rightly to be observed among them 5. They worship God in the Idol temples of Antichrist Exod. 20.4 with Deut. 12 2 3. 2. King 10 26 27 28. and 18 4. Act. 17 23. Rev. 18 11 12 c 6 The Ministers have their set mayntenance after another manner then Christ hath ordeyned 1. Cor 9 14. And that also such as by which any Ministery at all whether popish or other whatsoever might be maynteyned 7. Their elders chaunge yearly and do not continew in their office according to the doctrine of the Apostles and practise of the Primitive Churches Rom. 12 4 5 6 7 8. 1. Cor. 12 11 12 c Act 20.17.28 1. Pet. 5.1 2.3 4 See also Numb 8.24 c. 8. They celebrate Mariage in the Church as if it were a part of the Ecclesiasticall administration wheras it is in the nature of it merely civill Ruth 4. chap. 9. They vse a new censure of Suspension which Christ hath not appointed Mat. 28.20 Gal. 3.15 2. Tim. 3.16 17. 10. They observe dayes and tymes consecrating certeyn dayes in the yeare to the Nativity Resurrection Ascension of Christ etc. Exod. 20. commaundement 2. and 4. Rev. 1.10 1 Cor. 1â— 1.4.2 Act 20.7 Col. 2 16.17 Esa 66 23. Gal 10.11 11 They receiâ—e vnrepeÌ„tant excommunicates to be membres of their Church which by this meanes becometh one body with such as be delivered vnto SathaÌ„ 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Tim. 1.20 These among other are the corruptions of the church aforesaid which they are neyther able to defend nor willing to forsake Herein therfore we differ from them as they which knowe this estate of theirs may perceive by our confession compared with their errours noted before which the Lord give them to see and mynd And for your self good Sir take you heed in godlynes that in this cause you do not in any respect with hold the duty which you ow vnto them or defence which you ow vnto the truth So let God almighty also love you and Christ our Saviour be mercifull vnto you And this you may do truly Godlye brotherly wisely with great profit to vs and the Church of Christ every where Therfore we exhort and beseech you in the lord that you be carefull alwayes to help no way to hurt the Church and cause of Christ by your studyes endevâ—urs labours which being thus directed the Lord Iesus blesse to the glory of his name and your owne comfort for ever Amen Amsterdam The first day of the seventh moneth called Iuly 1602. Yours in Christ by whose grace we witnesse the truth of his Gospellâ— against the will worship and remnants of Antichrist what soever Francis â—ohnson Stanshall Mercer David Bresâ—o Henry Ainsworth Câ—ristophâ—r Boman Daniel Studley Thomas Bishop With the rest of the brethren of the English Church now living as straungers at Amsterdam A third letter written by Mr. Iunius vpon receipt of the last aforesaid and of his tvvo former imprinted before in England and therevpon by vs sent vnto him included withall To his beloved brethren in Christ the English people at Amsterdam Salutations in Christ AN huge bundell of letters beloved brethren I received from you yesterday in the evening I gave you counsell to rest from questioÌ„s you commaund me to enter into questions I continew still in my purpose for I esteem more of peace in the Church then of the seeds of strife they that are fedde with these seeds shall reap the fruit Where you conclude and pronounce that I do therefore assent vnto you it is a false conclusion As towching the matter I have enjoyned my self silence and although I be an hundred tymes called vpon by letters I will continew still in the argument of counsell till I see another course taken If it like you not let it alone neyther do I like the handling of questions in this tyme. It is more according to God that I be silent from questions in this estate of things then that I powre forth my self and you together into them You move many things in your letters I wil rest froÌ„ those things and will occupy my self religiously in the work of the Lord. Christian wisdome will never suffer me to speak of questioÌ„s controverted the one party being vnheard That my letters vnto you were translated into English I have now first knowen it by you I knew not that it was done You object that my letters were not shewed by you I beleev it for both by letters and reports of many I have ben certifyed that they were not shewed If it please you shew them for me you may All shall see how false reports have ben given forth concerning theÌ„ I neyther am ashamed of them neyther ever will be But I pitty you I speak it vnfeynedly who for my letters give forth in publick your conclusions With good men good dealing should be used That the copyes of my letters were carryed into England your selves may easily coÌ„jecture by what meanes it came to passe About teÌ„ moneths synce the Soveraign Quenes Ambassadour was there and two of your company dined with him What hapned at that dinner you can remember He came hither vnto me he marveled at the fact of your departure I told him that I had writteÌ„ vnto you he desired a copy To you I gave counsell whosoever gave it forth in publick hath done it without my knouwledg I will not answer for an others doing but for myne owne In the meane while I will pray God that he frame your mynds vnto the truth wisdome love and peace and all our mynds vnto his glory Farewell in the Lord. From Leyden in Holland The 16. day of Iuly 1602. Yours vnfeynedly Fr. Iunius The Answer to Mr. Iunius his third letter To the reverend and our beloued brother in Christ Mr. Fr. Iunius at Leyden in Holland Grace and peace in Iesus Christ YOur third and very brief letter beloved Sir we received this last week They were your letters imprinted and included that made the â—uge bundell if so it were It is not well said of you that terme the Confession of Christian faith and defeÌ„ce of publishing it to be questioÌ„s and seâ—ds of strife nor that you say we coÌ„manâ— you to enter into questions For the conclusâ—on whether it be true or false now let others judge which shall see your letters together with ours Towching the matter you have enjoyned your self silence Yea and towching the maner and other things also where you can fynd no answer neyther Yet for the matter it self if so be that with the Papists Anabaptists or any the like we did erre froÌ„ the true faith we doubt not but you would open your mouth to answer to refute to convince But because in our faith you can shew no errour and yet in this tyme and estate of things like not â—o stand for vs and this cause it is safest to be silent Wisely done in deed but not according to God who denouÌ„cing by the Prophet hath said Cursed be
