1bem' g 11311111135 l etter to I ce x. on the fiubject of tbe “Elseertio ” Most H oly F ather : I most humbly commend myself to you , and devoutly ki ss your blessed feet . Whereas we believe that n o duty is more incumbent on a C athol ic sovereig n than to preserve and in crease the C hristian faith an d religion and the proofs thereof, an d to trans mi t them preserved thus inviolate to posterity, by hi s example in preventing them from being destroyed by any assailan t of the faith or in any wise impaired, so when we learned that the pest of M artin Luther ’ s heresy had appeared in Germany and was raging everywhere, without l et or hindrance, to such an extent that man y, infected with its poison, were falling away, especially those whose furious hatred rather than their zeal for C hristian truth had prepared them to believe all its subtleties and lies, we were so deeply grieved at this hein ous crime of the German nation ( for whom we have no light regard) , and for the sake of the Holy A postolic S ee, that we bent all ou r thoughts an d energies on u p rooting in every possible way, this cockle, this heresy from the Lord ’ s flock . When we perceived that this deadly ven om had advanced so far and had seized upon the weak and ill - disposed minds of so many that it could n ot easily be overcome by a single ef or t, we deemed that nothing could be more efficient in destroy ing the contagion than to declare these errors worthy of con demnation, after they had been examin ed by a con vocation of learned and scholarly m en from all parts of ou r realm . This course of action we likewise r ecom
l etter to l eo g. on the Subject of the “Elasertio, 1 52 1 B eatissime pater . Post hu mil lim am commenda ti on em et devoti ssim a pedum oscula beator u m . Quoniam nihil magis ex C atholici pr in cipi s officio esse arbitra mur, quam u t Chr i sti an am fidem et r el ig ion em atque documenta ita servet et au g eat, su oqu e exemplo posterie sic intemerate servanda tr adat, u t anullo fidei eversore tolli, seu qu ovi s pacto ea l abefactar i sinat ; ubi primum M artini Lu ther i pestem atque haar esim in Germania exortam, ubique l oc or u m cohibente nullo sen sim u s debacchar i , adeo u t su o veneno i n fecti p l u r es c on tabes c er en t, et hi praesertim qui odio poti u s i n tu m en tes quam christianas ver itati s zelo ad ipsiu s ver su tii s atque men dacii s credendum omn i se ex parte aptaver an t ; atr ox i stu d sc el u s tum g er m an ic ae n ation i s ( cui non medio c r iter aflic im u r ) , tum verosacr osan ctaa apostol icae sedis gratia sic in dol u im u s u t cogitati on es omnes nostras, studium et an i m um eo diver ter em u s, hanc zi zan i am , hanc haer esim e dominico grege , qu acu m qu e ratione fier i posset , fun ditu s tollere n iten tes. S e d cum exiti al e hoc virus eo p r og r essu m im bec ill osqu e m u l tor u m ac male affectos an im os sic j am occupasse vider em u s, u t u n o im petu haud facile tolli posset ; nihil aequ e huic del en de pesti c en su im u s exp edir e, quam si doctor ibu s er u ditior i busque hu ju s regn i viris u n diqu e exciti s tr u tin an dos hos errores , ac dign os qui p er der en tu r esse decl ar ar em u s, al ii squ e com p l u r ibu s hoc idem faciendum su ader em u s ; in pr im i squ e C aesar eam Maj estatem, ob fr ater n am quam illi g er imu s aflection em , omn esqu e prin cipes electores u t
1 54 H en r y ’ s Letter to Leo men ded to a n um ber of others. I n the first plac e, we ear n estly en treated His Im per ial Majesty, through our fratern al love for hi m , and all the electoral prin ces, to bethink them of their C hristian duty and their lofty station and to destroy this per nicious m an , together with hi s scandalous an d heretical publication s, after hi s r e fu sal to return to God. B u t convin ce d that, in ou r ardor for the welfare of C hristen dom, in ou r ze al for the C atholic faith and our devotion to the A postolic S ee, we had n ot yet done enough , we determined to show by ou r own wr itings our attitude towards Luther and our opinion of hi s vile books ; to manifest more Openl y to all the world that we shall ever defend and uphold, n ot onl y by force of arms but by the resource s of ou r intelligence and ou r se rvices as a C hristian, the Holy Roman Church . F or thi s reas on we have thoug ht that thi s first attempt of ou r modest ability and learn in g cou ld not be more worthily dedicated than to your Holiness, both as a token of ou r filial reverence and an ackn owledgment of your careful solicitude for the weal of C hristendom . We feel assured that our first fr uits wi ll be en hanced in value if it be approved by the whole some judgment of your B lessedness . May you li ve long an d happily ! From ou r royal palace at Greenwi ch, the twenty—fir st day of May, 1 521 . Your Holine ss ’ most devoted an d humble son , Hen ry, by the g race of God King of E ngland and France, and Lord of Ireland .
(tbe ®ration of flbr. 3obn C lark, ®rator for 1b enrp 111111111. ‘ 1king of B ugl anb , fi ance ano i rel anb , E efenber of the f aith; on bis exhibiting tbis Rona! 5130011 , in tbe Goneietorn at 1Rome, to D one meo g . Most H oly F ather What great Troubles have been stirred up , by the perni cious Opinions of Mar ti n L uther ; which of late Years first sprung out of the lu rking Holes of the H u ssi tan i an Heresy, in the S chool of Wi tten ber g in Ger m an y; from thence spreading themselves over most Parts of the C hr i sti an Wor ld; how many un thinking S ouls they have deceived, and how many A dmirers and A dherents they have met with ; because these are all Things very well kn own and because, in this Place, a Medi u m i s more requisite, than Prolixity ; I care not for relating . Truly, although many of Lu ther ’ s Works are most impiously, by hi s Li bels, spread abroad in the World : Ye t none of them seems more execrable, more venomous, and more pernicious to M ankind, than That, en titu l e d, The B abyl on i an C ap ti vi ty ofthe C hu r ch; in refuting which, many grave and learned Men have dili gently laboured . My most serene an d invincible Prince, H en r y VIII . King of E n g l an d, F r an c e and I r el an d, and most af ec tion ate S on of Your Holiness, and of the sacred Rom an C hu r ch, hath written a B ook against this Wor k of I/uther ’ s, which he has dedicated to Your Holiness ; and hath commanded me to of er, an d deliver the same ;
The Or ati on ofMr . John Clar k 1 57 which I here present : B u t before You receive it, most holy Father, m ay it please You, that I speak S omewhat of the D evotion an d Veneration of my King towards Your Holiness, and this most holy S ee ; as also, of the other Reasons which move d him to publish this Work . Nor is it ami ss to take Notice, in this Place , of this horrid and furious Monster ; as also of his S tings and Poisons, whereby he intends to infect the whole World, and to delineate him before Your Holiness in his own proper C olours ; that the more formidable the E nemy i s, and the greater the D anger appears , the more glorious may the Trium ph shew when that is overcome, and this removed . B u t, O immortal God ! what bitter Language what so hot and inflamed Force of S pe aking can be i n vented , su fficient to declare the C rimes of that most filthy Villain , who has undertaken to cut in Pieces the seamless C oat of C hrist, and to disturb the quiet S tate of the C hu r ch of God ! When, like an excellent E steemer of Things, he attributes to Your Holiness no more Power in the C hurch of God, than to any of the least Priests amongst the People ; but , like a third C ato, fallen from Heaven, most unseasonably condemn s the B ehaviour of all the Mi n i ster s in the C hu r ch; calls Rom e a S inner, wretched, an A dulteress ; and lastly, B abyl on itself ! He accuses Your Holiness of H er esy, and makes himself ( thrice A p ostate) as often as there i s Question in the E xplication of the C hr istian F ai th , equal in A uthority to S t . P eter , Prince of the A p ostl es ! A n d that he may the better demonstrate himself as great an E nemy to Religion, as to Man n er s, his most impure Hands have burnt the D ecr ees and most hol y S tatu tes of the F ather s, in which were contained the true D isci pline of a good Life . A n d, as one most audacious , leav ing Nothing unattempted ; he at last publishes this B ook of the B abyl on i an C ap tivity. I n which, good God !
