lex ipsa omnipotenti deo minime concordat ecce per suggestionis meae paginam serenissimis dominis nunciaui vtrobique ergo quae debui exolui qui imperatori obedientiam praebui pro deo quod sensi minimè tacui I being your subiect and at your commaund haue caused the same law to be sent through diuerse parts of the land and because the law it selfe doth not accord to Gods will behold I haue signified so much vnto your maiesties by my epistle and so I haue discharged my dutie in both respects as who haue rendered mine obedience to the emperour and haue not concealed what I thought in Gods behalfe These are the words of Gregorius who was himselfe bishop of Rome anno 603. and liued aboue six hundred yeares after Christ for which time the Popes liued in dutifull obedience vnder the emperours as is euident by his expresse words alreadie alleaged For first Pope Gregorie freely and willingly acknowledgeth the emperour to be his soueraigne lord Secondly he confesseth himselfe to be the emperours subiect Thirdly he graunteth that he oweth loyall obedience to the emperour and for that respect he thought himselfe bound in conscience to publish the emperours law though in some part it seemed to disagree with Gods will and that forsooth least he should be found guiltie of disloyaltie toward his prince Fourthly this alleageance he acknowledged to the emperour Mauritius who liued more than six hundred yeares after Christs sacred incarnation During which tearme of years the bishops of Rome now called Popes liued in subiection to the emperours of Rome as other bishops doe this day to their lawfull kings S. Ambrose freeth kings from all lawes made by man these are his expresse words Rex vtique erat nullis ipse legibus tenebatur humanis Neque enim reges vllis ad poenam vocantur legibus tuti imperij potestate Homini ergo non peccauit cui non tenebatur obnoxius He was indeed a king he was subiect to no law of man for kings being freed by royall prerogatiues of imperiall power are not punishable by the lawes of man He therefore sinned not to man to whom he was not subiect S. Hierome teacheth the same doctrine if his words be well marked Enthimius hath these words Cum sim vex te solum commissorum à me scelerum iudicem habeam tibi soli peccasse videor hoc est tibi soli iudici subijcior Coeterorum enim omnium ego dominus sum ob potentiam meam licere mihi videntur quaecunque libuerint Seeing I am a king and haue thee only my iudge ouer my sinnes I seeme to sinne onely to thee that is I am subject onely to thee as to my iudge For I am lord ouer all others and in regard of my power and maiestie whatsoeuer pleaseth me seemeth to be lawfull for me The Popish ordinarie glosse singeth the same song these are the expresse words Rex omnibus superior tantum à deo puniendus est The king is aboue all and he can be punished of none but of God alone Nicolaus Lyranus a man of great reckoning with the papists teacheth the same doctrine with the rest These are his expresse words Tibi soli peccaui scilicet tanquam iudici punire potenti Peccauerat enim contra Vriam alios occasione huius interfectos Tamen quia erat rex non habebat iudicem superiorem qui posset eum punire nisi deum To thee onely haue I sinned that is to say to thee only as to my iudge and to him that can punish me For he had now sinned against Vrias and others whom he caused to be murthered by that occasion yet because he was a king he had no superior iudge that could punish or controule him saue God alone Thomas Aquinas being as it were halfe a god with the Papists teacheth the selfesame doctrine with Lyra and the rest But I hasten to the verdict of a Cardinall of Rome Hugo Cardinalis hath these expresse words Tibi soli quia non est super me alius quam tu qui possit punire Ego enim sum rex non est aliquis praeter te super me To thee onely saith Cardinall Hugo because there is not any aboue me but thy selfe alone that hath power to punish me for I am a king and so besides thee there is none aboue me Thus gentle reader it is cleere and euident as well by the flat testimonie of the auntient fathers as also of most famous and renowned Popish writers that the Pope or Bishop of Rome is so farre from hauing power to depose kings and emperours that he himselfe ought to be subiect to them and hath no authoritie at all to punish them VVhat can be more plainely spoken what testimonies can be more manifest what doctrine can be clearer for if none but God be superior to the king if none but God can iudge the king if none but God can punish the king all which both auntient fathers and the Popes owne deare doctors affirme then doubtlesse cannot the Pope depose the king then can he not absolue his subiects from their alleageance then can he not translate empires and kingdomes and bestow the same at his owne pleasure The good kings Iosue Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias knew right well that they had authoritie aboue all the priests and therefore tooke vpon them not onely to commaund and controll them but also to depose and thrust them from their places and functions yea euen the high priests themselues when their deserts did so require VVhich thing is prooued at large in my golden ballance of triall Yet here for better satisfaction of the vulgar people I will propound a common obiection that much troubleth many of them and that done frame a plaine and sincere solution to the same The Obiection The empire was translated by the Popes authoritie and the emperours after their election are this day confirmed by the Pope yea many emperors haue acknowledged the Popes soueraignetie ouer them in so much as they haue fallen downe prostrate and kissed his holy feet The Answere I answere that many absurd things haue beene affirmed by Popish parasites for the aduancement of the primacie as Franciscus à Victoria a famous Popish schoole doctor and Spanish frier sometime professour of Theologie in the Vniuersitie of Salmantica doth testifie in these words Sed gloss atores iuris hoc dominium dederunt papae cum ipsi essent pauperes rebus doctrina But the glossers of the Popes law saith this great doctor and zealous papist for the truth it selfe enforced him to vtter the truth gaue this dominion and these lordly titles vnto the Pope when themselues were blind bayards and beggerly fellowes Thus writeth their owne Popish Frier affirming that ignorance and pouertie were the beginning of all lordly poperie and no maruell for by reason of their pouertie they flattered and sought to
