authoritie and Scripture you haue bene tyed Farewell and iudge of me as these my writings deserue Examini iudicio verae ecclesiae quae fidelium sanctorum electorum societas est communio constans fide spe dilectione ac spiritu Christi hoc ego opusculum humiliter ac demissè subijcio I doe with humilitie and lowlinesse submit this small worke to the iudgement and examination of the true Church which is the society and communion of the faithfull holy and elected the same being knowen and agreeing in fayth hope charitie and the spirite of Christ Appollodorus Good men vse fewe wordes neyther needeth the truth much babling ¶ A Copie of a Letter sent by the Emperor vnto the Pope ¶ Fredericke by the grace of God the Romaine Emperour alwayes imperiall vnto Adrian bishop of the catholike Church sendeth greeting willing him to stand vnto all those things which Christ began to doe and to teache THe law of Iustice doth restore vnto euery maÌ„ that vvhich is his ovvne neyther doe vvee anye iniurie vnto our parentes vnto vvhome vvithin this our Realme vve doe exhibite due honor and from vvhoÌ„ as our progenitors vve haue receiued the dignity of our realm and crovvne Is it founde that Siluester Byshop of Rome in the time of Constantine the Emperor had any Kingly possession or authoritie for thorovv the permission of the Emperors godlye affection the liberty of the church vvas graunted peace vvas restored what Princelye thing soeuer your popedome is knovvne to haue the same you do hold through the liberalitie of Princes Therfore vvhen vve vvrite vnto the Bishop of Rome by good right and of olde vve doe vvrite first our ovvne name and that he so doe as the rule of iustice is vvriting vnto vs vve graunt Pervse the chronicles and if you haue neglected the thing you reade that vvhich vvee alledge you shall finde it there But of those vvhich belong vnto God by adoption and doe holde anye Kingly thing of vs vvhy maye not vve demaund homage and othe due vnto a prince seeing the appointer of vs and of you receyuing nothing of a man that is a king but yeelding euerie good thing vnto al payd for himselfe and for Peter the tribute due vnto Caesar giuing therby vnto you example to do the like and so he teacheth you saying learne of mee for I am meeke and humble in heart VVherefore let such eyther restore vnto vs our princelye possessions or if they adiudge these things profitable let them pay vnto God that vvhich is Gods and vnto Caesar that vvhich is his Also vnto your Cardinals the Churches be shut the cities are not open and that bicause vvee see them not to bee preachers but spoylers not peace-makers but mony catchers not the redressers of the vvorld but the vnsatiable scrapers of gold Yet vvhen vvee shall perceyue them to be such as the churche requireth vvhen they proue to be peacemakers vvheÌ„ they vvill giue light vnto their countrie and vvhen they vvill assist the cause of the humble in equitie then loe shall vvee ayde them vvith necessary stypendes and safecoÌ„ducts But you haue not a little offended agaynst humility vvhich ought to be the keper of your vertues meeknes vvhen you set forth vnto secular persons such questions as are very small furtherance vnto religion VVherefore let your fatherhoode foresee vvhiles you moue thinges vvhich vvee adiudge vnvvorthy least you bee an offence vnto those vvho as vnto a latevvard shoure are desirous to yeelde their eares vnto your mouth For vve can not but aunsvvere the things vvee heare vvhen vvee see the detestable beast of Pryde to haue crept euen vnto the seate of Peter And in thus doing vve doe alvvaies vvel prouide for the peace of the Church Fare you alvvays vvell FINIS Seene and allowed according to the order appointed Anno. 1568. Aeneas Sylae lib. 3. c. Note An obiection The answere Aug. lib. 20. de ciuitate dei 1. Iohn 1. Ecclesi 4. Aug. Ecclesi 4. Philip. 12. Cicero Ieremie 3. Marc. 10. Eth. lib. 7. Lib. de patientia Augustin Ezechiel 18 Hieronym Math. 6. Cyprian 1. Tim. 1. Aug. lib. retract â–ª Ibidem An obiection â–ª An answere Act. 9. c. Li. confes 6. Eccl. hist â–ª lib. 3. Fortun. Ep. Aug. exhort Lib. 2. de vnico baptisme Psal 77. Osee Abac. 2. Const prou Oxon. Statut. Henrici 4. Cyprian c. Io. Peckham Cant. Archiep. Greg. Maur Aug. Ibidem Gregorie was chosen Anno domini â–ª 591. Gregor Archiep. Cant. Io. Peckham Gregor Venantio c. De consid ad Eug. Supremacy Salomon 1. Pet. 4. Luc. 1. Luc. 14. Marc. 10. Ambrose â–ª Apoc. 13. Ecclesi 13. Mantuan Ibidem Prou. 20. 1. Pet â–ª 2. 1. Tim. 2. 1. Reg. 12. 24. q. 1. haec est fides c 35. q. 9. veniam Ex dictis Bonifaciâ— Ibidem Ex decret Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Barthol Brixiensis Clomens Imperator Petro glorios prep Iustin. Ioanni viro c. Iustin Anâ— thenio sanctiss c. Gregorius Eulogio episcopo Alexandrino Idem Mauritio Augusto Nauclerus Anno domini 604. Greg. Eulogio Anastasio Greg. Ioanni episcopo Constanti Esay 14. Luc. 2â— Marc. 10. Math. 20. Esay 14. Math. 16. Behold how this place is abused Ambrose Esay 6. Marc. 1. Ioan. 21. Note how this place is peruerted Math. 10. Math. 17. Wey howe this place is wrested Dem. ex orat de fal legat Cicer pro M. Caelio Luc. 22. Se howe this place is misvsed Marc. 14. Ibidem Luc. 22. Ibidem Ioan. Esay 14. An obiection Ioan. 7. An answere Actes 7. Ioan. 7. Ieremi 5. Dist. 38. c X. q. 1. placuit Ierem. 