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
An Apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe and plaine declaration of the true Religion professed and vsed in the same Londini Anno Domini M. D. LXIIII. To the right honorable learned and vertuous Ladie A. B M. C. wisheth from God grace honoure and felicitie MADAME ACCORDING to your request I haue pâ—rused your studious labour of traÌ„slatioÌ„ profitably imploied in a right coÌ„mendable work Whereof for that it liked you to make me a Iudge and for that the thinge it selfe hath singularly pleased my iudgement and delighted my mind in reading it I haue right heartely to thanke your Ladiâ—ship both for youre owne well thinking of me and for the comforte that it hathe wrought me But far aboue these priuate respectes I am by greater causes enforced not onely to shewe my reioyse of this your doinge but also to testify the same by this my writing prefixed before the work to the commoditie of others and good incouragement of your selfe You haue vsed your accustomed modestie in submittinge it to iudgement but therin is your prayse doubled sith it hath passed iudgemeÌ„t without reproche And whereas bothe the chiefe author of the Latine worke and I seuerallye perusinge and conferringe youre whole translation haue without alteration allowed of it I must bothe desire youre Ladiship and aduertise the readers to thinke that wee haue not therein giuen any thinge to any dissemblinge affection towards you as beinge contented to winke at faultes to please you or to make you without cause to please your selfe for there be sundry respectes to drawe vs from so doinge althoughe we were so euil minded as there is no cause why we should be so thought of Your own iudgement in discerning flatterie your modestie in mislikinge it the layenge open of oure opinion to the world the truth of our friendship towardes you the vnwillingnesse of vs bothe in respecte of our vocations to haue this publike worke not truely and wel translated are good causes to perswade that our allowance is of sincere truth and vnderstanding By which your trauail Madame you haue expressed an acceptable dutye to the glorye of GOD deserued well of this Churche of Christe honourablie defended the good fame and estimation of your owne natiue tongue shewing it so able to contend with a worke originally written in the most praised speache and besides the honour ye haue done to the kinde of women and to the degree of Ladies ye haue done pleasure to the Author of the Latine boke in deliueringe him by your cleare translation from the perrils of ambiguous and doubtful constructions and in makinge his good woorke more publikely beneficiall wherby ye haue raysed vp great comforte to your friendes and haue furnished your owne conscience ioyfully with the fruit of your labour in so occupienge your time whiche must needes redounde to the encoragemente of noble youth in their good educatioÌ„ and to spend their time and knowledge in godly exercise hauinge deliuered them by you so singular a president Whiche youre doinge good Madame as God I am sure doth accept and will blesse with increase so youre and ours moste vertuous and learned soueraigne Ladie and Mastres shal see good cause to commende and all noble gentlewomen shall I trust hereby be alured from vain delights to doinges of more perfect glory And I for my part as occasion may serue shal exhort other to take profit by your worke and followe your example whose successe I beseche our heauenly father to blesse and prospere And now to thende bothe to acknowledge my good approbatioÌ„ and to spread the benefit more largely where you Ladishippe hathe sent me your boke writen I haue with most hearty thankes returned it to you as you see printed knowing that I haue therin done the beste and in this poynte vsed a reasonable pollicye that is to preuent suche excuses as your modestic woulde haue made in staye of publishinge it And thus at this time I leaue furder to trouble youre good Ladishippe An Apologie or aunswere in defence of the Church of England with a briefe and plaine declaration of the true Religion professed and used in the same IT HATH BEEN AN olde complaint euen from y e first time of y e Patriarks Prophetes and confirmed by the writinges and testimonies of euery age that y e Truth wandereth here and there as a straunger in the world doth redily fynde enemies and slaunderers amongst those that knowe her not Albeit perchaunce this may seeme vnto some a thinge harde to bee beleeued I meane to suche as haue scante well and narowly taken heed thereunto specially seing all mankind of natures very motion without a teacher doth coueite the truth of their owne accorde and seinge oure Sauioure Christe hym selfe when he was on earthe woulde bee called the Truthe as by a name moste fytte to expresse all hys diuine power yet wee whiche haue been exercised in the holie scriptures and which haue bothe redde seene what hath happened to all godly menne commonly at all tymes what to the Prophets to the Apostles to the holie Martyres and what to Christe hym selfe with what rebukes reuilings and dispightes they were continually vexed whyles they heere lyued and that onely for the truthes sake wee I saye do see y t this is not onely no newe thinge or harde to be beleued but that it is a thing already receaued and commonlye vsed from age to age Nay truly this might seeme muche rather a meruayle and beyonde all beleife yf the Diuell who is the Father of lyes and ennemye to all truthe woulde nowe vppon a sodaine chaunge his nature and hope that truthe might otherwyse be suppressed then by belyenge yt Or that he would beginne to establishe his owne kingdom by vsing now any other practises then the same whiche he hathe euer vsed from the beginning For since any mans remembraunce wee cenâ—e skante finde one time either when Religion did first growe or when it was setled or when it did a freshe springe vp againe wherin truth and innocencye were not by all vnworthy meanes and most despitâ—ully intreated Doubtlesse the Dyuell well seeth that so longe as truth is in good sauery hym selfe cannot be safe nor yet maintaine his owne estate For lettinge passe the auncient patriarkes and Prophetes who as we sayd had no parte of their lyfe free from contumelies and slaunders Wee knowe there were certaine in tymes past whiche said commonly preached that the old auÌ„cient Iewes of whom we make no doubt but thei wer the worshippers of the onely and true God did worshipp eyther a sowe or an asse in Gods steede and that all the same Religion was nothinge els but a sacriledge and a plaine contempt of all godlynes We know also that the sonne of God our Sauioure Iesu Christe when hee taughte the truthe was coumpted a Iugler and an enchanter a Samaritan Belzebub a deceiuer of the people a dronkard and
y e Persians All these notwithstandinge were Popes all Peters successours all most holy fathers whose seueral wordes wee must take to be as good as seuerall Gospels Yf we be compted traytours whiche do honour oure Princes whiche giue them all obedience as muche as is due to them by Godds word and which doo praye for them what kinde of men then bee these whiche haue not onely done all the thinges before saide but also alowe the same for speciallye well don Do they then either this way instruct y e people as we do to reuereÌ„ce their magistrate or can they with honesty appeache vs as seditious personnes breakers of the common quiete and despisers of princes maiestie Truely we neither putte of the yoke of 〈…〉 from vs neyther doe wee 〈◊〉 realmes neither doe we sette vp or pull downe Kinges nor translate goâ—ernementes nor giue oure Kinges poysonne to drinke nor yet holde to them 〈◊〉 feete to be kissed nor opprobriously triumphinge ouer them leape into their neckes with oure feete This rather is oure profession this is our doctrine that merye soule of what callinge soeuer he be be he Monke bee he preacher bee he prophet be he Apostle ought to be subâ—ect to kings magistrates yea and that the Byshop of Rome himselfe onlesse he will seeme greater then the Euangelists then the Prophetes or the Apostles ought bothe to acknowledge and to call the Emperour his Lorde and maister which y e old bishops of Rome who liued in times of more grace euer did Our coÌ„moÌ„ teaching also is y t we ought so to obey princes as meÌ„ sent of God y t whoso w tstaÌ„deth theÌ„ w tstandeth Gods ordinance This is oure scholinge and this is well to be seene bothe in oure bookes and in our preachinges and also in the maners and modest behauiour of oure people But where they saye we haue gon awaye from the vnitie of the catholique Churche this is not onelye a matter of malice but besides though it bee moste vntrue yet hath it some shew and apparance of trouth For the common people and ignoraunt multitude giue not credit alone to thinges true and of certaintie butte euen to suche thinges also yf anye chaunce which may seeme to haue but a resemblaunce of trouth Therfore we see that subtle and craftie persones when they had no truth on their side haue euer conteÌ„ded and horely argued w t things likely to be true to the intent they which were not able to espie the very grounde of the matter might be caried a waye at least with some pretense and probabilitie thereof In times past where the firste Christians oure forefathers in makinge their prayers to God didd tourne themselues towardes the Easte there were 〈◊〉 sayde they worshipped the sunn 〈◊〉 it as God Againe where oure forefathers saide that as touchinge 〈◊〉 fall and euerlasting life thei liued by no other meanes but by the flesh and bloud of that lambe who was without sâ—oâ—t that is to say of oure sauiour Iesus Christ y e enuious creatures and â—oes of Christes Crosse whose only care was to bringe Christian religion into slaunder by al maÌ„ner of wayes made people beleeue that they were wicked persons that they sacrificed mens fleshe and drâ—nke mennes bloud Also where oure forefathers saide that before God there â—â— neither man nor woman nor for atteininge to the true righteousnes there is no distinction at all of personnes and that they didde call one an other indifferentlye by the name of Sisters and Brothers there wanted not menne whiche forged false tales vpon the same sayinge that the Christians made noe difference amonge them selues eyther of age or of kinde but like brute beastes without regarde had to do one with an other And where for to pray heare the Gospell they mette often together in secret and byeplaces because Rebelles somtime were wonte to do the like Rumors were euery where spredd abroade howe they made priuie confederacies and counseled together either to kill the magistrates or to subuert the common wealth And where in celebratinge the holye mysteries after Christes institution they tooke breade and wyne they were thought of many not to worshippe Christe but Bacchus and Ceres forsomuche as those vaine Goddes were woorshipped of the Heathen in like sort after a prophane superstition with bread and wyne These thinges were beleued of manye not bicause they were true in deed for what coulde be more vntrue but bicause they were lyke to bee true and through a certain shadow of truth mighte the more easilye deceiue the 〈◊〉 On this fashion likewise dooe these menne slaunder vs as Heretiques and saye that wee haue lefte the Church and felowshippe of Christe not bicause they thinke it is true for they dooe not muche force of that but bicause to ignoraunte folke it myght perhappes somwaye appeere true Wee haue in deede putt oure selues aparte not as heretikes are woonâ—e from the Churche of Christ but as all good menne oughte to doo from the infection of naughtye persons and hypocrites Neuerthelesse in this poynte they triumphe maruelouslye that they bee the Churche that theyre Churche ys Christes spowse the piller of truthe the arke of Noe and that without it there is no hope of saluation Contrarywise they saye that wee bee ronnegates that we haue torne Christes seat that wee are plucked quyte of from the body of Christe and haue forsaken the catholique faithe And when they leaue nothinge vnspoken that may neuer so falselie and malitioslie be saide against vs yet this one thynge are they neuer hable truely to saye that we haue swarued eyther from the worde of God or from the Apostles of Christ or from the primatiue Churche Surelye wee haue euer iudged the primatiue Churche of Christes tyme of the Appostles and of the holie Fathers to be the catholique Churche neyther make we doubt to name it Noes arke Christes spouse the piller and vpholder of al trueth nor yet to fire therin the whole meane of oure saluation It is doubtles an odiouse mater for one to leaue the fellowshipp whereunto he hath ben accustomed and specially of those men who though they be not yet at leaste seme and be called Christians And to say truely we do not dispise the Churche of these men howe soeuer it be ordered by theÌ„ now a dayes partely for the name sake yt selfe partely for that the Gospell of Iesu Christ hath once ben therin truely and purelye set furth Neyther had we departed therfrom but of very necessitie and much against our wils But I put case an Idol be set vp in the Churche of God and the same desolation which Christe prophecied to comme stoude openly in the holy place what yf som theefe or pirat inuade and possesse Noes arke These folkes as often as they tell vs of the Churche meane therby themselues alone and attribute all these titles to their owne selues boasting as they did in tymes past whiche
a Glutton Againe who wotteth noâ— what woordes were spoken agaynste Sainct Paule the most earnest and vehement preacher and maintainour of y e truth Somtime that he was a sediâ—â—ous and busy man a raiser of tumultes a causer of rebellion somtime againe that he was an heretique sometime y t he was mad Somtime that onely vppon strife and stomacke he was bothe a blasphemer of Gods lawe and a despiser of the Fathers ordinances Further who knoweth not howe Sainct Stephan after he had throughly sincerely embraced the truth and beganne franklye and stoutly to preache and set forthe the same as he ought to do was immediatlye called to aunswere for his life as one that had wickedly vtered disdainâ—ul and haynous wordes against the lawe against Moyses against the Temple and against God Or who is ignorant that in tymes past there werre some which reproued the holye Scriptures of falsehood saying they conteined thinges both contrary and quite one against an other and howe that the Apostles of Christe did seuerallye disagree betwixt them selues and that S. Paule did vary from them all And not to make rehearsal of al for that were an endles labour who knoweth not after what sorte our Fathers were railed vpon in times past which first began to acknowledge and professe the name of Christe howe they made priuat conspiracies deuised secrete councels against the common welth to that end made earelie and priuie meetinges in the darke kylled yonge babes fedd themselues w t mens fleshe and lyke sauage and brute beastes didde drinke their bloude In conclusion howe that after they had put out the candels they committed adulterye betweene themselues and without regarde wrought incest one with an other that Brethren laie with their sisters sonnes with their Mothers without any reuerence of nature or kynne without shame without difference and that thei wer wicked men without all care of Religion and without anye opinion of God being the very ennemies of mankinde vnworthy to be suffered in the worlde and vnworthie of lyfe All these thinges wer spoken in those daies against the people of God against Christ Iesu against Paul against Stephan and against all them whosoeuer they were which at the first beginninge imbraced the truthe of the Gospell and were contented to be called by the name of Christians which was then an hatefull name amonge the common people And although the thinges whiche they said wer not true yet the Diuel thought it shoulde be sufficient for him yf at the least he coulde bringe iâ— so to passe as they might bee beleeued for true and that the Christians might bee brought into a commoÌ„ hatred of euery body and haue their death and destruction sought of all sortes Herevpon Kings and Princes beinge ledde then by suche perswasions killed all the Prophetes of God lettinge none escape Esai with a sawe Ieremy with stones Daniell with Lyons Amos with an yron barre Paule with the sword Christ vpon y e crosse and condemned all Christians to imprisonmentes to tormentes to the pikes to be thrwone doune headlong from rocks stepe places to be caste to wild beastes and to be burnt made great syres of their quicke bodies for y e only purpose to giue light by night for a very scorne mockinge stocke and didde compt