1 58 The Or ati on ofMr . John C lark what and how prodi gious Poison , what deadly B ane, how much con sum ing and mortal Venom this poisonous S erp en t has spewed ou t, not only against the wicked Mann ers of ou r Ag e, which in some M anner mi ght have been bor ne with ; n ot only against You r H oli n ess, but also against You r Ofi ' ic e ; against eccl esiasti cal H i er ar chy, this S ee, and against that Rock established by God himself : finally, against the whole B ody of the C hu r ch of God ! Here, the B ond of C hastity is broken, hol y F asts, r elig i ou s Vows, Ri tes, C er em on i es, Wor ship of God, S ol em n i ty at Mass, &0 . are abolished, and ex terminated, by the strangest Perfidiou sn ess that ever was heard of. This Man institutes S acr am en ts after hi s own Fancy, reducing them to three, to two, to on e ; and that O n e he handles so pitifully, that he seems to be about the reducing of it at last to Nothing at all . 0 Height of Impiety ! 0 most abominable and most exe crable Villainy of Man ! Wh at intolerable B lasphemies, from an Heap of C alumnies and Lyes , without any Law, Method or Or d er , does he utter against God, and his S ervants, i n this B ook ! S ocr ates, a Man judged by A p ol l o ’ s Oracle, to be the wi sest of Men , was by the A then ian s poisoned for disputing against the commonly received O pinion they had of God, and against that Relig i on which was at that Time taught to be the best on E arth . C ould this D estroyer of C hr istian Relig i on expect any better from true C hr isti an s, for his extreme Wickedness against God B u t indeed he did n ot look on it ; who, when dreadi ng Punishment (which he well deserved) fled, with a Mischief, into his perpetual lurk ing Holes in B ohem i a, the Mother and Nurse of his H er esi es. If he had remained, and had not by You r H olin ess been prohibited the free dispersing abroad of his E rrors ; what D anger, what devouring C on flagr ati on this Pl agu e had brought to all C hr i sten dom ; l et the
1 60 The Or ati on ofMr . John C l ark pher s) situated in the furthermost E n d of the World, and separated from the C on tin en t by the Ocean ; as it hath never been behind in the Worship of God, an d true C hr i sti an F ai th, and due Obedience to the Roman C hu r ch; eithe r to S pai n , F r an ce, Ger m an y, or I taly; n ay, to Rom e itself ; " so likewise, there is n o Nation which more impugns this Monster, and the H er esi es broached by him, and which more condemns, and dete sts them. In which S ort of most excellent Praise, I can prefer none to him, whom I have n ow recorded, King H en r y, Your Holiness ’ s most devoted S on ; who, as soon as he understood, that the D ign ity of that Government, illustrated by Your In tegrity and Virtue, and enlarged by You r great A ctions ; was, together with the Universal C hurch, so bitterly inveighed against, by this S on of Perdition ; n ot only un dertook this pious Work himself, whereby he has learnedly con futed the E rrors of thi s impious Man ; bu t likewise the most learned C lergy of this Realm, have, to the utmost of their Powers, en deavou r ed, with all D iligence, to remove from the Hearts of the People all D oubts, Fears and S cruples, that mi ght in any wise happen to possess, or trouble the Minds of the weaker S ort ; so that, amongst u s, the C hurch of God i s in great Tranquill ity ; no D if eren ces , n o D isputes, n o ambig uous Words, Murmurings or C om plaints, are heard amongst the People : A l l Troubles of Mind, all Renovations in the World, all vain Horror of A ntichrist ’ s Reign , are n ow vanished . B u t now, lest my D isco u rse may seem too prolix, or tedious to the diligent A ttention Your Holiness i s pleased to give ; I shall presently come to a C onclusion . Only first be pleased, that I declare the Reason that moved my most serene King to undertake this Work . F or I believe it will cause A dmiration in several , that a Prin ce, so much busied with the C ares of hi s own Ki n g
The Or ati on ofMr . J ohn Cl ark 1 61 dom, both at home and abroad ; and whose A f airs af ord him so little Respite, should un dertake such Things , as, accordin g to the common S aying, might require to em ploy wholly all the Thoughts of a Man , an d in deed, of such a on e, as i s n o Novice neither ; bu t rather for his whole Time experienced in the S tudies of Learning Ye t, n otwithstandin g all this, he that considers his great A ction s don e for the Faith of C hrist , an d his accus tom e d Reverence towards this holy S ee, will n ot think it so strange that he, who, with his Forces and revenged S word, has formerly defended the Church of Rom e, when in greatest D angers an d C alamities of Wars ; shoul d n ow, for the Glory of God, an d Tran quillity of the Roman C hu r ch, by hi s Ingenuity and Pen, put a S top to H er esi es, which so endanger the C atholi c F ai th. If n o sincere C hri stian could su f er so great E vils to creep into the C hurch, without opposing all hi s Forces an d S tudies again st them ; what ought n ot a Prince to do, and such a Prince, as, by divi ne Providence, is ad van c ed to that Honour and D ign ity, as it were , for that very C ause, that he mi ght protect the C atholi c F ai th, and maintain the C hr i stian Relig i on inviolable from all pestilential E n deavours ? S hall we adm ire, that Piety should extort from him (bein g both a C hr istian and a P r in ce, ) what is but the D uty of ever y C hristi an ? These, most holy Father, are the chi ef Reasons of his entering upon this Work ; his accus tomed Veneration to You r H oliness; C hr i sti an Piety in the C ause of God ; and a royal Grief an d I n dig n ation of seeing Relig ion trodden un der Foot. I confess the D esire of Glory might have been abl e to have induced him to these Thin gs ; that as he , who, under the C harge of the best Tutors, and a Father none of the most in dulgent, having passed hi s younger D ays in good Learn ing, an d afterwards so well versed in H oly S cr ip
1 62 The Or ati on of Mr . J ohn C l ar k tu r es, that confidin g in his own A bilities , he often, (not without great Glory) disputed with the most Learned in B r i tai n ; might now also, for Glory ’ s S ake, fight in the Field of Learning against Mar ti n L u ther ; a Man indeed n ot illiterate . Nor do I see in what else he could, with more Glory and A pplause, have employed this Treasure of Kn owl edge ; a Talent, doubtless, given him by God himself for this very E n d . B u t yet the pious Prince hims elf does modestly ackn owledge, in his Preface, how little he at tributes to the Force of his own Wit, which is so much esteemed by others : For, excusing his Insufficiency in Learning, in that Preface, he arrogates no more to him self, than to confess that thi s Task might have been much better performed by many others ; and that he himself, (much unfit, c onfidi n g only in the A ssistance of the divine Goodness) had, through the Instigation of Piety, and Grief of seeing Religion so much abused, at tempted to discover, by Reason, the Lu ther an H er esi es Not that he thought it honourable to contend with Lu ther , who is so much despised, hissed at, and cried down over the whole World ; but that, amongst other Things , he might testify to the World what his Opinion was of this prodigious Monster, and his Followers ; thinking himself concerned to publish that in Writing, not so much, lest S cruples of C onscience should follow his S ilence, as, by his E xample, to induce others to the like Undertaking s , who had received a richer Gift of S cience from the Giver of Light . I confess what the Godly Prince has writ against the E rrors of L u ther might compel L u ther himself ( if he had the least S park of C hristian Piety in him) to recant his H er esi es, and rec all again the straying and almost forlorn Flock, not only from Errors, but from Hell itself, where it miser ably runs headlong . B u t what can be done , where
1 64 The Or ati on of Mr . John C l ar k lime Judgment ) deem it worthy to pass through the Hands of Men . May therefore Your Holiness take in good Part , and graciously accept this little B ook , sent and submitted to Your E xamination : In which, the pious, and Your most devoted Prince, has, with all hi s Power, endeavoured to procure, in some Manner, that weaker Understandings should not be drawn out of the Way, by the most wicked Works of this perverse Man ; and hopes so to have acquitted himself, as at least he may appear to have demonstrated his Veneration towards the C hristian Religion, and towards Your Holi ness .
