it were at one morsell And as thoughe all these thinges had not been ynoughe they woulde haue had the whole Realme also to be tributary vnto them and out of it moste vniustly they did exacte an yerely rent So costlye forsooth was the frendship of the Citie of Rome vnto vs. But in as much as by crafty meanes and with lewde sleightes thei wrested out these things from vs there is no cause why the same againe by lawefull meanes and good lawes might not be taken from them Yea if our kings in those times of darknes ledd by some opinion of their coūterfet holines of their owne accorde and liberalitie gaue them those thinges for Religion sake yet afterwardes when the errour is espied of other kinges that haue the same aucthoritie they may be taken away for that gift is of none effect that is not approued by the will of the gyuer but that can not seeme to be a will which is darkened and empeched with errour Thou haste heard Christian reader that it is no new thing y t at this day Christian Religion being restored to his former estate and as it were newe borne againe be slaulderously and shamefully spoken of For the same thing happened vnto Christ himselfe and to the Apostles Neuertheles least thou shouldest suffer thy selfe to be ledde out of the waye and to be deceiued with these outraging clamors of our aduersaries wee haue sett forth before the the whole course of our Religion what wee dooe beleue of God the Father what of his onely sonne Iesus Christe what of the holye Ghoste what of the Church what of the Sacramēts what of the Ministery what of the holy Scriptures what of Ceremonyes and what of euery parte of a Christian mans profession We haue declared how that we doe detest al olde Heresies the which other the holy Scriptures or the auncient Councels haue condemned as pestilences and poysons of mens soules and that as much as we can possiblie we doe call home againe the discipline of the Church the which our aduersaries haue vtterly brought to nothing and doe punishe according to the auncient lawes of our forefathers all losenes of lyfe and licencious manners and that with such seueritie as the cause doth require and so farre as our power will stretche that we doe vpholde the state of kingedomes in the same condition that we founde them without empairing or chaunging any thing and doe maintaine to the best of our power the Maiesty of our Princes safe and sounde that wee haue forsaken y t Church which these men had made a den of theeues and wherein they had left nothing sounde or sauering of the Church of God and which by their owne testimony had erred in many thinges none otherwise then as Loth in time past wēt out of Sodoma or Abrahā out of Chaldey not of a desire to cōtend but by y e commaundement of God himselfe and y t we haue sought out of the holy Scriptures which we knowe can not deceiue vs a certaine constant forme of Religion and are now retourned vnto the primitiue Church of the Apostles and of the auncient fathers y t is to say to the first originall and to the beginnings and as it were to the very fountaines of Christes Church True it is in dede y t for the accomplishemēt hereof we haue not attended vpon the aucthoritie or consent of the councel of Trente in which we coulde not hope to see any thinge vprightly and orderly done specially where all mē are sworne to one man where our Princes Embassadors ar cōtemned where none of our diuines mai be heard where men ar euidently enclined vnto partes and to ambition but according as the holy fathers in tyme past and our predecessors haue done oft time we reformed our Churches by a councel gathered in our owne prouince and that as touching the yoke and tirannye of the Bysshop of Rome vnto whome wee ought no dutye and in whom there is no resemblance either of Christ or of Petre or of an Apostle or in any point of a Bysshop according as it behoued vs we haue shakē of and cast away And last of all how y t we doe agree amongest our selues in all the principles and articles of Christian Religion and with one mouthe and one spirit doe worshippe God and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Wherfore good Christiā reader in as much as y u seest the reasons causes both of our doings touching the restitutiō of Religiō amōgst vs also of our departing from the fellowship of these men thou oughtest not to maruaile if y t we had rather obey our Iesus Christ then men Paule dyd admonishe vs that we shoulde not suffer our selues to be caried out of the way with these variable doctrines and thal specially wee should flye from them that woulde sowe any dissension from that doctrine which wee had receiued from Chryste and from the Apostles Their iuggeling toyes euen as the owle at the rysing of the Sunne beginne alredy to fall and flye away at the presence and light of the Gospell And although they were pyled and heaped vp euen to the highe skyes yet they fall downe againe vpon the least occasion and in manner of their owne accorde For thou oughtest not to imagine that al these things are happened at a blind auenture or by chaūce for it was goddes will that maugre the malice in maner of all men the Gospell of Iesus Christ shoulde be spredde in these dayes throughout the worlde Wherefore men beyng admonysshed by gods worde haue of their owne accorde applyed themselues to the doctrine of Christe Wee surely haue not sought to wynne vnto our selues either glory either riches either pleasure eyther ease thereby For all these thinges our aduersaries haue in great aboundance and we also what time we were amongest them had such thinges more largely and more plentifully Neither doe we abhorre from peace agrement but for conseruation of worldly peace we will wage no warres w t God Doubtles saith Hylarius the name of peace is sweete but peace saith he is one thing and thraldome is an other For to assent which is the thyng that these men doe seeke for that Chryste shoulde bee commaunded to sylence that the truthe of the Gospell shoulde bee betrayed that wicked errours should be dissembled that the eyes of Christian menne shoulde be blered that men should manifestly conspire agaynst God is not an establyshment of peace but a moste horrible couenant of thraldome There is saythe Nazianzene a certayne kinde of peace vnprofitable ther is a profitable discorde For we muste allowe peace with an exception so farre as it is laweful and so farre as we may For otherwise Christ himself brought not peace into the world but a sword Wherefore yt the Pope will haue vs to be friendes agayne with him lette him firste reconcile himselfe with God For hereof saythe Cyprian scismes doe aryse bycause the head is not sought for
professed mighte bee broughte in question specially if thei should seme by their silence in manner to acknoledg the fault least I say this silence sholde hinder y e course of the Gospell thei made orations thei wrote supplications spake before Emperours and Princes in the open defence of them and of theirs As for vs inasmuche as within these .20 yeares laste paste so many thousandes of our brethrē in the middest of their extreme tormēts haue borne witnes to y e truth Princes coueting to bridel y e Gospell in moyling many waies haue lobored all in vaine and that the whole worlde in manner beginneth now to open their eies to beholde y e light we thinke that our cause is already sufficiently pleaded defended and that wheras the matter it selfe speaketh inough for it self there is no great neede of words For if the Popes themselues would or rather if thei coulde consider wyth them selues the whole matter the beginnings and the māner of the encrease of out religion how that their trasshe in manner euery white when no man touched it withoute all helpe of man sell downe to the grounde againe how our profession at the first not withstandinge the continual resistence of Emperors of so many Kynges of Popes Bishops of all men in māner hath encreased and by litle litle spred ouer al the earth and now also at the length is entered in to the Courtes and Palaces of kings euen these things onely might be sufficient tokens wherby to vnderstand that God himself doth fight in our defence and skorneth from heauen all their endeuours that so mighty is the power of truth y t no force of man nor yet Hel gates can withstand it For be ye sure so many free cities so many kings so many Princes as at this day haue abandoned the sea of Rome and adioyned themself to the Gospel of Christe are not become madde And albeit peraduenture hetherto the Popes haue had no leisure to thinke aduisedli earnestly vpō these matters or if now at this day they be letted encombred w t other busines or if thei take these kinde of trauails to be base light matters to appertaine nothing to the maiestie of a Pope yet our cause oughte to seeme therefore neuer a whit the worse Nother if perhaps thei wil not see these thinges whiche thei do see but rather fighte against the knowne truthe ar we therefore by and by to be taken for Heretikes whiche do not apply our selues to their will Truly