assemble synodes and counsels and made seuere decrees agaynst images and worshyppyng of them as hath ben at large in the seconde parte of this Nomilee before declared But all their wrytyng preachyng assemblyng in counselles decreeyng and makyng of lawes ecclesiasticall coulde nothyng helpe eyther to pull downe images to whom idolatrie was committed or agaynst idolatrie whilest images stood For those blynde bookes and dumbe Scholemaisters I meane images and idols for they call them laye mens bookes and Scholemaisters by their carued and paynted wrytynges teachyng and preachyng idolatrie preuayled agaynst all their wrytten bookes and preachyng with lyuely voyce as they call it Well if preachyng and wrytyng could not keepe men from worshyppyng of images and idolatrie if pennes and wordes coulde not do it you woulde thynke that penaltie and swordes myght do it I meane that prynces by seuere lawes and punishmentes myght stay this vnbridled affection of al men to idolatrie though images were set vp and suffered But experience proueth that this can no more help agaynst idolatrie then wrytyng and preachyng For Christian Emperours whose aucthoritie ought of reason and by Gods law to be greatest aboue eight in number and sixe of them successiuelye raigning one after another as is in the histories before rehearsed makyng moste seuere lawes and proclamations agaynst idols and idolatrie images and the worshipping of images and executing most greeuous punishmentes yea the penaltie of death vpon the mainteiners of images and vppon idolaters and image worshyppers could not bryng to passe that either images once set vp myght throughly be destroyed or that men shoulde refrayne from the worshyppyng of them beyng set vp And what thynke you then wyll come to passe yf men of learnyng shoulde teache the people to make them and shoulde maynteyne the settyng vp of them as thynges necessarie in religion To conclude it appeareth euidently by all stories and wrytynges and experience of tymes past that neither preaching neyther wrytyng neyther the consent of the learned nor aucthoritie of the godly nor the decrees of counsels neyther the lawes of prynces nor extreame punyshmentes of the offendours in that behalfe nor no other remedy or meanes can help agaynst idolatrie if images be suffered publiquelye And it is truely sayde that tymes past are scholemaisters of wysedome to vs that folow and lyue after Therefore in tymes past the vertuest and best learned the moste diligent also and in number almoste infinite auncient fathers Byshops and Doctours with their wrytyng preachyng industrie earnestnes aucthoritie assembles and counselles coulde do nothyng agaynst images idolatrie to images once set vp What can we neyther in learning nor holinesse of lyfe neither in diligence neither aucthoritie to be compared with them but men in contempt and of no estimation as the world goeth now a fewe also in number in so great a multitude malice of men What can we do I say or bryng to passe to the stay of idolatrie or worshippyng of images if they be alowed to stand publiquely in temples and Churches And if so many so mightie Emperours by so seuere lawes and proclamations so rigorous and extreame punishmentes and executions coulde not stay the people from settyng vp and worshypppng of images what wyll ensue thynke you when men shall commend them as necessarie bookes of the lay men Let vs therefore of these latter dayes learne this lessen of the experience of the auncient antiquitie that idolatrie can not possiblie be separated from images anye long tyme but that as an vnseparable accident or as a shadowe foloweth the body when the sunne shyneth so idolatrie foloweth and cleaueth to the publique hauing of images in Temples and Churches And finally as idolatrie is to be abhorred and auoyded so are images whiche can not be long without idolatrie to be put away and destroyed Besides the whiche experimentes and proofes of tymes before the very nature and origine of images them selues draweth to idolatrie most violently and mans nature and inclination also is bent to idolatrie so vehemently that it is not possible to seuer or parte images nor to kepe men from idolatrie if images be suffred publiquely That I speake of the nature and origin of images is this Euen as the fyrste intention of them is naught no good can come of that whiche had an euyll begynnyng for they be altogether naught as Athanasius in his boke against the gentiles declareth and saint Jerome also vppon the prophet Jeremie the. vi Chapter and Eusebius the seuenth booke of his ecclesiasticall historie the. xviii Chapter testifieth that as they first came from the Gentiles which were idolaters and worshippers of images vnto vs and as the inuention of them was the beginning of spirituall fornication as the worde of God testifieth Sap. 14. So will they naturally as it were and of necessitie turne to their origine from whence they came and draw vs with them most violently to idolatrie abominable to God and all godly men For if the origine of images and worshipping of them as it is recorded in the eight chapter of the booke of wysedome began of a blynde loue of a fonde father framing for his comfort an image of his soÌ„ne being dead and so at the last men fel to the worshiping of the image of him whom they did know to be deade Howe much more will men women fall to the worshipping of the images of God our sauiour Christ his saintes if they be suffered to stande in churches temples publiquely For the greater thoppinion is of the maiestie holines of the person to whom an image is made the sooner will the people fall to the worshipping of the sayd images Wherfore the images of God our sauiour Christ the blessed virgin Mary the apostels martirs and other of notable holinesse are of all other images most daungerous for the peril of idolatrie and therefore greatest heede to be taken that none of them be suffered to stande publiquely in Churches and temples For there is no great dread least any should fall to the worshipping of the images of Annas Cayphas Pilat or Iudas the traytour if they were set vp But to the other it is alredy at full proued that idolatrie hath benâ— is and is most lyke continually to be committed Nowe as was before touched and is here more largely to be declared the nature of man is none otherwyse bent to worshipping of images if he maye haue them and see them then it is bent to whoredome and adultrie in â—he company of harlots And as vnto a man geuen to the lust of the fleshe seyng a wanton harlot sitting by her and imbracing her it profiteth little for one to saye be ware of fornication God will condempne fornicatours and adulterers For neyther will he being ouercome with greater enticementes of the strumpet geue eare or take heede to suche godlye admonitions and when he is left afterwardes alone with the harlot nothing can follow but wickednes Euen so suffer images
