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
ABRAHAM'S FAITH THAT IS The olde Religion WHEREIN IS TAVGHT THAT THE RELIGION NOW publikely taught and defended by order in the Church of England is the onely true Catholicke auncient and vnchangeable faith of Gods elect AND THE PRETENSED religion of the Sea of Rome is a false bastard new vpstart hereticall and variable superstitious deuise of man Published by IOSIAS NICHOLLS an humble seruant and minister of the gospell in the Church Stand in the waies and behold and aske of the old waies which is the good waie and walke therein and ye shall find rest for your soules HIER 6.16 LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Wight 1602. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER in God my Lords grace Archb. of Canterburie and to the right Honorable my L chiefe Iustice of England both of her Maiesties most Honourable priuie Counsell Iosias Nicholls wisheth all grace and peace in our Lord Iesus Christ PVrposing right Reuerend Honorable to publish this little book it came into my mind to commend the same to your honourable protection For it seemed to me that although all good men of al estates are bound in conscience and loue to contend earnestly for the faith which as S. Iude saith was once giuen to the Saintes yet are there some more proper reasons in regard of your two callings which challenge in my iudgement a more peculiar eye and watch vnto these causes For being both of the same most Honourable table of her Maiesties most graue wise and Christian Counsell where all are set in the same charge and ioyned in the same care namely in all prouident and godly ouersight to manage the great affaires pertaining to Gods worship and glorie and the blessed safetie of the Queenes most excellent Maiestie whom God vouchsafe long to preserue among vs yet the one being a minister and Bishoppe of the gospell and set ouer many others for the good and faithfull teaching and practising of the christian faith in this land And the other a professed and chiefe Iudge for the executing of all lawes and statutes ordeined for the maintenaunce of true religion iustice peace and godlines this being a necessarie declaration of our Christian faith and religion established by the publike magistracie and lawes of this realme and a faithfull displaying of the iniquitie of poperie being a mortall enemie and a verie great opposite vnto the same It could not so properly respect any other whose ofifce and profession did so neerely and naturally offer it selfe to patronize and protect so iust a matter of this kind Therefore I humblie craue your Honours fauour to accept of this my trauaile and your fatherly countenaunce vppon mine honest labours Which although I frankly acknowledge might haue beene more eloquently and exquisitly handled by some man of greater giftes yet I hope that in some measure it shalll satisfie the expectation of such honest and Christian readers who both can and will iudge according to equitie und truth For my purpose being considering the season to shew the antiquitie and certaine truth of our faith and religion nowe professed in England and the newnesse vncertaintie and falshoode of the popish superstition to this ende that it might bee a stay to many which wauer and seeme nowe readie to fall away I endeuoured rather to ioyne plainnesse and perspicuitie with breuitie then by large amplification to shew great learning and by direct arguments to make manifest an vndoubted truth to the conscience of all men for the gayning of some vnto Christ rather then by saying what I could to trouble the reader with abundance of matter or hunt for that which is vayne and fruitlesse And this verily I thought most necessarie and the rather because diuers men in differing manner haue heretofore handled this argument both that I might giue occasion to men to enquire after and to reade such godly writinges and also because the present season seemeth to call for the same when poperie beginneth to ouerspreade and after a sort to set vp his brissels against the gospell and men of that superstition are verie much lifted vp that it might appeare what a foolish wicked new broacht and monstrous heresie and apostasie they so much contend for so egerly labour for being greedie of that which will slay their soules and proud of that whereof they ought to bee ashamed Therefore I haue made choice of such methode and reasons as I hope thorow Gods blessing shall effect that I purposed and make that manifest which I desire Whereof knowing that your Honours can iudge with wisedome and that your Christian care tendeth to this ende that the people by all good meanes should bee staide in their faithfull obedience to God and our most gracious prince I was bolde to present this booke vnto you most humblie beseeching you to accepte of my bounden duetie to my Prince countrie and to the Church of GOD earnestlie praying GOD to bee with you alwayes with his gracious fauour and good spirite to guide you and prosper you in all good and godly endeuours to his honour and glorie to the good of prince and countrie to the increase of the Church and to your owne soules comfort in Iesus Christ Amen Your honours most humble to commaunde IOSIAS NICHOLLS TO THE HOLY AND Christian congregation of England being a most liuely member of Christes Catholicke and visible Church Iosias Nicholls Minister and seruant of Iesus Christ as a son to his most deare mother wisheth all grace and spirituall blessinges in heauenly things in Christ and all peace and prosperitie in godlinesse truth for euer NO Nation euer vnder heauen English men grealy bound to praise and serue God for his rich blessings in by the Gospell vnder the happie raigne of her maiestie more bound to praise serue God then we English men now aboue fortie yeares vnder the happie raigne of our deare