the commandement commission and promise of our Saviour Christ who as hee hath all power in heaven and in earth so hath also promised if we keep his commandements which he hath given without limitation of tyme place Magistrates allowance or disallowance to be with vs vnto the end of the world and when we have finished our course and kept the faith to give vs the crowne of righteousnes which is layd vp for all that love his appearing 43 Vnto all men is to be given whatsoever is due vnto them Tributes Customes and all other such lawfull and accustomed dutyes ought willingly and orderly to be payed and performed Our lands goods and bodyes to be submitted in the Lord to the Magistrates pleasure And the Magistrates themselves every way to be acknowledged reverenced and obeyed according to godlines not because of wrath only but also for conscience sake And finally all men so to be esteemed and regarded as is due and meet for their place age estate and condition 44 And thus wee labour to give vnto God that which is Gods and vnto Cesar that which is Cesars and vnto all men that which be longeth vnto them Endevoring our selves to have alwayes a cleare conscience towards God and towards men And having hope in God that the resurrection of the dead shal be of the iust vnto life and of the vniust vnto condemnation everlasting Now if any take this to be heresie then do wee with the Apostle freely confesse that after the way which they call heresie wee worship God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ beleeving all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets and Apostles And what soever is according to this rule of truth published by this State or holdē by anie reformed Churches in their Confessions abrode in the world We do also reiect and detest all straunge and hereticall opinions and doctrines of all Hereticks both old and new whatsoever 45 Finally wheras wee are much flandered and traduced as if we denyed or misliked that forme of prayer commonly called the Lords prayer wee thought it needfull here also concerning it to make known that we beleeve ād acknowledg it to be a most absolute and most excellent forme of prayer such as no men nor Angels can set downe the like And that it was taught and appointed by our Lord Iesus Christ not that we should be tyed to the vse of those very words but that we should according to that rule make all our requests and thanksgyuing vnto God forasmuch as it is a perfect forme and paterne conteining in it plaine and sufficient directions of prayer for all occasions and necessities that have ben are or shal be to the Church of God or any member therof to the end of the world Now vnto him that is able to keep vs that wee fall not and to present vs faltlesse before the presence of his glorie with ioy that is to God only wise our Saviour be glory and maiestie and dominion power both now for ever Amen MAISTER IVNIVS HIS FIRST LETTER CONCERNING THE CONFESSION OF FAITH AFORESAID To his beloved in Christ the Brethren of the English Church now abiding at Amsterdam GRace mercie and peace from God the Father and our Saviour Iesus Christ I have received of late belooved Brethren in Christ a little booke by one of your companie which is intituled The confession of faith of some English men banished in Belgia and have knowne your desire partly by the speach of the same messenger partly by the preface of the writing But as concerning my selfe beloved brethren whom for nearnes sake peradventure yee have thought meete to be called vpon a part I verily see not how much I can doe in this cause or how I can fit your purpose For I knowe that now long since euery man doth abound in his owne sense and that those that are other wise minded are with a brotherly mynd so fare to be borne with holding the heade and fundation til the Lord reveale things further vnto them I know it is my part not to play the busie body but that I should serve the truth and charitie in my standing and measure which the Lord hath bestowed vpon me in Christian modestie and simplicitie as farre as my skil and abilitie wil stretch vnto Certainely when I considered this cause more diligently I thought nothing more commodious or more safe for the publick and for you and my selfe in all this matter thē that we should embrace a holy silēce if there be any thing wherein we be offended and that we commit our cause to the Lord the author of our faith and righter of our cause But because after a sort you will not suffer mee to be silent and to cōdole in secret for the woundes of the Church which is rent more then inough by actions especially being thrust forth in publik in this our age I wil declare faith fully and with a good cōscience before God what I thinke beseeching him who is author of truth and peace that he would leade both you and me alike into all truth according to his promise also dispose each of our mindes and affections to interpret brotherly one anothers requestes answeres admonitions and finally all our duties although as it commeth to passe and is incident to man disagreeing from our sense and taste I obserue therefore that there are three heads or chief poynts in your little booke wherein you desire our counsell and iudgement The first head is of doctrine which you professe in your little booke The secōd is of fact whereof yee accuse the English Churches Lastly the third is of the conclusion which you inferre by comparing that your doctrine with that practise of England namely that yee cannot with good conscience entertaine a communiō with those Churches but that yee doe abhorre them with all your heartes Therefore I will speak briefely of these 3. things what I think entreating you brotherly to take my answere in good part I marvell that the point of doctrine or little booke of your confession beloved brethrē is sent ouer to me I marvell that it was sent ouer to all the students of holy Scriptures in all Christian Vniuersities for if there be a certaine consent of doctrine as you pretend it truely I do not see what need there was that you should set forth a newe confession in this consent of holy and auncient doctrine But if there be a dissention peradventure in the doctrine or rather a differēce that in deed ought not to bee dissembled if so be that yee thought it necessarie that your doctrine should be declared Besides in that you send to mee yea that you send to publicke viewe your confession I marvell brethren yea I greatly maruell what your meaning should bee both in respect of the ende and the fact For if ye haue set it foorth to that end that yee might