please the Pope and by reason of their ignorance they set abroach many things which they did not vnderstand Iohannes Gerson a famous papist likewise and sometime chancelour of Paris reporteth much like stuffe and more lordly titles ascribed to the Pope by his popish parasites These are his expresse words Sicut Christo collata estomnis potestas in coelo in terra sic eam Christus omnem Petro suisque successoribus dereliquit Sequitur sicut non est potestas nisi à deo sic nec aliqua temporalis vel ecclesiastica imperialis vel regalis nisi à Papa in cuius foemore scripsit Christus rex regum dominus dominantium de cuius potestate disputare instar sacrilegij est cui neque quisquam dicere potest cur ita facis As all power was giuen to Christ in heauen and on earth so Christ left all the same power to Peter and to his successours the Bishops of Rome As there is no power but of God so is there neither any temporall or ecclesiasticall neither imperiall nor regall but of the Pope in whose thigh Christ hath written the king of kings and lord of lords of whose power to dispute is as it were sacriledge to whome no man may say VVhy doest thou so These are the words of this great learned doctor who though he were a zealous papist yet could he not conceale these Antichristian blasphemies within his breast Neuerthelesse Pope Boniface or if ye will Pope maliface did not only acknowledge them but with great pleasure practised the same as witnesseth the said Gerson in these words Hanc existimationem habuisse visus est Bonifacius octauus in quadam decretali putatur ab alijs depositio vnius regis franciae per papam Zachariam hic esse fundata tanquam papa sit qui transferre possit reges regna Pope Boniface the eight seemeth in a certaine decretall to haue had this opinion of his owne authoritie Others thinke that the deposition of Childericus the French king by Pope Zacharie was grounded in this Antichristian and godlesse conceit as if forsooth the Pope were he that could depose princes and translate their kingdomes By these authorities it is cleare that the late Bishops of Rome haue taken vpon them not onely to depose kings and to translate their kingdomes but withall haue challenged more than humane and royall power euen that power which is due and proper to God alone So as we haue not so much to consider what hath beene done as what ought of right to be done I will therefore for perspicuitie sake proceed by way of gradation and set downe the very steps of the ladder by which the late bishops of Rome did climbe vp to their vsurped tyrannicall primacie 1 The first step was the departure of the emperour Constantinus from Rome to Constantinople at what time as the Popes parasites tell vs the emperour gaue large gifts to the Pope euen his whole power dominion and territories both in Rome Italie and all the VVest parts for thus is it written by Gratian in the Popes own decrees Constantinus imperator coronam omnem regiam dignitatem in vrbe Romana in Italia in partibus occidentalibus Apostolico concessit Sequitur decreuimus itaque hoc vt ipse successores eius diademate viz. corona quam ex capite nostro illi concessimus ex auro purissime gemmis pretiosis vti debeat pro honore B. Petri. Constantine the emperour gaue the Pope his crowne and all royall dignitie in the citie of Rome and in Italie and in all the VVest parts It followeth a little after in the next Cannon VVe therefore haue made also this decree that the Pope and his successours shall for the honour of S. Peter weare the crown of pure gold and pretious stones which we haue giuen him from off our owne head Thus saith the decree But Laurentius Valla Raphael Voluteranus Paulus Catthalanus Nicolaus Cusanus and many other popish writers repute the same as a fable Yea our Iesuit Bellarmine seemeth to doubt thereof and of other like supposed donations and therefore hath he inuented a soueraign remedie for the same These are his expresse words Extant Romae authentica instrumenta harum similium donationum Sed etiamsi nihil horum extaret abunde sufficeret prescriptio 800. annorum Nam etiam regna imperia per latrocinium acquisita tandem longo tempore flunt legitima There be extant at Rome authenticall instruments of these and the like gifts But if there were no such thing yet would prescription of 800 yeares be sufficient for euen kingdomes empires gotten by robberie through continuance of time become lawfull Thus writeth our Iesuit who hath left nothing vnsaid that can be said for poperie The second step was the fall of the empire in the VVest For after the diuision of the empire it begun daily to decline and was vtterly dissolued in Augustulus in the yeare 471. of whom was made this epigram Augustus romanum imperium condidit Augustulus labefactauit Augustus set vp the empire but Augustulus pulled it downe For after Orestes his father was slaine who was neuer emperour but a captain vnder Nepos the said Augustulus gaue vp the diademe and betooke himselfe to a priuat life From this time the empire in the VVest was vacant about 330 yeares By meanes whereof the Popes power did daily increase by little and little and from step to step The Vissigothes ruled in Spaine the Abienes in Guian and Gascoyn the Frenchmen in the residue of France the Vandales in Affricke the Saxones in Brittaine the Ostrogothes in Hungarie the Herules and Turdilings in Italie and in the citie of Rome onely the name of the empire remained with Zenon in the East About the yeare 536. Totilas king of the Gothes by force of armes and famine subdued well neere all Italie and after long siege tooke the citie of Rome and spoyled it with sword and fire ouerthrowing the wals and towers euen to the ground and vntill Carolus magnus the Abiens and Barbarians possessed all Italie The third step was the voluntarie charter which Constantine the emperour of Constantinople made to Pope Benedict the second viz. that whomsoeuer the clergie people and the Romane souldiours should chuse to be Bishop all men should beleeue him to be the true vicar of Christ without any tarrying for any authoritie of the emperour of Constantinople or the deputie of Italie as the custome and maner was euer before that day Thus writeth Platina who was the Popes owne deere vassale This was a very gallant step for as you see here the Popes for the space almost of seuen hundred yeares viz. vntill this Bennet in the yeare 684. acknowledged the emperours for their superiours and lords without whose letters pattents they could haue no iurisdiction nor be reputed the true Bishops of Rome but now the Bishops of Rome by
