The Bee Hive of the Romish Church, Part 1 · Chapter 1
The first Chapter. VVherein is plainly declared, that the Luthera… and Huguenotes are Heretikes, and ought to be burnt: notvvithstanding, that as vvell by Scripture, as by many examples, they shevve themselues to be the very Church of God.
AND to the intent that wee maye orderly deale,Lutheran… & Huguenotes are Heretikes▪ beginning first with one piece, and after proceeding with an other: our Maister Gentianus doeth here in his … charge, set forth such a noble grounded and sharpe wittie reason, to founde and builde his argumentes vponupon, that the Heretikes and Huguenotes stand alreadie so amazed and ashamed, as a horse that hath ouerthrowen his carre.
You poore Heretikes (saieth he) howe can you be of a true beleefe, if you do not first accept the twelfe articles of the faith? And how should you accept them, seeing you will not beleeue the holy Catholike Church?
For consider this, he doeth take to serue his turne, a most certeine and vndoubted point, That no man can beleeue the holie Church, but hee must ioyntly withall receiue and accept all, whatsoeuer the saide Church doth set forth and beleeue. And this is greatly to be cōsidered: seeing herevpon doth rest the most spe…ial ground and strongest bulwarke of the holy Church of Rome. For these Heretikes can very stedfastly say,Church of God and Heretikes. that they thēselues are the church of God. And to … that, they introduce and bring in many goodly textes out of the Scripture: but they alledge them only according to the letter: euen as though the Church were nothing els, but an assemblie or congregation of holy men, that is to say, of such as through faith or beleefe are by the bloud of Iesus Christ blessed and chosen to be the sheepefolde of Iesus Christe the true and only sheepheard of our soules:Ioh. 10.3, 4, …, 14, 25. into which fold none are receiued, but such alone as will hearken to the onelyonly voyce of that onelyonly shepheard, and followe and goe after him onelyonly, forsaking and not knowing the voyce of any straunger.
Whereby they will nowe conclude, that our great Maister the Pope, with all the right honourable Bishops and Prelates, (which hauehave of them selues set forth manie goodly ordinances,Iohn 10.1… whereof Christ neuer knewe word) should be those very straungers and hirelings, which seeke onelyonly the wooll of the sheepe, and hauehave serued God feignedly, setting forth and teaching the commandements and doctrine of men: yea,Mat. 15.9. that they shuld be the theeues and murtherers, that hauehave not entred in at the right doore which is Iesus Christ,Ioh. 10.9. but are crept in a wrong way, to steale, kill and destroye. And therfore do they cut vsus cleane off, notwithstanding what soeuer wee alleadge of the Church of God, and of her authoritie, power and woorthines. But they alledge out of the Prophet Ieremie, That al is but lyes and deceyt whervpon we establish our selues, crying with ye Iewes,Iere. 7.4. The Church of God, The Church of God, The Church of God. And herevpon doe they bring vsus forth and alledge their Paul, saying,Ephes. 2.20. That the only true ground and foundation of the Church of God is established onelyonly vppon the doctrine of the Prophetes & Apostles: so that who soeuer he be that falleth from the same, can not be accompted for a true member of Christs Church. And then they bring forth an Esaie out of a corner, and an Ezechiel, an Oseas, with diuers other out of the olde Testament, which they set al together on a heape, and will defend themselues therewith, that the stedfast successiō and that long continued race of the Popes, Cardinals, Bishoppes, and Archbishops, are in no wise that right token, and that vncounterfeyt marke of the Church, but ye onelyonly the sincere worde of God: when as that is in our mouthes and in our heartes, and in the mouthes and heartes of our children,Esai. 59.21. accompanied with the right vse of the Sacraments, according to the perfit ordeining of Christ Iesus, who is the only head of the Church and congregation: in whom all people are ioyntly vnited, eueryevery one according to the measure of the gift which he hath receiued of the head,Ephe. 4.15, 16. to the ful growth of the whole body in louelove. Well, well: when they hauehave done all their prating,Colo. 1.18. and 2.19. yet must this needes be true: That they are but Heretikes, and smel after the fagot, the good yere and all, the cause why: For that they doe not beleeue all that the holy Church doth beleeue, and without the Church is no saluation: but all such as fall from her, must be burnt like fagottes: for to that end hauehave we a plaine text of Scripture, which saith thus:Iohn 15.6. which witnes is to this purpose set foorth of Iohn Audre as Panormitanus, Hostiensis, Bernardus Lutzenburgen. in the 4. boke of the Heretikes in the 5. part, and by other moe Catholike wr…ters. Who soeuer doeth not abyde in me, shall be cast out of the vineyarde, as a branche, and there wither: and men gather those branches, and cast them in the fire, and burne them.
