adiudged to be more glorious and more heauenly Euen so these men to the ende that their religion which they themselues haue hatched and that not so long agoe to themselues might be the eassier and better set forth vnto men that eyther were fools in deede or little cōsidered what they did and where about they went are wont to say that it came vnto their handes from Augustine from Hierome frō Chrisostome frō Ambrose from the Apostls from Christ himselfe For right wel thei know that ther is nothing more plausible vnto the people thē these names or better accepted of y e common sortes of men But what if those thinges which these men would haue accounted to be new be founde to be most auncient Againe what if those thinges in maner all which these men so hyghly set forth with the name of antiquitie after that they haue been well and diligently syfted shall be founde at the last to be but grene and new Truely the lawes and Ceremonies of the Iewes although that Aman did accuse them of nouelty yet vnto any man that considered them truly and vprightly thei coulde not appeare to be new for thei were written in most auncient tables And Christe although many supposed that he did declyne from Abraham and from the olde fathers and that he brought in a new Religiō of his owne heade yet he answered truely If you beleued Moises you should beleue mee also for my doctrine is not so new as you take it Moises a most auncient aucthor whom you doe esteme aboue all men did speake of mee And. S. Paule Although the Gospell of Iesus Christ be reputed of many to be new yet it hath saith he a most auncient testimony of the law and the Prophetes As for our doctrine the which we may cal more rightly the Catholike doctrine of Christ is so far of from all nouslty that the olde God of all ages and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath commended it vnto vs in moste auncient monuments euen in the Gospell and in the bookes of the Prophetes and of the Apostles So that now it can not seeme new vnto any man except there be any to whom either the fayth of the Prophetes or the Gospell or Christ himselfe seemeth to be newe But in case their Religion bee so auncient and so olde as they woulde haue it to appere wherefore doe they not proue it oute of the examples of the primitiue Church out of the auncient fathers out of the olde Councels Why lyeth so olde a cause abandoned so longe tyme wythout a defender as for Sworde and Fyer they haue had alwayes at hande but of olde Councels and Fathers no worde at all And surely it had been altogether against reason to begin at these bloody and cruell reasons if they could haue founde any gentyler and mylder argumentes But if they haue in deede such truste in Antiquitie wythout any maner of counterfeiting why did Iohn Clement a Countrie man of oures not many yeares paste in the syght of certaine honest men and men of good credit teare and cast into the fyer certaine leaues out of a most auncient Father and a Greeke Bysshop called Theodoret in the which he dyd euidently and expressely teache that in the Sacrament the nature of bread was not taken away And that at such tyme as he thought no other example coulde be founde in anye place why dothe Albert Pighius denye that Sainct Augustine that olde Father dyd holde a right opinion of Originall synne or of such mariages as are contracted after a vowe professed And where as Augustine affirmeth it to be perfecte Matrimonye and can not be reuoked why sayth he that he dothe erre and is deceiued that he vseth no good Logike Why did thei now of late in y e printing of y t aunciēt father Origene vpō y e Gospel of Iohn leaue out y e whole sixt chapter wherin it is very credible or rather certain y t he taught many things touching the Sacramēt cōtrary to their doctrin so had rather set forth y e boke in maner maimed thē being perfect it shold reproue their errors Is this to trust to ātiquiti to teare to suppresse to māgle to burne the bookes of the auncient fathers It is a worlde to beholde how wel these men doe agree in Religion with those fathers of whom they are wont to bragge to be on their side The olde Councell called Eliberinum decreed that nothing that y e people worshipped should be painted in Temples An aunciēt father Epiphanius saith that it is an horrible wickednes and an offence vntolerable If any man should set vp so much as a painted Image though it were of Christ himselfe in the Churches of Christian men These mē as though there were no Religion without them haue filled their Church and eueri corner of them with painted and grauen Images The olde fathers Origen and Chrysostome do exhorte the people to the reading of y e holy Scriptures to bye bookes to reason of matters pertaining to religion among themselues in their own howses the husbandes with their wiues the parentes with ther Childrē Cōtrariwyse these mē do condemne the Scriptures as dead elementes and by all meanes they can possibly restraine the people from them The auncient fathers Cyprian Epiphanius and Hierome say that if any hath made a vowe to liue an vnmaryed lyfe and afterwardes leadeth his lyfe in vncleanes and can not restraine the flammes of his lustinge that it is better for him to mary a wyfe and to liue chastely in wedlock And the selfe same Matrimony the olde father Augustine determineth to be lawful and good nor ought not to be reuoked These men contrariwise such as haue once bounde themselues by now although afterwardes he burne in lusting although he hunt after Hores although neuer so filthely damnably he defile himselfe yet they will not suffer him to mary or if perchaunce he do marry they deny it to be matrimony affirming y t it is much better and more godly to keepe a Concubine or a Harlot then to liue in that state That auncient father S. Augustine did complain of y e multitude of vaine Ceremonies by y t which he sawe how euen in those daies mens mindes and consciences were oppressed These mē as though God delyted in nothing els haue encreased ceremonies so out of al measure that now in their Churches holy seruice they haue left in maner nothing els Augustine an olde father denyeth y t it is lawfull for a sluggishe monke to liue in ydlenesse vnder a colour pretence of holines to liue vpon other mens labours such as liueth after y t sort an old father Apollonius saith they be like vnto theeues These men haue shall I say heardes or flockes of monkes whych albeit thei doe vtterly nothing neither trouble themselues so much as to counterfait or to beare any face of
