The B. of Sarisburie.
Certaine of youre frendes, whom yee cal Reuerende Fathers, suffer imprisonement, yee saie, and persequution for the Gospel. Notwithstandinge, it is not so longe si∣thence the saide Reuerende Fathers, were them selues the Burners, and Per∣sequutours of the Gospel.* 1.1 Sutche complainte sommetime made Arius the wic∣ked Heretique. For thus he writeth, I Arius, that suffer persequution for the Truthe, that euer preuaileth. Ruffinus, notwithstandinge he were a greate fauourer of the Origenian Heretiques, yet he saide, euen as you saie, Nostra Fides, persequutionis Haereticorum tempore, cùm in Sancta Alexandrina Ecclesia degeremus, in carceribus, & Exilijs,* 1.2 quae pro fide inferebantur, probata est: While wee liued in the Holy Churche of Alexandria, in the time of the persequution of Heretiques, Our Faithe was proued in prisones, and Banishementes, whiche were laide vpon vs for the Faithes sake. Vnto whom S. Hierome in his pleasante manner answeareth thus: Miror qu'd non adiecerit, Vinctus Iesu Christi: Liberatus sum de ore Leonis: Alexandriae ad bestias depugnaui: Cursum Consummaui: Fidem seruaui: Superest mihi co∣rona Iustitiae: I maruaile mutche, that he saide not further. Ruffinus the Prisoner of Ie∣sus Christe: I was deliuered out of the Lions mouthe: I was throwen amongeste wilde beastes at Alexandria: I haue paste my Course: I haue keapte the Faithe: Nowe there remainethe for mee the Crovvne of Righteousnesse.
Thus the Woulfe, when he is restreined from spoile and rauen, maie likewise complaine of Persequution.
S.* 1.3 Hierome, writinge vnto Apronius of the state of the Easte Churches, where he then liued, saithe thus: Hîc quieta sunt omnia. Etsi enim venena pe∣ctoris non amiserint, tamen os impietatis non audent aperire. Sed sunt sicut a∣spides surdae, obturantes aures suas: Al thinges here are quiete. For, al be it they haue not leafte the poison of theire bartes, yet they dare not open theire wicked mouthes. But they are as the deafe Serpentes, shuttinge vp theire eares, and wil heare nothinge.
The saide Reuerende Fathers, that, as nowe, sitte so firmely of your side, not longe agoe, were wel contented, bothe to mainetaine, and to publisshe the con∣trarie, as wel, as you. Howe be it, al this, you saie, they did not of good wil, but onely of feare, and of sutche feare, as maie happen vpon a constant man: that is to saie, of mere Hypocrisie, and Dissimulation, and by open flatteringe of theire Prince.
And thus, to saue your Fathers from beinge Schismatiques, yee are wel con∣tente to make them Hypocrites.* 1.4 Thus saie you. But youre saide Reuerendes them selues woulde haue tolde you farre otherwise.
Doctour Gardiner of him selfe saith thus:* 1.5 In the discussing, and trial of the truthe, I did not so easely contente me selfe. But I so framed me selfe, that, as it had benne in askinge the iudgemente of al my senses, onlesse I perceiued, that I firste of al hearde them vvith mine eares, smelled them vvith my nose, savve them vvith mine eies,* 1.6 and felte them vvith my handes, I thought, I had not seene yenough. Againe he saithe: This aduised consideration hathe pulled avvaie al scrupulous doubtes: And by the vvoorkinge of Goddes Grace,* 1.7 hathe conueighed and brought them into the lighte of the veritie.
And againe, In deede to tel you at a vvorde, that compelled me, that com∣pelleth al menne, euen the mighty povver of the Truthe.