on fridayes lent The Apostle doth call this The doctrine of Deuils That we should for the cleansing of our sinnes flee to masses and propiciatorie sacrifices It is horrible saâ—riledge directly against the office and glorie of Christ who onely and alone is appointed by the scripture to be the propitiation for our sinnes That by auricular confession enioyned penance the fetâ—ers of sinne may be loased and the fier of purgatorie qnenched The Gospel of Christ teacheth an other doctrine which wil take notyce of no sacrifice nor clensing of sinne but of the only death and passion of Christ Iesu. And hee saieth S. Iohn is the propiciation for our sinnes Likewyse S. Peter That through his name all that beleeue in him shall receaue remission of sinnes To the same effect wee heare out of the Euangelical doctryne that wee bee iustified through fayth without woorkes But the Popes dulcymer soundeth otherwise which sâ—eming as it were to yeelde some little interest of iustifying to faith yet transposeth the chiefe perfection therof vnto works Christ doth make this proclamation he that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life But the Popes prelates cry out That ther is none other passable way to heauen but which is procured with holy woorkes and passing integritie of life Paule doth pronounce hee is our righteousnesse meaning that all bee accompted for righteouse as many as beleâ—ue in Christ. These iolly fellowâ—s doo vrge against him that we become righteouse not by the meane of our beliefe in Christ but in that we bee righteousely doing workes yet peraduenture they wil not deny this That Christ is our righteousnes but the meane whereby hee dooth iustifie vs they allowe noâ— Christ by fayth the Papistes by woorkes Christ freely the Papâ—â—tes not without condition of charity annexed Whereas Christ dooâ—h cure vs in like manner as the serpent in olde time did heale the wounded which was done by only looking vpon it This can not the Papistes away withal in any wyse Moreouer whereas wee bâ—e taught by the woords of the scriâ—ture that by one oblation they are made perfect which be sanctified for euer The Pope doth deny that there is but one only oblation vnlesse Christ be dayly offred for a sacrifice to his father in their propiciatory masses Christ instituting his last supper intoo the remembraunce of his body and blood did distribute to al ingeneral the bread and wyne withal and commaunded the same to bee done in lyke maner The Pope commaundeth otherwise to deliuer the people one parte of the sacrament only without the wyne Christ departing from the earth did promise that hee woulde send an other comforter that the Church shoulde not want a comforter to supply his absence And dare the Pope not beeing satisfied with the holy spirite of Christ whom Tertullian called by the name of Christes vicar presume to cal him selfe Christes vicar or shall wee beleeue him in his presumption Paul doth deny them to bee partakers of Gods righteousnes which doo seeke too establishe their owne And with what edge dare these Romanists which carue out their owne righteousnes so greedily conceaue too partake with Gods rightuousnes The same Paul teacheth That Christ is the ende of the lawe vnto rightuousnes to al that beleeue But let vs see this notable famous schoole of Rome to what end it leadeth vs what way it carryeth vs. Forsooth not from the lawe vntoo Christ not from woorkes vnto faith not from faith vnto righteousnes but setting the carte before the horse euen as though the ende of the lawe were not Christe but the marke of Christ were the lawe haling vs backewarde from faiâ—h to woorkes from the Gospel to the law from the spirite and truthe to shadowes to coapes to annoylinges to shauings to holiwater to stagelyke gestures to ceremonies to rytes to outwarde geugawes to obseruaunces of places times persons and succâ—ssions too mens traditions and constitutions too penitentiary satisfactions from these to rightuousnesse and in fine from Christianitie too Iewishnes so that besides onely circumcision wanteth nothing to make vs appeare the disciples of Moyses rather then the disciples of Christ. The Lord dooth commaunde vs in a certaine place to searche the scripturesâ— bycause saieth hee they beare witnesse of mee The Pope dooth forbyde that Not permitting the people to reade in their owne house nor too heare in the Churches so much as the promise made vnto them in their baptisme but in the toung which they vnderstande not Christe in his Gospel can in no wise disgest them which say Loe heere is Christ Loe there is