Soueraigne and Ladie Queene Elizabeth whom God long preserue tasting enioying the sweet goodnes fauor of God most kindly shewing it selfe and shining into our harts by his most blessed and ioyfull Gospel No nation euer vnder heauen hath had more cause of ioy and comfortable encouragement vnto godlinesse and honestie then we Englishmen all these yeares when God most miraculously by a maiden Queene the weaker vessell hath made his name knowen and his Saintes glorious by deliueraunce when mightie potentates could not stand in battaile hee hath raised health by a woman and made the weake to confound the strong No nation euer vnder heauen hath had more sure and perfect experience of the truth of God and his worde and of the certaine knowledge of the holy faith and pure religion then we Englishmen whose eyes the God of this world hath not blinded most abundantly haue had that we might glorie in our God and magnifie the rich grace of Iesus Christ and the effectuall power of his holy and blessed spirit For we haue seene the breath of Gods mouth mightie to consume Antechrist and
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
Certes al these are contrarie to the true religion which in the olde Testament saith g Gen. 6.5 All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans hart are onely euil continually and in the new h 2. Cor. 3.5 we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God As touching the fourth article howe we are deliuered from the corruption damnable estate wherinto we fell by Adams transgression There be many waies and religions forged in the great cage of Antechrist ful of vnclean birds out of which as out of the botomles pit come great swarmes of locustes bringing with them a mist and cloud of darknes which hideth all godlines and true religion But to leaue out verie many deuises till another place I onely wishe the reader to cal to mind the holie Eremits Munks Friers and Nuns and namly amongst the manifold broods one Frances and an other Dominick This latter bread the religion of the obseruant preaching black friers the former the deuout host of the beggerly minorites and out of these two many seckes of diuers rules names of religions who by their vow and streight obseruation by them deuised set downe diuers rules to subdue this corruption and to obtain eternall life therefore they are by an excellency of speech called by the name a Gratian decret pars 2. caus 19. Quest 3. Bonauentur de profectu religios Antho. de Rampegol fig. Biblia Catholicon a Iohan. de Ianua in virgo of religion or religions al other are called seculer because they renounce the world and by fulfilling of three perfections which they obserue that is to say Pouertie chastity and obedience by which they are compared vnto angels the blessed crown which is giuen vnto such as they say they shal obtaine euen the special reward of the learned being presented vnto Christ in the heauenlie kingdom And the opinion deuotion of these religions grew to be so highly esteemed of men their life to be so angelical that in steed of christ his merits men would leaue al things whatsoeuer to follow them ye the very coule garment of Frances was thought to be of such vertue that some b Ioh. Sleiden lib. 12. noble men som very learned of those times haue taken order to be buried in them yea they are not afraid c Iere. Bouch. in his conformities to compare him with Christ in al things Therfore you may perceiue they had forgotten the true religion way of saluation which is in christ d Gen. 12.3 in the old testamēt is called the seed of Abrahā in whom al the families of the earth were appointed to be blessed and in the new testament he is called e Ioh. 14.6 the way the truth the life and the rule of this religion is that f cap. 3.16 that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternal life Therefore here is no agreement betweene these popish religions and the true ancient and catholike religion seeing they teach many other waies to heauen beside that which God hath taught vs to be the onely way for all the families of the earth to be blessed Concerning the fift article these bastardly counterfeites of Rome are more like the strange beast of Arabia and Ethiopia then the obseruers of the true religion For they greatly wound the doctrine of Christes person vnder a colour of honouring him and they ouerthrow his mediatorship by pretence of deuotion For while they giue godly honour to his bodie in the sacrament and make him to be a verie man vnder the formes of bread and wine inuisible in all places where the priest doth consecrate doe they not make him a man in fansie to haue an heauenly bodie in no part to bee like a true naturall man doe they not hereby make him to haue but one nature which is God or els that the manhood is swallowed vp or confounded with the Godhead for it is the nature of God and not of man to bee inuisible incircumscriptible and in many places at once therefore in stead of the seede and sonne of Dauid and Abraham they teach vs to beleeue they cannot tell what But as touching his office all men know how many mediators and intercessors they call vpon beside Christ Though a 1. Tim. 2.5 Gods word say there is but one mediator Marie Peter Paul all the Apostles martirs and foolishly canonized Saintes are made mediators Then against Christs sacrifice by whose perfection all sacrifice should cease as b Heb. 10.18 God teacheth they haue a new deuised sacrifice for quicke dead they haue masses diriges pilgrimage shrift penance purgatorie indulgencies satisfaction merite deuout obseruations numbring of prayers Auemaries creedes fastes almes workes of supererogation vowes vestementes crosses tapers relickes shrines ointinges coniurings and I know not what other trumperie and beggerly rudimentes of this world by which they wold make perfect the works of Christes