Purgatory Indulgence the doctrine of transubstantiation Communion of the Laity in one species priuate Masses and such like yet all this cannot proue yours to bee the true Church nor the Roman to bee false because yet you are defectiue in this That the Church being one onely true entire body of Iesus Christ you are seperate from it and will not be vnder the gouernment of that visible-hood which Christ hath appointed ouer it to wit the Bishop of Rome the successor of Saint Peter to whom is giuen the highest iurisdiction and gouernment of the whole Church vpon earth and the infallibility of iudgement to guide it right and keepe it from error so that they that are not vnder his gouernment and guidance are out of the Church in which saluation is to be found and no where else Neither can the things now vsed which were not vsed in the Primitiue Church any way nullifie or disgrace the Church since in the wisedome of him that is infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost for the guidance of the Church they are iudged profitable in these times which were not so necessary in former ages All inferiour and priuate spirits must submit to the iudgement of that Head whom Christ hath constituted ouer his Church and doth assist with his spirit that hee shall not erre That Saint Peter was made Prince and Head of the Apostles by our Sauiour Christ the Proofes are plaine in the Scriptures and Fathers Mat. 16.16 In the 16. of Saint Matthew when Saint Peter had confessed Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to open and shut to bind and loose In the 21 of S. Iohn Christ saith to Peter Ioh. 21.15 Since thou louest mee more then these the rest of the Apostles Feed my Sheepe Be thou the generall Pastor ouer my whole flocke euen ouer the rest of the Apostles In the 22. of Saint Luke Christ saith I will pray for thee Peter that thy faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Conformable to these Scriptures the Fathers doe ordinarily giue vnto Saint Peter the Primacy of the Apostles call him the Mouth the Chiefe the Top the Highest the Prince the President of the Apostles the head and foundation of the Church all which laid together and well considered doe proue such a prerogariue in Saint Peter that the Church taught and guided by him and his Successors shall neuer erre in matters of Faith and good life but bee infallibly lead into all truth that bringeth to holinesse and happinesse And this is not promised to Saint Peters person or for his life onely but to all his Successors when Christ promiseth to bee with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. in the last words Whereupon these things will follow 1 That the Church of Rome See the Relation of the Religion in the West parts pag. 15. now gouerned by S. Peters Successors is vndoubtedly the true Church of God deliuering and practising the true meanes of saluation and hath the prerogatiue to keepe men from erring in matters of Faith and from falling from God hath the keyes of heauen in custody to admit in by indulgence such as shall be saued and shut out by excommunication such as shall bee condemned so that in it there is a happy facility and without it an vtter impossibility of saluation 2 And consequently It is of the necessity to saluation that all particular Churches and all men be subiect to the Bishop thereof Christs Vicar and the visible head of the Catholike Church vpon earth and whosoeuer or what Nation or people soeuer are not subiect to him in spirituall things are no part of the Catholike Church of Christ §. 3. Antiquis Were all this true and substantiall it were able to charme all the world to be of your Church and to make the Pope absolute Lord of all And you do politikely to keep this point for your last refuge and final ground of all controuersies betwixt vs for if you can euict this you need no more If your Popes bee Saint Peters successors in all those things which you ascribe vnto Saint Peter and thereby haue full iurisdiction ouer the whole Christian world and cannot erre all is yours Stapleton principio doctr lib 6. cap. 2. Sanders Rocke of the Church Bristow Motiue 47. c. See Bellarm. letter to Blackwell there is an end of all controuersie and disputation And therefore your Chieftaines haue great reason to fortifie this piece with all the art and artillery their wit learning and power can afford them thereby to cut off all particular controuersies wherein they finde we are too strong for them This Gorgons head alone is able to affright the simple that they shall not beleeue their owne eyes or see your palpable corruptions or beleeue that any thing can be amisse with you be it neuer so foule and and manifest But alas deare friend I shall shew you plainely that all this is but an Imaginary Castle built in the Ayre without ground or foundation and that all your men stretch the Scriptures and the sayings of the Fathers farre beyond their meaning B. Iewel B. Bilson B. Morton B White D. Rainolds D. Field c. To answere their bookes and arguments punctually would aske too great time and be a needlesse labour because our Learned men haue done it sufficiently and often already But for your satisfaction I will shew you first what dignity the ancient Church hath yeelded to the Bishop of Rome Secondly that the Supremacy now claymed cannot be proued to bee giuen to Saint Peter either by the Scriptures or thirdly by the Fathers but coÌ„trary that both the Scriptures and Fathers are against it Fourthly that the true primacy and Prerogatiues of Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles were personall and did not descend to his successors §. 