and prophettes For be it emong their famyliers or straungers in priuatt or in publyke yn their Sermons or bookes at feastes or yn the streates they neuer vtter anny thing of their owne but they seeke to ouer shadow it with some wordes of the scripture Reade the workes of Paulus Samosatenus Priscillianus Eunomius Iouinianus and the rest of the pestilent heretikes and thou shallt fynde there an infynitt heape of examples and almost no one half leafe omitted which is not paynted and coloured with sentences of the newe and ould Testament But looke now myche the more couertly they lurke vnder the shadowe of Gods word so myche the more must thow feare and be ware of them For they knowe their vnsauery fylthe would hardly at the first please any man therefore do they sprinckle it ouer as with a certayn sweet spyce of Gods word to the end that he which easely would fynd and reiect the errours of men may yett forbeare to contemne that which semeth to be drawen out of the word of God Therefore as they which geue vnto children some bytter drynckes do first annoynt the brimmes of the cuppes with hunny wherby their vnskilfull childishenes hauing fore tasted the sweett feareth not the bitter And as they which vtter vnholsome drogges of seedes and liquors vnder colour and names of medicynes whereby he that fyndeth written theron the name of a medicyne suspectyth not the poyson euen so do heretikes And heerof did also our Sauiour hym self forewarne vs Crieng out vnto the people Beeye ware of faulse prophetts which come vnto you in sheepes clothing and are with in raueniÌ„g wolues VVhat other thing is this sheps clothiÌ„g but the wordes vtteryd by the Prophets and the Apostles which they with playne and symple sinceryte did worke as it were fleses to that vnspotted laÌ„be which taketh away the sinnes of the world And what other be those rauening wolues but the fell and greedy wittes of heretikes which do allwayes trouble and assaylle the foulde of his churche and teare in pieces his flocke by all meanes they can But the more craftely to steale vpon the selly shepe keeping styll their woluish feersenes they lay asyde their woluishe shape and wrap them selues yn the sentences of Gods word as it were in certayne fleeses that when one feelyth the softnes of their woll he should not feare the sharpnes of their teethe But what sayeth our sauiour By their fruicts youe shal knowe them That is to saye when they begyn not only to vtter the diuin wordes but also to laye them abroade not only to vawnt therof but allso to interprett and expownd the same then lo is perceiued that Bitter that sower that Rage then doth the ayre of the nue poyson breathe foorthe then are opened prophane noueltyes Then maiest thow behowld the hedge cutt down the awncyent bowndes of the fathers caryed awaye the Catholyke faith troden downe and the doctrine of the Churche torne in pieces Suche are they whom the Apostle Pawll streeketh at in his second Epistle to the Corinthians saying Suche false Apostles leeke subtyll workmen transformed them selues into the leeknes of the Apostles of Christ what meanyth that How did they transforme them selues in to the Apostles of Christ The Apostles browght foorth examples owt of the lawe of God So did they allso The Apostles vouched the saienges of the Prophettes So did they to But when they beganne to expound leeke textes with vnleeke and farre contrary interpretations then were the playn dealers discernyd from the crafty the naturall from the paynted the right from the peruers and finally the true Apostles from the false and no maruaill sayth he for Sathan transformyth him self into an Aungell of light then is it no greate matter for his ministers to transforme them selues into the leeknes of the ministres of iustice Therfor according to the teaching of the Apostle Pawll when so euer false prophettes or false doctors vouche the sentences of the lawe of God by the wrong interpretation wherof they labour to buyld vp their errors it is not to be doubted but they followe the subtill deuises of their auctor the diuell which doubtles he would neuer haue inuentyd had he not found that same of all other to be the easyest waye to deceyue That where he would induce couertly a wycked and pernicious errour there to holde forth the auctoritie of Gods worde But some man perchaunce will aske me howe proue youe that the diuell vseth to vouche the scriptures Lett him I saye reade the Ghospell wherin it is written Then the diuell toke him vp that is to saye our lord and Sauiour and sett him vpon apynnacle of the temple and sayde vnto him If thou be the sonne of God Throwe thy self downe For it is written he hath geuen his aungells charge of thee that they keepe thee in all thy wayes They shal take thee in their handes lest thow happ to dashe thy foote against some stone VVhat will this fellowe do to vs wretchyd men who did with testimonies of scriptures geue the onsett euen to the very lord of Maiestye him self If thow be sayth he the sonne of God Throwe thy self downe why For it is written saith he The doctrine of this place is especially to be marked and remembred that when we see any man with suche an example of euangelicall auctorite bringe foorth the wordes of the Apostles and Prophettes against the Catholyke fayth wee nede not to doubt but it is the diuell that speakyth by him For eueÌ„ as then the head spake vnto the head euen soo do now the lymmes speake vnto the lymmes that is to saye the lymmes of the diuell to the lymmes and meÌ„bres of Christ the Traytorous to the faithful Churche robbers to the Religious and finally heretikes to Catholikes But what sayth he If thow be the sonne of God throwe thy self downe That is wilt thou be the sonne of God and receiue the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdom then throwe thy self downe that is from this high churche which is reputed the churche of God and from the doctryne and tradition therof throwe thy self downe And if you aske one of these heretikes that perswadeth suche things to himself how ê“ue you or how will you teache vs that we ought to forsake and lett goe the vniuersall and auÌ„cieÌ„t faith of the Catholike Churche By and by for it is written sayth he And therwith all he presently getteth him a ThowzaÌ„d witnesses examples and auctorities owt of the lawe the Psalmes the Apostles and Prophettes wherwith beyng expouÌ„ded after a newe and lewd sorte the vnhappy soule is throwen downe headlong from the high Tower of the catholike Churche into the bottomles pitt of heresies Then with syche promises as followe do heretikes vse woÌ„derfully to abuse suche as be not heedfull and ware For they will not stick to promesse and teache that in their churche that is in the conuenticles of their coÌ„munioÌ„ the
