mad a mocking stock The world espyeth a good whyle a gon what there ys a doyng abroade This flame the more it is kept downe somuch the more with greater force and strengh doth it break out and flye abroade Their vnfaithfulnes shall not diâ—apoincte goddes faithfull promyse And yf they shall refuse to laye awaye this their hardenes of heart and to receiue the Gospel of Christ then shall Publicanes and synners go before them into the kingedome of Heauen GOD and the Father of oure Lorde IESVS CHRIST open the eyes of them all that they maye be able to see that blessed hope whereunto they haue ben called so as wee maye altogither in one glorifie hym alone who is the treâ— God and also that same Iesus Christ whome he sent downe to vs from Heauen vnto whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be giuen all honour and glorie euerlastinglye So be it The ende of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande The manner how the Churche of Englande is administred gouerned The Churche of EnglaÌ„d is diuided in to two Prouinces Canterbury and Yorke The Prouince of Canterbury hath Tharchebyshop of the same who is Primate of all Englande and Metropolitane The Byshop of London The Byshop of Winchestes The Byshop of Elye The Byshop of Chichestes The Byshop of Hereforde The Byshop of Salysburie The Byshop of Worcetor The Byshop of Lincolne The Byshop of Couentrie and Lichefield The Byshop of Bathe and Welles The Byshop of Norwiche The Byshop of Excetor The Byshop of Rochester The Byshop of Peterborough The Byshop of S. Dauies The Byshop of S. Assaph The Byshop of Landaffe The Byshop of Bangor The Byshop of Oxforde The Byshop of Glocester and The Byshop of Bristowe The Prouince of Yorke hathe Tharthebyshop of the same who is also Primate of England and Metropolitane The Byshop of Durham The Byshop of Carliell and The Byshop of Chester Amongest vs heere in Englande no man is called or preferred to bee a Bysshop except he haue first receiued the orders of Priesthoâ—de and be well hable to instruct the people in y e holy scriptures Euery one of the Archebyshops and Byshops haue their seuerall Cathedrall churches Wherein y e deanes beare chiefe rule being men specially chosen both for their learning and godlines as neere as maye bee These Cathedrall Churches haue also other dignities and CanoÌ„ries whervnto bee assigned no ydle or vnprofitable persones but suche as eyther bee Preachers or professours of the Sciences of good learninge In the saide Cathedrall Churches vpon Sondayes and festiuall dayes the Canons make ordinarilye special Sermons wherevnto duely resorte the head Officers of the Cities and the Citizens and vpon the workendayes thryse in the weeke one of the Canons doth read and expound some peece of holy Scripture Also the saide Archebyshops and Bysshops haue vnder them their Archedeacons some two some foure some sixe accordinge to the largenes of the dioces the whiche Archedeacons keepe yearly twoo visitations wherein they make diligent inquisition and searche both of the doctrine and behauiour as well of the ministers as of the people They punishe thoffendors and if any errours in religion and heresies fortune to springe thei bring those and other weighty matters before the Byshops themselues There is nothing read in oure Churches but the canonical scriptures which is done in suche ordre as that the Psalter is read ouer euery moneth the new Testament foure times in the yeare and the olde Testament once euery yeare And if the Curate be iudged of y e Byshop to be sufficiently seene in the holy scripturs he dothe withal make some exposition and exhortacion vnto godlines And for somuch aâ— our Churches and Vniuersities haue ben woÌ„derfully marred and so souly brought out of al fashion in time of papistrie as there can not be had learned pastors for euery parysh there bee prescribed vnto the Curates of meaner vnderstandinge certaine Homelies deuised by learned men whiche doe comprehende the principall poinctes of Christian doctrine as of Originall sin of Iustification of Faith of Charitie suche like for to bee read by them vnto the people As for Common prayer The lessons taken out of the Scriptures thadministringe of the sacramentes and the residue of seruice done in the Churches are euery whitt done in the vulgare tongue whiche all may vnderstande Touchinge the vniuersities Moreouer this Realme of England hathe twoo Vniuersities Cambridge and Oxforde And the manner is not to liue in these within houses that be Innes or a receipt for common geastes as is the custome of some vniuersities but they liue in colledges vnder moste graue and seuere discipline euen suche as the famous learned man Erasmus of Roterodame beinge heere amongest vs about fourtie yeares past was bolde to preferre before y e very rules of the Monkes In Cambridge bee xiiii Colledges these by name that folowe Trinitie Colledge founded by kinge Henrie the eight The kinges Colledge S. Iohns Colledge Christes Colledge The Quenes Colledge Ihesus Colledge Bennet Colledge Pembroke Colledge or Pembroke halle Peter Colledge or Peter house Bunwell and Caws colledge or halle One other Trinitie colledge or Trinitie halle Clare colledge or Clare halle S. Katherins colledge or Katherin halle Magdalene colledge In Oxford likwise there be Colledges some greater some smaler to the number of foure and twentye the names whereof be as followeth The Cathedrall Churche of Christe wherein also is a great company of studentes Magdalene colledge Newe colledge Marten colledge All sowles colledge Corpus Christi colledge Lincolne colledge Anriell colledge The Ouenes colledge Baptie colledge or Bailioll colledge S. Iohns colledge Trinitie colledge Excetor colledge Brasen nose colledge Thuniuersitie colledge Glocetor colledge Brodegaâ—e halle â—â—aete halle Maâ—â—alene halle Aâ—borne halle S. Marie halle â—hyre halle