neuerthelesse drawe his Swerde and strike when and whom so euer the Prieste biddeth and blindely execute his wicked wil In déede M. Hardinge you saie precisely If the mater decreed be Spiritual and apperteininge to Faithe the Prince ought to obeie without question or grudge Likewise againe yée saie It shal be yenough for you to doo as the Successoures of Peter bid you to doo Christe nowe requireth of you not to obeie Peter and Paule but to obeie him that sitteth in theire Chaire What so euer he saie True or false For this no doubte muste be your meaninge The Kinge was bound to write out the Booke of the Lavve This yée saie proueth not the Kinges Superioritie ouer the Priestes No verily M. Hardinge Neither was it alleged by vs to that pourpose Neuerthelesse hereby it appeareth that God woulde haue the Kinge to be learned in his Lavves But the Kinge muste receiue the Booke of the Prieste and of none other Therefore saie you the Prieste is aboue the Kinge Mée thinketh M. Hardinge euen for your credites sake yée shoulde looke better to your Logique For what auaileth the deliuerie of a Booke to make the Prieste either higher or lower When the Pope is at his Consecration the Cardinal that is his Orderer deliuereth him a Booke of the Epistles and Gospelles And wil ye thereof conclude that the saide Cardinal is aboue the Pope Mary God forebidde Goddes meaning touching this Ceremonie was this that the Kinges Booke shoulde he true and fautlesse And therefore God commaunded him to take a Copie thereof out of the Registrie or Recordes whiche were thought to be voide of al corruption and were euermore keapte in the Temple vnder the Custodie of the Priestes Paulus Phagius saithe Euery Priuate man was commaunded to haue one Booke seuerally to him selfe But the Kinge was commaunded to haue twoo And for as mutche as the Kinge was a Publique Persone therefore God willed him to take his Copie out of the publique Recordes of the Temple Your owne Hugo cardinalis saithe Accipiet exemplar à Sacerdotibus non à quibussibet sed à bonis Vbi nihil fucatum est nihil corruptum He shal take his Copie of y◠Priestes not of euery Prieste what so euer but of the good that in the same Copie there be nothing neither coloured nor corrupted Al this M. Hardinge wil hardely proue your strange Conclusion that the Prieste vvas Superioure to the King It séemeth mutche better to proue the contrarie that the Prieste vvas the Kinges Inferioure and his Subiecte and his Clerke of Recordes as beinge appointed to keepe his Bookes So S. Augustine saithe the Ievves this daie kéepe the very true Bookes of the Scriptures Al be it not for theire owne vse but onely for ours And therefore he saithe they be not our Superiours but our Seruantes Certainely concerninge the Kinges and Priestes of the Olde Lavve one of your owne frendes whom for many causes yée maie not wel refuse saithe thus In Veteri Lege Sacerdotium indignius erat Potestate Regia ei Subiectum In the Olde Lavve the Priestes Office was Inferioure to the Prince and Subiecte Vnto him Yée saie If the Prieste muste geeue the Holy Scriptures to the Kinge then verily muste he take sutche as they geeue him and with sutche meaninge as they geeue vnto it Yea I trowe though they teare theire roabes againste Christe as Caiphas did and crie out He blasphemeth yet muste wee by your Iudgemente euermore seeke to them for the sense and meaninge of the Scriptures For this is the grounde and Fundation of your Diuinitie The Scripture of God hathe none other sense but as it shal please the Prieste to geeue vnto it But S. Chrysostome speakinge of the same Priestes and Bishoppes from whome we haue receiued the selfe same Scriptures saithe thus Literae quidem Legis apud illos sunt Sensus autem apud nos The Letters or woordes of the Scriptures are with them but the true meaninge of them is with vs. Here you mutche disaduantage your selfe and as yée saie omitte that we reade Librum Legis whereas the Churche readeth Deuteronomium for that as yée saie it were too longe for you to enter into that disputation Therefore M. Hardinge we wil patiently abide your leasure vnt il yée haue founde out the whole mysterie and cōsidered it better In the meane season it shal not be good for you to be ouer ranke with your Commentaries vntil yée better vnderstande the Texte Certainely the wise and learned thinke that herein yée are mutche deceiued For whereas the Woordes are these Describet sibi Deuteronomium Legis huius they thinke that Deuteronomium in this place is not put for any one certaine seueral Booke of the Fiue Bookes of Moses as it is otherwise commonly vsed but rather for a Copie or a Draught of the Whole Lavve And in this sense they saie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is none other but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie a Copie or a Double The Italian Translation hathe thus Esso si scriuera questo Doppio de la Legge The Frenche Translation hath Le double Leo Iudas translateth it thus Describet sibi Exemplum Legis huius He shal write out for him selfe a Copie of this Lawe And for somme proufe hereof it is thus written in the Booke of Iosua Afterwarde Iosua readde out of the woordes of the Lavve bothe the Blessinges and the Curses accordinge to euery thinge that is written in the Booke of the Lavve And there was not one woord of al the thinges that Moses Commaunded but Josua readde the same before the whole congregation of Israel Where we allege the woordes of the Prophete Esai Kinges shal be thy Fosterers and Queenes thy Nurces yée saie Euery Nurce or Fosterer is not aboue him that is nourished A faitheful seruante oftentimes fostereth his Maister Yet is not he aboue his Maister So lothe yee are the Kinge shoulde be Superioure to a Prieste And thus hanc yée brought about by your handsome Conclusions that your Priestes be the Maisters and Kinges theire Seruantes And therefore it is discretely noted in your Glose Imperator Romanus est Procurator siue Defensor Romanae Ecclesiae The Emperoure of Rome is the Stewarde or Bailife of the Churche of Rome The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 4. 5. I saie bisides al these thinges we see by Histories by Examples of the beste times that good Princes euer tooke the Administration of Ecclesiastical maters to perteine to theire duetie Moses beinge a Ciuile Magistrate and chiefe Guide of the people bothe receiued from God and deliuered to the people al the order for Religion and Sacrifices and gaue Aaron the Bishop a vehemente and soare rebuke for makinge the Golden Calfe and for sufferinge the Corruption of Religion M. Hardinge Moses was not onely a Ciuile Magistrate but also a Prieste In that he had both