Christ. And what els doth the Pope if not in woordes yet in very deeds who commaundeth al Christians ingeneral to become subiect too Peters chaire which chayre may bee placed no where but in Rome as though Christ or Peter doo make their aboade no where but in the Citie of Rome or at the least wyse more readyly there then else where Lyke fable to this is that other whereas all manner of woorshipping God aright is not tyed too any heâ—gâ—h of hils or famousnes of ciâ—ies that the heauenly maiesty is most rightly called vpon in that place wheresoeuer he is worshipped in spirit truthe The Pope of Rome doth make a far other minglemangle of this spiritual worshipping god not only with inâ—umerable Idols shapes of earthly creatures but skatâ—ereth the same abroade into manifolde infinite seates of pilgrimages stations hilles temples and places As though the only authority of Câ—rist coulde of it selfe auaile very litle vnlesse it were vnderpropped with ruinous pillers of Saincts or as though Christ were not able to mynister helpe in al places indifferently being prayed vntoo with lyke affectioÌ„ of religioÌ„ EueÌ„ so they which gadd to Rome to visit the tombe of Peter and Paul or raunge to Compostella to see S. Iames or which doo conceaue in their mindes that the Sainctes be more effectual in one place then in an other what say they els then loe here is Christ loe there is Christ. If the heauenly father doo require such woorshippers which woorshippe him in spirite and trueth to what purpose serueth so special a prescription of stations and holy Seas so greate and tediouse chace rechace hither and thitherof pilgrims for deuotion sake Hithertoo haue I disclosed the maskinges of the Popish religion though not al that I could yet as many as wil serue our present purpose sufficiently ynough Nowe that I may bee so bolde to leade the Pope home too his owne person I will call him backe to the very roote of his progeny and stocke euen to Saint Peter himselfe whome as hee vaunteth to bee the founder of his Sea so will I vouche the same against him for a witnesse too confounde his doctryne This therefore do I demaunde of this good Syre whether Saint Peter ought to bee numbered in the number
sithence very necessity exacteth it of you as of duty vnlesse ye had rather become slaues to this false counterfait Pope then seruauntes to Iesus Christ. Wherefore awake yee most puissant Princes and most renoumed Potentates let your wysedome rayse it selfe out of this slumber at the length Repulse this outrage and impudency If the dueâ—iful consideration of your honorable estates and of euery of your particular liberties may little preuaile with you yeeld you thus much yet at the least to your Christe vntoo whome yee owe all that you haue that yee take compassion of his poore distressed Churche that yee deliuer the lyues of your subiectes from bloody butchery and their consciences from heathnishe impiety and that yee willingly faster not within the bosome of your common weales woolues whelpes too the rauenouse deuouring of the same Your whole natyue country dooth humbly beseeche you the whole society of al the godly dooth desire you yea with salte teares doth request you that yee wil once at the length after so many and merciles slaughters and flammes of the godly vouchsafe too open the vowelles of your mercy towardes the preseruation of the trueth towardes the safe keeping of simple innocencyâ— towardes the free deliueraunce of sounde doctrine which hath beene long ynough nowe oppressed that beeing so by your bounâ—eous consideration freed from al feare they may bee recomforted and recouer courage againe It lyeth in your honours too assuage these franticke and furiouse tumultes For performance whereof wee doo not require you to rush vppon the common enemy reuenge the butchery of your subiectes with force of armes There hath bin of warlyke inuasions more then ynoughâ— there hath bene too too great an effusion of ChristiaÌ„ blood But the request that our humble petition maketh to your honors is this which wil neuerthelesse redounde in eche respect as glorious too your estimation as profitable for the general sauety of al the godly Namely that of your authorities royal and imperial yee will vouchsafe too let bee proclaimed a general Summons for a generall councel according too the example of your famous auncestors which assembly may proceade to the exact determination and voices of the best learned and grauest fathers with such vprightnesse and integritie as that the same councel may bee no lesse free then general In the which