God himselfe were hidde from so great a Prophet why may we not thinke that in the many mightie nations of Christendome there haue indeede beene many thousands more belonging to God then the eie of any man could discerne S. Augustin saith Aliquando in sola domo Noah Ecclesia erat â—â—l 128. in solo Lot domo eius Ecclesia erat in solo Enoch Ecclesia erat Sometimes the Church was onely in Noah his house sometime in Abraham alone sometime in Lot alone and his house sometime onely in Enoch Therefore neither a particular church is euer so visible as papists would make it wheÌ„ it lieth hidden sometimes in one house sometimes in one man Assuredly S. Augustin was farre from that opinion when he wrot thus â—nit Eccl. c3 c. 16. asch c. 14. Looke therefore howe Christ was knowen when he was vpon earth so is his Church namely by the worde not by the outwarde Pompe and shewe Shee cannot be hidde from those that still diligently seeke her in the scriptures where onely I say againe the certaine knowledge of her is to be found â—al 10. Neuerthelesse shee is compared by S. Augustin and many more to the moone which is often hidde and he acknowledgeth that shee may be so secret that the members know not one another Persecutions haue bin so great that the world sawe not for a long time together such an outward shewe â—â—g de bapâ—â— cont Doâ— l. 6. c. 4. as Popery speaketh of Dioclesian and Maximinian boasted that they had vtterly abolished the superstition of Christ as they call it and name of Christians The like diuelish boasting made Nero in his time where was then this visible face of the Church so glorious that notable place of the Apostle what shall we say to it They were tried by mockings Heb. 11.36 c. and scourgings yea moreouer by boÌ„des and imprisonment they were stoned they were hewen a sunder they were tempted they were slaine with the sword they wandred vp and downe in sheepe skinnes and in goat skins beeing destitute afflicted and tormented whoÌ„e the world was not worthy of they wandred in wildernesses and mountaines and dennes caues of the earth Were not these the childreÌ„ of God were not these the Church what outward pompe had these men in the worlde to mooue others ledde by such inducements to resort vnto them O folly therefore to dreame of any such thing Howe differeth it from that errour of the disciples exspecting an earthly kingdome of their master and worldly preferments for themselues That vision of the woman forced to flie into the wildernesse to avoide the rage of antichrist Apoc. 1â— doth it not convince my conscience that the Church is hidde sometimes from mens eies Howe can that Church be saide to flie into the wildernesse which hath alwaies a visible face a visible place a visible grace and glorie a great companie of fauourers might power authority c. were not Christ and his followers on earth the Church had they any such shewe Nay they were poore base and not regarded in comparison of the Scribes Pharisees high priests and that rabble You shall be hated of all men for my sake c saith our Sauiour of his Church and is this to be visible euer in the world in manner and forme now often mentioned who seeth not that it is farre from it And thus I hope I haue sufficiently cleared this first point that the Church is not alwaies visible as they meane visible which may suffice for answer to this vaine obiection of theirs as vtterly ouerthrowing the ground thereof yet I answere further first to their Church that no Romish Catholicke liuing and I pray you consider well what I say shall euer be able to prooue that there was any visible Church for fiue or sixe hundred yeares after Christ which maintained all or the cheife points of popery wherein they differ from vs. Then for our Church we truely affirme that it was long before Luther euen in the primitiue Church For we stand vpon this that we embrace and professe onely that doctrine which springeth as the water of life out of the sanctuarie that is out of the writings of the prophets and Apostles and therefore that our Church doth not differ saue that in degree of excellency from those famous churches planted and watered by the Apostles themselues which shall yet more manifestly appeare by the doctrine it selfe duly considered the main points whereof as hath been already touched in another place are these 1. Concerning the morall lawe of God comprised in tenne precepts that it is the perfect rule of righteousnes wherein we see as in a Christall glasse both what we should doe and what we doe not and howe farre short we are of that obedience which is required at our handes by god 2. The doctrine of repentance that finding of our selues transgressoures of Gods diuine lawe and guiltie of his wrath wee should in due humilitie and contrition of heart throwe downe our selues at the throne of his grace and in the anguish of our soules confesse our iniquities and rebellions against our selues and euerie man say with the poore Publican God be mercifull to me a sinner 3. The doctrine of faith that trauelling thus and groaning vnder the burden of our sinnes wee should goe vnto our Sauiour for ease comfort and refreshing that is that we should steadfastly beleeue that he died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and eternall saluation â—om 4. 