But say they, ye have ben once 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, & great ⟨image 91⟩lye 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 knowledge of God, as Moses was taught up in the learning and the bosom of the Egyptians. We have ben of your company saith Tertullian, I confess it, and no marvel at all, for saith he, men be made and not borne Christians. But wherefore I pray you have they them self, 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 his field? They will say peradventure, by cause the conducts of water, where with out 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 them selves in seeking the ⟨image 92⟩water of the well, for the water verily failed amongest 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 & poor folk saith Isaiah, sought about for water, but no where found they any, their tongue was even withered with thirst. Even so these men have broken in pieces all the pipes and conduits, they have stopped up all the springs, & choked up the fountain of living water with dirt and mire. And as Caligula many years past locked fast up all the storehouses of corn in Rome, & thereby brought a general dearth and famine amongest 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, ⟨image 92⟩nor the thirst of water, but of hearing the word of God. With great distress went they scattering about, seeking some spark of heavenly light to refresh their consciences withal, but that light was already thoroughly quenched out, so that they could find none.
But say they, ye haue ben once of our felowship, but now ye are become forsakers of your profession, and haue departed from vs. It is trew we haue departed from them, and for so doing we both giue thankes to almightie God, & great ⟨image 91⟩lye reioyce on our owne behalfe. But yet for all this, from the primatiue Church, from the Apostles, and from Christ wee haue not departed, true it is. We were brought vp with these menne in darkenes, and in ye lack of knowledge of God, as Moses was taught vp in the learning and the bosome of the Egyptians. We haue ben of youre company saith Tertullian, I confesse it, and no maruaile at all, for saith he, menne be made and not borne Christians. But wherefore I pray you haue they them selfe, the citizens and dweliers of Rome remoued, and come downe from those seauen hilles, whervpon Rome sometime stood, to dwel rather in the plaine called Mars his field? They wil say peraduenture, by cause the conductes of water, wher with out menne cannot commodiouslye liue, haue now failed and ar dried vp in those hilles. Well then, lett them giue vs lyke leaue inseeking the water of eternal lyfe, that they giue them selfes in seekyng the ⟨image 92⟩water of the well, for the water verely fayled amongest them. Thelders of the Iewes sayth Ieremye, sent their litle ones to the waterings, and they finding no water, beyng in a miserable case and vtterly marred for thurst, brought home againe their vessells emptie. The nedye & poore folke saith Esaye, sought about for water, but no wheare founde they any, their tonge was euē withered with thirst. Euen so these menne haue broken in peeces al the pypes and cōduites, they haue stopped vp al the springs, & choked vp the fountaine of liuyng water with durte and myre. And as Caligula many yeres past locked fast vp al the storehouses of corne in Rome, & thereby brought a generall derth and famyne amongest the people, euē so these men by damming vp all the fountaines of Goddes word, haue brought the people into a peetiful thirst. They haue brought into ye world as saith the Prophete Amos, a hungre and a thurst, not the hunger of breade, ⟨image 92⟩nor the thurst of water, but of hearing the worde of God. With greate distresse went they scattering about, seeking some sparke of heauenly light to refresh their consciences withall, but that light was alredy thoroughly quenched out, so that they could finde none.