great and especiall grace of God is personally present yea so as without any labor studye or industrie although they neuer aske seeke or knocke yf they be of their number and sect it is so from God him self dispēsed vnto them that they being holden vp with the handes of Aungells that is kept with angelicall protection can neuer hurt their foote against any stone can neuer offend or fall into any errour Thus farre Vincentius And coulde he possibly with more notable markes haue painted foorth the heretikes of our age thē in this place wee see he hath done For what doth Sathā more earnestly attempt by thē then to persuade mē to throwe thēselues downe to let thēselues fawll from the doctrine and tradition of this high Churche which Christ callyth the Citee builded on a hyll VVhich thing so soone as he hath once perswaded thē hath he atteynid the vndoubted victorye For vntill a man throwe him self from that high Cite yn vayn are all the attemptes of Sathan But so soone as he letteth him self fawll downe from thence so soone as he is departyd from the fowld and seuerith him self from the rest of the flocke then is he immediatly becoome a praye to the wolf To this one end therfore doth the diuell bend all his force that he may leade men to throwe them selues downe from the high and infallible doctrine of the church To sett nowght by the traditions therof to followe and esteme rather the priuatt spiritt of them selues or of any one man then the interpretatiō and consent of the Catholike and vniuersall Churche wher vnto is promysed the spiritt of truth Neither is he without scripture wherby he indeuoureth to persuade the same For it is written sayth he walke not in the precepts of your fathers In vayne doo they worship me teaching the doctrines and cōmaundements of men That yf in any one thing he may persuade a mā to throwe him self downe to departe from the precepts and ordonaūces of his forefathers and from the doctrine and traditiōs of the Churche then hath he wonne him within his reache then doth he easely fynd the meanes that he shal daily throwe him self downe deeper Neither is there any doctrine thē so farre wyde from all pietye or godlynes wherin he doth not easely stayne and infect his mynd In this one thing therfore doth he spend his whole studye and trauaill to accustome men to throwe them selues downe and not to make any accompt of the sence and generall cōsent of the whole churche but especyally to resist and withstand the ordonaunces therof VVhich thing as of all other heretikes so Martiu Luther their capitaine and standard bearer in this our age wee see dilligētly and very handsomly practysed For what other thing soundeth he in all his wrytings but that men should throwe them selues downe That they should cutt them selues from the churche resist the decrees therof and what so euer shee commaundeth in despight to doo the contrary As for example The Churche cōmaundeth thee to fast in the lent and toward the feast of Easter to confesse thy sinnes and to come to the receauing of the sacramēt But what sayth Luther to this Thus he sayeth Because it is so appoynted by the churche for the self same cause will I not doo it and yf it had not commaunded me I would haue doon it but I will now doo it at some other tyme which the Churche hath not appoynted at what tyme and in what sorte so euer myne owne free will shall moue me Likewyse The eleuation of the Saeramēt he thinketh a thing indifferent But bicause the Churche hath thowght good it should be lift vp therfore in despite of the Churche he teacheth it must be forborne Ageyn to receyue the sacramēt in one or bothe kyndes in many places he writeth to be indifferent for that nothing is commaunded therof by any precept of God as of necessitee yet in his booke which he intituled of the foorme of the masse he sayeth Yf by chawnce the councell should so decree then would wee not receyue yt in bothe kyndes but in despight of the coūcell vse only the one kynd or neither of bothe and not bothe and holde them for accursed that by the auctoritee of the councell should vse bothe But what doth a Councell represent but the Churche Sathan therfore by this his not obscure member commaundeth to do all thinges contrary to the decrees therof yea and that yn despight of the same and by that his worthy lymme yet cryeth Throwe thy self downe And doth not he throwe him self downe who followeth not that which is vniuersall catholyke receiued and allowed by generall consent of the whole world which professeth the name of Christ but more willingly reposeth him self in that which some one fantastycall man hath better leekyd VVho albeit he be perhapps reputed circumspect and discrete yett when he speakyth of hī self vttereth nowght ells as the Truthe it self bearyth witnes but a very lye For maye a man more throwe him self downe then to slippe from that sence and vnderstānding which is vniuersall and common to all vnto that which is but priuatt that is from trowth to fashed which man vtterith whē so euer he speaketh of himself The very same song therfore which the diuell himself songe vnto Christ in the desert the same doth he euen now sing by his members to Christians Neither doth he vrge any thing more then that they should throwe themselues downe and lett goe the vniuersall and auncient faith of the catholyke Churche He promyseth by his membres and yet still teacheth that in the congregations of his communion there is a certain great peculiar and personall grace of God He persuadeth the vnlerned yf a man imbrace the priuatt and especyall faith of his members that he though he be not only vtterly voyde of good workes but allso drowned in all kynd of wickednes must yett be well assured he is in state of grace and that the Aungells shall one daye take him vp in their handes and leade him straight to heauen That beyng preserued by their protection he shall not once hurt his foote against any stone but standeth highly in Gods fauour yf he continewe to the end This he will haue his mēbers to make so full and assured accompt of that they must thinke there can be no greater synne or wickednes committed then once to doubt neuer so litle therof which persuasion is cōmon to all heretikes For the Lutherans doo no lesse carnestly exact this of their followers then do the Zwinglians and Anabaptistes of theirs when in the meane tyme fyer and water do not more disagree then the doctrines of these men do one from an other so as it cānot be by any reason but some of them are leekly rather by the handes of diuells to be throwen into the bottomles pyt of hell ▪ then that the
which transferre diuine honour vnto them selues and will haue what so euer they saye or inuent to be houlden and reputed for the very word of God This so horrible an idolatry your highnes must driue and beate backe farre from al the borders of your kingdome and dominions Neither must you permit any man to set him self vp as a God or to commaund any person to bowe downe and inclyne before his word as before the word of God VVhat is in deed the expresse and cleer word of God you haue now lerned of me and yet though nothing be more cleer and expresse yet is it vtterly extinguisshed when euery man shall take on him power and skil to dispute and reason of Gods word I trust I haue done that was my part to doo For though not learnedly inough yet haue I plainlie and opēly shewed how great daunger it bringeth to the churche when euery man be he neuer so vnlearned is suffred to take vpon him the iudgemēt of the expresse word of God I haue also oppened what is that woord of God which is so cleere perspicuous and expresse that euen without scriptures it may be lernyd by the symplest and that it is not needfull for them that beleeue in Chryst to dispute therof but that it behooueth thē firmly to retayne the same in theyr hartes and not to suffer it to depart from thence Now your part Right mighty kyng seemyth to be this that you forbidd to all your subiectes this reasoning and contencious arguing of the word of God And yf any be curious to knowe what is the expresse word of God that you cōmaund thē according to the words of the scripture