of holy scripture but in vaine and worldly exercises as rich youth accustomably doth Hee delighted to haue good and well barded horses To day was he suited in one apparell and to morrow in another hee gaue himselfe to play to hunt and to such other exercises whereunto knights and Gentlemen applye themselues In the middest of which his vaine exercises he knew not how nor by what meanes God touched altered and changed him into a new man farre different from the former So that by how much the more he formerly loued and followed his vaine exercises by so much the more did he afterwardes abhorre detest and forsake them hartely applying himselfe and bending all the forces of his body and minde to the exercise of pietie reading and meditation of holy scriptures Some small knowledge he had in the Latine tongue did much herein auayle him For now is the tyranny of Antichrist knowne which suffereth not in Spaine the bookes of holy scripture in the vulgar tongue Many that vnderstood not the misteries which God wrought in Valer held for foolishnesse and want of Iudgement such a suddaine and great alteration For this is the Iudgement which flesh holdeth of spirituall and diuine thinges it holdeth them for foolishnesse and drunkennesse as saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 1 18. The word of the crosse is truly foolishnesse to them that are lost c And in the 12. verse It pleased God by the foolishnes of the Gospell to saue those that beleeue And in the 2. chap. 14. The Carnall man vnderstādeth not the things that parteine to the spirit of God for to him they be foolishnes c. And S. Luke Act. 2. 13. reporteth that many ignorant of the suddaine alteratiō which the spirit of God wrought in the Apostles said they were drunken but those that haue eies may see that it was not folly nor drunkennesse but a change wrought by the hand of the most high and that the spirit of God it was that moued Valer When Valer was thus changed he conceaued great sorrowe and repentance for his vayne life passed and so imployed himselfe wholly in the exercise of Godlinesse alwayes speaking and intreating of the principall poyntes of Christian Religion reading and meditating in the holie Scriptures and gaue himselfe so to read them that he knewe much thereof by hart which he very aptly applyed to that which he handled In Seuill where he dwelled had he dayly disputations and contentions against the Priestes and Friars And told them to their faces that they were the causes of so great corruption as was not in the ecclesiastical state onely but also in euery Christian common-wealth which corruption said he was so great that there was none or very little hope of amendmēt For this cause he reproued thē sharply that not in corners but in the middest of the markets streets vpon the exchange in Seuill a place where Marchants twise a day meete about their businesse he pardoned nor spared them not S. Paule as saith Saint Luke Actes 17. 16. and 17. seeing the citie of Athens so greatly giuen to Idolatrie was much moued and disputed with the Iewes in their Sinagogue and in the open market or assembly of men with those that encountred him Euen so our Valer seing so noble a citie as Seuill is giuen to so great superstition and Idolatrie and so full of scribes and Pharesies of so many priests and Friars he disputed with them in the markets streetes and reproued and conuinced them by the
Rector and that by my will Councell consent nor exhortation he shall loose neither life member nor honour which he holdeth And I shall not make in Rome any decree or ordynation of all that to his holinesse or to the Romans perteyneth without your consent And all that of Saint Peters landes which shal be in our power we shall then restore and to whom soeuer I shall deliuer ouer the gouernement of Italiâ— I shall cause him sweare to be an ayder of his holinesse to defend to his power the landes of Saint Peter as God me helpe and by these holy Gospells of God c. After this 2. oath Don Charles was made a Chanon of Saint Peter and after a knight of Saint Peter These two oathes shall ye find in the Historie and 10. booke of the marquesse of Pescara Here may yee see how the world goeth contrary The Pope of a subiect to the Emperour hath made himselfe his Lord. This which I haue sayd touching the originall and growing vp of the Pope in an information presented to the princes and states of the Empire in the time of Don Charles the Emperour our king and Lord is handled more at large Hence will we conclude that the authoritie which the Pope boasteth to hold is neither by diuine nor humane right but diabolicall with subtilty he thrust himselfe into it with straunge force as saith Daniell he doth and shall maineteine the same vntill God destroy him with the force and power of his word By which saying it appeareth that the Popedome built as it is vppon hypocrysie craft auarice ambition and tyranny is not builded vppon the firme rocke which is Iesus Christ whom Saint Peter confessed saying Thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God And if the Popedome be not founded vpon Christ much lesse is the Pope the head or vniuersall Bishop of the Church of God but of the deuill And that he is not vniuersall Bishop I will confirme it prouing with short and apparant reasons that Saint Peter whose successor they say the Pope to be was not vniuersall Bishop of the Church The first reason Saint Clement Bishop of Rome writing as say our aduersaries to Saint Iames called him the brother of the Lord Bishop of Bishops Gouernour of the Church of Ierusalem and of all others through the whole world If this be true it followeth that so was not Saint Clement albeit he were Bishop of Rome 2. Also in the first Christian Councell whereof Saint Luke in his Historie maketh mention not S. Peter as vniuersall Bishop but S. Iames gouerned Who heard each one and among them S. Peter and when all had spoken Saint Iames as President concluded in the 19. verse saying wherefore my sentence is c. Read the chapter and you shall see that which I say to be truth Notwithstanding all this D. Illescas the Popes parasite in his part 1. fol. 20. saith That Saint Peter as chiefe Bishop was president in this Councell 3. Also the Apostles as reporteth Saint Luke hearing that Samaria had receiued the doctrin of the Gospell to teach and more fully instruct them sent Peter Iohn thither But who shall now send the Pope to preach Suerely the Counsell wil not be so bould and though the CouÌ„sel so should yet would not the Pope do it saying he is Immediate from God The Apostles sent Peter and Peter as a faithfull member of the. Church obeyed went and preached 4. Saint Paule reproued Saint Peter because faith Saint Paule he so deserued Saint Peter listened thereto and allowed the reprehension That he was imediate from God that he was vniuersall Bishop and therefore greater then he answered he not neither did he answere that none ought nor could reproue him nor yet demaund account of him why he did so or so as the Popes nowe and many yeares also to kings Emperours yea and generall Councels haue answered So shamelesse are some of our aduersaries that notwithstanding Saint Paule saith that beeing come to Antioche I withstood Peter to his face c. And verse 14. hee saith whom when I saw that they walked not rightly according to the truth of the Gospell I said to Peter before all c. yet say they that Saint Paul reproued not S. Peter but another which was called Cephas Read D. Illescas part 1. fol. 21. Whose words be these Before that S. Peter say they came to Rome he held equality with S. Paul in Antioch c. Illescas beleeueth not that which S. Paul witnesseth of this equalltie and therefore as one doubting saith They say what credit shall we giue to such a one that doubteth of that which Saint Paul affirmeth That Antichrist whosoeuer he shal be which Saint Paul calleth the sonne of perdition man of sinne shall sit in the temple of God and as addeth S. Iohn in the citie situate vpon 7 mountaines This citie as S. Ierome and many others declare is Rome Only the Pope sitteth in the Temple of God in the citie of seauen mountaines which is Rome Therefore onely the Pope is that Antichrist 6. Also in the first Councell of Nice assembled by Constantine that good Emperour to confound and destroy the heresie of Arrius who with this blaspheamous mouth tooke away the diuinitie of Iesus Christ the Legats of the Bishop of Rome not in the 1. 2. nor 3. but in the 4. place did sitte Ergo the Bishop of Rome was not then head nor vniuersall Bishop of the Church In this Nicen Councell the Limits of the Patriarkes were bounded to whom the same authoritie ouer their Churches was giuen as held the Bishop of Rome ouer his neighbour Churches The Papists as they knowe which haue read Histories haue endeauoured what they could to falsifie this decree Reade for this purpose the sixt Councell of Carthage whereof we will afterwardes make mention Cardinall Cusanus alleaging the Nicen Councell shewed the rialtie of the truth saying as followeth The Bishop of Rome of the ancients is often called Patriarke or Archbishop and like authoritie was giuen him in the Councell of Nice as to the other Patriarkes Here wee see what great authoritie hath the Pope newly in our times vsurped more then that which the holy and ancient constitutions gaue him and all this by continuance and custome of slauish obedience Neither Iuâ—us who then was Bishop of Rome nor his Legates which were in this Councell gaine sayd this decree And that which more is the same decree was afterwareds in the Councell of Antioche and in the Councell of Constantinople confirmed In the first Councell of Ephesus Cyrillus In the 2. Dioscorus Patriaches of Alexandria did gouerne albeit the Legats of the the Bishop of Rome were there present In the 5. CouÌ„cel of CoÌ„stantinople Menas as patriarke of the city where the Councel was holden gouerned In the General Councell holden in Aquilea S. Ambrose bishop of Milan was president not the
bishop of Rome albeit the Councel was holden in Italy But what forceth it to alleage so many Councels sith in one Councell this question was heard and determined and both parties heard also The bishop of Rome with the title of Patriark tooke vpon him much authoritie ouer the Churches of Affrique So that the Sismatiques of Affrick as to a refuge retired vnto him For this cause the Councell of Maleuant wherein was Saint Augustine and a great number of fathers pronounced al those excommunicate which should appeale to parts beyound the seas The Bishop of Rome grudging here at sent his Legates to the 6. Councell of Carthage wherein also was S. Augustine present to defend his right This question in this Councell was truly handled Zozimus Boniface and Celestine successiuely being Bishops Aurelius Archbishop of Carthage where the Councell was holden and not the Legates of the Pope albeit they were three and present namely Faustine Bishop Philip Aselias presbiters there gouerned These had the Bishop of Rome sent to the Councel of Carthage to defend the authoritie which the Nicen Councell said they had giuen to the Bishop of Rome to wit that appeale might be made to the Bishop o of Rome from the sentence giuen by any metropolitaine whatsoeuer One Daniell a notarie red the whole 5. chap. of the Councel of Sardice which the Bishop of Rome said but very vntruly was of the Councell of Neece The Pope like a good apothecarie when it is for his profit well knoweth to giue quid pro quo All the Bishops and Archbishops much marueyled and said that such a thing was neuer read in the Councell of Nice and so the same Councell of Nice which they had then in writing they commaunded to be read which beeing read and no word of such appellation found yet did the Romane Legates insist that it was so Needefull it was then to send certaine men to Constantinople Alexandria and also to Rome it selfe that they might bring other copies of the Nicen Councell Within one yeare were they brought and the originall it selfe chiefly which was kept in Constantinople Read they were and no mention nor ought else that might giue suspition of this priueledge which the Romans alleaged to haue bene graunted them in the Nicen Councell was at all found in any of these coppies A letter then was written by consent of the whole Councell of Carthage to the Bishop of Rome wherein no such thinge said they but the contrary rather was found in the Councel of Nice that the Bishop of Rome as did other Popes and metropolitanes should medle within his owne limits and boundes And that therefore if he were wise hee should thenceforth be content with his owne dioces and bishorick not intrude vpon an others possession This letter was subscribed by 230 fathers and among them the Popes selfe same three Legats before named If the Pope and his Legats when they vsed not such tyraÌ„ny as now they vse did dare to falsifie a Councell in almost a thousand two hundred and so many yeares passed after this Councell of Carthage vnto this yeare 1598. What shall they not haue done Quien haze vn cesto hara ciento He that maketh one basket wil make a hundred And no wonder it is that they haue dared to falsifie the Councels seeing they haue shamelesly taken from the law of God the 2. Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any image c. And seeing but 9 Commandements of the tenth commandement Thou shalt not lust c. haue they made two commandements as in the beginning of this Treatise we haue noted Our Spanish Caranâ—a in his Summa Conciliorum setteth down no one of so many Cannons in it of this 6. Councell of Carthage the cause is least he shuld therein haue discouered the falshood of the Bishop of Rome in alleaging of the Nicen Councell that which the Councell neuer but the contrary rather determined A Summarie onely he made and verie briefe saying that the Councell determined what the Nicen Councell demaunded of the Easterne Bishoppes but saieth not vnto what purpose O great subtiltie This Councell of Carthage albeit it was generall called he prouincial So also calleth it Panuinus notwithstanding they both coÌ„fesse that there were found there present 217 Bishops and three legates of the Pope what letteth it then to be generall The Papists what they may wil forget this sixt Councell of Carthage albeit saith Panninus it was confirmed in Trullo Gracian also interpreting the words of the Councell vseth the same malice That none appeale saith he to partes beyond the sea except it be to the Bishop of Rome The cause why it was commanded in this 6. Councell of Carthage that no appeale should be beyond the sea was for that the sismatikes of Affrike condemned by the good Bishops of Affrike appealed to Rome Therfore commanded the councel they should not appeale but that the businesse without seeking further should be concluded in Affricke And so was the conclusion of this Councell That the Bishop of Rome should not receiue those that were excommunicate by the Bishops of Affricke nor accept their appellations which had in Affrike bene condemned and those that appealed to him should be for the same matter excommunicate The reasons whereuppon this Councell was founded sent by it to Celestine Bishop of Rome be these That in no CouÌ„cel was any such thing determined But that the Nicen Councell contrariwise gaue the charge of the Bishops and Ecclesiasticall persons to the Metropolitane The grace of the holy Spirit saith it will assist euery prouince to iudge controuersies that each one which felt himselfe greeued might appeale to a prouinciall Councell For it is more to bee beleeued that God will rather inspire manie Priests in a Councell assembled then one only man c. By that which wee haue alleaged of the sixt Councell of Carthage it clearely appeareth how false is that which the Pope said that in the Nicen Councell the primacie was giuen him and yet want there not some in our times also which renewe this falshood And so D. Illescas vpon the life of Boniface 3 in the marginall note saith these words Phocas de clared by the Law that the Roman Church is head of the Church vniuersall Also he saith This superiority of the Roman Church hath euer sithens bene and by all faithfull and Catholike Christians is holden for a thing proued without dispute as the Councell of Neece chap. 6. and Raimundus Rufus against the heretiks of this time for louers of nouelties c. most plainely proueth In the seuenth Councell of Carthage the matter of the primacie was also debated The cause was this That Iohn Bishop of Constantinople seeing himselfe fauoured of Maurice the Emperour called himselfe Bishop of Bishops and vniuersall bishop And this because he was Bishop of the citie where the Emperour was resident Mauricius willing to aduaunce his citie and abase Rome did
