the authoritie of the Romaine church and of the Bishop of Rome is greater then the authoritie of Gods word An other saith That this is the iudgment of all them that thinke lightly that ground the authhoritie and vnderstanding of the Scriptures in the allowance of the Church and not conrariwise â—lay the foundation of the church in the authoritie of the scriptures There be no coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of Christ but such only as bee taken so and holden by the Church Therefore the scriptures followe the Church but contrariewise the Church followeth not the Scriptures An other saith That the Apostles haue written certaine things not that their said writings should rule our faith or religion but rather that they should bee vnder and be ruled by our faith the scriptures are dumbe iudges the scriptures are like a nose of waxe I might alledge many authorities out of your owne writers which go about to extoll your church of Rome aboue God and his holy worde â—ut these may perswade all men which be not wilfully blinded how arrogantly and Luciferlike you do preferre your Church both contrarie to the manifest expresse woorde of God and also to the opinion iudgement of the Godly learned fathers whose authorities I haue cited But let the indifferent reader iudge whether our church which groundeth her selfe wholy onely vpon the heauenly Scriptures and submitteth her selfe to the spirit of God as the true interpreter of the same hearkeneth onely vnto the voyce of her Pastor Christ and acknowlegeth him onely to bee her heade according as we are taught by the scriptures be the true Church of God the Catholik Apostolike church or your church of Rome which innketh her selfe equal with god vsurpeth authoritie aboue his most holy woord will not haue Christ but the Pope her heade which wil be iudge in all causes whether Christ will or no which mainteineth no not in one point the Apostolike doctrine and faith but doeth persecute euen vnto death the true professors of the same Whereas you doo aske Howe our Church can be one For that as you say it is deuided into so many sectes I haue shewed before that we doo not disagree now at this day in matters of faith and true religion as your Church of Rome dooth in matters of great weight and importance It hath beene a vulgar and common prouerbe of long time vsed that the Diuell will haue his Chappell nearâ— Gods Church Among the olde Prophets was some one Balaam or other In the small number which accompanied our Sauiour Christ was one Iudas many carnal Capernaites which sought rather their belly then the aduauncement of Gods truth which pretended a zeale and followed Christ yet depended vppon olde customes and ceremoniall traditions and helde other fond opinions Among the true Apostles were false Apostles which though not altogether yet in some parte preached either circumcision or iustification by woorkes repugnant to the doctrine of the true Apostles as you doo Our Sauiour truely prophesied That there shoulde arise false Christes and false Prophets Saint Paule saith yet in an other sence There must be heresies eueÌ„ among you that they which are approoued among you might bee knowne By which he noteth that Gods Church is not onely subiect to striffe and dissention as touching orders and maners but also to heresies as touching doctrine We doo not stand so stifely vppon our reputation but doe confesse that as we are men so we may erre But wee trye our iudgementes and opinions by the touchstone of Gods woord not respecting the person but the doctrine which we allow of so farre as the holy scriptures do approoue the same in which is no errour at all We doe not denie but that there may be amongest vs some carnall fleshly Gospellers some Epicures and Athistes some giuen to mainteine vnprofitable and straunge opinions as there are in your Church of Rome The like there were in the Apostles time some which helde of Paule some of Apollo some of Peter yea some which seemed to haue beene of the number of the faithfull because they occupied a place in the Church of whom the Apostle speaketh saying Babes it is the last time and as you haue hearde that Antichrist shall come euen nowe are there many Antichristes whereby we knowe that it is the last time they went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue continued with vs. It is manifest that in the primitiue church therewere false brethreÌ„ which were cloaked with the name of Christianitie Arrius that damnable heretik the fauourers of his sect which deny Christ to be God bosted theÌ„selues That they only were Catholikes and called others which mainteined the truth against them sometimes Ambrosians and sometimes Athanasians as you doo call vs nowe Lutherans nowe Caluinists nowe Zwinglians Ebion that Heretike who affirmed Christ to be onely man and saith that the obseruation of the Lawe was very necessarie to saluation would needes be called a Christian All other heretikes which were many in the florishing time of the church as appeareth by the stories bragged