to learne the lawe at the mouth of the priest And that you take especiall heed and regard that you suffer not your eares to be beatē vpō with these sayings of heretiks If thou be the sonne of god throwe thy self downe for it is written It is the expresse word of God c. These be the wordes of Sathā speaking by his lymmes and mēbers whom you ought to hate more then any venemous beast That which the churche teacheth is the expresse word of God and that which is taught against the sence and consent of the churche is the expresse word of the diuel Therfore you must stoppe your eares against the doctrines of syche men as Vlisses did against the singyng of the meremaydes and whē so euer your hap shal be to heare any syche to geue some manifest shewe and tokē how myche your highnes misleeketh it So did your noble progenitors our kynges your blessed father grandfather and great grandfather all not only notable by the worthy prayse of their other vertues but allso for their singular pyete and constancy in houlding and mainteynīg the catholyck and ryght faith Yea they so abhorred the socyetee and cōpany of heretikes that some of them as we reade in our Chronicles did willingly refuse kyngdomes being offred them of heretikes because they had a consciēce to make or meddle with them These their vertuous steppes yf you wil followe which we trust and hope your highnes wil the state of thinges in your kyngdom are not yet so desperat or past recouery but that God fauorīg the trāquillite of the Churche may be agayne restored VVhich happy daye that it may once shyne vpon vs we most humbly and earnestly beseeche almighty God FINIS A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS BY THE ORDER of the Alphabet The number noteth the leafe a. and b. the first and seconde syde A THE presumptuous wordes of an Anabaptiste Fol. 38 a The Apologie of England slaundereth Hosius Fol. 47. a The diuel assaulteth the Apostles as he did Christ Fol. 20. a Onely one letter in question betwene the Catholikes and the Arrians Fol. 77. b The Augustane Confession 70. b. 72. a B The folie of the Bohemians 56. a Bucer against Luther 96. b The gentle agreement betwene Bucer and Luther 78. b C Caluin and Alasco against VVestphalus 96. a Caluins complaynt of Luther 96. b The breache of the Canons is one kinde of blasphemy against the holy Ghoste 91. b The preaching of Catholikes and of the olde true Prophetes agreeth 6. and 7. The duty of Catholikes when heresy springeth vp 30. a VVhat is the whole controuersy betwene Catholikes and Protestants 48. b. 49. a The difference betwene Catholikes and Protestants 50. a The force of Charite 100. b Charite is the scope and ende of all Scripture 102. a Charite is the liuely and sauing worde of God 62. a VVho is a demy Christian 76. b He is no Christian that is diuided from the Churche 77. b A truthe receyued in the Churche is not to be abolisshed for satisfying the multitude 66. a Truthe is only in the catholike churche 40. b The voyce of the churche is the voyce of God 42. a The true churche of God 109. b The voyce of the churche 48. a Contempt of the churche the originall of these present heresies 81. a Communion vnder bothe kindes grounded vpon no scripture at all 49 50. 51. Suche communion not necessary for the Layete 54. a The Sentence of generall councell the Sentēce of God 29. b VVhat religion moueth Protestāts to not forbeare the cuppe 59. b D Dissension amonge the protestants raysed vp the Swenckfeldian secte 38. b Thre causes why heretikes ought not to be disputed with by scriptures 24. b VVhat is the worde of the diuel 42. a Howe the diuell speaketh by his ministers at this daye 15. See more in the worde Sathan Strange Gods are newe doctrines 93. 94. a The true sence of Christe his wordes Drynke ye all of this 53. b E The waie to auoyde errours is not by permissiō of any 64. b F Constācy of the Catholike Fathers against the Arriās 78. a Flaccus Illyricus condemneth his master Melancthon 98. b G Howe heresy hath creped on and multiplied in Germany 70. a The disordered alteration in Germany 71. b The state of protestāts in the free Cytes of Germany 79. b VVhat the Gospell is by Caluins definition 90. a Sathā shrowdeth hīself vnder the name of the gospel 21. a The schismatical Grekes better then protestants 51. a H Heresy is in the vnderstanding not in the scripture 48. b VVhere in heresy consisteth 33. a. and 39. a The deceitefull pretence of heretikes in al ages 21. a The ende of disputing with heretikes 24. a The extreme arrogancy of heretikes 44. a VVherunto their deuises doe tende 85. a Heretikes thr all the scriptures to their owne mindes 87. a Heretikes are idolls to be fled from 92. a. and 95. a VVhy Catholikes maye not consent to heretikes 87. b Heretikes voyde of Charyte 62. a Heresies haue bene quēched by cōtrary decrees not by tolerations 64. b. 65. a ▪ b Coūcels and parliamēts in likeregarde with heretiks 73. b Heretikes wil bring God in to Order 75. b. Heretikes differ from Catholikes no we as the
OF THE EXPRESSE VVORDE OF GOD. A SHORTE BVT A MOST EXCELLENT TREATYSE AND very necessary for this tyme. VVritten in Latin by the right Reuerend Lerned and vertuous Father Stanislaus Hosius Bisshop of VVarmia Cardinal of the Holy Apostolyke See of Rome and one of the Presidents in the late General Councel holden at Trent Newly translated in to English Beholde I come to these Prophetes sayth our Lorde vvhich take their ovvne sayinges and saye The Lorde sayeth it Ierem 23. Hilarius lib. 2. de Trinitate Of vnderstanding not of Scripture ryseth haeresy And the meaning not the vvorde is blamed Imprinted in Louayne by Iohn Bogard at the signe of the golden Bible with Priuilege An. 1567. PRIVILEGIVM REgiae Maiestatis Gratia Speciali permissum et concessum est Ioanni Bogardo Typographo iurato Academiae Louaniensis tuto ac liberè imprimere libellum Anglico sermone scriptum inscriptum A Treatyse of the expresse worde of God ac publicè distrahere nullo prohibente Datum Bruxellis 4. Nouemb. Anno. 1566. Subsign De la Torre THE TRANSLATOVR TO THE READER SEing the Iniquyte of the present tyme to be suche that the mouthes of al Catholyks being stopped the aduersaryes only of Christ and his Crosse are suffred to crie and crowe with open mouthe against our common mother the Catholyke Churche seing the faithe of our Fathers assalted with heresy Truthe ouercraked with falshood Religion turned in to opinions Vnite in to sectes I coulde not but thinke it high tyme for euery honest and faythful Chrystian in suche sorte as he were able to steppe to the susteining and repayring the Rāpars of the Churche being daily bothe by secret vndermyninges and suche open shott so fiercely assaulted and shaken by Sathā and his Ministres And being vpon these and other iuste respectes entred in to that mynde and determynacion fynding yet my selfe in myne owne conceyte vnable to yelde of myne owne any thinge worthe the reading I thought not amisse for a beginning to Imparte by the cōmodyte of our vulgar toūge to my vnlerned countremē in which sorte I thinke the greatest number of the deceyued to consiste some worthy worke of some other mannes Amonge the whiche fynding in myne opinion none more leekly to induce reasonable men to see their owne faulte and by what meanes they haue bene and daily be deceyued I haue selected out of the notable workes of the light of this our age that most vertuous and lerned Father Hosius nowe Cardinall and one of the Presidētes