name of Eleutherius an ancient Bishop of Rome writing vnto other Bishops For this cause Christ hath committed vnto you the vniuersall Church that ye labour for all men and neglect not to helpe all according to necessity Cyprian also affirmeth epist 13. lib. 3 that joyntly with Stephanus Bishop of Rome he did hold the leuell of gouerning the Church And then he addeth The body of the Priesthood is exceeding large and is coupled together with the glew of mutuall concord and the band of vnity therfore if any of our fellowship shall prasume to forge an haeresie or to rent destroy the Church of Christ let all the rest make conuenient helpe And that same Cyprian in very deede often helped troubled Churches euen such as were without the bounds of Africke yea and the Church of Rome it selfe So Polycarpus Irenaeus Osius of Corduba Athanasius Basilius the two Eusebii one of Samosata the other of Vercels Lucifer of Calarie Hilarie of Poitiers Theophilus and Cyrillus of Alexandria Aurelius of Carthage and many other Bishops did painfully labour by vertue of their Episcopall office to helpe the necssities of the vniuersal Church and leauing for a space their own Churches well appointed recōmending them to the ouersight of others they went vnto other afflicted troubled Churches Therefore it is most proper to my calling not without the compasse of it with all my might as Cyprian exhorteth to helpe the Court of Rome which factionously maketh a Sect and deuiding it selfe frō the Church renteth destroyeth the Church of CHRIST and yet mine helpe must not be by approching to it because that is not sure but by a bodily departing from it I would indeed most gladly haue retained mine own Church of Spalate as Osius Basilius the two Eusebii Hilarius others aboue named retained their own Churches returned vnto them after they had ended the publicke businesse of the vniuersall Church But because that my Church with many others groaneth vnder the tyrannie of the Pope who hateth abhorreth Reformatiō and by all his power and the forces of his adhaerent Princes maketh impediment to it And hauing power of life death ouer these who suit vrge reformation suffereth none of them aliue Therefore I could not choose but leaue my Church that I my selfe hauing cast off these bands set at liberty might be the more ready to proclaime the trueth and with greater safety might deplore the desolation of the holy Church which she suffereth of the Court of Rome True it is the majesty of an earthly king is dreadfull because as Tertullian saith he is next vnto God lesser than God only aboue whom as Optatus Milevitanus saith there is none saue God alone Therefore when k. Dauid was to be reproued for his adultery murther neither the high Priest nor any other of the Priesthood nor any Leuit or friend or familiar durst praesume to take that charge vpon him but God vsed his own proper peculiar messenger appointed the Prophet Nathan to rebuke him But there is not now such necessity neither need we expect that God will raise vp extraordinary Prophets appoint peculiar messengers to deal with the Bishop of Rome who is now troubling scandalizing spoyling oppressing the whole Church The majesty of our Rom. Pope is not so great as to affray vs that his temporall hauty majesty is fained vsurped is none at all he is but our Brother Collegue a Bishop with vs a Fellow-seruant in the work and a brother who is holpen of a brother is as a fenced city as Salomon saith in the Prouerbs Wherfore then doe we snort wherfore doe we sleep a Brother perisheth draweth the Churches away with him to perdition we his Brethren neglect the danger doe not occur Let all be silent let all be quiet contemn as they will yet I the least Whelpe among them all with such barking as I can shall wakē those great mastius who are asleep made drowsie by a wōderful policy of the Popedome that according to their charge they may hold back the Wolues saue the flock of Iesus Christ I shall not vse mine own voyce but the voyce of God in wakening the good Dogs and I shall double vpon them the Cry of holy Fathers Councels holy Catholick Church As for these ten Bookes Of the Ecclesiastick Republick which I am shortly to put to light I shall specially endeuour that the errours of the Church of Rome may be detected the trueth and wholsomnes of the Catholick doctrine discipline may be opened these many reformed Churches which by our Romane Church are proudly casten off diuorced may be retained in a Catholik sense and that the way of vnion