deposing Princes nay to assirme that this great authority is prositable for Princes Ghineard a Iebusite was hanged in Paris anno 1594. for writing and mainteining diuers seditious positions concerning the Popes authority in disposing the crowne of France and translating the same from the family of Bourbon Parsons in his warne-word p. 2. f. 127. alloweth the deposing of Henry the 3. of France neither would he haue desired that the Bull of Pius the sift against Queene Elizabeth might be suspended against the Papists but that he imagined that she was iustly deposed the same man in his seditious booke of titles lib. 1. c. 1. endeuoreth to proue that the succession in kingdomes by necrenesse of blood is by positiue lawes of the common-welth and may vpon iust causes be altered by the same in his third chapter he pretendeth that not only vnworthy claimers may be put backe but also that kings in possession may be chastised and deposed his drist in the fourth chapter is to shew that the people sometimes may lawfully proceed against princes is it not then strange that the factious schollers of this seditious teacher are still harbored in the bowels of this state William Rainolde a rinegat English-man in a certeine treatise set out vnder the name of William Rosse and titled de iusta reip Christianae supra reges impios haereticos authoritate c. doth in expresse termes defend the wicked league of the French rebels against the King and giue the people power to depose their kings the same man in the 2. chapter of that booke assirmeth impudently that the right of all the Kings and kingdomes of Europe is laid vpon this foundation that common-welthes or the people may depose their kings I us omnium Europae regum regnorum saith he hoc fundamento nititur quod resp possint suos reges deponere In all Europe therefore it will be hard to find more arrant traitors then himselfe and his complices Bellarmine lib. 5. de pontif Rom. c. 6. saith it is not lawfull for Christians to tolerat a king that is an insidell or an heretike if he goe about to draw his subiects to his heresie or infidelity non licet Christianis tolerare regem infidelem aut haereticum si ille pertrahere conetur subdit os ad suam haeresim aut infidelitatem a hard sentence against his Maiesty if Papists had power to iudge him Emanuel Sain his booke called aphorismi confessariorum holdeth these aphorismes in verbo princeps viz. that a prince may be deposed by the common-welth for tyranny and also if he doe not his duty or where there is iust cause and that another may be chosen by the greatest part of the people in the word tyrannus he affirmeth that a tyrant may be deposed by the people although they be sworne to bee obedient vnto him if being admonished he will not amend now to the Popish faction all are tyrants that will not admit their Popish superstition though otherwise they bee neuer so mild and gentle and so it appeareth they accompt of our gratious king whom of late they haue sought trecherously to murder If then we admitte this common doctrine of Papists of the Popes authoritie in deposing Kings and giuing them Law we diminish the authority of Kings and make them subiects to the Pope which is a matter abominable to be either taught or beleeued we doe also indanger not only the state of all Kings but also of their kingdomes for how can any King stand against the violence of the Pope if he haue authority to depose Kings by this vsurped authority Gregory the 7. wrought Henry the Emperor and his subiects many troubles Paschall the 2. made the sonne to rise against the father and the subiects against their Princes and in the end caused the en peror to be taken prisoner and to resigne his Empire the same man also as he subdued the father so quarreled he with the sonne and caused his subiects to take armes against him Innocent the 2. by force of armes thought to vanquish Roger King of Sicilia and in a pitched field had preuailed against him if the sonne had not succoured his father Roger. Adrian the 4. and Alexander the 3. did so farre preuaile against Fridericke the first that he held the stirrop to the first and was troden vpon by the second Celestin the 3. proudly demeaned himselfe against Henry the 6. casting the crowne from his head with his foote as he kneeled before him as we reade in Rogor Houeden Innocent the 3. brought the Emperors Philip and Otho to destructiō by his furious persequution the same man caused King Iohn of England to surrender his crowne and was the cause of the losse of Normandy to the English Neither did he alone offer wrong to Iohn King of England for before his time king Henry the second had receiued a great scorne of the Pope in the cause of Thomas Becket Gregory the 9. and Innocent the 4. with great fury set vpon Friderike the 2. and emploied Christians that had made vowes to fight against the Saracens to the ruine of the Emperor Iohn the 22. Benet the 12. and Clement the 6. with implacable hatred prosequuted Lewes of Bauier and that for no other cause then for that he tooke on him as Emperor without the Popes allowance and for the same cause Harold encurred the Popes displeasure not submitting himselfe to receiue his crowne of the Popes faction Boniface the eight while he sought to subdue Philip of France and the houle of Colonna in Italy troubled both Spaine and Italy the Popes of late time haue caused all the stirres in Germany Italy France Flanders England and Scotland the leaguers of France were confirmed in their rebellion by the Pope and droue King Henry the third out of his pallace and killed him by a Dominican Frier as he beseeged Paris and long withstood the king now reigning Vpon the excommunication of Paul the third the papists of England rebelled against King Henry the eight in his bul of excommunication recorded by Sanders he commanded his subiects to resist him and to throw him out of his kingdome principibus viris ac ducibus Angliae saith he caeteraeque nobilitati praecipit vt vi armis se Henrico opponant illumque è regni sinibus eijcere nitantur by the Popes excommunications the rebellion was raised in the North of England by the Erles of Westmerland and Norththumberland and diuers tumults in Ireland against Queene Elizabeth nay albeit our King be not denounced excommunicat yet did the gun-pouder Papists seeke to blow him vp with the principall men of England neither had the Spaniards anno 1588. any better ground to inuade England then the Popes commandement and warrant Seeing then the Pope taketh vpon him a superiority ouer all Kings seeketh to depose all such as will not conforme themselues to his will it is much to be wondred that Christian princes that doe embrace his doctrine
