The acquital or purgation of the moost catholyke Christen Prince EDwarde the VI. Kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. and of the Churche of Englande refourmed and gouerned vnder hym agaynst al suche as blasphemously and traitorously infame hym or the sayd Church of heresie or sedicion They are gone to Baal Peor and runne awaye from the Lorde to that shamefull Idole and are become as abominable as theyr louers Ephraim flyeth lyke a birde so shall theyr glorye also Ose 9. ¶ To the nobilitie and to the reste of the charitable christen laytie of Englande Iohn Olde wisheth grace and mercy from god the father and from Iesus Christ the common and only saueour of the worlde with the gifte of perfite faithe earnest repentaunce FOrasmuche as the preachers in Englande now promoted and set vp in throne by the Quenes highnesse aswell at Paules crosse as commonly in open pulpittes in place of Christes syncere gospel spewe out with scolding roaring and railing the abominable poison of Antichrists tradiciones as holsō medicine for the soul infamyng therwith the order forme and vse of preaching prayer administracion of the holy sacramentes set furthe and exerciced by common autoritie in the churche of Englande refourmed vnder the gouernemēt of the most christen King and mayntenour of Chrystes catholyke faythe King Edwarde the .vi. and most vilie slaundering his famous father King Henry the .viii. for banyshing the violent vsurped power and supremacie of the Romyshe auncient Antichrist for being dyuorced from his brothers knowne wyfe and for takyng iustly vpon him the title estate of supremacy incident and aperteynyng by the vndoubted ordinaunce of God to his Regal office emperiall crowne So that euery indifferent harte enlumyned eyther with the spirite of God by the instruction of his holy worde and gospel or with any common vnderstanding of natural loue and ciuile duetie of obedience to his souerayne liege lordes Goddes lieutenauntes vnder Christ vpon earthe perceaueth those false prophetes and prowde paūched praters to be therin not only horrible blasphemers of the holy goost enemies of christes crosse tearours of his seameles coate defylers of his blessed ordinaunces comp trollers of his holy Apostles and primatyue true catholike churche and moste bloody furious rauening wolnes among his sely shepe but also most harde harted heretikes moste haynous traitours against the crowne and their countrey most sedicious rebelles against the vnitie of peace and tranquillitie of the realme most periured pestilent papistes and most wauering wethercockes like as in their further frutes they are notoryously knowne to be holowe harted hooremongers most sawcye shamelesse sodomites the manciples of myschief and very slaues of Satan and if they repent not the more spedily the most fitte fyre brandes of the perpetual flamyng fornace of hell Albeit no fewe in Englande haue most faithfully resisted the babling blasphemye false forged fables of the mytred maskers and shauen swarme of shameles sodomites not only in suffring hōger tolde pouertie vnquietnesse and paynfull prysone but also in pacient bearing of the crosse of fyre galowes sweorde euen vnto the deathe to the comforte and streynghtenyng of Christes weake flocke to the conuertyng of many that were wofully wrapped in popishe errours and to the cōfusion of the lusty railing reprobates them selues and all their trayne Yet considering it the bounden duetie of euery true harted subiecte to defend with all his possible power the innocencie and truthe of his natural soue rayne against the traitorous talke enuious iniurie of railing reporters and specially in Christes cause whose ministers and officers all Princes Kinges ar whose worde and lawe al chrystianes are most straytly dette bounden not only to embrace with the belefe of the harre but also to confesse it openly with mouthe a mydde mōg the aduouterous synfull generacion of rule and power of this worlde and spirituall wyckednesse in heauenly thinges I haue thought it no lesse thā my duetie being a naturall englishe man and sworne to the loyaltie and obedyence of those worthy famous christen kinges against the sodomitical Syre of Rome and all forayn powers as all those periured wetherrockes the shauen sorcerers were to answerre the forsworne