other learned men and English writers leauing out vnnecessarie long discourses and common places sett out your reasons in playne termes and wordes of sinceritie without these hugie embossements or stuffed bumbasing that poore playne men which cannot skill of such hidden misteries may perceaue and learne something by your great travailes Thirdly that you would bee carefull not to corrupt the English creede and pure doctrine whervnto you haue subscribed either by philosophie or vaine deceate of schoolemens newborne diuinitie or by any other beggerly rudiments of this worlde nor sett these Churches by the eares with these closely caried and daintie insinuations and that through desire of vayne glorie you prouoke not your brethren and helpe the common and sworne enemie which fighteth against God against Christes church against our peaceable cuntrie and against our religious godly and christian Princesse And especially that you beware in the cause of supremacie to giue your lawfull soueraigne her right and full due and not so to make the Church of Rome of the familie of Christ IESVS that you lift vppe the sonne of pride the blasphemous tyrant the Pope into that hie chayre of pestilence to bee Christes vicar vpon earth and ministeriall head of his vniuersall Church For as there is one that saith the church of Rome is Mater nostra our mother So if you should goe but one step further we know not what iniurie may be done to her Maiesties rightfull Imperiall Crowne and dignitie And lastely that you remember him which is hie and excellent the king of all glorie and Lord of all power that you please not man to displease God seeking your self you forsake not your own mercie You knowe that it is written Only by pride doth man make contention but with the well advised is wisedome And when pride commeth then shame commeth but with the lowlie is wisedome You know also who hath saide Vengeaunce is mine c. And againe Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophetes no harme And againe The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked shall perish Now in all these things good Maister Hoo. though wee thus write we doe not take vpon vs to censure your bookes neither rashly to iudge of you for them but because wee bee all children borne in this Church and euery child louing his mother is ielous ouer that which seemeth disgracefull to his mother and all Christians are exhorted to contende earnestly for the faith which was once giuen to the saints and he that toucheth our faith toucheth the apple of our eye Wee could not but vtter our inwarde greefe and yet in as charitable manner as the cause in hande would suffer for is it not a great matter when you seeme to vs to make a wide open breach in the church and to stayne the pure doctrine of faith wee seeke that the trueth bee not darkened or defaced and that you by wise playne and honest resolution vnto these our doubtes and demandes may approue your selfe as the faithfull and sincere seruant of Iesus Christ. If then in all these our demaundes and requestes you doe louingly and faithfully satisfie vs your natiue countrymen who haue sucked out the sincere milke of the Gospell by the doctrine in England professed published and preached by sermons apologies articles and reading of holy scripture euen now these 40. yeares for whiche wee are not able to render sufficient prayse and thankes to our most mercifull Father in IESVS Christ and namely for that worthie instrument of our ioy that blessed Halcyon and Christian Deborah his annoynted hande-mayde our soueraigne Ladie and Queene Elizabeth whom the sunne of righteousnes hath raysed vpp to still the raging streames and roaring waues of Gods enemies euen the cursed Cananites of Romish Babilon whose peaceable and florishing raigne wee most humbly pray the mightie God of heauen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ still to continue in ioy and honour if indeede you aunswer our desire in loue and faithfulnesse we shall haue good cause to commende well of your sincere meaning we shalbe beholdinge vnto you for your godly zeale in defending our church and giue vnto you your condigne praise in all places for your true and vpright dealing and pray earnestlie vnto God for you that such excellent giftes and graces which he hath vouchased vnto you aboue many may be alway wisely imployed to the aduancing of the glorie