that of the ruyne of the Romane Empire the Pope who is Antichrist by little and little hath erected his kingdome All this to one man cannot be applyed but to an estate and condition of men Antichrist is a Greeke word as much to say as contrary to Christ See wee then some thinges wherein the Pope doth oppose himselfe to Christ The people sought to make Christ a king but Christ would not For his kingdome he saiâ—h is not of this world The Pope without demaunding or seeking it of the people hath made himselfe vniuersall king ouer all the kings of this world and so at his fantasie doth place and displace them The second opposition Christ being God humbled himselfe and to saue vs became man reconcyling vs with the father The Pope being a man maketh himselfe God saying that in hell he hath authoritie and power casting into it whom soeuer he will and also drawing out from thence If he please as did Pope S. Gregorie say they drawe the soule of the Emperour Traian who was an Infidel persecutor of the Church Authoritie hee hath in purgatorie drawing soules from thence as say they hee doth dayly Hee hath authoritie in earth binding and loosing whomsoeuer hee will He hath authoritie also in heauen placing therein whom hee will commaunding the Angels to carrie the Soule of whomsoeuer he shall please without passing the paynes of purgatorie as by the bull which Pope Clement the sâ—xt graunted to such as comming to Rome to obteyne the Iubile should die by the way doth appeare All this saith the Pope that hee can doe And so also saith his Parasites Yet all is but lies to condemne and carry vs with him to the house of his Father the diuell The third opposition Christ doth commaund vs to search the scripture and giueth a reason for by them shall we know him The Pope vnder most greiuous payne commaundeth vs not to reade them nor looke vppon them least that wee knowing Christ by reading of the Scriptures may also know him to bee Antichrist And to busie vs with some thing hee commaundâ— vs to reade lying Legends he commaunds vs to pray the Rosarie which Alanus with so great falsehood and impietie as we haue said in the life of Sistus 4. renewed So many Paternosters and so many Aue Maries before a câ—â—â—â—fixe before the Image of the virgin Mary or of this or that other he or she Saints he commaunds vs to pray To a certaine great Lady called Isabell graunted Pope Leo pardon of all her sinnes if kneeling in her owne lodging before the Image of any he or she Saint she should say fiue Paternosters and fiue Aue Maries Behold what agreement is there betweene the Aue Marta and the Crucifixe or the Paternoster and the virgin Mary What maner of prayer is this when he that prayeth neither knoweth nor vnderstandeth what he prayeth Oh blindnesse Oh ignorance The fourth opposiâ—ion Christ calleth vnto him all those that trauell and be afflicted in conscience that he may refresh them The Pope commands vs to goe to the virgin Marie and to hee and she Saints What other thing is this but to leaue the fountaine of liuing water as saith Ieremias and to dig pooles that can hold no water Between Christ and the Pope are there many other opposicions yet will we set downe but the last of all that Christ with great triumph is ascended into heauen and there sitteth at the right hand of his father And shamefully the Pope descendeth into hell and to the depth of hell falleth in the company of Iudas whose successor hee is and there by his owne Father the diuell shal be euerlastingly tormented Yee see here that the Pope is an aduersarie and opposeth and lifteth vp himselfe against all that is God or that is worshipped and sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe to bee God By that which the Apostle saith that Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God hee giueth to vnderstand that Antichrist shall neither bee Turke Moore Iewe nor Pagan but a Christian and that professeth Christian religion The Pope sitteth in Rome a City very ancient in Christian Religion where were so many good Bishops for almost the space of 300 yeares which sealed with their bloud the Doctrine which preached and nowe also in Rome notwithstanding the tyranny of Antichrist hath God his Church as hee had in Sodome where was Lot and his familie That which Saint Paule saith that the comming of Antichrist shal be with great power signes and lying woonders is to be noted and all this shall hee doe by the working of Sathan Here also it appeareth that the diuell worketh his miracles Which confirmeth the Spanish prouerbe Sease milagro y hagalo eldiablo Be it a Miracle and the diuell doth it but all to decâ—iue The mightie power of the Pope who is ignorant of That which Christ of himselfe saith dareth the Pope to say of himselfe Data est mihi omnis potestas all power is giuen vnto mee O blasphemy intollerable As touching his signes and lying wonders the world is full The very papists themselues that haue any vnderstanding are ashamed of them But the simple the Idiots the vulgar sort beleeue and holde them for true miracles and for them rather will die then for the Doctrine of the Prophetes or Apostles or Christ Iesus himselfe whereof they are wholly ignorant Oh ignorant blindnesse and blinde ignorance How many Images haue spoken How many haue sweate and that droppes of bloud The ignorant people beleeueth that the beard haires and nayles of the crucifixe of Burgos doe grow How many miracles say they doe the Images of our Lady of Guadalupe and that of Monsarrate How many Captiâ—es deliuer they How many dead doe they rayse againe How many blind giue they sight vnto c. Either this which they say is vntruth and not therefore to bee beleeued or else verily doe they these miracles if they doe them by the operation of Sathan that the vnbeleeuers â—hich wil not beleeue the truth may beleeue lies as in this selfe same chapter Saint Paule doth aduise vs not to beleeue such miracles as are â—or founded vpon the word of God In the Treatise of the Masse more shal be said concerning miracles Not to make an Image nor any likenesse c. Not to worship or do them reuerence doth God commaund vs. To make Images to worship and doe reuerence vnto them doth the Pope commaund vs that purgatory should be better beleeued O how many mâ—râ—cles howe many dreames visions apparitions haue there bene only one I will recite which is read in the Enchiridion of times composed by Friar Alonso Venero Thus then saith hee fol. 118. In the yeare of our Lord 1164. a certaine holy Hermit before deceased appeared in visioÌ„ to the bishop of LigoniuÌ„ said vnto him there dyed in all parts
remit they are remitted vnto them and whosesoeuers sinnes ye retaine they are retained To all equally doth Christ shewe mercy to all equally graunteth Christ the priueledge and giueth authoritie To thinke that Christ reserued matters for the sea Apostolique of Peter which neither Iohn nor Iames nor Paule nor any of the other Apostles were able to dispatch is meere mockerie and Impietie also In authoritie and dignitie were all the Apostles equall And long continewed this order in the Church among the ministers of the Gospell vntill couetousnesse and ambition crept in and confounded this good order making one greater and another lesse because one was more rich then another we speaking of the Primacy confirme this with the sayings of the ancient Doctours If Christ by these words Thou art Peter c. had appointed Saint Peter vniuersall Bishop and head of the whole Church as they say to what purpose did then the Apostles so often reason among themselues vpon this questioÌ„ of the Primacie who should be chiefe amoÌ„g them Saint Matthew from the 1 verse to the 5. of the 18 chapter maketh mention hereof S. Marke cap 9 from the 33. verse vnto the 37. S. Luke from the 46. verse vnto the 48. of the 9. chapter doth mention it S. Matth. 20. 20. saith That the mother of the sonnes of Zebedeus and as saith Saint Marke the sonnes themselues 10. 15. besought Christ that one might sit at his right hand and the other at his left for which cause as say both the Euangelists the tenne Apostles disdained at the 2. brethren Saint Luke cap 22. 24. telleth that there was a contention among the Apostles which of them should be greatest What answereth Christ Iesus to the demaund which the Apostles made Matth. 18. 1. who shal be the greatest c. He set in the middest of them a little child and said vnto them Whosoeuer shal humble himselfe as this little child he shal be the greatest c. S. Marke 9 35. saith he that will be the first he shal be the last seruant of al. S. Luke 9. 48. he that is least among you shal be great Christ reproueth the sonnes of Zebedeus for their ambitious demand He said vnto them ye know what yee aske c. the tenne were angry with them for this superioritie which they pretended Christ said vnto them that in a Politicall kingdome there it superioritie and so kings and princes holde authoritie ouer all But that in his kingdome which is spirituall wherein there neither is nor ought to bee superioritie it is not so But it shall not bee so saieth Christ among you c. Would our aduersaries well examine this they would be ashamed of their primacy and principalitie that they seeke to gâ—ue to their Pope which neither Saint Peter nor any other of the Apostles euer had For had Christ giuen the primacie to Saint Peter when hee heard them contend which of them should bee the greatest doubtlesse hee would haue said vnto them Wherefore striue you know yee not that I haue giuen the Primacy to Peter Doe yee not knowe that I haue made Peter the chiefest of you all Quiet then your selues and for such a one doe yee holde him The same also would Saint Peter haue said I am hee whom Christ hath appointed to bee the head of the whole Church c. But neither did Christ so say but rather for their ambition and affectation of the primacie reproued them Nor yet did Saint Peter alleage that Iesus Christ had said vnto him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke c. The second place fundamental which our aduersaries doe alleage to mainetaine the primacy of the Pope is that Christ saide to Peter Louest thou mee c. Peter answered Yea Lord c. Then said Christ vnto him Feede my sheepe Here doe they inferre that seeing that Christ said this to Saint Peter and sayd it not to any other of the Apostles that by the same reason hee made him Prince of the Apostles The most high wisedome and loue of Christ in Peters confirmation and comfort they nothing consider There times had Peter denyed Christ And Christ three times demaunded if hee loued him Twise answered Peter Yea Lord but the third time he waxed sorrowfull and to comfort him Christ saide vnto him Feede my sheepe As if he should haue sayd Thou hast thrise denyed mee Peter but hast repented and with most bitter weeping craued pardon for the same Thy sinnes I pardon and restore thee to the same state thou wast formerly in Feede then my sheepe And to cheere him the more he said â—nto him that he should be constant should not denie him And gaue him to vnderstand as there saith the Euangelist with what death he should glorifie God The same charge and office of feeding gaue Iesus Christ to all the Apostles Mark chap. 16. vers 15. when he commanded them to goe through the world and preach the Gospell to euery creatuâ—e and when he said vnto them Receaue yee the holy Ghost Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit c. So that in this carried not Saint Peter any preheminence ouer the rest of the Apostles In dignitie and authoritie all are equall and principall members of the mysticall body of Christ which is his Church which body seeing it is no monster hath but one only head which is Christ And yet say I further suppose that Saint Peter had bene Prince of the Apostles and of much greater authoritie then they all yet not withstanding the Pope not being Peters successour nor the Vicar of Christ as already we haue proued shall not be prince of Bishops nor vniuersall Bishop ouer all Churches He should content himselfe to be Bishop of Rome nor is he yet so but Antichrist These two be the principall fundamentall places wherewith the Romists endeuour to maintaine their primacy And seing they proue not these thinges much lesse will they prooue the rest by them alleaged to which may be answered that which I haue before said One thing wil I demaund of them and this it is If it be necessary for a man to beleeue the Pope to bee the successour of Saint Peter Vicar of Christ and vniuersall head of all the Church as Boniface the eight ordeyned what shall become of the Greeke Church which neuer so beleeued what shal become of all those that liued in the time of Pope Ione what shall become of all them that liued in the time of Anastasius 2. Liberius and Felix 2. these three Popes were Arians Iohn the 24. an heretique For the which and other great abhominations proued against him in the Councell of Constance he was deposed What shall become of them which liued in the time of this Pope and other heretiques and of the Popes that by Armes or bribes or both armes and bribes ioyntly obteyned the Popedome Such according to the decrees of the Popes themselues be not Popes And yet notwithstanding is this almoste
or of the diuell And to make that more manifest whereof we intreat let vs deuide into three partes or orders all the Bishops that haue bene in Rome The first shall conteyne all those that from the beginning were Bishops vntill the time of Saint Siluester The second all those which were from Siluester vnto Boniface 3. The third all those that haue bene from Boniface 3. vnto Clement 8. who this yeare of the Lord 1600. doth tyrannize in the Church Come we now to the first order The common opinion hath bene that S. Peter was the first Bishop of Rome the which by holy scripture can no way but the contrary rather be proued Many haue handled this argument to whom I referre those that would knowe it For my part that which our aduersaries say concerning this matter to me seemeth impossible First they soy that S. Peter â—â—ued after after Christ passion 38. yeares which they count in this maner That he was for a time in Iudaea after at Antioch where he was Bishop 7. yeares So saith Bartholmew Caranza in his summa Conciliorum But if that be true which they say that S. Peter liued but 38. yeares after Christ the Epistle of S. Paul to the Gal. sheweth this to be impossible Saint Paul also in 1. chap. of his said Epistle declareth that after his conuersion he went not to Ierusalem but into Arabia and thence turned to Damascus and that 3. yeares after he came to Ierusalem where he found Peter with whom he abode 15. dayes not to learne ought of him but to confer with him 14. yeares after this as he saith in the chapter following he came againe to Ierusalem where those that were pillers of the Church Iames Cephas which is Peter and Iohn gaue him the right hand of fellowship These yeares were 18. at the least 3. saith he and afterwards 14. and the time which passed from the Passion of Christ vntill S. Paules going to Arabia After this they both were at Antioch where S. Paul reproued S. Peter for his dissimulation If there he was seuen yeares and twenty fiue yeares afterwardes at Rome ioyned with the eighteene yeares before mentioned shall make fiftie yeares at the least Then shall it be vntrue which they say that Saint Peper liued thirty eight yeares after the death of Christ as saith Caranza in his summa Conciliorum And much more vntrue shal be that which Humfridus Panuinus in the Chronicle of the Roman Bishops and in his annotation vpon Platina in the life of Saint Peter saith that Saint Peter was martyred 34. yeares 3. moueths and 4. dayes after the passion of Christ Count thus the yeares the S. Peter liued after Christ From the death of Christ vntill the 2. yeare of the death of Claudius were 10. yeares all which time Saint Peter abode in and departed not once from Iudea This time passed he came to Rome where he abode 4. yeares from whence by Claudius Edict against the Iewes he departed and returned to Ierusalem from Ierusalem he went to Antioch and there abode 7. yeares in which time died Claudius and Nero succeeded him in the Empire In the beginning of Neros reigne S. Peter returned to Rome whence after some time he departed and trauelled almost throughout all Europe which peregrination being ended he returned the third time to Rome From Saint Peters first enterance into Rome vntill his death were 24. yeares 5. monethes and 12. dayes which ioyned with the 10. yeares before passed in Iudea make 34. yeares three moneths and 4. dayes All this saith Panuinus Herein he contraieth his owne authors which affirme Peter to haue bene 7. yeares in Antioch and 25. after at Rome And Gracian in a certaine decree saith that Saint Peter by reuelation passed or translated his seate from Antioch to Rome And so Fryar Iohn de Pineda in the 3. part booke 20. chap. 5. Sect. 1 following this opinion saith In Antioch before Rome had S. Peter his seate Papall Caranza in his summa Conciliorum speaking of S. Peter counteth thus He sate saith he in the bishops chaire at Antioch 7. yeares and departing thence came to Rome in the time of the Emperor Claudius where he sate in the Bishops chaire 25. yeares 2. moneths and 3. dayes We see now the count of Caranza and Panuinus to be false In this they agree that he was crucified at Rome Betweene the death of the Lord and the death of Nero were 37. yeares The said Panuinus saith that S. Peter was crucified in the the last yeare of Nero then shal it be 37. yeares and not as he saith 34. yeares after the death of Christ The Legend and Cannon say that Saint Peter and Saint Paul were in one selfe same yeare day and hower beheaded at Rome Saint Ierome saith that Paul was killed with a sword and Peter crucified Eusebius saith that the one was beheaded and the other crucified We demaund and chiefly of our Spaniardes which so much beeleeue these thinges when came Saint Peter to Rome how longe there stayed he when and of what kinde of death and where dyed he who was his successor for some say Linus others Clement we shall finde great confusion and disorder amongst them as already we haue seene and how deale they so with Christians whose faith is to be founded vpon the word of God The Popes Supremacie to be Peters successour they sell for an Article of our faith insomuch as saith Boniface 8. it was de necessitate salutis necessarie to saluation and who so beleeued it not could not be saued behold vpon what holy scriptures it is founded vpon a legend of mens sayinges disagreeing among themselues The cause taken away the effect ceaseth If Saint Peter were not Bishop of Rome it followeth that all whatsoeuer is sayd touching the succession Primacie of the Pope is meere lyes and fashood Also Saint Peters Commission was to be Apostle of the circumcision among the Iewes and that of Saint Paul of the vncircumcision among the Gentiles Gal. 2. 7. Saint Paul to the Romans themselues also saith that he preached the Gospell where none had once made mention thereof and giueth a reason Beast he should seeme to build vpon a straunge foundation Whereupon it followeth that Saint Peter was not at Rome Also in the Epistles which he wrote being prisoner in Rome he sent salutations from the faithfull which were then in Rome without any mention made of Saint Peter And had he bene in Rome it is to be thought he would haue named him Read the 4. chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians from the 10. verse vnto the 14. where he saith Salute Aristareus and Marke and Iesus called Iustus which be of the circumcision These onely be they that assisted me in the kingdome of God and were a comfort vnto me Whereupon it followeth that Saint Peter was not at Rome seeing he neither did assist nor comfort him This Epistle was written from Rome And in
