they should teache they should publishe abrode the Gospell and be vnto the beleuing a swete sauour of lyfe vnto life and vnto the vnbeleuing and vnfaithfull a sauour of death vnto death and that the mindes of godly persons being brought low by the remorce of their former lyfe and errours after they once begonne to looke vp vnto the light of the Gospel and beleue in Christ might be opened with y e worde of God eueÌ„ as a dore is opened with a keye CoÌ„trarie wise that the wicked and wilfull folke and suche as woulde not beleue nor retorne into the right waye should be lefte still as fast locked and shut vp and as S. Paul sayeth waxe worse and worse This take we to be the meaning of the keyes and that after this fashion mens consciences eyther to be opened or shut We saye that the preist in deede is Iudge in this case but yet hath no maner of right to chalenge an auctoritie or power as saith Ambrose And therfore our Sauiour Iesu Christ to reproue y e negligence of the Scribes and Phariseis in teaching dyd with these wordes rebuke them sayng Wo vnto you Scribes and Pharisies whiche haue takeÌ„ awaye the keyes of knowledge and haue shut vp the kyngdome of heauen before men Seing then the keye whereby the waye and entery to y t kingdom of God is opened vnto vs is the worde of the Gospell and thexpounding of the Lawe and Scriptures we say plainely where the same woorde is not there is not the keye And seyng one maner of worde is geuen to al and one only keye belongeth to al we say there is but one only power of all ministers as concerning opening and shutting And as touching the Bysshop of Rome for all his Parasites stateâ— ringlie singe in his eares those wordes To the will I geue y e keyes of the kingdome of heauen as though those keyes were fyt for hym alone and for no body els except he go so to woorke as mens consciences maye be made pliaunte and be subdued to the worde of God we denye y t he doth either open or shut or hath y e keyes at all And although he tought and instructed the people as woulde to God he might once truely do and perswade him selfe it were at the leaste soÌ„me peece of his duety yet we thinke his keye to be neuer a whit better or of greater force then other mens For who hath seuered hym froÌ„ the rest who hath taught him more coÌ„ningly to open or better to absolue then his bretherne We say y t matrimonie is holy and honorable in al sorts states of persones in y e patriarches in the prophetes in the apostles in holy martyrs in y e ministers of y e Churche and in Byshopps and that it is an honest and laufull thinge as Chrysostome saith for a man liuing in matrimonie to take vpon hym therewith the dignitie of a Bysshop And as Sozomenus saith of Spiridion and as Nazianzen saith of his owne father that a good and diligent Bysshopp doth serue in the ministerie neuer the worse for that he is maried but rather the better and with more ablenes to do good Further we saye that the same lawe whiche by constrainte taketh awaye this libertie from men and compelleth them against their willes to liue single is the doctrine of Dyuells as Paule saith and that euer since the tyme of this lawe a wonderful vncleanes of lyfe and maners in goddes ministers and sundrie horrible enormities haue folowed as the Bysshop of Augusta as Faber as Abbas Panormiâ—anus as Latomus as the Tripartite worke whiche is annexed to the seconde Tome of y e Councelles and other chaÌ„pious of the Popes band yea and as the matter it selfe and al histories do coÌ„fesse For it was rightly sayd by Pius the second a Bysshop of Rome that he sawe many causes why wiues should be takeÌ„ awaye from Preistes but that he sawe many moe and more weightye causes whye they ought to be restored them againe We receyue and embrace all the Canonicall Scriptures both of the oulde and new Testament geuing thankes to our God who hath raised vp vnto vs that light whiche we might euer haue before our eyes â—â—aste eyther by the sutteltie of man or by the snares of the Dyuell we shoulde be caried awaye to errours and lyes Also that these be the heauenly voices wherby God hath opened vnto vs his will and that onely in them mans hearte can haue setled reste that in them be habundantly and fullye comprehended all thinges what soeuer be nedefull for our saluatioÌ„ as Origene Augustine Chrysostom Cyrillus haue taught That they be y e very might and strength of God to attaine to saluation That they be the fouÌ„dations of the Prophetes and Apostles whereupon is buylte the Churche of God That they be y e very sure and infallible rule wherbe may be tryed whether y e Church doth stagger or erre and wherunto all ecclesiasticall Doctrine ought to be called to accompte and that against these scriptures neyther lawe nor ordinaunce nor any custom ought to be hard no though Paule his owne selfe or an Aungell froÌ„ heauen shoulde come and teache the contrarie Moreouer we alow the sacrameÌ„tes of the Churche that is to saye certaine holy signes ceremonies whiche Christ woulde wee should vse that by them he might set before our eyes the mysteries of our saluation and might more strongely confirme our faith which we haue in his bloud and might seale his grace in our heartes And those sacramentes togither with Tertullian Origene Ambrose Augustin Hierome Chrysostome Basill Dionysius and other Catholique Fathers do we call figures signes markes or badges printes copies formes seales signettes similitudes patterns representations remembraunces and memories And we make no doubt togither with the same Doctours to say that those be certaine visible wordes seales of righteousnes tokens of grace and do expresly pronounce that in the Lords supper there is truelye geueÌ„ vnto the beleuing the body and bloud of the Lord the flesshe of the sonne of God whiche quickeneth our soules the meate that cometh from aboue the foode of inmortalitie grace truth and lyfe And y â— supper to be the coÌ„munion of y e body and bloud of Christ by the partaking whereof wee be reuiued wee be strengthened and be fed vnto immortalitie wherby we are ioyned vnited incorporate vnto Christ that we may abide in him and he in vs. Besides wee acknowledge there be two sacramentes which wee iudge proprely ought to be called by this name that is to saye Baptisme and the sacrameÌ„tes of thankes giuing For thus many we see were deliuered and sanctified by Christ and well allowed of the oulde fathers Ambrose and Augustine We say y t Babtisme is a sacrament of the remissioÌ„ of sinnes and of that washing which we haue in the blood of Christe and that no persoÌ„ which wil professe Christes name