â—ewe Iâ—â—e Edmonde halle And besides these Colledges that be in the Vniuersities this Realme hath also certein collegiate churches as Westmynster Windesour Eaton and Wynchester The two last whereof do bring vp and fynde a greate number of yong Scholers the whiche after they be once parfect in the rules of Grammer and of versifieng and well entred in the principles of the Greeke tong and of Rhetorike are sent from thence vnto the vniuersities as thus Out of Eaton colledge they be sent vnto the Kynges colledge at Cambrydge out of Wynchester vnto the New colledge at Oxford The Colledges of both the Vniuersities be not only very fayre and goodly builte thorough thexceding liberalitie of y e kynges in olde time of late dayes of Byshopps and of noble men but they be also endowed with marueylous large liuinges and reuenewes In Trinitie colledge at Cambrydge and in Christes colledge at Oxford both whiche were founded by Kyng Henry theight of most famous memorie are at the least founde foure hundreth Shollers and the like number wel neere is to be seene in certen other Colledges as in the Kynges Colledge S. Iohns Colledge
their owne kyngedome strayght way is at a pointe yf the scripture once haue the vpper hande and that lyke as men say the Idolles of diuells in times past of whom menne in doubtfull matters were then wont to receiue auÌ„swers were sodâ—nly striken domme at the sight of Christ when he was borne and came into the world euen so they see that now al their suttle practises wil sone fal down hedlong vpon the sight of the Gospell For Antichrist is not ouerthrowen but with the brightnes of Christes coÌ„ming As for vs we runne not for succour to the fyer as these mennes guyse is but we runne to the scriptures neyther doe we reason with the sworde but with y e worde of God and therewith as saythe Tertullian do we feed our fayth by it do we styr vp our hope and strengthen our confidence For wee knowe that the Gospell of IESV CHRIST is the power of God vnto saluation and that therein consisteth eternall lyfe And as Paule warneth vs wee do not heare no not an Aungel of God coming from heauen yf he go about to pull vs from any parte of this doctrine Yea more then this as the holy martyr Iustine spekith of hym selfe we would giue no credence to God him selfe yf he should teache vs any other Gospell For where these menne byd the holie Scriptures away as domme and frutles and procure vs to come to God him selfe rather who speaketh in the Church and in Councelles whiche is to saye to beleue their fansies and opinions This waye of fynding out the truth is verye vncertaine and exceding daungerous in maÌ„ner a Fantastical a mad way and by no meanes allowed of the holye Fathers Chrysostom saith there be many oftentymes whiche boast themselues of the holye Ghoste but truelye who so speake of their owne head doe falselye boast they haue the spirite of God For like as saith he Christ denied he spake of him selfe when he spake out of the lawe and Prophets euen so now yf any thing be preassed vpon vs in the name of the holy Ghoste saue the Gospell we ought not to beleue it For as Christ is the fulfilling of the lawe and the Prophetes so is the holye Ghoste the fulfyllinge of the Gospell Thus farre goeth Chrysostom But here I looke thei wil say though they haue not the Scriptures yet maye chaunce they haue the Auncient Doctours and the holy Fathers with them For this is a high bragge they haue euer made how that al antiquity and a continuall consent of all ages dothe make on their side and that all our cases be but new yester dayes worke vntill these fewe laste yeares neuer heard of Questionlesse there can nothing be more spitfully spoken against the religion of God theÌ„ to acuse it of noueltie as a new comeÌ„ vp matter For as ther can be no chauÌ„ge in God him selfe no more ought there to be in his religion Yet neuertheles we wote not by what meanes but we haue euer seene it come so to passe from the first beginning of al that as often as God did giue but some light and did open his truth vnto men though y e truth wer not only of greatest antiquitie but also from euerlasting yet of wicked men of the aduersaries was it called NewfaÌ„gled and of late deuised That vngracious and bloud thristâ— Haman when he sought to procure the king Assueruses displeasure against y e Iewes this was his accusation to him Thou hast here saith he a kinde of people that vseth certaine new lawes of their owne but stifnecked rebellious against al thy lawes When Paule also began first to preach expouÌ„d y e Gospel at Athenes he was called A tidinges bringer of newe Gods as muche to saye as of new religion for said the Athenians maye wee not knowe of thee what newe doctrine this is Celsus likewise when he of set purpose wrote against Christ to thende he might more scornefully scoffe out the Gospel by the name of noueltye What saith he hath God after so many ages nowe at last and so late bethought himselfe Eusebius also wryteth that Christian religion from the beginning for very spite was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say New strange After like sorte these men coÌ„demne all our matters as strange newe but they will haue their owne whatsoeuer thei are to be praised as thinges of long coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce Doing much like to yÌ„e enchauÌ„ters sorcerers now a daies which working w t diuels vse to say thei haue their bokes and al their holy hidd mysteries from Athanasius Cyprian Moses Abell Adam from the Archaungell Raphael because y t their connig comming from suche patrones founders might be iudged the more high and holy After the same fasshion these men bicause they would haue their owne religion whiche they themselues and that not longe since haue brought forth into the world to be the eaâ—â—lier and rather accepted of foolishe persons or of suche as caste