them no better then the vilest fylth thofscouringes and laughing games of y e whole worlde Thus as ye see haue the Authors and professours of the trueth euer ben entreated Wherefore wee oughte to beare yt the more quyetlye which haue taken vppon vs to professe the Gospell of Christ yf we for the same cause be handled after the same sorte and yf wee as our forefathers weare longe ago bee lykewyse at thys day tormented bayted with raylings with spitefull dealinges and with lyes and that for no desert of our owne but onely bicause we teach and acknowledge the truthe They crye out vpon vs at thys present euery wheare that we are all heretiques and haue forsaken the fayth and haue with newe perswasions and wicked learninge vtterly dyssolued the concorde of the Churche that we renew as it weare fetche againe from hell the olde and many a daye condempned heresyes that we sow abroade newe sects and suche broyles as neuer yearst weare hearde of also that we are already deuided into contrarye partes and opinions and coulde yet by no meanes agree well amonge oure selues that wee be cursed creatures lyke y e Gyauntes do warre againste God him selfe and lyue cleane without any regarde or worshippinge of God that we despise all good deedes that we vse noe discipline of vertue no lawes no customes that we esteeme neither righte nor order nor equitie nor iustice that we geue y e brydell to al naugh tines and prouoke the people to all lycenciousnes and lust that we labour seke to ouerthrowe the state of Monarchies and Kyngdomes and to bringe al thinges vnder the rule of the rashe incoÌ„stante people and vnlearned multitude that wee haue seditiously fallen from y e Catholique Churche and by a wycked schisme and diuision haue shaken the whole worlde and trobled the common peace and vniuersal quiet of the church and that as Dathan and Abyron conspired in times past against Moises and Aaron euen so wee at this day haue renounced the Byshop of Rome without anye cause resonable y t we set nought by the aucthoritie of thauncient fathers and Councels of oulde time that wee haue rashly and presumptuously disanulled the olde cerimonies which haue ben well alowed by oure fathers and forefathers manye hundreth yeare past bothe by good customes and also in ages of more puritie and that wee haue by our owne priuate head without the aucthoritie of any sacred and general Councell brought new traditions into y e Church and haue don all these thinges not for Religions sake but only vppon a desyre of contention and stryfe But that they for theyr parte haue chaunged no maner of thinge but haue helde and kepte still suche a nomber of yeares to this verye day all thinges as they were deliuered from the Apostles and well approued by the most auncient Fathers And that thys matter shoulde not seeme to be don but vppon priuie slaunder and to be tossed to and fro in a corner onely to spyte vs there haue ben besides wyâ—ely procured by the Bysshop of Rome certaine parsons of eloquence yenough and not vnlearned neyther whiche shoulde put theyre helpe to thys cause now almost despaired of should polyshe and set furth the same both in bookes and with long tales to the end that when the matter was trymlye and eloquently handled ignorant and vnskilfull persons mighte suspecte there was som great thing in it In deede they perceiued that their owne cause did euerye where go to wracke that their sleightes were nowe espyed and lesse esteemed that their helpes did dayly fayle them that their matter stoode altogether in great neede of
knowledge of God to al waye of truth to newnes of the whole liefe and to euerlastinge hope of saluation Wee beleeue that there is one Church of God and that the same is not shutte vp as in times past amonge the Iewes into some one corner or kyngdome but that it is catholique and vniuersall and dispersed throughout the whole worlde So that there is now no nation which can truly complaine that they bee shutt furth maye not be one of y e Church people of God And that this Churche is the Kingedome the bodye and the spouse of Christe and that Christ alone is the Prince of thys Kyngedome that Christ alone is the heade of this bodye and that Christ alone is the brydgrome of this spouse Furthermore that there be dyuerse degrees of ministers in the church wher of some be deacons some preestes some Byshops to whom is committed the office to instruct the people and the whole charge and settinge furth of Religion yet not withstanding we say that there neither is nor can be any one maÌ„ which may haue the whole superioritie in this vniuersall state for that Christe is euer present to assist his Church and nedeth not any man to supply his roome as his onely heyre to all his substaunce and y â— there can bee noe one mortall creature which is able to compreheÌ„d or conceaue in his minde the vniuersall Churche y â— is to witte all the partes of the worlde muche les able to put them in ordre and to gouerne them rightly and duely For all the Apostles as Cyprian sayeth were of lyke power among themselues and y â— rest were the same that Peter was and that it was sayed indifferently to them al Feed yeâ—indifferentlye to them all Goe into the whole world indifferently to theÌ„ al Teache ye the gospell And as Hierom saithe all Byshoppes wheresoeuer they be be they at Rome be they at Eugubium be they at Constantinople be they at Rhegium be all of lyke preeminence and of like preesthood And as Cyprian saith there is but one Byshoprike and y t a peece therof is perfitely wholy holdeÌ„ of euery particular Byshop according to the iudgement of the Nicene Counsel wee say that the Byshop of Rome-hath nomore iurisdiction ouer the churche oâ— God then the rest of y e Patriarkes either of Alexandria or Antiochia haue And as for the Byshop of Rome who nowe calleth all matters before him selfe alone except he do his deuty as he ought to do except he administer the sacraments excepte he instructe the people excepte he waxue them and teache them wee say y t he ought not of right once to bee called a Bysshop or so much as an elder For a Byshop as saith Augustine is a name of labour and not of honour bycause he would haue that maÌ„ to vnderstand him selfe to be no Byshop which will seke to haue preeminence and not to profyt others And that neither the Pope nor any other worldly creature can nomore be head of the whole Church or a Byshop ouer all then he can be the brydegrome the lighte the saluation and lyfe of the Church For these priuileges and names belong onely to Christe and be proprely onely fyt for hym alone And that no Bysshop of Rome did euer suffer hymselfe to be called by such a proude name and â—uâ—e before Phoras thempetoures â—ime who as wee know by killing hys owne souerain Morice the Emperour did by a traiterous vyllanie aspire to Thempere â–ª which was about y e sixt huÌ„dreth thirtenth year after Christ was borne Also the Councell of Charthage did circumspectly prouide that no Bysshop should bee called either the highest Byshop or chiefe preeste And therefore â—thens the Bysshop of Rome wil now a daies so be called chaleÌ„geth vnto him self an auâ—thoritie y t is none of his besides y t he doth plainly contrary to y e auÌ„cieÌ„t CouÌ„cels coÌ„trary to y e old Fathers We beleue that he doth giue vnto himselfe â–ª as it is written by his owne companyon Gregory a presuÌ„ptuous a prophane a sacrilegious and Antichristian name that he is also the kinge of pryde that he is Lucifer which preferreth himselfe before his bretherne that he hathe forsaken the faith and is the foreronner of Antichriste Further wee saye that the Minister ought laufully duely and orderly to be preferred to that Office of the church of God and y t no maÌ„ hath power to wrest himself into y e holy ministery at his own pleasure list Wherefore these persons do vs y e greater wrong which haue nothing so common in their mouthe as y e wee do nothing ordrely and comely but al thinges troublesomly and without ordre and that wee alow euery man to be a preest to be a teacher and to be an Interpretour of the Scriptures Moreouer we say y t Christ hath geueÌ„ to his ministers power to bind to loose to open to shutt and y t the office of loosing consisteth in this point that y e Minister should either offer by y e preaching of the gospel the merits of Christe full pardoÌ„ to suche as haue lowly contrite hearts and do vnfaâ—nedly repent theÌ„ pronouÌ„cing vnto y e same a sure vndoubted forgeuenes of their sins hope of euerlasting saluation Or els y t the minister when any haue offended their brothers mindes with a greate offence with a notable open tault wherby they haue as it were bannyshed and made themselues straungers from the common fellowship and from the bodye of Christe then after perfitte amendement of suche persons doth reconcile them and bringe them home againe and restore them to the company and vnitie of the faithfull We say also that the minister dothe execute the aucthoritie of binding and shutting as often as he shutteth vp the gate of the kingedome of heauen against the vnbeleeuing and stubborne persons denouncing vnto them Gods vengaunce and euerlastinge punishmente Or els when he doth quite shut them out from the bosome of the Churche by open ex-communicatioÌ„ Out of doubt what sentence so euer the Minister of God shall giue in this sorte God him selfe doth so well alowe of it that what soeuer here in yearth by their meanes is loosed and bounde God him selfe wil loose binde and confirme the same in heauen And touchinge the kayes wherewith they maye either shut or open the kyngdome of heauen wee with Chrysoâ—â—om saye they be the knowledge of the Scriptures with Tertullian we say they be the interpretation of the lawe and with Eusebius we call theÌ„ the worde of God Moreouer that Christes Disciples did receiue this aucthoritie not that they shoulde heare priuate confessions of the people and lysten to their whisperinges as the coÌ„men Massing preestes do euery where nowe a dayes and do it so as though in that one poinct laye all the vertue and vse of the kayes but to thend they should goo
loke for none other and forasmuche as it was to be offered but once wee commaund it not to be renewed againe And bicause it was full perfite in all points and partes wee doe not ordaine in place thereof anye continuall succession of offeringes Besides though wee saye we haue no meede at all by oure owne woorkes and deedes but apoint all the meane of oure saluation to be in Christe alone yet say we not that for this cause men ought to liue looslie and dissolutely nor that it is ynough for a Christian to be Baptized onely and to belieue as though there were nothing els required at his hande for true faith is liuely and can in no wise be idell Thus therefore â—eaâ—he wee the people that God hath called vs not to folowe ryâ—t and wantonnes but as Paul saithe vnto good woorkes to walke in them That God hath plucked vs oute from the power of darkenes to serue the liuinge God to cutte away all the remnauntes of sinne and to worke oure saluation in feare and tremblinge that it may apere how that y e Spirit of saÌ„ctification is in oure bodies and that Christ himselfe doth dwell in our heartes To conclude we beleue that this our selfe same flesh wherin we liue although it dye and come to dust yet at the last day it shall retourne againe to lyfe by the meanes of Christes spirite which dweleth in vs and that then verely whatsoeuer we suffer heere in the meane whyle for his sake Christ wil wipe from of our eies all teares lamentation that we through him shall enioy euerlasting life and shall for euer be with him in glory So be it Beholde these are the horrible heresies for the which a good parte of the world is at this day condemned by the Byshop of Rome and yet were neuer hearde to pleade their cause He should haue commenced his sute rather against Christe against the Apostles and against the holy fathers For these thinges did not only procede from them but were also apointed by them except perhaps these menne will say as I thinke they will in deede that Christe hath not instituted the holy Communion to be diuided amongest the faithfull Or that Christes apostles and the auncient fathers haue saide Priuate masses in euery corner of the Temples nowe tenne now twenty togithers in one day Or that Christ and hys Apostls bannished all the common people from the Sacrament of his bloud or that the thing whiche them selues do at this day euery wheare and do it so as they condemne him for an heritike whiche dothe otherwise ys not called of Gelasius their owne doctour plaine sacriledge or 〈◊〉 these be not y e very words of Ambrose Augustine Gelasius Theodorete Chrysostome Origene The bread and wine in the Sacramentes remaine still the same they were before The thing which is seene vpon the holye table is breade there ceaseth not to be still the substaunce of breade and nature of wyne the substance and nature of bread are not changed the selfe same breade as touchinge the materiall substaunce goâ—th into the bellie and is cast out into the pryuei Or that Christe the Apostles and holy fathers prayed not in that tongue whiche the people might vnderstande Or that Christe hath not performed all thinges by that one offering which he once offered or that the same Sacrifice was imperfect and so now we haue neede of an other All these thinges must they of neâ—cessitie say onlesse perchance thei had rather lay thus that all lawe and right is locked vp in the treasurie of the Popes breaste and that as once one of his southinge pages and clawbackes did not sticke to say the Pope is able to dispence against the Apostles against a councell against y e CanoÌ„s rules of y e Apostls and y t he is not bound to stand neither to y e examples nor to the ordinuÌ„aces nor to y e lawes of Christ. We for our parts haue learned these thinges of Christe of the Apostles of the deuout fathers and dooe sincerely and with good faith teache the people of God the same Whiche thinge is the onely cause whye wee at this daye ar called heretikes of the chiefe prelates no doubt of ReligioÌ„ O immortal God hath Christ him selfe then y e Apostles so many Fathers al at once gon a stray were then Origene Ambrose Augustin Chrysostome Gelasius Theodoret forsakers of the catholique faith was so notable a consent of so manye auncient Byshoppes and learned menne nothing els but a conspiracye of heretiques Or is that nowe condemned in vs whiche was then commended in them Or is the thyng nowe by alteration onely of mens affection sodenly becoÌ„me shismatique whiche in them was compted catholique Or shall that whiche in times past was true nowe by and by bycause it liketh not these men be iudged false Let them then bring furth another Gospell and let them shew the causes why these thinges which so long haue openly ben obserued and well alowed in the Churche of God ought nowe in thend be called in againe Wee knowe well ynoughe that the same worde whiche was opened by Christ spred abrode by the Apostles is sufficient both our saluacion and al trueth to vp holde mayntein and also to confounde all maner of heresie By that Woâ—d only do we condemne all sortes of the olde heretiques whom these men say we haue called out of hell againe â–ª As for the Arrians the Eutychians the Marcionites y e Ebionites the Valentinians the Carpocratians the Tatians the Nouatians and shortelie all them which haue had a wicked opinion eyther of God the Father or of Christ or of the holy Ghoste or of any other poinct of Christian Religion â–ª for somuche as they be confuted by the Gospell of Christ we plainly pronunâ—â— them for detestable and cast awaye personnes and defye them euen vnto the dyuell Neyther do wee leaue them so but we also seuerely and straitely hold them in by lawful and politick punishemeÌ„tes yf they fortune to breake out any wherâ— and bewraye themselues In deede we graunt that certain new and very straunge sectes as the Anabaptistes Libertines MeneniaÌ„s Zuenkfeldians haue ben stirring in the worlde euersence the Gospel did first spring But the worlde seeth now right wel thankes be giuen to our God that wee neyther haue bredd nor taught nor kept vp these Monstres In good fellowship I pray the whosoeuer thou be read our bokes they are to be sould in euery placeâ— What hath there euer ben written by any of our coÌ„pany which might plainely beare with the madnes of any of those heretiques Nay I saye vnto you there is no countrie at this daye so free from their pestilent infections as they be wherein the gospel is freely and coÌ„monly taught So that yf they wey the very matter w t earnest and vpright aduisement this thing is a great argumeÌ„t y t this same is the very truth