8. An obiection The answere Isidor Chrysost Herodian Anno domini 194. An obiection The answere Philip. 2. Symmachus papa Gregorie Concil To letan Purgatory Arist. Allen in the defence of Purgatorie Malach. 3. Titus 2. 1. Cor. 3. Ibidem Ibidem Allen. c. Lib. de ciuit dei 13. cap. 8. The supper of our Lord. Cyprian August I. Cer. II. Ioan. 6. Aug. in exposition Psalm 8. The body of Christ is not consecrated nor yet the bread Aske them then what is consecrated Sand August In Epist. ad Ephesios Augustin Of the translation of holy scripture into the vulgar tongue Hieron Hieron in praefat in lib. Iudith Ioan. 6. Hieron Hieron in PentateuchuÌ„ Moysi Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Rom. 10. Esay 55. Act. 8. Psal 18. Valla. 1. Corin. 14. Iudg. 5. 1. Corin. 14. Ephes 5. Coloss 3. Psalm 9. Ad parentiam comit Arrian Concil Toletan An obiection The answere Iohn 6. Ephes 4. Aug. lib. de baptism peruul Act. 15. Ibidem An objection The answere Sand. Ibidem Ex decret Ex decret c. Hard. Ibidem In Eunuch Aldiberto regi Anglorum Aug. interrog ad Gregor 1. Cor. 7. An obiection The answere in Salust Laert. li. 6. Fasting Esay 58. Ibidem Daniel â— Math. 6. Ibidem Ex â—…ecret Hieron Prayers 1. Cor. 14. Augustin Ex constitut Math. 6. Ibidem Penance Leo. Ambros in serm quaedrages Ibidem Aug. ad FelicianuÌ„ Psalm 32. Psalm 34. Math. 3. 4. Daniel 9. 1 â–ª Tim. 2. Hieron Almes Gregor Antiochen episcopo Idem Syagrio epis Ibidem Augustin Gen. 4. Eccle 34. Prouerb 15. Luc. 12. AdGal 6. An obiection The answere Peckham Cantuar. Lindewode An obiection The answere Heb. 11. Ibidem Iustification Rom. 3. Rom. 4. Augustin Ad Iren. Iam. 2 Act. 15. De spirit â–ª litera Gala. 2. Alfons Virues Hispanus Mariage De bono vid. Idem contra aduers legum prophet 1. Tim. 4. Gen. 2. Deut. 52. Malach. 6. Tob. 6. Ibidem Hebr. 13. Ibidem Isidor de dist nou vet testamen 1. Cor. 7. Hieron Tripart hist. Concil Gangren Anno domini 1073. Damas Hieron Math. 8. Leo. 9. contra epistolam Nicet Abbatis De bono coniug ad Iul. Nauclerus Canon Apostolorum Syn. 6. Theotist patrit Hieron in Leuit. Math. 16. 1 Nauclerus Ioan. 10. Stobaeus serm 34. Nauclerus
of dealing which yet I so little feared as were the punishment neuer so harde were it neuer so great I was contented yea verye willing felt I my selfe to abide it But in steade of extremity it is best to confesse the troth I founde much clemencie I founde in those whome before I lytle regarded great wisedome good learning much grauitie Which thing as I did at the first in a maner vnwillinglie so rooted was the disease consider so in time how I know not I began somewhat better to lyke it So that oftentimes weying the iudgement of the learned men that talked with mée to be short waying all and indifferentlye wyth my selfe I was diuerselye minded a maruaile it was that one mynde in one bodie shoulde be so wauering my thought was mooued my hart was in a maner amazed it made me to thinke vpon the estate of Augustine who forsaking the Manichees stood at a stay somewhat doubting which way to take Here what shoulde I doe I desired méekelie that God woulde strength me in the true fayth that he woulde vouchsafe of his great mercie to open the knowledge vnto me of the right way And what folowed anone I was minded to examine better and with good héede to consider which thing hithervnto I might not away with the writings of such as before I mislyked detested abhorred Mée thought also that in reading of mans workes the Scripture onely excepted men might by good reason vse the gift that God gaue them their discretion their owne iudgement specially in things dissonant from holy scripture Yea were he Augustine Ambrose Hierome or any other were he of neuer so great antiquitie neuer so learned had he written neuer so great volumes yet lawfull I sawe it was that we might say as Papias the scholer of S. Iohn the Euangelist did say Non multa dicentibus sed vera tradentibus auscultandum est we must hearken and obey those which set forth the truth not that say or write much Wherevnto S. Augustine himselfe did also in these wordes much further me Neyther shoulde we so esteeme the writinges of men although they bee Catholique and good as the Canonicall scriptures and as though it were not lawfull for vs sauing the reuerence due vnto such to reproue some things in their writinges and to refuse it if we fortune to fynde that they haue thought otherwyse than the truth doeth allowe and the same through the deuine helpe beeing better vnderstanded by other or by vs. Againe concerning the reading of bookes or talke to be had with the contrarie side for all is one Ye coulde sayeth he at no time allowe anye thing in vs your Byshoppes with whome wee talked would neuer peaceablye reason with vs flying as it were to talke