IT HATH BEEN AN olde complaint , euen from the first time of the Patriarks & Prophetes , and confirmed by the writinges and testimonies of euery age , Tertull. in Apologetico . that the Truth wandereth here and there as a straunger in the world , & doth redily fynde enemies and slaunderers amongst those that knowe her not . Albeit perchaunce this may seeme vnto some a thinge harde to bee beleeued , I meane to suche as haue scante well and narowly taken heed thereunto , specially seing all mankind of natures very motion without a teacher doth coueite the truth of their owne accorde : and seinge oure Sauioure Christe hym selfe , when he was on earthe woulde bee called the Truthe , as by a name moste fytte to expresse all hys diuine power : yet wee , whiche haue been exercised in the holie scriptures , and which haue bothe redde & seene what hath happened to all godly menne commonly at all tymes , what to the Prophets , to the Apostles , to the holie Martyres , and what to Christe hym selfe , with what rebukes , reuilings and dispightes they were continually vexed whyles they heere lyued , and that onely for the truthes sake : wee ( I saye ) do see , that this is not onely no newe thinge or harde to be beleued , but that it is a thing already receaued and commonlye vsed from age to age . Nay truly , this might seeme muche rather a meruayle and beyonde all beleife , yf the Diuell , who is the Father of lyes and ennemye to all truthe , Iohn . 8. woulde nowe vppon a sodaine chaunge his nature , and hope that truthe might otherwyse be suppressed , then by belyenge yt : Or that he would beginne to establishe his owne kingdom by vsing now any other practises , then the same whiche he hathe euer vsed from the beginning . For since any mans remembraunce , wee cen●e skante finde one time , either when Religion did first growe , or when it was setled , or when it did a freshe springe vp againe , wherin truth and innocencye were not by all vnworthy meanes and most despit●ully intreated . Doubtlesse the Dyuell well seeth , that so longe as truth is in good sauery , hym selfe cannot be safe , nor yet maintaine his owne estate .

For lettinge passe the auncient patriarkes and Prophetes , who , as we sayd , had no parte of their lyfe free from contumelies and slaunders . Wee knowe there were certaine in tymes past , whiche said & commonly preached , that the old auncient Iewes ( of whom we make no doubt but thei wer the worshippers of the onely and true God ) did worshipp eyther a sowe or an asse in Gods steede , Cornel. Tacitus . and that all the same Religion was nothinge els , but a sacriledge and a plaine contempt of all godlynes . We know also that the sonne of God , our Sauioure Iesu Christe , Mar. 11. when hee taughte the truthe , was coumpted a Iugler and an enchanter , a Samaritan , Belzebub , a deceiuer of the people , a dronkard , and a Glutton . Againe , who wotteth no● what woordes were spoken agaynste Sainct Paule the most earnest and vehement preacher and maintainour of the truth ? Somtime that he was a sedi●●ous and busy man , a raiser of tumultes , a causer of rebellion : somtime againe that he was an heretique , sometime that he was mad : Somtime that onely vppon strife and stomacke he was bothe a blasphemer of Gods lawe , and a despiser of the Fathers ordinances . Further who knoweth not howe Sainct Stephan after he had throughly & sincerely embraced the truth , and beganne franklye and stoutly to preache and set forthe the same as he ought to do , was immediatlye called to aunswere for his life , as one that had wickedly vtered disdain●ul and haynous wordes against the lawe , against Moyses , against the Temple , and against God ? Or who is ignorant that in tymes past there werre some which reproued the holye Scriptures of falsehood , saying they conteined thinges both contrary and quite one against an other : Marcion ex Tertul. Aelius è Lactantio . and howe that the Apostles of Christe did seuerallye disagree betwixt them selues , and that S. Paule did vary from them all ? And not to make rehearsal of al , for that were an endles labour : who knoweth not after what sorte our Fathers were railed vpon in times past , which first began to acknowledge and professe the name of Christe , Eusib. li. 5. cap 11. Tertull. in Apologe . 3. Idem . 1.2.3 . & 7.8.9 . howe they made priuat conspiracies , deuised secrete councels against the common welth , & to that end made earelie and priuie meetinges in the darke , kylled yonge babes , fedd themselues with mens fleshe , and lyke sauage and brute beastes , didde drinke their bloude ? In conclusion , howe that after they had put out the candels , they committed adulterye betweene themselues , and without regarde wrought incest one with an other , that Brethren laie with their sisters , sonnes with their Mothers , without any reuerence of nature or kynne , without shame , without difference : and that thei wer wicked men without all care of Religion , and without anye opinion of God , being the very ennemies of mankinde , vnworthy to be suffered in the worlde , and vnworthie of lyfe ?

