and liuely and not fayned and dead and declare as Dauid speaketh of hymselfe that he is as a trutefull Olyue tree in the house of the Lorde For if righteousnesse come by the lawe then dyed Christe in vayne A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thinges And an euill man out of euill treasure bringeth forth euill thynges The good treasure is faith euill treasure is vnbelief Either make the tree good and his frute good or elles make the tree euill and hys frute euill The man must be good before he can bring forth good works Fourtenthly Auricular confession is set at nought and no more vsed I aunswere Auricular confession is the inuention of man no where grounded on the worde of God and hath bene the occasion of muche mischiefe in tyme paste Confession of our sinnes to God and to suche as we haue offended the Scripture teacheth and commauÌ„deth but such Auricular and caryshe confession to be made vnto a Priest with all circumstances where when howe with whom howe often c. as the pope commaundeth is no where founde in Gods booke Notwithstandyng we freely permitte and suffer any man that will to go vnto a Godly learned and discrete minister of Gods worde either for doctrine councell or comfort not only in the tyme of Lent but at all tymes of the yeare For it is written The lyps of a Priest kepe knowledge and at hys mouth they shall require the law for he is the Aungell or Embassadour of the Lorde of Hostes Fyftenthly The name of satisfaction is abhorred and counted vnworthy the Christen profession I aunswere To God there is satisfaction â—or sinns but the death of Christ alone as Sainct Iohn saith he Christ is the satisfaction for our sinnes Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul God made Christ to be sinne that is a satisfactory sacrifice for sinne which knewe no sinne that we by his meanes should be that righteousnesse whiche before God is allowed God requireth of vs repentaunce fayth and amendement of lyfe when we haue gone astraye but to satisfie the iustice of God for those our sinnes we are not able though al righteousnesse of the whole worlde shoulde be offered vp to God of one man for one sinne that he had committed agaynst God in whose sight the starres are not pure nor the Aungels of heauen free from imperfection if they shoulde be compared with the purenesse and perfection of God Therefore to make satisfaction to GOD for oure sinnes Christe came downe tooke our frayle nature vpon hym dyed for our wickednesses and rose agayne for oure Iustification And thys hys satisfaction is counted oure satisfaction if we beleue in hym as it is written Be it knowen vnto you ye men and brethren that thorowe thys man CHRIST is preached vnto you the forgeuenesse of synnes and that by hym all that beleue are iustifyed from all thynges from the whiche ye coulde not be iustifyed by the lawe of Moses There is an other kynde of satisfaction that concerneth oure neyghboure whome we haue offended eyther in worde or in deede That satisfaction ought in this behalfe to be made no man that feared God denyeth Yea we playnly affirme that whosoeuer hath offeÌ„ded his neighbour and seketh not to be reconciled vnto him by makyng due satisfaction vnto him to the vttermost of his power whether it be in worde or in dede that person is farre from the true Christianitie If the offence be in worde sactisfactioÌ„ must be made in worde If it be in deede then must the satisfaction be made in dede lykewise after the example of Zachee whiche sayd If I haue done any man wrong I restore him foure folde Sixtenthly Free will is denyed to be in vs that we haue no power to do any good I aunswere Our libertie of well willing well doing was lost in AdaÌ„ in whoÌ„ as all we sinned so are al we iustly coÌ„deÌ„ned Before AdaÌ„s fal we had freewill both to will wel and to do well but since his fall all perished in vs that good was and all grewe vp that euill and wicked was as it is writteÌ„ All the imagination of mans heart is only euill euery day Againe the imaginatioÌ„ of mans heart is euill euen from hys youth Hereof doth it manifestly appeare what free will there is in vs to do good or to will good seing that all our imaginations and thoughtes of our heartes are euill and wicked at al tymes eueÌ„ froÌ„ our very youth as the Prophet saieth Leude is the heart of man and vnsearcheable Saint Paule also sayeth that of our selues we be not able somuch as to think a good thought And our Sauiour Christ sayeth Without me ye can doe nothyng Notwithstandyng this we saye that in naturall and humane thynges we haue a certayne choise of will as to eate this or that meate to put on thys or that garment to speake or to kepe silence c. yea and to sinne or to abstayne from the grosse actes of synne as murther adulterye fornication false witnesse bearyng and such lyke whiche notwithstaÌ„ding we muste acknowledge and confesse to be thâ— gift of God as Saint Paule sayeth What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Also Sainct Iames