3. 1. For the first Aeneas Syluius who was afterterwards made Pope Aeneas Syluius epist 288. Ante conciliuÌ„ Nicenâ—â— qu sque sibi viuebat paruus respectus habebatur ad ecclesiam Romanam and called Pius Secundus saith plainly that before the Councell of Nice 327. yeeres after Christ little respect was had to the Church of Rome yet was Rome the chiefe City of the world by reason of the Antiquity Magnificence Dominion and the residence of the Emperours there at that time The Apostles vsed to plant Churches in the chiefest Cities from whence the Gospell might best be propagated into the Countries adioyning Cities therefore were first Christians the people dwelling in Country Pagis Villis in Pages and Villages being not conuerted See D. Field Church book 5. epist to the Reader cap. 27. 30 31. were called Pagans or Infidels But for their
his preaching in the peoples minds If by authority Saint Ierom did meane supreme power ouer the other Apostles then Iames and Iohn should haue had it as well as Peter which is not your Catholike doctrine Also an inferiour or equall in power may be superiour in authority or estimation as Tully saith of Metellus a priuate man though chosen Consull for the yeere following That hee forbade certaine playes when an officer had allowed them and that which he could not obtaine by power Cicero oratione in Pisonem he did obtaine by authority that is with the credit which hee had with the people 2 The Primacy which the Fathers speake of was the Primacy of Order not of Power because Peter was first called to be an Apostle and first reckoned this argues no more power then the Fore-man of the Iury hath ouer the rest 3 The prerogatiue of Principality was in the excellency of grace and not of power as we say the Prince of Philosophers Aristotle the Prince of Poets Homer that is the wittiest or most excellent not Lord and master ouer the rest In this sence Saint Austine speaketh Peter the Apostle in whom that grace and Primacy are so superminent was corrected by Paul a latter Apostle by calling Saint Paul a latter Apostle hee sheweth his meaning of Saint Peters Primacy to bee of his first being an Apostle and by ioyning Grace with Primacy he sheweth that in greatnesse of grace consisted his supereminency So saith Saint Austen also b Aug. in Ioan. Tract 124. that Peter was Natura vnus homo gratia vnus Christianus abundantiori gratia vnus idemque primus Apostolus But to be chiefe in grace is one thing to be chiefe in power another thing c Turrecrem in Summa de Ecclesia l 2 c. 82. Cardinal Turrecramata saith A meane Christian yea an old woman may in perfection of grace and amplenesse of vertues be greater then the Pope but not in power of iurisdiction If excellency of grace might carry the supremacy of power you should take it from Saint Peter and giue it to the blessed Virgin By gifts of grace we vnderstand all blessings wherewith our Lord honoured him insomuch as in one thing or other he surpassed euery one of the Apostles Saint Iohn might exceed him in multitude of prophesies and reuelations and many gifts of grace as Saint Ierom declareth d Ierom. aduersus Iouinianum lib. 1. Saint Paul excelled him in the chiefest gifts and laboured more then all the rest 1 Cor. 15. so that Saint Austen giues excellent grace to Peter e De bapt con Donatistas lib. 2. c. 1. most excellent grace to Paul f in Psal 130. and cals him The Apostle by an excellency g Cont. duas epist pelagianorum lib. 3. c. 1. yet Saint Peter excelled Saint Paul in Primacy or being first chosen and Saint Iohn in age being the elder and therefore preferred before them to be the chiefe of the Apostles by Saint Ieroms opinion h Aetati delatuÌ„ est quia Petrus erat senior Hiero 1. adu Iouin lib. 1. To this Bellarmine yeeldeth i Bellar. lib. 1. de rom pontif cap. 27. § respoÌ„deo Paulum seeing Paul was called The Apostle per Antonomasiam quia plura scripsit doctior as sapientior fuit cateris also for planting more Churches then any other for the other Apostles were sent to certaine Prouinces he to all the Gentils without limitation and he laboured more abundantly then they all 1 Cor. 15. And after k § testatur ib. § fortasse Paul also may bee called princeps Apostolorum quia munus Apostolicum excellentissime ad impleuit as we call Virgil prince of Poets and Cicero prince of Orators Againe Nam etsi