All these thinges wer spoken in those daies against the people of God , against Christ Iesu , against Paul , against Stephan , and against all them whosoeuer they were , which at the first beginninge imbraced the truthe of the Gospell , and were contented to be called by the name of Christians ; which was then an hatefull name amonge the common people . And although the thinges whiche they said , wer not true , Tertull. in Apolo . cap. 3. yet the Diuel thought it shoulde be sufficient for him , yf at the least he coulde bringe i● so to passe , as they might bee beleeued for true : and that the Christians might bee brought into a common hatred of euery body , and haue their death and destruction sought of all sortes . Herevpon Kings and Princes beinge ledde then by suche perswasions , killed all the Prophetes of God , lettinge none escape : Esai with a sawe , Ieremy with stones , Daniell with Lyons , Amos with an yron barre , Paule with the sword , & Christ vpon the crosse , and condemned all Christians to imprisonmentes , to tormentes to the pikes , to be thrwone doune headlong from rocks & stepe places , to be caste to wild beastes and to be burnt , Suctoni in Tranquill . in Nerone . & made great syres of their quicke bodies , for the only purpose to giue light by night , & for a very scorne & mockinge stocke : and didde compt them no better then the vilest fylth , th ofscouringes and laughing games of the whole worlde . Thus ( as ye see ) haue the Authors and professours of the trueth euer ben entreated .

Wherefore wee oughte to beare yt the more quyetlye , which haue taken vppon vs to professe the Gospell of Christ , yf we for the same cause be handled after the same sorte : and yf wee , as our forefathers weare longe ago , bee lykewyse at thys day tormented & bayted with raylings , with spitefull dealinges and with lyes , and that for no desert of our owne , but onely bicause we teach and acknowledge the truthe .

They crye out vpon vs at thys present euery wheare , that we are all heretiques , and haue forsaken the fayth , and haue with newe perswasions and wicked learninge vtterly dyssolued the concorde of the Churche , that we renew , & as it weare , fetche againe from hell , the olde and many a daye condempned heresyes : that we sow abroade newe sects , and suche broyles as neuer yearst weare hearde of : also that we are already deuided into contrarye partes and opinions , and coulde yet by no meanes agree well amonge oure selues : that wee be cursed creatures , & lyke the Gyauntes do warre againste God him selfe , and lyue cleane without any regarde or worshippinge of God : that we despise all good deedes : that we vse noe discipline of vertue , no lawes , no customes : that we esteeme neither righte , nor order , nor equitie , nor iustice : that we geue the brydell to al naughtines , and prouoke the people to all lycenciousnes and lust : that we labour & seke to ouerthrowe the state of Monarchies and Kyngdomes , and to bringe al thinges vnder the rule of the rashe inconstante people and vnlearned multitude : that wee haue seditiously fallen from the Catholique Churche , and by a wycked schisme and diuision haue shaken the whole worlde , and trobled the common peace and vniuersal quiet of the church : and that as Dathan and Abyron conspired in times past against Moises and Aaron , euen so wee at this day haue renounced the Byshop of Rome without anye cause resonable : that we set nought by the aucthoritie of th auncient fathers and Councels of oulde time : that wee haue rashly and presumptuously disanulled the olde cerimonies , which haue ben well alowed by oure fathers and forefathers manye hundreth yeare past , bothe by good customes and also in ages of more puritie : and that wee haue by our owne priuate head , without the aucthoritie of any sacred and general Councell brought new traditions into the Church , and haue don all these thinges not for Religions sake , but only vppon a desyre of contention and stryfe .

But that they for theyr parte haue chaunged no maner of thinge , but haue helde and kepte still suche a nomber of yeares to this verye day all thinges as they were deliuered from the Apostles , and well approued by the most auncient Fathers .

