that is well instructed to stande a very blocke and a post without giuing any voice w tout vttering his opinioÌ„ only to awaite what they wil appoint or commaunde him to doe w tout eares without eyes without stomacke without courage to receiue without exception whatsoeuer these fellowes shall lay vpon him and at a blinde auenture doe their commauÌ„dements how blasphemous and wicked soeuer thei be yea though they shoulde commaunde them to destroye Religion all together and to hange vp Christ himselfe vpon the Cross this is surely a matter bothe of great pride and of great reproch and of great iniquite also vntolerable for ChristiaÌ„ and wise Princes to endure For what think you Can Annas and Caiphas vnderstand these matters and can not Dauid and Ezechias vnderstande them Is it lawfull for a Cardinal being a man of warre and deliting in blood to sit in the couÌ„cell And is it not lawful for the Emperor or a ChristiaÌ„ king For we doe giue no aucthoritie vnto our magistrates more then y t we know is both giuen vnto them out of gods word and also approued by the example of the beste gouerned commoÌ„ welthes For besides y t God hath committed vnto euery faithfull Prince the charge of both the tables to the entent he shoulde vnderstande y t not only Ciuile matters but also religious Ecclesiasticall causes appertained to his office Besides y t kings or ofteÌ„times expresly coÌ„maÌ„ded of God to cut down superstitious groues to ouerthrowe Images of Idoles and aulters to haue at hande a copye of the boke of the law and that Esaie saith he ought to be a patron and a fosterer of the Church Besids I say al these things we see by the stories examples of the best tims for gouernement y t godly Princes neuer thought it a thing estranged from their office to take the charge of Churches Moses a ciuile magistrate and a leader of the people bothe receaued of God and also deliuered vnto the people the whole ordre of religion and of sacrifices and moreouer sharpely and greuously chastened Aaron the Byshoppe for the golden calfe and for transgression of Religion Iosue although he was none other but a cyuile magistrate neuerthelesse what time he was fyrste aduaunced to his office and appoynted to be ruler ouer the people he receiued his commission namely for religion and for the worshiping of God King Dauid what tyme as all religion by wicked kinge Saule was vtterly destroied broughte home againe the arke of God that is to saye he restored religion neither was he there as one that onely did cal vpon them and exhorte them to that worke but also he made Psalmes and Hymnes and did set in ordre euery degre and ordained their solemne araye and was in manner the chiefe amonge the Preestes Salamon the king buylded a Temple to the Lord the whiche his father Dauide had onely in purpose to set vp and when all was finished he made a goodly oration to the people touching ReligioÌ„ and the worship of God afterwards he remoued Abiathar the Bysshop out of office and did apoint in his place Sadoke and what time as the Lords Temple was afterwards through the defaulte and negligence of the priestes in most filthy wise defiled Ezechias the king commauÌ„ded that the rubbishe and filth should be caried away that lightes should be set vp that incense should be offered and sacrifices be made according to the olde appointed order also that the brasen Serpent which at that time the people did most vngodly worsship should be takeÌ„ downe and broken into powder King Iosaphat what time he saw the true worship of God was hindered that the people was w tholden by a priuate superstition froÌ„ the coÌ„mon Temple which was at IerusaleÌ„ wherunto men ought to resort yearely from al partes of the realme he ouerthrew and toke away their hill altars superstitious groues King Iosias was diligent in admonisshing the priestes and Bysshops of their dutye King Ioas corrected y e ryoting arrogancy of priests Iehu did put the wicked Prophets to death But now to speake no more of examples out of the holy Scriptures and that we may rather come to coÌ„sider in what sorte the Church hath been gouerned since the birth of Christ in the time of the gospell in time past Christian Emperors did suÌ„mon y e Bysshops to come to couÌ„cels CoÌ„stantine the Councell of Nice Theodosiê° y e first the CouÌ„cel of ConstaÌ„tinople Theodosius y e second y e couÌ„cel of Ephesus MarcioÌ„ the couÌ„cel of Calcedon what time as Rufine alleged a couÌ„cell as an aucthoritie that made for his purpose his aduersari Hierôe for to coÌ„fute him saith Tel me by what Emperor was it suÌ„moned The same man in an Epitaphe of Paula doth cyte the letters of Emperours which commaunded the Latine and Greeke Bysshops to appere at Rome Doubtlesse for fiue hundred yeares together Themperour alone called the holy assemblies helde the couÌ„cels of Bysshops So much the more doe we maruaile at the vntimely boldnesse of the Bysshop of Rome at this day who so vnaduisedly entyteleth himselfe alone vnto that thing which he knoweth whiles the Christian common welth was vnited in one was the Emperours right and now sythens that kynges haue encroched vpon part of the Emperors estate is the common right of all princes and yet he thinketh it sufficient for him to signifie his pleasure of holding a couÌ„cell to the greatest estate of the worlde euen as he woulde sende to his man And in case that Ferdinando paraduenture be of such modesty by reason he is not sufficiently instructed of y e Popes sleightes that he can bere this iniurye yet the Pope himselfe for his holines sake should not offer him iniury chaleÌ„g vnto himself the right of an other maÌ„ But some man will say true it is that in those daies the Emperour called the councels bicause the Bysshop of Rome was not yet come to this greatnes yet neither at that time did he sit together in councell with the Bysshops nor entermeddle his authoritie wyth anye parte of their consultation Yes truely the Emperour Constantine as Theodoret saith did not onely sitt amongest them in the councel of Nice but also admonished y e Bishops how thei ought to trie their coÌ„trouersy out of the bookes of the Prophets and of the Apostles In disputation saith he of matters of diuinitie wee haue the doctrine of the holy Ghost set before vs to the intent we should folowe it For the bookes of the EuaÌ„gelistes of y e Apostles and of the Prophets doth sufficieÌ„tly declare vnto vs what we ought to think of gods will Theodosius the Emperour as Socrates saith dyd not onely sit amongest the Bysshops but also was chiefe iudge of the controuersy and did both teare the writinges of the Heretikes and also allowed the iudgement of the Catholykes In the councel
