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
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
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
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
that is well instructed to stande a very blocke and a post without giuing any voice w tout vttering his opinioÌ„ only to awaite what they wil appoint or commaunde him to doe w tout eares without eyes without stomacke without courage to receiue without exception whatsoeuer these fellowes shall lay vpon him and at a blinde auenture doe their commauÌ„dements how blasphemous and wicked soeuer thei be yea though they shoulde commaunde them to destroye Religion all together and to hange vp Christ himselfe vpon the Cross this is surely a matter bothe of great pride and of great reproch and of great iniquite also vntolerable for ChristiaÌ„ and wise Princes to endure For what think you Can Annas and Caiphas vnderstand these matters and can not Dauid and Ezechias vnderstande them Is it lawfull for a Cardinal being a man of warre and deliting in blood to sit in the couÌ„cell And is it not lawful for the Emperor or a ChristiaÌ„ king For we doe giue no aucthoritie vnto our magistrates more then y t we know is both giuen vnto them out of gods word and also approued by the example of the beste gouerned commoÌ„ welthes For besides y t God hath committed vnto euery faithfull Prince the charge of both the tables to the entent he shoulde vnderstande y t not only Ciuile matters but also religious Ecclesiasticall causes appertained to his office Besides y t kings or ofteÌ„times expresly coÌ„maÌ„ded of God to cut down superstitious groues to ouerthrowe Images of Idoles and aulters to haue at hande a copye of the boke of the law and that Esaie saith he ought to be a patron and a fosterer of the Church Besids I say al these things we see by the stories examples of the best tims for gouernement y t godly Princes neuer thought it a thing estranged from their office to take the charge of Churches Moses a ciuile magistrate and a leader of the people bothe receaued of God and also deliuered vnto the people the whole ordre of religion and of sacrifices and moreouer sharpely and greuously chastened Aaron the Byshoppe for the golden calfe and for transgression of Religion Iosue although he was none other but a cyuile magistrate neuerthelesse what time he was fyrste aduaunced to his office and appoynted to be ruler ouer the people he receiued his commission namely for religion and for the worshiping of God King Dauid what tyme as all religion by wicked kinge Saule was vtterly destroied broughte home againe the arke of God that is to saye he restored religion neither was he there as one that onely did cal vpon them and exhorte them to that worke but also he made Psalmes and Hymnes and did set in ordre euery degre and ordained their solemne araye and was in manner the chiefe amonge the Preestes Salamon the king buylded a Temple to the Lord the whiche his father Dauide had onely in purpose to set vp and when all was finished he made a goodly oration to the people touching ReligioÌ„ and the worship of God afterwards he remoued Abiathar the Bysshop out of office and did apoint in his place Sadoke and what time as the Lords Temple was afterwards through the defaulte and negligence of the priestes in most filthy wise defiled Ezechias the king commauÌ„ded that the rubbishe and filth should be caried away that lightes should be set vp that incense should be offered and sacrifices be made according to the olde appointed order also that the brasen Serpent which at that time the people did most vngodly worsship should be takeÌ„ downe and broken into powder King Iosaphat what time he saw the true worship of God was hindered that the people was w tholden by a priuate superstition froÌ„ the coÌ„mon Temple which was at IerusaleÌ„ wherunto men ought to resort yearely from al partes of the realme he ouerthrew and toke away their hill altars superstitious groues King Iosias was diligent in admonisshing the priestes and Bysshops of their dutye King Ioas corrected y e ryoting arrogancy of priests Iehu did put the wicked Prophets to death But now to speake no more of examples out of the holy Scriptures and that we may rather come to coÌ„sider in what sorte the Church hath been gouerned since the birth of Christ in the time of the gospell in time past Christian Emperors did suÌ„mon y e Bysshops to come to couÌ„cels CoÌ„stantine the Councell of Nice