time without miracles abolishing by the onely breath of his mouth and by the off-scouring of the world that horrible moÌ„ster who so loÌ„g time hath caused himselfe to be worshipped in the worlde When the Lawe was published by Moses we reade that then he wrought miracles When there was a matter of iudgement also betwixt God and Baal God wrought miracles by Elias But when Iosias the king Helkias the Priest brought foorth the booke of the Lawe which had bene buried eyther by the negligence or malice of the teachers and that they threw out the idoles which men had brought into the Temple of God when Esdras the Scribe and Priest restored the seruice of God after the captiuitie of Babylon we reade not that they wrought any miracles the reason thereof is very cleare Moses had published a newe Lawe to the people And Elias had to do with a people that openly had renounced the lawe Contrarywise Iosias Helkias Esdras onely kept the lawe and according to that reformed the Church and had to do with a people that beleeued and would yeeld vnto it yea with a people who were taught by the lawe to beleeue the lawe against all miracles In like maner when Christ brought the Gospell he wrought miracles but we finde not when any pastor of the Church hath required the reformation of some abuses of the Councilles which entred thereinto that hee was requested to worke miracles Of Saynt Bernarde who cryed so lowde agaynst the corruption of his time and who sighed so sore after the reformation of the Churche they asked none Nowe the reformation we aske is of many things according to that corruption which so long agoe is entred into al things To be short this should be a great miracle vnto vs that an Angel should bring vs from heauen a newe Gospell and yet notwithstanding the Gospel forbiddeth vs vpon paine of damnation to beleeue it we are not those then that must worke miracles For we preache nothing but saluation in one onely Iesus Christ confirmed by the miracles of Christe and of his Apostles But it belongeth to Antichrist to do them who preacheth saluation by mans works by monkes merites and by his owne indulgences and pardons who hath brought vs in a newe Christ and a newe Gospel which the deuil hath confirmed and sealed to the worlde by straunge signes wonders lying miracles whereof all oratories Chappels not long sithens boasted vaunted which when Christe was borne vanished altogether to nothing as he made the oracles of the deuil to do when he was borne into the world And I aske theÌ„ nowe of their conscience if we came with miracles whether our aduersaries would beleeue our Doctrine which nowe so boldely they condemne to the fyre If they saye No why then they abuse the people when they aske vs for them as though without miracles our Doctrine ought not to be receyued and as though they were by and by ready if we had these quietly to allowe it If they saye they would we ought not then to marueil if agaynst Christe they haue receyued Antichrist seeing the deuill hath authorized him by his miracles forasmuch as all Christians were forewarned by the spirite of God that he should woorke strange and monstruous thinges whereupon notwithstanding they ought not to staye and contrarywise that Christ must destroye him by the spirite of his mouth that is to saye by the onely preaching of his worde to which his spirite giueth effect and power Nowe if they wil yet stiffely holde an opinion of miracles one poore Fryer with the onely sounde of the woorde of God hath in one moment shaken al the foundations of this Babylonical Empire which seemed to be so well fensed against all the iniuries of the time And in what time euen theÌ„ when the Pope as a god had al the earth at his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t at that time when he was adored worshipped of kings serued of Emperours when he tooke away gaue Empires at his pleasure when to inquire of his doings was as they say to touch the holy mountaine to open mouth against heaueÌ„ Euen hee at whose voyce otherwise our most mightiest Kings haue treÌ„bled in their thrones at the voyce of a man in respect of men contemptible hath trembled in his throne and can not vntill this daye be quieted With the ayde of a fewe of his companions and of the same estate he hath withdrawen the greatest parte of Christendome from vnder his power he hath deliuered froÌ„ this deuill that possessed them not only meÌ„ or cities but euen whole kingdomes he hath by the word of God opened the eyes of a thousand millions of persons that were blinde euen from their birth And although the only word of God preached by his seruaunts hath done these great marueiles you yet denie that God worketh miracles Yea rather this is the miracle of miracles that this great miracle is wrought without miracles We haue seene in our time many Bethulias many Senacheribs many Herodes and many Dioclesians We haue seene Gyants dashed against the stones we make no reconing of these