professed mighte bee broughte in question specially if thei should seme by their silence in manner to acknoledg the fault least I say this silence sholde hinder y e course of the Gospell thei made orations thei wrote supplications spake before Emperours and Princes in the open defence of them and of theirs As for vs inasmuche as within these .20 yeares laste paste so many thousandes of our brethrē in the middest of their extreme tormēts haue borne witnes to y e truth Princes coueting to bridel y e Gospell in moyling many waies haue lobored all in vaine and that the whole worlde in manner beginneth now to open their eies to beholde y e light we thinke that our cause is already sufficiently pleaded defended and that wheras the matter it selfe speaketh inough for it self there is no great neede of words For if the Popes themselues would or rather if thei coulde consider wyth them selues the whole matter the beginnings and the māner of the encrease of out religion how that their trasshe in manner euery white when no man touched it withoute all helpe of man sell downe to the grounde againe how our profession at the first not withstandinge the continual resistence of Emperors of so many Kynges of Popes Bishops of all men in māner hath encreased and by litle litle spred ouer al the earth and now also at the length is entered in to the Courtes and Palaces of kings euen these things onely might be sufficient tokens wherby to vnderstand that God himself doth fight in our defence and skorneth from heauen all their endeuours that so mighty is the power of truth y t no force of man nor yet Hel gates can withstand it For be ye sure so many free cities so many kings so many Princes as at this day haue abandoned the sea of Rome and adioyned themself to the Gospel of Christe are not become madde And albeit peraduenture hetherto the Popes haue had no leisure to thinke aduisedli earnestly vpō these matters or if now at this day they be letted encombred w t other busines or if thei take these kinde of trauails to be base light matters to appertaine nothing to the maiestie of a Pope yet our cause oughte to seeme therefore neuer a whit the worse Nother if perhaps thei wil not see these thinges whiche thei do see but rather fighte against the knowne truthe ar we therefore by and by to be taken for Heretikes whiche do not apply our selues to their will Truly if Pope Pius had ben the man I saye not whiche he desiereth to be taken for but if he were at the least suche a one as had accounted vs to be other as his brothren or at the leaste as men he woulde fyrste haue diligently waied oure reasons bothe what we haue to saye for vs and what may be saide againste vs not so rashely onely with a blinde sentence determined afore hande in that Bul of his wherin of late he made a counterfaite shewe of a Councell haue condemned a good part of the worlde so many learned godly men so many commō weales so many Kynges so many Princes the persons vnheard the cause not pleaded But inasmuche as he hathe now openly slaundered vs after this sorte leaste that by silence we might seeme to confesse the faulte and specially bicause that in the open Councell wherein he will suffer no man but onely suche as are sworne and addicted vnto his vsurped power to haue authoritie to gyue a voyce or to declare his minde we can in no wise be hearde for therof in the laste assemble at Trente we had ouer muche experience what time the Embassadours and diuines of the Princes and of the free citees of Germany were vtterly excluded out of all their assembles nother can we yet forget how that Iulius the 3 tenne yeares past in his bul strayghtly did forbid that no man of oure proffessyon shoulde be hearde in the councell onlesse paraduenture there were any that woulde recante and chaunge his opiniō euen for these causes specially we haue thought it good to render a reason of oure faithe by writinge vnto suche thinges as are openly obiected againste vs truly openly to answer to the entēt the whole worlde may see the partes and the foundation of that doctrine whiche so many godly men haue preferred before their owne liffes that all men may vnderstande what māner of men thei be and what thei do thinke of God of religion whome the Byshop of Rome not wel aduised hathe condemned for Heretiks yea before thei were called to pleade their cause without lawe without example onely bicause he hearde say thei differed from him from his in some parte of Religion And although in the suspicion of Heresy S. Ierome will haue noe man to be pacient neuerthelesse we wyll demeane our selfe nother bitterly nor tantingly w t many wordes nor yet be caried into any chauffe with anger although in dede he ought not to seeme bitter or tātinge that speaketh truth But this kynde of eloquence we are content to leaue to our aduersaries who what soeuer thei speake against vs thoe it be neuer so bytterly or slanderously spoken yet it is modestly spoken and to