Euery good gift euery perfect gifte is from aboue and come down from the father of lightes But with our whole hearts to asseÌ„t and consent to the holy will of God to accomplyshe and performe the same with such perfection and puritye as the lawe requireth that lyeth not in our power neither can the streÌ„ghts of free will do any thing in this behalfe eyther to wil it or to do it For as Saint Paule saith It is God that worketh in vs both the wil and the deede The regenerate man in Christe hath only this will and this dede as Christ sayth If the Sonne make you free then are you free in deede The naturall man perceaueth not those thinges that belong to the spirite of God Not they whiche are borne of bloud or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but they that are borne of God haue this freedome Where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie saith the Apostle Seuententhly Prayer is called lyppe labour I answere Outward prayer pronounced with the lippes without the affectioÌ„ of the heart and consent of the mynde is not onely lyppe labour but also vayne labour not approued but reproued of the Lorde our God as Christ hym selfe witnesseth saying This people draweth nye vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lippes howbeit their hearts are farre from me Uerelye they worshippe me in vayne And to the woman of Samaria he sayd thus The houre commeth and nowe is when the true worshippers shall worshyp the father in spirite and in truth For suche the father also requireth to worship him God is a
custome ought to geue place to the opeÌ„ truth Let no maÌ„ preferre custome before reason truth for reason and truth doth alwayes put custome to silence We must heare and do that saith Saint Cyprian that Christ hath done that he hath also coÌ„maunded to be done seing that he sayeth in his Gospell If ye do those thynges that I commaunde you I will call you no more seruauntes but frendes And that Christ alone ought to he heard the father euen from heauen testifieth saying This is my welbeloued son in whom I haue greate delight heare ye hym Wherefore if Christ alone is to be hearde we ought not to atteÌ„d marke and take hede what any maÌ„ that hath bene before vs thought good to be done but what he did which is before al that is to say Christ. Agayn he saith We may not follow the custome of man but the truth of God seyng that God speaketh by the Prophet Esay sayth They worship me in vaine teaching the commaundementes and doctrines of men Doth not God in his holy worde coÌ„mauÌ„d his people the Israelites that they should not follow the customes neither of the Egyptians nor of the Cananites but rather walke in his ordinaunces fulfill his lawes and statutes Is not this Gods precept Followe not the multitude to do euill Again do not ye those thynges whiche they haue done that were before you neither be ye defiled in them As the custome is not to be reiected but receaued that is agreable to the truth of Gods worde so lykewise is that custome not to be receaued but reiected y t dissenteth from the veretie of Gods pure religion Forasmuch therfore as the greatest parte of the old customes that be frequeÌ„ted vsed in the popes Church are wicked vngodly manifestly directly coÌ„trary to the worde of God the obiectioÌ„ that our Papistes make in this behalfe is nothing worth neitheer ought it to be vnto theÌ„ any let to hinder them froÌ„ commynge vnto the vndeceueable truth of Gods worde Some also to defeÌ„d their errours heresies maintaine their obstinate blindnesse and blind obstinacie allege for their defence the auncient writers and Doctors of Christes Churche affirming that their doctrine dissenteth greatlye from oures therfore worthy to be hyssed out hated abhorred detested of Gods Church I aunswere If they vnderstand by the auncient writers Doctors of Christs Church Duns Dorbel Thomas Tartaret Biel Brulefer Barnard Bonauenture Petrus de Palude Petrus de Luna Ioannes Capredli Ioannes Holkot Albert Magnus Augustinus de Ancona with Occam Gerson Durande Petrus de Alico Alaâ—us Herugus Auredlus Ataxanê° Pelbertus Carâ—esius Michael Lochmeir Iacobus de valentia to many such like then we geue theÌ„ ouer and conseÌ„t vnto theÌ„ seyng that these many hâ—â—dreds moe were the popes sworne chaplaynes making him with their fophistrie a God his couÌ„terfaite Religion true Godlynesse But if they meane those auÌ„cient writers Doctors of Christs Church which were before the days of Gregorius Magnus byshop of Rome theÌ„ we freely coÌ„fesse that whether they take the Doctors of the Greke or Latin Church they make very little or nothyng for theÌ„ for the maintenaunce of their poperie so altogether vnknoweÌ„ to theÌ„ was the supersticion Idolatry whiche is now commoÌ„ly vsed in the popish Churches although I muste nedes confesse that there is none among the auncieÌ„t writers that hath not his errours his ouersights his faultes that y â— may be found true which is writteÌ„ God alone is true but euerye man is a lyar But