at Cambrydge in Magdalene colledge and New colledge of Oxford besides the rest which we now passe ouer Euery one of the Colleges haue their Professours of the tonges and of the liberal Sciences as they cal them which do trade vp youth priuatly whithin their Halles to thend they may afterward be able to go furth thence into the common scholes as to open disputatioÌ„ as it were into plain battail there to try themselfe In the coÌ„mon Scholes of both the Vniuersities there are found at the Kinges charge and that very largely fyue Professours Readers that is to saye The Reader of Diuinitie The Readeâ— of the Ciuill lawe The Reader of Physike The Reader of the Hebrewe tongue and The Reader of the Greeke tongue And for the other Professours as of Phylosophie of Logique of Rethorike and of the Mathematicalles the Vniuersities themselues doe allowe stipendes vnto them And these Professours haue the ruling of the DisputacioÌ„s and other schole exercises whiche be dayly vsed in the common Scholes Amongest whome they that by the same Disputations exercises are thought to be come to any tipenes in knowledge are wont according to y e vse in other vniuersities soleniply to take degrees euery one in y e same science and facultie which he professeth Wee thought good to annexe these thinges to thende wee might confute confounde those that spread abroad rumours how y t with vs nothinge is don in order as ought to be don y t there is no ReligioÌ„ at al no Ecclesiastical Discipline obserued no regard had of the saluacion of mennes soules but that all is don quite out of ordre and seditiouslye y t all antiquitie is despised that libertie is giuen to all sensualitie and lewde lustes of folkes that the liuings of the Church be conuerted to prophane and worldlye vses wheras in very trouth we seke nothing els but that that God aboue all moste good may haue still his honoure truely and purely reserued vnto hym that the rule and waye to euerlastinge Saluacion maye be taken from out of his very word and not from mens fantasies that the Sacramentes maye be ministred not like a Maskary or a stage playe but religiously and reuerently according to the rule prescribed vnto vs by Christ and after the example of the holy Fathers whiche florished in the primatiue Churche that that most holye and godly fourme of discipline whiche was commonly vsed amongest them may be called home againe that the goodes of y e Churche may not be lauÌ„ched out amoÌ„gest worldlinges ydel persoÌ„s but may be bestowed vpon the godlye Ministers and Pastours which take paine both in Preaching and teaching that there may from tyme to tyme arise vp out of the Vniuersities learned good ministers others meete to serue y e coÌ„mon welth And finally that all vncleane and wicked lyfe may be utterly abandoned and banyshed as vnworthy for the name of any Christian. And albeit we are not as yet able to obteine this y t we haue said fully perfitlie for this same Stable as one may rightly call it of y e Romish Augias cannot so soone be thorouglye cleansed and ridd from the long growen filth and mucke neuerthelesse this is it whereunto we haue regarde hether doe wee tende to this marke do wee direct our paine and trauaile and that hitherto thorough God his gracious fauour not without good successe and plenteous encrease whiche thing may easily appeere to euery body yf either we be coÌ„pared with our own selues in what maner of case wee haue ben but few yeares synce or els be compared with our false accusers or rather our malicious slaunderours The Lorde defende his Churche gouerne it with his holy Spirite blesse the same with all prosperous felicitie Amen Imprinted at London in Paules churche yard at the signe of the Brasen serpent by Reginalde Wolfe Anno Domini M. D. LXIIII Faultes escaped in the printinge Erase Faultes Correction B. 4. suche one for heretikes such ones F. 5. p. 2. Peter did not this did not thus F. â— p. 2. yet beare they yet bare theyâ— F. 8. they were a rebellious they be a rebel G. 3. p. 2 pardon◠〈◊〉 pardoÌ„s so largeâ—â— K. 5. p. 2. intend beare intende to beare N. 1. haue thought so â–ª thought good so Tertull. in Apologetico Iohn 8. Cornel. Tacitus Mar. 11. Marcion ex Tertul. Aelius è Lactantio Eusib. li. 5. cap 11. Tertull. in Apologe 3. Idem 1.2.3 7.8.9 Tertull. in Apolo cap. 3. Suctoni in Tranquill in Nerone Act. â—4 Tertull in Apologe â—â—ico 2. Tim. ◠〈…〉 cap. 3. â—ontra â—â—iminuÌ„â—anorum â—op â—i 3. â— 14 â—rimum 〈◊〉 Aggâ— Augustine tracta 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Act. â— 3 In Epist ad Dardâ—â—â—m 〈…〉 lib. 1. â—â—lgoâ—â— ad Thrafâ—◠〈◊〉 De Simpli praelat Ad Euagriâ— De Simpli praelatorum Ca. 47. Gregor epistola li 4. epist. 76.78.80 Et lib. 7 epist. 6.6 2. Tim. 1. De poeniteâ—â— dist 1. cap. Verbum 〈◊〉 Luk. â—â— Math. 2â— Chrystost in epist. ad Titâ—m Hom. 11. Euseb liâ— Cap. 5. Nazianzin monoâ— de Basilie â— Tim. 4. â—â—â—ina in 〈…〉 Chrysost. â—â— Ephe. hom Dis. 2. Ca. Seculares De Consec dist 2. cap Perasta Conse 〈◊〉 2. Ca. â—mperi Iohan. cap. 6. De Sacra lib. 4. cap. 4. Dialogis 2. sermone infantes â—e consecrat â—â—st 2. Cap. â—â— mandu Origene in â—at Hom. 15. con dist 1. Quando â—â— Obiecti â—eodoreti â—ysost in 10 Corinth â— Coâ— â—â—â—mini Iohan â—â—acta 50. In libro de Ceremonijâ— Romanae Ecclesiae â—rigen ad 〈…〉 cap. 3. Augustin psal 85. â— Enchiriâ— cap. 67. De Câ—â—it 21. Cap. 2 Hypogâ—â— â–ª 〈◊〉 â—â—a 119. â—e â–ª ca. 2 â— â—â—dus â—â—st 36 lect in Glâ—sâ— â—istinct 82. Presbyter Stepha 〈◊〉 in Diâ—olâ—â— Sophisti◠〈◊〉 Richard 〈◊〉 Smith De consec RecaÌ„t Peâ— Scholae Glose 〈◊〉 Thomas Aquinas Stephanus â—ardiner 〈◊〉 dist Glosa 〈◊〉 Sent. â—holâ— Eusebâ—â— lib. 4 â–ª Cyprian de â—apsis Iohan. de magist Dâ— temperaÌ„â— 3.4.7 laâ—â— Extra de bigamis Quia circ â—he image this woman Pope â—ng in traâ—l â—s yet be seene Rome Gen. 38. 〈◊〉 concilio â—lect Card. 〈◊〉 1. De coÌ„sid ad Eugeni◠〈◊〉 Apoll 〈…〉 〈◊〉 ho Apolloâ— ca. 1.2.3 In the booke of Hesâ—â— 3.0 Reg. 1 â—â— Amos. â— In Apolâ— cap. 37. August â—teuehuâ— Antonius 〈◊〉 Rosellio De Maior obedi Solite De maior â–ª obed en Vnam sactâ— menâ— 5. Concilio enmensi 〈…〉 Zacharia papa Clemens papa 7. IdeÌ„ Clâ— Sâ—hellieâ—â— Coelestin â—d papa Hildebram papa Innocentiâ— papa 3. Chrysost. â— cap. â—â— Romanâ— Gregoriâ— papae â–ª say in epist. Tertull. in Apol. 〈…〉 Tertull in Apologeâ— ca. 〈…〉 Tertull. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Augustinâ—s in epist. 41 ad vincent Ioban 8. 〈◊〉 Concil â—â—teranâ—se 〈◊〉 Iulio 2. 3. Regumâ—â—â— Esai 1. Math. â—◠〈…〉 cap. â—â— â— Tess. 2. 2. Tim. 4. â— Peâ—ri 2. Daniel 8. â—ath 24. Conâ—â—â— Aurâ—â—◠〈◊〉 In Registro â—b 4. epist. ad Maâ—ri 〈◊〉 libello de 〈…〉 Bernarde ad Eugnium August de Vnitate Eâ— cap. 3. I dem câ— 4. â—lberius â—bius Iiâ—raâ— Hosius 〈◊〉 expresso verbo Dâ— Ensebius Chrysost. â— opere 〈◊〉 â—inâ—t 27. â—daem August â— bono uide cap. 10.27 Nuptiarâ—â— bonum Liber hodâ— extat circumferâ—â—ur 〈◊〉 â—rigen in â—it â—a 16. â—â—â—sost in â—tha 〈…〉 〈◊〉 epist. 