did also a Councell holden in the time of this Stephen condemne him But Romanus successor of Stephen and Theodorus And Iohn 10 or 9 condemned Stephen and iustified sn Formosus And this did not these 3 Popes onely but a generall Councell of 74. Bishops holden in the time of Iohn 10. did also the same But all this notwithstanding the third time that Sergius was Pope he tooke part with Stepben against Formosus Condemding that which 3 Popes and the Councell had done and was most cruell against the bodie of Formosus vntombing it and doing that vnto it which vpon his life we will declare Read their liues Christian Reader Dogges shalt thou see that teare in peeces and eate one another Not men shalt thou see but diuels incarnate Thou must also vnderstand that in the names of some Popes there is great disagreement Pope Iohn the last Platina calleth the 24. and in order 214. Carança calleth him 24. But the 213. in order Pero Mexia calleth him the 24. Another way carrieth Panuinus 22. he calleth him or 23. and saith that he is the 209. in order Thus taketh he from out the Catalogue Fiue Popes two whereof be Iohns And it is also to be noted that from Iohn 8. which was a wicked woman All the Iohns almost haue bene pestilent fellowes Read their liues Three causes there be why some do number lesse Popes The first is because some Popes a very small time Poped The 2. is because many reckon not for Popes all those that were not cannonically elected The 3. is because some will not hold them for Popes who albeit they were connonically elected yet in there Popedome wickedly gouerned For the first reason many reckon not for Pope Stephen 2. who but three or as some say 4 dayes Poped For the 2. reason exclude they all those whom they call Antipopes chosen in the time of Schisme 30 Schismes counteth Panuinus to haue bene wherein at one time were 4 Popes another time 3. another 2. Herehence is it that they count not Iohn 18. Whom others call 17. nor Clemēt nor Clement 8. And therefore Clement 9. they call 7. nor Benedict 5 nor Benedict 7. called they 6. nor Benedict 13. For these 2 reasons exclude they al thē that by wicked artes deceipt force gifts or promises were made Popes Such doe the Councels and decrees of the Popes themselues not hold for Popes Read that which the Councell of Lateran holden in the time of Nicholas 2. ordained touching this matter And so many hold not for pope Constantine 2. Who being a lay-man and without any orders was by force made Pope Should this decree be obserued neither Siluester 2. the great inchaūter nor Boniface 8. nor Gregory 7 nor an infinit nomber of Popes which by wicked artes c. Were made Popes shuld be called Popes so very few shuld remaine in the catalogue of the Popes The 3. reason why some be not counted Popes is that albeit they were cannonically chosen yet during their Popedome either in life or in Doctrin or both in life Doctrin were they abhominable For this cause some count not Lando Read his life For the same cause some reckon not Iohn 8. a whore before when she was Pope Were this reason ought worth very few should be counted for Popes For all the Popes ingenerall from Boniface 3. vntill Sistus 5. who now tyrannizeth haue either in life or Doctrine bene wicked And so ought not to be connted Boniface 8. Of whom say all that he entred like a Foxe liued like a Lyon and died like a Dogge And alone was not he that did this he had many companions These be the causes why some reckon lesse Popes then others And in these names Stephen Iohn Clement Benedict Constantine and Felix shal be found this abridgement of Popes There are no liues of kings nor Emperors were they Christians pagans Iewes Turkes Scithians or of whatsoeuer other nation so confusedly and diuersly written as are the liues of the Popes And that which is more to be maruailed written imprinted and approued by the papists themselues The holy Ghost it seemeth hath purposely cast into the writing of their liues this confusion For the Popes being kings and Lords of Rome And Rome as say Saint Ierom Petrark Laurentius Valla and many others is Babilon And Babilon as much to say as confusion all whatsoeuer the Popes haue done doe and shall doe is and shal be confusion And so can no order be held in counting of them And with what more proper name then Babilon or confusion can that Church be called wherein they so pray and sing in straunge confused Language that one vnderstandeth not another And that yet which is worse he him selfe that praieth of singeth vnderstandeth not oft times that which is sayd My desire is friendly Reader to aduise thee of this confusion That if thou shalt read in one author that Pope Iohn 24. for the great villanies and heresies which in his presence and to his face were proued was condemned in the Councell of Constance and others say this happened to Pope Iohn 23. others to Pope Iohn 22. then nothing maruaile For these 3 Iohns 22. 23. and 24. be one selfe same Pope Iohn Concerning the concurrences of the kings of Spaine which I place with the Pope I haue followed Don Alonso de Carthagena Bishoppe of Burgos in his Latine Historie of the kings of Spaine which he calleth Anacephalaeosis as much to say as a Recapitulation No other hath bene the purpose and motiue me mouing to write these 2. Treatises of the Pope and of the Masse But the great desire I haue that they of my nation might enioy the same mercies which the Lord in these last times hath shewed to many nations in Europe giuing them liberty of conscience this not to let loose the raynes to serue the lusts of the flesh but in spirit and truth to serue the liuing God whom to serue is to raigne I very much sorrow that my nation to whom the Lord God for the things of this world hath giuen so much wit hability and vnderstanding which other nations cannot deny In things pertayning to God in the things concerning the saluation of their soules or going to heauen or hell is so blockish and blind that it suffereth it selfe to be carried by the Masse that it suffereth it selfe to be gouerned troden vnder foote tyrannized of the Pope of the man of sinne of the sonne of perdition of Antichrist whom as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God And that moreouer which S. Paul 2. Thess 2. saith All the euill of the Spaniards cōmeth vnto them of a false perswasion which they haue conceiued of the authority of the Pope The Pope they beleeue to be the successor of Saint Peter the Vicar of Christ God vppon earth They beleeue that all whatsoeuer the pope doth on earth God doth it in heauen and what soeuer he vndoeth
in earth God vndoeth in heauen This first Treatise shall serue to open the deceipt vnto them very palpably plainely will it shew the pope not to be the successor of S. Peter But of Iudas Not to be the Vicar of Christ but of Sathan whom the holy scripture calleth prince and God of this world And that we therefore ought not to obey the pope nor make more reckoning of him nor of that hee shal commaund then we doe of that which our mortall enemy commaunds vs. Mine harts desire and prayer to God is for my nation that they may be saued that his Maiestie deliuer them from the power of darknesse and transfer them into the kingdome of his beloued sonne I would if I might by any meanes prouoke my nation I would they had an holy enuie at other nations Why doe they and not the Spaniards read and heare the word of God in their owne Language as in the holy Bible it is written Why do they not the Spaniards receiue the holy sacraments with the simplicity that Iesus Christ did institute and celebrate them Wherewith without any humane inuentions superstitions and Idolatries he commaunded his Church to administer them This testimony giue I of my nation that they haue the zeale of God and so shall you see few Spaniards to be Atheists which haue no religion But this their zeale is not according to knowledge for by the word of God is it not ruled but by that which Antichrist of Rome commaundeth Who hath taken from them and forbidden them the reading of holy scripture For well knoweth Antichrist that if the Spaniards shold read it then would they fall into account and know the abhominable life of the popes and their wicked Doctrine And so would forsake and detest them And should Spaine once forsake the pope the pope would reckon as they say with the Oleados or annointed of whom there is no hope of life O that if God please I may see this day And if the pope should fall then also in a moment would fall the Masse and all the other Idolatries which the pope hath inuented This is the cause why our aduersaries so greatly fight to intertaine and mainetaine the authority of the Pope For very well they know that the Pope once fallen the popish religion of necessity must fall to the earth Very well did Pedro de la Fuente or Fontidonio as others call him a diuine of Seuill vnderstand this who in a sermon which he made the last day of September in the Councel of Trent greatly inueied against the protestants calling them heretiques saying that they sought to cast downe the 2 pillars of the Church To wit the sacrifice of the Masse the Pope This Diuine sayd moreouer that the Councell ought to employ all it force to sustaine and vphold them The pillar said he of the seat papall once pulled downe that the whole Church would fal to the earth The reason which he gaue was because the funerals and obsequies of the Church went iointly and accompanied with those of the Pope There is nothing sayd he that the aduersaries with deliberate purpose more endeuour to doe then to put downe the Pope c. Our aduersaries haue fallen in the reckoning and this is the cause why they maintaine and adore and many of them doe it against their owne conscience The Pope howsoeuer abhominable wicked and great an Atheist he be I humbly beseech his maiesty to send the true Sampson which is Christ who with one pluck may wholy pull downe these two pillars and so the house of Dagon may fall vtterly to the earth Iudg. 16. 29. I know that were the Pope and his Masse pillars built vpon the rock vpon the cornerstone Christ that neither the gates of hell nor whatsoeuer men could imagine should euer preuaile against them But because they be not founded vppon this firme foundation but rather vpon humane inuentions any small thing whatsoeuer that carrieth any reason maketh them easily to stagger The thing which wholy ouerthroweth them is the word of God As by the Lordes assistaunce in these two Treatises shal be seene His Maiestie I hope whose cause we here maintaine will draw some fruit out of this my trauaile To him I commit the charge therof For as saith his Apostle 1. Cor. 3. 7. Neither he that plāteth is any thing nor he that watereth but God which giueth the encrease His cause it is to him I commend it That which in the meane time Christian Reader I beseech thee for that which thou owest to the health of thy soule the which if thou loosest what shal it profit thee to haue gained the whole world is that thou read consider and weigh the reasons which we giue in these two Treatises for confirmation of that which we say and see which more agreeth with the word of God with that which the ancient Doctors and Councels and which naturall reason teach that which we haue said or that which our aduersaries say The holy and true who hath the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth which shutteth and no man openeth Open vnto thee the gate that thou maiest consider and adore his holy law He euer bewith thee Amen The 25. of Iune 1588. Your most affectionate brother in the Lord. C. V. The first Treatise of the Pope and his authoritie IDolatrie which is to giue the honour worship and seruice only due to God to a creature whether good or bad holy or prophane is the most grieuous sin that is or cābe imagined For the Idolater like a traitor to him that made him directly manifestly committeth high treason against his God He endeuoureth what in him lieth to cast God frō his throne therin to place that which himselfe worshippeth albeit the worke of his owne hand To shew the grieuousnesse of this sinne very seuerely hath God punished it as he plagued the Israelites we see when they made the Calfe For the which the Lord had wholly destroyed them had not Moses stept in a very good Mediator Notwithstanding there died of them in one day by the sword about three thousand men And it is to be noted that neither Aaron nor the Israelits were so blockish nor foolish to thinke the calfe which they had made to be God That which they supposed was this that the honor done to the calfe they did it vnto God And so Aaron when he saw the calfe he built an Altar before it and proclaimed saying To morrow shall be a feast vnto Iehouah This he said for the representation of God which he and they supposed they had made in the calf This maner of Idolatrie had the people of Israell seene in Egypt For the Egyptians besides infinite other things adored the figure of Apis which they also called Sirapis being the name of an Oxe The Israelites applyed to their religion the manner of worship which they had seene in Egypt and coueting visible