purge your selues I pray you brethren wherefore doe yee desire to purge your selues with so many soules who have not knowē you as yet to bee accused who can neuer take knowledge of the right or wrong of your accusation and who are not called vnto it by any lawfull means and that which is worse wherfore would yee haue this done before so many deadly enemies to God and the Church who thirst after nothing so much as the blood of the Church of God and doe reioyce that we vndiscreetly make a publishing of these wounds that they by these very wounds might spoyle the Church that pretious bodie of Christ of the blood of veritie and juyce of charitie Finally why doe yee this before so many weake ones who not yet knowing that yee are borne as I may so say are offēded rather with a carcasselike stink of schismes in the Church before they knowe certainely the bodie whereunto they may cleaue Alas brethren is your purgation so much worth vnto you that therfore the publicke good of the Church should bee brought into so greate danger A Christian an humble and godly minde ought to bee otherwise affected and setting aside the respect of their owne priuate good constantly thus to determine let the earth rather first swallowe me vp as the Poet saith and let mee rather bee accursed for my brethren then that by me and for my credit sake even one of these little ones should be offended and kept from comming to Christ and abiding in Christ my Sauiour Verily let what will of my estimation goe to wracke who am a Christian let me be trampled vnder all mēs feete so that by my fact I take nothing from Christ from his body no not the lest thing And that you my brethren are thus determined and resolved bending all your counsels to this end I am as strōgly perswaded as he that is most But the end which you have in common alas for griefe in this particular case pardon if I speake more freely for yee would have me to speak from it yee seeme to have erred For herein if I see anie thing the contemplation of your cause hath deceyved you which thing I trust yee your selves without doubt will marke if ye would goe a little from that your particular sense from your cause I have shewed that there is some errour in that end Let vs come to the fact In the fact yee frame a purgation of your selues That thing is denyed to none if there be cause if measure if place if time But where fore with mee brethren who doe neither heare these accusations of yours neither if I should heare them would I receive them rashly Wherefore in publick where yee knowe that it falleth out for the most part that they who purge them selues before they be accused eyther bewray thēselues or raise suspiciōs against themselues more easely thē they can afterward wash away Yee knowe that the publicke voice is neither a iust iudge oftentimes nor at any time almost a lawfull Iudge so greatly doth evil preuaile and beare sway in the publick Therefor yee appeale to these Iudges who can neither iudge not take knowledge finally they are not onely no Iudges but not so much as witnesses so the private cause is not furthered and the publique is many waies hindered Ye will say thē who shall bee What judges what witnesses shal we call vpon Your owne preface shall answere yee for me For whē ye pronūce that ye have foūd a place of rest by the mercy of God in these places ye doe acknowledge I thinke your owne words ye plainely signifie two things One that if ye have found a place of rest ye shall doe wisely if ye doe not stirre where ye may be in quiet The other that where you haue a lodging and a quiet seate that there in deed you must receiue the iudgement of your doctrine and faith if ye will have the same lawfully knowne and approoued Ye are in a Church furnished with the servants of God whose pietie learning and brotherly loue to the members of Christ good men doe know It is an vnlawfull course verily to omit those among whom yee are and to call upon an other Church or the whole publik state or this Vniversity or me who am a weake member therein either in part or in common This order is godly iust lawfull and tendeth to peace and edification which you ought first modestly to have regarded and to which I being a weake brother am bounden by brotherly duetie to recall my brethren that goe astray and not to be caried headlong and to rush vpon the knowledge of things by this meanes offred besides all equitie and good order Till ye shall doe this I admonish exhort pray and beseech by the most sacred holy name of Christ that ye would not call vpon me neither any other neither the publick it self for by this preposterous course as we may so say ye do not disburthen your selues as ye thinke of enuy and blame if there be any but ye doe with suspition and praejudice burthen your owne cause which I verily do not preiudice at all I speak it religiously before the Lord. Let them speake first with whom yee soiourne whom yee deny not to be your brethren But if peraduenture they shall not satisfie you or yee shall not satisfie them then let a new course be taken by lawfull order This no good man will denie but till this be attempted it will be vnprofitable to you and hurt full to the Church to take another course But neither I nor my Colleagues nor other wise men will euer be so vnwise as to preuēt or take this thing out of the hands of them to whom the knowledge thereof doth of right appertaine And so much of the doctrine I come to the accusation which yee use against the Church of England as ye write In this accusation beloued brethren I doe louingly entreat you that yee would not take it in ill part if I doe admonish yee of a few things which I thinke I may of right doe First what need is there that yee should accuse them Yee haue giuen place yee haue as wee may so speake passed ouer into another Court Wherefore you haue giuen place no body desireth to know or doth trouble you If wrong be done you in England that I may grant there was done it belongeth not to me to affirme or deny who haue not knowne it yet this iniury hath ceased to prosequute you being departed from them What compelleth you to be mooued and to take vpon you the burthen of accusation Why are yee not quiet being without the daunger of any hurt Why doe yee not rather passe ouer the iniury that is past Why doe yee not beare it if there be yet any in silence and hope rather then to mooue that which is in rest It is plainely a Christian part if thou beare it and a
