a Glutton Againe who wotteth noâ— what woordes were spoken agaynste Sainct Paule the most earnest and vehement preacher and maintainour of y e truth Somtime that he was a sediâ—â—ous and busy man a raiser of tumultes a causer of rebellion somtime againe that he was an heretique sometime y t he was mad Somtime that onely vppon strife and stomacke he was bothe a blasphemer of Gods lawe and a despiser of the Fathers ordinances Further who knoweth not howe Sainct Stephan after he had throughly sincerely embraced the truth and beganne franklye and stoutly to preache and set forthe the same as he ought to do was immediatlye called to aunswere for his life as one that had wickedly vtered disdainâ—ul and haynous wordes against the lawe against Moyses against the Temple and against God Or who is ignorant that in tymes past there werre some which reproued the holye Scriptures of falsehood saying they conteined thinges both contrary and quite one against an other and howe that the Apostles of Christe did seuerallye disagree betwixt them selues and that S. Paule did vary from them all And not to make rehearsal of al for that were an endles labour who knoweth not after what sorte our Fathers were railed vpon in times past which first began to acknowledge and professe the name of Christe howe they made priuat conspiracies deuised secrete councels against the common welth to that end made earelie and priuie meetinges in the darke kylled yonge babes fedd themselues w t mens fleshe and lyke sauage and brute beastes didde drinke their bloude In conclusion howe that after they had put out the candels they committed adulterye betweene themselues and without regarde wrought incest one with an other that Brethren laie with their sisters sonnes with their Mothers without any reuerence of nature or kynne without shame without difference and that thei wer wicked men without all care of Religion and without anye opinion of God being the very ennemies of mankinde vnworthy to be suffered in the worlde and vnworthie of lyfe All these thinges wer spoken in those daies against the people of God against Christ Iesu against Paul against Stephan and against all them whosoeuer they were which at the first beginninge imbraced the truthe of the Gospell and were contented to be called by the name of Christians which was then an hatefull name amonge the common people And although the thinges whiche they said wer not true yet the Diuel thought it shoulde be sufficient for him yf at the least he coulde bringe iâ— so to passe as they might bee beleeued for true and that the Christians might bee brought into a commoÌ„ hatred of euery body and haue their death and destruction sought of all sortes Herevpon Kings and Princes beinge ledde then by suche perswasions killed all the Prophetes of God lettinge none escape Esai with a sawe Ieremy with stones Daniell with Lyons Amos with an yron barre Paule with the sword Christ vpon y e crosse and condemned all Christians to imprisonmentes to tormentes to the pikes to be thrwone doune headlong from rocks stepe places to be caste to wild beastes and to be burnt made great syres of their quicke bodies for y e only purpose to giue light by night for a very scorne mockinge stocke and didde compt them no better then the vilest fylth thofscouringes and laughing games of y e whole worlde Thus as ye see haue the Authors and professours of the trueth euer ben entreated Wherefore wee oughte to beare yt the more quyetlye which haue taken vppon vs to professe the Gospell of Christ yf we for the same cause be handled after the same sorte and yf wee as our forefathers weare longe ago bee lykewyse at thys day tormented bayted with raylings with spitefull dealinges and with lyes and that for no desert of our owne but onely bicause we teach and acknowledge the truthe They crye out vpon vs at thys present euery wheare that we are all heretiques and haue forsaken the fayth and haue with newe perswasions and wicked learninge vtterly dyssolued the concorde of the Churche that we renew as it weare fetche againe from hell the olde and many a daye condempned heresyes that we sow abroade newe sects and suche broyles as neuer yearst weare hearde of also that we are already deuided into contrarye partes and opinions and coulde yet by no meanes agree well amonge oure selues that wee be cursed creatures lyke y e Gyauntes do warre againste God him selfe and lyue cleane without any regarde or worshippinge of God that we despise all good deedes that we vse noe discipline of vertue no lawes no customes that we esteeme neither righte nor order nor equitie nor iustice that we geue y e brydell to al naugh tines and prouoke the people to all lycenciousnes and lust that we labour seke to ouerthrowe the state of Monarchies and Kyngdomes and to bringe al thinges vnder the rule of the rashe incoÌ„stante people and vnlearned multitude that wee haue seditiously fallen from y e Catholique Churche and by a wycked schisme and diuision haue