heard Peter preache Christ receaued straightway the holy Ghost Peter himselfe confessed and for his confession hadde the keyes of heauen Math. 16. Zacheus receaued the person of Christ into his house and withal receaued saluation both to him and his whole houshold Luc. 19 What a sinner was Mary which had no lesse in her then vij deuils yet because she set her hart and affectiō vpon that person many sinnes were forgiuen her Luc. 7. The right hand theefe how farre was he from all works of the law yet by faith entred he iustified into Paradise the same day with christ Luc. 23. In like maner although the poore Publicane came to the Church with lesse holines after the law yet went he home to his house more iustified then the Pharisie with all his workes and all by reason of fayth Luc. 18 The parable of the prodigal sonne which was lost yet reuiued agayne Also of the lost groat and of the lost sheepe which went astray and was found againe what do these declare but that which is lost by the lawe to be recouered by faith and grace And how oft doe we reade in the Gospels Thy faith hath saued thee c. Iesus seing their beliefe c. He that beleueth in me I will raise him vp in the last day c. Beleue also in me c. He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life c. Without me ye can do nothing c. He that is in me c. He that looueth me c. He that heareth me c. He that abideth in me c. He that receaueth me c. Onles ye eate my flesh and drinke my bloud c. That they may receaue remission of sinnes by their faith in me c. Act. 26. To him al the Prophets giue witnes to haue remission of sinnes whosoeuer beleeueth in his name c. Act. 10. He that beleeueth is baptised Mat. vlt. He that beleueth in me shall do the works that I do greater then these c. And likewise in the writings of S. Paule how often doe we heare the name of Christ almost in euery thirde or fourth line where hee still repeateth In Christo Iesu per Christum Iesum Per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum c. Qui credunt in ipso c. Omnes qui credunt in eo c. Credentes illo in eum credentes illi in nomen eius in nomine Domini nostri Iesu Christi c. Beleue saith S Paule to the Iaylor in the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy whole house c. Actes 16. Thus then thou seest as the passion of Christ is onely the efficient or personall cause immediate of our saluation so is faith onely the instrumentall or meane cause that maketh the merits of Christ to vs auaileable For as the Passion of Christ serueth to none but such as do beleue so neither doth faith as it is onely a bare qualitie or action in mans minde it self iustifie vnles it be directed to the body of Christ crucified as to his obiect of whom it receueth all his vertue And therfore these ij must alwayes ioyntly concurre together faith and Christ Iesus crucified As for example when the children of Israel were byd of Moses to looke vp to the brasen Serpent neither could the Serpent haue helped them except they had looked vp nor yet their looking vpward haue profited them vnles they had directed their eyes vpon the said Serpent as the only obiect set vp to the same purpose for them to behold So our faith in like case directed to the bodye of Iesus our Sauiour is onely the meanes wherby Christes merits are applied vnto vs and we now iustified before God according to the doctrine of S. Paule who in expresse wordes defining to vs what this faith is and how it iustifieth sayth If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue with thy hart that God raised him from death thou shalt be saued c. Rom 10. Besides this what action or qualitie soeuer is in man either hope charitie or any other kinde of faith and beleeuing be it neuer so true except it apprehend this obiect which is the body of Christ the sonne of God it serueth not to iustification And that is the cause why we adde this particle Onely to faith and say that faith Onely in Christ iustifieth vs to exclude all other actions qualyties giftes or works of man from that cause of iustifying for so much as there is no other knowledge nor gift giuen of God to man be it neuer so excellent that can stand before the iudgement of God to iustification or wherevnto any promise of saluation is annexed but onely this faith lookyng vp to the brasen Serpent that is to the body of Christ Iesus for vs crucified As for example when the Turke sayth that he beleeueth in one liuyng God that made heauen earth his beliefe therin is true yet it iustifieth him not because it lacketh the right obiect which is Christ. So when the Iewe saith that he beleeueth in one God maker of heauen and earth and beleeueth also the same God to be omnipotent merciful iust and true of promise and that he hath elected the seede of Abraham true it is that he beleeueth and yet all this serueth him not because Christ the sonne of God is not ioyned to all And though the said Iew should be neuer so deuout in his prayers or charitable in almose or precise in keeping the law beleeued neuer so stedfastly that he is elect to be saued yet he is neuer the neerer to saluation for all this so long as his faith is not grounded vpon y◠head cornerstone which is the person and body of Christ Iesus the true Sauiour After like sort it may be sayd of the Papist when he saith that he is Baptised and beleeueth in the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three persons and one God and also confesseth Iesus Christ to be the sonne of God which died for our sinnes and rose againe for our righteousnes c. his beleife therin is true indede would saue him if he did stay his saluation in this faith and vpon Christ his Sauiour Onely according to the promise and grace of God and go no farther But that he doth not for neither doth he admit Christ onely to be his perfect Sauiour without the helpe of the patrons heades aduocates and mediatours nor yet permitteth his faith in Christ Onely to be the meanes of his iustification but setteth vp other by meanes as hope charitie sacrifice of the Masse confession penaunce satisfaction merites and pardons supposing thereby to worke his iustification before God contrary to the word of promise to the Gospell of grace to the doctrine of S. Paule whereof we shall see more the Lord willing hereafter And thus much of the
true causes of our iustification after the doctrine of S. Paule Concerning which causes this distinctioÌ„ furthermore by the way is to be added that as touching the originall causes of our saluation which be diuers and sondry some are externall without vs some are internall and within vs. Of the external causes which are without vs the first and principal is the mercy grace of god Of this foloweth predestination and election TheÌ„ coÌ„meth vocation The last and next cause to vs is the deth and bloudshed of christ wherby we are redemed al these be external causes because they are without vs. Of internall causes that be in man through the gift of God there is but one no mo in scripture apointed that is out faith in Christ which is the gift of God in vs. Beside this there is no gift of God giuen to man vertue work merite nor any thing els that is any part or cause of saluation but only this gyft of fayth to beleeue in Christ Iesu. And this is the cause why we hold that faith onely iustifieth meanyng that amongst all the workes deedes actions labours and operations whatsoeuer man doth or can doe there is nothing in that man that worketh saluation but onely his fayth gyuen to hym of God to beleeue in Christ his sonne following therein the trade of S. Paules teaching who in precise wordes so ascribeth iustification to fayth that he excludeth all other actions of man works of the law And therefore in the same Epystle to the Romanes S. Paule resoning of the glory of iustifiyng asketh this question how this glory is excluded whether by the law of works and concludeth no ascribing onely the glory thereof to the law of faith And consequently vppon the same he inferreth Colligimus enim iustificari hominem per fidem sine operibus legis We hold that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the law And how then can that he accounted for any part of our iustification which S. Paule vtterly debarreth and excludeth in that behalfe of which like exclusiues and negatiues the whole course of S. Paules doctrine is full where he still concludeth Sine operibus absque operibus legis non exoperibus Dei donum est non ex operibus ne quis sed secunduÌ„ misericordiaÌ„ glorietur Ephe 2. Non ex operibus iustitiae quae fecimus nos sed secunduÌ„ propositsi suum gratiâ—m c. Titi. 3. Non secundum opera nostra c. Timot 1. That is to say It is the gift of God not of works that no maÌ„ should glory c. Not of the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but of his own mercy c. Not after our workes but after his owne purpose grace which is giuen to vs c. Agayne Gal 2. Non iustificatur homo ex operibus c. That is A man is not iustified by works c. Item Ei qui non operatur credenti auteÌ„ in euÌ„ qui iustificat impium fides imputatur ad iustitiam c. Rom. 4. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed to righteousnes c. By these exclusiues and negatiues in Sainct Paules doctrine what doth he els meane but vtterly to seclude all kinde of mans merits and works of the law from the office dignitie of iustifying And although he expresseth not the word Onely yet vpon his exclusiues and negatiues this exceptiue must needes be inferred For in all Logike the coÌ„nsequent is necessary and formall as one man is suffered to come into the house and no person els is suffered but one Ergo one man only is suffered to enter into the housé And thus much concerning faith in Christ prooued to be the onely meane or instrumentall or conditionall cause of our saluation and no other besides the same alone by the doctrine of S. Paule taught to the ancient Romanes 5. The fift branch which I note in S. Paules doctrine is this that after he hath thus established vs in certeinty of our saluation through faith in Christ then after that he exhorteth vs vehemently and with all instaunce of good workes shewing the true vse and ende of good workes which is first to shewe our obedience and dutifull seruice as we may vnto God who hath done so great thinges for vs. Secondly to relieue our neighbours with our charitie and kindes as God hath bene kinde to vs his enimies Thirdly to stirre vp other by our example to praise God to embrace the same Religion to do the like For requisite it is that as God hath bene so merciful to vs and gratious in eternal giftes we should be merciful likewise to other in temporall coÌ„modities And seeing it hath pleased him of his fatherly goodnes of our partes so litle deserued to call vs to so high a vocation to giue the bloud of his sonne for vs to forgiue vs al our sinnes to deliuer vs from this present wicked worlde to make vs Citizens of heauen yea his children more then seruaunts little then can we doe and well may we thinke those benefites ill bestowed if we forgiue not our neigbours and shewe some thing againe worthy that holy calling wherewith he hath called vs in mortifying our worldly lustes here studying after heauenly things and finally if we being prouoked with such loue kindnes reder not againe some loue for loue some kindnes for kindnes seeking how to walke in the steps which he hath prepared for vs to walke in seruing him so much as we may in holines righteousnes all the daies of our life And though our obedience shall alwaies be imperfect doe the best we can yet reason would that some obedience we should shew as louing children to such a louing father And this is the cause why S. Paule is so vehement vrgent to call vpon good workes not that workes should iustifie but that we being iustified so mercifully tenderly through his grace should not abuse his grace in vayne but endeuour our selues to our vttermost to render our seruice againe to him in such conuersation of life as may most make to his glorye and profite of our neighbour And though the words of our sauiour seme in some places to attribute to our obedience and charitie here in earth great rewards in heauen that is of his owne free grace goodnes so to impute small matters for great deserts and not for vs to claime any meede thereby or thanke at hys hande as by any worthines of our dooings no more then the seruaunt when he commeth from the plough and seruing the cattell in the field serueth first his master at home and waiteth vpon his table the master is not bound saith Christ to thanke his seruaunt therefore and bid him sit downe So you saith he when you haue done that is coÌ„manmanded you say ye
are vnprofitable seruants ye haue done but what your bound duety was to doe Luc. 17. Againe here also is to be vnderstand that where such rewardes be ascribed vnto mens deedes it is not for the worthines of the deede it selfe but for the faith of the dooer which faith maketh the worke to bee good in Gods sight for els if an infidell should do the same worke that the christian doth it were nothing but meere sinne before god In that therefore the christian mans worke is accepted be it neuer so small as to giue a cup of cold water the same is onely for his fayth sake that doth it and not for the worke which is done Whereby againe we may learne how faith onely doth iustifie a man and that three maner of wayes First it iustifieth the person in making him accepted and the child of God by regeneration before he begin to doe any good worke Secondly it iustifieth a man from sinne in procuring remission and forgiuenes of the same Thirdly it iustiâ—ieth the good deedes and workes of man not onely in bringing foorth good fruites but also in making the same workes to be good and acceptable in the sight of God which otherwise were impure and execrable in his sight The office therfore of faith and works is diners and must not be coÌ„founded Faith first goeth before and regenerateth a man to God iustifieth him in the sight of god both in couering his yll deedes and in making his good deedes acceptable to God clyming vp to heauen there wrastling with God and his iudgement for righteousnes for saluation and for euerlastins life Workes and charitie folow faith and are exercised here vpon the earth glorieth onely before man but not before God in shewing foorth obedience both to God to man Further then this our good works doe not reach nor haue any thing to doe in the iudgement of God touching saluation I speake of our good workes as S. Paule speaketh Rom. 7. as they be ours imperfect For els if our workes could be perfect according to the perfection of the lawe as Christ wrought them in the perfection of his flesh that is if we could perfect them as it is sayd Qui fecerit ea viuet in eis But now seeing the imbecilitie of our flesh cannot atteine thereto it foloweth thereof that all glory of iustifying is taken from workes and transferred onely to faith And thus much concerning the principall contents of S. Paules doctrine Wherein the Church of the auncient Romanes first was grounded planted and so continued in the same or at least did not much alter during the prymityue state of the Church Likewise the same forme of doctrine the latter Romanes also that followed shoulde haue mainteined and not haue fallen away for any mans preaching but hold him accursed yea if he were any Apostle or an Angell from heauen teaching any other doctrine besides that institution which they haue receaued Gal. 1 for so were they warned before by the Apostle S Paule to doe And yet notwithstanding all this forewarning diligent instruction of this blessed Apostle of the Gentiles what a defection of faith is fallen among the Gentiles especially among the Romanes whereof the sayde Apostle also foretold them so long before forepropheciyng That the day of the Lord shall not come except there come a defectioÌ„ before and that the man of sinne should be reuealed the proude aduersary of God c. Thei 2 meaning no doubt by this defection a departing and a falling from that faith which the holy ghost had then planted by his ministery among the Gentiles As we see it now come to passe in the Church of Rome Which Church is so gone from the faith that S. Paule taught that if he were now aliue and saw these decrees and decretals of the Bishop of Rome these heapes of ceremonies traditions these masse bokes these Portuses these Festiuals and Legendes these Processionals Dymmes and Sequences these Beades and Graduals the maner of their inuocation their Canons Censures latter Councels such swarmes of superstitious Monkes and Friers such sectes of so many dyuers religions the Testament of S. Fraunces the rule of S. Benedict of S Brigit of S. Anthony c. the intricate subtelâ—ies labyrynthes of the scholemen the infinite cases and distinctioÌ„s of the Canonistes the Sermons in Churches the assertions in schooles the glory of the Pope the pride of the clergie the cruelty of persecuting Prelates with their officials and promotors he woulde saye this were not a defection but rather a plaine destruccion and ruine of fayth neyther that this were any true Church of Christ but a newe found Religion or paganisme rather brought in vnder the shadow of Christianity wherin remaineth almost no thing els but the name onely of Christ and the outwarde forme of hys religion the true vayne and effect whereof is vtterly decayed as to them which list to examine all the parts of this new Romish religion may some appeare For saue onely that they pretend the solemne forme and wordes of the Crede and are Baptised confessing the name of the father the sonne holy ghost As touching all other points and true sincerity of the Christian faith which they outwardly professe they are vtterly degenerated from that which S. Paule the word of God first had taught them First they coÌ„fesse the father in word but his will in his word expresed they renounce his grace they acknowledg not his benefits and promisses giuen vnto vs in his sonne they receaue not the vigor of his law they feele not the terrour of his iudgements earnestly they feare not his commaundementes they obserue by the traditions and commaundements of their owne Likewise the name of Christ his sonne in worde they confesse but his office indede they deface and deminish his glory they seeke not but vnder his name they do seke their owne the power of his bloud and passion they know not or els dissemble it who neither they admit to be the head of his Church alone nor sauiour alone nor only to be our patrone aduocate but match with him our Lady and other patrons so that euery Parish almost in christendome hath his peculiar patrone besides Christ to hold by In like maner they confesse the name of the holy Ghost But God himselfe knoweth how farre they are from the comfort knowledge and tast of the holy ghost as wel may appeare by their councels by their expounding of Scripture by their superstitious ceremonies by their outward worshipping and Idolatrous inuocation to stockes and stones and dead creatures by their scrupulous obseruatioÌ„ of dayes tunes places numbers gestures And no lesse also by their doctrine which defraudeth the poore harts of simple Christians of their due consolation ioy and liberty in the holy Ghost kepeth them still in a seruile bondage and a doubtfull incertainty of their
saluation contrary to the working of the holy spirite of God And thus the Church of Rome pretending onely the name of Christ and of his Religion is so farre altered from the truth of that which it pretendeth that vnder the name of Christ it persecuteth both Christ his Religion working more harme to the Church of Christ then euer did the open tirants and persecuting Emperours among the heathen not much vnlike herein to the olde Sinagoge of the Scribes and Phareseis who vnder the name of God crucified the sonne of God and vnder pretence of the law fought against the Gospell and vnder the title of Abrahams children persecuted the childrē of Abraham And as they bragging so highly of the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lorde did in deede destroye the true Temple of the Lord right so these pretensed Catholikes in these dayes after they haue raysed vppe a Catholike Churche of their owne and haue armed the same with lawes and haue gathered vnto them a power of Priestes Prelates Abbats Priors of religious men of Cardinals and also of secular Princes to take their part now vnder the name of the Catholicke Church they persecute the true Catholike church and coloring their procedings still with In nomine Domini most cruelly they put to death which die pro nomine Domini condemning them for heretikes schismatikes and rebles not which deny any part of the creede which they themselues professe nor such whome they can conuince by any Scripture but onely such which will not ioyne wyth their errours and heresies contrary to the honour of God and truth of his worde And lest any should thinke this that we here protest against the corrupt errours manifold deformities of this latter Church of Rome to proceede of any raucor or affection rather then grounded of necessary causes and demōstrations euident my purpose is by the Lordes leaue to take herein some litle paine that as I haue collected a litle before the summe cōtents of S. Paules doctrine where with the old Church of Rome was first seasoned and acquainted so now as in a like summary table to discrye the particular braunches and contents of the Popes doctrine now set foorth to the intent that all true Christian readers comparing the one with the other may discern what great alteration there is betwene the church of Rome that now is and the church of Rome that then was planted by the Apostles in the primitiue time And to the ende to open to the simple reader some waye whereby he may the better iudge in such matters of doctrine not be deceaued in discerning truth from errour first we wil propound certeine principles or general positions as infallible rules or truthes of the Scripture wherby al other doctrines opinions of men being tried and examined as in the touchstone may the more easely be iudged whether they be true or cōtrary whether they make agaynst the scripture or no. ¶ Certeine Principles or generall verities grounded vpon the truth of Gods word ¶ The first principle 1. AS sinne and death came originally by the disobedience of one to all men of his generation by nature so righteousnes and life come originally by the obedience of one to all men regenerated of him by faith Baptisme Rom. 5. ¶ The 2. Principle 2. The promise of God was freely giuen to our first parentes without their deseruing that the seede of a woman should breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. ¶ The 3. Principles 3. Promise was giuen freely to Abraham before he deserued any thing that in his seede all nations should be blessed Gen. 12. ¶ The 4. Principle 4. To the worde of God neither must wee adde nor take from it Deut. 4. ¶ The 5. Principle 5. He that doth the workes of the law shall liue therein Leuit. 18. Gal. 3. ¶ The 6. Principle 6. Accursed is he which abideth not in euery thing that is written in the booke of the law Deut. 27. Gal. 3. ¶ The 7. Principle 7. God onely is to be worshipped Deut. 6. Luc. 4. ¶ The 8. Principle 8. All our righteousnes is like a defiled cloth of a woman Esay 64. ¶ The 9. Principle 9. In all my holy hill they shall not kill nor slay saith the Lord. Esay 11.65 ¶ The 10. Principle 10. God loueth mercy and obedience more then sacrifice Osee. 6.1 Reg. 15. ¶ The 11. Principle 11. The lawe worketh anger condemneth and openeth sinne Rom. 3. ¶ The 12. Principle 12. The end of the law is Christ to righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Rom. 10. ¶ The 13. Principle 13. Whosoeuer beleeueth and is Baptised shall be saued Mat. vlt. ¶ The 14. Principle 14. A man is iustified by faith without workes freely by grace not of our selues Gal. 2. Ephes. 2. ¶ The 15. Principle 15. There is no remission of sinnes without bloud Heb. 9 ¶ The 16. Principle 16. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. ¶ The 17. Principle 17. One Mediatour betweene God man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2. he is the propitiatiō for our sinnes 1. Iohn 2. ¶ The 18. Principle 18. Who soeuer seeketh in the law to be iustified is fallen from grace ¶ The 19. Principle 19. In Christ be all the promises of God Est Amen 2. Cor. 1. ¶ The 20. Principle 20. Let euery soule be subiect to superiour powers gyuyng to Caesar that which is Cesars to God that which is Gods Rom. 13. These principles and infallible rules of the Scripture as no man can denie so if they be granted the doctrine thē of the Popes Church must needes be found not to be Catholike but rather full of errours and heresies as in the sequele folowing remaineth more expressely and particularly by the grace of Christ to be conuinced ¶ Here foloweth a Summary collection of the errours heresies and absurdities conteyned in the popes doctrine contrary to the rules of Gods vvord and the first institution of the Church of Rome Of Faith and Iustification FIrst as touching the onely meanes and instrumentall cause of our iustificatiō wherby the merits of Christes Passiō be applied to vs made ours ye heard before how S. Paule onely ascrybeth the same to faith as appeareth by all his letters especially to the Romanes Where he excluding al kind of works ascribeth al our saluation iustification righteousnes reconciliation and peace with god onely to faith in Christ. Contrary to which doctrine the Pope and his church hath set vp diuers and sondry other meanes of their owne deuising whereby the merites of Christes passion they saye are applyed to vs and made ours to the putting away of sinnes and for our iustification as hope charitie sacrifice of the Masse auricular confession satisfacion merits of Saintes and holy orders the
Popes pardons c. So that Christs sacrifice stripes and sufferyng by this teaching doth not heale vs nor is not beneficiall to vs though we beleeue neuer so well vnles wee adde also these workes and merites aboue recited Which if it be true then is it false that Esay the prophet doth promise chap. 53. In his stripes all we are made hole c. This errour and heresie of the Church of Rome though it serue at fyrst sight to the naturall reason of man to be out of small importaunce yet if it be earnestly considered it is in very deede the most pernicious heresie that euer almost crept into the Church vpon the which as the onely foundation all or the most part of all the errours absurdities and inconueniences of the Popes Church are grounded For this being once admitted that a man is not iustified by his fayth in Christ alone but that other meanes must be sought by our owne working and merites to apply the merites of Christes PassioÌ„ vnto vs then is there neither any certeinty left of our saluation nor end in setting vp newe meanes and merites of our owne deuising for remission of sinnes Neyther hath there beene any heresye that eyther hath rebelled more presumptuously against the high Maiestie of God the Father nor more perniciously hath iniuried the soules of the simple then this doctrine First of all it subuerteth the will and testament of God For where almighty God of mercy hath giuen vs his son to dye for vs and with him hath giuen out his full promise that whosoeuer beleeueth vpoÌ„ him should be saued by their fayth assigneth none other condition either of the lawe or any works but onely of fayth to be the meanes betweene his sonne and vs these men take vpon them to alter this testament that God hath set and adioyne other conditions which the Lord in his word neuer appointed nor knew To whom the wordes of Hierome may be well applyed vpon the Epistle to the Gal. speaking of such Qui de Euangelio Christi faciunt hominis Euangelium vel quod peius est Diaboli c. That is Which make of the Gospell of Christ the Gospell of men or rather the Gospell of the deuil c. Secondly whereas the Christian reader in the Gospell reading of the great grace and swete promises of god gyuen to mankinde in Christ his sonne might thereby take much comfort of soule and be at rest and peace with the Lorde his God commeth in the pestiferous doctrine of these heretikes wherewyth they obscure this free grace of God to choake the sweete comforts of man in the holy Ghost and oppresse Christen libertie and bring our spirituall into bondage Thirdly as in this their impious doctrine they shew themselues manifest enimies to Gods grace so are they no lesse iniurious to Christen men whom they leaue in a doubtfull distrust of Gods fauour and of their saluation contrary to the worde and will of God and right institutioÌ„ of the Apostolicke doctrine And wheras our new schoolemen of late to mayntaine the sayde wicked point of doctrine doe obiect vnto vs that wee rather leaue mens consciences vncertaine for so much as if lyfe saye they were not a due rewarde it were vncerteine And nowe for somuch as due debt is certaine and mercy or fauour is vncerteine therefore say they we leauing mens consciences to the mercy of God doe leaue them in a doubtfull vncerteintie of their saluation To this I aunswere that due debt if it be proued by the law duely deserued it must be certeine But if the lawe shall prooue it vnperfect or vnsufficiently due then is it not certeine neither can there be any thing duely claymed Nowe as touching mercye so long as it remaineth secret in the Princes wyll and not knowne to his subiectes so long it is vncerteine But when this mercy shall be openly published by proclamation ratified by promise conferred by will and TestameÌ„t established in bloude and sealed wyth Sacraments then this mercy remayneth no more doubtful but ought firmely to be beleued of euery true faythfull subiect And therefore Saint Paule to establish our harts in this assuraunce and so aunswere to this doubte in his Epistle to the Romaines doth teach vs saying And therefore of fayth that after grace the promise might be firme sure to the whole seede of Abraham c. Rom. 4. Meanyng hereby that workes haue nothing to doe in this case of Iustifying and noteth the reason why For then our saluation should stande in a doubtfull wauering because in working we are neuer certeine whether our desertes be perfect and sufficient in Gods iudgement or no. And therefore sayeth Saint Paule to the intent our saluation should be out of all doubt and certeine it standeth not of workes in deseruing but of fayth in apprehending and of Gods free grace in promising Fourthly as in this their sinister doctryne they break this principle of Christian Religion which sayth that a man is iustified by fayth wythout workes so agayne it breaketh an other principle aboue rehearsed For this rule beyng graunted that nothing is to be added to gods word nor taken from it then haue these men done wickedly in adding as they doe to Gods worde For where the word of god lymiteth to our iustification no coÌ„dition but fayth Beleeue sayth he in the Lorde Iesu and thou shalt be saued and thy whole house c. Act. 16. these Iusticiaries doe adde thereto dyuers and sondry other conditions besides and such as the worde also precisely excludeth as hope charitie the sacrifice of their Masse the work of the Priest Ex opere operato auricular confession satisfaction meritorious deedes c. And thus much concerning the doctrine of fayth and iustification Whereby it may appeare to what horrible blindnes and blasphemie the Church of Rome is now fallen where this kinde of doctrine is not only suffered but also publikely professed which speaking against fayth thus blasphemously dare say Fides illa qua quis firmiter credit certo statuit propter Christum sibi remissa esse peccata seseque possessurum vitam aeternam non sides est sed temeritas non spiritus sancti persuasio sed humanae audaciae presumptio That is That fayth wherewith a man firmely beleueth and certeinely assureth himselfe that for Christes sake his sinnes be forgyuen him and that he shall possesse eternal life is not faith but rashnes not the perswasion of the holy Ghost but presumption of a mans boldnes ¶ Of workes and the law AS touching the doctrine of good workes and the lawe what the teaching of Saint Paule was to the Romanes yee hearde before Who although hee excludeth good workes from the office of Iustifying yet excludeth he them not from the practise and câ—â—uersation of Christen life but most earnestly calleth vpon all faythfull beleeuers in Christ to walke