the Pope and all his popelings Thus doth he write Romani qui ab imperatore Constantinopolitano iam diu animo desciuerant nunc accepta occasionis opportunitate quia mulier excaecato imperatore Constantino filio suo eis imperabat vno omnium consensu Carolo regi imperatorias laudes acclamant eumque per manum Leonis papae coronant Caesarem Augustum appellant Pipinum verò filium eius regem Italiae ordinatum collandant The Romanes who a long time had in mind and affection reuolted from the emperour of Constantinople seeing now a fit occasion offered them because a woman did gouerne them her sonne the emperour Constantine being made blind did all with one consent found out imperiall and royall acclamations to king Charles calling him Caesar and Augustus and crowning him by the hand of Leo the Pope yea they collaud his son Pipine made king of Italie Out of these words I wish the Reader to obserue these important points with me 1 First that 800. yeeres after Christs sacred birth the Bishops of Rome were subiect to the emperour as their owne deere monke Sigebert telleth them and as you haue heard already Pope Gregorie acknowledged his fealtie to Mauritius the emperour in the yeere 603. 2 Secondly that the Pope and people of Rome endeuoured a long time to shake off the yoke of obedience to the emperour and in the yeere 801 put the same in execution 3 Thirdly that the translation of the empire implied flat treason in the Pope and all his Romish Popelings For as Fryer Sigebert telleth vs they surrendred vp the right of their soueraigne to an other man and hence commeth it that the Iesuiticall Cardinall Bellarmine appealeth to the law of perscription affirming titles gotten by robberie to be lawfull by that meanes And indeede by stealth and robberie it may well beseeme a Iesuite to iustifie popish late start vp regalitie 4 Fourthly that the Bishop of Rome is not the true and lawfull king of Italie for the papists doe not agree in their assertions touching this counterfeit regalitie of their popes Blâ—ndus and Platina write that Pippine gaue the exerchate of Rauenna and Pentapolis to Gregorie Regino referreth the donation to Steuen and Sigebert saith here that Pippine in the yeere 801 had it in his owne possession still Yea the same Sigebert saith further that in the yeere 812 the emperour Charles imposed the imperiall crowne vpon the head of his sonne Lewis and made Bernard sonne of Pippine the king of Italie But doubtlesse if Pippine were king of Italie in the yeere 801 and Bernard king thereof in the yeere 812 I see not how the pope was then or that is now any king at all And therefore wee may credite Bellarmine at leisure when he telleth vs out of Ado that king Pippine gaue Reuenna and all Pentapolis to Saint Peter and Saint Paul but it is well that S. Paul is become coheire with Saint Peter For by his meanes other bishops must haue as great a share as the Bishops of Rome there the reader must not forget what frier Sigebert telleth vs of Charles the great after that he was inthronized in the empire These are his expresse wordes Carolus imperator c. Charles the emperour when the emperours of Constantinople had indignation against him for the name of emperour giuen him by the Romanes suffered them with great patience and magnanimitie And because he was afraid of their mightie power with often ambassades hee procured them to bee his deare friends yet our Iesuite Bellarmine would haue vs to beleeue that the emperours of Constantinople did freelie graunt that the Pope and the Romanes had full right to translate the empire but their owne deare friend as we see heere affirmeth the contrary for a truth Yea both Blâ—ndus and Platina affirme very constantly that Charles did agree first with the empresse Irene and afterwith the emperour Nicephorus that he with their fauours might rule ouer the VVest The seuenth step was the constitution of the electors of the future emperour For Gregorie the fift being a Germane borne and a neere kinsman to Otho the emperour at that time did by his fauour and free graunt appoint seuen electors of the empire for euer viz. the archbishop of Mentz the archbishop of Treuerse the archbishop of Colen the marques of Brandenburgh the countie Palatine the duke of Saxonie and the king of Bohemia This goodly constitution was enacted by the Pope and emperour being both of them not onely Germanes but also kinsmen that the empire might be established in their posteritie and their blood thereby aduanced for euer The eight and highest step of this ladder did reach vp euen to the highest heauen and to the very throne of our Lord Iesus For the Pope hauing now enlarged his soueraigntie by little and little from steppe to steppe was neither abased nor afraid to challenge the authoritie and royall right of both swordes throughout the christian world for he made a flat decree for the confirmation thereof as is euident by the extrauagant of Boniface the eight vnam sanctam de maioritate obedienta set downe in the sixt booke of the decretals And as Gratianus reporteth Pope Nicholas taught the same doctrine these are the expresse wordes Christus beato Petro aeternae vitae clauigero terreni simul caelestis imperij iura commisit Christ committed to Saint Peter that beareth the keyes of eternall life the right both of earthly and heauenly empire And the glosse which the Popes parasites haue annexed to this decree hath these very wordes Argumentum quod Papa habet vtrunque gladium spiritualem temporalem An argument that the Pope hath both the swords aswell the spirituall as the temporall And in the marginall note it is there set downe Papa habens vtrunque gladium transtulit imperium the Pope hauing both swords translated the empire And appendix Fuldensis vnfoldeth this cursed decree in these most plaine tearmes Hic Papa Bonifacius 8. constitutionem fecerat in quae se dominum spiritualem temporalem in vniuerso mundo asserebat Vnde requisiuit Philippum regem Franciae vt a se regnum suum cognosceret quod rex facere contempsit This Pope he speaketh of Boniface the eight made a constitution in which he affirmed himselfe to be both spirituall and temporall lord in the whole world VVhervpon he would haue had Philip king of France to haue acknowledged his kingdome from him which thing the king scorned to doe Since this ladder was thus framed the Bishops of Rome haue tyrannized aboue measure in the world and taking vpon them that authoritie which pertaineth to god alone they haue disposed of kings and kingdomes translated royall diademes tyrannized ouer mens soules and troden all sacred soueraigntie vnder foot For that popish canons ascribe plaine diuine titles to the Pope it can not possibly be denied because in the Popes owne decretals