with sinners Who can away wyth this pride as though the Apostle Saint Paule talked not with sinners yea and wyth men passing euill Touching also the wryting and decrées of any Byshop yea the Byshop of Rome is not here excepted thus he sayth We may argue and doubt of the writings of any byshop whosoeuer he be but we may not so doe of the holy scripture By any thing therefore hither-vnto done iudge gentle reader indifferentlie may I for alteracion in minde of rebuke and reproch be worthily thought guiltie I follow not mine owne phantasie I wauer not with the wynde the waight of reason of authoritie doth moue me So it followeth that when I was ridde from that superstitious scrupulositie wherein with others I was before ouer fast bounde when I felt my selfe at liberty to read with iudgement and to iudge the things I read with the holy scriptures the very touchstone of truth whē I perceyued it lawfull to pervse ouer the doings of eyther side then felt I loe my minde much eased and my conscience from that lumpish burthen wherewith it was before much cumbred nowe in a maner released Then so can the right hande of the most highest chaunge all felt I my studie to prosper the blacke cloudes to vanish away and the light of the bright Sunne to shine and appeare I will not speake much of fond gloses howe vnsauerie they began nowe to seme how the one contraried the other how few or none went faithfullye to worke Of fables of dreames of spirites and spitefull deuises of iugling miracles of feyned fiers of peruerse prophecies of christianitie and godlinesse most vngodly prophaned what should I say truely if we deale indifferently hauing a regard vnto the blyndnesse that raigned and vnto the enormities wherwith the world was ouerwhelmed we may well saye non est veritas non est misericordia non est scientia dei in terra there is no truth there is no mercye there is none that knoweth God vpon earth For was there any truth when toyes when stones when stickes when earth when ashes were adoured where was mercy when threatnings when force and when tyrannie preuayled who knew God when Gods worde was obscured and God himselfe scarcelye remembred when blockes were blessed when mothes and wormes when rust and canker was reuerenced Wo vnto him that sayth vnto a péece of wood arise vnto a dumbe stone stande vp For what instruction can such giue go we then vnto the former time let truth be sayde what finde we there superstition Idolatrie murther disobedience pride blindnesse deceit enuye hate whoredome and a verye heape of iniquitie This I speake not of heate but out of histories I report me also to the indifferent consciences of good people whether in the seruing of God there was any abuse yea whether any thing was almost in his right vse I report me to the whole worlde whether the church of Christ hath bene of a long time assaulted with diuerse and great offences or no whether she hath bene and that almost from the beginning besieged with auarice hypocrisie with lust and intollerable impietie to y e losse alas of many a christen soule or no. Some there were alwaies though in number fewe and though their workes were throughe the malicious pollicies of the aduersaries spoyled burnt and defaced that spake and wrote against wickednesse against sinne against abuses and against if I may vse the tearme honestly the beastlye life of the Clergie all ought to haue so done if any therefore nowe doe it shoulde he be misliked ought he to be reprehendeded is it reason that with Phocion he feele so much iniurie The Gospell was preached here in Englande euen when the foggie myst of ydolatrie was thickest which thing thoughe it appéere not so playne vnto vs why should we maruaile for were not the bookes by the aduersaries spoyled were not translations forbidden incurred not he the penaltie of the greatest excommunication who translated anye booke chapiter or sentence of the holye scripture into the englishe tongue and yet for all their burnings spoilings forbiddings and excommunicating we haue testimonies inough that the truth was here preached that
very Epicure Liberius likewise was an horible heretike an Arrian yet B. of Rome I report of them as I finde it in the bookes written by the Popes owne friends Thus for my parte touching reason they finde me so reasonable that I answere and yet vse their owne reason But shall we nowe sée what authoritie they haue for reason wée perceyue they haue none and who the chiefest champions be that defende this primacie you may not thinke but that there are many of them yet what they are that is to be considered They be no Apostles nor yet disciples of Christ they bée the Popes of Rome themselues their Cardinals their Bishops their Doctors their dearlings their hirelings they be those whose necks were vnder the yoke either therevnto allured through gifts faire promises and flatterie or forced throughe feare or through ouermuch simplicitie blinded and seduced who so drewe forth and vphelde the pompous chariot of iniquitie And that I sée me not to vtter vntruth that the thing