latter times of the same. Which done, then after in a more special tractation, to proscute more at large all the particulars therof, so farforth as shall seme not vnprofitable for the publike instruction of al other christen churches, to behold and cōsider the maner and dealing of this one. MarginaliaFour thinges to be cōsidered in the church of Rome.
1. Title.
2. Iurisdiction.
3. Life.
4. Doctrine. In the which one churche of Rome foure thinges, as most special pointes, seeme to me chiefly to be considered. To wit, Title, Iurisdiction, Life, & Doctrine, wherin I haue here to declare, first concerning the title or primacy of that church, how it first began, & vpon what occasion. Secondly, concerning the iurisdiction and authority therof, what it was, and how farre it did extend. Thirdly, touching the misorder of life and conuersation, how inordinate it is. And fourthly, the forme of doctrine, how supersticious and idolatrous it was. Of the which foure the first was preiudiciall to all Bishops, the second deregatory to Kinges and Emperours. The third detestable to al men. The fourth iniurious against Christ.

MarginaliaThe title of pope.For first, the title and stile of that church was such, that it ouerwent all other churches, being called the holy vniuersall mother church, which coulde not erre, and the Bishop thereof holye father the Pope, Bishop vniuersal, prince of Priests, supreme head of the vniuersall church, and Vicar of Christ here in earth, which must not be iudged, hauing all knowledge of scripture contained within the chest of his brest.

MarginaliaThe iurisdiction of the Pope.Secondly the iurisdiction of that bishop was such, þ^t chalenging to him selfe both the swordes, that is, both the keyes of the Spiritualty, and the scepter of the Layty: not onelye he subdued al Bishops vnder him, but also extēded him self aboue Kings & Emperours, causing some of them to lye vnder his feete, some to holde hys sturrup, Kinges to leade his horse by the bridle, some to kysse hys feete, placing and displacing Emperours, Kinges, Dukes and Earles, whom and when he list, taking vpon him to translate the Empire at his pleasure. First from Grece to Fraunce, from Fraunce to Germany, preferring and deposing whom he pleased, confirming them which wer elected. Also being Emperour him selfe sede vacante, pretending authoritye or power, to inuest Bishops, to geue benefices, to spoyle churches, to geue authority to binde and lose, to cal general councels, to iudge ouer the same, to set vp religions, to canonise Saintes, to take appeales, to binde consciences, to make lawes, to dispence with the law and word of god, to deliuer from Purgatory, to commaund angels. &c.

MarginaliaThe properties of life in the Romishe clergy.Thirdly, what was the life and conuersation of the court of Rome, here after in the proces of this history foloweth to be sene and obserued.

MarginaliaThe doctrine of the pope.Fourthly, such was his doctrine in like maner, tedious to Students, pernicious to mens consciences, iniurious to Christ Iesus, and contrary to it selfe. In lawes more diuers, in volume more large, in diligence and study more applied, in vauntage & preferment more gainfull, then euer was the studye and learning of the holye scripture of God.

All which foure pointes wel considered and aduised in this present history set forth, I trust it maye minister to the indifferent Christian Reader, sufficient instructiō to iudge, what is of this sea and Churche of Rome to be esteemed.

But here by the way is to be noted, that all these deformities aboue touched of vaine title, of pretensed iurisdiction, of heretical doctrine, of schismatical life, came not into the church of Rome all at one time, nor sprang with the beginning of the same Church, but with long woorking, and continuaunce of time by litle and litle crept vp, through occasion, and came not to their ful perfection, til the time partly of Pope Siluester, partlye of Pope Gregorye the. vij. an. 1170. partlye of Innocentius the third, and finallye of Pope Boniface the eightan. 1300. Of the which foure Popes, MarginaliaPope Syluester 2.the firste brought in the title, Anno. 670. which was neuer in suche ample wise as then was, neuer before publickely exacted & receiued in that church and sea of Rome. MarginaliaPope Gregory. 7. called Hildebrand.The seconde brought in the iurisdiction. MarginaliaPope Innocentius the thirde.The third with his rable of Monkes and Friars, with Thomas Aquine, Petrus Lombardus, Iohannes Scotus, and with such bishops as succeded in the same sea after him, corrupted and obscured the sinceritie of Christes doctrine and maners also. MarginaliaPope Bonifacius the. 8And lastlye, Pope Bonifacius the eight, and Pope Clement the fift, ouer and besides the iurisdiction, sufficiently aduaunced before by Pope Hildebrand, added more ouer the temporal swoord to be caried before thē. And that no Emperour (were he neuer so well elected) shoulde be sufficient and lawfull, withoute the Popes admission, an. 1300. whereby the Popes power was brought now to his ful pride and perfection. And thus came vp the corruption of the Romish church in continuaunce of yeares by degrees, and not al together, nor at one time, as is declared, and hereafter more particularly (Christ willing) shalbe expressed.

Wherfore, who so euer shall haue here after to doo with any aduersaries, about the antiquity or authority of the church of Rome, let him here consider when and how the title, iurisdiction, & corruption of doctrine first began in the Popes sea. And so shall he see, that thys Church of Rome, as it is now gouerned with this maner of title, iurisdiction, and institution of doctrine, neuer descended from the primatiue age of the Apostles, or from their succession, nisi tantum equiuoce, et non vniuoce: MarginaliaEquiuoce. That is in name only and not in very dede.
Vniuoce. that is both in name & also in defenition & effect agreīg w^t the nameLike as Sancta Maria picta, non est sancta Maria, et homo pictus est non homo, as the scholes do say, that is: as the picture of the holy virgine, is not the holy virgine, and as a man painted in the wall, is not a mā: so it is to be sayd of þ^e church of Rome, that although it haue the name of the Church Apostolicall, & doth bring forth a long genealogy of outward succession from the Apostles, as the Phariseis did in Christes tyme bryng their descent from Abraham their father: Marginaliathe church of Rome, as now is, is not Apostolicall but onely equiuocalyet all this is (as I sayd) but onely equiuoce, that is, in name onelye, and not in effect or matter, which maketh the Apostolical church in dede, for as much as the definition of the Apostolical church, neither agreeth now with this present church of Rome, nor yet the maner, forme, and institution of the said Romish church, as it now standeth with this title, iurisdiction, and doctrine, had euer anye succession or offspring from the primitiue Church of the Apostles. But as Christ sayd by the Phariseis, that they were the children not of Abraham, but of the Deuil: in semblable wise may be answered, that this Churche of Rome now present, with this title, iurisdiction, and doctrine now vsed, cannot be fathered vpon the Apostles, neither Petrus, nor Linus, but of on other authour, whom here I wyl not name.

And here now commeth in the argument of Pighius, Hosius, and Ecchius, to be answered vnto, who arguing for the antiquity and authority of the church of Rome, reason on this maner.

MarginaliaThe argument of Pighius, Hosius, & Ecchius for the autority of the church of Rome.

To the whiche paralogisme I answere thus: MarginaliaAunswer: Fallacia equiuoci.that this word Durans ecclesia, the duryng church in the Minor, hath fallaciam equiuoci.  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

Difference between early Church and Roman Church

Foxe text Latin

fallaciam equiuoci.

Foxe text translation

Not translated

Translation

John Wade, University of Sheffield

a fallacy in name and not in deed