things because we haue seene theÌ„ but those that come after vs shal wonder at them And who would haue said I pray you that after the 24. day of August in the yere 1572. that euer there shoulde againe any mention be made of vs in Fraunce We were as dead buried they had rolled such a great stone vpon vs to keepe vs downe on euery side they were in armes about our graues God contrariwise from all these same lets restored vs life to praise him and to make all the earth ashamed in their slie purposes he woulde that euen the aduersaries of our religion them selues should remoue the stone and reaching out their hands vnto vs should drawe vs out of the graue againe Nowe if as the Pharises they will yet aske vs for a signe from heauen then during the time that these horrible murthers continued thorowe out Fraunce there began to appeare in the firmament this newe starre whereof sithens the creation of the world the like hath not bene seene but at the birth of our Lorde Iesus Christ All the worlde sawe it three yeres together Al Astrologers wondred at it and are yet amazed to thinke of it The wise meÌ„ of the world which beleeue al things to be eternall beganne from thenceforth to worshippe one Creator And what shall we thinke that it signifieth vnto vs but that seconde birth of Iesus Christ in the earth by the preaching of his word But you wil say We haue seene yet nothing And contrariwise yoâ—r affayres in stead to be aduaunced go backward Well The starre which was followed of the wise men was thirtie yeeres before it shewed his effect and when that effect was accomplished it was by the fleshe of one man of whom meÌ„ made no accompt and by the shame of a crosse that seemed to haue enclosed the whole
Princes and people haue bene such noddies so ignorant that they haue suffered them selues to be troden vnder their feete And this were to doe the auncient doctors great wrong to apply thē to the refuting of this place whereupon some by the two swords vnderstand the olde and newe Testament others sounde doctrine and good example of life as also their owne glose doth But I report me to euery man if this be not opēly to deride Christ his word to say vnto him Haile king of the Iewes as the Pharises did whether these goodly swords deserue any otherwise to be refuted then by the lawfull sword of all Princes which beare the title of Christians And euē as wel grosided is that God hath made two lights the Pope is the Sunne the Emperour the Moone Ergo the Pope I know not howe many thousande times is greater then the Emperor Against which I will oppose none but their owne I sidore alledged by a Sorbonist who by the Sunne vnderstandeth a kingdome by the Moone the priesthood Also Iesus Christ comaunded the deuils to enter into the swine ergo the Pope is lord of the Temporaltie This passeth al kinde of blasphemy Our Lord saith Al power is giuē to me from the father aswel in heauen as in earth The Pope hath therefore an absolute cōmaundement ouer heauē earth And yet are these the ordinarie allegations of their decretals But they are now better aduised in their last disputations touching certeine other places but as ill to the purpose as blasphemous as the other It is writtē say the Iesuits of our time I will iudge saith the Lord betvvixt the sheepe and the sheepe betvvixt the Rāmes the Goates Therefore S. Peter his successors are iudges of al the earth S. August hath made an whole booke vpon this Chap. of Eze. yet neuer thought of this article of faith which was hidden in this verse But let vs reason of their words quite contrary Ezechiel saith that God vvil iudge betvvene the sheepe the sheepe c. the Pope saith that he will be he therefore he setteth himselfe in Gods seate It followeth therefore that the Pope is he of whō S. Paul hath foretold vs that would lift vp himselfe aboue all that is called god Also S Peter saith that baptizme was represēted by the Arke whereof this conclusiō foloweth that as by the Arke mankind was saued as it were begottē againe euen so Christiās are regenerated by baptizme c. They reason thereupō quite cōtrary Baptizme was figured by the Arke Noah was head of his sonnes in the Arke ergo Saint Peter his sonnes in the Arke ergo Saint Peter his successors are heads of the church I aske thē in what Lorgicke schoole this maner of reasoning may be allowed But with their leaue we will conclude otherwise Iustine Martyr one of that aunciētst doctors of the Church expounding this place He saith that Noah vvas a figure of Christ because he vvas the beginning of another generation regenerated by vvater And the Pope sayth that he was a figure of him It followeth then either that the Pope is Christ or else that he cannot be any other but he who woulde aduaunce himselfe to that place in the Church to wit Antichrist I woulde haue bene ashamed to haue alledged these places for them were it not that they which haue no shame to defende the Pope in this time are so impudent to alledge