may appeare they were Stephanus Iulius Pelagius Symmachus with such like all being bishops of the Sée of Rome The case in controuersie is their owne they maye not bee their owne iudges in that their owne lawe is against them For I am sure indifferent Reader that in a controuersie betweene thée an other thou wouldest not willingly be tried by the defendant thine aduersarie And could the Pope except he were his owne iudge maintaine his primacie No. And therefore being better aduised they make this law that the Bishop of Rome may iudge all but he may be adiudged of none And who made it Innocētius Antherius Gelasius And what were they Bishops of Rome If therefore they prouided for their owne preferment coulde you blame them Naye you may in no wise blame them though they carie these bée their owne wordes an innumerable sort of people with them by heaps into hell And why bicause they doe iudge al but none maye iudge them I vse Christen reader no deceit they be their owne words wey thē with indifferencie I aske no more it shall doe thée good so to doe Doubtlesse it is both a pleasure and also a great griefe vnto him that hath eies and vnderstanding to sée their lawes to beholde their authorities a pleasure it is for that he seeth their fonde iuglinges being himselfe free from their filthie bondage and trumperie A great griefe it is to see men and those men which be our brethren and are called Christians to be so much giuen to blindenesse addicted to follye and so further such subiectes vnto the seruitude of so intollerable a wickednesse Wel consider we more of their lawes and let vs consider them indifferentlye For at the first beginning of their pontificall prowde kingdome they thought good to ordeine lawes that so vnto vs at this time their aunswere for lacke of reason and scripture might yet be Nos legem habemus c. We haue a law ▪ and by this law we defend our doings and fréedome by this we rule by this we raign And what be their lawes ouer vile to abhominable I warrant you They be these The Pope be he neuer so euill yet must you coniecture and ghesse him to be good Though we know him to be lewd yet lo we must ghesse that he is not so O execrable blindnesse The Pope graūteth the authoritie of the sword that is of a Princely gouernement Is not this a passing pride The Pope is not only in spirituall causes the chiefe but also in temporall O mightie ioly Monarch The Pope hath all lawes O hollow place and not holie conteyned within his breast No man maye hate him Take héede of that you may not mislike him He may dispense in things contrarie vnto the Apostles No maruaile for that is the right propertie of Antichrist All questions concerning faith he must determine And must he be the very touchstone shall holye scripture be so excluded His mynde is to bee preferred before all the bishops In déede that is the next waye to reigne Of manslaughter or adulterie he may in no wise be accused No though he be neuer such a whoremonger though he murther neuer so many Yea and that we should go into hell in déede there to beare him companie their law is that we must follow him we must kill if he kill we must do as he doth Et sperent te tartararegem Must wée serue him in hell He may not looke for Rhadamanthus place he is no such Executor of iustice Let him take heede that he come not vnder Tisiphones handes With the rest of their lawes what shoulde I trouble thée they are if it maye be than these a great deale worse I will not much scan vppon their impietie there is no person that can reade the thing vprightlye considered but will and may regarde them accordingly Onely thus much I say if pride if couetousnesse if desire alone and onelye to raigne hath bene the grounde and was the verie cause why such lewd lawes were made if Sathan was the subtile secretary therin why trouble we our selues why torment we our consciences why care we ought for them we see his authoritie let his pardons alone haue not to doe with his dispensations Papa quandoque nimium papaliter dispensat The Pope thus saieth his owne Lawyer doth sometimes too popishly dispense What authorities the bishop of Rome hath specially to maintain his estate you haue heard Now what authorities be against him let his friendes be contented to heare I will be briefe I wil not be partiall To begin I néede not with the primitiue estate of Christ his Churche wherein we can finde no such primacie no superiority amongst the Apostles who then all hauing receyued the holye ghost alike did preache the Gospell and so faithfully did set forth the truth without pride without chalence of the highest roome or once mention of any supreme heade to be had or exercised among them Let the Popes owne authorities preuayle let his euidences be seene are not the wordes thereof these Although Peter Iames and Iohn were preferred by our Sauiour in a maner aboue the rest yet claymed not they any glorie or title of primacie and shal then the Pope claime that which Peter neyther would nor could not In the time first of Cyprian we reade that certaine lewde Priests being worthily condemned by the Bishops of Aphrica ranne to Rome that by the Bishop there they might haue the matter farther discussed Ciprian findeth great fault with the hearing of them and writeth thereof vnto Lucius then bishop of Rome saying that vnto euery bishop a portion of Christes flock is committed who shall render accordingly an account for the same and that therefore these men ought to be tried as in dede they were in Aphrica and that by and vnder their owne bishops he writeth likewise at large concerning the same and