in the late general Coūcell holden at Trident that discourse and treatyse which he made and intytuled Of the expresse worde of God a worke allready translated in to diuerse vulgar tounges sette forthe in sondry editions distracted and solde by greate numbers for the singular and euident cōmodyte thereof And this pece the rather amōge the rest I haue selected for that I haue by experyence noted that there is no one deceyte vsed by Sathan that dothe so muche enlarge his kingedome or so muche withdrawe the membres of Christ from his Mysticall body the Churche as dothe that glorious shewe which by his Ministres he maketh of his owne worde vnder the plausible name of the VVorde of God For well ye wote nothinge is in the mowthes of these newe and sedytious Ministers and promoters of the v. Ghospel more ryse and cōmon then the scripture the Gospel and the worde of the Lorde The worde of the Lorde the worde of the Lord is euer in their mouthe Of this they iāgle This they ringe allwaies in our eares But the Catholike church of whō we shoulde lerne what in dede the word of God is of whose mouthe only we must harken for this worde and by whom only we knowe which is the true written worde of God and what the true sence of that worde is this Catholyke Churche they speake not of VVe professe in our Crede that we beleue in the Catholyke Churche If we did in the Crede so expressely professe we beleue in the worde of God howe vehemently should that Article haue bene beaten into our heades VVhat vauntes what exclamations what repetityōs woulde here haue suffised Nowe the Church not the worde being expressed the Master and teacher not the lesson it selfe beīg professed they crake of the lessō and forget their teacher they bable the word And no word of the Church The parte of lerned and playne dealing mē had bene first to define and make playne vnto the worlde what that is which they call the clere and expresse worde of God and which they make as it were their shooteanker their touchestone and their cōmō refuge whēsoeuer they be by the Catholiks pressed with soūde and vnuincible Authorite of the Churches doctrine In dede Epicure out of whose schole this voluptuous ghospell may seeme to haue issued did not leeke to haue thinges plainely defined But Cicero sayeth that without definition it can not be that they which contend aboute any thinge can agree what is the thinge in question These men therefore seeking to kepe in store blinde and vnknowen Angles to flee vnto when they be chased wil not orderly define what is that their Gods worde of which they triumphe so much nor allowe any expositiō thereof but their owne or any iudge but the vnlerned multytude Sins therefore that is the swete bayte wherewith the mortal hooke is coouered and the softe flese wherin the wolfe is wrapped who gladly will not discouer him selfe this graue vertuous and lerned Father Hosius the Auctor of this treatyse moued with Christian pietye will herein manifestly open and displaye vnto thee what is hiddē vnder the glorious shewe of Gods worde howe farre the bare and darke letter of the scriptures where in they only comprehend their Gods worde at the lest yf they lymit it within any compasse is from being so clere and playne as they suppose it And farther that the same being by them peruerted and deliuered to thee with a wrōge sence and a wrye hereticall expositiō differing from the Churche which is the sure groūde and piller of al truthe the faitheful interpreter of Gods worde aud the storehowse of al right knowkeadge is in dede so farre frō being the expresse worde of God as that thou shallt plainely perceyue it to be the expresse worde of the diuell Finally thou shalt besides many other notable things by the waye whereof in the Table to this Booke annexed thou shalt see greate Copie lerne also herein the true definition of Gods worde and which is the very true expresse and as they call it the liuely worde of the Lorde that is the quickening and life-giuing worde of God VVhich in dede is open and clere Yea so clere shorte and easy as it maye of all persons of all sortes ages and capacytees be lerned euen without euer reading the Scriptures And that is this worde Loue or Charyte The only scope of al scriptures The ende of all the Cōmaundemētes The
securite and well commawndeth them to hope in our lord and to doo good But assurednes of forgiuenes of their synnes and certayn knowledge therof to bragge of and yn that suertye rechlesse to rest shee forbyddeth For albeit of the mercy of God of his promyses of the merytt of Christ his death of the vertue and efficacye of the sacramentes no good man ought to doubte yet when anny man respectyth hymself and his owne infirmitee hee may well feare and stand yn doubt of Gods grace in his owne parte This is the preaching of the Catholyke Churche well and rightly agreyng with the doctryne of Esay Hieremie Ezechiell Daniel Ioël Ionas yea and of S. Peter the Apostle But doo these men which not muche more then xxx yeres passed departed from vs agree therwith Naye rather they seeme to stand cleane square from this doctrine For what other thing saye these teachers but that which Ananias Semeias and the rest of the faulse prophetes sayde to whom our lord had not spoken you shall not see the swoord say they there shal be no famyn emong you but sure peace wyll the lord geeue you Peace Peace they crye when peace is not and denouncyng a sownde slepe securyte deceyue the sowles of many For they teache what so euer our woorkes be so our fayth be fyrme and stedfast wee are sure of our saluation for that God regardeth not woorkes VVhere yet the playn woordes of the scripture be manyfest to the contrary Namely where it speakyth of the Niniuites their appeasing of God God sawe their workes and because they were turned frō their euill waye he had mercy of them God saw their woorkes sayth the Prophet These fellows on the other syde saye God regardeth no workes Behould lord sayth the prophet Dauyd my humillite and trauayll and pardon all my synnes And in an other psalme Regard my humillitee and deliuer me because I haue not forgotten thy lawe Behould lord because I haue looued thy commandementes Quicken me yn thy mercye VVhich wordes S. Hilary expounding The prophett sayth he reseruyng all to the iudgement of God desireth to be deliuered for the meryt of his humillitee whom S. Ambrose following sayth As he which hath hūbled his hart As he which hath laboured muche there he desireth his sinnes may be forgeuē and here he prayeth to be deliuered And after a fewe wordes he thus sayth farther A good wrestlar sheweth his lymmes that the well orderyng of him self for that feate may be allowed he allso then shewyth his lymmes when after hard tugging and paynfull grypes hee is ageyn prouoked to the wrestlyng place to the end the Iudge seing his weary and trauayled body compell him not eft soones to wrestle She we thow therfore the humillitee of thy hart that the tokens of thy vertue may appeare Shew also the paynfull stryfes thy body hath Indured that thow mayest saye I haue wrestled a good pulle I haue endyd my race and the spirituall Iudge beholding thy striuing for the game may adiudge vnto thee the Crowne of iustice because thow hast accomplisshed the lawe of the game The prophett prayeth godd that hee would regard his humilyte his trauayll and that he was not forgetfull of his lawe that hee looued his Commandementes which Saint Ambrose commaunded also