worthye their vocation to laye downe their olde conuersation to gyue theyr members seruauntes of ryghteousnes to offer their bodyes vppe to God a liuelye Sacrifice c. The like example of whose teachyng if the Churches nowe reformed doe not folowe let their Sermons their Preachynges wrytinges exhortynges and lyues also beare recorde who although they can not say with Christ. Which of you can blame me of sinne yet they may say to the aduersaryes whosoeuer of you is wythout fault cast the fyrst stone of reproch agaynst vs. Wherefore Hosius Pighius wyth their fellowes doe them open wrong and slaunderously belye them in comparing them in this behalfe to Aetius Eunominus and other heretikes called Anomaei who taking the good sentences of S. Paule did abuse the same to filthy licence of the flesh and corruption of wicked life c. But to let these slaunders passe nowe what the errours be of the Church of Rome touching this part of doctryne remayneth to be declared Whose errour first standeth in this that they mysunderstanding the definition of good workes doe call good workes not such as properly are commaunded by the lawe of God but such as are agreable to the Popes law As buylding of Abbayes and churches gyuing to the high altar founding of trentales fynding of chauntries gylding of Images hearing of Masses going on pilgrimage fyghting for the holye crosse keeping of vowes entryng to orders fastyng of vigiles creepyng to the Crosse praying to Saintes c. All which are not onely reputed for good workes but so preferred also before all other workes that to these is gyuen pardon from the Pope double and triplefolde more then to any other good worke of charitie commaunded in the law of almightie God An other errour also may be noted in the Papists touching the efficient or formall cause of good workes For albeit they all confesse in their bookes that Gratia dei gratis data is the chiefe principall cause thereof and worketh in vs iustitiam primam as they call it yet the good workes after regeneration they refer to other subordinate causes vnder God as to fre wil or to habitum virtutis or ad integra naturalia nothing at all to faith when as faith onelye next vnder God is the roote and fountaine of all well dooyng as in the fruites of a good tree albeit the planter or the husbandman be the principall agent thereof and some cause also may be in the good ground yet the next and immediate cause is the roote that maketh the tree fruitefull In like maner the grace of God in a soft repentaunt mollified hart planteth the gift of fayth Fayth as a good roote can not lye dead or vnoccupied but springeth foorth and maketh both the tree fruitefull and also the tree thereof to be good which otherwise had no acceptatiō nor goodnes in them were it not for the goodnes of the roote from whence they spring So Paule although he had certeine workes in him such as they were before his conuersion yet had he no good workes before the grace of Christ had rooted fayth in him So Mary Magdelene the sinner and Zacheus the Publicane So all the nations of the Gentiles began to bryng foorth frute and especially good fruit when they began to bee ingrafted in Christ and to receaue the roote of hys fayth whose fruites before that were all damnable and vnsauery As touchyng the cause therefore of good workes there is no other in man but fayth whose office as it is to iustifie vs in heauen so the nature of it is here in earth to worke by loue as the roote worketh by the sappe For as a man seeth and feeleth by fayth the loue and grace of God toward him in Christ his sonne so begynneth he to loue agayne both God and man and to doe for his neyghbour as God hath done to him And hereof properly springeth the runyng fountaine of al good works and deedes of charitie Thirdly as they erre in the cause of good works so do they erre much more in the ende of the lawe and of good workes for where Saint Paule teacheth the lawe to be gyuen to thys vse and ende to conuict our transgressions to prooue vs sinners to shewe and condemne our infirmitye and to dryue vs to Christ they take and applye no other ende to the lawe but to make vs perfect to keepe vs from wrath and to make vs iust before God And likewise where Saint Paule prooueth al our good works to be vnperfect and vtterly secludeth them from the ende of Iustifying they contrariwise doe teache as though the ende of good workes were to merite remission of synnes to satisfye vnto God to deserue grace to redeeme soules from Purgatory and that by them the person of the regenerate man doth please God and is made iust before God For so they teach most wickedly and horribly saying That christ suffered for originall sinne or sinnes going before Baptisme but the actuall sinnes which followe after Baptisme must be done away by mens meryts And so they assigne to Christ the begynning of saluation or obteyning of the fyrst grace as they call it but the perfection or cōsūmation of grace they giue to works our own strēgth Neither can they in any case abide that we be iustified frely by the mercy of God through fayth onely apprehending the merites of Christ. Howbeit neyther doe all Papistes in this their erroue agree in one For some make distinction and say that we are iustified by Christ principaliter .i. principally minus principaliter .i. lesse principally by the dignitie of our owne deedes contrary to the eight principle before mentioned page 24. Other holde that we are made ryghteous before God not by works that go before fayth but by our vertues that follow after Some againe do thus expound the saying of Saint Paule We are iustified by faith that is say they by fayth preparing vs or setting vs in a good way to be iustified Other expoūde by it the figure Sinecdoche that is by faith conioyned together with other vertues Other thus by faith that is being formed with charytie c. Thus all these doe derogate from the benefite of Christ and attribute vnto works a great or the greatest part of our iustification directly against the true veine of Saint Paules doctryne and first institucion of the auncient Church of Rome and against all the principles of holy Scripture Furthermore as touching the sayde doctryne of the lawe and good workes they erre in misunderstanding the nature of the lawe and workes For where Saint Paule disputeth that the lawe is spirituall and requireth of vs perfect obedience of the whole power of man which wee beyng carnall are neuer able to accomplish they affirme otherwise that the lawe doth require but onely outward obedience of man and therewith is contented And this obedience they say man is not onely able
may appeare that he neyther careth for GOD nor the health of the Churche Item that the preceptes and commaundementes of the pope and prelates be no otherwise but as the Councels and preceptes of Phisitions binding no further then they are founde to be holesome and standing with the trueth of the word Item that the Pope can commaunde no man vnder payne of deadly sinne except God commaund him before He sayth that the keyes of the Pope and of the prelates be not such wherwith they open the kingdome of heauen but rather shut it as the Phariseis did Concerning vowes he disputeth that such as be foolish and impossibile ought to be brokē that the hearers ought to discerne and iudge of the doctrine of their Prelates and not to receiue euery thing that they say without due examination He sheweth moreouer that the sentence or excommunication is of more force proceeding from a true godly honest simple and learned men then from the Pope as in the Councell of Constance Bernard was more esteemed then Eugenius Also if the pope with hys prelates gouern and rule naughtely that the inferiours be they neuer so base ought to resist him Writing moreouer of two Popes Pius the second and Sixtus the fourth he sayth that Pius the second dyd vsurpe vnto hymselfe all the kingdomes of the whole world that Sixtus the pope did dispense with al maner of othes in causes temporall not onely with suche othes as haue bene already but also with all suche as shal be made hereafter which was nothing els but to geue libertie and licence for men to forsweare themselues and deceiue one an other This Weselus beyng a Phrisian borne and now aged in yeares vpon a certayne time when a yong man called mayster Ioannes Oftendorpius came to hym sayd these wordes Well my childe thou shalt lyue to that day when thou shalt see the doctrine of these new and contentious diuines as Thomas and Bonauenture with others of the same sort shal be vtterly reiected and exploded from al true Christen deuines And thys which Oftendorpius then being young heard Weselus to speake he reported himselfe to Nouiomagus which wrote this story an 1520. heard it of the mouth of the sayd Weselus an 1490. Martij 18. Philippus Melanchton writing of the lyfe of Rodolphus Agricola sayth that Iosquinus Groningonsis an auncient and a godly man reported that when as he was young he was oftentimes present at the Sermons of Rodolphus and Weselus wherein they many times lamented the darckenes of the church and reprehended the abuses of the Masse and of the single life of priestes Item that they disputed oftentimes of the righteousnes of sayth why S. Paule so oftentimes did inculcate that men be iustified by faith and not by workes the same Iosquine also reported that they did openly reiecte and disproue the opinion of monks which say that men be iustified by their works Item concerning mens traditiōs their opinion was that all suche were deceiued whatsoeuer attribued vnto those traditions any opinion of Gods worship or that they could not be broken And thus much for the story of doctour Wesellianus and Wesilus By this it may be seene and noted how by the grace of God and gift of printing first came forth learning by learning came light to iudge and discerne the errors of the pope from the truth of Gods word as partly by these abouesaid may appeare partly by other that followe after by the grace of Christ shall better be seene About the very same tyme and season when as the Gospell began thus to braunch spring in Germanie the host of Christes church began also to muster to multiply likewise here in Englād as by these historyes here consequent may appeare For not long after the death of this Weselus in the yeare of our Lorde 1494. and in the 9. yeare of the reigne of K. Henry 7. the 28. of Aprill was burned a very old woman named Ioane Boughton widow and mother to the Lady Young which Ladye was also suspected to be of that opinion which her mother was Her mother was of foure score yeares of age or more held 8. of Wickleffes opinions which opiniōs my author doth not shew for the which she was burnt in Smithfield the day abouesayd My author sayth she was a Disciple of Wickleffe whome she accompted for a Sainct and helde so fast and firmly viij of his x. opinions that all the Doctours of Lōdon coulde not turne her from one of them and when it was told her that she shoulde be brent for her obstinacie false beliefe shee set nothing by theyr manacing wordes but defied them for the sayde she was so beloued of God and hys holy aungels that she passed not for the fire in the midst therof she cryed to God to take her soule into his holy handes The night following that she was burnt the most parte of her ashes were had awaye of suche as had a loue vnto the doctrine that she dyed for Shortly after the martyrdome of this godly aged mother in the yeare of our Lord 1497. and the 17. of Ianuary being Sonday two men the one called Richard Milderale and the other Iames Sturdy bare Fagots before the procession of Paules and after stoode before the preacher in the time of hys Sermon And vpon the sonday following stood other two men at Paules crosse all the sermon tyme the one garnished with paynted written papers the other hauing a Fagot on hys necke After that in Lent season vppon Passion Sonday one Hugh Glouer bare a Fagot before the procession of Paules after wyth the Fagot stoode before the preacher all the sermon while at Paules crosse And on the sonday next following foure men stoode and did there open penaunce at Paules as is aforesayd in the sermon time many of their bookes were burnt before them at the Crosse. FUrthermore the next yeare following whiche was the yeare of our Lord. 1498. in the beginning of Maye the king then being at Canterbury was a priest burnt which was so strong in his opinion that all the clerkes doctors then there beyng coulde not remoue him from his sayth whereof the king beyng enformed caused the sayd priest to be brought before hys presence who by hys perswasions caused him to reuoke and so he was burnt immediately The burning of Babram ABout which yere likewise or in the yere next folowing that xx day of Iuly was an old mā burnt in Smithfield IN the same yeare also which was of the Lord. 1499. fell the martyrdome and burning of Hieronimus Sauonarola a man no lesse godly in hart then constant in his profession Who being a Monke in Italy singularly well learned preached fore agaynst the euill lyfe liuing of the spiritualty and specially of hys own order compsayning fore vpō thē as the springes and authors of all mischieues wickednes
the obiection before moued Ex Concil Calced cap. 28. Certayne demaundes for the Papistes to answere vnto An argument prouing the Popes of this latter Church of Rome not to be successours of Peter A false consequent of the Papistes Aunswere to this consequent Succession Apostolicall double wise to be considered Testimonies alledged for the principalitie of the Pope Aunswere by a distinction Caput and Princeps haue a double vnderstanding How Peter is Princeps Apostolorum Princeps eloqueÌ„tiae Cicero Princeps Philosophorum Cratippus Petrus Princeps Coryphaeus Apostolorum Causes 13. of aduauncing the sea of Rome This latter Church of Rome differing from the first Church of Rome in forme of gouernement Howe the Church of Christ ought to be gouerned Preposterous gouernement of the Church by the pope A comparisoÌ„ betwene the kingdom of this world and the kingdome of the Pope Seculer Nobillitie compared with ecclesiasticall Nobâ—lâ—tie Ciuile Magistrates coâ—pared with Ecclesiasticall Officers of the temperall court compared with the officers of the spirâ—tuall Court Glory coÌ„pared Power coÌ„pared Richâ—s compared Subtletie compared The difference betweene the Popes regiment and the order of the primitiue Church 2. Cor. 10. Ephes. 6. 1. Tim. 1. The armour proper to Churchmen Horrible abuse of excommunication in the Popes Church The Popes gouerning in matters to them not pertayning The corrupt doctrine of the Popes Church examined and detected The false image of the Popes Church No comfort nor saluation in the Popes doctrine now taught The scope and summe of the Pope doctrine whether it tendeth Papistes neuer lightly afflicted in conscience deepely An horrible thing to thinke of God without Christ. Luther The right fayth of the olde Romanes Cornelius a Romane first baptised of all the Gentiles The church of Rome hath lost the liquor wherewith it was first seasoned The Galathians almost gone froÌ„ fayth in Sainct Paules time 1. Tim. 4. A briefe suÌ„me of S. Paules doctrine deliuered to the Gentiles Saluation by mercy onely and not by merites All fleshe concluded vnder sinne Difference betweene the law and the gospell Iusticia dei Iusticia propria The righteousnesse of God and the righteousnes of man howe they differ in Scripture A true christian knoweth nothing but Christ crucified All men condemned by one All men saued by one Originall sinne originall iustice Rom. 5. Ephes. 2. Itaque iam non es seruus sed filius Gal. 4. Heb. 4. 1. Cor. 3. The glorious state of Christian libertie and spirituall freedome in Christ Iesu. Gal. 4. Colos. 2. Dayes and tymes indifferent Meates indifferent with thaÌ„ksgeuing Mariage lawfull for all men One sacrifice for sinne no more Heb. 9. The vse of the holye communion in auncient tyme of the primitiue church No mo Sacramentes mentioned in S. Paule but the Lordes supper and baptisme The authoritie and office of the ciuill Magistrates The office and aucthoritie of Byshops how farre it doth extend An other brief recapitulation of S. Paules doctrine reduced to fiue poynts Iohn 3. The great mercy of God in Christ. Rom. 5. 2. Cor. 5. Ephes. 2. Rom. 4. Tit. 3. The glory and Maiestye of Christ Iesus set forth in Sainct Paule Ephes. 4. Phil. 2. Colos. 1. Iohn 5. Iohn 13. Iohn 17. Math. vlt. 2. Cor. 1. The 3. braunch The vertue and effect of Christs death and what exceeding benefites proceede thereof Ephes. 1. Esay 53. Collos. 1. Rom. 5. 2. Timo. 1. Heb. 2. Rom. 5. Gal. 3. Ephes. 2. 1. Iohn 2. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Ephes 3. Collos. 2. Rom. 4. Colos. 2. The fourth braunch Fayth onely the meane cause of saluation and nothing els Phil. 3. The righteousnes of the law The righteousnesse of the gospell Rom. 9. The places of S. Paul Rom. 3. expounded Rom. 3. The righteousnesse of fayth why it is called Gods righteousnes Rom. 3. A lesson out of S. Paules doctrine of all Christians to be obserued Rom. 9. Act. 10. Saluation commeth onely by fayth Math. 16. Luke 19. Luc. 7. Luc. 23. Luc. 28. That which is lost by the law is recouered by fayth Luc. 18. Math. 9. Iohn 14. Iohn 14. Iohn 15. Iohn 6. Act. 26. Act. 10. Mat. vlt. Iohn 14. The writinges of S. Paule full of the name of Christ Iesus Belief onely in Christ saueth Act. 16. The personall cause of saluation The instrumentall cause How fayth iustifieth Christ the onely obiect of faith which iustifieth Example of the brason Serpent What fayth is by Sainct Paule Rom. 10. Faith onely Diuers sorts of beleuing The Turkes fayth The Iewes fayth Euery truth may be beleued but the beleuing of euery trueth saueth not The Papists fayth Onely Hope and charitie be no partes of our iustification nor causes to make the merites of Christ ours The causes of our saluation distincted The causes of our saluation distincted Grace and mercy Election Vocation Christes passion Christian fayth The meaning and cause why fayth onely iustifieth All workes of man excluded from the glory of iustifiyng Ephes. 2. Tit. 3. 2. Timot. 1 Gal. 2. Rom. 4. The exclusiues and negatiues of S. Paule to be marked The fift braunch The true vse and end of good workes Good workes iustifie not but follow the iustified Luke 17. Fayth iustifieth three manner of wayes The office of fayth and the office of the law compared together The workes of man be imparfect and therefore haue nothing to doe with iustification Gal. 2. Deffection of fayth in the Church of Rome A vew of the Popes Catholicke Church The Church of Rome degenerated agayne almost to new paganisme The Popes Church onely in wordes Catholicke in deed heathenish The Religion of the Popes Church proceedeth contrary to the working of the holy Ghost The Church of Rome pretentendeth a fayre face of Religion but is voyd of the efâ—ect therof The old Phariseis and the latter Church of Romanes compared together The Popes Church vnder the name of the Catholicke Church persecuteth the true Catholicke Church of Christ. Contayne generall principles and rules gathered of the scriptures Gene 3. Gen. 12. Deut. 4. Leuit. 18. Gal. 3. Deut. 27. Gal. 3. Deut. 6. Luc. 4. Esay 64. Esay 11.65 Osee. 6. 1. Reg. 15. Rom. 3. Rom. 10. Math. vlt. Gal. 2. Ephes. 2. Heb. 9. Rom. 14. Heb. 11. 1. Tim. 1. 1. Iohn 2. Gal. 5. 2. Cor. 1. Rom. 13. The errours hereâ—ies and absurdities in the popes doctrine The meanes of applying Christes merites vnto vs by the Popes doctrine The taking away of this Article of fayth onely to iustifie is the roote of great inconuenience in Christes Church No heresie to be coÌ„pared to the heresie of Papistes The first inconuenieÌ„ce No condition limitted of God to man for saluation but one Hieroni. in Epist. ad Gal. cap. 1. The 2. incoÌ„uenience What hurt commeth into the Church by taking away the Article of iustification The third inconuenience Obiection of the Papistes aunswered The Papistes doe teach the mercye of God to be vncertayne Mercy of God made certayne by
hys owne promises Saluation standeth sure and certayne by Gods promise The place of S. Paule Rom. 4. expounded The 4. inconuenience The 4. principle aboue recited broken Ex Lindano in Epitome doctrinae Euangelicae The first errour of the Papistes touching good workes Hosius in 2. tom confessionis Cap. 1. The second errour of the Papistes in the doctrine of good workes Fayth the roote and cause of good workes Workes are not to be called good but by reason of fayth The office of fayth to iustifie The effect of fayth to bring forth good workes Fides per dilectioneÌ„ operans Gal. 5. The 3. errour of the Papistes touching the end of the law good works The end of the law and good workes peruerted Thom. Aquinas Hosius in 2. tom conses Cap. 1. The diuers opinions of their Catholicke Papistes how faith iustifieth The Popes doctrine agaynst the principles of Scripture The 4. errour of the Papistes touching the imperfection of man in satisfiyng the perfection of the law Agaynst the pâ—inciples of Scripture Precepteâ— and Counsayles Workes of supererogation Mens traditions preferred before the workes of Gods law Agaynst the principle of Scripture Erroneous doctrine of the latter Church of Rome concerning 〈◊〉 Original sinne 〈◊〉 it is Fomes peccati Concupiscentia Original sinne â—â—â—nuated False doctrine of the latter Church of Rome touching penaunce Contrition Confession Satisfaction True doctrine of repentaunce by the scripture Partes of repentance 1. Contrition 2. Fayth 3. New obedience The blinde ignoraunce of the popes Church in not distincting the law from the Gospel A Babilonicall confusion in the Popes doctrine What difference the Papistes put betwene Moses and Christ. Papistes make the Gospell a new law Papistes deuide the law into the law of nature the law of Moses and the lawe of Christ. The Popes Churche blinde in the office of Christ. The time of the law and time of the Gospell distincted Malediction of the law ceaseth in Christ. The vse of the law remayneth Christ and the law can not raygne together Ephes. 4. The power of the law is for a time The power of Christ is eternall Rom. 8. Colos. 2. The malediction of the law geueth place to Christ. The curse of the law is crucified and shall neuer rise agayne Rom. 7. Rom. 6. To be vnder the law and vnder grace expounded What is to be vnder grace Psal. 31. Act. 10. One remedy for remission of sins and no more Auriculer confession no remedy for remission of sinnes Remission of sinnes standeth vpon a generall cause and not particular The law crucifieâ— by Christ. 〈◊〉 meaneth Obiection Aunsâ—â—â— The cause of remission eueâ— one and perpetuall The promise of remission euer perpetuall Remission of sinnes freely promised without limitation of time or number The meanes whereby remission is promised is onely fayth The wordes of promise free and absolute Act. 10. Mans infirmitie impayreth not the grace of Christ but augmenteth it 2. Cor. 12. Rom. 5. Foure thinges concurre in remissioÌ„ of sinnes The Popes errours touching remission of sinnes detected What inconuenience riseth for Jacke of distinction betweene the law and the Gospell Erroneous doctrine of the papistes concerning free will Meritum de congruo Meritum de incongruo False doctrine concerning inuocation Mediator of intercession Mediator of saluation Christ a continuall Mediator by the doctrine of S. Paule Rom. 8. Christ onely being our Mediator of saluation what needeth any other Mediation of Sainctes Saluation falsely attributed to the blessed Virgine Idolatrous adoration of Reliques and Sacramentes Prophanation of the Lordes Supper False mâ—lting by Masses False doctrine touching Sacramentes The number Caâ—â—e finall The operation The application of Sacramentâ— Errours and abuses in Baptisme Baptising of Belles False doctrine of the Popes Churche concerning the Lordes Supper Idolatry coÌ„mitted to the Sacrament The Sacrament turned to an Idole ChauÌ„ging Worshiping Offering Eating Burning the body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar Absurdities and errours of the popes Churche touching Matrimony 1. Cor. 7. 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tim. 4. Leuit. 18. Single life be it neuer so impure preferred before Matrimony The third part of christendome stopt by the Popes law to marry the Popes doctrine agaynst Priestes maryage and their Children The third part of the yeare exempted froÌ„ the mariage Mariage within the fift or sixt degree by the Popes law Gossippes inhibited to marry by the Popes law What inconueniences come by restrayning of mariage The corrupt doctrine of the Popes Churche concerning ciuile rulers and magistrates Rom. 13. The Phantasies and Antiques of the popes Churche concerning Purgatory Ex Thom. Mono alijs Manifest defection of the Popes Church from the olde fayth of Rome Contrarietie betweene the Religion of Christ and of the Pope briefly noted Christes doctrine is wholly spirituall No outward thing is required in Christes doctrine to make a Christen man but onely Baptisme and the Lordes Supper All doctrine of the Pope standeth onely in outward things A Christen man defined after the Popes doctrine Corporall exercise serueth to small profite Two thinges in this history chiefly to be noted The world The kingdome of Christ in this world The visible Church The Church of Christ deuided in two sortes of people Euseb. Lib. 1. cap. 1. Gods punishment for refusing the Gospel Tiberius Casar moueth the Senate to haue Christ receaued Christ refused of the Senate of Rome The vayne cause why the Senate of Rome refused Christ. Tertul. Apol. cap. 5. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 3. The Senate and Citie of Rome plagued for refusing of Christ. Ex Suet. in vitae Tiberij Christ suffereth and riseth agayne An. 34. Sainct Paul conuerted An. 35. An. 39. Caesar. Caligula Caligula commaunded hys image to be set vp in the Temple of Hierusalem The abhomination of desolation standing in the holye place Herode miserably dyed in banishment Gayphas deposed An. 43. Ex Gotfrido Viterbiensi part 25 Claudius Nero. An. 56. Domitius Nero. The horrible wickednes and crueltie of Nero. Peter and Paule suffered for Christ. An. 69. Vespasian Emperour and Titus his sonne The destruction of the Iewes A note for all Realmes to marke The Romanes in contemning Christ punished by their owne Emperours Examples of the 〈◊〉 plague of God vpon the Romaine Emperours persecuting and resisting Christ till the time of Constantine Tiberius 〈…〉 Neâ—â— Galbe Ottho Vitelius Titus Domitian Commedus Pertinax Iulianas Seueras Gera. Bassianus Macrinus Deadâ—nerus Helagabâ—lus Alexande Seuerus Maximinus Maximus Barbinus Gordianus Philippus Decius Gallus Volusianus Aemilianus Varelianus Galienus Aurelianus Tacitus Florinus Probus Carus Dioclesianus Maximianus Galerius Maximinus Maxentius Licinius Brittaines Gildas Wickliefe and hys bookes condemned and brent for an heriticke after hys death Gods benefites toward England A caueat for England S. Steuen the first ring leader of all Christes Martyrs S Iames the Apostle brother of Iohn Martyred Act. 12. Hist. Eccle. lib. 2. cap. 9. Ex clemente Septimae Hypolyposeon A notable conuersion of a
with vij or viij heynous crimes as blasphemy Idolatry heresie superstition absurditie vanitie crueltie and contrarietie as which neither agreeth with the old learning of their forelders nor yet with thēselues in sundry points yet after a more temperate sort to passe this matter wyth them these ij things I will dare boldly affirme that in this doctrine of the Pope nowe taught in the Church of Rome is neither any consolation of conscience nor saluation of mans soule For seeing there is no life nor soule health but onely in Christ nor any promise of saluation or comfort made but only by faith in the sonne of God what assurance then can there be of perfect peace life or saluatiō where that which onely maketh all is least made of and other things which make least are most esteemed For to say the simple truth what els is the whole course and body of the popes law now set foorth but a doctrine of laws a heape of ceremonies a teaching of traditions a meditation of merites a foundation of new Religions al which conferre not one iote to the iustification of our soules before the terrible iudgement of God And therefore as it may be truely saide this doctrine of the Pope to be voyd of all true comfort and saluation so likewise it seemeth that these which addict themselues so deuoutly to the popes learning were neuer earnestly afflicted in conscience neuer humbled in spirite nor broken in hart neuer entred into any serious feeling of Gods iudgement nor euer felt the strength of the law of death For if they had they shoulde soone haue seene their owne weakenes and be driuen to Christ then should they haue seene what a horrible thing it is to appeare before GOD the father or once to thinke on him as Luther saith without christ And on the contrarye side then shoulde they know what a glory what a kingdome what liberty and life it were to be in Christ Iesus by faith holding their inheritance not with the bondsonne of Agar but with the free sonne of Sara by promise and not by the law by grace and not by works by gift and not by deseruing that god onely might be praysed and not man And thus were the olde Romaines first taughty by S. Paule writing to the Romanes The same did Cornelius the Romaine and first that was Baptised of all the Gentiles learne of S. Peter when he receaued the holy Ghost not by the deedes of the law but onely by hearing the faith of Iesus preached And in the same doctrine the sayd Church of the Romaines many yeares continued so long as they were in affliction And in the same doctrine the byshop of Rome with his Romanes now also should still remayne if they were such auncient Catholickes as they pretende and woulde follow the old mother Church of Rome and holde the first liquor wherewith they were first seasoned But the sweete verdor and sent of that liquor and pleasant must is nowe cleane put out through other vnsauery infusions of the Popes thrusting in so that almost no tast nor peece remaineth of all that primitiue doctrine which S. Paule and other Apostles first planted among the Gentiles And what maruell if the Romanes now in so long tract of time haue lost their first sap seyng the Church of the Galathians then in the very time of S. Paule their Schoolemaister he being amongst them had not so soone turned his backe a little but they were all turned almost from the doctrine of fayth and had much a doo to be recouered againe Of this defection and falling from faith S. Paule expressely foretelleth vs in his letters both to the Thessalonians and also to Timothe where he sheweth that a defection shall come and that certaine shall depart from the faith attending to spirits of errour c. 1. Tim. 4. And to know what errours these shall be the circumstance plainly leadeth vs to vnderstande in the same place where the sayd Apostle speaketh of marked consciences forbidding men to marry and to eate meates ordeined of God to be taken with thankes giuing for mans sustenance most euidently as with his finger pointeth out vnto vs the church of Rome which not in these pointes onely but also in all other conditions almost is vtterly reuolted from the pure originall sincerity of that doctrine which Saint Paule planted in the Churche of the Romanes and of all other Gentiles ¶ The Summe of S. Paules doctrine deliuered to the Gentiles 1. FIrst the doctrine of S. Paule ascribeth all our iustification freely meerly to faith onely in Christ as to the onely meanes and cause immediate whereby the merites of Christes passion be applyed vnto vs without any other respect of worke or workes of the law whatsoeuer and in this doctrine the Church of the Romanes was first planted 2. Secondly the same doctrine of S. Paule cutting of and excluding all glory of mans deseruing stayeth onely vpon Gods promise and vpon grace not mans merites vpon mercy not mans labouring or running vpon election and calling not mans willing c. 3. Thirdly the same doctrine casting downe the strength of man and his integra naturalia as the scholes doe terme them concludeth all fleshe vnder sinne and maketh the same destitute of the glory of God 4. Item it maketh manifest difference betweene the law and the Gospell declaring the vse and ende of them to be diuers the one to kill the other to quicken the one to cōdemne the other to iustifie the one to haue an ende and a tyme the other to be perpetuall c. 5. Item the same doctrine of S. Paule as it sheweth a difference betweene the law and the Gospell so it maketh no lesse difference betweene Iusticia Dei and Iusticia propria that is the righteousnes of God and the righteousnes of man abhorryng the one that is man 's owne righteousnes comming by the law and works and embracing the other which God imputeth freely and graciously to vs for Christ his sonnes sake in whom we beleeue 6. Item it wipeth away al traditions and constitutions of men whatsoeuer especially from binding of conscience calling them beggerly elements of this world 7. Likewise it reiecteth and wipeth away al curious subtilities and superfluous speculations knoweth nothing els but Christ onely Crucified which is onely the obiect whereunto our faith looketh 8. Furthermore as the same doctrine of S. Paule defineth al men to be transgressours by disobedience of one Adam though they neuer touched the Aple comming of his stocke by nature so doth it prooue all men to be iustified by the obedience of one though they did not his obedience being likewise borne of him by spirituall regeneration and faith 9. And therfore as all men comming of Adam be condemned originally before they grow vp to commit anye sinne agaynst the law so all men be saued originally being