Theodosiê° y e first the CouÌ„cel of ConstaÌ„tinople Theodosius y e second y e couÌ„cel of Ephesus MarcioÌ„ the couÌ„cel of Calcedon what time as Rufine alleged a couÌ„cell as an aucthoritie that made for his purpose his aduersari Hierôe for to coÌ„fute him saith Tel me by what Emperor was it suÌ„moned The same man in an Epitaphe of Paula doth cyte the letters of Emperours which commaunded the Latine and Greeke Bysshops to appere at Rome Doubtlesse for fiue hundred yeares together Themperour alone called the holy assemblies helde the couÌ„cels of Bysshops So much the more doe we maruaile at the vntimely boldnesse of the Bysshop of Rome at this day who so vnaduisedly entyteleth himselfe alone vnto that thing which he knoweth whiles the Christian common welth was vnited in one was the Emperours right and now sythens that kynges haue encroched vpon part of the Emperors estate is the common right of all princes and yet he thinketh it sufficient for him to signifie his pleasure of holding a couÌ„cell to the greatest estate of the worlde euen as he woulde sende to his man And in case that Ferdinando paraduenture be of such modesty by reason he is not sufficiently instructed of y e Popes sleightes that he can bere this iniurye yet the Pope himselfe for his holines sake should not offer him iniury chaleÌ„g vnto himself the right of an other maÌ„ But some man will say true it is that in those daies the Emperour called the councels bicause the Bysshop of Rome was not yet come to this greatnes yet neither at that time did he sit together in councell with the Bysshops nor entermeddle his authoritie wyth anye parte of their consultation Yes truely the Emperour Constantine as Theodoret saith did not onely sitt amongest them in the councel of Nice but also admonished y e Bishops how thei ought to trie their coÌ„trouersy out of the bookes of the Prophets and of the Apostles In disputation saith he of matters of diuinitie wee haue the doctrine of the holy Ghost set before vs to the intent we should folowe it For the bookes of the EuaÌ„gelistes of y e Apostles and of the Prophets doth sufficieÌ„tly declare vnto vs what we ought to think of gods will Theodosius the Emperour as Socrates saith dyd not onely sit amongest the Bysshops but also was chiefe iudge of the controuersy and did both teare the writinges of the Heretikes and also allowed the iudgement of the Catholykes In the councel
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
professed mighte bee broughte in question specially if thei should seme by their silence in manner to acknoledg the fault least I say this silence sholde hinder y e course of the Gospell thei made orations thei wrote supplications spake before Emperours and Princes in the open defence of them and of theirs As for vs inasmuche as within these .20 yeares laste paste so many thousandes of our brethrē in the middest of their extreme tormēts haue borne witnes to y e truth Princes coueting to bridel y e Gospell in moyling many waies haue lobored all in vaine and that the whole worlde in manner beginneth now to open their eies to beholde y e light we thinke that our cause is already sufficiently pleaded defended and that wheras the matter it selfe speaketh inough for it self there is no great neede of words For if the Popes themselues would or rather if thei coulde consider wyth them selues the whole matter the beginnings and the māner of the encrease of out religion how that their trasshe in manner euery white when no man touched it withoute all helpe of man sell downe to the grounde againe how our profession at the first not withstandinge the continual resistence of Emperors of so many Kynges of Popes Bishops of all men in māner hath encreased and by litle litle spred ouer al the earth and now also at the length is entered in to the Courtes and Palaces of kings euen these things onely might be sufficient tokens wherby to vnderstand that God himself doth fight in our defence and skorneth from heauen all their endeuours that so mighty is the power of truth y t no force of man nor yet Hel gates can withstand it For be ye sure so many free cities so many kings so many Princes as at this day haue abandoned the sea of Rome and adioyned themself to the Gospel of Christe are not become madde And albeit peraduenture hetherto the Popes haue had no leisure to thinke aduisedli earnestly vpō these matters or if now at this day they be letted encombred w t other busines or if thei take these kinde of trauails