if Pope Pius had ben the man I saye not whiche he desiereth to be taken for but if he were at the least suche a one as had accounted vs to be other as his brothren or at the leaste as men he woulde fyrste haue diligently waied oure reasons bothe what we haue to saye for vs and what may be saide againste vs not so rashely onely with a blinde sentence determined afore hande in that Bul of his wherin of late he made a counterfaite shewe of a Councell haue condemned a good part of the worlde so many learned godly men so many commō weales so many Kynges so many Princes the persons vnheard the cause not pleaded But inasmuche as he hathe now openly slaundered vs after this sorte leaste that by silence we might seeme to confesse the faulte and specially bicause that in the open Councell wherein he will suffer no man but onely suche as are sworne and addicted vnto his vsurped power to haue authoritie to gyue a voyce or to declare his minde we can in no wise be hearde for therof in the laste assemble at Trente we had ouer muche experience what time the Embassadours and diuines of the Princes and of the free citees of Germany were vtterly excluded out of all their assembles nother can we yet forget how that Iulius the 3 tenne yeares past in his bul strayghtly did forbid that no man of oure proffessyon shoulde be hearde in the councell onlesse paraduenture there were any that woulde recante and chaunge his opiniō euen for these causes specially we haue thought it good to render a reason of oure faithe by writinge vnto suche thinges as are openly obiected againste vs truly openly to answer to the entēt the whole worlde may see the partes and the foundation of that doctrine whiche so many godly men haue preferred before their owne liffes that all men may vnderstande what māner of men thei be and what thei do thinke of God of religion whome the Byshop of Rome not wel aduised hathe condemned for Heretiks yea before thei were called to pleade their cause without lawe without example onely bicause he hearde say thei differed from him from his in some parte of Religion And although in the suspicion of Heresy S. Ierome will haue noe man to be pacient neuerthelesse we wyll demeane our selfe nother bitterly nor tantingly w t many wordes nor yet be caried into any chauffe with anger although in dede he ought not to seeme bitter or tātinge that speaketh truth But this kynde of eloquence we are content to leaue to our aduersaries who what soeuer thei speake against vs thoe it be neuer so bytterly or slanderously spoken yet it is modestly spoken and to good purpose how truly or falslye therof thei make no great account Suche kinde of sleights we haue no nede of that defende the truth But in case we doe proue that the sacred Gospell of God and the auncient Bishops together with the primitiue Churche dothe make for vs and that we haue vpon iuste cause bothe departed from these men and also retourned now againe vnto the Apostles and olde catholike fathers and that we do it in dede not couertly or craftely but with a good conscience before God truly frankly clerely plainely if thei them selues which flee oure doctrine and will be caled Catholikes shal euidently se al those tytles of ātiquitie wherin thei glorie so much wrounge out of their handes that ther is more pith in our cause then euer thei coulde imagine we trust no man amongest them wil be so negligente of his saluaciō but that he will at some time take in hande to bethynke hym selfe vnto whether parte it were best for him to sticke vnto and truly no man except suche a one as hath hardned his hart and wil not heare shal repent him selfe of his laboure to haue geuen eare vnto oure defence and to haue marked bothe what we do say and how agreably vnto y e whole course of Christiā religiō For wher as thei cal vs Heretikes truly the fault is so great y t vnles it be seene vnles it be felte vnles it be gryped with handes and fingers it ought not easily to be beleued of him that is a Christian mā For Heresie is a renouncing of saluation a casting awaie of the grace of God a departing from the bodi and spirit of Christ. But this thing was neuer
perceaued out of what kinred euery man was descendid to be burned and vtterly to be defaced onely to this ende that nothing hereafter should remayne in recorde wherby it might appeare that he were a stranger Euen so doe these men in all pointes when as bicause they would haue all their deuises to be had in as great price as though they had bene deliuered from the Apostels or from Christe leaste that any thyng should at any time remayne that might reproue such dreames and lies other they burne the holy scriptures or craftely conueye them from the people Chrysostome surely writeth very well and agaynst the endeuour of these men excedyng aptly Heretikes sayth he shut vp the gates agaynst the truthe for they know right well if they be open the Churche shall not be on theyr side And Theophylacte The worde of God saythe he is the lanterne of light whereby the thief is espied And Tertullian sayth The holy scripture doth trie out the guyles theftes of heretikes For why doe thei hyde why doe they kepe vnder couert that gospel which Christ would haue to sounde from the toppes of houses Why doe they conuey y t light vnder a busshel whiche ought to stande vpon the candelstike why doe thei repose their trust rather in the blindnes ignorāce of the vnskilful multitude than in the goodnes of their cause Doe they suppose that theyr sleyghts be not yet espied or that they can nowe as thoe they had Gyges ring walke inuisible Assure your selfe now all menne seeth well inough what is within that same storeboxe of the Popes bosome euen this thing onely maye be a good argument y t they deale not vprightly and truely That cause ought of right to be suspected that flyeth the triall light For he that doeth euil as Christ saith seketh after darkenes and hateth the light A cleare cōsciēce offereth him self willingly to the shew that those workes whiche doe procede from God maye be seene They ar not so vtterly blinde but that they see this wel inough that if the scriptures haue the vpper hāde their kingdome is by and by ouerthrowen and that like as it is sayd of the Idols of the Gētyles frō whome in old time they fetched all oracles answers that at the presence of Christe when he came into the world they sodenly became dumme euen so now also at the sight of the gospel al theyr sleightes by and by fall headlong to the grounde For Antichrist is not ouerthrowē but by the clearnesse of Christes commyng We flee not as these menne are wonte to doe to the fyre but to the scriptures nor we doe not besege them with the sworde but with the worde of God thereby as Tertullian sayth we doe nurrish our fayth thereby we doe rayse vp our hope thereby we doe establish our assurāce For we know that the gospel of Iesus Christ is the powre of God vnto saluation and that in hit is euerlasting life And therfore we giue no eare according as S. Paule doth admonish vs no not to an Angel of God cōming from heauē in case he goe about to withdrawe vs frō any parte of this doctrine No as y e right holy mā Iustinus martyr sayth of him self We wold not beleue God himself in case he would teach vs an other gospel For where as these mē doe shake of y e scriptures as things y t cā not speake ar good for nothing and appeale rather vnto God himselfe speaking in the Church in councels y t is to say to their owne fansies opiniōs y t is bothe a very uncertain way to finde out the truth very ful of daunger somwhat like y e heathenysh māner of illudynge the people w t their furious inspirations such a waye as of the holy fathers was neuer approued Chrysostome saythe y t ofte times there be many that bragge of the holy ghoste but certainely sayth he they y t speake of their owne heades doe vntruly boaste thē selfe to haue the spirit of God For like as Christe sayeth he what time he spake out of the lawe and the Prophetes denied that he spake of him self euē so nowe if any other thyng but the gospell be enforced vpon vs vnder the name of the holy ghost we ought not to beleue it for as Christ is the fulfilling of the law the Prophetes so is the Spirite the fulfillyng of the gospell these be the wordes of S. Chrysostome But these menne although they haue not the holy scriptures yet peraduēture they haue the auncient doctors and holy fathers For in this they haue alwayes made their vaunt that all antiquite and the vniuersall consent of al ages was on their side Againe that al our opiniōs ar newe and grene and neuer hearde of before these fewe yeres nowe laste paste Doubtles there is nothing can be spoken of greater weight against the religion of God then when it is accused of noueltie for like as in God him self so in his religion there ought to be nothyng newe neuerthelesse we can not tel how it cometh to passe that from the beginning of the world we haue alwaies seene it in experiēce that as oftē as God wolde as it were kindle and disclose his truth vnto men althoe it were of it self