that they held the true faith that they were the true Church Shal we therfore coÌ„clude say that the Prophets the Apostles the godly Christians and fathers of the primitiue Church were not of the true Church of God for that in their times there were manie sectes which couered them selues with the cloake collour of true religion Saint Paule forseing through Gods spirite what woulde come gaue this watchworde to the Colosians To beware least that anie shoulde goe about to spoyle them through phylosophie and vaine deceit through the traditions of men acording to the rudimeÌ„ts of the world and not after Christ He also forwarneth the Thessalonians that Antichrist the sonne of perdicion shall sitt as God in the temple of God shewing him selfe to be God. It is wonderfull to see howe you are blinded seing you stumble at a strawe and doe leape ouer a bloke You strain at a gnat and doe swallow a Camel You see a moath in another mans eye and perceiue not the beame which is in your owne eye You are most giltie your selues in that which you would haue to be a notorious crime in others For you agree not in the principall poyntes of religion as I haue noted before but in that you demauÌ„d Whether our Churche was euer of that maiestie that it might require the obedience of all nations or gather generall councelles and howe the titles which you set foorth by name can bee applied to our Church I saie that our Church hath and doth enioy such priuiledges and preheminence as is limited vnto hir by the worde of God Neuerthelesse we doe not challenge anie such authoritie to the obedience of all nations vnto our Church but doe pray in the name of Christ vnto the Lorde of Heauen and earth to poure forth the
being eighteene monethes together at Corinthe afterwardes writeth this Epistle vnto the Romanes in the which Epistle he saluteth Priscilla and Aquilla and the rest of the Congregation being then in their priuate houses and also saluted many other by name and maketh no mention at all of Peter therin Who if he had bene there as you say that he was he shoulde no doubt haue receiued salutations as well as the rest of the faithfull There fell some contention betwixt Paule and Barnabas at Antioche so that Paule tooke Siluanus otherwise called Sylas with him into all cities where they had preached the woord of the Lorde Peter departed from Antioche where he had remained seuen yeares together into Assyria yet further from Rome Ye writeth an Epistle vnto the dispersed Iewes and sendeth the same by Siluanus sending salutations therin from the Church at Babylon a famous citie in Assyria where Peter was then the Apostle of the Circumcision But it may be that you will say that I mistake this place because some writers doe interpret this Babylon to be Rome and in deede it is the onely place wherevpon you do ground Peters being at Rome But this doeth not sound with reason neither is it likely that a man shoulde vse the name of one cittie when he subscribeth his letter being written at an other citie or to vse any Metamorphosis in naming the citie as though he were either ashamed of the place or else that he would not haue had it knowne where he had his aboade so he might better haue altogether omitted it and not to haue named Babylon at all But if you will nedes haue Babylon to signify Rome in this place sithe it agreeth neither with sense reason nor truth then I besech you let Rome bee that Babylon of which the Eâ—angelist speaketh Which is the whore that hath made all nations to drinke of â—he wine of the wrath of her fornicatioÌ„ Forasmuch as the sinnes vices which â—eined in Babylon are founde in Rome â— great aboundaunce as persecution of the â—rue Church of God oppression and destruction of Gods people confusion superâ—ition idolatry and all kind of impietie â—ickednesse But to my purpose Christ commaunded Peter and the other Apostles of which they had their name to goe â—nto all the world and to preache the Gosâ—ell to all nations and said that they should â—e his witnesses both in Hierusalem and â—n all Iudaea and in Samaria and vnto the â—ttermost part of the earth By which it â—ppeareth that if he had bene a resting Bishoppe and tied vnto the seat of Rome fiue and twentie yeares as you â—ontruly affirme he had broken his maiâ—ters commaundement and had answered neither to his name nor office It may be that you will alledge the Histories against me for the proofe of Peters Bishoprike but I may truly answere you that forsomuch as the Histories doe imitate and followe one an others opinion and in that the same were committed to printe verie lately in respect and in such a time as no books might be printed but suche as the Pope and his cleargy would ratify and allowe howe may it then seme straunge albeit the truth of this matter agreeing with the scriptures were concealed â–ª For if they woulde haue suffered the truth of this cause to haue bene opened it woulde haue dashed altogether your Popes succession and authoritie But to conclude you say that Peter was Bishop of Rome at such