little whereabouts thei or other do go thei are wont to say they had it from Augustine Hierome Chrysostome froÌ„ the Apostles and from Christe himselfe Ful wel knowe thei y t nothinge is more in the peoples fauour or better liketh the common sorte then these names But how if the thinges whiche these men are so desirous to haue seeme newe be found of greatest antiquitie Contrariwise howe if all the thinges well nye whiche they so greatly set out with the name of antiquitie hauing been wel and throughly examined be at length founde to be but new and deuised of verye late Southly to say no man that had a true and right coÌ„sideracion would think the Iewes lawes and cerimonies to be new for all Hammans accusation for they were grauen in very auncient Tables of most antiquitie And although many did take Christ to haue swarued from Abraham the old fathers to haue brought in a certaine newe religion in his owne name yet aunswered hee them directly Yf ye beleeued Moyses ye woulde beleeue mee also for my doctrine is not so new as you make yt For Moses an author of greatest antiquitie and one to whome ye geue al honor hath spoken of me Paule likewise though the Gospell of Iesus Christe be of many counted to be but new yet hath it saith he the testimonie most old both of the law and prophetes As for our doctrine whiche wee may rightlier cal Christes catholik doctrine it is so farre of from newe that God who is aboue all most auncient the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe hath left the same vnto vs in y e Gospel in y e prophets Apostles woorkes beinge monuments of greatest age So that no man can nowe thinke oure doctrine to be newe onlesse the same thinke either the prophetes faithe or the Gospell or els Christe himselfe to be newe And as for their religion if it be of so longe continuance as thei woulde haue men weene it is
a Glutton Againe who wotteth noâ— what woordes were spoken agaynste Sainct Paule the most earnest and vehement preacher and maintainour of y e truth Somtime that he was a sediâ—â—ous and busy man a raiser of tumultes a causer of rebellion somtime againe that he was an heretique sometime y t he was mad Somtime that onely vppon strife and stomacke he was bothe a blasphemer of Gods lawe and a despiser of the Fathers ordinances Further who knoweth not howe Sainct Stephan after he had throughly sincerely embraced the truth and beganne franklye and stoutly to preache and set forthe the same as he ought to do was immediatlye called to aunswere for his life as one that had wickedly vtered disdainâ—ul and haynous wordes against the lawe against Moyses against the Temple and against God Or who is ignorant that in tymes past there werre some which reproued the holye Scriptures of falsehood saying they conteined thinges both contrary and quite one against an other and howe that the Apostles of Christe did seuerallye disagree betwixt them selues and that S. Paule did vary from them all And not to make rehearsal of al for that were an endles labour who knoweth not after what sorte our Fathers were railed vpon in times past which first began to acknowledge and professe the name of Christe howe they made priuat conspiracies deuised secrete councels against the common welth to that end made earelie and priuie meetinges in the darke kylled yonge babes fedd themselues w t mens fleshe and lyke sauage and brute beastes didde drinke their bloude In conclusion howe that after they had put out the candels they committed adulterye betweene themselues and without regarde wrought incest one with an other that Brethren laie with their sisters sonnes with their Mothers without any reuerence of nature or kynne without shame without difference and that thei wer wicked men without all care of Religion and without anye opinion of God being the very ennemies of mankinde vnworthy to be suffered in the worlde and vnworthie of lyfe All these thinges wer spoken in those daies against the people of God against Christ Iesu against Paul against Stephan and against all them whosoeuer they were which at the first beginninge imbraced the truthe of the Gospell and were contented to be called by the name of Christians which was then an hatefull name amonge the common people And although the thinges whiche they said wer not true yet the Diuel thought it shoulde be sufficient for him yf at the least he coulde bringe iâ— so to passe as they might bee beleeued for true and that the Christians might bee brought into a commoÌ„ hatred of euery body and haue their death and destruction sought of all sortes Herevpon Kings and Princes beinge ledde then by suche perswasions killed all the Prophetes of God lettinge none escape Esai with a sawe Ieremy with stones Daniell with Lyons Amos with an yron barre Paule with the sword Christ vpon y e crosse and condemned all Christians to imprisonmentes to tormentes to the pikes to be thrwone doune headlong from rocks stepe places to be caste to wild beastes and to be burnt made great syres of their quicke bodies for y e only purpose to giue light by night for a very scorne mockinge stocke and didde compt them no better then the vilest fylth thofscouringes and laughing games of y e whole worlde Thus as ye see haue the Authors and professours of the trueth euer ben entreated Wherefore wee oughte to beare yt the more quyetlye which haue taken vppon vs to professe the Gospell of Christ yf we for the same cause be handled after the same sorte and yf wee as our forefathers weare longe ago bee lykewyse at thys day tormented bayted with raylings with spitefull dealinges and with lyes and that for no desert of our owne but onely bicause we teach and acknowledge the truthe They crye out vpon vs at thys present euery wheare that we are all heretiques and haue forsaken the fayth and haue with newe perswasions and wicked learninge vtterly dyssolued the concorde of