loke for none other and forasmuche as it was to be offered but once wee commaund it not to be renewed againe And bicause it was full perfite in all points and partes wee doe not ordaine in place thereof anye continuall succession of offeringes Besides though wee saye we haue no meede at all by oure owne woorkes and deedes but apoint all the meane of oure saluation to be in Christe alone yet say we not that for this cause men ought to liue looslie and dissolutely nor that it is ynough for a Christian to be Baptized onely and to belieue as though there were nothing els required at his hande for true faith is liuely and can in no wise be idell Thus therefore â—eaâ—he wee the people that God hath called vs not to folowe ryâ—t and wantonnes but as Paul saithe vnto good woorkes to walke in them That God hath plucked vs oute from the power of darkenes to serue the liuinge God to cutte away all the remnauntes of sinne and to worke oure saluation in feare and tremblinge that it may apere how that y e Spirit of saÌ„ctification is in oure bodies and that Christ himselfe doth dwell in our heartes To conclude we beleue that this our selfe same flesh wherin we liue although it dye and come to dust yet at the last day it shall retourne againe to lyfe by the meanes of Christes spirite which dweleth in vs and that then verely whatsoeuer we suffer heere in the meane whyle for his sake Christ wil wipe from of our eies all teares lamentation that we through him shall enioy euerlasting life and shall for euer be with him in glory So be it Beholde these are the horrible heresies for the which a good parte of the world is at this day condemned by the Byshop of Rome and yet were neuer hearde to pleade their cause He should haue commenced his sute rather against Christe against the Apostles and against the holy fathers For these thinges did not only procede from them but were also apointed by them except perhaps these menne will say as I thinke they will in deede that Christe hath not instituted the holy Communion to be diuided amongest the faithfull Or that Christes apostles and the auncient fathers haue saide Priuate masses in euery corner of the Temples nowe tenne now twenty togithers in one day Or that Christ and hys Apostls bannished all the common people from the Sacrament of his bloud or that the thing whiche them selues do at this day euery wheare and do it so as they condemne him for an heritike whiche dothe otherwise ys not called of Gelasius their owne doctour plaine sacriledge or 〈◊〉 these be not y e very words of Ambrose Augustine Gelasius Theodorete Chrysostome Origene The bread and wine in the Sacramentes remaine still the same they were before The thing which is seene vpon the holye table is breade there ceaseth not to be still the substaunce of breade and nature of wyne the substance and nature of bread are not changed the selfe same breade as touchinge the materiall substaunce goâ—th into the bellie and is cast out into the pryuei Or that Christe the Apostles and holy fathers prayed not in that tongue whiche the people might vnderstande Or that Christe hath not performed all thinges by that one offering which he once offered or that the same Sacrifice was imperfect and so now we haue neede of an other All these thinges must they of neâ—cessitie say onlesse perchance thei had rather lay thus that all lawe and right is locked vp in the treasurie of the Popes breaste and that as once one of his southinge pages and clawbackes did not sticke to say the Pope is able to dispence against the Apostles against a councell against y e CanoÌ„s rules of y e Apostls and y t he is not bound to stand neither to y e examples nor to the ordinuÌ„aces nor to y e lawes of Christ. We for our parts haue learned these thinges of Christe of the Apostles of the deuout fathers and dooe sincerely and with good faith teache the people of God the same Whiche thinge is the onely cause whye wee at this daye ar called heretikes of the chiefe prelates no doubt of ReligioÌ„ O immortal God hath Christ him selfe then y e Apostles so many Fathers al at once gon a stray were then Origene Ambrose Augustin Chrysostome Gelasius Theodoret forsakers of the catholique faith was so notable a consent of so manye auncient Byshoppes and learned menne nothing els but a conspiracye of heretiques Or is that nowe condemned in vs whiche was then commended in them Or is the thyng nowe by alteration onely of mens affection sodenly becoÌ„me shismatique whiche in them was compted catholique Or shall that whiche in times past was true nowe by and by bycause it liketh not these men be iudged false Let them then bring furth another Gospell and let them shew the causes why these thinges which so long haue openly ben obserued and well alowed in the Churche of God ought nowe in thend be called in againe Wee knowe well ynoughe that the same worde whiche was opened by Christ spred abrode by the Apostles is sufficient both our saluacion and al trueth to vp holde mayntein and also to confounde all maner of heresie By that Woâ—d only do we condemne all sortes of the olde heretiques whom these men say we haue called out of hell againe â–ª As for the Arrians the Eutychians the Marcionites y e Ebionites the Valentinians the Carpocratians the Tatians the Nouatians and shortelie all them which haue had a wicked opinion eyther of God the Father or of Christ or of the holy Ghoste or of any other poinct of Christian Religion â–ª for somuche as they be confuted by the Gospell of Christ we plainly pronunâ—â— them for detestable and cast awaye personnes and defye them euen vnto the dyuell Neyther do wee leaue them so but we also seuerely and straitely hold them in by lawful and politick punishemeÌ„tes yf they fortune to breake out any wherâ— and bewraye themselues In deede we graunt that certain new and very straunge sectes as the Anabaptistes Libertines MeneniaÌ„s Zuenkfeldians haue ben stirring in the worlde euersence the Gospel did first spring But the worlde seeth now right wel thankes be giuen to our God that wee neyther haue bredd nor taught nor kept vp these Monstres In good fellowship I pray the whosoeuer thou be read our bokes they are to be sould in euery placeâ— What hath there euer ben written by any of our coÌ„pany which might plainely beare with the madnes of any of those heretiques Nay I saye vnto you there is no countrie at this daye so free from their pestilent infections as they be wherein the gospel is freely and coÌ„monly taught So that yf they wey the very matter w t earnest and vpright aduisement this thing is a great argumeÌ„t y t this same is the very truth
