fallen into an Apostasie And the reason he giueth confirmeth it directly that it should vndoubtedly fall out and so come to passe for hee afterward affirmeth that it commeth of the righteous iudgement of God vpon the reprobate saying God shall sende them stronge delusion that they should beleeue lies that all they might bee damned Vers 12.12 which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse which thing if it be wel seen into vprightly waied it will cōuince the church of Rome to be of the false religion and antechristian church and their brauerie of profession their antiquitie vniuersalitie and visible succession to be the sitting of the man of sinne in the temple of God that is the plague and running soare of the Church the damnation of many soules and that now within these few yeares the gospel teaching the true Christian religion hath reuealed their Apostasie and that so openly clearly as euerie man may see it if he doe not wilfully blind his owne eyes 3 Now if they say that the Church cannot erre and thereupon build their antiquitie vniuersalitie succession c. Namely that they must needes bee the true Church being so actiuely and vniuersally visible in their continued succession because it belongeth to the Church vnder the gospell as they say to bee as the Moone that neuer is ecclipsed nor couered vnder a cloud but alwaies appeareth glorious and beautifull vnto the world then doe they euidently declare and proue themselues to bee the false sinagogue of Sathan and their religion to bee his delusions and lies Because the worde of God doth so manifestly say there shall bee an Apostasie and falling away in religion and that the enemie of Christ should raigne in the place of Gods temple And least happily wee should bee deceiued in thus iudging euen in this one point of their religion that they hold that the church cannot erre they cōuince themselues to be Antechrist many wayes especially in that they make the authoritie of the Church aboue the scriptures that they might be iudges of it and not of them What do they herein more truely then professe to all the worlde that there sitteth amongst them the aduersarie that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God for what is there in the whole world by which God is knowen or can bee knowen truely and rightly to bee God and by which God is exalted and all his honour truth and word magnified and his will wisedome and goodnesse glorified and worshipped but onely the inspired writinges of the blessed booke of God If they hauing no truth on their side to maintayne themselues to bee the Church of God they will foist in with a brasen face contrarie to euident scripture this vntruth that the church cannot erre and thereupon vsurpe authoritie ouer this booke of God and after it to haue no authoritie but such as they allow and to haue no other meaning or sence but such as they giue and so God and his holy law must looke for no other name credite and dignitie but as it pleaseth them being men to giue And so againe God and his word should not bee builders and describers of the Church but the Church builders and describers of God and his word doth it not then necessarily follow that they are verie Antechrist and the seate of Apostasie Moreouer if Christ say this Apostasie should bee so great that if it were possible a Math. 24.24 the verie elect should bee deceyued Are not they verie Antechrist to make the Church alwaies visible and not able to erre And let the godly Christian reader consider what vse there is of these rules precepts b Math. 7. 1. Ioh. 4.1.2 2. Ioh. vers 9. Beware of false prophets beleeue not euerie spirit c. hereby shall you know the spirit of God that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God c. Againe there is prophesied of a woman whose name is Reuelat. 17. 18. A misterie great Babilon the mother of whordoms abominations of the earth which is a great citie which raigneth ouer the kings of the earth and all nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication And God saith to vs Go out of her my people c. If the true vse of these scriptures teach vs two things first that we must trie and iudge the false prophets the spirits and whosoeuer may cal themselues the Church by the doctrine of Christ expressed in the scriptures and that vnder the time of the gospell a citie by false doctrine should poyson all nations and we ought to go out of that citie how can any man iudge the Citie of Rome which calleth her selfe the mother of all Churches and vsurpeth ouer all nations seeing that it hath forsaken the truth and yet claimeth vniuersalitie perpetual succession visible refuseth to be tried by the holy oracles of God these rules and Canons of holy scriptures how I say can any man iudge otherwise but that it is the verie seat of Antechrist And in this that it would bee maintained by saying it cannot erre it erreth most apparantly And therefore that onely is the true Church and house of God whether visible or inuisible a Heb. 3.6 Math. 18.20 which holdeth fast the true faith where two or three are gathered together in Christes name and not that which pretendeth visible succession and saith it cannot erre 4 Howbeit in all this time it was not as the church of Rome would beare vs in hand that our religion which is that auncient religion of Abraham had such an ecclipse that it cannot bee traced in these 1600. yeares after Christ for as before the comming of Christ it lay hidde in comparison of the vniuersalitie of the whole world in the house and posteritie of Abraham and sometime more then other appearing and shining forth when God made his glorious truth to cast the beames of light far and wide at such times as he made his saintes glorious by deliuerance as out of Egipt and Babilon And in subduing the Cananites in prospering Dauid Solomon Iehoshaphat Ezekiah and Ioshiah So in this time of Christianitie among the Gentils there hath beene as it were an ebbing and flowing and as I may say a morning and an euening For the gospell beginning with small degrees and like a grayne of mustard seede was persecuted by the vniuersall world at the first And yet preuailed mightely through all those bitter and intollerable persecutions of the first three hundred yeares in so much as in the first Christian Emperours dayes namely Constantine the great when hee summoned the first generall Councell of Nice for the cause of Arrius there came 318. Bishops and these were from all partes of the worlde West as farre as Spaine and North in a manner at the verie North Pole So that all the worlde stoode amased
risen vp without Gods authoritie by men how where and when since the pure times of the blessed Apostles and founders of Christes church and religion yea and that in most of the particulers Wherin my purpose is not to enter so farre as might be spoken for I cannot make in so short a roome an exact treatise but onely as briefely as I can conueniently so far to shew the christian reader as he may sufficiently see and perceiue that poperie hath his originall from men and not from God that it came vp since and vnder the Christian religion like vnto the Iuie that commeth vp after the oke and taketh holde thereon and by little and little so ouerspreadeth it and couereth it from the sight of men that wee can scarse see or discerne the oke Histories differ in setting downe 〈◊〉 times And here I am to aduertise the reader that historie writers and reporters of antiquitie differ much in these causes about the times so as the cronologie writers finde themselues encombred howe to set downe the certaintie in manie things yet notwithstanding though the authors disagree about the certaine time yet the matter is made vndoubted when they all agree that it is found out to come in after the Apostles times Wherein I make choise to take our testimony from hartie and vnfained papists that the truth of this cause may the more appeare when themselues cannot but yeeld vnto vs sufficient warrant and proofe of their new borne superstition Two deuises to hide the newnes of poperie They haue two great helpes to maintaine the antiquitie of their follie First the authorising of counterfait writinges such as are the decretall Epistles of Clemens Anacletus and others of the primatiue Church which not onely disagreeing in stile and matter from the times they pretende but also telling of those thinges and persons which were many yeres after doo very much argue that when the papists are faine to runne vnder the shadowe of such muddie and vnsetled Wales of forged authoritie their foundation is not so deepe in their owne conscience as they would beare the worlde in hand Their second helpe is that they proine pare and loppe and engraft the writings of auncient fathers and others teaching them by a newe deuise called Index Expurgatorius hatched in the late Counsell of Trent Anno 1571. to speake as they thinke best for there sea of sinne and to holde their peace where they like not of their sayinges If they may thus authorise false witnesses to speake for their purpose as they list and gagge the toonges of the true witnesses they can speake no further but as they giue them leaue then may euerie simple man see in them that an euill conscience findinge themselues to haue no antiquitie of trueth doth cause them to inuent shiftes to colour and cloake their wicked forgeries and newe deuises by which they haue manie yeeres abused Gods people But GGD bee thanked who bringeth the hidden and secreate thinges of the wicked vnto light he hath confounded their wisedom that all this doth not hide their filthie and earthlie generation For the prophesie of Saint Paul concerning such peruerse and cursed speakers which haue a shewe of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof is now in the eyes and knowledge of all men come to passe For he a 2. Tim. 3.9 saith They shall preuaile no longer for their madnesse shal be euident to all men 3. And this verily is brought to passe by the righteous iudgements of God causing their owne tongs to take them and making the counsell of the wicked to bee foolishnesse Marke therefore and consider how they confound the glorie of their inuentions ad deuises Martinus Peresius Aiala a Bishop and a verie zealous papist seeming to haue taken great paines in reading of antiquities writeth a b Printed at Paris 1549. booke of traditions dedicated to Phillip king of Spain where hee c In his preface nisi attramento mortuo in sacris codicibus expressū calleth the inspired scriptures of the worde of God Dead incke in the holy bookes and affirmeth that if we should follow onely the holy scriptures which he calleth a pestiferous opinion Christian religion and ecclesiasticall pollicie should vtterly be destroied auouching beside the canonical scriptures another kind of doctrine called Tradition the head seed plot as he saith of almost all controuersies betweene vs and if herein wee agreede all discord now in religion would quickly cease And in this booke he maketh d 3. pars assertio 6. fol. 6. Diuina authoritas magisterium apostolicum Episcop maxime Romanorum a Deo concessa authoritas three fountains of traditions First they call diuine authority that is such as Christ in their deuise instituted deliuered which were not laid vp in the scriptures the second fountaine they call the Apostolicall mastership where they haue traditions some in the canons Apostolicall some in holy mens writings the last fountaine is the mastership authoritie of the Bishops most of all of the Roman Bishops which they also cal the e pars 2. assert 5. fol. 44. mastership of the church Wherein is a power as they say to iudge and determine what is canonicall scripture and to make diuers lawes and ecclesiasticall discipline And this last giueth power to all the rest for here as they say wee know which is the true worde of God heere the authoritie of decretalles is made firme and this being a gift and priuiledge that cannot erre is of that autenticall authoritie if we beleeue them that no man must once reason against it Out of these fountaines they drawe their traditions of the rites of Baptisme of confirmation auricular confession and penitentiall satisfaction the tradition of order and his rites the fearefull sacrifice of the alter transubstantiation praier for the dead communion vnder one kind purgatorie extreame vnction worship and intercession of Saints worship of relickes images exorcismes Lent fastes single life vowes of chastitie and such like In handling of which traditions he b Postulat 3. fol. aut quia legi Dei repugnant proximae sunt occasiones peccandi c. giueth vs a rule to discerne humane traditions from diuine saying Traditions which are not good are either contrarie to the law of God and are verie neere occasions to sin or derogate to the glorie of Christ or they are friuolous burdensome and of no profit If it be lawfull for vs to follow these three rules we shal easily proue popery to be no good tradition but a meere humane inuention of their owne For the first rule I hauing before shewed that all their popish religion is contrary to the religion which God taught Abraham Moses and the Prophets taught the Iewes and Christ and his Apostles taught all nations and contrarie to the doctrine which Paule taught the auncient Romanes and which Peter taught the Iewes it must needes follow that these traditions being
