The account reckoning and confession of the faith of Huldrik Zwinglius bishop of Zuryk…The accompt rekenynge and confession of the faith of Huldrik Zwinglius byshop of Zuryk…

For full truly said Jeremy the Prophet: Lo, they have refused the Lords word, what wisdom than can remain in them selves? Wherefore, forasmuch as your selves are the prelates and ringleaders of righteousness, no men ought so much as you to have the sure and certain knowledge of the will of God. which, from whence can it be fetched and required, than out of his holy scriptures? Abhor not therefore their minds which lean holly to God's word. For commonly we see it happen, that the more the adversaries strive against it, so much the more a great deal ⟨p. 60⟩it flourisheth and cometh to light, and error and falsehood is cast out of the doors. But if among you there be any (as I know there is) that will stoutly diminish and defame our learning unto you, and will say: that we are ignorant and lack knowledge, yea and that we are malicious also, yet think this with your selves: First, whether we which follow this manner of preaching the gospel, and the right use of ministration of the sacrament of thanks giving, have at any time so ordered our lives, that any good man hath doubted, whether we ought to be reputed and taken as good, honest and faithful men? And again, whether even from our cradles we have ben so estranged from wit and erudition, that all hope of learning should utterly be caste away from us? undoubtedly we glory of neither of these, seeing that Paul himself sayeth: that what so ever he was, it was all of the gift of God. Nevertheless, if our life have happened sometime (by the benefit of God) to be somewhat prosperous and pleasant, yet wholly was it never given to riot, excess and filthiness at ⟨p. 61⟩any time, neither yet (God be praised therefore) hath degenerated into cruelness, pride, and obstinacy, so that the witness of our life (through God's benefit) hath many times stayed the devises of our adversaries, and made them so astonied, that they have retired back again. And as for our learning, albeit it is greater then our adversaries other can bear, withstand, or without conscience despise, yet is it far less than they that tenderly love us, judge it to be. But yet to come to our purpose, we have so not a few years been soldiers & students both in holy scripture and in mans learning, that there is no cause why that we should now teach any thing rashly.

For ful truly sayd Ieremye the Prophete: Loo, they haue refused the Lordes worde, what wysedome than can remayne in them selfus? Wherfore, forasmuche as youre selues are the prelates and ryngleaders of ryghteousnesse, no men oughte so muche as you to haue the sure and certayne knowledge of the wyl of God. which, from whence can it be fetched and requyred, than out of hys holy scriptures? Abhorre not therfore theyr myndes which lean holly to goddes word. For cōmonly we se it happē, that the more the aduersaries stryue agaynst it, so muche the more a great deale