shaken the whole worlde and trobled the common peace and vniuersal quiet of the church and that as Dathan and Abyron conspired in times past against Moises and Aaron euen so wee at this day haue renounced the Byshop of Rome without anye cause resonable y t we set nought by the aucthoritie of thauncient fathers and Councels of oulde time that wee haue rashly and presumptuously disanulled the olde cerimonies which haue ben well alowed by oure fathers and forefathers manye hundreth yeare past bothe by good customes and also in ages of more puritie and that wee haue by our owne priuate head without the aucthoritie of any sacred and general Councell brought new traditions into y e Church and haue don all these thinges not for Religions sake but only vppon a desyre of contention and stryfe But that they for theyr parte haue chaunged no maner of thinge but haue helde and kepte still suche a nomber of yeares to this verye day all thinges as they were deliuered from the Apostles and well approued by the most auncient Fathers And that thys matter shoulde not seeme to be don but vppon priuie slaunder and to be tossed to and fro in a corner onely to spyte vs there haue ben besides wyâ—ely procured by the Bysshop of Rome certaine parsons of eloquence yenough and not vnlearned neyther whiche shoulde put theyre helpe to thys cause now almost despaired of should polyshe and set furth the same both in bookes and with long tales to the end that when the matter was trymlye and eloquently handled ignorant and vnskilfull persons mighte suspecte there was som great thing in it In deede they perceiued that their owne cause did euerye where go to wracke that their sleightes were nowe espyed and lesse esteemed that their helpes did dayly fayle them that their matter stoode altogether in great neede of
holy ghost flow in their tongues or can they with truth say We and the holy Ghoste haue thought so In dede Peter Asotus and his companion Hosius sticke not to affirme that the same Councell wherein our sauiour Iesu Christe was condemned to dye had both the spirit of prophesieng and the holy Ghost and the spirite of truth in it and that it was neither a false nor a trifflinge saieng when those Byshoppes sayde We haue a lawe and by our law he ought to dye and y e thei so sayenge did light vpon the very trouthe of iudgement for so be Hosius wordes and that the same plainelye was a iuste decree whereby they pronounced that Christ was worthy to die This me thinketh is straunge that these men are not able to speake for themselues and defend their owne cause but thei must also take parte with Annas and Caiphas For yf they will call that a laufull and a good Councell wherein the Sonne of God was moste shamfully condemned to dye what Councell will they then alowe for false and naught And yet as all their Councels to say truth commoÌ„ly be necessitie compelled them to pronouÌ„ce these thinges of the Councell holden by Annas and Caiphas But wil these men I say refourme vs the churche beinge themselues both the persons guilty and the Iudges to Will they abate their own ambitioÌ„ and pride Wil they ouerthrow their owne matter and giue sentence against them selues that they must leaue of to be vnlearned Byshoppes slowbellies heapers together of benefices takers vpon them as princes and men of warre Will the Abbottes the Popes deere darlinges iudge that monke for a theefe which laboureth not for his liuing and that it is against all lawe to suffer suche a one to liue and to be found either in citie or in countrie or yet of other mennes charges Or els that a monke ought to lye on the grouÌ„d to liue hardly with hearbes and peason to study earnestly to argue to praye to worke with hande and fully to bend him selfe to come to y e ministery of y e church In faith assone will the Pharisies and Scribes repaire agame the Temple of God and restore it vnto vs a house of prayer in steede of a theeuish denne Ther haue ben I know certain of their own selues which haue fouÌ„d fault w e many errours in y e church as Pope Adrian Eneas siluius Cardinal Poole Pighius others as is afore saide thei held afterwards their Councel at Trident in y e self same place where it is now appointed There assembled many Byshoppes and Abbottes and others whom it behoued For that matter they were alone by themselues whatsoeuer they did no body gainesaid it for they had quite shut out and barred oure syde from all manner of assemblies and there they sat sixe yeares feedinge folkes with a meruelous expectation of their doings The first sixe moneths as though it were greatly nedeful they made many determinations of the holy Trinitie of the Father of y e Son and of the holy Ghost which were godly thinges in deede but not so necessarye for that time Let vs see in all that while of so many so manifest so often confessed by them so euident errours what one errour haue they amended from what kinde of idolatrie haue they reclaimed the people What superstition haue they taken