haynouslye to exclayme agaynst our life It were a great deale more wisdome for them first other to make good their owne doynges before men or at the least to couer them somwhat more conningly For we doe kepe in vre oure olde auncient lawes and so farre forth as it maye be in these dayes and maners and in so great a corruption of al thinges we doe execute diligently and earnestly Churche discipline as for stewes for cōmon whores or flockes of concubines harlots we haue not Nor we doe not prefarre adultery before mariage nor we doe not occupie bawdery nor we gather no rentes vpon bawdy houses nor we doe not suffer incests and deuelish abuses of bodily luste nor such as Aloisius or as Casus or as Diazius the murderer to goe vnpunished For if these thynges had liked vs we needed not to haue departed from the felowship of these men where those thinges doe florish and ar had in price by rayson of our departing thus to fall into the hatered of men and into present perils Paule the fourth had not many moneths paste in prysonne at Rome certayn Augustine friers divers Byshops a great nōbre of other godly mē for the cause of religion He put them to tortures he examined them vpō interrogatories he assaide alwaies that might be At the laste how many coulde he finde of all these to be mē of vnordinate lustes how many whorehūters how many adulterers how many incestes Thākes be vnto our god although we be not such as we ought to be such as our professiō doth require yet what so euer we be if we be compared with these men euen our life and our innocencie shal easily cōfute these slaūders For we doe exhorte the people not onely w t bookes and sermōs but also with examples and well doyng vnto all kinde of vertue and of good deedes We teach that the gospell is not an ostentation of knowlege but the lawe of life and as Tertullian saith that a christian mā ought not to speake nobly but to liue nobly And not the hearer but the doers of the law ar iustified before God Unto al these thinges they ar wonte also to adde this to enlarge it w t all kindes of rayling that we be seditious personnes that we pluck the scepters from out of the handes of Kinges that we arme the people that we overthrowe all courtes of Iustice that we abolyshe lawes that we bryng possessions into common that we turne kingdomes into a popular state that we confoūde al thinges vpside downe To cōclude we would haue nothyng in y e cōmon welth to remayne vnfoyled O how often haue therwith these wordes inflamed the hartes of princes to the intent they should put out the light of the gospel whiles it were yet in kindelyng and should first begin to hate it before they might attayne to know it And that the magistrate as oft as he should see any of vs so ofte he should imagine that he sawe his enemie It would trouble vs very much to be thus odiously accused of high trayson but that we know that Christ him self before vs and the Apostles and infinite other good men and Christians were brought in hatered in māner for the same matter For Christe although he had taught that we ought to giue vnto Cesar y t which was Cesars yet he was accused of sedition bycause he was reported to be a mā that went about newe deuises and aspired to a kyngedome For this cause in open courte of iudgemente the people cryed agaynste hym If thou lettest this man goe thou arte not Cesars friende And the Apostles although they had alwayes and constantly taught that magistrates ought to bee obeyd and that euery soule is subiecte vnto the higher powres that not onely for feare of displeasure and of punishement but also for consciens sake yet they weer reported that they troubled the people and stirred vp the multitude vnto rebellion Aman chyefly by this meanes broughte the whole nation and name of the Iewes into hatered of the kynge Assuerus in sayng that they were a rebellious a stubbern people and that they cōtemned the proclamations and ordinances of Princes The wicked king Achab speaking vnto Eli the prophet of God Thou sayeth he troublest Israel Amasias the prieste of Bethel accuseth Amos the Prophet vnto kyng Hieroboam of cōspiracy Beholde sayeth he Amos hath made a conspiracie agaynst thee in the middest of the house of Israel To conclude Tertullian sayeth that this was a common complaint in his time agaynst all Christian men that they were traytours that they were enimies of their country that they were enemies to all mankinde Wherfore if truth now also at this time be euil spoken of and as it is the same thyng so it be intertayned with the same reproches wherewith it was wonte to be althoughe it be greuous and vnpleasant yet it can not seeme to be newe or a thing that hath not ben before accustomed It was an easye matter for these men fortie yeres paste to deuise these slaunders and other more greuous matters agaynste vs what time as in the middest of that darkenes some little lightsome beame of the truth as yet in those dayes vnknowne and not hearde of beganne first to rise and to shyne what time as Martine Luther and Huldericus Zuinglius twoe most excellēt personages sente of God to giue light vnto the world came firste vnto the Gospell what time as the matter was yet but newe and the successe vncertaine and mēs mindes were waueryng and astonied and their eares open vnto slaunders and no mischief so haynous could be deuised agaynste vs whiche for the noueltie and straūgnes of the doctrine it selfe should not of y e people easily be beleued For after this maner the olde enemies of y e Gospell Simmachus Celsus Iulian Porphyry in times paste toke in hande to accuse all Christians of sedition and of treyson before that other the Prince or the people could knowe what maner of mē those Christians were or what they did professe or what they beleued or what they would haue Now after that oure very enemies doe see can not denie but that alwayes in all our wordes and writinges we haue diligētly admonished y e people of their duety how that they ought to obey their Princes and Magistrates although they were wicked and that vse and experience doth declare thesame and the eyes of all men whatsoeuer and whersoeuer they be doe see it and beare witnes thereof It was but an vnsauery deuise to obiecte suche thinges agaynst vs and for wante of newe and fresh matter to goe aboute to brynge vs into hatred only with olde forworne lies For we giue thankes vnto oure God to whome alone this cause doth appertayne that in all the kingdoms Iurisdictions countrays and Commonweales whiche haue receaued the Gospel hytherto no such example hath ben at any
