that iudge the world saith he let them see and iudge these things least wrong should seeme to proceed from whence equitie and iustice should be had We shall bee condemned of rashnesse and said to open our mouthes against heauen but we write not these things out of a spirit of pride but with the inke of griefe wee feele our owne priuat miseries and deplore the publike c. The Apostle speaking to the Romans saith Euerie creature ought to be subiect to the higher powers If the Apostle so writ to the Church of Rome who in the Church of Rome will presume to contradict this Apostolicall doctrine c. Some Angels are greater and higher in dignitie than others yet they admit not the pride of emancipation or freedome the one aboue the other One of them long since would be freed from the power of God and of an Angell became a diuell by these extraordinarie liberties now adayes are wrought the vtter ouerthrow of many But to dispute of the doings of the Pope is held they say for sacriledge besides the disputation is not equall where it is not lawfull for the defendant to answer neither is it a quarell when thou strikest and I onely must endure the blowes In the same sence in the Epistle 158 to Iohn Bishop of Chartres and vpon the same subiect which was then pleaded by the Author before the Pope he saith All the lawes and the Canons and whatsoeuer we could alledge out of the word of God Petrus Blaesens Epist 158. to affirme and make good our cause Maiores inter caeteros the greatest haue held detestable and sacrilegious and did publikely iudge vs enemies to the Church of Rome vnlesse we would relinquish these word by which we endeuoured to proue the Church of Saint Augustine which they affirme particularly to be his to be subiect to the Church of Canterburie c. For hauing no regard of the losse of soules they permit in the Monkes all vnlawfull things to cast off the yoke of all discipline to follow all pleasures of the flesh and to pay for their riot and excesse through the whole yeare an annuall pension Wee hauing then beene publikely forbidden to produce in this cause either Canons or Lawes but onely priuiledges if we had any readie at hand whereof they knew none we had at that time saw that in this respect we were destitute of all humane comfort and they being resolued to prouide a lay man and not learned but rich ynough to purchase honors who had bought this Abbie by simonie not priuily but publikely and as it were in open market I put my selfe forward to accuse him and to make my selfe a partie against him but when I layed open manifest and notorious things they whom he had made friends with the Mammon of iniquitie poured wine and oyle into the wounds of his infamie Moreouer hauing gotten much money from the Marchants of Flanders and in a manner drawne them drie notwithstanding borrowed an infinit quantitie of gold of the Romans so by this meanes the Doues wings were all siluer and the hinder parts of her backe glittering all in gold in such sort that they would heare no more of the libertie and dignitie of the Church of Canterburie for the which the Martyr Saint Thomas fought euen vnto death This pretended Martyr notwithstanding suffered for the Popes authoritie who as Peter of Blois here tells vs according to the example of the Pharisies gilded his sepulchre that he might the better rob his Church Neither are we to forget also That in his treatise of the Institutions of a Bishop written to Iohn Bishop of Worcester he attributeth to euery Bishop that authoritie which the Church of Rome restraineth to the Popes as successors of Saint Peter We read saith he that our Sauiour said to Peter Petrus Blaesens de Institutione Episcopi If thou louest me feed my sheepe thou art the heire and Vicar of Peter feed my sheepe In being an Euangelist doe the workes of an Euangelist and of a Pastor be not ashamed of the office of a Pastor Thy ministerie hath more charge than honour if thou affect honour thou art mercenarie if thou wilt imbrace the burthen the Lord is strong to encrease his grace that profit may come by profit and gaine by gaine But if thou canst not endure the burthen and knowes thy selfe insufficient it is too late to complaine He said before Take heed by all meanes thou wrap not thy selfe in secular affaires for there is no agreement with the spirit of God and the spirit of this world persist in thy vocation the world is wholly giuen to wickednesse And this hee afterward recited Animabus Praelatus es non corporibus Thou hast the charge of soules and not of bodies Nihil Praelato commune est cum Pilato A Prelat hath nothing common with Pilat thou art Christs Steward Peters Vicar thou art not to make an account to Caesar but to Christ of that iurisdiction that is committed vnto thee And by these and the like places we may judge what he thought of the Popes who so violently drew all secular power vnto them But he was constrained verie often to temper his stile according to the tyrannie of those times Petrus Blaesens in Tractatu de Peregrinat Hierosolimit as when he said The sword wherewith Peter cut off these seruants eare exceedeth in these daies according to all mens opinion the weapons of Alexander and Caesar Abbas Vrsperg Let vs now come to Innocent the third The Abbot of Vrsperge tells vs of his entrance into the Popedome I haue heard in those times saith he things incredible to be related and hard to be beleeued that the same Pope said That he would take away the Kinglie Diademe from Philip or that Philip should take from him the Apostolical Ensigne Now albeit it were not to be beleeued that he would prefer his will before the will of God neuerthelesse it appeareth that he was at all times contrarie vnto him But God foreseeing from aboue permitted not that through all Germanie his diuine seruice and the Ecclesiasticall dignitie should perish which continued there more permanent than in other countries albeit much corrupted and depraued through the instigation of sinne and chiefly carnall pleasures And he noteth especially that Innocent opposed the authoritie of the Apostolike See against Philips Vt regium genus deperiret To ruinat the royall race But Auentine saith That he raised cognatas acies Auent l. 7. brother to fight against brother and the sonne against the father and the one to pollute himselfe with the bloud of the other and then crying out Who saith he can giue any other reason of the discord among Christians but the spectacle of the Roman Bishop quasi paria componentis taking pleasure to see and to cause them like Fencers to murder one another euen so the Christian people were slaine the Bishops of Rome encouraging the one against the