the 2. to Timoth. cap. 4. 1. 2 which some what before his martyrdome he wrote the second time being prisoner in Rome and in the Epistle to Philemon verse 23. and 24. Also in the Epistle which he wrote to the Romanes he not once maketh mention of Saint Peter to whom no doubt he would haue sent salutations had hee bene in Rome and which is more Saint Peter being Bishop at Rome as they say 25. yeares Read the last chap. of this epistle and thou shalt see the catalogue which S. Paule maketh from the fift verse to the fifteenth he saith onely Salute such a one salute such a one c. without naming of Saint Peter Because he neither was Bishop of Rome nor yet was in Rome Also the Iewes which dwelled in Rome as reciteth S. Luke Act. 28. 21. 22. said to S. Paule when he came prisoner to Rome that they had not heard nor vnderstood any thing concerning him and prayed him to declare his opinion touching that sect which was gainsayd and euill spoken of in all places vnderstanding by this sect the Gospel which Saint Paule preached Who will beleeue that S. Peter which as they say was before come to Rome and a Minister of the Circumcision had not taught nor spoken ought vnto them of the Gospell These reasons taken out of holy Scripture are me seemeth as they be very sufficient to proue the common opinion holden of S. Peters being Bishop of Rome and that 25. yeares to be false Whereupon that of the Papists appeares plainely to be meere ignorance or which is worse extreame malice when they call the Pope Saint Peters successor Vicar of Iesus Christ as though hee were Saint Peter and therefore vniuersall Bishop Against the Primacie of the Pope we will speake in the end of this Treatise Seeing then Saint Peter was not Bishop of Rome we place Linus for the first All the Bishops of Rome that were from Linus to Syluester who was in the time of the Emperour Constantine the great whom we will put in the first order were in generall trulie Bishops and holy men who with their good doctrine and holy life and conuersation wrought great fruit in the Church of God They were the salt of the earth the light of the world a Citie built vpon a mountaine a candle light and set vpon a candlesticke These be the titles wherewith Christ adorneth his apostles and ministers Math. 5. These were the Angelles of God according to the saying of Malachie speaking of Leuie and consequently of the good Ministers The lawe of trueth saith he was in his mouth and no iniquitie was found in his lippes In peace and equitie he walked with me and turned away from iniquitie For the priestes lippes should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Angell of the Lord of hosts Many more titles are comprised in the holy scriptures wherewith the true ministers are adorned which I will passe ouer to auoide tediousnes In the ende these good bishops of Rome sealed the Gospell which they had preached with their bloud and so were Martyrs of Iesus Christ Men they were poore in spirit and simple of heart strangers to couetosnes and ambition they were true bishops for the space of almost three hundred yeares And so the Church of the Lord hauing such ministers was then happie and rich in the sight of God albeit in the eies of men contemptible miserable such as the Apostle in the eleuenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes from the 36. to the 38. verse describeth Others saith he haue benetryed by mocking and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds and imprisonment 37. Others were stoned others were hewen asunder Others were tempted others slayne with the sworde Others wandered vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and in goats skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented 38. whome the worlde was vnworthie of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaynes and dens and caues of the earth c. These Bishops caried on their heads not Miters but coifes not honor but dishonor not riches but pouerty following herein their Maister as Esaias the Prophet in his chapter 53. 3. doth liuelie describe him Despised and forsaken of men a man full of sorrowes hauing experience of infirmities and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not This was the outward apparance of the Primitiue Church and so hath it bene in our time sithens the reformation of the Church began these 70. or 80. yeers vnto this time how many haue bin burned drowned beheaded hāged banished shamefully disgraced and died of hunger Truly innumerable and that which is more admirable the more they burned and killed the more they increased and multiplied For the bloud of the Martyrs as saith Tertullian is the seed of the Gospell From the passion of the Lord vnto Saint Siluester which is the time of the first order were almost three hundred yeares wherein the Emperours of Rome became Lords of Spaine The Romanes in two hundred and so manie yeares that they conquered Spaine vntill the time of Augustus Caesar were neuer absolute Lords thereof Augustus was the first that vanquished the Montanists and Biscayes and made himselfe absolute Lord of all Spaine The Romists as those say they that haue held the command and staffe for many yeares to giue antiquitie and authoritie to their ceremonies and humane traditions haue falsly reported that manie of these good Bishops of Rome whom we place in the first order ordained them Clement the fourth Bishop of Rome say they ordained the confirmation of young children the Masse and holy garments wherewith the Priests are clothed They do not consider that he was a a man poore and for preaching of the Gospell banished into mines where he hewed Marble stones and tyed in the end to an anchor they cast him into the sea D. Illescas speaking of Pope Caius in his Pontificall historie saith He ordained that no laye man might bring a Clearke to iudgement That no pagan nor heretike might make accusation against a Christian c. How can this be true sith Caius liued and died in the time of the tenth persecution which as Illescas himselfe saith was of all the most cruell and lasted many yeares Let the Romists be ashamed and cease with lies to confirme their religion Now is it not the time that was wont to be when the blind led the blind c. So say they also that Euaristus Alexander and Sistus fifth sixth and seuenth Bishops of Rome made the popish decrees namely the ordering of the Clergie holy water and holy garmentes Telesphorus say they that was the eighth Bishop of Rome ordained three Masses to be sayd on the day of the Natituitie These good Bishops had other cares and embraced not such childish and superstitious toyes Saciety and idlenesse brought them forth O what euils haue riches wrought to the Church of God Wisely therfore said
which another vndid one commanded that another forbad In his time the Armenians became Christians and Athanagilda now raigned in Spaine After Iohn 3 succeeded Benedict and Pelagius 2. Pelagius 2. a Romane the citie being inuironed contray to the wonted custome and without the Emperours commaund was made cheife Bishop For which cause he sent Gregorie who after him was Bishop to Constantinople to satisfie and appease the wrath of the Emperour In the 590. yeere died Pelagius and then Leonogildo reigned in Spaine Gregorie 1. a Romane was of best life and more learned then any of the Patriarkes his predecessors yet very ceremonious as by so many suprestitions by him brought into the Church appeareth He was the first that granted Indulgences to such as at certaine times wold come to the church Pardons he granted but sold them not as his successors for money He brought backe from Hell saith Damascen the Soule of the vnfaithfull Emprour Traian O horrible lie Pero Mexia vpon the life of Traian saith that which is said of the soule of Traian to be a fabulons Iest Illescas vpon the life of Gregorie 1. holdes it for a very trueth and condemneth Pero Mexia In the following treatise of the Masse wil we speake of this matter This good did Gregorie that both by wordes and deedes he was mortall enemy to the Primacie and so wrote against the name of vniuersall bishop as we will afterwardes declare against which he called himselfe the seruant of Gods seruants which title haue his successours but hypocritically holden seeing that calling themselues seruanth they haue made themselues lordes of the worlde and kinges Emperours and Monarkes kisse their feete and if the Pope will doe them that grace and fauour they holde themselues happie Gregorie much complained that in the worlde were so many Priestes and so few prachers of the Gospel Of this S. Gregory Huldricke Bishop of Augusta in an Epistle sent to Pope Nicholas 1. reciteth a notable historie the summe whereof is this That Saint Gregorie commaunded priestes should not marry but afterwardes vnderstanding they secretle committed great filthinesse and for that cause much murder ensued by commaunde he disanulled his decree affirming it better to marry then to giue occasion of murther Wherfore sending vpon a time to fish they found in a fishe poole or pond 6000. heads of young children that had there bene drowned Which Gregorie seeing to proceede of constrained single life sorowing and sighing from his hart he then reuoked his decree For that not only as saith the same Huldricke they had not abstayned from maydes and married women but defiled themselues also with their kinred with males and brute beastes Such are the fruites of Popish chastitie and their Angelicall life These thinges considered by Pope Pius 2. with great reason said he he forbad Priestes marriage but with much more reason he ought to restore it them againe And in another place It shall not happilie be worst that the greater parte of priestes doe marry for many are saued in their marry priesthood which in their barren priesthood are cōdemned The same Pius 2. as witnesseth Celius 2. supressed certain Monasteries of Nuns of Saint Bridgit and S. Clares order commaunding them thence to depart and no longer to burne in lust lest they shrowded a whore vnder a religions habite In the 604. yeares dyed Saint Gregorie at this time Leonigildo the Arrian that martyred Herminigildo his sonne raigned in Spaine Sabinianus successour of Gregorie 1. was the last Patriarke of Rome a man very simple and so much hated Gregorie his predecessour that he caused his bookes to be burned Onely will I here set downe a fable of the death of this Sabinian reported by Bergomenso for a very truth Saint Gregorie saith he being dead three times appeared to Sabinianus and sharply reproued him for seeking to defame him but his speach could nothing a mend Sabinianus which seeing S. Gregorie he gaue such a blowe vpon the head of Sabinianus that he made him die miserably Mon. eccl part 3. lib. 17. cap. 10. ¶ 1. hereof is made mention If this be true then one Pope killed another In the 605. yeare dyed Sabinianus This Sabinianus saith Illescas was the first that set an order in prayer deuiding the Office into the 7. Canonicall houres the same said he of of Pelagius 1. At this time reigned in Spaine Recaredo king the Gothes who destroyed the Aryan heresie which most parte of the Gothes maintained The third and last order conteyneth those Bishops which we properly call Popes and be very Antichristes As Boniface 3. began this order vntill Clement 8. who now tyranizeth hath continewed and in the last Pope shall take end Whom Christ will destroy with the spirit of his mouth as he destroyed his prodecessours And so shall the end come The Bishops of the first order were the Angels of God holy in life and Doctrine These of the second were men subiect to falling but these truly of the 3. are diuels incarnate Not by any figure Hiperbole or exaggeratiō but plainely doe I speake this I know it to be so as by their liues we will afterwardes proue Boniface 3. and first in this Catalogue was a most ambitious deuill And being Patriarke of Rome was made Pope by meanes of Phocas the Emperour who was an adulterer murtherer and tyrant A murtherer I call him for that to make himselfe Emperor as he did he murthered Mauricius his Lord and Christian Emperour This Boniface 3. by many requestes and giftes which breake the very rockes much more Phocas obteyned of Phocas that the Roman seate should be called the head of all Churches Three miserable thinges at this time happened the most noble Empire began to fall the Popedome to arise and Mahometisme to spring vp Of the ruines of the empire these two beastes arose which so much haue harmed the Church of Christ And by how much the more the Empier decayed by so much the more these two beasts increased It is now almost 1000. yeares since that by superstition and false Doctrine the light of the Gospell began to be darkened This miserable first Pope before a yeare of his Popedome was fully ended went to visite the Diuell the Father of ambition and with him there remayneth And albeit this first Pope was so ambitious and in his Ambition obstinately dyed Yet Panuinus calles him Saint Boniface notwithstanding At this time in Spaine the most Catholique Recaredo 1. reigned Boniface 4. succeeded Boniface 3. who as saith Platina obteyned of Phocas the Emperour the Temple which they called Pantheon to wit of all the Gods because it was dedicated to Sibylla and all the others Gods This Temple did Boniface dedicate vnto the blessed virgin and all the Martyrs which now is called S. Maries the round And thus far Platina Don Alonso of Carthagena Bishop of Burgos vpon