And that thys matter shoulde not seeme to be don but vppon priuie slaunder , and to be tossed to and fro in a corner , onely to spyte vs , there haue ben besides wy●ely procured by the Bysshop of Rome , certaine parsons of eloquence yenough , and not vnlearned neyther , whiche shoulde put theyre helpe to thys cause now almost despaired of , & should polyshe and set furth the same , both in bookes and with long tales , to the end , that when the matter was trymlye and eloquently handled , ignorant and vnskilfull persons mighte suspecte there was som great thing in it . In deede they perceiued that their owne cause did euerye where go to wracke , that their sleightes were nowe espyed and lesse esteemed , & that their helpes did dayly fayle them , & that their matter stoode altogether in great neede of a conninge spokesman . Now as for those things which by them haue been layed against vs , in part they be manifestly false & condempned so by their owne iudgementes whiche spake then , partly again , though thei be as false to in deede , yet beare thei a certain shew and colour of truth , so as the Reader ( if he take not good hede ) may easily be tripped and brought into errour by them , specially when their fine and cunninge tale is added thereunto : and part of them be of suche sorte , as wee oughte not to shunne them as crimes or faultes , but to acknowledg & professe them as thinges well done , and vpon very good reason .

For shortely to say the truth , these folke falsely accuse and slaunder all oure doinges : yea the same thinges whiche they themselues can not deny but to be rightly and orderly don , and for malice do so misconstre and depraue al our sayinges and doinges , as though it were impossible , that any thinge could be rightly spoken or don by vs . They should more plainly & sincerely haue gon to worke if thei would haue dealt truely , but now they neither truelye nor sincerelye : nor yet Christianly , but darklye and craftely charge and batter vs with lyes , and doe abuse the blindenes & fondenes of the people , together with the ignoraunce of Princes , to cause vs to be hated , and the truth to be suppressed .

This , lo ye , is the power of darkenes , and of men which leane more to the amased wondering of the rude multitude and to darknes , then they doe to the truth and light : and as S. Hierome saieth , which doe openly gain say the truth , closing vp their eyes , and wil not se for the nonce . But wee giue thankes to the most good & mighty God , that such is our cause , wher against ( when they woulde faynest ) they were able to vtter no dispite , but the same which might aswell bee wrested againste the holye Fathers , against the Prophetes , against the Apostles , against Peter , against Paule , and against Christ himselfe .

Nowe therefore , if it be lee●ull for these folkes to be eloquent and fine tonged in speaking euil , surely it becommeth not vs in our cause , being so very good , to be dumme in answering truelye . For men to be carelesse what ys spoken by them and their own matter bee it neuer so falselye and slaunderouselye spoken , ( especiallie when it is suche , that the Maiestie of God and the cause of religion may therby be dammaged ) is the part doubtles of dissolute and retcheles persons , & of them which wickedlye winke at the iniuries don vnto the name of God . For although other wronges , yea oftentimes great , may be borne and dissembled of a milde & Christian man , yet hee that goeth smothelye awaye and dissembleth the mater when he is noted of heresy , Ruffinus was wont to deny that man to be a Christian. We therefore will do the same thinge which all lawes , which natures owne voyce doth command to be don , and whiche Christe him selfe did in like case when he was checked and reuiled , to the intent we may put of from vs these mens slaunderous accusations , and may defend soberly and truely our own cause and innoncencie .

For Christ verelye when the Pharysies charged him with sorcery as one that had some familiar Spirites , & wrought many thinges by their helpe , I saide he , haue not the Dyuell , but do ●e glorifie my Father : but it is you , that haue dishonored me , and put me to rebuke and shame . And S. Paul when Festus the Lieutenaunt scorned him as a mad man : I ( saide he ) moste deere Festus , am not madde as thou thinkest , but I speake the wordes of truth and sobrenes . And the auncient Christians when they wer slaundered to the people for mankillers , for adulterors , for committers of incest , for disturbers of common weales , and did perceaue that by suche slaunderous accusations the Religion which they professed , might be brought in question , namely if they should seeme to hold their peace , and in manner to confesse the fault : lest this might hinder the free course of the Gospell , they made Orations , they put vp supplications , and made meanes to Emperors and Princes , that they might defend them selues and theyr fellowes in open audience .

But we trulye , seeing that so many thowsandes of our brethren in these last twenty yeares haue borne witnes vnto the truth , in the middest of most painfull torments that could be deuised : and when Princes desirous to restraine the Gospel sought many wayes but preuayled nothinge , and that now almost the whole worlde dothe begynne to open theyre eyes to behold the light : we take it that our cause hath already ben sufficiently declared and defended , and thinke it not needfull to make many wordes , since the very matter saith inough for yt selfe . For yf the Popes woulde , or els if they could weigh with their own selues the whole matter , and also the beginning and procedinges of our Religion , how in a manner al their trauail hath com to nought , no body driuing it forwarde , and without any wordely helpe : and howe on the other side , our cause , againste the will of Emperoures , from the beginning against the willes of so many Kynges , in spite of the Popes , and almoste maugre the head of all men , hath taken encrease , and by little and little spredde ouer into all countries , and is com at length euen into Kings courtes and Palaices . These same thinges me thinketh might bee tokens greate ynough to them , that God him self doth strongly fight in our quarrel , and doth from heauen laugh at their enterprises : & that the force of the truth is suche , as neither mans power , nor yet hell gates are able to roote it oute . For they be not all mad at this day , so many free Cities , so manye Kynges , so manye Princes which haue fallen away from the Seate of Roome , and haue rather ioyned themselues to the Gospell of Christe .