of all the great men in the Land which then flourished eitheir in letters or armes obtaining so far by his diuine labour and zeale that truth from his mouth was harkened vnto by many embraced and receiued and happily preached for many yeares so as that light of the Gospell reuiued by his operations and endeauours no puff or whirle-wind could extinguish but rather it kindled vnto vs another fire all Europe ouer I forbeare to speake of the learning incomparable soliditie of his writings all which being duely wayed especially in so tenebrous an age amiddest so fearefull flashings and lightnings whereat the greatest Princes of the world stooped and trembled I thinke no man can justly make any doubt but that his spirit receiued illumination courage and confidence from aboue that God wrought in and by him and in the weakenesse of a wretched and abject man in respect of the world he intended the ruine of Sathans Empire of that same plenarie power so much boasted of and so long time affected by the Popes In so much as Luther seemes to haue spoken most worthily The bodies of the Saints rise againe when there is a resurrection of the Gospell of Iesus our Sauiour so as these pettie desperat Bishops are able to preuaile nothing at all against them with their Herods and Pylats All the Clergie out of doubt he wonderfully amazed and astonisht For Thomas Waldensis in his Epistle to Martine the fift spares not to tell how he wondered and admired at his irrefragible assertions at the perspicuous authorities and inconuincible reasons which he produced Thom. Waldens in Epist ad Martin 5. Thom. Walsingham in Rich. 2. Gulielm Caxtonius in Chron. Anno 1171 1372. alias fructus temporum And the Chronologers of those times seeme greatly to complaine that both king Edward and all his chiefe Counsellors gaue attentiue eare to him as also that the king was woon by him to enact by Parliament That the Bishops from thenceforth should be confirmed by their Metropolitans as in times past and not be tied vpon this occasion to goe personally to Rome But Waldensis mentions some particular men that in England entertayned his doctrine certaine Diuines and Masters of the Vniuersitie of Oxford Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the same Vniuersitie together with the two Proctors and many others whom he seuerally nominates In the Court the king himselfe and the Prince of Wales his son were his auditors Iohn Duke of Lancaster Lewis Clifford William Neuill Iohn Klenbow Richard Struny Thomas Latimer Iohn Montacute who defaced Images throughout all his jurisdiction Iohn of Salisburie who being at poynt of death rejected the Papisticall Sacrament with diuers others of the chiefest Nobilitie Besides Iohn of Northampton the Major of London and sundrie other notable Citizens and Burgesses who many times disturbed the Bishops assemblies and conuenticles which were called for the suppressing of Wickliff But so on the other side he wanted not many potent and mightie aduersaries among the Bishops Prelats Monkes but especially the Mendicants who after Edwards death obtained of Richard the second that Wickliff should be expelled England he therefore repairing into Bohemia brought a great light to the doctrine of the Waldenses when Iohn Hus being yet but a young man had diuers conferences with him about diuine matters But at length beeing recalled home againe from exile about the yeare 1387 the last of December An. 1387. he meekely in his Countrie yeelded vp his soule to God and was buried in the Church of Lutterworth within the Countie of Leicester not without a singular miracle shewed herein notwithstanding the implacable rage and furie of his aduersaries although in the yeare 1428 by Pope Martine the fifths order An. 1428. he was by the Prelats in England disinterred and burnt But God in his good time will re-demaund the bodies of his Saints of all the elements to whom he will then most gratiously communicat his hapinesse and glorie Amen Here we may also adjoyne the principall heads of Wicklifs doctrine as they are set downe by William Wydford his aduersarie who inuents many of them out of his owne braine the more to stir vp enuie against him but in a ward wee may boldly affirme that they are no other in substance then such as are receiued into the confessions of our Churches as may euidently bee seene in many treatises which are extant both in Latine and English Touching the Pope besides the points by vs premised he taught That in the Apostles time there were two only orders of Clerks those were Priests and Deacons for other degrees they proceeded from the pride of the Papacie That the Pope who counterfeitly professed himselfe to be the seruant of Gods seruants in the worke Euangelicall was of no place or degree but Sathans speciall Atturney and procurator that he might perpetually proiect and practise treason against Christ also that he was pointed at throughout all the Scriptures for Antichrist not his person simplie but the chaire and Papall dignitie from whence by meanes of the creeping in of all excesse and sensualitie confusion hath inuaded the Church how it was a most palpable heresie to beleeue that euerie militant Church in Europe depended on his See and authoritie That no man could ground out of the Scriptures how such a Vicar entred into the Church and therefore must needs haue come in otherwise by worldly courses and Sathans subtilties That Christ had neuer any meaning to constitute a Caesarian Pope one that should be both Pope and Emperour at an instant And therefore it belonged to Princes seriously to ioyne both their hearts and hands for the prohibiting of such a Sathan to beare rule in the church His principall Disciples in England grew verie famous both by edition of books and for Martyredome as Walter Bret Iohn Aston Iohn Ashwaly Nicholas Herford Iohn Puruer Richards Wits Iohn Oldcastle Peter Clarke William Taylor William With whose workes and labours Bale cites out of the auntient monuments the seed whereof brought forth afterwards the fruits into England which we both haue and daily see Thomas Walsingham specially notes Thomas Walsingham in Richarde 2. that when the Archbishop of Canterburie had sent Wicklifs condemnation to Robert Rigg Chauncellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford to be diuulged he appointed them to preach that day whom he knew to be the most zealous followers of Wickliff in contempt saith he of the Archiepiscopall precept and among others he ordayned one Philip Rippinton a Chanon of Leycester to preach on Corpus Christi day who concluded his Sermon with these words For speculatiue doctrine saith he such as is the point of the Sacrament of the Altar I will set a barre on my lips while God hath otherwise instructed or illuminated the hearts of the Clergie The same Author sayth That in the yeare 1378 Pope Gregorie the eleuenth his Bull being presented and read at Oxford An. 1378. and seconded with expresse letters both to the