regenerated by fayth in Christ before they begin to do any good worke of charitie or any other good deede 10. Item the doctrine of S. Paule perpending the high glory of a Christen mans state in Christ Iesus by faith first setteth him in a perfect peace with almightie God Rom. 5. Secondly exempteth him from all condemnatiō Rom. 8. Thirdly it matcheth him with aungels it equalleth him with Saints and felow citizens of heauen it nūbereth him with the housholde of God and inheriteth him with Iesus Christ himselfe Ephes. 2. Fourthly it adopteth him from the state of a seruaunt to the state of the sonne of God crying Abba father Gal. 4. Fiftly it openeth to him a bolde accesse and entraunce to the high maiestie and throne of grace Ephes. 2. Heb. 4. Sixtlye it subiecteth all thinges vnder him as ministers yea the Apostles themselues in their hiest office death life thinges present thinges to come with the whole worlde besides and assigneth him no spirituall head but onely Christ saying And you are Christes and Christ is Gods 1. Cor. 3. Seuenthly it aduaunceth and setteth him in a spirituall liberty or freedome aboue all terrours of spirite rising either of Gods lawe or mans lawe aboue all dreadfull feares of sinne damnation malediction reiection death hell or purgatory aboue al seruile bondage of ceremonies mens precepts traditions superstitious vses yokes customes or what els soeuer oppresseth and intangleth the spirituall freedome of a conscience with Christ hath set at libertie And requireth moreouer that wee walke and stande stout in that liberty with the free sonne of Sara whereto we are brought and not suffer our selues any more to bee clogged with any such seruile bondage that is to meane although we must be content to subiect our bodies to all seruice to all men yet that we yeld not our spirituall consciences and soules as slaues and seruants to be subiect to the feare or bondage of any terrene thing in this world forasmuch as we are in that part made Lordes and Princes ouer all things whatsoeuer can harme or binde or terrifie vs. Ga. 4. Colloss 2. 11. Item the right vayne of S. Paules doctrine putteth no difference nor obseruation in dayes and tymes Gal. 4. Col. 2. 12. Item it leaueth all meates to be indifferent wyth thankes giuing to serue the necessitie of the body and not the body to serue them Col. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 13. Item it permitteth marriage without restraint or exception lawfull and also expedient for all men hauyng neede thereof 1. Cor. 7. 14. Item it admitteth no sacrifice for sinne but the sacrifice of Christ alone and that done once for all with bloude For without bloud there is no remission of sinne whiche onely is applied to vs by fayth by nothing els Heb. 9. 15. Item as touching the holy Communion by the letters of S. Paule to the Cor. 11. we vnderstande that the vse then amongst them was to haue the participation of the bread called the Lordes body and of the cup called the Lordes bloud administred not at an altar but at a plaine bord or table the congregation there meeting together after the time of their supper where not the minister alone did receaue and the other looked on but the whole congregation togither did cōmunicate with reuerence thankes giuyng not lifting ouer the Priestes head nor worshipyng nor kneeling nor knocking their brestes but eyther sittyng at the supper or standing after the supper According to which forme the Muscouites yet to this day followyng the old rite of the Country although being drowned otherwise in much superstition vse to receaue it after they be risen from their diner standing Experience wherof was seene here at London the first day of October 1569. 16. Item the sayde Apostle besides the sacramentall supper maketh mention of Baptisme or washing of regeneration although he himselfe Baptised but few 1. Cor. 1. of the other sacraments he maketh no mention 17. Item by the same doctrine of S. Paule no tongue is to be vsed in the congregation which is not knowen and doth not edifie 1. Cor 14. 18. Item the rule of S. Paules doctrine subiecteth euery creature vnder the obedience of Kinges and Princes and ordinary Magistrates ordeined of God to haue the sword and authoritie of publike regiment to order and dispose in all thinges not contrary to God whatsoeuer perteineth to the maintenance of the good or to the correction of the euil from whose iurisdiction there is no exemption of vocations of persons whether they be Ecclesiasticall or politicall And therfore to this office appertaineth to preserue peace to set things in lawfull order to conserue Christian discipline in the Church of Christ to remooue offences to bridle the disobedient to prouide and procure wholesome and faithfull teachers ouer the people to maintaine learning and set vp schooles to haue ouersight not onely of the people but also of all Ecclesiastical ministers to see to euery one to do his dutye to remooue or punish such as be negligent also to call Councels and Synodes to prouide the Church goodes to be faithfullye dispensed by the handes of true dealers to the sustentation of the Church of true teachers to the publike necessitie of the poore c. 19. Furthermore by S. Paules doctrine the Ministers and superintendentes of Christes Church haue their authoritie and armour likewise to them limited which armour is onely spiritual and not carnal wherby they fight not against flesh bloud but against the power of darkenes errour and sinne against the spirituall seduction and crastines in heauenly things against the works and proceedings of Sathan the Prince of this worlde in comforting weak consciences against the terrors of the deuil and desperation and finally against euery cogitation lifted vp against Christ to subdue euery celsitude to the subiection and power of Christ Iesu the sonne of God An other briefe recapitulation of the same BRiefly and in a compendious summe to reduce the whole doctrine of S. Paule in these fiue pointes chieflie it consisteth 1. First in setting foorth the grace great loue and good-will and free promises of God the Father in Christ Iesus his sonne to mankinde which so loued the worlde that he hath giuen his owne sonne for the redemption thereof Iohn 3. which gaue his sonne to die for vs being his enimies Rom. 5. which hath quickned vs being dead in sinne Ephes. 2. which so mercifully hath reconciled the world to himselfe by his sonne and also by his ambassadours desireth vs to be reconciled vnto him 2. Cor. 5. who hath giuē his owne sonne to be sinne for vs. 2. Cor. 5. to be accursed for vs. Gal. 3. which by firme promise hath assured vs of our inheritance Rom. 4. which not by the works of righteousnes that we haue done but of his owne mercy hath saued vs by the washing of regeneration Tit. 3. c. 2. The
seconde point consisteth in preaching and expressing the glorious and triumphant Maiestie of Christ Iesus the sonne of God and the excellency of his glory who being once dead in the infirmitie of flesh rose againe wyth power ascending vp with maiestie hath led away captiuitie captiue Eph. 4. sitteth and reigneth in glory on the right hand of God in heauenly thinges aboue all principates and potestates powers and dominations aboue euery name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come Ephe. 1. In whose name euery knee hath to bende both in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth and euery tongue to confesse our Lord Christ Iesus to be of the glory of God the Fathee Phil. 2. In whome and by whome all things are made both in heauen and in earth things visible inuisible whether they be thrones or dominations or principates or potestats al are by him and for him created and he is before all all thinges consist in him who is the head of his body the Churche the beginning and first borne from the dead in whome dwelleth all fulnes Col. 1. To whome the Father hath giuen all iudgement and iudgeth no man himselfe any more Ioh. 5. To whom the Father hath giuen all things to his hands Iohn 13. To whome the father hath giuen power of all flesh Iohn 17. To whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth Math. vlt. In whome be all the promises of God Est. Amen 2. Cor. 1. 3. Thirdly he declareth the vertue of his Crosse Passion and that what exceeding benefites proceede to vs by the same By whose bloud we haue redemption remission of our sinnes Ephes. 1. By whose strypes we are made whole Eay 53. By whose Crosse all thinges are pacified both in heauen and in earth Col. 1. By whose death wee are reconciled Ro. 5. Who hath destroied death brought life to light 1. Timot. 1. Who by death hath destroyed him which had the power of death that is the diuell and hath deliuered them which liued vnder feare of death all theyr life in bondage Heb. 2. By whose obedience we are made iust by whose righteousnes we are iustified to life Rom. 5. By whose curse wee are blessed and deliuered from the malediction of the law Gala. 8. By whose bloud we that once were farre of are made neere vnto God Ephes. 5. Who in one body hath reconciled both Iewes Gentiles vnto God Eph. 2. Who by his flesh hath taken away the diuision and separation betweene God and vs abolishing the law which was set against vs in preceptes decrees Ephes. 2. Who is our peace our aduocate and propitiatiō for the sinnes of the whole worlde 1. Iohn 2. Who was made accursed sinne for vs that we might be the righteousnes of God in him 2. Cor. 5. Who is made of God for vs our wisedome and righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor 1. By whom we haue boldnes and entraunce with all confidence through faith in him Ephes. 3. Who forgiueth all our sinnes and hath torne a peeces the obligation or handwriting which was against vs in the law of commaundements and hath crucified it vpon the Crosse vtterly hath dispatched and abolished the same and hath spoled principates and potestates as in an open shew of conquest triumphing ouer them openly in himselfe Col. 2. Who iustifieth the wicked by faith Ro. 4. In whom we are made full and complete Col. 2. c. 4. The fourth branch is to teach and informe vs to whō these benefites of Christes Passion and victory do apperteine by what meanes the same is applied redoundeth vnto vs which meanes is onely one that is onely faith in Christ Iesu and no other thing Which faith it pleaseth almightie God to accept for righteousnes And this righteousnes it is which onely standeth before God and none other as we are plainly taught by the Scriptures and especially by the doctrine of S. Paule Which righteousnes thus rising of faith in Christ. S. Paule calleth the righteousnes of God where he speaketh of himselfe vtterly refuseth the other righteousnes which is of the lawe that the might be found in him not hauing his own righteousnes which is of the law but the righteousnes of Christ which is of faith Phil. 3. Againe the saide Apostle writing of the Iewes which sought for righteousnes and found it not and also of the Gentiles which sought not for it and yet found it sheweth the reason why because saith he the one sought it as by workes and the lawe and came not to it who not knowing the righteousnes of God and seking to set vp their owne righteousnes did not submit themselues to the righteousnes whiche is of God The other which were the Gentiles and sought not for it obteined righteousnes that righteousnes which is of faith c. Ro. 9. Also in an other place Saint Paule in the same Epistle writing of this righteousnes which commeth of faith calleth it the righteousnes of God in these wordes Whome God saith he hath set vp for a propitiatiō by faith in his bloud whereby to make manifest the righteousnes which is of himselfe in tollerating our sinnes c. Rom. 3. By the which righteousnes it is euident that S. Paule meaneth the righteousnes of faith which almightie God nowe reuealeth maketh manifest by preaching of the Gospell Wilt thou see yet more plainely this righteousnes of God howe it is taken in S. Paule for the righteousnes of faith therefore is called the righteousnes of God because it is imputed onely of God to fayth and not deserued of man In the same Epistle to the Romanes and in the 3. chap. aforesayd his wordes be manifest The righteousnes of God sayth he is by faith of Iesus Christ in all and vpon al that doe beleue c. Wherfore whosoeuer studieth to be accepted with God and to be found righteous in his light let him learne diligently by the doctrine of S. Paule to make a difference a separation as farre as from heauen and earth betwene these two that is betweene the righteousnes of workes righteousnes of faith in any wise beware he bring no other meanes for his iustification or remission of his sins but onely faith apprehending the body or person of Christ Iesus crucified For as there is no way into the house but by the doore so is there no comming to God but by Christ alone which is by faith And as the mortall body without bodely sustenance of bread drinke can not but perishe so the spiritual soule of man hath no other refreshing but only by faith in the body and bloude of Christ whereby to be saued With this faith the Idolatrous Gentiles apprehēded Iesus Christ and receaued therby righteousnes Cornelius the first Baptised Ramane so sooone as he
Philadelphia suffered Martyrdome at Smyrna which Policarpus specially aboue the rest is had in memory so that hee in all places among the Gentiles is most famous And this was the ende of this worthy disciple of the Apostles Whose hystory the brethren of the congregation at Smyrna haue wrytten in this their Epistle as is aboue recited Iraeneus in his 3. booke against heresies the 3 chap. and Eusaebius in his 4. booke and 14. chap. of his Ecclesiasticall history reporteth this worthy saying of Poticarpus This Policarpus sayth hee meeting at a certeine time Martion the heretick who said vnto him doest thou not know me made answere I know that thou art the first begotten of Sathan So great feare what euil might ensue therof had the Disciples of the Apostles that they would not speake to them whom they knew to be the deprauers of the verytie euen as Paule saith The hereticke after the first and second admonition shonne and auoyd Knowing that he which is such one is peruerse or frowarde and damneth himselfe This most holy confessour and Martyr of Christ Policarpus suffered death in the fourth persecution after Nero when Marcus Antonius and Lucius Aurelius Commodus raigned an Dom. 167. as Vrsperg affirmeth an 170. as Eusebius witnesseth in his Chronicles the 7. before the Calendes of Februarie Of Germanicus mention is made aboue in the storye of Policarpus of whome writeth Eusebius Lib. 4. cap. 15. notyng him to be a younge man and most constantly to perseuere in the profession of Christes doctrine whom wheÌ„ the Proconsul went about to perswade to remember his age and to fauor him selfe being in the floure of his age he woulde nor be allured but constaÌ„tly and boldly and of his owne accorde incited and prouoked the wild beast to come vpon him and to deuour him to be deliuerd more spedely out of this wretched life Haec Eusebius an 170. Thus haue you heard out of the Epistle of the brethren of Smyrna the whole order and liâ—e of Policarpus wherby it may appeare that he was a very aged maÌ„ who had serued Christ lxxxvj yeares since the first knowledge of him and serued also in the ministery about the space of 70. yeares This Policarpus was the schooler and hearer of Iohn the Euangelist and was placed by the sayde Iohn in Smyrna Of him also Ignatius maketh mention in his Epistle which he wrote in his iourney to Rome going toward his martyrdome and commended to him the gouernement of hys Church at Antioch whereby it appeareth that Policarpus then was in yâ— ministery Likewise Iraeneus writeth of the sayd Policarpus after this maner He alwaies taught sayd he those things which he learned of the Apostles leauing them to the Church and are onely true Wherevnto also at the Churches that be in Asia and all they which succeeded after Policarpus to this day beareth witnes And the same Irenaeus witnesseth also that the sayd Policarpus wrote an Epistle to the Phillipians which whether it be the same that is now extant and read in the name of Policarpus it is doubted of some notwithstanding in the sayd Epistle diuers things are founde very holesome and Apostolicke as where he teacheth of Christ of iudgement and of the resurrection Also he writeth of faith very worthily thus declaryng that by grace we are saued and not by works but in the will of God by Iesus Christ. In Eusebius we reade in like maner a part of an Epistle written by Irenaeus to Florinus wherin is declared how that the said Irenaeus being yet yong was with Policarpus in Asia at what time he saw well remembred what Policarpus did and the place where he sat teaching his whoâ—e order of life and proportion of his body with the sermons wordes which he said to the people And furthermore he perfectly remembred howe that the saide Policarpus often times reported vnto him those thinges which hee learned and heard them speake of the Lord his dooinges power and doctrine who heard the worde of life with their owne eares all which were more consonant and agreable to the holy Scripture Thus with much more hath Irenaeus concerning Policarpus Hierome also writing of the same Policarpus hath howe he was in great estimation throughout all Asia for that he was scholer to the Apostles and to them which did see and were conuersant with Christ himselfe whereby it is to be coniectured his authority to be much not onely with them of his owne Church but wyth all other Churches about him Ouer and besides it is witnessed by the sayd Irenaeus that Policarpus came to Rome in the time of Anicetus Byshop of Rome about the yere of our Lord. 157. in yâ— raigne of Antoninus Pius whose cause of his comming thether appeareth to be about the controuersie of Easterday wherin the Asians and the Romanes somthing disagreed amonge theÌ„selues And therfore the said Policarpus in the behalfe of the brethren and Church of Asia tooke his long iourneye thether to come and conferre with Anicetus Wherof wryteth also Nicephorus Lib. 4. declaring that Policarpus and Anicetus something varied in opinions and iudgement about that mater And that notwithstanding yet both freÌ„dly communicated either with the other insomuch that Anicetus in his Church gaue place to Policarpus to minister the Communion and Sacrament of the Lordes Supper for honour sake which may be a notable testimony now to vs that the doctrine concerning the free vse and liberty of ceremonies was at that time retained in the church without any offence of stomacke or breach of Christian peace in the Church This Policarpus as is aboue mentioned suffered his Martyrdome euen in his owne Church at Smyrna where he had laboured so many yeares in planting of the Gospel of Christ which was about the yeare of our Lorde 170. as Eusebius rekoneth in his Chronicle and in the 7. yeare of Antoninus Verus his raigne wherby it appeareth that Socrates in Historia tripartita was much deceaued saying that Policarpus suffered in the time of Gordianus In this fourth persecution beside Policarpus and other mentioned before we read also in Eusebius of diuers other who at the same time likewise did suffer at Smyrna Ouer and besides in the said persecution suffered moreouer Metrodorus a ministrr who was giuen to the fier so consumed An other was worthy Pionius which after much boldnes of speeche with his Apologies exhibited his sermons made to the people in the defence of christian sayth and after much reheuyng and comforting of such as were in prisons and otherwise discoÌ„forted at last was put to cruell torments and afflictions then giuen likewise to the fire so finished his blessed martyrdome After these also suffered Carpus Papylus and Agathonyca a woman who after their most constaunt and worthye confessions were put to death at Pergamopolis in Asia witnessing Eusebius Lib. 4 cap 7.
by the occasions therof of the sacrifices of the old Egiptians permitted of God vnto the Israelits the ende 〈…〉 thereof being altered c. He sendeth also an other letter to the foresaid Austen wherein he warneth him not to be proude or puft vp for the myracles wrought of God by him in conuertyng the people of Englande but rather to feare and tremble least so much as he were puft vp by the outward work of miracles so much he shoulde fall inwardly through the vayne glory of his hart and therfore wisely exhorteth him to represse the swelling glory of hart with the remembraunce of his sinnes rather against God whereby he rather hath cause to lament then to reioyce for the other Not all the elect of God saith he worketh miracles and yet haue they their names written in the booke of life And therefore he shoulde not count so much of those miracles done but reioyse rather with the Disciples of Christ labor to haue his name written in the booke of life where al the electe of God be contained neither is there any ende of that reioycing And whatsoeuer miracles it hath pleased god by him to haue beene done he shoulde remember they were not done for him but for their conuersion whose saluation god sought thereby c. Item he directed an other Epistle to king Ethelbert as is expressed at large in the Chronicle of Henry Huntyngton Lib. 3. in the which Epistle first he praised God then commendeth the goodnes of the king by whom it pleased god so to worke such goodnes of the people Secondly exhortteth him to persist and continue in the godly profession of Christes faith and to be feruent and zealous in the same in conuerting the multitude in destroying the temples and works of idolatry in ruling and gouerning the people in all holines godly conuersation after the godly example of the Emperour Constantinus the great Lastly cōforting him with the promises of lyfe and reward to come wyth the Lord that raigneth and liueth for euer premonishyng him besides of the terrours distresses that shall happen though not in his dayes yet before the terrible daye of Gods iudgement wherfore he willeth him alwaies to be sollicitous for his soule and suspectfull of the houre of hys death and watchfull of the iudgement that he may be alwaies prepared for the same when that iudgement shall come In the ende he desireth him to accept such presentes as giftes which he thought good to sende vnto him from Rome c. Austen thus receyuing his palle from Gregory as is aboue said and now of a Monke beyng made an Archbyshop after he had baptised a great part of Kent hee after made two Archbyshops or Metropolitanes by the commaundement of Gregory as witnesseth Polychronicon the one at London the other at Yorke Mellitus of whō mention is made before was sent specially of the Eastsaxons in the prouince of Essex where after he was made Bishop of London vnder Sigebert kyng of Essex which Sigebert together with his vncle Ethelbert first built the church and minster of saint Paule in Londō and appointed it to Mellitus for the byshops sea Austē associate with this Mellitus and Iustus through the help of Ethelbert assembled and gathered togither the Byshops Doctours of Britaine in a place which taking the name of the sayd Austen was called Austens Oke In this assēbly he charged the sayd Byshops that they should preach with him the word of God to the Englishmen also that they should among themselues reforme certayne rytes and vsages in their church specially for keping of their Eastertyde baptising after the maner of Rome and such other lyke To these the Scotes and Brytons woulde not agree refusing to leaue the custome which they so long time had contynued wythout the assent of them all which vsed the same Here the stories both of Bede Cestrensis in Polychron Huntyngtonensis Iornalensis Fabianus and other moe write of a certaine miracle wrought vpon a blinde Englishe man whom when the Britons could not helpe Austen kneeling downe and praying restored the blynde man to sight before them all for a confirmation as these authours saye of hys opinion in keeping of Easter But concerning the credite of this miracle that I leaue to the authours of whom I had it Then Austen gathered an other Synode to the which came seauen Byshops of Brytons with the wisest men of that famous Abby of Bangor But first they tooke counsell of a certayne wyse and holye man amongest them what to doe and whether they shoulde be obedient to Austen or not And he saide if he be the seruaunt of god agree vnto him But howe shall wee knowe that sayde they To whom he aunswered againe If he be meeke and humble of hart by that know that he is the seruant of god To this they said againe how shal we know him to bee hūble meeke of hart By this quoth 〈◊〉 seing you are the greater number if he at your comming 〈◊〉 your Synode rise vp courteously receaue you 〈…〉 him to bee an humble and a meke man But if he shall contemne and despise you being as ye are the greater part despise you him agayne Thus the Brytaine Byshops entring into the Counsell Austen after the Romishe maner keeping hys chaire would not remoue Whereat they being not a little offended after some heate of words in disdain great displeasure departed thence To whō then Austen spake and said that if they would not take peace with their brethren they should receaue war with their enimies And if they disdained to preach with them the way of life to the English nation they should suffer by their handes the reuenge of deth Which not lōg after so came to passe by the meanes of Ethelfride king of Northumberlande who being yet a Pagan and stirred with a fierce fury against the Britanes came with a great army against the city of Chester where Brocmayl the Consull of that Citie a fryend and helper of the Britaines side was readye with his force to receaue him There was at the same time at Bangor in Wales an exceding great Monastery wherin was such a number of Monkes as Galfridus with other authors doe testifie that if the whole company were deuided into seuen parts in euery of the seuen parts were conteined not so few as 300. Mōkes which al did liue with the sweat of their browes and labor of their owne hands hauing one for their ruler named Dinoe Out of this Monastery came the Monks to Chester to pray for the good succes of Brocmayl fighting for them against the Saxons Thre daies they cōtinued in fasting and praier When Ethelfride the foresaide king seing them so intent to their praiers demaunded the cause of their comming thether in such a cōpany When he perceaued it was to pray for their Consull then saith he although they beare no weapon yet they fight against
thinkest to possesse the gift of God by thy money therefore thy part nor lot is not in this worde Neither ought we to bee shauen on the crowne onely because Saint Peter was so shauen but because Peter was so shauen in the remebraunce of the Lords Passion therfore we that desire by the same Passion to be saued must weare the signe of the same passion with him vpon the top of our head which is the highest part of our body For as euery Church that is made a Church by the death of the Sauiour doth vse to beare the signe of the holy crosse in the front that it maye the better by the defence of that banner bee kept from the inuasions of euill spirits by the often admonition therof is taught to crucifie the flesh with the concupiscence of the same In like maner it behoueth such as haue the vowes of Monkes and degres of the Clergy to bind them selues with a straiter bit of continencie for the Lords sake And as the Lord bare a crowne of thorne on his head in his passion wherby he tooke caried away from vs the thornes and prickes of our sinnes so must euery one of vs by shauing our heads patiently beare and willinglye suffer the mockes and scorners of the worlde for his sake That wee may receaue the crowne of eternall life which God hath promised to all that loue him shall by shauing their corporal crownes beare the aduersity contemne the prosperity of this worlde But the shauing which Symon Magus vsed what faithful man doth not detest together with his magicall arte The which at the first apparance hath a shew of a shauen crowne but if you marke his necke you shal finde it curtailed in such wise as you will say it is rather meete to be vsed of the Symonistes then of the Christians And such of foolishe men be thought worthye of the glory of the eternall crowne whereas indede for their yll liuing they are worthy not only to be depriued of the same but also of eternall saluation I speak not this against thē that vse this kinde of shauing liue Catholikely in fayth and good workes but surely I beleeue there be diuers of them be very holy and godly men Amongst the which is Adamnan the Abbot and worthy Priest of the Columbians who when he came Embassadour from his country vnto king Alfride desired greatly to see our Monastery where be declared a wonderful wisedowe humilitie and Religiō both in his maners and wordes Amongest other talke I asked him why he that did beleue to come to the crown of life that should neuer haue end did vse contrary to his belief a definite Image of a crowne on his head And if you seke quoth I the felowship of S. Peter why doe you vse the fashion of his crowne whom S. Peter did accurse and not of his rather with whom you desire to liue eternally Adānā answered saying you know right well brother though I vse Symons maner of shauing after the custome of my country yet doe I detest with all my heart abhorre hys infidelitie I desire notwithstanding to imitate the footesteps of the holy Apostle as far forth as my power wil extend Then said I I beleeue it is so But then is it apparaunt you imitate those thinges which the Apostle Peter did frō the bottom of your hart if you vse the same vpon your face that you know he did For I suppose your wisedome vnderstandeth that it is right decent to differ in the triming your face or shauing frō his whom in your hart you abhorre And cōtrariwise as you desire to imitate the doings of him whom you desire to haue a mediator betweene God you so it is meete you imitate the maner of his apparell and shauing Thus much saide I to Adamnan who seemed then well to like our Churches in so much that he returning into Scotland reformed many of his churches there after our celebratiō albeit he could not do so amongst the Monks with whom he had special authority He endeuoured also to haue reformed their maner of shauing if he had bene able And nowe O King I exhort your maiestie to labor together with your people ouer whom the King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes hath made you gouernor to imitate likewise in all these points the Catholicke and Apostolical churches So shall it come to passe that in the end of this your temporall kingdome the most blessed prince of the Apostles shall opē you the gates of the heauenly kingdome together with the other elect of god The grace of the eternal king preserue you most derely beloued sonne in Christ long time to reigne ouer vs to the great tranquility of vs all When this letter was read before king Nayton wyth other of his learned men and diligentlye translated into his proper language he semed to reioyce very much at the exhortation therof insomuch as rising vp from among his noble men he kneled on the ground and gaue God thankes that he had deserued to receaue so worthye a presente out of England so caused it forthwith by publike proclamation to be writen out learned obserued throught out all the prouinces of the Pictes defacing the errours that had bene vsed there by the space of 700. and 4. yeares For all the ministers of the altar all Monkes were shauen on the crowne And al the people reioiced for the new dyscipline of the most blessed Prince of the Apostles S. Peter which they had receaued ¶ By this monkish letter aboue prefixed voide of all Scripture of all probation truth of history thou maiest note gentle Reader howe this vaine tradition of shauen crownes hath come vp vpon how light and trifling occasion which in very deede was none other but the dreaming phantasies of Monkes of that time falsely grounding vpon the example of Peter when by no olde monument of any aūtient record they can euer proue either Peter or Symon Magus to haue bene shauen Moreouer in the said leter also is to be noted how the Scottish Clergy at that season did weare no such Priestly crownes as our English Churchmen then did But to cut of this matter of shauing more worthy to be laught at thē to be storied let vs now againe returne where as we left at king Iue of whom W. Malmesbery and Fabian in his chronicle do record that whē the foresaide Iue had ruled the west saxons by the tearme of 37. yeares by the importunate perswasion and subtile policie of his wife Ethelburga was allured to go to Rome there to be made a Monke Which Ethelburga after she had a long tyme laboured him to leaue the world and could not bring about her purpose vpon a season when the king and she had rested them in a faire pallace richly behanged were vpon the morow thence departed she by her commaundement caused the pallace to