that they be called Gods But it is not possible that anye should by worshypping of images get any knowledge of God. Athanasius in his booke agaynst the Gentiles hath these wordes Let them tell I pray you how God maye be knowen by an image If it be by the matter of an image then there needeth no shape or fourme seeyng that God hath appeared in all materiall creatures whiche do testifie his glorye Nowe if they say he is knowen by the fourme or fashion is he not better to be knowen by the lyuyng thynges themselues whose fashions the images expresse For of suretie the glorye of God shoulde be more euidentlye knowen if it were declared by reasonable and lyuyng creatures rather then by dead and vnmoueable images Therefore when ye do graue or paynte images to the ende to knowe God thereby surelye ye do an vnworthye and vnfitte thyng And in an other place of the same booke he sayth The inuention of images came of no good but of euil and whatsoeuer hath an euyll begynnyng can neuer in any thyng be iudged good seeyng it is altogether naught Thus far Athanasius a very auncient holy and learned Byshop and Doctor who iudgeth both the first beginnyng the end and altogether of images or idols to be naught Lactantius likewise an old and learned wryter in his booke of the Origine of errour hath these words God is aboue man and is not placed beneath but is to be sought in the hyghest region Wherfore there is no doubt but that no religion is in that place wheresoeuer any image is For if religion stande in godly thinges and there is no godlynesse but in heauenly thynges then be images without religion These be Lactantius wordes who was aboue xiii hundreth yeres ago and within three hundreth yeres after our sauiour Christe Cirillus an olde holy doctour vpon the Gospell of Saint Iohn hath these wordes Many haue left the creatour and haue worshypped the creature neyther haue they ben abashed to say vnto a stocke thou art my father vnto a stone thou begottest me For many yea almost all alas for sorowe are fallen vnto suche folly that they haue geuen the glorie of deitie or God head to thinges without sense or feelyng Epiphanius Byshop of Salamine in Cipres a verye holye and learned man who lyued in Theodosius the Emperours tyme about three hundreth and ninetie yeres after our Sauiour Christes ascention writeth this to Iohn Patriarke of Hierusalem I entred sayth Epiphanius into a certayne Churche to pray I founde there a lynnen cloth hangyng in the Churche doore paynted and hauyng in it the image of Christe as it were or of some other Saint for I remember not well whose image it was therefore when I did see the image of a man hanging in the Churche of Christ contrary to thauethoritie of the scriptures I did teare it and gaue councell to the kepers of the Churche that they shoulde winde a poore man that was dead in the sayde cloth and so bury hym And afterwardes the same Epiphanius sendyng another vnpaynted cloth for that paynted one whiche he had torne to the sayde Patriarche wryteth thus I pray you wyll the elders of that place to receaue this clothe whiche I haue sent by this bearer and commaunde them that from hencefoorth no suche paynted clothes contrary to our religion be hanged in the Churche of Christe For it becommeth your goodnes rather to haue this care that you take away such scrupulositie which is vnsitting for the Churche of Christe and offensiue to the people committed to your charge And this Epistle as worthy to be read of many dyd saint Ierome hym selfe translate into the Latine tongue And that ye may knowe that saint Ierome had this holy and learned Bishop Epiphanius in most high estimation and therfore dyd translate this Epistle as a wrytyng of aucthoritie heare what a testimonie the sayde saint Ierome geueth him in another place in this treatie agaynst the errours of Iohn Byshop of Hierusalem where he hath these wordes Thou hast sayth saint Jerome Pope Epiphanius whiche doth openlye in his letters call thee an Ieritike Surely thou art not to be preferred before hym neyther for age nor learnyng nor godlynesse of lyfe nor by the testimonie of the whole worlde And shortlye after in the same treatie sayth Saint Jerome Bishop Epiphanius was euer of so great veneration and estimation that Valens the Emperour who was a great persecutour dyd not once touche hym For heritikes beyng princes thought it theyr shame yf they shoulde persecute suche a notable man And in the trypartite ecclesiasticall hystorie the. ix booke and xlviii Chapter is testified that Epiphanius beyng yet alyue dyd worke miracles and that after his death deuils being expelled at his graue or tombe dyd rore Thus you see what aucthoritie saint Ierome and that moste auncient hystorie geue vnto the holy and learned Byshop Epiphanius whose iudgement of images in Churches and temples then begynnyng by stealth to creepe in is worthy to be noted First he iudged it contrary to Christian religion and the aucthoritie of the scriptures to haue any images in Christes Churche Secondly he reiected not only carued grauen and moulten images but also painted images out of Christes Churche Thirdly that he regarded not whether it were the image of Christe or of any other saint but beyng an image woulde not suffer it in the Churche Fourthlye that he dyd not onlye remoue it out of the Churche but with a vehement zeale tare it a sunder and exhorted that a corse shoulde be wrapped and buryed in it iudgyng it meete for nothyng but to rotte in the earth folowyng herein the example of the good kyng Ezechias who brake the brasen serpent to peeces and burned it to ashes for that idolatrie was committed to it Last of al that Epiphanius thinketh it the duetie of vigilant Byshoppes to be carefull that no images be permitted in the Churche for that they be occasion of scruple and offence to the people committed to theyr charge Nowe wheras neyther saint Hierome who did translate the sayde Epistle nor the aucthours of that most auncient historie ecclesiasticall trypartite who do most highly commende Epiphanius as is aforesaid nor no other godly or learned Bishop at that time or shortly after haue wrytten any thing against Epiphanius iudgement concerning images it is an euident profe that in those dayes whiche were about foure hundreth yeres after our sauiour Christe there were no images publiquely vsed and receaued in the Churche of Christe whiche was then muche lesse corrupt more pure then nowe it is And where as images began at that tyme secretelye and by stealth to creepe out of priuate mens houses into the Churches and that firste in paynted clothes and walles such Byshops as were godlye and vigilante when they espied them remoued them away as vnlawfull contrary to Christian religion as dyd here Epiphanius to whose iudgement you haue not onlye Saint
of good reason with all true Christians to be of most wayght and estimation It is written of all the foure Euangelistes as a notable acte and worthy to be testified by many holy witnesses how that our sauiour Jesus Christe that mercifull and mylde Lorde cōpared for his meekenesse to a sheepe suffring with scilence his fleece to be shorne from him and to a lambe led without resistaunce to the slaughter whiche gaue his body to them that dyd smyte hym aunswered not hym that reuiled nor turned away his face from them that dyd reproche hym and spit vpon him and accordyng to his owne example gaue preceptes of mildnes and sufferaunce to his disciples Yet when he seeth the temple and holy house of his heauenly father misordred polluted and prophaned vseth great seueritie and sharpenes ouerturneth the tables of thexchaungers subuerteth the seates of them that solde doues maketh a whip of cordes and scourgeth out those wicked abusers and prophaners of the temple of God saying My house shal be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theeues And in the. ii of John Do not ye make the house of my father the house of marchaundize For as it is the house of GOD when Gods seruice is duely done in it So whē we wickedly abuse it with wicked talke or couetous bargayning we make it a den of theeues or an house of marchaundize Yea and suche reuerence woulde Christe shoulde be therein that he woulde not suffer any vessell to be caryed through the temple And where as our saniour Christe as is before mentioned out of S. Luke coulde be founde no where when he was sought but only in the temple