wherein nothing was in good frame or once like to the Churche of God and whiche them selfes coÌ„fessed had erred many weies eueÌ„ as Lott in times paste gat hym out of Sodom or Abraham out of Caldie not vpoÌ„ a desire of contention but by y e warninge of God him selfe And y t we haue searched out of y e holy Bible whiche we are sure cannot deceiue one sure fourme of Religion and haue retorned againe vnto the Primatiue Churche of the auncient Fathers and Apostles that is to say to the first ground and beginning of thinges as vnto the very foundations head springes of Christes church And in very troth we haue not carried for in this matter the auctoritie or consent of the Trident Councell wherein we sawe nothing don vprightly nor by good ordre where also euery body was sworne to the maintenaunce of one man where our Princes Embassadours were contemned where not one of oure diuines could be heard and where partes taking and ambition was openly and earnestlye procured and wrought but as the holy Fathers in former time and as our predecessours haue commonly don wee haue restored our Churches by a Prouinciall Conuocation and haue cleane shaken of as our dewtie was the yoke and tyrannye of the Byshop of Rome to whome we were not bounde who also had no manner of thying lyke neyther to Christ nor to Peter nor to an Apostle nor yet like to any Byshopp at all Finally we saye that wee agree amongest our selues touching the whole iudgemeÌ„t and chiefe substaunce of Christian Religion and with one mouth and with one spirite do woorshipp God and the Father of our Lord Iesu Christ. Wherefore O Christian and godlye Reader forsomuche as thow seest the reasons and causes both whye wee haue restored Religion and whye wee haue forsaken these men thou oughtest not to maruaile though wee haue chosen to obeye our Maister Christe rather then menne Paule hath giuen vs warning how we shoulde not suffer our selues to be carried away with suche sundry learninges and to fly their companies in especiall whiche woulde sowe debate and variaunces cleane contrarie to the Doctrine whithe they had receiued of Christ and the Apostls Longe synce haue these mennes craftes and treacheries decaied and vanished and fled away at the sight and light of y e Gospell euen as the owle doth at the sunne rysing And albeit their trumperye be builte vp and reared as highe as the Skye yet euen in a momeÌ„t and as yt were of the owne selue fallyth yt downe againe to the ground and coÌ„meth to naught For you must not think y t al these things haue com to passe rashly or at adueÌ„ture It hath ben gods pleasure y t against al mennes willes wel nye the Gospell of Iesu Christe shoulde be spread abroad thorough out the whole worlde at these dayes And therfore men folowing godds biddings haue of their owne free will resorted vnto the Doctrine of Iesus Christ. And for our parts truely wee haue sought hereby neyther glorie nor welthe nor pleasure nor ease For there is plentie of all these thinges with our aduersaryes And when wee wer of their side we enioyed such worldlye commodyties muche more liberallie and bountefullye then wee doe nowe Neyther doe wee eschew concorde and peace but to haue peace with man wee will not be at warre with God The name of peace is a swete and pleasaunte thinge saith Hilarius But yet beware sayth he peace is one thinge and boundage is an other For yf it shoulde so be as they seeke to haue it that Christe shoulde be commaunded to keepe silence that the truth of the Gospell should be betraied that horrible errours should be cloked that Christian mennes eyes shold be bleared that they might be suffred to conspire openlye against God this were not a peace but a moste vngodlye couenaunt of seruitude There is a peace saith Nazianzene that is vnprofitable againe there is a discorde saith he that is profitable For we muste conditionallye desire peace so farre as is laufull before God so farre as we may conuenieÌ„tly For otherwise Christ him self broughte not peace into the worlde but a sworde Wherefore yf the Pope will haue vs reâ—onciled to hym his dewty is first to be reconciled to God for from thence saith Cyprian spring schysmes and sectes bycause menne seeke not the head and haue not their recourse to the Fountaine of y e Scriptures and kepe not the Rules gyuen by the heauenly teacher for saith he â—hat is not peace but warre neyther is he ioyned vnto the Churche which is seuered from the Gospel As for these men â—hey vse to make a marchaundize of the name of peace For that peace whiche they so faine would haue is onely a rest of idle bellies They and we might easily be brought to atonement touchyng all theâ—e matters were it not that ambitioÌ„ glutony and excesse did let it Hence commeth their whyenyng their hearte is on their Halfepennye Out of doubt their claymours and styrres be to none other ende but to maynteâ—ne more shamefully and naughtely yll gotten thinges Nowe a dayes the Pardoners complaine of vs the Dataries the Popes Collectours the Bawdes and others which take