Petrus maior est potestate Paulus maior est sapientia Leo makes them the two eyes of the body whereof Christ is the head De quorum meritis atque virtutibus nihil diuersum nihil debemus sentire discretum quia illos electio pares labor similes finis fecit aequales The like hath Maximus ib. and Saint Gregory Paulus Apostolus Petro Apostolorum primo in principata Apostolico frater est Againe l Bellar. ib. §. denique si hac Paulus videtur plus Ecclesiae profuisse quà m Petrus plures enim ex gentibus ad Christi fidem adduxit plures prouincias summo cum labore peragrauit plura scripta eaque vtilissima nobis reliquit Antiq. Saint Ierom saith further that Saint Peter was made the head of the Apostles that all occasion of Schisme might be taken away Will you make nothing of those titles which the Scriptures and Fathers so frequently giue him of authority primacy principality supereminency the mouth of the Apostles the top the highest the president the head and such like Antiquis Nothing at all for that power which the Church of Rome now claymes by them and which hee neuer claymed nor vsed neither did the Scriptures or Fathers giue him What they gaue him we willingly yeeld A principality of Order Estimation and Grace For all Saint Peters power is comprised in the keyes promised him and in building the Church vpon him but all the Apostles receiue the keyes by Ieroms iudgement and the Church is built vpon them equally Ergo by his iudgement Peter was not ouer them in power and if you will yet say hee had some gouernment ouer them what can it else bee but a guidance not as a Monarch ouer subiects or inferiours D. Raynolds ib. pag. 226 227. D. Field l. 5. cap 24. but as in Aristocracy head of the company which in power are his equals For in all assemblies about affayres of gouernment there must needs bee one for orders sake and peace to begin to end to moderate the Actions and this is Saint Peters preheminence which Saint Ierome m Hieronym adu Iouin lib. 2. meant For hauing set downe his aduersaries obiection But thou saist The Church is built vpon Peter he answereth Although the same be done in another place vpon all the Apostles and they all receiue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and the strength of the Church is grounded on them equally yet there is one chosen among the twelue that a head being appointed occasion of Schisme might be takeÌ„ away The like hath S. Cyprian n Cyprian de Vnitate Ecclesia Erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consorâ—io praediti honoris potestatis sed exordium ab vnitate prosiciscitur c. The other Apostles saith he were that which Peter was endewed with the same fellowship both of honour and power but the beginning proceedeth from vnity that the Church may be shewed to be one To speake at once view all the titles of excellency giuen by the ancient Fathers to S. Peter alleadged by Bellarmine o De rom pont lib. 1. cap. 25. weigh them aduisedly without preiudice or
yea Deicides for Kings are callled gods and regnicides the quellers of the Common-wealth Neuer was any Doctrine so fruitfull of Treasons and Rebellions The desire to mainetaine it the hunger to plant it againe hath beene the onely cause to the superstitious and pretence to the couetous and ambitious of all late treasons The traytors euer confirmed by the Doctrine of their books the exhortations of their tongues and the Sacrament deliuered by their haÌ„ds many of their Priests partakers and actors of their crimes The knowledge and experience of the intollerable mischiefe of this doctrine doth iustifie our Lawes that were sharpened against the practisers of it See Cambd. Annals 4. pa t. 842 843. as many of your owne Priests haue confessed Secondly you may note that neuer any Nation was so often so strangely so strongly so diuellishly assaulted and endangered with treasons as this our land and on the other side neuer any Nation so strangely and mightily defended and the traytors confounded Thirdly consider whether these actions bee not manifest tokens of a false religion If we must iudge the tree by his fruits as Christ teacheth vs how can the tree be good that bringeth forth such fruits Mat. 12.33 Are those true Prophets howsoeuer they come in sheepes clothing that doe the acts of Wolues No you shall know them by their fruits to bee false Prophets Mat. 7.15.16 Beware of them Your Bellarmine giueth it for one note of the true Church Sanctity of life and doctrine If these things so taught and practised taste of sanctity what is villany Your Gospell is not the Gospell of peace but of confusion and mischiefe in stead of building the Church it ruines Common-wealths and kingdomes Fourthly looke well Bellarm. â—e notis Ecclesiae Nota 15. if Gods protection and blessings be notes of the true Church as your Bellarmine teacheth what thinke you of ours which God hath so mightily defended and blessed euen when Balaam most cursed Though you neuer ceased heauing at our foundations Church and Princes in these