mediation for our redemption righteousnesse and saluation Which the more they be aboundant and ouerflowing the greater is their disagreement with the true religion of God which teacheth in the old testament thus a Esai 53.5.6 God laide vpon Christ the iniquitie of vs all namely that hee was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed And in the new testament thus b 1. Ioh. 1.7 The bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne Now if Christ bloud cleanse vs from all sinne and by his stripes wee bee healed alas what neede we make so much adoe why doe we forsake the c Ioh. 1.24 Esai 55.1.2.3 lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the worlde with the sure mercies of Dauid and seeke after vaine thinges in which there is no helpe why should we commit these d Hier. 2.23 two euils to forsake God the fountaine of liuing waters and to digge vnto our selues pittes euen broken pittes which will hold no water In the sixt Article the opposition is plaine and apparant for although they whom Christ teacheth say that all e Philip. 3.4 righteousnesse taught by workes is but dunge in comparison of the doctrine of righteousnesse which is by faith onely yet they of this whoorish Babilon deny it and f Antidigma Coloniens cap. de iustificat per quas causas Concil Trident sess 6. make faith with hope and loue the formall cause of our righteousnesse they make an inherent righteousnesse And affirme directly that a man is not iustified by faith onely but also by workes Is not this a verie great disagreement where as the true religion teacheth the Church of God to say as in the olde testament thus g Psal 143. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And in the
new testament thus h Rom. 3.23.24 There is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus 25. whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud c. In the seuenth Article there are three contradictories of the lying erring multitude of Rome vnto the true religion For they i Concil Trident sessi 5. sess 6. canon 18. 25. say that Concupiscence in the regenerate after baptisme is no sinne although they confesse Saint Paule calleth it sinne 2. That there is nothing in him displeasing God but he is pure innocent and immaculate 3. A iustified man can keepe all Gods commaundements If these men had learned and beleeued the true religion they would not dare to speake so directly contrarie to truth seeing God teacheth far otherwise First in the old testament where the church is directed to say k Esai 64.6 Wee haue bin all as an vncleane thing all our righteousnes as filthy clouts And in the new testament l 1. Ioh. 1.8 If we say we haue no sin wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. Which two places being spoken of the people being by the sacrament of initiation or Baptisme entred into the Church do shew plainely that original corruption is a sinfull matter in the flesh of the regenerate by which they are made vnable to doe any one worke perfect much lesse to doe all Gods commandements at all times in thought word and deede a thing which euerie man 's owne conscience doth testifie if he bee not too much besotted with the looking vpon his fruitlesse peacockes taile In the eight Article they make additaments namely that a Concil Trid. sess 6. canon 24. 33. 20. good workes are also causes of the encreasing of iustification and truely deserue eternall life and encrease of glorie and that the obseruing of the commandements of God and the Church are the condition of the promise of eternall life to which the iustified man is bound if he will be saued By which while they robbe Christ of his merits and giue more honour to the corrupt life of man and lesse to the redeemer and lay an other burthen vpon Christians then that which God layeth and such as no man can beare they leade themselues so farre from religion that either by a vaine hope of that which is not they forsake their owne saluation or els by a greeuous desperate downe-fall finding themselues as the truth is vnable to fulfill the condition they lay themselues open to euerlasting perdition But God alloweth no such additamentes where he teacheth vs in the old testament to say vnto him b Psal 16.2 Thou art my Lord my well doing extendeth not to thee And in the new c Luc. 17.10 When ye haue done all those things which are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants c. And the condition of fulfilling the commandements is called d Act. 15.10 a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare and if it were possible to doe the commandements yet the holie Ghost teâ—â—eth vs that e Gal. 2.21 if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Against the ninth Article the Romists do diuersly oppose themselues shewing themselues to bee of no religion For first they adde the commandement of the church making it equall vnto Gods written worde saying f Gret decreâ— pars 1. dist 20. cap. de libellis They which receiue not indifferently their Canons they profitablie effectually and to purpose holde or beleeue neither the catholike faith nor the foure holy Euangelistes They adde moreouer that g Distinct 19. all the decretals constitutions of that sea yea though it decree things scarce to bee borne yet must they bee borne with a godly deuotion though there bee as h Decret abbreuiat in versibus they say in one booke of decrees aboue 3000. Againe they say that i Concil Trident sess 4. decret 1. pari pietatis affectu reuerentia Traditions pertaine to faith and maners and that they doe receiue and embrace them with equall godly deuotion and reuerence as they doe the holy scriptures Lastly they set the Church before the scriptures as that by k Test Rhem. note vpon Gal. 2. vers 2. 6. D. Smith briefe treatise cap 2. 