Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	church_n	read_v	tongue_n	2,635	5	7.5388	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04458	An apologie, or aunswer in defence of the Church of England concerninge the state of religion vsed in the same. Newly set forth in Latin, and nowe translated into Englishe.; Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae. English	Jewel, John, 1522-1571.; Parker, Matthew, 1504-1575.	1562 (1562)	STC 14590; ESTC S107763	88,955	140

they to consider howe iuste the cause of our departing is For in case they wil saye it is lawefull for thee by no means to departe from that fellowship wherein thou haste ben brought vp Thus they maye easily in oure personnes coÌ„demne both the Prophetes and the Apostles and also Christe him self For why doe they not likewise finde fawte at this that Loth departed from Sodome Abraham out of Calde the Hebrewes out of Egypte Christ from the Iewes Paule from the Pharisees For onlesse there maye be some iuste cause of suche departynges we see not why they also maye not in like sorte be accused as factious and seditious men Nowe if we ought to be condemned for heretikes bycause we doe not al thinges whiche these menne doe commaunde vs whoe I praye you or what maner of men shall we account them to be which doe despise the commaundementes of Christe and of the Apostles If we be Schismatikes that haue disseuered our selfs froÌ„ these fellowes by what name I pray you shal we call them that haue departed from the Grekes at whose haÌ„des they receyued the faith froÌ„ the primitiue church from Christ him self from the Apostels eueÌ„ as it were from their owne parentes For as for the Grekes such as at this daye doe professe the religion and name of Christ althoe they haue many thinges that ar corrupted yet they retaine to this howre a great part of those thinges which they receyued of the Apostles Therfore nother haue they priuate Masses nor their sacrameÌ„tes mangeled nor purgatory nor pardonnes As for the Popes titles and proude names so muche they doe regard them that whosoeuer doth take them vpon him and wil needes be called either the vniuersal Byshop or heade of the whole Church of him they will not sticke to saye that he is bothe an intolerable arrogant man and a personne that iniuriously defaceth all other Byshoppes his bretherne and also an heretike Now then sins the matter is plaine can not be denied y t these fellowes ar gone back froÌ„ those of whom thei receiued the gospel of whom thei receaued y e faith of whome the true religion the Churche what cause is there why they shuld not be coÌ„tent to be called home againe euen vnto the same personnes as it were to the fountaines of religion Wherfore ar they so afrayde as thoe al the Apostles old fathers sawe nothing to folow the exaÌ„ple of their times for doe they trowe ye see more or be thei more careful ouer the Churche of God then they y t first deliuered these things And now to returne to our selfs we haue departed froÌ„ that Churche wherin nother the worde of God could be hearde purely taught nor the Sacramentes rightly administered nor the name of God as it ought to be called vpoÌ„ and whiche they themselues doe confesse to be corrupted in many thinges and wherin to say the truth there was nothing that could staye any man that was wise and that had any consideration of his owne saluation To conclude we haue departed from that Churche that is now founded not from that Church that was in time past and we haue departed in such sorte as Daniel did out of the denne of Lions as the thre childreÌ„ out of the fier yea rather caste out by them with their cursinges and banninges then departed of our selfs Agayne we haue adioyned our selfes vnto that Church wherin they them selfs in case they wil speake truely and according to their owne consciences can not denie but all thynges ar soberly and reuerently handeled and so farre forth as we were able to attayne most neerely vnto the order of the olde time For lette them compare their Churches and oures together they shal see bothe that they moste shamefully haue departed froÌ„ the Apostels and we moste iustly haue forsaken them For we after the exaÌ„ple of Christe of the Apostles and of the holy fathers doe giue the whole sacrament vnto the people These men contrary to all the fathers contrary to al the Apostels and coÌ„trary to Christ him self not without as Gelasius sayth hygh sacrilege doe deuide the sacramentes and plucke the one parte awaye from the people We haue restored the Lordes supper accordyng to the institutioÌ„ of Christ and desire to haue it asmuch as maye be and to as many as may be most common and as it is called so to be in very deede a CoÌ„munion These men haue chaunged all thinges froÌ„ the institution of Christ of the holy coÌ„munion they haue made a priuate masse so that we present vnto the people a holy Supper they a vayne pagent to gase vpon We doe affirme with the moste auncient Fathers that the bodye of Christe is eaten of none other but of godly and of faithfull menne and suche as ar endued with the spirite of Christe these fellowes doe teache that the very bodye of Christe maye in very deede and as they terme it really and substantially be eaten not only of wicked and vnfaythfull men but also it is horrible to speake it of myse and dogges We doe praye in oure Churches after suche sorte that accordyng as Paule dothe admonishe vs the people may know what we doe pray and with one minde answere Amen These men powre out in the churches vnknowne and straunge wordes like vnto the noyse of soundyng brasse without any vnderstanding without sense without iudgement and this is their only endeuour that the people should not be able to vnderstande any thing at all And bycause we will not reherse all the differences betwene vs and them for they ar in maner infinite We translate the Scriptures into all languages these men wil scantly suffer them to be abroade in any tonge We doe exhorte the people to heare and reade the worde of God these menne driue them from it We woulde haue our cause hearde before all the worlde these menne flee al iudgement and triall We leane vnto knowlege they vnto ignorance We truste to the light they vnto darknesse We haue in reuerence as reason is the wordes of the Apostles and of the Prophetes these men do burne them To conclude we in Gods cause wil stande to the iudgement of God only these men will stande to their owne But if they will consider all these thinges with a quiet minde and a prepared purpose to heare and to learne thei shal not only allow our doyngs which leauing all errours haue folowed Christe his Apostles but also they themselues shal fal away from theÌ„selues and of their owne accorde encline themselues to ioyne with our felowshippe But they will saye that it was an vnlawefull attempt to goe aboute such matters without an holy generall Counsell for therein is the whole powre of the Churche there Christe hathe promised that he will alwayes be ready at hand And yet they themselues haue broken the commaundementes of God the decrees of the Apostles and as we sayde a litle before haue scatered and torne