And this same is apparent out of the second point of this Epistle nowe folowing: Whereas Gentianus doeth openly cōfesse, that at al times and for euer, there hauehave bin some men which hauehave helde the same opinions, & set forth the like learning, that these Lutheranes and Huguenotes do nowe followe. But he answereth the matter thus: That such hauehave alway bene banished and cursed for heretikes: and all this is verie true.Iohn Patriarch of Cō stantinople. For euer since that Iohn the Archfather, Patriarch of Constantinople, began to take vponupon him to be the vniuersall Bishop of all Bishops within Christendome: which attempt the Pope of Rome dyd in the beginning stoutly withstande: and that then afterwardes Boniface the thirde did obteyne that tytle for him selfe,Bonifac…us …. the first head of holy Church. Phocas. and was by the Emperour Phocas declared Cheefe or superiour Bishop ouer all Christendome, and ordeined the head of the Church: which thing was brought to passe in the yeere of our Lord 680. From that time forward (I saye) there hauehave alwayes bene many factious and busie fellowes stirring abroade, which as well by writing, as preaching, hauehave withstoode the Pope, and condemned his doctrine, decrees and ordinances, euen by the Scripture: yea, and blazed and set him selfe forth for an Antichrist,Popes acco… for Antichrists alledging (euen as our Heretikes nowe do) that men ought to repose themselues and buyld vponupon the sincere word of God onelyonly: and further, to holde and esteeme all ordinances of the Popes (not agreeing with the Scripture) for deuilishe doctrine. But, as before is declared, such hauehave alwayes bin reputed and condemned for Heretikes. Therefore, to the ende that no man shall thinke this to be nowe a new dealing of the holy Church, to condemne these Lutheranes and Huguenotes for Heretikes: and likewise, that no man shall suppose, that this their doctrine and Articles, which they set forth are first growen in their gardens: I will theref…e make here a brief discourse of such, as hauehave here before set forth these matters, as well by mouth, as by writing, to make it plainely appeare to the worlde, that there is not one Article which they bring forth, but i… hath bene long before …et a b…che openly▪ & that the holy Church of Rome hath both punished, and condemned it for heresie.
Then to begin withall, it is plaine, that the Grekes hauehave alwayes da…pe…ly withstoode the holy Pope of Rome, The Grekes against the Pope of Rome.and would neuer acknowledge him neither for Pope, nor for the head of the Church: like as yet euen in these dayes they do not: in so much as in the yere of our Lorde 1328. at which tyme Pope Iohn the 23. had written very wisely and sharpely, to the Grekes, Iohannes the 23. pope.and by many wordes defended the cause, That first there was but one only Church, whereof he ought to be the head, vnderunder whom all Christendome ought to submit them selues: they dyd againe sende him this answere which followeth.The Grekes do answere pope Iohn. This doth Iohn Man-deuil write of in his 7. booke.
We beleeue verely, that thine authoritie is great, ouer thine owne subiectes: yet we can not well beare with thy loftines, and vnmeasurable pride: neither allowe thy vnsatiable couetousnesse. Therefore the deuill be with thee, for God is with vsus.
Notwithstāding that some of their Embassadours did in the Councell of Ferrara, in the tyme of Pope Eugenius 4. agree therevnto:E…genius 4 but without consent or commission of their Church, which did afterwards call backe, and adnihilate the same. But long before that time, not onelyonly the cōmon people of the Greekes, but the Emperours them selues likewise, were aduersaries to the Pope of Rome: about the setting vp and praying to Images. For about the yere of our Lord 730. the Emperors Constantine 5. and 6. and Leo Isaurus, Constanti…us. Leo.did with full aduise and consent of the Councell, as well out of the Scripture, as of the ancient Fathers, conclude:
That men should in no wise, for the seruice of God, Images forbidden & despised.neither set vp, nor pray to anie Images: but did likewise vtterly break down & destroy al Images before made and set vp.
