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
our cause which is his because it is the vndeceiueable truth which his maiesty in his holy Scripture hath reuealed Concerning the lies false doctrine of the authority of the Pope the holines of the Masse which our aduersaries maintaine persecuting with fire bloud all those that beleeue it not nor worship it therefore trouble they the world as at this day we see it troubled We assuredly know that it shall perish According to that which the Lord saith Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the roote And we haue the axe which is the word of God put to the root of the two trees the Pope the masse to cut them downe I beseech the Lord our God Christian reader which hath giuen thee a desire and will to be informed to know the causes why we subiect not our selues to the Pope nor wil heare his Masse but rather detest and abhor the one the other that he would please to lighten thine vnderstanding that thou maist comprehend what in these two Treatises haue bin said confirmed not with the sayings of men but of God himselfe of his holy Scripture giue thee such a mind and strength that thou maist wholly depart out from this wicked Babylon which is Rome deliuer thee from all the enormities abominations horrible superstitions and detestable idolatries which Rome hath inuented among which the principal is the Masse These idolatries without doubt be the chiefe cause original and fountaine of all miseries calamities and warres where with they that are called Christians be at this day afflicted For if God in the primitiue Church plagued with infirmities death the Corinthians for the abuses which they had brought into the holy supper the Apostle S. Paul yet liuing which he reporteth in his first epistle that he sent them what shal we say this selfe same Lord wil now do when the malice impiety superstition idolatry haue so greatly increased that the holy supper of the Lord which he instituted and commanded vs in remembrance of him to clebrate haue they wholy conuerted into the prophane Masse of the Pope Truly the abuses of the Corinthes as touching the Supper had no agreement by far with the erronious intollerable abuses which those that are called Christians commit at this day in their Masse And notwithstāding all this Saint Paul speaking to the Corinthians saith vnto thē For which cause many ef you are infirmed and weake many sleepe he wold haue sayd are dead We are not then to maruel if God strong iealous of his honour do chasten at this day such an idolatry as is that which in the Masse is committed with such great warres famine pestilence and which is worse and lesse perceiued a reprobate sense And no other mean there is Christian reader to obtaine pardon for these superstitions passed idolatries to get and keepe the grace of God of whom thou oughtest not only to expect all prosperity goodnesse but to endeuour by all possible meanes to serue him honour him applying thy selfe with all thine heart to all that which pleaseth him which is that which his Maiestie hath ordained and instituted in his holy word flying contrariwise all whatsoeuer may displease offend him and especially all kinds of idolatrie which he more detesteth abhorreth then all other sinnes abhominations and as such doth punish it as in the beginning of the first Treatise we haue declared Such is the Masse fly then from it follow the holy institution which Iesus Christ our king prophet and onely high Priest ordained This is the holy Supper as the Euangelists and S. Paul do shew Do this thē which Iesus Christ ordained commanded vs to doe in remembrance of him as by the mercy of God with all simplicity without all superstition or idolatrie is celebrated in our reformed Church and thou shalt walke aright All they that do otherwise erre God giue thee grace to walk aright that thou be not with this world coondemned And this do he for the vertue merit of the sacrifice with our high and only Priest Christ one onely time offered vnto him To whom who liueth and reigneth with the Father and the holy Spirit be euerlasting glorie and perpetuall power Amen A SWARME OF FALSE MIRAcles and Illusions of the diuell wherewith Maria de la visitacion Prioresse de la Anuntiada of Lisbon deceiued very manie and how she was discouered and condemned Anno. 1588. FOr confirmation of that which in these two Treatises so often I haue said that the Papists confirme their religion with false miracles inuēted by their ecclesiasticall persons or wrought by the Art of the diuell I will here set downe a most true historie deliuered in two popish bookes which by the prouidēce of God came to my hands Out of which with all faithfulnesse as he that must appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ giue an account not only of that hee hath done and said but of that also which he hath thought I haue taken that which I will deliuer Hee that will not beleeue me let him reade the two bookes from whence I haue taken that which I say I name the Authours of these bookes the Printers the yeare and place where they were imprinted as a litle after you shall see Our Aduersaries I wot well would haue buried all these thinges for they open a dore to men to seeke to vnderstand and the truth And that they may vnderstand it I haue put it in writing The Lord which knoweth my desire blesse my trauaile Our Aduersaries hauing no sound proofe to confirme their new articles of faith which they haue made as in very truth there is none haue confirmed them with dreames with fained apparitions and visions of Phantasmes of spirits and of soules come as they say from another world Now I hauing met with a new great and thicke swarme of such things which I found in a Portugal hiue me seemed I should do well by a new familiar and domesticall example which be they that most moue and that none can denie seeing it happened in our countrey of Spaine in the yeare 1588 truly to manifest the same that all the world and chiefly my countrimen the Spaniards for whom I haue taken this paine may hasten to know them and knowing them may abhorre them so may turne to the holy catholike faith true religion of Iesus Christ which is written in holy Scripture This hiue is Maria de la Visitacion Prioresse of the Monastery de la Anunciada in Lisbon who was held so certainly for holy whose hypocrisie false miracles were discouered publikely condemned as we shall after see I hearing much talke of the great holinesse admirable life and maruellous miracles of this womā whom for excellency they called The holy Nunne aduised my countrimen the Spaniards in a booke which I published in the