time as Paule was first committed there vnto prison which was two and thirtie yeares after his conuersion but howe vntruly let euery simple man iudge For Paule complaineth that at his comminge vnto Rome when he was first called vnto his aunsweare No man assisted him but all forsooke him No doubte if Peter had bene the Bishop of Rome he would not haue forsak his fellow â—aule Moreouer he exhorteth Timothy to â—ome vnto him shewing that Demas â—ad forsaken him and had embraced â—is present worlde and was departed â—nto Thessalonica That Crescens was â—one vnto Galatia Titus vnto Dalmaâ—a he addeth this clause saying Only â—uke is with mee If Peter had beene â—en in Rome Paule woulde not haue â—ed these woordes Only Luke is with â—ee For neither feare of imprisoment â—either present death would haue kept â—acke Peter from Paules company â—nd if Peter had bene in like authoriâ—e as you affirme his successours the Pope nowe to bee in hauing the neckes â—f all Emperours Kinges and Prinâ—es vnder his girdle he woulde surely â—aue deuised either some meanes whereâ—y Paule might haue bene deliuered â—om that filthy prison or else woulde â—aue obteined nay graunted him a parâ—on for his life So that this can not be â—idden or cloaked but that either you â—ust deny the Popes aâ—cthoritie and â—premacie in that time or else plainâ— and freely graunt and confesse that Peter was not then Bishoppe of Rome as you may I warrant you without any damage or hurt to your soule agree vnto both Thus much touching the prerogatiue of your Church Now you say Thaâ— the scriptures be difficult and hard and therefore your church of Rome must haue the interpretation thereof I haue shewed heretofore that the Scriptures â— God be not hard but very playne and easie That they are an vndefiled law which conuerteth the soule and giueth wiâ—dome to the simple They bee a candle to our feete and a light to our steppes The ophilact saith That nothing can deceiuâ— those which do search Gods scriptures for that they are the candle whereby thâ— theefe is taken An other auncient Doâ—tour saith That all thinges are cleare and plaine in Gods Scriptures whatsoeueâ— thinges are necessarie the same be manifest Clemens Alexandrinus a grauâ— wise man in an oration that he made to the Gentils saith Harken ye that befarre of giue eare ye that bee neare the woord of God is hidden from none it is a common light it doth lighten all men there is no darknesse at all in the world Yet this commeth into question whether the interpretation of the scriptures do depend vppon the Churche of Rome or no. Pigghius one of your owne doctors saith That the scriptures as a man both truly and merely saith are like a nose of waxe that easely suffereth it selfe to be drawen backewarde and forward and to be framed and fashioned this waye and that way and how soeuer you list An other faith of your Church of Rome Although they tell thee that thy ryght hand is thy lefte hand or that thy left hande is thy right hand yet such a sentence must bee holden for good Thus you make the woord of God which is easily and playne to the vnderstanding of the simple and a â—ertaine rule to direct the true Christian â—ut a dumble schoolmaster and deade letter and that you must set the holy spirit of God â—o schoole as though he had set downe the Scriptures in a defuse and hard
tongue of your crouching before idolles of the placing of the saide idolls in your Churches of your worshippe done vnto them of your pilgrimages of the supremacie of your holie father the Pope of your vnwritten verities and of all the rabble of your ceremonies ordinances and traditions whiche haue no warrant of Gods worde in whiche you repose saluation and by whiche you greatlie deceiue Gods people Will not the Lorde call you to an accompt for abusing and deceiuing thus his people in giuing them darnell and chaffe for wheate in feeding them with your owne inuentions without anie warrant or authoritie of Gods worde Hath not GOD set downe a platforme in his holie Scriptures howe hee wil be worshipped and serued commaunding That you shall neither adde nor diminishe turne â—either to the right hande nor to the lefte but syncerelie to walke in the wayes of the Lorde And hath threatened moreouer That if anie man shall adde vnto the things whiche bee written GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that bee written And if anie man shall diminishe from the wordes of GOD his part shal be taken awaie out of the booke of life But either sufficient is spoken â—r inough will not serue Onelie this â—hing I require of you that you will â—ot take in ill parte whatsoeuer I â—aue written the Lorde is my witâ—esse that I haue not beene mooued herevnto either of malice or of vaine â—lorie neither haue I written or set â—owne anie doctrine but onelie that â—hich in my conscience as I shall answere at the dreadfull daye of iudgement I am perswaded to bee the verie â—ueth If you thinke that I haue not â—llie absolutely answered your Interrogations and Demaundes which you haue set