to be base light matters to appertaine nothing to the maiestie of a Pope yet our cause oughte to seeme therefore neuer a whit the worse Nother if perhaps thei wil not see these thinges whiche thei do see but rather fighte against the knowne truthe ar we therefore by and by to be taken for Heretikes whiche do not apply our selues to their will Truly if Pope Pius had ben the man I saye not whiche he desiereth to be taken for but if he were at the least suche a one as had accounted vs to be other as his brothren or at the leaste as men he woulde fyrste haue diligently waied oure reasons bothe what we haue to saye for vs and what may be saide againste vs not so rashely onely with a blinde sentence determined afore hande in that Bul of his wherin of late he made a counterfaite shewe of a Councell haue condemned a good part of the worlde so many learned godly men so many commō weales so many Kynges so many Princes the persons vnheard the cause not pleaded But inasmuche as he hathe now openly slaundered vs after this sorte leaste that by silence we might seeme to confesse the faulte and specially bicause that in the open Councell wherein he will suffer no man but onely suche as are sworne and addicted vnto his vsurped power to haue authoritie to gyue a voyce or to declare his minde we can in no wise be hearde for therof in the laste assemble at Trente we had ouer muche experience what time the Embassadours and diuines of the Princes and of the free citees of Germany were vtterly excluded out of all their assembles nother can we yet forget how that Iulius the 3 tenne yeares past in his bul strayghtly did forbid that no man of oure proffessyon shoulde be hearde in the councell onlesse paraduenture there were any that woulde recante and chaunge his opiniō euen for these causes specially we haue thought it good to render a reason of oure faithe by writinge vnto suche thinges as are openly obiected againste vs truly openly to answer to the entēt the whole worlde may see the partes and the foundation of that doctrine whiche so many godly men haue preferred before their owne liffes that all men may vnderstande what māner of men thei be and what thei do thinke of God of religion whome the Byshop of Rome not wel aduised hathe condemned for Heretiks yea before thei were called to pleade their cause without lawe without example onely bicause he hearde say thei differed from him from his in some parte of Religion And although in the suspicion of Heresy S. Ierome will haue noe man to be pacient neuerthelesse we wyll demeane our selfe nother bitterly nor tantingly w t many wordes nor yet be caried into any chauffe with anger although in dede he ought not to seeme bitter or tātinge that speaketh truth But this kynde of eloquence we are content to leaue to our aduersaries who what soeuer thei speake against vs thoe it be neuer so bytterly or slanderously spoken yet it is modestly spoken and to good purpose how truly or falslye therof thei make no great account Suche kinde of sleights we haue no nede of that defende the truth But in case we doe proue that the sacred Gospell of God and the auncient Bishops together with the primitiue Churche dothe make for vs and that we haue vpon iuste cause bothe departed from these men and also retourned now againe vnto the Apostles and olde catholike fathers and that we do it in dede not couertly or craftely but with a good conscience before God truly frankly clerely plainely if thei them selues which flee oure doctrine and will be caled Catholikes shal euidently se al those tytles of ātiquitie wherin thei glorie so much wrounge out of their handes that ther is more pith in our cause then euer thei coulde imagine we trust no man amongest them wil be so negligente of his saluaciō but that he will at some time take in hande to bethynke hym selfe vnto whether parte it were best for him to sticke vnto and truly no man except suche a one as hath hardned his hart and wil not heare shal repent him selfe of his laboure to haue geuen eare vnto oure defence and to haue marked bothe what we do say and how agreably vnto y e whole course of Christiā religiō For wher as thei cal vs Heretikes truly the fault is so great y t vnles it be seene vnles it be felte vnles it be gryped with handes and fingers it ought not easily to be beleued of him that is a Christian mā For Heresie is a renouncing of saluation a casting awaie of the grace of God a departing from the bodi and spirit of Christ. But this thing was neuer