of the host for a signe of the murder A mockerie of of the Diuell in the Masse Another mockery of the Diuell with the Sacrament Magdelen de la Cruz. The false miracles of magdalen de la Cruz. 2. Cor. 12. 2. â— Iohn 〈◊〉 Rom 3. 28. Esaus 64. 6. Math. 4. 10. 2. Thes 2 Apo 17. 4 Fryars hanged in Siuill â—o Riuins lib. 1. De Religione He consecrateth not that hath no intention to consecrate An Inquisitor to auoide Idolatrie saide I adore the Lord if thou be there Alameâ—â—able History of burning the Sacrament The papists burne the Sacrament which they beleeued to be God A Chough burned and the cause Vnreasonable creatures eat not Christ nor his Sacrament but only the bread Iohn 14. 21. The wicked receaiue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ but not the body bloud of Christ Tract 54 in Iohannem They wil not say that the Inquisitor clipped the body of Christ seeing it is now glorified it followeth theÌ„ that he clipped the bread or wheaten substance The Romane office was cast into the fire burned but not the Gotiâ—sh From whence commeth this saying As the King wil so go the Lawes The first Latine Masse said in Spaine With greife and teares was the Romaine Rite admitted in Sqnine Of the true priesthood and Sacrifice That which we beleeue touching the person and office of Christ Gal. 4. 4. Io. 114. The office of Christ is to be our King prophet and prest 1. Sam. 10. 1. 1. Sam. 16. 13. 2. Sam. 1. 34 1. Kings 14. 16. Actes 3. â—3 Act 7. 38. Esay 61. 1. Hebr. 1. 9. The office of the king philip 2. 9. 10. The office of the prophet Math 17. 5. Gal 1. 8. The office of the priest Acts. 4. 12. A Summary of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 7. 2â— Christ is our continuell Intercessor Heb 17. 25. Ier. 2. 13. This worde once is much to be noted Esay 53. 9. 1 peter 2. 12 After the order of Melchisedeck Once Hebr. 9. 26. Apoâ—â—â— 3. All one faith haue Wee aud the faithfull of the olde Testament 1. Cor. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. Two kinds of preists The Masse priests be not after the order of Aron nor after the order of Melchisedec but of Baal The Sacrifice Eucharisticall Exod 19. 6. peter 2. 6. Rom. 5. 12. Ioh. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 8. The vnion of Religon is greater then that of the nation Deut 21 23. Gal. 3. 13. Philip. 2. 8. Luke 22. 42. Math. 27. 46. Christ in saying my God my God why hast thou forsaken me felt truly the paine which the damned suffer in hell Act 2. 24. Esay 53. 4. The 53. chapter of Esaias painteth oâ—t Christ far otherwise then the Iewes doe expect Gal. 2. 20. For me Christ died Rom. 4. 25. Rom 8. 38. philip 4. 13. 1. Cor. 9. 20 1 peter 1. 18. Ephe. 5. 1. The institution of the Supper 1. Cor 11. 23 Chapt. 17. 11. Custome with out truth is as old error and therfore more dangerous 3. Esdt 3. 38. That which the papists beleeue of their pope their Masse The best remedy for reforming is to reduce things to Christs first institution All whatsouer we ought to beleeue and doe the holy scripture teacheth vs Gal. 1. 8. We demand a generall Councell lawfully called free which may heare both parts The counsell of Trent was not free The councell of Trent was not generall In the councell of Trent were found 4 Cardinlls 4 Archbishoppes 33. Bishoppes 47. Deuines all which allmost weare Spaniards and Italions The Italians would not continue ther councell in Trent and so they went to Bologua hut the Spaniardes â—emanined 〈◊〉 Trent In many scessions of the councell of Trent was nothing done for want of apperance Our aduersaries will not abide this ' for they know the scripture the fathers the Councels to be against them The French king holdeth not for general nor lawfull the Councel of Trent God chastened and yet doeth chasten many that vnworthily receaue the Sacrament with death and other punnishments 1. Cor. 11. Lib. 22. cap. 29. ¶ 3. Blasphemie which saith S. Francis to be much more excellent then S. Iohn Baptist
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
offended because Apius Claudius had chosen himselfe of the Decemuiri and Lucius Furius Camillus to be Consull and they were pagans and to be named Pope he being a Christian held it no let c. Such like vnto him was this Iohn 24. that elected himselfe This Pope depriued Hugh Bishop of Catura disgraded and deliuered him to secular power to be tormented embowelled and burned till he were dead The cause of his great crueltie was this that the said Bishop he said had conspired against the Pope This Iohn much affected nouelties of one Bishopricke he made 2 and contrarywise of 2 one Of an Abotship he made a bishoprick and of a bishoprick he made an Abbotship Caragoça he made an Archbishoprick and fiue bishopricks of 11 in the Prouince of Taracona hee gaue it for suffraganes The Knights of Christs order as they call it to fight against the Moores he instituted in Portugale and by consent of Don Alonso king of Portugal gaue them the goods of the Templars Those he condemned for heretiques which said Christ and his Apostles had nothing proper He forbad this question in the vniuersities to be disputed He condemned one Peter a Franciscan Friar because he exhorted men to follow Christs pouertie For which cause many were condemned and burned This Pope so cruell against such as he called heretiques erred in the faith and was an heretike For hee taught that the soules seperated from the bodies saw not God nor reioyced with him before the day of iudgement For so as saith Masseus deceiued by the visions of one Tundall an Irishman had his father taught him By that saying of the Lord to the theefe vpon the Crosse This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradice Luke 22. 43. and by the speech which he vttered concerning Lazarus whose soule saith he was in Abrahams bosome Luke 16. 22. by that which saith S. Stephen Act. 7. 59. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit imitating therein his maister who being vpon the crosse said Father Into thy handes I commend my spirit And by the saying of S. Paul Phil. 1. 