thine owne soule yea if thou wilt prosper in this worlde feare God embrace the Gospell obeye the Quenes Maiestie be not a foe but as thou art most bouÌ„den a frende vnto this Realme not forgettinge that maugre all the malice of rebelles not onlye the trueth is greate and preuayle but also as God hath donne so will he euer defende thy soueraigne his annoynted And that he so do as I with an vnfayned hart so you with all fayithe fullnes saye Amen ¶ OF HIPOCRITES and the Hypocrisie of the Romayne Prelacie CAP. I. WEyghing with indifferencie the whole estate of this oure time and consideringe without partiallitie the disposition of such as nowe do lyue we shall finde a thinge to be lamented the verye face of Christendome to bee spreadde ouer wyth â—â—yfe the Gospell of oure Sauiour Christe to be in contempte and hatred and the professours of the same almoste euerie where to bee persecuted and that with intollerable sclaunders with extreame disdayne with passinge tyrannye the cause whereof is the blynde supersticion of certen whereof some are Hypocrites and some are bewitched trees they are not only vnproffitable but also most hurtfull whose roote is crueltye but cloathed ouer with a counterfaicte face of charitie whose braunches are infidelitie heathines ydolatrie thoughe couered with the name of Faythe religioÌ„ and pietie whose fruite is fornication yet fenced with the tytle of Chastitie whose end withoute repentance is daÌ„nacioÌ„ onely outwardly decked wyth a disseÌ„bled hewe of saluacioÌ„ What shall we then say to omitte all circuÌ„stances let vs wish that S. Paule were now lyuing or elles that hys wordes wolde pearce into the hartes of suche as bee thus hardened What and wrote hee onelye vnto the Galathians or wrote hee not by theyr names vnto vs all that are Christians and what saythe hee O ye senseles Galathians sayth hee Who hathe so bewitched you that you will not obey the truethe Lo his zeale and beholde the blindnes that they were in but howe shall wee knowe that these who nowe lyue are bewitched Cum non videant ea quae sunt videre se arbitrantur eâ— quae non sunt VVhen they can not se the thinges that in dede are and when they seme to se the things which are not When they can not se that the scriptures being the word of God ought to be had reade embrased and when it semethe vnto them that follishe legendes that faigned miracles and that passinge fond opinions ought rather to be regarded professed beleued ah las for of such I speake what is papacie a meere lumpe of pryde a denne of hipocrisie a caue of vncleanesse a very fence for fornicatioÌ„ for exaÌ„ple behold out of theyr â—oke the lothesomenesse of theyr lawe the lawlesse peruerse demeanour of their priestes Qui inuenerit clericuÌ„ cuÌ„ vxore matre sorore vel filia turpiter agenteÌ„ vel paranteÌ„ se ad opus carnale in loco priuato suspecto per oscula amplexus vel si per alia signa aperta opus turpitudinis constat esse expletuÌ„ Dicit quod non licet talem percutere In english it is thus He that findeth a Prieste with his wife mother syster or doughter behauiÌ„g him self vnhonestli or preparing him self vnto carnall worke in a place priuate suspected by kyssing embracing or els if it shall appeare by manifest signes that the filthie acte hath ben coÌ„mitted yet he saith that it is not lawfull to stryke such a one And further Si ipsa percutiat eum incidit in CanoneÌ„ That is Yf the womaÌ„ shold strike him she is to be punished by the Canon law Who now except he be more then betwitched can excuse these men who maye coÌ„mende theyr lawes who can like theyr liues what shall we say of Laurentius Valla a LanoÌ„ not long a gon of Rome writeth he not in this wise Omnino nihil interest vtrum cum marito coâ—at mulier an cum amatore There is no matter at all saythe hee VVhether a wooman keepe companye with her husband or whith her louer Here we haue to consider that if he wrote this in â—est yet it becamme not a Chanon to vse suche jestinge to wryte it and to putte yt furthe to Printinge but if he wrote it in ernest then it was to yrkesome it was vngodlye it was noysome these these certenlye are they of whom Christe longe sythence hathe sayde Beware ye of false Prophetes whiche come vnto you in shiepes cloathinge but inwardelye they be raueninge wolfes That they came in shepes cloathing howe may it appeare how by their sundrie false and faygned professions by their inwarde syghinge by their vaine