cloth there is also in the same Cathedrall Church at Rome the very Cradle wherein he was rockt and the peticoate which hys mother Mary did knitt for him yet we read in the Gospell that the Maunger was the onely cradle that the Child had As meére a mockery also is this that in an other place of the same City the Piller whereunto Christ did leane when he disputed in the Temple is brought forth to be looked vpon brought vnto Rome as they say together with eleuen other pillers out of Salomōs Temple which if be true was done doubtlesse after the Popedome of Gregory For it is euidently knowne by his owne writynges that in his tyme was no such Bables at Rome There be Monasteries which make a shew of the water pottes in the which Christ did turne water into wine At Aurelia also they do bragge that they haue the very wine that was turned out of water which is sayd to be the wyne of the mayster of the feast Euery yeare once it is offered to be licked with the toung to them that will geue money for the same out of the topp of a spoone alleadging that it is the very wine that our Lord did will the Master of the feast to drinke of at the marriage what a fitter place for exclamation were heare O shamelesse Impudency O wittlesse folly O grosse mockeryes At Rome in a place which they call Sancta Sanctorum they doe shew forth the shoes of Christ. But what shoes did Christ weare then whenas Mary Magdalen did power forth sweéte oyntment vpon hys bare feéte I thinke and wyped them with the heares of her head as he sate in the house of Simon at Dyner It is skarse credible that any dropp of Christes blood which was altogether powred forth vpon the ground is remaynyng at this present And yet that naturall blood of Christ is shewed more then in an hundred places There is a solemne Pilgrimage made to a few droppes thereof at Rochell in Poytiers in Fraunce which as they say Nichodemus did gather vpp reserue in his gloaue At Mantua also greate gobletts full be to be seéne At Byblion in Auuergne in Fraunce it is brought forth to be seéne cleare renning in a Christall glasse In an other litle towne neére adioyning the same blood is shewed clotted together At Rome it is poured forth in broad platters full in the church of Sainct Eustathius but in the same City at Saynct Iohn of Laterane it is found mixt with water euen as it gushed out of hys side In England in the Abbay of hayles was solemne pylgrimage made great worshipp geuen to that which the Moūcks did bring forth in a cleare Christall glasse in steéd of Christes blood to be gazed vpon of the pylgrimes where if Osorius had come on Pylgrimage what would he haue done I dought not but he would haue worshypped it very religiously But if he had done so he should in steéd of the Reliques of holy bloud haue surely worshypped the bloud of a Ducke The Table wherupon Christ made his last supper standeth at Rome in the Churche of Iohn of Laterane There is in a Church called Saynt Sauiour in Spayne a crust of the bread also that he brake at his last supper The knyfe wherewith the Paschall Lambe was cutt in pieces is at Tryers in Germany The cupp wherein Christ gaue the Sacrament of his blood is to be seéne neére vnto Lions in Fraunce in the Church of Maria Insulana The same Cuppe also is in Switzerland in a certeyn Mounckery of Austine Fryers The platter wherin the pascall Lambe was put is at Rome at Genes and at Orleaunce That is to say threé manyfest lyes about one poore platter And yet these raynebeaten Ruffians be not ashamed to delude the world with such kinde of Mockeryes Neyther is Osorius ashamed to become as shamelesse a patron for those open guegawes But let vs proceéd to the rest of those lying Reliques The Towell wherewith Chryst did wype the disciples feéte is to be seéne at Rome at Saynt Iohns of Laterane The same also is at Ayre in Germanye It is shewed likewise all at one time in S. Cornelies Church A crust of the broken bread wherewith fiue thousand people were fedd in the desert is worshypped at Rome at S. Maria noua An other litle crust thereof is worshipped at Saynt Sauiours in Spayne which I thinke flew directly out of the Baskettes into Spayne But thys is but a Trysle to preserue barly breade there if they did not also shewe at the same Saynt Sauiours a braūch of palme which Christ did beare in his handes on palme-sonday whē he came vnto Ierusalem Emongest the which most holy Reliques is reserued a clodd of earth which they doe affirme was vnder Christes feéte when he raysed Lazarus from death to lyfe Many sundry reportes are made emongest the writers of the Ecclesiasticall history concerning the Crosse. The first that found it out is sayd to be Queéne Helene who did send a piece thereof to the Emperour her sonne an other part very curiously enclosed in a Chest of Golde she delyuered to the Byshopp of Ierusalē to be preserued If it be true that thys Crosse was deuided betwixt the Emperour the Byshop Then must the other Reportes made touching the Relyques of the same Crosse neédes be fables especially sith there is skarce any so litle a City wherein some gobbet of that Crosse is not residēt First chiefly at Parys in the holy chappell at Poytew and at Rome where a whole Crucifixe of a meane stature made of the same Crosse is to be seéne Goe to what will Osorius say to me here For whereas we are certeynly assured by the hystory of the Gospell that the Crosse whereupō Christ suffered was no greater thē that it might he carryed vpon one mans shoulder now it is growen to so vnmeasureable a quantity in greatnesse in breadth and in lēgth that if all chyppes and gobbets thereof that are skattered throughout the whole world were gathered together I am well assured that a great Carrick would be skarce able to beare them all Moreouer who may beleéue the deuise of the Cityzens of Poytew that the skrapp of the Crosse remayning amongest them was stollen from Helene by a certayn mayd and by her conueyed vnto them after that she had runne away from her Princesse wandring abroad lame and halt chaunced to come at the last vpon their coast And I maruell if there be no fragmēt of the same Crosse in Portingall the trueth whereof I commit to Osorius one of the Inquisitors of Portingall to finde out This one thing would I fayne learne what Osorius would doe If Osorius had the very true Crosse it selfe within his owne Byshoppricke I suppose he would worshipp it and why so forsooth because it did heare the body of Christ. That is well I aske further what if the
Peter particularly yea and in earnest will you vrge and defende stoutly the very same senteÌ„ce wherein Mathew Iohn by manifest proofe do coÌ„uince you who expresly do protest that the very same power of byndyng and loosing was geuen by our Sauiour Christ to the other Apostles in generall what will you not dare to do in the darcke good Syr that practize to defraude vs of the cleare shynyng sunne how will you peruert and wrest the fathers that will so craftely iuggle with the expresse wordes of the Scriptures truely you must either bewray your pestilent â—eger de mayne in this place or confesse your grosse errour Your thyrd place is this I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth saynte not and thou beyng at last conuerted confirme thy brethren And what hereof Can any man bee so witlesse to say that those wordes of our Sauiour Christ were not aswell spoken to the rest of the Apostles as to Peter by name I will therfore first scanne the wordes of the Euangelist in order that they may be more apparaunt But you are they which haue perseuered with me in all my temptations And I do prouide for you euen as my Father hath prouided for me a kingdome that you may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome and may sit on seates iudging the xij Tribes of Israell And the Lord sayd Symon Symon behold Sathan hath desired to sist you as wheate but I haue prayed for thee that thy fayth faint not and thou at length being coÌ„uerted confirme thy brethren In this parcell of Scripture is nothyng particular to Peter but the same is common to all the Apostles That they perseuered with Christ was common to them all The reward likewise is common to them all videl to sit at the heauenly table Agayne the thyrd parcell had relation to them all Symon Symon Sathan hath desired to sift you as wheate Sithence the whole processe of the Text therfore was referred to them all by what Argument may it be applyed vnto Peter onely Namely sithence our Lord Iesus goyng a whiles after suffer death and makyng preparation for his Ascention into heauen poured out most earnest prayers vnto his Father with a long and vehement repetition of wordes not for Peter particularly but for all the rest of the Apostles in generall whiche last and generall prayer of Christ to the Father who so aduisedly considereth shall easely conceaue that our Lord Iesu Christ made not intercession for Peters faith alone but for all the rest of the Apostles And hereof will also maruell much how great learned Clarkes dayly exercised in the Scriptures can Iudge therof otherwise Truly the most notable of the auncient Fathers do constantly affirme that the very same sentences wherewith Supremacie is challenged vnto Peter are commoÌ„ to all the other Apostles together with Peter And this haue I most manifestly proued by the selfe same places which your selfe vouched And albeit we passe ouer all these geue eare to the holy Ghost speakyng vnto vs by the mouth of the sacred Scriptures yet all this Monarchie of Peter which you do so exquisitely aduaunce aboue the Moone and the seuen Starres shal be founde to haue bene vsurped by the inordinate ambition of Byshops of Rome and not by any authoritie grosided vpon the doctrine of the auncient Apostolicke Church I will begyn with our Lord and Sauiour Iesu Christ who hauyng spoken these wordes Thou art Peter c immediately after calleth Peter Sathan and commaunded him to departe from him bycause hee knew not the thynges that apparteined vnto God How did Christ then I beseéch you erect the supremacie of his Church in the person of Peter whom immediately almost with one breath he rebuked bytterly by that most execrable name of Sathan and that not without cause for hee dissuaded him from goyng to Ierusalem Moreouer if Christ made intercession to the Father for Peter onely that his fayth should not faynt how came it to passe that within a few dayes after Peter onely with open mouth denyed forsware Christ his Lord and Maister But I doe much miscontentedly make mention of the fall of so notable an Apostle whoÌ„ I do acknowledge the most excellent amongest the famous Apostles Onely this I would to be knowen that he was ordeined to no seuerall supremacie in the Churche of Christ by any authoritie of the Scriptures We haue heard Christ let vs come now a litle lower to his Apostles and namely vnto Paule who laboured in the Churche of God as hee reporteth of him selfe more then they all he therefore doth playnly and constantly affirme that he had receaued as great authoritie from Christ to be an Apostle ouer the Gentiles as Peter had ouer the Iewes and addeth further that he had conference with Iames Cephas and Iohn whom he nameth Pillers of the Church as the chief of all the rest Yet in the meane whiles hee acknowledgeth no singular prerogatiue of prheminence in Peter Nay rather he vseth great libertie of speach agaynst Peter him selfe without all respect of Principalitie or mention of dignitie But why seéke we other testimonies Peter is a good witnesse concernyng him selfe I beseech the Elders whiche are amongest you sayth heé that am also an Elder and a witnesse of the Passion of Christ and partaker of the same glorie which shal be reuealed c. Behold here the dignitie behold the Supremacy and Monarchie of this reuerend father He is an Elder amongest Elders A witnesse amongest other witnesses of the Passion of Christ partaker with the rest of the same glory to be reuealed Here is a Triple Crowne truely yea a most precious Crowne not made of goldâ— nor beset with precious stones A most honorable Ambassadour of the heauenly glory to bee reuealed not of any Temporall or earthly dominion Lastly a most Reuerend Father not in any singular Lordlynes but by especiall ordinary power of his fellow brethren Who so will throughly sift the doctrine the ordinaunces the lyfe and conuersation of the Apostles shall finde a most perfect patterne of vnchaungeable consent but shall not smell any tast no not one sparke so much of this Lordly Monarchie wherof this ghostly Prelate doth so subtlely and largely dispute Unlesse perhaps he will driue vs to friuolous gesses as to picke vp children kyckesses together As that Peter went before That hee spake oftentymes first that hee looked into Christes Sepulchre before Iohn But if we shall hunte after such gnattes The honour geueÌ„ to Iames is of more substaunce Namely when in their publicke assembly the rest of the Apostles did subscribe to the ordinaunce that he made And that other also to wit when Peter was desirous to know who should betray our Lord Sauiour Iesu Christ to the Iewes him selfe did not enquire therof but beckened to Iohn whiche did leane vpon the breast of our Lord that hee might demaunde the question But howsoeuer these
thynges are construed The callyng of the Apostles was equall one maner of function amongest them all the authoritie indifferent one selfe same holy Ghost poured vpon eche of them at one tyme the promises generall the reward proportionall The which though I doe knit vp briefly makyng hast foreward yet if any man will behold euery seuerall parcell and withall enter into a deépe consideration of the most pure and vndefiled Church of Christ and his Apostles as he shall perceaue an enterchaūgeable communion in that strickte societie of Apostleshyp so shall he soundly iudge of that Monarchie and superioritie in possessiōs in giftes and other functions and all other priuiledges of dignitie especially That they were vtterly renounced of Peter and of all that sacred Brotherhood These former positions therefore beyng now thus well fenced your cutted Apishe Sophisme is cut of by the rumpe wherewith you conclude so ridiculously If it be euidēt say you yea more apparaūt then the sunne in mid-day that Peter was aboue all the other Apostles in superioritie of degree then is it most manifest that the same honour and preheminence in dignitie is due to all them that suceede him in place O leaddagger Argumēt in which what shall I blame first If Peter you say were a Prince It is all one forsooth as if this our holy father had wynges perhaps he would flye like a Wildgoose But admit that Peter were placed in Pontisicalibus as you would haue it though it be quyte contrary as I haue already proued But we will graunt it vnto you for a tyme. What will you gayne hereby That the same dignitie is due to the Successours wherfore I pray you The priuiledge of the person is not extended beyond the person And therefore if the Maiestie of Peter were peculiar to Peter euen so it ended in him selfe But if you had no leysure to learne the Ciuill Law can not common reason teache you that whatsoeuer priuiledge is geuen to one person alone may not bee translated to his successours vnlesse it bee limited by name But if these two crooches deceaue you come of and learne of our Sauiour Iesu Christ him selfe what kinde of superiority that was wherof Christ made mentiō to Peter Blessed art thou Symon Bariona for fleshe and bloud haue not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Thou art Peter c. Which wordes doe playnly conuince that flesh and bloud were not partakers of this promise nor that any especiall choise was made of the person of Peter but of his fayth and confession onely For God doth not accept the person of any man In like maner neither flesh nor bloud may challenge any succession in this promise whether it be Iuly Boniface or any other But the fayth and confession of Peter is the true succession of Peter For if his succession were due vnto personages then should this dignitie be oftentymes committed to Sorcerors and heretiques but this is altogether repugnaunt to the sacred institution of our Sauiour Christ to builde his Churche vpon so stinkyng a puddle Therfore cast away this your patched conclusion lame and haltyng of euery legge For without all question Peter obteined no such interest in Principalitie or if he did it was but in his confession of fayth onely And therfore can no man clayme any other succession as lineally from him vnlesse perhaps you may cōmaunde God to loue an Italian Prelate because he is borne in Italic better then an English or Spanish Byshop or that ye will locke fast the holy Ghost to the Citie of Rome But the Spirite will blow where him listeth and the tyme commeth and is euen now already come that neither in this Mount nor in Ierusalem nor in any appointed place God shall be worshipped God is a spirite and his true worshippers shall worship him in spirite and truth But will ye come nearer home harken to your own Doctour Ierome whose iudgement I haue here noted worthy surely to he engrauen in letters of gold If authoritie bee enquired for the world is greater then a Citie whersoeuer a Byshop be either at Rome or at Eugubium or at Rhegium or at Constantinople or at Alexandria all be together equall of like merite and of like Priesthoode The power of riches or basenes of pouertie maketh not a Byshop higher or lower They all are the successours of the Apostles wheresoeuer they sit and of what estate so euer they be c. To the same effect writeth Cyprian in these wordes The same thyng verely were the Apostles that Peter was endued with like partakyng of honour and power But the begynnyng first entered by vnitie to the entent that the vnitie of the Church might be shewed to be one Is it euen so Cypriā is this thy verdite that all the Apostles were endued with like partakyng of honour and power But you my Lord affirme cleane contrary That Peter was appointed chief of all the Apostles and that this is more manifest then the Sunne in midday and that hereunto agree the Scriptures auncient fathers and that generall cōsent of antiquitie Truly you speake many wordes but no mā besides your fraternitie will beleue you not of any pleasure of gaynesaying but bycause you alledge nothyng that may enduce to yeld And bycause you seéme somewhat tymorous of the successe of your Diuinitie in this deépe principall cause of Monarchie you catch hold fast of a Sophistical target That in the church wiche is but one ought to be one chief Ruler vpon whom all men may depende by whose authoritie troubles may be appeased and outragious opinions may be suppressed c. There is in deéde but one Church generally as there is but one confession of Christian fayth yet this generalitie of the Church is distributed into many particular congregatiōs as all Nations haue their seuerall administrations of Iustice. Now therefore as euery dominion is deuided into seuerall distinctions of gouernement so to euery particular Church are ordeined seuerall Pastours and yet in the meane whiles finde no lacke at all of your new vpstart Monarchie whereof was neuer question moued in the golden age of the primitiue church But you Reply with pretie poppet reasons That contentious can not bee calmed nor outrages suppressed except some one be ordeined chief and head of the Church This fonde distinction the common course of humaine actions doth vtterly extinguish For euery seuerall Prince doth gouerne his common weale with wholesome distinct ordinaunces and yet make not so great aduauncement of this stately Monarchy as you do phantastically dreame But perhappes this is neédefull in matters of Religion why I pray you more then in temporall regiments The gouernement of Rome it selfe for the singularitie wherof you play the champion wil minister examples vnto vs of either part Augustus was an honorable Emperour Vespasian indifferent but Caius Caligula and Nero were horrible monsters who did not onely
cause it to shieuer in peéces to the grounde Osorius doth preferre vnmaryed lyfe before wedlocke alleadgyng hereunto Paule to the Corinthes We also confesse euen as much as Paule sayth yea very gladly so that ye alledge Paule whole and vnmangled It is good sayth Paule for a man not to touche a wife but hee addeth a correction yet for auoyding fornication let euery man haue his owne wife I would sayth Paule euery man were as I am hereunto hee knitteth fast a correction likewise But euery man hath his proper gift of God one after this maner an other after that I might rehearse more to the same effect out of the same Chapter But Paules meanyng is conceaued sufficiently in these few sentences And yet to confesse the truth this your disputation of single lyfe auayleth not properly to mainteine your Monckerie for vnmaried life extendeth it selfe to all estates of Christians generally and is not restrained to Monckes onely But you oppresse vs with exāples partly auncient as of Basile Paule Ierome Nazianzene Partly of these later yeares as Dominicke Bruno Fraūcisce Here I might take lawfull exception to your testimonies if I would for Frauncisce was no Moncke besides that also vnlearned altogether a forger of friuolous superstitions as appeareth by those durtie dregges whiche you call Golden Legendes And who that Bruno was must be enquired amongest the Friers for els where is no mētion made of him neither yet of Dominicke The residue of the Fathers except Gregory professed a solitarie lyfe but enduced hereunto partly through desire of learnyng partly for vprightnesse of lyfe yelded more commoditie to the Christian profession then may easily be expressed whose dayly conuersatiou rules of maners did as farre differre from the rules of our Mōckes as the heauens are distant from the earth and good from euill But let vs graunt all that you will and admit those Monckes whom you speake of to bee godly and commendable persons for in deéde some were such may they therfore be compared in equabilitie of estimatiō to those men who were conuersaunt amongest the fellowshyp and common societte of men will you know whom I will name I will first of all name Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour then some that were before him Abrahā Isaac Iacob the Patriarches Esay Ieremie notable Prophetes next after the commyng of Christ the glorious cōpany of the Apostles All these almost except Christ alone were maryed and euery of them adioyned them selues to the commō societie of men that they might profite the generall felowshyp of mankynd What say you M. Ierome May your Monckes though neuer so commendable be compared to this felowshyp of so excellent and famous personages May any equabilitie seéme to bee betwixt them either in the excellencie of the holy Ghost or in sinceritie of lyfe or in antiquitie of tyme There can be no comparison betwixt them my Lord neither was any neéde at all to rehearse these examples if you had well ordered your talke herein for this generall company beyng the floure of the auncient primitiue Church standyng in the face of your drowsie lozelles will so dazell their sight that they shall not be able to lift vp their eyelyddes for the inaccessible brightnesse of them And yet do not I condemne vnmaried lyfe or that kynde of sole lyfe I condemne your false and wicked argument whereby you would persuade the vnmaried Christian to be better and more holy then the maried and the solitarie better then the Citizen S. Paule is of a contrary iudgement But the righteousnesse of God by the Faith of Iesus Christ is with all men and vpon all men that beleue for there is no differēce We haue all sinned and haue neede of the glorie of God but we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesu. Paul doth speake here playnly There is no difference Osorius doth make a difference whom shall we beleue Agayne The same Paule Glorie honor and peace to euery person that worketh good to the Iewe first then to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons before God If God doe not respect the person where is then the singularitie of your Mōckes if he regard not the place as appeareth by the wordes of Christ to the womā of Samarie The tyme shall come and now is c. whereunto tendeth your solitarines wherof you dispute so idlely All persons sayth Paule which are Baptized haue put on Christ here is nother Iewe nor Gentile bonde nor free man nor womā for we are all one in Christ Iesu. If Christians bee all one in Christ Iesu as S. Paule witnesseth what shall become of your differēces of tymes and professions But we will leaue the scriptures whiche euery where do confute your vayne superstitions and false forged distinction How shall we satisfie the auncient fathers who do prayse Monckery wonderfully They doe commende men excellent in learnyng and vertue which doe employ their quyet leysures to the commoditie of the Church Such men will I aboundaūtly prayse as well as they For Iohn Baptist liued in the deserte then whom arose not a greater amōgest the childrē of women But what will ye conclude hereof Was Iohn Baptist a more perfect Christian liuyng in the wildernes then our Lord Iesus Christ that was cōuersaunt amongest men Truly your wicked distinction doth emplye this doctrine in effect but the auncient Fathers say not so of whō you rehearse nothyng besides bare names although they would iustifie your wordes I would not beleue them agaynst the Scriptures neither do they desire to be credited otherwise And to this point forsooth your gay defence of Monckerie so stoutly trauailed garnished with such a trimme Coape of paynted wordes wherew̄t whole leaues are beblotted is come at the last as to be adiudged either altogether superstitious or wicked or nothyng necessary At the last you departe from men and come to women and with a flat deniall affirme that virgines were not forced into Nunneries I neéde not to make any great proofe hereof for all mē that do know any thyng at all are well acquainted herewith I will therfore for this tyme content me with your own wordes For you say that it was forbidden by the Tridentine Councell that frō thence forth they should do so any more How say you fine man He that forebyddeth a thyng to be done in after tyme doth hee not couertly emplye that the same was done before Write more circumspectly my Lord if you can and if you can not you were better speake nothyng at all But our reuerend father is now at very good leysure for he now begynnes to Fable with vs. He sayth that he had much conference with an idiot or simple Moncke who was often as any mention is made of the loue of God so often he falleth grouelyng on the grounde as if his senses were rauished and yet the mā is prettie witted
were at that tyme no nor deéme your selfe more holy theÌ„ Aaron Therfore where you seé so manifest Idolatry in them why make you so proude bragges of the innocencie of your Nation But you will happely say that those dayes are out of memory no such matter sticketh now in your fingers will ye therefore that I bryng you home and euidently disproue the ignorauÌ„ce and vnaduised follie of you your people by the testimonies of your owne fraternitie Truly I am contented so to doe and I will paint out your Idolatry so playnly in the sight of all men that can seé and be willyng to seé that no well disposed persons may doubt thereof hereafter Peraduduenture your eyes will dazell through corruption of dayly custome as it happened to Cerberus the dogge of hell sodenly drawen out of his darcke doungeon into the bright sunne shyne First you will graunt me this as I suppose which all your Papisticall Godmakers will yeld vnto that in that your transubstantiated white Wafers is inclosed a certeine Diuine essence and the onely substaunce of bread flowen quyte away I know not whither but that the accidents of bread remayne as at the first to witte the roundnes white colour and such like Hereof then followeth of necessitie euen by your owne Argument that who soeuer doth worshyp the white colour or any externall thyng therof subiect to the senses spectible view is a manifest Idolatour Aunswere me to this place my Lord I beseéch you if there be any sparckle oftene fayth in you Tell me when your simple vnlettered people cluster in heapes together to your Altares heaue vppe their handes knocke their brestes reuerently behold and humbly worshyp that your white rounde singyng Cake holden betwixt your fingers and lifted ouer your heades as if it were our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesu him selfe when I say this seély rude multitude doth so humble them selues and are moued in affection can they discerne betwixt the accidentes of the bread and the substaunce if they can surely your nation is deépely seéne in Logicke But if they cannot Then we may rightly conclude vpon the suppositions of your owne Deuines that they commit open Idolatry bycause they do worshyp not onely the essence of God farre hidden within wholy remoued from their senses but also the outward signes which they behold and seé with their eyes You are taken here Osorius neither can you escape me for either you must serape out your Decreés and CanoÌ„s which will procure you mortall hatred or els you must neédes coÌ„fesse the dayly Idolatry of your people except ye deny that the outwarde forme of bread is worshypped by them wherein they will witnes agaynst you if neéde shall require And therfore if your fayned God may euidently be founde culpable of euideÌ„t Idolatry Your errour is much more apparant in worshyppyng of Images I did set downe before the wordes of our Sauiour Iesu Christ vsed to the woman of Samaria touchyng the true worshyppyng of God Aboue alledged also the auncient custome of the Primitiue Church when as no grauen or paynted Images were permitted to be worshipped In this most assured testimonies and ordinaunces of our Religion this our great Deuine and Maister is altogether mumme but that hee cauilleth a litle I know not what about the Images of the Crosse to witte That the fame was deepely emprinted in the harts of meÌ„ in that auÌ„cient and florishing age of the primitiue Church but that pictures were needelesse sith that tyme. The same doe we also confesse franckly For there be two notable rules very true prescribed by God as Principles whereby the auncient vse and rule of Christian Religion and dueties of Christian lyfe may be dayly enured preserued The one is that we apply our myndes to read the holy Scriptures The other is that we yeld atteÌ„tiue eare vnto them For all Scripture sayth Paule is geuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teache to admonish to improue to amende and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes If we bee made absolute and perfect by the holy Scriptures what neéde we any helpe of your pictures In those holy Scriptures is the liuely Image of God the Father the liuely picture of Iesu Christ our Sauiour the true Crosse true worshippyng true Religion to bee founde But you are fouly fallen away from this auncient veritie you haue wickedly buryed in darkenesse the Testament of Iesu Christ you haue treacherously discredited the authoritie of holy Scriptures and in place of these pure and knowen founteines of our true Religion ye haue in your Churches planted a wonderfull rabble of woâ—meeaten pictures and portraictes of dead bodyes to be worshipped you haue instructed the rude and vnlettered people with mens traditious and haue vtterly drowned the holy Scriptures beyng the most pleasaunt and plentyfull foode of the soule with ouerflowyng puddles of stinckyng Ceremonies This is very true Osorius yea it is to true And you beyng a Byshop and a distributer of the holy misteries of God shall to your intollerable anguish of mynde feéle this to be true which you shal be sommoned before the dreadfull Iudgement seate of the Lord From whence you shal be throwen into euerlasting tormentes if ye amende not in tyme. But there is no droppe of sounde or sober witte in you for amyddes your disputation touchyng the worshyppyng of God you sodenly skippe from the matter and returne to your wonted shiftes and demaunde of vs. If wee haue founde our selues more inclinable to praye sith the abolishyng of Images then before First of all This concerneth not the controuersie anythyng at all Then who hath authorised you beyng a Portingall to be Iudge and Inquisitour ouer vs Englishmen Enquire ye for the demeanours of your owne people of Siluain and let vs alone with our owne Byshops It greéueth you much that the Reliques of Thomas of CauÌ„terbury are defaced whom it pleaseth you to call a most holy man beyng in very déede an exectable Traytour O goodly Doctour of the Church that require vs to worshyp the rotten stinckyng carkase of a pielde trayterous Priest Persuade that els where for in England women children and naturall fooles do detest the stincking Rames crauyne and Idolatrous Shryne of that Rebellious traytour Neither are you pleased bycause I rubbe your Schoolemen on the gall a very sacred societie if we credite you most pure pillers of Christian ReligioÌ„ agréeyng consentyng with the auncient Apostles but if they be tryed by their owne trinckettes they wil be founded a pestilent generation of Uipers full of vnsauory brabbles corrupt doctrine altogether boyde of witte addicted to all superstitioÌ„ And there is no discréet person amongest our aduersaries that hath any smatche of founde learnyng except a very fewe but doe vtterly detest and reiect this filthy puddle of SchoolemeÌ„ And yet you sir Ierome suppose to
it quoth Cicero for if you had bene taught any thyng at all you would neuer haue written so absurdely Euen in like maner may I beleue no man better theÌ„ Osorius him selfe that he neuer had any other Schoolemisters besides Confession For of a wicked and corrupt Schoolemysters is hatched a proude and hautie sholer standyng in his owne light a despiser of all others an importunate brauler a prattlyng Sophister a shamelesse rayler an vnmeasurable slauÌ„der and a peruertour of holy Scriptures and true godlynes How much better had it bene for you if you had had lesse conference with Massemongers and bene more acquainted with S. Paule Hee would haue instructed you in all sobrietie modestie iustice pietie fayth charitie patience and meckenesse Whereof you seéme to haue leâ—rned no title in all your sweéte confessions nor so much as heard whether any such matter be or euer haue bene So farre and wyde doth both your speach your reason dissent and disagreé as altogether estrauÌ„ged from them Yet ye proceéde notwithstandyng in this desperate trauaile of Confession which beyng staggeryng and ready to fall you doe vnderproppe with workes least it fall to the grounde For thus ye write Yet notwithstandyng we doe not so content our selues with this Confession of sinnes but that we exact fruites of RepentauÌ„ce which we vse to name Satisfactions a word that you scorne at most insoleÌ„tly Behold this fine scholer of Confession so well poolished in the schoole of his Massemongers that hee hath learned that Christians are required to bryng foorth fruites worthy of Repentaunce O deépe and profounde doctrine as though any Cobbler or Carter did euer deny or were ignoraunt in this point but you haue coupled hereunto an other new companion a meare straunger to ChristiaÌ„ eares For you say that the fruites of Repentaunce are named of you by this name SatisfactioÌ„s I do know very well that your MassemoÌ„gers Friers schoolemen haue thrust into the church this new wicked name of Satisfaction but I know this also that you haue done this to your great shame and reproch For it is a manifest vntruth contrary to all holy Scriptures contrary to the doctrine of the sacred and Apostolicque Church contrary to the iudgements of the approued auncient fathers But we do heare Iohn say you exhorting them which had confessed their faultes to bryng forth fruites worthy of Repentaunce and you adde that the same wordes were repeated by that great maister of righteousnes the Redemer of mankynd I doe confesse this Osorius what conclude you hereof we must bryng forth fruites worthy of Repentaunce Ergo fruites worthy of RepentauÌ„ce must be named SatisfactioÌ„s Cursed be your Confessours Osorius that could instruct you no better in Logicke Osorius hath suckt out of Confession the rules of good lyfe Ergo he must do nothyng els A very like conclusion a fit whelpe of that schoole where you were trayned vp But let vs seé if your Satisfactions be not vtterly ouerthrowen with the same Scriptures wherewith you thinke to establish them Iohn pointyng vnto Christ with his finger Behold quoth he the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world If Christ take away the sinnes of the world how caÌ„ workes satisfie but harken vnto Christ him selfe whom you do worthely name the great Schoolemaster of righteousnesse When you haue done all sayth hee that are commaunded you say yet we are vnprofitable seruauntes we did no more then we ought to doe Behold we are vnprofitable seruauntes in the chiefest perfection of our workes Ergo your Satisfactions are cold nothyng worthe That pure and chosen vessell of God Paule doth teache in this maner I am not guiltie of any thyng yet am I not iustified hereby If Paules vndesiled conscience cleare of all crimes were not auaylable to iustification then of very necessitie all your owne and the SatisfactioÌ„s of all your sect are lame and cripled But let vs learne of the same Paule from wheâ—ce true Christians ought to fetche full Satisfaction and absolute perfection Christ sayth he hath by one onely oblation made perfect for euer them whiche are sanctified This one onely Sacrifice of Christ offred vp in the Altar of the Crosse is our Satisfaction our perfection and our witnessing and shal be for euer not ours onely but of all those also which shal be made perfect in tyme to come We doe beleue Paule we doe beleue Iohn and we doe beleue Christ. If you do not beleue those there be other companions fit for you to company withall namely the Pharisies whiche scorned Christes preachyng vnto whom he sayd You be they which iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your harts for that whiche is glorious in the sight of men is abhomination before God Take heéde Osorius take heéde I say that you be not of the nuÌ„ber of those Pharisies lest God abhorre you turne his face froÌ„ your glorious SatisfactioÌ„s shyne they neuer so gorgiously in the sight of meÌ„ You cauill after your old maner I can not tell what agaynst the vanitie of me and our Deuines wherein I will not braule with you lest I fill whole Uolumes with superfluous matters as you do but I will meéte with you in those thynges onely wherein seémeth some matter of coÌ„trouersie You bryng a very sit and elegant cause surely whereby you would shewe why we should not confesse to God alone but rather fleé out to your Confessours For that God you say can not be so easily perceaued of vs hee hath appointed his Vicares on the earth whiche should exercise his authoritie so that who would refuse them would refuse God him selfe c. First of all ye deny that God caÌ„ be clearely perceaued as though the sight of God were necessarie to the daÌ„nation of sinners This is to to lumpish Osorius more fit for that Cowled Asse your companioÌ„ then for you No maÌ„ euer hath sene God nor caÌ„ seé him and yet through Christ we do offer vnto God the father the sacrifice of thankesgeuyng and magnifie his holy name This matter apperteineth not to the sight of the eyes it apperteineth to the mynde and inward seélyng of the soule which clyming vnto God in harty sorrow and sighyng is neuer throwen downe from the beholdyng of his infinite goodnesse I liue sayth the Lord and take no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that the wicked conuerte from his wicked way and liue be ye conuerted therfore be ye conuerted from your wicked wayes wherfore will ye dye O ye house of Israel With like geÌ„tlenes doth our Sauiour Iesus Christ call vs vnto him Come vnto me all ye that are laden and I will refresh you I will geue to them that are thirstie of the well of life freely And yet Osorius beleueth that bycause of the absence of Christ Uicares must be substituted Paule taught vs farre otherwise saying The Lord is neare vnto all them that call vpon