away What peece of their tyranny and pompe haue they diminished as though all the worlde may not nowe see that this is a Conspiracie and not a Councell and that these Byshopes whom the Pope hath now called to gether be wholy sworne become bounde to beare him their faithfull allegiaunce and wil do no manner of thing but that they perceiue pleaseth him and helpeth to aduaunce his power and as hee will haue it Or that they reckon not of the number of mennes voyces rather then haue weight and consideracion of the same Or that myght doth not often times ouercome the right And therefore we knowe that diuers times many good men and Catholique Bysshops did tarry at home and would not come when such Councels were called wherein men so apparauntly laboured to serue factions and to take partes bicause they knewe they should but lose their trauaile and dooe no good seeinge where vnto their enemies mindes were so wholye bent Athanasius denyed to come when hee was called by the Emperour to his Councell at Cesarea perceiuinge plaine he shoulde butte come amonge his ennemies whiche deadly hated hym The same Athanasius when he came afterwarde to the Councell at Sirmium and foresaw what would be the ende by reasone of the outrage and malyce of his ennimies hee packed vp his carriage and went away immediately Iohn Chrysostome although y e Emperour Constantius commaunded hym by four sundry lettres to come to the Arrians Councel yet kept he hym selfe at home still When Maximus the Byshop of Hierusalem sate in the Councell at Palestine the olde Father Paphnutius toke him by the hande and ledde hym out at the doores sayenge It is not â—eeful for vs to conferre of these matters with wicked menne The Bysshopes of the Easte woulde not comme to the Syrmian Councell after they knewe Athanasius had gotten hymselfe thence againe Cyrill called menne backe by letters from the Councell of them which were named Patropassians Paulinus Bysshoppe of Tryer and manye others moe refused to comme to the Councell at Millaine whenne they vnderstoode what a styrre and rule Auxentius kepte there for they sawe yt was in vaine to go thither where not reasone but faction shoulde prevayle and where folke coÌ„tended not for y e truth and right iudgement of the matter butte for partialitie and fauour And yet for all those fathers hadde suche malitious and stiffe necked ennemies yet if they hadde come they should haue hadde free speache at least in the Councelles Butte nowe sithens none of vs maye bee suffered so muche as to sitte or once to bee seene in these mennes meetinges muche lesse suffered to speake freelye oure minde and seinge the Popes Legates Patriarches Archebyshops Bysshoppes and Abbottes all beinge conspyred togeather all linked together in one kinde of fault and all bounde by one othe sit alone by themselues haue power alone to giue their consent and at last when they haue all done as though thei had done nothing bringe all their opinions to be iudged at the wil plasure of y e Pope being but one man to thend he may pronouÌ„ce his own seÌ„teÌ„ce of himselfe who ought rather to haue aunswered to his complaint sithens also y e same auncient Christian libertie which of al right shoulde speciallye bee in Christian Councelles is now vtterly taken away from the Councel for these causes I say wise and good men ought not to maruaile at this day though we doe the like now that thei see was don in times past in like case of so many Fathers and Catholike Byshops which as though we chuse rather to
many Prynces only vppon his owne blynd preiudices and foredeterminations and y t without hearing of them speak or without shewing cause whye But bycause he hath alredy so noted vs openlye least by holdynge oure peace we should seme to graunt a fault and specially bycause we can by no meane haue audience in y e publik assembly of the general Councel wherein he would no creature should haue power to geue his voice or declare his opinion excepte he were sworne and straightly bounde to maintaine his aucthoritie For wee haue had good experience hereof in his last conference at the councel at Trident where the embassadours diuines of the Princes of Germany and of the free Cities were quite shutte out from their company nother can we yet forget how Iulius the third aboue ten yeares past prouided warely by his writt that none of our sorte shoulde bee suffered to speake in the Councell except there were som paraduenture y t wolde recante and chaunge his opinion For this cause chieflye we thoughte it good to yelde vp an accoumpte of oure faith in writing truely and openly to make aunswere to those things wherwith wee haue ben openly charged to thende the worlde may see the partes and foundacions of that doctrine in the behalfe whereof so many good men haue litle regarded their oune lyues And y t al men may vnderstand what manner of people they be and what opinion they haue of God and of Religion whome the Bysshop of Rome before they were called to tell theire