saying of these thinges doe we take any thinge from the dignitie of the Lordes supper or teache that it is onely a colde ceremony and that in hit ther is nothinge done as many men do slaunder vs for we do constantly affirme that Christ dothe truely exhibite hym selfe present vnto vs in his sacramentes in baptisme to the intent we shoulde put him vpon vs in the Supper that by faythe and in spirite we myght eate him and oute of hys passion and bloode we myghte drynke lyfe euerlasting And all this we say is done not faynedly and coldely but in very deede and truly For albeit we touche not the body of Christ with pure teeth and iawes yet with faythe mynde and spirite we take holde of hym and crushe hym Nother is that faithe vaine whiche imbraceth Christe nother is that thynge coldely receaued whyche is receaued wyth minde faithe and spirit For so in these misteries Christ himself wholy in his perfection is offered and geuen vnto vs that we knowe moste assuredly that we are nowe become fleshe of hys fleshe and bone of hys bones and that Christe dwelleth in vs and we in him Wherefore in the administration of these misteries before menne come vnto the Communion it is to good purpose that the people are admonyshed to lyft vp theyr hartes and to dyrecte vppe theyr myndes towardes heauen for there is hee vpon whome we muste satisfye oure hunger and liue And Cyrillus saythe that in the receauinge of misteryes all grosse imaginacions muste be putte awaye And the Councell of Nyce as yt ys cited in greeke of some dothe expressly forbydde vs that we shoulde not basely occupy oure myndes aboute the breade and wine sette before vs. And as Chrysostome writeth rigâ—â— ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ We saye that the body of Christe is the Carâ—â—â— ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ we muste be the Egles that we maye knowe that we ought to flye a highe gate if we will attayne vnto the bodye of Chryste for this is the Table of Egles not of Iays And Cyprian This breade saith he is meate of the minde not meate of the belly And Augustine Howe saith he shal I holde him that is absent Howe shall I reache forthe my hande into heauen that I might holde hym there sitting Reache out saithe he faithe and thou haste caught him As for the Marchaundyses and open saales of masses and the bearing vp and downe and worshiping of breade and suche other ydolatrous and blasphemous follies whiche no man can affirme that Christe and his Apostles deliuered vnto vs we suffer not in oure Churches And we do iustly reproue the Byshops of Rome which without Gods worde without authoritie of the holy fathers without any example after a newe guyse doe not onely sette forthe to the people the sacramentall breade to be worshypped with godly honoure but also thei carry it about vpon an ambelinge horse where soeuer thei ride themselues as in times paste the Persians did fier and the Egyptians the relikes of Isis and thus thei haue now brought the sacrameÌ„ts of Christe to be a pagent a solemne pompe to the entent that that thing whereby the deathe of Christe shoulde be continually remembred and celebrated and wherein the mysteries of oure redemption shoulde bee deuoutly and reuerently renewed shoulde serue for nothinge els but to feede mens eies with foolyshe sightes and wanton boyes games And where as they saie and perswade also sometimes to fooles y t in their masses thei can distribute apply vnto men which many times think nothing on y t matter nor vnderstaÌ„d what is in hand al the merites of the death of Christ it is a matter to be laughed at and also both Hethenish and foolishe For oure faithe dothe apply vnto vs the death and crosse of Christe not the masking of a sacrifising preeste The faith saith S. Augustine of the sacraments doth iustify not the sacrameÌ„t And Origen saith He is the preest and the propitiation and the sacrifice the which propitiation coÌ„meth to euery man by the way of fayth And in like wise saye we that without faith the sacramentes of Christe profite nothing no not the liuinge muche lesse them that be deade For as touching that thei ar wonte to boast them of their Purgatory althoe we know it is not very newly inuented yet yt ys nothing but mere foolish and an olde wiffes tale Augustine sometimes saith that there is suche a certain kinde of place sometimes he denyeth not but it may be sometimes he is in doubt sometimes he doth vtterly deny it and supposeth that men ar deceuid therin through a certen curtaise inclination of good wil. Neuer the lesse of this one error so great a haruest is growen to the sacrifising preestes that in as much as Masses were publikely and openly solde in euery corner the temples of God were made shoppes of marchandyse and the miserable worlde was perswaded that nothinge was more salable out of doubt to these men ther was nothiÌ„g more profitable Towching y e multitude of idle cerimones we know S. Augustine greuousli complained of theÌ„ in his time Wherefore we haue cutt of a great numbre of them bicause we knew that mens consciences were greuouslye combered w t them and the Churche of God burthened Neuertheles we doe reteine and reuerently excercyse not onely suche as we know were commended vnto vs by the Apostles but also certen others suche as semed vnto vs mighte be borne without any hurte in the Church bicause we wold haue all thinges done in the holy assembly accordyng as S. Paul coÌ„maundeth coÌ„ly in order Agayne all such as we perceiued to be other very superstitiouse or could or filthy or foolish or coÌ„trary to the holy Scriptures or that were vnfit for meÌ„ that had their right wits of which sorte of ceremonies there be at this daye in the Papacy an infinit noÌ„ber without exception we haue vtterly refused bicause we wold not haue the right worship of God any longer defiled with suche foolishnes We pray as it is meete in that tonge whiche euery man amongst vs doth vnderstand to thintent that the people as Paule doth admonish vs by y e coÌ„mon praier may receaue a coÌ„mon profit according as all the good fathers catholike byshops not only in the old testameÌ„t but also in the new bothe did pray them selfs and taught y e people to pray also leaste that as S. Augustine saith like Popingays blacke birdes we might seeme to pronounce that thing whiche we knowe not what it meaneth As coÌ„cerning mediators spokes meÌ„ by whome we might haue accesse vnto God the father we haue none other but Iesus Christ in whose name only al thinges ar obteined of the father It is very foule and altogether Heathenish that whiche we see done euery where in the Popes Churches not only bicause thei wil haue an infinit nomber of meansmakers to speake for them and that altogether without

holynes at all yet they do not only liue but also launch out riotouslye of other mens goodes The olde councel of Rome ordained that no man should be present at ani seruice of God y t were said by y t minister of whoÌ„ it was certainly knowne y t he kept a Concubine These meÌ„ for money doe bothe lett out to hyer Concubines to their priestes also driue men perforce to be present against their willes at their blasphemouse seruing of y e Deuil The olde Canones of the Apostles doe commaunde y t Byshop that will take vpon him to execute the offyce both of a cyuill gouerner and of an Ecclesiasticall minister to be remoued from his Bishopricke These men both doe take vpon them and will take vpon them both the regiments whosoeuer say nay or rather the one which they ought most chiefly to execute that they doe not once touch yet is there no man that commaundeth them out of office The olde CouÌ„sell called Gangrense commaundeth that no man shall make any such difference betwene a maried and an vnmaried priest as for his wiuelesse estate he should think the one holyer theÌ„ the other These meÌ„ doe make such difference betwene them that they ymagine al their holy misteries if they come in the handes of any godly honest maÌ„ y t hath maried a wife to be by by vnhalowed polluted That auncient Emperor Iustinian commaunded y t al things in the holy administratioÌ„ of the Church should be pronounced w t a clere a loude and an opeÌ„ voice that some fruite might come therof to the people These men least the people should vnderstande somewhat doe whysper al their holy misteries not only with an vncertaine a lowe voice but also in a straÌ„ge and a barbarouse tong The olde Councell of Carthage forbiddeth that any thing should be read in the holi coÌ„gregation other then the Canonicall Scriptures These men reade those things in their Churches which thei themselues doubt not but they be manifest lyes and vaine fables But if there be any man that doth thinke these thinges to bee weake of smale aucthorite bicause they were decreed by Emperors and certain meane Byshops Councels assembled in no great numbre and that doth better allow the aucthoritie name of the Pope Pope Iulius doth expresly forbid the priest in the administration of the holy misteries to dippe the bread in the cuppe these men contrary to the decree of Pope Iulius breake the breade and dipp it into the wyne Pope Clement denyeth it to be lawfull for a Bysshop to exercise both the Swordes saying If thou wilt haue both thou shalt both deceaue thy selfe and them that harken vnto the. Now the Pope chalengeth bothe the swordes and exerciseth them bothe wherefore it ought to seeme lesse maruaile if that hath folowed sithens which Clement spake of that he hath both deceiued himselfe and them that haue giuen eare vnto hym Leo the Pope sayth y t in one Churche and vpon one day it is lawfull to say but one Masse These men in one Churche doe saye sometymes ten sometimes twenty sometime thirtye Masses and ofte times moe in one day in so much that the vnhappy man that standeth by and is the looker on can scantly tell which way it is best to turne himselfe Pope Gelasius saith that if anye man deuide the Sacrament so that when he taketh the one parte he leaueth the other he doth lewdely and committeth sacrilege These men both contrarye to gods worde and contrary to Pope Gelasius commaunde that the one parte of the Sacrament onely be gyuen to the people and in so doyng they make al their Priestes gilty of sacrilege But in case they will say that all these matters are nowe worne out of vre become vtterly deade so that vnto these daies they appertaine nothing at al yet to the intent that all men may vnderstand what credit is to be gyuen vnto these manner of men and what good is to be looked for of those Councels which they assemble together let vs see a little what regarde they haue to those things which now in these latter yeares whils thei be yet in fresh remeÌ„beraÌ„ce thei haue decreed in opeÌ„ CouÌ„cel lawfully called to be inuiolably obserued In the last Councel of Trente yet scantly fortene yeares paste it was decreed with the generall consent of all degrees that no one man shoulde haue two benefices at one time Where is thys decree now become â–ª Is this also so sone worne out of vre become starke dead For as for these men thei giue not only two benefices but also many times diuers Abbais Bysshoprickes sometimes two somtimes three somtimes fowre vnto one maÌ„ such a one as is not only vnlearned but also oftimes a maÌ„ of warr It was decreed in the same Councel y t al Byshops should teache the Gospel These men neither teache nor neuer come in pulpit nor think y t this matter pertaineth any thing to their office TheÌ„ I pray you what a woÌ„derful ostentation of Antiquity is this Why doe they bragge of the olde fathers Why doe they glory in the names of the newe and olde CouÌ„cels Why will they seme to grounde themselues vpon the authoritie of those which when they liste they contemne at their pleasure But it doth mee good to deale rather w t the Pope himselfe to talke of these matters presently to his face Tell vs therefore O holy Pope y t crakest altogether of Antiquitie vauntest thy self y t all men are appointed to obey thee alone Amongest all the ancieÌ„t fathers which of them euer did cal the other chiefe Bisshopp or vniuersall Bishop or head of the Church Which euer said that both the swordes were committed vnto the Which that thou haste aucthorite and right to call Councelles Which that the whole worlde was thy diocesse Which that of thy fulnesse all Bisshops receiued their portion Which that all powre was gyuen vnto the aswell in heauen as in earthe Which that thou couldest be iudged neither of kinges nor of the whole Clergy nor of all the people togither Which y t all kings Emperors by the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t ordinaÌ„ce of Christ receiued their authoritie at thy haÌ„de whiche that thou after so exquisite iuste a reckening warte seuenty times seuen folde greater then the greatest kinges Whiche that a more ample authoritie was gyuen vnto thee then to the reste of the Patriarches whiche that thou warte Lorde and God or that thou warte not simply a bare man or that thou warte a certeyne thyng coÌ„clowted growen together of God and man whiche that thou alone warte the well heade of al lawes whiche that thou haddest dominioÌ„ ouer purgatory whiche that thou mightest at thy pleasure coÌ„maunde the Angels of God which of theÌ„ did euer say that thou warte king ouer kinges Lord ouer lordes We can appose