21. To me Christ is gain whether in life or death and verse 23. I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ and that he saith is better for him Also Eccle. 12. 7. And dust returne to the earth c. the spirit returne to God that gaue it Also Matth. 22 23. the Lord speaking of Abraham Isack Iacob who were dead as touching the body saith that God is not a God of the dead but of the liuing And Luke 16. 9. Make ye friends of the vnrighteous Mammon that when ye shall haue neede to wit when ye shall die They may receiue you into euerlasting habitation And 2. Cor. 5. 8. we loue to be out of the body and to be with the Lord is this heresie confuted Whereupon it followeth that the soules of the faithful which die in the Lord see God and at the parting from their bodies enioy his presence in these two thinges to see God and enioy his presence our happinesse consisteth To teach and preach this heresie this Pope sent 2 Friars to Parris the one a Dominican the other a Franciscan vnto whom Thomas Vales an English Dominicke opposed himself for which the Pope cast him into prison many others likewise opposed themselues In conclusion the vniuersitie of Paris ayded by the fauour of their king Phillip the faire who had withdrawne himselfe and all his kingdome from the Popes obedience compelled the Pope as he did to recant not without sound of trumpet for feare of loosing his Popedome as Iohn Gerson in the sermon of Easter doth witnes The errors of this Pope which now we will reckon are according to the papists errors but according to Christian religion perfect truth He commaunded the Nunnes called Beguinas to marry He could not abide to see pictures nor Images He affirmed that Iesus Christ gaue no other rule to his Apostles then that which he had giuen to all faithfull Chistians The Apostles said he neuer vowed Chastitie And that vowes make not them perfect which vowe them nor put them in the state of perfection We will now returne to his wonders Iohn Mandeuell lib. 1. cap. 7. reporteth this Pope to haue written a large Epistle to the Greciās saying That there was but one church whose head he was the vicar of Christ Whereunto the Grecians in few words answered thy power ouer thy subiects we verily beleue to be great thy excaeding pride we cānot suffer thy couetousnesse we cannot satisfie the deuill be with thee for the Lord is with vs. In this Laconismo or breuitie well declared the Grecians the whole state of the Pope This Pope Iohn proclamed the Emperour Lodowicke of Bauiera for a Rebell Sismatique and heretique The cause was as saith Ieronymus Marius for that the Emperour being elected by the Princes without othe of subiection to the Pope as Clement 5. had commanded tooke vpon him the administration of the Empire The Emperour to auoyd contention sent his Embassadours to the Pope being then at Auignon requesting at his hands the authority and title of the Emperour But so farre of was the Pope from graunting this that he sent home with a mischiefe and verie euill intreated the Ambassadours peremptorily cyting the Emperour himselfe personally to appeare in Auignon and submit himselfe to the decrees of the Church But the Emperour knowing the tyrannie which the Pope vsurped in the Church and perceiuing that he had receiued onely of God his Emperiall Maiestie would not as a seruant subiect himselfe nor come to Auignon Affecting peace notwithstanding he eftsoones by Embassadours did gently request him to graunt what he demaunded The Pope was still obstinate and for the hate which he bare to the Emperor excommunicated the Vicounts whom the Emperour had placed to gouerne Millan When the Emperour sawe his obstinacie he came to Rome where he was very magnifically receiued and demaunded of the Romanes that which the Pope had denyed him The Nobles of Rome hearing this sent their messengers to the Pope beseeching him to come to Rome and graunt that which the Emperour desired which if he denyed to doe they would doe said they according to the law and auncient custome of the Romans yet for all this was the Pope nothing moued but rather much more incensed and cast them from his presence with many iniuries and threatnings When the people of Rome saw this they determined to graunt that which the Emperour demaunded and so the Senators Stephen and Nicholas by commaundement of the Clergie people crowned the Emperour with his wife the Emperesse This knowne to Pope Iohn he made great processe against the Emperour calling him heretique and saying he had committed high treason he depriued him of all that he had excommunicating him a new with a most cruell excommunication Thus farre Ieronymus Marius Diuines and lawyers in those times
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
displaceth and placeth kings and transferreth kingdomes from one nation to another Ergo say they the Pope hath authoâ—iâ—ie to dispose kingdomes giuing them to whom he will and taking them from whom he listeth Herehence came it that kinges and Emperours began striâ—ingly to kisse their feete beeing present or by their Embassadous being absent Hence it is that the Emperour himselfe â—erueth him for a horse boy holding the stirrop to his Sathanship when he mounteth on horsebacke And yet brawleth the Pope if he hold not the stirrop featly So shamelesse was Pope Boniface 8. that he made an Article of faith without which there could bee no saluation That the Pope aswell in the temporalltie as spiritualltie is absolute Lord presenting himselfe in the Iubile to the viewe of all men with a keye in the one hand and a Sword in the other His successor Pope Clement the sixt not contenting himselfe to commaund kinges and Emperours dared in a bull to commaund the Angels In the Popes Rota which is his Chauncerie was it concluded and determined that whatsoeuer the Pope doth God holdeth for good and approueth it That the will of the Pope is the rule of all lawe and Iustice That the Pope may doe absolutely in this world all whatsoeuer God doth Seeing that he is all and aboue all thinges And that if hee chaunge his opinion it ought to be presumed that God also hath chaunged That ableit the Pope should send many thousands of soules to hell none can reproue him That the power extendeth to heauen earth and hell it selfe That from him may no man appeale to God That he may dispence and commaund against the Epistles of S. Paul as hee that is greater then Paul The same may he doe against the old Testament as hee that is greater then the authors of the old Testament And yet haue they gone further they haue disputed whether the Pope might dispence against the Gospell Whether the Pope hath more power then Saint Peter Whether the Pope be simple man or as God Briefly the deuill hath so farre further proceeded that a little before the comming of Luther and afterwards also it was disputed in the schooles whether the Pope did participate as did Iesus Christ of the â— natures to wit diuine and humane Better should they haue demaunded if the Pope were an Hermophrodit which well may be because a woman hath bene Pope Read Erasmus Annot. 