wee should shewe vnto Godd But the false prophetes and false Ghospellers of our age denye that God regardith our workes They denye that he hath any care of them and teache that how so euer our workes be yett must euery man stand assured here of that freely for Christes sake his sinnes be forgeeuen him That hee is in the fauour of God and heyre of the lyfe euer lasting for so muche as all our Iustice and all our holynes is but mere synne and a thing Condempned As for Contrition that it is a thing so farre from profytyng that it makyth a man the greater synner That yff remorse of synne doo gnawe any mans conscyence hym doo they commawnd thus to awnswer VVhat is synne but Sinne I am notwithstandyng holly or yf I be not yett Christ is God As though it were lausull for euery man to be wicked because Christ is God By his Iustice teache they wee are Iust by his goodnes wee are good yea thowgh wee haue not in vs so muche as one sparke of his goodnes Yea althowgh wee be ouer whelmed yn all kindes of Iniquitee Looke how muche the more wicked thow art sayth one of these newe Ghospellers so muche the sooner dooth God geeue his grace vnto thee Yea hee Commawndeth his followers thus to saye My sinnes doo burdē Christ not my cōscience But what maye not wee say with Hieremie the prophett VVoonders are happened vpon the earthe to the astonning of men Prophetes prophesied lyes Priestes clapped their handes and my people leeked suche thinges In dede the people hath leeked suche thinges For so may wee see men rauisshed with the smothe woordes of these lyeng prophetes euen as it were with the sweet songes of meremaydes that yf a man will go aboute to preache vnto them rather true and holsom thinges then those which are swete and pleasaunt to the eares he shall be hissed out of the place And rude vnlearnyd asses will not styck sometyme to prescribe vnto the prophettes what they shall preache and to teache them of whom they shoold be taught See not say they looke not owt for vs those thinges which ar ryght Speake vnto vs pleasing thinges Looke owt errours for vs. Preache vnto vs only fayth Threaten not hell fyer but promyse vs the kingdom of heauen that after our ryott and delycaces after our incestuous wedlockes wee may yett looke to fynd paradyse open vnto vs. what shewe youe vnto vs the way of the lord which wee are not willing to enter yn to what doo youe recyte to vs the name of the holly one of Israël which dooth not enter ynto the secrettes of our hartes Thow seest most vertuows kyng of what sort is the preaching of those which in this our age call them selues Gospellers wher yn deed they haue no agreement with the Gospell and what ys agayne the doctryne of the catholykes Those men commawnd nawght ells but that eche man stedfastly beleeue and rest well assured that he standeth yn the state of grace and ys an vndoubted heyre of the kyngdom of heauen how so euer his workes be And with this their vayne surety they leade men hedlong to the euerlasting paynes of hell Our men on the other syde albeit they cōmaund vs to hope for mercy at our lorde his handes yett doo they forbydde men rechelesse to lyue yn securite and farther warne them that they thinke it not Inough to amend except they yeeld allso woorthy fruictes of penaunce and shewe foorth by their workes the fayth which they professe That when wee shall appere at the last Iudgement it shall not be asked of vs
proffitteth nothing As S. Pawll him self also teacheth VVho defyneth not euery faith wherby wee beleeue yn God but that only to be the helthsome and true euāgelical fayth which workyth by loue VVherby how litle or nothing that fayth auayleth which some thinke sufficient to saluation he so farre foorth shewyth that hee sayth If I haue neuer so myche fayth so as I be able to remoue mountaynes owt of their places and yet haue not charitee I am nothing But wher this faith full charitee worketh ther no doubt is good life For the fulnes of the lawe is Charitee Thus farre S. Augustyn Behould I pray yow how owld this heresie is which sayth Only faith is sufficient to saluation For it sprang euen whill Pawll yet leeuyd and was sought to be prouyd and mayntened euē by the expresse word of God vtteryd by that his elect vessell Pawll the Apostle when yett this was neuer the mynde of S. Pawll but as Saint Peter writeth some vnlernyd and vnconstant heades peruertyd the meanyng of his wordes And what for Gods loue dooth Sathan ells now allso more earnestly seeke by his members to beate into the eares and myndes of men but that they should hold for suertye that only fayth suffiseth both to iustification and to saluacion If Peter then at that tyme complaynyd of the peruertyng of Pawl his wordes How myche more would he now complayne when this most pestilent doctrine is with syche vehemencye sett foorth when it is obtruded to the eares and eyes of men with these most pernicious wordes That the Gospell may not suffer to heare any preaching of good workes That the sheepe of Christ quakyth when he hearyth them namyd of the preacher That faythe may not abyde any good workes to stand nere her That they which are coueryd as it were with good workes can hardly enter into heauen for that workes following after iustification are vncleane Yea and the best good worke is very synne That they are pestylent teachers and that it is a Roote budding nowght but Gawll owt of the newe Testament to vexe consciences with workes and that there can not be together in the Churche a teacher of fayth and of workes This so vnpure and wicked doctrine yf Peter should heare cloked with the name of the Gospel yf Pawl should heare these wicked men vawnt them selues that they had drawen this doctryne owt of his Epistles wherin it appearyth he did so carefully recommend vnto vs good workes and stirre vp all faithfull mē to vse and embrace them what thinke wee would they bothe saye and doo therunto But herofinowgh For in this place wee mynded no more but to shewe that euen in the Apostles tyme allso ther wanted not some which shrowded their lewde deceytes vnder the name of the Ghospell and which of the very wordes of S. Pawll by peruerting the sense therof fearyd not to professe and sett forward a contrary doctrine So that if first against Christ the very auctor of the scriptures Sathan feared not to bring the scriptures and agaīst Pawl him self to bring by his members Pawll his owne wordes wrestyd into a reprobat sense who can myche merueil if in thies latter dayes he hathwith more impudence attemptyd the same Tertullian is a very owld writer not lōg after the Apostles tyme. He wrote a notable booke of prescriptions against heretikes wherin he shewyth that this was a great word in their mouthe Seeke and yee shall fynd Searche the Scriptures And therin he exhorteth the faythfull that they would yet make some end of their seeking and therwith all preferryth fayth before trauail in the scriptures In the end he vseth these wordes Of the scriptures doo heretikes taulk very myche To the scriptures they counsell vs as though they could not otherwise geue aduyse touching matters of fayth but owt of the lettres and wordes of faith Now therfore come wee to the purpose For to this end did we direct and bend the entree of our taulke that euen here wee may Ioyne vpon that poynt wher vnto our aduersaryes so earnestly call vs. Scripture they pretend and with this their bowld countenaunce they moue some very muche But in the very conflict they wery the