A TREATISE OF THE Perpetuall Visibilitie AND Succession of the True CHVRCH in all AGES AT LONDON Printed by HVMâ—REY LOVVNES for ROBERT MILBOVRNE 1624. TO THE READER KIng Salomon the Mirror of wisdome who digged deepest into the richest Mines of diuine and humane knowledge exhorts others to search after that which himself had found in such abundance and he sets an edge vpon our desires by promising If thou seekest after her as for siluer and searchest for her as for hid treasure then shalt thou finde the knowledge of God c. Of so pretious a Talent when wee haue found any parcell wee ought not to hide it in a napkin much lesse to bury it in the bowels of the earth by concealment or suppression for Veritatem celare est aurum sepelire To conceale the Truth is to burie gold and therby to depriue not only others but our selues also of the benefit and vse thereof Wherefore Saint Austen sharply censureth such as would challenge a peculiar interest and propriety in this which is the true common treasure of Gods Church saying Veritas nec mea nec tua nec illius est sed omnium nostrum quos ad eius communionem publicè vocas admonens nos vt nolimus eam habere priuatam ne priuemur ea The truth is neither mine nor thine nor his but all ours in common whom thou O Lord callest publikely to the communion thereof dreadfully admonishing vs not to desire to haue it priuate lest we be depriued of it Now of all truth this day in controuersie there is none more sought after by some than the visibility of the true Church which retained the purity of the Apostles doctrine vnmixed with dregs of errour and superstition especially in the gloomy and dark Ages before Luther As for higher times and neerer the Apostles such was the clarity and splendour of the pure Church that in a manner it obscured the Sun But in succeeding and degenerating times after the number of the name of the Beast 666 it began much to be obscured and clouded with ignorance and superstition and in the thousandth yeer in which Satan was let loose and much more after euen till the happy reformation in these later Ages it was so eclipsed especially in the Western Parts of the world that some confidently affirm it was quite extinct The Woman clothed with the Sun hauing the Moon vnder her feet was now fled into the Wildernesse and had but a fewe Stars to discouer her By the conduct and lustre wherof yet many Wise-men follow'd her obscure track and found her Among whom the most reuerend religious learned and painfull Authour of this enfuing Treatise concerning The Visibility and Succession of the true Church deserueth to bee named in the first rank who hath more particularly and perspicuously trauelled in this Argument than any in our English Tongue It was the manner of the Heathen Race-runners after they had finished their course to deliuer a Lamp or Taper to the next Runner Semblably whereto this Christian Antiquary shewes vnto thee how the noble Worthies of the Christian world and Fore-runners of our faith after they had finished their course deliuered the Lamp of their doctrine from one to another as to omit other former-bearers of this Light Bertram to Berengarius Berengarious to Petrus Bruis Petrus Bruis to Waldo Waldo to Dulcinus Dulcinus to Gandune and Marsilius they to Wicklef Wicklef to Hus and Ierome of Prague and their scholars the Taborites to Luther This Treasure of Antiquitie falling into my hands and finding it hard to come-by I thought fit to publish it and make it more common that so all that loue the truth might cleerly see in it the perfect Image of their Mother the true Protestant Church partly blubbered with tears partly smeared with bloud by the cruelty of the Man of sinne and his Complices in former Ages About which dolefull Image we may fitly write these words of the Prophet Micah for a Motto Reioyce not against me O my enemy when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darknes the Lord shall be a Light vnto mee Such a Light hee hath been Before and In our daies and Henceforth will bee according to his promise til he shall dispell all darknes and consume the Man of sin with the Spirit of his mouth and destroy him with the brightnes of his Comming Euen so come Lord Iesu come quickly A TREATISE OF the perpetuall Visibilitie and Succession of the true CHVRCH WEE teach that as from the beginning long before the Incarnation of Christ God euer had his Church yet sometimes more visible and glorious and sometimes more contracted and obscured so since the appearance of our Sauiour at all times infallibly and without exception there haue been chosen children of God who haue retained his faith and calling vpon his name haue studied to expresse their knowledge in their life by retyring themselues both from the loose