to be next vnder God their supreame Lord who likewise reuerenced him as a Father Gregorie the seuenth contrarily who was Hildebrand putting his confidence in the armes of the Normans who then raged and rioted throughout Apulia Calabria Campania which by violence they had possest and trusting likewise vpon the riches of Matilda an insolent woman and the discord of the Germans was the first that against the custome of his Elders contemning the imperiall authoritie possessed the â—â—pedome and durst to say That Christ had put vpon him both persons giuing him power to bind and to loosse to exercise both charges Ecclesiasticall and secular to transferre all power vnto himselfe not to indure any equall much lesse a superior to contemne Emperors and Kings as holding their Dominions at his will and pleasure to bring Prelats and Bishops into order to denounce to chaunge States to sow discords to raise warres to authorise factions to absolue oaths and though he wrong the Emperour himselfe yet in a certaine Epistle of his he glorieth that he must be feared because it is he that cannot erre that hath receiued of Christ our Lord and Sauiour and S. Peter power to bind and to loosse how and whomsoeuer he please Then he likewise addeth began those perillous times which Christ and Peter and Paule had so long before foretould Then were those fables of Siluester and Constantine no lesse sottishly than impudently deuised and diuers others which it becomes not Christian modestie to relate then did counterfeit religion put on the shape of pietie Then began robberies the sale of holie things and diuine Philosophie to be polluted corrupted and violated by Sicophants subtile interpretations lyes old wiues tayles Insomuch that without the vtter ouerthrow of many true religion cannot be restored to her auntient maiestie All this began with Hildebrand who first built vp the pontificall Empire which his successors for 450 yeares retayned in despite of the world and the Emperours in such a maner that they brought the infernall spirits beneath and gods aboue into seruitude making all subiect to their yoake and terrifying the whole world with their thunderbolts Quo bruta tellus vaga flumina Quo Stix inuisi horrida Taenari Sedes Atlanteusque finis Concutitur mutant ima summis As farre as earth as Sea extends As Stix or horrid Taenaris Yea where the hill Atlanteus ends His fearefull power carried is And all this this Author deliuereth notwithstanding he were by profession a Roman being willing perhaps to haue said more if it had beene lawfull for he concludeth with these words The Roman Emperor is now no more than a bare name without a bodie without forme notwithstanding the fruit be knowne by the tree and no man gathereth grapes of thistles and the souldier knoweth his captaines colours but yet we must not iudge before the time but according to the rule of S. Paul we must attend the perpetuall decree of the eternall Iudge As if he would haue alluded to that place of the Apostle speaking of Antichrist And now ye know what withholdeth the Roman Empire that he might be reuealed in his time What manner of man this Hildebrand was we shall see in his due place But yet at the first he bewrayes not his boldnesse but when the Emperor Henrie sent the Earle Heberard to Rome to admonish the Romans of their offence and threatning withall that except they did satisfie him he would pronounce the election void he humbly answered That he was enforced to vndertake the Popedome against his owne will neither would he euer haue suffered himselfe to be consecrated had he not vnderstood by the relation of his Legats that the election was approued by the Emperour By which words he so pacified the Emperor that he easily yeelded his consent to his consecration But presently after he held a Councell at Lateran where he renewed the Canons against those his Heresies of Simonie and Nicholaisme sufficient preteâ—â—es to diminish the authoritie of Henrie and if he should oppose himselfe against them to make him an Heretike The one of them tooke from him all authoritie at Milan if any were left the other should daily diminish that power which he retained in Germanie by the right of Inuestiture The summe of them was this It shall not be lawfull for a Clergie man to marie a wife nor to take their inuestiture at the hands of a lay man vnder paine of excommunication But it is worth the noting that the Countesse Mathilda was present at this Councell a woman no lesse infamous for her vnchast life than her pride Erlembald gouernour of Milan put the first Decree in execution continuing his rage against the Clergie and vpon the day called Coena Domini the Supper of the Lord he forbad Godfrey whom the Emperour had made Bishop to consecrate the oyle An. 1075. and prouided other The yeare following 1075 he did the like he himselfe ministring the oyle in the Paschall ceremonies but all the Priests refused to receiue it at his hands except Luitprand onely Curat of S. Paul Whereupon the people being much offended forsooke the citie protesting that they would obey no Bishop but him whom the Emperour should nominat and not long after entring into the citie againe they killed both Erlembald and his Luitprand Godfrey in the meane time not being accepted by the Pope stood still excommunicated not without the great indignation of Henrie who neuerthelesse to accommodat himselfe a little vnto him named in his place Theobald Castillon who was kindly receiued by those of Milan And from this onely act let euerie man judge how vnwillingly this yoke of single life was receiued in Italie Gregorie vrgeth the same in Germanie writeth to the Princes and their wiues That they should not frequent the Masses of maried Priests That they should execute his Decree and account those for excommunicat persons that obeyed it not declaring vnto them that they were neither Priests nor might sacrifice Whereupon the common people grew insolent against them and trampled the Hoast consecrated by them vnder their feet though it were at that verie time when the opinion of the reall presence began to spread abroad From this occasion saith Auentinus many false Prophets did arise who with fables myracles examples they cal them turned the people of Christ from the truth interpreting the Scriptures so as that they might serue their owne turnes whilest in the meane time vnder the honest name of chastitie whoredome incest adulterie were euery where freely committed But yet in the meane time notwithstanding the attempts that were made at some Councels in Germanie and the threats that were thundered out by the Legats à Latere of Pope Gregorie they could not persuade the Bishops to yeeld their consent to this Decree or to depose those Priests that were maried defending themselues by the authority of the Scriptures the auncient Councels and the Primitiue Church adding thereunto the commaundement of God and