3. it the scriptures are so farre made knowen to all Christians as they are not bound so to take them vnlesse by the authoritie of the Church they knew them And that the authoritie of holy scripture dependeth and hangeth vpon the iudgement of the vniuersall or catholike church and that there are many vnwritten verities left by Christ and his Apostles to be beleeued and obeyed vnder paine of damnation Here is the mouth of blasphemie if wee may beleeue the vndoubted word of God how hee teacheth vs to esteeme of the holy scriptures and of the Church for in the olde Testament hee saith l Esai 8.20 To the law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them And in the new a 2. Tim. 3.13 The holy scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation c. Let then euery wise man iudge that if the scriptures bee able to make a man wise vnto saluation and that there is no light that is to say knowledge of truth and godlinesse in them which agree not to the holy scriptures what canons decrees decretals traditions or vnwritten verities can haue any authoritie vnlesse they agree to the written word of God or that they can containe in them any thing not written in the scripture which is of necessitie to saluation or which not to doe or beleeue is damnation Againe how can the scriptures take their authoritie from the church seeing that the church is of no light vnlesse it bee found agreeable to the scriptures and therefore no church except it bee approued by the scriptures and so the scripture is iudge ouer the church and not contrarie And if I say the scriptures can make a man wise vnto saluation it is the greatest follie in the world to clogge the people of God with so many thousand of needles canons decrees decretals traditions and vnwritten falsely called verities and so make the light and easie yoke of Iesus Christ most heauie and burdenous If these diuilish blasphemies were true alas who could be saued For who was euer found that did or could doe all the foresaid Canons and traditions Therefore in them is fulfilled which is said by the Lord of Hypocrites b Math. 23.4 They bind heauie greeuous burthens not to be borne and lay them on mens sholders but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers Let vs abandon therefore these painted sepulchers and enemies of all true
the authority of their Church before the holy scripture so these allow so much and so far of holy scripture as serueth for their purpose deuised wickednesse And as the heretikes called Nazarai did confirme their dotages by reuelations false miracles so traditions much ragged stuffe in poperie bee made warrantable by miraculous operations apperitions The heretikes aforenamed Pepuziani do send al men to a city in vpper Phrigia called Pepuza naming it the celestiall Ierusalem the citie whereof the prophets spake as though there were no other heauen So the papists cal vs to the church of Rome as though the vniuersall Church were tyed to one place out of which there is no saluation or way to heauen As concerning the worship of God Simon Magus the root of heretikes caused his owne image and of his harlot to bee worshipped of his disciples So the papistes set vp images of their canonized Saints to be adored Angelici were heretikes which worshipped Angels So the papists haue a b Missa votina de Angelis speciall masse of the Angels pray vnto Angels Marcellina companion of these heretikes called Carpocracians worshipped the images of Christ and Paul c. So do the papists Collyridiani worshipped the virgin Marie the Sethians worshipped Seth. The Abelonites worshippe Abell and diuers others doe the like according to their sect So the papistes according to their sect praye vnto all their canonized Saints and worship them The heretikes Armenij worshipped the crosse of Christ and so doe the papistes Concerning the sacraments the heretickes called Donatistes measure the power and effect of the sacraments by the dignitie holinesse and hand of the minister So the papists assigne the power of the sacraments to the worke wrought of the priest and that the intent of the minister is necessarie to make it a religious action And as the papists permit weomen to baptize cloistering their holy and religious nunnes So their progenitors the heretickes Pepuziani admitted weomen to the ecclesiasticall ministerie and the Marcionites taught that weomen might baptise The heretikes called Messalians say that the force of baptisme pertayneth onely to the signes and so do the Papistes And as the papists in Baptisme haue salte spittle crossing and other annexed ceremonies with coniuration by which it is as it were chaunged into a new thing So did the Simonians and Marcitae olde heretickes their naturall fathers defile and in a manner blot out baptisme In the Lordes Supper the heretikes Aquarij were not content with the two outwarde signes of bread and wine but added also water So do the papists mingle water with the wine in the cup. And the Marcitae aforesaid professed that by words and incantations they changed the wine in the cup into the bloud and bring the grace of God into the same cuppe so the papists professe that the sacrament is changed by their words of consecration and coniuring into the verie bodie bloud of Christ and that grace is contained in the sacraments And here they resemble the Apollinarians which made Christes bodie to bee heauenly and not earthly for the papistes say that it is the bodie of Christ though it be not seene felt nor heard and they are like the Marcionistes which accounted Christes bodie fantasticall so these will haue men beleeue the sacrament to bee his body though it haue no quantities nor qualities of a bodie And they are like the Timotheans which confound the two natures of Christ and the Euticheans who affirme the humane to be swallowed vp of the deuine and to the Nestorians who make his manhood equall to his Godhead For the papistes say that the same bodie or