betweene themselues excepte it be peraduentur as in times past the Pharisies and Saducees or as Herod and Pylate did accorde against Christ. They were best therfore to go and sette peace at home rather amonge theeir owne selues Of a truthe vnitie and concorde dothe best become Religion yet is not vnitie the sure and certaine marke whereby to knowe the Church of God For there was the greatest consente that might bee amongest them that worshipped the Golden calfe and among them whiche with one voice ioyntly cryed against our Sauiour Iesu Christe Crucifie him Nother bicause the Corinthians were vnquieted with priuate dissensions or bicause Paule did square with Peter or Barnabas with Paule or bicause the Christians vpon the very beginning of the Gospell were at mutuall discorde touchinge some one matter may we therefore thinke there was no church of God amongest them â–ª And as for those personnes whom they vpon spite cal Zwinglians and Lutherians in very deede they of bothe sydes be Christians good friendes brethern They vary not betwixt theÌ„selues vpon the principles and foundacions of oure religioÌ„ nor as touching God nor Christ nor the holy Ghoste nor of the meanes to iustification nor yet euerlasting life but vpon one onely question whiche is neither weightie nor great neither mistrust we or make doubte at all but they will shortely be agreed And if there bee any of them whiche haue other opinion than is meete we doubt not but or it bee longe they will put apart all affections and names of parties and that God wil reueale it vnto them so that by better considering searching out of the matter as once it cam to passe in the Councel of Calcedone al causes seedes of dissension shall bee throughly pluct vp by the roote and be buried and quite forgotten for euer whiche God graunt But this is the moste greuous and heuye case that they call vs wicked and ungodly men and say we haue throwne away all care of religion Though this ought not to trouble vs muche whiles thei themselues y t thus haue charged vs knowe ful well how spitefull and false a sayinge it is for Iustine the martyr is a witnes how that all Christians were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Godlesse assone as the Gospell firste beganne to bee published and the name of Christe to be openly declared And when Polycarpus stood to be iudged the people stirred vp the President to sleye and murder all them whiche professed the Gospell with these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to saye Ridde out of the waye these wicked and Godles creatures And this was not bicause it was true that the Christians were Godlesse but bicause they woulde not worship stones and stockes whiche were then honored as God The whole worlde seeth plainelye ynough already what we and ours haue endured at these mens handes for religion and our onely Goddes cause They haue thrown vs into prison into water into fyer haâ—â— embrued themselues in oure bloude noâ— bycause wee were eyther adulterers or robbers or murtherers but only for thaâ— we confessed the Gospell of Iesu Christ and put oure confidence in the liuinge God And for that wee complained to iustly and truely Lorde thou knowest that they did breake the lawe of God for their owne moste vaine traditions And that our Aduersaries were the very foes to the Gsopel and ennemies to Christes crosse who so wittingly and willingly did obstinately dispise Gods commaundementes Wherefore when these menne sawe they could not rightly finde faulte with oure doctrine they woulde needes picke a quarel and inuey raile against our manners surmisinge how that we do condemne all well doinges how wee sette open the doore to all licenciousnes and iust and lead away the people from all loue of vertue And in very deede the lyfe of all men euen of the deuoutest and moste Christian bothe is and euermore hath been suche as one maye alwayes had some lacke euen in the very best and purest conuersation And such ys the 〈◊〉 of all creatures vnto euell and the readines of al men to suspect that the thinges whiche neither haue been done nor once ment to be done yet maye bee easely bothe heard and credited for true And like as a small spotte is soone spyed in the neatest and whytest garment euen so the least staine of dishonestie is easelye founde out in the purest sincerest lyfe Neither take we all them whyche haue at this day imbraced the doctrine of the Gospell to be Angels and to liue clerely without anye mote or wrinkle nor yet thinke we these men either so blind that yf any thing may be noted in vs they ar not able to perceaue y e same euen through the least ereuie nor so friendly that they will construe ought to the best nor yet so honest of nature nor curteous that they will looke backe vpon themselues and wey our fashions by their owne Yf so be we list to search this matter from the bottome we knowe in the very Apostle times there were Christians throughe whome the name of the Lord was blasphemed and euell spoken of amonge the Gentiles Constantius the Emperourâ— be waileth as it is writeÌ„ in Sosâ—menus how that many waxed worse after theâ— had fallen to the religion of Christe And Cyprian in a lamentable Oration setteth out the corrupt maners in his time â–ª The holsome discipline saith he whiche the Apostles left vnto vs hathe idlenesse and long rest now vtterly marred euery one studied to encrease his liuelyhode and cleane forgettinge either what they had done before whiles they were vnder the Apostles or what they ought continually to doe hauing receaued the fayth they earnestly laboured to make greate their owne welth w t an vnsatiable desire of couetousnes There is no devout religion saithe hee in Preestes no sounde faith in ministers no charitie shewed in good workes no forme of Godlinesse in their conditions men are become effeminate and womens bewty is counterfeited And before his daies said Tertullian O how wreatched be we which are called Christians at this time For wee liue as Heathens vnder the name of Christe And without reciting of manye mo wryters Gregory Nazianzene speaketh this of the pitifull state of his owne time We saith he are in hatred amoÌ„g y e Heathen for our own vyces sake we are also becomme nowe a wonder not alone to Aungels and menne but euen to all the vngodlye In this case was the Churche of Godd when the Gospell firste beganne to shyne and when the fury of Tyrauntes was not as yet cooled nor the sword taken of from the Christians neckes Surelie it is no new thinge that menne bee butte menne althoughe they bee called by the name of Christians But will these menne I praye you thinke nothing at all of the selues whiles they accuse vs so maliciously whiles they haue leasure to beholde so farre of and see both what is done in
will maruaile I suppose howe a good manne coulde either conceaue so wickedlye or wryte so dispytefullye of those woordes whiche hee knewe proceeded 〈◊〉 Goddes mouthe and speciallye in 〈◊〉 sorte as hee woulde not haue it 〈◊〉 owne priuate opinion alone 〈◊〉 the common opinion of all that â—and He dissembleth I graunt you in deede and hydeth what hee is and setteth fourth the matter so as though it were nâ—â— hee and his syde butte the Zwenkfeldian heretiques that so didd speake Wee faythe hee will bidde awaye with the same scriptures whereof wee see brought not onelye diuerse butte also contrarye interpretations and wee will heare God speake rather then wee will resorte to these naked elementes and appoynt oure saluation to reste in them It behoueth not a manne to bee experte in the lawe and scripture butte to bee taught of God It is butte loste labour that a manne bestoweth in the scriptures for the scripture is a creature and a certaine bare letter This is Hosius saying vttered altogether with the same spirit and the same mind wherwith in times past Montane and Martion were moued whoe as men reporte vsed to saye when with a contempt they reiected the holye scriptures that themselues knew many mo and better things then eyther Christe or the Apostles euer knewe What thenne shall I saye heere O ye principall postes of Religion O ye Archegouernours of CHRISTES Churche is this that youre reuerence which ye geue to Goddes woorde The holye Scriptures whiche S. Paule saith came by the inspiration of Godde whiche God dyd commende by so many miracles wherin are the moste perfit 〈◊〉 of Christes owne steppes which all the holy Fathers Apostles and Aunâ—â—les â–ª whiche Christ hym selfe the sonne of God as often as was nedefull