time For we haue ouerthrowne no kyngdome we haue deminished no mans rule or right of possessiō we haue disordered no cōmon welth They remayne yet in their place and in their auncient dignitie The kynges of our country of England of Scotlande of Denmarke of Suetia the Dukes of Saxonie the Erles of Palse the Marqueses of Brandeburgh the Lantgraues of Hess the common weales of the Heluetians and of the Grysonnes the free cities Strausborough Basile Francforde Ulme Anguste Norinberge all these I say remayne in the same right in the same state wherein they were before or rather by rayson that for the gospels sake they haue the people more obediēt in a much better estate Let them goe hardely into those places whereas nowe through the goodnes of God the gospell is hearde where is more Maiestie where is lesse ostentatiō and tiranny where is the prince more honored where doth the people lesse ryse into vprores and tumultes where was there euer anye common weale where any Churche more calme and quiet But you will say that at the beginning of this doctrine the husbande men of the country beganne to rage to make vprores in Germany Admit it were so But Martine Luther y e setter forthe of this doctrine wrote vehemently and sharply many thinges agaynst them and brought them againe to peace to dewe obediens Now as to that that is wonte to be sometimes obiected of men not well acquaynted with matters of the world touchyng the alteratiō of the state of Suycherlande and the killynge of Leopolde duke of Austria and restorynge of theyr countrye into libertie all this was done as it is euident ynoughe by all the Histories towe hondred and threscore yeres past vnder pope Boniface the eight at what tyme the Popes authoritie dyd chiefly florishe the whiche was aboute towe hūdred yeres before Hulderichus Zuinglius either begāne to teache the gospel or yet was borne From that time hetherto they haue euer kepte all thinges in reste and peace not only frō outward enemies but also frō ciuile warres and vprores at home But admit it were an offence to deliuer their coūtrie from the rule of straungers specially when they were arrogantly and tirannously ouerpressed yet were it agaynst all right and rayson eyther to burden vs with faultes that appertayne nothing vnto vs or thē with the offences of theyr forefathers But o merciful God will the Bysshop of Rome accuse vs of trayson wil he teache y e people to be obediēt subiect vnto magistrates or hath he any regarde to magistrates at al why thē doth he at this day y e which thyng none of the aūcient bysshops of Rome euer did suffer himself euē as though he would haue at Kinges and Princes whosoeuer or where so euer thei be to become his seruātes of his parasites and hierlinges to be called lord of lordes why doth he auaunt himselfe to be king of kinges and that he hath ouer them as his subiectes a kinges authoritie Why dothe he compell all Emperours and princes to promise by their othe true obedience vnto him why doth he boaste that the imperiall maiestie is a thousandfolde inferior to his estate grounding him self chiefly vpon this rayson that God made twoe lightes in Heauen and bicause heauen and earth were not in twoe beginninges but in one wherfore hath he and all of his marke like to the Anabaptistes and Libertines to the intent they might the more losely and safely range in al mischief shakē of the yoke of obedience and exempted themselues from vnder all ciuil authoritie wherefore hath he his legates that is to saye most crafty spies to lie as it were in a waite in the courtes in the councels in the chambers of all kinges Wherefore dothe he when it liketh him set christian princes together by the eares and to serue his owne luste turmoileth the whole wolrd with seditiōs why dothe he excommunicate and commaunde him to be takē for an Heathen mā and a Pagane if any Christian Prince doe refuse to obeye him and moreouer promiseth so liberalli his Purgatory pardones to any man that by any meanes dothe kill his enemie Doth he I pray you mainteine Empires and Kingdomes or hath he any desire at al that common weales shold be at reste and quiet Thou must pardon vs good reader if we shal seeme to vtter these thinges with more vehemencie and bitternes then should become diuines For the matter of it self is so shamefull and the desire of dominion is so great and outrageth so farre in the Pope that with other wordes it can not be vttered or after any more quiet maner For he was not afrayd to say in open Councell that the whole poure of all kinges depēded altogether vpō him He through ambition and desire of dominion hath plucked the Romane Empire in sondre and hath tossed and torne into peces al christendome he trayterously discharged the Romanes and the Italiās and also himself of that othe wherby he ought his allegiāce to the Emperour that remained in Grece and prouoked the subiectes vnto rebellion and called Charles Martel out of Frāce into