se due reggimenti Cade nel fango se bruta la soma The Church of Rome which now will needs confound And joyne in one two diuers gouernements Her selfe defiles in dirt and brings her keyes to ground He refutes also the donation of Constantine that it neither was de facto nor could be de iure and therefore by some he was condemned of heresie There are a third sart saith he whom they call Decretalists ignorant and vnlearned in all Diuinitie and Philosophie who cleauing absolutely to their Decretalls putting all their hope as I suppose in the vigour and force of them they derogate from the Empire And no maruell when I haue heard one of them say constantly auerre That the traditions of the Church were the foundation of faith which wicked opinion and beleefe let them banish away far from them those men I meane which before the traditions of the Church did beleeue in Christ the Sonne of God either to come present or past and so beleeuing they hoped and hoping were enflamed with charitie and being thus diuinely enflamed the world makes no doubt but they shall be coheires with him In his Poeme of Paradise written in Itaalian he complaines That the Pope of a Pastor was become a Wolfe and diuerted Christs sheepe out of the true way and therefore the Gospell was forsaken the writing of the Fathers neglected they relied onely on Decretals no man thinkes on Nazareth where Gabriel displayes his wings but the Popes and Cardinals only repaire to the Vatican and some other selected places of Rome These things saith he were the absolute euersion of Christs warfare imposed vpon Peter whose pure doctrine in the meane while lyes deepely buried at Rome In times past war was made vpon the Church by the sword but now the same is inflicted by a famine that is by taking away the bread which God allotted for the nourishment thereof Dante del Paradiso C. 9. 20. Del Purgatorio C. 32. this being denyed to no man which is the preaching of the holie word But thou saith he addressing his speech to the Pope which by the Chancellor onely writest thus Cogita Petrum Paulum qui mortem oppetiuere Propter vineam quam vastas etiamnum viuere Potes tu quidem dicere firmum habeo desiderium Sic ad eum qui voluit viuere solus Quique per saltus fuit pertractus ad supplicium At qui nec piscatorem agnosco nec Paulum In another place he deliuers what an vnworthie thing it was that the holie Scriptures were either wholly layd apart or violently peruerted That there was no consideration had with how much bloud they were planted in the world and how highly they accept of him that comes to them in humilitie of heart and spirit Whereas on the other side euerie man applauded himselfe in his owne Fictions and Comments but the Gospell was buried in silence The publike chayres and Oratories resounded nothing all the yeare long but vaine questions and meere fables and so the poore sheep being fed with the puffes of wind pined and consumed away with many other things which might bee produced out of his workes against the Popes Indulgences and the abuses of the Roman Church the which he so liuely describes that one may most easily perceiue how he plainly acknowledged her to be that Whore in the Apocalyps It is a thing verie memorable That at this time Frederick the third king of Sicilia a most religious Prince was so moued with the depraued gouernement of the Church of Rome that he began to doubt of the veritie of the Gospell but being vrged by a vision wherein his mother appeared to him with her face vncouered and whom he knew by these words My sonne I giue thee my blessing Colloquium Frederici Regis Arnoldi de Villa noua that thou mayest studie daily to obey the trueth hee sent for Arnold de Villa noua who was then of great estimation amongst all men that by his assistance he might bee resolued in his doubts His principall doubt was this Whether the doctrine of the Gospell was an humane inuention or a diuine tradition And here three things principally disturbed his mind First That the whole Clergie as well great as small conformed their liues no wayes according to the Gospell they discharged sacred offices but euen for forme sake only or else in verie mockerie scorne and for the gouernement of soules they tooke no care being contrariwise transported with all violence to vice and vaineglorie Secondly In that the Monks who seemed to draw neerer to Apostolicall integritie they were now so swarued and strayed from the wayes of God that in respect of them not onely the secular Clerkes but euen lay men themselues might rather bee justified they being serpents and vipers without any spirit of pietie And there he deciphers them by all the notes of dishonestie by hypocrisie impietie crueltie rapine wantonnesse diuine contempt incredulitie and also about the verie Gospell it selfe Thirdly That in a doctrine so weightie and of such â—onsequence he could not sufficiently wonder at the negligence and carelesnesse of the See Apostolicall When he sent into diuers countries he was by some inquisitiue what progression the Gospell made who returned him answer They could discerne no such matter and that outwardly no course nor care was taken for the propagation of the Gospell as also inwardly no greater studie imployed for the extinguishing of schismes but rather of nourishing and setting them on fire The Legats were daily entangled in worldlie affaires being little carefull either for the promotion or preseruation of the Gospell And consulting with some Friers about his vision many made answer it was but an illusion Diuers out of this made implication That his mother was yet in Purgatorie and wanted prayers and suffrages But Arnold de Villa noua by many reasons and examples and especially in that her admonition was consonant to the words of the Gospell plainely affirmed That questionlesse this vision was of God and thereupon exhorted him earnestly to serue God according to his vocation to performe justice and charitie to prouide as well for the cause of the poore as of the rich and for matters belonging to God hee should continually preferre them before all humane respects and considerations For the doctrine of the Gospell that he must firmely auerre and beleeue that all the doctrine of the Euangelists is the verie doctrine of God That Iesus of Nazareth is the Christ promised vnto the Auncients for a Sauiour euen God himself which created the whole world which may be confirmed not onely out of the Articles of the Creed but also by such euident demonstration as no man could oppugne or infringe And setting downe the same in writing he deliuered it him Then for the reasons of his wauering and being in doubt they were of that nature as they rather strengthened the beleefe and truth thereof than any wayes impaired
