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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17678-h.zip b/17678-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e7fea1a --- /dev/null +++ b/17678-h.zip diff --git a/17678-h/17678-h.htm b/17678-h/17678-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2b00609 --- /dev/null +++ b/17678-h/17678-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4095 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>The Apology of the Church of England</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: gray;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">The Apology of the Church of England, by John Jewel</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Apology of the Church of England, by John +Jewel, Edited by Henry Morley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Apology of the Church of England + + +Author: John Jewel + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: February 5, 2006 [eBook #17678] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE APOLOGY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1888 Cassell and Company edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk</p> +<h1>THE APOLOGY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.</h1> +<p><span class="smcap">by</span><br /> +JOHN JEWEL,</p> +<p><i>Bishop of Salisbury</i>.</p> +<p>CASSELL & COMPANY, <span class="smcap">Limited</span>:<br /> +<i>LONDON</i>, <i>PARIS</i>, <i>NEW YORK & MELBOURNE</i>.<br /> +1888.</p> +<h2><!-- page 5--><a name="page5"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 5</span>INTRODUCTION.</h2> +<p>The great interest of Jewel’s “Apology” lies in +the fact that it was written in Latin to be read throughout Europe as +the answer of the Reformed Church of England, at the beginning of Queen +Elizabeth’s reign, to those who said that the Reformation set +up a new Church. Its argument was that the English Church Reformers +were going back to the old Church, not setting up a new; and this Jewel +proposed to show by looking back to the first centuries of Christianity. +Innovation was imputed; and an Apology originally meant a pleading to +rebut an imputation. So, even as late as 1796, there was a book +called “An Apology for the Bible,” meaning its defence against +those who questioned its authority. This Latin book of Jewel’s, +<i>Apologia Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ</i>—written in Latin +because it was not addressed to England only—was first published +in 1562, and translated into English by the mother of Francis Bacon, +whose edition appeared in 1564. That is the translation given +in this volume. The <!-- page 6--><a name="page6"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 6</span>book +has since had six or seven other translators, but Lady Ann Bacon’s +translation was that which presented it in Queen Elizabeth’s time +to English readers, and it had the advantage of revision by the Queen’s +Archbishop of Canterbury, her coadjutor in the establishment of the +Reformed Church of England, Matthew Parker. It was published, +with no name of author or translator on the title-page, as “An +Apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande, with a briefe +and plaine declaration of the true Religion professed or used in the +same.” The book was prefaced by a letter, “To the +right honorable learned and vertuous Ladie, A. B.” [Ann Bacon] +“M. C. wisheth from God grace, honoure, and felicitie,” +where M. C. signifies Matthew Cantuar, Matthew Parker, Archbishop of +Canterbury, whom Lady Ann Bacon had made her judge, and whose judgment, +the letter says, her book had singularly pleased.</p> +<p>Lady Ann Bacon was the second daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, who +was tutor to King Edward VI. Sir Anthony gave to his five daughters +a most liberal education. His eldest daughter, Mildred, married +Sir William Cecil, afterwards Lord Burleigh, while Ann became the second +wife of the Lord Keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon. Their <!-- page 7--><a name="page7"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 7</span>father +had made Mildred and Ann two of the most learned women in England.</p> +<p>John Jewel was forty years old when he wrote the “Apology.” +He was born in Devonshire in 1522, on the 24th of May, at the village +of Buden, near Ilfracombe. He studied at Oxford, where he became +tutor and preacher, graduated as B.D. in 1551, and was presented to +the rectory of Sunningwell. At the accession of Queen Mary he +bowed to the royal authority, but he was a warm friend and disciple +of Peter Martyr, who had come to England in 1547, at the invitation +of Edward VI., to take the chair of Divinity at Oxford. On the +accession of Queen Mary, Peter Martyr (who was born at Florence in 1500, +and whose family name was Vermigli) returned to Strasburg, and went +thence to Zurich, where he died in 1562. Jewel, repenting of his +assent to the new sovereign’s authority in matters of religion, +followed his friend Peter Martyr across the water, and became vice-master +of a college at Strasburg. Upon the accession of Elizabeth, in +1588, Jewel came back, and he was one of the sixteen Protestants appointed +by the Queen to dispute before her with a like number of Catholics.</p> +<p>In 1559 John Jewel was appointed a commissioner for securing, in +the West of England, <!-- page 8--><a name="page8"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 8</span>conformity +with the newly-arranged Church service, and he had to see that the Queen’s +orders were obeyed in the churches of his native county. Before +the end of the same year he was consecrated Bishop of Salisbury. +He was most zealous in performance of all duties of his charge. +To his good offices young Richard Hooker owed his opportunity of training +for the service of the Church. Among Jewel’s writings, this +Apology or Defence of the Church of England was the most important; +but he worked incessantly, and shortened his life by limiting himself +to four hours of sleep, taken between midnight and four in the morning. +Bishop Jewel died on the 21st of September, 1571, before he had reached +the age of fifty.</p> +<p>H. M.</p> +<h2><!-- page 9--><a name="page9"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 9</span>AN +APOLOGY, OR ANSWER, IN DEFENCE OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,</h2> +<p><i>With a Brief and Plain Declaration of the True Religion Professed +and Used in the Same</i>.</p> +<h3>PART I.</h3> +<p>It hath been an old complaint, even from the first time of the patriarchs +and Prophets, and confirmed by the writings and testimonies of every +age, that the truth wandereth here and there as a stranger in the world, +and doth readily find enemies and slanderers amongst those that know +her not. Albeit perchance this may seem unto some a thing hard +to be believed, I mean to such as have scant well and narrowly taken +heed thereunto, specially seeing all mankind of nature’s very +motion without a teacher doth covet the truth of their own accord; and +seeing our Saviour Christ Himself, when He was on earth, would be called +the Truth, as by a name most fit to express all His Divine power; yet +we, which have been exercised in the Holy Scriptures, and which have +both read and seen what hath happened to all godly men <!-- page 10--><a name="page10"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 10</span>commonly +at all times; what to the Prophets, to the Apostles, to the holy martyrs, +and what to Christ Himself; with what rebukes, revilings, and despites +they were continually vexed whiles they here lived, and that only for +the truth’s sake: we, I say, do see that this is not only no new +thing, or hard to be believed, but that it is a thing already received, +and commonly used from age to age. Nay, truly, this might seem +much rather a marvel, and beyond all belief, if the devil, who is the +father of lies, and enemy to all truth, would now upon a sudden change +his nature, and hope that truth might otherwise be suppressed than by +belying it; or that he would begin to establish his own kingdom by using +now any other practices than the same which he hath ever used from the +beginning. For since any man’s remembrance we can scant +find one time, either when religion did first grow, or when it was settled, +or when it did afresh spring up again, wherein truth and innocency were +not by all unworthy means, and most despitefully intreated. Doubtless +the devil well seeth, that so long as truth is in good safety, himself +cannot be safe, nor yet maintain his own estate.</p> +<p>For, letting pass the ancient patriarchs and Prophets, who, as we +have said, had no part of their life free from contumelies and slanders, +we <!-- page 11--><a name="page11"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 11</span>know +there were certain in times past which said and commonly preached, that +the old ancient Jews (of whom we make no doubt but they were the worshippers +of the only and true God) did worship either a sow, or an ass, in God’s +stead, and that all the same religion was nothing else but a sacrilege, +and a plain contempt of all godliness. We know also that the Son +of God, our Saviour Jesu Christ, when He taught the truth, was counted +a juggler and an enchanter, a Samaritan, Beelzebub, a deceiver of the +people, a drunkard, and a glutton. Again, who wotteth not what +words were spoken against St. Paul, the most earnest and vehement preacher +and maintainer of the truth? sometime that he was a seditious and busy +man, a raiser of tumults, a causer of rebellion; sometime again, that +he was an heretic; sometime, that he was mad; sometime, that only upon +strife and stomach he was both a blasphemer of God’s law, and +a despiser of the fathers’ ordinances. Further, who knoweth +not how St. Stephen, after he had thoroughly and sincerely embraced +the truth, and began frankly and stoutly to preach and set forth the +same, as he ought to do, was immediately called to answer for his life, +as one that had wickedly uttered disdainful and heinous words against +the law, against Moses, against the temple, <!-- page 12--><a name="page12"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 12</span>and +against God? Or who is ignorant that in times past there were +some which reproved the Holy Scripts of falsehood, saying they contained +things both contrary and quite one against other; and how that the Apostles +of Christ did severally disagree between themselves, and that St. Paul +did vary from them all? And, not to make rehearsal of all, for +that were an endless labour, who knoweth not after what sort our fathers +were railed upon in times past, which first began to acknowledge and +profess the Name of Christ? how they made private conspiracies, devised +secret counsels against the commonwealth, and that end made early and +privy meetings in the dark, killed young babes, fed themselves with +men’s flesh, and, like savage and brute beasts, did drink their +blood? in conclusion, how that, after they had put out the candles, +they committed adultery between themselves, and without regard wrought +incest one with another: that brethren lay with their sisters, sons +with their mothers, without any reverence of nature or kin, without +shame without difference; and that they were wicked men without all +care of religion, and without any opinion of God, being the very enemies +of mankind, unworthy to be suffered in the world, and unworthy of life?</p> +<p><!-- page 13--><a name="page13"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 13</span>All +these things were spoken in those days against the people of God, against +Christ Jesu, against Paul, against Stephen, and against all them, whosoever +they were, which at the first beginning embraced the truth of the Gospel, +and were contented to be called by the name of Christians, which was +then a hateful name among the common people. And although the +things which they said were not true, yet the devil thought it should +be sufficient for him, if at the least he could bring it so to pass +as they might be believed for true, and that the Christians might be +brought into a common hatred of everybody, and have their death and +destruction sought of all sorts. Hereupon kings and princes, being +led then by such persuasions, killed all the Prophets of God, letting +none escape. Esay with a saw, Jeremy with stones, Daniel with +lions, Amos with an iron bar, Paul with the sword, and Christ upon the +cross; and condemned all Christians to imprisonments, to torments, to +the pikes, to be thrown down headlong from rocks and steep places, to +be cast to wild beasts, and to be burnt: and made great fires of their +quick bodies, for the only purpose to give light by night, and for a +very scorn and mocking stock; and did count them no better than the +vilest filth, the offscourings and laughing <!-- page 14--><a name="page14"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 14</span>games +of the whole world. Thus, as ye see, have the authors and professors +of the truth ever been intreated.</p> +<p>Wherefore, we ought to bear it the more quietly, which have taken +upon us to profess the Gospel of Christ, if we for the same cause be +handled after the same sort; and if we, as our forefathers were long +ago, be likewise at this day tormented, and baited with railings, with +spiteful dealings, and with lies; and that for no desert of our own, +but only because we teach and acknowledge the truth.</p> +<p>They cry out upon us at this present everywhere, that we are all +heretics, and have forsaken the faith, and have with new persuasions +and wicked learning utterly dissolved the concord of the Church; that +we renew, and, as it were, fetch again from hell the old and many a +day condemned heresies; that we sow abroad new sects, and such broils +as never yearst were heard of: also that we are already divided into +contrary parts and opinions, and could yet by no means agree well among +ourselves; that we be cursed creatures, and, like the giants, do war +against God Himself, and live clean without any regard or worshipping +of God; that we despise all good deeds; that we use no discipline of +virtue, no laws, no customs; that we esteem neither right, nor order, +nor equity, nor <!-- page 15--><a name="page15"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 15</span>justice; +that we give the bridle to all naughtiness, and provoke the people to +all licentiousness and lust; that we labour and seek to overthrow the +state of monarchies and kingdoms, and to bring all things under the +rule of the rash inconstant people and unlearned multitude; that we +have seditiously fallen from the Catholic Church, and by a wicked schism +and division have shaken the whole world, and troubled the common peace +and universal quiet of the Church; and that, as Dathan and Abiram conspired +in times past against Moses and Aaron, even so we at this day have renounced +the Bishop of Rome without any cause reasonable; that we set nought +by the authority of the ancient fathers and councils of old time; that +we have rashly and presumptuously disannulled the old ceremonies, which +have been well allowed by our fathers and forefathers many hundred years +past, both by good customs, and also in ages of more purity; and that +we have by our own private head, without the authority of any sacred +and general council, brought new traditions into the Church: and have +done all these things not for religion’s sake, but only upon a +desire of contention and strife; but that they for their part have changed +no manner of thing, but have held and kept still such a number of years +to this very <!-- page 16--><a name="page16"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 16</span>day +all things as they were delivered from the Apostles and well approved +by the most ancient fathers.</p> +<p>And that this matter should not seem to be done but upon privy slander, +and to be tossed to and fro in a corner, only to spite us, there have +been besides wilily procured by the Bishop of Rome certain persons of +eloquence enough, and not unlearned neither, which should put their +help to this cause, now almost despaired of, and should polish and set +forth the same, both in books, and with long tales to the end that, +when the matter was trimly and eloquently handled, ignorant and unskilful +persons might suspect there was some great thing in it. Indeed +they perceived that their own cause did everywhere go to wrack; that +their sleights were now espied, and less esteemed; and that their helps +did daily fail them; and that their matter stood altogether in great +need of a cunning spokesman.</p> +<p>Now as for those things which by them have been laid against us, +in part they be manifestly false, and condemned so by their own judgments +which spake them; partly again, though they be as false, too, indeed, +yet bear they a certain show and colour of truth, so as the reader (if +he take not good heed) may easily be tripped and brought into error +by them, specially when their fine and cunning <!-- page 17--><a name="page17"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>tale +is added thereunto. And part of them be of such sort as we ought +not to shun them as crimes or faults, but to acknowledge and profess +them as things well done, and upon very good reason.</p> +<p>For shortly to say the truth, these folk falsely accuse and slander +all our doings; yea the same things which they themselves cannot deny +but to be rightly and orderly done; and for malice do so misconstrue +and deprave all our sayings and doings, as though it were impossible +that anything could be rightly spoken or done by us. They should +more plainly and sincerely have gone to work if they would have dealt +truly. But now they neither truly, nor sincerely, nor yet Christianly, +but darkly and craftily charge and batter us with lies, and do abuse +the blindness and fondness of the people, together with the ignorance +of princes, to cause us to be hated and the truth to be suppressed. +This, lo, ye, is the power of darkness, and of men which lean more to +the amazed wondering of the rude multitude and to darkness than they +do to truth and light; and as St. Hierom saith, which do openly gainsay +the truth, closing up their eyes, and will not see for the nonce.</p> +<p>But we give thanks to the most good and mighty God, that such is +our cause, whereagainst (when they would fainest) they were able to +utter no <!-- page 18--><a name="page18"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 18</span>despite, +but the same which might as well be wrested against the holy fathers, +against the Prophets, against the Apostles, against Peter, against Paul, +and against Christ Himself.</p> +<p>Now, therefore, if it be lawful for these folks to be eloquent and +fine-tongued in speaking evil, surely it becometh not us in our cause, +being so very good, to be dumb in answering truly. For men to +be careless what is spoken by them and their own matter, be it never +so falsely and slanderously spoken (especially when it is such that +the majesty of God and the cause of religion may thereby be damaged), +is the part doubtless of dissolute and wretchless persons, and of them +which wickedly wink at the injuries done unto the Name of God. +For although other wrongs, yea oftentimes great, may be borne and dissembled +of a mild and Christian man, yet he that goeth smoothly away, and dissembleth +the matter when he is noted of heresy, Ruffinus was wont to deny that +man to be a Christian. We therefore will do the same thing, which +all laws, which nature’s own voice doth command to be done, and +which Christ Himself did in like case, when He was checked and reviled: +to the intent we may put off from us these men’s slanderous accusations, +and may defend soberly and truly our own cause and innocency. +<!-- page 19--><a name="page19"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 19</span>For +Christ verily, when the Pharisees charged Him with sorcery, as one that +had some familiar spirits, and wrought many things by their help: “I,” +said He, “have not the devil, but do glorify my Father: but it +is you that have dishonoured me, and put me to rebuke and shame.” +And St. Paul, when Festus the lieutenant scorned him as a madman: “I,” +said he, “most dear Festus, am not mad, as thou thinkest, but +I speak the words of truth and soberness.” And the ancient +Christians, when they were slandered to the people for mankillers, for +adulterers, for committers of incest, for disturbers of the commonweals, +and did perceive that by such slanderous accusations the religion which +they professed might be brought in question, namely, if they should +seem to hold their peace, and in manner to confess the fault; lest this +might hinder the free course of the Gospel, they made orations, they +put up supplications, and made means to emperors and princes, that they +might defend themselves and their fellows in open audience.</p> +<p>But we truly, seeing that so many thousands of our brethren in these +last twenty years have borne witness unto the truth, in the midst of +most painful torments that could be devised; and when princes, desirous +to restrain the Gospel, sought many ways, but prevailed nothing; and +that now almost the <!-- page 20--><a name="page20"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 20</span>whole +world doth begin to open their eyes to behold the light; we take it +that our cause hath already been sufficiently declared and defended, +and think it not needful to make many words, seeing the matter saith +enough for itself. For if the popes would, or else if they could +weigh with their own selves the whole matter, and also the beginnings +and proceedings of our religion, how in a manner all their travail hath +come to nought, nobody driving it forward; and how on the other side, +our cause, against the will of emperors from the beginning, against +the wills of so many kings, in spite of the popes, and almost maugre +the head of all men, hath taken increase, and by little and little spread +over into all countries, and is come at length even into kings’ +courts and palaces; these same things, methinketh, might be tokens great +enough to them, that God Himself doth strongly fight in our quarrel, +and doth from heaven laugh at their enterprises; and that the force +of truth is such, as neither man’s power, nor yet hell-gates are +able to root it out. For they be not all mad at this day, so many +free cities, so many kings, so many princes, which have fallen away +from the seat of Rome, and have rather joined themselves to the Gospel +of Christ.</p> +<p>And although the popes had never hitherunto leisure to consider diligently +and earnestly of these <!-- page 21--><a name="page21"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 21</span>matters, +or though some other cares do now let them, and diverse ways pull them, +or though they count these to be but common and trifling studies, and +nothing to appertain to the Pope’s worthiness, this maketh not +why our matter ought to seem the worse. Or if they perchance will +not see that which they see indeed, but rather will withstand the known +truth, ought we therefore by-and-by to be accounted heretics because +we obey not their will and pleasure? If so be, that Pope Pius +were the man (we say not, which he would so gladly be called), but if +he were indeed a man that either would account us for his brethren, +or at least would take us to be men, he would first diligently have +examined our reasons, and would have seen what might be said with us, +what against us; and would not in his bull, whereby he lately pretended +a council, so rashly have condemned so great a part of the world, so +many learned and godly men, so many commonwealths, so many kings, and +so many princes, only upon his own blind prejudices and fore-determinations—and +that without hearing of them speak or without showing cause why.</p> +<p>But because he hath already so noted us openly, lest by holding our +peace we should seem to grant a fault, and specially because we can +by no means <!-- page 22--><a name="page22"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 22</span>have +audience in the public assembly of the general council, wherein he would +no creature should have power to give his voice or to declare his opinion, +except he be sworn, and straitly bound to maintain his authority (for +we have had good experience hereof in the last conference at the council +at Trident; where the ambassadors and divines of the princes of Germany, +and of the free cities, were quite shut out from their company. +Neither can we yet forget, how Julius the Third, above ten years past, +provided warily by his writ that none of our sort should be suffered +to speak in the council, except that there were some, peradventure, +that would recant and change his opinion): for this cause chiefly we +thought it good to yield up an account of our faith in writing, and +truly and openly to make answer to those things wherewith we have been +openly charged; to the end the world may see the parts and foundations +of that doctrine, in the behalf whereof so many good men have little +regarded their own lives; and that all men may understand what manner +of people they be, and what opinion they have of God and of religion, +whom the Bishop of Rome, before they were called to tell their tale, +hath condemned for heretics, without any good consideration, without +any example, and utterly without law or right, only <!-- page 23--><a name="page23"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 23</span>because +he heard tell that they did dissent from him and his in some point of +religion.</p> +<p>And although St. Hierom would have nobody to be patient when he is +suspected of heresy, yet we will deal herein neither bitterly nor brablingly; +nor yet be carried away with anger and heat; though he ought to be reckoned +neither bitter nor brabler that speaketh the truth. We willingly +leave this kind of eloquence to our adversaries, who, whatsoever they +say against us, be it never so shrewdly or despitefully said, yet think +it is said modestly and comely enough, and care nothing whether it be +true or false. We need none of these shifts which do maintain +the truth.</p> +<p>Further, if we do show it plainly that God’s holy Gospel, the +ancient bishops, and the primitive Church do make on our side, and that +we have not without just cause left these men, and rather have returned +to the Apostles and old Catholic fathers; and if we shall be found to +do the same not colourably or craftily, but in good faith before God, +truly, honestly, clearly, and plainly; and if they themselves which +fly our doctrine, and would be called Catholics, shall manifestly see +how all these titles of antiquity, whereof they boast so much, are quite +shaken out of their hands; and that there is more pith in this our cause +than they thought for; <!-- page 24--><a name="page24"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 24</span>we +then hope and trust that none of them will be so negligent and careless +of his own salvation, but he will at length study and bethink himself +to whether part he were best to join him. Undoubtedly, except +one will altogether harden his heart and refuse to hear, he shall not +repent him to give good heed to this our Defence, and to mark well what +we say, and how truly and justly it agreeth with Christian religion.</p> +<p>For where they call us heretics, it is a crime so heinous, that unless +it may be seen, unless it may be felt, and in manner may be holden with +hands and fingers, it ought not lightly to be judged or believed, when +it is laid to the charge of any Christian man. For heresy is a +forsaking of salvation, a renouncing of God’s grace, a departing +from the body and spirit of Christ. But this was ever an old and +solemn property with them and their forefathers; if any did complain +of their errors and faults, and desired to have true religion restored, +straightway to condemn such ones for heretics, as men new-fangled and +factious. Christ for no other cause was called a Samaritan, but +only for that He was thought to have fallen to a certain new religion, +and to be the author of a new sect. And Paul the Apostle of Christ +was called before the judges to make answer to a matter of heresy; <!-- page 25--><a name="page25"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 25</span>and +therefore he said: “According to this way which they call heresy +I do worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which be written +in the law and in the Prophets.”</p> +<p>Shortly to speak. This universal religion which Christian men +profess at this day was called first of the heathen people a sect and +heresy. With these terms did they always fill princes’ ears, +to the intent when they had once hated us with a predetermined opinion, +and had counted all that we said to be faction and heresy, they might +be so led away from the truth and right understanding of the cause. +But the more sore and outrageous a crime heresy is, the more it ought +to be proved by plain and strong arguments, especially in this time, +when men begin to give less credit to their words, and to make more +diligent search of their doctrine, than they were wont to do. +For the people of God are otherwise instructed now than they were in +times past, when all the bishops of Rome’s sayings were allowed +for Gospel, and when all religion did depend only upon their authority. +Nowadays the Holy Scripture is abroad, the writings of the Apostles +and Prophets are in print, whereby all truth and Catholic doctrine may +be proved, and all heresy may be disproved and confuted.</p> +<p>Sithence, then, they bring forth none of these for <!-- page 26--><a name="page26"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 26</span>themselves, +and call us nevertheless heretics, which have neither fallen from Christ, +nor from the Apostles, nor yet from the Prophets, this is an injurious +and a very spiteful dealing. With this sword did Christ put off +the devil when He was tempted of him: with these weapons ought all presumption, +which doth advance itself against God, to be overthrown and conquered. +“For all Scripture,” saith St. Paul, “that cometh +by the inspiration of God, is profitable to teach, to confute, to instruct, +and to reprove, that the man of God may be perfect, and thoroughly framed +to every good work.” Thus did the holy fathers always fight +against the heretics with none other force than with the Holy Scriptures. +St. Augustine, when he disputed against Petilian, a heretic of the Donatists: +“Let not these words,” quoth he, “be heard between +us, ‘I say, or you say:’ let us rather speak in this wise: +‘Thus saith the Lord.’ There let us seek the Church: +there let us boult out our cause.” Likewise St. Hierom: +“All those things,” saith he, “which without the testimony +of the Scriptures are holden as delivered from the Apostles, be thoroughly +smitten down by the sword of God’s word.” St. Ambrose +also, to Gratian the emperor: “Let the Scripture,” saith +he, “be asked the question, let the prophets be asked, and let +Christ be asked.” For <!-- page 27--><a name="page27"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 27</span>at +that time made the Catholic fathers and bishops no doubt but that our +religion might be proved out of the Holy Scriptures. Neither were +they ever so hardy as to take any for a heretic whose error they could +not evidently and apparently reprove by the self-same Scriptures. +And we verily do make answer on this wise, as St. Paul did: “According +to this way which they call heresy we do worship God, and the Father +of our Lord Jesus Christ; and do allow all things which have been written +either in the law or in the Prophets,” or in the Apostles’ +works.</p> +<p>Wherefore, if we be heretics, and they (as they would fain be called) +be Catholics, why do they not, as they see the fathers, which were Catholic +men, have always done? Why do they not convince and master us +by the Divine Scriptures? Why do they not call us again to be +tried by them? Why do they not lay before us how we have gone +away from Christ, from the Prophets, from the Apostles, and from the +holy fathers? Why stick they to do it? Why are they afraid +of it? It is God’s cause. Why are they doubtful to +commit it to the trial of God’s word? If we be heretics, +which refer all our controversies unto the Holy Scriptures, and report +us to the self-same words which we know were sealed by God Himself, +<!-- page 28--><a name="page28"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 28</span>and +in comparison of them set little by all other things, whatsoever may +be devised by men, how shall we say to these folk, I pray you what manner +of men be they, and how is it meet to call them, which fear the judgment +of the Holy Scriptures—that is to say, the judgment of God Himself—and +do prefer before them their own dreams and full cold inventions; and, +to maintain their own traditions, have defaced and corrupted, now these +many hundred years, the ordinances of Christ and of the Apostles?</p> +<p>Men say that Sophocles, the tragical poet, when in his old days he +was by his own sons accused before the judges for a doting and sottish +man, as one that fondly wasted his own substance, and seemed to need +a governor to see unto him; to the intent he might clear himself of +the fault, he came into the place of judgment; and when he had rehearsed +before them his tragedy called <i>Œdipus Coloneus</i>, which he +had written at the very time of his accusation, marvellous exactly and +cunningly, did of himself ask the judges whether they thought any sottish +or doting man could do the like piece of work.</p> +<p>In like manner, because these men take us to be mad, and appeach +us for heretics, as men which have nothing to do, neither with Christ, +nor with <!-- page 29--><a name="page29"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 29</span>the +Church of God, we have judged it should be to good purpose, and not +unprofitable, if we do openly and frankly set forth our faith wherein +we stand, and show all that confidence which we have in Christ Jesu; +to the intent all men may see what is our judgment of every part of +Christian religion, and may resolve with themselves, whether the faith +which they shall see confirmed by the words of Christ, by the writings +of the Apostles, by the testimonies of the Catholic fathers, and by +the examples of many ages, be but a certain rage of furious and mad +men, and a conspiracy of heretics. This therefore is our belief.</p> +<h3>PART II.</h3> +<p>We believe that there is one certain nature and Divine power, which +we call God: and that the same is divided into three equal Persons—into +the Father, into the Son, and into the Holy Ghost; and that They all +be of one power, of one majesty, of one eternity, of one Godhead, and +of one substance. And although these three Persons be so divided, +that neither the Father is the Son, nor the Son is the Holy Ghost, or +the Father; yet, nevertheless, we believe that there is but one very +God, <!-- page 30--><a name="page30"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 30</span>and +that the same one God hath created heaven, and earth, and all things +contained under heaven.</p> +<p>We believe that Jesus Christ, the only Son of the eternal Father +(as long before it was determined before all beginnings), when the fulness +of time was come, did take of that blessed and pure Virgin both flesh +and all the nature of man, that He might declare to the world the secret +and hid will of His Father; which will had been laid up from before +all ages and generations; and that He might full finish in His human +body the mystery of our redemption; and might fasten our sins to the +cross, and also that handwriting which was made against us.</p> +<p>We believe that for our sakes He died, and was buried, descended +into hell, the third day by the power of His Godhead returned to life, +and rose again; and that the fortieth day after His resurrection, whiles +His disciples beheld and looked upon Him He ascended into heaven to +fulfil all things, and did place in majesty and glory the self-same +body wherewith He was born, wherein He lived on earth, wherein He was +jested at, wherein He had suffered most painful torments and cruel kind +of death, wherein He rose again, and wherein He ascended to the right +hand of the Father, “above all rule, above all power, all force, +all dominion, <!-- page 31--><a name="page31"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 31</span>and +above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in +the world to come:” and that there He now sitteth, and shall sit, +till all things be full perfected. And although the Majesty and +Godhead of Christ be everywhere abundantly dispersed, yet we believe +that his body, as St. Augustine saith, must needs be still in one place; +and that Christ hath given majesty unto His body, but yet hath not taken +away from it the nature of a body; and that we must not so affirm Christ +to be God that we deny Him to be man: and, as the Martyr Vigilius saith, +that Christ hath left us as touching His human nature, but hath not +left us as touching His Divine nature; and that the same Christ, though +He be absent from us concerning His manhood, yet is ever present with +us concerning his Godhead.</p> +<p>From that place also we believe that Christ shall come again to execute +that general judgment, as well of them whom He shall then find alive +in the body as of them that be already dead.</p> +<p>We believe that the Holy Ghost, who is the third person in the Holy +Trinity, is very God: not made, not created, not begotten, but proceeding +from both the Father and the Son, by a certain mean unknown unto men, +and unspeakable; and that it is His property to mollify and soften the +<!-- page 32--><a name="page32"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 32</span>hardness +of man’s heart when He is once received thereinto, either by the +wholesome preaching of the Gospel, or by any other way: that he doth +give men light, and guide them unto the knowledge of God; to all way +of truth; to newness of the whole life; and to everlasting hope of salvation.</p> +<p>* * * * *</p> +<p>We believe that there is one Church of God, and that the same is +not shut up (as in times past among the Jews) into some one corner or +kingdom, but that it is catholic and universal, and dispersed throughout +the whole world. So that there is now no nation which may truly +complain that they be shut forth, and may not be one of the Church and +people of God: and that this Church is the kingdom, the body, and the +spouse of Christ; and that Christ alone is the Prince of this kingdom; +that Christ alone is the Head of this Body; and that Christ alone is +the Bridegroom of this spouse.</p> +<p>Furthermore, we believe that there be divers degrees of ministers +in the Church; whereof some be deacons, some priests, some bishops; +to whom is committed the office to instruct the people, and the whole +charge and setting forth of religion. Yet notwithstanding, we +say that there neither is, nor can be any one man, which may have the +whole superiority in this universal <!-- page 33--><a name="page33"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 33</span>state: +for that Christ is ever present to assist His Church, and needeth not +any man to supply His room, as His only heir to all His substance: and +that there can be no one mortal creature, which is able to comprehend +or conceive in his mind the universal Church, that is to wit, all the +parts of the world, much less able rightly and duly to put them in order, +and to govern them rightly and duly. For all the Apostles, as +Cyprian saith, were of like power among themselves, and the rest were +the same that Peter was, and that it said indifferently to them all, +“feed ye;” indifferently to them all, “go into the +whole world;” indifferently to them all, “teach ye the Gospel.” +And (as Hierom saith) all bishops wheresoever they be, be they at Rome, +be they at Eugubium, be they at Constantinople, be they at Rhegium, +be all of like pre-eminence, and of like priesthood. And, as Cyprian +saith, there is but one bishopric, and a piece thereof is perfectly +and wholly holden of every particular bishop. And according to +the judgment of the Nicene Council, we say, that the Bishop of Rome +hath no more jurisdiction over the Church of God than the rest of the +patriarchs, either of Alexandria, or of Antiochia have. And as +for the Bishop of Rome, who now calleth all matters before himself alone, +except he do his duty <!-- page 34--><a name="page34"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 34</span>as +he ought to do, except he minister the Sacraments, except he instruct +the people, except he warn them and teach them, we say that he ought +not of right once to be called a bishop, or so much as an elder. +For a bishop, as saith Augustine, is a name of labour, and not of honour: +because he will have that man understand himself to be no bishop, which +will seek to have pre-eminence, and not to profit others. And +that neither the Pope, nor any other worldly creature can no more be +head of the whole Church, or a bishop over all, than he can be the bridegroom, +the light, the salvation, and life of the Church. For the privileges +and names belong only to Christ, and be properly and only fit for him +alone. And that no Bishop of Rome did ever suffer himself to be +called by such a proud name before Phocas the emperor’s time, +who, as we know, by killing his own sovereign Maurice the emperor, did +by a traitorous villainy aspire to the empire about the six hundredth +and thirteenth year after Christ was born. Also the Council of +Carthage did circumspectly provide, that no bishop should be called +the highest bishop or chief priest. And therefore, sithence the +Bishop of Rome will nowadays so be called, and challengeth unto himself +an authority that is none of his; besides that he doth plainly <!-- page 35--><a name="page35"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 35</span>contrary +to the ancient councils, and contrary to the old fathers; we believe +that he doth give unto himself, as it is written by his own companion +Gregory, a presumptuous, a profane, a sacrilegious, and an antichristian +name: that he is also the king of pride, that he is Lucifer, which preferreth +himself before his brethren: that he hath forsaken the faith, and is +the forerunner of Antichrist.</p> +<p>Further we say, that the minister ought lawfully, duly, and orderly +to be preferred to that office of the Church of God, and that no man +hath power to wrest himself into the holy ministry at his own pleasure +and list. Wherefore these persons do us the greater wrong, which +have nothing so common in their mouths, as that we do nothing orderly +and comely, but all things troublesomely and without order; and that +we allow every man to be a priest, to be a teacher, and to be an interpreter +of the Scriptures.</p> +<p>Moreover, we say that Christ hath given to His ministers power to +bind, to loose, to open, to shut. And that the office of loosing +consisteth in this point: that the minister should either offer by the +preaching of the Gospel the merits of Christ and full pardon, to such +as have lowly and contrite hearts, and do unfeignedly repent themselves, +pronouncing unto the same a sure and undoubted <!-- page 36--><a name="page36"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 36</span>forgiveness +of their sins, and hope of everlasting salvation: or else that the same +minister, when any have offended their brothers’ minds with a +great offence, with a notable and open fault, whereby they have, as +it were, banished and made themselves strangers from the common fellowship, +and from the body of Christ; then after perfect amendment of such persons, +doth reconcile them, and bring them home again, and restore them to +the company and unity of the faithful. We say also, that the minister +doth execute the authority of binding and shutting, as often as he shutteth +up the gate of the kingdom of heaven against the unbelieving and stubborn +persons, denouncing unto them God’s vengeance, and everlasting +punishment: or else, when he doth quite shut them out from the bosom +of the Church by open excommunication. Out of doubt, what sentence +soever the minister of God shall give in this sort, God Himself doth +so well allow of it, that whatsoever here in earth by their means is +loosed and bound, God Himself will loose and bind, and confirm the same +in heaven. And touching the keys, wherewith they may either shut +or open the kingdom of heaven, we with Chrysostom say, “They be +the knowledge of the Scriptures:” with Tertullian we say, “They +be the interpretation of the law:” and with Eusebius, <!-- page 37--><a name="page37"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 37</span>we +call them “The Word of God.” Moreover, that Christ’s +disciples did receive this authority, not that they should hear the +private confessions of the people and listen to their whisperings, as +the common massing-priests do everywhere nowadays, and do it so, as +though in that one point lay all the virtue and use of the keys: but +to the end they should go, they should teach, they should publish abroad +the Gospel, and be unto the believing a sweet savour of life unto life, +and unto the unbelieving and unfaithful a savour of death unto death; +and that the minds of godly persons being brought low by the remorse +of their former life and errors, after they once began to look up unto +the light of the Gospel, and believe in Christ, might be opened with +the Word of God, even as a door is opened with a key. Contrariwise, +that the wicked and wilful folk, and such as would not believe, nor +return into the right way, should be left still as fast locked, and +shut up, and, as St. Paul saith, “wax worse and worse.” +This take we to be the meaning of the keys; and that after this sort +men’s consciences either be opened or shut. We say, that +the priest indeed is a judge in this case, but yet hath no manner of +right to challenge an authority, or power, as saith Ambrose. And +therefore our Saviour Jesu Christ, to reprove <!-- page 38--><a name="page38"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>the +negligence of the Scribes and Pharisees in teaching, did with these +words rebuke them, saying: “Woe be unto you Scribes and Pharisees, +which have taken away the keys of knowledge, and have shut up the kingdom +of heaven before men.” Seeing then the key whereby the way +and entry to the kingdom of God is opened unto us, is the word of the +Gospel, and the expounding of the law and Scriptures; we say plainly, +where the same word is not there is not the key. And seeing one +manner of word is given to all, and one only key belongeth to all, we +say, that there is but one only power of all ministers; as concerning +opening and shutting. And as touching the Bishop of Rome, for +all his parasites flatteringly sing these words in his ears, “To +thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (as though +those keys were fit for him alone, and for nobody else), except he go +so to work, as men’s consciences may be made pliant, and be subdued +to the Word of God, we deny that he doth either open, or shut, or hath +the keys at all. And although he taught and instructed the people +(as would God he might once truly do, and persuade himself it were at +the least some piece of his duty), yet we think his key to be never +a whit better, or of greater force than other men’s. For +who hath <!-- page 39--><a name="page39"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 39</span>severed +him from the rest? Who hath taught him more cunningly to open, +or better to absolve than his brethren?</p> +<p>We say that matrimony is holy and honourable in all sorts and states +of persons, in the patriarchs, in the Prophets, in the Apostles, in +holy martyrs, in the ministers of the Church, and in bishops; and that +it is an honest and lawful thing (as Chrysostom saith) for a man, living +in matrimony, to take upon him therewith the dignity of a bishop. +And as Sozomenus saith of Spiridion; and as Nazianzen saith of his own +father, that a good and diligent bishop doth serve in the ministry never +the worse for that he is married, but rather the better, and with more +ableness to do good. Further, we say, that the same law which +by constraint taketh away this liberty from men, and compelleth them +against their wills to live single, is the doctrine of devils, as Paul +saith: and, that, ever sithence the time of this law, a wonderful uncleanness +of life and manners in God’s ministers, and sundry horrible enormities +have followed, as the Bishop of Augusta, as Faber, as Abbas Panormitanus, +as Latomus, as the tripartite work, which is annexed to the second tome +of the councils, and other champions of the Pope’s band, yea, +and as the matter itself, and all histories do confess. For it +<!-- page 40--><a name="page40"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 40</span>was +rightly said by Pius the Second, Bishop of Rome, “that he saw +many causes why wives should be taken away from priests, but that he +saw many more, and more weighty causes why they ought to be restored +them again.”</p> +<p>* * * * *</p> +<p>We receive and embrace all the canonical Scriptures, both of the +Old and New Testament, giving thanks to our God, who hath raised up +unto us that light which we might ever have before our eyes, lest either +by the subtlety of man, or by the snares of the devil, we should be +carried away to errors and lies. Also that these be the heavenly +voices, whereby God hath opened unto us His will: and that only in them +man’s heart can have settled rest; that in them be abundantly +and fully comprehended all things, whatsoever be needful for our salvation, +as Origen, Augustine, Chrysostom, and Cyrillus have taught: that they +be the very might and strength of God to attain to salvation: that they +be the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles, whereupon is built +the Church of God: that they be the very sure and infallible rule, whereby +may be tried, whether the Church do stagger, or err, and whereunto all +ecclesiastical doctrine ought to be called to account: and that against +these Scriptures neither law, nor ordinance, <!-- page 41--><a name="page41"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 41</span>nor +any custom ought to be heard: no, though Paul his own self, or an angel +from heaven, should come and teach the contrary.</p> +<p>* * * * *</p> +<p>Moreover, we allow the Sacraments of the Church, that is to say, +certain holy signs and ceremonies, which Christ would we should use, +that by them He might set before our eyes the mysteries of our salvation, +and might more strongly confirm our faith which we have in His blood, +and might seal His grace in our hearts. And these Sacraments, +together with Tertullian, Origen, Ambrose, Hierom, Chrysostom, Basil, +Dionysius, and other Catholic fathers, do we call figures, signs, marks +or badges, prints, copies, forms, seals, signets, similitudes, patterns, +representations, remembrances and memories. And we make no doubt, +together with the same doctors, to say, that these be certain visible +words, seals of righteousness, tokens of grace: and do expressly pronounce, +that in the Lord’s Supper there is truly given unto the believing +the body and blood of the Lord, the flesh of the Son of God, which quickeneth +our souls, the meat that cometh from above, the food of immortality, +grace, truth, and life, and the Supper to be the communion of the body +and blood of Christ; by the partaking whereof we be revived, we be strengthened, +and be <!-- page 42--><a name="page42"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 42</span>fed +unto immortality; and whereby we are joined, united, and incorporate +unto Christ, that we may abide in Him, and He in us.</p> +<p>Besides, we acknowledge there be two Sacraments, which, we judge, +properly ought to be called by this name; that is to say, Baptism and +the Sacrament of thanksgiving. For thus many we say were delivered +and sanctified by Christ, and well allowed of the old fathers, Ambrose +and Augustine.</p> +<p>* * * * *</p> +<p>We say that Baptism is a Sacrament of the remission of sins, and +of that washing, which we have in the blood of Christ; and that no person +which will profess Christ’s Name ought to be restrained or kept +back therefrom; no, not the very babes of Christians; forsomuch as they +be born in sin, and do pertain unto the people of God.</p> +<p>We say, that Eucharistia, that is to say the Supper of the Lord, +is a Sacrament; that is to wit, an evident token of the body and blood +of Christ, wherein is set, as it were, before our eyes, the death of +Christ and His resurrection, and what act soever He did whilst He was +in His mortal body: to the end we may give Him thanks for His death, +and for our deliverance: and that, by the often receiving of this Sacrament, +we may daily renew <!-- page 43--><a name="page43"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 43</span>the +remembrance of that matter, to the intent we, being fed with the [true] +body and blood of Christ, may be brought into the hope of the resurrection +and of everlasting life, and may most assuredly believe that the body +and blood of Christ doth in like manner feed our souls, as bread and +wine doth feed our bodies. To this banquet we think the people +of God ought to be earnestly bidden, that they may all communicate among +themselves, and openly declare and testify both the godly society which +is among them, and also the hope which they have in Christ Jesu. +For this cause if there had been any which would be but a looker-on, +and abstain from the Holy Communion, him did the old fathers and bishops +of Rome in the primitive Church, before private mass came up, excommunicate +as a wicked person and as a pagan. Neither was there any Christian +at that time which did communicate alone, whiles other looked on. +For so did Calixtus in times past decree, “that after the consecration +was finished, all should communicate, except they had rather stand without +the church-doors; because thus (saith he) did the Apostles appoint, +and the same the holy Church of Rome keepeth still.”</p> +<p>Moreover, when the people cometh to the Holy Communion, the Sacrament +ought to be given them <!-- page 44--><a name="page44"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 44</span>in +both kinds: for so both Christ hath commanded, and the Apostles in every +place have ordained, and all the ancient fathers and Catholic bishops +have followed the same. And whoso doth contrary to this, he (as +Gelasius saith) committeth sacrilege. And therefore we say, that +our adversaries at this day, who having violently thrust out, and quite +forbidden the Holy Communion, do, without the word of God, without the +authority of any ancient council, without any Catholic father, without +any example of the primitive Church, yea, and without reason also, defend +and maintain their private masses, and the mangling of the Sacraments, +and do this not only against the plain express commandment and bidding +of Christ, but also against all antiquity, do wickedly therein, and +are very Church robbers.</p> +<p>We affirm that bread and wine are holy and heavenly mysteries of +the body and blood of Christ, and that by them Christ Himself, being +the true bread of eternal life, is so presently given unto us as that +by faith we verily receive his body and his blood. Yet say we +not this so, as though we thought that the nature and substance of the +bread and wine is clearly changed and goeth to nothing: as many have +dreamed in these later times, which yet could never agree among themselves, +of this <!-- page 45--><a name="page45"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 45</span>their +dream. For that was not Christ’s meaning, that the wheaten +bread should lay apart his own nature, and receive a certain new divinity: +but that he might rather change us, and (to use Theophylact’s +words) might transform us into His body. For what can be said +more plainly, than that which Ambrose saith: “Bread and wine remain +still the same they were before, and yet are changed into another thing:” +or, that which Gelasius saith: “The substance of the bread, or +the nature of the wine, ceaseth not so to be:” or, that which +Theodoret saith: “After the consecration the mystical signs do +not cast off their own proper nature; for they remain still on their +former substance, form, and kind:” or that which Augustine saith: +“That which ye see is the bread and cup, for so our eyes tell +us: but that which your faith requireth to be taught, is this: the bread +is the body of Christ, and the cup is His blood:” or that which +Origen saith: “The bread which is sanctified by the Word of God, +as touching the material substance thereof, goeth into the belly, and +is cast out into the privy:” or that which Christ Himself said, +not only after the blessing of the cup, but after he had ministered +the communion: “I will drink no more of this fruit of the vine.” +It is well known that the fruit of the vine is wine, and not blood.</p> +<p><!-- page 46--><a name="page46"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 46</span>And +in speaking thus, we mean not to abase the Lord’s Supper, that +it is but a cold ceremony only, and nothing to be wrought therein (as +many falsely slander us we teach). For we affirm, that Christ +doth truly and presently give His own self in His Sacraments; in Baptism, +that we may put Him on; and in His Supper, that we may eat Him by faith +and spirit, and may have everlasting life by His Cross and blood. +And we say not, this is done slightly and coldly, but effectually and +truly. For although we do not touch the body of Christ with teeth +and mouth, yet we hold Him fast, and eat Him by faith, by understanding, +and by the Spirit. And it is no vain faith which doth comprehend +Christ: and that is not received with cold devotion, that is received +with understanding, with faith, and with spirit. For Christ Himself +altogether is so offered and given us in these mysteries, that we may +certainly know we be flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bones; and +that Christ “continueth in us, and we in Him.” And +therefore in celebrating these mysteries, the people are to good purpose +exhorted before they come to receive the Holy Communion, to lift up +their hearts, and to direct their minds to heavenward: because He is +there, by whom we must be full fed, and live. Cyril saith, when +we come to receive these <!-- page 47--><a name="page47"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 47</span>mysteries, +all gross imaginations must quite be banished. The Council of +Nice, as is alleged by some in Greek, plainly forbiddeth us to be basely +affectioned, or bent toward the bread and wine, which are set before +us. And, as Chrysostom very aptly writeth, we say, “that +the body of Christ is the dead carcase, and we ourselves must be the +eagles,” meaning thereby that we must fly high, if we will come +unto the body of Christ. “For this table,” as Chrysostom +saith, “is a table of eagles, and not of jays.” Cyprian +also, “This bread,” saith he, “is the food of the +soul, and not the meat of the belly.” And Augustine, “How +shall I hold Him,” saith he, “which is absent? How +shall I reach my hand up to heaven, to lay hold upon Him that sitteth +there?” He answereth, “Reach hither thy faith, and +then thou hast laid hold on Him.”</p> +<p>We cannot also away in our churches with the shows, and sales, and +buying and selling of masses, nor the carrying about and worshipping +of bread: nor such other idolatrous and blasphemous fondness: which +none of them can prove that Christ or His Apostles did ever ordain, +or left unto us. And we justly blame the bishops of Rome, who, +without the word of God, without the authority of the holy fathers, +without any example <!-- page 48--><a name="page48"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 48</span>of +antiquity, after a new guise, do not only set before the people the +sacramental bread to be worshipped as God, but do also carry about the +same upon an ambling horse, whithersoever themselves journey, as in +old times the Persians’ fire, and the relics of the goddess Isis, +were solemnly carried about in procession: and have brought the Sacraments +of Christ to be used now as a stage play and a solemn sight: to the +end, that men’s eyes should be fed with nothing else but with +mad gazings and foolish gauds, in the self-same matter, wherein the +death of Christ ought diligently to be beaten into our hearts, and wherein +also the mysteries of our redemption ought with all holiness and reverence +to be executed.</p> +<p>Besides, where they say, and sometimes do persuade fools, that they +are able by their masses to distribute and apply unto men’s commodity +all the merits of Christ’s death, yea, although many times the +parties think nothing of the matter, and understand full little what +is done, this is a mockery, an heathenish fancy, and a very toy. +For it is our faith that applieth the death and cross of Christ to our +benefit, and not the act of the massing priest. “Faith had +in the Sacraments,” saith Augustine, “doth justify, and +not the Sacraments.” And Origen saith, “Christ is +the Priest, the Propitiation, <!-- page 49--><a name="page49"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 49</span>and +Sacrifice: which Propitiation cometh to every one by means of faith.” +So that by this reckoning, we say that the Sacraments of Christ without +faith do not once profit these that be alive; a great deal less do they +profit those that be dead.