The Pope confuted The holy and apostolic Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…The Pope confuted The holy and apostolique Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…

The Pope of Rome is banished out of English soil, in that he would be a Ruler, I confess: but as a sojourner, he is not excluded. But Christ notwithstanding is received: him do they embrace as their Lord: his voice they do acknowledge, and be obedient unto: but because they know not you (Sir Pope) if they receive you not, why should you storm at it? You require pardie that they should couple you with Christ in their worshipping. But put the case, that Christ can in no wise be received into England, unless the Pope be banished:¹ neither the Pope have any possible footing there, except they thrust Christ clean out of their Coasts: Whether of these two think you convenient to be obeyed by them, since they can not possibly serve both at once? John the most worthy Prophet of all Prophets, yea more then a Prophet, doth cry out in the Desert: It behoveth that he increase, and that I do diminish. ²And will you not permit the glory of Christ to grow forward in his own Temple, unless your pomp be made copemate of his glory? Who being his humble servant & faithful friend in deed, as in outward appearance and words you do profess to be• why then, endeavour as serviceably and faithfully to advance the honour of your Lord• ••d Master, and withal accept as lovingly of your follow servants, who dutifully serve the same Lord and master whom your selves do profess. I beseech you Sir, is not our request agreeable with equity? But if the matter go otherwise, and that you will be exempt from the place of a servant as no fit member of our Church, but do require rather, to be installed a Lord over our faith: then know ye for certainty, that your banishment from our Kingdoms is not procured by our only means, but authorised by the very sacred Scriptures: wherein we find most evidently, one only Lord to be attended ⟨p. 7⟩upon and one only faith to be directed by. Even as we read in the same Apostle else where: Not because we are Lords of your faith (saith he.)³ So also neither Peter himself,⁴