Gayne to be godlynesse and serue not Iesu Christe but their owne â—ellyes Many a day a go and in the old worlde a wonderfull great aduantage grew hereby to these kinde of people but now they recken all is losse vnto them that Christ gaigneth The Pope hym selfe maketh greate complaynere at this present that Charitie in people is waxen coulde And why so trow ye Forsooth because his profittes decaye more and more And for this cause doth he hale vs into hatred all that euer he maye laieng lode vpon vs with dispitetfull raylings and condemning vs for Heretiques to thende they that vnderstande not the matter maye thinke there be no woorse menne vpon earth then we be Notwithstanding we in the meane season are neuer the more ashamed for all this neyther ought we to be ashamed of y e Gospell for wee sett more by the glorie of God then wee doe by the estimation of menne Wee are suere all is true that we teach and we may not either go against our owne conscience or beare any witnes against God For yf we denye any part of the Gospel of Iesu Christ before menne he on the other side wil denye vs before his Father And yf there be anye that will still be offended and cannot endure Christes doctrine suche saye wee be blynd leaders of y e blynde the truth neuertheles must be preached and preferred aboue all and wee muste with patience wayte for Goddes iudgement Lett these folke in the meane tyme take good heed what they do and let them be well aduised of their owne Saluation and cease to hate and persecute the Gospell of the sonne of God for feare least they feele hym once a redresser and reueÌ„ger of his owne cause God will not suffer him selfe to be
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
thei do now thus reiect and cast of Christian Princes from knowing of the cause and from their meetinges Well thus doinge they wiselye and warelye prouide for them selues and for their kingedome whiche otherwise they see is like shortly to come to naught For if so be they whom God hath placed in greatest dignitie didde see and perceiue these mennes practises howe Christes commaundementes be despised by them how the light of the Gospell is darkened and quenched out by them how themselues also be subtilly begiled and mocked and vnwares be deluded by them the way to y e kingedom of heaueÌ„ stopped vp before them no doubt they would neuer so quietlye suffer them selues neyther to be disdaigned after suche a prowde sorte nor so dispitefully to be scorned and abused by them But nowe through their own lacke of vnderstanding through their owne blyndenesse these menne haue them fast yoked â–ª and in their daunger We truely for our parts as we haue sayd haue don nothing in altering Religion either vpon rashenes or arrogantie nor nothing but with good leasure and great consideration Neyther had we euer intended to do it except both the manifeste and most assured will of God opened to vs in his holy scriptures and the regarde of our owne saluation had euen constreyned vs there vnto For though wee haue departed from that Churche which these menne call catholique and by that meanes gett vs enuy amongest them that want skill to iudge yet is this ynough for vs and it ought to be ynough for euery wise and good man and one that maketh accoumpte of euerlasting lyfe that we haue gon from that Church whiche had power to erre whiche Christ who cannot erre tolde so long before it should erre and which we our selues did euidently see with our eyes to haue gon both from y e holy Fathers and from the Apostles and from Christ his own selfe from the primatiue catholique churche and wee are come as nere as we possibly could to the Church of the Apostles and of the old catholique Byshops and Fathers whiche Churche we knowe hath hetherunto ben sounde and perfite and as Tertullian termeth it a pure virgine spotted as yet with no Idolatrie nor with any foule or shamefull faulte and haue directed according to their customes and ordinaunces not onely our doctrine but also the Sacraments the fourme of common prayer And as we knowe both Christe hym selfe and all good men here to fore haue don we haue called home againe to the originall and first foundation that Religion which hath ben fowly forslowed vtterly corrupted by these men For wee thought it mere thence to take y e paterne of reforminge Religion from whence the ground of Religion was first taken Bycause this one reasone as saythe the most auncient Father Tertullian hath great force againste all Heresies Looke what soeuer was first that is trew and what soeuer is latter that is corrupt Ireneus oftentimes appealed to y e oldest Churchs which had ben nerest to Christes time and which it was hard to beleue had erred But whye at this daye is not the same respect and consideratioÌ„ had Whye returne wee not to the paterne of the ould Churches whye maye not we heare at this time amongst vs y e same saiing which was opeÌ„ly pronounced in times past in the Councel at Nice by so many Byshopes and Catholique Fathers and nobody once speakyng