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
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
many Prynces only vppon his owne blynd preiudices and foredeterminations and y t without hearing of them speak or without shewing cause whye But bycause he hath alredy so noted vs openlye least by holdynge oure peace we should seme to graunt a fault and specially bycause we can by no meane haue audience in y e publik assembly of the general Councel wherein he would no creature should haue power to geue his voice or declare his opinion excepte he were sworne and straightly bounde to maintaine his aucthoritie For wee haue had good experience hereof in his last conference at the councel at Trident where the embassadours diuines of the Princes of Germany and of the free Cities were quite shutte out from their company nother can we yet forget how Iulius the third aboue ten yeares past prouided warely by his writt that none of our sorte shoulde bee suffered to speake in the Councell except there were som paraduenture y t wolde recante and chaunge his opinion For this cause chieflye we thoughte it good to yelde vp an accoumpte of oure faith in writing truely and openly to make aunswere to those things wherwith wee haue ben openly charged to thende the worlde may see the partes and foundacions of that doctrine in the behalfe whereof so many good men haue litle regarded their oune lyues And y t al men may vnderstand what manner of people they be and what opinion they haue of God and of Religion whome the Bysshop of Rome before they were called to tell theire tale hath condemned for heretikes without any good consideratioÌ„ without any exaumple vtterly without lawe or righte onelye bycause he hearde tell that they did dissente from hym and his in som pointe of Religion And although S. Hierome would haue no bodie to be patient when he is suspected of heresy yet we wil deal herein nether bitterly nor brablingly nor yet be caried away w t angre heate though he ought to be reckned neither bitter nor brabler y t speaketh y e truth We willingly leaue thys kynde of eloquence to oure aduersaries who whatsoeuer they say against vs be it neuer so shrewdly or dipitefully sayde yet thinke it is sayd modestely and comely ynough and care nothing whether it be trew or false Wee neede none of these shyftes which do maintaine the truthe Further yf wee do shewe it plaine that Gods holie Gospell the aunciente Byshops and the primatiue Churche do make on our syde and that wee haue not without iust cause left these men and rather haue retourned to the Apostles and oulde catholique Fathers And yf wee shall be founde to doe the same not coulorably or craftely but in good faith before God truly honestly cleerely and plainly and yf they theÌ„selues which â—ye our doctrine and woulde be called Catholiks shall manifestly see how al those titles of antiquitie whereof they boste so much ar quite shaken out of their haÌ„ds and that there is more pith in this oure cause then they thoughte for wee then hope and trust that none of them wil be so negligent and careles of his own saluation but he will at length studye and bethinke him selfe to whether parte hee were best to ioyne him Vndoubtedlye excepte one will altogether harden his hearte and refuse to heare he shal not repent him to geue good heede to this out defence and to mark well what wee say how truly and iustly it agreeth with Christian Religion For where they call vs Heretikes it is a crime so haynous y t onles it may be seene vnles it may be felt in maÌ„ner may be holdeÌ„ with hands and fingers it ought not lightly to be iudged or beleued when it is â—aide to the charge of any Christian man For heresy is a â—orsaking of saluatioÌ„ a renouncing of Gods grace a departing from the body and spirite of Christe But this was euer an olde and solempne propretye with them and theire forefathers yf any did complaine of their errours and faultes and desired to haue true Religion restored streighte waye to coÌ„demne such one for heretikes as men new fangled factious Christe for no nother cause was called a Samaritan but onely for y t he was thoughte to haue fallen to a certaine newe Religion and to be the Aucthor of a newe sect And Paul thapostle of CHRISTE was called before the Iudges to make aunswere to a matter of heresy and therfore hee saied Acordinge to this way whiche they call Heresye I doo worshippe the God of my Fathers beleeuinge all thinges which be written in the law and in the Prophets Shortely to speake This vniuersal Religion whiche Christen men professe at this day was called firste of the heathen people a Sect Heresy With these termes did they alwaies fil priÌ„ces eares to thintent when they had once hated vs with a foredetermined opinion and had coumpted all that wee sayed to bee faction and heresy they might be so ledd away from y e truth right vnderstaÌ„ding of the cause But the more sore and outragious a crime heresye is the more it ought to be proued by plaine and strong argumentes especially in this time wheÌ„ men begin to geue lesse credite to theyre words to make more diligent searche of theyr doctrine then they were