of Christians acknowledge y e truth that you sée embrace true and playne doctrine detest falshood abhorre foolish wrangling and wicked wresting of Scriptures Hither vnto haue we spoken of the abuses of the Church of Rome of the vsurped supremacie of their painted vaine Purgatorie and of their carnall vnderstanding of Christ his wordes spoken at his last supper But nowe wee will brieflye treate of the translation of holy Scripture into the vulgare tongue of singing of Psalmes and of such like things as they shal occurre which now are by Satan reprooued by his ministers repugned and by his chiefe defenders resisted And herein that I maye be indifferent I will vse such authorities as let Satan doe his worst must néedes be allowed Much a do many now make bicause they sée the holy Scriptures to be in the English tongue and that to the comfort and saluation of many a thousande But what trow yée is the cause that they finde themselues therein so much grieued Oh therein lieth the verie whole matter therein hangeth all the marring and making of their market For if the people once perceiue what superstition is will they thinke you be superstitious if they perceyue what Hipocrisie is will they be Hipocrites if they sée how hainous Idolatrie is wil they then succor Idolators if they beholde what blindenesse is will they delight in darkenesse if they doe vnderstand the ignoraunt abuses of times past will they perseuer still in ignorancie if they were deceyued blinded and moste shamefully abused will they then any longer followe dreames or delight in the couetous deuises of men when holy scripture is heard reade vnderstanded then are errors afraid lewd men amazed the deuil himself astonied This moued our forfathers to take great paines that y e scripture might be translated out of one tongue into another that so the more might vnderstand them that so the more might haue reade theÌ„ And touching any fault in our English translations if in some some thing be amisse who will maruel was not the truest auncient translation in the Latine corrupted and violated Doth not S. Hierome himself so say but I will answere such as pretende faults in our translation reade in the Church and except he defende himselfe well he is like to feele and yet I shall deale with him friendly of hys owne blowes And first I demaunde of him whether in a translation he would obserue the true sense or else séeke for y e Noune substantiue for Genders and Cases as hée hath done in the iudgement of all learned and good men the meaning of the author is to be folowed the hunting after words is not to be liked But what blameth he in our translation forsooth we haue not rightlye translated sayth he this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It should sayth he be englished in the sixt of Iohn to worke as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worke the meate Oh sir and why not labour for the meate what I praye you is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is it not victum quaerere to labour for ones liuing you see herein your ignorance your wylfulnes the one or both you sée our true dealing vnderstanding plainesse To the rest Qui manducat me ipse viuet propter me How englisheth he this Marrie he that eateth me he also shall liue for mee And what Englishe giue we vnto it he that eateth me shall liue by the meanes of mee I praye thée Christen Reader consider this and sée who goeth néerest vnto the text yea who hath the right meaning he or we Doe not we liue by the meanes of Christ what liue we for him and is not he liuing fie why erre ye so much by the meanes of the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why speake ye here so much of the Accusatiue case hath it not the selfe same signification sometimes in the Genitiue Againe Qui manducat hunc panem hee that eateth saye we of this bread Hee that eateth sayth he this Bread What difference I pray you is here what fault is in our traÌ„slation yea it is true sayth he himselfe to saye he that eateth of thys Breade Is it true why iarre you then why séeke you a fault where none is Also Cum accepisset Iesus panem gratias egisset fregit dedit discipulis ait Iesus sayth he hauing taken Bread giuen thanks or blessed brake and gaue to the Disciples sayd Sée so to speak it how vnsauery how without sense he translateth Iesus say we tooke Bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and gaue it to the Disciples and sayd How sayest thou indifferent Reader who hath here the plaine sense of Christ his