upon the earth, both obedient themselves, and did ispersed throughout the world, but also to be lord f all the kingdoms of the world, as is expressly set orth in the book of his own canon laws, most conrary to the doctrine and example of our Saviour Christ, whose vicar, and of his apostles, namely, Peter, whose successor he pretendeth to be: after his ambition entered, and his challenge once made y the bishop of Rome, he became at once the poiler and destroyer both of the church, which is he kingdom of our Saviour Christ, and of the Chrisian empire, and all Christian kingdoms, as an universal tyrant over all. Sex. decr. lib. iii. tit. 16. cap. unic. et lib. v. tit. 9. c. 5. in glossa. And whereas before that challenge made there was great amity and love amongst the Christians of all countries, hereupon began emulation and much atred between the bishop of Rome and his clergy and friends on the one part, and the Grecian clergy and Christians of the East on the other part, for that they refused to acknowledge any such supreme authority of the bishop of Rome over them; the bishop of Rome, for this cause amongst other, not only naming them, and taking them for schismatics, but also never ceasing to persecute them, and the emperors who had their see and continuance in Greece, by stirring of the subjects to rébellion against their sovereign lords, and by raising deadly hatred and most cruel wars between them and other Christian princes. And when the bishops of Rome had translated the title of the emperor, and, as much as in them did lie, the empire itself, from their lord the emperor of Greece, and of Rome also by right, unto the Christian princes of the West, they became in short space no better unto the West emperors, than they were before unto the emperors of Greece: for the usual discharging of subjects from their oath of fidelity made unto the emperors of the West, their sovereign lords, by the bishops of Rome; the unnatural stirring up of the subjects unto rebellion against their princes, yea, of the son against the father, b the bishop of Rome; the most cruel and bloody wars raised amongst Christian princes of all king doms, the horrible murder of infinite thousands of Christian men, being slain by Christians; and which ensued thereupon, the pitiful losses of so many goodly cities, countries, dominions, and kingdoms. sometime possessed by Christians in Asia, Africa and Europe; the miserable fall of the empire an church of Greece, sometime the most flourishing part of Christendom, into the hands of the Turks; the lamentable diminishing, decay, and ruin of Christia religion; the dreadful increase of paganism, and power of infidels, and miscreants, and all by the practice and procurement of the bishop of Ro chiefly, is in the histories and chronicles written b the bishop of Rome's own favourers and friends t be seen, and is well known unto all such as are acquainted with the said histories. The ambition intents and most subtle drifts of the bishops of Rom in these their practices appeared evidently by the bold attempt in spoiling and robbing the empero of their towns, cities, dominions, and kingdoms, Italy, Lombardy, and Sicily, of ancient right belong ing to the empire, and by the joining of them unt their bishoprick of Rome, or else giving them unt strangers, to hold them of the church and bishop of Rome as in capite, and as of the chief lords there of, in which tenure they hold the most part there even at this day. By these ambitious and indee traitorous means, and spoiling of their sovereig lords, the bishops of Rome, of priests, and no other by right than the bishops of one city and de cese, are by false usurpation become great lords many dominions, mighty princes, yea, or emper rather, as claiming to have divers princes and king to their vassals, liegemen, and subjects; as in t same histories written by their own familiars courtiers is to be seen. And indeed since the ti hat the bishops of Rome, by ambition, treason, and surpation, achieved and attained to this height nd greatness, they behaved themselves more like rinces, kings, and emperors in all things, than renained like priests, bishops, and ecclesiastical or as they would be called,) spiritual persons, in any One thing at all. For after this rate they have hanlled other kings and princes of other realms through›ut Christendom, as well as their sovereign lords he emperors, usually discharging their subjects of heir oath of fidelity, and so stirring them up to rebellion against their natural princes, whereof some examples shall in the last part hereof be notified anto you. Wherefore let all good subjects, knowing these the special instruments and ministers of the devil, to the stirring up of all rebellions, avoid and flee them, and the pestilent suggestions of such foreign usurpers, and their adherents, and embrace all obedience to God, and their natural princes and sovereigns, that they may enjoy God's blessings, and their prince's favour, in all peace, quietness, and security in this world, and finally attain, through Christ our Saviour, life everlasting in the world to come: which God the Father, for the same our Saviour Jesus Christ's sake, grant unto us all to whom with the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end. Amen. Thus have you heard the Fifth Part of this Homily. Now, good people, let us pray. THE PRAYER. O MOST mighty God, the Lord of hosts, the Governor of all creatures, the only giver of all victories, who alone art able to strengthen the weak against the mighty, and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enemies with the countenance of a few of thy servants calling upon thy name and trusting in thee; defend, O Lord, thy servant and our governor under thee, our sovereign Lord the King, and all thy people committed to his charge. O Lord, withstand the cruelty of all those which be common enemies as well to the truth of thy eternal word, as to their own natural prince and country, and manifestly to this crown and realm of England, which thou hast of thy divine providence assigned in these our days to the government of thy servant, our sovereign and gra cious King. O most merciful Father, if it be thy holy will, make soft and tender the stony hearts of all those that exalt themselves against thy truth, and seek either to trouble the quiet of this realm of England, or to oppress the crown of the same; and convert them to the knowledge of thy Son, the only Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, that we and they may jointly glorify thy mercies. Lighten, we beseech thee, their ignorant hearts to embrace the truth of thy word, or else so abate their cruelty, O most mighty Lord, that this our Christian realm, with others that confess thy Holy Gospel, may obtain by thine aid and strength, surety from all enemies, without shedding of Christian blood, whereby all they which be oppressed with their tyranny may be relieved, and they which be in fear of their cruelty may be comforted: and finally, that all Christian realms, and especially this realm of England, may by thy defence and protection continue in the truth of the Gospel, and enjoy perfect peace, quietness, and security; and that we for these thy mercies, jointly all together with one consonant heart and voice, may thankfully render to thee all laud and praise, that we, knit in one godly concord and unity amongst ourselves, may continually magnify thy glorious name, who with thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, art one eternal, almighty, |