alwayes of long time before hath bene the common way to obteine the Popedome How often hereof complained Platina and the other writers of the liues of the Popes What shal be come of them that liued in the time of Sisme 30. Sismes as Onufrius Panuinus a most papisticall author noteth it haue bene in the Church A Sisme hath bene which 50. yeares endured For from Clement 7. vntil our Spanish Clement 8. renounced hauing poped foure yeares after that Benedict 13. a Spaniard also dyed in Spaine so many yeares passed What shall become of them that liued in the time that foure Popes Victor Alexander 3. Calistus 3 and Pascall in the time of the Emperour Frederiâ—ke Barbarossa were ioyntly together What shall become of those that in the time of 3. Popes Benedict 8. or 9. Siâ—â—ester 3. and Gregorie 6. liued And all they three at one instant held residence in Rome Benedict had his seat in the Palace of Lateran Siluester in S. Peters and Gregorie in Saint Maries the great But the Emperour Henry 3. deposed them all three Somewhat before the Councell of Constance was holâ—eÌ„ Gregorie 12. Benedict 13. Alexander 5. excommunicated one another In Rome was Gregorie made Pope Benedict in AuinoÌ„ Alexander in the CouÌ„cel of Pisa which of these 3. will they hold for Pope what shall become of them that in the time of the Pope Sergius 3. and of Pope Benedict 9. or after other 8 liued Each one of these 2 was 3 times Pope Read their liues These by force deuises bribes were made Popes But came others more strong more cunning in deuises and greater bribes cast theÌ„ forth but recouering strength they eftsonnes returned and cast out them that had cast them our This done the other againe reâ—uâ—ned and cast them out These the 3. time for the 3. â—ime was gotten the victorie returned to be Pope What shamefull heades of the Church of Iesus Christ bee these What shal become of them that in the time of vacations which long continewed and wherein were many dissentions and alteraâ—ions liued After the death of Clement 4. was the sea voyd two yeares 9 monethes and â— dayes After the death of Nicholâ—s 4. was the sea voyd 2 yeares 3 monethes 2 dayes After the death of Clement 5. was the sea voyd 2 yeares three monethes 17 dayes Marcelinus as saith D. Illescas being dead the seat of S. Peter was voyd 7 yeers a halfe 25 dayes And Illescas addeth that Damascus and many other authors affirme the same But Platina satih it was void 25 dayes In such times as these what was the Church How miserable was the state of a Christian if he could not be saued except he beleeued the Pope to be his head What should he do in the time of foure Popes of 3. of 2. In the time of heretike Popes Simonists and to passe ouer worse things whoremongers of so long vacatioÌ„s But most happie is the state of a good Catholique Christian Not vpon men but Christ his head is his faith founded He beleeueth that he caÌ„not die he beleeueth that he once died to destroy the sin of al those that beleeue in him but that being now set at the right hand of his father making intercession for vs he liueth eternally He himselfe is the chiefe Bishop and of such a one and not of the Pope haue we neede To Christ then be glory and Empire and to the Pope confusion and shame let al those which desire that the kingdome of God may come say ioyntly with me Amen so be it Willing now to conclude this Treatise of the Pope briefely wil we here set down by way of an appendix or addition some of the blasphemies which the Pope teacheth or commandeth to be taught for seldoÌ„e or neuer he either preacheth or readeth whereby may be vnderstood what is al his doctrine which he coÌ„mands vs to beleeue adore as if it were Gods word it selfe And woe to him that will not beleeue it to the fire he coÌ„deÌ„nes him for a dogge an heretike a LutheraÌ„ God haue mercy vpon theÌ„ open their eies This then is his doctrine that followeth The Roman Bishop is God Dist 96. cap. Satis and enidenter Baldo in L. vlti C. sentent rescin Decio in C. 1. de Constitut Felino in C. Ego N. de Iure iurando The Pope is not man Lib. 1. sexti de eloctione tit 6. cap. fundamentum in Glossatore The Pope neither is God nor man In prologo Clementinarum in Glossatore Wherein he appeareth to be very Antichrist because Christ is God and man It is lawfull for none to will or breake the commandements of the Sea Apostolique dist 20 ca. Nulli Item dist 12. 22. Whosoeuer obeieth not the statutes of the Pope is an heretike Ibid. in Glos He committeth Sacriledge which lieth to the Pope For he holdeth in earth the place of the liuing God De panitent dist 1. câ— Libenter ignosco The Pope is Bishop of all the world lib 5. sextica Foelicis in Gloss The Pope holdeth the principality of al the world lib. 3. sexti tit 16. cap. Periculoso No man dare say to the Pope Lord why doest thou so In Extrauag tom 22. tit 5. cap. Ad Apostolatus in Gloss 2. Decretal tit 7. cap. 5. Vide Glossam The Pope by these wordes thou art Peter or Feede my sheepe hath obteyned the primacy In Proaemio sexti in Gloss No man may iudge the Pope Caus 9. quest 2. ca. Nemo Item aliorum dist 40. ca. si Papa ca. 12 quest 2. ca. Quisquis in Gloss dist 50. ca. Non nos in Glossatore To none it is permitted to iudge of the iudgemeÌ„t giueÌ„ by the sea Apostolike nor reuoke his sentence ca. 17. quest 4. ca. Nemini The Pope dispenseth against the Apostle Dist 34. ca. Lector in Gloss dist 28 ca. Presbiter in Gloss caus 15. q. 6. ca. autoritatem in Glossatore The Pope hath a heauenly iudgement li. 1. Decret Grego tit 7. ca. Quinto The Pope can change the nature of things ibidem The Pope of nothing can make some thing ibidem The Pope his wil serueth for a reason in that he wil do ibidem The Pope can dispence with the law of God ibidem Of vnrighteousnes can the Pope make righteousnes ibidem The Pope holdeth the fulnesse of power ibidem How great a difference there is betweene the Sunne the Moone so great is it betweene the king and the high Bishop Lib. Decret Gregor tit 33. Solitae Those that are vniustly condemned ought to haue restitution by the Church of Rome and the oppressed succor Caus 2. quest 6. ca. Ideo And because Iesus Christ speaking of himself saith al power is giuen me of my father aswell in heauen as in earth The Romists here vpon conclude â—rgo the Pope absolutely commaundeth in heauen and in earth And for that God saith Daniel
scarlet guilded with golde and decked with pearles and precious stones c. In the 9. verse he plainely mentioneth 7 mountaines whereon the woman sitteth adding afterwards in the 18. verse That great citie which reigneth ouer all the kings of the earth And Saint Paule 2. Thes 2. 4. saith that Antichrist shal sit in the temple of God Largely writeth Daniel chap. 7. 5. 8. concerning the estate life and doctrine of Antichrist where Behold saith he there came vp another litle horne and then addeth That in this horne were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things And in the 20. and 21. verses And he appeared greater then any of his fellowes And I beheld and the same horne made war against the saints and ouercame them And verse 25. And hee spake wordes against the most high and shall consume the Saintes of the most high and thinke that he may change times and lawes And chap. 8. vers 23. 24. 25. There shall rise vp a king of fierce countenance and vnderstanding darke sentences and his power shall increase but not in his owne strength and shall destroy wonderfully and prosper and practise and shall destroy the mightie and holy people and through his policie also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand and he shall extoll himselfe in his heart and by peace shall destroy many He shall stand vp against the Prince of Princes but he shall be broken downe without hand Also in the eleuenth chap. vers 36. And the king shall doe what he lifteth he shall exalt himselfe and shall magnifie himselfe against all that is God and shall speake maruellous thinges against the God of Gods and shall prosper till the wrath bee accomplished for the determination is made vers 37. Neither shall hee regard the God of his Fathers nor the loue of women nor care for anie God for he shall magnifie himselfe aboue all vers 38. But in his place shall he honour his God Mauzim A God whom his fathers knewe not shall he honour with golde and vvith siluer and with precious stones and thinges of great price vers 39. This shall hee doe in the strong holds of Mauzim vvith a strange God whom hee shall acknowledge hee shall increase his glorie and shall cause them to rule ouer many and shall diuide the land for gaine The Apostle Saint Paule in the second epistle to the Thessal chap. 2. 4. saith that this man of sinne and sonne of perdition shall exalt and lift vp himselfe against all that is called God or that is vvorshipped So that he doth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God And in the ninth verse Who shall come by the effectuall working of Sathan vvith great power signes and lying wonders and in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse Also 1. Timoth. chap. 4. vers 2. 3. Which speake lies through hypocrisie and haue their consciences seared vvith an hoteyron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstaine from meates vvhich God hath created Also in the Apoc. 13. 11. And I beheld another beast comming vp out of the earth which had two hornes like the Lambe but spake like the Dragon And cap. 17. 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the bloud of saints and with the bloud of the martyrs of Iesus These prophesies doe teach vs that Antichrist must bee a king who from meane estate shall become exceeding great and mightie and prosper That he shall bee also a blasphemer an Idolater a sacrileger exceeding proud subtill an hypocrite a contemner of marriage couetous a great Tyrant a persecutor of the Saints a deceiuer full of impietie Examine we now these testimonies of holy scripture which wil appear to be most properly belōging to the Pope of Rome So as by these prophesies we are warned as it were with the finger of God from heauen that the Pope is Antichrist Therfore the time of his reuelation considered the Popes reigne began in the fourth monarchie and want of the Romane Empire For about the yeare 606. Pope Boniface the 3. receiued of Phocas the Emperour who was a tyrant and murthered Mauricius his Lord with his wife and children the title of Vniuersall Bishop and Head of the Church which once being graunted the Popes whole endeuors were to lift vp themseues with the Empire of Rome and the whole world besides For the seat of Antichrist it is cleare and to all men knowne that the Pope sitteth at Rome which is a city scyted betweene the two seas Thyrren and Adriartike hath 7 mountains reigned ouer all the kings of the earth which cannot be said of any other city in the world And seeing Rome is in Europe neither in India Asia nor Africa it plainly appeareth that Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God to wit in Christendome as Saint Paule 2. Thes 2. 4. declareth Meane at the beginning was the estate and condition of the Pope but it mightily and with great successe increased So that he holdeth not authoritie and one crowne as a king onely but three crownes declaring thereby his power to be greater then that of all kings and Emperours As he attributeth also to himselfe the two swords or powers spirituall and temporall figured by the two hornes Apoc. 13. 11. A Blasphemer is the Pope in saying he is Christs Vicar head of the Church that he can pardon sinnes may not be iudged of any cannot erre in conclusion that he is God in the earth can change nature holdeth an heauenly power and the fulnes of power and of vnrighteousnesse can make righteousnesse See lib. 1. Decret Gregor tit 7. Can. 5. An Idolater he is when he commandeth Image-worship inuocation of Saints maketh of the Sacramēt an Idol of Mauzim a God whom neither the Apostles nor their fathers knew because they worshipped and honoured one only God in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 23. A Sacriledger he sheweth himselfe to bee when he robbeth the Church of the second commandement of Gods law the lay people of the cup in the Lords supper and forbiddeth Christian people to reade the holy scripture contrary to the doctrine and expresse commandement of Christ Ioh. 5. 39. Most proud he appeareth when he is carried on mens shoulders as they carryed in time past the Arke of the Lord vppon the shoulders of the Leuites when hee calleth himselfe most holy Father and Holinesse it selfe dares to breake and change the ordinances of God and impose new lawes vpon mens consciences compareth himselfe to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone lib. 1. Gregor tit 33. and both Emperors and kings do kisse his feet Subtill hee is in all his kingdome but then chiefly when by meanes of auricular confession he diueth into the hearts of all men not of the common sort onely but also of the greate States of the world vnderstanding thereby all secrets A manifest hypocrite hee is when vnder the title of Seruant of seruantes hee ruleth as
