they might with
less business drive the people from the same, as from a thing dangerous
and deadly, have used to call them a bare letter, uncertain,
unprofitable, dumb, killing, and dead: which seemeth to us all one as if
they should say, "The Scriptures are to no purpose, or as good as none."
Hereunto they add a similitude not very agreeable, how the Scriptures be
like to a nose of wax, or a shipman's hose: how they may be fashioned and
plied all manner of ways, and serve all men's turns. Woteth not the
Bishop of Rome, that these things are spoken by his own minions? or
understandeth he not he hath such champions to fight for him? Let him
hearken then how holily and how godly one Hosius writeth of this matter,
a bishop in Polonia, as he testifieth of himself; a man doubtless well
spoken and not unlearned, and a very sharp and stout maintainer of that
side. One will marvel, I suppose, how a good man could either conceive
so wickedly or write so despitefully of those words which he knew
proceeded from God's mouth, and specially in such sort as he would not
have it seem his own private opinion alone, but the common opinion of all
that band. He dissembleth, I grant you indeed, and hideth what he is,
and setteth forth the matter so, as though it were not he and his side,
but the Zuenckfeldian heretics that so did speak. "We," saith he, "will
bid away with the same Scriptures, whereof we see brought not only divers
but also contrary interpretations; and we will hear God speak, rather
than we will resort to the naked elements, and appoint our salvation to
rest in them. It behoveth not a man to be expert in the law and
Scripture, but to be taught of God. It is but lost labour that a man
bestoweth in the Scriptures. For the Scripture is a creature, and a
certain bare letter." This is Hosius' saying, uttered altogether with
the same spirit and the same mind wherewith in times past Montane and
Marcion were moved, who, as men report, used to say, when with a contempt
they rejected the Holy Scriptures, that themselves knew many more and
better things than either Christ or the Apostles ever knew.

What then shall I say here, O ye principal posts of religion, O ye arch-
governors of Christ's Church! Is this that your reverence which ye give
to God's Word? The Holy Scriptures, which, St. Paul saith, came by the
inspiration of God, which God did commend by so many miracles, wherein
are the most perfect prints of Christ's own