Ebe flb oat 113019 113191301) El navoereb in t hese m ores WE receive this B ook with great Joy : Truly it is such, as nothing could have been sent more acceptable to Us, and ou r venerable B rethren . B u t, indeed, we kn ow not whether more to pr ai se, or to adm i r e, that most p oten t, p r u den t and tr u ly most C hr i stian Kin g ; who, with hi s S word, has totally subdued the E nemies of C hr ist ’ s C hu r ch, E nemies, who like the Heads of the H ydr a, often cut of , and forthwith growing up again have often endeavoured to tear in Pieces the seam l ess C oat of C hr i st; and , at L en gth, the E nem ies being van qu i shed , hath settled in P eac e the C hu r ch of God, and this H oly S ee. A n d now, his M ajesty having the Kn owledge, Will , and A bility of composing Thi s exc el l en t B ook against this terrible M on ster , has rendered himself no less admirable to the whole World, by the E loquence of his S tyl e, than by his great Wisdom . We render imm ortal Thank s to our Cr eator , who has raised up such a Prince, to defend H is C hu r ch and this H oly S ee most humbly beseeching Him bountifully to bestow on this Gr eat P r i n c e, a most happy Life, and all other good Things that he can wi sh for ; and after his E xit from this transitory Life, to crown him in his coelestial Kingdom, with a C rown of E ter n al Gl or y. We, to our Power, by God ’ s A ssistance, shall not be wan ting in the Performance of any Thing, that may tend to the H onour and D ignity of his Majesty, an d to His and hi s Kingdom ’ s Glory .
Ebe lpope ’ s JBul l I eo, x. JBisbop anb S ervant of the S ervants of Goa: (to our most b ear S on in Ghrist, 1b enrn, the il lustrious 1Ring of JE ngl anb , anb E ei enber of i be ifaith, senbs Greeting , anb gines bis JBeneoiction. B Y the good Pleasure and Will of A lmighty God, presiding in the Government of the Un iver sal C hu r ch, though unworthy so great C harge . We daily employ all our Thoughts , both at home and abroad, for the con tin u al Propagation of the H oly C atholi c F ai th, without which none can be saved . A n d that the M ethods which are taken for repressing of su ch as labour to overthrow the C hu r ch, or pervert , and stain her by wicked Glosses, and malicious Lies ; may be carried on with continual Profit, as is ordered by the sound D octrine of the Faith ful, and especially of such as shine in the regal D ign ity We employ with all our Power, our E ndeavours , and all the Parts of our Ministry . A n d as the other Rom an B i shops, our Predecessors , have been accustomed to bestow some particular Favours upon C atholi c Pr i n ces, as the E xigencies of A f airs and Times required, especially on those who, in tempestuous Times, and whilst the rapid Per fidi ou sn ess of S chi s m ati es and H er eti cs raged, not only persevered con stan tly in the true F ai th, and unspotted D evotion of the holy Rom an C atholi c C hu r ch ; but also as the Leg iti mate S ons and stoutest C hampions of the same, have opposed themselves, both spiritually and temporally, against the mad Fury of S chi sm ati cs and H er eti cs : S o also, We, for your M ajesty ’ s most excellent Works , and
1 68 The Pop e ’ s B u l l worthy A ction s done for Us, and this Holy S ee, in which by divine Permission we preside ; do desire to confer upon your M ajesty, with Honour and immortal Praises , That, which may enable and engage you care fully to drive away from our L ord ’ s Flock the Wol ves; and cut of with the material Sword, the rotten Members that infect the mystical B ody of Jesus Christ, and con firm the Hearts of the almost discomforted Faithful in the S olidity of F ai th. Truly when our beloved S on J ohn Cl ar k, your Majesty ’ s O rator, did lately in ou r C onsistory, in presence of our venerable B rethren, C ar di n als of the sacr ed Rom an C hu r ch, and divers others holy Pr el ates; present unto Us, a B ook, which Your Majesty, moved by your C harity, (which effects every Thing readily and well , ) and en flam ed with Zeal to the holy C atholi c F ai th, and Fervour of D evotion towards Us, an d this Holy S ee ; did compose, as a most noble and wholesome A ntidote against the E rrors of divers H er eti cs, often condemn ed by this Holy S ee, and n ow again revived by Mar ti n L u ther : When, I say, he of ered this B ook to Us, to be examined, and approved by Ou r A uthority ; an d also declared, in a very eloquent D i s course, That, as You r Maj esty, had by tr u e Reason s, an d the Un den iabl e A u thor i ty of S cr ip tu r e, an d holy F ather s, c on fu ted the n otor i ous E r r or s ofLUT HE R ; so you ar e likewise r eady, an d r esol ved to p r ose cu te, with al l the F or c es of you r Ki n gdom , those who shal l p r esu m e to fol l ow, or defen d them ; having found i n this B ook most admirable D octrin e , sprinkled with the D ew of D ivine Grace ; We rendered infin ite Thanks to A lmighty God, from whom every good Thin g, and every perfect Gift proceeds , for being pleased to fill with his Grace , and to inspire your most excellen t Mind, inclined to all Good , to defend, by your Writin gs , his H oly F ai th, against the new B roacher of those con
B u l l a pr o Ti tu l o D efen sor i s Fidei 1 69 gesta, c on dign i s et imm or tal ibu s pr aecon u s et l au dibu s effer r e desider am u s, ac ea sibi concedere propter quas invigilare debeat a Grege D ominico Lu pos ar c er e, et putida membra, quas Mystic um C hristi C orpus infic i u n t, ferro et materiali gladio absc in de r e, et n u tan ti u m corda F idel i u m l n Fidei sol iditate c onfir rhar e . S ane cum n u p er D il ectu s Filius J ohan n es C l er k, Majestatis tuae apud Nos O rator, in C onsistorio nostro, coram Ven e r abil ibu s F r atr ibu s n ostr i s S anctae Rom an ae E cclesia; C ar din al ibu s, et c om pl u r ibu s al iis Rom an ae C uriae P r ael ati s, L i br u m , quem Maj estas tu a, char itate quae omnia sedu lo et nihil p er per am agit , F ideiqu e C athol icae zelo accensa, ac D evotion i s erga Nos et hanc S an ctam S edem fervore i n flam m ata, contra E rrores diver sor u m H mr etic or u m , saepi u s ab hac S ancta S ede D am n atos, n u per q u e per Mar tin u m L u ther u m susci tatos et i n n ovatos, tanquam nobile ac salutare qu oddam an tidotu m , c om posu it, Nobis exam in an du m , et dein de A u c tor itate nostra appr oban du m , obtu li sset, ac lucu lenta Or ati on e su a exposu i sse t, Maj estatem tu am para tam ac di spositam esse u t, qu em adm odu m veris Ration ibus ac i r r efr ag abil ibu s S acr ae S criptures et S anctorum Patrum A u ctor itatibu s notorios E rrores ejusdem Mar ti n i con fu taver at, ita etiam omnes eos sequ i et defen sar e pr aesu m en tes toti u s Regn i sui vi r ibu s et armis perse qu atu r : Nosqu e eju s L ibr i adm i r abil em qu an dam et coelestis Gratias rore c on sper sam , D octr i n am dil ig en ter accu r atequ e i n tr ospexim u s, Om n ipoten ti D eo, a q u o omn e D atum optimum et omne D onum perfectu m est, im mensas Gratias eg im u s, qui op tim am et ad omne bonum in cl in atam mentem tuam inspirare, eiqu e tantam Gr ati am superne i n fu n der e dig n atu s fuit, u t ea scr iber es quibus S an ctam eju s Fidem contra novum E r r or u m D am n ator u m hu j u sm odi S u scitator em defen
1 70 The P op e ’ s B u l l demn ed E rrors ; and to invite all other Chr i stian s, by your E xample, to assist and favour, with all their Power , the or thodox F ai th, and evan geli cal Tr u th, now under so great Peril and D anger . C onsidering that it is but J u st, that those, who un der take pious Labours, in D efence of the Faith of Christ, should be extolled with all Praise and Honour ; and being willing, not only to magnify with deserved Praise, and approve with our A uthority, what your Majesty has with Learning and E loquence wr it against L uther ; but also to Honour your M ajesty with such a Titl e, as shall give all Chr i sti ans to understand, as well in ou r Times , as in succeeding A ges , how acceptable and wel come Your Gift was to Us, especially in this Juncture of Time : We, the true S uccessor of S t. P eter , (whom Chr i st, before his A scension , left as his Vicar upon E arth, and to whom he committed the C are of his Flock) presiding in this Holy S ee, from whence all D ig n i ty and Ti tl es have their S ource ; have with our B rethren maturely deliberated on these Things ; an d with on e C onsent unanimously decreed to bestow on your Majesty this Title, vi z . D efen der of the F ai th. A n d, as we have by this Ti tl e honoured you ; we likewi se com mand all C hr i sti ans, that they n am e your Maj esty by thi s Ti tl e , and that in their Writings to your Maj esty, immediately after the Word KI NG, they add, D E FE ND E R OF TH E F A I TH . Having thus weighed, and diligently considered your singular Mer its, we could not have invented a more congruous Nam e, n or more worthy Your M ajesty, than this worthy and most excellen t Ti tl e ; which , as often as you hear, or read, you shall remember your own Merits an d Virtues Nor will you, by this Ti tl e, exalt yourself, or become proud, but, according to your accustomed Pruden ce , rather more humble in the Faith of C hrist ; and more