words plainly vttered he or we but he findeth fault with this worde it and why bicause it is Christ his meaning and so it ouerthroweth all his writing Let him for he hath had to doe with his Pronounes and Rules as late as I though yet I teach let him I say aske this question whom or what and he shall find that it answereth vnto this question But he is accurst which moueth such childishe iangling specially treating of the mysteries of God Further. Hoc facite make sayth he this thing This saye we doe ye Doest thou gentle Reader vnderstande the Latine if thou doest without anye doubt thou must néedes detest his quarelling But will he compell me to doe as he doth to fall a construing facite doe ye hoc this What blame finde you in this what shall no shame moue you shall reason condemne you shall no honestie worke in you well what followeth in meam commemorationem for sayth he the remembrance of me In saye wée the remembrance of mee O Lorde howe playne this is be not these the English phrases for a mans sake in a mans remembrance and not in a mans sake for a mans remembraunce Who then giueth the truest English we or you Let vs go forwarde Communicatio sanguinis Christi communicatio corporis Why maymeth he the sentence why bicause the Cup and the Breade may not like him The sentence is this Calix benedictionis cui benedicimus nonne câ—mmunicatio sanguinis Christi est panis quem frangimus nonne participatio corporis domini est The Cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the partaking of the bloud of Christ and the Breade which we breake is it not the partaking of the body of Christ What fault woulde he finde here Marrie that we Englishe it partaking and haue not they themselues translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be participatio is it not so in the old translation what then can they make of participatio but partaking what remayneth wee being manye are one Breade Of sayth he the one Bread And what sayeth their owne translation vâ—us panis one Breade Good God! is it not a shame for one that would teach to be blamed in the thing which he himself blameth I know
this else to say than if one haue true faith it is impossible but he hauing time should haue good works What doth he else here but exhort them to shewe their fayth by their workes to shewe that they haue true fayth I will be briefe and so bring them herin to knowledge the truth Whatsoeuer purifieth the heart by that a man is iustified but fayth purifieth y e hart therefore by fayth a man is iustified Howe commeth a man to be iustified Marrie as S. Augustine sayth non per suas vires nequeper literam ipsius legis quod fieri non potest sed per fidem not through his owne strength not through the letter of the law which can not be but by faith What further testimonies theÌ„ nede we why should any arrogaÌ„tly arrogate vnto himself any supererogatioÌ„ We knowe sayth S. Paule that a man is not iustified by the dedes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ And therfore we haue beleued on Iesus Christ that wée might be iustified by the saith of Christ and not by the dedes of the law for by the dedes of the lawe no fleshe can be iustified These authorities bee so full agaynst the aduersaries the places bée so playne that will they nill they they must yéelde and therefore in these wordes they subscribe These witnesses doe not onely moue but also so farre further that we must confesse that wee haue the remission of our sinnes and iustification through faith by Christ Yea and that before faith there was in vs no good workes whereby we should deserue that faith which is the free gift of God Now we here sée that in this they confesse y e truth and that they knowledge the Scriptures if theÌ„ they afterwards deny it be that to their own daunger not to our deluding be it to their owne perill not to our poysoning if they to shewe their follye or to vtter their arrogancie doe passe this scope séeking by wresting the scriptures by shifts and subtilties to shadowe the truth let that redounde to their false dealing not to diminishe out faith to their iugling not to our vndoing Let this be vnto thée Christen Reader a watch worde wander not wyth them into the wyldernesse â–ª staye with the Scriptures at the standarde of truth let Paule perswade thée let not the Pope allure thee let an Apostle of Christ â–ª instruct thee let not an Apostata deceiue thée This much of iustification The next thing and the last which we nowe will defende is mariage wherein sayth S. Augustine if puritie bee kept damnation is not to be feared Deus masculum foeminam propagandi generis causa nuptiali castitate coniunxit GOD sayeth he coupled man and woman togither for the increase of mankynde in chast wedlock But what will one saye néede you to write in y e defence of mariage is there anye man that maye or meanes to impugne it yes Else had not the holye ghost spoken in Paule that in the latter times some shoulde giue héede vnto the spirite of errour and deuilish doctrine of them which speake false through hypocrisie and