keepe them stil to it If they doo ouerthrowe Idolles if they take away Superstition and sette vp againe the true woorshipping of God why doo they by and by make an outcrie vpon them that sutche Princes trouble al and presse by violence into an other bodies office and doo therein wickedly and malepeartly What Scripture hathe at any time forbidden a Christian Prince to be made priuie to sutche causes Who but themselues alone made euer any sutche Lawe M. Hardinge Ye confounde the offices of the Spiritual Gouernours and Temporal Magistrates VVhat Kinges and Princes maie doo what they be commaunded to doo and ought of dutie to doo in Gods name let them doo and wel maie they so doo VVho is he that gainesaithe If by the pretensed example of Dauid and Salomon ye animate them to intermeddle with Bishoply offices then beware they saie wee that Gods vengeance light not vpon them for sutche wicked presumption whiche lighted vpon king Ozias for the like offence Ye teache Princes to vse violence against Priestes as though theire faultes coulde not be redressed by the Prelates of the Clergie of whom ye speake by spiteful surmise as though God had vtterly withdrawen his holy spirite from them But forasmuche as Christe assisteth his Churche alwaies and shal neuer faile in thinges necessary it is not to be doubted but the Churche shal euer be prouided of somme good Gouernours so as though somme slugge and slepe yet somme other shal wake and diligently attende their charge Priestes haue their Ecclesiastical courtes where their defaultes and offences maie duely and Canonically be punished and the offenders by Priestly discipline be redressed Neither is it conuenient for a Kinge to come into Priestes consistories nor to cal Priestes before him to his owne seate of iudgement So many as be necessary to minister and performe those thinges that apperteine to the building vp of Christes Body the Churche vntil it comme to his perfection S. Paule reckeneth by name in his Epistle to the Ephesians saieing that Christe hath to that ende placed in his Churche somme Apostles somme Prophetes somme Euangelistes somme Shepeherdes and teachers Kinges and Princes bee not there named as they who haue their propre rancke That the people be to be stirred by vs to more feruent deuotion to worship God and somme perhaps to be warned of somme cases of superstition we graunte But that any other manner or kinde of woorshippinge of God is either by vs or by temporal Princes to be sette vp in Christes Churche that wee denie The B. of Sarisburie Wee Confounde not these Offices M. Hardinge as yee beste knowe but rather teache eche man carefully to attende his owne Office You and youre Fathers haue brought Confusion of Offices into the Churche of God in that yes haue made youre Pope Heire Apparente vnto the Empiere and haue armed him with al manner Authoritie Spiritual and Temporal and haue geeuen him the right of Bothe Swerdes For thus youre owne Pope Nicolas telleth you stoutely in his owne behalfe Christus Petro Aeternae vitae Clauigero Terreni simul Coelestis Imperij iura cōmisit Christe hath committed vnto Peter the Keiebearer of Euerlastinge Life the right as wel of the Earthely as of the Heauenly Empiere Thus by youre Doctrine Priestehoode Kingdome Popedome Empiere are al conueighed wholy into one mannes handes and so by youre handlinge one man is Prieste Kinge Pope and Emperoure al at once This perhaps vnto the wise maie seeme to be somme Confusion of Offices Touchinge that ye write of the rasshe attempte of Kinge Ozias yee seeme not to vnderstande neither out woordes nor your owne For wee teache not Princes to Offer vp Incense in Sacrifice as Ozias did or by intrusion to thruste them selues into Bishoppes roumes or to Preache or to Minister Sacramentes or to Binde or to Loose But onely to discharge theire owne Offices and to doo that dutie that Dauid Salomon Ezechias Iosias and other Noble and godly Kinges did and euermore was lawful for the Prince to doo As for Right of Place and Voice in Councel it perteineth no lesse to the Prince then to the Pope as hereafter it shal better appeare Yee saie Christe shal alwaies assiste his Churche and shal euermore prouide her of good Gouernours Thus be youre negligence and carelesse slouthfulnesse neuer so greate bee youre liues neuer so loose bee you Doumbe Dogges not hable to barke bee you Lanternes without Light bee you Salte without sauoure yet yee euermore dreame sweetely of Christes Promise and assure youre selues vndoubtedly of his assistance Euen as he that sommetime saide Pan curer oues ouiumque magistros Woulde God youre Bishoppes woulde doo their dutie and doo it faithfully The worlde shoulde haue lesse cause to complaine Notwithstandinge Christe is euermore mindeful of his promise For when he seeth his Churche defaced and laide waste he raiseth vp faitheful Magistrates and godly Princes not to doo the Priestes or Bishoppes duties but to force the Priestes and Bishoppes to doo theire duties But yee saie Christe hath placed in his Churche somme Apostles somme Prophetes somme Euangelistes somme Pastoures somme Teachers Kinges ye saie and Princes bée not there named Hereof yée conclude Ergo The Prince maie not cause the Abuses of his Church to be refourmed nor ouersee the Priestes and Bishoppes if thei be negligente nor force them to doo their dueties I marueile M. Hardinge where yée learned so mutche Logique Howe frame yee this Argumente In what Moode In what Figure With what cement can yée make these séely loose partes to cleaue togeather It pitieth me to sée your case For by like fourme of Argumente and with mutche more likelihoode of Reason wée maie turne the same againste your selfe and maie saie thus Christe hath placed in his Churche somme Apostles somme Prophetes somme Euangelistes somme Pastoures somme Teachers The Pope and his Cardinalles are not here named Apostles they are not For the Apostles were but twelue Prophetes they are not for they Prophesie nothinge Euangelistes they be not for they Preache not Pastours or Feeders they are not for they Feede not Doctours or Teachers they are not for they teache not Ergo by this Authoritie of S. Paule and by your owne Argumente The Pope and his Cardinalles be vtterly excluded and maie not meddle with the charge of the Churche of God In sutche good Substantial sorte Pope Paulus 3. not longe sithence reasoned againste the Emperoure Charles the Fifthe En ego supra Pastores meos Beholde saithe God Almighty I wil pounishe my Priestes and Bishoppes for their negligence and wickednesse Ergo saithe Pope Paulus The Prince or Emperoure maie not pounishe them In this your manner of Reasoning M. Hardinge there are welneare as many Errours as there be woordes The firste is Ignoratio Elenchi which is the grossest Fallax of al the reste Secondly yee conclude without either Moode or Figure as a very childe