may tarry in it without ship wracke of faith and conscience or take from it the name of a Church especially seeing euery Church consisteth of Pastors and flocke which if some Pastors or Prelates trouble yet it is vnmeete that this name either should be taken away from the other Pastors which Christ doth witnesse by the doctrine of truth or from the flocke which Christ hath purchased with his owne bloode and doth daily sanctifie with the washing of the newe birth by the worde This ought to be sufficient for you if any thing have offended you at home that now the fatherly mercifull providence of God hath provided for you elsewhere Certainely whiles yee inueigh against those Churches yee shal make that your cause neuer the better neither more probable with good men which thing if yee have not yet considered and conceived by my aduise and counsell and by the admonition of those which wish you wel experience it selfe at last God grant it be not to late and he informe you in good will prooue all thâ—se things vnto you For by the trueth of doctrine holinesse of life by the worke of faith and patience and by the dueties of charitie euen towards them of whome yee professe that ye are wronged yee shal rather approove your selves and your cause theÌ„ by outcryes and publishing of writings euen as our Sauiour is saide to bring iudgement to victorie not by filling the streetes with shouting and clamours but by blowing gently into the smoking flax and tender handling the bruised reede Which thinges seeing they be so I beseech you most louing brethreÌ„ in Christ by that most holi name of Christ which ye profese by those bowels mercie wherewith Christ hath embraced vs froÌ„ on high that yee would thinke of another course that yee would take another way to salvation to edificatioÌ„ to peace If there be consent shake not your faith which is not to be winnowed againe by new reasons This course is suspitious But if it must needs be sifted let it suffice you that it be first approved by those servants of God among whome yee dwell this is certainnly a lawfull course Forgiue the former iniuries if any have beene by Christian charitie to them from whom yee have received the same hide them froÌ„ others by ChristiaÌ„ wisdome There is no feare that by so doing yee should be burst God will enlarge your harts by the spirite of charitie most coÌ„modiously Looke to your selues that overcomming al sharpnesse and al bitternesse of minde yee may be acceptable to Christ and profitable to the Church and that the sweet odour of your pietie may be spread in speach in life in order to all the godly without the stench of enmitie and schisme Iudge not that yee be not iudged But abstaine from those heavie determinations and conclusions as they call them against othermen neither labour either to get Abetters or partakers in that your former iudgement which would be saide in you to be a spice of faction in them of imprudencie or else to drawe them to an vnseasonable vncivill inconvenient and dangerous deliuerie of opinions Pitie your selues I beseech you most louing brethren and the whole flocke which is gathered among you Haue pittie of them whome thorough error infirmitie yee cry out be hurt Pitie your entertainers among whome it were a most iâ—iurious thing that ye should sowe these tates especially being admonished And it would be a greate indignitie by clamours and writings to brede in them suspicions and sinister opinions eyther of your selves or of those your adversaries as you count them or els of both Finally pitie the Church of Christ which verily it is not comely nor expedient neither in any case tolerable amoÌ„g so many and greeuous wounds which are universally given vnto it to be further galled with this particular wound So let God almightie loue you and Iesus Christ that most mercifull Lord and our Sauiour be mercifull vnto you And if I shall be able to doe any good in the publicke cause and yours assure your selves that I will spare no diligence no labour no paines that you with vs and all togither may be filled with saÌ„ctimony without which none shal se God with the good things of the Lord in his house and before his face And the God of peace which hath raised from the dead our Lord Iesus that great sheepeheard of the sheepe by the blood of the eternall couenant make you perfect in euery good worke to doe his will working in you that which is acceptable in his sight by Iesus Christ to whom be glorie for ever and ever Amen And I pray you brethren suffer this word of exhortation which I have briefely writteÌ„ vnto you The grace of God be with you all Amen From Leyden this Saturday the 9. of Ianuary 1599. Yours in the Lord Francis Iunius The answer to the Letter aforesaid To the Reverend and learned Mr. Francis Iunius our beloved brother in Christ At Leyden in Holland GRace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ our Saviour Reverend Sr. and beloved brother in Christ we have lately received your letter which you sent vnsealed to the Ministers of the Dutch and freÌ„ch Churches that it might first be read of theÌ„ and them be delyvered to vs. We have also read and weighed it and thought it meet to wryte agayne partly to thank you that vouched safe to write vnto vs partly to satisfy you if we can in some thinges wherein we see you are mistaken In the wryting wherof we humbly request that speaking freely that which the thing it self requireth you would take it in good part as you are wooÌ„t Many thinges indeed you have wrytten which we do willingly acknowledg and consent therein with you Those we will not touch at all The rest we will prosequute in the same order as by your self â—hey are propounded Whereas there was a litle booke exhibited vnto you by one of vs it is not so to be takeÌ„ as if you were called vpoÌ„ alone or apart from others For the brother which delyvered you the booke certified vs that this passed betwene you that by you it should be communicated with your Colleagues the governours of that Vniversity and that you tooke vpon you to do it Now if you have so done how is it that you alone wryte back againe why also do you so often repeat and seeme to reprehend that you you we say alone apart are called vpon If you have not done it mynde then on whome the blame lyeth that it is not communicated with theÌ„ in that Vniversity to whome by vs it was dedicated And we do now agayne entreat you that being myndfull of your promyse you would performe it that so you with the other learned and godly men and brethren there may eyther convynce our fayth and cause of errour or els together with vs conted for this sayth once gyven to