dyd alleadge for testimonie and proufe will ye as though they were vnworthie for you to heare had them AuauÌ„t away that is wil ye inioyne God to kepe silence who speakith to you mostclearely by his own mouth in y e Scriptures Or that word wherby alone as Paul saith we are reconciled to God and whiche the Prophet Dauid saith ys holye and pure and shall last foreuer will ye call that but a bare and dead lettre Or wil ye say that all our labour is lost whiche is bestoued in that thinge which Christ hath commauÌ„ded vs diligently to searche and to haue euermore before our eyes And wil ye faye that Christ and the Apostlâ— ment with subtelty to deceiue the people when they exhorted them to reade the holie Scriptures that therby they might sâ—ow in al wisedom and knowledge No maruaile at al though these men dispise vs and all our doinges which set so litle by God himselfe his infallible saiengs Yet was it but want of witt in them to thintent they might hurt vs to do so extreme iniury to the word of God But Hosius will here make exclamation saieng we do him wrong and that these be not his owne wordes but the words of the heretique Zwenkfeldius But how than yf Zwenkfeldius make exclamation on the other syde and saye that the same very wordes be not his but Hosius owne wordes For tell me where hath Zwenkfeldius euer writteÌ„ thee Or yf he haue writteÌ„ them Hosius haue iudged the same to be wicked why hath not Hosius spoken somuch as one worde to confute them Howsoeuer the mater goeth although Hosius paradueÌ„ture wil not allowe of those wordes yet he doth not disallow the meaning of the wordes For wel nere in all controuersies and namely touching the vse of the holy communion vnder both kindes although the wordes of Christ be plaine and euident yet doth Hosius disdainefully reiect them as no better then colde and dead elementes and commaundeth to giue faith to certaine new lessons apointed by the Church to I wot not what reuelations of the holye Ghoste And Pighius saieth men ought not to beleue no not y e most cleare and manifest wordes of the scriptures onles the same be allowed for good by the interpretatioÌ„ and auctoritie of the churche And yet as though this were to litle they also burne the holye scriptures as in times paste wicked kyng Aza dyd or as Antiochus or Maximinus did and are wont to name theÌ„ Heretiques boks And out of doubt to see to they woulde faine do as Herode in oulde time dyd in Iewrie that hee myghte with more surety kepe still his dominioÌ„ Who being an Idumean borne and a straunger to the stocke and kinred of the Iewes and yet coueting much to be takeÌ„ for a Iew so thende he might establish to him and his posteritie y e kyngdom of that countrey which he had gotten of Augustus Cesar he commaunded all the Genealogies and Petigrees to be burnte made out of the waye so as there shoulde remaine no recorde wherby he might be knowen to them that came after that he was an Aliaunt in bloud wheras euen from Abrahams time these monumeÌ„tes had been safelye kepte amongeste the Iewes and layde vp in theire thresury bicause in them it might easely moste assuredly be found of what linage euery one did descende So in good faith doe these menne when they woulde haue all their owne doinges in estimation as though they had ben deliuered to vs eueÌ„ from the Apostles or from Christe hymselfe to thende there might be founde no where any thinge able to conuince such their dreames and lies either they burne the holie Scriptures or els they crastely conueye them from the people surely Very rightlye and aptly doth Chrysostome writte against these menne Heretiques saith he shutt vp the doores against the trueth for they know ful wel yf the doore were open the Churche shuld be none of theirs Theophylact also Gods worde saith he is the Candle whereby the theefe is espyed and Tertullian saith the holy Scripture manifestlye findeth out the fraude and theafte of Heretiques For why do they hyde why do they kepe vnder the Gospell whiche Christ would haue preched alowde from the house top Why whealine they that light vnder a Bushell whiche ought to stande on a Candlestick why trust they more to the blyndenes of the vnskilfull multitude and to ignoraunce then to the goodnes of their cause thinke they their slightes are not alredy perceiued and y t they caÌ„ walke now vnespied as though they had Giges tyng to go inuisible by vpon theyre finger No no all men see nowe well and well agayne what good stuffe is in that Chest of the Bysshop of Romes bosome This thinge alone of it selfe maye be an argumente sufficiente that they worke not vprightly and truely Worthely ought that mater seme suspicious which fleeth trial and is afrayde of the light for he that doth euill as Christ saith seekith darkenesse hateth light A conscience y t knowith it selfe cleere coÌ„meth willingly into open shew that the workes whiche procede of God may be seen Neither be they so very blind but they se this wel ynogh howe
see it to bee so pacient as they canne so lightly and quietly beare it But where as they haue commaunded that those Decrees shoulde be voyde as things now waxen to olde y t haue loste their grace perhappes they haue prouided in their steede certaine other better thinges and more profitable for the people For it is a common sayenge with them that if Christe himselfe or the Apostles were aliue againe they coulde not better nor godlyer gouerne Goddes Churche then it is at this presente gouerned by them They haue put in their steede in deede butte it is chaste in steede of wheate as Hieremie saithe and suche thinges as accordinge to Esayes words God neuer required at â—â—eir handes Thei haue stopped vp saith he al the vaines of cleere springing water and haue digged vp for the people â—â—ceiuable and puddlelike pyttes full of â—yre and filth whiche neither haue nor 〈◊〉 able to hold pure water They haue plucked away from the people the holie Communion the worde of God fromwhence all comforte shoulde bee taken the true worshippinge of God also and the right vse of sacramentes and prayer and haue geuen vs of their owne to play withall in the meane whyle salt water oyle boxes spittle palmes bulles iubilies pardons crosses sensinges and an indelesse rabble of ceremonies and as a man might tearm with Plautus pretie games to make sporte withall In these things haue they set al their religioÌ„ teachinge y e people that by these God may be duely pacified spirits be driuen away and mens consciences well quieted For these â—o be the orient colours and precious sauours of Christian religion these thinges doth God looke vpon accepteth them thankfully these must come in place to be honored and put quite away the institutioÌ„s of Christ and of his Apostls And like as in times past when wicked kinge Ieroboam had takeÌ„ from the people y e right seruing of God brought them to worship golden calues least perchauÌ„ce they might afterwards chaunge their minde and slippe awaye gettinge them again to Ierusalem to the Temple of God there hee exhorted them with a long tale to be stedfast saying thus vnto them O Israell these Calues be thy Gods In this sorte commaunded your God you should worshippe him For it shoulde be wearisome and troublous for you to take vpoÌ„ you a iorney so farre of and yearly to go vp to Ierusalem there to serue and honour your God Euen after the same sorte euery whit when these men had once made the lawe of God of none effect through their owne traditions fearing that the people should afterwards open their eyes and fall an other way and shoulde somwhence els seeke a suret meane of their saluation Iesu how ofteÌ„ haue thei cried out This is the same worshippinge that pleaseth God and whiche hee straitly requireth of vs and wherwith he wil be tourned from his wrath that by these thinges is conserued the vnitie of the Church by these al sinnes clensed and consciences quieted and who so departeth from these hath left vnto himselfe no hope of euerlasting saluation For it were wearisome and troublous saye they for the people to resorte to Christ to the Apostles and to y e auncient fathers and to obserue continually what their wil and commaundement should be This ye may se â–ª is to w tdraw the people of God froÌ„ y e weake elements of the worlde froÌ„ y e leauen of the Scribes Pharisies and from the traditions of meÌ„ It were reasoÌ„ no doubt y t Christes commaundementes and the Apostls