our high priest offered with which wee being sinners and sonnes of wrath he reconciled vs to God Oh good newes Heare them then O Spaine and beleeue them In this Treatise I wil be short for many things which were here to be sayd haue we formerly sayd in the confutation of the false priestes which is the Pope and of the false sacrifice which is the Masse And there haue we sayd it for confutation of falshood For how can falshood be confuted but with the truth walke we then hence forth as Children of truth and light He that listeth to knowe who is this high priest and what is this his onely and eternall sacrifice Let him read the Epistle which the Apostle wrote to the Hebrewes there clerely shal hee find both the one the other And no booke there is in all the holie scripture which more to the purpose and more axcellently handleth this argument then this Epistle An Epistle truely worthie for each faithfull Christian to reade and reade againe and to retaine in memorie Seeing there in is handled a matter so necessary without the vnderstanding knowledge whereof it is impossible for mā to be saued For what thing is more necessary thē to know who my redeemer is how he hath redeemed me so to beleeue in him beleeuing in him to be thankful vnto him by liuing in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of my life His maiesty pardon our imperfections supply that much which is wanting But before we enter into this matter Let vs declare that which we beleue of Christ we confesse that Iesus Christ is truely God and truely man that in as much as he is God he is equall with the father with the holy Ghost in nothing inferior We confesse that in as much as he is man he is lesse then the father and lesse then the holy Ghost and in nothing equal We confesse these two so far different natures diuine humaine not to haue bin vnited nor conioyned for euer but in time as saith S. Paule when saith he the fulnes of time was come God sent his son made of a woman made vnder the lawe c. The same saith S. Iohn And the word was made flesh and dwelled among vs. So that from thenceforth is hee called and is true God and true man and so according to this coniunction Christ is lesse then the father For the father hath made him and giuen him vnto vs. For our king Prophets and priest Which three offices the name of Christ signifieth which is a Greeke word and is the same that is Messias in Hebrewe and Vngido in our Spanish tongue So also is it called because these three kindes of men were in olde time annointed And so doe wee read that Samuel annointed Saul for king Dauid also hee annointed Sadoc annointed Solomon c. Concerning the Prophets wee read that Elias annointed Eliseus Concerning the Priests annoynting it is seene in Exod. 30. 50. These 3. Offices doth the holie scripture attribute to Christ It calleth him king Psal 2. 6. I haue appointed to my selfe a king ouer Sion Also Luke 1. 33. And he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer his kingdōe shall haue no end Also Iohn 1. 49. 12. 15. Mat. 22. Al the places also which say Christ to be the head of the Church cōfirme Christ to be king a Prophet he is called Esaie 61. 1. Luk. 4. 19. Also Deut. 18. 15. It is promised that God wil raise vp a Prophet which place S. Peter in that excellēt sermō which S. Luke mentioneth vnderstandeth of Christ who is the Prophet of Prophets In the same maner vnderstādeth it S. Stephen A priest is hee called Psal 110. 4. Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedech Which place in the Epistle to the Hebrewes is oftentimes alleaged where it calleth him the only euerlasting priest But the difference between the kings Prophets priests of the olde Testament Christ is this they were the figure of Christ and annointed they were with materiall visible oyle But Christ is the thing figured is annointed not with visible oyle but with the grace of the holy spirit As he himselfe Luk. 4. 18. doth witnes in declaring the prophesie of Esaie The spirit of the Lord c Of this kind of ointmēt thus speaketh the Psal 45. 7. Thou hast loued righteousnes and hated Iniquitie Wherfore God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of goodnes aboue thy fellowes which place the Apostle vnderstandeth of Christ And Christ being annointed with the spirituall oyntment we vnderstand his kingdome not to be of this world his doctrine to be heauenly his priesthood to be euerlasting diuine Christ as king appointed of the father gouerneth his Church giueth her lawes which no prince nor the mightiest monarch of the world may disdaine or abolish For it is noted that all how mighty soeuer do acknowledge him for king of kings Lord of Lords For God as saith S Paul exalted Christ gaue him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euery knee do bowe in heauen in earth and vnder the earth Christ as a prophet doth teach vs the will of his father doth shewe vs what we ought to fly what we ouht to follow Whō the father gaue vnto vs for our Doctour maisterand teacher whē he said This is my beloued sonne in whom I take delight heare him He wil we should heare another Doctrine albeit an Angel from heauen doe preach it If an Angel from heauen saith Saint Paul shal preach vnto you another gospel thē that which I haue preached vnto you the which he had learned of the Lord Iesus Let him be accursed The office of the priest is to appeare before the diuine Maiestie to appease his wrath and to obtaine grace for vs. The which he performeth Offering a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable vnto him This did Iesus Christ offering vp himselfe vpon the Crosse Which sacrifice one only time offered and neuer more reiteratetd For reiteration should shewe imperfection to haue beene in it was so sweete and so good a sauour vnto God that he was pleased and being pleased was reconciled with men So that he pardoned all our sinnes and sanctified vs for euer Of these three offices treateth also the epistle to the Hebrewes In the 1 chapter it sheweth the excellencie and maiestie of Christ aboue the Angels and consequently ouer all Creatures In which it deuoteth his kingdōe In the third chapter the Apostle calleth him the teacher of the will of God Which thing did the Prophets chapter 13. 20. he calleth him Great Pastor By Pastor he vnderstandeth a teacher And so in the 7. verse he said Remember your Pastors which speake vnto you the word of God c. That Christ is a
keepe my statutes and do them The same teacheth Iesus Christ Mat. 15. 9 saying In vane do yee honor me teaching for doctrine the commandements of men The new doctrine of men doth teach that in the worship of God the traditions ceremonies and constitutions of the Roman Church ought to be obserued and that the Cannon law doth equall the constitutions of the Popes in value with the Gospell and that it is necessarie to keepe them for as saith Pope Leo 4. The Gospel cannot well be obserued if a man obey not iointly therewith all the decrees and constitutions of the Fathers Dist 15. cap. Sicut Dist 19. cap In canonicis Dist 20. cap. De libellis The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that the worship of images is a thing abominable Deut. 27. 15. Leuit. 26. 1. and expresly forbidden in the second commandement of the law of God Exod. 20. 4. and Deut. 5. 8. 9. also that the holy Spirit calleth images Teachers of lies and vanitie Ierem. 10. 8. Habac. 2. 18. And therefore in no wise to be allowed in the Temples of Christians in which Iesus Christ hath bene painted out before the eyes of the faithfull by the preaching of the Gospell Gal. 4. 1. The new doctrine of men teacheth that the worship of images is well pleasing to God and verie necessarie and profitable for the Church And that images are the Bookes of the Laytie Hee therefore that teacheth the contrary is cursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Christians ought to imitate the faith godlinesse and good doctrine of the Saints as they imitated Christ 1. Cor. 11. 1. Heb. 6. 12 cap. 13. 7. But that in no wise they ought to inuocate them nor put their confidence in them 1 Because inuocation is an honor due to God alone which he declareth by his Prophet Esay 48. 11. Mine honour will I not giue to another 2 Because the Saints being in this world will not receiue this honor neither the Angels As Act. ch 10. 26. chap 14. 14. Reuâ—â—â—s 19. 10. chap. 22 9. appeareth 3 Because they be ignorant and do not know vs as Esay 63. 16. doth very clearely teach saying Abraham hath forgotten vs and Israel doth not know vs Thou Lord art our Father and Redeemer So that as the Israelites in the old Testament were idâ—laters and transgressours of the Law of God when they sacrificed to another then God alone So be all they at this day that inuocate Saints or Angels wherein they do contrarie to the doctrine of Christ Maâ— 6. 9. chap. 11. 28. Ioh. chap. 16. 24. And contrary to the example of all the Saints Psal 22. 6. Neâ—â—e 9. 27. Gen. 32. 9. Exod. 2. 25. cap. 17. 12. Iosua 10. 13. Psal 107. and 11. 8. 5. c. Act. 4. and 24. and cap. 16. 25. c. The new doctrine of men teacheth that Christians ought to inuocate the Saints and to be ayded by their intercession to God because they be his familiars Also that it is a false and wicked opinion to beleeue that the Saints pray not for men and that the inuocation of Saints is idolatrie contrary to the word of God and that he which so teacheth and beleeueth is accursed and anathema Concil Trid. Sess 9. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that Iesus Christ our Lord being true God and true man â—s the onely and perfect sauiour of the world who saith by his Prophet Esay chap. 63. 3. I haue troden the wine-presse alone and of all the people there was none with me And of whom saith the Angell Matth. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus for hee shall saue his people from their sinnes And the Apostle Saint Iohn doth witnesse 1. Ioh. 1. 7. that the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God doth cleanse vs from all sinne The new doctrine of men teacheth that Iesus Christ is not a perfect Sauiour for Christ saith it died onely for originall sinne And that by his death he satisfied for the fault but that God being iust will that man satisfie hâ—s iustice for the punishment Also that the purgation of sinnes is made by good works satisfactions Masses indulgences and Purgatorie Lib. 4. Sent. distinct 17. and 18. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediator between God and man and our Aduocate and Intercessor to the Father and that no other can be found nor ought to bee sought for 1. Because there is no saluation in any other but in him alone Act. 4. 12. 2. Because 〈…〉 other but Christ only can be sufficient for this office which hath all power in heauen and in earth and remaineth euer with his to the end of the world Math. 28. 18. 20. â— Because Christ hath loued vs and more loueth vs then anie other seeing he gaue himselfe for vs and hath made the purgation of our sinnes with his bloud in his owne person Heb. chap. 13. And so gratiously inuited vnto him all that trauell and are heauie laden Matth. 11. and 28. So that men haue no cause to doubt of his sufficiencie power and good will but that in all their afflictions they ought to flie vnto him alone who witnesseth of himselfe Iohn chap. 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by me The new doctrine of men doth teach that Iesus Christ is not the onely Mediator but also the Saints which reigne with him in heauen and that Saint Mary also the mother of God is the Mediatrix and Aduocatrix of mankind lib. 4. Sâ—nt Distinct 45. in Mâ—ssale Paris in prosâ— Mâ—ssae de Anuntiat The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that our Redeemer Iesus Christ by the perfect sacrifice of himselfe once offered vpon the crosse for the putting away of sinne hath reconciled all the faithfull with God his Father and hath found eternall redemption so that there remayneth now no more sacrifice for sin Heb. 9. 12. 26. and cap. 10. 12. 18. The new doctrine of men doth teach that the Masse is a sacrifice for the remission of sins of the quicke and the dead Concil Trid. Sess 6. Can. â— The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that we are iustified by faith in Iesus Christ without the works of the law Rom. 3. 24. 28. Gal â— 16. as witnesseth the holy Ghost of Abraham the Father of all beleeuers Abraham saith he beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 3. And the Apostle S. Paul expresly addeth that this was not written only for him but also for vs to whom faith shall also be imputed for righteousnes Rom. 4. 23. 24. The new doctrine of men doth teach that not faith only but works also do iustifie Concil Trid. Ses 6. can 11. The ancient doctrine of God teacheth that faith is not doubtfull but assured of saluation which it hath by the bloud of Christ and
fire and Daniel from the Lyons In this haue they had neither Prophet nor miracle The third respect In the second they had great dignitie and riches as Ioachin the king Ieremie the last Daniel and his three companions Mardocheus Zerubbabel but in this they are much deiected True it is that this generall promise they haue made them by God That whensoeuer they shall repent them of their wickednesse committed and turne vnto God that he will pardon them and gather them from all partes of the world where they shall be scattered and afflicted And seeing that God doth not gather nor deliuer them from so long and painfull captiuitie as is that which they suffer it followeth that they are wholly obstinate in their sinnes and turne not truly vnto God For if they would turne God being true in his promises would gather them But we see the contrarie that they still be scattered and abide in captiuitie therefore they repent not And so it pleaseth God to chastise them as he sayd vnto Moses Deut. chap. 28. 63. 64. And it shall come to passe saith he speaking of the Iewes that as the Lord did reioyce ouer you to doe you good and to multiply you so shall the Lord reioyce ouer you to confound and destroy you and ye shall be plucked out of the land into the which ye now enter to possesse it And God will seatter thee through all nations from the one end of the earth to the other And there shalt thou serue strange Gods wood and stone c. whom thou nor thy fathers haue not knowne Their obstinacy and vnbeleefe not knowing the day of their visitation and contemning and killing their Messias is the cause of this so miserable captiuitie wherein they shall continue vntill they cease to be incredulous and acknowledge God and Christ or Messias whom he hath sent and so they shall be saued Moreouer concerning that which we haue sayd the booke of Iudges is full of Gods punishments vpon the Israelities for their idolatrie whom he deliuered ouer into the hands of their enemies But as a good God and mercifull father when they repented he restored or deliuered them And eftsones they returned to idolatrie and God eftsoones did punish them We read also that the Israelites turned away and corrupted themselues more then their fathers following strange gods seruing them and bowing downe before them and nothing diminished their workes and wicked wayes And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel And Deborah in her song conceiuing them said In choosing new Gods warre was at the gates So greatly did God abhore Idolatrie that oftenne commaundementes which he gaue the two first be against Idolatrie First Thou shalt not haue saith he any straunge Cod before me Second Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water c. And then Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them for I am the Lord thy God a iealous God c. In the first commaundement internall and mentall and in the second externall and visible Idolatrie are forbidden So horrible and enormious is the sinne of Idolatrie that God who is a iust Iudge doth punish it with most seuere punishment that can be in this world God giueth vp Idolaters into a reprobate sence so that forsaken of God and by his iust Iudgement deliuered ouer and made slaues to Sathan they may doe that which is not conuenient as saith Saint Paule Romans 1. 