let the Pope of Rome bee enforced too iustifie his monarchicall chaleng and doctrine by due authorities and good proofes of doctrine Who if bee able to iustifâ—e by sufficient testimonies of holy scriptures let him enioy his souereignty but if hee faile in his proofes let him haue his deserte In this so forlorne a calamity of al thinges what can bee demaunded of you either more commodiouse or more commendable for your royal mindes but if there remaine no hope of such a general councel too bee assembled yet that euery of you with in your seueral dominions at the least will not disdaine too put that in vre which ought haue beene accomplished in that generall councel namely that erroures may bee amendedâ— that the pure and liuely welspringes of true and sincere doctrine may bee restored too their auncient integritie abandoning and banishing intoo vtter exyle all manner pilfe dregges and patcheries of the Romishe ryot that your subiectes may freely frame their conuersations and consciences according too the holy direction of sacred scriptures and not after the Popes decrees and that it may bee sufficient for the same subiectes too bee subiect too their owne natural and liege Lordes and Princes only For els I see nothing whervnto this Romishe Reueller may be emploied with in any your Prouinces vnles it be to stir vp seditioÌ„s vproares In case the state of the christiaÌ„ coÌ„moÌ„ weale were such at this present as it was of old wheÌ„ the church being as yet greene was in subiectioÌ„ vnder the authority of Ethnick princes then might the ayde of Bishoppes bee implored for the ordering of the matters apperteyning to the church But nowe sithence it hath pleased the heauenly maiesty too vouchsafe those same princes whome hee hath called intoo his Churche too become Christians as the which doo no lesse dutyfully mynister vnto Christe then the Bishoppes them selues I see no cause too the contrary why the same Christian princes which beare soueraignty in states politique shoulde not also beare souereignty in the congregation of Christians So that there may seeme no cause to remayne nowe why this pontificall monarchy shoulde so presumptuously vsurpe any such prerogatiue in any their dominions that ought not to become subiect to the laweful Magistrates in euery of their seueral prouinces And thus much hithertoo touching the requeste that I thought good to sollicite your most excellent maiesties That which nowe remayneth to bee spoken I wil turne too the residewe of the people of Christendome as many as be brethren and ioynt Cytiziens with me coupled togither in one and the selfe same fellowship of Baptisme al and euery of whome I doo likewyse pray and beseeche that they take heede againe and againe that they suffer not themselues too bee haled backwarde from the truthe by any suttle slye inveigling nor any gloriouse tytle of names bee they neuer so plausible As there is nothing more safe and more souereignable then syncere religion which dooth display abroade direct too the right way of the true vndoubted saluation so doth there no thing more easily deceaue and wounde more deadly then counterfait hypocrisie creeping vnder the couert of false fayned holines her cozen germaine Solemne superstition Euen as that lying Prince of darkenes doth neuer deceaue more dangerously then when hee putteth on the vysor of an Angel So that so much the more vigilant and careful we must bee lest being circumuented with rashe and temerarious foreiudgement more then enduced by stayed consideration of minde do wee embrace false doctrine for the truth Antichrist for Christe the slaying fleshly sense of the letter for the spirit and trueth Proue the spirites saith Paule whether they be of God and be not carried away with euery blast of doctrine Whereupon the matter it selfe doth require this point chiefly in deed that with the Euangelicall simplicitie we ioyne serpentine prudence which may be able too discerne spirites which may proue all thinges which may holde fast that which is good which vnderstandeth aptly to distinguish betwixt light and darkenesse betwixt falshood truth finally that may be so simple that wee offer fraude to no man and withall be so prouident that we may shunne the suttletie of the guylefull Nowe this will be brought to passe without any great difficultie if setting parcialitie and greedines of affections apart we depend wholy vpoÌ„ the mouth of our heauenly maister not vppon mens decrees nor vpon consent of multitude ne yet vpon commoÌ„ custome of times and people and if we do so reclayme our whole heartes to the scriptures that as Hillary doth giue