I find these expresse wordes Sic Papa dicitur habere caelesteâ— arbitrium ideo etiam naturam rerum immutat substantiam vnius rei applicando alij de nihilo potest aliquid facere So the Pope is said to haue celestiall arbitrement and therefore doth he alter the nature of things applying the substantiall parts of one thing to an other and so can make of nothing something Thus the papists write of their Pope and he is well pleased therewith And yet the truth is that as man can in some cases at some time make one thing of an other so in all cases at all times to make some thing of nothing is proper to God alone The Popes parasites write thus of his power in generall Sicut non est potestas nisia deo sic nec aliqua temporalis vel ecclesiastica imperialis vel regalis nisi à Papa in cuius foemore scripsit Christus rex regum dominus dominantium Like as there is no power but of God so is there neither any temporall nor ecclesiasticall neither imperiall nor regall but of the Pope in whose thigh Christ hath written the King of kings and Lord of lords Loe here gentle reader two things are proper to God alone the one to be King of kings and Lord of lords the other to be the author of all power both which you see here ascribed to the Pope The Pope himselfe from his owne pen Gregorie the ninth deliuereth vs this doctrine Ad firmamentum coeli hoc est vniuers alis ecclesiae fecit deus duo magna luminaria id est duas instituit dignitates quae sunt pontificalis authoritas regalis potestas sequitur vt quanta est inter solem lunam tanta inter pontifices reges differentia cognoscatur To the firmament of heauen that is of the vniuersall church God made two lights pontificall authoritie and power royall that we may know there is asmuch difference between Popes and kings as there is betweene the sunne the moone The glosse setteth downe precisely how farre a king is inferiour to a Pope that is to any bishop of Rome in these words Restat vt pontificalis dignitas quadragesies septies sit maior regali dignitate It remaineth that the dignitie of the Pope is fourtie times seuen times greater than the power of the king Now touching the kissing of the Popes feete I answere that some Christian kings and emperours vpon a blind zeale not grounded in knowledge humbling themselues to the Bishop of Rome and yeelding vp their soueraigne rights to him opened the window to all antichristian tyrannie For in short time after as is alreadie prooued the Romish bishops became so lordly and insolent that they tooke vpon them to depose the emperors to translate their empires and to dispose at their pleasures of their royall scepters and regalities Much more might be said in this matter but for that the Pope hath made it sacriledge to dispute of this I will here onely tell thee gentle reader what the Popes deere frier Sigebertus hath written of his holines These are his expresse words Vt pace omnium honorum dixerim haec sola nouitas non dicam haeresis nondum in mundo emerserat vt sacerdotes illius qui regnarefacit hypocritaÌ„ propter peccata populi doceant populum quod malis regibus nullam debeant subiectionem licet ei sacramentum fidelitatis fecerint nullam tamen debeant fidelitatem nec periuri dicantur qui contra regem senserint imo qui regi paâ—â—erit pro excommunicato habeatur qui contra regem fecerit noxa iniustitiae periuris absoluatur To speake by the fauour of all good men this sole noueltie I wil not say heresie was not yet known in the world that his priests who maketh an hypocrite to reigne for the sinnes of the people should teach the people that they owe no subiection to wicked kings and that although they haue taken the oth of fealtie yet doe they owe them no allegeance neither are they periured that thinke ill against the king yea he that obeyeth the king is this day reputed an excommunicate person and he that taketh part against the king is absolued from the crime of iniustice and periurie This is our very case gentle reader this day in England so liuely painted out in best beseeming coulours as if the writer had bene liuing euen now amongst vs. So then wee haue to obserue here for our instruction That the Popes owne monkes and friers haue thought as ill of the Popes dealings in former times as we thinke of his procedings in these latter dayes As also That popish religon hath alwaies bene condemned euen of great learned papists that liued in the Popes Church VVhereof none can be ignorant that will seriously peruse my bookes of Motiues and Suruey And this shall suffice for the first article to which if their hearts doe not faint them or their consciences condemne them the papists will frame some answere vndoubtedly The second Article touching the erroneous doctrine of the Popish masse The first member Of the impossibilitie of their supposed reall presence AQuinas the Iesuit Bellarmine the councell of Trent Melchior Canus Iosephus Angles and the rest of the Romish brood hold constantlie as an article of their christian faith That the true organicall and naturall bodie of Christ Iesus which was borne of the Virgin Marie which was crucified and nayled on the crosse which rose againe the third day from death and is circumscriptiuely and locally in heauen is also truelie really and substantially vnder the forme of bread and wine in the sacrifice of the popish masse But this is impossible as which implieth flat contradiction and consequently late romish religion consisteth of impossibilities falshoodes and contradictions The doubt hereof is onely in the assumption for proofe whereof I set downe this supposall with our Cardinall Bellarmine viz. That we are not bound to beleeue any thing which implyeth contradiction And because I will proceed sincerely yee shall heare his owne words thus doth he write Neque fides nostra ad id nos obligat vt ea defendamus quae euidenter implicant contradictionem Neither doth our faith bind vs so that wee must defend those things which implie euident contradiction But so it is that the popish imaginarie being of Christs bodie in a little round cake implieth in it selfe euident contradiction and cannot possibly be brought to passe For example no power vpon earth or in heauen can bring to passe that a bodie being three cubits long and one cubit broad remaining still so long and so broad shall be contained in another bodie of two cubits length and halfe a cubite breadth The reason hereof is euident because so to containe and be so contained implieth flat contradiction And this is the case now in controuersie concerning Christs supposed being in the round popish cake For if Christs naturall and
