A Blow for the Pope, Part 1 – Part 2
A BLOWE FOR THE POPE.
Touching the POPES prerogatiues.
Extracted word for word out of the Booke of MARTYRES
EDINBVRGH, Printed by Iohn Wreittoune. 1631
The proud primacie of Popes painted out in Tables, in order of their rysing vp by little and little, from faithfull Bishops and Martyres, to become Lords and Governours over Kings and Kingdomes, exalting themselues in the Temple of GOD, aboue all that is called God. 2. Thess. chap. 2.
IN the Table of the primitiue Church, hath beene (gentle Reader) set foorth and exhibited before thine eyes, the grievous aflictions and sorrowfull torments, which through GODS secreet sufferance, fell vponupon the true Saincts and members of CHRISTS Church in that time, especially vponupon the good Bishops, Ministers, and teachers of the flocke: of whom, some were scourged, some beheaded, some crucified, some burnt, some had their eyes put out, some one way, and some another, miserably consumed: which dayes of woefull calamitie continued neare the space of three hundreth yeares. During which time, the deare spouse and Elect Church of GOD, being sharply assaulted on everie side, had small rest, no joy, nor outward safety in this present world, but in much bitternesse of heart, continuall teares and mourning vnderunder the crosse, passed over their dayes beeing spoyled, imprisoned, contemned, revyled, famished, tormented, and martyrde everie where, who neither durst well tarrie at home for feare and dread, & much lesse durst come abroade for the enemies, but onelyonly by night, when they assembled as they might, sometimes to sing Psalmes and hymnes together. In all which their dreadfull dangers, and sorrowfull afflictions, notwithstanding the goodnesse of the LORD left them not desolate: but the more their outward tribulations did increase, the more their inward consolations did abound: and the further off they seemed from the joyes of this life, the more present was the LORD with them with grace and fortitude, to confirme and rejoyce their soules: and though their possessions and riches in this world were lost and spoyled, yet were they inriched with Heavenly gifts and treasures from aboue an hundreth fold, then was true Religion truely felt in heart. Then was Christianitie not in outward appearance shewed, but in inward affection receaved, and the true image of the Church not in outward show presented, but in her perfect state effectuall. Then was the name and feare of GOD true in heart, not in lippes alone dwelling: faith then was fervent, zeale ardent, prayer not swimming in the lips, but groaned out to GOD from the bottome of the spirit: Then was no pryde in the Church, nor lasoure to seeke riches, nor time to keepe them. Contentions for triffiles was not then so farre from Christians, that well were they when they could meete to pray together against the Devill, author of all dissention. Briefly the wholeChurch of CHRIST IESUS, with all the members thereof, the further it was from the type and shape of this world, the nearer it was to the blessed respect of GODS favour and supportation.
The first rysing of the Bishops of Rome.
AFter this long tyme of trouble, it pleased the LORD at length mercifully to looke vponupon the Saincts and servants of his Sonne, to release their captivity, to release their miserie, and to binde vp the old dragon the Devill, which so long vexed them, whereby the Church began to aspyre to some more libertie: And the Bishops which before were as abjects, vtterly contemned of Emperors, through the providence of GOD, (which disposeth all things in his time after his owne will) beganne now of Emperours to bee esteemed and had in pryce: Furthermore, as Emperours grew more in devotion, so the Bishops more and more were exalted, not onelyonly in favour, but also preferred vntounto honour, in so much that in short space they became not quarter masters, but rather halfe Emperours with Emperours.