both draw their swords and put them vp at his command and suffer him to taxe their subiects and run to him for faculties and dispensations and finally can neither dispose of the possessions of the church nor of the persons of church-men we may boldly say that Poperie either maketh kings no kings or but halfe kings CHAP. XXXVIII That Kings liue not in any securitie of their liues where Popery is professed by their subiects DAuid the man of God would not suffer any of his followers to lay his hands vpon Saul although God had appointed him to succeed in the kingdome and reiected Saul and great respect alwaies haue Christians had to their soueraigne Lords and Princes In the canons attributed to the Apostles c. 83. euery contumelious spech against the Emperour or magistrat is iudged worthy of punishment what are we then to thinke of the Popes of Rome and their complices that not only curse and raile against princes and magistrates but also stirre vp all the world against them if they will not yeeld to their Lordly will and pleasure such certes are the children of Belial and not the seruants of God I hope therefore Christian Princes will open their eies and euery day grow more wary in their dealings with the popes of Rome and their agents which are no lesse dangerous in respect of their liues and persons then their roiall estats and kingdomes For first they hold that is lawfull for the Pope to change kingdomes and to take from one and to giue to another as Bellarmine in expresse termes determineth l. 5. de pont Rom. c. 6. And this is declared by the continuall practise of Popes who these many yeares haue gone about to take from one and to giue to another now giuing the kingdome of Sicily and Naples to the French now to the Spanish now challenging it themselues the kingdome of Nauarre is holden from the French king by no better warrant then the Popes grant by the same also the Spaniards and Portingals haue diuided the Indians betwixt them Boniface the eight by his bull made Philip and the kingdome of France subiect to Albert. Philippum ciusque regnum Alberto regi subijcit saith Platina in Bonifacio 8. but what king doth not with his sword defend his state and chooseth not rather to loose his life then his kingdome Secondly they teach that the Pope is to iudge of Kings as is defined by the extranagant vnams inctam de maiorit obed they giue the Pope also power to depose kings and to take away their crownes but it were great simplicity to thinke that any magnanimous Prince will either lose his crowne or submit himselfe to be iudged by a pole-shorne Pope without force nay sooner will he hazard his life then either loose his crowne or submit himselfe to the Popes iudgement Finally both by their doctrine and practise it appeareth that the Popes and their agents haue sought to murder empoison and destroy such kings and princes as either were excommunicat by them or else were opposite vnto them Gregory the 7. watching the Emperor that was wont to pray in the church of S. Mary as Beno testifieth hired a fellow to place great stones vpon the beames or vault of the church right ouer the place where he praied which being throwne downe might kill him his words are these imperator solitus erat frequenter ire ad oration mad ecclesiam S. Mariae quae est in mente Auentino Hildebrandus autem cum per exploratores omma eius opera solicitè inquircret locum in quo frequentius imperator velstans vel prostratus orabat notari secit quendam promissa pecunia ad hoc induxit vt supra trabes ecclesiae occultè lapides magnos collocaret ita aplaret vt de alto super caput imperatoris demitteret ipsum contereret againe the same Beno saith that the Pope went about by secret traitors to destroy the emperor eisdem diebus parauit imperatorem perdere per occultos proditores and when by secret trechery he could effect nothing by publike force and armes he sought to subdue him Innocent the second hauing raised an armie fought with Roger King of Sicilia in a pitcht field thinking to destroie him Philip the Emperour and his successor Otho were both brought to their destructioÌ„ by the practises of Innocent the 3 about this time also Iohn king of England was poisoned by a Monke of Swinsted-abby for that he was supposed to be aduerse to the Popish faction his empoisonment is particularly set downe in Caxtons chronicle Henry of Lucemburg the emperour was poisoned in the Sacrament by a Dominican frier about the yeare of our Lord 1313. quidam religiosus saith Vrspergensis porrexit imperatori intoxicatam eucharistiam the same is also testified by baptista Igantius supplementum Chronicorum Textor in officina c. veneno extincti and diuers others Sleidanus saith the Frier was moued thereunto by Clement the fifth and the reason was for that the Emperour grew too strong in Italy this act committed by a Dominican Frier was the cause of the death of manie Friers of that order slaine by the Emperors souldiers Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. testifieth that Pope Innocent the 4. was charged with the empoisonment of Fridericke the Emperor by the meanes of Peter de Vinea and that the fame of the Pope was not a little stained by this foule fact obsorduit domini Papae fama saith he per hoc non mediocriter in the end he was murdred by Mansrede as is said not without the secret practise of the Pope Ioan the Queene of Naples being taken by her enemies was murdered with the priuitie and consent of Vrbane the sixth Charles the king of Naples by the bloody councell of Clement the 4. caused Conradmus and Frederike duke of Austria to be put to death vita Conradim mors Caroli said Clement which cost that yoong Prince his life Sixtus the fourth was the principall contriuer of that treason whereby Iulian de medicâ—s was slaine and his brother Laurence hurt in the church of Reparata at Florence at the elcuation of the sacrament conscio adinuante pontifice saith Volateran Geograph lib. 5. Alexander the 6. caused Gemes the Turkes brother to bee empoisoned being hired thereto by promises and mony by the great Turke so little conscience doe Popes make of murdring princes Paul the 3. in his bull against Henry the 8. King of England exhorted the Nobles and principall men of England to oppose themselues against him with force and armes and sent Cardinall Poole to forraine princes to stirre them vp against the king giuing him and his people as a pray to his enemies and by all meanes seeking to destroy him Pius the fifth excommunicated all that would not take armes against Queene Elizabeth our late dread Soueraign and by secret practise stirred her subiects against her Sixtus Quintus anno 1588. in his declaration against the foresaide Lady exhorteth her people to lay
by frequent excommunications is growne contemptible hee complaineth also of the multitude of irregularities adde hereunto the greeuances proceeding of suspensions and interditements and then the burthen must needs seeme more greenous Fiftly such as doe not in matters of faith or Sacraments iumpe with the Romish church they pronounce heretikes as appeareth by the chap. ad abolendam de haereticis they giue them also ouer to the secular power to be put to death Sixtly they make Kings and Princes their butchers and executioners sorcing them by sentence of excommunication to cut the throat of Christes lambes whom they most wrongfully haue pronounced heretikes Seuenthly they burthen their clergy their religious orders both of men and women with a vow of single life albeit they finde themselues most vnable to performe it they force also the monkes friers and nunnes to obserue monkish rules which are oftentimes full of fooleries and stande for the most part vpon externall ceremonies Finally like to Scribes and Pharisees they haue brought into the church infinite traditions and ceremonies nay the conuenticle of Trent doth paragon and make equal vnwritten traditions to Gods written worde and yet no Papist euer yet could tell what those traditions were or in what bookes they were to be found In baptisme they vse salt spittle blowings lights and greasing in the Masse the priest turneth heaueth skippeth swingeth the chalice to and fro moppeth moweth ducketh speaketh sometimes high sometimes lowe and maketh no end of ceremonies the consecrating of salt holy-water oyle paschal lambes new houses new shippes is not done without many ceremonies in hallowing and rehallowing of churches saying of canonicall houres and offices many ceremonies passe but few to purpose the Bishop in consecrating a church walketh round about it as if there were no entrance in and in the end abusing a versicle of a psalm saith attollite portas principes vestras and entring maketh the Greeke and