First that they which began to erect these monasteries and celles of Monkes and Nunnes to lyue soly and singlely by themselues out of the holy state of matrimony had forseene what daunger what absurd enormities might and also did thereof ensue both publikely to the Church of Christ priuately to their own soules Secondly that vnto this their zeale deuotion had bene ioyned like knowledge doctrine in Christes gospell especially in the article of our free iustification by the faith of Iesu Christ. Because of the lacke wherof as wel the builders founders therof as they that were professed in the same seeme both to haue run the wrong way to haue bene deceiued For albeit in them there was a deuotion zeale of mynd that thought well in this their doyng which I wil not here reprehend yet the end and cause of their deedes buildings cannot be excused beyng contrary to the rule of Christes Gospel for so much as they did these things seeking thereby merites with God and for remedy of theyr soules and remission of their sinnes as may appeare testified in their owne recordes wherof one here I thought to set forth for probation of the same Read this Charte if it please thee gentle Reader of king Ethelbald his donation charter giuen to churches and religious persons which Ethelbald was the builder as is sayd of Peterborough the wordes of his record and instrument be those * The donations and priuiledges granted and geuen by King Ethelbald to religious men of the Church PLerumque contingere soleâ—it pro incerta temporum vicissitudine vt ea quae multarum fidelium personarum testimonio consilioque roborata fuerint fraudulenter per contumaciaÌ„ plurimorum machinamenta simulationis sine vlla consideratione rationis periculose dissipentur nisi autoritate literarum testamento Chyrographorum aeternae memoriae comittantur Quapropter ego Ethelbaldus Rex Merciorum pro amore caelestis patriae remedio animae meae studendum esse praeuidi vt eam per bona opera liberam efficerem in omni vinculo delictorum Quoniam enim mihi omnipotens Deus per misericordiam clementiae suae absque vllo antecedente merito sceptra regiminis largitus est ideo libenter ei ex eo quod dedit retribuo Huius rei gratia hanc donationem me viuente concedo vt omnia monasteria Ecclesiae regni mei à publicis vectigalibus operibus oneribus absoluantur nisi instructionibus arcium vel pontium quae nulli vnquam prosunt Praeterea habeant famuli Dei propriam libertatem in fructibus siluarum agrorum in captura piscium ne munuscula praebeant vel regi vel principibus nisi voluntaria Sed liberi Deo seruiant c. By the contentes hereof may well be vnderstand as where he sayth pro amore caelestis patriae pro remedio animae pro liberatione animae absolutione delictorum c how great the ignoraunce and blindenesse of these men was who lacking no zeale onely lacked knowledge to rule it withall seeking their saluation not by Christ onely but by their owne deseruings and meritorious deedes Which I recite not here to any infamy or reprehensioÌ„ of them but rather to put vs in minde and memory how much we at this present are bound to God for the true sincerity of his truth hidden so long before to our foreauncetors and opened now to vs by the good will of our God in his sonne Christ Iesu. This onely lameÌ„ting by the way to see them to haue such works and to lacke our fayth and vs to haue the right fayth and to lacke their workes And this blinde ignorauÌ„ce of that age thus aboue prenoted was the cause not onely why these kinges builded so many Monasteries vpon zealous superstition but also why so many of them forsaking their orderly vocation of Princely regiment gaue themselues ouer to Monasticall profession or rather wilfull superstition Concerning the names and number of which kings that were professed Monkes is sufficiently in the storye before declared the names of whome wee shewed to be seuen or eight within the space of these two hundreth yeres Such was then the superstitious deuotioÌ„ of kings Princes in that age and no lesse also to bee noted in Queenes and kings daughters with other noble women of the same age and time The names of whom it were to long here to recite As Hilda daughter to the nephew of Edwine king of Northumberland Abbesse of the house of Ely Erchengoda with her sister Ermenilda daughters of Ercombertus king of Kent whiche Erchengoda was professed in Saint Brigets order in Fraunce Item Edelberga wyfe and Queene to Kyng Edwyne of Northumberland and daughter of kyng Anna which was also in the same house of S. Brigit made a Nunne Item Etheldreda whoÌ„ we terme S. Eldride wife to king Ekfride of Northumberland who beyng maried to two husbands could not be obtained to geue her consent to either of them during the space of 12. yeares but would needes liue a Uirgin and was professed Nunne at Helings Werburga was the daughter of Vlferus king of Mercians made Nunne at Ely Kinreda sister of king Vlferus and Kinswida her sister were both Nunnes professed Sexburga daughter of kyng Anna king of Mercians and wyfe of Ercombert kyng of Kent was Abbesse at Ely Elfrida daughter of Oswy kyng of Northumberland was Abbesse of Whitney Mildreda Milburga and Milguida all three daughters of Merwaldus king of West Mercians entred the profession and vow of NuÌ„nish virginitie Kineburga wife of Alfride king of Northumberland and sister to Ofricus king of Mercians and daughter of king Penda was professed Abbesse of the Monastery in Glocester Elfleda daughter of Oswy king and wyfe of Peda sonne of king Penda likewise inclosed her self in the same profession and vow of Romish chastitie Likewise Alfritha wyfe to king Edgar And Editha daughter to the sayd Edgar with Wolfrith her mother c. All which holy Nunnes with diuers mo the Romish catholikes haue canonised for Saintes and put the most part of theÌ„ in their Calender and onely because of the vowe of chastitie solemnly professed Concerning the which chastitie whether they kept or no little I haue to say against them and lesse to sweare for them But whether they so kept it or not if this gift of chastitie which they professed were geuen them of God small prayse worthy was it in them to keepe it If it were not geuen them I will not say here of them so much as hath bene sayd of some other which sufficiently haue painted out to the world the demeanour of these holy votaries But this will I say that although they kept it neuer so perfectly yet it is not that which maketh saints before God but only the bloud of Christ Iesus and a true fayth in him Likewise remayneth that as we haue declared the deuotion
thus to come About the yeare of the Lord 1160. it chaunced that diuers of the best and chiefest heades of the Citty of Lyons talking and walking in a certayne place after their olde accustomed maner especially in the Sommer time conferred and consulted together vpon matters either to passe ouer time or to debate thinges to be done Amongst whom it chaunced one the rest looking vpon to fall downe by sodeine death In the number of whom this foresayd Waldus there being amongest them was one Who beholding the matter more earnestly then the other and terrified with so heauy an exaÌ„ple being as is sayd a rich man and Gods holy spirit working withall was stroken with a deepe inward repeÌ„tance wherevpon folowed a new alteratioÌ„ with a carefull study to reforme his former life In somuch that first he began to minister large almes of his goods to such as needed SecoÌ„dly to instruct himselfe and his familye with the true knowledge of Gods word Thirdly to admonish all that resorted to him by any occasion to repentaunce and vertuous amendment of life Wherby partly through his large geuing to the poore partly through his diligent teaching wholesome admonitions more resort of people daily frequeÌ„ted about him Whom when he did see ready and diligent to learne begaÌ„ to geue out to them certayne rudiâ—ents of the Scripture which he had translated himselfe into the French tongue For as he was a man welthy in riches so he was also not vnlearned Although Laziardus Volateranus with other note him vtterly vnlearned charge him with ignoraunce as who should procure other to write and translate for him By other that haue seene his doings yet remaining in old parchment monuments it appeareth he was both able to declare and translate the books of scripture also did collect the doctors mind vpon the same But whatsoeuer he was lettred or vnlettred the byshops and prelats seing him so to intermeddle with scriptures and to haue such resort about him albeit it was but in his own house vnder priuate confereÌ„ce could not abide either that the scriptures should be declared of any other neither would they take the paines to declare it theÌ„selues So being moued with great malice against the man threatned to excommunicate him if he did not leaue so to doe Ualdus seing his doing to be but godly and their malice stirred vp vpoÌ„ no iust nor godly cause neglecting yâ— threaminges frettinges of the wicked said that god must be obeied more then man to be brief the more diligeÌ„t he was in setting forth the true doctrine of Christ against the errors of Antichrist the more maliciously their fiercenes increased Insomuch that when they did see their excommunication to be despised would not serue they ceased not with prison with sword and banishment to persecute till at length they had driuen both Ualdus and all the fauourers of his true preaching out of the city Wherupon came first their name that they were called Ualdenses or pauperes de Lugduno not because the would haue all things coÌ„mon amongst them or that they professing any wilfull pouerty would imitate to liue as the Apostles did as Siluius did falsly belie them but because they being thrust out both of coutrey and goods were coÌ„pelled to liue poorly whether they would or no. And thus much touching the first occasion and beginning of these men and of the restoring and maintayning the true doctrine of Christs gospell agaynst the proud proceedings of popish errors Now concerning their articles whiche I finde in order and in number to be these SOlis sacris literis credendum esse in ijs quae ad salutem c. That is Onely the holy Scripture is to be beleued in matters pertayning to saluation and no mans writing or man besides 2. All things to be contayned in holy Scripture necessary to saluation and nothing to be admitted in religion but what onely is commaunded in the word of God 3. To be one alonely mediator Other saintes in no wise to be made mediators or to be inuocated 4. To be no purgatory but that all men either by Christ are iustified to life or without Christ to be condemned and besides these two neither any third or fourth place to be 5. That all masses namely such as be song for the dead to be wicked and to be abrogate 6. All mens traditions to be reiected at least not to be reputed as necessary to saluation and therefore this singing superfluous chaunting in the chauncell to be left constrained prefixed fasts bouÌ„d to dayes tunes difference of meates such variety of degrees and orders of Priestes friers monkes nunnes superfluous holidayes so mady sundry benedictions hallowing of creatures vowes peregrinations with all the rabblement of rites ceremonies brought in by man to be abolished 7. The supremacy of the Pope vsurping aboue all churches and especially aboue all politick realmes gouernments or for him to occupye or vsurpe the iurisdiction of both the swordes to be denied neither that any degree is to be receiued in the Church but onely Priests Deacons and Bishops 8. The communion vnder both kindes to be necessary to all people according to the institution of Christ. 9. Item the church of Rome to be the very Babilon spoken of in the Apocalips And the Pope to be the fountaine of all error and the very Antichrist 10 The popes pardons and indulgences they reiect 11. The mariage of Priestes and of ecclesiasticall persons to be godly and also necessary in the Church 12. Such as heare the word of God haue a right fayth to be the right Church of Christ. And to this Church the keyes of the church to be geuen to driue away wolues to institute true pastors to preach the word and to minister the Sacraments These be the most principall articles of the Uladenses albeit some there be that adde moe to them some agayne deuide the fame into moe partes But these be the principall to which the rest be reduced The same Ualdenses at length exiled were dispersed in diuers sundry places of whom many remayned long in Bohemia which writing to theyr king Uladislaus to purge themselues agaynst the slaundrous accusations of one D. Augustine gaue vp theyr confession with an Apology of theyr christian profession defending with strong learned argumeÌ„ts the saine which now is receiued in most reformed churches both concerning grace fayth charitye hope repentaunce and workes of mercy As for purgatory they say that Tho. Aquinas is the author thereof Concerning the Supper of the Lord their fayth was that it was ordayned to be eaten not to be shewed worshipped for a memoriall not for a sacrifice to serue for the preseÌ„t ministration not for reseruation to be receiued at the table not be caryed out of the dores according to the auncient vse of the primitiue church when they vsed to coÌ„municate sitting And this they proue
able to helpe vs. In saying or singing the houres and Mattens of the day the time to be but lost A man ought to cease from his labour no day but onely vpon the Sonday The feastes and festiuals of saintes ought to be reiceted Item such fastes as be coacted and inioyned by the Church haue no merite in them These assertions of the Ualdenses being thus articled out by Enâ—as Siluius I thought to geue them abroad in English as they are in Latine to the intent that as they are the lesse to be doubted being set out of a popes pen so we may the better know both them hereby what they were and also vnderstand how this doctrine now preached and taught in the Church is no new doctrine which here we see both taught and persecuted almost 400 yeares agoe And as I haue spoken hetherto sufficiently concerning theyr doctrine So now we will briefly somewhat touch of the order of theyr life and conuersation as we finde it registred in a certayne olde written booke of Inquisition ¶ Ex Inquisitorio quodam libello MOdus autem Valdensium talis est c. The whole proces commeth to this effect in English The maner of the Ualdenses is this They kneeling vpon their knees leaning to some banke or stay doe continue in their prayers with silence so long as a maÌ„ may say 30. or 40. times Pater noster And this they doe euery day with great reuerence being amongest theÌ„selues such as be of their owne religion no straungers with theÌ„ both before dinner after likewise before supper and after also what time they go to bed and in the morning when they rise at certain other times also as well in the day as in the night IteÌ„ they vse no other prayer but the prayer of the Lord that without any Aue Maria and the Creed which they affirme not to be put in for any prayer by Christ but only by yâ— church of Rome Albeit they haue and vse yâ— seueÌ„ articles of fayth coÌ„cerning the diuinity and seuen articles concerning the humanity and the x. commaundements and seuen workes of mercy which they haue compiled together in a coÌ„pendious book glorying much in the same therby offer themselues ready to answere any man for theyr fayth Before they go to meate they haue this grace Benedicite Korieeleyson Christe eleyson Kyrieeleyson Pater noster Which being sayd then the elder amongest them beginneth thus in their owne tongue God which blessed the fiue barely loaues and two fishes in the desert before his disciples blesse this table that is set vpon it or shal be set vpon it In the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen And likewise agayne when they rise from meat the seniour geueth thankes saying the words of the Apocalips Blessing and worship and wisedome thankesgeuing honor vertue and strength to God alone for euer and euer Amen And addeth moreouer God reward them in their bosoms and be beneficiall to all them that be beneficial to vs and blesse vs. And the God which hath geuen vs corporall feeding graunt vs his spirituall life and God be with vs and we alwayes with hâ—m To which they answere agayn AmeÌ„ And thus saying grace they hold their hands vpward looking vp to heaueÌ„ Alter their meat and grace sayd they teach and exhort amongest themselues conferring together vpon their doctrine c. In their doctrine and teaching they were so diligent painefull that Reinerius a writer about their time an extreme enemy agaynst them in a long proces wherin he describeth their doctrine and teaching testifieth that he heard of one which did know the party that a certayne heretick sayth he onely to turne a certaine person away from our faith and to bring him to his in the night and in yâ— winter time swamme ouer the riuer called Ibis to come to him and to teach him moreouer so perfect they were then in the Scriptures that the sayd Reinerius sayth he did heare and see a man of the couÌ„try vnlettered which could recite ouer the whole booke of Iob word by word without booke with diuers other which had the whole new testament perfectly by hart And although some of them rather merely then vnskilfully expounded the wordes of 1. Ioan. Sui non receperunt eum Swine did not receiue him yet were they not so ignoraunt and voyd of learning nor yet so few in number but that they did mightely preuayle In somuch that Reinerius hath these wordes Non erat qui eos impedire auderet propter potentiam multitudinem fautorum suorum Inquisitioni examinationi saepe interfui Et computatae sunt 40. Ecclesiae quae haeresi infectae fueruntâ—ac in yna parochia Cammach fueruut decem eorum scholae c. That is There was none durst stoppe them for the power and multitude of their fauourers I haue often bene at their inquisition examination And there were numbred 40. churches infected with their heresie insomuch that in one parish of caÌ„mach were x open scholes of them c. Haec ille And the sayde Reinerius when hee hath sayd all he can in deprauing and impugning them yet is driuen to confesse this of them where he doth distinct their sect froÌ„ other sectes and hath these wordes Haec verò Leonistarum secta magnam habet speciem pietatis eò quòd coram hominibus iustè viuant benè omnia de Deo credant omnes articulos qui in symbolo contineÌ„tur Solam Romanam Ecclesiam blasphemaÌ„t oderuÌ„t That is This sect of Leonistes hath a great shew of holynesse in that both they liue iustly before men and beleue all things well of God and holde all the articles conteined in the Creed Onely they blaspheme yâ— Romish church and hate it c. Now to touch somewhat their persecutioÌ„s After they were driuen out of Lions they were scattered into diuers sundry places the prouidence of God so disposing that the sound of their doctrine might be heard abroad in the world Some as I sayd went to Bohemia Many did fliâ— into their prouinces of Fraunce Some into Lombardy other into other places c. But as the crosse commonly foloweth the verity sincere preaching of Gods word so neither could these be suffered to liue in rest There are yet to be seen the consultations of Lawiers Archbishops and byshops of Fraunce as Narbonensis A relatensis AqueÌ„sis and Albanensis deuised amongst themselues and yet remayne in writing for the abolishing extirping of these Ualdenses written aboue 300. yeres agoe wherby it appeareth there was a great number in Fraunce Besides there was a whole councell kept in Theolouse about 355. yeares to fore and all agaynst these Ualdenses The which also were condemned in an other couÌ„cell at Rome before that What great persecutions were raysed vp agaynst theÌ„ in Fraunce by these 4. Archbishops before
the church with very good reason doth receiue And that to the great merite both of the geuer and offerer as it appeareth of Constantine and others In the which foresayd 1. cap. the reason of diuersity is well proued For that the Apostles did foresee that the Church should be among Gentiles and not onely to be in Iuda c. And further at the beginning Christ and his Apostles were wholy bent and geuen to our health saluation crudition litle sticking or standing vpō the exercise of euery churches iurisdiction hauing regard to that which is written in the 6. chapter to the Corinthians All thinges are lawfull vnto men but all things are not expedient And likewise in the 8. chapter of Ecclesiastes it is read that euerye thing hath his time But now through the grace of God the whole people of the realme of Fraunce haue submitted themselues to the christian fayth worthely therefore the Church is occupyed about ministring of Iustice and punishing of vice For peace shal be the work of Iustice Esay the 33. chap. And in these iudgements this onely is to be considered that the life of man be reformed c. Thus you see how this our conclusion somewhat is confirmed by the Scriptures Now will I proue it by naturall law reason first after this maner He seemeth most fittest to play a good iudges part which followeth nerest God For properly God is the ruler and directer of al iudgements who sayth Prouerb capite octauo By me the law maker shall decree iustice and iust thinges But Ecclesiasticall persons follow next to God and be neerest him For that they be elected of God into a peculiar people Whereof it is sayd 1. Peter 2. you are a chosen generation a royall priesthood a holy nation and a peculiar people that you should shew the vertues of him that called you c. Ergo it is most fittest that persons Ecclesiasticall and churchmen should iudge of such matters Moreouer none doubteth but that the correction and punishment of sinne belongeth to ecclesiasticall persons wherfore whē such things be not committed without sinne offence of the one party it is euident that the Church may haue cognition thereof Also who so hath power to iudge of the end hath also power to iudge of thinges ordeined to the end for the consideration of the thinges ordeined to the end riseth of the end When therefore the body is ordeined for the life and soule and tēporall thinges for spirituall as to the end The Church which doth iudge of spirituall things may in like maner lawfully iudge of tēporall things All which is sufficiently confirmed In extra c. Iudicijs Where it is sayd that the Accessarye followeth the nature of the principall which appeareth sufficiently by example For so much therfore as these two iurisdictions be compared to two lightes that is to say to the Sunne and to the Moone and all the whole clearenes and brightnesse of the Moon both in forme and vertue dependeth of the Sunne in the Sunne And that the brightnes of the Sunne is not of the Moone or in the Moone it is playne that spirituall iurisdiction which is compared to the Sunne hath it both in forme vertue the iurisdiction temporall and not contrary Many other like reasōs might be brought in But for that the time waxeth short I will omit them Thirdly I proue by the ciuill law Auth. Diffe Iud. ¶ Si tamen ix col where it is sayd If a secular iudge be suspected let the Bishop of the Citty be ioyned vnto him But if he be negligent then let the whole iudgement be referred to the bishop In like sort Theodosius the Emperor enacted such a law that whosoeuer suter being plaintife in any kinde of matter whether at the beginning thereof or after contestation of law or when the matter came to confirmatiō or to sentēce If the plaintife had once chosen the court iurisdiction the holy sec there without all doubt though the defendant resisted and dissented the matter before the bishops other ecclesiastical Iudges should be determined and ended Which law afteward Carolus the great who was king of Fraūce confirmed in these words We will commaund that all our subiectes as well Romaines and Frenchmen as others vnder our dominion whatsoeuer be by law and custome henceforth bound and charged to keepe this for a perpetuall and prescript law That whosoeuer began or commenced a sute c. as is aboue mentioned c. 11. q. i. Quicunque c. 2. But that you may obiect and say that this law is abrogated as the glose seemeth there to touche But all will not serue For although this law is not redacted into the body of the law yet for al that it is not abrogated But surely it is a priuiledge honorably graunted to the whole vniuersall church which the Emperor cannot take away no more then any other liberty of the Church By the canō law also this priuiledge is confirmed extra de iud c. timor Nouil and moreouer seemeth to be confirmed by the ciuill law C. de sacros Si eccl priuilegium although it be not expressely but generally named And so it is cleare by the ciuill law that such iurisdictiū doth pertain to Ecclesiastical persōs By canon law in like maner in places infinit Dist. 22. cap. Omnes Patriarchae 2. quest 5. ca. Si quis praesbyter 11. quae 1. cap relatum 25. distinct cap. ecce Extra de iudicijs Nouit De competenti foro cap. licet With many other places infinite yea further the canon law so farre proceedeth that whosoeuer goeth about by custom to interrupt or hinder any hauing such iurisdiction encurreth sentence ipso facto of excommunicatiō as is proued cap. quoniam intelleximus de immunitate eccl li. sext Which is most playne by the notorious custome time out of mind in the dayes of the good christian Princes where to violate such custome it is playne sacriledge 11. quest 1. tit 1. c. 2. For by law custome winneth and gaineth iurisdiction especially to him that is Capax thereof yea and further custome time out of mind is amongst all persons in place of written confirmed law Now seing the church of Fraūce hath in common vsed with the temporalty to iudge decree both of actions personall and reall touching the Church it is playne that such custome winneth iurisdiction to it Ergo. c. But the Lord Peter auouched that the custome could not preuayle in this case because here lacked true dealing Besids the said law is called inprescriptible for that it is Ius fisci But this maketh nothing agaynst vs. For the Church of Fraunce rather chalengeth this law by custome then by prescription Which custom semeth rather to be brought in of the free will and election of the people frequēting more the ecclesiasticall Consistories then the secular courts Besides this custome in that it hath bene oftentimes
Wherefore afterward he tasted and suffred much aduersity trouble And not long after in the yeare of our Lord sayth he 1372. he wrote vnto the Byshop of Rome that he should not by any meanes entermeddle any more wtin his kingdom as touching the reseruation or distribution of benefices and that all such by shops as were vnder hys dominion should enioy their former and ancieÌ„t liberty and be confirmed of theyr Metropolitanes as hath ben accustomed in tunes past c. Thus much wryteth CaxtoÌ„ But as touching the iust number of the yere and time we will not be very curious or carefull about at this present Thys is out of all doubt that at what time all the worlde was in most desperate and vile estate that the lamentable ignorance and darknes of God his truth had ouershadowed the whole earth this man stepped forth like a valiant champioÌ„ vnto whom it may iustly be applyed that is spoken in the boke called Ecclesiasticus of one Simon the sonne of Onias Euen as the morning star being in the middest of a cloud as the Moone being ful in her course and as the bryght beames of the Sunne so doeth he shine and glister in the temple and Church of God Thus doth almighty God continually succor helpe wheÌ„ all thinges are in dispaire being alwaies according to the Prophecye of the Psalme a helper in tyme of need The which thing neuer more playnely appeared then in these latter dayes and extreme age of the Church when as the whole state condition not onely of worldly things but also of Religion was depraued and corrupted That like as the disease named Lethargus among the Phisâ—uons euen so the state religion amongst the Diuines was past al mens helpe and remedy The onely name of Christ remayned amongest Christians but his true liuely doctrine was as farre vnknowne vnto the most part as his name was coÌ„mon vnto al men As touching fayth coÌ„solation the end vse of the law the office of Christ of our impotency and weaknes of the holy ghost of the greatnes strength of sinne of true works of grace and free iustification of liberty of a Christian man wherein consisteth and resteth the summe and matter of our profession there was no mention or any word almost spokeÌ„ of Scripture learning diuinity was knowne but vnto a few that in the scholes onely there also turned coÌ„uerted almost al into sophistry In stead of Peter Paule men occupyed theyr time in studying Aquinas and Scotus and the maister of senteÌ„ce The worlde leauing forsaking the liuely power of Gods spirituall word and doctrine was altogether led and blinded with outward ceremonies humaine traditions wherein the whole scope in a maner of all christian perfection did consist depend In these was all the hope of obteining saluation fully fixed hereunto all thynges were attributed In so much that scarcely any other thyng was sene in the temples or Churches taught or spoken of in sermoÌ„s or finally inteÌ„ded or gone about in theyr whole life but only heaping vp of certain shadowed ceremonies vpon ceremonies neither was there any end of theyr heaping The people were taught to worship no other thing but that which they did see and did see almost nothing whiche they did not worship The Church being degenerated from the true Apostolick institutioÌ„ aboue al measure reseruing onely the name of the Apostolick Church but farre from the truth thereof in very deede did fall into all kinde of extreme tyranny where as the pouerty and simplicity of Christ was chauÌ„ged into cruelty and abhomination of life In stead of the Apostolicke giftes and continuall labours and trauelles slouthfulnes ambitioÌ„ was crept in amongst the priests Besides all this there arose sprong vp a thousand sortes and fashions of straunge religions being the onely root well head of all superstitioÌ„ How great abuses and deprauations were crept into the Sacramentes at what tyme they were compelled to worship similitudes and signes of thinges for the very things themselues and to adore such things as were instituted and ordeined onely for memorials Finally what thing was there in the whole state of Christen religion so sincere so sound and pure which was not defiled and spotted with some kind of superstitioÌ„ Besides this with how many bondes snares of dayly new fangled ceremonies the sely consciences of men redeemed by Christ to liberty were snared and snarled In so much that there could be no great differeÌ„ce almost perceiued betwene Christianitie and Iuishnes saue onely the name of Christ so that the state and condition of the Iewes might seeme somwhat more tolerable then ours There was nothing sought for out of the true fountaines but out of the dirty pudles of the Philistians The christian people were wholy caried away as it were by the noses with mere decrees and constitutions of men euen whether as pleased the bishops to lead them and not as Christes will did direct them All the whole world was filled and ouerwhelmed with errours and darknesse And no great maruell for why the simple and vnlearned people being far from all knowledge of the holy Scripture thought it sufficient inough for them to know onely these things whych were deliuered them by their pastors and shepheards and they on the other part taught in a maner nothing els but such things as came foorth of the Court of Rome Whereof the most part tended to the profite of their order more then to the glory of Christ. The Christian faith was esteemed or counted none other thing then but that euery man should know that Christ once suffred that is to say that all men should know and vnderstand that thing which the deuils theÌ„selues also knew Hypocrisie was counted for wonderful holines All men were so addict vnto outward shewes that euen they theÌ„selues which professed that most absolute singular knowledge of the scriptures scarsly did vnderstaÌ„d or know any other thing And thys euideÌ„tly did appere not only in the common sort of doctâ—urs and teachers but also in the very heades and captaines of the Church whose whole religion and holines consisted in a maner in the obseruing of dayes meates and garments and such like rethorical circumstances as of place time person c. Hereof sprang so many sorts fashions of vestures and garments so many differences of colours meates with so many pilgrimages to seuerall places as though f. Iames at Compostella could do that which Christ could not do at Canterbury Or els that God were not of like power strength in euery place or could not be found but being sought for by running gadding hether and thether Thus the holines of the whole yere was traÌ„sported and put of vnto the Lent season No countrey or land was counted holy but onely Palestina where Christ had walked himselfe wyth his corporall feete Such was the blindnes of
doth the white colour to the wall Item that neyther the Pope nor any other Prelate of the church ought to haue prisons wherin to punish transgressours Beside these articles diuers other conclusions afterward were gathered out of hys writings and preachings by the byshops of England which they sent diligently to Pope Gregory at Rome where the sayde articles being red and perused were condemned for hereticall and erroneous by 23. Cardinals In the meane time the Archb. of Cant. sending foorth hys citations as is aforesayd called before hym the sayde Iohn wickliffe in the presence of the Duke of Lancaster and Lord Percy who vpon the declaration of the Popes letters made bound him to silence forbidding him not to entreat any more of those matters But then through the disturbaunce of the Bishop of London and the Duke and lord Percy that matter was soone dispatched as hath bene aboue recorded pag. 427. And all thys was done in the daies last yere of king Edward the 3. and pope Gregory the eleuenth The next yeare folowing which was the yeare of our Lord 1378. being the first yere of king Richard the second The sayd Pope Gregory taking hys time after the death of king Edward sendeth his bull by the hands meanes peraduenture of one master Edmund Stafford directed vnto the vniuersity of Oxford rebuking theÌ„ sharply imperiously and like a Pope for suffring so long the doctrine of Iohn Wickliffe to take roote and not pluckyng it vppe wyth the crooked cicle of their Catholike doctrine Whych Bull when it came to be exhibite vnto their handes by the Popes messenger aforesayd the proctors and maysters of the Uniuersitie ioyning together in consultation stood loÌ„g in doubt deliberating with themselues whether to receiue the Popes Bull with honour or to refuse and reiect it wyth shame I cannot here but laugh in my minde to behold the authours of this story whom I follow what exclamations what wondrings and maruels they make at these Oxford men for so doubting at a matter so playne so manifest of it selfe as they say whether the popes Bull sent to them froÌ„ Rome was to be receaued or coÌ„trary Which thing to our monkish writers seemed then suche a prodigious wonder that they with blushing cheekes are feyne to cut of the matter in the middest with silence The copy of this wilde Bull sent to them from the Pope was this Gregory the Bishop the seruant of Gods seruaunts to his welbeloued sonnes the Chauncellour and Vniuersitie of Oxford in the diocesse of Lincolne greeting and Apostolical benediction WE are compelled not onely to meruell but also to lament that you considering the Apostolicall seate hath geuen vnto your vniuersitie of Oxford so great fauour and priueledge and also for that you flow as in a large sea in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures and ought to be champions and defenders of the ancient and Catholicke fayth without the which there is no saluation by your great negligence and slouthe will suffer wylde cockle not onely to grow vp among the pure wheate of the florishing field of your Vniuersitie but also to wake more strong and choke the corne Neither haue ye anye care as we are enformed to extirpe and plucke the same vp by the rootes to the great bleblemishing of your renowmed name the perill of your soules the contempt of the Church of Rome and to the great decay of the auncient fayth And further which greueth vs the encrease of that filthy weed was more sharpely rebuked iudged of in Rome then in England where it sprang Wherefore let there be meanes sought by the help of the faithful to roote out the same Greuously it is come to our eares that one Iohn Wickliffe parson of Lutterworth in Lincolne dioces a professour of diuinitie would god he were not rather a maister of errours is runne into a kinde of detestable wickednes not onely and openly publishing but also vomiting out of the filthy dungeon of his brest diuers professions false and erroneous conclusions and most wicked and damnable heresies Whereby he might defile the faythfull sorte and bring them from the the right path headlong into the way of perdition ouerthrow the state of the Churche and vtterly subuert the secular policy Of which his mischieuous heresies some seem to agree onely certayne names and termes chaunged with the peruersâ—â—â— opinions and vnlearned doctrine of Marcelius of Padua Iohn of Gandune of vnworthy memory whose bookes were vtterly abolished in the realme of England by our predecessour of happy memory Iohn 22. Which kingdome doth notonely florishe in power and aboundance of faculties but is much more glorious and shyning in purenes of fayth Accustomed alwayes to bring forth men excellentlye learned in the true knowledge of the holye scriptures ripe in grauitie of manners men notable in deuotion and defenders of the Catholicke fayth Wherefore wee will and commaunde you by our writing Apostolicall in the name of your obedience and vpon payne of priuation of our fauour indulgences and priueledges graunted vnto you and your vniuersitie from the sayd see Apostolicall that hereafter ye suffer not those pestilent heresies that those subtile and false conclusions and propositions misconstruing the right senses of fayth and good workes how soeuer they terme it or what curious implication of wordes soeuer they vse any longer to be disputed of or brought in question Least if it be not withstoood at the first and plucked vp by the rootes it might perhaps be to late hereafter to prepare medicins when a greater number is infected with the coÌ„tagion And further that ye apprehend immediately or cause to be apprehended the sayd Iohn Wickliffe and deliuer him to be deteyned in the safe custodie of our well beloued brethren the Archbishop of Caunterbury and the byshop of London or eyther of them And if you shall finde any gaynesayers corrupted wyth the sayde doctrine whiche God forbid in your sayd vniuersitie wythin your iurisdiction that shall obstinately stand in the sayd errours that then in lyke manner ye apprehend them and committe them to safe custodie and otherwise to doe in this case as it shall appertayne vnto you So as by your carefull proceedynges herein your negligence past concernying the premisses may now fully be supplyed and recompensed with present diligence Whereby you shall not onely purchase vnto you the fauour and beneuolence of the seate Apostolicall but also great reward and merite of almightie God Yeuen at Rome at S. Maries the greater xi Kalend. of Iune and in the seuenth yeare of our consecration ¶ Beside this Bull sent to the Uniuersitie of Oxford the sayd Pope Gregory directed moreouer his letters the same tyme to the Archbyshoppe of Canterbury Symon Sudbury to the Byshoppe of London named William Courtney with the conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe therein inclosed commauÌ„dyng them by vertue of those his letters Apostolicall and straitly enioyning them to cause