clay If we reade the warres sedition tumults bonefires massacres rebellions treasons murders and all manner of hurly burly betweene Pope and pope Cardinall and Cardinall betweene pope and Cardinals Emperors kinges and people betweene citie and citie subiect against their Lords and one nation against another From the first arising of Hildebrands fire which he brought from hell vntill our time which haue beene raised procured maintayned and continued by that wicked generation wee may well say of them as the prophete Esay speaketh of the wicked b Cap. 57.20 The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt But he that would reade Clemangis Sigebert Aeneas Siluius Sigonius Mathie Parrisius and other such writers which liued in those times shall find a great many more monsters new borne in the church of Rome then in this shorte treatise I am able to set downe yet for the further helpe of the reader I will leade him a worde or twaine from these storie writers to the Counsels If happely wee may finde some of this new broode of poperie by them The c Canon 6. Anno 330. The primacie of Bishops Nice councel summoned by Constantin the great consisting of 318. Bishops out of all the parts of the world ordained according to the custome of the church in those daies that the Patriarch of Alexandria and of Antioch shold haue the like authority in their Bishoprickes as the Bishops of Rome in his This was as Gratian saith the first generall counsell Therefore when the pope is gotten to an higher presumption he is in this respect of a new religion About this time the counsell of Ancyra d Canon 14. eating of flesh condemned those ministers that did account flesh vncleane and abominable And the counsell of e Canon 2. Gangrena a little after calleth them Anathema acursed which condemne a man for eating flesh in faith But this late counsell of Trent and Synagogue of Rome doe commaund abstinence from flesh vpon rewarde or vengeance of God and their practise of seueritie in punishing such for heretickes as eat flesh in daies by them deuised and canonized we well know and remember The same councell of Gangrena f Canon 4. 9 10. single life doth accurse whomsoeuer that put difference between a maried prieste or any other touching the seruice in the ministerie and also such as for virginitie sake iudge mariage abhominable But all men know that the Romish Harlot is of a new learning putting more holinesse in single life and vowes of chastity especially in their priests then in honest and honorable wedlock A counsel at Antioch somwhat after a Canon 2. the sole communion ordained such to bee cast out of the Church which entred the Church and heard the scriptures and did not tarrie to receiue the communion with the rest of the people And the like you may finde to be the order of the church in ancient time b Anno 480. Canon 18. in the counsell of Agatha a citie of Fraunce But now our new sinagogue hath deuised a priuate masse that the priest should blesse the people with the cup make them to worship his idoll and he himselfe eate all alone A councell at Laodicea c An. 368. Canon 16. 59. iudged that the gospels and other scriptures were to bee read on the Sabbaoth daies and that of the vnlearned there ought not to be said in the Church Canonicall scriptures only to be read in the church psalmes made and vulgar which as I iudge were balads neither to reade books which are out of the canon but onely the canonicall bookes of the old and new testament and there they reckon vp the bookes which we hold for canonicall But wee know that the Romish Apostasie hath afterward brought in legends and other Apocrypha writings to iustle out the holy scriptures of God keeping them secret in an vnknowen tongue The 4. counsell of Carthage saith Mulieres baptizare c. Let not women presume to baptize Women bapt But we know by what deuise the sea of Rome haue brought in women to baptise In the sixt counsell of Carthage Anno 430. Appeales to Rome wherein was S. Augustine Bishop of Yppo and Legate of the prouince of Numidia it was tried and found out that it was not as Bonifacius Bishop of Rome would haue vsurped lawful by the councell of Nice to appeale to Rome out of other Bishops prouinces Epist Concil Africk ad lestinum but that they saw most wiselie and iustly that all busines was to bee ended where it was begun neither should the grace of the holie spirit be wanting to any prouince whereby equitie might be wisely seene of Christs priests and constantly holden And after that the Mileintane counsell a Canon 22. forbad all people to appeale ouer the sea out of their prouince but only to the counsel of Africk the primates of their prouinces and who so did otherwise shold not be receiued to the cōmunion in al Africk But we know that since that time the pride of that wicked whore of Rome hath vsurped iurisdiction ouer al lāds that by any means they cold bring vnder their feet receiue appeals from whom soeuer insomuch that we b Polydor hist Ang. li. 20 Rich. 2. read of a Synode in England An. 1391. which because many were vexed for causes which could not be knowen at Rome ordained that the authority of the pope of Rome should stretch no farther then to the Ocean sea that who so appealed to Rome beside excōmunication shold be punished with losse of all their goods perpetual imprisonment In the same counsel of Mileintane Anno 420. c Canon 5.6.7 It was decreed against Pelagius that without the grace of Christ we can do nothing and that euerie man should know he hath sin in him Free will and iurisdiction by workes as saith Saint Iohn Epist 1. cap. 1. and that in many things wee sin all and that we must confesse with the Psalme enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shal no mā liuing be iustified which thing is opened by an d Epist 72. Epistle of Aurelius B. of Carthage vnto the Bishops of the prouince of Bizanzena and Arzignitanta where hauing shewed the error of Pelagius he declareth the faith of the Catholikes to be thus Sixtly to confesse the grace of God and his helpe to be giuen vnto all singuler acts and the same not according to our merits that it may be true grace that is freely giuē by his mercie who said I wil haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie c. And ninthlie to confesse when wee fight against tentations and vnlawfull concupiscences although we haue there euen our owne will yet not by that but by the mercie of God we haue our saluation because otherwise it shall not be true which the Apostle saith
vndoubtedly knoweth will neuer bee faithfull but alway vndermine his estate bring his life in hazard 4 And sithence we haue had now aboue fortie yeares triall of the sound truth of the Gospell and of Gods notable hand in protecting and defending the state of this land receiuing and embracing the same all this while against most strong force verie many maruellous cunning treasons how wonderfully he hath blessed vs with peace and prosperitie and made vs so much the more happie by how much our enemies haue laboured most wisely strongly against vs he hath made the windes and seas to fight for vs the Popes curse hath he manifoldly turned vpon his owne heade and his abettors haue neuer prospered and in all things the Lord declared himselfe to bee our God by multiplying our peace and the daies of our gracious prince in all perils standing by her as his deare handmaide wee may boldly say that the more we bee estranged from poperie the neerer we are the dearer vnto the Lord our God and the lesse agreement we haue with the popish apostasie the more his grace mercies goodnes and shielding power doth watch ouer vs to feed to foster to keepe deliuer vs. Therefore we Christians who haue bin begotten with the pure seed of Gods holy word and felt found most sweet and sound nourishment by that sincere milke vnder the most gracious happie and prosperous raigne of the Lords blessed annointed seruant Elizabeth our liege Ladie and Queene and knowing what occasions to godlinesse aboundance of peace and wealth and ioyfull libertie of bodie and soule wee haue had and enioyed cannot cease night nor day to praise God for his blessing and mercie which wee haue had in and by her most constant faith and godly raigne continually praying his diuine goodnes to encrease his blessings and graces vpon her both bodily and ghostly to strengthen and enlarge her heart in all Christian vertues princely wisedome and courage to defend her against all her enemies and prolong her daies more and more in all ioy honour wealth prosperity and heauenly comfort in Christ to his owne glory the dailie good of his Church and this realme of England euen for Iesus Christes sake To whom be praise glory for euer Amen FINIS Faults escaped in the printing  Page Line Faults Corrections Epistle 2 19 Misse Miste Epistle 4 24 is of the is the Contents 2 last with with it Booke 2 8 word world  5 22 misery mistery  7 23 which with  9 18 by being  12 2 repentance to repentance  15 27 low law  16 7 Christ Christes  67 10 her their  76 10 beway bewray  Idem 19 ver 9. ver 19.  83 2 ouer euer  114 22 accepted excepted  135 4 Esaie Esaw  136 18 Apostalical Apostatical  137 31 least beast  141 15 after suffer  153 23 petro Catenus petre Catenas  155 15 in the Sacrament is in the Sacrament  160 27 is called he is called  166 14 light weight  176 21 I so if  224 26 turst trust  229 38 wares warres  240 14 left least  251 2 Aristle Aristotle  256 9 tumpery trumpery  258 11 dobts doubts  259 14 separated separated c.  262 3 dâ—cretâ—ll decretals  2â—6 21 Eâ—romenicus oecumenicus  276 14 collaions collations  278 5 vnnecessary vnnecessary matters  282 18 scholes deuines schole diuines  285 20 forbid and doth forbid  287 5 a Florencâ— at Florence  302 13 Edick Edict What other Faults good Reader that the Corrector hath let past let me entreat thee to mend with thy pen as well as these
the image of God in knowledge holines and righteousnes his religion was pure and his faith in God and his loue towards God al creatures were righteous his estate happy enioying the presence glory of God But this estate indured not long for the diuel enuying mans happines allured the womā Euah to eat of the forbiddē fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and euill and by her Adam was partaker of the same transgression b Ep. 2.1.2.12 Tit. 3.3 Gen. 6.5 so man fell cleane from al religion and became the vassal of Satan dead in sinne lost that holie image so far that both mind will and affections were onely euill and by his very nature he was the child of wrath and without God in the world that is to say he was of no religion and in this estate he was most miserable cursed and damnable Here our most gracious and mercifull God pitying our most wofull condition c Gen. 3. calleth man to an accompt chastiseth him condemneth the serpent and teacheth him againe the true religion by giuing him the promise that The seede of the woman shoulde breake the serpents head that is that by Christ hee would ouer throw the power of the diuell Vpon which promise he buildeth his church of such of the sons of Adam as he d Eph. 1.4.5 in his eternal counsel had chosen to be adopted to himselfe in Christ Iesus d Eph. 1.4.5 c Ro. 9.18.22 leauing all others vnto themselues to remaine in their sins for their iust cōdemnation And these his elect he restoreth to that former happy estate wherin they were created which thing hee doth during this world by f Math. 28.19 Eph. 4.11 instructing them in the true pure religion which is the faith of Christ the fruits thereof in true repentāce amendement of life by the loue of God of his neighbor which two things haue their measure and are vnperfect in this life but they shal be perfect in the life to come Faith is vnperfect because our g 1. Cor. 13.9 knowledge is vnperfect yet because it is fixed in Christ the son of God it is a h Eph. 6.16 shield to quēch the fiery darts of the diuel so that by it we i Rom. 5.1 are righteous in gods sight haue peace with God thorow Iesus Christ but when in the life to come wee shall haue a k Psal 17.15 1. Io. 3.2 perfect sight of God see him as he is then that which is vnferfect shall be done away our loue in this life is much more weake because it answereth not l Iacob 3.2 to the perfection of the law moral or Gods holy image and therefore vnles by the shield of faith in Christ we were defended we should neuer recouer our former estate of happines but by faith there is giuen vnto vs the a Rom. 8.23 Eph. 1.13 first fruits of the spirit and an earnest of our saluation euen in this our pilgrimage but afterward the same also shal be made perfect when b 1. Cor. 15.54 our corruption shal put on incorruption our mortality shal be swalowed vp of life enioying the glorious liberty of the sons of God we c 2. Tim. 4.8 shall be crowned with the crowne of righteousnes which is laid vp in store for all them which loue the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. And here is to be noted that between this time of mans innocencie the time of the glory of Gods elect is the d Eph. 1.10 dispēsation of times wherin God gathereth his elect and nurtureth his church in one certain kind of religion holy right pure catholike so far as by his gracious gift in this life his people are made capable therby sanctifying them seperating them from this present euil world e Colos 1.13 translating thē out of the power of darknesse into the kingdome of his deer son And this we find to be in iij. sorts in regard of the maner of gouernment in the dispensation of iij. diuersities of times yet but in one rule of faith religion The times were these 1. From the promise of God made to Adam vntil the giuing of the law in mount Sinay or Horeb during the space of 2513. yeres 2. From the giuing of the law vntil the preaching of Io. Bap. and sending of the Apostles to preach to all the world about some 1445. yeres 3. From that * That is 30. yeres after Christ birth time to our daies som 1569. yeres this is to continue till the end of the world when Christ shal come again to iudge the quick and dead In the first the maner of gouernment in regard of the persons ouer whom it was extended they were the fathers of the first world al the whole world of al nations languages in regard of the things then in vse Read Gen. 3.4.6.8.9.12 Rom. 3.1.9.4.5 they had not the law of God nor any part of his word written but were taught cōmanded by visions dreams from heauen many were endewed with the spirit of prophesie In the second the manner of gouernment touching the persons was this they were one nation called lastly Iews first Israelits and somtime Hebrewes and in regard of the things they had Moses law written and so preserued in bookes for the perpetual vse of the church and this law was in three sorts the morall written in two tables shewing in ten words all dueties to God and man the ceremonial law consisting in ordinances of rites sacrifices and the leuiticall priesthood by which order it pleased God in those daies to be outwardly worshipped the iudicial law which were ciuil lawes and statutes for the punishment of euill doers and ordering of the common wealth of that people as was most fit for the time for the true and holie religion And vnder these three they were gouerned vntill the comming of Christ And because they often times fell away vnto idolatrie God raised vp prophets to bring them to repentance who instructed them according to the law shewed them alway the true faith and religion with the right order and maner of gouernment Now a Eph. 2.11.12 while that the church was in this one nation of the Iewes the gentils which are all the nations and languages of the worlde beside were left out from being the people of God of his visible church which thing began at the circumcision of Abraham in that God ordaining it did call it the couenant that is a signe of the couenant namly that Abraham and his seed should be the people or church of God and they that were not circumcised shold be none of his church which being some 400. yeres before the giuing of the law in that space the sin of the gentils came to their perfection and so the Iewes were then and thenceforth distinctly knowen to bee of a