Italy beginning a newe forme of regimēt made him Emperour He did caste out Chilperiche kyng of Fraunce beyng no euill prince from his kingedome onely bicause he liked hym not and made Pipine king in his place He decreed and iudged the kyngedome of Fraunce vnto Alberte the kynge of Romanes And that Philip should be caste out if his powre mighte haue serued hym thereto He brake the force of the moste florisshynge citie and common welth of Florence his owne coūtry and out of a free and quiet state he deliuered it vppe to be ruled after the luste of one mā He through his setting on brought to passe that all Sauoy on the one side by the Emperour Charles the fyft by Fraunces the Frenche king on the other was miserably torne in peeces so that the poore Duke had seātli one citie left him to repaire vnto I am weary of examples and it would be ouer tedious to reherse all the notable deedes of the Popes of Rome Of what religiō I pray you were thei that poisonned Henry the Emperour in the consecrated breade that poysonned Pope Uictor in the holy Chalyce that poysonned Ihon our king here in Englande in a drinking cuppe Sure I am who soeuer thei were and of what secte so euer thei were thei were nother Lutherans nor Zuinglians Who is it that is content at this daie to lette the greatest Kynges and Monarches of the worlde to come and kisse his blessed fete Who is he that commaundeth the Emperour to holde his horse by the bridel and the French kinge to holde his stirrope when he goeth to horsebak Who was he that toke Fraunces Dandalo Duke of Uenice kynge of Candy and of Cypres bounde him in chaines and threwe him vnder his table there to gnaw bones amongst the dogges Who
as though forsoothe that nowe also the whole worlde myght not perceiue that this is a very conspiracy and not a Coūcell and that these Byshops which the Pope hath called vnto him at this time are not by their othe and affection vtterly addicted vnto his name and wil neuer do any thing but that which they shal perceiue to agre with his pleasure to make for the aduaucement of his power and to be according to his will or that amongest them euery mans reason and sentence were not rather nūbered then wayed or that the better parte were not ofte times oppressed with the greater Whereupon we know that ofte times it hath come to passe y t many good men and Catholike Bysshops what time such Councels were summoned wherin factions and parts were openly maintained knowing that they should only leese their labour in as much as the mindes of their aduersaries were bent vpon euill and therfore not possible to doe any good haue tarried at home Athanasius beyng called by Themperour to the Councell of Cesarea when he saw that he shoulde present himselfe to y e deadly hatered of his aduersaries he refused to come The same man afterwardes being come to the Councell of Syrmin when his minde gaue him by reason of the fiersenes and hatred of his enemies to what ende y e matter would come he trussed vp his baggage went his way Iohn Chrysostome although the Emperour Constātius had sent for him by fower letters to come to the Councell of the Arrians yet he kept himselfe at home What time as Maximus the Bysshop of Hierusalem sate in the councell of Palestine the olde man Paphnutius taking him by the hande ledde him out of the dores saying it is not lawefull for vs to sit in councell of these matters amongest these wicked men Unto the councell of Syrmin from which Athanasius did conuey himselfe away the Bysshops of the Weste countries woulde not repaire Cyril appealed bi his letters from the councell of those that were called Patropassiani Pauline the Bysshop of Trier diuers others when they saw the practise and power of Auxentius refused to come to the councell of Millane For in vaine they saw they should go vnto y t place where no reason but faction was hearde and where al causes were determinable not according to iudgemēt but according to fauor And yet they albeit they had neuer so greuous and obstinate aduersaries neuertheles if they had come at the least they shoulde haue had free liberty to speake to be hearde in the councell But as for vs in as much as it is not lawful for ani of our sort once to sitte or so much as to be seene in the assemblie of these men much lesse to be hearde freely to speake and on the other side for as much as the Popes Legates the Patriarches the Archbyshops the Bysshoppes the Abbots all coniured together al fettered in one faute al bound with one othe only haue place to sit only haue aucthoritie to giue their voice and in cōclusiō as though thei had done nothing to submit al their iudgements to the Popes wil and pleasure alone euen to the intent that he who ought rather to haue pleaded his own cause at the barre should giue sentēce of himself in as much I say as that olde and Christiā liberty which in all Christian Councels ought chiefly to be maintained is now in coūcel vtterly takē away no good and godly man ought to maruaile if wee doe now at this time that thing which thei see the fathers and Catholike Bysshops did afore time whē like cause was offered so that bycause in the councell we cā not be heard Princes Embassadors ar laughed to scorne and we all as though the matter were already dispatched and concluded ar before iudgement condempned if I say we had rather tary at home cōmit the whole matter vnto God then to go to y e place where we shall neither haue any place nor yet any thing preuaile at al. But as touching our own iniuries we can beare them paciently quietly ynough But wherfore I pray you doe they exclude Christian Kinges and godly Princes from their councels Why doe they either so vncurtesly dispatche them out of their company or reiect them w t such reproche when that