downe so diffusedlie and out of order repeating some one thing often and in heaping one vppon another without anie reason or iudgement in charging vs and laying those heresies to our charge whiche wee are so farre from mainteining of them as that wee do vtterlie abhorre detest yea flatlie condemne them I would haue â—ou to note and plainlie sette downe in what thinges I haue failed or what thinges I haue omitted or in what you bee not fullie resolued and I not to haue sufficientlie aunswered you For I am most willing according to that small talent and gift whiche God hath of his goodnesse bestowed vppon mee to imploye my trauell and spende my time in this kinde of exercise Let vs ioyne together in building God his Church for that manie soules bee in daunger by reason of controuersies and contentions whiche bee betwixt vs in that they halte as they did in the time of Elias the Prophete betwixt two opinions doubting what way were best to take Let vs seeke to aduaunce Gods worshippe which is spirituall and must bee done in spirit and trueth GOD is dishonoured either when wee woorshippe anie other then him alone giuing his honor to anie other creature or when wee giue him not that honor whiche hee requireth of vs in his sacred and holie worde or woorshippe him otherwise than hee appointeth The Lord graunt you a penitent hart indue you with true and perfect knowledge that you may seeke the sauing of your owne soule the profitte of Gods â—urch and Congregation and the adâ—ncement of his kingdome that â—h one heart and one minde wee â—y worshippe and serue GOD the â—her and his Sonne Iesus Christ in â—irit and trueth To whom with the holie Spirit three persons and one inuisible and immortall God be all glorie nowe and euer Anthonie Gilbie vnto the Reader THE miserable Iewes and proud Papistes are both alike deceiued by these and such like carnal cogitatioÌ„s as appeares in these popishe questions The Iewes will 〈◊〉 haue an earthlie Messias to whom all â—â—â—s shal be in subiection corporallie viâ—â—â— or else they wil haue none The Papists will haue an earthlie church visible kingdome of the same Messias to the which al nations â—halbe subiect or else they wil haue none 〈◊〉 poore Christ and his persecuted church â—espised of both twaine The Iewes will 〈◊〉 of this poore Nazarite for their king 〈◊〉 â—apists will not haue his contemptible 〈◊〉 to be their church The Papists boast â—â—â—ir antiquitie and succession but the â—â—â—s if that wold serue haue better cause â—ast of both for their antiquitie is farre â—â—â—ter by manie huÌ„dred yeres their sucâ—â—â—on is alowed in the scriptures but the 〈◊〉 is successour in nothing saue in that â—â—â—er deâ—â—ed his maister or when as hee 〈◊〉 Christ carnall worldlie counsell not to suffer but to spare him selfe Otherwayâ— he succeedeth not Peter I say neither â— place nor in doctrine neither in forme of gâ—uernemeÌ„t nor in maner of liuing so that tâ— popish church canne in no wise bee the trâ— church of Christ as may easilie bee proueâ— The papistes talke of Fathers and of coâ—sent but what is that without the warraâ— of Gods word The papistes will not be of tâ— contemptible church they say that is despâ—sed in the world Christ saith that his churâ— must be so They shall deliuer you vp â— be afflicted and shall kill you and yoâ— shal be hated of al nations for my namâ— sake Againe he saith If the worlde haâ— you knowe that it hated mee before hated you if ye were of the worlde thâ— world would loue his own but becauâ— you are not of the world but I haue châ—sen you out of the world therefore thâ— world hateth you Remember the worâ— that I said vnto you The seruaunt is nâ— greater then his maister If they hauâ— persecuted me they will persecute yoâ— also These things haue I said vnto yoâ— that you should not bee offended Theâ— shall excommunicate you yea the timâ— will come that whosoeuer killeth youâ— I thinke that he doeth God seruice â— this is the state of the true churche here â—n earth whereby it is euident that the â—she Romishe Synagogue is not the true â—rch seeing it is so â–ª loued and honored in worlde Christ the head of the true â—rch went vp into heauen by manifolde â—ctions his members the Prophetes and â—ostles entred by the same doore of afflicâ—s not by the windowe of promotions â—d holie Paule affirmeth That whosoeâ—r will liue godlie in Christ Iesus must â—fer persecutions That our faith being â—d like golde in the furnace as Peter â—th might be found precious Thereâ—re Christ and his Apostles are poore in â—is world and like seruants readie to serue â—ers the Pope and his Prelates like worldâ—e Princes rich wealthie and lordlie Christ â—d his humble and lowlie the Pope his â—oude pompeous and haultie Christ his â—aied tribute to Caesar the Pope his take Peter pence and other payments froÌ„ Princes and nations Christ and his suffered humblie afflictions vnder Princes the Pope warreth against Princes treadeth on their neckes causeth them to kisse his pantaphles and to hold his stirrops like a Lucifer and childe of pride Christ and