the infidelitie of their idolatrie to the fayth of Christ yet are they not conuerted to the perfection of the law of Christ And therefore did the Apostles in the primitiue Church lay no burthen vpon the Gentiles but that they shoulde abstaine from haynous thinges as from thynges offred to idols and from bloud and strangled and fornicatyon As touching this second comming speaketh Esay On that day the roote of Iesse which standeth for a signe or marke to the people to hym shall the heathen make theyr homage and supplication and hys sepulchre shall be glorious and in that daye shall it come to passe that the Lorde shall the second tyme put to his hande to possesse the remnant of hys people c. And he shall lift vp a token toward the nations and hee shall assemble the runnagate people of Israel that were fled and those that were dispersed of Iuda shall he gather together from the fower quarters of the earth And the zealous emulation of Ephraim shall be broken to peeces and the enemyes of Iuda shall come to nought Paule to the Thessalonians sayeth We beseeche you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryst and of our gathering together before him that you be not soone remooued from your vnderstanding neyther that you bee put in feare as though the day of the Lorde were at hand neyther as it were by letter sent by vs neither by spirite nor yet by talke Let not any bodye by any meanes bring you out of the waye or seduce you For except there shall first come a departyng and that the man of sinne the sonne of perdition shal be disclosed whych maketh resistaunce and is aduaunced aboue all thing that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sitte in the temple of God shewing hymselfe as if he were God Do ye not remember that whilest I was as yet with you I tolde you of thys and nowe you knowe what keepeth hym backe that he may be vttered in hys due tyme For euen nowe doth he worke the mysterie of iniquitie onely that he which holdeth may holde styll vntill he be come to light and then shall that wicked one be disclosed whom the Lorde Iesus shall slaye wyth the breath of hys mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comminge euen hym whose comming is accordyng to the workyng of Sathan in all power with signes and lying wonders and in all deceipfull leading out of the truthe towardes those that do perysh because that they receiue not hartely the loue of truth that they might be saued Christ being demaunded of the Apostles what should be the token of his comming of the end of the worlde sayd vnto them There shall come many in my name saying I am Christ and they shall seduce many Also he telleth them of many other signes of battayles famine pestilence and earthquakes But the geatest signe of all he teacheth to bee this When you shall see sayth he the abhomination of desolation staÌ„dyng in the holy place he that readeth let him vnderstand But Luke 21. in his Gospel speaketh more plainely hereof When you therefore shall see Ierusalem to be compassed about with an army then knowe ye that the desolation thereof shall drawe nigh And afterward it followeth And they shall fall by the face of the sword and shal be led away captiue to all nations and Ierusalem shal be troden vnder foote of the heathen vntill the tymes of the nations bee fulfilled Now in Daniel thus it is writteÌ„ of this matter And after 72. weekes shal Christ be slain neyther shall that be his people that will deny him And as for the Citye and Sanctuarie shall a people wyth his captayne that will come with them destroy the sayde Citie and sanctuarie and hys ende shal be to be wasted vtterly till it be brought to naught and after the ende of the warre shall come the desolation appoynted In one weeke shall he confirme the couenant to many and wythin halfe a weeke shall the offering and sacrifice cease And in the temple shall there bee the abhomination of desolation and euen vnto the end shall the desolation continue And els wherâ—â—n Daniel thus it is written From the tyme that the continuall sacrifice shal be offered and that the abhomination shal be placed in desolation there shal be 1290. dayes Nowe if any man will beholde the Chronicles he shal finde that after the destruction of Ierusalem was accomplished and after the strong hand of the holy people was fully dispersed and after the placing of the abhominatyon that is to saye the Idoll of desolation of Ierusalem wythin the holy place where the temple of God was before there had passed 1290 dayes taking a day for a yere as commonly it is taken in the Prophets And the times of the heathen people are fulfilled after whose rytes and customes God suffered the holy Citie to be trampled vnder foote for 42. monethes For although the Christyan Church which is the holy Citie contynued in the fayth from the Ascension of Chryst euen till thys time yet hath it not obserued and kept the perfection of the fayth all this whole season For soone after the departure of the Apostles the fayth was kept wyth the obseruatyon of that rites of the Gentiles and not of the rites of Moses law nor of the lawe of the Gospell of Iesus Chryst Wherefore seing that this time of the errour of the Gentiles is fulfilled it is likely that Christ shall call the Gentiles from the rytes of their gentilitie to the perfection of the Gospell as hee called the Iewes froÌ„ the lawe of Moyses to the same perfection in his first comming that there may be one shepefolde of the Iewes and Gentiles vnder one shepeheard Seing therefore that Antichrist is knowen which hath seduced the nations then shall the elecâ— after that they haue forsaken the errours of their Gentilitie come through the light of Gods word to the perfection of the Gospel that same seducer shal be slayne with the sword of gods worde So that by these things it doth partly appeare vnto mee why that at this time rather then at an other time this matter of Antichrist is moued And why that this motioÌ„ is come to passe in this kingdome rather then in other kingdomes me thinkes there is good reason because that no nation of the GeÌ„tiles was so soone conuerted to Chryst as were the Brytons the inhabitauntes of this kingdome For to other places of the worlde there were sent preachers of the fayth who by the workyng of miracles and continuall preaching of the word of God and by greeuous passion and death of the bodye dyd conuert the people of those places But in this kingdome in the time of Lucius kyng of the Brytons and of Eleutherius Byshop of the Romaines did Lucius heare of the Romaines that were Infidels by the waye of rumors and tales of the
darkenesse because nothing is hid which shal not be disclosed and nothing couered that shal not be knowen And therfore the thing that was sayd in the darkenesse let vs say in the light and the thyng that we haue heard in the eare let vs preache vppon the house toppes I therefore as I haue before sayd so say that if the high bishop of Rome calling himselfe the seruant of God and the chiefe Vicare of Christ in this world do make and iustify many lawes contrary to the gospell of Iesu Christ then is he the chiefe of many whych comming in the name of Christ haue said I am Christ who haue seduced many Which is the first part of the first conclusion and is manifest For Christ is called of Hebrues the very same that we call annoynted And amongest them there was a double sort of legall annoynting by the lawe the one of kings and the other of Priestes And aswell were the kynges as the priestes called in the lawe Christes The kings as in the Psalme The kings of the earth stoode vp together and the Princes assembled them selues in one agaynst the Lorde and against hys Christ or annoynted And in the bookes of the kings very often are the kinges called Christes And our Sauiour was Christ or annoynted king because hee was a king for euermore vpon the throne of Dauid as the Scriptures doe very oftentimes witnesse The Priestes also were called annoynted as where it is wrytten Doe not yee touch my Christes that is mine annoynted ones and be not ye spitefull against my Prophetes And so was our Sauiour Christ a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Seyng then that the Byshops of Rome do say that they are the high Priestes they say also therein that they are kynges because they say that they haue the spirituall sword perteinyng to their Priesthode and the corporall sword which agreeth for a kynges state So is it playne that really in very deede they say that they are Christs albeit that expresly they be not called Christes Now that they come in the name of Christ it is manifest because they say that they are his principal Vicares in this world ordeined of Christ specially for the gouernement of the Christian Churche Therefore seyng they say that really and in very deede they are Christes and the chief frendes of Christ If they make and iustifie many lawes contrary to the Gospell of Iesu Christ then is it playne that they themselues in earth are the principal Antichristes because there is no worse plague and pestilence then a familiar enemy And if in secret they be agaynst Christ and yet in open appearaunce they say that they are his frendes they are somuch the more meete to seduce and deceiue the ChristiaÌ„ people because that a manifest enemy shall haue much a doe to deceaue a man because men trust him not but a priuey enemy pretendyng outward frendshyp may easly seduce yea those that be wise But that this matter may the more fully be knoweÌ„ let vs see what is the law doctrine of Christ that ought to be obserued of all faithfull people which beyng knowen it shal be an easy thing to see if the bishop of Rome doe make or maintaine any lawes contrary to the law of the gospell of Iesu Christ. I say then that the lawe of Christ is charitie whych is the perfect loue of God and of Christ. This thing is plaine and manifest For Christ being demaunded of a certayne doctour of the law What is the greatest commaundement in the lawe answered Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde This is the principall greatest commandement And as for the second it is like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thine owne selfe In these two commaundements doth the whole law and Prophets depend And in an other place Christ sayeth All maner of things therefore that you would that men should do to you the same also do ye vnto them For thys is the lawe and the Prophets And in Iohn the 13. chap. sayth Christ. And now doe I say vnto you I geue you a new commandement that you shuld loue eche other as I loued you in like maner that you also shuld loue one another In this shal all men know that you are my disciples if you shall haue loue one towardes an other And Iohn 15. chapter This is my commaundemeÌ„t that you loue together as I haue loued you Greater loue then this hath no body that a man shuld geue his life for his frendes The Apostle Peter sayth in his first Epistle 4. chapter Aboue all things hauing continually charity one towards an other for charitye couereth the multitude of sinnes Be yee harborers and intertaine ye one an other without grudging euery one as hee hath receaued grace so let him bestowe it vpon an other man as the good stewards of the manifold graces of God If any maÌ„ speak let him speake as the word of God If any man doe ought for an other let it be don with singlenes and vnfained verity ministred of God to vs ward that in all thyngs God may be honoured through Iesus Christ our Lord. Iames in his Epistle the 2. chapter If ye performe the royal lawe accordingly to the Scriptures thou shalt loue thy neighbour ye do wel But if ye be parcial in receiuing and preferring mens personages ye worke wickednes being blamed of the law as transgressors And againe so speake ye and so do ye as ye should nowe begin to be iudged by the law of libertie What shall it auaile my brethren if a man say he haue faith and haue no workes Neuer shall that faith be able to saue him For if a brother or sister be naked and haue neede of daily foode and some of you say to them goe ye in peace be ye made warme and satisfied and if ye shall not geue those things that are necessary for the body what shall it auaile Euen so faith if it haue not workes is dead in it selfe Iohn in his first epistle the 3. chap. This is the tidings whych you haue heard from the beginning that you shuld loue one another And againe we know that we are traâ—slated from death to life if we loue the brethren He that loueth not abideth in death And again herein do we know the loue of God because that he hath laide downe hys life for vs we ought to lay down our liues for the brethren He that shall haue the substaunce of thys world and shall see his brother haue neede and shall shut up hys bowelles from him howe abideth the loue of God in hym My little children let vs not loue in worde nor tounge but in deede and truth And againe 4. chap. Most dearly beloued let vs loue together For loue is of God he that loueth
thus as if he had beâ—e wroth he sayd to one of his clerkes Fetch hether quickly the certification that came to me â—roÌ„ Shrewsbury vnder the 〈◊〉 seale witnessing the errors and heresyes which this Losel hath venunously sowne there Then hastely the clarke tooke out and layde forth on a cupbord diuers rolles and writinges among which there was a litle one which the clarke deliuered to the Archbyshop And by and by the Archbishop read this roll conteyning this sentence The third sonday after Easter the yeare of our Lorde 1407. William Thorpe came vnto the towne of Shrewsbury and thorow leaue graunted vnto him to preache He sayd openly in S. Chaddes church in his sermon that the sacrament of the aulter after the consecration was materiall bread And that images should in no wise be worshipped And that meÌ„ should not go on pilgrimages And that priestes haue no title to tithes And that it is not lawful for to sweare in any wise ¶ And when the Archbishop had red thus this roll he rolled it vp agayne and sayd to me Is this wholesome learning to be among the people ☞ And I sayd to him Sir I am both ashamed on theyr behalf and right sorowful for them that haue certified you these thinges thus vntruelye for I preached neuer nor taught thus priuily nor apertly ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me I will geue credence to these worshipfull men which haue written to me and witnessed vnder theyr scales there amoÌ„g them Though now thou denyest this weenest thou that I will geue credence to thee Thou Losell hast troubled the worshipfull communalty of Shrewsbury so that the Balifes and comminalty of that towne haue writteÌ„ to me praying me that am Archbishop of Cant. primate and Chancellor of England that I will vouchsafe to graunt them that if thou shalt be made as thou art worthy to suffer open iouresse for thine heresies that thou may haue thy iouresse openlye there among them So that all they whome thou and suche other Losels haue there peruerted may thorow feare of thy deed be reconciled agayne to the vnity of holy Church And also they that stand in true fayth of holy Church may thorow thy deed be more established therein And as if this asking well pleased yâ— Archbishop he sayd By my thrift this harty prayer and feruent request shall be thought on But certaynely nother yâ— prayer of the men of Shrewsbury nor the manassing of the Archbishoppe made me any thing afrayd But in rehearsing of this malice and in the hearing of it my hart greatly reioysed yet doth I thank God for the grace that I then thought and yâ—t think shall come to all the Church of God here thorow by the speciall mercifull doing of the Lord. And as hauing no dread of the malice of tyrantes by trusting stedfastly in the helpe of the Lord with full purpose for to knowledge the sothfastnes and to stand therby after my cunning and power I said to the Archbishop Sir if the truth of Gods word might now be accepted as it should be I doubt not to proue by likely euidence that they that are famed to be out of the fayth of holy Church in Shrewsbury in other places also are in the true fayth of holy Church For as theyr wordes found and theyr workes shew to mans iudgement dreading and louing faythfully God theyr will their desire ther loue theyr busines are most set to dread to offend God to loue for to please him in true faythfull keeping of his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes And agayne they that are sayd to be in the faith of holy Church in Shrewsbury in other places by open euidence of their proud enuious malicious couetous lecherous and other foule words workes neither know nor haue wil to know nor to occupy their wits truely and effectuously in the right fayth of holy Church Wherefore all these nor none that folow theyr maners shall any time come verely in the fayth of holy church except they inforce them more truely to come in the way which now they despise For these men and women that are now called faithfull and holden iust nother know nor will exercise theÌ„selfe to know of faythfulnes one commaundement of God And thus full many men and womeÌ„ now and specially meÌ„ that are named to be principall lims of holy church styree God to great wrath deserue his curse for that they call or hold them iust meÌ„ which are full vniust as their vicious wordes their great customable swearing and theyr slaunderous and shamefull works shew openly and witnes And therfore such vicious men vniust in theyr own confusion call them vniust men womeÌ„ which after their power and cunning busy themselues to liue iustly after the coÌ„maundement of God And where sir ye say that I haue distroubled the coÌ„minalty of Shrewsbury many other men and women with my teaching If it this be it is not to be wondred of wise men since all the communalty of that City of Ierusalem was distroubled of Christes own person that was very God and man and most prudent preacher that euer was or shal be And also all the Sinagoge of Nazareth was moued agaynst Christ so fulfilled with ire towards him for his preaching that the men of the Sinagoge rose vp and cast Christ out of theyr City led him vp to the top of a mouÌ„tayn for to cast him down there headling Also accordingly hereto the Lord witnesseth by Moises that he shall put dissention betwixt his people and the people that coÌ„trarieth and pursueth his people Who sir is he that shall preach the truth of Gods word to the vnfaith full people and shall set the sothfastnes of the Gospell and the prophecy of God almighty to be fulfilled ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me It foloweth of these thy wordes that thou and such other thinkest that ye do right well for to preach and teach as ye do without authority of any Bishop For ye presume that the Lord hath choseÌ„ you onely for to preach as faythful disciples and speciall folowers of Christ. ☞ And I sayd Syr by authority of Gods law and also of Sayntes and Doctors I am learned to deme that it is euery Priestes office and duty for to preach busilye freely truely the word of God For no doubt euery Priest should purpose first in his soule couer to take the order of priesthood chiefly for to make knowne to the people the word of God after his cunning and power approuing his words euey to be true by his vertuous works and for this intent we suppose that Bishops other Prelates of holy church should chiefly take and vse their prelacye and for the same cause Bishops should geue to Priestes their orders For Bishops should accept no man to Priesthood except that he had good wil and fâ—â—l purpose were wel disposed and wel learned to preach
Wherfore sir by the bidding of Christ by the example of his most holy liuing also by the witnessing of his holy Apostles and Prophets we are bounde vnder full great payn to exercise vs after our cunning and power as euery Priest is likewise charged of God to fulfil duely the office of priesthood We presume not here of ourselues for to be estemed neither in our owne reputatioÌ„ nor in none other maÌ„s faythful disciples special folowers of Christ. But sir as I sayde to you before we deeme this by authority chiefly of Gods word that it is the chief duety of euery priest to busy theÌ„ faythfully to make the law of God knowne to his people so to commune the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of God charitably how that we may best where wheÌ„ and to whom that euer we may is our very duety And for the will busines that we owe of due debt to do iustly our office through the styrring and speciall helpe as we trust of God hoping stedfastly in his mercy we desire to be the fayth full disciples of Christ and we pray this gracious Lord or his holy name that he make vs able to please him with deuout prayers charitably Priestly works that we may obtaine of him to folow him thankefully ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me Lâ—ud losell whereto makest thou such vayne reasons to me Asuâ—â—h not Saynt Paule how shoulde Priestes preache except they be sent But I sent thee neuer to preache For thy venemous doctrine is so knowne throughout England that no Bishop will admitte thee to preache by witnessing of theyr letters Why theÌ„ lewd Idiot willest thou presume to preach since thou art not sent nor licensed of thy soueraigne to preache Sayth not S. Paul that subiects ough to obey theyr soueraignes and not onely good vertuous but also tiraunts that are vicious ☞ And I sayd to the Archbishop Sir as touching your leâ—ter of licence or other Bishops which ye say we shoulde haue to witnes that we were able to be sent for to preache We know wel that neither you sir nor any other bishop of this land wil grauÌ„t to vs any such letters of licence but if we should oblige vs to you and to other bishops by vnlefull othes for to passe not the bondes and termes which ye sir or other bishops will limit to vs. And since in this matter your termes be some to large some to strait we dare not oblige vs thus to bee bounden to you for to keepe the termes which you will limit to vs as you do to Friers such other Preachers And therefore though we haue not your letter sir nor letters of any other bishops writreÌ„ with inke vpon parchmeÌ„t we dare not therfore leaue the office of preaching to which preaching all Priests after their cunning and power are bouÌ„d by diuers testimonies of Gods law and great Doctors without any mention making of Bishops letters For as mikle as we haue taken vpon vs the office of Priesthood though we are vnworthy thereto we come and purpose to fulfill it with the helpe of God by authority of his own law and by witnesse of great doctors and Sayntes accordingly hereto trusting stedfastly in the mercy of God For that he commauÌ„deth vs to do the office of Priesthood he will be our sufficient letters and witnes if we by example of his holy liuing and teaching specially occupy vs faythfully to do our office iustly yea that people to whom we preach be they faythfull or vnfaythfull shall be our letters that is our witnesse bearers for the truth where it is sowne may not be vnwitnessed For all that are conuerted saued by learning of Gods word by working thereafter are witnes bearers that the trueth and sothfastnesse which they heard and did after is cause of theyr saluation And agayne all vnfaythfull men and women which heard the truth told out to them and would not do therafter also all they that might haue heard the truth would not hear it because that they would not do therafter All these shall beare witnes agaynst themselues the truth which they woulde not heare or els heard it despised to do therafter through theyr vnfaythfulnes is shal be cause of theyr damnation Therfore sir since this aforesayd witnessing of God and of diuers Sayntes and Doctors of al the people good euill suffiseth to al true preachers we thinke that we doe not the office of Priesthood if that we leaue our preaching because that we haue not or may not haue duely Bishops letters to witnesse that we are sent of them to preach This sentence approueth Saint Paul where he speaketh of himselfe of faithfull Apostles and disciples saying thus We need no letters of commendatioÌ„ as some preachers do which preach for couetousnesse of temporall goods and for mens praysing And where ye say Syr that Paule biddeth subiectes obey theyr soueraignes that is soth and may not be denied But there is two maner of soueraignes vertuous soueraignes and vicious tyrauntes Therfore to these last soueraignes neither meÌ„ nor womeÌ„ that be subiect owe to obey in two maners To vertuous soueraignes charitable subiectes owe to obey wilfully and gladly in hearing of their good counsel in coÌ„senting to their charitable biddinges and in working after their fruitfull workes This sentence Paul approueth where he sayth to subiectes Be ye mindefull of your soueraignes that speake to you the word of God follow you the fayth of theÌ„ whose coÌ„uersation you know to be vertuous For as Paul sayth after these soueraignes to whom subiectes owe to obey in following of the maners worke besely in holy studying how they may withstand and destroy vices first in theÌ„selues and after in all their subiectes and how they may best plaÌ„t in them vertues Also these soueraignes make deuout and ferueÌ„t prayers for to purchase grace of God that they and their subiects may ouer all thing dread to offend hym and to loue for to please him Also these soueraignste whoÌ„ Paul biddeth vs obey as it is said before liue so vertuously that all they that will liue well may take of them good example to know to keep the coÌ„maundements of God But in this foresayd wise subiectes ought not to obey nor to be obedient to tyrantes while they are vitious tyrants since their will their counsell their biddinges and theyr workes are so vicious that they ought to be hated lefte And though such tyrantes be maisterfull and cruel in boasâ—ing and manasing in oppressions diuers punishinges S. Peter biddeth the seruauntes of such tyrauntes to obey meekely such tyrantes sufferinges paciently their malitious cruelnes But Peter counselleth not any seruaunt or subiect to obey to any Lord or Prince or soueraign in any thing that is not pleasing to God ¶ And the Archbishop sayd vnto me If a soueraigne byd his subiect do that thing that is
vitious this soueraygne herein is to blame but the subiect for his obedience deserueth meede of God For obedience pleaseth more to God than any sacrifice ☞ And I sayd Samuell the Prophet sayd to Saule the wicked king that God was more pleased with that obediēce of his commaundement then with any sacrifice of beastes But Dauid saieth and S. Paule and S. Gregory accordingly together that not onely they that do euill are worthy of death and damnation but also they that cōsent to euill doers And sir the law of holy Church teacheth in the decrees that no seruant to his Lord nor childe to the father or mother nor wife to her husband nor monke to his Abbot ought to obey except in lefull things and lawfull ¶ And the Archbishop said to me All these alledgings that thou bringest forth are not els but proude presumptuousnesse For hereby thou inforcest thee to proue that thou and such other are so iust that ye ought not to obey to Prelats And thus against the learnyng of S. Paule that teacheth you not to preach but if ye were sent of your owne authoritie ye will go forth and preach and do what ye lift ☞ And I saide Syr presenteth not euery Priest the office of the Apostles or the office of the disciples of Christ And the Archbishop sayd yea And I sayde Syr as the x. chapt of Mathew and the last chapter of Marke witnesseth Christ sent his Apostles for to preach And the x. chapter of Luke witnesseth that Christ sent his two and seuēty disciples for to preach in euery place that Christ was to come to And S. Gregorie in the cōmon law saith that euery man that goeth to priest hoode taketh vpon him the office of preaching For as hee sayth that Priest stirreth God to great wrath of whose mouth is not heard the voyce of preaching And as other more gloses vpon Ezechiell witnesse that the Prieste that preacheth not busilye to the people shall be partaker of their damnation that perish through his default And though the people be saued by other speciall grace of God then by the Priestes preaching yet the Priests in that they are ordeined to preach and preach not as before God they are manslears For as farre as in them is such Priests as preach not busily and truely sleyeth all the people ghostly in that they withholde from them the word of God that is life and sustenaunce of mens soules And Saynt Hydore sayd Priestes shall be damned for wickednesse of the people if they teach not them that are ignoraunt or blame not them that are sinners For all the worke or businesse of Priestes standeth in preaching and teaching that they edify all men as well by cunning of fayth as by discipline of workes that is vertuous teaching And as the Gospell witnesseth Christ sayd in his teaching I am borne comē into this world to beare witnesse to the truth and he that is of the truth heareth my voyce Then Sir since by the word of Christ specially that is his voyce Priestes are commaunded to preache whatsoeuer priest that it be that hath not good wil and full purpose to doe thus and ableth not himselfe after his cunning and power to doe his office by the example of Christ and of hys Apostles whatsoeuer other thing that he doth displeaseth God For loe S. Gregory sayth that thing left that a man is bound chiefly to do whatsoeuer other thing that a man doth it is vnthankfull to the holy ghost and therfore sayth Lincolne The Priest that preacheth not the word of God though he be seene to haue none other defaulte he is Antichrist and Sathanas a night theefe and a day theefe a sleyer of foules and an aungel of light turned into darckenes Wherefore Syr these authorityes and other well considered I deme my selfe damnable if I either for pleasure or displeasure of any creature apply me not diligētly to prech the word of God And in the same damnation I deeme all those Priestes which of good purpose and will enforce thē not busily to do thus also all them that haue purpose or will to let any Priest of this busines ¶ And the Archbishop sayde to those 3. Clerkes that stoode before him Lo Syrs this is the maner and busines of this Losell and such other to picke out such sharpe sentences of holy Scripture and Doctours to mayntayne theyr sect lore agaynst the ordinaunce of holy Church And therefore Losell it is thou that couetest to haue agayne the Psalter that I made to be taken frō thee at Caunterbury to record sharpe verses agaynst vs. But thou shalt neuer haue that Psalter nor none other booke till that I know that thy hart thy mouth accordfully to be gouerned by holy Church ☞ And I sayd Syr all my will and power is euer shal be I trust to God to be gouerned by holy Church ¶ And the Archbishop asked me what was holy Church ☞ And I sayd Syr I tolde you before what was holye Church But since ye aske me this demaund I call Christ and his Saintes holy Church ¶ And the Archbishoppe sayd vnto me I wore well that Christ and his Saintes are holy Churche in heauen but what is holy Church in earth ☞ And I sayd Syr though holy Churche be euery one in charity yet it hath two partes The first and pricipall part hath ouercomen perfectly all the wretchednesse of this life and raigneth ioyfully in heauen with Christ. And the other part is here yet in earth busily continually fighting day and night agaynst temptations of the fiend forsaking and hating the prosperity of this world dispising and withstāding theyr fleshly lustes which onely are the pilgrimes of Christ wandring toward heauen by stedfast fayth groūded hope and by perfect charity For these heauenly pilgrimes may not nor will not be letted of their good purpose by the reasō of any doctors discording from holy scripture nor by the floudes of any tribulation temporall nor by the wind of any pride of boast or of manasing of any creature For they are all fast grounded vpon the sure stone Christ hearing his word and louing it exercising them faithfully and continually in all their wittes to do therafter And the Archbishop sayd to his Clerkes See ye not how his hart is indurate and how he is trauelled with the deuill occupying him thus busily to alledgr suth sentences to mayntaine his errours and heresies Certayne thus he would occupy vs here all day if we would suffer him One of the clerkes aunswered Sir he sayd right now that this certification that came to you from Shrewsbury is vntruely forged agaynst him Therefore sir appose you him nowe heare in all that points which are certified against him so we shall heare of his own mouth his answeres and witnesse them And the Archb. took the certification in his hand looked theron a while and then