tale hath condemned for heretikes without any good consideratioÌ„ without any exaumple vtterly without lawe or righte onelye bycause he hearde tell that they did dissente from hym and his in som pointe of Religion And although S. Hierome would haue no bodie to be patient when he is suspected of heresy yet we wil deal herein nether bitterly nor brablingly nor yet be caried away w t angre heate though he ought to be reckned neither bitter nor brabler y t speaketh y e truth We willingly leaue thys kynde of eloquence to oure aduersaries who whatsoeuer they say against vs be it neuer so shrewdly or dipitefully sayde yet thinke it is sayd modestely and comely ynough and care nothing whether it be trew or false Wee neede none of these shyftes which do maintaine the truthe Further yf wee do shewe it plaine that Gods holie Gospell the aunciente Byshops and the primatiue Churche do make on our syde and that wee haue not without iust cause left these men and rather haue retourned to the Apostles and oulde catholique Fathers And yf wee shall be founde to doe the same not coulorably or craftely but in good faith before God truly honestly cleerely and plainly and yf they theÌ„selues which â—ye our doctrine and woulde be called Catholiks shall manifestly see how al those titles of antiquitie whereof they boste so much ar quite shaken out of their haÌ„ds and that there is more pith in this oure cause then they thoughte for wee then hope and trust that none of them wil be so negligent and careles of his own saluation but he will at length studye and bethinke him selfe to whether parte hee were best to ioyne him Vndoubtedlye excepte one will altogether harden his hearte and refuse to heare he shal not repent him to geue good heede to this out defence and to mark well what wee say how truly and iustly it agreeth with Christian Religion For where they call vs Heretikes it is a crime so haynous y t onles it may be seene vnles it may be felt in maÌ„ner may be holdeÌ„ with hands and fingers it ought not lightly to be iudged or beleued when it is â—aide to the charge of any Christian man For heresy is a â—orsaking of saluatioÌ„ a renouncing of Gods grace a departing from the body and spirite of Christe But this was euer an olde and solempne propretye with them and theire forefathers yf any did complaine of their errours and faultes and desired to haue true Religion restored streighte waye to coÌ„demne such one for heretikes as men new fangled factious Christe for no nother cause was called a Samaritan but onely for y t he was thoughte to haue fallen to a certaine newe Religion and to be the Aucthor of a newe sect And Paul thapostle of CHRISTE was called before the Iudges to make aunswere to a matter of heresy and therfore hee saied Acordinge to this way whiche they call Heresye I doo worshippe the God of my Fathers beleeuinge all thinges which be written in the law and in the Prophets Shortely to speake This vniuersal Religion whiche Christen men professe at this day was called firste of the heathen people a Sect Heresy With these termes did they alwaies fil priÌ„ces eares to thintent when they had once hated vs with a foredetermined opinion and had coumpted all that wee sayed to bee faction and heresy they might be so ledd away from y e truth right vnderstaÌ„ding of the cause But the more sore and outragious a crime heresye is the more it ought to be proued by plaine and strong argumentes especially in this time wheÌ„ men begin to geue lesse credite to theyre words to make more diligent searche of theyr doctrine then they were wont to do For y e people of God ar otherwyse instructed now then they were in times past when all the Bysshopps of Romes sayenges were allowed for Gospell when all Religion did depende only vpon their aucthoritie Nowe a daies the holie scripture is abroad the writinges of the Apostles Prophets ar in printe whereby all truth and Catholyke doctrine may be proued and all heresie may be disproued and confuted Sithens then they bring furth none of these for them selues and call vs neuertheles Heretiques which haue nether fallen from Christ nor from y e Apostles nor yet from the Prophets this ys an iniurious and a very spitefull dealinge With this sword did Christe put of the Dyuel when he was tempted of him w c these weapons oughte all presumption which doth auauÌ„ce it selfe against God to be ouerthrowen and coÌ„quered For al Scripture sayeth S. Paule that commeth by the inspiration of God is profitable to teach to confute to instruct and to reproue that the man of God may be perfect and throughly framed to euery good work Thus did the holy Fathers alway fight agaynst the heretikes with none other force then with y e holy scriptures S. Augustin when he disputed against Petilian an heretike of â— Donatistes Let not these woordes quod he be heard betwene vs I say or you say let vs rather speake in this wise Thus sayeth the Lorde there let vs seeke the Church ther let vs boult out our cause Lykewise S. Hâ—erome All those things sayth he which without the testimonie of the scriptures are holden as deliuered from y e Apostles be throughly smitten down by the sword of Gods worde S. Ambrose also
