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
¶ THE Hatefull Hypocrisie and rebellion of the Romishe prelacie ¶ By Lewys Euans ¶ Hieron ¶ Throughe the vnskilfullnesse therfore of teachers in the darkenesse of ignorance through blindenesse euoÌ„ a troupe of people haue erred in the streates for Whyle they giue theÌ„ selfes vnto the snares of plesures they haue not kept the righte pathe of the diuine preceptes ¶ Anno. M. D. LXX D. Boners woordes ¶ If thou at anye tyme heretofore haue doubted of the B. of Romes false pretenced supremacie as if thou haddest a good smelling nose and a sounde judgement I thinke thou dydest not yet hauinge reade ouer this which if thou fauour the truethe and hate the tyrannie of the Busshop of Rome and his Deuelishe fraudulent falshod shall doubtles wonderfullye content the throwe downe thine errour acknowledge the truethe now frelye offered the at length consideringe with thy selfe that it is better late to do so then neuer to repente D. Gardiners woordes ¶ All sortes of People are agreed vppon thys pointe with moste stedfast consent learned vnlearned bothe menne and women that no manner persone borne and brought vp in England hath ought to do with Rome All maner of People receaninge and embracinge the trueth do with one whole consent acknowledge honour and reuerence the Kinge for the supreme heade of the Church vppon earthe To the Reader WHAT KINde of Phisician is he gentle Reader that in tyme of a dangerouse sickenes will then ceasse to Minister hys remedies Phisicke what capitayn is he that wheÌ„ his enemies do muster wil theÌ„ either stand all amazed or els through cowardlyefeare will giue ouer the field what good Christian is he that wheÌ„ Antichrist by ragewold raigne will then either openlye renounce Christianitie or els in anye wise ceasse from the constante acknowlaiginge of the same if lewde lighte headdes shall rebell agaynst their soueraigne lady who o Lorde can but deteste them who can but abhorre them yea if they rebell against god autoritie who trowe ye can holde his peace where shall I beginne of what shall I fyrst speke is not their intente more then haynouse is it not moste hatefull who to the intente they might bring to passe theyr trayterous purposses will not sticke to paynte their baner with Ydolatry to trouble the comoÌ„ peace of this Realme to annoye asmuche as in them lyethe all good louinge and faythefull subiectes o the ende of necessite o the fruite of hatefull Ydolatrie we maye nowe well saye as the Doctour fryar Uincentius once sayde Dant vnam medicinaÌ„ cuilibet morbo scz missas c. They gyue one Medycine vnto euerye sickenesse that is masses c. And whye because bankrouteship must haue a couer riotousnesse muste haue somme defence treason must haue a cloake traytours will euer haue somme collour But God that seeth the inwarde partes and meaninges of men will detecte theyr Hypocrysye hee wyll putte into the heartes of Good people to defende the anoynted hee will endue his chosen with the knowlaig of his worde he will suppresse all tumultes he will worke accordinge vnto his secrete goodwill all for the best â–ª well to speke no more of such it is so ChristiaÌ„ reader that beinge of late in the vniuersite of Oxforde I herd ther not by any mean maÌ„ but by the learnest how myne aduersaries na how the truethes aduersaries had bruited that I had reuolted from the Gospell that I was agayne gonne beyonde the seas I hearde also â—ovve at my cominge to the Citie of Londen hovveyt vvas in the mouthes of manye that I vvas deade two tales yet neuer a one true alas beyond the seas what to doe Stultus populus quaerit Romam Folishe folkes flye to Rome I thinke it not wisedome in these dayes to flee from Eglande to a forraine realme I thinke it no godlinesse to leaue God to leane to Antichrist shall we flee from light to darkenesse from the Gospell to vayne gloses froÌ„trueth to falshoode from faithe to infidelitie from religion to superstition God forbidde For mine own part I se euery day more more the filthie fruites of the Romishe sinagogue and therfore in despight of satan saye mine enemies what they will thinke men as they liste it is the law of God that I professe it is traiterouse Papacie that I detest this is it which mo ued me at this time Gentle reader to set furthe these few leafes wherin we maye se the hipocrisie from time to time of the romayn prelacie wher by we may learne to be wise to knowe oure selfes to see theyr doynges to defie them but as for late time euon at the