conuersation of Libertines and the profanation of Idolatrous persons Neither euer was there any of our profession which did teach or write the contrary But wheras the Synagogue of Rome layes it downe for a fundamentall Rule that this Church hath been and must bee in all ages a visible and conspicuous Congregation at the least consisting of an apparant Hierarchy so that at all times a man may poynt it out and may repaire thither as to a matter eminent yea and in a sort pompous too or to say as Stapleton speaketh when he doth most extenuate it It is euermore visible in respect of her Gouernours and Sheepheards but most of all for the Pope or cheife Pastor thereof To which Pope Bellarmine assigneth that he cannot erre in iudgment and to the people and Cleargie of Rome where this sensible Church must principally be that they cannot erre with a personall errour so that all altogether erre we therein doe dissent from them and maintaine that although when the godly are most driuen to extremities by Heresies or persecutions they bee visible each to other and acquainted with some other brethren who are in like case with themselues yet they are not so apparant to other men as that at all times they know where to find Assemblies and Congregations of them But that the Bishop of Rome and his Pontificall Clergie should haue the face of the Church tyed and inseperably ioyned vnto them wee can in no sort yeeld but doe disclaime it as a flattering tale suggested to that Bishop by such parasites as are about him and from time to time doe depend vpon him And that it may bee seene what reason we haue of this our assertion wee first shew that the estate of the faithfull was frequently so before the comming of Christ. For when it lay as hid in some fewe persons within the single Families of the old Patriarks before and after the Floud what great boast could there bee made of it Nay
the appearance of a visible Congregation can hardly bee imagined When our Sauiour had selected out his Apostles they then were termed by the name of a Flocke but yet by their Master they were called but a little flocke where the Rhemists do confesse that in the beginning it was little indeed At the death of Christ when his body hanged on the crosse for our sakes and his Disciples were all fled no man daring to shew himselfe Mary and Iohn and a fewe women were all the faithfull that now appeared vpon earth and afterward while the Apostles their followers walked very priuately or were assembled in a chamber the Priestes and Scribes and Pharisees were they who ruffled it in the streetes and bore the sway in the Temple so that if a weak body had enquired for the Church he might rather haue been directed to them who had the Law and the Altars and all sacred things in their custody then to any other When Steuen had been stoned and for feare of the persecution which was at Ierusalem the Disciples were all scattered besides the Apostles it may well be presumed that for a time they which remained in the citie where Steuen had lost his life did not walke very openly Truth it is that after these things the Church was better setled and the truth was more spread but yet neuer was there any such priuiledge bestowed vpon it but that in the dayes of persecution or some grieuous apostacy the faithfull might bee brought to a small visibilitie Our Sauiours wordes intend so much when alluding to the time of his second appearance to iudge the quicke and the dead he asketh Neuerthelesse when the Sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on earth as meaning that very little should then bee found in comparison of the Floodes and Ocean of iniquitie which euery where should abound But God to the end that he might not haue vs ignorant but warned before hand into what straights the Church should bee brought informeth vs by Saint Paul that the Lord shall not come except there first bee an apostacie or reuolt or falling away wherein Antichrist with great pride and disdaine should shew himselfe This is solemnly spoken of by the Apostle and by all both old and new intreating of it is obserued to some matter of great note that is to say some maine declining from somwhat Many of our Papists fearing to touch this sore which can in no case turne them to good would haue that interpreted to note nothing else but the slipping of diuers regions countries from their subiection to the Romane Empire But Gregory Martin and the other Rhemistes being ouercome with the euidence of truth are heere a little more honest then ordinary and speake to other purpose Indeed they cannot tell how it will be taken at other Papists hands that contrary to the custome of their fellowes in a matter of such moment they should giue way vnto vs and therefore they doe vse these words