A17167:22
A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two years ago against Elizabeth the most gracious Queen of England, France, and Ireland, and against the noble realm of England together with a defence of the said true Christian Queen, and of the whole realm of England. By Henry Bullinger the Elder.A confutation of the Popes bull which was published more then two yeres agoe against Elizabeth the most gracious Queene of England, Fraunce, and Ireland, and against the noble realme of England together with a defence of the sayd true Christian Queene, and of the whole realme of England. By Henry Bullinger the Elder.
London: printed by John Day, 1572London: printed by Iohn Day, 1572
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Hitherto you have patiently heard the Popes sentence or declaration by his Bull, against the most virtuous Queen of England. &c. and now I pray you be so good as gently to hear me also. I will briefly and plainly show, how there is no truth, substance, or soundness in this Bull, and that the cause which the Hope maintaineth and pleadeth against the most noble Queen, is evil and unjust: but the case on the Queens side very good and rightful. And I will begin at that unmeasurable power of the Pope, which he boasteth of, and by force whereof he taketh upon him to be judge in this case. For that being once overthrown: all the whole Bull falleth to the ground, together with the judgement builded upon this ruinous foundation, and so shall the Pope sit in that seat of his, not a terrible or just judge, but an Idol, to be despised, yea and to be spit at of all good men, and his sentences shall be no more the thunderbolts of Jupiter, but counterfeit flashes glistering out of a basin, in no wise worthy to be regarded.1 Then let that most holy or rather most profane father tell us, where or by what words, our Lord delivered unto Peter alone, and unto Peters successor the Bishop of Rome, that his fullness of power: that is to say, his supreme and most absolute power, as well in spiritual as in temporal matters. Let him tell us where or by what words, the Lord created the Bishop of Rome prince over all nations and over all kingdoms. I am not ignorant of your stinking ⟨p. 3⟩and unsavoury fables in this behalf. I am not ignorant what Decretals have been put forth by Gregory the ix. Boniface the viij. Innocent the 4. Clement the v. John the xxij. and such other like to these, conspirators & Catilines companions. As for me, I will not hear those decrees or Decretals, which the famous Lawyer Marsilius of Padua, no less aptly than truly said to be neither Gods laws nor mans laws, but proclamations of plain universal sovereignty. You say that without any parable at all, Christ our Lord gave the fullness of power which ye brag of, to Peter, and to Peters successor the Pope. Bring forth therefore some evident record of this your allegation, out of the new Testament. Truly ye be not able to bring forth one tittle, or one jot of this your allegation.
HItherto you haue patiently heard the Popes sentence or declaration by his Bull, against the most vertuous Quéene of England. &c. and now I pray you be so good as gently to heare me also. I will bréefly and plainly shew, how there is no truth, substance, or soundnesse in this Bull, and that the cause which the Hope maintaineth and pleadeth against the most noble Quéene, is euill and vniust: but the case on the Quéenes side very good and rightfull. And I will begin at that vnmeasurable power of the Pope, which he boasteth of, and by force whereof he taketh vpon him to be iudge in this case. For that being once ouerthrowen: all the whole Bull falleth to the ground, together with the iudgement builded vpon this ruinous foundation, and so shall ye Pope sit in that seate of his, not a terrible or iust iudge, but an Idoll, to be despised, yea and to be spit at of all good men, and his sentences shall be no more the thunderboltes of Iupiter, but counterfait flashes glistering out of a basen, in no wise worthy to be regarded.1 Then let that most holy or rather most prophane father tell vs, where or by what wordes, our Lord deliuered vnto Peter alone, and vnto Peters successor the Bishop of Rome, that his fulnesse of power: that is to say, his supreme and most absolute power, as well in spirituall as in temporall matters. Let him tell vs where or by what wordes, the Lord created the Bishop of Rome prince ouer all nations and ouer all kingdomes. I am not ignorant of your stincking ⟨p. 3⟩and vnsauerie fables in this behalfe. I am not ignorant what Decretalls haue béene put forth by Gregory the ix. Boniface the viij. Innocent the 4. Clement the v. Iohn the xxij. and such other like to these, cōspirators & Catilines companions. As for me, I will not heare those decrées or Decretalls, which ye famous Lawyer Marsilius of Padwa, no lesse aptly than truely sayd to be neither Gods lawes nor mans lawes, but proclamations of plaine vniuersall souereintie. You say that without any parable at all, Christ our Lord gaue the fulnesse of power which ye brag of, to Peter, and to Peters successor the Pope. Bring forth therfore some euident record of this your allegation, out of the new Testament. Truely ye be not able to bring forth one tittle, or one iote of this your allegation.