two last Princes times Queene Elizabeth and King Iames yet they haue both liued to see all your wicked practises ouerthrowne the practisers ruined their people 's defended Gods truth maintayned they liued happily dyed in their beds peaceably and left a blessed memoriall behind them Our one Queene brought more happinesse to vs then nine Popes did to Reme who all liued in her time Paul 4. Pius 4. Pius 5. Gregory 13. Sixtus 5. Vrbanus 7. Gregory 14. Innocent 9. Clemens 8. They wrastled against her and cursed her in vayne and their curses fell vpon their owne heads and King Iames wounded the learnedst of thâ—ir leaders with his penne Lastly consider well whether they that perswade you to be absolute Roman Catholikes doe not in deed and effect perswade you to be traytors troublers of the world cursed and deuilish people for perfect and absolute Papists are no better as you may see by these manifold examples of these treasons and therefore it is a wonder that Princes doe not concurre to root out this wicked Sect that make wickednesse godlinesse yea that make a traffik of Kings sacred liues to set vp an Idoll of mans inuention at Rome aboue them all §. 13. Antiq. Good Sir I doe not hold that the Pope hath any such power ouer Kings to depose them and set vp others or to dispense with subiects oathes of alleagiance or to rayse warres or other troubles against ciuill Magistrates I finde many good Catholikes doe reiect and condemne such doctrine and practises they take the oath of alleagiance willingly and write in defence of it I hould with all my heart a Conference of D. Rainolds M. Hart. in Hartâ— preface to the Reader that the Pope hath onely a fatherhood of the Church not a princehood of the world or dominion ouer Princes temporall states to depose or dispose any way of them For Christ said His kingdome was not of this world b Ioh. 18.36 he payed ribute to secular Magistrates c Mat. 17.27 medled not with temporall matters no not with diuision of inheritance amongst brethren d Luk. 12.14 he acknowledged Pilate to haue power to crucifie him and power to release him euen lawfull power giuen him from aboue e Ioh. 19.10 1â— Saint Paul acknowledged Caesar to bee his lawfull Iudge f Acts 25.10 and Saint Peter the first Bishop of Rome taught thus g 1 Pet. 2.13 Subiecti estote omni humanae creaturae propter Deum siue regi c. Be sâ—â—iect to euery humane creature for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as excelling or to rulers as sent by him to the reuenge of malefactors but to the prayse of the good Saint Paul taught euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers h Rom 13 1. By those higher powers meaning secular and ciuil Magistrates i As the Iesuits Pererius and Tolet in locum obserue out of the Fathers that beare the sword be subiect to them not onely for feare of wrath but for conscience sake k Rom. 13.5 And who must be subiect to them all sorts of people both Ecclesiasticall and secular euen Apostles Euangelists and Prophets saith Saint Chrysostome l Chrysost in locum Ista Imperantur omnibus sacerdotibus monaâ—his noÌ„ solum secularibus Omnis anima etiamsi Apostolus sis si Euangelista si Propheta siue quisquis tandem fueris And Saint Bernard m Bernard epist ad Episcopum Senonensem Omnio anima tum vestra quis voâ— excipit qui tentat excipere tentat decipere writing to a Bishop tells him hee is not excepted from temporall subiection to Princes he that excepts him deceiues him Our late gracious Soueraigne King Iames n King Iames Apology for the oath of Alleagiance pâ—g 23. deinceps alleadgeth many Fathers Saint Augustin Tertullian Iustine Martyr Ambrose Optatus Gregory Bishop of Rome for subiection euen of Bishops and Popes to the secular Emperours and Princes Hee alleadgeth many Councels six vnder Charles the Great to wit of Frankford Arles Towres Chalons Meâ—tz and Rhemes yea all the Generall Counceâ—s that of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and the rest who submitted themselues to the Emperours wisedome and piety in all things and desired from him power and validity to their decrees and for the oath of Alleagiance he alleadgeth diuerse Councells These Scriptures Fathers Councels are so playne so plentifull so powerfull with me for giuing dominion to Princes and subiecting all both Clergy and Laity vnto them in all ciuill things that all the world shall neuer draw me to deny my Alleagiance and subiection to my Soueraigne but I will readily take Armes in his defence as Gods Lieutenant and Deputy though the Pope should excommunicate him Antiquis I ioy to heare your good resolution built vpon so good grounds I hope then you iustifie vs Protestants for departing from the Popish