be more more discouered as in this answere to your questions wil appeare God grauÌ„t you eies to see it hearts to repent Where you demand quest 1. what church it was that coÌ„uerted the churches nations to the faith you seeme to aunswere your owne obiection for you say that that Church was Christes Apostles and a fewe mo who by their preachings and others planted Christian religion c. In the which saying you do wel agree with the Apostle Paule who saith to the Colossians That euen in his time the Gospel was fruitfull in all the worlde Nowe you know that your gorgious synagogue of Rome had not then receiued this gospel but did persecute it many yeres after So then it was the poore perseâ—â—â—ed church that brought the Gospel into Antioch into Rome or whersoeuer it was yet truelie planted vppon the earth Againe where you demaund quest â— what church hath had the custodie of the Scriptures and most safelie hath preserued them The Iewes would most easilie answere the papistes that it is their church For the Iewes haue kept them so warilie so manie aâ— were before Christes coÌ„ming that they durst not alter anie letter or title But if there seemed some cause of alteration by the order of the graÌ„mer rules as somtimes there did both in the auncient writings old printes there was acipher set downe to cause men to consider it â–ª but no man amoÌ„gst them was so bold as to aâ—â—er anie one iotte Such was Gods great prouidence towards vs that the vâ—â—â— â—mies of Christian religion should bee the â—epers preseruers of those bookes wherâ—on our christian religion is grounded so â—at we should always be able by diuine proâ—dence to confute both the Iewes and the â—istes by the same bookes which by diuine â—er haue bin preserued The Iewes more â—ely and religiously the papists through â—rupting some places for their purpose yet â—er permitted so far to corrupt the scripâ—es but that all their errours may easily be â—futed by anie of those textes that they reâ—ed Where you demaund quest 3. why beâ—e ye our church telling you this to bee â—ds word and booke and wil not credit her â—uouching it to be the true and vndoubted â—se of Gods booke The Iewe might aske â—â— and vs also this question but wee that â—ue heard Christ him selfe speake in his â—ting them in our heartes by his holy Spiâ— do answere both Iewes and papists as the â—maritanes did the woman that brought â—em the strst tidings of Christ Nowe wee â—eleeue say they not because of thy sayâ—ngs for we haue heard him our selues â—nd know that this in deed is the Christ â—nd Sauiour of the world wee beleeue â—im because of his owne word This is true faith onely to depend vpon the word of God and neither vpon the interpretation of the Iewe or Papist or any mans else further then he can manifest his sense by some manifest place of the selfe same word The 4 5. quest may easilie be aunswered by that which is alreadie written Againe where you demaund tauntinglie O Papistes where our principal pastour doth sitt in iudgement quest 6. we aunswere that he alwayes hath don so he now sitteth in the heauens doth pronounce sentence against that Antichrist of yours who doeth sit as God in the temple of God vpon earth and he will shortlie come to take a straight accompte of all inferiour pastours who are fellow elders and fellow pastours as Peter affirmeth And vppon the earth he hath made some Prophets some Apostles some Euangelistes some Pastours some Doctours or Teachers as Paule saith but no Popes no principall Pastours to put him selfe forth of that high office The which office if it had bene so necessarie vpon earth as your papistes do make it neither would Christ him selfe neither all his Apostles vtterlie haue forgotten it As for the place that you continuallie demaunde for where shall wee seeke this â—here shall we finde that Your Question â—o small purpose for our maister Christ â—e warneth that in these latter dayes â—ere should be such as should say Loe here â— Christ loe there is Christ as it were bin 〈◊〉 Christ and the grace of his spirituall â—er to a certaine place but he saith beâ—e them not The church the vineyarde of the Lorde and the true religion is neuer 〈◊〉 to place but as the people of anie place â—e growne in open contempt the Lorde 〈◊〉 taken away the Vineard of his church 〈◊〉 the euil husbandmen and giuen it to an other people that would yeelde better â—â—â—es So was the place remoued from Ierâ—â—lem which had so manie promises to â—â—â—oche to Ephesus to the Galatians Coloâ—â—ans Thessalonians and to sundrie places â—â—he earth besides wheresoeuer there 〈◊〉 fewe or manie gathered in the name of Christ Christ was among them Christ â— their principall pastour whose voyce â—e they would heare and thereby were â—wne to his sheepe So became they his â—rch and people though it were but soule one housholde or familie So became they his sheepe and he their Pastour and principall shepheard and Archpastour though in all congregations he had hâ— vndershepheard alwayes who fed the