haue their consciences marked with an hote yron forbidding to marrie We wil therfore bring forth y e testimonies of holy scripture and that from the first institution of mariage against this deuilishe doctrine against these spirites of error against such as forbid to marrie After that Heauen and Earth the Sea and all that in them is were made after the creation likewise of man the Lord God cast a slumber on Adam and of one of his ribbes he made a woman and then he sayde For this cause shall a man leaue his father and mother and cleaue vnto his wyfe and they shall bee one flesh Such was the first estate of mariage it was instituted in Paradyse Here is no exception of anye man no excluding of any woman no cause is here shewed no prohibition is made but that all men maye marrie This holye institution was so allowed of all and euery where with such sinceritie receiued that if a man should be fouÌ„d lying with a woman that had a wedded husbande then they both shoulde be put to death The Prophet Malachie doth bitterly reproue him that putteth awaye or despiseth his wife Neither in Moyses nor yet in Malachie can we finde anye one worde to prohibite matrimonie Reade from the first of the Genesis vnto the last of the Apocalipse reade the first reade the last you shall finde in no place mariage prohibited or any kinde of person of what calling so euer excluded O how godly is the state of mariage set forth and howe to marrie in Tobias O that aswel the maried as the vnmaried woulde reade and well weigh it Consider chaste Sara who though she kept not companye with those that passe their time in sport yet an husband consented she to take not for hir pleasure but in Gods feare The Chamber vndefiled is commendable the estate of mariage is honorable But amongst whom amongst a sort a certaine a fewe No. Inter omnes amongst all This is spoken vniuersallye not particularlye If amongst all then why forbiddeth the Pope to marie why defendeth he that deuilishe doctrine why maintaineth he in any rather fornication than lawfull coniunction with what face can he set forth that it is lawfull for one to haue loco vxoris si coniux dâ—est concubinam in the steade of a wife and if he haue no wife a harlote If the Reader be indifferent then will hee deale indifferently For my part I promise before hand I will not be partiall I like the vnmaried I mislike not the maried I commend both if they follow their calling But yet be he Priest or anye other person the flesh is frayle if he cannot abstaine let him marrie For it is better to marrie than to burne it is better to haue an honest wife than a wicked harlot it is better to liue in holinesse than in whoredome If one marrie onelye to aduoyde fornication non tamen ideo nuptiae malae iudicantur yet is not mariage therefore counted euill Well when began this deuilish doctrine through which men are prohibited to marrie had it anye place within y e compasse of holy scriptures No. And that the Pope knoweth well ynough The question was moued in the Councell of Nice there they laboured that Priestes mariages shoulde not be lawfull But at that time stoode vp Panutius the confessor he there expressed the Scriptures he perswaded the whole Councell he caused them to reuoke their opinion so was it left in euery mans will mariage was still lawfull What was not this a decrée of their owne If anye doe this thinke of a maried Priest that he ought not by the meanes of his mariage to minister the Communion and so doth therfore mislike his ministring let him be accurst Here is the
of Hell it selfe if all the power and force of Satan shall not preuayle as in déede they can not against the Church of Christ howe then and with what face may y e bishop of Rome in whose person sinne hath triumphed and in whose religion hell hath reioyced how may he chalenge himselfe to be the head supreme and chiefe of that Church whome the holye ghost ruleth and ordereth whom he directeth vntill the consummation of the worlde in the waye of all perfection and truth if the Bishop of Rome be the head in what estate O Lord are the limmes what a monstruous bodie would that be And not to speak of the first heretike Nouatus qui à quibusdam sibi adherentibus sactus est Papa who by certain of his adherents was made Pope did not Marcellinus being bishop of Rome offer sacrifice vnto the Idols did not 2 Siluester which is a great fault for a hyreling flieth when he seeth the Woolfe come and forsaketh his shepe Did he not for feare of Maxentius flie vnto the hil Soracte which is .xx. myles from Rome did he not with a few of his Clergie neither he nor yet they regarding their poore shéepe there in a maner hide themselues was not 3 Liberius banished 4 and Foelix chosen Bishop was not Foelix displaced and Liberius againe receyued subscribed he not vnto the heresie of Arrius betwéene 5 Damasus which was accused of adulterie and 6 Vrsicinus much slaughter there was whiles both of them laboured with force and armes to enter into the Bishopricke Did not 7 Victor offende in cutting as they say from the vnitie of