a conninge spokesman Now as for those things which by theÌ„ haue been layed against vs in part they be manifestly false condempned so by their owne iudgementes whiche spake theÌ„ partly again though thei be as false to in deede yet beare thei a certain shew and colour of truth so as the Reader if he take not good hede may easily be tripped and brought into errour by them specially when their fine and cunninge tale is added thereunto and part of them be of suche sorte as wee oughte not to shunne them as crimes or faultes but to acknowledg professe them as thinges well done and vpon very good reason For shortely to say the truth these folke falsely accuse and slaunder all oure doinges yea the same thinges whiche they themselues can not deny but to be rightly and orderly don and for malice do so misconstre and depraue al our sayinges and doinges as though it were impossible y t any thinge could be rightly spokeÌ„ or don by vs. They should more plainly sincerely haue gon to worke if thei would haue dealt truely but now they neither truelye nor sincerelye nor yet Christianly but darklye and craftely charge and batter vs with lyes and doe abuse the blindenes fondenes of the people together with the ignoraunce of Princes to cause vs to be hated and the truth to be suppressed This lo ye is the power of darkenes and of men which leane more to the amased wondering of the rude multitude and to darknes then they doe to y e truth and light and as S. Hierome saieth which doe openly gain say the truth closing vp their eyes and wil not se for the nonce But wee giue thankes to the most good mighty God y t such is our cause wher against wheÌ„ they woulde faynest they were able to vtter no dispite but the same which might aswell bee wrested againste the holye Fathers against the Prophetes against the Apostles against Peter against Paule and against Christ himselfe Nowe therefore if it be leeâ—ull for these folkes to be eloquent and fine tonged in speaking euil surely it becoÌ„meth not vs in our cause being so very good to be dumme in answering truelye For men to be carelesse what ys spoken by them and their own matter bee it neuer so falselye and slaunderouselye spoken especiallie when it is suche y t the Maiestie of God and the cause of religioÌ„ may therby be dammaged is the part doubtles of dissolute and retcheles persons of them which wickedlye winke at the iniuries don vnto the name of God For although other wroÌ„ges yea oftentimes great may be borne and dissembled of a milde ChristiaÌ„ man yet hee that goeth smothelye awaye and dissembleth the mater when he is noted of heresy Ruffinus was wont to deny that man to be a Christian. We therefore will do the same thinge which all lawes which natures owne voyce doth command to be don and whiche Christe him selfe did in like case when he was checked and reuiled to the intent we may put of from vs these mens slaunderous accusations and may defend soberly and truely our own cause and innoncencie For Christ verelye when the Pharysies charged him with sorcery as one y t had some familiar Spirites wrought many thinges by their helpe I saide he haue not the Dyuell but do â—e glorifie my Father but it is you that haue dishonored me and put me to rebuke and shame And S. Paul when Festus the LieutenauÌ„t scorned him as a mad man I saide he moste deere Festus am not madde as thou thinkest but I speake the wordes of truth and sobrenes And the auncient Christians when they wer slaundered to the people for mankillers for adulterors for committers of incest for disturbers of common weales and did perceaue that by suche slaunderous accusations y e Religion which they professed might be brought in question namely if they should seeme to hold their peace and in maÌ„ner to confesse the fault lest this might hinder the free course of the Gospell they made Orations they put vp supplications and made meanes to Emperors and Princes that they might defend them selues and theyr fellowes in open audience But we trulye seeing that so many thowsandes of our brethren in these last twenty yeares haue borne witnes vnto the truth in the middest of most painfull tormeÌ„ts that could be deuised and when Princes desirous to restraine the Gospel sought many wayes but preuayled nothinge and that now almost the whole worlde dothe begynne to open theyre eyes to behold the light we take it that our cause hath already ben sufficiently declared and defended and thinke it not needfull to make many wordes since y e very matter saith inough for yt selfe For yf the Popes woulde or els if they could weigh with their own selues the whole matter and also the beginning and procedinges of our Religion how in a maÌ„ner al their trauail hath com to nought no body driuing it forwarde and without any wordely helpe and howe on the other side our cause againste the will of Emperoures from y e beginning against the willes of so many Kynges in spite of the Popes and almoste maugre the head of all men hath taken encrease and by little and little spredde ouer into all countries and is com at length euen