man is in heauen and in earth and that in as many places of the world at one and the same time as it is or may bee at once consecrated made by their priest which propertie of being in many places at once is not of the nature of man but of God therefore herein they are neere in affinitie with these heretickes The heresie of Vincentius Victor hath this amongst others that the sacrifice of Christians that is the sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of Christ is to be offered for them which being not baptised are departed out of the bodie So the papistes haue their sacrifice for the dead The Maniches refuse the olde testament and partly mangle and curtoll and partly cast away the new So the papist though in woordes they acknowledge both yet in truth they refuse both keeping them from Gods people and reading them in a strange toong that the people cannot vnderstande which vnto them is as good as if they were cast away The Heracleonites make a superstitious calling vpon God with strange and vnusuall words especially to driue away diuels such is the masse of the papistes all in a strange toong and their exorcismes are of the same fashion The heretikes called Taciani Origeniani Hierarchita Saturniani and diuers others make mariage an vnholie and vncleane thing and of the diuel and shut it out of their congregation So the papists not onely preferre a single life before mariage but also with such like tearmes make it as an vncleane thing not meete for their priestes and allure both men and weomen to the vowe of chastitie as a purer and holier life then matrimonie and therein they are also like the Eustachians who despised the maried priestes And as the papistes haue their Friers Monckes and Nunnes of a straunge and differing habite from other men and weomen and that seruants vpon a vowe may leaue their Masters and some of these vowed persons professe the renouncing of worldlie ritches and worldly dooings to walke a more neere course to heauen so these heretikes the Eustachians had their differing habite from other men seruauntes by this habite despised their Masters and ritche men which did not renounce all which they possessed were accounted without hope towardes God also these heretikes counted the eating of flesh vnlawfull euen as the papistes doo And as the papistes forbid flesh and as they call it white meat so their graundfathers the Maniches abstained from fleshe egges and milke And there were heretikes which put religion in going barefoot and therfore called of some Nudipedants so are the franciscans and others amongst the papistes of such religion The donatistes denie the magistrates authoritie in matters of religion and namely in punishing of heretikes So the papistes shut out the magistrate in causes ecclesiasticall and as the papist giue the pope the primacie aboue the magistrates in all causes and at their pleasure put them downe with their great curse so these their predecessours the heretikes called donatistes doo most vilelie raile against magistrates beate them downe with menacing words These donatistes had manie vile thinges in them wherein they fitly father the papistes they were circumcellions and counterfaited an austere life like the popish monkes heremites and friers liuing in caues and selles They ran vpon christians whom
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
their decrees framed and ordained Beside this all these latter counsels haue not beene made with vniuersall consent but the church hath been deuided into two parts East and West vntill the time of this counsell of Basill and then it was sewed together with rotten threed and presently rent in peeces againe as it were in a moment and there was one counsel at Basill and an other set against it a Florence Now I say seeing these counsels of Constance Basil Trident in which the most part and chiefest of Popery hath been in the most generall maner determined published for the acts and determination of the church were but a verie smale part of the vniuersall church Namely of the Westerne parts I know not howe they can assure vs that in them we haue the churches determination except they could proue these counsels ecumenical and vniuersall of all Christian churches as was the first general counsell of Nice vnder Constantine the great Againe the counsels for sixe hundred yeeres after Christ did not decree as they haue done since and the faith of the church was not the determination of the Church but the sentence of holie scriptures and many points of faith haue been since determined not by but without holie Scriptures what should wee esteeme the auncient primatiue Churches to haue erred in faith or that they knew not or held not the true faith because that in verie many articles they lacked the ecclesiastical determination Lastly seeing that euerie day they bring foorth new deuises and sanctions and the latter many times contrarie to the former who can tell when he is in the truth or out of the truth or when the Church hath made her true and right determination Hee that readeth ouer Gracian and the Tomes of the counsels with the histories of the liues of the Popes or doo but well marke and consider that little which I haue penned out of them in this Chapter shall easilie perceiue that they are euer learning but neuer come to the knowledge of the truth they dote about questions which are endles and strife of woords there is no certaintie in their religion little trueth and vncessant innouation Therefore I may conclude that as this monster is of a later generation and a new continuall conception so no mortall man can tell when hee will come to his full birth and bee a perfect bodie or when he will haue his certaine determination right shape and proportion and finall growth and compleate stature I will leaue him therefore to the high Iudge and Lord of all flesh