the life of King Recaredo saith these wordes Phocas graunted to the blessed Boniface 4. Bishop of Rome the Temple called Pantheon to be consecrated in the honour of the blessed virgin Mary and of all the saintes as in the legend of that feast celebrated the first day of Nouember more largely is conteyned thus farre the Bishop Here is to be noted the saying of the Bishop Platina and many others That the Pope demaunded of the Emperour this Temple and that the Emperour did graunt it Doctor Illescas as a flatterer of the Pope in his Hist Pontif. saith that Boniface did consecrate the Temple c. the which saith he well pleased the Emperour Phocas and saith not that he demaunded it of the Emperour least he he should seeme to impeach the authoritie of the Pope Of that which we haue said it followeth that the Pope was not then Lord of Rome For had he so bene he would not haue requested the Temple of the Emperour This onely reason were there no other sufficeth to proue the donatiō of Constātine as they call it to be false which was almost 300. yeers before wherin he made the Pope saith they absolute Lord of Rome and of many other lands which they call S. Peters patrimony The Pope as a thiefe hath either stolne it from the Emperor or as tyrant by force hath life himselfe vp with him In the 613 yere dyed Boniface At which time in Spaine the great Catholique Recaredo 1 reigned Theodatus or Deus dedit ordeyned Godfathers and Godmothers to be had in baptisme and that the godfather should not marry with the Godmother nor the goddaughter with the son of the Godfather This Pope died in the 616 yeare at that time in Spaine Huiterico reigned Boniface 5. ordeyned theeues and murtherers which fled to the Churches or Churchyardes might not be drawn from thence which hath emboldened many to commit great villanies and flying to a Church haue freely escaped without any punishment And these they call sanctuary men He dyed in 622. yeare In which time raigned Sesibuto in Spaine After Boniface 5. succeeded Honorius 1. A Monothelite heretique he was and for such a one as saith Fryar Iohn de Pineda part 3. lib. 17. cap 34. ¶ 1. in the 13. 16. and 17. Acts of the 6. Councell of Constantinople coneemned The which by a letter of the Emperour and by a nother from Leo. 1. to the Emperour is confirmed D. Illescas as he which could not beleeue that any Pope could erre calleth Honorius a holy and commendable Bishop Panuinus to excuse Honorius saith that the copies of the 6. Councell of Constantinople be corrupted he giueth his excuse Seuerinus succeeded Honorius Iohn 4. Theodorus and Martinus Martine 1. ordeyned that Priestes should carry Crownes to wit the head shaued leauing a circle vpon it which they call a Crowne The Pope this commaunding did not imitate Christ nor his Apostles who neuer had shauen Crownes but the Priestes of the Idolls which as saith Baruc had their heads and beardes shauen and sate bare headed in the houses of their Gods Let our aduersaries see if their Priestes doe not the like Wherein they imitate doutlesse the Priestes of the Idolls He commaunded that bishops euery yeare should consecrate holy oyntment and send it through their Dioses He imposed vpon Priests the vowe of Chastitie a very hard yoke and borne but of a fewe as in Gregorie 1. we haue noted In the. 653. yeare dyed Martinus 1. Sisenando then reigning in Spaine and Eugeniup and Vitelianus succeeded Martinus Vitelianus ordeyned the song and organs in the Church He commaunded the howers singinges ceremonies and Masses should be celebrated in the Latine tongue contrary to that which saith the Apostle the vse of strange tongues is vnprofitable and therefore without interpretation of that which is said not to be vsed 1. Cor. 14. Vitelianus dyed in the 672. yeare in whose time Tulga reigned in Spaine after Vitelianus succeeded Adeodatus Donus and Agathus Agathus commaunded that the constitutions of the chiefe Bishop should be holden for Apostolicall as pronounced by the mouth of God O grieuous blasphemie In this time was celebrated the sixt generall Councell in Canstantinople where marriage to the Grecian priestes was permitted but to the Latine priestes forbidden This Agathus sent to the 6. Councell an Epistle wherein he condemned Honorius 1. for a Monothelite In the 682. yeare dyed Agathus and Leo 2 Benedict 2. and Iohn 5. succeeded him Iohn 5. being dead then arose the 8. Sisme and 2. Popes were elected Petrus and Theodoretus which being deposed in the 606. yeare was Cunon chosen Cunon dying in the 687. yeare was the 9. Sisme and 2. Popes Theodor and Pascall were elected Both which deposed Sergius who was Pope thirteene yeares eight moneths and thirteene dayes was chosen After Sergius succeeded Iohn the 6. Iohn the 7. Sisimus and Constantine the first Constantine 1. was called of the Emperour Iustinianus to goe to Constantinople He was the first that gaue his feete to the Emperour his Lord to be kissed And against the first commaundement of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any Image c. he commaunded Images to be placed in the Temples and worshipped He dyed in the 716. yeare At this time was the miserable dissipation of Spaine made by the Moores of Affrik with the ayd of the Count Don Iulian. Don Rodrigo then king the last of Gothes end the first vnfortunate Gregorie 2. and Gregorie 3. continewed the commaundement of Image-worship contrary to the commaundement of God And Leo the Emperour for not allowing them was excommunicate In the 731. yeare dyed Gregorie 2. in the 741. yeare Gregorie 3. In the time of Gregorie 2. Don Pelayo reigned in Spaine and in the time of Gregorie the third Don Fasila Zacharias was the first that inuented to adorne the Church vestiments with gold and precious stones He was also the first that attributed to himselfe a certaine diuine power concontemptuously tooke vpon him to make and depose kinges He was the first that absolued vassals of their othe made to their Lordes which Childerick King of France whom the foresaid Zacharie deposed at the instance of Pipin the little bastard sonne of Charles Martell vassall of Childericke tried In this Zacharie and Pipin the old prouerbe was verified Vn mulo rasca à otro y Hazme la barua y hazer tehe el copete One mule rubbeth another and doe thou forme and I le doe thee The Pope had neede of Pipins ayd to exempt himselfe from the subiection of the Emperour of Greece his Lord. Saint Gregorie writing to the Emperour called him Lord. Pipin and and his successors the kinges of France mindfull of this benefit did great seruice to the sea Apostolique And for being such loyall seruantes he gaue
they are worthie of perpetuall memorie I will here recite them Hardly saith he remayned any bishopricke or ecclesiasticall dignity which entertained not strifes whose cause but not with emptie hande was caried to Rome Be glad mother Rome because the sluces of treasures doe open in the earth that the flouds and riuers of money may come to thee in great abundadnce Reioice ouer the wickednes of the sonnes of men because for recompence of so great wickednes the price to thee is geuen delight thou with discorde thy helper which issued from the pit infernall that many rewardes of money might be heaped vnto thee Hold that for which thou hast thirsted Sing to sing because by the malice of men and not their godly religion thou hast ouercome the world draw men vnto thee not their deuotion but the committing of great abhominations and the deciding of strifes for reward Hitherto the Abbot who so now would say thus should be an heretike a Lutherane In the 1198. yeare died Celestinus Don Alonso 8. reigned in Castile Innocent 13. whom the Historians call Nocentissimus bare so great hatred to the Emperour Philip because against his liking he was chosen by the Germane Princes that he said these words Bishop either take the crowne and kingdom from Philip or Philip take from the Bishop his Bishopdome And so stirred he vp Otho a great and rash warriour against the Emperour Much bloud he shed for the Popes cause vntill another Otho and great taitor slew Philip and so his Competitor Otho came to Rome and for his good seruice done to the Pope was crowned Note that which before we haue said vpon Alexāder 3. against the Emperour but long lasted not the friendship between Innocent Otho For Otho willing to recouer that which the Popes had vsurped of the Empire was by the Pope excommunicated all whosoeuer should call or hold Otho for Emperour were accursed And so the Pope procured the Princes to choose for Emperor Frederike king of Cicil. The Popes be like vnto stumpets which no longer loue their ruffians then they do them seruice In the time of this Pope which was in the 1212 yeare some of the Nobles of Alsacia as Huldericus Mucius reporteth condemned the Pope for wicked because he suffered not the Priests to be maried And because certaine men said it was lawfull for euerie Christian to eate flesh and marrie at any time of the yere the bishops burned in one daie a hundred persons If this be heresie then Saint Paule was an heretique 1. Timothie 4. 3. where he calleth them that forbid mariage and meats which God hath created c. apostatates from the faith This Innocent 3. vnder colour to recouer the holy land did celebrate the Councell of Laeteran but his principall intent was to excommunicate and depose the Emperor because he had taken some citties of the Patrimonie of Saint Peter The Pope in this Councell brought forth auricular confession He was the first that imposed this charge vpon christians He was the first that forbad the laitie as they call them the cuppe in the communion This prohibition was confirmed in the Councell of Constance Almericus a learned man he condempned for an heretike and cōmaunded his bones to be burned in Paris and all those that held his opinion This did the Pope saith Friar Domingo Soto in one of his sermons because Almericus had taught that Images should be cast out of the Temple Seest thou not ô Pope that God forbiddeth that which thou commandest and comandeth that thou forbiddest with great reason doe men call thee Antichrist The Councell of Eliberis celebrated in Spaine at the same time almost with the first Councell of Nice comaundeth that that which is reuerenced or adored should not vpon the walles be pictured as in the beginning of this Treatise we haue said This Pope ordeined that when the princes disagreed in election of the Emperour such election should remaine to the arbitrement of the pope Concerning the election of the Emperour and the authoritie of the 7 electors reade Carion lib. 5. fol. 3. and 5. Therewith hath the Pope nothing to doe He commaunded the God Pan the wheaten God should in the Churches be kept And that when they carried it to any sicke person a little bell and light should be borne before it Hee ordained that the Pope ought to correct the Princes of the whole world And that none bee holden for Emperour which shall not bee crowned by the Pope If this be true it followeth that Don Fernando in our Countrey of Spaine nor Maximilian his sonne nor Rodulph his nephewe that nowe is Emperour were no Emperours seeing that none of these three besides other more were crowned by the Pope In the 1216. yeere he dyed Thomas Cantipratensis a Dominican as recounteth Friar Iohn de Pineda lib. 21. cap. 26. ¶ 7. writeth that this Innocent after his death burning in cruell flames appeared to the holy Virgine Lutgarda and said vnto her that so should he goe vnto the end of the world and that for three sinnes hee had deserued euerlastingly to bee condemned but that the glorious mother of God and of mercie fauoured him because he had built a Church in honour of her holy and sweete name And this Authour saith that Saint Lutgarda tolde him what sinnes they were but that hee for the Popes honour would not write them O yee Church-men that for true prelates confound the Churches God grant ye become not worse then Innocent Thus farre Pineda Open thine eyes ô Spaine and vnderstand at last what a one is the Pope whome as a God on earth thou adorest Don Alonso the ninth then reigned in Castile Honorius the third against the excommunicated Otho the fourth and Henry the first crowned Frederick second sonne of Constantia the Nunne of whom we haue spoken in the life of Celestinus the third which Fredericke because he sought that which was his in Sicilia and Pulla the Pope did afterwards excommunicate This Honorius forbad the Ciuill lawe to be read in Paris In the time of this Pope and the 1223. yeare did one Adam Bishop of Cathan in Scotland excommunicate certaine men for not paying their tithes against whome the citizens were so muche offended that they burned him in his kitchin So much did the Pope stomacke this matter that he staied not till the king of Scotland called Alexander did it but 400. of them he caused to be hanged and their sonnes to be gelded that their name shoulde not remaine in the earth Cruell and reuengefull is this beast In the 1227. yere he died Don Fernando surnamed the Holie which wan Seuill Cordoua and a great part of Andalusia reigned in Castile Gregorie 9. the Nephew or to speake better the sonne of Innocent 3. bare great hatred against Fredericke and so he confirmed the sentence of excommunication which Honorius had giuen against him The
seeing that the Bishops were expulsed the same Ierâ—nimus Vida Bishop of Cremona had in the name of the other Bishops indited the letter to the Pope Which knowne to Marcellus with most vehement words he warned Vida in no wise to send the letter to the Pope For that it should be a thing euill in example that the Bishops assembled in the Councell should write such letters to the high Bishop as though they would seeme to prescribe him a law which would be so great a mischiefe that they should be holden for suspected Vida vanquished with this saying so tempered with the other Bishops that the letter was not sent When Vergerius was to departe the Councell he went to speake with Marcellus and among other thinges that he sayd vnto him he demaunded for what cause he did cast him from the Councell and what Articles he could obiect why he would exclude him from the company of the other Bishops To this answered Marcellus because I haue heard thou hast sayd the Legends of Saint George and Saint Christopher were not true Vergerius answered so it is I sayd so and so I say still For I relie vpon the authoritie of Pope Paul 3. who hauing commanded that both the one and the other Legends should be spunged out of the Roman Breuiarie In the preface of the said Breuiarie he had commaunded saith he the Legends which were not true to be taken away Marcellus thus caught answered that they ought not to be holden for good men that seeme in the least thing to consent with the Lutheranes and so said he vnto him depart then from our Councell This haue I said that it may appeare what hope is to be had of the Councelles where the Pope and his Legates gouerne If there be any that will speake with good zeale of Gods glorie his mouth they will stoppe and if he will not yet be silent cast him out of the Councell Behold how free is that Councell where each one is not suffered to speake that is meet Such a one was Marcellus before he was Pope and such and worse being Pope would he haue bene had not God taken him from the world when he had Poped but twenty three dayes and some say that hee dyed of Poyson Paul 4. a Neapolitane before called Iohannes Petrus Carafa Cardinall Chietino or Theatino in the 1555. yeare with ful consent of the Cardinals who desired to please Henry the French king was chosen Pope He being in Venice before he was Pope with his hypocrisie and fayned holynesse did Institute or reforme the new order of the fellowship of diuine loue which of him that was Bishop of Chiety was called Chietinos or Theatinos as we haue said vpon Paul 3. He forsooke this order by him instituted or reformed and being ready to depart Venice his religious consort demaunded whither he went Whether I goe answered he can ye not come giuing them to vnderstand that he went to Rome to be Pope if he might He gaue it out before he was Pope that he nought else desired but reformation of the Church and so of this argument wrote a booke which he dedicated to Paule the third But when he was Pope he for nothing lesse cared Who listeth to read this booke shall see that almost he confirmeth those Articles whereof we accuse the Papists To wit that so ruyned is the Church among them that it is not now the Chuch of Christ but of the diuels The Popes saith he hauing itching eares haue heaped vp Maisters which entertaine them in their lustes and concupiscence That through the Cardinals and Bishops the name of Christ is blasphemed among the Gentiles That the power of the keyes serueth onely to â—ake together money That wicked men are ordeyned That nothing but Symony is seene in the Church That the Prelates bee verie ambitious and couetous That in monasteries are committed enormious offences That Rome is full of whores These thinges and other such doth this booke conteyne of wicked customes and life it onely speaketh but not once intreateth of the false doctrine Idolatrie and superstition which is taught in Rome nor yet of the tyranny of fire bloud wherewith such are handled as indeauor to serue God in spirit and truth doth it speake But when he was Pope how did he amend it As did Benedict 13. Pius 2. Pius 4. his predecessors and others who before they were Popes much spake of the dutie of the Pope but being Popes did the like or worse then the rest euen so did he For the cause of Religion certaine Augustine Friars many Bishops and a great nomber of the faithful he imprisoned tormented and did them in the end what euill he could Not for that they were adulterers nor Incestuous persons Simonists nor blasphemers was all this but for the Christian religion which they professed Reformation then cast aside he was occupied in the warres against Don Phillip our king and the Spanish blood Deny him then O Spaine for father who from the sonne taketh the cloake The which this Paul from the king Don Phillip and Clement 7. from Don Charles the Emperour indeauoured to take as in the life of Clement 7. we haue before declared This Paul being a Neapolytan and so vassall to the king was to him a traitor teacher taking part with Frauncis his kinges enemy His great seruant Panuinus saith that ayded by the French Swizzars he raised great warres against king Phillip and renewed the old hatred For the Spanish name had he long before detested that as saith Panuinus for publique and particular Iniuries and so the Neapolitanes he well hoped would haue risen against their king When he was Cardinall he perswaded Paule 3. to warre against the Imperials in the kingdome of Naples promising him his seruice and the ayd of many Neapolitans of whom he had many friends said he within that kingdome But Paul 3. was more wise and refused his Councel Then Duke Dalua vnderstanding that this Pope Paul 4. conspired against the king to take Naples with a great camp came vpon Rome and sent a letter to the Pope wherein he shewed all that sithens he was Pope he had practized against the king c. and vehemently exhorted him to peace warning him that if hee said not and that quickly what he would doe touching warre or peace that he should be assured the warre was proclamed To the Colledge of Cardinals he wrote also to the same purpose and after fifteene dayes when the Duke perceiued that the Pope prolonged the time he entred vpon the Church lands and very many of them tooke which he kept said he for the Church and the succeeding Pope All this notwithstanding would not the Pope yeeld to peace vntill he heard newes of the great victorie which the king in the yeare 1557. hadhad against the French at the taking of Saint Quintanes wherein all the nobilitie almost of France and Saint