</p> +<p>And as for their brags they are wont to make of their purgatory, +though we know it is not a thing so very late risen amongst them, yet +is it no better than a blockish and an old wives’ device. +Augustine, indeed, sometime saith, there is such a certain place: sometime +he denieth not, but there may be such a one; sometime he doubteth; sometime +again he utterly denieth it to be, and thinketh that men are therein +deceived by a certain natural good will they bear their friends departed. +But yet of this one error hath there grown up such a harvest of these +mass-mongers, the masses being sold abroad commonly in every corner, +the temples of God became shops to get money: and silly souls were persuaded +that nothing was more necessary to be bought. Indeed, there was +nothing more gainful for these men to sell.</p> +<p>As touching the multitude of vain and superfluous ceremonies, we +know that Augustine did grievously complain of them in his own time: +and therefore have we cut off a great number of them, <!-- page 50--><a name="page50"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 50</span>because +we know that men’s consciences were cumbered about them, and the +churches of God overladen with them.</p> +<p>Nevertheless we keep still, and esteem, not only those ceremonies +which we are sure were delivered us from the Apostles, but some others +too besides, which we thought might be suffered without hurt to the +Church of God: because that we had a desire that all things in the holy +congregation might (as St. Paul commandeth) “be done with comeliness +and in good order.” But as for all those things which we +saw were either very superstitious, or wholly unprofitable, or noisome, +or mockeries, or contrary to the Holy Scriptures, or else unseemly for +honest or discreet folks, as there be an infinite number nowadays where +papistry is used; these, I say, we have utterly refused without all +manner exception, because we would not have the right worshipping of +God any longer denied with such follies.</p> +<p>We make our prayers in that tongue which all our people, as meet +is, may understand, to the end they may (as Paul counselleth us) take +common commodity by common prayer, even as all the holy fathers and +Catholic bishops, both in the Old and New Testament, did used to pray +themselves, and taught the people to pray too, lest, as Augustine <!-- page 51--><a name="page51"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 51</span>saith, +“like parrots and ousels we should seem to speak that we understand +not.”</p> +<p>Neither have we any other mediator and intercessor, by whom we may +have access to God the Father, than Jesus Christ, in whose only Name +all things are obtained at His Father’s hand. But it is +a shameful part, and full of infidelity, that we see every whore used +in the churches of our adversaries, not only in that they will have +innumerable sorts of mediators, and that utterly without the authority +of God’s word (so that, as Jeremy saith, “The saints be +now as many in number, or rather above the number of the cities;” +and poor men cannot tell to which saint it were best to turn them first; +and though there be so many as they cannot be told, yet every one of +them hath his peculiar duty and office assigned unto him of these folks, +what thing they ought to ask, what to give, and what to bring to pass): +but besides this also, in that they do not only wickedly, but also shamefully, +call upon the Blessed Virgin, Christ’s mother, to have her remember +that she is the mother, and to command her Son, and to use a mother’s +authority over Him.</p> +<p>We say also, that every person is born in sin, and leadeth his life +in sin: that nobody is able truly to say his heart is clean: that the +most righteous <!-- page 52--><a name="page52"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 52</span>person +is but an unprofitable servant: that the law of God is perfect, and +requireth of us perfect and full obedience: that we are able by no means +to fulfil that law in this worldly life: that there is no one mortal +creature which can be justified by his own deserts in God’s sight: +and therefore that our only succour and refuge is to fly to the mercy +of our Father by Jesu Christ, and assuredly to persuade our minds that +He is the obtainer of forgiveness for our sins; and that by His blood +all our spots of sin be washed clean: that He hath pacified and set +at one, all things by the blood of His Cross: that He by the same one +only Sacrifice, which He once offered upon the Cross, hath brought to +effect and fulfilled all things, and that for that cause He said, when +He gave up the ghost, “It is finished,” as though He would +signify, that the price and ransom was now full paid for the sin of +all mankind. If there be any, then, that think this Sacrifice +not sufficient, let them go, in God’s Name, and seek another that +is better. We, verily, because we know this to be the only Sacrifice, +are well content with it alone and look for none other: and, forasmuch +as it was to be offered but once, we command it not to be renewed again: +and because it was full and perfect in all points and parts, we <!-- page 53--><a name="page53"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 53</span>do +not ordain in place thereof any continual succession of offerings.</p> +<p>Besides, though we say, we have no meed at all by our own works and +deeds, but appoint all the means of our salvation to be in Christ alone, +yet say we not, that for this cause men ought to live loosely and dissolutely: +nor that it is enough for a Christian to be baptised only and to believe: +as though there were nothing else required at his hand. For true +faith is lively, and can in no wise be idle.</p> +<p>Thus therefore teach we the people, that God hath called us, not +to follow riot and wantonness, but, as St. Paul saith, “unto good +works, to walk in them:” that God hath plucked us out “from +the power of darkness, to the end that we should serve the living God;” +to cut away all the remnants of sin, and “to work our salvation +in fear and trembling:” that it may appear, how that the Spirit +of sanctification is in our bodies, and that Christ Himself doth dwell +in our hearts.</p> +<p>To conclude, we believe, that this our self-same flesh wherein we +live, although it die, and come to dust, yet at the last day it shall +return again to life, by the means of Christ’s Spirit which dwelleth +in us: and that then verily, whatsoever we suffer here in the meanwhile +for His sake, Christ will wipe <!-- page 54--><a name="page54"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 54</span>away +all tears and lamentation from our eyes: and that we through Him shall +enjoy everlasting life, and shall for ever be with Him in glory. +So be it.</p> +<h3>PART III.</h3> +<p>Behold these are the horrible heresies, for the which, a good part +of the world is at this day condemned by the Bishop of Rome; and yet +were never heard to plead their cause. He should have commenced +his suit rather against Christ, against the Apostles, and against the +holy fathers. For these things did not only proceed from them, +but were also appointed by them: except perhaps these men will say (as +I think they will indeed), that Christ never instituted the Holy Communion +to be divided amongst the faithful; or that Christ’s Apostles +and the ancient fathers said private masses in every corner of the temples, +now ten, now twenty together in one day: or that Christ and His Apostles +banished all the common people from the Sacrament of His blood: or that +the thing, which they themselves do at this day everywhere, and do it +so as they condemn him for a heretic which doth otherwise, is not called +of Gelasius, their own doctor, plain sacrilege: or that these be not +the <!-- page 55--><a name="page55"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 55</span>very +words of Ambrose, Augustine, Gelasius, Theodoret, Chrysostom, and Origen: +“The bread and wine in the Sacraments remain still the same they +were before:” “The thing which is seen upon the Holy Table +is bread;” “There ceaseth not to be still the substance +of bread, and nature of wine;” “The substance and nature +of bread are not changed;” “The self-same bread, as touching +the material substance, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the +privy:” or that Christ, the Apostles, and holy fathers prayed +not in that tongue which the people might understand: or that Christ +hath not performed all things by that one offering which He once offered: +or that the same sacrifice was unperfect, and so now we have need of +another. All these things must they of necessity say, unless perchance +they had rather say thus, that “all law and right is locked up +in the treasury of the Pope’s breast,” and that, as once +one of his soothing pages and claw-backs did not stick to say, “The +Pope is able to dispense against the Apostles;” against a council, +and against the canons and rules of the Apostles: and that he is not +bound to stand neither to the examples, nor to the ordinances, nor to +the laws of Christ. We, for our part, have learned these things +of Christ, of the Apostles, of the devout fathers: and do sincerely, +with good faith, teach <!-- page 56--><a name="page56"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span>the +people of God the same. Which thing is the only cause why we at +this day are called heretics of the chief prelates (no doubt) of religion.</p> +<p>O immortal God! hath Christ Himself, then, the Apostles, and so many +fathers all at once gone astray? Were then Origen, Ambrose, Augustine, +Chrysostom, Gelasius, Theodoret, forsakers of the Catholic faith? was +so notable a consent of so many ancient bishops and learned men nothing +else but a conspiracy of heretics? or is that now condemned in us, which +was then commended in them? or is the thing now, by alteration only +of men’s affections, suddenly become schismatic, which in them +was counted Catholic? or shall that which in times past was true, now +by-and-by, because it liketh not these men, be judged false? let them +then bring forth another Gospel, and let them show the causes why these +things, which so long have openly been observed and well-allowed in +the Church of God, ought now in the end to be called in again. +We know well enough that the same word which was opened by Christ, and +spread abroad by the Apostles, is sufficient both, our salvation and +all truth, to uphold and maintain; and also to confound all manner of +heresy. By that word only do we condemn all sorts of the old heretics, +whom these men say we have called out of hell again. As for <!-- page 57--><a name="page57"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 57</span>the +Arians, the Eutychians, the Marcionites, the Ebionites, the Valentinians, +the Carpocratians, the Tatians, the Novatians, and shortly all them +which have a wicked opinion, either of God the Father, or of Christ, +or of the Holy Ghost, or of any other point of Christian religion, forsomuch +as they be confuted by the Gospel of Christ, we plainly pronounce them +for detestable and castaway persons, and defy them even unto the devil. +Neither do we leave them so, but we also severely and straitly hold +them in by lawful and politic punishments, if they fortune to break +out anywhere, and bewray themselves.</p> +<p>Indeed, we grant that certain new and very strange sects, as the +Anabaptists, Libertines, Menonians, and Zuenckfeldians, have been stirring +in the world ever since the Gospel did first spring. But the world +seeth now right well, thanks be given to our God, that we neither have +bred, nor taught, nor kept up these monsters. In good fellowship, +I pray thee, whosoever thou be, read our books: they are to be sold +in every place. What hath there ever been written by any of our +company which might plainly bear with the madness of any of those heretics. +Nay, I say unto you, there is no country this day so free from their +pestilent infections, as they be, wherein the Gospel <!-- page 58--><a name="page58"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 58</span>is +freely and commonly taught. So that if they weigh the very matter +with earnest and upright advisement, this thing is a great argument, +that this same is the very truth of the Gospel of Christ, which we do +teach. For lightly neither is cockle wont to grow without the +wheat, nor yet the chaff without the corn. For from the very Apostles’ +times, who knoweth not how many heresies did rise up even together so +soon, as the Gospel was first spread abroad? Who ever had heard +tell of Simon, Menander, Saturninus, Basilides, Carpocrates, Cerinthus, +Ebion, Valentinus, Secundus, Marcosius, Colorbasius, Heracleo, Lucianus, +and Severus, before the Apostles were sent abroad? But why stand +we reckoning up these? Epiphanius rehearseth up fourscore sundry +heresies; and Augustine many more, which sprang up even together with +the Gospel? What then? Was the Gospel therefore not the +Gospel, because heresies sprang up withal? or was Christ therefore not +Christ? And yet, as we said, doth not this great crop and heap +of heresies grow up amongst us, which do openly, abroad, and frankly +teach the Gospel. These poisons take their beginnings, their increasings, +and strength, amongst our adversaries, in blindness and in darkness, +amongst whom truth is with cruelty and tyranny kept under, and cannot +be heard but <!-- page 59--><a name="page59"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 59</span>in +corners and secret meetings. But let them make a proof: let them +give the Gospel free passage: let the truth of Jesu Christ give his +clear light, and stretch forth His bright beams into all parts: and +then shall they forthwith see how all these shadows straight will vanish +and pass away at the light of the Gospel, even as the thick mist of +the night consumeth at the sight of the sun. For whilst these +men sit still, and make merry and do nothing, we continually repress +and put back all those heresies which they falsely charge us to nourish +and maintain.</p> +<p>Where they say, that we have fallen into sundry sects, and would +be called some of us Lutherians, and some of us Zuinglians, and cannot +yet well agree among ourselves touching the whole substance of doctrine: +what would these men have said, if they had been in the first times +of the Apostles and holy fathers, when one said, “I hold of Paul;” +another, “I hold of Cephas;” another, “I hold of Apollo;” +when Paul did so sharply rebuke Peter; when, upon a falling out, Barnabas +departed from Paul; when, as Origen mentioneth, the Christians were +divided into so many factions, as that they kept no more but the name +of Christians in common among them, being in no manner of thing else +like unto Christians; when, as Socrates saith, <!-- page 60--><a name="page60"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 60</span>for +their dissensions and sundry sects they were laughed and jested at openly +of the people in the common game-plays; when, as Constantine the emperor +affirmeth, there were such a number of variances and brawlings in the +Church, that it might justly seem a misery far passing all the former +miseries; when also Theophilus, Epiphanius, Chrysostom, Augustine, Ruffine, +Hierom, being all Christians, being all fathers, being all Catholics, +did strive one against another with most bitter and remediless contentions +without end; when, as saith Nazianzen, the parts of one body were consumed +and wasted one of another; when the east part was divided from the west, +only for leavened bread and only for keeping of Easter Day; which were +indeed no great matters to be strived for; and when in all councils +new creeds and new decrees continually were devised. What would +these men (trow ye) have said in those days? which side would they specially +then have taken? and which would they then have forsaken? which Gospel +would they have believed? whom would they have accounted for heretics, +and whom for Catholics? And yet what a stir and revel keep they +at this time upon two poor names only of Luther and Zuinglius? +Because these two men do not yet fully agree upon some one point, therefore +<!-- page 61--><a name="page61"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 61</span>would +they needs have us think that both of them were deceived; that neither +of them had the Gospel; and that neither of them taught the truth aright.</p> +<p>But, good God, what manner of fellows be these which blame us for +disagreeing? And do all they themselves, ween you, agree well +together? Is every one of them fully resolved what to follow? +Hath there been no strifes, no debates, no quarrels among them at no +time? Why then do the Scotists and the Thomists, about that they +call <i>meritum congrui</i> and <i>meritum condigni</i>, no better agree +together? Why agree they no better among themselves concerning +original sin in the Blessed Virgin? concerning a solemn vow and a single +vow? Why say the canonists, that auricular confession is appointed +by the positive law of man: and the schoolmen contrariwise, that it +is appointed by the law of God? Why doth Albertus Pighius dissent +from Cajetanus? Why doth Thomas dissent from Lombardus, Scotus +from Thomas, Occamus from Scotus, Alliacensis [ed. 1564 Alliensis] from +Occamus? And why do the Nominals disagree from the Reals? +And yet say I nothing of so many diversities of friars and monks; how +some of them put a great holiness in eating of fish, and some in eating +of herbs; some in wearing of <!-- page 62--><a name="page62"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 62</span>shoes, +and some in wearing of sandals; some in going in a linen garment, and +some in a woollen; some of them called white, some black; some being +shaven broad, and some narrow: some stalking abroad upon pattens, some +barefooted; some girt, and some ungirt. They ought, I wiss, to +remember, how there be some of their own company which say, that the +body of Christ is in His Supper naturally: contrary, other some of the +self-same company deny it to be so. Again, that there be other +of them, which say, the body of Christ in the Holy Communion “is +rent and torn with our teeth:” and some again that deny the same. +Some also of them there be, which write that the body of Christ is <i>quantum</i> +in the Eucharistia; that is to say, hath his perfect quantity in the +Sacrament; some other again say nay. That there be others of them +which say Christ did consecrate with a certain Divine power: some, that +he did the same with His blessing: some again that say, He did it with +uttering five solemn chosen words: and some, with rehearsing the same +words afterward again. Some will have it, that, when Christ did +speak those five words, the material wheaten bread was pointed by this +demonstrative pronoun <i>hoc</i>: some had rather have, that a certain +<i>vagum individuum</i>, as they term it, was meant thereby. Again, +<!-- page 63--><a name="page63"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 63</span>others +there be that say dogs and mice may truly and in very deed eat the body +of Christ; and others again there be that steadfastly deny it. +There be others, which say, that the very accidents of bread and wine +may nourish: others again there be which say, how that the substance +of bread doth return again. What need I say more? It were +overlong and tedious to reckon up all things. So very uncertain, +and full of controversies, is yet the whole form of these men’s +religion and doctrine, even amongst themselves, from whence it did first +spring and begin. For hardly at any time do they well agree between +themselves: except it be peradventure as, in times past, the Pharisees +and Sadducees; or as Herod and Pilate did accord against Christ.</p> +<p>They were best, therefore, to go and set peace at home rather among +their own selves. Of a truth, unity and concord doth best become +religion: yet is not unity the sure and certain mark whereby to know +the Church of God. For there was the greatest consent that might +be amongst them that worshipped the golden calf; and among them which +with one voice jointly cried against our Saviour Jesus Christ, “Crucify +Him.” Neither, because the Corinthians were unquieted with +private dissensions: or because Paul did <!-- page 64--><a name="page64"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 64</span>square +with Peter, or Barnabas with Paul: or, because the Christians, upon +the very beginning of the Gospel, were at mutual discord touching some +one matter or other, may we therefore think there was no Church of God +amongst them. And as for those persons, whom they upon spite call +Zuinglians and Lutherians, in very deed they of both sides be Christians, +good friends and brethren. They vary not betwixt themselves upon +the principles and foundations of our religion, nor as touching God, +nor Christ, nor the Holy Ghost, nor of the means of justification, nor +yet everlasting life, but upon one only question, which is neither weighty +nor great: neither mistrust we, or make doubt at all, but they will +shortly be agreed. And if there be any of them which have other +opinion than is meet, we doubt not but ere it be long they will put +apart all affections and names of parties, and that God will reveal +it unto them: so that by better considering and searching out of the +matter, as once it came to pass in the Council of Chalcedon, all causes +and seeds of dissension shall be thoroughly plucked up by the root, +and be buried, and quite forgotten for ever. Which God grant.</p> +<p>But this is the most grievous and heavy case, that they call us wicked +and ungodly men, and <!-- page 65--><a name="page65"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 65</span>say +we have thrown away all care of religion. Though this ought not +to trouble us much, whilst they themselves that thus have charged us +know full well how spiteful and false a saying it is: for Justin the +martyr is a witness, how that all Christians were called αθεοι, +that is, godless, as soon as the Gospel first began to be published, +and the Name of Christ to be openly declared. And when Polycarpus +stood to be judged, the people stirred up the president to slay and +murder all them which professed the Gospel, with these words, Αιρε +τους αθεους, +that is to say, “Rid out of the way these wicked and godless creatures.” +And this was not because it was true that the Christians were godless, +but because they would not worship stones and stocks which were then +honoured as God. The whole world seeth plainly enough already, +what we and ours have endured at these men’s hands for religion +and our only God’s cause. They have thrown us into prison, +into water, into fire, and imbrued themselves in our blood: not because +we were either adulterers, or robbers, or murderers, but only for that +we confessed the Gospel of Jesu Christ, and put our confidence in the +living God; and for that we complained too justly and truly (Lord, thou +knowest), that they did break the law of God for <!-- page 66--><a name="page66"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 66</span>their +own most vain traditions; and that our adversaries were the very foes +to the Gospel, and enemies to Christ’s Cross, who so wittingly +and willingly did obstinately despise God’s commandments.</p> +<p>Wherefore, when these men saw they could not rightly find fault with +our doctrine, they would needs pick a quarrel and inveigh and rail against +our manners, surmising, how that we do condemn all well-doings: that +we set open the door to all licentiousness and lust, and lead away the +people from all love of virtue. And in very deed, the life of +all men, even of the devoutest and most Christian, both is, and evermore +hath been, such as one may always find some lack, even in the very best +and purest conversation. And such is the inclination of all creatures +unto evil, and the readiness of all men to suspect that the things which +neither have been done, nor once meant to be done, yet may be easily +both heard and credited for true. And like as a small spot is +soon espied in the neatest and whitest garment, even so the least stain +of dishonesty is easily found out in the purest and sincerest life. +Neither take we all them which have at this day embraced the doctrine +of the Gospel, to be angels, and to live clearly without any mote or +wrinkle; nor yet <!-- page 67--><a name="page67"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 67</span>think +we these men either so blind, that if anything may be noted in us, they +are not able to perceive the same even through the least crevice: nor +so friendly, that they will construe aught to the best: nor yet so honest +of nature nor courteous, that they will look back upon themselves, and +weigh our fashions by their own. If so be we list to search this +matter from the bottom, we know in the very Apostles’ times there +were Christians, through whom the Name of the Lord was blasphemed and +evil spoken of among the Gentiles. Constantius the emperor bewaileth, +as it is written in Sozomenus, that many waxed worse after they had +fallen to the religion of Christ. And Cyprian, in a lamentable +oration, setteth out the corrupt manners in his time: “The wholesome +discipline,” saith he, “which the Apostles left unto us, +hath idleness and long rest now utterly marred: everyone studied to +increase his livelihood; and clean forgetting either what they had done +before whilst they were under the Apostles, or what they ought continually +to do, having received the faith they earnestly laboured to make great +their own wealth with an unsatiable desire of covetousness. There +is no devout religion,” saith he, “in priests, no sound +faith in ministers, no charity showed in good works, no <!-- page 68--><a name="page68"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 68</span>form +of godliness in their conditions: men are become effeminate, and women’s +beauty is counterfeited.” And before his days, said Tertullian, +“O how wretched be we, which are called Christians at this time! +for we live as heathens under the Name of Christ.” And without +reciting of many more writers, Gregory Nazianzen speaketh thus of the +pitiful state of his own time: “We,” saith he, “are +in hatred among the heathen for our own vices’ sake; we are also +become now a wonder, not only to angels and men, but even to all the +ungodly.” In this case was the Church of God, when the Gospel +first began to shine, and when the fury of tyrants was not as yet cooled, +nor the sword taken off from the Christians’ necks. Surely +it is no new thing that men be but men, although they be called by the +name of Christians.</p> +<h3>PART IV.</h3> +<p>But will these men, I pray you, think nothing at all of themselves, +while they accuse us so maliciously? And while they have leisure +to behold so far off, and see both what is done in Germany and in England, +have they either forgotten, or can they not see what is done at Rome? +or be they our <!-- page 69--><a name="page69"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 69</span>accusers, +whose life is such as no man is able to make mention thereof but with +shame and uncomeliness? Our purpose here is, not to take in hand, +at this present, to bring to light and open to the world those things +which were meet rather to be hid and buried with the workers of them. +It beseemeth neither our religion, nor our modesty, nor our shamefastness. +But yet he, which giveth commandment that he should be called the “Vicar +of Christ,” and the “Head of the Church;” who also +heareth that such things be done in Rome, who seeth them, who suffereth +them (for we will go no further), he can easily consider with himself +what manner of things they be. Let him on God’s Name call +to mind, let him remember that they be of his own canonists, which have +taught the people that fornication between single folk is no sin (as +though they had fette that doctrine from Mitio in Terence), whose words +be: “It is no sin (believe me) for a young man to haunt harlots.” +Let him remember they be of his own which have decreed, that a priest +ought not to be put out of his cure for fornication. Let him remember +also how Cardinal Campegius, Albertus Pighius, and others many more +of his own, have taught, that the priest which “keepeth a concubine” +doth live more holily and chastely than he which hath a “wife +in <!-- page 70--><a name="page70"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 70</span>matrimony.” +I trust he hath not yet forgotten that there be many thousands of common +harlots in Rome; and that himself doth gather yearly of the same harlots +upon, a thirty thousand ducats, by the way of an annual pension. +Neither can he forget, how himself doth maintain openly brothel houses, +and by a most filthy lucre doth filthily and lewdly serve his own lust. +Were all things then pure and holy in Rome, when “Joan a woman,” +rather of perfect age than of perfect life, was Pope there, and bare +herself as the “head of the Church:” and after that for +two whole years in that holy see she had played the naughty pack, at +last, going in procession about the city, in the sight of all the cardinals +and bishops, fell in travail openly in the streets.</p> +<p>But what need we rehearse concubines and bawds? as for that is now +an ordinary and a gainful sin at Rome. For harlots sit there now-a-days, +not as they did in times past, without the city walls, and with their +faces hid and covered, but they dwell in palaces and fair houses: they +stray about in court and market, and that with bare and open face: as +who say, they may not only lawfully do it, but ought also to be praised +for so doing. What should we say any more of this? Their +vicious and abominable life is now thoroughly <!-- page 71--><a name="page71"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 71</span>known +to the whole world. Bernard writeth roundly and truly of the Bishop +of Rome’s house, yea, and of the Bishop of Rome himself. +“Thy palace,” saith he, “taketh in good men, but it +maketh none; naughty persons thrive there, and the good appayre and +decay.” And whosoever he were which wrote the Tripartite +work, annexed to the Council Lateranense, saith thus: “So excessive +at this day is the riot, as well in the prelates and bishops as in the +clerks and priests, that it is horrible to be told.”</p> +<p>But these things be not only grown in ure, and so by custom and continual +time well allowed, as all the rest of their doings in manner be, but +they are now waxen old and rotten ripe. For who hath not heard +what a heinous act Peter Aloisius, Pope Paul the Third’s son, +committed against Cosmus Cherius, the Bishop of Fanum; what John, Archbishop +of Beneventum, the Pope’s legate at Venice, wrote in the commendation +of a most abominable filthiness: and how he set forth, with most loathsome +words and wicked eloquence, the matter which ought not once to proceed +out of anybody’s mouth! To whose ears hath it not come, +that N. Diasius, a Spaniard, being purposely sent from Rome into Germany, +so shamefully and devilishly murdered his own brother <!-- page 72--><a name="page72"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 72</span>John +Diasius, a most innocent and a most godly man, only because he had embraced +the Gospel of Jesu Christ, and would not return again to Rome?</p> +<p>But it may chance to this they will say: These things may sometime +happen in the best governed commonwealths, yea, and against the magistrates’ +wills: and besides, there be good laws made to punish such. I +grant it be so: but by what good laws (I would know) have these great +mischiefs been punished amongst them? Petrus Aloisius, after he +had done that notorious act that I spake of, was always cherished in +his father’s bosom, Pope Paul the Third, and made his very derling. +Diasius, after he had murdered his own brother, was delivered by the +Pope’s means, to the end he might not be punished by good laws. +John Casus, the Archbishop of Beneventum, is yet alive, yea, and liveth +at Rome, even in the eyes and sight of the most holy father.</p> +<p>They have put to death infinite numbers of our brethren, only because +they believed truly and sincerely in Jesu Christ. But of that +great and foul number of harlots, fornicators, adulterers, what one +have they at any time (I say not killed, but) either excommunicated, +or once attached? Why! voluptuousness, adultery, ribaldry, whoredom, +murdering <!-- page 73--><a name="page73"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 73</span>of +kin, incest, and others more abominable parts, are not these counted +sin at Rome? Or, if they be sin, ought “Christ’s vicar, +Peter’s successor, the most holy father,” so lightly and +slightly to bear them, as though they were no sin, and that in the city +of Rome, and in that principal tower of all holiness?</p> +<p>O holy Scribes and Pharisees, which knew not this kind of holiness! +what a Catholic faith is this! Peter did not thus teach at Rome: +Paul did not so live at Rome: they did not practise brothelry, which +these do openly: they made not a yearly revenue and profit of harlots: +they suffered no common adulterers and wicked murderers to go unpunished. +They did not receive them into their entire familiarity, into their +council, into their household, nor yet into the company of Christian +men. These men ought not therefore so unreasonably to triumph +against our living. It had been more wisdom for them either first +to have proved good their own life before the world, or at least to +have cloaked it a little more cunningly. For we do use still the +old and ancient laws, and (as much as men may do, in the manners used +at these days, all things are so wholly corrupt) we diligently and earnestly +put in execution the ecclesiastical discipline: we have not common brothel-houses +of <!-- page 74--><a name="page74"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 74</span>strumpets, +nor yet flocks of concubines, nor herds of harlot-hunters: neither do +we prefer adultery before matrimony: neither do we exercise beastly +sensuality: neither do we gather ordinary rents and stipends of stews: +nor do we suffer to escape unpunished incest and abominable naughtiness, +nor yet such manquellers as the Aloisians, Casians, and Diazians were. +For if these things would have pleased us, we needed not to have departed +from these men’s fellowship, amongst whom such enormities be in +their chief pride and price. Neither needed we, for leaving them, +to run into the hatred of men, and into most wilful dangers. Paul +the Fourth, not many months sithence, had at Rome in prison certain +Augustine friars, many bishops, and a great number of other devout men, +for religion’s sake. He racked them and tormented them: +to make them confess, he left no means unassayed. But in the end +how many brothels, how many whoremongers, how many adulterers, how many +incestuous persons could he find of all those? Our God be thanked, +although we be not the men we ought and profess to be, yet, whosoever +we be, compare us with these men, and even our own life and innocency +will soon prove untrue and condemn their malicious surmises. For +we exhort the people to all virtue and well-doing, not only by <!-- page 75--><a name="page75"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 75</span>books +and preachings, but also with our examples and behaviour. We also +teach that the Gospel is not a boasting or bragging of knowledge, but +that it is the law of life, and that a Christian man (as Tertullian +saith) “ought not to speak honourably, but ought to live honourably; +nor that they be the hearers of the law, but the doers of the law, which +are justified before God.”</p> +<p>Besides all these matters wherewith they charge us, they are wont +also to add this one thing, which they enlarge with all kind of spitefulness: +that is, that we be men of trouble, that we pluck the “sword and +sceptre out of kings’ hands;” that we arm the people: that +we overthrow judgment places, destroy the laws, make havoc of possessions, +seek to make the people princes, turn all things upside down: and, to +be short, that we would have nothing in good frame in a commonwealth. +Good Lord, how often have they set on fire princes’ hearts with +these words, to the end they might quench the light of the Gospel in +the very first appearing of it, and might begin to hate the same ere +ever they were able to know it, and to the end that every magistrate +might think he saw his deadly enemy as often as he saw any of us!</p> +<p>Surely it should exceedingly grieve us to be so maliciously accused +of most heinous treason, unless <!-- page 76--><a name="page76"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 76</span>we +knew that Christ Himself, the Apostles, and a number of good and Christian +men, were in times past blamed and envied in manner for the same faults. +For although Christ taught “they should give unto Cæsar +that which was Cæsar’s,” yet was He charged with sedition, +in that He was accused to devise some conspiracy and covet the kingdom. +And hereupon they cried out with open mouth against him in the place +of judgment: “If thou let this man escape, thou art not Cæsar’s +friend.” And though the Apostles did likewise evermore and +steadfastly teach, that magistrates ought to be obeyed, “that +every soul ought to be subject to the higher powers, not only for fear +of wrath and punishment, but even for conscience sake;” yet bare +they the name to disquiet the people, and to stir up the multitude to +rebel. After this sort did Haman specially bring the nation of +the Jews into the hatred of the king Assuerus, because, said he, “they +were a rebellious and stubborn people, and despised the ordinances and +commandments of princes.” Wicked King Ahab said to Elie +[Elijah] the prophet of God, “It is thou that troublest Israel.” +Amasias, the priest at Bethel, laid a conspiracy to the prophet Amos’ +charge before King Jeroboam, saying, “See, Amos hath made a conspiracy +against thee in the midst of the house of <!-- page 77--><a name="page77"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 77</span>Israel.” +To be brief, Tertullian saith, this was the general accusation of all +Christians while he lived, that they were traitors, they were rebels, +and the enemies of mankind. Wherefore, if now-a-days the truth +be likewise evil spoken of, and being the same truth it was then, if +it be now like despitefully used as it was in times past, though it +be a grievous and unkind dealing, yet can it not seem unto us a new +or an unwonted matter.</p> +<p>Forty years ago and upward, was it an easy thing for them to devise +against us these accursed speeches, and other, too, sorer than these; +when, in the midst of the darkness of that age, first began to spring +and to give shine some one glimmering beam of truth, unknown at that +time and unheard of: when also Martin Luther and Hulderic Zuinglius, +being most excellent men, even sent of God to give light to the whole +world, first came unto the knowledge and preaching of the Gospel; whereas +yet the thing was but new, and the success thereof uncertain; and when +men’s minds stood doubtful and amazed, and their ears open to +all slanderous tales; and when there could be imagined against us no +fact so detestable, but the people then would soon believe it for the +novelty and strangeness of the matter. For so did Symmachus, so +did Celsus, so did Julianus, so did Porphyrius, the old foes to the +Gospel, attempt <!-- page 78--><a name="page78"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 78</span>in +times past to accuse all Christians of sedition and treason, before +that either prince or people were able to know who those Christians +were, what they professed, what they believed, or what was their meaning. +But now, sithence our very enemies do see, and cannot deny, but we ever +in all our words and writings have diligently put the people in mind +of their duty, to obey their princes and magistrates, yea, though they +be wicked (for this doth very trial and experience sufficiently teach, +and all men’s eyes, whosoever and wheresoever they be, do well +enough see and witness for us), it was a foul part of them to charge +us with these things; yea, seeing they could find no new and late faults, +therefore to seek to procure us envy only with stale and out worn lies.</p> +<p>We give our Lord God thanks, whose only cause this is, there hath +yet at no time been any such example in all the realms, dominions, and +commonweals, which have received the Gospel. For we have overthrown +no kingdom, we have decayed no man’s power or right, we have disordered +no commonwealth. There continue in their own accustomed state +and ancient dignity, the kings of our country of England, the kings +of Denmark, the kings of Sweden, the dukes of Saxony, the counts palatine, +the marquesses of Brandenburg, the landgraves <!-- page 79--><a name="page79"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 79</span>of +Hesse, the commonwealth of the Helvetians and Rhætians, and the +free cities, as Argentine, Basil, Frankfort, Ulm, Augusta, and Nuremberg; +do all, I say, abide in the same authority and estate wherein they have +been heretofore, or rather in a much better, for that by means of the +Gospel they have their people more obedient unto them. Let them +go, I pray you, into those places where at this present through God’s +goodness the Gospel is taught. Where is there more majesty? +Where is there less arrogancy and tyranny? Where be the prince +more honoured? Where is the people less unruly? Where hath +there at any time the commonwealth or the Church been in more quiet? +Perhaps ye will say, from the first beginning of this doctrine the common +sort everywhere began to rage and to rise throughout Germany. +Allow it were so, yet Martin Luther, the publisher and setter forward +of this doctrine, did write marvellous vehemently and sharply against +them, and reclaimed them, home to peace and obedience.</p> +<p>But whereas it is wont sometime to be objected by persons wanting +skill touching the Helvetians’ change of state, and killing of +Leopoldus the Duke of Austria, and restoring by force their country +to liberty, that was done, as appeareth plainly by all stories, for +two hundred and threescore years past <!-- page 80--><a name="page80"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 80</span>or +above, under Boniface the Eighth, when the authority of the “Bishop +of Rome” was in greatest jollity; about two hundred years before +Huldericus Zuinglius either began to teach the Gospel, or yet was born: +and ever since that time they have had all things still and quiet, not +only from foreign enemies, but also from civil dissension. And +if it were a sin in the Helvetians to deliver their own country from +foreign government, specially when they were so proudly and tyrannously +oppressed, yet to burden us with other men’s faults, or them with +the faults of their forefathers, is against all right and reason.</p> +<p>But O immortal God! and will the Bishop of Rome accuse us of treason? +Will he teach the people to obey and follow their magistrates? or hath +he any regard at all of the majesty of princes? Why doth he then, +as none of the old bishops of Rome heretofore ever did, suffer himself +to be called of his flatterers “lord of lords,” as though +he would have all kings and princes, who and whatsoever they are, to +be his underlings? Why doth he vaunt himself to be “king +of kings,” and to have kingly royalty over his subjects? +Why compelleth he all emperors and princes to swear to him fealty and +true obedience? Why doth he boast that the “emperor’s +majesty’s is a thousandfold inferior to <!-- page 81--><a name="page81"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 81</span>him:” +and for this reason specially, because God hath made two lights in heaven, +and because heaven and earth were created not at two beginnings, but +in one? Why hath he and his complices (like Anabaptists and Libertines, +to the end they might run on more licentiously and carelessly) shaken +off the yoke, and exempted themselves from being under a civil power? +Why hath he his legates (as much to say as most subtle spies) lying +in wait in all kings’ courts, councils, and privy chambers? +Why doth he, when he list, set Christian princes one against another, +and at his own pleasure trouble the whole world with debate and discord? +Why doth he excommunicate, and command to be taken as a heathen and +a Pagan any Christian prince that renounceth his authority? And +why promiseth he his “indulgences and his pardons” so largely +to any that will (what way soever it be) kill any of his enemies? +Doth he maintain empires and kingdoms? or doth he once desire that common +quiet should be provided for? You must pardon us, good reader, +though we seem to utter these things more bitterly and bitingly than +it becometh divines to do. For both the shamefulness of the matter, +and the desire of rule in the Bishop of Rome is so exceeding and outrageous, +that it could not well be uttered with <!-- page 82--><a name="page82"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 82</span>other +words, or more mildly. For he is not ashamed to say in open assembly, +“that all jurisdiction of all kings doth depend upon himself.” +And to feed his ambition and greediness of rule, he hath pulled in pieces +the “empire of Rome,” and vexed and rent whole Christendom +asunder. Falsely and traitorously also did he release the Romans, +the Italians, and himself too, of the oath whereby they and he were +straitly bound to be true to the “emperor of Greece,” and +stirred up the emperor’s subjects to forsake him: and calling +Carolus Martellus out of France into Italy, made him emperor, such a +thing as never was seen before. He put Chilpericus, the French +king, being no evil prince, beside his realm, only because he fancied +him not, and wrongfully placed Pipin in his room. Again, after +he had cast out King Philip, if he could have brought it to pass, he +had determined and appointed the kingdom of France to Albertus King +of Romans. He utterly destroyed the state of the most nourishing +city and commonweal of Florence, his own native country, and brought +it out of a free and peaceable state, to be governed at the pleasure +of one man: he brought to pass by his procurement, that whole Savoy +on the one side was miserably spoiled by the Emperor Charles the Fifth, +and on the other side by the French king, so <!-- page 83--><a name="page83"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 83</span>as +the unfortunate duke had scant one city left him to hide his head in.</p> +<p>We are cloyed with examples in this behalf, and it should be very +tedious to reckon up all the notorious deeds of the bishops of Rome. +Of which side were they, I beseech you, which poisoned Henry the Emperor +even in the receiving of the sacrament? which poisoned Victor the Pope +even in the receiving of the chalice? which poisoned our King John, +king of England, in a drinking cup? Whosoever at least they were +and of what sect soever, I am sure they were neither Lutherans nor Zuinglians. +What is he at this day, which alloweth the mightiest kings and monarchs +of the world to kiss his blessed feet? What is he that commandeth +the emperor to go by him at his horse bridle, and the French king to +hold his stirrup? Who hurled under his table Francis Dandalus +the duke of Venice, king of Crete and Cyprus, fast bound with chains, +to feed of bones among his dogs? Who set the imperial crown upon +the Emperor Henry the Sixth’s head, not with his hand, but with +his foot; and with the same foot again cast the same crown off, saying +withal, “he had power to make emperors, and to unmake them again +at his pleasure”? Who put in arms Henry the son against +the emperor his father Henry the Fourth, and wrought so that <!-- page 84--><a name="page84"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 84</span>the +father was taken prisoner of his own son, and being shorn and shamefully +handled, was thrust into a monastery, where with hunger and sorrow he +pined away to death? Who so ill-favouredly and monstrously put +the Emperor Frederick’s neck under his feet, and, as though that +were not sufficient, added further this text out of the Psalms, “Thou +shalt go upon the adder and cockatrice, and shalt tread the lion and +dragon under thy feet”? Such an example of scorning and +contemning a prince’s majesty, as never before that was heard +tell of in any remembrance; except, I ween, either of Tamerlane’s, +the king of Scythia, a wild and barbarous creature, or else of Sapor +king of the Persians.</p> +<p>All these notwithstanding were Popes, all Peter’s successors, +all most holy fathers, whose several words we must take to be as good +as several Gospels. If we be counted traitors which do honour +our princes, which give them all obedience, as much as is due to them +by God’s word, and which do pray for them, what kind of men then +be these, which have not only done all the things before said, but also +allow the same for specially well done? Do they then either this +way instruct the people, as we do, to reverence their magistrate? +Or can they with honesty <!-- page 85--><a name="page85"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 85</span>appeach +us as seditious persons, breakers of the common quiet, and despisers +of princes’ majesty?</p> +<p>Truly, we neither put off the yoke of obedience from us; neither +do we disorder realms; neither do we set up or pull down kings; nor +translate governments; nor give our kings poison to drink; nor yet hold +to them our feet to be kissed; nor, opprobriously triumphing over them, +leap into their necks with our feet. This rather is our profession; +this is our doctrine: that every soul, of what calling soever he be—be +he monk, be he preacher, be he prophet, be he Apostle—ought to +be subject to kings and magistrates; yea, and that the Bishop of Rome +himself—unless he will seem greater than Evangelists, than the +Prophets, or the Apostles—ought both to acknowledge and to call +the emperor his lord and master, which the old Bishops of Rome, who +lived in times of more grace, ever did. Our common teaching also +is, that we ought so to obey princes as men sent of God; and that whoso +withstandeth them, withstandeth God’s ordinance. This is +our showing, and this is well to be seen, both in our books and in our +preachings, and also in the manners and modest behaviour of our people.</p> +<p>But where they say we have gone away from the unity of the Catholic +Church, this is not only a <!-- page 86--><a name="page86"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 86</span>matter +of malice, but, besides, though, it be most untrue, yet hath it some +show and appearance of truth. For the common people and ignorant +multitude give not credit alone to things true and of certainty, but +even to such things also, if any chance, which may seem to have but +a resemblance of truth. Therefore, we see that subtle and crafty +persons, when they had no truth on their side, have ever contended and +hotly argued with things likely to be true, to the intent they which +were not able to espy the very ground of the matter, might be carried +away at least with some pretence and probability thereof. In times +past, where the first Christians, our forefathers, in making their prayers +to God, did turn themselves towards the east, there were that said, +“they worshipped the sun, and reckoned it as God.” +Again, where our forefathers said, that as touching immortal and everlasting +life, they lived by no other means, but by the “flesh and blood +of that Lamb who was without spot,” that is to say, of our Saviour +Jesus Christ, the envious creatures and foes of Christ’s Cross, +whose only care was to bring Christian religion into slander by all +manner of ways, made people believe that they were wicked persons, that +they “sacrificed men’s flesh, and drunk men’s blood.” +Also, where our forefathers <!-- page 87--><a name="page87"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 87</span>said +that before God “there is neither man nor woman,” nor, for +attaining to the true righteousness, there is no distinction at all +of persons, and that they did call one another indifferently by the +name of sisters and brothers: there wanted not men which forged false +tales upon the same, saying that the Christians made no difference among +themselves either of age or of kind, but like brute beasts without regard +had to do one with another. And where, for to pray and hear the +Gospel, they met often together in secret and bye places, because rebels +sometime were wont to do the like, rumours were everywhere spread abroad, +how they made privy confederacies, and counselled together either to +kill the magistrates or to subvert the commonwealth. And where, +in celebrating the holy mysteries after Christ’s institution, +they took bread and wine, they were thought of many not to worship Christ, +but Bacchus and Ceres; forsomuch as those vain gods were worshipped +of the heathens in like sort, after a profane superstition, with bread +and wine.</p> +<p>These things were believed of many, not because they were true, indeed +(for what could be more untrue?), but because they were like to be true, +and through a certain shadow of truth might the more <!-- page 88--><a name="page88"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 88</span>easily +deceive the simple. On this fashion likewise do these men slander +us as heretics, and say that we have left the Church and fellowship +of Christ: not because they think it is true—for they do not much +force of that, but because to ignorant folk it might, perhaps, some +way appear true. We have, indeed, put ourselves apart not as heretics +are wont, from the Church of Christ, but as all good men ought to do, +from the infection of naughty persons and hypocrites.</p> +<p>Nevertheless, in this point they triumph marvellously—“that +they be the Church, that their Church is Christ’s spouse, the +pillar of truth, the ark of Noah;” and that without it there is +no hope of salvation. Contrariwise they say, “that we be +renegades; that we have torn Christ’s seat;” that we are +plucked quite off from the body of Christ, and have forsaken the Catholic +faith. And when they leave nothing unspoken that may never so +falsely and maliciously be said against us, yet this one thing are they +never able truly to say, that we have swerved either from the Word of +God, or from the Apostles of Christ, or from the primitive Church. +Surely we have ever judged the primitive Church of Christ’s time, +of the Apostles and of the holy fathers, to be the Catholic Church; +neither make we doubt to <!-- page 89--><a name="page89"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 89</span>name +it, “Noah’s ark, Christ’s spouse, the pillar and upholder +of all truth;” nor yet to fix therein the whole mean of our salvation. +It is doubtless an odious matter for one to leave the fellowship whereunto +he hath been accustomed, and specially of those men, who, though they +be not, yet at least seem and be called Christians. And, to say +truly, we do not despise the Church of these men (howsoever it be ordered +by them now-a-days), partly for the name’s sake itself, and partly +for that the Gospel of Jesus Christ hath once been therein truly and +purely set forth. Neither had we departed therefrom, but of very +necessity, and much against our wills. But I put case, an idol +be set up in the Church of God, and the same desolation, which Christ +prophesied to come, stood openly in the holy place. What if some +thief or pirate invade and possess “Noah’s ark?” +These folks, as often as they tell us of the Church, mean thereby themselves +alone, and attribute all these titles to their own selves, boasting, +as they did in times past which cried, “The temple of the Lord, +the temple of the Lord;” or as the Pharisees and Scribes did, +which craked they were “Abraham’s children.”</p> +<p>Thus with a gay and jolly show deceive they the simple, and seek +to choke us with the very name of <!-- page 90--><a name="page90"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 90</span>the +Church. Much like as if a thief, when he had gotten into another +man’s house, and by violence either hath thrust out or slain the +owner, should afterward assign the same house to himself, casting forth +of possession the right inheritor; or if Anti-Christ, when he had once +entered into “the temple of God,” should afterward say, +“This house is mine own, and Christ hath nothing to do withal.” +For these men now, after they have left nothing remaining in the Church +of God that hath any likeness of this Church, yet will they seem the +patrons and valiant maintainers of the Church, very like as Gracchus +amongst the Romans stood in defence of the treasury, notwithstanding +with his prodigality and fond expenses he had utterly wasted the whole +stock of the treasury. And yet was there never anything so wicked, +or so far out of reason, but lightly it might be covered and defended +by the name of the Church. For the wasps also make honey-combs +as well as bees, and wicked men have companies like to the Church of +God: yet, for all that, “they be not straightway the people of +God which are called the people of God; neither be they all Israelites +as many as are come of Israel the father.” The Arians, notwithstanding +they were heretics, yet bragged they that they alone were Catholics, +calling all <!-- page 91--><a name="page91"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 91</span>the +rest now Ambrosians, now Athanasians, now Johannites. And Nestorius, +as saith Theodoret, for all that he was an heretic, yet covered he himself +της οροδοξιας +προσχηματι: that is, +to wit, with a certain cloak and colour of the true and right faith. +Ebion, though he agreed in opinion with the Samaritans, yet, as saith +Epiphanius, he would needs be called a Christian. The Mahometists +at this day, for all that all histories make plain mention, and themselves +also cannot deny, but they took their first beginning of “Agar +the bond-woman,” yet for the very name and stock’s sake, +chose they rather to be called Saracens, as though they came of “Sarah +the free woman, and Abraham’s wife.”</p> +<p>So likewise the false prophets of all ages, which stood up against +the prophets of God, which resisted Esaias, Jeremy, Christ, and the +Apostles, at no time craked of anything so much as they did of the name +of the Church. And for no other cause did they so fiercely vex +them, and call them runaways and apostates, than for that they forsook +their fellowship, and kept not the ordinances of the elders. Wherefore, +if we would follow the judgments of those men only who then governed +the Church, and would respect nothing else, neither God nor His word, +it must needs be confessed, that <!-- page 92--><a name="page92"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 92</span>the +Apostles were rightly and by just law condemned of them to death, because +they fell from the bishops and priests, that is, you must think, from +the “Catholic Church:” and because they made many new alterations +in religion, contrary to the bishops’ and priests’ wills, +yea, and for all their spurning so earnestly against it. Wherefore, +like as it is written that Hercules in old time was forced in striving +with Antæus, that huge giant, to lift him quite up from the earth +that was his mother, ere he could conquer him, even so must our adversaries +be heaved from their mother, that is, from this vain colour and shadow +of the Church, wherewith they so disguise and defend themselves: otherwise +they cannot be brought to yield unto the word of God. “And +therefore,” saith Jeremy the prophet, “make not such great +boast that the temple of the Lord is with you. This is but a vain +confidence: these are lies.” The angel also saith in the +Apocalypse, “They say they be Jews; but they be the synagogue +of Satan.” And Christ said to the Pharisees when they vaunted +themselves of the kindred and blood of Abraham, “Ye are of your +father, the devil;” for you resemble not your father Abraham; +as much to say as ye are not the men ye would so fain be called: ye +beguile the people with vain titles, and abuse the <!-- page 93--><a name="page93"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 93</span>name +of the Church to the overthrowing of the Church.</p> +<p>So that these men’s part had been, first to have clearly and +truly proved that the Romish Church is the true and right instructed +Church of God, and that the same as they do order it at this day doth +agree with the primitive Church of Christ, of the Apostles, and of the +holy fathers, which we doubt not but was indeed the true Catholic Church. +For our parts, if we could have judged ignorance, error, superstition, +idolatry, men’s inventions, and the same commonly disagreeing +with the Holy Scriptures, either to please God or to be sufficient for +the obtaining everlasting salvation; or if we could ascertain ourselves, +that the word of God was written but for a time only, and afterward +again ought to be abrogated and put away: or else that the sayings and +commandments of God ought to be subject to man’s will, that whatsoever +God saith and commandeth, except the Bishop of Rome willeth and commandeth +the same, it must be taken as void and unspoken: if we could have brought +ourselves to believe these things, we grant there had been no cause +at all why we should have left these men’s company. As touching +that we have now done to depart from that Church, whose errors were +proved and made manifest to the world, which <!