into Kings courtes and Palaices These same thinges me thinketh might bee tokens greate ynough to them that God him self doth strongly fight in our quarrel and doth from heauen laugh at their enterprises that the force of the truth is suche as neither mans power nor yet hell gates are able to roote it oute For they be not all mad at this day so many free Cities so manye Kynges so manye Princes which haue fallen away from the Seate of Roome and haue rather ioyned themselues to the Gospell of Christe And although the Popes had neuer hetherunto â—eaâ—our to consider diligentely and earnestly of these matters or thoughe some other cares do nowe lett them and dyuerse wayes pull them or though they couÌ„pt these to be but coÌ„mon and trieflinge studies and nothinge to appertain to the Popes worthines this maketh not why oure maâ—ter oughte to seeme y e worse Or yf they perchaunce will not see that whiche they se in deede but rather will withstande the knowen truth ought wee therefore by and by to be coumpted heretâ—kes bycause we obay not their will and pleasure Yf so be that Pope Pius were the man we say not which he would so gladly be called but iâ— he were in deede a man that eyther woulde accoumpte vs for his brethrene or at least woulde take vs to be men he woulde firste diligently haue examined our reasons and woulde haue sene what might be saied with vs what againste vs and woulde not in his Bull whereby he lately pretended a CouÌ„cel so rashely haue condeÌ„ned so great a part of the worlde so many learned and godly men so manye common wealthes so many kyngs and so
cryed The temple of the Lorde The temple of the lorde or as the Phariseis and Scribes dyd whiche craked they were Abrahams children Thus with a gay and iolie shewe deceiue they the simple and seke to choke vs with the very name of the church Muche like as yf a theefe when he hath gotten into an other mans house and by violence eyther hath thrust out or slayne the owner should afterwarde assigne the same house to hym selfe casting furthe of possession the right inheritour Or yâ— Antichrist after he hath once entred into the Temple of God should afterward saye This house is myne own Christ hath nothinge to do withall â–ª For these menne nowe after they have left nothyng remaining in y e churche of God y t hath any liknes of this Church yet will they seeme the Patrones and the valiaunte maynteners of the Churche very like as Grachus amongest the Romaynes stoode in defence of the treasury not withstanding with his prodigalitie and fond expences he had vtterlye wasted the whole stocke of the treasurie And yet was there neuer any thing so wicked or so far out of reason but lightelye yt might be couered defended by the name of the church For the waspes also make honyecombes as well as Bees wicked men haue companyes lyke to the Churche of God yet for all that they be not streight wâ—y the people of God which ar called y e people of God neither be they al Israelits of many as ar com of Israell y e father The Arrians notwitstanding thei were heretiques yet bragged they that they alone were Catholiques calling all the test now AmbrosiaÌ„s now AthanasiaÌ„s now Iohannites And Nestorius as saith Theodorete for all he was an Heretique yet couered he hym selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to weete with a certaine cloke and colour of the true right faith Ebion though he agreed in opinion with y e Samaritanes yet as saith Epiphanius he would be called a Christian. The Mahomytes at this day for all y e al histories make plaine mention and themselues also cannot denye but they toke their first begynning of Agar the bonde woman yet for the very name and stockes sake chuse they rather to be caled Saracenes as though they came of Sara the free woman and Abrahams wyfe So likewise the false Prophetes of all ages whiche stode vp against the Prophetes of God whiche resisted Eâ—ayas Ieremye Christ and the Appostles at no tyme craked of any thing somuche as they dyd of the name of the Churche And for no nother cause did they so fearcely vexe them and cal theÌ„ Ronneawayes and Apostatas then for that they forsoke their fellowshipp and kepte no thordinaunces of the Elders wherfore yf we would folow the iudgementes of those men only who then gouerned the Churche and would respecte nothing els neyther God nor his word yt muste nedes bee confessed that the Apostles were rightlie and by iust lawe condemned of theÌ„ to death bycause they fell from the Byshops and preistes that is you must thiÌ„ke from the Catholique Churche and bycause they made many new alterations in Religion contrarie to the Byshops and Preistes willes yea and for all their spurninge so ernestlye against it wherfore like as it is written that Hercules in olde time was forced in striving w t Antaeus that huge giaunt to â—yâ—te him quite vp from the earth that was his Mother â—re he could conqueere him euen so must our Aduersaries be heaued from their Mother that is from this vaine colour shadow of y e church wherewith they so disguise and defende themselues otherwyse they cannot be brought to yelde vnto the word of God And therefore saith Ieremye the Prophete Make not suche â—reat boaste that the Temple of the Lorde is with you this is but a vaine confidence for these are lyes The Aungell also saith in the Apocalyps They say theybe Iewes but they be y e Synagoge of Sathan And Christ sayd to the Pharisies when they vaunted them selfe of the kynred bloud of Abraham Ye are of your father the Devel for you resemble not your father Abraham â–ª asmuche to saye ye are not the men ye woulde so faine be called ye 〈◊〉 the people with vaine titles and abuse the name of the Churche to the ouerthrowing of the Churche So that these mens parte had ben first to haue clearely and truely proued that the Romishe churche is the true and right