blessings by theyr childishe ceremonies by their dreaminge desceaptefull miracles by their hewe of hollinesse and to be briefe by the beguylinge and seducinge of so manye and of so longe a time But that they bee in wardelye raueninge wolfes it is euydente by their curssinge by theyr hate by their fagottes by their fyre by theyr tormentinge of true Christians and by their tyrannie it is euidente by theyr false teachinge by theyr errours by theyr heresye it is euidente by their fornicatioÌ„ it is euideÌ„t by their Sodomiticall life adulterie it is euideÌ„t by their fruites by theyr factes by their Hypocrisie and superstition and this shall be nowe euidente by aunciente Autors by theyr owne wryters by holye Scriptures and by reason wherefore I craue or rather the trouth it selfe craueth at thy handes gentle reader three thinges Firste that to further thyne owne euerlastinge joye thou wilte in readinge laye a syde all partiallitie Secondly that thou wilte then judge and that withe indifferencie Thirdelye that in the ende settinge apart worldlye frendeshipe and all vayne respectes thou wilt be an earnest defendour of Christe his faythe and that thou wilt embrace his Gospell with constanncie Knowing that vnto all such as beleue it is the power of God vnto saluacioÌ„ For thus doynge His faithfullnes trueth shall bee thy shelde buckler neyther shall anye yuell happen vnto thee But if God offer thee knoweledge if he proffer thee syghte by what meanes soeuer and thou refuse it beware then leste thou be in the number of those of whome Sainte Paule thus saythe They are withoute excuse by cause that when they knowe God they glorified him not as God neither were they thankefull but waxed all together vain in their owne imaginations and their foolishe harte was blinded Consyderinge this then if thou se the truth take hede I say agayne take hede that thou disseÌ„ble not take hede of hypocrisye If God be God folow him but if Baal be he go after him And to this ende remeÌ„bre well alwayes and carye in minde what Jesus the sonne of Syrach doethe saye A harte sayth he That goeth two wayes shal not prosper Meaninge therfore to speke of Hypocrites before we so do let vs learne by the
dogges while after such maner they banqueted together God righte worthily might say Et dispersae sūt oues meae eo quòd nō esset pastor My shepe are scattered abrod because they had no shephard Because they preached not because they lyued thus lewdelye therefore Gregorie vseth towardes them these woordes What do we o shepeherdes when wee receaue the hyre and yet be no labourers for we receaue the proffit of the Churche in a daylye stipende but yet we labour not for the aeternall Church in preachinge Let vs cōsider what damnacion it is withoute labouringe to receaue the hyre of labour Lo we liue of the oblacion of faythefull folkes but what doe wee laboure for the soules of the faythefull These were they who throughe couetousnes gotte riches and throughe negligence corrupted not onelye them selues but also others and yet being suche they thought nonne wyse nonne learned nonne hollye but they certenlye it is in suche men a thinge most shamelesse to come by theyr wealthe so vnlaufully to kepe it vn orderlye and to spende it vngodlye A las what hope might our forefathers conceaue of pure religion or of true Christianitie if vnto suche euerye thinge beinge lusted for was lawefull and beinge lawefull if they coulde doe it and being able to doe it if they durste do it and darieng to do it if they dyd it and doynge it if euerye one allowed it but o will some saye they buylded fayre houses passinge pallaces greate halles excellent parlours fyne chambres and suche like and therefore no remedie we must praise and commende them well of all suche buyldinges of theyr like braweries not to rehearsse agayne what saincte Hierome in that behalfe hath sayd let vs here what the sayde Hugo Victorinus saythe The Busshops doe buylde them howses for greatnesse nothinge inferiour vnto Churches they will haue paynted chambres there they haue images decked with sundry collours and preciouse ornaments But the poore dooe walke withoute cloathes and they crye withe an emptie beallye at theyr doores Yea and that I maye confesse the truethe the pore are oftentymes spoyled to the intent that stoans wood maye bee cloathed And is this then prayse worthie because of buyldinge to leaue of preachinge shall we cōmende the