in vvay of excuse â— Be it spoken vnder the correction of Gods Church and all learned Catholiques But to the poynt concerning the Apostacie they deliuer this It is very like that this great defection and reuolt shall not bee onely from the Romane Empire but especially from the Romane Church and withall from most poynts of Christian Religion in the Margent it is and from most Articles of the Catholique Faith Heere they would haue vs take the Romish beleefe for the Christian Religion and Catholique faith but that deserueth a long pause we rather obserue out of them that this reuolt is in matter of faith and not onely from the Empire then which Glosse nothing can be truer Well then if there must bee so egregious an Apostacie it will follow that Antichrist so domineering as by the Apostle he is described will not bee negligent so to represse the publike seruice of God that it shall not carry any liuely head or countenance where hee hath to doe So that certainely our Rhemistes yeelding to this Exposition doe in substance confesse so much as that the apparancy of Gods Congregation in the time of the great defection must bee mightily ecclipsed Now the Lord to the end hee might establish his faithfull and arme them to expect this paucitie of beleeuers and inconspicuousnes of his Church and yet not be discouraged for that which should bee past present or to come And againe that there might bee no doubt in a matter of this moment letteth vs further know that the woman fled into the wildernesse where shee hath a place prepared of God It is not doubted of betweene the Romanists and vs but this Woman doeth represent the Church concerning whom being in the wildernesse it doth manifestly follow that for the time of her abode there which the Almightie had decreed she should not be discerned that is by her enemies who did would chase her notwithstanding it is not to be doubted but shee knew where her selfe was If the Romanist therefore and persecuting aduersary did not euer see the Professors of the Gospell it was no wonder the woman was to remaine in the Wildernesse a part and hidde from them The euidence of which matter is such that as Master Fox obserueth for feare of diuers things in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn whereof this may worthily be one scant any Popish Writer for many yeares together durst aduenture to comment any thing vpon the Apocalyps vntill our Rhemistes being desirous to shame the Pope and themselues with all who are wise and adventured to set pen to paper Hauing then a purpose to set forth and corrupt the New Testament partly by their Translation but most of all by their Annotations they could not choose but say somewhat of the Reuelation although they professe that it is as sparingly as may be and as briefly which is not for that the Volume of the Rhemish Testament groweth great as they would colour it but for feare least they should too much lay open their owne weakenesse which while that Booke is in the Bible will neuer bee concealed Howsoeuer therefore through their Volume in many maine matters they bee very silent where they should most speake as of the Question of imputed righteousnesse where the Apostle doeth most handle it a sore argument of their owne conscience distrusting their cause and euen sinking vnder the waight of that chapter yet here God ouer-ruling them to say the truth as hee did Caiaphas they interpret the woman to be the Church flying from the great persecution which shall be in the time of Antichrist Indeed to keepe peace with their Lord and Mastes the Pope they will not haue this flight to bee but in the very ending of the world and so they would fetch it with a backe Racket that the woman should continue so in secret but three yeares and a halfe which to keepe all vpright they assigne
disturbe the peace of the vniuersall world Whereunto Liberius did not take exception saying that the visible Church stood for him and Athanasius but rather giueth another reason to make good his being alone Be it that I am alone notwithstanding for that the cause of the faith is not the worse for a great while agoâ—e there were three onely found who would resist the Kings commandement Heere the Church for any external shew was low brought for if any body held it vp it was Athanasius who then played least in sight and durst not appeare For this Liberius who did for a time second him did afterward shrinke He went at first into banishment in defence of the truth but after that he was solicited and laid at by Fontunatianus that he relented and condiscended to subscribe to the Arrian heresie as Hierom witnesseth who liued in that age and was long conuersant in Rome and therefore could better report what was the issue of Liberius his constancie then