sheepâ— and fought for the lambs against the woluâ— And both these churches and pastours weâ— many times knowne to the true children â— the church when they were vnknowen â— the wicked world For the children of Goâ— who are called the children of wisedome dâ— alwayes take hold of the heauenlie wisdomâ— and haue that marke to knowe one anotheâ— and rest vpon Gods word without any respeâ— of person or place or anie earthlie thing â— the families of Noah Abraham Lot Isâ—ac Iacob c. hauing Gods woord to waâ—rant them cared not for al the world besideâ— whereas all they that depende vpon the ouâ—ward showe of place or persons haue falâ— continually from God and so from the trâ— church as both before Christ at Christs â—ming and since Christs comming it is manâ—fest in the Iewes in the Samaritans in tâ— Turkes and papistes in Agar and Ismael â— all those that chalenge authoritie by the auncientie and eldership without Gods prâ—mise Now we contrariwise depending onâ— vpon Gods word are the children of promâ— â— the manner of Isaac But as then hee â— was borne after the fleshe persecuted â—hat was borne after the spirit euen so â—ow Neuertheles what saith the scripâ— Cast out the bond woman and her â—e Our mother church Sara whiche â—th onely the worde of promise seemeth â— barren desolate and forsaken in the â— but God will not forget his promise â—efore we wil neither aske him of the â—â—or of the time nor of the meanes how â—ll performe it but knowing that hee â— begotten his church by his worde wee â— also that thereby he will nourishe it â—ultiplie it and preserue it for euer â—hall the world rage against it And â— where his worde soundeth wee must â—fâ—r his church And because the Roâ—ynagogue
thy heade meaning thâ— woman Which text the Louanistes woulâ— seeme to reforme do put in ipse referring it to Christ You may see into what miseries you woulde bring vs to haue vs to beleue that the Virgin Marie should brusâ— the Serpents head whereas the words are to be vnderstanded of the seede of the woman Likewise in the Epistle vnto the Corinthians your olde translation hath these wordes Omnes quideÌ„ resurgemus â–ª sed non omnes imutabimur Wee shall all rise againe but wee shall not all be changed Which words be vntruely translated for all shall not rise againe because that at Christes comming some shall be founde aliue yet neuerthelesse All must be chaunged and this corruptible flesh must put on corruptioÌ„ But you wil perhaps say that the fault is not in the translation but in the Printer Why then hath your Church suffered the same translation to haue beene printed so often and hath not corrected these faultes Nay why with your Tridentine generall councell precisely say Let no man be so bolde or presume by any manner of colour to refuse the old common translation of the Bible To conclude you persuade the world if you haue authoritie not onely to allowe what translation ye list but also as your owne Canonistes doe auouch that the Pope the heade of your Church can at 〈◊〉 pleasure dispense against the Lawe of God against the Lawe of nature against the Apostles against all the commaundements of the olde and newe Testament That hee is Christes Lieftetenaunt not onely ouer thinges in heauen ouer thinges in earth and ouer things â—â— hell but also ouer the angels both good and badde whereas the true Church of God hath not at any time made her selfe â—â—udge ouer the worde and lawe of God 〈◊〉 alwaies hath vsed subiection vnto the â—â—â—e grounding all her religion and faith â—â—on the same worde And this you must needes confesse vnlesse you will denie a knowen trueth that we whose religion you doe so vehemently withstande haue alwayes perswaded the people not to beleeue vs one iotte further then we bring the woorde of God for our warrant And whereas you further enquire what Church hath had the custodie of the Bible and hath most safely preserued it I must needes say that God of his singuler mercie towardes his Churche by his diuine prouidence hath alwayes preserued his woorde to the comforte of his children as he preserued Elias in the wildernesse Daniel in the Lions denne the three children in the fornace Howe I pray you hath the Byble bene preserued by your Churche sith the whole worlde can testifie howe you haue burned the olde and newe Testament whiche thing is yet freshe in mans memorieâ— Did not Cutbert Tunstall being then Bishop of London cause the newe Testament to be burned at Pawles crosse in London as your Churche learned of Iehoakim king of Iuda who threw the boke which the Prophete Ieremie by Goddes commaundement had indited conteining the wrath of God against Iuda into the fier But you will say the Testamentes were falselie and vntrulie translated and therefore were burned If that had beene the cause it had bene your partes rather to haue disclosed and quoated forth the erroures and to haue amended the faultes Doeth the mother cast away the milke wherewith the children shoulde be nourished for that sometimes motes doe fall into it but rather culleth