what sayth Osorius in the Ceremonies of the old law no not so for that were altogether Iewish in Fayth therfore neither yet so in any wise for this is the very doctrine of Luther Uouchsafe therfore a good felowshyp Osorius to escry out one safe Hauen for vs wherein we poore forlorne abiectes may cast Anker saue our selues frō shipwracke Forsooth in workes sayth Osorius and in keépyng the prescribed rules of vertuous lyfe That is to say in Innocencie in chastitie in modestie in abstinence in vprightnesse of mynde in holynesse of Religion in feruentnesse of the spirite in aboūdaunce of the loue of God in earnest endeuour of godlynesse in deédes of righteousnesse dueties of pietie in geuyng much almonesse in obedience in keépyng peacible vnitie and such like ornamentes treasures wherof Osorius in many wordes maketh a long rehearsall Of all whiche vertues there is not so much as one croome or sparckle in these Lutherans and Buceranes and these new Gospellers thē which kynde of people nothyng can bee named more wicked nothyng thought vpon more pestiferous nothyng more troublesome in the common wealth nothyng more readyly armed to rayse maliciousnesse to sow contentious quarelles strife enemitie nothyng more pernicious to procure the destruction of Princes none more geuē to bloudsuckyng and Treason who beyng embrued with all wickednesse licentiousnesse libertie lust with all manner shamelessenesse crueltie and madnesse outragiously rushe into all places whereby they may thrust their Gospell in place and defile all thynges with filthy stenche wheresoeuer they make neuer so litle abode they corrupt the land with trecherous villanies finally they doe poyson the ayre they doe abandone chastitie geue full scope to voluptuousnesse roote out all feare of Gods law and mans law and in all this outrage they promise vnpunishable libertie On the contrary parte I meane in the Court of Rome and in all that most sacred Citie florisheth a farre other maner of countenaunce and Maiestie of seuere discipline and vertuous lyfe And first of all in that most royall hygh and chief Prelate and most renowmed Monarche of all Prelates sittyng in Peters owne chayre In those Reuerend estates of the Tridentine Councell in the worshypfull Massemongers of the Romish Church in the great Doctours of that old Gospel in Monasteries and Dorters the very forgeshops of most pure doctrine in the most chast Selles of holy Nunnes finally in all that sacred Senate and Catholicke people no such Presidentes of wickednesse and abhomination may bee seene no spotte so much of corrupt infection raigneth no ambition no lust no insolencie neither any kynde of malice no quarellyng no crueltie no foule or vnseémely thyng sauoryng of any earthly contagion can be discernable amongest this generation But whole heapes yea huge mountaines of godly and heauealy store doth florishe and abounde no vnquietnesse or molestation of Empires and Princely gouernement no seéde plottes of mortall warres no shew so much of bloudy battell no Treason no ouerthrowe of Kynges and publicke authoritie nor any seditious plātes of cōtentious discorde finally no earthly thyng in the secret closettes of the Romishe Court in so much that if Diogenes would in midday with torche in hād prye neuer so narrowly he should no be able to finde in all the Citie of Rome one Harlot or strumpet so much To conclude it is not possible to heare amōgest that most sacred Catholicke conuenticle any sounde of cauillation at all no mutteryng of outragious slaunders no blaste of cunnyngly forged lyes wherof as all others of that sect are cleare so are these bookes of Osorius chiefly most purely purged wherein appeareth no smatche of brabling distempered affections no lyeng slaunder nor iarre of erronious doctrine no significatiō of a mynde troubled and seuered from the Castle of Reason But all thynges are debated and expounded with peaceble gentlenesse quyet tranquillitie of mynde wonderfull lenitie and mildenesse not with rigorous and malicious wordes not with slaunderous carterlike reproches but with inuincible Argumētes as forcible as the dartes of Achilles or Hector discharged I thinke out of the very guttes of the Troian horse nothyng vttered to the vayne ostentatiō of witte or reuengemēt of spightfull hatred as it were in Triumphe of victory fie beware of that gentle Reader but of a very simple earnest desire to aduaunce vertue pietie for this especiall cause forsooth that those sparkes and Embres of honesty and godlynesse which Luther hath raked vp buryed and vtterly quenched out might once agayne be quickened and florishe in that most sacred Seé of Rome These euen these same bee the workes if ye will neédes know them Catholicke Reader and good deédes of those men wherewith they doe prepare an entyre to true righteousnesse and furnish their iourney to heauen and wherewith as it were with ladders they clymbe by steppe to the purchase of eternall inheritaunce And how els this euen this must bee the right way to heauen But in the meane space with how many foggy and thicke cloudes hath S. Paule the seruaunt of God Apostle of Iesus Christ ouerwhelmed the Christiā people And into how deépe and darkened doungeons hath he drowned our senses Who albeit was rapt into the thyrd heauen had not as yet conceaued this incomprehensible wisedome out of the very forgeshops of mysticall Philosophy Belike he could not escry throughout all the heauens this hidden secret that men are not Iustified by workes but are made righteous by the Fayth of the sonne of God so by fayth that in no respect by workes Finally that the especiall meanes and singular substaunce of our Iustification is in this sorte to bee wayed as that it may not be attayned els where then in Christ onely nor by any other meanes then through Fayth onely in Christ. But if S. Paule had not receaued this doctrine from heauen or had not taught vs the doctrine which he receaued from thence or if you for your part Osorius had disputed after this sort as ye teach now in any Paynyme common wealth or before any Ethnicke Philosophers or amongest the Iewes or Turkes it might happely haue come to passe I suppose that this your Aristotlelike Iustice might haue obteined at the least some resemblaunce of truth or perhappes crept into some credite nay rather it is not to bee doubted but if the Iewes them selues or Turkes were now consederate with you in Portingall in the same Argument they could not scarsely alledge any other proofes then you bryng forth vnto vs at this present neither would I thinke expoūde the same in any other phrase of words then your selfe do vse But now for as much as we contend not together in Tullies Tusculane questions nor in his Academycall probabilities nor in Platoes common wealth nor in the Iewishe Thalmude ne yet in the Turkes Alcaron but in the Churche of Iesu Christ surely ye ought to haue regarded the place chiefly where you were when ye wrate this
ioue Peace yea and mainteyne Peace amongest them selues yet good men onely good Syr haue not Peace alone How glorius acceptable a thyng soeuer Peace is accoumpted to be in her owne nature yea though it be chiefly embraced and hadd in greatest price with good men Yet is not Peace alwayes and altogether conuersaunt amongest good men onely nor the entoyeng of Peace alone doth make men to be good For there is a certeyne Peace amongest the wicked Yea Pirates Theéues Robbers haue their certeine Peace and agreément in willes Neither is it to be doughted but that false Catholiques and such like heretiques haue their seuerall Conuenticles and peacyble bandes of concorde and consent euē as the false Apostles and false Prophetes had in tymes past They that worshypped the Golden Calfe and they that conspired took counsell agaynst the Lord cryeng Crucifige agaynst him did represent a certeine forme of the Churche and were firmely knitte together in mutuall Peace and agreément of myndes If it be an haynous matter to dissolue the bandes of Peace and knittyng together of fellowshyppes concluded and determined vpon for euer occasion whatsoeuer we must neédes thinke that Cicero dealt very wickedly who at the tyme of Catelynes conspiracie did breake a sunder and sparckle abroad the false treatheries of this detestable cōspiracie beyng linked together with a certeyne wonderfull agreément of willes and affections yea and affyed together sworne in one by drinkyng a cup of bloud So also did Elias very naughtely who detected so great a nūber of the Priestes of Baal agreéing together so constaūt in errour and in so great a tranquillitie causing them to be slayne And therfore it is not enough to pretend the names titles of Peace and of the Churche onely if their effectes be not aunswerable Peace sayth Hillarie hath a glorious name and truth is had in great admiratiō but who doughteth of this that the onely vnitie and peace of the Church and of the Gospell is that which is of Iesu Christ alone c. Now as the Peace of Christ and Christes true Churche doth alwayes lyue in a perfect vnitie so together with vnitie doth it alwayes enioy perfect truth and veritie On the contrary part that Peace and Churche whatsoeuer is not grounded vppon the Rocke of Christes infallible truth is not Peace but Battell rather is not the Churche of Christ but a conspirary of naughty packes And therfore we do seé many tymes come to passe that vnder the name of Peace very naturall dissentiōs are fostered and many persons are deceaued by the paynted vysour of the title of the Churche yea they are many tymes accumpted seditious persons which doe vphold and mainteyne Peace and tranquilitie most After this maner Tertullus the Oratour did accuse S. Paule to be a seditious fellow so was Christ him selfe also and his Apostles exclaymed vpon as seditious by the Phariseés the holy Martyrs were likewise charged with treasō procuring of vprores by that vnbeleéuyng Emperours and miscreant infidels Euen so fareth it now a dayes with Luther the Lutheranes Luther sayth he doth rende a sunder the Peace and tranquillitie of the Church with his writynges and preachynges doth teare in peeces Christes Coate that is without seame rayseth tumultes and vprores doth entāgle whole Christēdome with dissentions and varieties of opinions And why so Osorius I pray you From sooth bycause he doth discouer the liuely well-springes of sounde doctrine bycause he doth enstruct men to cōceaue the most wholesome and souereigne Grace of God in his Sonne and declareth vnto them the true rule of righteousnes and the true Peace which is in Christ Iesu bycause be allureth all men to the onely mercy of GOD excludyng all mans merites and vayne confidence of Freewill Now bycause their bleare eyed dulnes could not endure the sharpenes of this light from hence flush out all these fluddes of complaints from hence rush out all these Tragicall scoldinges exclamations wherewith these Rhetoricall Becons haue conceaued so greéuous a flame ragyng out on this wise Is not this mōstruous wickednesse is not this horrible maddnesse is not this intollerable presumption what feuer doth make thee so frantike Haddon what furies doe possesse thee Luther what paynes of haynousnesse doe pursue thee And such like pleasurable ornamentes of whotte eloquence which scarse any man can read without laughyng For who can endure to heare common outlawes complainyng of Sedition Truly I suppose Osorius that with the very same wordes and euen in the same maner of outrage or surely not much vnlike Herode and the whole Nation of Phariseés did crye out whenas the fame of Christes byrth being bruted abroad it was sayd that Herode the king was exceedingly troubled and with him all Ierusulem also And therfore accordyng to this Logicke and Rhetoricke of Osorius Let vs condemne Christ him selfe for a seditious fellow bycause vnlesse that child had bene borne and that Sonne had bene geuen vnto vs those troubles had neuer arisen amongest the Iewes What shall we say to that Where the same Christ afterwardes beyng now of well growē yeares did declare in playne open wordes That he came not to send peace in the earth but a sword but diuision but fire and that he desired no one thyng more earnestly thē that the same fire should be kindeled Wherfore if it be so much to be feared least breach of Peace and concorde breéde offence Let this Portingall aduise him selfe well whether Christ shal be here accused as farre forth as Luther bycause in the Gospell he is sayd to sturre vppe the Father agaynst the Sonne the daughter agaynst the mother the stepmother agaynst the daughter inlawe and the daughter in lawe agaynst the stepmother two agaynst three and three ogaynst two or whether Luther ought to be acquited with Christ for as much as in this accusation he can not duely be impeached with any one cryme which may not also aswell be charged vpon Christ. If the Peace of the Catholickes be disturbed in these our dayes through Luther the same also happened to the Phariseés in old tyme by the meanes of Christ and his Apostles yea not to the Phariseés onely but also in sturryng vppe all the Natiōs of the earth in an vproare wherein yet no fault can be layed vpon Christ who is himselfe the Prince of Peace and can by no meanes be vnlike him selfe In lyke maner and with lyke consideration Luthers doctrine is to be deémed as I suppose For what a sturre soeuer the Papisticall generation keépe in these our dayes yet surely is not their Peace hindered by Luther or if it be yet ought not he to be accused that ministred wholesome playster to the wound but the fault was to be imputed rather to them whose cankers were so vncurable that could not endure the operation of the Medicine And therefore as touchyng the crime of sedition and troublesome disturbaunce
pure elegancy of Cicero do seeme in his iudgement childishe stammerers in vayne haue Augustine Ierome Ciprian Ambrose Gregory Bernard in vayne haue the Romish Prelates and all other expositours both of the Greéke and the Latine Churches in vayne haue Angrensis Dalmata Alphonsus Turianus Andradius bestowed great and paynfull labours in writiÌ„g whose style and forme of phrase if be throughly viewed and considered peraduenture the more part of them will be found to differre as farre from the finesse of Cicero as Haddon doth That I may be so bolde to make no mencioÌ„ at all of Scotus Sotus LoÌ„bardus Gratiane Thomas de Aquino Raphaell Gabriell and such like trasshe yea how many may a maÌ„ pyke out from amongst the most famous and true Christian deuines who of sett purpose haue abased their stile not because they could not write so loftely of the thinges that you esteéme of so gaâ—ly but because they were of this minde that this hawty loftinesse of affected Eloquence woulde not agreé with the naturall simplicitie of the Gospell Whereupon Ierom writing to Pammachius seemeth in this respecte to haue him in the more estimacioÌ„ because he despised Cicero in respect of Christ and farther also is of this Iudgement that in the expositioÌ„ of scriptures the nycetye of speache ought not onely to be dissimuled but also vtterly eschued because it might be more profitable for all ingenerall Christ our sauiour accompteth the high and great thinges of this worlde to he execrable and abhominable in the sight of God And the Prophet Esay doth with wonderfull manacing threaten Manasses the day of the Lord agaynst all things that be fayre beautifull florishing things of this world Paule in enlarging the knowledge of the Euangelicall doctrine durst not beginne the same with high and lofty Rhetoricall speache nor furnishe his wordes with humayne Eloquence not because it was hard for him to do so if he listed but chose rather to refrayne least the Crosse of Christ sayth he might be made voyde and of none effect I speake not this because I would haue men tyed to such a necessitie now a dayes by his example namely sithe the Gospell of Christ doth so florish euery where as though it might not be lawfull in these dayes with what soeuer ornamentes yea of greattest estimatioÌ„ to beautifie the speache to applye the same to the vse of Christes congregatioÌ„ But yet must modest discretioÌ„ be vsed here Truely if Plato were of opinion that the last end of Eloquence was that we should deliuer vtter things acceptable to God how much more theÌ„ is the same to be required in a Deuine Aud therefore as concerning the Grace and dexteritie of Cicero whatsoeuer it be that eyther Nature did emplant in him or Industry did attayne as I despise it not but rather very well like of it and do wonder at so excellent a gift of God in him so agayne do I not reprehend in any man to immitate him so that his imitation be ioyned with Christian simplicitie so that it be done not to hawke after the proud estimation of the worlde nor to the vayne glorious ostentation of witte nor for anye priuate glory finally so that it be so applyed that discret imitation may be clearely voyde of vayne affectation Nowe what shall we say to them who reiecting all other teachers of maners and doctrine do employ all their endeuour to file vpp their tongues so addict themselues altogether to Cicero alone and so amazedly dote vpon him onely that thinke it a lesse fault not to be a Christian almost then not to be a Ciceronian nor iudge hym scarse worthy the reading though he be neuer so Christian a wryter that doth not frame hys stile after Ciceroes patterne and sauor altogether of hys delicate speache And that is the cause as I suppose why Osorius doth recken that Haddon doth wryte nothing purely and nothing playnly Not because he hath corruptly or fasly written but that it seémeth to Osori that he hath not written like a Ciceronian because hee doth not throughly resemble his dexteritie loftines although in deéde he be not very farre behinde hym And therfore this sweete man doth woÌ„der what waywardnes of minde forced him to be so bold as to wryte agaynst Osorius and coÌ„maundeth him to learne of him if it please the Muses how hawty and vehement interrogations must be applyed in place fitte for the same Last of all in steade of a Rhetoricall acclamation concluding with a Satyricall skoffe he doth aduertize hym To procede in writing franckly as hym listeth and because he will encourage hym to wryte more franckly and freely he telleth him that he may freely wryte without daunger because no man of any iudgement or skill will blame him in this respect that he is addicted to Cicero more then is needefull If there were any sense or feélyng of right or wrong in all your body or if there were any reason in all these your vnmanerly tauntes and rascallike scoffes Osorius I could acquite you with the lyke and could be contented to space them vnto you in Haddons behalfe But now for as much as this your speach is so aboundauÌ„tly replenished with vanitie and folly what were better for me to doe then accordyng to the counsell of the wise man To aunswere a foole accordyng to his foolishnesse Briefly therfore and bycause I make hast to the end of your booke to auÌ„swere not to your Argumentes which in deéde are none but to aunswere your scoffes and nyppyng conceiptes not altogether vnpleasauntly yet neuerthelesse somewhat truly Surely I do geue you harty thankes Osorius not for myne owne cause onely but in the publicke name of all the learned generally for the thynges wh you haue taught vs hetherto in these your notable books For so haue you taught as we all can not but be merry and receaue singuler delight at your doynges For what is he that can absteine from laughing that shall heare you disputyng vpon those matters in wh you seéme to behaue your self no more aptly then as though a blind man should discerne betwixt colours and a Camell Iudge of dauncing You take vpon you to determine franckly betwixt true and false ReligioÌ„ very hautely and proudely but yet much more impudently And yet it shal be as easie a matter for a maÌ„ to finde as much Relligion in Tullies Offices yea and as true as this your Relligion is which you haue so gloriously painted out in these your bookes hetherto a fewe sparckles onely except Likewise also throughout the whole course of the rest of your discourse how often haue your friuolous and confused Argumentes moued me to myrth and laughter As where you thrust your selfe to stoughtly into the matter of Iustification Predestination in all which kinde of doctrine notwtstaÌ„dyng you seéme as meére a strauÌ„ger as though you came new froÌ„ India neither dare once so much all the while in all your
to vnlose it then Haddon was we should at least stand maruelously amazed at the inscrutable ingeniousnes of the man For determinyng with him selfe to make a playne demonstration that these new Gospellers as he calleth them should not in any wise be harkened vnto but should be banished out of all common weales as common plagues and maisters of all misrule and wickednesse he frameth his Argument vpon this pointe That whereas they tooke vpon them to restore the auncient puritie of the Gospell infinite mischiefes doe reigne notwithstandyng amongest their Auditories And that these teachers do keepe Schoole no where but they make the whole couÌ„trey there the worse for theÌ„ To this Sophisticall quicke HaddoÌ„ makyng auÌ„swere affirmeth that it is neither true that Osorius fableth of that waywardnesse of this people neither yet though it were true that it is preiudiciall to the defence of the cause now in hand For the controuersie here doth concerne properly matters of Relligion to the which if the conuersations of the professours were not correspondeÌ„t or if the séedes of Christes Gospell did not fall vpon the fruitefullest grounde altogether but were choaked vppe with thornes or that the Corne were ouergrowen with Cockell and Tares the fault therof was not in the word but in the people For humane actioÌ„s had neuer so good successe in this world but that the greater sorte were alwayes delighted with the worst and the worst part many tymes preuayled beyond the best And that this came to passe long sithence not onely in the tyme of Christ and his Apostles but in the age of the holy Martyrs also and doth likewise happen by a certeine continuall order and enterchaunged course of the world dayly and hourely so that not onely the Preachers of the word but the Church of Rome it selfe neuer wanteth matter sufficient of great greéuous complaintes And albeit as the maners of men are through the caÌ„kerd peéuishnes of wayward frowardes the most sacred word of God be euill spoken of amongest the Paganes and Infidelles yet if the matter be debated amongest wise and discrete personages it will not be thought matter reasonable that the thyngs which of their own nature are good should be called in question and condemned for the naughty behauiour of naughty packes abusing the same And therfore that Osor. did amisse herein to wrest the whole state of the question to maners and euill conuersation which did onely concerne matter of Relligion Moreouer also though neuer so straight InquisitioÌ„ were made of the life and maners of the professours of the worde yet behoued not Osorius to bende him selfe so sharpely agaynst our Preachers with any accusation before he had throughly acquited or at least wise aunswered the griefes and complaintes of many others of his own Catholickes which are much more haynous and worthy of speédy reformation To these reasons of Haddon let vs heare what Osorius doth I say not dispute but with open mouth cry out first he vaunteth and triumpheth that his argument is not resolued Afterwardes this gallant glorious Thraso doth meruaile very much with what face Haddon may deny this to be trew seeing that the very poreblinde do see it and is common in euery barbours shoppe sealed with the testimony of all men yea wherewith the Siopodes are so well acquainted also as he sayth that it is merueile that any man could be so shameles to deny it to be true For what is he that doth not onely coÌ„ceaue in imagination but also not behold with hys eyes yea feele it in the whole body to the great griefe of hys hart that luste doth raunge euery where allowed vnbrydeled licenciousnesse pestereth euery corner vnpunished Sanctuaries Religious houses lye tumbling in bloâ—d that Temples and Churches be robbed and spoyled Treasons practised agaynst Princes and Gouernours Finally all places whersoeuer these doctours teach schoole to be in a tumult and vproare And forasmuch as Haddon doth not onely heare all these not by report onely and confereÌ„ce of histories but also behould the same with hys eyes openly and vsually frequented how can he say that these things were neuer done March on couragiously in this dexteritie sharpnes of witte O Benedicte But go to let vs coÌ„sider awhiles the force of this ingeniouse man Whersoeuer these new preachers sayth he do plant themselues and teache there may you see all thinges polluted with most filthy Brambles Cockell and Darnell The man hath spoken But how shall I knowe this to be true that ye speake Osorius for sooth he is past all shame that denyeth it And why so I pray you Because the matter is knowen published abroad euery where to NatioÌ„s Countryes Ilandes all people finally bruted abroad ratified by the report of all meÌ„ Behold gentle reader a very woÌ„derfull euident demonstration concluded not with arguments silogismes as men are wont to dispute in the schooles of Chrisippus Cratippus but ratified yea sealed also as oratours vse to verifie their causes before the Iudges by the testimonye of publique seales and witnesses yea and that not by the report of a few but of all maner of meÌ„ of the people of Calecute I suppose of the Massagets Antipodes men of a new world yea beyond all herring as they say So farre so wide doth this Prelates knowledge of all thinges outstretch it selfe that he can test vpon hys fingers endes what all men do euery where what they speake and what they heare what may you require to be of more credite Christian reader sithence the worlde it self and the whole compasse of the same produced is wittnesse againste these newe prophettes the Lutheranes Which if might speak altogether with one mouth woulde vse this testimony as I thinke Whatsoeuer disorders and mischiefes whatsoeuer lust and vnpunished licenciousnes whatsoeuer outragious sacrilege whatsoeuer treacherous treason and conspiracies were euer hard of amongest any people the same be chiefly and aboue all others frequented and raigne especially amongst the coÌ„mon weales of the Lutheranes through the doctrine and preaching of their Prophettes In witnesse whereof we all and euery of vs as many as liue in this world doe set to our seales Ratifie and confirme the same to be true with our handes The worlde it selfe I think if it could speake would not speake otherwise forsooth And because it cannot speake for it selfe it hath appoynted Osorius to be proctor of the cause to speake for it In a matter therefore so manifest so approued and fealed is there any so impudent an Haddon that will dare to deny this But that ye may wonder yet a great deale more at his Rhetoricall amplification he proueth it to be true not onely by the suffrages of dumme men but cyteth to witnesse agaynst Haddon himselfe his owne eyes and eares Do ye not see sayth he with your eyes what should Haddon seé with his eyes do ye ask Osorius doughtles he might seé
many horrible and vnspeakeable abhominations if he liued nowe for who is so blinde that cannot see so Impudent that will denye that all places are ouerladen with forlorne villanies lecheries murthers Robberies Treasons Uproares and conspiracies But if inquisition be made for the speciall place where these abhominations do raigne mostâ— what place may we poynt out vnto you more notorious then Rome it selfe the mother See of the Catholicke Church where Harlottes Bawdryes howses of Stewes Brothell houses and all kyndes of filthy lechery are opeÌ„ly haunted not onely not punished but made also very gainfull marketts to the Popes treasory Where you appoynt the chiefe Seé of your whole Religion the same may I boldly and with great reasoÌ„ approue to be that caruell and Botche of true religion the Metropolitane Citie of all abhominations the Butcherow and shambles of Christian Bloud the sincke of thefte and auarice the very forge and schoolehouse of all Treasons Trecheries seditiones and abhominations If the bodyes of mortall men be the Temples of the liuing God who hath vyolated and defiled more temples of GOD with fire fagotte and goare then the Bishoppes of Rome And in good tyme is the vproare of Germany remembred in this place If it might be lawfull for me to bryng forth what I could out of histories Recordes and Reportes how easy a matter were it for one perticuler example onely which notwithstanding is altogether impertinent to religion to spread abroad whole decades and Iliades of seditions Tumultes Schismes how easily might I poynt out by name tyme and place not onely the practises of conspiracies agaynst princes but the cruell murthers poysoninges Banishmentes and famishings procured against them one in the neck of an other Briefly in what countrey soeuer these Droues of Monckes and Nunnes do build their nestes what els shall a man seé then all thinges polluted and contaminated with most filthy and shamefull villanies and stench yea the whole world bearing witnesse Tell me I beseech you good holy father whose doctrin is this Si non casté tamen cauté if not chastely yet warely is it Luthers or some one of your profession who maketh marketts of Incestuous marriages who alioweth the concubines of priestes for hys commoditie and pleasure who persequuteth the lawfull marriage of priestes with fire and sword To leaue ouer in the meane space the vnspeakeable abuses and misteries of your couert Paphia to the couert consideration of your couled coÌ„fessioners who be priuie partakers of your hiddeÌ„ abhominations And to passe ouer withall the Crementines Beneuantanes Peters Aloisianes Casianes or that Cacus rather nor him onely the commendation of whose vnspeakeable filthines opeÌ„ly proclaimed did denouÌ„ce that stincking lechery was not only notpunished but also highly rewarded by some of you But Osorius hath found out here a very prety starting hoale to escape out at For sithe he perceaueth himselfe to be vrged so narrowly that of Necessitie he must pleade for the honesty of his Church beyng neyther able to hyde nor excuse her filthines he wringeth himselfe into this moushoole that although he can not deny that in all the societie and course of mans lyfe and that in the most fruitfullest corne stincking weeds of iniquitie do grow euery where among yet this doth neuertheles not empayre the force of his argument for he meaneth not in this place to make comparison of men and to set maners agaynst maners but he affirmeth the ground of the Argument to beâ— this To witte whereas the preachers of the new Gospell Luther Bucer Zuinglius Martyr did vndertake this vpon them to weede this corne cleane from the chaffe and to pluck vp the noysome weedes by the rootes and did bryng no ioate of their promise to passe nay rather whereas more wickednes hath bene seene to buddle vpp a fresh through their meanes hereupon he doth conclude as it were at a vauntage that the doctrine of these men is not onely vnprofitable but also pestiferous and noysome and not to be beleued in any wise on the other side to witte in the Catholique Chur. although Auarice and Ambition doe raigne in many and the sinowes of luste are not altogether rooted out yet because amongst them no newe prophet doth arise on thys wise taking vpon hym so great a charge as to restore to her former and primitiue bewty and Apostolicke neaâ—tnes the decayd Church and the doctrine of the same ouermuch weakened therefore the Argument is not of like force agaynst them To this effect almost doth Osorius frame his talke in words ouerlauish inough but in matter so nakedly and coldly that I am very loath to aunswere him The summe of this conclusion tendeth to this effect If any such new Prophet should arise amoÌ„gst theÌ„ which would take vpoÌ„ him to make a reformation of the corrupt maners of the church to the auÌ„cieÌ„t purity of the gospell did not briÌ„g to passe the same according to his promise no credite should be geueÌ„ to that prophet Luther Bucer Phillip Caluine Martyr did take vpon them to reforme the maners of the Church and made all thinges worsse Ergo They ought not to be beleeued O Saint Sophistry what kynde of Sophisme is this If a new Prophet should arise that would endeuour by all meanes possible to reduce to amendement of life such as he were able and could not atchieue his desire in all ought he not therfore to be taken for a Prophett I think this be not true What if heé could not preuayle with many shall he forthwith be accepted for no Prophett Go to what and if hys preaching entred but into a very few yea what if none almost were profited thereby do yeé think it reason that the estimation of the preacher be measured according to the number of beleuers or vnbeleuers or rather according to the spirite and truth of hys embassye Noah the eighth Prophet and preacher of righteousnes did neuer cease calling and cryeng out vpon the people to th end hee might allure all to amendment of life and yet eight persons onely no more were reserued out of that generall destruction of mankinde When Moses was sent to the Egiptians how many of all that whole multitude became a heare bredth the better for his preaching nay rather who waxed not more indurate Esay the Prophett doth cry out vnder the person of Christ. Who haue beleued our teaching If we will measure Gods Prophetts after this rule what shall we say to Ieremy and the rest of the Prophetts what shall we say to the Apostle Steuen to Paule who coÌ„playned bitterly that all had for saken him and were fallen away to the vanities of this present lyfe Now ensueth the Minor of this Sillogisme But Luther Melancton Zuinglius Bucer and Caluine which took vppoÌ„ theÌ„ this charge yet reaped no fruit agayn of innoceÌ„cy of lyfe nor of Charitie from amongst them that they were coÌ„uersaunt withall
to this your poore sheépe a litle whiles to accept of his seély bleatyng There was lately in these parties a very discrete person named Charles Miltitius your holynes Secretary and Chāberlaine with a greéuous complaint to the most renowmed Prince Fridericke touchyng my vnreuerent behauiour and vnaduised rashnesse agaynst the Church of Rome and your holynes requiryng punishmēt for the same the hearyng wherof greéued me not a litle sorowyng that my great and inward carefulnes of duetie and good will employed for the aduauncement of the honour and dignitie of the Churche of Rome was accused for vnreuerent and condemned for so maruelous wicked namely in the audience of the very head of the same Church But what shall I doe most holy Father I am altogether voyde of counsell herein I am not able to endure the power of your wrath and how I shall escape it I know not He doth require me to make a recantation of my disputations whiche if might be done to any such purpose as is imagined would come to passe I would do it wtout any let But whereas now through the unportunate resistaūce exclamations of my aduersaries my disputations are scattered farther abroad then euer I thought they would haue bene and withall are more deépely rooted in the hartes of many men then can easily be pluckt vp agayne besides this also sithence our countrey of Germany doth wōderfully floorish at this day with pregnaunt wittes sounde Iudgementes and aboundaunce of learnyng I perceaue that if I doe honor the Church of Rome I must be throughly aduised to make no recantation at all For in this maner to recant were nothyng els but to contaminate and defile the Churche of Rome much more thē before and to betray her to the open reproche and manifest infamy of all Nations and toungues Those euen those O most holy Father whom I withstoode to witte those which with their most vnsauory preachynges vnder colour of your holynes haue made a Relligion of those detestable marketts and haue defiled the holy place with the shamefull and abhominable Idolatry of Egypt haue wrought all this mischief and outrage with vs in Germany as though this were not villany enough do accuse me who withstoode them in their monstruous beggyng to be the authour of all their misdemeanour before your holynes Now most holy Father I doe here protest before God and the world that I neither was willyng nor at this present am willyng to impeach the Maiestie of the Churche of Rome nor the authoritie of your holynesse by any meanes nor by any colourable practize to deface the same but doe freély and frankely confesse that the Iurisdiction of this Church is aboue all thyngs and that nothing in heauen aboue or in earth beneath is to be preferred aboue the power of this Church sauyng onely Iesus Christ my Lord and my Sauiour To the contrary wherof let not your holynes beleéue any vntrue surmises deuised agaynst your poore Luther And that one thing which I am able to do herein I do vowe here to your holines That is to say to surcease her after from dealing any more with this matter of pardōs will become altogether mute so that mine aduersaries likewise will lay down their glorious and reprochefull slaunders raysed agaynst me will publish an instrument of my scilence herein that the cōmon people may know and acknowledge the dignitie of the Church of Rome and yeald due reuerence to the same and not to impute the rashnes of this beggarly pardoners to that honorable Seé nor to imitate the sharpenes which I haue vsed or rather haue abused agaynst the Seé Apostolicke wherein I was somewhat ouerlauish agaynst these lewde Lurdeynes This will I doe in hope that this disorder rashly raysed may by Gods grace and this meanes be alayed agayne if it be possible For in all that doyng myne onely endeuour was that our mother Churche of Rome might not be infamed for other mens couetousnes and that the vnlettered people might not be carried into errour and perswaded to set lesse stoare by charitie then by those Pardons All other thynges as beyng but matters indifferent I do make not great accompt of If besides this I can do any thyng or can learne how otherwise to please your holynesse I will yeld my selfe vnfaynedly at your commaundement Christ preserue your holynes for euer Frō Aldenburghe the iij. of Marche 1519. Now I beseéch you Osorius what can be more myldly written then these Letters of Luther more beseémyng a godly and well disposed mynde or on all partes more duetyfull in respect of humanitie The which I thought it not amysse to set downe in this place that the shamelesse slaunder of Hosius might be made more apparaunt hereby who produceth Luther into the open Stage standyng agaynst the whole world entryng into that combate for none other cause but of a greédy desire to purchase credite to hauke after the glory of the worlde and to plye the paūche who as one pricked in the buttocke with a boddkynne whē he perceaued this market of Pardons to come in question amongest the Dominicke Friers by the motion of the brothers of his own fraternitie begā therfore to sturre these coales And this he iustifieth to be true by wordes vttered out of his owne mouth For whenas in the beginnyng of his disputation agaynst Eckius he seémed somewhat to passe the boūdes of modesty and was aduertized therof by some that in Gods cause he should moderate him selfe in the spirit of lenitie he affirmeth that he brake out into these speaches namely that those disputatiōs were neither begon for Gods sake nor could be ended for Gods sake Which wordes to be either falsely imagine vpon Luther by his aduersaries neuer spokē of him or els not vttered in that sense as they be alledged by Hosius the matter it selfe doth expresse the same with open euident proofes And yet it may be that Luther both spake truly Iudged no lesse of Eckius whom he knew to be a notable Parasite of the Pope For what is he that wayeng duely both the glorious insolency of Eckius the manifest perill of Luther will dought hereof that all these broyles were neuer vnder taken of Eckius for Gods sake but begun ended also onely for the Popes sake Surely they can in no respect be construed vpō Luther not by any probable coniecture so much considering he was by Eckius forced to disputatiō very much agaynst his will But we will speake of Hosius an other tyme by gods permissiō To returne now to Osorius For as much as Luther demeaned him selfe so humbly as you seé and prostrated him selfe wholy euen vnder the feéte of the Pope what would you haue had him doe els Osorius I suppose veryly he should haue done this namely haue recāted and fallen vpon his kneés as boyes are wont when they feare the rodd should haue yelded a fault
measure without end raging vpon the bodyes vpon the goodes vpon all ages indifferently young and olde men women and children and all sexe and degrees of people yea of them also which doe confesse and professe the same Christ the eternall Sonne of God whō they do why do they broyle moyle and turmoyle all thinges with such cankred Ranckor with such furious outrage with so many dead corpses pilladge polladge as that all peacible tranquillitie beyng now vtterly taken away from out of al Christian natiōs there is no part thereof be it neuer so small which is not eyther crusht downe with more cruell and sauadge persecution then any Turke would haue vsed or at least that had not rather lyue vnder the Tyranny of the Turk then vnder the Iurisdiction of such a church What can it possibly enter into anye mans thought that these are the fruites of the holyghost or are guyded to the leading and conduct of our most meeke Sauiour Iesu Christ If you haue grounded such an indefesible confidēce vpon the truth of your cause if you stand so defensible by the protection of the holyghost agaynst all assaultes and attemptes of heretiques why then with a safe conscience and vndaunted courage do ye not committe your cause to the Lord the protector of the same and rest your selues assured vnder his sauegard following herein the good and godly councell of Gamaliell If the doctrine sayth he be not of God it will easely shiner in peeces though all the world seeke to vphold it Now this so great slaughter bootchery so great horror of Sauadge brutishe crueltie so execrable Phalarisme and Tyrāny from whatsoeuer authour it raungeth so rudely it sauoreth nothyng at all of the sweéte and amyable countenaunce of the holy Ghost surely nor of the naturall lenitie and humilitie of the Euangelicall doctrine But which he addeth last of all is of all the rest most magnificēt and Triumphaunt promising assuredly of the euerlastyng victory of his Churche that it shall remayne inuincible for euer For euen thus he speaketh wherein he seémeth in my conceite to differre very litle from that foolishe reioysing of a people mentioned in the Apocalipse who worshyppyng that same very Romishe Beast vndoughtedly did ascribe vnto her that vnuanquishable power of continuaunce euen by a like phrase of speach Who is like to the Beast say they and who is able to fight agaynst her And this much hitherto of the fayth the Church of Rome It ensueth next in order that we heare henceforth of the great Uicare of Christ somewhat and of the high and chief gouernour of the Church Bycause sayth he by the Gospell and testimony of Martyrs and the fayth and agreement of all holy Fathers Is there any more yet Finally we haue knowe the same by experience and proofe of thynges c. Goe to And what is it that you did know good Syrs That it could not possibly be that the Churche should be one vnlesse it haue one chief head the same highe Vicare of Christ. It is well and what doe ye conclude vpon this strong Reason at the last Forsooth that for this cause we yelde most humble obedience to the Byshop of Rome who is Christes Vicare vpō the earth c. Good GOD what doe I heare Osorius haue you pyked such a kynde of doctrine out of the Gospell and the Recordes of the Martyrs that there must neédes be one Churche on the earth wherein also of necessitie much be such a head as must beare chief principallitie rule and superioritie ouer all the rest In deéde if you meane this of Christ I am wholy on your side For he in very truth is the onely husbād of his onely spouse and Prince of Princes and the very head of all thynges without exception he onely is the highest and greatest of all But whereas you prouide two Princes for the Churche at one tyme together as it were an office committed vnto two persons wherof the one may supply the place of the other as though the other might in the meane tyme lye vpon one side doing nothyng I pray you good honest men did you euer learne this rule in the Scriptures Nay rather doth not the Gospell of Christ whereas it cōmaundeth all men to obedience and subiection prescribe that the Ministers of the Church aboue all others chiefly should cast away all Souereigntie and Lordlynes and should be contented with pouertie in so much that amongest the Apostles them selues it would admitte to superioritie Moreouer doth not Christ him selfe also throughout the whole Euangelistes very earnestly stirre vppe his Ministers to follow his example who was him selfe so farre of from desiryng any superioritie as that he refused the same vehemētly when it was offered would he thinke you Osori like well of such brabbling as we make now a dayes amongest our selues for Lordshyps and dignities And can you so boldly now take vpon you to be Proctour for this high Monarchy to be established in your Church cōtrary to the example of Christ defendyng the title therof by the Gospell and the Recordes of Martyrs contrary to the example of Christ him selfe and the prescript rules of his Gospell and yet in the meane tyme not vouch so much as one text out of the Gospell or the Histories of the Martyrs to make your party good Although I am not ignoraunt altogether that you haue certeine Sentences and wordes in the Gospell which by wringyng wrestyng you doe accustome to force to your purpose whether the Gospell will or no yet for as much as Haddon hath sufficiently enough aūswered those places in the first booke sith also nothyng can be superadded hereto that hath not already bene spoken it shal be but neédelesse to rubbe that gall my more But what he meaneth by Martyrs or what kinde of Martyrs he vnderstandeth I can not well perceaue If his meanyng respect those first auncient Martyrs of the Primitiue Church surely we haue ouer fewe monumentes of them left vnto vs yet none at all makyng ought for that Romishe Sinagogue But if you conceaue of the Martyrs of this later age in our dayes I am well assured that not onely the monumentes but the very bloud of thē also doth long sithence cry vnto the heauēs for vengeance against that vnconquerable Ierarchy of yours I speake here of true Martyrs And as to the Fayth and agreément of holy men vnlesse ye ioyne also hereunto a perpetuall consent of places and tymes generally and the truth also withall ye shall no more preiudice our cause then if you tell me of the consent and agreément of the Iewes cryeng out agaynst Christ Crucifige Crucifige And therfore in my conceipt your shall doe farre better if in steéde of this consent of men whereupō you bragge so lustely ye follow the counsell of Augustine Let not this be heard amongest vs sayth he This say I this say you but thus sayth