of Chalcedon the ciuile Magistrate condemned by sentence pronounced by his own mouth Dioscorus Iuuenal and Thalassius being Bysshops for Heretykes and gaue iudgement that they should be disgraded from that dignite of the Church In the thirde councell of Constantinople Constantine a ciuile Magistrate did not onely sitt amongest the Bysshops but also subscribed with the Bysshops We haue read it saith he and we haue subscribed In the seconde councell called Aransicanum Princes embassadors being noble men did not onely declare their mindes touching Religion but also subscribed amoÌ„gest the Bysshops For it is written in thende of that councel after this sorte Petrê° Marcellinus Felix Liberius men of great honor and most renouned Lieutenantes of those countries that appertaine to Fraunce and meÌ„ of noble parentage haue subscribed their consent Siagrius Opilio Pantagathus Deodatus Cariattho Marcellus right noble men haue subscribed But if LieutenaÌ„ts generall and noble meÌ„ might subscribe in the councell might not Emperors and Kings doe the same It was not nedefull we confesse to prosequute so largly in so many words so clere a matter if we had not to doe w t such men as of contention and for desire of victory are woÌ„t to denie al things that are most plaine and euen those thinges which they see and haue daily in their eyes IustiniaÌ„ the Emperour made a law touching the amendemeÌ„t of the maners and brideling of y e arrogaÌ„cy of priestes and although he were a ChristiaÌ„ a Catholike Emperor yet he was so bolde to thrust out of y e Papal dignitie two Popes Siluerius Uigilius y e successors of Peter vicars of Christ. Now then thei which take vpoÌ„ them aucthorite ouer Byshops which receiue coÌ„mission from God touching Religion which bring home y e arke of God make holy Psalmes haue rule ouer priests builde TeÌ„ples make sermons touching y e worshipping of God which cleÌ„se temples throw downe hylle altares set fier on superstious groues which admonish priestes of their duty and prescribe lawes wherafter thei shal liue which put wicked prophets to death which depriue Bysshops which call y e assemblies of Bysshops which sit together w t the Bysshops directe them what thei shal doe which doe condemne an Heretike Bysshop to be punished which sit in iudgemeÌ„t of matters of ReligioÌ„ which subscribe which pronounce their opinioÌ„ they I say y t doe al these things not at other mens coÌ„mauÌ„dements but in their own name and y t vprightly godly shal we say y t vnto such doth not appertaine the charge of ReligioÌ„ or y t a ChristiaÌ„ magistrate entermedling w t these maters doth other leudly or arrogaÌ„tly or wickedly truly y e most ancieÌ„t most ChristiaÌ„ Emperors kings haue entermedled w t these matters yet were thei neuer therfore noted other to be vngodly or presuÌ„ptuouse And who would wishe for either more catholike Princes or more notable examples Now if this were lawful in them being only cyuile magistrates rulers of comoÌ„ welthes what haue our Princes offended which being in y e same office mai not also haue y e same liberty or what great excelleÌ„cy of lerning of iudgemeÌ„t of holynes is in these meÌ„ y t contrary to the custome of al y e olde catholike Bysshops which were wont to conferre in matters of Religion w t noble meÌ„ thei should now reiect them froÌ„ the hearing of such matters froÌ„ their coÌ„mon asseÌ„blie But ful wel do they prouide for themself for their kingdome which otherwise thei see would shortly come to ground For if thei whom God hath placed in the highest degree did se and vnderstande the sleightes of these meÌ„ how by them the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of Christ are despised the light of Gospell darkened vtterly put out theÌ„selues abused and at vnwares laughed to scorne also debarred froÌ„ the entry into the kingdome of God they would neuer suffer theÌ„selues to be other so proudly despised or so shamfully laughed to scorne whereas now through ignorance blindnes thei kepe theÌ„ vnder awe and in their dauÌ„ger As for vs touching the chaunge of ReligioÌ„ we haue done nothing as we said before rashly or presuÌ„ptuously nothing but leisurly and w t gret deliberatioÌ„ Neither would we euer haue takeÌ„ in hande to doe it had not the manifest the expresse wil of God declared vnto vs in y e holy scriptures the regard of our own saluatioÌ„ coÌ„pelled vs thereunto And albeit we haue forsakeÌ„ y t Church which these meÌ„ do cal Catholike by reason therof do bring vs in hatered of those y t cannot iudge neuertheles this is sufficient for vs ought to be sufficieÌ„t for euery man y t is wise and godly and careful of euerlasting life that we haue forsaken that Church which might erre which Christ himselfe that can not erre so long before did prophecy that it shoulde erre and which wee our selues did euidently see before our eyes swarue awaye from the holy Fathers from the Apostles from Christ himselfe from the Primitiue and Catholike Church Againe we are come euen as nere as we could possible to the Church of the Apostles and of the olde catholike Bysshops and Fathers euen to y t Church which wee knowe was as yet a pure and as Tertullian saith an vndefiled Uirgine infected as yet neither with anye ydolatry nor with any greuous knowen error we haue directed not our doctrine only but also our Sacraments and the forme of our common praiers according to their rules ordinances And whereas before Religion was shamefully neglected depraued at these mens handes we according as we know both Christ himself all other godly men in maÌ„ner had done heretofore haue brought it home vnto the original to the first principles For we thought it requisite ther to seke the reformation of Religion from whence the first principles therof were deriued For this argumeÌ„t sayth the most auncient father Tertullian is stronge against all Heresies That is true whatsoeuer is first whatsoeuer is of latter time that is counterfait Ireneus appealed ofte times to the most auncient Churches such as were nerest vnto Christes tyme and of which it was hardely to be beleued that they dyd erre Wherefore is not y t way folowed at thys day Wherfore doe we not retourne vnto the example of the auncient Churches Wherefore can not that sentence bee hearde nowe a daies amongest vs which in the counsell of Nice longe ago withoute the gainesaying of anye man was pronouÌ„ced of so many Byshoppes and Catholike fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esdras what time he went about to make vp the decayed places of Gods temple he seÌ„t not to Ephesus although there was a very beutifull and gorgious temple of Diana and when he woulde restore their ceremonies and sacrifices he sente not to Rome althoe peradueÌ„ture he had hearde of their solemne sacrifices called Hecatombas Solitaurilia Lectisternia of their supplications