the Churche that we renew as it weare fetche againe from hell the olde and many a daye condempned heresyes that we sow abroade newe sects and suche broyles as neuer yearst weare hearde of also that we are already deuided into contrarye partes and opinions and coulde yet by no meanes agree well amonge oure selues that wee be cursed creatures lyke y e Gyauntes do warre againste God him selfe and lyue cleane without any regarde or worshippinge of God that we despise all good deedes that we vse noe discipline of vertue no lawes no customes that we esteeme neither righte nor order nor equitie nor iustice that we geue y e brydell to al naugh tines and prouoke the people to all lycenciousnes and lust that we labour seke to ouerthrowe the state of Monarchies and Kyngdomes and to bringe al thinges vnder the rule of the rashe incoÌ„stante people and vnlearned multitude that wee haue seditiously fallen from y e Catholique Churche and by a wycked schisme and diuision haue shaken the whole worlde and trobled the common peace and vniuersal quiet of the church and that as Dathan and Abyron conspired in times past against Moises and Aaron euen so wee at this day haue renounced the Byshop of Rome without anye cause resonable y t we set nought by the aucthoritie of thauncient fathers and Councels of oulde time that wee haue rashly and presumptuously disanulled the olde cerimonies which haue ben well alowed by oure fathers and forefathers manye hundreth yeare past bothe by good customes and also in ages of more puritie and that wee haue by our owne priuate head without the aucthoritie of any sacred and general Councell brought new traditions into y e Church and haue don all these thinges not for Religions sake but only vppon a desyre of contention and stryfe But that they for theyr parte haue chaunged no maner of thinge but haue helde and kepte still suche a nomber of yeares to this verye day all thinges as they were deliuered from the Apostles and well approued by the most auncient Fathers And that thys matter shoulde not seeme to be don but vppon priuie slaunder and to be tossed to and fro in a corner onely to spyte vs there haue ben besides wyâ—ely procured by the Bysshop of Rome certaine parsons of eloquence yenough and not vnlearned neyther whiche shoulde put theyre helpe to thys cause now almost despaired of should polyshe and set furth the same both in bookes and with long tales to the end that when the matter was trymlye and eloquently handled ignorant and vnskilfull persons mighte suspecte there was som great thing in it In deede they perceiued that their owne cause did euerye where go to wracke that their sleightes were nowe espyed and lesse esteemed that their helpes did dayly fayle them that their matter stoode altogether in great neede of
many Prynces only vppon his owne blynd preiudices and foredeterminations and y t without hearing of them speak or without shewing cause whye But bycause he hath alredy so noted vs openlye least by holdynge oure peace we should seme to graunt a fault and specially bycause we can by no meane haue audience in y e publik assembly of the general Councel wherein he would no creature should haue power to geue his voice or declare his opinion excepte he were sworne and straightly bounde to maintaine his aucthoritie For wee haue had good experience hereof in his last conference at the councel at Trident where the embassadours diuines of the Princes of Germany and of the free Cities were quite shutte out from their company nother can we yet forget how Iulius the third aboue ten yeares past prouided warely by his writt that none of our sorte shoulde bee suffered to speake in the Councell except there were som paraduenture y t wolde recante and chaunge his opinion For this cause chieflye we thoughte it good to yelde vp an accoumpte of oure faith in writing truely and openly to make aunswere to those things wherwith wee haue ben openly charged to thende the worlde may see the partes and foundacions of that doctrine in the behalfe whereof so many good men haue litle regarded their oune lyues And y t al men may vnderstand what manner of people they be and what opinion they haue of God and of Religion whome the Bysshop of Rome before they were called to tell theire tale hath condemned for heretikes without any good consideratioÌ„ without any exaumple vtterly without lawe or righte onelye bycause he hearde tell that they did dissente from hym and his in som pointe of Religion And although S. Hierome would haue no bodie to be patient when he is suspected of heresy yet we wil deal herein nether bitterly nor brablingly nor yet be caried away w t angre heate though he ought to be reckned neither bitter nor brabler y t speaketh y e truth We willingly leaue thys kynde of eloquence to oure aduersaries who whatsoeuer they say against vs be it neuer so shrewdly or dipitefully sayde yet thinke it is sayd modestely and comely ynough and care nothing whether it be trew or false Wee neede none of these shyftes which do maintaine the truthe Further yf wee do shewe it plaine that Gods holie Gospell the aunciente Byshops and the primatiue Churche do make on our syde and that wee haue not without iust cause left these men and rather haue retourned to the Apostles and oulde catholique Fathers And yf wee shall be founde to doe the same not coulorably or craftely but in good faith before God truly honestly cleerely and plainly and yf they theÌ„selues which â—ye our doctrine and woulde be called Catholiks shall manifestly see how al those titles of antiquitie whereof they boste so much ar quite shaken out of their haÌ„ds and that there is more pith in this oure cause then they thoughte for wee then hope and trust that none of them wil be so negligent and careles of his own saluation but he will at length studye and bethinke him selfe to whether parte hee were best to ioyne