were remoued that these their deuises might come in place O iuste cause I promise you why that auncient and so longe alowed doctrine should be now abolished and a newe forme of religion be brought into the Churche of God And yet whatsoeuer it be these menne crye stil that nothing ought to be changed that mens mindes are well satisfied here withal that the Churche of Rome y e church which cannot erre hath decreed these thinges For Siluester Prierias saith y t the Romish churche is the squyer rule of truth and that y e holy scripture hath receiued from thence bothe authoritie and credite The doctrine saith he of the Romish church is the rule of moste infallible faith from the whiche the holy scripture taketh his force And Indulgences and pardons saith he are not made knoweÌ„ to vs by y e authoritie of the scriptures but they are knoweÌ„ to vs by the authoritie of the Romyshe Church and of the Byshops of Rome whiche is greater Pighius also letteth not to say that without the licence or the Romyshe Church we ought not to beleue the very plaine scriptures much like as yf any of those that caÌ„not speake pure cleane Latin and yet can bable out quickely redily a litle some such law Latin as seruith the Courte would needes hold that all others ought also to speake after the same way which Mametrectus CatholicoÌ„ spake many yeare ago which them selues doe yet vse in pleadyng in Courte for so may it be vnderstand sufficiently what is said and mennes desires be satiâ—fyed and that it is a fondenes now in the later end to trouble y e worlde with a new kind of speaking and to cal againe the old fynesse and eloquence that Cicero and Cesar vsed in their dayes in the Latin tonge So much ar these men beholden to the follie and darknes of the former tymes Manye thynges as one writeth are had in estimation often tymes bycause they haue ben once dedicate to the temples of the Heathen goddes euen so see wee at this daye many thinges alowed and highlye sett by of these menne not bycause they iudge them somuch worth but only bycause they haue ben receyued into a custome and after a sorte dedicate to the Temple of God Our Churche saye they cannot erre they speake that I thinke as the Lacâ—â— demonians longe synce vsed to say that yt was not possible to fynde any Adulterer in all their common welth wheras in dede they were rather all Adulterers and had no certeintie in their mariages but had their wyues common amongest them all Or as the Canonistes at this day for theire bellies sake vse to saye of the Pope that forsomuche as he is Lord of all benefices though he sell for money Byshoprickes monasteries preiste hod spirituall promotions and partith with nothing freely yet bicause he counteth at his owne he cannot committ Simony though he woulde neuer so faine But how stronglye and agreablye to reason these things be spoken we are not as yet able to perceue except perchauÌ„ce these meÌ„ haue plucked of the wynges from the truth as the Romaines in olde tyme did proine and pinion their goddesse Victorie after they had once gotteÌ„ her home to thende that with the same wynges she shoulde neuer more be able to flee awaye from them againe But what yf Ieremye tell them as is afore rehersed that these be
holy ghost flow in their tongues or can they with truth say We and the holy Ghoste haue thought so In dede Peter Asotus and his companion Hosius sticke not to affirme that the same Councell wherein our sauiour Iesu Christe was condemned to dye had both the spirit of prophesieng and the holy Ghost and the spirite of truth in it and that it was neither a false nor a trifflinge saieng when those Byshoppes sayde We haue a lawe and by our law he ought to dye and y e thei so sayenge did light vpon the very trouthe of iudgement for so be Hosius wordes and that the same plainelye was a iuste decree whereby they pronounced that Christ was worthy to die This me thinketh is straunge that these men are not able to speake for themselues and defend their owne cause but thei must also take parte with Annas and Caiphas For yf they will call that a laufull and a good Councell wherein the Sonne of God was moste shamfully condemned to dye what Councell will they then alowe for false and naught And yet as all their Councels to say truth commoÌ„ly be necessitie compelled them to pronouÌ„ce these thinges of the Councell holden by Annas and Caiphas But wil these men I say refourme vs the churche beinge themselues both the persons guilty and the Iudges to Will they abate their own ambitioÌ„ and pride Wil they ouerthrow their owne matter and giue sentence against them selues that they must leaue of to be vnlearned Byshoppes slowbellies heapers together of benefices takers vpon them as princes and men of warre Will the Abbottes the Popes deere darlinges iudge that monke for a theefe which laboureth not for his liuing and that it is against all lawe to suffer suche a one to liue and to be found either in citie or in countrie or yet of other mennes charges Or els that a monke ought to lye on the grouÌ„d to liue hardly with hearbes and peason to study earnestly to argue to praye to worke with hande and fully to bend him selfe to come to y e ministery of y e church In faith assone will the Pharisies and Scribes repaire agame the Temple of God and restore it vnto vs a house of prayer in steede of a theeuish denne Ther haue ben I know certain of their own selues which haue fouÌ„d fault w e many errours in y e church as Pope Adrian Eneas siluius Cardinal Poole Pighius others as is afore saide thei held afterwards their Councel at Trident in y e self same place where it is now appointed There assembled many Byshoppes and Abbottes and others whom it behoued For that matter they were alone by themselues whatsoeuer they did no body gainesaid it for they had quite shut out and barred oure syde from all manner of assemblies and there they sat sixe yeares feedinge folkes with a meruelous expectation of their doings The first sixe moneths as though it were greatly nedeful they made many determinations of the holy Trinitie of the Father of y e Son and of the holy Ghost which were godly thinges in deede but not so necessarye for that time Let vs see in all that while of so many so manifest so often confessed by them so euident errours what one errour haue they amended from what kinde of idolatrie haue they reclaimed the people What superstition haue they taken away What peece of their tyranny and pompe haue they diminished as though all the worlde may not nowe see that this is a Conspiracie and not a Councell and that these Byshopes whom the Pope hath now called to gether be wholy sworne become bounde to beare him their faithfull allegiaunce and wil do no manner of thing but that they perceiue pleaseth him and helpeth to aduaunce his power and as hee will haue it Or that they reckon not of the number of mennes voyces rather then haue weight and consideracion of the same Or that myght doth not often times ouercome the right And therefore we knowe that diuers times many good men and Catholique Bysshops did tarry at home and would not come when such Councels were called wherein men so apparauntly laboured to serue factions and to take partes bicause they knewe they should but lose their trauaile and dooe no good seeinge where vnto their enemies mindes were so wholye bent Athanasius denyed to come when hee was called by the Emperour to his Councell at Cesarea perceiuinge plaine he shoulde butte come amonge his ennemies whiche deadly hated hym The same Athanasius when he came afterwarde to the Councell at Sirmium and foresaw what would be the ende by reasone of the outrage and malyce of his ennimies hee packed vp his carriage and went away immediately Iohn Chrysostome although y e Emperour Constantius commaunded hym by four sundry lettres to come to the Arrians Councel yet kept he hym selfe at home still When Maximus the Byshop of Hierusalem sate in the Councell at Palestine the olde Father Paphnutius toke him by the hande and ledde hym out at the doores sayenge It is not â—eeful for vs to conferre of these matters with wicked menne The Bysshopes of the Easte woulde not comme to the Syrmian Councell after they knewe Athanasius had gotten hymselfe thence againe Cyrill called menne backe by letters from the Councell of them which were named Patropassians Paulinus Bysshoppe of Tryer and manye others moe refused to comme to the Councell