e wrack of all
things, wrote thus to "John, Bishop of Constantinople," the first of all
others that commanded himself to be called by this new name, the
"universal bishop of whole Christ's Church:" "If the Church," saith he,
"shall depend upon one man, it will at once fall down to the ground." Who
is he, that seeth not how this is come to pass long since? For long
agone hath the Bishop of Rome willed to have the "whole Church depend
upon" himself alone. Wherefore it is no marvel though it be clean fallen
down long agone.

Bernard the abbot, above four hundred years past, writeth thus: "Nothing
is now of sincerity and pureness amongst the clergy: wherefore it
resteth, that the man of sin should be revealed." The same Bernard, in
his work of the conversion of Paul; "It seemeth now," saith he, "that
persecution hath ceased: no, no; persecution seemeth but now to begin,
even from them which have chief pre-eminence in the Church. Thy friends
and neighbours have drawn near, and stood up against thee: from the sole
of thy foot to the crown of thy head there is no part whole. Iniquity is
proceeded from the elders, the judges, and deputies, which pretend to
rule thy people. We cannot say now, Look how the people be, so is the
priest. For the people is not so ill as the priest is. Alas, alas, O
Lord God, the selfsame persons be the chief in persecuting thee, which
seem to love the highest place, and bear most rule in Thy Church!" The
same Bernard again, upon the Canticles, writeth thus: "All they are thy
friends, yet are they all thy foes: all thy kinsfolk, yet are they all
thy adversaries. Being Christ's servants, they serve Antichrist. Behold,
in my rest, my bitterness is most bitter." Roger Bacon, also a man of
great fame, after he had in a vehement oration touched to the quick the
woeful state of his own time: "These so many errors," saith he, "require
and look for Antichrist." Gerson complaineth, that in his days all the
substance and efficacy of sacred divinity was brought unto a glorious
contention and ostentation of wits, and to very sophistry. The friars of
Lyons, men, as touching the manner of their life, not to be misliked,
were wont boldly to affirm, that the Romish Church (from whence alone all
counsel and order was then sought) was the very same "harlot of Babylon
and rout of devils," whereof is prophesied so plainly in the Apocalypse.

I know well enough the authority of these foresaid persons is but