4. the doctrine of good workes and a godly life that we ought euer to bee carefull to abound in good workes and haue our conuersation in heauen 5. The doctrine of praier that we should in all our necessities call vpon God in the name of his sonne as our blessed Sauiour hath taught vs in the Gospell â—â—t 3. â—al 3. and especially that we should frequent the house of God by publike praier to speake vnto him and by his word to heare him speak vnto vs for instruction 6. The doctrine of the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords supper 7. Lastly the twelve articles of our creede I beleeue in God c. These are the pillars and foundation of our religion yea the very soule and life of our Church and all of them founded grounded vpon the rocke Iesus Christ and his sacred word and without controuersie the very essence and beeing of all Churches that haue been euer or shall be to the ende of the world Wherefore when our aduersaries ask vs as they doe very often where was your church before Luther we may well answere as our Sauiour did in the Gospell by another question videlicet These points of doctrine before mentioned were they before Luthers time or no If they will ansvvere vs to this we vvill ansvver them yea they shall be forced to ansvver themselues that this doctrine is of god and from heauen and that there neuer vvanted some to professe
newe teachers haue possest you mightily you are so carried away with them that they are able to make you beleeue any thing Why tell me the crowe is white or the snowe is blacke S. Good Mother the Lord hath mooued your heart to heare me speake who am yours and of you If I speake amisse as you thinke and so as you cannot consent vnto me with me leaue we it both to the working power of a mighty God who in further time can giue further light and vnderstanding to his children that humbly craue it and are not lifted vp with an high hand to withstand his offered grace Onely according to this motherly loue that you haue began to shew me vouchsafe to here me still vpon what groundes I haue setled my selfe and with what proofe I am mooued to thinke as I doe M. Surely sonne I coulde not abide or indure to heare any other once speake of such a straunge thing as this but say you on what you list you are my childe S. I doe verely beleeue it seemeth most straunge to you and to many moe of your side to heare that your religion is newe and ours olde Yet I doubt not but to make it evidently apparent vnto you and all whosoeuer shall without preiudice duly consider my allegations and proofe But first I must interpret my selfe in a worde or two what I meane by your faith and religion I pray you therefore when I speake of your Romish religion thinke not that I meane the whole doctrine and all the articles of faith and religion taught and professed by the Papists but onely those points of doctrine wherein they differ from vs. For in generall they hold the doctrine of the lawe and tenne commandements as we doe sauing that they leaue out the second commandement which forbiddeth the worshipping of Idols and Images making two of the tenth they professe also the summe of the gospell at least in generalitie and in wordes to wit that Christ Iesus perfect God and perfect man hath wrought our full redemption and by the blood of his crosse and pretious death prrfect obedience hath deliuered vs from eternall death the fierch and euerlasting wrath of God the due desert of our transgressions and purchased for vs euerlasting peace and blisse they maintaine also and professe in wordes as we also doe the three creedes the Nicene the Athanasian and the Apostolike creede wherein is comprised the summe of our faith and the doctrine we professe they acknowledge that most excellent forme and paterne of prayer taught vs in the gospel by our Sauiour and vse it and many other good and godly prayers which we also vse euen all those vvelneere in our common liturgie except a very fevve for our most gratious Queene sauing that they vse theÌ„ in latin vve in english that all may vnderstand and say amen Wherefore vvhen I say that your religion is nevv meane not generally nor of the things before rehearsed but only in