their Christian Brethren seeyng in outwarde semblaunce and behauiour they doe so courâ—giously braue them selues vpon the meekenesse of Christe vpon the Faith of Peter and the spirit of Paule Wee doe reade in the Scriptures that the moste holy Apostle S. Paule him selfe doth in the mightie power of the spirit thunder out That the weapons of our warrefare be not carnal but mightie in spirite to the subdewing of strong holdes wherewith we doe suppresse euil thoughtes and doe subdewe all power extolling it selfe against the wil of God and leade captiue all thoughts and imaginations to yeelde dewe obedience vnto Christ c. First you see weapons named heere not of one Paule nor of one Peeter but our owne weapons saith he that is to say general weapons common with the vniuersall Church of Christ which are then at the leaste to be exercised not rashly against all persons nor vpon euery light occasion but euen when necessitie vrgeth against those if any shall happen to beeâ— which doe waxe insolent and stifnecked against the knowledge of God and their dewe obedience vnto Christ. Of which sorte if any may be founde faultie in that Realme that may preiudice the grace of Christ surely I will not in any respect abridgâ— condigne correction according to the censure Apostolique But nowe whereas that whole nation to the vttermoste of their power doth indeuour to become the Seruants of Christ whereas there is not one so much that doth not prostrate him selfe to the maiestie of the Sonne of God and to his diuine Godheade that doth not worship him in Spirit and trueth yea and worship him there where the Scriptures haue enthronized him that doth not thankfully acknowledge his Heauenly benefites that doth not yeelde dewe reuerence to his Sacraments that doth not onely professe all obedience linked togither with faith to be dewe vnto him but also repose all their affiaunce and confidence in him Finally whereas in their churches all matters are so orderly administred by them as that no defect may be founde of any thing apperteining too the duetie of true christianitie wherein nothing is admitted that is not consonant to the sacred authoritie of the Euangelicall institution I beseech you Syr Pope of Rome what woulde you desire more What seemeth it not sufficient in your conceite that Christ who alone preserueth the estate of his church be glorified in his owne Church vnlesse the pompe of the Pope be enterlaced with the glory of Christ reuerenced with semblable obedience And from whence els come these tumultes these flashes of lightening and stormes of of thunderboltes raysed vpp Is it bicause they doe yeelde their obedience too Christe as it behooueth them to doe or bicause they humble not theÌ„ selues to the Pope If the glory of Christ be your glory as of right it ought to be what needeth any contention then why doe you noâ— cast downe your proud Peacockes tayle and call your selfe backe againe into the societie of generall obedience But if ye thinke it not sufficient that the sonne of GOD may be magnified without the Romish Bishop why then surcease from hencefoorth to be taken for the seruaunt of Iesu and the heire of Peter For what other thing did Peter or Paule vaunt vpon but the onely glory of Iesu Christ Whether by occasion sayth he or in truth so that Christ be preached herein do I reioyce and will reioyce What say you to this That Christ himselfe whiles hee dwelte here vpon earth would haue a speciall testimonie lefte behinde him howe farre he was both in woordes and deedes estraunged from crauing or groping after glorie who embasing him selfe of his owne freewill euen to the ignominie of the Crosse by howe much he disclaimed from the title of glory so much the more ouerflowing aboundance of glorie did ouerspreade him by onely despising of glory I do not seeke saith he myne owne glory but there is one that seeketh and iudgeth Agayne the same Christ being on a time despised and cast out from that most churlish city did not so attempt any matter of reuenge therefore as that hee seemed very greuously offended with them which did prouoke him to take vengeaunce O heauenly mildenesse of a meeke spirit woorthie of all reuerence and honour You knowe not sayeth hee of what spirite you bee The Sonne of man came not for too destroy but to saue mens liues Now let vs compare the one with the other to witte the Uicar with his head You haue heard how the Lord being not entertayned vpon the way what he did and what answere he gaue But what the Pope woulde haue done in this case if he had beene