25. concerning Idolaters which turned the truth of God into a lie honoring and seruing the creature before or more then God And in the twentie eight verse mentioning the punishment he saith that God gaue them vp vnto a peruerse minde which we call a reprobate sence to doe that which is not conuenient namely the abohmination there mentioned The answere which the Romists make in defence of their Images is friuolous They adore not nor honour say they the Images but that which they represent Whereunto I answere that as little did the Pagans worship their Images but that which they represented For they beleeued not the Image of Iupiter to be Iupiter but to present Iupiter Much more doe the Romists not onely commaunde Images to be made but to be reuerenced and which is more worship them themselues And in the second Action also of the Neccen Councell not of that holy and good first Councell of Neece but of the second assembled by that ceuell Empresse Hirena it is said We doe worship the pictures of Images And in the third Action The inuisible diuine nature is not permitted to be pictured nor figured For no man euer sawe God at any time but we worship the Image of his humanitie pictured with colours So also doe we reuerence and adore the Image of our Lady the mother of God c. See here how the Romists doe contradict themselues on the one side they say they worship not Images And on the other parte in their generall Councels they commaund them to be worshipped Answerable to this Doctrine of the Councell doe they sing in their hymne O Crux aue spes vnica hoc passionis tempore auge pijs Iustitiam reisque dona veniam That is to say O Crosse onely hope in this time of passion increase righteousnesse in the Godly and graunt pardon to offenders Also in shewing the Crosse they say Ecce lignum Crucis venite adoremus That is Behold here the wood of the Crosse Come and let vs worship it Also Crucem tuam adoramus domine Thy Crosse doe we worship O Lord. Thomas Aquinus in his Brieffes or partes speaking of Adoration saith That the Crosse ought to be worshipped with the same Gods honour as God himselfe And so they doe and vppon good fryday chiefly prostrate on the ground doe they adore the Crosse and offer giftes vnto it which adoration say they Saint Gregorie ordeyned But how can this be truth which they say of Saint Gregorie when the sayd Gregorie writing to Seremus Bishop of Marsella who had caused Images to be pulled downe broken and burned vseth these wordes hadst thou forbidden to worship the Images we should haue praysed thee And a little lower Which were placed in the Temple not to be worshipped but for instruction onely of the simple See here how vntrue it is that they say Saint Gregorie instituted the adoration of the Crosse True it is he saith that Images were the bookes of the simple and ignorant people But let him pardon vs if in this we dissent from him to yeeld vnto that which the word of God doth teach vs. Habakuk saith what profiteth the Image for the maker thereof hath made it an Image and a teacher of lies though he that made it trust therein when he maketh dumbe Idolls woe vnto him that saith to the wood awake and to the dumbe stone arise it shall teach
sacrifice which he offereth The Pope is he that made and created the Masse as afterwardes God willing we will proue Therefore is the Pope of greater dignitie then the Masse This proueth the Pope to be maister and the sacrament his seruant because when the Pope goeth from one people to another he sendeth before him yea and some time a day or two dayes Iourney his sacrament vpon a horse carying at his necke a little bell accompained with the scumme and baggage of the Romane court Thither goe the dishes and spits old shooes caldrons and kettels and all the sculery of the Courte of Rome whores and Iesters Thus the sacrament arriued with this honorable traine at the place whither the Pope is to come it there awayeth his comming And when the maister is knowne to approach neere the people it goeth forth to receiue him Open thine eyes O Spaine or which is better God open them and behold what account the Pope maketh of the sacrament which he himselfe saying it is thy God for thy money selleth vnto thee Fryar Iohn de Pineda in the third part of his Ecclesiasticall Monarchie lib. 23. ¶ 2. saith That the first Pope which caused the Sacrament to be carried before him was Benedict 13. a Spaniard when for feare he fled from France into Aragon from that time remained it in custome that the Pope caried the most holy Sacrament for his gard before him The Popes in this carrying of the Sacrament before them doe imitate the kinges of Persia before whom went a horse carrying a little Altar vpon him whereupon among a few ashes shone a small flame of holy fire which they called Orismada This fire as a certaine diuinitie did the Persians reuerence and adore So that the King to seeme more then a man and to be ioyntly worshipped with the diuinitie which did accompany him with this pompe went he publikely Read for this purpose the Embleme of Alciatus Non tibi sed Religioni pag. 17. where he treateth of a little asse that went laden with mysteries He also that sacrificeth is of more dignitie and estimation then the sacrifice which he offereth For God regardeth not so much the gift or sacrifice to him offered and presented as the person that offereth it The Lord saith the scripture had respect to Abell and his present and to Caine and his present he had no regard The Apostle giueth a reason saying By saith Abell offered to God a better sacrifice then Caine. The Pope is the Priest the Masse is the sacrifice which he offereth Therefore is the Pope of more dignitie then the Masse By these reasons and others that may be drawne I conclude the Pope to be chiefe piller that susteyneth the Popish Church Of it we will first take hold not to support it but to cast it downe and then we will after intreat of the Masse And this by the helpe of the almightie God the Father sonne ond holy Ghost whose cause we here defend To this name Papa the like as to some other wordes hath happened which in old time were taken in good part and were honourable titles but after with the time haue bene ill taken For example Tyrannis was in old time a King and so King Latinus as saith Virgill Aeneid 7. called Aenaeas whose friendship he desired Tyrant Sophista was taken for a man of wisedome now for a deceiuer or a flatterer Hostis did signifie a stanger now taken for an enemy Euen so in old time was Papa taken in good parte and giuen for a title to Bishops or ministers of Gods word for in the Primitiue Church the Bishop Minister and Pastor were all one Riches haue sithens made the difference as now we see Read to this purpose the Epistle of Saint Ierome to Euagr. tom 2. That Papa was so taken as a foresaid by the Epistle of the auncient Doctors as namely Ciprian Dionysius Alexandrinus Ierome Ambrose Auguistine Sidonius Appolinarius and Gregory and by the Actes of the Councels is proued The Grecians vntill this day call their Priestes Papaous the Germanies call them Psaffen and Flemings call them Papen names which be derined of this name Papa which in the Sicilian tongue after Suidas signifieth Father Of all these authors I will alleage here but onely two Ierome writing to Augustine saith Most hartily commend me I pray thee to our holy and venerable brother Pope Alipius And writing to Pamachius he saith vnto him hold Pope Epiphanius And writing to Augustine calleth him Pope In another place he saith Except Pope Athanasius and Paulinus yet neither Alipius nor Pamachius nor Epiphanius nor Aunor nor Athanasius nor Paulinus were euer Bishops of the Church of Rome Among the Epistles of Saint Ciprian there is one thus entituled The Presbiters and Deacons abiding at Rome send greeting to Pope Ciprian And this is to be noted that the Church of Rome giueth this title to Saint Ciprian who was Bishop of Carthage and neuer of Rome But when the couetuousnesse and ambition of the Bishop of Rome had so increased that he made himselfe a Prince and vniuersall Bishop and therefore Antichrist as Saint Gregorie calleth him then toke he from other Bishops the title of Pope and reserued it onely to himselfe So that none but the Bishop of Rome is now Pope and being Bishop of Rome Antichrist Hence commeth it that to all the Godly the name of Pope is so horrible and wicked because it is onely giuen to Antichrist That which hereafter we will say shall not be against the anciēt first taking of the name of Pope but against the second Which name well agreeth with him for the Pope Popely all to himselfe that is to say he deuonreth and glutteth it vp as he himselfe saith All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth And so the late writers take this name Papa pro Ingluuie that is to say gluttony As Anthonie de Lebrixa in his dictionary doth note it Iesus Christ our Maister whose voyce the Father commaundeth vs to heare and thereby to gouerne our selues hath giuen vs a sure marke and infallible token to discerne the good tree from the bad the true Christian from the false the good shepheard from the hierling A good tree saith he bringeth foorth good fruite Matth. chap. 7. 17. This he saith that we may knowe the hypocrites by their fruites or workes Speaking also of himselfe he saith The workes which I doe they beare witnesse of me Ioh. chap. 5. vers 30. The same Lord saith that the good shepheard giueth his life for his sheep not the hierling but rather flyeth Ioh. chap. 10. 11. Mē cannot iudge but that which they see God onely knoweth the heart Following then the counsel which the Lord hath giuen vs let vs see what hath bin the life doctrine of the Popes vntill this day and so will hold them either for good or bad for the true ministers of Christ
the 2. to Timoth. cap. 4. 1. 2 which some what before his martyrdome he wrote the second time being prisoner in Rome and in the Epistle to Philemon verse 23. and 24. Also in the Epistle which he wrote to the Romanes he not once maketh mention of Saint Peter to whom no doubt he would haue sent salutations had hee bene in Rome and which is more Saint Peter being Bishop at Rome as they say 25. yeares Read the last chap. of this epistle and thou shalt see the catalogue which S. Paule maketh from the fift verse to the fifteenth he saith onely Salute such a one salute such a one c. without naming of Saint Peter Because he neither was Bishop of Rome nor yet was in Rome Also the Iewes which dwelled in Rome as reciteth S. Luke Act. 28. 21. 22. said to S. Paule when he came prisoner to Rome that they had not heard nor vnderstood any thing concerning him and prayed him to declare his opinion touching that sect which was gainsayd and euill spoken of in all places vnderstanding by this sect the Gospel which Saint Paule preached Who will beleeue that S. Peter which as they say was before come to Rome and a Minister of the Circumcision had not taught nor spoken ought vnto them of the Gospell These reasons taken out of holy Scripture are me seemeth as they be very sufficient to proue the common opinion holden of S. Peters being Bishop of Rome and that 25. yeares to be false Whereupon that of the Papists appeares plainely to be meere ignorance or which is worse extreame malice when they call the Pope Saint Peters successor Vicar of Iesus Christ as though hee were Saint Peter and therefore vniuersall Bishop Against the Primacie of the Pope we will speake in the end of this Treatise Seeing then Saint Peter was not Bishop of Rome we place Linus for the first All the Bishops of Rome that were from Linus to Syluester who was in the time of the Emperour Constantine the great whom we will put in the first order were in generall trulie Bishops and holy men who with their good doctrine and holy life and conuersation wrought great fruit in the Church of God They were the salt of the earth the light of the world a Citie built vpon a mountaine a candle light and set vpon a candlesticke These be the titles wherewith Christ adorneth his apostles and ministers Math. 5. These were the Angelles of God according to the saying of Malachie speaking of Leuie and consequently of the good Ministers The lawe of trueth saith he was in his mouth and no iniquitie was found in his lippes In peace and equitie he walked with me and turned away from iniquitie For the priestes lippes should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Angell of the Lord of hosts Many more titles are comprised in the holy scriptures wherewith the true ministers are adorned which I will passe ouer to auoide tediousnes In the ende these good bishops of Rome sealed the Gospell which they had preached with their bloud and so were Martyrs of Iesus Christ Men they were poore in spirit and simple of heart strangers to couetosnes and ambition they were true bishops for the space of almost three hundred yeares And so the Church of the Lord hauing such ministers was then happie and rich in the sight of God albeit in the eies of men contemptible miserable such as the Apostle in the eleuenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes from the 36. to the 38. verse describeth Others saith he haue benetryed by mocking and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds and imprisonment 37. Others were stoned others were hewen asunder Others were tempted others slayne with the sworde Others wandered vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and in goats skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented 38. whome the worlde was vnworthie of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaynes and dens and caues of the earth c. These Bishops caried on their heads not Miters but coifes not honor but dishonor not riches but pouerty following herein their Maister as Esaias the Prophet in his chapter 53. 