it were at one morsell And as thoughe all these thinges had not been ynoughe they woulde haue had the whole Realme also to be tributary vnto them and out of it moste vniustly they did exacte an yerely rent So costlye forsooth was the frendship of the Citie of Rome vnto vs. But in as much as by crafty meanes and with lewde sleightes thei wrested out these things from vs there is no cause why the same againe by lawefull meanes and good lawes might not be taken from them Yea if our kings in those times of darknes ledd by some opinion of their coūterfet holines of their owne accorde and liberalitie gaue them those thinges for Religion sake yet afterwardes when the errour is espied of other kinges that haue the same aucthoritie they may be taken away for that gift is of none effect that is not approued by the will of the gyuer but that can not seeme to be a will which is darkened and empeched with errour Thou haste heard Christian reader that it is no new thing y t at this day Christian Religion being restored to his former estate and as it were newe borne againe be slaulderously and shamefully spoken of For the same thing happened vnto Christ himselfe and to the Apostles Neuertheles least thou shouldest suffer thy selfe to be ledde out of the waye and to be deceiued with these outraging clamors of our aduersaries wee haue sett forth before the the whole course of our Religion what wee dooe beleue of God the Father what of his onely sonne Iesus Christe what of the holye Ghoste what of the Church what of the Sacramēts what of the Ministery what of the holy Scriptures what of Ceremonyes and what of euery parte of a Christian mans profession We haue declared how that we doe detest al olde Heresies the which other the holy Scriptures or the auncient Councels haue condemned as pestilences and poysons of mens soules and that as much as we can possiblie we doe call home againe the discipline of the Church the which our aduersaries haue vtterly brought to nothing and doe punishe according to the auncient lawes of our forefathers all losenes of lyfe and licencious manners and that with such seueritie as the cause doth require and so farre as our power will stretche that we doe vpholde the state of kingedomes in the same condition that we founde them without empairing or chaunging any thing and doe maintaine to the best of our power the Maiesty of our Princes safe and sounde that wee haue forsaken y t Church which these men had made a den of theeues and wherein they had left nothing sounde or sauering of the Church of God and which by their owne testimony had erred in many thinges none otherwise then as Loth in time past wēt out of Sodoma or Abrahā out of Chaldey not of a desire to cōtend but by y e commaundement of God himselfe and y t we haue sought out of the holy Scriptures which we knowe can not deceiue vs a certaine constant forme of Religion and are now retourned vnto the primitiue Church of the Apostles and of the auncient fathers y t is to say to the first originall and to the beginnings and as it were to the very fountaines of Christes Church True it is in dede y t for the accomplishemēt hereof we haue not attended vpon the aucthoritie or consent of the councel of Trente in which we coulde not hope to see any thinge vprightly and orderly done specially where all mē are sworne to one man where our Princes Embassadors ar cōtemned where none of our diuines mai be heard where men ar euidently enclined vnto partes and to ambition but according as the holy fathers in tyme past and our predecessors haue done oft time we reformed our Churches by a councel gathered in our owne prouince and that as touching the yoke and tirannye of the Bysshop of Rome vnto whome wee ought no dutye and in whom there is no resemblance either of Christ or of Petre or of an Apostle or in any point of a Bysshop according as it behoued vs we haue shakē of and cast away And last of all how y t we doe agree amongest our selues in all the principles and articles of Christian Religion and with one mouthe and one spirit doe worshippe God and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Wherfore good Christiā reader in as much as y u seest the reasons causes both of our doings touching the restitutiō of Religiō amōgst vs also of our departing from the fellowship of these men thou oughtest not to maruaile if y t we had rather obey our Iesus Christ then men Paule dyd admonishe vs that we shoulde not suffer our selues to be caried out of the way with these variable doctrines and thal specially wee should flye from them that woulde sowe any dissension from that doctrine which wee had receiued from Chryste and from the Apostles Their iuggeling toyes euen as the owle at the rysing of the Sunne beginne alredy to fall and flye away at the presence and light of the Gospell And although they were pyled and heaped vp euen to the highe skyes yet they fall downe againe vpon the least occasion and in manner of their owne accorde For thou oughtest not to imagine that al these things are happened at a blind auenture or by chaūce for it was goddes will that maugre the malice in maner of all men the Gospell of Iesus Christ shoulde be spredde in these dayes throughout the worlde Wherefore men beyng admonysshed by gods worde haue of their owne accorde applyed themselues to the doctrine of Christe Wee surely haue not sought to wynne vnto our selues either glory either riches either pleasure eyther ease thereby For all these thinges our aduersaries haue in great aboundance and we also what time we were amongest them had such thinges more largely and more plentifully Neither doe we abhorre from peace agrement but for conseruation of worldly peace we will wage no warres w t God Doubtles saith Hylarius the name of peace is sweete but peace saith he is one thing and thraldome is an other For to assent which is the thyng that these men doe seeke for that Chryste shoulde bee commaunded to sylence that the truthe of the Gospell shoulde bee betrayed that wicked errours should be dissembled that the eyes of Christian menne shoulde be blered that men should manifestly conspire agaynst God is not an establyshment of peace but a moste horrible couenant of thraldome There is saythe Nazianzene a certayne kinde of peace vnprofitable ther is a profitable discorde For we muste allowe peace with an exception so farre as it is laweful and so farre as we may For otherwise Christ himself brought not peace into the world but a sword Wherefore yt the Pope will haue vs to be friendes agayne with him lette him firste reconcile himselfe with God For hereof saythe Cyprian scismes doe aryse bycause the head is not sought for