respect of certeÌ„ other articles and points of religion maintained by Romish catholikes as namely 1. that the traditioÌ„s of the church are of equall authority vviâ—h the vvorde of god to be embraced with like reuerence and deuotion 2. that the vulgar latin translation commonly called Hieromes is onely authenticall 3. that the imputation of Christs righteousnes and obedience to the faithfull is a fantasie without ground in Gods word 4. that the bread in the sacrament of the Eucharist transubstantiated into the body of Christ is to be adored 5. that the faithfull are able to keepe the whole lawe of God 6. that the Pope is Christs generall vicar vpon earth hauing absolute power to ratifie or disanull all manner of decrees and ordinances and to dispense with the expresse and moral precepts of God at his pleasure 7. That the whole Church without him can neither enact nor infringe any lawe ecclesiasticall nor interpret any scripture 8. that the holy scriptures ought not to be translated into any vulgar tongue or reade of the lay people 9. that the sacrament of the Lords supper is to be administred onely in bread and not in wine Quia sapor possit generate suspitionem quòd esset ibi â—inum least as the Sorbonists at Paris say the people should smell it to be wine and so doubt of transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ 10. that good works are meritorious and that by them we are iustified in the sight of God 11. that the soules of the faithfull dying before perfect repentance suffer the torments of purgatory 12. that prayers are to be made in an vnknowen tongue such like of al which and the rest wherein they disagree from vs I say they are newe and yesterday opinions in comparison of the faith which we hold consonant to the holy scriptures and those famous ancient creeds before mentioned And therefore now to proceede to the declaration of that which I haue vndertaken touching the noueltie of your faith Thus good Mother haue our men written at this day teach that it goeth not with Religion as it doth with the statutes of the realme iudgements at common law where the later is thought to be the better but in religion the first and eldest is best Therefore they euer remember that golden saying of Tertullian that is true which was first that is first which was from the beginning and that was from the beginning which was deliuered by the Apostles but our faith is that was deliuered by the Apostles yours is not therfore ours is froÌ„ the beginning and so first yours not and therefore later Now that ours is that which was deliuered by the Apostles they prooue it thus Another ancient father saith That which the Apostles preached and deliuered to the world by preaching Irenaeus they afterward by the will of God committed to writing that for euer it might be the foundation and ground of faith Wherevpon it followeth that which the Apostles preached is the old auncient Catholike and Apostolike saith but that which they haue written is that which they preached so saith this father therfore that which is written is the true auncient Catholike and Apostolike faith that is ours For as I haue saide we hold nothing as necessarie to salvation but that which is truly taught vs out of these written scriptures Therefore our faith is that which was deliuered by the Apostles your faith is not that which is written For your men wil not be tried by the scriptures onely as knowing that many things they hold haue no warrant there but haue deuised vnwritten traditions therefore yours is not that which was deliueeed by the Apostles and not the old faith but a late newe faith devised by men M VVhy that which was deliuered by tradition Tradition was deliuered by the Apostles as wel as that which they wrot S. True Mother if it could as soundly appeare vnto vs what they deliuered as it doth by their writings what they preached But
this father that I named vnto you saith they wrot that which they deliuered and they wrote it by the will of God as not trusting tradition vnwritten and they wrote it to be for euer the ground of our faith noting that vnwritten tradition may not be the ground because it is vncertain and full of imperfection as I could shewe you if we were to speake of that matter Therefore seeing this which is written is certainly and assuredly that which they deliuered and we hold nothing but that which is agreeable to this which is written you see it is most plaine that we holde nothing but that which the Apostles themselues deliuered and so our faith the old faith which was from the beginning and first M. Surely if you holde nothing but that which is written it is certaine that that which was written was deliuered by the Apostles and so it followeth that you hold