him Vndoubtedlye excepte one will altogether harden his hearte and refuse to heare he shal not repent him to geue good heede to this out defence and to mark well what wee say how truly and iustly it agreeth with Christian Religion For where they call vs Heretikes it is a crime so haynous y t onles it may be seene vnles it may be felt in maÌ„ner may be holdeÌ„ with hands and fingers it ought not lightly to be iudged or beleued when it is â—aide to the charge of any Christian man For heresy is a â—orsaking of saluatioÌ„ a renouncing of Gods grace a departing from the body and spirite of Christe But this was euer an olde and solempne propretye with them and theire forefathers yf any did complaine of their errours and faultes and desired to haue true Religion restored streighte waye to coÌ„demne such one for heretikes as men new fangled factious Christe for no nother cause was called a Samaritan but onely for y t he was thoughte to haue fallen to a certaine newe Religion and to be the Aucthor of a newe sect And Paul thapostle of CHRISTE was called before the Iudges to make aunswere to a matter of heresy and therfore hee saied Acordinge to this way whiche they call Heresye I doo worshippe the God of my Fathers beleeuinge all thinges which be written in the law and in the Prophets Shortely to speake This vniuersal Religion whiche Christen men professe at this day was called firste of the heathen people a Sect Heresy With these termes did they alwaies fil priÌ„ces eares to thintent when they had once hated vs with a foredetermined opinion and had coumpted all that wee sayed to bee faction and heresy they might be so ledd away from y e truth right vnderstaÌ„ding of the cause But the more sore and outragious a crime heresye is the more it ought to be proued by plaine and strong argumentes especially in this time wheÌ„ men begin to geue lesse credite to theyre words to make more diligent searche of theyr doctrine then they were wont to do For y e people of God ar otherwyse instructed now then they were in times past when all the Bysshopps of Romes sayenges were allowed for Gospell when all Religion did depende only vpon their aucthoritie Nowe a daies the holie scripture is abroad the writinges of the Apostles Prophets ar in printe whereby all truth and Catholyke doctrine may be proued and all heresie may be disproued and confuted Sithens then they bring furth none of these for them selues and call vs neuertheles Heretiques which haue nether fallen from Christ nor from y e Apostles nor yet from the Prophets this ys an iniurious and a very spitefull dealinge With this sword did Christe put of the Dyuel when he was tempted of him w c these weapons oughte all presumption which doth auauÌ„ce it selfe against God to be ouerthrowen and coÌ„quered For al Scripture sayeth S. Paule that commeth by the inspiration of God is profitable to teach to confute to instruct and to reproue that the man of God may be perfect and throughly framed to euery good work Thus did the holy Fathers alway fight agaynst the heretikes with none other force then with y e holy scriptures S. Augustin when he disputed against Petilian an heretike of â— Donatistes Let not these woordes quod he be heard betwene vs I say or you say let vs rather speake in this wise Thus sayeth the Lorde there let vs seeke the Church ther let vs boult out our cause Lykewise S. Hâ—erome All those things sayth he which without the testimonie of the scriptures are holden as deliuered from y e Apostles be throughly smitten down by the sword of Gods worde S. Ambrose also
cryed The temple of the Lorde The temple of the lorde or as the Phariseis and Scribes dyd whiche craked they were Abrahams children Thus with a gay and iolie shewe deceiue they the simple and seke to choke vs with the very name of the church Muche like as yf a theefe when he hath gotten into an other mans house and by violence eyther hath thrust out or slayne the owner should afterwarde assigne the same house to hym selfe casting furthe of possession the right inheritour Or yâ— Antichrist after he hath once entred into the Temple of God should afterward saye This house is myne own Christ hath nothinge to do withall â–ª For these menne nowe after they have left nothyng remaining in y e churche of God y t hath any liknes of this Church yet will they seeme the Patrones and the valiaunte maynteners of the Churche very like as Grachus amongest the Romaynes stoode in defence of the treasury not withstanding with his prodigalitie and fond expences he had vtterlye wasted the whole stocke of the treasurie And yet was there neuer any thing so wicked or so far out of reason but lightelye yt might be couered defended by the name of the church For the waspes also make honyecombes as well as Bees wicked men haue companyes lyke to the Churche of God yet for all that they be not streight wâ—y the people of God which ar called y e people of God neither be they al Israelits of many as ar com of Israell y e father The Arrians notwitstanding thei were heretiques yet bragged they that they alone were Catholiques calling all the test now AmbrosiaÌ„s now AthanasiaÌ„s now Iohannites And Nestorius as saith Theodorete for all he was an Heretique yet couered he hym selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to weete with a certaine cloke and colour of the true right faith Ebion though he agreed in opinion with y e Samaritanes yet as saith Epiphanius he would be called a Christian. The Mahomytes at this day for all y e al histories make plaine mention and themselues also cannot denye but they toke their first begynning of Agar the bonde woman yet for the very name and stockes sake chuse they rather to be caled Saracenes as though they came of Sara the free woman and Abrahams wyfe So likewise the false Prophetes of all ages whiche stode vp against the Prophetes of God whiche resisted