let it be graunted that there were found in the old writers as who sometime slydeth not Accordyng to the common prouerbe AliquaÌ„do bonus dormitat Homeruâ— That might seme at the firste blush to confirme stablish to proue approue any part of the popes religious religion is the matter therfore cocke sure But the olde writers Catholike Doctors require no such reuereÌ„ce to be shewed nor no such credit to be geuen to their writings as though they could not erre which coÌ„fesse theÌ„selues to erre as their auÌ„cestoures haue done before theÌ„ will that nothing should be credited as an vndoubted veritie but only the sacred scriptures whose authoritie to resiste of whose veritie to doubt they alwayes counted a great offence Are not these the wordes of Saint Ambrose We vtterly coÌ„deÌ„ne al new things that christ hath not taught for Christ is the way to the faithfull If Christ â—herefore haue not taught that whiche we do teache euen we our selues iudge it detestable and abhominable Are not these the words also of the auÌ„cieÌ„t Greke writer Origene We must nedes allege the holye Scriptures for a witnesse For our vnderstandinges and expositions without these witnesses are not to be credited nor beleued S. Hierome calleth it garrulitie or pratling whatsoeuer is taught without the authoritie of the holy Scriptures Theophilacte feared not to saye that they whiche bring in any thing into the Church of Christ besides the doctrine of the Apostles bring in slaunders and heresies dissensions Here se we in what estimation the auncient Doctors desyre theyr writtings to be had Uerely so farre to be credited and receaued as they agree with the word of God If they in any point dissent from that then not to be receaued but to be reiected not approued but reproued so farre is it of that they would haue their workes to be the patroÌ„s and defenders of wycked doctrine idolatry superstition c. Some againe pretende an excuse of theyr obstinacie the forefathers which liued before our daies They say they neuer receaued this doctrine neuer beleued as we are taught c. And yet we doubt not they are saued I aunswere If they speake of the forefathers whiche liued of late yeares in the tymes of ignoraÌ„cie blindnesse in the dayes of Papistrie and false Religion I graunt that they neuer receaued so purely the doctrine of Christes Gospell as we do at this present as people seduced from the way of truth thorow the suttle persuasions and craftye reasons of the fleshely hipocrites and filthy Papistes while they wrapped them in al kinde of blindnesse to the ende that they might see no truth in a manner but seke theyr saluation at theyr handes at theyr prayers fastes masses c. and by this meanes be made the very slaues and captiues of these spirituall Sorcerers although I must nedes coÌ„fesse that they agreed with vs and we with them in the principal articles of the Christen Religion albeit farre out of the way from the true vnderstanding of theÌ„ For they knew not the office of Christ nor vnto what ende God the father sent him into this worlde and therfore went they about on begging for their saluatioÌ„ to this creature and that creature to this Saint and that Saint to this blocke and that stocke to this pardon
we kylled al the day lōg and are counted as shepe appointed to be slayne As I may among many touche one Ecclesiastical history What shall I speake of the vnhappye time of that most vnhappy and wicked heritike Arrius Although the Fathers of the councell Nicene did iudge truly rightly according to the doctrine of the holy Scripture of the true euerlasting diuinitie or Godhead of Christ the Sonne of God Yet not long after that wicked heresie of Arrius dyd so preuaile and take roote in the heartes of men that it was not receaued only in one realme or two but also Pope Liberius Bishop of Rome with the Emperoure and all the East parte of the world admitted that most damnable heresie to be most sounde and wholesome doctrine persecuting most cruelly al such as defended the cōtrary whereof was a very little number as Athanasius Paulinus and verye fewe other Byshops whiche by no meanes would geue place to so great furour and madnesse although most miserably entreated In a Councell also holden at Nice a great nūber of Byshops with other gathered there together consented to disanull and put away the mariage of Priestes or spirituall ministers contrary to the practise of gods Churche from the begynning and contrary to the doctrine of the holy ghost which saith Wedlocke is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled for what purpose I knowe not nor with what reasōs persuaded am I able to say Notwithstanding the holy and blessed Confessour Pahnutius although vnmaried withstood them all and by no meanes would consent vnto theyr entreprise and deuise but franckely and freely confessed that the mariage of Ministers is honourable and that it is chastitie for a man to lye with his owne wyfe By thys meanes he persuaded the councel that they proceded no