1. caput 1. Epistle ad TimotheuÌ„ They also disputed to vse their proper Latine An mille Angels possint saltare in summitate digiti To wit whether a thousand Angels might daunce one the end of a fingar Item an Christus sub forma scarabei posset saluare genus humanum Whether Christ in forme of a beetle could saue mankind Item whether the Pope were more mercifull then Christ O blasphemy they conclude yea The reason which they giue is this That it is not read in all the scripture That Iesus Christ drewe any soule out of Purgatorie But the Pope of his great pietie and mercy an infinite number of Soules doth daily deliuer And yet go they further and in their disputations conclude that the Pope hath power to kindle and quenche the fire of Purgatorie Flattering the Pope conclude they in all these questions lying against their owne consciences and making no reckoning of the honour onely due to God nor of his onely sonne Christ Iesus And Ca. Quoniam de imunit in 6. the Pope saith we not willing to contemne our Iustice nor that of our spouse the Church The Church is well knowne to haue no other spouse but onely Christ The Pope passeth further Hee saith and commaundeth that so it be said and preached and that we also so beleeue the vertue and holinesse of his seate to be such and so great that what wicked man soeuer how impious periured and abhominable hee be which shall sit therein euen then in a moment for hauing sitten therein is altered and changed to another man and is made holy But heare we the selfe same words which the beast himself speaketh as in Ca. Non nos dist 41. they be written and these they be The blessed S. Peter transferreth to his successors together with the inheritance of innocency an euerlasting dowery of merits That which to him was granted by the light of his workes pertaineth to those that be lightened with like clerenesse of conuersation For who may doubt him to be holy which is lifted vp to the height of dignitie wherein if he want goods gotten by his owne merit those that are giuen by the predecessor of the place suffice c. If this were truth then no Pope should be euill either in life or Doctrine sith that in being Pope he is learned and holy and in a word to speake all he is God vpon earth and so all whatsoeuer he doth God approueth it in heauen But the liues of the Popes by vs recited and the same liues also which the Popes parasites haue written doe shew vs the contrary This is that seate papall this is the heritage which one Pope inheriteth of another that one sitting therein were he not so euill before he is made euill And if he were euill he becommeth most euill and in the end each one is made the sonne of perdition and man of sinne opposing and lifting vp himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped So that as God he sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God All these things which here we haue gathered together concerning the doctrine of the Pope are blasphemies such as were the diuell himselfe clothed with humane flesh he could not speake greater nor more horrible yet for all this art thou blind ô Spaine and seest not nor yet knowest thou Antichrist whom supposing thou doest seruice to God and honour to Iesus Christ his sonne thou adorest and honorest God shewe thee his mercie and open the eyes of thine vnderstanding that thou maist reade heare and vnderstand the will of God which his Maiestie hath reuealed in his holy Scriprure without the reading or meditation whereof vnpossible it is for a man to attaine to the truth Search saith Iesus Christ the Scripture for they be those that testifie of me so by consequence of Antichrist also When with the Spirit of humilitie thou shalt well haue read and meditated vpon them thou shalt then vnderstand how great hath bene thy blindesse and ignorance Then turning thy selfe hartily to the true God that created redeemed and sanctified thee thou shalt abhorre the idols of siluer and the Idols of gold which thy sinfull hands as saieth Esaie haue made And thou blind and ignorant supposing thou didst great seruice to God diddest honor and adore them Then shalt thou cast them from thee stampe them in peeces and consume them so greate shall be thy hatred against Idolatrie Then then by how much
scarlet guilded with golde and decked with pearles and precious stones c. In the 9. verse he plainely mentioneth 7 mountaines whereon the woman sitteth adding afterwards in the 18. verse That great citie which reigneth ouer all the kings of the earth And Saint Paule 2. Thes 2. 4. saith that Antichrist shal sit in the temple of God Largely writeth Daniel chap. 7. 5. 8. concerning the estate life and doctrine of Antichrist where Behold saith he there came vp another litle horne and then addeth That in this horne were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things And in the 20. and 21. verses And he appeared greater then any of his fellowes And I beheld and the same horne made war against the saints and ouercame them And verse 25. And hee spake wordes against the most high and shall consume the Saintes of the most high and thinke that he may change times and lawes And chap. 8. vers 23. 24. 