will maruaile I suppose howe a good manne coulde either conceaue so wickedlye or wryte so dispytefullye of those woordes whiche hee knewe proceeded 〈◊〉 Goddes mouthe and speciallye in 〈◊〉 sorte as hee woulde not haue it 〈◊〉 owne priuate opinion alone 〈◊〉 the common opinion of all that â—and He dissembleth I graunt you in deede and hydeth what hee is and setteth fourth the matter so as though it were nâ—â— hee and his syde butte the Zwenkfeldian heretiques that so didd speake Wee faythe hee will bidde awaye with the same scriptures whereof wee see brought not onelye diuerse butte also contrarye interpretations and wee will heare God speake rather then wee will resorte to these naked elementes and appoynt oure saluation to reste in them It behoueth not a manne to bee experte in the lawe and scripture butte to bee taught of God It is butte loste labour that a manne bestoweth in the scriptures for the scripture is a creature and a certaine bare letter This is Hosius saying vttered altogether with the same spirit and the same mind wherwith in times past Montane and Martion were moued whoe as men reporte vsed to saye when with a contempt they reiected the holye scriptures that themselues knew many mo and better things then eyther Christe or the Apostles euer knewe What thenne shall I saye heere O ye principall postes of Religion O ye Archegouernours of CHRISTES Churche is this that youre reuerence which ye geue to Goddes woorde The holye Scriptures whiche S. Paule saith came by the inspiration of Godde whiche God dyd commende by so many miracles wherin are the moste perfit 〈◊〉 of Christes owne steppes which all the holy Fathers Apostles and Aunâ—â—les â–ª whiche Christ hym selfe the sonne of God as often as was nedefull dyd alleadge for testimonie and proufe will ye as though they were vnworthie for you to heare had them AuauÌ„t away that is wil ye inioyne God to kepe silence who speakith to you mostclearely by his own mouth in y e Scriptures Or that word wherby alone as Paul saith we are reconciled to God and whiche the Prophet Dauid saith ys holye and pure and shall last foreuer will ye call that but a bare and dead lettre Or wil ye say that all our labour is lost whiche is bestoued in that thinge which Christ hath commauÌ„ded vs diligently to searche and to haue euermore before our eyes And wil ye faye that Christ and the Apostlâ— ment with subtelty to deceiue the people when they exhorted them to reade the holie Scriptures that therby they might sâ—ow in al wisedom and knowledge No maruaile at al though these men dispise vs and all our doinges which set so litle by God himselfe his infallible saiengs Yet was it but want of witt in them to thintent they might hurt vs to do so extreme iniury to the word of God But Hosius will here make exclamation saieng we do him wrong and that these be not his owne wordes but the words of the heretique Zwenkfeldius But how than yf Zwenkfeldius make exclamation on the other syde and saye that the same very wordes be not his but Hosius owne wordes For tell me where hath Zwenkfeldius euer writteÌ„ thee Or yf he haue writteÌ„ them Hosius haue iudged the same to be wicked why hath not Hosius spoken somuch as one worde to confute them Howsoeuer the mater goeth although Hosius paradueÌ„ture wil not allowe of those wordes yet he doth not disallow the meaning of the wordes For wel nere in all controuersies and namely touching the vse of the holy communion vnder both kindes although the wordes of Christ be plaine and euident yet doth Hosius disdainefully reiect them as no better then colde and dead elementes and commaundeth to giue faith to certaine new lessons apointed by the Church to I wot not what reuelations of the holye Ghoste And Pighius saieth men ought not to beleue no not y e most cleare and manifest wordes of the scriptures onles the same be allowed for good by the interpretatioÌ„ and auctoritie of the churche And yet as though this were to litle they also burne the holye scriptures as in times paste wicked kyng Aza dyd or as Antiochus or Maximinus did and are wont to name theÌ„ Heretiques boks And out of doubt to see to they woulde faine do as Herode in oulde time dyd in Iewrie that hee myghte with more surety kepe still his dominioÌ„ Who being an Idumean borne and a straunger to the stocke and kinred of the Iewes and yet coueting much to be takeÌ„ for a Iew so thende he might establish to him and his posteritie y e kyngdom of that countrey which he had gotten of Augustus Cesar he commaunded all the Genealogies and Petigrees to be burnte made out of the waye so as there shoulde remaine no recorde wherby he might be knowen to them that came after that he was an Aliaunt in bloud wheras euen from Abrahams time these