some others who doe relate it otherwise What can be said for him Bellarmine hath but yet inforced by the euident testimony of Athanasius Hillary and Hierome he confesseth so much as I haue here set down but couer it he would that he only consented to the externall act of subscribing but remained in heart Othodox Why should it then bee a maruell if in processe of time Antichrist growing to greater strength the Church should bee in couert It is no more then often fell out vnder the Iewish Synagogue hath bin exemplified to haue been since among the Christians and was so euidently foretold before In so much that by the example of the woman it can not bee the true Church vnlesse it should be hidden in the wildernesse Which while our Popish teachers deny to agree to their Romish Church but professe that it hath euer been in sight they themselues doe by a consequent proclaime that they are not the pure and vndefiled flying woman but another painted harlot and strumpet The true Church is for a time out of sight in the wildernes but so say they was their Church neuer and therefore will they nill they their Church is not the true Church And here to the end that the slaunderous calumniation of our aduersaries may the more be manifested to all those who wil not wilfully close their eyes against truth I will a little shew the vanity yet maliciousnes of their obiection when they say there was neuer any of our faith before the daies of Luther who in the yeare 1517 began for his part to display the kingdome of Antichrist Where I pray the Reader to consider that the most part of those whom I shall cite are Popish Writers and no way partially affected towards vs. We say then that Martine Luther was not the first brocher of those points which he taught again't papistry but as he did originally deduce them from the Scriptures out of the works of the ancient Fathers so he did derine them also hereditarily from other who immediatly before him had taught the same doctrine left it both in books the hearts of men recommended vnto him as principal parties herein I name Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage and all such as were their schollers in or about Bohemia who before Luthers time oppugned the beliefe of the church of Rome their profession was not extinguished vntill his dayes howsoeuer it before had bin mainly assaulted If we could learne this no where els yet Fr. Guicciardine an Italian Florentin Historiographer would informe vs of it who writing of the yeare 1520 saith plainly that Luther did set abroad the Heresies as he tearmeth them of the Bohemians and hee nameth there Hus and Hierome as former diuulgers of the same and Petrus Messias a Spaniard therein agreeth with him who mentioning the opinions of Hus and the Bohemians saith they were the seed of those errours which were afterward in Germany alluding to the doctrine of Luther There is no man whose testimony in this behalfe may be of more worth then Ioh. Cochleus First because he wrote a large story of purpose concerning the Hussites therfore by his long search reading and writing in that argument may be persumed to know as much as any Secondly because it may be well imagined that he would fain nothing to do Luther good in as much as he also wrote a volume purposely against that worthy seruant of God intending to rip vp his whole life from yeare to yeare and to censure all his works yet this enemy of his in the Story of the Hussites doth plentifully satisfie vs about the matter now in question One where he telleth vs that Hus did slay soules for an hundred yeares together neither yet doth he cease to slay them by the second death Within an hundred yeares after him came in Luther according as the said Iohn Hus did prophecie not long before his death And when it is added that yet he doth not cease to slay it is manifest that his Doctrine remained till the dayes of Cochleus In another place he relateth that Luther did stirre vp seditions in Germanie by the Books of the Hussites Afterward he calleth those who were in Germany in his time New Hussites And againe Hus did so rent the vnitie of the Church that vnto this day there remaineth a pitifull diuision in Bohemia He proceedeth in the same matter elsewhere saying That the people of Germanie are now by Luther partakers of the Heresies of Hus and Hierome One sort of the followers of this Iohn Hus did call themselues Thaborites and these were they who most dissented of all from the Doctrine of Rome Of these he speaketh thus Vnto this day remaineth the Sect of the Thaborites in many places of Bohemia and Morauia vnder the name of Picards and Waldenses Lastly the same Cochleus in the yeare 1534. doth wish that hee may see the remainders or leauings of the Hussites to returne to the