many moe seuerall braunches thereof But my second cause is more speciall and of greater wayght namely that God made choise of Abraham in calling of him to bee the father of all belieuers and that the same faith which hee receyued of God should bee the religion of all nations wherein and whereby they should bee saued to the end of the world Which thing Saint Paule teacheth when hee saith b Gal. 3.8 The scripture foreseeing that God woulde iustifie the gentilles through faith preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the gentils bee blessed Where we learne that the gospell which teacheth this religion that men should bee iustified by faith was preached to Abraham and namely for the vse of the gentilles that they should bee made of the same religion with Abraham and with him by faith onely bee iustified as hee saith in the next verse Vers 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham This did GOD signifie vnto Abraham when hee chaunged his name saying a Gen. 17.45 Behold I make my couenant with thee and thou shalt bee a father of many nations neither shall thy name any more be called Abraham but thy name shall bee Abraham for a father of many nations haue I made thee Hereof the Apostle teacheth that Abrahams seede is twofold b Rom. 4.16 not onely of the law which is meant of the Iewes but also that which is of the faith of Abraham that is the gentilles who not hauing the lawe are yet his seed through faith and therfore he addeth He is father of vs all that is both of Iew gentil which belieue alleadging this place for proofe saying as it is written I haue made thee a father of manie nations c. Whereby it is pregnantly proued that Abraham is made in regard of faith and religion a father both to Iewes and Gentils The Iewes are first admitted to be his children to walke in his religion and steppes of faith after we succeed in their roome to walk in the same steps of faith religion of Abraham they as the Apostle els where c cap. 11.17.18 saith being naturall braunches for vnbeliefe were cut off But we though braunches of the wild Oliue are grafted in by faith Now because it is here manifest that Abraham receiued the couenant for vs and the whole religion of God as well for vs as for the Iewes and that God wold not haue the Iews to haue one religiō the gentils an other the one to be saued by one faith the other by another but both to be of that faith and religion which was taught and found in Abraham and that Christ comming of his seed should bee sauiour both of Iewes and gentils d Luc. 2.32 A light to be reuealed to the gentils the glorie of Israel religion then being one the same one being the same only which was taught Abraham I thought it best to choose him and his storie because that neither the law nor the gospel could or ought to differ in religion and faith from that of Abraham that if our religion in Englande agree with that of Abraham then it might bee knowen to be the true auncient and catholike religion and faith no new broached religion or doctrine such as that is of the Church of Rome as in the processe of this booke shall be seene But for thy better help good Christian reader I will follow this order I will shew the seuerall points of religion which are most materiall one after an other as they are in nature first second and then in euerie part or article Abrahams faith first And secondly except some special reason draw me to alter this order I wil shew how our religion agreeth with his faith and lastly how Moyses the prophets and the new testament confirme the same And thus they follow The first Article of faith and religion concerning God 1. There is one true euerliuing Almightie God and three persons God the father God the Son God the holy Ghost which are not three Gods but one God THis Article hath two partes first of the vnitie of the Godhead and secondly the trinitie of persons The first God taught Abraham when in his calling he brought him to forsake the a Ioshuah 24.2 strange and many Gods of his fathers to embrace one and the onely true God shewing this perfect marke that he could set downe order what should become of b Gen. 12.3 cap. 15.13 cap. 17.1 cap. 18.14 all the families of the earth and particularly of his posteritie that hee was God all sufficient and that nothing was harde to him Therefore Abraham hauing learned this professeth it to be his faith and religion calling the Lord c cap. 14.22 The most high God possessor of heauen and earth and hee gaue him this d Rom. 4.18.19 glorie of God that although himselfe were an hundred yeare old Sarah his wiues wombe now dead yet did he beleeue Gods word concerning his seed being assured that he which had promised was also able to do it The second God taught Abraham when hee e Gal. 3.8 preached the gospell vnto him in these wordes f Gen. 28.18 In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed For by the seed being vnderstood Christ namely the son of God to be made man of the seede of Abraham God speaking in these words to Abraham concerning his son Abrahā must needs vnderstand the first person of the father in him that speaketh and the second person of the Sonne in him that is spoken of And of this second person in the knowledge and faith of Abraham speaketh Christ saying g Ioh. 8.56.58 Abraham reioyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad And againe before Abraham was I am And as concerning the holy Ghost the third person Abraham vnderstood that in all the wordes because they are as the Apostle teacheth h Gal. 3.14 the promise of the spirit which thing you shall perceiue if you looke vpon Abrahams seed for it came not by the naturall vertue and power of man but by the holy Ghost as first Isaacke was borne when Abraham and Sarah were past age of the naturall begetting and conceiuing of a child by the vertue of the promise of God which being performed by the power of the holy ghost he is said sometime i Rom. 9.7.8 Gal. 4.23.29 to be borne by promise and sometime to be borne after the spirit Secondly Christ the seed of Abraham by whom all are made blessed is also borne a man without the seed begetting of any man onely of a virgin and conceiued by the holy Ghost as the k Luk. 1.34.35 Angell in Luke declareth Lastly all the faithfull which are the spirituall seed and children of Abraham and made blessed by this promise of Christ are no otherwise made partakers of this blessing
but by the holy ghost as Christ plainly a Ioh. 3.5 expoundeth saying No man can enter into the kingdome of God except he be borne againe by the holie ghost Abraham doubtles being taught the true meaning of these words who spake and of whom and what maner of promise this was and how it shoulde be performed could not but behold therin learne the most excellent misterie and doctrine of the trinitie And in this sence and meaning doth the church of England hold this article of religion with Abraham as may appeare not onely by the vniuersall and notorious knowledge of our profession but also by fower Creedes set downe in the booke of Common praier to be heard learned and confessed of all men The Apostles creed Te Deum Athanasius creed and the Nicen creed and in the first article of religion agreed vpon by our church and established by lawe Ann̄ 1562. Moses consent in this article is to bee seene in these words b Deut. 6.4 Here O Israel the Lord our God is Lord only Where this word Lord being in Hebrew Iehouah noteth out the true God being all sufficient of him selfe and therfore Moses was c Exod. 3.14 taught to call him Eheie that is I am or shal be meaning a continuance without beginning or ending Secondly this clause our God in hebrew is * Elohenu a word of the plurall number noteth out the pluralitie of persons then adding in the singuler number that he is Lord or Iehouah onely signifieth that although there is pluralitie that is three persons yet there is but one God And therefore that which is spoken Psal 95. of the tempting of God out of Deut. 9. ver 8. where is said by Moses they prouoked Iehouah to anger the prophet d Esai 36.10 Esay the epistle e Heb. 3.7 to the Hebrewes expound it to be the tempting of the holy ghost f 1. Cor. 10.5 and S. Paul to bee tempting of Christ so that Moses by these places is to bee vnderstood to haue taught the same doctrin of the Trinitie namely one all sufficient Iehouah the same three persōs God the father God the son God the holy ghost The prophets who are the true and perfect interpreters of Moses doe vtter this doctrin yet more plainly speaking in the person of God g Esai 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and beside me there is no God h Cap. 4.3.13 Before the day was I am there is none that can deliuer out of mine hand i 45.21 a iust God and a Sauiour and there is none beside me k Malach. 3.6 I the Lord change not l Nahum 1.5 The mountains tremble for him and the hils melt c. And as touching the Trinitie in plaine termes thus m Hag. 2.5.6 I am with you saith the Lord of hostes with the word wherewith I couenanted with you when you came out of Egypt and with my spirit remaining among you where you see the father by excellencie called the Lord of hosts the son being the mediator of the couenant is called the word by whom and for whom God couenanteth and the holy ghost his spirit placed in his church by his manifold gifts and mightie works Heb. 2.4 the like place is in a Esai 63.7.8.9.10 Esay where in the person of the father is shewed Gods mercie loue and kinde prouidence ouer his people and he pointeth out the second person by the name of the angel of his presence who saued them and the holy ghost he calleth his holy spirit whom they vexed But the new Testament is plainest of al. First Math. 3. where the father witnesseth of the son and the holy ghost in the shape of a doue commeth vpon him and Christ commandeth to b Math 28.19 Baptise in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost And c 1. Ioh. 5.7.9 S. Iohn calleth this the witnes of God that there are three which beare record in heauen the father the word and the holie ghost and these three are one In which article wee must vnderstād the three persons not as we do three persons of men who though they be but of one nature which is the nature of man yet are they in such sort 3. persons in one nature as they are also 3. diuers men But in God is a more neere vnion namely that they being 3. persōs distinguished in property the father begetting the son begotten the holy ghost proceeding yet these three so distinct in person are not onely of one kind of nature which is to be God for so they might be vnderstood to be three gods as Peter Iames and Iohn though of one nature are yet three men but also of one and the same essence in vnitie of number namely that the father son and holie ghost are all in one God and do make and be all but one and the same God of the same inseperable power eternitie wil wisdom and goodnes as is very excellently expounded in the creed of Athanasius The second article is of the Cause of Causes 2 By the decree of God all thinges were fore ordained how they should be and concerning man who should be saued by faith in Christ and who should be damned for their sinnes THis doctrine GOD teacheth Abraham two waies first in the promise d Gen. 12.3 how al the families of the earth should be blessed in which there is the reuelation of Gods decree what should become of all nations in the world namely that they of al nations which attaine blessednes shoulde haue it by Christ and all other should be damned then e Cap. 17. when he seperateth the Iewes by circumcision kept out the gentils till the fulnes of times it argueth that according to his decree he dispenseth the times and seperateth the nations and that in the matter of the saluation and damnation of men euen as saint Paul expoundeth it saying f Eph. 1.9.10 And hath opened to vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in him selfe that in the dispensation of the fulnes of times he might gather together in one all things both which are in heauen which are in earth euen in Christ The other way is in trying of Abraham whē he was so olde before he had his son Isaac for hauing made the promise to Abraham generally First a Gen. 12.3 cap. 15.5 In thy seed and secondly So shall thy seed be Sarah finding her selfe barren b Gen. 16. gaue her maide to Abraham thinking to haue the seed that way and he went into her and she brought him foorth a sonne when he was fower score and six yere olde and he called his name Ismaell But after this God c Cap. 17.15 commanded Abraham to change his wiue Sarahs name from Sarai to Sarah because he would giue her a son and blesse and