of all the Churches if not clearly demonstrat may be at least pointed out if by any means we can be broght to that estate all of vs to thinke one thing to say one thing that Schismes may be remedied and all occasions taken away from Christian Princes of plotting the ouerthrow one of another of troubling the common peace of Christian people with vntimous vngodly warres that vnder the praetence of Faith Religion but rather that all their forces may be so directed as the Catholik Church of Christ groaning vnder the tyrannie of those who are Infideles indeed may be restored to her ancient libertie This my departing from my Countrey or rather my going out flight from Babel I will that it want all suspicion of Schisme for I flee from errours I flee from abuses that lest I be partaker of Babels sinnes and receiue of her plagues yet will I neuer seuer my selfe from the loue which I owe to the holy Catholick Church and to all and euery one who communicate with her but so far as in me lieth I shall euer bee ready to communicate with them all so long as wee agree in the essentiall articles of our Faith and the Creedes of the ancient Church of Christ if in the meane time we derest abhorre all new articles of Faith which are contrary to holy Scripture or repugnant to the forenamed Creedes and that we admit not in anie case articles indifferent in thēselues as articles of Faith which haue neuer bene sufficiently discussed established and determined by the Church except first they be fully determined or bee showne to haue bene determined of before neither yet that we condemne those articles as haereticall vnlesse we haue sufficient notice that they haue bene condemned by the Church In things therefore indifferent let liberty of opinion and action be permitted to euery Church and let euery of them abound in their own judgement vntill the Church it selfe instructed gouerned by the Spirit of Christ shall put an ende to controuersies and seuer the Chaffe from the true Corne. In the meane time let vs remember that notable saying of worthie Cyprian which hee vsed in
the Councill of Carthage Wee judge no man saith he neither debar we any man from the Communion albeit he haue an opinion diuerse from vs for none of vs all hath made himselfe Bishop of Bisshops or compelleth his collegues by a tyrannicall force to the necessitie of obedience because euery Bishop according to liberty and power hath his own arbitriment as though hee might not bee judged by others neither hee himselfe may judge another but let vs all await vpō the judgement of our Lord Iesus Christ who one and alone hath power to prafer vs to the gouernment of his Church and to take an account of all our proceedings At that time Cyprian disassented from the Church of Rome almost from the vniuersal Church about the Baptisme of Haeretickes and being confirmed in his own opinion hee judged Stephanus Bishop of Rome who mightily resisted him therein and all other to bee in a manifest errour yet hee neuer suffered the band of vnion Ecclesiastick Charity betwixt them to be brokē lest a Schisme the most noysome pest of the Church should atise among them And in this Cypr. to his great cōmendation did ouercome the not-all-wise-discrete zeale of Stephanus for while as Steph. by his excōmunications did rush headlongs to the inconuenience of a Schisme Cyprian by his patience and charity excellent wisdome eschewed a separation Therfore S. Augustine did oftē commend Cyprian and propounded his actions as a rule and examplar of Imitation to all the Churches And among other thinges which Augustine considereth of this proceeding strife betwixt Cyprian Stephanus hee saith in his fifth booke against the Donatists chap. 25. Yet the peace of Christ did so praeuaile in their hearts that in such a quaestion no Schisme did arise betwixt them for Cyprian had surely concluded with himselfe that Steph. did grosly erre while he receiued poenitent Haereticks returning to the Church without rebaptizing yet hee choosed to cōmunicate not only with Stephanus himselfe who thought and did contrary to him but also with those whom he judged to be altogether vncleane and that only because Steph. had receiued them to the Communion rather than to rent the Church with a Schisme And this example Augustine propoundeth to the Donatists and vs all to be followed Therefore most holy Father you Fathers Brethren and holy Collegues let vs imitate Cyprian follow the counsell of Augustine that aboue all things Schismes be remoued for as August