good purpose how truly or falslye therof thei make no great account Suche kinde of sleights we haue no nede of that defende the truth But in case we doe proue that the sacred Gospell of God and the auncient Bishops together with the primitiue Churche dothe make for vs and that we haue vpon iuste cause bothe departed from these men and also retourned now againe vnto the Apostles and olde catholike fathers and that we do it in dede not couertly or craftely but with a good conscience before God truly frankly clerely plainely if thei them selues which flee oure doctrine and will be caled Catholikes shal euidently se al those tytles of ātiquitie wherin thei glorie so much wrounge out of their handes that ther is more pith in our cause then euer thei coulde imagine we trust no man amongest them wil be so negligente of his saluaciō but that he will at some time take in hande to bethynke hym selfe vnto whether parte it were best for him to sticke vnto and truly no man except suche a one as hath hardned his hart and wil not heare shal repent him selfe of his laboure to haue geuen eare vnto oure defence and to haue marked bothe what we do say and how agreably vnto y e whole course of Christiā religiō For wher as thei cal vs Heretikes truly the fault is so great y t vnles it be seene vnles it be felte vnles it be gryped with handes and fingers it ought not easily to be beleued of him that is a Christian mā For Heresie is a renouncing of saluation a casting awaie of the grace of God a departing from the bodi and spirit of Christ. But this thing was neuer
time For we haue ouerthrowne no kyngdome we haue deminished no mans rule or right of possessiō we haue disordered no cōmon welth They remayne yet in their place and in their auncient dignitie The kynges of our country of England of Scotlande of Denmarke of Suetia the Dukes of Saxonie the Erles of Palse the Marqueses of Brandeburgh the Lantgraues of Hess the common weales of the Heluetians and of the Grysonnes the free cities Strausborough Basile Francforde Ulme Anguste Norinberge all these I say remayne in the same right in the same state wherein they were before or rather by rayson that for the gospels sake they haue the people more obediēt in a much better estate Let them goe hardely into those places whereas nowe through the goodnes of God the gospell is hearde where is more Maiestie where is lesse ostentatiō and tiranny where is the prince more honored where doth the people lesse ryse into vprores and tumultes where was there euer anye common weale where any Churche more calme and quiet But you will say that at the beginning of this doctrine the husbande men of the country beganne to rage to make vprores in Germany Admit it were so But Martine Luther y e setter forthe of this doctrine wrote vehemently and sharply many thinges agaynst them and brought them againe to peace to dewe obediens Now as to that that is wonte to be sometimes obiected of men not well acquaynted with matters of the world touchyng the alteratiō of the state of Suycherlande and the killynge of Leopolde duke of Austria and restorynge of theyr countrye into libertie all this was done as it is euident ynoughe by all the Histories towe hondred and threscore yeres past vnder pope Boniface the eight at what tyme the Popes authoritie dyd chiefly florishe the whiche was aboute towe hūdred yeres before Hulderichus Zuinglius either begāne to teache the gospel or yet was borne From that time hetherto they haue euer kepte all thinges in reste and peace not only frō outward enemies but also frō ciuile warres and vprores at home But admit it were an offence to deliuer their coūtrie from the rule of straungers specially when they were arrogantly and tirannously ouerpressed yet were it agaynst all right and rayson eyther to burden vs with faultes that appertayne nothing vnto vs or thē with the offences of theyr forefathers But o merciful God will the Bysshop of Rome accuse vs of trayson wil he teache y e people to be obediēt subiect vnto magistrates or hath he any regarde to magistrates at al why thē doth he at this day y e which thyng none of the aūcient bysshops of Rome euer did suffer himself euē as though he would haue at Kinges and Princes whosoeuer or where so euer thei be to become his seruātes of his parasites and hierlinges to be called lord of lordes why doth he auaunt himselfe to be king of kinges and that he hath ouer them as his subiectes a kinges authoritie Why dothe he compell all Emperours and princes to promise by their othe true obedience vnto him why doth he boaste that the imperiall maiestie is a thousandfolde inferior to his estate grounding him self chiefly vpon this rayson that God made twoe lightes in Heauen and bicause heauen and earth were not in twoe beginninges but in one wherfore hath he and all of his marke like to the Anabaptistes and Libertines to the intent they might the more losely and safely range in al mischief shakē of the yoke of obedience and exempted themselues from vnder all ciuil authoritie wherefore hath he his legates that is to saye most crafty spies to lie as it were in a waite in the courtes in the councels in the chambers of all kinges Wherefore dothe he when it liketh him set christian princes together by the eares and to serue his owne luste turmoileth the whole wolrd with seditiōs why dothe he excommunicate and commaunde him to be takē for an Heathen mā and a Pagane if any Christian Prince doe refuse to obeye him and moreouer promiseth so liberalli his Purgatory pardones to any man that by any meanes dothe kill his enemie Doth he I pray you mainteine Empires and Kingdomes or hath he any desire at al that common weales shold be at reste and quiet Thou must pardon vs good reader if we shal seeme to vtter these thinges with more vehemencie and bitternes then should