monumeÌ„tes had been safelye kepte amongeste the Iewes and layde vp in theire thresury bicause in them it might easely moste assuredly be found of what linage euery one did descende So in good faith doe these menne when they woulde haue all their owne doinges in estimation as though they had ben deliuered to vs eueÌ„ from the Apostles or from Christe hymselfe to thende there might be founde no where any thinge able to conuince such their dreames and lies either they burne the holie Scriptures or els they crastely conueye them from the people surely Very rightlye and aptly doth Chrysostome writte against these menne Heretiques saith he shutt vp the doores against the trueth for they know ful wel yf the doore were open the Churche shuld be none of theirs Theophylact also Gods worde saith he is the Candle whereby the theefe is espyed and Tertullian saith the holy Scripture manifestlye findeth out the fraude and theafte of Heretiques For why do they hyde why do they kepe vnder the Gospell whiche Christ would haue preched alowde from the house top Why whealine they that light vnder a Bushell whiche ought to stande on a Candlestick why trust they more to the blyndenes of the vnskilfull multitude and to ignoraunce then to the goodnes of their cause thinke they their slightes are not alredy perceiued and y t they caÌ„ walke now vnespied as though they had Giges tyng to go inuisible by vpon theyre finger No no all men see nowe well and well agayne what good stuffe is in that Chest of the Bysshop of Romes bosome This thinge alone of it selfe maye be an argumente sufficiente that they worke not vprightly and truely Worthely ought that mater seme suspicious which fleeth trial and is afrayde of the light for he that doth euill as Christ saith seekith darkenesse hateth light A conscience y t knowith it selfe cleere coÌ„meth willingly into open shew that the workes whiche procede of God may be seen Neither be they so very blind but they se this wel ynogh howe
see it to bee so pacient as they canne so lightly and quietly beare it But where as they haue commaunded that those Decrees shoulde be voyde as things now waxen to olde y t haue loste their grace perhappes they haue prouided in their steede certaine other better thinges and more profitable for the people For it is a common sayenge with them that if Christe himselfe or the Apostles were aliue againe they coulde not better nor godlyer gouerne Goddes Churche then it is at this presente gouerned by them They haue put in their steede in deede butte it is chaste in steede of wheate as Hieremie saithe and suche thinges as accordinge to Esayes words God neuer required at â—â—eir handes Thei haue stopped vp saith he al the vaines of cleere springing water and haue digged vp for the people â—â—ceiuable and puddlelike pyttes full of â—yre and filth whiche neither haue nor 〈◊〉 able to hold pure water They haue plucked away from the people the holie Communion the worde of God fromwhence all comforte shoulde bee taken the true worshippinge of God also and the right vse of sacramentes and prayer and haue geuen vs of their owne to play withall in the meane whyle salt water oyle boxes spittle palmes bulles iubilies pardons crosses sensinges and an indelesse rabble of ceremonies and as a man might tearm with Plautus pretie games to make sporte withall In these things haue they set al their religioÌ„ teachinge y e people that by these God may be duely pacified spirits be driuen away and mens consciences well quieted For these â—o be the orient colours and precious sauours of Christian religion these thinges doth God looke vpon accepteth them thankfully these must come in place to be honored and put quite away the institutioÌ„s of Christ and of his Apostls And like as in times past when wicked kinge Ieroboam had takeÌ„ from the people y e right seruing of God brought them to worship golden calues least perchauÌ„ce they might afterwards chaunge their minde and slippe awaye gettinge them again to Ierusalem to the Temple of God there hee exhorted them with a long tale to be stedfast saying thus vnto them O Israell these Calues be thy Gods In this sorte commaunded your God you should worshippe him For it shoulde be wearisome and troublous for you to take vpoÌ„ you a iorney so farre of and yearly to go vp to Ierusalem there to serue and honour your God Euen after the same sorte euery whit when these men had once made the lawe of God of none effect through their owne traditions fearing that the people should afterwards open their eyes and fall an other way and shoulde somwhence els seeke a suret meane of their saluation Iesu how ofteÌ„ haue thei cried out This is the same worshippinge that pleaseth God and whiche hee straitly requireth of vs