〈◊〉 1. 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—â—stolicas â—si 6â— Hieronym ad Demet dem Ad Ianuarium 〈…〉 de 〈…〉 â— Rom. ◠〈…〉 8. In None CoÌ„dition 146. â—eil Cart. â— cap. 47. â—â—os dist 〈…〉 â—â— Maior â—obâ— dientia 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 ateraâ—â—â—se â—ub Iulio 2. â—istinct 9. 〈…〉 De Maior et obediens Solite Extrâ— Ioan 22. CuÌ„ inter In glosa in edâ—tione imperssa parisies et Lugâ—um Antonine de Roselli◠〈◊〉 Augelâ—â—◠〈…〉 papa Thèodor de Schil Plutarch 〈◊〉 14 Plutâ—â—â— chus Dâ— ElecÌ„â— Elect potesflaâ—e Signifâ—e◠〈…〉 â—ostism cap. Quanto â—bas Pano â— Elect. ea â—enerabilâ— Cornelius Eposcopus â— Conâ—il Tridetino Durandus Hosius coÌ„ Brentium Lib. 2. â—pa tita â— lib. 10 â—â— â—ib 1. Exod. â—â— â–ª Iosua 〈…〉 〈…〉 2. Parâ—l â—â— 3. Regum â—â— 2. Parcl 2â— 4. Regum â–ª â— Parall 17. Regum 23. Regum 12. Regum â–ª 10. â— pius 4. â—â—lla sua Imperat. â—dinanduÌ„ â—ist â—â—cli â—â—b 1 cap. 5. Socrat. lâ—â— cap. 5 Socrat. 〈◊〉 cap. 10. 〈◊〉 2. Hieron i Naum. cap. 3. 1. Regâ—â—
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
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
him We can not also away in our churches with y e shewes sales byeng selling of Masses nor the carrieng about worshipping of bread nor such other ydolatrous and blasphemous foâ—dnes whiche none of them can proue y t Christe or his Apostles did euer ordaine or left vnto vs and we iustly blame y e Bishops of Rome who w tout y e word of God w tout y e authoritie of the holy fathers without any example of antiquitie after a newe guise do not onely set before y e people y t sacrameÌ„tal bread to be worshiped as God but doe also cary y e same about vpon an ambling horse whyther soeuer themselues iorney as in old time y e PersiaÌ„s fier y e reliques of y e goddesse Isis were solemly caried about in processioÌ„ haue brought y e sacraments of Christ to be vsed nowe as a stage play a solemne sight to the end that mens eyes should be fedde with nothing els but with mad gasinges and foolishe gaudes in the selfe same matter wherein the death of Christ ought diligently to be beaten into our heartes and wherein also the mysteries of our redeÌ„ption ought with all holines and reuerence to be executed Besides where they say and somtime doe perswade fooles that they are able by their Masses to distribute and applie vnto mens commoditie al the merites of Christes death yea although many tymes y e parties thinck nothing of y e matter and vnderstand ful litle what is don this is a mockery a Hethenyshe fansie and a very toye For it is our faith that applieth the death and crosse of Christe to our benefite and not the Acte of the Massing preest Faith had in the Sacramentes saith Augustine doth iustifie not the sacramentes And Origene saith Christ is the preest the propitiation and sacrifice which propitiatioÌ„ coÌ„meth to euerie one by meane of faith So that by this reconing we saye that the sacrameÌ„tes of Christ without faith doe not once profite those that be alyue a great deale lesse doe they profite those that be dead And as for their bragges they are woÌ„t to make of their Purgatory though we know it is not a thing so very late risen amongest them yet is it no better then a blockyshe and an olde wyues deuise Augustine in deed somtime saith there is suche a certaine place sometime he denieth not but there maye be suche a one sometime he doubteth sometime againe he vttrely denieth it to be and thinketh that menne are therin deceiued by a certaine naturall good wil they beare their frendes departed But yet of this one errour hath there growen vp suche a haruest of these Massemongers y e Masses being sould abrod comonly in euery corner the Temples of God became shoppes to get money and selie soules were perswaded that nothing was more necessarie to be bought In ded there was nothyng more gainefull for these men to selle As touching the multitude of vaine and superfluous ceremonies wee know that Augustin did greuously complain of theÌ„ in his owne time and therfore haue wee cut of a great numbre of them bycause we know that mens consciences were cumbred about theÌ„ and the Churches of God ouerladen with them Neuerthelesse we kepe still and esteeme not onely those ceremonies whiche wee are sure were deliuered vs from the Apostls but some others too besides whiche we thought myght be suffred without hurt to the churche of God because we had a desire that all thinges in the holy congregation might as Paul coÌ„mandeth be don with comelines and in good order but as for all those thinges whiche we sawe were eyther very superstitious or vnprofitable or noysome or mockeries or contrarie to the holy Scriptures or els vnsemelie for honest or discrete folkes as there be an infinite numbre now a dayes where Papistery is vsed these I saye wee haue vterly refused without all maner exception bycause wee would not haue the right worshypping of God any lenger defiled with suche folies We make our prayers in that tonge whiche all our people as meete is may vnderstand to thend they may as Paul counseleth vs take commoÌ„ commoditie by common prayer euen as all the holy Fathers and catholique Byshops bothe in the ould and new Testament did vse to pray them selues taught the people to praye to leaste as Augustin saith like parrottes and ousells wee shoulde seme to speake that we vnderstand not Neither haue we any other Mediatour and Intercessour by whome wee may haue accesse to God the Father theÌ„ Iesu Christ in whose onely name all things are obteined at his Fathers haÌ„d But it is a shamefull parte and full of infidelitie that we see euery where vsed in the Churches of our aduersaries not onely in that they will haue innumerable sortes of mediatours and that vterly without the auctoritie of Goddes word So that as Ieremie saith the Saintes be nowe as many in numbre or rather aboue the numbre of the Cities poore men cannot tel to which Sainct it were best to turne theÌ„ first And though there be so many as they cannot be tolde yet euery one of theÌ„â—hath his peculiar deuty and office assigned vnto him of these folkes what thiÌ„g they ought to aske what to giue â–ª and what to bring to passe but besides this also in that they do not only wickedly but also shamelesly cal vpon the blessed virgine Christes mother to haue her remember that she is a mother and to commaunde her sonne and to vse a mothers auctoritie ouer him We saye also that euery person is borne in sinne and leadeth his lyfe in sinne that no body is able truely to saye his hearte is cleane That y e most rightuous persone is but an vnprofitable seruaunte That the law of God is perfite and requireth of vs perfit and full obedience That we are able by no meanes to fulfill that lawe in this worldly lyfe That there is no one mortall creature whiche can be iustified by his owne desertes in goddes sight and therfore that our only succour and refuge is to flye to the mercy of our Father by Iesu Christ and assuredly to perswade our myndes that he is the obtayner of forgiuenes for our sinnes And that by his bloud al our spottes of sinne be washed cleane That he hath pacified and set at one all thinges by the bloud of his Crosse That he by the same one onely Sacrifice whiche he once offered vppon the Crosse hath brought to effect and fulfilled al things and that for that cause he sayd when he gaue vp the Ghoste It is finished â–ª as though he woulde signifie that the price and ransome was nowe full payde for the sinne of all mankind Yf there be any then that thinke this sacrifice not sufficient let them go in Gods name and seke an other that is better We verely bicause we knowe this to be the onely sacrifice are well contente with it alone and