not onely most aunciēt but also euerlastyng yet of wicked men and of such as were enemies therunto it was called grene and newe stuffe A man that wicked bloudy man onely to brynge the Iewes into hatered accused them to the king Assuerus after this sorte Thou haste here saieth he O king a people which in vsing certain newe lawes ar agaynst al thy lawes stobberne and rebellious Paule also at Athens so sone as he beganne to teache and to set forth the gospel was reported to be a setter forth of new goddes that is to say of newe religion And may we not saye they learne of the what māner of new doctrine is this And Celsus what time he wrote of purpose against Christ to the intent that after a more contemptuous māner he might scoffe out the Gospel with a slaunder of nouelty Hath God saith he now at the length after so many ages called himself to so late a rememberance Eusebius saith also that Christiā religion euen from the beginning was called in reproche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye new and strange Euen after the same sorte these men doe condemne all things that we doe allow for new and straunge their owne thinges againe whatsoeuer they be they will haue them to be commended as moste auncient And lyke as Necromanciers and Witches at this day such as haue to doe with Deuils are wont to say that thei haue their bookes and all their sacred hidd misteries from Athanasius from Cyprian from Moises from Abel from Adam and also from Raphael the Archangel to the intent that that skil which had proceded frō such authors and inuentours might be
and menne retorne not home to the fountaynes of the holy Scriptures and the commaundementes of the heauenly doctor ar not kept For that sayth he is not peace but warre nother is he that is disseuered from the gospell ioyned to the Churche but these menne doe only set to sale the name of peace to their owne gayne for that peace which thei so muche require is nothyng but the ease and satisfaction of idle beallies For all these matters might be ended well ynough amongest vs if ambition bellychere and licencious liuyng were no hinderance therto FroÌ„ hence cometh all the sorowe their minde is vpon their platters This is hit they crie and make all this buysines for that thinges euill gotten they might more filthily and lewdly maintaine Al Pardoners Dataries Collectors Bawdes and others that thynke gayne to be godlines and serue not Iesus Christ but theyr own bellies doe greuously complayne of vs at this day For in time paste this kinde of men had good dayes in the olde worlde But nowe what so euer increase cometh vnto Christe that thinke they turneth them to losse This is hit whereon the Pope himself complaineth at this daye that charitie forsoth is waxen could bycause his rentes ar lesse nowe then they were wonte to be Thus he bringeth vs into hatered al that he maye and rayleth vpon vs and condemneth vs for heretikes to the intent that they whiche vnderstande not the matter should thinke there were no worse men vpoÌ„ earth Yet we for all this nother ar nor ought to be ashamed of the gospell For we regarde more the glory of God then the estimation of menne We knowe that all these thinges which we doe teache ar trewe neyther can we either vse violence agaynst the knowlege of our owne conscience nother yet present our selfs as witnesses agaynst God For if we denie any parte of the gospel of Iesus Christe before menne he on the other side will denie vs agayne before his father Now if there be any that will be offended and maye not endure the doctrine of Christe they be blinde themself and leaders of suche as ar blinde Neuerthelesse the truthe must be preached and set forthe by our open profession of the same and patiently we muste loke for the Iudgement of God to come In the meane while let these menne take heede what they doe let theÌ„ haue some regarde of their owne saluation and let them ceasse to hate and to persequute the gospell of the sonne of God leaste at the length they finde him to be the punisher and reuenger of his owne cause God will not suffer himselfe to be mocked Men doe see all ready how the matter goeth This flame the more it is kepte vnder so muche the more and more it breaketh out and flyeth abrode Their vnfaythfulnesse shall not deface the fayth of God but if they dispose not themselfe to laye awaye this hardnesse of their hartes and to receyue the gospell the Publicanes and sinners shall goe before them into the kingdome of God God and the father of our Lord Iesus Christ open all their eyes that they maye see that same blessed hope whereunto they ar called that we maye all together in one worshippe that same onely and true God and that same Iesus Christ whome he sente downe to vs from Heauen To whome together with the Father and the holy Ghost be giuen all honor and glory for euer and euer Amen FINIS IMPRINTED AT LONDON by Reginalde Wolfe Anno 1562. Tertull. in Apologeticâ— Trew religion was alwaies slauÌ„dered amonge men Cor. Tacitus Tertul. in Apologetico cap. 7. C. Plinius Act. 26. Epiphanius Marcion ex Tertull. Aelius è Lactantio Euse. li. 5 ca. 2 Tertul. 3. Apologetico 1.2.3 7.8.9 Sueton. Tranquil in Nero. 1. Timoth. 4. Slaunders deuysed by Papistes A generall aunswere Slaunders that tende towardes blasphemye muste be coÌ„futed Ioan. 8. Act. 26. Quadratuâ— Iustinus Molitol Tertuli and others Pius the .iiii. Why thys Apology was writen â–ª Aunswer to the obiectioÌ„ of Heresye Act. 24. Tertul. in Apologetico 2. Timoth. 3. 2. Cor. 10. 2. Timoth. 1. De imitate Eccle. cap. 3. The same sentence is fouÌ„de against Maximum Byshop of the ArriaÌ„s lib. iii. ca. xiiii vpon the first Chapter of Agge Act. 24. The doctrine coÌ„monly receaued in the Churche of Englande Of God Of Christe Aug. tract 5â— in Ioannem Act. 3. Aug. tract 3. in Ioannem Ad DardanuÌ„ chen li 3. Fulgentius ad Regem Trasimundum Of the holy Ghooste Of the Churhe Christ hath no vniuersall depute De simplicitate Praelatorum Ad EuagriuÌ„ De simplicitate PraelatoruÌ„ 1. Tim. 3. Gregor in Regist. Li. 7. Epist. 69. cap. 47. Gregor lib. 4 Epist. 76.78 80. lib. 7. Epist. 95. The callinge of Ministers The authoritie of Ministers The keys of the kingdom of heauen 2 Timoth. 3. De poenitent dist 1. ca. uerbum Dei Luc. 11. Mat. 23. Mat. 16. Matrimony of Ministers â–ª In Titum primo hom 11. Theophyl ad Titum 10. Eu. li. 10. ca 5. In monodia sua super Basilium 1. Timoth. 4. Platina in uita Pij 2. Of the canonicall scriptures The Sacraments of the Churche The number of SacrameÌ„ts Baptisme The Lordes Supper Chrisostom ad Ephes. ser. 3. cap. 1. De Cons. dist 1. cap. omnes Dist. ca. secularis De consecra dist 2. ca. peracta Bothe kyndes appertaine to the people De Consecra Dist. 2. ca. com perimus The presence of Christe in the Supper Transubstantiation vnknowen to the Fathers In Ioan. cap. 6 De sacra li. 4. cap. 4. In Dialogis primo .2 In sermone ad infantes De Consecrat Dist. 2. ca. qui manducant In Mat. 15. Luc. 22. De Consecra .1 ca. Quando De coeno Domini In Io. tra 50. Abuses of the Lords supper Libro de Ceremoniis ecclesiae Romane How the merits of Christ ar applied vnto vs. Ad Rom. ca. 3. lib. 3. Purgatorye Aug. in psa 85 In Enchiridion cap. 67. De ciuit Dei li. 21. ca. 26. CoÌ„tra Pelagianos lib. hypognosticon 5. Of Ceremonies Ad Ianuarium epist. 119. Prayer in our owne tonge August in Psa. 18. Of intercession and worshipinge of Saintes Hier. 2. c. 11. Bernardus Of original sinne Of redemptioÌ„ by Christe The sacrifice of Christe is perfect Of good workes Of the resurrection Dist. 36. Lector In glosa Dist. 8â— Presbyter A DetestatioÌ„ of Heresye Heresies that rise with the Gospel ar not bredd by the Gospell The cause of heresies Dissension amongst those that professe the Gospell ys no certen note of heresie Sectes and Dissensions of the Papists De merito câ—â— grui coâ—â— dig ni Stephan Gaâ—â—diner in the Diuels sophi Richard Faber Recantatio Berengari Scholae Glosa GuimaÌ„dus do con dist 2. Ego Beren â–ª Thomas Gardinerus De consecra dist 2. Species in Glosa The agremeÌ„t of Papistes Euery conseÌ„t is not a true token of the Churche of God Impietie in times paste obiected againste Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
