rence to the Apostolicall sea, you in so doing (deare children) do much for your selues &c. Theodoret. Lib. 5. cap. 9, where as the Byshops of the East Church notwithstandyng had shewed litle or no reuerence in their Epistle to Pope Damasus before.

Thus haue ye the first and originall groundes, by the meanes wherof the Archbyshops of the Romishe sea haue achieued to this their great kyngdome and celsitude ouer Christes Church, first begynnyng the mistery of their iniquitie, by that which was modestly and voluntarely geuen them. Afterward by vse and custome claiming it ambitiously vnto them, of duetie and seruice, and lastly holding fast (as we see) that which once they had gotten into their possessiō, so that now in no case they can abyde the byrdes to call home their fethers agayne, which they so long haue vsurped.

And thus much concernyng the life, inrisdiction, & title of the Romane Bishops: In all which (as is declared) they and not we, haue fallē from the Church of Rome. MarginaliaThis latter Church of Rome differyng frō the first Church of Rome, in forme of gouernment.To these I might also ioyne the maner of gouernment, wherin the sayd Romish Byshops haue no lesse altered both from the rule of Scripture, and from the steppes of the true Church of Rome, which gouernment as it hath bene, and ought to be onely spirituall: so hath the Byshop of Rome vsed it of late yeares no otherwise, then hath an earthly kyng or prince gouerned his Realme and dominions, with riches, glory, power, terrour, outward strength, force, prison, death, execution, lawes, policies, promotyng his frendes to dignities, reuengyng his affections, punishyng and correcting faultes agaynst his person, more then other offences agaynst God committed, vsing and abusing in all these thinges, the word of God for his pretext and cloke to worke his wordly purpose with all: wheras in deede the word of God ministreth no such power to spirituall persons, but such as is spiritual: accordyng to the saying of the Apostle: Arma militiæ nostræ non sunt carnalia, sed spiritualia &c. The armour and artillarie, sayth S. Paule, of our warfayre is not carnall, but spirituall: such as serue not agaynst flesh and bloud, nor agaynst the weake person of man: but agaynst Sathan, agaynst the gates of hell, and the profoundities of wicked power. &c.

Which armour as it is all spirituall, so ought they, which haue the dealyng therof, to be likewise spirituall, well furnished with all such giftes and graces of the holy ghost, meete for the gouernance of his spirituall Church: MarginaliaHow the Churche of Christ ought to be gouerned.as with wisdome and knowledge in the Scripture, to instruct the ignoraunt: with inward intelligence and foresight of the crafty cogitations and operations of Sathan, with power of the spirit to resist the same: with practise and experience of tentatons, to comfort such as be afflicted and oppressed of Sathan: with heauenly discretiō to discerne spirites, and truth fron vntruth: with iudgement, knowledge of tounges and learnyng to conuict errour: with zele of Gods glory, with feruencie of prayer, with pacience in persecution: with a mynde contented with all cases and states incident, with teares and compassion on other mens greeues: with stoutnes and courage against the proude and stout oppressours: with humilitie toward the poore and miserable: with the counsayle of the Lord Iesus by his worde and; spirite to directe him in all thynges to be done, with strength agaynst sinne: with hatred of this world: with gift of fayth: power of the keys in spirituall causes, as to minister the word, the Sacraments and excommunication when the worde biddeth, that the spirite may be saued, and to reconcile agayne, as case requireth, &c. These and suche like are the matters wherin consisteth the sinewes & strength of þ^e church, & the true gouernaunce of the same. But cōtrary to these aforesayd both the Byshop and Clergie of this latter Churche of Rome, proceeded in their administration and gouernance, as who vnder the name and pretence of Christ and his word, haue exercised of long tyme nothyng els but a wordly dominion, MarginaliaPreposterus gouernment of the Church by the pope.seekyng in deede their owne glory, not the glory of Christ: riches of the world, not the lucre of soules: not feedyng the flocke, but filling the purse: reuengyng their owne wrongs, but neglectyng Gods glory: striuyng agaynst man onely, and killyng him, but not killyng the vice, not confutyng the errour of man: strong agaynst fleshe and bloud, but weake agaynst the deuill: stout agaynst the simple, but meeke agaynst the mightie: briefly, doyng almost all thynges preposterously, more like to secular Princes, then spirituall pastours of Christes flocke, with outward forcement, and feare of punishment, with prisonyng, famishyng, hangyng, rackyng, drownyng, headyng, slaying, murderyng, and burnyng, and warryng also: on the other side with his riches and treasures, with his garde and gardiaunce, with strength of men, with Court and Cardinals: with pompe and pride about them, with their triple crowne, with thenaked sworde: with his ordinarie succession: with their lawes, and executions: their promotions and prefermentes: their biddynges and commaundinges: threatnynges and reuengynges, &c.