amongst the doctours and nowe agayne exerciseth his aucthoritie and iurisdiction not in castles and princely palaces amongst souldiers but in the temple Ye may hereby vnderstande in what place his spirituall kyngdome whiche he denyeth to be of this worlde is sonest to be founde and best to be knowen of all places in this worlde And accordyng to this example of our sauiour Christe in the primitiue Churche which was most holy godly and in the which due discipline with seueritie was vsed agaynst the wicked opē offenders were not suffered once to enter into the house of the Lorde nor admitted to common prayer and the vse of the holye Sacramentes with other true Christians vntil they had done open penaunce before the whole Churche And this was practised not only vpon meane persons but also vpon the ryche noble and mightie persons yea vpon Theodosius that puissaunt and mightie Emperour whom for cōmittyng a greeuous and wylfull murther S. Ambrose Byshop of Millayne reproued sharply and did also excommunicate the said Emperour and brought hym to open penaunce And they that were so iustly exempted and banished as it were from the house of the Lorde were taken as they be in deede for men diuided and separated from Christes Churche and in most daungerous estate yea as S. Paul sayeth euen geuen vnto Satan the deuyll for a tyme and theyr company was shunned and auoyded of all godly men and women vntyll suche tyme as they by repentaunce and publique penaunce were reconciled Suche was the honour of the Lordes house in mens heartes and outwarde reuerence also at that tyme and so horrible a thing was it to be shut out of the Churche and house of the Lorde in those dayes when religion was most pure and nothyng so corrupt as it hath ben of late dayes And yet we wyllyngly eyther by absentyng our selues from the house of the Lorde do as it were excommunicate our selues from the Churche and felowshyp of the Saintes of God orels comming thyther by vncomely and vnreuerent behauiour there by hastie rashe yea vncleane and wicked thoughtes and wordes before the Lorde our God horribly dishonour his holy house the Churche of GOD and his holy name and maiestie to the great daunger of our soules yea and certayne damnation also yf we do not spedily and earnestly repent vs of this wickednesse Thus ye haue hearde dearely beloued out of Gods worde what reuerence is due to the holye house of the Lorde how all godly persons ought with diligence at times appoynted thither to repayre howe they ought to behaue them selues there with reuerence and dread before the Lord what plagues and punyshementes as well temporall as eternall the Lorde in his holy worde threatneth aswell to suche as neglect to come to his holy house as also to suche who commyng thither do vnreuerently by iesture or talke there behaue them selues Wherefore if we desyre to haue seasonable weather and thereby to enioye the good fruites of the earth yf we wyll auoyde drought and barrennesse thirste and hunger whiche are plagues threatned vnto suche as make haste to go to their owne houses to alehouses and to tauernes and leaue the house of the Lorde emptie and desolate yf we abhorre to be scourged not with whyppes made of cordes out of the materiall temple only as our sauiour Christe serued the defilers of the house of God in Hierusalem but also to be beaten and dryuen out of the eternall temple and house of the Lorde which is his heauenly kingdome with the iron rodde of euerlastyng damnation and caste into outter darkenes where is weeping and gnashing of teeth if we feare dread and abhorre this I say as we haue most iust cause to do then let vs amende this our negligence and contempt in comming to the house of the Lorde this our vnreuerent behauiour in the house of the Lorde and resortyng thither diligently together let vs there with reuerent hearyng of the Lordes holy worde calling on the Lordes holy name geuing of heartie thankes vnto the Lorde for his manyfolde and inestimable benefites daily and hourly bestowed vpon vs celebrating also reuerently of the Lordes holy Sacramentes serue the Lorde in his holy house as becommeth the seruauntes of the Lorde in holines and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our lyfe and then we shal be assured after this lyfe to rest in his holy hyll and to dwell in his tabernacle there to prayse and magnifie his holy name in the congregation of his saintes in the holy house of his eternal kingdome of heauen which he hath purchased for vs by the death and sheddyng of the pretious blood of his sonne our sauiour Jesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost one immortal maiestie of GOD be all honour glorie prayse and thankesgeuyng worlde without ende Amen An Homilie against perill of idolatrie and superfluous decking of Churches The first part IN what poyntes the true ornamentes of the Church or temple of GOD do consiste and stand hath ben declared in the two last Homilies intreating of the right vse of the temple or house of god of the due reuerence that all true Christian people are bound to geue vnto the same The summe wherof is that the Churche or
Ierome the translatour of his Epistle and the wryter of the Historie tripartite but also all the learned and godly Byshops and Clarkes yea and the whole Churche of that age and so vpwarde to our sauiour Christes tyme by the space of about foure hundreth yeres consenting and agreeyng This is written the more largely of Epiphanius for that our image maynteyners nowe a dayes seeing them selues so pressed with this most playne and earnest act and wrytyng of Epiphanius a Byshop and doctour of suche antiquitie holynesse and aucthoritie labour by all meanes but in vayne agaynst the trueth eyther to proue that this Epistle was neyther of Epiphanius wrytyng nor saint Ieromes translation eyther yf it be say they it is of no great forte for this Epiphanius say they was a Iew and beyng conuerted to the Christian fayth and made a Byshoppe retayned the hatred whiche Iewes haue to images still in his mynde and so dyd and wrote agaynst them as a Iewe rather then as a Christian. O Iewishe impudencie and malice of suche deuisers it woulde be prooued and not sayd only that Epiphanius was a iewe Furthermore concernyng the reason they make I would admit it gladly For if Epiphanius iudgement agaynst images is not to be admitted for that he was borne of a Iewe an enemie to images whiche be Gods enemies conuerted to Christes religion then lykewyse foloweth it that no sentence in the old doctours and fathers soundyng for images ought to be of any aucthoritie for that in the primitiue Churche the most part of learned wryters as Tertulian Cipâ—ian Ambrose Austen and infinite others were of Gentiles whiche be fauourers and worshyppers if images conuerted to the Christian fayth and so let some what slyppe out of theyr pennes sounding for images rather as Gentiles then Christians as Eusebius in his History ecclesiasticall and saint Ierome sayth playnelye that images came firste from the Gentiles to vs Christians And much more doth it folowe that the opinion of all the rablement of the Popyshe Church mainteyning images ought to be esteemed of small or no aucthoritie for that it is no maruell that they whiche haue from their childhood ben brought vp amongst images idolles and haue drunke in idolatrie almost with theyr mothers mylke holde with images and idolles and speake and wryte for them But in deede it woulde not be so muche marked whether he were of a Jewe or a Gentile conuerted to Christes religion that wryteth as howe agreeably or contrarily to Gods worde he doth wryte and so to credite or discredite hym Nowe