see not what is to turne back againe from whence men came if this be not c But if those things â—e true which I thincke are not lykely to wit that the Metropolytanes retayne in vse those most filâ—hy abuses then which the Church of Antichrist hath not any thing more intollerable namely pruralyties of benefyces lycences of non residency lâ—cences to mary and eat flesh and other the lyke this were certâ—nly which I speake with horrour not a corruption of Christianity but a manifest defection from Christ and therfore they not to be condemned but commended rather which oppose them selves to such endevours c. These and many other the lyke sayings he hath in his epistles and other bookes publyshed Now as touching the things which he thought not to be so much as lykely we know them to be most true neyther these only but almost an hundreth the lyke as we have touched in the preface of our Confession Among which we besâ—ecâ— you consider these three specially yet so as you turne not your eyes away froÌ„ the rest the confirmation of such aâ— have beâ—â— baptised when nowe they are waxen older administred by the Prelats themselves vnto this day Their holy Orders of Clergy The discipline and sanctions of the CannoÌ„ Law as they call it yet reteyned in that Churche and tell vs we pray you freely and syncerely what now you think of the estate of that Church and of our separation â—erily if we conceive you right your self expound the marke the name and the nomber of the name of the Beast to be vnderstood of these three last aforesaid abhomynations of Antichrist In your exposition of Rev. 13. ver 16.17.18 And to receive these you know also well iâ— forbydden vnto all vnder payne of eternall damnation Rev. 14.9.10 11. and 18.4.5 But to returne to M. Beza agayne in him there are many thinges coÌ„cerning our cause to be carefully observed first that his private epistles he set forth in publyck secondly that in tâ—â— he diâ— not dissemble but freely and ingeniously declare his iudgment of the estate of the Church of England thirdly that yet he was nâ— busibody or vnwise which would clime into thâ—â— seate or by provoking that church made his cause the worse with good meÌ„ etc. fourthly if ther were nothing els yet by this we may well think that what you say of your self is not the answer of the other brethreÌ„ which are in any place in Churches and Vniversityes lastly that he should not have burst if he had dissembled these things nor yet while he wrote the godly and faythfully was factious vnciuill or sowed any â—aâ—es but haâ—e witnes to the truth of the Gospel of Christ and did truly shew that â—e trod in the steps of the Apostle who wryteth and testifyet thus of himself and of all the faithful servaÌ„ts of Christ we caÌ„not â—o any thing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 But these things by the way Yet so as you may well consider with your self beloved Brother whether the things which here and ther in your letter you seem to insinuate against vs fal not vpoÌ„ the very head of that most godly maÌ„ Mr. Beza by lyke right or rather indeed by lyke wroÌ„g Of other lyke godly and learned 〈◊〉 we will not now speake it shall suffice here to have mencioned him alone And where you seem to acknowledg for true Pastors the Prelats and Priests by theÌ„ created such as the English ministery is knoweÌ„ to be mynd how well you have done this and how agreably with the Spirit of God which calleth such Locusts false Prophets the whores marchants c. But touching that which you speak of Christ our Saviour how he brought iudgment to victory not by crying out and filling the streets with clamours but by blowing softly vpon the smoking flax and handling tenderly the brused reed This we do indeed most willingly acknowledg and pray that we may alwayes followe this his most sacred example Neverthelesse this also must be remembred that Christ dealt after one maner with the weack of whome here the speach is after an other with the * Scribes and Pharisees and other the like sworne enemyes of the truth such as at this day be the Prelats and their complices which who is it that doth not know who is it that doth not acknowledg The same also may be seeÌ„ in the Apostles of Christ and in their dealing with Simon Magus Elymas Hymenaeus Alexander Philetus Diotrephes c. Which things being so we humbly besech you reverend and beloved Sr. by that most holy name of Christ which you professe by the mercyes of God wherewith he hath loved vs in Christ that you would thnik of another course then such as yet it seemeth you allow that you would take an other way for discovering and destroying the defection of Antichrist for setting forward the salvation edificatioÌ„ and peace both of vs and others Hold on to defend the true fayth as now a good while you have done with great praise and fruit of the godly and discover errours maynteyne good causes and forsake evill Strive for Christ and the truth of his Gospell and fight against Antichrist and the remnants of his Apostasy Let it be manifest to all what your mynd and judgment is not only concerning the fayth of Christ but also concerning the mystery Apostasy and iniquity of Antichrist ffinally as touching our selves in specyall if you wryte agayne we do humbly and earnestly entreat if any where we have erred in our fayth and chuse that you vouchsafe to shew it vs by the light of Gods word Otherwise it wil be suspected seing you bestow so much paynes in discussing these things which concerne the maÌ„ner and not the matter it self that eyther you do dissemble your iudgment what soever it be or that in very deed you are of the same mynd with vs specially seing now you have wrytten that you do not any preiudice at all to our cause and have spoken this religiously before the Lord. Pityâ— we pray you our Church here exiled every where reproched eaten vp in a maner with deep poverty despised and afflicted wel nere of al against which sathan hath now a long tyme attempted all vtmost extremyties Pity them from whome we have departed who vnder pretence of the Gospell contynew still in Antichristian defection and do so stifley hold and eagerly maynteyne it as there is scant any among them that dare so much as hisse against it Pity these Churches among whome we sejourne in which wheter you look at the publyck prayers or the Administration of the Sacraments or the execution of discipline there be sundry â—aâ—es if they may be called â—ares or rather corruptions and those also not of small moment at which as is reported the Anabaptists and others not a few that lyve here do stumble of which also we have heretofore conferred frendly with the ministers of these Churches