Eâ—ayas Ieremye Christ and the Appostles at no tyme craked of any thing somuche as they dyd of the name of the Churche And for no nother cause did they so fearcely vexe them and cal theÌ„ Ronneawayes and Apostatas then for that they forsoke their fellowshipp and kepte no thordinaunces of the Elders wherfore yf we would folow the iudgementes of those men only who then gouerned the Churche and would respecte nothing els neyther God nor his word yt muste nedes bee confessed that the Apostles were rightlie and by iust lawe condemned of theÌ„ to death bycause they fell from the Byshops and preistes that is you must thiÌ„ke from the Catholique Churche and bycause they made many new alterations in Religion contrarie to the Byshops and Preistes willes yea and for all their spurninge so ernestlye against it wherfore like as it is written that Hercules in olde time was forced in striving w t Antaeus that huge giaunt to â—yâ—te him quite vp from the earth that was his Mother â—re he could conqueere him euen so must our Aduersaries be heaued from their Mother that is from this vaine colour shadow of y e church wherewith they so disguise and defende themselues otherwyse they cannot be brought to yelde vnto the word of God And therefore saith Ieremye the Prophete Make not suche â—reat boaste that the Temple of the Lorde is with you this is but a vaine confidence for these are lyes The Aungell also saith in the Apocalyps They say theybe Iewes but they be y e Synagoge of Sathan And Christ sayd to the Pharisies when they vaunted them selfe of the kynred bloud of Abraham Ye are of your father the Devel for you resemble not your father Abraham â–ª asmuche to saye ye are not the men ye woulde so faine be called ye 〈◊〉 the people with vaine titles and abuse the name of the Churche to the ouerthrowing of the Churche So that these mens parte had ben first to haue clearely and truely proued that the Romishe churche is the true and right instructed Churche of God that the same as they do order it at this day dothe agre with y e primatiue church of Christ of the Apostles and of the holye Fathers whiche we doubt not but was in dede y e true catholique Church For our partes yf we could haue iudged ignoraunce errour superstition Idolatrie mennes Inuentions and the same coÌ„moÌ„lie disagreinge with y e holy Scriptures eyther pleased God or to be sufficient for thobtainige euerlastyng saluation or yf we could assertaine our selues that the worde of God was written but for a time only and afterwarde againe ought to be abrogated and put awaye or els that the sayinges and commaundementes of God ought to be subiecte to mans will that whatsoeuer God sayeth and commaundeth except the Byshopp of Rome willeth and commaundeth the same it must be taken as void an vnspoken Yf we coulde haue brought our selues to beleue these thinges we graunt there had ben no cause at all why wee should haue lefte these mennes coÌ„panie As touching that we haue now den to departe from that Churche whose errours were proued made manifest to y e world which Church also had alredy euideÌ„tly departed from Gods worde yet not to departe somuche from it selfe as from therrours therof not to do this disorderlye or wickedly but quietlie and sobrelye we haue don nothing herein against the doctrine eyther of Christ or of his Apostles For neyther is the Church of God suche as it may not be dusked w t some spot or asketh not sometime reparation els what nedith there so many assembles and Councelles without the which as saith Egidius the Christian saith is not hable to stand For loke saith he howe often Councelles are discontinued so often is the Church destitute of Christ. Or yf there be no peryle that harme maye come to the church what nede is there to reteyne to no purpose y e names of Byshops as is now commenlye vsed amonge them For yf there be no shepe that may strey whye be they called shepardes yf there be no Citie that may be betraied why be they called watchemen yf there be nothing that may ronne to ruyne why be thei called Pillers Anone after the first creation of the worlde the churche of God began to spreade abrode and the same was instructed wyth the heauenly word whiche God hym selfe pronounced with his owne mouth It was also furnished with diuine ceremonies It was taught by y e spirit of God by the Patriarches and
see it to bee so pacient as they canne so lightly and quietly beare it But where as they haue commaunded that those Decrees shoulde be voyde as things now waxen to olde y t haue loste their grace perhappes they haue prouided in their steede certaine other better thinges and more profitable for the people For it is a common sayenge with them that if Christe himselfe or the Apostles were aliue againe they coulde not better nor godlyer gouerne Goddes Churche then it is at this presente gouerned by them They haue put in their steede in deede butte it is chaste in steede of wheate as Hieremie saithe and suche thinges as accordinge to Esayes words God neuer required at â—â—eir handes Thei haue stopped vp saith he al the vaines of cleere springing water and haue digged vp for the people â—â—ceiuable and puddlelike pyttes full of â—yre and filth whiche neither haue nor 〈◊〉 able to hold pure water They haue plucked away from the people the holie Communion the worde of God fromwhence all comforte shoulde bee taken the true worshippinge of God also and the right vse of sacramentes and prayer and haue geuen vs of their owne to play withall in the meane whyle salt water oyle boxes spittle palmes bulles iubilies pardons crosses sensinges and an indelesse rabble of ceremonies and as a man might tearm with Plautus pretie games to make sporte withall In these things haue they set al their religioÌ„ teachinge y e people that by these God may be duely pacified spirits be driuen away and mens consciences well quieted For these â—o be