in this Article two things The vse and power of this word and the true touchstone how we may know or where we may find this word The first is touching religion that Gods word is the only rule thereof which onely teacheth the doctrine of righteousnesse and saluation And this is verie well to be seene in the storie of Abraham that he had no sauour of religion before God taught him by his word neither can wee find that he added any thing of his owne And this will euidently appeare if you consider how God first preached vnto him a Gal. 3.8 Gen. 12.1.2.3 the gospell and so from b Cap. 15. 17 18. time to time reuealed more and more vnto him and that God acknowleged him to bee a c Gen. 20.7 prophet such an one as would d Cap. 18.19 command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord. What is all this els but that God by his word taught him the true religion and godlinesse what he should beleeue and doe As for Moses he maketh the word of God so absolute a rule that the Church ought not e Deut. 4.2 to put any thing to it nor take any thing from it and the prophets are also verie confident in this point saying f Prouerb 30.5 Euerie word of God is pure put nothing to his word least hee reproue thee and thou be found a lyer And the reason of this perfection is plaine because it maketh g Cap. 2.1.9 a man to vnderstand righteousnes and iudgement and equitie and euerie good path and to exclude all mens inuentions from ordaining any part of religion God saith by his prophets that h Esai 29.13 The wisedome of the wise shall perish because their feare toward God was taught by the precept of men Which Christ intepreteth to this sence i Mat. 15.9 That they worshipped God in vaine teaching for doctrines mens preceptes If this suffice not then let vs heare this point in expresse wordes of the Prophet k Psal 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule So likewise our Sauiour Christ in the gospell gaue to his Apostles and Church no other thing but the l Ioh. 17.8 worde which God his father gaue him pronouncing that this is m Vers 17. The truth by which they should be sanctified n Cap. 15.3 made cleane o Cap. 8.31.32 and free from sin p Cap. 5.24 and by hearing thereof they might haue euerlasting life Therefore the Apostles finding the absolute sufficiencie thereof doe forsake all wisedome of men for the same calling it the words of eternall life q Cap. 6.68 Hereof it is that Saint Iames saith r Cap. 1.19 Be swift to heare and slow to speake because wee men must not put forth our owne wisedome in matters of faith and religion but submit our selues to learne of God as he after expoundeth saying ſ Vers 21. Receiue with meeknesse the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules And thereupon Saint Paule condemneth all shewes of t Coloss 2.22.23 wisedome in voluntarie religion after the commandement and doctrines of men giuing charge that no man u Vers 8. spoile vs through philosophie and vaine deceite according to the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ And the ground of this is this that in x Vers 3. Christ are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Now as touching the second point which is the touchstone to trie the word of God where and how to find and know it This is The holy inspired writinges of the olde and new Testament wherein is contained all the word of God touching religion necessarie for the Church and Gods elect to know for their saluation Which although it were not written in the time of Abraham and of the fathers but after by Moses the Prophetes the Apostles and Euangelistes yet is it so absolute a rule and canon that wee ought not to beleeue any thing of faith and religion touching saluation to be or to haue beene the word of God which may not be rightly gathered taught or proued confirmed or allowed by the writings of Moses and the prophets in the old testament and in the new testament by the Euangelistes and Apostles of Iesus Christ And this will appeare verie euidently to the conscience of all faithful and wise hearted Christians if they consider what the spirite of God teacheth in all these times For the first a most glorious writer was the a Deut. 5.22 finger of God writing the ten wordes in two tables Then Moses by his direction wrote all the b Exod. 24.4 words of the Lord and a little before his death he wrote the whole c Deut. 31.9 law and deliuered it to the priestes the sonnes of Leui. So that then and from thenceforth the law written became the canon of the Church and the onely rule to measure religion by as may appeare because it was published in this sort d Deut. 27.26 Cursed bee he that confirmeth not all the wordes of this law to do them e Cap 30.10 which is interpreted to bee the commandementes and ordinaunces of the Lord written in the booke of the law And Ioshuah being of the same times knowing it to bee such an absolute rule chargeth the people a little before his death to f Ioshua 23.6 obserue and do all that is written in the booke of the law of Moses that they turne not there from to the right hand nor to the left By which it appeareth that in his time the writinges of Moses were this touchston to know the word of God as it were the arke of God wherein the tables of the couenant written with the finger of God were kept which will somewhat more be seene if you consider with me that in Moses writings and in and by nothing els we learne all the word of God reuealed and made knowne to the Church not onely touching the creation and olde world but also concerning Abraham Isaack Iacob and whatsoeuer God spake would haue to be knowen to be his word in his time which hee committed to writing for the perpetuall vse of the people of God And after him God added the pen of the prophets for the more perfect manifestation of this word and misterie of Gods will and yet so as nothing in substance did differ from the written law of Moses Therefore the prophetes pronounce the same writinges to be a most perfect Canon not to be added to nor taken from saying after this maner a Esa 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in thē And againe b Malach. 4.4 Remember the law of Moses my seruant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel the
statutes and iudgements Here you see that the prophets hauing the same spirite of truth to leade them and their pen which Moses had in his writings auouch the perfection of Gods word in Moses bookes so farre as they would be vnderstood to doe or speake nothing that should not agree vnto that worde so written and whosoeuer did otherwise had not the light in him Now because Moses and the prophets agreed in their writinges in declaring and making manifest the same truth and word of God which he would haue to be the knowen canon and rule of religion Our Sauiour Christ reiecteth all c Math. 15.3 new deuises writing traditions and customes of men sendeth vs to the d Luk. 16.29 cap. 24.44 law and the prophets bidding vs to e Ioh. 5.39 search the scriptures Which also to bee a most certaine rule Saint Peter saith We haue a most sure worde of the prophets And Saint Paul a 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach vs that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes What can be a more perfect rule or touchstone then that which is most sure inspired of God profitable euery way in righteousnes by which a man may be absolute perfect vnto all good workes And hereof it commeth that the writinges of the new testament are not a new Canon or additament of rule in religion but onely a more plaine reuelation fulfilling of that which was before taught by Moses and the prophetes and therefore you shal find that Christ and the Apostles euery where do approue their doctrine by the testimonies of the scriptures of the olde testament Wherefore Paul acknowledgeth that b Rom. 16.26 God commanded the preaching of the gospell to bee by the scriptures of the prophets and Peter c Act. 3.22.24 appealeth to Moses and to all the prophets from Samuel and thenceforth that they foretold of those daies that is of the time of the gospell and the things which should bee manifested therein And therefore Paul protested that he d Cap. 26.22 witnessed both to small and great no other things then those which the prophets and Moses did say should come Wherefore the whole scriptures of the olde and new testament is one and the same rule of religion Although peraduēture as is before declared there may be some difference in ceremony and maner of gouernment yet is the first euen in those thinges a witnesse of the last and the last a true and faithfull expounder and fulfiller of the first Hereof it is that Mathew and the other Euangelists do confirme all the doctrine and doings of Christ by seuerall scriptures Yea those thinges which in forme order differ are yet proued that so they ought to be by Moses and the prophetes as the ministerie of a Math. 3.3 Iohn Baptist b Act. 2.16 and of the Apostles c Heb. 7.1.12 the priesthood of Christ and his changing of the lawe d 1. Cor. 9.9.13 prouiding for the ministerie though not by tithes and many such like But as for the most substantiall parts of the doctrine of faith and saluation I hope it shal appeare to the godly Christian by reading this Chapter throughout that there is but one canon and rule of truth Therefore to conclude let the reader obserue that this writing of Gods word is done by the spirit of God to this vse and ende that we might bee sure to know and how to trie and finde out what is the worde of God by examining all things wee heare by the Canon of the scripture As did e Act. 17.11 the noble men of Berea Wherefore Saint f Cap. 1.3.4 Luke affirmeth that the ende of this writing was that wee might acknowledge the certaintie of those thinges whereof wee haue beene instructed And Saint Paule saith that for the Church g Philip. 3.1 it was a sure thing and this sure thing is expounded by the Euangelist who sayth h Ioh. 20.21 These thinges are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Therefore as Moyses which first wrote shewed the absolutenesse of this Canon of Gods worde written by i Deut. 4.2 forbidding all adding to and taking from So the last booke of this Canon sealeth vp all the writinges of God with the like admonition saying e Reuelat. 22.18 I protest to euerie one that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Now in both partes of this Article agreeing to all these testimonies of holy scripture is the iudgement and profession of the Church of England For we say b Artic. 20. of the authoritie of the church It is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods worde written c Articl 6. the doctrine of holy scripture Holy scripture containeth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of the faith or bee thought requisite and necessarie to saluation c. d Apolog. cap. 9. diuis 1. We receiue and embrace all the Canonicall scriptures both of the old and new testament c. they bee the verie sure and infallible rule whereby may be tried Whether the Church do swarue or erre and whereunto all ecclesiasticall doctrine ought to bee called to account and that against these scriptures neyther law nor ordinance nor any custome ought to be heard c. In all which wee doe acknowledge this most absolute canon of Gods word agreeing with Abraham Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles The tenth Article of the people who follow the right religion that is the Church of God 10 There is but one Church of God and the same is catholike and spread ouer all the world holding onely the true faith of Christ and it is made visible and knowne by the profession of the same faith which is in the preaching of the pure word of God and right administration of his holy sacraments IN this Article is a double description of Christes Church first in regard of the nature and second in regard of the visible markes The nature is in three things vnitie and vniuersalitie and faith The markes are declared by their profession which is preaching and administring the word sacraments By vnitie wee vnderstand that God hath not diuers Churches of diuers sectes in diuers places or times but howsoeuer times and places may haue some externall and temporal differences yet in all times and places the people whom God alloweth and accepteth to bee his church are but one misticall bodie wherof Christ is the head and as
many ought to be vnder the gospell and how these two differ in their special and particuler vse The confession of the church of England is altogether so and of the same consent For as touching the nature of a Sacrament we say the same in substance of truth a Sacraments ordained of Christ are not onely badges and tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by the which he doth worke inuisibly in vs and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirme our faith in him and againe b Articl 25. of the sacramēts b Apolog. part 2.10 diuis 1. Wee allow the Sacraments of the Church that is to say certaine holie signes and ceremonies which Christ would we should vse that by them hee might set before our eies the misteries of our saluation and might more strongly confirme the faith which wee haue in his blood and might seale his grace in our hartes and in the same places there are no more but two sacraments acknowledged which properly ought to be called by that name and as touching the speciall difference First we say of Baptisme a Articl 27. that It is a signe and a seale of our new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receaue Baptisme are grafted into the church the promises of forgiuenes of sinnes and our adoption to be the sonnes of God by the holie ghost are visibly signed and sealed c. and of the Lords supper we say b Articl 28. The supper of the Lord is not only a signe of the loue that Christians ought to haue among themselues but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption Insomuch that to such as rightly woorthely and with faith receaue the same the bread which wee breake is a communion of the bodie of Christ and likewise the cup of blessing is a communion of the blood of Christ If all these things be compared together with the Scriptures you shall see that they doo verie fitly agree so that in the doctrine of the Sacraments we are of the auncient faith of Gods elect and of the holie vniuersall church The thirtenth article of the order of religious exercises and seruice of God 13. All religious exercises as prayer and Sacramentes c. ought to be done in the toonge or language which the people best vnderstande and as is most to edification HOw the pride presumption of man brought this great plague of many languages into the worlde and thereby great seperation of people and nations and diuersities of religion as c Gen. 11. Moses doth declare the originall so the story and experience of all times doo witnes And as it caused great toile and contention among men so it came to passe in tract of time that the true religion was found but in one people and language and that of Abraham and his seede the children of Israel Howbeit when the fulnes of time was come that the most glorious sonne of God our blessed Sauiour sanctified all nations vnto God by his death then were all languages made d Phil. 2.11 Esai 45.23 holie vnto the Lord that Euerie toonge should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the father Therefore what people so euer it pleaseth God to call to be of his church and teacheth them his holie religion the language of that very people is made holie to the Lord to talke of his woord to confesse his name to pray to his goodnes to celebrate his heauenly worship This appeareth by the storie of Abraham being an a Gen. 14.13 11.16 Hebrew comming of Heber that God reuealed his worde vnto him and his seede in the Hebrew tongue In that tongue which was to them naturall and knowne he and they vsed all their prayers and holy exercises and in that tongue did Moses the prophets write all the oracles of God Saue onely when Iudah was in captiuitie Daniell wrote some Chapters which concerned the Chaldeans all nations in that language of Calde which they best vnderstoode and fittest at that time for all nations the Emperor of the world being of that language and by mixture with other people the Hebrew writings of the prophetes do somewhat sauour of the language of the people among whom they dwelt Therfore it doth appeare that God was carefull as a matter best for the Churches edification to haue his will reuealed vnto his people in that tong they best vnderstood So when all the world in all nations was called by the gospel to know and worship the true and liuing God then were the scriptures written in Greeke namely so much as then was written by the Apostles and Euangelistes which language was at that time the most b Act. 21 37. common language of the worlde in so much as all c Gal. 3.28 nations are called Grecians in opposition to the Iewes and their language Also God d Act. 2. endued his Apostles with the gift of diuers tongues that euen in that gift it might bee made manifest that all languages are sanctified in Christ and that hee thought it need that euery country people should worship him in their owne language And therefore the Prophet Daniel prophesying of these daies directly saith e Dan. 7.14 All people nations and languages shall serue him Hereupon Saint Paul least the vse of gift of many languages should be abused spendeth one f Cor. 14. whole chapter about this matter and therein teacheth that it was most to edification that the prayers and exercises of Gods worship should bee in a language knowen to the vulgar and meaner sort of people a thing so familiarly knowen that I need not repeate it Therefore without any amplification in this point I may conclude that seeing the Church of England both by practise as is seene in our dayly seruice of God by the booke of common prayer and also by our confession in the Apologie g Apolog. cap. 18. diuis 1. Artic. 