swarme and rable of railing rutterkines in defense and purgacion of christes catholike flocke Priestes the locustes of Englande called the gospellers churche specially respecting the christen euangelical churche of Englande refourmed and gouerned by the ordinaunce rule and practice of Christes most holy sacred euangelical law vnder our forsaide most christen catholyke souerayne King Edwarde the vi who according to the principall poynt of his regal office and charge and according to the fotesteppes and examples of Moses Iosua Dauid Salomö Ezechias Iosias Iosaphat and other most godly gouernours kinges whiche haue their perpetuall cōmendacion in the regestre of goddes voke for their hartie diligence trauailes in the aduaunceing of hys pure religiō sought chiefly the glorie of God the honour of christ crucified his owne edifyeng and discharge of conscience and the instruction gouernemēt of his subiectes in the true knowlage faythe feare and loue of God and his glorious gospel and to buylde the churche of Englande committed of God to his Regall charge only vpon the foundacion of the Prophetes and apostles and to scowre the same from the cursed customes and traunting tradiciōes of Satans synfull sinagoge Albeit I could make a docket of remembraunce how you of the nobilitie that were put in autoritie and trust vnder the king might ought haue answered and vsed those lecherous lieng locustes according to the ordre of iustice bi examples bothe of diuine and prophane histories and by the substaūcial godly lauful lawes of the realme for their traitorous slādring railing vpō the lordes anointed their owne naturall liege lorde for their recaryeng of their infernall father the abiured antichrist of Rome in to Englande agayn for their procuring of forayn powers in to the realme for their false foxelye forgeing of fables among the busye headed vulgare commones againste theyr natural nobilitie for theyr others to deuelishe demerites besydes yet now seing you haue allready runne to farre against your owne consciences so that it semeth almost to late for any admonicion or remēbraūceing to synke in to your hartes being afrayde of euerye barking blaste of Antichristes bawdye beagles contentig your selues to be ledde like an oxe by horne and eare as it pleaseth thē to appoynt til they haue brought you to blocklaye faire in to the slaughter house as they haue done a greate sorte of your best fedde felowes I shal spare my pēne with my continual prayers for your preseruacion frō theyr clouthes leaue you to God your selues In the meane while hauing occasiō oportunitie I shal shape those wicked wormes a reasonable answer leaste in kepyng silence and wynkyng at their licencious libertie wickednesse we seme to be afrayde of theyr obiectiones so make folkes
beleue they were true or to acknowlage that the faultes wherof they spitefulli slauÌ„dre vs were in vs in dede The scripture also by the euaÌ„gelistes and apostles commaundeth and bindeth vs to defende the truthe to refute lyes to beare recorde vnto the truthe and to acquyte the faythfull christianes in theyr innocencye and ryght But what can a man doo in so furyons a rageing rable of aduersaryes and Iniuryous entreatyng of men Or how shold a man begynne to defende the churche seyng such a sorte of cruell and maddebrayned enemies obiecte so many and so haynous crymes agaynst vs and dyng on as it were wyth quartre strokes on euery syde Whan S. Paule the preacher of the Gentyles and moste chosen vessell of Chryst was accused him selfe of the Iewes in a singular good cause euen the cause of the gospel furst before Antonius Felix and eftesones before Portius Festus lieutenauntes of Iewrye of many maters and was more than ouerlayde wyth the power eloquence autoritie and reputacion of hys aduersaries could obteyne nother place nor space to answere vnto euery point throughly he thought he should defende hym selfe and hys cause wel ynough yf he myght shewe by some euident most playne homely shorte reasons that he neuer taught contrarye to the scriptures nor agaynst the hope of Israel but that he was iniuriously enuyed pressed of hys enemyes for constantlye preachyng and defendyng of the hope of the Resurrection whych the Israelites holde And now folowyng his moste godly and singular good exaÌ„ple and vsyng the