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
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
that of the ruyne of the Romane Empire the Pope who is Antichrist by little and little hath erected his kingdome All this to one man cannot be applyed but to an estate and condition of men Antichrist is a Greeke word as much to say as contrary to Christ See wee then some thinges wherein the Pope doth oppose himselfe to Christ The people sought to make Christ a king but Christ would not For his kingdome he saiâ—h is not of this world The Pope without demaunding or seeking it of the people hath made himselfe vniuersall king ouer all the kings of this world and so at his fantasie doth place and displace them The second opposition Christ being God humbled himselfe and to saue vs became man reconcyling vs with the father The Pope being a man maketh himselfe God saying that in hell he hath authoritie and power casting into it whom soeuer he will and also drawing out from thence If he please as did Pope S. Gregorie say they drawe the soule of the Emperour Traian who was an Infidel persecutor of the Church Authoritie hee hath in purgatorie drawing soules from thence as say they hee doth dayly Hee hath authoritie in earth binding and loosing whomsoeuer hee will He hath authoritie also in heauen placing therein whom hee will commaunding the Angels to carrie the Soule of whomsoeuer he shall please without passing the paynes of purgatorie as by the bull which Pope Clement the sâ—xt graunted to such as comming to Rome to obteyne the Iubile should die by the way doth appeare All this saith the Pope that hee can doe And so also saith his Parasites Yet all is but lies to condemne and carry vs with him to the house of his Father the diuell The third opposition Christ doth commaund vs to search the scripture and giueth a reason for by them shall we know him The Pope vnder most greiuous payne commaundeth vs not to reade them nor looke vppon them least that wee knowing Christ by reading of the Scriptures may also know him to bee Antichrist And to busie vs with some thing hee commaundâ— vs to reade lying Legends he commaunds vs to pray the Rosarie which Alanus with so great falsehood and impietie as we haue said in the life of Sistus 4. renewed So many Paternosters and so many Aue Maries before a câ—â—â—â—fixe before the Image of the virgin Mary or of this or that other he or she Saints he commaunds vs to pray To a certaine great Lady called Isabell graunted Pope Leo pardon of all her sinnes if kneeling in her owne lodging before the Image of any he or she Saint she should say fiue Paternosters and fiue Aue Maries Behold what agreement is there betweene the Aue Marta and the Crucifixe or the Paternoster and the virgin Mary What maner of prayer is this when he that prayeth neither knoweth nor vnderstandeth what he prayeth Oh blindnesse Oh ignorance The fourth opposiâ—ion Christ calleth vnto him all those that trauell and be afflicted in conscience that he may refresh them The Pope commands vs to goe to the virgin Marie and to hee and she Saints What other thing is this but to leaue the fountaine of liuing water as saith Ieremias and to dig pooles that can hold no water Between Christ and the Pope are there many other opposicions yet will we set downe but the last of all that Christ with great triumph is ascended into heauen and there sitteth at the right hand of his father And shamefully the Pope descendeth into hell and to the depth of hell falleth in the company of Iudas whose successor hee is and there by his owne Father the diuell shal be euerlastingly tormented Yee see here that the Pope is an aduersarie and opposeth and lifteth vp himselfe against all that is God or that is worshipped and sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe to bee God By that which the Apostle saith that Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God hee giueth to vnderstand that Antichrist shall neither bee Turke Moore Iewe nor Pagan but a Christian and that professeth Christian religion The Pope sitteth in Rome a City very ancient in Christian Religion where were so many good Bishops for almost the space of 300 yeares which sealed with their bloud the Doctrine which preached and nowe also in Rome notwithstanding the tyranny of Antichrist hath God his Church as hee had in Sodome where was Lot and his familie That which Saint Paule saith that the comming of Antichrist shal be with great power signes and lying woonders is to be noted and all this shall hee doe by the working of Sathan Here also it appeareth that the diuell worketh his miracles Which confirmeth the Spanish prouerbe Sease milagro y hagalo eldiablo Be it a Miracle and the diuell doth it but all to decâ—iue The mightie power of the Pope who is ignorant of That which Christ of himselfe saith dareth the Pope to say of himselfe Data est mihi omnis potestas all power is giuen vnto mee O blasphemy intollerable As touching his signes and lying wonders the world is full The very papists themselues that haue any vnderstanding are ashamed of them But the simple the Idiots the vulgar sort beleeue and holde them for true miracles and for them rather will die then for the Doctrine of the Prophetes or Apostles or Christ Iesus himselfe whereof they are wholly ignorant Oh