what gods worde sayth of idols and images and the worshyppyng of them you hearde at large in the first part of this Homilee Saint Ambrose in his treatie of the death of Theodosius the Emperour sayth Helene founde the crosse and the tytle on it Shee worshypped the kyng and not the wood surely for that is an ethnyshe errour and the vanitie of the wycked but she worshypped hym that hanged on the crosse and whose name was written in the title and so foorth See both the godly Empresse fact and saint Ambrose iudgement at once They thought it had ben an Heathenyshe errour and vanitie of the wycked to haue worshypped the crosse it selfe which was embrewed with our sauiour Christes owne precious blood And we fal downe before euery crosse peece of tymber whiche is but an image of that crosse Saint Augustine the best learned of al auncient doctours in his xliiii Epistle to Maximus sayth Knowe thou that none of the dead nor any thing that is made of God is worshipped as god of the catholique Christians of whom there is a Churche also in your towne Note that by Saint Augustine suche as worshypped the dead or creatures be no catholique Christians The same saint Augustine teacheth in the. xxii booke of the citie of God the tenth Chapter that neyther temples or Churches ought to be buylded or made for martyrs or saintes but to God alone and that there ought no priestes to be appoynted for martyr or saint but to God onlye The same saint Augustine in his booke of the maners of the catholique Churche hath these wordes I knowe that many be worshippers of tombes and pictures I know that there be manye that banquet moste ryotously ouer the graues of the dead and geuyng meate to dead carkases do bury them selues vppon the buried and attribute theyr gluttonye and drunkennesse to religion See he esteemeth worshyppyng of saintes tombes and pictures as good religion as gluttonie and drunkennesse and no bettter at all Saint Augustine greatlye alloweth Marcus Varro affirming that religion is moste pure without images and sayth hym selfe images be of more force to crooken an vnhappy soule then to teache and instruct it And sayth further Euery childe yea euery beast knoweth that it is not God that they see Wherefore then doth the holy ghost so often monyshe vs of that which all men knowe Whereunto saint Augustine hym selfe aunswereth thus For sayth he when images are placed in temples and set in honourable sublimitie and begyn once to be worshypped foorth with breedeth the moste vyle affection of errour This is saint Augustines iudgement of images in Churches that by and by they breede errour and idolatrie It would be to tedious to rehearse al other places whiche might be brought out of the auncient doctours against images and idolatrie Wherefore we shall holde our selfe contented with these fewe at this present Nowe as concernyng histories ecclesiasticall touchyng this matter that ye may knowe why and when and by whom images were first vsed priuately and afterwardes not only receaued into the Christians Churches and temples but in conclusion worshypped also and how the same was gaynesayde resisted and forbidden aswell by godly Bishoppes and learned doctours as also by sundry Christian princes I wil breefely collect into a compendious historie that whiche is at large and in sundrye places written by diuers auncient wryters and historiographers concernyng this matter As the Jewes hauyng moste plaine and expresse commaundement of God that they should neyther make nor worshyp any image as it is at large before declared dyd notwithstandyng by the example of the Gentyles or Heathen people that dwelt about them fall to the makyng of images and worshyppyng of them and so to the committyng of moste abominable idolatrie for the whiche God by his holy prophetes doth most sharpely reprooue and threaten them and afterwarde dyd accomplyshe his sayde threatnynges by extreme punyshyng of them as is also aboue specified Euen so some of the Christians in olde tyme whiche were conuerted from worshyppyng of idols and false Gods vnto the true liuyng GOD and to our sauiour Jesus Christe dyd of a certayne blynde zeale and as men long accustomed to images paynt or carue images of our sauiour Christe his mother Marie and of the Apostles thynkyng that this was a poynt of gratitude and kyndenesse towardes those by whom they had receaued the true knowledge of God and the doctrine
dominion After them came Theodosius the third he commaunded the defaced images to be paynted agayne in their places but this Theodosius raigned but one yere Leo the third of that name succeeded him who was a Syrian borne a very wyse godly mercifull valiaunt prince This Leo by proclamation commaunded that al images set vp in churches to be worshipped should be plucked downe and defaced and required specially the bishop of Rome that he should do the same and himselfe in the meane season caused all images that were in the imperial citie Constantinople to be gathered on an heape in the middest of the citie and there publiquely burned them to ashes and whyted ouer and rased out al pictures paynted vpoÌ„ the walles of the temples punished sharplie diuers maynteyners of images And when some did therefore report him to be a tyraunt he aunswered that such of al other were most iustly punished whiche neither worshipped God aryght nor regarded the imperial maiestie and aucthoritie but malicioustie rebelled agaynst holsome and profitable lawes When Gregorius the third of that name bishop of Rome hearde of the Emperours doinges in Grece concerning images he assembled a councell of Italian Byshops agaynst him and there made decrees for Images and that more reuerence and honour shoulde yet be geuen to them then was before and stirred vp the Italians against the Emperour first at Rauenna and moned them to rebellion And as Aspurgensis and Anthonius Bishop of Florence testifie in their Cronicles he caused Rome all Italie at the last to refuse their obedience and the payment of any more tribute to the Emperour and so by treason rebellion maynteyned their idolatrie Whiche example other bishoppes of Rome haue continually folowed and gone through with all most stoutly After this Leo which raigned xxxiiii yeres succeeded his sonne Constantine the fifth who after his fathers example kept images out of the temples And being moued with the councell whiche Gregorie had assembled in Italie for images agaynst his father he also assembled a councell of all the learned men and Bishoppes of Asia Grece although some writers place this councel in Leo Isauricus his fathers latter daies In this great assemble they sate in councel from the fourth of the Idus of Februarye to the sixth of the Idus of August and made concerning the vse of images this decree It is not lawfull for them that beleue in God through Jesus Christ to haue any images neyther of the creatour nor of any creatures set vp in temples to be worshipped but rather that all images by the lawe of God and for the auoyding of offence ought to be taken out of the Churches And this decree was executed in all places where anye images were founde in Asia or Grece And the Emperour sent the determination of this councel holden at Constantinople to Paule then Bishop of Rome and commaunded hym to cast all images out of the Churches whiche he trusting in the frendship of Pipine a mightye prince refused to do And both he and his successour Stephanus the third who assembled another councell in Italie for images condempned the Emperour and the councell of Constantinople of heresie and made a decree that the holye images for so they called them of Christe the blessed Uirgin and other sayntes