Latine alphabet and setteth lights before crosses made on walles and greaseth stones the yeare of Iubiley aboundeth with ceremonies the Pope knocketh first at S. Peters church dore with a golden hammer shewing that no man obteineth indulgences but he must spend gold then the Priests shew their wares and ignorant people goeth about visiting certeine churches and reliques of which we neuer read word in the Gospell or writings of the fathers The Papists therefore are intangled with a miserable yoke of bondage and are vtterly ignorant of the liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free God open their eies that they may see and giue them grace that they may feele their burthens and shaking off the yoke of Antichrist may in the end bee partakers of the light of the Gospell and submit themselues only to Christs yoke that is easie and light CHAP. XL. That Popish religion is very grieuous in regard of the Popes and Masse-priests manifold taxes and exactions IT followeth now that we shew how the Pope and his pole-shorne crew doth aswell pole Christian mens purses as greeue their consciences wherein I neede not to vse any long discourse seeing the same is apparent not only by practise but also by confession of the Papists themselues commonly they buy the papacy in grosse and therefore no maruell if they sell it by retaile Vendit Alexander saith one of Alexander the sixt Vendere iure potest emerat ille prius But this was not his fault alone Benet the 9. sold the Papacie for 1500. pound of gold to Gregory the 6. as Beno testifieth Benedictus 9. Papatum saith he pro libris mille quingentis vendidit Gregorio 6. and no man now obtaineth that place but for great summes of mony and large promises as the discourses of diuers late conclaues testifie Therefore no maruell if they seeke mony greedily both before and after they come to sitte in the Popes chaire Brigit in her reuelations saith the Pope hath turned all Gods commandements into this one viz. giue mony conuertit decem praecepta in hoc vnum da pecuniam for mony they sell churches priest-hood altars masses crownes fire incense praiers yea heauen and God himselfe Venalia nobis saith Mantuan Templa sacerdotes altaria sacra coronae Ignis thura Preces caelum est venale deusque Fridericke the 2. for one absolution paied to Gregory the 9. an hundred twenty fiue thousand ounces of gold as is recorded in the pontificall or 120. thousand as Naucler epitome rerum German Iohn of Pineda and others doe recken Iosephus Angles in 4. sentent c. de indulgentijs signifieth that the King of Spaine paieth sometime to the Pope a hundred thousand duckets for one indulgence Leo the 10. gaue such a scandale by the sale of indulgences in Germanie that men beganne to examine more narowly these popish commodities and the rather for that the profit of this sale came to Magdalene the Popes honest sister Boniface the ninth as Theodoric à Niem testifieth lib. 2. de schism c. 11. sold benefices as he was hearing Masse in missarum solennijs benesicia vendidit Mitred prelates sell imposition of hands ecclesiasticall liuinges church censures and whatsoeuer is reserued to their office as the Germans complaine in their grieuances Theodoric Trudo complaineth that Christs sheepe-foldes were broken downe with hammers of siluer Malleus argenti consregit ouilia Christi The rascall Masse-priests sell Masses dirges sacraments sacramentall ceremonies and other Romish wares euerie man according to the faculties giuen him by the Pope Brigit in her reuelations bringeth in Christ complaining how Priests dealt worse in selling him then Iudas for that he sold him for monie they for euery commodity deteriores sunt Iuda qui pro solis denarijs me vendidit illi autem pro quouis mercimonio the Papists themselues know that the Masse-priests and Iebusites sent from the Pope into England liue vpon sale of their faculties Of these pillages diuers haue complained from time to time and yet we find that the Popes would neuer abide any reformation Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. speaking only of the rapines of one Popes legate saith he had extorted more then was remaining behind in England excepting the church ornaments nec remansit eadem hora saith he vt veraciter dicebatur tantum pecuniae in Anglia exceptis sanctorum vasis ornamentis ecclesiarum quantum à regno extorserat Anglicano he compareth the Kingdome at that time to a vine-yard spoiled by euery one that passed by and rooted vp by the wild bore of the wood he saith that the court of Rome like a gulfe swallowed vp euery mans reuenues quae curia instar barathri potestatem habet consuetudinem omnium reditus absorbendi Boner in his preface before Gardiners booke de vera obedientia saith that the Popes pray or spoiles in England were equall almost to the Kings reuenues the Emperor as Matth. Paris testifieth in Henrico 3. reprehended the king of England for suffering his country to be empouerished so shamefully by the Pope imperator
Paris sheweth that in the times of Innocent the third Christians were accused by a writing sent from heauen for shewing no pity vpon widowes and orphans and shewing lesse mercy then did the pagans viduae orphani ad vos clamant quotidie saith that writing quibus nullam facitis miscricordiam pagani habent misericordiam at vos non habetis but much more reason haue we to vse these words to the moderne Iebusites and their complices for they are more mercilesse then Turkes the Turkes suffer Christians to inioy their religion and these doe not therefore the Italians as Natalis Comes in his history testifieth say it is better to liue vnder the Turke then vnder the Spaniards and Popes inquisitors and for this cause the kingdome of Hungarie and principality of Transiluania hath chosen rather to seeke for succor at the hands of Turkes then to endure the cruell and trecherous executions of the Pope and his bloody inquisitors vp then o Lord and scatter these thy bloody enemies that seeke to scatter and massacre the sheepe of thy pasture and let not those preuaile any further that make warres against the Lambe and all that follow him and constantlie professe his truth these wolues haue conspired and sworne the destruction of the professors of religion At Bayon anno 1585. a league was concluded betwixt France Spaine and other Princes the articles were these as is euident by the French histories The Spanish king shall warre vpon the king of Nauarre the dukes of Ferraria and Sauoy with the aid of German horsemen shall translate the wars into France the Germans shall hinder all succor to come to them of the religion the Cantons of Suizzerland that adhere to the Pope shall oppresse the other Cantons Monkes shall giue their names for souldiers and all shall endeuor to kill the Lutherans so you see that the finall end of their designes is murder and cruelty their meanes fire sword and gunpowder their contentment wast and desolation What reason then haue Christians to slugge and sleepe when danger is so neere them doe they thinke that papists want gun powder or poison or that they wil not hurt if they recouer strength as well they may thinke that wolues wil cease from crueltie and Serpents cast away their poison and tyrants prooue gentle foster fathers and Turkes turne Christians Nay such Princes as are not Papists are not much to trust them if they satisfie not the Popes will in all things Gregory the 7. killed and empoisoned all that were opposite to his deseings he excommunicated the emperor Henry the fourth because he would not suffer him quietly to sell ecclesiasticall prelacies his successors made warres vpon Henry the sift Fridericke the 1. Philip Otho and Fridericke the 2. for that they