to M. Hardinge Aerius the Arian Heretique the Breache of Vowes the Dissension of Iudgementes in Religion shal be answeared God willinge hereafter eche mater seuerally in his place Wee flatter not our Prince with any newe imagined extraordinarie power but onely geue him that Prerogatiue Chieftie that euermore hath benne dewe vnto him by the ordinance and Woorde of God that is to say to be the Nurce of Goddes Religion to make Lawes for the Churche to heare and take vp cases and questions of the Faithe if he be hable or otherwise to commit them ouer by his authoritie vnto the learned to commaunde the Bishoppes and Priestes to doo their dewties and to punishe sutche as be offenders Thus the godly Emperoure Constantinus sate in Iudgement in a cause Ecclesiastical bitwéene Caecilianus and Donatus à Casis Nigris and in the ende him selfe pronounced sentence Greater authoritie then Constantinus the Emperoure had and vsed our Princes require none This I truste hitherto is no greate Heresie S. Hierome reproued Vigilantius for that he founde faulte with the Vigils or night wakes that then were vsed with Praieing to Sainctes with Woorshippinge of Reliques with Lightes and other suche like weighty maters Touchinge which whole controuersie Erasmus geueth this iudgement in hunc ita conuitijs debacchatur Hieronymus vt plusculum in co modestiae cogar desiderare Vtinam argumentis tantùm egisset et à conuitijs temperasset Against this Vigilantius S. Hierome so raileth that I wante in him some peece of sobrietie I woulde rather he had dealte with argumentes and had spared his railinge Of praier to Sainctes Lightes we shal speake hereafter Night wakes afterward were condemned as I remembre in the Councel of Carthage so Sentence geuen by the Churche with this greate Heretique Vigilantius against S. Hierome Verily the Fathers in a former Councel holden at Eliberis in Spaine decréed thus Placuit prohiberi ne foeminae in coemiterio peruigilent quia saepé sub obtentu orationis scelera latenter committunt It liketh vs that women be forbidden to watche at the places of burial For often vnder pretense of prayer priuily they commit wickednesse To be shorte if Vigilantius were an Heretique for reprouinge of Night Watches why hath the Churche of Rome so longe sithence condemned abolished the same watches agreeably to Vigilantius and contrarie to the Iudgement of S Hierome Reliques were subiecte to muche villanie and are welneare worne out of them selfe The Manicheis emonge other their fantastical errours were wonte to say the the body of Man was made not by God but by the Angels of the Diuel whiche they called Gentem tenebratum and that in Man there be two soules of contrarie natures the one of the substance of God the other of the substance of the Diuel and that either soule contineweth stil as it is and cannot alter That is to say that the good soule can neuer be il and that the il soule can neuer be good And in this sense they saide that Man hath no Frée wil. Al these and other like errours wée abhorre and Detest as frantique furies Wée saie that the Soule of Man is not the substance but the Creature of God an that it maie be changed from good to il from il to good that Dauid maie fal that Paule maie rise that God geueth vs a newe hart and a newe Spirite within our breastes But as touchinge the fréedome of wil and power of our selues we saie with S. Augustine O malum Liberum Arbitrium sine Deo O euil is Free Wil without God Againe Libero Arbitrio malè vtens homo se perdidit Arbitrium Man misusinge his Free Wil spilte both him selfe and his wil. Againe Quid tantùm de Naturae postibilitate praesumitur Vulnerata saucia vexata perdita est Vera confessione non falsa defensione opus habet What doo men so mutche presume of the possibilitie of Nature It is woounded it is mangled it is troubled it is loste It behoueth vs rather truely to confesse it then folsly to defende it Againe Liberum Arbitrium captiuatum non nisi ad peccatum valet Free wil once made thralle auaileth now nothinge but to sinne Agayne Quòd bené viuimus quòd rectè intelligimus Deo debemus Nostrum nihil est nisi peccatum quod habemus That wee liue wel that wee vnderstande aright wee haue it of God Of our selues wee haue nothinge but onely sinne that is within vs. The better to cleare this whole case I thought it good to vse the moe woordes Thus may wée learne to knowe our selues and humbly to confesse our imperfection and to geue the whole glorie vnto God Therefore to conclude S. Augustine saithe Nos volumus Sed Deus in nobis operatur velle Nos operamur Sed Deus in nobis operatur operari pro bona sua volūtate Hoc nobis expedit credere dicere Hoc est pium hoc est verum vt sit humilis submissa Confessio detur totum Deo Tutiores viuimus si totum Deo damus non autem nos illi ex parte nobis ex parte committimus Wee wil but it is God that woorketh in vs to wil. VVee woorke but it is God that woorketh in vs to woorke accordinge to his good pleasure This is behooueful for vs bothe to beleeue and to Speake This is a Godly this is a True Doctrine that our Confession maye be humble and lowly and that God maye haue the whole VVee liue in more safetie if wee geue al vnto God rather then if wee commit our selues partely to our selues and partely to him The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 4. That wee be accursed Creatures like the Gyauntes doo warre against God him selfe and liue cleane without any regarde or Woorshippinge of God M. Hardinge VVhat ye bee God knoweth and your owne Conscience shoulde knowe Our Lorde amende bothe you and vs. But to saye some what to that your giltie minde imagineth the VVorlde to reporte of you if they which take away and abhorre the external Sacrifice wherein Christe accordinge to his owne institution is offered to his Father make no warre against God if they whiche make Christe a Minister of Shadowes Signes Tokens and Figures they whiche feare not to breake their solemne Vowes made to God and defende the same as wel done they whiche assure them selues of their Saluation and therefore liue dissolutely without due care and feare of God If I saye they be not cursed Creatures and like Gyantes that warre against God then are ye cleare of this charge The B. of Sarisburie To answeare Ifs with Ifs and Woordes with Woordes it were greate folie Therefore leauinge the answeare of Vowes assurance of Saluation to theire seueral places first wee denie not the Sacrifice of Christe Christe onely vpon his Crosse is our whole and onely Sacrifice for sinne biside him wée haue none other How