were in deede worthy honour and worshipping When Constantine was dead Leo the fourth his sonne raigned after him who maried a woman of the citie of Athens named Theodora who also was called Hyrene by whom he had a sonne named Constantine the sixth and dying whylest his sonne was yet young left the regiment of the empyre gouernaunce of his young sonne to his wyfe Hyrene These thynges were done in the Churche about the yere of our Lord 760. Note here I pray you in this processe of the storie that in the Churches of Asia and Grece there were no images publiquely by the space of almost seuen hundred yeares And there is no doubt but the primitiue Churche next the Apostles tyme was most pure Note also that when the contention beganne about images howe of sixe Christian Emperours who were the chiefe magistrates by Gods lawe to be obeyed onelye one whiche was Theodosius who raigned but one yere helde with images All the other Emperours and all the learned men and Bishops of the Easte Churche and that in assembled councels condemned them besydes the two Emperors before mentioned Valenâ— and Theodosius the seconde who were long before these tymes who strayghtly forbad that any Images should be made And vniuersally after this tyme all the emperours of Grece only Theodosius excepted destroyed continually all images Nowe on the contrarie parte note ye that the Byshoppes of Rome beyng no ordinarie magistrates appoynted of God out of their diocesse but vsurpers of princes aucthoritie contrarie to gods word were the mainteyners of images against Gods word and stirrers vp of sedition and rebellion and workers of continuall treason against theyr soueraigne Lords contrary to gods lawe and the ordinaunces of all humane lawes beyng not onely enemies to God but also rebels and traytours against their Princes These be the first bringers in of images openly into Churches these be the mainteiners of them in the Churches and these be the meanes wherby they haue maynteyned them â—to wit conspiracie treason and rebellion agaynst God and their princes Nowe to proceede in the historie most worthye to be knowen In the nonage of Constantine the sixth the Empresse Hyrene his mother in whose handes the regiment of the Empire remayned was gouerned muche by the aduyse of Theodore Byshop and Tharasius patriarche of Constantinople who practised and helde with the Bishop of Rome in mainteining of images most earnestly By whose councell and entreatie the Empresse first most wickedly digged vp the body of her father in lawe Constantine the fifth and commaunded it to be openly burned the ashes to be throwen into the sea Whiche example as the constant report goeth hadde lyke to haue ben put in practise with Princes corses in our dayes had the aucthoritie of the holy father continued but a little longer The cause why the Empresse Hyrene thus vsed her father in lawe was for that he when he was alyue had destroyed images and had taken away the sumptuous ornamentes of Churches saying that Christ whose temples they were allowed pouertie and not pearles and pretious stones Afterward the said Hyrene at the perswasion of Adrian bishop of Rome Paul the patriarch of Constantinople his successour Tharasius assembled a councel of the bishops of Asia and Grece at the citie Nicea where the bishop of Romes legares being presidentes of the councell and ordring all thinges as they listed the counsell which was assembled before vnder the Emperour Constantine the fift and had decreed that all images shoulde be destroyed was condempned as an hereticall councell and assemble And a decree was made that images shoulde be set vp in all the Churches
the world assembled a counsell of Germans at Frankford and there procured the spanishe councel against images afore mentioned to be condemned by the name of the Foelician heresie for that Foelix Bishop of Aquitania was chiefe in that councell obteyned that the actes of the second Nicene counsel asâ—eÌ„bled by Hyrene the holie Empresse whom ye hearde of before and the sentence of the bishop of Rome for images might be receaued For much after this sort do the papistes report of the historie of the councell of Frankforde Notwithstanding the booke of Carolus magnus his owne writing as the tytle sheweth whiche is nowe put in print and commonly in mens handes sheweth the iudgement of that prince and of the whole councel of Frankforde also to be against images against the second councell of Nice assembled by Hyrene for images and calleth it an arrogant foolishe and vngodly councel and declareth the assemble of the councell of Frankforde to haue ben directly made and gathered against that Nicene councell the errours of the same So that it must needes folow that either there were in one princes time two councels assembled at Frankforde one contrarie to another whiche by no historie doth appeare or els that after their custome the Popes and Papistes haue most shamefully corrupted that councell as their manner is to handle not onely councels but also all histories and wrytinges of the olde Doctours falsifiyng and corrupting them for the mayntenaunce of their wicked and vngodlie purposes as hath in tymes of late come to lyght and doeth in our dayes more and more continuallye appeare most euidentlie Let the forged gyft of Constantine and the notable attempt to falsifie the first Nicene councell for the Popes supremacie practised by Popes in Saynte Augustines tyme be a witnes hereof which practise in deede had then taken effect had not the diligence and wisedome of saynt Augustine and other learned and godly bishoppes in A 〈…〉 rike by their great labour and charges also resisted and stopped the same Nowe to come towardes an ende of this historie and to shewe you the principall poynte that came to passe by the maintenaunce of images Where as from Constantinus Magnus tyme vntil that day al aucthoritie imperiall princely dominion of the empire of Rome remayned coÌ„tinually in the right and possession of the Emperours who had their continuaunce and seat imperiall at Constantinople the citie royall Leo the third then Bishop of Rome seing the Greeke Emperours so vent agaynst his Gods of golde and syluer tymber and stone and hauyng the kyng of the Francons or Frenchemen named Charles whose power was exceeding great in the west countries very appliable to his mynde for causes here after appearing vnder the pretence that they of Constantinople were for that matter of images vnder the Popes ban curse and therefore vnworthy to be emperours or to beare rule and for that the emperours of Grece being farre of were not redye at a beche to defende the Pope agaynst the Lumbardes his enemies and other with whom he had variaunce This Leo the thirde I saye attempted a thyng exceeding straunge and vnhearde of before and of incredible boldnesse and presumption For he by his papall aucthoritie doth translate the gouernement of the Empire and the crowne and name imperiall from the Greekes and geueth it vnto Charles the great kyng of the Francons not with out the coÌ„sent of the forenamed Hyrene empresse of Grece who also sought to be ioyned in mariage with the said Charles For the which cause the sayd Hyrene was by the Lordes of Grece deposed and banished as one that had betrayed the empire as ye before haue heard And the said princes of Grece did after the depriuation of the sayde Hyrene by common consent elect and create as they alwayes had done an Emperour named Nycaephorus whom the Bishop of Rome and they of the west would not acknowledge for their Emperour for they had alredy created them another and so there became two Emperours And the empire whiche was before one was