againste it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye hould still the old customes When Eldras went about to repayre the ruynes of the Temple of God he sent not to Ephesus although the moste beautifull and gorgious Temple of Diana was there and when he purposed to restore y e Sacrifices and ceremonies of God he send not to Rome although peraduenture he had hearde in that place were the solemne Sacrifices called Hecatombae and other called Solitaurilâ—a lectisternia and SupplicatioÌ„s and Numa Pompilius ceremoniall bokes he thought it ynoughe for hym to set before his eyes to folow the paterne of the old Temple which Salomon at the beginning builded accordyng as God had appoincted hym and also those olde customes and Ceremonies whiche God hymselfe had writen out by special words for Moses The Prophet Aggeus after the TeÌ„ple was repaired againe by Esdras and the people mighte thinke they had a very iuste cause to reioyce on their own behalfe for so great a benefit receiued of almightie God yet made he them al burst out in teares bycause that they whyche were yet aliue and had sene the former building of the Temple before the Babylonians destroyed it called to mynde how far of it was yet from that beautie and excellencie whiche it had in the olde times past before For theÌ„ in deed would they haue thought y e Temple worthely repaired yf it had aunswered to the auncient paterne and to the maiestie of the first Temple Paul bycause he wold amende the abuse of the Lordes supper which y e Corinthians euen then begonne to corrupte he sett before them Christes institution to folow sayng I haue deliuered vnto you y e which I firste receiued of the Lord. And when Christ dyd confute the errour of the Pharisees Ye must saith he retorne to the first beginning for froÌ„ the beginning yt was not thus And when he founde great faulte with y e preists for their vncleanes of lyfe and couetousnes and woulde clense the Temple from al euil abuses This house saith he at y e first beginning was a house of praier wherin all the people myght deuoutely and sincerely praye together and so were your partes to vse it nowe also at this daye For it was not builded to thende it should be a denne of theues Likewise al the good and commendable Princes mentioned of in the Scriptures were praised specially by those wordes that they had walked in the wayes of their Father Dauid That is bycause they had retorned to the first and originall foundation and had restored Religion euen to the perfection wherin Dauid left it And therfore wheÌ„ we likewise sawe all thing es were quite trodden vnder foote of these men and that nothing remained in the Temple of God but piteful spoyles and decayes we reckened it the wisest and the safest waye to sett before our eyes those Churches which we knew for a suerty that they neuer had erred nor neuer had priuate Masse nor prayers in straynge and Barbarous language nor this corrupting of Sacramentes and other toyes And forsomuche as our desire was to haue the Temple of the Lord restored a new we would seke no other foundatioÌ„ then the same which we knew was long agone layde by the Apostles that is to wyte our sauiour Iesu Christ. And forsomuch as we heard God hym selfe speaking vnto vs in his word and sawe also the notable Examples of the oulde and primatiue Churche againe how vncertaine a mater it was to wait for a generall Coucell and that the successe therof
they should teache they should publishe abrode the Gospell and be vnto the beleuing a swete sauour of lyfe vnto life and vnto the vnbeleuing and vnfaithfull a sauour of death vnto death and that the mindes of godly persons being brought low by the remorce of their former lyfe and errours after they once begonne to looke vp vnto the light of the Gospel and beleue in Christ might be opened with y e worde of God eueÌ„ as a dore is opened with a keye CoÌ„trarie wise that the wicked and wilfull folke and suche as woulde not beleue nor retorne into the right waye should be lefte still as fast locked and shut vp and as S. Paul sayeth waxe worse and worse This take we to be the meaning of the keyes and that after this fashion mens consciences eyther to be opened or shut We saye that the preist in deede is Iudge in this case but yet hath no maner of right to chalenge an auctoritie or power as saith Ambrose And therfore our Sauiour Iesu Christ to reproue y e negligence of the Scribes and Phariseis in teaching dyd with these wordes rebuke them sayng Wo vnto you Scribes and Pharisies whiche haue takeÌ„ awaye the keyes of knowledge and haue shut vp the kyngdome of heauen before men Seing then the keye whereby the waye and entery to y t kingdom of God is opened vnto vs is the worde of the Gospell and thexpounding of the Lawe and Scriptures we say plainely where the same woorde is not there is not the keye And seyng one maner of worde is geuen to al and one only keye belongeth to al we say there is but one only power of all ministers as concerning opening and shutting And as touching the Bysshop