JOIA. In the year of our lord .CC.lv. there rose in Room, a certain man, called Navatus, a very arrogant, proud, obstinate and bold man ⟨image 18⟩He did teach,1 that a man after baptism was pure and clean, which pureness if he had ones lost through sin, he could never be forgiven. And if any man for fear and dread, or necessity of death, had denied Christ, that he ought not any more to be received into the church (though he lamented never so sore for his fall) but that he ought to be separated, and as a damned creature, too be shunned of all men. This thing did cause a counsel of grave and holy men to be gathered at Room,2 which by the scriptures, being truly understanded did condemn this opinion, as ungodly and heretical. Yet in the mean season, Novatus doth not leave of, nor yet recant his ungodly opinion: but rather did assemble and gather a peculiar church, condemning the churches, where sinners and repentant persons were, he did call his church pure. Therefore were the Novatyans,3 called Catharyans. Whom he did receive into his church, them did he bind unto his error & consecrate unto his unpure cleanliness, by reqaptizatiō or baptizing again. I do not bring these things out of mine own head, ⟨image 19⟩but out of those ancient doctors, Cornelius, Ciprianus, Dionysius, Alexandrinus, and Eusebius. Of whom some did live in Novatus time.4 Now if thou dost diligently look upon these ancient Novatians, & the anabaptists of our time thou shalt find very little difference between them, for as Novatus being openly convinced in that most famous counsel of learned Bishops, doth not forsake his error, but obstinately doth defend it. so the Anabaptists do at this present. For how often have they been overthrown in the open disputations, that have been kept with them in Tigure, Sanctogallum, Berne, Basil, Constance, Argentine, and August? And yet for all that, they will rather loose their life, then for sake their error: yea, they do gather & assemble peculiar churches, they baptise again, they condemn our churches as unclean, they do attribute unto them selves, pureness of life, to be short, they do all things that Novatus did. In the mean season, they are ambitious, arrogant, proud, puffed up, and very hypocrites.
IOIA. In the yere of our lorde .CC.lv. there rose in Roome, a ceraine man, called Nauatus, a verye arrogante, proude, obstinate and bold man ⟨image 18⟩He did teache,1 that a man after baptisme was pure and cleane, which purenesse yf he had ones lost through sinne, he coulde neuer be forgyuen. And if anye man for feare and dreade, or necessitie of deathe, had denied Christe, that he ought not any more to be receyued intoo the church (thoughe he lamented neuer so sore for hys fall) but that he oughte to be separated, and as a dampned creature, too be shunned of all men. Thys thynge dydde cause a counsayle of graue and holy men to be gathered at Roome,2 whiche by the scriptures, beynge truelye vnderstanded did condempne this opinion, as vngodly and herytycall. Yet in the meane season, Nouatus dothe not leaue of, nor yet recant his vngodly opinion: but rather did assemble and gather a peculyar churche, condempning the churches, where synners and repentaunt personnes were, he dydde call hys churche pure. Therefore were the Nouatyans,3 called Catharyans. Whome he dydde receyue into his church, them did he bind vnto his errour & consecrate vnto his vnpure clenlynes, by reqaptizatiō or baptizing again. I do not bring these thinges out of mine own head, ⟨image 19⟩but out of those auncyent doctours, Cornelius, Ciprianus, Dionesius, Alexandrinus, and Eusebius. Of whome some did lyue in Nouatus time.4 Now if thou dost diligently loke vpon these auncyent Nouatians, & the anabaptystes of our tyme yu shalt find very litle difference betwene them, for as Nouatus beinge openly conuinced in that most famous counsayle of learned Bishops, doth not forsake hys errour, but obstinately dothe defende it. so ye Anabaptistes do at this present. For howe often haue they bene ouerthrowen in the open disputations, that haue bene kepte wyth them in Tigure, Sanctogallum, Berne, Basile, Constance, Argentyne, and Auguste? And yet for all that, they wyl rather loose theyr lyfe, then for sake theyr errour: yea, they do gather & assemble peculier churches, they baptise agayne, they condempne oure churches as vncleane, they doo atribute vnto them selues, purenesse of lyfe, to be shorte, they doo all thynges that Nouatus dydde. In the meane season, they are ambitious, arrogante, proude, pufte vp, and verye hipocrytes.
- 1Nonatus error.Nonatus errour.
- 2A counsel against Novatus.A counsall agaynst Nouatus.
- 3Why the Novatians were called Catharians.Why the Nouatiās wer called Catharians.
- 4The Novatians & Anabaptists are like in all things.The Nouatians & Anabaptistes are lyke in all thynges.