Church and the Germanes to cast out all new Sectes VVhat can bee more euident then that the Doctrine of Iohn Hus was sensibly and apparantly continued somewhere euen till the dayes of Martin Luther Vnto which may bee added that whereas Luther began to shew himselfe but in the yeare 1517 that very yeere was ended the Councell of Laterane held at Rome and finished by Pope Leo the tenth And there consultation was had of reforming the manners of the Church and of recalling the Bohemians to the vnity of the Church of Rome And as these Testimonies doe conuince that the Christian Confession of Hus was not extinguished at the comming of Martin Luther so may there be good reason assigned why it did so long continue in as much as it was imbraced by many and earnestly maintained euen vnto the death When Hus began first to preach the people which vsed handy craftes did with
the world most detestable most wicked setting to sale of al SacrameÌ„ts most insatiable auarice most impudent fornications most putrified vncleannesses rottennesses most abominable Concubines keeping most polluted manners most dissolute most corrupt gestures and behauiors harlotry euery where too too much multiplied in the Clergy wherwith alas the whole world lieth corruptly filthy Also the Lucifer-like pride of the Clergie is exalted aboue God their dainty daily banquets their abundant riches and rich abundance their disquietnes most litigious being the chiefe root of the quarels of the world their curiositie most vaine their most vnseemely pompe of apparell their conuersation most Secular-like their most open transgression of all the Commandements of God their most remisse care of soules their most negligent regard of the word of God This he saith for himselfe but concerning the Thaborites who indeed came neerer to the purity of the Gospel he witnesseth of them that they held that materiall bread doth remaine in the Sacrament that the Saints now triumphant are not to be called vpon that there is no purgatory that no suffrages or prayers are to be made for the dead Also they allow not of the holy dayes almost of all the Saints nor of Eue or Vigils that goe before them nor the consecrations of visible things as salt oyle holy water Bels and such like They haue a schismaticall celebration of their Masses that is a seuerall sort of Church-seruice and refuse the most celebrious seruice of the Church and the rites and administrations of almost all the Sacraments Let our Papists now speak whether they we do not agree in the same doctrine altogether For I doubt not but they who had receiued so much grace froÌ„ God as to see al these things were also partakers of farther knowledg in the misteries of saluatioÌ„ While I haue spokeÌ„ thus largely concerning these good Christians in Bohemia let not any man imagin that Christs faithfull flocke was restrained within the compasse of that countrey so that godly men were else no where to be found For certaine it is that betweene the times of Io. Hus who was burnt in the yeare 1415 and the first standing vp of M. Luther were very many other who in that darknes did see what belonged vnto the light of the Gospel Among these may be reckoned as very memorable the Waldenses who about the yeare 1508 do make an answer in defence of themselues and therin as they testifie that then they had Priests of their owne so they speake against Purgatory and most openly against Transubstantiation The same touching Transubstantiation they doe in a Confession of theirs where also they impugne Adoration of the Eucharist There also they name the Prelates Vnsauorâ— Salt and auouch that the execrablâ— naughtinesse which was in them by the instinct of the Deuill did driue them away from the Sea of Rome For the Papists in their Sermons did call one another Schismaticks Hereticks Sacrilegious false Prophets rauening VVolues the Beast and Whore in the Reuelation of these there were many in one part of France who time out of mind had refused to beare the yoake of the Pope and therefore in the dayes of Frauncis 1. King of France by a bloudy decree of that King but by the execution of one Minerius a most cruell person Merindol Cabriers with some other villages about them were sacked and destroyed men women children being slaine yea diuers of them being stripped starke naked first and then murthered and fortie poore women being burned in a Baâ—ne I may adde vnto these many worthy men here there dispersed whereof all cryed out against the Church of Rome and desired a reformation and many of them apprehended and deliuered to other the true meanes of Iustification which is the nearest point of saluation The Author of the 16 Century nameth about the yeare 1500 and somewhat after but yet before Luther Baptista Mantuanus Franciseus