and wherwith he wil be tourned from his wrath that by these thinges is conserued the vnitie of the Church by these al sinnes clensed and consciences quieted and who so departeth from these hath left vnto himselfe no hope of euerlasting saluation For it were wearisome and troublous saye they for the people to resorte to Christ to the Apostles and to y e auncient fathers and to obserue continually what their wil and commaundement should be This ye may se â–ª is to w tdraw the people of God froÌ„ y e weake elements of the worlde froÌ„ y e leauen of the Scribes Pharisies and from the traditions of meÌ„ It were reasoÌ„ no doubt y t Christes commaundementes and the Apostls were remoued that these their deuises might come in place O iuste cause I promise you why that auncient and so longe alowed doctrine should be now abolished and a newe forme of religion be brought into the Churche of God And yet whatsoeuer it be these menne crye stil that nothing ought to be changed that mens mindes are well satisfied here withal that the Churche of Rome y e church which cannot erre hath decreed these thinges For Siluester Prierias saith y t the Romish churche is the squyer rule of truth and that y e holy scripture hath receiued from thence bothe authoritie and credite The doctrine saith he of the Romish church is the rule of moste infallible faith from the whiche the holy scripture taketh his force And Indulgences and pardons saith he are not made knoweÌ„ to vs by y e authoritie of the scriptures but they are knoweÌ„ to vs by the authoritie of the Romyshe Church and of the Byshops of Rome whiche is greater Pighius also letteth not to say that without the licence or the Romyshe Church we ought not to beleue the very plaine scriptures much like as yf any of those that caÌ„not speake pure cleane Latin and yet can bable out quickely redily a litle some such law Latin as seruith the Courte would needes hold that all others ought also to speake after the same way which Mametrectus CatholicoÌ„ spake many yeare ago which them selues doe yet vse in pleadyng in Courte for so may it be vnderstand sufficiently what is said and mennes desires be satiâ—fyed and that it is a fondenes now in the later end to trouble y e worlde with a new kind of speaking and to cal againe the old fynesse and eloquence that Cicero and Cesar vsed in their dayes in the Latin tonge So much ar these men beholden to the follie and darknes of the former tymes Manye thynges as one writeth are had in estimation often tymes bycause they haue ben once dedicate to the temples of the Heathen goddes euen so see wee at this daye many thinges alowed and highlye sett by of these menne not bycause they iudge them somuch worth but only bycause they haue ben receyued into a custome and after a sorte dedicate to the Temple of God Our Churche saye they cannot erre they speake that I thinke as the Lacâ—â— demonians longe synce vsed to say that yt was not possible to fynde any Adulterer in all their common welth wheras in dede they were rather all Adulterers and had no certeintie in their mariages but had their wyues common amongest them all Or as the Canonistes at this day for theire bellies sake vse to saye of the Pope that forsomuche as he is Lord of all benefices though he sell for money Byshoprickes monasteries preiste hod spirituall promotions and partith with nothing freely yet bicause he counteth at his owne he cannot committ Simony though he woulde neuer so faine But how stronglye and agreablye to reason these things be spoken we are not as yet able to perceue except perchauÌ„ce these meÌ„ haue plucked of the wynges from the truth as the Romaines in olde tyme did proine and pinion their goddesse Victorie after they had once gotteÌ„ her home to thende that with the same wynges she shoulde neuer more be able to flee awaye from them againe But what yf Ieremye tell them as is afore rehersed that these be
other menne minister to hym but him selfe rather to minister vnto others that he taketh al Bishops as his felows and equals that he is subiect to Princes as to personnes sent from God that he giueth to Cesar that whiche is Cesars and that he as the old Bishops of Rome dyd without any question calleth the Emperour his Lord Onles therfore the Popes do the like now a dayes and Peter did the thinges a foresayd there is no cause at all why they should glorye so of Peters name and of his succession Muche lesse cause haue they to complaine of our departing and to call vs againe to be felowes and frendes with them and to beleue as they beleue Men saye that one Cobdon a Lacedemonian when he was sent Embassadour to the kyng of the Persians to treate of a legue and founde by chaunce them of the court playng at dyce he returned streight