amongest these kinde of meÌ„ 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 religioÌ„ 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 theÌ„ 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 religioÌ„ which CristiaÌ„ meÌ„ 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 enteÌ„te 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 froÌ„ 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 agaiÌ„st god must be ouerthroweÌ„ vaÌ„quished For al scripture saith Paul inspired of God is profitable to teach to confute to instruct to reproue y t the maÌ„ 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 questioÌ„ 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 writeÌ„ 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 theÌ„ Why doe thei not make it appeare that we haue seuered oure selues from Christe from the Prophets from the Apostles froÌ„ 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 persoÌ„s 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

ought to be lawfully called rightly and ordrely appointed vnto the administration of the Churche of God and that no man maye thruste in himselfe to the holy ministerie after his owne wyll pleasure So much greater is the iniury y t these men do vnto vs in whose mouthes nothing is more common then that amongest vs nothinge is done by ordre nothinge comely al things in confusion ful of troble amongest vs all men to be preestes al men to be doctors all men to be interpreters We say that Christe hathe geuen vnto ministers authoritie to binde to lose to open and to shutte And y t the office of losinge dothe consiste herein when that other to suche as are ouerthrowen in their owne consciences and ar truly returned to a better minde the minister by the preaching of y e Gospel offereth y e merites of Christ and absolucion and doth assure him of the remission of his synnes and of the hope of eternall saluacion other when suche as in any greuous and slauderous offence by some notable publike faulte haue offended their brothrens consciences and therby haue in manner alienated themselues from the coÌ„mon societie of y e Church and from the body of Christe after that thei do returne againe to a better minde he dothe reconcile gather and restore home againe vnto the felowship and vnitie of the faithefull and the authoritie of bindinge and shutting we saie he exerciseth as ofteÌ„ as other vnto the vnbeleuers stubburne persons he shutteth vp the gates of the kingedom of heauen and threateneth vnto them the reuenge of God euerlasting punishment or when he excludeth out from the bosome of the Church such as are openly excommunicated the sentence that is geuen after thys sorte by the ministers of the Churche God doth so coÌ„firme y t whatsoeuer by their ministerie here in earthe is losed or bounde that same will he lose and binde and make good also in heauen The key whereby thei haue power other to shut vp or to open the kyngedome of heauen we say with S. Chrysostome that yt is the knowledge of the scriptures and with Tertullian the interpretation of the lawe and with Eusebius the worde of God and that the disciples of Christ receaued this authoritie not for to heare the secret coÌ„fessions of the people or to occupie theÌ„selues about priuy whysperinges whiche their sacrifisinge Prestes at this daye al of them do in euery corner in suche sorte thei do it as thoe the whole power and vse of the keys did consist therein alone butte to the entent thei shoulde go thei shoulde teache thei shoulde openly preache the Gospell that vnto suche as beleued thei mighte be a sauer of life vnto life vnto the vnbeleuing and vnfaithful persons the sauer of death vnto death to the entent y t the mindes of the godly beinge ones astonnied with the conscience of their life paste of their synnes after thei shoulde beginne to beholde the light of the Gospell and beleue in Christe euen as a dore with the key so might they be opened wyth the worde of God that the wicked and stubborne and such as woulde not beleue returne into y e high way as men y t wer faste locked shut vp should be lefte to themselues become euery day as S. Paule saith worse and worse This saie we is the reason and ordre of the keys and by this meanes mens consciences ar other opened or closed vp The minister we deny not is the Iudge but as Ambrose saith he hathe no title of right to take any rule and power vpon him Wherfore Christe for to reproue their negligence in teachinge cried out vpon the Scribes and Pharises in these words Wo saith he be vnto you Scribes and Pharises whyche haue taken away the keis of knowledge and haue shutte vp the kingedome of heauen before men And for as muche as the key wherwith the entry into the kingdome of God is opened vnto vs is the worde of the Gospel the interpretation of the law and of the scriptures whereas Gods worde is not there we say is not the key And by reason that one Word is geuen vnto al and all haue but one key the authoritie of al ministers concerninge openinge and shutting must nedes be one Yea moreouer the Pope himselfe althoughe his Parasites singe this songe neuer so sweetlye vnto him Unto thee will I giue the keys of the kingedome of heauen as though thei appertained vnto him only and to no man els vnlesse he endeuoure himselfe so that the consciences of men may be tourned and submitte themselfe vnto Gods worde we deny that other he openeth or shutteth or hath any keys at al. And albeit he should teache and instructe the people the whiche woulde God he woulde bothe do it in deede and finde in his harte at y e length to thinke y t it were at the least some part of his office yet his key shoulde be nother better nor greater than the keys of other men for who did exempt hym Who did teache him to open more cunningly or to loose better then his brothren Matrimony we say in al kindes and states of men in Patriarkes in Prophets in Apostles in holy Martyrs in Ministers of the Churche in Byshops is holy honorable And as Chrysostome saith that it is lawfull and rightefull to ascende therewith vnto the Byshopps chaire as Sozomenus saith of Spiridion and Nazianzenus of his father that a godly a diligent Byshop exerciseth hys office in the Ministerie neuer a whitte the worse for that cause but rather better and to more profite That lawe whiche violently taketh this libertie froÌ„ men and driueth them against their will to a single life we saie with S. Paul is the doctrine of Diuells And y t thervpon as the Byshop of Ausboroughe Faber the Abbot Panormitanus Latomus and the Thre parted worke whiche is added vnto the seconde Tome of the Councells with others of the Popes garde yea and the matter it selfe and al histories do confesse an vncredible vncleanes of life of manners in the ministers of God and moste horrible mischiefes haue insued And therfore Pius the seconde a Byshopp of Rome sayde very well that he sawe many causes why wyues should be taken away from the ministers of the Churche but hee sawe bothe many moe and more waightier why thei should be restored agayne We do receaue and embrace all the Canonicall scriptures bothe of the olde and of the newe Testament and we giue thankes vnto our God that he hathe raised vp that light before vs that we mighte alwaies haue it before our eies lest that other by the deceit of meÌ„ or guiles of the deuil we shoulde be caried away after errors and fables These we acknowledg to be y e heauenly wordes by the which God hath declared his will vnto vs vpon them