And although the Popes had neuer hetherunto ●ea●our to consider diligentely and earnestly of these matters , or thoughe some other cares do nowe lett them and dyuerse wayes pull them , or though they coumpt these to be but common and trieflinge studies , and nothinge to appertain to the Popes worthines , this maketh not why oure ma●ter oughte to seeme the worse . Or yf they perchaunce will not see that whiche they se in deede , but rather will withstande the knowen truth , ought wee therefore by and by to be coumpted heret●kes , bycause we obay not their will and pleasure ? Yf so be that Pope Pius were the man ( we say not which he would so gladly be called ) but i● he were in deede a man that eyther woulde accoumpte vs for his brethrene , or at least woulde take vs to be men , he woulde firste diligently haue examined our reasons , and woulde haue sene what might be saied with vs , what againste vs , and woulde not in his Bull whereby he lately pretended a Councel , so rashely haue condemned so great a part of the worlde , so many learned and godly men , so manye common wealthes , so many kyngs , and so many Prynces , only vppon his owne blynd preiudices and foredeterminations , and that without hearing of them speak , or without shewing cause whye .

But bycause he hath alredy so noted vs openlye , least by holdynge oure peace we should seme to graunt a fault , and specially bycause we can by no meane haue audience in the publik assembly of the general Councel , wherein he would no creature should haue power to geue his voice or declare his opinion , excepte he were sworne and straightly bounde to maintaine his aucthoritie .

For wee haue had good experience hereof in his last conference at the councel at Trident , where the embassadours & diuines of the Princes of Germany and of the free Cities were quite shutte out from their company : nother can we yet forget , how Iulius the third , aboue ten yeares past , prouided warely by his writt , that none of our sorte shoulde bee suffered to speake in the Councell ( except there were som paraduenture that wolde recante and chaunge his opinion ) . For this cause chieflye we thoughte it good to yelde vp an accoumpte of oure faith in writing , & truely and openly to make aunswere to those things wherwith wee haue ben openly charged , to th ende the worlde may see the partes and foundacions of that doctrine , in the behalfe whereof so many good men haue litle regarded their oune lyues . And that al men may vnderstand what manner of people they be , and what opinion they haue of God and of Religion , whome the Bysshop of Rome before they were called to tell theire tale , hath condemned for heretikes , without any good consideration , without any exaumple , & vtterly without lawe or righte , onelye bycause he hearde tell that they did dissente from hym and his in som pointe of Religion .

And although S. Hierome would haue no bodie to be patient when he is suspected of heresy , yet we wil deal herein nether bitterly nor brablingly , nor yet be caried away with angre & heate , though he ought to be reckned neither bitter nor brabler that speaketh the truth . We willingly leaue thys kynde of eloquence to oure aduersaries , who whatsoeuer they say against vs , be it neuer so shrewdly or dipitefully sayde , yet thinke it is sayd modestely and comely ynough , and care nothing whether it be trew or false . Wee neede none of these shyftes which do maintaine the truthe .

Further , yf wee do shewe it plaine that Gods holie Gospell , the aunciente Byshops and the primatiue Churche do make on our syde , and that wee haue not without iust cause left these men , and rather haue retourned to the Apostles and oulde catholique Fathers . And yf wee shall be founde to doe the same not coulorably or craftely , but in good faith , before God , truly , honestly , cleerely and plainly : and yf they themselues which ●ye our doctrine and woulde be called Catholiks , shall manifestly see how al those titles of antiquitie whereof they boste so much , ar quite shaken out of their hands , and that there is more pith in this oure cause then they thoughte for , wee then hope and trust that none of them wil be so negligent and careles of his own saluation , but he will at length studye and bethinke him selfe , to whether parte hee were best to ioyne him . Vndoubtedlye , excepte one will altogether harden his hearte and refuse to heare , he shal not repent him to geue good heede to this out defence and to mark well what wee say , & how truly and iustly it agreeth with Christian Religion .