helpe ordre and almoste the very wordes of a certayn notable profouÌ„de learned Pastour who hath done the same in latine in defence and purgation of the christen gospellike flocke churche committed to hys spiritual charge seyng I am barred out of place and tyme as an abiecte out of my natural countrey so that I can not possibly answere to all theyr odious obiections in ordre one by one singularly by them selues I shal yet by the helpe of God do myn endeauour to declare and set before all mennes eyes by the waye of translation rather myne owne edicion that whyche is moste chief and generall mater in thys cause wyth the moste cleare and playne argumentes that I can that is to wete that the Churche of Englande refourmed and gouerned vnder Kyng Edwarde the .vi. was no heretical schismatical nor sedicious Church and that all other Churches embraceyng the Gospel in assemblable wyse are no heretical nor schismatical Churches but the vndenyable churche of Iesus Christ bothe true faythfull and catholike Wherfore I beseche you ryght honourable lordes ryght worshipfull gentilmen and the rest of my charytable chrysten countreymen for the loue and loyaltye the you bare and owed to your most christen and moste louyng souerayne liege lorde and maister Kyng Edwarde the .vi. reade or heare thys simple shorte treatyse paciently and gentlye inasmuche as I shal do my diligence as euidentlye and in as fewe wordes as I possibly can to speake not of all thynges that myght be alleged in thys behalfe but suche reasons onely as chiefly and principally concerne thys present cause The fyrst Chaptre FYrst where Christ our Lorde sayeth â—he Gosâ—llerschur â—e receaâ—eth the â—ole Scriâ—tuâ—e my shepe heare my voyce the churche of Christe whyche to be knowne from the churche of Papistes is called the gospellers church as the churche of Englande in Kyng Edwardes tyme was dothe acknowlege and receaue the Canonical bokes bothe of the olde TestameÌ„t and newe as those that were proclaymed and spoken out of Boddes owne mouthe Ther is none of them that it denyeth or refuseth but receaueth and reteyneth theÌ„ al holly and perfytly Nother doth it capciously reason about the receauyng of those bokes who hath receaued them or who hath refused them nor whether is of greater force the autorite of the churche receauyng the scriptures or of the scriptures them selues receaued For albeit we read that S. Austen wrote thus Non crederem EuaÌ„ gelio nisi ecclesiae catholicae autoritas me coÌ„moue ret I wold geue no credeÌ„ce sayth he vnto the gospell if the autorytye of the catholike churche dyd not inoue me yet Berson the chauncellour of Parise Gerson a ryght excellent famous man in hys tyme dothe in hys seconde boke De vita spirituali like a discrete profouÌ„de learned clerke saye S. Austen in that place taketh the churche for the primityue congregacion of those faythful christeÌ„ men that harde and sawe Christ were his recorde bearours For whan ther crepte out dyuerse soÌ„dry Bospelles in the churche while the apostles disciples of Christ were yet lyuing they that hade sene Christ him selfe hade harde hys apostles could testifye whych were ryght and true and whych were not Ireneus also in the .xi. chapter of his .3 boke Contra haereses sheweth by many manyfest proues that ther ought to be but only 4. gospelles and yet he maketh no mencion of the churche that ther ought to be but only 4. gospelles bycause the churche hathe receaued no moo but only 4. but bycause the Lord hath so appointed For ther was neuer man that in any Conuocacion or Synode assembled al for that purpose from the begynnyng coÌ„firmed the Canonical bokes of the scriptures or decreed which were canonical which were not but the thurche as it receaued them of the writours autours the holy Prophetes and Apestles theÌ„ selues eueÌ„ so dyd it delyuer them as it were by hande vnto her posteritie It was late ere it begoÌ„ne to be decreed in counsailes vpon canonical and not canonical bokes of scripture not that ther was no diuersitye of them before that tyme or that the bokes of holy scripture had none autoritye before that tyme as they hade and must haue dyuine autoritye in dede although ther hade neuer ben counsayl holden but that the holy men of God were disposed to shewe their iudgemeÌ„t also agaynst suche as