them and to make great bookes thereof And by this a man may see howe destitute they are of playne places when they are driuen to haue recourse to such But forasmuch as it appeareth not by the holy Scripture that our Lord hath ordeyned Peter head of the Church but altogether the contrary It followeth then that we see if S. Peter before his death hath euer exercised this charge and also if the other Apostles haue yeelded so much vnto him He was sent with Iohn into Samaria by the Apostles Now amongst men he that sendeth is aboue him that is sent he was accused amongst the brethren for hauing cōuersation amongst the Gentiles This vvent fore and yet notwithstanding he excuseth himselfe towardes them He did not then what seemed good to himselfe without beyng answereable for it to the brethren In the Councill at Ierusalem he propounded his opinion concerning the matter of the Gentiles whose vocation was reueyled vnto him and Iames there concludeth as President and letters are dispatched awaye in the name of the whole assemblie And yet this shoulde haue bene the place where this preeminence ought to haue appeared To be short he calleth himselfe a companion or fellowe of the Elders of the Church and louingly exhorteth them as his equalles and not by decrees and commaundementes c. If we should goe any further Saint Paul in two first chapters of the Epistle to the Galatians declareth that he was not subiect vnto him that Saint Peter required it not of him but onely that he gaue him the hande of fellowshippe to trauayle in the Lordes vineyarde and that he reprooued him to his face and that he resisted him as his fellowe and companion And their ordinarie glose sayeth vpon this place The other Apostles seemed to be more worthie then Paul because they were sent by Iesus Christ but he was a great deale more woorthie then they because he was sent by Christ altogether immortall whereas they were but sent by Christ then a mortall man Also he learned nothing of Peter nor of the rest but contrariwise he taught Peter and they conferred not any thing to him but he rather conferred and profited Peter Also the Lord Iesus sayeth Saint Paul which is in vs all hath ordeyned some Apostles some Prophets some Doctors c. for the Ministerie of his Gospell Also we are one body and one spirite hauing the same hope of calling one God one faith one Baptisme It shoulde haue followed that he shoulde haue adioyned in recommendation of this vnitie a ministeriall head of the Church Peter and his successours in the See of Rome Hitherto then we haue not so much as any appearance of primacie Yea but Peter is sometyme first named A poore foundation of so monstruous a buylding And the Uirgine Marie is named in some places the last and Saint Peter himselfe by Paul after S. Iames. But he was wont oftentymes to speake first and he was endowed with great giftes and oftentimes he is called by the fathers the chiefe amōgst the Apostles And who of vs is there that doth denie S. Peters excellencie that doeth not wonder at his incomparable zeale that doeth not place him in the vppermost seate of the Church And contrariwise who is he that doth more dishonour him then the Pope who hideth his filthinesses and vilanies vnder S. Peters Cloke vnder the colour of his name filleth all the worlde ful
before eyther had or presently did feele their euil and sought remedy in his merite Vnder the first the Church was visible amongst men but if you compare those which serued God in puritie with the others we shal finde that they were entangled in a wonderfull confusion Vnder the second the Church was visible in one people issued from the loynes of Abraham to witte the people of Israel but not so eminent if we consider not so much what the countrie as the people themselues were in comparison of the rest of the whole world and the great Empires that florished at that time Vnder the third is comprehended all peoples nations without any exception or acception whatsoeuer being nowe visible in one Countrey or other fewe or many and therefore we call her Catholique or vniuersal to witte which is to â—â—ore tyed to the familie of Iacob nor to Ierusalem as vnder the second estate or age for from all partes it ought to be gathered there but who adopteth for childreÌ„ of Israel of Abraham in all places those that haue the fayth of Abraham and for citizens of Ierusalem all the citizens of the world which serue God in spirite and trueth This is that which Christ hath taught vs when he sent forth his Apostles into all the world and S. Paul when hee sayth that the wall is broken downe that there is no more Iew nor Greek but that al are one in Iesus Christ that which is noted vnto vs in the Apocalypse by the Citie hauing xii gates three into euery quarter of the world In which also after the Prophets and Apostles the auncient doctors of the Church agree that after the vocation of the Gentiles there is not any nation or citie more priuiledged then