nothing but that which was deliuered by the Apostles and Prophets and therfore your faith olde indeede and not to be reiected And for tradition although we may be told that this and that was deliuered by the Apostles and their successours and so by them to theirs againe to this day yet I must needes confesse that is not so manifest and plaine as which is written neither doth it yeeld such contentment to my conscience But I can not tell what to say it is a sure and steadfast way to trust to that which is written rather then to that which is reported and yet I am loath â—o offend you shal giue me leaue to pause think more of it S. Yea deere Mother and with the hart of a dutifull child I say the father of our Lord Iesus Christ lighten the eyes of your vnderstanding in all things to the glory of his great name and your eternall comfort but be you assured in this that we hold nothing as needfull to our saluation but that which is written in expresse wordes or by sure and plaine collection and therefore make the consequence as the Lord shall direct you M. Howe then commeth it to passe that your religion is still called new new S. Even as I told you before it is one of Satans trickes to discredit trueth and hath in all times beene vsed of him But as then your selfe collected by that which I alleadged that it is not safe to be lead by tearmes and names without due considering howe iustly and truely they are giuen so I beseech you do here again and be not mooued with the name for questionles there can nothing be more spitefully spoken against the religion of God then to accuse it of noueltie as a matter lately found out For as there can be no change in God himselfe so ought there be no change in his religion Yet still I say Satan hath taken this course euen from the beginning to call trueth newe which indeede is not onely of greatest antiquitie but also froÌ„ euerlasting That vngratious blood thirstie Haman when he sought to procure the king Assuerus his dspleasure against the Iewes vsed this slaunder against them of noveltie telling the king that he had in his domion a kinde of people that vsed certaine newe lawes of their own c. Act. 1â— WheÌ„ Paul also began first to preach and expound the Gospel at Athens he was called a tidings-bringer of new Gods that is of a newe religion for said the Athenians may we not knowe of thee what newe doctrine this is Origen again telleth vs of Celsus that when he wrot of set purpofe against Christ to the ende he might scornefully scosse at the gospell he accused it of noueltie and said Orig. conâ—a Câ—lsum vvhat hath God after so many ages now at last bethought himselfe whose vile blasphemies that auncient father in his bookes written against him answereth Eusebius also saith that the Christian religion from the beginnnig for verie spite was called new and straunge Euseb l. 1 c. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sentence was giuen of condemnation that S. Audrewe should be crucified for teaching and enterprising a newe sect and taking away the religion of their Gods Shall we then bee mooued with this tearme and carried away with this name No God forbid These examples are a faire warning for vs to take heede of that lightnesse and rashnesse Let the deuil rage against trueth with what names God shall suffer him and his members yet this shall euer stand that the doctrine of the Church is elder then any Idolatrie or superstition of the Gentiles that the doctrine of the Gospell was preached in Paradise by God himselfe saying The seede of the vvoman shall bruise the serpentâ— head That the writings of Moses are elder the any writings of the Gentiles the doctrine of the Apostles elder then Popery or any other heresie and that we at this day hold nothing as I haue often said but what appeareth out of the Apostles owne writings alowed both by vs and our aduersaries to be their vvritinges to be their ovvne doctrine deliuered to the Church to be beleeued and for men and vvomen to be saued by M. Surely I see still it is not safe to be carried away vvith names and to beleeue all to be nevve vvhich is called so or all olde vvhich is named olde for so vve may be deceiued But yet in shevve of the vvorlde ours hath had a longer continuance then yours S. I must needes here once againe remember you what I meane by your religion to wit those pointes of doctrine onely wherein you differ from vs. And then I answer first that your religion euen in shewe of the world hath not had a longer continuance then ours especially for the principall points whereon wee stand as namely 1. the articles of our Creede which is a briefe and summe of catholik faith as Athanasius plainely witnesseth Symbol Athanas Haee est fides Catholica and the