24. of the common prayers and Articles of our religion published for that purpose doth allow no other but the vsuall language best knowen to the people as best to edification it followeth that herein wee agree with the auncient and catholike riligion and order of Almightie God and of his seruants Moses the prophets and Apostles The 14. Article of libertie in religion whether it take away any naturall comfort or duetie among men 14 The true and catholike religion forbiddeth no man or woman of what caling soeuer to marrie so it bee in the Lord and commaundeth all sortes of men and that of all callings as well ecclesiasticall as ciuill to be subiect to the ciuill magistrate and higher power and to obey him in the Lord. IN this Article are two specials as mariage and the dutie to the magistrate which two may be as an instance for all of like sort for
in the first kind we vnderstand to be meats times the maner order of many things both ciuil and seruing to Gods worship that they are al left free so that in al these things God and his word hath giuen free liberty not inthralled his Church but onely requireth an orderly comely vse directed to his glorie And in the second sort is the duetie to parents to husbands to wiues to children and such like that no man vnder the colour of religion cast away such dueties Therefore I will onely speake of these two which being well marked I hope the wise and carefull reader will see what is the true duetie of religion in all And first looke vpon a Gen. 12. 15 20 21. 25. Abraham he was a prophet yet had he his first and second wife and by vertue of Gods promise when he said So shal thy seed be he was made strong euen in his old daies to beget many children and it was not an vncleane thing vnto him though hee were a prophet so to bee maried In Moses and his priesthood you see that he being a prophet b 1. Cron. 23.14 begat children and the priests and Leuits had their wiues So in the prophets it is found that they were not restrained from this benefite for it is expressed that c 1. Sam. 8.1 Ezec. 24.15.16 2. King 4.1 Samuel and Ezechiel had wiues and the children of the prophetes And where Ieremie is forbidden it is expressed not to bee in regard he was a prophet but onely because of the d Hier. 16.2.3.5.8 troubles of his time for which cause he is also forbidden the house of mourning of feasting because that he might teach the people by such speeches as by a figure in his example there great calamitie which hung ouer their heades And in the new testament we know that the a Math. 8.14 Apostles had wiues before their calling and it is no where expressed that they were forbidden to keepe them afterwardes but rather the contrarie as where Paul saith b 1. Cor. 9.5 Haue we not power ta leade about a wife being a sister as well as the rest of the Apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Caephas As touching the ministers of the congregations they were so farre from barring them from wiues that they doe expressely prescribe c 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1.6 what they should bee and how their children should bee gouerned pronouncing the forbidding of mariage to bee d 1. Tim. 4.1.2 doctrine of deuils and that e Heb. 13.4 mariage is honourable among all men Therefore in this point is the practise of England sound and catholike and our profession the ancient and vnchangeable truth For wee say f Artic. 32. of the mariage of priestes Apol cap. 8. diuis 1. Bishoppes priestes and deacons are not commaunded by Gods lawe eyther to vow the estate of single life or to abstaine from mariage therefore it is lawfull also for them as for all other Christian men to marrie at their owne discretion as they shall iudge the same to serue better to godlinesse As touching the Magistrate you see in Abraham how hee kept onely the gouernment of his owne house and how lowly and humbly he caried himselfe in g Gen. 12. 20. Egipt and Gerar where there were kings of the countrie And Melchisedeck though he were priest of the most high God vsurped not authoritie ouer other kinges but being a figure of Christ hee blessed Abraham for a speciall misterie as is expressed and taught in the Epistle to the Hebrewes h Heb. 7. shadowing the royall priesthood of Christ aboue the priesthood of Aaron Therefore in this time religion abridged not any duetie but rather fulfilled them Moses when hee describeth the order of a king ouer Israel hee sheweth that God would make a king ouer them Where hee vseth i Deut. 17.14.15 these wordes in the person of all the people I will set a king ouer mee And againe vnto them Thou shalt make him king ouer thee There me and thee containe all estates and orders ecclesiasticall and ciuill And so was Ioshuah the first Captaine k Ioshuah 1.18 cap. 3. the commaunder of all neither is there any sillable exempting any one estate more then other When this came in practise in the time of the prophetes were not the priestes and Samuel subiect to Saul l 1. Sam. 19. 22. Nathan and other seers vnto Dauid and all other prophets with the priestes subiect to Solomon Iehoshaphat Ezechiah Ioshiah c. Did not they commaunde and order the building and repairing of the temple place and displace high priestes call the people to the pure worship of God and commaund the priests in the holy administrations And they themselues were subiect to none m 1. Cron. 23. 24 25. 26. c. 2 Cron. 2. 3 4. c. 28. 29. 30. c. but to Gods worde that by his bookes and worde they should bee ruled and guided and by no man o Deut. 17.18.19 Iosh 1.8 2. Cron. 34. or mans worde or commandement whatsoeuer So our Sauiour Christ commaundeth to giue f Math. 22.21 Caesar his due and to God his due and though hee were Lord of all yet because his kingdome was not of this world h Cap. 27. g Math. 17.25 he payed tribute and meekely yeelded himselfe when he was wrongfully iudged And the spirit of truth which hee gaue his Apostles did guide them in the same steppes that for themselues it is not found they vsurped any ciuill authoritie by colour of religion but commanded euerie soule i Rom. 13.1 1 Pet. 2.13.14 to be subiect to the higher power and namely to the king as to the superior and to the gouernors vnder him Therefore also the practise of our Church in this behalfe is verie godly and beseeming the religigion of God and that we herein professe is a most auncient and catholike veritie For wee say k Artic. 37. The Queenes Maiestie hath the chiefe power in this realme of England and other her dominions vnto whom the chife gouernment of all estates of this realme whether they bee ecclesiasticall or not in all causes doth appertaine and is not nor ought not to be subiect to any forraine iurisdiction So then we may boldly conclude that as touching this holy comfort of mariage and duetie to the magistrate our Church followeth the right euerlasting and vnchangeable truth The fifteenth Article of the hope which is in the true religion 15 Iesus Christ will come againe with glorie and then all the dead shall rise againe in their bodies And hee shall iudge the quicke and the dead and will crowne all beleeuers with euerlasting righteousnesse saluation and life with God for euer THis Article sheweth the last work of Christ in his kingly office namely of his returne againe vnto
heale the blind his stooping downe to the ground to write washing his Disciples feet and many such like Thus might we play the fooles with Guilhermus Durandus in his rationale diuinorum turning all things into mysteries make trifling and prophane sport with the schoole men turning vpside downe the true sence of holy scripture by allegoricall morall and anagogicall interpretations and when we haue done come as neere the meaning of God as the east is to the west But if they be sacraments ordayned of God for his Church they ought to bring forth the commaundement of God such as is for Baptisme d Math. 28.19 1. Cor. 11.23 Baptize in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and for the Lords supper Do this in remembrance of me Secondly let thē shew out of Gods booke the signe in penance and the rest that they pertaine to the generall couenant of grace and promise of Christ As that matrimonie is anie more but a similitude or allegorie or that confirmation was any more but the taking of the children vnto him at one time to blesse them particulerlie or that orders is any more but for the grace of the estate of the ministrie their vnction was but for the bodie that they might liue and not for the soule at the very point of death therfore here is great presumption to father vpon God their owne beastly inuentions Thirdly in that which is speciall in either of the two sacraments they commit very great absurdities by most ridiculous idolatrous additaments First in Baptisme they thrust in a strange e Looke Manipul curat c. 8. de Anex Bapt. Catechising a filthy exorcising In the first they put the finger in his eare to signifie that his eare should be apt to heare Gods word and spit in his mouth that hee may be prompt to speake of faith 2. He crosseth him in his breast that in breast mouth he confesse the faith of Christ crosse him in the forehead that he be not ashamed of the faith of Christ 3. He putteth salt in his mouth signifying wisdom His filthy exorcisme is to coniure the diuell that he depart frō the soule of the party to be baptized giue place to the holy ghost And in baptizing they make three other crosses in declaring whereof I am lost to defile this paper they are so foolish so greatly derogatorie to Christs holy institution for on the one side they dash baptisme out of countenance with so many goodly shewes vses and secondly they blaspheme God to coniure especially in the place time of Gods worship but one bable I may not omit that they a Ib. cap. 7. Godfather Godmother may not marry together by Poperie giue baptisme such a power to make a spirituall cosonage namelie that it hindreth matrimonie breaketh a contract See here if Antechrist presume not as God nay aboue God for they make that vnlawfull b Heb. 13.4 Math. 19.6 which God hath made honorable among al men put asunder thē whom God hath coupled together But yet there are more abhominations heretical presumptions For in the sacrament of the Eucharist they amende the signe and put water to the wine secondly they take away one of the signes from all the communicants sauing him that maketh the sacrament thirdly they driue away both the signes altogether by their fiction of transubstantiation set in the roome therof if we may beleeue them the body soule Godhead of Christ that very body which was borne of the virgin Mary crucified vnder Pontious Pilate and so being chaunged they giue godly honor vnto it they lift it vp and carrie it in procession and hold it forth to be publikely worshipped of all men they offer it vp for a sacrifice for the quicke the dead and keepe it very deuoutly in the pix to be readie at all times to comfort them that need Surely it should seeme that Christ his Apostles were but children vnto those both in wisdome and in power For they neuer once dreamed of these things and being matters of very great importance it is meruaile they neuer had leisure to commit at the least some of them vnto writing that it might be found in holy scripture but being not found there they haue their holie traditions of equall reuerence with Gods word or els the plenarie power of their Apostaticall sea sufficientlie to warrant whatsoeuer to them whom God hath giuen ouer to beleeue lies This is the profoundnes of Sathan good Lord God and mercifull father keepe it euer out of this land that it neuer deceiue thy people any more First the mingling of wawith the wine is c Concil trident ses 6. ca. 7. brought in vpon three goodllie reasons 1. Christ is thought to haue done so 2. water came out of his side 3. water in the Apocalips signifieth people therefore it sheweth the misterie of vnion of the faithfull people with Christ Loe here a forgerie of a new misterie why might they not put in nailes or stakes that might signifie the fastning of Christ to his people because the d Eccl. 12.11 preacher speaketh of such a misticall fastening If men may add thus vpon coniectures and set Anathema and a curse as they doe vpon all that consent not how shall wee finde the measure of truth or how shall they auoide the curse of God which saith Reuel 22. cursed is he that addeth to this booke But alasse poore men how little effect this deuise hath brought forth For by and by as soone as it is a sacrament for before the words of consecration as they call them it is no sacrament the wine is cleane gone they say where is thē their new misterie How can they represent which haue no being in rerum natura in the world Againe how can it signifie this to the people when they keepe it from them and blesse them with the emptie cup. This is a second presumption against the expresse commandement of Christ which saith a Math. 29.27 Mark 14.23 drinke yee all of this and they dranke all of it Thirdlie in transubstantiation see how many monsters they feed First wee must beleeue there is no wine or bread though wee see them and taste them though they haue the same quantities and qualities and effects they had before though they corrupt and putrifie as before and we must beleeue that Christ God and Man is vnder those formes quantities and qualities though wee can see heare or feele no forme quantitie or qualitie of a true or naturall bodie or man Here is a monsterous mā which if you look vpon him is all ouer couered with a little roūd peece of starch not surmounting the greatnes of a mans hād Here be al the properties of bread and wine and their naturall operations but they are not bread nor wine but a man here one subiect hath accidents and essentiall qualities