cloathing of woode and stoanes and leauinge of the poore destitute of reliefe pinched with hungre and oppressed with nakednesse what is the duetie of a Busshop to preache Goddes woorde vnto his people But this they dyd not and what shold he doe more he ought to feede the hungrye and to cloathe the naked But it canne not be sayd that they dyd it For the poore were spoyled and in theyr stede woode and stones were cloathed this we must confesse for this sayth their owne wryter was true but let theyr owne Doctors goe further of whom one saythe thus Thyrdlie the religious men and cloisterers are hypocrites who by manie and sundry meanes doe counterfaicte the myeldenes of a shepe but they carie within the fiercenes of a woolfe some of them fayning the mourninge noise of a dooue haue the verye minde of a doagge I aske therefore of these religious men whether such dealynge be good religion I craue to knowe at the handes of theyr Cloysterers whether thys oughte to bee the parte of Christians is it Christianitie to counterfaicte myldenes and to haue inwardly pryde crueltie and fiercenes is it the custome of Cloysterers to faine the mourning noyse of a dooue and to haue the verye mynde of a doagge heare that vnto Viualdus we maie adde another witnesse and so that by the mouthe of twoo or three theyr hipocrisie may appeare Saint Hierome findynge great faulte with them saithe thus Beware of fained humilitye follow that which is true that which christ taught wherin no pride is shut for many there be that go after the shadow of ver tue but fewe do follow the truth therof it is an easy thing to haue in contempt some attyre to salute humblie to kisse the handes and knees and with the heade beinge bowed vnto the grounde and withe the eyes loking downeward to promise humilitie mekenes it is easie with a gentle smoth voice to frame your speche to sighe often at euerye worde to saie that thou art a sinner a wretche but if you be offended neuer so litle then to lyfte vp your browes to set vp a stiffe necke to chaūge your fotmer milde speche into an outcrie rage it is an other humilitie that christe taughte who exhorteth vs after his example saying learne of me for I am meke and humble of harte And shall wee maruaile at the hypocrisye of suche Cloisterers not at all For Sathan him selfe is chaunged in to the fashion of an Angell of light therefore it is no great thinge thoughe his seruauntes fashion themselues as thoughe they were the seruauntes of righteousnes whose ende shal be accordinge vnto theyr dedes For if they deceaued the worlde with Hipocrisye shall they not susteine shame if they seduced the people of GOD shall they not suffer payne yf vnder theyr counterfaycte attyre there was no trouth if in theyr dyssembled Humylytye there was nothinge els but pryde if in theyr fayned fasting there was but surfetting if they abused the Gospell of oure sauiour Christe shall they not comme to extreme tormentes to hell fyre to a fowle ende and that accordinge vnto theyr dedes the leadinge of a wicked lyfe is yuell but the cloaking therof is woorsse the pryde of suche Cloysterers is to be comptrolled but theyr dissimulacion is to be detested And shall wee yet agayne heare in what wise Viualdus proceadethe his woordes are these Fourthelye those religious men are Hypocrites who vnder the pretence of pouertie nede doe seke after gayne and rapine Therefore if trueth maye preuayle if reason maye take place if autorities may serue in any steade then haue Fryars good cause to acknowledge theyr owne factes Moonkes haue juste occasion to consider theyr lewde disceaptfulnes all those counterfaicte religions haue right matter to bewaile their Hypocrisie and we vnto whome God hathe disclosed the dissimulaciō of our aduersarie wee I saye on whom the Gospell shyneth and amongest whome the truethe it selfe speaketh haue greate cause to thanke our heauenly Father and in signe of due thankefullnes to bee obediente vnto his will. And to make it more apparante of whom it is that Viualdus writeth to cyte the woords of Saincte Augustine I know it shall not be a misse What a numbre of Hypocrites saythe he vnder the habite of Moonkes hathe the wielie enemie scattered abrode euery where they roague about euery prouince they aske of all men and they gette eyther the expence of their gaynfull necessitie or els the price of their dissembled sanctitie what sholde I speake of their pedlerie of their choppinge changinge and of their chapmanship in the tyme of saincte Hierome the priestes suche religious