diuided into two partes vppon occasion of idols images and the worshipping of them Euen as the kingdome of the Israelites was in olde tyme for the lyke cause of Idolatrie diuided in King Roboam his tyme And so the Byshoppe of Rome hauing the fauour of Charles the great by this meanes assured to him was wonderously enhaunced in poweâ— and aucthoritie and did in all the west Church specially in Italie what he lust where images were set vp garnished and worshipped of al sorts of men But images were not so fast set vp and so much honoured in Italie and the west but Nycaephorus emperour of Constantinople and his successours Scauratius the two Michaels Leo Theophilus and other emperours their successours in the empire of Grece continually pulled them downe brake them burned them and destroyed them as fast And when Theodorus Emperour would at the councel of Lions haue agreed with the Bishop of Rome and haue set vp images he was by the nobles of the empire of Grece depriued and another chosen in his place and so rose agelousie suspition grudge hatred and enmitie betwene the christians and empires of the East countries and west which could neuer be quenched nor pacified So that when the Sarasens first and afterwarde the Turkes inuaded the Christians the one part of christendome would not helpe the other By reasoÌ„ wherof at the last the noble empire of Grece and the citie imperial Constantinople was lost and is come into the hands of the infidels who now haue ouerrunne almost all christendome and possessing past the middle of Hungarie whiche is part of the west empire do hang ouer all our heades to the vtter daunger of all christendome Thus we see what a sea of mischiefes the maintenaunce of images hath brought with it what an horrible scisme betweene the east and the west Churche what an hatred betwene one christian and another councels agaynst councels churche agaynst church christians agaynst christians princes against princes rebellions treasons vnnaturall and most cruell murders the daughter digging vp and burning her father the Emperours bodye the mother for loue of idols most abominably murdering her owne sonne being an Emperour at the last the tearing in sunder of Christendome and the empire into two peeces till the Infidels Sarasens and Turkes common enemies to bothe partes haue most cruellye vanquished destroyed and subdued the one parte the whole empire of Grece Asia the lesse Thrasia Macedonia Epirus and manye other great and goodlye countries and prouinces and haue wonne a great peece of the other empire and put the whole in dreadfull feare and most horrible daunger For it is not without a iust and great cause to be dread leaste as the Empire of Rome was euen for the lyke cause of images and the worshyppyng of them torne in peeces and diuided as was for Idolatry the kyngdome of Israel in olde tyme diuided so lyke
much more of all spiritual graces behoueable for our soule without whose goodnesse no man is called to fayth or stayed therein as I shall hereafter in the next part of this Homilee declare to you In the meane season forget not what hath alredy ben spoken to you forget not to be conformable in your iudgementes to the trueth of this doctrine and forget not to practise the same in the whole state of your lyfe whereby ye shall obtayne the blessing promised by our sauiour Christ Blessed be they which heare the word of God fulfilleth it in lyfe Whiche blessing he graunt to vs all who raigneth ouer all one God in Trinitie the father the sonne and the holye ghost to whom be all honour and glory for euer Amen ¶ The thirde part of the Homilee for Rogation weeke I Promised to you to declare that all spirituall giftes graces commeth specially from god Let vs consyder the trueth of this matter and heare what is testified fyrst of the gyfte of faith the first entrie into the Christian life without the which no man can please god For S. Paul confesseth it plainely to be Gods gyft saying Fayth is the gyft of god And agayne saint Peter sayth It is of Gods power that ye be kept through fayth to saluation It is of the goodnes of god that we faulter not in our hope vnto him It is verily gods worke in vs the charitie wherwith we loue our brethren If after our fall we repent it is by him that we repent whiche reacheth foorth his mercifull hande to rayse vs vp If any wyll we haue to ryse it is he that preuenteth our wyll disposeth vs therto If after contrition we feele our conscience at peace with god through remission of our sinne and so be reconciled againe to his fauour and hope to be his children inheritours of euerlasting lyfe who worketh these great myracles in vs our worthynesse our deseruinges endeuours our wittes and vertue Nay veryly Saint Paul wyll not suffer fleshe and clay to presume to such arrogancie therfore sayth All is of God which hath reconciled vs to hym selfe by Jesus Christe For God was in Christe when he reconciled the world vnto him selfe GOD the father of all mercie wrought this high benefite vnto vs not by his owne person but by a meane by no lesse meane then his only beloued sonne whom he spared not from any payne trauayle that myght do vs good For vpon him he put our sinnes vpon him he made our raunsome hym he made the meane betwixt vs him selfe whose mediation was so acceptable to GOD the father through his profound and perfect obedience that he toke his acte for a full satisfaction of all our disobedience rebellion whose ryghteousnesse he toke to waye agaynst our sinnes whose redemption he would haue stande agaynst our dampnation In this poynt what haue we to muse within our selues good freendes I thinke no lesse then that which saint Paul sayde in the remembraunce of this wonderfull goodnesse of God Thankes be to almightie God through Christe Jesus our Lorde for it is he for whose sake we receaued this hygh gyft of grace For as by him beyng the euerlastyng wysdome he wrought all the worlde and that is contayned therein So by him only and wholy woulde he haue all thynges restored agayne in heauen and in earth By this our heauenly mediatour therefore do we knowe the fauour and mercie of God the father by him know we his wyll and pleasure towardes vs for he is the brightnesse of his fathers glorye and a verye cleare image and paterne of his substaunce It is he whom the father in heauen delyghteth to haue for his welbeloued sonne whom he aucthorised to be our teacher whom he charged vs to heare saying Heare him It is he by whom the father of heauen doth blesse vs with all spiritual and heauenly giftes for whose sake and fauour writeth saint John we haue receaued grace fauour To this our sauiour mediatour hath God the father geuen the power of heauen and earth and the whole iurisdiction aucthoritie to distribute his goodes and gyftes committed to hym For so wryteth the apostle To euery one of vs is grace geuen accordyng to the measure of Christes geuing And thereupon to execute his aucthoritie committed after that he had brought sinne and the deuill to captiuitie to be no more hurtfull to his members he ascended vp to his father agayne from thence sent liberall gyftes to his welbeloued seruauntes and hath styll the power to the worldes ende to distribute his fathers giftes continually in his Churche to the establishment and comfort thereof And by hym hath almyghtie God decreed to dissolue the world to call al before him to iudge both the quicke and the dead and finally by hym shall he condempne the wicked to eternall fyre in hell and geue the good eternall lyfe and set them assuredly in presence with hym in heauen for euermore Thus ye see how all is of God by his sonne Christe our Lord and sauiour Remember