another but that all the world is the threshing floore the field and inheritance of the lord All peoples is Iuda and Israel all cities Ierusalem all houses the house of God so that he be there worshipped serued so far is it of that at this day any place what soeuer it be may attribute any spirituall prerogatiue more to it selfe theÌ„ to another This vniuersal Church comprehendeth vnder her all the particular Churches gathered together in diuers parts of the world the which likewise we cal the ChristiaÌ„ Churches that is to say assemblies which cal vpon one only God by Iesus Christ as the East Church West Church the Greek Church and the Latine Church the Church of Corinth the Church of Galatia of Ephesus of Rome of Carthage notwithstaÌ„ding to speake properly not Catholike or vniuersal but parts of the Catholique or vniuersall No more then when we speake of some parts of the Ocean sea we call all those the sea as the South sea the North sea the Athlantique sea the Cantabrique sea and the Britannique sea c. and we say of al these it is the Ocean sea And yet notwithstanding we knowe that there is but one Ocean and not many whereof by these names we make many distinctions seeing it is but one body vniforme from which the vnion cannot be seuered but only distinguished as wee ought also to acknowledge in the Church And therefore he that saith that the Church of Rome the Catholique Church is al one he speaketh no lesse improperly theÌ„ he that should say that the Britannique sea were the whole Ocean sea or the Tyrrhene sea it self which yet is but a part of the MediterraneuÌ„ sea Nowe the visible Church is in the worlde and the worlde as we may feele in our selues is an vncleane worlde therefore liuing vnder such an infected ayre it is impossible but that shee shoulde be defiled and drawe vnto her much corruption It is also compounded of men and outwardly gouerned by men and all men are flesh and blood and by a consequent corrupt and imperfect subiect to ignorance and malice It is then possible that sometimes shee be corrupted and impossible that in this world she appeare in any sound perfection Notwithstanding because the Scripture sometymes in speaking hauing regard to that which is reputed vnto her in consideration of Iesus Christ her husband before God and sometimes also not according to that she is but according to that shee ought to be not so much to praise her as to prouoke her to make her selfe worthy of that praise shee is graunted these titles of the Churche to which she is not alwayes conformed be it that we consider her in the men whereof she is composed or the doctrine it selfe that is taught in her She is called the kingdome of heauen or the kingdome of Christ but Christ Iesus which is the king himself that raigneth in her compareth her vnto a net cast into the sea which draweth vp to him both good and bad fishe This then is as much to say as in this kingdome of heauen the deuill hath his subiects which perteyne to his tyrannie Saint Paul also there calleth vs the house of God and exhorteth vs to take heede howe we there behaue our selues but the selfe same Paul would not hide this from vs that in the same house there are not onely vessels of golde and of siluer but also of woode and of earth the one I say to honour and the other to dishonour whereof Saint Augustine hath taken his distinction of those that are in the house and yet are not of the house And this that we confesse in our Creede it selfe that the Church is the Communion of Saints it is not meant that all they which are there assembled are sanctified by the spirite of God in Christ but rather that there is no true Communion no true holinesse but in the Church calling it as we are alwayes accustomed by the best part And thus much of the corruption of the persons Concerning the doctrine she is called his spouse altogether faire and without spotte the faithfull Citie the Citie of righteousnes the temple of God and the piller of trueth By these goodly titles she should be stirred vp to please him who vouchsafeth to call her by these names and to be obedient vnto him In meane time it oftentimes falleth out that the Church gouerned by naughtie Pastors presumeth to be such as her titles set her foorth to be and that she can neuer be any other so that shee dareth to say I am a Queene and can be no widowe and so maketh voide the goodnesse of God through which alone shee is decked with all these titles Shee neglecteth the voice of her husband and maketh lawes at her own pleasure her gouernors will gouerne her after their guise thinking that they are wise ynough of them â—â—ies And hereupon the Prophets haue haue constrayned to change their speach according as shee changeth her gouernement This is the cause why they haue called her strumpet and adulteresse that they haue reproched her that she hath played the harlot vnder euery busshie greene tree that