become diuines For the matter of it self is so shamefull and the desire of dominion is so great and outrageth so farre in the Pope that with other wordes it can not be vttered or after any more quiet maner For he was not afrayd to say in open Councell that the whole poure of all kinges depēded altogether vpō him He through ambition and desire of dominion hath plucked the Romane Empire in sondre and hath tossed and torne into peces al christendome he trayterously discharged the Romanes and the Italiās and also himself of that othe wherby he ought his allegiāce to the Emperour that remained in Grece and prouoked the subiectes vnto rebellion and called Charles Martel out of Frāce into Italy beginning a newe forme of regimēt made him Emperour He did caste out Chilperiche kyng of Fraunce beyng no euill prince from his kingedome onely bicause he liked hym not and made Pipine king in his place He decreed and iudged the kyngedome of Fraunce vnto Alberte the kynge of Romanes And that Philip should be caste out if his powre mighte haue serued hym thereto He brake the force of the moste florisshynge citie and common welth of Florence his owne coūtry and out of a free and quiet state he deliuered it vppe to be ruled after the luste of one mā He through his setting on brought to passe that all Sauoy on the one side by the Emperour Charles the fyft by Fraunces the Frenche king on the other was miserably torne in peeces so that the poore Duke had seātli one citie left him to repaire vnto I am weary of examples and it would be ouer tedious to reherse all the notable deedes of the Popes of Rome Of what religiō I pray you were thei that poisonned Henry the Emperour in the consecrated breade that poysonned Pope Uictor in the holy Chalyce that poysonned Ihon our king here in Englande in a drinking cuppe Sure I am who soeuer thei were and of what secte so euer thei were thei were nother Lutherans nor Zuinglians Who is it that is content at this daie to lette the greatest Kynges and Monarches of the worlde to come and kisse his blessed fete Who is he that commaundeth the Emperour to holde his horse by the bridel and the French kinge to holde his stirrope when he goeth to horsebak Who was he that toke Fraunces Dandalo Duke of Uenice kynge of Candy and of Cypres bounde him in chaines and threwe him vnder his table there to gnaw bones amongst the dogges Who
thee also of other matters after the same sorte I pray the amongest the whole numbre of olde Bishoppes and fathers where did euer any one of them teach thee either to say a priuate masse whiles the people loked on or to lifte vp the sacrament ouer thy heade in the whiche thyng all thy religiō is at this day contayned or to mangel Christes sacraments and contrary to his ordinance expresse wordes to deceaue the people of the one parte And that I may come ones to an ende of all the fathers whiche any one of them dyd teache the to dispose the bloud of Christ and merites of the holy Marters and as it were marchaundise to sell thy pardons in a common market and all the corners of purgatory These kinde of men ar oft times wonte to talke muche of their hidde and depe learnyng and of their manifolde and great variete of reading Let them therefore now bring out somwhat if they can wherby it maye at the leaste appeare that they haue readde and knowe somewhat They haue cried it out lustily in all companies where they came that all partes of their religiō were auncient and approued not only of the multitude but also by the consent and continuāce of all nations and times Wherfore let them at one time or other shew this antiquitie which thei speake of Let thē make these things to appere whiche ar spred as they say so far so wide Let them proue that al Christian nations haue agreed vnto their religion But they flee as we sayde a litle before euen them selfs from their owne decrees and those thinges whiche so fewe yeares paste they had established to remaine for euer in so shorte time haue made to be of none effect I pray you then how shold they trust in the fathers in the olde coūcels in the wordes of God They haue not O mercifull God they haue not those thinges whiche thei boaste themselues to haue nother antiquitie nor vniuersalitie nother the consent of all places nor of al times And therof they themselues although they would rather haue the matter dissembled ar not ignorāt Yea somtimes thei sticke not also plamly to confesse it And therfore thei say that the constitutions of olde Councels and fathers ar of that cōdition that somtimes they may be chaunged for according to the diuersitie of times diuerse decrees ar conuenient to be had in the Church And thus they couer thē self vnder the name and title of the Church and with a counterfaite shadow doe scornfully abuse the simple wretched people And a meruayle it is that either mē should be so blinde as they can not see these thinges or if they doe see them that they be so pacient as they can thus easily endure them and with so quiet a minde But in asmuche as they haue abolished and repealed those auncient decrees as thinges that ar now become ouer olde and worne out of vse peraduenture thei haue set other in their place that be better and also more profitable For they ar wonte to say y t not euen Christ himselfe or his Apostles if they should liue agayne coulde deuise a better or a more holyer waye to direct the Church of God then that wherby it is gouerned now at their hādes Trewe it is in deede that thei haue put other in their places but accordyng as Hieremias said chaffe in steade of wheate and as Esay saythe Those thynges whiche God hath not requyred at their hāds They haue stopped vp all the vaynes of the springyng water and they haue digged broken and durty pittes full of slyme and filthines whiche nother haue anye cleane water nor ar