wont to do For y e people of God ar otherwyse instructed now then they were in times past when all the Bysshopps of Romes sayenges were allowed for Gospell when all Religion did depende only vpon their aucthoritie Nowe a daies the holie scripture is abroad the writinges of the Apostles Prophets ar in printe whereby all truth and Catholyke doctrine may be proued and all heresie may be disproued and confuted Sithens then they bring furth none of these for them selues and call vs neuertheles Heretiques which haue nether fallen from Christ nor from y e Apostles nor yet from the Prophets this ys an iniurious and a very spitefull dealinge With this sword did Christe put of the Dyuel when he was tempted of him w c these weapons oughte all presumption which doth auauÌ„ce it selfe against God to be ouerthrowen and coÌ„quered For al Scripture sayeth S. Paule that commeth by the inspiration of God is profitable to teach to confute to instruct and to reproue that the man of God may be perfect and throughly framed to euery good work Thus did the holy Fathers alway fight agaynst the heretikes with none other force then with y e holy scriptures S. Augustin when he disputed against Petilian an heretike of â— Donatistes Let not these woordes quod he be heard betwene vs I say or you say let vs rather speake in this wise Thus sayeth the Lorde there let vs seeke the Church ther let vs boult out our cause Lykewise S. Hâ—erome All those things sayth he which without the testimonie of the scriptures are holden as deliuered from y e Apostles be throughly smitten down by the sword of Gods worde S. Ambrose also
him We can not also away in our churches with y e shewes sales byeng selling of Masses nor the carrieng about worshipping of bread nor such other ydolatrous and blasphemous foâ—dnes whiche none of them can proue y t Christe or his Apostles did euer ordaine or left vnto vs and we iustly blame y e Bishops of Rome who w tout y e word of God w tout y e authoritie of the holy fathers without any example of antiquitie after a newe guise do not onely set before y e people y t sacrameÌ„tal bread to be worshiped as God but doe also cary y e same about vpon an ambling horse whyther soeuer themselues iorney as in old time y e PersiaÌ„s fier y e reliques of y e goddesse Isis were solemly caried about in processioÌ„ haue brought y e sacraments of Christ to be vsed nowe as a stage play a solemne sight to the end that mens eyes should be fedde with nothing els but with mad gasinges and foolishe gaudes in the selfe same matter wherein the death of Christ ought diligently to be beaten into our heartes and wherein also the mysteries of our redeÌ„ption ought with all holines and reuerence to be executed Besides where they say and somtime doe perswade fooles that they are able by their Masses to distribute and applie vnto mens commoditie al the merites of Christes death yea although many tymes y e parties thinck nothing of y e matter and vnderstand ful litle what is don this is a mockery a Hethenyshe fansie and a very toye For it is our faith that applieth the death and crosse of Christe to our benefite and not the Acte of the Massing preest Faith had in the Sacramentes saith Augustine doth iustifie not the sacramentes And Origene saith Christ is the preest the propitiation and sacrifice which propitiatioÌ„ coÌ„meth to euerie one by meane of faith So that by this reconing we saye that the sacrameÌ„tes of Christ without faith doe not once profite those that be alyue a great deale lesse doe they profite those that be dead And as for their bragges they are woÌ„t to make of their Purgatory though we know it is not a thing so very late risen amongest them yet is it no better then a blockyshe and an olde wyues deuise Augustine in deed somtime saith there is suche a certaine place sometime he denieth not but there maye be suche a one sometime he doubteth sometime againe he vttrely denieth it to be and thinketh that menne are therin deceiued by a certaine naturall good wil they beare their frendes departed But yet of this one errour hath there growen vp suche a haruest of these Massemongers y e Masses being sould abrod comonly in euery corner the Temples of God became shoppes to get money and selie soules were perswaded that nothing was more necessarie to be bought In ded there was nothyng more gainefull for these men to selle As touching the multitude of vaine and superfluous ceremonies wee know that Augustin did greuously complain of theÌ„ in his owne time and therfore haue wee cut of a great numbre of them bycause we know that mens consciences were cumbred about theÌ„ and the Churches of God ouerladen with them Neuerthelesse we kepe still and esteeme not onely those ceremonies whiche wee are sure were deliuered vs from the Apostls but some others too besides whiche we thought myght be suffred without hurt to the churche of God because we had a desire that all thinges in the holy congregation might as Paul coÌ„mandeth be don with comelines and in good order but as for all those thinges whiche we sawe were eyther very superstitious or vnprofitable or noysome or mockeries or contrarie to the holy Scriptures or els vnsemelie for honest or discrete folkes as there be an infinite numbre now a dayes where Papistery is vsed these I saye wee haue vterly refused without all maner exception bycause wee would not haue the right worshypping of God any lenger defiled with suche folies We make our prayers in that tonge whiche all our people as meete is may vnderstand to thend they may as Paul counseleth vs take commoÌ„ commoditie by common prayer euen as all the holy Fathers and catholique Byshops bothe in the ould and new Testament did vse to pray them selues taught the people to praye to leaste as Augustin saith like parrottes and ousells wee shoulde seme to speake that we vnderstand not Neither haue we any other Mediatour