thinges of the world to confounde the stronge Goddes Holy Name be blessed that of so litle and so simple a despised Mustard séede hath now raised vp so greate a trée triumpheth the Gospel of Christe his Sonnne in euery place throughout the worlde VVhat meant Christe saie you to breake his promisse Nay what meante you M. Hardinge so shamefully to breake Christes Commaundemente and yet to charge him with his Promisse God is true in al his promisses and shal preuaile when he is so lewdely iudged There is no faulte in God or his Christe The faulte is in you that haue made of the House of God a Caue of Theeues Christe neuer made any sutche special Promisse vnto the Pope that what so euer it should please him to saie or doo hée shoulde neuer erre or doo amisse Yee presume ouer mutche of Goddes Promisses Nay though Antichriste should be Pope yet should Christes promisses be true stil It is true that God hath alwaies a Churche Inuisible and a number of Electe knowen onely to him selfe alone Neither is this our onely saieing S. Paule also saithe the same Firmum stat Fundamentum Dei habens hoc sigillum Nouit Dominus qui sint sui This Fundation standeth sounde and firme heuinge this Seale The Lorde knovveth vvhoo be his ovvne Elias thought al the Godly in Israel had benne slaine and not one leafte aliue But God saide vnto him I haue soued vnto me selfe seuen thousand menne that neuer bowed theire knee before Baal God knewe them but Elias knewe them not To the iudgemente of man they were inuisible Therefore S. Augustine saithe Secundum occultam Dei Praedestinationem plurimae sunt foris Oues plurimi Lupi intùs Nouit enim ac signatos habet qui nec eum nec se norunt Accordinge to Goddes Secrete Predestinatiō there be many Sheepe without the Church and many woolues within the Churche For he knoweth them and hath them marked that knowe neither them selues nor God neither Thus the number of Goddes Electe yea before the comminge of Christe in the time of darkenesse was euermore certaine yet afterwarde the knowledge of the Gospel by the Mouthes of the Apostles was abundantly carried abroade into the endes of al the worlde Bothe these partes M. Harding maie stande wel togeather and are nothinge contrarie to our Doctrine Be the number of the Faithful more or lesse yet the Truthe of God is one for euer The Apologie Cap. 5. Diuision 1. But now sithence our very enimies doo see and cannot denie but wee euer in al our woordes and writinges haue diligently put the people in minde of theire deutie to obeie theire Princes and Magistrates yea though they be wicked For this dooth very trial and experience sufficiently teache and al mennes eies who so euer and where so euer they be doo wel see and witnesse for vs it was a foule parte of them to charge vs with these thinges and seinge they could finde no newe and late faultes therefore to seeke to procure vs enuie onely with stale outworne lies We geeue our Lord God thankes whose onely cause this is there hathe yet at no time been any sutche example in al the Realmes Dominions Common Weales which haue receiued the Gospel For wee haue ouerthrowen no Kingdome Wee haue decaied no mans Power or right Wee haue disordered no Common Wealthe There continue in theire owne accustomed state and Aunciente Dignitie the Kinges of our countrie of England y◠Kinges of Denmarke the Kinges of Suecia the Dukes of Saxonie the Counties Palatine the Marquesses of Brandeburgh the Lantsgraues of Hessia the Common Wealthes of the Heluetians Rhetians y◠Free Citties as Argentine Basile Franckford Vlme Augusta Norenberg doe al I saie abide in the same Authoritie and estate wherein they haue benne heretofore or rather in a mutche better for that by meanes of the Gospel they haue theire people more obediente vnto them Lette them goe I praie you into those places where at this presente through Goddes goodnesse and Mercie the Gospel is taught Where is there more Maiestie Where is there lesse Arrogancie and Tyrannie Where is the Prince more honoured Where be the people lesse vnruly Where hathe there at any time either the Commō Wealth or the Churche benne in more quiet Perhaps ye wil saie from the firste beginning of this Doctrine the Common sorte euerywhere beganne to rage and to rise throughout Germanie Allow it were so yet Martine Luther the publisher and setter forewarde of this Doctrine didde write marueilous vehemently and sharpely againste them and reclaimed them home to peace and obedience M. Hardinge Your impudencie of lieinge hathe no measure nor ende But we wil saie litle here hauinge saide yenough already in reproufe of your falsehed VVe leaue you to the wide worlde who seeth and almoste feeleth your lies But I maruel not a litle that in this place specially where ye speake of the good order that your Gospel breedeth ye be not ashamed to make mention of Martin Luther Good God howe mutche could we if we were so disposed alleage out of his seditious and Heretical bookes by him writen against the Power of lawful magistrates At this time let one place suffise for al Luthers wordes be these Inter Christianos nullus neque potest neque debet esse magistratus sed c. Amonge Christen men none can nor ought to be a magistrate but eche one is to other equally subiecte After the Apostles saieinge Thinkinge al others better then your selues c. Againe Be ye humble al one to an other VVhereto Christe accordeth when he saithe VVhen thou arte called to the mariage feaste goe and sitte downe lowest of al. Amonge Christen men none is superiour saue one and onely Christe And what superioritie or magistrate can be there where al be equal and haue right power riches and honour al alike Furthermore none coueteth to be ouer other but al wil be vnder one another VVhere sutche men be though one woulde yet can he not make a magistrare to beare rule ouer others sithe that nature suffereth not to haue superiours where no man wil nor may be a superiour And where sutche kinde of men is there be they not Christen men after the true sorte of Christen men This farre Martin Luther He persuaded them to peace when there was scarsly any lefte that coulde beare a clubbe Firste he stirred vp his Disciple Thomas Munzer in Thuringia who was the rebelles preacher After that he excused him of seditious preachinge to the Duke of Saxonie Prince Electour trusting if Munzer were let alone the matter should wel goe forewarde The B. of Sarisburie To dissemble the reste of your Vntruthes and your immoderate and vnciuile bitternesse M. Hardinge procedinge from the vnquiet and vnsauery humoures of your harte where ye saie Doctor Luther admitteth no Ciuile Magistrate note the same so specially in your margine I marueile