slaunderousely agaynste vs yet thys one thynge they can not saye that wee haue aparted our selues either from the word of God or from the Apostels of Christ or from the primityue Churche But we haue alwayes estemed the firste age of the Church to be catholyke y e which was in tune of Christ and of the Apostles and of the holy fathers Nor wee doubt not to call y t Church the arke of Noe the spouse of Christ the piller and perfect stay of the truth or vpoÌ„ the same to repose the whole course of our saluation It is doutles an odyous thing for any man to forsake y t felowship whereunto he hath accustomed himselfe but specially of those men which although they be not yet at the least seeme to be are called ChristiaÌ„s And to say truth concerning their Church euen for the names sake bicause y t in time paste of what sorte so euer it be now the Gospell of Iesus Christ was truly purely set forth in it we doe not so greatly contemne it nor would not haue forsaken it but only of very necessitie and y t very much against our willes But what if an Idole be raised vp in the Church of God that same desolation whereof Christ did prophecy shoulde stande openly in the holy place What if a strong theefe or a pyrate get the possessioÌ„ of y e Arke of Noe Doubtles these meÌ„ as often as they preach vnto vs y e Church they make themselfes onely to be the Church and all those tytles they chalenge to themselfes and so they triumphe euen as they did in tymes paste that cryed The temple of the Lord The temple of the Lord or as the Pharasies and Scribes did when they boasted themselfes to be the sonnes of Abraham Thus they deceiue the simple w t a vaine apparance of gay thinges and seke vtterly to oppresse vs with y e very name of the Church euen lyke as if a theefe when that he had entered vpoÌ„ an other mans house and had other violeÌ„tly thrust out or murdered y e owner therof should afterwardes chalenge it for his owne and keepe out of possession the right heire or if Antichrist after y e he had goten himselfe into possession of the temple of God should say afterwardes that it were his owne that it appertained nothing vnto Christ. For these meÌ„ wheras in the Church of God they haue left nothing lyke to gods Churche yet they will seeme to be maintainers and defenders of the Church euen altogether as Gracchus in tymes paste defended the treasure of Rome what time as with launching out of large gifts and vndiscreat expenses he vtterlye consumed cast it away There was neuer nothing so wicked or so farre against reason that vnder the name of y e Church might not easily be couered and defeÌ„ded For euen the waspes also doe make honycombes and the wicked haue theyr assembles and fellowshyppes together lyke vnto the Church of God But not whosoeuer are called the people of God are by and by the people of God Nor all that are desceÌ„ded from their father Israell ar all Israelytes The Arryans y t were Heretiks boasted themselues that they only were Catholykes for the reste they called them al sometyme Ambrosyans sometime Athanasians sometyme Iohannites NestoriaÌ„s as Theodoret saith although he wer an Heritike yet he couered himself ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ y t is to say with a certain apparance cloke of the right faith Ebion although he agreed in opinioÌ„ with the Samaritanes yet as Epiphanius saith he would be called a Christian. And the Mahometans although it be euident out of all hystories and can not deny themselfes but that they came of Agar the bondwoman yet they had rather as though they were descended out of the stocke of Sara a free woman and the wife of Abraham be called Sarracens for the reputation of the name and of the stocke Thus the false Prophetes of all ages which did withstand the Prophets of God as Esay as Hieremy as Christ as y e Apostles had nothing more rife in their mouthes then the name of the Church Nether for any other cause did they so bitterly turmoile them or call them runnawaies and forsakers of their profession theÌ„ bicause they had gone from their fellowship and obserued not the ordiaÌ„nces of the elders And in case we wil folow the iudgement of those men onely by whom the Church was gouerned at that time haue no respect other to God or to his woorde or to any other thinge doubtles it caÌ„ not be denied but that the Apostles in as much as they declined away from the high Byshops priestes that is to say from the catholyke Church and contrary to their willes cried they neuer so much brought in an innouation a change of many thinges in religion were rightly condemned and according to law Wherfore like as thei writ of Hercules y t in wrastling with Anteus the Gyaunt he was faine to hoist him vp from the earthe his mother before he could ouercome him so our aduersaries must be lifted vp froÌ„ this mother of theirs that is to say from this counterfait shape and shadow of the Church which they mass themselues w tall for otherwise they can not giue place to y e word of God Wherfore Ieremye saith Boast not your selues so much that the temple of God is amongst you that is but a vaine confidence for these be saith he y e words of lies And y e Angel in the reuelatioÌ„ Thei say saith he thei be Iewes but thei be the Synagoge of Satan And Christ what time the Pharasies bosted themselues of the stock and kinred of Abraham You sayth he are of your father the Deuill for you doe nothing resemble your father Abraham As thoughe he shoulde saye thus You are not the men which you desire so much to be taken for you deceiue the people w t counterfait tytles and abuse the name of y e Church to the ouerthrowing of the Church Wherfore this they ought first euidently and truely to haue proued that the Church of Rome is y e true and the right beleuing Church of God and that the same according as it is gouerned by them at this day doth agree with the primitiue Church of Christ of the Apostles and of the holy fathers which no maÌ„ doubted to bee the Catholike Church True it is in deede in case we could haue beleued that ignoraÌ„ce error superstition worshipping of Idols mans inuentions such as many times are contrary to the holy Scriptures either pleased God or were sufficieÌ„t to the obtaining of euerlasting saluation or if we coulde haue perswaded our selues that the worde of God was writeÌ„ only for a fewe yeares and then to be put out of all authoritie or that at any time the saiynges and ordinances of God shoulde stande at the discretion of the will of maÌ„ that whatsoeuer God sayde or commaunded

out by the holy and canonical Scriptures and y t which can not abide the trial of theÌ„ is not y e Church Yet these men I can not tell howe whether it be of reuerence or of coÌ„science or for dispayre of the victory doe alwayes abhorre and flee Gods worde euen as a thief dothe the gallous Nother is it any maruell at al. For like as it is sayde of the golde worme that in the ioyce of Balsme an ointment to all other respectes of moste sweete and delicate sauour he is sone dispatched and killed so they in Gods worde doe see theyr cause as it were in poyson to be vtterly dispatched destroyed Wherefore to the intent they might the more easily driue the people from the scriptures as from a moste daungerous and a hurtful thing the whiche neuerthelesse our sauiour Iesus Christ did not only vse in al his coÌ„mon talke but also at the laste sealed them with his bloud thei ar wont to cal theÌ„ a colde an vncertaine an vnprofitable a dumme a killing a dead lettre Which vnto vs semeth to be asmuche as thoe they had sayd they be no scriptures at all But they sticke not to adde thereunto a similitude not al together of the beste making that thei be in maner as it were a nose of waxe that maye be fashioned and turned into all manner of shapes and serue euery mans purpose Trowe ye the Pope is ignorant that these thinges ar spoken euen by his owne derelinges Or dothe he not vnderstande that he hath such Champions Let him heare therefore how deuoutly how godly one Hosius writeth of this matter a Poloniane as he him self sayth a Byshop doutles an eloquent man not vnlearned and a very earnest and stoute defender of his cause He wil maruel I suppose that any man fearyng God coulde other thynke so wickedly of those wordes whiche he knoweth to haue proceded from the mouthe of God or write so slaunderously and that specially in suche sorte as that he would not haue it to be taken for his own iudgement alone but as the coÌ„mon iudgement of them all In deede I doe not denie but he dothe dissemble his owne personne doth so propouÌ„de the matter as thoe not he nor meÌ„ of his sorte but y e heretikes called Zuenkfeldians did speake after y t maÌ„ner We sayth he as touchyng y e very scriptures wherof we see brought in now a daies so many interpretatioÌ„s not only diuerse amoÌ„gst them self but also coÌ„trary one to an other wil bidde Away with theÌ„ And wil rather heare God speake then turne our selfs towardes these beggerly elementes in them repose y e hope of our saluatioÌ„ It is not requisit to be cuÌ„ning in the lawe in y e scriptures but to be taught of God It is but vaine labour y t which is bestowed vpoÌ„ y e scripture for y e scripture is a creature and a certain beggerly elemeÌ„t These be y e wordes of Nosius writeÌ„ no doubt w t the same spirite minde wherw t Montanus in time paste Marcion did speake of whome it is sayd y t they were woÌ„te to say at what time they would contemptuously reiect the holy scriptures that they knewe many bothe moe better thinges then euer other Christ or his Apostles did knowe What shall I saye therefore in this pointe O ye pillers of Religion o ye prelates of the Church of Christ is this the reuerence that you giue vnto Gods worde Dare you so deale with the holy Scriptures the whiche S. Paule sayth ar deliuered vnto vs by inspiracioÌ„ from God the whiche God hath adorned and set forth with so many miracles in the which the most euident footesteppes of Christes passage ar certainely imprynted whiche all the holy fathers whiche the Apostles whiche the Angels whiche Christe him selfe the sonne of God when neede required did call to witnes Dare you I say abide away with theÌ„ as though they were vnworthy to be hearde of you Is not this to commaunde God him self whoe most euidently speketh vnto you in the scriptures to kepe silence or will you call that worde by the whiche onely as S. Paule saythe we ar reconciled vnto God and whiche Dauid saith is holy and pure and shall endure for euer by the name onely of a beggerly and a dead element or will you saye that to bestowe our labour about that thing whiche Christe commaunded vs diligently to serche and alwayes to haue before our eyes is a vayne labor and to none effect And that Christ and the Apostles what time they did exhorte the people to the redyng of the holy scriptures that out of them thei might become plentifull in all wisdome and knowlege did goe about to abuse menne with lies It is no meruaile thoe these men despise vs and all that we doe or say whiche make so litle accounte of God him self and of his moste holy worde Yet was it but a folish deuise of them in seking to hurte vs to commit so haynous an iniurie agaynst the worde of God But Hosius will crie out we doe him iniurie and that these be not his but Zuinkfeldius wordes But what if Zuenkfeldius also crie that they be not his but Hosius wordes For wher did Zuinkfelde euer write theÌ„ or if he did write them and Nosius iudged them to be wicked why did he not at y e least speake one worde to coÌ„fute them how so euer the matter goe Althoe peradueÌ„ture Hosius wil not allow the wordes yet he dothe not disallow the meanyng For in all controuersies almost and namely touchyng the vse of the holy coÌ„munion vnder bothe kindes although Christes wordes be most plaine yet he coÌ„temptuously reiecteth them as colde and dead elementes and woulde haue vs beleue certain newe deuises prescribed by the Church and certain reuelations I know not what of the holy ghost And Albert Pighius saieth we ought not to beleue the wordes of the scripture althoe thei were moste manifest vnlesse the same be allowed by the interpretation and authoritie of the Churche Neuerthelesse as though this were but a smal matter they sticke not also to burne vp y e sacred scriptures as in time paste wicked kyng Aza did or as Antiochus or Maximinus did and these they ar wonte to cal heretikes bookes wherein they seeme to intende the same practise whiche Herode in time paste for the mayntenaÌ„ce of his estate went about in Iury. For he wheras he was an Edomite a very straunger to the stocke and kinred of the Iewes and neuerthelesse couetid to be taken for a Iewe to the intent he might the rather establish for him and his posteritie his kingdome ouer theÌ„ the which he had before obtained at the handes of Augustus themperour commaunded all their enrolments of petigrees whiche euen from the time of AbrahaÌ„ vnto that daye had bene diligentlie kepte amongest their recordes and by the which it might with out al error easily be