stewes nor do suffer to escape vnpunyshed incest and abhominable naughtines nor yet such manquellers as the Aloisrans CasiaÌ„s and DiasiaÌ„s were For yf these thinges woulde haue pleased vs wee neded not to haue departed from these mennes felowship amongest whom suche enormities be in their chiefe pride and pryce Nother â–ª neded we for leauing them to ronne into y e hatred of menne and into most willfull daungers Paule the fourthe not many monethes since hadde at Rome in prison certaine Augustine fryers manye Bysshops and a greate numbre of other deuout men for Religion sake hee racked them and tormented them to make them confesse hee lefte no meanes vnassayed But in thend how many brothels how many whoremoÌ„gers how many adulterers how many incestuous persoÌ„s could he find of all those Our God be thaÌ„ked although we be not y t meÌ„ we ought professe to be yet whosoeuer we be coÌ„pare vs w t these men eueÌ„ oure own life innocencie wil sone proue vntrue condemn their malicious surmises For we exhorte the people to all vertue and well doinge not onelye by bokes and preachinges but also w t oure examples and behauiour We also teache that the Gospell is not a boasting or bragging of knowledg but y t it is y e law of life y t a Christian man as TertulliaÌ„ saith ought not to speak honorably but ought to liue honorably nor that they be the hearers of the lawe but the doers of the lawe which are iustified before God Besides all these matters wherewith they charge vs they are woÌ„t also to add this one thinge which they enlarge with all kinde of spitefulnes that is that we be men of trouble y t wee plucke y e sword and Scepter out of Kinges handes that we arâ—â—e the people that we ouerthrowe iudgemente places destroy the lawes make hauocke of possessioÌ„s seke to make the people Princes turne all things vpsyde downe and to be short y t we would haue nothinge in good frame in a common welth Good lorde how often haue they sette on fyre Princes heartes with these words to thend they might queÌ„che the light of the Gospell in the very firste apperinge of it and might begin to hate the same or euer they were able to know it and to the end that euery magistrate might thinke he saw his deadly ennemy as often as he saw any of vs. Surely it should excedingly greeue vs to be so malitiouslie accused of moste hainous treason onlesse we knewe that Christe himselfe the Apostles and a numbre of good and Christian men were in time past blamed and enuied in manner for the same faultes For although Christ taught thei should giue vnto Cesar that which was Cesars yet was he charged with sedition in that he was accused to deuise some conspiracie and to couete the kingdome And herevpon they cryed out with open mouth against him in the place of iudgement sayeng Yf thou let this man scape thou arte not Cesars friend And though y e Apostles did likewise euermore stedfastly teach y e Magistrats ought to be obeyed y e euery soule ought to be subiect to the higher powers not onely for scare of wrath punishment but euen for conscience sake yet bear thei the name to disquiet the people and to stirre vp the multitud to rebel After this sorte did Haman specially bring the nation of the Iewes into the hatred of the kinge Assuerus bâ—cause saide hee they were a rebellious stubborn people dispised the ordinaunces and commaundimentes of princes Wicked king Achab saide to Elie the Prophet of God It is thou that troublest Israell Amasias y e priest at Bethell laid a conspiracie to the prophete Amos charge before kinge Ieroddam sayeng See Amos hath made a conspiracie against thee in the middest of the house of Israell To bee breefe Tertullian saithe this was the generall accusation of all Christians whiles he liued that they were traytours they were rebelles and the ennemies of mankinde Wherefore if now a dayes the truthe be likewise euell spoken of and beinge the same truth it was then yf it be now like dispitefully vsed as it was in times past though it be a greuous and vnkind dealinge yet can it not seeme vnto vs a new or an vnwonted matter Forty yeares agone and vpward was it an easy thing for them to deuise aginst vs these accursed speaches other sorer theÌ„ these when in the middest of the darkenesse of that age firste beganne to springe and to giue shine some one glimmeringe beame of truthe vnknowen at that time and vnhearde of when also Martin Luther Hulderike Zwinglius beinge moste excellent menne euen sent of God to giue light to the whole world firste came vnto the knowledge and preachinge of the Gospell wheras yet the thinge was but newe and the successe thereof vncertain and when mens mindes stoode doubtful and amased and their eares open to all slaunderous tales and when there could bee imagined against vs no fact so deteâ—â—able