forth the moates giueth the Milke to the children euen so you ought to haue done What faultes were I beseech you in that translation you neuer noted anie if there had bene as indeede there were none why haue not you set forth a better what doctour of your Churche or fauorer of your Romishe Religion hath written in whose workes can not be found some errour yet we burned them not but are content to giue them the readinge and do reuerence them so farre as they agree with Gods truthe Further if â—n Angell should speake or write we ought not to beleue him Iudge you nowe laying away all affection whether your Church â—â— ours doe better esteme of the Bible or â—â— the better preserue the same Papist SHew me why our common knowen church did not as well corrupt the text of the Testament as the true religion contained in the same Shewe me why she kepte not as trulie and as faithfully the true sense of Gods woorde as she preserued the worde it selfe Shewe me why we shoulde beleeue the Papistes as ye tearme them for the worde it selfe and yet we shoulde beleeue you Protestantes for the meaning of the worde rather than them Shewe me why you beleeued our Churche telling you this to be Gods booke and will not credite her aduouching this to be the true and vndoubted sense of the same booke and last of all shewe me why you beleeued the elder knowen Churche affirming this to be the word and doe not beleeue her affirming Luther to be an Heretike Shewe me good reason or Scripture for these poyntes and I recant Answeare YF you meane by your common knowen Churche the Churche of Rome as you will easily assent therevnto then your Church is more common than true For triall whereof it is plaine and that by Saint Barnarde that the pastoures of your Churche of Rome keepe not the spouse of God whiche is his Churche but they destroy her They keepe not the flock but they kill and deuoure And one whiche writeth of your Church in that great and solemne assemblie at Constance saieth They did quenche the spirite they did dispise the voice of the prophetes they persecuted Christ in his members and it was altogether a persecuting churche Barnard in an other place likewise crieth out O miserable Rome which in the time of our Elders hast brought foorth the lightes of worthie Fathers but in our dayes hast brought forth the monstruous darkenes shamefull and slanderous to the time to come An other calleth Rome a schoole of errour a temple of heresie And your old friend Thomas Becket whome you haue canonized for a Saint saith Our holy mother of Rome is become an harlot and hath prostituted her self that is hath set her selfe open to euerie man for reward And what neede we goe farre one of your owne nest in the late councell of Trent sheweth his iudgement of your Churche of Rome They haue brought to passe saieth he that godlinesse is turned into hypocrisie and that the sauoure of life is turned into the sauour of death Woulde to GOD they were not gone with one generall consent from religion to superstition from faith to infidelitie from Christ to Antichrist from God to Epicure saying with wicked heartes and filthie mouthes there is no god Truth seketh not to be shrouded in corners I haue noted before a fewe places amongst many in which you haue corrupted the text of the Byble You seeme to vrge this matter instantly that your Church hath kept and
the comming of Christ sauing Iohn Bapâ—iste and he thirty yeares of age before hee preached was there no churche or was Gods spirite decayed and his trueth vanâ—uished all this while â–ª God forbid that â—ee shoulde bee so rashe in iudgement as â—nce to thinke so For Gods spirite which â—s the coÌ„forter of the faithful hath instrucâ—ed the churche of God whether it hath appeared or bene hidde whether it hath beene close or open whether in manie or â—n fewe euer since the beginning So Christe Iesus hath promised that his spirit shoulde remaine with the children of God though the wicked would not receiue him because they see him not neither knowe him The comfortable Spirite of God doeth woorke saluation â—oth adopt into Gods fauoure doth puriâ—â—e our heartes doeth moue vs to all good and godlie actions doth comforte vs in al daungers and confirmeth vs to expecte the comming of our sauiour Christ Therfore to this spirite with the Father and the Sonne be all honour laude and praise Papist 16 SHewe me againe whether anie man can be saued except he beleeue the catholike Church and that is it which in the face of all the world hath practised preaching the conuersion of nations to the obedience of the Gospell that hath alwayes had the ministring of the Sacramentes the hearing of matters in coÌ„trouersie the orderly succession of Bishoppes vniformitie in solemne ceremonies vnitie in faith that hath in her selfe all holy functions of the spirite a woorking of miracles remission of sinnes the true sense and interpretation of Gods word that is beawtified with diuersitie of states commended by Christ in the Gospell as with virgins martirs with confessors and the rest