Councell of Trent confesseth 1. the acknowledgment of gods diuine law and the worshipping of god according to that law 3. the doctrine of repentance froÌ„ dead workes and of faith in Iesus Christ for the remission of sinne 4 the doctrine of the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords supper which are the fundamentall points of out faith and religion and the rocke whereon we build our soules and Church and without controuersie of greater antiquity then those points of doctrine which we call popery Besides I answer although your religion in shew of the world were more ancient then ours yet that ought to be no disparagement to ours or aduaÌ„cemeÌ„t to yours for god afflicteth his church as pleaseth him maketh vs see that it is like the moone whervnto it is compared now growing now ful now waining we may not mesure truth by worldly couÌ„tenaÌ„ce but by that rule which neuer faileth the word of God and if our faith be that which there is taught warraÌ„ted the you haue heard which is the old true Catholik faith
and nowe concerning substance Wilt thou be baptized in this faith was not meant of the errour of the time but of this faith now rehearsed contained in the 12. articles which except then it was some other because it was latin and nowe is saide in English we see plainely they were then baptized in the same faith with vs and that was a right true Catholicke faith and not the Romish errours that then ruled and were receiued of the state Our godfathers also holding the same faith to wit of the tvvelue articles and vve being christened in the faith of our godfathers godmothers so long as vve hold and continue in this our creede vve continue in the same faith if our godfathers and godmothers deceiued by the time held any other points in deede and trueth not agreeing vvith these 12. articles vve ansvver that the sacrament of our baptisme doth not binde vs in all points to the opinions of them who baptised vs but in the faith of him in whose name we were baptised and to the doctrine of the 12. articles then propounded vnto vs for as if a man were christened of an heretique the baptisme notwithstanding were good and the partie baptised not bound to hold that heresie so if our godfathers oâ— fathers which christened vs were taught any thing not consonant to Christian doctrine neither is our baptisme worse for that nor we bound to follow them in all points especially beeing caried away vnwittingly by subtill deceiuers from the truth Thus good mother is your doubt truely answered and your heart I trust assured that by receiuing this faith novv established through her Maiesties most blessed hand in England you shall not depart from your vovve made at the some but keepe it nor svvarue from your faith vvherein you vvere baptized and vvhich your godfathers and godmothers helde but cleaue fast vnto it to Gods great glorie and your ovvn soules health M. Truely sonne you haue more satisfied me then I thought in this matter any man liuing could haue done And I see there is great mistaking in many matters for vvant of loue one to endure talke with another Whilest I liue therefore I will neuer refuse conference as I haue done and I wish with all mine heart that others whome I knowe woulde doe the like S. Yea mother but the enemie knowing the good hereof and what a fall his kingdome may thus take laboureth to stop that willingnes in men and womeÌ„ trained to their errors by taking othes of them not to doe it threatning all manner of danger to theÌ„ if they doe it and you would blesse your selfe to heare what grosse praises they vtter of ignorance and simple obedience without ground or reason saying it belongeth no more to you or any other to aske a reason of their teachings then it doth to the horse to know why his master turneth his head this way or that M. Mary God forbidde It is but a slaunder I hope as we are to light of beleefe on both sides S. Truely Mother no slaunder nor mean mans doctrine but a great Cardinall of Rome although in this grosly carnall the Cardinall Cusanus The place is knowen and cannot be denied Excitationum lib. 6. pag. 547. I shall shewe you his wordes if I can borrowe the booke M There is a story as I remember in the olde testament of one that would condition to haue their right eies if he made peace with them Surely this is to take our right eies from vs not to suffer vs to vse reason and to aske for a satisfaction where we doubt True it is Mother It was Naash the Ammonite that so answered the men of Iabesh Gilead 1. Sam. c. 11.2 and you most rightly apply it full easie was it to rule and ouer rule to mocke and abuse the strong Sampson when once they had put out both his eies To tell vs that ignorance is the mother of deuotion when the