they met or came by euen as wee read of rhe papist in France in our daies most cruelly murdering Gods beloued Saints And as the papists haue their coniurations of their holy waters and Agnus dei and exorcismes in Baptisme so these wicked donatistes with those abominable heretikes called Basilidians and Eunomians had their enchantments and coniurations These filthie heretikes the donatistes together with that horrible heresie of Arius did so far account themselues the holie and catholike church that they would baptise againe them which were of the true church making thēselues only the catholike church And there were other heretiks called Apostolici that is apostolike which so termed thēselues because they thoght thēselues more apostolike then others namly because they receaued not into their cōmunion maried persōs such as possessed goods proper to them selues So find we among the papists these vnmaried persons religious without proprietie of goods the papists call themselues the holie mother church of Rome the Catholike and apostolike church and are in deed verie like their fathers these heretikes hauing in deed no more but the name of the holie catholike and apostolike church banishing from them and by fire and sword persecuting the true religion and doctrine and faithfull members of the holy catholike apostolike church But what should I endeuour to shewe all the popish stocke linage and kindred what neere affinitie they haue with Iudaisme in plentie and maner of ceremonies traditions of elders meritorious righteousnes and fained holines what bastardlie conformitie they haue with all pagainisme in innumerable idols and sorts of religions and in sundrie patrons of saints and Gods of countries and nations what perfect consanguinitie they haue with Mahumetisme making vp as it were one entire bodie of Antechrist engendred bread compact and compound of all heresies religions superstitions and rudiments of this world whatsoeuer by east and by west raysing vp wars seditions and all maner of vilaines to put downe the glorious and blessed name and gospell of Christ by their owne Alcorans lawes decrees and decretals with innumerable forgeries that they them selues may raigne as the chiefe prophets of GOD and head of his church Only this one thing would be remembred that after Anno domini 600. these two monstrous twins began to come foorth into the open sight and light of the world and to shew them selues blasphemous against God and his Christ being engendred with the cursed seed of Sathan and of a long breeding in those former heretikes euen from the Apostles times of which times and generation it is said by Saint Paul the blessed seruant of Christ 2. Thess 2. The mysterie of iniquitie doth alreadie woorke Therfore one of their owne popes Gregorie whom they call the great the first of that name and Pelagius his predecessor resisted most mightelie Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople for presuming to take vnto him the name of vniuersall patriarke priest of priestes or Bishop of Bishops affirming that hee which so did was the forerunner of Antechrist And so indeed it fell out for it was not long after that Mahomet came forth in the East and began to supplant the church of Christ with his abominations And pope Boniface the 3. which in a few yeres after this Gregorie got this vniuersall title of Bishop of Bishops and so began Antechrists first birth in the open eies of the world And these two brothers haue since growen to their perfection and the more they haue growen the lesse hath been the honour and name of Christ and the knowledge of his gospell amongst the sons of men Till now it hath pleased God of his gracious goodnes and free fauour to make them knowen what they are and by the breath of his mouth to consume thē Now the glory of Christ crucified and the truth of his gospel beginneth like the morning light to take holde on the corners of the earth The Lord our God and merciful father be blessed and praised therefore Amen CHAP. IIII. Of the original of poperie Wherein is declared 1. that by the precedent Chapters it may appeare to be of a late birth 2. That neither the difference os calculation in stories nor forging of writinges nor managing of good authors doo hinder the knowledge of their new birth 3. Their owne toongs and traditions proue poperie new 4. Many particulers are rehearsed out of popish authors and the former counsels 5. Fiue foundamentall points more largelie examined by antiquitie 6. The latter ouergrowing and lopping and dailie now sprowting of poperie 7. That popery is not yet a perfect bodie of his fulshape proportion and members NOw am I come to the arising of poperie how it therein agreeth with heresie For if it may be plainly and directly shewed how poperie had his beginning both in regard of the author thereof and of the time wherein it bread and came forth diuerse and a disagreeing and seperate from the true religion whose authoritie and time came from God that it is of a later generation and off-spring then euerie wise christian will readily see and acknowledge that it is borne in these last times with other filthie heresies and that it cannot be the true ancient catholike religion but new borne and late vpstarted superstitious and counterfeit like as a 1. King 3.16 she that pleded for her selfe to be mother of the liue child was foūd by wise Salomon to be in deed the mother of the dead child And this by gods grace I doubt not but to make manifest to euery honest man who wil not wilfully blind his eies against the knowne truth And this I may so much the more boldlie affirme because that vnto him that marketh it well it doth alreadie sufficientlie and plainely appeare by that which is written before And that by foure arguments of great demonstration in my conscience First because that the true religion is the same which is now in England and this is proued to haue beene from the beginning of the worlde by Gods ordinance set foorth in holie Scripture and because by the learned men of this lande it is euidently taught and defended in the chiefe and maine heads thereof out of the fathers for 600. yeeres after Christes incarnation and by historie knowne to haue remained in the greeke church and in diuers partes of the west till our time Secondly because the religion of Rome is directly contrarie and disagreeing thereunto And thirdly that they follow not the doctrine taught by Saint Paul and Peter and lastlie that they agree with the heretikes of the primatiue Church and be as it were compact of many heresies which sprang vp in the first 600. yeeres which foure thinges being apparant in the former Chapters of this booke there needeth no more to proue the new learning of popish superstition to bee of a late off-spring and generation 2. Howbeit I wil here adde a fift argument which is this that popery may be shewed how it is
as they confesse not found in holy scriptures cannot bee good if the first part of their rule be true Secondly if it be of the nature of the scripture as we haue proued to containe all things necessarie to saluation and some of these as their dreadfull sacrifice of the masse rites in baptisme confirmation purgatorie prayers for the dead c. are by popish doctrine necessarie to saluation and yet are not to be found in holy scriptures then it followeth that they are contrarie to the law of God when they stand vp to shew themselues auaileable to saluation because they falsely accuse the scripture not to containe all thinges necssarie to saluation yea they accuse the scripture of a lie when it saith c 2. Tim. 3.15.16.17 They are able to make thee wise vnto saluation and that the man of God may bee perfect and absolute vnto euerie good worke But what can bee more contrarie to the law of God then to make his inspired word written to tell a lie Here then by their owne rule fall downe their traditions forged vpon Christ and his Apostles and presumed by their Church and if the scripture bee true there can and ought to bee no such thing and therefore of necessitie by their owne doctrine these are but deuises of men traditions not good Now for the second part of this first braunch of their rule where they say that the naughtie traditions are verie neere occasions of sinne These traditions breake that rule also For beside that they are all sinne in that God neuer commaunded them and come vnder that checke d Math. 15.2 In vaine they worship mee teaching for doctrines mans precepts they can neuer denie by any good reason but that by these traditions they giue occasions of sinne many waies As in Baptisme men cannot discerne the true worke of Baptisme for the multitude of ceremonies vnto which are giuen the verie power and operation of Baptisme by the sacrifice of the masse relickes images and praying to Saintes they are ledde vnto sinne being directly against that commandement which saith a Math. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And their vowes of chastitie and single life giue occasion of all filthinesse buggery and murder and sodomitrie But if in these traditions there be a direct and particular contradiction to holy scripture then where is their foundation as for example the holy scripture saith b Heb. 18. There remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne they say the sacrifice of the masse is for the quicke and the dead the holy scripture saith it is c 1. Tim. 4.1 a doctrine of deuils to forbidde meates and mariage These traditions make priesthoode vowes and holding the childe at Baptisme to hinder marrige and that Lent and ember daies must not see any flesh and that for conscience sake The scripture saith thou d Precep 2. Exod. 20. shalt make no image nor worshippe them and they say thou mayest and oughtest to worship them And there are a great many more as is before apparant to bee seene whereof I thought good to giue the reader a taste that hee might the better remember what hath beene before written For the second part of the rule to knowe a naughtie tradition to be of men and not of God they say it is naught if it bee derogatorie to the glorie of Christ I pray you looke vpon all and euerie of these traditions and you shall find that they are set forth for merite and remission of sinnes for satisfaction and iustification All which as is before proued are the glorie of Christ because there is e Act. 4.12 no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby a man may bee saued These being newe names challenging that which belongeth to him cause men to giue his glorie vnto others And therefore by this rule seeing they derogate from the glorie of Christ they are no good traditions but meere inuentions of men not sufferable in the Church of God Lastly they are friuolous and burdenous c. which is the third part of their rule to know traditions to be of man do but looke vpon the number If f Gratians decrees one booke can shew vs 3090. decrees whereof most of them be of these traditions and that there be besides these in decretall and extrauagants I cannot tell how many thousand more then how can they auoid the name of burden And as for their profite if wee may iudge by holy scriptures which teacheth that g Heb. 1.3 Christ by himselfe purgeth our sins What profit can there be in any or all of these except we may say that Christ hath not purged our sinnes But their owne conscience telleth them there is no need of them As for example when they can h Manipul curat cap. 8. de annex bapt say of all the rites of tradition in Baptisme that they are not of the essence of Baptisme because that without them Baptisme may bee well giuen in case of necessitie which hauing as great a warrant as any of the rest wee may verily conclude that they are all but friuolous and superfluous ouerspreading outslippes of mens deuises What shall we then determine of this goodly popish trash but that they cannot be ancient autentical after Gods word seeing they cannot agree to their owne rules whereby they would proue them to be of God Therefore that is most blasphemous that they call the worde of God as it is in the holy bookes dead incke in comparison of their tradition vnlesse it be warranted by tradition and vnderstood in the sence of the mastership of their church Wee are then come thus farre that poperie is a tradition not written with dead incke in Gods holy bookes but some other kinde of doctrine which by their owne rules cannot bee found worthy the name of a good tradition and therefore a meere deuise of mans foolishnesse that is to say verie fables much displeasing and abhominable in the holy eyes of almightie God 4 Now let vs looke into the particulers Heere come the a Antididagma printed at Louan 1544. reuerend Canons of Colen who in the generall ioyning with this great clearke Peresius in many things crie with him Traditum est or traditum tenemus that is it is a tradition or wee hold it a tradition And this they doe where they are to shewe their originall and in deede it is an easie matter to maintayne any foolish or wicked thing by such a deuise yet are these learned men of Colon content to tell vs one or two originalles First b Pag. 70. they say It is true that Christ gaue the Sacrament to his Apostles vnder both kindes of breade and wine and that the church obserued that order a long time after therefore they teach vs that to keep the cup from the common people is but new learning So also they c Pag. 143. say their holy daies reckning by name 22.