-- page 94--><a name="page94"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 94</span>Church +also had already evidently departed from God’s word: and yet not +to depart so much from itself, as from the errors thereof; and not to +do this disorderly or wickedly, but quietly and soberly; we have done +nothing herein against the doctrine either of Christ or of His Apostles. +For neither is the Church of God such as it may not be dusked with some +spot, or asketh not sometime reparation. Else what needeth there +so many assemblies and councils, without the which, as saith Ægidius, +the Christian faith is not able to stand? “For look,” +saith he: “how often councils are discontinued, so often is the +Church destitute of Christ.” Or if there be no peril that +harm may come to the Church, what need is there to retain to no purpose +the names of bishops, as is now commonly used among them? For +if there be no sheep that may stray, why be they called shepherds? +If there be no city that may be betrayed, why be they called watchmen? +If there be nothing that may run to ruin, why be they called pillars? +Anon after the first creation of the world the Church of God began to +spread abroad, and the same was instructed with the heavenly word which +God Himself pronounced with His own mouth. It was also furnished +with Divine ceremonies. It was taught by the Spirit of God, by +the patriarchs and <!-- page 95--><a name="page95"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 95</span>prophets, +and continued so even till the time that Christ showed Himself to us +in the flesh.</p> +<p>This notwithstanding, how often, O good God, in the meanwhile, and +how horribly was the same Church darkened and decayed! Where was +that Church then, when “all flesh upon earth had denied their +own way?” Where was it, when amongst the number of the whole +world there were only eight persons (and they neither all chaste and +good) whom God’s will was should be saved alive from that universal +destruction and mortality? when Elie the prophet so lamentably and bitterly +made moan, that “only himself was left” of all the whole +world which did truly and duly worship God? and when Esay said, “The +silver of God’s people (that is, of the Church) was become dross: +and that the same city, which aforetime had been faithful, was now become +a harlot: and that in the same there was no part sound throughout the +whole body, from the head to the foot?” or else, when Christ Himself +said, “that the house of God was made by the Pharisees and priests +a den of thieves?” Of a truth, the Church, even as a corn-field, +except it be eared, manured, tilled, and trimmed, instead of wheat it +will bring forth thistles, darnel, and nettles. For this cause +did God send ever among both Prophets and Apostles, <!-- page 96--><a name="page96"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 96</span>and +last of all His “own Son,” who might bring home the people +into the right way, and repair anew the tottering Church after she had +erred.</p> +<p>But lest some man should say, that the aforesaid things happened +in the time of the law only, of shadows, and of infancy, when truth +lay hid under figures and ceremonies, when nothing as yet was brought +to perfection, when the law was not graven in men’s hearts, but +in stone: and yet is that but a foolish saying, for even at those days +was there the very same God that is now, the same Spirit, the same Christ, +the same faith, the same doctrine, the same hope, the same inheritance, +the same league, and the same efficacy and virtue of God’s word: +Eusebius also saith: “All the faithful, even from Adam until Christ, +were in very deed Christians” (though they were not so termed), +but, as I said, lest men should thus speak still, Paul the Apostle found +the like faults and falls even then in the prime and chief of the Gospel +in chief perfection, and in the light; so that he was compelled to write +in this sort to the Galatians, whom he had well before that instructed: +“I fear me,” quoth he, “lest I have laboured among +you in vain, and lest ye have heard the Gospel in vain.” +“O my little children, of whom I travail anew till Christ be fashioned +again in you.” And as for the Church <!-- page 97--><a name="page97"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 97</span>of +the Corinthians, how foully it was denied, is nothing needful to rehearse. +Now tell me, might the Churches of the Galatians and Corinthians go +amiss, and the Church of Rome alone may not fail, nor go amiss? +Surely Christ prophesied long before of His Church, that the time should +come when desolation should stand in the holy place. And Paul +saith, that Antichrist should once set up his own tabernacle and stately +seat in the temple of God: and that the time should be, “when +men should not away with wholesome doctrine, but be turned back unto +fables and lies,” and that within the very Church. Peter +likewise telleth, how there should be teachers of lies in the Church +of Christ. Daniel the Prophet, speaking of the latter times of +Antichrist: “Truth,” saith he, “in that season shall +be thrown under foot, and trodden upon in the world.” And +Christ saith, how the calamity and confusion of things shall be so exceeding +great, “that even the chosen, if it were possible, shall be brought +into error;” and how all these things shall come to pass, not +amongst Gentiles and Turks, but that they should be in the holy place, +in the temple of God, in the Church, and in the company and fellowship +of those which profess the name of Christ.</p> +<p>Albeit these same warnings alone may suffice a <!-- page 98--><a name="page98"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 98</span>wise +man to take heed he do not suffer himself rashly to be deceived with +the name of the Church, and not to stay to make further inquisition +thereof by God’s word; yet beside all this, many fathers also, +many learned and godly men, have often and carefully complained how +all these things have chanced in their lifetime. For even in the +midst of that thick mist of darkness, God would yet there should be +some, who, though they gave not a clear and bright light, yet should +they kindle, were it but some spark, which men might espy, being in +the darkness.</p> +<p>Hilarius, when things as yet were almost uncorrupt, and in good ease +too: “Ye are ill deceived,” saith he, “with the love +of walls: ye do ill worship the Church, in that ye worship it in houses +and buildings: ye do ill bring in the name of peace under roofs. +Is there any doubt but Antichrist will have his seat under the same? +I rather reckon hills, woods, pools, marshes, prisons, and quagmires, +to be places of more safety: for in these the prophets, either abiding +of their accord or forced thither by violence, did prophesy by the Spirit +of God.”</p> +<p>Gregory, as one which perceived and foresaw in his mind the wrack +of all things, wrote thus to “John, Bishop of Constantinople,” +the first of <!-- page 99--><a name="page99"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 99</span>all +others that commanded himself to be called by this new name, the “universal +bishop of whole Christ’s Church:” “If the Church,” +saith he, “shall depend upon one man, it will at once fall down +to the ground.” Who is he, that seeth not how this is come +to pass long since? For long agone hath the Bishop of Rome willed +to have the “whole Church depend upon” himself alone. +Wherefore it is no marvel though it be clean fallen down long agone.</p> +<p>Bernard the abbot, above four hundred years past, writeth thus: “Nothing +is now of sincerity and pureness amongst the clergy: wherefore it resteth, +that the man of sin should be revealed.” The same Bernard, +in his work of the conversion of Paul; “It seemeth now,” +saith he, “that persecution hath ceased: no, no; persecution seemeth +but now to begin, even from them which have chief pre-eminence in the +Church. Thy friends and neighbours have drawn near, and stood +up against thee: from the sole of thy foot to the crown of thy head +there is no part whole. Iniquity is proceeded from the elders, +the judges, and deputies, which pretend to rule thy people. We +cannot say now, Look how the people be, so is the priest. For +the people is not so ill as the priest is. Alas, alas, O Lord +God, the selfsame persons be the <!-- page 100--><a name="page100"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 100</span>chief +in persecuting thee, which seem to love the highest place, and bear +most rule in Thy Church!” The same Bernard again, upon the +Canticles, writeth thus: “All they are thy friends, yet are they +all thy foes: all thy kinsfolk, yet are they all thy adversaries. +Being Christ’s servants, they serve Antichrist. Behold, +in my rest, my bitterness is most bitter.” Roger Bacon, +also a man of great fame, after he had in a vehement oration touched +to the quick the woeful state of his own time: “These so many +errors,” saith he, “require and look for Antichrist.” +Gerson complaineth, that in his days all the substance and efficacy +of sacred divinity was brought unto a glorious contention and ostentation +of wits, and to very sophistry. The friars of Lyons, men, as touching +the manner of their life, not to be misliked, were wont boldly to affirm, +that the Romish Church (from whence alone all counsel and order was +then sought) was the very same “harlot of Babylon and rout of +devils,” whereof is prophesied so plainly in the Apocalypse.</p> +<p>I know well enough the authority of these foresaid persons is but +lightly regarded among these men. How then if I call forth those +for witness, whom they themselves have used to honour? What if +I say that Adrian, the Bishop of Rome, <!-- page 101--><a name="page101"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 101</span>did +frankly confess that all these mischiefs brast out first from the high +throne of the Pope? Pighius acknowledgeth herein to be a fault, +that many abuses are brought in, even into the very mass, which mass +otherwise he would have seem to be a reverend matter. Gerson saith, +that through the number of most fond ceremonies, all the virtue of the +Holy Ghost, which ought to have operation in us, and all true godliness, +is utterly quenched and dead. Whole Greece and Asia complain, +how the bishops of Rome, with the marts of their purgatories and pardons, +have both tormented men’s consciences and picked their purses.</p> +<p>As touching the tyranny of the bishops of Rome, and their barbarous +Persian-like pride, to leave out others, whom perchance they reckon +for enemies, because they freely and liberally find fault with their +vices, the same men which have led their life at Rome in the holy city, +in the face of the most holy father, who also were able to see all their +secrets and at no time departed from the Catholic faith: as, for example, +Laurentius Valla, Marsilius Patavinus, Francis Petrarch, Hierom Savonarola, +Abbot Joachim, Baptist of Mantua, and, before all these, Bernard the +abbot, have many a time and much complained of it, giving <!-- page 102--><a name="page102"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 102</span>the +world also sometime to understand that the Bishop of Rome himself (by +your leave) is very Antichrist. Whether they spake it truly or +falsely, let that go. Sure I am they spake it plainly. Neither +can any man allege that those authors were Luther’s or Zuinglius’ +scholars: for they were not only certain years, but also certain ages +ere ever Luther’s or Zuinglius’ names were heard of. +They well saw that even in their days errors had crept into the Church, +and wished earnestly they might be amended.</p> +<p>And what marvel if the Church were then carried away with errors +in that time, specially when neither the Bishop of Rome, who then only +ruled the roost, nor almost any other, either did his duty, or once +understood what was his duty? for it is hard to be believed, while they +were idle and fast asleep, that the devil also all that while either +fell asleep or else continually lay idle. For how they were occupied +in the meantime, and with what faithfulness they took care of God’s +house, though we hold our peace, yet I pray you, let them hear Bernard +their own friend. “The bishops,” saith he, “who +now have the charge of God’s Church, are not teachers, but deceivers: +they are not feeders, but beguilers: they are not prelates, but Pilates.” +These words <!-- page 103--><a name="page103"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 103</span>spake +Bernard of that bishop who named himself the highest bishop of all, +and of the other bishops likewise which then had the place of government. +Bernard was no Lutheran: Bernard was no heretic. He had not forsaken +the Catholic Church: yet nevertheless he did not let to call the bishops +that then were, deceivers, beguilers, and Pilates. Now when the +people was openly deceived, and Christian men’s eyes were craftily +bleared, and when Pilate sat in judgment-place, and condemned Christ +and Christ’s members to sword and fire, O good Lord, in what case +was Christ’s Church then? But yet tell me, of so many and +so gross errors, what one have these men at any time reformed? or what +fault have they once acknowledged and confessed?</p> +<p>But, forsomuch as these men avouch the universal possession of the +Catholic Church to be their own, and call us heretics, because we agree +not in judgment with them, let us know, I beseech you, what proper mark +and badge hath that Church of theirs, whereby it may be known to be +the Church of God. I wiss it is not so hard a matter to find out +God’s Church, if a man will seek it earnestly and diligently. +For the Church of God is set upon a high and glittering place, in the +top of a hill, and built upon the “foundation of the Apostles +<!-- page 104--><a name="page104"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 104</span>and +Prophets:” “There,” saith Augustine, “let us +seek the Church; there let us try our matters.” “And,” +as he saith again in another place, “the Church must be showed +out of the holy and canonical Scriptures: and that which cannot be showed +out of them is not the Church.” Yet, for all this, I wot +not how, whether it be for fear, or for conscience, or despair of victory, +these men alway abhor and fly the Word of God, even as the thief flieth +the gallows. And no wonder truly. For, like as men say, +the cantharus by-and-bye perisheth and dieth as soon as it is laid in +balm: notwithstanding balm be otherwise a most sweet-smelling ointment; +even so these men well see their own matter is damned and destroyed +in the Word of God, as if it were in poison.</p> +<p>Therefore the Holy Scriptures, which our Saviour Jesus Christ did +not only use for authority in all His speech, but did also at last seal +up the same with His own blood, these men, to the intent they might +with less business drive the people from the same, as from a thing dangerous +and deadly, have used to call them a bare letter, uncertain, unprofitable, +dumb, killing, and dead: which seemeth to us all one as if they should +say, “The Scriptures are to no purpose, or as good as none.” +Hereunto they add a similitude not very agreeable, how the <!-- page 105--><a name="page105"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 105</span>Scriptures +be like to a nose of wax, or a shipman’s hose: how they may be +fashioned and plied all manner of ways, and serve all men’s turns. +Woteth not the Bishop of Rome, that these things are spoken by his own +minions? or understandeth he not he hath such champions to fight for +him? Let him hearken then how holily and how godly one Hosius +writeth of this matter, a bishop in Polonia, as he testifieth of himself; +a man doubtless well spoken and not unlearned, and a very sharp and +stout maintainer of that side. One will marvel, I suppose, how +a good man could either conceive so wickedly or write so despitefully +of those words which he knew proceeded from God’s mouth, and specially +in such sort as he would not have it seem his own private opinion alone, +but the common opinion of all that band. He dissembleth, I grant +you indeed, and hideth what he is, and setteth forth the matter so, +as though it were not he and his side, but the Zuenckfeldian heretics +that so did speak. “We,” saith he, “will bid +away with the same Scriptures, whereof we see brought not only divers +but also contrary interpretations; and we will hear God speak, rather +than we will resort to the naked elements, and appoint our salvation +to rest in them. It behoveth not a man to be expert in the law +and Scripture, but to be taught of God. It is but lost <!-- page 106--><a name="page106"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 106</span>labour +that a man bestoweth in the Scriptures. For the Scripture is a +creature, and a certain bare letter.” This is Hosius’ +saying, uttered altogether with the same spirit and the same mind wherewith +in times past Montane and Marcion were moved, who, as men report, used +to say, when with a contempt they rejected the Holy Scriptures, that +themselves knew many more and better things than either Christ or the +Apostles ever knew.</p> +<p>What then shall I say here, O ye principal posts of religion, O ye +arch-governors of Christ’s Church! Is this that your reverence +which ye give to God’s Word? The Holy Scriptures, which, +St. Paul saith, came by the inspiration of God, which God did commend +by so many miracles, wherein are the most perfect prints of Christ’s +own steps, which all the holy fathers, Apostles, and Angels, which Christ +Himself the Son of God, as often as was needful, did allege for testimony +and proof; will ye, as though they were unworthy for you to hear, bid +them avaunt away? That is, will ye enjoin God to keep silence, +who speaketh to you most clearly by His own mouth in the Scriptures? +or that Word, whereby alone, as Paul saith, we are reconciled to God, +and which the prophet David saith, is “holy and pure, and shall +last for ever;” will ye call that “but a bare and dead letter?” +or <!-- page 107--><a name="page107"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 107</span>will +ye say that all our labour is lost which is bestowed in that thing which +Christ hath commanded us diligently to search, and to have evermore +before our eyes? And will ye say that Christ and the Apostles +meant with subtlety to deceive the people when they exhorted them to +read the Holy Scriptures, that thereby they might flow in all wisdom +and knowledge? No marvel at all though these men despise us and +all our doings, which set so little by God Himself and His infallible +sayings. Yet was it but want of wit in them, to the intend they +might hurt us, to do so extreme injury to the Word of God.</p> +<p>But Hosius will here make exclamation, saying we do him wrong, and +that these be not his own words, but the words of the heretic Zuenckfeldius. +But how then, if Zuenckfeldius make exclamation on the other side, and +say, that the same very words be not his, but Hosius’ own words? +For tell me where hath Zuenckfeldius ever written them? or, if he have +written them, and Hosius have judged the same to be wicked, why hath +not Hosius spoken so much as one word to confute them? Howsoever +the matter goeth, although Hosius peradventure will not allow of those +words, yet he doth not disallow the meaning of the words For well near +in all controversies, and namely touching <!-- page 108--><a name="page108"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 108</span>the +use of the holy “communion under both kinds,” although the +words of Christ be plain and evident, yet doth Hosius disdainfully reject +them, as no better than “cold and dead elements;” and commandeth +us to give faith to certain new lessons, appointed by the Church, and +to I wot not what revelations of the Holy Ghost. And Pighius saith: +“Men ought not to believe, no not the most clear and manifest +words of the Scriptures, unless the same be allowed for good by the +interpretation and authority of the Church.”</p> +<p>And yet, as though this were too little, they also burn the Holy +Scriptures, as in times past wicked King Aza did, or as Antiochus or +Maximinus did, and are wont to name them heretics’ books. +And out of doubt, to see too, they would fain do as Herod in old time +did in Jewry, that he might with more surety keep still his dominion: +who being an Idumæan born, and a stranger to the stock and kindred +of the Jews, and yet coveting much to be taken for a Jew, to the end +he might establish to him and his posterity the kingdom of that country, +which he had gotten of Augustus Cæsar, he commanded all the genealogies +and pedigrees to be burnt, and made out of the way, so that there should +remain no record whereby he might be known to them that came after that +he was an <!-- page 109--><a name="page109"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 109</span>alien +in blood: whereas even from Abraham’s time these monuments had +been safely kept amongst the Jews, and laid up in their treasury; because +in them it might easily and most assuredly be found of what lineage +everyone did descend. So (in good faith) do these men, when they +would have all their own doings in estimation, as though they had been +delivered to us even from the Apostles, or from Christ Himself: to the +end there might be found nowhere anything able to convince such their +dreams and lies, either they burn the Holy Scriptures, or else they +craftily convey them from the people surely.</p> +<p>Very rightly and aptly doth Chrysostom write against these men. +“Heretics,” saith he, “shut up the doors against the +truth: for they know full well, if the door were open, the Church should +be none of theirs.” Theophylact also: “God’s +Word,” saith he, “is the candle whereby the thief is espied.” +And Tertullian saith, “The Holy Scripture manifestly findeth out +the fraud and theft of heretics.” For why do they hide, +why do they keep under the Gospel which Christ would have preached aloud +from the housetop? Why whelm they that light under a bushel which +ought to stand on a candlestick? Why trust they more to the blindness +of the unskilful multitude, and to ignorance, than <!-- page 110--><a name="page110"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 110</span>to +the goodness of their cause? Think they their sleights are not +already perceived, and that they can walk now unespied, as though they +had Gyges’ ring, to go invisibly by, upon their finger? +No, no. All men see now well and well again, what good stuff is +in that chest of the “Bishop of Rome’s bosom.” +This thing alone of itself may be an argument sufficient that they work +not uprightly and truly. Worthily ought that matter seem suspicious +which flieth trial, and is afraid of the light. “For he +that doeth evil,” as Christ saith, “seeketh darkness, and +hateth the light.” A conscience that knoweth itself clear +cometh willingly into open show, that the works which proceed of God +may be seen. Neither be they so very blind but they see this well +enough, that their own kingdom straightway is at a point if the Scriptures +once have the upper hand: and that, like as men say, the idols of devils +in times past, of whom men in doubtful matters were then wont to receive +answers, were suddenly stricken dumb at the sight of Christ, when He +was born and came into the world: even so they see that now all their +subtle practices will soon fall down headlong upon the sight of the +Gospel. For Antichrist is not overthrown but by the brightness +of Christ’s coming.</p> +<p>As for us, we run not for succour to the fire, as <!-- page 111--><a name="page111"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 111</span>these +men’s guise is, but we run to the Scriptures; neither do we reason +with the sword, but with the Word of God: and therewith, as saith Tertullian +“do we feed our faith; by it do we stir up our hope, and strengthen +our confidence.” For we know that the “Gospel of Jesus +Christ is the power of God unto salvation;” and that therein consisteth +eternal life. And as Paul warneth us, “We do not hear, no, +not an Angel of God coming from Heaven, if he go about to pull us from +any part of this doctrine.” Yea, more than this, as the +holy martyr Justin speaketh of himself, we would give no credence to +God Himself, if He should teach us any other Gospel.</p> +<p>For where these men bid the Holy Scriptures away, as dumb and fruitless, +and procure us to come to God Himself rather, who speaketh in the Church +and in councils, which is to say, to believe their fancies and opinions; +this way of finding out the truth is very uncertain and exceeding dangerous, +and in manner a fantastical and mad way, and by no means allowed of +the holy fathers. Chrysostom saith, “There be many oftentimes +which boast themselves of the Holy Ghost; but truly whoso speak of their +own head do falsely boast they have the Spirit of God. For like +as (saith he) Christ denied He spake of Himself, when He spake out of +<!-- page 112--><a name="page112"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 112</span>the +law and Prophets, even so now, if anything be pressed upon us in the +Name of the Holy Ghost, save the Gospel, we ought not to believe it. +For as Christ is the fulfilling of the law and Prophets, so is the Holy +Ghost the fulfilling of the Gospel.” Thus far goeth Chrysostom.</p> +<h3>PART V.</h3> +<p>But here I look they will say, though they have not the Scriptures, +yet may chance they have the ancient doctors and the holy fathers with +them. For this is a high brag they have ever made, how that all +antiquity and a continual consent of all ages doth make on their side; +and that all our cases be but new, and yesterday’s work, and until +these few late years were never heard of. Questionless, there +can nothing be more spitefully spoken against the religion of God than +to accuse it of novelty, as a new come up matter. For as there +can be no change in God Himself, so ought there to be no change in His +religion.</p> +<p>Yet, nevertheless, we wot not by what means, but we have ever seen +it come so to pass from the first beginning of all, that as often as +God did give but some light, and did open His truth unto men, <!-- page 113--><a name="page113"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 113</span>though +the truth were not only of greatest antiquity, but also from everlasting; +yet of wicked men and of the adversaries was it called new-fangled and +of late devised. That ungracious and bloodthirsty Haman, when +he sought to procure the king Assuerus’ displeasure against the +Jews, this was his accusation to him: “Thou hast here (saith he) +a kind of people that useth certain new laws of their own, but stiff-necked +and rebellious against all thy laws.” When Paul also began +first to preach and expound the Gospel at Athens he was called a tidings-bringer +of new gods, as much to say as of a new religion; “for” +(said the Athenians) “may we not know of thee what new doctrine +this is?” Celsus likewise, when he of set purpose wrote +against Christ, to the end he might more scornfully scoff out the Gospel +by the name of novelty: “What!” saith he, “hath God +after so many ages now at last and so late bethought Himself?” +Eusebius also writeth that Christian religion from the beginning for +very spite was called νεα και ξενη, +that is to say, new and strange. After like sort, these men condemn +all our matters as strange and new; but they will have their own, whatsoever +they are, to be praised as things of long continuance. Doing much +like to the enchanters and sorcerers now-a-days, which working with +devils, use to say they <!-- page 114--><a name="page114"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 114</span>have +their books and all their holy and hid mysteries from Athanasius, Cyprian, +Moses, Abel, Adam, and from the archangel Raphael; because that their +cunning, coming from such patrons and founders, might be judged the +more high and holy. After the same fashion these men, because +they would have their own religion, which they themselves, and that +not long since, have brought forth into the world, to be the more easily +and rather accepted of foolish persons, or of such as cast little whereabouts +they or other do go, they are wont to say they had it from Augustine, +Hierom, Chrysostom, from the Apostles, and from Christ Himself.</p> +<p>Full well know they that nothing is more in the people’s favour, +or better liketh the common sort, than these names. But how if +the things, which these men are so desirous to have seem new, be found +of greatest antiquity? Contrariwise, how if all the things well-nigh +which they so greatly set out with the name of antiquity, having been +well and thoroughly examined, be at length found to be but new, and +devised of very late? Soothly to say, no man that hath a true +and right consideration would think the Jews’ laws and ceremonies +to be new, for all Haman’s accusation. For they were graven +in very ancient tables of most antiquity. And although many did +take Christ to have swerved <!-- page 115--><a name="page115"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 115</span>from +Abraham and the old fathers, and to have brought in a certain new religion +in His own Name, yet answered He them directly, “If ye believed +Moses, ye would believe Me also,” for My doctrine is not so new +as you make it: for Moses, an author of greatest antiquity, and one +to whom ye give all honour, “hath spoken of Me.” Paul +likewise, though the Gospel of Jesus Christ be of many counted to be +but new, yet hath it (saith he) the testimony most old both of the law +and Prophets. As for our doctrine which we may rightly call Christ’s +catholic doctrine, it is so far off from new that God, who is above +all most ancient, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, hath left +the same unto us in the Gospel, in the Prophets’ and Apostles’ +works, being monuments of greatest age. So that no man can now +think our doctrine to be new, unless the same think either the Prophets’ +faith, or the Gospel, or else Christ Himself to be new.</p> +<p>And as for their religion, if it be of so long continuance as they +would have men ween it is, why do they not prove it so by the examples +of the primitive Church, and by the fathers and councils of old times? +Why lieth so ancient a cause thus long in the dust destitute of an advocate? +Fire and sword they have had always ready at hand, but as for the old +councils and <!-- page 116--><a name="page116"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 116</span>the +fathers, all mum—not a word. They did surely against all +reason to begin first with these so bloody and extreme means, if they +could have found other more easy and gentle ways. And if they +trust so fully to antiquity, and use no dissimulation, why did John +Clement, a countryman of ours, but few years past, in the presence of +certain honest men and of good credit, tear and cast into the fire certain +leaves of Theodoret—the most ancient father and a Greek bishop—wherein +he plainly and evidently taught that the nature of bread in the Communion +was not changed, abolished, or brought to nothing? And this did +he of purpose, because he thought there was no other copy thereof to +be found. Why saith Albertus Pighius that the ancient father Augustine +had a wrong opinion of original sin? and that he erred and lied and +used false logic, as touching the case of matrimony concluded after +a vow made, which Augustine affirmeth to be perfect matrimony, indeed, +and cannot be undone again? Also when they did of late put in +print the ancient father Origen’s work upon the Gospel of John, +why left they quite out the whole sixth chapter? Wherein it is +likely, yea, rather, of very surety, that the said Origen had written +many things concerning the sacrament of the Holy <!-- page 117--><a name="page117"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 117</span>Communion +contrary to these men’s minds; and would put forth that book mangled +rather than full and perfect, for fear it should reprove them and their +partners of their error. Call ye this trusting to antiquity, when +ye rent in pieces, keep back, maim, and burn the ancient fathers’ +works?</p> +<p>It is a world to see, how well-favouredly and how towardly touching +religion these men agree with the fathers of whom they use to vaunt +that they be their own good. The old Council Eliberine made a +decree that nothing that is honoured of the people should be painted +in the churches. The old father Epiphanius saith:—“It +is a horrible wickedness, and a sin not to be suffered, for any man +to set up any picture in the Church of the Christians, yea, though it +were the picture of Christ Himself.” Yet, these men store +all their temples, and each corner of them, with painted and carved +images, as though without them religion were nothing worth.</p> +<p>The old fathers Origen and Chrysostom exhort the people to read the +Scriptures, to buy them books, to reason at home betwixt themselves +of divine matters—wives with their husbands, and parents with +their children. These men condemn the Scriptures as dead elements, +and—as much <!-- page 118--><a name="page118"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 118</span>as +ever they may—bar the people from them. The ancient fathers, +Cyprian, Epiphanius, and Hierom, say, for one who, perchance, hath made +a vow to lead a sole life, and afterwards liveth unchastely, and cannot +quench the flames of lust, “it is better to marry a wife, and +to live honestly in wedlock.” And the old father Augustine +judgeth the selfsame marriage to be good and perfect, and that it ought +not to be broken again. These men, if a man have once bound himself +by a vow, though afterwards he burn, keep queans, and defile himself +with never so sinful and desperate a life, yet they suffer not that +person to marry a wife; or if he chance to marry, they allow it not +for marriage. And they commonly teach it is much better and more +godly to keep a concubine and harlot, than to live in that kind of marriage.</p> +<p>The old father Augustine complained of the multitude of ceremonies, +wherewith he even then saw men’s minds and consciences overcharged. +These men, as though God regarded nothing else but their ceremonies, +have so out of measure increased them, that there is now almost none +other thing left in their churches and places of prayer.</p> +<p>Again, that old father Augustine denieth it <!-- page 119--><a name="page119"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 119</span>to +be lawful for a monk to spend his time slothfully and idly, and, under +a pretended and counterfeit holiness, to live all upon others. +And whoso thus liveth, the old father Apollonius likeneth him to a thief. +These men have, I wot not whether to name them droves or herds of monks, +who for all they do nothing, nor yet once intend to bear any show of +holiness, yet live they not only upon others, but also riot lavishly +of other folks’ labours.</p> +<p>The old council of Rome decreed that no man should come to the service +said by a priest well known to keep a concubine. These men let +to farm concubines to their priests, and yet constrain men by force +against their will to hear their cursed paltry service.</p> +<p>The old canons of the Apostles command that bishop to be removed +from his office, which will both supply the place of a civil magistrate, +and also of an ecclesiastical person. These men, for all that, +both do and will needs serve both places. Nay, rather, the one +office which they ought chiefly to execute, they once touch not, and +yet nobody commandeth them to be displaced.</p> +<p>The old Council Gangrense commandeth that none should make such difference +between an unmarried priest and a married priest, as he <!-- page 120--><a name="page120"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 120</span>ought +to think the one more holy than the other for single life’s sake. +These men put such a difference between them, that they straightway +think all their holy service to be defiled if it be done by a good and +honest man that hath a wife.</p> +<p>The ancient emperor Justinian commanded that, in the holy administration, +all things should be pronounced with a clear, loud, and treatable voice, +that the people might receive some fruit thereby. These men, lest +the people should understand them, mumble up all their service, not +only with a drowned and hollow voice, but also in a strange and barbarous +tongue.</p> +<p>The old council at Carthage commanded that nothing should be read +in Christ’s congregation but the canonical Scriptures. These +men read such things in their churches as themselves know of a truth +to be stark lies and fond fables.</p> +<p>But if there be any that think these above-rehearsed authorities +be but weak and slender, because they were decreed by emperors and certain +petit bishops, and not by so full and perfect councils, taking pleasure +rather in the authority and name of the Pope, let such a one know that +Pope Julius doth evidently forbid that the priest, in ministering the +Communion, should dip the <!-- page 121--><a name="page121"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 121</span>bread +in the cup. These men, contrary to Pope Julius’ decree, +divide the bread, and dip it in the wine.</p> +<p>Pope Clement saith it is not lawful for a bishop to deal with both +swords: “For if thou wilt have both,” said he, “thou +shalt deceive both thyself and those that obey thee.” Nowadays, +the Pope challengeth to himself both swords, and useth both. Wherefore, +it ought to seem less marvel if that have followed which Clement saith, +that is, “that he hath deceived both his own self and those which +have given ear unto him.”</p> +<p>Pope Leo saith, “Upon one day it is lawful to say but one mass +in one church.” These men say daily in one church commonly +ten masses, twenty, thirty, yea, oftentimes more. So that the +poor gazer on can scant tell which way he were best to turn him.</p> +<p>Pope Gelasius saith, “It is a wicked deed and sibb to sacrilege +in any man to divide the Communion, and when he hath received one kind +to abstain from the other.” These men, contrary to God’s +Word, and contrary to Pope Gelasius, command that one kind only of the +Holy Communion be given to the people, and by so doing they make their +priests guilty of sacrilege.</p> +<p>But if they will say that all these things are <!-- page 122--><a name="page122"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 122</span>worn +out of ure and nigh dead, and pertain nothing to these present times, +yet to the end all folk may understand what faith is to be given to +these men, and upon what hope they call together their general councils, +let us see in few words what good heed they take to the selfsame thing, +which they themselves these very last years (and the remembrance thereof +is yet new and fresh), in their own general council that they had by +order called, have decreed and commanded to be devoutly kept. +In the last council at Trent, scant fourteen years past, it was ordained +by the common consent of all degrees, “that one man should not +have two benefices at one time.” What is become now of that +ordinance? Is the same too soon worn out of mind, and clean consumed? +For these men, ye see, give to one man not two benefices only, but sundry +abbeys many times, sometimes also two bishoprics, sometimes three, sometimes +four. And that not only to an unlearned man, but oftentimes also +even to a man of war.</p> +<p>In the said council a decree was made that all bishops should preach +the Gospel. These men neither preach nor once go up into the pulpit, +neither think they it any part of their office. What great pomp +and crake then is this they make of antiquity? Why brag they so +of the <!-- page 123--><a name="page123"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 123</span>names +of the ancient fathers, and of the new and old councils? Why will +they seem to trust to their authority whom when they list they despise +at their pleasure?</p> +<p>But I have a special fancy to commune a word or two rather with the +Pope’s good holiness, and to say these things to his own face. +Tell us, I pray you, good holy father, seeing ye do crake so much of +all antiquity, and boast yourself that all men are bound to you alone, +which of all the fathers hath at any time called you by the name of +the “highest prelate,” the “universal bishop,” +or the “head of the Church”? Which of them ever said +“that both the swords were committed unto you?” Which +of them ever said “that you have authority and right to call councils?” +Which of them ever said “the whole world is but your diocese?” +Which of them “that all bishops have received of your fulness?” +Which of them “that all power is given to you as well in heaven +as in earth?” Which of them “that neither kings, nor +the whole clergy, nor yet all the people together, are able to be judges +over you?” Which of them “that kings and emperors, +by Christ’s commandment and will, do receive authority at your +hands?” Which of them with so precise and mathematical limitation +hath surveyed and determined you to be “seventy <!-- page 124--><a name="page124"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 124</span>and +seven times greater than the mightiest kings?” Which of +them that more ample authority is given to you than to the residue of +the patriarchs? Which of them that you are the “Lord God”? +or that you are “not a mere natural man, but a certain substance +made and grown together of God and man”? Which of them that +you are the only “headspring of all laws”? Which of +them that you have “power over purgatories?” Which +of them that you are able to “command the angels of God” +as you list yourself? Which of them that ever said that you are +“lord of lords” and the “king of kings”? +We can also go further with you in like sort. What one amongst +the whole number of the old bishops and fathers ever taught you either +to say private mass while the people stared on, or to “lift up +the Sacrament” over your head (in which point consisteth now all +your religion), or else to “mangle Christ’s Sacraments,” +and to bereave the people of the one part, contrary to Christ’s +institution and plain express words? But that we may once come +to an end, what one is there of all the fathers which hath taught you +to distribute Christ’s blood and the holy martyrs’ merits, +and to sell openly as merchandises your pardons and all the rooms and +lodgings of purgatory?</p> +<p><!-- page 125--><a name="page125"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 125</span>These +men are wont to speak much of a certain secret doctrine of theirs, and +of their manifold and sundry readings. Then let them bring forth +somewhat now, if they can, that it may appear they have at least read +or do know somewhat. They have often stoutly noised in all corners +where they went how all the parts of their religion be very old, and +have been approved not only of the multitude, but also by the consent +and continual observation of all nations and times. Let them, +therefore, once in their life show this their antiquity. Let them +make appear at eye that the things whereof they make such ado have taken +so long and large increase. Let them declare that all Christian +nations have agreed by consent to this their religion.</p> +<p>Nay, nay, they turn their backs, as we have said already, and flee +from their own decrees, and have cut off and abolished again within +a short space the same things which, but a few years before, themselves +had established for evermore, forsooth, to continue. How should +one, then, trust them in the fathers, in the old councils, and in the +words spoken by God? They have not, good Lord, they have not, +I say, those things which they boast they have: they have not that antiquity, +they have not that universality, they have <!-- page 126--><a name="page126"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 126</span>not +that consent of all places, nor of all times. And though they +have a desire rather to dissemble, yet they themselves are not ignorant +hereof: yea, and sometime also they let not to confess it openly. +And for this cause they say that the ordinances of the old councils +and fathers be such as may now and then be altered, and that sundry +and divers decrees serve for sundry and divers times of the Church. +Thus lurk they under the name of the Church, and beguile silly creatures +with their vain glozing. It is to be marvelled that either men +be so blind that they cannot see this, or if they see it, to be so patient +as they can lightly and quietly bear it.</p> +<p>But, whereas they have commanded that those decrees should be void, +as things now waxen too old, and that have lost their grace, perhaps +they have provided in their stead certain other better things, and more +profitable for the people. For it is a common saying with them +that, “if Christ Himself or the Apostles were alive again, they +could not better nor godlier govern God’s Church than it is at +this present governed by them.” They have put in their stead +indeed; but it is “chaff instead of wheat,” as Hieremy saith, +and such things as, according to Esay’s words, “God never +required at their hands.” “They have stopped <!-- page 127--><a name="page127"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 127</span>up,” +saith he, “all the veins of clear springing water, and have digged +up for the people deceivable and puddle-like pits, full of mire and +filth, which neither have nor are able to hold pure water.” +They have plucked away from the people the Holy Communion, the Word +of God, from whence all comfort should be taken; the true worshipping +of God also, and the right use of sacraments and prayer; and have given +us of their own to play withal in the meanwhile, salt, water, oil, boxes, +spittle, palms, bulls, jubilees, pardons, crosses, censings, and an +endless rabble of ceremonies, and, as a man might term with Plautus, +“pretty games to make sport withal.” In these things +have they set all their religion, teaching the people that by these +God may be duly pacified, spirits be driven away, and men’s consciences +well quieted. For these, lo, be the orient colours and precious +savours of Christian religion; these things doth God look upon and accepteth +them thankfully; these must come in place to be honoured, and put quite +away the institutions of Christ and of His Apostles. And like +as in times past, when wicked King Jeroboam had taken from the people +the right serving of God, and brought them to worship the golden calves, +lest perchance they might afterward change their mind and slip away, +getting them again <!-- page 128--><a name="page128"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 128</span>to +Jerusalem to the temple of God, there he exhorted them with a long tale +to be steadfast, saying thus unto them: “O Israel, these calves +be thy gods. In this sort commanded your God you should worship +Him, for it should be wearisome and troublous for you to take upon you +a journey so far off, and yearly to go up to Jerusalem, there to serve +and honour your God.” Even after the same sort every whit, +when these men had once made the law of God of non-effect through their +own traditions, fearing that the people should afterward open their +eyes and fall another way, and should somewhence else seek a surer mean +of their salvation, Jesu, how often have they cried out, “This +is the same worshipping that pleaseth God, and which He straitly requireth +of us, and wherewith He will be turned from His wrath. That by +these things is conserved the unity of the Church. By these all +sins be cleansed, and consciences quieted, and that whoso departeth +from these hath left unto himself no hope of everlasting salvation.” +For it were wearisome and troublous, say they, for the people to resort +to Christ, to the Apostles, and to the ancient fathers, and to observe +continually what their will and commandment should be. This ye +may see, is to “withdraw the people of God from the weak elements +of the world, from the <!-- page 129--><a name="page129"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 129</span>leaven +of the Scribes and Pharisees, and from the traditions of men.” +It were reason, no doubt, that Christ’s commandments and the Apostles’ +were removed, that these their devices might come in place. O +just cause, I promise you, why that ancient and so long allowed doctrine +should be now abolished, and a new form of religion be brought into +the Church of God.</p> +<p>And yet whatever it be, these men cry still that nothing ought to +be changed: that men’s minds are well satisfied herewithal: that +the Church of Rome, the Church which cannot err, hath decreed these +things. For Silvester Prierias saith, that the Romish Church is +the squire and rule of truth, and that the Holy Scripture hath received +from thence authority and credit. “The doctrine,” +saith he, “of the Romish Church is the rule of most infallible +faith, from the which the Holy Scripture taketh his force. And +indulgences and pardons, saith he, are not made known to us by the authority +of the Scriptures, but they are made known to us by the authority of +the Romish Church, and of the Bishops of Rome, which is greater.” +Pighius also letteth not to say, that without the license of the Romish +Church, we ought not to believe the very plain Scriptures. Much +like as if any of those <!-- page 130--><a name="page130"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 130</span>that +cannot speak pure and clean Latin, and yet can babble out quickly and +readily a little some such law Latin as serveth the court, would needs +hold that all others ought also to speak after the same way which Mammetrectus +and Catholicon spake many years ago, and which themselves do yet use +in pleading in court: for so may it be understood sufficiently what +is said, and men’s desires be satisfied: and that it is a fondness +now in the latter end to trouble the world with a new kind of speaking, +and to call again the old finesse and eloquence that Cicero and Cæsar +used in their days in the Latin tongue. So much are these men +beholden to the folly and darkness of the former times. “Many +things,” as one writeth, “are had in estimation oftentimes, +because they have been once dedicate to the temples of the heathen gods.” +Even so we see at this day many things allowed and highly set by of +these men, not because they judge them so much worth, but only because +they have been received into a custom, and after a sort dedicate to +the temple of God.</p> +<p>“Our Church,” say they, “cannot err.” +They speak that, I think, as the Lacedæmonians long since used +to say, that it was not possible to find any adulterer in all their +commonwealth: whereas <!-- page 131--><a name="page131"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 131</span>indeed +they were rather all adulterers, and had no certainty in their marriages, +but had their wives common amongst them all: or as the canonists at +this day, for their bellies’ sake, used to say of the Pope, that +forsomuch as he is lord of all benefices, though he sell for money bishoprics, +monasteries, priesthood, spiritual promotions, and part with nothing +freely, yet, because he counteth all his own, “he cannot commit +simony, though he would never so fain.” But how strongly +and agreeably to reason these things be spoken, we are not as yet able +to perceive, except perchance these men have plucked off the wings from +the truth; as the Romans in old time did prune and pinion their goddess +Victoria, after they had once gotten her home, to the end that with +the same wings she should never more be able to flee away from them +again. But what if Jeremy tell them, as is afore rehearsed, that +these be lies? What if the same prophet say in another place that +the selfsame men, who ought to be keepers of the vineyard, have brought +to nought and destroyed the Lord’s vineyard? How if Christ +say that the same persons, who chiefly ought to have care over the temple, +have made of the Lord’s temple a den of thieves? If it be +so that the Church of Rome <!-- page 132--><a name="page132"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 132</span>cannot +err, it must needs follow, that the good luck thereof is far greater +than all these men’s policy. For such is their life, their +doctrine, and their diligence, that for all them the Church may not +only err, but also utterly be spoiled and perish. No doubt, if +that church may err which hath departed from God’s words, from +Christ’s commandments, from the Apostles’ ordinances, from +the primitive Church’s examples, from the old fathers’ and +councils’ orders, and from their own decrees, and which will be +bound within the compass of none, neither old nor new, nor their own +nor other folks’, nor man’s law nor God’s law, then +it is out of all question that the Romish Church hath not only had power +to err, but also that it hath shamefully and most wickedly erred in +very deed.</p> +<p>But, say they, “ye have been of our fellowship, but now ye +are become forsakers of your profession, and have departed from us.” +It is true; we have departed from them, and for so doing we both give +thanks to Almighty God, and greatly rejoice on our own behalf. +But yet for all this, from the primitive Church, from the Apostles, +and from Christ we have not departed. True it is, we were brought +up with these men in darkness, and <!-- page 133--><a name="page133"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 133</span>in +the lack of the knowledge of God, as Moses was taught up in the learning +and in the bosom of the Egyptians. “We have been of your +company,” saith Tertullian, “I confess it, and no marvel +at all; for,” saith he, “men be made and not born Christians.” +But wherefore, I pray you, have they themselves, the citizens and dwellers +of Rome, removed and come down from those seven hills, whereupon Rome +sometime stood, to dwell rather in the plain called Mars’ field? +they will say, peradventure, because the conduits of water, wherewithout +men cannot commodiously live, have now failed and are dried up in those +hills. Well, then, let them give us like leave in seeking the +water of eternal life, that they give themselves in seeking the water +of the well. For the water, verily, failed amongst them. +“The elders of the Jews,” saith Jeremy, “sent their +little ones to the waterings; and they finding no water, being in a +miserable case, and utterly marred for thirst, brought home again their +vessels empty.” “The needy and poor folk,” saith +Esay, “sought about for water, but nowhere found they any; their +tongue was even withered for thirst.” Even so these men +have broken in pieces all the pipes and conduits: they have stopped +up all the springs, and choked up <!-- page 134--><a name="page134"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 134</span>the +fountain of living water with dirt and mire. And as Caligula many +years past locked up fast all the storehouses of corn in Rome, and thereby +brought a general dearth and famine amongst the people; even so these +men, by damming up all the fountains of God’s Word, have brought +the people into a pitiful thirst. They have brought into the world, +as saith the prophet Amos, “a hunger and a thirst: not the hunger +of bread, nor the thirst of water, but of hearing the Word of God.” +With great distress went they scattering about, seeking some spark of +heavenly life to refresh their consciences withal: but that light was +already thoroughly quenched out, so that they could find none. +This was a rueful state; this was a lamentable form of God’s Church. +It was a misery to live therein, without the Gospel, without light, +and without all comfort.</p> +<p>Wherefore, though our departing were a trouble to them, yet ought +they to consider withal how just cause we had of our departure. +For if they will say, it is in nowise lawful for one to leave the fellowship +wherein he hath been brought up, they may as well in our names, and +upon our heads, condemn both the Prophets, the Apostles, and Christ +Himself. For why complain they not <!-- page 135--><a name="page135"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 135</span>also +of this, that Lot went quite his way out of Sodom, Abraham out of Chaldea, +the Israelites out of Egypt, Christ from the Jews, and Paul from the +Pharisees? For except it be possible there may be a lawful cause +of departing, we see no reason why Lot, Abraham, the Israelites, Christ, +and Paul, may not be accused of sects and sedition, as well as others. +And if these men will needs condemn us for heretics, because we do not +all things at their commandment, whom, in God’s name, or what +kind of men ought they themselves to be taken for, which despise the +commandment of Christ, and of the Apostles? If we be schismatics +because we have left them, by what name, then, shall they be called +themselves, which have forsaken the Greeks, from whom they first received +their faith, forsaken the primitive Church, forsaken Christ Himself, +and the Apostles, even as if children should forsake their parents? +For though those Greeks, who at this day profess religion, and Christ’s +Name, have many things corrupted amongst them, yet hold they still a +great number of those things which they received from the Apostles. +They have neither private masses, nor mangled sacraments, nor purgatories, +nor pardons. And as for the titles of high bishops, and those +glorious <!-- page 136--><a name="page136"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 136</span>names, +they esteem them so, as whosoever he were that would take upon him the +same, and would be called either universal bishop, or the head of the +universal Church, they make no doubt to call such a one both a passing +proud man, a man that worketh despite against all the other bishops +his brethren, and a plain heretic.</p> +<p>Now, then, since it is manifest, and out of all peradventure, that +these men have fallen from the Greeks of whom they received the Gospel, +of whom they received the faith, the true religion and the Church; what +is the matter, why they will not now be called home again to the same +men, as it were to their originals and first founders? And why +be they afraid to take a pattern of the Apostles’ and old fathers’ +times, as though they all had been void of understanding? Do these +men, ween ye, see more, or set more by the Church of God than they did +who first delivered us these things?</p> +<p>We truly have renounced that Church, wherein we could neither have +the Word of God sincerely taught, nor the sacraments rightly administered, +nor the Name of God duly called upon: which Church also themselves confess +to be faulty in many points; and wherein was nothing able to stay any +wise man, or one that hath consideration <!-- page 137--><a name="page137"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 137</span>of +his own safety. To conclude, we have forsaken the Church as it +is now, not as it was in old times past, and have so gone from it as +Daniel went out of the lions’ den, and the three children out +of the furnace: and to say the truth, we have been cast out by these +men (being cursed of them as they used to say, with book, bell, and +candle), rather than have gone away from them of ourselves.</p> +<p>And we are come to that Church, wherein they themselves cannot deny +(if they will say truly, and as they think in their own conscience) +but all things be governed purely and reverently, and, as much as we +possibly could, very near to the order used in the old times.</p> +<p>Let them compare our churches and theirs together, and they shall +see that themselves have most shamefully gone from the Apostles, and +we most justly have gone from them. For we, following the example +of Christ, of the Apostles, and the Holy fathers, give the people the +Holy Communion, whole and perfect; but these men, contrary to all the +fathers, to all the Apostles, and contrary to Christ Himself, do sever +the Sacraments, and pluck away the one part from the people, and that +with most notorious sacrilege, as Gelasius termeth it.</p> +<p><!-- page 138--><a name="page138"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 138</span>We +have brought again the Lord’s Supper unto Christ’s institution, +and have made it to be a communion in very deed, common and indifferent +to a great number, according to the name. But these men have changed +all things contrary to Christ’s institution, and have made a private +mass of the Holy Communion. And so it cometh to pass that we give +the Lord’s Supper unto the people, and they give them a vain pageant +to gaze upon.</p> +<p>We affirm, together with the ancient fathers, that the body of Christ +is not eaten but of the good and faithful, and of those that are endued +with the Spirit of Christ. Their doctrine is, that Christ’s +very body effectually, and as they speak really and substantially, may +not only be eaten of the wicked and unfaithful men, but also (which +is monstrous to be spoken) of mice and dogs.</p> +<p>We use to pray in our churches after that fashion, as, according +to Paul’s lesson, the people may know what we pray, and may answer +Amen with a general consent. These men, like sounding metal, yell +out in the churches unknown and strange words without understanding, +without knowledge, and without devotion; yea, and do it of purpose because +the people should understand nothing at all.</p> +<p><!