could not bee suffered to dispose of the landes of the Empire Lewis of Bauier was persecuted for no other cause then for that he would not receiue his crowne at the Popes hands for this cause also Harold King of England became enemy of the Clergy because he tooke the crowne before it was deliuered by Popish prelates Philip the faire King of France was persecuted by Boniface the 8. for that he would not acknowledge himselfe to be the Popes subiect and yet did they not know any other religion then that which the Pope then professed Finally Henry the 3. of France albeit superstitiously addicted to popery yet could he not escape the butcherly hands of the popish leaguers that suborned a Dominican Frier to kill him for that he would not at their appointment make warres vpon his subiects To conclude therefore this point there is no way of security for Christians against the Popes cruelty and his adherents practises then manfully to resist their vsurpations warily to take heede of their mines and gunpowder and neuer to trust their sweete words and guilefull promises with clemency they are not to bee mitigated but with resolution and iustice they may easily be subdued CHAP. XLV That the practises and treaties of Popes and their complices with Christians are not to be trusted THe Prophet describing a wicked man saith he laid hands on such as were at peace with him and broke his couenant Among heatheÌ„ people the Thracians were very infamous for breaking their oathes and promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in times past a common prouerbe but neither among heathen people nor among such as professe to know God doe we reade of any more foedifragous or periurious sect then the Popes of Rome and their complices Others percase breake both oathes and promises but no man in time past euer taught that faith and oathes giuen to others ought to be broken as doe the Romanistes in the conuenticle of Constance they not onely made void the Emperours charter of faseconduct giuen to Iohn Husse but also by publike act determined that saith was not to be holden with heretikes They absolue subiects from their oathes of allegeance which as Sigebert in his Chronicle saith sauoureth of heresie Pius quintus not onely absolued the late Queenes subiectes from their allegeance but also denounced them excommunicate that continued firme in their allegeance Iulius the second went one point further and disputed that the church was not bound with othes as Guicciardine in his historie reporteth now euery man knoweth that by the church he vnderstood the Pope With this wicked doctrine their execrable practise very well accordeth Gregorie the 7. by a publike sentence of a synode was declared periured Paschal the 2. confirmed certeine couenants betwixt himselfe and the Emperor by solemne chartres seals and othes literis sigillis inramentis saith Otho Frisingâ—nsis lib. 7. but immediately he brake all Fridericke the 2. as Matthew Paris testifieth accused Gregory the 9. for teaching persidiousnesse and periury quod persidiam periurium doceret and yet his disciples hold that the Pope when he teacheth cannot erre in matters of faith Gregory the 12. as Theodoricke a Niem tract vnionis 6. c. 29. writeth was charged to be a publike forsworne person and by him called periurus publicus lib. 3. de schism c. 3. he saith he deceiued the world with his oathes and vowes votis iuramentis suis decepit mundum likewise he saith tract 6. c. 39. vnionis that Innocentius would not admit the vnion of the Papacy albeit he had before vowed and sworne to doe it Charles the French King chargeth both him and Peter de Luna with breaking their oathes as Theodoric a Niem writeth tract nemoris vnionis lib. 6. c. 14. The Bohemians for this persidious dealing of the Popes complices would not come to the councell of Basil without good pledges Alexander the 6. was more perfidious then any Carthagigian as in his life Onuphrius testifieth perfidia plus quà m punica When Iulius the third was in petition he swore both to the French and Spanish as is testified in Pelegrino Inglese but performed neither to the one nor to the other The Masse-priests of Trent
the canonists contrary to the schoolemen of late in England the Iebusites and secular priests did contend about diuers questions and now the difference is rather stopped then ended 7. In the Alchoran the Turkes pretend that Mahomet did diuers miracles we reade also that the gentiles tell of diuers woonders done by their gods and their sooth-saiers and Priests Nauius as Liuy telleth vs cut a whetstone in sunder with a razor the papists therefore haue no reason to stand so much vpon miracles 8. Mahomet also is said to haue foretold things to come and the gentiles alledge innumerable oracles of their gods concerning future matters which as they say were verified by the euents if you compare the prophecies of the legendary saints there is no reason why they should be preferred before the other 9. In temporall matters both Turks and heathen emperors haue had farre better successe then the Papists the Roman Emperors being pagans ruled the world and now the Empire of Turkes is more large then that of the Pope nay of late time the Popes haue made few attempts against the Turks that haue prospered if then we iudge of matters according to outward successe then are the Papists vtterly ouerthrowne 9. The Turkes and Paynims haue beene better vnited among themselues then the Popes of Rome and their adherents In the Romish church we reade of 27. or more schismes but neither haue the idolatrous priests nor the Caliphaes and priests of the Turkes beene so diuided 10. Neither if we looke among the Emperors of Rome or the Turkish priests shall we find more periured luxurious and abominable persons then Iohn the 12. Landus Sergius the third Gregory the 7. Sixtus the fourth Alexander the sixt Paul the second and third and the bougerly Monkes and Masse-priests holinesse therefore can no more bee a marke of the Romish church then of the Turkes and Paynims and their congregations nay among the Turkes and Paynims we neuer reade any such bloody execution as was intended by the popish faction in England against the king and his house and the whole state 11. The Paynims and Turkes being iudges the Papists will be taken for heretikes as well as others are condemned for heretikes by the Papists 12. It is before shewed that Turkes doe as well esteeme of scriptures as Papists and no lesse doe value their traditions then they The heathen also with great solemnity looked into their oracles and bookes of Sibylles and had them in more reuerence then the Papists haue their legendes and decretales 13. The Turkes no lesse esteeme their Saints and martyrs then the Papists esteeme such as died in the Popes quarrell heathen men also stoode alwaies much vpon their forefathers and had more reason to bragge of old customs then the Papists whose fashions for the most part haue but a late beginning 14. The Papists we know are a sect going out of Christs church and rising long after Christs time hauing not perfited the confused Babell vntill the times of the conuenticle of Trent but the heathen idolaters do fetch their pedegree from men that liued before Moyses his law and the Turkes pretend great antiquity and auerre that the idolatrous papists are gone out of the church of God and not they 15. The mutabilitie of Popery is easily proued by their change of Lawes alteration of gouemement variety of old and new missals breuiaries and other rituall bookes by the difference betwixt the doctrine of schoole-men and canonists and faith of the fathers by their mutable rites Saints Saints daies and calendars but the heathen alledge