of Rome for all his Parasites stateâ— ringlie singe in his eares those wordes To the will I geue y e keyes of the kingdome of heauen as though those keyes were fyt for hym alone and for no body els except he go so to woorke as mens consciences maye be made pliaunte and be subdued to the worde of God we denye y t he doth either open or shut or hath y e keyes at all And although he tought and instructed the people as woulde to God he might once truely do and perswade him selfe it were at the leaste soÌ„me peece of his duety yet we thinke his keye to be neuer a whit better or of greater force then other mens For who hath seuered hym froÌ„ the rest who hath taught him more coÌ„ningly to open or better to absolue then his bretherne We say y t matrimonie is holy and honorable in al sorts states of persones in y e patriarches in the prophetes in the apostles in holy martyrs in y e ministers of y e Churche and in Byshopps and that it is an honest and laufull thinge as Chrysostome saith for a man liuing in matrimonie to take vpon hym therewith the dignitie of a Bysshop And as Sozomenus saith of Spiridion and as Nazianzen saith of his owne father that a good and diligent Bysshopp doth serue in the ministerie neuer the worse for that he is maried but rather the better and with more ablenes to do good Further we saye that the same lawe whiche by constrainte taketh awaye this libertie from men and compelleth them against their willes to liue single is the doctrine of Dyuells as Paule saith and that euer since the tyme of this lawe a wonderful vncleanes of lyfe and maners in goddes ministers and sundrie horrible enormities haue folowed as the Bysshop of Augusta as Faber as Abbas Panormiâ—anus as Latomus as the Tripartite worke whiche is annexed to the seconde Tome of y e Councelles and other chaÌ„pious of the Popes band yea and as the matter it selfe and al histories do coÌ„fesse For it was rightly sayd by Pius the second a Bysshop of Rome that he sawe many causes why wiues should be takeÌ„ awaye from Preistes but that he sawe many moe and more weightye causes whye they ought to be restored them againe We receyue and embrace all the Canonicall Scriptures both of the oulde and new Testament geuing thankes to our God who hath raised vp vnto vs that light whiche we might euer haue before our eyes â—â—aste eyther by the sutteltie of man or by the snares of the Dyuell we shoulde be caried awaye to errours and lyes Also that these be the heauenly voices wherby God hath opened vnto vs his will and that onely in them mans hearte can haue setled reste that in them be habundantly and fullye comprehended all thinges what soeuer be nedefull for our saluatioÌ„ as Origene Augustine Chrysostom Cyrillus haue taught That they be y e very might and strength of God to attaine to saluation That they be the fouÌ„dations of the Prophetes and Apostles whereupon is buylte the Churche of God That they be y e very sure and infallible rule wherbe may be tryed whether y e Church doth stagger or erre and wherunto all ecclesiasticall Doctrine ought to be called to accompte and that against these scriptures neyther lawe nor ordinaunce nor any custom ought to be hard no though Paule his owne selfe or an Aungell froÌ„ heauen shoulde come and teache the contrarie Moreouer we alow the sacrameÌ„tes of the Churche that is to saye certaine holy signes ceremonies whiche Christ woulde wee should vse that by them he might set before our eyes the mysteries of our saluation and might more strongely confirme our faith which we haue in his bloud and might seale his grace in our heartes And those sacramentes togither with Tertullian Origene Ambrose Augustin Hierome Chrysostome Basill Dionysius and other Catholique Fathers do we call figures signes markes or badges printes copies formes seales signettes similitudes patterns representations remembraunces and memories And we make no doubt togither with the same Doctours to say that those be certaine visible wordes seales of righteousnes tokens of grace and do expresly pronounce that in the Lords supper there is truelye geueÌ„ vnto the beleuing the body and bloud of the Lord the flesshe of the sonne of God whiche quickeneth our soules the meate that cometh from aboue the foode of inmortalitie grace truth and lyfe And y â— supper to be the coÌ„munion of y e body and bloud of Christ by the partaking whereof wee be reuiued wee be strengthened and be fed vnto immortalitie wherby we are ioyned vnited incorporate vnto Christ that we may abide in him and he in vs. Besides wee acknowledge there be two sacramentes which wee iudge proprely ought to be called by this name that is to saye Baptisme and the sacrameÌ„tes of thankes giuing For thus many we see were deliuered and sanctified by Christ and well allowed of the oulde fathers Ambrose and Augustine We say y t Babtisme is a sacrament of the remissioÌ„ of sinnes and of that washing which we haue in the blood of Christe and that no persoÌ„ which wil professe Christes name