bare to vnfrenly a minde agaynst the canonical bokes of scripture And we confesse al that the churche is buylded and set vpon the foundacion of the Prophetes and apostles so if the doctrine of the apostles and prophetes be the foundaceon of the churche thaÌ„ it foloweth of necessytye that the autoritye of the doctrine must nedes be of greater force and importaunce than the autoritie of the churche We therfore in Englande dyd receaue as the Gospellers church elles where doth stil receaue al and singular Canonical bokes both of the olde Testament and newe and namelye those that the Greke wrytours Melito Origene and Eusebius Caesariensis and of the Latines Cipriane and Ierome haue affirmed by theyr owne haÌ„de wrytynges to be taken and reputed of the auncient fathers yea euen from the begynnyng for the vndoubted true Canonical scriptures ¶ The seconde Chapter AS touching the truthe and perfyte integritye of these bokes Of the truth and perfection of the canennical scriptures we doubt nothyng therof at al in such places
the same that we reade in the gospel written almost worde by worde In the same epistle he speaketh also of the same tradicion and saythe I deliuered vnto you that whych I receaued 1. Cori. 13. that christ died for our synnes according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the thyrd daye accordyng to the scriptures Again he maketh mencion of his maner of teaching or tradition 2. Thes 3. but he openeth in playne flat wordes whych a one it was And in the .2 of the Thessaloni .2 he speaketh eftesones of tradicion Therfort brethren sayeth he stande and holde fast the tradicions whych ye haue receaued whether it be by worde of mouthe or by epistle sent from vs. Now Paule comprehendeth all hys hole doctrine whyche he calleth by a general terme tradicion in worde spoken and epistle writteÌ„ By worde he vnderstaÌ„deth the preachyng of the gospel whyche he hade preached presently to the Thessalonians by lyuely worde of mouthe after such sorte and reason as the other Apostles also preached Christ vnto other nacioÌ„s which Luke also put in wrytyng and Paule hymselfe preached to the Romaynes by hys wrytten Epistle For I sayde that Luke dyd wyth most circumspect diligence put in wrytyng those thynges that he hade learned of the Apostles touchyng Christes wordes and dedes Eusebius reporteth that the olde fathers vnderstode these wordes of Paule according to my gospel of the gospel of Luke And in dede Paule hym selfe in the .1 and 15. Chapters to the Romanes testifyeth that he preached the Gospell to the Romaynes in hys wrytten epistle plaine to al mens vnderstandyng For in his epistles he treateth of the mater more briefly beyng absent whyche when he was present wyth theÌ„ he had taught more at large reformyng by his written epistles those errours in the churche whych the false Apostles had sowed abroad the tyme while he was absent and admonished al men of theyr duetie and refourmed yf any thyng were diminished And for asmuche as ther remayne foure consonaunt bokes of the Gospel and fourtene Epistles of Paule as I wyll not speake of other Apostles epistles who could doubt that the tradicion or doctrine of the Apostles is not fully delyuered and registred vnto vs In the Actes of the Apostles we reade that Luke made mencion of the Apostles decrees Act 15.16 whyche other men ral tradicions But it is expressed in cleare playne wordes by the wrytten epistle that the Apostles sent furthe at theyr conuocacion tyme what they ment by theyr decrees or tradicions Act. 15. For thus they wryte It semeth good to the holy Goost vs to charge you wyth no more than these necessary thynges that is to saye that ye absteyne froÌ„ thynges offred to ymages and from bloud and from strangled and from fornicacion Surely thys decree whych is a right Apostolike decree in dede dothe by al meanes contrarye the tradicions falsely called the Apostles tradicions wherwith faythful christiaÌ„s are greuously burthened in the churche at this present For the true Apostles of Christ saye It semeth good to the holy goost and vs to charge you wyth nomore Lo to charge you wyth no more saye they For Paules aduersaries against whom the hole conuocacion house of the Apostles and elders geueth sentence Loke Socrates in eccle histo Li. 15. ca. 22. contended that