theyr parliameÌ„t wheÌ„ tales went for â—rothe when fables were credited when follie preuayled But because wee speake of birdes let vs goe further and let vs se what is written more of them And then we shall haue these woordes Jacent in loco S. Mariae fratres qui audierunt viderunt aues alaudas congregatas cantaÌ„tes super tectum ecclesiae S. Mariae in obitu beati francisci There lay brethren in a place of S. Maries who hearde and sawe larkes gathered together singing vpon the toppe of S. Maries churche at the deathe of S. Fraunces And is it so straunge a thinge to heare a Larke synge these men woulde make a miracle faine if they coulde neither care they of what For what saye we of doating Drodro of whom they write in this wise Brother Drodro was so holie that one Angell serued him at Masse and an other Angell prepared him hoarsses to trauaile with Withe suche lyes the people were fedde with suche vaine tales were Christians at that time taught to set forthe their moaming masse suche dreames were inuented So that with Irenaeus we may well saie Hi anicularum fabulas assumentes post deindè et sermones dictiones parabolas huic indè afferentes vt aptare volunt fabulis suis eloquia Dei These men doe take in hand olde wiues tales and then euen thence they heape together talkes words parabales to the intente in dede that they may bring goddes worde to agree with their fables These are the woordes of Irenaeus sometime Bushop of Lions in Fraunce who liued in the yeare of our Lorde God one hundreth thre score and syxetene but shall we go further and shall wee see howe sainct Fraunces hys order is proued to proue the same they haue these woordes Nullus dZ debit ambigere de ordine F. Minorum patz patet ex visionibus inter quas est etiam haec Quidam vidit B. Franciscum cum vexillo crucis euntem per coeluÌ„ et infinitam multitudinem fratrum suorum ad christum Nonne oughte to doubt of the order of saincte Frauncis as appeareth by visions whereof this is one a certayne manne sawe sainct Frauncis with the signe of the Crosse goinge throughe heauen with a greate multitude of his brethren vnto Chryste O Chryste what a fondenesse is thys where was thys man when hee sawe Sayncte Frauncysse in Heauen What manne was thys hys name is not in the booke of lyfe and shall wee credyte a certayne manne to vse no more woordes what maddenesse is thys and what was the rule of Sayncte Frauncysse hys rule was as hee hymselfe saythe Liber vitae spes salutis medulla Euangelij clauis paradisi status perfectionis pactum aeterni foederis This booke of life the hope of saluation the marrawe of the Gospell the kaye of paradise the state of perfection the decree of the euerlastinge couenaunte What blasphemies be these howe intollerable are they who yf hee fauoure the Gospell yf hee beleue in Christe canne abyde them yt is in vaine to trouble the reader with any more of their vanities therefore to omitte a greate number of other blasphemyes to let passe theyr sundry dreames not to speake of the greate absurdities contayned within that booke let vs ende with these woordes of the same Franciscus surgens de oratione venit ad fratres turbatissimus dicens Ego vellem quod istum habitum non inuenissem dominus enim mihi reuelauit quod de ordine meo exibit Antichristus secta eius That is Frauncis risinge from prayer came vnto his brethren greatlye troubled sayinge I would that I had not inuented this habite for God hathe reuealed vnto mee that out of my order Antichriste and his secte shall come Nowe you heare what master FrauÌ„cys saythe of his owne flocke howe that of his rule Antichriste and his secte shal come howe canne yt then bee The booke of lyfe the hope of saluacion c. It was not without good cause that Bernhard spekinge of the miseries of mankinde deuided the same into three which he setteth furth in this wyse Faciles sumus ad seducenduÌ„ debiles ad operanduÌ„ fragiles ad resistendum Wee are esie to be seduced weake to worke frayle to resiste And be we not easye to be seduced when the verye wysest dyd beleue such dreames when the truethe it selfe was not regarded and when these vntrothes were estemed then were men foolishe but nowe are childreÌ„ wyse then the learned were blinde but nowe the vnlearned do see therfore in that wee doe se let vs thanke god hythervnto wee haue spokeÌ„ of