and Intercessour by whome wee may haue accesse to God the Father theÌ„ Iesu Christ in whose onely name all things are obteined at his Fathers haÌ„d But it is a shamefull parte and full of infidelitie that we see euery where vsed in the Churches of our aduersaries not onely in that they will haue innumerable sortes of mediatours and that vterly without the auctoritie of Goddes word So that as Ieremie saith the Saintes be nowe as many in numbre or rather aboue the numbre of the Cities poore men cannot tel to which Sainct it were best to turne theÌ„ first And though there be so many as they cannot be tolde yet euery one of theÌ„â—hath his peculiar deuty and office assigned vnto him of these folkes what thiÌ„g they ought to aske what to giue â–ª and what to bring to passe but besides this also in that they do not only wickedly but also shamelesly cal vpon the blessed virgine Christes mother to haue her remember that she is a mother and to commaunde her sonne and to vse a mothers auctoritie ouer him We saye also that euery person is borne in sinne and leadeth his lyfe in sinne that no body is able truely to saye his hearte is cleane That y e most rightuous persone is but an vnprofitable seruaunte That the law of God is perfite and requireth of vs perfit and full obedience That we are able by no meanes to fulfill that lawe in this worldly lyfe That there is no one mortall creature whiche can be iustified by his owne desertes in goddes sight and therfore that our only succour and refuge is to flye to the mercy of our Father by Iesu Christ and assuredly to perswade our myndes that he is the obtayner of forgiuenes for our sinnes And that by his bloud al our spottes of sinne be washed cleane That he hath pacified and set at one all thinges by the bloud of his Crosse That he by the same one onely Sacrifice whiche he once offered vppon the Crosse hath brought to effect and fulfilled al things and that for that cause he sayd when he gaue vp the Ghoste It is finished â–ª as though he woulde signifie that the price and ransome was nowe full payde for the sinne of all mankind Yf there be any then that thinke this sacrifice not sufficient let them go in Gods name and seke an other that is better We verely bicause we knowe this to be the onely sacrifice are well contente with it alone and
cryed The temple of the Lorde The temple of the lorde or as the Phariseis and Scribes dyd whiche craked they were Abrahams children Thus with a gay and iolie shewe deceiue they the simple and seke to choke vs with the very name of the church Muche like as yf a theefe when he hath gotten into an other mans house and by violence eyther hath thrust out or slayne the owner should afterwarde assigne the same house to hym selfe casting furthe of possession the right inheritour Or yâ— Antichrist after he hath once entred into the Temple of God should afterward saye This house is myne own Christ hath nothinge to do withall â–ª For these menne nowe after they have left nothyng remaining in y e churche of God y t hath any liknes of this Church yet will they seeme the Patrones and the valiaunte maynteners of the Churche very like as Grachus amongest the Romaynes stoode in defence of the treasury not withstanding with his prodigalitie and fond expences he had vtterlye wasted the whole stocke of the treasurie And yet was there neuer any thing so wicked or so far out of reason but lightelye yt might be couered defended by the name of the church For the waspes also make honyecombes as well as Bees wicked men haue companyes lyke to the Churche of God yet for all that they be not streight wâ—y the people of God which ar called y e people of God neither be they al Israelits of many as ar com of Israell y e father The Arrians notwitstanding thei were heretiques yet bragged they that they alone were Catholiques calling all the test now AmbrosiaÌ„s now AthanasiaÌ„s now Iohannites And Nestorius as saith Theodorete for all he was an Heretique yet couered he hym selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to weete with a certaine cloke and colour of the true right faith Ebion though he agreed in opinion with y e Samaritanes yet as saith Epiphanius he would be called a Christian. The Mahomytes at this day for all y e al histories make plaine mention and themselues also cannot denye but they toke their first begynning of Agar the bonde woman yet for the very name and stockes sake chuse they rather to be caled Saracenes as though they came of Sara the free woman and Abrahams wyfe So likewise the false Prophetes of all ages whiche stode vp against the Prophetes of God whiche resisted Eâ—ayas Ieremye Christ and the Appostles at no tyme craked of any thing somuche as they dyd of the name of the Churche And for no nother cause did they so fearcely vexe them and cal theÌ„ Ronneawayes and Apostatas then for that they forsoke their fellowshipp and kepte no thordinaunces of the Elders wherfore yf we would folow the iudgementes of those men only who then gouerned the Churche and would respecte nothing els neyther God nor his word yt muste nedes bee confessed that the Apostles were rightlie and by iust lawe condemned of theÌ„ to death bycause they fell from the Byshops and preistes that is you must thiÌ„ke from the Catholique Churche and bycause they made many new alterations in Religion contrarie to the Byshops and Preistes willes yea and for all their spurninge so ernestlye against it wherfore like as it is written that Hercules in olde time was forced in striving w t Antaeus that huge giaunt to â—yâ—te him quite vp from the earth that was his Mother â—re he could conqueere him euen so must our Aduersaries be heaued from their Mother that is from this vaine colour shadow of y e church wherewith they so disguise and defende themselues otherwyse they cannot be brought to yelde vnto the word of God And therefore saith