but the people then woulde soone beleeue it for the nouelty and strangenes of the matter For so did Syminachus so did Celsus so didde Iulianus so did Porphirius the olde foes to the Gospell attempt in times past to accuse all Christians of sedition and treason before 〈◊〉 â—epute or People were able to 〈◊〉 who those Christians were what 〈◊〉 professed what thei beleued or what was their meaning But now sithens our very ennemies do see and cannot deny but we euer in al our wordes and writinges haue diligeÌ„tlie put the people in mynde of their dewtie to obey their Princes and Magistrates ye though they be wicked For this doth very trial and experience sufficientlie teache and all mennes eyes whosoeuer and wheresoeuer they be do well ynough see and wytnes for vs yt was a soule parte of them to charge vs with these thinges and seing they could fynde no nâ—w and late faults therfore to seke to procure vs enuye only with stale and out worne lyes We geue our lorde God thanks whose only cause this is there hath yet at no tyme been any suche example in all the Realmes Dominions and common weales whiche haue recciued the Gospell For we haue ouerthrowen no kingedome we haue decayed nâ— mans power or right wee haue disordered no commoÌ„ welth There continuin thir owne accustomed state and auncient dignitie the Kinges of oure countrie of Englande the Kinges of Denmarke the Kings of Souetia the Dukes of Saxonie the Counties Palatine the Marquesies of Brandeburgh the Lansgraues of Hessia the common wealthes of the Heluetians and Rheâ—ians and the free cities as Argentine Basil Frankforde Vline August and Norâ—enberge doe all I saye abide in the same authoritie and estate wherein they haue beene heeretofore or rather in a muche better for that by meanes of the Gospell they haue their people more obedient vnto them Lette them go I praye you into those places where at
Prophetes and continued so euen till the tyme y t Christe shewed himselfe to vs in the flesh This notwithstaÌ„ding how often o good God in the meane whyle and howe horribly was thesame Churche darkened and decayed where was that Churche then when all fleshe vpon earth had defyled their owne waye where was it when amoÌ„gest the nombre of the whole world there were only eyght persones they neither all chast and good whom Gods will was shoulde be saued aliue from that vniuersall destruction and mortalitie â–ª When Ely the Prophete so lamentaâ—â—â—e and byterly made mone that onelye himselfe was left of all the whole world whiche dyd truely and dewly worshipp God And when Esay said The siluer of Goddes people that is of the Churche was become Drosse and that the same Citie which a foretime had ben faithful was now become an harlot and that in y e same was no part sound thoroughout the whol body from the head to the fote Or els when Christ him selfe sayde that the house of God was made by y e Pharasies and Preistes a Denne of theues Of a trouth the Church euen as a cornefyld except it be ared manured tilled trimmed in stede of wheate it wil bring furthe thystles darnell and nettilles For this cause did God send euer among both Prophettes Apostles last of al his own Son who might bring home the people into the right waye and repayre a new the tottering Church after she had erred But least some manne should say that the forsaid thinges happened in y e tyme of the law onely of shadowes and of infancie when truth laye hid vnder figures and ceremonies wheÌ„ nothing as yet was brought to perfection when the law was not graueÌ„ in mennes heartes but in stone and yet is that but a foolishe saying for euen at those dayes was there the very same God that is now the same spirite the same Christe thesame faith the same doctrine the same hope the same inheritaunce the same league and the same efficacie and vertue of Goddes worde â–ª Eusebius also saith all the faithfull euen from Adam vntil Christ were in very dede ChristiaÌ„s though they were not so termed But as I said leaste men should thus speake still Paul the apostle found the like faultes and falles euen then in the prime and chiefe of the Gospel in chiefe perfection and in lighte so that he was compelled to write in this sorte to the Galatians whom he had wel before that instructed I feare me quod he leaste I haue laboured emongest you in vayne and leaste ye haue heard y e Gospel in vaine O my litle Children of whom I trauaile a new til Christ be fashioned againe in you And as for the Churche of the Corinthians how fouly it was defiled is nothing needeful to rehearce Now tel me might the Churches of the Galathians and Corinthians goe amisse and the churche of Rome alone may it not fayle ner goe amysse Surely Christ prophecyed long before of his churche that y e time should come when dessolation should stande in the holy place And Paul saith that Antichrist should once set vp his owne tabernacle and stately seath in the temple of God and that the time shuld be wheÌ„ men should not awaye with holesome