Part 3 (1/2)
It is a world to see, how well-favouredly and how towardly touching religion these men agree with the fathers of whom they use to vaunt that they be their own good. The old Council Eliberine made a decree that nothing that is honoured of the people should be painted in the churches.
The old father Epiphanius saith:--”It is a horrible wickedness, and a sin not to be suffered, for any man to set up any picture in the Church of the Christians, yea, though it were the picture of Christ Himself.” Yet, these men store all their temples, and each corner of them, with painted and carved images, as though without them religion were nothing worth.
The old fathers Origen and Chrysostom exhort the people to read the Scriptures, to buy them books, to reason at home betwixt themselves of divine matters--wives with their husbands, and parents with their children. These men condemn the Scriptures as dead elements, and--as much as ever they may--bar the people from them. The ancient fathers, Cyprian, Epiphanius, and Hierom, say, for one who, perchance, hath made a vow to lead a sole life, and afterwards liveth unchastely, and cannot quench the flames of l.u.s.t, ”it is better to marry a wife, and to live honestly in wedlock.” And the old father Augustine judgeth the selfsame marriage to be good and perfect, and that it ought not to be broken again. These men, if a man have once bound himself by a vow, though afterwards he burn, keep queans, and defile himself with never so sinful and desperate a life, yet they suffer not that person to marry a wife; or if he chance to marry, they allow it not for marriage. And they commonly teach it is much better and more G.o.dly to keep a concubine and harlot, than to live in that kind of marriage.
The old father Augustine complained of the mult.i.tude of ceremonies, wherewith he even then saw men's minds and consciences overcharged. These men, as though G.o.d regarded nothing else but their ceremonies, have so out of measure increased them, that there is now almost none other thing left in their churches and places of prayer.
Again, that old father Augustine denieth it to be lawful for a monk to spend his time slothfully and idly, and, under a pretended and counterfeit holiness, to live all upon others. And whoso thus liveth, the old father Apollonius likeneth him to a thief. These men have, I wot not whether to name them droves or herds of monks, who for all they do nothing, nor yet once intend to bear any show of holiness, yet live they not only upon others, but also riot lavishly of other folks' labours.
The old council of Rome decreed that no man should come to the service said by a priest well known to keep a concubine. These men let to farm concubines to their priests, and yet constrain men by force against their will to hear their cursed paltry service.
The old canons of the Apostles command that bishop to be removed from his office, which will both supply the place of a civil magistrate, and also of an ecclesiastical person. These men, for all that, both do and will needs serve both places. Nay, rather, the one office which they ought chiefly to execute, they once touch not, and yet n.o.body commandeth them to be displaced.
The old Council Gangrense commandeth that none should make such difference between an unmarried priest and a married priest, as he ought to think the one more holy than the other for single life's sake. These men put such a difference between them, that they straightway think all their holy service to be defiled if it be done by a good and honest man that hath a wife.
The ancient emperor Justinian commanded that, in the holy administration, all things should be p.r.o.nounced with a clear, loud, and treatable voice, that the people might receive some fruit thereby. These men, lest the people should understand them, mumble up all their service, not only with a drowned and hollow voice, but also in a strange and barbarous tongue.
The old council at Carthage commanded that nothing should be read in Christ's congregation but the canonical Scriptures. These men read such things in their churches as themselves know of a truth to be stark lies and fond fables.
But if there be any that think these above-rehea.r.s.ed authorities be but weak and slender, because they were decreed by emperors and certain pet.i.t bishops, and not by so full and perfect councils, taking pleasure rather in the authority and name of the Pope, let such a one know that Pope Julius doth evidently forbid that the priest, in ministering the Communion, should dip the bread in the cup. These men, contrary to Pope Julius' decree, divide the bread, and dip it in the wine.
Pope Clement saith it is not lawful for a bishop to deal with both swords: ”For if thou wilt have both,” said he, ”thou shalt deceive both thyself and those that obey thee.” Nowadays, the Pope challengeth to himself both swords, and useth both. Wherefore, it ought to seem less marvel if that have followed which Clement saith, that is, ”that he hath deceived both his own self and those which have given ear unto him.”
Pope Leo saith, ”Upon one day it is lawful to say but one ma.s.s in one church.” These men say daily in one church commonly ten ma.s.ses, twenty, thirty, yea, oftentimes more. So that the poor gazer on can scant tell which way he were best to turn him.
Pope Gelasius saith, ”It is a wicked deed and sibb to sacrilege in any man to divide the Communion, and when he hath received one kind to abstain from the other.” These men, contrary to G.o.d's Word, and contrary to Pope Gelasius, command that one kind only of the Holy Communion be given to the people, and by so doing they make their priests guilty of sacrilege.