as it hath continued in lōg processe of tyme. The Fruits whereof what are they but very tumults Sectes Their dayly practizes abroad what be they but mighty Factions Their endeuours at home what be they but Scismes and ciuell disturbances where the popes and Cardinalls themselues enioy no peace but are at warres with Christ And in the same warres also are at ciuill mutynes and vproares amongest themselues It were a very long and tedious peéce of worke to gather a breuiate of all the brables Schismes and horrible tumultes frequented in that Seé these many hundred yeares and to sett them in order as either the auncient Histories of elder yeares or the monumentes of latter tyme do minister wonderfull aboundaunce of many It shall suffice to speake sūmarily as it were of a fewe by meanes whereof a more perfect coniecture may be made what is to be iudged of all that whole Seé ¶ A description of the Antiquities of Rome out of the Chronographers Martine Mounck of Chester Rodulpe Platina Volaterranus Blondus Sabellicus Phrigio Mercator Antonyne Cardinall Benno Barnes Hermane IN the yeare of our Lord God .369 Damasus was Pope of Rome Who was chosen Pope not without wonderfull sedition by meanes of the bitter contention of the Clergye At this season the Church of Rome beyng but newly deliuered from cruell persecutions beganne to picke vppe her Cromes and in some reasonable calme to grow and take hart Yet was it not aduaunced to so great possessions as yet nor to so great maiestie of Souereigntie The name of Vicar either generall or vniuersall sounded not as yet in any mans eare no man had as yet attained so deépe an insight to be able to perceaue that this Seé was erected by anye warrant of Christe his owne mouth no man did as yet so much as dreame of the Election of the order nor of the name of Cardinalls These names of a Prince of Bishoppes of Vicariat or Vicar See of Head of the Churches were not heard so much as to tingle in the eares of any Christians as yet All whiche Titles were graunted to pope Boniface the 3. enthronized through Ambition three hundered yeares after by the gifte of Phocas the Emperour Although in deede some sparckles of thys venemous Ambitiō began to be kindled as then in the Heades of diuers Popes So that whereas Vrsinus A Deacon practized to beé promoted to the very same Popedome It came to passe that a tumult being raysed they fell together by the eares tryeng whether of them should be Pope not by yealding of voyces onely but euen by playne handistrokes euen in the very Minister of Sicimus whiche skirmishe continued so long vntill Vrsinus was vanquished and the voyces preuayled for the stablishng of Damasus In the yeare of our Lord .420 was enthronized in that Seé Pope Boniface the 4. of that name against whome the Clergy conspiring An other Pope named Eulalius was chosen in the Minister of Constantine in a like vproare of the clergye was set agaynst Boniface Honorius The Emperor being troubled with this sedicion did banish them both out of the Cittie vntill by the commaundement of the same Emperour Boniface the first Pope created was restored to the Seé In the yeare of our Lord God .499 a great tumult was raysed that troubled the whole Citie and deuided it into parts about the choosing of too Popes Simachus and Laurentius whereof the one was proclaymed Pope in the Minister of Constantine thother in the Minister of our Lady Whereupon a Sinode being called at Rauenna Simmachus was created Pope But the aduerse part of the latter faccion storming thereat called Laurence back agayn in an vproare Theodorick the Emperour for thappeasing of that sedition addresseth forth one named Peter Altinates to Rome who expelling both Simmachus and Laurentius should occupy the Popedome But Simmachus could not so be quayled who gathering agayne a conuocation of Bishoppes together spake so lustely for himselfe that he obtained the Popedome agayn Laurentius and Altinates being vtterly bannished Whereupon the warres began to grow muche more whotter then before Much Christian bloud was spilte on both partes Finally the cruelty waxed so horrible that the very Noonnes began to be a pray to the confederates In the yeare of our Lord God .768 Pope Constantine beyng conuinced of Scisme and bereft of both hys eyes and besides him also an other Pope named Phillippe being deposed by force of Armes one Stephen was made Pope who gathering a Synode at Rome doth first vnpriest and afterwardes newpriest agayne all such as Const. before him had priested In the yeare of our Lord God .873 Pope Anastasius doth inuade the Popedome agaynst pope Benedict In the yeare of our Lord God .907 Leo was Pope about 40. dayes more or lesse against whom one Christopher raysing vppe a power and apprehending him casteth him into prison and at last getteth the Popedome wherein he sate skarse seuen whole monethes but being circumuented with like fraud by Sergius his successor and throwne into prison was requited with the selfe trechery that he offered before In the yeare 968. a conuocation of Bishoppes being Sommoned throughout all Italy Pope Iohn the 13. being detected of horrible crymes and refusing to make his purgation before Otho the Emperour Leo the viii of that name being as yet a lay man was in his place by the generall election of all the Bishops the Emperours consent appointed Pope gaue orders executed all other functions appertayning to the dignitie Not long after yea euen the very day of Themperours departure from Rome the Romanes taking hart of grasse agayne breaking the othe which they sware to the Emperour wherein they bound themselues that they would neuer choose any to be Pope without the consent of the Emperour or his sonne Ottho did agaynst all right and equitie through a Schisme appoynt one named Benedict Pope agaynst Leo. But there passed not many dayes before the Emperour besieging Rome did so torment and afflict the Romanes that they made a couenaunt with the Emperour to restore Leo agayne and depose Benedict frō the Popedome After whose death in the yeare 966. Iohn the 13. was aduaūced to the Seé Who beyng the same yeare taken prisoner of Ieofredus Earle of Cāpania through the coūsell of Peter then Lieuetenaunt of the Citie and thrown into prison was within a whiles after deliuered by Ottho and restored to libertie he sate as Pope seuen or eight yeares Of this Iohn the 13. thus writeth Platina This Iohn from his very youth was a merueilous wicked man and geuen altogether to lechery and did exceede all the Popes his predecessors in filthinesse of life and being taken in aduoutry was thrust through with a sword slayne In the yeare 973. After this Iohn was enstalled Benedicte the 5 in an vproare also but not continuing Pope longe For the very same yeare being taken prisoner by Cinthius
this condition that the Consuls should not be first admitted to beare rule before they should prostrate them selues at the popes feéte and sweare faythfully to become bonnaire and buxome to the Pope and the Church of Rome Blond 6. booke In the yeare 1182. albeit the first begynnyng and entring of Lucius 3. into the Popedome was somewhat cleare from sedition yet within a whiles after him selfe did minister cause of great Tumultes bycause he practized to roote out the honorable name of Consuls out of the Citie of Rome not much degenerating from Lucius was for his troublesome head called Turbulentus But bycause this place doth minister oportunitie to treate of sectes and schismes why do we protract any more tyme For if a sect be defined truly to be any opinion whatsoeuer oppugneth the naturall meanyng of the Gospell how great a champion of sectes may Pope Innocenâ—ius the 3. of that name be called I meane that Innocentius the most detestable enemy of the true Gospell aboue all other who in the yeare 1215. in the CouÌ„cell of Laterane sowed the feédes of all the broyles and troubles almost in the Church wherewith the whole Christian Nation is molested at this day Whenas first he established the heresie of Transubstantiation he yoaked Christians to auricular Confession commauÌ„ded that Remission of Sinnes should be receaued none otherwise but at the deliuerie of a Priest spoyled the lay people of the one part of the Sacrament was the first deuisor of this Tyrannicall persecution by fire namely of all such as durst but once quacke against that Catholicke Seé of Rome This is that Innocent Pope who was the very authour of all the bloudshed and calamities in the Church which hath doth consume the Protestaunts and Papistes at this day Not much vnlike vnto this monster were his next successors Honorius 3. Innocentius 4. Gregorius 9 most rebellious traytors agaynst the Emperour Fridericke the 2. in whose tyme the order of Friers Beggers was instituted Here also commeth to memory that in the tyme of this Pope Gregory 9. of whom I made mention before and through his occasion chiefly began the schismes and factions of the Guelfianes which mainteyned the authoritie of the Pope and the Gibellynes who sought the preseruation of the state Imperiall By whiche occasion how cruell and horrible warres were arered scarse calmed in an huÌ„dred yeares afterwardes the auncient Recordes and conference of Hystories whereof you vaunt a plentyfull knowledge can manifestly declare vnto you I come now to Celestine 5. which was Byshop but halfe a yeare in the yeare 1294. whom after the first moneth of his Popedome succeéded or rather rusht lyke a ruffler into that Seé Boniface 8. who kept this Celestine in prison Platin. AEmil But by what pollicie this Pope aspired to the Popedome I would desire Osorius to tell me in his next Letters if he write any after to our Queénes Maiestie For if this Boniface did cast that Celestine into prison as he sayd not of any malice but of purpose to take away occasioÌ„ of mutine that might haue groweÌ„ by the confederates on the contrary parte touchyng the Popedome why did he not restoare him agayne then when the tumultes were pacified why did he craftely deuise his exile by a deuilish practise of the souÌ„de of certeine voyces imagined to be sent from heauen into the Chamber of the Pope Marius This Pope Boniface the botcher of the Decretalls was so maliciously enflamed against certeine Cardinalles of the houses of ColuÌ„ne Vrsine as many as remained fautors of the Gibelline factioÌ„ beyng him selfe the most factious of all others that he put to the sacke and razed to the hard earth all their mansions and Castells wheresoeuer he came This is that most holy and Angelicke Patriarch who beyng at Genua vpon an Ashewednesday threwe Ashes into the eyes of Porcherus Archbyshop of Genua without regard of reuerence either of the place of the tyme or the persons that were present speakyng after this maner Memento home quod Gibellinus es cum Sibillinis in Cinerem reuerteris That is to say Remember maÌ„ that thou art a Gibellyne and with the Sibyllines shalt returne agayne into dust At the length in the most cruell Itallian warres betwixt the Sicilians fauoryng the partes of the Arragones and Robert the Duke of Calabria whenas this pope would not seéke by his authoritie to pacifie the Timult though thereunto required sundry tymes very instantly beyng not loÌ„g after taken prisoner him selfe in an vproare and carried to Rome did pyne him selfe to death for sorrow and anguish of mynde What shall I speake of Innocentius 6. and of Gregory 11. whereof the one in the yeare 1352. did after an vnspeakeable maner of cruelty commit to flamyng fier one Iohn a Frier FraÌ„ciscane bycause he taught what would become of Antichrist and of the popes of Rome From the other diuers Cities of Italy reuolted in a seditions tumult as Volaterane recordeth what shall I say of all that other factious rable of popes succeeding in order who by meanes of certayne ciuill disturbances in the Citie of Rome forsooke the Citie and translated the Seé into Fraunce continued the Election of popes in the French Nation excludyng the Romaines 74. yeares After this maner the Court of Rome playeng as it were vpon a rollyng Stage albeit it chaunged their Seé now and then yet neuer founde any place of assured rest For it was scarse as yet returned agayne within the walles of Rome from her long and werysome exile but it was wellcomed home immediately with a new Tumult For in the yeare 1378. whenas Vrbanus 6. was by force enthronized in the Popedome by meanes of the Italians the French Cardinalles mislikyng the same did chuse an other one Robert Gilbonensis to witte Clement 7. which held his Seé likewise at Auinion The vnitie of the Romishe Seé by this meanes rent a sunder in that diuision and Schisme eche Pope did excoÌ„municate the other the variable people fauored both the popes This schisme coÌ„tinued by the space of 40. yeares Vrbanâ— to be aueÌ„ged of the Cardinalles the wronges susteined by the procuremeÌ„t of Iohn kyng of Sycile procureth woÌ„derfull vproares Charles kyng of HuÌ„gary raysed an army agaynst Ioane who fauored the clayme of Clement whom afterwardes Ludowicke duke of Angew deliuered The same pope furnished one Iohn Hachut an English man with munition men whoÌ„ Vrbanus the v. had made Generall of his Army before sent him with a bande of FloreÌ„tines to Naples agaynst the sayd Ioane of whom we made mention before and withall sounded the defiaunce agaynst Charles the Kyng of Naples bycause he would not make his nephew Prince of Campania At the length this Pope beyng straightly besieged by this Charles was priuely conueyed to Genua He kept 7. Cardinalles in fetters whereof fiue he drowned in the Riuer of Tiber beyng tumbled and knitte vp into sackes He ruled the
is well enough known what meanes he vsed for the suppressing that tēptes of Carolastadius the Suenfeldians Zuinglius in hys booke entitled Elenchus contra Catabaptistas Caluin de hereticis Bullenger of Tiguirine in hys inuectiue agaynst the sectes of our time the Basileanes against the Georgianes The Heluetianes and people of Sauoye and Lumbardie how seuere and earnest pursuers were all these in rooting out of wicked opinions how estraunged and alienated from all desire of Faccions all these I say haue geuen vnto vs notable presidēts and examples therof And to speak nothing of other Churches what hath bene done in England long sithence yea and of late also towardes the ouerthrowing and confuting of erroneous opinions Let your Portugall Marchaūt certifie you by letter your notary what soeuer he be or in what corner soeuer yee lurcke whō I suppose to be sent ouer into England not for any other purpose but to become Osor. hys spye Go to where is now the experience of Osorius by the wh he hath found out in Luther as he sayth so many sectes and diuersities of opinions But the names of Sects had neuer bene so raked vp together no nor any sound of any such should euer haue bene heard at any tyme. If abode had bene made in the Fayth of the Pope and of the Romanistes So likewise also I suppose that if weé had not bene diliuered from that Ethnick Paganisme of the old Idolatrye this Botche had neuer infected our Churches neyther had Ierusalem bene euer troubled at anye tyme vnlesse Christ had bene borne neyther had so great and so many swarmes of Heretickes flusht abroad vnlesse the Apostles had preached the Gospell why therefore are we not weltered back agayn into that puddle of Paganisme or Iewishnes hauing shaken away from our shoulders the most sincere and pure religion of Christ according to the choppe Logicke of Osorius that wee may shroud our selues safely from the company of those wilde faccious Sectes and daungerous diuisions But Osorius though fallen away at the last from his tackle of mans experience hath gathered more courage yet vnto hym takyng handfast of the Ankerholde of Christ his owne wordes for the proofe of the Popes Chayre so that nowe this Seé seémeth no more humayne or terrestryall but heauenly and Angelicall Affirming that this power is established not by the ordinaūce of man but chiefly by the very words and ordinaunce of our Lord and Sauiour Christ himselfe Surely if Osorius can perswade that to be true he shall beare the bell away But by what reason will he make it apparaunt vnto vs not with one nor with a simple and naked reason but with a double horned Argument that shall cutt like a sworde for besides the authority of holy Scriptures and the Testimonyes of all auncient antiquitie also whereof he boasteth himselfe not a litle skilfull he affirmeth that he knoweth it to be true by experience But go to it remayneth that you declare vnto vs what authoritie of the sacred Scripture that is at the length and wherein that testimony of auncient antiquitie is to be found Thou must needes attend a whiles perhappes he will tell theé hereafter gentle reader For as now because Osor. is not at leysure to tell theé let it suffice theé that the man hath spoken it and vouchsafe at this present to interprete all hys speaches to be very Oracles as sweéte as honny And this much hitherto touching the Maiesty of the Seé of Rome The next vnto this hath he placed in order the obedience that they yelde vnto Princes which I maruell if any man can reade and not laugh at so also I beleue sure that Osor. himselfe could not stay but laugh at himselfe or els doughtles he was disposed to dally with vs when he wrate these wordes so pleasauntly deuised and so cunningly coulered But we sayth he do not refuse the aucthoritie of any lawfull power Howe truely you speak herein how reuerētly you esteéme of princes how obediently you behaue your selues to the higher authoritie and how hūbly you do acknowledge it and how you refuse no commaundement of the Magistrate Weé will take a taste if it please you by the conference of faythfull Historiographers by the course affayres of experience whereof the actes monuments of Princes doe make mencion Finally by search of antiquitie it selfe whereof you make your selfe experte and well beseene And to beginne first with the Empire of Greece the lawfull succession whereof contynued from Constantine the founder thereof about 500. yeares more lesse if the Bishop of Rome at that tyme would not haue refused to be subiect to the authoritie of the higher powers why then did Hadriane and after him Leo 3. hauing rooted out the kingdome of Desiderius and the Lombardes contrary to their faith an allegiaunce presume to be so hardye as to pluck away the imperiall maiesty afterwardes from the right and true heyres vnto the whiche aswell they the Bishops thēselues as also all the Italiane Natiō had submitted and obliged them selues by othe no lesse then the Greékes and why did they at theyr owne appointemente trāslate the same frō the Greékes to the Frenche nacion And although Charles him self vnto whom the Diademe Imperiall was geuen seéme worthy to be registred amongst the most vertuous famous Princes as one that endued the Church of Rome with greatest treasures possessions and liberties Yet was not that cause sufficient wherefore the maiestie of the sacred Empyre should beé vyolated and oppressed with manifest iniuries Namely sithēs the ouerthrow of that state could not choose but draw after it wonderfull troubles rancour of hartes Which thing happened in very deéd not long after For euen by the meanes thereof chiefly it came to passe that not only the Emperours of the East West were enflamed agaynst ech other with perpetuall deadly and vnquenchable hartburning hatred and enmity but also that Greéce being left naked of those helpes became an open Road to the Turkes and Sarracens for the suppressing of whose powers and recouery of which countrey I knowe not whether the whole power of the Romanistes when they haue retched it to the vttermost will be euer able to preuayle But to admitte that this translation of the Empyre came either of the speciall prouidence of God or to attribute the same to the worthines of Carolus or the Necessitie of the tymes or to mittigate the matter with some plausible and colourable excuse Yet is not this excrable sawcines of these Romish Bishopps sufficiently accquited hereby which durst be so presumptuously arrogant at that tyme or the Popes of this present which do imagine that their authoritie which they claime from Peter may priuileadge their insolent vsurpacion ouer the kingdomes of the earth and theyr iniurious transposing them where they liste nor doth waraunt their shamelesse challenge of lineall succession in the same authoritie as deriued from Peter himselfe vnto
their Successors But to release them of this quarrell let vs proceede to that which doth ensue The State of Greece therefore being on this wise rent and torne a sunder the Maiesty of the French Empire begann from thenceforth to aduaunce it selfe whiche being as yet freé from the Tyranny of the Pope did preserue the royaltye of the Maiestye by their owne prowesse well enough yet could it not gard it selfe altogether so safely but that it was now and then circumuerted with the fraudulent crampes and iniurious practises of this Sacred Seé For whereas it was established by most auncient ordinaunce euen from the tyme of Constantine the great That it should not be lawfull for anye persone throughout all Christendome to take vpon hym the dignitie of a Bishop vnlesse the Imperiall Maiesty beyng thereunto sollicited had ratified the Election whereas also the very same ordinaunce was concluded vpon and confirmed betwixt Hadrian and Charles the great that the Pope should hold him contented with his Byshoppely preminence and authoritie ouer the Clergye and administer the thinges that appertayned to the fūction of a Bishoppe to the preaching of sound doctrine and the regyment and direction of ecclesiasticall discipline but the Interest and authoritie of choosing and appoynting Bishoppes shoulde be specially resyant and reserued to the Imperiall Maiesty and to hys posteritie according to the receaued and approued constitucion of hys predecessors And that no Election of any Bishop not so much as of the pope hymselfe should be adiudged legitimate vnles the Emperour had geuen hys consent nor that it might be likewise lawfull for the pope beyng chosen to call a coūsell of Bishops nor to make anye innouacion or alteration of rites or Ceremonyes of the Church neyther yet to determine any thing without the aduise and ratification of the Emperour All these I say being by auncient custome long before the time of Constantine the great approued by custome established with Iudgement enacted by law decreed vpon afterward by the full cōsent assent of both partes not wtout the publique voyces and full acclamacions of the whole Synode and recorded also as an especiall Decree of the sacred Councell who coulde euer haue beleaued that the Bishoppes which doe owe a most humble and duetifull reuerence to the higher power would enfring or swarue one title so much from these their owne decreés beyng so cleare so manifest and so notoriously concluded vpon But now such was the tyme that nothing coulde make them to bee myndefull of their duety not reason not prescription of antiquitie not shame not their oathe and fidelitie but that they would attempt first to picke a quarrell agayust the same their decreés deliuered by Constantine concluded vpon with Charles and with great carefulnes and seueritte mayntayned by the Successors of Charles immediately after the death of Charles afterwardes vyolētly to breake thēa sunder maugre the power and Maiesty of the Emperours As hath bene aboundantly declared before in Stephen 4. in Pascalis 1. Hadriane 2. Martine 2. Hadriane 3. and many other the Successours of the sayd Hadrian although that Fraunce seémed in this behalfe somewhat of better courage and constancy in brydlyng the insolency of the Popes then Germanie was Afterwardes the whole ofspring of Charles lyne beyng in cōtinuaunce of time cleane worne the Maiestie of the Empire was turned ouer vnto the Saxons Where the same conditions and couenauntes were reuiued by the Emperours Otto the first and Otto the thryd For there is extaunt as yet a Decreé remainyng of Recorde amongest the popes Cānones where the pope after the example of Hadrian doth say that he doth geue full power vnto Otto the Emperour to Elect the pope to establishe the Seé Apostolicke and to confirme Bishops and denounceth withall a great greéuous penaltie vpon all them that would be so hardy as to Consecrate any Bishop without authoritie of the Emperour thereunto first had and obteined Wherefore all the predecessours of Charles the great his successours good Emperours euen vntill the tyme of Otto the thryd preserued with them selues the chief and onely Iurisdiction of the Popes and Byshops Election inuiolable And withall conueyed the state of the Empire vnto them selues either by lawfull succession or by approued Election without all authoritie of the Byshop of Rome wherof that Decreé chiefly of Otto the thyrd concluded vpon with Gregory 5. is a very playne and euident demonstration whereby it was generally proclaimed that from thenceforth all the right and Iurisdiction of Electing the Romaine Emperour should remaine with the Germaines onely And that it should not be lawfull for the Byshoppe of Rome to create any Emperour but such as the states of Germanie should aduaunce to that dignitie These thynges I thought good to recite touchyng the lawfull Election of Emperours and Byshops to the end the Reader may with lesse difficultie conceaue and Iudge aright of all that shall hereafter be spoken and of the whole substaunce of the Pontificall obedience First whereas Osorius doth say That this power is mainteyned not by any ordinaunce of mā but by the appointement of Christ him selfe This is easily confuted by the Edictes of Emperours mentioned before By whō it was enacted that the Election of Byshops ought none otherwise be ratified and legitimate then by the confirmation of the Maiestie Imperiall Now touchyng that which he hath annexed in prayse and commendation of the popes obedience That they do refuse no ordinaūce of any lawfull authoritie Herein me seémeth he speaketh altogether as though he neuer Read any of the antiquities of the former ages or monumentes of Histories Otherwise who so will vouchsafe diligently to peruse the Actes of the popes those especially which succeéded Otto and Henry the thyrd what do all their pollitique enterprises Counsels and proude contentions emporte what do they sauor of whereunto tende they what denounce they nay rather what do they proclaime and testifie other then a peruerse waywardnesse of a continuall bent rebellion agaynst the lawfull power of the Princes of the earth And although their arrogaunt insolēcy beyng a long tyme reasonably well snafled by the Greéke and Frenche Emperours which would yeld them no further prerogatiue then the Auncient Constitutions permitted vnto them could not raunge so licentiously to that hawtynesse and might whereafter they hunted yet neuerthelesse takyng this yoake of subiection very greéuously which did foreclose them all passable way to that largesse of Maiesty whereby they were in hope that they should oppresse the Emperours they left no occasion vnsought nor flackt any oportunitie offered which might minister vnto them some matter of title or clayme to translate vnto them selues the dispensation of causes Ecclesiasticall and Election of Byshops for if they could once bring that to passe they knew it would be matter of no difficultie either to hinder the Election of the Emperour that it should not proceéde otherwise then they listed or to
measuring Sandes and Seas Do you not see and playnely perceaue what a large worlde you haue opened vnto me to treate vpon when you allured me hither that I should out of hystoryes and auncyent recordes vnfolde and displaye abroad the controuersies priuye grudges Iniuries conspiracies Treasons Accusacions Quarrelles Reproches Slaunders Poysones Armyes Battelles Excommunications and voyadges practized sustayned supported and continued by the Clergye agaynst Emperors Kinges and higher powers All which notable enterpryses and attemptes of yours If I would but Imagine in my conceipt that I might be able to comprehend vtter in writing I might well be counted as wise as a woodcock that would occupye my self about nombring of the swelling waues of the Lybyan seas or seeke to know the continuall course of the flashing foame and the boysterous billowes of Eurus blastes And as though these wandring wyndes had not eyther blowne abroad sufficient store of lyes or not incredibly monstrous enough yet crawleth forewardes neuerthelesse in hys continuall course of lyeng this glorious paynter of praises to poolishe and make gallaunt this holy mother Church of Rome with all kinde of gorgiouse glitterings and beautiful plumes Meaning the same I suppose that Plato did sometyme in Socrates to expresse the patterne of a perfect philosopher Xenophon in Cirus the Image of a perfect Emperour Cicero of a perfect orator in Crassus Curtius of a perfect captayne in Alexander and Isocrates a president of a perfect princely prince in Nicockles so would he take vpon hym to blaze out the beauty of this pontificall Sinagogue by the which he might represent a resemblaunce of a singuler and incomparable shape of a most pure and true Church without wrinckle or spotte paynted as it were in tables with conning Craftesmans Arte most merueilous to view Now therefore touching the institution and disciplyne of this Church we haue heard already as the which beyng erected first by Christ enlarged by the Apostles established by the Martyrs amplified with doctors and defended by thinspiration of the holy ghost doth perseuer in one vnyforme fayth alwayes vnuanquishable agaynst all the assaultes of all hereticks in the worlde It remayneth now that we note Osorius hys discourse touching the externall discipline therof to witte worshipping ceremonyes and Rytes in the defence of the which heé vttereth the liuelinesse and quicknesse of hys witte And here at the first choppe appeare vnto vs the most notable Schooles of Monckes Friers and Noonnes Orders of Sainct Bruno S. Benedict Sainct Frauncis Sainct Dominick Sainct Brigit Sainct Beguine Sainct Barnarde and Fryars Carmelittes which although seeme to be but ordinaunces of men yet because they hinder nothing to the studye of Gods lawe but are profitable helpes rather to such as are desirous to aspyre to true godlinesse it standeth with good reason to think that they did spring from the holyghost who was the first founder of them And here loe is newe matter nowe to vtter freshe eloquence with Rhetoricall brauery of Comendatory acclamations Uerely I doe beleéue that Osorius wanted some fitte argument to whett his excellent witte vpon when he fell and was forced into these straightes to become a prating proctor for Monckes I speake of these Monckes who haue bene lately hatched long sithence the tyme of Basile and Barnarde And therefore that he purposed to vtter his skill in this leane and barrayne matter as many others haue done before him in fayned deuises and counterfayte toyes not because they thought there was any thing praiseworthy in the same but to sharpen their wittes and to make a shew of their pregnancy of stile by way of daliaunce by trifles to try how they were otherwise able to declaime in matter of emportaūce if Necessitie should require therunto So did Homere sometime describe the battell of myse and frogges Vergill hys Gnatt Ouide his nutte So did Policrates prayse Busirides Glauco one of the secte of Plato commended vnrighteousnes Fauorinus the Feuer quartan and Thersites Sinesius magnified Baldnes of this sort we reade to be the tragicall comedie of Seneca in the prayse of Claudius deifieng hym Apuleius extolleth the Asse An other commendeth Grillus Another compareth a Byttell with an Egle. And there want not some which were willing to delight themselues and others in blasing the prayse of Folly But all these are but Tryflers in respect of one of late yeares named Iohn Casus Archbish. of Beneuentane that popes legate vnto the Venetianes who shamed not to take vpō him to magnifie most horribly and with more thē detestable impudency not Feuers quartaines nor Baldnes and want of here but that stincking filthines that shame it selfe will not permitte a man to speake with tongue whose nimblenes of witte our Osorius seémeth in this hys resemblaunce somewhat to be enclined vnto vndertaking to commend these hys companiōs as the fellow Citizens of Lothe dwelling in Sodome But to let these filthy matters goe not meete for chaste eares let vs retourne to our matter agayne Besides this Rable of couled generation that be neuer sufficiently commended there are added also to amplifie the royaltye of this Romishe Sinagogue other ornamentes not a few and of no small emportaunce first and aboue all others the honorable signe of the Crosse aduaunced not in Temples and houses onely but sette abroad also in high wayes and crossed vpon mens foreheades also Ouer and besides this crucifixe because mans memory shall not want matter to be occupyed vpon prouision was made that Innumerable Images and pictures of he Goddes and sheé Goddes should likewise be placed in Churches of the Catholickes holy remembraunces of holy Saintes I warrant you whose pictures they doe not onely worshippe very religiously here vpon earth but Inuocate the Saintes themselues in heauen And these they do make their patrones and proctours in heauen as neéde shall require men very prouident and circuumspect surely for if the Intercession of Christ alone or the sheéding of his precious bloud fayle happely to finde fauour with hys father they shall forthwith steppe forth and help them at neéde and become mediators for the sinnes of the people Emongst these Saincts dwelleth Sainct Tho. Beckett Archbishop of Canterbury for whose blouds sake the Church doth desire that their prayers may wend into the very place where Tho. did ascend There also dwelleth S. Anselme Sainct Dunstane Sainct Christopher Sainct Margarete and Killdragon Saincte George and a great nomber more like vnto thē Of which euery blinde man may easily seé by many famous histories that some were Traytoures some Factious and seditious yea some also that were neuer borne as yet and are very braynesicke Imaginations not of men but pield deuises of olde Dottards onely to occupy idle heades withall But because Osorius doth so stoughtly defend these Idolles as necessary helpes and meanes to rayse vppe mens forgetfulnes Herein I do meete with two occurrantes at the whiche I can neuer wonder sufficiently first whenas no pictures
nor any maner of Grauen Image as farre as I can learne are to be seene in any Temples or Sinagogues of the Iewes Turcks Sarracenes Moores Moscouites Tartareanes in Asie in Aphricke in Europe finally in no part of the whole worlde no not so much as in the Temples of Infidells eyther of the liuing or of the dead I do much maruayle howe the Papistes onely can be dazeled with such a monstruous blindenes in vnderstanding and drowned in such a Bottomeles gulfe of phanaticall forgettfulnesse to seéme in their owne conceiptes skarse religious vnlesse they bedawbe their Temples on euery side with pictures and Poppettes moreouer if those Mawmettes and signes of Sainctes be erected in their churches for none other ende but to put the beholders in remembraunce of the Saincts themselues as Osorius doth stoughtly mayntayne I meruell then what that should meane that in the Churches of the Papistes the rude and vnlettered multitude of Christianes are permitted euen to this day to prostrate themselues before them to sett vp burning Tapers to cense them with Franckencense to perfume them with sweete Odours and to hang pelting gamboldes vpon them made of waxe wood ledd or other metall Why is Ierome reported to knocke his brest when hee kneéleth before the Crucifixe why doe men gadde to and fro hither and thither on pilgrimage vnto them why do they visite prayse pray vnto kisse theÌ„ with their lippes why do they buy of theÌ„ myrackles and ease of diseases for mony what greater honor was euer geuen to the Gentiles Idolles in times past euen emongest the Infidells then is now a dayes frequented in the Churches of Christianes Is all this nothing els but to make men mindefull and to helpe the memory But the Israelites were commaunded in tymes past to reserue in their houses some remembraunce of their Auncestoures which might awake their forgetfullness for the benefites that they had receaued This is true in deéd So was the memory of the Brasen serpeÌ„t reserued a long tyme but wheÌ„ crawling and kreéping Supersticion beganne to abuse the same to playne Idolatrye Ezechias is worthely praysed for banishing this same very monument from amongst the people Euen as he dyd most prouidently prouide that the Bookes of Salomon entituled de curandis morbis should be abolished likewise assoone as the common people beganne to abuse them to wytchcraft and enchauÌ„tment as it is reported in the Greék Commentaries But let vs proceéde to the Remnaunt of this Catholicke description To witte to the thinges that appertayne to fayth to workes and the Sacramentes of our most sacred mother the Church For neyther is the Fayth of the Catholickes such as is playnly seen to be of those heretiques which doth eyther diminishe all hope of attayning honest lyfe or vtterly all feare of â—afety but it doth worke thys rather both to make men more willyng to embrace vertue and yet desiste not neuerthelesse to stand in the meane tyme alwayes in feare of the seueritie of Gods Iudgement And why so I pray you For whosoeuer are caried with ardent fayth vnto Christ those doth he beautifie with most abouÌ„dant stoare of vertue Moreouer whenas the same men do know that the same Christ will be a seuere Iudge against them which will not do hys commaundementes they are alwayes in continuall feare Well and whereunto tendeth all this Osorius so maisterly debated touching Fayth Hope and Feare for I coÌ„fesse playnely that such is my dul capacitie as is not able to coÌ„ceaue you more then an Asse vnlesse you open these thinges that ye treate vpon more distincktly and playnely and except ye come at length somewhat nearer to the matter whereupon you debate If you meane thus that Fayth doth not weaken any mans hope so but that he may and ought through Gods assistaunce lyue godly and vertuously in this worlde who will gaynesay you herein Nay rather what one thing doth the Fayth of the Gospell emprinte in vs more deepely then a desire to lyue godly or what doth it teach more carefully then that there is no good worke but such as is coupled with Fayth and begonne by Fayth But if the sence and meaning of your wordes tend to this ende that ye thinke all the force of Fayth to consiste onely in this to open euery mans hope to attayn that perfectioÌ„ in this lyfe which for our workes sake may make vs righteouse in the sight of God I am altogether agaynst you and dare boldly affirme that this is not the voyce of a Byshoppe or of a Deuyne but of a most filthy heretique Moreouer where you annexe Feare hereunto if you vnderstand it thus that Christian Fayth ought alwayes to be lincked together with the feare of God this will no man deny But if you racke out Feare of Gods seuere Iudgement not adding any distinction to that extremity that it leaue vnto vs no assuraunce of our sauetye but deteigne all men in a wauering mammering ye seéme to me That your affirmacion theÌ„ should emplye thus much that in the Scriptures is no promise at all euen as though GOD would now deale with his elect by the onely rigour of the law and not by promise and Grace No lesse blockishe is the same also which marcheth next in rancke touchyng Workes wherein the dignitie of this Church deserueth singuler and wonderfull commendation if it be true that is beleéued to be true in that Church For the Catholickes do beleue sayth he that the good workes of godly personages are such as are not defiled with the leste infection of vncomelynesse but be of all partes so vpright and holy that they make those men both righteous and holy by whoÌ„ they be exercized But touchyng this matter the matter of Free-will also hath bene spoken sufficiently already The next Fable that ensueth concerneth Ceremonies and Sacramentes in the which the holy mother Churche of Rome doth obserue this order That it beleueth that the holynes of all the Ceremonies ReligioÌ„ of Sacraments not newly instituted nor yet deuised by the witte of that fine man Haddon but most auncient and of greatest antiquitie and preserued by the full and generall consent of all holy Fathers ought most purely and reuerently be worshypped c. So that no man may dare be so bold without singuler impudencie as once so much to grudge agaynst these Ceremonies so holy so auncieÌ„t of so long continuaunce euen from the age of Euander as I suppose instituted as he sayth by wonderfull trauaile of holy Fathers and established by so autenticke coÌ„sent though otherwise they be growen into neuer so huge a quantitie that they may seéme to ouerwhelme the Christian people with the vnmeasurable rable of them and albeit many Christians are so wedded vnto theÌ„ that bidding adiew to Christian Fayth no small nomber do repose their chief ankerhold of holynesse and righteousnes in those trinckets yea though also they striue to preserue them