powre abroad his gifts into the whole body that the Church might stand vpon Peters firmnesse King Iames Remonstrance pag. 163. English 1 Cor. 2.15 In these latter times they haue found out more texts but no whit better for their purpose then these Our learned King Iames in his Remonstrance to the Cardinall Peron reciteth some of the chiefest Saint Paul saith The spirituall man discerneth all things ergo they gather the Pope must be Iudge of all men and matters Mat. 28.18 Mat. 8.31 Mat. 21.2 Christ said All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth ergo to his Vicar The Diuels said If thou cast vs out send vs into the heard of swine and Christ said to his Disciples Ye shall find an Asses colt bound loose him and bring him to me This sheweth that Christ disposed of temporall things ergo so must his Vicar Ioh. 21.15 Act. 10.13 Iesus not onely commanded Peter to feed his sheepe but also said Arise kill and eate therefore saith Baronius Duplex est Petri officium vnum pascere alterum occidedere Peter had two offices one to feed another to kill Belike Peter is now come to the top of the house and entred vpon his second office to kill and deuoure Ier. 1.10 God said to Ieremy I haue establishd thee ouer Nations and kingdomes to wit to preach Gods promises and threatnings Luk. 22.38 Mat. 26.52 Molina Iesuita lib. de iure tract 2 disp 29. and Peter said to Christ See here are two swords and Christ answered It is sufficient not too many Also Christ said to Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath ergo the Pope hath power ouer Nations and Kingdomes and two swords one spirituall the other temporall Psal 45.16 It is said Psal 45. In stead of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou shalt make Princes in all lands Ioh. 12.32 1. Cor. 6.3 Christ said If I were lift vp from the earth I will draw all things vnto me and Saint Paul Know yee not that we Paul and the Corinthians c. shall iudge the Angels how much more the things that pertaine vnto this life Vpon these places the Papall monarchy for temporall causes hath beene built in these latter ages As in former time Pope Boniface the eight Extrauag vnam sanctam grapling and tugging with Philip the Fayre built his temporall power vpon this that In the beginning God created heauen and earth Antiq. I am very sorrowfull to see the sacred Scriptures so vainly alleadged by men accounted holy wise and learned I cannot iustifie them Bellarm. de iustif l. 3. c. 8. initio Bellarmines rule condemnes them when he saith that All we are bound to beleeue with certainety of Faith must be contained in Gods word in plaine words or else euidently deducted from thence by good consequence of Reason But for this great point I speake my conscience here is neither euident words nor scarce any shew of consequence §. 10. Antiquis But for the contrary See K. Iames Praemonition pag. 47. you shall finde in the Scripture both euident words and manifest consequence The Scripture is plaine that the words Tibi tibi dabo claues in effect are spoken in the plurall number in another place Mat. 18.18 Whatsoeuer yee shall binder loose in earth shall be bound and loosed in heauen whereby the very power of the keyes is giuen to all the Apostles And the words Pasce oues vsed to Peter were meant to all the Apostles as may bee confirmed by a Cloud of witnesses both of Ancients and euen of late Popish writers yea and diuerse Cardinals Otherwise how could Paul direct the Church of Corinth to excommunicate the incestuous person cum spiritu suo whereas he should then haue said cum spiritu Petri as our gracious King Iames gathereth adding also that all the Apostles vsed their censures in Christs name neuer speaking of his Vicar that Peter in all the Apostles meetings sate amongst them as one of their number that when letters were sent from the Councell Acts 15.22 23. the style was It seemed good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church c. without mention of the Head thereof that Saint Paul blameth the Corinthians for that some said they were of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas some of Christ which he would not haue done if Cephas that is Peter had beene Christs Vicar and head of the Catholike Faith that Saint Paul compareth or rather preferreth himselfe before Peter Galat. 2. which had beene rudely done had he thought Peter his Head Such reasons alleadgeth our iudicious King See also before sect 6. to which might bee added also that Saint Peter was compelled to giue account of his doings to the rest of the Apostles who contended and contested with him about them Acts 11. I hope these Allegations are farre more pregnant against the Supremacy of Saint Peter then the Romists are for it §. 