to the contrarie but let that saying cease which is verie erronious to affirme The state of the Church was neuer in so great daunger from the beginning of the world as it is to be seene at this present There haue been indeed greater persecutions and vexations of the Church but there were euer holie and deuout men who endued with the grace of the holie spirit comforted the faithfull instructing and strengthening them And now the Chruch seemeth to be set in securitie but such holie men are nowhere to be seene Therefore the Church decreaseth in faithfull men and in kingdomes it pineth away in persons notwithstanding the libertie it hath And before when it enioyed not so great libertie but was furnished with those holie men it dayly encreased and augmented as to him that will search the Histories will plainely appeare These things Saint Barnard partly noted in his time in his foure and twentieth Sermon and vpon the 72 Psalme They are the Ministers of Christ but serue Antichrist Which places because we haue aboue coted them in needlesse here to trouble the Reader withall Stephan Brulifer de timore seruili de paupertate Christi cum sermonibus varijs apud Andream Bocord Paris an 1500. Jdem in 4. lib. sentent Bonavent Basil per Jacob. de Pfortzeim 1501 In Fraunce Stephan Brulifer Doctour of Sorbonne of the order of Franciscan Friers whose bookes were Printed at Paris and at Basill in the yeares 1500 and 1501 taught publiquely in lectures in disputations and by writings That neither the Pope nor a Councell nor the Church can prescribe an Article statute or ceremonie which bindeth the conscience of a Christian That their power consisteth onely in this to take care that the commaundements of God bee kept to preach his word to administer the Sacraments so as hee hath instituted them taking heed that they bring in nothing besides that which hee hath commaunded As touching justification which is attributed to merits that it is a diuelish doctrine seeing that the Lambe sacrificed hath satisfied Gods justice for vs of which S. Iohn crieth Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world But when the Sorbonne would not endure him he committed himselfe to the protection of Diether Archbishop of Mentz And what shall we say of Platina Platina in Marcelino that famous Historiographer of Popes not speaking of Paule the second his Master which perhaps might bee imputed to some hatred but of the Popes and Chruch in his time plainely without spleene In the life of Marceline speaking of the persecution of Dioclesian Eusebius saith he sheweth That God permitted that calamitie which they suffered because of the maners of Christians corrupted by too much libertie and indulgence principally of the Churchmen whose peruersenesse the iustice of God would bridle by this persecution seeing dissimulation to be in their countenance guile in their heart and deceit in their words For these striuing who should excell each other in enuie pride enmities and hatreds seemed to sauour rather of tyrannie than Priesthood being altogether forgetfull of Christian pietie and prophaning rather than celebrating the diuine mysteries But what thinke wee shall become of our age wherein our vices are encreased so exceedingly that hardly haue they left any place of mercie for vs with God How great is the couetousnesse of Priests and chiefely of them which haue soueraigne power how great their lust appeareth euerie where how great their ambition and pompe how great their pride and sloth how great their ignorance both of themselues and of Christian doctrine how little their religion and rather in shew than in truth how corrupt their manners which euen in prophane men whom they call seculars were detestable there is no need to speake it They commit sinnes so openly and in sight its if they sought prayse thereby There will come beleeue mee there will come the Turke the enemie of the Christian name more violent than Diocletian and Maximian he alreadie knocketh at the gates of Italie We negligent and sleepie attend a common destruction prouiding rather for priuat pleasure than for common vtilitie In the life also of Stephen the third Pietie and religion is now become so cold Platina in Stephan 3. that they will not pray to God I say not bare-footed but hardly in their hose and buskins Speaking of a certaine procession from Lateran to S. Peters They weepe not as they goe or during the time of Diuine Seruice as those holie Fathers but laugh and that impudently I speake euen of them whose scarlet robes makes them more obseruable They sing not hymnes for that seemeth to them seruile but ieasts and tales they tell among themselues to stirre vp laughter What need many words The more talkative any is and the more wanton the greater prayse he deserueth thereby in that corruption of manners This our Clergie feareth seuere and graue men Why so because they had rather liue in so great licentiousnesse than obey him that admonisheth them or constraineth them to doe well and for this cause Christian religion groweth daily worse and worse The like wee read in many places whereby he left inregistred what he judged of his times not daring so freely to doe it in the liues of them that then raigned or had left after them their creatures as they call them of whom he might receiue iniurie Let vs adde Anthonie de Rosellis a Tuscan a famous Doctor both of the Ciuile and Canon law who in his learned bookes concerning that matter teacheth That no temporall jurisdiction belongeth to the Pope and in spirituall he subiecteth him to a Councell Which bookes were printed at Venice in the yeare 1487 but by their Index Expurgatorius they haue caused them to be raced out It remaineth to say something of thee that spake openly being sequestred from the Pope Platina in the life of Paul the second telleth vs That in the towne of Poli neere Rome were detected many heretikes and the Lord of the place with eight men and six women was taken who being brought to Paul were verie ignominiously vsed And behold the heresie They were saith hee of that sect which wee say is of a peruerse opinion of mind for that they sayd That none of them which haue beene since Saint Peter was truely Christ Vicar sauing onely they who haue imitated Christs pouertie Let the Reader note here the stile of Platina which sheweth that he speaketh out of other mens judgement And as for the Bohemians in the beginning of the Popedome of Pius the second they set forth their Apologie and Confession of Faith against the calumnies wherewith they were traduced among the people which were too long here to be inserted But they are conformable to the doctrine of the reformed Churches of this kingdom and are defended by the same places and reasons both of the holie Scriptures and Fathers But this fell out well for them that after diuers miseries was chosen king with
