For, letting pass the ancient Patriarchs & Prophets, who, as we have said, had no part of their life free from contumelies & slanders: We know, there were certain in times paste, which said and commonly Preached,1 that the old ancient Jews (of whom we make no doubt but they were the worshippers of the only & true God) did worship either a Sow, or an Ass in God's stead: and that all the same Religion was nothing else, but sacrilege, and a plain contempt of all godliness. We know also, that the Son of God, our Saviour Jesus Christ, when he taught the Truth, was counted a Sorcerer & an Enchanter, a Samaritan, Beelzebub, a deceiver of the People, a Drunkard, & a Glutton. Again, who wotteth not, what words were spoken against S. Paul, the most earnest and vehement Preacher, & 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 Gods law, and a despiser of the Fathers ordinances. Further who knoweth not, how S. Stevin, after he had throughly and sincerely embraced the truth, and began frankly & 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 Scriptures of falsehood, saying, they contained things both contrary, and quite one against an other:2 and how that the Apostles of Christ did severally disagree betwixt them selves, and that S. Paul did vary from them all?3 And not to make rehearsal of all, for that were an endless labour,4 who knoweth not, after what sort our Fathers were railed upon in times paste,5 which first began to acknowledge and profess the name of Christ: how they made private conspiracies, devised secrete Counsels against the common wealth, and to that end made early and privy meetings in the dark, killed young Babes, fed them selves with mens flesh, and like savage and brute beasts, did drink their Blood?
For, letting passe the auncient Patriarkes & Prophetes, who, as we haue said, had no parte of their life free from cōtumelies & sclaunders: We knowe, there were certaine in times paste, whiche saide and commonly Preached,1 that the olde auncient Iewes (of whome we make no doubte but they were the woorshippers of the onely & true God) did worship either a Sowe, or an Asse in Goddes steede: and that al the same Religion was nothinge els, but sacrilege, and a plaine contempt of al godlines. We know also, that the Sonne of God, our Saueour Iesus Christe, when he taught the Truth, was coumpted a Sorcerer & an Enchaunter, a Samaritane, Beelzebub, a deceiur of the People, a Drunkarde, & a Glutton. Againe, who woteth not, what woordes were spoken against S. Paule, the moste earnest and vehement Preacher, & maintainer of the Truthe? Sometime, that he was a seditious and busie man, a raiser of tumultes, a causer of rebellion: sometime againe, that he was an Heretique: sometime, that he was mad: sometime, that onely vpon strife and stomake he was bothe a blasphemer of Gods lawe, and a despiser of the Fathers ordinances. Further who knoweth not, how S. Steuin, after he had throughly and sincerely embraced the truthe, and beganne frankly & stoutly to preache and set forth the same, as he ought to doo, was immediately called to answeare for his life, as one that had wickedly vttered disdainful and haynous woordes against the Lawe, against Moyses, against the Temple, and against God? Or who is ignorant, that in times past there were some, whiche reproued the holy Scriptures of falsehed, sayinge, they conteined thinges bothe contrary, and quite one against an other:2 and howe that the Apostles of Christe did seuerally disagree betwixt them selues, and that S. Paule did varie from them al?3 And not to make rehersal of al, for that were an endles labour,4 who knoweth not, after what sorte our Fathers were railed vpon in times paste,5 whiche first began to acknowledge and professe the name of Christe: how they made priuate conspiracies, deuised secrete Counsels against the common wealth, and to that ende made early and priuie meetinges in the darke, killed yonge Babes, fedde them selues with mens fleashe, and like sauage and brute beastes, did drinke their Bloude?
- 1Cornel. Tacit••.
- 2Marion, ex Tertul.
- 3Aelius, è Lactans.Aelius, è Lactās.
- 4Euseb. Li. 5. C. 11.
- 5Tertul. in Apologe.