-- page 139--><a name="page139"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 139</span>But +not to tarry about rehearsing all points wherein we and they differ—for +they have well-nigh no end—we turn the Scriptures into all tongues; +they scant suffer them to be had abroad in any tongue. We allure +the people to read and to hear God’s Word: they drive the people +from it. We desire to have our cause known to all the world; they +flee to come to any trial. We lean unto knowledge, they unto ignorance. +We trust unto light, they unto darkness. We reverence, as it becometh +us, the writings of the Apostles and Prophets; and they burnt them. +Finally, we in God’s cause desire to stand to God’s only +judgment; they will stand only to their own. Wherefore, if they +will weigh all these things with a quiet mind, and fully bent to hear +and to learn, they will not only allow this determination of ours, who +have forsaken errors, and followed Christ and His Apostles, but themselves +also will forsake their own selves, and join of their own accord to +our side.</p> +<h3><!-- page 140--><a name="page140"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 140</span>PART +VI.</h3> +<p>But peradventure they will say, it was treason to attempt these matters +without a sacred general council; for in that consisteth the whole force +of the Church; there Christ hath promised He will ever be a present +assistant. Yet they themselves, without tarrying for any general +council, have broken the commandments of God, and the decrees of the +Apostles; and, as we said a little above, they have spoiled and disannulled +almost all, not only ordinances, but even the doctrine of the primitive +Church. And where they say it is not lawful to make a change without +a council, what was he that gave us these laws, or from whence had they +this injunction?</p> +<p>Truly, King Agesilaus did but fondly, who, when he had a determinate +answer made him of the opinion and will of mighty Jupiter, would afterward +bring the whole matter before Apollo, to know whether he would allow +thereof, as his father Jupiter did, or no. But yet should we do +much more fondly, when we hear God Himself plainly speak to us in His +most Holy Scriptures, and may understand by them His will and meaning, +if <!-- page 141--><a name="page141"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 141</span>we +would afterward (as though this were of none effect) bring our whole +cause to be tried by a council; which were nothing else but to ask whether +men would allow as God did, and whether men would confirm God’s +commandment by their authority.</p> +<p>Why, I beseech you, except a council will and command, shall not +truth be truth, and God be God? If Christ had meant to do so from +the beginning, as that He would preach or teach nothing without the +bishop’s consent, but refer all His doctrine over to Annas and +Caiaphas, where should now have been the Christian faith? or, who at +any time should have heard the Gospel taught? Peter verily, whom +the Pope hath oftener in his mouth, and more reverently useth to speak +of than he doth of Jesus Christ, did boldly stand against the holy council, +saying, “It is better to obey God than men.” And after +Paul had once entirely embraced the Gospel, and had received it, “not +from men, nor by man, but by the only will of God, he did not take advice +therein of flesh and blood,” nor brought the case before his kinsmen +and brethren, but went forthwith into Arabia, to preach God’s +Divine mysteries by God’s only authority.</p> +<p>Yet truly, we do not despise councils, assemblies, <!-- page 142--><a name="page142"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 142</span>and +conference of bishops and learned men; neither have we done that we +have done altogether without bishops or without a council. The +matter hath been treated in open Parliament with long consultation, +and before a notable synod and convocation. But touching this +council which is now summoned by the Pope Pius, wherein men so lightly +are condemned, which have been neither called, heard, nor seen, it is +easy to guess what we may look for or hope of it.</p> +<p>In times past, when Nazianzen saw in his days how men in such assemblies +were so blind and wilful that they were carried with affections, and +laboured more to get the victory than the truth, he pronounced openly +that he never had seen any good end of any council. What would +he say now, if he were alive at this day, and understood the heaving +and shoving of these men? For at that time, though the matter +were laboured on all sides, yet the controversies were well heard, and +open error was put clean away by the general voice of all parts. +But these men will neither have the case to be freely disputed, nor +yet, how many errors soever there be, suffer they any to be changed. +For it is a common custom of theirs often and shamelessly to boast that +“their Church cannot <!-- page 143--><a name="page143"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 143</span>err; +that in it there is no fault; and that they must give place to us in +nothing.” Or if there be any fault, yet must it be tried +by bishops and abbots only, because they be the directors and rulers +of matters; and they be the Church of God. Aristotle saith that +a “city cannot consist of bastards;” but whether the Church +of God may consist of these men, let their own selves consider. +For doubtless neither be the abbots legitimate abbots, nor the bishops +natural right bishops. But grant they be the Church: let them +be heard speak in councils; let them alone have authority to give assent: +yet in old time, when the Church of God (if ye will compare it with +their Church) was very well governed, both elders and deacons, as saith +Cyprian, and certain also of the common people, were called thereunto, +and made acquainted with ecclesiastical matters.</p> +<p>But I put case, these abbots [and bishops] have no knowledge: what +if they understand nothing what religion is, nor how we ought to think +of God? I put case, the pronouncing and ministering of the law +be decayed in priests, and good counsel fail in the elders, and, as +the prophet Micah saith, “The night be unto them instead of a +vision, and darkness instead of prophesying:” or, as Esaias saith, +<!-- page 144--><a name="page144"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 144</span>“What +if all the watchmen of the city are become blind?” “What +if the salt have lost his proper strength and savoriness,” and, +as Christ saith, “be good for no use, scant worth the casting +on the dunghill?”</p> +<p>Well, yet then they will bring all matters before the Pope, who cannot +err. To this I say, first, it is a madness to think that the Holy +Ghost taketh His flight from a general council to run to Rome, to the +end if He doubt or stick in any matter, and cannot expound it of Himself, +He may take counsel of some other spirit, I wot not what, that is better +learned than Himself. For if this be true, what needed so many +bishops, with so great charges and so far journeys, have assembled their +convocation at this present at Trident? It had been more wisdom +and better, at least it had been a much nearer way and handsomer, to +have brought all things rather before the Pope, and to have come straight +forth, and have asked counsel at his divine breast. Secondly, +it is also an unlawful dealing to toss our matter from so many bishops +and abbots, and to bring it at last to the trial of one only man, specially +of him who himself is appeached by us of heinous and foul enormities, +and hath not yet put in his answer; who hath also aforehand condemned +<!-- page 145--><a name="page145"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 145</span>us +without judgment by order pronounced, and ere ever we were called to +be judged.</p> +<p>How say ye, do we devise these tales? Is not this the course +of the councils in these days? Are not all things removed from +the whole holy council, and brought before the Pope alone? that, as +though nothing had been done to purpose by the judgments and consents +of such a number, he alone may add, alter, diminish, disannul, allow, +remit, and qualify whatsoever he list? Whose words be these, then? +and why have the bishops and abbots, in the last council of Trident, +but of late concluded with saying thus in the end: “Saving always +the authority of the see apostolic in all things?” or why doth +Pope Paschal write so proudly of himself? “As though,” +saith he, “there were any general council able to prescribe a +law to the Church of Rome: whereas all councils both have been made +and have received their force and strength by the Church of Rome’s +authority; and in ordinances made by councils, is ever plainly excepted +the authority of the Bishop of Rome.” If they will have +these things allowed for good, why be councils called? But if +they command them to be void, why are they left in their books as things +allowable?</p> +<p><!-- page 146--><a name="page146"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 146</span>But +be it so: let the Bishop of Rome alone be above all councils, that is +to say, let some one part be greater than the whole; let him be of greater +power, let him be of more wisdom than all his; and, in spite of Hierom’s +head, let the authority “of one city be greater than the authority +of the whole world.” How, then, if the Pope have seen none +of these things, and have never read either the Scriptures, or the old +Fathers, or yet his own councils? How if he favour the Arians, +as once Pope Liberius did? or have a wicked and a detestable opinion +of the life to come, and of the immortality of the soul, as Pope John +had but few years since? or, to increase his own dignity, do corrupt +other councils, as Pope Zosimus corrupted the council holden at Nice +in times past; and do say that those things were devised and appointed +by the holy Fathers which never once came into their thought; and, to +have the full sway of authority, do wrest the Scriptures, which, as +Camotensis saith, is an usual custom with the Popes? How if he +have renounced the faith of Christ, and become an apostate, as Lyranus +saith many Popes have been? And, yet for all this, shall the Holy +Ghost, with turning of a hand, knock at his breast, and even whether +he will or no, yea, and wholly against <!-- page 147--><a name="page147"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 147</span>his +will, kindle him a light so as he may not err? Shall he straightway +be the head-spring of all right; and shall all treasure of wisdom and +understanding be found in him, as it were laid up in store? or, if these +things be not in him, can he give a right and apt judgment of so weighty +matters? or, if he be not able to judge, would he have that all those +matters should be brought before him alone?</p> +<p>What will ye say if the Pope’s advocates, abbots and bishops, +dissemble not the matter, but show themselves open enemies to the Gospel, +and though they see, yet they will not see; but wry the Scriptures, +and wittingly and knowingly corrupt and counterfeit the Word of God, +and foully and wickedly apply to the Pope all the same things, which +evidently and properly be spoken of the Person of Christ only, nor by +no means can be applied to any other? And what though they say, +“The Pope is all and above all?” or, “that he can +do as much as Christ can?” and “that one judgment-place +and one council-house serve for the Pope and for Christ both together;” +or, “that the Pope is the same light which should come into the +world;” which words Christ spake of Himself alone: and “that +whoso is an evil-doer hateth and <!-- page 148--><a name="page148"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 148</span>flieth +from that light;” or that all the other bishops have received +of the Pope’s fulness? Shortly, what though they make decrees +expressly against God’s Word, and that not in hucker-mucker or +covertly, but openly, and in the face of the world, must it needs yet +be Gospel straight whatsoever these men say? Shall these be God’s +holy army? or will Christ be at hand among them there? Shall the +Holy Ghost flow in their tongues; or can they with truth say, “We +and the Holy Ghost have thought good so?” Indeed, Peter +Asotus and his companion Hosius stick not to affirm, that the same council +wherein our Saviour Jesus Christ was condemned to die had both the Spirit +of Prophesying, and the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit of Truth in it; and +that it was neither a false nor a trifling saying when those bishops +said, “We have a law, and by our law He ought to die:” and +that they, so saying, did light upon the very truth of judgment (for +so be Hosius’ words); and that the same plainly was a just decree +whereby they pronounced that Christ was worthy to die. This, methinketh, +is strange, that these men are not able to speak for themselves, and +to defend their own cause, but they must also take part with Annas and +Caiaphas. For if they will call that a lawful and a good council +<!-- page 149--><a name="page149"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 149</span>wherein +the Son of God was most shamefully condemned to die, what council will +they then allow for false and naught? And yet (as all their councils, +to say truth, commonly be) necessity compelled them to pronounce these +things of the council holden by Annas and Caiaphas.</p> +<p>But will these men (I say) reform us the Church, being themselves +both the persons guilty and the judges too? Will they abate their +own ambition and pride? Will they overthrow their own matter, +and give sentence against themselves that they must leave off to be +unlearned bishops, slow bellies, heapers together of benefices, takers +upon them as princes and men of war? Will the abbots, the Pope’s +dear darlings, judge that monk for a thief which laboureth not for his +living? and that it is against all law to suffer such a one to live +and to be found either in city or in country, or yet of other men’s +charges? or else that a monk ought to lie on the ground, to live hardly +with herbs and pease, to study earnestly, to argue, to pray, to work +with hand, and fully to bend himself to come to the ministry of the +Church? In faith, as soon will the Pharisees and Scribes repair +again the temple of God, and restore it unto us a house of prayer instead +of a thievish den.</p> +<p><!-- page 150--><a name="page150"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 150</span>There +have been, I know, certain of their own selves which have found fault +with many errors in the Church, as Pope Adrian, Æneas Sylvius, +Cardinal Pole, Pighius, and others, as is aforesaid: they held afterwards +their council at Trident in the selfsame place where it is now appointed. +There assembled many bishops, and abbots, and others whom it behoved +for that matter. They were alone by themselves; whatsoever they +did, nobody gainsaid it; for they had quite shut out and barred our +side from all manner of assemblies: and there they sat six years, feeding +folks with a marvellous expectation of their doings. The first +six months, as though it were greatly needful, they made many determinations +of the Holy Trinity, of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, +which were godly things indeed, but not so necessary for that time. +Let us see, in all that while, of so many, so manifest, so often confessed +by them, and so evident errors, what one error have they amended? from +what kind of idolatry have they reclaimed the people? What superstition +have they taken away? What piece of their tyranny and pomp have +they diminished? As though all the world may not now see that +this is a conspiracy and not a council; and that those <!-- page 151--><a name="page151"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 151</span>bishops +whom the Pope hath now called together be wholly sworn and become bound +to bear him their faithful allegiance, and will do no manner of thing +but that they perceive pleaseth him, and helpeth to advance his power, +and as he will have it; or that they reckon not of the number of men’s +voices rather than have weight and consideration of the same; or that +might doth not oftentimes overcome right.</p> +<p>And therefore we know that divers times many good men and Catholic +bishops did tarry at home, and would not come when such councils were +called, wherein men so apparently laboured to serve factions and to +take parts, because they knew they should but lose their travail, and +do no good, seeing whereunto their enemies’ minds were so wholly +bent. Athanasius denied to come, when he was called by the emperor +to his council at Cæsarea, perceiving plain he should but come +among his enemies, which deadly hated him. The same Athanasius, +when he came afterward to the council at Syrmium, and foresaw what would +be the end by reason of the outrage and malice of his enemies, he packed +up his carriage and went away immediately. John Chrysostom, although +the Emperor Constantius commanded him by four <!-- page 152--><a name="page152"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 152</span>sundry +letters to come to the Arians’ council, yet kept he himself at +home still. When Maximus, the Bishop of Jerusalem, sat in the +council at Palestine, the old Father Paphnutius took him by the hand, +and led him out at the doors, saying, “It is not lawful for us +to confer of these matters with wicked men.” The bishops +of the East would not come to the Syrmian council after they knew Athanasius +had gotten himself thence again. Cyril called men back by letters +from the council of them which were named Patropassians. Paulinus, +Bishop of Triers, and many others more, refused to come to the council +at Milan when they understood what a stir and rule Auxentius kept there: +for they saw it was in vain to go thither, where not reason, but faction, +should prevail, and where folk contended not for the truth and right +judgment of the matter, but for partiality and favour.</p> +<p>And yet, for all those Fathers had such malicious and stiff-necked +enemies, yet if they had come they should have had free speech at least +in the councils. But now, sithence, none of us may be suffered +so much as to sit, or once to be seen in these men’s meetings, +much less suffered to speak freely our mind; and seeing the Pope’s +legates, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and abbots—all being +<!-- page 153--><a name="page153"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 153</span>conspired +together, all linked together in one kind of fault, and all bound by +one oath—sit alone by themselves, and have power alone to give +their consent: and, at last, when they have all done—as though +they had done nothing—bring all their opinions to be judged at +the will and pleasure of the Pope, being but one man, to the end he +may pronounce his own sentence of himself, who ought rather to have +answered to his complaint; sithence, also, the same ancient and Christian +liberty, which of all right should specially be in Christian councils, +is now utterly taken away from the council—for these causes, I +say, wise and good men ought not to marvel at this day, though we do +the like now, that they see was done in times past in like case of so +many Fathers and Catholic bishops: which is, though we choose rather +to sit at home, and leave our whole cause to God, than to journey thither, +whereas we neither shall have place nor be able to do any good; whereas +we can obtain no audience; whereas princes’ ambassadors be but +used as mocking-stocks; and whereas, also, we be condemned already, +before trial, as though the matter were aforehand despatched and agreed +upon. Nevertheless, we can bear patiently and quietly <!-- page 154--><a name="page154"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 154</span>our +own private wrongs. But wherefore do they shut out Christian kings +and good princes from their convocation? Why do they so uncourteously, +or with such spite, leave them out, and—as though they were not +either Christian men, or else could not judge—will not have them +made acquainted with the cause of Christian religion, nor understand +the state of their own Churches?</p> +<p>Or if the said kings and princes happen to intermeddle in such matters, +and take upon them to do that they may do, that they be commanded to +do, and ought of duty to do, and the same things that we know both David +and Solomon and other good princes have done, that is, if they—whilst +the Pope and his prelates slug and sleep, or else mischievously withstand +them—do bridle the priests’ sensuality, and drive them to +do their duty, and keep them still to it; if they do overthrow idols, +if they take away superstition, and set up again the true worshipping +of God—why do they by-and-by make an outcry upon them, that such +princes trouble all, and press by violence into another body’s +office, and do thereby wickedly and malapertly? What Scripture +hath at any time forbidden a Christian prince to be made privy to <!-- page 155--><a name="page155"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 155</span>such +causes? Who but themselves alone made ever any such law?</p> +<p>They will say to this, I guess: “Civil princes have learned +to govern a commonwealth, and to order matters of war, but they understand +not the secret mysteries of religion.” If that be so, what +is the Pope, I pray you, at this day other than a monarch or a prince? +Or what be the cardinals, who must be none other nowadays, but princes +and kings’ sons? What else be the patriarchs, and, for the +most part, the archbishops, the bishops, the abbots? What be they +else at this present in the Pope’s kingdom but worldly princes, +but dukes and earls, gorgeously accompanied with bands of men whithersoever +they go; oftentimes also gaily arrayed with chains and collars of gold? +They have at times, too, certain ornaments by themselves, as crosses, +pillars, hats, mitres, and palls—which pomp the ancient bishops +Chrysostom, Augustine, and Ambrose never had. Setting these things +aside, what teach they? What say they? What do they? +How live they? I say, not as may become a bishop, but as may become +even a Christian man? Is it so great a matter to have a vain title, +and, by changing a garment only, to have the name of a bishop?</p> +<p><!-- page 156--><a name="page156"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 156</span>Surely +to have the principal stay and effect of all matters committed wholly +to these men’s hands, who neither know nor will know these things, +nor yet set a jot by any point of religion, save that which concerneth +their belly and riot; and to have them alone sit as judges, and to be +set up as overseers in the watch-tower, being no better than blind spies; +of the other side, to have a Christian prince of good understanding +and of a right judgment to stand still like a block or a stake, not +to be suffered neither to give his voice nor to show his judgment, but +only to wait what these men shall will and command, as one which had +neither ears, nor eyes, nor wit, nor heart; and whatsoever they give +in charge, to allow it without exception, blindly fulfilling their commandments, +be they never so blasphemous and wicked, yea, although they command +him quite to destroy all religion, and to crucify again Christ Himself: +this surely, besides that it is proud and spiteful, is also beyond all +right and reason, and not to be endured of Christian and wise princes. +Why, I pray you, may Caiaphas and Annas understand these matters, and +may not David and Ezechias do the same? Is it lawful for a cardinal, +being a man of war, and delighting in blood, to have place in a council? +and is it not lawful for a <!-- page 157--><a name="page157"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 157</span>Christian +emperor or a king? We truly grant no further liberty to our magistrates +than that we know hath both been given them by the Word of God, and +also been confirmed by the examples of the very best governed commonwealths. +For besides that a Christian prince hath the charge of both tables committed +to him by God, to the end he may understand that not temporal matters +only, but also religious and ecclesiastical causes, pertain to his office: +besides also that God by His prophets often and earnestly commandeth +the king to cut down the groves, to break down the images and altars +of idols, and to write out the book of the law for himself: and besides +that the prophet Isaiah saith, “A king ought to be a patron and +a nurse of the Church:” I say, besides all these things, we see +by histories and by examples of the best times that good princes ever +took the administration of ecclesiastical matters to pertain to their +duty.</p> +<p>Moses, a civil magistrate, and chief guide of the people, both received +from God, and delivered to the people, all the order for religion and +sacrifices, and gave Aaron the bishop a vehement and sore rebuke for +making the golden calf, and for suffering the corruption of religion. +Joshua also, though he <!-- page 158--><a name="page158"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 158</span>were +none other than a civil magistrate, yet as soon as he was chosen by +God, and set as a ruler over the people, he received commandments specially +touching religion and the service of God. King David, when the +whole religion was altogether brought out of frame by wicked king Saul, +brought home again the Ark of God; that is to say, he restored religion +again; and was not only amongst them himself as a counsellor and furtherer +of the work, but he appointed also hymns and psalms, put in order the +companies, and was the only doer in setting forth that whole solemn +show, and in effect ruled the priests. King Solomon built unto +the Lord the Temple which his father David had but purposed in his mind +to do: and after the finishing thereof, he made a goodly oration to +the people concerning religion and the service of God: he afterward +displaced Abiathar the priest, and set Sadok in his place. After +this, when the Temple of God was in shameful wise polluted through the +naughtiness and negligence of the priests, King Hezekiah commanded the +same to be cleansed from the rubble and filth, the priests to light +up candles, to burn incense, and to do their Divine service according +to the old and allowed custom; the same king also commanded the brazen +serpent, which <!-- page 159--><a name="page159"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 159</span>then +the people wickedly worshipped, to be taken, down and beaten to powder. +King Jehoshaphat overthrew and utterly made away the hill altars and +groves; whereby he saw God’s honour hindered and the people holden +back with a private superstition from the ordinary Temple, which was +at Jerusalem, whereto they should by order have resorted yearly from +every part of the realm. King Josiah with great diligence put +the priests and bishops in mind of their duties; King Joash bridled +the riot and arrogancy of the priests; Jehu put to death the wicked +prophets.</p> +<p>And to rehearse no more examples out of the old law, let us rather +consider, since the birth of Christ, how the Church hath been governed +in the Gospel’s time. The Christian emperors in the old +time appointed the councils of the bishops. Constantine called +the council at Nice; Theodosius the First called the council at Constantinople; +Theodosius the Second, the council at Ephesus; Martian, the council +at Chalcedon; and when Ruffine the heretic had alleged for authority +a council which, as he thought, should make for him, St. Hierom his +adversary, to confute him, “Tell us,” quod he, “what +emperor commanded that council to be called.” The same St. +Hierom again, in his <!-- page 160--><a name="page160"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 160</span>epitaph +upon Paula, maketh mention of the emperor’s letters which gave +commandment to call the “bishops of Italy and Greece to Rome to +a council.” Continually for the space of five hundred years, +the emperor alone appointed the ecclesiastical assemblies, and called +the councils of the bishops together.</p> +<p>We now therefore marvel the more at the unreasonable dealing of the +Bishop of Rome, who, knowing what was the emperor’s right when +the Church was well ordered, knowing also that it is now a common right +to all princes, for so much as the kings are now fully possessed in +the several parts of the whole empire, doth so without consideration +assign that office alone to himself, and taketh it sufficient, in summoning +a general council, to make that man that is prince of the whole world +no otherwise partaker thereof than he would make his own servant. +And although the modesty and mildness of the Emperor Ferdinand be so +great that he can bear this wrong, because, peradventure, he understandeth +not well the Pope’s packing, yet ought not the Pope of his holiness +to offer him that wrong, nor to claim as his own another man’s +right.</p> +<p>But hereto some will reply: The emperor, indeed, <!-- page 161--><a name="page161"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 161</span>called +councils at that time ye speak of, because the Bishop of Rome was not +yet grown so great as he is now, but yet the emperor did not then sit +together with the bishops in council, or once bare any stroke with his +authority in their consultation. I answer, Nay, that it is not +so; for, as witnesseth Theodoret, the Emperor Constantine sat not only +together with them in the Council of Nice, but gave also advice to the +bishops how it was best to try out the matter by the Apostles’ +and Prophets’ writings, as appeareth by these his own words: “In +disputation,” saith he, “of matters of divinity, we have +set before us to follow the doctrine of the Holy Ghost. For the +Evangelists’ and the Apostles’ works, and the Prophets’ +sayings, show us sufficiently what opinion we ought to have of the will +of God.” The Emperor Theodosius, as saith Socrates, did +not only sit amongst the bishops, but also ordered the whole arguing +of the cause, and tare in pieces the heretics’ books, and allowed +for good the judgment of the Catholics. In the council at Chalcedon +a civil magistrate condemned for heretics, by the sentence of his own +mouth, the bishops Dioscorus, Juvenalis, and Thalassius, and gave judgment +to put them down from their dignities in the Church. In the third +<!-- page 162--><a name="page162"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 162</span>council +at Constantinople, Constantine, a civil magistrate, did not only sit +amongst the bishops, but did also subscribe with them. “For,” +saith he, “we have both read and subscribed.” In the +second council called Arausicanum, the prince’s ambassadors, being +noble men born, not only spake their mind touching religion, but set +to their hands also, as well as the bishops. For thus it is written +in the latter end of that council: “Petrus, Marcellinus, Felix, +and Liberius, being most noble men, and famous lieutenants, and captains +of France, and also peers of the realm, have given their consent, and +set to their hands.” Further: “Syagrius, Opilio, Pantagathus, +Deodatus, Cariattho, and Marcellus, men of very great honour, have subscribed.” +If it be so, then, that lieutenants, captains, and peers have had authority +to subscribe in council, have not emperors and kings the like authority?</p> +<p>Truly there had been no need to handle so plain a matter as this +is with so many words, and so at length, if we had not to do with those +men who, for a desire they have to strive and to win the mastery, use +of course to deny all things, be they never so clear—yea, the +very same which they presently see and behold with their own eyes. +The <!-- page 163--><a name="page163"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 163</span>Emperor +Justinian made a law to correct the behaviour of the clergy, and to +cut short the insolency of the priests. And albeit he were a Christian +and a Catholic prince, yet put he down from their papal throne two Popes, +Sylverius and Vigilius, notwithstanding they were Peter’s successors +and Christ’s vicars.</p> +<p>Let us see, then, such men as have authority over the bishops, such +men as receive from God commandments concerning religion, such as bring +home again the Ark of God, make holy hymns, oversee the priests, build +the Temple, make orations touching Divine service, cleanse the temples, +destroy the hill altars, burn the idols’ groves, teach the priests +their duties, write them out precepts how they should live, kill the +wicked prophets, displace the high priests, call together the councils +of bishops, sit together with the bishops, instructing them what they +ought to do, condemn and punish an heretical bishop, be made acquainted +with matters of religion, which subscribe and give sentence; and do +all these things, not by any other man’s commission, but in their +own name, and that both uprightly and godly: shall we say it pertaineth +not to such men to have to do with religion? or shall we say a Christian +magistrate, which dealeth amongst <!-- page 164--><a name="page164"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 164</span>others +in these matters, doth either naughtily, or presumptuously, or wickedly? +The most ancient and Christian emperors and kings that ever were, did +busy themselves with these matters, and yet were they never for this +cause noted either of wickedness or of presumption. And what is +he that can find out either more Catholic princes or more notable examples?</p> +<p>Wherefore, if it were lawful for them to do thus, being but civil +magistrates, and having the chief rule of commonweals, what offence +have our princes at this day made, which may not have leave to do the +like, being in the like degree? or what especial gift of learning, or +of judgment, or of holiness have these men now, that, contrary to the +custom of all the ancient and Catholic bishops, who used to confer with +princes and peers concerning religion, they do now thus reject and cast +off Christian princes from knowing of the cause, and from their meetings? +Well, thus doing, they wisely and warily provide for themselves and +for their kingdom, which otherwise they see is like shortly to come +to nought. For if so be they whom God hath placed in greatest +dignity did see and perceive these men’s practices, how Christ’s +commandments be despised by them, how the light <!-- page 165--><a name="page165"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 165</span>of +the Gospel is darkened and quenched out by them, and how themselves +also be subtly beguiled and mocked, and unawares be deluded by them, +and the way to the kingdom of heaven stopped up before them: no doubt +they would never so quietly suffer themselves neither to be disdained +after such a proud sort, nor so despitefully to be scorned and abused +by them. But now, through their own lack of understanding, and +through their own blindness, these men have them fast yoked, and in +their danger.</p> +<p>We truly for our parts, as we have said, have done nothing in altering +religion either upon rashness or arrogancy; nor nothing but with good +leisure and great consideration. Neither had we ever intended +to do it, except both the manifest and most assured will of God, opened +to us in His Holy Scriptures, and the regard of our own salvation, had +even constrained us thereunto. For though we have departed from +that Church which these men call Catholic, and by that means get us +envy amongst them that want skill to judge, yet is this enough for us, +and ought to be enough for every wise and good man, and one that maketh +account of everlasting life, that we have gone from that Church which +had power to err: which Christ, <!-- page 166--><a name="page166"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 166</span>who +cannot err, told so long before it should err; and which we ourselves +did evidently see with our eyes to have gone both from the holy fathers, +and from the Apostles, and from Christ His own self, and from the primitive +and Catholic Church; and we are come as near as we possibly could to +the Church of the Apostles and of the old Catholic bishops and fathers; +which Church we know hath hereunto been sound and perfect, and, as Tertullian +termeth it, a pure virgin, spotted as yet with no idolatry, nor with +any foul or shameful fault: and have directed, according to their customs +and ordinances, not only our doctrine, but also the Sacraments and the +form of common prayer.</p> +<p>And, as we know both Christ Himself and all good men heretofore have +done, we have called home again to the original and first foundation +that religion which hath been foully foreslowed, and utterly corrupted +by these men. For we thought it meet thence to take the pattern +of reforming religion from whence the ground of religion was first taken: +because this one reason, as saith the most ancient father Tertullian, +hath great force against all heresies, “Look, whatsoever was first, +that is true; and whatsoever is latter, that is corrupt.” +Irenæus oftentimes appealed to the oldest <!-- page 167--><a name="page167"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 167</span>churches, +which had been nearest to Christ’s time, and which it was hard +to believe had erred. But why at this day is not the same respect +and consideration had? Why return we not to the pattern of the +old churches? Why may not we hear at this time amongst us the +same saying, which was openly pronounced in times past in the council +at Nice by so many bishops and Catholic fathers, and nobody once speaking +against it εθη αρχαια +κρατειτω: that is to say, +“hold still the old customs!” When Esdras went about +to repair the ruins of the Temple of God, he sent not to Ephesus, although +the most beautiful and gorgeous temple of Diana was there; and when +he purposed to restore the sacrifices and ceremonies of God, he sent +not to Rome, although peradventure he had heard in that place were the +solemn sacrifices called Hecatombæ, and other called Solitaurilia, +Lectisternia, and Supplicationes, and Numa Pompilius’ ceremonial +books. He thought it enough for him to set before his eyes, and +follow the pattern of the old Temple, which Solomon at the beginning +builded according as God had appointed him, and also those old customs +and ceremonies which God Himself had written out by special words for +Moses.</p> +<p>The prophet Aggæus, after the temple was <!-- page 168--><a name="page168"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 168</span>repaired +again by Esdras, and the people might think they had a very just cause +to rejoice on their own behalf for so great a benefit received of Almighty +God, yet made he them all burst out into tears, because that they which +were yet alive and had seen the former building of the Temple, before +the Babylonians destroyed it, called to mind how far off it was yet +from that beauty and excellency which it had in the old times past before. +For then, indeed, would they have thought the Temple worthily repaired +if it had answered to the ancient pattern and to the majesty of the +first Temple. Paul, because he would amend the abuse of the Lord’s +Supper, which the Corinthians even then began to corrupt, he set before +them Christ’s institution to follow, saying: “I have delivered +unto you that which I first received of the Lord.” And when +Christ did confute the error of the Pharisees, “Ye must,” +saith He, “return to the first beginning; for from the beginning +it was not thus.” And when He found great fault with the +priests for their uncleanness of life and covetousness, and would cleanse +the Temple from all evil abuses, “This house,” saith He, +“at the first beginning it was a house of prayer,” wherein +all the people might devoutly and sincerely pray together. And +so it <!-- page 169--><a name="page169"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 169</span>were +your part to use it now also at this day, for it was not builded to +the end it should be a “den of thieves.” Likewise +all the good and commendable princes mentioned of in the Scriptures +were praised specially by these words, that they had walked in the ways +of their father David: that is, because they had returned to the first +and original foundation, and had restored religion even to the perfection +wherein David left it. And therefore, when we likewise saw all +things were quite trodden under foot of these men, and that nothing +remained in the temple of God but pitiful spoils and decays, we reckoned +it the wisest and the safest way to set before our eyes those churches +which we know for a surety that they never had erred, nor never had +private mass, nor prayers in a strange and barbarous language, nor this +corrupting of sacraments, and other toys.</p> +<p>And forsomuch as our desire was to have the Temple of the Lord restored +anew, we would seek none other foundation than the same which we know +was long ago laid by the Apostles, that is to wit, “Our Saviour, +Jesus Christ.” And forasmuch as we heard God Himself speaking +unto us in His word, and saw also the notable examples of the old and +primitive Church; again, how uncertain a <!-- page 170--><a name="page170"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 170</span>matter +it was to wait for a general council, and that the success thereof would +be much more uncertain, but specially forsomuch as we were most ascertained +of God’s will, and counted it a wickedness to be too careful and +overcumbered about the judgments of mortal men: we could no longer stand +taking advice with flesh and blood, but rather thought good to do the +same thing, that both might rightly be done, and hath also many a time +been done, as well of good men as of many Catholic bishops—that +is, to remedy our own churches by a provincial synod. For thus +know we the old fathers used to put in experience before they came to +the public universal council. There remain yet at this day canons +written in councils of free cities, as of Carthage under Cyprian, as +of Ancyra, Neocæsarea, and Gangra, which is in Paphlagonia, as +some think, before that the name of the general council at Nice was +ever heard of. After this fashion in old time did they speedily +meet with and cut short those heretics, the Pelagians and the Donatists +at home, by private disputation, without any general council. +Thus, also, when the Emperor Constantine evidently and earnestly took +part with Auxentius, the bishop of the Arians’ faction, Ambrose, +the bishop of the Christians, appealed <!-- page 171--><a name="page171"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 171</span>not +unto a general council, where he saw no good could be done, by reason +of the emperor’s might and great labour, but appealed to his own +clergy and people, that is to say, to a provincial synod. And +thus it was decreed in the council at Nice that the bishops should assemble +twice every year. And in the council at Carthage it was decreed +that the bishops should meet together in each of their provinces at +least once in the year, which was done, as saith the council of Chalcedon, +of purpose that if any errors and abuses had happened to spring up anywhere, +they might immediately at the first entry be destroyed where they first +began. So likewise when Secundus and Palladius rejected the council +at Aquileia, because it was not a general and a common council, Ambrose, +bishop of Milan, made answer that no man ought to take it for a new +or strange matter that the bishops of the west part of the world did +call together synods, and make private assemblies in their provinces, +for that it was a thing before then used by the west bishops no few +times, and by the bishops of Greece used oftentimes and commonly to +be done. And so Charles the Great, being emperor, held a provincial +council in Germany for putting away images, contrary to the second council +at Nice. <!-- page 172--><a name="page172"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 172</span>Neither, +pardy, even amongst us is this so very a strange and new a trade. +For we have had ere now in England provincial synods, and governed our +churches by home-made laws. What should one say more? Of +a truth, even those greatest councils, and where most assembly of people +ever was (whereof these men use to make such an exceeding reckoning), +compare them with all the churches which throughout the world acknowledge +and profess the name of Christ, and what else, I pray you, can they +seem to be but certain private councils of bishops and provincial synods? +For admit, peradventure, Italy, France, Spain, England, Germany, Denmark, +and Scotland meet together, if there want Asia, Greece, Armenia, Persia, +Media, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, and Mauritania, in all which +places there be both many Christian men and also bishops, how can any +man, being in his right mind, think such a council to be a general council? +or where so many parts of the world do lack how can they truly say they +have the consent of the whole world? Or what manner of council, +ween you, was the same last at Trident? Or how might it be termed +a general council, when out of all Christian kingdoms and nations there +came unto it but only forty bishops, and of the same <!-- page 173--><a name="page173"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 173</span>some +so cunning that they might be thought meet to be sent home again to +learn their grammar, and so well learned that they had never studied +divinity.</p> +<p>Whatsoever it be, the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ dependeth +not upon councils, nor, as St. Paul saith, upon mortal creature’s +judgment. And if they which ought to be careful for God’s +Church will not be wise, but slack their duty, and harden their hearts +against God and His Christ, going on still to pervert the right ways +of the Lord, God will stir up the very stones, and make children and +babes cunning, whereby there may ever be some to confute these men’s +lies. For God is able (not only without councils), but also, will +the councils, nill the councils, to maintain and advance His own kingdom. +“Full many be the thoughts of man’s heart” (saith +Solomon); “but the counsel of the Lord abideth steadfast:” +“There is no wisdom, there is no knowledge, there is no counsel +against the Lord.” “Things endure not” (saith +Hilarius), “that be set up with men’s workmanship: by another +manner of means must the Church of God be builded and preserved: for +that Church is grounded upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, +and is holden fast together by one corner stone, which is Christ Jesu.”</p> +<p><!-- page 174--><a name="page174"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 174</span>But +marvellous notable, and to very good purpose for these days, be Hierom’s +words: “Whosoever” (saith he) “the devil hath deceived, +and enticed to fall asleep, as it were with the sweet and deathly enchantments +of the mermaids the Syrens, those persons doth God’s word awake +up, saying unto them, Arise, thou that sleepest; lift up thyself, and +Christ shall give thee light. Therefore, at the coming of Christ, +of God’s word, of the ecclesiastical doctrine, and of the full +destruction of Nineveh, and of that most beautiful harlot, then, then +shall the people, which heretofore had been cast in a trance under their +masters, be raised up, and shall make haste to go to the mountains of +the Scripture; and there shall they find hills, Moses verily, and Joshua +the son of Nun, other hills also, which are the Prophets; and hills +of the New Testament, which are the Apostles and the Evangelists. +And when the people shall flee for succour to such hills, and shall +be exercised in the reading of those kind of mountains, though they +find not one to teach them (for the harvest shall be great, but the +labourers few), yet shall the good desire of the people be well accepted, +in that they have gotten them to such hills; and the negligence of their +masters shall be openly reproved.” These be <!-- page 175--><a name="page175"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 175</span>Hierom’s +sayings, and that so plain, as there needeth no interpreter. For +they agree so just with the things we now see with our eyes have already +come to pass, that we may verily think that he meant to foretell, as +it were, by the spirit of prophecy, and to paint before our face the +universal state of our time; the fall of the most gorgeous harlot Babylon; +the repairing again of God’s Church; the blindness and sloth of +the bishops, and the good will and forwardness of the people. +For who is so blind, that he seeth not these men be the masters, by +whom the people, as saith Hierom, hath been led into error and lulled +asleep? Or who sooth not Rome, that is their Nineveh, which sometime +was painted with fairest colours, but now, her vizard being palled off, +is both better seen and less set by? Or who seeth not that good +men, being awaked, as it were, out of their dead sleep at the light +of the Gospel and at the voice of God, have resorted to the hills of +the Scriptures, waiting not at all for the councils of such masters?</p> +<p>But, by your favour, some will say, these things ought not to have +been attempted without the Bishop of Rome’s commandment, forsomuch +as he only is the knot and band of Christian society. He only +is that priest of Levi’s order whom God <!-- page 176--><a name="page176"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 176</span>signified +in the Deuteronomy, from whom counsel in matters of weight and true +judgment ought to be fetched; and whoso obeyeth not his judgment, the +same man ought to be killed in the sight of his brethren; and that no +mortal creature hath authority to be judge over him, whatsoever he do: +that Christ reigneth in heaven, and he in earth; that he alone can do +as much as Christ or God Himself can do, because Christ and he have +but one council-house; that without him is no faith, no hope, no Church; +and whoso goeth from him quite casteth away and renounceth his own salvation. +Such talk have the canonists, the Pope’s parasites, surely, but +with small discretion or soberness. For they could scant say more, +at least they could not speak more highly of Christ Himself.</p> +<p>As for us, truly we have fallen from the Bishop of Rome upon no manner +of worldly respect or commodity. And would to Christ he so behaved +himself as this falling away needed not; but so the case stood, that +unless we left him we could not come to Christ. Neither will he +now make any other league with us than such a one as Nahas the king +of the Ammonites would have made in times past with them of the city +of Jabez, which <!-- page 177--><a name="page177"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 177</span>was +to put out the right eye of each one of the inhabitants. Even +so will the Pope pluck from us the holy Scripture, the Gospel of our +salvation, and all the confidence which we have in Christ Jesu. +And upon other condition can he not agree upon peace with us.</p> +<p>For whereas some use to make so great a vaunt, that the Pope is only +Peter’s successor, as though thereby he carried the Holy Ghost +in his bosom, and cannot err, this is but a matter of nothing, and a +very trifling tale. God’s grace is promised to a good mind, +and to one that feareth God, not unto sees and successions. “Riches,” +saith Hierom, “may make a bishop to be of more might than the +rest: but all the bishops,” whosoever they be, “are the +successors of the Apostles.” If so be the place and consecrating +only be sufficient, why then Manasses succeeded David, and Caiaphas +succeeded Aaron. And it hath been often seen, that an idol hath +stand in the temple of God. In old time Archidamus the Lacedæmonian +boasted much of himself, how he came of the blood of Hercules. +But one Nicostratus in this wise abated his pride: “Nay,” +quoth he, “thou seemest not to descend from Hercules. For +Hercules destroyed ill men, but thou makest good men evil.” +And when the <!-- page 178--><a name="page178"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 178</span>Pharisees +bragged of their lineage, how they were of the kindred and blood of +Abraham: “Ye,” saith Christ, “seek to kill me, a man +which have told you the truth, as I heard it from God. Thus Abraham +never did. Ye are of your father the devil, and will needs obey +his will.”</p> +<p>Yet notwithstanding, because we will grant somewhat to succession, +tell us, hath the Pope alone succeeded Peter? And wherein, I pray +you? In what religion? in what office? in what piece of his life +hath he succeeded him? What one thing (tell me) had Peter ever +like unto the Pope, or the Pope like unto Peter? Except peradventure +they will say thus: that Peter, when he was at Rome, never taught the +Gospel, never fed the flock, took away the keys of the kingdom of heaven, +hid the treasures of his Lord, sat him down only in his castle in S. +John Lateran, and pointed out with his finger all the places of purgatory, +and kinds of punishments, committing some poor souls to be tormented, +and other some again suddenly releasing thence at his own pleasure, +taking money for so doing: or that he gave order to say private masses +in every corner: or that he mumbled up the holy service with a low voice, +and in an unknown language: or that he hanged up the Sacrament in <!-- page 179--><a name="page179"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 179</span>every +temple, and on every altar, and carried the same about before him whithersoever +he went, upon an ambling jannet, with lights and bells; or that he consecrated +with his holy breath, oil, wax, wool, bells, chalices, churches, and +altars, or that he sold jubilees, graces, liberties, advowsons, preventions, +first fruits, palls, the wearing of palls, bulls, indulgences, and pardons; +or that he called himself by the name of the head of the Church, the +highest bishop, bishop of bishops, alone most holy: or that by usurping +he took upon himself the right and authority over other folk’s +churches; or that he exempted himself from the power of any civil government; +or that he maintained wars, and set princes together at variance: or +that he sitting in his chair, with his triple crown full of labels, +with sumptuous and Persian-like gorgeousness, with his royal sceptre, +with his diadem of gold, and glittering with stones, was carried about, +not upon palfrey, but upon the shoulders of noble men. These things, +no doubt, did Peter at Rome in times past, and left them in charge to +his successors, as you would say, from hand to hand; for these things +be now-a-days done at Rome by the popes, and be so done, as though nothing +else ought to be done. Or contrariwise, peradventure they had +rather say <!-- page 180--><a name="page180"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 180</span>thus, +that the Pope doth now all the same things, which we know Peter did +many a day ago: that is, that he runneth up and down into every country +to preach the gospel, not only openly abroad, but also privately from +house to house: that he is diligent, and applieth that business in season +and out of season, in due time and out of due time: that he doth the +part of an evangelist, that he fulfilleth the work and ministry of Christ, +that he is the watchman of the House of Israel, receiveth answers and +words at God’s mouth; and even as he receiveth them, so delivereth +them over to the people: that he is the salt of the earth: that he is +the light of the world: that he doth not feed his own self, but his +flock: that he doth not entangle himself with the worldly cares of this +life: that he doth not use a sovereignty over the Lord’s people: +that he seeketh not to have other men minister to him, but himself rather +to minister unto others: that he taketh all bishops as his fellows and +equals; that he is subject to princes, as to persons sent from God: +that he giveth to Cæsar that which is Cæsar’s: and +that he, as the old bishops of Rome did without any question, calleth +the emperor his lord. Unless, therefore, the popes do the like +now-a-days, and Peter did the things aforesaid, <!-- page 181--><a name="page181"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 181</span>there +is no cause at all why they should glory so of Peter’s name, and +of his succession.</p> +<p>Much less cause have they to complain of our departing, and to call +us again to be fellows and friends with them, and to believe as they +believe. Men say, that one Cobilon, a Lacedæmonian, when +he was sent ambassador to the king of the Persians to treat of a league, +and found by chance them of the court playing at dice, he returned straightway +home again, leaving his message undone. And when he was asked +why he did slack to do the things which he had received by public commission +to do, he made answer, he thought it should be a great reproach to his +commonwealth to make a league with dicers. But if we should content +ourselves to return to the Pope, and to his popish errors, and to make +a covenant not only with dicers, but also with men far more ungracious +and wicked than any dicers be; besides that this should be a great blot +to our good name, it should also be a very dangerous matter, both to +kindle God’s wrath against us, and to clog and condemn our own +souls for ever. For of very truth we have departed from him, who +we saw had blinded the whole world this many a hundred year: from him, +who too far presumptuously was wont to say, “he <!-- page 182--><a name="page182"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 182</span>could +not err,” and whatsoever he did “no mortal man had power +to condemn him, neither kings, nor emperors, nor the whole clergy,” +nor yet all the people in the world together; no, and though he should +carry away with him to hell a thousand souls from him who took upon +him power to command, not only men, but even God’s angels, to +go, to return, to lead souls into purgatory, and to bring them back +again when he list himself: whom Gregory said, without all doubt, is +the very forerunner and standard-bearer of Antichrist, and hath utterly +forsaken the Catholic faith, from whom also these ringleaders of ours, +who now with might and main resist the gospel, and the truth, which +they know to be the truth, have ere this departed every one of their +own accord and goodwill, and would even now also gladly depart from +him, if the note of inconstancy and shame, and their own estimation +among the people, were not a let unto them. In conclusion, we +have departed from him, to whom we were not bound, and who had nothing +to say for himself, but only I know not what virtue or power of the +place where he dwelleth, and a continuance of succession.</p> +<p>And as for us, we of all others most justly have left him. +For our kings, yea, even they which <!-- page 183--><a name="page183"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 183</span>with +greatest reverence did follow and obey the authority and faith of the +bishops of Rome, have long since found and felt well enough the yoke +and tyranny of the Pope’s kingdom. For the bishops of Rome +took the crown off from the head of our King Henry the Second, and compelled +him to put aside all majesty, and like a mere private man to come unto +their legate with great submission and humility, so as all his subjects +might laugh him to scorn. More than this, they caused bishops +and monks, and some part of the nobility, to be in the field against +our King John, and set all the people at liberty from their oaths, whereby +they ought allegiance to their king; and at last, wickedly and most +abominably they bereaved the king, not only of his kingdom, but also +of his life. Besides this, they excommunicated and cursed king +Henry the Eighth, that most famous prince, and stirred up against him, +sometime the Emperor, sometime the French king: and as much as in them +was, put in adventure our realm to have been a very prey and spoil. +Yet were they but fools and mad, to think that either so mighty a prince +could be scared with bugs and rattles; or else, that so noble and great +a kingdom might so easily, even at one morsel, be devoured and swallowed +up.</p> +<p><!-- page 184--><a name="page184"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 184</span>And +yet, as though all this were too little, they would needs make all the +realm tributary to them, and exacted thence yearly most unjust and wrongful +taxes. So dear cost us the friendship of the city of Rome. +Wherefore, if they have gotten these things of us by extortion, through +their fraud and subtle sleights, we see no reason why we may not pluck +away the same from them again by lawful ways and just means. And +if our kings in that darkness and blindness of former times, gave them +these things of their own accord and liberality for religion’s +sake, being moved with a certain opinion of their feigned holiness; +now when ignorance and error is espied out, may the kings, their successors, +take them away again, seeing they have the same authority the kings +their ancestors had before. For the gift is void, except it be +hallowed by the will of the giver, and that cannot seem a perfect will, +which is dimmed and hindered by error.</p> +<h2><!-- page 185--><a name="page185"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 185</span>THE +RECAPITULATION OF THE APOLOGY.