obserueth Cyprian replenished with the bowels of charity aestimed that euen they who haue diuerse opinions should abide in vnitie Let vs also among vs haue diuerse opinions of thinges not as yet determined till they be fully determined And in the meane time let vs abide in vnity for albeit that you thinke otherwise yet as th'Apostle admonisheth God will reueale that to you Make not greater diuisions than are already Take heed also that with Stephanus ye break not the band of charity by vntimous excommunications lest by such contentions that great ill of diuision arise which August did fore-eschew Restore peace and charity to all the Churches of CHRIST who according to the Tenor of the ancient Creedes doe professe IESVS CHRIST and bee assured of this that Schisme in the Church is a farre more grieuous euill than Haeresie Haue your Communion ready for all without praejudice of the liberty of opinions remouing in the meane time all falsehoods in doctrine Leaue the examinations of the Trueth to those lawfull accustomed formes of the holy Church for so I hope through the assisting grace of CHRIST who vseth not to denie himselfe to them who seeke him sincerely that full peace and concord and a necessary vnion of the holy Churches shall follow that we all think one thing abide all in one rule Let vt not stirre vp amongst vs the fire of hatred and secret grudges but of Religion and Catholicke instruction Let the Word of GOD bee a Lanterne to our feete and let vs followe the foot-steps of our holy Ancestors who haue beene excellent Lightes in the Church of CHRIST Let vs breake asunder without pertinacie the darknesse of errour and falsehood by the light of the trueth of the Gospel and let vs depart farre from Nouelties which haue almost quite exstinguished the Doctrine and Discipline of the holie Church that the Church of CHRIST on earth may bee one coupled together with the glew of concorde wherein to let vs all with one spirit and one mouth prayse our GOD and the Father of our LORD IESVS CHRIST AMEN Giuen at VENICE the xv of September ANNO 1616.
perpetuall assistance which PAVL calleth the Pillar and ground of Veritie But now our Romanistes haue drawne this article of Faith in lesser bounds That the Catholicke Church now is to be taken for none other than the Court of Rome it is propounded to be beleeued by a firme Faith that in it only yea in the Pope alone the whole Spirit of CHRIST maketh residence and whatsoeuer of old time hath bene said for the honour of the vniuersall Church of CHRIST with great injury to the Church is wholly applyed to the Court of Rome many things are reduced to the articles of Faith wherof we neuer had any institution of CHRIST wherby the soules of the Faithfull are miserably deceiued and so the Blinde with their blind leaders rush headlongs in the gulfe of perdition These things among many other haue grieued me exceedingly doe yet stir vp in my spirit an incredible dolour But I wil cease now particularly to recount the innumerable nouelties of the Court of Rome and these moste pernicious erroures whereby a Boucherie of soules is wrought the vigour of Church Discipline is broken the propagation and purging of Religion is hindered and innumerable offences are brought in the Church the ciuill peace of Christians is troubled bloody warres stirred vp amongst them kingdoms are ouerthrown horrible schismes are made in the Churches and most grieuous calameties do arise which all I haue exactly obserued I will cease now I say to recount them because I haue fully treated of all these matters in my large worke Of the Ecclesiasticke Republicke which I haue in readinesse and shall giue to bee Printed in Germanie as first commodioufly occurreth to mee in this my journey all that worke Of the Ecclesiasticke Republicke I comprehende in ten Bookes In the first whereof I search out the forme of this Republicke and doe determine that the Church vnder CHRIST appertaineth to a most perfect Monarchie and that not the lesse the Ministers of CHRIST on earth by CHRISTS own institution are most farre from an earthly Monarchie do gouerne the Church with an Aristocratie or choise gouernment not without some mixture of a democratie or popular gouernment and consequently I shew that the Primacie of Peter is contrary to the Euangel institution of Christ In the second booke I consider the gouerners Ministers of the Ecclesiasticke Republick who they are what succession can be giuen to the holy Apostles what is the institution of Bishops wherein