Prooue vnto me that this is not the true Church or that we be bounde to obey this Church and none other in all controuersies and doubts raised by the difficultie of the scripture or by the vaine contention and pride of heresie And I recant Answeare 16 Suppose that there was neuer any man which would looke to haue saluation by â—ods mercies in Christ that euer denied â—e Church of god So we beleeue that â—od hath had his Church euer since the â—ginning which Church is the Company â— the faithfull dispersed through out the â—ce of the whole earth which church is the â—ouse of Christ builded vppon the doctrine â— the Apostles and Prophets Christ him â—fe beeing the heade corner stone Yet â—e vtterly denye your Church of Rome to â— this true Church of god The reasons â—d causes why we will not close handes â— agree with your Church be these First â—ur Church dooth refuse Christ Iesus to â— her head in that she setteth vp her Pope â— be her head wherin she wil be gouerned â— all things euen against gods holy word â—erefore your Church is not of god That â—hrist is the heade of the true church not â— but the spirit of God testifieth that God â—ath appointed Christ ouer all things â— be the head to the Church which is â—s body And again The husband is the â—yues head euen as Christ is the heade â—f the Church and he is the same which â—eueth saluation vnto his body Your church appointeth otherwaies to be saueâ— by then onely Christes death and passion yea doth persecute Christ in his members taketh away the key of knowledge whiâ— is the woorde of God from Gods people for that ye wil not suffer them to haue it â— their knowne tongue you feede them nâ— with the sweete pastures of the holy scriptures but with the dregges of your blind Ceremonies and vayne traditions yoâ— teach them to pray in a straunge languagâ— to woorship the creature in steede â— the Creator you mixe the woorde of Goâ— with your owne deuises not to the benefite of Gods people but to get mony anâ— to enrich your selues with the spoile â— their soules You sett out all your practises as you call them to sale For of youâ— church it is saide Omnia Romae vaenaliaâ— All thinges are to bee had for monye aâ— Rome The Poet saith That Templeâ— Priestes altars sacrifices crownes fierâ— frankencense yea heauen is to be soldâ— and God him selfe But you giue smalâ— credit vnto this author Will you hearâ— what one of your approoued doctors saith Roma dat omnbus omnia dantibus omnia Romae cum praecio Rome doth â—iue to al men which doo giue all things â—o her all thinges are there to be had for â—ony at Rome Your owne decretales â—y That Rome is the head of coueteousâ—esse and therefore all thinges are there â—o be solde Your Popedome is in part â—ainteined with the tribute of Curtesans â—r common stues which is the rewarde of â—niquitie Thus you forbid lawfull matriâ—onie and mainteine open lecherie And â—hereas you would haue the worlde to beâ—eeue that your Church of Rome hath alwayes had the due and right administratiâ—n of the Sacramentes vnitie in faith orâ—erly succession of Bishoppes euen from Peter vniformitie in solempne ceremonies â—ebating of matters in controuersie all holy functions commended by Christ as virgins martirs and confessors and that all Churches are bound to obey the Church of Rome in all controuersies and doubtes raysed by the difficulty of the scriptures it shall appeare to all men that these are but vaine ostentations and shewes without truth But you wil aske me who shal iudge this matter for sometimes you stay vpon Counceles sometimes vppon Fathers sometimes vpoÌ„ customes Truly I would but wishe you and euery indifferent reader to examine whether your masse doe agree worde by worde with the last supper of our sauiour Christe You haue culleâ— foorth these woordes Hoc est corpus meum This is my bodie And therevppoâ— haue framed your masse The wordes be comfortable if you would take theÌ„ in a spirituall sense and meaning to signifie vnto vs the bodie of Christe as the godlie Father Augustine doth expouude those same woordes Non dubitauit dominus dicere hoc est corpus meum cum daret signum corporis sui Our Lord saieth hee doubted not to say This is my bodie when as he gaue a signe of his bodie Likewise Tertullian saith Hoc est corpus meum hoc est figura corporis mei â–ª This is my bodie that is to say This is a figure of my body But what shal I speak of al the abuses of your masse as the consecration the eleuation the aduocation the priuate receiuing the vnknowen tongue the ministration in one kinde keeping the â—uppe from the Laie people making it a propiciatorie sacrifice for the quicke and dead which all are moste contrarie vnto Christe his institution in his last supper Furthermore you haue corrupted Baptisme and haue deuised fiue other Sacraâ—entes more then Christe hath ordained â—d appointed in his worde Touhcing your succession of bishopes â—d vnitie in religion they are two things â—hich sound verie well together If so bee â—u can proue your succession out of the â—orde