waye home againe leauing his message vndone And whē he was asked why he did flacke to doe the thinges whiche he had receiued by publique commission to do he made aunswere he thought it should be a great reproche to his cōmon welthe to make a legue with Dicers But yf we should content our selues to retorne to the Pope and his popyshe errours and to make a couenaunte not only with dicers but also with men farr◠more vngracious and wicked then any dycers be Besides that this should be a great blot to our good name it shoulde also be a very daungerous matter both to kindle Goddes wrath against be and to clogge and condemne our owne soules foreuer For of very trouthe we haue departed from hym whome we saw had blinded the whole worlde this many an hundred yeare From hym who to farre presumpteouslye was wont to saye he coulde not erre and whatsoeuer he dyd no mortal man had power to condemne hym neyther kynges nor Emperours nor the whole Clergie nor yet all the people in the worlde togyther no and though he should carrie away with hun to Hell a thousande soules From hym who toke vpon him power to cōmaund not only menne but euen Goddes Aungels to go to returne to leade soules into Purgatorie and to bring them back againe when he lyste him selfe whome Gregory said with out all doubt is the very foreronner and standerd bearer of Antichrist and hath vtterly forsaken the catholique faith From whome also those ringeleaders of owers who now with might and maine resist y e Gospel the trouth whiche they knowe to be the truth haue or this departed euery one of their owne accorde and good will and woulde euen now also gladly depart fró hyin yf the note of inconstancie shame and their owne estimacion amonge the people were not a let vnto them In conclussion wee haue departed from hym to whom we wer not bound and who had nothyng to laye for hym selfe but onely I know not what vertue or power of the place where he d'weleth and a continuaunce of seccession And as for vs we of all others moste iustely haue left him For our Kynges yea euen they whiche with greatest reuerence dyd folow and obey the aucthoritie and faith of the Byshops of Rome haue long synce founde and felte well ynough the yoke tyrannye of the Popes kingdome For y e Byshops of Rome toke the Crowne of from the head of our Kynge Henrye the second and compelled him to put a side all maiestie and lyke a meere priuate man to come vnto their Legate with great submission and humilitie so as all his subjectes might laugh him to scorne More thē this they caused Byshops and Monkes and some parte of the nobilitie to be in the feelde against our Kynge Iohn and sett all the people at libertie from their othe wherby they ought allegeaunce to their king and at last wickedly and most abhominablie they bereaued the kyng not onely of his kyngdome but also of his lyfe Besides this they excommunicated and cursed Kyng Henry theight the most famous Prince stirred vp against him sometime the Emperour sometime the Frenche Kyng as muche as in them was putte in aduenture our Realme to haue ben a very praye and spoyle Yet were they but foules and mad to thinke that eyther so mighty a Prince could be scared with bugges and rattles or els y e so noble and great a kyngdome myght so easily euen at one morsel be deuoured and swalowed vp And yet as though all this were to litle they would nedes make all the Realme tributarie to them exacted there yearely most vniust and wrongfull taxes So deere cost vs the freendeshyp of the Citie of Rome Wherefore yf they haue gotten these thinges of vs by extortion thorough their fraude and suttle sleightes we see no reason why we may not plucke awaye the same from them againe by laufull wayes iust means And yf out kynges in that darknes and blindenes of former tymes gaue them these thinges of their owne accorde and liberalitie for Religion sake being moued with a certaine opinion of their fained holines now when ignoraunce errour is spied out may the Kinges their successours take them awaye againe seing they haue the same auctoritie the Kinges their auncestours had before For the gyft is voide except it be alowed by the will of the giuer and that cannot seme a perfit will which is dymmed and hindered by errour Thus ye see good Christian Reader howe it is no new thing though at this day the religion of Christ be enterteined with dispites and checkes being but lately restored and as it were comming vp againe a new for somuche as the lyke hath chaunced both to Christ hym selfe and to his Apostles yet neuerthelesse for feare ye maye suffer your selfe to be led amysse and seduced with those exclamations of our Aduersaries we haue declared at large vnto you y e very whole maner of our Religion what our opinion