surely the authority of such as represent the person of Christ vpon earth must neédes be of very great estimation For this was the legacy that Christ himselfe the Testator of the new Testament bequethed vnto them He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And agayne whose Sinnes soeuer ye remitte the same shall be remitted c. This is a great authority doubtles but due consideration must be had of the causes whereupon this authority must be exercised of that persons with whom it must be reuÌ„ant That is to say in none other persons but in those to whom the same Testator speaketh saying Receiue ye the holy ghost c. Moreouer the whole force of this Euangelical authority doth consist in the power of the holy ghost not in the glorious ostentation of Pompe and must be employed to edify withall not to destroy to subdue all hauty arrogancy extolling it selfe agaynst the knowledge of God vnto the obedieÌ„ce of Christ not to cut the throates of the poore flocke which seéketh nothing els but the obedieÌ„ce and glory of Christ. And therefore such as represeÌ„t the maiesty of Christ vpoÌ„ earth if they be bold of counterfayting and hipocrisy must neédes be exalted yea and in great authority But in the meane space let such braggers and boasters be well aduised what and whose person they do represent not the person of Moyses but of Christ not of a controller but of a teacher a comforter a fauourer a refresher and of one that is full of compassion not of a furious fretter and raging reuenger of euery gnatte in the Skie For he was a milde Seruaunt but preseruing all poore yet enriching all boasting very litle but geuing aboundaunce Iniuried of all but iniurious to none Humble in hart meék in speéch base to behold but in power mighty teaching with authority so voyd of al color to aueÌ„ge that he would pray for his enemies and not so much as brusing a broken reéde vnder his feéte enlightning all men comming into this world burning none And the day shall come when he shall come againe in glory to iudge both the quick and the dead All which notwithstanding he remayneth one selfe same person still which continually crieth out in the gospell it is not I that doe accuse you before the father but there is one that doth accuse you Now such as will take vpon them to represent the person must resemble him likewise in manners and life And yet the Church of God is not without her Iurisdiction I confesse But in this Church I recken to be reuÌ„ant aswell Emperors Princes as Popes and prelates Moreouer a distinction also must be made here betwixt the flesh and the spirit that without confusion of Iurisdiction ech authority may enioy it own priuiledge But of this hereafter by the sufferaunce of God Hauing thus ouerrunne the principall poyntes that concern the censures consistories and chaunceries of the holy mother Church of Rome It followeth now in order that with like diligence we harken to that which is vsuallye done in Churches Wherein the godly reader is to be forewarned by some preface as it were to keépe his couÌ„tenauÌ„ce somewhat grauely a whyle not to smile whiles our Osor. reckeÌ„ vp in ranck that comely kaleÌ„der of his church holidayes and solemne ceremonies of his double feastes in a long brabling beadroll And yet hath he not iâ—â—bled vp all the ceremonies thereof nor his euer able to number them For they are as infinitely past number as they be ridiculous and Apish But brauyng out the better sort of them he fetcheth their pedigreé from a wonderfull farre compasse you will say that the man was either at excellent good leysure or destitute of some necessary matter to occupy his pregnant witte vpon which would vndertake so weérysome a course for his Rhetoricall â—uffe in so tunable trinkettes of these Romish Reliques And first of all begynnyng at the Kalendes of DeceÌ„ber at what tyme the Church of Rome makyng preparation for the commyng of the Lord and so forth proceedyng foreward to other state feastes as euery of them commeth about by the course of the yeare from the begynnyng to the end doth accustome it selfe to great solemnitie and prayer and setteth downe in order the hygh and solemne ceremonies celebrated in euery seuerall feast for renewyng the ioyfull remeÌ„braunce of Deuine thyngs But in the meane tyme how idelly the common people bestow the tyme in these feastes how they plye that pauÌ„che franckly tappe the canne freély hoppe daunce lustely swill and swincke soundly make meéry mightely drinke droÌ„ke deuoutely scratch and byte boystorously moyle and turmoyle madly dyce carde surffett sumptuously more like bellygoddes then godly defilyng them selues more in filthy behauiour beastly then in tenne other workyng dayes employed orderly Osorius maketh not a word so much slyly and herein hath he not played the foole very wisely Moreouer he maketh no mention at all of the maner of the prayers vsed in these Sacred Saturnalles in their croochynges maskyng Masses Anthemes Songes Sonettes Sacrifices lamentable Dirges in their gaddynges Processions how odious and filthy vnseémelynes how horrible Idolatry impietie and superstition isvsed in those Prayers Hymnes and cunnyng chaunting euen abhominable to be named Wherein I so much the more commende the wisedome of the man who thought better craftely to cloake those clouteries then to display them to the view As when in that solemne feast of S. Thomas Becket the Church prayeth very deuoutly that the bloud of S. Thomas may make a way for their prayers to wende where Christ our Lord and Sauiour before did ascende And agayne makyng Inuocation to Thomas him selfe it prayeth on this wise O sweete S. Thomas geue vs thy helping hand confirme them that stand rayse them that are fallen reforme our maners conuersatioÌ„ and liues and direct vs into the way of peace c. Not vnlike vnto that where amongest other CoÌ„fessours S. Swythune is called vpon that he would vouchsaue by his godly intercession to wash away our sinnes Where S. Rocke is spoken vnto Honor and glory be geuen vnto thee holy S. Rocke how glorious is thy name blessed Rocke which with thy intercessions and prayers hast skill to cure all diseases come downe and preserue vs from botche and pestilence and graunt vs a sweet and wholesome ayre Whenas also S. Albane is commauÌ„ded to powre out his prayers for the sauetie of the faithfull When Wenefred is called vpon that she will bring them to the heauenly ioyes which doe celebrate her memory Whenas in the Feast of all Saintes prayer is made to the Saintes that their merites may bring vs to the kingdome of heauen c. And that the holy company of Martyrs the confession of Priestes and the chastitie of the Uirgines may clense vs from our Sinnes c. Agayne in the Anthemes song of the blessed Uirgine Mary mother of Christ
for the most perfect men and most purely catholicke towardes the attayning of perfect Religion Because mans minde hath alwayes some familiarity and acquayntaunce with transitory thinges of this worlde Which if be not poolished with this most excellent skanning of mysteries waxeth of her owne nature very dull quickly and is ouerwhelmed with forgetfulnesse And no maruell For as much as this new and wonderfull light of the Euangelicall knowledge which hath transsigured those Lutheranes hath not yet shined so brightly in the eyes of those meÌ„ nor are as yet so throughly carried away from this corporall familiarity as that they caÌ„ waÌ„t these signes of heaueÌ„ly things without great perill as these Celestial and Diuine men can do For with this skoffe doth he note them whom Luthers doctrine hath enstructed by a certayne figure called Sarcasmus But to auÌ„swere your pleasaÌ„ut scoffe good maister Bishop First what acquaintauÌ„ce familiarity you haue with the state of murtall men let other men iudge Surely I could hartely wish that you Massemongers and Shauelinges would take lesse acquaintaunce of your neighbors wiues and daughters with câ—Ì„cubynes and drenches of Baudrye to stay here and to rippe vp no more of your horrible dealinges But if you be not as yet estrauÌ„ged froÌ„ the assaults of the flesh as you do affirme nor haue yet so mortiffed the flesh but the generall ftaylty of nature will violently carry you away typsituruy as well as other men now and then into the naturall infirmities of the flesh what meaneth theÌ„ that rash temeraryous rushing rudely into vowes wherewith very solemnely you sweare sacred and perpetuall virginity both to God and vnto men As though there were nothing to be feared in you of that naturall and general disease of imbecillitye and weakenesse that is otherwise common to all men ingeneral Which if you doe as faythfullye performe as you doe rashlye sweare and vow beyng a matter aboue the reach and capacityâ— of humayne ability I cann seé no cause to the contrary but that we may reply these Surnames vpoÌ„ you much sooner to witt to call you Celestiall men and more then Diuine For as concerning Luther and others of his profession howsoeuer it pleaseth you to mockemeary being a very merry man tricke and trym altogether for holydayes all kind of pleasureablenes yet did they neuer challenge to themselues so Celestiall Deuine natures but that as men compassed about with weake and frayle bodies as all other mortall men are they waÌ„ted their introductions yea and enured themselues to the same not vnwillingly For both Religion and the Church of Christ hath her rudymentes hath also her ceremonyes and introductions not onely profitable to say as you say but very nacessary also I speake of those rudimentes and ceremonies chiefly which Christ himselfe deliuered to his Church in number but very few but in vse of greatest force and effectualnesse Namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord the one whereof Christ did institute as a pledge of our profession the other as aperpetuall memoryall of himselfe For other rudimentes of piety which are practised in externall actions Christ left none besides these of any expresse commaundement And yet if there be any other ceremonies profitable and appliable for the present time the Lutheranes doe not altogether abolish them But the matter doth bewray that these ceremonies rytes Gamboldes holidayes and new fangled ceremonies which your Clergye doth daylye patche vpon the olde are for the more part not onely fruitles but also verye Botches and Cankers of the pure and true Religion And thys much hetherto of the holy and sweét mother church of Rome and of the vniuersall Regiment of her fayth ceremonies and holydayes Of the which because Osorius seémeth to himself to haue spoken sufficiently returning at the length to the Lutheranes bendeth his declamation against them raked and skraped from out of the very bowels of Rhetoricke wherein he thrusteth himselfe vpon the stage to play the part and to expostolate with Luther in such wise as that in all that notable furniture of words skarcely ought can be found els then was sometimes especially noted in Anaximenes by one on a time to witt to haue whole fludds of words but not a dropp of good matter It were great pitty to rehearse the whole speéch a fresh then the which nothing can be more ouerlauish and babling The effect thereof as briefly as may be compiled together tendeth to this end These Lutheranes do seeme to haue taken vpon them a very great and labour some burthen Who seing the Church of Christ lameÌ„tably entaÌ„gled in such dissolute liceÌ„tiousnes of maners doctrine almost ready to fall to the grouÌ„d could not onely be coÌ„teÌ„ted to be agreeued thereat with bare prayer well wishing hartes helpe to vnderpropp it but that they would attempt to put their handes therto also by their industry practise the reformation of that which was past al recouery and because they saw that the inueÌ„tioÌ„ of man was not able to couÌ„teruayle so great an incoÌ„uenience by any meanes they vndertook the matter by the onely word of God renouncing all humaine pollicy and industry Go to and to what end are all these so farre fetche and false also Osorius at length our Tertullius goeth forward But because the efficacy of Gods word doth consist not in brauery and braggery of wordes but in vertue in the duetyes of lyfe and the workes of righteousnes He doth desire therfore that some president of this deuine workemanship may be shewed him wherein some shew at the least of this recouery and preseruation of the Church may shew it selfe But forasmuch as there could not possibly be a ReformatioÌ„ vnlesse those obstackles were vtterly takeÌ„ away which gaue the first occasion of this generall craze euen as in Phisicke wholesome potiones are not ministred before superfluous and noysome humors be throughly purged in buildings like as vnlesse the olde walles and rotten postes be first plucked downe no new building is supplied euen so and after the same maner the Lutheranes did purpose with themselues to proceed with theyr worke Which Osorius mislyketh nothing at all For he thinketh it expedieÌ„t that superstitions be vtterly cut of because vertue commoÌ„ly hath not greater Enemies then her owne counterfaytes Moreouer where he seeth many abuses taken away scattered abroad krusht in pieces neither doth Osorius reproue this in theÌ„ so long as this alteration is profitable for the Christian coÌ„mon weale and that in stead of these which be remoued some supply be made of better Nowe what is throwne downe he doth see playnely but what is new builded he seeth not yea it is apparaunt enough what thinges are moyled vppe by the Rootes but what is planted in that place he confesseth he caÌ„not as yet discerne But this he doth see namely the authority of the Byshoppe of Rome to be afflicted Monasteries and Nooneries rooted
vppe and theyr goods and possessions haled away the deuotion of ceremonies and Religion of Churches defyled Images Pictures Crosses and altars broken in pieces and troden vnder foot the holy ordinaunces Lawes and traditions of the Churche abrogated finally no hope of true deuotion nor any freedom of wil to be left souÌ„d safe Where in this life nothing is left so holy but is defiled with some spot no abilitie of will so great which is not yoaked fast with fatall and vnauoydable Necessity All which so many in this wise disordered rent torne a suÌ„der by the Lutherans albeit do moue many mens harts to rue Yet Osorius of his ouerflowing abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of patieÌ„ce coÌ„staÌ„cy could take all this in much more better part and be lesse a greeued thereat if he could be perswaded that the losse and ouerthrow of those things might agree with the safety of the Church and the maiesty glory of the Gospell But now perceiuing the matter to fall contrary hereupoÌ„ he is both greuously and with good cause offended with these Sectaries Lutheranes who hauing vndertaken so great a Charge as to restore to the former health integritie the disciplyne of the Church being greuously syck weakned hath so performed no iote at all of that their promise as that all thinges rather become worse and worsse and the new supplies farre more ill fauoured weake then the olde buildinges But how will this right reuerend father proue his saying to be true at the last For sooth whereas the purity of the Gospell and the whole meanes of reforming the Church consisteth in this that men maye be taught to leaue the beholding of earthly thinges and rayse vppe their mindes vnto heaâ—en to embrace modesty to be endued with an earnest desire to liue chastely to yelde due obedience first to the Church afterwardes to the princes Magistrates temporall to prepare themselues a way into heauen by meekenes patienee grauity constancy and other heauenly vertues These I say and other heaueÌ„ly ornaments like vnto these if would appear either in their churches where they teach or in the maners of them which are professours of their doctrine No man could be ignoraunt then what men might iudge of this newe Gospell and the fruit thereof But now whereas he doth playnely see that the professors of this new Gospell are not onely not made better but also much worsse and much more filthy of theyr conuersation as amongst the which lust rageth more outragiously vnpunished presumption of minde more readye to committe all manner haynousnesse more vproares and much more troublesome more theeuery moreouer more conspiracies against Princes finally more horrible atteÌ„ptes if Report be true be hard to be euery where the worlde may easily iudge by these so manifold and so great tokens that these men haue entred vpon a vayne enterprise vndertaken much fruitlesse labour in that lameÌ„table moilyng of thinges which they haue subuerted c. Behold here gentle Reader though not euery word yet the force and effect of euery word fully set downe and the whole purport of Osorius Inuectiue vnlesse I be deceaued All whose superfluous and neédeles bablyng whereas he might haue concluded together in one Sillogisme yet this idle trifler chose rather to come aloft with Peacocklike ruffling of his Rhetoricall plumes blazed abroad after a sort and to swell in brauery of eloquence In the which he hath placed the whole mayne battery of hâ—s eloquence with shotte and powder and by all meanes possible els to beate downe if he can the gladsome light of the glorious Gospell of Christ. But all in vayne for mightier is the force of the Veritie enuironed about with heaueÌ„ly garrison theÌ„ that it can be dasht out of countenaunce with Irishe hooboobbes or wandryng crakes of loftie speaches Let Osorius bende and enforce all the cramps and artillery of his eloquence and shoot of all his powder and shotte yet is this cause of more power theÌ„ can be vanquishable with such smoakes These be but Apsen leaues Osorius which you haue scattered abroad meére slaunders swollen and puft vp with rancour and malice You must gather a fresh supply or els fleé the field Where the chiefe trust of your fortresse is crazed and faultie there the more you teaze the aduersary the sooner wil he make a breache vpon you you shall be lesse able to endure his assault You say that these wonderfull men took vpon theÌ„ a very great and daungerous enterprise And who bee these wonderfull men whom you note The Captaines I thinke of these Euangelicall affaires Luther Melancthon Bucer Zuinglius Caluine Haddon and other like sproughtes and issues of the same plantes And why doe ye not ioyne in nomber with them Paule Peter Iohn all the Apostles and Prophetes nay rather Christ him selfe the authour and grauÌ„de Captaine of this Gospellâ— For as much as the other neuer atteÌ„pted any thing but vnder their conduct and staÌ„dard Go to and what is that so great and perillous an enterprise that this lusty gallants of the Gospell haue entred vpon may a man be so bold to know it First bycause they tooke vpon them the Cure of the wounded Christian Church I do heare you but you haue not declared yet who they were that wounded her first But abroad with your peddlers packe Moreouer that they would settle the Gospell in her auÌ„cient renowme and Maiestie that they would restoare the auncient earnest zeale to godlynes the abouÌ„daunce of Charitie and that desire to lyue the heaueÌ„ly life wherein the Churche florished in the Apostles tyme That the Gospell beyng cleansed and the superstitions thereof wholy rooted out they would reuiue the liuely sprankes of the auncient Church being vtterly extinct c. Truly if these notable men did take this enterprise vpoÌ„ theÌ„ if euer they made any such promise if they made any such vowe or oathe that they would bryng these thynges to passe I confesse they vndertooke a very great and hard enterprise in deéde But where did you euer Read any such matter in all their bookes or which of them did euer make any such promise of him selfe Tell the truth Osorius was this any promise of theirs or a false forged deuise of your own was it their bragge or the vnshamefastnes of your slaunder was euer any man yet so madd as to conceaue in his secret imagination or to dare to make any such promise to reforme the Gospell then the which no one thyng in the world can be more sincere and pure When Luther began first to peépe abroad he attempted agaynst the Popes Pardons somewhat franckly yet modestly notwithstandyng not so much allured there unto by any his own motion as prouoked by necessitie of coaction nor yet offryng any challenge but beyng iniuried first and almost wearied out with the importunacie of others Afterwardes beyng for that same cause coÌ„uict by Leo theÌ„ Pope of Rome he purged him selfe but very humbly
extinguished true pietie neglected not the consciences onely but the lyues also of men endaungered through none other so perillous a contagion as this glitteryng pompe of gorgeous Ceremonies Amongest the which this is one that Reporte telleth of two persoÌ„s in FrauÌ„ce who not many yeares agoe were in daunger to be burned for none other matter but bycause they did eate flesh two dayes in Lent beyng constrained thereunto by necessitie of sicknesse Behold the fruites of Ceremonies to witte that for mens Traditions we shall breake the CoÌ„maundements of God recoÌ„ptyng murther to be a more tollerable offence then to leaue a peltyng coÌ„stitution of a Pope vndone I could rehearse six huÌ„dreth like exaÌ„ples out of the Monuments of our own Martyrs chiefly who were more often and more sharpely punished for despising meÌ„s Traditions then for breakyng the CoÌ„maundementes of God in so much that a maÌ„ would thinke that the whole face of Christian Relligion had bene estraunged into Ceremonies or els to hang more vpon these then vpon the word of God And whereas you say that Images Signes Crosses and Altares are throwen downe I thinke veryly that Luther and the other ministers of the Gospell cannot be duely charged with this slaunderous reproch forasmuch as they neuer put their handes to the breaking or plucking downe of Images nor is it conuenient for any priuate person to presume vpon any innouation in Christian coÌ„mon weales or Churches by force and vproare But if the Magistrate do execute his office godly and peaceably acording as he may lawfully do in the things which he doth perceiue to be consonaunt with the word of God What maketh Osorius here with vs being but a priuate man himself and a meére straunger to keépe a skolding or medling with our matters If the famous king of Portingall Sebastian be of the mind to remayne a fawtor and follower of those Romish superstitious Ragges in Altares Pictures Signes and worshippyng of Images He hath on the one side the testimonies of the Scriptures on the other side the Parasiticall pratyng of Monckes let him follow which he will let him doe in hys owne Realme vpon his owne perill what him pleaseth best On the other side If the most vertuous Queéne of England Elizabeth by the guiding of Scriptures haue thought it more conuenient to expell and Banish out of her Realme the stincking pilfe of durty superstition the sight whereof no Christian Prince can endure without great perill daunger of himselfe and hys subiectes Truely she doth nothing herein but that she may safely do iustify the doing therof by the manifest authority of the sacred scripture and singuler examples of most famous and renowmed kings Unlesse peradueÌ„ture Osorius doth make small account of the commendable remembraunce of Ezekias Iosias Iosaphat and others which brake downe and krusht in peéces Altares Idolles Groanes and the Brasen Serpent Or the example of Gedeon also who though were not a kyng did yet cut downe the Groaue and tare abroad the Altar What now The same which was lawfull for the kinges of the Iewes in the carnall law shall not be as lawfull for our Rulers and Potenâ—ates in the spirituall kingdome of Christ shall that which redouÌ„ded to their glory and prayse in the olde law be condemned in our age in Christian Princes for Sacriledge And what if Osorius had liued in that season when as Epiphanius Byshoppe of Cypres seing the Image of Chryst agaynst the manifest authoritie of the Scriptures as he sayed paynted in a veyle rent it in peéces with his owne handes what if he had liued in the time of Origen or in that florishing age of the primitiue church at what time Augustine Lactantius Ambrose Eusebius would not suffer in the church this kind of Paâ—anisme at what time as yet was not any shadow so much of an Image in the temples of Christians Or what if afterwardes he had happened in the Court of Phillippicus Leo Isaurick an Emperor of Greéce and of his sonne Constantine the fifth or of Leo the 4 What if he had bene present at those threé councels Constantinople vnder Constantine the fifth Emperour or at the Elibertine and Franckfordine Councels vnder Charles the great in the which Images were vtterly Banished out of Churches by most manifest argumentes out of the holy Scriptures and by the generall consentes and voyces of the whole counsell at what tyme great and inuincible reasons were alleadged to proue directly that the Images of Chryst of our Ladye of the Apostles Martyres as neuer instituted by any tradition of Christ of the Apostles no nor of any that auncient Fathers ought not in any wise be brought into Churches or being brought in not to bée permitted and suffered in any respect The Catholicke Church say they standing amids Iewishnesse and Gentility doth neither allow the bloody Sacrifices of the Iewes and in Sacrificing doth vtterly abandone all manner of Gentility gaze of Images And agayne a litle after Whosoeuer shall practise to erect Pictures or Images of Sayntes after the errour of the Gentiles shal be adiudged a Blasphemer c. And so concluding at the last We say they that are inuested in Priestly dignity being asseÌ„bled together do with one voyce determine and decre that all manner Imagery of whatsoeuer mettall wood or stuffe deuised by the wicked practise of paynters shal be vtterly abolished out of the churches of Christians as execrable and abhominable And whosoeuer shall presume to sette vppe aâ—y such Image either in the Church or in his priuate house or secret closet If he be a Byshop or a Deacon Let him be deposed If he be a seculer or a lay person let him be holden aceursed and turned ouer to the punishment of the Imperiall constitutions as one that doth wilfully impugne the ordinaunces of God and breake the Rules thereof c. Not vnlike vnto this was the decreé established in the Elibertine couÌ„cell It seemeth good vnto vs that Images ought not be in Churches and that no thing be paynted vpon the walles that is reuerenced or worshipped c. Of these I say and of other the like decreés of councels if Osorius had bene an eye witnesse himselfe or would yet vouchsafe to peruse the monumentes of auncient Fathers he would surelye conceiue an other opinion of Images he would beleue the testimony of Lactantius who sayth that there is no Religion where any picture is in place Agayne he would geue creditte to Chrisostome saying we do enioy the presence of Sayntes by reading their writinges hauing therein a present view not of their bodyes but of their soules To this may be added the testimony of Amphilochius Byshoppe of Iconium We esteeme it not worth the labour to paynt any corporall shape of Sayntes in coloured tables because we haue no need of them but we ought to be mindfull of their good liues And from this differeth very
doth lye in all his Bookes Hereof therefore canne not be denyed but that he writeth Bookes Or els how could he lye in his bookes if he wrote no bookes at all And yet neither did Luther in that Article affirme symply that the righteous man doth sinne in euery good worke But annexing thereunto an exception conditionall he doth qualifye the sharpenesse of the proposition expounding himselfe with the testimonies of Gregory and Augustine on this wise If God proceed in his iudgement sayth he straightly without all consideration of mercy Meaning hereby not that God should take good workes from righteous men but should despoyle works of that perfection which of it selfe were able to counteruayle the cleare iudgement of God so that the perfection of our righteousnes consist not now in doing well but in acknoledgement of our owne Imperfection and humble confessing the same For this do we heare Augustine speake Vertue sayth he wherewith man is now endued is so farre forth called perfect as the true and humble acknowledgement of mans owne imperfection ioyned with an vnfayned confession of the same doth make it to be accepted for perfect Now what poyson lurketh here I beseéch you worshippfull Syr Unlesse perhappes you thinke thus that because God doth not commaund impossibilities for this cause they that be regenerated may in this life accomplish the law of God fully and absolutely and that your selfe be of the number of them which in this life abcomplish all righteousnes throughly If you thinke thus of your selfe what better aūswere shal I make you then the same which Constantine the great did on a time nippingly to Acesius a Nouatian who denyed that such as were fallen could rise agayne by repentaunce Set vppe your Ladders quoth he and clymbe you vppe to heauen alone Acesius Furthermore where you are wont to obiect in this place impossibilitie of performing the law surely this doth not so much empaire Luthers assertion nor helpe your presumptuousnes sithence Augustine doth aunswere you sufficiently in Luthers behalfe All the cōmaūdemēts of God saith he are thē reputed to haue bene performed when whatsoeuer is left vndone is pardoned And in his booke de perfectione iustitiae debating this question whether the commaundements of God were possible to be kept he doth deny that they be possible to be kept But he affirmeth that neither in this life they be possible to be kept nor to keep them commeth of nature but of the heauenly grace But hereof hath sufficiently bene spoken already before so that it shall not beé needfull to do the thing that is done already It remayneth next now that we enter into the discourse of the holy ceremonyes decreés and ordinaunces of the Church because he complayneth for the suppressing of these also wherein what iust cause he hath to complayne shall hereby apeare If we consider duly and aright the auncient ordinaunces and determinations of the primitiue Church Amongest which auncient ordinaūces of the Church I suppose this was establshed That no man should be abridged from freédome to marry and from eating all kinde of meates fish or flesh as euery man foūd himselfe best disposed It was an auncient ordinaunce also that aswell the lay people as priestes without exception should communicate vnder both kindes the bread and the wine And that nothing should be redde in the Churches besides the scriptures Moreouer that the Scriptures should be read openly to all persons generally in their mother toūg that euery man myght vnderstād it The auncient ordinaūces of the church did neuer admit any more sacramentes then two nor widdowes vnder threéscore yeéres old nor vouchsafed any that were but newly entred into the profession to beare any rule in the congregation nor any els but such as were knowne both godly and prayseworthy aswell for the soundnesse of theyr doctrine as for the continuall course of their liues It was an especiall prouiso of the auntient discipline that no one person should haue any more Cures the◠one nor should receiue out of any Church any greater contribution then should seéme sufficient for necessaryes onely and not to mayntayne prodigality and lust It was also an auncient custome amongst the elders that the newly professed should be applied to reading of lessones and singinge onely And the Priestes in the meane time should apply preaching of the word Amongest other aūciēt ordinaūces that Canon of the counsell of Nyce seémeth worthy to be placed here which prouided that the ouersight of all other churches should beé committed to threé or foure patriarches equally in such wise as that no preheminence of superiority should be amongst them but all to be equall in dignity Adde vnto this the generall discipline of the church which did not hang vpon one mans sleéue onely but was exercised indifferently in all places agaynst all notorions offences without respect of persons Now therefore where Osorius complayneth that the ordinaunces of the auntient and primitiue Church are taken away abolished herein he doth not amisse So do many godly personages more beside Osorius complayne very bitterly of the same But in the meane space I do maruaile much what monstruous deuise this Byshoppe coyneth agaynst vs who neither liketh with the abolishing of the auncient customes of the primitiue Church nor can in any respect disgest those men which do endeuour and desire onely to haue a generall reformation For to saye the trueth whereunto tendeth all the endeuour of those men whome Osorius here wringeth vpon so sharpely but that those auntient decreés and ordinaunces wherewith the Church of Christ was endued at the first might recouer agayne theyr former dignity from which they haue bene lamentably reiected If they could bring this to passe by any meanes nothing coulde please them better But if their harty desires attayne not wished Successe no men are more to be blamed for it Osorius then you your selues who vnder a deceauable and craftie vysor of antiquity practize earnestly and busily alwayes that no Monumēt of auncient antiquitie may remaine but haue forged vs a certeine new face of an vpstart Church with certeine straunge and newfangled Decreés and Decretalles which the true and auncient antiquitie if were alyue agayne would neuer acknowledge otherwise then as misbegotten Bastardes But to proceéde this Rhetoricall amplificatiō waxeth more hotte yet in more choler Moreouer neither contēted sayth he with the lamentable desolatiō of these thynges ye haue dispoyled mā of all freedome of will and haue bounde fast with a certeine fatall and vnauoydable Necessitie all the actoins and imaginations of men be they good and godly or be the perillous and pernitious cōtrary to Nature Reason and the law of God c. Touchyng the freédome of mans will and that fatall necessitie as Osorius tearmeth it bycause aunswere sufficient is made already before It shall be neédelesse to protract the Reader with a new repetition of matters spoken already To be brief and
to draw once somewhat nearer to the Epilogue of his notable Oration hauyng dispatcht that part of the accusation now wherein he hath discouered whatsoeuer hath bene spoyled by the Lutheranes he bendeth his eloquence to declare by the rest of his talke what supply hath come in for that which hath bene spoyled And here our proper fine Orator takyng a through and circumspect view of all thynges I warraūt you can espy no one thing of all that is reformed any thing prayseworthy nor any thyng in any respect aunswerable to the promises of these men who promising to cure the woundes and blemishes of the Church haue brought it into farre worse case more putrified and fuller of corruption And why so Bycause they do see that not onely the professours but the hearers also of this new Gospell are not onely not made better but defiled with many more haynous offences more prouoked to troublesome diuisions to venerous lust to theeuery and murther and to all other horrible practizes This is a stale deuise and an old practize of a pratyng Rhetorician that when thou seést thy selfe confounded with truth of matter to fleé forthwith to slaunderyng scoldyng and backbyting But to aunswere you somewhat hereunto What do ye note all the professours of the word Osorius or some particuler persons I thinke neither you will nor iustly can iustifie your saying agaynst all no more can ye agaynst many of them for as much as ye know not throughly the one halfe of our conuersations But if you thinke thus of some particuler person why do ye maruell so much at this sithence the state and condition of mans life attained neuer yet so perfect a felicitie but that there was alwayes iust cause of cōplaint agaynst the maners of many men and the worst part commonly were more in nomber thē the better Yea in Paradise it selfe sithence man and woman alone beyng but two onely could not liue long together in that humaine flesh without sinne how much lesse is this to be wondered in a multitude And yet in respect of those some persons whom you note as it were with a coale I know some also and could note them by name whose commendable conuersation of life I would rather chuse then all the holynes of all your Portingalls whatsoeuer vnlesse you demeane your selues more godly at home in Portingall then some of you lately behaued your selues here in England whom notwithstandyng I will not at this present openly diffame nor speake of them all that I know concealing their names of set purpose to the end your noble Nation shall not be infamed for their lewdenes by any reporte of myne And therfore let all that be Catholick be heauenly and Angelicke also for me And in this sort also had it bene as seémely for you good Catholicke Syr not to haue rusht so rudely with your vnmanerly penne agaynst them whose maners be altogether as farre from your knowledge as their names be As touchyng report what hath bene carried vnto you or what not I do not so much esteéme which as you know carrieth lyes for the more part rather then truth But admitte that the report be true marke yet I pray you how iniurious and slaūderous you are both in respect of the persons agaynst whō you do inueighe so much in respect of the cause which you do defende For wheras they do treate vpon Relligion and doctrine onely you apply all the action to life and maners without all cōsideratiō of the differēce betwixt these two For whereas Relligion is referred to God onely and maners respect mans state and condition properly hereby it commeth to passe that in that one nothyng ought to be permitted except it be most sincere and pure and in these other nothyng at all can be founde that is in any respect perfect Now if the order and course of mans life be not in all pointes correspondent to that absolute and exact rule of doctrine which we professe yet doth this neither countenaūce your errour nor preiudice the sinceritie of the Relligion that is taught out of the Gospell Wherfore this was altogether besides the cushian Osorius to raunge so lauishly agaynst men to speake so litle of the matter and substaunce of the question which concerned not mens maners but the pointes of doctrine properly But peraduenture this place serued here to the Rhetoricall commō place of vice and vertue taken out somewhere of some Oratours booke which perhappes you would haue cleane forgotten vnlesse you had furbushed it a fresh at this present Wherein notwithstandyng I do neither disallow your diligence much nor despise your Rhetoricall florishyng and beautifieng of righteousnesse For I know and confesse that this integritie of life which you commēde so highly apperteineth much to the dignifieng of the Church But yet this great boast maketh but small roast and serueth as litle to this present cause Which in deéde is this That a playne demonstration ought to haue bene made by the testimony of the Scriptures not what is pure or what is corrupt in mens maners but in the cōtrouersies of Relligion what is true and what is false Now if you be not so well furnished with Scriptures as to be able to debate throughly of the controuersies of Relligiō and therfore would conuerte your penne to this Rhetoricall kynde of cauillyng and scoldyng thē should you haue for seéne this much that this your hideous barkyng might at the least haue resembled the barking of those dogges that were trayned vppe lōg sithence in the Capitoll of Rome not to barke at honest Citizēs walking abroad in the day tyme but to driue away theéues gadders by night and to discouer thē with their barkyng But you so frame your accusation now I know not how preposterously ouerthwartly as that ye seéme more worthy to be noted for a Sycophant thē an accuser as one who passing ouer those lazye Drones and waspes which of all others chiefly ought to haue bene beaten away farre from the Hyues of the Church ye rush onely vpō thē altogether whose worthy trauailes if you were an honest man you would thinke neuer to be able to requite with cōdigne thankefulnes And yet in this your accusation agaynst them you do so enforce the whole bent of your Inuectiue and speach as that no part thereof at all carrieth any shew of truth nor agreément in it selfe First you doe say That these men tooke vpon them this enterprise of a great courage arrogancie and boldnesse whereby they promised to reforme the corrupt maners of the Church accordyng to her former auncient beauty and to bryng this to passe they bounde them selues by solemne oathe Which I haue already declared to be most vntrue yea the whole world witnessing same though I would hold my peace Yea annexe further That many ordinaūces well established in the Church first are taken away by them and abrogated Which also hath bene disproued to be no