sua Antichristum praecurrit I speake it boldely Who so euer calleth him selfe the Vniuersal Prieste or desireth so to be called as doth the Pope in the Pride of his harte he is the forerenner of Antichriste And when Iohn then Bishop of Constantinople had firste entred his claime vnto this title S. Gregorie made answeare vnto the same Ex hac eius Superbia quid aliud nisi propinqua iam esse Antichristi tempora designantur By this Pride of his what thinge els is signified but that the time of Antichriste is euen at hande Againe he saithe vpon occasion of the same Rex soperbiae propè est quod dici nefas est Sacerdotum est praeparatus exercitus The Kinge of Pride that is Antichriste is comminge to vs and an Armie of Priestes is prepared whiche thinge is wicked to be spoken S. Hierome saithe Antichristus omnem Religionem suae subijciet Potestati Antichriste shal cause al Religion to be subiecte to his Power I wil not here take vpon me to discrie either the Person or yâ— dwelling Place of Antichriste Who so hath eies to sée let him sée These CircuÌ„stances agree not vnto many S. Paule saith Antichriste woorketh the Mysterie or secrete practise of Iuiquitie Whereupon the Glose saith Mystica est Impietas Antichristi id est Pieratis nomine palliata The wickednesse of Antichriste is Mystical that is to saie It is not plaine open or easy to be espied of euery body but cloked vnder the name of Godlinesse And for as mutche as M. Hardinge thinketh wee misallege these Writers and violently force them to our side whether thei wil or no S. Bernarde saithe thus Bestia illa de Apocalypsi cui datum lest os loquens Blasphemias bellum gerere cum Sanctis Petri Cathedram occupat tanquam Leo paratus ad praedam That Beaste that is spoken of in the Booke of Reuelations vnto whiche Beaste is geuen a mouthe to speake Blashemies and to keepe warre againste the Sainctes of God is novve gotten into Peters Chaire as a Lion prepared to his praie Ioachimus Abbas saide aboue three hundred yéeres sithence Antichristus iam pridem natus est Romae altiùs se extollet in Sede Apostolica Antichriste is already borne in Rome and shal auaunce him selfe higher in the Apostolique See Arnulphus in the Councel of Remes saith thus Quid hunc ReuereÌ„di Patres in sublimi Solio residentem veste purpurea aurea radiantem quid hunc inquam esse censeris Nimirùm si charitate destituitur solaque scientia inflatur extollitur Antichristus est in Templo Dersedens sese oftendens tanquam sit Deus What thinke you Reuerend Fathers of this man be meaneth the Pope sittinge on highe in his Throne glitteringe in purple and clothe of Golde What thinke you him to be Verily if he be voide of Charitie and be blowen vp and auaunced onely with knowledge then is he Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God and shewing out him selfe as if he were God The Bishoppes in the Councel at Reinspurg saie thus Hildebrandus Papa sub specie Religionis iecit Fundamenta Antichristi Pope Hildebrande vnder a coloure of holinesse by forebiddinge Priestes mariage hath saide the Fundation for Antichriste Dante 's an Italian Poëte by expresse woordes calleth Rome the Whoore of Babylon Fanciscus Petrarcha likewise saithe Rome the Whoore of Babylon The Mother of al Idolatrie and Fornication the Sanctuarie of Heresie and the Schole of Errour I knowe these woordes wil séeme odious vnto many Therefore I wil staie spare the reste The Pope him selfe for that he sawe to whoe 's Person and credite these thinges belonged therefore in his Late Councel of Laterane gaue straite Commaundemente to al Preachers that noman shoulde dare once to speake of the Comminge of Antichriste The Apologie Cap. 17. Diuision 1. And what marueile if the Churche were then carried awaie with errours in that time specially when neither the Bishop of Rome who then onely ruled the roste nor almoste any other either didde his duetie or once vnderstoode what was his duetie For it is harde to be beleeued whiles they were idle and faste asleepe that the Diuel also al that while either fel asleepe or els continually laie idle For howe they were occupied in the meane time and with what faithfulnesse they tooke care of Goddes House though we holde our peace yet I praie you let them heare Bernarde theire owne frende The Bishoppes saith he vvho novve haue the charge of Goddes churche are not Teachers but Deceiuers They are not Feeders but Beguilers They are not Prelates but Pilates These wordes spake Bernarde of that Bishop who named him selfe the higheste Bishop of al and of the other Bishoppes likewise whiche then hadde the place of gouernemente Bernarde was no Lutherane Bernarde was no Heretike he had not forsaken the Catholike Churche yet neuerthelesse he did not lette to cal the Bishoppes that then were Deceiuers Beguilers Pilates Nowe when the people was openly deceiued and Christian mennes eies were craftily bleared and Pilate sate in Iudgement place and condemned Christe and Christes Members to Swerde and Fiere O good Lorde in what case was Christes Churche then But yet tel me of so many and so grosse errours what one erroure haue these menne at any time refourmed Or what faulte haue they once acknowledged and confessed M. Hardinge VVhy Sirs are ye so wel learned and so holy of life your selues that ye take vpon you to iudge the Bishop of Rome Christes chiefe officer in earthe and al other men before the time of your Apostates and Renegate Frters to haue ben both impious for not doing theire dutie and ignorant for not knowinge what was theire dutie VVas al Vertue so farre bannished al necessarie knowledge and Christian learninge so cleane put out that wee muste nowe beginne to learne how to beleue and howe to liue a Christian life of sutche light preachers Wicked vowbreakers lewde Lecherous Lurdens and detestable blasphemers as your deuilishe rable is S. Bernardes wordes to Eugenius be these Age indagemus adhuc diligentiùs quis sis c. VVel goe too Let vs somewhat more diligently examine what manner a man thou art what person thou bearest for the presente time in the Churche of God VVho art thou The greate Preieste the highest Bishop Thou arte the chiefe of al Bishoppes thou arte the heire of the Apostles for primacie thou arte Abel for Gouernement Noë for Patriarkship Abraham for holy order Melchiscdech for dignitie Aaron for Auctoritie Moyses for iudgemente Samuel for power Peter for thy anointinge Christe Thou art heâ—to whom the Keies were deliuered to whom the Shepe were committed There be also other porters of Heauen and Pastours of flockes But thou so mutche farre passinge al other as thou haste inherited bothe names mutche more indifferent They haue theire flockes assigned vnto them