1 72 The P ap e ’ s B u l l strong an d constan t in your D evotion to this H oly S ee, by which you were exalte d . A n d you shall rej oice in our Lord, who is the Giver of all good Things, for leav ing such a perpetual and everlasting Mon ument of your Glory to Posterity, and shewing the Way to others, that if they also covet to be invested wi th such a Title, they may study to do such A ctions, and to follow the S teps of your most excellent M ajesty ; Whom, with your Wife, C hildren, and all who shal l spring from you, We bless with a bountiful and liberal Hand ; in the Name of Him from whom the Power of B enediction i s given to Us, an d by whom Ki n g s r eig n , and P r in c es govern ; and in whose H an ds ar e the H ear ts ofKi n gs : Praying, and beseeching the most High, to confirm your Majesty in your most holy Purposes, and to aug ment your D evotion ; and for your most excell en t D eeds in D efence of his H oly F ai th, to render your Majesty so illustrious and famous to the whole World, as that our Judgment in adorning you with so remarkable a Ti tl e, may not be thought vain, or light , by any Person whatsoever ; an d finally, after you have finished your C ourse in this Life, that he may make you Partaker of his eternal Glory . It shall not be lawful for any Person whatsoever, to infringe, or by any rash Presumption to act contrary to This Letter of S ubscribing, and C om mand. B u t, if any on e shall presume to make such A ttempt ; let him know, that he shall thereby incur the Indign ation of A lmighty God, and of the holy A postles , Peter and P au l . Gi ven at S t. Peter ’ s i n Rome, the fifth ofthe Ides of October ; I n the Year of ou r L or d ’ s I n car n ati on 1 521 , an d i n the n in th Year of ou r Papacy .
B u l l a pr o Ti tu l o D efen sor is Fidei 1 73 Prudentia hu m il ior , et in Fide C hristi ac D evotion e hu j u s S ancta S edis, a qua exal tatu s fu er i s, fortior et c on stan ti or evades, ac in D omino bonorum omnium Largitore l a taber i s perpetuum hoc et immortale Gloria tu a Mon um en tu m Posteri e tuis relinquere, il l isqu e viam ostendere u t, si tali Titulo ipsi quoque i n sig n i r i opta bunt, talia etiam Opera effic er e, pr a cl ar aqu e Maj estati s tu ce Vestig ia sequ i stu dean t, quam, prout de Nobis et dicta S ede optime merita est, una cum Uxor e et F ilii s, ac omnibus qui a Te et ab Illis n ascen tu r , nostra B ene dicti on e, in Nomi ne illins, a quo il l am c on c eden di Potestas Nobis data est, larga et liberali Manu B ene dicentes, A ltissimum il l u m , qui dixit, p er M e Reg es r eg n an t et Pr i n cip es im p er an t, st i n cu j u s m an u C orda su n t Reg u m , r og am u s et obsecr am u s u t eam in su o S an cto Proposito c onfir m et eju sq u e D evoti on em multi p l ic et, ac pr a cl ar i s pro S ancta Fide g esti s ita il l u str et, ac toti Orbi Ter r ar u m c on sp i c u am reddat u t Ju dic iu m , quod de ipsa fec im u s, eam tam insigni Titulo deco rantes , a nemine falsum aut van u m ju di c ar i possi t ; D em u m , m or tal i s hu j u s Vita fin ito C urriculo, sempi terna illins Gloria c on sor tem atque participem reddat . D at . R om ce apud S anctum Petr u m , A nno Incarna tion i s D ominica Millesimo, Q u in g en tesim o, Vigesimo Primo, Quinto Idus Oc tobr i s Pon tific atu s nostri anno Nono . E G O LE o D E C I M US , C atholi cos E cc l esice E p i scopu s. L ocus S ig u i .
l etter from l eo r. to 1benrv 113111111. respecting the Defence of the Seven Sacraments 1l n l ichnowl ebgment of tbe 11130 0 11 Written bv tbe 1Ring ag ainst l utber M ost dear S on in C hr i st, H eal th an d A p ostoli c B en e di cti on : S ome days ago, when the envoy of Your S erenity, Ou r beloved S on , John C lark, D ean of the C hapel Royal , publicly in C onsistory presented u s the book which Your S erenity has published against the impious teachings and sect of M artin Luther, and in a brilliant address, exceedingly appropriate to the occasion, de cl ar ed, in the presence of a number of Prelates of the Roman C ourt, your readiness to aid Us - and the Holy S ee with sword and pen, our soul was filled with joy . Not We alone, but all Ou r venerable brethren rej oiced, as though deeming that Luther ’ s impiety had , not with out the divine permission, assailed the C hurch of C hrist, so that to her greater glory she might be for tu nate enough to find such a champion and defender . Hence We have resolved, and all agree in Ou r de c i sion , that your exceptional virtue and piety should be made memorable by some mark of Ou r love and app r e ci ati on . For if it has often been, most dear S on , a source of honour to great monarchs to take up arms to safeguard the liberty and tranquillity of the Holy A pos tolic S ee, how much more glory and reverence should accrue from employing the weapons of the S pirit of God and of heavenly science to remove from the faith
1 76 Pep e Leo ’ s Letter to H en r y of C hrist so great a stain, and to preserve inviolate those sacraments by which the salvation of souls is secured . These two functions, which hitherto We have always found separate , have been united in you alone, a mighty sovereign, in a most eminent degree ; for you have both vindicated the liberty of the C hurch wi th your arms, and you have evinced your desire to fortify the C hris tian faith against impious heresy by the treasures of your piety and learning . The one is an evidence of invincible and lofty courage, the other of a spirit and sense of religion tender , devout, and orthodox. In what words, then, or by what manner of eulogy shall we praise this piety, this plenitude of doctrine, overflowing as though from a celesti al fountain ? What fit return can we make for your kindness i n dedicating to us so noble a product of your intellect ? B oth con siderations exceed the powers of language, or even of thought ; nor can we reflect on you r services and deserts without being overcome . What love , what zeal is yours for the defence of C hristian faith ! What benevolence in Ou r regard ! A n d in the book itself, what solidity of matter , clear ness of method, force of eloquence, wherein the Holy S pirit Himself shows visibly ! It is thoroughly judi ci ou s, wise, and pious ; charitable in instruction, gentle in admonition, correct in argument . If there be any of your opponents who have not fallen entirely into the power of the Prince of D arkness , they must be drawn by your writings to a saner condition of mind, if any chance for sanity be left . These are distinguished and admirable achievements ; and as they have been wrought in a new fashion , by a princely favour, for A lmighty God and the Holy S ee , we render you , D efen der of the Faith , unbounded thanks . The A postolic S ee thanks you ; all who worship C hrist