perceaued out of what kinred euery man was descendid to be burned and vtterly to be defaced onely to this ende that nothing hereafter should remayne in recorde wherby it might appeare that he were a stranger Euen so doe these men in all pointes when as bicause they would haue all their deuises to be had in as great price as though they had bene deliuered from the Apostels or from Christe leaste that any thyng should at any time remayne that might reproue such dreames and lies other they burne the holy scriptures or craftely conueye them from the people Chrysostome surely writeth very well and agaynst the endeuour of these men excedyng aptly Heretikes sayth he shut vp the gates agaynst the truthe for they know right well if they be open the Churche shall not be on theyr side And Theophylacte The worde of God saythe he is the lanterne of light whereby the thief is espied And Tertullian sayth The holy scripture doth trie out the guyles theftes of heretikes For why doe thei hyde why doe they kepe vnder couert that gospel which Christ would haue to sounde from the toppes of houses Why doe they conuey y t light vnder a busshel whiche ought to stande vpon the candelstike why doe thei repose their trust rather in the blindnes ignoraÌ„ce of the vnskilful multitude than in the goodnes of their cause Doe they suppose that theyr sleyghts be not yet espied or that they can nowe as thoe they had Gyges ring walke inuisible Assure your selfe now all menne seeth well inough what is within that same storeboxe of the Popes bosome euen this thing onely maye be a good argument y t they deale not vprightly and truely That cause ought of right to be suspected that flyeth the triall light For he that doeth euil as Christ saith seketh after darkenes and hateth the light A cleare coÌ„scieÌ„ce offereth him self willingly to the shew that those workes whiche doe procede from God maye be seene They ar not so vtterly blinde but that they see this wel inough that if the scriptures haue the vpper haÌ„de their kingdome is by and by ouerthrowen and that like as it is sayd of the Idols of the GeÌ„tyles froÌ„ whome in old time they fetched all oracles answers that at the presence of Christe when he came into the world they sodenly became dumme euen so now also at the sight of the gospel al theyr sleightes by and by fall headlong to the grounde For Antichrist is not ouerthroweÌ„ but by the clearnesse of Christes commyng We flee not as these menne are wonte to doe to the fyre but to the scriptures nor we doe not besege them with the sworde but with the worde of God thereby as Tertullian sayth we doe nurrish our fayth thereby we doe rayse vp our hope thereby we doe establish our assuraÌ„ce For we know that the gospel of Iesus Christ is the powre of God vnto saluation and that in hit is euerlasting life And therfore we giue no eare according as S. Paule doth admonish vs no not to an Angel of God coÌ„ming from heaueÌ„ in case he goe about to withdrawe vs froÌ„ any parte of this doctrine No as y e right holy maÌ„ Iustinus martyr sayth of him self We wold not beleue God himself in case he would teach vs an other gospel For where as these meÌ„ doe shake of y e scriptures as things y t caÌ„ not speake ar good for nothing and appeale rather vnto God himselfe speaking in the Church in councels y t is to say to their owne fansies opinioÌ„s y t is bothe a very uncertain way to finde out the truth very ful of daunger somwhat like y e heathenysh maÌ„ner of illudynge the people w t their furious inspirations such a waye as of the holy fathers was neuer approued Chrysostome saythe y t ofte times there be many that bragge of the holy ghoste but certainely sayth he they y t speake of their owne heades doe vntruly boaste theÌ„ selfe to haue the spirit of God For like as Christe sayeth he what time he spake out of the lawe and the Prophetes denied that he spake of him self eueÌ„ so nowe if any other thyng but the gospell be enforced vpon vs vnder the name of the holy ghost we ought not to beleue it for as Christ is the fulfilling of the law the Prophetes so is the Spirite the fulfillyng of the gospell these be the wordes of S. Chrysostome But these menne although they haue not the holy scriptures yet peradueÌ„ture they haue the auncient doctors and holy fathers For in this they haue alwayes made their vaunt that all antiquite and the vniuersall consent of al ages was on their side Againe that al our opinioÌ„s ar newe and grene and neuer hearde of before these fewe yeres nowe laste paste Doubtles there is nothing can be spoken of greater weight against the religion of God then when it is accused of noueltie for like as in God him self so in his religion there ought to be nothyng newe neuerthelesse we can not tel how it cometh to passe that from the beginning of the world we haue alwaies seene it in experieÌ„ce that as ofteÌ„ as God wolde as it were kindle and disclose his truth vnto men althoe it were of it self not onely most auncieÌ„t but also euerlastyng yet of wicked men and of such as were enemies therunto it was called grene and newe stuffe A man that wicked bloudy man onely to brynge the Iewes into hatered accused them to the king Assuerus after this sorte Thou haste here saieth he O king a people which in vsing certain newe lawes ar agaynst al thy lawes stobberne and rebellious Paule also at Athens so sone as he beganne to teache and to set forth the gospel was reported to be a setter forth of new goddes that is to say of newe religion And may we not saye they learne of the what maÌ„ner of new doctrine is this And Celsus what time he wrote of purpose against Christ to the intent that after a more contemptuous maÌ„ner he might scoffe out the Gospel with a slaunder of nouelty Hath God saith he now at the length after so many ages called himself to so late a rememberance Eusebius saith also that ChristiaÌ„ religion euen from the beginning was called in reproche ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ that is to saye new and strange Euen after the same sorte these men doe condemne all things that we doe allow for new and straunge their owne thinges againe whatsoeuer they be they will haue them to be commended as moste auncient And lyke as Necromanciers and Witches at this day such as haue to doe with Deuils are wont to say that thei haue their bookes and all their sacred hidd misteries from Athanasius from Cyprian from Moises from Abel from Adam and also from Raphael the Archangel to the intent that that skil which had proceded froÌ„ such authors and inuentours might be

adiudged to be more glorious and more heauenly Euen so these men to the ende that their religion which they themselues haue hatched and that not so long agoe to themselues might be the eassier and better set forth vnto men that eyther were fools in deede or little coÌ„sidered what they did and where about they went are wont to say that it came vnto their handes from Augustine from Hierome froÌ„ Chrisostome froÌ„ Ambrose from the Apostls from Christ himselfe For right wel thei know that ther is nothing more plausible vnto the people theÌ„ these names or better accepted of y e common sortes of men But what if those thinges which these men would haue accounted to be new be founde to be most auncient Againe what if those thinges in maner all which these men so hyghly set forth with the name of antiquitie after that they haue been well and diligently syfted shall be founde at the last to be but grene and new Truely the lawes and Ceremonies of the Iewes although that Aman did accuse them of nouelty yet vnto any man that considered them truly and vprightly thei coulde not appeare to be new for thei were written in most auncient tables And Christe although many supposed that he did declyne from Abraham and from the olde fathers and that he brought in a new ReligioÌ„ of his owne heade yet he answered truely If you beleued Moises you should beleue mee also for my doctrine is not so new as you take it Moises a most auncient aucthor whom you doe esteme aboue all men did speake of mee And. S. Paule Although the Gospell of Iesus Christ be reputed of many to be new yet it hath saith he a most auncient testimony of the law and the Prophetes As for our doctrine the which we may cal more rightly the Catholike doctrine of Christ is so far of from all nouslty that the olde God of all ages and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath commended it vnto vs in moste auncient monuments euen in the Gospell and in the bookes of the Prophetes and of the Apostles So that now it can not seeme new vnto any man except there be any to whom either the fayth of the Prophetes or the Gospell or Christ himselfe seemeth to be newe But in case their Religion bee so auncient and so olde as they woulde haue it to appere wherefore doe they not proue it oute of the examples of the primitiue Church out of the auncient fathers out of the olde Councels Why lyeth so olde a cause abandoned so longe tyme wythout a defender as for Sworde and Fyer they haue had alwayes at hande but of olde Councels and Fathers no worde at all And surely it had been altogether against reason to begin at these bloody and cruell reasons if they could haue founde any gentyler and mylder argumentes But if they haue in deede such truste in Antiquitie wythout any maner of counterfeiting why did Iohn Clement a Countrie man of oures not many yeares paste in the syght of certaine honest men and men of good credit teare and cast into the fyer certaine leaues out of a most auncient Father and a Greeke Bysshop called Theodoret in the which he dyd euidently and expressely teache that in the Sacrament the nature of bread was not taken away And that at such tyme as he thought no other example coulde be founde in anye place why dothe Albert Pighius denye that Sainct Augustine that olde Father dyd holde a right opinion of Originall synne or of such mariages as are contracted after a vowe professed And where as Augustine affirmeth it to be perfecte Matrimonye and can not be reuoked why sayth he that he dothe erre and is deceiued that he vseth no good Logike Why did thei now of late in y e printing of y t auncieÌ„t father Origene vpoÌ„ y e Gospel of Iohn leaue out y e whole sixt chapter wherin it is very credible or rather certain y t he taught many things touching the SacrameÌ„t coÌ„trary to their doctrin so had rather set forth y e boke in maner maimed theÌ„ being perfect it shold reproue their errors Is this to trust to aÌ„tiquiti to teare to suppresse to maÌ„gle to burne the bookes of the auncient fathers It is a worlde to beholde how wel these men doe agree in Religion with those fathers of whom they are wont to bragge to be on their side The olde Councell called Eliberinum decreed that nothing that y e people worshipped should be painted in Temples An auncieÌ„t father Epiphanius saith that it is an horrible wickednes and an offence vntolerable If any man should set vp so much as a painted Image though it were of Christ himselfe in the Churches of Christian men These meÌ„ as though there were no Religion without them haue filled their Church and eueri corner of them with painted and grauen Images The olde fathers Origen and Chrysostome do exhorte the people to the reading of y e holy Scriptures to bye bookes to reason of matters pertaining to religion among themselues in their own howses the husbandes with their wiues the parentes with ther ChildreÌ„ CoÌ„trariwyse these meÌ„ do condemne the Scriptures as dead elementes and by all meanes they can possibly restraine the people from them The auncient fathers Cyprian Epiphanius and Hierome say that if any hath made a vowe to liue an vnmaryed lyfe and afterwardes leadeth his lyfe in vncleanes and can not restraine the flammes of his lustinge that it is better for him to mary a wyfe and to liue chastely in wedlock And the selfe same Matrimony the olde father Augustine determineth to be lawful and good nor ought not to be reuoked These men contrariwise such as haue once bounde themselues by now although afterwardes he burne in lusting although he hunt after Hores although neuer so filthely damnably he defile himselfe yet they will not suffer him to mary or if perchaunce he do marry they deny it to be matrimony affirming y t it is much better and more godly to keepe a Concubine or a Harlot then to liue in that state That auncient father S. Augustine did complain of y e multitude of vaine Ceremonies by y t which he sawe how euen in those daies mens mindes and consciences were oppressed These meÌ„ as though God delyted in nothing els haue encreased ceremonies so out of al measure that now in their Churches holy seruice they haue left in maner nothing els Augustine an olde father denyeth y t it is lawfull for a sluggishe monke to liue in ydlenesse vnder a colour pretence of holines to liue vpon other mens labours such as liueth after y t sort an old father Apollonius saith they be like vnto theeues These men haue shall I say heardes or flockes of monkes whych albeit thei doe vtterly nothing neither trouble themselues so much as to counterfait or to beare any face of