25. There shall rise vp a king of fierce countenance and vnderstanding darke sentences and his power shall increase but not in his owne strength and shall destroy wonderfully and prosper and practise and shall destroy the mightie and holy people and through his policie also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand and he shall extoll himselfe in his heart and by peace shall destroy many He shall stand vp against the Prince of Princes but he shall be broken downe without hand Also in the eleuenth chap. vers 36. And the king shall doe what he lifteth he shall exalt himselfe and shall magnifie himselfe against all that is God and shall speake maruellous thinges against the God of Gods and shall prosper till the wrath bee accomplished for the determination is made vers 37. Neither shall hee regard the God of his Fathers nor the loue of women nor care for anie God for he shall magnifie himselfe aboue all vers 38. But in his place shall he honour his God Mauzim A God whom his fathers knewe not shall he honour with golde and vvith siluer and with precious stones and thinges of great price vers 39. This shall hee doe in the strong holds of Mauzim vvith a strange God whom hee shall acknowledge hee shall increase his glorie and shall cause them to rule ouer many and shall diuide the land for gaine The Apostle Saint Paule in the second epistle to the Thessal chap. 2. 4. saith that this man of sinne and sonne of perdition shall exalt and lift vp himselfe against all that is called God or that is vvorshipped So that he doth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God And in the ninth verse Who shall come by the effectuall working of Sathan vvith great power signes and lying wonders and in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse Also 1. Timoth. chap. 4. vers 2. 3. Which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences seared vvith an hoteyron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates vvhich God hath created Also in the Apoc. 13. 11. And I beheld another beast comming vp out of the earth which had two hornes like the Lambe but spake like the Dragon And cap. 17. 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the bloud of saints and with the bloud of the martyrs of Iesus These prophesies doe teach vs that Antichrist must bee a king who from meane estate shall become exceeding great and mightie and prosper That he shall bee also a blasphemer an Idolater a sacrileger exceeding proud subtill an hypocrite a contemner of marriage couetous a great Tyrant a persecutor of the Saints a deceiuer full of impietie Examine we now these testimonies of holy scripture which wil appear to be most properly belōging to the Pope of Rome So as by these prophesies we are warned as it were with the finger of God from heauen that the Pope is Antichrist Therfore the time of his reuelation considered the Popes reigne began in the fourth monarchie and want of the Romane Empire For about the yeare 606. Pope Boniface the 3. receiued of Phocas the Emperour who was a tyrant and murthered Mauricius his Lord with his wife and children the title of Vniuersall Bishop and Head of the Church which once being graunted the Popes whole endeuors were to lift vp themseues with the Empire of Rome and the whole world besides For the seat of Antichrist it is cleare and to all men knowne that the Pope sitteth at Rome which is a city scyted betweene the two seas Thyrren and Adriartike hath 7 mountains reigned ouer all the kings of the earth which cannot be said of any other city in the world And seeing Rome is in Europe neither in India Asia nor Africa it plainly appeareth that Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God to wit in Christendome as Saint Paule 2. Thes 2. 4. declareth Meane at the beginning was the estate and condition of the Pope but it mightily and with great successe increased So that he holdeth not authoritie and one crowne as a king onely but three crownes declaring thereby his power to be greater then that of all kings and Emperours As he attributeth also to himselfe the two swords or powers spirituall and temporall figured by the two hornes Apoc. 13. 11. A Blasphemer is the Pope in saying he is Christs Vicar head of the Church that he can pardon sinnes may not be iudged of any cannot erre in conclusion that he is God in the earth can change nature holdeth an heauenly power and the fulnes of power and of vnrighteousnesse can make righteousnesse See lib. 1. Decret Gregor tit 7. Can. 5. An Idolater he is when he commandeth Image-worship inuocation of Saints maketh of the Sacramēt an Idol of Mauzim a God whom neither the Apostles nor their fathers knew because they worshipped and honoured one only God in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 23. A Sacriledger he sheweth himselfe to bee when he robbeth the Church of the second commandement of Gods law the lay people of the cup in the Lords supper and forbiddeth Christian people to reade the holy scripture contrary to the doctrine and expresse commandement of Christ Ioh. 5. 39. Most proud he appeareth when he is carried on mens shoulders as they carryed in time past the Arke of the Lord vppon the shoulders of the Leuites when hee calleth himselfe most holy Father and Holinesse it selfe dares to breake and change the ordinances of God and impose new lawes vpon mens consciences compareth himselfe to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone lib. 1. Gregor tit 33. and both Emperors and kings do kisse his feet Subtill hee is in all his kingdome but then chiefly when by meanes of auricular confession he diueth into the hearts of all men not of the common sort onely but also of the greate States of the world vnderstanding thereby all secrets A manifest hypocrite hee is when vnder the title of Seruant of seruantes hee ruleth as
the first in an Epistle to the Clergy and people of Constantinople affirmeth this distribution to be mysticall to be spirituall meate and that therein wee receiue a celestiall power to passe or bee conuerted into the flesh of Christ who for vs tooke vpon him our flesh Ciril lib. 4. cap. 14. vpon Saint Iohn saith So to the faithfull disciples gaue he peeces of bread saying Take c. Also in an Epistle to Calosyrius he sayth It was meete that by meanes of his holy flesh and precious bloud he shoud in a certaine maner vnite or couple himselfe with our bodies which by the liuely blessing in the bread and wine we receiue Hesychius lib. 20. vpon Leuit cap. 8. saith By this he commandeth to eat the flesh with the bread that we might vnderstand hee called it a mysterie which is bread and flesh ioyntly togither Gelasius doth witnesse against Eutiches that in the Eucharist the substance and nature of the bread and wine in no wise ceaseth to hold their being And that