the Churche so great and so manye Churches doth not Ireneus reprehende him therfore the strife was great betweene 8 Bonifacius and 9 Eulalius they at one time both being chosen bishops of Rome To let passe 10 Sixtus which was accused by Passus did not 11 Anastasius fauor the heretike Achatius died he not in his error and miserably did not the Clergie withdraw themselues from him 12 Simmachus and 13 Laurentius were both chosen to be Bishops great contention was amongst them The lyke sturre was betwéene 14 Bonifacius and 15 Dioscorus Yea did not Bonifacius contrarie vnto all order choose 16 Vigilius to be his successor was not 17 Siluerius chosen by simonie was not 18 Pelagius elected contrarye vnto all former custome what broyle was there in the choosing of 19 Sergius what wickednes was wrought betwéene 20 Sisinius and 21 Dioscorus 22 Constantinus came to be bishop through ambition 23 Sabinianus was a very lewd man As for Pope 24 Ioane an honest woman she was What was 25 Stephanus an example of much mischiefe What crueltie vsed he towards the deade bodie of 26 Formosus what a wolf was 27 Christophorus what crueltie was in 28 Sergius it is horrible to heare what wickednesse was committed in a maner by twentie eyght Byshops of Rome Did not eyght Bishops raigne within the space of twelue yeares who had togither forsaken the steps of S. Peter What was 29 Iohn a verie monster he was slaine they say in his filthie adulterie What adoe was betwéene 30 Leo and 31 Benedictus Was not 32 Bonifacius a murtherer Was not 33 Iohn the .xv. a lowd man as for 34 Iohn the .xvij. his wickeducsse is horrible What was 35 Siluester the second a Coniurer In 36 Benedictus if his friendes write truly there was great fault What were not 37 Benedictus the .ix. 38 Siluester the .iij. and 39 Gregorie the .vi. at one time Bishops of Rome led they not yll lyues the one played the Bishop at S. Peters the second at S. Maries the third at S. Iohns 40 Damasus if they write the thing as it was intruded himselfe into the Bishoprick with méere force I will not speake of the warrier 41 Leo as he was a lewde Capitaine so had he euill lucke Betwéene 42 Benedictus and 43 Nicholas what sturr◠what a doe was kept the like was betwéene 44 Alexander and 45 Cadolus Touching 46 Gregorie he was excommunicated by the Bishops of Italie and why for simonie manslaughter and adulterie How great was the dissension betweene 47 Guibertus and 48 Paschal 49 Gelasius offended 50 Honorius became Bishop through ambition 51 Innosentius and 52 Anacletus contended for the dignitie 53 Eugenius forsooke his flocke So did 54 Pascall 55 Adrianus was to blame Lorde what debate was betwéene prowde 56 Alexander 57 Victor what should I shewe howe one Pope cursed another 58 Innocentius dydde lewdly 59 Calistus was a verie theefe I will omit dreaming 60 Iohn who promising vnto himselfe a long life was sodenlye slain with the fall of a chamber What was 61 Nicholas and 62 Bonifacius the one was vnthankful and cruell They both preferred rather their friends than such as feared God 63 Clemens was chosen by simonie What dissension was betwéene him and 64 Vrbanus 65 Bonifacius was yong and vnlearned With him did 66 Alexander contende What were not 67 Innocentius 68 Benedictus and 69 Gregorie all three at one time clayming and chalencing the dignitie Was not 70 Iohn a verie foole did not 71 Martinus and 72 Clemens contend at one time Did not 73 Eugenius forsake his flocke was not 74 Foelix a wicked and an ambicious man was not 75 Paulus lewde was not 76 Xystus vnprofitable I recken not vp one name twise if I haue declared that many of one name were lewde they were so they were sundrie men and sundrie Bishops Well is here all that were wicked bishops of Rome No. For a great number besides there were but touching these they are tried in a maner without study by their owne authorities to be such And shall these be the head of Christ his Church O Christ I commit the iudgement thereof to such as doe knowledge thée to such as in déede be Christians to such as vse some indifferency P Vae misero mihi mea nunc facinora Aperiuntur clam quae speraui fore My hidden faults be vttered now a wretch alas I am By Pride and fonde desire to raigne to passing shame I cam Psalm 1. Beatus est vir qui non abijt in concilio impiorum Happie is the man that followeth not the way of the wicked To the Reader YOV haue seene here what a number of lewde men were Bishops of Rome And yet some peraduenture will saye that their liues and wickednesse can stand in no force to barre them of their dignitie of their vsurped title of primacie No can Can any bee a member of Christ his Church who is so voyde of the holye Ghost that hee hath in him dwelling the right riches of Satan simonie I meane ambition pride murther and crueltie if such then maye not bee called a member howe shall wee tearme him how shall he claime to be the chief the head the supreme Iudge indifferentlye for so you shall profite your selues and easily be eased from the clog of bondage wherewith ▪ agaynst all reason good