I say once againe your duetie of thankes let thē be neuer to want still ioyne your selfe to continue in thankes geuyng ye can offer to God ne better sacrifice For he sayth hym selfe It is the sacrifice of prayse and thankes that shall honour me Which thyng was well perceaued of that holy prophete Dauid when he so earnestly spake to him selfe thus O my soule blesse thou the Lorde and all that is within me blesse his holy name I say once again O my soule blesse thou the Lorde neuer forget his manifolde rewardes God geue vs grace good people to know these things to feele thē in our heartes This knowledge and feeling is not in our selfe by our selfe it is not possible to come by it a great pitie it were that we shoulde lose so profitable knowledge Let vs therefore meekely cal vpon that bountiful spirite the holy ghost which proceedeth from our father of mercie from our mediatour Christ that he woulde assist vs and inspire vs with his presence that in him we may be able to heare the goodnes of god declared vnto vs to our saluation For without his liuely secrete inspiration can we not once so muche as speake the name of our mediatour as saint Paul plainely testifieth No man can once name our Lorde Jesus Christe but in the holye ghost Much lesse shoulde we be able to beleue knowe these great mysteries that be opened to vs by Christe Saint Paul sayth that no man can knowe what is of god but the spirite of god As for vs sayth he we haue receaued not the spirite of the world but the spirite which is of god for this purpose that in that holye spirite we myght knowe the thynges that be geuen vs by Christe The wyse man sayth that in the power vertue of the holy ghost
that we should do no hurte to our fellow subiectes though they hate vs and be our enemies much lesse vnto our prince though he were our enemie Shall we not assemble an army of such good felowes as we are and by hazarding of our liues and the lyues of such as shal withstand vs and withall hazarding the whole estate of our coūtry remoue so naughty a Prince No sayeth godlye Dauid for I when I myght without assembling force or nūber of men without tumult or hazarde of anye mans lyfe or shedding of any drop of blood haue deliuered my selfe and my country of an euill Prince yet woulde I not do it Are not they say some lustie and couragious captaynes valiant men of stomacke and good mens bodies that do venture by force to kill and depose their king beyng a naughtye Prince and their mortall enemy They may be as lusty as couragious as they list yet sayth godlye Dauid they can be no good nor godlye men that so do for I not onely haue rebuked but also commaūded him to be slaine as a wicked man which slue kyng Saul mine enemie though he beyng weery of his life for the losse of the victory against his enemies desyred that man to slay him What shall we then do to an euil to an vnkynde prince an enemye to vs hated of God hurtfull to the common wealth c. Lay no violent hand vpon him sayth good Dauid but let hym lyue vntyll God appoynt and worke his ende eyther by naturall death or in warre by lawfull enemies not by trayterous subiectes Thus would godly Dauid make aunswere And Saint Paule as ye hearde before wylleth vs to pray also for such a prince If kyng Dauid would make these aunsweres as by his deedes and wordes recorded in the holy scriptures in deede he doth make vnto al such demaundes concerning rebelling against euill Princes vnkynde princes cruell princes princes that be to their good subiectes mortall enemies princes that are out of Gods fauour and so hurtfull or lyke to be hurtfull to the common wealth what aunswere thynke you woulde he make to those that demaunde whether they beyng naughtie and vnkynd subiectes may not to the great hazard of the lyfe of many thousandes and the vtter daunger of the state of the common wealth and whole realme assemble a sort of Rebels or to depose to put in feare or to destroy their natural and louyng princes enemie to none good to al euen to them the worst of al other the mainteiner of perpetual peace quietnes and securitie most beneficiall to the common wealth most necessarie for the safegarde of the whole Realme What aunswere would Dauid make to their demaunde whether they may not attempt cruelly and vnnaturally to destroy so peaceable and mercyfull a Princes what I saye woulde Dauid so reuerently speaking of Saule and so pacientlye suffering so euyll a king what would he answer and say to such demaundes What would he say nay what would he do to suche hye attempters who so sayde and dyd as you before haue hearde vnto him that slue the king his maister though a most wicked prince If he punished with death as a wicked doer such a man With what reproches of wordes would he reuile suche yea with what tormentes of most shameful deathes would he destroye suche hell houndes rather then euyll men suche rebels I meane as I last spake of For if they who do disobey an euyll and vnkynde prince be most vnlike vnto Dauid that good subiect what be they who do rebell agaynst a most naturall and louyng Prince And if Dauid being so good a subiect that hee obeyed so euyll a king was worthy of a subiect to be made a kyng hym selfe What be they who are so euyl subiects that they wil rebel against their gracious prince worthy of Surely no mortall man can expresse worth wordes nor conceaue in mynde the horrible and most dreadfull dampnation that suche be worthy of who disdaining to be the quiet and happy subiectes of their good prince are moste worthy to be the miserable captiues vile slaues of that infernall tyraunt Satan with hym to suffer eternall slauerie and tormentes This one example of the good subiect Dauid out of the old Testamen may suffice and for the notablenesse of it serue for all In the newe Testament the excellent example of the blessed birgin Marie the mother of our sauiour Christe doth at the fyrst offer it selfe When proclamation or commaundement was sent into Jurie from Augustus the Emperour of Rome that the people there should repayre vnto their owne cities and dwellyng places there to be taxed neyther dyd the blessed virgin though both highly in Gods fauour and also beyng of the royal blood of the auncient natural kinges of Jurie disdayne to obey the commaundement of an heathen forraigne prince when GOD had placed suche a one o 〈…〉 r them Neyther dyd she alleage for an excuse that she was great with childe and moste neare her time of deliueraunce Neyther grudged she at the length and tediousnes of the iourney from Nazareth to Bethlehem from whence and whyther she must go to be taxed Neyther repined she at the sharpnesse of the dead tyme of winter beyng the latter ende of December an vnhandsome tyme to trauaile in speciallye a long iourney for a woman being in her case but all excuses set apart she obeyed and came to the appoynted place where at her cōming she found such great resort and thronge of people that fyndyng no place in any Inne she was fayne after her long paynefull and tedious iourney to take vp her lodging in a stable where also she was deliuered of her blessed chylde and this also declareth how neare her tyme she tooke that iourney This obedience of this most noble and most vertuous Ladye to a forraigne and Pagan Prince doth well teach vs who in comparison to her are moste base and vyle what redye obedience we do owe to our naturall and gratious Soueraigne Howbeit in this case the obedience of the whole Jewyshe nation beyng otherwyse a stubburne people vnto the commaundement of the same forraigne heathen prince doth proue that suche Christians as do not most redyly obey their natural gratious soueraigne are farre worfe then the stuburne Jewes whom yet we accompt as the worst of all people But no example ought to be of more force with vs christians then the example of Christ our maister and sauiour who though he were the sonne of GOD yet did alwaies behaue him selfe most reuerently to such men as were in aucthoritie in the world in his time he not rebelliously behaued him selfe but openly did teach the Jewes to pay tribute vnto the Romane Emperour though a forraigne a Pagan Prince yea him selfe with his apostles payd tribute vnto him finally being brought before Pontius Pilate a stranger borne and an heathen man being Lord president of Jury he atknowledged