Ieremye the Prophete Make not suche â—reat boaste that the Temple of the Lorde is with you this is but a vaine confidence for these are lyes The Aungell also saith in the Apocalyps They say theybe Iewes but they be y e Synagoge of Sathan And Christ sayd to the Pharisies when they vaunted them selfe of the kynred bloud of Abraham Ye are of your father the Devel for you resemble not your father Abraham â–ª asmuche to saye ye are not the men ye woulde so faine be called ye 〈◊〉 the people with vaine titles and abuse the name of the Churche to the ouerthrowing of the Churche So that these mens parte had ben first to haue clearely and truely proued that the Romishe churche is the true and right instructed Churche of God that the same as they do order it at this day dothe agre with y e primatiue church of Christ of the Apostles and of the holye Fathers whiche we doubt not but was in dede y e true catholique Church For our partes yf we could haue iudged ignoraunce errour superstition Idolatrie mennes Inuentions and the same coÌ„moÌ„lie disagreinge with y e holy Scriptures eyther pleased God or to be sufficient for thobtainige euerlastyng saluation or yf we could assertaine our selues that the worde of God was written but for a time only and afterwarde againe ought to be abrogated and put awaye or els that the sayinges and commaundementes of God ought to be subiecte to mans will that whatsoeuer God sayeth and commaundeth except the Byshopp of Rome willeth and commaundeth the same it must be taken as void an vnspoken Yf we coulde haue brought our selues to beleue these thinges we graunt there had ben no cause at all why wee should haue lefte these mennes coÌ„panie As touching that we haue now den to departe from that Churche whose errours were proued made manifest to y e world which Church also had alredy euideÌ„tly departed from Gods worde yet not to departe somuche from it selfe as from therrours therof not to do this disorderlye or wickedly but quietlie and sobrelye we haue don nothing herein against the doctrine eyther of Christ or of his Apostles For neyther is the Church of God suche as it may not be dusked w t some spot or asketh not sometime reparation els what nedith there so many assembles and Councelles without the which as saith Egidius the Christian saith is not hable to stand For loke saith he howe often Councelles are discontinued so often is the Church destitute of Christ. Or yf there be no peryle that harme maye come to the church what nede is there to reteyne to no purpose y e names of Byshops as is now commenlye vsed amonge them For yf there be no shepe that may strey whye be they called shepardes yf there be no Citie that may be betraied why be they called watchemen yf there be nothing that may ronne to ruyne why be thei called Pillers Anone after the first creation of the worlde the churche of God began to spreade abrode and the same was instructed wyth the heauenly word whiche God hym selfe pronounced with his owne mouth It was also furnished with diuine ceremonies It was taught by y e spirit of God by the Patriarches and
all thy kinsefolke yet are they all thy aduersaries being Christs seruants thei serue Antichrist Beholde in my rest my bitternes is moste bitter Roger Bacon also a man of great fame after he had in a vehement Oration touched to the quicke the wofull state of his owne time These so many errours saith he require loke for Antichrist GersoÌ„ coÌ„plaineth how in his daies al y e substaÌ„ce efficacie of sacred diuinitie was brought into a glorious contention osteÌ„tatioÌ„ of wits to very sophistrie The Friers of Lions meÌ„ as touchiÌ„g y e maner of their life not to be misliked wer woÌ„t boldly to affirm y t the Romish church froÌ„ whence alone al counsel ordres was theÌ„ sought was the very same harlot of Babylon rowt of Diuels wherof is prophesied so plainely in y e Apocalyps I know wel enough y e authoritie of y e forsaid persoÌ„s is but lightly regarded amoÌ„gest these men How theÌ„ if I cal furth those for witnesses whoÌ„ themselues haue vsed to honor what if I say y e Adryan the Bysshop of Rome did franklye confesse that all these mischieues brast out first from the highe â—hrone of the Poper Pighius acknowlegeth herein to be a fault that many abuses are brought in euen into the verye Masse which Masse otherwise he wold haue seeme to be a reuerend matter Gerson saithe that through the number of moste fonde ceremonies all the vertue of the holye Ghoste whiche ought to haue full operation in vs all true Godlines is vtterlye quenched and deade Whole Grecia and Asia complaine howe the Bysshoppes of Rome with the martes of their Purgatories Pardons haue both tormented mennes consciences and picked their purses As touching y e tyranny of the Byshops of Rome and their barbarous Persian-like pride to leaue out others whom perchauÌ„ce thei reckeÌ„ for enemes bicause thei freely liberally find fault with their vices the selfe same men whiche haue ledd their lyfe at Rome in the holye Citie in the face of the moste holye Father whoe also were able to see all their secretes and at no tyme departed from y e Catholike faith As for example Laurentius Valla Marsilius Patauinus Fraunces Petrarke Hierome Sauanocola Abbott Ioakim Baptist of Mantua and before all these Bernarde the Abbotte haue manye a tyme and muche complayned of yt geuinge the worlde also sometyme to vnderstande that the Bysshoppe of Rome hymselfe by youre leaue is verye Antichriste Whether they spake yt truelye or falselye lette that goeâ— sure I am they spake it plainelye Neyther canne anye manne alledge that those authors were Luthers or Zwinglius schollers for they were not onelye certaine yeares but also certaine ages or euer Luther or Zwinglius names were hearde of They well sawe that euen in their dayes errours had crept into the Churche and wished earnestly they might be amended And