able to contayne it They haue taken from the people the holy communion the worde of God from whence shoulde haue come all comforte the true worshyppe of God the right vse of sacramētes and of prayer Agayne thei haue giuen vnto vs of their owne store wherewith in the meane season we might chiere oure selfes salte water creame pottes spittell palmes bulles Iubiles pardonnes crosses smoky incēce and an infinite nombre of ceremonies and mere mockes as Plautus saythe meerly to be mocked at In these thynges haue they fixed theyr whole religion With these thinges they taught that God might be well appeased that with these Devils be driuen awaye That with these mens consciences were confirmed For these forsothe be the ornamentes and denty storeboxes of Christian religion These in the sight of God be pleasant and acceptable that these thynges might be auaunced vnto honor it behoued that the ordinances of Christ and of the Apostles should be taken out of place And as the wicked kynge Hieroboam in time paste after he had taken awaye the true worship of God and had brought the people to the worshipping of golden calues leaste that afterwardes they shoulde peraduenture haue chaūged theyr mindes and slipping from him haue returned agayne vnto Hierusalem to the Temple of God he exhorted them with a long oration vnto constācie sayng These o Israel ar thy gods after this sorte your God hath commaunded that you should worshippe him It should be a paynefull and a troublesome thing for you to vndertake so long a Iorney and euery yeare to goe to Hierusalem to the intent to honor and to worshippe God After the same māner in all pointes these men when that for theyr owne traditiōs sake they had ones made voyde the law of God least that the people should afterwardes opē their eies and slippe an other waye and finde at others handes a more certayne course for their saluation O how often haue they cried This is y t kynde of worshippyng that pleaseth God and whiche he doth streightly require at our handes and wherewith he will be appeased in his anger By these thinges the agrement in the Church is conserued with these thinges all sinne is cleansid and consciences ar made quiet whoe that shal forsake these thinges he leaueth himself no hope of eternall saluatiō It is a paynefull and a troublesome thyng for the people to looke backe vpon Christ vpon the Apostles vpō the olde fathers euer more to be attentife what their will and commaundement is This I warrant you is the very way to bring the people of God frō the weake elementes of the world from the leauenne of scribes Pharises and from mans traditions It behoved that the ordenaunces of Christe and of his Apostles should be thruste out of place that these might be accepted in theyr stede O this was a sufficiēt cause why that good olde doctrine whiche many ages had bene approued should be abiected and a new forme of Religion should be brought into y e Church of God Neuerthelesse what so euer it is these men crie still Nothyng must be chaūged with these thinges mens mindes ar satisfied these thinges ar decreed by the churche of Rome that church can not erre for Siluester Prierias saith y t the Church of Rome is the squire rule
as though forsoothe that nowe also the whole worlde myght not perceiue that this is a very conspiracy and not a Coūcell and that these Byshops which the Pope hath called vnto him at this time are not by their othe and affection vtterly addicted vnto his name and wil neuer do any thing but that which they shal perceiue to agre with his pleasure to make for the aduaucement of his power and to be according to his will or that amongest them euery mans reason and sentence were not rather nūbered then wayed or that the better parte were not ofte times oppressed with the greater Whereupon we know that ofte times it hath come to passe y t many good men and Catholike Bysshops what time such Councels were summoned wherin factions and parts were openly maintained knowing that they should only leese their labour in as much as the mindes of their aduersaries were bent vpon euill and therfore not possible to doe any good haue tarried at home Athanasius beyng called by Themperour to the Councell of Cesarea when he saw that he shoulde present himselfe to y e deadly hatered of his aduersaries he refused to come The same man afterwardes being come to the Councell of Syrmin when his minde gaue him by reason of the fiersenes and hatred of his enemies to what ende y e matter would come he trussed vp his baggage went his way Iohn Chrysostome although the Emperour Constātius had sent for him by fower letters to come to the Councell of the Arrians yet he kept himselfe at home What time as Maximus the Bysshop of Hierusalem sate in the councell of Palestine the olde man Paphnutius taking him by the hande ledde him out of the dores saying it is not lawefull for vs to sit in councell of these matters amongest these wicked men Unto the councell of Syrmin from which Athanasius did conuey himselfe away the Bysshops of the Weste countries woulde not repaire Cyril appealed bi his letters from the councell of those that were called Patropassiani Pauline the Bysshop of Trier diuers others when they saw the practise and power of Auxentius refused to come to the councell of Millane For in vaine they saw they should go vnto y t place where no reason but faction was hearde and where al causes were determinable not according to iudgemēt but according to fauor And yet they albeit they had neuer so greuous and obstinate aduersaries neuertheles if they had come at the least they shoulde haue had free liberty to speake to be hearde in the councell But as for vs in as much as it is not lawful for ani of our sort once to sitte or so much as to be seene in the assemblie of these men much lesse to be hearde