of truth from the whiche the holy scriptures receaue their authoritie The doctrine sayth he of the Churche of Rome is the vnfallible rule of fayth from the whiche the holy Scriptures fetcheth her strength And pardonnes sayeth he ar not come to our knowlege by the authoritie of the scriptures but thei ar knowne vnto vs by the authoritie of the Churche of Rome and of the Romane Popes the whiche is a greater authoritie Pighius also is not afrayde to saye that we ought not to beleue any texte of the scripture be it neuer so playne vnlesse we haue our warrant from the Churche of Rome Muche like as if any of these that can not speake good and pure Latine and yet can bable somwhat after the maÌ„ner of Scholemens Latine very roundly and redily woulde needes maynteyne that all other meÌ„ also ought to speake such Latine now in these times as many yeres past Mammetrect or Catholicon did speake and suche as at this daye is vsed amongest themselues in their common scholes for so both that whiche is spoken maye be well inough vnderstanded and also mens mindes wel satisfied and that it were a mockery now after so longe coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce to trouble y e world with a new kinde of speach and to cal home againe the olde purenes and elegaÌ„cy in speakyng whiche Cicero or Cesar vsed in their dayes Such is the duety forsoth that these men doe owe vnto the ignorance and darknes of the times paste Many thinges as a certaine man sayth ar ofte times in good estimatioÌ„ only bicause they had bene ones dedicated to the temples of Heathen Gods Euen so we see that these menne at this daye doe allowe many thinges and highly esteeme them not bicause they iudge them to be so much worthe but only bicause they haue bene receyued by coustume and dedicated after a certayne maÌ„ner to the Churche of God But our Church saye they can not erre the whiche thing I suppose they speake much like as in time paste the Lacedemonians were wonte to say y t in the whole state of their common welth it was not possible to finde an aduouterer wheras in deede they were rather al aduouterers in asmuch as thei cupled theÌ„self in vncertain mariages occupied their wifes together in coÌ„mon Or as the Canonistes for their bealies sake ar woÌ„te to speake nowe a dayes of the Pope That he in that he is lorde ouer all benefices although he doe sell for money Bysshoprickes Abbeys personages and suffereth nothing freely to departe from him neuerthelesse bicause he saythe that all is his thoe he would neuer so fayne he can not commit symonie But howe this argument should be good and how the wordes maye agree with reason we can not as yet surely perceiue except peraduenture like as the auÌ„cient Romanes in time past dealt with Lady Victorie so these meÌ„ after that truth came fliyng vnto them they pulled of her winges that neuer after she should be able to flie from them But what if Ieremie say vnto them accordyng as we sayde before that these be the wordes of lies What if the same man saye agayne that euen they whiche ought to haue manured the vineyarde haue wasted and destroyed the Uineyarde of the Lorde What if Christ saye that they whiche chyeflye ought to haue bene carefull ouer the Temple of the Lordes temple haue made a denne of thieues But in case the Church of Rome can not erre then muste it needes be that the happynes thereof is greater then the wisedome of these menne For suche is their lyfe doctrine and diligence that the Churche maye full well for all them not onely erre but also perishe vtterly and come to nothyng Doubtles if that Churche maye erre whiche hath vtterly gone astraye from the worde of God from the commaundementes of Christe from the ordinances of the Apostles from the examples of the primitiue Church from the constitutions of the olde fathers and auncient Councels and from the verye decrees of theyr owne makynge and whiche will not be kepte in order with no lawes nother olde nor new nother of theyr owne nor of others nother of God nor of manne then is it moste certaine not onely that the Churche of Rome mighte erre but also that moste lewdely and shamefully it hath erred But you were ones saye they of our felowship but now you ar become Apostatas ruÌ„negates haue separated your selfs froÌ„ vs. True it is y t we haue disseuered our selfs from theÌ„ and for that cause we bothe giue thankes to our moste mercyfull and mightie God and also on oure owne behalfes we doe moste hyghlye reioyce But we haue not departed at all from the primitiue Churche from the Apostles nor from Christe We can not denie but we were brought vp amongest them in darkenes and in the ignorance of God euen as Moyses was in the discipline and in the bosome of the AegyptiaÌ„s We were sayth Tertullian of your fellowshippe I coÌ„fesse and no marueile for men ar made and not borne Christians But let these men tell me wherefore they ar come downe from these seuen hils wherupon afore time Rome did stande and haue chosen rather to dwel vpon the playne whiche is called the fielde of Mars They will say peradueÌ„ture bycause the conduytes of water that were in those hils without the whiche they could not wel liue ar now decayed dried vp Then lette them giue vs that same leaue touchyng the water of euerlastyng life whiche they will haue to be graunted vnto them in this case of material water Amongest theÌ„ this water fayled longe a goe the elders as Hieremy sayeth sent theyr youÌ„gelings to y e waters but they when thei could finde nothing brought home theyr empty vessels beyng in great miserie and vtterly loste for thirste The needy sayeth Esay and the poore sought after water but they founde none in no place theyr tongues were now euen dried for thyrst these meÌ„ had broken vp all their water courses and theyr conduytes these had choked all theyr springes and had filled with myre and durte the fountayne of the water of life And like as Caligula in time paste by closing vp of all mens barnes brought vpon the people a generall hunger and famine so these men in chokyng vp of all the fouÌ„taynes of Gods worde haue brought the people into a miserable thyrste They brought as Amos the Prophete sayth hunger and thirst vpon men not a famine of bread not a thirste of water but of hearyng the worde of God The poore wretches wandered vp and downe sekyng after some litle sparke of that light of God wherwith they might chiere their consciences but it was cleane quenched out they coulde finde none at all Suche was the very state suche was the pytifull condition of the Church of God Moste miserably men liued therein without the gospell without lighte without all comforte Wherefore although our departyng be somewhat greuous vnto them yet ought