is of God the Father of his onely sonne Iesus Christ of the holy Ghost of the Church of the Sacramentes of the ministery of y e Scriptures of ceremonies and of euery parte of Christian beleue Wee haue sayde that wee abandon and detest as plagues and poysons all those oide Heresies whiche eyther the sacred Scriptures or the auncient Councelles haue vtterly condemned that wee call home againe asmuche as euer wee can the right Discipline of y e Church which our Aduersaries haue quite brought into a poore weake case That we punnishe all licentiousnes of lyfe and vnrulynes of maners by the olde and long continued laws and with asmuch sharpenes as is conuenient and lyeth in our power That we mainteine still the state of kingdomes in the same condition and plight wherin we haue found thē without any diminishing or alteration reseruinge vnto our Princes their maiestie and worldly preeminence safe and without empayring to our possible power That we haue so gottē our selues away from that Church which they had made a denne of Theeues and
knowledge of God to al waye of truth to newnes of the whole liefe and to euerlastinge hope of saluation Wee beleeue that there is one Church of God and that the same is not shutte vp as in times past amonge the Iewes into some one corner or kyngdome but that it is catholique and vniuersall and dispersed throughout the whole worlde So that there is now no nation which can truly complaine that they bee shutt furth maye not be one of y e Church people of God And that this Churche is the Kingedome the bodye and the spouse of Christe and that Christ alone is the Prince of thys Kyngedome that Christ alone is the heade of this bodye and that Christ alone is the brydgrome of this spouse Furthermore that there be dyuerse degrees of ministers in the church wher of some be deacons some preestes some Byshops to whom is committed the office to instruct the people and the whole charge and settinge furth of Religion yet not withstanding we say that there neither is nor can be any one maÌ„ which may haue the whole superioritie in this vniuersall state for that Christe is euer present to assist his Church and nedeth not any man to supply his roome as his onely heyre to all his substaunce and y â— there can bee noe one mortall creature which is able to compreheÌ„d or conceaue in his minde the vniuersall Churche y â— is to witte all the partes of the worlde muche les able to put them in ordre and to gouerne them rightly and duely For all the Apostles as Cyprian sayeth were of lyke power among themselues and y â— rest were the same that Peter was and that it was sayed indifferently to them al Feed yeâ—indifferentlye to them all Goe into the whole world indifferently to theÌ„ al Teache ye the gospell And as Hierom saithe all Byshoppes wheresoeuer they be be they at Rome be they at Eugubium be they at Constantinople be they at Rhegium be all of lyke preeminence and of like preesthood And as Cyprian saith there is but one Byshoprike and y t a peece therof is perfitely wholy holdeÌ„ of euery particular Byshop according to the iudgement of the Nicene Counsel wee say that the Byshop of Rome-hath nomore iurisdiction ouer the churche oâ— God then the rest of y e Patriarkes either of Alexandria or Antiochia haue And as for the Byshop of Rome who nowe calleth all matters before him selfe alone except he do his deuty as he ought to do except he administer the sacraments excepte he instructe the people excepte he waxue them and teache them wee say y t he ought not of right once to bee called a Bysshop or so much as an elder For a Byshop as saith Augustine is a name of labour and not of honour bycause he would haue that maÌ„ to vnderstand him selfe to be no Byshop which will seke to haue preeminence and not to profyt others And that neither the Pope nor any other worldly creature can nomore be head of the whole Church or a Byshop ouer all then he can be the brydegrome the lighte the saluation and lyfe of the Church For these priuileges and names belong onely to Christe and be proprely onely fyt for hym alone And that no Bysshop of Rome did euer suffer hymselfe to be called by such a proude name and â—uâ—e before Phoras thempetoures â—ime who as wee know by killing hys owne souerain Morice the Emperour did by a traiterous vyllanie aspire to Thempere â–ª which was about y e sixt huÌ„dreth thirtenth year after Christ was borne Also the Councell of Charthage did circumspectly prouide that no Bysshop should bee called either the highest Byshop or chiefe preeste And therefore â—thens the Bysshop of Rome wil now a daies so be called chaleÌ„geth vnto him self an auâ—thoritie y t is none of his besides y t he doth plainly contrary to y e auÌ„cieÌ„t CouÌ„cels coÌ„trary