the authoritie of the holy Fathers DIonysius Areopagita who liued in the daies of the Apostles doth liuely deliuer this truth vnto vs in these expresse words Omnino igitur non audendum est quicquam de summa abstrusaque diuinitate aut dicere aut cogitare praeter ea quae nobis diuinitus scripturae diuinae countiarunt In no wise therfore may we make bold to speake or thinke any thing of the most high and ineffable diuinitie saue that only which holy writ hath reuealed to vs from heauen S. Augustine that glistering beame and strong pillar of Christs church auoucheth plainely that all things necessarie for our saluation are contained in the written word as is alreadie prooued in the former reason and he confirmeth the same doctrine in another place where he hath these expresse words In his enim quae apertè in scriptura posita sunt inueniunter illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi spem scilicet atque charitatem For in those things which are plainely set downe in the holy Scripture all things are found which containe faith and manners that is to say hope and charitie The same S. Austen in another place hath these expresse words Credo quod etiam hinc diuinorum eloquiorum clarissima authoritas esset si homo sine dispendio promissae salutis illud ignorare non posset I beleeue that euen in this point also we should haue most cleere testimonie of holy writ if a man could not be ignorant thereof without the losse of his saluation S. Irenaeus hath these words Non emim per alios dispositionem salutis nostrae cognouimus quam per eos per quos euangelium peruenit ad nos quod quidem tunc preconiauerunt postea vero per dei voluntatem in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum For we know the dispensation of our saluation by them onely by whom the Gospell came to our hands which Gospell they first preached but afterward by Gods appointment they deliuered the same vnto vs in writing that it might be the foundation and pillar of our faith Tertullianus an auncient writer who liued aboue 1300 yeeres agoe hath these expresse wordes Adoro scripturae plenitudinem quae mihi factorem manifestat facta An autem ex aliqua subiacenti materia facta sint omnia nusquam adhuc legi Scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis offiicina si non est scriptum timeat vae illud adijcientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum I reuerence the plenitude fulnesse and perfection of the scripture as which sheweth to me both the maker and the things which are made But that all things are made of some subiacent matter I neuer could yet read any where Let Hermogenes his shop shew vs where it is written If it be no where written let him be afraid of that woe which is prouided for them that adde or take away from the Scripture Loe gentle reader these three most auntient fathers doe teach vs many very excellent documents First that we know the dispensation of our saluation by Christs Apostles Secondly that we receiued the Gospell from them Thirdly that they first preached the mysteries of our saluation deliuering the Gospell by word of mouth Fourthly that afterward they committed the same to writing Fiftly that the Scripture was written by Gods owne appointment Sixtly that it was written for this end and purpose That it might be the pillar and foundation of our faith Seuenthly that we may not speake or thinke any thing of God which we find not written in Gods booke Eightly that the holy Scripture is perfect and containeth all things necessarie for vs to know Ninthly that all such as teach or beleeue any doctrine not contained in the Scriptures must drinke of the cup of eternall woe for their paines Let vs proceed and see what other fathers of later times tell vs. S. Cyprian who liued about 249 yeares after Christ viz. aboue 1300 yeares agoe hath these words Vnde ista traditio Vtrumne de dominica euangelica authoritate descendens an de Apostolorum mandatis epistolis veniens Ea enim facienda esse quae scripta sunt deus testatur proponit ad Iesum Nave dicens Non recedet liber legis huius ex ore tuo sed meditaberis in eo die ac nocte vt obserues facere omnia quae scripta sunt in eo Si ergo aut euangelio precipitur aut in Apostolorum epistolis aut astibus continetur obseruetur diuina haec sancta traditio From whence came this tradition Did it descend from the authoritie of our Lord or his Gospell Or came it from the mandates of the Apostles or their epistles For that those things must be done which are written God himselfe doth witnesse and propose to Iesus Naue saying The booke of this law shall not depart from thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein night and day that thou maiest obserue to doe all things which are written in it If therefore it be either commaunded in the Gospell or be contained in the Epistles or in the Acts of the Apostles let this diuine and holy tradition be obserued Thus writeth S. Cyprian shewing plainely that all traditions ought to be examined by the written word and nothing to be admitted which is not contained in the same or grounded thereupon VVhere I note by the way for the helpe of the reader that though Cornelius then bishop of Rome whom now the papists tearme Pope and his holinesse together with the whole nationall synode of all the bishops of Italie had made a flat decree touching rebaptization and though also Pope Stephanus his holinesse had confirmed the same decree and commaunded it to be obserued and thirdly though our papists of late daies doe obstinately affirme that their Pope cannot erre when he defineth iudicially Yet this notwithstanding S. Cyprian teacheth and telleth vs plainly and roundly that in his time the bishop of Rome had no such authoritie as this day he proudly and antichristianly taketh vpon him for he roundly withstood the decree of Pope Stephanus who then was bishop of Rome and both sharpely reprooued him and contemned his falsely pretended authoritie And for all that S. Cyprian was euer reputed an holy bishop in his life time and a glorious martyr being dead But if the bishop of Rome had beene Christs vicar and so priuiledged as our papists beare the world in hand he is then doubtlesse S. Cyprian must needs haue beene an hereticke and so reputed and esteemed in the Church of God For if any Christian shall this day doe or affirme as S. Cyprian did or publickely denie the Popes falsely pretended prymacie in any place countrey territories or dominions where poperie beareth the sway then without all peraduenture he must be burnt at a stake with fire and faggot for his paines S. Athanasius hath these words Sufficiunt sanctae ac diuinitus inspiratae