others amongst whom in the age following was Conradus Pellicanus a man expert in the knowledge of the Tongues and all manner of learning who being instructed by Stanffich in the knowledge of the abuses of the Church of Rome did afterwards good seruice in the reformation of the Church but yet by the diligence of the Franciscans he was banished In Carnia Andrew the Archbishop of whom we haue spoken before importuned the Emperour Frederick the third for a Councell for the reformation of the Church who had alreadie assembled certaine Bishops at Basill with a purpose to proceed farther had not Pope Sixtus the fourth beeing much moued therewith compelled Frederick to breake off that assemblie in such sort that to gratifie the Pope he cast Andrew in prison where being for a time kept and attended with a certaine gard in a priuat place they of Basill denying him any publique prison he died being found strangled with a halter the Pope out of all doubt saith Stumphius procuring it Henrie the Agent then Inquisitor Johan Stump in Historiae Holuetica writ against him and accused him for reprehending the Pope as well in those things that belonged to matter of faith as manners and for that hee had exhorted the Prelats and Vniuersities by his letters to a Councell a hainous offence for the reformation of the Church In Rostoc a citie of the lower Saxonie Nicholas Rus a Priest and Bachelar in Diuinitie preached not onely with his tongue Nicholas Rus in lib. de tripl funiculo German conscripto but his penne to That the power of the Pope was not such as they boasted it to be That hee that wandereth from the word of God is not to be obeyed That the Popes indulgences were meere impostures and those onely true which did proceed from God and his free mercie for his sonne Christ Iesus sake That Saints are not to be inuocated much lesse their bones to be adored That they who call themselues spirituall persons that is to say the Clergie of Rome haue placed all Christian religion in humane traditions and vayne superstitions neglecting their duetie in the rest and that they are the Ministers of Antichrist These are all read in his Treatise Of the threefold cord where he expoundeth the Symbole the Decalogue and the Lords prayer which he writ in the Saxon Tongue for the better instruction of the common people in the puritie of religion There he had his Auditors and his assemblies and was sometimes visited by the Pastours of the Waldenses in Bohemia from whose companie and comfort he gathered heart vntill at the last the Popes catchpoles following him he was enforced to flie into Liuonia where he dyed It appeareth by those his workes that are come to our hands that he was a man very learned and well seene in the Scriptures There was likewise in that countrey Ernestus Archbishop of Magdeburg a man famous for his pietie and justice Clement Schaw his Chaplain who was present at his death witnesseth That a Minorite vsing this speech vnto him Take a good heart most worthie Prince we communicat to your Excellencie all the good workes not onely of our selues but our whole Order of Frier Minors and therefore doubt not but you receiuing them shall appeare before the tribunall seat of God righteous and blessed His answer was By no meanes will I trust vpon my owne workes or yours but the workes of Christ Iesus alone shall suffice vpon them will I repose my selfe It is verie likely that there were many in all parts of the world that professed the same faith since in despight of their aduersaries there remaine so many witnesses It is a strange thing and doubtlesse cannot bee attributed to any thing but the good motion of Gods spirit which we read verie common in this age and noted almost in the histories of all nations That many in their soundest judgement and vnderstanding and not otherwise noted of any notable crime after the consecration of the Priest carried with a kind of horrour and detestation of that Idolatrie should lay violent hands vpon the Hoast and that vpon the most solemne feast dayes when there was greatest concourse of people and with an assured danger of their liues teare it in peeces To omit others we read of one M. Iohn an English man that did it in Paris the day after the feast of Corpus Christi in the chappell of S. Crispin An. 1491. An. 1493. An. 1502. and in the yeare 1491 of one Hemon of Picardie in that which they cal the holie chappell in the yeare 1493 of another student in the yeare 1502 vpon S. Lewis his day in a chappell on the right hand all of them continuing constant and detesting this Idolatrie euen to the death Christoph Maslaeus in Chron. Monstrelet in Additionib especially the last notwitstanding all the admonitions of the Sorbonists the teares of his parents who were brought vnto him to persuade and the horrour of the punishment which was passing grieuous But there was at this time in Italie Hieronimus Sauanaruola of Ferrara by profession a Dominican a famous Preacher and much renowmed for his pietie sanctitie and doctrine in so much that by many he was taken for a Prophet Philip Comineus being sent into Italie by king Charles the eighth Philip. Comineus in vita Carol 8. c. 25. 52 reports That he saw him at Florence commended of all for his godlie conuersation who did alwayes affirme that Charles should come into Italie whatsoeuer others write to the contrarie and that nothing could withstand him or defend it selfe against his power Moreouer That whatsoeuer preparations and oppositions should bee made against his returne were to small purpose for he should breake through them and returne home with glorie for he that was his conduct into Italie would not forsake him at his returne And as touching his death he sayd That if in that expedition he reformed not the Church according to that charge hee had receiued from God his sentence was pronounced against him in heauen the execution whereof presently followed vpon the returne of this miserable Prince Comineus giues there this testimonie of him That he was a man of a commendable life and his sermons verie profitable to win men from vice vnto vertue The Earle likewise Iohannes Picus Mirandulanus a man admirable both for his profound learning and rare pietie calleth him a Prophet and writes an Apologie in the defence of him against the Pope And in like manner Marsilius Fiscinus that famous Philosopher in a certaine Epistle spends much time in his commendations liuing both at one time But let vs heare what Guicciardine saith aboue all the rest Guicciard l. 2. who liued at Florence and was an eye-witnesse of his conuersation He witnesseth therefore that most men that knew him accounted him a Prophet Guicciard l. 3. Because in Italie at a time when there were greatest tokens of peace he many times in his