dissolucion of Abbevs if thou wilte knowe what was the lyues of the irreligeouse roagues if thou wilte vewe what holynes they were then of let vs consider certen of the monasteries put down let vs weyghe the honestie of somme for of all it were to muche At Windesore kepte not eyght of the Priestes twentie and niene harlates A Hollye whoredome At the Monasterie of Battell were not xv fouÌ„d to be sodomits as for suche as kepte there harlattes theyr names be set furthe therefore I will omit them What were the Diuines at Cantur burie what eighte of them were sodomites to let passe many thirtene kept fourtene harlates At Bathe twoe Priestes keepte eyghtene harlates besydes that they were proued to be sodomits come we to mooÌ„kenfarleghe we shal find that the Prior kept niene harlats the prior of MaydeÌ„bradley had fyue the Abbate of Bristow hadde foure the Abbate of Abindon had thre besydes that he had twoe Children by his owne naturall syster At Shulbred foure moonkes kepte twentie one harlattes as for the Prior of Bermoundesey he kept no lesse by recorde then twentie Yt is tediouse to write of all yet it is proffitable to speake of these that euon Children maye see the iniquitie of the Romishe Ydolatrie and therfore to make an ende take a vew of the Cathedrall churche of Cichester whereof Syr Ihon Champion hadde twoe Harlattes sir William Crosse one syr Thomas Parker twoe sir Richarde busfielde one Syr Bartholomewe Cokisleye one Syr Roberte Hunte manye Syr Thomas Coffe twoe Syr Ihon Hill thirtene Syr Roberte Moore manye as for Syr George Barrham sir Ihon ChaÌ„pioÌ„ besyds that they were proued adulterers they were also found to be sodomites see Christian Reader by a fewe vnder the profession of all beholde what is the fruite of a heathenishe ydolatrie thus they lyued in King Henri the eyghte his tyme at what tyme not without juste cause thou seest he ouerthrew theyr brothell houses theyr uncleane deÌ„ nes their filthie caues but that thou mayst further mark their hipocrisie read ouer this litle boke dedicated not vnto anye onne singuler to aduoyde the note of vayn glorie but vn to thee for thy proffite vtilitie And if thou wilt proffite and doe good vnto
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
personnes were so drowned in seculer affayres and so addicted vnto Merchaundize that writinge vnto Nepotianus he gyueth this warninge of them A prieste sayth he that is a chapman and him that of a poore man waxethe riche or beynge before base that is nowe glorious of such a one take hede as of a plague Yea and he further saythe The most parte can not lacke theyr olde pedlerie and artes for chaÌ„ging the name of Pedlears they haunte the same trade not seekinge foode raymente whiche the Apostle byddethe but scratchinge together greater gaynes then the temporall men doe Yea nowe vnder the title of religion they exercise vniuste aduantages and the honour of a Christian name doth worke rather deceipt then suffer persecution whiche is a shame to saye but it is nedefull that so at the length wee maye bee ashamed at oure dishonestie VVe lyue as though we were poore vppon golde wee attyre oure selues withe cloathe and contrarie vnto all mennes mindes wee dye verye riche with full coffers If suche then was the estate of the Churche in Hieromes dayes consyderinge the wickednes of the tyme that followed and weyghinge into what a disordered case theyr proude prelacie fell mighte wee not with Bernarde saye Serpsit hodie putrida tabes hypocrisis per omne corpus ecclesiae quò to lerantius eò desperatiùs eoque periculosius quò coÌ„munius Thys rotten contagion of hypocrisye in these dayes haue creapte ouer the whole bodye of the Churche whiche the more it is suffered the more desperate it is and the coÌ„muner that it is by so muche the more perillous it is What aunswere can anye Papistes heare make can they denye that in theyr Prelacye there was no suche enormitye naye can they disproue anye of thys whyche shal be further sayde Sulpitius Seuerus saythe of them thus As they sytte they looke for rewardes and all the honestye of their lyfe is corrupted with hyre settynge as it were oute their hole lyues fullie to sale Neither leauethe Saincte Hierome of so for in thys voyse he further saythe The Moonkes bee richer nowe then when they were seculer men and vnder poore Christe they possesse the ryches whiche vnder riche Sathan they had not and so the Churche hathe them nowe to bee riche whom the worlde had before to bee poore To reprehende these and to beate