the orient colours and precious sauours of Christian religion these thinges doth God looke vpon accepteth them thankfully these must come in place to be honored and put quite away the institutioÌ„s of Christ and of his Apostls And like as in times past when wicked kinge Ieroboam had takeÌ„ from the people y e right seruing of God brought them to worship golden calues least perchauÌ„ce they might afterwards chaunge their minde and slippe awaye gettinge them again to Ierusalem to the Temple of God there hee exhorted them with a long tale to be stedfast saying thus vnto them O Israell these Calues be thy Gods In this sorte commaunded your God you should worshippe him For it shoulde be wearisome and troublous for you to take vpoÌ„ you a iorney so farre of and yearly to go vp to Ierusalem there to serue and honour your God Euen after the same sorte euery whit when these men had once made the lawe of God of none effect through their owne traditions fearing that the people should afterwards open their eyes and fall an other way and shoulde somwhence els seeke a suret meane of their saluation Iesu how ofteÌ„ haue thei cried out This is the same worshippinge that pleaseth God and whiche hee straitly requireth of vs and wherwith he wil be tourned from his wrath that by these thinges is conserued the vnitie of the Church by these al sinnes clensed and consciences quieted and who so departeth from these hath left vnto himselfe no hope of euerlasting saluation For it were wearisome and troublous saye they for the people to resorte to Christ to the Apostles and to y e auncient fathers and to obserue continually what their wil and commaundement should be This ye may se â–ª is to w tdraw the people of God froÌ„ y e weake elements of the worlde froÌ„ y e leauen of the Scribes Pharisies and from the traditions of meÌ„ It were reasoÌ„ no doubt y t Christes commaundementes and the Apostls were remoued that these their deuises might come in place O iuste cause I promise you why that auncient and so longe alowed doctrine should be now abolished and a newe forme of religion be brought into the Churche of God And yet whatsoeuer it be these menne crye stil that nothing ought to be changed that mens mindes are well satisfied here withal that the Churche of Rome y e church which cannot erre hath decreed these thinges For Siluester Prierias saith y t the Romish churche is the squyer rule of truth and that y e holy scripture hath receiued from thence bothe authoritie and credite The doctrine saith he of the Romish church is the rule of moste infallible faith from the whiche the holy scripture taketh his force And Indulgences and pardons saith he are not made knoweÌ„ to vs by y e authoritie of the scriptures but they are knoweÌ„ to vs by the authoritie of the Romyshe Church and of the Byshops of Rome whiche is greater Pighius also letteth not to say that without the licence or the Romyshe Church we ought not to beleue the very plaine scriptures much like as yf any of those that caÌ„not speake pure cleane Latin and yet can bable out quickely redily a litle some such law Latin as seruith the Courte would needes hold that all others ought also to speake after the same way which Mametrectus CatholicoÌ„ spake many yeare ago which them selues doe yet vse in pleadyng in Courte for so may it be vnderstand sufficiently what is said and mennes desires be satiâ—fyed and that it is a fondenes now in the later end to trouble y e worlde with a new kind of speaking and to cal againe the old fynesse and eloquence that Cicero and Cesar vsed in their dayes in the Latin tonge So much ar these men beholden to the follie and darknes of the former tymes Manye thynges as one writeth are had in estimation often tymes bycause they haue ben once dedicate to the temples of the Heathen goddes euen so see wee at this daye many thinges alowed and highlye sett by of these menne not bycause they iudge them somuch worth but only bycause they haue ben receyued into a custome and after a sorte dedicate to the Temple of God Our Churche saye they cannot erre they speake that I thinke as the Lacâ—â— demonians longe synce vsed to say that yt was not possible to fynde any Adulterer in all their common welth wheras in dede they were rather all Adulterers and had no certeintie in their mariages but had their wyues common amongest them all Or as the Canonistes at this day for theire bellies sake vse to saye of the Pope that forsomuche as he is Lord of all benefices though he sell for money Byshoprickes monasteries preiste hod spirituall promotions and partith with nothing freely yet bicause he counteth at his owne he cannot committ Simony though he woulde neuer so faine But how stronglye and agreablye to reason these things be spoken we are not as yet able to perceue except perchauÌ„ce these meÌ„ haue plucked of the wynges from the truth as the Romaines in olde tyme did proine and pinion their goddesse Victorie after they had once gotteÌ„ her home to thende that with the same wynges she shoulde neuer more be able to flee awaye from them againe But what yf Ieremye tell them as is afore rehersed that these be