scripturae ad veritatis iuditionem The holy scriptures inspired of God are sufficient for the discussion and manifestation of the truth VVhere the reader must obserue with me that Athanasius contending against the Gentiles that their idols were not gods and proouing that Christ was true God and true man by the Scriptures and withall auouching that the Scriptures were sufficient to decide and determine the controuersie should haue made a very foolish argument and haue concluded nothing at all if any necessarie truth had beene wanting and not fully contained in the holy scriptures S. Epiphanius hath these words Nos vniuscuiusque quaestionis inuentionem non ex proprijs ratiocinationibus dicere possumus sed ex scripturarum consequentia VVe cannot shew the inuention of euery question out of our owne proper reasons but by consequence of the scriptures S. Cyrill hath these words Necessarium nobis est diuinas sequi literas in nullo ab earum prescripto discedere It is necessarie for vs to follow the holy scriptures and not in the least iot to depart from the prescript rule thereof S. Chrysostome hath these words Si quid dicatur absque scriptura auditorum cogitatio claudicat nunc annuens nunc haesitans interdum sermonem vt friuolum aduersans interdum vt probabilem recipiens Verum vbi è scriptura diuinae vocis prodijt testimonium loquentis sermonem audientis animum confirmat If any thing be spoken without the scripture the cogitation of the auditours faileth sometime yeelding sometime staggering and sometime reiecting the speech as friuolous sometime receiuing it as probable But so soone as the testimonie of Gods voice is heard out of the scripture it confirmeth both the word of the speaker and the mind of the hearer The same S. Chrysostome in another place hath these words Quicquid quaeritur ad salutem totum iam adimpletum est in scripturis Loe these holy fathers and auntient writers who all of them liued aboue a thousand and one hundred yeeres agoe teach the selfesame doctrine with the former fathers They tell vs first that the holy scripture is sufficient to decide all controuersies Secondly that we must affirme or hold no doctrine but that which we find in the scriptures Thirdly that we must not in the least point of doctrine depart or swarue from the rule of holy scripture Fourthly that in the holy scripture is fully comprised whatsoeuer is necessarie for mans saluation But let vs yet heare the verdict of some others S. Ambrose hath these words Non negamus imò potius horremus hanc vocem Sed nolo argumento credas sancte imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus interrogemus apostolos interrogemus prophetas interrogemus Christum VVe denie not but rather abhorre the word Yet holy emperour I would neither haue you beleeue our argument nor our disputation Let vs aske counsell vpon the scriptures let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ himselfe and so know what is the truth S. Basill hath these words Si quicquid ex fide non est peccatum est sicut dicit apostolus fides vero ex auditu auditus autem per verbum dei ergo quicquid extra diuinam scripturam est cum ex fide non sit peccatum est If whatsoeuer is not of faith be sinne as the Apostle saith and if also faith come by hearing and hearing by the word of God then doubtlesse whatsoeuer is not in the holy scripture the same is sinne because it is not of faith The same S Basill in another place hath these words Stemus arbitratu in spiratae à deo scripturae apud quos inueniuntur dogmata diuinis oraculis consona illis omnino veritatis adiudicetur sententia Let vs be iudged by the scripture which came from God by inspiration and whose doctrine shall be found consonant to Gods Oracles let the truth be iudged to be on their side S. Hierome hath these words Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur This opinion is as easily reiected as it is affirmed because it hath no authoritie from the scriptures The same S. Hierome in another place hath these words Quomodo narrabit non verbo sed scriptura Videte quid dicat qui fuerunt non qui sunt vt exceptis Apostolis quodcunque aliud postea decatur abscindatur non habeat postea authoritatē Quamuis ergo sanctus sit aliquis post Apostolos quamuis disertus sit non habeat authoritatē Quoniā dominus narrat inscriptura populorū principū horam qui fuerunt in ea How shall he shew it not by word but by the holy scripture Marke what he saith who were but not who are to the end that the Apostles being excepted whatsoeuer other thing be afterward spokē it must be reiected it must haue no authority at all Wherfore though a man be holy though he be learned yet seeing he commeth after the Apostles let him be of no authoritie For our Lord speaketh to vs in the scripture of his people and of the princes that were therein The same Saint Hierome in an other place hath these wordes Erog nec parentum nec maiorum error sequendus est sed authoritas scripturarum Dei docentis imperium Therefore we must neither follow the errour of our parents nor of our auncestours but the authoritie of the scriptures and the commandement of God teaching vs. The third reason drawne from the authoritie of famous popish writers IOhn frier the late bishop of Rochester one highly renowmed amongst the papists and with them canonized for a Saint and glorious Martyr so as his authoritie must perforce be of credit against them hath these expresse words Scriptura sacra conclaue quoddam est omnium veritatum quae Christianis scitu necessaria sunt The holy scripture is a certaine store-house of all truths which are needfull to be knowne of Christians In another place the same famous papist hath these wordes Contendentibus itaque nobiscum haereticis nos alio subsidio nostram oportet tueri causam quam scripturae sacrae Therefore when heretiques contend with vs wee must defend our cause by other meanes than by the holy scripture These are the very expresse words of their owne famous popish bishop of their holy Saint of their glorious matyr who laboured with might and maine for the Popes vsurped soueraintie and defended the same in the best manner he was able And yet for all that he hath bolted out vnawares and against his will such is the force of truth which must needs in time preuaile so much in plaine tearmes as is sufficient to ouerthrow all poperie for euer and to cause all people that haue any care of their saluation to renounce the Pope and his abhominable doctrine to their liues end For first our popish bishop telleth