freely to speake and on the other side for as much as the Popes Legates the Patriarches the Archbyshops the Bysshoppes the Abbots all coniured together al fettered in one faute al bound with one othe only haue place to sit only haue aucthoritie to giue their voice and in cōclusiō as though thei had done nothing to submit al their iudgements to the Popes wil and pleasure alone euen to the intent that he who ought rather to haue pleaded his own cause at the barre should giue sentēce of himself in as much I say as that olde and Christiā liberty which in all Christian Councels ought chiefly to be maintained is now in coūcel vtterly takē away no good and godly man ought to maruaile if wee doe now at this time that thing which thei see the fathers and Catholike Bysshops did afore time whē like cause was offered so that bycause in the councell we cā not be heard Princes Embassadors ar laughed to scorne and we all as though the matter were already dispatched and concluded ar before iudgement condempned if I say we had rather tary at home cōmit the whole matter vnto God then to go to y e place where we shall neither haue any place nor yet any thing preuaile at al. But as touching our own iniuries we can beare them paciently quietly ynough But wherfore I pray you doe they exclude Christian Kinges and godly Princes from their councels Why doe they either so vncurtesly dispatche them out of their company or reiect them w t such reproche when that as though they were no Christian men or were not able to iudge they will not suffer them to sit in counsell in causes of Religion nor to knowe the state of their owne Churches Or in case they doe entermedle at any time by their aucthoritie doe y e thing which thei may do which thei are cōmanded to doe which they are bounde to do and which we know Dauid Salomō other good prīces haue done and take vpon them other whiles the Byshops be a sleepe or whiles they doe rebellyously resist to bridle y e raging lustes of priestes and both driue them to the doing of their duty and kepe them from disorder moreouer if they plucke downe Idolls withdraw superstition set vp the true worship of God Why crie they by and by that they turne all things vpside downe that they breake into other mens offices and behaue themselues lewdely and arrogantly What Scripture hath at any time forbidden Christiā Princes from y e hearing of such causes Whoe did euer make these lawes but these fellowes onely But they will say Ciuile princes haue learned how to manege the common welthe and to exercise armes as for the misteries of Religion they vnderstande them not Then I pray you what other is y e Pope at this day but a Monarche or a prince What be the Cardinals which degree it is now scantly lawfull for any others to haue then Kinges and Princes sonnes What be the Patriarches what Archbisshops for the most part what Bysshops what other be the Abbots at this day in y e Popes kingdome but worldly Princes but Dukes but Earles wyth stately gardes about them whersoeuer they go and decked also many times w t collers and chaines of Golde They haue in deede sometime a peculier apparell Crosses Pillers Hattes Myters Palls the which kinde of pompe the auncient Bysshops Chrysostome Augustine and Ambrose had neuer Now besides these things what teache they what say they what do they what liue they in any point that is comlye and commēdable not onely for a Bysshop but also for a Christian man Is it so great a matter to cary a counterfait title and for onely chaunge of garmentes to bee called a Bysshop Surely y t the waight of all gouernement should be assigned ouer vnto thē only which nether do know nor will know what appertaineth to these thinges nor set not a halfpeny by any part of Religiō further thē as it toucheth the kitchin the belly y t they onely shoulde be made iudges and be appointed as it were blind men to keepe the watche towre on the other syde to haue a Christian prince
of Chalcedon the ciuile Magistrate condemned by sentence pronounced by his own mouth Dioscorus Iuuenal and Thalassius being Bysshops for Heretykes and gaue iudgement that they should be disgraded from that dignite of the Church In the thirde councell of Constantinople Constantine a ciuile Magistrate did not onely sitt amongest the Bysshops but also subscribed with the Bysshops We haue read it saith he and we haue subscribed In the seconde councell called Aransicanum Princes embassadors being noble men did not onely declare their mindes touching Religion but also subscribed amoÌ„gest the Bysshops For it is written in thende of that councel after this sorte Petrê° Marcellinus Felix Liberius men of great honor and most renouned Lieutenantes of those countries that appertaine to Fraunce and meÌ„ of noble parentage haue subscribed their consent Siagrius Opilio Pantagathus Deodatus Cariattho Marcellus right noble men haue subscribed But if LieutenaÌ„ts generall and noble meÌ„ might subscribe in the councell might not Emperors and Kings doe the same It was not nedefull we confesse to prosequute so largly in so many words so clere a matter if we had not to doe w t such men as of contention and for desire of victory are woÌ„t to denie al things that are most plaine and euen those thinges which they see and haue daily in their eyes IustiniaÌ„ the Emperour made a law touching the amendemeÌ„t of the maners and brideling of y e arrogaÌ„cy of priestes and although he were a ChristiaÌ„ a Catholike Emperor yet he was so bolde to thrust out of y e Papal dignitie two Popes Siluerius Uigilius y e successors of Peter vicars of Christ. Now then thei which take vpoÌ„ them aucthorite ouer Byshops which receiue coÌ„mission from God touching Religion which bring home y e arke of God make holy Psalmes haue rule ouer priests builde TeÌ„ples make sermons touching y e worshipping