to y e old Fathers We beleue that he doth giue vnto himselfe â–ª as it is written by his owne companyon Gregory a presuÌ„ptuous a prophane a sacrilegious and Antichristian name that he is also the kinge of pryde that he is Lucifer which preferreth himselfe before his bretherne that he hathe forsaken the faith and is the foreronner of Antichriste Further wee saye that the Minister ought laufully duely and orderly to be preferred to that Office of the church of God and y t no maÌ„ hath power to wrest himself into y e holy ministery at his own pleasure list Wherefore these persons do vs y e greater wrong which haue nothing so common in their mouthe as y e wee do nothing ordrely and comely but al thinges troublesomly and without ordre and that wee alow euery man to be a preest to be a teacher and to be an Interpretour of the Scriptures Moreouer we say y t Christ hath geueÌ„ to his ministers power to bind to loose to open to shutt and y t the office of loosing consisteth in this point that y e Minister should either offer by y e preaching of the gospel the merits of Christe full pardoÌ„ to suche as haue lowly contrite hearts and do vnfaâ—nedly repent theÌ„ pronouÌ„cing vnto y e same a sure vndoubted forgeuenes of their sins hope of euerlasting saluation Or els y t the minister when any haue offended their brothers mindes with a greate offence with a notable open tault wherby they haue as it were bannyshed and made themselues straungers from the common fellowship and from the bodye of Christe then after perfitte amendement of suche persons doth reconcile them and bringe them home againe and restore them to the company and vnitie of the faithfull We say also that the minister dothe execute the aucthoritie of binding and shutting as often as he shutteth vp the gate of the kingedome of heauen against the vnbeleeuing and stubborne persons denouncing vnto them Gods vengaunce and euerlastinge punishmente Or els when he doth quite shut them out from the bosome of the Churche by open ex-communicatioÌ„ Out of doubt what sentence so euer the Minister of God shall giue in this sorte God him selfe doth so well alowe of it that what soeuer here in yearth by their meanes is loosed and bounde God him selfe wil loose binde and confirme the same in heauen And touchinge the kayes wherewith they maye either shut or open the kyngdome of heauen wee with Chrysoâ—â—om saye they be the knowledge of the Scriptures with Tertullian we say they be the interpretation of the lawe and with Eusebius we call theÌ„ the worde of God Moreouer that Christes Disciples did receiue this aucthoritie not that they shoulde heare priuate confessions of the people and lysten to their whisperinges as the coÌ„men Massing preestes do euery where nowe a dayes and do it so as though in that one poinct laye all the vertue and vse of the kayes but to thend they should goo
their owne kyngedome strayght way is at a pointe yf the scripture once haue the vpper hande and that lyke as men say the Idolles of diuells in times past of whom menne in doubtfull matters were then wont to receiue auÌ„swers were sodâ—nly striken domme at the sight of Christ when he was borne and came into the world euen so they see that now al their suttle practises wil sone fal down hedlong vpon the sight of the Gospell For Antichrist is not ouerthrowen but with the brightnes of Christes coÌ„ming As for vs we runne not for succour to the fyer as these mennes guyse is but we runne to the scriptures neyther doe we reason with the sworde but with y e worde of God and therewith as saythe Tertullian do we feed our fayth by it do we styr vp our hope and strengthen our confidence For wee knowe that the Gospell of IESV CHRIST is the power of God vnto saluation and that therein consisteth eternall lyfe And as Paule warneth vs wee do not heare no not an Aungel of God coming from heauen yf he go about to pull vs from any parte of this doctrine Yea more then this as the holy martyr Iustine spekith of hym selfe we would giue no credence to God him selfe yf he should teache vs any other Gospell For where these menne byd the holie Scriptures away as domme and frutles and procure vs to come to God him selfe rather who speaketh in the Church and in Councelles whiche is to saye to beleue their fansies and opinions This waye of fynding out the truth is verye vncertaine and exceding daungerous in maÌ„ner a Fantastical a mad way and by no meanes allowed of the holye Fathers Chrysostom saith there be many oftentymes whiche boast themselues of the holye Ghoste but truelye who so speake of their owne head doe falselye boast they haue the spirite of God For like as saith he Christ denied he spake of him selfe when he spake out of the lawe and Prophets euen so now