home againe in his Minoribus and allowed onely to be a Cardinal and no lenger to be a Pope Yee maie remember Cicero saithe Qui multorum Custodem se profiteatur eum sapientes sui primùm capitis aiunt Custodem esse oportere Wise menne saie Who so wil take vpon him to saue others oughte first to saue him selfe And what credite maie wee geeue to youre Saueconductes Iacobus Nachiantes the Bishop of Chioca for that he had simpred out one halfe woorde of truthe to the mislikinge of the Legates was faine to renne to Rome to crepe to the Popes feete and to craue Pardonne Yee shamefully betraied cruelly murthered Iohn Husse Hieronymus Pragensis in your Coūcel of Cōstance Neither y◠Protection of the Emperoure nor the Popes Saueconducte was hable to saue thē No your selues haue already ruled y◠case in your said Councel For thus yee saie Fides non est seruanda Hereticis Yee maie holde no Faithe vnto them that yee calle Heretiques Sutche is the Safetie and Libertie of your Councelles Ye saie Our Learned Men were allowed to Propounde to Talke to Dispute What shoulde this auaile For yee reserued the Determination and whole Iudgemente to youre selues and youre selues are sworne to submitte yours whole Iudgemente to the Pope and without his Iudgemente to Iudge nothinge And howe maie this seeme a Free Councel were the guilty partie shal be the Iudge Yee saie There is an Extension graunted to other Nations Al this is true in deede But this same Truthe discrieth youre open Mockerie For if yee hadde seene the Instrumente in the ende thereof yee shoulde haue founde youre saide Extension restrained onely to them that woulde Repente and Recante the Truthe of God whiche you calle Erroure Howe be it not longe sithence the Bishoppes of youre saide Chapter at Tridente were very lothe to allowe any tolerable Sauecondite at al either to the Germaines or to any others But yee saie if wee hadde comme to youre Chapter we hadde benne Confounded No doubtes with youre Firy Argumentes For sutche proufes muste healpe you when others faile As for the gaie stuffe that youre Tridentine Fathers after theire Nature Deliberation as they calle it and more then twentie yeeres studie haue sente vs out lately into the worlde it is too simple to mocke Children Wee finde no faulte with you M. Hardinge for that youre Bishoppes and Abbates agree togeather but for that they agree togeather as did Herode and Pilate the Sadduceis and Phariseis againste Christe Neither maie you wel vaunte youre selues of youre greate agreementes Yee maie remember that twoo of the Principal Pillers of youre Chapter Petrus à Soto and Catharinus dissented euen there openly and shamefully and that in greate pointes of Religion and wrote the one mightily againste the other the one charginge the other with Erroure and Heresie and coulde neuer bee reconciled Notwithstandinge againste other pointes of Goddes Truthe bothe they and the reste ioined stoutely togeather S. Augustine saithe Tunc inter se concordant quando in perniciem Iusti conspirant Non quia se amant sed quia eum qui amandus erat simul oderunt Then they agree togeather when they conspire to destroie the Iuste not for that they them selues loue one an other but for that they bothe hate him whome they ought to loue Of sutche kinde of Consente S. Hierome although to a farre contrarie pourpose imagineth Iouinian thus to saie Quo'd me damnant Episcopi non est ratio sed conspiratio Nolo mihi ille vel ille respondeat quorum me Authoritas opprimere potest docere non potest That the Bishoppes condemne me there is no Reason in theire dooinges but a Conspiracie I would not that this man or that man shoulde answeare mee whiche maie oppresse mee by theire Authoritie and cannot teache mee Whether it bee conueniente that the Pope beinge notoriously accused of manifeste corruption in Goddes Religion shoulde neuerthelesse be the whole and onely Iudge of the same and pronounce sentence of him selfe let it be indifferently considered by the wise The Lawe saithe Nemo sibi debet Ius Dicere No man maie bee his owne Iudge Sutche Authoritie yee saie Kinges haue in Parlamentes Hereof I am not hable to dispute The Princes right many times passeth by Composition and therefore is not euermore one in al places Howe be it the Pope is a Bishop and not a Kinge and other Bishoppes be not his Subiectes but his Brethren You re fourthe Obiection is but a Cauil Yee saie yee mocke not Princes Embassadours but place them nexte vnto youre Legates to sitte stil I trowe and to telle the Clocke For voice in Iudgemēt ye allowe them none Thus ye proine their Authoritie and allowe them Honoure Notwithstandinge whether the Emperours and Princes Embassadours maie sitte so neare to the Popes Legates or no I can not tel Verily the Emperoure him selfe maie not be so bolde to presse so neare vnto the Pope For thus it is ordered in youre Booke of Ceremonies Aduertendum est quod locus vbi sedet Imperator non sit altior loco vbi tenet pedes Pontifex This is to be noted that the place where the Emperoure sitteth in General Councel be no higher then the place where the Pope setteth his feete That is to saie the Emperoure must sitte at the Popes footestoole and no higher Al the partes of oure Religion whiche you calle Heresies yee saie are already condemned iuste a thousande yeeres paste Here M. Hardinge it woulde haue woonne you somme good credite if yee could haue tolde vs in what General Councel vnder what Emperoure by what Doctours by what Catholique Learned Fathers these greate Errours were thus condemned As nowe yee roaue onely at large and feede youre simple Reader with youre emptie Calendares of thousandes of yeeres and speake at randonne If it hadde benne true yee woulde better haue shewed it but beinge moste vntrue as you knowe it to bee for very shame yee should neuer haue saide it The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 1. 2. Neuerthelesse wee can beare patiently and quietly our owne priuate wronges But wherefore doo thei shutte out Christian Kinges and good Princes from their Conuocation Why doo they so vncourteously or with suche spite leaue them out and as though they were not either Christian menne or els coulde not iudge wil not haue them made acquainted with the causes of Christian Religion nor vnderstande the state of their owne Churches Or if the saide Kinges and Princes happen to entermeddle in sutche maters and take vpon them to doo that they maie doo that they be commaunded to doo and ought of dutie to doo and the same thinges that we know bothe Dauid and Salomon and other good Princes haue donne that is if they whiles the Pope and his Prelates siugge sleepe or els mischeuously withstande them doo bridle the Priestes sensualitie and driue them to doo their duetie and