reproches and lyes 1. Nowe a daies thei crie euery where that all we are Heretykes that we are departed from the faithe that we with oure newe perswasions and wycked doctrine haue brokē the cōsent of the Churche That we do raise as it were out of Hell and restore to life againe olde Heresyes such as longe agoe were condemned We sowe abroade newe sectes and furious fansies that neuer before were hearde of Also that we nowe are deuided into contrary factions opinions could neuer agree by any meanes among our selues That we ar wicked mē make war after the māner of y e Giauntes as the fable is against God himselfe do liue altogither w tout care or reuerence of God That we do despise al good dedes and vse no discipline of vertue maintaine no lawes no customes no equitie no iustice no right That we loose y e bridel to al mischiefe allure the people to al kynde of licence and luste That we go about and seke how al the states of Monarchies kingdomes might be ouerthrowen and that all thynges might be broughte vnto the rashe gouernment of the people to the rule of the vnskilful multitude That we haue rebelliouslye withdrawen our selues from the catholike Churche and shaken the whole world with a cursed schisme haue troubled the cōmon peace the general quietnes of the Churche and that lyke as in tymes paste Dathan and Abiron seuered themselues from Moses and Aaron so we at this daye departe from the Pope of Rome without any sufficient iuste cause As for the authoritie of the auncient fathers and olde Councelles we do set at naught All auncient ceremonies suche as of oure grandfathers and great grandfathers nowe many ages paste when better manners and better daies did florish were approued we haue rashely and arrogantly abolyshed haue broughte into the Churche by our owne priuate authoritie without any commaundement of any holy and sacred generall Counsell newe rites and ceremonies And that we haue done all these thinges not for any respecte of religion but onely of a desire to maintaine strife and contention As for them they haue changed vtterly nothinge at all but all thinges euen as they receiued them from the Apostles were approued by the moste auncient fathers so they haue kepte them from age to age vnto this daye But now least thei shoulde seme onely to picke quarels and to speake euell of vs in corners onely to the intent to brynge vs into hatred the Romyshe Byshops haue prouided themselues of certaine men eloquente ynoughe and not vnlearned for to vndertake this desperate cause and to set it forth with bokes and long orations to the intent that the matter being cōningly handled after the best fasshion the simple and ignorant man might suppose there were somwhat in it for truely thei sawe how their cause began to decline in al places how their sleights wer now espied and therefore lesse set by and that their Garrysons decaied euery daie and therfore their cause to be such that it had great nede of helpe Now as touching those thinges whiche thei do obiecte against vs parte of them are manifestly false and euen by the iudgment of the selfe same persons that do obiect them condemned for lies parte of them although they bee as false as the other yet in asmuche as thei carrye a shewe and a counterfeat of truth in suche the symple reader if he take not hede specially if vnto the probabylitie of the matter the painted delicate speache of these fellowes be cunningly applied may easilie be entrapped and caried out of the waie part of thē againe ar such as we oughte not to decline from them as crimes but as thinges right well and aduisedly done to acknowledge to professe them and euen to tell you at a word how the matter goeth these men do slaunder all our doings euen those thinges whiche them selues can not deny to be wel and ordrely done and as thoe it were not possyble that any thinge should be other done or spoken wel of vs so all oure sayinges and doinges thei moste malitiously depraue No doubt it hadde been their part to haue gone more simply and more playnely to worke yf thei had ment to deale truly whereas now nother truly nor courteouslie nor Christianly but couertly craftily thei assault vs with lyes abusinge the blindnes of the people and the ignoraunce of Princes to bringe vs into hatred and to oppresse the truth this is the power of darkenes proprety of men that for the furtherance of their cause haue more confydence in the blockishnesse of the vnskilfull multitude in darkenes then in truth and light as S. Ierome saith of such as with closed eyes do barke against the manifest truth But we gyue thanks vnto the almighty God that our quarel is such that euen these men woulde thei neuer so faine can say nothing in reproche therof whiche might not be tourned in reprofe of the fathers of the Prophets of the Apostles of Peter of Paule and of Christe himselfe Now then in case it be lawfull for these men in railinge and speaking euil to be thus lowde and eloquent truly we in our iuste quarell answeringe for the truth ought not to be dumme and specheles for thei that haue noe regarde what is saide of them selfe or of their quarell althoe it be falsly slaunderously spoken specially when it is suche as thereby the maiestie of God and the state of religion is blasphemed thei surely declare them selfe to be dissolute men and suche as carelesly and wickedly do winke at the iniuries done to y e name of God For albeyt many times other greate and greuous iniuries of a sobre and a Christian man may be borne withal and dissembled neuerthelesse who that paciently can endure to be accounted an Heretike suche a one Ruffine was wont to denie to be a Christian. Wherfore we will now do that thinge whiche all lawes whiche the very voyce of nature commaundeth to be done and whyche Christ him selfe being in the like matter in like sort railed vpon did before vs y t is to say we wil giue a repulse to the accusations of these men and modestly and trulie defende oure cause and oure innocency For Christ what time he was accused by the Pharises of sorcery as one that had familiaritie with Deuills and did many thinges by their helpe I saith he haue no Deuill but I glorifie my father and you haue dishonored mee And Paule what time as Festus the leutenante contemned him as a madde man I saith he noble Festus am not mad as thou thinkest but I speake the wordes of truth and of sobrenesse And the Christians of the primitiue Churche what time as thei were iniuriously slaundered vnto the people as murderers of men adulterers incestuous persons and troublers of commō wealthes and sawe that by such slaunders the religiō which thei
ought to be lawfully called rightly and ordrely appointed vnto the administration of the Churche of God and that no man maye thruste in himselfe to the holy ministerie after his owne wyll pleasure So much greater is the iniury y t these men do vnto vs in whose mouthes nothing is more common then that amongest vs nothinge is done by ordre nothinge comely al things in confusion ful of troble amongest vs all men to be preestes al men to be doctors all men to be interpreters We say that Christe hathe geuen vnto ministers authoritie to binde to lose to open and to shutte And y t the office of losinge dothe consiste herein when that other to suche as are ouerthrowen in their owne consciences and ar truly returned to a better minde the minister by the preaching of y e Gospel offereth y e merites of Christ and absolucion and doth assure him of the remission of his synnes and of the hope of eternall saluacion other when suche as in any greuous and slauderous offence by some notable publike faulte haue offended their brothrens consciences and therby haue in manner alienated themselues from the cōmon societie of y e Church and from the body of Christe after that thei do returne againe to a better minde he dothe reconcile gather and restore home againe vnto the felowship and vnitie of the faithefull and the authoritie of bindinge and shutting we saie he exerciseth as oftē as other vnto the vnbeleuers stubburne persons he shutteth vp the gates of the kingedom of heauen and threateneth vnto them the reuenge of God euerlasting punishment or when he excludeth out from the bosome of the Church such as are openly excommunicated the sentence that is geuen after thys sorte by the ministers of the Churche God doth so cōfirme y t whatsoeuer by their ministerie here in earthe is losed or bounde that same will he lose and binde and make good also in heauen The key whereby thei haue power other to shut vp or to open the kyngedome of heauen we say with S. Chrysostome that yt is the knowledge of the scriptures and with Tertullian the interpretation of the lawe and with Eusebius the worde of God and that the disciples of Christ receaued this authoritie not for to heare the secret cōfessions of the people or to occupie thēselues about priuy whysperinges whiche their sacrifisinge Prestes at this daye al of them do in euery corner in suche sorte thei do it as thoe the whole power and vse of the keys did consist therein alone butte to the entent thei shoulde go thei shoulde teache thei shoulde openly preache the Gospell that vnto suche as beleued thei mighte be a sauer of life vnto life vnto the vnbeleuing and vnfaithful persons the sauer of death vnto death to the entent y t the mindes of the godly beinge ones astonnied with the conscience of their life paste of their synnes after thei shoulde beginne to beholde the light of the Gospell and beleue in Christe euen as a dore with the key so might they be opened wyth the worde of God that the wicked and stubborne and such as woulde not beleue returne into y e high way as men y t wer faste locked shut vp should be lefte to themselues become euery day as S. Paule saith worse and worse This saie we is the reason and ordre of the keys and by this meanes mens consciences ar other opened or closed