Councell saith it is the mother of errour to tell vs that pearles may not be cast before swine the people may not haue the scriptures in english wheÌ„ it is spoken to all Ioh. 5. Search the scriptures to tell vs we will become heretiques if we meddle with the scriptures when Christ saith you erre because you know not the scriptures surely this is not to wish vs to see but to wish endâ—uour both to make and keepe vs blinde But I trust the god of all mercie and goodnesse will both giue sight and keepe sight in despite of all their fetching pollicies M. To returne then where we left you say our fathers held the faith of the 12. articles and were baptized in the same as we also are so that we forsake not their faith or the faith of our baptisme if we embrace the gospell nowe preached because in nothing it is contrarie to these articles notwithstanding you say they were happely touched with some errours of the time I pray you therefore what shall we say of them were they damned or saued if they were damned all why may not we doe as they did and hope of like mercy god being the same still and as rich in goodnesse and grace as euer S. Your question containeth two points one of the saluation or damnation of our fathers another of the imitation of them what is becoâ— of our father In both which I shall indeauour to giue you a tru answer And touching the first I say we ought not to sit in iudgement vpon our fathers for God was able to preserue them euen in that darke time wherein they liued as he preserued the bush in the middest of the flame Daniel in the Lyons den the three children in the furnace and the Israelites in the red sea for all these were in mans eye subiect to daunger and yet by a powerfull hand of an omnipotent god saued And by the manifolde graces of god vouchsafed vnro our fathers we may comfortably hope that almighty God was willing also to preserue theÌ„ vnto an euerlasting inheritance and did that which he was able to doe vnto them for they were good meÌ„ and good women in their times charitable and merciful iust and true in their dealings their honest word was better then many a mans bond nowe they brought vp their children in honest labour not in idlenesse and vanitie they were giuen to hospitalitie they hated pride loued plainnes they loued the Church went duly vnto it in a worde as one saith of them though they had minùs scientiae lesse knowledge yet they had plus conscientiae more conscience wherfore that god that thus wrought in them by his guiding grace I may well and cheerefully hope was further also good vnto them and had mercy vpon them pulling them out of the fire as S. Iude saith yea I haue heard of some that in those darke times deliuered to their children some little treatises of Wickleff and badde them keepe them secret and yet reade
it publikly in all partes or the most of Christendome since the happy time of our blessed Sauiour and therefore that our Church hath alvvaies bin a visible state though not so stately as they boast of theirs to their ovvne shame if Saint Augustin may be iudge vvho calleth Rome in regard of this pompe and pride the Western Babylon the second Babylon another Babylon de cinit d 16. c. 17. l. 1 22.27 the daughter of the former Babylon the earthly citie Yet for their further satisfaction I further aske of them doe not they thēselues say they beleeue all these former points doe they not stand vpon it that they haue euer so professed Is there any thing in there religion of more moment and vveight or any other part of doctrine besides these absolutely necessarie to saluation vvhy then doe they aske vs vvhere and by vvhome this religion of ours vvas professed before Luthers time May vve not vvell and charitably affirme that it vvas professed in Fraunce Spaine and Italy yea in Rome euer since first Rome embraced the gospell preached by the Apostles Doubtlesse I am persvvaded that many thousands euen nowe in these countries where the popes keyes preuaile doe truely hold the 12. articles of the Apostles creede and Athanasius his creede which he calleth the Catholike faith with all the other points of doctrine set down before which if they doe holding the foūdation though they build vpon it woode hay 〈◊〉 3. or stubble that is some erroneous doctrine yet they are the true Church of God and shall be saued A pearle is a pearle though in an heape of dust wine is wine though mingled with water and wheate is wheate though couered with much chaffe and is not the mysterie of godlinesse whereof Paul speaketh god manifested in the flesh 〈◊〉 3. iustified in the spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentils beleeued on in the world receiued vp in glorie still the mysterie of godlinesse and that trueth and