oughte to bee restraigned or kepte backe therefrom no not the very babes of ChristiaÌ„s forsomuche as they be borne in sinne and do pertaine vnto the people of God We say that Eucharistia the supper of the lorde is a sacramente that is to wytte an euident token of the body and blood of Christe wherein is set as it were before our eyes the death of Christ and his resurrectioÌ„ and what act so euer he did whilest he was in his mortall body to thende we may giue hym thankes for his deathe and for our deliueraunce And y t by the often receauinge of this sacramente wee may daily renewe the remembraunce of that matter to thintent we being fedd with the body and blood of Christ may be brought into the hope of the resurrectioÌ„ and of euerlasting life and may moste assuredly beleue that the bodye and blood of Christe dothe in like manner feede our soules as breade and wine doth feede our bodies To this baÌ„kett wee thinke the people of God ought to be earnestly bidden that they may all communicate amonge them selues and openly declare and testifie both the godly societie whiche is amonge them and also the hope which they haue in Christ Ihesu For this cause yf there had ben any which would be but a looker on and abstaine from the holy CoÌ„munion him did the old fathers Byshops of Rome in the primatiue Church before Priuate masse came vp excoÌ„municate as a wicked persoÌ„ and as a Pagan Neither was there any Christian at that tyme which dyd communicat alone whyls other looked on For so did Calixtus in times past decree that after the consecration was finished all should communicate excepte they had rather stande without the Churche doores bycause thus saith he did the Apostles apoincte and the same the holye Churche of Rome keepeth still Moreouer when the people commeth to the holy communion the Sacrament ought to be giuen them in both kindes for so both Christe hath commaunded and the apostles in euery place haue ordayned and all the auncient Fathers and Catholique Bysshops haue folowed the same And whoso doth contrary to this he as Gelasius sayth committeth sacriledge And therefore wee saye that oure Aduersaries at this daye who hauinge violentlye thruste out and quite forbidden the holye Communion dooe without the woorde of God without the authoritie of any auncient Councell without any catholique Father without any example of y e primatiue Church yea and without reason also defend and maintaine their priuate Masses and the manglinge of the Sacramentes and do this not onely against the plaine expresse commandement and bidding of Christe but also against al antiquitie do wickedly therin and are very Church robbers We affirme that breade and wine are holy and heauenly mysteries of the bodie bloud of Christ that by them Christ himselfe being y e tru bread of eternal life â—s so presently giuen vnto vs as that by faith we verely receaue his body and his bloud Yet say we not this so as though we thought that the nature of bread and wine is clearly changed and goeth to nothing as many haue dreamed in these later times which yet could neuer agree among themself of this their dreame For y t was not Christes meaning y t the wheaâ—en bread should laye apart his owne nature receaue a certain new diuinitie but y t he might rather chaunge vs to vse Theophilactus woordes might transforme vs into his bodie For what can he said more plainly then y t whiche Ambrose saith Bread wine remain stil the same thei were before yet are changed vnto an other thing or y t which Gelasius saith y e substance of y e bread or y e nature of y e wine ceaseth not so to be or y t which Theodorete saith After the consecratioÌ„ the mysticall signes do not cast of their owne propre nature for they remaine stil in their former substaunce forme and kynde Or that whiche Augustine saith That whiche ye see is the bread and Cuppe and so our eyes tell vs but that which your faith requireth to be taught is this The bread is the body of Christ the Cuppe ys his bloud Or y t whiche Origene saith Bread which is sanctified by the word of God as touching y e material substauÌ„ce therof goeth into y e belly and is cast out into the priuey Or that which Christ him selfe said not only after y e blessing of the cup but after he had ministred the Comunion I will drinke nomore of this frute of the vyne It is well knowen that the fruit of the vyne ys wine and not bloud And in spaekyng thus we meane not to abase the Lordes supper or to teache that yt is but a could ceremonie onely nothing to be wrought therin as many falsely slaunder vs we the ache For wee 〈◊〉 that Christ doth truely and presently giue his owne selfe in his Sacramentes In baptisme that wee may put him on and in his supper that we may eate him by faith spirit and may haue euerlasting lyfe by his crosse and bloud And we say not this is done slightly and couldely but effectually and truely For although we do not touche the body of Christ with teeâ—he and mouth yet wee hold him fast and eate him by faith by vnderstanding and by the spirit And this is no vaine faith whiche doth