of sinnes the vprising of the flesh and euerlasting life Amen And for a more large declaration sayth he of thys my sayth in the Catholicke Churche I stedfastly beleue that there is but one God almighty in and of whose Godhead are these three persons the father the sonne and the holye Ghost and that those three persons are the selfe same God almighty I beleue also that the second person of this most blessed Trinitie in most conuenient tune appoynted therunto afore tooke flesh and bloud of the most blessed virgin Mary for the sauegarde and redemption of the vniuersall kind of man which was afore lost in Adams offence Moreouer I beleeue that the same Iesus Christ our Lord thus being both God and man is the onely head of the whole Christian Churche and that all those that hathe bene or shal be saued be members of this most holy church And this holy Churche I thinke to be deuided into three sortes or companyes Wherof the first sort be now in heauen and they are the sayntes from hence departed These as they were here coÌ„uersant conformed alwayes their liues to the most holye lawes and pure examples of Christ renouncing Sathan the world and the flesh with all their concupiscences and euils The second sort are in Purgatory if any suche place be in the scriptures abiding the mercy of God and a full deliueraunce of payne The third sort are here vpon the earth and be called the Church millitant For day and night they contend against crafty assaultes of the deuill the flattering prosperities of this world and the rebellious filthines of the flesh This latter congregation by the iust ordinance of God is also seuered into three diuers estates that is to say into priesthood knighthood and the commons Among whom the will of God is that the one should ayd the other but not destroy the other The priestes first of al secluded from all worldlines should conforme theyr liues vtterly to the examples of Christ and his Apostles Euermore shoulde they be occupyed in preaching and teaching the scriptures purely and in geuing wholesome examples of good liuing to the other two degrees of men More modest also more louing gentle and lowly in spirite should they be then ano other sortes of people In knighthood are all they which beare sword by law of office These should defend Gods lawes and see that the Gospell were purely taught conforming theyr liues to that same and secluding all false preachers yea these ought rather to hazard their liues theÌ„ to suffer such wicked decrees as either blemisheth the eternall Testament of God or yet letteth the free passage therof whereby heresies schismes might spring in the Churche For of none other arise they as I suppose then of erroneous constitutioÌ„s craftely first creeping in vnder hipocriticall lies for aduauntage They ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressours tyrauntes and theeues to see the clergie supported so long as they teach purely pray rightly and minister the Sacramentes freely And if they see them doe otherwise they are bound by the law of office to compell them to chaung their doinges to see all thinges performed according to gods prescript ordinaunce The latter fellowship of this Church are the common people whose duery is to beare their good mindes true obedience to the aforesayd ministers of God theyr kinges ciuill gouernours and Priestes The right office of these is iustly to occupy euery man his facultie be it marchaundise handicraft or the tilthe of the ground And so one of them to be as an helper to an other following alwayes in their sortes the iust commaundementes of the Lord God Ouer and besidés all this I most faythfully beleeue the the Sacramentes of Christes Churche are necessary to all Christen beleuers this alwayes seen to that they be truly ministred according to Christes first institution and ordinaunce And forasmuch as I am maliciously most falsly accused of a misbeliefe in the sacrament of the aulter to the hurtfull slaunder of many I signifie here vnto all men that this is my fayth concerning that I beleue in that Sacrament to be contayned very Christes body and bloud vnder the similitudes of bread and wyne yea the same body that was conceiued of the holy ghost borne of that virgine Mary done on the crosse dyed that was buryed arose the thyrd day from the death and is now glorified in heauen I also beleue the vniuersall law of God to be most true and perfect and they which doe not so follow it in theyr fayth and works at one time or an other can neuer be saned Where as he that seketh it in fayth accepteth it learneth it delighteth therin and performeth it in loue shall cast for it the felicitie of euerlasting Innocencie Finally this is my fayth also that God will aske no more of a Christen beleuer in this life but onely to obey that preceptes of that most blessed law If any Prelates of the Church require more or els any other kinde of obedience then this to be vsed he contemneth Christ exalting hymselfe aboue God and so becommeth an open Antichrist Al the premisses I beleue particularly and generally all that God hath left in his holy scripture that I should beleeue Instantly desiring you my siege Lord and most worthye king that this confession of mine may be iustly examined by the most godly wise and learned men of your Realme And if it be found in all pointes agreeing to the veritie theÌ„ let it be so allowed and I therupon holden for none other then a true Christian. If it be proued otherwise then let it be vtterly coÌ„demned prouided alwayes that I be taught a better beliefe by the word of God and I shall most reuerently at all times obey therunto This briefe confession of this fayth the Lorde Cobham wrote as is mentioned afore and so tooke it with him to the court offering it withall meekenes vnto the kyng to read it ouer The king would in no case receaue it but coÌ„manded it to be deliuered vnto theÌ„ that should be his iudges Then desired he in the kinges presence that an hundred knightes and Esquiers might be suffered to come in vpon hys purgation which he knew woulde cleare hym of all heresies Moreouer he offered himselâ—e after the lawe of armes to fight for life or death in any man liuing Christen or heathen in the quarrell of hys fayth the king and the Lordes of hys Councell excepted Finally with all geÌ„tlenes he protested before all that were present that he wold refuse no maner of correction that shold after the lawes of God he ministred vnto him but that he would at al times with all meekenes obey it Notwithstanding all this the king suffered him to be sommoned personally in his owne priuy chamber Then sayd the Lord Cobham to the king that he had appeled from the
like that if these men had intended any forcible entrees or rebelliō against the king they would haue made any rumours therof before the deed done so is it more credibly to be supposed all these florishes of words to be but words of course or of office and to sauer rather of the rāknes of the inditers penne who disposed either per amplificationem rhetoricam to shew his copy or els per malitiam Papisticam to aggrauate the crime And to make mountains of mollhilles first of rumours maketh congregations from congregations riseth vp to insurrections where as in all these rumours congregations insurrections yet neuer a blow was geuen neuer a stroke was stroken no bloud spilt no furniture nor instruments of war no signe of battaile yea no expresse signification either of any rebellious word or malitious fact described neither in records nor yet in any Chronicle Againe if these rumours were words spoken against the king as calling him a tirant an vsurper of the crowne the Prince of Priestes c. why then be none of these words expressed in their inditements or left in records Doth M. Cope thinke for a man to be called a traitour to be enough to make him a traytour vnlesse some euident prose be brought for him to bee so in deed as he is called Rumours sayth he congregations and insurrections were made Rumours are vncertaine Congregations haue bene and may bee among Christen men in dangerous times for good purposes and no treason against their princes ment The terme of insurrections may be added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by practise or surmise of the Prelates and pen men who to bring them the more in hatred of the king might adde this rather of their owne gentlenes then of the others deseruing Certayne it is and vndoubted that the Prelates in those dayes being so mightely inflamed against these Lollards were not altogether behind for their parts nor vtterly idle in this matter but practised against them what they could first to bring them into hatred and then to death Examples of which kinde of practise among the Popish Cleargy haue not lacked neither before nor since Moreouer if these men had made such a rebellious insurrection against the king as is pretended in the preample before this statute which were a matter of high treason How chaunceth then that the whole body of the statute folowing after the said preface or preamble runneth in all the parts and braunches thereof both in maner of arrest of inditement information request alowance of officers cognisance of ordinaries of the forefact c. vpon cases of heresie and not of treason as by particular tractation shall be Christ willing declared And for so much as these men be so greuously accused of Alanus Copus for congregating rising against their K. the whole Realme if I had so much laysure to defend as he hath pleasure to diffame Here might be demaunded of him to keepe him some further pley touching this mighty insurrection where as they came in nūber of xx thousand against the king in what order of battaile ray they marched what Captaines vnder Captaines and pety Captaines they had to guide the wyngs and to lead the army whether they were horsemen or footemen If they were horsemen as is pretensed what ment they then to resort to the Thicketes neare to S. Gyles field which was no meet place for horses to stirre If they were footemen how standeth that with the author which reporteth them to be horsemē Moreouer is to be demanded what insignes or flagges what shot what pouder what armour weapōs and other furniture of war also what treasure of money to wage so many to the nūber of xx thousand what trumpets drommes other noise necessary for the purpose they had All these preparations for such an enterprise is requisite necessary to be had And peraduenture if truth were well sought it would be found at lēgth that in stead of armies and weapon they were comming onely with theyr bookes and with Beuerlay their preacher into those thickets But as I was not there present at the fact as is before said so haue I neither certeinely to define vpon theyr case nor yet M. Cope to exclame against them vnles peraduenture he taking an occasion of the time will thus argue against them That because it was the hoate moneth of Ianuary the 2. day after the Epiphany therefore it is like that Sir Iohn Oldcastle with xx thousand Lollards camped together in the fields in al the heate of the wether to destroy the king and all the nobles and to make hymselfe Regent of England And why not as well the King as regent of England seeing all the nobles should haue bene destroyed he onely left alone to reigne by himselfe ¶ It followeth more in the preamble of the foresaid statute to adnull destroy and subuert the Christen fayth and the law of God holy Church c. He that was the forger inuēter of this report as it appeareth to proceed frō the Prelates seemeth no cunning Daedalus nor halfe hys craftes maister in lying for the whetstone Better he might haue learned of Sinō in Uirgill more artificially to haue framed and conueied his narration Which although in no case could sound like any truth yet some colour of probabilitie should haue bene set vpon it to giue it some countenance of a like tale As if he had first declared the L. Cobham to haue bin before in secret cōfederacie with the great Turk or if he had made him some termagāt or Mahound out of Babylonia or some Herode of Iudea or some Antichrist out of Rome or some grandpanch Epicure of this world and had shewed that he had receiued letters from the great Souldan to fight against the faith of Christ and law of God then had it appeared somwhat more credible that the said Sir Iohn Oldcastle with his sect of heresie went about to adnull destroie and subuert the Christian faith and law of God within the Realme of England c. But now where will either he or M. Cope finde men so mad to beleeue or so ingenious that can imagine this to be true that the Lord Cobham being a Christian and so faithfull a Christiā would or did euer cogitate in his mind to destroy and adnull the faith of Christ in the Realme of England What soeuer the report of this pursuant or preface saith I report me vnto the indifferent Reader how standeth this with any face of truth That he which before through the reading of Wickliffes works had bene so earnestly cōuerted to the law of God who had also approued himselfe such a faithfull seruant of Christ that for the faith of Christ he being examined and tried before the Prelates page 553. not only ventred his life but stood constant vnto the sentence of death defined against him being a cōdemned and a dead man by law Et qui quantum ad
the Prophette Esay Thy rulers are vnfaythâ—â—ll misbeleuers fellowes and companions of theeues they all loue bribes and followe after rewardes Beholde the Prophet calieth the rulers of the Church infidels for their offences for all such as do not keep theyr fayth inuiolate vnto theyr principall Lorde are vnfaythfull seruauntes and they also are vnfathfull children wich keepe not theyr obedience feare and loue vnto God their father Item this proposition is verified by the saying of the Apostle the 1. chap. to Titus They doe confesse that they know God but by their works they do deny him And for so much as they which are sinnefull do swerue away from yâ— meritorious work of blessednes therfore they do swerue from the true fayth grounded vpon charity for so much as fayth without workes is dead To this end doth also pertaine that which the Lord speaketh Math. 23. of the faythfull and vnfaythfull seruaunt The 4. Article These wordes of Iohn in his 22. chap. Receiue the holy Ghost And whatsoeuer you sholl binde vpon earth c. And Mathew 16. and 18. chapter for lack of vnderstanding shall terrifye many Christians and they shal be wonderfully afrayd and others shal be deceiued by them presuming vpon the fulnes of theyr power and authority The answere This sentence I do approue and allow and therefore I say in the same place that it is first of all to be supposed that the saying of our Sauiour is necessary as touching the vertue of the word forasmuch as it is not possible for a Priest to binde and loose except that binding and loosing be in heauen But for the lacke of the true vnderstanding of those wordes many simple Christians shal be made arrayd thinking with themselues that whether they be iust or vniust the Priestes may at their pleasures whensoeuer they will binde them And the ignorant Priestes do also presume and do take vpon theÌ„ to haue power to binde and loose whensoeuer they wil. For many foolish and ignorant priestes do say that they haue power and authority to absolue euery man confessing himself of what sinne or offence soeuer it be not knowing that in many sinnes it is forbidden them and that it may happen that an hypocrite do confesse himselfe or such one as is not coÌ„trite for his sinne wherof proofe hath oftentimes bene founde and it is euident for so much as the letter doth kill but the spirite doth quicken The v. Article The binding and loosing of God is simply playnly the chiefe and principal The answere This is euident forsomuch as it were blasphemous presumption to affirme that a man may remit and forgeue an euill fact or offence done agaynst such a Lord the Lord himselfe not approuing or allowing the same For by the vniuersall power of the Lord it is necessary that he doe first absolue and forgeue before that his vicare doe the same neyther is there one Article of our fayth which ought to be more coÌ„mon or knowne vnto vs then that it should be impossible for any man of the militant Church to absolue or binde except in suche case as it be conformable vnto the head of the Churche Iesu Christ. Wherefore euery faythfull Christian ought to take heed of that saying if the Pope or any other pretend by any maner of signe to binde or loose that he is thereby bound or loosed for he that doth graunt or confesse that must also consequently graunt and confesse that the Pope is without sinne and so that he is a God for otherwise he must needes erre and doe contrary vnto the keyes of Christ. This saying proueth the fact of the Pope who alwayes in his absolution presupposeth contrition and coÌ„fession Yea moreouer if any letter of absolution be geuen vnto any offender which doth not declare the circumstances of the offence which ought to be declared it is sayd that thereby the letter of absolution is of no force and effect It is also hereby euident that many Priestes do not absolue those which are coÌ„fessed because that either through shamfastnes they do cloke or hide greater offences or els that they haue not due contrition or repentance for vnto true absolution there is first required contritioÌ„ Secondly a purpose intent to sinne no more Thirdly true coÌ„fessioÌ„ And fourthly stedfast hope of forgeuenes The j. appeareth by Ezech. if the wicked do repent him c. The ij in the v. 8. of Iohn do thou not sinne any more The third party by this place of Luke shew your selues vnto the Priestes And the fourth is confirmed by the saying of Christ My sonne beleue and thy sinnes are forgeuen thee I also added many other probations in my treatise out of the holy fathers Augustine Ierome and the maister of the sentences The 6. Article The Priestes do gather and heape vppe out of the Scriptures those things which serue for the belly but such as pertayne to the true imitation and folowing of Christ that they reiect and refuse as impertinent vnto saluation The aunswere This Saynt Gregory doth sufficiently proue in his 17. Homely alledging the sayinge of Christ The haruest is great the workemen are few speaking also that which we cannot say without griefe or sorrow that albeit there be a great number which willingly heare good things yet there lacketh such as should declare the same vnto them for behold the world is full of priests but notwithstanding there is a scarcitye of workemen in the haruest of the Lord. We take vpon vs willingly priesthood but we do not fulfil do the workes office of priesthood And immediately after he sayth we are fallen vnto outward affayres busines for we take vpoÌ„ vs one office for honour sake and we do exhibite geue an other to ease our selues of labour We leaue preaching and as farre as I can perceiue we are called Bishops to our paine which do retayne the name of honour but not the verity And immediatly after he sayth we take no care for our flocke we dayly call vpon for our stipend wages we couet and desire earthly thinges with a gredy mind we gape after worldly glory we leaue the cause of God vndone and make haste about our worldly affayres busines we take vpoÌ„ vs the place of sanctity and holines and we are wholy wrapped in worldly cares troubles c. This writeth saynt Gregory with many other thinges more in the same place Also in his Pastorall in his Morals in his register Also Saynt Bernard with many other places Likewise in his xxxiij Sermon vpon the Canonicalles he sayth all frendes and all enemies all kinsfolkes and aduersaryes all of one householde and no peace makers they are the Ministers of Christ and serue Antichrist they goe honourably honoured with the goodes of the Lord and yet they do honour c. The 7. Article The power of the pope which doth not folow Christ is not
the holy communion And I warne you that you enter into no tauernes with ghestes be not a cōmon cōpany keper For the more a preacher keepeth him frō the company of men the more he is regarded All be it deny not yet your helpe and diligence where soeuer you may profite other Against fleshlye lust preache continuallye all that euer you can For that is the raging beast which deuoureth men for whom the flesh of Christ did suffer Wherfore my heartily beloued I beseech you to flie fornication for where as a man woulde most profite and doe good there this vice vseth most to lurke In any case flie the company of yong women and beleeue not their deuotion For S. Austen sayth the more deuout she is the more procliue to wantonnesse and vnder the pretence of religion the snare and venome of fornication lurketh And this knowe my welbeloued that the conuersation with them subuerteth many whome the conuersation of this worlde coulde neuer blemish nor beguile Admit no womē into your house for what cause so euer it be and haue not much talke with them otherwise for auoiding of offence Finally howsoeuer you do feare God and keepe his precepts so shall you walke wisely and shall not pearish so shall you subdue the flesh contemne the world and ouercome the deuill so shall you put on God finde life and confirme other and shall crowne your selfe wyth the crowne of glory the which the iust iudge shall geue you Amen ¶ This letter of Iohn Hus conteineth a confession of the infirmitie of mans flesh Howe weake it is and repugnant against the spirite Wherein he also exhorteth to perseuere constantly in the truth HEalth be to you from Iesus Christ. c. My deare frend knowe that Palletz came to me to perswade me that I shuld not feare the shame of abiuration but to consider the good which thereof will come To whome I sayd that the shame of condemnation and burning is greater then to abiure and why shuld I feare then that shame But I pray you tel me plainly your minde Presuppose that such articles were laid to you which you knewe your selfe not to be true what would you do in that case Would you abiure Who aunswered The case is sore began to weepe Many other things wee spake which I did reprehende Michael de Causis was some times before the prison with the deputies And when I was wyth the deputies thus I heard him speake vnto the keepers Wee by the grace of God wil burne this hereticke shortly for whose cause I haue spent many Florenes But yet vnderstand that I wryte not this to the intent to reuenge mee of him for that I haue committed to God and pray to God for him with all my heart Yet I exhort you again to be circumspect about our letters for Michael hath taken suche order that none shall be suffered to come into the prisone no not yet the keepers wrues are permitted to come to me O holy God howe largely doth Antichrist extend his power and crueltie But I trust that hys power shall be shortned and his iniquitie shal be detected more more amongst the faithfull people Almighty God shal confirme the hearts of his faithful whom he hath chosen before the costitution of the world that they may receiue the eminall crowne of glory And let Antichrist rage as much as he wil yet he shal not preuaile against Christ which shal destroy him with the spirite of his mouth as the Apostle sayeth And 〈◊〉 shall the creature be deliuered out of seruitude or corruptions into the libertie of the glorye of the sonnes of God as sayeth the Apostle in the wordes following we also wythin oure selues doe grone waiting for the adoption of the sonnes of God the redemption of our body I am greatly comforted in those wordes of our Sauiour◠happy be you when men shall hate you and shall seperate you and shall rebuke you and shall cast out your name as execrable for the sonne of man Reioyce and be glad for beholde great is your rewarde in heauen Luke 6. O worthy yea O most worthy consolation which not to vnderstande but to practise in time of tribulation is a hard lesson This rule sainct Iames with the other Apostles did well vnderstand which saieth count it exceeding ioy my brethren when yee shall fall into diuers tentations knowing that the probation of your faith woorketh patience let patience haue her perfecte worke For certainely it is a great matter for a man to reioyce in trouble and to take it for ioy to be in diuers temptations A light matter it is to speake it and to expounde it but a great matter to fulfill it For why our most patient and most valiaunt champion him selfe knowing that hee shoulde rise againe the thirde day ouercomming his ennemies by his death and redeeming from damnation his electe after his last Supper was troubled in spirite and sayde My soule is heauie vnto death Of whom also the Gospell sayeth that hee began to feare to be sadde and heauie Who being then in an agonie was confirmed of the Aungell and his sweat was like the droppes of bloud falling vpon the ground And yet he notwithstanding being so troubled sayde to his disciples let not your hearts be troubled neither feare the crueltie of them that persecute you for you shall haue me with you alwaies that you may ouercome the tyranny of your persecutours Whereupon those his souldiours looking vppon the Prince and king of glory sustained great conflictes They passed throughe fire and water and were saued and receiued the crowne of the Lord God of the which S. Iames in his canonicall Epistle sayeth Blessed is the man that suffereth temptation for when he shall be proued he shall receaue the crowne of life which God hathe promised to them that loue him Of this crowne I trust stedfastly the Lord wil make mee partaker also with you which be the feruent sealers of the trueth and with all them which stedfastly and constantly doe loue the Lord Iesus Christ which suffred for vs leauing to vs example that we should follow his steppes It behooued him to suffer as hee sayeth and vs also it behooued to suffer that the members may suffer together with the head For he sayeth If any man will come after mee let him denie himselfe and take vp hys crosse and followe me O most mercyfull Christ draw vs weake creatures after thee for except thou shouldst draw vs we are not able to follow thee Geue vs a strong spirite that it may be ready and although the flesh be feeble yet let thy grace goe before vs goe with vs and follow vs for without thee we can do nothyng and much lesse enter into the cruell death for thy sake Geue vs that prompt and ready spirite a bold hart an vpright fayth a firme hope and perfect charitie that we may geue our lyues paciently and ioyfully for
in a maner astonished sayd I do not remember them now at the first but hereafter they shal be obiected agaynst you And by and by the thirde man rising vp sayde when that you were also at Heidelberg you propounded many erroneous matters as touching the Trinitie and there painted out a certayne shield or scutchine comparing the Trinitie of persons in diuinitie vnto water snow and yse and such like Unto whoÌ„ M. Hierome answered Those thinges that I wrote or paynted there the same will I also speake write and paynt here and teach me that they be erroneous and I will most humbly reuoke and recant the same Then certayne cryed out let hym be burned let him be burned Unto whom he answered if my death doe delight or please you in the name of God let it be so Then sayd the archbishop of Salisburg not so mayster Hierome forsomuch as it is written I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue When these and many other tumultes and cryes were passed whereby they did then most disorderly and outragiously witnes agaynst them they deliuered the sayd mayster Hierome being bound vnto the officers of the Citty of Constance to be caryed to prison for that night and so euery one of them returned to their lodginges In the meane tyme one of the friendes of M. I. Hus looking out at a window of the Cloyster sayd vnto hym M. Hierome Then sayd hee you are welcome my deare brother Then sâ—yd Peter vnto hym Be constant feare not to suffer death for the truth sake of the whiche wheÌ„ you were in tymes past at libertie you dyd preache so muche goodnes Vnto whome Hierome aunswered truely brother I do not feare death and forsomuch as we know that we haue spoken much therof in times past let vs now see what may be knowne or done in effect By and by hys keepers comming to the window threatning hym wyth strokes dyd put away the sayd Peter from the window of the Cloyster Then came there one Uitus vnto M. Hierome sayd mayster how doe you Unto whom he aunswered truely brother I do very well Then hys keepers comming about him layd hold of the sayd Uitus saying this is also one of the number and kept hym When it drew towards euening the archb of Rigen sent certayne oâ— hys seruants which lead away M. Hiâ—rome being stroÌ„gly bound with chaynes both by the handes and by the neck and kept him so for certayne houres When night drew on they caryed hym vnto a certayn tower of the Cittie in Sainct Paules Churchyarde where as they tying him fast vnto a great blocke and his fâ—ete in the stockes hys handes also being made fast vppon them they left hym where as the blocke was so high that he could by no meanes sit therupon but that his head must hang downward They caryed also the sayd Uitus vnto the archbishop of Rygen who demaunded of him why he durst be so bold to talk with such a man being a reprobate of all men and an hereticke and when as he could finde no cause of imprisonment in hym and that he sayd he was maister Iohn de Clums friend taking an othe and promise of him that he should not go about to endamage the Councell by reason of that imprisonment and captiuitie so dismissed hym and sent him away Maister Hierom vnknown vnto vs whether he was caryed lay in the sayd tower two dayes two nightes relieued onely with bread and water Then one of hys keepers comming vnto M. Peter declared vnto him howe that M. Hierome lay hard by in bondes and chaines and how he was fed Then M. Peter desired that hee might haue leaue geuen hym to geue him meat because he would procure the same vnto hym The keeper of the prison graunting hys request caryed meate vnto hym Within â—leuen dayes after so hanging by the heeles he vsed so small repast that he fell sore sicke euen vnto the death When as he lying then in that captiuitie and prison desired to haue a Confessor they of the Councell denyed that he shold haue any vntill such time as by great importunitie he obtayned to haue one hys friends being then there present in the same prison and tower wherein he then lay by the space of one yeare lacking but seuen dayes After they had put Iohn Hus to death then about the feast of the natiuitie of Mary the Uirgine they brought forth M. Hierome whom they had kept so long in chains vnto the Churche of S. Paule and threatning hym with death being instant vpon him they forced him to abiure recant and coÌ„sent vnto the death of M. Iohn Hus that he was iustly and truely condemned and put to death by theÌ„ He what for feare of death and hopyng thereby to escape out of their handes according to their will and pleasure according to the tenour whiche was exhibited vnto hym did make abiuration and that in the Cathedrall Churche and open Session the draught whereof penned to hym by the Papistes here ensueth ¶ The abiuration of M Hierome of Prage I Hierome of Prage Mayster of Arte acknowledging the Catholicke Church and the Apostolicke fayth do accurse and renounce all heresies specially that whereof I haue hetherto bene infamed and that which in tymes past Iohn Hus and Iohn Wickleffe haue bolden and taught in theyr workes treatises and sermons made vnto the people and Clergy for the whiche cause the sayde Wickliffe and Hus together with the sayde doctrines errours are condeÌ„ned by this Sinode of Constance as heretickes and all the said doctrine sentencially condemed and especially in certayne articles expressed in the sentences and iudgementes geuen agaynst them by this sacred Councell Also I do accorde and agree vnto the holy Churche of Rome the Apostolick seate in this sacred Councel with my mouth and hart do professe in al thinges and touching all thinges and specially as touching the keyes Sacramentes orders and offices and ecclesiasticall censures of pardons reliques of Saintes Ecclesiasticall libertie also ceremonies and all other thinges pertayning vnto Christian Religion as the Church of Rome the Apostolick sea and this sacred Councel do professe and specially that many of the sayd Articles are notoriously hereticall and lately reproued by the holy fathers some of them blasphemous other some erroneous some offensiue vnto godly cares many of them temerarious and sedicious And suche also were counted the Articles lately condemned by the sacred councell and it was inhibited and forbidden to all and singular Catholicke men hereafter to preach teach or presume to hold or mayntayne any of the sayd Articles vnder payn of being accursed And I the sayd Hierome forsomuch as I haue laboured by Scholasticall Artes to perswade the opinion De Vniuersalibus realibus and that one substance of the common kinde should signifie many thinges subiect vnder the same and euery
