together harden his heart and refuse to
hear, he shall not repent him to give good heed to this our Defence, and
to mark well what we say, and how truly and justly it agreeth with
Christian religion.

For where they call us heretics, it is a crime so heinous, that unless it
may be seen, unless it may be felt, and in manner may be holden with
hands and fingers, it ought not lightly to be judged or believed, when it
is laid to the charge of any Christian man. For heresy is a forsaking of
salvation, a renouncing of God's grace, a departing from the body and
spirit of Christ. But this was ever an old and solemn property with them
and their forefathers; if any did complain of their errors and faults,
and desired to have true religion restored, straightway to condemn such
ones for heretics, as men new-fangled and factious. Christ for no other
cause was called a Samaritan, but only for that He was thought to have
fallen to a certain new religion, and to be the author of a new sect. And
Paul the Apostle of Christ was called before the judges to make answer to
a matter of heresy; and therefore he said: "According to this way which
they call heresy I do worship the God of my fathers, believing all things
which be written in the law and in the Prophets."

Shortly to speak. This universal religion which Christian men profess at
this day was called first of the heathen people a sect and heresy. With
these terms did they always fill princes' ears, to the intent when they
had once hated us with a predetermined opinion, and had counted all that
we said to be faction and heresy, they might be so led away from the
truth and right understanding of the cause. But the more sore and
outrageous a crime heresy is, the more it ought to be proved by plain and
strong arguments, especially in this time, when men begin to give less
credit to their words, and to make more diligent search of their
doctrine, than they were wont to do. For the people of God are otherwise
instructed now than they were in times past, when all the bishops of
Rome's sayings were allowed for Gospel, and when all religion did depend
only upon their authority. Nowadays the Holy Scripture is abroad, the
writings of the Apostles and Prophets are in print, whereby all truth and
Catholic doctrine may be proved, and all heresy may be disproved and
confuted.

Sithence, then, they bring forth none of these for themselves, and call
us nevertheless heretics, which have neit