the Ignorance of the adulterie of the heresye of the prelacie of Rome wee haue sene the follye wher in they are drowned touching Frauncys and others wherfore let vs go further and to beginne heare wee what Bernharde saythe hys woordes are these The offices them selues of ecclesiasticall dignitie are tourned into filthie gayne and into the affayres of Darkenes neyther is soughte in these the safetye of soules but the riotousenes of riches For these thinges the Priests resoarte vnto the churchs they say masses the singe psalmes Yea they stryue impudentlye about Busshoprikes and Archedeaneries wastinge the reuenues of the Church in superfluitie vanitie Such was theyr abuses for foure huÌ„dreth yeres a gone Afterwardes into what follye they fell it is apparante by hystories whiche that I maye speke somwhat of Antichrist I may omitte of Antichriste Hilarius sayth thus Nominis Antichristi proprietas est Christo esse contrariuÌ„ The propertie of the name of Antichriste is to be contrarie vnto Christe Well to the intente that euerye indifference reader maye beware of Antichriste who endeuoreth to diminishe the glorie of God to suppresse the Gospell and to banishe away all Godlinesse pietie I will fyrste speke of Antichristes seate then of his seruauntes of hys miracles of him selfe and so of his ende ¶ Of his Seate ¶ Rome the whore of Babilon the mother of ydolatrie fornicatioÌ„ the sanctuarie of heresye and the schoole of errour ¶ Rome is as the secound Babylon ¶ Antichrist hath already his beginning at Rome and shall aduance him self hygher in the Apostolique See. ¶ Accordinge vnto the reuelacioÌ„ of s. Ihon ther is writen in the forehed of the purple harlatte a name of blasphemy that is of Rome aeternal ¶ Of his seruantes Spekinge of the Priestes whiche were for thre hundreth yeres agone he sayth thus For the most part they be thieues murthers rather katchers then feeders rather killers theÌ„ kepers rather deceauers theÌ„ doctors they be the messengers of Antichrist and the subuerters of Christ his sheepe Wold god they were not gonne whollye with generall consente from religion to superstition from faythe to infidelitie froÌ„ Christ to Antichrist froÌ„ god to an Epicure His Doctors shall fall froÌ„ the vnderstandinge of scriptures geuinge theÌ„ selues deceptefullye with great eloquence and subteltie
of woordes to expounde the same ¶ Of his Miracles The people are most deceaued with fayned miracles wrought eyther by the priestes or els by theyr adherentes for lukers sake In the sacrament it self there appearethe fleass he somtymes by the deuise of men sometymes by the workinge of the Dyuill My god hath made me ware of these huck sters of miracles for hee saythe falsse prophetes shall ryse vp in the latter daies workinge signes and wonders to deceaue the electe of God if it were possible They haue deceaued my people with theyr lies with their miracle ¶ Of him selfe Who so euer is exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewinge hym selfe that hee is God suche is the manne of sinne and the sonne of perdicion The Bushop of Rome is exalted aboue all that is called God is worshipped so that he as God sittethe in the temple of God shewing him selfe that he is God Therfore the Busshop of Rome is the man of sinne the sonne of perdicioÌ„ for proofe of the lesse proposicoÌ„ beholde with indiffereÌ„cie what how blasphemousely the papists haue writteÌ„ of their pope Our lord god the pope To thee is gyuen all maner of power aboue all powers aswell of heauen as of earthe The pope is all and aboue all The pope can doe asmuch as Christ caÌ„ doe The pope is the lighte that came into the worlde The pope is more then a god Of him writethe Irenaeus in this wise Notwithestandinge that Antichrist be but a slaue yet will he be worshipped as if he were a God. That Beast which is spokeÌ„ of in the boke of ReuelacioÌ„s vnto which beast is geueÌ„ a mouth to speke blasphemies and to kepe warre agaynste the Sainctes of God hee is nowe gotten into Peters chayre as a Lyon prepared vnto his praye ¶ Of his ende Then shall Babilon whiche is Rome fall when she shall last of all take power to persecute the sainctes of God. Whom our lord Jesus shall slaie with the breathe of his mouthe and shall destroye with the brightnesse of his comming When thou seest that dark iniquitie hath taken holde vpon the priestes beinge placed in the highe toppe of spirituall dignities how maie