And therefore with most wicked lies, and forgeries have both you and your predecessors now certain hundred years, scared and seduced good men, that leaned too much unto you through too light belief, and overmuch fearfulness.
And therfore with most wicked lyes, and forgeries haue both you and your predecessors now certaine hundred yeares, scared and seduced good men, that leaned too much vnto you through too light beléef, and ouermuch fearfulnesse.
For where as they have alleged the words which our Lord after his Resurrection did thrice repeat and urge upon Peter, namely, Peter lovest thou me? feed my sheep: Certes I wonder that both they, and you are so past all shame, that ye dare bring these things for the stablishing of your kingdom, or rather your tyranny. As who would say, we be all of us blind, or blocks, void of common reason, and not able to perceive how those words pertain not to sovereignty, but to service. Peter was by this mean to be comforted by the Lord, and to be restored to the name and office of Apostle, which he seemed to have lost at the Lords passion, chiefly in this respect, because he had a fouler fall then the rest of the Apostles, insomuch as he had three times denied, yea and also forsworn his Lord and Master. Therefore least by his thrice denying he might seem put out of his office of Apostleship: the Lord on the other side by his thrice confessing of his love, and enjoining him his charge, receiveth him again and admitteth him ⟨image 9⟩to the office of Apostleship, to feed the Lords flock together with the rest of the Lords Apostles. For who can say, that the feeding of the Lords sheep was committed to Peter only, and not to the other Apostles also?
For where as they haue alledged the wordes which our Lord after his Resurrection did thrise repeate and vrge vpon Peter, namely, Peter louest thou me? feede my sheepe: Certes I wonder that both they, and you are so past all shame, that ye dare bring these thinges for the stablishing of your kingdome, or rather your tyranny. As who would say, we be all of vs blind, or blockes, voyde of common reason, and not able to perceaue how those wordes perteine not to souereintie, but to seruice. Peter was by this meane to be comforted by the Lord, and to be restored to the name and office of Apostle, which he séemed to haue lost at the Lordes passion, chéefly in this respect, because he had a fowler fall then the rest of the Apostles, insomuch as he had thrée times denied, yea and also forsworne his Lorde and Master. Therefore least by his thrise denying he might séeme put out of his office of Apostleship: the Lord on the other side by his thrise cōfessing of his loue, and enioyning him his charge, receaueth him againe and admitteth him ⟨image 9⟩to the office of Apostleship, to féede the Lordes flocke together with the rest of the Lordes Apostles. For who can say, that the féeding of the Lordes shéepe was committed to Peter onely, and not to the other Apostles also?
1But Peter was inflamed with singular love, both toward the Lord, and toward his Church. The same love doth the Lord require of every shepherd of the flock.2 But what (I pray you) pertaineth that to the Bishop of Rome, who (to speak no worse of him) burneth in desire of dominion, riches, & voluptuousness? The Lord bad Peter feed the Lords flock. He hath also committed the charge of his flock, to all faithful ministers that love him unfeignedly.
1But Peter was inflamed with singular loue, both toward the Lord, and toward his Church. The same loue doth the Lord require of euery shepheard of the flocke.2 But what (I pray you) perteineth that to the Bishop of Rome, who (to speake no worse of him) burneth in desire of dominion, riches, & voluptuousnesse? The Lord bad Peter féede the Lordes flocke. He hath also committed the charge of his flocke, to all faythfull ministers that loue him vnfainedly.
Again, what maketh this to the ratifying of the tyranny of the Romish Bishop? To feed, is not to advance mans self above all power, to make kings and princes subject to him, and to usurp fullness of power over all men and all things: but to feed,1 is to teach, to exhort, to rebuke, to comfort, and to govern Christs flock according to Gods word.2 Shepherds therefore are the teachers in the Church, which feed the Lords flock by preaching the Gospel. For the food of Christs sheep is his word.3 And the sheep, are Christs chosen, and the people of God. Hereof the shepherds are ministers and not lords,4 subject to the chief shepherd Jesus Christ, whose only is, and continueth all sovereignty, all power, and all glory: as the Lord him self expoundeth this matter of the flock, or of the sheep, & of the shepherds, and the manner of feeding, in the x. chapt. of John: and as Peter him self also accordeth, saying:5 I which am also an elder & a witness of Christs afflictions, and also a partner of the glory that shall be revealed, beseech the elders that are among you, 6feed Christs flock as much as in you is, playing the Bishops, or taking care of it, not constrainedly, but willingly, not seeking filthily after gain, but of an earnestly affected mind: not as though ye were Lords over the parishes, but so as ye may be patterns to the flock.