further in this matter but sette euerye man at hys lyberty to marrye or not to marrye Whoe seeth not nowe howe foolyshe a thynge it is and muche vnworthye a Christen man to leane to the multitude whiche for the moste parte is nothynge elles than a beaste of manye heades Seyng we haue euidentlye shewed that the greater parte in matters that appertayne to Christes Religion is alwayes the worsest parte and the lesser parte dothe more earnestlye embrace the truthe of Gods worde so that not withoute a cause Christ calleth his people a litle flocke ▪ Feare not ye lyttle flocke sayeth Christe for it hath pleased my father to geue you a kyngdome Thys therefore is a vayne obiection of the aduersaries to saye We haue the greater number on our syde therefore haue we the truth on our syde For the deuill the worlde and the fleshe haue a greater company attendyng vpon them than Christe hath vpon hym seyng that the greatest parte of this worlde rather embraceth thinges present than with ioye looketh for thinges to come Finallye some can by no meanes fynde in their hearte to approue and allowe that present state of Religion whiche is nowe receaued among vs bicause it greatlye differeth saye they from the old◠and accustomed order It is demaunded in what points It is answered In these Fyrste The Byshop of Rome is not knowledged and receaued anye more to be Supreme head of the vniuersall Churche of Christe I aunswere We knowe no Supreme head of the Churche by the worde of God but Christ alone and vnder Christe euery Prince in hys owne Realme Secondly The Sacrament is receaued vnder both kyndes I aunswere So hath Christe commaunded saying Drinke of this all ye Also the Apostle so oft as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of the cup c. Thyrdly The seruice and publique prayer is done in the tēples no more in the latin tong as heretofore but in the common and Englishe speache I answere So hath the custome bene from the beginning in the Church of Christ in al places and is so vsed at this present generally wheresoeuer the Byshop of Rome hath no authoritie And God by his holy Apostle commaundeth vs that in our congregations all thinges should be done to edifie approuing and allowing rather fiue wordes so spokē that they may be vnderstanded than ten thousand otherwise Fourthly All the laudable ceremonies are neglected and set a side as the halowing of salt water bread candles palmes fire ashes c. I aunswere All these are the triflyng traditions of men and haue bene the cause of much Idolatrye and superstition And it is written They worship me in vaine teaching doctrines which are the commaundementes of men Item God is a spirite they that worship hym must worship him in spirite and truth Fiftly Purgatory is denied I answere we know none other purgatorye for the soule but the precious bloud of our Lorde and Sauiour Christe Iesu as it is writtē The bloud of Iesus Christ gods sonne maketh vs cleane frō all sinne Sixtly The Sacrifice of the Masse is vtterly reiected and caste awaye as a pestilence moste hurtfull blasphemous and iniurious to the passion and death of Christ ▪ I answere The word of God teacheth vs in all places that there is no sacrifice for sinne but the death of Christ alone But Christ dreth no more Therfore is there no more sacrifice offered vp for sinne With one only oblation sayth the Apostle hath Christ that euerlasting Byshop made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified Agayn we are sanctified made holye by the offeryng vp of the bodye of Iesu Christ done once for al. Seuenthly The inuocation and intercessiō of Saintes is cleane omitted and left I answere God alone is to be called vpon as he himselfe ▪ commaundeth saying Call on me in the tyme of trouble and I will deliuer thee We knowe by the worde of God no Mediatour no Intercessour but Christ alone as it is written There is one God one Mediatour he sayth not many Mediatoures betwene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ whiche gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men Againe if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the father he sayth not Aduocates Iesus Christe the righteous one And he it is that obtayneth mercy for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for all the worlde Item Christ is on the right hād of God and maketh intercession for vs. He saith not Saintes make intercession for vs. And our sauiour Christ him self sayth Whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he sayth not in the names of the saītes he will geue it you Eyghtly The article of trāssubstantiation is reiected and cast awaye as an errour or heresie I answere The holy Scripture knoweth no suche article neither haue the holy old fathers euer taught or left writtē such doctrine behinde them It is a new and late inuention brought in by the Pope and his adherentes Saint Paule calleth the Sacramentall bread ▪ not onely bread before the consecration but also after the consecration And our Sauiour Christ calleth
