pp. 39–404 passages
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.
But to what purpose serveth so deep repeating of these things will some man say? Surely all these things serve to this purpose, that it may appear manifestly by them, yea & be perceived even of the most simplest sort of all, that this fullness of power & sovereignty over all kings & kingdoms, which the said Pope Pius the fifth braggeth of in his Bull, to be given unto himself and to all Bishops of Rome, is nothing else but Bulling or Bubbling, that is to say nothing else but a most vain forgery, or rather a devilish and cursed lye devised, found out, and forced upon the people of God, by the Popes themselves and by flattering clawbacks of their own stamp. For Christ never gave any such thing either to Peter or to the other Apostles. Neither did Peter leave any whit thereof to his successors: so as I may well say, that the Popes are nothing less than the successors of Simon Peter, but rather the successors of Simon Magnus. Moreover the Lord in his Gospel not once nor darkly, but most openly commandeth bishops to obey kings, and not to reign over them. And therefore the Apostles and the first bishops of the Roman Church, were ministers of the Church, yea and martyrs, but not Princes of nations: and they yielded due obedience unto Princes. What manner of men the latter bishops of Rome be and have been, who stepping aside from the footsteps of the fathers, have both unjustly usurped and cruelly executed, the said fullness of power, whereof they now make their boast, they are known to all men, not by their virtues but by their unspeakable outrages. What else remaineth then, but that the sentence of Pope Pius the fifth (who as he saith himself is mounted up into the throne of Justice to give judgement) which he by the fullness of his power hath given and pronounced definitively by publishing it against the most virtuous Queen of England and the noble Realm of England, is utterly nothing and of none effect, because it is but a vain, a feigned, and counterfeit power, by force whereof this disguised ⟨p. 40⟩Judge hath given sentence, not as a Judge, but as a tyrant, and Antichrist.
BUt to what purpose serueth so déepe repetyng of these thinges will some man say? Surely all these thinges serue to this purpose, that it may appeare manifestly by them, yea & be perceiued euē of the most simplest sort of all, that this fulnesse of power & souereintie ouer all kings & kyngdomes, which the sayd Pope Pius the fifth braggeth of in hys Bull, to be giuen vnto himselfe and to all Byshops of Rome, is nothyng els but Bullyng or Bublyng, that is to say nothyng els but a most vayne forgerie, or rather a deuilish and cursed lye deuised, found out, and forced vpon the people of God, by the Popes themselues and by flattering clawbackes of their owne stamp. For Christ neuer gaue any such thyng either to Peter or to the other Apostles. Neyther did Peter leaue any whit thereof to his successors: so as I may well say, that the Popes are nothing lesse than the successors of Simon Peter, but rather the successors of Simon Magnus. Moreouer the Lord in his Gospell not once nor darckely, but most openly commaundeth byshops to obey kinges, and not to raigne ouer them. And therefore the Apostles and the first byshops of the Romane Church, were ministers of the Church, yea and martyrs, but not Princes of nacions: and they yelded due obedience vnto Princes. What maner of men the latter byshops of Rome be and haue bene, who stepping aside from the footsteppes of the fathers, haue both vniustly vsurped and cruelly executed, the sayd fulnesse of power, wherof they now make their boast, they are knowen to all men, not by their vertues but by their unspeakeble outrages. What els remayneth then, but that the sentence of Pope Pius the fift (who as he sayth himselfe is mounted vp into the throne of Iustice to geue iudgement) which he by the fulnesse of his power hath geuen and pronounced definitiuely by publishing it against the most vertuous Quéene of England and the noble Realme of England, is vtterly nothing and of none effect, because it is but a vayne, a fained, and counterfet power, by force wherof this disguised ⟨p. 40⟩Iudge hath geuen sentence, not as a Iudge, but as a tyraunt, and Antichrst.
Therefore O England (happy even in the same respect) when thou seest the Romish thunderbolts which the Bull spreadeth into the whole world, to be thrown and darted against thee: thou must think it is but a new Italian Cacus that puffeth out again his vain flashes of fire, from those his shady dens of meant Aventine blinded with much mist, and dazzleth the sight of blearied folk with black fogginess and darkness mixed with fire. They that have received their eyesight by the grace of God, know well enough what that fond Salmonean lightener is, namely even the man of sin, & the child of damnation, as the Apostle saith, which is lifted up against all that is called God or the power of God, in so much as he sitteth in the temple of God, boasting himself to be God. Therefore the godly and those that be enlightened believe that God blesseth their curssages and curseth their blessings▪ and therefore that his excommunications are nothing to be feared.
Therefore O England (happie euen in the same resspect) when thou séest the Romish thunderbolts which the Bull spreddeth into the whole world, to be throwen and darted agaynst thée: thou must thinke it is but a new Italian Cacus that puffeth out again his vaine flashes of fire, from those his shadie dennes of meant Auentine blinded with much mist, and dazeleth the sight of blearied folke with black fogginesse and darcknes mixt with fire. They that haue receiued their eysight by the grace of God, know well inough what that fond Salmonean lightener is, namely euen the man of sinne, & the child of damnation, as the Apostle saith, which is lifted vp against all that is called God or the power of God, in so much as he sitteth in the temple of God, boasting himselfe to be God. Therfore the godly and those that be enlightened beleue that God blesseth their curssages and curseth their blessinges▪ and therefore that his excommunications are nothing to be feared.
Surely from the time that these men executed that unmeasurable power of theirs in the Church, they have been so far from holding Gods people together in the unity of the spirit, or from bringing them to their Saviour, that they rather dispersed them & pulled them away from them their Saviour. Which thing the matter it self bewrayeth.
Surely from the time that these men executed that vnmeasurable power of theirs in the Church, they haue bene so farre from holding Gods people together in the vnitie of the spirit, or from bringing them to their Sauiour, that they rather dispersed them & pulled them away from them their Sauiour. Which thing the matter it self bewrayeth.