ignorant blindnesse and blinde ignorance How many Images haue spoken How many haue sweate and that droppes of bloud The ignorant people beleeueth that the beard haires and nayles of the crucifixe of Burgos doe grow How many miracles say they doe the Images of our Lady of Guadalupe and that of Monsarrate How many Captiâ—es deliuer they How many dead doe they rayse againe How many blind giue they sight vnto c. Either this which they say is vntruth and not therefore to bee beleeued or else verily doe they these miracles if they doe them by the operation of Sathan that the vnbeleeuers â—hich wil not beleeue the truth may beleeue lies as in this selfe same chapter Saint Paule doth aduise vs not to beleeue such miracles as are â—or founded vpon the word of God In the Treatise of the Masse more shal be said concerning miracles Not to make an Image nor any likenesse c. Not to worship or do them reuerence doth God commaund vs. To make Images to worship and doe reuerence vnto them doth the Pope commaund vs that purgatory should be better beleeued O how many mâ—râ—cles howe many dreames visions apparitions haue there bene only one I will recite which is read in the Enchiridion of times composed by Friar Alonso Venero Thus then saith hee fol. 118. In the yeare of our Lord 1164. a certaine holy Hermit before deceased appeared in visioÌ„ to the bishop of LigoniuÌ„ said vnto him there dyed in all parts
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
albeit God of his absolute power can drowne the whole world againe yet will hee not drowne it So then say we now that Christ could doe that which they say annihilate the substance of the bread and be transubstantiated into it But we say that he will not do it because he will remaine sitting at the right hand of his father in heauen and according to his humanitie according to his flesh which he tooke of the Virgin Mary according to the flesh wherein he dyed wiil he neuer descend hither vntill he come to iudge the quick and the dead And so to this end sayd he to his disciples The poore ye shall haue alwayes with you but me shall ye not haue alwayes For fortie dayes passed after his resurrection hee ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of the Father c. Very well did his Apostle S. Peter vnderstand this when in a sermon which he preached at Ierusalem hee sayd Whom meaning Christ the heauens must containe vntill the time that all things bee restored And this is an Article of our faith which in the Creed we confesse That Iesus Christ is ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father from whence shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Then will he not come to transubstantiate the bread into his body So our aduersaries be heretikes denying in deed this article of faith which with their mouth they confesse in the Creed Hereuppon let vs nowe conclude that Christ can but hee will not transubstantiate himselfe into the bread but will sit at the right hand of the Father vntill he come to iudge c. As the holy Scripture doth witnesse it and in the Creed wee confesse it The second reason wherewith they confirme their Transubstantiation is That Iesus Christ is infallible truth and therefore of necessitie that which hee sayth must bee as hee saith it He saith This is my body Then it followeth that that is his bodie and if it be the body of Christ it is not Bread With Esayas chap. 53. verse 9. and Saint Peter chap. 2. vers 22. confesse we that Iesus Christ neuer sinned we also confesse that vntruth nor deceit was euer found in his mouth For he is that which of himselfe he saith Ioh. chap. 14. verse 6. The way the trueth and the life Wee also confesse that with his owne mouth he hath sayd This is my body and so beleeue we that it is For should wee denie that which our King Prophet and Priest affirmeth we should not be Christians Thus farre agree we with our aduersaries The difference that is betweene them and vs is as touching the maner How or in what manner that which Iesus Christ by the meane of his minister in the holy Supper doth giue vs is truely and really the body and bloud of Iesus Christ For the better vnderstanding hereof it shall bee needfull to vse the distinction which the Lord vseth in the sixth chapter of the Gospell of Saint Iohn That there bee two maners of eating the bodie of Christ the one carnall the other spirituall Commonly when the Scripture opposeth the flesh to the Spirit by the flesh it vnderstandeth the parte of man that is not regenerate nor subiect to the lawe of God So call wee men without the knowledge of God carnall naturall and sensuall men But it is not heere so to bee taken By the flesh is vnderstood the same flesh of Christ it selfe ioyntly with his blood bones and sinewes and which Iesus Christ took when he was borne and liued in this world when he dyed and rose againe c. The second maner of eating which is called spirituall is when the faithfull Christian his bodie being here below is lifted vp so high in spirit that with the wings of faith it flyeth and with one flight doth pierce all the heauens and stayeth not vntill it come before the throne of the maiestie of God the father at whose right hand he findeth sitting his redeemer and satisfier Christ And finding him with great ioy doth feede vpon him eateth