as though they were no Christian men or were not able to iudge they will not suffer them to sit in counsell in causes of Religion nor to knowe the state of their owne Churches Or in case they doe entermedle at any time by their aucthoritie doe y e thing which thei may do which thei are cōmanded to doe which they are bounde to do and which we know Dauid Salomō other good prīces haue done and take vpon them other whiles the Byshops be a sleepe or whiles they doe rebellyously resist to bridle y e raging lustes of priestes and both driue them to the doing of their duty and kepe them from disorder moreouer if they plucke downe Idolls withdraw superstition set vp the true worship of God Why crie they by and by that they turne all things vpside downe that they breake into other mens offices and behaue themselues lewdely and arrogantly What Scripture hath at any time forbidden Christiā Princes from y e hearing of such causes Whoe did euer make these lawes but these fellowes onely But they will say Ciuile princes haue learned how to manege the common welthe and to exercise armes as for the misteries of Religion they vnderstande them not Then I pray you what other is y e Pope at this day but a Monarche or a prince What be the Cardinals which degree it is now scantly lawfull for any others to haue then Kinges and Princes sonnes What be the Patriarches what Archbisshops for the most part what Bysshops what other be the Abbots at this day in y e Popes kingdome but worldly Princes but Dukes but Earles wyth stately gardes about them whersoeuer they go and decked also many times w t collers and chaines of Golde They haue in deede sometime a peculier apparell Crosses Pillers Hattes Myters Palls the which kinde of pompe the auncient Bysshops Chrysostome Augustine and Ambrose had neuer Now besides these things what teache they what say they what do they what liue they in any point that is comlye and commēdable not onely for a Bysshop but also for a Christian man Is it so great a matter to cary a counterfait title and for onely chaunge of garmentes to bee called a Bysshop Surely y t the waight of all gouernement should be assigned ouer vnto thē only which nether do know nor will know what appertaineth to these thinges nor set not a halfpeny by any part of Religiō further thē as it toucheth the kitchin the belly y t they onely shoulde be made iudges and be appointed as it were blind men to keepe the watche towre on the other syde to haue a Christian prince
An Apologie or aunswer in defence of the Church of England concerninge the state of Religion vsed in the same Newly set forth in Latine and nowe translated into Englishe Rom. 1. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of CHRIST for it is the power of GOD vnto saluation to euery one that beleueth Londini ANNO DOMINI M.D.LXII Lorde saue the Quene The Apologie of the Churche of Englande IT hathe ben alwaies an olde complainte euen from the tymes of the Patryarkes Prophets and confyrmed by the writings testimonies of all ages y t Truth dwelleth as a straunger here vpon earthe and sone findeth enemies and slaunderers amonge suche as do not knowe her The whiche thing althoughe peraduenture it maie seeme incredible vnto others suche as haue not diligently marked these thinges specially bycause y t the whole ofspringe of mankinde by very course of nature without a teacher euen of his owne inclination coueteth after truth and Christe himselfe our sauioure what tyme he was here conuersante amongest men called himselfe the Truth as by that name which moste aptly did expresse all diuine power neuerthelesse we that are exercysed in the holy Scriptures and haue redde and seene what hathe happened in manner to all godly men of al ages euen vnto the Prophets vnto the Apostles vnto the holy Martyres vnto Christ hymselfe w t what reproches what reuylinges what slaunderous names thei were vexed here in their life time for onely truthes sake we I say do se that it is a thing not onely nothing new nor incredible but also very currant and cōmon to all ages Mary on the other side it might seeme muche more merueylous and vncredible in case that the Deuyl the very father of lyes and enemie to al truth shoulde nowe sodainely change his naturall disposition hope to fynde some other way then by lying to oppresse the truth or that by other sleyghtes then suche as he hathe alwaies vsed hee shoulde nowe beginne to establishe his kingedome For oute of all recordes you shall scantly finde any time other whyles religiō was newly growing and encreasing or after it was staied and setteled or when it began to sprynge againe wherin truth and innocency amongest men was not moste vnworthyly and most shamefully entreated for the Dyuill seeth whiles truth preuaileth he can not preuaile nor keepe his owne For to passe ouer and to speake nothing of the times of y e auncient Patriarkes Prophets in whose dayes as I haue sayde before there was no season voyde of slaunders and reproches against the truth We knowe that there were certaine persons that sayde and openly pronounced of y e auncient Iewes of whom we doubt not but they worshypped the onely and the trew God that in stede of God they worshipped other a Sowe or an Asse and that all their religion was nothing els but a sacrilege a contempt of al diuine power We knowe that the sonne of God oure sauioure Iesus Christ for teachinge of the truth was taken for an enchaunter for a worker of mischiefe for a Samaritane for Beelzebub for a deceiuer of the people for a man that folowed his delite in eatinge and drinkinge And who is ignorant of those thynges that were spokē in time past agaynste that moste earnest setter forthe champion of the truth S. Paule somtime that he was a seditious person that