moreouer which before we haue said Gregorie the first in his Register saith When we receiue as wel the bread without leauen as the leauened wee are made the body of the Lord our Sauiour Bertram in the booke which hee made of the bodie and bloud of the Lord speaking of the nature of the Symbols sayth that according to the substance of creatures the symbols which be the bread and wine bee the same after consecration that before they were But why alleage I one place of Bertrams booke sith the whole booke doth purposely handle this argument and concludeth the same that we now affirme with the holy Scripture and many sayings of the Fathers Ambrose Ierome Augustine Fulgentius c. confirmeth Bertram his doctrine and confirming his doctrine which is the same with ours it weakeneth and ouerthroweth that of our aduersaries which sayth the bread and wine in the sacrament to bee the very same body and bloud of Christ in flesh bones and sinewes which was borne dyed and rose againe c. But the bodie of Christ saith Bertram is in two maners one in flesh and in bones c. which was borne and dyed c. and the other spirituall which is that which is giuen in the sacrament and also he saith that the spirituall body of Christ and his spirituall bloud vnder the couerture of the corporall bread and of the corporal wine remaine At the request of Charles the Great wrote Bertram this booke as he himself in the end of his book speaking of Charles the great to whom he dedicated the same saith The occasion he had so to didicate it was for that As Bertram saith in the beginning of the booke Charles the Great had demanded of him whether the body and blood of Christ which in the Church is receiued with the mouth of the faithful be in mistery or really in truth receiued So that it is now aboue 760. yeeres past sithens this booke was written Iohannes Trithemius giueth this Testimony of Bertram Bertram was saith Trithemius much conuersant in the holy scripture very learned in humane science eloquent he was and no lesse excellent in life then in Doctrine S. Bernard is the sermon of the supper of the Lord by the similitude which he putteth of a ring sheweth that he is wholy for vs. Now to close vp this band of the fathers which against transubstantiation of diuerse times diuerse regions we haue alleaged we will set downe one most learned godly This is Theodoret bishop of Cyr that wrote the ecclesiastical historie He flourished about the yeare of our Lord 451. For he was present in that famous Councell of Chalecdon in the company of 630. bishops which condemned Diâ—scorus These bishops with great curtesie honorable titles did honor Theodoret being present in the Councel calling him catholique true pastor Doctor of the Church The same witnesseth Leo 1. Bishop of Rome in an epistle which he wrote to the foresaid Theodoret. And it is to be beleeued that had not Theodoret rightly thought of so high a mystery As is the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ that a Councel and one of the most famous that hath bin wherin were 630. bishops wold not haue called Theodoret catholike true pastor of the church c. In the 2. Councel of Ephesus was this Theodoret vniustly depriued from his bishopirck because he would not take parte with the heretike Eutiches But in the Councell of Chalcedon with great honor praise was his bishopricke restored If that which Theodoret then thought taught touching the Doctrine of the sacrament were catholike the same also shall it now be for the same which then was truth is now truth Very truely spake this Theodoret against transubstantiation in a booke God would should be printed in Rome for the greater confusion of the Romists which cannot deny that Theodoret is wholly for vs. But they excuse him with saying that this question of transubstantiation the Church had not yet determined Thus may the Pope for he is all in all cause that the Doctrine which in old time was catholike true be now hereticall wicked and that which then was hereticall and wicked be now catholike and good But if an Angel from heauen saith S. Paul shall preach another Gospel other Doctrine then that which he had taught such a one should be cursed Theodoret in his Dialogues bringeth in 2 persons which dispute of good things of thinges touching Christian religion The one called Orthodoxo and the other Eranistes Then saith Orthodoxo dost thou know that God hath called the bread his proper bodie Eran. I knowe it Ortho. knowest thou also that in an other place his flesh he calleth wheate Eran. This doe I also knowe c. And a little lower Ortho. In the same distribution of the misteries The bread he calleth bodie the cuppe mingled blood Erannist So doth he suerly call them Ortho. But also hath power to be called a bodie according to it nature his bodie surely and his blood Erannist It is clere Ortho. But the same our sauiour chaungeth the names and giueth vnto his bodie the name of symboll and contrariwise to the Simboll giueth hee the name of bodie After the same manner also when he had said of himselfe that he was a vine the same blood called he a Symboll Eranist This hast thou well spoken But I would learne also the cause why the names are chaunged Ortho. This is the marke whereat those ayme which professe religion For I would not that they which be partakers of the diuine misteries should settle their minds vpon the nature of those things which are seene but that by the change of the names they may beleeue that transmutation which is wrought by grace For hee which called his natureall body wheate and bread and called also himselfe a vine he himself honoreth the