strong they take the weake and the indifferent they send awaye with scruple of mynd Then by and by he addeth what is to be done to them whē they shrowd them selues vnder the scriptures Thus sayth he do wee at the first encownter stoppe them that in dede they are not to be admitted to any disputatiō at all of the scriptures That if their force lie in scripture we must knowe howe they come by it Therefore must wee see to whom of right apperteyneth the possession of the scriptures to the end he be not allowed therunto to whom in no sorte it belongeth And lest any should thinke he wrote thus as hauing mistrust in his cause he foorthwith goeth forward in this sort This would I not haue browght foorth for geuing suspicion of diffidence or of desier to haue any other the state of the cause if the case stood not so as heerin we owght obedience to the Apostle ▪ who forbiddeth to enter into questions or to lend our eares to newe and straunge voyces For an heretike sayeth the Apostle must be taulked with after one Reprehension not after disputation For in this did the Apostle forbid disputation in that he apoynted an heretike to be rebuked and in that respect only to be taulked with and that but once because he is not to be esteemed as a Christiā Nor should be rebuked after the manner of a Christian once or twyse or by testimony of ij or iij. witnesses but is a man therfore and in that respect to be rebuked for that he is suche a person as owght not to be disputed with And because allso conference of scriptures with suche a one profitteth nothing but only stirreth choler and troubleth the brayne Agayne this heresie admitteth not some scriptures and if it allowe some yet doth it peruert the same by some addition or detraction to the defending of that it would proue or yf it receyue some scriptures yet will it not receyue them full and whol And if it doo yet will it turne them by inuēting some newe and contrary exposition No lesse ouerthwarteth the Truthe a bastarde Glose then a corrupted text Variable preiudices must nedes refuse to acknowledge those things wherby they are ouerthrowen To those things they leane which either faulsly they haue patched together or haue bene occasioned of ambiguous wordes and doubtfull texts VVhat shalt thow profit thowe that art best excersised in the scriptures when what so euer thow defendyst he shall denye and what so euer thow denyest he shall defend Thow losest but thy voyce in contending with him and gainest nowght but vnquyetnes of mynd in hearing his blasphemyes The partye if any suche be for whos
that eateth this bread shall liue for euer You see how the promisse of eternall lyfe was made to the bread and not to the cuppe And in all that sixth chapiter of S. Iohn is made no mencion in any one word either of the cuppe or of the wyne VVhy doest thow therfore complayne O Sathan why doest thow so often dull our eares with thy vayne boasting of the expresse worde of God VVhē what so euer is browght foorth of the scriptures if it be rightly vnderstanded seemeth muche more to make to the allowing of the receyued order of the Churche then to the maintenaunce of this thine errour But there is no cause why a Christē man should thinke that Sathan passeth so muche for the cuppe For he knoweth wel inowgh it is no whyt materiall to saluation whether a mā vse the cuppe or no synce by his lymmes Luther Bucer and Philipp Melancthon he doth manifestly confesse nothing touching the vse of the cuppe to be commaunded by Christ as necessary to saluation Full well knoweth he that it was very trewe which by the fathers in the Coūcell of Basill which councell wee knowe in this matter to be receyued and allowed was fully decreed that whether a man cōmunicate in one or bothe kyndes so it be done by the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche it profiteth the worthy receyuer to saluation Therfore this offendeth him not that a man should communicate vnder one forme neither dooth he force to haue him communicate vnder bothe But that it should be doone according to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche because in that sorte and none otherwyse it profitteth the receyuers to saluation that is it Lo that chiefflly offendeth Sathan And that they should not cōmunicat in that sort that is to saye according to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche that is it which he is so earnest abowt VVell Sathan will be Sathan for in the Hebrew Sathan is as myche to saye as an aduersary He therfore will still be an aduersary both to Christ the head and to his body It is an ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche which is the mysticall body of Christ that wee should communicat vnder one forme he will haue it doone vnder bothe But suppose the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche which is the mysticall body of Christ were so that we shoulde communicatt vnder bothe formes Then wil you haue it done either vnder one alone or vnder neither of bothe But wil you heare the beast vtter his owne wordes VVe recited them before but it shall not be a mysse to heare him agayne Thus he speaketh by his chosen vessell Luther If perhapps the councell should so decree then would wee not receyue in both kindes but then chieffly in despight of the councell would we vse either the one or neither of both and not both and playnlie hould thē accursed which by auctoritee of syche councell should vse both See you now to what end Sathan tēdeth He seeketh not so myche to haue the vse of the cuppe permitted to the layetie but that all things in despight of the Church should be doone contrary to the decrees therof He is a right Sathan He is the enemye of Christ the head and of his body He is Antichrist VVherfor what so euer it hath pleased Christ to decree by the mowth of his churche allbeit he knoweth the same to be right and agreable with the worde of God yet dooth he all wayes with toothe and nayle earnestly withstand it And looke what song he being the head of his body and lymmes did once synge to our head and maister Christ the same by his members doth he now recorde to vs being the members of Christ Throwe thy self downe That is to saye as wee haue before heard Vincentius Lirinensis interprett it Lett thy self fawll downe from the doctrine and traditiō of this high churche which is reputed the church of God Followe not that which seemed good to the churche but that which leeketh me Imbrace the vnderstanding of some priuatt man who being inspired with my spirit shall not doubt to arrogat any thing to him self and to derogatt all thinges from others and followe not the sence and cōsent of the whole christian worlde wherunto it is certayne the Spirit of Christ wanteth not Therfore so often as you shall heare Sathan saye owt of the Gospell For it is written Drinke ye all of this so often thinke you heare him saye nothing els but that which he sayd to Christ Throwe thy self downe For this is it which he seeketh to persuade wnto men that they should despyse the churche which is the grownde and piller of truthe that in the interpreting of the scriptures they should geue more auctoritee to their owne priuatt iudgement then to the decree of the churche That they should howld for nawght her ordinaunces and cutt them selues of from the body of the churche VVherfore as touching the vse of the sacramēt wee may well saye to these men as S. Augustine sometyme sayde to the Donatistes The faulte is not