spirite and they that worship hym muste worship hym in spirite and in truth Whatsoeuer is song or said with the mouth so that it brasteth out from the affection of the mynde we affirme to be not only tollerable but also commendable yea pleasaunt and acceptable to God as Dauid sayth I will geue alwayes thankes vnto the Lorde hys prayse shall euer be in my mouth My soule shall make her boaste in the Lorde the humble shall heare therof and be glad O prayse the Lorde with me and let vs prayse hys name together c. O be ioyfull in God all ye landes synge prayses vnto the honoure of hys name make his prayse to be glorious And the Apostle sayeth I will synge with the breath I will sing with the minde I will pray with y e breath I will praye with the minde If the mouth the mynde if the breath the heart if the lippes the spirit go together either in singing or saying It is a most acceptable melody to God highly to be praysed of al good godly meÌ„ This kynde of prayer is greatly coÌ„mended of the people of God as coÌ„trary wise prayer without the affection of the hearte is rather to be reproued than approued refused than receaued condemned than commended Eyghrenthly The holye dayes and solemne feastes whiche of oure Elders were obserued and kepte with hye deuotion and greate reuerence are nowe a dayes neglected and set nought by I aunswere We are free from the obseruation of dayes The Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth Therfore is the Sonne of man Lord also of the Sabboth A Christen mans Sabboth is euery day and endureth the whole tyme of hys life which is to reste from euill to cease to do hys owne will and to obeye the holy lawe and commaundement of GOD. We are no more tyed and bounde to the obseruation and kepynge of the Iewyshe Sabbothes from the whiche we are made free by Christe the true lyghte whose comming in the flesh expelled all the darke shadowes of Moses lawe as the Apostle sayth Let no man trouble your conscience aboute meate and drinke or for a pece of an holy daye or of the newe Moone or of the Sabboth dayes whiche are shadowes of thynges to come but the body is in Christe Let no man make you shote at a wronge marke c. Suche as yet sticke and abyde in the outwarde obseruation of dayes tymes and meates the Apostle reproueth on thys manner and sayth Now after that ye haue knowen GOD yea rather are knowen of God howe is it that ye turne agayne vnto the weake and beggarlye ordinaunces whereunto agayne ye desyre a freshe to be in bondage Ye obserue monethes and dayes and tymes and yeares I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vayne Agayne If ye be dead with Christ from the ordinaunces of the worlde why as though ye yet liued in the worlde are ye led with traditions Touche not taste not handle not â–ª whiche all perish thorowe the very abuse after the commaundementes and doctrines of men We graunte and confesse that we haue put downe yea and that worthely certayne supersticious Idolatrous holy dayes as the feasts of Thomas Becket that trayterous Rebell of Dunstone that wicked Nichromancer of Austen that superstitious and Popish Monke with such like notwithstanding the SoÌ„dayes and all such feastes as be grounded in the word of God bringyng vnto our remembraunce the actes of Christ and of his Saintes we not supersticiously but freely and religiously obserue and kepe accordyng to the libertie whiche is geuen vs in the Gospell by Christ. Other matters there are wherin the Papystes finde great faulte with the Protestantes whiche may be answered as easely as we haue done these aforesaid For we haue rehearsed the chief principall of what force strength they be who seeth not But forasmuche as they make the simple and ignoraunt people beleue that if these thinges be taken away the whole Religion of Christ falleth downe and vtterlye perisheth the people being persuaded that they are not tryfling traditions of meÌ„ but the graue and weyghtie ordinaunces of God And that therfore as an other Atlas they with their shulders holde vp the olde and auncient Catholyke Religion whiche otherwise would fall to ruine and vtter decay I pitieng and much lamenting the miserable state of the simple blinde and ignoraunt Christians so wretchedly seduced thorowe the suttle and craftye persuasions of these most suttle and craftye hypocrites which being in deede greuous and rauenyng wolues clothe themselues with shepes apparell that they may the easelier make a rauine and spoyle of the Christen flocke I haue thought good to declare and shewe out of Chronicles and Hystories who were the Authors and inuentours of all these tryfling tradicions drowsie dreames and idle inuentions whiche heretofore haue bene counted for true Religion and Gods seruice Agayne at what tyme or yeare of our Lorde euery one of their beggarly ceremonyes were thruste into the Churche that by thys meanes suche as will open their eyes and no more be obstinatly blynde may easely perceaue and see how wickedly the wicked and