of our Saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. No other willeth God for all his benefites but that we be thankfull and call vpon his name Thus shall the number of those whom God hath elected to life eternall encrease and so the kingdome of sinne death the diuell which is the kingdome of lies of false new doctrine confirmed with dreames false miracles and illusions of the diuell shal be destroied and that of grace life and of Christ which is the kingdome of truth the true and old doctrin confirmed with the word of God shal abide for euer To whom which is one God Father Sonne and holy Spirit who liueth and raigneth be perpetuall honâ—â— and glory Amen An Addition I In the moneth of Aprill 1588. Philip the second of that name king of Spaine pretending to send his inuincible fleet for the Conquest of England made choise by the aduise of the Prioresse of the monastery of the Anunciada whose name was Mary of the Visitacion as most worthie for her holinesse to blesse his Standard royall the which she did with vsing diuers other câ—remonies in the deliuery thereof to the Duke of Medina Sedonia who was appointed chiefe Generall she did pronounce openlie good successe and victory to the Duke in saying he should return a victorious Prince This standard was carried in procession by Don Francisco de Cordoua who was a Spaniard the tallest Gentl. that could be found he being on horse backe to the end it might be the better seen at the solemnzing wherof there was such a number of people assembled that diuers of them perished with the throng There was present the Archduke Albertus which then was Cardinall and Gouernor of the kingdom of Portugal the Popes Nuncio the Archbishop who was head inquisitor with diuers other Nobles Prelates Gentlemen This solemnization dured so long that Albertus fainted with fasting and this holy Nunne to comfort him caused a messe of the broth which was for her owne diet to be brought presenting it to him which he accepted most willingly coÌ„ming from the handes of so holy a Nun as then she was holden to be but about the beginning of DeceÌ„ber next after all her holines false miracles and great dissimulations was then found out and she condemned punished for the same according as is râ—bersed in this booke About the end of this yeare 1588 that this holy Nun was discouered in Lisbon there was also discouered in Seuil one father â—yon who was counted to be a most deuour and religious man but by his owne fellowes of his profession he was discouered to be a great hypocrite and a most vicious 〈◊〉 giuen to carnall lustes and for this and diuers other causes he was committed to the prison which is in the Cardinals house of 〈◊〉 A Table wherein by certaine Antitheses is declared the difference and contrarietie which is betweene the ancient doctrine of God contained in the holy scripture and taught in the reformed Churches and the new doctrine of men â—aught and maintained in the Roman or Popish Church Ierem. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord stand in the wayes and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therein ye shall find rest for your soules THe ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the holy Scripture being the word of God diuinely inspired hath most sufficient authority of it selfe containeth all necessary doctrin to pietie and our saluation as S. Paul clearly teacheth 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. The new doctrin of meâ— teacheth that the holy Scripture although it be the word of God should haue no authority were it not for the approbation of the Church and that it is an vnperfect and maimed doctrine which containeth not doctrine sufficient to pietie nor our saluation but that this defect must be supplied by vnwritteÌ„ traditions Belar de verb. Deâ— noÌ„ scrip l. 4. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that ignorance of the holy scriptures is the cause and mother of errors as Iesus Christ our Lord doth witnesse Mat 22. 19. saying to the Sadduces Ye erre because yee know not the Scriptures nor the power of God and therefore the duty of euerie faithfull Christian is to reade meditate and search the holy scripture as God commandeth his people Deut. 6. 7. chap. 12. 32. chap. 17. 19. Iosua 18. Esa 8. 20. And Christ our Lord in the new Testament Ioh. 5. 39. And as did the faithfull in the time of the Apostles Act 17. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 15. The new doctrin of men doth teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and that to keepe religion safe it is needful to forbid the lay or secular men the reading of the holy scriptures seeing it is the cause of many heresies Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 2 cap. 15 16. cens col f. 19. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that many deceiuers and false Prophets are gone out into the world and that the faithfull therfore are to proue the spirits whether they be of God 1. Io. 4. 1. And that the holy scripture is the touch whereby this proofe and examination ought to be made Ioh. 5. 39. Act 17. 11. So that all doctrine contrary and repugnant to holy Scripture be it of Councels Fathers Doctors old or new and that as saith the Apostle of himselfe or of an Angel from heauen ought not to be receiued nor taught in the Christian Church Gal. 1. 8. 1. Tim. 1. 3. chap. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 4. 11. 2. Ioh. 10. The new doctrin of men doth teach that whosoeuer coÌ„tradict the Pope his decrees human traditions be false teachers that the Pope hath authority to iudge of all controuersies and of the true sense of holy Scriptures and that from his iudgment it is not lawfull to appeale Bellar. de verbo Dâ—â— interp lib. 3. cap. 3. c. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that we ought to serue God alone which is the Creator and gouernour of all the world following the doctrin of Christ which saith Matt. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serue The new doctrine of men doth teach that we ought not to serue God alone but also the Saints that they hold them for patrons of kingdoms people cities societies and infirmities Bellarm. de Sanct. beat lib. 1. cap 12. Cens Col. fol. 230. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the lawful worship of God is to be founded vpon the holy Scripture that God will be serued according to his will and word in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. and not after the opinion nor by the traditions nor customes of men as God by his prophet Eze. 20. 18. doth very expresly teach vs saying Walk not in the ordinances of your fathers nor obserue their lawes nor defile your selues with their idols I am the Lord your God Walke in mine ordinances and