Againe, what maketh this to the ratifying of the tyranny of the Romish Bishop? To féede, is not to aduance mans selfe aboue all power, to make kinges and princes subiecte to him, and to vsurpe fulnesse of power ouer all mē and all things: but to féede,1 is to teach, to exhort, to rebuke, to comfort, and to gouerne Christes flocke according to Gods word.2
Lift up your ears here ye Romish Monarchs, hearken, ⟨p. 4⟩and mark what your own Peter saith. He nameth not him self Lord, head, or prince, but fellow elder: yea and as for the Lordliness and other foul vices wherewith you be so bespotted, or rather allberayed: he forbiddeth the desire of them. And Christ he hath set forth the high shepherd in singular humility, and faith to be looked at, and him to be served. &c.
Lift vp your eares here ye Romish Monarkes, harken, ⟨p. 4⟩and marke what your owne Peter sayth. He nameth not him selfe Lord, head, or prince, but fellowe elder: yea and as for the Lordlinesse and other fowle vices wherwith you be so bespotted, or rather allberayed: he forbiddeth the desire of them. And Christ he hath set forth the high shepeheard in singular humilitie, and faith to be looked at, and him to be serued. &c.
After the same manner speaketh also the Apostle Paul in the Acts of the Apostles, to the shepherds that were assembled in the Synod of Miletum, 1saying: Take heed to your selves, and to the whole flock wherein the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops (whom Luke a little before called priests or elders) to feed the congregation of God, which he hath purchased with his blood. Again, the same Paul a little afore in the same oration of his, declareth after what sort he him self had hitherto in that vocation of his fed the Lords flock committed unto him, and saith: I have shunned none of those things that were for your profit, but have preached unto you, and taught you openly and privately, witnessing both to the Jews and to the Greeks, the repentance towards God, and the faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. It appeareth then by this plain exposition of the Apostle,2 more clearly then the light, that (according as I have said a little erst, and now again am glad in repeating the same do gather it out of the Apostles words, to the end I may the better beat the truth into all mens heads, against most shameful leasings) the flock or sheep are the Lords people or Church. For the Apostle said: Take heed to your selves, and to the whole flock, wherein the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops, to feed the Church of God. And so the shepherds are the teachers,3 ministers that feed the flock by teaching and preaching openly and privately. And so the food is rightly said to be doctrine:4 and yet not every doctrine, but the doctrine which (as Paul saith) teacheth repentance to Godward, and belief in Jesus Christ.
After the same maner speaketh also the Apostle Paule in the Actes of the Apostles, to the shepeheardes that were assembled in the Synod of Miletum, 1saying: Take heede to your selues, and to the whole flocke wherein the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops (whom Luke a little before called priestes or elders) to feede the congregation of God, which he hath purchased with his bloud. Againe, the same Paule a little afore in the same oration of his, declareth after what sort he him selfe had hitherto in that vocation of his fed the Lordes flocke cōmitted vnto him, and sayth: I haue shunned none of those things that were for your profit, but haue preached vnto you, and taught you openly and priuately, witnessing both to the Iewes and to the Grekes, the repentaunce towardes God, and the fayth toward our Lord Iesus Christ. It appeareth then by this plaine expositiō of the Apostle,
This I say is the sound, simple, and not any strange, ⟨image 10⟩racked, or wrested exposition of Christs words [feed my sheep:] but taken out of the very own words of the Lord him self and of his Apostles, and therefore to be preferred before all other interpretations, and none other that disagreeth with this (what interpreter soever be the author thereof, be he old or be he new) is to be admitted or received. Therefore no man need now to doubt that it is out of all doubt, that by these the Lords words, feed my sheep, there is not granted neither to Peter, nor to the Bishop of Rome, that fullness of power which these men boast of, and which they bear the world in hand to be given by those words.
This I say is the sound, simple, and not any strange, ⟨image 10⟩racked, or wrested exposition of Christes wordes [feede my sheepe:] but taken out of the very own wordes of the Lord him selfe and of his Apostles, and therefore to be preferred before all other interpretations, and none other that disagréeth with this (what interpreter soeuer be the author therof, be he olde or be he new) is to be admitted or receaued. Therfore no man néede now to dout that it is out of all dout, that by these the Lordes wordes, feede my sheepe, there is not graunted neither to Peter, nor to the Bishop of Rome, that fulnesse of power which these men boast of, and which they beare the world in hand to be geuen by those wordes.