Popish hypocrites haue in tymes past seduced and receaued the simple poore Christians while they haue made them beleue that whatsoeuer is done in their Churche is diuine seruice and God is hyghlye pleased therwith contrarye to thys saying of Christe They worship me in vayne teaching doctrines whiche are the commaundementes of men and that to leaue these thinges vndone is deadly sinne and worthye great punishement A Priest to rede the Gospell at Masse without candle lyght to receaue the Sacramentall wine without minglyng of water to say Masse abrode without a Superâ—ltare Againe the Lay man to come vnto the Lordes table without shrifte and absolution at the Priests hand not to beare a candle on Candlemasse daye not to take ashes in Lent not to beare Palmes on Palme Sonday not to crepe to the crosse on good Fridaye not to abstayne from fleshe on Fridayes other fasting dayes with a thousand such like was counted a greater offence among the Papistes than to transgresse and breake any of the commaundements of God It may worthily be sayd to them as Christe sayde to the Pharesees and Scribes Well Prophecied Esay of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lippes but their hearte is farre fro me Howbeit in vayne do they serue me teaching the doctrines and commaundementes of men For ye lay the coÌ„maundements of God a part and obserue the constitutions of men c. Ye cast aside the commaundement of God to maintaine your owne constitutions There is almost no constitutions no decree no ceremonye no Papisticall secte nor any other tradition appertaining to Churche ware and Romishe religion whiche I haue not both diligently and painefully sought out of Chronicle writers
If any mā do infringe break transgresse contemne and condemne this our ordinance euerlasting damnation hang ouer his head and the holy and chiefe apostles of God Peter and Paule be his enemies and immortal foes both in this world and in the world to come yea perish mought he in the lowest part of hell and so be damned for euer and euer withe the deuill and all the wicked Furthermore this Emperoure as the Romanists fayne when he hadde made this donation to the Churche of Rome plucked of the imperial crown made of moste fine golde garnished w t all kind of precious stones pearles and iewels from his own heade and set it vpon pope Siluesters pate for the reuerence y t he bare to s. Peter caused y e Romish bishop to be set vpon a costlye richely appareled palfrey to be solemnely caried aboute thorow the citie of Rome in the presence of al y e citizēs y e Emperour himself running on foote like a lacky by the Popes side holding his horses bridle in his hāde as a most vile page These thinges done y e Emperour Constantine departed from the West parts of the world which he had now giuē ouer to Pope Siluester and to his successors for euer to be s. Peters patrimony with all the priuileges emoluments commodities profites of the same and wēt himselfe into y e East partes euen vnto the citie Bizantium which being in great ruine he repared and amplified beautifying it with many noble and sumptuous buildings called it Constantinople according to his name He caried also with him almost al the noble men of the Romanes and the whole order of y e Senatours with their wiues children bicause the pope and his complices as it maye appere shuld haue elboughroume inough as few to trouble his holines as might be In the yere c. 315. Bartolomaeus Picerius de monte arduo Ioānes Laziardus Edic Constant Policronicon c. But how vayne false forged lying and counterfayte this bragging of the papistes is concerning the donation of the emperoure Constantine to the Sea of Rome and the supremacye of that Romishe bishop aboue all other bishops yea aboue Emperors Kings Princes c. diuers faythful learned expert writers do aboundantly testify Nicolaus de causa Laurentius Valla Antoninus Archiep. Florent Volateranus Hieronimus Paulus Cathalanus Albertus Crantzius Huldrichus Huttenus c. But this is the properti of the papists alwaies to father theyr lies theyr idle inuentions theyre drowsye dreames theyr croked constitutions theyr diuelish decrees c. Upon such as liued manye yeares before and vpon suche as were mē in theyr dayes of great learning and vertue that by this meanes theyr trifeling traditions might seme to be of the greter autority in the eies of the simple and vnlearned people so althoughe plaine erroures yet at y e last thorow the colour of antiquity be receiued for moste manifest verities vndoubted truthes Notwithstāding this must we nedes cōfesse which thīg the histories doe also testify that after y e church of Rome was endowed with temporal possessiōs it was euer after more studiouse of y e world thā of god of secular businesse thā of spiritual excercises of outward pomp pride ▪ thā of inward deuotiō christen holines of making their owne traditions and degrees than of setting forth gods holy commaundements lawes of enriching themselues than of edifyinge the flock of Christ so