hee gathered souldiers that hee entended vprore sometimes that he was an Heretike sometyme that he was madde somtimes that onely to make strife and for his pleasure he blasphemed the lawe of God despised the ordinaunces of the fathers Who knoweth not how that S. Stephan so sone as he had receaued into the inwarde bosome of his mynde the truth and had begon freely according as he was bounde stoutly to preache it and to professe it was by by brought to pleade for his life as though he had wickedly spoken blasphemy againste the lawe against Moses againste the Temple against God Or who is ignorant that there were men in tymes paste whiche accused the holy Scriptures of lyes saying that they conteined thinges plaine contrary and repugnant one to an other that the Apostles did dissent euery one frō an other Paule from them all And least it should be to longe to reherse all for that were infinite who is ignorannt howe that oure Fathers whiche firste began to acknowledge and to professe the name of Christe were slaunderously reported of that thei conspired togither amongest themselues and that in their secret assembles thei had consultations against the state ouer the cōmō welth and that euen therefore their meetings were apointed before day in the darke that thei kylled yonge children filled them selues wyth mans fleshe and lyke moste cruell beastes dranke mans bloode howe that at the laste when the candels were out thei committed adultery and incest at auenture togither the brother with the syster the sonne with the Mother withoute any reuerence of kyndred without shame withoute difference euen a sorte of wicked men withoute all religion withoute God enemies of mankinde men vnworthy to beholde the light vnworthy of lyfe All these thinges in those daies were spoken against y e people of God against Christe Iesus against Paul against Stephan and againste al those that in the primitiue Churche embraced the truth of the Gospel and were content to be called by the name of Christians a name in those daies very odious amongest the people And albeit those thinges were not trew yet the Deuill thought it inough for him if at the least he coulde bring it to passe to cause them to be taken for trewe and that the Christians should be hated of al men and by al men persequuted vnto the death Wherfore Kings and Princes leadde by suche perswasions killed the Prophets of God euen to the laste man Esaie thei condemned to the sawe Ieremy to be stoned Daniel to the lyons Amos to the club Paule to the sworde Christe to the crosse al Christian men to prisons to tortures in horses bellyes to the gallowes to rockes to cliues to wilde beastes to fyers Yea thei sticked not to make great bonefiers of their liuing bodies onely for a light to serue them in the night season for a scorne of whom thei made none other accompt then as of moste vile donge as of accursed persons appointed to be slaine for Sacrifice and to be a scorne of all the worlde Thus I say the mainetainers and professors of the truth hathe bene alwaies delte withall So muche the more ought we that haue taken vpō vs the profession of the Gospel of Iesus Christ to take it in better parte if in the same quarel we be handled after the same sorte and like as oure forefathers in tymes paste so we at this day without any oure desert onely bicause we teache professe the truth are vexed with slaunderous names
out by the holy and canonical Scriptures and y t which can not abide the trial of thē is not y e Church Yet these men I can not tell howe whether it be of reuerence or of cōscience or for dispayre of the victory doe alwayes abhorre and flee Gods worde euen as a thief dothe the gallous Nother is it any maruell at al. For like as it is sayde of the golde worme that in the ioyce of Balsme an ointment to all other respectes of moste sweete and delicate sauour he is sone dispatched and killed so they in Gods worde doe see theyr cause as it were in poyson to be vtterly dispatched destroyed Wherefore to the intent they might the more easily driue the people from the scriptures as from a moste daungerous and a hurtful thing the whiche neuerthelesse our sauiour Iesus Christ did not only vse in al his cōmon talke but also at the laste sealed them with his bloud thei ar wont to cal thē a colde an vncertaine an vnprofitable a dumme a killing a dead lettre Which vnto vs semeth to be asmuche as thoe they had sayd they be no scriptures at all But they sticke not to adde thereunto a similitude not al together of the beste making that thei be in maner as it were a nose of waxe that maye be fashioned and turned into all manner of shapes and serue euery mans purpose Trowe ye the Pope is ignorant that these thinges ar spoken euen by his owne derelinges Or dothe he not vnderstande that he hath such Champions Let him heare therefore how deuoutly how godly one Hosius writeth of this matter a Poloniane as he him self sayth a Byshop doutles an eloquent man not vnlearned and a very earnest and stoute defender of his cause He wil maruel I suppose that any man fearyng God coulde other thynke so wickedly of those wordes whiche he knoweth to haue proceded from the mouthe of God or write so slaunderously and that specially in suche sorte as that he would not haue it to be taken for his own iudgement alone but as the cōmon iudgement of them all In deede I doe not denie but he dothe dissemble his owne personne doth so propoūde the matter as thoe not he nor mē of his sorte but y e heretikes called Zuenkfeldians did speake after y t māner We sayth he as touchyng y e very scriptures wherof we see brought in now a daies so many interpretatiōs not only diuerse amōgst them self but also cōtrary one to an other wil bidde Away with thē And wil rather heare God