they differ from Presbyters who are the inferiour Ministers and what force holie Order haue in this Republicke In the thirde I doe expound what is the Hierarchie to bee found among the Bishops and Gouernoures of this Republick and I do teach that there is no praeheminence nor subjection among Bishops by diuine right but that degrees of places among them are distinguished by the constitutions of the Church only And consequently I doe treat of the Election Confirmation Consecration or Ordination of Bishops and of the power of Metropolitanes Primates and Patriarches In the fourth I examine the Priuiledges of the Church of ROME and doe proue that neither in her selfe nor in her Bishop nor Clergie shee hath anie praeheminence giuen her of CHRIST aboue other Churches but if anie shee hath had or nowe hath shee hath taken it from the helpes and furtherances of men In the fifth I doe vndertake to search out the proper power of the CHVRCH and doe prooue that it is meerelie Spirituall and so I remooue farre from the CHVRCH all Earthlie IVRISDICTION And then consequently I dispute of the force and operation of Sacramentes and of Ecclesiasticall Censures In the sixth I compare the power of the Laitie and of the Church that the difference betwixt the Ecclesiasticke and Temporall Republicke may appeare and I doe shewe that Christian temporall Princes may doe many thinges in the Church but the Church in temporall thinges and especially towards Kings may doe nothing at all I treat also of the temporall Kingdome of CHRIST of the power of the Laitie whence it is and of how large extent of the Immunities of the Church and Church-men of Inuestitures of the Monarchie of SICILL and such like In the seuenth I consider the inward direction of the Ecclesiasticke Republicke which is by faith and I inquire for the true rule of faith and so I dispute of the Word of GOD of the authoritie of the Church and of the Pope ouer it of Councels of Haeresie of Schisme and such like In the eight I consider the externall gouernement of the Church by Lawes Canons and Iudicatories Thereafter I discusse howe farre Canons doe oblish of dispensations of commandes enjoyning fasting prayer and such like In the ninth I come to the temporall goods of the Church and I expound at length how sparing the sustentation of the Ministers should bee whence it should bee taken and howe Church goods should be guided I treat also of Tithes of Benefices of dominion ouer Church-goods of the vse and abuse of Church-rents of Pensions of Commendas and Testaments of the Clergie In the tenth and last I vndertake to expound the libertie of the Church that wee may see what way this Republicke is free And consequently I treat of Priuiledges and persons priuiledged of the abuse of priuiledges of exemptions and persons exempted of the subjection of Moncks and such like This was the fruit of my painfull studies for while vpon the occasions before named I did griedily reade holy Scripture the Orthodox Fathers the holy Canons and Volumes of Councels mine eyes being opened and I inflamed with a zeale to explaine the trueth to others and to my selfe I could not but write those thinges I obserued and this my much writing hath begotten this worke the summe whereof I haue rehearsed I saw therefore plainly and did perceiue that in our Churches wee had gone farre astray from the right path both in Doctrine and Discipline What then should I doe more in the mids of a wicked froward nation If as reason craueth I would haue gouerned mine owne Church according to the ancient discipline of the Catholick Church and propone true and Catholick doctrine I should by that meanes hasten vpon mine head great stormes horrible tempests frō Rome for euē already at Rome great hatred was hatched fostered against mee because they had vnder-smelled my labours in writing against their opinions for which I was often admonished rebuked by the Popes Nuncio lying at Venice it was therfore much better to take the wings of a doue to withdraw my selfe fly away to the wildernes where I might wait vpon him who will deliuer me from the weaknes of spirit from the tempest rather than remaining among the blind willingly blinding my selfe I should leade the blind to perdition What are the Bishops vnder the Romane Popedome In temporall things indeed where the benefices are fat they shine in wordly dignitie they are