his glorious bodie and drinketh his most precious bloud And if the faithfull Christian doth freely eate him much more freely doth the Lord giue himselfe to sustaine the soules which he with the death of his body with the shedding of his bloud redeemed He that with his body and bloud did redeeme them with his body and with his bloud wil he maintain them yet not carnally but spiritually by faith as before we haue sayd Our aduersaries beleeue the body of Christ in the first manner to be in their Masse They beleeue that the mouth taketh the teeth chawe the throate swalloweth and the stomacke receiueth the same carnall bodie which was borne which dyed which rose againe c. They wil vnderstand the words of Christ literally be it as it will be but Christ himselfe speaking of the necessity that wee haue to eate his flesh and drinke his bloud saith The words which I speake vnto you are spirit and life to wit that which I haue sayd vnto you touching the eating of my flesh and drinking of my bloud vnderstand you not after the letters as they carnally sound lift vp the mind and vnderstand it spiritually The Capernaits and many of the disciples also as saith S. Iohn carnally vnderstood the words of Christ And also they sayd that it was a hard saying and murmured at it To whom Christ vnfolding their errour told them they should vnderstand his words spiritually You see here that our aduersaries are worse then the Capernaits for the Capernaits would not carnally eate the flesh of Christ nor drinke his bloud but they make no bones at it without any scruple and without any loathing will they eate the flesh of Christ carnally but it will nought auaile them For the Spirit it is that quickeneth and the flesh as Christ himselfe saith speaking to our purpose profitteth nothing c. That the Lord in his supper gaue carnally his body may wee not vnderstand For should wee so vnderstand it A most great absurditie world followe that Iesus Christ when hee celebrated his supper had two carnall bodies One by one The Bodie that celebrated the supper that brake the bread in his handes blessed it brake it and gaue it to his disciples c. was the true carnall body of Christ which was borne and dyed c. If that which this carnall bodie tooke in his handes and gaue to his disciples was also the carnall body of Christ it followeth that Iesus Christ when he had celebrated his supper had two carnall bodies one which sate and remained in his place and the other which sitting body gaue to his disciples The which is a great absurditie But did they vnderstand this second manner of body which the Carnall body of Christ gaue to his disciples and they tooke it and did eat it not to bee his
the first in an Epistle to the Clergy and people of Constantinople affirmeth this distribution to be mysticall to be spirituall meate and that therein wee receiue a celestiall power to passe or bee conuerted into the flesh of Christ who for vs tooke vpon him our flesh Ciril lib. 4. cap. 14. vpon Saint Iohn saith So to the faithfull disciples gaue he peeces of bread saying Take c. Also in an Epistle to Calosyrius he sayth It was meete that by meanes of his holy flesh and precious bloud he shoud in a certaine maner vnite or couple himselfe with our bodies which by the liuely blessing in the bread and wine we receiue Hesychius lib. 20. vpon Leuit cap. 8. saith By this he commandeth to eat the flesh with the bread that we might vnderstand hee called it a mysterie which is bread and flesh ioyntly togither Gelasius doth witnesse against Eutiches that in the Eucharist the substance and nature of the bread and wine in no wise ceaseth to hold their being And that moreouer which before we haue said Gregorie the first in his Register saith When we receiue as wel the bread without leauen as the leauened wee are made the body of the Lord our Sauiour Bertram in the booke which hee made of the bodie and bloud of the Lord speaking of the nature of the Symbols sayth that according to the substance of creatures the symbols which be the bread and wine bee the same after consecration that before they were But why alleage I one place of Bertrams booke sith the whole booke doth purposely handle this argument and concludeth the same that we now affirme with the holy Scripture and many sayings of the Fathers Ambrose Ierome Augustine Fulgentius c. confirmeth Bertram his doctrine and confirming his doctrine which is the same with ours it weakeneth and ouerthroweth that of our aduersaries which sayth the bread and wine in the sacrament to bee the very same body and bloud of Christ in flesh bones and sinewes which was borne dyed and rose againe c. But the bodie of Christ saith Bertram is in two maners one in flesh and in bones c. which was borne and dyed c. and the other spirituall which is that which is giuen in the sacrament and also he saith that the spirituall body of Christ and his spirituall bloud vnder the couerture of the corporall bread and of the corporal wine remaine At the request of Charles the Great wrote Bertram this booke as he himself in the end of his book speaking of Charles the great to whom he dedicated the same saith The occasion he had so to didicate it was for that As Bertram saith in the beginning of the booke Charles the Great had demanded of him whether the body and blood