they to consider howe iuste the cause of our departing is For in case they wil saye it is lawefull for thee by no means to departe from that fellowship wherein thou haste ben brought vp Thus they maye easily in oure personnes cōdemne both the Prophetes and the Apostles and also Christe him self For why doe they not likewise finde fawte at this that Loth departed from Sodome Abraham out of Calde the Hebrewes out of Egypte Christ from the Iewes Paule from the Pharisees For onlesse there maye be some iuste cause of suche departynges we see not why they also maye not in like sorte be accused as factious and seditious men Nowe if we ought to be condemned for heretikes bycause we doe not al thinges whiche these menne doe commaunde vs whoe I praye you or what maner of men shall we account them to be which doe despise the commaundementes of Christe and of the Apostles If we be Schismatikes that haue disseuered our selfs frō these fellowes by what name I pray you shal we call them that haue departed from the Grekes at whose hādes they receyued the faith frō the primitiue church from Christ him self from the Apostels euē as it were from their owne parentes For as for the Grekes such as at this daye doe professe the religion and name of Christ althoe they haue many thinges that ar corrupted yet they retaine to this howre a great part of those thinges which they receyued of the Apostles Therfore nother haue they priuate Masses nor their sacramētes mangeled nor purgatory nor pardonnes As for the Popes titles and proude names so muche they doe regard them that whosoeuer doth take them vpon him and wil needes be called either the vniuersal Byshop or heade of the whole Church of him they will not sticke to saye that he is bothe an intolerable arrogant man and a personne that iniuriously defaceth all other Byshoppes his bretherne and also an heretike Now then sins the matter is plaine can not be denied y t these fellowes ar gone back frō those of whom thei receiued the gospel of whom thei receaued y e faith of whome the true religion the Churche what cause is there why they shuld not be cōtent to be called home againe euen vnto the same personnes as it were to the fountaines of religion Wherfore ar they so afrayde as thoe al the Apostles old fathers sawe nothing to folow the exāple of their times for doe they trowe ye see more or be thei more careful ouer the Churche of God then they y t first deliuered these things And now to returne to our selfs we haue departed frō that Churche wherin nother the worde of God could be hearde purely taught nor the Sacramentes rightly administered nor the name of God as it ought to be called vpō and whiche they themselues doe confesse to be corrupted in many thinges and wherin to say the truth there was nothing that could staye any man that was wise and that had any consideration of his owne saluation To conclude we haue departed from that Churche that is now founded not from that Church that was in time past and we haue departed in such sorte as Daniel did out of the denne of Lions as the thre childrē out of the fier yea rather caste out by them with their cursinges and banninges then departed of our selfs Agayne we haue adioyned our selfes vnto that Church wherin they them selfs in case they wil speake truely and according to their owne consciences can not denie but all thynges ar soberly and reuerently handeled and so farre forth as we were able to attayne most neerely vnto the order of the olde time For lette them compare their Churches and oures together they shal see bothe that they moste shamefully haue departed frō the Apostels and we moste iustly haue forsaken them For we after the exāple of Christe of the Apostles and of the holy fathers doe giue the whole sacrament vnto the people These men contrary to all the fathers contrary to al the Apostels and cōtrary to Christ him self not without as Gelasius sayth hygh sacrilege doe deuide the sacramentes and plucke the one parte awaye from the people We haue restored the Lordes supper accordyng to the institutiō of Christ and desire to haue it asmuch as maye be and to as many as may be most common and as it is called so to be in very deede a Cōmunion These men haue chaunged all thinges frō the institution of Christ of the holy cōmunion they haue made a priuate masse so that we present vnto the people a holy Supper they a vayne pagent to gase vpon We doe affirme with the moste auncient Fathers that the bodye of Christe is eaten of none other but of godly and of faithfull menne and suche as ar endued with the spirite of Christe these fellowes doe teache that the very bodye of Christe maye in very deede and as they terme it really and substantially be eaten not only of wicked and vnfaythfull men but also it is horrible to speake it of myse and dogges We doe praye in oure Churches after suche sorte that accordyng as Paule dothe admonishe vs the people may know what we doe pray and with one minde answere Amen These men powre out in the churches vnknowne and straunge wordes like vnto the noyse of soundyng brasse without any vnderstanding without sense without iudgement and this is their only endeuour that the people should not be able to vnderstande any thing at all And bycause we will not reherse all the differences betwene vs and them for they ar in maner infinite We translate the Scriptures into all languages these men wil scantly suffer them to be abroade in any tonge We doe exhorte the people to heare and reade the worde of God these menne driue them from it We woulde haue our cause hearde before all the worlde these menne flee al iudgement and triall We leane vnto knowlege they vnto ignorance We truste to the light they vnto darknesse We haue in reuerence as reason is the wordes of the Apostles and of the Prophetes these men do burne them To conclude we in Gods cause wil stande to the iudgement of God only these men will stande to their owne But if they will consider all these thinges with a quiet minde and a prepared purpose to heare and to learne thei shal not only allow our doyngs which leauing all errours haue folowed Christe his Apostles but also they themselues shal fal away from thēselues and of their owne accorde encline themselues to ioyne with our felowshippe But they will saye that it was an vnlawefull attempt to goe aboute such matters without an holy generall Counsell for therein is the whole powre of the Churche there Christe hathe promised that he will alwayes be ready at hand And yet they themselues haue broken the commaundementes of God the decrees of the Apostles and as we sayde a litle before haue scatered and torne