present furnished with like power to be auenged I doe not here discusse Truely how he behaueth him selfe at this present little England alone may be a sufficient testimonie which hauing now ouer many yeares beene plagued with that Romish ruffler and worne out euen to the bare stumpes with much adoe shaking from her shoulders that yoake of intollerable thraldome durst prâ—sume at the last to cast from out her territories this Tâ—oian horse and reduce her estate to the auncient iberties Hereof springeth that Canker hereof arise these Tragicall furies wherewith he woulde seeme ready to deuoure not the bodies of menne onely but the very soules also if hee were able Goe to nowe and what cause can this â—remshapeâ— Uicar vouch at the length why hee shoulde thus mingle heauen and earth together and rake vpp from the deepe those swallowing Sandes of gaping gulfe Let vs nowe see what the mater is The Pope of Rome is banished out of English soyle in that hee woulde be a Ruler I confesse but as a soiourner he is not excluded But Christ notwithstanding is receiued him doe they imbrace as their Lorde his voice they doe acknowledge and bee obedient vnto but because they knowe not you Sir Pope if they receiue you not why should you storme at it You require pardie that they shoulde couple you with Christ in their worshipping But put the case that Christ can in no wise bee receiued into England vnlesse the Pope be banished neither the Pope haue any possible footing there except they thruste Christe cleane out of their Coastes Whether of these two thinke you conuenient to bee obeyed by them since they can not possibly serue bothe at once Iohn the most worthy Prophet of all Prophets yea more then a Prophet doth cry out in the Desert It behoueth that he increase and that I doe diminish And will you not permit the glory of Christ to growe forwarde in his owne Temple vnlesse your pompe be made copemate of his glory Who bâ—eing his humble seruant faithful freend in deede as in outwarde apparance and words you doe professe to beâ— why then indeuour as seruiceably and faithfully to aduaunce the honor of your Lordâ—â—â—d Maister and withall accept as louingly of your followe seruauntes who dutifully serue the same Lorde
once be silent and calme if you alone woulde vouchsafe too bee quiet Albeeit why doo I exhorte you heerevntoo that am sure shal little or nothing preuaile with you for may any man conceaue by ymagination of minde that you wil become in any respect other then you haue yet hithertoo alwaies bene one whome either feare of God may breake or charitie bend back again or whome reason or any wholesome counsel may euer allure too amendement And woulde God wee coulde obteine so much at your handes by our earnest requestes louing aduertisementes or by any other way else whatsoeuer But bicause I do see your minds so throughly bent against the speeches and voices of all men I surcease heeâ—e to deale any further with you O holy father and leauing you nowe in the plaine field I will turne the rest of my communication too others euen too all those whosoeuer the churche of Christe dooth possesse for industrious and faithful embracers of true pyety But aboue al others chiefly I doo appeale vntoo you O yee renoumed prinâ—es and noble potentates peeres of the world vppon whome Gods diuine liberality hath powred foorth this prerogatiue of supplying his place in al manner of affaires ciuil politique and ecclesiasticall for I am throughly persuaded that it apperteineth vnto you to foresee that Christian common weales suffer no dammage nor detriment and to prouyde that nothing may bee committed by violence and fraude that may obscure the glory of Christ that may ouerthrowe the peace of the people or preiudice their sauety Wherefore I huÌ„bly beseech you for the loue you beare to the state wherin the Lord hath aduaunced you to beare chiefe souereignty heere on earth bee yee careful againe and againe that the fraudulent practises of the enemies preuaile not more then your power and authority You can by no meanes forget the treacherous troubles wherewith this Calidon boare hath moiled your nations with what an vnmerciful slaughter with what a monstruous butchery hee hath deuoured the seely flocke of the Lorde these many yeeres now with howe incredible calamity hee hath oppressed your sobiectes and howe horribly iniuriouse hee hath behaued himself against your own persons states seignories For amongst the whole order of your puissant estate what one Prince hath beene of long tyme nowe so mighty in power in whose kingdomes the Popes