The cause wherefore the Popes did diuide the EmpireFor which cause the Popes of Rome did conceiue such malice and hatred against them, that from thence forth, they sought al maner of meanes and wayes to diuide and ouerthrowe the Emperial state: like as in continuance of time they brought it so to passe. And likewise, not only the Greekes, The Grekes and the Germanes did withstande the forbidding of priestes to marie, …il Boniface 8. did set it vp by force. Berthramusbut the Germanes also, did long time withstand the forbidding of Priestes to marrie, till at length the Popes (and that specially Bonifacius 8.) did by maine force bring it to passe, and establishe the same.
In the yere 840. one Berthrame, a stout and a learned man, rose vp, who did manfully withstande the Romishe doctrine, as touching their Transubstantiation, dedicating to Charles the French King, brother of Lothorius, a notorious booke made for that purpose: and did likewise in an other booke confirmed by the Scriptures,Nota. and strongly defended by the holy Fathers, set forth the doctrine of Predestination, which these Heretikes do nowe so earnestly stand vponupon. And about the yere 869. did Iohannes Scotus followe him,Io. Scotus. writing against Transubstantiation,Berēgarius. euen as Beringarius about the yere 839. had done the like. And in ye yere of our Lord 964.Huldricus Bishop of Auxburge. Huldrike Bishop of Auxburge, by his writing reuoked again the saide commaundement of forbidding Priestes to marrie. After whom, about the yere 1240. Bernard started vp,Bernardus. who wrote very much of Predestination, and against Freewill: nothing vnlike the doctrine of the Lutheranes and Huguenotes: yea, and did very stoutly striue against the Priestes and Prelates, calling them, The seruantes of Antichrist: and making of the Prelates, Pilates.Iohannes Sarisburien. Whom in the yere 1157. Iohannes of Sarisburie did folowe, and wrote a booke called Obiurgium Clericorum: and another named Polycraticus: wherein hee doeth pull the whole Clergie vengeably ouer the coles, and setteth them out for Phariseis and false teachers: calling the Pope, Antichrist: and Rome, The hoore of Babylon. And likewise a litle before that, had Arnolde the Bishop of Brixen set vp earnestly against the Priestes, denying flatly, that the sworde of gouernement should anie whit apperteyne vntounto them: yea, euen at the same time was there one Peter Bloix, Petrus Bloix.which wrote openly thus:
That Rome was the right Babylō, wherof S. Iohn did prophesie: and that the Officialles of the Romish Court were deuilish Griphines: Deuilish Griphines.and the Priestes, verie Calues of Bethel, Baals Priests, Aegyptiacal idols: and that eueryevery thing was to be solde at Rome for money.
About the same time in the yere 1160. started vp in France a quicke fellowe, and a worshipfull Burgesse of the Towne of Lyons, named Petrus Valdo, Petrus Valdo.who hauing studied the Scriptures very diligently, began to set vp a newe doctrine, which did hit as iust vponupon the doctrine of these Huguenotes, as might be. He left manye Disciples after him, in so much that a remnant is remayning yet to this day. After that came Petrus de Vinea, Petrus de Vinea.Chauncelour to the Emperour Frederike 2. and was in the yere 1240. who went about likewise to robbe our holy father the Pope of his intituled authoritie and iurisdiction, ray…ing vponupon him out of measure. And after came Guilielmus de sancto Amore, Guilielmus de sancto Amore.in the yeere 1260. who layde loade exceedingly vponupon the Prelates, Monkes, and Friers: and did reckon them for subiectes of Antichrist. Whose opinions were after in the yeere 1275. by one Laurence an Englishe Doctor at Paris, stoutly defended and cōfirmed. Againe, in the yere 1306. came abroad one Petrus Cassiodorus, a Gentleman,Petrus Cass. and very well learned: who did altogether spil the potage. For his writing and doctrine was, euen as though he had studied all the dayes of his life in the bookes of Luther and Caluin: and he made of the Pope a Nabuchodonosor. After that, in the yere 1314. did followe one Dulsimus of Nauarra. Dulsimus.And in the yeere 1315. Arnoldus de villa Noua, who caried water all ouer one bridge. And at last, in ye yere 1383. came forth the great Archeheretike Iohn Wiclef, Iohn VViclef.who threw all the spindles of the holy Church of Rome in the ashes: for he was a naturall Zwinglian, or Caluinist: and of him sproong vp Iohn Hus, Iohn Hus.in the yeere 1405. which was the father of all Lutheranes. Hee it was which came with Hieronymus of Prage to ye Coū cell of Constance, Hieronym. de Praga.there to defende his doctrine by scripture: but there he was taught a newe lesson: for in place of disputation, they were both burnt at a stake. And yet that notwithstanding, their doctrine euer since that time hath bene accepted in many places: and by many stout fellowes confirmed. Like as there was one Nicholaus Clemangis, Nicholaus Clemangis.a Doctor of Paris, and Bishop of Bayone in France: Oldecastell, Lorde Cobham, Oldecastell.and Knight of the order of the Garter: and within a litle while after, one William Wight in Englande: VVight.and Paule Crawe, Paul Cravvwith many other, in the countrie of Rome, Hieronymus Sauanerola in Italie, Hieronym. Sauanerol…and a number of other more: all which yet were by the Church of Rome banished and condemned for heretikes: yea, & where they could be gotten, put to death.