instructed Churche of God that the same as they do order it at this day dothe agre with y e primatiue church of Christ of the Apostles and of the holye Fathers whiche we doubt not but was in dede y e true catholique Church For our partes yf we could haue iudged ignoraunce errour superstition Idolatrie mennes Inuentions and the same coÌ„moÌ„lie disagreinge with y e holy Scriptures eyther pleased God or to be sufficient for thobtainige euerlastyng saluation or yf we could assertaine our selues that the worde of God was written but for a time only and afterwarde againe ought to be abrogated and put awaye or els that the sayinges and commaundementes of God ought to be subiecte to mans will that whatsoeuer God sayeth and commaundeth except the Byshopp of Rome willeth and commaundeth the same it must be taken as void an vnspoken Yf we coulde haue brought our selues to beleue these thinges we graunt there had ben no cause at all why wee should haue lefte these mennes coÌ„panie As touching that we haue now den to departe from that Churche whose errours were proued made manifest to y e world which Church also had alredy euideÌ„tly departed from Gods worde yet not to departe somuche from it selfe as from therrours therof not to do this disorderlye or wickedly but quietlie and sobrelye we haue don nothing herein against the doctrine eyther of Christ or of his Apostles For neyther is the Church of God suche as it may not be dusked w t some spot or asketh not sometime reparation els what nedith there so many assembles and Councelles without the which as saith Egidius the Christian saith is not hable to stand For loke saith he howe often Councelles are discontinued so often is the Church destitute of Christ. Or yf there be no peryle that harme maye come to the church what nede is there to reteyne to no purpose y e names of Byshops as is now commenlye vsed amonge them For yf there be no shepe that may strey whye be they called shepardes yf there be no Citie that may be betraied why be they called watchemen yf there be nothing that may ronne to ruyne why be thei called Pillers Anone after the first creation of the worlde the churche of God began to spreade abrode and the same was instructed wyth the heauenly word whiche God hym selfe pronounced with his owne mouth It was also furnished with diuine ceremonies It was taught by y e spirit of God by the Patriarches and
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
to Gratianus y e Emperour Let the scripture sayeth he bee asked the question let the Apostles be asked let y e Prophets be asked let Christ be asked For at that time made the Catholik Fathers and Bysshops no doubt but that our Religion mighte be proued out of y e holy scriptures Neither were they euer so hardy to take any for an heâ—itike whose errour they coulde not euidently apparently reproue by the selfe same scripturs And we verely to make aunswere on this wise as S. Paul did According to this way which they cal heresie we do worship God and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ do allowe all thinges which haue ben written either in y e Law or in the Prophetâ— or in y e Apostles workes Wherefore yf we be heretikes and they as they woulde faine be called bee Catholikes why do they not as they see the fathers which were Catholike men haue alwaies don why do they not conuince and maister vs by the diuine scriptures â–ª why do they not call vs agayn to be tryed by them why do they not lay before vs howe wee haue gon away froÌ„ Christ from the Prophets from the Apostels and from the holy fathers why stick they to do it why are they afraide of it It is Gods cause whye are they doubtful to commit it to y e trial of gods worde yf wee be heretkes which referre all our controuersies vnto the holy scriptures report vs to y e selfe same words which wee knowe were sealed by God him self and in comparison of them set little by all other thinges whatsoeuer may be deuised by men howe shall wee say to these folke I pray you what maÌ„ner of men be they howe is it meete to call them which feare the iudgement of the holy scriptures that is to say y e iudgement of God hym self and do preferre before them theyr owne Dreames and full colde Inuentions and to maintaine their owne traditions haue defaced and corrupted now these many hundred yeares the ordinances of Christe and of the Apostles Men say that Sophocles the tragicall Poet when in his oulde dayes he was by his own sonnes accused before the Iudges for a dotinge and sottishe man as one that fondelye wasted hys owne substaunce and seemed to neede a Gouernour to see vnto him to thintent he might cleere him selfe of the faulte he came into the place of Iudgemente and when he had rehearsed before them his Tragedye called Oedipus Coloneus which he had written at the verye tyme of his accusation maruelous exactly and conningly did of him selfe aske the Iudges whether they thought any sottish or doting man could do the like peece of worke In like manner bycause these men take vs to be mad and appeache vs for heretikes as men which haue nothing to do neyther with CHRIST nor with the Churche of GOD wee haue iudged yt shoulde be to good purpose and not vnprofitable yt wee doe openlye and frankely set furth our faith wherein we stande and shew al that confidence which wee haue in CHRISTE IHESV to the intent al men may se what is oure iudgement of euery paâ—te of Christian religion and may resolue w t them selues whether y e faith which they shall see coÌ„firmed by the words of Christ by the writinges of the Apostles by the testimonies of the catholique Fathers and by the exaumples of many ages be but a certain rage of furious and mad men and a compicacie of heretikes This therefore is oure Beliâ—ffe WE BELEEVE that there is one certaine nature and diuine power whiche wee call GOD and that the