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
cryed The temple of the Lorde The temple of the lorde or as the Phariseis and Scribes dyd whiche craked they were Abrahams children Thus with a gay and iolie shewe deceiue they the simple and seke to choke vs with the very name of the church Muche like as yf a theefe when he hath gotten into an other mans house and by violence eyther hath thrust out or slayne the owner should afterwarde assigne the same house to hym selfe casting furthe of possession the right inheritour Or yâ— Antichrist after he hath once entred into the Temple of God should afterward saye This house is myne own Christ hath nothinge to do withall â–ª For these menne nowe after they have left nothyng remaining in y e churche of God y t hath any liknes of this Church yet will they seeme the Patrones and the valiaunte maynteners of the Churche very like as Grachus amongest the Romaynes stoode in defence of the treasury not withstanding with his prodigalitie and fond expences he had vtterlye wasted the whole stocke of the treasurie And yet was there neuer any thing so wicked or so far out of reason but lightelye yt might be couered defended by the name of the church For the waspes also make honyecombes as well as Bees wicked men haue companyes lyke to the Churche of God yet for all that they be not streight wâ—y the people of God which ar called y e people of God neither be they al Israelits of many as ar com of Israell y e father The Arrians notwitstanding thei were heretiques yet bragged they that they alone were Catholiques calling all the test now AmbrosiaÌ„s now AthanasiaÌ„s now Iohannites And Nestorius as saith Theodorete for all he was an Heretique yet couered he hym selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to weete with a certaine cloke and colour of the true right faith Ebion though he agreed in opinion with y e Samaritanes yet as saith Epiphanius he would be called a Christian. The Mahomytes at this day for all y e al histories make plaine mention and themselues also cannot denye but they toke their first begynning of Agar the bonde woman yet for the very name and stockes sake chuse they rather to be caled Saracenes as though they came of Sara the free woman and Abrahams wyfe So likewise the false Prophetes of all ages whiche stode vp against the Prophetes of God whiche resisted Eâ—ayas Ieremye Christ and the Appostles at no tyme craked of any thing somuche as they dyd of the name of the Churche And for no nother cause did they so fearcely vexe them and cal theÌ„ Ronneawayes and Apostatas then for that they forsoke their fellowshipp and kepte no thordinaunces of the Elders wherfore yf we would folow the iudgementes of those men only who then gouerned the Churche and would respecte nothing els neyther God nor his word yt muste nedes bee confessed that the Apostles were rightlie and by iust lawe condemned of theÌ„ to death bycause they fell from the Byshops and preistes that is you must thiÌ„ke from the Catholique Churche and bycause they made many new alterations in Religion contrarie to the Byshops and Preistes willes yea and for all their spurninge so ernestlye against it wherfore like as it is written that Hercules in olde time was forced in striving w t Antaeus that huge giaunt to â—yâ—te him quite vp from the earth that was his Mother â—re he could conqueere him euen so must our Aduersaries be heaued from their Mother that is from this vaine colour shadow of y e church wherewith they so disguise and defende themselues otherwyse they cannot be brought to yelde vnto the word of God And therefore saith Ieremye the Prophete Make not suche â—reat boaste that the Temple of the Lorde is with you this is but a vaine confidence for these are lyes The Aungell also saith in the Apocalyps They say theybe Iewes but they be y e Synagoge of Sathan And Christ sayd to the Pharisies when they vaunted them selfe of the kynred bloud of Abraham Ye are of your father the Devel for you resemble not your father Abraham â–ª asmuche to saye ye are not the men ye woulde so faine be called ye 〈◊〉 the people with vaine titles and abuse the name of the Churche to the ouerthrowing of the Churche So that these mens parte had ben first to haue clearely and truely proued that the Romishe churche is the true and right instructed Churche of God that the same as they do order it at this day dothe agre with y e primatiue church of Christ of the Apostles and of the holye Fathers whiche we doubt not but was in dede y e true catholique Church For our partes yf we could haue iudged ignoraunce errour superstition Idolatrie mennes Inuentions and the same coÌ„moÌ„lie disagreinge with y e holy Scriptures eyther pleased God or to be sufficient for thobtainige euerlastyng saluation or yf we could assertaine our selues that the worde of God was written but for a time only and afterwarde againe ought to be abrogated and put awaye or els that the sayinges and commaundementes of God ought to be subiecte to mans will that whatsoeuer God sayeth and commaundeth except the Byshopp of Rome willeth and commaundeth the same it must be taken as void an vnspoken Yf we coulde haue brought our selues to beleue these thinges we graunt there had ben no cause at all why wee should haue lefte these mennes coÌ„panie As touching that we haue now den to departe from that Churche whose errours were proued made manifest to y e world which Church also had alredy euideÌ„tly departed from Gods worde yet not to departe somuche from it selfe as from therrours therof not to do this disorderlye or wickedly but quietlie and sobrelye we haue don nothing herein against the doctrine eyther of Christ or of his Apostles For neyther is the Church of God suche as it may not be dusked w t some spot or asketh not sometime reparation els what nedith there so many assembles and Councelles without the which as saith Egidius the Christian saith is not hable to stand For loke saith he howe often Councelles are discontinued so often is the Church destitute of Christ. Or yf there be no peryle that harme maye come to the church what nede is there to reteyne to no purpose y e names of Byshops as is now commenlye vsed amonge them For yf there be no shepe that may strey whye be they called shepardes yf there be no Citie that may be betraied why be they called watchemen yf there be nothing that may ronne to ruyne why be thei called Pillers Anone after the first creation of the worlde the churche of God began to spreade abrode and the same was instructed wyth the heauenly word whiche God hym selfe pronounced with his owne mouth It was also furnished with diuine ceremonies It was taught by y e spirit of God by the Patriarches and