sendeth vnto Leo the second or Innocent the first as fathers perhaps thereof That b Cap. 55.18 for the holie singuler reuerence of the mysterie the lay people should not touch with their hand the Eucharist but the priest should thrust it into the mouth of him that eateth it he saith the church ordained in an odd counsell of Rhotomag As for the c lib. 3. cap. 2. 7. canonical howers Roane he would not haue vs to beleeue Polidor and others which refer them to Hierom or to Pelagius 1. or 2. but he hath found them out as he saith in Clement Basill and other fathers but wee looked to be shewen them in the oracles of God The d Cap. 4.2 vigils hee would fasten vpon Tertullian and the e Cap. 17.4 Antiphonae that is singing or saying by turnes and courses he fathereth vpon Ambrose So that the pope allowing this mans writing wee may beleeue all their worshipping of God masse sacrifice and canon to be mans deuise earthly and diuelish a verie new learning in comparison of the true worshipping of God taught by Christ and his Apostles Pope Grigorie the 13. hath holpen vs to the knowledg of somthing by his f Printed at Antwerpe 1589. new Martyrolege restored as it is intituled to the truth of the ecclesiastical storie For there is told g Ian 1. pag. 2. that Odilo abbot of Clunia first commanded in his monasterie the commemoration of the faithfull being dead to be the first day after the feast of all Saints which rite afterwardes the whole church receauing did allowe and this man died as they say Anno 1048. And this booke doth h Quint id Maij pag. 212. ascribe vnto Mammertius B. of Vienna the daies of letanies that is the rogations before ascention and after him the church vniuersal allowed it he liued about Anno 460. yea this legende i Prid. id Maij pag. 217. doth father vpon Pachomius an Abbot of Aegypt who died as they say Anno 406. the rule of Munkes Quam angelo dictante didicerat that we may know these trumperies came of the diuell they say that he learned it at the mouth of an Angell For so the Apostle Saint Paul teaching righteousnes and saluation onely by beleefe in Christ chargeth vs to hold him or an angell accursed that teacheth otherwise therefore these things come not of God But Polydor virgill a verie zealous patron of Romish superstition For the honor of that sea searched many antiquities therefore by a In his booke De inuentoribus rerum him we may be enformed of the birth of much of this new found doctrine and seruice papistical he b Lib. 6. cap. 1. Auriculer cōfession affirmeth that Innocentius the 3. who liued about An. 1200. did first ordaine auriculer confession to be at the least once in the yere But he would haue vs thinke that c Lib. 5. cap. 3. Extreame vnction Faelix the 3. being pope An. 526. commanded that men dying shold be annointed that is extreme vnctiō And as touching mariage of priests he sheweth how in d Lib. 5. cap. 4. Priests single life the west it began to cease namely first that Syricius being pope about an 387. forbad mariage vnto priest and deacons and that Pelagius the seconde cōming almost 300. yeres after decreed that subdeacons shold put away their wiues But Gregory the first who succeeded him thought that to be wicked and therfore he bound the subdeacon to promise chastitie before he were made subdeacon after them many lawes decrees were made about this matter yet did it neuer preuaile to be generally put in execution till about An. 1074. when Gregory the 7. by great violēce labor brought it to passe And this is a verie plaine thing in all stories that the Bishops after this time laboured mightely with their priests to make them put away their wiues and so by little and little one countrie after an other yelded to this slauerie as Polydor termeth it of constrained chastity which he auowcheth to be a shamefull blot thinking it very good that the right of matrimony might one day be restored againe vnto priests This man can tell vs that e Lib. 5. cap. 11 Many parts of the masse in the beginning among the Apostles all things were naked and the mysteries simplie and plainly deliuered of Christ all the order of ceremonies was naked hauing more godlines then outward shew or decking But after them other increased this holie mysteries and diuers men in diuers ages added diuers things Clestinus made introitam missae Gregorie the saying of Curie nine times and diuers other thinges Leo the 3. that frankinsence should be burnt on the alter after the maner of the Iewes heathen many other such things he rehearseth by their first parents much like as is before said by Durantus Therfore he affirmeth that the canon was neither made al of one man neither digested into the same forme that it is now vnto which if we adde that of late the masse is restored by the decree of the Counsell of Trent set foorth by Pope Pius the fift we shal see that this kinde of massing which is vsed in the popish Synagogue is a deuise of man and of a newe and variable composition This Polydor telleth vs that a Lib. 4. cap. 7. that Caius being Pope about Anno 284. did first distinguish the orders of porters readers exorcistes acoluthes subdeacons deacons priestes and Bishops by which as by certaine steps they should ascende to a Bishopricke Also hee sheweth that b Lib. 4. cap. 9. Cardinals Cardinalles were first certaine selected Priestes to burie and Baptise therefore called Cardinall because they had more speciall charge then others like as we call the foure windes great or cardinall winds About Anno. 610. but after that Bonifacius the third obtained of Phocas to haue the prerogatiue aboue all Bishops this name of Cardinal became more honourable when such as were of that companie were of the popes assistance and senate And by little and little through the contention of the Emperors and people about the creating of the Pope they got the prerogatiue and right of the choosing of the pope and so about Anno 1244. Pope Innocent the third decreed they should ride vpon an horse with a red hat and so they came to their great dignitie and grew more more famous and attained that glorious estate they nowe take vpon them c lib. 5. cap. 8. He maketh Alexander the first pope of Rome author of holie water to driue away diuels lib. 6. cap. 12. And Stephen the first to haue ordained holy garments and couerings after the maner of the Hebrewes where as before they clad themselues within with vertues and tooke no care for outwarde vestures in their holie ministration But when this man speaketh of Monkes Nuns and Friers which as new religions are lately sprong vp
wee may beleeue him in this time was found out the gowne of Iesus Christ which fell by lot vnto one of the soldiers when Christ was crucified in a village called Zaphat For wee must suppose that Christ woare durable cloathing which woulde not waste in 600. yeares and that the soldier kept it as some holy relicke and gaue it or sold it to some Christian But I will not trouble the reader with such bables onely let him obserue and marke that here ignoraunce and blind deuotion began to spring and to draw men away from the pure truth of the gospell This Platina tels vs that Theodatus ordained that the sonne of the godfather Godfathers not to marie should not marie the daughter which his father held at the font this is a new kindred Boniface the 5. Sanctuarie for offendors ordained that one shold not be drawen out of the church by force but the church shold bee a place of refuge for offenders Organs musicke in the church The pax Vitalianus ordayned organs in the church and musicall instruments Leo the second founded the Pax to be giuen the people in the masse time A strange chaire This Platina telleth of a new and strange chaire at Rome called Sedes Stercorea wherin the new created Pope sitteth and vnderneath the last deacon trieth him whether he be a man which newly came vp by this occasion that Pope Iohn 8. Anno 855. as he went to the Church of Lateran Masse for the dead was deliuered of a child and therefore the Popes after that going to that Church passe not that way are thus tried Benedict 3. ordained that the priestes deacons and the Pope should bee present at the funerall of a Bishop to giue honor to the corps and to pray for the dead mans soule and commanded all priests to say masse when the Pope died In the time of Formosus which was about Anno 890. Hee saith The Emperors Popes holinesse lost at one time that he could not tell for what cause in one time the truth of the Emperours and of the Popes their holines was lost and abolished Steuen the sixt brought vp this new custome that one Pope did vndo and annihillate the doings and decrees of his predecessors wherein the Christian reader by the way may consider that wee are to beleeue them when they make the Popes decrees equall with the scripture seeing themselues can so easily put downe such authentical doings And here is not to bee omitted how grieuously Platina a In the life of Sargius and of diuers others complaineth in rehearsing the liues of many wicked popes about this time calling them cursed and bastardes from the vertues of the good Popes Of Iohn the 16. he saith that hee conuerted the goods of the Church to the vse of his kindred brothers parentes and carnall friendes and of that sprang a custome which the Popes comming after did obserue and keepe that not for the faith and deuotion of Christianitie but for the treasures of the Church the Popes sought that honour namely to enrich themselues and their friends brothers sisters cosens nephewes c. About which time a Booke 6. Anno 990. Polydor Virgill in his storie of England obserueth that the Monkes degenerated and the priestes into tyranny by meanes of their riches This Platina can tell you that Syluester the second came to his popedom by negromancie and that Benedick the 8. after his death appeared vpon a blacke horse for hiding vp money that was giuen for the poore And Benedick the 9. sold his Popedome and so also after his death appeared like a monster horrible idoll Syluester the third through mony became Pope Anno 1000. also Gregorie the 6. for at this time this new learning was ruled by money and friendes Damasus the second occupied that roome by force without the consent of the people and cleargie so the custome was that the ambitious obtained the papacie This Platina commendeth Gregorie the seuenth although for that he telleth of him hee might rightly bee called Hellbrand for his presumption ouer his Lord the Emperor for his hellish and blasphemous bulles wherein he maketh Peter his God saying O glorious Peter prince of the Apostles incline thine eare heare thy seruant whom thou hast nourished vp from his infancie preserued kept from the hands of his enemies vnto this present time c. And in his statutes a little after he describeth the man that doth as appertayneth to a Christian by this To feare God S. Peter To feare God and S. Peter And in another curse he saith to Peter Paul I haue not chosen you but you haue chosen me laid this most greeuous burden vpon my shoulders c. By these and such like he vttereth wordes of great dishonour to God maketh Peter in vertue power worship equal to God Christ which are new broached errors fearefull in the eares of true Christians And such as Peter would earnestly haue detested if hee were aliue a Act. 10. Cap. 14. who rebuked Cornelius in a lesse matter And Paul would haue rent his cloathes said O men why doe you these things we also are men subiect to the like passions as you are He can tell vs also of Vrban the second that he began the wares against the Sarasines and Turkes And that from thencefoorth the cheefest labours of Popes haue beene in wars for Peters patrimony deposing kinges and Emperours and translating of kingdomes and dignities Out of which goodly roote there sprang vp the bloudie factions of the Guelphes and Gibellins Florentines Venetians Genenois Cecilians c. The b Anno 1260. Romanes refuse to obey Vrban the 4. And these garboiles grew so strong that the Popes were faine to bee nonresidents for seuentie foure yeres beginning at c Anno 1310. Clement the fifth vntill Gregorie the eleuenth Then out of this engendred an other newe thinge d 1380. a scisme of nine and thirtie yeares wherein were someime two sometime three Popes at once till the councell of Constance And so this time in warres canonizing of Saints breeding and enlarging of pardons and many other trumperies continued vntil the time of Luther Here I ouerskip Boniface the 8. with his two swordes and his angels be set in the night to perswade Celestinus to surrender his pope seate and Iohn 23. a deuisor of new thinges he would make and vnmake Bishops of Abbots and Abbots of Bishops new canons dignities in the church and by and by in another fashion And thus haue they handled the religion of Christ Like vnto a potter turning his wheele who maketh the clay now of one fashion and now of an other that no certainty of truth and ancient godlinesse can be found in that sea But as the Prophet Esay saith a Cap. 29.19 Your turning deuises shall it not bee as the potters