the Church of God wil not become wise but will abaÌ„don their dutie and harden their hartes agaynste God and his anoynted Christe and continew still in peruertyng the streyght wayes of the Lorde God will rayse vp the very stones and make litel babes eloquent that alwaies there may be some by whome the lies of these men maye be confuted For God is able not only without councels but also maugre the councels both to defende and to encrease his kyngdome There be saythe SalomoÌ„ many deuises in mans hart but the councel of the Lorde abideth stable for there is no knowlege there is no wisedome there is no councell agaynste the Lorde Thinges sayth Hilary that ar buylded vp by mannes worke doe not endure The Churche of God muste be otherwise buylded and otherwise conserued For it is grounded vpon the foundation of the Apostls and Prophetes and ioynted together with one corner stone Iesus Christ. But S. Hierome of all other speaketh most plainely and most aptly for these times WhoÌ„soeuer sayth he the Deuil hath deceiued and hath as it were with swete and impoysened enchauntment of the meremaydes entised to fall a slepe those the worde of God dothe awake and sayth Ryse thou that slepeste stande vp and Christe will giue the lighte Wherefore at the commyng of Christe and of Gods worde and of the doctrine of the Churche of the vtter ouerthrow of Niniue and of that moste beautifull harlot the people that before vnder sholemasters was rocked a slepe shall be raysed vp and with haste shal goe to the mouÌ„taynes of the Scriptures there they shall finde mountaynes Moses Iesus the sonne of Naue mountaines the Prophetes mountaynes of the newe testamente the Apostles the Euangelistes And when they shall flee vnto suche mountaines and exercise themself in the readyng of these kinde of mountaynes yf they finde no manne to teache them for the haruest shall be greate and the workemen fewe neuerthelesse bothe the endeuour of the people bycause they flee vnto these kinde of mountaynes shall be allowed and the negligence of the scholemasters shal be coÌ„trolled These be the words of Hierome so playne that there needeth no interpreter so well applied to those thinges whiche we see now before our eyes that he semeth vnto vs to foreshewe as it were with the spirite of Prophecie and to entende to set before our eyes the whole state of our times and the fall of that moste sumptuously attiered harlot of Babylone and the reformatioÌ„ of the Church the blindenesse and loytering of the Byshoppes and the endeuour cherefulnesse of the people For who is so blinde that he seeth not these menne to be those sholemasters by whome the people as Hierome sayth hath bene ledde into error therein rocked a slepe or seeth not Niniue their Rome which sometime was counterfetly beautified w t most excellent colours nowe that her visar is taken away bothe to be better perceaued and lesse set by or the seeth hot howe godly menne beyng raysed vp as it were out of a deade slepe at the light of the gospel and at the sounde of Gods worde haue gone forthe without tariyng for y e assemblies of these kinde of doctors vnto the mountaynes of the Scriptures But at y e least some maÌ„ wil say these thinges ought not to be attempted without the Pope of Romes leaue for he only is y e buckle the boÌ„d of ChristiaÌ„ felowship he only is that same Preest of the stoke of Leui which God did speake of in Deuteronomye that from him in matters of great difficultie men should fetche Councel and Iudgment of the truth and that if any man do not submit himselfe vnto his iudgment he should be slaine in the sight of his brethren he whatsoeuer he doth can not be iudged of any man Christe reigneth in heauen he vpon earth that he alone is able to do what soeuer Christ or God himself can do for he Christe haue but one consistory w tout him ther is no faithe no hope no Church that whosoeuer forsaketh him he casteth away abandoneth his own saluacioÌ„ These be y e flatteries of y e Canonists y e Popes belly seruaÌ„ts wherin forsothe thei vse not ouer much sobrenes for scarsly could they ascribe moe thinges vnto Christ him self but sure I am that greater thinges they could not And to returne againe to our own doynges We truly haue not departed froÌ„ y e pope for any worldly pleasure or for profites sake And woulde God that he woulde so behaue himself that we had no neede to forsake him But suche was our case that vnlesse we wente from him we could not come vnto Christe Neyther will he yet at this day make any other league with vs then as Naas the kynge of the Ammonites would haue made with the men of Iabes that was to put out the right eye of euery one of them For he wil plucke away from vs the holy scriptures the gospell of our saluation and al that hope whiche we haue in Christe Iesu for with other conditions we can haue no peace For as to that whiche certayne menne ar wonte so muche to speake of that the Pope only is Peters successor as thoe that by reason thereof he carieth the holy ghoste in his bosome and can not erre it is a folishe and a triflying tale The grace of God is promised vnto a well disposed minde and to him that feareth God not vnto Chayres SuccessioÌ„s Riches sayth S. Hierome may make a Byshoppe of greater powre but all Byshops what so euer they be ar the successors of the Apostels If the place and the enstalment alone be sufficient bothe Manasses succeded to Dauid Caiphas to Aaron and ofte times an idole hath stande vp in the teÌ„ple of God Archidamus a Lacedemonian was woÌ„t to auante him selfe muche bicause he was come out of the stocke of Hercules whose arrogancie Nicostratus daunted in this wise As for thou saythe he semest not to be come of Hercules for he killed euill men whereas thou of good men makest men euil And what time the Pharisees boasted their succession and kinred bloud of Abraham you sayth Christ doe seke to kill me a maÌ„ that haue spoken that truth vnto you whiche I haue hearde of God Thus dyd Abraham neuer you ar of your father the Deuil his wil you will obey Neuerthelesse that we should graunt some thing vnto succession Doth the Pope onely succede Peter In what thing I praye you in what Religion in what vse of seruice in what parte of his life doth he succede him What thing had euer either Peter like the Pope or the Pope like Peter Except paraduenture they will say this that Peter whiles he was at Rome neuer taught the Gospell neuer fedde his flocke that he toke away the keys of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ hid the treasures of his Lord only that he satt him down in Laterane and with his fynger

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 couÌ„terfet 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 SacrameÌ„ts 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 weÌ„t out of Sodoma or AbrahaÌ„ out of Chaldey not of a desire to coÌ„tend 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 accomplishemeÌ„t 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 meÌ„ are sworne to one man where our Princes Embassadors ar coÌ„temned 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 shakeÌ„ 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 ChristiaÌ„ reader in as much as y u seest the reasons causes both of our doings touching the restitutioÌ„ of ReligioÌ„ amoÌ„gst 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 chauÌ„ce 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

ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Euseb. lib. 4. The obiection of manners aunswered The manners of the auncyent Churche decayed De lapsâ—â— A Contrary obiection of manners Ioannes de magistris De â—â—mperantia 3. Quaest. 7. la ta Extra De Bigamis Quia circa Her Image as she traualled with childe is yet at Rome Genes 38. In consilio dâ—â— lectoruÌ„ Cardin to 3. De consideratione ad Eugenium P. Aloisius Ihon Casus â— Diasius Heynous sins vnpunnished amonge the Romysshe Of discipline In Apologet. 45. Rom. 2. The objectioÌ„ of sedition Tertull. in Apologet. 1.2 3. The same objectioÌ„ agaynst the primitiue churche Hester 3. Regum 18. Amos. 7. In Apologet. cap. 37. The Gospell doth not destroie common welthes The obiectioÌ„ turned aginst the aduersaries Aug. Steuchus Anton. de Rosellis De Maiori et obed solite De maior obed Vnam sanctam Clemens 5. in Concil Viennensi Zacharias Papa Clemens Paâ—a 7. Sabellicus Caelestinus Papa Hildebrandus Papa Innocentius 8. Psalm 90. A comparison of the obedience and doctryne of both partes Chrysost 13. ad Ro. Gregor saepe in Epist. The obediens due to magistrates The obiectioÌ„ of departing from the catholicke Church Tertull. in Apologetico ca. 16. Tertull. in Apologetico ca. 7.8.9 Idem ca. 39. Augustinus The Catholike Churche Ioan. 8. Aug. Epi. 48. ad Vince The knowen churche may erre Ioan. 8. Why we departed froÌ„ the Churche of Rome In LateraneÌ„ Concil sub Iulio The state and condicion of the Churche vpon earth iii. Kyngs .xix. Esai â—â— Mat. xxi â— i. r. ca. 1. â—al â–ª 4 â–ª Mat. 24. â— Thess. 2. â— Timo. 4. â— Pet. 2. Dani. 8. Mat. 24. Cont Auxentium Of the corrupted state of the church of Rome In Registro Epist ad Mau. Lib. 4. Epist. 32. Papistes doe confesse the errors of their Churche Serm. 33. In Libello de Idiomate linguarum Platina Platina Ad EugeniuÌ„ De Vnitate Ecclesiae ca. 3. Cap. 4. The Papistes do deface the Scriptures Pighius in Hierarchia Impietie agaynst the holye scriptures In opere Imperfecto 2. Thess. 2. The autheritie of Godes worde Aunswere to the obiection of fathers and olde couÌ„sels Dist. 27. Quidam De bonis uidâ—itatis ca. 10. Cons. 27.4.1 nuptiarum bonum In coÌ„trouersijs A comparisoÌ„ betwene the papistes and the olde fathers Origene in Leâ—â—itic ca. 16. Chrysost. in Mat. 1. hom 2 In Iob. ho. 31. Epist. 11. li. 5. coÌ„t Ap. here 61. De Virginta seruaÌ„da ad De metriadem De opere monachorum Can. 3. Can. 8. In Nouellis const 123 146. Tertium Car. ca. 47. De consecra dist 2. Cum enim nemo The popes vsurpacion is new De Maior obed VnaÌ„ sanctam In Extra Bonifacij 8. DuraÌ„dus Concil Lat. sub Iulio 2. Dist. 9. Innocentij De Maior obedien solite Ihon. 22. cap. Cum inter noÌ„nullos In glosa finali In â—dit impressa Parisijs 1503. Anton. de Rosellis What newe deuises are broughte instede of auncient and true relygyon by the Papistes Plicius The Churche of Rome may erre Summa Angelica Dist. Papa Theodoricum de schismate A comparisoÌ„ of both the Churches 1. Cor. 14. Of general Councels Galat. 1. The Pope is aboue the Councell De electione electi potestate ca. Significae Ad Euagrâ—â—â— Hostien ca. Quanto Abbaâ— de Electione ca. Venerabil Cornelius Episcopi in Concilio Trie dentino Durandus Hosius contra BrentiuÌ„ li. 2. caleth it a laufull Counsell wheriÌ„ Christ was condemned The Papystes though they acknowledge theyr errors yet wyll they not amende them Theodoreius Li. 1. ca. 28. Tripar li. 10. ca. 13. Euseb. Liâ— ca. 17. Tripar Sozome li. 5 ca. 15 Exod. 32. Iosu. â— â— Pâ—â— 13 â–ª 1. Paâ—r 1â— 2. Reg. 18. 2. PaÌ„r 17. 4. Reg. 23. 4. Reg. 12. 4. Reg. 10. Paâ—â— 4. in Bulla sua ad Imp. Ferdinandum Hist. Eccle. li. â— â–ª ca. 5. Li. 1. ca. 5. Socra li. â— cap. 10. Actio ne 2. .i. Let the old or auncient customes of manners prouayle Of prouinciall Councels In prophetam Naum. ca. 3. Of the Popes authorytye in Councels 1. Regum 11. The argumeÌ„t of succession confuted