In summe, all such, as at any time hauehave taken vponupon them, to set forth any like matter against the Church of Rome, hauehave alway bene of the most holy Popes banished and accursed, together with all them which would by any meanes mainteyne or defend them. In so much, that Emperours and Kings: yea, whole countries hauehave (for withstanding the Pope) bene excommunicated and condemned for heretikes: yea, & (which is of greater importance) one Okam, Okam and Dante.and Dante, good Catholike men, were by Pope Benedict 3. condemned for Heretikes: only because they did mainteine, That Emperours holde their Empires of God, and not of the Pope: and yet notwithstanding, that in all other matters they did throughly professe the Popes doctrine.
I say nothing, what is meete to be done to these new Heretikes, who go about to roote out and destroy the whole foundation of the Romish schole, and take vponupon them to face vsus out with their Paul, with their Esaie & their Ieremie. What a mischiefe! Do they not know that those fellowes, whome they alledge and bring vsus forth, were likewise esteemed for Heretikes, as well as they are themselues? Yea▪ in so much that one of them was hanged, another was burnt, the third clouen thorough the middest with a saw, the fourth set vponupon a wheele, &c. And therefore are we no more moued for them, than for a bladder full of beanes.
For the holy Church of Rome would neuer accept their doctrine, but vponupon this bargaine and condition, to wit, that shee might alway applie the same as she should thinke good, and as might best come to passe for her selfe: and that no reuoking, nor reuolting, nor appellatiō should be made against her doings: no, nor that the name of Iesus Christ should in that case serue: like as shall by vsus shortly in the part next folowing be declared at large. For this verely is most true, that if our blessed Lorde him selfe, would hauehave followed the exposition and cō mentarie,The Phariseis gloses. which the Priestes, Phariseis, & Doctours had at that time made vponupon the holy Scriptures, in the name of the holye Church, he had neuer bene crucified, or hanged vponupon the crosse. But because that hee would (full wisely) go and bring in newe matters, and so set vp a newe reformation, according to the text and doctrine of the Gospell (like as these Heretikes go about nowe to do) therfore did they deale so hardly with him. Notwithstanding that, nowe since the holy Church of Rome hath so finely handled and set forth this newe religion of Christ, and brought it vntounto such a trim frame, that nowe it is very gladly receyued of eueryevery one in a maner: yea, and if it were so, that these Huguenotes would accept the same, setting it forth likewise, surely, men would no more be so readie to bring them to a stake, as heretofore they hauehave done: yea, and pretend hereafter to do.
But nowe, to come to our matter againe, it is necessarie, that we well consider, and substantially declare, wherein the worthines and authoritie of the holy Church doth specially consist: & what commandements, traditions, and ordinances of the same, men must receyue and accept, without all contradiction or gainsaying.
And this (for so much as our Doctors of Louen are troubled with so manye other profounde and deepe questions, that they hauehave not the leasure to set out this point effectually) is notwithstanding, the right ground and foūdation of all their building: yea, and is most needefull to our saluation, and to the extirpation and rooting out of all heresies. For it may be demanded, Whether men shall holde for commandementes and traditions of the Church, only & alone, that which is plainely set forth in the scriptures of the olde and newe Testamentes? Or els, that which the olde holy Fathers & Doctours, as Augustine, Chrysostome, Hierome, and such like hauehave left behinde them in their bookes and writings: or a great deale rather, that which hath ben concluded in the holy Councels: either els that which the holy Popes of Rome hauehave ordeined and enioyned: or, last of all, that which is scraped together out of the one and the other: all layd in one Pastie, and baked in one Cake: and which is nowe in our dayes obserued in the holy Catholike Church of Rome?