vs plainely and without all dissimulation his mouth being now opened by him that caused Balaams asse to speake That in the holy scripture as in a plentifull storehouse is laid vp for vs and our instruction all knowledge necessarie for mans saluation Againe the same popish bishop Saint and Martyr of papists so esteemed and reputed telleth vs roundly That they must not because forsooth they cannot defend and maintaine their poperie by the authoritie of the scripture but by some other way and meanes to wit by mans inuentions and popish vnwritten vanities which they tearme the Churches traditions Now gentle reader how can any papist who is not giuen vp in reprobum sensum for his iust deserts read such testimonies against poperie freely confessed and published to the world by papists euen when they bestirre themsulues busily to maintaine their Pope and his popish doctrine and for all that continue papists still and bee carried away headlong into perdition beleeuing and obeying that doctrine which cannot be defended by the written word of God which is the store-house of all necessarie knowledge They doubtlesse are either very senselesse or so blinded for their former sinnes that they cannot behold the sunne shining at noone tide me thinks they should be ashamed to hold and beleeue that doctrine in defence whereof they can yeeld no better reasons But let vs yet heare what other renowned popish writers tel vs who doubtlesse will not bewray their owne cause but against their wils Howbeit as the wise man saith Magnaest veritas praeualet The truth is of such force as it must needes preuaile and in time haue the vpper hand Melchior Canus another popish bishop and a very learned schoole-doctor hath these expresse words Cum sit perfectus scripturarum canon sibique ad omnia satis superque sufficiat quid opus est vt ei sanctorum intelligentia iungatur authoritas Seeing the canon of the scripture is perfect and most sufficient of it selfe to euery end and in euery respect what need haue we to ioyne therewith either the exposition or the authoritie of the fathers Thus writeth this great learned papist not denying the sufficiencie of the holy scripture but requiring the commentaries of the fathers for the better vnderstanding of the same VVhose opinion I doe approue and commend in that respect as is euident to all that shall peruse my booke of Motiues Thomas Aquinas whom the Pope hath cannonized for a Saint and his doctrine for authenticall teacheth vs not to beleeue any thing concerning God sauing that only which is contained in the scripture expresly or at least significantly These are his owne words Dicendum quod de Deo dicere non debemus quod in sacra scriptura non inuenitur vel per verba vel per sensum VVe must answere that nothing is to be verified of God which is not contained in holy writ either expresly or in sense The same popish doctour in an other place hath these wordes Quicquid enim ille Christus de suis factis dictis nos legere voluit hoc scribendum illis tanquam suis manibus imperauit For whatsoeuer Christ would haue vs to read of his doings and sayings the same he commaunded his Apostles to write as if he had done it with his owne hands Loe in these wordes Aquinas auoucheth very plainely that all things necessarie for our saluation are contained in the scriptures For in Christs deeds are contained his myracles his life his conuersation in his sayings semblably are contained his preaching his teaching his doctrine and consequently whatsoeuer is necessary for vs to know If then this be true as it is most true for the papists neither will nor can denie the doctrine of Aquinas that whatsoeuer Christ would haue vs to know of his miracles of his life of his conuersation of his preaching of his teaching of his doctrine the same is now written in the scriptures no man doubtlesse but he that will cum ratione insanire can denie all things necessarie for our saluation to be contained in the holy scriptures To this doctrine deliuered by Aquinas agreeth their owne renowmed professor and most learned schoole-doctor Franciscus a victoria that Spanish frier His expresse wordes are these Non est mihi certum licet omnes dicant quod in scriptura non continetur I doe not thinke it certaine and sure although all writers affirme it which is not contained in the scripture The same popish doctor and frier in another place hath these words Propter quas opiniones nullo modo debemus discedere à regula synceritate scripturarum For which opinions we must by no meanes depart from the rule and synceritie of the holy scriptures Loe gentle reader our popish frier will beleeue no doctrine which is not contained in the scripture although all writers teach the same Mad men therefore may they be deemed that will beleeue whatsoeuer the Pope telleth them though it be neuer so repugnant to the scripture Anselmus and Lyra two other famous popish writers doe teach vs the selfe same doctrine The second Proposition All persons of what sexe state calling or condition soeuer they be may lawfully and ought seriously to read the holy scriptures as out of which euen the simplest of all may gather so much as is necessarie for their saluation This I say against that popish ridiculous vnchristian and verie pestilent abuse where the Pope deliuereth to the people as it were by was of apostolicall traditon the scriptures sacraments and church-seruice in a strange tongue to them vnknowne VVhich to be flatly against the practise of the primitiue Church I haue proued copiously in my booke of Suruey Here therefore I will onely shew that it is both lawfull and necessarie for all sorts of people that desire to attaine eternall life to read diligently the holy scriptures S. Chrysostome discourseth at large of this subiect in many places of his workes but I will content my selfe with some few for the present In his commentaries vpon Saint Paul he hath these words Et vos itaque si lectioni cum animi alacritate volueritis attendere nullo alio preterea opus habebitis Verus enim est sermo Christi cum dicit quaerite inuenietis pulsate aperietur Verum quia plures exijs qui huc conuenere liberorum educationem vxoris curam gubernandaeque domus insesereceperunt atque ideo non sustinent totos se labori isti addicere saltem ad percipienda quae alij collegerunt excitamini tantum ijs quae dicuntur audiendis impendite diligentiae quantum colligendis pecunijs Tam etsi enim turpe sit non nisi tantum a vobis exigere tamen contenti erimus si vel tantum prestetis Nam hinc iunumera mala nata sunt quod scripturae ignorantur Hinc erupit multa illa haereseon pernicies hinc vita dissoluta hinc