done in the premisses at the day and place aforesayd or that he which hath so executed our commaundement do so certifie vs by his letters Dated at our Manour of Lambeth the xxij day of October an 1457 and in the 4. yeare of our translation This citation being directed the Byshop vpon the sūmon thereof was brought or rather came before the iudges and Bishops vnto Lambeth where the foresaid Thomas the Archbishop with his doctors and Lawyers were gathered together in the Archbishops Court. In which conuention also the Duke of Buckingham was present accōpanyed with the Bishop of Rochester and of Lyncolne What were the opiniōs and articles agaynst him obiected after in his reuocatiou shall be specified In his answering for himselfe in such a company of the Popes frendes albeit he coulde not preuayle notwithstanding he stoutly defending himselfe declared many thinges worthye great commendation of learning if learning agaynste power coulde haue preuayled But they on the contrary part with all labor and trauel extended themselues either to reduce him or els to cōfound him As here lacked no blustring wordes of terrour and threatning so also many fayre flattering wordes and gentle persuasions were admixt with al. Briefely to make a short narration of a long and busy trauers here was no stone lefte vnturned no wayes vnprooued eyther by fayre meanes to entreat him or by terrible manasses to terrifye his mind till at the length he being vanquished and ouercome by the bishops began to faynt and gaue ouer Wherupon by by a recantation was put vnto him by the Byshops which he should declare before the people The copy of which his recantation here foloweth ¶ The forme and maner of the retractation of Reynold Pecocke IN the name of God Amen Before you the most reuered Father in Christ and Lorde the Lorde Thomas by the grace of God Archbishop of Canterbury priuate of England and Legate of the Apostolicke sea I Reynolde Pecock vnworthy Bishop of Chichester do purely willyngly simply and absolutely cōfesse and acknowledge that I in times past that is to say by the space of these 20. yeares last past and more haue otherwise conceiued holdē taught and written as touching the Sacramentes and the Articles of the fayth then the holy Church of Rome and vniuersall Church and also that I haue made written published and set forth many diuers pernitious doctrines bookes workes writings heresyes contrary and agaynst the true Catholicke and Apostolicke fayth contayning in them errours cōtrary to the Catholicke fayth especially these errours and heresies here vnder written 1. First of all that we are not bounde by the necessitye of fayth to beleue that our Lord Iesus Christ after his death descended into hell 2. Item that it is not necessarye to saluation to beleeue in the holy Catholicke Church 3. Item that it is not necessary to saluation to beleue the communion of Sayntes 4. Item that it is not necessary to saluation to affirme the body materially in the Sacrament 5. Item that the vniuersall Churche may erre in matters which perteyne vnto fayth 6. Item that it is not necessary vnto saluation to beleue that that which euery generall Councell doth vniuersally ordeine approue or determine should necessaryly for the helpe of our fayth and the saluation of soules be approued and holden of all faythfull Christians Wherfore I Reynold Pecocke wretched sinner which haue long walked in darckenesse and now by the merciful disposition and ordinaunce of God am reduced brought agayne vnto the light and way of truth and restored vnto the vnity of our holy mother the Church renoūce and forsake all errors and heresyes aforesayd Notwithstanding godly reader it is not to be beleued that Pecocke did so geue ouer these opinions howsoeuer the wordes of the recantation pretend For it is a pollicy play of the bishops that when they do subdue or ouercome any mā they cary him whither they list as it were a yoūg Stere by the nose and frame out his words for him before hand as it were for a Parate what he should speake vnto the people not according to his owne will but after theyr lust and fantasy Neither is it to be doubted but that thys Bishop repented him afterward of his recantation which may easely be iudged hereby because he was committed agayn into prison deteined captiue where as it is vncertaine whether he was oppressed with priuy and secret tyranny and there obteined the crown of Martyrdom or no. The Dictionary of Thomas Gascoigne I haue not in my handes present But if credite be to be geuen to such as haue to vs alledged the booke this we may finde in the 8. Century of Iohn Bale chapter 19. that the sayd Thomas Gascoigne in his third part of his sayd dictionary writing of Reinold Pecocke maketh declaration of his articles cōteining in them matter of sore heresy First saith he Reynold Pecock at Paules crosse preached openly that the office of a Christen Prelate chiefly aboue all other things is to preach the word of God That mans reason is not to be preferred before the Scriptures of the old and new Testament That the vse of Sacraments as they be now handled is worse then the vse of the lawe of nature That Byshops which buy theyr admissions of the Bishop of Rome do sinne That no man is bound to beleue and obey the determination of the Churche of Rome Also that the riches of Bishops by inheritage are the goods of the poore Item that the Apostles themselues personally were not the makers of the Creed that in the same Creede once was not the Article he went downe to hell Item that of the foure senses of the Scripture none is to be taken but the very first and proper sense Also that he gaue litle estimation in some poyntes to the authority of the olde Doctors Item that he condemned the wilfull begging of the Friers as a thing idle and needles This out of Thomas Gascoigne Leland also adding this moreouer sayth that he not contented to folow the Catholicke sentence of the Churche in interpreting of the Scripture did not thinke soundly as he iudged it of the holy Eucharist At length for these and suche other Articles the sayde Reynold Pecocke was condemned for an hereticke by the Archbishops and Bishops of Rosse Lyncolne and Winchester with other diuines moe Wherupon he being driuē to his recantation was notwithstanding deteyned still in prison Where some say that he was priuily made away by death Halle addeth that some say his opinions to bee that spirituall persons by Gods lawe ought to haue no temporall possessions Other write that he sayde that personall tithes were not due by Gods lawe But whatsoeuer the cause was he was caused at Paules Crosse to abiure and all his bookes brent and he himselfe kepte in his owne house during his naturall life I maruell that Polydore of this extremity of
matrone in Rome named Constantia who in like maner departed the same yeare in which she receiued great promises by these Southsayers and Astrologers of a long and happy life saieng to her husband these words behold saith she how true be the prognostications of these southtellers If it were not for noting of thē which now are gone and whose names I would in no case to be blemished with any spot otherwise I could recite the names of certaine especially one which taking his iourney in a certaine place after diligent calculation and forecasting of the successe and good speede of his iourney was notwithstanding in the same iourney apprehended and brought where he would not after that neuer enioieng good day in short time he departed In Basill this I my selfe heard of one which knew and was conuersant with the partie who hauing a curious delight in these speculations of chances and euents to come by his calculation noted a certaine day which he mistrusted should be fatall vnto him by something which at that day should fall vpon him Whereupon he determined with himselfe all that day to keepe him sure and safe within his chamber where he reaching vp his hand to take downe a booke the booke falling downe vpon his head gaue him his deathes wounde and shortly after he died vpon the same Of these and such like examples the world is full and yet the curiousnes of mans head will not refraine still to plucke the apple of this vnluckie and forbidden tree Beside all this what murther and parricide commeth by the feare of these prophecies in great blouds and noble houses I referre it vnto them which reade and well aduise the stories as well of our Kings heere in England as in other kingdomes moe both Christened and Turkish whereof another place shall serue as well Christ willing more largely to entreat and particularly to discourse To this perteineth also the great inconuenience hinderance that groweth by the feare of such Prophecies in the vocation of mē forsomuch as many there be which fearing some one danger some another leaue their vocations vndone and follow vnordinate waies As if one hauing a blinde prophecie that his destruction should be on the day would wake and do all his busines by night and candle light and so forth in other seuerall cases of mē and women as euery one in his owne conscience knoweth his owne case best The second thing to be considered in these prophecies is rightly to discerne and vnderstand as neare as we cā the differēce betwene the prophecies proceeding frō God and the false prophecies counterfeited by Sathan For Sathan sometime plaieth Gods Ape and transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light bearing such a resemblaunce and colour of truth and Religion that vnneth a wise man is able to discerne the one from the other and the most part is begiled Concerning prophecies therefore to know which be of God which be not three things are to be obserued 1. First whether they go simply and plainely or whether they be doubtful and ambiguous wherof the one seemeth to taste of Gods spirit such as be the Prophecies of the scripture the other to come otherwise hauing a double or doubtfull interpretation Although y◠time of Gods prophecies as also of miracles is commonly and ordinarily expired yet if the Lord in these daies now extraordinarily do shew any prophecie by the simplenes plainenes thereof partly it may be discerned 2. Secondly this is to be expended whether they bee priuate tending to this familie or that family or publike For as the Scriptures so commonly the Prophecies of God haue no priuate interpretation but generall for so much as the care of Gods holy spirit is not restrayned partially to one person more then to another but generally and indifferently respecteth the whole Churche of his elect in Christ Iesus his sonne Wherefore such Prophecies as priuately are touching the armes of houses or names of men rising or falling of priuate and particular families are worthely to be suspected 3. The third note speciall argument to discry the true prophecies of God from the false prophecies of Sathan and his false Prophets is this to consider the matter and the end thereof that is whether they be worldly or whether they be spirituall or whether they tende to any glory or state of this present world or whether they tend to the spirituall instruction admonition or comfort of the publicke Church Now remayneth thirdly after we know what prophecies be of God and what not that we be instructed next how to eschew the feare and perill of all diuelish Prophecies which make against vs. Wherein two speciall remedies are to be marked of euery Christen man whereby he may be safe and sure against all daunger of the enemie The first is that we set y◠name of Christ Iesus the sonne of God against them through a true faith in him knowing this that the sonne of God hath appeared to dissolue the works of the Diuell And againe this is the victory saith the Scripture that ouercommeth the world euen our faith Whatsoeuer then Sathan worketh or cā worke against vs be it neuer so forceable faith in Christ will vanquish it Such a maiestie is in our faith beleeuing in the name of the Sonne of God The other remedy is faythfull prayer which obteineth in the name of Christ all things with the Lord. So that wicked feende which had killed before seuen husbands of Tobias wife could not hurt him entring his matrimony with earnest praier so no more shall any sinister prophecie preuaile where praier out of a faithful hart doth striue against it Neither am I ignoraunt that against such temporall euils and punishments to this life inflicted a great remedy also lieth in this when Sathan findeth nothing wherin greatly to accuse our conscience But because such a conscience is hard to be founde the next refuge is to flie to repentaunce with amendment of life For many times where sinne doth reigne in our mortall bodies there also the operation of Sathan is strong against vs to afflicte our outwarde bodyes heere but as touching our eternall saluation neyther worke nor merite hath any place but onely our fayth in Christ. And thus much briefly touching the two speciall remedies whereby the operation of all diuelishe Prophecies may be auoyded and defeated Now many there be which leauing these remedyes aforesayd and the safe protection which the Lorde hath set vp in Christ take other wayes of their owne seeking by their owne policie how to withstande and escape suche Prophecies either in eschuing the place and time subtilly or else cruelly by killing the partie whome they feare whereof commeth iniury murther and parricide with other mischiefes in cōmon weales vnspeakable To whom commonly it cōmeth so to passe that whereby they thinke most to saue themselues by the same meanes they fal most into the snare being
subuerted and confounded in theyr owne policie for that they trusting to their owne deuise and not vnto the Lord which only can dissolue the operation of Satan the Lord so turneth their deuise into a trap thereby to take them whereby they thinke most surely to escape Examples whereof we see not onely in Astyages King of the Medes aforesaid and Cyrus but in infinite other like euents which the trade of the world doth dayly offer to our eies So Queene Margaret thought her then cockesure when Duke Humfrey was made away when nothing else was her confusion so much as the losse and lacke of that man So if King Richard the second had not exercised suche crueltie vpon his vncle Thomas Duke of Glocester he had not receiued such wrong by King Henry the fourth as he did pag. 594. Likewise this King Edwarde the fourth it he had suffered his brother Gorge Duke of Clarence to haue liued his house had not so gone to wracke by Richard his other brother as it did What befell vpon the Student of Astrology in the Uniuersitie of Basill ye heard before who if he had not mewed himselfe in hys chamber for feare of his diuination had escaped the stroke that fell Now in auoiding such Propheticall euentes which he should not haue searched he fell into that which he did feare These few examples for instruction sake I thought by occasion to inferre not as though these were alone but by these few to admonish the Reader of infinite other which dayly come in practise of life to the great daunger decay as well in priuate houses as in weales publicke Wherfore briefly to repete what before simply hath bin said touching this matter seeing that Sathan thorough such subtile Prophecies hath yet doth dayly practise so manifold mischiefes in the world setting brother against brother nephew against the vncle house against house and realme against realme gēdring hatred where loue was subuerting priuely y◠simplicity of our christian faith therfore y◠first thing best is for godly men not to busie there braines about such phātasies neither in delighting in thē nor in harkening to thē nor in searching for thē either by southsaier or by cōiuratiō or by familiar or by astrologer knowing and considering this that whosoeuer shal be desirous or ready to search for them the Deuill is as ready to aunswere his curiositie therein For as once in the old tyme of Gentilitie hee gaue his Oracles by Idols and Priestes of that tyme so the same deuill although he worketh not now by Idols yet he craftely can geue now aunswere by Astrologers and coniurers in these our dayes in so doyng both to say truth and yet to deceaue men whē he hath sayd Wherfore leauyng of such curiositie let euery Christen man walke simple in his present vocation referryng hid thynges not in the word expressed vnto him which sayth in his word Non est vestrum scire tēpora momenta temporum c. It is not for you to know the tymes and seasons of tymes which the Father hath kept in his owne power c. Secondly in this matter of Prophecies requisite it is as is sayd for euery Christen man to learne how to discerne and distinct the true Prophecies which proceede of God and the false Prophecies whiche come of Sathan The difference wherof as it is not hard to be discerned so necessary it is that euery good man do rightly vnderstand the same to the entent that he knowing flying the daunger of the one may be the more certaine and cōstant in adhering to the other Thirdly because it is not sufficient that the deceitfull Prophecies of the deuill be knowen but also that they be resisted I haue also declared by what meanes the operation of Sathans workes and Prophecies are to be ouercome that is not with strength and policie of mā for that there is nothyng in man able to counteruayle the power of that enemy Under heauen there is nothyng elles that can preuayle agaynst his workes but onely the name of the Lord Iesus the sonne of God not outwardly pronoūced onely with our lippes or signed in our foreheads with the outward crosse but inwardly apprehended and dwellyng in our hartes by a silent fayth firmely and earnestly trustyng vpon the promises of God geuen and sealed vnto vs in his name For so it hath pleased his fatherly wisedome to set him vp to be both our righteousnesse before himselfe and also to be our fortitude agaynst the enemy acceptyng our fayth in his sonne in no lesse price then he accepteth the workes worthynesse of the same his sonne in whom we do beleue Such is the strength and effect of faith both in heauen in earth also in hell In heauen to iustifie in earth to preserue in hell to cōquere And therfore when any such Prophecie or any other thing is to vs obiected which seemeth to tend agaynst vs let vs first consider whether it sauour of Sathan or not If it doe then let vs seeke our succour not in our selues where it doth not dwell neither let vs kill nor slay nor chaunge our vocation therfore folowing vnordinate wayes but let vs runne to our Castle of refuge whiche is to the power of the Lord Iesus remembring the true promise of the Psalme Qui habitat in adiutorio altissimi in protectione Del coeli commorabitur That is who so putteth his trust in the succour of the Lord shall haue the God of heauen to his protector And then shall it afterward follow in the same Psalme Ipse liberabit te a laqueo venantium a verbo aspeto That is And he shall deliuer him from the snare of the hunter and from all euill wordes and Prophecies be they neuer so sharpe or bitter agaynst him c. And thus much by the occasion of kyng Edward of Prophecies Now hauing lōg taried at home in describyng the tumultes and troubles within our owne land we will let out our story more at large to consider the afflictions and perturbatiōs of other parties and places also of Christes Church as wel here in Europe vnder the Pope as in the East partes vnder the Turke first deducyng our story frō the tyme of Sigismund where before we left Which Sigismund as is aboue recorded was a great oder in the Councell of Constance agaynst Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage This Emperour had euer euill lucke fightyng agaynst the Turkes Twise he warred agaynst them and in both the battailes was discomfited and put to flight once about the Citie of Mysia fightyng agaynst Baiazetes the great Turke an 1395. the second tyme fightyng against Celebinus the sonne of Baiazetes about the towne called Columbacium But specially after the Councell of Constance wherein were condemned and burned those two godly Martyrs more vnprosperous successe did then folow him fightyng agaynst the Bohemians his owne subiectes an 1420. by whom
Queene Elizabeth The trayterous murdering of the Lord Iames Regent of Scotland Martyr The chiefe cause of al these latter persecution in the Church is onely the priuate quarrell of the Bishop of Rome The plantation of the Popes supremacie proued not to be of God Iohn 8. Luke 18. The 3. question Apocal. 13. The two beastes in the booke of ReuelatioÌ„ described The second beast with the hornes like a Lambe The misterie of the first beast rising out of the Sea applied The Image of the beast resembled to the Monarchie of Rome Apocall 13. Of these 42. monethes and the exposition thereof read page 101. The wounded head of the beast in the reuelation what it meaneth The second beast rising out of the land pretending the hornes of a Lambe what it meaneth Apocall 13. The Misterie of the 13. chapter of the Reuelations expounded Ex platina in vita Gregoâ—ij 7. The Image of the old Monarchie reuiued by the Bishop of Rome Power to doe the workes of the beast before his sight Apocal. 13. The 4. question 2. Thess. 2. Religion of Christ spiritual and not corporall The Pope turneth the spirituall religion of Christ to a corporall religion The whole summe of the Popes Catholicke religion set forth in partes A man may be Catholique by the Popes religion without any working of the holy ghost The nature of tâ—ue Christian Religion described Saluation of man standeth onely in fayth of Christ. Fayth in Christ no light matter to fleshe and bloud Many thinges incident to saluation besides fayth but not as causes thereof Workes of sanctification how they come and follow fayth Esay 58. Math. 25. Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 1. Plat. de rep 8. Hippocrates Constantinus erus Ad Martyres Ad deum de inundantibus bellorum procellis Math. 16. Three thinges noted in Christes wordes The order of the disposition of this history 1 The suffering time of the church 2 The florishing time of the Church 3 The declining time of the church 4 The time of Antichrist in the Church 5 The reformation of the Church Church of Rome Foure thinges to be considered in the Church of Rome 1. Title 2. Iurisdiction 3. Lyfe 4. Doctrine The title of the Pope The iurisdiction of the Pope The iurisdiction of the Pope The properties of life in the Romish Clergy The doctrine of the Pope Pope siluester the second Pope Gregory 7. called Hildebrand Pope innocentius the third Pope Bonifatius the eight Equinocé That is in name onely and not in very deede Vutuocè That is both in â—ame and also in definition and effect agreeing with the name The Church of Rome as now it is is not Apostolicall but onely aequiuocè The argument of Pighius Hosius and Eckius for the aucthoritie of the Church of Rome Aunswere Fallacia aquiuoci The minor examined The maior examined A distinction The church of Rome distincted into a double consideration of tymes The 〈◊〉 of Rome how it was commendâ—d of the 〈◊〉 Doctours The principall obiection of the Papistes agaynst the Protestants Aunswere to the obiection The church of Rome reuolted from the Church of Rome An other obiection of the papists An answere to the obiection No man bound to follow the opinions of hys Godfathers in all poyntes vnlesse they be consonant in al things The church of Rome distincted froÌ„ the Church of Rome Two times of the Church of Rome considered and examined The first poynt The enormities of life in the latter Churche of Rome described Policies and practises of Rome to get mony XV. Practises of the newe Churche of Rome to get mony Summa totalis The iurisdiction and power of this new church of Rome examined This â—ewe Church of Rome in three poyntes challenged Nicen. Con. Cap. 6. Victor stopped from his excommunication by Ireneus Boniface the first falsefieth the Councell of Nice The 6. Councell of Carthage Appellations to Rome forbidden in England Appellations to Rome forbiddeÌ„ in Fraunce Ex Annonio de gestis FraÌ„corum Lib 5. Cap. 33. The Popes iurisdiction resisted in Fraunce Pragmatica sanctio The Popes iurisdiction concerning elections examined Platina Sabel Enead 8. lib. 6. ConstaÌ„tine the 4. Emperour of Constantinople The Popes bibliothe carie suspected The constitution of Constantine the 4. Emperour of ConstaÌ„tinople examined Rubrica de ordinatione Episcopi ex Caelestino Papa dist 63. Cap. Cleri Dist. 63. Cap. Sacrorum Libertie graunted to the Clergy and to the people to chuse their Bishop Carolus Magnus Ludouicus Pâ—us The decree Ego Ludocus dist 63. suspected Gratianus Volâ—teranus what ground they haue of their recordes Dist. 63. ca. Ego Ludouicus Election of the Bishop of Rome standeth vpon the coÌ„sent of the Clergy and the people of Rome The decree Ego Ludouicus proued fals Dist. 23. ca. In Nomine Domini The iudiciarie power of the Pope examined Georg. Turonens in Francorum hist. lib. 10. ca. 18. The Popes jurisdiction vsurped in geuing and disposing ecclesiastical promotions 16. q. 7. cap. emnes Basilicae The Councell of Nice cap â— The generall Councell of Antioch cap. 9. 9. q. 3. cap. per singulas Pragmatica sanctio sancti Ludouici Impropriations and first finites of benefices Institutiones canonicae sub Ludouico Pio. The wordes of Prosper Aug. ad Bonifac Vowsons and pluralities of benefices Three points wherein the Popes Church erreth in his iurisdiction 1 Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction falsly restrained impropriate to the Church of Rome which ought to be generally equall to all Churches Christian. 2 Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction abused and extended in the church of Rome further then the word limiteth Christening of Bels. 3 The iurisdiction of the Pope abused and vsurped in temporal matters where he hath nothing to doe Popes submitted in the olde tyme to Emperours Ex cap. 1. de iuramentis calumniat Dist. 97. cap. 1. Plat. in vita Euge. 2. Euidences prouing ecclesiasticall persons to haue bene subiect to their Magistrates in causes both Ecclesiasticall temporall Euidences out of the Scripture Dauid 1. Par. cap. 30.31 Ezechias 4. Reg. 18. The order of Abias was the eight order among the Priests 1. Par. 24. Salomon Iudas Machabeus 1. Mac. 10. 1. Mac. 14. Iosaphat 2. Par. 19. Iohn 19. Rom. 13. Theophilactus Aug. ad Bonifacium Aug. contra CresconiuÌ„ li. 3. cap. 5. Thomas de regim princip li. â— cap. 32. 1. Pet. 2. Gregor ad Maurit Aug. lib. 3. epist. 61. The Pope calleth king Lucius Christes Vicar 23. q. cap. 5. principes cap. Administratores Dist. 97. ca. ecclesiae cap. Victor Dist. 79. ca. Si duo 24. q. 3. cap. De illicita Ex Nouel 5. Iustinian Diuine seruice vsed in the vulgare tongue Clodoueus Concilium Aureliense Carolus Magnus Canonicall Scripture onely to be read in Churches Conc. Cartha 3. cap. 47. Bishops and Priests charged to pâ—each with diligence Superstition in Funerals forbidden Ex. Ansegiso Abbate lib. 1. cap. 76. Ludouicus Pius Ex Ans. lib. 1. cap. 20. Lib. 2. C de
Ann. 1371. The tyme of I. Wickliffe Anno. 1372. Ex Caxtono A description of Wickliffes timâ— All good things defled spotted with superstition The captaines of the church seduced as well as the inferior sort Palestina denied holy for Christes walkyng there Richard K. of England Fredericke the Emperor of Rome Philip kyng of Fraunce Pope Vrbano Lambert Pope The knowledge of the Gospell grosely expounded by the Romapistes The rysing vp of Wickliffe in a troublous tyme. Wickliffe a Deuine in Oxford Wickliffe depriued of his benefice at Oxford by S. Sudbery Ex Chron. D. Albani Duke of Lancaster Lord H Percy great maintayners of I. Wickliffe Alice Perris the kings concubine The K. bewitched by a woman thorough the helpe of a Fryer The propertie of an whore 12. Gouernours assigned about the kyng Ex Chron. Monastery Albani A practise of the prelates against the Duke of Lancaster W. Wickham B. of Wint. depriued Byshops holde together Liberties of the Church a great matter B of Winâ— sent for to the conuocation I. Wickliffe sent for by the Duke of Lancaster Example â—â— W. Rufus Ex hosie Monastery D. Albani The slaunderous pene of Polydore Wickliffe falsly charged with ambition by Polydore Wickliffe beginneth to touch the matter of the sacrameÌ„t The latter writers of the Church to be misdoubted The accideÌ„ces not to be in the sacrament without the substance Ex host Monarchs D. Albans ex accommodato â— Math. Archsepis â—ant Striuing for the Lordes to passe by the people W. Courtney Bishop of London The wordes of the B. of London to the L. Percy I. Wickliffe bid to sitte downe before the Byshops Wickliffe denied by the Byshop of London to sit downe Strife betweene the L. Marshall and Byshop of London The people set in a stiâ—re Strife betweene the Duke of I aÌ„caâ—er B. of London The B. ouergoeth the Duke in â—coulding This B. of London was W. Courtney sonne to the Earle of Deuonshire The Duke â—â—â—eateneth to draw out their B. by the heare out of the Church Londiners take part with their Byshop Petitions put vp in the Parliament against the Citie of LoÌ„don Hasty counsaile of the LoÌ„diners The Oration of Lord Fiâ—walter to the Londiners The Citizens of LoÌ„don breake vp the L. Peters house at Sauoy Gods prouision in sauing his seruantes The house of the Duke of â—aÌ„caster searched of the Londiners The Duke and L. Percy fiye to the Prince A priest in the Duke of Lancasters house cruelly killed The villany of the Londiners against the Duke The message of the princesse to the Londiners The Duke reuenged of the Londiners The Londiners caused to beare a Taper of waxe in procession in honour of the Duke A story of the Byshop of Norwich Example of pride in the popes clergie The courtesie of the townesmen toward the Byshop The stoâ—â— answere 〈◊〉 the Byshop to the township The towne of Lennam riseth against the Bishop Pride will haue a fall Power vsurped will neuer stand The vsurped power of the pope would haue a bridle Anno. 1377. The death of K. Edw. The commeÌ„dation of K. Edward Anno. 48. Edward tertij Couentrie and Lychfield Norwytch Surren Ebor. Sarisbu The Deanry of Salisbury Treasorer of the Church of Sar. Canterbury Bath Welles An. 2. Rich. 2. The Archdeaconry of Stowe The Archdeaconry of Northampt In the Archdeaconry of Oxen. In the Archdeaconry of Brick In the diocesse Norwitch In the diocesse of Sar. In the diocesse of Canterbury In the diocesse of Yorke In the diocesse of Durham K. Richard 2. The bishops take â—atage of tyme. The first article colâ—â—ccted out of Wickliffeâ— sermons The articles of Iohn Wickliffe sent to the pope Pope Gregory theâ—â— Wickliffe called before the Archbishop of Cant. Anno. 1378. Edmunde Stafforde bringer of the Popes Bull. The masters of Oxford doubt whether to reâ—â—â—ue or reâ—â—t the Popes Bull. The Popes mad Bull sent to Oxford The Pope coplayning of Iohn Wickliffe Marsilius â—atauinus Ioan de Ganduno outed 〈…〉 Here the wilde Bull striketh Simon Sudburle Archb. of Cant. W. Courtney bishop of London Three sundry letters of the pope to one person about one matter The Popes letter to King Richard agaynst I. Wickliffe Here is prisoning but no teaching Certayne conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe The story brags of the Byshops ouerthrowne Wickliffe againe called before the Byshops Lewes Clifford Iohn Wickliffe againe deliuered from the Byshops The protestation of Iohn Wickliffe Exposition of Iohn Wickliffe vpon his coÌ„clusions Exposition of the secoÌ„d conclusion Ingratia gratisicante finaliter Note here he speaketh onely of the right of things in the country 〈◊〉 come and aâ—t in this exile The power of all priestes toward God equall Ordo sacerdotaelis non susciâ—it maius minus Potestas ordinis Potestasregiminis 16. q. 7. filijs The death of Pope Gregorie 11. Vâ—banus 6. Pope A schisme in Rome Was not here a ioly agreement Theodo 〈◊〉 a Niem dâ— schismaâ—â— Rebellion in England by Iacke Strawe Simon the Archb. beheaded W. Courtney Archb. of Cant. Barton Chauncelour of Oxford Anno. 1380. An edict against the Wicliuistes Anno. 1382. The mandate of the Archb. Ex Registro Archb. W. Courtney â—This article eyther is slanderously reported or els can hardly be defended * He meaneth church goods not to be so peculiar to ministers but that they may be taken away if they so deserue ¶ This article peraduenture was not so straightly ment of him as it waâ— gathered of theÌ„ as is aforesayd * This article expoundeâ—â— the ix article aboue A letter of the Archb. of Cant. against Wickliffe Had ye tryed them by the truth you shuld haue found theÌ„ otherwise Druta Fulmina He that killeth you shal thinke he doth God good seruice Yea rather for the honour of your pope and destruction of Christian fayth An earthquake what time Wickliffe was examined Ex chron mon. Albanensii Determiâ—â—tion vpon the aâ—ticles of Wicklâ—â—â—e A letter of the Archb. of Cant. to the Chauncelour of Oxford Make sure worke Another letter of the Archb. to the Commissary of Oxford M. Iohn Asâ—eton examined The answere of Iohn Asheton M. Asheton monished again to appeare xx of Iune Hertford Repington appear The protestation of Hereford and Asheton exhibited to the Archb. Articles with the answeres Farther examinationâ— against the sayd Nic. Phil. and Iohn Nic. Herford Phil. Repington Iohn Asheton examined 20. Iunij an 2382. The iudgement of the â—â—toâ—s vpâ—â— these 〈◊〉 Admonition and citaon of the Archb. against the â—â—minates An other day assigned for the examinates to â—ppeare Prâ—cesse â—ade by the Archb. agaâ—nst Iohn Asheton I. Asheton seuerally examined The Archb. and his Friers dâ—e flee the English tongue for the people Whether materiall bread remaineth the sacrament M. Tho. Hilman suspected to be a fauourer of I. Asheton The 20. day of Iune Dayes geuen to Tho. Hilman to answere 28. day of Iune an 1312. The 1. day of Iuly an 1312. The answere of Tho.