vp The minister we deny not is the Iudge but as Ambrose saith he hathe no title of right to take any rule and power vpon him Wherfore Christe for to reproue their negligence in teachinge cried out vpon the Scribes and Pharises in these words Wo saith he be vnto you Scribes and Pharises whyche haue taken away the keis of knowledge and haue shutte vp the kingedome of heauen before men And for as muche as the key wherwith the entry into the kingdome of God is opened vnto vs is the worde of the Gospel the interpretation of the law and of the scriptures whereas Gods worde is not there we say is not the key And by reason that one Word is geuen vnto al and all haue but one key the authoritie of al ministers concerninge openinge and shutting must nedes be one Yea moreouer the Pope himselfe althoughe his Parasites singe this songe neuer so sweetlye vnto him Unto thee will I giue the keys of the kingedome of heauen as though thei appertained vnto him only and to no man els vnlesse he endeuoure himselfe so that the consciences of men may be tourned and submitte themselfe vnto Gods worde we deny that other he openeth or shutteth or hath any keys at al. And albeit he should teache and instructe the people the whiche woulde God he woulde bothe do it in deede and finde in his harte at y e length to thinke y t it were at the least some part of his office yet his key shoulde be nother better nor greater than the keys of other men for who did exempt hym Who did teache him to open more cunningly or to loose better then his brothren Matrimony we say in al kindes and states of men in Patriarkes in Prophets in Apostles in holy Martyrs in Ministers of the Churche in Byshops is holy honorable And as Chrysostome saith that it is lawfull and rightefull to ascende therewith vnto the Byshopps chaire as Sozomenus saith of Spiridion and Nazianzenus of his father that a godly a diligent Byshop exerciseth hys office in the Ministerie neuer a whitte the worse for that cause but rather better and to more profite That lawe whiche violently taketh this libertie frō men and driueth them against their will to a single life we saie with S. Paul is the doctrine of Diuells And y t thervpon as the Byshop of Ausboroughe Faber the Abbot Panormitanus Latomus and the Thre parted worke whiche is added vnto the seconde Tome of the Councells with others of the Popes garde yea and the matter it selfe and al histories do confesse an vncredible vncleanes of life of manners in the ministers of God and moste horrible mischiefes haue insued And therfore Pius the seconde a Byshopp of Rome sayde very well that he sawe many causes why wyues should be taken away from the ministers of the Churche but hee sawe bothe many moe and more waightier why thei should be restored agayne We do receaue and embrace all the Canonicall scriptures bothe of the olde and of the newe Testament and we giue thankes vnto our God that he hathe raised vp that light before vs that we mighte alwaies haue it before our eies lest that other by the deceit of mē or guiles of the deuil we shoulde be caried away after errors and fables These we acknowledg to be y e heauenly wordes by the which God hath declared his will vnto vs vpon them
was he that at Rome dyd set the crowne vpon the Emperours heade Henry the sixte not with his hande but wyth hys foote and wyth the same foote dyd caste yt downe againe saying withal that he had power bothe to make Emperours and to remoue them Whoe dyd sette Henry the sonne vpon Henry the fourthe his father beinge Emperoure and brought to passe that the Father was taken prysoner of the sonne and that after thei had shorne his crown scornfully abused him was throwen into a monastery where for hunger and sorrow he might pine away to death Who was he that in most shamefull wise did set his feete vpon Frederike themperours necke and as though that had not beene ynough he added moreouer these wordes out of the Psalmes of Dauid Thou shalt walke vpon the Aspis and vpon the Cockatryce and shalt treade downe the Lyon and the Dragonne Such an example of despite and contempt against princely Maiesty as neuer was heard of before in any age except parauenture in Tamerlane the Scithian that sauage and barbarouse man or in Sapor the king of Persia. All these were Popes al successors of Peter all most holy out of whose mouthes euery worde must be vnto us a seuerall Gospell If we be appeached as gilty of treyson whiche doe honour our Princes which yelde ouer vnto them all things so far as it is lawful by gods word whiche do pray for them what I beseche you ar these that haue not only done all these things that we spake of before but also by one assent haue allowed them as thinges right nobly done Trow ye then that either this is y e way to teache the people to reuerence the Maiestrate or that they w tout shame may accuse vs for seditious persons for disturbers of the common peace and despisers of princely Maiesty For we neither shake of y e yoke of oure obedience nor remoue kingdomes from one to an other nor take vpon vs either to make kings or to put them down nor translate Empires nor poison our kings nor offer them our feete to kisse nor triumphe ouer them setting our feete on their necks this rather is our profession this is our doctrine that eueri soule whatsoeuer it be whether it be monke whether it be Euangelist whether it be Prophet whether it be Apostle must of necessite be subiect vnto Kinges and Maiestrates yea and the Pope himselfe onles he will seme to be greater then the Euangelistes then y e Prophets then the Apostels must both acknowledge the Emperour to be his Lorde the which thing the auncient Bishops of Rome when the world was in better estate did neuer refuse and also call him by the name of Lorde Wee teache openly that princes are so to be obaied as men sent of God who that resisteth againste thē resisteth the ordinance of God these be our ordinances and these lessons are euident in our bookes these are in our sermons and these doe shine in y e māners and modesty of our people But as touching that where they say that we haue forsakē the vnite of the Catholike Church it is not only odious but also although it be most vntrue yet hath it some apparance and likelyhode of truth Now amōgest the common people and ignorant multytude not only those thinges that be true in dede and certain are beleued but also such things if any come in place that maye seeme to haue a lykelihoode of truthe Whereupon we se how y t crafty subtill fellowes hauing no truth where with to maintaine their cause haue euer vpholden their matters by those thinges that had a resemblance of truth to the intent y t such as are not able to see the bottom of the matter themselfes might at y e least be entangled with some colour and probalitie of the truthe Thus in times past bicause the Christians our forefathers what tyme they made their praiers vnto God tourned themselues towardes the Easte there were some that said they worshypped the Sunne and tooke hit to be their God And when as they sayde that as touching the euerlastinge and immortall life they liued vpon none other thing but of the fleshe and bloode of that Lambe that had no spott that is to saye of our sauiour Iesus Christe The enuyers and enemies of the Crosse of Christe who sought after nothing els but that Christian religion by any manner of meanes might be euill spoken of perswaded the people that they were wicked persons that they killed men to make sacryfices of them and that they dronke mans bloode Lykewise when they sayde that before God there is nother Male nor Female nor so farre as appertaineth to the attayninge of righteousnesse there is at all noe dyfference of persons and when as amongest themselues euery one called an other brother and syster there lacked not malycious persons to quarell agaynste them that the Christians made no manner of dyfference amonge themselues other of age or of kinde but laye together at aduenture al of them as it came to hande lyke brute beastes And whereas for common praier and hearinge of the Gospel they were oft times fayne to assemble themselues togyther in secrete vauts and hydden places bycause that practisers of conspyracies hathe accustomed sometimes to doe the lyke rumors were openly spread abroade that thei conspired among themselues and practised together other to murder magistrates or to ouertourne the common welthe And furder bycause that in celebratynge the holy mysteries they vsed accordinge vnto Christes institution to haue breade and wine it was supposed of many that they worshipped not Christ but Baccus and Ceres by reason that these counterfeyt gods amongest the hethen were worshipped after their prophane superstition in a lyke ceremony wyth bread and wine These thinges were beleued of many men not bycause they were trewe for what coulde bee more vntrue but bycause they were somewhat lykely and myght well deceyue men wyth the resemblaunce of truthe Euen after the same manner these men slaunder vs for Heretikes and to haue forsaken the Church and the communion of Christ not for that they thinke it to bee true for therof they take no care but bycause that vnto ignoraunt men it myghte paraduenture some way haue an apparance of truthe For we haue forsaken not as Heretykes are wonte to doe the Church of Christe but as all good men are bounde to dooe the contagious infection of lewde men and of Hypocrytes And yet dooe they in thys poynte tryumphe merueilousely sayeng This is the Church this is the spouse of Christ thys is the pyller of truthe thys is the arke of Noe oute of whych no saluation is to be looked for and that wee haue forsakē it we haue torne Christes coate Wee are cutt of from the bodye of Christ and haue abandoned the Catholyke Faythe And when they haue lefte nothinge vnsayde that may bee sayde although falsely and