harde mater for your Pope out of his owne garde to make sutche Patriarkes yenough one for Hierusalem an other for Constantinople an other for Alexandria an other for Antioche an other for Sidon an other for Tyrus and I marueile if there be not somme Patriarke one or other for Sodome and Gomorre These poore Holy and Hongry Fathers are contented at al times to yelde theire submissions and to sette theire handes to what so euer they shal be required and in the names of those Countries that they scareely ouer hearde of to confesse the Pope their maister to be al more then al. With sutche daine shewes and visaâ—des it pleaseth you to smoothe the worlde It yee doubte hereof yée maie easily finde that one Augustinus de Roma in your late Councel of BauÌ„le hare the name of the Archebishop of Nazareth in lurie Likewise that one Petrus Paludensis a poore Fréere Obsernante not long sithence bare the name of the Patriarke of Hierusalem But what néede moe Examples Your own Ceremoniarie of Rome telleth you thus Consucueruni Autiqui ponere Patriarchas quatuor Ecclesiarum Principalium inter Episcopos Cardinales mixtim Nostro tempore ponuntur immediatè post Cardinales Sunt enim quodammodo ' Titulares They were woonte in olde times to place the Patriarkes of the foure Principal Churches togeather with the Cardinal Bishoppes one with an other But nowe adaies they are placed nexte beneathe al the Cardinalles For in a manner they haue nowe nothinge els but the names of Patriarkes It is moste certaine that the Christian Patriarkes and Bishoppes of those Countries wil neither Communicate with the Pope either in Sacramentes or in Praiers nor any wise yéeld to his Authoritie nor geue any manner of honoure or reuerence to his personne nomore then to Machomete or Antichrist as I haue sufficiently shewed before Touchinge the Number of Bishoppes presente at your Former Assemblie at Tridente I referre mee selfe to the Recordes of the same If yée finde there more then Fourtie Bishoppes I am coÌ„tent to lose my credite And yet of the same number Blinde sir Roberte of Scotland as I haue said before M. Pates of England were seely poore Bishoppes God knoweth endewed onely with bare names without Bishoprikes In your later Assemblie twoo of your Holy Fathers were staine there presently in Aduouterie By meane of whiche misfortune your number by so mutche was abated These be the greate woorthies of the worlde These Cornelius Bitontinus one of the same Companie calleth the Starres of the Churches and the Mighty Armie of Goddes Angelles These haue power to determine maters that thei neuer vnderstoode by Authoritie onely but not by knowledge Alphonsus de Castro as I haue shewed you before saithe thus It is certaine that somme Popes be so voide of Learninge that they vnderstande not the Grammare Rules Erasmus speakinge of sundrie the greate Learned of your side saithe thus Sibi videntur Semidei miro supercilio prae se despicientes Grammaticos Qui si Grammaticae litassent non ad hunc modum se pueris deridendos propinarent They thinke them selues halfe Goddes and with high lookes thei despise poore Grammariens But if they had wel Learned their Grammare thei woulde not offer sutche occasions that children and babes should scorne at theire folie Concerninge the whole mater your Doctours of Sorbona in Parise haue concluded thus Vt Concilium legitimè congregetur sufficit quo'd solennitas forma luris solenniter sit seruata Quia si quis trahere velit hoc in disputationem vtrùm Praelati qui ibi sedent habeant Rectam Intentionem vtrùm sint Docti vtrùm habeant Scientiam Sacrarum Literarum animum obediendi Sanae Doctrinae esset processus in infinitum That the Councel be lawfully assembled it is sufficient that yâ— Solemnitie and fourme of Lawe be solemnely obserued For if a man would caste doubtes whether the Bishoppes that sitte in Councel haue a good Meaninge and whether they be Learned and whether they be skilful in the Scriptures and whether they haue a minde to obeie sounde Doctrine or no then wee should neuer make an ende These be they M. Hardinge to whom yée woulde haue vs to géeue care what so euer thei saie euen as to the Secretaries of the Holy Ghoste But S. Augustine saithe Ecclesiae inter nos agitur causa non mea Ecclesia in nullo homine spem ponere à suo didicit Redemptore It is the Churches cause that wee talke of it is not mine The Churche hath learned of her Redeemer to put no truste in any man The Apologie Cap. 18. Diuision 1. How so euer it bee the truthe of the Gospel of Iesus Christe dependeth not vpon Councelles nor as S. Paule saithe vpon the Iudgementes of Mortal Creatures And if they whiche ought to be careful for Goddes Churche wil not be wife but slacke their duetie and harden their hartes againste God and his Christe goeinge on stil to peruerte the right waies of the Lorde God wil stirre vp the very stones make children and babes cunninge that there maie euer be somme to confute these mennes lies The B. of Sarisburie Hereto M. Hardinge answeareth nothinge els but thus The Councel is the Schoole of Truthe The Bishoppes cannot foreslowe their dueties The Churche of Rome cannot erre Whiche tales wee haue so often and not without wearinesse hearde already Petrus de Palude emongest other your Doctours saithe Non est credendum Ecclesiam Romanam errasse à Fide Ipsa enim potest è contrario cum Christo dicere Ego Testimonium perhibeo de meipsa Testimonium meum verum est No man maie beleue that the Churche of Rome maie erre from the Faithe Contrarywise that Churche maie saie with Christe I beare vvitnesse of mee selfe And my vvitnesse is iuste and true Therefore so longe as the Churche of Rome can speake for her selfe there is no doubte but al is wel The Apologie Cap. 18. Diuision 2. For God is able not onely without Councelles but also wil the Councelles nil the Councelles to maintaine and anaunce his owne Kingedome Ful many be the thoughtes of mans harr saith Salomon but the Counsel of the Lorde abideth stedfast There is no vvisedome there is no knovvledge there is no counsel against the Lorde Thinges endure not saithe Hilarius that be set vp vvith mannes vvorkemanship By an other manner of meanes muste the Churche of God be buiided and preserued For that Churche is grounded vpon the Fundation of the Apostles and Prophetes and is holden faste togeather by one corner stone vvhiche is Christe Iesus M. Hardinge VVhere ye saie that by an other manner of meanes the Churche of God must be builded and preserued shewe vs what other meanes they are and we must saie ye are very cunninge men who correct I will not saie Magnificat but Christes owne ordinaunce for gouernemente of his Churche who hath ordeined Apostles
