A07146:56
The relics of Rome containing all such matters of religion, as have in times…The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times…
The relics of Rome containing all such matters of religion, as have in times past been brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherents: faithfully gathered out of the most faithful writers of chronicles and histories, and now newly both diligently corrected & greatly augmented, to the singular profit of the readers, by Thomas Becon. 1563.The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times past bene brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherentes: faithfully gathered out of the moste faithful writers of chronicles and histories, and nowe newly both diligently corrected & greatly augmented, to the singuler profit of the readers, by Thomas Becon. 1563.
London: printed by John Day, 1563London: printed by Iohn Day, 1563
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But leaving the late and yesterday fathers, if they mean the Patriarchs and Prophets: the Apostles and the Fathers of the primitive Church▪ and such Godly persons as lived in the public weal of Christianity, before that Antichrist, the devil and the Pope bare rule, and before that enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat: we plainly affirm, that their doctrine and faith is all one with ours:1 and that we at this present do none otherwise either teach and believe, than they in times paste have taught and believed. These forefathers we embrace: These forefathers we follow. These forefathers we reverence. For both their faith and our faith, ⟨image 15⟩both their doctrine and our doctrine is grounded on the sure rock, which is Christ Jesus the Son of the living GOD:2 against the which doctrine and faith, the very gates of hell shall not prevail. Roar devil, rage world, descend Rain, come Floods, blow Wine, swell Sea, &c. Yet shall all these violent tempests and tempestuous violences, not so much as once, shake this our faith and doctrine, much less subdue and vanquish it.3 Whosoever falleth on this stone, sayeth Christ, shall be broken in pieces: but on whom soever it falleth: it shall grind him to powder. But wherefore do they object unto us Fathers? We have one Father,4 whom we ought to hear before all Fathers, which is our Father in Heaven. And he hath commanded us to hear his Son Christ, and not forefathers, saying: This is my well beloved Son,5 for whose sake I am well pleased with man: Hear ye him. This Christ is our Schoolmaster: and if we will be his disciples, we must hear him. This Christ is also our Shepherd. If we will be his Sheep,6 we must hear his voice, as he him self saith: My sheep hear my voice. Doth not our heavenly Father in many places of his blessed law, call us away from following our forefathers? Are not these his words by the Prophet?