For where they call vs Heretikes , it is a crime so haynous , that onles it may be seene , vnles it may be felt , & in manner may be holden with hands and fingers , it ought not lightly to be iudged or beleued when it is ●aide to the charge of any Christian man . For heresy is a ●orsaking of saluation , a renouncing of Gods grace , a departing from the body and spirite of Christe . But this was euer an olde and solempne propretye with them and theire forefathers , yf any did complaine of their errours and faultes , and desired to haue true Religion restored , streighte waye to condemne such one for heretikes , as men new fangled & factious . Christe for no nother cause was called a Samaritan , but onely for that he was thoughte to haue fallen to a certaine newe Religion , and to be the Aucthor of a newe sect . And Paul th apostle of CHRISTE was called before the Iudges to make aunswere to a matter of heresy , and therfore hee saied : Act. ●4 . Acordinge to this way whiche they call Heresye , I doo worshippe the God of my Fathers , beleeuinge all thinges which be written in the law and in the Prophets .

Shortely to speake . This vniuersal Religion whiche Christen men professe at this day , Tertull in Apologe ●●ico . was called firste of the heathen people a Sect & Heresy . With these termes did they alwaies fil princes eares , to th intent when they had once hated vs with a foredetermined opinion , and had coumpted all that wee sayed to bee faction and heresy , they might be so ledd away from the truth & right understanding of the cause . But the more sore and outragious a crime heresye is , the more it ought to be proued by plaine and strong argumentes , especially in this time , when men begin to geue lesse credite to theyre words , & to make more diligent searche of theyr doctrine then they were wont to do . For the people of God ar otherwyse instructed now then they were in times past , when all the Bysshopps of Romes sayenges were allowed for Gospell , & when all Religion did depende only vpon their aucthoritie . Nowe a daies the holie scripture is abroad , the writinges of the Apostles & Prophets ar in printe , whereby all truth and Catholyke doctrine may be proued , and all heresie may be disproued and confuted .

Sithens then they bring furth none of these for them selues , and call vs neuertheles Heretiques , which haue nether fallen from Christ nor from the Apostles , nor yet from the Prophets , this ys an iniurious and a very spitefull dealinge . With this sword did Christe put of the Dyuel when he was tempted of him : which these weapons oughte all presumption which doth auaunce it selfe against God , to be ouerthrowen and conquered . For al Scripture , 2. Tim. ● . sayeth S. Paule , that commeth by the inspiration of God , is profitable to teach , to confute , to instruct , and to reproue , that the man of God may be perfect and throughly framed to euery good work . Thus did the holy Fathers alway fight agaynst the heretikes with none other force then with the holy scriptures . 〈…〉 . cap. 3. ●ontra ●●iminū●anorum ●op ●i . 3. ● . 14 . S. Augustin when he disputed against Petilian an heretike of ● Donatistes : Let not these woordes , quod he , be heard betwene vs : I say , or , you say : let vs rather speake in this wise : Thus sayeth the Lorde : there let vs seeke the Church , ther let vs boult out our cause . Lykewise S. H●erome : ●rimum . 〈◊〉 Agg● All those things ( sayth he ) which without the testimonie of the scriptures are holden as deliuered from the Apostles , be throughly smitten down by the sword of Gods worde . S. Ambrose also to Gratianus the Emperour : Let the scripture ( sayeth he ) bee asked the question , let the Apostles be asked , let the Prophets be asked , & let Christ be asked . For at that time made the Catholik Fathers and Bysshops no doubt , but that our Religion mighte be proued out of the holy scriptures . Neither were they euer so hardy to take any for an he●itike , whose errour they coulde not euidently & apparently reproue by the selfe same scripturs . And we verely to make aunswere on this wise as S. Paul did : According to this way which they cal heresie , we do worship God and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ , & do allowe all thinges which haue ben written either in the Law or in the Prophet● , or in the Apostles workes .