speake then turne our selfs towardes these beggerly elementes in them repose y e hope of our saluatiō It is not requisit to be cūning in the lawe in y e scriptures but to be taught of God It is but vaine labour y t which is bestowed vpō y e scripture for y e scripture is a creature and a certain beggerly elemēt These be y e wordes of Nosius writē no doubt w t the same spirite minde wherw t Montanus in time paste Marcion did speake of whome it is sayd y t they were wōte to say at what time they would contemptuously reiect the holy scriptures that they knewe many bothe moe better thinges then euer other Christ or his Apostles did knowe What shall I saye therefore in this pointe O ye pillers of Religion o ye prelates of the Church of Christ is this the reuerence that you giue vnto Gods worde Dare you so deale with the holy Scriptures the whiche S. Paule sayth ar deliuered vnto vs by inspiraciō from God the whiche God hath adorned and set forth with so many miracles in the which the most euident footesteppes of Christes passage ar certainely imprynted whiche all the holy fathers whiche the Apostles whiche the Angels whiche Christe him selfe the sonne of God when neede required did call to witnes Dare you I say abide away with thē as though they were vnworthy to be hearde of you Is not this to commaunde God him self whoe most euidently speketh vnto you in the scriptures to kepe silence or will you call that worde by the whiche onely as S. Paule saythe we ar reconciled vnto God and whiche Dauid saith is holy and pure and shall endure for euer by the name onely of a beggerly and a dead element or will you saye that to bestowe our labour about that thing whiche Christe commaunded vs diligently to serche and alwayes to haue before our eyes is a vayne labor and to none effect And that Christ and the Apostles what time they did exhorte the people to the redyng of the holy scriptures that out of them thei might become plentifull in all wisdome and knowlege did goe about to abuse menne with lies It is no meruaile thoe these men despise vs and all that we doe or say whiche make so litle accounte of God him self and of his moste holy worde Yet was it but a folish deuise of them in seking to hurte vs to commit so haynous an iniurie agaynst the worde of God But Hosius will crie out we doe him iniurie and that these be not his but Zuinkfeldius wordes But what if Zuenkfeldius also crie that they be not his but Hosius wordes For wher did Zuinkfelde euer write thē or if he did write them and Nosius iudged them to be wicked why did he not at y e least speake one worde to cōfute them how so euer the matter goe Althoe peraduēture Hosius wil not allow the wordes yet he dothe not disallow the meanyng For in all controuersies almost and namely touchyng the vse of the holy cōmunion vnder bothe kindes although Christes wordes be most plaine yet he cōtemptuously reiecteth them as colde and dead elementes and woulde haue vs beleue certain newe deuises prescribed by the Church and certain reuelations I know not what of the holy ghost And Albert Pighius saieth we ought not to beleue the wordes of the scripture althoe thei were moste manifest vnlesse the same be allowed by the interpretation and authoritie of the Churche Neuerthelesse as though this were but a smal matter they sticke not also to burne vp y e sacred scriptures as in time paste wicked kyng Aza did or as Antiochus or Maximinus did and these they ar wonte to cal heretikes bookes wherein they seeme to intende the same practise whiche Herode in time paste for the mayntenāce of his estate went about in Iury. For he wheras he was an Edomite a very straunger to the stocke and kinred of the Iewes and neuerthelesse couetid to be taken for a Iewe to the intent he might the rather establish for him and his posteritie his kingdome ouer thē the which he had before obtained at the handes of Augustus themperour commaunded all their enrolments of petigrees whiche euen from the time of Abrahā vnto that daye had bene diligentlie kepte amongest their recordes and by the which it might with out al error easily be
perceaued out of what kinred euery man was descendid to be burned and vtterly to be defaced onely to this ende that nothing hereafter should remayne in recorde wherby it might appeare that he were a stranger Euen so doe these men in all pointes when as bicause they would haue all their deuises to be had in as great price as though they had bene deliuered from the Apostels or from Christe leaste that any thyng should at any time remayne that might reproue such dreames and lies other they burne the holy scriptures or craftely conueye them from the people Chrysostome surely writeth very well and agaynst the endeuour of these men excedyng aptly Heretikes sayth he shut vp the gates agaynst the truthe for they know right well if they be open the Churche shall not be on theyr side And Theophylacte The worde of God saythe he is the lanterne of light whereby the thief is espied And Tertullian sayth The holy scripture doth trie out the guyles theftes of heretikes For why doe thei hyde why doe they kepe vnder couert that gospel which Christ would haue to sounde from the toppes of houses Why doe they conuey y t light vnder a busshel whiche ought to stande vpon the candelstike why doe thei repose their trust rather in the blindnes ignorāce of the vnskilful multitude than in the goodnes of their cause Doe they suppose that theyr sleyghts be not yet espied or that they can nowe as thoe they had Gyges ring walke inuisible Assure your selfe now all menne seeth well inough what is within that same storeboxe of the Popes bosome euen this thing onely maye be a good argument y t they deale not vprightly and truely That cause ought of right to