it be doubted but that the ende of the world is at hande Iesus himself with his presence shall ende that last persecutioÌ„ which shal be wrought by Antichriste Apoc. 8. Greate Babilon is fallen her plagues shall come in one day deathe and sorrowe and hunger and shee shall be brent with fyre A prophesye of Rome Longe totring Rome at length shall waste in errours longe beinge thrall Shee shall consume and ceasse to be the head and chiefe of all Here we see by the auctoritie of Petrarcha that Rome is the whore of Babilon whervnto S. Augustine also doth agree wee see that Antichriste for so writeth Joachimus hath alreadie his beginning in Rome we see by the wordes of S. Hierome that it is the purple harlatte Nexte vnto this Albertus witnesseth that in his time the prestes were thieues and murtherers yea the messengers of Antichrist neither dissenteth Cornelius Bitontinus therefro Antoninus also anoucheth the same For his seate therefore what aunswere can they haue that it is not Rome what haue they to saye and to excuse their priestes what excuse can they bringe that they be not the ministers of Antichriste by what meanes can they proue touchinge his miracles Vim habebit in imperio dolum in miraculis He shall haue saith S. Augustine rage in his raigne deceapte in his miracles Whether hee hathe vsed deceipte in hys miracles or not let the woordes of Lyra declare and to joine with Lyra more witnesses reade againe what Alexander of Hales hath writen and reade further what S. Augustine hathe set forthe Concerninge Antichriste himselfe that the Pope is hee S. Paule doth manyfestlye declare weyghe the argumente consyder their blasphemyes peruse againâ— the wordes of Irenaeus ponder what Bernharde dothe saye and here I mighte haue cause to remember the of a boke most vehementlye wryten by doctour Steuen Bardiner againste the Busshop of Rome vnto which booke doctour Boner who nowe oâ— late dyed hathe made a preface wherein hee calleth the Busshop of Rome an vsuper a wicked man an Antichrist Last of all and of the fall of that beast Prymacius doth wryte very well S. Paule hath wrytten best of all Chrisostome wryteth not amysse sainct Augustyne dyd wryte ryghte trewe Therefore vnto vs that beleeue these testimonyes God hathe sâ—…e hys Gospell to oure comforte hys trueth to oure edefyenge hys woorde to be a lighte vnto our wordes to bee a pathe vnto oure woorkes but of the contrarye parte of them which haue eyes yet will not see wee may saye as it is sayde Mittet illis deus operationâ—m erroris vt credant mendacio God shall sende vnto them the operacioÌ„ of errours that they may beleue lyeng Yea and as it is further said seducentur eis signis prodigijs qui seduci merebantur pro eo quod dilectionem veritatis non receperunt vt salui fierent They shall bee sednced with those signes wonders who deserued to be beguiled because they haue not receaued the truth that thereby they mighte be saued what deceapt was it to haue fleshe to appeare in the sacramente what follye was it for men to be seduced thereby these thinges and the lyke dyd the Priestes by moste wicked meanes bring to passe the priestes I saye of whom S. Hierome wryteth in thys wise Per dulces sermones benedictiones decipiunt corda innocentiuÌ„ qui inique agunt benedicuntur ab eis adulanturque peccatoribus duÌ„modo diuites sint By flatteringe speach and vaine blessinges they deceaue the hartes of the innocentes who doe yuell those they blesse and they flatter synners to the intente they maie bee riche If wee examyne the estate of the Scribes pharises wee shall finde no greater abuses in them then in these if wee consyder the Priestes of Isis and Serapis wee shall fynde these and they in all thinges to agree for the priestes of Isis dyd shaue theyr headdes and so dyd these the Priestes of Serapis dyd shaue them selues and what dyd these thys they dyd agaynste the expresse commaundement which is caput autem suum non radent But their heade shall they not shaue wee see and therefore what neede wee to reade anye further the abuses that hathe beâ—e and wee see that thys is the tyme whereof Chrisostome spake thus ad nullam rem fugient nisi ad scripturas alioqui incident in abominationem desolationis Then will they flyed to nothinge but vnto the scriptures otherwise they shall fall into the abomination of desolation that is as he sayth Into heresye neyther can I forgette the woordes of Gregorie who making mencion