of Christ which in the Church is receiued with the mouth of the faithful be in mistery or really in truth receiued So that it is now aboue 760. yeeres past sithens this booke was written Iohannes Trithemius giueth this Testimony of Bertram Bertram was saith Trithemius much conuersant in the holy scripture very learned in humane science eloquent he was and no lesse excellent in life then in Doctrine S. Bernard is the sermon of the supper of the Lord by the similitude which he putteth of a ring sheweth that he is wholy for vs. Now to close vp this band of the fathers which against transubstantiation of diuerse times diuerse regions we haue alleaged we will set downe one most learned godly This is Theodoret bishop of Cyr that wrote the ecclesiastical historie He flourished about the yeare of our Lord 451. For he was present in that famous Councell of Chalecdon in the company of 630. bishops which condemned Diâ—scorus These bishops with great curtesie honorable titles did honor Theodoret being present in the Councel calling him catholique true pastor Doctor of the Church The same witnesseth Leo 1. Bishop of Rome in an epistle which he wrote to the foresaid Theodoret. And it is to be beleeued that had not Theodoret rightly thought of so high a mystery As is the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ that a Councel and one of the most famous that hath bin wherin were 630. bishops wold not haue called Theodoret catholike true pastor of the church c. In the 2. Councel of Ephesus was this Theodoret vniustly depriued from his bishopirck because he would not take parte with the heretike Eutiches But in the Councell of Chalcedon with great honor praise was his bishopricke restored If that which Theodoret then thought taught touching the Doctrine of the sacrament were catholike the same also shall it now be for the same which then was truth is now truth Very truely spake this Theodoret against transubstantiation in a booke God would should be printed in Rome for the greater confusion of the Romists which cannot deny that Theodoret is wholly for vs. But they excuse him with saying that this question of transubstantiation the Church had not yet determined Thus may the Pope for he is all in all cause that the Doctrine which in old time was catholike true be now hereticall wicked and that which then was hereticall and wicked be now catholike and good But if an Angel from heauen saith S. Paul shall preach another Gospel other Doctrine then that which he had taught such a one should be cursed Theodoret in his Dialogues bringeth in 2 persons which dispute of good things of thinges touching Christian religion The one called Orthodoxo and the other Eranistes Then saith Orthodoxo dost thou know that God hath called the bread his proper bodie Eran. I knowe it Ortho. knowest thou also that in an other place his flesh he calleth wheate Eran. This doe I also knowe c. And a little lower Ortho. In the same distribution of the misteries The bread he calleth bodie the cuppe mingled blood Erannist So doth he suerly call them Ortho. But also hath power to be called a bodie according to it nature his bodie surely and his blood Erannist It is clere Ortho. But the same our sauiour chaungeth the names and giueth vnto his bodie the name of symboll and contrariwise to the Simboll giueth hee the name of bodie After the same manner also when he had said of himselfe that he was a vine the same blood called he a Symboll Eranist This hast thou well spoken But I would learne also the cause why the names are chaunged Ortho. This is the marke whereat those ayme which professe religion For I would not that they which be partakers of the diuine misteries should settle their minds vpon the nature of those things which are seene but that by the change of the names they may beleeue that transmutation which is wrought by grace For hee which called his natureall body wheate and bread and called also himselfe a vine he himself honoreth the
him he saw him free and safe without hurt of the fire These foure so straunge wonders besides others which we passe ouer shall you finde in his sermon of the dead You see heere the Textes of holie Scripture wherewith hee confirmeth his Purgatorie Also to proue the resurrection he citeth the place of Genesis the ninth chapter and the fourth verse where God commaunded Noah The flesh with the bloud shalt thou not eate Also another straunge thing in the chapter of Virginitie he saith that had not Adam sinned men for generation should not carnally haue coupled with their wiues And because hee saw the Text of Scripture to bee against him God might sayth hee by other meanes multiply men without the coniunction of man and woman Also seeing that Saint Basil calleth the bread and the wine of the Sacrament examples of the bodie and bloud of Christ which was opposite to him This saying of S. Basil said he ought to bee vnderstood of the bread and of the wine before sanctification which is not so for the bread and wine before consecration as already wee haue proued by the Fathers are common bread and wine as the rest and be no symbols nor figures of the body and bloud of Christ vntill and not before these words Take and eate this is my body bee sayd Sith such a one then is Damascen leaue we him and let vs followe that which