christians must nedes be circumcised and obserue the lawe of Moses And made the rest of the Apostles autors of that theyr false doctrine As in our tyme also many vnder the preteÌ„ce of the Apostles tradicions do laye heauy burthens vpon free faythful folkes neckes wyth opinions and ceremonies But what is the Apostles sentence of them We gaue them saye they no suche commaundement They went furth from vs but they were not sent of vs. They are distourbours of the congregacions Out of the whyche apostolike sentence Saint Paule dyd doubtles borowe hys wordes whyche we reade in the begynnyng of hys epistle to the Galathians in thys wyse Gal. 1. I maruaile that ye are so sone turned from Christ whyche called you by grace vnto an other Gospell whych is nothyng els but that ther be some whych trouble you and intende to peruerte the Gospel of Christ Neuerthelesse though we oure selues or an Angel from heaueÌ„ preache any other gospel vnto you than that whych we haue preached vnto you let hym be accursed The Apostle in repetyng thys same sentence declareth howe ware christen folkes hade nede to be in receauyng suche obseruaunces as are set furthe in the tytle of the Apostles tradicions For al tradicions are condemned and denounced accursed whych burthen and ouercharge christen mennes lybertie and what so euer thei be that are not agreable with the written gospel and doctrine of the apostle Paule yea and wyth the preachyng of the rest of the Apostles whych is al of one sorte and consonaunt in euery condicion In the .15 〈…〉 of Matthewe ther is also mencion made of the trâ—â—â—â—ons of Elders or Fathers as 〈◊〉 in the fyrst to the Galathians whych Christ our Lorde hym selfe vtterly coÌ„deÌ„neth bycause they were not agreable to the scripture lawe of God and calleth Esaye the prophete to wytnesse wyth hym whych also condemneth al suche tradicions of man sayeng They worship me in vayne teachyng doctrines whych are mennes preceptes Therfore Tradicions that is al doctrines and obseruauÌ„ces that are not agreable to the scriptures or procede of a Iewishe supersticion are barred out of Boddes true seruice worship howe gloriously so euer they be garnyshed wyth the tytle of auncient fathers And the Apostle hym self wryteth also against them Collos 2. Thus muche of the iudgement of scripture concernyng Tradicions Now as touchyng the fathers Note how bolde Ireneus is to call the Pope and his shaueâ—inges heretikes a maÌ„ may easely gather of theyr owne wrytynges howe sore heretikes dyd combre the holy fathers vnder the cloake pretense of the Apostles Tradacions For Ireneus in the .2 chapter of his .3 boke Contra Valentinianos sayeth whan heretikes be reproued by the scriptures they fal straight wayes to accusyng of the scriptures as though they were not wel or were not of autoritie and that they be spoken after diuerse vnderstandinges that suche as knowe not Tradicions can not fynde the truthe by the scriptures For tradicioÌ„s were not geuen in wryting but by lyuely worde of mouthe Thus muche sayeth Ireneus And what doÌ„ the Papistes obiecte elles vnto vs nowe a dayes when we laye for vs most euident cleare scriptures They are come to suche a wyckednesse and shamelesnesse that they sticke not to pronounce in theyr open bokes that the chief fouÌ„taine of al errours is to receaue nothing but only that whych is conteyned in the scriptures For they saye ther is an other kynde of doctrine besydes whych they cal tradicions wherin yf a maÌ„ be not wel skilled he caÌ„ nother go vpryghtly in the scriptures nor haue any perfection
he hold the catholike faythe whych fayth except euery one doth kepe holly and vndefyled wyth out doubt he shall peryshe euerlastyngly Nother dothe Christes churche of the gospellers cleaue supersticiously frowardly vnto the wordes neclecting the holy sense ryght meaning and therfore it ioyfully receaueth all declaracions and conferences of faith called in our coÌ„mon speche Credes whether they be set furthe by the holy fathers or true faithful counsailes though in mo and more copious wordes yet nothyng varieng in sentences nor conteynyng any contrarye mater Therfore we receaue and reuerence the Crede of Nice of Athanasius and the seconde set furth Crede called Symbolum Constantinopolitanum and all other good definitions of faythe agreing