of Christ For no mā will euer say so This is it that I doe aske whether if the Apostles of Christ or if Christ him selfe lyued at this day he could endure these blasphemies whether he would not thunder out the same wordes or greater thē the same wherewith he reproched the Iewes and Phariseés long sithence Woe be vnto you Pharisees whiche loue the chief and highest Seates in the Synagogues loue to be saluted in the markettes and to be called of men Rabby c. What shall I speake of the dignity of the Pope whereby your Parasites do make this Romish Byshop not onely greater then all Byshops and higher then all humaine power but better also then the generall Councels and all the whole Churches besides wherein you geue him libertie to dispence with whatsoeuer and howsoeuer he will altogether as him listeth yea though it be cōtrary to Gods Commaundementes to make Lawes and Articles to throw downe vnto hell to open and shut fast heauen and Purgatory to whom and from whom he will to release at his pleasure promises and oathes of allegeaunce wherewith Subiectes are bounde either to God or to their Princes and whereby you haue coyned him a ioynte Consistory together with God by the which you authorize him to treade vpon most mightie Emperors to transpose Kyngdomes and States to make markettes of Pardons and to make new kyndes of worshyppynges It is manifest and playne that all these were deuised by your Parasites not deriued from the Apostles all which howsoeuer you couer and cloake with neuer so fayre a vysour of fayned antiquitie yet the sacred Hystory of the Euangelistes and the writynges of the Apostles do determine the contrary Christ him selfe submitting him selfe vnto Caesar did not deny to pay tribute he rebuked his Apostles striuing together about preeminence by the example of a child he taught them to embase them selues in all humilitie permitted vnto them no libertie of beatyng Rule Paule appealed to Caesar as to an higher power Peter makyng him selfe equall with the Elders called him selfe Fellow Elder not Prince of Priests He was neuer called head of the Church nor euer so taken For proofe wherof heare the testimony of Chrisostome an auncient witnesse Let euery soule submit it selfe to the higher power yea though he be an Apostle though he be an Euāgelist or Prophet or whatsoeuer he be For this humility doth not subuert power c. I make no mention here with what thunderyng wordes Gregory doth inueighe agaynst thē which did practize to depraue this Ecclesiasticall equabilitie with arrogaūt Titles and to blaze her with more beautyfull feathers thē she was hatcht withal whom he vouchsafeth no better name then very forerunners of Antichrist Hystories are full hereof that those Titles of Pontificall pride were first graūted to pope Boniface the 3. by Phocas a murtherer But the fulnesse of all power began to be plumed by litle and litle in the tymes of his Successours at the last in the tyme of Hildebrand it became throughly ripe And yet the Greéke Churches stoode alwayes agaynst it nor would in any case allow thereof vntill the yeare of our Lord 1400. at what time Pope Eugenius 4. by fraud and great summes of mony did purchase this singuler prerogatiue of superioritye from the States of the Church and the pieres of the Greéke Empyre To be briefe The profession which our Churches doe generally acknowledge touching Christ to be the onely head of his Church is most euidently confirmed by the most auntient and approued testimonies of the Apostles On the contrary parte this your head of your Romishe Church though magnifyed with neuer so glorious titles how truely it may maintayne such singularitye I know not Sure I am you can not iustify it by any Antiquitye at all The same that I haue spoken of the Papane may be veryfyed of the first creation and election of Cardinalls of whome was neuer so much as name heard of in the age of thapostles or in Gregories time no nor a thousand yeares after Christ. For in those former ages from Gregory I. vnto Pope Iohn 29. the election of the Pope was alwayes Resiaunt with the Emperor and the people of Rome After which time the people being excluded frō geuing their voyces the election was through the practize of Parasites posted ouer to certayne Cardinalls The Pope must be taught say they and not heard Euen with lyke fraude were the people perswaded that the Masse was a very auntient thing not begunne of late nor proceéding from any others then from the Apostles themselues more then xv hundreth yeares agoe But Paule many yeares after thascention of Christ wryting to the Corinthiās doth say that he did deliuer vnto them the same which he had receaued of the Lord Wherein he spake not a word of those stagelyke gambols apish gestures of transubstantiation of one onely kinde to be deliuered to the people of any sacrifice for the quicke and the dead of inuocatiō of Saintes or praying for the dead All which together with that high feast of Corpus Christi frō whence they tooke their first footing and who were the Authors thereof Histories make mention playnely enough The wearing of Coapes at the tyme of Communion was first brought in by the bountifull liberality of Charles the great The practize and custome of priuate Masses beganne vnder his sonne Lodovick Pius At what tyme was a decreé made in a councell holden at Agathe that the lay people should be admitted to receaue the Sacramēt threé times of the yeare onely This custome was afterwardes abridged from thrise to once in a yeare by a constitution made in the tyme of Clement 3. who also described certaine Rites to be obserued in celebrating the Masse whereas a litle before Pope Alexander the 3. had instituted the vse of vnleauened bread about the tyme of Frederick Barbarosa and taken away the other part of the Communion from the laye people The pride and arrogancy of the Popes waxed then so outragious that at the last they shamed not to commit horrible sacriledge in the whole vse of the Lordes supper and turned it to the worshypping of an Idoll the true vse thereof being vtterly abolished But for the carrying abroad of this cōsecrated bread was a speciall feast and holyday graunted by Pope Vrbane the 4. by the mediation of Thomas Aquinas a litle before Gregory the 7. As concerning the Cannon of the Masse appeareth playnely by the whotte contention raysed about Gregories Cannon and Ambrose his Cannon that it was clowted vp and patcht together with many other trinckets more of the lyke sort by diuers and sundry Popes and not instituted in the primitiue Church nor yet ordeyned by thapostles During the time of which contentiō the common Churches were in a great perplexitye not resolued whether of those two Cannons they might receaue Besides which Cannons were diuers other
gloryous name coūterfaytyng the hornes of the immaculate Lambe doth vnder the person of Chrystes Uycar on earth attempt nothyng els in very deéde but that he may be the chiefe Monarch of the whole world and that all others Princes and Potentates of the earth may become buxam and bonnair vnto hys beck and commaundement For may it be lawfull Osorius for a man to speake the trueth franckely and in playne wordes to call a Toad a Toad Let that vysor of presumptuous pretence be pluckt from your pates and but a litle whyles turne downe that tytle and cloake of the Church wherewith you couer your selues and lette vs behold the thyng as it is in deéd to wytte the whole course of your conuersation your treasury myghty Maiesty gallant trayne pryncely pallaces stately dignyty pompous pryde terryble Lawes your lofty Castles presumptuous power what difference shal we seé betwixt the hyghest gouernemēt of an Empyre and the supremacy of the Pope betwixt the courtes of Kinges and the Reuelyng Rout of Rome betwixt Princes parliamēts and the Popes generall councels Now if you lyst to take a view of the gallaunts themselues what is the Pope himselfe other thē the Monarch and chiefe Ruler of thys world sauyng that other worldly Prynces be crowned wyth one single Dyademe onely but thys Ruffeler can skarse be satisfied wyth a Tryple Crowne Cardynalles what do they represent els then kynges and kynges Sonnes what do the Patryarches Archbyshoppes Byshopps and Abbottes in that pontificall kyndome shew themselues other then earthly prynces Dukes Earles equall or rather exceédyng them in sumptuousnesse wayted vpon wyth stately trayne wheresoeuer they goe and Ryde and many of them also Rynged and Chayned to whom a man may lawfully lyncke the Lubberly Rowt of monstruous Mounckes and false Fryers in stead of a gard Finally what one thing is done in any common wealth or pryncely courtes that these iolly Rufflers haue not conueyed into the Church of Christ by ambytious emulation Kynges and Emperours enduced hereunto for necessary preseruation of theyr state doe ioyne vnto them counsellors and Piers Those haue theyr Ambassadours and Messengers they haue also theyr pryuy ligiers and skowtes what doth the Pope want his consistory hath not this most holy father his Synodaryes doth he lack his legates nati legates de latere who wheresoeuer they be sent vse no lesse pompe thē any other Piere or potētate of highest nobility yea though he be neuer so sumptuous No more is he destitute of his skowtes and spyes whom he hath priuelye lurkyng euery where armed with treason at a pynche in princes courtes in theyr councels yea in the closettes pryuy chambers of Kynges and Queénes Do ye not thinke that thys is a comely concordaunce Osorius and a reasonable resemblaunce of Chrystes lyfe and commaundementes agreéable with the Apostles and Euangelists with the auncient Fathers with the ordinaunces of the primitiue Church and with the former presidēt of the Elders The Lord cryeth out in the Gospell As my lyuing Father sent me euē so do I send you What and do you thinke that he was so sent into the world that he should establish a new Regyment on earth and like an other Romulus builde an other stately and Emperiall Rome Or do ye thinke that the ministers of Chryst were sent after any other sort then the Sonne himselfe was sent from the Father Christ proceédeth yet foreward Receaue ye the holye Ghost sayth he whosoeuer Sinnes you shall forgeue the same are forgeuen them whosoeuer Sinnes you shall retayne the same also shal be retayned Other power then this he neuer did entitle his Church withall nor yet gaue this power to any but vnto them onely whom he purposed to endue with his holy spirite If we will value the Church of Christ by Christ his owne Lawes and not after the decreés of Popes what can be more euident then the wordes which he spake vnto his Disciples Ye know that such as will seeme to rule ouer Nations are Lordes ouer them theyr Princes haue dominion ouer them But it shall not be so with you for he that will be greatest shall humble himselfe minister to all the rest For the Sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister to other himselfe and to geue his lyfe to be a redemption for many Agayne Who made me iudge betwixt you we are taught like wise in Paule that the weapons of our warrefare are not carnall but mighty in the power of God wherewith we captiuate all vnderstanding and wisedome in subiection vnto Christ. And agayne Let euery man so esteeme of vs as the ministers of Christ and Stewardes of the misteryes of God And the same Paule in an other place Not because we be Lordes ouer your faith but we be helpers of your ioy For by fayth you are made perfect In the same sence also Peter Not being Lordes ouer the Clergy sayth he And agayne in the thyrd chapter of the same Epistle meaning to expresse the efficacy of the Gospell he doth call it a ministery not of the flesh but of the spirite And therefore to the end he may make vs more spirituall he doth wisely forbidde not the ministers onely but generally all other to be alike fashioned to this present word what would he now say If he did beholde the shape and vgly deformity of the Romish Church as it is now if heé aduised well the Royaltyes of S. Peter the fulnes of power the authority of both swordes the Keyes of all Churches stollen away and hanged all vpon the Romish bunch the toppe gallaūt of the pontificall maiesty the Cardinalles the Legates preuayling aboue Prynces the empalled and Mytred Byshoppes the orders of Shauelings the swarmes of Mounckes and Fryers the Lawes Bulles decreés which they vse as forcible as Cānon shotte theyr might and power fearefull yea terrible also to Princes The Lord hymselfe cryeth out mightely in the Gospell that his kingdome is not of this world nor canne away with the thinges that are mighty of the earth But our pontificall prelate will storme and waxe wroth if the world enioy any thyng that is not subiect vnto his power And this Ierarchy meane whiles more then wordly they fayne and God will to be the Church at whose becke as at the sight of Gorgones vgly face they make astonyed all the Monarches and Tetrarches of the earth And the same haue they magnified with the name of Catholicke forsooth By vertue of which name they will haue to be notyfied not a congregation dispersed vpon the face of the whole earth agreéing together in one conformity of doctryne and worshypping of Christ whyche doth make a true Catholicke Church But they meane hereby that onely Ierarchy which they will haue tyed fast to the Romyshe Seé And hereunto for the greater aduauncement of the authority they haue deuised a trymme tytle of Antiquity
Behold say they was there euer any Church if the Church of Rome were not a Church glorying as it were vpon the tytle of Antiquitye whereas neuer any one thing doth differre more from all antiquity wherein these Romish skippiacks seéme in my conceit not much lyke litle boyes playing the Comedyes of Plautus vpon some stage where one playeth the part of Chremes an other of Menedemus or Cremilus who beyng not yet come to be hoary and grayheaded by course of yeares because they will sette a graue countenaūce vpon the matter and seéme olde men before the gazers vpon them about on the Skaffoldes they put vpon them counterfayt trynckets to witte a white hoary beard vpon theyr chynne gray and white lockes vpon theyr heades counterfayting theyr gate with stooping and crooching they rest their handes vpon some staffe shaking and tremblyng and fashion theyr voyces bigge like olde men doyng all this with a certayne witty and crafty conueyaunce of counterfayting so that if you behold theyr outward handling and gesture you would say they were olde men but if you discharge them of theyr Roabes and plucke of theyr vysours you shall finde them nothing lesse then such as they haue fayned themselues to be Not much vnlike is this dottrell Ierarchy of Rome which it is a wonder to seé how many yeares it vaunteth of continuaunce in wordes in voyce in countenaunce gesture and outward resemblaunce Fiftene hundreth yeares and more say they did our predecessors beginne to sitte in this chayre euen from the first foundatiō of the prymitiue Church which being erected in Christ himselfe established by the Apostles confirmed with a cōtinuall course of neuer fayling Succession receiued by generall consent from the Auntient Fathers and from them hath remayned bene deriued vnto vs by aperpetuall and permanent deliuery of Succession But your Church which you call an Euangelicall Church where was it euer seene or heard at any time of any man These verely be the vysours and stagelike gugawes wherewith this Romish counterfaytes haue played their tragicall partes wherewith they haue beguiled many simple people hetherto But lett vs plucke of theyr visors and discouer this bellygod Pope a whytes that we maye throughly behold what manner of puppette this smoath Apish Church is within About fiftene hundreth yeares sithence and more they say that this Church wherein they raygne now like Lordes was and hath had vnchaunged continuaunce Albeit this be but to small purpose what cōtinuaunce things that are false and altogether vntrue do prescribe vpon Yet if the age of the Church be so great as they pretēd it to be lette them shew thē out of all the antiquities of thinges places tymes or persons what one of all the Apostles or Euangelistes what one auncient Father or auncient Church did euer heare the name of vniuersall Pope before these thousand yeares last past or if they now heard it would permitt it in the Church what Law did euer enforce and binde all churches generally to the ordinary Succession of one Churche or euer appoynted so great a toppegallaunt of Maiesty which as before the chiefe and hyghest iudge may clayme prerogatiue of Iurisdiction ouer all causes in the world to be decided within hys owne consistory which might arrogantly challenge the fulnesse of power which as it were out of one high court of parlyament might rule ouer all Churches and beare dominion ouer all the world as ouer one peculier dioces which might challēge the authority of both swordes might be Lord ouer the Spyritualty and Temporalty which being the wellspring and Closette of the whole Law finally beyng King of Kinges Queéne and Princesse of all potētates and rulers might surmount in superiority all earthly dignity seuenty times sixty degreés when as there are not yet much more then a thousand yeares sithence Gregory a Pope of Rome did frāckely and openly confesse that there was neuer any of his predecessors that would euer take vpon him this name of Singularity or enter vpon any such hawtinesse of arrogant title to be named with such an heathenish name wherein sayth he was a wonderfull iniury committed agaynst Christ the head of the whole Church vnto whom should a sharpe and dreadfull account be rendred by him whosoeuer heé were that would enterprise to bring vnder his owne subiection all the rest of his members vnder the name and tytle of Vniuersality And ouer and besides annexeth hereunto with great vehemency of speéch whosoeuer doth call himselfe vniuersall Byshopp or doth attēpt to be so called the same doth by that his intollerable pryde denounce him selfe playnely to be the very forerunner of Antichrist Let the Romanistes shew where was not onely the order but the name also of Cardinals litle aboue one thousand yeares sithence or where this prettye forme of election was heard of which is now frequented in the Romish Church before that Pope Nicholas 2. gathering together a Couent of Piers apparelled in purple from amongest the Deacons of that Citye and the neighbour Byshops there did transferre all the right and interest of chusing the Pope to a few Cardinalles contrary to the prescript custome of the auncient Fathers Touchyng the Election of Cornelius a Byshop of Rome the wordes of Cyprian are very euident which I haue thought good to inserte in this place Cornelius was made Byshop sayth he by the Iudgement of GOD and his Christ by the consent of all the Clergie almost by the voyces and acclamations of the people that were present and by the Congregation of the Auncient Priestes aud godly personages For as yet Emperours were not professed Christians At the length Constātine being Emperour the Church was gouerned after his time vntill the time of Henry the 4. in such sorte that neither Byshoppes should be created but by thauthoritye Emperiall nor councells Sommoned nor Ecclesiasticall Reuenewes distributed by any Byshop before the Emperors grace did allowe thereof That this is true appeareth by the Recordes of most aūcient monumēts but aboue others chiefly by that decreé of Charles the great and Otto Emperours proclaymed in a Synode of Byshopps The forme of the decreé is extant in the 63. Distinct. The force of which decreé remained firme and inuiolable during the whole lyne and race of the sayd Charles vntill the time of Otto the 1. And after him also vntill the Battels and ouerthrowes of Henry the 4. and Henry the 5. For as concerning the forme of the oathe annexed to the same distinction whereby they doe falsly imagine that themperor Otto did sweare him selfe to the Pope it is manyfest by the autētick and true Recordes of Histories that it was shame fully forged and counterfait as also the graunt Donatiue of Ludouicus Pius which is immediatly set before the same oath in the distinction which Recordes doe playnely conuince the same to be detestable lyes And where now be these xv hundreth yeares whereupon they prate with so
some glymering of dawning day and to refresh the razed Rent of his ruynous Church and to restore a recouery of his auncient recordes of written veritye the Braynesuck beastes of Romyshe rowte ganne fret aud fume and our sweéte shauelinges seéke at the length that we render them a reason of our Noueltye And because veritye Euangelicall oppressed with Tyranny through the Reuell of Sathās raunging abroad these few yeares eyther durst not shewe it selfe into the open world or could not be heard to plead for it selfe through their outragious vilaines being now quickened from aboue beginneth to display her oryent beames she is called to corā before these cloisterers as though Christe and the doctrine Apostolicall were some straunger in the world and commaunded to Iustifie her chalenge of Antiquitye to them which are neither able to render any reason of theyr counterfayt Antiquitie nor Iustify the trueth of their own cause by any recordes or reportes of probable auncienty or by any testimonie or president of the prymatyue Churche whatsoeuer Wherein me seémeth they behaue themselues no more modestly and shamefastly then theéues and murtherers which breakyng in by nyght into an other mans house hauing by violnce and wrong either slayne or thrust the true owner out of dores chalenge vnto themselues a title of possession And so pleadyng in possession by wrongfull disseisin for tearme of certeyne yeares doe plead occupation and prescription of time agaynst the lawfull heire that hath right by lawe to recouer and demaund Iudgement thrusting the true heire out from his true inheritaunce who in ryght equitye demaundeth restitution For what other thing doe they herein who finding their cause to be no way bettered by vouching of Scriptures which make nothing for thē at all fleé ouer forthwith to yt. Fathers Custome continued of olde by long prescription of time crying out agaynst vs with full mouthes that they haue enioyed their possession in the Church more then xv hundreth yeares and commaund vs to tell them where our Church was litle aboue xl yeares sithence And because they aske it I will tell them conditionally that they will distinctly tell me first what they doe meane by this worde Church If they meane the people perhappes we were not all borne then if they vnderstand the Roofes Walls and Tymber of the Churches they stand euen now in the same place where they were wont to stand are enuironed with the same churchyardes where they stood of old But yf they speake of the doctrine verely it was in the word of God and in the Scriptures discernable enough where also it resteth now rested euer heretofore and shall rest hereafter for euer If they demaund of the forme of gouernment It was in the primitiue Church and many yeares after in Asia Greece Affrick Europe dispersed abroad in all Churches at what tyme euery particular Church was gouerned by theyr peculiar Patriarches and not pente vppe and straighted into one hole vnder the commaundement of one man onely when also neither was any Byshoppe called vniuersall Byshoppe no nor my Lord Byshoppe of Rome called as then vniuersall Byshoppe I haue now told where our Church was before these fourtye yeares It remayneth that I be so bold to demaund agayne of them but especially of our Osorius that he vouchsafe to declare vnto vs where this fine Ciceronisme thys braue poolyshed speach where thys exquisited eloquence of writyng and speaking where this gorgeous furniture of fyled toūges this pyked and straunge statelynes of style was fourty yeares agoe where this wonderfull increase of Artes and Mathematicall sciences was will he eyther say that it is newely found out now or restored agayne rather and deliuered long sithence from olde auncient teachers If he will confesse that they be not new nor speciall deuises of our proper wittes but renewed and reuiued rather out of auncient authors let him then so account him selfe satisfied in his question touching the state of the Church not that it is a newe vpstart but reuiued from olde not garnished with new Coapes but returning agayne in her old Fryse gown For we doe not now build a new Church but we bring forth and beautifye the olde Church But now if any man will seéme to maruell what the verye cause reason should be that these artes and disciplines do rather in these dayes now florishe agayne at length after so long scylence and so long continuaunce in exile and banishment and would neédes know the very true naturall cause hereof What better aūswere shall I make him then that it is done by the speciall prouidence of GOD who of his inestimable goodnesse vouchsafed in these latter dayes to discouer abroad into the world the famous Art of Emprinting By meanes wherof aswell the seédes and principles of all liberall sciences as the knowledge of Diuinitye are extant and in dayly exercise not newly begon now but sproughted vppe of the olde Rootes and recouering their olde beauty So that you haue lesse cause to wonder Osorius that our Deuines beyng enlightened thus with so opē a light of the manifest scriptures and furnyshed with so great store of bookes and helpes of learning doe seé much more in matters of Diuinitye than many our Elders haue done Which helpes and furnitures of bookes if had bene so plentifull in those aūcient yeares of Gregory 7. Nicholas 2. and Innocent 3. for the exercise of wittes as we seé them now dayly and hourely handled and frequented beleue me Osorius The Pope of Rome had neuer so long lurcked in his lazye denne nor so long had bewitched the senses of selly ones with his leger demayne and crafty conueyaunce Nor had Osorius euer sturred his stumpes so stoughtly in this quarell agaynst Haddon Nor had Haddon bene forced to this streight to make defence of his Noueltye at this present But here some one of Osorius Impes will say peraduenture For as much as the state condition of the Church is such that wheresoeuer it be it must neédes be visible and apparaunt to be seéne not thrust vnder a bushell but set on hygh vpon an hill that it may shyne clearely vnto all and for as much also as the Churche of Rome was euer euē from the very swathlyng cloutes of Christian Religion of that excellency as to be able to Iustifie her dignitie and renowme by the whole and full agreable consent of all estates times and places euen vnto this day and that none other Church besides this one alone can mainteyne so lōg a continuaunce of yeares and so great a title of authoritie who may dought hereof but that this Seé of Rome is the onely Seé where onely is refiaunt a true face and profession of the true Church And that on the contrary part the Lutheranes Church beyng but of a few yeares continuaunce and neuer heard of before must therfore be accoumpted not worthy of place or name of a Church
For this is almost the whole strength substaunce of their defence And I am not ignoraunt how plausibly this probable shew glittereth in the eyes of vnskilfull and vnlettered people For so do Philosophers define Probabilitie to be such as seémeth probable either to all men or many or at the least to wise personages But in heauenly thyngs ought a farre other maner of cōsideration be had For if we grounde our selues vpon many we are taught by Christ himselfe That many are called but few are chosen And agayne in an other place That his flocke is a very litle flocke And afterwardes he demaundeth If when the Sonne of mā shall come whether he shall finde any Faith vpō the earth Neither are those thyngs alwayes best wt delight many Agayne if we shall depend vpon the Iudgemēt of the wise we heare likewise the same Lord him selfe geuing thākes vnto his Father that he had hiddē those thinges frō the prudent and wise of this world and reuealed them to litle ones And agayne we read in Paul The wisedome of this world is very foolishnes with God And therfore where as they would haue the Church to be placed on high apparaūt to the view of all the world truly they Iudge not amysse herein namely if they meane of the preaching of the word And yet this is no good Argumēt notwithstādyng that euery Citie vaūced on highest hill shall be forthwith esteémed the true church of God or els what shall be sayd to that famous great City mētioned in the Apocalips Which was foreprophecied should be built not vpon the Toppe of on hill onely but vpon seuen hills Or what shall we Iudge of that exceédyng wondering and worshyppyng of so many Nations so reuerētly hūbled to that Beast whose marcke it is sayd that small and great young and old riche and poore freemen and bondmen yea and those in noumber not a fewe but vniuersally all shall be marked withall in their right handes and in their foreheades Uerely if common sence and consent of people do make a Church where was euer a greater consent or more well likyng and greater admiration of fautours and frendes But they say that the cōsent cōmunitie of their Church is vniuersall Catholick which may not erre by any meanes Now let vs seé how they proue it The Apostle say they in his Epistles did greatly cōmēde the fayth of the Romaine Church This is true Peter also did both consecrate the same to be a See and instruct it in the Fayth I am in dought of this But what hereof After the Apostles tyme many of the Apostles Disciples say they learned Doctours and holy Martyrs Ignatius Irenaeus Cyprian Tertulliā Augustine and all that auncient age of graue Fathers did alwayes most gloriously esteeme of this Church Is there any more yet In the tyme of Basile Nazienzene Chrisostome the Church of Rome was not onely had in highest estimation but also was diuers tymes sought vnto for counsell and ayde neither will I deny this to be true couple herewith if you will that whē other Churches were tossed and turmoyled euery where with Schismes and rent in sunder with seditious factions no one Church besides stoode so long in so quiet a calme not assaulted with any such contētious sectes or variable opiniōs which did not a litle aduaunce the estimation of the Church and gate it no small authoritie Go to and what shal be concluded at the last out of all this For sooth The Church of Rome whiles it reteigned the sounde doctrine and simplicitie of the Fayth was commended of the holy Fathers by the name of a Catholicke and an Apostolicke Church Ergo The Church of Rome is the head and Metropolitane Church of all other Churches which hath neuer hetherto swarued from the true tracke of the truth nor shall euer erre vnder the which all other Churches must be subiect of very necessitie the cōmaundement wherof is an haynous obstinacie to disobey From the which to depart is manifest Schisme agaynst the which to resist and stand is playne heresie all the cōmaundements whereof to sweare obedience vnto is the surest way of sauety moreouer also a very necessary Article of eternall Saluation You do seé I suppose the whole force and subtiltie of your Catholicke cutted Enthymeme Whereof if you will seé a right proportion it is this The Church of Rome was allowed of the holy Apostles or the most auncient Fathers and all the most approued Doctours of the Church for Catholicke and Apostolicke But our Church is the Church of Rome Ergo Our Church is approued for Catholicke and Apostolicke by the consent of all the godly First we aunswere to the Maior proposition The auncient primitiue Church of Rome was approued by the famous cōsent of the learned for Catholicke and Apostolicke Peraduenture it was so yet was not this Church of Rome accompted so alone nor yet to this end so accompted bycause it should be the vniuersall Church of all other Churches For this will forthwith be gayne sayd by the Councels of Nice Mileuitane and by Pope Gregory and all the learned Deuines of that age vntill the cōmyng of Boniface 3. Moreouer neither was it for that cause so famously commended with so great consent bycause it was the Church of Rome but bycause it was a Christian Church Neither for any prerogatiue of the place though Peter sate there a thousand tymes For euen this also will an aūcient Pope Gregory deny as appeareth euidently by the Decreés Neither the places nor the dignities do make vs more acceptable to our Creatour but either our good deedes doe couple vs vnto him or our euill deedes do exclude vs frō him Moreouer not bycause it can prescribe an ordinary Succession of Byshops For Ierome also will not admit this They be not children of holy ones forthwith sayth he that occupie the possessiō of the holy ones but they that practize the workes of the holy ones But bycause with the Succession of Byshops they did ioyne agreable profession in true Religion bycause they did apply them selues to imitate the Fayth Religion and order of worshyppyng instituted by the Apostles bycause they did not varry frō well ordered Churches in any part of sounde doctrine For this cause I say namely for their sincere vnstayned Fayth and constaunt vprightenes of Religion not defiled with filthy stenche of erroneous doctrine the Church of Rome obteined of the auncient godly Fathers to haue a place amongest the Catholicke Apostolicke Churches But what is this O ye Apostolicke Princes to this your Romish Church in the state that it is now in the disorderous order whereof as it is at this day reuelyng with Cardinalles riotyng in Court glorified with this title of Uniuersall head garnished with tripple Crowne garded with the double sword magnified with Patriarches and innumerable other titles of dignitie armed with Abbottes mounted with Mounkes saluted
souereigne with shauelyngs and infinite skulles of fectes fortified with those Canons Decreés Decretalles and Rescriptes pampered vppe with Pardons exalted with Idolatry sumptuous in superstition entangled with so many snares and Articles embrued in so bloudy a bootchery of Saintes that might easily fill vp a thousand Toonnesfull of Babilonicall horrour and crueltie aduaunced with so many more then Pharisaicall Traditions and peltyng Ceremonies which would easily ouerlade a monstruous Carricke glitteryng in gold precious stones and pearle enriched with large and great possessions patrimonies beautified with purple and scarlet finally so blazing in brauery with the Royalties of S. Peter If S. Peter if Paule the Apostle if the holy Fathers and auÌ„cient Doctours of that pure primitiue Church had seéne these glorious gawdyes which we seé veryly I doe beleéue they would so litle acknowledge this Church for Catholicke that they would euen from the bottome of their hartes vtterly abhorre it and would scarsely acknowledge it by the name of a Christian Church And thus much to your Maior Now I do aunswere to your Minor wherein you haue committed a great eskape in the word which the Logitians do terme aequiuocum or ignoratio Elenchi For this word Romayne Church is in the Maior taken after one sort in the Minor after an other sort In the Maior it noteth such a Church as did retayne the true worshippyng of God and sincerity of Religion as into the which were no poysoned infections of sinister Doctrine no filth of false opinyons crept But in the Minor thys word Church is of a farre contrary condition and quality as the which doth carry no resemblaunce at all of that auntient and primitiue Church besides a bare name onely and a certayne whorysh dissembling counterfayt of outward Succession In all thynges els which do make a true vnspotted and vndefiled Church it beareth so no countenaunce at all as that it seémeth rather vnder the name and Tytle of the Church to be at defiaunce with the Church rather and vnder the name of a ChristiaÌ„ souldior to fight agaynst Christ her captain trayterously to betraye him to Antichryst For if Christ be the verity it selfe surely counterfayt verity as Origen sayth is very Antichrist And therfore if they will iustify theyr consent and Antiquity by good argument Let them yelde vs such a Church of Rome as the auncient Fathers did honourably esteéme of and then shall it not want our agreéable and mutuall assent and allowaunce And let them make vs a playne demonstration of those ornaments which are worthely ascribed to a true Christian Church and we will confesse it to be a true Church Where the Church is sayeth Irene there is the holy Ghost and where the Spirite of God is there is also the Church and all grace But the Spyryte is the verity therefore verity is the life of the Church without the which the Church is blinde and euen dead being aliue and deserueth not so much as the name of a Church no more then the portraiâ—t or counterfayt of a man doth deserue to be called a maÌ„ properly whereupon the Church is with the Apostle very fittely called a sure piâ—ler and a foundation not of mans authority but of Gods verity And by the testimony of Lactantius that Church is called the onely Catholicke Church wherein God is worshipped aright which Church if the ofspring of the auncient Romanistes did now professe as truely and in the same forme as the Catholicke Fathers did extoll prayse it with such great commendation there would be no controuersy at all On the other side if they haue determined with theÌ„selues neither to admit the trueth within theyr Citie themselues nor to tollerate the same to beé preached being brought in by others let them accuse themselues not the Lutherans who had rather patiently endure coÌ„tinuall enmity and hatred of them then to become open aduersaries of the truth Moreouer lette them also cease hereafter to pray in ayd of antiquity number of voyces for defence of their church forasmuch as they can alleadge no true report of the one and the other can helpe them nothing at all For if it may be lawfull for vs renouncing the verity to mayntayne one cause by vouching antiquity and number of nations namely in those thynges which appertayne properly to Christ and his Church then let vs not spare to argue after the same forme of Logick The Religion of Mahumette hath bene of as long a continuaunce of tyme and yeares as the Church of the Pope Ergo Mahumettes Religion is of as great authority as the Popes And agayne The greatest part of Priestes haue long sithence bene ouer gredily couetous Ergo They that doe inueigh agaynst theyr greedy Auarice most be accounted Cosen Germaynes to the valdenses heresy Agayne The greater part of the people did cry out Crucifige and stoaned Stephen to death And the most part of meÌ„ do at this day follow their owne sensuality and lust Ergo Let vs all ioyne together in sensuality and lust If on this wise we shall thinke to measure the truth and sincerity of Religion by the standard of Antiquity and number of yeares what shall we winne by this argument when we doe heare that many are called but few are chosen when as fooles also be in number infinite when as from the highest to the lowest all are become couetous when as euen from the Prophette to the Priestes all worke deceit What shall we win I say by this argument but that the part of Sathan which is more in number shall be of greater force and seéme to tryumph agaynst the Lord But to lette passe the Romysh Church I returne to our own Church In the which Osorius hauing alleadged nothing hetherto nor being by any meanes able to alleadge any matter truely that may seéme either new or straunge in our doctrine or that doth in any respect swarue from the institution and discipline of the Apostles he runneth away from the question that concerneth the sincerity of Religion and doctrine and commeth to this point to catch some occasion of outward life and maners of men whereby he may reproch vs subtlely enough I warrant you imitating herein the old crafty Rhetoricall Foxes who feéling themselues altogether vnable to prosecute the cause which is specially in hand with effect do wring the state of the Question an other way or enforce the whole bent of theyr accusation agaynst theyr aduersary with some contrary cauillation turning Catte in the Panne that so being not otherwise able to compas theyr cause it selfe they may yet at least entangle theyr Aduersary with some perill and daunger Not much vnlike hereunto happeneth now to Osorius in this kinde of controuersy who being not able to mayntayne the cause of his guilty Church with any iustifiable argumentes bendeth himselfe wholly to defame our Churches with falsehoodes and vntruethes And on this wise at length addresseth his