</h2> +<p>Thus, good Christian reader, ye see how it is no new thing, though +at this day the religion of Christ be entertained with despites and +checks, being but lately restored, and as it were, coming up again anew; +forsomuch as the like hath chanced both to Christ Himself and to His +Apostles: yet nevertheless, for fear ye may suffer yourself to be led +amiss and seduced with these exclamations of our adversaries, we have +declared at large unto you the very whole manner of our religion, what +our opinion is of God the Father, of His only Son Jesus Christ, of the +Holy Ghost, of the Church, of the Sacraments, of the ministry, of the +Scriptures, of ceremonies, and of every part of Christian belief. +We have said, that we abandon and detest, as plagues and poisons, all +those old heresies which either the sacred Scriptures, or the ancient +councils have utterly condemned: that we call home again, as much as +ever we can, the right discipline of the Church, which our adversaries +have quite brought into a poor and weak case. That we punish all +licentiousness of life, and unruliness of manners, <!-- page 186--><a name="page186"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 186</span>by +the old and long-continued laws, and with as much sharpness as is convenient, +and lieth in our power. That we maintain still the state of kingdoms, +in the same condition and plight wherein we have found them, without +any diminishing or alteration, reserving unto our princes their majesties +and worldly pre-eminence, safe and without impairing, to our possible +power. That we have so gotten ourselves away from that Church, +which they had made a den of thieves, and wherein nothing was in good +frame, or once like to the Church of God, and which, themselves confessed, +had erred many ways, even as Lot in times past gat him out of Sodom, +or Abraham out of Chaldea, not upon a desire of contention, but by the +warning of God Himself. And that we have searched out of the Holy +Bible, which we are sure cannot deceive, one sure form of religion, +and have returned again unto the primitive Church of the ancient fathers +and Apostles; that is to say, to the first ground and beginning of things, +as unto the very foundations and headsprings of Christ’s Church. +And in very truth we have not tarried for in this matter the authority +or consent of the Tridentine council, wherein we saw nothing done uprightly, +nor by good order; where also everybody was <!-- page 187--><a name="page187"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 187</span>sworn +to the maintenance of one man; where our prince’s ambassadors +were contemned; where not one of our divines could be heard, and where +parts-taking and ambition was openly and earnestly procured and wrought; +but, as the holy fathers in former time, and as our predecessors have +commonly done, we have restored our churches by a provincial convocation, +and have clean shaken off, as our duty was, the yoke and tyranny of +the bishop of Rome, to whom we were not bound; who also had no manner +of thing like, neither to Christ, nor to Peter, nor to an Apostle, nor +yet like to any bishop at all. Finally, we say, that we agree +amongst ourselves touching the whole judgment and chief substance of +Christian religion, and with one mouth, and with one spirit, do worship +God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.</p> +<p>Wherefore, O Christian and godly reader, forasmuch as thou seest +the reasons and causes, both why we have restored religion, and why +we have forsaken these men, thou oughtest not to marvel, though we have +chosen to obey our Master Christ, rather than men. Paul hath given +us warning how we should not suffer ourselves to be carried away with +such sundry learnings, and to fly their companies, in especial, which +would sow debate <!-- page 188--><a name="page188"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 188</span>and +variances, clean contrary to the doctrine which they had received of +Christ and the Apostles. Long since have these men’s crafts +and treacheries decayed, and vanished, and fled away at the sight and +light of the Gospel, even as the owl doth at the sun-rising. And +albeit their trumpery be built up, and reared as high as the sky, yea +even, in a moment, and as it were of the own self, falleth it down again +to the ground and cometh to nought. For you must not think that +all these things have come to pass rashly, or at adventure; it hath +been God’s pleasure, that, against all men’s wills well +nigh, the Gospel of Jesu Christ should be spread abroad throughout the +whole world at these days. And, therefore, men, following God’s +biddings, have of their own free will resorted unto the doctrine of +Jesus Christ. And for our parts, truly we have sought hereby, +neither glory, nor wealth, nor pleasure, nor ease. For there is +plenty of all these things with our adversaries. And when we were +of their side, we enjoyed such worldly commodities much more liberally +and bountifully than we do now. Neither do we eschew concord and +peace, but to have peace with man we will not be at war with God. +The name of peace is a sweet and pleasant thing, saith Hilarius; but +yet beware, <!-- page 189--><a name="page189"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 189</span>saith +he, “peace is one thing, and bondage is another.” +For if it should so be, as they seek to have it, that Christ should +be commanded to keep silence, that the truth of the Gospel should be +betrayed, that horrible errors should be cloaked, that Christian men’s +eyes should be bleared, and that they might be suffered to conspire +openly against God; this were not a peace, but a most ungodly covenant +of servitude. There is a peace, saith Nazianzen, that is unprofitable; +again, there is a discord, saith he, that is profitable. For we +must conditionally desire peace, so far as is lawful before God, and +so far as we may conveniently. For otherwise Christ Himself brought +not peace into the world, but a sword. Wherefore, if the pope +will have us be reconciled to him, his duty is first to be reconciled +to God. For from thence, saith Cyprian, spring schisms and sects, +because men seek not the Head, and have not their recourse to the fountain +(of the Scriptures), and keep not the rules given by the heavenly Teacher. +For, saith he, that is not peace, but war; neither is he joined unto +the Church, which is severed from the Gospel. As for these men, +they used to make a merchandise of the name of peace. For that +peace which they so fain would have, is only <!-- page 190--><a name="page190"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 190</span>a +rest of idle bellies. They and we might easily be brought to atonement; +touching all these matters, were it not that ambition, gluttony, and +excess did let it. Hence cometh their whining, their heart is +on their halfpenny. Out of doubt their clamours and stirs be to +none other end, but to maintain more shamefully and naughtily ill-gotten +things.</p> +<p>Nowadays the pardoners complain of us, the dataries, the pope’s +collectors, the bawds, and others which take gain to be godliness, and +serve not Jesus Christ but their own bellies. Many a day ago, +and in the old world, a wonderful great advantage grew hereby to these +kinds of people. But now they reckon, all is lost unto them, that +Christ gaineth. The pope himself maketh a great complaint at this +present, that charity in people is waxen cold. And why so, trow +ye? Forsooth, because his profits decay more and more. And +for this cause doth he hale us into hatred, all that ever he may, laying +load upon us with despiteful railings, and condemning us for heretics, +to the end, they that understand not the matter may think there be no +worse men upon earth than we be. Notwithstanding, we in the mean +season are never the <!-- page 191--><a name="page191"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 191</span>more +ashamed for all this; neither ought we to be ashamed of the gospel. +For we set more by the glory of God, than we do by the estimation of +men. We are sure all is true that we teach, and we may not either +go against our own conscience, or bear any witness against God. +For if we deny any part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ before men, He +on the other side will deny us before His Father. And if there +be any that will still be offended, and cannot endure Christ’s +doctrine, such, say we, be blind, and leaders of the blind; the truth, +nevertheless, must be preached and preferred above all, and we must +with patience wait for God’s judgment. Let these folk, in +the meantime, take good heed what they do, and let them be well advised +of their own salvation, and cease to hate and persecute the Gospel of +the Son of God, for fear lest they feel Him once a redresser and revenger +of His own cause. God will not suffer Himself to be made a mocking +stock. The world espieth a good while agone what there is a doing +abroad. This flame, the more it is kept down, so much the more +with greater force and strength doth it break out and fly abroad. +Their unfaithfulness shall not disappoint God’s faithful promise. +And if they shall refuse to lay away this <!-- page 192--><a name="page192"></a><span class="pagenum">p. 192</span>their +hardness of heart, and to receive the Gospel of Christ, then shall publicans +and sinners go before them into the kingdom of Heaven.</p> +<p>God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ open the eyes of them +all, that they may be able to see that blessed hope, whereunto they +have been called; so as we may altogether in one glorify Him alone, +who is the true God, and also that same Jesus Christ, whom He sent down +to us from Heaven, unto whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be +given all honour and glory everlastingly. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Apology of the Church of England + + +Author: John Jewel + +Editor: Henry Morley + +Release Date: February 5, 2006 [eBook #17678] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE APOLOGY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND*** + + + + + + +Transcribed from the 1888 Cassell and Company edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + + +THE APOLOGY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. + + +BY +JOHN JEWEL, + +_Bishop of Salisbury_. + +CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED: +_LONDON_, _PARIS_, _NEW YORK & MELBOURNE_. +1888. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The great interest of Jewel's "Apology" lies in the fact that it was +written in Latin to be read throughout Europe as the answer of the +Reformed Church of England, at the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, +to those who said that the Reformation set up a new Church. Its argument +was that the English Church Reformers were going back to the old Church, +not setting up a new; and this Jewel proposed to show by looking back to +the first centuries of Christianity. Innovation was imputed; and an +Apology originally meant a pleading to rebut an imputation. So, even as +late as 1796, there was a book called "An Apology for the Bible," meaning +its defence against those who questioned its authority. This Latin book +of Jewel's, _Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae_--written in Latin because it +was not addressed to England only--was first published in 1562, and +translated into English by the mother of Francis Bacon, whose edition +appeared in 1564. That is the translation given in this volume. The +book has since had six or seven other translators, but Lady Ann Bacon's +translation was that which presented it in Queen Elizabeth's time to +English readers, and it had the advantage of revision by the Queen's +Archbishop of Canterbury, her coadjutor in the establishment of the +Reformed Church of England, Matthew Parker. It was published, with no +name of author or translator on the title-page, as "An Apologie or +answere in defence of the Churche of Englande, with a briefe and plaine +declaration of the true Religion professed or used in the same." The +book was prefaced by a letter, "To the right honorable learned and +vertuous Ladie, A. B." [Ann Bacon] "M. C. wisheth from God grace, +honoure, and felicitie," where M. C. signifies Matthew Cantuar, Matthew +Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, whom Lady Ann Bacon had made her judge, +and whose judgment, the letter says, her book had singularly pleased. + +Lady Ann Bacon was the second daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, who was +tutor to King Edward VI. Sir Anthony gave to his five daughters a most +liberal education. His eldest daughter, Mildred, married Sir William +Cecil, afterwards Lord Burleigh, while Ann became the second wife of the +Lord Keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon. Their father had made Mildred and Ann +two of the most learned women in England. + +John Jewel was forty years old when he wrote the "Apology." He was born +in Devonshire in 1522, on the 24th of May, at the village of Buden, near +Ilfracombe. He studied at Oxford, where he became tutor and preacher, +graduated as B.D. in 1551, and was presented to the rectory of +Sunningwell. At the accession of Queen Mary he bowed to the royal +authority, but he was a warm friend and disciple of Peter Martyr, who had +come to England in 1547, at the invitation of Edward VI., to take the +chair of Divinity at Oxford. On the accession of Queen Mary, Peter +Martyr (who was born at Florence in 1500, and whose family name was +Vermigli) returned to Strasburg, and went thence to Zurich, where he died +in 1562. Jewel, repenting of his assent to the new sovereign's authority +in matters of religion, followed his friend Peter Martyr across the +water, and became vice-master of a college at Strasburg. Upon the +accession of Elizabeth, in 1588, Jewel came back, and he was one of the +sixteen Protestants appointed by the Queen to dispute before her with a +like number of Catholics. + +In 1559 John Jewel was appointed a commissioner for securing, in the West +of England, conformity with the newly-arranged Church service, and he had +to see that the Queen's orders were obeyed in the churches of his native +county. Before the end of the same year he was consecrated Bishop of +Salisbury. He was most zealous in performance of all duties of his +charge. To his good offices young Richard Hooker owed his opportunity of +training for the service of the Church. Among Jewel's writings, this +Apology or Defence of the Church of England was the most important; but +he worked incessantly, and shortened his life by limiting himself to four +hours of sleep, taken between midnight and four in the morning. Bishop +Jewel died on the 21st of September, 1571, before he had reached the age +of fifty. + +H. M. + + + + +AN APOLOGY, OR ANSWER, IN DEFENCE OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, + + +_With a Brief and Plain Declaration of the True Religion Professed and +Used in the Same_. + + + +PART I. + + +It hath been an old complaint, even from the first time of the patriarchs +and Prophets, and confirmed by the writings and testimonies of every age, +that the truth wandereth here and there as a stranger in the world, and +doth readily find enemies and slanderers amongst those that know her not. +Albeit perchance this may seem unto some a thing hard to be believed, I +mean to such as have scant well and narrowly taken heed thereunto, +specially seeing all mankind of nature's very motion without a teacher +doth covet the truth of their own accord; and seeing our Saviour Christ +Himself, when He was on earth, would be called the Truth, as by a name +most fit to express all His Divine power; yet we, which have been +exercised in the Holy Scriptures, and which have both read and seen what +hath happened to all godly men commonly at all times; what to the +Prophets, to the Apostles, to the holy martyrs, and what to Christ +Himself; with what rebukes, revilings, and despites they were continually +vexed whiles they here lived, and that only for the truth's sake: we, I +say, do see that this is not only no new thing, or hard to be believed, +but that it is a thing already received, and commonly used from age to +age. Nay, truly, this might seem much rather a marvel, and beyond all +belief, if the devil, who is the father of lies, and enemy to all truth, +would now upon a sudden change his nature, and hope that truth might +otherwise be suppressed than by belying it; or that he would begin to +establish his own kingdom by using now any other practices than the same +which he hath ever used from the beginning. For since any man's +remembrance we can scant find one time, either when religion did first +grow, or when it was settled, or when it did afresh spring up again, +wherein truth and innocency were not by all unworthy means, and most +despitefully intreated. Doubtless the devil well seeth, that so long as +truth is in good safety, himself cannot be safe, nor yet maintain his own +estate. + +For, letting pass the ancient patriarchs and Prophets, who, as we have +said, had no part of their life free from contumelies and slanders, we +know there were certain in times past which said and commonly preached, +that the old ancient Jews (of whom we make no doubt but they were the +worshippers of the only and true God) did worship either a sow, or an +ass, in God's stead, and that all the same religion was nothing else but +a sacrilege, and a plain contempt of all godliness. We know also that +the Son of God, our Saviour Jesu Christ, when He taught the truth, was +counted a juggler and an enchanter, a Samaritan, Beelzebub, a deceiver of +the people, a drunkard, and a glutton. Again, who wotteth not what words +were spoken against St. Paul, the most earnest and vehement preacher and +maintainer of the truth? sometime that he was a seditious and busy man, a +raiser of tumults, a causer of rebellion; sometime again, that he was an +heretic; sometime, that he was mad; sometime, that only upon strife and +stomach he was both a blasphemer of God's law, and a despiser of the +fathers' ordinances. Further, who knoweth not how St. Stephen, after he +had thoroughly and sincerely embraced the truth, and began frankly and +stoutly to preach and set forth the same, as he ought to do, was +immediately called to answer for his life, as one that had wickedly +uttered disdainful and heinous words against the law, against Moses, +against the temple, and against God? Or who is ignorant that in times +past there were some which reproved the Holy Scripts of falsehood, saying +they contained things both contrary and quite one against other; and how +that the Apostles of Christ did severally disagree between themselves, +and that St. Paul did vary from them all? And, not to make rehearsal of +all, for that were an endless labour, who knoweth not after what sort our +fathers were railed upon in times past, which first began to acknowledge +and profess the Name of Christ? how they made private conspiracies, +devised secret counsels against the commonwealth, and that end made early +and privy meetings in the dark, killed young babes, fed themselves with +men's flesh, and, like savage and brute beasts, did drink their blood? in +conclusion, how that, after they had put out the candles, they committed +adultery between themselves, and without regard wrought incest one with +another: that brethren lay with their sisters, sons with their mothers, +without any reverence of nature or kin, without shame without difference; +and that they were wicked men without all care of religion, and without +any opinion of God, being the very enemies of mankind, unworthy to be +suffered in the world, and unworthy of life? + +All these things were spoken in those days against the people of God, +against Christ Jesu, against Paul, against Stephen, and against all them, +whosoever they were, which at the first beginning embraced the truth of +the Gospel, and were contented to be called by the name of Christians, +which was then a hateful name among the common people. And although the +things which they said were not true, yet the devil thought it should be +sufficient for him, if at the least he could bring it so to pass as they +might be believed for true, and that the Christians might be brought into +a common hatred of everybody, and have their death and destruction sought +of all sorts. Hereupon kings and princes, being led then by such +persuasions, killed all the Prophets of God, letting none escape. Esay +with a saw, Jeremy with stones, Daniel with lions, Amos with an iron bar, +Paul with the sword, and Christ upon the cross; and condemned all +Christians to imprisonments, to torments, to the pikes, to be thrown down +headlong from rocks and steep places, to be cast to wild beasts, and to +be burnt: and made great fires of their quick bodies, for the only +purpose to give light by night, and for a very scorn and mocking stock; +and did count them no better than the vilest filth, the offscourings and +laughing games of the whole world. Thus, as ye see, have the authors and +professors of the truth ever been intreated. + +Wherefore, we ought to bear it the more quietly, which have taken upon us +to profess the Gospel of Christ, if we for the same cause be handled +after the same sort; and if we, as our forefathers were long ago, be +likewise at this day tormented, and baited with railings, with spiteful +dealings, and with lies; and that for no desert of our own, but only +because we teach and acknowledge the truth. + +They cry out upon us at this present everywhere, that we are all +heretics, and have forsaken the faith, and have with new persuasions and +wicked learning utterly dissolved the concord of the Church; that we +renew, and, as it were, fetch again from hell the old and many a day +condemned heresies; that we sow abroad new sects, and such broils as +never yearst were heard of: also that we are already divided into +contrary parts and opinions, and could yet by no means agree well among +ourselves; that we be cursed creatures, and, like the giants, do war +against God Himself, and live clean without any regard or worshipping of +God; that we despise all good deeds; that we use no discipline of virtue, +no laws, no customs; that we esteem neither right, nor order, nor equity, +nor justice; that we give the bridle to all naughtiness, and provoke the +people to all licentiousness and lust; that we labour and seek to +overthrow the state of monarchies and kingdoms, and to bring all things +under the rule of the rash inconstant people and unlearned multitude; +that we have seditiously fallen from the Catholic Church, and by a wicked +schism and division have shaken the whole world, and troubled the common +peace and universal quiet of the Church; and that, as Dathan and Abiram +conspired in times past against Moses and Aaron, even so we at this day +have renounced the Bishop of Rome without any cause reasonable; that we +set nought by the authority of the ancient fathers and councils of old +time; that we have rashly and presumptuously disannulled the old +ceremonies, which have been well allowed by our fathers and forefathers +many hundred years past, both by good customs, and also in ages of more +purity; and that we have by our own private head, without the authority +of any sacred and general council, brought new traditions into the +Church: and have done all these things not for religion's sake, but only +upon a desire of contention and strife; but that they for their part have +changed no manner of thing, but have held and kept still such a number of +years to this very day all things as they were delivered from the +Apostles and well approved by the most ancient fathers. + +And that this matter should not seem to be done but upon privy slander, +and to be tossed to and fro in a corner, only to spite us, there have +been besides wilily procured by the Bishop of Rome certain persons of +eloquence enough, and not unlearned neither, which should put their help +to this cause, now almost despaired of, and should polish and set forth +the same, both in books, and with long tales to the end that, when the +matter was trimly and eloquently handled, ignorant and unskilful persons +might suspect there was some great thing in it. Indeed they perceived +that their own cause did everywhere go to wrack; that their sleights were +now espied, and less esteemed; and that their helps did daily fail them; +and that their matter stood altogether in great need of a cunning +spokesman. + +Now as for those things which by them have been laid against us, in part +they be manifestly false, and condemned so by their own judgments which +spake them; partly again, though they be as false, too, indeed, yet bear +they a certain show and colour of truth, so as the reader (if he take not +good heed) may easily be tripped and brought into error by them, +specially when their fine and cunning tale is added thereunto. And part +of them be of such sort as we ought not to shun them as crimes or faults, +but to acknowledge and profess them as things well done, and upon very +good reason. + +For shortly to say the truth, these folk falsely accuse and slander all +our doings; yea the same things which they themselves cannot deny but to +be rightly and orderly done; and for malice do so misconstrue and deprave +all our sayings and doings, as though it were impossible that anything +could be rightly spoken or done by us. They should more plainly and +sincerely have gone to work if they would have dealt truly. But now they +neither truly, nor sincerely, nor yet Christianly, but darkly and +craftily charge and batter us with lies, and do abuse the blindness and +fondness of the people, together with the ignorance of princes, to cause +us to be hated and the truth to be suppressed. This, lo, ye, is the +power of darkness, and of men which lean more to the amazed wondering of +the rude multitude and to darkness than they do to truth and light; and +as St. Hierom saith, which do openly gainsay the truth, closing up their +eyes, and will not see for the nonce. + +But we give thanks to the most good and mighty God, that such is our +cause, whereagainst (when they would fainest) they were able to utter no +despite, but the same which might as well be wrested against the holy +fathers, against the Prophets, against the Apostles, against Peter, +against Paul, and against Christ Himself. + +Now, therefore, if it be lawful for these folks to be eloquent and fine- +tongued in speaking evil, surely it becometh not us in our cause, being +so very good, to be dumb in answering truly. For men to be careless what +is spoken by them and their own matter, be it never so falsely and +slanderously spoken (especially when it is such that the majesty of God +and the cause of religion may thereby be damaged), is the part doubtless +of dissolute and wretchless persons, and of them which wickedly wink at +the injuries done unto the Name of God. For although other wrongs, yea +oftentimes great, may be borne and dissembled of a mild and Christian +man, yet he that goeth smoothly away, and dissembleth the matter when he +is noted of heresy, Ruffinus was wont to deny that man to be a Christian. +We therefore will do the same thing, which all laws, which nature's own +voice doth command to be done, and which Christ Himself did in like case, +when He was checked and reviled: to the intent we may put off from us +these men's slanderous accusations, and may defend soberly and truly our +own cause and innocency. For Christ verily, when the Pharisees charged +Him with sorcery, as one that had some familiar spirits, and wrought many +things by their help: "I," said He, "have not the devil, but do glorify +my Father: but it is you that have dishonoured me, and put me to rebuke +and shame." And St. Paul, when Festus the lieutenant scorned him as a +madman: "I," said he, "most dear Festus, am not mad, as thou thinkest, +but I speak the words of truth and soberness." And the ancient +Christians, when they were slandered to the people for mankillers, for +adulterers, for committers of incest, for disturbers of the commonweals, +and did perceive that by such slanderous accusations the religion which +they professed might be brought in question, namely, if they should seem +to hold their peace, and in manner to confess the fault; lest this might +hinder the free course of the Gospel, they made orations, they put up +supplications, and made means to emperors and princes, that they might +defend themselves and their fellows in open audience. + +But we truly, seeing that so many thousands of our brethren in these last +twenty years have borne witness unto the truth, in the midst of most +painful torments that could be devised; and when princes, desirous to +restrain the Gospel, sought many ways, but prevailed nothing; and that +now almost the whole world doth begin to open their eyes to behold the +light; we take it that our cause hath already been sufficiently declared +and defended, and think it not needful to make many words, seeing the +matter saith enough for itself. For if the popes would, or else if they +could weigh with their own selves the whole matter, and also the +beginnings and proceedings of our religion, how in a manner all their +travail hath come to nought, nobody driving it forward; and how on the +other side, our cause, against the will of emperors from the beginning, +against the wills of so many kings, in spite of the popes, and almost +maugre the head of all men, hath taken increase, and by little and little +spread over into all countries, and is come at length even into kings' +courts and palaces; these same things, methinketh, might be tokens great +enough to them, that God Himself doth strongly fight in our quarrel, and +doth from heaven laugh at their enterprises; and that the force of truth +is such, as neither man's power, nor yet hell-gates are able to root it +out. For they be not all mad at this day, so many free cities, so many +kings, so many princes, which have fallen away from the seat of Rome, and +have rather joined themselves to the Gospel of Christ. + +And although the popes had never hitherunto leisure to consider +diligently and earnestly of these matters, or though some other cares do +now let them, and diverse ways pull them, or though they count these to +be but common and trifling studies, and nothing to appertain to the +Pope's worthiness, this maketh not why our matter ought to seem the +worse. Or if they perchance will not see that which they see indeed, but +rather will withstand the known truth, ought we therefore by-and-by to be +accounted heretics because we obey not their will and pleasure? If so +be, that Pope Pius were the man (we say not, which he would so gladly be +called), but if he were indeed a man that either would account us for his +brethren, or at least would take us to be men, he would first diligently +have examined our reasons, and would have seen what might be said with +us, what against us; and would not in his bull, whereby he lately +pretended a council, so rashly have condemned so great a part of the +world, so many learned and godly men, so many commonwealths, so many +kings, and so many princes, only upon his own blind prejudices and fore- +determinations--and that without hearing of them speak or without showing +cause why. + +But because he hath already so noted us openly, lest by holding our peace +we should seem to grant a fault, and specially because we can by no means +have audience in the public assembly of the general council, wherein he +would no creature should have power to give his voice or to declare his +opinion, except he be sworn, and straitly bound to maintain his authority +(for we have had good experience hereof in the last conference at the +council at Trident; where the ambassadors and divines of the princes of +Germany, and of the free cities, were quite shut out from their company. +Neither can we yet forget, how Julius the Third, above ten years past, +provided warily by his writ that none of our sort should be suffered to +speak in the council, except that there were some, peradventure, that +would recant and change his opinion): for this cause chiefly we thought +it good to yield up an account of our faith in writing, and truly and +openly to make answer to those things wherewith we have been openly +charged; to the end the world may see the parts and foundations of that +doctrine, in the behalf whereof so many good men have little regarded +their own lives; and that all men may understand what manner of people +they be, and what opinion they have of God and of religion, whom the +Bishop of Rome, before they were called to tell their tale, hath +condemned for heretics, without any good consideration, without any +example, and utterly without law or right, only because he heard tell +that they did dissent from him and his in some point of religion. + +And although St. Hierom would have nobody to be patient when he is +suspected of heresy, yet we will deal herein neither bitterly nor +brablingly; nor yet be carried away with anger and heat; though he ought +to be reckoned neither bitter nor brabler that speaketh the truth. We +willingly leave this kind of eloquence to our adversaries, who, +whatsoever they say against us, be it never so shrewdly or despitefully +said, yet think it is said modestly and comely enough, and care nothing +whether it be true or false. We need none of these shifts which do +maintain the truth. + +Further, if we do show it plainly that God's holy Gospel, the ancient +bishops, and the primitive Church do make on our side, and that we have +not without just cause left these men, and rather have returned to the +Apostles and old Catholic fathers; and if we shall be found to do the +same not colourably or craftily, but in good faith before God, truly, +honestly, clearly, and plainly; and if they themselves which fly our +doctrine, and would be called Catholics, shall manifestly see how all +these titles of antiquity, whereof they boast so much, are quite shaken +out of their hands; and that there is more pith in this our cause than +they thought for; we then hope and trust that none of them will be so +negligent and careless of his own salvation, but he will at length study +and bethink himself to whether part he were best to join him. +Undoubtedly, except one will altogether harden his heart and refuse to +hear, he shall not repent him to give good heed to this our Defence, and +to mark well what we say, and how truly and justly it agreeth with +Christian religion. + +For where they call us heretics, it is a crime so heinous, that unless it +may be seen, unless it may be felt, and in manner may be holden with +hands and fingers, it ought not lightly to be judged or believed, when it +is laid to the charge of any Christian man. For heresy is a forsaking of +salvation, a renouncing of God's grace, a departing from the body and +spirit of Christ. But this was ever an old and solemn property with them +and their forefathers; if any did complain of their errors and faults, +and desired to have true religion restored, straightway to condemn such +ones for heretics, as men new-fangled and factious. Christ for no other +cause was called a Samaritan, but only for that He was thought to have +fallen to a certain new religion, and to be the author of a new sect. And +Paul the Apostle of Christ was called before the judges to make answer to +a matter of heresy; and therefore he said: "According to this way which +they call heresy I do worship the God of my fathers, believing all things +which be written in the law and in the Prophets." + +Shortly to speak. This universal religion which Christian men profess at +this day was called first of the heathen people a sect and heresy. With +these terms did they always fill princes' ears, to the intent when they +had once hated us with a predetermined opinion, and had counted all that +we said to be faction and heresy, they might be so led away from the +truth and right understanding of the cause. But the more sore and +outrageous a crime heresy is, the more it ought to be proved by plain and +strong arguments, especially in this time, when men begin to give less +credit to their words, and to make more diligent search of their +doctrine, than they were wont to do. For the people of God are otherwise +instructed now than they were in times past, when all the bishops of +Rome's sayings were allowed for Gospel, and when all religion did depend +only upon their authority. Nowadays the Holy Scripture is abroad, the +writings of the Apostles and Prophets are in print, whereby all truth and +Catholic doctrine may be proved, and all heresy may be disproved and +confuted. + +Sithence, then, they bring forth none of these for themselves, and call +us nevertheless heretics, which have neither fallen from Christ, nor from +the Apostles, nor yet from the Prophets, this is an injurious and a very +spiteful dealing. With this sword did Christ put off the devil when He +was tempted of him: with these weapons ought all presumption, which doth +advance itself against God, to be overthrown and conquered. "For all +Scripture," saith St. Paul, "that cometh by the inspiration of God, is +profitable to teach, to confute, to instruct, and to reprove, that the +man of God may be perfect, and thoroughly framed to every good work." +Thus did the holy fathers always fight against the heretics with none +other force than with the Holy Scriptures. St. Augustine, when he +disputed against Petilian, a heretic of the Donatists: "Let not these +words," quoth he, "be heard between us, 'I say, or you say:' let us +rather speak in this wise: 'Thus saith the Lord.' There let us seek the +Church: there let us boult out our cause." Likewise St. Hierom: "All +those things," saith he, "which without the testimony of the Scriptures +are holden as delivered from the Apostles, be thoroughly smitten down by +the sword of God's word." St. Ambrose also, to Gratian the emperor: "Let +the Scripture," saith he, "be asked the question, let the prophets be +asked, and let Christ be asked." For at that time made the Catholic +fathers and bishops no doubt but that our religion might be proved out of +the Holy Scriptures. Neither were they ever so hardy as to take any for +a heretic whose error they could not evidently and apparently reprove by +the self-same Scriptures. And we verily do make answer on this wise, as +St. Paul did: "According to this way which they call heresy we do worship +God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and do allow all things +which have been written either in the law or in the Prophets," or in the +Apostles' works. + +Wherefore, if we be heretics, and they (as they would fain be called) be +Catholics, why do they not, as they see the fathers, which were Catholic +men, have always done? Why do they not convince and master us by the +Divine Scriptures? Why do they not call us again to be tried by them? +Why do they not lay before us how we have gone away from Christ, from the +Prophets, from the Apostles, and from the holy fathers? Why stick they +to do it? Why are they afraid of it? It is God's cause. Why are they +doubtful to commit it to the trial of God's word? If we be heretics, +which refer all our controversies unto the Holy Scriptures, and report us +to the self-same words which we know were sealed by God Himself, and in +comparison of them set little by all other things, whatsoever may be +devised by men, how shall we say to these folk, I pray you what manner of +men be they, and how is it meet to call them, which fear the judgment of +the Holy Scriptures--that is to say, the judgment of God Himself--and do +prefer before them their own dreams and full cold inventions; and, to +maintain their own traditions, have defaced and corrupted, now these many +hundred years, the ordinances of Christ and of the Apostles? + +Men say that Sophocles, the tragical poet, when in his old days he was by +his own sons accused before the judges for a doting and sottish man, as +one that fondly wasted his own substance, and seemed to need a governor +to see unto him; to the intent he might clear himself of the fault, he +came into the place of judgment; and when he had rehearsed before them +his tragedy called _OEdipus Coloneus_, which he had written at the very +time of his accusation, marvellous exactly and cunningly, did of himself +ask the judges whether they thought any sottish or doting man could do +the like piece of work. + +In like manner, because these men take us to be mad, and appeach us for +heretics, as men which have nothing to do, neither with Christ, nor with +the Church of God, we have judged it should be to good purpose, and not +unprofitable, if we do openly and frankly set forth our faith wherein we +stand, and show all that confidence which we have in Christ Jesu; to the +intent all men may see what is our judgment of every part of Christian +religion, and may resolve with themselves, whether the faith which they +shall see confirmed by the words of Christ, by the writings of the +Apostles, by the testimonies of the Catholic fathers, and by the examples +of many ages, be but a certain rage of furious and mad men, and a +conspiracy of heretics. This therefore is our belief. + + + +PART II. + + +We believe that there is one certain nature and Divine power, which we +call God: and that the same is divided into three equal Persons--into the +Father, into the Son, and into the Holy Ghost; and that They all be of +one power, of one majesty, of one eternity, of one Godhead, and of one +substance. And although these three Persons be so divided, that neither +the Father is the Son, nor the Son is the Holy Ghost, or the Father; yet, +nevertheless, we believe that there is but one very God, and that the +same one God hath created heaven, and earth, and all things contained +under heaven. + +We believe that Jesus Christ, the only Son of the eternal Father (as long +before it was determined before all beginnings), when the fulness of time +was come, did take of that blessed and pure Virgin both flesh and all the +nature of man, that He might declare to the world the secret and hid will +of His Father; which will had been laid up from before all ages and +generations; and that He might full finish in His human body the mystery +of our redemption; and might fasten our sins to the cross, and also that +handwriting which was made against us. + +We believe that for our sakes He died, and was buried, descended into +hell, the third day by the power of His Godhead returned to life, and +rose again; and that the fortieth day after His resurrection, whiles His +disciples beheld and looked upon Him He ascended into heaven to fulfil +all things, and did place in majesty and glory the self-same body +wherewith He was born, wherein He lived on earth, wherein He was jested +at, wherein He had suffered most painful torments and cruel kind of +death, wherein He rose again, and wherein He ascended to the right hand +of the Father, "above all rule, above all power, all force, all dominion, +and above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in +the world to come:" and that there He now sitteth, and shall sit, till +all things be full perfected. And although the Majesty and Godhead of +Christ be everywhere abundantly dispersed, yet we believe that his body, +as St. Augustine saith, must needs be still in one place; and that Christ +hath given majesty unto His body, but yet hath not taken away from it the +nature of a body; and that we must not so affirm Christ to be God that we +deny Him to be man: and, as the Martyr Vigilius saith, that Christ hath +left us as touching His human nature, but hath not left us as touching +His Divine nature; and that the same Christ, though He be absent from us +concerning His manhood, yet is ever present with us concerning his +Godhead. + +From that place also we believe that Christ shall come again to execute +that general judgment, as well of them whom He shall then find alive in +the body as of them that be already dead. + +We believe that the Holy Ghost, who is the third person in the Holy +Trinity, is very God: not made, not created, not begotten, but proceeding +from both the Father and the Son, by a certain mean unknown unto men, and +unspeakable; and that it is His property to mollify and soften the +hardness of man's heart when He is once received thereinto, either by the +wholesome preaching of the Gospel, or by any other way: that he doth give +men light, and guide them unto the knowledge of God; to all way of truth; +to newness of the whole life; and to everlasting hope of salvation. + +* * * * * + +We believe that there is one Church of God, and that the same is not shut +up (as in times past among the Jews) into some one corner or kingdom, but +that it is catholic and universal, and dispersed throughout the whole +world. So that there is now no nation which may truly complain that they +be shut forth, and may not be one of the Church and people of God: and +that this Church is the kingdom, the body, and the spouse of Christ; and +that Christ alone is the Prince of this kingdom; that Christ alone is the +Head of this Body; and that Christ alone is the Bridegroom of this +spouse. + +Furthermore, we believe that there be divers degrees of ministers in the +Church; whereof some be deacons, some priests, some bishops; to whom is +committed the office to instruct the people, and the whole charge and +setting forth of religion. Yet notwithstanding, we say that there +neither is, nor can be any one man, which may have the whole superiority +in this universal state: for that Christ is ever present to assist His +Church, and needeth not any man to supply His room, as His only heir to +all His substance: and that there can be no one mortal creature, which is +able to comprehend or conceive in his mind the universal Church, that is +to wit, all the parts of the world, much less able rightly and duly to +put them in order, and to govern them rightly and duly. For all the +Apostles, as Cyprian saith, were of like power among themselves, and the +rest were the same that Peter was, and that it said indifferently to them +all, "feed ye;" indifferently to them all, "go into the whole world;" +indifferently to them all, "teach ye the Gospel." And (as Hierom saith) +all bishops wheresoever they be, be they at Rome, be they at Eugubium, be +they at Constantinople, be they at Rhegium, be all of like pre-eminence, +and of like priesthood. And, as Cyprian saith, there is but one +bishopric, and a piece thereof is perfectly and wholly holden of every +particular bishop. And according to the judgment of the Nicene Council, +we say, that the Bishop of Rome hath no more jurisdiction over the Church +of God than the rest of the patriarchs, either of Alexandria, or of +Antiochia have. And as for the Bishop of Rome, who now calleth all +matters before himself alone, except he do his duty as he ought to do, +except he minister the Sacraments, except he instruct the people, except +he warn them and teach them, we say that he ought not of right once to be +called a bishop, or so much as an elder. For a bishop, as saith +Augustine, is a name of labour, and not of honour: because he will have +that man understand himself to be no bishop, which will seek to have pre- +eminence, and not to profit others. And that neither the Pope, nor any +other worldly creature can no more be head of the whole Church, or a +bishop over all, than he can be the bridegroom, the light, the salvation, +and life of the Church. For the privileges and names belong only to +Christ, and be properly and only fit for him alone. And that no Bishop +of Rome did ever suffer himself to be called by such a proud name before +Phocas the emperor's time, who, as we know, by killing his own sovereign +Maurice the emperor, did by a traitorous villainy aspire to the empire +about the six hundredth and thirteenth year after Christ was born. Also +the Council of Carthage did circumspectly provide, that no bishop should +be called the highest bishop or chief priest. And therefore, sithence +the Bishop of Rome will nowadays so be called, and challengeth unto +himself an authority that is none of his; besides that he doth plainly +contrary to the ancient councils, and contrary to the old fathers; we +believe that he doth give unto himself, as it is written by his own +companion Gregory, a presumptuous, a profane, a sacrilegious, and an +antichristian name: that he is also the king of pride, that he is +Lucifer, which preferreth himself before his brethren: that he hath +forsaken the faith, and is the forerunner of Antichrist. + +Further we say, that the minister ought lawfully, duly, and orderly to be +preferred to that office of the Church of God, and that no man hath power +to wrest himself into the holy ministry at his own pleasure and list. +Wherefore these persons do us the greater wrong, which have nothing so +common in their mouths, as that we do nothing orderly and comely, but all +things troublesomely and without order; and that we allow every man to be +a priest, to be a teacher, and to be an interpreter of the Scriptures. + +Moreover, we say that Christ hath given to His ministers power to bind, +to loose, to open, to shut. And that the office of loosing consisteth in +this point: that the minister should either offer by the preaching of the +Gospel the merits of Christ and full pardon, to such as have lowly and +contrite hearts, and do unfeignedly repent themselves, pronouncing unto +the same a sure and undoubted forgiveness of their sins, and hope of +everlasting salvation: or else that the same minister, when any have +offended their brothers' minds with a great offence, with a notable and +open fault, whereby they have, as it were, banished and made themselves +strangers from the common fellowship, and from the body of Christ; then +after perfect amendment of such persons, doth reconcile them, and bring +them home again, and restore them to the company and unity of the +faithful. We say also, that the minister doth execute the authority of +binding and shutting, as often as he shutteth up the gate of the kingdom +of heaven against the unbelieving and stubborn persons, denouncing unto +them God's vengeance, and everlasting punishment: or else, when he doth +quite shut them out from the bosom of the Church by open excommunication. +Out of doubt, what sentence soever the minister of God shall give in this +sort, God Himself doth so well allow of it, that whatsoever here in earth +by their means is loosed and bound, God Himself will loose and bind, and +confirm the same in heaven. And touching the keys, wherewith they may +either shut or open the kingdom of heaven, we with Chrysostom say, "They +be the knowledge of the Scriptures:" with Tertullian we say, "They be the +interpretation of the law:" and with Eusebius, we call them "The Word of +God." Moreover, that Christ's disciples did receive this authority, not +that they should hear the private confessions of the people and listen to +their whisperings, as the common massing-priests do everywhere nowadays, +and do it so, as though in that one point lay all the virtue and use of +the keys: but to the end they should go, they should teach, they should +publish abroad the Gospel, and be unto the believing a sweet savour of +life unto life, and unto the unbelieving and unfaithful a savour of death +unto death; and that the minds of godly persons being brought low by the +remorse of their former life and errors, after they once began to look up +unto the light of the Gospel, and believe in Christ, might be opened with +the Word of God, even as a door is opened with a key. Contrariwise, that +the wicked and wilful folk, and such as would not believe, nor return +into the right way, should be left still as fast locked, and shut up, +and, as St. Paul saith, "wax worse and worse." This take we to be the +meaning of the keys; and that after this sort men's consciences either be +opened or shut. We say, that the priest indeed is a judge in this case, +but yet hath no manner of right to challenge an authority, or power, as +saith Ambrose. And therefore our Saviour Jesu Christ, to reprove the +negligence of the Scribes and Pharisees in teaching, did with these words +rebuke them, saying: "Woe be unto you Scribes and Pharisees, which have +taken away the keys of knowledge, and have shut up the kingdom of heaven +before men." Seeing then the key whereby the way and entry to the +kingdom of God is opened unto us, is the word of the Gospel, and the +expounding of the law and Scriptures; we say plainly, where the same word +is not there is not the key. And seeing one manner of word is given to +all, and one only key belongeth to all, we say, that there is but one +only power of all ministers; as concerning opening and shutting. And as +touching the Bishop of Rome, for all his parasites flatteringly sing +these words in his ears, "To thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of +heaven" (as though those keys were fit for him alone, and for nobody +else), except he go so to work, as men's consciences may be made pliant, +and be subdued to the Word of God, we deny that he doth either open, or +shut, or hath the keys at all. And although he taught and instructed the +people (as would God he might once truly do, and persuade himself it were +at the least some piece of his duty), yet we think his key to be never a +whit better, or of greater force than other men's. For who hath severed +him from the rest? Who hath taught him more cunningly to open, or better +to absolve than his brethren? + +We say that matrimony is holy and honourable in all sorts and states of +persons, in the patriarchs, in the Prophets, in the Apostles, in holy +martyrs, in the ministers of the Church, and in bishops; and that it is +an honest and lawful thing (as Chrysostom saith) for a man, living in +matrimony, to take upon him therewith the dignity of a bishop. And as +Sozomenus saith of Spiridion; and as Nazianzen saith of his own father, +that a good and diligent bishop doth serve in the ministry never the +worse for that he is married, but rather the better, and with more +ableness to do good. Further, we say, that the same law which by +constraint taketh away this liberty from men, and compelleth them against +their wills to live single, is the doctrine of devils, as Paul saith: +and, that, ever sithence the time of this law, a wonderful uncleanness of +life and manners in God's ministers, and sundry horrible enormities have +followed, as the Bishop of Augusta, as Faber, as Abbas Panormitanus, as +Latomus, as the tripartite work, which is annexed to the second tome of +the councils, and other champions of the Pope's band, yea, and as the +matter itself, and all histories do confess. For it was rightly said by +Pius the Second, Bishop of Rome, "that he saw many causes why wives +should be taken away from priests, but that he saw many more, and more +weighty causes why they ought to be restored them again." + +* * * * * + +We receive and embrace all the canonical Scriptures, both of the Old and +New Testament, giving thanks to our God, who hath raised up unto us that +light which we might ever have before our eyes, lest either by the +subtlety of man, or by the snares of the devil, we should be carried away +to errors and lies. Also that these be the heavenly voices, whereby God +hath opened unto us His will: and that only in them man's heart can have +settled rest; that in them be abundantly and fully comprehended all +things, whatsoever be needful for our salvation, as Origen, Augustine, +Chrysostom, and Cyrillus have taught: that they be the very might and +strength of God to attain to salvation: that they be the foundations of +the Prophets and Apostles, whereupon is built the Church of God: that +they be the very sure and infallible rule, whereby may be tried, whether +the Church do stagger, or err, and whereunto all ecclesiastical doctrine +ought to be called to account: and that against these Scriptures neither +law, nor ordinance, nor any custom ought to be heard: no, though Paul his +own self, or an angel from heaven, should come and teach the contrary. + +* * * * * + +Moreover, we allow the Sacraments of the Church, that is to say, certain +holy signs and ceremonies, which Christ would we should use, that by them +He might set before our eyes the mysteries of our salvation, and might +more strongly confirm our faith which we have in His blood, and might +seal His grace in our hearts. And these Sacraments, together with +Tertullian, Origen, Ambrose, Hierom, Chrysostom, Basil, Dionysius, and +other Catholic fathers, do we call figures, signs, marks or badges, +prints, copies, forms, seals, signets, similitudes, patterns, +representations, remembrances and memories. And we make no doubt, +together with the same doctors, to say, that these be certain visible +words, seals of righteousness, tokens of grace: and do expressly +pronounce, that in the Lord's Supper there is truly given unto the +believing the body and blood of the Lord, the flesh of the Son of God, +which quickeneth our souls, the meat that cometh from above, the food of +immortality, grace, truth, and life, and the Supper to be the communion +of the body and blood of Christ; by the partaking whereof we be revived, +we be strengthened, and be fed unto immortality; and whereby we are +joined, united, and incorporate unto Christ, that we may abide in Him, +and He in us. + +Besides, we acknowledge there be two Sacraments, which, we judge, +properly ought to be called by this name; that is to say, Baptism and the +Sacrament of thanksgiving. For thus many we say were delivered and +sanctified by Christ, and well allowed of the old fathers, Ambrose and +Augustine. + +* * * * * + +We say that Baptism is a Sacrament of the remission of sins, and of that +washing, which we have in the blood of Christ; and that no person which +will profess Christ's Name ought to be restrained or kept back therefrom; +no, not the very babes of Christians; forsomuch as they be born in sin, +and do pertain unto the people of God. + +We say, that Eucharistia, that is to say the Supper of the Lord, is a +Sacrament; that is to wit, an evident token of the body and blood of +Christ, wherein is set, as it were, before our eyes, the death of Christ +and His resurrection, and what act soever He did whilst He was in His +mortal body: to the end we may give Him thanks for His death, and for our +deliverance: and that, by the often receiving of this Sacrament, we may +daily renew the remembrance of that matter, to the intent we, being fed +with the [true] body and blood of Christ, may be brought into the hope of +the resurrection and of everlasting life, and may most assuredly believe +that the body and blood of Christ doth in like manner feed our souls, as +bread and wine doth feed our bodies. To this banquet we think the people +of God ought to be earnestly bidden, that they may all communicate among +themselves, and openly declare and testify both the godly society which +is among them, and also the hope which they have in Christ Jesu. For +this cause if there had been any which would be but a looker-on, and +abstain from the Holy Communion, him did the old fathers and bishops of +Rome in the primitive Church, before private mass came up, excommunicate +as a wicked person and as a pagan. Neither was there any Christian at +that time which did communicate alone, whiles other looked on. For so +did Calixtus in times past decree, "that after the consecration was +finished, all should communicate, except they had rather stand without +the church-doors; because thus (saith he) did the Apostles appoint, and +the same the holy Church of Rome keepeth still." + +Moreover, when the people cometh to the Holy Communion, the Sacrament +ought to be given them in both kinds: for so both Christ hath commanded, +and the Apostles in every place have ordained, and all the ancient +fathers and Catholic bishops have followed the same. And whoso doth +contrary to this, he (as Gelasius saith) committeth sacrilege. And +therefore we say, that our adversaries at this day, who having violently +thrust out, and quite forbidden the Holy Communion, do, without the word +of God, without the authority of any ancient council, without any +Catholic father, without any example of the primitive Church, yea, and +without reason also, defend and maintain their private masses, and the +mangling of the Sacraments, and do this not only against the plain +express commandment and bidding of Christ, but also against all +antiquity, do wickedly therein, and are very Church robbers. + +We affirm that bread and wine are holy and heavenly mysteries of the body +and blood of Christ, and that by them Christ Himself, being the true +bread of eternal life, is so presently given unto us as that by faith we +verily receive his body and his blood. Yet say we not this so, as though +we thought that the nature and substance of the bread and wine is clearly +changed and goeth to nothing: as many have dreamed in these later times, +which yet could never agree among themselves, of this their dream. For +that was not Christ's meaning, that the wheaten bread should lay apart +his own nature, and receive a certain new divinity: but that he might +rather change us, and (to use Theophylact's words) might transform us +into His body. For what can be said more plainly, than that which +Ambrose saith: "Bread and wine remain still the same they were before, +and yet are changed into another thing:" or, that which Gelasius saith: +"The substance of the bread, or the nature of the wine, ceaseth not so to +be:" or, that which Theodoret saith: "After the consecration the mystical +signs do not cast off their own proper nature; for they remain still on +their former substance, form, and kind:" or that which Augustine saith: +"That which ye see is the bread and cup, for so our eyes tell us: but +that which your faith requireth to be taught, is this: the bread is the +body of Christ, and the cup is His blood:" or that which Origen saith: +"The bread which is sanctified