I tell you Hilles Forestes Lakes Prisonnes and Whorlepooles seme more safe a great deale for in them the Prophetes eyther remayning of their own choyse or violently dryuen prophecyed wyth the spyrite of God Gregory euen as though he had seene and perceyued aforehand the ruine of things writing vnto Iohn the Byshopp of Constantinople who first of all men toke vpon hym to be called by a name that neuer was hearde of before the vniuersall Byshop of the whole Church of Christ said thus If y e Church shall depēde vpon one man the whole shall fall to grounde And who is it that hath not seene this thing done longe agoe It is now long agoe that the Bysshop of Rome hath brought to passe that the whole Church shoulde depend vpon him alone wherefore it is no maruaile if the same now longe agoe be wholy fallen to grounde Bernarde y e Abbot writing foure hundred yeares past There is nothing saith he pure and soūde in y e Clergy onely there remaineth that the man of sinne shoulde be discouered vnto the worlde The same man vpon S. Paules Conuersion It semeth saith he that persecution is now cessed no rather nowe beginneth persecution euen at their handes which beare chiefe rule in the Church Thy frendes thy neighbours hath drawen neere and stande vp against thee From the sole of the foote vnto the crowne of the head there is no soundnes at all Iniquitie hath issued out from the Elders Iudges thy vicares which seeme to gouerne thy people We can not now say As the people are so is the priest for the people are not in y e state as y e priest is Out alas O Lord God thei be in persecuting of thee the Cheefe that seme to loue y e cheefe preheminence in thy Church and to beare the cheefe rule The same vpon the song of Salomon All frendes are becomme all enemies al familiars all aduersaries the seruants of Christe serue Antichrist Beholde in my peace is my moste bitter bitternesse Roger Bacon a man of great fame after that w t a sharpe oration he had reproued the miserable state of his time These heapes of errors saith he do seeke after Antichrist Gerson complaineth that in his time al the fruite exercise of the sacred study of Diuinity was brought to an ambitious contention of wittes and to a mere Sophistrye The Friers of Lions which as touching the maner of their liuing were no euill men were wont boldly to affirme y t the Church of Rome from which onely at y t time the certen resolution of al doubtful matters were fetched was that same whore of Babylō wherof in the Reuelation of Iohn there be so many euident prophecies and the assemble of helhoundes I know well ynough that they make light of these mennes aucthorite but what if I bring them for witnesses whome they are wonte to haue in great honour What if I saye that Adrian the Bysshop of Rome hath francklye confessed that all these euilles beganne to fall hedlonge from the toppe of the Papall dignitie Pighius dothe confesse that in this point they haue erred bicause that in to the Masse which for all other respectes he woulde haue to be accounted holye many abuses are brought in Gerson also bicause y t through the multitude of trifling Ceremonies the whole vertue of the holy Ghoste which ought to be stronge in vs and true deuotiō is altogether quenched Al Grece and Asia lykewise bycause the Popes of Rome wyth the marchandise of theyr Purgatory and pardonnes both haue oppressed mennes consciences and robbed their purses Touching the tirannie of the Byshoppes of Rome and intollerable pryde to passe ouer such as they bycause they haue freely franckly reproued their vices account paraduenture as enemies euē thei which leade their life at Rome in the holy Citie vnder the nose of the most holy father and might se al his secrets neuer forsoke the Catholike Faith as Laurens Ualla Marril of Padoa Francis Petrarche Hieronymus Sauanorola Iochym Abbot Baptist of Mantua before thē al Bernarde the Abbot Al these I say haue greatly and often complained In so much that sometimes they declared the Pope himselfe to be Antichrist whether they spake truely or falsly we leaue it vnto others but doubtles they spake it plainely Neither is there any cause that any man should obiect that they were y e dysciples of Martin Luther or of Zuinglius For they were not onely manye yeares but also dyuers ages before these mennes names were hearde of Yea they did see also euen at that time that errours were crept into the Church and wished for y e amendment of them And what meruaile I pray you if the Church were lead away with errors specially in those dayes what tyme neither the Bishopp of Rome who had the whole rule in his owne handes nor any other mā in māner either did hys duty or did at al vnderstād what hys duety was For it is not easye to bee beleued that the Deuill whilest they were ydle and slept that in all y t tyme was alwaies either a sleepe or ydle For howe they in the meane time demeaned thēselues and with what vprightnesse they gouerned the house of God though wee say nothing let them be content at the least to heare Bernarde a man of theirs The Byshops sayth he vnto whome the Church is cōmitted at this daye ar not doctors but deceauers ar not shepeheardes but shepeweriers ar not Prelates but Pilates Thus sayd Bernard of the byshoppe that called him selfe the chiefe byshop and of the byshoppes whiche at that time helde the sterne He was no Lutherane he was no heretike he forsoke not the Church yet was he not afrayde to cal the byshops that liued in those dayes seducers deceauers and Pylates Now thē what time the people was opēly seduced and the eyes of Christian men manifestly deceaued and when Pylate sittyng in court of Iudgemēt adiugged Christ and his membres to sworde fier in what case o Lord was the Church in those dayes But of so many and so grosse errors what error haue these menne purged at any time Or what error at the leaste would these mē euer acknowledge or confesse But for asmuche as these men doe affirme that they doe stande in full possession of the catholike Churche and call vs bicause we doe dissent frō them heretikes marke I praye you what note or token this Churche hath of the Churche of God Neither is it so harde a matter in case thou wilt earnestly and diligently seeke it to finde out the Churche of God For it standeth vpō an highe and a stately place euen on the toppe of a hill that is to say it is buylded vpon the foundation of the Prophets the Apostels There sayth S. Augustine let vs seeke the Church there let vs trie oure cause and as he saythe in an other place The Churche ought to be tried
they to consider howe iuste the cause of our departing is For in case they wil saye it is lawefull for thee by no means to departe from that fellowship wherein thou haste ben brought vp Thus they maye easily in oure personnes cōdemne both the Prophetes and the Apostles and also Christe him self For why doe they not likewise finde fawte at this that Loth departed from Sodome Abraham out of Calde the Hebrewes out of Egypte Christ from the Iewes Paule from the Pharisees For onlesse there maye be some iuste cause of suche departynges we see not why they also maye not in like sorte be accused as factious and seditious men Nowe if we ought to be condemned for heretikes bycause we doe not al thinges whiche these menne doe commaunde vs whoe I praye you or what maner of men shall we account them to be which doe despise the commaundementes of Christe and of the Apostles If we be Schismatikes that haue disseuered our selfs frō these fellowes by what name I pray you shal we call them that haue departed from the Grekes at whose hādes they receyued the faith frō the primitiue church from Christ him self from the Apostels euē as it were from their owne parentes For as for the Grekes such as at this daye doe professe the religion and name of Christ althoe they haue many thinges that ar corrupted yet they retaine to this howre a great part of those thinges which they receyued of the Apostles Therfore nother haue they priuate Masses nor their sacramētes mangeled nor purgatory nor pardonnes As for the Popes titles and proude names so muche they doe regard them that whosoeuer doth take them vpon him and wil needes be called either the vniuersal Byshop or heade of the whole Church of him they