wherewith they haue practized the dissipation ouerthrow vtter spoyle and consumyng of all thynges both publicke and priuate with fire and sword yea the most holy thynges of the Church Be of good cheare now I suppose this whotte flamyng Rhetoricall smoake is come almost to an end Can Osorius amplification adde yet more hereunto surely these be great matters yea very great in deéde but yet you shall heare farre more haynous For whereas emongest other kynde of liuyng creatures which nature hath formed to the destruction of mankynd some do bewitche with their eyes and lookyng on some do infect with touchyng others doe kill with their teeth and some with their tayles These Lutherās do so contriue their matters that they doe not onely poyson the bodyes the soules and the lyues of men with the contagion of their wickednesse but vpon what grounde soeuer they set footyng I doe not say they defile the same with those former small faultes but wheresoeuer they tread with their feete they leaue the same lande contamined and poysoned with many more ye more execrable abhominations And why doth he not adde this also withall that what shyppe soeuer they enter into of purpose to sayle ouer Sea they do also drowne the same shipp into the bottome of the Sea with ouer burdē of their wickednes why then clappe your handes reioyce you Osorians congratulate this yonr notable Rhethoriciā who if you haue not yet learned the arte of lying and flaunderyng haue here a notable Schoolemaister whom ye may follow And so when you haue magnified this your exquisite Maister triumphauntly enough write some Epitaphe for this wretched caytife Haddon worthy his impudencie who notwithstandyng all these horrible abhominations shamed not to stand in the defence of this new doctrine agaynst this great Doctour Osorius Moreouer that the singuler excellency of this your Maister may shyne so much the more notably Behold now not the Rhetoricke but the modesty and humanitie of the man For whereas this might haue sufficed him if at least he might haue woonne this much which we can in no wise deny to witte that our maners are not correspondent to that most exact and exquisite rule of most holy and Apostlicque Religion Which thyng these new Apostles vndērtooke to bryng to passe yet the sweete man contented of his incredible courtesie to acquite vs of this quarell doth now deale with vs after this maner not to compare vs as he might of his Pontificall authoritie doe it well enough with the Apostles nor with auncient Fathers of the primitiue Church but doth referre vs to our owne forefathers and doth require this onely at our handes that we Englishmē should frame our selues to the grauitie vertue Religion and holynes of our aūcestours and by their example become like vnto them in lyke integritie of lyfe But for as much as we can not aspire to the glory and renowme of their vertues which were also by many degrees inferiour to the Apostles how much and how farre discrepant therfore is the Institutiō of our Church in this point that it may carry any resemblaunce at all of that Apostolicke institution and discipline which discipline ought to expresse it selfe not in vayne ostentation and tauntyng but in superexcellent examples of righteousnes chastitie sinceritie Religion and charitie and a life altogether vndefiled vnreproueable conuersation and a most serious desire and endeuour of heauenly vertue You haue heard godly Reader the knittyng vppe of the conclusion of this Peroratiō fetcht out of the very entrailes of all Rhethoricke Now take an Argument of the same somewhat more compendiously knitte vppe not with floorishyng figures of Rhetoricke but framed euen in the very schoole and Arte of Logicke and comprehended in fewe wordes that it may easily appeare how to Iudge of the same more certeinly and to aunswere the matter more fittely The life of the Lutheranes as he calleth them is haynous and farre vnlike the life of the Apostles and their own auncestours Ergo The doctrine that the Lutheranes do professe in their Churches is altogether discrepant from the Doctrine and Institution of the Apostles For as much as this is the whole force and Summary conclusion of your Argument Osorius It remaineth agayne that we aunswere vnto the same And what aunswere may we frame more fitte and agreable to the matter then to deny the Argumēt For I beseéch you where did you learne this Logicke to knitte such fleéyng fruitlesse moates together or where haue you learned this Diuinitie to measure mens doctrine and profession by maners and conuersation of life When Haddon debated with you of Fayth onely and Religion it behoued you to haue aunswered the same accordyngly which if seémed in your conceipt to varry from the Institution Apostolicke in any pointes the same should haue bene layd open by you the Articles shoulde haue bene noted by some speciall marke and conuinced with Scriptures those errours should haue bene refuted with lawfull Testimonies and authorities those heresies should haue bene discouered and confuted But you omittyng that part of the controuersie which belonged to doctrine skyppe away to other matters not such as are of no importaunce but such neuerthelesse as concerne the present matter nothyng at all accordyng to the old Prouerbe which is the way to Canterbury a pocke full of plummes And this much to the Conclusion of your euillfauoured clouted Argument I come now to aunswere that part of your argument wherewith you vrge vs most namely Manners albeit the same hath bene once done already but so I would aunswere you as that I would desire you to aunswere me first simply to a few questions First whereas you Rayle so franckly agaynst the maners of our people do you know this that ye write to be true by any sure argument or knowledge of your owne but how canne you attayne vnto it being so meare a straunger and so farre seuered from vs by distaunce of place Or els haue you conceaued it to be so by some coniecture of your owne head but we take you for no Proyet Or haue you beleued it vpon some vagarant tales or reports of others but talebearers may deceaue you haue deceiued many Or did you dreame of any such happely ouercharged with some wine of Creéte But the men of Creete haue bene alwayes accounted lyers Agayne euery fond dreame is not by and by a prophecy As Basile reporteth Moreouer do you inueigh against all the Lutheranes generally or agaynst some particulerly if you meane all you speake vntruely If you speake of many tell vs when did you number thē if of some perticuler persons it standeth agaynst all reason that the offence of a few dissolute persones should be a cōmon reproch to the whole order of Mynisterie Now agayne lette vs seé what kinde of offences they be wherwith you charge vs what do you meane therfore all kindes and sortes of abhominations Osorius without any exception or those small
Moyses Howbeit it was so much the lesse to be marueled That the same should be obiected agaynst Paule in that tyme especially when as the Iewes were yet chiefe rulers of the Temple it selfe and Moyses ordynaunces were as yet in their chiefe force and authoritye What and haue we profited this farre now at the length after so great and long labors employed after so many aduertizements of thapostles after so many instructions of the holy ghost after so many examples of the Church after so many miracles so many bookes so many testimonyes of learned men so many helpes of sownd doctrine that we must after all these neédes â—unne back vnto old Iewishnes agayne may we not now skarcely open onr mouthes to preach Iesus Christ the Sonne of God but we must seéme Iniurious to Moyses For what els did Luther meane Whereunto els tended all his doctrine trauaile endeuour and thought but that the gracious mercy of God discouered in the Gospell might through his minystery he commended to weakâ— and aflicted consciences and glorified of them In which maner of doctrine yf any thing seéme displeasaunt to your minde let your owne minde and Imagination offend you rather then Paule or Luther For there lurketh a plague or pestilence not in the Doctrine but in the minde which in my iudgement seémeth to be such as that if you had liued in the tyme of Christ with the Scribes and Pharises being of the same mind wherewith you gnaw this doctrine so viperously now you might haue bene fellow mate with them which cryed out Crucifige Crucifige agaynst Christ. Not so say you but the wickednes and abhominations of this age doe much displease me with that am I worthely offended And what good or godly man is not throughly displeased herewith Peruse who will the writings of Luther Melanckton Bucer Zuinglius Martyr Caluine and he shall easely peceaue that this deadly decay of Godly lyfe was no lesse greuous to euery of them then to your selfe that I neéde neuer speake of this besides to witt that Luther being very oftentymes disquieted with the maners and vnthankefulnes of his own countrey men did long before with a very propheticall vehemencye foretell that the same lamentable slaughter should befall them for their vngratefull contempt of Euangelicall lyfe wherewith not long after they were greuously pinched And how then may any reasonable man credit you Osorius that lye so impudently vpon these men whom you make to be Authours and standerbearers of all those mischyeues and Tumultes But here is yet another argument clowted vppe and patcht together with the lyke stuffe whereby he would proue vpon trust of hys Rhethoricke That these false Prophets Lutherans were not sent from God Let vs first note the wordes which he citeth out of the Scriptures Marke well sayth he What the Lord spake of a false Prophet The Prophet that is puft vp with pride and will speake in my name the thing that I doe not commaund him to speake or in the name of any other straunge Godds let him be slayne And if in your secret conceypt you thinke with your selfe how shall I vnderstand that it is not the word of God that he hath spoken Take this for a signe Whatsoeuer that Prophet shall Prophecy in my name and it come not to passe that hath not the Lord spoken but the Prophet himselfe hath imagined it through the pride of his owne hart and therefore thou shalt not feare him c. Where is this Seéke for it Reader in the old Testament or in the new for eyther it pleased not Osorius to note the place or perhappes it serued not for his purpose so to doe But the place is to be found in the 18. Chap. of Deut. Go to and what is it that this wonderfull Philosopher of this world hath pyked out of these words Forsooth hauing vttered this much first by way of preamble It followeth now sayth he that we see what Luther Melancton Bucer Caluine and the other iolly companions haue promised and vndertaken to doe what hope they haue geuen of their glorious promises to witt that it should come to passe that they would call home agayne the discipline of the Gospell to her auntient sinceritye restore Religion hold vpp the Church that was ready to fall downe That is to say that they would fully restore the decayed fayth of the Church restore lenitye Chastitye Concord Vnitye Modestye Obedience Charitye together with godlynes and great bountye of godly loue All these things wherof they promised largely and in many wordes to bring to passe it lacketh so much of thacomplishment of their promise that they haue left all things in farre more worse case more peruerse more filthy and more deformed by the meanes of their goodly trauayle as men that haue placed Sacrilege in stead of Religion Crueltye in stead of Lenytye Tumults in stead of Peace Ciuill warre in stead of Concord Licentiousnes of lyfe in stead of chastity Contempt of Magistrates in stead of Obedience Pride in stead of Modestye Finally in stead of Charitye and Pietye Enmitye and hatred amongest good men Monstruous wickednes and vtter ouerthrow and confusion of all common weales The matters being so to conclude at the last who can thinke that any man may doubt that these men were sent from God or moued by his holy spirite Breéfly passing ouer all friuolous circumlocutions of words to gather the whole matter agayne together into a shorte breuiate Behold here a full sillogisme after this maner and forme The Prophets which doe prophecie in the name of God yf it come not to passe as they haue prophecied are not sent from God It is so farre of that Luther Melancton Bucer or Caluine haue performed the thinges that they promised that all haue proued in farre more worse case Ergo. Luther Melancton Bucer and Caluine were not sent from God but are lying Prophets and therefore according to Gods lawe worthy of euerlasting death I am in doubt whether I may aunswere or laugh Thone of both paraduenture the Reader will looke for t thother the fondnes of the argument doth perswade me to doe For what can be spoken more senselesly what can be more crookedly wrested out of the whole Scriptures what could haue bene attempted more cruelly and falsly agaynst godly personages what could haue bene concluded more absurdly First there is a place vouched out of the Scripture wherein the people is taught how they may discerne a false Prophet froÌ„ a true namely by the true successe euent of thinges as farre forth as the thinges foretold doe happeÌ„ or not happeÌ„ And yet in this behalfe also speciall consideratioÌ„ of choyse ought to be hadd some secret inspiration of the holy ghost For although Caiphas be sayd to haue foretold as the trueth was Yet will you not geue him a place emongest the holy Prophets So also neither did Balaam lye altogether when in a Propheticall speach he
accordyng to the one vniforme conformitie of the Gospell of Christ. In all which howsoeuer the Lutheranes do differre from you surely their mindes and agreémentes are vnited together in one mutuall and constaunt well willyngnesse of hartes so that in these they vary nothyng at all from the vnitie of the sacred Scriptures nor swarue from the truth What can be required more to fill vppe the full measure of concorde and vnitie And that I may not passe ouer this also that in the matter of the Sacrament wherein consisteth the substaunce of the aduersaries accusatioÌ„ agaynst vs I know not one of all those besides Luther onely whom you call new to witte Melancthon Bucer Zuinglius Martyr and Caluine but do all with one mutuall assent conclude vpon this point namely to withstand and roote out that your more then dotyng deuise of Transubstantiation And in this mynde be all out Churches at this present firmely and vnseparably knit together And I trust in God will from henceforth dayly encrease and grow to a more stable and corroborate concorde aswell here in England as also that it will come to passe in all other Churches shortely that all such Idolatry beyng extirped and pluckt vp by the rootes no blocke nor obstacle shall remaine to occasion the Iewes to withdraw them selues any longer from the embracyng of the true and pure simplicitie of our Christian Fayth well now And wherein is that disagreément now in all this so great a concorde and vnitie of of myndes whereof you preach where is this brabblyng about wordes that you speake of where is this varietie of opinions that doth neither agreé with it selfe nor with others where be those flamyng firebrandes of furies where fleé those enflamed flashynges of wildfire and gunnestones where els but euen emongest you your selues Osorius and emongest those your moÌ„struous Cyclops who lyke furious hellhoundes with wildfire brimstone haue rusht into the seély sheépefolds of Christ with more then beastly Sauadgenes and haue with fire and fagotte burnt so many thousandes of Christians consumed them to Ashes And yet ceaseth not this lyeng spirite but lyke a false Prophet shouldreth forewardes They do alter and chaunge the Articles of our Fayth sayth he and affirme now this now that nor do persiste in any stable opinion And do neuer almost determine vpon any Iudge by whom controuersies may be decided Emongest all other your rable of lyes Osorius perhappes that your wiffler and Spye not the best talebearer in the world hath reported this vnto you And I am much deceaued if this same Outryder of yours be not the coyner of all this heape of vntruthes and forger and furtherer of all those furious traynes of terrible fireworkes But to thend you may not from henceforth geue ouer much credite to such fleéyng tales herein trust me Osorius that as touchyng the articles of our fayth yf you meane the Sacraments whosoeuer reported this vnto you did play the part of a notable SycophaÌ„t and was minded to abuse your credence and worshippe very shamefully And in some respect I can not chuse but aduertize you of a great want of discretion in you that can so cleane forgett the very synowes of Philosophicall wisedome which ought to haue bene relieued in tyme with that precious salue of Epicharmus Sentence Remember not to be to light of beliefe All the Sacramentes that were instituted by Christ we doe obserue in due and couenable order throughout all our Churches and haue reteined the same with a neuer interrupted course of continuauÌ„ce hitherto on the contrary part all such as were not established by Christ but thrust in from els where those if we haue chaunged then at the least accuse vs for our inconstancy herein when you shall haue first made good proofe that they be Sacramentes As touching those Seuen which you do tearme by the name of Sacraments though we differ from you in the name yet haue we not so vtterly abrogated them but haue them in vse and dayly practize as well as you In deéde we do acknowledge but two Sacraments onely The rest though we call theÌ„ not by the name of Sacraments yet doe we dayly frequent them in our Churches neuertheles as farre as is coÌ„uenient Neither was any great scruple made emongest vs in this poynt the matter being of it selfe so euident and cleare Or yf any question hadd chaunced at any tyme about the same there was no cause why we should gadd to Rome for a pelting Oracle in that behalfe we haue at home more worthy helpes and more learned councells God be praysed for it we haue also the Bookes of the holy Scriptures we haue emongest vs godly and faythfull interpretours of the scriptures many other writers and graue iudgements of learned Fathers Neither wante our Pastours their seuerall spirituall giftes nor our Churches plentifull aboundance of Gods large and bountifull benefites powred vpon them so that it is altogether neédelesse to ronne a roauing to Rome and seéke vnto that Apish Ephod as to the heauenly Oracle for counsell We haue the law the Prophets and expositors of the Prophets Our Churches be replenished with Pastours Bishops Doctours faythfull ministers furnished with vnderstaÌ„dyng knowledge of tounges graue and sounde of iudgement many notable personages endowed with singuler giftes of wisedome learning and vertue so that in thinges appertayning to the gouernement of a Church we seéme not any iote inferior to the Byshop of Rome or to the whole Colledge of Cardinalls and band of Byshops vnlesse it be to this one Osorius alone What should I reckon vpp the rest which Osorius doth prosecute afterwardes with no lesse tedious then vayneglorious discourse of wordes touching the chaunge of the confession of our fayth touching the weake and forlorne defence of Haddon all whose force as he sayth consisteth in brawles and slaunders touching the Apology of the Church of England whereof that lying false Prophet doth make Haddon the Author touching the counter aunswere agaynst the sayd Apology touching the style Arguments phrase flattery of Haddons writing touching his glosing flattery in displaying the vertues and prayses of his Queéne Finally touching the meare childishnes and ignoraunce of Haddon As one thath doth explane sayth he nothing openly speaketh nothing purely concludeth nothing substaÌ„tially and in the finess of the Latine tongue seemeâ—h as it were some chaungeling Else For with this note doth he vouchsafe doe dignify Haddon as that he thinketh him not onely a smatterer and some outcast in the art of Eloquence but calleth him also very Babishe in lyke phrase of speach I suppose wherewith that glorious coward Thraso did sometyme rayle vpon poore Phedria But go to whiles this babishe Haddon lyeth sucking at the brest and crawleth creéping yet lyke a seely goebyground from out what heauens is this wonderfull Giant slipt downe at the last from whence came this vnconquerable champion out of
the Iles of Calecute I suppose For I doe verely thinke that this Osorius was not begotten vnder our clymate nor made of the same mould chat other frayle men are made of but composed of the very pryme and blossome of pearle and framed of the fragrant flowers of Narde and his Eloquence nursed with the pure milke of the very Muses engendred as it were of the finest filme of Cicoroes braynes as the Poets haue fayned Pallas to be borne and nourished in Iupiters Bosome And except that rotten braine of this doating dotterell recouering now some freshe sappe hadd discouered him now to be twise a childe and a very Babe surely he would haue bene a notorious Goliath ouer these litle moathes and simple shrimpes Perhappes that stately tooforked Myter vaunced on highe vpon his hoary heares making him seéme higher in stature then other men doth rayse the crest of that glorious Combe And hereupon hangeth that hawtye houering of this heroycall Gyant from aloft from out the fiery firmament as it were despising and loathing these small snigges of Babish Haddons But enough now of Haddons childishnes let vs therefore seé what it is that is raked out of Cyprian agaynst Haddon And first all that which Haddon doth very learnedly and truely discourse in prayse of the godly Martyrs who by their exile emprisonments losse of goodes yea of lyfe also did with sheadding their bloud confirme and enseale the true and vndoughted sinceritye of the Gospell all this glorious renowme of commendation and prayse purchased with their paynefull labors and trauell this glorious Thrsonicall Osorius doth transpose wholy from them vnto others and this also not without a pretye nypping skoffe To witt Vnto Roffensis More Byshops Priestes and Charterhouse Mounckes men as he sayth endued with singuler pietye and Religion Whereof some yea not a few of them dyed here in England many flying out of England and Ireland as outlawes and Banished men hadd not escaped the axe or the halter vnlesse they in running away hadd preserued their liues more happely then the courtesy of our men would haue done And vpon this by and by is Cyprian chopt in place his wordes being neuerthelesse not noted as either vnknowen vnto him or craftely cloked whereunto we are commaunded to geue our attendance Now what sayth Cyprian Whosoeuer sayth he as a without the bowndes of the Church though they suffer death for the testimonye of Christ the same doe not deserue the crowne of Martyrdome but the punishment dew for treason rather Where finde you this Osorius for sooth in Cyprian looke for it Reader peradueÌ„ture after you haue perused Cyprians booke ouer you may finde it The place perhaps is extant in his 4. Booke and 2. Epistle Where he speaketh on this wise Although they be slayne afterwardes for the name of Christ being remoued from the Church and diuided from vnitye and Christian Charitye they caÌ„ not be crowned as Martirs at the time of their death For those are the very wordes of Cypryan which no man deâ—â—â—th to be most true For who doughteth hereof that the Church is the euerlasting kingdome of Christ where all the hope and treasure of our saluation is fast lockt vpp and enclosedâ— from whose pleasaunt habitatious yf we willingly exclude our selues we must worthely perishe But thus goeth the matter Osorius that Cyprian in deéde hath spoken very well but you out of Cyprian haue forged a foolish fable For in all the his discourse of the vnity of the church neither do we rend asunder nor passe beyond the bowndes thereof But you Osorius doe not measure those bowndes and lymittes aright and withall doe wrongfully and vntruely define the Church of Christ. In this pointe therfore lurketh all the errour not in our variaunce and DissentioÌ„ but in your false DefinitoÌ„ For let there be a true Church graunted yea such a Church as was in the tyme of Cyprian and we will quickly yeld to that vnity CypriaÌ„ could in no wise disgest such as forsaking the Church of Christ like stragglers went an other way namely to the Gentiles as he sayth to worldly delightes and pleasures to heretiques Schismatiqués And Osorius is a great deale more squeymish at those which fleing froÌ„ Iewishnes from heretiques schismatiques do dedicate theÌ„ selues to the true Church of Christ. For if a man may tell troth what els do Luther Melancthon Caluine Bucer and others their lyke agaynst whom this cruell scourgemuttoÌ„ chauseth so extremely They are fallen sayth he from the vnitie of the Church To whom Osorius I pray you Are they not come home to Christ to Paule to the Gospell to the Apostles to the Law and to the Prophetes what is this to turne vnto and partake with heretiques and schismatiques or to turne away and forsake heretiques and schismatiques rather If you be of that mynde beware least you bewray your selfe to be one of Antichristes lymmes before you proue Luther an hereticke If to depart froÌ„ them whose wicked opinions are manifestly contrary to true Religion and do seduce from the truth which is in Christ Iesu be accoumpted a pointe of Schisme why then is the people commaunded in the word of the holy Ghost and that not in one place onely to depart from out amyddes of theÌ„ Addyng thereunto also the daunger thereof least ye become partakers of their Sinnes sayth the holy Ghost And therfore you seé perill not in departyng but in tarryeng rather there froÌ„ whence we ought to depart Now what maner of people that is from the which the holy Ghost doth call away I leaue to your Iudgement Osorius and to others that can Iudge therof But in the meane space say you Unitie and the peace of the Church is torne a sunder I do aunswere Woe be to that peace woe be to that Vnitie which wageth warre agaynst Christ. If you will enter into Vnitie and amitie with him you shall haue no discorde emongest your selues I do know and coÌ„fesse this to be most true that Cyprian speaketh Who soeuer he be sayth he and whatsoeuer he be if he be not within the Churche of Christ be is not a Christian bycause without the precinctes of Christes Church is no sure roade of sauetie And wherfore then doe Luther and these Lutheranes say you teare abroad these hedges of the Churche and withdraw them selues from the Vnitie thereof I do aunswere in the behalfe of the Lutheranes They haue not forsaken the Vnitie but you haue crackt a sunder the veritie of the Church They haue not offended in forsakyng the Church but you haue greéuously erred in definyng the Church For if a man should argue with you at this present in wordes and speaches as I doe deale with you in writyng and would vrge vpon you to define vnto him this Church which you mainteyne in her true and naturall substaunce what auÌ„swere would you make I wis the very same DefinitioÌ„ I suppose that all your Catholicks haue imagined
to witte That the Church is a multitude of people such as is bounde to obey the Pope of Rome seuered from other Nations by certeine Ceremonies which the Popes haue ordeyned fast tyed to the ordinary cōtinued course of Succession of Byshops and to that onely interpretation of Scriptures which the Byshops and Councels doe deliuer And this is the true proportion and full Definitiō of your Church if I be not deceaued But this Definitiō the learned in Logicke will deny to be good sounde where the thyng defined is not of all partes equiualēt with the Definitiō Which rule is not obserued here For to admitte this vnto you that in the true Church of Christ must be Popes Byshops who must be obeyed who also must haue an ordinary outward succession and who may challenge vnto them selues a speciall prerogatiue in the interpretation of the holy Scripture yet is not this by and by true that all Popes Byshops which are entituled by the name of Popes and Byshops which do pretende a continuall succession which do carry the countenaunce of consentes which do challenge a right in the interpretatiō of Scriptures are the true sheapherds of the Lordes flocke And why so forsooth bycause that thyng wāteth which makyng specially for the purpose you haue specially left out namely the truth of sounde doctrine which may be able to treade downe and crushe in peéces errour and hypocrisie That is to say That Byshops do truly and vnfaynedly become the same in the sight of God which in vtter shew they would fayne seéme in the sight of men Agayne that Succession be not of persons onely but a speciall Succession of Fayth vertuous lyfe that the obedience of the people may not proceéde so much of feare of punishment as of harty affection and willyngnesse of mynde that the interpretation of scriptures be not wrested to the maintenaunce of errour and mens sensualitie but be directed and aunswerable to the meanyng of the holy Ghost and the true naturall sense of the Scripture For these be the true markes Osor. whereby a true Church is discernable from a false not the title and name of a Church not the authoritie and Succession of Byshops not the opinion of a multitude besides the truth of Gods word But the very Rule of the word must be kept which will so describe vnto vs a true Church by true markes tokēs boundes and foundations That it be a Congregation dispersed abroad euery where ouer the face of the whole earth vnited agreéyng together in soūd◠doctrine of Fayth and the true worshyppyng of God which beyng sanctified by the holy Ghost and admitted by partaking the Sacramentes do truly beleéue in God through the Sonne of God Iesu Christ accordyng to the doctrine of the Gospell although some be enlightened with more spiritual graces gifts and some with lesse By this standard and Rule let vs measure now the Argumentes of Osorius Luther and Melancthon are fallen away from the Pope of Rome and his Cardinalles Ergo Luther and Melancthon haue rent in sunder the vnitie of the Church The onely Church of Rome hath an ordinary succession from Peter Ergo The onely Church of Rome is the true Church The great part of Christendome doth acknowledge the Church of Rome Ergo The Churche of Rome is the Mother Churche and Queene of all Churches The Churche of God hath a promise that it shall neuer erre Ergo He that doth interprete the Scriptures otherwise then after the meaning of the Church of Rome or that doth not acknowledge him selfe obedient to the Romish Decrees in all thynges is an heretique and doth sequester him selfe from the boundes and communiō of the Church To this aunswere shal be made briefly and logically These be meére fallacyes and deceites of the Equiuocation deriued from a false description of the Church and the succession thereof and from false markes For as touching the names and Tytles as touching the long pedigreés of neuer interrupted course of Succession as touching the consent of the multitude and the promises made by God if the other tagges were tyed to these poyntes and made suteable namely sound doctrine true godlynesse surely it would seéme somewhat to the purpose that Osorius mayntayneth But now whatsoeuer they bragge and vaunt of tytles and other reliques without the especiall coupling and cōioyning of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine is altogether nought els but smoake and winde nothing auayleable to establish the true vnity of the Church First as concerning the name of the Church we do heare Christ himselfe speaking Many shall come in my name Touching Successiō we heare out of Ierome Not they that sitte in the places of Sainctes c. Touching the multitude Augustine doth teach vs. That the consentes of voyces must be weyed and measured not numbred Touching Gods promise made for perseuerance in the trueth harken what Iohn Baptist speaketh Do not say we haue Abrahā to our Father For God is of power to rayse vppe sonnes to Abraham out of these stoanes If Osorius will argue after this maner why should not these arguments be of as great force The high Priest of the old law in the Iewish Regiment did beare the face and name of the Church with full allowaunce and cōmon consent of all the multitude yea euen in the tyme of Esay Ieremy Amos Elias and Christ. The same also did conuey theyr Succession from the priesthood of Aaron And did vouch also theyr authority seat lawe and the promise agaynst Ieremy agaynst the Prophettes and agaynst Christ. The Law say they shall not perish from the Priestes Ergo Those high priestes did enioy a true Church nor coulde possibly erre at any tyme. But if Osorius shall thinke with him selfe that these Argumentes were not forcible enough in the olde Church why should they be more effectuall in the new Churche In the olde lawe it was lawfull to examine the very prophettes themselues if they spake the word of the Lord yea certayne infallible tokens were set downe whereby they might be discerned In like maner euen in the new testament we are commaunded to proue the Spirites if obey be of God being forewarned by the spirite of God that we beleue not euery spirite And what kinde of people then be these Popes and Cardinals of Rome which of a more then Imperious Lordlynesse doe commaund and require all men to receaue and reuerence their Satutes Ordinaunces Ceremonies opinions and all theyr wordes and deédes ingenerall without exception and contradictiō vpon greéuous paynes and Penalties that shall ensue agaynst him whosoeuer dare presume to make a question of the right of their authoritye or to make any doubt of any theyr deuises and imaginations And so geuing the slippe to all those he commeth downe againe to our Church with a maruailous blaff of windy words but with no reason at all imagining to proue
agaynst Haddon that there is nothing in our Churche comparable with the auntient Church nor that any example out of the auncient Recordes or Antiquityes can be alleadged for our Church that doth fauour of any smacke of antiquitye And that on the contrary part the whole vniuersality of antiquity doth in their behalfe as he sayth beare witnesse agaynst vs. And that with them remayneth nothing at all but that which is throughly established by the testimony of the holy Scriptures by the authority of the godly Fathers and by all the consent of all antiquity How vntrue this is hath bene sufficiently declared before by the testimony of the auncient historyes as muche as may suffice for this present purpose Of the same stampe is the like deuise that followeth For whereas Haddon doeth take exception agaynst Osorius writyng on this wise In the aūcient most pure age of the Church sayth Haddon was neither name of Pope nor leaden Bulles for remission of sinnes nor martes and markettes of Purgatory nor croochyng to Images nor gadding on pilgrimage nor sacrificing Masses for the quicke and the dead nor many other such Bables c. These wordes of Haddon as though had bene vomited out from a wonderfull surfett of furious frēsye Osorius in great choler doth challenge and confuteth with these reasons Because without reason as he sayth without any testimony or exāple of antiquity without argument or proofe at all he hath spoken bare affirmatiues onely without proofe and the same in such wise spoken as that he seemeth to haue done nothing but spoken And first for the Supremacy what doth he shew But we sayth he are wont to make playne demonstration by the authoritye of the sacred Scriptures by the testimony of the holy Fathers by the autenticke Recordes of auncient antiquity by reasō vse and experiēce and by innumerable examples that this was the Supreame head of the Church alwayes c. If you haue so great and infinite a number of examples wherewith you be able to iustify this Supremacy as you say why then out of this vnmeasurable heape vouche you not one example at the least for examples sake whereby we may likewise discerne this supremacy hitherto as yet I do heare nothing but bare words and smoake and not a sparcke so much of Reason example or proofe But you committe this charge perhappes to Hosius or Pyghius and one of you helpeth to claw an other by the elbow so that Osorius with words whereof he hath stoare and Hosius with such witnesses as he can suborne shall vnderproppe thys Prymacy of the Romish Royalty as Atlas did sometime beare heauen vpon his shoulders But if these two gallaunt Gyaunts apply no stronger pillers besides thē selues to vphold the Maiesticall State of that theyr toppegallaunt of Rome it is much to be feared least it will haue a fall shortly be shieuered all in pieces and least theyr brauery come within the compasse of that sweet song whereof we heare the melody more then once in the sacred Reuelation Babylon is fallen Babylon is fallen that great Cytye the Mother of all the Whoredomes and abhominations of the earth c. ANd as for the fayres Marketts of Pardōs Purgatory if you do not perceiue that to be most true the Haddon hath affirmed surely you are more then poreblinde If ye doubt thereof you are very wittelesse if you deny it you are more then Impudent Fyrst if you will affirme that there were no Markettes and Martes of Pardons whereupon then grew that controuersy betwixt Luther your Church did it not arise by the meanes of buying and sellyng of Pardons and chopping and chaunging for Purgatory If you will say that those Markets were proclaimed without consent of your Church and contrary to theyr commaundement vouchsafe then I pray you to shew vs who it was that suborned that noughty packe Tecelius the Dominick Fryer to be proctor of that Mart if it were not Pope Leo the tēth and Albert Archbyshop of Mentz who made this compact ech with other that the one halfe of the spoyle shoulde redound to the Pope the other halfe to the Archbyshoppe to pay for his Pall In which Marte proclamation was made at the sound as it were the stroake of the Popes dromme as Masseus doth verify that whosoeuer would geue x.s. should redeéme what soule he listed out of the paynes of Purgatory But these Markettes sayth he if any such were holy Church doth not allow but doth banish away none otherwise thē as a detestable pestilence of the common weale What Church Osorius doth speake of here I know not this is out of all question that as there is none so horrible a kinde of falshood as that which lurking and cloaking her craft vnder a false vysor for piety doth dazell the sences of a number so if we narrowly sift out the very oryginall of this mischiefe we shall find that all this fatt feast and blessed banquet came from no where els thē out of the Popes kitchin from hence forsooth come that lewde largesse of pardons those Retchles Releases of paynes from hence plenary and full remission of sinnes from hence so many Iubiles so many stations visiting of Saint Peters Church all which where were they hatcht but euen in the Church of Rome From hence so many grauntes of free graces to eat to marry to weare linen or wollen freè libertye to be confessed where men listed were sette to sale the penny From hence so many Stationars Treasurers Fowkers Pardoners who haue long sithence wearyed out and made deafe the eares of the simple people with crying out Imponite Imponite Imponite for such was theyr proclaymation protesting withall that it should come to passe that all such as would buy those pearles of Pardons their soules should be sure to skippe vp into heauen at one leape without any lett Addyng hereunto that all such soules whō they were willyng to redeéme out of the flamyng fire of purgatory should immediately mount from thence into heauen assoone as the money which should be throwen into the redde Boxe did cry chinke For it was out of all questiō that the Pope of Rome was of power to rake Purgatory cleane by vertue of his Pardons of as many soules and whatsoeuer soules he listed And him also they magnified so gloriously that as they sayd no Sinne could be so horrible yea though agaynst all possibilitie a man had defiled the mother of God but could be redeémed by pickpurse Pardōs were not these the very speaches of your Romish rufflers wh if your Church did not allow of by what authoritie then did your Pardoners scrapers for money presume to pynche all Churches by the purse with such kynde of wares why were not these shamelesse Rūneagates put to scilence why could your holy mother Church suffer so horrible a Tympany and Impostume within her owne bowels so long if she
is no redemption at all but by the Popes Pardons Although the last part of this doctrine by monstruously absurde yet yf they would graunt the former part throughly and wholy the matter were somewhat more tollerable But now they are in this their partition so parciall and vneuen dealers that they will not leaue to Christ the whole cleansing of the guilt but will herein also ioyne a topemate with him that Romish vicar For this is their assertion to witte That the Pope of Rome being the vicar of Christ doth by power of his keyes bring to passe both that he may release from guilte and punishment both at once with his Bulles of PardoÌ„s That is to say From guylt through the Sacrament of Penaunce and from punishment by the Popes satisfactions and pardons If this be true lett vs bidd the bookes of the Euangelistes and Apostles adiew Farewell also Gods promises lett fayth and the Church pack vpp their trunckes and gett them to Cattai and lett vs with solemne procession receaue into the Church of Christ most holy Pardons and Indulgences and tourne Christ out at the Belfrye Sithence these pardons alone without Christ doe dispatch all matters cleare through the authoritye of the Pope No say they not so without Christ but partly by the superabouÌ„daunce of Christes merites partly by the bloud of Martyrs partly by the merites of Sayntes partly by charitable almes workes of supererogacion by the obeying the couÌ„celles and partly by seueritye and straight keéping the charge of holy orders or Indulgences doe stand in force and are auaylable The fourme of which absolucions forged by the Mounckes and Fryers to the behoofe of the common people followeth on this wise God be mercifull vnto thee good Brother THe merite of our Lord Iesus Christ and of the blessed Mary the perpetuall virgine and of all Saintes the merite of holy orders the heauy burdeine of Religion the humblenes of confession the contrytion of harte and the good workes that thou hast done and shalt doe for the loue of our Lord Iesu Christ grauÌ„t vnto theé remissioÌ„ of sinnes to the increase of merit grace and to the reward of lyfe euerlasting Amen There be also other formes of absolution extant which others graunted by the Popes Bulles as when hospitalls and brotherhoodes doe communicate with others the participation of all good workes on this wise We doe testifye that we haue receaued into the Beaderoll of the holy Brotherhood of S. Aâ—â—â—â—ny those persons graunting vnto them full partaking of all the good workes that haue bene done are to be done by our brethren from the beginning of our foundation euen to the end the foresayd order day and night in threé hundreth sixty iiii Monasteries and hospitalls c. Lyke as Apothecaries doe compound their Tryacle of many simples and drugges mixt together Euen so the Popes by gathering together the merites of Christ of the blessed virgine of the Martyrs of Saincts Mounckes as it were speciall spices and herbes do make vppe their hochepott of Pardons of which Pardous they do make portesale as parcell of the treasory of the Church to hospitalls Churches Chappell 's Brotherhoodes Monasteries Selles not for shillings or crownes but geue theÌ„ vnto euery of them gratis very hountifully If we may credit Osorius herein But in the meane space I would very fayne learne this of Osorius how we are sayd to be made perfect and for euer sanctified if the onely oblation of Christ once offred be not sufficient to saue vs without the merits of Saints and heapes of good workes Moreouer whereas out of this vnmeasurable treasory of the Church there is such an ouerflowing plenty of gracious Pardons I would also know this by what reason the Pope of Rome doth chalenge himselfe to be onely Porter keybearer of this precious Treasory excluding all other ministers and Byshoppes of the Church but such onely as whom by his power Apostolique he hath authorized to playe fast and loose what now Are not the merites of Christ open to all and singuler indifferently without exception or otherwise then as they be receaued by euery ones perticular fayth Or what kinde of power is that of one Byshop in the Church which is not also generall and common to all other Byshopps together with him Doe ye not seé Osorius how filthy and how absurde these reasons of yours be what an horrible deceite to the people what a great iniury is this to all other Byshoppes and how full of sacriledge what a monstruous reproche it is agaynst Christ him selfe And yet for all this you can not but maruell in the meane tyme what moued vs to abandone this prowd prelate with all his pelfe as a pestilent viper of the Church of Christ and why we cutt our selues away from him as farre as we may whome your selfe Osorius yf you were endued with any dropp of Christian bloud would neuer take vpon you to defend with such a prophane targett of Tullies Paganisme But would rather geue an onset vpoÌ„ him as the generall Enemie of all mankinde yf your hart were as well enlightned with the true and sincere knowledge of Christ as your fickle braynes are lewdely incensed with the bayne and heathenish admiration of Ciceroes eloquence And to say the truth I know not by what mishappe this happ hath happened that all these vntimely sproughtes of Ciceroes plants are by a certeine secrett yet most iust iudgement of God infected with this generall lurcking cancker and coÌ„tinually pestered as it were with a falling sicknes Which I haue specially noted in very many If question be moued of the proportion and qualitye of framing the speéch delicately If matter must be debated of the most excellent and finest phrases of Eloquence of the dignitye and chiefe ornament of an exquisite Orator that is to say of playne humaine toyes and earthly trifles good Lord what a glorious maiestie of wordes what hawty loftines of speéch what a childishe and foolishe stroaking and flattering of themselues diriding and skorning all others besides themselues perking ouer theÌ„ froÌ„ aloofe as it were vpon poore abiect shrimpes But yf they be requyred to shewe their conning to declame of Christ of the statelynes of his mighty Kingdome of the greatnesse of sinne of manâ—es forlorne nature of the power of fayth of iustification by grace of the naturall imperfection of mankinde of mans reconciliation a man can not but wonder how colde how astonied how voyd of reasoÌ„ how cowardly without any spirite at all almost Colourlesse huÌ„gry barrayne mute wretched hartlesse barbarous speachlesse senselesse they be vnable almost to vtter theyr mindes or open theyr mouthes Moreouer if these matters must be decided with the penne they behaue themselues therein as though they were raking after the Moone forreners straungers and altogether vnacquaynted with the cause As not long sithence a certayne person taking vpon him in Rome before the Pope and his Cardinalles