to those same And so we reproue and reiecte al heresies and holde accursed al heretikes condemned by the holy scripture eyther in the Counsailes or out of the couÌ„sailes And so we coÌ„demne Symon Magus wyth al Symonye Basilides Valentinus Marcion Braxeas Artemon Montanus Nouatus Sabellius Appollinaris Arius Eunomius Macedonius Manicheus Nestorius Eutyches Priscillianus Donatus Pelagius Heluidius the Monothelites and all other of the lyke leuen So that the churche of gospellers is not a congregacion of heretikes nor a swarme of schismatikes as the Papistes and settaries do wyckedly and falsly lye vpoÌ„ vs but a true christian and catholike churche of Iesus Christ The .x. Chapter THe very cyuile lawe it self doth also recken vs among the catholikes For the Emperours Gratianus Valentinianus and Theodotius wrytyng to the people of CoÌ„stantinopole geue them thys decreed commauÌ„dement We wil that al people whom our imperial clemencie hathe the gouernement of lyue in that religion whych S Petre the apostle set furthe to the Romanes as the religioÌ„ that he him self maketh mencion of beareth recorde euen vnto thys daye the whych it is euident that bishop Damasus Petre bishop of Alexandria a man of apostolike holynesse did also folowe That is to saye that we should according to the apostles discipline doctrine of the Gospel beleue one Godhead of the father and the sonne and the holy gost vnder like Maiestie and holy Trinitie Those that folowe this lawe we commaunde to take vpon them and embrace the name of christian catholikes and the rest as witles and madde folkes we iudge to beare the infamye of hereticall learnyng c. If any man be ignoraunt what was the faythe that the holy fathers Damasus and Peter B. of Alexandria professed let hym learne of the ecclesiastical histories They varied not one tote from the apostolike and Nicene Crede Therfore seing we beleue them wyth all our hartes we are purged cleane from the slauÌ„der of heresie which our aduersaries goo about wickedly to discredite and blemyshe vs withall But I knowe well inough they wyl charge vs that we doo not only not receaue the tradiciones of the apostles but also contemne them and vtterlyreiecte them and that therfore it is but lost labour for vs to pretende an vncorrupte souÌ„de faythe specially forsomuche as the imperfectioÌ„ of the doctrine of the apostolike scripture is most fully perfyted by vnwrytten tradicion by worde of mouthe for that cause the vnwrytten tradicions to be of equal authoritie wyth the apostolyke holy scriptures And seyng we reiecte the tradicioÌ„s it foloweth that our doctrine and faith is not perfyte Now in asmuche as our aduersaris the Papistes make these the toppe and roote of al theyr maters as they them selues reporte in theyr open decrees and bokes we wyl talke a lytel as sortenesse of tyme shall suffre of the traditions of Apostles Fathers I fynde thys worde Tradicion many tymes in the holy Apostles wrytynges Tradicions For wher the historie of the gospel was not wrytten from the begynnyng of any man the Apostles of Christ as they sawe wyth theyr eyes and hearde with theyr eares and receaued out of Christes owne mouthe so dyd they declare in dede the wordes and dedes of Christ to the congregacions by tradicion or lyuely worde of mouthe but yet not without scripture For loke what they learned preached of Christ they confirmed thesame by the scriptures of goddes lawe of the Psalmes and of the prophetes And at lenght whan God sawe tyme he admonished hys Apostles by the holy Goost that they should enrolle that lynely tradicion partly in to wryltyng them selues and partly shoulde cause other to wryte vp the rest For so the Euangelist Luke reporteth that he wyth al diligent forsyght and sure searche of all thynges before hande wrote a moste certayne true historie as they instructed hym whych froÌ„ the begynnyng had sene with theyr eyes and part of them also hade ben ministers of the thynges theÌ„selues which they spake of Suche a wytour was Marke also As for Mathewe Iohn the Apostles they were both seers and hearers them selues Nowe for asmuche as the churche of Christ hathe these scriptures at thys daye it can not be chosen but it hath also the full fayth doctryne or tradicion of the Apostles For the Apostles in theyr writinges left out nothyng