The Accomplishment of the Prophecies, Chapter 2 · Part 19
The first sort of Policie serving to blind, and inveigle the people.
THat the people therefore might bee blinded, and deceaued without vnderstanding so much; the pope hath wrested the scriptures out of their hands, and takē order that they should not bee translated into a knowne tongue. Within these fewe yeares, the scriptures were no more knowne to the people of France, then the Alcoran was: There were only some Latin Bibles in Monasteries, and in clergie mens houses. And evē at this very time in Spain, Italie, Sicilie, &c. to see an Italian or Spanish Bible, would be deemed to bee a prodigy, and thought a matter sufficient to fetch one vnderunder the inquisition. To the same ende it is that hee will hauehave the common service read in a strange tongue, and the women and children are taught to pray in Latin, for feare they should vnderstand themselus. This once effected, it was easie for the Pope to drawe religion to his owne profit, & to disguise it as he thought best; the poore people suffering themselus perforce to bee led along by these guides, which hauehave hoodwinckt their eies. Neverthelesse because it is the nature of the people to be busie about some thing; having taken away the scripture from them, insteed thereof he gaue them images, together with many outward ceremonies, & gay ornaments, to the end that whilst they stood gazing vponupon these he might the easier display his nets to ensnare them; Some pretty recreations they hauehave for to occupy their mindes, whilst hee in the Interim builds a strong fort round about them, for to keepe them in slavish bondage.
2 But because, be you never so carefull herein, yet there will ever be some curious spirits that will escape and get out, and that it is hard, but that some one or other will be desirous to see the head spring and knowe vponupon what authoritie Christian religion is founded; for feare least such a man as this, hauing gotten the sight of the scripture by stealth, should bee offended for to see it so little agreeing with the doctrine of the Romish Church, they hauehave sought to prevent this inconvenience, by an impudent shift. That is, they vse to revile the scripture, saying that it doth not containe all things necessary to salvation, that it is but a peece of a rule, that it is obscure, and ambiguous, that the divell himselfe makes vse of it, that it is not the chief iudge of controversies; but that frō thence wee must appeale to the Church of Rome, which cannot bee deceaued, and to the Pope which cannot erre in the faith; By these meanes they hauehave made the rule of religiō subiect vntounto themselues, since that they themselues, are the rule of religion: and hauehave made themselues, both iudges & parties, since that in the accusatiōs against the Church of Rome, they will hauehave the Church to be iudge, and acknowledge no other true Church but the Church of Rome.
3 To the same end is it that they bind and tie the beliefe of the people, with an ignorant respect, making them to followe without vnderstanding, and to beleeue without knowledge, whereas the *Iob. 10 4.17.8.6.69.Scripture would hauehave vsus first know & then belieue. So doe they fold the faith of an ignorant man within the faith of his curate; but take away the means from him, where by hee might knowe whether his Curate taught the truth or no.
This also serueth to detain mens minds, to wit, that the Church of Rome by varietie of recreations hath studied to fit it selfe to all sorts of humors, and to content all kind of persons; There is not so distasting a spirit, but may finde something here to please his palat. Doe you louelove pompe and magnificence? where is the like to that of the Cardinals, and Prelates? or set out with that stately furniture, as their most solemne Masses are? But if a sordid life bee more pleasing to any one, you hauehave the Capuchins, and Fevillants; doe you louelove to liue at your ease? you hauehave your Abbays, and Priories, together with richly landed places for Canons and Monckes: who enioy their hearts desires, & hauehave the world at wil; but if you like rather to liue like a beggar, you hauehave the 4. orders of begging Friars; if you affect solitarinesse, you hauehave the Hermits; if to keepe company, you hauehave the Convētuall Mōks; are you desirous of knowledge, behold the Iesuits that take vponupon them to professe it; or if ignorance? you hauehave the ignorant Friars, which hauehave made a vertue of ignorāce; Doth insolencie, and lasciviousnes, like any one, there is shrouetide, a time appointed to daunce, and revell in, which sportes if any chance to distaste, presently therevpon ensueth ash-wednesday, which chā geth their countenances, and turneth all their lewd mirth into a suddaine devotion. At Rome you hauehave covents of cloystered Monckes wonderfull for their austerity, & stricktnesse of life; and hard by, the commō stewes: liberall almes bestowed on the hospitall of the holy Ghost; but withall selling of benefices, dispensations, absolutions, and Church offices.
All this is done in divers places, and by divers men, but behold contrary things in one and the selfe same person. The Pope makes Emperours to kisse his feet, but hee himselfe on Maundie Thursday washeth poore mens feet; he calleth himselfe a Monarch & God vponupon earth, but ye shal heare him at another time, say that he is the servant of servants. Pretty diversity, and delightfull; a witty people, to cloath religion with this variety of colours. There are none there, euen to little children of 6. and 7. yeares old, but shall hauehave some thing or other that wil content them; there are certaine feasts of purpose for them, as the feast of S. Catharin, and S. Nicholas, when they are clad in gay apparell, when they are led about in procession, & hauehave little painted pictures giuen them to beare in their hāds. When they are 9. or 10. yeares old they hauehave their heads bound about with fillets, and little crosses laid vponupon them of beaten gold, thē the bishop stroaks their crowns, and this is that which they call confirmation.