vntill that great and fearefull day a Reuel 19.20 When the beast shall bee taken and with him the false prophet and they both cast aliue into the lake of fire which burneth with brimstone Come Lord Iesus come quickly CHAP. V. Heere is shewed that all men ought to flie poperie First because of the exceeding daunger it bringeth to them selues to their seede and countrie Secondlie It is of all heresies and Apostasies the most pernitious Thirdlie It is not tollerable or to bee wincked at in any Christian common wealth Fourthly We of England haue great cause to praise God that we haue nothing to do with it NO sooner had my penne concluded the former Chapter but that me thought I hearde the great comaunder of all the worlde calling vnto all Christians concerning the Romish religion and saying a Esai 52.11 Departe depart go out from thence and touch no vncleane thing For seeing that poperie is so directly and manifold differing from the true ancient and catholike religion so agreeing with all filthie heresies and lately sprung vp out of the vncleane brood of humane inuention and diabolicall suggestion bearing downe all puritie of faith and true holy worship of God that hereby the Romish Church is certainly found to approue it selfe to bee that great Babilon which is become the habitations of deuils and the hold of foule spirits and a cage of euerie vncleane and hatefull bird I can no otherwise vnderstand the duetie of all Christians but that they bee obedient to that heauenly voice which els where calleth vs out of that prophane sinagogue of Rome saying b Reuelat. 18.4 Go out of her my people that ye bee not partakers in her sinnes that ye receiue not of her plagues It behoueth therefore euerie soule to consider wisely of this thing because of the daunger that may happen to himselfe to his seed and to his countrie For as it was no pleasant thing to Noe to liue among those proud and cruell people of the first worlde whose destruction hee knew to be most certainly approching and as Lot dwelling at the gate of Sodom vexed his righteous soule in hearing and seeing their vnlawfull deeds his verie life was hazarded in the destruction of the wicked if God had not beene singularly mercifull vnto him So all men that feare God cannot but know that such wicked and filthie heresie as poperie is must needes bee as a canker that fretteth euen vnto destruction of the soule For it not onely draweth vs vnto many noysome and hereticall prauities but also to most abhominable idolatrie and the verie ouerthrow of the couenaunt of grace and true faith by which we stand in the fauour of God and haue the hope of eternall life by Iesus Christ They which speake most fauourablie for papists seeme willing to haue them in some sort of the visible Christian Church doe endeuour the same by making their apostasie to bee no greater then the apostasie of the ten tribes of Israel after their falling away from the house of Dauid vnder the hand of Hieroboam At which time they left the temple at Hierusalem and the pure worship word of God and made them calues in Dan and Bethel and worshipped God as it pleased the kinges of Israel But if men would consider the a 1. King 2. 2. Cron. 18. 19. storie of that good king Iehoshaphat when hee ioyned affinitie with Ahab they might easily see this thing how neere hee was to leese his life for such fellowship what losse hee had of shippes and how God rebuked him saying Wouldest thou helpe the wicked and loue them that hate the Lord therefore for this thing the wrath of the Lord is vppon thee Loe heere the Israelites are counted wicked the haters of God and such as for whose fellowship Gods wrath commeth vppon his children Therefore seeing the papistes are much more worse it must needs bee verie daungerous to haue any fellowshippe with them And if the soule bee farre more precious then the bodie then is the hazarde the greater And doubtlesse no man is able to expresse the greatnesse of the mischiefe which that wicked broode may bring vpon a man for so much as they transgresse the worde of God and follow not the doctrine of Christ and haue chosen their owne waies and their soule delighteth in their owne abhominations For it is written b 2.
parliament there are seauen things mentioned to weaken and empouirish the state of the land The Pope was not content with his subsidie of Peter pence but exacteth most greeuous contributions more and more of the cleargie and that without the kings consent and assent the Patrons cannot giue the benefices but they are wrested out of their hands and giuen to Romains who know not our language and by transporting of money greatly empouerish our land by prouisions in pensions by triall of causes they are drawen out of the kingdome by apostolical authoritie against the statutes and lawes of the Realme by manifolde comming of that infamous messenger Non obstante by whom the reuerence of an oth the auncient customes the vertue of Scriptures the authoritie of graunts and the statutes lawes and priuiledges are weakened and made void c. c Pag. 932. Also they caused the prelates to find them souldiers some ten some fiue some fifteen well furnished with horse armor and that one whole yeere d Pag. 484. 