support and maintaine him A curse then was pronounced in this Councell not against Iohn of Constantinople but generally against whomsoeuer should take vpon him the title of vniuersall Bishop The Doctors which at this time liued and chiefly Saint Gregory do witnesse the same Let them read his epistles of the first booke the 76. 78. 80. 85. and of the second booke the 188. and 194. In none of these epistles saith S. Gregorie that the said Iohn wronged S. Peter nor withheld nor yet vsurped the right and title of the Bishops of Rome but protesteth that it is title profane sacrilegious and the forerunner of Antichrist And in the 4. booke and 48. chap. of the Register the same Saint Gregorie doubteth not to pronounce him that suffereth himselfe to be called vniuersal and chiefe Bishop to be the forerunner of Antichrist Reade for this purpose the same Saint Gregorie lib. 4. Epist 76. 78. 30. lib. 7. and 69. epist And in the 35. epist which he wrote to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople who vsurped this title he saith All that was prophesied is fulfilled the king of pride namely Antichrist is neere at hand and that which is abhomination to speake an host of Priests make preparatiō for him And in an epistle which he wrote to Mauricius the Emperour hee saith And I say boldly that whosoeuer is called vniuersall Priest either in his pride desireth so to be called or is the forerunner of Antichrist for that in waxing proud he preferreth himselfe to the rest and with incomparable pride walketh in the way of error For as that peruerse man wil aboue al men be holden for God so neither more nor lesse is he be he what he will that seeketh to be called Priest ouer the other priests c. About the 1240. yeare Edward Archibishop of Salisburg speaking in the Councell holden at Ratisbon to represse the insolencie and tyranny of the Popes said these words we might haue perceiued had we not bene blind vnder the title of chiefe Bishop a most cruell wolfe in shepheards clothing The Roman bishops daring deceiuing and sowing the warres of warres drawe weapons against all Christians And becomming great they kill the sheepe cast peace and concord out of the world draw from hel ciuil wars and domesticall seditions more more weaken the strengths of all men to triumph ouer all men to deliuer vp all men and to put all men in bondage and captiuitie It is now saith he 170 yeares since Hildebrand he was called Gregorie 7. vnder colour of religion laid the foundations of the Empire of Antichrist he was the first that began this abominable warres which his successors vntil this day haue cōtinued And then the chiefe Bishops of Babylon desire to reigne they cānnot endure an equal Beleeue me that haue made experiēce cease they will not vntil hauing suppressed the Emperor defaced the maiesty of the Roman Empire oppressed the true Pastors they destroy by the same way all whatsoeuer remaineth they put al vnder their feet they sit in the temple of God lift vp thēselues aboue all that is worshipped He which is seruant of seruāts desireth as if he were God to be Lord of Lords In his breast tosseth he new Coūcels to establish a proper empire lawes he chāgeth and establisheth his owne This man of perdition whom they wontedly call Antichrist in whose forehead is written the name of blasphemy I am God I cānot erre polluteth robbeth spoyleth and killeth He is set in the temple of God making himselfe Lord of all And that moreouer which ye may reade in the 7. booke of the Annales of Auentino fol. 685. If such were the Popes 357. yeares since when malice was not yet come to the height what maner of men shall the Popes of our times be Surelie much worse for in nothing do euill men profite but in doing more euill Arnulphus Bishop of Orleans openlie in the Councell at Remes holden more then 560. yeares since called the Pope Antichrist Saint Bernard who liued in the 1150. yeare in his second third and fourth books of Considerations called the Pope Antichrist The Abbot Ioachin Calabres who liued 350 yeeres since called the Pope Antichrist About the 1101. yeare liued Bishop Fluencius that called the Pope Antichrist About the 1245. yeare liued Nicholas Gallus who seeing the deformitie of the Church wrote a booke against the Popes intituled Ignea sagitta a fiery arrow Marsilius a learned man wrote more then 200. yeares since against the Pope and his lawes At the same time almost liued Michael Cesenas Generall of the Minoritts who openly called the Pope Antichrist Aboue 200. yeres past Iohn Wicliffe wrote and preached against the Pope and reformed many popish abuses in England The same did after wardes Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage in Bohemia Francisco Petrarca an Italyan borne in the 1304 yere and in the 1374. yere dyed very truly wrote against the Pope and his court Read this 20. Epistle wherein he calleth the court Papall Babylon Babilonish strūper which is set vpon many waters Mother of all Idolatries and whoredomes Read his 92. which beginneth Del ' Empia Babilonia c. which word for word thus soundeth in English From wicked Babylon whence all shame is fled where no goodnesse remaineth Harbour of sorrowe mother of errours to prolong life am I fled Item the 106. Sonet which beginneth Fiamma d'oal ciel c. The flame of heauen vpon thy hayres or curled lockes O caytife which from the fountaine and wallet to wit from drinking of water and poorely feeding by impouerishing others art become rich and great Sith so much thou reioycest in doing euill Neast of treasons wherein what mischiefes are now spread through the world be hatched Seruant of wine bed and belly cheere in whome whoredome hath made her last proofe For thy Chamberlaines young and olde goe playing the wantons and Baelzabub in the middest with bellowes fire and looking glasses In the fether at the shadowe wast thou not brought but naked to the winde vnshod among the bushes c. Such now is thy life that the stinke is gone vp vnto God Also in the 107. Sonet which beginneth L'auara Babylonia c. Couetous Babylon so full hath heaped the sacke of the wrath of God and of wicked and peruerse vices that it bursteht and not Iupiter nor Pallas but Bacchus and Venus hath made her gods Expecting reason doth torment and consume me c. And foure verses further Her Idolles shall be holden for earth c. Also the 108. Sonnet which beginneth Fontana di dolore c. Fountain of griefe harbor of wrath schoole of errors and Temple of heresie Rome in elder time now false and peruerse Babylon for whom I so much weepe sigh O shop of deceit ô prison of wrath where goodnesse dyeth and euill is maintained and nourished hell of the liuing great wonder
shall it be if Christ in the end be not wroth with thee founded in chast and humble pouertie liftest thou vp thy hornes against thy founders Shamelesse strumpet where hast thou put thy trust In thine adulteries in so great abundance of euill gotten riches c. If Petrarch 260 yeares and more sithens with great reason and truth said this against the Pope and his Court papall what shall be said now when the malice tyranny vngodlinesse and idolatrie of the Pope and his court are come to the height Danter an Author more ancient then Petrarch and Bocace of the same time with Petrarch as litle flattred the Pope other things as much as Petrarch say they Dante in his 7. song of hell accuseth the Pope of couetousnesse In the 11. song and 6. circle he accuseth him of heresie In the 15. song he accuseth him of sodomie And in the 19. he accuseth him of simonie These bee the foure cardinall vertues which are found in the Popes Couetousnesse heresie sodomie and simonie Bocace in the second Nouell of the Iornada of his Decameron in the name of a Iew called Abraham saith that generally all the Court of Rome from the greatest to the least dishonestly sinned in the sinne of whoredome and not naturally onely but also sodomitically without any bridle without any remorse of conscience or shame c. They haue not saith he either holinesse deuotion or good works c. And in manie other places doth he the same These three Dante Petrarch and Botace bee ancient writers Italians and fathers of the Italian tongue and well experienced in the affaires of the Pope and his Court Sanazaro the most excellent Italian Poet of our times speaking of the Pope thus saith in his Epigrams In vaticano noster latet hunc tamen alto Christe vides coelo proh dolor pateris To wit In the Vaticano which is the pallace of Saint Peter in Rome our Barbarian lieth hid but yet thou Christ from the high heauen beholdest him ah griefe doest thou suffer him What more could Luther or Caluin or the rest of the late writers which haue written against the Pope and his Romish court say then these his Italians haue said Petrarch calleth it wicked Babylon mother of errors he wisheth fire to fall from heauen and consume it such abhominations had seene therein he calleth it a neast of treasons c. gluttonous and luxurious God cannot saith he longer be patient with her c. Idols he saith shall be throwne to the ground c. Hee calleth her the fountaine of griefe harbour of wrath schoole of errours temple of heresies c. Behold if the Pope may erre in faith And it is to be noted that Pope Pius the fifth as in his life wee haue said hath spunged all these places by vs alleaged out of Petrarch and Bocace The cause is least men should know their wickednesse abominations and impieties but may hold him for holy and for God vpon earth Great shame was it for the Pope that so famous Italian Authours that Italian books and printed in Italy should so roundly tell the wickednesse of him his About the 1430. yeare liued Thomas Rendon a Carmelite of whom in the life of Eugenius the fourth we haue before made mention He said in his sermons which in Italy France he preached that in Rome were committed great abhominations c. For which cause Pope Eugenius 4. did cause him to be burned in Rome Aboue a hundred yeares is it sithens Laurencius Valla Patricius a Roman opposed himselfe to the Pope and called Rome Babylon for which cause he was banished but the king of Naples receiued and very honorably entertained him Ieronymus Sauanarola a Dominican Friar preached in Italy the Pope to be Antichrist c. For this that our cursed Spanish beast Alexander 6. as in the life of this Alexander 6. we haue said did cause him in Florence most cruelly to be burned Within these 80 yeares space haue bene infinite numbers that in Almaine France Italy England yea in Spaine and other nations also haue written against the Pope and his Popish doctrine let their workes be read and their reasons agreeing with the word of God considered which is the true and onely squire rule whereby euery life and doctrine ought to bee ruled and confirmed Returne we now to the Primacie which the Pope as another Diotrephes of whom speaketh S. Iohn in his 3. catholike Epistle loueth to hold and so doth vsurpe it A history wrote S. Augustine very wel declaring the equality which hath the Bishop of Rome with other Bishops Donatus saith S. Augustine de casas negras of whom the Donatists take their name had grieuously accused Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage Constātine the Emperour the cause being simply ecclesiasticall committed the same to Miltiades Bishop of Rome other certaine Bishops of Italy France and Spaine Had there bene ordinarie iurisdiction no commission from the Emperour nor to appoint him associates had bene needfull But listen a litle Donatus was condemned by them aboue named who seeing himself condemned appealed to the Emperour the Emperour remitted the appeale to the Archbishop of Areletum either to allow or disallow of the sentence which the Bishop of Rome and his associates had giuen Where then was the Primacie of the Pope his iurisdiction his sentence without any appellation his knowledge hearing of all appeales his fulnesse of power whereof he so much glorieth And the Emperor wil they not say was an infidel or tyrant for it was Constantine the Great who by their owne reckoning spoiled himself of a good part of the Empire to giue it vnto them That Constantine the Great appointed Miltiades iointly with the rest for Iudge to heare the cause of Cecilianus Onuphrius Panuinus in his note vpon Platina in rhe life of Miltiades doth witnesse the same and confirmes it with Optatus Mileuitanus in his first booke and with that which saith Eusebius in the tenth booke and fift chap. of his ecclesiasticall historie But Panuinus as a Flatterer of the pope maketh no mention of the appeale we haue spoken of because it impeached the authoritie which the Popes haue vsurped As touching the calling of the Councels the Emperours called the General the Patriarks and Metropolitans called the Nationall or prouincial Councels The Patriarkes and not the Bishop of Rome did gouerne in the Councels which they held in their Patriarkedomes for all being equall and vnder one head Christ the Bishop of Rome did not exceede them either in dignity or power So saith Athanasius writing to Liberius Bishop of Rome All the Apostles saith he in honour and power be equall Saint Cyprian likewise more ancient then Athanasius There is not saith he but one bishopricke through the world wherof euery bishop holdeth his part Also that none in his time was called or made Bishop of Bishops nor had by
houses but then is the charge of them double For the Priest which saith Masse must haue mony And the Pope for the license which he giueth to haue an altar portable which is also called the Bull. All this is contrarie to the institution of the Lord. You see heere howe the holy supper which Iesus Christ did institute and his holy Apostles did celebrate hath bene by little and little disfigured vntill from the Supper of the Lord it is conuerted into the Masse of the Pope Behold the institution of the holy supper and behold that which is done and said in the Masse and it is to be seene if the Masse be the Supper or the Supper the Masse By an infallible argument and palpable demonstration doe we now proue that neither Iesus Christ did institute the Masse nor his Apostles sayd it and this it is that which very many yeares after the death of Christ and his Apostles and not of one but many and in diuerse times was inuented Châ—ist did not institute nor yet his Apostles did it The Masse which our Aduersaties say many yeares after the death of Christ and his Apostles not of one but of many and in diuerse times was inuented It followeth then that such a Masse was not instituted by Christ neither did his Apostles say it The first part of this argument none except he bee sencelesse and foolish will denie But the secoÌ„d part will our aduersaries denie which easily may be proued For one Pope made the Confiteor another the Introit another the Kyrie-elison another the Gloria in excelsis another the Gradual another the Offertory another the Cannon another the Mementoes another the Agnus Dei the same say I of all the rest that is done or sayd in the Masse None of these things Christ but the Popes in sundry times ordained Our aduersaries of those I speake which haue but meanly read the histories though they burst againe can by no means denie that the Masse from end to end hath bene made by many Popes They well know that Damasus which was Bishop of Rome in the 368. yeare ordained the Confiteor Gelasius Affricanus about the 492. yeare composed as saith Neuclerus the Hymnes Collectes Responsories Graduals and Prefaces and added the Verè dignum iustum est Symmachus about the fiue hundreth and twelfth yeare ordayned that euery Lords day and principall feast of the Martyrs should be sung Gloria in excelsis Deo Pelagius about the 556. yeare added the commemoration of the dead Gregorie the first about the sixe hundreth yeare made the Anthems and the Introit He ordained also that the Kyrie-elison should nine times be sung and the Alleluia Item that the Pater noster should with a high voyce be sung ouer the consecrated Host and addeh the Cannon Diesque noâ—tros iâ— tua pace disponas Sergius which in the seuen hundred and first yeare died ordayned that the Agnus Dei should three times be sung before the breaking of the bread Gregorie the third added to the secret of the Masse Quorum solennitas hodie in conspectu tuae Maiestatis celebratur Domimine Deus noster in toto orbe terrarum Nicholas 1. added the Sequences As little can they denie that Sistus the first added to the Masse Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth Innocent about the 405. yeare added the kissing of the Paxe Leo the first added Orate pro me fratres and the Deo gragratias He added also the Cannon Sanctum sacrificium immamaculatam hostiam Item hanc igitur oblationem c. Celestine ordained the Offertorie Alexander the first who died in the yeare 117. began to corrupt the order and maner which Iesus Christ and his Apostles held in celebrating of the Supper And so the said Pope ordayned that the bread should be thinne without leauen and not common as before it was As it appeareth by Dist 93. Cap. Siquis Item he ordained that water should be put into the wine De Consec Dist 2. Cap. Sacramento Item he added Qui pridie quam pateretur c. This sheweth verie clearely that Iesus Christ did not institute the Masse seeing so many persons sithence the death of Christ haue bene much busied in making the same Besides this the great Teigitur clementissime Pater which is one of the chiefest patches of the Masse wherein mention is made of the Pope of the Bishop and the king doth manifestly shew that Iesus Christ made not the Masse because in the time of Christ was neither Pope nor bishop The communicants wherein made mention of the holy Virgin of the Apostles and of many Saints which very long time after the Apostles liued in the world as S. Cyprian Laurence Grisogonus Cosmus Damianus and others very well sheweth that Iesus Christ made not the Masse Saint Peter they haue not placed in this Cannon for should he so haue beene it would haue beene said that he sought his owne glorie A peece of the Masse is there also and that of the chiefest which beginneth Nobis quoque peccatoribus wherin mention is made of some of the Apostles hee and shee Saints mingled without order one with another as Saint Barbara Perpetua Agueda Lucia Iues Cicelia c. which long after the death of Christ liued in the world By this then may be seene that Christ did not institute the Masse that which we pretended haue we prooued that Iesus Christ did not institute the Masse and that his Apostles neuer sayd it but that the Popes in diuers times did make it one adding one peece and another another vntill it was brought into the being and estate wherin it now is which hath no agreement with the Supper of the Lord. Entring sometimes into consideration of these patches ragges shreds and peeces whereof the Masse is made a wonderfull similitude or comparison me seemeth came to minde and the same I suppose will also appeare to such as well consider it To the Masse neither lesse nor more hath it happened then to a pilgrims scrippe to an old cloake of a begger that beggeth from doore to doore vpon such a cloake the elder it is the more patches doe they set vpon it so that in time nothing therein is seene but here a little peece and there a smal peece of the cloth whereof it was first made And this cloth is so vsed so wasted so discolloured so without being that it no way appeareth to be that which it was In this cloake are not seene but patches of cloth corrupt and rotten and very ill placed and worse sowed together so that it causeth loathing to those which haue bene delicately brought vp Such another cloake and neither more nor lesse is the Popish Masse The cloth wherof it was made was the Supper of the Lord which men not celebrating according to the institution of