P ape Leo ’ s Letter to H en r y 1 77 quibus an im ar um salus, inviolata serventu r , et l au dem afier r e debet et cel ebr itatem . Quamquam ha c du o, qu a duxim u s antea semper di visa, in te u n o maximo rege pr a stan ti ssim a fu er u n t conjuncts idem en im tu et l iber tatem eccl esi astic am tuis armis vin dicasti , et tu idem fidem chr i sti an am thesauris tu a et p i etati s et scientia adversus impl as ha r eses m u n itam esse vol u i sti , quorum alterum invicta et excelsa animi for titu din i s, alterum p ia et sancta et vera mentis ac r eligion i s fuit ; sed n os quibus tandem verbis, q u o l au dum genere, vel hanc p i etatem tuam, hanc u ber r im am vel u t ex ca lesti fonte doctrina copiam c om m en dabim u s ; vel tu a ergan os vol u n tati , qui nobis ip si s tam n obil em partum ingenii tui dic asti , gratias ag em u s ? su per at hoc u tr um q u e non solum verba sed etiam cogita ti on es nostras n ec verb de tuis officii s ac m er iti s tantum possumus an imo concipere, quin a re vi n c am u r ipsa. Qui enim i n te amor, quod studium defen den da chris ti ana fidei ? Quanta erganos ipsos ben evol en ti a ? qua den iq u e operis ipsiu s gravitas ? qui ordo ? quanta vis el oq u en tia u t sanctum aifu i sse spi r itum app ar eat ; omni a plena judicii , plena sapientia , plena p i etati s ; in doc en do charitas, in adm on en do m an su etu do, in redar guendo veritas u t si homines sint qui ate r efel l u n tu r , ac non omn in o i n pessimi D a m on i s potestatem abier u n t, tuis sc r ip ti s ad san itatem debean t reduci, si modon l l u s r el ictu s est san itatis locus . S unt ha c p r a cl ar a om n in oet adm ir abili a, q u a qu o n i am ate novaratione, m ag n ifico m u n er e, D eo maximo et huic sancta sedi elaborata sunt, ag im u s Maj estati tua i nfin itas gratias, o fidei defensor ! A git sedes apos tolica, ag u n t omn es qui C hr i stu m col u nt et in ejue fide con sen tu r . E t n os quidem titu l u m hu n c defen sor i s fidei , de eor umdem ven er abilium fratrum nostr or um assensu ,
1 78 P op e Leo ’ s Letter to H en r y and unite in His faith thank you . We, for Ou r part, with the concurrence of Ou r venerable brothers , bestow on you , in other letters sealed with lead, as you will find from their perusal , this title of D efen der of the F ai th . For your part, most dear S on , however you may con sider great and desirable these honours which the Holy A postolic S ee grants you as a reward of eminent virtue and a mark of its grateful appreciation, realize that greater and more glorious compensation i s prepared for you in heaven by Ou r Lord and S aviour . In upholding His cause and His spouse by every means of defence you have displayed your spirit and your virtue ; and while you review those titles which you have acquired on earth and in heaven, remember by what claims you have gained them . S how yourself hereafter such as you have been heretofore . Let your later deeds be equal to your sublime and glorious beginnings . Let the A postolic S ee, once defended by your arms, an d the C hristian faith, now fortified by the shield of your doctrine against the criminal frenz y of heretics, find and prove you ever a helper in all their perils, so that this extraordinary and unspeakable glory which Your Majesty has most mightily merited by your great ef orts may continue to the last day of your life and endure to all future time as a theme of eulogy. Given at Rome, at S t. Peter ’ s, under the seal of the Fisherman, the fourth day of November , 1 521 , the ninth year of Ou r P on tific ate . O n the back S A D OLE TUS To Ou r Most C hristian S on in C hrist , Henry, King of E ngland, Illustrious D efender of the Faith .
Ebe E pistle D ebicatorv (to our most mol v l orb l eo, g . cbiet JBisbop , b enrv, Ring of B ugl ano, jfrance, anb 11rel anb , wisbetb p erpetual h appiness. Most H oly F ather : Perhaps it may appear strange to Your Holiness, that Part of our Youth being spent in martial Af airs, and Part in the S tudies of Things belonging to the C ommon- wealth ; we should now undertake the Task of a M an , that ought to have employed all his Time in the S tudies of Learning ; in opposing Ourself against this growing H er esy. B u t Your Holiness (I suppose) will the less admire, when You consider the Reasons that obliged Us to take upon Us this C harge of Writing . We have seen Tares cast into our Lord ’ s Harvest S ects do spring up, and H er esi es increase so much as almost, to overthrow the Faith of C hrist : A n d such S eeds of D i s cord are sown abroad in the World, that n o sincere Christian , can suffer, or endure any longer their spread ing Mischiefs, without an Obligation of employing all his S tudies and Forces to oppose them . Your Holiness ought not therefore to wonder , if We (not the greatest in A bility, yet in Faith and Good - will inferior to none ,) have proposed to Ourself, to employ our Force and Power in a Work so necessary, and so profitable, that it cannot lightly be omitted by any, without Offen ce ; also to declare Ou r great Respect towards Your Holiness, Ou r E ndeavours for the Propagation of the Faith of C hrist, and Ou r Obedience to the S ervice of A lmighty *Matt . m i . 25 .
1Regis ab Summum [pontlficem E pistola S anctissimo D omi no mostro, D omino l eoni g , p ontifici M aximo, 1b enricus, 'D ei gratia reg E ngliae ac D ominus 1b iberniae, p erpetuamffelicitatem. B eati ssi m e P ater : Q UUM partim bel l ici s, partim al ii s longe diver si s stu dii s r eipu bl ica causa adol esc en ti am n ostr am insue ver im u s, mi r atu r u m te, B eatissime Pater, non dubita m u s, quod ejus nunc hominis partes nobis su m pser im u s, qui om n em poti u s a tatem c on su m psi sset in l itter i s, u t gravem scilicet ha r esim pu l l u l an tem c om p r im am u s. S e d desin et, Op in or , Tu a S an cti tu do mirari , postqu am cau sas exp en der it, qu a nos su beg er u n t u t hoe scr iben di onus , q u an qu am n on ign ari quam su m u s impares, su bi er im u s. Vidimus S iq u idem in m essem D omini j acta ziz ania semina pullulare sectas , ha r eses in fide su cc r es cere, et tantam per or bem totum C hr i sti an u m semina tam discordia m ater i am , u t nemo, qui sincera mente C hristianus sit, ha c tanta mala, tam late ser pen tia, ferre di u ti u s posait, quin et studium c og atu r , et vires, qu al escu m qu e p ossit, opponere . Mi r u m igi tur vider i non debet, si nos quoque, tam etsi potestate non maximi , fide tam en ac voluntate n em in i secu n di in opus tam pium, tam utile, tam necessarium, ut a nemine ferme possit absque p i acu l o p r a term itti , et mostram erga Tuam S an cti tatem obser van ti am , et erga r elig i on em C hristi studium, erga D ei c u l tu m obsequium n ostrum decl ar ar e c on stitu im u s : maxime fiden tes, etsi er u diti o nostra sit tam exigua, u t p r opem odu m nulla, g r ati am tam en D ei sic c ooper atu r am n obi scu m , u t,
1 82 The E p i stl e D edi cator y God : Greatly c onfidin g, that although ou r Learning i s n ot —much, nay in C omparison, even Nothing ; yet H i s Grace will so c c—Operate with Us, that what we are n ot able thereby to effect, He, by his B enignity and Power, may more fully perform, and by his S trength supply Ou r Weakn ess therein . Though we kn ow very well, that there are every- where several more expert, espe ci al ly in Holy Writ, who could have more commodiously undertaken this Great Work, and performed it much better than We : Yet are We not altogether so ignorant, as n ot to esteem it Ou r D uty, to employ, with all Ou r Might, Ou r Wit and Pen in the com m on C au se. For having, by long E xperience, found, that Religion bears the greatest S way in the A dministration of Public A f fairs, and is likewise of no small Importance in the C om m onweal th ; We have employed no little Time, espe c i al ly since We came to Years of D iscretion, in the C on tem p l ation thereof ; wherein We have always taken great D elight : An d though not ign orant of Ou r small Progress therein made ; yet, at least, it is so much, as, We hope, ( especially with the Help, or r ather Instiga tion of such Things as can instruct the most Ign orant, viz . P i ety, an d the Gr i ef of seei n g Relig i on abu sed, ) wi ll suffice for Reasons to discover the S ubtilties of L u ther ’ s H er esy . We have therefore, ( confidin g in those Things, ) entered upon this Work ; dedicating to Your Holiness what We have meditated therein ; that, un der Your Protection, who ar e C hr i st ’ s Vi car u p on E ar th, it may pass the public C ensure . F or we are per su aded that this H er esy, having for some Time exer ci sed its Rage amongst C hr i sti an s ; and being by Your most weighty and wholesome S en ten c e condemned, and, as it were, by Force plucked ou t of Men ’ s Hands, if any Thing rem ains hidden in the B owels of it, fed by Flat ter y and fair Promises ; it is to be rooted ou t by just
1 84 The E p i stl e D edi cator y Reasons, and A rguments ; that, as Men ’ s Wits sufer themselves more willin gly to be led than drawn ; so Reason also may supply these wi th the mildest Reme dies . Whether or no an y Thing is ef ectually done in this, shall rest to Your Holiness ’ s Judgm ent : If We have erred in any Thing, We offer it to be corrected as may please Your Holiness .