practises coulde not preuaile further then your renowme authority in the which hee hath not deuoured more of your owne subiectes with faggot and tortures then any of you durst preserue from his tyranny In the which hee hath not enioyed more friendly hartes more faithful subiects then you your selues haue but why doo I speake heere of your subiects whenas I do see none more humble and obedient vassalles vnto him then your selues For when you punish them whome he commaundes you to punishe when you committe to fire flame at his commaundemeÌ„t and lust whome hee condemneth too the stake when you do more eagerly and more straightly exequute the lawes of his inquisition more then your owne lawes when yee bid battel to your owne subiects without any cause without any their fault or misdemeanor by the only iustigation and procurement of the Pope seeking the sackes and blood of your frieÌ„ds for your deadly enemies sake herein what seeme you els then bondslaues too him whose souereignes and Lords behoued you to be Which albeit may seeme it selfe matter most detestable and most vnwoorthy your excellent renowme yet I wil not much impute the same too any your cowardyse as to your tymorousnes rather ne yet so much to your tymorousnes as too the general ignoraunce of those barbarous tymes For I do knowe by what crampes and pernicious practizes they crept into the hartes of princes at the first Namely vnder the beautiful countenaunce of the Churche with a false vysor of religion by crooked conueyances wrything and wresting the testimonies of holy scripture hither and thither with which bugbeares blazing Gorgones head as it were they had so vndermyned al the most mighty potentates of the worlde that they might easily induce them to beleeue that all thinges were well and godly atchieued whatsoeuer were vndertaken by the commaundementes of those holy fathers which coulde not erre by any meanes possible And euen heerehence loe stepte foorth vppon the stage the first prolocutor of al this whole tragedy But this present age no we requireth other maners Neither coulde the olde prouerbe bee more truely verified at any tyme so much as nowe to witte Truth is the daughter of time For what so cloudy ignorance can possibly ouerwhelme the senses of any sensible man so much as that in this so manifest a sunneshyne of Euangelical glory hee can not easily conceaue by ymagination that this ecclesiasticall monarchie of the seruauntes of Christ was neuer erected by Christ the founder thereof ne yet euer at any time permitted of him but many tymes forbidden most grieuously rebuked euery where Yea it wold be matter of no greate difficulty too deliâ—er by manifest demonstration from out their owne recordes and registers the very first tyme and chiefe original Author vnder whome this pompouse pryde of pontifical Lordelynesse began too growe into some credite Namely sithence wee reade iâ— History written by Platina theyr owne Countryman and domesticall witnesse on this wyse Boniface the thirde sayeth hee a Romaine borne did obteyne of Phocas the Emperor yet not without great contention that the Sea of the Apostle Peter which is the head of al Churches should be so called and reputed of al men which soueraignty the Church of Constantinople did trauaile to procure vnto it self Whose challenge many Princes fauoured meanwhiles and affirmed that the chiefe Sea ought to be resiaunt in that place where the chiefe state of the Empyre was at that tyme. By the which it may easily appeare vntoo you what you ought too do For if the chiefe foundations of this Sea be grounded vppon no lawe nor ordinaunce of God as is declared before but propt vp by mans appointment onely what shall let I pray you why that stately chaire which receaued no prerogatyue of superioritie from God but onely from you at the first shoulde not stoupe nowe againe and lay downe these Peacocks plumes by your general assent and commaundement If beeing carried on the blinde side long agoe your selues were the firste donors of this primacy altogither against the wil of christ what more notable exployt may you bring too passe at this present then to reuoke backe that gifte as AEsopes litle byrdes did sometymes plume away their owne feathers from the chattering crowe which was either extorted from you against equitie and right by treachery mischief or procured by fraud and villanie For why beeing nowe better aduised and endued with more heauenly vnderstanding may ye not more rightfully supplant that which without cause ye did of old tyme plant vnlawfully albeit why do I say that you may