which likenes it appeareth that he wold say that as in Christ remain two natures diuine and humane So in the same maner are the two natures preserued in the Sacrament That of the bread which is seene and that of the body of Christ which is not seene In the second booke and third epistle he also sayeth So that the body of Christ cannot be floure onely Nor water only But both doe meete and couple together and with the meeting togither and vnion of one bread become firme with which and the same sacrament our People is shewed to be coupled Athanasius expounding these words If any man shall speake a word against the Sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but he which speaketh against the holy spirit c. saith And how great is the body that all the world is to eate of And concludeth that this is spiritually to be vnderstood and hereby that in this place the Lord speaketh of his ascention against the Capernaits Basil in his Liturgie calleth the bread of the sacrament Antitypon of the body of Christ to wit an example or patterne of the like forme And after the consecration he calleth it so also Dionysius de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia cap. 3. saith The Bishop vncouereth the couered and vndiuided bread and parting it in peeces c. Saint Ambrose vpon the first epistle to the Corinthians saith When it is said that this is done in memorie of Christ and of his death we by eating and drinking do signifie the flesh and bloud of Christ which haue bene offered In the same place also he saith We receiue the mysticall cup in type or figure of the bloud of Christ Also in the fourth booke De Sacramentis and fourth chap. where he setteth downe the change of the symbols he handleth also our change into Christ but for all this those that receiue the Sacrament are not transubstantiated into Christ Also in the same chapter he saith So that we affirme How can that which is bread be the body of Christ by consecration And then If the word of the Lord haue so much power that the things which were not begin to be how much more powerfull shall it be to cause that these things remaine which haue their being and be changed into another thing Saint Ierome vpon Saint Matthew saith clearely that in the bread and the wine is represented the body and bloud of Christ Chrysostome vppon the second to the Corinthians sayth Not onely that which is set before vs vppon the table but the poore also is the body of Christ to whom wee are bound to doe good for he that sayd this is my body with his mouth sayd also that he it was which receiued the benefite and that hee in the poore was in necessitie Also in the eleuenth Homily vppon Matth. In opere imperfecto he saith In the holy vessels is neither the bodie of Christ nor his bloud but the mystery of the bodie and bloud of Christ Also vpon the twelfth chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians Hom. 27. he saih So that Christ in the bread and wine sayd Doe this in remembrance of me In declaring also these wordes vppon the twentie third Psalme Thou hast prepared a table before me saith So that the bread and the wine in the Sacrament is shewed vnto vs in the similitude of the bodie and bloud of Christ c. Also writing to Cesarius against Apollinarius and others which confounded the diuinitie and humanitie of Christ this Epistle is found in the Librarie of Florence he saith For euen so the bread before it bee sanctified wee call bread but the diuine grace signifying this the bread by meanes of the Priest is freed from the name of bread and is found worthy to be called the bodie of the Lord albeit the nature of bread remaine stil in it In verie manie places is Saint Augustine wholly for vs and roundly confirmeth our doctrine Vppon the fourescore and second Psalme hee saith Thou art not to eate that which thou seest nor art thou to drinke this bloud which they haue to poure out That which I say is a mysterie which will quicken being spiritually vnderstood Also in the Treatise De Fide ad Petrum chap. 19. hee calleth it the Sacrament of bread and wine Also against Faustus the twentith booke and twentie first chapter he sayth In the old Testament vnder the similitude of the sacrifices to wit of the beastes sacrificed the flesh and bloud of Christ was promised vnto vs vpon the crosse was it really giuen but in the Sacrament for a memoriall it is celebrated Let vs well consider these three times noted by Saint Augustine and the great difference there is After one sort gaue Christ himselfe in the olde Testament after another vpon the crosse and after another in the Sacrament of the Supper Also De Ciuitate Dei the 21. booke and the twentie fift chapter he clearelie affirmeth that the wicked eate not the matter of the Sacrament to wit the bodie of Christ And so saith he It is not to be thought that hee which is not in the bodie of Christ and in whom Christ is not nor he in Christ eateth the body of Christ Also in the twentith Treatise vppon Saint Iohn hee saith the same Against Adimantus also a Manachie chap. 12. he saith The Lord doubted not to say This is my body when he gaue notwithstanding the signe of his body In this sheweth Saint Augustine the words of Christ This is my body ought not to bee fully vnderstood according as they sound but by trope or figure and so saith hee that this manner of speech is like to that alleaged out of the twelfth chapter of Deuteronomie verse 23. The bloud is the life Also De doctrina Christiana lib. 3. cap. 16. Hee sheweth that which Christ in the sixt chapter of Iohn vseth Except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man c. to bee a figuratiue maner of speech the reason which hee giueth is because it seemeth to commaund a great wickednesse For to eate the flesh of a man is a greater crueltie then to kill him and to drinke his bloud then to shed it And therefore saith Saint Augustine that it is a figure which commaundeth vs sweetely and profitably to remember that the flesh of Christ was crucified and wounded for vs. Also in the Epistle to Boniface sayth The Sacramentes take their names of those thinges whereof they are Sacraments These wordes as wee haue noted tooke Saint Augustine from Saint Cyprian and excellently nameth the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ in a certaine manner to bee the bodie of Christ and then sayth The Sacrament of the bloud of Christ is the bloud of Christ Vpon the eight Psalme he also saith Christ receiued Iudas vnto his banquet when hee commended the figure of his bodie Let that which wee haue already sayd of this glorious Doctor suffice Leo
league distant from Siuill They said vnto him How darest thou I pray thee stretch out thy handes stayned with vniust slaughter and bloud to receaue with the same the holy bodie of the Lord Or thou that moued with the fury of wrath so much bloud so wickedly hast spilled how wilt thou apply to thy mouth his venerable bloud depart then c. Sozomenus lib. 7. cap. 24. maketh also mention of this Historie The same S. Ambrose in the funerall oration which he made at the death of Theodosius maketh mention of Theodosius his repentaunce Were there many Ambroses There would bee many Theodosies The cause will I here briefly tell why Saint Ambrose depriued him of the holy supper They of Thessalonica murdred a Tribune in a popular tumult the Emperour Theodosius hearing it was so highly offended that hee caused seuen thousand men to bee slayne Pero Mexia writing the life of this Theodosius applyeth this to his Masse which is so much against it Hee saith that Theodosius the day following would go to the Temple to pray and heare Masse as he was saith he accustomed c. And note the affected malice of Pero Mexia That he alleaged not the author of this his saying That Theodosius went to heare Masse which he would haue done had any said it Maliciously he concealeth the name of Theodoret because it made against his Masse which he so much adored Two things may we note in this saying of S. Ambrose First that he which did communicate toke the sacrament with his handes and not with his mouth a childe when they giue it pappe This sacrament is not for Infants which cannot eate strong meates but it is for people that haue discretion can eat a peece of bread and drinke a boule of wine And so saith Christ vnto them Take eate Take drinke He saith not Open thy mouth receaue therewith the bread The second thinge which we are to note in this saying of Saint Ambrose is that the sacrament to the faithful was giuen in both kinds in bread wine For to eate without drinking what doth it profit the body Both the one the other haue we noted in the place of S. Cyprian before aleaged Also lib. 4. De sacramentis cap. 5 these words saith the same S. Ambrose In the distribution of the bodie bloud of Christ the priest said Take the body of the Lord Take the bloud of Christ Whereunto the commucant answered Amen The second Doctour is Saint Ierome Where speaking vppon the second chapter of Malachy saith The priest which consecrateth the bread of the supper and distributeth the blood of the Lord to the people Saint Augustine is full of notable sayings confirming our Doctrine of the communion in both kindes Of which I will alleage one or two to auoyd tediousnesse How saith Saint Augustine lib. 5. Hypognost Tom. 7. dost thou promise the life of the kingdome of heauen to Babes not regenerate of water and the holie Ghost nor nourished with the flesh nor watered with the blood of Christ c. Also in the first Epistle to Ianuarius Some saith he doe euery day communicate the body and the bloud of Christ others c. This is most certaine that in the time of S. Cyprian and of S. Augustine and long time also after the Eucharist was giuen in both kindes and that to Infants As Erasmus noteth it The fourth Doctor which is S. Gregory now remayneth whom we may iustly intitle the last bishop of Rome and his successor Boniface 3. may we call the first Pope because he would be wholy Pope calling himselfe by the ayd of that murderer Phocas vniuersall Bishop Saint Gregorie then saith you haue learned what the bloud of the Lambe is and this not by hearing but by drinking his bloud to wit as often we haue said the sacramēt of his bloud is shed into the mouths of the faithful Here you see al the foure Doctors of the Church confirme our Doctrine Why then doe our aduersaries deny it And what say I of foure doctors reade they all the ancient Doctors as wel Greeks as Latins all are found to be for vs. And many years also after Saint Gregorie when all things as it were went to ruine this custom continued not as a custome but as a law inuiolable was it holdē for the reuerence of the diuine institution was yet on foot in it being to separate those things which God hath ioyned they doubted not to be sacrilege So said Gelasius Bish of Rome as de Consecratione dist 2. cap. Comperimus it is alleaged we haue vnderstood saith he that some hauing only taken the body of the Lord doe absent themselues from the cuppe who for as much as they sinne of superstition must bee compelled to receiue entirely the whole Sacrament or to abstaine from the whole For the diuision of this misterie cannot be without great sacrilege Our aduersaries then in diuiding this mysterie by the saying of Gelasius be superstitious Church-robbers In the 3. Councell of Toledo 2. Cannon And in the conclusion of the sayd Councell the symbol of our faith is commaunded to be said before the communion of the body and bloud of Christ according to the custome of the East the reason which the Councell giueth is that the people should confesse that which they beleeue and so hauing hearts purified by faith are said to receiue the body and bloud of Christ In this Councell was present the Catholike king Ricaredo as by the prayers which hee made in the Councell appeareth The 7. Domage that the Masse causeth is that suppose the Masse were good celebrated as it ought to be celebrated yet in a strange tongue is it sayd that the people vnderstand it not sometimes also be himself that faith it vnderstandeth not that which he saith which is against the commandement of S. Paul who commandeth that all be done with comelinesse order And what comelines or order is there where the people heare a language which they vnderstand not and so know not whether the Priest doth blesse or curse them The same Apostle saith that the vse of tongues not vnderstood albeit to the praise of God is vnprofitable in the Church And therefore without interpretation of that which is said ought not to be vsed Read 1. Cor. 14. 8. where he saith If the trumpet shall giue an vncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to the battell So likewise you by the tongue except ye vtter words that haue signification how shall it be vnder flood that which is spoken For ye shall speake in the aire c. And therefore in the 19. verse he sayth I would rather speake fine words in the Church with vnderstanding that is to say that may be vnderstood thereby also to instruct others then tenne thousand wordes in a tongue to wit that the people vnderstand not The same Apostle in the 27. verse commandeth that if