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
reproches and lyes 1. Nowe a daies thei crie euery where that all we are Heretykes that we are departed from the faithe that we with oure newe perswasions and wycked doctrine haue brokē the cōsent of the Churche That we do raise as it were out of Hell and restore to life againe olde Heresyes such as longe agoe were condemned We sowe abroade newe sectes and furious fansies that neuer before were hearde of Also that we nowe are deuided into contrary factions opinions could neuer agree by any meanes among our selues That we ar wicked mē make war after the māner of y e Giauntes as the fable is against God himselfe do liue altogither w tout care or reuerence of God That we do despise al good dedes and vse no discipline of vertue maintaine no lawes no customes no equitie no iustice no right That we loose y e bridel to al mischiefe allure the people to al kynde of licence and luste That we go about and seke how al the states of Monarchies kingdomes might be ouerthrowen and that all thynges might be broughte vnto the rashe gouernment of the people to the rule of the vnskilful multitude That we haue rebelliouslye withdrawen our selues from the catholike Churche and shaken the whole world with a cursed schisme haue troubled the cōmon peace the general quietnes of the Churche and that lyke as in tymes paste Dathan and Abiron seuered themselues from Moses and Aaron so we at this daye departe from the Pope of Rome without any sufficient iuste cause As for the authoritie of the auncient fathers and olde Councelles we do set at naught All auncient ceremonies suche as of oure grandfathers and great grandfathers nowe many ages paste when better manners and better daies did florish were approued we haue rashely and arrogantly abolyshed haue broughte into the Churche by our owne priuate authoritie without any commaundement of any holy and sacred generall Counsell newe rites and ceremonies And that we haue done all these thinges not for any respecte of religion but onely of a desire to maintaine strife and contention As for them they haue changed vtterly nothinge at all but all thinges euen as they receiued them from the Apostles were approued by the moste auncient fathers so they haue kepte them from age to age vnto this daye But now least thei shoulde seme onely to picke quarels and to speake euell of vs in corners onely to the intent to brynge vs into hatred the Romyshe Byshops haue prouided themselues of certaine men eloquente ynoughe and not vnlearned for to vndertake this desperate cause and to set it forth with bokes and long orations to the intent that the matter being cōningly handled after the best fasshion the simple and ignorant man might suppose there were somwhat in it for truely thei sawe how their cause began to decline in al places how their sleights wer now espied and therefore lesse set by and that their Garrysons decaied euery daie and therfore their cause to be such that it had great nede of helpe Now as touching those thinges whiche thei do obiecte against vs parte of them are manifestly false and euen by the iudgment of the selfe same persons that do obiect them condemned for lies parte of them although they bee as false as the other yet in asmuche as thei carrye a shewe and a counterfeat of truth in suche the symple reader if he take not hede specially if vnto the probabylitie of the matter the painted delicate speache of these fellowes be cunningly applied may easilie be entrapped and caried out of the waie part of thē againe ar such as we oughte not to decline from them as crimes but as thinges right well and aduisedly done to acknowledge to professe them and euen to tell you at a word how the matter goeth these men do slaunder all our doings euen those thinges whiche them selues can not deny to be wel and ordrely done and as thoe it were not possyble that any thinge should be other done or spoken wel of vs so all oure sayinges and doinges thei moste malitiously depraue No doubt it hadde been their part to haue gone more simply and more playnely to worke yf thei had ment to deale truly whereas now nother truly nor courteouslie nor Christianly but couertly craftily thei assault vs with lyes abusinge the blindnes of the people and the ignoraunce of Princes to bringe vs into hatred and to oppresse the truth this is the power of darkenes proprety of men that for the furtherance of their cause haue more confydence in the blockishnesse of the vnskilfull multitude in darkenes then in truth and light as S. Ierome saith of such as with closed eyes do barke against the manifest truth But we gyue thanks vnto the almighty God that our quarel is such that euen these men woulde thei neuer so faine can say nothing in reproche therof whiche might not be tourned in reprofe of the fathers of the Prophets of the Apostles of Peter of Paule and of Christe himselfe Now then in case it be lawfull for these men in railinge and speaking euil to be thus lowde and eloquent truly we in our iuste quarell answeringe for the truth ought not to be dumme and specheles for thei that haue noe regarde what is saide of them selfe or of their quarell althoe it be falsly slaunderously spoken specially when it is suche as thereby the maiestie of God and the state of religion is blasphemed thei surely declare them selfe to be dissolute men and suche as carelesly and wickedly do winke at the iniuries done to y e name of God For albeyt many times other greate and greuous iniuries of a sobre and a Christian man may be borne withal and dissembled neuerthelesse who that paciently can endure to be accounted an Heretike suche a one Ruffine was wont to denie to be a Christian. Wherfore we will now do that thinge whiche all lawes whiche the very voyce of nature commaundeth to be done and whyche Christ him selfe being in the like matter in like sort railed vpon did before vs y t is to say we wil giue a repulse to the accusations of these men and modestly and trulie defende oure cause and oure innocency For Christ what time he was accused by the Pharises of sorcery as one that had familiaritie with Deuills and did many thinges by their helpe I saith he haue no Deuill but I glorifie my father and you haue dishonored mee And Paule what time as Festus the leutenante contemned him as a madde man I saith he noble Festus am not mad as thou thinkest but I speake the wordes of truth and of sobrenesse And the Christians of the primitiue Churche what time as thei were iniuriously slaundered vnto the people as murderers of men adulterers incestuous persons and troublers of commō wealthes and sawe that by such slaunders the religiō which thei