doctrin but he turned back vnto fables lies and that wythin the very Church Peter likewise tellyth how there should be teachers of lyes in y e church of Christ Daniell the Prophete speaking of the later times of Antichrist Truthe sayth he in that seasone shalbe throwen vnder foote and troden vppon in the worlde And Christ sayeth how the calamitie confusion of thinges shalbe so exceding great that euen the chosen yf it were possible shalbe brought into errour and how all these thinges shal come to passe not amoÌ„gest Gentiles and Turkes but that they should be in the holye place in the Temple of God â–ª in the churche and in the companie an felowship of those whiche professe the name of Christ. Albeit these same warnynges alone may suffice a wyseman to take heede he do not suffer hym selfe rashelye to be deserued with the name of the Churche not to staye to make further inquisition therof by Gods worde yet bysyde al this many Fathers also manye learned and godly men haue often and carefully complained how all these thinges haue chaunced in their lyfe time For eueÌ„ in the middest of that thick myst of darknes God would yet ther should be som whoe thoughe they gaue not a cleare bright light yet shuld they kyndle were it but some sparke which menne might espye being in the darkenes Hylarius when thinges as yet were almoste vncorrupt and in good case to ye are yll deceyued saith he with yÌ„e loue of walles ye do ill worship the Church in that ye worship it in houses and buildinges ye do yll bryng in the name of peace vnder roofes Is there anye doubt but Antichrist will haue his seate vnder the same I rather recken hilles wodes pools maryshes prisons quauemires to be places of more safetie for in these the Prophetes either abiding of their accorde or drowned by violence didde prophecie by the spirite of God Gregorie as one which perceaued and forsaw in his mind y e wrack of al things wrote thus to Iohn Bysshop of Constantinople who was the firste of all others that commaunded himselfe to bee called by this newe name the vniuersall Bishop of whole Christes Church Yf y e Churche saith he shall depend vpon one manne it will at once fall downe to the grownd Who is he y e seeth not how this is come to passe longe since for longe aâ— gone hathe the Bysshop of Rome willed to haue the whole Churche depende vpon himselfe alone Wherefore it is no meruail though it be clean fallen downe longe agone Bernard y e Abbot aboue foure hundred yeares past writeth thus Nothinge is nowe of sinceritie and purenes emongest the Cleargie wherfore it resteth that the man of sin should be reuealed The same Bernarde in his worke of the conuersion of Paul It semeth now saith he thaâ— persecution hath ceased no no persecution seemeth but nowe to beginne euen from them whiche haue chieâ—e preeminence in the Churche Thy friendes and neighbours haue drawen neere â–ª stoode vp against thee from the sole of thy foot to the crowne of thy heade there is no part whole Iniquitie is proceeded from the Elders the Iudges and deputies which pretende â—o rule thy people Wee cannot saye nowe Loke how the people be so is the priest For the people be not so ill as the priest is Alas alas o Lorde God the selfe same persons be the chiefe in persecutinge thee which seeme to loue the highest place and beare moste rule in thy church The same Bernard again vpon y e Canticles writeth thus All they are thy friendes yet are they all thy foes â–ª
the. Now a dayes the Pope chalengeth to hym selfe both swordes and vâ—eth both wherefore it ought to seeme lesse maruaile yf y â— haue folowed whiche Clement saith that is that he hath deceiued both his own selfe those which haue giuen eate vnto him Pope Leo saith vpon one daye it is laufull to say but one masse in one Churche These men say daily in one Church coÌ„monly tenne Masses twentie thirty yea often tymes moe So y t the poore gaser on can scant tell which waye he were best to turne hym Pope Gelasius sayth it is a wicked deed and sibb to sacriledge in any man to diuide the CommunioÌ„ and when he receiued one kinde to absteine from the other These menne contrarie to Goddes worde and contrarie to Pope Gelasiusâ— commaunde that one kinde onely of the holy CommunioÌ„ be giuen to the people by so doing they make their preistes gilty of sacriledge But yf they will saye that all these thinges are worne now out of vre and nye dead and pertaine nothing to these present tymes yet to thend all folke may vnderstande what faith is to be geuen to these men and vpon what hope they call togithers their generall Councelles let vs see in few wordes what good heed they take to the selfe same things which they them selues these very last yeres the remembraunce thereof ys yet new freshe in their owne generall Councell that they had by order called decreed and commaunded to be deuoutely kepte In the last Councell at Trident scant fourtene yeares paste it was ordeined by the common consent of all degrees that one man shoulde not