I tell you Hilles Forestes Lakes Prisonnes and Whorlepooles seme more safe a great deale for in them the Prophetes eyther remayning of their own choyse or violently dryuen prophecyed wyth the spyrite of God Gregory euen as though he had seene and perceyued aforehand the ruine of things writing vnto Iohn the Byshopp of Constantinople who first of all men toke vpon hym to be called by a name that neuer was hearde of before the vniuersall Byshop of the whole Church of Christ said thus If y e Church shall depeÌ„de vpon one man the whole shall fall to grounde And who is it that hath not seene this thing done longe agoe It is now long agoe that the Bysshop of Rome hath brought to passe that the whole Church shoulde depend vpon him alone wherefore it is no maruaile if the same now longe agoe be wholy fallen to grounde Bernarde y e Abbot writing foure hundred yeares past There is nothing saith he pure and souÌ„de in y e Clergy onely there remaineth that the man of sinne shoulde be discouered vnto the worlde The same man vpon S. Paules Conuersion It semeth saith he that persecution is now cessed no rather nowe beginneth persecution euen at their handes which beare chiefe rule in the Church Thy frendes thy neighbours hath drawen neere and stande vp against thee From the sole of the foote vnto the crowne of the head there is no soundnes at all Iniquitie hath issued out from the Elders Iudges thy vicares which seeme to gouerne thy people We can not now say As the people are so is the priest for the people are not in y e state as y e priest is Out alas O Lord God thei be in persecuting of thee the Cheefe that seme to loue y e cheefe preheminence in thy Church and to beare the cheefe rule The same vpon the song of Salomon All frendes are becomme all enemies al familiars all aduersaries the seruants of Christe serue Antichrist Beholde in my peace is my moste bitter bitternesse Roger Bacon a man of great fame after that w t a sharpe oration he had reproued the miserable state of his time These heapes of errors saith he do seeke after Antichrist Gerson complaineth that in his time al the fruite exercise of the sacred study of Diuinity was brought to an ambitious contention of wittes and to a mere Sophistrye The Friers of Lions which as touching the maner of their liuing were no euill men were wont boldly to affirme y t the Church of Rome from which onely at y t time the certen resolution of al doubtful matters were fetched was that same whore of BabyloÌ„ wherof in the Reuelation of Iohn there be so many euident prophecies and the assemble of helhoundes I know well ynough that they make light of these mennes aucthorite but what if I bring them for witnesses whome they are wonte to haue in great honour What if I saye that Adrian the Bysshop of Rome hath francklye confessed that all these euilles beganne to fall hedlonge from the toppe of the Papall dignitie Pighius dothe confesse that in this point they haue erred bicause that in to the Masse which for all other respectes he woulde haue to be accounted holye many abuses are brought in Gerson also bicause y t through the multitude of trifling Ceremonies the whole vertue of the holy Ghoste which ought to be stronge in vs and true deuotioÌ„ is altogether quenched Al Grece and Asia lykewise bycause the Popes of Rome wyth the marchandise of theyr Purgatory and pardonnes both haue oppressed mennes consciences and robbed their purses Touching the tirannie of the Byshoppes of Rome and intollerable pryde to passe ouer such as they bycause they haue freely franckly reproued their vices account paraduenture as enemies eueÌ„ thei which leade their life at Rome in the holy Citie vnder the nose of the most holy father and might se al his secrets neuer forsoke the Catholike Faith as Laurens Ualla Marril of Padoa Francis Petrarche Hieronymus Sauanorola Iochym Abbot Baptist of Mantua before theÌ„ al Bernarde the Abbot Al these I say haue greatly and often complained In so much that sometimes they declared the Pope himselfe to be Antichrist whether they spake truely or falsly we leaue it vnto others but doubtles they spake it plainely Neither is there any cause that any man should obiect that they were y e dysciples of Martin Luther or of Zuinglius For they were not onely manye yeares but also dyuers ages before these mennes names were hearde of Yea they did see also euen at that time that errours were crept into the Church and wished for y e amendment of them And what meruaile I pray you if the Church were lead away with errors specially in those dayes what tyme neither the Bishopp of Rome who had the whole rule in his owne handes nor any other maÌ„ in maÌ„ner either did hys duty or did at al vnderstaÌ„d what hys duety was For it is not easye to bee beleued that the Deuill whilest they were ydle and slept that in all y t tyme was alwaies either a sleepe or ydle For howe they in the meane time demeaned theÌ„selues and with what vprightnesse they gouerned the house of God though wee say nothing let them be content at the least to heare Bernarde a man of theirs The Byshops sayth he vnto whome the Church is coÌ„mitted at this daye ar not doctors but deceauers ar not shepeheardes but shepeweriers ar not Prelates but Pilates Thus sayd Bernard of the byshoppe that called him selfe the chiefe byshop and of the byshoppes whiche at that time helde the sterne He was no Lutherane he was no heretike he forsoke not the Church yet was he not afrayde to cal the byshops that liued in those dayes seducers deceauers and Pylates Now theÌ„ what time the people was opeÌ„ly seduced and the eyes of Christian men manifestly deceaued and when Pylate sittyng in court of IudgemeÌ„t adiugged Christ and his membres to sworde fier in what case o Lord was the Church in those dayes But of so many and so grosse errors what error haue these menne purged at any time Or what error at the leaste would these meÌ„ euer acknowledge or confesse But for asmuche as these men doe affirme that they doe stande in full possession of the catholike Churche and call vs bicause we doe dissent froÌ„ them heretikes marke I praye you what note or token this Churche hath of the Churche of God Neither is it so harde a matter in case thou wilt earnestly and diligently seeke it to finde out the Churche of God For it standeth vpoÌ„ an highe and a stately place euen on the toppe of a hill that is to say it is buylded vpon the foundation of the Prophets the Apostels There sayth S. Augustine let vs seeke the Church there let vs trie oure cause and as he saythe in an other place The Churche ought to be tried

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 religioÌ„ 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 religioÌ„ were auncient and approued not only of the multitude but also by the consent and continuaÌ„ce of all nations and times Wherfore let them at one time or other shew this antiquitie which thei speake of Let theÌ„ 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 couÌ„cels 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 ignoraÌ„t 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 coÌ„dition 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 theÌ„ 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 meÌ„ 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 haÌ„des 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 haÌ„ds 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 sacrameÌ„tes 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 inceÌ„ce 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 chauÌ„ged theyr mindes and slipping from him haue returned agayne vnto Hierusalem to the Temple of God he exhorted them with a long oration vnto constaÌ„cie 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 maÌ„ner in all pointes these men when that for theyr owne traditioÌ„s sake they had ones made voyde the law of God least that the people should afterwardes opeÌ„ 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 saluatioÌ„ It is a paynefull and a troublesome thyng for the people to looke backe vpon Christ vpon the Apostles vpoÌ„ 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 froÌ„ 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 sufficieÌ„t 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 chauÌ„ged 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

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