3. doth liuelie describe him Despised and forsaken of men a man full of sorrowes hauing experience of infirmities and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not This was the outward apparance of the Primitiue Church and so hath it bene in our time sithens the reformation of the Church began these 70. or 80. yeers vnto this time how many haue bin burned drowned beheaded hāged banished shamefully disgraced and died of hunger Truly innumerable and that which is more admirable the more they burned and killed the more they increased and multiplied For the bloud of the Martyrs as saith Tertullian is the seed of the Gospell From the passion of the Lord vnto Saint Siluester which is the time of the first order were almost three hundred yeares wherein the Emperours of Rome became Lords of Spaine The Romanes in two hundred and so manie yeares that they conquered Spaine vntill the time of Augustus Caesar were neuer absolute Lords thereof Augustus was the first that vanquished the Montanists and Biscayes and made himselfe absolute Lord of all Spaine The Romists as those say they that haue held the command and staffe for many yeares to giue antiquitie and authoritie to their ceremonies and humane traditions haue falsly reported that manie of these good Bishops of Rome whom we place in the first order ordained them Clement the fourth Bishop of Rome say they ordained the confirmation of young children the Masse and holy garments wherewith the Priests are clothed They do not consider that he was a a man poore and for preaching of the Gospell banished into mines where he hewed Marble stones and tyed in the end to an anchor they cast him into the sea D. Illescas speaking of Pope Caius in his Pontificall historie saith He ordained that no laye man might bring a Clearke to iudgement That no pagan nor heretike might make accusation against a Christian c. How can this be true sith Caius liued and died in the time of the tenth persecution which as Illescas himselfe saith was of all the most cruell and lasted many yeares Let the Romists be ashamed and cease with lies to confirme their religion Now is it not the time that was wont to be when the blind led the blind c. So say they also that Euaristus Alexander and Sistus fifth sixth and seuenth Bishops of Rome made the popish decrees namely the ordering of the Clergie holy water and holy garmentes Telesphorus say they that was the eighth Bishop of Rome ordained three Masses to be sayd on the day of the Natituitie These good Bishops had other cares and embraced not such childish and superstitious toyes Saciety and idlenesse brought them forth O what euils haue riches wrought to the Church of God Wisely therfore said
to pardon sinnes and that for money it being God alone which doth graciously pardon theÌ„ The Pope Who hath caused a little peece of white bread to be worshipped saying it is the true God which created heauen and earth The Pope Therefore is he Antichrist which neither honoreth nor a doreth the God of his fathers who in the bookes that the Pope burneth hath manifested himselfe to his faithfull The 2. marke is that he shall not regard the loue of women to wit that vnder colour of chastitie holines meritorious works he shall abhorre marriage So greatly hath the Pope abhorred marriage that a law he hath made that no Pope Cardinal Patriarke Archbishop Bishop Deane Archeacon Priest nor Friar Deacon nor subdeacoÌ„ nor any Nunne shal marry And wherefore For pure hypocrisie to be sold to the ignorant people for holy for Angels which are not fleshly but wholly spirituall And the miserable people dispising the meanes of marriage which God hath giuen them Will rather burne then marry And so God deliuereth them vp to shamefull vile affections and in their lusts doe they burne as saith S. Paule Fornicators they are adulterers Incestuous persons that moreouer which the Apostle meÌ„tioneth These be the fruits of his coÌ„strained chastitie of his angelical not fleshly life of his vowe of chastity vowed of so many and kept of so fewe Of such like the same S. Paul fore warneth his disciple Timothie saying that they shall speake lies through hypocrisie hauing their coÌ„sciences seared that they shall forbid marriage What nation in the world hath bene so barbarous so cruel so tyrannous Godlesse that hath forbidden marriage to so many thousands of men and women as are at this day of Priests Fryars and Nunnes Onely such law maketh Antichrist Only the Pope maketh it therefore is the Pope Antichrist which regardeth not his owne lawful wife but his Ganimeds and strumpets Much paine hath the Pope of long time taken to cause this his tyrannicall lawe to bee obserued Many people and nations seeing it a law tyrannous and preiudiciall to the Common-wealth haue withstood him because that priests and Friars not hauing proper wiues and being lusty men which liue in idlenesse and abundance a life inclyning men to luxuritie bestow themselues among the wiues daughters of their neighbours friends In the Councell of Nice was this busines proposed but through the Councell of good Paphnucius not affected S. Gregorie forbad marriage but taught afterwards by experience of 6000. heads of young Infants which they fouÌ„d in a pond adnulled reuoked his decree as before in his life we haue declared Note that which we haue said to this same purpose vpon the life of Siricius who so against the hayre alleaged the saying of S. Paul Those which be in the flesh cannot please God And that which we noted vpon Nicholas 1. in the life of Pius 2. of Paul 2. experience at this day sufficiently sheweth how impious and tyrannous this law is And suppose it were good yet is it not obserued Much better should it be to leaue to each one the liberty which God hath giuen them and not to lay sâ—ares for the conscience He that can passe without marriage shall doe very well not to marâ—y and chiefly the minister in time of persecution which iâ— to be free to preach the word of God wheresoeuer they shall call him But the guift of chastitie is not giuen to all and if to any yet is it not perpetuall The surest way then not to offend God nor defile his owne body wâ—ich is the temâ—le of the holy Ghost and â—herefore to be kept cleane is that euery man as Saint Paul doth aduise vs haue his owne wife and euery woman her owne husband to the great griefe of the Pope who is Antichrist and commaundeth the contrary The third marke is that Antichrist shall not care for any God to wit hee shal be an Atheist a Godlesse man and without religion This in many Popes haue wee fully and clerely seene which neither liueing nor dying had any religion He is not one alone that entred into the Popedome like a fox liued in the Popedome like a Lyon and dyed like a dogge Let their liues be read the reason of all this giueth Daniel saying for hee shall magnifie himselfe aboue all Antichrist which is the Pope hath made himselfe vniuersal Bishop head of the Church absolute or dissolute Lord aswell in the temporaltie as the spiâ—itualty euer all the Monarkes kings and Princes of the world that he may displace and place them when he pleaseth and no man ought to demaund why doest thou so And so causeth Emperours kings and great Lords to fall prostrate on the gorund in token of vassallrie slauerie and subiection kisse his feete and worship him The Pope truly is proud as the diuell who said to Christ All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me And so shall haue the wages that had the diuell Which thing Daniell declareth in the 36. verse of the 11. chapter saying that he shall prosper vntill the wrath bee accomplished for the determination is made and in the last words of this chapter he saith And his end shall come and none shall helpe him This is the comfort of a Christian that Antichrist the Pope his enemie and persecutor shall so end as he hath deserued And so shall the Church be from hiâ— tyranny The 2. passage is of S. Paul to the Thessalonians where clerely and plainely he calleth Antichrist man of sinne and sonne of perdition which opposeth liâ—teth vp himselfe against all which is God or that is worshipped So that as God he sitteth in the temple of Cod shewing himselfe that he is God And a little lower whose coÌ„ming is by the working of Sathan with great power signes lying wonders with all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse working in them that perish c. The papists themselues coÌ„fefse that Saint Paul here speaketh of Antichrist Now let vs fee if the Pope doe the same things and if he do them then is he Antichrist By Antichrist must we not vnderstand one man alone which is to be and happen but an estate a seat a succession of men an Empire exalted against Christ yet with the name and title of pastor and Bishop of the Church and with the title of the vicar of Christ Iesus himselfe Through hypocrisie and fayned humilitie he calleth himselfe the seruant of Gods seruants but through diuelish pride he maketh himselfe Lord of all In the time of S. Paul began this Empire of Antichrist as he witnesseth saying For all ready the misterie of Iniquitie beginneth to worke onely he which now ruleth shall let vntill he be taken out of the way This shal be when the Lord shall slay him with the spirit of his mouth as there saith the Apostle Now haue we proued
her the mother of whoredomes and abominations The same also is Rome fully and plainely What citie is there nowe in the worlde wherein are so great confusions of vices and so many thousands of common whoores which they call Curtisans of whom the Pope hath so great a rent that hee may make thereof a great inheritance Yet this is nothing compared with other infinite abominations which in Rome are committed What place in Christendome is the wicked sinne more suffered without punishment then in Rome This woman saith Saint Iohn was druken with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus How many and how many hath the Pope caused to be burned and to die by the sword for saying and beleeuing Iesus Christ to be our only and chiefe Bishop Intercessor and Mediator as the Apostle calleth him For beleeuing that the body which he once offered vpon the tree of the crosse is the onely and alone sacrifice wherewith the wrath of the Father is appeased For beleeuing that by faith onely without any respect of our owne workes we are iustified In our times of these threescore or fourescore yeares how much innocent bloud hath this rauening wolfe for this cause shed and spilled in Almaine France England and in Italy also and within fortie or fiftie yeares in our countrey of Spaine The fires and persecutions of Seuill Valladolid and other partes of Spaine do witnesse What satisfaction shall this so cruell beast make for one Doctour Constantine the onely pearle of our countrey of Spaine For one Doctour Vargas For Doctour Egidius For Don Iohn Ponce of Lyons sonne to the Countie of Baylen so neare kinsman to the Duke of Arcos For one Christopher de Arellano a man by the confession of the Inquisitors themselues most learned For one Ieronymo Caro For one Licenciate Iohn Gonçales For the Licenciate Losada All these were men of singular life which the Papistes themselues that knewe them cannot denie and godly they were in doctrine All these in Seuill and many others men and women were either condemned aliue or else vntombed being dead by the fire consumed At one time were all these and so all at one time almost burned in Seuill O Seuill Seuill that killest and burnest the prophetes which God sendeth vnto thee Name me some eight of thy seruants of the Pope at this day liuing in thee which aswell in life as doctrine may compare with or paragon those eight which I haue named as thou then burnedst As the bloud of Abell cried out to God so now the bloud of these Martyrs do likewise crie vnto God Vnder the ashes of these blessed men hath God hidden many small sparkles which when he shall please he will blowe away and so kindle them that a farre greater fire shall they make then that which is passed and so shall increase the number of the faithfull For the bloud of the martyrs is the seed of the Gospell Saint Iohn concludeth his chapter saying That this woman is the great Citie which reigneth ouer all the kings of the earth Is not this a mainifest description of the Court of Rome what other citie but Rome reigned ouer all the kings of the earth From all parts of the world they went to Rome The riches of the world they caried to Rome the Pope onely was king of kinges and Lord of Lordes And woe to him that should displease him Of the beast saith S. Iohn that he had 7 heads and 10 horns which S. Iohn himself declareth saying that the seuen heads which the beast hath are 7 mountaines The holy Spirit which spake this by the mouth of Saint Iohn nothing wanted but the naming of Rome The ancient Poets as Virgil Horace which liued in the time of Augustus Caesar the Emperour in whose time also S. Iohn liued called Rome Septicollis of 7 hils or mountaines The Grecians call it Eptalophos which is the same with Septicollis â—o seuer it from all the cities of the world this Epitheton they giue it Calepin Septicollis vrbis Romae Epitheton à septem collium