the hole Scripture doth teach vs that which the Fathers whom against Transubstantiation we haue alleaged doe tell vs and that also which experience it selfe of that which we see touch and tast in the sacrament doth shew vs. To Theophilact Anselme Hugo Richardo c. whom they cite against vs and liued in the time that the holy Supper of the Lord was now falling the Popes then tyrannizing the consciences of men who neuer stayed vntill the holy supper destroyed they had made of some reliques patches and remnants of their Masse such as now it is full of abuses superstitions and idolatries do we answer the same He of these late writers which least erred in this matter of Transubstantiation is Scotus who saith as before we haue said that neither by Scripture nor reason it can be proued but would yet be deceiued because the Church so commaundeth How could his Church which is the Pope and his Cardinals make new articles of faith besides those which Iesus Christ our king our Prophet and priest ordained and taught us which be contained in the Creed of the Apostles Let vs now answer to the Councels which our aduersaries alleage against vs. As touching that which they obiect against vs of the Councell of Ephesus wherein Cirillus gouerned and Theodoret who is so appaparantly against Transubstantiation was present therein they doe vs great wrong For the same do wee confesse that the Councell confesseth We say that receiuing this Sacrament we receiue not common flesh but flesh sanctifying which by an inseparable vnion is conioyned with the diuine word But how do we receiue it Spiritually by faith not carnally as say our aduersaries that they receiue eat and digest it For vntil it be digested they affirm it to be the flesh of Christ They obiect the councel of Vercell in the time of Leo the ninth where Berengarius was condemned They obiect the Councel of Lateran in the tyme of Nicholas 2. which caused Berengarius to recant The Lateran Councel also in the time of Innocent 3. Also the Councell of Constance Anno. 1516. The Trident also of our time in the time whereof so many Popes as Paule 3. Iulius 3. Marcellus 2. Paulus 4. Pius 4. and none of these for the causes that speaking of the Popes wee haue shewed were present in it poped But examine wee the recantation which Pope Nicholas the second that poped about the yeare 1060. commaunded Berengarius to make in the Councell of Lateran as it is written in the Decrees de consecrat dist 2. cap. Ego Berengarius Wherein hee was constrained to confesse that the body of Christ is handled or sensnally felt with the hands of Priests that it is broken that it is chewed with the teeth I demand of them how can the body of Christ which now is glorified and therefore impossible and no way subiect to these humane miseries suffer these things Which the Pope and his Councell do say The Glosser of the Decrees himselfe although not verie wise could not but see so great an absurditie as this and therefore sayd that this verie warily and aduisedly ought to be vnderstood for if thou doest not so saith he thou shalt fall into an error farre greater then that of Berengrius The Glossor then vnderstood it much better then Pope Nicholas or his Councell whose holy spirit the Pope was that the body of Christ in the Sacrament could no wayes bee touched with the handes nor broken nor chawed with the teeth For this cause the Maister of Sentences in the fourth willing to amend or conceale this so notable a fault saith That this which was commāded Berengarius to say ought not to be vnderstood of the body of Christ but of the Symbols which say they be the accidents And so in that manner of speaking admitteth a trope or figure according whereunto is attributed to the thing that which is of the symbols But should we vse this figure they would eat out our eyes Now shalt thou vnderstand the account which is to be made of such a Councel and of the other Councels that followed this in which the Pope or his Legates haue gouerned and nothing aught worthy was in them determined albeit the Fathers had broken their heads about it if the Pope approued it not So that the Pope only is hee which maketh and vnmaketh decrees and articles of faith and not the Councel Whē a Councell is celebrated the which from many to many yeares is done as though there were no euill life of the Prelates to be amended nor abuses superstitions heresies nor idolatries in the Church to bee corrected the Legates of the Pope which commonly are three for such is his cause that hee trusteth not one with it haue great regard to write to the Pope this or that is determined in the Councel how liketh it your Holinesse Then doth the Pope either approue it or blotting it out disalow it If he blot it out there is then no more treaty of that matter how true soeuer it be how profitable soeuer for the Church That which he approueth he writeth to his Legats This letter which the Pope sendeth is the holy spirit which now gouerneth the Councels This holy Spirit descendeth not from heauē but commeth inclosed in a budget or wallet Thus is the Councell not free but a seruant and of whom of the Pope Who as before by many most sufficient reasons we haue proued to be Antichrist So necessarie an article to saluation is
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