assaulted in his fayth or that the conscience be miserably entangled with timerous feare or if the conscience be brought to dispayre or if any greater mishappe shall happen to vrge there must the vse of the Keyes be applyed of very necessity And hereof came it that the Lord would vouchsafe to furnish his Ministers with the power of opening and shutting not to make perfect the full worke of our iustification but onelye for the necessarye reliefe and comfort of our unbecillitye and weakenesse And therefore Thomas Aquinas doth erre and is fowly deceiued as in many other thinges so in this very notably where he reasoneth in his commeÌ„taries of distinctions that the Keyes of the Church of releasing and pardoning were therefore committed to the Ministers because no maÌ„ is able without the ayde of the Ministers to open himselfe an accesse vnto the kingdome of heauen For thus hee writeth Because no man is able to open to himselfe sayth he therfore were the Ministers authorized to forgeue Sinne Whereby the kingdome of heauen is made open Thus much Thomas And out of this established error sprang vppe If I be not deceaued that necessitye of compulsary Confession whereby all Christians are constrayned to craue Pardon of all their sinnes not of Christ through fayth but of the Priest by Confession I do not speake this because I thinke Confession is altogether vnprofitable in the Church but I meane of the superfluous necessitye of reckoning vppe the particularities of sinnes And I know not whether euer a more deadly poyson could be scattered abroad in the Church by that wicked Seédes-man the Deuill then this most pestilent Cancker as well for many causes as in this respect of all other chiefly That forasmuch as all he perfection of our righteousnes doth depend vpoÌ„ the mercy and promise of God through faith in Christ Iesu the ChristiaÌ„ people are by meanes of this doctrine trayned away to fleé from fayth to Merite Meritorius so that now this treasure proceédeth not from God that maketh the promise but from the Priest that graunteth absolution our Saluation resteth no more now vpon the mercy of God but vpoÌ„ mens deseruings not vpon the freé gifte and bountifull liberalitye of God but vpon satisfactory acquitall and sufficiencie of CoÌ„trition and vpon rendring full recompence of enioyned penaunce For so we be taught by Iohn Scotus and by a receaued custome in opinion long before his dayes Confession sayth he after absolution geuen either doth committ the partye ouer to Pardons or els sendes him packing to Purgatory And thus much hitherto of the Popes Pardons whereof albeit no portsale had bene made nor any gayne and lucre reaped Yet of their owne nature they are such as neither cann be made Iustifiable by any colour or pretence nor proued by any argument nor ratyfied by any Antiquitye nor ought to be suffred in any Christian common weale without horrible sacriledge and execrable empietye Now I returne agayne to that which Osorius doth deny And this is it That these Pardons were neuer put to sale and set out to hyre by the knowledge or permission of the holy mother Church of Rome O holy Churche doughtles that was neuer of this minde that such Fayres and Markets should be proclaymed and frequented in that most holy Church of God And therefore as farre as I doe perceaue this holy and worshippfull mother Church of Rome applying her selfe to that notable predsideÌ„t of that heaueÌ„ly Paule because she will make the Gospell freé for all men doth power out all thynges freély maketh sale of nothyng she maketh no price vpon Palles vpon Miters and Hattes and geueth freély without mony Prebends Benefices Pryuiledges Exemptions and Immunities If any thing be dispensed with all or any release to be made of speciall Reseruations tushe they are geuen for pure loue there is nothing done in all this whole Church couetously nothing filthyly no nor any corruption or Symony at all And no maruell giftes are accouÌ„pted loathsome trashe Rewardes are trodden vnder foote Mony is Maysterlesse and despised as a Roage Here be no lymetwigges layd for pencioÌ„ for tenthes for first fruites nor for Iubiles the onely luâ—re and gayne here is the recoueryng of the lost sheépe Finally the shauelynges and whole crewe of this Church dare not abide to be greaced in the handes And although the Pope doe dayly furnish abroad so many Pardoners so many Bulbearers though he poaste abroad so many Pardons coyne dayly so many fresh Bulles yet for all that as he receaued gratis so he geueth gratis and dispenceth with all thinges gratis and geueth waxe seales leade paper and partchment gratis there is nothing putt to sale all thinges of freé gift I suppose surely his Legats lykewise when they Ruffle abroad his Byshopps when they goe in visitatioÌ„s and geue orders his Suffraganes when they doe confirme when Mounckes and Feyers doe confesse when the Priestes doe sing and say Masse for the quicke and the dead they take no money at all nor yet for Trentaâ—â—s for Mortuaryes nor Mariages After the same order the Fryers Lymptoures when they gadd abroad a begging Stationars raunging from Churche to Churche with Boxes and Bulles they doe it not for any gayne beware that If thys be true Mantuan was a great lyar where in his booke of Lamentations he writeth on this maner Steades and fatt Palfrayes are presentes for Popes So are Churches and Chappels Altars and Copes Perfumes and Prayers Crownes and Attyres Tapers and waxelight Incense and Fryers Rome selleth all thinges for mony and coste Yea heauen and all with God and his hoste But because this lying Southsayer Mantuan doth lye opeÌ„ly we will salue this soare with an other kinde of dittye of a certein other Poet whatsoeuer he were who dallyed not altogether vnpleasauntly yet somewhat more clenly with two vearses to the same effect in the commendation of this Church Pauperibus sua dat gratis nec munera captat Curia papalis quod modo percipitur Free Pardons geue nor Brybes receaue Doe Romaine Popes that we perceaue What neéde many wordes who is he that will not clapp his handes for ioye to seé this exceéding bountifulnes of this holy mother Church which doth so plentifully reward such as come vnto her with such aboundaunt store of comfortable Pardons and other wholesome Drugges for neuer a penye so franckly abhorring vtterly detesting these gaynefull Fayres and Marketts none otherwise then botches and blaynes if all be true that Osorius preacheth But by what Markes may this appeare any thing probable worshippfull Syr that you doe affirme so boldly vnto vs seéing as yet you feéde vs but with leane affirmatiues onely approued neither by wittnesse nor by reason But I thinke it not amisse to couer Osorius nakednes here And because the Reader may more easely discerne the whole substaunce of these PardoÌ„s we will deryue the very pedigreé of them from their first auncestors
and shew how they sprong vpp first emongest the olde Fathers and so by litle and litle in what order they proceéded lastly by what degreés they clymed vpp so high to become marchauntable in the Primitiue Church When as Emperours raged furiously agaynst the first entrye and beginning of Christes Church albeit very many godly Fathers gaue their lyues with wonderfull constancye for the testimony of the trueth Yet did not all persist in lyke constancye of minde but many of them falling away from their profession to Idolls were holden guiltye of Idolatry sacriledge Who notwithstanding renouncing their Paganisme and retourning to Christ ministred occasion to the Elders to pause awhiles and to take breath vpon good aduise what were best to be done with them It was concluded at the last the mercy ought not to be denyed to these backslyders Yet so as they should not by and by be restored to the congregation whom they hadd offended by their euill example by perfourming some penaunce prescribed vnto thē for a certain space of tyme. In the meane tyme as euery of the Penitentiaries seémed to grow in greater carelessnes of their penaunce so was their penaunce aggrauated and lesse consideration hadd of releasing their punishment At the last the persecution being ceased yet ceased not the infirmity of sinning Whereupon the posteritye followed the example of their predecessors vpon lyke occasion ministred by obstinate sinners Then were added certein Cannons gathered together out of Councells first from the Councells of Ancyra and Nyce and from the Councells following A transcript whereof was made by Buchard and Gracian whiche the Latines doe call Penitentiales and the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is before mencioned Wherein was comprehended how much penaunce was prescribed for euery particular fault Neuerthelesse some qualification of the sharpenes of the sayd Canons was ministred to the Penitentiaries through the clemency and humanitye of the Pastors accordyng to the qualitye of the trespasses and estates of the persons And this kinde of discipline of the Canons was exercized yet in a certein meane state of the Church by the space of a thowsand yeares and somewhat more vntill at the last the auncient sincerity of the Primitiue purenesse beginning to waxe colde and the rigor of the olde Canons growing by litle litle out of vse or chaunged into lighter burdeines new Pardons exept in place which were not onely abrydgementes and easementes of those penaltyes that apperteined to the censure of the Church but which did stretch further a great deale to absolution a paena culpa not in this present lyfe onely but euen to Purgatory it selfe Wherein were promised not onely Releases of Ecclesiasticall satisfactions but full and generall acquittaunces deliuered of those forfaytures and trespasses which appertayned chiefly to Gods owne Consistorye Whiles these thyngs were a doyng and freé Pardons flewe abroad now euery where thorough all Churches without measure which happened not long before the yeare of our Lord. 1200 by and by began question to be made by whom those Pardons might be graunted by their Parish Priest onely or by any other of like dignitie or by a superior power After that this kynde of dispensation was translated to Byshops and Archbyshops onely And at the last came it in question where the full power of plenary Pardons should rest Which after solemne disputations was agreed and concluded vpon must neédes be in the power of the Byshop of Rome In the meane space was a Councell Sommoned to be holden at Laterane vnder Pope Innocent the thyrd in the yeare of our Lord. 1215. Wherein complaint was made of that cōmon scatteryng abroad of Pardons whereby certein Proctours of Spittellhouses which gathered the good deuotion of the people for their poore houses were wont to graunt out great and large Pardons bycause they would procure the people to deale their ahnes somewhat more franckly There ensued afterward a Coūcell holden at Vienna which I doe wonder why hath bene omitted in the bookes of the Cannōs vnder pope Clemente the 5. in the yeare of our Lord. 1311 In which Councell the auncient Fathers perceauyng the subtile practizes of certein Pardoners and their ouer greédy outrage in settyng their Pardons to sale and their scrafty conueyaunce to cratche vppe the pence thought good to preuent this mischief betymes and thereupō made a solemne Decreé wherein the dissolute licentiousnesse of these pratyng Proccours was sharpely suppressed bycause they gaue of their owne myndes motiō to speake their owne tearme Pardons to the people dispenced vpon vowes absolued such as would cōfesse open periuries manslaughters and other horrible crimes bycause they would release for money the thyrd or the fourth part of penaūces that were inioyned bycause they would dispatch Purgatory of threé or foure soules whom they listed at a choppe bycause they would graunt plenary remission of Sinnes and would make out their Bulles relaxatory A poena simul Culpa And at the last the holy Synode concludyng We sayth the Canon will and commaunde that these abuses by colour where of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction groweth to naught and the authoritie of the Church keyes is brought into contempt be vtterly abandoned and abolished c. Certeinely I am sure that this doyng of the Fathers will sett a good face vpō the matter Osorius that these good fathers had respect to nothyng els then to the Reformation of the sayd abuses onely But the matter it selfe bewrayed the contrary whatsoeuer pretence was made here of the perill of soules of the infamy of the Church of the contempt of the keyes and of ouer greédy rakyng for money yet this was not the principall cause that prickt forward the Romish Prelates to preuent this peltyng powlyng of the Proctours But there was an other cause For they did presume to absolute A poena Culpa Which accordyng to the Glose vpon the Decretalles is called the fullest forgeuenesse of Sinnes and is graunted by the Pope onely Moreouer they were to bold to geue out their Pardons to the people vpon their owne authoritie not receauyng nor obteinyng first licence and power thereunto from the Seé Apostolicque This was so haynous a matter that the Popes Councell could not be able to disgest it And hereupon began that crowyng agaynst the poore Proctours as I sayd before not so much for that they did abuse their Indulgences to gayne and lucre for what els haue the Popes them selues done at any tyme But bycause the Romishe Rauens felt no small feathers pluckt from their backes For these great wise men foresawe that which was true in deéde that if other Churches might be at freé libertie to bynde and louse as farreforth as they this would grow to no small preiudice to the Primacy And therefore was a prety waye founde out whereby all this absolute power of Pardons which at that season seémed in deéde generall to all Churches indifferently beyng afterwardes taken away
from all the rest should be annexed to the Seé of Rome onely nor should from thenceforth be attempted by any other inferiour Byshops or gouernours of Churches vnlesse speciall graunt therof were obteined and had from the Maiestie and fullnesse of the Seé Apostolique first And these thynges for the more part began to be done in the same yeare of our Lord wherein Innocent the 3. did procure that this Councell at Laterane and inuested that Seé first with that notorious prerogatiue of that fullnesse of power Which fullnes beyng now planted and established by Innocent 3. not long after Succeéded in that place Innocent 4. and after him agayne Boniface the 8. in the yeare 1300. Who groundyng him selfe vpon this fullnes as him selfe confessed was the first that did institute the yeare of Iubilee emongest Christiās which should be euery hundreth yeare Wherein he graunteth Pardon not onely full and more full as aforesayd but the most fullest Pardon of all Sinnes But to whom was this largesse proclaimed at length to them forsooth who should come and visite the most honorable mother Churche of the Prince of the Apostles Peter And why I pray you was it not in force to them that tarryed at home sith the Popes were so enriched with such an ouerflowyng plenty of Indulgences and that so great a iourney could not be ouerrunne of all persons ingenerall without vnmeasurable charge toylesome labour and present perill of lyfe why then did he not powre out from out of that infinite heape of aboundaunce to all men gratis which he receaued gratis But the Porches and gates of the holy Apostles sayth he must be visited Go to and what then afterwardes when men were come once within the walles of the Citie was there no charge of money might men feade freély at the Popes table must the Apostles be saluted with bare Pater noster without peny There must a Bull be desired at the length I suppose or some scrow of Release from the Popes Scriuanoes What must there be no pence here for parchement for waxe for yncke bestowed vpon these Romish Rauenours No for all offices in Rome are frequented gratis for sooth What remaineth I will conclude Osorius After that a man is come once to these holy Pardons by infinite and great charges through so many daūgers labours watchynges fastynges cōfessions penaūces bribes rewardes Finally when as nothyng almost is attayned in all that your Church without some present pay or speciall couenaunt with what face or with what credite doe ye thinke to persuade vs that there were neuer any markettes and portesales of Pardōs procured in your Churches which this holy mother Churche did not prohibite and abhorre with all their harts worse then pestilent botches Now say you to this whereas Clement the 6. which abridge the Iubilee from the hūdreth yeare to the fiftyth in the yeare 1348. Whereas Gregory the 11. reduced the Iubilee to the 33. yeare Moreouer whereas Paule 2. and Sixtus the 4. not contented with these boundes streighted the Iubilee to the 25. yeare in the yeare 1475. what thinke you was the cause hereof Osorius except it were that holy hunger of gold where the belly of that holy mother thinketh euery mynute her throat cutt wtout present foode After these Succeéded Alexander 6. in the yeare 1500. Who scattered his Iubilees into farre Coūtreyes farre of from the Church of Rome That is to say wheresoeuer any money would be geuen there were plenary Pardons graūted as witnesseth Polidor Virgil. To speake nothyng in the meane space of Leo the 10. who deuising vpon a like shift of descant to make sweépestake for money nor beyng able to abyde the full end of the Iubilee with a new slipper deuise gaue for present pence the same grace in all respectes as effectuall before the end of the yeare of Iubilee as was accustomed to be graunted to pilgrimes that wonted to visite the Church of S. Peter at Rome and for this purpose sent his Proctours through all Nations erectyng vppe coffers in euery Churche openly as it were bowthes for their Receipt which was done in the yeare 1515. And yet Osorius doth deny that euer any such sales and markettes were made of such marchaundise of the Romaine Church either knowen to the Pope or allowed by him Now I would desire thee gentle Reader to think vpon this with me Whereas in disposing these Pardons the Popes vse not a like proportiō towards all persōs wherof to some graūts are more large to some more cutted and short whereas to some persons full Remission is geuen to some euerlastyng and to others a third endeale of their Sinnes forgeuē to some xij thousand yeares to others viij thousād yeares to many vij yeares or xij yeares are released out of Purgatory vpon what grew this inequabilitie and parcialitie of dispensation if there were no stakes layed downe for the game whereby it came to passe that the best purse escaped the greatest curse and the more man would geue the more the Pope would relieue euen to the full fullnes but he that sowed thinne his Pardon should be scarse worthe a pyane I purpose not to rippe vppe the remembraunce of these Reliques by examples which are past noumber I will tell you of one in our owne Realme of England in a Towne called Boston because I was borne nigh thereabout I can speake somewhat the better thereof I haue the Bulles of the same remayning yet with me both of the great and the lesse Pardon which they purchased of the Pope for the safety of their shipping and solue the same agayne afterwardes to others to their great profite and aduauntage I am not very inquisitiue to learne what the Somme amounted vnto of that monstruous markett onely this one thing would I haue Osorius to be throughly perswaded that if he be of that minde yet that those Bulles are obteyned gratis without money and begged onely of the Seé of Rome I haue president sufficient in my custodye wherewith I cann conuince him of vanitye and folly There are not many yeares sithēce the Surges of the swelling Seas surrounded all the low countrye of Flaunders which ministred a lamentable spectackle to the whole nation to behold By and by flew abroad Bulles of the highest and most liberali fulnesse The case it selfe moued all men to pitty very much and amongest the rest the fauour and authority of the Pope Adrian being a Germayne borne during whose Popedome this pittyfull case befell Legates were sent abroad who taking view of all places and breaches were able to make a true report of the wreckes that neéded reliefe and what the charge thereof would amount vnto The masse of money that was leuied by the meanes of those Bulles as was vnmeasureable so where it vanished away could not be knowen yea but it was knowne to well the poore countrey bare the name but others carryed away the game and no penny therof employed to
dead how is the safetie of all men and the state of the Churche preserued thereby To make this matter good Iustifiable S. Paule him selfe is forced maugre his beard to become wittnesse agaynst him self beyng charged with his one wordes spoken once or twise in his Epistle written to the Corinthes as when he sayth I do dye dayly through the reioysing that I haue of you in Christ Iesu our Lord. c. And agayne writyng to the Collo Now I do Reioyse sayth he ouer my afflictions for you and I do fill vpp that which wanteth in the afflictions of Christ in my fleshe for his body which is the Church c. Out of these wordes of Paule well spoken not well vnderstanded and wickedly wrested it is a wonder to seé what horrible doctrine and monstruous blasphemies these false Apostles doe inferr and thrust in place For whereas the Apostles meanyng doth note onely the confirmation of doctrine and the afflictiōs and agonyes that he endured for the enlargyng of the Fayth of Christ onely the same doe these praters most horribly mistourne force to the satisfaction for Sinnes yea to the very price of our Redemption not without manifest Sacriledge agaynst the bloud of Christ As though the Death and Passion of the onely Sonne of God Iesu Christ could not otherwise suffice to the absolute accomplishment of the whole action of our Redemption vnlesse meritorious afflictions of Sainctes were annexed besides which beyng mingled together with the bloud of Christ should counterpeise in equall ballaunce the iust and true proportion of the Iudgement of God and with full measure as it were fill vpp that euer flowyng founteyne which doth purge and washe cleane away the Sinnes and filthe of the quicke and the deadd Which mingle mangle they call by the name of the Treasure of the Churche which of all the rest is most vayne foolishe And this Treasure of the Church they dare not committe to the custody of Christ onely nor to euery of the Ministers nor yet to laye men nor to Priestes not to poore Prelates not to Abbottes or Priours not to Prouostes and Wardens of Colledges nor to simple Preachers as they call thē but to Byshoppes onely and amongest them also chiefly to the high and superexcellent Byshoppe the Pope which is of all the rest most absurd And yet least you shall thinke that these be not their own proper Assertions we will heare what holy Saynct Bonauenture and such like doctours of the same Schoole doe speake of theyr owne mouth For on this wise doe those profounde Deuynes frame theyr Argumentes out of the wordes of holye Scripture Because according to the Law say they he that doth marry his Brothers wise to rayse vpp seede to his brother that is dead ought to enioy the possession of his brothers goods that appertayne to the education of the Children Ruth 4. Therefore the dispensation of this treasure of the Church belongeth to the Byshoppes onelye which be the husbandes of the Church haue power to beget sonnes daughters that is to say perfect vnperfect and amōgest all these principally the high Byshopp which is husband gouernour of the whole Church vniuersall Ha Ha gentle Reader haue you not heard a mynyon mariage worthy for a Popes puppett grounded vpō the very vnpenetrable Rocke of the profundity of all Scriptures by which ye may first perceiue that Christ was once the husband of this spowse Now because he departed this lyfe dyed without issue of his body lawfully begottē his next brethrē the Byshops do succeéd him who marrying their Brothers wife may rayse vpp issue to their Brother vpon her and may begett Children perfect and vnperfect And because all this shall not wāt creditt they do proue it by the authority of the scripture to witt in the 4. Chapiter of Ruth and other testimonies of the Law But by the way whereas we find that by the same law it was lawfull for one husband to haue many wiues or concubines I do not yet remember any such liberty geuen by the law that one wife should be married to manye husbandes Wherein truely they doe describe a very hard and miserable estate and condition of the Church if one wife shal be constrayned to be buxonne and bonaire to so many husbandes as there be Byshoppes in Christendome But let vs harken yet what followeth more For he proceédeth on this manner And therefore all Byshoppes sayth be that haue issue may graūt pardones but especially aboue all other our most holy Father the Byshopp of Rome as to whom belongeth the dispensation of the whole spirituall treasory because he hath the charge of all the whole Church and of all her Children whereupon all be his Children and he is the Father of all c. Thus much doth preach vnto vs our holy Saynt Bonauenture Behold here gentle Reader the summe of this most excellent mysticall interpretation of the Schole doctrine where in bethinke aduisedly with your selfe how many fowle horrible errors blasphemies are scatrered abroad by this pestilent dogg and recken them vpon your fingers if you will whiles I sett thē downe in order vnto you First an vtter disability and a worne out Emptymes in the bloud of Christ his most comfortable death is here set downe wherein is manifest blasphemy Then followeth an Eclipse of Christes passion That is to say whatsoeuer wanteth in his passion to the full satisfaction of our Redemption must be supplied and recompenced with the afflictions of Martirs and Sainctes Next vpon this minglemangle of the merytes of Christ and his Martirs they gather together a certayne treasury of most precious and aboundant Satisfactiō which they call the Treasure of the Church Now whereas out of this treasury all Remission and pardō of Sinnes is dawen forth then yet must not all be Stewards and distributers of this great riches nor any other then the Bishoppes and the chiefe Byshopp of all other the Pope of Rome which is of all other a most pestiferous error Moreouer as is most meét out of this Romish Budgett and dispensation of Romish treasure are begotten Bulles and Pardons which is a most horrible fraud and liegerdemayne Lastly out of these Pardons is framed at the lēgth the skalding house of Purgatory by this argument forsooth Because otherwise these pardons and prayers of the Church and merites of Sayntes should not be worth a Rush vnlesse the soules of the faythfull did frye and broyle in this skalding house of Purgatorye for ease of whom these qualificatiōs are proued by the Church I haue reckened vpp orderly and briefly the chiefe of all their errours monstruous horrible enough I thinke which being directly agaynst manifestly repugnaunt and contrary to the true meaning and naturall sense of the scripture will not require any long aunswere in the confutation of them First where as they do affirme that
any such thing at any time no more can you make that iustifiable that you doe now by any approued testimony of the scripture or lawfull example of antiquitye But here will some one vrge agayne what did not Melchizedech offer bread and wine then I doe not deny it was he not a Priest Yes surely and a king also For he was both the king of Salem and the Priest of the most high God But he was not therefore a Priest because he did offer bread wine Nor did he geue bread and wine being a King because he would make a sacrifice thereof No more did he offer his presentes vnto God but vnto Abraham neither yet of any priestly duety but of a kingly magnificence moreouer he did not onely geue giftes which was the poynt of a princely hart but he blessed them also which was part of a priestly function For Priestes are wont to blesse men sometime but they do neuer accustome themselues to offer sacrifice to men The wordes of the History are playne and well knowne Therefore lett vs returne to the very springhead and originall according to the â—ounsell of Cyprian if it may please you After the olde TraÌ„slation the wordes be thus Melchizedech King of Salem bringing forth bread and wine for he was the Priest of the highest did blesse him c. Although here be not so muche as a word of Sacrificing Yet in this translatioÌ„ is no litle difference from the very originall whereas chaunging the copulatiue Hebrue sillable for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Moyses expresseth thys sentence after an other sort for he doth vse not the word of Sacrificing but hath Hozia which word what it signifyeth according to the verye naturall proprietye I referre me to the iudgement of the learned After the same maner also doth the chaldean expositor interpret the same And Iosephus an especiall witnesse hereof doth expound it after the same sence For Melchizedech sayth he did Banquet the souldiours of Abraham suffering them to lack nothing necessary for their sustenauÌ„ce and withall inuited Abraham to be a Guest of his owne Table Wherein the courtesy of the King is commended that disdained not to make Abraham a Guest of his owne Table Whereupon you seé that it is most false which they do assume in the Minor touching the oblation of Melchizedech who being both a Pryest and a Type of Christ is not called therefore a Pryest neuerthelesse in the history because he brought forth bread and wine as is declared before But agaynst this is there a strong countermure raysed namely the Authority of the Tridentine councell with a very horrible cursse annexed thundring out after this sort Whosoeuer shall say that the Masse is onely a sacrifyce of prayse and thankesgeuing or a bare memoriall of the Sacrifice performed vpon the Crosse and not a propitiatory sacrifice or that it auayleth to the Receiuer onely and ought not to be offered for the quick and the dead for sinnes for punishmentes satisfactions and other necessityes let him be holdeÌ„ accursed If he shall be holden accursed whosoeuer shall so say surelye the very same haue all the auncient Deuines before mentioned spoken and affirmed All the Doctors especially of the primitiue Church haue both sayd so and taught so neither did the whole Greéke Church almost teach otherwise not exempting out of the same beadroll all the Apostles of Christ no nor Christ himselfe vnlesse perhappes the Tridentine Lordinges will esteéme themselues to be of greater creditt and authoritye then Christ and the Apostles that so it may be lawfull for them to coyne a newfaÌ„gled Gospell wherew t Christ his Apostles were neuer acquainted First what the opinion of the doctors is herein hath bene expressely set downe before Surely Christ himselfe and the Apostle Paule do require nothing els in this celebratioÌ„ but onely a memoriall and an expressing and shewing forth of the Lordes death nor doth seéme to determine vpon any other end of this Sacrament then a remembraunce with a thankesgeuing This do ye sayth Christ in remembraunce of me And Paule deliuering to the Corinthians the same which he receiued of the Lord doth commaund them to shew forth the Lordes death whensoeuer they do celebrate this Supper vntill he come agayne Now I beseéch thee geÌ„tle reader doost thou heare any thing els in these wordes of Christ and his Apostle then the shewing forth of the Lordes death onely And what els will the Tridentine councell exact of vs Forsooth that we shall agayne and agayne offer the sonne of God for a sacrifice to God the Father for the remission of sinnes world without end a sacrifice I say not sacramentall onely but very propitiatorye which may helpe and be profitable not for the receiuer onely but may procure saluation for the quicke the dead also and wh thought to be offred of very necessity for the ease of punishmentes of satisfactions and of all other miseries afflictioÌ„s of this present lyfe But by what authority do they proue this where do they finde this of Christ of his Apostles or of any prescript word of Gods gospell No truly I am not of that mind But why do I demauÌ„d this of theÌ„ what warrant they haue by the word of God Lett it suffice me rather to admonish theÌ„ to beware lest through the selfe same Sacrifice wherewith they iudge themselues able to satisfy for their owne and other mens punishmentes and sinnes without all warrant of Gods word yea rather most wickedly requgnaunt to the expresse word of God they procure and heape vpon themselues lust damnation for this their shamelesse and horrible Idolatrye which they shall neuer be able to redeéme with all their massings and Iuggling Sacrifices It might seéme that we had alleadged sufficiently for thys matter and euicted the controuersy throughly if we were not pestered with such brawlers that dyd not delight rather to contend and striue for theyr owne victory then for the glorye of Christ or with such as would be satisfied with any authoritye of scriptures in the discouery of the truth of the question But they being now pressed downe and quyte ouerthrowen with the multitude of testimonies out of the sacred scripture fleé to the testimonies of men As though Diuinity as Tertullian sayth ought to be valued by the deuises of men or that the touchstone should be tryed by the golde and the golde not by the touchstone or that the course of the Sonne should be apportioned after the will of Iohn Clockekeéper and Iohn Clockekeéper not ruled rather by the course of the Sunne And on this wise now our catholicks bend their force with Testimonyes and Consent The Catholicke Churche hath alwayes hitherto from the age of the Apostles ratified those obseruaunces this doctrine of the sacrifice of the Masse whiche it would neuer haue done vnlesse this doctrine had bene agreable with the
receiue a remēbraūce of that sacrifice celebratyng the mysteries accordyng to the ordinaūce deliuered by him selfe and rendring thankes vnto God for our safety And agayne We doe erect vnto him an Altar of vnbloudy reasonable sacrifices accordyng to new mysteries Furthermore he doth forthwith expresse what kynde of new Mysteries they be Christ did offer sayth he a wonderfull sacrifice for the safety of vs all That is to say he gaue vs a memoriall to offer to God commaundyng vs to offer a memoriall for a sacrifice c. What shall I say of Cyrill Who doth call the prayers and melodious singing of fayth full soules praysing God cōtinually vnbloudy sacrifices And the same Cyrill writyng agaynst Iulian We sayth he forsaking the grosse sacrifice of the Iewes haue a commaūdement that we shall make a simple spirituall and a pearcyng sacrifice And therfore we do offer vnto God for a sweete smelling sauour all kindes of godlynes fayth hope and charitie c. If this controuersie may be decided with the greatest part of voyces who would require more wittnesses if with authoritie who will demaunde more auncient and more learned if by expresse euidence of wordes what is he so voyde of Reason that cā not playnly conceaue by the premisses that there is no one thyng more vntrue then that which these braynesicke men haue by a most false and vnsauory inuention Imagined concernyng the application and propiciation of this Sacrifice for the vtter ouerthrow of which doctrine what will more fittly serue the oportunitie now offered what cā be applyed more aptly for this present and more agreable to Reason then to kill them with their own swordes and to catch them in their owne pittfall for whereas the chiefest substaūce of a Sacrifice especially such a Sacrifice as is offred for Sinnes consisteth in slayeng of a body and sheadyng of bloud I would therfore learne of them by what reason the denomination of a Sacrifice may be properly applyable to their Popish Masse whereas neither any slaughter of a body or any sheadyng of bloud is discernable But there is represented say they a memoriall of sheadyng of bloud I do graunt it The holy Euchariste therefore doth not expresse any actuall killyng of the body or actuall sheddyng of bloud in truth and in deéde but representeth it by a memoriall onely Which bycause can not be denyed we say that hereof it commeth to passe wheras Remission of Sinnes is not otherwise obteined then by killyng of some body and sheadyng of bloud that for this cause therefore the Euchariste which executeth no actuall sheadyng of bloud but representeth onely a memoriall thereof can not of it selfe geue forgeuenesse of Sinnes but onely represent vnto vs a memoriall of the true Remission of Sinnes by way of Representation onely And what accoumpt shall mē make now I pray you of that dreadfull Decreé of the Tridentine Fathers who haue hundred out such flashes of horrible lightenyng whereby they doe scorche cleane into powder with their cursed Bull all them whosoeuer dare vtter halfe a word so much to say that the Sacrifice of the Masse is onely a bare commemoration of that Sacrifice finished vpō the Crosse and not a propiciatory Sacrifice rather I draw now somewhat neare to the very Canō of the Masse whereunto as these godly Catholickes do sticke most earnestly and do settle in the same the chief prore and pewpe as the Prouerbe is and shooteanker of their whole Idolatrous Sacrifice So doe they also in the same shyppe bulge them selues most of all and with their owne cable ouerhale them selues into an vnrecouerable gulfe The Tenor of which Canon is this Commaunde these giftes to be carried by the handes of thy holy Angelles vnto thyne hyghe Altar c. What Can not Christ sitte on the right hād of his Father vnlesse he be posted ouer by the Priest to be transported by Angelles vnto the highe Altar whenas he hath bene in actuall possession of the highest heauens long sithence not holpen thereunto by any person and sitteth on the right hād of his Father farre surmoūtyng in power euen the most excellent ministery of Priestes and Aungelles It followeth in the same Canō Through whom thou doest alwayes create sanctifie and blesse all these good gifts What is this that I doe heare must Christ be created blessed and sanctified agayne I haue passed my boundes somewhat further perhappes in prosecutyng this controuersie then the proportion of this our Apology would well admitt But hereunto was I forced partly by the peruersnes of Osorius partly by allurement of necessary persuasion for as much as I perceaued that there is no one thyng throughout all the doctrine of this phātasticall Religion wherein our Catholickes doe sweate and turmoyle them selues more greédely and raunge at riotte more perillously And therfore I thought it not amysse to rippe abroad the whole matter euen frō the very rootes of the foundation and so to encounter the franticke attemptes and engynes of our aduersaries Wherein if I haue not satisfied all mens expectation yet I trust that I haue reasonably brought to passe by this simple discourse that the Reader may easily conceaue how peéuish a plattforme this glorious Peacocke hath forged for his peltyng Purgatory and mumblyng maskyng Sacrifice vauntyng them to be matters of such importaunce as which the Apostles did deliuer ouer by mouth and which their Disciples dyd deliuer ouer to the posteritie and which the greatest consent of auncient Antiquitie with most Religious obseruaūce hath reteyned and approued so many hundred yeares with the generall Fayth and allowaūce of the vniuersall Church without any disagreement But on the contrary part as touchyng the Lutheranes they are cōfuted with the authorities of the aūcient Fathers and confounded with the generall consent of the whole Church whō Osorius with his copemates haue vtterly discoūtenaunced and discomfited with vnuanquishable Arguments vncomptrollable testimonies vnreproueable examples and conuinced them of horrible impiety and wickednes c. In good sooth these be lofty glorious magnificall speaches but besides the bare soūde of wordes no matter at all which wordes if must of necessitie fleé into the Castle of creditt bycause they be naked wordes onely without feathers surely you are well furnished with a very ready pollicie of persuasion Osorius and with a speciall practize for the speedy conquest of the cause But by this very same deuise of yours what a singular plattforme haue you layed forth for others to finde out the way to persuade as matter of truth whatsoeuer they liste to blast out in bare wordes For what is more easie then to pretend in word in speach those two wordes onely Church and Antiquitie if men wil be contented to haue their mouthes choaked with such boanes If the world be come to this passe that whosoeuer cā with finest floorish of wordes lauish abroad in the Church whatsoeuer him listeth the same shall obteine greatest creditt and