Regi s ad S u m mu m P on tificem E p i stola 1 85 n os qu icq u am , an non, B eatitu din i s Tu a judicium c rit . C ujus eti am arbitrio, 31 a n obis erratum, corri g en du m ofl e r imu s.
(to the 1Reaoer A LT HOUGH I do n ot rank my self amongst the most Learned and E loquent ; yet ( shun ni ng the S tain bf In gratitude, and moved by F ideli ty and P i ety; ) I cannot but think myself obliged, (would to God my A bility to do i t, were equal to my good Will ! ) to defend my Mother, the S p ou se of C hr i st: Which, though it be a S ubject more copiously handled by others ; nevertheless I account it as much m y own D uty, as hi s who i s the most learned, by my utmost E ndeavours , to defend the C hu r ch, and to oppose myself to the poisonous S hafts of the E nemy that fights against her : Which this Juncture of Time , and the present S tate of Things, require at my Hand . For befor e, when none did assau lt, it was not necessary to r esi st; but n ow when the E nemy , ( and the most wicked E nemy imaginable , ) is risen up , who, by the Instigation of the D evil , under Pretext of C harity, and stimulated by A nger and Hatred, spews ou t the Poison of Vipers against the C hu r ch, and C atholi c F ai th ; it is necessary that every S ervant of Christ , of what A g e, S ex, or Order soever , should rise against this comm on E nemy of the C hr i sti an F ai th ; that those, whose Power avails not, yet may testify their good Will by their cheerful E ndeavours . It is now therefore convenient , that we arm ourselves with a two- fold A rmour : the one C el estial , and the other Ter r estr i al . With a c el esti al A rmour ; That he, who, by a feign ed and dissembled C harity, destroys others , and perishes himself, being gained by true C harity, may also gain others ; and that he who fights by a false
1 88 To the Reader D octr i n e, may be conquered by tr u e D octr in e : With a ter r estr ial ; that, if he be so obstinately malicious, as to neglect holy C ouncils, and despise God ’ s Reproofs, he may be constrained by due Punishments ; that he who will n ot do Good, may leave of doing Mischief and he that did Harm by the Word of M alice, may do Good by the E xample, of his Pun ishments . “ What P lag u e so pernicious did ever invade the F l ock ofC hri st? What S erp en t so venemous has crept in, as he who writ of the B abyl on i an C ap ti vi ty of the C hu r ch; who wrests Holy S cr iptu r e by hi s own S ense, against the S acr am en ts of C hr i st; abolishes the ec cl esi asti cal Rites an d C er e m on i es left by the F ather s ; un dervalues the holy and antient Interpreters of S cripture, unless they concur with his S entiments ; calls the most Holy S ee of Rom e, B abyl on , and the P op e ’ s A uthority, Tyr an n y; esteems the most wholesome D ecrees of the Un i ver sal C hu r ch to be C ap ti vi ty; and turns the Name of the most Holy B ishop of Rom e, to that of A n ti chr i st? 0 that detest able Trumpeter of Pr ide, C alu m n i es an d S chia/n s ! What an i n fer n al Wolfi s he, who seeks to disperse the Fl ock of C hrist " it What a great Member of the D evil is he, ;t who endeavours to tear the Christian Members of C hrist from their Head ? How infectious is his S oul , who revives these detest able Op i n i on s and buried S chism s; adds new ones to the old, brings to Light (C er ber u s - like, from Hell ) the H er esi es which ought to lie in eternal D arkness ; and esteems himself worthy to govern all Things by his own Word, Opposed against the Judgments of all the A ntients ; nay also to ruin the C hu r ch of God ! Of whose Malice I kn ow not what to say. F or I thi nk neither Tongue n or Pen c an express the Greatness of it . Wherefore, before I exhort, pray, and beseech , through *Rom . xiii . 3 , 4. {Matt vu . 15. tJoh n viii . 44 .
A d Lec tor es 1 89 Q u a pestis u n qu am tam perniciosa in vasit gr eg em C hristi ? Quis serpens u n qu am tam ven en atu s ir r epsit, quam i s, qui de B abylonica C aptivitate E cclesia scripsit, qui S c r iptu r am sacr am ex su o sensu contra C hristi sacramenta detorqu et, tr aditos ab an tiqu i s P atr ibu s ec cl esi astic os ritus el u dit, san cti ssim os viros , vetu sti ssim os sacr ar u m l itter ar um interpretes, nisi qua tenus ipsius senan i c on ven i u n t et c on sen ti u n t, n ihil i pendit, sac r osan ctam sedem Rom an am B abyl on em ap p el l at, sum mum Pon tific iu m vocat tyr an n idem , totiu s E cclesia decreta saluberrima c aptivitatem c en set, sanc tissimi P on tific i s nomen in A n tichr i stu m convertit . O detestabili s ar r og an ti a , contumelia , ac schi sm ati s buc c in ator ! Q u an tu s in fer or u m lupus est iste, qui C hristi g r eg em dispergere qu a r it ! Quantum di aboli mem brum, qui C hristianos C hristi membra q u a r it a capite su o decer per e ! Quam pu tr i s hu j u s animus, quam exec r abil e propositum, qui et sepulta r essu scitat schis mata, et vetu sti s adj ic it nova, et ha r eses a ter n i s ahden das ten ebr i s vel u t C er ber um ex inferis p r odu c it in l u c em , dign u m q u e du ci t se , cujus unius verbo, post habiti s an tiqu i s omnibus, universa r eg atu r , imo sub ver tatu r E cclesia ! D e cujus ego maliti a quid dic am , nescio : quam tantam c en seo, q u an tam neque lingua c u j u sq u am , neque calamus exp r im er e p ossit . Q u am obr em vos omnes C hristi fidel es hortor, or o, et per C hristi nomen, quod professi su m u s, obtestor , u t q ui Lu ther i opera ( si modo is B abylonica C aptivitati s si t auctor ) omn in o vel i n t i n sp ic er e, caute il l u d, et c u m judicio faciant , u i , q u em adm odu m Vi rg il iu s aurum se col l ig er e dixit e ster cor e E nn ii , sic e mediis mal is c ol l ig an t bona . Nec ita , si quid ar r idet ipsi s, affici an tur, u t cum melle simul imbibant venenum . Multo enim satin s fuerit u tr oq u e carere, quam u tr u m q u e g l u ti r e .