that they and their ancesters haue alwaies persisted in the worship of their gods and the Turkes doe firmely obserue their Alchoran without addition or detraction 16. Where the Papists talke of their infallible iudges the heathen idolaters and Turkes haue cause to laugh at them for who is so deuoid of sense to suppose that a Pope that is ignorant of matters of faith learning and vertue is a iudge of the mysteries of Christian religion and of matters of learning doe blind men iudge of colours or dease men of sounds the Turkes assure themselues that Mahomet is a farre better iudge then the Pope and the old Romans doubted not but that their Augures and Priests knew more in religion then the later Popes Finally while the Papists leaue the doctrine of faith consonant to holy scriptures and the administration of sacraments and worship of God according to Christs institution and other proper markes of the church standing wholy vpon the lustre of the world and outward markes and signes of their Satanicall Synagogue they alledge nothing which the very heathen idolaters and Turkes cannot bring with better reason then they CHAP. LIII That true Papists cannot be true nor loyall subiects AMong other markes of the Romish church and motiues to Popery Bristow alledgeth this for one that it maketh obedient subiects but if we looke either into the practises or lawes of the Romish church we shall rather finde this allegation to be a marke of the whorish impudence of that strumpet that hath abused the world with her false doctrines and abominations then obedience of subiects to be a marke of the Romish church For first who I pray you were they that diuided Italy from the easterne Empire and caused the Italians to withdraw their obedience and to sease on the Emperors reuenues were they not the Popes of Rome and their complices who vpon pretence of the Emperors dislike of the worship of images caused the Emperors subiects to rebell and began to aduance the authoritie credite and state of the Pope Againe who called in the French against the Greeks and Lombards but the Popes of Rome Thirdly who caused the sonnes of Henry the 4. and Fredericke the 2. and of Lewis the piteous to rebell against their parents but the Pope and Popish prelates Fourthly who stirred vp the subiects of Henry the 4. and 5. of Fredericke the 1. and 2. of Lewis of Bauier of Philip Otho and other Emperors to take armes against their soueraigne Lords but the Popes of Rome and their agents Finally who oppugned king Iohn of England and fought against the Emperors formerly named were they not all Papists and the Popes vassals and the former Emperors and kings subiects it cannot be denied For by the Popes excommunications they were deterred from their obedience and dutie and honoring antichrist for Christes vicar at his commandement they oppugned their lawfull princes To come neerer to our selues and our times we sinde that the rebels of Yorkeshire and Lincolneshire in king Henry the 8. his daies were papistes for their ensignes were chalices and masse-cakes and the fiue woundes and their principall stirrers were monkes and masse-priests and their leaders men superstitiously affected likewise the rebels in Deuonshire and Cornewall in king Edwards daies were men wholly addicted to Popery they would haue their Masses and their dirges their crosses and their banners their greasings and their Popish trinkets
commandement concerneth the sanctifying of the Sabbath but the Papists profane it by worshiping Idols and frequenting the idolatrous masse Iulius the second vpon the solemne day of Easter fought a bloudy battell with the French at Rauenna and the Duke of Guise vpon the sabbath massacred the Saints of God at Vassi and so little do they respect the Lords honour that they make more account of our ladies festiuals and of the daies of Francis Dominicke and Thomas Becket then of the Lords day The fifth commandement requireth obedience of children to parents and of subiects to princes yet Gregory the seuenth Paschall the second Alexander the third and diuers Popes by their decretales haue armed the sonne against the father and the subiect against his prince neither was the late league of the French rebels against Henry the third and Henry the fourth set forward and confirmed by other more then by the Pope the Popes of Rome stirred vp rebellion against Henry the eight in England and against Queene Elizabeth both in England and Ireland Allen and Parsons in their wicked libell against Queene Elizabeth directed to the nobilitie and people of England and Ireland endeuor by all meanes to perswade her subiects to rebellion and to laie violent hands vpon her Cardinall Como in his letters to Parry that came into England with a full resolution to murder the Queene doth promise in the Popes name not only indulgence and pardon for his sinnes but also reward on earth and merit in heauen The sixth commandement forbiddeth murder But Papists thinke they doe God good seruice when they murder true Christians from this fountaine haue proceeded all their cruell executions in England France Italy Germany Spaine and other countries Natalis Come in his history testifieth that in the massacre of France An. D. 1572. they murdred aboue sixty thousand of all sorts of persons their garments are died in the blood of innocentes nay they cruelly poison and murther those of their owne religion if they be opposite vnto them in faction Gregory the seuenth caused not only bloody warres to be stirred vp against the Emperor but tormented and murdred such as he pleased at Rome Alexander the sixth for euery word put men to death Iulius the second promised reward to him that could kill a Frenchman as Budaeus de Asse testifieth but as Lactantius saith massacring and piety cannot stand together longè diuersa sunt carni ficina pietas nec potest aut veritas cum vi aut iustitia cum crudelitate coniungi The seuenth commandement as it forbiddeth adultery fornication Iust and all vncleanenesse so it requireth purity of life and chaste and vndefiled behauior but among Papists adultery and fornication is reckened among lesser sinnes as appeareth by the Chapter si clerici de iudicijs the Pope permitteth whores in Rome and exacteth tribute of them as is notoriously knowen to the world the same is also testified by the glosse of the constitution prouinciall beginning with the word licet de concubin cleric remouendis by Agrippa de vanit scient c. de lenocinio by Sansonino lib. dei gouerni c. corte de Roma and diuers others of late in the castle of Wisbich among the Iebusites and Masse-priests one defended that whores were in Rome cum approbatione and with as good authority as any citizen or as the Pope of Romc the Popes and their complices disallow honest wedlocke of priests and yet allow or at the least winke at such as keepe concubines and whores Theodoric à Niem tract v. nemoris vnionis c. 33. sheweth that in Gascoigne Spaine Portugall and other countries it was lawfull for Popish Bishops and Priests to keepe concubines The commandement against theft as Canisius in his catechisme confesseth c. de decalogo forbiddeth also vsury simony rapine sacrilege and all vniust gaine yet vsury and simony yeeld no small reuenues to the Popes coffers the historie of Matthew Paris doth in euery kings reigne declare infinit pillages what by vsury what by simony committed in England by the Popes speaking of Gregory the ninth his factors he saith they vexed England by vsury per Caursinos vsurarios Angliam vexarunt he saith also how they held vsury for a little fault and simony for none vsuram pro paruo simoniam pro nullo inconueniente reputauit saith he speaking of the Popes agent Felin