of God which cleÌ„se temples throw downe hylle altares set fier on superstious groues which admonish priestes of their duty and prescribe lawes wherafter thei shal liue which put wicked prophets to death which depriue Bysshops which call y e assemblies of Bysshops which sit together w t the Bysshops directe them what thei shal doe which doe condemne an Heretike Bysshop to be punished which sit in iudgemeÌ„t of matters of ReligioÌ„ which subscribe which pronounce their opinioÌ„ they I say y t doe al these things not at other mens coÌ„mauÌ„dements but in their own name and y t vprightly godly shal we say y t vnto such doth not appertaine the charge of ReligioÌ„ or y t a ChristiaÌ„ magistrate entermedling w t these maters doth other leudly or arrogaÌ„tly or wickedly truly y e most ancieÌ„t most ChristiaÌ„ Emperors kings haue entermedled w t these matters yet were thei neuer therfore noted other to be vngodly or presuÌ„ptuouse And who would wishe for either more catholike Princes or more notable examples Now if this were lawful in them being only cyuile magistrates rulers of comoÌ„ welthes what haue our Princes offended which being in y e same office mai not also haue y e same liberty or what great excelleÌ„cy of lerning of iudgemeÌ„t of holynes is in these meÌ„ y t contrary to the custome of al y e olde catholike Bysshops which were wont to conferre in matters of Religion w t noble meÌ„ thei should now reiect them froÌ„ the hearing of such matters froÌ„ their coÌ„mon asseÌ„blie But ful wel do they prouide for themself for their kingdome which otherwise thei see would shortly come to ground For if thei whom God hath placed in the highest degree did se and vnderstande the sleightes of these meÌ„ how by them the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of Christ are despised the light of Gospell darkened vtterly put out theÌ„selues abused and at vnwares laughed to scorne also debarred froÌ„ the entry into the kingdome of God they would neuer suffer theÌ„selues to be other so proudly despised or so shamfully laughed to scorne whereas now through ignorance blindnes thei kepe theÌ„ vnder awe and in their dauÌ„ger As for vs touching the chaunge of ReligioÌ„ we haue done nothing as we said before rashly or presuÌ„ptuously nothing but leisurly and w t gret deliberatioÌ„ Neither would we euer haue takeÌ„ in hande to doe it had not the manifest the expresse wil of God declared vnto vs in y e holy scriptures the regard of our own saluatioÌ„ coÌ„pelled vs thereunto And albeit we haue forsakeÌ„ y t Church which these meÌ„ do cal Catholike by reason therof do bring vs in hatered of those y t cannot iudge neuertheles this is sufficient for vs ought to be sufficieÌ„t for euery man y t is wise and godly and careful of euerlasting life that we haue forsaken that Church which might erre which Christ himselfe that can not erre so long before did prophecy that it shoulde erre and which wee our selues did euidently see before our eyes swarue awaye from the holy Fathers from the Apostles from Christ himselfe from the Primitiue and Catholike Church Againe we are come euen as nere as we could possible to the Church of the Apostles and of the olde catholike Bysshops and Fathers euen to y t Church which wee knowe was as yet a pure and as Tertullian saith an vndefiled Uirgine infected as yet neither with anye ydolatry nor with any greuous knowen error we haue directed not our doctrine only but also our Sacraments and the forme of our common praiers according to their rules ordinances And whereas before Religion was shamefully neglected depraued at these mens handes we according as we know both Christ himself all other godly men in maÌ„ner had done heretofore haue brought it home vnto the original to the first principles For we thought it requisite ther to seke the reformation of Religion from whence the first principles therof were deriued For this argumeÌ„t sayth the most auncient father Tertullian is stronge against all Heresies That is true whatsoeuer is first whatsoeuer is of latter time that is counterfait Ireneus appealed ofte times to the most auncient Churches such as were nerest vnto Christes tyme and of which it was hardely to be beleued that they dyd erre Wherefore is not y t way folowed at thys day Wherfore doe we not retourne vnto the example of the auncient Churches Wherefore can not that sentence bee hearde nowe a daies amongest vs which in the counsell of Nice longe ago withoute the gainesaying of anye man was pronouÌ„ced of so many Byshoppes and Catholike fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esdras what time he went about to make vp the decayed places of Gods temple he seÌ„t not to Ephesus although there was a very beutifull and gorgious temple of Diana and when he woulde restore their ceremonies and sacrifices he sente not to Rome althoe peradueÌ„ture he had hearde of their solemne sacrifices called Hecatombas Solitaurilia Lectisternia of their supplications