chased the Emperour to Constantinople and setteth himselfe in full libertie of all that quarter And in deede then ceassed the Exarchates that is Dukedomes so called that had endured sixe hundred yeeres that were as the lieutenants of the Emperor in a part of Italy The Emperors of Constantinople driuen away the Lombards thereupō did inuade the kingdome of Italie The Pope more feared them then those whom he had driuen away because that they were his more nie neighbours At that time there gouerned in Fraunce the race of Martel very desirous to aspire The Pope therefore putteth himselfe into the protection of the Frenchmen against the Lombards and Pepin the sonne of Martel he passeth into Italie with the powers of France who vanquisheth them The issue was that Pope Zacharie in recōpence dispenseth with the Frenchmen for theyr othe made to theyr natural prince Chilperick who left the gouernement to the Martels more subtil then himselfe and crowned Pepin chiefe of the palaces of the king of France forbidding the princes and people of France vpon paine of excommunication to choose any other then of Pepins race Contrariwise Pepin giueth vnto him the dukedome or lieutenantship of Rauenna Pentapolis which contained 29. Cities onely reseruing vnto himself the soueraigntie and the power to choose the Popes the which lawes were afterwardes released by Lewys the sonne of Charles the great although that some Emperours put them in practise afterwards as the histories are ful thereof And so likewise behold him the head of the spiritualtie because he mainteyned the murtherer of his master and temporall Lord because he crowned a subiect in the place of his natural prince this beginning of the temporaltie grewe vp by the controuersies of the houses of Aniou and Arragon in Italie and afterwardes of the Emperours of Germanie and of the kings of Fraunce till it came to that state wherein we nowe see it in these last times This was after the time that the key of knowledge which Christ promised to S. Peter was changed into the key of power the ecclesiastical censure was employed to excōmunicate all princes peoples kingdomes which would not obey them vntill they had left them for a pray and cut them of from saluatiō without acception of any persons This was in that time that these gaye interpretations were bred That all povver vvas giuen to Christ by the father asvvel in heauen as in earth Therefore the Pope absolutely commandeth both one other Also God translateth kingdomes from one nation to another Ergo the Pope hath power to establish and to put downe as it seemeth good vnto him whereupon Kings and Emperours of blinde zeale began to kisse his feete both present and by their letters and to hold his stirrop This was in that time also that Pope Boniface the eighth caused this to passe as an article of faith That the Pope is soueraigne both of the spiritualtie and temporaltie shewing himselfe in a Iubilie with a key in one hand and a sword in another that Pope Clement the fift his successour not content to commaunde Kinges and Emperours tooke vpon him by an expresse Bull to cōmaunde Angels that they should execute his will. To be short one hath concluded and decided at Rota that is to say in the Parliament of Popes at Rome that God holdeth for wel done all that is done of the Pope that his will is the rule of all right and righteousnes that he can absolutely do in this world all that God can do seeing he is all and aboue all thinges That if he change his purpose it is to be presumed that God changeth his that when he sendeth thousands of his brethren to hell none may therein reproue him that his power extendeth it selfe to heauen and earth yea and to hell that none maye appeale from him to God that he may ordeine against the epistles of Saint Paul as greater then Saint Paul and against the old Testament as greater then any authors thereof And yet one man hath gone further for one hath disputed whether he may ordeine any thing contrary to the Gospell Whether he haue not yet more power then S. Peter Whether he were simplie a man or as god To be short the deuil hath passed so far in this mysterie of iniquitie that one disputed in the schooles a litle before Luther came and somewhat after whether the Pope participated not with both natures the diuine humane with Iesus Christ And what could the deuil say more if he had come in the flesh to haue destroyed the Church And yet notwithstanding the people do worship this monster the princes of the earth do clap their hands at him destroy their kingdomes to serue his lust sacrifice yet euery day their poore subiects for a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauor at his feete Who would haue beleeued this except the Spirite of God had foretold it and who will beleeue it after vs when the selfe same spirite shall haue destroyed him But which is more marueilous when the power of the bishop of Rome was intolerable he neuer durst alledge in the councills and in the face of the old Church one only text