1 90 To the Reader the Name of C hrist (which we will profess ) all Chris tians, who are willing to look upon, and read Lu ther ’ s Works, especially the B abyl on i an C ap ti vi ty, ( if he be A uthor of it ) to do it warily, and very judici ally ; that, as Vi rg il said, he g ather ed Gold ou t of the D r oss of E nnius ; so they may also gather good Things ou t of E vil : A n d if any Thing please them, let them not be so taken with it , as to suck the Poison with the Honey ; for it is better to want both , than to swallow both . To hinder which, I wish the A uthor may Rep en t, be c on ver ted , an d li ve ; * and, in Im itation of S t . A u g u sti n e, (whose Rule he professed) correct his B ooks, filled with Malice, and revoke his E rrors . If Im ther refuses this , it will shortly come to pass , if C hristian Princes do their D uty, that these E rrors, and himself, if he perse veres therein, may be burned in the Fire . In the mean while, we thought it fit to discover to the Reader s some chief Heads or C hapters in the B abyl on i an C ap ti vi ty, which have the most Venom in them, by which it will appear, very clearly, with what exulcerated Mind he began this Work ; p r eten di n g the public Good, but writ ing Nothing but malicious Inventions . We need not seek any foreig n Testimonies for proving what we have said ; for L u ther ( fearing that any one should go up and down in S earch of such, ) dis covers himself, and his Mind, of his own A ccord , in hi s very B egin ning . For who should doubt of what he aimed at, when he reads this one S entence of his ? *E zec h . xxxiii . 1 1 .
C HA P . 1 D i l ubulgences, ano the p ope ’ s El utboritv I n du lg en ti oe su n t adu lator u m Rom an or u m n egu itice . A s every living C reature is known chiefly by its Face, so by this first Proposition it evidently appears , how corrupt and rotten his Heart was, whose Mouth, being filled with B itterness , broke ou t into such a C orruption ; for what he said of IND ULGE NC E S in Times past, seemed to many, not only to detract much of the Roman B ishop ’ s Power, but also to lessen the good Hope and holy C onsolation of the Faithful , and mightily to excite Men to confide in the Riches of their own Penitence, and despise the Treasures of the H ol y C hu r ch, and the B ounty of God : A n d yet what he then writ, was favour ably interpreted, because he onl y disputed many Of them, but did not affirm them ; desiring to be taught, and promising to obey him that woul d instruct him better . B u t what this new S aint, (who refers all Things to the Holy S pirit, which cannot brook any Thing of Falsehood, ) did then write with a simple Intention, is easily discovered : For as soon as he had any Thing of wholesome A dvice given him, he im m edi ately vomited his Malediction against those , who en deavou r ed his Good, reviling them with Reproaches and Quarrels ; for which it is worth our Wh ile to see what Height of Folly he is come to at last . He confessed before that I n du lg en c es were good , at least to absolve us , besides the Cr im e, from the Punishments also which should be enj oined us by the Order of the C hu r ch, or
C A P . 1 11nbulgentiae S u n t adu lator u m Rom an or u m n eq u i tiw. Q UE MA D M OD UM animal om ne potissim u m ex facie dignoscitu r , ita ex hac quoque prima p r oposition e cl ar escit quam su ppu r atum ac pu tr idum i s habes t c or , cu jus os, amaritu dine plenum, tali exun dat sanie . Nam q u a de I n du lg en tii s olim di sser u it, ea p l a r isqu e multum videban tu r adim er e non modo de potestate Pontifici s, verum etiam de bona spe ac sancta con solation s fidel ium , hom in esqu e vehementer animare, u t in pa n iten tia su a c onfisi divitn s, E cclesia thesau r um , et u l tr on eam D ei ben ig n itatem c on tem n er en t : et tam en ea, q u a tum scripsit, omn i a, idc i r co mitius accepta sun t, quia p l a raque disser ebat dun taxat, non asser ebat, su bin de etiam peten s docer i , sesequ e pol l ic en s meliora docen ti pari tu rum. Verum i stu d quam simplice scripsit an imo homo san ctu l u s, et omnia r efer en s ad spi r itu m , qui fictu m eifu g it, hin e facile depr ehen ditu r , quod simul atque a qu oqu am sal u br iter est adm on itu s, il ic et pro ben efacto r eg essit m al edictu m , con vicii s et con tum elii s in san i en s : quibus opera pretium est vider e, q u o vesania tan dem p r ovectu s est . A nte fassu s est I n dulgen tias hacten u s saltem valere, u t pra ter culpam etiam a pa nis absol ver en t, qu ascum qu e Videlicet vel E cclesia statu er at, vel suus c u iqu e sacerdos in j u n xer at. Nun c vero non er u dition e, u t ipse i n qu it, sed malitia tan tum p r ofec it, u t sibi ipsi con tr ar i u s, I n du lg en ti as i n un iversum c on demn et, ac n ihil aliud eas dic at esse, quam meras im
1 94 Of I n du lg en c es, an d the P op e ’ s A u thor i ty by ou r particular Pr i est: B u t n ow it was n ot by Learn ing, ( as he says himself, ) but by mere Malice that he wrought ; and, contradicting himself, he condemn s I n du lg en ces; and says, That they ar e n othin g bu t m er e I m p ostu r es, fit on ly to destr oy Peop l e ’ s Mon ey, an d God ’ s F ai th . E very Man may see how wickedly and furiously he rails in this Matter : For, if I n du lg en ces, as he says, are but mere I m p ostu r es, and good for Nothing, then it follows, that not only our C hi efB i shop , LE O X . (whose innocent, un spotted Life, and most holy C on versation are well known through the World, as [ rather himself confesses in a Lettgr of his to the P op e ) i s an I m p ostor ; but also all Rom an B i shop s in so many past A ges, are so, who, as I/u ther hi mself says, did use to give I n du lg en c es ; som e a Year ’ s Rem i ssi on ; som e thr ee Year s; som e to for g i ve a Len t ’ s P enan c e ; som e a cer tain P ar t of the whol e P en an c e, as the Thir d, or on e H alf; at l east S om ethin g, as to pl en ar y, or fu l l Rem issi on of the S i n an d Pu n i shm en t. Then were they all I m p ostor s, if I/ather be true : B u t how much more Reason is there to believe, that this little B rother i s a scabbed S heep , than that so many Pastors were treacherous, and unfaithful ? For Lu ther , as is said above, shews what Kind of Man he is, and how uncharitable, when he blushes n ot, to lay such a C rime agains t so great, and so holy B ishops . If God ( in Levi ti cu s ) says to all , Thou shal t n ot be an A ccuser , or B ackbi ter am ong st the Peop l e ; * what may we think of L u ther , who casts such a foul S candal , not only on one Man , but on so many, and so ven er abl e P r el ates ? A n d this he whispers , not only in one C ity, but pub lishes to the whole World . If he be accursed ( as in D eu ter on om y) who shal l pr i vately sm ite his Neigh bou r ; + wi th how great a Curse shall he be strucken, who *Levit. xix. 1 6. fD eu t . xxvu . 24 .