his mynd molested his vnderstanding did not fayle him as it is the maner of men to do but out of the aboundance of his hart his mouth did speake And feruent charitie did appeare in his words as kindled sparcles He said O crosse most welcome and long looked for with a willing mynde ioyfully and desirously I come to thee beyng the Scholer of him which did hang on thee Because I haue bene alwayes thy louer and haue coueted to embrace thee So beyng crucified he yelded vp the Ghost and fell on sleepe the day before the Calendes of December Mathew otherwise named Leui first of a Publicane made an Apostle wrote his gospell to the Iewes in the Hebrue tongue as recordeth Eusebius lib. 3.24.39 lib 5. cap. 8. cap. 10. Also Iraeneus lib 3. cap. 1. Item Hieronymus in Catalogo script Ecclesiast concerning the doings and decreementes of this blessed Apostle and Euangelist diuers things bee recorded by Iulius Africanus vnder the pretensed name of Abdias Also of Vincentius Perionius and others but in such sort as by the contents may greatly be suspected the matter not to lacke some craftie forgerie for the more establishment of latter decretals and Romish doctrine as touching merites consecration of Nunnes the superstitious prescription of Lent fast not onely in abstainyng from all fleshmeates but also from all matrimoniall copulatiō betwene man and wife during the said tyme of holy Lent Item the straight prohibition not to taste any bodily sustenance before the receiuing of the Lordes supper In ordaining of Masse and that no Nunne must marry after the vowe of her profession with such other like Ioan de Monte Regali testifieth of Mathias that after he had preached to the Iewes at length he was stoned beheaded Some other record that he died in Ethiopia Philippus the holy Apostle after he had much laboured among the barbarous nations in preaching the worde of saluation to them at length he suffered as the other Apostles did in Hierapolis a citie of Phrygia being there crucified and stoned to death where also he was buried his daughters also with him Isido * Of Iames the brother of the Lord thus we read in the story of Clement and Egesippus AFter that Festus had sent the Apostle Paul vnto Rome after his appellatiō made at Caesaria that the Iewes by the meanes thereof had lost their hope of performing their malicious vow against him conceiued they fel vpon Iames the brother of our Lord who was bishop at Ierusalem against whom they being bent with like malice brought him forth before them and required him to denye before all the people the faith of Christ. But he otherwise then they all looked for freely and with a greater constancie before all the multitude confessed Iesus to be the sonne of God our Sauiour and our Lord. Wherupon they not being able to abide the testimonie of this man any longer because he was thought to be the iustest among all for the highnes of deuine wisedome and godlinesse which in liuing he declared they killed him finding the more opportunitie to accomplish their mischiefe because the kingdom the same tyme was vacant For Festus being dead in Iewrie the administration of that prouince was destitute of a ruler and a deputie But after what maner Iames was killed the words of Clement do declare which writeth that he was cast doune from the pinacle of the temple and being smitten with the instrument of a Fuller was slain but Egesippus which liued in the tyme next after the Apostles describeth this cause diligently in his fift Commentarie after this maner as followeth Iames the brother of our Lord tooke in hand to gouern the Church after the Apostles beyng counted of all men from the tyme of our Lord to be a iust and perfect man Many and diuers other Iameses there were beside him but this was borne holy from his mothers wombe he dronke no wine nor any strong drinke neither did he cate any liuing creature the rasor neuer came vpon his head he was not annointed with oyle neither did he vse bathe to him onely was it lawfull to enter into the holy place neyther was he clothed with woollen cloth but with silke and he onely entred into the temple falling vpon his knees asking remission for the people so that his knees by ofte kneling lost the sence of feeling being benumined hardened like the knees of a Camell He was for worshipping God and crauing forgiuenes for the people called iust for the exceliencie of his iust life named Oblias which if you do interprete it is the sauegard and iustice of the people as the Prophets declare of him therefore when as many of the heretikes which were among the people asked him what maner of dore Iesus should be he aunswered that he was the Sauiour Wherof some do beleue him to be Iesus Christ but the aforesaid heretikes neither beleue the resurrection neither that any shall come which shal render vnto euery man according to his workes but as many as beleue they beleued for Iames cause When as many therefore of the Princes did beleue there was a tumult made of the Scribes Iewes and Phariseis saying it is daungerous least that all the people do looke for this Iesus as for Christ therfore they gathered themselues togither sayd vnto Iames We beseech thee restrain the people for they beleue in Iesus as though he were Christ. We pray thee perswade them all which come vnto the feast of the Passeouer of Iesus for we are all obedient vnto thee and all the people do testifie of thee that thou art iust neither that thou doest accept the person of any man therefore perswade the people that they be not deceiued in Iesus and all the people and we will obey thee therfore stand vpon the piller of the temple that thou mayest be seene from aboue and that thy wordes may be perceiued of all the people for to this passeouer all the tribes do come with all the countrey And thus the forenamed Scribes and Phariseis did set Iames vpon the battlements of the Church and they cried vnto him and sayd thou iust man whom all we ought to obey because this people is led after Iesus which is crucified tell what is the dore of Iesus crucified and he aunswered with a great voyce what do you aske me of Iesus the sonne of man seeyng that he sitteth on the right hand of God in heauen and shall come in the cloudes of the skie But whō many were persuaded of this they glorified God vpon the witnes of Iames and sayd Osanna in the highest to the sonne of Dauid Then the Scribes and the Phariseis sayd among themselues we haue done euill that we haue caused such a testimony of Iesus But let vs go vp and let vs take him that they being compelled with feare may deny that faith And they cried out saying O O this iust man also is seduced and
they fulfilled that Scripture which is spoken of in Esay Let vs take away the iust man because he is not profitable for vs Wherfore let them eat the fruits of their workes Therfore they went vp to throwe doune the iust man and said among themselues let vs stone this iust man Iames they toke him to smite him with stones for he was not yet dead wheÌ„ he was cast doune but he turning fell doune vpon his knees saying O Lord God Father I beseech thee to forgeue them for they know not what they do But wheÌ„ they had smitten him with stones one of the priests of the children of Rechas the sonne of Charobim spake to them the testimonie which is in Ieremie the Prophet leaue off what do ye The iust man praieth for you And one of those which were present tooke a Fullers instrument wherwith they did vse to beat and purge cloth and smote the iust man on his head and so he finished his Martyrdome and they buried him in the same place his piller abideth yet by the temple He was a true testimonie to the Iewes and the Gentiles And shortly after Vespasianus the Emperour destroying the land of Iewrie brought them into captiuitie These thinges being thus written at large of Egesippus do well agree to those which Clement did write of him This Iames was so notable a man that for his iustice he was had in honour of all men in so much that the wise men of the Iewes shortly after his Martyrdome did impute the cause of the besieging of Ierusalem and other calamities which happened vnto theÌ„ to no other cause but vnto the violence and iniurie done to this man Also Iosephus hath not left this out of his historie where he speaketh of him after this maner These things so chanced vnto the Iewes for a vengeance because of that iust man Iames which was the brother of Iesu whoÌ„ they called Christ for the Iewes killed him although he was a righteous man The same Iosephus declareth his death in the same booke and chapter saying Caesar hearing of the death of Festus sent Albinus the Lieuetenant into Iewrie but Ananus the yonger being bishop and of the sect of the Saduces trusting that he had obtained a conuenient tyme seing that Festus was dead and Albinus entred on his iourney he called a Councell and calling many vnto him among whom was Iames by name the brother of Iesu which is called Christ he stoned them accusing them as breakers of the law Whereby it appeareth that many other besides Iames also the same tyme were Martyred and put to death amoÌ„g the Iewes for the faith of Christ. A description of the X. first persecutions in the Primitiue Church THese thinges being thus declared for the Martyrdome of the Apostles and the persecutioÌ„ of the Iewes Now let vs by the grace of Christ our Lord comprehend with like breuitie the persecutions raised by the Romaines against the Christians in the Primitiue age of the Church during the space of 300. yeares till the comming of godly Constantine which persecutions are reckoned of Eusebius and by the most part of writers to the number of x. most speciall Wherin meruailous it is to see and read the numbers incredible of Christian innocents that were slaine and tormented some one way some an other As Rabanus saith saith truly Alij ferro perempti Alij flammis exusti Alij flagris verberati Alij vectibus perforati Alij cruciati patibulo Alij demersi pelagi periculo Alij viui decoriati Alij vinculis mancipati Alij linguis priuati Alij lapidibus obruti Alij frigore afflicti Alij fame cruciati Alij truncatis manibus aliÃsue caesis membris spectaculum contumeliae nudi propter nomen Domini portantes c. That is Some slaine with sword Some burnt with fire Some with whips scourged Some stabbed in with forkes of iron Some fastned to the crosse or gibbet Some drowned in the sea Some their skinnes pluckt of Some their tongues cut off Some stoned to death Some killed with cold Some starued with hunger Some their hands cut off or otherwise dismembred haue bene so left naked to the open shame of the world c. Whereof Augustine also in his booke De Ciuit. 22. cap. 6. thus saith Ligabantur includebantur caedebantur torquebantur vrebantur laniabantur trucidabantur multiplicabantur non pugnantes pro salute sed salutem contemnentes pro seruatore Whose kindes of punishments although they were diuers yet the maner of constancie in all these Martyrs was one And yet notwithstaÌ„ding the sharpenes of these so many and sundry tormeÌ„ts and like cruelnes of the tormentors yet such was the nuÌ„ber of these constant Saintes that suffered or rather such was the power of the Lord in his Saints that as Hierome in his Epistle to Chromatius and Heliodorus saith Nullus esset dies qui non vltra quinque millium numerum Martyrum reperiri posset ascriptus excepto die Kalendarum Ianuarij That is There is no day in the whole yeare vnto which the nuÌ„ber of fine thousand Martyrs cannot be ascribed except onely the first day of Ianuary * The first Persecution THe first of these x. persecutions was stirred vp by Nero Domitius the vj. Emperour before mentioned about the yeare of our Lord 67. The tyrannous rage of which Emperour was so fierce against the Christians as Eusebius recordeth Vsque adeò vt videres repletas humanis corporibus ciuitates iacentes mortuos simul cum paruulis senes foemi narúmque absque vlla sexus reuerentia nudata in publico reiectáque starent cadauera That is In so much that a man might then see cities lye full of mens bodies the old there lying together with the yong and the dead bodies of women cast out naked without all reuerence of that sexe in the opeÌ„ streets c. Likewise Orosius writing of the said Nero saith that he was the first which in Rome did raise vp persecution against the Christians and not onely in Rome but also through all the prouinces therof thinking to abolish and to destroy the whole name of Christians in all places c. Whereunto accordeth moreouer the testimonie of Hierome vpon Daniel saying thà t many there were of the Christians in those dayes which seyng the filthy abominations and intollerable crueltie of Nero thought that he should be Antichrist c. In this persecution among many other Saintes the blessed Apostle Peter was condemned to death and crucified as some doe write at Rome albeit othersome and not without cause doe doubt thereof concerning whose lyfe and hystory because it is sufficiently described in the text of the Gospell and in the Actes of S. Luke chap. 4.5 12. I neede not heere to make any great repetytion therof As touching the cause and maner of hys death diuers ther be which make relation as Hierome Egesippus Eusebius
ought as neare as I can to chuse the best part Wherfore I surely trust that M. I. Wickliffe is one of the number of theÌ„ which are saued The words of Christ moneth me therunto saying Math. 7. Doe ye not iudge that ye be not iudged Luke the 6. Do not condemn ye shal not be condemned and the wordes of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4 Do ye not iudge before the Lord himselfe do come the which shall opeÌ„ those things that are hid in darknes to manifest the priuities of all hartes Secondly the loue and charity which I ought to bear vnto my neighbor louing him as my selfe doth moue me thereunto Luk. 10. Thirdly his good fame report moneth me the which he hath of the good Priests of the vniuersity of Oxford not of the wicked commoÌ„ly of the vulgar sort although not of the couetous proud and luxurious Prelates Fourthly his owne workes writings doe stirre me therunto by the which he goeth about with his whole indeuor to reduce all men vnto the law of Christ specially yâ— clergy that they shoulde forsake the pompe dominion of this world and with the Apostles lead the life of Christ. Fiftly his owne protestations which he doth oftentimes vse in his sentences often repeating the same doth not a litle moue me Sixtlye his earnest desire and affection which he had vnto the law of Christ doth not a litle allure me therunto disputing of the verity therof the which cannot fayle in any one iote or title Whereupon he made a booke of the verity of the holy Scripture approuing euen vnto the vtter most the trueth of Gods law Wherfore it were too foolish a consequeÌ„t to say that because the number of the Prelates and clergy in England Fraunce and Boheme do couÌ„t Iohn Wickeliffe for an hereticke that therfore he is an heretick c. Like as the reason for burning of the bookes for it is written in the first booke of Machabees first chapter that they did burne the books of the Lord tearing them in peeces and whosoeuer was founde to haue kept any bookes of the Testament or will of the Lord or the which obserued and kept the lawe of the Lord they were by the kinges commaundemen put to death If then the burning of these bookes by wicked men did argue or proue the euilnesse of the books theÌ„ was the law of God euill and nought So likewise the burning of S. Gregories bookes and diuers other sayntes and good men should argue proue that they were euill naughty men Wherupon as it doth not folow that because the Bishops Scribes and Phariseis with the elders of the people condemned Christ Iesus as an heretick that therfore he is an heretick So likewise doth it not follow of any other man The Byshops maisters of diuity monkes and prelates condemned thys man as an hereticke Ergo he is an hereticke For this consequeÌ„t is reproued by Iohn Chrisostom which was twise condemned as an hereticke by the Bishops and the whole clergy Likewise S. Gregory in his bookes was condemned by the Cardinals By like proofe also as they affirme M. Iohn Wickliffe to be an hereticke Iohn Duke of LaÌ„caster a man of worthy memory and progenitor of Henry king of Englande should also be an hereticke For the sayd Duke defeÌ„ded fauored and greatly loued M. Iohn Wickliffe Ergo the sayd Duke is or was an hereticke the consequent is good The Minor is well knowne vnto the Englishmen The Maior appeareth in the Canon where it is sayd he which defendeth an hereticke c. But these thinges set apart I demaund of the aduersary whether M. Iohn Wickliffe be damned for euer or no If he say that he is damned because he is an hereticke I propounde this vnto him whether M. Iohn Wickeliffe whiles he liued held any false doctrine coÌ„trary to the holy Scripture If he do affirme it let him then shew what doctrine it is and afterward declare that he held it obstinatly And he shall finde that in his bookes he alwayes wrote most commendable protestations agaynst obstinacye and stifneckednesse And by and by after M. Iohn Stokes in his intimation sayth that M. Iohn Wickliffe in EnglaÌ„d is counted for an hereticke This seemeth also false by the letter testimoniall of the Vniuersity of Oxforde vnto the which there is more credit to be geueÌ„ then vnto him And this shall suffise for this present Now as we haue declared the testimony of the Vniuersity of Oxford of Iohn Hus concerning the praise of Iohn Wickliffe It followeth likewise that we set forth and expresse the contrary censure and iudgementes of his enemies blinded with malicious hatred and corrupt affections against him especially of the Popes Councel gathered at Constance proceeding first in condemning hys bookes then of his articles and afterward burning of his bones The copy of which theyr senteÌ„ce geuen against him by that counsell here foloweth * The sentence geuen by the Councell of Constance in condemning the doctrine and 45. Articles of Iohn Wickliffe THe most holy and sacred councell of CoÌ„stance making and representing the catholick Church for the extirpation of this present schisme and of all other errors and heresies springing and growing vnder the shadow and pretence of the same and for the reformation and amendment of the Church being lawfully congregate and gathered together in the holy Ghost for the perpetuall memory of the time to come We are taught by the acts and historyes of the holy fathers that the catholicke fayth without the which as the holy Apostle S. Paule saith it is vnpossible to please God hath bene alwayes defeÌ„ded by the faythfull and spirituall souldiors of the Church by the shield of fayth agaynst the false worshippers of the same fayth or rather peruerse impugners which through their proud curiosity will seeme to know more and to be wiser then they ought to be for the desire of yâ— glory of the world haue gone about oft times to ouerthrow the same These kindes of warres and battelles haue bene prefigured to vs before in those carnall warres of the Israelites agaynst the Idolatrous people For in those spirituall warres the holy catholick Church through the vertue power of fayth being illustrateâ—â—â— the beames of the heauenly light by the prouideÌ„ce of God and being holpen by the helpe and defence of the Saints holy men hath alway continued immaculate the darcknes of errours as her most cruell enemyes being put to flight â—he hath most gloriously triumphed ouer all But in these our daies the old and vnclean enemy hath raysed vp new coÌ„teÌ„tions strifes that the elect of this world might be knowne whose Prince and captayne in time past was one Iohn Wickliffe a false Christian. Who during his life time taught and sowed very obstinatly many articles coÌ„trary and agaynst the Christian Religion and the Catholicke fayth And the same
Iohn Wickliffe wrote certayne bookes which he called a Dialogue a Trialogue besides many other treatises and works the which he both wrot and taught in the which he wrot the aforesayd and many other damnable execrable articles The which his books for the publication and aduauncement of his peruers doctrine he did set forth opeÌ„ly for euery man to read Wherby beside many offeÌ„ces great hurt damages of soules hath ensued in diuers regions countryes but specially in the kingdomes of England and Boheme Against whom the maisters and Doctors of the Vniuersities of Oxforde and Prage rising vp in the truth and verity of God according to the order of schooles within a while after did reprooue and condemne the sayd Arcicles Moreouer the most reuerent fathers the archbishops and bishops for that time present of CaÌ„terbury Yorke and Prage Legats of the Apostolick sea in the kingdome of England and Boheme did condemne the bookes of the sayd Wickliffe to be burnt And the sayd Archbishoppe of Prage commissarye of the Apostolicke sea did likewise in this behalf determin iudge And moreouer he did forbid that any of those bookes whiche did remayne vnburned should not be hereafter any more reade And agayne these things being brought to the knowledge vnderstanding of the Apostolicke sea aud the generall councell The Bishop of Rome in his last Councell condemned the sayde bookes treatises and volumes commaunding them to be openly burned Most straightly forbidding that any men which should beare the name of Christ should be so hardy either to keep read or expound any of the sayde bookes or treatises volumes or workes or by any meanes to vse or occupy them either els to alledge theÌ„ opeÌ„ly or priuely but to their reproofe infamy And to the intent that this most dauÌ„gerous and filthy doctrine should be vtterly wiped away out of the Church he gaue commaundemeÌ„t through out al places that the Ordinaries should diligeÌ„tly enquire and seeke out by the Apostolick authority and Ecclesiasticall censure for all such bookes treatises volumes workes And the same so being found to burne consume theÌ„ with fire prouiding withall that if there be any such fouÌ„d which will not obey the same processe to be made agaynst them as agaynst the fauourers and mayntayners of heresies And this most holy Synode hath caused the sayd 45. Articles to be examined and oft times perused by manye most reuerend fathers of the Church of Rome Cardinals Bishops Abbots maisters of diuinitye and Doctours of both lawes besides a great number of other learned men the which Articles being so examined it was found as in truth it was no lesse that many yea a great number of theÌ„ to be notoriously for heretical reproued and condemned by the holy fathers other some not to be Catholick but erroneous some full of offence and blasphemy Certayn of theÌ„ offensiue vnto godlye eares and many of theÌ„ to be rashfull and seditious It is found also that his bookes do contain many Articles of like effect and quality and that they doe induce and bring into the Church vnâ—ouÌ„d and vnwholesome doctrine contrary vnto the fayth and ordinance of the Church Wherefore in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ this sacred Synode ratefying and approuing the senteÌ„ces and iudgements of the Archbishops counsell of Rome do by this theyr decree and ordinance perpetually for euer more condemne and reproue the sayd Articles and euery one of them his bookes which he intituled his Dialogue and Trialogue all other bookes of the same author volumes treatises workes by what name so euer they bee entituled or called the which we wil here to be sufficiently expressed and named Also we forbid the reading learning exposition or alledging of any of the sayd bookes vnto all faythfull Christians but so farreforth as shall tend to the reproofe of the same forbidding all and singular Catholick persons vnder the payn of curse that from henceforth they be not so hardy openly to preach teach or holde or by any meanes to alledge the sayd Articles or any of them except as is aforesayd that it do tend vnto the reproofe of them commaunding all those bookes treatises works and volumes aforesayd to be openly burned as it was decreed in the Synode at Rome as is afore expressed For the execution wherof duely to be obserued and done the sayd sacred Synode doth straitly charge commaund the ordinaries of the places diligently to attend looke vnto the matter according as it appertayneth vnto euery maÌ„s duty by the Canonicall lawes and ordinaunces What were these articles here condemned by this couÌ„cell collected out of all his workes and exhibited to yâ— sayd CouÌ„cell to the number of 45. The copy of them foloweth vnder written * Certaine other Articles gathered out of Wickeliffes bookes by his aduersaries to the number of 45. exhibited vp to the Councell of Constance after his death and in the same councell condemned BEsides the 24. Articles aboue mentioned there were other also gathered out of his books to the number of 45. in all which his malicious aduersaryes peruersly collecting and maliciously expounding did exhibite vp to the CouÌ„cel of Constance which to repeat all though it be not here needfull yet to recite certayn of them as they stand in that Councell it shall not be superfluous 25. All such as be hyred for temporall liuing to pray for other offend and sinne of simony 26. The prayer of the reprobate preuayleth for no man 27. Halowing of Churches confirmation of children the Sacrament of orders be reserued to the Pope Bishops onely for the respect of temporall lucre 28. Graduations and Doctorships in Vniuersities and Colledges as they be vsed coÌ„duce nothing to the church 29. The excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to be feared because it is the censure of Antechrist 30. Such as fouÌ„d build Monasteries do offend sinne and all such as enter into the same be meÌ„bers of the deuil 31. To enrich the Clergy is agaynst the rule of Christ. 32. Siluester the Pope Constantine the Emperor were deceiued in geuing taking possessions into the Church 33. A Deacon or Priest my preach the word of God with out the authority of the Apostolick sea 34. Such as enter into order or religion monasticall are therby vnable to keep Gods commaundements and also to atteine to the kingdome of heauen except they reurne from the same 35. The Pope with all his Clergye hauing those great possessions as they haue be heretiques in so hauing the secular powers in so suffering them do not well 36. The Church of Rome is the sinagoge of Sathan neither is the Pope immediately the vicare of Christ nor of yâ— Apostles 37. The Decretals of the Pope be Apochripha and seduce from the sayth of Christ and the Clergy that study them be fooles 38. The Emperor and secular Lordes be seduced which so enrich