11. Antiq. Yet the ancient Fathers vnderstand the Scriptures so These Fathers are thus alledged by Mr Hart Conference with D. Raynolds cap. 5 diuision 3. p. 217 out of Stapleton priu do l. 6. c. 13 Raynolds ib. pag. 2â—1 that they gaue S. Peter most honorable titles S. Austen saith The Primacy of the Apostles is conspicuous preeminent with excelleÌ„t grace in Peter Chrysostom calleth him the mouth of the Apostles the chief the top of the Company Theodoret the Prince of the Apostles which title is giuen him by all Antiquity Others ad out of Epiphanius The highest of the Apostles Austen the head president the first of them And Cyprian saith The Lord did chuse Peter first haply hee meant his first Apostle not his first Disciple for Audrew was first a Disciple and followed Christ as Saint Ambrose obserueth And Saint Ierom saith Peter was of so great authority that St. Paul went to visit him as himselfe writeth Gal. 2. and Ierom saith also that Peter was chosen one among the twelue to the intent that a head being appointed occasion of Schisme might be taken away Of such sayings as these the Fathers bookes are full Antiquis Doth not Doctor a See Raynolds Hart ibid cap. 5. diuis 3. Raynolds there answer you soundly and fully which you may reade there at large the briefe substance whereof is this that all the Fathers sayings touch onely three prerogatiues the first of Authority the second of Primacy the third of Principality but all far short of the Supremacy which the Pope now claymeth 1 The authority mentioned by Saint Ierom is onely Credit and Estimation for so Ierom expresseth his owne meaning Saint Paul went vp to Ierusalem to conferre of the Gospel with them that were esteemed that is with Peter and other Apostles to wit with Iames Peter and Iohn who were esteemed to be Pillars Gal. 2.2.9 for his conference with Apostles of such authority or estimation might adde some credit authority and estimation to
Kings and discharging their subiects of their alleagiance fidelity and obedience dissoluing gouernment and filling kingdomes with warres and miseries begunne by Hildebrand and still continued by his successors Obserue secondly out of the story of King Iohn Mat. Westmonast Flores loco quo supra pag. 95. K. Iamâ—s Remonstr p. 58. That this successor of Peter fished not for soules but for kingdomes euen with the destruction of millions of soules if your owne doctrine be true for he caused the whole land to be interdicted and so to continue six yeeres fourteene weekes and two dayes plaguing all this while the whole body of the land for the head the Kings offence a point of iniustice with a heauy spirituall plague for a light temporall offence a point of impiety For al this while the Church-dores through the whole kingdome were shut vp no belles stirred no prayers preaching Sacraments permitted Children kept vnbaptized bodies vnburied all people accursed liuing like heathens dying like dogs without instruction exhortation consolation and all that dye thus vnder the curse of the Interdict without some speciall indulgence or priuiledge are thought for euer damned and adiudged to eternall punishments as dying out of the communion of the Church Alas how many millions of soules did this Innocent the Pope wilfully send to hell in this large kingdome of England and Wales in this large time of aboue six yeeres for anothers offence for what could they doe or what offended they poore people if the King would not be ruled by the Pope Nay they offended the King also and incurred much danger and dammage by falling from their obedience for the Popes sake and yet are thus recompensed by him Are these the actions of the Vicar of Christ to saue soules or rather of Antichrist to destroy them Is this the kinde Father of the Church K. Iames ib. p. 257. But obserue further thirdly how these pretended successors of Saint Peter change their spirituall power into temporall for their worldly gaine and greatnesse and change Christs Kingdome which was not of this world into the winning and disposing of the kingdomes of this world and make the pennance of sinners the forfeiture of their estates Is this the satisfaction to be imposed vpon a sinner that of a Soueraigne and free Prince he must become vassall to his Ghostly Father and make himselfe and all his subiects tributary to a Bishop that shall rifle the whole Nation of their coyne and make them doe him homage Shall not a sinner be quitted of his faults except he be turned out of all his goods possessions inheritance and his Pastor be infeoffed in his whole estate Is this holinesse or is it not plaine tyranny and robbery It is plainely to heape robbery vpon fraud and tyranny vpon robbery and to change the sinners repentance into a snare or pitfâ—ll of coozening deceit And as the end is naught so the meanes is worse to bring it to passe by such subtill pranks and wicked deuices as not to sticke at setting a whole flourishing kingdome on fire by warres and seditions not to care what becomes of mens estates of their bodies liues or soules but bring them all to ruine so that the kingdome may be weakened and the King brought to so low a degree of misery that hee may be easily lifted out of his estate and the kingdome seized vpon Of King Henry the thirds reygne See before booke 1. cap. 6. sect 14. Reade also Math Paris Math. Westminster in Henr. 3. B. Carlton of Iurisdiction exhausted of treasure and scourged of his subiects by the Popes most intollerable exactions which caused the people to wish rather to dye than to liue to endure them I haue spoken something already and can say much more §. 