lib. 4. Orthod fid cap. 7. Who is there which can make the image of God who is inuisible without body circumscription without figure therefore it is extreme madnesse to counterfeit fashion the deuine power Guillermus Durandi helpeth vs a little further vntill An. 480. b De rational diuin lib. 1. de pictur affirming that the councell of Agatha forbad pictures to bee made in the church and that that should bee painted in the wales which is worshipped adored Now this c 16. Durandi d De rit eccles lib. 1. cap. 4. sect 1. Durantus with old father Gratian e De consecrat distinct 3. cap. perlatum do patiently abide and beare that these images had little entertainment into the churches of Christians vntill An. 600. But then they are bold to bring forth Gregorie liuing about that time that they might shew the first originall decree of their error Namely that about this time there were images crept into the church to bee lay mens bookes but not to be adored For this Gregorie f Lib. 7. epist 109. reproueth one Serenus Bishop of Massilia for breaking images in the church whē he saw them worshipped but yet he commendeth him that hee would not haue the people to worship them wishing to teach the people not to sinne by worshipping them and yet to learne the storie in the wales which they could not reade in bookes So that it can not be found that vnto this time of 600. yeares images got any further honour but to stand or to be painted in the church as bookes to teach the rude people and then they began about that time to forget the scriptures of God which saith g Hier. 10.15 Aback 2. 19. They are vanitie and the worke thereof errors there is no profite in them but they are teachers of lies But this Romish and hethenish idolatrous worship which is now among the papistes had so many enemies of godly Christians that from time to time it suffered the repulse till about the yeare 785. And then in the second counsel of Nice it was hatched hardened made bolde to come abroad into open light and to beard to face downe the pure adoration and seruice of God with this prety h By these two verses Nam Deus est quod imago docet sed non Deus ipsa Hanc videas sed mente colas quod cernis in ipsa deuise and colour to hide their idolatrie that they honor not the image it selfe but in it they worship him whom the image doth represent A thing so manifestly condemned by the auncient Christians that this is the greatest and the strongest antiquity which the papists haue for the grounding and first full birth of their idolatrie as thou shalt verie well perceiue if thou reade the aforesaid authors of this matter and the Antididagma of the reuerende canons of Colen and B. Boner vpon the 10. commandements and the counsell of Trent or any other that declare faithfully the true storie of antiquitie Therefore let the Christian reader iudge if this bee not of a newe and late generation and whether such daintie cloakes of humane folly will shrowde them well and safely agaynst the powring showers of the fierie wrath of God which i Esai 45.23 hath once sworne by himselfe saying Euerie knee shall bow vnto mee and euerie tongue shall sweare by mee And againe hee saith k Cap. 42.8 I am the Lorde this is my name and my glorie will I not giue vnto an other 2. Faith onely iustifieth neither my praise vnto grauen images The second foundation is of the condition on our part of the couenant with God wherein because the gospell requireth no other condition but onely faith in Iesus Christ therfore the catholike religion holdeth this principle Faith in Iesus Christ onely without workes doth iustifie Which to be the ancient catholike beliefe of Christians Eusebius Pamphilus a very learned diuine of the primitiue age doth testifie he liued about Anno 325. who writing the storie of the primitiue Church sheweth that this was the faith of the Christians from the Apostles vnto that age For speaking of the heresie of the Hebionites whose beginning was in the verie first age of Christianitie he calleth them poore alluding to their name in the knowledge of the glorie of Christ Histor eccles lib. 3. cap. 27. and he telleth that they were reputed erronious in this that they held that the obseruation of the law was to be kept and that faith onely in Christ was not sufficient to saluation Which is confirmed by Irenaeus who b Aduers heres lib. 1. ca. 26 saith that Ebion refused Paul calling him an Apostata from the law Now if it were not the common and vniuersall faith of the Church that faith onely iustifieth how could Ebion all that 300. yeares bee accounted an hereticke for holding the contrarie But this will more appeare if we heare the auncient fathers and elder protestants both before and after Eusebius time to speake and vtter their profession Cyprian c Anno 255. before Eusebius d Epist 3. Caecilio saith thus Si Abraham Deo credidit c. If Abraham beleeued God it was imputed to him for righteousnes truely whoseouer beleeueth God and liueth by faith is found righteous Origin e Anno. 235. a little before him speaketh thus vpon the words of S. Paul Rom. 3. vers 27.28 f In epist ad Rom. cap. 3. lib. 3. He saith the iustification of faith onely to suffice So that whosoeuer beleeueth onely is iustified although hee fulfill no part of workes And to proue this he bringeth the example of the thiefe on the crosse namely That no whit of good workes is declared to bee done by him in the gospell but for his faith onely Iesus said vnto him this day shalt thou be with me in paradise Hilarius g 345. liued much about that time or not long after Eusebius and h Cap. sine Canon 8. hee saith vpon Mathew Fide sola iustificat He iustifieth onely by faith Basilius Magnus as it were i Anno 370. presently after him saith The k de humilitate Apostle saith let him that glorieth glory in the Lord where he said that Christ is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that as it is written let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord for that is perfect euerie way glorying in the Lord when a man is not extolled for his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth himselfe indeed void of true righteousnesse and to bee iustified by onely faith in Christ Ambrose was not long l 380. after when he m Epist 71. wrote to one Irenaeus saying Let no man glorie in his works because no man is iustified by his doings but he that is iust hath it giuen him because that after the washing he is iustified therfore it is faith
cleros telleth vs out of Isidorus that among the auncient fathers a priest and a Bishop were all one And the same thing he d Distinct 93. cap. legimus affirmeth out of Hierome with many reasons drawne from holy scripture and he sheweth that the first rising of one Bishop ouer another was deuised for a remedie against schisme And as concerning the preheminenc of the citie of Rome he addeth Si authoritas quaereretur c. if authoritie be sought for the authoritie of the world is greater then that of one citie wheresoeuer there is a Bishop at Rome or at Engubium or at Constantinople or at Rhegium or Alexandria or at Thebes or at Guarmatia it is of the same merit it is of the same priesthood which the glosse there doth interpret that discreete learned and wisemen esteeme all alike but ideots and the comon people despise a Bishop of a smale or litle citie And a litle after e Distinct 95. cap. olim he saith As the elders or priestes knowe that they by the custome of the church are subiect to him which is set ouer them So let the Bishops know that they are greater then the prists rather by custome then by the truth of Gods ordinance and that they ought to rule in comon Cesar Baronius by the cōmandement of pope Gregory the 13. making a new legend called Martyrologiums after the order of their new callender in his notes vpon that booke f Ian. 20. pag. 22. at the letter c. teacheth vs that this word Papa pope was first accounted to come of the greeke word Pappas signifying a father and in the same sence came to be a name of dignitie that the reuerend clerkes or clergie men were called by that name Afterward the same name began to be peculiar vnto Bishops that they were called Papae that is popes or fathers vntil An. 850. then it began to grow to fasten only vpon the head of the pope of Rome at the length pope Grerory the 7. An. 1071. in a synod ordained that there should be but one name of Pope in all the Christian world This man also a Quint. ad April pag. 160. 161. witnesseth that it was in times past the old custome of the church that the Bishops were not onelie called Pontifices prelates but also summi pontifices chiefe or hiest prelates because that the office of a Bishop was called the chiefe priesthood this hee proueth by expresse examples vntill the 6. counsel b About An. 645. of Toletane and he bringeth in Saint Augustin saying those wordes what is a Bishop but the first elder that is the hyest priest briefely hee calleth them no otherwise then fellowe Elders and his fellow priestes But after Baronius addeth that the latter custome obtained that the Bishop of Rome should bee called summus maximus pontifex the hiest and greatest prelate or Bishop Polydor vergill c De inuentorrer lib. 4. ca. 10. telleth vs that the first honour that was giuen to the Bishop of Rome was this that he might change his name when he is created Pope if his name be not handsome and the author of this deuise was Sergius whose name was called os porci that is the mouth of an hogge But more neere to our matter Platina d In vita pelagij deinceps sheweth that the commandement of the Emperour did sway all the matter in the choise of the pope vntill the time of * Pelagius the second About Anno 600. So that when by the extreame fall of waters they could not go to the Emperor the pope was faine to send Gregorious to make his excuse because the election was nothing woorth without the Emperors approbatiō And after him in the election of Gregorious the clergie people desired the Emperor that it would please him to cōfirme the election which was made concerning Gregorius And where as Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople obtained by a Synod the title Ecromenicus that is of vniuersall Bishop Gregorie resisted him not because as Platina saith it belongeth to Peters sea as they falsly call Rome but because it was a new and blasphemous name and such as none before them did euer allow of or take vnto him selfe As Gregorious himselfe in diuers letters both to the Emperor the Empresse to diuers Bishops to Iohn himselfe doth write whereof you shal heare some part First to the Emperour he among other things a Epist lib. 4. cap. 29. Mauritio August Epist 32. saith Quis est iste c who is this that against the statutes of the gospel against the decrees of the canons presumeth to vsurpe to himselfe a new name Would to God that without the diminishing of others there were one which desireth to be called vniuersall and a little after But be it far from the harts of Christians this blasphemus name wherein the honour of all priests is taken away while it is madly arrogated of one vnto himselfe And b Constantie August Epist 34. to the Empresse It is a verie heauie thing that it should be patiently born that al being despised my foresaid brother fellow-bishop goeth about to be called Bishop alone but in this his pride what other thing is shewed but onely that the times of antechrist be at hand And vnto c Epist 36. Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria and Anastasius Bishop of Antioch None of my predecessors haue euer consented to vse this so prophane a terme or word Because forsooth if one be called vniuersal patriarch the name of patriarch is taken from others vnto which if you ioine that of the sixt counsell of Carthage That all matters should be ended in the prouince where they began And that of the Milenitane counsell that no appeale should be made out of the prouince ouer the sea you may easilie plainly perceiue that vnto this 600. yeres after Christ it doth so far appeare that the Pope had no supremacy ouer kings or Emperors that his authoritie was not so much as ouer any minister or priuate man out of his owne diocesse or prouince and that to claime any such title as to be vniuersall Bishop was new blasphemous the ouerthrow of priesthood not sufferable and a fore-running of Antechrist How the pope brought vnder the ciuill power by growing ouer the ecclesiasticall And here thou maist obserue that in all this time there was not yet any question of superioritie ouer the superior ciuil magistrate but ouer the Bishops them selues But how they came to crow ouer the ciuill magistrate the storie of the time following doth declare wherin I might spend much time of the seed of these things as the aduancing of the honor of Peter cunningly pretended to draw on the primacy vpon the pope of Rome his counterfeit successor Constantine forged donation but I shal not need to rip vp euery circumstance For if neither these nor any other were able to cōpasse this infernal primacy in