Picus Earle of Mirandula both which much inueighed agaiust the Clergy and their whole practise Also one Doctor Keiserspergius another called Iohn Hilton a third named Doctor Andreas Proles and Sauanorola all groning vnder the burthen of those times The Oration of Picus in the CouÌ„cel of Later an is extant where besides his most bitter taxing of the filthy behauiour of the Clergie he vseth these words Pietie is almost sunke into superstition How Mantuan doth euery where pay the Romanists may appeare to those who read his workes But one place of him I will name Petrique domus polluta fluente Marcessit Luxu nulla hic arcana reuelo Nonignota loquor liceat vulgata referre Sic Vrbes populique ferunt ea fama per omnem I am vetus Europam mores extirpat honestos Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis ara cynaedis Seruit honorandae Divum Ganymedibus aedes Quid miramur opes recidiuaque surgere tecta Thuris odorati globulos cinnama vendit Mollis Arabs Tyrâ— vestes venalia nobis Templa Sacerdotes Altaria Sacra Coronae Ignis Thura Preces Coelum est venale Deusque Some of them I English thus Priests land now Iesters vile doth serue the Altars Bawds maintaine Of holy Churches of the Gods lewd Ganymeds make their gaine Why doe we wonder that their wealth and houses falne doe rise Sweet Frankincense and Cinnamon are the onely Marchandise Of the Arabians and but Clothes the Tyrians vse to sell But with vs Churches Altars Priests yeeld money well Things hallowed crowns fire frankincense the Prayers which we make Yea Heauen yea God are saleable if money wee may take The opinions of Sauanorola against Popery are many and for them howsoeuer it be otherwise coloured he was burnt In the matter of free Iustification he is cleare And the same is written also of Trithemius another learned man who liued at that time How in England Christ had in all these times Professors of the truth I shall haue occasion to shew anon when I come to speake of Iohn Wiclefe In the meane while I shal not do amisse to meÌ„tion some other whowere between the daies of Io. Hus M. Luther A special oppugner of the Papacy was the learned Laurentius Valla a Romane Patritian and Canon of S. Iohn of Later an there He wrote a Treatise of purpose against the forged donation of CoÌ„stantine He prouounceth of his own experience That the Pope himselfe doth make war against peaceable people soweth discord between Cities Princes The Pope doth both thirst after mens riches and swalloweth vp his owne He maketh gain of not only the Common wealth but the Estate Ecclesiasticall and the holy Ghost The latter Popes do seeme to labour this that looke how much the ancient Popes were wise and holy so much they will be wicked and foolish He liued about the yeare 1420 and for the freenesse of his speech and pen was by the Pope driuen into exile About
their pleasure or to put in and pull out and they had power to search poore mens houses and to destroy what was thought fit by them to bee destroyed But God who would not haue his truth vtterly burned or buried in ashes suffred a remnant to remaine yea and that in England albeit Potydor Virgil with an Italian trick of his owne did heer consume and destroy many worthy and antient Monuments By this time I may wel suppose that some vehement Papist is euen ready to swell with his belly full of exceptions against these things heer said And first he will begin say that we rake together as the Ancestors and forerunners of our faith such as were notorious Hereticks as Wicklef or Hus or the Waldenses men condemned by Popes or generall Councels and Hereticks as Campian telleth vs are the dregges and the bellows and the fewell of hell These as our Papists commonly say are already fire-brands of hell and frying there in flames It is no rare matter with the Synagogue of Rome to pronounce such Sentences as these are Our Rhemists by their Consistoriall or Imperiall Decree haue defined that Caluin and Verone are not onely Hereticks but Reprobates for writing so as they haue done touching the Article of Predestination Yea they call Master Beza a Reprobare also although hee were then aliue and long after too how â—oeuer the Iesuites some few yeeres since did by a most ridiculous pamphlet or other newes spread it in France and Italy that hee was then dead and that dying had recanted his Religion and was returned to the Romish faith which also Geneua did by his example It is no newes with Iesuites to lie and therefore Master Beza must beare with them and so had he neede to doe with the Rhemists also who got hastily into Gods Chaire and there concluded him to bee a Reprobate But indeed these good Christians before-named of whom many lost their liues for the maintenance of Gods truth were Hereticks in such a manner