Prophetes and continued so euen till the tyme y t Christe shewed himselfe to vs in the flesh This notwithstaÌ„ding how often o good God in the meane whyle and howe horribly was thesame Churche darkened and decayed where was that Churche then when all fleshe vpon earth had defyled their owne waye where was it when amoÌ„gest the nombre of the whole world there were only eyght persones they neither all chast and good whom Gods will was shoulde be saued aliue from that vniuersall destruction and mortalitie â–ª When Ely the Prophete so lamentaâ—â—â—e and byterly made mone that onelye himselfe was left of all the whole world whiche dyd truely and dewly worshipp God And when Esay said The siluer of Goddes people that is of the Churche was become Drosse and that the same Citie which a foretime had ben faithful was now become an harlot and that in y e same was no part sound thoroughout the whol body from the head to the fote Or els when Christ him selfe sayde that the house of God was made by y e Pharasies and Preistes a Denne of theues Of a trouth the Church euen as a cornefyld except it be ared manured tilled trimmed in stede of wheate it wil bring furthe thystles darnell and nettilles For this cause did God send euer among both Prophettes Apostles last of al his own Son who might bring home the people into the right waye and repayre a new the tottering Church after she had erred But least some manne should say that the forsaid thinges happened in y e tyme of the law onely of shadowes and of infancie when truth laye hid vnder figures and ceremonies wheÌ„ nothing as yet was brought to perfection when the law was not graueÌ„ in mennes heartes but in stone and yet is that but a foolishe saying for euen at those dayes was there the very same God that is now the same spirite the same Christe thesame faith the same doctrine the same hope the same inheritaunce the same league and the same efficacie and vertue of Goddes worde â–ª Eusebius also saith all the faithfull euen from Adam vntil Christ were in very dede ChristiaÌ„s though they were not so termed But as I said leaste men should thus speake still Paul the apostle found the like faultes and falles euen then in the prime and chiefe of the Gospel in chiefe perfection and in lighte so that he was compelled to write in this sorte to the Galatians whom he had wel before that instructed I feare me quod he leaste I haue laboured emongest you in vayne and leaste ye haue heard y e Gospel in vaine O my litle Children of whom I trauaile a new til Christ be fashioned againe in you And as for the Churche of the Corinthians how fouly it was defiled is nothing needeful to rehearce Now tel me might the Churches of the Galathians and Corinthians goe amisse and the churche of Rome alone may it not fayle ner goe amysse Surely Christ prophecyed long before of his churche that y e time should come when dessolation should stande in the holy place And Paul saith that Antichrist should once set vp his owne tabernacle and stately seath in the temple of God and that the time shuld be wheÌ„ men should not awaye with holesome doctrin but he turned back vnto fables lies and that wythin the very Church Peter likewise tellyth how there should be teachers of lyes in y e church of Christ Daniell the Prophete speaking of the later times of Antichrist Truthe sayth he in that seasone shalbe throwen vnder foote and troden vppon in the worlde And Christ sayeth how the calamitie confusion of thinges shalbe so exceding great that euen the chosen yf it were possible shalbe brought into errour and how all these thinges shal come to passe not amoÌ„gest Gentiles and Turkes but that they should be in the holye place in the Temple of God â–ª in the churche and in the companie an felowship of those whiche professe the name of Christ. Albeit these same warnynges alone may suffice a wyseman to take heede he do not suffer hym selfe rashelye to be deserued with the name of the Churche not to staye to make further inquisition therof by Gods worde yet bysyde al this many Fathers also manye learned and godly men haue often and carefully complained how all these thinges haue chaunced in their lyfe time For eueÌ„ in the middest of that thick myst of darknes God would yet ther should be som whoe thoughe they gaue not a cleare bright light yet shuld they kyndle were it but some sparke which menne might espye being in the darkenes Hylarius when thinges as yet were almoste vncorrupt and in good case to ye are yll deceyued saith he with yÌ„e loue of walles ye do ill worship the Church in that ye worship it in houses and buildinges ye do yll bryng in the name of peace vnder roofes Is there anye doubt but Antichrist will haue his seate vnder the same I rather recken hilles wodes pools maryshes prisons quauemires to be places of more safetie for in these the Prophetes either abiding of their accorde or drowned by violence didde prophecie by the spirite of God Gregorie as one which perceaued and forsaw in his mind y e wrack of al things wrote thus to Iohn Bysshop of Constantinople who was the firste of all others that commaunded himselfe to bee called by this newe name the vniuersall Bishop of whole Christes Church Yf y e Churche saith he shall depend vpon one manne it will at once fall downe to the grownd Who is he y e seeth not how this is come to passe longe since for longe aâ— gone hathe the Bysshop of Rome willed to haue the whole Churche depende vpon himselfe alone Wherefore it is no meruail though it be clean fallen downe longe agone Bernard y e Abbot aboue foure hundred yeares past writeth thus Nothinge is nowe of sinceritie and purenes emongest the Cleargie wherfore it resteth that the man of sin should be reuealed The same Bernarde in his worke of the conuersion of Paul It semeth now saith he thaâ— persecution hath ceased no no persecution seemeth but nowe to beginne euen from them whiche haue chieâ—e preeminence in the Churche Thy friendes and neighbours haue drawen neere â–ª stoode vp against thee from the sole of thy foot to the crowne of thy heade there is no part whole Iniquitie is proceeded from the Elders the Iudges and deputies which pretende â—o rule thy people Wee cannot saye nowe Loke how the people be so is the priest For the people be not so ill as the priest is Alas alas o Lorde God the selfe same persons be the chiefe in persecutinge thee which seeme to loue the highest place and beare moste rule in thy church The same Bernard again vpon y e Canticles writeth thus All they are thy friendes yet are they all thy foes â–ª