will not sticke to saye that he is bothe an intolerable arrogant man and a personne that iniuriously defaceth all other Byshoppes his bretherne and also an heretike Now then sins the matter is plaine can not be denied y t these fellowes ar gone back frō those of whom thei receiued the gospel of whom thei receaued y e faith of whome the true religion the Churche what cause is there why they shuld not be cōtent to be called home againe euen vnto the same personnes as it were to the fountaines of religion Wherfore ar they so afrayde as thoe al the Apostles old fathers sawe nothing to folow the exāple of their times for doe they trowe ye see more or be thei more careful ouer the Churche of God then they y t first deliuered these things And now to returne to our selfs we haue departed frō that Churche wherin nother the worde of God could be hearde purely taught nor the Sacramentes rightly administered nor the name of God as it ought to be called vpō and whiche they themselues doe confesse to be corrupted in many thinges and wherin to say the truth there was nothing that could staye any man that was wise and that had any consideration of his owne saluation To conclude we haue departed from that Churche that is now founded not from that Church that was in time past and we haue departed in such sorte as Daniel did out of the denne of Lions as the thre childrē out of the fier yea rather caste out by them with their cursinges and banninges then departed of our selfs Agayne we haue adioyned our selfes vnto that Church wherin they them selfs in case they wil speake truely and according to their owne consciences can not denie but all thynges ar soberly and reuerently handeled and so farre forth as we were able to attayne most neerely vnto the order of the olde time For lette them compare their Churches and oures together they shal see bothe that they moste shamefully haue departed frō the Apostels and we moste iustly haue forsaken them For we after the exāple of Christe of the Apostles and of the holy fathers doe giue the whole sacrament vnto the people These men contrary to all the fathers contrary to al the Apostels and cōtrary to Christ him self not without as Gelasius sayth hygh sacrilege doe deuide the sacramentes and plucke the one parte awaye from the people We haue restored the Lordes supper accordyng to the institutiō of Christ and desire to haue it asmuch as maye be and to as many as may be most common and as it is called so to be in very deede a Cōmunion These men haue chaunged all thinges frō the institution of Christ of the holy cōmunion they haue made a priuate masse so that we present vnto the people a holy Supper they a vayne pagent to gase vpon We doe affirme with the moste auncient Fathers that the bodye of Christe is eaten of none other but of godly and of faithfull menne and suche as ar endued with the spirite of Christe these fellowes doe teache that the very bodye of Christe maye in very deede and as they terme it really and substantially be eaten not only of wicked and vnfaythfull men but also it is horrible to speake it of myse and dogges We doe praye in oure Churches after suche sorte that accordyng as Paule dothe admonishe vs the people may know what we doe pray and with one minde answere Amen These men powre out in the churches vnknowne and straunge wordes like vnto the noyse of soundyng brasse without any vnderstanding without sense without iudgement and this is their only endeuour that the people should not be able to vnderstande any thing at all And bycause we will not reherse all the differences betwene vs and them for they ar in maner infinite We translate the Scriptures into all languages these men wil scantly suffer them to be abroade in any tonge We doe exhorte the people to heare and reade the worde of God these menne driue them from it We woulde haue our cause hearde before all the worlde these menne flee al iudgement and triall We leane vnto knowlege they vnto ignorance We truste to the light they vnto darknesse We haue in reuerence as reason is the wordes of the Apostles and of the Prophetes these men do burne them To conclude we in Gods cause wil stande to the iudgement of God only these men will stande to their owne But if they will consider all these thinges with a quiet minde and a prepared purpose to heare and to learne thei shal not only allow our doyngs which leauing all errours haue folowed Christe his Apostles but also they themselues shal fal away from thēselues and of their owne accorde encline themselues to ioyne with our felowshippe But they will saye that it was an vnlawefull attempt to goe aboute such matters without an holy generall Counsell for therein is the whole powre of the Churche there Christe hathe promised that he will alwayes be ready at hand And yet they themselues haue broken the commaundementes of God the decrees of the Apostles and as we sayde a litle before haue scatered and torne
in pieces in maner all not onlye the ordinances but also the certaine principles concernyng doctrine of the primitiue Church and that without tariyng for any generall Councell But where as they say that it is not lawful for any man to appoint any new order without a Coūcel who I praye you hath prescribed these lawes vnto vs or where haue they founde this decree It was folishly done of Agesilaus the kynge who beyng ones acertained of the minde and pleasure of the hyghe Iupiter woulde needes present the whole matter agayne vnto Apollo for to know whether he were of the same minde that his Father was But we should doe more foolyshlye a greate deale in case that when we doe heare God him selfe speakynge moste playnely vnto vs in the holye Scriptures and vnderstande his will and pleasure if I saye afterwardes as though al this were nothing we would refarre the whole matter to a councell The whiche is nothing els but to searche whether menne be of the same minde that God is and whether menne will allow by their authoritie the commaundementes of God What I praye you shall not the truthe be truthe or shall not God be God except a councell will and commaunde it so to be If Christe would haue handeled the matter so frō the beginnyng that he woulde haue taught or sayde nothing without the consente of the Bysshoppes and woulde haue referred ouer hys whole doctrine vnto Annas and Cayphas where should the fayth of Christ be at this day or who shoulde euer haue hearde of the gospell Peter forsothe of whome the Pope is wonte to speake more often and with more reuerence then of Iesus Christe did boldely withstande the sacred councell and sayde it was better to obeye God then men And Paule what time he had ones receyued the gospell into his minde and that not of men nor by man but only by the wil of God did not counsell with flesh and bloud nor dyd not referre the matter vnto his kinsemen or brothern but went by and by into Arabia for to publishe by the authoritie of God Gods misteries We surely doe not despyse Councels or assemblies and conferences of Bysshoppes and learned menne Nother haue we done those thinges that be done altogether without Bysshoppes or without a coūcell The matter was handeled in full parlament with long deliberation and in a greate assemblie But as touchyng this councell whiche Pope Pius dothe at thys tyme counterfetly set forthe wherein men beyng nother called nor hearde nor seene ar so lightly condemned what we maye loke or hope to gette thereby it is not harde to gesse Nazianzenus longe agoe when that in his tyme he sawe menne that came to suche assemblies to bee so blinde and so obstinate that they were caryed after their owne affections and foughte rather for victorie then for truthe pronounced in playne wordes that he neuer sawe good ende of anye councell What woulde he saye nowe if he were a liue at this daye and shoulde vnderstande what these menne wente aboute For in that tyme all though they were gyuen to partes yet bothe mennes causes were hearde and manifeste errours by the common consente of all partes were taken awaye These menne agayne neyther will suffer the cause to bee freelye debated nother will endure to haue anye thyng chaunged howe many errours so euer there be For that is a thyng whiche they ar wonte often and with out all shame to boaste of that their Churche can not erre that in hit there is no blemyshe that there is nothyng to be graunted vnto vs or yf there be anye thyng that the iudgement thereof appertayneth vnto Bysshoppes and Abbots they be the directers of those matters they be the Churche of God Aristotel saythe that bastardes can not make a citie But whether the Churche of God maye be made of these fellowes or no let them consider for surely nother be they lawfull Abbots nor right Bysshoppes But let them hardely be the Churche lette them be hearde in coūcels let them only haue authoritie to giue a voyce Neuerthelesse in times paste when the Church of God if it be compared with their Churche was resonably wel gouerned as Cipryan sayth bothe Elders and Deacons some parte also of the common people were