to suffer also for this faith and confession whensoeuer he pleaseth with persecution to proue vs. Concerning that which men haue of their owne heades haue inuented That the Pope is our chiefe Bishop the successour of Saint Peter the vicar of Christ God vppon earth and that as such a one he pardoneth sinnes draweth out of hell and purgatorie what soules he will and what soules hee will hee placeth in heauen And that the Masse such as now they say is a sacrifice as satisfactorie as was the death and passion of Christ None of these things doth the holy scripture teach vs it is humane inuention and diuelish lies wherwith Sathan hath long time deceiued vs. The Apostle Saint Paul willing to correct the vices brought into the holy supper of the Lord in the Church of Corinth found no better remedy but to reduce it to the originall and first institution And so 1. Cor. 11 he saith I receiued of the Lord that which I haue giuen you c. so now do we also the same We restore the supper of the Lord and celebrate it according to it first institution as the Euangelists and Saint Paul doe declare vnto vs. And if so we do thē haue they no cause to hold vs for heretikes but for good faithfull and catholike Christians and for such do we hold our selues and such we are albeit is the many imperfections the Lord pardon them vnto vs. We confesse we hold beleeue that God through the merit of Christ is our father and the holy catholike or vniuersall Apostololike and true Church whē it is ruled by the word of God in the sacred scripture of the olde and new Testament reuealed For otherwise is she no mother but a Stepmother our mother And wo to that man which shall not be son of this father and this mother We confesse hold and beleeue all that which this our mother confesseth holdeth belieueth All which is conteyned in the bookes of the old new Testament For nothing there is which we ought either to do or belieue which is not writtē in these sacred bookes Therefore will we conclude this Treatise saying That whosoeuer albeit an Angell from heauen shall preach or beliue another Gospell another Doctrine besides that which Iesus Christ and his Apostles haue taught vs all which is written in the bookes which we call the holy scripture Let such a one be accursed and execrable Let him be as saith Saint Paule Anathema Thou hast hard Christian Reader the Enormious charges wherewith we charge the Pope as touching life Doctrine But chiefly touching the superstition and Idolatrie of the Masse which the sayd Pope of himselfe without the word of God hath inuented and brought into the Church Thou hast also heard the Enormious charges where with the Pope chargeth vs. Hee accuseth vs for proud contentious and arrogant that we will know more then all the whole Church He accuseth vs for disobedient to Magistrates disturbers of common-wealthes prouinces and kingdomes he accuseth vs for schismatiques and heretiques For the which as an accuser witnes and Iudge he concludeth that we are not worthy to liue in the world But it is not sufficient to accuse Of necessity must he proue that which hee saith and so conuince the accused Come we then to the proofe let a generall Councell be assembled which may heare both parts Let it graunt to euery part freedome of speech The Councell hauing heard both sides let it iudge according to the thing alleaged and proued without respect of any person poore or rich wise or ignorant ecclesiasticall or secular Let it only haue regard of iustice equity and truth Let the part conuinced by the Testimony of holy scripture and of the fathers also and ancient Councels As be the first foure generall be subiect to the censure which the Councell shall ordayne Let the Pope and his defendors appeare personally in the Councell not as iudges because they accuse vs and we accuse them but as accusers and accused Let vs also appeare seeing we accuse them and they accuse vs. Let this Councell be called As were the foure first generall Nicen 1. the Constantinople the Ephesian and the Chalcedonian This is the onely remedie to take away the dissentions and differences which are at this day in the Church as touching life and Doctrine This remedy in times past vsed the Church in like cases In the meane time beseech we our God to moue the hartes of the Emperour Christian kinges and Princes that they may take in hand such an Enterprise for the glorie of God quietnesse of his Church By the meanes of which Enterprise vice and false Doctrine superstitition here sie and Idolatrie may be condemned And vertue and wholesome Doctrine conteyned in holie scripture confirmed But our aduersaries will say vnto mee that all this in the last Councell of Trent was concluded and that therefore another Councell is not needefull Whereunto I answere that which so often in this booke I haue sayd And chiefly vppon the life of Pope Marcellus the second That this Councell was not free Sith to none whereof was had the least suspition in the world not to bee in all and by all slaue of the Pope and sworne to the Pope was it permited to speake therein The rest which haue there sayd to this purpose and that which is sayd in the foure hundred fifty and eight and foure hundred fifty and nine pages is to be noted besides this say we that this Councel was not generall For how shall the Councel of Trent be called an Ecumenicall vniuersall or generall Councell Sith in it was not found the hundreth part of Bishoppes of Christendome And that this is truth it is euidently seene For in it were found but fiue Cardinals Three of which were legats of the Pope foure Archbishops two of which were Archbishops in title or as we call them in Spaine de anillo of the ring namely Olaus magnus intitled Archbishoppe not of Hispall but of Vpsall people of Gocia that neuer acknowledged the Pope nor the Roman Church The other named Robert Venant called Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland vnder the Crowne of England A land that as litle acknowledgeth the Pope These two poore Archbishops Paul the third maintayned giuing to Olaus 15 crownes a month and another like thing gaue he to Robert 33 Bishops were found there all of them Spaniards or Italians except only 3. Then were also found betweene priests Friars 47. diuines Of whom all al most were Spaniards or Italians Thou seest here the great nomber of bishops with which the Trident Coūcell began which by times conteyned 18 yeares In which time were holden 25 Sessions In many of which nothing was done for want of appearence in the Councel And so in the 8 Session was nothing done but that the Italians transported the Councell to Bologna aland of the popes in Italy Where was held the
that they are certayne lost persons and without reformation they taught a grosse error which ought in no wise to be suffered That the holy virgin was conceiued without sin He told them also that they should highly houour an Image of the holy virgin which their Fryars had made by a certaine Arte that distilled teares by the eyes as though it had wept All this at first was beleeued that red bloud was adored As the verie bloud of Christ and was sent to great Lordes as an incomparable Treasure Great concourse there was to the weeping Image So well knew the Dominickes to draw water to their mill that they onely were holden for holie and so caried they all the Almes and deuotions of the people And the poore Franciscans were cast aside and no man made reckoning of them The Franciscans then seeing themselues so despised and perceiuing like people as well exercised in false miracles as were the Dominickes and the rest of the popish Clergie the craft and deceit of the Dominickes vsed great diligence to discouer the villany So much did they that at last it was discouered The foure principal Authors of this Tragedy in the one thousand fiue hundred ninth yeare were burned and the rest were pardoned Those deceauers that so shamelesly make a mockery of religion besides these aforesaid confessed in their torments great abhominations As the papists themselues that wrote this Historie doe witnesse wherein the Pope sending His Legate for this purpose put all to scilence For he feared to loose his ecclesiasticall persons which so great seruice with their false miracles haue done and doe vnto him For well vnderstandeth the Pope their superstitions and Idolatries whereof their religion is full to haue bene inuented or at the least confirmed with like deceipts of fayned apparitions reuelations and false miracles Into this reprobate sence God leaueth them to fall for not reading of the holie Scripture which is the onely rule of the well liuing and seruing of God As his maiestie will be serued But returne we now to our holy Nunne who with ful gale vntill now most happily sayled and set as say the Gentiles on the toppe of Fortunes wheele so much as was possible of small and great Aswell in Portugal as else where was esteemed and reuerenced O how often of her was it sayd Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke Shee nothing wanted in this world to be wholy blessed but that then shee should die O how great a Saint shall hell possesse O how great a Saint hath the Roman Church lost Now that we haue hard the Pro Let vs heare the Contra. From this spouse of Iesus Christ so holie so charitable and so miraculous would the true Iesus Christ not her husband which was the diuell that the Maske of hypocrisie wherewith she was couered should be taken away her abhominations wickednes superstitions Idolatries discouered And so at the end of the admirable yeare 1588. was she condemned as a certaine booke which at the beginning of the yeare following being the 1589. was printed at Seuil doth witnes from whence word for word haue I drawne that I will say against other The title thereof is this A Relation of the holinesse and woundes of Mother Mary de la Visitation which was Prioresse de la Annuntiada of Lisbon and that which was declared in the Sentence which was giuen All the booke will I not set downe but the principall points thereof will I take for my purpose Thus then it beginneth Hauing committed the verification of the woundes and holinesse of Marie Prioresse de la Annunciada of the order of Saint Dominick to the most reuerend and illustrious Archbishoppes of Lisbon and Braga the Bishop de la Guardia the Prouincial of Saint Dominiks order the Inquisitors of this Citie of Lisbon and Doctor Paulo Alfonso of his maiesties Councell The sayd Lordes went to the Monastery vppon the said verification and examination by the testimony of many Nunnes of the sayd Monastery which consentingly declared that the holinesse of the Prioresse was fayned and the woundes painted The information ended the sayd Prioresse was brought before them whom they commaunded to sweare vppon the Masse booke and Christ crucified that shee should say the truth of that should be demaunded of her And if shee so sayd that God should helpe her And if not that the diuell should carry her away Frst how sayd she that she had oft times seene the mother of God And how had she the woundes By the oath she had made she answered That at nine or tenne yeares of age shee entred into the Monastery And after she had made profession being seuenteene yeares olde one day as she was praying to her was it reuealed that God would cherish her And that anonother like day when shee was at prayer came the Angels and put a Crowne of thornes vppon her head which wounded her And many dayes after being in prayer Christ crucrufied apeared vnto her and of the beams that issued from his woundes were those which she had imprinted And Christ whom she called husband oftentimes appeared to her and talked with her and holpe her to say ouer the praiers and that she confessed to this confessor that she said Gloria Patri tibi Spiritui sancto The Confessor told her she should no more say so but Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui sancto as saith the holy mother the Church And in a conference which shee had with her husband she told him that which her Confessor had sayd vnto her And the husband answered she should doe what her Confessor had commanded her The foresayd Fathers seeing she sought each way to make her selfe holy and yet all was fayned as the other Nunnes declared vnto them they perswaded her to say the truth of that which had passed seeing all was fictions and so to them it appeared by information which they had taken and that shee should craue mercie and so would they haue compassion vpon her But she persisting that no other truth there was but that which shee had sayd as her husband well knew they left her Another day in the Visitation which they had with her they tooke hard sope and hot water and well washed her hands and wounds And when they began to do it she fained to haue great paine And after a while that they had washed them the sayd wounds were taken from her And when she saw they were taken away she fell to the earth and began to weepe sigh and craue mercie and cast her selfe at the feete of the sayd Lords who willing her to confesse the truth shee was wearied and dead said she and that they should leaue her till another day and she would confesse the truth and so they left her in guard of the Nunnes charging them on paine of excommunication they should for no cause leaue her alone Another day the foresaid Lordes returned to
147 Liberius 27 Linus 23 Lucius 2. 72 Lucius 3. 79 Marcellus 26 Marcellus 2. 165 Martin 1. 36 Martin 2. 50 Martin 4. 91 Martin 5. 118 Miltiades 222 Nicholas 1 49 Nicholas 2. 64 Nicholas 3. 91 Nicholas 4. 92 Nicholas 5. 101 Pascall 1. 42 Pascall 2. 68 Paul 1. 38 Paul 2. 124 Paul 3. 15â— Paul 4. 16â— Saint Peter 20 Pelagius 1. 37 Pelagius 2. 32 Pius 2. 1â—3 Pius 3. 143 Pius 4. 187 Pius 5. 19â— Sabinianus 33 Sergius 2. 4â— Sergius 3. 50 Sergius 4. 59 Siluerius 3â— Siuester 1. 25 Siluester 2. 57 Siluester 3. 61 Symachus 30 Siricius 29 Sistus 4. 126 Sistus 5. 195 Stephen 2. or 3. 21 Stephen 4. or 3. 39 Stephen 5. or 4. 4â— Stephen 6. or 5. 50 Stephen 7. or 6. 50 Stephen 9. or 10. 63 Vrban 2. Vrban 3. 7â— Vrban 4. 88 Vrban 5. 105 Vrban 6. 106 Frban 6. 200 Victor 2. 63 Victor 3. 68 Victor 4. 75 Vigilius 31 Vitellanus 36 Zacharias 37 FINIS Idolatry Exod. 32. Deut. 9. 14. The cause why the Israelites worshipped the molten calfe 1. king 12. 28. The first captiuity of 400. yeares Gen. 15. 13. Act. 7. 6. 2. Captiuitie of 70. yeares Ierem. 25. 12. Ca. 29. 10. 3. Captiuitie of infinite yeares God for vnbeleefe punisheth the Iewes vntill this day Iudges 2. 19. 20 Iudges 5. 8. Two kind of Idolatrie S. Gregorie forbad the Image worship Habakuk 2. 18. 19. Epiphanius Epist ad Hieron Petrus Crinilib 9. de hone sta disciplina Esa 1. 12. Exod. 20. 4. Deut. 5. 8. A true deuision of te ten Commandements The Church of Rome is accursed of God and the cause Deut. 23. 18. Deut. 4. 12. The dutie of a good magistrat to forbid idolatrie Numb 21. 8. The brasen serpent was the image and figure of Christ A Popish distinction betweene Idol Image Pesel what it signifieth Ambrose Erasmus Lactancius Instit lib. 2. cap. 19. Aquinus The argumâ— of both Treâ—tises The argument of the Epistle to the Hebrewes The reason prouing the Pope to be of greater authotie then the Masse Read the booke Ceremon Pontifie 1. Sect. cap. 3. also Sect. 12. cap. 10. 4. Gen. 4. 4. Hebrew 11. 4. Pope Many wordes in old time taken in good part which are now taken in euill Euery Bishop or Minister in old time was called Pope Tome 2. Epist 7. lib. â— The Bishop of Rome seeketh nothing more then to be called Pope Diuision of the Bishops of Rome into 3. orders The first order Saint Peter was not Bishop of Rome Gal. 2. 〈◊〉 This proueth S. Peter was nduep at Rome Rom. 15. 20. Linus Mal. 2. 6. 7. 300 years good bishops in Rome 1. Sisme The 2. order Archbishops Patriarks Liberius an Arrian Felix 2. 2. Sisme That which one Pope doth another vndoeth The Pope erreth in faith Damasus The 3. Sisme 384. Siricius Concerning the forbidding of mariage read afterwards in Gregorie The Pope erreth in the interpretation of the Scripture Boniface 1. Sisme 4. 420. Gelasius 1. Anastasius 2. an heretike Anno 417. the Gothes began to reigne in Spaine Symachus The 5. Sisme 498 Hormisda the the first Patriarke 520 He excommunicated the Emperour Anno. 523. Iohn 1. Ambassadour 6. Sisme Boniface 2. 530. Vigilius The 7. Sisme Pelagius The Primacie of Rome The Cannonists agree not with the Pope The 7. Canonicall houres Iohn 3. contrary to his predecessor Pelagius 2. saâ—â—sfieth the â—mperour 590. The first pardons and indulgences The soule of TraiaÌ„ brought out of Hell Gregorie 1. a great enemy to the Primacy Seruant of Gods seruant Marriage forbidden and againe permitted to priestes 6000. heades of young children in a pond The fruites of Popish single life The saying of Pope Pius 2. agsing constrayned single life Note before vpon Siritius and after in Paul 2. 604. Sabinianus One Pope being dead killed another 605. The 3. order 2. Thes 2. 8. Boniface 3. the 1. Pope Phocas granted Rome to be head of the Churches The fall of the Empire The Pope and Mahomet arise Boniface 4. The false donation of CoÌ„stantine Anno. 613. Deus dedit Godfathers The Gâ—dfather should not marry with the Godmother Boniface 5. The Church a refuge for euill doers Anno. 622. Martinus 1. Crownes Baruc 6. 30. Holy oyntment Vowe of Chasttitie Anno. 653. Vitelanus Diuine seruice in Latine Anno. 672. Agathus 1. Popish constitutions be Apostolicall Mariage to the Greeke priests permitted Anno. 682. Sisme 8. The 9. Sisme Constantine 1. The first Pope that gaue his feete to be kissed Images Anno. 716. dissipation of Spaine Gregorie 2. Gregorie 3. Leo the Emperor excommunicated 731. 741. Zacharias The Church vestments decked with gold c. Making and vnmaking of Kings The king of France most Chrsten and why The donation of Constantine Anno. 752. The king of Spaine Catholique Stephen 2. The donation of Constantine Pipin kissed the Popes feete c. Anno. 757. Paul 1. Exod. 20. A notable lie Anno. 767. The 10. Sisme Constantine 2. a lay man without any order was made Pope The Councell deposeth the Pope The 11. Sisme Stephen 3. Adoration and censing of images Anno 772. Adrian 1. Images Most Christian Anno. 795. The second Councell of Neece Images worshipped The cruelty of a mother Irena an Idolater and a murtherer Leo 3. Two Emperors one in the East another in the West The Popes decrees of more authority then the writings of all the Doctors The Crucifixe of Mantua A most subtill craft to aduaÌ„ce Images Anno. 816. Stephen 4. The Popes excuse for not seeking the consent of the Emperor Anno 817 Pascal 1. was Pope without consent of the Emperour Anno 824. Eugenius 2. The 12. Sisme Gregorie 4. Confirmation of the Emperour Anno 844. Sergius 2. first changed his name Anno 847. Leo 4. promiseth paradise 72 witnesses to condemne a Bishop The Papal crosse A Monke made king S. Peters pence in England Anno 855. Iohn 8. a whore Adout the yeer 1550. An. 852. Pope Ione was chosen The Pope turneth aside and the cause A seat and for what cause A statue in Rome of Pope Ione The ceremonie of the seat now not vsed and the couse A rare example the father son Grand-child Popes none of them either good or honest The Pope is of the common of two genders or els that is worse the boubtfull Rom. 20. 17. Ioh. 14. 26. The faith of the Colliar 1. Pet. 3. 15. Faith is compared to a lampe and why Benedict 3. The 13. Sisme Nicholas 1. The whole driâ—t of this Pope to free himselfe the Clergie from obedience to the Magistrate The Pope called God The diuine office in Latine Blasphemie Read aboue Siricius Gregorie 1. afterwardes Paul 2. and Pius 2. The Masse of a weÌ„ching priest not be heard Anno 867. Martin 2. without consent of the Emperour Anno. 884. Adrian 3. The Emperour lost his right in Rome 885. Stephen 5. The statutes of the Church of Rome necessary to saluation Anno 891.