all thy kinsefolke yet are they all thy aduersaries being Christs seruants thei serue Antichrist Beholde in my rest my bitternes is moste bitter Roger Bacon also a man of great fame after he had in a vehement Oration touched to the quicke the wofull state of his owne time These so many errours saith he require loke for Antichrist GersoÌ„ coÌ„plaineth how in his daies al y e substaÌ„ce efficacie of sacred diuinitie was brought into a glorious contention osteÌ„tatioÌ„ of wits to very sophistrie The Friers of Lions meÌ„ as touchiÌ„g y e maner of their life not to be misliked wer woÌ„t boldly to affirm y t the Romish church froÌ„ whence alone al counsel ordres was theÌ„ sought was the very same harlot of Babylon rowt of Diuels wherof is prophesied so plainely in y e Apocalyps I know wel enough y e authoritie of y e forsaid persoÌ„s is but lightly regarded amoÌ„gest these men How theÌ„ if I cal furth those for witnesses whoÌ„ themselues haue vsed to honor what if I say y e Adryan the Bysshop of Rome did franklye confesse that all these mischieues brast out first from the highe â—hrone of the Poper Pighius acknowlegeth herein to be a fault that many abuses are brought in euen into the verye Masse which Masse otherwise he wold haue seeme to be a reuerend matter Gerson saithe that through the number of moste fonde ceremonies all the vertue of the holye Ghoste whiche ought to haue full operation in vs all true Godlines is vtterlye quenched and deade Whole Grecia and Asia complaine howe the Bysshoppes of Rome with the martes of their Purgatories Pardons haue both tormented mennes consciences and picked their purses As touching y e tyranny of the Byshops of Rome and their barbarous Persian-like pride to leaue out others whom perchauÌ„ce thei reckeÌ„ for enemes bicause thei freely liberally find fault with their vices the selfe same men whiche haue ledd their lyfe at Rome in the holye Citie in the face of the moste holye Father whoe also were able to see all their secretes and at no tyme departed from y e Catholike faith As for example Laurentius Valla Marsilius Patauinus Fraunces Petrarke Hierome Sauanocola Abbott Ioakim Baptist of Mantua and before all these Bernarde the Abbotte haue manye a tyme and muche complayned of yt geuinge the worlde also sometyme to vnderstande that the Bysshoppe of Rome hymselfe by youre leaue is verye Antichriste Whether they spake yt truelye or falselye lette that goeâ— sure I am they spake it plainelye Neyther canne anye manne alledge that those authors were Luthers or Zwinglius schollers for they were not onelye certaine yeares but also certaine ages or euer Luther or Zwinglius names were hearde of They well sawe that euen in their dayes errours had crept into the Churche and wished earnestly they might be amended And what maruaile yf the Churche 〈◊〉 then caryed a waye with errours in that time specially when neither the Byshop of Rome who theÌ„ only ruled y e to 〈◊〉 nor almoste any other either didde his 〈◊〉 or once vnderstoode what was his duetie For it is harde to be belieued whyles they were ydle and fast a â—â—eâ—ne that the Diuell also all that whyle either fell a sleepe or els continually lay ydle For how they were occupied in the meane time and with what faithfulnesse they tooke care of Goddes house though wee holde oure peace yet â— playe you lette them heare Bernarde their owne friend The Bysshops saith he who now haue the charge of Gods churche are not teachers but deceauers they are not feeders butte begylers they are not Prelates butte Pylates These woordes spake Bernarde of that Bysshoppe who named himselfe the highest Bysshoppe of all and of the other Bysshoppes like wyse whiche then hadde the place of gouernement Bernard was no Lutherian Bernard was no heretike he had not forsaken the Catholike churche yet neuertheles he didde not lette to call the Bishoppes that then were deceiuers begilers and Pylates Nowe when the people was openly deceiued and Christian mennes eyes were craftely bleared and when Pilat satte in iudgement place and condemned Christ Christes members to the swoorde and fyer Oh good Lord in what case was Christes church then But yet tell me of so manye and grosse errours what one haue these men at anye time refourmed or what faulte haue they once acknowleged coÌ„fessed But for so muche as these men auouche the vniuersall possession of the catholike Churche to bee their owne and call vs Heretiques bicaucause wee agree not in iudgemente with them let vs knowe I beseeche you what propre marke and badge hathe that Churche of theyrs whereby it maye bee knowen to bee the Church of God I wys it is not so hard a matter to finde out Goddes Churche of a mantle will seeke it earnestlye and 〈◊〉 For the Churche of Godde is lette vpon a highe and glisteringe place in the toppe of an hill and buylte vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and prophettes There saith Augustine â—ette â—â— seeke the Churche there lette vs â—â—ye ourâ— matter And as he saith againe in an other place The Churche must be shewed out of the holy and canonicall scriptures and that whiche can not bee shewed out of them is not the Churche Yet for all this I wote not howe whether it be for feare or for conscience or despearing of victory these meÌ„ alway abhor and flie the woorde of God euen as the theefe fleeth the gallowes And no wonder truely for lyke as men saye the Cantharus by and by perisheth and dyeth assone as it is laide in balme notwithstandinge balme be otherwise a most sweete smellynge ointment euen so these men well see their owne matter is dampped and destroyed in the woorde of God as if it were in poyson Therefore the holy scriptures whiche oure Sauioure Iesu Christe didd not onely vse for authoritie in all his speache butte didde also at last seale vp the same with his owne bloude these menne to the entent they myghte with lesse busines driue the people from the same as from a thinge daungerous and deadlye haue vsed to call theim A bare letter vncertaine vnprofitable domme killing and dead which seemeth to vs all one as yf they shoulde say The scriptures are to no purpose or as good as none Hereunto they adde also a similitude not very agreeable howe the scriptures be like to a nose of war or a shipmans hose how they may be fashioned and plyed al manner of waies and serue al mennes turnes Wotteth not the Bysshop of Rome that these thinges are spoken by his owne minions or vnderstandeth he not he hath suche champions to fight him Let him harken then how 〈◊〉 how godlye one Hosius writeth of 〈◊〉 matter a Byshop in Polonia as he testifieth of himselfe a man doubtlesse wer spokeÌ„ not vnlerned a very sharp and 〈◊〉 mainteinour of that syde One