in the sacramentes but in the separation The fault is not in communicating vnder one or both formes but yf thow communicat contrary to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the churche in that only is the faulte And doubtles so great a faulte as that all wickednes compared with this is as a strawe in respect of a beame Then what a kynde of religion is this of some men that saye they are moued with the feare of God and loue of his lyuely word for that is their maner of speache to thinke it necessary for them to receyue the cuppe As who should saye that in the space of this 600. yeres wherin Polonia with the countries adioyning hath receyued and helde the faith of Christ there hath been no man that hath feared God no man that loued his lyuely worde no nor is at this daye in the whole Christian worlde but only syche as hath been inspired with the spiryt of Luther VVhat an arrogācy what a deuilif he and odious pryde is this so to arrogat vnto thy self alone the feare of God and the loue of his lyuely word that thow wilt vtterly pull the same from all others were they of neuer so singular pietye and godly lyfe VVhat be these men ells then degenerated childrē and as the prophett caullyth them the seed of the harlott and adulteresse that dare thus charge their holy elders and blessed forefathers of so extreme impietye as that none of them should feare God or loue his word and that syche fathers from whom they haue receyued both the rules of well liuing and the doctrine of true belefe VVhich many of them allso haue left vnto vs sealed with their bloud by whose trauayll it came to passe that wee first heard the name of Christ that being drawen out of most thick clowdes and darknes of idolatry wee are sett
elders of impiety as men that had resisted the holy Ghost and would not embrace a knowē truth The property of charitee and Loue is to vnyte and knytte together and not to separatt and deuyde This word therfore Drinke ye of the cuppe is not that sauing or liuely worde But the sauing word is Loue That is to saye Separatt not thy self from the vnitee and knot of the body of Christ frō the agreement of his churche but obediently and reuerently heare the same humble gladly thy sense and conceyte to the sense and consent therof and neuer arrogat so myche to thy self as to preferre thyne owne iudgement before the iudgement therof It is very well written by S. Augustine Loue and doo what thou wilt VVhether thou drinke or drinke not of the cuppe so thy drinking or absteyning be in loue and vnitee according to the ordinaunce and obseruaūce of the churche it proffiteth thee vnto saluation And contrary wyse whether thow drynke or drynke not of the cuppe standing in deuision thow shalt be gilty of the body and bloud of our lord because there thou seekest discord where Christ chieffly cōmended vnto vs vnitee and concord VVhich thinges being so most fortunatt Kyng Sygismond who can sufficiently commend this your Acte that when to your self it hath allso been often sayd Throwe thy self downe that is to saye let thy self fall from the doctrine and tradition of this high churche or at the lest in this only communion of the sacrament of the aultar suffer that to be done which is contrary to the decrees of the churche and differing from the rest of Christendome yet coulde your highnes neuer be induced to yelde to these sedicious counsells of separation But when more then once or twyse you had openly professyd it appertayned not to your person to determyne any thing in matters tooching religion for so myche as the Emperour being allso a chylde of the Churche and within the Churche not aboue the Churche is bound reuerently and obediently to heare his most holy moother and not to prescribe vnto her your highnes therfore thought meete to referre the matter to the next generall councell or to the iudgement of the holy Apostolyke See VVherin suerly you did a thing which was well sitting to your woorthines and to the vertu and pietye of your renoumed Auncetors For what thing is there that can woorse become a christian and Catholyke kyng then to take vppō him to meddle in those thinges which are proper and peculiar to Priestes and Bisshopps which wickednes when so euer any Prynce hath commytted wee reade that God hath most greuously punisshed him But I doo not denye that the vse of the cuppe vppō iust causes shewyd and appering to a generall coūcell may by the same be permitted to the laye people But yf any one kingdom will vsurp the same vnto it self diuiding it self therin from the rest of the christyan world what dooth it ells but willingly and wittingly spott it self with most wicked schisme And that is it wherunto Sathan tendith He passeth not for the Cuppe but seeketh to worke the schisme For yf the cuppe shoold by an agreing consent of the churche be permitted thē would he as before by the wordes of Luther his member doth appere thinke meete vtterly to refuse it So seeketh he none other thing but separation and diuision in that sacramēt which is the pledge and knot of vnitee for it is he of whom the prophet spake which setteth discord emong brethern of whom Christ him self also sayd He that gathereth not with me shattereth And on the other syde Our God is not a God of diuision or dissensiō but a God of peace loue and charitee so as no good man ought to doubt but that it is the expresse word of the diuell wherin nothing is sought but discord and diuision Yet are there some which labour to persuade vnto the people that this is the waye and only meane to stay the dissensiō in matters of religion and that herby only it might come to passe that in your highnes kingdom cōsent and vnitee of doctrine and fayth myght be retayned yf the cuppe might be permitted to the laye people But these men seeme not as yet to haue sufficiently learned to knowe the sleightes of Sathan Can any wyse and good man beleue that by permitting an errour errors be takē awaye or that separation being graunted vnitee can be reteyned I call it an errour if the cuppe be challenged as necessary to saluatiō And a separatiō I meane yf it be permitted to any one countrey apart from the rest of the Christian world And suerly to me this waye seemeth contrary to reason and common sense The fathers haue been of farre cōtrary opinion They thought not the meane to quēche heresies to be permission but by making of contrary decrees and constitutions VVhat iniquitee seemed to be in that matter that Nestorius would haue our lady to be called the mother of Christ Did not shee in deed beare Christ Doo we not fynde her in the scriptures commonly called the mother of Iesu and neuer termed directly the mother of God Yet seemed it good to the holy fathers assembled in the councell holden at Ephesus to make this decree that yf any man should call her the mother of Christ and not the mother of God he should be accursed And litle did it moue them that Nestorius still cryed out he leaned to the expresse word of God or that in all the canonicall scriptures it could not be founde that euer she were termed the mother of God and that they owght to receiue nothing which were not expresly contayned therin for they sawe well ynough that the heresie of Nestorius wherby he laboured to proue that our lady when shee bare Christ was deliuered but of a bare man only could not any other waye be sooner quenched then by a decree and generall constitution to the contrary Neither was their opinion frustrat therin For soo deepe a roote in the myndes of men did this decree of the holy fathers take that euen to this daye as long as it is since that councell ther is no natiō found wher the Gospell of Christ is receyued in whose vulgar tong the virgin Mary is not more commonly called the mother of God then the mother of Christ Agayne wee knowe there is a Canon of the Apostles that suche as be Christened should be thryse dypped Yet for auoiding the sclaunder of schisme and the vse or allowing of hereticall doctryne we reade it was decreed in the iiij Councell holden at Tolledo they should be but once dipped lest by thryse dipping following the manner and custome of heretikes they should seeme to allowe their assertion Neither are wee ignorant that Christ made the sacrament of his body and bloud in vnleauened bread which custome was also a whyle obserued in the churche and is agayne at this daye But so sone as