great conspicuous Princes but Bishops they are not but by aequiuocation all their Bishoply administration is perished for the gouernment of all Churches is drawn to Rome and the Bishops themselues are scarsely Vicars and seruants to the Lord Pope they are vile coÌ„temptible oppressed troden vnder foot miserably subjected not to the Pope only but to Cardinals to so many CoÌ„gregations as are institute at Rome against them Legates from his Holines side Apostolick Nunces Inquisitors Visitors in end to innumerable Orders of Regulars and their brethren who now by their Apostolicke priuiledges are uot onely aequalled to Bishops but also ouermatcheth them stayeth their proceedinges in their gouernment swallowing vp their power The Church vnder the Bishop of Rome is no more a Church but a certaine humane Commonwealth all of it vnder the Popes temporall Monarchie It is a Vineyard only to make Noe drunke it is a Flock which the Shepheards do sheare and clip euen to the blood yea to excoriate and flaye them Why then should I not flee lest I should see these euils any longer lest I should be a fellow-worker of such thinges a partaker with them CHRIST hath set mee as a dogge among his flocke I should not bee dumbe anie longer as nowe all the other Bishops vnder the Romane pope are dumb dogs who on the one part allured with large â—â—pes and on the other terrified with great feare are altogether silent and choose by base flattery to hasten to perdition with their Chiftane And because according to the Prouerbe Flattery begetteth friends and trueth begetteth hatred seeing I neither could nor ought to desert the trueth I behoued of necessitie to flee noisome hatred and poyson and daggers the ordinary effects of hatred among vs for in these our times matters are come to this poinct that at Rome or elswhere by commission from Rome the defence of Controuersies of Religion is not committed to Theologs or Councels but to Torturers Burrios Cut-throates and bloodie Murtherers And albeit all these things did euer and earnestly perswade me to flee yet I doe confesse I fonnd the handmaide Agar with her childe Jsmael for a long time troublesom to me I mean I heard my flesh rebelling against my spirit and reasoning after this manner And whither I pray thee wilt thou goe Thou art come to great dignities wealth vnder the Bishop of Rome with hope also to attaine further These things thou doest possesse these are certain but thou knowest not what shall befall thee in other places Shall it bee euen so that thou wilt leaue thy Countrey Consignes Alliance friends neuer any more to see them againe Wherfore makest thou thy selfe wiser than innumerable other Bishops who comporteth vvith all things tolerateh excuseth them why wilt not thou in like manner comport with tolerate excuse them Art thou only the wise man among such an innumerable multitude Are all the rest foolish Doest thou not know that immediatly after thy departing first at Rome and then euery where thou shalt bee burdened with great reproaches and noted with the infamous name of an Haereticke These and more such like speaches my fleshly Agar did often whisper in mine eares not without a great combate betwixt her mine inwarde spirit and my Conscience nowe already ouercome with the trueth But that diuine Spirit with a more vehement force suffered me not any longer to make delayes but with an effectuall voyce he called me to himselfe as he did Abraham saying Come out of thy Countrey and from thy kinred and from thy Fathers house and come vnto the Land which I will shew vnto thee And he forced mee to put in execution that notable saying of the wise men FOLLOW GOD euen as blessed Abraham indeed obeyed it according to the consideration of holie Ambrose de Abraham lib. 1. cap. 2. Which fact of the holy Patriarch after a wonderfull sort augmented both my courage and strength while I perceiued that GOD did first rewarde his ready obedience by keeping disgrace and infamie farre from him for hee praeserued the chastity of his beautiful wife Sara wheÌ„ it was in liazard by a licentious Tyrant Ambrose also did much comfort mee in this case while he saith Because Abraham contemned all things for GODS calling therfore he receiueth al things again abundantly multiplied first of all hee gaue him the safety of Saras chastity which hee knew was deare to the husband That same holy Father addeth moreouer Whosoeuer followeth the LORD is euer in surety therefore saith he we should not bee called backe from the obedience of heauenlie commandements neither for respect to our countrey or parents or children or wife because GOD giueth all these gifts to vs is able