But if they will say that all these things are worn out of ure and nigh dead, and pertain nothing to these present times, yet to the end all folk may understand what faith is to be given to these men, and upon what hope they call together their general councils, let us see in few words what good heed they take to the selfsame thing, which they themselves these very last years (and the remembrance thereof is yet new and fresh), in their own general council that they had by order called, have decreed and commanded to be devoutly kept. In the last council at Trent, scant fourteen years past, it was ordained by the common consent of all degrees, ”that one man should not have two benefices at one time.” What is become now of that ordinance? Is the same too soon worn out of mind, and clean consumed? For these men, ye see, give to one man not two benefices only, but sundry abbeys many times, sometimes also two bishoprics, sometimes three, sometimes four. And that not only to an unlearned man, but oftentimes also even to a man of war.
In the said council a decree was made that all bishops should preach the Gospel. These men neither preach nor once go up into the pulpit, neither think they it any part of their office. What great pomp and crake then is this they make of antiquity? Why brag they so of the names of the ancient fathers, and of the new and old councils? Why will they seem to trust to their authority whom when they list they despise at their pleasure?
But I have a special fancy to commune a word or two rather with the Pope's good holiness, and to say these things to his own face. Tell us, I pray you, good holy father, seeing ye do crake so much of all antiquity, and boast yourself that all men are bound to you alone, which of all the fathers hath at any time called you by the name of the ”highest prelate,” the ”universal bishop,” or the ”head of the Church”?
Which of them ever said ”that both the swords were committed unto you?”
Which of them ever said ”that you have authority and right to call councils?” Which of them ever said ”the whole world is but your diocese?” Which of them ”that all bishops have received of your fulness?” Which of them ”that all power is given to you as well in heaven as in earth?” Which of them ”that neither kings, nor the whole clergy, nor yet all the people together, are able to be judges over you?”
Which of them ”that kings and emperors, by Christ's commandment and will, do receive authority at your hands?” Which of them with so precise and mathematical limitation hath surveyed and determined you to be ”seventy and seven times greater than the mightiest kings?” Which of them that more ample authority is given to you than to the residue of the patriarchs? Which of them that you are the ”Lord G.o.d”? or that you are ”not a mere natural man, but a certain substance made and grown together of G.o.d and man”? Which of them that you are the only ”headspring of all laws”? Which of them that you have ”power over purgatories?” Which of them that you are able to ”command the angels of G.o.d” as you list yourself? Which of them that ever said that you are ”lord of lords” and the ”king of kings”? We can also go further with you in like sort. What one amongst the whole number of the old bishops and fathers ever taught you either to say private ma.s.s while the people stared on, or to ”lift up the Sacrament” over your head (in which point consisteth now all your religion), or else to ”mangle Christ's Sacraments,” and to bereave the people of the one part, contrary to Christ's inst.i.tution and plain express words? But that we may once come to an end, what one is there of all the fathers which hath taught you to distribute Christ's blood and the holy martyrs' merits, and to sell openly as merchandises your pardons and all the rooms and lodgings of purgatory?
These men are wont to speak much of a certain secret doctrine of theirs, and of their manifold and sundry readings. Then let them bring forth somewhat now, if they can, that it may appear they have at least read or do know somewhat. They have often stoutly noised in all corners where they went how all the parts of their religion be very old, and have been approved not only of the mult.i.tude, but also by the consent and continual observation of all nations and times. Let them, therefore, once in their life show this their antiquity. Let them make appear at eye that the things whereof they make such ado have taken so long and large increase.
Let them declare that all Christian nations have agreed by consent to this their religion.
Nay, nay, they turn their backs, as we have said already, and flee from their own decrees, and have cut off and abolished again within a short s.p.a.ce the same things which, but a few years before, themselves had established for evermore, forsooth, to continue. How should one, then, trust them in the fathers, in the old councils, and in the words spoken by G.o.d? They have not, good Lord, they have not, I say, those things which they boast they have: they have not that antiquity, they have not that universality, they have not that consent of all places, nor of all times. And though they have a desire rather to dissemble, yet they themselves are not ignorant hereof: yea, and sometime also they let not to confess it openly. And for this cause they say that the ordinances of the old councils and fathers be such as may now and then be altered, and that sundry and divers decrees serve for sundry and divers times of the Church. Thus lurk they under the name of the Church, and beguile silly creatures with their vain glozing. It is to be marvelled that either men be so blind that they cannot see this, or if they see it, to be so patient as they can lightly and quietly bear it.