called to the hearyng of Ecclesiasticall causes But what if these Abbotes and Bysshoppes haue no knowledge What yf they vnderstande not what religion is and what opinion they oughte to haue of God What if law be loste of the preeste coūsel of the Elders What if the night as Micheas saythe be vnto them in stede of a vision and darkenes in stede of forseyng thynges to come What if all the watchemen of the Citie as Esaye sayth ar become blinde What if the salte hath loste his strēgth and his taste and as Christ sayth is good for nothyng not so muche as to be caste out vpon the dunge hill Forsothe they will committe all thynges to the Pope whoe can not erre But that to beginne withal is a folishe deuise that the holy ghost should flie away in haste from the holy Councell to Rome to the intent that if he doubte or sticke in anye thyng and not be able to winde him selfe out he mighte take counsell of some other spyrite I wote not who better learned thē him self For if the case stande so what needed it that so many Byshops should in this time at so great charges and through so long iorneys be summoned to come to Trent It were yet a much more wiser better way sure I am it were bothe shorter and more commodious for them rather to put of all thynges to the Pope and to repayre at the firste dasshe to the heauenly determination of hys sacred breaste Moreouer it is agaynste equitie to put ouer oure cause from so manye Bysshoppes and Abbottes to the iudgemente of one man speciallye of hym whoe standeth accused by vs of moste weyghtye and greuous offences and as yet hath not brought in his answer who also hath condēned vs without iudgement before wee were once called to bee iudged What trow ye that these be things of our own deuise Or is not this y e order of their Councels at this day Or be not all thinges committed ouer from y e holy Councels vnto the Pope alone in such sort that as though so many voices and subscriptiōs serued to no purpose he alone may adde chaunge diminish take away alow release and againe restraine what him lyfteth Then I pray you of what maner of men were these words spoken Or why did the Bishops and Abbots not long agoe in the last Coūcell of Trente decree after this manner at thende of their constitutions Sauing alwaies in al things the Authorite of the Apostolicall seat Or why doth Paschale the Pope write of himselfe so arrogantly As though saith he any Coūcels had prescribed a lawe vnto the Church of Rome wheras all Councels both are made by
as though forsoothe that nowe also the whole worlde myght not perceiue that this is a very conspiracy and not a Coūcell and that these Byshops which the Pope hath called vnto him at this time are not by their othe and affection vtterly addicted vnto his name and wil neuer do any thing but that which they shal perceiue to agre with his pleasure to make for the aduaucement of his power and to be according to his will or that amongest them euery mans reason and sentence were not rather nūbered then wayed or that the better parte were not ofte times oppressed with the greater Whereupon we know that ofte times it hath come to passe y t many good men and Catholike Bysshops what time such Councels were summoned wherin factions and parts were openly maintained knowing that they should only leese their labour in as much as the mindes of their aduersaries were bent vpon euill and therfore not possible to doe any good haue tarried at home Athanasius beyng called by Themperour to the Councell of Cesarea when he saw that he shoulde present himselfe to y e deadly hatered of his aduersaries he refused to come The same man afterwardes being come to the Councell of Syrmin when his minde gaue him by reason of the fiersenes and hatred of his enemies to what ende y e matter would come he trussed vp his baggage went his way Iohn Chrysostome although the Emperour Constātius had sent for him by fower letters to come to the Councell of the Arrians yet he kept himselfe at home What time as Maximus the Bysshop of Hierusalem sate in the councell of Palestine the olde man Paphnutius taking him by the hande ledde him out of the dores saying it is not lawefull for vs to sit in councell of these matters amongest these wicked men Unto the councell of Syrmin from which Athanasius did conuey himselfe away the Bysshops of the Weste countries woulde not repaire Cyril appealed bi his letters from the councell of those that were called Patropassiani Pauline the Bysshop of Trier diuers others when they saw the practise and power of Auxentius refused to come to the councell of Millane For in vaine they saw they should go vnto y t place where no reason but faction was hearde and where al causes were determinable not according to iudgemēt but according to fauor And yet they albeit they had neuer so greuous and obstinate aduersaries neuertheles if they had come at the least they shoulde haue had free liberty to speake to be hearde in the councell But as for vs in as much as it is not lawful for ani of our sort once to sitte or so much as to be seene in the assemblie of these men much lesse to be hearde freely to speake and on the other side for as much as the Popes Legates the Patriarches the Archbyshops the Bysshoppes the Abbots all coniured together al fettered in one faute al bound with one othe only haue place to sit only haue aucthoritie to giue their voice and in cōclusiō as though thei had done nothing to submit al their iudgements to the Popes wil and pleasure alone euen to the intent that he who ought rather to haue pleaded his own cause at the barre should giue sentēce of himself in as much I say as that olde and Christiā liberty which in all Christian Councels ought chiefly to be maintained is now in coūcel vtterly takē away no good and godly man ought to maruaile if wee doe now at this time that thing which thei see the fathers and Catholike Bysshops did afore time whē like cause was offered so that bycause in the councell we cā not be heard Princes Embassadors ar laughed to scorne and we all as though the matter were already dispatched and concluded ar before iudgement condempned if I say we had rather tary at home cōmit the whole matter vnto God then to go to y e place where we shall neither haue any place nor yet any thing preuaile at al. But as touching our own iniuries we can beare them paciently quietly ynough But wherfore I pray you doe they exclude Christian Kinges and godly Princes from their councels Why doe they either so vncurtesly dispatche them out of their company or reiect them w t such reproche when that as though they were no Christian men or were not able to iudge they will not suffer them to sit in counsell in causes of Religion nor to knowe the state of their owne Churches Or in case they doe entermedle at any time by their aucthoritie doe y e thing which thei may do which thei are cōmanded to doe which they are bounde to do and which we know Dauid Salomō other good prīces haue done and take vpon them other whiles the Byshops be a sleepe or whiles they doe rebellyously resist to bridle y e raging lustes of priestes and both driue them to the doing of their duty and kepe them from disorder moreouer if they plucke downe Idolls withdraw superstition set vp the true worship of God Why crie they by and by that they turne all things vpside downe that they breake into other mens offices and behaue themselues lewdely and arrogantly What Scripture hath at any time forbidden Christiā Princes from y e hearing of such causes Whoe did euer make these lawes but these fellowes onely But they will say Ciuile princes haue learned how to manege the common welthe and to exercise armes as for the misteries of Religion they vnderstande them not Then I pray you what other is y e Pope at this day but a Monarche or a prince What be the Cardinals which degree it is now scantly lawfull for any others to haue then Kinges and Princes sonnes What be the Patriarches what Archbisshops for the most part what Bysshops what other be the Abbots at this day in y e Popes kingdome but worldly Princes but Dukes but Earles wyth stately gardes about them whersoeuer they go and decked also many times w t collers and chaines of Golde They haue in deede sometime a peculier apparell Crosses Pillers Hattes Myters Palls the which kinde of pompe the auncient Bysshops Chrysostome Augustine and Ambrose had neuer Now besides these things what teache they what say they what do they what liue they in any point that is comlye and commēdable not onely for a Bysshop but also for a Christian man Is it so great a matter to cary a counterfait title and for onely chaunge of garmentes to bee called a Bysshop Surely y t the waight of all gouernement should be assigned ouer vnto thē only which nether do know nor will know what appertaineth to these thinges nor set not a halfpeny by any part of Religiō further thē as it toucheth the kitchin the belly y t they onely shoulde be made iudges and be appointed as it were blind men to keepe the watche towre on the other syde to haue a Christian prince