what maruaile yf the Churche 〈◊〉 then caryed a waye with errours in that time specially when neither the Byshop of Rome who theÌ„ only ruled y e to 〈◊〉 nor almoste any other either didde his 〈◊〉 or once vnderstoode what was his duetie For it is harde to be belieued whyles they were ydle and fast a â—â—eâ—ne that the Diuell also all that whyle either fell a sleepe or els continually lay ydle For how they were occupied in the meane time and with what faithfulnesse they tooke care of Goddes house though wee holde oure peace yet â— playe you lette them heare Bernarde their owne friend The Bysshops saith he who now haue the charge of Gods churche are not teachers but deceauers they are not feeders butte begylers they are not Prelates butte Pylates These woordes spake Bernarde of that Bysshoppe who named himselfe the highest Bysshoppe of all and of the other Bysshoppes like wyse whiche then hadde the place of gouernement Bernard was no Lutherian Bernard was no heretike he had not forsaken the Catholike churche yet neuertheles he didde not lette to call the Bishoppes that then were deceiuers begilers and Pylates Nowe when the people was openly deceiued and Christian mennes eyes were craftely bleared and when Pilat satte in iudgement place and condemned Christ Christes members to the swoorde and fyer Oh good Lord in what case was Christes church then But yet tell me of so manye and grosse errours what one haue these men at anye time refourmed or what faulte haue they once acknowleged coÌ„fessed But for so muche as these men auouche the vniuersall possession of the catholike Churche to bee their owne and call vs Heretiques bicaucause wee agree not in iudgemente with them let vs knowe I beseeche you what propre marke and badge hathe that Churche of theyrs whereby it maye bee knowen to bee the Church of God I wys it is not so hard a matter to finde out Goddes Churche of a mantle will seeke it earnestlye and 〈◊〉 For the Churche of Godde is lette vpon a highe and glisteringe place in the toppe of an hill and buylte vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and prophettes There saith Augustine â—ette â—â— seeke the Churche there lette vs â—â—ye ourâ— matter And as he saith againe in an other place The Churche must be shewed out of the holy and canonicall scriptures and that whiche can not bee shewed out of them is not the Churche Yet for all this I wote not howe whether it be for feare or for conscience or despearing of victory these meÌ„ alway abhor and flie the woorde of God euen as the theefe fleeth the gallowes And no wonder truely for lyke as men saye the Cantharus by and by perisheth and dyeth assone as it is laide in balme notwithstandinge balme be otherwise a most sweete smellynge ointment euen so these men well see their owne matter is dampped and destroyed in the woorde of God as if it were in poyson Therefore the holy scriptures whiche oure Sauioure Iesu Christe didd not onely vse for authoritie in all his speache butte didde also at last seale vp the same with his owne bloude these menne to the entent they myghte with lesse busines driue the people from the same as from a thinge daungerous and deadlye haue vsed to call theim A bare letter vncertaine vnprofitable domme killing and dead which seemeth to vs all one as yf they shoulde say The scriptures are to no purpose or as good as none Hereunto they adde also a similitude not very agreeable howe the scriptures be like to a nose of war or a shipmans hose how they may be fashioned and plyed al manner of waies and serue al mennes turnes Wotteth not the Bysshop of Rome that these thinges are spoken by his owne minions or vnderstandeth he not he hath suche champions to fight him Let him harken then how 〈◊〉 how godlye one Hosius writeth of 〈◊〉 matter a Byshop in Polonia as he testifieth of himselfe a man doubtlesse wer spokeÌ„ not vnlerned a very sharp and 〈◊〉 mainteinour of that syde One
why doe they not proue it so by the exaumples of the Primatiue Churche and by the Fathers and Councells of olde tymes Whye lyeth so auncient a cause thus longe in the duste destitute of an Aduocate Fyer and sworde they haue had alwayes ready at hande but as for the olde Councels the fathers al Mum not a word They did surely against all reason to beginne first with these so bloudy and extreme means if thei could haue found other more easy and gentle wayes And yf they truste so fully to antiquitie and vse no dissimulation why didde Iohn Clement a countrye manne of owres but fewe yeares past in the presence of certaine honest menne and of good credite teare and cast into the fyer certaine leaues of Theodorete the moste aunciente Father and a greeke Bysshoppe wherein he plainelye and euidentlye taughte that the nature of breade in the Communion was not chāged abolished or brought to nothing And this didde he of purpose bicause he thought ther was no other copy thereof to be foūd Why saith Albertus Pighius y t the auncient father Augustine had a wronge opinion of originall sinne And that he erred and lyed and vsed false logique as touching the case of matrimonie concluded after a vow made which Augustin affirmeth to be perfect matrimony in dede and cannot be vndone again Also when they did of late put in printe the auncient father Origenes worke vpon the Gospell of Iohn why left they quyte out y e whole sixth Capirre wherin it is likely yea rather of verye suerty that the sayd Origene had written many thinges concerning the Sacrament of the holye Communion contrarie to these mennes myndes and woulde put furthe that booke mangled rather then ful and perfit for feare it should reproue them their parteners of their errour Call ye thys trusting to antiquitie whē ye rente in peces kepe back mayme and burne the aunciēt Fathers workes It is a worlde to see how wel fauouredlye and howe towardlye touchinge Religion these men agree with the