sure foundation whereō the house of god is builded though matter vnsutable vnto it be laide vpon it yes verely And therefore seing the Church of Rome hath euer held the misterie of godlinesse though mingled with many dregs of mens inuentions I doubt not but God hath euer had a people amongst them and a true Church more then 7000. which haue not bowed the knee vnto Baal what we are to thinke of their leaders and teachers which indeed haue corrupted this doctrine with their owne leauen and endeauoured by all meanes to shut vp and obscure this mysterie is another question especially for those that haue done it wilfully and malitiously and died in that malice But of the rest thus we iudge and thus we answere that so many as truely holde and professe all the former articles of doctrine as I assure my selfe many doe are fellowe members with vs in the same mysticalll bodie whereof Christ is the head And therefore our church hath euer beene in theirs though not euer so manifest to the eye of the worlde as it was for the space of the first fiue hundred yeares Me thinkes this answere should well content them and fully satisfie them being so charitable towards them But to giue them an answere of their owne and by themselues to let them see that the true Church is not alwaies so visible as they pretende They knowe that nowe in England they haue not authoritie to countenance their religion and Church and yet they say that they haue a Church amongest vs and where they dare well say it they are bold to say it is a great one yea the greter part though I trust they shall neuer prooue it in that number Why then in persecution and when the Lord punisheth the vnthankefulnesse of men with taking awaie our publike and autorised assemblies may not we as well haue a church holding the true faith of Christ according to his word as they now a flocke cleauing to the Bishop of Rome M. Rome hath alwaies beene called the Mother Church and they doe ioyne with that Rome is not he mother Church S. Howe can Rome be the mother church when shee is later then those first churches of Hierusalem and Antioche Can a mother be yonger then her daughters or her daughters elder then their mother The very scriptures teach vs that all churches and euen Rome it selfe haue risen out of the Churche of Hierusalem Fou out of Sion shall his lavve come and the word from Hierusalem M. You answer me well that Rome cannot be the mother Church of al because other churches haue beene before her Neuertheles of this Church of England shee is rightly the mother because this land receiued the faith frō her first by Eleutherius the Pope and martir who sent Daminianus and Fugatius to teach it to the Britanes at the request of their king who was then Lucius and after by Gregory the great who sent Augustine and Melitus with other holy priests to teach our auncestours the english who then were planted here and had remooued the Brittaines into an other corner S. Deare mother all this you are taught and told by them who abuse gods people bought with his pretious blood But it hath beene answered truely that this can not be so For first Eleuth confesseth in his answer to king Lucius his message that he had the scriptures wherin were the lawes of God farre more to be regarded then the Romane lawes he praiseth his zeale and telleth him that out of the scriptures with the aduise of his counsell he might draw conuenient lawes for his kingdome he beeing in his owne land Christs vicar c. Howe then was Eleutherius his first Apostle Againe doth not Nicephorus plainely saie in his story Simō Zelotes doctrinam Evangelij ad occidentalium Oceanum in sulasque Brittanicas perfert Lib. 2. c. 40 Simon Zelotes carried the doctrine of the gospell vnto the west Ocean sea and vnto the Islandes of Britraine This was before Eleutherius Doe not others write that Ioseph of Arimathea did it hat S. Paul in his passage this way into Spain did it and alleadge authors for it Might not the Greekes doe it or some others since euidently it appeareth by Eleutherius his own cōfession he was not the first Then for Augustine and the rest doe not these plaine testimonies of the fathers vsually alleadged to this end satisfie any man liuing not way warde that this land had the faith before him and them Tertullian liued about the yeare of our Lord 210. And his words are these Brittannorum in accessa Romanis loc a subduntur Christo 〈◊〉 Iudaeos The countries of Britane which the Romanes coulde never attaine vnto are now subiect to Christ Origen about the yeare 212 writeth Ezech. hom Terra Brittanniae in religionem Christi consensit The land of Britane hath yeelded to Christ his religion ◠Apolog. 2. Athanasius about the yeare three hundred thirtie foure hath the like