by the Word of God, as touching the +material substance thereof, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into +the privy:" or that which Christ Himself said, not only after the +blessing of the cup, but after he had ministered the communion: "I will +drink no more of this fruit of the vine." It is well known that the +fruit of the vine is wine, and not blood. + +And in speaking thus, we mean not to abase the Lord's Supper, that it is +but a cold ceremony only, and nothing to be wrought therein (as many +falsely slander us we teach). For we affirm, that Christ doth truly and +presently give His own self in His Sacraments; in Baptism, that we may +put Him on; and in His Supper, that we may eat Him by faith and spirit, +and may have everlasting life by His Cross and blood. And we say not, +this is done slightly and coldly, but effectually and truly. For +although we do not touch the body of Christ with teeth and mouth, yet we +hold Him fast, and eat Him by faith, by understanding, and by the Spirit. +And it is no vain faith which doth comprehend Christ: and that is not +received with cold devotion, that is received with understanding, with +faith, and with spirit. For Christ Himself altogether is so offered and +given us in these mysteries, that we may certainly know we be flesh of +His flesh, and bone of His bones; and that Christ "continueth in us, and +we in Him." And therefore in celebrating these mysteries, the people are +to good purpose exhorted before they come to receive the Holy Communion, +to lift up their hearts, and to direct their minds to heavenward: because +He is there, by whom we must be full fed, and live. Cyril saith, when we +come to receive these mysteries, all gross imaginations must quite be +banished. The Council of Nice, as is alleged by some in Greek, plainly +forbiddeth us to be basely affectioned, or bent toward the bread and +wine, which are set before us. And, as Chrysostom very aptly writeth, we +say, "that the body of Christ is the dead carcase, and we ourselves must +be the eagles," meaning thereby that we must fly high, if we will come +unto the body of Christ. "For this table," as Chrysostom saith, "is a +table of eagles, and not of jays." Cyprian also, "This bread," saith he, +"is the food of the soul, and not the meat of the belly." And Augustine, +"How shall I hold Him," saith he, "which is absent? How shall I reach my +hand up to heaven, to lay hold upon Him that sitteth there?" He +answereth, "Reach hither thy faith, and then thou hast laid hold on Him." + +We cannot also away in our churches with the shows, and sales, and buying +and selling of masses, nor the carrying about and worshipping of bread: +nor such other idolatrous and blasphemous fondness: which none of them +can prove that Christ or His Apostles did ever ordain, or left unto us. +And we justly blame the bishops of Rome, who, without the word of God, +without the authority of the holy fathers, without any example of +antiquity, after a new guise, do not only set before the people the +sacramental bread to be worshipped as God, but do also carry about the +same upon an ambling horse, whithersoever themselves journey, as in old +times the Persians' fire, and the relics of the goddess Isis, were +solemnly carried about in procession: and have brought the Sacraments of +Christ to be used now as a stage play and a solemn sight: to the end, +that men's eyes should be fed with nothing else but with mad gazings and +foolish gauds, in the self-same matter, wherein the death of Christ ought +diligently to be beaten into our hearts, and wherein also the mysteries +of our redemption ought with all holiness and reverence to be executed. + +Besides, where they say, and sometimes do persuade fools, that they are +able by their masses to distribute and apply unto men's commodity all the +merits of Christ's death, yea, although many times the parties think +nothing of the matter, and understand full little what is done, this is a +mockery, an heathenish fancy, and a very toy. For it is our faith that +applieth the death and cross of Christ to our benefit, and not the act of +the massing priest. "Faith had in the Sacraments," saith Augustine, +"doth justify, and not the Sacraments." And Origen saith, "Christ is the +Priest, the Propitiation, and Sacrifice: which Propitiation cometh to +every one by means of faith." So that by this reckoning, we say that the +Sacraments of Christ without faith do not once profit these that be +alive; a great deal less do they profit those that be dead. + +And as for their brags they are wont to make of their purgatory, though +we know it is not a thing so very late risen amongst them, yet is it no +better than a blockish and an old wives' device. Augustine, indeed, +sometime saith, there is such a certain place: sometime he denieth not, +but there may be such a one; sometime he doubteth; sometime again he +utterly denieth it to be, and thinketh that men are therein deceived by a +certain natural good will they bear their friends departed. But yet of +this one error hath there grown up such a harvest of these mass-mongers, +the masses being sold abroad commonly in every corner, the temples of God +became shops to get money: and silly souls were persuaded that nothing +was more necessary to be bought. Indeed, there was nothing more gainful +for these men to sell. + +As touching the multitude of vain and superfluous ceremonies, we know +that Augustine did grievously complain of them in his own time: and +therefore have we cut off a great number of them, because we know that +men's consciences were cumbered about them, and the churches of God +overladen with them. + +Nevertheless we keep still, and esteem, not only those ceremonies which +we are sure were delivered us from the Apostles, but some others too +besides, which we thought might be suffered without hurt to the Church of +God: because that we had a desire that all things in the holy +congregation might (as St. Paul commandeth) "be done with comeliness and +in good order." But as for all those things which we saw were either +very superstitious, or wholly unprofitable, or noisome, or mockeries, or +contrary to the Holy Scriptures, or else unseemly for honest or discreet +folks, as there be an infinite number nowadays where papistry is used; +these, I say, we have utterly refused without all manner exception, +because we would not have the right worshipping of God any longer denied +with such follies. + +We make our prayers in that tongue which all our people, as meet is, may +understand, to the end they may (as Paul counselleth us) take common +commodity by common prayer, even as all the holy fathers and Catholic +bishops, both in the Old and New Testament, did used to pray themselves, +and taught the people to pray too, lest, as Augustine saith, "like +parrots and ousels we should seem to speak that we understand not." + +Neither have we any other mediator and intercessor, by whom we may have +access to God the Father, than Jesus Christ, in whose only Name all +things are obtained at His Father's hand. But it is a shameful part, and +full of infidelity, that we see every whore used in the churches of our +adversaries, not only in that they will have innumerable sorts of +mediators, and that utterly without the authority of God's word (so that, +as Jeremy saith, "The saints be now as many in number, or rather above +the number of the cities;" and poor men cannot tell to which saint it +were best to turn them first; and though there be so many as they cannot +be told, yet every one of them hath his peculiar duty and office assigned +unto him of these folks, what thing they ought to ask, what to give, and +what to bring to pass): but besides this also, in that they do not only +wickedly, but also shamefully, call upon the Blessed Virgin, Christ's +mother, to have her remember that she is the mother, and to command her +Son, and to use a mother's authority over Him. + +We say also, that every person is born in sin, and leadeth his life in +sin: that nobody is able truly to say his heart is clean: that the most +righteous person is but an unprofitable servant: that the law of God is +perfect, and requireth of us perfect and full obedience: that we are able +by no means to fulfil that law in this worldly life: that there is no one +mortal creature which can be justified by his own deserts in God's sight: +and therefore that our only succour and refuge is to fly to the mercy of +our Father by Jesu Christ, and assuredly to persuade our minds that He is +the obtainer of forgiveness for our sins; and that by His blood all our +spots of sin be washed clean: that He hath pacified and set at one, all +things by the blood of His Cross: that He by the same one only Sacrifice, +which He once offered upon the Cross, hath brought to effect and +fulfilled all things, and that for that cause He said, when He gave up +the ghost, "It is finished," as though He would signify, that the price +and ransom was now full paid for the sin of all mankind. If there be +any, then, that think this Sacrifice not sufficient, let them go, in +God's Name, and seek another that is better. We, verily, because we know +this to be the only Sacrifice, are well content with it alone and look +for none other: and, forasmuch as it was to be offered but once, we +command it not to be renewed again: and because it was full and perfect +in all points and parts, we do not ordain in place thereof any continual +succession of offerings. + +Besides, though we say, we have no meed at all by our own works and +deeds, but appoint all the means of our salvation to be in Christ alone, +yet say we not, that for this cause men ought to live loosely and +dissolutely: nor that it is enough for a Christian to be baptised only +and to believe: as though there were nothing else required at his hand. +For true faith is lively, and can in no wise be idle. + +Thus therefore teach we the people, that God hath called us, not to +follow riot and wantonness, but, as St. Paul saith, "unto good works, to +walk in them:" that God hath plucked us out "from the power of darkness, +to the end that we should serve the living God;" to cut away all the +remnants of sin, and "to work our salvation in fear and trembling:" that +it may appear, how that the Spirit of sanctification is in our bodies, +and that Christ Himself doth dwell in our hearts. + +To conclude, we believe, that this our self-same flesh wherein we live, +although it die, and come to dust, yet at the last day it shall return +again to life, by the means of Christ's Spirit which dwelleth in us: and +that then verily, whatsoever we suffer here in the meanwhile for His +sake, Christ will wipe away all tears and lamentation from our eyes: and +that we through Him shall enjoy everlasting life, and shall for ever be +with Him in glory. So be it. + + + +PART III. + + +Behold these are the horrible heresies, for the which, a good part of the +world is at this day condemned by the Bishop of Rome; and yet were never +heard to plead their cause. He should have commenced his suit rather +against Christ, against the Apostles, and against the holy fathers. For +these things did not only proceed from them, but were also appointed by +them: except perhaps these men will say (as I think they will indeed), +that Christ never instituted the Holy Communion to be divided amongst the +faithful; or that Christ's Apostles and the ancient fathers said private +masses in every corner of the temples, now ten, now twenty together in +one day: or that Christ and His Apostles banished all the common people +from the Sacrament of His blood: or that the thing, which they themselves +do at this day everywhere, and do it so as they condemn him for a heretic +which doth otherwise, is not called of Gelasius, their own doctor, plain +sacrilege: or that these be not the very words of Ambrose, Augustine, +Gelasius, Theodoret, Chrysostom, and Origen: "The bread and wine in the +Sacraments remain still the same they were before:" "The thing which is +seen upon the Holy Table is bread;" "There ceaseth not to be still the +substance of bread, and nature of wine;" "The substance and nature of +bread are not changed;" "The self-same bread, as touching the material +substance, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the privy:" or that +Christ, the Apostles, and holy fathers prayed not in that tongue which +the people might understand: or that Christ hath not performed all things +by that one offering which He once offered: or that the same sacrifice +was unperfect, and so now we have need of another. All these things must +they of necessity say, unless perchance they had rather say thus, that +"all law and right is locked up in the treasury of the Pope's breast," +and that, as once one of his soothing pages and claw-backs did not stick +to say, "The Pope is able to dispense against the Apostles;" against a +council, and against the canons and rules of the Apostles: and that he is +not bound to stand neither to the examples, nor to the ordinances, nor to +the laws of Christ. We, for our part, have learned these things of +Christ, of the Apostles, of the devout fathers: and do sincerely, with +good faith, teach the people of God the same. Which thing is the only +cause why we at this day are called heretics of the chief prelates (no +doubt) of religion. + +O immortal God! hath Christ Himself, then, the Apostles, and so many +fathers all at once gone astray? Were then Origen, Ambrose, Augustine, +Chrysostom, Gelasius, Theodoret, forsakers of the Catholic faith? was so +notable a consent of so many ancient bishops and learned men nothing else +but a conspiracy of heretics? or is that now condemned in us, which was +then commended in them? or is the thing now, by alteration only of men's +affections, suddenly become schismatic, which in them was counted +Catholic? or shall that which in times past was true, now by-and-by, +because it liketh not these men, be judged false? let them then bring +forth another Gospel, and let them show the causes why these things, +which so long have openly been observed and well-allowed in the Church of +God, ought now in the end to be called in again. We know well enough +that the same word which was opened by Christ, and spread abroad by the +Apostles, is sufficient both, our salvation and all truth, to uphold and +maintain; and also to confound all manner of heresy. By that word only +do we condemn all sorts of the old heretics, whom these men say we have +called out of hell again. As for the Arians, the Eutychians, the +Marcionites, the Ebionites, the Valentinians, the Carpocratians, the +Tatians, the Novatians, and shortly all them which have a wicked opinion, +either of God the Father, or of Christ, or of the Holy Ghost, or of any +other point of Christian religion, forsomuch as they be confuted by the +Gospel of Christ, we plainly pronounce them for detestable and castaway +persons, and defy them even unto the devil. Neither do we leave them so, +but we also severely and straitly hold them in by lawful and politic +punishments, if they fortune to break out anywhere, and bewray +themselves. + +Indeed, we grant that certain new and very strange sects, as the +Anabaptists, Libertines, Menonians, and Zuenckfeldians, have been +stirring in the world ever since the Gospel did first spring. But the +world seeth now right well, thanks be given to our God, that we neither +have bred, nor taught, nor kept up these monsters. In good fellowship, I +pray thee, whosoever thou be, read our books: they are to be sold in +every place. What hath there ever been written by any of our company +which might plainly bear with the madness of any of those heretics. Nay, +I say unto you, there is no country this day so free from their pestilent +infections, as they be, wherein the Gospel is freely and commonly taught. +So that if they weigh the very matter with earnest and upright +advisement, this thing is a great argument, that this same is the very +truth of the Gospel of Christ, which we do teach. For lightly neither is +cockle wont to grow without the wheat, nor yet the chaff without the +corn. For from the very Apostles' times, who knoweth not how many +heresies did rise up even together so soon, as the Gospel was first +spread abroad? Who ever had heard tell of Simon, Menander, Saturninus, +Basilides, Carpocrates, Cerinthus, Ebion, Valentinus, Secundus, +Marcosius, Colorbasius, Heracleo, Lucianus, and Severus, before the +Apostles were sent abroad? But why stand we reckoning up these? +Epiphanius rehearseth up fourscore sundry heresies; and Augustine many +more, which sprang up even together with the Gospel? What then? Was the +Gospel therefore not the Gospel, because heresies sprang up withal? or +was Christ therefore not Christ? And yet, as we said, doth not this +great crop and heap of heresies grow up amongst us, which do openly, +abroad, and frankly teach the Gospel. These poisons take their +beginnings, their increasings, and strength, amongst our adversaries, in +blindness and in darkness, amongst whom truth is with cruelty and tyranny +kept under, and cannot be heard but in corners and secret meetings. But +let them make a proof: let them give the Gospel free passage: let the +truth of Jesu Christ give his clear light, and stretch forth His bright +beams into all parts: and then shall they forthwith see how all these +shadows straight will vanish and pass away at the light of the Gospel, +even as the thick mist of the night consumeth at the sight of the sun. +For whilst these men sit still, and make merry and do nothing, we +continually repress and put back all those heresies which they falsely +charge us to nourish and maintain. + +Where they say, that we have fallen into sundry sects, and would be +called some of us Lutherians, and some of us Zuinglians, and cannot yet +well agree among ourselves touching the whole substance of doctrine: what +would these men have said, if they had been in the first times of the +Apostles and holy fathers, when one said, "I hold of Paul;" another, "I +hold of Cephas;" another, "I hold of Apollo;" when Paul did so sharply +rebuke Peter; when, upon a falling out, Barnabas departed from Paul; +when, as Origen mentioneth, the Christians were divided into so many +factions, as that they kept no more but the name of Christians in common +among them, being in no manner of thing else like unto Christians; when, +as Socrates saith, for their dissensions and sundry sects they were +laughed and jested at openly of the people in the common game-plays; +when, as Constantine the emperor affirmeth, there were such a number of +variances and brawlings in the Church, that it might justly seem a misery +far passing all the former miseries; when also Theophilus, Epiphanius, +Chrysostom, Augustine, Ruffine, Hierom, being all Christians, being all +fathers, being all Catholics, did strive one against another with most +bitter and remediless contentions without end; when, as saith Nazianzen, +the parts of one body were consumed and wasted one of another; when the +east part was divided from the west, only for leavened bread and only for +keeping of Easter Day; which were indeed no great matters to be strived +for; and when in all councils new creeds and new decrees continually were +devised. What would these men (trow ye) have said in those days? which +side would they specially then have taken? and which would they then have +forsaken? which Gospel would they have believed? whom would they have +accounted for heretics, and whom for Catholics? And yet what a stir and +revel keep they at this time upon two poor names only of Luther and +Zuinglius? Because these two men do not yet fully agree upon some one +point, therefore would they needs have us think that both of them were +deceived; that neither of them had the Gospel; and that neither of them +taught the truth aright. + +But, good God, what manner of fellows be these which blame us for +disagreeing? And do all they themselves, ween you, agree well together? +Is every one of them fully resolved what to follow? Hath there been no +strifes, no debates, no quarrels among them at no time? Why then do the +Scotists and the Thomists, about that they call _meritum congrui_ and +_meritum condigni_, no better agree together? Why agree they no better +among themselves concerning original sin in the Blessed Virgin? +concerning a solemn vow and a single vow? Why say the canonists, that +auricular confession is appointed by the positive law of man: and the +schoolmen contrariwise, that it is appointed by the law of God? Why doth +Albertus Pighius dissent from Cajetanus? Why doth Thomas dissent from +Lombardus, Scotus from Thomas, Occamus from Scotus, Alliacensis [ed. 1564 +Alliensis] from Occamus? And why do the Nominals disagree from the +Reals? And yet say I nothing of so many diversities of friars and monks; +how some of them put a great holiness in eating of fish, and some in +eating of herbs; some in wearing of shoes, and some in wearing of +sandals; some in going in a linen garment, and some in a woollen; some of +them called white, some black; some being shaven broad, and some narrow: +some stalking abroad upon pattens, some barefooted; some girt, and some +ungirt. They ought, I wiss, to remember, how there be some of their own +company which say, that the body of Christ is in His Supper naturally: +contrary, other some of the self-same company deny it to be so. Again, +that there be other of them, which say, the body of Christ in the Holy +Communion "is rent and torn with our teeth:" and some again that deny the +same. Some also of them there be, which write that the body of Christ is +_quantum_ in the Eucharistia; that is to say, hath his perfect quantity +in the Sacrament; some other again say nay. That there be others of them +which say Christ did consecrate with a certain Divine power: some, that +he did the same with His blessing: some again that say, He did it with +uttering five solemn chosen words: and some, with rehearsing the same +words afterward again. Some will have it, that, when Christ did speak +those five words, the material wheaten bread was pointed by this +demonstrative pronoun _hoc_: some had rather have, that a certain _vagum +individuum_, as they term it, was meant thereby. Again, others there be +that say dogs and mice may truly and in very deed eat the body of Christ; +and others again there be that steadfastly deny it. There be others, +which say, that the very accidents of bread and wine may nourish: others +again there be which say, how that the substance of bread doth return +again. What need I say more? It were overlong and tedious to reckon up +all things. So very uncertain, and full of controversies, is yet the +whole form of these men's religion and doctrine, even amongst themselves, +from whence it did first spring and begin. For hardly at any time do +they well agree between themselves: except it be peradventure as, in +times past, the Pharisees and Sadducees; or as Herod and Pilate did +accord against Christ. + +They were best, therefore, to go and set peace at home rather among their +own selves. Of a truth, unity and concord doth best become religion: yet +is not unity the sure and certain mark whereby to know the Church of God. +For there was the greatest consent that might be amongst them that +worshipped the golden calf; and among them which with one voice jointly +cried against our Saviour Jesus Christ, "Crucify Him." Neither, because +the Corinthians were unquieted with private dissensions: or because Paul +did square with Peter, or Barnabas with Paul: or, because the Christians, +upon the very beginning of the Gospel, were at mutual discord touching +some one matter or other, may we therefore think there was no Church of +God amongst them. And as for those persons, whom they upon spite call +Zuinglians and Lutherians, in very deed they of both sides be Christians, +good friends and brethren. They vary not betwixt themselves upon the +principles and foundations of our religion, nor as touching God, nor +Christ, nor the Holy Ghost, nor of the means of justification, nor yet +everlasting life, but upon one only question, which is neither weighty +nor great: neither mistrust we, or make doubt at all, but they will +shortly be agreed. And if there be any of them which have other opinion +than is meet, we doubt not but ere it be long they will put apart all +affections and names of parties, and that God will reveal it unto them: +so that by better considering and searching out of the matter, as once it +came to pass in the Council of Chalcedon, all causes and seeds of +dissension shall be thoroughly plucked up by the root, and be buried, and +quite forgotten for ever. Which God grant. + +But this is the most grievous and heavy case, that they call us wicked +and ungodly men, and say we have thrown away all care of religion. Though +this ought not to trouble us much, whilst they themselves that thus have +charged us know full well how spiteful and false a saying it is: for +Justin the martyr is a witness, how that all Christians were called +[Greek text], that is, godless, as soon as the Gospel first began to be +published, and the Name of Christ to be openly declared. And when +Polycarpus stood to be judged, the people stirred up the president to +slay and murder all them which professed the Gospel, with these words, +[Greek text], that is to say, "Rid out of the way these wicked and +godless creatures." And this was not because it was true that the +Christians were godless, but because they would not worship stones and +stocks which were then honoured as God. The whole world seeth plainly +enough already, what we and ours have endured at these men's hands for +religion and our only God's cause. They have thrown us into prison, into +water, into fire, and imbrued themselves in our blood: not because we +were either adulterers, or robbers, or murderers, but only for that we +confessed the Gospel of Jesu Christ, and put our confidence in the living +God; and for that we complained too justly and truly (Lord, thou +knowest), that they did break the law of God for their own most vain +traditions; and that our adversaries were the very foes to the Gospel, +and enemies to Christ's Cross, who so wittingly and willingly did +obstinately despise God's commandments. + +Wherefore, when these men saw they could not rightly find fault with our +doctrine, they would needs pick a quarrel and inveigh and rail against +our manners, surmising, how that we do condemn all well-doings: that we +set open the door to all licentiousness and lust, and lead away the +people from all love of virtue. And in very deed, the life of all men, +even of the devoutest and most Christian, both is, and evermore hath +been, such as one may always find some lack, even in the very best and +purest conversation. And such is the inclination of all creatures unto +evil, and the readiness of all men to suspect that the things which +neither have been done, nor once meant to be done, yet may be easily both +heard and credited for true. And like as a small spot is soon espied in +the neatest and whitest garment, even so the least stain of dishonesty is +easily found out in the purest and sincerest life. Neither take we all +them which have at this day embraced the doctrine of the Gospel, to be +angels, and to live clearly without any mote or wrinkle; nor yet think we +these men either so blind, that if anything may be noted in us, they are +not able to perceive the same even through the least crevice: nor so +friendly, that they will construe aught to the best: nor yet so honest of +nature nor courteous, that they will look back upon themselves, and weigh +our fashions by their own. If so be we list to search this matter from +the bottom, we know in the very Apostles' times there were Christians, +through whom the Name of the Lord was blasphemed and evil spoken of among +the Gentiles. Constantius the emperor bewaileth, as it is written in +Sozomenus, that many waxed worse after they had fallen to the religion of +Christ. And Cyprian, in a lamentable oration, setteth out the corrupt +manners in his time: "The wholesome discipline," saith he, "which the +Apostles left unto us, hath idleness and long rest now utterly marred: +everyone studied to increase his livelihood; and clean forgetting either +what they had done before whilst they were under the Apostles, or what +they ought continually to do, having received the faith they earnestly +laboured to make great their own wealth with an unsatiable desire of +covetousness. There is no devout religion," saith he, "in priests, no +sound faith in ministers, no charity showed in good works, no form of +godliness in their conditions: men are become effeminate, and women's +beauty is counterfeited." And before his days, said Tertullian, "O how +wretched be we, which are called Christians at this time! for we live as +heathens under the Name of Christ." And without reciting of many more +writers, Gregory Nazianzen speaketh thus of the pitiful state of his own +time: "We," saith he, "are in hatred among the heathen for our own vices' +sake; we are also become now a wonder, not only to angels and men, but +even to all the ungodly." In this case was the Church of God, when the +Gospel first began to shine, and when the fury of tyrants was not as yet +cooled, nor the sword taken off from the Christians' necks. Surely it is +no new thing that men be but men, although they be called by the name of +Christians. + + + +PART IV. + + +But will these men, I pray you, think nothing at all of themselves, while +they accuse us so maliciously? And while they have leisure to behold so +far off, and see both what is done in Germany and in England, have they +either forgotten, or can they not see what is done at Rome? or be they +our accusers, whose life is such as no man is able to make mention +thereof but with shame and uncomeliness? Our purpose here is, not to +take in hand, at this present, to bring to light and open to the world +those things which were meet rather to be hid and buried with the workers +of them. It beseemeth neither our religion, nor our modesty, nor our +shamefastness. But yet he, which giveth commandment that he should be +called the "Vicar of Christ," and the "Head of the Church;" who also +heareth that such things be done in Rome, who seeth them, who suffereth +them (for we will go no further), he can easily consider with himself +what manner of things they be. Let him on God's Name call to mind, let +him remember that they be of his own canonists, which have taught the +people that fornication between single folk is no sin (as though they had +fette that doctrine from Mitio in Terence), whose words be: "It is no sin +(believe me) for a young man to haunt harlots." Let him remember they be +of his own which have decreed, that a priest ought not to be put out of +his cure for fornication. Let him remember also how Cardinal Campegius, +Albertus Pighius, and others many more of his own, have taught, that the +priest which "keepeth a concubine" doth live more holily and chastely +than he which hath a "wife in matrimony." I trust he hath not yet +forgotten that there be many thousands of common harlots in Rome; and +that himself doth gather yearly of the same harlots upon, a thirty +thousand ducats, by the way of an annual pension. Neither can he forget, +how himself doth maintain openly brothel houses, and by a most filthy +lucre doth filthily and lewdly serve his own lust. Were all things then +pure and holy in Rome, when "Joan a woman," rather of perfect age than of +perfect life, was Pope there, and bare herself as the "head of the +Church:" and after that for two whole years in that holy see she had +played the naughty pack, at last, going in procession about the city, in +the sight of all the cardinals and bishops, fell in travail openly in the +streets. + +But what need we rehearse concubines and bawds? as for that is now an +ordinary and a gainful sin at Rome. For harlots sit there now-a-days, +not as they did in times past, without the city walls, and with their +faces hid and covered, but they dwell in palaces and fair houses: they +stray about in court and market, and that with bare and open face: as who +say, they may not only lawfully do it, but ought also to be praised for +so doing. What should we say any more of this? Their vicious and +abominable life is now thoroughly known to the whole world. Bernard +writeth roundly and truly of the Bishop of Rome's house, yea, and of the +Bishop of Rome himself. "Thy palace," saith he, "taketh in good men, but +it maketh none; naughty persons thrive there, and the good appayre and +decay." And whosoever he were which wrote the Tripartite work, annexed +to the Council Lateranense, saith thus: "So excessive at this day is the +riot, as well in the prelates and bishops as in the clerks and priests, +that it is horrible to be told." + +But these things be not only grown in ure, and so by custom and continual +time well allowed, as all the rest of their doings in manner be, but they +are now waxen old and rotten ripe. For who hath not heard what a heinous +act Peter Aloisius, Pope Paul the Third's son, committed against Cosmus +Cherius, the Bishop of Fanum; what John, Archbishop of Beneventum, the +Pope's legate at Venice, wrote in the commendation of a most abominable +filthiness: and how he set forth, with most loathsome words and wicked +eloquence, the matter which ought not once to proceed out of anybody's +mouth! To whose ears hath it not come, that N. Diasius, a Spaniard, +being purposely sent from Rome into Germany, so shamefully and devilishly +murdered his own brother John Diasius, a most innocent and a most godly +man, only because he had embraced the Gospel of Jesu Christ, and would +not return again to Rome? + +But it may chance to this they will say: These things may sometime happen +in the best governed commonwealths, yea, and against the magistrates' +wills: and besides, there be good laws made to punish such. I grant it +be so: but by what good laws (I would know) have these great mischiefs +been punished amongst them? Petrus Aloisius, after he had done that +notorious act that I spake of, was always cherished in his father's +bosom, Pope Paul the Third, and made his very derling. Diasius, after he +had murdered his own brother, was delivered by the Pope's means, to the +end he might not be punished by good laws. John Casus, the Archbishop of +Beneventum, is yet alive, yea, and liveth at Rome, even in the eyes and +sight of the most holy father. + +They have put to death infinite numbers of our brethren, only because +they believed truly and sincerely in Jesu Christ. But of that great and +foul number of harlots, fornicators, adulterers, what one have they at +any time (I say not killed, but) either excommunicated, or once attached? +Why! voluptuousness, adultery, ribaldry, whoredom, murdering of kin, +incest, and others more abominable parts, are not these counted sin at +Rome? Or, if they be sin, ought "Christ's vicar, Peter's successor, the +most holy father," so lightly and slightly to bear them, as though they +were no sin, and that in the city of Rome, and in that principal tower of +all holiness? + +O holy Scribes and Pharisees, which knew not this kind of holiness! what +a Catholic faith is this! Peter did not thus teach at Rome: Paul did not +so live at Rome: they did not practise brothelry, which these do openly: +they made not a yearly revenue and profit of harlots: they suffered no +common adulterers and wicked murderers to go unpunished. They did not +receive them into their entire familiarity, into their council, into +their household, nor yet into the company of Christian men. These men +ought not therefore so unreasonably to triumph against our living. It +had been more wisdom for them either first to have proved good their own +life before the world, or at least to have cloaked it a little more +cunningly. For we do use still the old and ancient laws, and (as much as +men may do, in the manners used at these days, all things are so wholly +corrupt) we diligently and earnestly put in execution the ecclesiastical +discipline: we have not common brothel-houses of strumpets, nor yet +flocks of concubines, nor herds of harlot-hunters: neither do we prefer +adultery before matrimony: neither do we exercise beastly sensuality: +neither do we gather ordinary rents and stipends of stews: nor do we +suffer to escape unpunished incest and abominable naughtiness, nor yet +such manquellers as the Aloisians, Casians, and Diazians were. For if +these things would have pleased us, we needed not to have departed from +these men's fellowship, amongst whom such enormities be in their chief +pride and price. Neither needed we, for leaving them, to run into the +hatred of men, and into most wilful dangers. Paul the Fourth, not many +months sithence, had at Rome in prison certain Augustine friars, many +bishops, and a great number of other devout men, for religion's sake. He +racked them and tormented them: to make them confess, he left no means +unassayed. But in the end how many brothels, how many whoremongers, how +many adulterers, how many incestuous persons could he find of all those? +Our God be thanked, although we be not the men we ought and profess to +be, yet, whosoever we be, compare us with these men, and even our own +life and innocency will soon prove untrue and condemn their malicious +surmises. For we exhort the people to all virtue and well-doing, not +only by books and preachings, but also with our examples and behaviour. +We also teach that the Gospel is not a boasting or bragging of knowledge, +but that it is the law of life, and that a Christian man (as Tertullian +saith) "ought not to speak honourably, but ought to live honourably; nor +that they be the hearers of the law, but the doers of the law, which are +justified before God." + +Besides all these matters wherewith they charge us, they are wont also to +add this one thing, which they enlarge with all kind of spitefulness: +that is, that we be men of trouble, that we pluck the "sword and sceptre +out of kings' hands;" that we arm the people: that we overthrow judgment +places, destroy the laws, make havoc of possessions, seek to make the +people princes, turn all things upside down: and, to be short, that we +would have nothing in good frame in a commonwealth. Good Lord, how often +have they set on fire princes' hearts with these words, to the end they +might quench the light of the Gospel in the very first appearing of it, +and might begin to hate the same ere ever they were able to know it, and +to the end that every magistrate might think he saw his deadly enemy as +often as he saw any of us! + +Surely it should exceedingly grieve us to be so maliciously accused of +most heinous treason, unless we knew that Christ Himself, the Apostles, +and a number of good and Christian men, were in times past blamed and +envied in manner for the same faults. For although Christ taught "they +should give unto Caesar that which was Caesar's," yet was He charged with +sedition, in that He was accused to devise some conspiracy and covet the +kingdom. And hereupon they cried out with open mouth against him in the +place of judgment: "If thou let this man escape, thou art not Caesar's +friend." And though the Apostles did likewise evermore and steadfastly +teach, that magistrates ought to be obeyed, "that every soul ought to be +subject to the higher powers, not only for fear of wrath and punishment, +but even for conscience sake;" yet bare they the name to disquiet the +people, and to stir up the multitude to rebel. After this sort did Haman +specially bring the nation of the Jews into the hatred of the king +Assuerus, because, said he, "they were a rebellious and stubborn people, +and despised the ordinances and commandments of princes." Wicked King +Ahab said to Elie [Elijah] the prophet of God, "It is thou that troublest +Israel." Amasias, the priest at Bethel, laid a conspiracy to the prophet +Amos' charge before King Jeroboam, saying, "See, Amos hath made a +conspiracy against thee in the midst of the house of Israel." To be +brief, Tertullian saith, this was the general accusation of all +Christians while he lived, that they were traitors, they were rebels, and +the enemies of mankind. Wherefore, if now-a-days the truth be likewise +evil spoken of, and being the same truth it was then, if it be now like +despitefully used as it was in times past, though it be a grievous and +unkind dealing, yet can it not seem unto us a new or an unwonted matter. + +Forty years ago and upward, was it an easy thing for them to devise +against us these accursed speeches, and other, too, sorer than these; +when, in the midst of the darkness of that age, first began to spring and +to give shine some one glimmering beam of truth, unknown at that time and +unheard of: when also Martin Luther and Hulderic Zuinglius, being most +excellent men, even sent of God to give light to the whole world, first +came unto the knowledge and preaching of the Gospel; whereas yet the +thing was but new, and the success thereof uncertain; and when men's +minds stood doubtful and amazed, and their ears open to all slanderous +tales; and when there could be imagined against us no fact so detestable, +but the people then would soon believe it for the novelty and strangeness +of the matter. For so did Symmachus, so did Celsus, so did Julianus, so +did Porphyrius, the old foes to the Gospel, attempt in times past to +accuse all Christians of sedition and treason, before that either prince +or people were able to know who those Christians were, what they +professed, what they believed, or what was their meaning. But now, +sithence our very enemies do see, and cannot deny, but we ever in all our +words and writings have diligently put the people in mind of their duty, +to obey their princes and magistrates, yea, though they be wicked (for +this doth very trial and experience sufficiently teach, and all men's +eyes, whosoever and wheresoever they be, do well enough see and witness +for us), it was a foul part of them to charge us with these things; yea, +seeing they could find no new and late faults, therefore to seek to +procure us envy only with stale and out worn lies. + +We give our Lord God thanks, whose only cause this is, there hath yet at +no time been any such example in all the realms, dominions, and +commonweals, which have received the Gospel. For we have overthrown no +kingdom, we have decayed no man's power or right, we have disordered no +commonwealth. There continue in their own accustomed state and ancient +dignity, the kings of our country of England, the kings of Denmark, the +kings of Sweden, the dukes of Saxony, the counts palatine, the marquesses +of Brandenburg, the landgraves of Hesse, the commonwealth of the +Helvetians and Rhaetians, and the free cities, as Argentine, Basil, +Frankfort, Ulm, Augusta, and Nuremberg; do all, I say, abide in the same +authority and estate wherein they have been heretofore, or rather in a +much better, for that by means of the Gospel they have their people more +obedient unto them. Let them go, I pray you, into those places where at +this present through God's goodness the Gospel is taught. Where is there +more majesty? Where is there less arrogancy and tyranny? Where be the +prince more honoured? Where is the people less unruly? Where hath there +at any time the commonwealth or the Church been in more quiet? Perhaps +ye will say, from the first beginning of this doctrine the common sort +everywhere began to rage and to rise throughout Germany. Allow it were +so, yet Martin Luther, the publisher and setter forward of this doctrine, +did write marvellous vehemently and sharply against them, and reclaimed +them, home to peace and obedience. + +But whereas it is wont sometime to be objected by persons wanting skill +touching the Helvetians' change of state, and killing of Leopoldus the +Duke of Austria, and restoring by force their country to liberty, that +was done, as appeareth plainly by all stories, for two hundred and +threescore years past or above, under Boniface the Eighth, when the +authority of the "Bishop of Rome" was in greatest jollity; about two +hundred years before Huldericus Zuinglius either began to teach the +Gospel, or yet was born: and ever since that time they have had all +things still and quiet, not only from foreign enemies, but also from +civil dissension. And if it were a sin in the Helvetians to deliver +their own country from foreign government, specially when they were so +proudly and tyrannously oppressed, yet to burden us with other men's +faults, or them with the faults of their forefathers, is against all +right and reason. + +But O immortal God! and will the Bishop of Rome accuse us of treason? +Will he teach the people to obey and follow their magistrates? or hath he +any regard at all of the majesty of princes? Why doth he then, as none +of the old bishops of Rome heretofore ever did, suffer himself to be +called of his flatterers "lord of lords," as though he would have all +kings and princes, who and whatsoever they are, to be his underlings? Why +doth he vaunt himself to be "king of kings," and to have kingly royalty +over his subjects? Why compelleth he all emperors and princes to swear +to him fealty and true obedience? Why doth he boast that the "emperor's +majesty's is a thousandfold inferior to him:" and for this reason +specially, because God hath made two lights in heaven, and because heaven +and earth were created not at two beginnings, but in one? Why hath he +and his complices (like Anabaptists and Libertines, to the end they might +run on more licentiously and carelessly) shaken off the yoke, and +exempted themselves from being under a civil power? Why hath he his +legates (as much to say as most subtle spies) lying in wait in all kings' +courts, councils, and privy chambers? Why doth he, when he list, set +Christian princes one against another, and at his own pleasure trouble +the whole world with debate and discord? Why doth he excommunicate, and +command to be taken as a heathen and a Pagan any Christian prince that +renounceth his authority? And why promiseth he his "indulgences and his +pardons" so largely to any that will (what way soever it be) kill any of +his enemies? Doth he maintain empires and kingdoms? or doth he once +desire that common quiet should be provided for? You must pardon us, +good reader, though we seem to utter these things more bitterly and +bitingly than it becometh divines to do. For both the shamefulness of +the matter, and the desire of rule in the Bishop of Rome is so exceeding +and outrageous, that it could not well be uttered with other words, or +more mildly. For he is not ashamed to say in open assembly, "that all +jurisdiction of all kings doth depend upon himself." And to feed his +ambition and greediness of rule, he hath pulled in pieces the "empire of +Rome," and vexed and rent whole Christendom asunder. Falsely and +traitorously also did he release the Romans, the Italians, and himself +too, of the oath whereby they and he were straitly bound to be true to +the "emperor of Greece," and stirred up the emperor's subjects to forsake +him: and calling Carolus Martellus out of France into Italy, made him +emperor, such a thing as never was seen before. He put Chilpericus, the +French king, being no evil prince, beside his realm, only because he +fancied him not, and wrongfully placed Pipin in his room. Again, after +he had cast out King Philip, if he could have brought it to pass, he had +determined and appointed the kingdom of France to Albertus King of +Romans. He utterly destroyed the state of the most nourishing city and +commonweal of Florence, his own native country, and brought it out of a +free and peaceable state, to be governed at the pleasure of one man: he +brought to pass by his procurement, that whole Savoy on the one side was +miserably spoiled by the Emperor Charles the Fifth, and on the other side +by the French king, so as the unfortunate duke had scant one city left +him to hide his head in. + +We are cloyed with examples in this behalf, and it should be very tedious +to reckon up all the notorious deeds of the bishops of Rome. Of which +side were they, I beseech you, which poisoned Henry the Emperor even in +the receiving of the sacrament? which poisoned Victor the Pope even in +the receiving of the chalice? which poisoned our King John, king of +England, in a drinking cup? Whosoever at least they were and of what +sect soever, I am sure they were neither Lutherans nor Zuinglians. What +is he at this day, which alloweth the mightiest kings and monarchs of the +world to kiss his blessed feet? What is he that commandeth the emperor +to go by him at his horse bridle, and the French king to hold his +stirrup? Who hurled under his table Francis Dandalus the duke of Venice, +king of Crete and Cyprus, fast bound with chains, to feed of bones among +his dogs? Who set the imperial crown upon the Emperor Henry the Sixth's +head, not with his hand, but with his foot; and with the same foot again +cast the same crown off, saying withal, "he had power to make emperors, +and to unmake them again at his pleasure"? Who put in arms Henry the son +against the emperor his father Henry the Fourth, and wrought so that the +father was taken prisoner of his own son, and being shorn and shamefully +handled, was thrust into a monastery, where with hunger and sorrow he +pined away to death? Who so ill-favouredly and monstrously put the +Emperor Frederick's neck under his feet, and, as though that were not +sufficient, added further this text out of the Psalms, "Thou shalt go +upon the adder and cockatrice, and shalt tread the lion and dragon under +thy feet"? Such an example of scorning and contemning a prince's +majesty, as never before that was heard tell of in any remembrance; +except, I ween, either of Tamerlane's, the king of Scythia, a wild and +barbarous creature, or else of Sapor king of the Persians. + +All these notwithstanding were Popes, all Peter's successors, all most +holy fathers, whose several words we must take to be as good as several +Gospels. If we be counted traitors which do honour our princes, which +give them all obedience, as much as is due to them by God's word, and +which do pray for them, what kind of men then be these, which have not +only done all the things before said, but also allow the same for +specially well done? Do they then either this way instruct the people, +as we do, to reverence their magistrate? Or can they with honesty +appeach us as seditious persons, breakers of the common quiet, and +despisers of princes' majesty? + +Truly, we neither put off the yoke of obedience from us; neither do we +disorder realms; neither do we set up or pull down kings; nor translate +governments; nor give our kings poison to drink; nor yet hold to them our +feet to be kissed; nor, opprobriously triumphing over them, leap into +their necks with our feet. This rather is our profession; this is our +doctrine: that every soul, of what calling soever he be--be he monk, be +he preacher, be he prophet, be he Apostle--ought to be subject to kings +and magistrates; yea, and that the Bishop of Rome himself--unless he will +seem greater than Evangelists, than the Prophets, or the Apostles--ought +both to acknowledge and to call the emperor his lord and master, which +the old Bishops of Rome, who lived in times of more grace, ever did. Our +common teaching also is, that we ought so to obey princes as men sent of +God; and that whoso withstandeth them, withstandeth God's ordinance. This +is our showing, and this is well to be seen, both in our books and in our +preachings, and also in the manners and modest behaviour of our people. + +But where they say we have gone away from the unity of the Catholic +Church, this is not only a matter of malice, but, besides, though, it be +most untrue, yet hath it some show and appearance of truth. For the +common people and ignorant multitude give not credit alone to things true +and of certainty, but even to such things also, if any chance, which may +seem to have but a resemblance of truth. Therefore, we see that subtle +and crafty persons, when they had no truth on their side, have ever +contended and hotly argued with things likely to be true, to the intent +they which were not able to espy the very ground of the matter, might be +carried away at least with some pretence and probability thereof. In +times past, where the first Christians, our forefathers, in making their +prayers to God, did turn themselves towards the east, there were that +said, "they worshipped the sun, and reckoned it as God." Again, where +our forefathers said, that as touching immortal and everlasting life, +they lived by no other means, but by the "flesh and blood of that Lamb +who was without spot," that is to say, of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the +envious creatures and foes of Christ's Cross, whose only care was to +bring Christian religion into slander by all manner of ways, made people +believe that they were wicked persons, that they "sacrificed men's flesh, +and drunk men's blood." Also, where our forefathers said that before God +"there is neither man nor woman," nor, for attaining to the true +righteousness, there is no distinction at all of persons, and that they +did call one another indifferently by the name of sisters and brothers: +there wanted not men which forged false tales upon the same, saying that +the Christians made no difference among themselves either of age or of +kind, but like brute beasts without regard had to do one with another. +And where, for to pray and hear the Gospel, they met often together in +secret and bye places, because rebels sometime were wont to do the like, +rumours were everywhere spread abroad, how they made privy confederacies, +and counselled together either to kill the magistrates or to subvert the +commonwealth. And where, in celebrating the holy mysteries after +Christ's institution, they took bread and wine, they were thought of many +not to worship Christ, but Bacchus and Ceres; forsomuch as those vain +gods were worshipped of the heathens in like sort, after a profane +superstition, with bread and wine. + +These things were believed of many, not because they were true, indeed +(for what could be more untrue?), but because they were like to be true, +and through a certain shadow of truth might the more easily deceive the +simple. On this fashion likewise do these men slander us as heretics, +and say that we have left the Church and fellowship of Christ: not +because they think it is true--for they do not much force of that, but +because to ignorant folk it might, perhaps, some way appear true. We +have, indeed, put ourselves apart not as heretics are wont, from the +Church of Christ, but as all good men ought to do, from the infection of +naughty persons and hypocrites. + +Nevertheless, in this point they triumph marvellously--"that they be the +Church, that their Church is Christ's spouse, the pillar of truth, the +ark of Noah;" and that without it there is no hope of salvation. +Contrariwise they say, "that we be renegades; that we have torn Christ's +seat;" that we are plucked quite off from the body of Christ, and have +forsaken the Catholic faith. And when they leave nothing unspoken that +may never so falsely and maliciously be said against us, yet this one +thing are they never able truly to say, that we have swerved either from +the Word of God, or from the Apostles of Christ, or from the primitive +Church. Surely we have ever judged the primitive Church of Christ's +time, of the Apostles and of the holy fathers, to be the Catholic Church; +neither make we doubt to name it, "Noah's ark, Christ's spouse, the +pillar and upholder of all truth;" nor yet to fix therein the whole mean +of our salvation. It is doubtless an odious matter for one to leave the +fellowship whereunto he hath been accustomed, and specially of those men, +who, though they be not, yet at least seem and be called Christians. And, +to say truly, we do not despise the Church of these men (howsoever it be +ordered by them now-a-days), partly for the name's sake itself, and +partly for that the Gospel of Jesus Christ hath once been therein truly +and purely set forth. Neither had we departed therefrom, but of very +necessity, and much against our wills. But I put case, an idol be set up +in the Church of God, and the same desolation, which Christ prophesied to +come, stood openly in the holy place. What if some thief or pirate +invade and possess "Noah's ark?" These folks, as often as they tell us +of the Church, mean thereby themselves alone, and attribute all these +titles to their own selves, boasting, as they did in times past which +cried, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord;" or as the +Pharisees and Scribes did, which craked they were "Abraham's children." + +Thus with a gay and jolly show deceive they the simple, and seek to choke +us with the very name of the Church. Much like as if a thief, when he +had gotten into another man's house, and by violence either hath thrust +out or slain the owner, should afterward assign the same house to +himself, casting forth of possession the right inheritor; or if +Anti-Christ, when he had once entered into "the temple of God," should +afterward say, "This house is mine own, and Christ hath nothing to do +withal." For these men now, after they have left nothing remaining in +the Church of God that hath any likeness of this Church, yet will they +seem the patrons and valiant maintainers of the Church, very like as +Gracchus amongst the Romans stood in defence of the treasury, +notwithstanding with his prodigality and fond expenses he had utterly +wasted the whole stock of the treasury. And yet was there never anything +so wicked, or so far out of reason, but lightly it might be covered and +defended by the name of the Church. For the wasps also make honey-combs +as well as bees, and wicked men have companies like to the Church of God: +yet, for all that, "they be not straightway the people of God which are +called the people of God; neither be they all Israelites as many as are +come of Israel the father." The Arians, notwithstanding they were +heretics, yet bragged they that they alone were Catholics, calling all +the rest now Ambrosians, now Athanasians, now Johannites. And Nestorius, +as saith Theodoret, for all that he was an heretic, yet covered he +himself [Greek text]: that is, to wit, with a certain cloak and colour of +the true and right faith. Ebion, though he agreed in opinion with the +Samaritans, yet, as saith Epiphanius, he would needs be called a +Christian. The Mahometists at this day, for all that all histories make +plain mention, and themselves also cannot deny, but they took their first +beginning of "Agar the bond-woman," yet for the very name and stock's +sake, chose they rather to be called Saracens, as though they came of +"Sarah the free woman, and Abraham's wife." + +So likewise the false prophets of all ages, which stood up against the +prophets of God, which resisted Esaias, Jeremy, Christ, and the Apostles, +at no time craked of anything so much as they did of the name of the +Church. And for no other cause did they so fiercely vex them, and call +them runaways and apostates, than for that they forsook their fellowship, +and kept not the ordinances of the elders. Wherefore, if we would follow +the judgments of those men only who then governed the Church, and would +respect nothing else, neither God nor His word, it must needs be +confessed, that the Apostles were rightly and by just law condemned of +them to death, because they fell from the bishops and priests, that is, +you must think, from the "Catholic Church:" and because they made many +new alterations in religion, contrary to the bishops' and priests' wills, +yea, and for all their spurning so earnestly against it. Wherefore, like +as it is written that Hercules in old time was forced in striving with +Antaeus, that huge giant, to lift him quite up from the earth that was +his mother, ere he could conquer him, even so must our adversaries be +heaved from their mother, that is, from this vain colour and shadow of +the Church, wherewith they so disguise and defend themselves: otherwise +they cannot be brought to yield unto the word of God. "And therefore," +saith Jeremy the prophet, "make not such great boast that the temple of +the Lord is with you. This is but a vain confidence: these are lies." +The angel also saith in the Apocalypse, "They say they be Jews; but they +be the synagogue of Satan." And Christ said to the Pharisees when they +vaunted themselves of the kindred and blood of Abraham, "Ye are of your +father, the devil;" for you resemble not your father Abraham; as much to +say as ye are not the men ye would so fain be called: ye beguile the +people with vain titles, and abuse the name of the Church to the +overthrowing of the Church. + +So that these men's part had been, first to have clearly and truly proved +that the Romish Church is the true and right instructed Church of God, +and that the same as they do order it at this day doth agree with the +primitive Church of Christ, of the Apostles, and of the holy fathers, +which we doubt not but was indeed the true Catholic Church. For our +parts, if we could have judged ignorance, error, superstition, idolatry, +men's inventions, and the same commonly disagreeing with the Holy +Scriptures, either to please God or to be sufficient for the obtaining +everlasting salvation; or if we could ascertain ourselves, that the word +of God was written but for a time only, and afterward again ought to be +abrogated and put away: or else that the sayings and commandments of God +ought to be subject to man's will, that whatsoever God saith and +commandeth, except the Bishop of Rome willeth and commandeth the same, it +must be taken as void and unspoken: if we could have brought ourselves to +believe these things, we