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
why doe they not proue it so by the exaumples of the Primatiue Churche and by the Fathers and Councells of olde tymes Whye lyeth so auncient a cause thus longe in the duste destitute of an Aduocate Fyer and sworde they haue had alwayes ready at hande but as for the olde Councels the fathers al Mum not a word They did surely against all reason to beginne first with these so bloudy and extreme means if thei could haue found other more easy and gentle wayes And yf they truste so fully to antiquitie and vse no dissimulation why didde Iohn Clement a countrye manne of owres but fewe yeares past in the presence of certaine honest menne and of good credite teare and cast into the fyer certaine leaues of Theodorete the moste aunciente Father and a greeke Bysshoppe wherein he plainelye and euidentlye taughte that the nature of breade in the Communion was not chāged abolished or brought to nothing And this didde he of purpose bicause he thought ther was no other copy thereof to be foūd Why saith Albertus Pighius y t the auncient father Augustine had a wronge opinion of originall sinne And that he erred and lyed and vsed false logique as touching the case of matrimonie concluded after a vow made which Augustin affirmeth to be perfect matrimony in dede and cannot be vndone again Also when they did of late put in printe the auncient father Origenes worke vpon the Gospell of Iohn why left they quyte out y e whole sixth Capirre wherin it is likely yea rather of verye suerty that the sayd Origene had written many thinges concerning the Sacrament of the holye Communion contrarie to these mennes myndes and woulde put furthe that booke mangled rather then ful and perfit for feare it should reproue them their parteners of their errour Call ye thys trusting to antiquitie whē ye rente in peces kepe back mayme and burne the aunciēt Fathers workes It is a worlde to see how wel fauouredlye and howe towardlye touchinge Religion these men agree with the Fathers of whom they vse to vaunte that they be their own good The old Councel Eliberine made a decree that nothing that is honored of the people shoulde be painted in the Churches The olde father Epiphanius saith it is an horrible wickednes and a sinne not to be suffered for any man to set vp any picture in the Churches of the Christians yea though it were the picture of Christe himselfe Yet these menne store all their temples and eche corner of them with paynted and carued ymages as though without them religion were nothinge worth The olde fathers Origene and Chrysostome exhorte the people to reade the scriptures to buy them bokes to reason at home betwixte themselues of diuine matters wiues with their husbāds and parentes with their children These men condemne the scriptures as dead elemēts and asmuche as euer thei maye barre the people from them The Auncient fathers Cyprian Epiphanius Hierome say it is better for one whoe perchaunce hathe made a vowe to leade a sole lyfe and afterwarde lyueth vnchastely and cannot quenche the flames of luste to marye a wyfe and to lyue honestlye in wedlocke And the ould Father Augustine iudgeth the selfe same mariage to be good and perfit and ought not to be brokē again These menne yf a man haue once bound hym selfe by a vome though afterward he burne kepe queanes and defile hym selfe with neuer so sinfull and desperate a lyfe yet they suffer not that persone to marye a wyfe or yf he chaunce to mary they alow it not for mariage And they comonlye teache it is muche better and more godlye to kepe a Concubine and 〈◊〉 harlot then to liue that kynde of mariage The ould Father Augustine complained of the multitude of vayne ceremonies wherew t he euē thē sawe mēs mindes and consciences ouercharged These men as though God regarded nothyng els but their ceremonies haue so out of measure increased them y t there is now almoste none other thinge left in theire Churches and places of prayer Again that old father Augustin denieth it to be leefull for a Monke to spende his tyme slouthfully and ydleye and vnder a pretensed and counterfeite holines to liue all vpon others And who so thus lyueth an olde father Apollonius likeneth hym to a theefe These men haue I wote not whither to name them droues or heardes of monkes who for all they do nothīg nor yet once intend beare any shew of holines yet lyue they not onelye vppon others but also ryot lauyshly of other folkes labours The olde Councell at Rome decreed that no man should come to the seruice sayd by a Preist well knowen to keepe a Concubine These menne let to fearme Concubines to their preistes and yet cōstreigne men by force against their will to heare their cursed paltrie seruice The oulde Canons of the Appostles commaunde that Byshop to be remoued from his Office whiche will both supplie the place of a ciuill Magistrate and also of an ecclesiastical persō These menne for all that both do and will needes serue both places Nay rather y e one Office which they ought chiefly to execute they once touch not and yet no body commaundeth them to be displaced The olde Councell Gangrense commaundeth that none should make suche difference betwen an vnmaried Preist a maried preist as he ought to think the one more holye then the other for single lyfe sake These menne put suche a difference betwene them that they streight waye thinke al their holie seruice to be defiled yf it be done by a good and honest man that hath a wyfe The aūcient Emperour Iustinian commaunded that in the holy administratiō all thinges should be pronounced with a cleare lowde and tretable voyce that y e people might receiue some fruite therby These menn least the people shoulde vnderstande them mumble vp all their seruice not onlye with a drowned and hollowe voice but also in a straūge and Barbarous tonge The ould Councell at Carthage cōmaunded nothing to be read in Christes congregation but the canonicall Scriptures These menne read suche thinges in their Churches as themselues knowe for a trouthe to be starke lyes and fonde fables But yf there be any that thinke that these aboue rehersed auctorities be but weake and slender bycause they were decreed by Emperours and certein petie Byshopps and not by so full and perfit Councelles taking pleasure rather in y e auctoritie and name of y e Pope let suche a one know that Pope Iulius doth euidently forbid that a priest in ministring the Communion shoulde dippe y e bread in the Cuppe These menne contrarie to Pope Iulius decree diuide y e bread and dip it in the wyne Pope Clement saith it is not laufull for a Byshop to deale with both swords for yf thou wilt haue both saith he thou shalt deceiue both thy selfe and those that obey