485 They haue had such extreame exactions of paiments that they haue been faine to sell or to lay to pawne their chalices and other holy vessels to feed the popes desires e Pag. 303. Also he exacted the fift part of all the goods of the reuenues of the cleargie of Englande f Pag. 1145. The Bishop of Lincolne being astonished at the coueteousnes of the Romains caused the reuenues of strangers to be counted and found that they had 70000. markes when the meere reuenues of the king was not esteemed to the third part And that which of all is most past shame and coulour of honestie a Pag. 1017. the pope sent for his factors certaine friers dominickes and minorites who preaching among the people and proclaiming pardons did signe with the crosse all sorts of people men women children old yong sick whole and by and by after for a peece of money did absolue thē of the vow of their peregrination Thus you see that the church of Rome had many waies to draw out the wealth of all the world into their coffers and keepe the kings and people in low estate great slauerie For which cause as other nations had their sanctions which they called Pragmaticke so a Polnd Verg. hist Angl. lib. 14. Edw. 3. Falshood in Poperie by dispensations England garded themselues with the law of prouision commonly called de Praemuniri Touching falshood this Romish religion is thereof naturally such a nurse that no common wealth can promise themselues safetie where that heresie raigneth or where it can come neere to haue any medling for if they maintaine all traitors against magistrates and by dispensations make men shamelesse in forswearing and breaking promise what thinke you is the domage of all Christian kingdomes or what is the priuiledge of the popish kingdomes Let b Looke the booke called Execution of iustice printed 1583. E. Meteranus hist Belg. lib. 3. pag. 83. Pope Pius Quintus bull sent against our Queenes most excellent Maiestie to stirre vp all her subiectes against her and the manifold practises out of Italie Spaine from time to time against both Ireland and England testifie yea the c Mercuri Gallob lib. 4. 8000. foot 4000. horsmē supplies which he sent of soldiers to helpe the Duke du Meine and the traitors of France against their liege Lord and king as also d Id. lib. 2. with mutabilitie of France printed at London 1597. cap. 25. the murderous and bloudie knife of Iames Clement of the order of the Dominicke friers being blessed for good speed by Pagorola the Popes legate wherewith the late French * Henricus Valesius King being a Papiste was traiterously killed by the conspiracie and instigation of many and great popish traitors may be instead of a thousand witnesses a Hist Belg. E. Meteran lib. 3. pag. 81. Duke Alba 1569. by a publike edict forbiddeth trafficke in the low countries vnto English men that no man vnder paine of confiscation bring in or out merchandise and that it might be the more sharply executed he appointed searchers and informers who should haue the one halfe of that which was confiscated Now all these were English fugitiues papistes and amongst them the chiefest one William Parkins had Doctor Storie for his deputie marke heere what witnesse this is that papistes are naturally traitors most sharpe against there natiue countrie of England by the very nature of their religion And beside this b Mercurius Gallobelg lib. 4. pag. 344. their seminaries are erected at Rome and at Rhemes and at Vallesoletum in Spain out of which the traiterous priests and Iesuites are sent by dosens in diuers and disgised attire to seduce the Queenes Maiesties subiects from their obedience and to disturbe the peace of this Realme Yet see a little further how this naturall popish falshood in dispensations hath hurt the verie obedient children c Albert Krant Metropol lib. 2 cap. 23. Lewes the third being Emperor warred against one Aldalgisus which was of the remnant of the Lombards and by ambush being taken was bound by oath neuer to beare armes against him any more From this oath Iohn the 8. absolued Lewes who being caught againe in like manner for the same cause lost his eies and in his absence in Italie the Hungarians wasted Bauaria Sueuia Saxonia and caried a verie great multitude of people captiue especially out of Saxonia An other time the a Aeneas Syluius hist de Europ cap. 5. Hungarians being Christians hauing a goodly victory against the Turkes graunted to a truce of tenne yeares vpon the Turkes suite and vpon the knowledge of their owne strength finding it better to get strength in peace then to waste all by continuall warre and this truce was confirmed by oath on both sides But the Pope Eugenius taking it grieuously neuer left both by intreatie and threatning till he had caused the truce to bee broken by his dispensation and apostolicall authority But what came of this periurie The war was renewed and God rewarded this papall Romish falshood with a most lamentable effusion of Christian bloud by a shamefull foile and ouerthrow by the same Turke Pride in poperie by the supremacie Now let vs go a little higher and consider of their pride and Seraphicall tyranny What if herein wee looke but vpon our own countrie of England Into what slauerie and bondage thinke you hath the stately primacie of Rome brought this realme vnto First let the reader bee put in mind that Henrie b Math. Paris hist Angl. Hen. 2. pa. 127. the second raigning in England about Anno 1154. being desirous to annexe the realme of Ireland vnto the imperiall crowne of England sent solemne embassage to Rome to Pope Adrian that by his licence fauour hee might enter that Iland in hostile maner that he might subdue it and bring those beastly people to the faith and obedience