the laÌ„d of Sauoy A qualified lie of the Iesuites Iohn 8. 44. Ier. 13. 23. Psal 5. 6. 7. Anno 1549. Iulius 3. a blasphemer The Pope giueth the bar to whom he list The Pope saith that fortune is it that maketh the Pope Pope Iulius 3. his blasphemy for swines flesh Terrible blasmy for a peacocke Anno 1555. Marcellus 2. A youth of 12 yeares old Cardinall The Popp permitteth not any to speake his mind freely in the Councell The blasphemy of the Trident Councell The Legends of S. Christopher end Saint George false after Paul 3. It is no Councell except it 〈◊〉 free Poyson Paul 4. an enymâ—e to the Spaards Anno 1555. The vices 〈◊〉 the Roman Church Anno 1557. The taking of S. Quintanes The death of Don Charles the Emperour and of Mary Queene of England Anno 1558. Elizabeth Queene of England England a refuge for strangers Persecution in Seuill Ephes 1. 3. Seuill the first Citie in Spaine where the Gospell in our time was almost clerely preached Rodrigo de Valer. 1. Cor. 1. 18. Actes 2. 13. Matth 21. 23. Iohn 7. 38. The Principall pomtes of Christian religion About the yeare 1545. D. Edigius Anno 1555. Anno 1557. Iulian brought many bookes to Seuill 800. prisoners for the teligion in Seuill The like was done of the house of Doctour Cacalla in Vallodalid D. Vargas D. Egidius D. CoÌ„stantine The persecutioÌ„ of Voll odalid c. D. Cacalla Cap. 7. â—8 Cap. 44. 17. c. The cause of the present calamities The Pope the Councell and Inquisition can not erre 1 Kings 18. 17. Fire in Valladolid A historie of Iohn Fox Imaginary fire in the Church A boy put himselfe in the cowle of a Monke Apoc. 6. 10. Anno 1559. Pius 4. Pope against Pope So did Benedict 3. Pius 2. Martine 5. and Paul 4. The hypocrisie of Pope Pius 4. The Popes esteeme not the Sacraments be case they be Antichrists Anno 1563. Confession was almost the cause of the ruine of the Popedome Confession serueth for a band Pius 5. Psal 97. 7. Pius 5. tooke out of the bookes that which the authors with great truth said against the Pope Anno 1572. Gregorie 13 The crueltie of a father Luke 21. 18. Ioh. 16. 2 Sistus 5 A notable acte of the seigniory of Veniâ— Ephes 1 21. The French K. causeth the Duke of Guise to be slaine A Dominican Friar killeth the French K. Iudith 13. 10. 1. Samuel â—6 4 2. Sam. 1 A Capuchan fryar practised to kill the French king God commandeth the king to read the holy scripture Prouerbes against the Ecclesiastical persons Euill life Whoredome Couetousnesse Hypocrisie â—â—monie Idlenesse the mother of many vices Ier. 51. 6. Psal 147. 9 Iob. 39. 3. Psal 37 25. 1. King 17. 6. Dan. 14. 32. Two Roman Empire The beginning of the Popedome which is the new Empire Boniface 3. The Popedom founded vpon murder Marke 13. 41. Luke 22. 25. The Pope taking occasioÌ„ of the question about Images denyeth obedience to the Emperour Charles the great made Emperour and why The oath which the Emperour maketh to the Pope The 1. oath of the Emperour The 2. oath The Emperour made a chanon and kinght of S. Peter Matth. 16. 16. The 1. Reason Clemens ad Iacobum The 2. Reason Actes 15. The 3. Reason The 4. Reason Gal. 2. 11. The 5. Reason 1. Thes 2. 3. Apoc. 17. 9. The 6. Reason Lib. 2 de concordia Cathol cap. 12. The Councell of Mileuant against the Primacie The deceit of the Pope discouered In those times euery Bishop was called Pope Cursed is the glose that corrupteth the text Anno 600. The Doctors against the primacie Saint Gregory against the primacie A notable discourse made by Edward bishop of Salisburg How the Popes employ themselues All this is fully accomplished The title of the Pope Arnulphus Bernard Ioachin Fluencius Nicholas Gallus Marsilius Cesenas Wickliffe Iohn Hus. Ierom of Prage Petrarcus Dante The Popes foure cardinall vertues auarice heresie sodomy and simonie Bocace Sanazaro The Church of Rome erreth in faith Thomas Rendonio Laurencius Valla. Sauanarola 3. Io. 9. Epistle 162 The Emperors called the general Councels Epistola ad Liberium Epise opum RomanuÌ„ De simplice Prelat In senâ—entiis Episcoprum libro 1. epist 1. Hieronymus in Epist ad Euagrium repetitur in Decreto Graciani Hieron ad Nepotianum Anno. 605. Dan. 11. 36. Three markes wherewith Antichrist shal be marked The Pope is an Apostata in religion Exod. 20. Psal 50. 51. Rom. 10. 14. The Pope abhorreth matrimony by God ordained Rom. 1. 1. Timothy 4. 2. The Councell of 〈◊〉 S. Gregorie permit mariage 1. Cor 7. 2. The Pope an Atheist Boniface 8. The 2. passage 2. Thes 2. 3. Verse 9. What thing is Antichrist Verse 7. Iohn 6. 15. Contrarieties between christ the Pope The first Contrarietic Phil. 2. 6. The 2. Contraritie To this purpose read Damascen in the sermon of the dead The 3 Contrarictie Iohn 5. 39. The 4. Contrarietie Matth. 11. 28. Ieremy 2 1â— The 5. Contrariette The diuell also worketh miracles Matth. 28. 18. Lying wonpers 2. Thes 2. 11. Purgatorie Of 30000. men one only went to heauen 3 to Purgatory and all the rest to hell Luke 16. 27. Matth. 24. 24. Verie subtill was the Pope in forbidding the reading of the holy Scripture The 3. pasâ—age of the holy Scripture The viâ—tory of the Lambe The waters be kindreds c. The 10 kings hauing altered their minds shall persecute the whore The whore is the Pope The Beast is the Romane Empire Gen. 4. 10. Tertullian The woman is he great citie 7. Mountanes Ten Hornes Apoc. 13. 18. Iohn 1. 29. 2. Thes 2. Ierome in prçfat lib. de spiritu sancto in vita Marci Apoc. â— 3. In prooemio Sexti in Glo. Matth. 16. 18. Iohn 10. 4. An answere to the 2 places wherewith the Pope confirmeth his primacie 1. Cor. â— 11. Ioh. 20. 21. Feede my sheepe Iohn 21. 16. Marke 16. 15. Iohn 20. 22. â—0 Sismes In Cronico pontifiâ—um 4 popes at once 3 Popes â—t once in Rome Sergius 2. and Benedict 9. were each of them thrise Pope Great vacatioÌ„s Matâ—h 28. 18. Extrauag de maiori obedient ca 2 â—an 2. 21. lib 7. Decretal dâ—senten re indicata Extrauag 〈◊〉 Cathol 〈◊〉 Clement in Clement pastoralie Item in rescripto This writing is kept in viena del Dolfinado Et in Extrauag eadem Decisiones Rote Baldu Franciâ—cus de Ripa Phillippus Decius Hostienâ—is Carolus de Ruino Iohannes de Anauias c. Dist 40. cap. â— Papa Ths Pope after the Romists is more mercrfull then Christ why Ca. Non nos Dist 41. 2. Thes 2. 4. Iohn 5. 39. Esay 31. 7. A briefe of the CoÌ„tents of this 2. Treatise Masse There is no thing necessary for our saluatioÌ„ which the scripture declareth not Actes 20. 20. It is not yet knowne where of the Masse is deriued what the Masse is 8 reasons wherwith they confirme
with him 30000. men and onely Saint Barnard without any payne flew to heauen 3. descended into purgatorie and all the rest into hell perpetually to be damned Thus far Venero He that reporteth this was no Ideot but a preacher and of the order of preachers Who will not beleeue an holy hermite come from another world a Bishop and a preacher also O happie Bishop which knew what passed in Heauen Purgatorie and hell Blessed be our God which hath opened our eyes and made vs to vnderstand such apparitions to be illusions of the diuell For confirmation of this our Doctrine Reade the Parable which our Sauiour propoundeth of the rich worldling who prayed Abraham to send Lazarus before deceased to the house of his father that he might declare to his fiue brethren that which he passed But Abraham answered they haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them whom if they will not heare neither will they bee perswaded though a man should rise from the dead Luke 16. So that euery Christian which readeth searcheth and meditateth the holy scripture doth know that all this which they say concerning Purgatorie is lies albeit the Pope will haue it an Article of faith Were it an article of faith it should be founded vpon the scripture On the scripture it is not founded therefore it is no Article of faith Also were it an Artticle of faith it should be one of the twelue of the Apostles creede but it is not therefore it is not an Article of faith But it is as saith Doctour Constantine the head of the wolfe It serueth to mainetayne idle bellies Conclude wee this then of the false myracles of Antichrist with that which the Lord saith False Christes and false Prophetes shall arise and shall worke signes great and wonderfull so that if it were possible the verie elect should be deceiued Well hath our Redemer forewarned vs well hath his Apostle Saint Paule foretold vs. See we now to our selues for of ignorance now shall we not sinne we are forewarned And as Daniel for our consolation foretold vs of the miserable end of Antichrist so also saith Saint Paule and that more plainely then Daniel that the Lord will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and consume him with the brightnesse of his comming which we see dayly more and more accomplished How many kingdomes and prouinces do now know the Pope to be Antichrist And how came they by this knowledge not forced but by reading and hearing the word of God Very wise was the Pope in forbidding the Bible in forbidding the reading of the holy Scripture well did he vnderstand that all his euill his whole ruine and destruction should there thence proceede But I commaund it The Lord saith Saint Paule will destroy him with the Spirit of his mouth with his word with the holy Scripture with the doctrine of the olde and new Testament with the Bible which he so much abhorreth Many nations haue forsaken him onely Spaine and Italy giue him life But albeit they so do yet is his sicknesse vncurable and doubtlesse shall he die thereof The third and last passage wherewith we confirme the Pope to be Antichrist is taken out of the seuenteenth chapter of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn Reade the whole chapter Here will we note the principall points Saint Iohn saith hee saw a woman sit vppon a beast the woman and the beast with their quallities and attire he depainteth The woman saith hee was the great whore which sitteth vpon manie waters with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication He saith that she was set vppon a beast That this woman was clothed with purple and Scarlet and guilded with golde and adorned with precious stones c. Who had in her forehead a name wriâ—ten A Mysterie Great Babylon mother of fornications and abhominations of the earth that this woman was drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus And concluding the chapter he saith that this woman is the great citie whâ—ch reigneth ouer all the kings of the earth Concerning the beast saith he which was of the colour of Scarlet full of the names of blasphemie which had seuen heades and ten hornes Saint Iohn saith that when he saw this woman ride vpon the beast he greatly wondered The Angell declareth vnto him the secret of the woman and of the beast The beast saith the Angell which thou hast seene was and is not c. He saith vnto him that the seuen heades be seuen mountaines whereupon the woman sitteth He saith that the ten hornes be ten kinges subiect to the beast That these kings shall fight against the Lambe but the Lambe shall oueâ—come them That the waters whereupon the Whoore sitteth bee peoples and kindreds and nations and tongues Hee saieth that the ten hornes of the beast shall hate the whore shall make her desolate and destroy her Who seeth not Antichrist the Pope of Rome here figured and liuely painted out to whom can all these things be applied but to him alone The whore is the Pope the beast is the Romane Empire whereupon the Pope sitteth aâ—d wherewith hee hath lifted vp himselfe It is a common pâ—rase of speech in the Scrâ—pture to call Idolatrie and superstition fornication and tâ—e Idolaters it calleth strumpets and whoores Reade the sâ—cond chapter of Ieremie and 3. verse Ezech. 16. chap. Of 〈◊〉 chap. 1. 2. and 3. The Pope then is called Whore and greâ—t whore for his idolatrie and superstition which he committeth and teacheth to so many people and nations Note that which we haue said in the passage cited out of the 11. chapter of Daniel How much more yet by the great prouidence of God hath this thing fully and plainely happened seing a Pope hath bin which was a woman and a greate whoore Reade the life which we haue recited of Iohn 8. where he saith that the woman was clothed with purple and scarlet and gold c. Euen so is the Pope in his pontificall habite and chiefly the day of his coronation fully clothed Platina speaking of Pope Clement the fifth as in his lâ—fe we haue declaâ—ed saith that at his coronation fell a wall which killed many and that the Pope falling from his horse lost a Carbuncle which fell from his Miter or as they call it Reyno that was worth sâ—xe thousand Florences D. Illescas chap. 24. speaking of the coroantion of Leo the tenth saith these words The day of this coronation in Rome was so solemne and ioyfull that any hardly remembred to haue seene the like thing For besides the other feastes made which should be tedious to recount they affirme aboue an hundred thousand duckets to haue bene cast among the people c. How could this Pope say that which said Saint Peter Siluer and gold haue I none This woman he calleth Babylon as much to say as confusion He calleth