alone to the Lambe 2. Thess 2. v. 8. to the spirit of his mouth to the brightnesse of his comming Which things are of so much the more greater weight in as much as our aduersaries the ministers of Antichrist hauing gotten the vpper hand of all haue with all diligence and industrie left nothing vndone whereby they might with continuall care and craft extinguish and deface our proofes by abolishing withholding or corrupting the instruments and writings of good men from time to time in all ages By which meanes we are forced to seeke right out of the instrument of their owne pleading out of their owne writings for to decide and defend our cause to produce witnesses out of their bosom and testimonies from their owne mouth to make seeing Gods will is so euen Balaams Asse to speake the verie beast that carrieth them to vtter their Histories Councels and Decrees to the rebuke and reproofe of themselues and their doings But it remaineth for recapitulation to set before our eyes in what state wee found both the See of Rome and Roman Bishop at first and vnto what state from that by degrees at length we haue brought him and now see him brought As touching therefore their spirituall function the Bishops of Rome in those first ages as we haue seene were indifferently called Bishops and Priests behauing themselues as brethren towards others yea by their neerest neighbours were named Brethren and Collegues they were consulted withall and did themselues also consult with others about the affaires of the Church controuersies schismes and heresies liuing simply in their profession and dying vertuously in the confession of the name of Christ they glittered not in any other purple or scarlet than with their owne bloud the Crosse was their onely glorie But not long after we might perceiue in some that spirit which from Saint Paules time wrought which vnder pretence of the dignitie of the citie drew vnto it selfe the cause of the neighbors would haue their counsels accounted for Decrees and turned the honour voluntarily offered them into right of homage seemelinesse into seruitude That sting notwithstanding of ambition was oftentimes beaten backe by the persecutions and many times also blunted by the vertuous Oppositions of the ancient Fathers But when after that by Constantine peace was restored to the Churches through the fauour of Princes they encreased in honors and riches behold this spirit continually watching ouer the worke and not loosing any moment of time gathereth heart and strength to it selfe by degrees And because that by reason of the dignitie of the citie the first Seat was willingly granted vnto it they contend That their Church ought to haue dominion ouer other Churches That like as Rome I meane the Commonwealth thereof ruled ouer other cities and Prouinces so the Bishop of Rome like as a Monarch ouer other Bishops That therefore from all parts of the world they should appeale vnto him from him expect commaundements which all men were held absolutely to obey Whereas he on the contrarie ought to depend of none might be judged of none neither yet of all together And hereof came those falsifications that wee haue seene of Councels and Decrees those suppositions of Acts and Histories those prophanations of the holie Scriptures and shamelesse wresting of them to a contrarie sence Hence are also those contestations and protestations of some of the greatest men in all ages against that domination which they arrogat to themselues ouer other Churches and Bishops which they on the other side besides and against all right diuine and humane either by none or by a false title complained to be vsurped not sticking to pronounce That it proceeded from none other and pertained to none other than the forerunner of Antichrist or Antichrist himselfe Yet thinke not for all this that they any thing slacked in their purpose By Phocas the murderer of the Emperour Mauritius his Lord was the Bishop of Rome declared Vniuersall Bishop he laboured to be so declared so farre was he off from blushing at it Now from thenceforth carried with full sayles hee maketh no difficultie of any thing As Emperours and Kings in a confused troubled world had need of his helpe or endeuour he got authoritie in their dominions Hee winneth the Archbishops to his side by alluring the most ambitious with commissions and offices and hauing woon them hee bindeth them vnto him by a Pall and that at first was sent them freely and onely as a token of good-will towards them afterward by ordinance made necessarie and a badge of subiection at length by degrees it grew to be sold taxed exacted the price thereof euerie day encreasing of which the Archbishops from time to time complayned After that hee obtained of the Princes That the Clergie the Lords lot sayth hee and inheritance should bee exempt and free from all temporall jurisdiction whereupon followed licence of all vices impunitie of all crimes and so by little and little withdrew from their lawfull and naturall Lords them whom hee had marked with his character by voluntarie seruitude yea and liege homage bound them vnto himselfe By their ministerie and meanes and not without mysterie hee sitteth and presideth in the Councels of Kings exerciseth his kingdome in their realmes and his tyrannie in the consciences of kings and their people whilest he bindeth them to his pleasures by his censures and excommunications and as he will loseth them from all duetie and obedience He setteth Princes one against the other or else bandeth their nobles and people against them and maketh many to sheath their swords in their owne bowels By which and by such like meanes hee obtained at length a Soueraigne Empire in spirituall things throughout the West And because the East yeelded not vnto him hee excommunicated those Churches and chuseth to himselfe from among his owne Patriarches of the Easterne Churches imaginarie indeed but yet future Images of his vniuersall Monarchie which hee arrogateth to himselfe who were resident with him representing the person or vizor rather of the Orientall Church Yea when hee celebrated the Masse Cerem Roman l. 3. Charta 6. 7. hee commaunded the Epistle and Gospell to bee read in Latine and in Greeke signifying both Churches but in Latine first and with seuen candles lighted in Greeke afterward with two onely lighted for to shew the supereminencie of the Latine Church Yet who knoweth not that the Greeke Testament is the originall and the Latine but a translation taken out of the Greeke At last hee pardoneth all sinnes out of his fulnesse of power thereby affecting the Maiestie of God who alone pardoneth and of Christ the Lambe of God who alone taketh away sinnes Yet truely hee giueth not those pardons but selleth and maketh merchandise of them and vnder that pretext wasteth and despoyleth the whole world Then hee instituted Iubilies at certaine set times which by degrees hee shortened being truely his generall Marts and Faires in which he
