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.…

First I suppose, no man is ignorant, into what amazed admiration all Nations were carried with that your notorious state of Empire, with that wonderful mass of Majesty and loftiness of seat, so richly installed, so gloriously enthronized, with so many and so magnificent fortifications environed, yea (as it seemed) established with scriptures & countenanced ⟨p. 11⟩with the authority of Peter and Paul, as long as it held sovereign over the whole world in assured security. All which so wonderful power, so puissant majesty, so large outstretched dominion of popish Hierarchy, which stood so long by the space of five hundred years continually in so undiscontinued and impaired a possession,¹ who could •uer have suspected, or conceived by any never so light imagination, should not also enjoyed unremovable continuance even to the worlds end? For better confirmation of which Empire, severe and sharp laws were enacted, dreadful decrees, yea most horrible torments provided, for the punishment of such, whosoever would but once hiss against the Popes holiness, though he playe• the ruffian ne•er so rudely. A sweet and plausible title of the Catholic and Apostolic Church was pretended: the power of the keys was chopped in among: the undoubted succession of Peter, not without the authority of Paul, capemarchant withal: insomuch that whosoever should but lo•ke awry upon the P•pe, might •eeme not so much to prejudice his holiness, as to be openly injurious to Peter and Paul themselves. Moreover there wanted not to this mighty Domitian, ²his fearful lightnings, wherewith he might out of his heavenly Capitol amaze the timorous souls of weak princes: finally that nothing might lack, to brave out his power, as to colour his crafty juggling, there were annexed to the premisses, a sweet and amiable countenance of hypocritical holiness, a counterfeit sincerity of unspotted life, yea outward resemblance of true religion, thereby to dazzle more easily the eyes and hearts of the unlettered. And for this cause to garnish this pageant to the full, whole skulls and drones of Monks, Friars, and Massemongers, did swarm together, busied busily in fasting, in alms giving, in Psalms singing, in prayers and Mass mumbling, in their unmarried life resembling Angelical