grant there had been no cause at all why we +should have left these men's company. As touching that we have now done +to depart from that Church, whose errors were proved and made manifest to +the world, which Church also had already evidently departed from God's +word: and yet not to depart so much from itself, as from the errors +thereof; and not to do this disorderly or wickedly, but quietly and +soberly; we have done nothing herein against the doctrine either of +Christ or of His Apostles. For neither is the Church of God such as it +may not be dusked with some spot, or asketh not sometime reparation. Else +what needeth there so many assemblies and councils, without the which, as +saith AEgidius, the Christian faith is not able to stand? "For look," +saith he: "how often councils are discontinued, so often is the Church +destitute of Christ." Or if there be no peril that harm may come to the +Church, what need is there to retain to no purpose the names of bishops, +as is now commonly used among them? For if there be no sheep that may +stray, why be they called shepherds? If there be no city that may be +betrayed, why be they called watchmen? If there be nothing that may run +to ruin, why be they called pillars? Anon after the first creation of +the world the Church of God began to spread abroad, and the same was +instructed with the heavenly word which God Himself pronounced with His +own mouth. It was also furnished with Divine ceremonies. It was taught +by the Spirit of God, by the patriarchs and prophets, and continued so +even till the time that Christ showed Himself to us in the flesh. + +This notwithstanding, how often, O good God, in the meanwhile, and how +horribly was the same Church darkened and decayed! Where was that Church +then, when "all flesh upon earth had denied their own way?" Where was +it, when amongst the number of the whole world there were only eight +persons (and they neither all chaste and good) whom God's will was should +be saved alive from that universal destruction and mortality? when Elie +the prophet so lamentably and bitterly made moan, that "only himself was +left" of all the whole world which did truly and duly worship God? and +when Esay said, "The silver of God's people (that is, of the Church) was +become dross: and that the same city, which aforetime had been faithful, +was now become a harlot: and that in the same there was no part sound +throughout the whole body, from the head to the foot?" or else, when +Christ Himself said, "that the house of God was made by the Pharisees and +priests a den of thieves?" Of a truth, the Church, even as a corn-field, +except it be eared, manured, tilled, and trimmed, instead of wheat it +will bring forth thistles, darnel, and nettles. For this cause did God +send ever among both Prophets and Apostles, and last of all His "own +Son," who might bring home the people into the right way, and repair anew +the tottering Church after she had erred. + +But lest some man should say, that the aforesaid things happened in the +time of the law only, of shadows, and of infancy, when truth lay hid +under figures and ceremonies, when nothing as yet was brought to +perfection, when the law was not graven in men's hearts, but in stone: +and yet is that but a foolish saying, for even at those days was there +the very same God that is now, the same Spirit, the same Christ, the same +faith, the same doctrine, the same hope, the same inheritance, the same +league, and the same efficacy and virtue of God's word: Eusebius also +saith: "All the faithful, even from Adam until Christ, were in very deed +Christians" (though they were not so termed), but, as I said, lest men +should thus speak still, Paul the Apostle found the like faults and falls +even then in the prime and chief of the Gospel in chief perfection, and +in the light; so that he was compelled to write in this sort to the +Galatians, whom he had well before that instructed: "I fear me," quoth +he, "lest I have laboured among you in vain, and lest ye have heard the +Gospel in vain." "O my little children, of whom I travail anew till +Christ be fashioned again in you." And as for the Church of the +Corinthians, how foully it was denied, is nothing needful to rehearse. +Now tell me, might the Churches of the Galatians and Corinthians go +amiss, and the Church of Rome alone may not fail, nor go amiss? Surely +Christ prophesied long before of His Church, that the time should come +when desolation should stand in the holy place. And Paul saith, that +Antichrist should once set up his own tabernacle and stately seat in the +temple of God: and that the time should be, "when men should not away +with wholesome doctrine, but be turned back unto fables and lies," and +that within the very Church. Peter likewise telleth, how there should be +teachers of lies in the Church of Christ. Daniel the Prophet, speaking +of the latter times of Antichrist: "Truth," saith he, "in that season +shall be thrown under foot, and trodden upon in the world." And Christ +saith, how the calamity and confusion of things shall be so exceeding +great, "that even the chosen, if it were possible, shall be brought into +error;" and how all these things shall come to pass, not amongst Gentiles +and Turks, but that they should be in the holy place, in the temple of +God, in the Church, and in the company and fellowship of those which +profess the name of Christ. + +Albeit these same warnings alone may suffice a wise man to take heed he +do not suffer himself rashly to be deceived with the name of the Church, +and not to stay to make further inquisition thereof by God's word; yet +beside all this, many fathers also, many learned and godly men, have +often and carefully complained how all these things have chanced in their +lifetime. For even in the midst of that thick mist of darkness, God +would yet there should be some, who, though they gave not a clear and +bright light, yet should they kindle, were it but some spark, which men +might espy, being in the darkness. + +Hilarius, when things as yet were almost uncorrupt, and in good ease too: +"Ye are ill deceived," saith he, "with the love of walls: ye do ill +worship the Church, in that ye worship it in houses and buildings: ye do +ill bring in the name of peace under roofs. Is there any doubt but +Antichrist will have his seat under the same? I rather reckon hills, +woods, pools, marshes, prisons, and quagmires, to be places of more +safety: for in these the prophets, either abiding of their accord or +forced thither by violence, did prophesy by the Spirit of God." + +Gregory, as one which perceived and foresaw in his mind the wrack of all +things, wrote thus to "John, Bishop of Constantinople," the first of all +others that commanded himself to be called by this new name, the +"universal bishop of whole Christ's Church:" "If the Church," saith he, +"shall depend upon one man, it will at once fall down to the ground." Who +is he, that seeth not how this is come to pass long since? For long +agone hath the Bishop of Rome willed to have the "whole Church depend +upon" himself alone. Wherefore it is no marvel though it be clean fallen +down long agone. + +Bernard the abbot, above four hundred years past, writeth thus: "Nothing +is now of sincerity and pureness amongst the clergy: wherefore it +resteth, that the man of sin should be revealed." The same Bernard, in +his work of the conversion of Paul; "It seemeth now," saith he, "that +persecution hath ceased: no, no; persecution seemeth but now to begin, +even from them which have chief pre-eminence in the Church. Thy friends +and neighbours have drawn near, and stood up against thee: from the sole +of thy foot to the crown of thy head there is no part whole. Iniquity is +proceeded from the elders, the judges, and deputies, which pretend to +rule thy people. We cannot say now, Look how the people be, so is the +priest. For the people is not so ill as the priest is. Alas, alas, O +Lord God, the selfsame persons be the chief in persecuting thee, which +seem to love the highest place, and bear most rule in Thy Church!" The +same Bernard again, upon the Canticles, writeth thus: "All they are thy +friends, yet are they all thy foes: all thy kinsfolk, yet are they all +thy adversaries. Being Christ's servants, they serve Antichrist. Behold, +in my rest, my bitterness is most bitter." Roger Bacon, also a man of +great fame, after he had in a vehement oration touched to the quick the +woeful state of his own time: "These so many errors," saith he, "require +and look for Antichrist." Gerson complaineth, that in his days all the +substance and efficacy of sacred divinity was brought unto a glorious +contention and ostentation of wits, and to very sophistry. The friars of +Lyons, men, as touching the manner of their life, not to be misliked, +were wont boldly to affirm, that the Romish Church (from whence alone all +counsel and order was then sought) was the very same "harlot of Babylon +and rout of devils," whereof is prophesied so plainly in the Apocalypse. + +I know well enough the authority of these foresaid persons is but lightly +regarded among these men. How then if I call forth those for witness, +whom they themselves have used to honour? What if I say that Adrian, the +Bishop of Rome, did frankly confess that all these mischiefs brast out +first from the high throne of the Pope? Pighius acknowledgeth herein to +be a fault, that many abuses are brought in, even into the very mass, +which mass otherwise he would have seem to be a reverend matter. Gerson +saith, that through the number of most fond ceremonies, all the virtue of +the Holy Ghost, which ought to have operation in us, and all true +godliness, is utterly quenched and dead. Whole Greece and Asia complain, +how the bishops of Rome, with the marts of their purgatories and pardons, +have both tormented men's consciences and picked their purses. + +As touching the tyranny of the bishops of Rome, and their barbarous +Persian-like pride, to leave out others, whom perchance they reckon for +enemies, because they freely and liberally find fault with their vices, +the same men which have led their life at Rome in the holy city, in the +face of the most holy father, who also were able to see all their secrets +and at no time departed from the Catholic faith: as, for example, +Laurentius Valla, Marsilius Patavinus, Francis Petrarch, Hierom +Savonarola, Abbot Joachim, Baptist of Mantua, and, before all these, +Bernard the abbot, have many a time and much complained of it, giving the +world also sometime to understand that the Bishop of Rome himself (by +your leave) is very Antichrist. Whether they spake it truly or falsely, +let that go. Sure I am they spake it plainly. Neither can any man +allege that those authors were Luther's or Zuinglius' scholars: for they +were not only certain years, but also certain ages ere ever Luther's or +Zuinglius' names were heard of. They well saw that even in their days +errors had crept into the Church, and wished earnestly they might be +amended. + +And what marvel if the Church were then carried away with errors in that +time, specially when neither the Bishop of Rome, who then only ruled the +roost, nor almost any other, either did his duty, or once understood what +was his duty? for it is hard to be believed, while they were idle and +fast asleep, that the devil also all that while either fell asleep or +else continually lay idle. For how they were occupied in the meantime, +and with what faithfulness they took care of God's house, though we hold +our peace, yet I pray you, let them hear Bernard their own friend. "The +bishops," saith he, "who now have the charge of God's Church, are not +teachers, but deceivers: they are not feeders, but beguilers: they are +not prelates, but Pilates." These words spake Bernard of that bishop who +named himself the highest bishop of all, and of the other bishops +likewise which then had the place of government. Bernard was no +Lutheran: Bernard was no heretic. He had not forsaken the Catholic +Church: yet nevertheless he did not let to call the bishops that then +were, deceivers, beguilers, and Pilates. Now when the people was openly +deceived, and Christian men's eyes were craftily bleared, and when Pilate +sat in judgment-place, and condemned Christ and Christ's members to sword +and fire, O good Lord, in what case was Christ's Church then? But yet +tell me, of so many and so gross errors, what one have these men at any +time reformed? or what fault have they once acknowledged and confessed? + +But, forsomuch as these men avouch the universal possession of the +Catholic Church to be their own, and call us heretics, because we agree +not in judgment with them, let us know, I beseech you, what proper mark +and badge hath that Church of theirs, whereby it may be known to be the +Church of God. I wiss it is not so hard a matter to find out God's +Church, if a man will seek it earnestly and diligently. For the Church +of God is set upon a high and glittering place, in the top of a hill, and +built upon the "foundation of the Apostles and Prophets:" "There," saith +Augustine, "let us seek the Church; there let us try our matters." "And," +as he saith again in another place, "the Church must be showed out of the +holy and canonical Scriptures: and that which cannot be showed out of +them is not the Church." Yet, for all this, I wot not how, whether it be +for fear, or for conscience, or despair of victory, these men alway abhor +and fly the Word of God, even as the thief flieth the gallows. And no +wonder truly. For, like as men say, the cantharus by-and-bye perisheth +and dieth as soon as it is laid in balm: notwithstanding balm be +otherwise a most sweet-smelling ointment; even so these men well see +their own matter is damned and destroyed in the Word of God, as if it +were in poison. + +Therefore the Holy Scriptures, which our Saviour Jesus Christ did not +only use for authority in all His speech, but did also at last seal up +the same with His own blood, these men, to the intent they might with +less business drive the people from the same, as from a thing dangerous +and deadly, have used to call them a bare letter, uncertain, +unprofitable, dumb, killing, and dead: which seemeth to us all one as if +they should say, "The Scriptures are to no purpose, or as good as none." +Hereunto they add a similitude not very agreeable, how the Scriptures be +like to a nose of wax, or a shipman's hose: how they may be fashioned and +plied all manner of ways, and serve all men's turns. Woteth not the +Bishop of Rome, that these things are spoken by his own minions? or +understandeth he not he hath such champions to fight for him? Let him +hearken then how holily and how godly one Hosius writeth of this matter, +a bishop in Polonia, as he testifieth of himself; a man doubtless well +spoken and not unlearned, and a very sharp and stout maintainer of that +side. One will marvel, I suppose, how a good man could either conceive +so wickedly or write so despitefully of those words which he knew +proceeded from God's mouth, and specially in such sort as he would not +have it seem his own private opinion alone, but the common opinion of all +that band. He dissembleth, I grant you indeed, and hideth what he is, +and setteth forth the matter so, as though it were not he and his side, +but the Zuenckfeldian heretics that so did speak. "We," saith he, "will +bid away with the same Scriptures, whereof we see brought not only divers +but also contrary interpretations; and we will hear God speak, rather +than we will resort to the naked elements, and appoint our salvation to +rest in them. It behoveth not a man to be expert in the law and +Scripture, but to be taught of God. It is but lost labour that a man +bestoweth in the Scriptures. For the Scripture is a creature, and a +certain bare letter." This is Hosius' saying, uttered altogether with +the same spirit and the same mind wherewith in times past Montane and +Marcion were moved, who, as men report, used to say, when with a contempt +they rejected the Holy Scriptures, that themselves knew many more and +better things than either Christ or the Apostles ever knew. + +What then shall I say here, O ye principal posts of religion, O ye arch- +governors of Christ's Church! Is this that your reverence which ye give +to God's Word? The Holy Scriptures, which, St. Paul saith, came by the +inspiration of God, which God did commend by so many miracles, wherein +are the most perfect prints of Christ's own steps, which all the holy +fathers, Apostles, and Angels, which Christ Himself the Son of God, as +often as was needful, did allege for testimony and proof; will ye, as +though they were unworthy for you to hear, bid them avaunt away? That +is, will ye enjoin God to keep silence, who speaketh to you most clearly +by His own mouth in the Scriptures? or that Word, whereby alone, as Paul +saith, we are reconciled to God, and which the prophet David saith, is +"holy and pure, and shall last for ever;" will ye call that "but a bare +and dead letter?" or will ye say that all our labour is lost which is +bestowed in that thing which Christ hath commanded us diligently to +search, and to have evermore before our eyes? And will ye say that +Christ and the Apostles meant with subtlety to deceive the people when +they exhorted them to read the Holy Scriptures, that thereby they might +flow in all wisdom and knowledge? No marvel at all though these men +despise us and all our doings, which set so little by God Himself and His +infallible sayings. Yet was it but want of wit in them, to the intend +they might hurt us, to do so extreme injury to the Word of God. + +But Hosius will here make exclamation, saying we do him wrong, and that +these be not his own words, but the words of the heretic Zuenckfeldius. +But how then, if Zuenckfeldius make exclamation on the other side, and +say, that the same very words be not his, but Hosius' own words? For +tell me where hath Zuenckfeldius ever written them? or, if he have +written them, and Hosius have judged the same to be wicked, why hath not +Hosius spoken so much as one word to confute them? Howsoever the matter +goeth, although Hosius peradventure will not allow of those words, yet he +doth not disallow the meaning of the words For well near in all +controversies, and namely touching the use of the holy "communion under +both kinds," although the words of Christ be plain and evident, yet doth +Hosius disdainfully reject them, as no better than "cold and dead +elements;" and commandeth us to give faith to certain new lessons, +appointed by the Church, and to I wot not what revelations of the Holy +Ghost. And Pighius saith: "Men ought not to believe, no not the most +clear and manifest words of the Scriptures, unless the same be allowed +for good by the interpretation and authority of the Church." + +And yet, as though this were too little, they also burn the Holy +Scriptures, as in times past wicked King Aza did, or as Antiochus or +Maximinus did, and are wont to name them heretics' books. And out of +doubt, to see too, they would fain do as Herod in old time did in Jewry, +that he might with more surety keep still his dominion: who being an +Idumaean born, and a stranger to the stock and kindred of the Jews, and +yet coveting much to be taken for a Jew, to the end he might establish to +him and his posterity the kingdom of that country, which he had gotten of +Augustus Caesar, he commanded all the genealogies and pedigrees to be +burnt, and made out of the way, so that there should remain no record +whereby he might be known to them that came after that he was an alien in +blood: whereas even from Abraham's time these monuments had been safely +kept amongst the Jews, and laid up in their treasury; because in them it +might easily and most assuredly be found of what lineage everyone did +descend. So (in good faith) do these men, when they would have all their +own doings in estimation, as though they had been delivered to us even +from the Apostles, or from Christ Himself: to the end there might be +found nowhere anything able to convince such their dreams and lies, +either they burn the Holy Scriptures, or else they craftily convey them +from the people surely. + +Very rightly and aptly doth Chrysostom write against these men. +"Heretics," saith he, "shut up the doors against the truth: for they know +full well, if the door were open, the Church should be none of theirs." +Theophylact also: "God's Word," saith he, "is the candle whereby the +thief is espied." And Tertullian saith, "The Holy Scripture manifestly +findeth out the fraud and theft of heretics." For why do they hide, why +do they keep under the Gospel which Christ would have preached aloud from +the housetop? Why whelm they that light under a bushel which ought to +stand on a candlestick? Why trust they more to the blindness of the +unskilful multitude, and to ignorance, than to the goodness of their +cause? Think they their sleights are not already perceived, and that +they can walk now unespied, as though they had Gyges' ring, to go +invisibly by, upon their finger? No, no. All men see now well and well +again, what good stuff is in that chest of the "Bishop of Rome's bosom." +This thing alone of itself may be an argument sufficient that they work +not uprightly and truly. Worthily ought that matter seem suspicious +which flieth trial, and is afraid of the light. "For he that doeth +evil," as Christ saith, "seeketh darkness, and hateth the light." A +conscience that knoweth itself clear cometh willingly into open show, +that the works which proceed of God may be seen. Neither be they so very +blind but they see this well enough, that their own kingdom straightway +is at a point if the Scriptures once have the upper hand: and that, like +as men say, the idols of devils in times past, of whom men in doubtful +matters were then wont to receive answers, were suddenly stricken dumb at +the sight of Christ, when He was born and came into the world: even so +they see that now all their subtle practices will soon fall down headlong +upon the sight of the Gospel. For Antichrist is not overthrown but by +the brightness of Christ's coming. + +As for us, we run not for succour to the fire, as these men's guise is, +but we run to the Scriptures; neither do we reason with the sword, but +with the Word of God: and therewith, as saith Tertullian "do we feed our +faith; by it do we stir up our hope, and strengthen our confidence." For +we know that the "Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto +salvation;" and that therein consisteth eternal life. And as Paul +warneth us, "We do not hear, no, not an Angel of God coming from Heaven, +if he go about to pull us from any part of this doctrine." Yea, more +than this, as the holy martyr Justin speaketh of himself, we would give +no credence to God Himself, if He should teach us any other Gospel. + +For where these men bid the Holy Scriptures away, as dumb and fruitless, +and procure us to come to God Himself rather, who speaketh in the Church +and in councils, which is to say, to believe their fancies and opinions; +this way of finding out the truth is very uncertain and exceeding +dangerous, and in manner a fantastical and mad way, and by no means +allowed of the holy fathers. Chrysostom saith, "There be many oftentimes +which boast themselves of the Holy Ghost; but truly whoso speak of their +own head do falsely boast they have the Spirit of God. For like as +(saith he) Christ denied He spake of Himself, when He spake out of the +law and Prophets, even so now, if anything be pressed upon us in the Name +of the Holy Ghost, save the Gospel, we ought not to believe it. For as +Christ is the fulfilling of the law and Prophets, so is the Holy Ghost +the fulfilling of the Gospel." Thus far goeth Chrysostom. + + + +PART V. + + +But here I look they will say, though they have not the Scriptures, yet +may chance they have the ancient doctors and the holy fathers with them. +For this is a high brag they have ever made, how that all antiquity and a +continual consent of all ages doth make on their side; and that all our +cases be but new, and yesterday's work, and until these few late years +were never heard of. Questionless, there can nothing be more spitefully +spoken against the religion of God than to accuse it of novelty, as a new +come up matter. For as there can be no change in God Himself, so ought +there to be no change in His religion. + +Yet, nevertheless, we wot not by what means, but we have ever seen it +come so to pass from the first beginning of all, that as often as God did +give but some light, and did open His truth unto men, though the truth +were not only of greatest antiquity, but also from everlasting; yet of +wicked men and of the adversaries was it called new-fangled and of late +devised. That ungracious and bloodthirsty Haman, when he sought to +procure the king Assuerus' displeasure against the Jews, this was his +accusation to him: "Thou hast here (saith he) a kind of people that useth +certain new laws of their own, but stiff-necked and rebellious against +all thy laws." When Paul also began first to preach and expound the +Gospel at Athens he was called a tidings-bringer of new gods, as much to +say as of a new religion; "for" (said the Athenians) "may we not know of +thee what new doctrine this is?" Celsus likewise, when he of set purpose +wrote against Christ, to the end he might more scornfully scoff out the +Gospel by the name of novelty: "What!" saith he, "hath God after so many +ages now at last and so late bethought Himself?" Eusebius also writeth +that Christian religion from the beginning for very spite was called +[Greek text], that is to say, new and strange. After like sort, these +men condemn all our matters as strange and new; but they will have their +own, whatsoever they are, to be praised as things of long continuance. +Doing much like to the enchanters and sorcerers now-a-days, which working +with devils, use to say they have their books and all their holy and hid +mysteries from Athanasius, Cyprian, Moses, Abel, Adam, and from the +archangel Raphael; because that their cunning, coming from such patrons +and founders, might be judged the more high and holy. After the same +fashion these men, because they would have their own religion, which they +themselves, and that not long since, have brought forth into the world, +to be the more easily and rather accepted of foolish persons, or of such +as cast little whereabouts they or other do go, they are wont to say they +had it from Augustine, Hierom, Chrysostom, from the Apostles, and from +Christ Himself. + +Full well know they that nothing is more in the people's favour, or +better liketh the common sort, than these names. But how if the things, +which these men are so desirous to have seem new, be found of greatest +antiquity? Contrariwise, how if all the things well-nigh which they so +greatly set out with the name of antiquity, having been well and +thoroughly examined, be at length found to be but new, and devised of +very late? Soothly to say, no man that hath a true and right +consideration would think the Jews' laws and ceremonies to be new, for +all Haman's accusation. For they were graven in very ancient tables of +most antiquity. And although many did take Christ to have swerved from +Abraham and the old fathers, and to have brought in a certain new +religion in His own Name, yet answered He them directly, "If ye believed +Moses, ye would believe Me also," for My doctrine is not so new as you +make it: for Moses, an author of greatest antiquity, and one to whom ye +give all honour, "hath spoken of Me." Paul likewise, though the Gospel +of Jesus Christ be of many counted to be but new, yet hath it (saith he) +the testimony most old both of the law and Prophets. As for our doctrine +which we may rightly call Christ's catholic doctrine, it is so far off +from new that God, who is above all most ancient, and the Father of our +Lord Jesus Christ, hath left the same unto us in the Gospel, in the +Prophets' and Apostles' works, being monuments of greatest age. So that +no man can now think our doctrine to be new, unless the same think either +the Prophets' faith, or the Gospel, or else Christ Himself to be new. + +And as for their religion, if it be of so long continuance as they would +have men ween it is, why do they not prove it so by the examples of the +primitive Church, and by the fathers and councils of old times? Why +lieth so ancient a cause thus long in the dust destitute of an advocate? +Fire and sword they have had always ready at hand, but as for the old +councils and the fathers, all mum--not a word. They did surely against +all reason to begin first with these so bloody and extreme means, if they +could have found other more easy and gentle ways. And if they trust so +fully to antiquity, and use no dissimulation, why did John Clement, a +countryman of ours, but few years past, in the presence of certain honest +men and of good credit, tear and cast into the fire certain leaves of +Theodoret--the most ancient father and a Greek bishop--wherein he plainly +and evidently taught that the nature of bread in the Communion was not +changed, abolished, or brought to nothing? And this did he of purpose, +because he thought there was no other copy thereof to be found. Why +saith Albertus Pighius that the ancient father Augustine had a wrong +opinion of original sin? and that he erred and lied and used false logic, +as touching the case of matrimony concluded after a vow made, which +Augustine affirmeth to be perfect matrimony, indeed, and cannot be undone +again? Also when they did of late put in print the ancient father +Origen's work upon the Gospel of John, why left they quite out the whole +sixth chapter? Wherein it is likely, yea, rather, of very surety, that +the said Origen had written many things concerning the sacrament of the +Holy Communion contrary to these men's minds; and would put forth that +book mangled rather than full and perfect, for fear it should reprove +them and their partners of their error. Call ye this trusting to +antiquity, when ye rent in pieces, keep back, maim, and burn the ancient +fathers' works? + +It is a world to see, how well-favouredly and how towardly touching +religion these men agree with the fathers of whom they use to vaunt that +they be their own good. The old Council Eliberine made a decree that +nothing that is honoured of the people should be painted in the churches. +The old father Epiphanius saith:--"It is a horrible wickedness, and a sin +not to be suffered, for any man to set up any picture in the Church of +the Christians, yea, though it were the picture of Christ Himself." Yet, +these men store all their temples, and each corner of them, with painted +and carved images, as though without them religion were nothing worth. + +The old fathers Origen and Chrysostom exhort the people to read the +Scriptures, to buy them books, to reason at home betwixt themselves of +divine matters--wives with their husbands, and parents with their +children. These men condemn the Scriptures as dead elements, and--as +much as ever they may--bar the people from them. The ancient fathers, +Cyprian, Epiphanius, and Hierom, say, for one who, perchance, hath made a +vow to lead a sole life, and afterwards liveth unchastely, and cannot +quench the flames of lust, "it is better to marry a wife, and to live +honestly in wedlock." And the old father Augustine judgeth the selfsame +marriage to be good and perfect, and that it ought not to be broken +again. These men, if a man have once bound himself by a vow, though +afterwards he burn, keep queans, and defile himself with never so sinful +and desperate a life, yet they suffer not that person to marry a wife; or +if he chance to marry, they allow it not for marriage. And they commonly +teach it is much better and more godly to keep a concubine and harlot, +than to live in that kind of marriage. + +The old father Augustine complained of the multitude of ceremonies, +wherewith he even then saw men's minds and consciences overcharged. These +men, as though God regarded nothing else but their ceremonies, have so +out of measure increased them, that there is now almost none other thing +left in their churches and places of prayer. + +Again, that old father Augustine denieth it to be lawful for a monk to +spend his time slothfully and idly, and, under a pretended and +counterfeit holiness, to live all upon others. And whoso thus liveth, +the old father Apollonius likeneth him to a thief. These men have, I wot +not whether to name them droves or herds of monks, who for all they do +nothing, nor yet once intend to bear any show of holiness, yet live they +not only upon others, but also riot lavishly of other folks' labours. + +The old council of Rome decreed that no man should come to the service +said by a priest well known to keep a concubine. These men let to farm +concubines to their priests, and yet constrain men by force against their +will to hear their cursed paltry service. + +The old canons of the Apostles command that bishop to be removed from his +office, which will both supply the place of a civil magistrate, and also +of an ecclesiastical person. These men, for all that, both do and will +needs serve both places. Nay, rather, the one office which they ought +chiefly to execute, they once touch not, and yet nobody commandeth them +to be displaced. + +The old Council Gangrense commandeth that none should make such +difference between an unmarried priest and a married priest, as he ought +to think the one more holy than the other for single life's sake. These +men put such a difference between them, that they straightway think all +their holy service to be defiled if it be done by a good and honest man +that hath a wife. + +The ancient emperor Justinian commanded that, in the holy administration, +all things should be pronounced with a clear, loud, and treatable voice, +that the people might receive some fruit thereby. These men, lest the +people should understand them, mumble up all their service, not only with +a drowned and hollow voice, but also in a strange and barbarous tongue. + +The old council at Carthage commanded that nothing should be read in +Christ's congregation but the canonical Scriptures. These men read such +things in their churches as themselves know of a truth to be stark lies +and fond fables. + +But if there be any that think these above-rehearsed authorities be but +weak and slender, because they were decreed by emperors and certain petit +bishops, and not by so full and perfect councils, taking pleasure rather +in the authority and name of the Pope, let such a one know that Pope +Julius doth evidently forbid that the priest, in ministering the +Communion, should dip the bread in the cup. These men, contrary to Pope +Julius' decree, divide the bread, and dip it in the wine. + +Pope Clement saith it is not lawful for a bishop to deal with both +swords: "For if thou wilt have both," said he, "thou shalt deceive both +thyself and those that obey thee." Nowadays, the Pope challengeth to +himself both swords, and useth both. Wherefore, it ought to seem less +marvel if that have followed which Clement saith, that is, "that he hath +deceived both his own self and those which have given ear unto him." + +Pope Leo saith, "Upon one day it is lawful to say but one mass in one +church." These men say daily in one church commonly ten masses, twenty, +thirty, yea, oftentimes more. So that the poor gazer on can scant tell +which way he were best to turn him. + +Pope Gelasius saith, "It is a wicked deed and sibb to sacrilege in any +man to divide the Communion, and when he hath received one kind to +abstain from the other." These men, contrary to God's Word, and contrary +to Pope Gelasius, command that one kind only of the Holy Communion be +given to the people, and by so doing they make their priests guilty of +sacrilege. + +But if they will say that all these things are worn out of ure and nigh +dead, and pertain nothing to these present times, yet to the end all folk +may understand what faith is to be given to these men, and upon what hope +they call together their general councils, let us see in few words what +good heed they take to the selfsame thing, which they themselves these +very last years (and the remembrance thereof is yet new and fresh), in +their own general council that they had by order called, have decreed and +commanded to be devoutly kept. In the last council at Trent, scant +fourteen years past, it was ordained by the common consent of all +degrees, "that one man should not have two benefices at one time." What +is become now of that ordinance? Is the same too soon worn out of mind, +and clean consumed? For these men, ye see, give to one man not two +benefices only, but sundry abbeys many times, sometimes also two +bishoprics, sometimes three, sometimes four. And that not only to an +unlearned man, but oftentimes also even to a man of war. + +In the said council a decree was made that all bishops should preach the +Gospel. These men neither preach nor once go up into the pulpit, neither +think they it any part of their office. What great pomp and crake then +is this they make of antiquity? Why brag they so of the names of the +ancient fathers, and of the new and old councils? Why will they seem to +trust to their authority whom when they list they despise at their +pleasure? + +But I have a special fancy to commune a word or two rather with the +Pope's good holiness, and to say these things to his own face. Tell us, +I pray you, good holy father, seeing ye do crake so much of all +antiquity, and boast yourself that all men are bound to you alone, which +of all the fathers hath at any time called you by the name of the +"highest prelate," the "universal bishop," or the "head of the Church"? +Which of them ever said "that both the swords were committed unto you?" +Which of them ever said "that you have authority and right to call +councils?" Which of them ever said "the whole world is but your +diocese?" Which of them "that all bishops have received of your +fulness?" Which of them "that all power is given to you as well in +heaven as in earth?" Which of them "that neither kings, nor the whole +clergy, nor yet all the people together, are able to be judges over you?" +Which of them "that kings and emperors, by Christ's commandment and will, +do receive authority at your hands?" Which of them with so precise and +mathematical limitation hath surveyed and determined you to be "seventy +and seven times greater than the mightiest kings?" Which of them that +more ample authority is given to you than to the residue of the +patriarchs? Which of them that you are the "Lord God"? or that you are +"not a mere natural man, but a certain substance made and grown together +of God and man"? Which of them that you are the only "headspring of all +laws"? Which of them that you have "power over purgatories?" Which of +them that you are able to "command the angels of God" as you list +yourself? Which of them that ever said that you are "lord of lords" and +the "king of kings"? We can also go further with you in like sort. What +one amongst the whole number of the old bishops and fathers ever taught +you either to say private mass while the people stared on, or to "lift up +the Sacrament" over your head (in which point consisteth now all your +religion), or else to "mangle Christ's Sacraments," and to bereave the +people of the one part, contrary to Christ's institution and plain +express words? But that we may once come to an end, what one is there of +all the fathers which hath taught you to distribute Christ's blood and +the holy martyrs' merits, and to sell openly as merchandises your pardons +and all the rooms and lodgings of purgatory? + +These men are wont to speak much of a certain secret doctrine of theirs, +and of their manifold and sundry readings. Then let them bring forth +somewhat now, if they can, that it may appear they have at least read or +do know somewhat. They have often stoutly noised in all corners where +they went how all the parts of their religion be very old, and have been +approved not only of the multitude, but also by the consent and continual +observation of all nations and times. Let them, therefore, once in their +life show this their antiquity. Let them make appear at eye that the +things whereof they make such ado have taken so long and large increase. +Let them declare that all Christian nations have agreed by consent to +this their religion. + +Nay, nay, they turn their backs, as we have said already, and flee from +their own decrees, and have cut off and abolished again within a short +space the same things which, but a few years before, themselves had +established for evermore, forsooth, to continue. How should one, then, +trust them in the fathers, in the old councils, and in the words spoken +by God? They have not, good Lord, they have not, I say, those things +which they boast they have: they have not that antiquity, they have not +that universality, they have not that consent of all places, nor of all +times. And though they have a desire rather to dissemble, yet they +themselves are not ignorant hereof: yea, and sometime also they let not +to confess it openly. And for this cause they say that the ordinances of +the old councils and fathers be such as may now and then be altered, and +that sundry and divers decrees serve for sundry and divers times of the +Church. Thus lurk they under the name of the Church, and beguile silly +creatures with their vain glozing. It is to be marvelled that either men +be so blind that they cannot see this, or if they see it, to be so +patient as they can lightly and quietly bear it. + +But, whereas they have commanded that those decrees should be void, as +things now waxen too old, and that have lost their grace, perhaps they +have provided in their stead certain other better things, and more +profitable for the people. For it is a common saying with them that, "if +Christ Himself or the Apostles were alive again, they could not better +nor godlier govern God's Church than it is at this present governed by +them." They have put in their stead indeed; but it is "chaff instead of +wheat," as Hieremy saith, and such things as, according to Esay's words, +"God never required at their hands." "They have stopped up," saith he, +"all the veins of clear springing water, and have digged up for the +people deceivable and puddle-like pits, full of mire and filth, which +neither have nor are able to hold pure water." They have plucked away +from the people the Holy Communion, the Word of God, from whence all +comfort should be taken; the true worshipping of God also, and the right +use of sacraments and prayer; and have given us of their own to play +withal in the meanwhile, salt, water, oil, boxes, spittle, palms, bulls, +jubilees, pardons, crosses, censings, and an endless rabble of +ceremonies, and, as a man might term with Plautus, "pretty games to make +sport withal." In these things have they set all their religion, +teaching the people that by these God may be duly pacified, spirits be +driven away, and men's consciences well quieted. For these, lo, be the +orient colours and precious savours of Christian religion; these things +doth God look upon and accepteth them thankfully; these must come in +place to be honoured, and put quite away the institutions of Christ and +of His Apostles. And like as in times past, when wicked King Jeroboam +had taken from the people the right serving of God, and brought them to +worship the golden calves, lest perchance they might afterward change +their mind and slip away, getting them again to Jerusalem to the temple +of God, there he exhorted them with a long tale to be steadfast, saying +thus unto them: "O Israel, these calves be thy gods. In this sort +commanded your God you should worship Him, for it should be wearisome and +troublous for you to take upon you a journey so far off, and yearly to go +up to Jerusalem, there to serve and honour your God." Even after the +same sort every whit, when these men had once made the law of God of non- +effect through their own traditions, fearing that the people should +afterward open their eyes and fall another way, and should somewhence +else seek a surer mean of their salvation, Jesu, how often have they +cried out, "This is the same worshipping that pleaseth God, and which He +straitly requireth of us, and wherewith He will be turned from His wrath. +That by these things is conserved the unity of the Church. By these all +sins be cleansed, and consciences quieted, and that whoso departeth from +these hath left unto himself no hope of everlasting salvation." For it +were wearisome and troublous, say they, for the people to resort to +Christ, to the Apostles, and to the ancient fathers, and to observe +continually what their will and commandment should be. This ye may see, +is to "withdraw the people of God from the weak elements of the world, +from the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees, and from the traditions of +men." It were reason, no doubt, that Christ's commandments and the +Apostles' were removed, that these their devices might come in place. O +just cause, I promise you, why that ancient and so long allowed doctrine +should be now abolished, and a new form of religion be brought into the +Church of God. + +And yet whatever it be, these men cry still that nothing ought to be +changed: that men's minds are well satisfied herewithal: that the Church +of Rome, the Church which cannot err, hath decreed these things. For +Silvester Prierias saith, that the Romish Church is the squire and rule +of truth, and that the Holy Scripture hath received from thence authority +and credit. "The doctrine," saith he, "of the Romish Church is the rule +of most infallible faith, from the which the Holy Scripture taketh his +force. And indulgences and pardons, saith he, are not made known to us +by the authority of the Scriptures, but they are made known to us by the +authority of the Romish Church, and of the Bishops of Rome, which is +greater." Pighius also letteth not to say, that without the license of +the Romish Church, we ought not to believe the very plain Scriptures. +Much like as if any of those that cannot speak pure and clean Latin, and +yet can babble out quickly and readily a little some such law Latin as +serveth the court, would needs hold that all others ought also to speak +after the same way which Mammetrectus and Catholicon spake many years +ago, and which themselves do yet use in pleading in court: for so may it +be understood sufficiently what is said, and men's desires be satisfied: +and that it is a fondness now in the latter end to trouble the world with +a new kind of speaking, and to call again the old finesse and eloquence +that Cicero and Caesar used in their days in the Latin tongue. So much +are these men beholden to the folly and darkness of the former times. +"Many things," as one writeth, "are had in estimation oftentimes, because +they have been once dedicate to the temples of the heathen gods." Even +so we see at this day many things allowed and highly set by of these men, +not because they judge them so much worth, but only because they have +been received into a custom, and after a sort dedicate to the temple of +God. + +"Our Church," say they, "cannot err." They speak that, I think, as the +Lacedaemonians long since used to say, that it was not possible to find +any adulterer in all their commonwealth: whereas indeed they were rather +all adulterers, and had no certainty in their marriages, but had their +wives common amongst them all: or as the canonists at this day, for their +bellies' sake, used to say of the Pope, that forsomuch as he is lord of +all benefices, though he sell for money bishoprics, monasteries, +priesthood, spiritual promotions, and part with nothing freely, yet, +because he counteth all his own, "he cannot commit simony, though he +would never so fain." But how strongly and agreeably to reason these +things be spoken, we are not as yet able to perceive, except perchance +these men have plucked off the wings from the truth; as the Romans in old +time did prune and pinion their goddess Victoria, after they had once +gotten her home, to the end that with the same wings she should never +more be able to flee away from them again. But what if Jeremy tell them, +as is afore rehearsed, that these be lies? What if the same prophet say +in another place that the selfsame men, who ought to be keepers of the +vineyard, have brought to nought and destroyed the Lord's vineyard? How +if Christ say that the same persons, who chiefly ought to have care over +the temple, have made of the Lord's temple a den of thieves? If it be so +that the Church of Rome cannot err, it must needs follow, that the good +luck thereof is far greater than all these men's policy. For such is +their life, their doctrine, and their diligence, that for all them the +Church may not only err, but also utterly be spoiled and perish. No +doubt, if that church may err which hath departed from God's words, from +Christ's commandments, from the Apostles' ordinances, from the primitive +Church's examples, from the old fathers' and councils' orders, and from +their own decrees, and which will be bound within the compass of none, +neither old nor new, nor their own nor other folks', nor man's law nor +God's law, then it is out of all question that the Romish Church hath not +only had power to err, but also that it hath shamefully and most wickedly +erred in very deed. + +But, say they, "ye have been of our fellowship, but now ye are become +forsakers of your profession, and have departed from us." It is true; we +have departed from them, and for so doing we both give thanks to Almighty +God, and greatly rejoice on our own behalf. But yet for all this, from +the primitive Church, from the Apostles, and from Christ we have not +departed. True it is, we were brought up with these men in darkness, and +in the lack of the knowledge of God, as Moses was taught up in the +learning and in the bosom of the Egyptians. "We have been of your +company," saith Tertullian, "I confess it, and no marvel at all; for," +saith he, "men be made and not born Christians." But wherefore, I pray +you, have they themselves, the citizens and dwellers of Rome, removed and +come down from those seven hills, whereupon Rome sometime stood, to dwell +rather in the plain called Mars' field? they will say, peradventure, +because the conduits of water, wherewithout men cannot commodiously live, +have now failed and are dried up in those hills. Well, then, let them +give us like leave in seeking the water of eternal life, that they give +themselves in seeking the water of the well. For the water, verily, +failed amongst them. "The elders of the Jews," saith Jeremy, "sent their +little ones to the waterings; and they finding no water, being in a +miserable case, and utterly marred for thirst, brought home again their +vessels empty." "The needy and poor folk," saith Esay, "sought about for +water, but nowhere found they any; their tongue was even withered for +thirst." Even so these men have broken in pieces all the pipes and +conduits: they have stopped up all the springs, and choked up the +fountain of living water with dirt and mire. And as Caligula many years +past locked up fast all the storehouses of corn in Rome, and thereby +brought a general dearth and famine amongst the people; even so these +men, by damming up all the fountains of God's Word, have brought the +people into a pitiful thirst. They have brought into the world, as saith +the prophet Amos, "a hunger and a thirst: not the hunger of bread, nor +the thirst of water, but of hearing the Word of God." With great +distress went they scattering about, seeking some spark of heavenly life +to refresh their consciences withal: but that light was already +thoroughly quenched out, so that they could find none. This was a rueful +state; this was a lamentable form of God's Church. It was a misery to +live therein, without the Gospel, without light, and without all comfort. + +Wherefore, though our departing were a trouble to them, yet ought they to +consider withal how just cause we had of our departure. For if they will +say, it is in nowise lawful for one to leave the fellowship wherein he +hath been brought up, they may as well in our names, and upon our heads, +condemn both the Prophets, the Apostles, and Christ Himself. For why +complain they not also of this, that Lot went quite his way out of Sodom, +Abraham out of Chaldea, the Israelites out of Egypt, Christ from the +Jews, and Paul from the Pharisees? For except it be possible there may +be a lawful cause of departing, we see no reason why Lot, Abraham, the +Israelites, Christ, and Paul, may not be accused of sects and sedition, +as well as others. And if these men will needs condemn us for heretics, +because we do not all things at their commandment, whom, in God's name, +or what kind of men ought they themselves to be taken for, which despise +the commandment of Christ, and of the Apostles? If we be schismatics +because we have left them, by what name, then, shall they be called +themselves, which have forsaken the Greeks, from whom they first received +their faith, forsaken the primitive Church, forsaken Christ Himself, and +the Apostles, even as if children should forsake their parents? For +though those Greeks, who at this day profess religion, and Christ's Name, +have many things corrupted amongst them, yet hold they still a great +number of those things which they received from the Apostles. They have +neither private masses, nor mangled sacraments, nor purgatories, nor +pardons. And as for the titles of high bishops, and those glorious +names, they esteem them so, as whosoever he were that would take upon him +the same, and would be called either universal bishop, or the head of the +universal Church, they make no doubt to call such a one both a passing +proud man, a man that worketh despite against all the other bishops his +brethren, and a plain heretic. + +Now, then, since it is manifest, and out of all peradventure, that these +men have fallen from the Greeks of whom they received the Gospel, of whom +they received the faith, the true religion and the Church; what is the +matter, why they will not now be called home again to the same men, as it +were to their originals and first founders? And why be they afraid to +take a pattern of the Apostles' and old fathers' times, as though they +all had been void of understanding? Do these men, ween ye, see more, or +set more by the Church of God than they did who first delivered us these +things? + +We truly have renounced that Church, wherein we could neither have the +Word of God sincerely taught, nor the sacraments rightly administered, +nor the Name of God duly called upon: which Church also themselves +confess to be faulty in many points; and wherein was nothing able to stay +any wise man, or one that hath consideration of his own safety. To +conclude, we have forsaken the Church as it is now, not as it was in old +times past, and have so gone from it as Daniel went out of the lions' +den, and the three children out of the furnace: and to say the truth, we +have been cast out by these men (being cursed of them as they used to +say, with book, bell, and candle), rather than have gone away from them +of ourselves. + +And we are come to that Church, wherein they themselves cannot deny (if +they will say truly, and as they think in their own conscience) but all +things be governed purely and reverently, and, as much as we possibly +could, very near to the order used in the old times. + +Let them compare our churches and theirs together, and they shall see +that themselves have most shamefully gone from the Apostles, and we most +justly have gone from them. For we, following the example of Christ, of +the Apostles, and the Holy fathers, give the people the Holy Communion, +whole and perfect; but these men, contrary to all the fathers, to all the +Apostles, and contrary to Christ Himself, do sever the Sacraments, and +pluck away the one part from the people, and that with most notorious +sacrilege, as Gelasius termeth it. + +We have brought again the Lord's Supper unto Christ's institution, and +have made it to be a communion in very deed, common and indifferent to a +great number, according to the name. But these men have changed all +things contrary to Christ's institution, and have made a private mass of +the Holy Communion. And so it cometh to pass that we give the Lord's +Supper unto the people, and they give them a vain pageant to gaze upon. + +We affirm, together with the ancient fathers, that the body of Christ is +not eaten but of the good and faithful, and of those that are endued with +the Spirit of Christ. Their doctrine is, that Christ's very body +effectually, and as they speak really and substantially, may not only be +eaten of the wicked and unfaithful men, but also (which is monstrous to +be spoken) of mice and dogs. + +We use to pray in our churches after that fashion, as, according to +Paul's lesson, the people may know what we pray, and may answer Amen with +a general consent. These men, like sounding metal, yell out in the +churches unknown and strange words without understanding, without +knowledge, and without devotion; yea, and do it of purpose because the +people should understand nothing at all. + +But not to tarry about rehearsing all points wherein we and they +differ--for they have well-nigh no end--we turn the Scriptures into all +tongues; they scant suffer them to be had abroad in any tongue. We +allure the people to read and to hear God's Word: they drive the people +from it. We desire to have our cause known to all the world; they flee +to come to any trial. We lean unto knowledge, they unto ignorance. We +trust unto light, they unto darkness. We reverence, as it becometh us, +the writings of the Apostles and Prophets; and they burnt them. Finally, +we in God's cause desire to stand to God's only judgment; they will stand +only to their own. Wherefore, if they will weigh all these things with a +quiet mind, and fully bent to hear and to learn, they will not only allow +this determination of ours, who have forsaken errors, and followed Christ +and His Apostles, but themselves also will forsake their own selves, and +join of their own accord to our side. + + + +PART VI. + + +But peradventure they will say, it was treason to attempt these matters +without a sacred general council; for in that consisteth the whole force +of the Church; there Christ hath promised He will ever be a present +assistant. Yet they themselves, without tarrying for any general +council, have broken the commandments of God, and the decrees of the +Apostles; and, as we said a little above, they have spoiled and +disannulled almost all, not only ordinances, but even the doctrine of the +primitive Church. And where they say it is not lawful to make a change +without a council, what was he that gave us these laws, or from whence +had they this injunction? + +Truly, King Agesilaus did but fondly, who, when he had a determinate +answer made him of the opinion and will of mighty Jupiter, would +afterward bring the whole matter before Apollo, to know whether he would +allow thereof, as his father Jupiter did, or no. But yet should we do +much more fondly, when we hear God Himself plainly speak to us in His +most Holy Scriptures, and may understand by them His will and meaning, if +we would afterward (as though this were of none effect) bring our whole +cause to be tried by a council; which were nothing else but to ask +whether men would allow as God did, and whether men would confirm God's +commandment by their authority. + +Why, I beseech you, except a council will and command, shall not truth be +truth, and God be God? If Christ had meant to do so from the beginning, +as that He would preach or teach nothing without the bishop's consent, +but refer all His doctrine over to Annas and Caiaphas, where should now +have been the Christian faith? or, who at any time should have heard the +Gospel taught? Peter verily, whom the Pope hath oftener in his mouth, +and more reverently useth to speak of than he doth of Jesus Christ, did +boldly stand against the holy council, saying, "It is better to obey God +than men." And after Paul had once entirely embraced the Gospel, and had +received it, "not from men, nor by man, but by the only will of God, he +did not take advice therein of flesh and blood," nor brought the case +before his kinsmen and brethren, but went forthwith into Arabia, to +preach God's Divine mysteries by God's only authority. + +Yet truly, we do not despise councils, assemblies, and conference of +bishops and learned men; neither have we done that we have done +altogether without bishops or without a council. The matter hath been +treated in open Parliament with long consultation, and before a notable +synod and convocation. But touching this council which is now summoned +by the Pope Pius, wherein men so lightly are condemned, which have been +neither called, heard, nor seen, it is easy to guess what we may look for +or hope of it. + +In times past, when Nazianzen saw in his days how men in such assemblies +were so blind and wilful that they were carried with affections, and +laboured more to get the victory than the truth, he pronounced openly +that he never had seen any good end of any council. What would he say +now, if he were alive at this day, and understood the heaving and shoving +of these men? For at that time, though the matter were laboured on all +sides, yet the controversies were well heard, and open error was put +clean away by the general voice of all parts. But these men will neither +have the case to be freely disputed, nor yet, how many errors soever +there be, suffer they any to be changed. For it is a common custom of +theirs often and shamelessly to boast that "their Church cannot err; that +in it there is