he describeth a woman sitting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apocal 17. v. 1.2.3.4.5 c. vpon a skarlet coloured beast commaunding an Empire adorned meerely with scarlet shee herselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arayed in purple and scarlet and guilded with gold and pretious stones and pearles and in her forehead in titulo in title these words a name written a Mysterie that great Babylon not really that auntient Babylon but in a Mysterie that mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth carnall aboue all measure spirituall beyond all shame What shall I neede to name him seeing he manifesteth himselfe and speaketh heere sufficiently And doth it not seeme that Satan hath taken pleasure to performe this worke that he might shew vnto the world a Master-peice of his art and as it were reproach vnto as our blindnesse when he brought forth as it were on a Theatre this Man that of so long a time before so plainely so clearly the spirit of Almightie God by the mouth of his Prophets and Apostles hath fore-warned vs of the comming of Antichrist of his conditions doings behauiour seat apparell and furniture Who would euer haue beleeued that he now comming directly in the same habit in the same posture and manner should so farre preuaile with vs that any man should receiue him that any should worship him and for so many ages and Satan himselfe in him And moreouer all these circumstances are described in the Ceremoniall booke of the Popes printed at Venice in Nouember 1516 and dedicated to Leo the tenth Now at that very time Martin Luther after many others being impatient of the blasphemies ouerflowing all Europe in Germanie thundered out against the Pope that Augustine Monke Doctor of Diuinitie of meane parentage of no authoritie in the end of the world accompanied with some few men of the same condition carried with the same zeale and moued with the same spirit at whose voyce the voyce certainely of almightie God thundering by them innumerable people throughout all Europe were stirred vp who either being made drunken slept the sleepe of death or being yet halfe asleepe had need of these instruments to awake and animate them These men durst amidst so great splendor of his Babylonish pompe and pride and so great painted brauerie call the Beast by his proper name in the midst of swords waters and fires of the rigor of magistrats furie of the people and rage of officers Whereupon all nations young and old women and children by their meanes openly professed and maintained the same they astonished beat downe and confounded with their humilitie his pride with their patience his crueltie and with the puritie of their doctrine by the great grace of God they restored the Gospell to light and in the constancie of their martyrdomes they brought as it were to life againe the faith of the Primitiue Church In so much that in a short time whole nations departed from the Roman Seat many Kings and Princes euen of them who had most contributed to that monstrous building now triumph loden with his spoyls There appeared from all parts godlie and learned men who kindled with the zeale of God with their labours stoutly endeuoured to cast downe to the ground that tottering pile and brought it neere to an vtter ruine 2. Thess 2. v. 8. Is not this according to that of S. Paule And then shall the wicked man be reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth Of Saint Iohn also Apocal. 17. v. 16 Those Kings shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolat and naked and shall eat her flesh and burne her with fire Yet this Whore endeuoureth to take courage Apocal. 18.7 and set an impudent face on the matter She saith in her heart I sit being a Queene and am no widow and shall see no mourning I cannot erre whatsoeuer they say my filthinesse is elegancie and the blaines budding forth from my vnchastitie pearles and precious stones She multiplieth so much the more her blasphemies against Christ the Sonne of God she rageth against his sacred word she adiudgeth it of insufficiencie of imperfection of ambiguitie dangerous deceitful and worse if may be making it wonderfull inferiour to the Roman Church the same Church in the meane time of which the Pope maketh himselfe superior alone greater than is represented in generall Councels How much superiour and higher will he haue it aboue the holie Scripture the word of God and consequently God himselfe And thereby he appeareth the more euidently to bee the same whom we seeke the Antichrist poynted out by the Apostles Therefore after we would haue applied Balme for her sore if she might perhaps be healed which shee obstinatly refused wee haue laboured to procure a holie reformation in the Church against which the Papacie is so much the more enuenomed with rage bringing in worse Popes of purpose in hatred thereof and vttering more absurd assertions as the infallibitie of traditions and the vprofitablenesse of the word written with the finger of God and inspired into his Prophets and Apostles May we not lawfully now say with the Prophet Ierem. 51. v. 9.10.11 We would haue cured Babel but she would not be healed forsake her and let vs goe euerie one to his owne countrey Let vs now wash our hands of her and expect what God hath determined of her especially seeing her iudgement is come vp vnto heauen on the contrary the Lord hath set forth our righteousnesse And what then doe we wait for from the same counsell the same prophesie and therefore from the same certaintie but that those Kings and the same States who haue worshipped her finish the worke of God Apoc. 17. v. 17 who will put into their hearts to fulfill his will and his pleasure to execute his sentence And let not the present state of things astonish vs in one day in one houre Apoc. 18. v. 8. in a moment are his workes performed and this worke without doubt must be performed And long agoe as of a thing alreadie done neere at hand and most certaine the Angell cried out and redoubled it It is fallen it is fallen Babylon Apocal. 18.2.4 But God forbid also that wee should neglect that other crie that followeth Goe out of her my people we to whom God hath giuen to know her yee which know her but too well take heed it bee not to your damnation Can any man now pretend an excuse That ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues least being defiled by the contagion of her Idolatrie and enchauntments yee be made partakers of the sentence long agoe pronounced against her of eternall fire which remaineth for her But because we are for the most part incredulous and stupide let vs pray vnto God of his meere mercie to draw vs as a Lot out of this spirituall Sodome as S. Iohn calleth it to pull vs to himselfe by the hand of his Angels to grant vnto vs that wee looke not backe againe and that we may before he powre downe his judgements on Babylon get to his holie mountaine to that little Segar his Church how small and contemptible soeuer it be in the eyes of the world Is it not a little one saith Lot and my soule shall liue Now to him Father Sonne and holie Ghost for the bottomelesse depths of his judgements and of his graces be prayse and glorie world without end Amen ⧠Errata Fol. Lin. Fol. Lin. 214 25 more pernitious traditions 474 42 succeed to 263 37 Tarracina 473 18 in his owne presence 272 1 imploreth his helpe 475 3 he that would but know 278 4 night of my 481 3 spittle of their 309 24 giue thee his 506 16 as it was thought 311 3 acknowledged 545 38 concourse of people 378 2 at Douer 559 45 decreed in these words 378 47 a longer day 586 8 Corpus Christi 388 42 after riches 593 14 excommunicated 401 18 to wauer 594 36 might more easily be discerned 401 39 Abbot of S. Albons 609 45 his successor 417 vlt. not so much 612 43 he being 441 vlt. and by their digressing 615 21 as visited 446 40 of the eternall judgement 629 vlt. or if he had had more care FINIS