same is diuided into three equall persons into y e Father into the Sonn and into the holy Ghoste and that they all be of owne power of one Maiestie of one eternitie of one Godhed and of one substaÌ„ce And although these three persons be so diuided that neither the Father is the sonne nor the sonn is the holy Ghost or the Father yet neuertheles wee beleeue y e there is but one very God And that the same one God hath created heaueÌ„ and earth and al thinges contained vnder heauen Wee beleeue that IESVS Christe y e onely Sonne of the eternall Father as long before it was determined before all beginninges when the fullnes of tyme was com did take of that blessed pure Virgin bothe â—â—eshe all the nature of man that he might declare to the world the secret hid will of his father which will had ben laide vp from before all ages and generacioÌ„s And that he might full finishe in his humaine bodie the misterie of our redeÌ„ption might fasten to the crosse our sinnes and also that handwritinge which was made againstâ— vs. We beleue that â—or our sake he dyed and was buried descenâ—yâ— into helâ— the third day by the power of his Godhed retorned to â—yfe aâ—d rose again and that y e fourtyth day after his resurrectioÌ„ â–ª whiles his Disciples behelde and loked vppon him he ascendid into heauen to fulfill all thinges and did place in maiestie and glory the selfe same body wherwith he was borne wherin he liued on earth wherein he was â—ested at where in he had suffred most painful torments cruell kinde of death wherein he rose againe and wherein be ascendid to the right hand of the Father aboue all rule aboue all power all force all DominioÌ„ and aboue euery name which is named not onely in this worlde but also in the world to com And that there he now sitteth and shall syt till all thinges be full perfetted And althoughe the Maiestie and Godhed of Christ be euery wheare habundauntly dispersed yet wee beleeue y e his body as S. Augustine saâ—eth must needes be still in one place that Christ hath geuen maiesty vnto his bodye but yet hath not takeÌ„ away from it y e nature of a body and that wee must not so affirme Christ to be God that wee deny hym to be man and as the Martyr Vigilius sayth that Christ hath left vs as touching his humaine nature but hath not left vs as touchinge his diuine nature And that the same Christ though he bee absent from vs concerning his maÌ„hood yet is euer present with vs concerning his Godhed From that place also wee beleeue that Christ shall com againe to execute that general iudgemeÌ„t aswel of them whom he shall then synde aliue in the bodye as of them that be already dead Wee beleeue that the holy Ghoste who is the third person in the holie Trinitie is very God not made not â—reat not begotten but proceding from both the Father and the Sonne by a certain meane vnknowen vnto men vnspeakable and that it is his propretie to mollifie and soften y e hardnes of mans heart when he is once receiued thereunto eyther by y e holsom preaching of the Gospell or by any other way that he dothe geue men light and guide them vnto the
why doe they not proue it so by the exaumples of the Primatiue Churche and by the Fathers and Councells of olde tymes Whye lyeth so auncient a cause thus longe in the duste destitute of an Aduocate Fyer and sworde they haue had alwayes ready at hande but as for the olde Councels the fathers al Mum not a word They did surely against all reason to beginne first with these so bloudy and extreme means if thei could haue found other more easy and gentle wayes And yf they truste so fully to antiquitie and vse no dissimulation why didde Iohn Clement a countrye manne of owres but fewe yeares past in the presence of certaine honest menne and of good credite teare and cast into the fyer certaine leaues of Theodorete the moste aunciente Father and a greeke Bysshoppe wherein he plainelye and euidentlye taughte that the nature of breade in the Communion was not chāged abolished or brought to nothing And this didde he of purpose bicause he thought ther was no other copy thereof to be foūd Why saith Albertus Pighius y t the auncient father Augustine had a wronge opinion of originall sinne And that he erred and lyed and vsed false logique as touching the case of matrimonie concluded after a vow made which Augustin affirmeth to be perfect matrimony in dede and cannot be vndone again Also when they did of late put in printe the auncient father Origenes worke vpon the Gospell of Iohn why left they quyte out y e whole sixth Capirre wherin it is likely yea rather of verye suerty that the sayd Origene had written many thinges concerning the Sacrament of the holye Communion contrarie to these mennes myndes and woulde put furthe that booke mangled rather then ful and perfit for feare it should reproue them their parteners of their errour Call ye thys trusting to antiquitie whē ye rente in peces kepe back mayme and burne the aunciēt Fathers workes It is a worlde to see how wel fauouredlye and howe towardlye touchinge Religion these men agree with the Fathers of whom they vse to vaunte that they be their own good The old Councel Eliberine made a decree that nothing that is honored of the people shoulde be painted in the Churches The olde father Epiphanius saith it is an horrible wickednes and a sinne not to be suffered for any man to set vp any picture in the Churches of the Christians yea though it were the picture of Christe himselfe Yet these menne store all their temples and eche corner of them with paynted and carued ymages as though without them religion were nothinge worth The olde fathers Origene and Chrysostome exhorte the people to reade the scriptures to buy them bokes to reason at home betwixte themselues of diuine matters wiues with their husbāds and parentes with their children These men condemne the scriptures as