be suspected that flyeth the triall light For he that doeth euil as Christ saith seketh after darkenes and hateth the light A cleare cōsciēce offereth him self willingly to the shew that those workes whiche doe procede from God maye be seene They ar not so vtterly blinde but that they see this wel inough that if the scriptures haue the vpper hāde their kingdome is by and by ouerthrowen and that like as it is sayd of the Idols of the Gētyles frō whome in old time they fetched all oracles answers that at the presence of Christe when he came into the world they sodenly became dumme euen so now also at the sight of the gospel al theyr sleightes by and by fall headlong to the grounde For Antichrist is not ouerthrowē but by the clearnesse of Christes commyng We flee not as these menne are wonte to doe to the fyre but to the scriptures nor we doe not besege them with the sworde but with the worde of God thereby as Tertullian sayth we doe nurrish our fayth thereby we doe rayse vp our hope thereby we doe establish our assurāce For we know that the gospel of Iesus Christ is the powre of God vnto saluation and that in hit is euerlasting life And therfore we giue no eare according as S. Paule doth admonish vs no not to an Angel of God cōming from heauē in case he goe about to withdrawe vs frō any parte of this doctrine No as y e right holy mā Iustinus martyr sayth of him self We wold not beleue God himself in case he would teach vs an other gospel For where as these mē doe shake of y e scriptures as things y t cā not speake ar good for nothing and appeale rather vnto God himselfe speaking in the Church in councels y t is to say to their owne fansies opiniōs y t is bothe a very uncertain way to finde out the truth very ful of daunger somwhat like y e heathenysh māner of illudynge the people w t their furious inspirations such a waye as of the holy fathers was neuer approued Chrysostome saythe y t ofte times there be many that bragge of the holy ghoste but certainely sayth he they y t speake of their owne heades doe vntruly boaste thē selfe to haue the spirit of God For like as Christe sayeth he what time he spake out of the lawe and the Prophetes denied that he spake of him self euē so nowe if any other thyng but the gospell be enforced vpon vs vnder the name of the holy ghost we ought not to beleue it for as Christ is the fulfilling of the law the Prophetes so is the Spirite the fulfillyng of the gospell these be the wordes of S. Chrysostome But these menne although they haue not the holy scriptures yet peraduēture they haue the auncient doctors and holy fathers For in this they haue alwayes made their vaunt that all antiquite and the vniuersall consent of al ages was on their side Againe that al our opiniōs ar newe and grene and neuer hearde of before these fewe yeres nowe laste paste Doubtles there is nothing can be spoken of greater weight against the religion of God then when it is accused of noueltie for like as in God him self so in his religion there ought to be nothyng newe neuerthelesse we can not tel how it cometh to passe that from the beginning of the world we haue alwaies seene it in experiēce that as oftē as God wolde as it were kindle and disclose his truth vnto men althoe it were of it self not onely most aunciēt but also euerlastyng yet of wicked men and of such as were enemies therunto it was called grene and newe stuffe A man that wicked bloudy man onely to brynge the Iewes into hatered accused them to the king Assuerus after this sorte Thou haste here saieth he O king a people which in vsing certain newe lawes ar agaynst al thy lawes stobberne and rebellious Paule also at Athens so sone as he beganne to teache and to set forth the gospel was reported to be a setter forth of new goddes that is to say of newe religion And may we not saye they learne of the what māner of new doctrine is this And Celsus what time he wrote of purpose against Christ to the intent that after a more contemptuous māner he might scoffe out the Gospel with a slaunder of nouelty Hath God saith he now at the length after so many ages called himself to so late a rememberance Eusebius saith also that Christiā religion euen from the beginning was called in reproche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye new and strange Euen after the same sorte these men doe condemne all things that we doe allow for new and straunge their owne thinges againe whatsoeuer they be they will haue them to be commended as moste auncient And lyke as Necromanciers and Witches at this day such as haue to doe with Deuils are wont to say that thei haue their bookes and all their sacred hidd misteries from Athanasius from Cyprian from Moises from Abel from Adam and also from Raphael the Archangel to the intent that that skil which had proceded frō such authors and inuentours might be
did sett an order for all the roumes in purgatory and for al kindes of punishment as for the poore vnhappy soules some he assigned vnto punishement some againe for money he toke out by and by at his pleasure also that he toke order for priuate masses that they should be said in euery corner That he whispered the holy misteries wyth a lowe voice and in a strange tonge set vp the Sacrament in all Churches and vpon euery altare caried it whersoeuer he went with lightes and sacring belles before him vpon an ambeling Genet that hee consecrated Oyle Waxe Woolle Belles Chalices Churches Alters with his holy brethe that he solde Iubilees graces licences expectations preuentions Annates Palles the vse of Palles Bulles pardons charters y t he called himselfe the head of the Church the chief Bysshop and Byshop of Bysshops and the only Most holy y t by vsurpation he tooke vpon hym a right and aucthorite ouer other