sheweth that without the rent of Symony the church of Rome would come to contempt in Rome of late times the Popes haue erected diuers banks of vsury called monti di pieta as appeareth in Onuphrius in the liues of Iulius the third Paul the fourth and Pius the fourth and there money was to be had for ten or twelue in the hundred and sometime for lesse Vrbane the sixth as Theodoric à Niem lib. 1. de schism c. 22. testifieth sold chalices crosses and images the same man doth make strange reports of the practises of Boniface the ninth to get money omnia benesicia vendidit si non potuit habere pecunias accepit porcos sues c. lib. 2. de schism c. 10. he sayth he solde all benefices and when he could not haue money he tooke pigs cattell and such wares the merchants of Babylon now take money for masses sacraments and indulgences and extort both from quicke and dead the secular Priests charge the Iebusites to be most cunning fellowes in extorting of money in Spaine they haue a rime shewing that they haue turned all Gods commandements into practises of gaine es el primero ganar dinero that is the first commandement is to get money all Gods commandements they haue turned into these two Todo para mi nada para vos all for me nought for you The ninth commandement doth directly forbid false witnesse and whatsoeuer is vnder that conteined as lying detraction and all leud speeches tending to the hurt or disgrace of our neighbour but the Papists as if lying slandering and bearing false witnesse had beene commanded so forge and falsifie scriptures fathers councels histories and all good authours as their expurgatory tables counterfeit decretall epistles and false allegations of bastard authours and others do testifie and shall more at large be declared hereafter their late books also are full of execrable lies and slanders against M. Wickliffe M. Husse Hierome of Prage Luther Caluin Zuinglius Melancthon and all the professors of truth the Pope he hireth men to speake lies slanders and his complices delight to heare them Allen and Parsons in their resolutions of cases of conscience teach their disciples how to dissemble lie and forsweare themselues cunningly the canonists and other the Popes parasites call him a god on the earth the head and spouse of the church and beare him in hand that he cannot erre Finally where the last law saith thou shalt not couet the conuenticle of Trent teacheth that concupiscence is no sinne the Papists hold also that it is lesse sinne for Friers Masse-priests to lust and
contulit saith the author of that donation vt in toto orbe Romani pontifices velâ—saecendotes ita hunâ— caput habeant sicut iudices regem so it appeareth that the preeminence of Roman bishops ouer all Priests proceeded from the Emperours grant and not from any ordinance of Christ or diuine authority Likewise we read that the councels of Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon were called by the authority of Emperours and that their acts and decrees were ratified by them and not by the bishops of Rome more than other bishops as is pretended Further in the confessions of faith published by those councels and receiued by Theodosius Martianâ—â—s and other Christian Emperours there is not one article of popery so much as mentioned nay albeit the bishops of Rome oppugned the decree of the councell of Chalcedon concerning the priuiledge of the Church of Constantinople yet preuailed they not lastly the condemnation of Eutyches in the councell of Chalcedon doth ouerthrow the popish reall presence of Christs body in the sacrament and transubstantiation for if Christ haue a true body that is circumscriptible solide then is not Christs body really in euery consecrated host and if that according as after the vnion of the natures both remaine so the bread and wine remaine after consecration as the fathers of that councell pretend then awaie flieth the fancy of popish transubstantiation Recaredus King of Spaine assembled the third councell of Toledo chased Arianisme out of his dominions published a confession of the faith which all Christian bishops of that countrey receiued and gouerned and confirmed the councell publico regis edicto confirmatum est concilium the councell was confirmed by publicke proclamation of the king saith the compiler of the acts of that councell finallie in all the acts there is not one article of popery confirmed but the 21. canon that alloweth Psalmes to be sung at burials doth vtterly ouerthrow dirges and masses for the dead and the doctrine of purgatory for how can they chuse but sorrow for the dead that beleeue their friends soules to be in purgatorie the 22. canon forbiddeth dances and immodest songs on holy daies the 16. canon is directed against the worship of idols the 11. canon reproueth Priests that absolue publike sinners without due acts of repentance which is an abuse very common in the masse-priests finally in this synode the Spaniard followed the rules of the Church of Constantinople and not of Rome as appeareth by the second canon Iustinian the Emperour as is reported in the law inter claras Cod. de sum Trin. published a confession of faith which he commanded to be receiued throughout his dominions but therein is not any article of popery mentioned nay diuers of his lawes concerning the ordination of bishops the ordering of Churches and other ecclesiasticall matters declare that vnto his time the gouernment of the Church belonged to kings and princes and that yet the Pope had not vsurped his generall authoritie nor excluded temporall Princes he decreed that the sacraments should be administred contrarie to the Popish forme in an audible voice and in atongue that might be vnderstood Gregory the first acknowledged himselfe subiect to the Emperour and willing to execute his commandements which sheweth that the Emperour as yet held his authority and would not yeeld it to the bishop of Rome his faith also was the same which other Emperours professed for as yet Antichrist had not gained the primacy Gregory himselfe in his epistle to Serenus of Massilia praiseth him for that hee suffered not images to be adored and no man needeth to doubt but that Maurice the Emperour concurred with him in matters of faith Leo the fourth in the chapter de capitulis dist 11. professeth that he will see the Emperours orders by all meanes kept de capitulis vel praeceptis imperialibus vestris c. irrefragabiliter custodiendis saith he quantum valuimus valemus Christe propitio nunc in aeuum nos conseruaturos modis omnibus profitemur this therefore is an argument that the christian faith as yet was maintained by the authority of the Emperours that the bishops of Rome had then made no alteration by their decretales as not hauing as yet setled their supreme and tyrannicall authority in the Church in the time of this Leo neither was transubstantiation nor the necessity of auricular confession in the Priests eare for all sinnes nor communion vnder one kind heard of Beda in the Preface of his Ecclesiasticall historie praiseth king Ceolulphus for that he heard the wordes of holy Scriptures diligently but now among papists lay-men are not commended for hearing scriptures at that time neither were the 7. sacraments confirmed nor the Popes doctrine of Purgatorie and indulgences once deliuered Irene though a semipagan Empresse and a worshipper of images yet did not giue diuine worship to the crucifix or images of the Trinitie Charles the great in a synod at Francford condemned the idolatrous decrees of the 2. Nicene synode assembled vnder Irene Ansegisus lib. 2. c. 19. sheweth that he decreed that nothing should be read in the church beside canonicall scriptures the same author reporteth