be they few what part soeuer the Pope liketh that same shall be true For after the fathers haue fasted long prayed much consulted grauely deliberated maturely decreed soberly commanded strictly and accursed seuerely neither others nor yet themselues can tell what shall be of force therein For all must be as shall best content the Popes humour sitting right statelie in his chaire at Rome The fourth Conclusion No bishop can in these our dayes haue voices in councels but such as will first sweare obedience to the Pope and promise to defend his cannon law This conclusion though it containe grosse absurdities yet is it so cleare as Bellarmine that Iesuitical Cardinall cannot denie the same These be his wordes Istud iuramentum non tollit episcoporum libertatem quae in concilijs necessaria est Iurant enim se fore obedientes summo pontifici quod intilligitur donec pontifex est dum iubet ea quae secundum Deum sacros canones iubere potest sed not iurant se non dicturos quod sentiunt in concilio vel se no◠posituros eum si haereticum esse conuincant This oath taketh not away the libertie of bishops which in councels is necessarie For they sweare that they will be obedient to the Pope which is to be vnderstood so long as he is Pope and while he commaundeth those things which he may commaund agreeable to God and to the holy cannons but they sweare not that they will not speake what they thinke in the councell or that they will not depose the Pope if they prooue him to be an heretique Thus writeth Bellarminus whose onely testimonie is most sufficient in all popish affaires as who is the Popes sworne and tenderly beloued vassall and whose bookes are dedicated to the Pope himselfe Out of his wordes I note first that all clergie men admitted to giue voyces in councels are sworne simply wholy to obey the Popes constitutions Secondly that the said persons are sworne to beleeue that the Pope cannot erre in his iudiciall decrees of faith and manners that no councels are of force without the Popes confirmation that councels confirmed by him are aproued by the holy Ghost that he can excommunicate and depose all emperours and empresses all Kings and Queenes all bishops and archbishops in the Christian world that he can by his pardons deliuer all soules out of purgatorie and goe himselfe to the deuill For all these and a thousand like things are strictly comprised in his canons and consequently in their most lamentable oath Thirdly that they are sworne to admit his decrees who as they freely grant may for al that be an heretique Fourthly that they are sworne to reuerence and obey his iudgement in all matters of faith whom they may iudge and depose for heresie Fiftly that their fundamentall article by which they make the Pope iudge ouer all controuersies is quite ouerthrowne and turned vpside downe in this Bellarminus his explication For when he saith VVhile he commaundeth c. he graunteth euery bishop freedome to examine and iudge when the Pope commaundeth things agreeable to God and the canons VVhich libertie if the papists would constantly performe all true Christians and perfect Catholikes would soone agree with them For none that beleeue aright will denie obedience to the Pope when he preacheth teacheth or commaundeth any thing which is agreeable to God and holy canons But good Christians finding his canons to be disholy and his decrees to be against God doe thinke as Bellarmine here teacheth them that they are not bound to obey him And that the reader may fully vnderstand the abhomination of the oath which all popish bishops sweare vnto the Pope I will here set down the expresse words as I find thē verbatim in the Popes owne decretals Ego N. episcopus ab hac hora fidelis ero S. Petro sanctaeque Romanae ecclesiae dominoque meo papae N. eiusque successoribus canonicè intrantibus Sequitur papatū Romanae ecclesiae regulas sanctorum patrum adiutor ero ad defendendum retinendum contra omnes homines sic me Deus adiuuet haec sancta euangelia I Iohn Watson bishop will be faithfull from this day forward to Saint Peter and to the holy Church of Rome and to my L. Boniface the Pope and to his successors elected canonically and I will be an helper to keepe and defend against all people the Popedome or papall soueraigntie and the rules of the holy fathers so God me helpe and the holy Gospel Loe here gentle reader open and flat rebellion is required and by euangelicall oath confirmed of subiects against their soueraignes For the bishops of euery countrie are the subiects of the kings of the same countreys and yet doe they sweare to defend the Popes vsurped iurisdiction and most bloodie tyrannie against their naturall dread soueraignes For they sweare to defend the Popes vsurped authoritie against all people without exception VVhich his diabolicall vsurped primacy as I haue prooued at large else where extendeth it selfe to the translation of empires kingdomes and regalities These conclusions being well marked and remembred the answere to the mightie obiection which is as the foundation of poperie will be plaine and easie viz. that popish bishops may as well erre when they are assembled together in a generall councell as when they preach teach or write asunder For first the Pope himselfe will not shew his face in any councell because the emperour must sit aboue him as is euident by the first conclusion Seconly when the Pope sendeth his legates to councels to supplie his place he doth but delude the world by that fact seeing he cannot impart his authoritie vnto them as by the second conclusion is apparant Thirdly popish councels and synodes in these after ages are flexible as a nose of waxe and as vncertaine as the weathercocke as is clearely proued in the third conclusion Fourthly no bishops of late ages can haue voyces in popish councels but such as will first sweare obedience to the Pope and promise by oath to defend his vsurped power and most execrable canon law as by the fourth conclusion will appeare Fiftly that decree is true and iust which is concluded by the gerater part of the bishops there assembled and yet the Pope sitting at Rome in his chaire will reiect such decrees at his good pleasure and define the sentence of fewer voyces to be of force This obseruation is euidently confirmed by the due proofes of the third conclusion Sixtly the decrees of councels must needs be obeyed as the papists tell vs and yet the Pope may reiect them and disanull them at his pleasure euen dreaming in his chaire at home or riding abroad on his white palfrey This to be so is euident to euery one that shall seriously peruse the third conclusion Yea our papists of Rhemes in their commentary vpon the new testament tell vs plainely and roundly that the determinaon of councels is needlesse because