be seen This it is not likely Mr. Iunius himself would doe but was perhaps the printers fault or rather indeed the translators evil mind for his mother churches advantage whoÌ„ falshood seeketh to vphold when syncerity and truth hath forsaken her It shal therfore rest vpon him as the first fruits of his evil labours in this kind til he clear himself The Apostles and Prophets and Martyrs by him mentioned dealt not so Neither yet did they alwayes insist vpon a plaine and simple asseveration of the truth but mainteyned it also with proofes and arguments from scripture and sound reason against such as oppugned the same Act. 17.2.3 and 18.28 and 28.23 Rom 1.17 and 3.4.10 and 4.3.7.17 and 9.7.9.12.13.17.20.25.27.29.33 and 10.5.11.15.19.21 and 11.2.9.26 1 Cor. 15.3.4.25.27.45.54.55 Gal. 3.6 8.10.11.13.22 and 4.21.22.27.30 Esa 40.12 and 41.21.22.23.24 and 44.6 and c. Mal. 4.4 Acts monuments in the historie of Mr. Brute Thorp Lambert Ridly Philpot Bradford and many others And though the Apostles and Prophets had yet no maÌ„s asseveratioÌ„ now may be compared with theirs but must be tried by their writings And so these Christian exiles published to that end their faith vnto the world against which to this day neither Mr. Iunius nor any els of that or the other vniversities have to our knowledge vsed any one weighty and sound reason grounded vpon the holy scripture of God as this translator would bear men in hand he doth and as the Prophets did in al their asseverations taking their ground from the law before given Mat. 22.40 The Lord rebuke Satan and make bright the glorie of his name and Gospel and turne to the profit of every faithful soule these things now published by his vnworthy and contemned servants to his owne eternal prayse in Christ Amen To the Reader By the Printers default there are good Reader a few faults escaped in the printing some whereof are here noted Which with the rest thou observest thy self we pray thee amend thus Pag. 11. lin 13. then to make Pag. 12. l. 8. all that Pag. 15. l. 20.21.22.32.33.34 blot out these marcks * ‡ * ‡ Pag. 16. l. 1. also * of old And lin 7. Iob. 1.6 Pag. 17. l. 3. vnwritten And blot out of men Pag. 18. l. 13. Act. 3.22 Pag. 24. l. 34. Eph. 4.11 Pag. 25. l. 20. â—iev 2.1 1. King 12. Pag. 27. l. 28. Gal. 3.28.29 Pag. 29. l. 1. no whit L. 18.1 Tim. 2.2 L. 49. Exod. 18.12 and 10 1â— Pag. 39. l. 7. Churches of this city that etc. and then be delivered L. 27. contend Pag. 40. l. 26. publish Pag. 41. l. 1. their private Confessions of faith their apol L. 7.8 prevaile Pag. 42. l. 22. let vs. Pag. 45. l. 13. ingenuously Pag. 47. in the margent l. 10. licet vobis And l. 13. discindere P. 48. l. 10 coÌ„sent P. 50. li. 9. eveÌ„ to strive earnestly P. 51. l. 32. taunting Pag. 53. l. 3. yea so L. 13. many weak ones before so many deadly Pa. 54. l. 1. Amst is such as being but one yet it meeteth in three severall places wherevpon it is so confus etc. And li. 32. Gal. 4.10.11 Note besides where Mr. Iunius in his second letter Pag. 47. pretendeth as if there had ben some fault in the Messenger or vs that he knew not to whom or whither he should have written his first that in the book it self which was delivered vnto him there was particular mention both of the place and of the partyes from whoÌ„ it came as may be seen in the Epistle prefired before it which is of the dedication to the vniversityes And els how knew he at the moneths end more then before to whom and whither to send as he did Which poynt is so very playne as to himself we thought there needed not then so much as any mention of it Yet thought we here to note it least some others not observing so much might thinck the fault wherof he speaketh to ly on vs or the messeÌ„ger which what soever it were is still to rest vpon himself for ought we know The Confession of fayth of certayne English people living in exile in the Low countreyes Together vvith the Preface to the Reader Which we wish of all may be read and considered 2. Cor. 4 13. We beleev therefore have we spoken Harmony of Confess in the preface set before it in the Name of the French and Belgick Churches The Prelates and Priests do alvvay cry out that vve are Hereticks Schismaticks and Sectaryes Hovvbeit let theÌ„ knovv that the crime of Heresy is not to be imputed to theÌ„ vvhose faith doth vvholy rely vpon most sure grounds of the Scripture That they are not Schismaticks vvho entierly cleave to the true Church of God such as the Prophets and Apostles do describe vnto vs Nor they to be counted Sectaryes vvho embrace the truth of God vvhich is one and alvvayes like it self To the reverend and learned men the Students of holy Scripture in the Christian Vniversities of Leyden in Holland of Sanctandrewes in Scotland of Heidelbergh Geneva and the other like famous scholes of learning in the Low countreyes Scotland Germany and France The English exiles in the Low countreys wish grace and peace in Iesus Christ THis true confession of our faith in our judgment wholy agreable to the sacred Scripture we do here exhibit vnto all to be discussed and vnto you reverend Sirs we dedicate it for two causes First for that we know you are able in respect of your singular knowledge in the Scriptures and hope you are willing in respect of your syncere piety to convince our errours by the light of Gods word if in any thing we be out of the way Secondly that this testimony of Christian faith if you also fynd it agree with the word of truth may by you be approved eyther in silence or by writing as you shall think best It may be we shal be thought very bold that being despised of all yet doubted not to sollicite you so many and so great learned men But this we did partly at the request of others to whom we would not deny it partly with desier to have the truth through your help better defended and further spread abroad partly coÌ„streyned by our exile and other calamityes almost infinite partly also moved with love of our native couÌ„trey and of these wherein now we live and others else where wishing that all may walk with a right foot to the truth of the Gospell and praying daily vnto God that the great work of restoring Religion and the Church decayed which he hath happily begun in these latter tymes by our Gracious Soveraigne and the other Princes of these countreyes and ages his servants he would fully accomplish to the glory of his name and eternall salvation in Christ of his elect in all places of the earth As for the causes which moved vs to publish this Confession of faith and to forsake the Church of England as now