Fathers of whom they vse to vaunte that they be their own good The old Councel Eliberine made a decree that nothing that is honored of the people shoulde be painted in the Churches The olde father Epiphanius saith it is an horrible wickednes and a sinne not to be suffered for any man to set vp any picture in the Churches of the Christians yea though it were the picture of Christe himselfe Yet these menne store all their temples and eche corner of them with paynted and carued ymages as though without them religion were nothinge worth The olde fathers Origene and Chrysostome exhorte the people to reade the scriptures to buy them bokes to reason at home betwixte themselues of diuine matters wiues with their husbāds and parentes with their children These men condemne the scriptures as dead elemēts and asmuche as euer thei maye barre the people from them The Auncient fathers Cyprian Epiphanius Hierome say it is better for one whoe perchaunce hathe made a vowe to leade a sole lyfe and afterwarde lyueth vnchastely and cannot quenche the flames of luste to marye a wyfe and to lyue honestlye in wedlocke And the ould Father Augustine iudgeth the selfe same mariage to be good and perfit and ought not to be brokē again These menne yf a man haue once bound hym selfe by a vome though afterward he burne kepe queanes and defile hym selfe with neuer so sinfull and desperate a lyfe yet they suffer not that persone to marye a wyfe or yf he chaunce to mary they alow it not for mariage And they comonlye teache it is muche better and more godlye to kepe a Concubine and 〈◊〉 harlot then to liue that kynde of mariage The ould Father Augustine complained of the multitude of vayne ceremonies wherew t he euē thē sawe mēs mindes and consciences ouercharged These men as though God regarded nothyng els but their ceremonies haue so out of measure increased them y t there is now almoste none other thinge left in theire Churches and places of prayer Again that old father Augustin denieth it to be leefull for a Monke to spende his tyme slouthfully and ydleye and vnder a pretensed and counterfeite holines to liue all vpon others And who so thus lyueth an olde father Apollonius likeneth hym to a theefe These men haue I wote not whither to name them droues or heardes of monkes who for all they do nothīg nor yet once intend beare any shew of holines yet lyue they not onelye vppon others but also ryot lauyshly of other folkes labours The olde Councell at Rome decreed that no man should come to the seruice sayd by a Preist well knowen to keepe a Concubine These menne let to fearme Concubines to their preistes and yet cōstreigne men by force against their will to heare their cursed paltrie seruice The oulde Canons of the Appostles commaunde that Byshop to be remoued from his Office whiche will both supplie the place of a ciuill Magistrate and also of an ecclesiastical persō These menne for all that both do and will needes serue both places Nay rather y e one Office which they ought chiefly to execute they once touch not and yet no body commaundeth them to be displaced The olde Councell Gangrense commaundeth that none should make suche difference betwen an vnmaried Preist a maried preist as he ought to think the one more holye then the other for single lyfe sake These menne put suche a difference betwene them that they streight waye thinke al their holie seruice to be defiled yf it be done by a good and honest man that hath a wyfe The aūcient Emperour Iustinian commaunded that in the holy administratiō all thinges should be pronounced with a cleare lowde and tretable voyce that y e people might receiue some fruite therby These menn least the people shoulde vnderstande them mumble vp all their seruice not onlye with a drowned and hollowe voice but also in a straūge and Barbarous tonge The ould Councell at Carthage cōmaunded nothing to be read in Christes congregation but the canonicall Scriptures These menne read suche thinges in their Churches as themselues knowe for a trouthe to be starke lyes and fonde fables But yf there be any that thinke that these aboue rehersed auctorities be but weake and slender bycause they were decreed by Emperours and certein petie Byshopps and not by so full and perfit Councelles taking pleasure rather in y e auctoritie and name of y e Pope let suche a one know that Pope Iulius doth euidently forbid that a priest in ministring the Communion shoulde dippe y e bread in the Cuppe These menne contrarie to Pope Iulius decree diuide y e bread and dip it in the wyne Pope Clement saith it is not laufull for a Byshop to deale with both swords for yf thou wilt haue both saith he thou shalt deceiue both thy selfe and those that obey
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
mad a mocking stock The world espyeth a good whyle a gon what there ys a doyng abroade This flame the more it is kept downe somuch the more with greater force and strengh doth it break out and flye abroade Their vnfaithfulnes shall not diâ—apoincte goddes faithfull promyse And yf they shall refuse to laye awaye this their hardenes of heart and to receiue the Gospel of Christ then shall Publicanes and synners go before them into the kingedome of Heauen GOD and the Father of oure Lorde IESVS CHRIST open the eyes of them all that they maye be able to see that blessed hope whereunto they haue ben called so as wee maye altogither in one glorifie hym alone who is the treâ— God and also that same Iesus Christ whome he sent downe to vs from Heauen vnto whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be giuen all honour and glorie euerlastinglye So be it The ende of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande The manner how the Churche of Englande is administred gouerned The Churche of EnglaÌ„d is diuided in to two Prouinces Canterbury and Yorke The Prouince of Canterbury hath Tharchebyshop of the