when he could point out his verie person saying i Ioh. 1.36 Behold the lambe of God Howbeit that grace of reuelation which was in the Apostles excelled all the rest for the verie a 1. Pet. 1.12 Ephe. 3.10 Angels admire the manifolde wisedom of God as it is now taught in the church of God by their doctrin and therefore in comparison of the clere manifestation of the gospel now in these last times to the more obscure reuelation of the former ages it is called b Colos 1.26 Eph. 1.8 a mistery had since the worlde began and from al ages but now is made manifest to his saints and this most abundantly in all wisedome and vnderstanding And this was of such power that neither the malicious gainesaying and tumultuous resisting of the Iewes nor the furious outragious persecutions of the gentils for 300. yeares nor the subtill vndermining of wilie hereticks nor the smoking darkenes of Antechrist could stand before the wisedome of the spirit but that the idols of the heathen and the foolish rudimentes of the world were scattered before the preaching of the faith and religion of Christ as the smoke or clouds are driuen before the wind And when all the c Dan. 3.35.44 1. Pet. 2.6 monarkes of the world were broken became like the chaffe of the sommer flowers whom the winds carieth away this Iesus Christ as a stone cut without hands although he were refused of the builders is not onely become the heade of the corner but also filleth the whole earth and groweth to a kingdome that neuer shall haue end so long as Sun Moone endureth And as this religion so the ceremonies and maner of gouernment ordeyned by Christ are to remaine vntill the end of the world for so saith Christ when hee gaue cōmission for d Math. 28.19.20 the preaching baptizing teaching of all his cōmandements Loe I am with you alway vnto the end of the world the Apostle affirmeth that the Lordes supper is to e 1. Cor. 11.26 shewe the Lordes death till hee come f Eph. 4.12.13 and his ministers are to gather together the saintes till we all meete in the vnitie of faith and he must g 1. Cor. 15.24.25 raigne till all his enemies bee put vnder his feete and in the ende deliuer vp his kingdome to his father and then God shall bee all in all 5 All which things if the Atheistes of our time and such as bee of no religion or of the popish and hereticall superstition could see and consider they would come home to vs and cast themselues downe before Christ and say God is with you of a truth But this continuance of one vnchangeable truth in religion by the administration of Gods iudgements manifestation of the spirit being found with vs in this realme of England as hereafter in this treatise doth euidently appeare shal be a witnesse against all such in the day of iudgement when they should remember that they in their liues time willingly wold not know nor obey the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse I pray God open our eyes that while the light is among vs we may beleeue it loue it and walke in it as the children of light to the glorie of God and our owne comfort euerlasting saluation in Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen CAP. III. Heere is more largely shewed the vnitie of faith in all ages that the religion openly professed at this present in England is the same ancient onely Catholike faith of Abraham Moses the prophets which Christ and his Apostles preached and taught Where 1. is declared that Abraham receiued it of God both for the Iewes also for all other nations 2. The particulers are compared in 15. seuerall articles of the most waightie points of doctrine HAuing entred thus far that the Christian reader may as in a glasse in some reasonable sort behold in his conscience that from the beginning of the world there hath beene but one religion in which a man could euer be saued one law of faith one law of loue taught and allowed by God in his Church catholike and vniuersall for all places times to remaine vnchangeable vnto the worlds end Now will I through the mercifull assistance of the same my gracious God more largely and particularly shew the verie same thinges and that the same is the religion which in this our time is now by publike authoritie professed preached taught defended in this realme of England by and vnder the most happie raigne golden dayes and peaceable gouernment of the Lordes annointed and blessed handmaid and seruant our dread soueraigne deare nurse-mother faithfull and elect Ladie and Queene Elizabeth for whose heauenly ioy Christian honour long and prosperous life in wealth and godlinesse all true hearted Christians and faithfull subiectes continually and instantly do pray Here thou shalt see God willing what God taught Abraham what Moyses sent of God taught Israel what the prophetes inspired of God taught in Iudah what Christ his Apostles taught the primitiue Church and that all these differ not in the doctrine of faith and loue but being all one and the same way of saluation the same true and vndeceiuable religion the same euerlasting God and Sauiour And thou shalt plainely and clearely see that the verie same and none other hath our most louing God of his free and kind mercie now aboue fortie yeares together taught vs English men and his heauenly wisedome in our streetes and high places and assemblies by his faithfull ministers hath called vs thereunto So that we to the stirring vp of our thankfull hearts to praise our good God may say with the Psalmist a Psal 147.20 He hath not dealt so with euerie nation neither haue they knowne his iudgements And in this treatise concerning the first of the three times of the world which was of the fathers before the lawe or any part of Gods worde was written I make speciall choise of Abraham for two causes First because that in the historie of the fathers before his time which containeth some 2083. yeares the holy Ghost is verie briefe and therefore not so full and plaine in diuers pointes as after in the story of Abraham Howbeit thou shalt find in the same the doctrine of one God the trinitie promise of Christ and saluation to come by faith in him Baptisme of the arke sacrifices for the latter sacrament seales of the couenant and of dueties diuers examples in Abell Sheth Enoch Noe and great punishments for the contrarie so that the substance is one and the same though that it be after more largely and particularly taught in the storie of Abraham But because my purpose is to shew that the particular partes of the doctrine of our religion bee most auncient and catholike I finde it more fitte to take the patterne from Abraham in whose storie I may gather these thinges more plainely and also