amongest these kinde of mē or to their fathers before them any thinge newe or strange that in case there were any y t wolde complayne of their errors and desire the restitution of true religiō suche by and by as inuentors of new thyngs as factious persons to be condemned for Heretiks For Christ was called for none other cause a Samaritane thē for that he was supposed to haue declined vnto a certayne new religion and vnto Heresy And Paule the Apostle of Christe was called before the Iudge aunswer for himselfe vpon Heresy I saith he do worship the God of my fathers accordinge to this waie whiche they cal Heresy beleuing al things that are written in the lawe and the Prophets To be short this whole religiō which Cristiā mē do professe at this daie in the first beginnings therof was called of Heathen men a sette an Heresye thei w t these voyces alwaies filled the eares of Princes to the entēte that thei being ones broughte vpon an opinion conceiued before hande to hate vs to take whatsoeuer shold be said on our behalfe to be factious and Heresy might be caryed from the matter it selfe and from hearinge of the cause But the greater and y e horribler the faulte is so muche ought it to be proued wyth greater and more euident arguments specially in these daies nowe that men haue begonne to giue lesse credite vnto these mens dreames and more diligently to examine their doctrine then afore thei were accustomed For the people of God is otherwyse instructed now then they were when all thinges that were set forth by the Popes of Rome wer taken for the Gospell al religion depended onely vpon their authoritie The holy scriptures are now abroade the writings of the Apostles and Prophets ar abroad out of the which bothe all truth and catholike doctrine may be proued and all Heresye confuted But wheras of all these authorities these men bring not a worde against vs neuerthelesse to be called Heretikes that haue not declined nother from Christe nor frō the Apostles nor from the Prophets it is very iniuriouse and to to greuous With this sword Christ repulsed the Deuill when he was tempted of him with these weapons all loftynesse that auaunceth it selfe agaīst god must be ouerthrowē vāquished For al scripture saith Paul inspired of God is profitable to teach to confute to instruct to reproue y t the mā of God may be perfecte furnished vnto all good workes Thus alwais y e godly fathers fought against Heretiks w t none other weapons but out of y e holy scriptures Augustine when he disputed againste Petylyan the Donatiste heretike Suffer not saith he to be hearde these words amongst vs I saie or y u saiest rather let vs speake thus This saith the Lorde ther let vs leke the Churche there let vs trie out our cause And Ierome saith All those thinges whyche withoute the testimonie of the Scriptures are affirmed as thoe thei were deliuered from the Apostles are beaten downe with the swordde of God Ambrose also vnto Gratian Let the Scriptures saith he be asked the questiō let the Apostles be asked let the Prophets be asked let Christe be asked for the Catholike fathers Byshops in those daies doubted nothing that oure religion myght be sufficiently proued oute of the Scriptures of God Nor at any tyme durste they accounte any man for an Heretike whose errore they coulde not plainely and euidently reproue out of y e selfe same scriptures We therefore do saye for to answer w t S. Paule that according vnto this waye whiche they call Heresy we do worship God the father of our Lorde Iesu Christ we receiue al things y t are writē other in y e law or in the Prophets or in the bokes of y e Apostles Wherefore if we be Heretikes if these men be as they will be called Catholikes why do thei not that thynge whiche thei se the Fathers trew Catholike men in dede alwaies did Why do thei not conuince vs out of the holy scriptures Why do thei not cal vs to be tried by thē Why doe thei not make it appeare that we haue seuered oure selues from Christe from the Prophets from the Apostles frō the holy Fathers Why stagger they why flee thei it is Gods cause Why doubt thei to commit it to Gods worde But if we be Heretikes whiche referre all oure controuersies vnto the holy Scriptures and make oure appeale vnto the selfe same wordes whiche we knowe are sealed by God him selfe and doe preferre them before all thinges that may be deuised by manne what shall we saye to these men what manner of men or by what name were it conuenient to cal these that ar afraide to stand to the trial of the sacred scriptures that is to saie the iudgment of God himselfe and preferre before them their owne dreames and moste colde inuentions and for their owne traditions sake nowe manye yeares haue broken the ordinances of Christ and of the Apostles Sophocles the Poet when he was accused beinge an olde man to the Iudges of his sonnes for a dotarde and a foole and as one that fondely consumed his goodes and therefore seemed to haue neede of a tutor for to purge himselfe of this slaunder came into the courte after he had reade Oedipus Coloneus a tragedie which euen in the selfe same time that he was accused in he had writen wyth great diligence and very elegantly by and by he asked of the Iudges whether that verse seemed to be the verse of a dotinge man Euen so we bicause that vnto these men wee seeme to be madd and are slaundered of them as Heretiks as who woulde say we hadde now nothinge to do nother with Christe nor w t the Churche of God haue thought it shoulde not be vnconuenient nor vnprofytable if wee did plainely and freely declare vnto the worlde that faith wherin wee stande and all oure hope whiche wee haue in Iesus Christ that al men may see what we do holde touchinge euery parte of Christian religion and maye iudge with themselues whether that faith whiche they shall see confirmed with the wordes of Christ with the writinges of the Apostles with the testimonies of the Catholike fathers with the examples of many ages be only a raginge of madde menne and a conspiracie of Heretikes WEe beleue therfore that ther is one diuine nature power which we do cal GOD the same is distincted into thre equa persōs the Father the Sonne the holy Ghoste al of one power of one maiesty of one eternitie of one diuinitie of one substance And all be yt those three persons bee so distincted that nother the father is the sonne nother the sonne is the holy ghoste or the father yet that there is but one God and the same onely to haue created heauen and earthe and all things that are contained within the compasse