to preserue them all These things giue mee full assurance that for this my following of his calling though it bee somewhat too late GOD will giue me this remuneration euen the praeseruation of my fame and aestimation that of whatsoeuer account it be it shall suffer no disgrace amongst Barbarians but shall be kept found and vndefiled for the aedification of some and auoyding of offences Beeing therefore encouraged with this confidence and moued with this holy calling and admonished by these dangers I haue most chearefully vndertaken this my flight But yet the loue of CHRIST constraineth me for I might be counted of a vile base spirit if laying aside all lawfull striuing I should rot in sluggish idlenesse in some corner and so flee for mine owne ease The cause of CHRIST is in hand which calleth me to it selfe I heare that voyce continually thundering in mine eares CRYE and admonishing mee to goe vp to some high mountaine to the ende that my voyce joyned with their voyce who haue not bowed their knee to Baal may bee better heard in preaching the Gospel to Sion That voyce now I follow and I goe into some mountain where the Catholick Church hath lifted vp her head in a free profession from whence according to the oblishment of my calling so farre as in me lieth I may proclaime the trueth to the worlde and may open and shew the wayes for taking away all diuisions and binding vp again of peace in the Church The Church shall shortly heare my cries I will speake to the heart of Hierusalem and call vnto her For I cannot in any case bee lacking to my calling because I am a Bishop in the Church of CHRIST to euery Bishop his own particular Church is so committed that hee must in the meane time vnderstand where there is any necessity of his helpe the vniuersall Church is recommended to him by IESVS CHRIST To all of vs who are Bishops the Apostle Paul hath said Take heed to your selues to the whole flocke ouer which the Spirit of God hath made you ouer-sieers to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood These words also are giuen out in the
A DECLARATION OF THE REASONS WHICH MOVED MARCVS ANTONIVS DE DOMINIS ARCHBISHOP OF SPALATO OR SALONAS PRIMATE OF DALMATIA AND CROATIA to depart from the ROMISH Religion and his Countrey WRITTEN BY HIMSELFE IN LATINE and now for the Populare vse translated EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ANDRO HART 1617. TEMPUS THE TRANSLATER imparteth his obseruation to the READER RECEIVE CHRISTIAN READER a proofe of the force of Trueth and a praesage of the ende of that worke God is about to doe in these last Ages A man brought vp in the Learning of Aegypt and inchaunted with the Sorceries of Babel without the helpe or counsell of any Protestant by occasion of Popish tyrannie searching the trueth findeth out their errour in Doctrine and abuses in Discipline and conuinced of both first in his minde forsaketh their opinions and now in his body fleeth from their society This is not like to the change of Apollinaris and Arrius of olde or of Carier in our time whose miscontented humour for hopes disappointed made them alter their opinion But more like to that of Paulus Vergerius Bisshop of Iustinople whom vnjust suspitions at the first burdened with a secret fauour of Lutheranisme for purging whereof he intended a refutation of Luthers doctrine But while he wrangled with the Trueth to ouer-come it hee was taken captiue of it and leauing his Place and Dignities rendered himselfe at Tubing to our Profession The ground of our praesage is GODS Trueth in Times accomplishment wherein Prouidence goes on with remarkeable degrees of persons and places not without some respect to the periods of time Hee raysed Wickleff from their Schooles Iohn Husse from their Pulpits Martin Luther from their Cloysters and nowe Marke Antonie from their Arch-episcopall Chaire The places haue the like gradation Great Britaine seemeth too faire from Rome to waken them by Wickleffs crye Therefore it sounded nearer in Germanie And nowe Dalmatia looking ouer the Venetian Gulffe assureth Italie that her next Aduertiser shall bee within her bowels Jt was more than a Poeticall licence to applye Sybillas Oracles of CHRIST to Saloninus the sonne of Pollio for keeping in memorie his victorie in taking in Salonas But this our Saloninus maketh large restitution and applyeth the Oracles of GOD to the owne purpose As the Clergie hath gone before so Princes doe follow The King of Great Britaine with most of the Princes of Germanie stand