Wherefore yf we be heretikes , and they ( as they woulde faine be called ) bee Catholikes , why do they not , as they see the fathers which were Catholike men , haue alwaies don ? why do they not conuince and maister vs by the diuine scriptures ▪ why do they not call vs agayn to be tryed by them ? why do they not lay before vs howe wee haue gon away from Christ , from the Prophets , from the Apostels , and from the holy fathers ? why stick they to do it ? why are they afraide of it ? It is Gods cause : whye are they doubtful to commit it to the trial of gods worde ? yf wee be heretkes which referre all our controuersies vnto the holy scriptures , & report vs to the selfe same words , which wee knowe were sealed by God him self , and in comparison of them set little by all other thinges whatsoeuer may be deuised by men , howe shall wee say to these folke I pray you , what manner of men be they , & howe is it meete to call them , which feare the iudgement of the holy scriptures , that is to say , the iudgement of God hym self , and do preferre before them theyr owne Dreames , and full colde Inuentions : and to maintaine their owne traditions , haue defaced and corrupted now these many hundred yeares the ordinances of Christe and of the Apostles ?

Men say that Sophocles the tragicall Poet , when in his oulde dayes he was by his own sonnes accused before the Iudges for a dotinge and sottishe man , as one that fondelye wasted hys owne substaunce , and seemed to neede a Gouernour to see vnto him : to th intent he might cleere him selfe of the faulte , he came into the place of Iudgemente , and when he had rehearsed before them his Tragedye called Oedipus Coloneus , which he had written at the verye tyme of his accusation , maruelous exactly and conningly , did of him selfe aske the Iudges , whether they thought any sottish or doting man could do the like peece of worke .

In like manner , bycause these men take vs to be mad , and appeache vs for heretikes , as men which haue nothing to do neyther with CHRIST , nor with the Churche of GOD , wee haue iudged yt shoulde be to good purpose and not vnprofitable , yt wee doe openlye and frankely set furth our faith wherein we stande , and shew al that confidence which wee haue in CHRISTE IHESV , to the intent al men may se what is oure iudgement of euery pa●te of Christian religion , and may resolue with them selues , whether the faith which they shall see confirmed by the words of Christ , by the writinges of the Apostles , by the testimonies of the catholique Fathers , and by the exaumples of many ages , be but a certain rage of furious and mad men , and a compicacie of heretikes . This therefore is oure Beli●ffe .

WE BELEEVE that there is one certaine nature and diuine power , whiche wee call GOD : and that the same is diuided into three equall persons , into the Father , into the Sonn , and into the holy Ghoste , and that they all be of owne power , of one Maiestie , of one eternitie , of one Godhed , and of one substance . And although these three persons be so diuided , that neither the Father is the sonne , nor the sonn is the holy Ghost or the Father , yet neuertheles wee beleeue the there is but one very God . And that the same one God hath created heauen and earth , and al thinges contained vnder heauen .

Wee beleeue that IESVS Christe the onely Sonne of the eternall Father ( as long before it was determined before all beginninges ) when the fullnes of tyme was com , did take of that blessed & pure Virgin , bothe ●●eshe & all the nature of man , that he might declare to the world the secret & hid will of his father : which will had ben laide vp from before all ages and generacions . And that he might full finishe in his humaine bodie the misterie of our redemption , & might fasten to the crosse our sinnes , and also that handwritinge which was made against● vs .

We beleue that ●or our sake he dyed , and was buried , descen●y● into hel● , the third day by the power of his Godhed retorned to ●yfe a●d rose again , and that the fourtyth day after his resurrection ▪ whiles his Disciples behelde and loked vppon him , he ascendid into heauen , to fulfill all thinges , and did place in maiestie and glory the selfe same body wherwith he was borne , Augustine . tracta , 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 . wherin he liued on earth , wherein he was ●ested at , where in he had suffred most painful torments & cruell kinde of death , wherein he rose againe , and wherein be ascendid to the right hand of the Father , aboue all rule , aboue all power , all force , all Dominion , and aboue euery name which is named not onely in this worlde , but also in the world to com . And that there he now sitteth , and shall syt , Act. ● . 3 . till all thinges be full perfetted . And althoughe the Maiestie and Godhed of Christ be euery wheare habundauntly dispersed , In Epist , ad Dard●●●m . yet wee beleeue the his body , as S. Augustine sa●eth , must needes be still in one place : & that Christ hath geuen maiesty vnto his bodye , but yet hath not taken away from it the nature of a body : and that wee must not so affirme Christ to be God , that wee deny hym to be man : 〈…〉 . lib. 1. and , as the Martyr Vigilius sayth , that Christ hath left vs as touching his humaine nature , but hath not left vs as touchinge his diuine nature . And that the same Christ , though he bee absent from vs concerning his manhood , ●●lgo●● , ad Thraf●● 〈◊〉 . yet is euer present with vs concerning his Godhed .