12. Antiq. This is enough for me and for this matter more than enough But it may be in these latter times of greater light and opposition the Popes haue beene more moderate and become more like to their first Ancestors Antiquis Neuer a whit See before Booke 1. cap. 5. §. 3. consider 6. haue I not told you before of K. Henry 8. who though he continued the Popes religion entire yet for reiecting his iurisdiction was condemned by the Pope excommâ—nicated pronounced no King his subiects commanded to deny subiection to him and all men to take armes against him c. The like course the Pope hath runne agaynst our late most excellent Princes Queene Elizabeth and King Iames. For I will passe by the mischiefes done in other Countries and the murders of the two last Kings of France the troubles of our owne kingdome will hold me long enough Camden Annal. Elizab. p. 27. By the happy abolishing of the Popes authority by Queene Elizabeth England became the most free of all Countries in the world the Scepter being as it were manumitted from forraign seruitude and a great masse of mony kept at home which formerly was exhausted and yeerely and daily carried to Rome for first fruits Indulgences Appeales Dispensations Palles and such other things so that the land grew much more rich than in former ages The Popes could not be insensible of their losse this way besides all other and conceiuing some hopes of recouery by encouraging persons discontented with this mutation B. Car ton thankfull remembrance pag 13 See the Bull of Pius 5. in Camdens Annals pag. 183. in the eleuenth yeere of her reigne Pope Pius the fifth excommunicated her deposed her by his Bull dated anno 1569. quinto Calend. Mart. thereby also absoluing her subiects from their oath of alleagiance and from all other offices and duties accursing all that did obey her This was done to procure a strong party in England to ioyne with the Pope and Spaniard in their designe for the inuasion and conquering of England when their forces should bee ready Camden ib. pag. For the Papists in the Land were so strangely perswaded and bewitched as to admire with astonishment a certaine omnipotency in the Pope and that his Bulles were dictated by the holy Ghost and that they in executing them and in murdering their Princes should doe meritorious acts very acceptable to God and dying therein should become glorious Martyrs and haue higher places in heauen than other men See Camden Annales Elizabethae p. 315. p. 348. in fine anni 1581. To gayne more people of all sorts Noble Gentle inferiours to their faction and to gull them with such false opinions the Pope out of his Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes sent out yeerely a number of Priests disguised into England to grope and peruert the hearts of men secretly and wickedly telling them that the Pope had supreme power ouer the whole world yea euen in politike affayres that such as were not of the Roman Religion were to be depriued of all regall power and dignity that it was lawfull yea and a meritorious work to depose Princes excommunicated by the Pope that the
Kings Princes and Nations and of the whole Church their hopes should not haue beene so often deluded who sought and promised to themselues at least some tollerable reformation from him neither should there haue beene such a Rent among the Churches of Europe when euery Nation seeing Rome would doe nothing was constrained to looke to it selfe and make if not a perfect reformation yet as good as it could and as neere to the Word of God and the custome of the Primitiue Church as time and meanes would afford For if it be obiected that the intended Reformation is not perfect as appeareth by the differences of some Reformed Churches yet surely first th◠Reformers mindes were good who with all their hearts and endeuours sought it and secondly the coniunction of all Nations Wits Learning and other meanes by a free generall Councell which might ouer-rule the Pope and all other particulars was onely hindred by the Pope and his Faction But 3 surely the Reformation was most laudable and necessary if it had effected no more but this as one of them wrote in answere to Cardinalll Sadolet that they freed themselues from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and had constituted in their Countries somewhat better forme of the Church which before was most vntollerable both to Princes and People Such a Reformation as many former Ages had with greeuous sighes and grones wished and desired hungred and thirsted after but all in vaine because the truth in Europe had not yet shined out of darknesse of which our Sauiour had said ye shall know the truth Ioh. 8.32 and the truth shall set you free Therefore 1 Our late Princes 2 all the orders of the Kingdome and 3 all the people haue seene and felt the goodnesse of God and are bound to be most thankfull to him except they be of all men the most insensible