that they beleued necessarie and that semed to appertayne to the makyng vp of the doctrine fully perfite I am not alone nor the furst that auouche thys For ther were that haue spoken the same before me Ireneus and Papias very auncient olde doctours of the churche For Ireneus in the fyrst Chapiter of hys 3. doke Contra Valentinianos sayeth we knewe not how our saluacion was bestowed vnto vs by any other men than those by whome the gospel came vnto vs whyche they at that time preached vnto vs and after ward by the wyl of God they delyuered vnto vs in scripture that is in wrytyng to be the foundacion piller of our fayth Nother can we safely say what they preached before they had parfyte knowledge And Papias in Eusebius Caesariensis sayeth Eccl. histoâ—â—i 3. Ca â—lt Marke whan he was Petres interpretour dyd diligently put in writyng what so euer he kept in memorie as necessitie required For thys one thyng he thought vpon that he would leaue out nothyng that he had hearde The Apostles therfore wrote al that was necessarie vnto the saluacion of al faythful beleuers As Iohn the Apostle reporteth in the ende of hys gospel most manyfestly the he hath done 〈…〉 21. Iesus dyd many other thynges sayeth he whych are not written in this boke But these are wrytten that ye may beleue and lyue Thys scripture therfore is sufficient to informe our faythe fully and to attayne euerlastyng lyfe Therfore we are certainly assured that we haue the declaracion or tradicion which the apostles taught concernyng the saluacion of faythful beleuers sufficiently and fully comprehended in the scriptures Touchyng thys tradicion the apostle Paule making mencion in the furst to the Corinthianes sayth 1. Cor 11. that he deliuered the vnto them whych he receaued of the lorde Nother speaketh he in the wordes by and by folowing any thyng but
coÌ„stituted a new churche we might iustlye be noted for schismatikes but now sence we acknowlage that ther is but one only churche and that it is the communion of sayntes dispersed throughout al the wyde worlde in the feloweship wherof all our possible endeauour is to remayne and seyng we crye wyth S. Petre and saye Lorde Io. 6. whyther shall we goo thou haste the wordes of eternallyfe and we beleue and haue knoweÌ„ that thou arte Christ the sonne of the lyuyng God why I pray you are we called schismatikes The .xvii. Chapter VVe do also participate and fede of al one self same table of the Lorde wyth all sayntes through out the hole churche of Christ rendring thankes for the vnspeakeable benefite of our redemption The Lordes Supper We eate al one spiritual meate we drynke all one spiritual drinke wyth al faythfulles throughout the holy catholyke churche We are al one breade and one body with Christ wyth al faythfulles By what right therfore are we called schismatikes Wyl our aduersaries coÌ„demne vs of heresie bycause we beleue that to be the beste forme of celebratyng of the mystical supper whych Christ hym selfe hathe instituted and the Apostles delyuered wyll our aduersaries condemne vs as heretikes bycause we obey Christes biddyng Drynke of thys all and communicate vnder bothe kyndes Wyll our aduersaries condemne vs of heresie bycause we worship Christ the sonne of God and of Mary syttyng on the fathers ryght hande and not hidden vnder the kyndes of bread and wyne wil our aduersaries condemne vs as heretikes bycause we acknowlage Christ to be the only priest and that the one only sacrifice of hys body only once offred vpon the crosse is euer of sufficient perfyte efficacie in God the fathers syght to clense the peoples synnes and bycause we obserue the mystical supper for a remembraunce of the sacrifice that was offred for vs on the crosse once for all Than let them furst condemne Christ hym self whych instituted these maters none otherwyse let them condemne his Apostles whyche haue taught vs so to beleue and so to do But yf they thinke it wyckednesse to thynke any suche thyng than let them ceasse to charge the gospellers church wyth the cryme of heresie whych thynketh nothyng herein whych doth nothyng herein but as it hathe receaued of Christ our Lorde hym selfe and learned of hys holy Apostles The .xviii. Chaptert THe Apostle S. Petre speakyng of wycked teachers Obedience to Prince magistrates 2. Pe. 2. sayeth They despyse