at Millaine whenne they vnderstoode what a styrre and rule Auxentius kepte there for they sawe yt was in vaine to go thither where not reasone but faction shoulde prevayle and where folke coÌ„tended not for y e truth and right iudgement of the matter butte for partialitie and fauour And yet for all those fathers hadde suche malitious and stiffe necked ennemies yet if they hadde come they should haue hadde free speache at least in the Councelles Butte nowe sithens none of vs maye bee suffered so muche as to sitte or once to bee seene in these mennes meetinges muche lesse suffered to speake freelye oure minde and seinge the Popes Legates Patriarches Archebyshops Bysshoppes and Abbottes all beinge conspyred togeather all linked together in one kinde of fault and all bounde by one othe sit alone by themselues haue power alone to giue their consent and at last when they haue all done as though thei had done nothing bringe all their opinions to be iudged at the wil plasure of y e Pope being but one man to thend he may pronouÌ„ce his own seÌ„teÌ„ce of himselfe who ought rather to haue aunswered to his complaint sithens also y e same auncient Christian libertie which of al right shoulde speciallye bee in Christian Councelles is now vtterly taken away from the Councel for these causes I say wise and good men ought not to maruaile at this day though we doe the like now that thei see was don in times past in like case of so many Fathers and Catholike Byshops which as though we chuse rather to
woulde be muche more vncertaine but specially for so muche as we were moste ascerteined of Goddes will and counted it a wickednes to be to careful and ouer-cumbred about the iudgementes of mortall menne we could no longer stand takyng aduise with fleshe and bloud but rather thought good to do y e same thing that doth might rightlye be don hath also many a time ben don aswel of good men as of many catholique Byshopes that is to remedie our own Churches by a Prouinciall Synode For thus know we the ould Fathers vsed to putt in experience before they came to the publique vniuersal CouÌ„cel There remaine yet al this daye Canons writen in CouÌ„celles of free Cities as of Carthage vnder CypriaÌ„ as of Ancyra of Neocesaria and of Gangra also whiche is in Daphlagonia as some thinke before that y e name of the generall Councel at Nice was euer heard of After this fashion in olde time did they spedely meet with and cut short those Heretiques y e Pelagians the Donatistes at home with priuate disputation without any general Councell Thus also when the Emperour Constantius euideÌ„tly and earnestly toke part with Auxentius the Byshop of the Aerians faction Ambrose the Byshopp of the Christians appealed not vnto a generall Councel where he saue no good could be donâ—by reason of y e Emperours might and great labour but appealed to his owne Cleargie and people that is to say to a Prouinciaâ— Synode And thus it was decreed in the Councell at Nice that the Byshopâ— should assemble twise euery yeare And in the Councel at Carthage it was decreed that the Bysshops shoulde meete togeather in eche of their prouinces at least once in the year which was done as saith the Councel at Chalâ—eâ—ne of purpose that if any errours and abuses had happened to springe vp any where they might immediatelye at the first enterie be destroyed where they firste begonne So likewise when Seâ—undus and Palladius reiected the CouÌ„cell at Aquila bicause it was not a generall and a common Councell Ambrose Bysshoppe of Millaine made aunswere that no man ought to take it for a newe or straunge matter that the Bysshops of the weste parte of the worlde didde call togeather Synodes and make priuate assemblies in their Prouinces for that it was a thing before then vsed by the west Bysshoppes no fewe times and by the Bysshoppes of Grecia vsed oftentymes and coÌ„monly to be done And so Charles the great being Emperour held a prouinciall Councell in Germanie for puttinge awaye Images contrary to the seconde Councell at Nice Neither pardy euen amongest vs is this so very a straunge and newe a trade for we haue hadde ere nowe in Englande prouinciall Synods and gouerned oure Churches by home made lawes What shoulde one saye more of a truthe euen those greatest Councelles and where moste assemblie of people euer was wherof these menne vse to make suche an exceedinge reckeninge compare them with all the Churches whiche throughout the worlde acknoweledge and professe the name of Christe and what els I praye you can they seeme to bee butte certaine priuate Councelles of Bysshoppes and prouinciall Synodes For admitte peraduenture Italie Fraunce Spaine England Germanie Denmarke and Scotlande meete togithers yf there want Asia Grecia Armenia Persia Media Mesopotamia Egypt Ethiopia India and Mauritania in all whiche places there bee bothe manye Christian menne and also Bysshoppes howe canne anye man beinge in his right mynde thinke suche a Councel to bee a generall Councell or where so manye partes of the worlde doe lacke howe canne they truelye saye they haue the consente of the whole worlde Or what manner of Councell weene you was the same last at Trident Or howe might it bee tearmed a generall Councell when out of all Christian kyngedomes and Nations there came vnto it butte onelye fourtye Bysshoppes and of those some so cunninge that they might be thought meete to bee sente home againe to learne their Grammar and so well learned that thei had neuer studied Diuinitie What so euer it bee the truthe of the Gospell of IESVS CHRIST dependeth not vpon Councelles nor as S. Pawle saithe vpon mortall creatures iudgementes And if they whiche ought to be carefull for Gods Churche will not be wyse but slacke their duety and harden their heartes against Godde and his Christe goinge on still to peruert the right wayes of the Lorde God will stirre vp the very stones and make children and babes cunninge whereby there may euer be some to confute these mennes lyes For God is able not onely without Councelles butt also will the Councelles nill the Councelles to maintaine and auaunce his owne kingedom Full manye bee the thoughtes of mans heart saith Salomon but the counsell of the Lorde abydeth stedfast There is no wisedome there is no knowledge there is no counsell against the Lorde Thinges endure not saithe Hilarius that be set vp with mennes workemanship By an other manner of meanes must the Churche of God be builded and preserued for that Churche is grounded vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and Prophets and is holden fast togeather by one corner stone which is Christ Iesu. But merueilous notable and to very good purpose for these dayes bee Niecomes wordes Whosoeuer sayth hee the Diuell hathe deceiued and enticed to fall a sleepe as it were with the sweete deathly enchauÌ„tments of y e marmaids the Sirenes those persones doth Gods worde awake vp sayinge vnto them Arise thou that sleepest lifte vp thy selfe and Christ shall giue the light Therfore at the comminge of Christe of Goddes worde of the ecclesiasticall doctrine and as the full destruction of Niniue and of that moste be witfull harlot then shall the people whiche heretofore hadde been caâ—t in a traunce vnder their maisters bee raysed vp and shall make haste to go to the Mountaines of the Scripture 〈◊〉 shall they finde hilles Moses â—â—reey and Iosua the sonne of Nun other â—â—les also which aâ— the Prophetes 〈…〉 of the newe testament whiche 〈◊〉 the Apostles and the Euangelistes And when the people shall flee for succour to suche hilles and shall bee exercised in the reading of those kind of mountaynes though they finde not one to teache them for the haruest shall bee greate butte the labourers fewe yet shall the good desire of the people bee well accepted in that they haue gotten them to suche hilles and the neglygence of their maisters shall bee openly reproued These bee Hieromes sayenges and that so playne as there needeth no Interpretour For they agree so iuste with the thinges wee nowe see wyth oure eyes haue already come to passe y t wee maye verelye thinke hee mente to foretell as it were by the spirite of prophesie and to paincte before oure face the vniuersall state of oure tyme the fall of the moste gorgeous harlotte Babylon the repairinge againe of Goddes Churche the blyndenesse and slewthe of the Bysshoppes and the good will and forwardenesse of the people For