numero imposituÌ„ Tertullian in the 35. chap. of his Apologie saith Ipsos Quirites ipsam vernaculaÌ„ septem collium plebem couenio c. Horace in the end of his Epodon Dijs quibus septem placuere colles Dicere carmen He speaketh of Rome And Virgil Aeneid 6. Septemque vna sibi muro circundedit arces And Propertius Septem vrbis alta ingis toto quae praesidet orbi As much to say as the loftie citie with seuen hils which is Lady of all the world The names of these seuen mountaines are Capitolino Palatino Quirinal Auentino Celio Viminal and Exquilino By these words of Saint Iohn we cleerely see that Antichrist hath his seat at Rome and no other there is that hath his seat at Rome but the Pope Therefore the Pope is Antichrist The ten hornes saith Saint Iohn be tenne kings subiect to Antichrist who stoutly fight in defeÌ„ce of their Monarch Antichrist they shall fight saith he against the Lambe What more sorcelesse thing is there without weapons and subtiltie then a Lambe Notwithstanding the weake simple and disarmed Lambe ouercommeth these ten kings which with Lyonlike Wolfe-like force rush vpon him and not preuaile And when by force they cannot as old Foxes by craft will they seeke to catch and kill him But come as they will the Lambe ouercomes them all Who is this Lambe The same is he of whom Saint Iohn saith that he is slaine from the beginning of the world How The slaine Lambe doth he ouercome Yea verily This is the power of God That Lambe he is of whom witnesseth the other Saint Iohn saying Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Iesus Christ is this Lambe who killeth Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth as in handling the second passage which we alleaged of the Epistle to the Thessalonians we haue before declared Saint Iohn saith further That these ten hornes are ten kings who perceiuing the inuincible power of the impotent Lambe shall forsake Antichrist disgrace him make warre against him and destroy him Before 80 yeares past what king in Christendome durst whisper against the Pope All were his vassals all were his souldiers and all hee commanded But seeing the mortall wounds which the Lamb with his only word hath giuen the Pope How many haue forsaken him within these fourescore yeares In Almaine England Scotland Denmarke and Swethland we haue manifest examples France also and Polonia are falling away from the Pope Who so shall liue shall one day heare the same of Spaine God hath begunne his worke he will not leaue it imperfect nor yet end in the middest Behold how Daniel Paule and Iohn concurre and agree together All they three with one Spirite which caused them to speake declare that â—his soâ—e â—f perdition and man of Sinne shal be very abhominable in his life and much more
abhominable in his doctrin Very rich verye mightie clothed with silke and clothe of Gold and precious stones a great warrior and persecutor of the Lambe and his followers Saint Paule noting the place of his abode saith that he shall sit in the temple of God Saint Iohn goeth further he shall sitt saith he in the cittie that hath 7 mountaines which is Rome And so vnder stoode Saint Ierome when he said This Babilon and this whore which in the Apoc is painted out to vs no other thing then Rome can signifie vnto vs In the life of Marâ—k he repeateth the same Verie blinde is he which seeth not through a boulter That this can agree with none but only the Pope who seeth not Therefore is he Antichrist Concerning his ende the holy Spirite by Daniel Paule and Iohn before alleaged saâ—th as we haue said that it shall be miserable wherewith he helpeth comforteth and animateth the poore faithfull which with his tyrannie are afflicted and oppressed Come Lord Iesus Blessed are those that reade and those that heaâ—e the wordes of the prophesies of this booke and keepe the thinges which are written in them as saith the same Saint Iohn in the beginning of his Reâ—elation By that which we haue said touching the life and doctrine of the Popes and by that which the Doctours and ancient Councels haue said and the holy Scripture also it selfe which we haue before alleaged each faithfull true and Catholike Christian which hath any iuâ—gement or litle spark of faith shal clearely vnderstand the Pope not to bee vniuersall Bishop not to be Peters successor nor the vicar of Iesus Christ but contrariwise to be the successour of Iudas to be the Vicar of Sathan to be the man of sinne and sonne of perdition which as God sitteth in the Temple of God to be the whore of Babylon which hath her seat in the great Citie that hath 7 mountaines which is Rome to be the Antichrist which in all and by all opposeth himselfe to Christ and knowing him for such a one shall abhorre and detest him And shall know also how to answer the reasons or to speake better reasonlesse reasons which the Popes Parasites for their owne temporall commodities to be made Bishops or enioy other ecclesiasticall dignities c. and oftentimes against their owne conscience contrarie to that which they thinke to entertaine the Pope and maintaine his primacie do alleage To answere to all their obiections and passages which this way and that way they alleage should be neuer to make an end Onely will we answer to the principalles whereupon the rest are founded which being cast downe all the building thereupon builded of necessitie must needes fall to the ground These in number be two Thou art Peter Matth. 16. and Feede my sheepe Ioh. 21. and in Proâ—â—mio Sexti in Gloss it is said that the Pope by these words obtained the Primacie Tu es Petrus thou art Peter or by these Pasce oues meas Feed my sheepe Iesus Christ say they sayd to Peter Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church c. To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen whatsoeuer thou bindest in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsouer thou loosest in earth shall bee loosed in heauen The sheepe saith Christ know the voyce of their shepheard All this then which Iesus Christ said vnto S. Peter we know to be very true because it was pronounced by our pastor master and redeemer Christ Iesus who is truth it self But we say that by no way neither in part nor by art hath it any agreement with the Pope neither in part nor art it can be applyed to the Pope who is Antichrist nor yet pertaines it vnto him when the Pope shall haue made the same confession that did S. Peter Thou art the Christ c. shal so beleeue when the Pope shall liue as S. Peter liued when the Pope shall teach preach the doctrine which S. Peter taught and preached then shall it agree with him But the Pope is an Atheist he holdeth for a fable the historie of the Gospell abominably liueth teacheth doctrins of diuels as befoe we haue proued wherupoÌ„ it followeth that this which Christ saith to S. Peter he said not to the Pope nor in any wise doth it beloÌ„g to him But the better to vnderstaÌ„d it examine we this place Christ demaÌ„ded of his disciples whom do men say that the sonne of man is They answered vnto him Some say Thou art Iohn Baptist others Elias c. And againe Christ asked them But whom say ye that I am Peter answered Thou art the Christ c. Then Christ approuing the confession of Peter which proceeded of the Spirit and not of the flesh said vnto him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke to wit vpon this confession which thou hast made saying that I am the sonne of God will I build my Church So that not so much the person as the confession of Peter is here to be considered And so saith Christ these words not to Peter only but also to whomsoeuer shall make the same confession and with the same faith that Peter did For the rocke which Peter confessed which is the fundamentall stone of the corner whereupon the Church is builded that rocke is Christ Vpon Peter is it not sounded but Peter as saith Saint Augustine is founded vpon the rocke For other foundation saith Saint Paule then that which is laid which is Christ Iesus can no man lay Hâ—e onely and no other is the foundation and head of his Church the Virgin Mary Peter Iohn and the other Apostles and faithfull Christians be liuelie stones builded vpon this foundation thy are members of the Church whose head is Christ The Pope ought to be contented to be a stone of this building to be a member of this body But as he is no member much lesse is he the head To thee saith Christ will I giue the keyes c. All whatsoeuer thou bindest c. Not only to Peter but also to all and each one of the Apostles to all and whomsoeuer of the Apostles successours that shall teach the word of God did Christ make this promise And that this is the true meaning of this place appeareth clearely by that which the same Iesus Christ Matth. 18. 18. saith Whatsoeuer ye bind in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose iâ— earth shall be loosed in heauen Seest thou not that the same which Christ before had said to Peter the same by the same words saith he afterwards to all the Apostles The same saith he by Saint Iohn when he spake to all his Apostles and sent them to go and preach the Gospell As the Father saith Christ sent me so also send I you And when he had thus spoken he breathed vpon them and sayd vnto them Receiue ye the holy Ghost those whose sinnes soeuer ye
displaceth and placeth kings and transferreth kingdomes from one nation to another Ergo say they the Pope hath authoâ—iâ—ie to dispose kingdomes giuing them to whom he will and taking them from whom he listeth Herehence came it that kinges and Emperours began striâ—ingly to kisse their feete beeing present or by their Embassadous being absent Hence it is that the Emperour himselfe â—erueth him for a horse boy holding the stirrop to his Sathanship when he mounteth on horsebacke And yet brawleth the Pope if he hold not the stirrop featly So shamelesse was Pope Boniface 8. that he made an Article of faith without which there could bee no saluation That the Pope aswell in the temporalltie as spiritualltie is absolute Lord presenting himselfe in the Iubile to the viewe of all men with a keye in the one hand and a Sword in the other His successor Pope Clement the sixt not contenting himselfe to commaund kinges and Emperours dared in a bull to commaund the Angels In the Popes Rota which is his Chauncerie was it concluded and determined that whatsoeuer the Pope doth God holdeth for good and approueth it That the will of the Pope is the rule of all lawe and Iustice That the Pope may doe absolutely in this world all whatsoeuer God doth Seeing that he is all and aboue all thinges And that if hee chaunge his opinion it ought to be presumed that God also hath chaunged That ableit the Pope should send many thousands of soules to hell none can reproue him That the power extendeth to heauen earth and hell it selfe That from him may no man appeale to God That he may dispence and commaund against the Epistles of S. Paul as hee that is greater then Paul The same may he doe against the old Testament as hee that is greater then the authors of the old Testament And yet haue they gone further they haue disputed whether the Pope might dispence against the Gospell Whether the Pope hath more power then Saint Peter Whether the Pope be simple man or as God Briefly the deuill hath so farre further proceeded that a little before the comming of Luther and afterwards also it was disputed in the schooles whether the Pope did participate as did Iesus Christ of the â— natures to wit diuine and humane Better should they haue demaunded if the Pope were an Hermophrodit which well may be because a woman hath bene Pope Read Erasmus Annot. 1. caput 1. Epistle ad TimotheuÌ„ They also disputed to vse their proper Latine An mille Angels possint saltare in summitate digiti To wit whether a thousand Angels might daunce one the end of a fingar Item an Christus sub forma scarabei posset saluare genus humanum Whether Christ in forme of a beetle could saue mankind Item whether the Pope were more mercifull then Christ O blasphemy they conclude yea The reason which they giue is this That it is not read in all the scripture That Iesus Christ drewe any soule out of Purgatorie But the Pope of his great pietie and mercy an infinite number of Soules doth daily deliuer And yet go they further and in their disputations conclude that the Pope hath power to kindle and quenche the fire of Purgatorie Flattering the Pope conclude they in all these questions lying against their owne consciences and making no reckoning of the honour onely due to God nor of his onely sonne Christ Iesus And Ca. Quoniam de imunit in 6. the Pope saith we not willing to contemne our Iustice nor that of our spouse the Church The Church is well knowne to haue no other spouse but onely Christ The Pope passeth further Hee saith and commaundeth that so it be said and preached and that we also so beleeue the vertue and holinesse of his seate to be such and so great that what wicked man soeuer how impious periured and abhominable hee be which shall sit therein euen then in a moment for hauing sitten therein is altered and changed to another man and is made holy But heare we the selfe same words which the beast himself speaketh as in Ca. Non nos dist 41. they be written and these they be The blessed S. Peter transferreth to his successors together with the inheritance of innocency an euerlasting dowery of merits That which to him was granted by the light of his workes pertaineth to those that be lightened with like clerenesse of conuersation For who may doubt him to be holy which is lifted vp to the height of dignitie wherein if he want goods gotten by his owne merit those that are giuen by the predecessor of the place suffice c. If this were truth then no Pope should be euill either in life or Doctrine sith that in being Pope he is learned and holy and in a word to speake all he is God vpon earth and so all whatsoeuer he doth God approueth it in heauen But the liues of the Popes by vs recited and the same liues also which the Popes parasites haue written doe shew vs the contrary This is that seate papall this is the heritage which one Pope inheriteth of another that one sitting therein were he not so euill before he is made euill And if he were euill he becommeth most euill and in the end each one is made the sonne of perdition and man of sinne opposing and lifting vp himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped So that as God he sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God All these things which here we haue gathered together concerning the doctrine of the Pope are blasphemies such as were the diuell himselfe clothed with humane flesh he could not speake greater nor more horrible yet for all this art thou blind ô Spaine and seest not nor yet knowest thou Antichrist whom supposing thou doest seruice to God and honour to Iesus Christ his sonne thou adorest and honorest God shewe thee his mercie and open the eyes of thine vnderstanding that thou maist reade heare and vnderstand the will of God which his Maiestie hath reuealed in his holy Scriprure without the reading or meditation whereof vnpossible it is for a man to attaine to the truth Search saith Iesus Christ the Scripture for they be those that testifie of me so by consequence of Antichrist also When with the Spirit of humilitie thou shalt well haue read and meditated vpon them thou shalt then vnderstand how great hath bene thy blindesse and ignorance Then turning thy selfe hartily to the true God that created redeemed and sanctified thee thou shalt abhorre the idols of siluer and the Idols of gold which thy sinfull hands as saieth Esaie haue made And thou blind and ignorant supposing thou didst great seruice to God diddest honor and adore them Then shalt thou cast them from thee stampe them in peeces and consume them so greate shall be thy hatred against Idolatrie Then then by how much