the authoritie of Gods word in so muche that as Ieremye saith the nūbre of Gods now dothe cōteruaile or rather excede the nūbre of the cities and the wretched people knoweth not towardes whiche of them it behoued them most to turne themselfe not bicause that albeit they be so many that they can not be numbred yet vnto euery one of thē thei haue apointed a seuerall office what they shal procure what they shal giue what they shall bring to passe but also bicause that bothe wickedly impudently they cal vpon the virgin Mary that she would remembre how she was a mother that she should cōmaunde her sonne and put in vre the authoritie that she hath ouer him We say that mā is borne in sinne leadeth his life in sinne That no mā can say truely My hart is cleane y t the most iustest mā is an vnprofitable seruant that the law of God is perfect requireth of vs a perfect and a ful obediēce that we in this life by no meanes cā satisfie the duety y t thereto doth appertaine Nor that there is any man that by his owne strēgth can be iustified in y e sight of God therfore that our onely sanctuarie and refuge is to the mercye of our Father through Iesus Christ to thintēt we may assuredly perswade our selfs y t he is the propitiatiō mercie sacrifice for our sinnes that w t his bloud al our spottes ar wiped away that he hath pacified al thinges with his bloud shedde vpō the crosse that he with that one and onely sacrifice whiche ones he offered vpō y e Crosse hath throughly perfected all thinges for this cause what time he was dyeng he sayd It is finished as thoe he wold signifie therby that the Raunsome for sinne of all mankind is payed This sacrifice in case there be any mā that thinke it not sufficient let them goe hardely seeke out a better We truly both bicause we know ther is but one we ar cōtent w t one loke for none other bicause it was to be offered but onely ones we doe not cōmaunde it to be repeted also bicause it was ful perfect in al respects we haue not instituted a cōtinual successiō of sacrifices Now although we say we haue no confidēce in our workes and doynges doe grounde the whole course of our saluatiō in Christ onely neuerthelesse we say not therupon y t we may liue loosly and wātonly as thoe it were inough for a Christian man to be dipped onely in y e water to beleue y t nothing els is to be looked for at his hande Trew faith is liuely and can not be idell Wherefore thus we doe teache the people that God hath called vs not to giue our selfs to excesse and our owne luste but as Paule sayeth vnto good workes to thintent to walke in them y t God hath drawen vs out of the powre of darkenes for to serue the liuyng God for to cut of the remaines of sinne for to worke our saluation in feare and trembling that the spirit of sanctification might appeare to be in our membres Christ him self thorough fayth to dwell in our hartes To cōclude we do beleue y t this self same flesh of ours wherin we doe liue albeit whē it is dead it turneth into duste yet at the laste day it shall returne agayne to life through the spirite of Christ which dwelleth in vs. In that daye what so euer in the meane time we suffer for his sake Christe will wipe from our eyes all maner of teares and we by him shall enioye life euerlasting and be with him for euer in glory So be it These be those heresies for the which a good parte of the world is cōdemned at this daye vnheard Wherfore they ought rather to haue brought their action agaynst Christe agaynst the Apostles agaynst the holy Fathers for these thinges haue not onely procedid frō them but also by them they were establyshed onles perauēture these men wil say the whiche also perhaps they will not sticke to say that Christ did not ordeyne the holy cōmmunion to thintent it should be distributed among the faithful or that the Apostles of Christ and the old fathers sayd priuate Masses in euery corner of theyr churches somtimes ten somtimes twēty at ones in one day or that Christ the Apostles did restrayne al the people from the Sacrament of his bloud or that euē that thing whiche at this day is done euery where amongst them and is so done that who that doeth otherwise they cōdemne him for an Heretike is not called of Gelasius their owne man sacrilege or that these be not the wordes of Ambrose Augustine Gelasius Theodorete Chrysostome Origene that bread and wine in the Sacraments remayne the same thinges y t they were before That whiche is sene vpon the holy table is bread that it ceasseth not to be the substance of bread and nature of wine that the substāce and nature of bread is not chaunged that the self same bread for so muche as apperteyneth to the matter goeth downe into the belly is caste out into the priuy place of withdrawing Or that Christ the Apostles and holi fathers did not praye in that tonge whiche the people did vnderstand or that Christ by y e one only sacrifice whiche he offered ones did not perfectly finishe all thinges or that that sacrifice was vnperfect so that now we haue neede of an other All these thinges thei must nedes say onles perauenture they had rather saye that all lawe and right is conteyned in the treasury of the Popes bosome or as one of his hyerlinges parasytes douted not in time paste to say that he might dispens agaynst the Apostles against the Councels against the Canōs of the Apostles and that he is not bounde by these examples ordinaunces and lawes of Christ. These thinges haue we learned of Christe of the Apostles and holy Fathers and the same we doe faithfully teache the people of God and for the same at this day we are called of him forsothe that wil be the prince of Religion Heretikes O mercyfull God Doe you conclude therfore that Christ him selfe and the Apostles and so many fathers haue together all erred doe you conclude that Origen Ambrose Angustine Chrysostome Gelasius Theodorete were men that abandoned and forsooke the Catholike fayth Doe you conclude that so perfect agrement of so many Byshops and learned men was nothyng els but a conspiracie of Heretickes Or els that that thyng whiche at that time was commended in them is now condemned in vs and that whiche in them was catholicke is now onely bicause men haue chaunged theyr fantasies sodenly become Schismatike or that whiche ones was trew nowe by and by bycause it pleaseth not these men shall be false Wherfore let them bryng forthe an other Gospell or let them shew causes wherefore