ninth Session Where in as little then did they For the Spaniards and the rest except the Italians stayed at Trent willing to end the Councell where it was begun The 10. Session was held in Bologna wherein was nothing done For those of Trent there abode expecting them of Bologna and those of Bologna expected them of Trent And so in this 10 Session was there no other thing done but a prolongation to the 15. of September Which day being come they did nothing also so the one and the other for a long time brake vp the Councell In this time died Paule 3. and Iulius 3. succeeded him who at the importunity of the Emperour being much displeased at the translation and discontinuance of the Councel commanded that the Session following should the first day of May 1557. be holded at Trent wherein nothing else was concluded but that the twelfth Session should be holden the first day of September which day being come As little was ought done For the prelates were not yet come In the thirteenth Session were found fourtie Bishops and fourty two diuines In the 15. Session was there nothing done In the 16. Session no other thing was concluded but the suspension of the Councell for two yeares And so Iulius 3. Marcellus 2. Paul 4. Pius 4. was elected in whose time the rest of the Sessions were holden The number of Bishoppes then increased the Councell was ended and confirmed by the Pope For knowe this that all is nought woorth whatsoeuer the Councell decreeth if it bee not confirmed by the Pope Knowe also that so subiect was this Councell to the Pope that it made a decree Wherein it was ordayned that all whatsoeuer was in the Councell ordayned was intended So that it nothing derogated from the Authoritie and commodity of the Pope and the Councell was not only subiect to the Pope but to whatsoeuer other Bishops also And so in the 18 decree it was ordayned that the Bishops and the rest to whom it should appertayne might dispense with whatsoeuer decree or decrees of this Councell so that he knew the cause commoditie so required This decree was it which gaue most content to the Ecclesiasticall persons For by vertue of this decree each thing remayneth polluted as before and so nothing reformed So that the ecclesiasticall Lordes take courage reioyce because if there be any thing in this Councell that seemeth ouer harsh hard or bitter irksome they reioyce I say For that by vertue of this decree shall they easily for money haue dispensation of the Bishop or of the Pope Which dispensation will make them so tender and so as a peece of soft bread and so sweete as the honie Moreouer this Councell was not admitted of the kings of England and Denmarke nor of the Protestant princes nor of the common wealthes of Germany All these be one good part of Christendome inhabiting in Europe But they will say vnto me that these which I haue named be heretiques Whereunto I answere that if they hold them for heretiques for the same cause are they to be suffered to speake freely that which they thinke in the Councell Their sayings being heard they ought to dispute with them and conuince them by the bookes of holy scripture And by that which the Doctors and auncient Councels gouerned by Gods word belieued and maintayned And now that they say the foresayd protestants to be heretiques What will they tell me of kings of Fraunce whom the Pope himselfe calleth most Christian for the great seruice they haue done to the seat Apostolique which tooke not this of Trent for a generall Councel nor lawfully called And so Frauncis 1. sent not of all his kingdome one prelate or diuine to the Councel No more did his sonne Henry that succeeded him in his kingdome he tooke it not for a generall Councell As by the protestation which this king in the 1551. yeare by his Embassadours made in the Councell was proued The report is this Iames de Annot Abbot de Bellosana Embassadours of the king came sodainely vnto Trent presented to the Councell a letter from his king The superscription whereof sayd To the assembly of Trent Asmuch to say As to the meeting at Trent This superscription being read the Spanish Bishops spake saying that such a letter was in contempt of the Councell and that it ought not to be read nor yet opened But notwithstanding the rest of the Councel after they had well debated the buisines concluded that the letter ought be opened and read presupposing that most Christian king had not vsed such a superscription either for contempt of the Councel nor to derogate from it authority and so was it read The some of this letter was that he protested as before he had protested in Rome that he could not send to Trent by reason of the warres the Bishops of his kingdome He said also that he held not this Councel for general or lawful but for a particular meeting calnot for the publique good of Christendome the which ought led togither for the profit cōmoditie of some particular persō to be the principal cause of the calling togither of a Councel That he thought neither himselfe nor his subiects bound to obserue the decrees that there in should be made But that concerning the same he will vse if need should be the remedies which his progenitors had in the like cases vsed c. And the king of Fraunce not contented to haue made this protestation in Rome and in the Councell but passed yet further and sent an Embassadour called Marlot and of his Councell to the assembly which the Cantons of the Swizers held at Bade to persuade them not to take this of Trent for a Councel nor to make any reckoning thereof Whereunto he persuaded also the same Cantons which were papists The Grisons also which had sent Thomas Planta their Bishop to the Councell nor approuing the Councell caused him to returne home They will not say Frauncis and Henry his sonne kings of Fraunce to be Lutherans but most Christen as our aduersaries the papists themselues cal them which hold not for a Councell the Councell of Trent but an assembly of particular persons for their particular profit The same account then that so many Nations kings mightie princes and great States of Europe not of the protestants onely but also of the papists without passing to the Christians of Affrique and Asia none of whom doe I know or haue read to be found in this Councell made of this Councell make wee also so demand we a Councel general lawfull free where each one may freely speake his opinion Let the Councell and not the Bishops onely who only with a deliberate voice haue tyrannically lift vp themselues examine iudge what euerie one shall say according to the word of God Were there such a Councell God we trust would giue vs speech and wisdome to maintaine defend