other menne minister to hym but him selfe rather to minister vnto others that he taketh al Bishops as his felows and equals that he is subiect to Princes as to personnes sent from God that he giueth to Cesar that whiche is Cesars and that he as the old Bishops of Rome dyd without any question calleth the Emperour his Lord Onles therfore the Popes do the like now a dayes and Peter did the thinges a foresayd there is no cause at all why they should glorye so of Peters name and of his succession Muche lesse cause haue they to complaine of our departing and to call vs againe to be felowes and frendes with them and to beleue as they beleue Men saye that one Cobdon a Lacedemonian when he was sent Embassadour to the kyng of the Persians to treate of a legue and founde by chaunce them of the court playng at dyce he returned streight waye home againe leauing his message vndone And whē he was asked why he did flacke to doe the thinges whiche he had receiued by publique commission to do he made aunswere he thought it should be a great reproche to his cōmon welthe to make a legue with Dicers But yf we should content our selues to retorne to the Pope and his popyshe errours and to make a couenaunte not only with dicers but also with men farr◠more vngracious and wicked then any dycers be Besides that this should be a great blot to our good name it shoulde also be a very daungerous matter both to kindle Goddes wrath against be and to clogge and condemne our owne soules foreuer For of very trouthe we haue departed from hym whome we saw had blinded the whole worlde this many an hundred yeare From hym who to farre presumpteouslye was wont to saye he coulde not erre and whatsoeuer he dyd no mortal man had power to condemne hym neyther kynges nor Emperours nor the whole Clergie nor yet all the people in the worlde togyther no and though he should carrie away with hun to Hell a thousande soules From hym who toke vpon him power to cōmaund not only menne but euen Goddes Aungels to go to returne to leade soules into Purgatorie and to bring them back againe when he lyste him selfe whome Gregory said with out all doubt is the very foreronner and standerd bearer of Antichrist and hath vtterly forsaken the catholique faith From whome also those ringeleaders of owers who now with might and maine resist y e Gospel the trouth whiche they knowe to be the truth haue or this departed euery one of their owne accorde and good will and woulde euen now also gladly depart fró hyin yf the note of inconstancie shame and their owne estimacion amonge the people were not a let vnto them In conclussion wee haue departed from hym to whom we wer not bound and who had nothyng to laye for hym selfe but onely I know not what vertue or power of the place where he d'weleth and a continuaunce of seccession And as for vs we of all others moste iustely haue left him For our Kynges yea euen they whiche with greatest reuerence dyd folow and obey the aucthoritie and faith of the Byshops of Rome haue long synce founde and felte well ynough the yoke tyrannye of the Popes kingdome For y e Byshops of Rome toke the Crowne of from the head of our Kynge Henrye the second and compelled him to put a side all maiestie and lyke a meere priuate man to come vnto their Legate with great submission and humilitie so as all his subjectes might laugh him to scorne More thē this they caused Byshops and Monkes and some parte of the nobilitie to be in the feelde against our Kynge Iohn and sett all the people at libertie from their othe wherby they ought allegeaunce to their king and at last wickedly and most abhominablie they bereaued the kyng not onely of his kyngdome but also of his lyfe Besides this they excommunicated and cursed Kyng Henry theight the most famous Prince stirred vp against him sometime the Emperour sometime the Frenche Kyng as muche as in them was putte in aduenture our Realme to haue ben a very praye and spoyle Yet were they but foules and mad to thinke that eyther so mighty a Prince could be scared with bugges and rattles or els y e so noble and great a kyngdome myght so easily euen at one morsel be deuoured and swalowed vp And yet as though all this were to litle they would nedes make all the Realme tributarie to them exacted there yearely most vniust and wrongfull taxes So deere cost vs the freendeshyp of the Citie of Rome Wherefore yf they haue gotten these thinges of vs by extortion thorough their fraude and suttle sleightes we see no reason why we may not plucke awaye the same from them againe by laufull wayes iust means And yf out kynges in that darknes and blindenes of former tymes gaue them these thinges of their owne accorde and liberalitie for Religion sake being moued with a certaine opinion of their fained holines now when ignoraunce errour is spied out may the Kinges their successours take them awaye againe seing they haue the same auctoritie the Kinges their auncestours had before For the gyft is voide except it be alowed by the will of the giuer and that cannot seme a perfit will which is dymmed and hindered by errour Thus ye see good Christian Reader howe it is no new thing though at this day the religion of Christ be enterteined with dispites and checkes being but lately restored and as it were comming vp againe a new for somuche as the lyke hath chaunced both to Christ hym selfe and to his Apostles yet neuerthelesse for feare ye maye suffer your selfe to be led amysse and seduced with those exclamations of our Aduersaries we haue declared at large vnto you y e very whole maner of our Religion what our opinion is of God the Father of his onely sonne Iesus Christ of the holy Ghost of the Church of the Sacramentes of the ministery of y e Scriptures of ceremonies and of euery parte of Christian beleue Wee haue sayde that wee abandon and detest as plagues and poysons all those oide Heresies whiche eyther the sacred Scriptures or the auncient Councelles haue vtterly condemned that wee call home againe asmuche as euer wee can the right Discipline of y e Church which our Aduersaries haue quite brought into a poore weake case That we punnishe all licentiousnes of lyfe and vnrulynes of maners by the olde and long continued laws and with asmuch sharpenes as is conuenient and lyeth in our power That we mainteine still the state of kingdomes in the same condition and plight wherin we haue found thē without any diminishing or alteration reseruinge vnto our Princes their maiestie and worldly preeminence safe and without empayring to our possible power That we haue so gottē our selues away from that Church which they had made a denne of Theeues and