wée maie saie of the Pope as Diphilus sommetime saide of Pompeius Nostra miseria Magnus es Baptista Mantuanus speakinge of the state of Rome saith thus Venalia nobis Templa Secerdotes Altaria Sacra Coronae Ignis Thura Preces Coelum est venale Deusâ—ue Bmongeste vs in Rome Churches Priestes Altars Masses Crovvnes Fire Incense Praiers and Heauen are set to sale Yee God him selfe emongeste vs maie be had for monie Budaeus saithe Sanctiones Pontificiae non moribus regendis vsui sunt sed propemodum dixerim Argentariae faciendae Authoritatem videntur accommodare The Popes Canons serue not nowe to guide mennes liues but if I maie so saie they serue rather to make a banke and to geate monie Bernarde of Clunice saithe thus Roma dat omnibus omnia dantibus Omnia Romae Cum Pretio Rome geueth al thinges to them that geue al thinges Al thinges at Rome wil passe for monie Euen in the Popes own Decretales yée shal finde it noted thus Roma est Caput Auaritiae Ideò omnia ibi venduntur Rome is the Heade of al Couetous treacherie And therefore al thinges there are set to sale Yea Thomas Becket him self whom a litle before yée called a Saincte when for his wilful disobedience and Treason committed againste his Prince he had for aide and succoure fledde to Rome and sawe that nothinge would be wrought there without monie thus he wrote he wrote thereof to the Bishop of Menze Mater Roma facta est Meretrix prostituta est pro mercede Rome our Mother is becomme an Harlot and for monie and meede laiethe her selfe to sale To be shorte yée knowe that our Fathers longe sithence were woonte to saie Curia Romana non captat Ouem sine lana The Courte of Rome wil not take the Sheepe without the fliese Therefore M. Hardinge your Poete concluded in good order and went not so farre bisides his Rules For monie is bothe the First and the Middle and the laste Acte of al your Fable Christe sommetime thruste sutche Buiers Sellers Brokers Scorsers out of the Temple But contrariwise yée haue receiued in Buiers and Sellers thruste out Christe and so haue turned the House of God into a Caue of Theeues S. Paule saith thus vnto the people of Ephesus Argentum Aurum nullius concupiui I haue desired nomans Gould or Syluer Vpon whiche woordes in the Glose it is noted thus Per hoc Lupi cognoscuntur qui talia concupiscunt Hereby they that desire sutche thinges are knowen for woulues S. Hierome saithe Quia Prophetae pecuniam accipiebant Prophetiae corum facta est Diuinatio For that the Prophetes felle to taking of monie therefore their Propheste was becomme a Soothe saieinge that is to same it was of the Diuel and not of God Thus M. Hardinge to conclude what so euer faulte yee can finde with the Defenders Poetrie Verily by the iudgement of your nearest frendes Monie was the beste paare of al your Fable The Recapitulation of the Apologie THus thou seest good Christian Reader It is no newe thinge though at this daie the Religion of Christe be enterteined with despites and checkes being but lately restoared and as it were comminge vp againe anewe for so mutche as the like hath chaunced bothe to Christe him selfe and to his Apostles yet neuerthelesse for feare thou maiste suffer thee self to be leadde amisse and to be seduced with those exclamations of our Aduersaries wee haue declared at large vnto thee the very whole manner of our Religion what our Faith is of God the Father of his onely Sonne Iesus Christe of the Holy Ghoste of the Churche of the Sacramentes of the Ministerie of the Scriptures of Ceremonies and of euery parte of Christian Beliefe Wee haue saide that wee abandon and deteste as plagues and poisons al those olde Heresies whiche either the sacred Scriptures or the Anciente Councelles haue vtterly condemned that wee cal home againe asmutche as in vs liethe the right Discipline of the Churche whiche our Aduersaries haue quite brought into a poore and weake case That we pounishe al licenceousnesse of life and vnrulinesse of manners by the olde and longe continued Lawes and with as mutche sharpenesse as is conueniente and liethe in our power That we mainteine stil the state of Kingedomes in the same condition and state of honoure wherein we found them without any diminishinge or alteration reseruinge vnto our Princes their Maiestie and worldly preeminence safe and without empairinge to our possible power That we haue so gotten our selues awaie from that Churche whiche they had made a denne of Theeues and wherein nothinge was in good frame or once like to the Churche of God and which by their owne confessions had erred many waies euen as Lot in times past gate him out of Sodome or Abraham out of Chaidee not vpon a desire of contention but by the warninge of God him selfe And that we haue searched out of the Holy Bible which we are sure cannot deceiue one sure fourme of Religion haue returned againe vnto the Primitiue Churche of the Anciente Fathers and Apostles that is to saie to the grounde and beginninge of thinges vnto the very â—undations and headspringes of Christes Churche And in very truthe we haue not tarried in this mater for the Authoritie or consente of the Tridentine Councel wherein we sawe nothinge donne vprightly nor by good order where also euery body was sworne to the maintenaunce of one man where Princes Embassadours were contemned where not one of our Diuines coulde be hearde and where partes takinge and Ambition was openly and earnestly procured and wrought but as the Holy Fathers in former time and as our Predecessours haue commonly donne wee haue restored our Churches by a Prouincial Conuocation and haue cleane shaken of as our duetie was the yoke and tyrannie of the Bishop of Rome to whom wee were not bounde who also had no manner of thing lyke neither to Christe nor to Peter nor to an Apostle nor yet like to any Bishop at al. Finally we saie that we agree amoÌ„gest our selues touchinge the whole Iudgement and chiefe substance of Christian Religion and with one mouthe and with one spirite doo woorship God and the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe Wherefore O Christian and Godly Reader for so mutche as thou seeste the Reasons and Causes bothe why wee haue restoâ—red Religion and why we haue foresaken these menne thou oughtest not to marueile though we haue chosen to obeie our Maister Christe rather then menne S. Paule hath geuen vs warning that wee should not suffer our selues to be carried awaie with sutche sundrie learninges and to flee theire companies specially sutche as woulde sowe debate and varience cleane contrarie to the Doctrine whiche they had receiued of Christe and the Apostles Longe sithence haue these mennes craftes and treacheries decaied and vanished and fledde awaie at the sight and light of the