of Scripture to groūd his supremacy on And now that it is so much beyond the bounds that it spurneth the earth vnder feete thereof that it threatneth heauen that it aduaunceth it selfe so farre that it may be aboue God himselfe they are so impudent and so shamelesse but so she must be that is an harlot that they alledge S. Peters See and the word of God and the keyes which were promised to him as though there were no more eyes in the world to reade nor sense in men to iudge Let them not therefore ground their tyrannie vpon this Dabo tibi I wil giue thee which Iesus Christ spake to S. Peter For betwene the kingdome of Christ and the tyrannie of the Pope there is no likenes or agreement But rather if they wil ground themselues vpon some text of Scripture let them alledge that Tibi dabo I will giue thee which sathan vsed to Iesus Christ I wil giue thee saith hee all the kingdomes which thou seest if thou vvilt worship mee That is for worshipping the deuil they haue that they haue and not for any other title they can alledge But I suppose that nowe with the licence of all the Readers I maye conclude by these proofes conteyned in these two chapiters that which followeth That the essentiall head of the Catholique Church is Iesus Christ our Lord That vnder him all the Apostles were equal in dignitie and power That after them the bishops are equall amongst themselues euery one in his Ministerie occupieth the place of Christ That none may be the Ministeriall head of the Church That the Pope of Rome can pretend this title neither by Gods law nor mans That the first roume that he had was by reason of
more against Christ for this same vndoubtly is the true Antichrist Let vs begin at the person of the Pope Christ hath declared that his kingdome was not of this world that he fledde when they would haue made him a kyng that he rendred obedience euen vnto the least magistrates and commaunded all those that were his to doe after his example Contrariwise the Pope sayth that he is king of the whole earth disposeth of all Empyres treadeth Emperors vnder his feete burneth with fyre and condemneth to hell all those that wyll not acknowledge him for such a one And all this because Christ hath said Al power is giuen to me of the father aswell in heauen as in earth I aske of any one what similitude and likenes there is betweene these two and if this be not in alleadging Iesus Christ to mocke Christ himselfe Againe Christ being God and the sonne of the eternall God vouchsafed to abase himselfe lower then Angels and vnder men themselues to worke the saluation of the worlde and a man quite contrary lyfteth vp himselfe aboue kyngs and aboue the Angels and aboue the heauens of heauens and hath caused men to dispute that he is not simply a man but a partaker of the diuine nature with Christ and that he hath the fountaine and roote of the spirite of Christ in him To be short whereas Christ submitted himselfe vnder heauen earth and hell he will commaund Kings Angels and deuils and all this vnder colour of the key of the word which Christ hath deliuered to his ministers I aske God being made man for the saluation of the worlde howe it can be that this man which maketh himselfe God shoulde be any other then that sonne of perdition come for the perdition of the worlde But we must see howe he hath asmuch as laye in him made voide the comming of the Messiah the crosse of Christ and the saluation we haue by the same We feele in our selues that man continually doeth nothyng but offend God and that it is as possible for vs of our own nature to keepe our selues therefrom as to stay our pulse or to holde in the winde of our breath These offences also are so infinite being and blasphemeth more against his cōming who in the chaire of Christ is more against Christ for this same vndoubtly is the true Antichrist Let vs begin at the person of the Pope Christ hath declared that his kingdome was not of this world that he fledde when they would haue made him a kyng that he rendred obedience euen vnto the least magistrates and commaunded all those that were his to doe after his example Contrariwise the Pope sayth that he is king of the whole earth disposeth of all Empyres treadeth Emperors vnder his feete burneth with fyre and condemneth to hell all those that wyll not acknowledge him for such a one And all this because Christ hath said Al power is giuen to me of the father aswell in heauen as in earth I aske of any one what similitude and likenes there is betweene these two and if this be not in alleadging Iesus Christ to mocke Christ himselfe Againe Christ being God and the sonne of the eternall God vouchsafed to abase himselfe lower then Angels and vnder men themselues to worke the saluation of the worlde and a man quite contrary lyfteth vp himselfe aboue kyngs and aboue the Angels and aboue the heauens of heauens and hath caused men to dispute that he is not simply a man but a partaker of the diuine nature with