Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

The Answere.

O the incredible blindnes and brutishnes of these Ro∣mish bulles. This Article is truely mine, & very christian,

which I will not suffer to be wreasted from mee, for all the Popes and papists in the world.* 1.1 For thys I meant by that doctrine, that repentaunce is of no force, vnlesse it be done in faithe and charitie, whiche thinge they also teache them selues, but that they do not knowe nor teach, neither what faith nor charitie is. And therefore in condemning my doc∣trine, they condemne also their owne, foolishly repugnyng against themselues in their owne cōtradiction. I say ther∣fore that he which teacheth repentaunce in such wise & ma∣ner, that he hath not a greater regard to the promised mer∣cye of God and faith in the same, then to this afflicting and vexing of the minde, he teacheth the repentaunce of Iudas Iscarioth, he is pestilent, a deuil to mens soules, and a tor∣mentor of consciences. Read the bookes of those sophisters, where they wryte of repentaunce, and thou shalt see there no mētion made eyther of promise or faith. For these liuely parts of repētance, they cleane omitte, & onely do vexe mē with these dead contritions. But heereof we haue, and wil hereafter entreat more at large.

But what should I here stand vpon euery Article, see∣ing my bookes be abroade, wherein I haue geuen a reason of all sufficiently, and more woulde haue done, if mine ad∣uersaries also had brought to light theirs.* 1.2 For what folish∣nesse is this, that they thinke to answere me with thys one saying, that they count all my sayings as damned, wheras I did wryte to this ende onely, that they shoulde acknow∣ledge their errours, wherewith they haue so long bewit∣ched the people of God. Neither did I looke that I should be condemned, which vnderstanding & knowing the same right wel, haue iustified those things which they haue con∣demned before with sufficient authoritie, bothe of scripture and reason. Neither looked I that they should tel me what they thought (for I knew all that well enough) but that I sought of them was to knowe whether they thought right therin or not. Here looked I to be taught, and behold, none of them all durst once put foorth his head. Wherefore I see these asses nothing to vnderstand either the things that I say, or yet themselues. But they be suche blinde bussardes, that they perceiue not what it is that I seeke in my bookes. For they dreame that I haue suche an opinion of them, as though they had the truthe of their side, when there is no∣thing that I lesse thinke to be true. For I foreseeing that they had condemned al these things before, came foorth and shewed my selfe, as one not to be condemned, but as alrea∣dy condemned of them, to accuse their condemnation to be wicked, hereticall, and blasphemous, and so openly to de∣nounce them as heretikes and erroneous, vnles they she∣wed some better reason and ground of their doings & doc∣trine: where as they on the other side, like foolish minstrels harping all on one string, haue nothing else in theyr mou∣thes,* 1.3 but we condemne that we haue condemned, proouing after a newe kinde of Logike, the same thing by it selfe. O most idiote huddypeaks, and blockish condemners, where is the saying of Peter? Be alwayes ready to rēder a count of that faith and hope which is in you.

Wherefore seeing these ignorant Papists, being thus confounded, doe so flie away, from the face of the manifest veritie, that they dare not once open their mouthes in de∣fence of themselues, or of their cause, and haue blasted oute with much ado this timerous Bul of theirs: I being com∣forted with the flight of these mine aduersaries, do account this theyr dastardly damnation in sted of full allowing and iustifying of my cause, and so rebounde againe theyr owne damnation vppon their owne heads, for howe coulde they more condemne themselues, then whiles they, (fearing to be founde themselues culpable of heresie, if they shoulde be driuen to geue account of their doctrine) do flie to this mi∣serable and desperate refuge, willingly to shutte their eyes and stop their eares, and to say, I will not, I damne thee, I heare thee not, I allow thee not. If I should haue plaid any such mad part, how would they (I pray you) haue tri∣umphed against me? This dastardly feare declareth what cowardes they are.

Wherefore, not to burden the reader with any tedious prolixitie of matter in prosecutinge euery Article, I heere protest in these presents, that I * 1.4 confesse all these thinges here condemned by this miserable Bull, for pure, clear and Catholike doctrine: whereof I haue sufficiently geuen ac∣compt in my bookes which be extant abroade.

Furthermore, I wil also that the sayd my bokes being extant abroad, shalbe taken as a publike accusation against these wicked Sophisters & seducers of the people of God: so that vnlesse they shall geue a count of their doctrine, and shall conuicte me with good grounde of Scripture, I doe here as muche as in me lieth, denounce thē as guiltie of er∣rour, heresie, and sacriledge, admonishing, desiring, and in the Lorde exhorting all them which truely confesse Christ, that they will beware and take heede of their pestiferous doctrine, and not to dout, but that the true Antichrist raig∣neth by them in the world amongst vs.

And if any shal contemne thys my brotherly admoni∣tion, lette him knowe that I am pure and cleane from hys bloud, & excused frō the laste iudgement of Christe. For I haue left nothing vndone, whiche Christian charitie dyd binde me to doe.

Finally, if there be no other way whereby I may resist these babling and trifeling condemners, the vttermost and last which I haue, I will geue and bestow in the quarrell, that is, this life and bloude of mine. For better it were for me a thousande times to be slaine, then to reuoke one silla∣ble of these Articles which they haue condemned. And now as they doe curse and excommunicate me for their damna∣ble heresie, so I againe likewise doe curse and excommuni∣cate them for the holy veritie of God. Christ which is only the Iudge of all, iudge and determine this matter betwene vs, whether of these two excommunications, hys or mine shall stande and preuaile before him. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The answere of mayster Luther to the 6. a••ticle.
• * 1.2

  The purpose of Luther in set∣ting forth hys articles.
• * 1.3

  •• Pet. 3.
• * 1.4

  Note here good reader that amongest these articles, certayne there be which be∣cause they see∣med somewhat to beare wyth the Pope and his pardons, Lu∣ther comming after to more knowledge that the pope was Antichrist, con∣fesseth himselfe in his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that he vtterly calleth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the same, not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 king them as the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had him, but rather aggraua•••••• them a∣gaynst the Pope.