autoritie they are presumptuous and stubborne whythe feare not to rayle vpon them that excelle in honour c. we therfore abhorryng that kynde of doctrine condemning that ambicious stubburne presumptuous and raylyng rebellion of those men doo hartely honour Princes and magistrates and teache all other to doo the like allegeing S. Petres lesson Feare God 1. Pe. 2. honour the King And S. Paules sayeng Geue to euery man therfore his duetye Rom. 13. tribute to whom tribute beloÌ„geth custoÌ„ to whom custoÌ„ is due feare to whom feare beloÌ„geth honour to whom honour perteyneth We allowe scholes studie of good scieÌ„ces to our power vn boasted be it we doo faithfully diligeÌ„tly endeauour our selues to further them Further more we doo not damne good iuste politicall lawes nor necessary defenses iustly taken in hande ne iuste punishmentes against offenders We do not improue political rule gouernement honest buyeng and sellyng good sciences lawful occupacions propretie of goodes and landes and suche lyke whyche the pretendyng apostolical sectaries the Anabaptistes did afore tyme fynd fault wythall We teache folkes also to flee ydlenesse 1. Thess 4. 2. Thess 3. and to labour wyth theyr handes accordyng to the Apostles rules as we are constrayned also for causes of necessitie to abandon moÌ„kery and cloistre lubbers in our coÌ„gregacions For the solitary lyfe whyche the olde fathers make mencion of is an other maner a matter than thys is whych at thys daye where they continue is a heauye burthenous plage almost to al common wealthes And to reckeÌ„ vp all that can be spoken we haue no thyng adoo wyth eyther sectes or schismatikes The .xix. Chapter THe Apostle S. Paule by the holy spirite of God prophe cieth The differeÌ„ce of me ates 1. Timo. 4 that in the later tymes ther shal come most corrupt men whych shall geue hede vnto deceauable spirites and doâ—â—â—â—nes of deuilles for byddyng mariage and commaundyng to absteyne from meates whych God hathe created to receaue wyth thankes geuyng vnto the faythful And so we preache sobre fastyng and yet we bryng no meate into an euil name but alwayes graunt free vse of meates Howbeit we teache that abstinence is to be kept for a tyme from al meates what so euer we ê‘ceaue do make the fleshe ouer stoute so that it obeyeth not vnto the spirite As for mariage we forbidde it vnto none eyther ordre or lawfull age 1. Cor. 7. Hebr. 13. 1. Cor. 16. whether it be man or woman albeit we wype not virginitie from her due prayse Mariage is honourable amoÌ„g al men and the mariage bedde vndefiled But we deteste al vncleanesse fornicacion adulterie inceste and abominable lustes We deteste dronkenesse surfettyng ryote and al vntemperaunce We teache temperaunce 1. Thess 4. Hebr. 12. sobre diete and chastitie We teache wyth the Apostle Paule euery one to possesse hys vessel in puritie and holinesse wythout the whyth no man shal see God 〈◊〉 that Christiane charitie is the most propre right marke of faihtfull christians Churâ—â—e workes of mercie Ioh. 13. Math. 25. as our saueour saithe In this shall all men knowe that you are my disciples yf you haue loue one to an other Therfore we condemne malicious manslaughters furious bloodsheading of Kynges and Princes vniust warres treasones murthers wytchcraftes c. For we knowe that mercye and gentilnesse is more acceptable before God Ose 6. Math. 9. than all other vertues I requyre mercye sayeth the Lorde and not sacrifice and the knowlage of God more than burnt offringes Nowe hereof it commeth that seyng we be coÌ„stitute in the same body that all the holy sayntes of God are we suffre for thys faythe and for this doctrines sake the selfe same persecucion that all that haue confessed the same faythe that we do haue suffred sence the dayes of Abel vnto this present Ioh 15. If you had ben of the worlde sayeth our Lorde in the Gospell the worlde wolde loue hys owne But bycause you are not of the worlde but I haue choseÌ„ you out of yâ— worlde 〈…〉 For all though we be synners and doo all amysse in many thinges yet this maye we iustly reioyte in that our aduersaries hate vs not for synnes sake but for godlynesse and syncere professing of Christes religion For we should haue ben a great deale better taken of many a one yf we wold fall in to the same ryotous losenesse and in to all