thee also of other matters after the same sorte I pray the amongest the whole numbre of olde Bishoppes and fathers where did euer any one of them teach thee either to say a priuate masse whiles the people loked on or to lifte vp the sacrament ouer thy heade in the whiche thyng all thy religiō is at this day contayned or to mangel Christes sacraments and contrary to his ordinance expresse wordes to deceaue the people of the one parte And that I may come ones to an ende of all the fathers whiche any one of them dyd teache the to dispose the bloud of Christ and merites of the holy Marters and as it were marchaundise to sell thy pardons in a common market and all the corners of purgatory These kinde of men ar oft times wonte to talke muche of their hidde and depe learnyng and of their manifolde and great variete of reading Let them therefore now bring out somwhat if they can wherby it maye at the leaste appeare that they haue readde and knowe somewhat They haue cried it out lustily in all companies where they came that all partes of their religiō were auncient and approued not only of the multitude but also by the consent and continuāce of all nations and times Wherfore let them at one time or other shew this antiquitie which thei speake of Let thē make these things to appere whiche ar spred as they say so far so wide Let them proue that al Christian nations haue agreed vnto their religion But they flee as we sayde a litle before euen them selfs from their owne decrees and those thinges whiche so fewe yeares paste they had established to remaine for euer in so shorte time haue made to be of none effect I pray you then how shold they trust in the fathers in the olde coūcels in the wordes of God They haue not O mercifull God they haue not those thinges whiche thei boaste themselues to haue nother antiquitie nor vniuersalitie nother the consent of all places nor of al times And therof they themselues although they would rather haue the matter dissembled ar not ignorāt Yea somtimes thei sticke not also plamly to confesse it And therfore thei say that the constitutions of olde Councels and fathers ar of that cōdition that somtimes they may be chaunged for according to the diuersitie of times diuerse decrees ar conuenient to be had in the Church And thus they couer thē self vnder the name and title of the Church and with a counterfaite shadow doe scornfully abuse the simple wretched people And a meruayle it is that either mē should be so blinde as they can not see these thinges or if they doe see them that they be so pacient as they can thus easily endure them and with so quiet a minde But in asmuche as they haue abolished and repealed those auncient decrees as thinges that ar now become ouer olde and worne out of vse peraduenture thei haue set other in their place that be better and also more profitable For they ar wonte to say y t not euen Christ himselfe or his Apostles if they should liue agayne coulde deuise a better or a more holyer waye to direct the Church of God then that wherby it is gouerned now at their hādes Trewe it is in deede that thei haue put other in their places but accordyng as Hieremias said chaffe in steade of wheate and as Esay saythe Those thynges whiche God hath not requyred at their hāds They haue stopped vp all the vaynes of the springyng water and they haue digged broken and durty pittes full of slyme and filthines whiche nother haue anye cleane water nor ar able to contayne it They haue taken from the people the holy communion the worde of God from whence shoulde haue come all comforte the true worshyppe of God the right vse of sacramētes and of prayer Agayne thei haue giuen vnto vs of their owne store wherewith in the meane season we might chiere oure selfes salte water creame pottes spittell palmes bulles Iubiles pardonnes crosses smoky incēce and an infinite nombre of ceremonies and mere mockes as Plautus saythe meerly to be mocked at In these thynges haue they fixed theyr whole religion With these thinges they taught that God might be well appeased that with these Devils be driuen awaye That with these mens consciences were confirmed For these forsothe be the ornamentes and denty storeboxes of Christian religion These in the sight of God be pleasant and acceptable that these thynges might be auaunced vnto honor it behoued that the ordinances of Christ and of the Apostles should be taken out of place And as the wicked kynge Hieroboam in time paste after he had taken awaye the true worship of God and had brought the people to the worshipping of golden calues leaste that afterwardes they shoulde peraduenture haue chaūged theyr mindes and slipping from him haue returned agayne vnto Hierusalem to the Temple of God he exhorted them with a long oration vnto constācie sayng These o Israel ar thy gods after this sorte your God hath commaunded that you should worshippe him It should be a paynefull and a troublesome thing for you to vndertake so long a Iorney and euery yeare to goe to Hierusalem to the intent to honor and to worshippe God After the same māner in all pointes these men when that for theyr owne traditiōs sake they had ones made voyde the law of God least that the people should afterwardes opē their eies and slippe an other waye and finde at others handes a more certayne course for their saluation O how often haue they cried This is y t kynde of worshippyng that pleaseth God and whiche he doth streightly require at our handes and wherewith he will be appeased in his anger By these thinges the agrement in the Church is conserued with these thinges all sinne is cleansid and consciences ar made quiet whoe that shal forsake these thinges he leaueth himself no hope of eternall saluatiō It is a paynefull and a troublesome thyng for the people to looke backe vpon Christ vpon the Apostles vpō the olde fathers euer more to be attentife what their will and commaundement is This I warrant you is the very way to bring the people of God frō the weake elementes of the world from the leauenne of scribes Pharises and from mans traditions It behoved that the ordenaunces of Christe and of his Apostles should be thruste out of place that these might be accepted in theyr stede O this was a sufficiēt cause why that good olde doctrine whiche many ages had bene approued should be abiected and a new forme of Religion should be brought into y e Church of God Neuerthelesse what so euer it is these men crie still Nothyng must be chaūged with these thinges mens mindes ar satisfied these thinges ar decreed by the churche of Rome that church can not erre for Siluester Prierias saith y t the Church of Rome is the squire rule