comprehend Christ and that is not receiued with colde deuotion whiche is receiued with vnderstanding with faith with 〈◊〉 For Christ him selfe altogither is so offred giuen vs in these mysteries that we may certainly know we be flesh of his fleshe and bone of his bones and that Christ continueth in vs and wee in 〈◊〉 And therefore in celebrating these mysteries y e people are to good purpose exhorted before they come to receaue the holy communion to lift vp their hearts to direct their mindes to heauen ward bicause he is there by whom we must be full fedde and liue Cyrill saith when we come to receaue these mysteries al grosse ymaginations must quite be bannished â–ª The councell of Nice as is alleadged by some in greeke plainly forbiddeth vs to be basely affectioned or bent toward the bread and wine which are set before vs. And as Chrysostome very aptly wryteth We say that the body of Christe is the dead carcas and we our selues must be the Egles â–ª meaning thereby that we must flie hye if wee will come vnto the body of Christe For this table as Chrysostome saith is a table of Egles and not of Ieyes Cyprian also This bread saith he is the foode of the soule and not the meate of the belly And Augustine How shall I holde him saith he which is absent how shall I reache my hand vp to heauen to laye holde vpon him that sitteth there He aunswereth Reache thyther thy faythe and then thou hast layde holde on
betweene themselues excepte it be peraduentur as in times past the Pharisies and Saducees or as Herod and Pylate did accorde against Christ. They were best therfore to go and sette peace at home rather amonge theeir owne selues Of a truthe vnitie and concorde dothe best become Religion yet is not vnitie the sure and certaine marke whereby to knowe the Church of God For there was the greatest consente that might bee amongest them that worshipped the Golden calfe and among them whiche with one voice ioyntly cryed against our Sauiour Iesu Christe Crucifie him Nother bicause the Corinthians were vnquieted with priuate dissensions or bicause Paule did square with Peter or Barnabas with Paule or bicause the Christians vpon the very beginning of the Gospell were at mutuall discorde touchinge some one matter may we therefore thinke there was no church of God amongest them â–ª And as for those personnes whom they vpon spite cal Zwinglians and Lutherians in very deede they of bothe sydes be Christians good friendes brethern They vary not betwixt theÌ„selues vpon the principles and foundacions of oure religioÌ„ nor as touching God nor Christ nor the holy Ghoste nor of the meanes to iustification nor yet euerlasting life but vpon one onely question whiche is neither weightie nor great neither mistrust we or make doubte at all but they will shortely be agreed And if there bee any of them whiche haue other opinion than is meete we doubt not but or it bee longe they will put apart all affections and names of parties and that God wil reueale it vnto them so that by better considering searching out of the matter as once it cam to passe in the Councel of Calcedone al causes seedes of dissension shall bee throughly pluct vp by the roote and be buried and quite forgotten for euer whiche God graunt But this is the moste greuous and heuye case that they call vs wicked and ungodly men and say we haue throwne away all care of religion Though this ought not to trouble vs muche whiles thei themselues y t thus haue charged vs knowe ful well how spitefull and false a sayinge it is for Iustine the martyr is a witnes how that all Christians were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Godlesse assone as the Gospell firste beganne to bee published and the name of Christe to be openly declared And when Polycarpus stood to be iudged the people stirred vp the President to sleye and murder all them whiche professed the Gospell with these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to saye Ridde out of the waye these wicked and Godles creatures And this was not bicause it was true that the Christians were Godlesse but bicause they woulde not worship stones and stockes whiche were then honored as God The whole worlde seeth plainelye ynough already what we and ours haue endured at these mens handes for religion and our onely Goddes cause They haue thrown vs into prison into water into fyer haâ—â— embrued themselues in oure bloude noâ— bycause wee were eyther adulterers or robbers or murtherers but only for thaâ— we confessed the Gospell of Iesu Christ and put oure confidence in the liuinge God And for that wee complained to iustly and truely Lorde thou knowest that they did breake the lawe of God for their owne moste vaine traditions And that our Aduersaries were the very foes to the Gsopel and ennemies to Christes crosse who so wittingly and willingly did obstinately dispise Gods commaundementes Wherefore when these menne sawe they could not rightly finde faulte with oure doctrine they woulde needes picke a quarel and inuey raile against our manners surmisinge