MarginaliaA cōparisō betwene the kingdome of this world & the kingdome of the Pope.In fine, to compare therfore the Image of a wordly kyngdome, with this kingdom of the Pope, there is no difference, saue onely that this kyngdome of the Pope vnder hypocrisie maketh a face of the spirituall sword, which is the word of God: but in very deede doth all thyngs with the temporall sword, that is with outward forcement and coaction: differyng nothyng from ciuile and secular regiment in all properites and conditions, if it be well considered. For as in an earthly kyngdome first there is a Prince or some chief Magistrate appoynted, hauyng dominion ouer his nobles and commons, containyng all his subiectes vnder his statutes and lawes, with the which lawes notwithstandyng he dispenseth at his pleasure: vnder whom all other inferior Magistrates haue their order and place to them appointed to rule ouer the subiectes, and yet to be subiect vnder him: So if the state and forme of the Pope be well aduised, we shall see it altereth nothyng frō the same, but onely in names of the persons. In ciuile gouernment, all subiection is referred to one head ruler, whose autoritie surmounteth all the rest, and keepeth them vnder obedience: In lyke maner the gouernment of the Popish Churche is committed to one man, who as chief steward, ouerseer & ruler of Christes household in his absence, hath supreme power ouer all churches, to moderate and direct all the affaires therof. But here standeth Kyng or Prince: here he is called a Pope.

MarginaliaSecular Nobilitie compared with Ecclesiastical nobilitie.The Kinge hath next vnto him his Dukes and Earles. The Popes nobilitie standeth in hys Cardinals and Legates, who though they be no Dukes in name, yet in pōpe and pride will not onely geue checke to them, but also mate to Kynges theē selues, if they might be suffered, as did Theodorus, Lancfrācus, Anselmus, Thomas Becket, and so would Thomas Woulsey had done, had not the Kyng geuen hym a necke to his mate by tyme. MarginaliaCiuile Magistrates compared with Ecclesiasticall.In ciuile policie nexte to Dukes and Earles foloweth the order of Lordes, Barons, Knights Esquiers, Gentlemen, with Mayors, Sheriffes, Constables, Bayleffes, Wardens &c. The like case is to be seen also, although vnder other names, in the Popes policie, of Primates, Byshops, Suffraganes, Prouostes, Deanes, Canons, Vicares, Archdeacons, Priests, Deacons, Subdeacōs, Acolites, Exorcistes, Lectors, Dorekepers, Singsters, with other Clerkes. And as in the other vnder wardens commeth the order of Scauingers: so neither doth the Popes monarchy lacke his kaynilrakers, to whō may welbe cōpared the rablement of Abbots, Prouincials, Priores, Monkes, Friers, with their Couentes and Noniries.

MarginaliaOfficers of the temporall court compared with the officers of the spirituall Court.Moreouer from Iustices, Iudges, Lawyers, Sergeants, Attorneys, which be necessary offices in the common wealth, what differeth the Popes Inquisitors, Canonistes, Doctours and Bacchelers of the Popes lawe, Cōmissaries, Officials, Proctors, Promotors, with such other, which serue no lesse in Spirituall Court, & in the consistorie, then the other aforesayd doe in the temporall Court, or in the yeld hall. MarginaliaGlory cōpared. Power cōpared. Riches compared.Now who so lyst to compare the glory and magnificence of the one, with the glory of the other: also the power & strength of the one regimēt, with the power of the other: and so the riches of þ^e one, with the riches of þ^e other, I suppose he shall see no great oddes betwene them both, takyng the Popes kyngdome as it hath stode in his ful ruffe, & yet doth stād, where churches are not reformed. MarginaliaSubtletie compared.As for subtletie & politicke practise, there is no man that doubteth, that is indifferēt, nor that seeth not, that hath his eyes, but that the Popes hierarchie in holdyng vp their state, for excelleth all the Empires & Kyngdomes of worldly Princes, of whom all other may take example to learne.

MarginaliaThe difference betwene the Popes regiment, and the order of the primatiue ChurchThus in comparyng the Popes regiment with ciuile gouernaunce as they doe litle or nothyng disagee a sunder: So in comparyng agayne the same with the order of Scriptures, or with the regiment that was in the olde auncient Churche of Rome, we shall see no resemblaunce betwene them. As we read in the Apostles tyme, all the armour of Christes ministers was spirituall and full of godly power, agaynst the spirituall enemyes of our saluation, gouernyng the Church then with peace, pacience, humilitie, true knowledge of God, the sword of the spirite, the shield of fayth, the brest plate of rightuousnes, hartie charitie, sincere faith, and good consciēce:Marginalia2. Cor. 10.
Ephes. 6.
1. Timo. 1. so after the Apostles in the tyme of Ambrose, by his owne testimonie is to be vnderstaād, that the armour of church men was then, preces, & lachrymæ, prayers and teares:MarginaliaThe armour proper to Churchemen. where now the armour of the popes Priesthode is nothyng els but ignis & ferrum. i. fire and sword, wherewith they keepe all thinges vnder their subiection. And here