The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe/Volume 3/Substance of the Answer of the Catholic Doctors to the foregoing Objections

by John Foxe

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Substance of the Answer of the Catholic Doctors to the foregoing Objections.

 

Unto these objections of John Huss and his party, the catholic doctors again did answer in a long tedious process, the scope whereof principally tended to defend the principality of the pope, and to maintain his obedience above all other potentates in the world; affirming and contending, that although Christ is the head alone of the whole multitude of them that are sleeping in purgatory, and who are labouring in the church militant, and who are resting in heaven, yet this letteth not, but the pope is head of the church here militant, that is, of all the faithful, who here in this world live under his office. As Charles may be king of France, so also we grant the pope may be bishop of Italy; and so it is a good consequence.⁠Like as Christ is King of all kings, and yet Charles may be king of France; so say they, Christ may be the universal head, and yet the pope may be head under him of king of the whole church.^[1] And thus concluded they that the pope is the head, and that the college of cardinals is the body of the Romish church, which church of Rome is placed in the ecclesiastical office here over the earth, to know and define upon every ecclesiastical and catholic matter; to correct errors and to purge them, and to have care upon all such universal matters, and care upon all universal churches, and upon the universal flock of faithful Christians: forasnmch as in the regiment of the church through the universal world, there must needs remain in such office always some such manifest and true successors of Peter, prince of the apostles, and of the college of the other apostles of Christ; neither can there be found or given upon earth any other successors, but only the pope who is the head, and the college of cardinals, which is the body of the aforesaid church of Rome. And although the whole universal multitude of the faithful do make the body of Christ, yet the same body of Christ is not placed here in office to exercise such authority upon earth; because that universal multitude was never yet, nor ever can be, congregate together.^[2] And therefore necessary it is, that some such true and manifest successors and judges be appointed, to whom recourse must be had in all such Catholic, that is universal.⁠catholic and ecclesiastical matters determinable. For like as in earthly regiments^[3] every case of discord is brought before its judge, and hath its place assigned where to be decided; so, like reason would require, that in principal matters and controversies of faith, some such presidents and places be limited for the purpose to have such doubts resolved. And this being granted, then the doctors proceed: "And here must needs conclude," say they, "that there cannot be given in all the world any other place, but only the church of Rome; the head whereof is the pope, and the body is the college of cardinals. For, like as Christ, departing out of this world in his corporal presence, left his body here with us under the sacrament in another form, whereby he remaineth with us The promise of Christ doctorly applied.

O deep divinity of these doctors!⁠(according to his promise in the last chapter of Matthew) unto the consummation of the world, even so while Christ walked here on earth in his bodily presence, he was pope himself and chief bishop, and so head of the church here militant on earth, corporally conjoined with the same, as the head is to its body. But after he departed out of the world, because his body, which is the church militant upon the earth, should not be headless, therefore he left Peter and his successors to his church, for a head in his place, unto the consummation of the world, saying to him, 'Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,' &c. Matt. xvi.; and again, in the last chapter of John, he saith, 'Feed my sheep;' that is to say. Be thou, Peter, the head over thy brethren.

 

Tedious it were to recite all the bibble-babble of these doctors in this their long responsal. Whoso listeth to see the bottom of their profound writing and knowledge, may resort either to the history of Æneas Silvius, or else to Master Cochleus, in his first book, 'De Hist. Hussit.'

Thus then Master John Huss, being driven out of Prague (as is before touched) by the motion of these doctors, and, moreover, being so excommunicated, that no mass nor other must be said there where he was present, the people began mightily to grudge and to cry out against the prelates and other popish priests, who were the workers hereof, accusing them as being simoniacs, covetous, whoremasters, adulterers, proud; sparing not to lay open their vices, to their great ignominy and shame, and much craving reformation to be had of the clergy.

The king, seeing the inclination of the people, being also not ignorant of the wickedness of the clergy, under pretence of reforming the church, began to require greater exactions upon such priests and men of the clergy, as were known and accused to be wicked livers. Whereupon they, on the other part, that favoured John Huss, taking that occasion present, complained of all, accused many, and spared none, whomsoever they knew to be of the catholic faction, or enemies to John Huss; by reason whereof the priests of the popish clergy were brought, such as were faulty, into great distress, and such as were not faulty, into great fear, insomuch that they were glad to fall in, at least not to fall out, with the protestants, being afraid to displease them.The priests of Bohemia displayed and taxed for their ill life.⁠ By this means Master Huss began to take some more liberty unto him, and to preach in his church at Bethlem, and none to control him: by the same means the people also received some comfort, and the king much gain and money by that reason.

And thus the popish clergy, while they went about to persecute John Huss, were enwrapped themselves in great tribulation, and afflicted on every side, as well by lay-men, as by learned men of the clergy, insomuch that women also and children were against them; and by the same reason wherewith they thought to entangle him, they were overthrown themselves. For the doctors who before condemned this doctrine in John Huss for intolerable heresy, and cried out so much against him, for teaching that temporal lords might take away temporal livings from the clergy sinning 'habitualiter,' that is, living and continuing still in the custom of iniquity; now, when the king and the lords temporal began to amerce them, and bereave them of their temporalties for their transgressions, the said doctors did keep silence and durst speak never a word.The popish doctors and priests overthrown in their own reason.⁠ Again, whereas the aforesaid doctors before could not abide in John Huss, that tithes were to be priests counted for pure alms, now, coming to the Guildhall, they were fain to entreat for their temporal goods not to be taken from them; pleading the same temporalties to be mere alms and devotion of good men, given unto the church.^[4]

And thus now did they themselves grant the thing, which before they did condemn. The more the pope's clergy were pinched, the more grudge and hatred redounded to John Huss, although he was no cause thereof, but only their own wicked deservings, for which cause Stephen Paletz, and Andræas de Broda, being the chief champions of that faction, though they could not remedy the cause, yet to ease their minds, Writers against John Huss.⁠wrote sharp and cruel letters to Master Huss. And, to help the matter forward, the pope also here must help at a pinch, who likewise writeth his letters to Wenceslaus, king of Bohemia, who was brother to Sigismund, the emperor, for the suppressing of John Huss and of his doctrine, which was in the fifth and last year of his popedom, A.D. 1414: the tenor of whose letters to king Wenceslaus in this wise proceedeth.

 

1. He might so be, if God had so appointed him; but where doth he so appoint?
2. Ex Cochlæo in Hist. Hussit.
3. If ye go to human policy, whoever saw any private case of England, brought to the emperor's court to be decided? If ye go to God's policy, then show God's word for it.
4. Ex Cochlæo.