how that we do condemne all well doinges how wee sette open the doore to all licenciousnes and iust and lead away the people from all loue of vertue And in very deede the lyfe of all men euen of the deuoutest and moste Christian bothe is and euermore hath been suche as one maye alwayes had some lacke euen in the very best and purest conuersation And such ys the 〈◊〉 of all creatures vnto euell and the readines of al men to suspect that the thinges whiche neither haue been done nor once ment to be done yet maye bee easely bothe heard and credited for true And like as a small spotte is soone spyed in the neatest and whytest garment euen so the least staine of dishonestie is easelye founde out in the purest sincerest lyfe Neither take we all them whyche haue at this day imbraced the doctrine of the Gospell to be Angels and to liue clerely without anye mote or wrinkle nor yet thinke we these men either so blind that yf any thing may be noted in vs they ar not able to perceaue y e same euen through the least ereuie nor so friendly that they will construe ought to the best nor yet so honest of nature nor curteous that they will looke backe vpon themselues and wey our fashions by their owne Yf so be we list to search this matter from the bottome we knowe in the very Apostle times there were Christians throughe whome the name of the Lord was blasphemed and euell spoken of amonge the Gentiles Constantius the Emperourâ— be waileth as it is writeÌ„ in Sosâ—menus how that many waxed worse after theâ— had fallen to the religion of Christe And Cyprian in a lamentable Oration setteth out the corrupt maners in his time â–ª The holsome discipline saith he whiche the Apostles left vnto vs hathe idlenesse and long rest now vtterly marred euery one studied to encrease his liuelyhode and cleane forgettinge either what they had done before whiles they were vnder the Apostles or what they ought continually to doe hauing receaued the fayth they earnestly laboured to make greate their owne welth w t an vnsatiable desire of couetousnes There is no devout religion saithe hee in Preestes no sounde faith in ministers no charitie shewed in good workes no forme of Godlinesse in their conditions men are become effeminate and womens bewty is counterfeited And before his daies said Tertullian O how wreatched be we which are called Christians at this time For wee liue as Heathens vnder the name of Christe And without reciting of manye mo wryters Gregory Nazianzene speaketh this of the pitifull state of his owne time We saith he are in hatred amoÌ„g y e Heathen for our own vyces sake we are also becomme nowe a wonder not alone to Aungels and menne but euen to all the vngodlye In this case was the Churche of Godd when the Gospell firste beganne to shyne and when the fury of Tyrauntes was not as yet cooled nor the sword taken of from the Christians neckes Surelie it is no new thinge that menne bee butte menne althoughe they bee called by the name of Christians But will these menne I praye you thinke nothing at all of the selues whiles they accuse vs so maliciously whiles they haue leasure to beholde so farre of and see both what is done in
y e Persians All these notwithstandinge were Popes all Peters successours all most holy fathers whose seueral wordes wee must take to be as good as seuerall Gospels Yf we be compted traytours whiche do honour oure Princes whiche giue them all obedience as muche as is due to them by Godds word and which doo praye for them what kinde of men then bee these whiche haue not onely done all the thinges before saide but also alowe the same for speciallye well don Do they then either this way instruct y e people as we do to reuereÌ„ce their magistrate or can they with honesty appeache vs as seditious personnes breakers of the common quiete and despisers of princes maiestie Truely we neither putte of the yoke of 〈…〉 from vs neyther doe wee 〈◊〉 realmes neither doe we sette vp or pull downe Kinges nor translate goâ—ernementes nor giue oure Kinges poysonne to drinke nor yet holde to them 〈◊〉 feete to be kissed nor opprobriously triumphinge ouer them leape into their neckes with oure feete This rather is oure profession this is our doctrine that merye soule of what callinge soeuer he be be he Monke bee he preacher bee he prophet be he Apostle ought to be subâ—ect to kings magistrates yea and that the Byshop of Rome himselfe onlesse he will seeme greater then the Euangelists then the Prophetes or the Apostles ought bothe to acknowledge and to call the Emperour his Lorde and maister which y e old bishops of Rome who liued in times of more grace euer did Our coÌ„moÌ„ teaching also is y t we ought so to obey princes as meÌ„ sent of God y t whoso w tstaÌ„deth theÌ„ w tstandeth Gods ordinance This is oure scholinge and this is well to be seene bothe in oure bookes and in our preachinges and also in the maners and modest behauiour of oure people But where they saye we haue gon awaye from the vnitie of the catholique Churche this is not onelye a matter of