no fault; and that they must give place to us in nothing." +Or if there be any fault, yet must it be tried by bishops and abbots +only, because they be the directors and rulers of matters; and they be +the Church of God. Aristotle saith that a "city cannot consist of +bastards;" but whether the Church of God may consist of these men, let +their own selves consider. For doubtless neither be the abbots +legitimate abbots, nor the bishops natural right bishops. But grant they +be the Church: let them be heard speak in councils; let them alone have +authority to give assent: yet in old time, when the Church of God (if ye +will compare it with their Church) was very well governed, both elders +and deacons, as saith Cyprian, and certain also of the common people, +were called thereunto, and made acquainted with ecclesiastical matters. + +But I put case, these abbots [and bishops] have no knowledge: what if +they understand nothing what religion is, nor how we ought to think of +God? I put case, the pronouncing and ministering of the law be decayed +in priests, and good counsel fail in the elders, and, as the prophet +Micah saith, "The night be unto them instead of a vision, and darkness +instead of prophesying:" or, as Esaias saith, "What if all the watchmen +of the city are become blind?" "What if the salt have lost his proper +strength and savoriness," and, as Christ saith, "be good for no use, +scant worth the casting on the dunghill?" + +Well, yet then they will bring all matters before the Pope, who cannot +err. To this I say, first, it is a madness to think that the Holy Ghost +taketh His flight from a general council to run to Rome, to the end if He +doubt or stick in any matter, and cannot expound it of Himself, He may +take counsel of some other spirit, I wot not what, that is better learned +than Himself. For if this be true, what needed so many bishops, with so +great charges and so far journeys, have assembled their convocation at +this present at Trident? It had been more wisdom and better, at least it +had been a much nearer way and handsomer, to have brought all things +rather before the Pope, and to have come straight forth, and have asked +counsel at his divine breast. Secondly, it is also an unlawful dealing +to toss our matter from so many bishops and abbots, and to bring it at +last to the trial of one only man, specially of him who himself is +appeached by us of heinous and foul enormities, and hath not yet put in +his answer; who hath also aforehand condemned us without judgment by +order pronounced, and ere ever we were called to be judged. + +How say ye, do we devise these tales? Is not this the course of the +councils in these days? Are not all things removed from the whole holy +council, and brought before the Pope alone? that, as though nothing had +been done to purpose by the judgments and consents of such a number, he +alone may add, alter, diminish, disannul, allow, remit, and qualify +whatsoever he list? Whose words be these, then? and why have the bishops +and abbots, in the last council of Trident, but of late concluded with +saying thus in the end: "Saving always the authority of the see apostolic +in all things?" or why doth Pope Paschal write so proudly of himself? "As +though," saith he, "there were any general council able to prescribe a +law to the Church of Rome: whereas all councils both have been made and +have received their force and strength by the Church of Rome's authority; +and in ordinances made by councils, is ever plainly excepted the +authority of the Bishop of Rome." If they will have these things allowed +for good, why be councils called? But if they command them to be void, +why are they left in their books as things allowable? + +But be it so: let the Bishop of Rome alone be above all councils, that is +to say, let some one part be greater than the whole; let him be of +greater power, let him be of more wisdom than all his; and, in spite of +Hierom's head, let the authority "of one city be greater than the +authority of the whole world." How, then, if the Pope have seen none of +these things, and have never read either the Scriptures, or the old +Fathers, or yet his own councils? How if he favour the Arians, as once +Pope Liberius did? or have a wicked and a detestable opinion of the life +to come, and of the immortality of the soul, as Pope John had but few +years since? or, to increase his own dignity, do corrupt other councils, +as Pope Zosimus corrupted the council holden at Nice in times past; and +do say that those things were devised and appointed by the holy Fathers +which never once came into their thought; and, to have the full sway of +authority, do wrest the Scriptures, which, as Camotensis saith, is an +usual custom with the Popes? How if he have renounced the faith of +Christ, and become an apostate, as Lyranus saith many Popes have been? +And, yet for all this, shall the Holy Ghost, with turning of a hand, +knock at his breast, and even whether he will or no, yea, and wholly +against his will, kindle him a light so as he may not err? Shall he +straightway be the head-spring of all right; and shall all treasure of +wisdom and understanding be found in him, as it were laid up in store? +or, if these things be not in him, can he give a right and apt judgment +of so weighty matters? or, if he be not able to judge, would he have that +all those matters should be brought before him alone? + +What will ye say if the Pope's advocates, abbots and bishops, dissemble +not the matter, but show themselves open enemies to the Gospel, and +though they see, yet they will not see; but wry the Scriptures, and +wittingly and knowingly corrupt and counterfeit the Word of God, and +foully and wickedly apply to the Pope all the same things, which +evidently and properly be spoken of the Person of Christ only, nor by no +means can be applied to any other? And what though they say, "The Pope +is all and above all?" or, "that he can do as much as Christ can?" and +"that one judgment-place and one council-house serve for the Pope and for +Christ both together;" or, "that the Pope is the same light which should +come into the world;" which words Christ spake of Himself alone: and +"that whoso is an evil-doer hateth and flieth from that light;" or that +all the other bishops have received of the Pope's fulness? Shortly, what +though they make decrees expressly against God's Word, and that not in +hucker-mucker or covertly, but openly, and in the face of the world, must +it needs yet be Gospel straight whatsoever these men say? Shall these be +God's holy army? or will Christ be at hand among them there? Shall the +Holy Ghost flow in their tongues; or can they with truth say, "We and the +Holy Ghost have thought good so?" Indeed, Peter Asotus and his companion +Hosius stick not to affirm, that the same council wherein our Saviour +Jesus Christ was condemned to die had both the Spirit of Prophesying, and +the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit of Truth in it; and that it was neither a +false nor a trifling saying when those bishops said, "We have a law, and +by our law He ought to die:" and that they, so saying, did light upon the +very truth of judgment (for so be Hosius' words); and that the same +plainly was a just decree whereby they pronounced that Christ was worthy +to die. This, methinketh, is strange, that these men are not able to +speak for themselves, and to defend their own cause, but they must also +take part with Annas and Caiaphas. For if they will call that a lawful +and a good council wherein the Son of God was most shamefully condemned +to die, what council will they then allow for false and naught? And yet +(as all their councils, to say truth, commonly be) necessity compelled +them to pronounce these things of the council holden by Annas and +Caiaphas. + +But will these men (I say) reform us the Church, being themselves both +the persons guilty and the judges too? Will they abate their own +ambition and pride? Will they overthrow their own matter, and give +sentence against themselves that they must leave off to be unlearned +bishops, slow bellies, heapers together of benefices, takers upon them as +princes and men of war? Will the abbots, the Pope's dear darlings, judge +that monk for a thief which laboureth not for his living? and that it is +against all law to suffer such a one to live and to be found either in +city or in country, or yet of other men's charges? or else that a monk +ought to lie on the ground, to live hardly with herbs and pease, to study +earnestly, to argue, to pray, to work with hand, and fully to bend +himself to come to the ministry of the Church? In faith, as soon will +the Pharisees and Scribes repair again the temple of God, and restore it +unto us a house of prayer instead of a thievish den. + +There have been, I know, certain of their own selves which have found +fault with many errors in the Church, as Pope Adrian, AEneas Sylvius, +Cardinal Pole, Pighius, and others, as is aforesaid: they held afterwards +their council at Trident in the selfsame place where it is now appointed. +There assembled many bishops, and abbots, and others whom it behoved for +that matter. They were alone by themselves; whatsoever they did, nobody +gainsaid it; for they had quite shut out and barred our side from all +manner of assemblies: and there they sat six years, feeding folks with a +marvellous expectation of their doings. The first six months, as though +it were greatly needful, they made many determinations of the Holy +Trinity, of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which were +godly things indeed, but not so necessary for that time. Let us see, in +all that while, of so many, so manifest, so often confessed by them, and +so evident errors, what one error have they amended? from what kind of +idolatry have they reclaimed the people? What superstition have they +taken away? What piece of their tyranny and pomp have they diminished? +As though all the world may not now see that this is a conspiracy and not +a council; and that those bishops whom the Pope hath now called together +be wholly sworn and become bound to bear him their faithful allegiance, +and will do no manner of thing but that they perceive pleaseth him, and +helpeth to advance his power, and as he will have it; or that they reckon +not of the number of men's voices rather than have weight and +consideration of the same; or that might doth not oftentimes overcome +right. + +And therefore we know that divers times many good men and Catholic +bishops did tarry at home, and would not come when such councils were +called, wherein men so apparently laboured to serve factions and to take +parts, because they knew they should but lose their travail, and do no +good, seeing whereunto their enemies' minds were so wholly bent. +Athanasius denied to come, when he was called by the emperor to his +council at Caesarea, perceiving plain he should but come among his +enemies, which deadly hated him. The same Athanasius, when he came +afterward to the council at Syrmium, and foresaw what would be the end by +reason of the outrage and malice of his enemies, he packed up his +carriage and went away immediately. John Chrysostom, although the +Emperor Constantius commanded him by four sundry letters to come to the +Arians' council, yet kept he himself at home still. When Maximus, the +Bishop of Jerusalem, sat in the council at Palestine, the old Father +Paphnutius took him by the hand, and led him out at the doors, saying, +"It is not lawful for us to confer of these matters with wicked men." The +bishops of the East would not come to the Syrmian council after they knew +Athanasius had gotten himself thence again. Cyril called men back by +letters from the council of them which were named Patropassians. +Paulinus, Bishop of Triers, and many others more, refused to come to the +council at Milan when they understood what a stir and rule Auxentius kept +there: for they saw it was in vain to go thither, where not reason, but +faction, should prevail, and where folk contended not for the truth and +right judgment of the matter, but for partiality and favour. + +And yet, for all those Fathers had such malicious and stiff-necked +enemies, yet if they had come they should have had free speech at least +in the councils. But now, sithence, none of us may be suffered so much +as to sit, or once to be seen in these men's meetings, much less suffered +to speak freely our mind; and seeing the Pope's legates, patriarchs, +archbishops, bishops, and abbots--all being conspired together, all +linked together in one kind of fault, and all bound by one oath--sit +alone by themselves, and have power alone to give their consent: and, at +last, when they have all done--as though they had done nothing--bring all +their opinions to be judged at the will and pleasure of the Pope, being +but one man, to the end he may pronounce his own sentence of himself, who +ought rather to have answered to his complaint; sithence, also, the same +ancient and Christian liberty, which of all right should specially be in +Christian councils, is now utterly taken away from the council--for these +causes, I say, wise and good men ought not to marvel at this day, though +we do the like now, that they see was done in times past in like case of +so many Fathers and Catholic bishops: which is, though we choose rather +to sit at home, and leave our whole cause to God, than to journey +thither, whereas we neither shall have place nor be able to do any good; +whereas we can obtain no audience; whereas princes' ambassadors be but +used as mocking-stocks; and whereas, also, we be condemned already, +before trial, as though the matter were aforehand despatched and agreed +upon. Nevertheless, we can bear patiently and quietly our own private +wrongs. But wherefore do they shut out Christian kings and good princes +from their convocation? Why do they so uncourteously, or with such +spite, leave them out, and--as though they were not either Christian men, +or else could not judge--will not have them made acquainted with the +cause of Christian religion, nor understand the state of their own +Churches? + +Or if the said kings and princes happen to intermeddle in such matters, +and take upon them to do that they may do, that they be commanded to do, +and ought of duty to do, and the same things that we know both David and +Solomon and other good princes have done, that is, if they--whilst the +Pope and his prelates slug and sleep, or else mischievously withstand +them--do bridle the priests' sensuality, and drive them to do their duty, +and keep them still to it; if they do overthrow idols, if they take away +superstition, and set up again the true worshipping of God--why do they +by-and-by make an outcry upon them, that such princes trouble all, and +press by violence into another body's office, and do thereby wickedly and +malapertly? What Scripture hath at any time forbidden a Christian prince +to be made privy to such causes? Who but themselves alone made ever any +such law? + +They will say to this, I guess: "Civil princes have learned to govern a +commonwealth, and to order matters of war, but they understand not the +secret mysteries of religion." If that be so, what is the Pope, I pray +you, at this day other than a monarch or a prince? Or what be the +cardinals, who must be none other nowadays, but princes and kings' sons? +What else be the patriarchs, and, for the most part, the archbishops, the +bishops, the abbots? What be they else at this present in the Pope's +kingdom but worldly princes, but dukes and earls, gorgeously accompanied +with bands of men whithersoever they go; oftentimes also gaily arrayed +with chains and collars of gold? They have at times, too, certain +ornaments by themselves, as crosses, pillars, hats, mitres, and +palls--which pomp the ancient bishops Chrysostom, Augustine, and Ambrose +never had. Setting these things aside, what teach they? What say they? +What do they? How live they? I say, not as may become a bishop, but as +may become even a Christian man? Is it so great a matter to have a vain +title, and, by changing a garment only, to have the name of a bishop? + +Surely to have the principal stay and effect of all matters committed +wholly to these men's hands, who neither know nor will know these things, +nor yet set a jot by any point of religion, save that which concerneth +their belly and riot; and to have them alone sit as judges, and to be set +up as overseers in the watch-tower, being no better than blind spies; of +the other side, to have a Christian prince of good understanding and of a +right judgment to stand still like a block or a stake, not to be suffered +neither to give his voice nor to show his judgment, but only to wait what +these men shall will and command, as one which had neither ears, nor +eyes, nor wit, nor heart; and whatsoever they give in charge, to allow it +without exception, blindly fulfilling their commandments, be they never +so blasphemous and wicked, yea, although they command him quite to +destroy all religion, and to crucify again Christ Himself: this surely, +besides that it is proud and spiteful, is also beyond all right and +reason, and not to be endured of Christian and wise princes. Why, I pray +you, may Caiaphas and Annas understand these matters, and may not David +and Ezechias do the same? Is it lawful for a cardinal, being a man of +war, and delighting in blood, to have place in a council? and is it not +lawful for a Christian emperor or a king? We truly grant no further +liberty to our magistrates than that we know hath both been given them by +the Word of God, and also been confirmed by the examples of the very best +governed commonwealths. For besides that a Christian prince hath the +charge of both tables committed to him by God, to the end he may +understand that not temporal matters only, but also religious and +ecclesiastical causes, pertain to his office: besides also that God by +His prophets often and earnestly commandeth the king to cut down the +groves, to break down the images and altars of idols, and to write out +the book of the law for himself: and besides that the prophet Isaiah +saith, "A king ought to be a patron and a nurse of the Church:" I say, +besides all these things, we see by histories and by examples of the best +times that good princes ever took the administration of ecclesiastical +matters to pertain to their duty. + +Moses, a civil magistrate, and chief guide of the people, both received +from God, and delivered to the people, all the order for religion and +sacrifices, and gave Aaron the bishop a vehement and sore rebuke for +making the golden calf, and for suffering the corruption of religion. +Joshua also, though he were none other than a civil magistrate, yet as +soon as he was chosen by God, and set as a ruler over the people, he +received commandments specially touching religion and the service of God. +King David, when the whole religion was altogether brought out of frame +by wicked king Saul, brought home again the Ark of God; that is to say, +he restored religion again; and was not only amongst them himself as a +counsellor and furtherer of the work, but he appointed also hymns and +psalms, put in order the companies, and was the only doer in setting +forth that whole solemn show, and in effect ruled the priests. King +Solomon built unto the Lord the Temple which his father David had but +purposed in his mind to do: and after the finishing thereof, he made a +goodly oration to the people concerning religion and the service of God: +he afterward displaced Abiathar the priest, and set Sadok in his place. +After this, when the Temple of God was in shameful wise polluted through +the naughtiness and negligence of the priests, King Hezekiah commanded +the same to be cleansed from the rubble and filth, the priests to light +up candles, to burn incense, and to do their Divine service according to +the old and allowed custom; the same king also commanded the brazen +serpent, which then the people wickedly worshipped, to be taken, down and +beaten to powder. King Jehoshaphat overthrew and utterly made away the +hill altars and groves; whereby he saw God's honour hindered and the +people holden back with a private superstition from the ordinary Temple, +which was at Jerusalem, whereto they should by order have resorted yearly +from every part of the realm. King Josiah with great diligence put the +priests and bishops in mind of their duties; King Joash bridled the riot +and arrogancy of the priests; Jehu put to death the wicked prophets. + +And to rehearse no more examples out of the old law, let us rather +consider, since the birth of Christ, how the Church hath been governed in +the Gospel's time. The Christian emperors in the old time appointed the +councils of the bishops. Constantine called the council at Nice; +Theodosius the First called the council at Constantinople; Theodosius the +Second, the council at Ephesus; Martian, the council at Chalcedon; and +when Ruffine the heretic had alleged for authority a council which, as he +thought, should make for him, St. Hierom his adversary, to confute him, +"Tell us," quod he, "what emperor commanded that council to be called." +The same St. Hierom again, in his epitaph upon Paula, maketh mention of +the emperor's letters which gave commandment to call the "bishops of +Italy and Greece to Rome to a council." Continually for the space of +five hundred years, the emperor alone appointed the ecclesiastical +assemblies, and called the councils of the bishops together. + +We now therefore marvel the more at the unreasonable dealing of the +Bishop of Rome, who, knowing what was the emperor's right when the Church +was well ordered, knowing also that it is now a common right to all +princes, for so much as the kings are now fully possessed in the several +parts of the whole empire, doth so without consideration assign that +office alone to himself, and taketh it sufficient, in summoning a general +council, to make that man that is prince of the whole world no otherwise +partaker thereof than he would make his own servant. And although the +modesty and mildness of the Emperor Ferdinand be so great that he can +bear this wrong, because, peradventure, he understandeth not well the +Pope's packing, yet ought not the Pope of his holiness to offer him that +wrong, nor to claim as his own another man's right. + +But hereto some will reply: The emperor, indeed, called councils at that +time ye speak of, because the Bishop of Rome was not yet grown so great +as he is now, but yet the emperor did not then sit together with the +bishops in council, or once bare any stroke with his authority in their +consultation. I answer, Nay, that it is not so; for, as witnesseth +Theodoret, the Emperor Constantine sat not only together with them in the +Council of Nice, but gave also advice to the bishops how it was best to +try out the matter by the Apostles' and Prophets' writings, as appeareth +by these his own words: "In disputation," saith he, "of matters of +divinity, we have set before us to follow the doctrine of the Holy Ghost. +For the Evangelists' and the Apostles' works, and the Prophets' sayings, +show us sufficiently what opinion we ought to have of the will of God." +The Emperor Theodosius, as saith Socrates, did not only sit amongst the +bishops, but also ordered the whole arguing of the cause, and tare in +pieces the heretics' books, and allowed for good the judgment of the +Catholics. In the council at Chalcedon a civil magistrate condemned for +heretics, by the sentence of his own mouth, the bishops Dioscorus, +Juvenalis, and Thalassius, and gave judgment to put them down from their +dignities in the Church. In the third council at Constantinople, +Constantine, a civil magistrate, did not only sit amongst the bishops, +but did also subscribe with them. "For," saith he, "we have both read +and subscribed." In the second council called Arausicanum, the prince's +ambassadors, being noble men born, not only spake their mind touching +religion, but set to their hands also, as well as the bishops. For thus +it is written in the latter end of that council: "Petrus, Marcellinus, +Felix, and Liberius, being most noble men, and famous lieutenants, and +captains of France, and also peers of the realm, have given their +consent, and set to their hands." Further: "Syagrius, Opilio, +Pantagathus, Deodatus, Cariattho, and Marcellus, men of very great +honour, have subscribed." If it be so, then, that lieutenants, captains, +and peers have had authority to subscribe in council, have not emperors +and kings the like authority? + +Truly there had been no need to handle so plain a matter as this is with +so many words, and so at length, if we had not to do with those men who, +for a desire they have to strive and to win the mastery, use of course to +deny all things, be they never so clear--yea, the very same which they +presently see and behold with their own eyes. The Emperor Justinian made +a law to correct the behaviour of the clergy, and to cut short the +insolency of the priests. And albeit he were a Christian and a Catholic +prince, yet put he down from their papal throne two Popes, Sylverius and +Vigilius, notwithstanding they were Peter's successors and Christ's +vicars. + +Let us see, then, such men as have authority over the bishops, such men +as receive from God commandments concerning religion, such as bring home +again the Ark of God, make holy hymns, oversee the priests, build the +Temple, make orations touching Divine service, cleanse the temples, +destroy the hill altars, burn the idols' groves, teach the priests their +duties, write them out precepts how they should live, kill the wicked +prophets, displace the high priests, call together the councils of +bishops, sit together with the bishops, instructing them what they ought +to do, condemn and punish an heretical bishop, be made acquainted with +matters of religion, which subscribe and give sentence; and do all these +things, not by any other man's commission, but in their own name, and +that both uprightly and godly: shall we say it pertaineth not to such men +to have to do with religion? or shall we say a Christian magistrate, +which dealeth amongst others in these matters, doth either naughtily, or +presumptuously, or wickedly? The most ancient and Christian emperors and +kings that ever were, did busy themselves with these matters, and yet +were they never for this cause noted either of wickedness or of +presumption. And what is he that can find out either more Catholic +princes or more notable examples? + +Wherefore, if it were lawful for them to do thus, being but civil +magistrates, and having the chief rule of commonweals, what offence have +our princes at this day made, which may not have leave to do the like, +being in the like degree? or what especial gift of learning, or of +judgment, or of holiness have these men now, that, contrary to the custom +of all the ancient and Catholic bishops, who used to confer with princes +and peers concerning religion, they do now thus reject and cast off +Christian princes from knowing of the cause, and from their meetings? +Well, thus doing, they wisely and warily provide for themselves and for +their kingdom, which otherwise they see is like shortly to come to +nought. For if so be they whom God hath placed in greatest dignity did +see and perceive these men's practices, how Christ's commandments be +despised by them, how the light of the Gospel is darkened and quenched +out by them, and how themselves also be subtly beguiled and mocked, and +unawares be deluded by them, and the way to the kingdom of heaven stopped +up before them: no doubt they would never so quietly suffer themselves +neither to be disdained after such a proud sort, nor so despitefully to +be scorned and abused by them. But now, through their own lack of +understanding, and through their own blindness, these men have them fast +yoked, and in their danger. + +We truly for our parts, as we have said, have done nothing in altering +religion either upon rashness or arrogancy; nor nothing but with good +leisure and great consideration. Neither had we ever intended to do it, +except both the manifest and most assured will of God, opened to us in +His Holy Scriptures, and the regard of our own salvation, had even +constrained us thereunto. For though we have departed from that Church +which these men call Catholic, and by that means get us envy amongst them +that want skill to judge, yet is this enough for us, and ought to be +enough for every wise and good man, and one that maketh account of +everlasting life, that we have gone from that Church which had power to +err: which Christ, who cannot err, told so long before it should err; and +which we ourselves did evidently see with our eyes to have gone both from +the holy fathers, and from the Apostles, and from Christ His own self, +and from the primitive and Catholic Church; and we are come as near as we +possibly could to the Church of the Apostles and of the old Catholic +bishops and fathers; which Church we know hath hereunto been sound and +perfect, and, as Tertullian termeth it, a pure virgin, spotted as yet +with no idolatry, nor with any foul or shameful fault: and have directed, +according to their customs and ordinances, not only our doctrine, but +also the Sacraments and the form of common prayer. + +And, as we know both Christ Himself and all good men heretofore have +done, we have called home again to the original and first foundation that +religion which hath been foully foreslowed, and utterly corrupted by +these men. For we thought it meet thence to take the pattern of +reforming religion from whence the ground of religion was first taken: +because this one reason, as saith the most ancient father Tertullian, +hath great force against all heresies, "Look, whatsoever was first, that +is true; and whatsoever is latter, that is corrupt." Irenaeus oftentimes +appealed to the oldest churches, which had been nearest to Christ's time, +and which it was hard to believe had erred. But why at this day is not +the same respect and consideration had? Why return we not to the pattern +of the old churches? Why may not we hear at this time amongst us the +same saying, which was openly pronounced in times past in the council at +Nice by so many bishops and Catholic fathers, and nobody once speaking +against it [Greek text]: that is to say, "hold still the old customs!" +When Esdras went about to repair the ruins of the Temple of God, he sent +not to Ephesus, although the most beautiful and gorgeous temple of Diana +was there; and when he purposed to restore the sacrifices and ceremonies +of God, he sent not to Rome, although peradventure he had heard in that +place were the solemn sacrifices called Hecatombae, and other called +Solitaurilia, Lectisternia, and Supplicationes, and Numa Pompilius' +ceremonial books. He thought it enough for him to set before his eyes, +and follow the pattern of the old Temple, which Solomon at the beginning +builded according as God had appointed him, and also those old customs +and ceremonies which God Himself had written out by special words for +Moses. + +The prophet Aggaeus, after the temple was repaired again by Esdras, and +the people might think they had a very just cause to rejoice on their own +behalf for so great a benefit received of Almighty God, yet made he them +all burst out into tears, because that they which were yet alive and had +seen the former building of the Temple, before the Babylonians destroyed +it, called to mind how far off it was yet from that beauty and excellency +which it had in the old times past before. For then, indeed, would they +have thought the Temple worthily repaired if it had answered to the +ancient pattern and to the majesty of the first Temple. Paul, because he +would amend the abuse of the Lord's Supper, which the Corinthians even +then began to corrupt, he set before them Christ's institution to follow, +saying: "I have delivered unto you that which I first received of the +Lord." And when Christ did confute the error of the Pharisees, "Ye +must," saith He, "return to the first beginning; for from the beginning +it was not thus." And when He found great fault with the priests for +their uncleanness of life and covetousness, and would cleanse the Temple +from all evil abuses, "This house," saith He, "at the first beginning it +was a house of prayer," wherein all the people might devoutly and +sincerely pray together. And so it were your part to use it now also at +this day, for it was not builded to the end it should be a "den of +thieves." Likewise all the good and commendable princes mentioned of in +the Scriptures were praised specially by these words, that they had +walked in the ways of their father David: that is, because they had +returned to the first and original foundation, and had restored religion +even to the perfection wherein David left it. And therefore, when we +likewise saw all things were quite trodden under foot of these men, and +that nothing remained in the temple of God but pitiful spoils and decays, +we reckoned it the wisest and the safest way to set before our eyes those +churches which we know for a surety that they never had erred, nor never +had private mass, nor prayers in a strange and barbarous language, nor +this corrupting of sacraments, and other toys. + +And forsomuch as our desire was to have the Temple of the Lord restored +anew, we would seek none other foundation than the same which we know was +long ago laid by the Apostles, that is to wit, "Our Saviour, Jesus +Christ." And forasmuch as we heard God Himself speaking unto us in His +word, and saw also the notable examples of the old and primitive Church; +again, how uncertain a matter it was to wait for a general council, and +that the success thereof would be much more uncertain, but specially +forsomuch as we were most ascertained of God's will, and counted it a +wickedness to be too careful and overcumbered about the judgments of +mortal men: we could no longer stand taking advice with flesh and blood, +but rather thought good to do the same thing, that both might rightly be +done, and hath also many a time been done, as well of good men as of many +Catholic bishops--that is, to remedy our own churches by a provincial +synod. For thus know we the old fathers used to put in experience before +they came to the public universal council. There remain yet at this day +canons written in councils of free cities, as of Carthage under Cyprian, +as of Ancyra, Neocaesarea, and Gangra, which is in Paphlagonia, as some +think, before that the name of the general council at Nice was ever heard +of. After this fashion in old time did they speedily meet with and cut +short those heretics, the Pelagians and the Donatists at home, by private +disputation, without any general council. Thus, also, when the Emperor +Constantine evidently and earnestly took part with Auxentius, the bishop +of the Arians' faction, Ambrose, the bishop of the Christians, appealed +not unto a general council, where he saw no good could be done, by reason +of the emperor's might and great labour, but appealed to his own clergy +and people, that is to say, to a provincial synod. And thus it was +decreed in the council at Nice that the bishops should assemble twice +every year. And in the council at Carthage it was decreed that the +bishops should meet together in each of their provinces at least once in +the year, which was done, as saith the council of Chalcedon, of purpose +that if any errors and abuses had happened to spring up anywhere, they +might immediately at the first entry be destroyed where they first began. +So likewise when Secundus and Palladius rejected the council at Aquileia, +because it was not a general and a common council, Ambrose, bishop of +Milan, made answer that no man ought to take it for a new or strange +matter that the bishops of the west part of the world did call together +synods, and make private assemblies in their provinces, for that it was a +thing before then used by the west bishops no few times, and by the +bishops of Greece used oftentimes and commonly to be done. And so +Charles the Great, being emperor, held a provincial council in Germany +for putting away images, contrary to the second council at Nice. Neither, +pardy, even amongst us is this so very a strange and new a trade. For we +have had ere now in England provincial synods, and governed our churches +by home-made laws. What should one say more? Of a truth, even those +greatest councils, and where most assembly of people ever was (whereof +these men use to make such an exceeding reckoning), compare them with all +the churches which throughout the world acknowledge and profess the name +of Christ, and what else, I pray you, can they seem to be but certain +private councils of bishops and provincial synods? For admit, +peradventure, Italy, France, Spain, England, Germany, Denmark, and +Scotland meet together, if there want Asia, Greece, Armenia, Persia, +Media, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, and Mauritania, in all which +places there be both many Christian men and also bishops, how can any +man, being in his right mind, think such a council to be a general +council? or where so many parts of the world do lack how can they truly +say they have the consent of the whole world? Or what manner of council, +ween you, was the same last at Trident? Or how might it be termed a +general council, when out of all Christian kingdoms and nations there +came unto it but only forty bishops, and of the same some so cunning that +they might be thought meet to be sent home again to learn their grammar, +and so well learned that they had never studied divinity. + +Whatsoever it be, the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ dependeth not +upon councils, nor, as St. Paul saith, upon mortal creature's judgment. +And if they which ought to be careful for God's Church will not be wise, +but slack their duty, and harden their hearts against God and His Christ, +going on still to pervert the right ways of the Lord, God will stir up +the very stones, and make children and babes cunning, whereby there may +ever be some to confute these men's lies. For God is able (not only +without councils), but also, will the councils, nill the councils, to +maintain and advance His own kingdom. "Full many be the thoughts of +man's heart" (saith Solomon); "but the counsel of the Lord abideth +steadfast:" "There is no wisdom, there is no knowledge, there is no +counsel against the Lord." "Things endure not" (saith Hilarius), "that +be set up with men's workmanship: by another manner of means must the +Church of God be builded and preserved: for that Church is grounded upon +the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, and is holden fast together +by one corner stone, which is Christ Jesu." + +But marvellous notable, and to very good purpose for these days, be +Hierom's words: "Whosoever" (saith he) "the devil hath deceived, and +enticed to fall asleep, as it were with the sweet and deathly +enchantments of the mermaids the Syrens, those persons doth God's word +awake up, saying unto them, Arise, thou that sleepest; lift up thyself, +and Christ shall give thee light. Therefore, at the coming of Christ, of +God's word, of the ecclesiastical doctrine, and of the full destruction +of Nineveh, and of that most beautiful harlot, then, then shall the +people, which heretofore had been cast in a trance under their masters, +be raised up, and shall make haste to go to the mountains of the +Scripture; and there shall they find hills, Moses verily, and Joshua the +son of Nun, other hills also, which are the Prophets; and hills of the +New Testament, which are the Apostles and the Evangelists. And when the +people shall flee for succour to such hills, and shall be exercised in +the reading of those kind of mountains, though they find not one to teach +them (for the harvest shall be great, but the labourers few), yet shall +the good desire of the people be well accepted, in that they have gotten +them to such hills; and the negligence of their masters shall be openly +reproved." These be Hierom's sayings, and that so plain, as there +needeth no interpreter. For they agree so just with the things we now +see with our eyes have already come to pass, that we may verily think +that he meant to foretell, as it were, by the spirit of prophecy, and to +paint before our face the universal state of our time; the fall of the +most gorgeous harlot Babylon; the repairing again of God's Church; the +blindness and sloth of the bishops, and the good will and forwardness of +the people. For who is so blind, that he seeth not these men be the +masters, by whom the people, as saith Hierom, hath been led into error +and lulled asleep? Or who sooth not Rome, that is their Nineveh, which +sometime was painted with fairest colours, but now, her vizard being +palled off, is both better seen and less set by? Or who seeth not that +good men, being awaked, as it were, out of their dead sleep at the light +of the Gospel and at the voice of God, have resorted to the hills of the +Scriptures, waiting not at all for the councils of such masters? + +But, by your favour, some will say, these things ought not to have been +attempted without the Bishop of Rome's commandment, forsomuch as he only +is the knot and band of Christian society. He only is that priest of +Levi's order whom God signified in the Deuteronomy, from whom counsel in +matters of weight and true judgment ought to be fetched; and whoso +obeyeth not his judgment, the same man ought to be killed in the sight of +his brethren; and that no mortal creature hath authority to be judge over +him, whatsoever he do: that Christ reigneth in heaven, and he in earth; +that he alone can do as much as Christ or God Himself can do, because +Christ and he have but one council-house; that without him is no faith, +no hope, no Church; and whoso goeth from him quite casteth away and +renounceth his own salvation. Such talk have the canonists, the Pope's +parasites, surely, but with small discretion or soberness. For they +could scant say more, at least they could not speak more highly of Christ +Himself. + +As for us, truly we have fallen from the Bishop of Rome upon no manner of +worldly respect or commodity. And would to Christ he so behaved himself +as this falling away needed not; but so the case stood, that unless we +left him we could not come to Christ. Neither will he now make any other +league with us than such a one as Nahas the king of the Ammonites would +have made in times past with them of the city of Jabez, which was to put +out the right eye of each one of the inhabitants. Even so will the Pope +pluck from us the holy Scripture, the Gospel of our salvation, and all +the confidence which we have in Christ Jesu. And upon other condition +can he not agree upon peace with us. + +For whereas some use to make so great a vaunt, that the Pope is only +Peter's successor, as though thereby he carried the Holy Ghost in his +bosom, and cannot err, this is but a matter of nothing, and a very +trifling tale. God's grace is promised to a good mind, and to one that +feareth God, not unto sees and successions. "Riches," saith Hierom, "may +make a bishop to be of more might than the rest: but all the bishops," +whosoever they be, "are the successors of the Apostles." If so be the +place and consecrating only be sufficient, why then Manasses succeeded +David, and Caiaphas succeeded Aaron. And it hath been often seen, that +an idol hath stand in the temple of God. In old time Archidamus the +Lacedaemonian boasted much of himself, how he came of the blood of +Hercules. But one Nicostratus in this wise abated his pride: "Nay," +quoth he, "thou seemest not to descend from Hercules. For Hercules +destroyed ill men, but thou makest good men evil." And when the +Pharisees bragged of their lineage, how they were of the kindred and +blood of Abraham: "Ye," saith Christ, "seek to kill me, a man which have +told you the truth, as I heard it from God. Thus Abraham never did. Ye +are of your father the devil, and will needs obey his will." + +Yet notwithstanding, because we will grant somewhat to succession, tell +us, hath the Pope alone succeeded Peter? And wherein, I pray you? In +what religion? in what office? in what piece of his life hath he +succeeded him? What one thing (tell me) had Peter ever like unto the +Pope, or the Pope like unto Peter? Except peradventure they will say +thus: that Peter, when he was at Rome, never taught the Gospel, never fed +the flock, took away the keys of the kingdom of heaven, hid the treasures +of his Lord, sat him down only in his castle in S. John Lateran, and +pointed out with his finger all the places of purgatory, and kinds of +punishments, committing some poor souls to be tormented, and other some +again suddenly releasing thence at his own pleasure, taking money for so +doing: or that he gave order to say private masses in every corner: or +that he mumbled up the holy service with a low voice, and in an unknown +language: or that he hanged up the Sacrament in every temple, and on +every altar, and carried the same about before him whithersoever he went, +upon an ambling jannet, with lights and bells; or that he consecrated +with his holy breath, oil, wax, wool, bells, chalices, churches, and +altars, or that he sold jubilees, graces, liberties, advowsons, +preventions, first fruits, palls, the wearing of palls, bulls, +indulgences, and pardons; or that he called himself by the name of the +head of the Church, the highest bishop, bishop of bishops, alone most +holy: or that by usurping he took upon himself the right and authority +over other folk's churches; or that he exempted himself from the power of +any civil government; or that he maintained wars, and set princes +together at variance: or that he sitting in his chair, with his triple +crown full of labels, with sumptuous and Persian-like gorgeousness, with +his royal sceptre, with his diadem of gold, and glittering with stones, +was carried about, not upon palfrey, but upon the shoulders of noble men. +These things, no doubt, did Peter at Rome in times past, and left them in +charge to his successors, as you would say, from hand to hand; for these +things be now-a-days done at Rome by the popes, and be so done, as though +nothing else ought to be done. Or contrariwise, peradventure they had +rather say thus, that the Pope doth now all the same things, which we +know Peter did many a day ago: that is, that he runneth up and down into +every country to preach the gospel, not only openly abroad, but also +privately from house to house: that he is diligent, and applieth that +business in season and out of season, in due time and out of due time: +that he doth the part of an evangelist, that he fulfilleth the work and +ministry of Christ, that he is the watchman of the House of Israel, +receiveth answers and words at God's mouth; and even as he receiveth +them, so delivereth them over to the people: that he is the salt of the +earth: that he is the light of the world: that he doth not feed his own +self, but his flock: that he doth not entangle himself with the worldly +cares of this life: that he doth not use a sovereignty over the Lord's +people: that he seeketh not to have other men minister to him, but +himself rather to minister unto others: that he taketh all bishops as his +fellows and equals; that he is subject to princes, as to persons sent +from God: that he giveth to Caesar that which is Caesar's: and that he, +as the old bishops of Rome did without any question, calleth the emperor +his lord. Unless, therefore, the popes do the like now-a-days, and Peter +did the things aforesaid, there is no cause at all why they should glory +so of Peter's name, and of his succession. + +Much less cause have they to complain of our departing, and to call us +again to be fellows and friends with them, and to believe as they +believe. Men say, that one Cobilon, a Lacedaemonian, when he was sent +ambassador to the king of the Persians to treat of a league, and found by +chance them of the court playing at dice, he returned straightway home +again, leaving his message undone. And when he was asked why he did +slack to do the things which he had received by public commission to do, +he made answer, he thought it should be a great reproach to his +commonwealth to make a league with dicers. But if we should content +ourselves to return to the Pope, and to his popish errors, and to make a +covenant not only with dicers, but also with men far more ungracious and +wicked than any dicers be; besides that this should be a great blot to +our good name, it should also be a very dangerous matter, both to kindle +God's wrath against us, and to clog and condemn our own souls for ever. +For of very truth we have departed from him, who we saw had blinded the +whole world this many a hundred year: from him, who too far +presumptuously was wont to say, "he could not err," and whatsoever he did +"no mortal man had power to condemn him, neither kings, nor emperors, nor +the whole clergy," nor yet all the people in the world together; no, and +though he should carry away with him to hell a thousand souls from him +who took upon him power to command, not only men, but even God's angels, +to go, to return, to lead souls into purgatory, and to bring them back +again when he list himself: whom Gregory said, without all doubt, is the +very forerunner and standard-bearer of Antichrist, and hath utterly +forsaken the Catholic faith, from whom also these ringleaders of ours, +who now with might and main resist the gospel, and the truth, which they +know to be the truth, have ere this departed every one of their own +accord and goodwill, and would even now also gladly depart from him, if +the note of inconstancy and shame, and their own estimation among the +people, were not a let unto them. In conclusion, we have departed from +him, to whom we were not bound, and who had nothing to say for himself, +but only I know not what virtue or power of the place where he dwelleth, +and a continuance of succession. + +And as for us, we of all others most justly have left him. For our +kings, yea, even they which with greatest reverence did follow and obey +the authority and faith of the bishops of Rome, have long since found and +felt well enough the yoke and tyranny of the Pope's kingdom. For the +bishops of Rome took the crown off from the head of our King Henry the +Second, and compelled him to put aside all majesty, and like a mere +private man to come unto their legate with great submission and humility, +so as all his subjects might laugh him to scorn. More than this, they +caused bishops and monks, and some part of the nobility, to be in the +field against our King John, and set all the people at liberty from their +oaths, whereby they ought allegiance to their king; and at last, wickedly +and most abominably they bereaved the king, not only of his kingdom, but +also of his life. Besides this, they excommunicated and cursed king +Henry the Eighth, that most famous prince, and stirred up against him, +sometime the Emperor, sometime the French king: and as much as in them +was, put in adventure our realm to have been a very prey and spoil. Yet +were they but fools and mad, to think that either so mighty a prince +could be scared with bugs and rattles; or else, that so noble and great a +kingdom might so easily, even at one morsel, be devoured and swallowed +up. + +And yet, as though all this were too little, they would needs make all +the realm tributary to them, and exacted thence yearly most unjust and +wrongful taxes. So dear cost us the friendship of the city of Rome. +Wherefore, if they have gotten these things of us by extortion, through +their fraud and subtle sleights, we see no reason why we may not pluck +away the same from them again by lawful ways and just means. And if our +kings in that darkness and blindness of former times, gave them these +things of their own accord and liberality for religion's sake, being +moved with a certain opinion of their feigned holiness; now when +ignorance and error is espied out, may the kings, their successors, take +them away again, seeing they have the same authority the kings their +ancestors had before. For the gift is void, except it be hallowed by the +will of the giver, and that cannot seem a perfect will, which is dimmed +and hindered by error. + + + + +THE RECAPITULATION OF THE APOLOGY. + + +Thus, good Christian reader, ye see how it is no new thing, though at +this day the religion of Christ be entertained with despites and checks, +being but lately restored, and as it were, coming up again anew; +forsomuch as the like hath chanced both to Christ Himself and to His +Apostles: yet nevertheless, for fear ye may suffer yourself to be led +amiss and seduced with these exclamations of our adversaries, we have +declared at large unto you the very whole manner of our religion, what +our opinion is of God the Father, of His only Son Jesus Christ, of the +Holy Ghost, of the Church, of the Sacraments, of the ministry, of the +Scriptures, of ceremonies, and of every part of Christian belief. We +have said, that we abandon and detest, as plagues and poisons, all those +old heresies which either the sacred Scriptures, or the ancient councils +have utterly condemned: that we call home again, as much as ever we can, +the right discipline of the Church, which our adversaries have quite +brought into a poor and weak case. That we punish all licentiousness of +life, and unruliness of manners, by the old and long-continued laws, and +with as much sharpness as is convenient, and lieth in our power. That we +maintain still the state of kingdoms, in the same condition and plight +wherein we have found them, without any diminishing or alteration, +reserving unto our princes their majesties and worldly pre-eminence, safe +and without impairing, to our possible power. That we have so gotten +ourselves away from that Church, which they had made a den of thieves, +and wherein nothing was in good frame, or once like to the Church of God, +and which, themselves confessed, had erred many ways, even as Lot in +times past gat him out of Sodom, or Abraham out of Chaldea, not upon a +desire of contention, but by the warning of God Himself. And that we +have searched out of the Holy Bible, which we are sure cannot deceive, +one sure form of religion, and have returned again unto the primitive +Church of the ancient fathers and Apostles; that is to say, to the first +ground and beginning of things, as unto the very foundations and +headsprings of Christ's Church. And in very truth we have not tarried +for in this matter the authority or consent of the Tridentine council, +wherein we saw nothing done uprightly, nor by good order; where also +everybody was sworn to the maintenance of one man; where our prince's +ambassadors were contemned; where not one of our divines could be heard, +and where parts-taking and ambition was openly and earnestly procured and +wrought; but, as the holy fathers in former time, and as our predecessors +have commonly done, we have restored our churches by a provincial +convocation, and have clean shaken off, as our duty was, the yoke and +tyranny of the bishop of Rome, to whom we were not bound; who also had no +manner of thing like, neither to Christ, nor to Peter, nor to an Apostle, +nor yet like to any bishop at all. Finally, we say, that we agree +amongst ourselves touching the whole judgment and chief substance of +Christian religion, and with one mouth, and with one spirit, do worship +God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. + +Wherefore, O Christian and godly reader, forasmuch as thou seest the +reasons and causes, both why we have restored religion, and why we have +forsaken these men, thou oughtest not to marvel, though we have chosen to +obey our Master Christ, rather than men. Paul hath given us warning how +we should not suffer ourselves to be carried away with such sundry +learnings, and to fly their companies, in especial, which would sow +debate and variances, clean contrary to the doctrine which they had +received of Christ and the Apostles. Long since have these men's crafts +and treacheries decayed, and vanished, and fled away at the sight and +light of the Gospel, even as the owl doth at the sun-rising. And albeit +their trumpery be built up, and reared as high as the sky, yea even, in a +moment, and as it were of the own self, falleth it down again to the +ground and cometh to nought. For you must not think that all these +things have come to pass rashly, or at adventure; it hath been God's +pleasure, that, against all men's wills well nigh, the Gospel of Jesu +Christ should be spread abroad throughout the whole world at these days. +And, therefore, men, following God's biddings, have of their own free +will resorted unto the doctrine of Jesus Christ. And for our parts, +truly we have sought hereby, neither glory, nor wealth, nor pleasure, nor +ease. For there is plenty of all these things with our adversaries. And +when we were of their side, we enjoyed such worldly commodities much more +liberally and bountifully than we do now. Neither do we eschew concord +and peace, but to have peace with man we will not be at war with God. The +name of peace is a sweet and pleasant thing, saith Hilarius; but yet +beware, saith he, "peace is one thing, and bondage is another." For if +it should so be, as they seek to have it, that Christ should be commanded +to keep silence, that the truth of the Gospel should be betrayed, that +horrible errors should be cloaked, that Christian men's eyes should be +bleared, and that they might be suffered to conspire openly against God; +this were not a peace, but a most ungodly covenant of servitude. There +is a peace, saith Nazianzen, that is unprofitable; again, there is a +discord, saith he, that is profitable. For we must conditionally desire +peace, so far as is lawful before God, and so far as we may conveniently. +For otherwise Christ Himself brought not peace into the world, but a +sword. Wherefore, if the pope will have us be reconciled to him, his +duty is first to be reconciled to God. For from thence, saith Cyprian, +spring schisms and sects, because men seek not the Head, and have not +their recourse to the fountain (of the Scriptures), and keep not the +rules given by the heavenly Teacher. For, saith he, that is not peace, +but war; neither is he joined unto the Church, which is severed from the +Gospel. As for these men, they used to make a merchandise of the name of +peace. For that peace which they so fain would have, is only a rest of +idle bellies. They and we might easily be brought to atonement; touching +all these matters, were it not that ambition, gluttony, and excess did +let it. Hence cometh their whining, their heart is on their halfpenny. +Out of doubt their clamours and stirs be to none other end, but to +maintain more shamefully and naughtily ill-gotten things. + +Nowadays the pardoners complain of us, the dataries, the pope's +collectors, the bawds, and others which take gain to be godliness, and +serve not Jesus Christ but their own bellies. Many a day ago, and in the +old world, a wonderful great advantage grew hereby to these kinds of +people. But now they reckon, all is lost unto them, that Christ gaineth. +The pope himself maketh a great complaint at this present, that charity +in people is waxen cold. And why so, trow ye? Forsooth, because his +profits decay more and more. And for this cause doth he hale us into +hatred, all that ever he may, laying load upon us with despiteful +railings, and condemning us for heretics, to the end, they that +understand not the matter may think there be no worse men upon earth than +we be. Notwithstanding, we in the mean season are never the more ashamed +for all this; neither ought we to be ashamed of the gospel. For we set +more by the glory of God, than we do by the estimation of men. We are +sure all is true that we teach, and we may not either go against our own +conscience, or bear any witness against God. For if we deny any part of +the Gospel of Jesus Christ before men, He on the other side will deny us +before His Father. And if there be any that will still be offended, and +cannot endure Christ's doctrine, such, say we, be blind, and leaders of +the blind; the truth, nevertheless, must be preached and preferred above +all, and we must with patience wait for God's judgment. Let these folk, +in the meantime, take good heed what they do, and let them be well +advised of their own salvation, and cease to hate and persecute the +Gospel of the Son of God, for fear lest they feel Him once a redresser +and revenger of His own cause. God will not suffer Himself to be made a +mocking stock. The world espieth a good while agone what there is a +doing abroad. This flame, the more it is kept down, so much the more +with greater force and strength doth it break out and fly abroad. Their +unfaithfulness shall not disappoint God's faithful promise. And if they +shall refuse to lay away this their hardness of heart, and to receive the +Gospel of Christ, then shall publicans and sinners go before them into +the kingdom of Heaven. + +God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ open the eyes of them all, +that they may be able to see that blessed hope, whereunto they have been +called; so as we may altogether in one glorify Him alone, who is the true +God, and also that same Jesus Christ, whom He sent down to us from +Heaven, unto whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be given all +honour and glory everlastingly. So be it. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE APOLOGY OF THE CHURCH OF +ENGLAND*** + + +******* This file should be named 17678.txt or 17678.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/6/7/17678 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. 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