mens Churches exempted himselfe frō vnder all ciuill power y t he made warres set Princes together by the eares and y t hauing his crown garnished w t goldē pendantes his pompous apparell comparable w t the Persians hys royal Sceptre hys golden diademe glyttering with precious stones he rode in a chayre of golde caried vpon noble mennes shoulders these thynges forsoothe dyd Peter when he was at Rome and the very same he deliuered as it were from hande to hande vnto his successours For these thinges be done by the Popes at this daye in Rome and be so done as though nothing else ought to be done Or excepte paraduenture they had rather aunswere thus that the Pope at this daye doth all those thinges which we knowe Peter did in time paste that he trauaileth heare and there in to all Coūtries preaching the Gospell not only in opē assemblies but also priually from howse to howse y t he plieth his businesse in season oute of season in time out of time that he doth the duty of an Euāgelist accomplisheth the ministery of Christ becommeth a watchman ouer the howse of Israell receiueth y e scriptures and worde of God and as he hath receiued them so deliuereth them againe to y e people that he is the salt of y e earth the light of the world that he fedeth not himselfe but hys flocke that he dothe not entangle hymselfe with worldly buisines appertaining to this life nor vsurpeth no dominion ouer the Lords people y t he seketh not to be serued himself of others but rather himself to serue others that he accoūteth all Bysshops for his fellowes and equalles that he is a subiect vnto Princes as vnto those that are sent of God giueth vnto Cesar that which appertaineth to Cesar and that according as the auncient Byshops of Rome did without exception he calleth the Emperour his Lorde Now onles the Popes doe these thinges at this day and except Peter doe those thinges which we spake of before there is no cause why they should bragge so much of the name of Peter and of this succession and lesse a great deale why they should complaine of our departing cal vs home againe vnto their faith and felowship It is said that a certaine Lacedemonian called Cobilo what time he was sent Embassadour to make a league with the Kinge of Persia and founde by chaunce certaine courtyers playing at the dise by and by without further consideration of his busines retourned home againe and when he was asked wherfore he had so little regarde to the doing of those things which he had in commission by common aucthoritie for to doe he answered that he thought it shoulde haue tourned to the slaunder of the common welth if he should haue made a league w t diseplaiers But if we should dispose our selues to retourn againe vnto the Pope and to his errors and make a league not onli with diseplaiers but also with men of much lewder condition then disers this shoulde be not onely slaunderous towardes our good name but also towardes the procuring of gods wrathe against vs and the oppressyon and vtter ouerwhelming of our owne consciences full of presente myschyefe For wee surelye departed from hym whom we sawe had blynded the worlde nowe manye yeares together from hym that was wonte ouer arrogantelye to auaunte hymselfe that hee coulde not erre and what soeuer he dyd that hee myght not be iudged of any mortall man not of kinges not of Emperours not of the whole clergye not of all the worlde together no not if he shoulde carye with hym a thousande soules to Hell from him that toke vpon him to commaunde not only men but also the Angels of God to goe to come to leade soules into purgatory to bring them back againe when it liked him whom Gregory did most plainly affirme to be the Uaunteurrer and standerdberer of Antichrist and that he had renounced the catholike Faith frō whom not long agoe those countrie men of oures that be the ringleders of such as bende themself against the Gospell and against the knowne truth did of their owne choyse and gladly euery one of them disseuer themself neither yet would they be vnwilling to doe it at this day were it not that that the blemishe of inconstancye and shame and their estimatiō amongst the people did let them To cōclude we haue forsaken him to whom we were not bounde and who had nothing except it were onely a certaine fonde ymagination of preeminence of the place and succession that he coulde saye for hymselfe And yet we of all other nations had most iust cause to departe from him for our Kinges euen those also which most carefully inclined themselfe to obey the Authorite and faith of the Bishops of Rome haue felt sufficiētly now long agoe the yoke tiranny of the Popes kingdome For both from our king Henry the second of that name the Romaine Bysshops did plucke the Crowne from his heade commaunding him all his Maiestye laide a parte and in a priuate arraye to the intent he shoulde be a laughinge stocke to all hys people to present himselfe as an humble petitioner and suter before his legate And also against oure king Ihon armed the Byshops and Monks and some parte also of the nobilitie and discharged all his subiects of the othe of their allegeance wherby thei were bound vnto him and last of all moste wyckedly they spoyled hym by trayterous meanes not onely of his kingdome but also of his lyfe And vpon king Henry the eight of y t name a most noble Prince thei thundered out their curses and lightnings of excommunication and stirred vp against him sometimes the Emperoure somtimes the Frenche king so much as was in them gaue ouer the whole Realme to the praie and to y e spoyle doubtles very madde and foolished men that could beleue that either so great a kyng might be made a gaste with bugges and with clyckets or that so mighty a kingdome might be so easily deuoured as