it staÌ„deth we have truly and as briefly as we could related them in the Preface to the Reader hereafter following and therefore thought here to omit the repetition of them The Lord Iesus alway preserve you and your Vniversityes to the praise of his name the ornameÌ„t of good learning the propagation and maintenance of his pure Religion From Amsterdam in the low countreyes The yeare of the last patience of the saints 1598. The preface to the Christian Reader IT may seeme strange vnto thee Christian Reader that any off the Englysh nation should for the truth of the Gospell be forced to forsake their natyve contrye and lyve in exile especially in these dayes when the Gospell seemeth to have free passage and florish in that land And for this cause have our exile bene hardly thought of by many and evil spoken of by some who know not as it seemeth eyther the trewe estate of the Church of England or causes of our forsaking and separating from the same but hearing this sect as they call it to be every where spoken against have with out at all further search accounted and divulged vs as heretickes or Schismatickes at the least Yea some and such as worst might have sought the increase of our afflictions even here also yf they could which thinge they have both secretly and openly attempted This hath Sathan added vnto all our former sorrowes envying that we should have rest in any part of the inhabyted world and therfor ceaseth not to make warre with the remnant of the womans seed which keepe the commaundemeÌ„ts of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ But the Lord that brought his former Israell out off Egypt and when they walked aboute from nation to natioÌ„ from one Kingdome to an other people suffered no man to do them wronge but reproved kinges for their sakes the same Lord yet lyveth to maynteyne the right off his afflicted servantes whome he hath severed and dayly gathereth out off the world to be vnto himselff a chosen generatioÌ„ a royall priesthood a peculiar people and Israell off God He is our hope and strength and helpe in trobles ready to be found he will hyde vs vnder his winges and vnder his feathers we shall be sure vntyll these myseries be over past And though we could for our partes well have borne this rebuke off Christ in silence and left our cause to him who iudgeth iustly all the children off men yet for the manyfestation and clearing of the truth off God from reproche off men and for the bringing off others togither with our selves to the same knouwledge and fellowship off the Gospell we have thought it needfull and our duty to make knowen vnto the world our vnfeyghned fayth in God and loyall obedience towardes our Prince and all Governours set over vs in the Lord together with the reasons off our leaving the ministery worship and Church off England Which are not as they pretend for some fewe faultes and corruptions remayning such as we acknowledge man be found in the perfectest Church on earth Neyther count we it lawfull for any member to forsake the fellowship off the Church for blemyshes and imperfections which every one according to his calling should studeously seeke to cure and to exspect and further it vntyll eyther there followe redresse or the disease be growen incureable and the candlestick be moved out off the place But we having through Gods mercy learned to discerne betwixt the true worship off God and the Antichristian leitourgie the true ministerie off Christ and Antichristian priesthood and prelacy the ordinances off Christes testament and popysh cannons have also learned to leave the evill and choose the good to forsake Babell the land off our captyvitie and get vs vnto Sion the mount of the Lordes holynes and place where his honour dwelleth But first we desyre thee good Reader to vnderstand and mynde that we have not in any dislyke of the civill estate and politicke goverment in that common wealth which we much lyke and love seperated our selves from that Churche Neyther have we shaken of our alleageance and dutyfull obedyence to our Soveraigne Prince Elezabeth her honorable Consellers and other Magistrates set over vs but have alwayes and still do reverence love and obey them every one in the Lord opposing our selves against al enemyes forreigne or domesticall against all invasions insurrections treasons or conspiracies by whome soever intended against her Majestie and the State and are ready to adveÌ„ture our lyves in their defence iff need require Neiter have our greatest adversaryes ever bene able to attaint vs of the least disloyalty in this regarde And though now we be exiled yet do we dayly pray and will for the preservation peace and prosperity off her Majestie and all her domynions And wheras we have bene accused off intrusion into the Magistrates office as goeing about our selves to reforme the abuses in that land it is a mere malicious calumnie which our adversaries have forged out of their owne hart We have alwayes both by word and practise shewed the contrary neyther ever attempted or purposed any such thinge but have indevored thus onely to reforme our selves and our lyves according to the rule off Gods word by absteyning from all evyll and keeping the commandements off Iesus leaving the suppressing and casting out off those remnants of Idolatry vnto the Magistrates to whome it belongeth And further we testifye by these presents vnto all men and desyre them to take knowledge herof that we have not forsaken any one poynt of the true ancient catholicke and apostolicke fayth professed in our land but hold the same groundes of Christian religion with them still agreeing lykewise herein with the Dutch Scottysh Germane French Heldetian and all other Christian reformed Churches round about vs whose confessions publyshed we call to witnes our agrement with them in matters of greatest moment being coÌ„ferred with these articles of our fayth following The thinges then onely against which we contend and which we mislyke in the Englysh parish assemblyes are many reliques of that man off Synne whome they pretend to have abandoned yet reteyned among them and with a high hand maynteyned vpholden and imposed The particiâ—ers wherof being almost infinite cannot well off vs besett downe and would be tedious and yrksome to thee good Reader But the principall heades we wil truely relate and that so briefely as in so large and confuse a subject we can First in the planting and constituting of their Churche at the begining of our Queene Elizabets reigne they receved at once into the body of that Churche as members the whole land which generally then stood for the most part professed Papistes who had revolted from the profession which they made in the dayes of king Edward off happy memorye and shed much blood off many Christian Martyrs in Queene Maryes dayes This people yet standinge in this fearfull
