ptures, and report us
to the self-same words which we know were sealed by God Himself, and in
comparison of them set little by all other things, whatsoever may be
devised by men, how shall we say to these folk, I pray you what manner of
men be they, and how is it meet to call them, which fear the judgment of
the Holy Scriptures--that is to say, the judgment of God Himself--and do
prefer before them their own dreams and full cold inventions; and, to
maintain their own traditions, have defaced and corrupted, now these many
hundred years, the ordinances of Christ and of the Apostles?

Men say that Sophocles, the tragical poet, when in his old days he was by
his own sons accused before the judges for a doting and sottish man, as
one that fondly wasted his own substance, and seemed to need a governor
to see unto him; to the intent he might clear himself of the fault, he
came into the place of judgment; and when he had rehearsed before them
his tragedy called _OEdipus Coloneus_, which he had written at the very
time of his accusation, marvellous exactly and cunningly, did of himself
ask the judges whether they thought any sottish or doting man could do
the like piece of work.

In like manner, because these men take us to be mad, and appeach us for
heretics, as men which have nothing to do, neither with Christ, nor with
the Church of God, we have judged it should be to good purpose, and not
unprofitable, if we do openly and frankly set forth our faith wherein we
stand, and show all that confidence which we have in Christ Jesu; to the
intent all men may see what is our judgment of every part of Christian
religion, and may resolve with themselves, whether the faith which they
shall see confirmed by the words of Christ, by the writings of the
Apostles, by the testimonies of the Catholic fathers, and by the examples
of many ages, be but a certain rage of furious and mad men, and a
conspiracy of heretics. This therefore is our belief.

PART II.

We believe that there is one certain nature and Divine power, which we
call God: and that the same is divided into three equal Persons--into the
Father, into the Son, and into the Holy Ghost; and that They all be of
one power, of one majesty, of one eternity, of one Godhead, and of one
substance. And although these three Persons be so divided, that neither
the Father is the Son, nor the Son is the Holy Ghost, or the Father; yet,
nevertheless, we believe that there is but one very