Confutation of the Popes Bull, Part 21
¶The Queene of England hath iustly cō maunded her subiectes that they should not acknowledge the Church of Rome, or obey the lawes therof. Iustly also hath she bound them by othe to abiure the authoritie and obedience of the Romish Byshop.
The Queene doth iustly forbyd her subiectes to acknowledge the Church of Rome.The Bull procedeth in his purposed accusation agaynst the Quéene, saying: She hath forbidden the Clergie and laitie to acknowledge the Church of Rome or to obey the lawes of it. Yea and she hath compelled them to renounce the authoritie & obedience of the Romane Byshop, by othe: appointing penalties and punishmentes to such as disobey: the which she hath executed vpō those that hauehave continued in the vnitie of fayth and the obedience aforesayd. But the Quéenes Maiestie euen in this case also, hath done nothyng but that the Lord God himselfe hath commaunded her to do, & which all good Princes among the people of God hauehave done before her. For it is alredy manifestly inough shewed and proued before, that by Gods ordinaunce it is lawfull for Kinges and Magistrates to take vponupon them the care and orderyng both of cases and of persons Ecclesiasticall. Therfore looke what the Quéene hath commaunded her subiectes in this behalfe, she hath done but that she ought to do by vertue of her office. And wheras she hath commaunded that they should not acknowledge the Church of Rome or obey the ordinaunces therof, hath she not cōmaunded that thyng by the appiontment of Gods word? for truly God commaū deth his people in his law, that they should not giuegive eare to such as teach thinges contrarie to his law: also he commaundeth the Magistrate that he giuegive no place either to superstitions, or to false doctrines, but rather that he roote vp these,Iere. 23. and restreine the others. Ieremy (like as the rest of the Prophetes also) inferreth and vrgeth the same thyng. Among other thynges (sayth he) thus sayth the Lord of hostes, hearken not to the woordes of the Prophetes that prophesie vntounto you. For they teach you vanitie, tell you the visions of their owne hart, euen their owne inuentions, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. But it is more clearer then the light of noone day, that the Romish Doctors and teachers are not onelyonly such, but moreouer most cruell enemyes to the sound doctrine of the Gospell, or rather persecuters imbrewed with Christian bloud. The Lord hymselfe in his Gospell, but specially in Mathew the vij. and xxiiij. chapters, and in Luke the vij. chapter, hath forbydden vsus to giuegive eare to false Prophetes and false Christes, specially which shall come in this last perillous ago. He chargeth vsus that we should neither beleue them nor folow thē. And S. Peter with great grauitie sayth,Act. 2. kéepe your selues from this generation. Which thyng he intreateth of more plenteously and diligently in his latter Epistle. Yea and S. Paule also agréeing with the doctrine of S. Peter, describeth the corrupt gouerners of the Church in this last age, verely froward men, not lightes but firebrandes of the Church,1. Cor. 10. and he biddeth the faithfull depart from them. If any man desire to sée the places he shal find them in 2. Cor. 6. and in 2. Thes. 2. and in 1. Tim. 4. and 6. and in 2. Tim. 3. and 4. chapters. Flée ye from Idolatrie sayth the same Apostle. And S. Iohn sayth beware of Idols.1. Iohn. 5. Besides this, it is reueled to S. Iohn from heauen,Apoc. 18. and commaundement is giuen thus: my people, get ye out of Babylon, that ye be not partakers of her sinnes, and receyue of her plagues also. Uery rightly therfore and accordyng to the commaundementes of God, hath the Quéenes Maiestie done, in chargyng her subiectes that they should not acknowledge the Romane that is to say the Popish Church, nor obey the Popes law or ordinaunces, as vtterly wicked or fightyng agaynst the word of God.
The Queene hath lawfully compelled her subiectes to for sweare ye Pope and the Papacie.But the thyng that most of all gréeueth and chafeth hym is, that the Quéene hath compelled her▪ subiectes to renoūce the Pope, and his authoritie (which in very déede is none at all) and the Papacie it selfe, by othe. Neuerthelesse, euen in this behalfe also what hath her highnesse done, which the holy Priestes and Kynges beloued of God, hauehave not done afore?2. Reg. 11. for we read of Ioiada the faithful Priest in the house of the Lord, that he made a couenaunt betwixt the Lord, & the Kyng and the people, verely euen by bynding them vntounto God with an othe accordyng to the law, and by separatyng them from all superstition and Idolatrie.1. Esd. 10. Of Esdras we read thus: Esdras therfore arose, and compelled by othe or sweare the Princes, the Priestes, and all Israell, that they should deale accordyng to the word.2. Chron. 15. Of kyng Asa we read thus. They made a couenaunt to séeke the Lord God of their fathers, withall their hart and withall their soule: and that whosoeuer sought not the Lord God of Israell, should be put to death, whether he were smal or great, man or woman: And they sware vntounto ye Lord with a loud voyes, and with showtyng, and with soundyng of trumpets and shalmes. The Scripture addeth: And all the Iewes reioysed of that othe: for they had sworne withall their hart: and they sought God with a whole will: and he was found of them: and the Lord gaue them rest round about. The same thynges are read of the holy kyngs Ezechias 2. Chron. 29. and of Iosias 4. of kynges. 23. and 2. Chron. 34. chapters. And therfore the Quéene of England hath done well in bindyng the Clergy and laitie by othe to the true Religion agaynst the false.