that not without a cause it is written y t what time the Church receaued temporal possessions y e olde enemy cried with a loude voice in y e ayer This daye is poison shed forth into the Church of Christ. Therfore saint Ierome in vitas patrum saith Sithens that holye Church encreased in possessiōs it hath decreased in vertues according to this cōmon saying Religio peperit diuitias Filia deuorauit matrē y t is to say Religion brought forth richesse the daughter hath deuoured the Mother Polichron Moreouer the Papistes fayne that the aforesaid Siluester being Byshop of Rome the councell of Nice gaue thys priuilege to the Byshop of Rome that he should be aboue all other Byshops as y e emperour is aboue al other kings and that he should be called Pope that is to say the chiefe father or the father of fathers But this is so false that nothing can be more contrary to y e truth For in the councel of Nice which was celebrate by the commaundemente of Constantine the Emperour in y e yeare of oure Lorde .iii. C.xxiiii where also wer present and gathered together .iii. C. xviii Bishops and holy fathers it was determined that the Byshops of Alexandria Antiochia and vniuersally all other primates should haue al the gouernance preheminence of al y e countryes that were nere vnto them as y e byshop of Rome had in Italy c. We will say they y t the old custome and manner shal continue in Egipte Libie and Pentapali which is that y e Bishop of Alexandria shal haue gouernaunce and rule ouer all these for tha◠there is a lyke custome for y e Byshop of Rome In like manner we wil that at Antioche other prouinces euery one shal haue their due honour Moreouer when Faustinus Legate to the byshop of Rome alleaged in y e sixte councell Cartaginense that the bishop of Rome ought to haue the ordering of al great matters in al places by his supreme authoritie he alleaged no scripture for him for at that tyme no scripture was thought to make for it but he alleaged vntruely the fyrst general councell Nicene in whiche Arrius the heretyke was condemned to make for that purpose Which after y e boke was brought forth no suche article found in it but the contrary yet the councel at that tyme sent to Constantinople Alexandria and Antioche where y e Patriarchall Sees were to haue the true copy of y e Councell Nicene which was sent vnto them also frō Rome whether thei sent also for that purpose And after they found no suche article in it but in the fyrst chapter therof the contrary that al causes ecclesiastical shuld eyther be determined within y e diocesse or els if any wer greued thē to appeale to the Councell prouinciall and there the matter to take full end so that for no such causes men shoulde goe out of there prouince y e whole councell Cartaginense wrote to Celestine at y e tyme being Byshop of Rome that since the councell Nicene had no such article in it as was vntruely alleaged by Faustinus but the contrary they desired hym to abstayne after to make any more such demaunde denouncing vnto him that they woulde not suffer any cause great or smal to be brought by appeale out of their countrey therupon made a lawe that no man shuld appeale out of the countrey of Aphricke vpō paine to be denounced accursed Wherewith the
the second confirmed the hauing of Images in churches and did not only excommunicate the Emperoure for abolishing of images but he also most trayterously stirred vp his subiectes to rebell against him In the yeare c. 729. Blondus Chron. Pope Constantine gathered a councel at Rome against Phillip y e Emperour wherin he condemned the Emperour for destroying Images and made a decree for the establyshement of them in churches In the yere c. 769. Plat. Pol. Pope Gregory the thyrd made a law y t Images shoulde not onelye be had in churches as lay meÌ„s bokes but y t they also shoulde be worshipped and had in greater reuerence than euer they were before that whosoeuer were of a contrary opinion he should be condemned for an heretike In the yeare c. 740. Sigis. Blond Plat. Sabel Here maye all men learne to iudge with what spirite these Romishe Byshops are led whiche notwithstanding call them selues moste holye fathers Christes vicares in earth Peters successors holye Churche the spouse of Christe that pillare of truthe whiche cannot erre Pope Gregory the fyrst as you hearde admitted Images into Churches as laye mens Calenders or bookes but by no meanes to be worshypped Whiche also is more than can be proued lawfull by the worde of God Notwithstandynge nowe commeth this most holy father Pope Gregory the third and he appointeth Images not only to be in Churches as lay mens bookes but also to be worshipped that is to saye to kneele vnto theÌ„ to sense them to garnish theÌ„ with costly vestures to set vp candles before theÌ„ to go pilgrimage vnto theÌ„ to pray before them and to geue theÌ„ suche honor as by no meanes is due either to stock or stone The wordes of Pope Gregory the first are these coÌ„cerning y t not worshipping of images writteÌ„ in a certein epistle vnto Serenus Bishop of Massilia which did not only take away Images out of the churches wheÌ„ he see the people worshyp theÌ„ but he also brake theÌ„ all on peces breÌ„t theÌ„ It was sayth he declared vnto vs that thou beholdiÌ„g certain worshippers of images diddest break also cast away the same images out of the church Verely we coÌ„meÌ„d thy zele that thou woldest haue no man to worship that is made with haÌ„ds but yet we think Note good reader y t this Pope doth not playnely affirme by the autority of Gods worde y t images ought not to be destroied but only bringeth forth his owne thinking we thinke sayth he that thou oughtest not to haue broken those images For the pycture vnto this ende is set vp in the churches that suche as be vnlearned should at the least by seyng and beholdyng those Images reade on the walles that they are not able to rede on bookes c. Lib. 7. Epist. 109. Both Epiphanius and S. Austen numbreth among heretikes a certayne woman called Marcella whiche worshipped the images of Iesus of Paule c. and offered incense vnto them Here doth Pope Gregory the first with the coÌ„sent of Epiphanius and S. Austen condemne the iudgement of Pope Gregory the thirde concerning the worshipping of Images Where is nowe the spirit of vnitie become wherof these holy Fathers bragge so greatly Pope Stephen the thirde decreed that Images shoulde not onely be had in Churches but that they also should be senced In the yeare of our Lord. 772. Sigeb Plat. Voâ—at Pope Leo the thirde Pope Iohn the seuenth Pope Adrian the first with other made also decrees for y e establishment of Images in Churches as witnesse Sabel Paulus Aemilius Sigeb Plat. Volat. Fasci Temp. Pope Paule the first bearing rule Pipine king of FrauÌ„ce caused a Councell to be asseÌ„bled and called together concerning the hauyng and worshipping of Images where many learned men were present among whom there was greate contencion some accordyng to the Popes former decrees defendynge both the hauyng and worshippyng of Images some after y e doctrine of gods word vtterly condemning both the hauing and worshipping of Images affirming that it is directly agaynste the worde of God in the Temples of the Christians to set vp Images whiche should be nothing els than stumblyng blockes vnto the rude and simple people and great prouocations vnto Idolatry Notwithstandyng the Papistes and supersticious Hipocrites did beare suche a route and rule in that Sinode that the matter was coÌ„cluded on their syde so that from henceforth it shoulde be lawfull both to haue to worship Images not only of Christ but also of all saintes in Churches or els where although the expresse worde of God the exaÌ„ples of the primatiue Churche the iudgement of diuers godly learned men teach the coÌ„trary IoaÌ„ Laziard A certaine wicked woman Empressâ— of Greece called Iraene at the request of Pope Theodorus gathered together at the Citie Nice a swarme of Bishops to the number as they write of CCCL In the whyche Councell was also decreed that Images shoulde be had in Churches In tho yeare of oure Lorde 695. Blondus Plat. Eutropius Polid. Pantaleon c. But thys decreâ— lasted not longe For the Emperour Constantine the sixt her sonne seynge the greate abhomination that came by Images so sone as he came to rule brake that decree and made a strayght lawe agaynst the â—auynge of Images in places where Christen men come together to praye But the wycked woman hys Mother afterwarde thorowe the crafty councell of the blooâ—dy Papistes founde the meanes to apprehende her sonne to depryue hym of hys Empyre to put out hys eyes and to cast hym into prisoon where he most miserably dyed Oh vnnaturall Mother yea O vnnatural monsture Afterwarde thys dounghel of Idolatry and superstition set vp agayne her Idoles and mahomets But when Nicephorus came to the Empire he did not onely put her down caste her into prison where she by the ryghtuous iudgement of God most vilesy dyed accordynge to thys saying of our Sauioure Christ With what measure ye mette vnto other with the same shall it be mette to you agayne but he also destroied al her poppets suffryng no images to remayne in the temples whiche order all the Emperoures of Greece obserued euer after as hystoryes make mention except one Theodorus Lascaris whiche at a certayne councell holden at Lugdune agreed to the Byshop of Rome in admittyng Images But hys subiectes therefore depryued hym both of hys Empire and dignity Barthol Westmerus Certaine godly Ciuile lawes agaynste the hauing of Images in Churches with the aduise consent and iudgemeÌ„t of diuerse godly learned men LEo the third Emperoure of Grece assembled together at Bizance three hundred thirtie godly learned Bishoppes whiche with one consent agreable to the worde of God decreed with the assent of the Emperour and of the nobilitie that al Images should be takeÌ„ out of churches and burnt openly Moreouer the Emperoure himselfe at Constantinople threw out of the temples all the Images