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
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
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
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
and that they muste giue place to vs in nothynge Or yf there be anye faulte yet must it be tried by Byshopes and Abboâ—tes only bycause they be y e directers Rulers of matters and they be the Church of God Aristotle saith that a Citie cannot consist of Bastardes but whether the Churche of God may consiste of these men let their owne selues consider For doubtles neither be the Abbottes legitimat Abboâ—tes nor the Byshopes naturall right Byshoppes But graunt they be the Churche let them be heard speak in Councelles let theÌ„ alone haue auctoritie to gyue consent yet in olde tyme when the Churche of God yf ye will compare it with their Churche was very well gouerned both Elders and Deacons as saith Cyprian and certeine also of the coÌ„men people were called ther vnto and made acquainted with ecclesiasticall matters But I put case these Abbottes and Byshâ—pes haue no knowledge what yf they vnderstande nothing what ReligioÌ„ is nor how we ought to thinke of God I put case the pronouncyng and ministringe of the lawe be decayed in preists and good counsell faile in the Elders and as the Prophete Micheas saith the night be vnto them in stede of a vision and darkenes in sted of prophesieng Or as Esaias saith what yf al y e watchemeÌ„ of y e city are become blind what yf y e salt haue lost his propre strength and sauerines and as Christe saith be good for no vse scant woorthe the castyng on the doungehyl Wel yet then they wil bring al matters before the Pope who cannot erre To this I say firste it is a madnes to thynke that the holy Ghoste taketh his flight from a generall Councell to run to Rome to thende yf he doubt or sticke in any matter and cannot expound it of him selfe he maye take counsell of some other spirite I wote not what that is better learned then him selfe For yf this be true what neded so many Byshopps with so great charges and so farre iorneyes haue assembled their ConuocatioÌ„ at this present at Trident Yt hadde ben more wisedom and better at least it had ben a moche nearer way and handsommer to haue brought all thinges rather before y e Pope and to haue come streght furth and haue asked counsell at his diuine breast SecoÌ„dly it is also an vnlaufull dealing to tosse our matter from so many Byshoppes and Abbottes and to bryng it at laste to the trial of one onely man specially of hym who him selfe ys appeached by vs of hainous and foule enormities and hath not yet put in hys aunswere who hath also afore hand coÌ„dempned vs without iudgement by order pronounced and or euer we were called to be iudged How saye ye do wee deuise these tales Is not this the course of the Councelles in these dayes are not all thynges remoued from the whole holy Councell and brought before the Pope alone that as though nothing had ben don to purpose by the iudgementes and consentes of suche a numbre he alone maye adde alter diminishe disanull alow remytt and qualifie what soeuer he lyst whose wordes be these then and whye haue the Byshoppes and Abbottes in the last Councell at Trident but of late concluded with sayng thus in thende Sauing alwyes the auctoritie of the sea Apostolique in all thynges Or whye doth Pope Pascall write so proudelie of him selfe as though saith he there were any general Councell able to prescribe a law to the Church of Rome wheras al couÌ„celles both haue ben made and haue receued their force strength by the Church of Romes auctoritie and in ordinaunces made by Councelles is euer plainely excepted the auctoritie of the Byshop of Rome Yf they will haue these thynges alowed for good why be Councels called but yf they commaunde then to be voyd why are they left in their bokes as thinges alowable But be it so Let the Byshop of Rome alone be aboue all CouÌ„celles y t is to say lette some one parte be greater then the whole let hym be of greater power let hym be of more wysedome then all his and in spite of Hieromes head let y e aucthoritie of one Citie be greater then the aucthoritie of the whole worlde Howe then if the Pope haue sene none of these things haue neuer read either y e scriptures or y e olde Fathers or yet his owne couÌ„celles How if he fauour y e ArriaÌ„s as once Pope Liberius did or haue a wicked and a detestable opinion of the lyfe to come and of the immortalitie of the soule as Pope Iohn had but few yeres synce or to encrease nowe his owne dignitie do corrupt other Councelles as Pope Zosimus corrupted the Councell holden at Nice in times past and do say that those thinges were deuised and appoincted by the holy Fathers which neuer once came into their thought and to haue the ful sway of auctoritie do wrest the Scriptures as Camotensis saith is an vsual custome with the Popes How yf he haue renounced the faith in Christ and become an Apostata as Liranus sayth many Popes haue bene And yet for all this shall the holye Ghoste with turning of a hand knock at his breast eueÌ„ wheter he will or no yea wholy against hys will kindle hym a lyght so as he maye not erre shall he streght waye be the head spring of al right and shal al treasure of wisdome and vnderstanding be founde in him as it were laide vp in store Or yf these thinges be not in him can he giue a right and apte iudgement of so weightie matters Or yf he be not able to iudge wold he haue that al those matters should be brought before hym alone What will ye say yf the Popes Aduocates Abbottes and Byshops dissemble not the matter but shew them selues open enemies to the Gospell though they see yet they will not see but wrye the Scriptures and wyttingly knowingly corrupt and counterfeite the word of God and fouly and wickedlye applye to the Pope al the same thinges whiche euidently and proprely be spoken of the person of Christ only nor by no meanes can be applied to any other And what thoughe they saye the Pope is all and aboue all Or that he can do asmuch as Christ can and that one iudgemeÌ„t place and one Councel house serue for y e Pope and for Christ both together Or that the Pope is the same light which should come into the worlde whiche wordes Christ spake of hym selfe alone and that who so is an euil doer hateth and flieth from that light Or that all the other Bysshoppes haue receaued of the Popes fulnes Shortly what though thei make Decrees expreslye against Gods worde and that not in huckermucker or couertly but openly in the face of the worlde muste it needes yet be Gospell straighte whatsoeuer these men say shall these be Gods holy army or will Christe bee at hande amonge them there shall the