out alreadie against Rome The ambiguitie of France will resolue in ende in an open departure And the temporizing of Venice importeth more the want of occasion than of will and resolution The Romane Empire did stretch out it selfe by degrees proceeding from the middes to the extremities as circles goe out from the Center And at the extremities againe their ruine began and went backe to the heart The fall of their Spirituall Monarchie shall keepe the same course The periods of time haue their owne obseruation The Iewish solemnitie of Iubilee not brought in the Church till the thirteenth Age was then tyed to the Centenarie number and that their joye hath since proued to be like the song of the Marmaide before a storme for soone after Wickleff beganne to trouble their mirth and in the ende of that Age Iohn Husse made them some more businesse till in the 1415. yeere the holy Fathers at Constance by a Punicke Faith brought him to the fire An hundreth yeeres after him Luther renewed his song with greater boldnesse and in the 1517 yeere gaue out his Propositions against the Pope from which time they haue perswaded themselues and cuen to this daye assure their followers that Luthers doctrine can stand no longer than an hundreth yeeres This present yeere closeth that period and while they looke for an euanishing of that Doctrine beholde euen from themselues it receiueth againe a newe light anewetestimonie We holde with Plato the fatalitie of Periods but Pythagoras numbers are too weake a grounde for such a necessitie Or if wee shall take anie numbers it must bee these of sinne and in sinne more the degrees than the numbers The Amorites sinnes must come to the height and the Iewes must fill their cuppe before their punishment The Pharisees of our time doe mightily to fill out their measure The pryde and filthinesse of Sodome the whordomes of Babell are now multiplyed exceedingly and the greatest sinne euen that to death is become an epidemicke disease among their Clergie Pope Iohn the 22. can denye the trueth Leo the tenth can scoffe at it Gardinerus can confesse it at his death but with this addition That it must rather still be impugned than the state of Rome decay All their wittes runne vpon this one poinct but all their meanes turne vpon them The cruelty of their Inquisition The tyranny of their Prohibitions Their impudency in falsifying wordes and writs giue them but a moments aduantage But euen from these shall come their rnine Alye hath no more strength than for the time it is spoken and credulously embraced but the eternall force of Trueth hath more than a momentanie preuailing What then resteth for them but that they giue place to the fatality of their estate since they will not giue place to the Trueth And for vs while Rome is renting in it selfe take heede that we be not diuided Whosoeuer now casteth in the apple of strife in the Reformed Church proueth an enemy to GOD and an improfitable friend to Antichrist Let vs stande still and beholde the worke of the LORD and bee sure while wee imagine wee haue left Babel that we haue first forsaken Aegypt W.S. MARCVS ANTONIVS DE DOMINIS Arch-Bishop of SPALATA expoundeth the purpose and reasons of his departing LEst this my departing suddaine and vnexpected of all others but to my selfe by a long and more than ten yeeres aduising resolued vpon and by exquisite deliberation brought to ripenesse should cause wondring among these of our Profession and should produce some badde effectes through my default in these who are ignorant of the proceeding I thought it necessarie by a timous praeoccupation to expound the reasons of this my not-hastie but well-aduised departing For surely I doe foresee there shall not be lacking many traducers who according to the custome will take occasion of this my departing to reuile and burden me with calumnies Which thing I confesse before GOD doeth not much trouble mee For with the Apostle PAVL I count little to be judged of men Let me bee a Foole for CHRISTS cause let me bee vyle buffetted rayled vpon persecuted blasphemed and counted the off-scouring of the worlde yea and accursed so that I may satisfie the LORD IESVS CHRIST and profite my brethren in the Ministerie of CHRIST I should contemne all these thinges For ont glorie is the testimonie of a good conscience that in simplicitie of heart and sinceritie of GOD and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of GOD I haue changed my place It is my parte indeed as the Minister of GOD to shewe my selfe