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
lyes what yf y e same Prophete saye in an other place that the selfe same menne who ought to be kepers of the vineyarde haue brought to naught and destroyed the Lordes vynearde How yf Christ saye that the same persones who chiefely ought to haue a care ouer the Temple haue made of y e Lords Temple a denne of Theues Yf it be so that the Churche of Rome cannot erre it must nedes folowe that the good lucke therof is farre greater then al these mennes policie For suche is their lyfe their doctrine and their diligence that for all them the Churche may not onely erre but also vtterly be spoyled and peryshe No doubt yf that Churche maye erre whiche hath departed from Godds worde from Christes commaundementes from the Apostls ordinaunces from the primatiue Churches examples from the old Fathers and Councelles orders and from their own Decrees and which wil be bound w t in the compasse of none neither oulde nor new nor their owne nor other folkes nor mannes lawe nor Goddes law then yt is out of all question that the Roâ—yshe Churche hath not onely had power to erre but that it hath shamefully and most wickedly erred in very deed But say they ye haue ben once of our felowship but now ye are become forsakers of your profession and haue departed from vs. It is trew we haue departed from them and for so doing we both giue thankes to almightie God great lye reioyce on our owne behalfe But yet for all this from the primatiue Church from the Apostles and from Christ wee haue not departed true it is We were brought vp with these menne in darkenes and in y e lack of knowledge of God as Moses was taught vp in the learning and the bosome of the Egyptians We haue ben of youre company saith Tertullian I confesse it and no maruaile at all for saith he menne be made and not borne Christians But wherefore I pray you haue they them selfe the citizens and dweliers of Rome remoued and come downe from those seauen hilles whervpon Rome sometime stood to dwel rather in the plaine called Mars his field They wil say peraduenture by cause the conductes of water wher with out menne cannot commodiouslye liue haue now failed and ar dried vp in those hilles Well then lett them giue vs lyke leaue inseeking the water of eternal lyfe that they giue them selfes in seekyng the water of the well for the water verely fayled amongest them Thelders of the Iewes sayth Ieremye sent their litle ones to the waterings and they finding no water beyng in a miserable case and vtterly marred for thurst brought home againe their vessells emptie The nedye poore folke saith Esaye sought about for water but no wheare founde they any their tonge was eueÌ„ withered with thirst Euen so these menne haue broken in peeces al the pypes and coÌ„duites they haue stopped vp al the springs choked vp the fountaine of liuyng water with durte and myre And as Caligula many yeres past locked fast vp al the storehouses of corne in Rome thereby brought a generall derth and famyne amongest the people eueÌ„ so these men by damming vp all the fountaines of Goddes word haue brought the people into a peetiful thirst They haue brought into y e world as saith the Prophete Amos a hungre and a thurst not the hunger of breade nor the thurst of water but of hearing the worde of God With greate distresse went they scattering about seeking some sparke of heauenly light to refresh their consciences withall but that light was alredy thoroughly quenched out so that they could finde none This was a rueful state This was a lamentable forme of Goddes Churche It was a miserie to liue therin without the Gospel without light and without all comfort Wherfore though our departing wer a trouble to them yet ought they to consider withall how iust cause wee had of our departure For yf they wil saye it is in no wise lawfull for one to leaue the felowship wherein he hath beÌ„ brought vp they maye aswell in our names or vpon our heades condemne both the Prophetes the Apostles and Christ him selfe For whye complayne they not also of this that Lot went quitte his way out of Sodome Abraham out of Calde the Israelites out of Egypte Christ froÌ„ the Iewes and Paule from the Pharisees For except it be possible there maye be a lawful cause of departing we see no reasone whye Lot Abraham the Israelites Christ and Paule may not be accused of sectes and seditioÌ„ aswel as others And yfâ— these men will needes condemne vs for Heretiques bycause we do not all thinges at their commauÌ„dement whom in gods name or what kynde of menne ought they them selues to be taken for whiche despise the commaundement of Christ of the Apostles If we be scismatiques bycause we haue lefte them by what name shall they be called themselues which haue forsaken the Grekes froÌ„ whom they first receiued their faith forsaken the primatiue Church forsaken Christ hymselfe and the Apostls euen as Children should forsake their parentes For though those Grekes who at this daye professe religion and Christes name haue many thinges corrupted amoÌ„gest them yet houlde they still a greate numbre of those thinges whiche they receiued from the Apostles They haue neyther priuate Masses nor mangled Sacramentes nor Purgatories nor Pardons And as for the titles of hygh Byshops those glorious names they estime them so as whosoeuer he were that woulde take vpon hym the same woulde be called eyther Vniuersall bysshop or the Hed of the vniuersal church they make no doubt to call suche a one both a passing proude man a man that worketh despite against all y â— other Bysshoppes his bretherne and a plaine Heretique Now then synce it is manifest and out of all peraduenture that these men are fallen from y â— Grekes of whom they receiued the Gospell of whome they receiued the faith the true Religion and y e Church what is y e mater why they will not now be called home again to y e same men as it were to their originals first founders And whye be they afraide to take a paterne of the Apostles and olde Fathers tymes as though they all had ben voyde of vnderstanding Do these menne wene ye see more or set more by the Church of God then they dede who firste deliuered vs these thinges We truely haue renounced that church wherin we could neyther haue y e worde of God sincerely taught nor the Sacraments rightlye administred nor the name of God dewly called vppon whyche Churche also themselues confesse to be faulty in many poinâ—tes And wherein was nothing able to stay any wise maÌ„ or one y t hath consideration of his owne lavetie To conclud wee haue forsaken the Church as it is now not as it was in olde time and haue so gon from it as Daniell went out of the Lyons denne and y e three Children out