Christ and that he hath the fountaine and roote of the spirite of Christ in him To be short whereas Christ submitted himselfe vnder heauen earth and hell he will commaund Kings Angels and deuils and all this vnder colour of the key of the word which Christ hath deliuered to his ministers I aske God being made man for the saluation of the worlde howe it can be that this man which maketh himselfe God shoulde be any other then that sonne of perdition come for the perdition of the worlde But we must see howe he hath asmuch as laye in him made voide the comming of the Messiah the crosse of Christ and the saluation we haue by the same We feele in our selues that man continually doeth nothyng but offend God and that it is as possible for vs of our own nature to keepe our selues therefrom as to stay our pulse or to holde in the winde of our breath These offences also are so infinite being committed against him which is infinite that they deserue an infinite punishment whereto all the men in the world together are not able to satisfie It must needes be therefore that the sonne of God in person must descend from heauen to satisfie by his infinite merite for our infinite demerites and not one man coulde euer hope for the mercie of the Father if his iustice had not bene executed vpon his owne sonne This is that which all the holy Scripture teacheth vs that Christ was sent for the saluation of the worlde that he is the onely and alone Sauiour thereof that he was slaine from the beginning of the worlde for the saluation of those that beleeue in him c. And this is it wherein consisteth all the benefite of the comming of Christ and all the treasure of the Church But see howe this good gouernour of the Church dispenseth with this First of all he hath buried the scripture in forgetfulnesse forbidding the readyng thereof vnto the people leauing them nothing but Rosaires Legends of Saints and such other baggage that is to say asmuch as lyeth in him he hath put out the light to the ende that his illusions might be the more of force amiddest the darkenesse And we haue seene many burned onely and simply for hauing read it Moreouer whereas the lawe was giuen to conuince a man of sinne and the Gospel to teache him the remedie in Christ the Popes doctors haue taught that a man as he is of his owne nature can loue God aboue all thinges that it is possible for him to fulfill the lawe and that at the first man was saued by keeping the naturall law afterwards by fulfylling the lawe of Moses now Christians by keeping the Gospel If it be so what shall become of that S. Paul sayth That the law engendreth sinne that it is come vpon vs to multiplie transgressions c. Also what shal the Gospel haue aboue the law Christ aboue the shadowes And wherefore shall not his cōming change the lawe into grace Nowe to turne away the people from theyr Physition there is no shorter and readier meane then to perswade them that they are whole or if they felt in any sort theyr disease that they might cure them selues without any Physition This is that from whēce are sprung these goodly pharisaicall propositions that all the acte of charitie absolutely deserueth euerlastyng lyfe that a man may worke his owne saluation in this
Diuinitie in one Tombe Notwithstanding after that the diuel had cast out his fire against the Apostles and disciples of Christ that he had raysed against them infinite persecutions it must needes be in the end that he yelde himselfe that al the earth acknowledge their lord Let the earth therefore do what it will the word of God endureth for euer And it must be that Antichrist perish be discomfited by the breath of the mouth of Christ that he be abolished by the brightnesse of his comming All kings and al the earth can do nothing against this determination But I beseech the Almightie that it will please him to inspire into the heartes of all Kings and peoples a true desire of knowing the trueth to search for their saluation a true zeale to bring Christendome againe to true vnitie vnder the obedience of Christ a true affâ—â—â—â— on to reigne and to liue in him as they raigne and liue by him to the ende that Kings being well obeyed of their people and the people well commaunded of their Kinges we may see in our dayes one onelye Iesus Christ acknowledged of all peoples Kinges to be the King of Kinges and Lord of Lordes and in his Church the onely mediatour fauiour and Lawegiuer Amen Conclusions THe Church is considered as it is to be seene or not to be seene The Church not to be seene is the companie of those whom God hath chosen to euerlasting life in all times and places The Church that is to be seene is the company of those who are called thereinto and is considered according to certaine times and places There is notwithstanding but one Church but considered diuersely In that which is to be seene as the corne with the chasse in that which is not to be seene as the corne threshed and fanned This