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by King Henry VIII

transcribed by
the Revd Ed Renner
AD 2001

CHAP. II
Of the Pope's Authority
Papatus est robusta Venatio, Romani Pontificis

I will. not wrong the Bishop of Rome so much, as troublesomely, or carefully to dispute his Right, as if it were a Matter doubtful; it is sufficient for my present Task, that the Enemy is so much led by Fury, that he destroys his own Credit, and makes clearly appear, that by mere Malice he is so blinded, that he neither sees, nor knows what he says himself. For he cannot deny, but that all the Faithful honour and acknowledge the sacred Roman See for their Mother and Supreme, nor does Distance of Place or Dangers in the Way hinder Access thereunto. For if those who come hither from the Indies tell us Truth, the Indians themselves (separated from us by such a vast Distance, both of Land and Sea,) do submit to the See of Rome. If the Bishop of Rome has got this large Power, neither by Command of God, nor the Will of Man, but by main Force; I would fain know of Luther, when the Pope rushed into the Possession of so great Riches? for so vast a Power, (especially if it begun in the Memory of Man,) cannot have an obscure Origin. But perhaps he will say, it is above one or two Ages since; let him then point out the Time by Histories: Otherwise, if it be so antient that the Beginning of so great a Thing is quite forgot; let him . know, that, by all Laws, we are forbidden to think otherwise, than that Thing had a lawful Beginning, which so far surpasses the Memory of Man, that its Origin cannot be known. It is certain, that, by the unanimous Consent of all Nations, it is forbidden to change, or move the Things which have been for a long Time immoveable. Truly, if any will look upon antient Monuments, or read the Histories of former Times, he may easily find, that since the Conversion of the World, all Churches in the Christian World have been obedient to the See of Rome. We find, that, though the Empire was translated to the Grecians, yet did they still own, and obey the Supremacy of the Church, and See of Rome, except when they were in any turbulent Schism.

St. Hierome

excellently well demonstrates his good Esteem for the Roman See, when he openly declares, (though he was no Roman himself,) that it was sufficient for him that the Pope of Rome did but approve his Faith, whoever else should disapprove it.

When Luther so impudently asserts, and that against his former Sentence,) That the Pope has no Kind of Right over the Catholic Church; no, not so much as human; but has by mere Force tyrannically usurped it; I cannot but admire, that he should expect his Readers should be so easily induced to believe his Words; or so blockish, as to think that a Priest, without any Weapon, or Company to defend him, (as doubtless he was, before he enjoyed that which Luther says he usurped,) could ever expect or hope, without any Right or Title, to obtain so great a Command over so many Bishops, his Fellows, in so many different, and divers Nations. How could he expect, I say, that any Body would believe, (as I know not how he could desire they should,) that all Nations, Cities, nay Kingdoms and Provinces, should be so prodigal of their Rights and Liberties, as to acknowledge the Superiority of a strange Priest, to whom they should owe no Subjection? But what signifies it to know the Opinion of Luther in this Case, when (through Anger and Malice,) he himself is ignorant of his own Opinion, or what he thinks? But he manifestly discovers the Darkness of his Understanding and Knowledge, and the Folly and Blindness of his Heart, abandoned to a reprobate Sense, in doing and saying Things so inconsistent. How true is that saying of the Apostle? Though I have Prophecy, and understand all Mysteries, and all Knowledge; and though I have all Faith, so as to remove Mountains, and have not Charity, I am Nothing. Of which Charity Luther not only shews, how void he is, by perishing himself through Fury; but much more by endeavouring to draw all others with him into Destruction, whilst he strives to dissuade them from their Obedience to the Chief Bishop, whom, in a three-fold Manner, he himself is bound to obey, viz. as a Christian, as a Priest, and as a religious Brother; his Disobedience also deserving to be punished in a treble Manner: He remembers not how much Obedience is better than Sacrifice; not does he consider how it is ordained in Deuteronomy, That the Man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the Priest, (that stands to minister there before the Lord thy God,) or unto the Judge, even that Man shall die: He considers not, I say, what cruel Punishment he deserves, that will not obey the chief Priest and supreme Judge upon Earth. For this poor Brother, being cited to appear before the Pope, with Offers to pay his Expences, and Promise of safe Conduct; he refuses to go without a Guard; troubling the whole Church as much as he could, and exciting the whole Body to rebel against the Head; which to do, is as the Sin of Witchcraft; and in whom to acquiesce, is as the Sin of Idolatry. Seeing therefore that Luther, (moved by Hatred) runs head-long on to Destruction, and refuses to submit to the Law of God, but desires to establish a Law of his own; it behoves all Christians to beware, lest (as the Apostle says) through the Disobedience of one, many be made Sinners; but on the contrary, by hating and detesting his Wickedness, we may sing with the Prophet, I hated the wicked, and loved your Law.

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