I could also allege other testimonies for our side concerning this manner of feeding out of the Prophets, as out of the iii. chapt. of Jeremiah, and the xxxiiii. of Ezekiel, but that I labour to be short.1 Yet, because I will not dissemblingly skip over any thing in this matter, I confess that the Romish Bishop hath also very evident witness in the Prophets of his government, and of his manner of feeding. For Zechariah protesteth and saith:2 The Lord said unto me, yet take unto thee the tools of a foolish shepherd. For behold I raise up a shepherd upon the earth, which shall not visit the thing that is cut up, nor seek the thing that is youthful or foolish, nor heal the thing that is bruised, nor feed the thing that standeth: and shall eat the flesh of the fatter sort, & break of their hoofs. Woe be to the idol shepherd, and which forsaketh his flock: and so forth as followeth in the xi. chapt. of Zechariah. Here have ye a looking glass ye Roman Bishops, wherein ye may behold and discern your own phisnomie.
I could also alledge other testimonies for our side concerning this maner of féeding out of the Prophets, as out of the iii. chapt. of Ieremy, and the xxxiiii. of Ezechiell, but that I labour to be short.1 Yet, because I will not dissemblingly skippe ouer any thing in this matter, I confesse that the Romish Bishop hath also very euident witnesse in the Prophets of his gouernmēt, and of his maner of féeding. For Zacharie protesteth and sayth:2 The Lorde sayd vnto me, yet take vnto thee the tooles of a foolish shepeheard. For beholde I raise vp a shepeheard vpon the earth, which shall not visite the thing that is cut vp, nor seeke the thing that is youthfull or foolishe, nor heale the thing that is broozed, nor feede the thing that standeth: and shall eate the fleshe of the fatter sort, & breake of their hoofes. Woe be to the idoll shepeheard, and which forsaketh his flocke: and so forth as followeth in the xi. chapt. of Zacharie. Here haue ye a looking glasse ye Romane Bishops, wherin ye may beholde and discerne your own phisnomie.
Never a whit the more do these men further or beautify their case, when again in defence of themselves and their sovereignty, they allege our saviours words at such time as he said unto Peter:1 Simon, behold Satan hath craved you, that he might winnow you as it were wheat. But I have prayed for thee Peter, that thy faith may not fail, &c. For, too what purpose this sentence pertaineth, the Lord himself declareth immediately by the words which he addeth, saying: And when thou art turned again, strengthen thy brethren. Stark mad and given up into a wilful wicked mind must he needs be, that wresteth these sayings to the maintenance of the Popes most wrongful power: which are most manifestly apparent to be spoken to the admonishment and comfort of such as are fallen. For that place, by warning us before hand, doth simply teach us the same thing which Peter him self hath taught us afterward, saying: your adversary the devil walketh about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour (which thing our Lord expressed by saying, He hath craved you to winnow you, whom withstand you watching by faith. For the Lord in those his words unto Peter, teacheth us not only that thing, but also this: namely, that our standing out in temptations, is not by our own strength, but by the defence, help, and benefit of Christ our Lord, who doubtless giveth, increaseth, and maintaineth faith in us,2 which John in his Epistle calleth the victory that overcometh the world. Furthermore it teacheth us, that neither the offences which we have committed, nor the incessant and importunate travails of Satan against us, must in any wise make us despair, when we be exercised with temptations, yea or also fallen in our encounters: considering how Peter the denier, yea and forswearer of Christ, obtained forgiveness at Christs hands: which was done for an everlasting assurance and witness, that all sinners although they be beguiled by Satan, shall nevertheless be gently received into favour, if they return ⟨image 11⟩to the Lord. For this is it that Peter (being himself winnowed by Satan, but yet gathered up again, and set upon his feet and preserved by the protection of Christ) should strengthen his brethren. And what I pray you do these things make for the stablishing of the unmeasurable and most licentious power of Popes?
It never came in the mind of Christ nor yet of Peter, to think any thing thereof. Full of sacrilege therefore is these most corrupt mens exposition, which they force upon us, utterly against our Lords words.
It neuer came in the mynde of Christ nor yet of Peter, to thinke any thing therof. Full of sacrilege therefore is these most corrupt mens exposition, whiche they force vppon vs, vtterly against our Lordes wordes.