downe theyr passynge couetousenes the rehearsall of an historye that Laertius wryteth shall not bee vnproffitable Aristippus vppon a tyme as hee sayled perceauynge the shyppe where in hee was to bee a pirate for sauegarde of hys lyfe hee threwe all the Golde that hee had into the sea sayinge for so some other wryte of hym Satius est vt haecper Aristippum quam propter haec pereat Aristippus it is better that these shoulde perishe by Aristippus then that Aristippus shoulde peryshe by them Meanynge in deede by thys facte that throwynge hys Golde awaye hee had cutte of the occasyon whyche els shoulde haue hadde moued the Pyrates to murther hym O that the Prelacye of â—ome hadde beene of Aristippus mynde O that they had considered how this world is but a pirate shippe for so doinge their pryde hadde not bene so greate and theyr pryde once diminisshed theyr pompeous estate hadde not bene mayntained but their proud estate being abated simplicitie had pre uayled the Gospell had floorished and then in knowledge wee Christians had increased Yf the Busshop of Rome him selfe had doune this then shoulde not the Grecians haue hadde suche occacion to wryte vnto Ihon the Pope in this wyse Potentiam tuam summaÌ„ ergatuos subditos firmiter credimus superbiam tuam summaÌ„ tollerare non possumus auaritiam satiare non valemus Diabolus tecum dominus nobiscum That is The ouer greate power that thou vsest towardes thy subiectes wee stedefastlye beleue thy passinge pryde wee can not beare thy couetousenes wee can not satisfie the Deuyll bee withe thee and God bee wythe vs Thus they then wrote vnto hym when hee throughe passinge Pryde and ambition dyd affirme that there was but one Churche wherof he him selfe was the head Yf the Busshop of Rome hadde learned but the fyrste Poynte of wysedome that is if hee had knowen hym selfe then had not Platina wrytten of Hiltebrande and of Paschall bothe beinge Busshops of Rome in this sorce Hi duo nebulones Imperatores Henricos excommunicant ab obedientia juramento subditos absoluunt principes subditos contra proprios Imperatores armaÌ„t Apostolicum esset immitari Apostolos qui praecipiunt vt pro magistratibus oretur hi verò suos quidem Christianos excommunicant quod indignissimum est pedibus suis coÌ„culcant That is co saye These two varlattes doe excommunicate Henries the Emperours doe sett at libertie their subiectes from their othe and obedience Yea they sett in armour Princes that are subiectes against theyr owne Emperours Yt had appartayned vnto an Apostleship calling to followe the Apostles who coÌ„maund that magistrates shold be prayed for but these doe excoÌ„municate their magistrates yea euon those which are Christians and that that is most vnworthie with theyr feete they treade vpon theÌ„ Is there any papiste that reading this will mayntayne Rome is there any being learned that will defend this hellish Hiltebrande can any one of any honestie speke in the defence of Paschall who will like yea who will not mislike the tyrannie the pryde and the auarice of pope Ihon if autoritie maye auayle if trueth maye preuayle then let the letters of Lewys king of the Romaines declare what Pope John was the sayde Lewys wryteth in these woordes Nos Ludouicus RomanoruÌ„ Rex c. Wee Lewys kinge of the Romaines doe alleage these thynges againste John who saithe him selfe to bee Pope that he doeth abuse the Testamente of Christ altogether disquieting the common peace of Christianitie Neither remembreth hee that what honour so euer he now hath the same to haue bene graun ted by hollye Constantine vnto Syluester then of smale accompte He is litle thankfull vnto the Romaine Empire whence he tooke all the glorie whiche he nowe abuseth c. Plato called Aristotle for his vnthankefullnes a mule but the emperours of Rome might worthely accompt the busshop there not onelye to bee a mule but an asse a mule for his vnthankefullnes an asse for his greate vâ—curtousie and rudenes What hee receauynge all that he hathe at the handes of the Emperoure shall hee cursse hym shall he excommunicate hym shall he treade hym vnder feete Hic pietatis honos is this the rewarde of pietye is thys the profession of Peter but what saye wee vnto Clemente the Syxte of whome Marius saithe Clemens sextus homo mulierum honoris ac â–ª potentiae cupidissimus diabolico furore percitus c. Clemente the Sixte a man mooste greedye of VVomen honoure and power a man moued withe a deuelishe furye c. Well let vs touch farther
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