diuers lawes made by him and his sonne Ludouic contrarie to the practise of the moderne Romish church Kellison therefore should worke a woonder if he could prooue that either of these Emperours beleeued that the bishop of Rome was head of the church and had both the swordes and ruled both on earth and in Purgatorie neither shall he be able to shew that they beleeued that publike seruice and sacraments were to be celebrated in a tongue not vnderstood or that those were the Apostles successors that neither preached nor administred the Sacraments Before the conuenticle of Laterane Christian kings and princes knew now what transubstantiation ment neither did they receiue the doctrine of the communion vnder one kinde before the synode at Constance in the conuenticle of Florence vnder Eugenues the 4. the doctrine of the seuen Sacraments of Purgatorie of the Popes supremacie began to be in more reputution the rest of their heresies the Pope and his complices could not procure to be authorized before the conuenticle of Trent and yet the French refused to admit the actes of that conuenticle and the Emperor Charles the fift by his agents protested against them the Queene of England king of Denmarke Princes of Germany and manie other States resolutely reiected and contemned them So we see that the doctrine of the Romish church was nener receiued by many Christian princes especially this forme of doctrine that is prescribed by the conuenticle of Trent the Popes excommunications prouisions rapines violence and tyranny we finde to haue beene of most Christian kings resisted when the Popes of Rome began to lift vp their heels against the Easterne Emperors Leo Isauricus and others and to excommunicate them they neglected their censures and in the Easterne parts were obeied as before Henry the 4. emperour of Rome
church of late time by the Popish faction in England France Flanders Italy and else-where we reade that diuers haue beene betraied by their owne kinsfolks brethren and friends and finde that fulfilled which our Sauior Christ foretold vs Luc. 21. how Christians should be betraied of their parents brethren kinsmen and friends In Spayne they force parents to bring woode to burne their children and children to set fire to their parents Alphonsus Dias came poste from Rome and caused his owne brother to be murdred for that he had embraced true religion it is reported that in England Queene Marie if she had liued any longer would haue caused the bones of her owne father to haue beene digged vp and burned It is also a common practise of children in places where Popery reigneth to abandon their parents and to professe monkerie Airault of Angiers in France a man of good note lost his onely sonne by the entisement of the Iebusites perswaded to enter into their superstitious order neither could the father euer after heare what was become of him and so haue many parents beene depriued of their sonnes and daughters vnder colour of religion oftentimes drawen away to serue the Masse-priests abominable lustes this among Papists is counted religion but the example sauoureth rather of Turkish then Christian religion for as the children of Christians are taken from their parents and friends and made Ianizars and so emploied in the warres against Christians so these nouices are by fraud and wilie deuises stollen from their Christian parents and friends and afterward emploied in the defence of antichristian doctrine against truth and the professors thereof Finally they that professe Popery zealously doe forget oftentimes all lawes of common ciuility lately the pouder-men Papists had thought to cut all their countrimens throtes the Masle-priests esteeme lay-men no otherwise then dogges and hogges commonly when they appeare before magistrates that are not of their owne religion they giue them no reuerence Alexander the third trode vpon the Emperor Fredericke Barbarossaes necke Adrian the 4. suffered him to hold his stirrop other Popes haue vsed Kings and Princes as their stassiers and for their hands they giue Christians their feete to kisse Neither is this a fault of the practise but also of the doctrine of Popery for these facts they commonly defend and forbid al speech communication dealing with excommunicate persons os orare vale communio mensa negatur saith Nauarrus in enchirid c. 27. these words spoken of Leui Deuter. 33. which said to his father and mother I know you not are applied to all that enter into any order of monkish religion as we may perceiue by the doctrine of Bellarmine lib. de monach c. 36. Whosoeuer therefore looketh for filiall obedience at the hands of his children had neede â—o looke that they be not nouzled in Popery whoso expecteth for kind and frindly vsage must not consort himselfe with Papists who towards Christians vse neither respect of kinred nor of friendship vpon euery warrant of the Pope take themselues absolued from their obedience to their superiors whether they rule in church or common welth and by all meanes suppose themselues bound to cut Christian mens throts CHAP. XXXVI That Popish religion either disannulleth or greatly preiudiceth the authoritie of Kings and Princes CHristian religion doth giue an eminent authority and prerogatiue to Kings S. Peter 1. epist 2. exosteth all Christians to subinit themselues vnto them and S. Paul Rom. 13. teacheth euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers Tertullian in his treatise ad Scapulam sheweth that the Emperor was next vnder God supreme gouernor colimus imperatorem saith he sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit vt hominem a deo secundum we honour the Emperour c. as a man that hath the next place to God can we then with any reason suppose Popery to sauour of Christian religion that either maketh the Emperour and other Kings subiect to the Pope or else taketh awaie a great part of his authoritie That the Papists hold all temporall Princes to bee inferiour and subiect to the Pope it cannot be denied Innocentius the third in c. solitae de maior obed disputing this matter compareth the Pope to the Sunne and the Emperour to the Moone as if the Emperour were as many degrees inferior to the Pope as the Moone is to the Sunne quanta est inter solem lunam tanta inter pontifices reges differentia cognoscitur Clement the sift in the chapter Romani principes de iureiurando declareth that the Emperors of Rome haue submitted their heads to the bishop of Rome sua submittere capita non reputarunt indignum againe he sheweth how they ought to take an oath of fealtie and obedience to the Pope The author of the Glosse in c. Romani clem de iureiurando assigneth all this subiection of Princes to Christ his institution Iesus voluit saith he In the chapter Pastoralis clem de sent reiudicat the Pope determineth that by right of the Papacie he hath superioritie ouer the Empire and that in the vacancie of the empire himselfe hath the right of the Emperour Bonisace the 8. writing to the French king gaue him to vnderstand that he was the Popes subiect both in spirituall and temporall matters scire to volumus saith he quod in spiritualibus temporalibus nobis subes in the chapter vnam sanctam extr de maior obed hee determineth that the Pope hath both the swords and that he hath power both to make kings and to depose them spiritualis potestas potestatem terrenam instituere habet iudicare si bona non fuerit that is the spirituall power hath right to ordeine the earthly power and to iudge the same if it be not good Iosephus Vestanus lib. de osculat pedum Pontisicis p. 137. among the dictates of Gregory the 7. setteth downe this for one that it is lawfull for the Pope to depose the Emperour Pius the fist in his blundring bull against Queene Elizabeth our late dread soueraigne blusheth not to affirme that the Pope alone is made a Prince and set ouer all nations and kingdomes to pull vp to destroy to dissipate and spaile to plant and to build hunc vnum saith he super omnes gentes ommae regna principeÌ„ constituit qui cuellat destruat dissipet disperdat plantet aedisicet This also is the doctrine of modern Iebusites and their complices Bellarm. lib. 5. de Pontis Rom. c. 6. speaking of the Pope teacheth that he hath power to change kingdomes and to take from one and to giue to another if it be necessary for saning soules and this he offreth to prooue Potest mutare regna saith he vni auferre atque altericonserre si id necessarium sit ad animarum salutem vt probabimus The Iebusites of France in a discourse intitled la veritè defendue blush not to defend the Popes vsurped power in
Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. doth testifie Alexander the third sent the soldan Fridericke Barbarossaes portrayt then seruing against the Saracens persuading him to kill him if he would settle his affaires Gregory the 9. inuaded the emperors dominions in Italy and drew Fridericke the 2. out of Asia to defend his owne possessions at home when he was almost in possession of the victory abroade Lastly it is publikely knowne that they haue set French and Spanish together about the quarrell of the kingdome of Naples Innocent the thrid by his excommunication of king Iohn set both his subiects and the French against him and was the cause of the losse of Normandy to the English Iulian the Cardinall set the Germans against the Bohemians Paul the third was the principall motiue of the warres of Charles the sift against the Germans and to shut vp this discourse in few words not only Nicholas Machiauel in his Florentine history affirmeth but also all histories testifie that the Popes of Rome haue beene the principall causes of all the warres and stirres of Europe that haue beene for this 4. or 5. hundred yeres last past they are the causes of the massacres of France of the troubles of the low-countries of the late rebellions in England Scotland and Ireland of the contentions betwixt French and Spanish in Italy of the persecutions in Germany and Spaine and other countries Fourthly the Popes of Rome by deuising and confirming many orders of Monkes and friers by admitting such swarmes of idle lozels into orders and mainteining them by chanting of Masses for soules forcing them to forsweare mariage haue not only caused many vnnatural murders but also hindred the propagation and increase of men they haue also withdrawne men from defence of the common-wealth and placed them in dennes of licentious idlenesse and laid the charge of the common defence vpon few Fiftly exempting both the goods and the persons of religious men and clerkes from common charges of the common-wealth they haue weakened the states of princes and laid all the burthen vpon the weakest part Finally by their idolatries they haue displeased God and by their periuries haue made good the leud cause of the Turkes Therefore we are not to maruell if the Christians haue not prospered in their expeditions into the holy land for what successe could Christians looke for considering the notorious abuses cōmitted in the army by worshipping idoles blaspheming Gods holy name violating Christs institution of the Eucharist by celebration of prophane masses Could Ladislaus king of Poland and his army preuaile against the Turkes hauing begun the warre contrary to articles of peace solemnely sworne but let vs mainteine the religion of Christ and not of antichrist and let vs abolish the idolatrous worship of images and the inuocation of saints and let vs abandon the damned Masse and serue God as he hath appointed and finally let vs not violate our promises and oathes nor abuse gods holy name and then no doubt but we shall prosper in all our enterprises against the Turke or other enemies of the Church for hitherto not the Turks forces but the multitude of the sinnes idolatries blasphemies and other abuses of Christians haue made them flie before their enemies and ouerthrowne their armies CHAP. L. That the moderne church of Rome is much degenerated from the faith and manners of the ancient Romans THe Church of Rome when Paul wrote vnto it excelled in all pietie and vertue and was famous throughout the world but as al things else so both faith and vertue through tract of time fainted and in the end began to faile in that citie of late time we finde that neither that zeale in matters of religion nor that integritie and honesty of maners which was in the ancient Romanes doth continue in their posterity Adrian the 6. in his instructions giuen to his legate that was sent into Germany confesseth freely that many and grieuous offences for many yeeres haue beene committed at Rome and from the toppe of the Popes crowne passed downe to the inferior gouernors of the church and that no man did his dutie but that all went astray and none was voide of faults Plurimis nunc annis saith he grauiter multisque modis peccatum est Romae inde à Pontificio culmine malum hoc atque lues ad inferiores omnes ecclesiarum prafectos defluxit neminem enim esse qui suum faciat munus aberrasse omnes ne vnum quidem ex omni numero vacare culpa Duarenus in praefat in lib. de eccles minist benefic confesfeth that the manners of such as were called church-men were decaied and that the later constitutions of Popes were woorse then the first illud saith he fateri velinuiti cogimur mores hominum ecclesiae titulo insignitorum ita paulatim degenerasse vt posteriores constitutiones Pontificumfere anterioribus cedant Guicciardine lib. hist 2. sheweth how the authority of Christian religion grew euery day lesse and lesse by reason that in the affaires of the church men were altogether departed from ancient customes Le cose della chiesa saith he allontanatesi totalmente dalli antichi costumi faceuano ogni di minore l'authoritâ della Christiana religione Machiauel in his Florentine history directed to Clement the 7. confesseth that by reason of the mutation that had hapned in Christian religion great scandales and discords had growne in the world Many of the chiefe rulers of the church saith Picus Mirandula in orat ad Leon. x. after whose example others ought to conforme themselues haue either little or no religion no order in their liuing no shame nor modesty apud plerosque religionis nostra primores ad quorum exemplum componi formari plebs ignara debuisset aut nullus aut certè exiguus deicultus nulla bene viuendi ratio atque institutio nullus pudor nulla modestia Platina in Gregor 4. wisheth that Lewes Pius in his time had beene aliue so much did the church stand in neede of his lawes Res pietatemiampridem perdidimus saith Auentinus lib. 3. annal Boiorum virtuti nullus est honos inuicem inuidere fraudare fallere longinqua consuetudo est that is we haue long since lost our substance and pietie there is no honor giuen to vertue we haue vsed to enuy one another and to practise fraud and deceit a long time together Primitiui Theologi saith Petrus de Aliaco lib. de reformat eccles ecclesiam aedificauerunt quam nunc quidam Baritatores destruxerunt the Diuines of the Primitiue Church built the church but now certaine later barators haue destroied it And that this is true it may be prooued by diuers particulars in time past the bishops of Rome suffered for true religion now they cut the throats of all such as professe truth The ancient bishops of Rome fed Christs flocke and were subiect to Christian Emperours now the Popes kill Christs lambes and set their feete vpon the neckes of emperors In the