for otherwise one may and ought to pray to God for another And so S. Paul recommendeth himselfe to the prayers of those to whom hee wrote that they should pray to God for him And the same Apostle besought God for them Should the Priest say that in saying his Masse he so prayed to God as the Apostle prayed for them to whom he wrote such a prayer were it done in faith should be good But to presume to be an intercessour and to sell his sacrifice for as much vertue and efficacie as the death and passion of Christ it selfe This is intollerable ouermuch pride Let them begin to hūble thēselues to giue glory to God who only pardoneth sins this doth he by the only intercession of Christ by the vertue of that only sacrifice which he once no more offred to his father The fourth domage which we say the Masse worketh and this passeth and ought no way to be supportted That is the Priest which sayeth it and the People that heare it commit Idolatry How great a sinne is Idolatry and how much more God abhorreth it then any other we haue already declared in our first Treatise The Priest ordayned for the Masse say our Aduersaries hath authoritie and power from Christ and his vicar the Pope that in saying the words of consecration as they call them Hoc est enim corpus meum so that hee say them super debitam materiam ouer a competent matter and with intention to consecrate he changeth conuerteth transformeth and transubstantiateth this last word is it that best pleaseth them the bread into the body of Christ and the wine into his bloud In such sort that be the Priest what ye will liue hee a letcher in mortall sinne as the most part of them do be he the greatest and most infamous villaine of the world yet for al this say they that this authoritie he hath to bring Christ from heauen in finishing the words Hoc est corpus meum and to put him into the place where the bread and wine were so that no more bread nor no more wine remaine for the substance of the bread and of the wine is vanished and gone to nought but the body and bloud of Christ the which is there trulie really corporally and carnally these be their proper termes as bigge and as great as corpulent and as large as hee was vpon the crosse when hee dyed for vs sinners This is their doctrine And because we beleeue not these straunge things which be contrarie to the word of God and contrarie to that which the ancient Doctors haue taught as we will prooue it they condemne vs for heretikes they persecute vs most cruelly with fire and bloud worse then were wee Iewes or Turkes But another more strong then they to their griefe hath defended doth defend and will defend vs from them Who listeth to know more of the roote of this doctrine let him reade their new Councels wherein the Popes by their Legats tyrannically haue gouerned Let him reade their Decrees Decretals Sextos Clementines and Extrauagants there shall hee find it at fall Let him not reade the Scripture for in it shall hee finde nothing at all to confirme such wonders Scotus one of the chiefe and principall pillers of their Church sayth That albeyt the priest were not attyred to celebrate nor in the state of grace nor ouer any Altar but should saye the fiue wordes or the foure leauing out Enim ouer all the bread that is in the market or in the Pantry and ouer all the wyne that is in the Sellar how much bread so euer should be in the pantrie or in the market so that he had intention to consecrate should be in that very moment conuerted transubstantiated into the body of Iesus Christ and all the wine of the sellar by the vertue of the wordes spoken and pronounced by the Priest should be conuerted into the bloud of Christ Herehence it commeth that no bread but the body of Christ remayning in the sacrament in their Sagrarios or pixes do they keepe it that when anie shall be sicke they may with torch-light carie it in procession that the diseased may adore and receiue it for the saluation of his soule Iesus Christ say they is in sort as we haue said not onely in one Masse but in an hundred thousand more also if so many could bee said in one moment And whole Christ is not in all the Host only but also in euery small parcell how little soeuer it be so that Christ is in the host as the soule is in the body all in all and all in euery part thereof This their doctrine of Transubstantiation they confirme first with the omnipotencie of God that seeing God of nothing could create something the heauen and the earth and whatsoeuer is therein contained how much more can he cause one thing to be conuerted and transubstantiated into another 2. They say that seeing Iesus Christ is the infallible truth it is meete that that which he saith must be in sort as hee spake it and sith he saith Hoc est corpus meum This is my body they now inferre that the bread is no bread but the body of Christ 3. For confirmation of their opinion they also alleage the sayings of Doctors In answering to these three reasons wherewith they confirme their Transubstantiation me seemeth wee shall haue answered to all whatsoeuer in this matter they can obiect vnto vs. That which they say of the omnipotency of God God forbid that we should once denie we confesse it and it may be and also without may be much better then they With all our heart we do also confesse that which the Creed saith I beleeue in God the Father almightie all sufficient that which we say is that from the power to the deede is no good maner of argument God in that he is omnipotent may eftsoones drowne the world as he did drowne it in the time of Noah and the malice of our times is no lesse but much more then that of that time Notwithstanding his omnipotencie and notwithstanding our extreme malice we know that he will not drown it because so promised he to Noah when he sayd My couenant will I establish witb you that from henceforth all flesh shal not be rooted out by the waters of the floud c. And to seale and confirme this promise God gaue him the Bow in the cloudes for a signe of this couenant c. Reade the historie To this same purpose is it sayd in the Psalm 140. 9. that God set a bound for the waters ouer which they shal not passe nor turne againe to couer the earth And God speaking to Iob concerning the sea chap. 38. 10. saith I established my commaundement vpon it and set barres and doores and said Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and there shall it stay thy proud waues Here you see that
anie shall speake in a straunge tongue there be also an Interpreter And if there shall be no Interpreter hee commandeth that hee speake not in the Church And that if he speake hee speake to himselfe and to God and not to the people for the people receiue no edification by a tongue that is not vnderstood And therefore in the 26. verse he commandeth that all be done to edification For this cause when God spake with the Patriarks with the Prophets and with his people of Israel or they with him they speake vnto him in their mother tongue that all did vnderstād The same did Iesus Christ speaking with the Scribes and Pharisies he spake vnto them in the vulgar tongue the same that was then vsed in Iudea The Apostles when the Lord sent them through the world to preach had first receiued the gifts of tongues to preach the Gospell and celebrate the sacraments to euerie nation in their proper language Why then do not our aduersaries in this imitate the Apostles they taught and celebrated their Sacraments in the vulgar tongue that al might vnderstand that the people might be edified God might be glorified The mysteries of Christian religion be not as the misteries of the Gentiles which were those that they called Mysterios Eleusimos those of the good goddesse wo vnto him that reuealed the same Herehence it commeth that the Priest pronounceth the words of consecration not onely in a strange tongue but also in a verie low voice that none can heare thē so say they Pope Vigilius cōmanded as reporteth D. Illescas vpon the life of Vigilius The Lord wil that his Christian people vnderstād the mysteries vnderstood do meditate vpon them as God in old time loued not the beast that chewed not the cud suffred not his people to eate thereof so now loueth he not that christiā that chaweth not the cud meditates on the saw of the Lord his misteries and his sacraments Dauid speaking of the exercise of a godly man saieth That he meditateth night and daye vpon the lawe of the Lord. The Lord speaking with Iosua who was no Priest but a moste warlike Captaine that wan so many battailes saith these wordes vnto him The booke of this law shall neuer depart from thy mouth but day and night shalt thou meditate therein that thou maiest keepe and doe c. To each nation in their vulgar tongue let them then say their Masse that they may vnderstand and knowe whether that which is therein saied be good or euill and not saie it to all nations in Latine whereof the people receiueth no edificacion but destruction nought learning but superstition and Idolatry As before we haue proued Some notable domages which the Masse causeth haue we shewed Now will we show some absurdities great inconueniences which thereof followe Against the worde of God are some of them against the doctrine of the fathers others be against experience it selfe against naturall reason and common sence And but three or foure will I set downe to auoyd tediousnesse We sayd being so taught by the word of God that in the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ the faithfull onely receiue spiritually and by faith the true body bloud of Christ Our aduersaries not herewith contented say that not only the good godly and faithfull but also the euill wicked and vnfaithfull the Turkes Iewes and Pagans do receiue the true bodie and bloud of Christ yet passe they further they say that beasts mice and other vermine do eat it that the moisture doth moisten it the mouldinesse doth make it mouldy c. Their blacke Transubstantiation hath made them fall into so great an absurditie strange wonder they beleeue that there is no bread nor wine but the body bloud of Christ it the Sacrament They vnderstād that not the faithful only but also the infidel Turke Pagan and Iew the Mouse c. eateth that which was in the Sacrament Hereupon conclude they that they eate and drinke the body bloud of Christ He that will deny them Transubstantiation will also deny this their conclusion to be good But this set apart the wicked c. will we shew by the month of Christ himselfe not to eat nor drinke the body and bloud of Christ S. Iohn sheweth that the Lord saith Except ye eate the flesh of the son of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you Hereupon is concluded that except wee eate his flesh and drinke his bloud we shall not be saued We eat and drinke his flesh his bloud when we not only reciue this Sacrament but also at all times and as often as we beleeue in him Beleeue saith S. Augustine and thou hast eaten And therefore the same Lord recounteth the fruites which this eating of his body and drinking of his bloud do necessarily bring forth He that eateth saith he my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I wil raise him vp c. Also He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him And he that eateth me shall liue also by me Presuppose this as most true and apparant it is that wicked men Iewes mice c. haue not eternall life nor shall bee raised vp in the companie of the faithfull It is seene they that dwel not in Christ nor Christ in them it is also apparant that they shall not liue by Christ Hereupon we conclude that they eat not the flesh of Christ nor drinke his bloud For had they eaten it and had they drunke it heauen and earth should rather faile then the word of Christ should faile the wicked Iewes Turks mice c. should haue life eternall and should dwell in Christ and Christ in them c. and to say this is a most great absurdity Therefore it followeth that such eate not the flesh nor drink his bloud Saint Augustine considering this he sayd The other Disciples did eat Panem Dominum the Lord which was bread but Iudas did eat Panem Domini the bread of the Lord as if he had sayd Iudas wanting faith and receiuing the Sacrament vnworthily did not eat the body nor drinke the bloud of Christ which the other Apostles did because they had faith and did eate it worthily but Iudas did only eat drinke the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Also in the 21. booke de Cinitate Dei cap. 25. he sayth It is not to bee thought that he eateth the body of Christ which is not in the body of Christ nor in whom Christ is not nor hee in Christ Origen vppon those wordes That which entreth in at the mouth defileth not the man c. manifestly sayth that the wicked doe not eate the body of Christ and giueth the reason because the bodie of Christ sayth he is quickening and he which eateth it dwelleth in