dead elemēts and asmuche as euer thei maye barre the people from them The Auncient fathers Cyprian Epiphanius Hierome say it is better for one whoe perchaunce hathe made a vowe to leade a sole lyfe and afterwarde lyueth vnchastely and cannot quenche the flames of luste to marye a wyfe and to lyue honestlye in wedlocke And the ould Father Augustine iudgeth the selfe same mariage to be good and perfit and ought not to be brokē again These menne yf a man haue once bound hym selfe by a vome though afterward he burne kepe queanes and defile hym selfe with neuer so sinfull and desperate a lyfe yet they suffer not that persone to marye a wyfe or yf he chaunce to mary they alow it not for mariage And they comonlye teache it is muche better and more godlye to kepe a Concubine and 〈◊〉 harlot then to liue that kynde of mariage The ould Father Augustine complained of the multitude of vayne ceremonies wherew t he euē thē sawe mēs mindes and consciences ouercharged These men as though God regarded nothyng els but their ceremonies haue so out of measure increased them y t there is now almoste none other thinge left in theire Churches and places of prayer Again that old father Augustin denieth it to be leefull for a Monke to spende his tyme slouthfully and ydleye and vnder a pretensed and counterfeite holines to liue all vpon others And who so thus lyueth an olde father Apollonius likeneth hym to a theefe These men haue I wote not whither to name them droues or heardes of monkes who for all they do nothīg nor yet once intend beare any shew of holines yet lyue they not onelye vppon others but also ryot lauyshly of other folkes labours The olde Councell at Rome decreed that no man should come to the seruice sayd by a Preist well knowen to keepe a Concubine These menne let to fearme Concubines to their preistes and yet cōstreigne men by force against their will to heare their cursed paltrie seruice The oulde Canons of the Appostles commaunde that Byshop to be remoued from his Office whiche will both supplie the place of a ciuill Magistrate and also of an ecclesiastical persō These menne for all that both do and will needes serue both places Nay rather y e one Office which they ought chiefly to execute they once touch not and yet no body commaundeth them to be displaced The olde Councell Gangrense commaundeth that none should make suche difference betwen an vnmaried Preist a maried preist as he ought to think the one more holye then the other for single lyfe sake These menne put suche a difference betwene them that they streight waye thinke al their holie seruice to be defiled yf it be done by a good and honest man that hath a wyfe The aūcient Emperour Iustinian commaunded that in the holy administratiō all thinges should be pronounced with a cleare lowde and tretable voyce that y e people might receiue some fruite therby These menn least the people shoulde vnderstande them mumble vp all their seruice not onlye with a drowned and hollowe voice but also in a straūge and Barbarous tonge The ould Councell at Carthage cōmaunded nothing to be read in Christes congregation but the canonicall Scriptures These menne read suche thinges in their Churches as themselues knowe for a trouthe to be starke lyes and fonde fables But yf there be any that thinke that these aboue rehersed auctorities be but weake and slender bycause they were decreed by Emperours and certein petie Byshopps and not by so full and perfit Councelles taking pleasure rather in y e auctoritie and name of y e Pope let suche a one know that Pope Iulius doth euidently forbid that a priest in ministring the Communion shoulde dippe y e bread in the Cuppe These menne contrarie to Pope Iulius decree diuide y e bread and dip it in the wyne Pope Clement saith it is not laufull for a Byshop to deale with both swords for yf thou wilt haue both saith he thou shalt deceiue both thy selfe and those that obey
lyes what yf y e same Prophete saye in an other place that the selfe same menne who ought to be kepers of the vineyarde haue brought to naught and destroyed the Lordes vynearde How yf Christ saye that the same persones who chiefely ought to haue a care ouer the Temple haue made of y e Lords Temple a denne of Theues Yf it be so that the Churche of Rome cannot erre it must nedes folowe that the good lucke therof is farre greater then al these mennes policie For suche is their lyfe their doctrine and their diligence that for all them the Churche may not onely erre but also vtterly be spoyled and peryshe No doubt yf that Churche maye erre whiche hath departed from Godds worde from Christes commaundementes from the Apostls ordinaunces from the primatiue Churches examples from the old Fathers and Councelles orders and from their own Decrees and which wil be bound w t in the compasse of none neither oulde nor new nor their owne nor other folkes nor mannes lawe nor Goddes law then yt is out of all question that the Roâ—yshe Churche hath not onely had power to erre but that it hath shamefully and most wickedly erred in very deed But say they ye haue ben once of our felowship but now ye are become forsakers of your profession and haue departed from vs. It is trew we haue departed from them and for so doing we both giue thankes to almightie God great lye reioyce on our owne behalfe But yet for all this from the primatiue Church from the Apostles and from Christ wee haue not departed true it is We were brought vp with these menne in darkenes and in y e lack of knowledge of God as Moses was taught vp in the learning and the bosome of the Egyptians We haue ben of youre company saith Tertullian I confesse it and no maruaile at all for saith he menne be made and not borne Christians But wherefore I pray you haue they them selfe the citizens and dweliers of Rome remoued and come downe from those seauen hilles whervpon Rome