of the furnesse and to say trouth we haue ben cast out by these menn beyng cursed of them as they vse to saye with boke bel and candell rather then haue gon awaye from them of our selues And wee are come to that Churche wherein they themselues cannot denye if thei wil say truely and as thei thinke in their owne conscience but all thinges be gouerned purely and reuerently and asmuch as we possibly could very neere to the order vsed in the olde time Let them compare our Churches and theirs togither and they shall see that themselues haue moste shamefully gon from the Apostles and we moste iustely haue gon from them For we folowinge the exaumple of Christ of the Apostles and the holy fatherâ— giue the people the holye Communion whole and perfite But these men contrary to all y e fathers to all the Apostles and contrarye to Christ himself do seuer the sacraments and plucke away the one parte from the people and that with moste notorious sacriledge as Gelasius termeth yt Wee haue broughte againe the Lords supper vnto Christes institution and will haue it to be a Communion in very deede common and indifferent to a great number accordinge to the name But these men haue chaunged al things contrarie to Christes institution haue made a priuate Masse of the holy Communion and so it commeth to passe that we giue the Lordes supper vnto the people and they giue them a vaine pagent to gase on We affirme togither with the auncient fathers that the body of Christe is not eaten but of the good and faithfull and of those that are endued with the spirit of Christe Their doctrine is that Christes very bodie effectually as they speake really and substantially may not only be eaten of the wicked and vnfaithful men but also which is monstrous to be spoken of myse and dogges Wee vse to praye in Churches after that fashion as accordinge to Paules lesson the people maye knowe what wee pray and may answere Amen with a general consent These men like soundinge mettall yelle out in the churches vnknowen and straunge wordes w tout vnderstanding without knowledge and w tout deuotioÌ„ yea doe it of purpose bicause y e people should vnderstand nothing at all But not to tarry about rehearsing all poyntes wherein we and thei differ for they haue wel nye no end we tourne the scriptures into al tongues they scant suffer them to be had abroad in any tongue we allure y e people to reade and to heare Gods word thei driue the people froÌ„ it We desire to haue our cause knowen to al y e world they flee to come to any trial We leane vnto knowlege they vnto ignoraunce We trust vnto light thei vnto darkenes We reuerence as it becoÌ„meth vs the writings of y e Apostles and Prophetes they burne them Finally wee in Gods cause desire to stand to Goddes onely iudgement they wil stand only to their owne Wherfore if they wil waye â—ll these thinges with a quiet mind and fullye bente to heare and to learne they wil not only alow this determinatioÌ„ of oures who haue forsaken errours and folowed Christe and his Apostles butte themselues also will forsake their owne selues and ioyne of their owne accorde to oure side But peraduenture they will saye it was treason to attempt these matters without a sacred generall Councell for in that consisteth the whole force of the Churche there CHRIST hath promised he will euer bee a present assistant Yet they themselues without tarrienge for anye generall Councell haue broken the commaundementes of Godde and the decrees of the Apostles and as wee sayde a little aboue they haue spoyled and disanulled almoste all not onelye ordinaunces but euen the doctrine of the primatiue Churche And where they saye it is not laufull to make a chaunge without a Councell wâ—aâ— was he that made vs these lawes or from whence hadde they this Iniunction Kinge Agesilaus truelye didde butte fondelye whoe when hee hadde a determinate aunswere made him of the opinion and will of myghtye Iupiter woulde afterwarde bringe the whole matter before Apollo to knowe whether hee alowed thereof as his father Iupiter didde or no But yet shoulde wee dooe muche more fondelye when wee maye heare Godde him selfe plainelye speake to vs in the moste holye scriptures and maye understande by them his will and meaninge yf wee woulde afterwarde as thoughe this were of none effecte bringe oure whole cause to be tryed by a Councell which were nothinge els but to aske whether menne would allowé as God did whether meÌ„ would confirme Gods commaundement by their authority Why I besech you except a Councell wil coÌ„maund shal not truth be truth or God be God Yf Christ 〈…〉 to do so from y e beginning as that he would preache or teache nothing without the Bysshops consent but refer all his doctrine ouer to Annas and Caiphas where should nowe haue been the christian faith or who at any time should haue hearde the Gospell taught Peter verily whome the Pope hath oftener in his mouth and more reuerently vseth to speake of then he dothe of Iesu Christ did boldly stand against the holy Councel saieng It is better to obey God then men And after Paule had once intirely embraced the Gospel and had receiued it not froÌ„ men nor by man but by the only will of God he did not take aduise therin of fleshe and bloud nor brought y e case before his kinsemen brethren but went furth with into Arabia to preache Gods diuine mysteries by Goddes onelye authoritie Yet truely wee doe not despise Councelles assemblies conferences of Bysshops and learned men neyther haue we done y t wee haue done altogether â—boue Byshops or without a Councell The matter hath ben treated in open Parliament with long consultation and before a notable Synode and Conuocation But touchyng this Councell whiche is now soÌ„moned by y e Pope Pius wherin men so lightly are condemned whiche haue ben neither called hearde nor seene yt is easie to gesse what we maye looke for or hope of yt In times paste when Nazianzene sawe in his daies how men in suche assemblies were so blynde and wilfull that they were caried with affections and laboured more to get the victory then y e trueth he pronounced openly that he neuer had sene a good ende of any Councell what woulde he say now yf he were â— liue at this daye and vnderâ—â—ode the heauing and shoving of these men For at that time though the matter were laboured on all sydes yet the controuersies were wel heard and open errours were put cleane awaye by the generall voice of all partes But these men wil neyther haue the case to be freely disputed nor yet how many errours soeuer there be suffer they any to be chaunged For it is a coÌ„mon custome of theirs often and shameleslye to boast that their Churche cannot erre that in it there is no faulte
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