visible Church was first without the law afterwards vnder the law tyed to one certain place familie Now through grace it is spred throughout the world one place hauing no more priuiledge then an other whereof it is called Catholike that is to say vniuersall The Catholike Church comprehendeth vnder it all assemblies of Christians in al regions whoÌ„ we call Churches as we call partes of the sea the sea distinguishing theÌ„ notwithstanding by their names as the Church of Greece of Affrike c. Of the parts of the Church as the members of the same body yea though it be vniuersall some are pure and some impure and of those that are impure some are more and some lesse impure The pure Churches are those in which the word of God is purely preached and the sacraments duly administred albeit that in respect of God there is nothing pure The one they call the sound and true Churches the other but unproperly Catholike Churches The impure are those in which the word of God and his sacraments are ill administred whatsoeuer other outward marckes they can pretende And because that al the doctrine of Christ is faith and charitie we cal those that are impure in the doctrine of faith heretical Churches and those that haue separated themselues from the vnitie which they do through lacke of charitie Schismatical And some there are that are both heretical and Schismatical as the Churche of Rome and they that at this day cleaue vnto it for they maintaine many damnable heresies and persecute and excommunicate those that desire reformation Notwithstanding forasmuch as the profession of Christ remayneth there in some sorte we denie them not the name of a Church as we call a man a man howe sicke or brainelesse soeuer he be To discerne the pure churches froÌ„ the impure God hath deliuered vs his worde contained in the scriptures the which is perfect cleere to saluation for it hath for his aucthor the most perfect father of light This is that therfore by which men ought to determine the coÌ„trouersies of this time to reforme the Church as the coÌ„moÌ„ welth according to the lawes abolishing that which God hath there forbidden vs holding that for forbidden in his seruice which hee hath not ordeined looking to that which he hath commaunded and interpreting his wil by it selfe concerning those thinges that are in controuersie The Churches which follow that wil caÌ„not erre for that is the way of saluation and following that God guideth them also by his spirit which enlightneth them and is inseparably ioyned thereto Contrariwise the Churches which departe from it may and doe erre yea and that in the matter of saluation for that they goe out of the way of saluation Neither can they beast of the spirite for God bestoweth it not but vpon his sheepe neither doth he hold any for his sheepe but those that heare his voyce Therfore the Church following mans fantasie not the lawe of God hath greatly erred in all her particular states times euen vntil the crucifiyng of the sonne of God that is to say her owne saluation As in our time we say that the Church of Rome doth adore and worship the sonne of perdition that is to say Antichrist The Church is a body Christ the sonne of God is the head thereof giuing efficacie to the Ministerie of his Gospell through his spirit by the selfe same assisting all those that truely call vpon him And this is that wherein consisteth the administration or gouernement of the head of the Church And as touching the ministerial head no man may be it For the Church by the comming of Christ is spread throughout the whole world none can exercise that ministerie throughout the world but rather euery pastor representeth Christ in his charge And in deede our sauiour Christ before he ascended into heauen ordeyned none such neither did any of the Apostles exercise any such office the whole primitiue Church neuer knewe of it Wherefore following the worde of God and the opinion of the same church we hold that the Papal See which vnder this false title exerciseth tyranny ouer all the world is Antichrist the which without other proofes and circumstances may be verified by his doctrine alone Notwithstanding that this Papal See placed in one part of the Church is not the Churche neither a part of the Church but as a pestilence to the body of the Church which hath corrupted and infected all asmuch as it coulde and had vtterly choked it without the special mercie of God. We doe therefore depart from the papacie and not from the Church from Idoles and not from the temple from Tyranme and not from the common wealth from the plague and not from the Citie being ready entirely to knit and ioyne our selues againe when Antichrist the euil which he hath brought in shal be taken away And in waiting for this we reforme the Ministerie of the worde of God and as nye as we can his seruice according to his institution by the example of the Apostles excommunicated out of Hierusalem which yet notwithstanding is not to