sometime stood to dwel rather in the plaine called Mars his field They wil say peraduenture by cause the conductes of water wher with out menne cannot commodiouslye liue haue now failed and ar dried vp in those hilles Well then lett them giue vs lyke leaue inseeking the water of eternal lyfe that they giue them selfes in seekyng the water of the well for the water verely fayled amongest them Thelders of the Iewes sayth Ieremye sent their litle ones to the waterings and they finding no water beyng in a miserable case and vtterly marred for thurst brought home againe their vessells emptie The nedye poore folke saith Esaye sought about for water but no wheare founde they any their tonge was eueÌ„ withered with thirst Euen so these menne haue broken in peeces al the pypes and coÌ„duites they haue stopped vp al the springs choked vp the fountaine of liuyng water with durte and myre And as Caligula many yeres past locked fast vp al the storehouses of corne in Rome thereby brought a generall derth and famyne amongest the people eueÌ„ so these men by damming vp all the fountaines of Goddes word haue brought the people into a peetiful thirst They haue brought into y e world as saith the Prophete Amos a hungre and a thurst not the hunger of breade nor the thurst of water but of hearing the worde of God With greate distresse went they scattering about seeking some sparke of heauenly light to refresh their consciences withall but that light was alredy thoroughly quenched out so that they could finde none This was a rueful state This was a lamentable forme of Goddes Churche It was a miserie to liue therin without the Gospel without light and without all comfort Wherfore though our departing wer a trouble to them yet ought they to consider withall how iust cause wee had of our departure For yf they wil saye it is in no wise lawfull for one to leaue the felowship wherein he hath beÌ„ brought vp they maye aswell in our names or vpon our heades condemne both the Prophetes the Apostles and Christ him selfe For whye complayne they not also of this that Lot went quitte his way out of Sodome Abraham out of Calde the Israelites out of Egypte Christ froÌ„ the Iewes and Paule from the Pharisees For except it be possible there maye be a lawful cause of departing we see no reasone whye Lot Abraham the Israelites Christ and Paule may not be accused of sectes and seditioÌ„ aswel as others And yfâ— these men will needes condemne vs for Heretiques bycause we do not all thinges at their commauÌ„dement whom in gods name or what kynde of menne ought they them selues to be taken for whiche despise the commaundement of Christ of the Apostles If we be scismatiques bycause we haue lefte them by what name shall they be called themselues which haue forsaken the Grekes froÌ„ whom they first receiued their faith forsaken the primatiue Church forsaken Christ hymselfe and the Apostls euen as Children should forsake their parentes For though those Grekes who at this daye professe religion and Christes name haue many thinges corrupted amoÌ„gest them yet houlde they still a greate numbre of those thinges whiche they receiued from the Apostles They haue neyther priuate Masses nor mangled Sacramentes nor Purgatories nor Pardons And as for the titles of hygh Byshops those glorious names they estime them so as whosoeuer he were that woulde take vpon hym the same woulde be called eyther Vniuersall bysshop or the Hed of the vniuersal church they make no doubt to call suche a one both a passing proude man a man that worketh despite against all y â— other Bysshoppes his bretherne and a plaine Heretique Now then synce it is manifest and out of all peraduenture that these men are fallen from y â— Grekes of whom they receiued the Gospell of whome they receiued the faith the true Religion and y e Church what is y e mater why they will not now be called home again to y e same men as it were to their originals first founders And whye be they afraide to take a paterne of the Apostles and olde Fathers tymes as though they all had ben voyde of vnderstanding Do these menne wene ye see more or set more by the Church of God then they dede who firste deliuered vs these thinges We truely haue renounced that church wherin we could neyther haue y e worde of God sincerely taught nor the Sacraments rightlye administred nor the name of God dewly called vppon whyche Churche also themselues confesse to be faulty in many poinâ—tes And wherein was nothing able to stay any wise maÌ„ or one y t hath consideration of his owne lavetie To conclud wee haue forsaken the Church as it is now not as it was in olde time and haue so gon from it as Daniell went out of the Lyons denne and y e three Children out
and vtterly made awaye the hil aultres and Groues wherby he saw Goddes honoure hindered and the people holden backe with a priuate superstition from the ordinarie Tēple whiche was at Ierusalem wherto they should by ordre haue resorted yearely from euery part of the Realme Kynge Iosias w t great diligence put the Preists and Byshops in myde of their duety Kyng Iohas bridled the Ryot and arrogancie of the preistes Iehu put to death the wicked Prophetes And to rehearse no more exampls out of the old law let vs rather cōsider since the birthe of Christ howe the Churche hath ben gouerned in the Gospels time The Christian Emperours in old time appoincted the Councelles of the Bysshops Constantine called the Councell at Nice Theodotius the first called the Councell at Constātinople Theodotius the second the councel at Ephesus Martian the Councell at Chalcedone and when Rufine the heretike had alleadged for authoritie a Councell whiche as hee thought shoulde make for him Hieroin his aduerrsarie to confute him Tell vs quod hee what Emperour commaunded that Councell to be called The same Hierome againe in his Epitaphe vpon Paula