But, whereas they have commanded that those decrees should be void, as things now waxen too old, and that have lost their grace, perhaps they have provided in their stead certain other better things, and more profitable for the people. For it is a common saying with them that, ”if Christ Himself or the Apostles were alive again, they could not better nor G.o.dlier govern G.o.d's Church than it is at this present governed by them.” They have put in their stead indeed; but it is ”chaff instead of wheat,” as Hieremy saith, and such things as, according to Esay's words, ”G.o.d never required at their hands.” ”They have stopped up,” saith he, ”all the veins of clear springing water, and have digged up for the people deceivable and puddle-like pits, full of mire and filth, which neither have nor are able to hold pure water.” They have plucked away from the people the Holy Communion, the Word of G.o.d, from whence all comfort should be taken; the true wors.h.i.+pping of G.o.d also, and the right use of sacraments and prayer; and have given us of their own to play withal in the meanwhile, salt, water, oil, boxes, spittle, palms, bulls, jubilees, pardons, crosses, censings, and an endless rabble of ceremonies, and, as a man might term with Plautus, ”pretty games to make sport withal.” In these things have they set all their religion, teaching the people that by these G.o.d may be duly pacified, spirits be driven away, and men's consciences well quieted. For these, lo, be the orient colours and precious savours of Christian religion; these things doth G.o.d look upon and accepteth them thankfully; these must come in place to be honoured, and put quite away the inst.i.tutions of Christ and of His Apostles. And like as in times past, when wicked King Jeroboam had taken from the people the right serving of G.o.d, and brought them to wors.h.i.+p the golden calves, lest perchance they might afterward change their mind and slip away, getting them again to Jerusalem to the temple of G.o.d, there he exhorted them with a long tale to be steadfast, saying thus unto them: ”O Israel, these calves be thy G.o.ds. In this sort commanded your G.o.d you should wors.h.i.+p Him, for it should be wearisome and troublous for you to take upon you a journey so far off, and yearly to go up to Jerusalem, there to serve and honour your G.o.d.” Even after the same sort every whit, when these men had once made the law of G.o.d of non- effect through their own traditions, fearing that the people should afterward open their eyes and fall another way, and should somewhence else seek a surer mean of their salvation, Jesu, how often have they cried out, ”This is the same wors.h.i.+pping that pleaseth G.o.d, and which He straitly requireth of us, and wherewith He will be turned from His wrath.
That by these things is conserved the unity of the Church. By these all sins be cleansed, and consciences quieted, and that whoso departeth from these hath left unto himself no hope of everlasting salvation.” For it were wearisome and troublous, say they, for the people to resort to Christ, to the Apostles, and to the ancient fathers, and to observe continually what their will and commandment should be. This ye may see, is to ”withdraw the people of G.o.d from the weak elements of the world, from the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees, and from the traditions of men.” It were reason, no doubt, that Christ's commandments and the Apostles' were removed, that these their devices might come in place. O just cause, I promise you, why that ancient and so long allowed doctrine should be now abolished, and a new form of religion be brought into the Church of G.o.d.
And yet whatever it be, these men cry still that nothing ought to be changed: that men's minds are well satisfied herewithal: that the Church of Rome, the Church which cannot err, hath decreed these things. For Silvester Prierias saith, that the Romish Church is the squire and rule of truth, and that the Holy Scripture hath received from thence authority and credit. ”The doctrine,” saith he, ”of the Romish Church is the rule of most infallible faith, from the which the Holy Scripture taketh his force. And indulgences and pardons, saith he, are not made known to us by the authority of the Scriptures, but they are made known to us by the authority of the Romish Church, and of the Bishops of Rome, which is greater.” Pighius also letteth not to say, that without the license of the Romish Church, we ought not to believe the very plain Scriptures.
Much like as if any of those that cannot speak pure and clean Latin, and yet can babble out quickly and readily a little some such law Latin as serveth the court, would needs hold that all others ought also to speak after the same way which Mammetrectus and Catholicon spake many years ago, and which themselves do yet use in pleading in court: for so may it be understood sufficiently what is said, and men's desires be satisfied: and that it is a fondness now in the latter end to trouble the world with a new kind of speaking, and to call again the old finesse and eloquence that Cicero and Caesar used in their days in the Latin tongue. So much are these men beholden to the folly and darkness of the former times.
”Many things,” as one writeth, ”are had in estimation oftentimes, because they have been once dedicate to the temples of the heathen G.o.ds.” Even so we see at this day many things allowed and highly set by of these men, not because they judge them so much worth, but only because they have been received into a custom, and after a sort dedicate to the temple of G.o.d.