first epistle Some man will saye thus yf we might dryue the Pope to this that he would but assent that the ministres of the churches might haue wyues vse the vulgar toung in the administration of the sacramentes and geue the sacrament vnder both formes to the lay people and in all other articles and doctrines to consent with the Churche of Rome as hitherto wee haue doone would ye not thinke good we should there rest for a tyme And laying vp that gayne in store by lytle and lytle in proces of tyme deuise for the winning of the other poyntes I answer saith Vergerius I lyke it not For the matter consisteth not only in that the minister should haue a wyfe vse his vulgar toung in the Churche and deliuer the sacrament in both kyndes but in that he haue a liuely faith that he be a member of Christes Churche and be of a right iudgemēt shewing vnto the people that pure doctrine which our lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God brought out of his fathers bosome VVhat a defyling of our doctryne what a straunge thing should it be yf we should geue our consent that the pastor of our soules should be a massing priest annoynted and allowed by some Bisshop and mēber of Antechrist etc. Here Sathan by this his champion goeth to his matter more opēly then by thē which contend so earnestly for the cuppe and syche other things as seeme of lesse waight VVhose wily deceytes also herein he discloseth and thinkyng it superfluous to vse any more circumstances he fleeth euen straight to the throte to the end that withowt any more delaye God may be brought in order and equallite of degree with mortall men hauing left vnto him neither any priesthood nor externe sacrifice wherby he should be acknowledged to be God This is the thing which Sathan by his lymme and trusty seruaunt Vergerius thought good euē at the first brunt to attempt And suerly it hath been truly sayd In vayne is that doone by many which may be doone by fewe For what should a man go about the bus he yf he may easely get thorowgh But heare what after a fewe wordes he addeth farther For after that this man being ouer curious of the state of forreyn common welthes wherunto he is a straūger and euen borne as it seemeth to stirre vp seditions had exhorted the Polonians that yf these iij. thinges were graunted them they should constantly refuse them he hath these wordes VVote thow well Polonia this matter which now lyeth in controuersy touching religion may indure no moderation or concord Marke well what I saye and laye it in thy remembraunce For there be some that say were it not trowe we possible that some meane migt be found to appease this controuersy I answer sayth he that none can possibly be fownd For yf the papacy remayne in force the doctrine of Iesu Christ can not be free And againe yf the doctrine of Iesu Christ which wee professe doo preuayle then of necessitee must the whole papacy be rooted vp so as ther is none other meane of concord or establisshing of the true churche of Christ but that the whole papacy with all the tiranny and wicked doctryne therof be cleerly taken away And sure as for that Vergerius writeth that the state of religion may indure no moderation or concord I can not well denye but he writeth truly For either a man must be a whole Christian or a whole Lutheran There is no haltyng on either syde As well shalt thou be dāned yf thou be a half Christian or a half Lutheran as yf thou were a whole Lutheran I call him an half Christian which beleeuing all thinges as he ought to doo of Christ the head dooth yet by his owne priuat fancye in certayne rytes deuyde him self from the body He thinketh he houldeth fast the head and yet deuideth him self from the body Therfore he will be halfe a Christiā and half a Lutheran that is to say a Sathanist For Christ him self sayth No man can serue ij masters what participation can ther be between righteousnes and iniquitee or what society sayth Pawll betweē light and darcknes or what agreement between Christ and Belial And in the Apocalips wee read I knowe thy workes that thou art neither hot nor cold I would thou were either hot or cold but synce thou art luke warme and neither hott nor cold I will by vomyt cast the out of my mowth The luke warme is euen in lyke sort cast foorth in lyke sort vomyted out of the mowth of God as he which sinneth in the contrary part Therfore they are in dede very muche deceyued which thinke to contriue a concord by mediocrite in matters of religion The bed is straight sayth the prophet so as the one must nedes fall out and a scant cloke cā not couer both They can not be together in one bed that is to say Christ and Luther may not ioyne in one mans hart the one of them must nedes faull out they can not be both couered with one cloke VVherfore in some part of rytes and ordinaūces to professe Christ and in an other part Luther is nothing ells but to denye whole Christ That is therfore so true as may be that matters of religion admyt no concord by that meane VVe professe in our crede that wee beleue the holly catholyke Churche From her who so euer departeth and harkeneth not to her teaching and preceptes but geueth more credit to his owne iudgement then to hers though he beleue all the rest which is cōtayned in the crede though he beleue and receyue all the scriptures though he honour them as the very word of God as in deed they are being rightly vnderstanded yet hath he nothing to do with Christ the head which hath separated him self from the body of Christ He is an Ethnik and a Publican not deseruing in any part the name of a Christian How often did the Arians attempt to come to soome agreemēt with the Catholikes VVherūto to shewe them selues willing they sayd they woold not stick to permytt that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be beleued to be the sonne of the father so he were not callyd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was but one poore letter Iota .i. in question or difference between the Christiās and the Arrians Yet could not the Christiās thinke meete to graunt it vnto them For vnder this one letter they sawe them hyde their heresie wherby they were content to allowe the sonne to be leeke vnto the father in fulnes of grace but not in propriete of nature VVith what sleightes did the goouernour of Cesaria seke to persuade vnto S. Basil that he should yeeld to the tyme and not bryng so many Churches in daunger by standing vppō the sifting of so nyce a point of doctryne But what sayd S. Basil therunto Suche taulke sayth he may serue yoong men for they and