malice but besides though it bee moste vntrue yet hath it some shew and apparance of trouth For the common people and ignoraunt multitude giue not credit alone to thinges true and of certaintie butte euen to suche thinges also yf anye chaunce which may seeme to haue but a resemblaunce of trouth Therfore we see that subtle and craftie persones when they had no truth on their side haue euer conteÌ„ded and horely argued w t things likely to be true to the intent they which were not able to espie the very grounde of the matter might be caried a waye at least with some pretense and probabilitie thereof In times past where the firste Christians oure forefathers in makinge their prayers to God didd tourne themselues towardes the Easte there were 〈◊〉 sayde they worshipped the sunn 〈◊〉 it as God Againe where oure forefathers saide that as touchinge 〈◊〉 fall and euerlasting life thei liued by no other meanes but by the flesh and bloud of that lambe who was without sâ—oâ—t that is to say of oure sauiour Iesus Christ y e enuious creatures and â—oes of Christes Crosse whose only care was to bringe Christian religion into slaunder by al maÌ„ner of wayes made people beleeue that they were wicked persons that they sacrificed mens fleshe and drâ—nke mennes bloud Also where oure forefathers saide that before God there â—â— neither man nor woman nor for atteininge to the true righteousnes there is no distinction at all of personnes and that they didde call one an other indifferentlye by the name of Sisters and Brothers there wanted not menne whiche forged false tales vpon the same sayinge that the Christians made noe difference amonge them selues eyther of age or of kinde but like brute beastes without regarde had to do one with an other And where for to pray heare the Gospell they mette often together in secret and byeplaces because Rebelles somtime were wonte to do the like Rumors were euery where spredd abroade howe they made priuie confederacies and counseled together either to kill the magistrates or to subuert the common wealth And where in celebratinge the holye mysteries after Christes institution they tooke breade and wyne they were thought of many not to worshippe Christe but Bacchus and Ceres forsomuche as those vaine Goddes were woorshipped of the Heathen in like sort after a prophane superstition with bread and wyne These thinges were beleued of manye not bicause they were true in deed for what coulde be more vntrue but bicause they were lyke to bee true and through a certain shadow of truth mighte the more easilye deceiue the 〈◊〉 On this fashion likewise dooe these menne slaunder vs as Heretiques and saye that wee haue lefte the Church and felowshippe of Christe not bicause they thinke it is true for they dooe not muche force of that but bicause to ignoraunte folke it myght perhappes somwaye appeere true Wee haue in deede putt oure selues aparte not as heretikes are woonâ—e from the Churche of Christ but as all good menne oughte to doo from the infection of naughtye persons and hypocrites Neuerthelesse in this poynte they triumphe maruelouslye that they bee the Churche that theyre Churche ys Christes spowse the piller of truthe the arke of Noe and that without it there is no hope of saluation Contrarywise they saye that wee bee ronnegates that we haue torne Christes seat that wee are plucked quyte of from the body of Christe and haue forsaken the catholique faithe And when they leaue nothinge vnspoken that may neuer so falselie and malitioslie be saide against vs yet this one thynge are they neuer hable truely to saye that we haue swarued eyther from the worde of God or from the Apostles of Christ or from the primatiue Churche Surelye wee haue euer iudged the primatiue Churche of Christes tyme of the Appostles and of the holie Fathers to be the catholique Churche neyther make we doubt to name it Noes arke Christes spouse the piller and vpholder of al trueth nor yet to fire therin the whole meane of oure saluation It is doubtles an odiouse mater for one to leaue the fellowshipp whereunto he hath ben accustomed and specially of those men who though they be not yet at leaste seme and be called Christians And to say truely we do not dispise the Churche of these men howe soeuer it be ordered by theÌ„ now a dayes partely for the name sake yt selfe partely for that the Gospell of Iesu Christ hath once ben therin truely and purelye set furth Neyther had we departed therfrom but of very necessitie and much against our wils But I put case an Idol be set vp in the Churche of God and the same desolation which Christe prophecied to comme stoude openly in the holy place what yf som theefe or pirat inuade and possesse Noes arke These folkes as often as they tell vs of the Churche meane therby themselues alone and attribute all these titles to their owne selues boasting as they did in tymes past whiche
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
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
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—