1 96 Of I n du lgen ces, an d the P ope ’ s A u thor i ty insults over his Governors with such Reproaches ? Finally, I f, ( as the Gospel says) he be a Mu r ther er , an d has n ot Life ever lasti n g , who hates hi s B r other ; * does not this P ar r i cide deserve ever l astin g D eath, who, with H atr ed p u r su es hi s F ather ? S eeing he is come to that Pass , as to deny I n du lg en c es to be profitable in this Life ; it would be in vain for me to dispute what great B enefits the S ouls in P u r g ator y receive by them : M ore over, what would it avail us to discourse with him of the great Helps, whereby we are relieved from P u r gator y itself Not able to endure to hear of the P op e ’ s deliver ing any Person ou t of it, he presumes to leave none there himself . What Profit i s there to dispute, or fight against him, who fights against himself ? What should my A rgu ments avail me, though I force him to confess what he before denied, since he now denies what before he con fessed ? B u t admit the P op e ’ s I n du lg en c es were dis pu tabl e ; yet it is necessary that the Words of C hr i st remain firm, by which he gave the Keys of the C hurch to S t. P eter , when he said , Whatsoever thou shal t bin d on E ar th, shall be bou n d i n H eaven ; an d whatsoever thou shal t l oose on E ar th, shal l be l oosed i n H caven : t Likewise, Whose S in s ye for g ive, shal l be for g i ven u n to them , an d whosoever S in s ye r etain , shal l be r etai n ed . :t B y which Words, if it is manifest that any P r i est has Power to absolve Men from S ins , and take away eternal Punishment due thereunto ; who will not judge it r idi c u lous, that the Prince of all Pr i ests should be denied the taking away of temporal Punishment ? B u t perhaps some may say, that L u ther will n ot ad mit that any Pr i est has Power of binding, or loosing any Thing ; or that the C hief B ishop has any greater Power than other B i shops or Pr i ests : B u t what con *I . John iii . 15 . {Matt. xvi . 19 . tJohn xx. 22 .
I n du lg en tice 1 97 dig n u s morte parricida est, qui odio prosequitur patr em ? Qui qu u m eou squ e pr ogr editu r , u t n eget I n du lgen ti as qu ic qu am valere in terris, frustra cum eo disputem quantum val ean t in purgatorio . Pr a ter ea quid pro fuerit cum illo l oqu i quibus su bsidii s l iber em u r a purga torio, qui totum ferme tol l i t purgatorium ? Unde qu u m pati non possit u t Pontifex qu em q u am exim at, ipse sibi tantum su m it, u t n em in em ibi r el in qu at . Quid attin et c um eo pugn are, qui pu g n at ipse secum ? Quid argu mentis p r om ove am si cum eo agam, u t donet quod ante n eg avit, qui nunc id ipsum n eg at, quod ante dona verat Verum, q u an tu m vi s di spu ten tu r I n du lg en tia Pon tifici s, necesse est inconcussa m an ean t verba Christi , quibus Petro claves c om m i sit E cclesia , q u u m dixit “ Q u idg u id lig aver i s su p er ter r am , er i t ligatu m et i n ca l o; et gu idg u i d sol ver i s su p er ter r am , cr i t solu tu m c l i n ca l o. Item : “ Q u or u m r em i ser i ti s p eccata, r em i t ten tu r ; c l q u or u m r eti n u er i ti s p eccata, r eti n ebu n tu r . Quibus verbis si satis constat sac er dotem qu em libet habere potestatem a m or tal ibu s absol ven di c r im in ibu s, et a ter n itatem pa na tollendi , cui non videatur absu r dum sac er dotu m omnium pr in c ipem nihil habere juris in pa nam tem por ar i am ? Verum al iqu i s for tasse dicet : “Lu ther u s ista non ad mittet , sac er dotem ullum qu ic q u am ligare, vel solvere, aut P on tific em summum plus habere potestati s, quam alium qu em vi s ep i sc opu m , imo quam qu eml ibet sacer dotem . ” A t quid id mea, quid adm ittat, aut quid n on adm ittat i s, qui quorum nihil adm ittat nunc, eor u m pl a r aqu e paulo prius adm i sit, quique omn ia nunc reji cit solus , qu a tota tot sa cu li s adm i sit E cclesi a ? Nam, ut ca ter a tac eam , qu a novus iste Momus r epr ehen dit, certe I n du lg en ti as, si Pon tific es p ecc aver e, qui conces
1 98 Of I n du lg en c es, an d the Pop e ’ s A u thor i ty cern s it me, what that Man admits, or denies, who granted many Things a while ago, which now he denies, and who, alone, rejects all Things which the H oly C hu r ch has held during so many A ges ? F or ( to omit other Things which this new Mom us, or feign ed D ei ty censures ) certainly if the P op es have erred, who granted I n du lg en ces; the whole C on g r egati on of the F ai thfu l were not free from S i n , who received them for so long a Time, and with so great C ontent : In whose J u dgm en t, and in the C us tom observed by the S ain ts, I doubt not but we may rather acquiesce, than in Im ther alone, who furiously condemns the whol e C hu r ch, whose C hi ef B i shops, he not only loads with mad Reproache s, but also fears not to publish, that this S u p r em acy of the P op e i s but a vain Name, and i s effectually Nothing but the Kingdom of B abyl on , and the Power of Nim r od , that strong Hunter ; and desires his Reader s, and the B ook- bin der s, that (burning whatsoever he first writ of P ap acy, ) they may reserve this one Proposition, (90 .
C HA P . 1 1 ®f the p ope ’ s Elutboritv Papatu s est r obu sta Ven ati c Rom ani Pon tifici s. INDE E D it is n o ridiculous D esire in him, to wish the Things he writ before should be burned ; because many of them deserved it ; yet much more this Pr op osi ti on , which he desires may be preserved after the rest are burned, as if worthy of E ternity . What Man , if he had n ot known his M alice, but would have admired hi s I n constancy in this Place ? For first, he denied the P op e ’ s S u p r em acy to be of di vi n e Right, or Law, but allowed it to be of hu m an Right: B u t now, ( con trary to him self) he affirm s it to be of neither of them ; bu t that the P apacy, by mere Force has assumed, and usurped Tyr an n y. Formerly he was of Opinion , That Power was given to Roman B ishops over the Un iver sal C hu r ch by human C onsent, and for the public Good : A n d so much was he of that O pinion, that he detested the S chism of the B ohem ian s, who denied any Obedience to the S ee of Rom e ; saying, That they sinn ed dam n ably who did n ot obey the Pope : Having written these Things so little Time before, he now embraces what then he detested . The like S tability he has in this : That after he preached, in a S ermon to the People, That E a: c om m u n i cati on i s a Medi ci n e, an d to be su fer ed wi th Pati en c e an d Obedi en ce ; he himself, bein g (for every good C ause,) a while after excommu n icated, was so im patient Of that S en ten c e, that (mad with Rage) he breaks forth in to insupportable Contumelies, Re
C A P . I I IDapatus E st r obusta ven ati c Rom ani Pon tifici s. I L L UD , her cl e, non absurdum votum est, quod qu a ante scripsit, flamm i s optat absu m i . E r an t enim pl er aqu e flam m i s dign a : sed multo tam en ipsa propo sitio dign ior , quam, exu stis illis, jubet vel u t dignam a ter n itate substitui . Q u an qu am , quis n on hic quoque, nisi qui m al iti am norit, m ir etu r i n c on stan ti am ? Nam prius Papatum n eg aver at esse divini juris, sed humani juris esse con c esser at . Nun c vero, secum di ssiden s, n eu tr i u s juris esse c on fir m at, sed P on tificem sibi mera vi sum psi sse atque u su rpasse tyr an n idem . S en ti ebat ergo pr idem , hum ano saltem consensu, propter bonum publicum Ro mano Pon tific i super E ccl esi am c athol ic am delatam esse potestatem . q u e usque adeo sen tiebat, u t B oem or u m quoque schisma detestar etu r , quod se ab obedi en ti a Romana S edis abscin der en t ; p r on u n c i an s eos peccare dam n abil iter , q u i cum qu e Papa n on obtem per ar en t. H a c qu u m haud ita pr idem sc r ipser it, nunc in idem quod tum detestabatu r , incidit . Quin i stu d quoque similis est constantia : quod qu u m in concione qu adam ad populum excomm u n ic ation em doc eat esse medicinam, et obedi en ter pati en ter qu e fer en dam , paulo post exc om m u n ic atu s ipse, idq u e m er iti ssim o jure, sen ten ti am tam en tam impotenter tulit, u t rabie qu adam fu r ibu n du s in c on tu m el i as, con vicia , bl asphemi as, supra quam ulla possin t aures ferre,