After this in processe of time, as riches and worldly wealth crept into the Clergie, and that the Devill had poured his venome into the Church, (as the voyce was heard the same time over Constantinople) so true humilitie began to decay, and pryde to set in his foote, till at last they plaide as the Ivy with the Oake tree, which first beginning with a goodly greene show imbraceth him so long, till at the length it overgroweth him, and so sucketh all his moysture from him, setting his roote fast in his barke, till at last it both stiffleth the stocke, and killeth the branches, and so commeth to bee a nest of Owles, and all vncleane birds. Not vntruely therefore it was said of Augustine. Religio peperit divitias, & filia, devoravit matrem: religion begateriches, and the daughter hath devored the mother: The verity whereof notoriously may appeare aboue all other in the Church of Rome, and the Bishops of the same, for after that the Church of Rome, through favour of Emperours, was indued with lands, donations, possessions, and patrimonies, so that the Bishops thereof feeling the smacke of wealth, ease, and prosperitie, beganne to swell in pompe and pryde: the more they floorished in this world, the more GODS holy spirit forsooke them, till at last the said Bishops who at the first were poore, creeping low vponupon the ground, and were persecuted long time, everie man treading vponupon them in this world: now of persecuted people, began to be persecuters of others, and to tread vponupon the neckes even of Emperours, and to bring the heads of Kings and Princes vnderunder their girdle. And not that onelyonly that, but furthermore through pryde and riches, they were so farre gone from all religion, that in the verie end they became the adversarie of God (whom wee call Antichrist) prophecied of so long before by the Spirit of GOD to come, sitting in the Temple of GOD. &c. Of whom we reade thus in the Epistle of Paul. 2. Thess. 2. where he saith, Wee beseech you brethren, by the comming of our LORD IESVS CHRIST, and by our fellowship together in him That yee bee not suddenly mooued in your minde, nor troubled, neither by spirite, nor by word, nor by letter, as it were from vsus, as though the day of CHRIST were at hand. Let no man in any wayes deceiue you, for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that that man of sinne bee revealed, even the sonne of perdition, that adversarie which exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that hee shall sit in the Temple of GOD, as God, and set foorth himselfe as hee were GOD,
BY which words of St. Paul, wee hauehave diverse things to vnderstand: First that the day of the LORDS comming was not then neare at hand. Secondly, The Apostle giving vsus a token before, to know when that day shall approach, biddeth vsus looke for an adversarie first to bee revealed. Thirdly to show what adversarie this shall bee, hee expresseth him not to bee as a common adversarie, such as were then in his time. For although Herod, Annas, and Cajaphas, the hie Priests, and Pharisies, Tertullus, Alexander the Coppersmith, Elymas and Simon Magus, and Nero the Emperour in Pauls time, were great adversaries, yet heere hee meaneth another besides these, greater then all the rest, not such a one as should bee like to Priest, King, or Emperour, but such as farre exceeding the estate of all Kings; Priests, and Emperours, should be the Prince of Priests, and should make Kings to stoup, and should tread vponupon the necke of Emperours, and make them to kisse his feete. Moreover, where the Apostle sayeth, that hee shall sit in the Temple of GOD, thereby is meaned, not the personall sitting of the Pope, in the Citie only of Rome, but the authoritie and iurisdiction of his Sea exalted in the whole vniversall Church equall with GOD himselfe. For let men giuegive to the Pope, that which hee in his lawes, decrees, and in his pontificall requyreth, and what difference is there betwixt GOD and the Pope? If GOD set lawes and ordinances, so doth hee: If GOD hath his creatures, so hath hee: If GOD require obedience so doth hee: If the breach of GODS commandements bee punished, much more bee his. GOD hath his religion, the Pope also hath his: Yea for GODS one Religion, he hath an hundreth: GOD hath set vp one Advocate, hee hath an hundreth: GOD hath instituted but a few holy dayes: for GODS one, hee hath instituted fourtie: And if the holie day that GOD hath appoynted, bee Simplex: The feast that the Pope appoynteth is duplex & triplex. CHRIST is the head of the Church, so is the Pope: CHRIST giveth influence to his bodie, so doth the Pope: CHRIST forgiveth sinne, the Pope doth no lesse: CHRIST expelleth evill spirits by hispower; so pretendeth the Pope by his holy water: Furthermore, where CHRIST went barefooted vponupon the bare ground, hee with his golden shooes is caried vponupon mens shoulders. And where CHRIST was called, Sanctus Sanctorum: Heeis called Sanctorum Sanctissimus: CHRIST never practised but onelyonly the spirituall sword, hee claimeth both spirituall and temporall: CHRIST bought the Church: Hee both buyeth and selleth the Church. And if it bee necessarie to beleeue CHRIST to bee the Saviour of the world: so is it necessarie to beleeuethe Pope to bee the head of the Church: CHRIST payed tribute vntounto Caesar: hee maketh Caesar pay tribute vntounto him; Finallie, the Crowne of CHRIST was of sharpe thornes: The Pope hath three crownes of gold vponupon his head, so farre exceeding CHRIST the Sonne of GOD in glorie of this world, as CHRIST exceedeth him in the Glorie of HEAVEN. The image and paterne of whose intolerable pryde and exaltation, according as St. Paul doeth descryue him in his Epistle foresaid, wee hauehave heere set foorth, not only in these tables to bee seene, and by his owne facts to be noted, but also by his owne words & Registers; Clementines, Extravagants and Pontificals, expressed as in order (the LORD willing) shall follow.