yf any thing be preassed vpon vs in the name of the holy Ghoste saue the Gospell we ought not to beleue it For as Christ is the fulfilling of the lawe and the Prophetes so is the holye Ghoste the fulfyllinge of the Gospell Thus farre goeth Chrysostom But here I looke thei wil say though they haue not the Scriptures yet maye chaunce they haue the Auncient Doctours and the holy Fathers with them For this is a high bragge they haue euer made how that al antiquity and a continuall consent of all ages dothe make on their side and that all our cases be but new yester dayes worke vntill these fewe laste yeares neuer heard of Questionlesse there can nothing be more spitfully spoken against the religion of God theÌ„ to acuse it of noueltie as a new comeÌ„ vp matter For as ther can be no chauÌ„ge in God him selfe no more ought there to be in his religion Yet neuertheles we wote not by what meanes but we haue euer seene it come so to passe from the first beginning of al that as often as God did giue but some light and did open his truth vnto men though y e truth wer not only of greatest antiquitie but also from euerlasting yet of wicked men of the aduersaries was it called NewfaÌ„gled and of late deuised That vngracious and bloud thristâ— Haman when he sought to procure the king Assueruses displeasure against y e Iewes this was his accusation to him Thou hast here saith he a kinde of people that vseth certaine new lawes of their owne but stifnecked rebellious against al thy lawes When Paule also began first to preach expouÌ„d y e Gospel at Athenes he was called A tidinges bringer of newe Gods as muche to saye as of new religion for said the Athenians maye wee not knowe of thee what newe doctrine this is Celsus likewise when he of set purpose wrote against Christ to thende he might more scornefully scoffe out the Gospel by the name of noueltye What saith he hath God after so many ages nowe at last and so late bethought himselfe Eusebius also wryteth that Christian religion from the beginning for very spite was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say New strange After like sorte these men coÌ„demne all our matters as strange newe but they will haue their owne whatsoeuer thei are to be praised as thinges of long coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce Doing much like to yÌ„e enchauÌ„ters sorcerers now a daies which working w t diuels vse to say thei haue their bokes and al their holy hidd mysteries from Athanasius Cyprian Moses Abell Adam from the Archaungell Raphael because y t their connig comming from suche patrones founders might be iudged the more high and holy After the same fasshion these men bicause they would haue their owne religion whiche they themselues and that not longe since haue brought forth into the world to be the eaâ—â—lier and rather accepted of foolishe persons or of suche as caste little whereabouts thei or other do go thei are wont to say they had it from Augustine Hierome Chrysostome froÌ„ the Apostles and from Christe himselfe Ful wel knowe thei y t nothinge is more in the peoples fauour or better liketh the common sorte then these names But how if the thinges whiche these men are so desirous to haue seeme newe be found of greatest antiquitie Contrariwise howe if all the thinges well nye whiche they so greatly set out with the name of antiquitie hauing been wel and throughly examined be at length founde to be but new and deuised of verye late Southly to say no man that had a true and right coÌ„sideracion would think the Iewes lawes and cerimonies to be new for all Hammans accusation for they were grauen in very auncient Tables of most antiquitie And although many did take Christ to haue swarued from Abraham the old fathers to haue brought in a certaine newe religion in his owne name yet aunswered hee them directly Yf ye beleeued Moyses ye woulde beleeue mee also for my doctrine is not so new as you make yt For Moses an author of greatest antiquitie and one to whome ye geue al honor hath spoken of me Paule likewise though the Gospell of Iesus Christe be of many counted to be but new yet hath it saith he the testimonie most old both of the law and prophetes As for our doctrine whiche wee may rightlier cal Christes catholik doctrine it is so farre of from newe that God who is aboue all most auncient the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe hath left the same vnto vs in y e Gospel in y e prophets Apostles woorkes beinge monuments of greatest age So that no man can nowe thinke oure doctrine to be newe onlesse the same thinke either the prophetes faithe or the Gospell or els Christe himselfe to be newe And as for their religion if it be of so longe continuance as thei woulde haue men weene it is