haue two benefices at one time What is become now of that ordinauÌ„ce is y e same to so sone worne but of mynde and cleane consumed For these men ye se giue to one man not two benefices onely but sundry Abbaies many times sometime also two Bishoprykes sometime three sometime foure and that not onely to an vnlearned man but often times eueÌ„ to a man of warre In the sayde Councell a decree was made that all Byshops should preach y e Gospell These menne neyther preache nor once go vp into the Pulpet neyther thinke they it any parte of their Office What great pompe crake then ys this they make of antiquitie Why bragge they so of the names of the auncient Fathers and of the new and olde Councelles Whye will they seme to trust to their auctoritie whome when they lyft they despise at their owne pleasure But I haue a special fansy to coÌ„mon a worde or two rather with the Popes good holinesse and to saye these thinges to his owne face Tell vs I praye you good holy Father seyng ye do crake so muche of all antiquitie and boast your selfe that all menne are bounde to you alone which of all the Fathers haue at any time called you by the name of the highest Prelate the vniuersall Byshop or the head of the Churche Whiche of them euer said that both y e swords were commited to you whiche of them euer said that you haue auctoritie and a right to call Councelles whiche of them euer saide that the whole worlde is but your diocesse which of them that al Bishops haue receiued of your fulnes whiche of them that al power ys gyuen to you as well in heauen as in yearth whiche of them that neyther kyngs nor the whole Clergie nor yet all people togyther are able to be iudges ouer you whiche of them y e kynges Emperours by Christes commaundement and wil do receiue aucthoritie at your hand which of them with so precyse and mathematicall limitacion hath surueied and determined you to be seuenty seuen times greater then 〈◊〉 mightiest kinges Whiche of them 〈◊〉 more ample authoritie is geuen to you then to y e residew of y e Patriarkes â—â—ich of theÌ„ y t you are y e Lord God or that you are not a meere naturall man but a certaine substaunce made and growen together of God and man Whiche of them that you are the onelye headespringe of all lawe Whiche of them that you haue power ouer purgatories Which of them that you are able to commaunde the Aungels of God as you list your selfe Which of them that euer said that you are Lorde of Lordes and the Kinge of Kinges Wee canne also go further with you in like sorte What one amongest the whole numbre of the olde Bysshops and fathers euer taught you either to say priuate Masse whyles the people stared on or to lyste vp the sacrament ouer your heade in whyche point consisteth nowe all your religion or els to mangle Christes sacraments to bereaue the people of the one parte contrarye to Christes institution and plaine expressed wordes But that wee may once come to an ende What one is there of all the Fathers whiche hathe taught you to distribute Christes bloud and the holy martyrs merites and to sell openly as marchandizes your pardons and all the roomes and lodginges of purgatorie These men are wont to speake muche of a certaine secreat doctrine of theires and manifolde and sundrye readings Then let them bring furthe somwhat now if thei can that it may apeare thei haue at least reade or do knowe somwhat They haue often stoutly noysed in all corners where they went how all the partes of their religioÌ„ be very old haue been approued not only by y e multitude but also by the conseÌ„t continual obseruation of al nations and times let them therfore once in their life shew this their antiquitie let them make appeere at eye that the thinges wherof they make such a door haue taken so longe and large encrease let them declare that all Christiâ—â—â—â— nations haue agreed by consent to â—his their religion Nay nay they tourne their backes â—s we haue said alreadye and flee from their owne decrees and haue cut of and â—bolished againe within a shorte space â—he same thinges which but a few years â—efore themselues had established for euermore forsoothe to continewe Howe shoulde one then trust them in the Fathers in y e olde Councels in the words â—pokeÌ„ by God Thei haue not good Lord â—hei haue not I say those things which â—hey boast they haue they haue not y e anâ—iquitie they haue not that vniuersalitie â—hey haue not that consent of all places â—or of all times And though thei haue a â—esire rather to dissemble yet thei themselues are not ignorauÌ„t herof ye somme also they let not to coÌ„fesse it openly And for this cause they say that the ordiâ—â—uÌ„ces of the old Councels and Fathers be such as may now and then be altered and that suÌ„dry and diuers Decrees seruâ—â— for sundry diuers times of the church Thus lurke they vnder the name of the Church and begile seely creatures with their vaine glosinge Yt is to be meruailed that either men be so blynde as they canne not see this or if they