and vngratefull for their great blessing following the Reformation of Religion in England 1 The Princes that they reigne now in their owne right they are not the liege-men and Vassals of the Pope that haue not their kingdome Precariò at the pleasure of another as Bayliffes of another mans inheritance that they and their Reuerend Clergy are at vnity neither fearing excommunications nor depositions from other that they diuide the care of placing Ministers with their Bishops challenging to themselues without feare that part which is due to them and concerneth the temporalls and leauing that part of the care to the Bishops which toucheth spirituals and all things which proue them to be true Kings For this blessing Kings are behoulden to Gods truth which is a friend to them which establisheth them and is with all care and diligence by them to be established Alas for those former times Inas See Polydor hist Angl. lib. 5. pag. 86. wherein amongst our Kings glorious Ancestors one led away with blinde superstition hauing zeale but not according to knowledge did of his owne accord when no necessity compelled him make his Kingdome tributary to Gregory the third King Iohn Bishop of Rome Another brought into desperation by aduerse crosses yeelded vp his Kingdome of England and Ireland to Pope Innocent 3. By whom he had bene miserably embroyled and was compelled to be content to be the Popes steward or Baily O horrid blindnesse of those times O sucessors of Peter egregiously resembling Peter in their doings O what a griefe surprized not onely the Barons Nobles and all subjects of the Realme but also the Kings and Princes throughout Europe as euery one was more wise and better then other to see the fall so heauy so foule of so great a Prince The speaches which some of them vttered at the newes of so inhumane example are committed to writing for perpetuall memory as witnesses also of their most iust both indignation and amazement Yea the speach of that vnfortunate King is extant in the writers of those times most worthy to be deeply setled in all Princes hearts After that I was reconciled to God saith hee and subjected my selfe and my Kingdomes alas for sorrow to the Roman Church nothing came to me prosperous But al things contrary Post quā ut dixi Deo reconciliatus me ac mea regna proh dolor Romana subjeci ecclesiae nulla mihi prospera sed contraria omnia aduenerunt 2 The Clergy and people of England liue happily The Bishops elect neede not run beyond the Alpes to buy their confirmation of the Pope for great summes of money nor purchase their Palles with the waight of gold nor run to Rome euery 3 yeares or as oft as the Pope list that is as oft as he thirsteth after English coyne Now they haue no such care as in times past the Bishops of England had to take vp the best benefices for Italians In which benefices as Mathy Paris saith neither lawes nor order were kept nor releefe for the poore nor hospitality nor preaching of Gods word nor necessary ornaments or repair of Churches nor care of soules nor diuine or deuout prayers as was fit and as was accustomed in the country but in their buildings the walles and roofes fell downe or were pitifully rent and torne Now the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury feareth not new Bulles from the Pope to suspend him from collating any benefices vntil 300 Romans be prouided for by benefices next falling void as it fell out anno 1239 to Edmund the Archbishop by Buls sent from Gregory 9. The Pope hauing promised it to the Roman citizens who at that time little fauored him 3 The Ecclesiasticall controuersies arising in England by a very ancient Canon wherof S. Cyprian also maketh mention are determined in England The collectors of Peter pence and other contributions the Roman visitors proctors and farmers the Marchants of Indulgences or pardons to men according to their wealth the dispencers of vowes and Institors of legitimation to make men capable of orders the Caursine Vsurers that liued at Rome but drew thither all the wealth of England lending to English Nobles others vpon morgage of their lands or other extreme vsuries money to satisfy the Pope and his Harpies The bringers of Buls for new extortions The witty Mice-catchers Muscipulatores as the Story cals them such as Petrus Rubeus and many others conning Artificers to drain money from men for the Pope and sixe hundred such like greedy and greeuous Arts by the vnvtterable benefit of the truth of Religion their names are now scarse heard of and should be vtterly vnknowne were it not for the monuments and histories of former ages Neither doth now any Legat à latere any messenger from the Popes side exercise any Rauin for money in England as many did heretofore and some with execrable hunger of gold as we read of one of them Otto sent by Gregory 9 who after three yeeres raking together of money by most detestable Artes at last departing hence left not so much money in the whole Kingdome as he either carried with