as Christ was said to bee a blasphemer who indeed was both called so and condemned to bee such a one by the counsell of the high Priests Scribes and Rulers of the Synagogue We doe not beleeue that aâ—l those are Hereticks whom your Papists will so call or account for you giue vs that name which maugre your malice you shall neuer bee able to proue against vs. They are truely orthodox and right Catholiques who teach nothing but that whereof they haue euident warrant out of the Word of God And this wee haue as hath beene oft shewed by men of our side and in that question wee are ready at all times to iump with you for any part or all the Doctrine wee professe With Saint Paul therefore wee say that After the way that you call heresie so worship wee the God of our Fathers The same which you maliciously and presâ—mptuously tearm schisme and heresie is that whereupon vnder our blessed Sauiour wee rest our soules and by the Confession thereof wee hope to bee saued in the day of the generall Iudgement Do not you therfore take that for granted which is so highly questioned betwixt vs and you but rather if you can prooue our Profâ—ssion to bee hereticall by Gods grace we shall not shrink at any of your biggest obiections Yea but say you further The Writers which make mention of these your Predecessors doo brand them with the holding of some most grosse and damnable doctrine which you your selues will not auouch My answer is that wee our selues doo easily beleeue so much for did malice I pray you euer say well The Apostles were at more times and in more places than one charged with many accusations which yet in truth were but calumniations The old Christians in the Primitiue Church were slandered to vse incestuous company each with other like Oedipus and to eat vp mans flesh at the banquet of Thyestes yea their owne seruants for fear were induced to lay such matters to their charge Athanasius was accused to haue cut off ones hand and a harlot to his face would haue calumniated him to haue committed fornication with her This practice was neuer more liberally frequented than by the enemies of the Gospell in the late daies of Popery You may remember what I cited before out of Du Haillan concerning matters falsely obiected to the Albingenses There is extant an excursitory Oration of the Waldenses wherein they say that for that their faith which they were ready to iustifie they were condemned iudged captiuated and afflicted and afterward that they were called Hereticks but in their Confession they haue it directly Of these criminations whereof we are blamed of tentimes we are nothing at all guilty The Pope and his Chaplains were fell furious against them because they did bite so neer and therefore to disgrace them both in present and to posterity they held it fit that by speech preaching and writing it should be divulgated that they taught monstrous blasphemies that by that meanes the credulous people might be preiudicate and so not onely frighted from hearkning to them but bee much the readier to ioyne in the prosecution of them to prison and to death But what they indeed held is declared before When Iohn Hus was at the Councell of Constance hee did openly call God to witnes that Hee did neither preach nor teach those things which his Aduersaries did obiect against him neither that they euer came into his minde Neither is it to be maruelled that they did load his scholars with the like false accusations when their malice was such towards them as that they burnt many thousands of them in Barnes which was done by the treachery of one Mainardus In other places the Romanists haue still held the same course of slandering which caused the Protestants to professe in the Diet at Augusta that Diuers opinions were falsely reported vp and down which wrongfully were fathered on them and that those were not only estranged from the holy Scriptures but that they were abhorrent euen from common sense And is it not probable that long since when much darknesse did couer the face of the earth that few had grace to perceiue their dooings and fewer had authority to question their doctrine the Pope-holy Clergie which hated the true gospellers with all their harts would pay them with vile odious reports when in this Age wherein God hath affoorded more plentifull meanes to discouer their false-hoods they doo dare not onely in their Sermons or in their secreter whisperings but in their printed books to proclaim abroad concerning vs most false and vngodly calumniations and imputations as that wee doo teach all loosenesse of life and libertinisme by this our new Gospell that we maintain that All sinnes are equall that we hold it as a Maxime that God is the Author of sinne and whatsoeuer it pleaseth Master Campian and his