negligence forgetfulnes of the things which concern our saluation that we shuld not forget the benefit of his death passion did institute the most holy sacrament of his precious body which he gaue vpon the crosse of his precious bloud which he shed in his passion which sacramēt he wold shuld be vnto vs a memoriall of al that which he suffred for vs of the benefit we receiue by his death passion As often as ye shal do this to wit as ye shall celebrate the holy Supper ye shal do it saith Christ in remembrance of me One only time was Christ offered and by this only offering he obtained for vs a generall pardon of all our sinnes But hee would we should alwayes remember this benefit And to help our memorie did he institute this sacrament and willeth wee not once but many times in our life receiue it The institution of this Sacrament the Euangelists Matthew Marke and Luke do declare but most largely Saint Paul in 1. Cor. chap. 11. and in the tenth chap. he beginneth also to intreate thereof He are wee then Saint Peul declare how Christ celebrated his holy supper wherein hee instituted the Sacrament of his body and of his bloud I receiued of the Lord saith Saint Paul that which I also deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks he brake it and said Take eate This is my body which is broken for you Do this in remembrance of mee Likewise also after supper he tooke the cup saying This is the new testament in my bloud Do this as often as you shall drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shew forth the Lords death vntill his comming Whosoeuer therefore shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup vnworthily shall be guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let then a man proue himselfe and so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. For who so eateth and drinketh the same vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not considering the Lords body We haue heard how the Lord did celebrate his holy supper and instituted therein the most holy sacrament of his body and bloud The same order that Iesus Christ vsed in celebrating of it held his Apostles as often as they celebrated the same This selfe same order as we haue before shewed was for a thousand yeares space obserued in the Church Albeit true it is that before the thousand yeares were accomplished Sathan enuying the great benefite and comfort which we receiue with this sacrament began to alter it adding thereto many thinges touching rites and ceremonies But the thousand yeares passed the whole sacrament with furie hee cast to the earth and in place thereof aduaunced an idoll made of dough made betweene two irons which they adore and sacrifice vnto neither more nor lesse then if it were God himselfe that created heauen and earth But in all this time of so great ignoraunce and Idolatrie The Lord as we haue said did neuer vtterly forsake his Church For euer he raised vp some true prophet some holy man or men that with zeale of the Lordes house and nor accompting of the daunger whereunto they thrust their liues reproued the world Because through the Church of God was sold this so horrible idolatry But particularly in these our times hath the Lord shewed mercy raysing vp very many learned godly men Which being simple poore men haue with great zeale opposed them selues to the tyranny of Antichrist and to all the power of the world which was inchanted bewitched with the false Doctrine of Antichrist And so hath God blessed the labour of these men As he blessed in times past the labour of the Apostles meane simple people that they haue cast to the earth the Missa or Masse the breaden God which our aduersaries haue raysed vp and haue eftsoones restored the holy supper which the Lord Iesus the night before he should suffer celebrated with his disciples They that haue eyes to see Let them see and they that haue eares to heare Let them heare That seeing and hearing All the world may iudge if that be true which we say I will here set downe the order holden in our Churches which God by the meanes of these holy men hath in our time reformed when the holy supper is celebrated Hearken then O Spaine what in thine owne Language I speake that small and great learned and vnlearned may vnderstand me The forme which is holden in the reformed Churches of celebration of the holie supper of the Lord. It is to be noted That the Lords day before the supper is celebratae The minister doth warne the people that each one dispose and prepare himselfe to receiue it worthily and with such reuerence as is meete The second thing which is done is that youthes which haue now attayned to yeares of discretion doe not present themselues to receiue it before they he well instructed and taught in the Christian Doctrine and have made profession of their faith in the Church Thirdly if therebe any straungers or newe commers which be as yet rude and ignorant in religion that they come present themselues to be taught particularly in that which is meete for them to know the day on which they celebrate the same the minister at the end of the sermon toucheth somewhat concerning the misteries Or if neede require his whole sermon treateth of the Doctrine of the supper to declare to the people what the Lord by this mistery will say giue to vnderstand And how we ought to receiue it After that the minister hath publiquely prayed he saith the generall confession after the confession of faith made to witnes in the name of the people that they all wil liue die in the doctrin Christian religion The table being prepared the bread wine vpō it he thus aloud speaketh The institution of the holy supper of the Lord Let vs heare how Iesus Christ did institute vnto vs his holy supper according to that which S. Paule in the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians declareth I receiued of the Lord c. As we haue before recited The forme of excomunication and excluding from the holy supper of the Lord these which be not worthy to receiue it We haue heard brethren how the Lord celebrated the supper with his disciples and in that which he did he sheweth vnto vs that straungers to wit those which be not of the fellowship of his faithfull ought not to be admitted vnto it Following therefore this rule in the name by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ I excommunicate all Idolaters blasphemers contempners of God heretiques all Schismatiques which make sects a part to break the vnity of the Church all periured persons all that be
shal he vnderstand the Masse which our aduersaries at this day celebrete to haue no agreement with the holy supper of the Lord but in al by al to be opposit vnto it And so cōtrary that where the one is the other in no wise can be where the masse is there is not the snpper of the Lord where the supper of the Lord is there is not the masse For how can light and darknes be ioyned the table of the Lord the table of diuels God and Belial And that the Christian people of my nation for whose cause desiring to do them seruice I haue taken this paine if that may be called paine which the person with great content and desire to serue and doe some good taketh may easily vnderstand this I will here in a table set downe the agreement conformity and vnity which is betweene the holy supper by vs in our reformed Churches celebrated the holy supper of the Lord then will I set downe the difference disagreement contrariety which is between the holy supper by our Christ instituted and the prophane masse which Antichrist hath inuented and sold for mony to miserable people called Christians Hee whom God hath giuen vnderstanding to vnderstand Let him vnderstand the will of the Lord and doe the same The holie supper of the Lord. Iesus Christ alone ordained his holy supper and commanded his Church to celebrate the same As he himselfe had celebrated it The supper of the reformed Churches The supper is celebrated neither more nor lesse then Iesus Christ did celebrate it and after the same manner by him cōmanded to his Church as the Euangelists Mat. 26. 26. Mar. 14. 22. Luke 22. 19. S. Paule 1. Cor. 11. 24 do declare Therefore is our supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Masse hath bene made by many Popes For one Pope made the confite or another the introit another the Kyri-elecson another the Gloria in excelsis another the Gradual another the Offertorie another the Cannon another the Memento another the Teigitur another the Cōmunicātes another ordayned that the bread in the Masse should be vnleuened another that water should be put into wine Another cōmanded that the bread shuld be worshipped saying it was not bread but God which made heauē earth c. Another made the Agnus Dei The same may also be sayd of whatsoeuer is done in the masse Christ made none of all these things nor cōmanded his faithfull to doe them Diuers Popes and at sundry times did inuent them Whereuppon it followeth that neuer Christ no not at all did institute the Masse nor his Apostles sayd it Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy supper of the Lord. Christ entending to celebrate his Supper changed not his garments The Supper of the reformed Churches So also the Ministers when they celebrate the Supper change not their garments Therefore is our Supper the supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest going to say his Masse doth nought els but cloth and vncloth and euery garment that hee putteth on how little soeuer carrieth great mysteries which they without the word of God to keepe the poore people still bewitched haue forged Moreouer the Priest saying Masse must haue his head beard shaued vpon his head a circle of haire which they cal a crown wherein they follow not Christ nor his Apostles who neuer did weare head nor beard shauen but they imitate the Priests of the Gentiles whom Baruch chap. 6. and 30. reporteth to haue had their heades and beardes shauen Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ vsed common bread serued at the table when hee supped with his Apostles The Supper of the reformed Churches We also do vse common bread therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish priest must expresly vse other maner of bread baked betweene two yrons which properly is no bread but wafers Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ made his Supper vppon a table The Supper of the reformed Churches We do also celebrate the Supper vpon a table and not vpon an altar An altar is for sacrifice and sacrifices ceased with the death of Christ Therefore neede we no altar A table is to suppe on Saint Paul cals it the Lords supper 1. Cor. chap. 11. 20. whereuppon it followeth that it being a Supper vpon a table and not an altar it is to be celebrated therefore is our supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish Priest must haue an altar which he calleth consecrated An altar I say in a hole in the middest whereof which they call the Sepulchre is put a peece of some reliques and if the altar be not consecrate then must he haue a marble stone which they call a consecrate altar in the border whereof are little peeces of cloth which they cal Corporales All which Durandus in his booke intituled Rationale diuinorum hath diligently trauelled to declare therefore the Masse is not the Suppet of the Lord. The holy supper of the Lord. Christ in celebrating his supper preached and taught his Apostels The supper of the refoumed Church The supper is neuer celebrated but the minister doth preach and teach those that communicate therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope The Popish priest mumbleth between his teeth certain praiers he turneth to and from the altar one while his backe another while his face to the people now goeth he from one part of the altar vnto another now he singeth with an high voyce now with a low voyce now liftes hee vp his armes now he casteth them downe he lifts vp the traine of his cope holding a candle or wax burning Briefly he seemeth to be nothing els but a man wholly madde not knowing what countenance to vse Let them shew when Christ or his Apostles did this or commāded the Church to doe the same Therfore the Masse is not supper of the Lord. The holy Super of the Lord. Christ in celebrating of his Supper spake in the vulgar tongue that all might vnderstand The Supper of the Reformed Churches All whatsoeuer is sayd when we celebrate the Supper is spoken in the vulgar tongue that all may vnderstand therefore is our Supper the Supper of the Lord. The prophane Masse of the Pope In the Masse a strāge tongue is vsed which most of the Massing priests vnderstand not which is wholly contrary to S. Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 14. where hee sheweth that no tongue in the Church is to be vsed but that which may be vnderstood Therefore the Masse is not the Supper of the Lord. The holy Supper of the Lord. Christ in the Supper first brake the bread and then gaue it