this one thyng suffice the Reader If that blessed nourse did geue so much Milke as is set forth euery where abroad to be seéne in holy Religious houses in the Temples of Monckes Friers Nunnes surely there would haue bene aboundance enough to haue sufficed all the Babes sucklynges Bethleem if she would haue geuen them sucke as long as she liued In the meane space I do not recite all the places whereunto pilgrimes do reporte to visite these Reliques of Milke neither do I earnestly craue to know how it may seéme credible that so much Milke might be gathered from one seely Uirgine and preserued from corruption so many hundred yeares To make any further rehearsall of the rest of this Uirgines furniture were a playne mockery surely to reckon vpp all were an infinite peéce of worke First touchyng her Smocke There is one at Carmutum an other at Ayre in Germany so wyde so large that it coūteruaileth in greatnes a Priestes long white surplice which if be her true Smocke in deéde surely she must neédes be a woman of a monstrous body Touchyng her kerchiefes whereof one is a Tryers in S. Maximes Church An other is to be seéne at Lysio in Italy As for her Kertell which the inhabitauntes of Bonony do enioy I neéde not to speake more And that she had more girdles then one appeareth hereby that the inhabitauntes of Pratt do bragge vpon one in their keepyng an other likewise is shewed forth at Moūtforte her Slipper is at S. Iaqueries her Shoe is reported to be at S. Floures she had also two Combes whereof one hangeth fast at Rome in S. Martines Churches the other in the Church of S. Iohns the great at Besanson Neither do I marueile if our Ladyes weddyng Ryng be Religiously reserued emōgest other holy most precious Iewelles I do rather marueile more how they came by the possession of Iosephes hose namely beyng so litle so slender as will scarse fitte a sucklyng Child or a dwarfe surely there is no comparison to be made of proportion betwixt these hoses and our Ladyes Smocke as they do fayne it to be Besides Iosephes hose others haue his Boanes in stoare some his Slippers also Which are to be seéne at Tyers in S. Symōs Abbey What shall I speake of Images which are not all of one sort nor yet of like holynes Some are beleéued to be made by miracle some fashioned by Angelles Some others of the common sorte Many of them are notorious for some singular vertue and speciall prerogatiue so that in some places they are of lesse power in some other agayne wonderfully miraculous There be some supposed to grow and decay in stature after the maner of mē And there want not writers that shame not in their Bookes to blow abroad that the very Crosse it selfe was growyng out of Treés by miracle yea and this also in very good earnest they sett forth for a miracle So vnmeasurable is the senselesse blockyshnes of some Emōgest many pictures of our Lady Luke the Euāgelist is supposed to be the deuisour of foure the proportion of that which he is reported to haue drawen out in Tables with his owne pencill to witte Mary that is called Inuiolata the second Mary presented to the viewe in the Church of Maria Noua which they do say was paynted by Luke whē he soiourned at Troas was afterwardes conueyed thither by an Angell The thyrd is resiaunt at S. Maryes which is called Ara Coeli grauē to the same proportion forme as she seémed to be whē she stoode by the Crosse. But the Augustine Friers do vaūt couragiously that the chiefest of all remayneth with them namely the very same which Luke did painte out for his owne vse and reserued with great reuerence I do passe ouer many Images in many places In England not many yeares agoe was an Image so cunnyngly coūterfait that by a certein crafty sleighte it was made seemyng to the beholders to tourne the head to moue the lippes and to rolle the eyes in and out into euery corner The fraude thereof beyng espyed the Image was brought to Paules Crosse in London and burnt in a pyle of wood in the reigne of Henry the viij What then was that godly and victorious Kyng franctickly madd who did thus deliuer his subiectes the seély flocke of Christ from such rauenous Idolatry or shall we accoumpt Osorius worse then madd that so maddly persuadeth him selfe that he may be a madd Proctour in so madd causes Now to proceéde orderly somewhat must be spoken of the Angelles and Sainctes and their notable Reliques Wherein I might seéme to dasly perhappes if the matters them selues were not practized by these counterfeit Catholickes so playnly sensibly yet that all men may easily espy their lieger demaine and withall so Apishly and doltishly that no man is able to refrayne from open laughter that doth behold them For what is he that will euer beleéue that the sword and buckler wherewith Michael fought agaynst the Deuill may be founde emongest mortall creatures And yet are these shewed by the inhabitaunts of Carcassone and Towers in the name of true and vnfayned Reliques The sword it selfe is altogether like vnto a litle childes Dagger and the Buckler no greater then a litle brazen Bosse of a Bridle But this of all other is most horribly impudent That within threé score yeares or a litle more a certein old crafty Crowder laden throughly with the Popes Bulles raunged the coastes braggyng that he did carry with him the very feathers of the holy Ghost as most precious Reliques whose prophane blasphemy some meary conceipted men espyeng out opened the Caskett priuily and tooke out the feathers and putt Coales in their place The next day ensuyng this pratyng Pardoner determinyng to make a shew of his miraculous feathers after a long preamble of smoath wordes vttered to the lay people findyng in his budgett a few coales in steéde of feathers with no lesse shamelesse a shift tournyng his tale began to preach vnto them that he had forgotten his feathers in his lodgyng and that these Coales were takē away from vnder S. Laurence his gredyerne It is truely recorded in the sacred scriptures that Iohn Baptyst was beheaded and his body buryed in the ground by hys Disciples Theodoret addeth further that at Sebasta his boanes were taken out of his sepulchre by Infidels and burnt and that the Ashes of the same were skattered abroad with the wynde Eusebius recordeth farther that certayn men of Ierusalē came whiles the Infidels were defacing the dead corpes and priuily pyked vpp some Rames thereof and conueyed them afterwardes to Antyoch which Athanasius did enclose afterwardes within a wall Sozomenus writeth that Theodosius the Emperour did trāslate his head to Constantinople If all these Reportes be true I appeale now to the Readers Iudgemēt in all that our late Catholickes
haue fabled of the Reliques of that man They of Amyens doe vaunt that they haue his visage with the wound that Herodiades made in it with her knyfe The very same part do the people of Saynt Angell shew forth The hinder part of the head from the forehead to the neck was sometyme to be seéne in the Isle of Rhodes but now it lyeth hidden I know not where The nape poll of the head is at S. Iohn of Nemoures the braynes at Noyon In the Church of S. Iohn of Morein a piece of his skull is preserued oue of hys Iawes is at Besanson in the Church of S. Iohn the great the other at Paris in the Church of S. Iohn of Laterane the hynder part of his eare remayneth at S. Flowers in Auuerne his forehead and his heare resteth at S. Sauiours in Spayne moreouer at Noyon a skalpe of his skull is shewed with great Pompe But how dare we beleéue all these to be true now forasmuch as at our mother Church of Rome in the Church of Siluester is shewed for an infallible trueth to be beleued the whole head of S. Iohn nothing thereof wanting Besides this the people of Sene doe affirme that they haue his arme which doth vtterly ouerthrow the creditt of the AuncieÌ„t historyes The finger of that holy man wherewith he poynted to Christ saying Behold the Lambe of God is at Besanson in the Church of S. Iohn the great the same is also a Tholouse an other at Lyons an other at Burges one more at Florence and one also at S. Iohn Aduentures neére vnto Mascoue And yet for this fhameshapen Relyques to witte for sixe fingers of one hand Osorius blusheth not to deale like a lusty proctor as if it were for great holy matters and most assured And although historyes do report that his Ashes were throwen abroad into the wind yet how he shameth nothing at all to professe that some of those Ashes be at Genes and some at Rome in the Church of S. Iohn of Laterane what will our religious Reliquary defend these for true being so manifestly false his Shoe is at Parys with the charterhouse Mounckes But what if Iohn Baptist did neuer were any shoe At Rome in S. Iohn of Laterane is vaunted to the gaze his shirt of heare whereof mention is made in the Euangelist which is also as false for the Gospell doth make mention of Camels skinnes and no word at all of any shirt of heare In the same Church is extaunt the Altar whereupon he prayd in the wildernesse as though that age of the world did vse manye altars At Ayr in Dutchland is the lynnen cloth that he kneéled vpon when he was beheadded At Auignon is the sword wherewith he was beheaded Now in their right rancke lett the Reliques of the Apostles be rehearsed The bodyes of Peter and Paule are religiosly visited by Pylgrimes in the Minster of Peter and Paule at Rome The church of Laterane hath both theyr heads S. Peters chawbone with his beard is to be seéne at Poytew At Tryers many bones of them both be extant At Argenton in Berry resteth the shoulder of Paule At the great Alter of Geneua was there a portion of Peters Brayne sometime which as long as lay somewhat close in the boxe was reuereÌ„ced for a singuler Relique but afterwardes being more narrowlye examined and vewed was espyed to be a very pumeyse To be short what Churches were euer dedicated to these Apostles wherein were not some Reliques of them to be found At Saynct Sauiours in Spayne is S. Peters slypper very glorious and beautyfull like a prelates pantable At Rome is to be seéne Peters chayre of State with all hys pontyficall vestimentes vsed at Masse and the very Altar wherupon he sayd Masse Yet the citizens of Pyse do shew the same Altar in theyr Suburbes that lead by the Sea side The sword wherewith he cutt of Malchus eare is in the possession of the Romaynes his Crosiar remayneth at Parys in S. Stephens of Greés The staffe that he was wont to walke withall not onely the citizens of Coleyne do challenge but the Citizens of Tryers also prouing themselues both to be open lyers The chayne wherewith Peter was bound is in his owne Church at Rome The blocke whereupon he was beheaded is to be seéne in S. Anastasius Church at Rome The Citizens of Tholosse doe beleue that they do enioy the bodyes of sixe of the Apostles namely the bodyes of Iames the more and Iames the lesse of Andrew of Phillipp of Symon of Iudas How true this Fable is like to be may hereby easilye appeare for at Memphys Andrew left one body behinde and hath an other in stoare in Rome at S. Peters there a shoulder at Grisogonus a ribbe at S. Eustath a shoulder at the holye ghost an other piece at S. Blase and at Ayre one foot Both the bodyes of Phillipp and Iames the lesse remayne with the holy Apostles at Rome likewise the bodyes of Symon and Iude be restaunt in saynt Peters Church there Mathias hath threé bodyes one at Padue an other at Rome at saynt Mary the greater the third at Tryers at Salerne is the body of Mathew And at Ortonne the body of Thomas About Naples is the body of Bartholomew And yet is the same shewed whole in S. Bartholomewes Church at Rome The citizens of Pyse did either fable or els haue his skinne and one of his handes one finger of hys remayneth at Frenes Like as Philippe is plentifull also in his Reliques one foot of whom is sayd to be at Rome in the church of Peter and Paule he hath other Reliques likewise in other places to witt at Rome in saynt Barbaras church and at Tryers Two citties do clayme the possession of S. Iohn the Euangelistes cupp from out the which he dranke poyson to witt Bonony one and Rome an other in the church of Laterane to speake nothing in the meane space of his coate of his chayne and his chappell But the pleasauntest Iest of all the rest is of the coller whereupon hang the twelue Apostles coambes It is sett forth in the church of Maria Insulana neére to Lyons S. Anne the mother of our Lord hath one bodye at Apte a citty of prouince an other at Maria Insulana neére vnto Lyons Moreouer one head of hers is kept in stoare at Tryers an other remayneth at Turene amongest the Friers Iuliackes the third at Turing in saynt Annes besides many other skrapps which are to be seéne more then in an hundred places I can not tell how many soules Lazarus hath sure I am he is beleued to haue 3. bodyes one at Merâ—els an other at AnthuÌ„ the third at Aualon Mary Magdalen as she is not equall in degreé with her brother so hath she lesse substaunce for she hath but two bodyes onely one at
vnam Sanctam What kinde of obedieÌ„ce popes vse towardes Magistrates A conspiracie of Iohn 12. most abhominably practized against Otto the Emperour ContentioÌ„â— raysed betwixt the Emperours and the popes rehearsed out of Hystories A singuler president of the popes obedience towardes the lawfull Magistrate Conrade his brother HeÌ„ry the 5. teazed agaynst their own father through the popes faction Anselme agaynst HeÌ„ry 1. Kyng of England Henry 5. is enforced to yeld to the popes commauÌ„demeÌ„t 25. Quest. 1 violatores The popes of Rome do challenge a certeine heauenly power vpon earth Gratian his booke of Decretalls Ionocent 2. ouerthroweth the order of Senatours in Rome The cruelty of Alexander 3. agaynst the Emperour Fridericke Barbarossa The singuler insolency of Hadrian 4. in banishyng the dignitie of Consulshyp The troublesome seditions of HadriaÌ„ the pope Hadrian choaked with a flye 1159. The seditious tumults of AlexaÌ„der the pope agaynst Caesar his soueraigne Lord and Prince The vnspeakeable pride of a seditious pope A president of the popes pryde farre passing Tarquines pride Iudas â— Nazianzen Oration vpon the holy Penthecost The incredible fury and outrage of Innocent 3. of Honor. and Gregory 9. agrynst Frederick 2. Extimo Concil 49. Pag. 639. The filthy gaynes of the pope Innocent 4. doth sette vpon the same Frederick the Emperour Agaynst the Successours of Frederick do Vrbane 4. and Clement 4. kept warre The pope Clement doth conspire the death of Conrade Frydericke Nicholas 3. doth sowe the seedes of discention betwixt Charles King of Sycile and Peter Kyng of Arragon The seditiouse troubles of Boniface 8. agaynst Celestine agaynst the Family of Columne agaynst phillyppe the Frenche kyng and agaynst Albert the Emperour Clement 5. doth prescribe lawes to Emperours Ludouick the Emperour most shamefully abused by Clement 6. Charles 4. appoynted Emperour agaynst Ludouick the true Emperour by the procuremeÌ„t of Clement 6. The onely popes of Rome the common pestilence of Christianes and of all Europe How little the Romish obedience doth agree with the Rule of Paules obedience Chilpericke the French kyng Henry 2. kyng of England Iohn kyng of England Victor a Byshoppe Phillippe the French kyng Henry 6. the Emperour Wicked practize of Pius 2. agaynst the Emperour Out of Recordes of Germany Henry the 8. kyng of EnglaÌ„d excommunicated by pope Clement the 7. Pius the 5. keepeth a sturre agaynst Elizabeth Queene of England Osori pag. 170. B. The maner of Popishe obedieÌ„ce to their Princes The horrible crueltie of the Spanish Inquisitours against English Marchauntes The king of Spayne subiect to his owne subiectes Inquisitours How the Catholicks be obedient subiectes to their owne kynges Anselme Theobald Thom. Archb of cauÌ„terbury Byshop of Ely Stephen Langton Edmund Archb. of Caunt Iohn Peccham Rob. Wilkelse Gualter Archb. The froward coÌ„tumacy of Monckes agaynst their kyng Out of Mathewe Parisâ— vpon the lyfe of Henry 3. Math. Parisiensis The proude rebellion of the pope the Bishops agaynst the kyng A tenth of all moueables in EnglaÌ„d and in Scotland graunted to the pope Mathaeus Parisiensis The auncient lawes and ordinaunces of Emperours enfringed by Popes Dist. 63. Out of the Englishe Chronicles Osor. The Troumpetour of the Romishe Ierarchy Pag. 170. The picture of the crosse must be worshipped Images of Sainctes Sanctusâ—es Lord for the bloud of Thomas graunte our prayers to wend c. No Nation in the world hath any pictures or grauen Images in their Churches but Papistes onely Osorius doth defend pictures to be as Kalenders of remeÌ„braunce Osorius pag. 17. The monument of the Brasan Serpent and the bookes of SalomoÌ„ de curandis morbis abrogated by Ezechias for the abuse Osorius pag. 171. How the Fayth of the Catholickes is ioyned with hope and feare Confidence of workes by Osor. Fayth How feare ought to be ioined with the fayth of the gospell Of workes Osorius pag. 172. Of Ceremonyes and Sacraments Pag. 171. Of Confession Osori pag. 172. 1. Iohn â— Pag. 172. Plaut in Bacchid Luke 10. The Charecter of the priest The Character of the Beast in the Apocalips Math. 9. Luke 7. Mar. 5. Mar. 9. Luke 4. Chrisost. vpon the 51. Psalme Homel 2. Actes 15. Actes 26. Actes 10. The Reformation of Confession The Superstition of SatisfactioÌ„ A poena culpa Osori pag. 172. Osori pag. 173. FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce that so holy lyfe and so great chastitie of the papistes doth proceede The incredible force and efficacy of the Masse Osori pag. 173. Osorius reason to proue that the rude people should be restrayned froÌ„ readyng the Scriptures Vnknowne tounges in the Papists churches Osor. pag. 173. Smale care had of preaching the word in the popes churches The senteÌ„ce of Barnard To muche light or no light at all How light must bee quallified according to Barnard that there be not too much light nor to litle Psal. 19. Psal. No man ought to be forbidden from reading the Scriptures Ephes. 3. Ephes. 1. The cause is fouÌ„d out why the Byshoppes do fle so much the light of the scriptures What kinde of authority it is of the Popes and Byshoppes in the Popish church Osor. pag. 173. Out of the Trepartite history 9. Booke cap. 35. Si non caste tameÌ„ cauté How farre the lawfull authority of the church extendeth it selfe Luk. 10. Ioh. 20. The Ecclesiasticall dignitye wherein it consisteth There is one power of the church an other of this world Iohn 5. Of the Rites and state holy dayes of the Romish churche Osori pag. 174. How great occasion of idlenes and dronkennes the multitude of holy dayes do engender How blasphemous Idolatrous the songes of the Romish Churchebe Christemasse day Pag. 175. Ashewednesday Palmesonday Good Friday Easter EueÌ„ Easterday Ascention day Whitsonday All HolleÌ„day What thingeâ— be reproued in the papistes holy dayes ceremonies Esay â— Popish worshyppyng compared with the worshyppyng of the Iewes in the olde law The superstitioÌ„ of the people in their state holy dayes ceremonies ought to be reformed Osori pag. 175. Esay 58. Gala. 4. Osor. pag. 176. Principles of Osorius Religion How much commodity and necessity there is in outward ceremonies and signes in Osorius iudgement Sarcasmus a nipping skoffe An Aunswere to Osorius mocke The papists acquayntaunce with mortall fragility The vow of chastity What Ceremonies are necessary with the Christians Baptisme The Communion All Ceremonies are not to be coÌ„demned yet in the allowaunce of Ceremonies Reason and choyse must be â—â—dâ— Osorius spightfull â—nuectiue by a Rhetoricall figure wrest back vpon the Lutheranes Pag. â—77 Osor. pag. 178. Osor. pag. 179. Osorius bauld Rhetorick The confutation of Osorius inuectiue Luther Phillippe MelancthoÌ„ Martin Bucer Huldricke Zuinglius Iohn Caluiâ—e Luther vpoÌ„ the 15. Psalmes of Degrees How the Pope is afflicted by the Lutheranes Apoc. 1â— The authoritie of the Romish See can not agree with the authoritie of the Scriptures The complaint of Osori concernyng the ouerthrow of Monckeryes and Nunneries It was
Sacrament of bread and wine is called the body and bloud of Christ. August to Boniface 13. Episto August vppon the psalme 89. August agaynst Adimant 13. The circumstaunces about the Supper of the Lord are to be considered August vpon the wordes of the Lord in Lake Ser. 33. August in Ioh. tractar 25.26 The abseÌ„ce of the body of Christ more profitable for vstheÌ„ his presence An Argument in respect of the profit therof Antichrist An argument from Impossibilitye Contradictiories cann not be together not so much as by miracle A great diuersitie betwixt the auncient Church of Rome and this vpstart Church The lynes and couersatioÌ„ of the auncieÌ„t Fathers of the primitiue Church The first age of the Church Deut. 12. Gala. 1. Math. 7. In processe of time the maners and ordinaunce of ChristiaÌ„s were chauÌ„ged The middle age of the Church How sure forth humayne authoritye doth binde Ecclesiasticall function consisteth in two thinges chiefly How farre ecclesiasticall power doth extend it selfe In matters appertayning vnto God dew obedience ought to be geuen to the Pastors and Ministers How farre forth obedieÌ„ce ought to be geuen or not geueÌ„ to Pastours of the churche in matters of mens constitutioÌ„ What ministers ought to consider in makyng new ordinaunces Of iudiciall power of Churches The difference betwixt Ecclesiasticall temporall IudgemeÌ„ts Ecclesiasticall discipline in the primitiue Church The first institution of the primitiue church compared with the tymes of the latter Church The foundation of the christiaÌ„ Church The foundation of the Romyshe Church The Popes doctrine coÌ„uinced by foure principall pointes The popes Church more like an earthly kyngdome then the kyngdome of Christ. A smale discription of the Romishe Ierarchye A comparison betwixt the kingdome of the Pope and the kingdome of this world Iohn 20. A comparison betwixt the popes kyngdome and Christs kyngdome Luke 20. Mar. 10. Luce. 12. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Rom. 12. The shape of the Romish Ierarchy The counteâ—faite authoritie of popes The church wickedly defined by the papistes How the Romishe stagers doe counterfayt olde Antiquitye A manifest declaration of the Romish church as it is now to be nothing at all Gregor 4. booke 30. Epistle The order of Cardinalles The electioÌ„ of the pope of Rome Cyprian 4. booke Epistle 2. The auncient authoritie of Emperours in sommoning Councelles and in chusing popes A Decree of Charles the great Otto Distinct 6 3. The olde Canons do abhorre priuate Masses Canon 8. The power of both swords coÌ„trary to the old CanoÌ„s The thyrd CouÌ„cell of Carthage Cap. 47. In the new Constitutions 123. 146. Cap. 3. Antiquitie agaynst Images in Churches Origene vpon Leuit. Cap. 16. Chrisost. vpon Math. 1. Homel 2. Vpon Iohn Homel 31. August de opera Monach Malburiensis de pontificibus Lib. 1. An auncieÌ„t law of EnglaÌ„d against pluralities All thynges altered by the pope Out of the Tridentine Councell Generall Councels accordyng to the old constitutioÌ„s aboue the pope The Church of Rome as it is now is conuinced of Nouelty The Councell of Laterane A new doctrine first instituted in the same vnder Pope Innocent 3. Cap. 1. Of the sacrifice of the Masse Of priuate confession The Laterane councell vnder Innocent 3. Cap. 21. Chrisost. in his fourth Sermon of Lazarus Chrisost. vp on the psal 50. hom 2. Chriso vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues homi 31. Tripart histo lib. 9 Cap. 35. Erasmus iu his Apolo The Sacraments of the Romish Church Out of Huntington the 7. booke Out of the Chronicles of Monumetensis Councell of Gangren Cap. 4. Out of the 2. councel of Arelaten 2. cap. Pope Lucius decree distinâ— 81. Ministri The greatest part of the Romish doctrine newly fouÌ„d out and brought in within thâ—s 500. yeares Apoc. 21. Trueth suffereth violence A figure called Hypotiposis Whereby the state of the RomaÌ„s Church and the Reformed Churche is expressed In the question of the Churche many things are conteined People buildyng doctrine forme of gouernement Where the Churche of Lutheranes was fourtie yeares ago A Similitude betwixt the restitutioÌ„ of Religion the finest of the tounges Reason reÌ„dered why Religion is more pure at this tyme in the Churches then it was in many yeares before The Arte of Emprintyng The reason and obiection of the Catholicks in the defeÌ„ce of their Church Probable with Deuines Rome built vpon seuen hilles Apocal. 13. The reason of the papistes touchyng the consent and proofe of their vniuersalitie The captious conclusion of the Catholicks The aunswere to the Argument Distinct. 40. Non loca Distinct. 4. Non est A fallax in the Equiuocum which is of diuers significations The Rom. Church doth combate against the true Church of Christ vnder a coulour of christian name Origen vpon Mathew cap. 17. Irene 3. book cap. 4. The trueth is the life of the church Lactant. 5. institu cap. 30. ArgumeÌ„tes made from consent and multitude of authors are weake Math. 10. Eccle. 1. Ieremy 8. Osorious accusation which was properly bent against Doctrine is transposed to maners To what end tendeth the force of Osorius Accusation Osorius doth deny that Luthers doctrine hath any affinitye with the Apostolique Scriptures Pag. 181. Osor. pag. 182. Osorius lying Rhetorick The Argument of Osorius The Aunswere to the Argument Osorius quarell of lyfe and maners Tit. 1. Ill may the Snight the Woodcock twight for his long bill The lyfe of the Lutheranes compared with the Catholickes The vices of maners are not to be imputed to his doctrine The fruites of Luthres doctrine Osor pag. 182. The confutation of hisl aunder Artic. 21. The scoffe of Luthers doctrine Luther offeÌ„ded with the life of his countrey men Osor. pag. 187. Deut. 18. The argument of Osorius 1. Kinges Act. 1â— A true difference betwixt the false and the true Prophett Luther vpon the 130. Psalme Mens iudgemeÌ„ts in findyng faulte may be free so that they be vpright Out of Valer Ansel. Iohn Stella Out of BeÌ„uo a Cardinall Of couenauntes and promises not alwayes holden true emoÌ„gest the papistes Iere. cap. 23. Osorius argument out of Ieremy Aunswere to the argument The fallax of the consequent The aunswere to the Maior The reason to discerne betwixt false and true Prophetes accordyng to Osorius The aunswere of the Minor Osori pag. 190. The place of Ieremy expounded Iohn Husse The prophecy of Iohn Husse touchyng the doctrine of the Gospell to be restored by Luther A small coÌ„trouersy betwixt Luther and Zuinglius Osor. pag. 191. Of diuisioÌ„s of the churche Dissentions in the Papane church Dissentions amoÌ„gst the most godly A full consent of doctrine in reformatioÌ„ of Churches The Articles of the chief grouÌ„des of Religion wherin the Ministers of the Church do well agree together How great a concord is ctetwixt many Churches in the matter of the Sacrament Papistes murtherers of Martyrs Osori pag. 192. Osori doth beleue fame Authour of all his vntruthes A prouerbe
of Epicharmus Seuen SacrameÌ„ts ordeined by the pope but by Christ two onely were Instituted There is no cause to the coÌ„trary but that the Churche may be gouerned in the best maner though we be neuer acquainted with the popes supremacy Haddon a Babe in the Latine touÌ„g but Osor. a Gyaunt in Eloquence Osor pag. 193. Cyprian in his 4. booke and 2. Epistle The Papistes doe wrongfully define the Church of Christ. Cipria in his 4. booke and 2. Epist. Apoc. 18. Esay 52. 2. Cor. 6. The peace and the vnitye of the Church according to Cypriane The definition of the Church after the meaning of the Romishe Church The Popish definition is confuted What is required to the true definition of a Church The description of a true church according to the rule of the scripture Osorius Reasons The fallacy in the AequiuocatioÌ„ that is to say in the word of diuers significatioÌ„ A necessary coniunction of souÌ„d doctrine with vnitye Vnitye of the Church Succession Multitude Gods promise made vnto the Church Popes and Cardinalles will not admitte examinatioÌ„s of their cause Osori pag. 195. Papane Redeeming of Sinnes Markett of Purgatory Worthy ppyng of images Pilgrimage goyng Masses Sacrificatory for the quicke and the dead Osori pag. 196. Osori doth deale with wordes and no matter Apocal. 14 17. 18. Of Fayres and markets of Pardons Pag. 196. Out of Chris. Masseus Iohn Sleidonne M. Luther What darnell groweth in the Popes fieldes Putt in putt in putt in Masseus Iohn SleidoÌ„ M. Luther The horrible impudencye of the Romanistes Out of the Decretalles Gregory 5. in the title of Repentaunce and RemissioÌ„ of Sinnes Cum ex co Chrisosto Homel 38. vpon Math. Tridentine Councell The pardoÌ„s of the popish church Nicene Canon 11. Antycira Canon 21. Antycira Canon 22. Agathe Councell Canon 37. Eusebius 6. booke Cap. 35. Cyprian 3. booke Epistle 15. 16. 18. Antyciran Canon 5. Nicene couÌ„cell Cannon 5. New satisfactioÌ„s crept into the Romishe Church vnknowen to the Antiquitye Burchard How much the order of the old discipline doth varry from the Romish Nouelty The errours of the Popish discipline The ordinaunces of the Pope are contrary to Christ his Scriptures Act. 20. Collos. 1. Iohn 1.2 Iohn 1. Heb. 10. Rom. 3 4. The absurditie of the Romishe doctrine Eccius interpretation vppon the Popes decretalls Out of the Commentary of M. Luther to the Galath cap. 2. The Papisticall absolutions How great an absurditie is in the popes pardons Math. 16. The Keyes and Chayre of Peter Lucian 2. part pag. 525. Orpheus Harpe maketh not a Harper not doth Peters Chayre make an Apostle The succession of Peter the Apostle The circuÌ„stauÌ„ces must he considered wherefore the keyes were deliuered vnto Peter Math. 16. The foundatioÌ„ of the Churche is fayth the knowledge of the Sonne of God What Circumstaunces do goe before the true keyes of Christ what doe come after Peter receiued the keyes first but not onely Out of Eusebius third book cap. 7. The Succession Apostolique is not to be measured by place or tyme. The nature of the Gospell is altogether spirituall nor regardeth earthly and carnall thinges The spirite of Christe The succession of Peter doth consist in spirite not in externall thinges Pardons Succession The Keyes The 5. Canon of the councell of Ancyra Ex titulo de penitent Remiss cap. cuÌ„ ex eo The fulnes of power first brought in by Innocent .3 first Authour therof The fulnes of power Esay 55.12 Out of a decree in the Lateran Councell Anno. 1215. A decree of Boniface 8. Extraua A shamelesse abuse of the keyes The Byshops of Rome can challenge to themselues fulnes of power by no Argument of proofe Apoc. 3. An obiection The state of the Question is mistourned by-the Romanistes The wordes of August vnto Peter haue no playne application vnlesse they be referred to the churche Thomas Aqui. lib. 4. distinct 18. Extrauade Re. paen Cap. Cum ex eo nostro Thomas Aqui lib. 4. dist 18. Extrau de Re poeni ca. Cum ex eo nostro The Keyes were geuen for the necessary benefite of the Church nor to meÌ„s lust nor yet to Reuenge The Iudiciall vse of Keyes Tho. lib. 4. dist 18. Actes 2â— The power of the keyes how great and to whom are geuen Whether no RemissioÌ„ of sins is in the Church without the vse of the keyes How much the publike keye and how much euery mans fayth is effectuall to the Remission of Sinnes Rom. 5. Luke 8. Math. 9. When the vse of the Keies ought to be ministred Thomas lib 4. dist 18. The error of Thomas Aquinas The discoÌ„modities of the Shauelinges confession Iohn Scotus The Rom. See doth sell nothing forsooth Mantuan in his booke of Lamentation The matter doth agree if you reade the verses backward CanoÌ„s penitentiall described by Burchard and Gratian. When began fayres and markettes of Pardons first Ex CoÌ„cillo Latera Extran de poena Remi Cap. Cum ex co The Councell of Vienna 1311. Ex ClemeÌ„t 5. Lib. 6. Deâ—creta Cap. Abusionibus Ex ClemeÌ„t Cap. Abusionibus in Glossa The first 〈◊〉 of â—uâ—â—â—â— instituâ—â—â— Extrauag de Pâ—nit Remi Ca. AntiquoruÌ„ Out of the GreuauÌ„ces of Germany Out of Polydore Virgill The pardoÌ„s of Boston A History of Flaunders The Papists flee to denyals Osori pag. 196. It is one thyng to prayse Martyrs and an other thing to worshyp Images The Oration of Gregory Nissenus in the prayse of Theodorus Martyr Osorius Argument pag. 197. Osorius ill-fauoured Argument deriued froÌ„ Resemblaunce to worshipping Who be called Saintes Saintes not to be worshypped Apocal. 22. Of Purgatory the Popes Kater Why the Papistes doe striue so earnestly for Purgatorye Osorius great sturre about Purgatory The popes Pnrgatory Mores folly The new IlaÌ„d of Purgatory newly found by the Deuines What day Purgatory was made Gregory Alcuinus At what tyme the flame of Purgatory was kyndled at the first Whether God be author of Purgatory or the Pope Other questions of Purgatory Thomas Aquinas opinion of Purgatory Luther is vouched to defend Purgatory Osor. pag. 197. Roffensis agaynst Luther in praefatione veritatis Luther in the 15 Conclus Osor. pag. 198. Osor. subtill Sophisme Ex Thoma secunda secunduÌ„ dist quest 110. cap. 1. Diâ—ers kindes of lyes Abraham Iacob Rebecca The Midwiues of Egipt Dauid Luther is not cleared from all error Iohn 1. Osor. pag. 198. Truth is alwayes one Errour ought to be refuted by Scripture doctrine not with tauntey and reproches Faultes layd Luthers charge Osor. mainteineth his cause with slauÌ„ders nor with Argumentes Osori pag. 199. Luther doth deny that Purgatory can be proued by the scriptures in the declaration of his 37. Articl Mar. 9. Osori pag. 200. Lynceus was a man that could eâ—ery a ship at the Sea xxx myle of Osorius reason of Salt very fresh and vnsauery Osorius pag. 200. The words of Osorius pag. 200. Wordes of Blasphemy
and to know how you ought to haue behaued your selfe wheÌ„ you were there what doctrine you ought haue published in so great an Auditorie what personage ye doe represent in your countrey not the person of a common Ruffian I suppose but of a Byshop mary now you haue played so the part of a very rascall vnder the visor of a Byshop pardon me I pray you speakyng the truth that no common barrettor nor Rogish Ruffian could vomitte out more shamelesse scurrilitie S. Paule doth so little esteéme the credite of any other Gospell That hee holdeth him no better then accursed yea though an Aungell from heauen doe bryng a contrary one to this same And shall we beare with this collouerthwarte Osorius like a vice in a play with a new founde chauÌ„gelyng to make myngle mangle with the sacred worde of the Lord and with such vnsauorie subtelties to peruert the pure and vndefiled sinceritie of the Gospell of grace and like a wild Boare to moyle vp by the rootes the florishyng and most plentyfull Uynearde of our blessed felicitie planted by the Lord him selfe If that blynd bussardly Owle eyes of your mynde Osorius be as yet wrapped in so darkened a cloude that this cleare light of the gracious mercy of God shynyng from aboue can not pearce into those dull dazeled senses to seé the manifest light of the truth it should yet haue bene much more seémely for you to haue comforted them whom the holy Ghost had enabled with better grace to teache the truth so simply to haue yelded to the same Truely it behoued you to haue quallified your rage and vsed more modesty at the least towardes them that did dissence from you And if your selfe were not willyng to pursue the true pathe to heauen ye should not yet haue foreclosed the entrye to others that were willyng to enter in And knowyng your owne disabilitie in teachyng ye should yet more shamefastly haue bewrayed your vnskilfulnes and made some end once at the leÌ„gth or at the least reteyned some reasonable order from that rascallyke raylyng and immeasurable insolencie and not so wilfully haue rushed into such Tragicall exclamations before you had bene better acquainted with the cause But as now you tosse and turmoyle your selfe in these questions as though ye were of some other profession and a meére straunger to the matter wherein you scarcely sauour any thyng at all surely vnderstand so little so coldly and senselesly as no man more brutishly and with all vse your selfe therein so disorderly and outragiously as the very furies of Hell could not more horribly You must pardon me Osorius if I spake playnly franckly as I thinke wherein I will not speake as moued of malice or of any melancholicke affectioÌ„ agaynst your person whom I wish well vnto truly and beseéke God hartely to graunt a more sound IudgemeÌ„t But I feare me Osorius least within this Osorius dwelleth some other guest besides Osorius hee not all the best perhappes whatsoeuer he be that doth continually teaze and pricke foreward those busie braynes of yours to poysoned and pestiferous deuises of whom I wish you to be well assured Osorius if you loue your soules sauetie But if wholesome CouÌ„sell of a wellwiller shall litle preuayle with you I would aduertize the tender vnskilfull youth of the posterite in the bowels of Iesus Christ that they take diligent beédefulnesse to the readyng of Osorius his bookes left beyng allured with sweéte poysoned bayte as with Mermaydes melody do vse the wordes of S. Ierome they bee hooked vnwares and carryed away into delusions and errours I know how plausible and easie a matter it is to the Iudgement of the flesh learnedly and plentyfully to preach of the payse and commeÌ„dation of vertue or righteousnesse of the rules and preceptes of mans lyfe of Ciuill gouernement of polliticque Statutes and ordinaunces and of the excellencie of lawes And there happeneth not for the more part in any other Theame a more swifter readynesse of speach a more sensible sharpenesse of deuise or more vsuall admiration of worldlynges Wherein many notable Rhetoricians most subtill Philosophers heretofore haue thought best to employ their endeuours and whole force for their eloquence not without great commendation of witte and singular prayse of ingenious inuention whole laudable trauaile therein I ought and can not chuse but accompt prayseworthy as men that were desirous to emparte to the posteritie most worthy moâ—umentes atchieued through excellencie of learnyng and nymblenesse of capacitie and seuere pursuyng of vertue and vertuous discipline wherewith they were wouderfully beautified But I returne to Osorius whose diligence also in Imitation I doe commende for that he hath made his choyse of such especially after whom he may direct his Imitation But whereas he doth nothyng els but affect their Heathenishenesse I doe not onely not prayse him but vtterly disallow and refuse his order of study herein These men hauyng none other so commendable an exercize wherein they might bestow their tyme as by all meanes possible to beautifie the giftes and ornamentes of nature and to allure men thereby to honest and seémely Ciuilitie did worthely deserue the prayse of that whiche they so earnestly pursued And therfore M. Tullius Cicero hath of right obteyned the garland of an honest Citizen and learned Philosopher who bendyng all the powers of his excellent vnderstandyng in blazyng the dueties and offices of mens lyfe and defence of vertue agaynst the beastly and swynish pleasures of Epicure esteémed that matter worthy his study and trauaile Wherein he bestowed such diligence and actiuitie of witte as that him selfe did neuer better in any other Theame nor any man els could haue handled the same more aboundauntly And euen the same dyd he as then accordyng to the necessitie of the present tyme with singular learnyng for as yet besides the orderly course of naturall doctrine were not any other preceptes of purer discipline extaunt amongest those Nations wherein the fine and nymble wittes might exercize them selues And therefore it was no maruell if hee beyng a man endued with wonderfull instinct of nature did embrace that thyng as the chiefest felicitie worthy whereupon he might discourse and whiche he sawe to be most notable and had in greatest prize amongest all the workes of Nature neither could rayse his mynde beyonde the limites of Nature nor stretche out the force of his capicitie further then to that outward righteousnesse obteyned by speciall pursuite of vertue But now as the state of the tyme is altered from that which was then so haue we now receaued an other Schoolemaister froÌ„ heauen whose Maiestie as surmounteth in glory all worldly state condition so his doctrine being not straighted within the boundes of Nature doth disclose vnto vs thynges farre passing the reach of all Nature whose Scholer you ought to haue bene Osorius especially sithence ye be aduauÌ„ced to so high dignitie in the Church for we haue receaued now not