the principall and most vsual causes as specially ambition and ignoraunce By ambition I meane the vnlawful and restles desire in men to be of higher estate then God hath geuen or appoynted vnto them By ignoraunce I meane no vnskilfulnesse in artes or sciences but the lacke of knowledge of Gods blessed wyll declared in his holye worde whiche teacheth both extremely to abhorre all rebellion as the roote of all mischeefe and specially to delyght in obedience as the begynnyng and foundation of all goodnesse as hath ben also before specified And as these are the two cheese causes of rebellion so are there specially two sortes of men in whom these vices do raigne by whom the deuill the aucthour of al euill doth cheefely stirre vp all disobedience and rebellion The restlesse ambitious hauing once determined by one meanes or other to atcheeue to theyr intended purpose when they can not by lawfull and peaceable meanes clime so hygh as they do desyre they attempt the same by force and violence wherein when they can not preuaile agaynst the ordinarie aucthoritie and power of lawfull princes and gouernours them selues alone they do seeke the ayde and helpe of the ignoraunt multitude abusing them to theyr wicked purpose Wherfore seeing a fewe ambitious and malitious are the aucthours heades and multitudes of ignoraunt men are the ministers and furtherers of rebellion the cheefe poynt of this part shal be aswell to notifie to the simple and ignorant men who they be that haue ben and be the vsuall aucthours of rebellion that they may knowe them and also to admonishe them to beware of the subtill suggestions of suche restles ambitious persons and so to flee them that rebellions though attempted by a fewe ambitious through the lack of mayntenaunce by any multitudes maye speedyly and easyly without any great labour daunger or domage be repressed and clearely extinguished It is well knowen as well by all histories as by dayly experience that none haue eyther more ambitiously aspired aboue Emperours Kinges and Princes nor haue more pernitiously moued the ignoraunt people to rebellion agaynst theyr Princes then certayne persons whiche falsely chalenge to them selues to be onlye counted and called spirituall I must therefore heare yet once agayne breefely put you good people in remembraunce out of Gods holye worde howe our Sauiour Jesus Christe and his holy Apostles the heades and cheefe of all true spirituall and ecclesiastical men behaued them selues towards the princes and rulers of their tyme though not the best gouernours that euer were that you be not ignoraunt whether they be the true disciples and folowers of Christe and his Apostles and so true spirituall men that eyther by ambition do so highly aspyre or do most malitiously teach or most pernitiously do execute rebellion agaynst theyr lawfull princes beyng the worst of all carnall workes and mischeuous deedes The holye scriptures do teache most expresly that our sauiour Christe him selfe and his apostle saint Paul saint Peter with others were vnto the magistrates and higher powers which ruled at their beyng vppon the earth both obedâ—â—nt them selues and dyd also diligently and earnestly exhort all other Christians to the lyke obedience vnto their princes and gouernours whereby it is euident that men of the Cleargie and ecclesiasticall ministers as theyr successours ought both them selues specially and before others to be obedient vnto their princes and also to exhort all others vnto the same Our sauiour Christe like wyse teachyng by his doctrine that his kingdome was not of this worlde dyd by his example in fleeing from those that would haue made him kyng confirme the same expresly also forbidding his Apostles and by them the whole Cleargie all princely dominion ouer people and nations and he and his holy Apostles like wyse namely Peter Paul dyd forbid vnto all ecclesiasticall ministers dominion ouer the Churche of Christe And in deede whiles that ecclesiasticall ministers continued in Christes Church in that order that is in Christes worde prescribed vnto them and in Christian kyngdomes kept them selues obedient to their owne princes as the holy scripture do teache them both was Christes Churche more cleare from ambitious emulations and contentions and the state of Christian kyngdomes lesse subiect vnto tumultes and rebellions But after that ambition and desyre of dominion entred once into ecclesiasticall ministers whose greatnes after the doctrine and example of our sauiour shoulde cheefely stande in humbling of them selues and that the Byshop of Rome being by the order of Gods worde none other then the bishop of that one see and diocesse and neuer yet well able to gouerne the same did by intollerable ambition chalenge not only to be the head of all the Churche dispersed throughout the worlde but also to be Lorde of all the kyngdomes of the worlde as is expresly set foorth in the booke of his owne Cannon lawes most contrary to the doctrine and example of our sauiour Christe whose Uicar and of his holy apostles namely Peter whose successour he pretendeth to be after his ambition entred and this chalenge once made by the Byshop of Rome he became at once the spoyler destroyer both of the Church which is the kyngdome of our sauiour Christe and of the Christian Empyre and all Christian kyngdomes as an vniuersall tyraunt ouer all And whereas before that chalenge made there was great amitie and loue amongst the Christians of al countreis herevpon began emulation and much hatred betweene the Bishop of Rome and his Cleargie and freendes on the one part and the Grecian Cleargie and Christians of the East on the other part for that they refused to acknowledge any such supreme aucthoritie of the Bishop of Rome ouer them the Bishop of Rome for this cause amongst other not onlye namyng them and taking them for schismatikes but also neuer ceassing to persecute them and the Emperours who had their see and continuaunce in Grece by stirring of the subiectes to rebellion agaynst their soueraigne lordes and by raysyng deadly hatred and most cruell warres betweene them and other Christian princes And when the Byshops of Rome had translated the title of the Emperour and as much as in them dyd lye the Empyre it selfe from their lorde the Emperour of Grece and of Rome also by ryght vnto the Christian princes of the West they became in short space no better vnto the West Emperours then they were before vnto the Emperours of Grece For the vsuall discharging of subiectes from their othe of fidelitie made vnto the Emperours of the West their soueraigne lordes by the Byshops of Rome the vnnaturall stirring vp of the subiectes vnto rebellion agaynst their princes yea of the sonne agaynst the father by the Byshoppe of Rome the most cruell and blooddy warres raysed amongst Christian princes of all kyngdomes the horrible murder of infinite thousandes of Christian men beyng slayne by Christians and whiche ensued therevpon the pitifull losses of so manye goodlye Cities countreys