it were at one morsell And as thoughe all these thinges had not been ynoughe they woulde haue had the whole Realme also to be tributary vnto them and out of it moste vniustly they did exacte an yerely rent So costlye forsooth was the frendship of the Citie of Rome vnto vs. But in as much as by crafty meanes and with lewde sleightes thei wrested out these things from vs there is no cause why the same againe by lawefull meanes and good lawes might not be taken from them Yea if our kings in those times of darknes ledd by some opinion of their coūterfet holines of their owne accorde and liberalitie gaue them those thinges for Religion sake yet afterwardes when the errour is espied of other kinges that haue the same aucthoritie they may be taken away for that gift is of none effect that is not approued by the will of the gyuer but that can not seeme to be a will which is darkened and empeched with errour Thou haste heard Christian reader that it is no new thing y t at this day Christian Religion being restored to his former estate and as it were newe borne againe be slaulderously and shamefully spoken of For the same thing happened vnto Christ himselfe and to the Apostles Neuertheles least thou shouldest suffer thy selfe to be ledde out of the waye and to be deceiued with these outraging clamors of our aduersaries wee haue sett forth before the the whole course of our Religion what wee dooe beleue of God the Father what of his onely sonne Iesus Christe what of the holye Ghoste what of the Church what of the Sacramēts what of the Ministery what of the holy Scriptures what of Ceremonyes and what of euery parte of a Christian mans profession We haue declared how that we doe detest al olde Heresies the which other the holy Scriptures or the auncient Councels haue condemned as pestilences and poysons of mens soules and that as much as we can possiblie we doe call home againe the discipline of the Church the which our aduersaries haue vtterly brought to nothing and doe punishe according to the auncient lawes of our forefathers all losenes of lyfe and licencious manners and that with such seueritie as the cause doth require and so farre as our power will stretche that we doe vpholde the state of kingedomes in the same condition that we founde them without empairing or chaunging any thing and doe maintaine to the best of our power the Maiesty of our Princes safe and sounde that wee haue forsaken y t Church which these men had made a den of theeues and wherein they had left nothing sounde or sauering of the Church of God and which by their owne testimony had erred in many thinges none otherwise then as Loth in time past wēt out of Sodoma or Abrahā out of Chaldey not of a desire to cōtend but by y e commaundement of God himselfe and y t we haue sought out of the holy Scriptures which we knowe can not deceiue vs a certaine constant forme of Religion and are now retourned vnto the primitiue Church of the Apostles and of the auncient fathers y t is to say to the first originall and to the beginnings and as it were to the very fountaines of Christes Church True it is in dede y t for the accomplishemēt hereof we haue not attended vpon the aucthoritie or consent of the councel of Trente in which we coulde not hope to see any thinge vprightly and orderly done specially where all mē are sworne to one man where our Princes Embassadors ar cōtemned where none of our diuines mai be heard where men ar euidently enclined vnto partes and to ambition but according as the holy fathers in tyme past and our predecessors haue done oft time we reformed our Churches by a councel gathered in our owne prouince and that as touching the yoke and tirannye of the Bysshop of Rome vnto whome wee ought no dutye and in whom there is no resemblance either of Christ or of Petre or of an Apostle or in any point of a Bysshop according as it behoued vs we haue shakē of and cast away And last of all how y t we doe agree amongest our selues in all the principles and articles of Christian Religion and with one mouthe and one spirit doe worshippe God and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Wherfore good Christiā reader in as much as y u seest the reasons causes both of our doings touching the restitutiō of Religiō amōgst vs also of our departing from the fellowship of these men thou oughtest not to maruaile if y t we had rather obey our Iesus Christ then men Paule dyd admonishe vs that we shoulde not suffer our selues to be caried out of the way with these variable doctrines and thal specially wee should flye from them that woulde sowe any dissension from that doctrine which wee had receiued from Chryste and from the Apostles Their iuggeling toyes euen as the owle at the rysing of the Sunne beginne alredy to fall and flye away at the presence and light of the Gospell And although they were pyled and heaped vp euen to the highe skyes yet they fall downe againe vpon the least occasion and in manner of their owne accorde For thou oughtest not to imagine that al these things are happened at a blind auenture or by chaūce for it was goddes will that maugre the malice in maner of all men the Gospell of Iesus Christ shoulde be spredde in these dayes throughout the worlde Wherefore men beyng admonysshed by gods worde haue of their owne accorde applyed themselues to the doctrine of Christe Wee surely haue not sought to wynne vnto our selues either glory either riches either pleasure eyther ease thereby For all these thinges our aduersaries haue in great aboundance and we also what time we were amongest them had such thinges more largely and more plentifully Neither doe we abhorre from peace agrement but for conseruation of worldly peace we will wage no warres w t God Doubtles saith Hylarius the name of peace is sweete but peace saith he is one thing and thraldome is an other For to assent which is the thyng that these men doe seeke for that Chryste shoulde bee commaunded to sylence that the truthe of the Gospell shoulde bee betrayed that wicked errours should be dissembled that the eyes of Christian menne shoulde be blered that men should manifestly conspire agaynst God is not an establyshment of peace but a moste horrible couenant of thraldome There is saythe Nazianzene a certayne kinde of peace vnprofitable ther is a profitable discorde For we muste allowe peace with an exception so farre as it is laweful and so farre as we may For otherwise Christ himself brought not peace into the world but a sword Wherefore yt the Pope will haue vs to be friendes agayne with him lette him firste reconcile himselfe with God For hereof saythe Cyprian scismes doe aryse bycause the head is not sought for