maketh mention of the Emperours letters whiche gaue commaundement to call the Bysshoppes of Italie and Grecia to Rome to a Councel Continuallye for the space of fiue hundreth yeares Themperoure alone appointed thecclesiasticall assemblies and called the Councelles of the Bysshops togither We nowe therefore maruail the more at the vnreasonable dealinge of the Bysshoppe of Rome who knowinge what was the Emperoures right when the Churche was well ordered knowinge also that it is nowe a common right to all princes for so muche as Kinges are now fully possessed in the seuerall partes of the whole Empire dothe so without consideration assigne that office alone to himselfe and taketh it sufficient in summoning a general Councel to make a man that is prince of the whole world no otherwise partaker thereof then hee woulde make his owne seruaunte And although the modestie and mildenes of the Emperour Ferdinando be so greate that hee canne beare this wronge bycause peraduenture hee vnderstandeth not well the Popes packinge yet ought not the Pope of his holines to offer him that wronge nor to claime as his owne an other mans right But hereto some will replye the Emperour in deede called Councelles at that tyme ye speake of bycause the Bysshop of Rome was not yet growen so greate as hee is nowe but yet the Emperour didde not then sitte togeather with the Bysshoppes in Councell or once bare any stroke with his authoritie in their consultation I aunswere nay that it is not so for as witnesseth Theodorete Themperour Constantine sate not only together with them in the Councell at Nice butte gaue also aduice to the Bysshoppes howe it was best to trye out the matter by the Apostles and Prophettes writinges as apeereth by these his own woordes In disputation saithe hee of matters of diuinitie wee haue sette before vs to followe the doctrine of the holye Ghoste For the Euangelistes and the Apostles woorkes and the Prophettes sayinges shewe vs sufficientlye what opinion wee ought to haue of the will of God The Emperour Theodotius as sayeth Socrates didde not onely sitte amongest the Byshoppes but also ordered the whole arguinge of the cause and tare in peeces the Heritiques bookes and allowed for good the iudgemente of the Catholiques In the Coūcell at Chalridone a Ciuile magistrate condemned for heretikes by the sentence of hys owne mouthe the Bysshoppes Dioseorus Iuuenall and Thalasius and gaue iudgement to put them down from that promotion in the Curche In the third Councell at Constantinople Constantine a ciuile Magistrate dyd not only sit amongest the Byshops but dyd also subscribe with them For saith he we haue both read and subscribed In the second Councell called Arausicanum the Princes Embassadours being noble menne borne not only spake their minde touching Religion but set to their handes also aswel as the Byshops For thus is it writen in the later end of that Coūcel Petrus Marcellinus Felix and Liberius being most noble menne and the famous Lieutenauntes and Capitaines of Fraunce also Peeres of the Realm haue giuen their consent and set to their handes Further Syagrius Opilio Pantagattus Deodatus Cariattho and Marcellus menne of very great honour haue subscribed Yf it be so then that Lieutenauntes chyefe Capitaines and Peeres haue had authoritie to subscribe in Councell haue not Emperours and kinges the like authoritie Truely there hadde been no neede to handle so plaine a matter as this is with so many wordes and so at length if wee hadde not to doe with those menne who for a desire they haue to striue and to winne the mastery vse of course to deny all thinges be thei neuer so cleere yea the very same which they presentlye see and beholde with their owne eyes The Emperour Iustinian made a law to correct the behauiour of y e Cleargie and to cutt shorte the insolencie of the priestes And albeit hee were a Christian and a Catholique prince yet putte hee downe from their Papall Throne twooe Popes Syluerius and Vigilius not withstandinge they were Peters successours and Christes vicars Lette vs see then suche men as haue authoritie ouer the Bysshoppes suche menne as receaue from God commaundementes concerning Religion suche as brynge home againe the Arke of God make holy hymnes ouer see the preistes builde the Temple make Orations touching diuine seruice clense the Temples destroye the hil Aultres burne the Idolles groues teache the preistes their dewtie write them out Preceptes how they should lyue kill the wicked Prophetes displace the high Preistes call togyther the Councelles of Byshops sit togither wich the Byshoppes instructing them what they ought to doe condemne and punysh an Hereticall Byshop be made acquaynted with matters of Religion whiche subscribe and giue sentence and do al these things not by an other mans Commissiō but in their own name and that both vprightly and godly Shall we say it perteineth not to suche men to haue to do with Religion or shall wee saye a Christian Magistrate whyche dealith amongest others in these maters doth either naughtelie or presumpteouslye or wickedlye The moste aunciente and Christian Emperoures and kinges that euer were didde busy themselus with these matters and yet were they neuer for this cause noted eyther of wickednesse or of presumption And what is hee that canne finde oute either more catholique princes or more notable exaumples Wherefore yf it were lawfull for them to dooe thus beinge but Ciuile Magistrates and hauinge the chiefe rule of common weales what offence haue oure Princes at thys daye made whiche maye not haue leaue to dooe the lyke beinge in the like degree Or what especiall gifte of learninge or of iudgemente or of holynes haue these menne nowe that contrarye to the custome of all the aunciente and Catholique Bysshoppes who vsed to conferre with princes and peeres concerning religiō