he that doth the worck of the Lord frauduleÌ„tly and cursed be he that kepeth back his sword from blooâ— On the contrary Blessed be he that shall reward thee as thou hast rewarded vs o daughter of Babel to be destroyed Blessed be he that shall take and scattering dash thy children against the stones If this against Moab and the materiall BabyloÌ„ how much more against Antichrist and the spirituall Babylon with al the daughters and abominatioÌ„s thereof If this against the shadow and type how much more against the substance and body it self Of the argument of coâ—nsell ynough is said If you repeat it a thousand tymes and yet take not away our answer and reasons alledged in our first letters we will alwayes repeat the same answer againe Those many things which are conteyned in your letters and ours do now come forth in publick Neyther doubt we but this is the work of the Lord. See therefore that you be occupied therein religiously That any should speak of things controverted we desier not otherwise then the reformed Churches and those godly meÌ„ and Martyrs of Iesus who with like purpose have published their confessions of faith and causes of their troubles being so constreyned That your letters were not shewed by vs we wrote not but this that we gave not a copy of them to any for what cause we wrote in our former Shewed they were and read in the publick meeting of our Church If your mynd were to have them shewed to others that knew we not But now that you write this is your mynd we shall shew them together with ours publickly vnto all And if any have giveÌ„ forth any false reports conâ—erning them let theÌ„ now be ashamed In the meane time your self provided by sending yours at first vnsealed that they should be shewed to others and be read also of others before vs. Neyther doth it excuse the matter which you wrote in your second that â—â—e messenger shewed you not to wâ—oÌ„er whither you should have written and that therefore you sought and wayted an whole moneth being vncertayne thereof For we did signify both these expressely in the Epistle dedicatory prefixed before that book which by the messenger was delivered vnto you Els how knew you at the moneths end more theÌ„ before whither and to whoÌ„ to send Or when you knew why did you not seale your letters Was it because you would have the shewed We beleev it as also that for the same cause the copyes of theÌ„ were caryed into England And this too we knew before they were translated in English but we held our peace wayting to see what would follow therevpon Now your self see they are translated and given forth in publick For them therefore and with them we traÌ„slate and publish ours by which will appeare that we have dealt well with good men You may call them as you please it skilleth vs litle this is the very thing we desier and endevour that the simplicity of the Gospell of Christ the iniquity of the defectioÌ„ of Antichrist may more and more be made knowen vnto all If for this thing you pity vs we will beare it praying that God in Christ would pitty you Where you write that two of our company dined with that honorable Ambassadour it is not true that we know of Neyther can we cell what hapned at that dinner He sent not for vs to come vnto him neyther did we like to intrude our selves If by vs he would have ben certifyed of our cause we would have done it willingly and syncerely And you also when he demaunded of you might have shewed our letters with your owne and the coÌ„fession of our faith and given also copyes of both the letters So might the Translatour have given forth both in publick So had you provided that sentence should not be given the one party being vnheard Which thing Christian wisdome your self say suffreth not â—o be done in questions controverted In this behalf therfore you have erred and this by you is to be answered notwithstaÌ„ding that for his doing himself is to answer that translated and published yours without your knowledg For our selves if any where we erre shew it we pray you agayne and agayne by the word of God that is by the onely rule of truth and we shal yeeld most willingly And thus we pray God that he would guyde you together with vs and all his alway vnto Iesus Christ and that he would keep vs in him who onely is the way the truth and the life Whose name be blessed for ever Amen Amsterdam Iuly 21. 1602. Yours in the truth and peace of the Gospell of Christ F. Io. H. Ains D. St. S. Mer. C. Bom. T. Bis D. Bre. Together with the other brethren of the English Church at Amsterdam * For proof herof see Mr. Iunius owne words noted in the margine of his letter herafter folowing and compare also this edition of it with the translators before published Act. 28 22 b Rev. 12. c Psal 105 13 14. d 1 Pet 2.9 e Psal 46.1 f Apoc. 2 5. gap 2 Cor 6 14 15 c. Psal 9â— 20. 2 Thes 2 3. h Psa 37 27 Ier. 51 6. Rev. 18 4. 14 1. Neh. 6 6.7.8 Harmon of confess i 1 Pet. 2 5. Ier. 51 26 k Act. 2 38 40 41 8 36 37 15 9. Ioh. 10 3.4 5. Esa 35 8.9 l Ioh. 15 2.5 Mat â—8 15 17 Lev. 13 46. Numb 4.13 m Ioh 15 19. and 17.14 16. Mat. 3 12 Lev. 20.24 26. 1. Ioh. 4.5.6 About forty ecclesiastical popish offices are at this daye in the Churche of EnglaÌ„d never a one appointed by Christ in his testament Apoc. 13. vvith what words rites in what habit gesture these things are to be done they are taught in their rubâ—ik Some of them in certaine English books seâ— forth have reckned aboue 100. popish corruptions yet reteyned in this church o Rom. 12 1. Cor. 12. Eph. 4. p Iohn 4 24 Mat 15 9 q Deu 6 4 5 Mat. 16 6 2. Cor. 6 14 15 Psal 106 34 35.36 s Iude ver 3 t 2 Cor. 6 17. u Eph. 5 11. w Reb. 18 4 14 10 11. Mat. 6 24. x 2. King 16 10 11 12. Apoc 13 12 14 15. y Ier. 51 6. Mich. 2 10. Rev. 18 4. 2 Cor. 6 17. Act. 2 40. z Ps 9.12 Heb. 13 3 A Gal. 4.4.5 6. 5.1.2 Heb. 8. 9 10. chap. 2 Cor. 4 7 Iam. 2 1 * Deut. 6.4 1. Tim 2.5 Ephe. 4.4.5.6 1 Cor. 8.6 12.4.5.6.13 Ier. 6.16 Ioh. 14.6 ‡ 1 Tim. 6.3.13.14 Mat. 15.9 28.20 Deut. 4.2.6 12.32 1 cor 4.17 14.33 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 Gal. 1.8.9 Reâ—el 22.18.19 * Ioh. 4.24 ‡ Exod. 3.14 Rom. 11.36 Act. 17.28 ☽ 1 Tim. 1.17 Esa 6.3 66.1.2 1 Ioh. 5.7 Mat. 28.19 Prou. 8.22 Heb. 1.3 Phil. 2.6 1 Cor. 8.6 Micah 5.2 Psal 2.7 Gal. 4.6 Ioh. 1.1.2.18 10.30.38 15.26 Heb. â— 14 * Ioh.