same who is Primate of all Englande and Metropolitane The Byshop of London The Byshop of Winchestes The Byshop of Elye The Byshop of Chichestes The Byshop of Hereforde The Byshop of Salysburie The Byshop of Worcetor The Byshop of Lincolne The Byshop of Couentrie and Lichefield The Byshop of Bathe and Welles The Byshop of Norwiche The Byshop of Excetor The Byshop of Rochester The Byshop of Peterborough The Byshop of S. Dauies The Byshop of S. Assaph The Byshop of Landaffe The Byshop of Bangor The Byshop of Oxforde The Byshop of Glocester and The Byshop of Bristowe The Prouince of Yorke hathe Tharthebyshop of the same who is also Primate of England and Metropolitane The Byshop of Durham The Byshop of Carliell and The Byshop of Chester Amongest vs heere in Englande no man is called or preferred to bee a Bysshop except he haue first receiued the orders of Priesthoâ—de and be well hable to instruct the people in y e holy scriptures Euery one of the Archebyshops and Byshops haue their seuerall Cathedrall churches Wherein y e deanes beare chiefe rule being men specially chosen both for their learning and godlines as neere as maye bee These Cathedrall Churches haue also other dignities and CanoÌ„ries whervnto bee assigned no ydle or vnprofitable persones but suche as eyther bee Preachers or professours of the Sciences of good learninge In the saide Cathedrall Churches vpon Sondayes and festiuall dayes the Canons make ordinarilye special Sermons wherevnto duely resorte the head Officers of the Cities and the Citizens and vpon the workendayes thryse in the weeke one of the Canons doth read and expound some peece of holy Scripture Also the saide Archebyshops and Bysshops haue vnder them their Archedeacons some two some foure some sixe accordinge to the largenes of the dioces the whiche Archedeacons keepe yearly twoo visitations wherein they make diligent inquisition and searche both of the doctrine and behauiour as well of the ministers as of the people They punishe thoffendors and if any errours in religion and heresies fortune to springe thei bring those and other weighty matters before the Byshops themselues There is nothing read in oure Churches but the canonical scriptures which is done in suche ordre as that the Psalter is read ouer euery moneth the new Testament foure times in the yeare and the olde Testament once euery yeare And if the Curate be iudged of y e Byshop to be sufficiently seene in the holy scripturs he dothe withal make some exposition and exhortacion vnto godlines And for somuch aâ— our Churches and Vniuersities haue ben woÌ„derfully marred and so souly brought out of al fashion in time of papistrie as there can not be had learned pastors for euery parysh there bee prescribed vnto the Curates of meaner vnderstandinge certaine Homelies deuised by learned men whiche doe comprehende the principall poinctes of Christian doctrine as of Originall sin of Iustification of Faith of Charitie suche like for to bee read by them vnto the people As for Common prayer The lessons taken out of the Scriptures thadministringe of the sacramentes and the residue of seruice done in the Churches are euery whitt done in the vulgare tongue whiche all may vnderstande Touchinge the vniuersities Moreouer this Realme of England hathe twoo Vniuersities Cambridge and Oxforde And the manner is not to liue in these within houses that be Innes or a receipt for common geastes as is the custome of some vniuersities but they liue in colledges vnder moste graue and seuere discipline euen suche as the famous learned man Erasmus of Roterodame beinge heere amongest vs about fourtie yeares past was bolde to preferre before y e very rules of the Monkes In Cambridge bee xiiii Colledges these by name that folowe Trinitie Colledge founded by kinge Henrie the eight The kinges Colledge S. Iohns Colledge Christes Colledge The Quenes Colledge Ihesus Colledge Bennet Colledge Pembroke Colledge or Pembroke halle Peter Colledge or Peter house Bunwell and Caws colledge or halle One other Trinitie colledge or Trinitie halle Clare colledge or Clare halle S. Katherins colledge or Katherin halle Magdalene colledge In Oxford likwise there be Colledges some greater some smaler to the number of foure and twentye the names whereof be as followeth The Cathedrall Churche of Christe wherein also is a great company of studentes Magdalene colledge Newe colledge Marten colledge All sowles colledge Corpus Christi colledge Lincolne colledge Anriell colledge The Ouenes colledge Baptie colledge or Bailioll colledge S. Iohns colledge Trinitie colledge Excetor colledge Brasen nose colledge Thuniuersitie colledge Glocetor colledge Brodegaâ—e halle â—â—aete halle Maâ—â—alene halle Aâ—borne halle S. Marie halle â—hyre halle â—ewe Iâ—â—e Edmonde halle And besides these Colledges that be in the Vniuersities this Realme hath also certein collegiate churches as Westmynster Windesour Eaton and Wynchester The two last whereof do bring vp and fynde a greate number of yong Scholers the whiche after they be once parfect in the rules of Grammer and of versifieng and well entred in the principles of the Greeke tong and of Rhetorike are sent from thence vnto the vniuersities as thus Out of Eaton colledge they be sent vnto the Kynges colledge at Cambrydge out of Wynchester vnto the New colledge at Oxford The Colledges of both the Vniuersities be not only very fayre and goodly builte thorough thexceding liberalitie of y e kynges in olde time of late dayes of Byshopps and of noble men but they be also endowed with marueylous large liuinges and reuenewes In Trinitie colledge at Cambrydge and in Christes colledge at Oxford both whiche were founded by Kyng Henry theight of most famous memorie are at the least founde foure hundreth Shollers and the like number wel neere is to be seene in certen other Colledges as in the Kynges Colledge S. Iohns Colledge