of the most high God and of his most glorious Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde to the furtherance of the prosperous wealth of his holy Church the fruitfull seruice of your soueraigne Prince and natiue countrie and to your owne inward comfort and vndeceavable ioy of conscience in and through Iesus Christ our blessed Lorde and Saviour to whom bee all praise and glorie in his Church and in all places of the world for euer Amen Faultes to be corrected Folio 3. lin 31. read fauoring Fol. 11. lin 2. read pearcing Idem lin 30. read helped Fol 18. lin 28. for sonne read same Fol. 19 lin 30. read professed Fol 22. lin ult then read them Fol. 34. lin penult read ingenuously Fol. 35. lin 14. read such Fol. 37. lin 19. take away the puncte Fol. 40. lin 13. after absent put a parenthesis thus 1. The Deitie of the Sonne a Artic. 1. de â—ide in sacrosanctaram Trinitatem b Quicunque vult in the book of common prayer b booke 5. pag. 113. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 5. a Artic. 2. 5. 2 The coeternitie of the Sonne proceeding of the holy Ghost b Prouer. 8. 2â— c Ioh. 1. 1. d Iohn 17. 5. e Ioh. 15. 2â— a Booke 1. pag. 86. 87. f Artic. 6. De diuinis scripturis The holy scripture containe all thinges necessarie to saluation b Booke 2. pag. 122. c Booke 1. pag. 88. Lin. 36. Last lin a Coloss. 2. 10. b Rom. 3. 27. c Act. 4. 12. d 1 Cor. 2. 14. e Ioh. 3. 3. 4. Holy scripture aboue the Church a Replie of Bb. Iewell against Harding arti 15 pag. 537. b Reioynd to Brist replye by W. Fulk pa. 84. c ibid. pag. 99. d Booke 2. pag. 102. e Booke 2. pag. 146. f lin 38. a Esaie 52. 6 14. b Act. 2. 37. and b 17. 11. c 1 Cor. 2. 4. d 1 Cor. 3. 1. 2. e Psal. 19. 7. a 1 Iohn 5. 9. b Heb. 4. 12. c Psal. 2. d 2 Cor. 10. 3. 4. a Artic 10. De libero arbitrio 5 Of free will b Booke 1. pag. 60 61. a Ephe. 2. 5. b 2 Cor. 3. 5. c Phil. 2. 13. a Artic. 11. De hominis iustificatione a Of fayth and workes b Booke 1. pag. 82. c Booke 1. pag. 95. d Booke 5. pag. 221. e Booke 5. pag. 208. a Galat. 3. 21. 22 b Rom. 4. 6. a Mat. 5. 16. b Rom. 12. 1. c 1 Ioh. 4. 11. 19 d 1 Pet. 2. 12. 15 7 The virtue of workes a
A CHRISTIAN LETTER of certaine English Protestants vnfained fauourers of the present state of Religion authorised and professed in ENGLAND vnto that Reverend and learned man M r R. Hoo. requiring resolution in certaine matters of doctrine which seeme to ouerthrow the foundation of Christian Religion and of the church among vs expreslie contained in his fiue books of Ecclesiasticall Pollicie 1599. A Christian LETTER of certaine English Protestantes vnfayned fauourers of the present state of religion authorised and professed in England vnto that Reuerend and Learned man Maister R. Hoo. requiring resolution in certayne matters of doctrine which seeme to ouerthrowe the foundation of Christian Religion and of the Church among vs expreslie contayned in his fiue bookes of Ecclesiasticall Policie WHEN men dreame they are asleepe and while men sleepe the enemie soweth tares and tares take roote and hinder the good corne of the Church before it be espied Therefore Wise men through silence permitt nothing looselie to passe away as in a dreame Your offer then Maist. Hoo. is godly and laudable to enforme men of the estate of the church of God established among vs. For the Teachers of righteous things are highlie to be commēded And he that leadeth mē rightlie to iudge of the church of God is to be beloued of all men Howbeit sometimes goodlie promises are meere formal and great offers serue onely to hoodwinke such as meane well And as by a faire shew of wishing well our first parents were fowlie deceaued so is there a cunning framed method by excellencie of wordes intising speeches of mans wisedome to beguile and bewitch the verie Church of GOD. And such as are vsed for this purpose come in sheepes clothing For he translateth him self into an Angel of light who blindeth all men with vtter darknes When wee therefore your louing cuntrymen vnfaynedlie fouoring the present state and embracing from our heartes the Gospel of Christ as it is preached and professed in England being readie euery hower to giue vp our liues for Gods glorie and the honour of our Queene hauing so goodlie a champion to offer combat in our defence were made verie secure and by the sweete sounde of your melodious stile almost cast into a dreaming sleepe Wee happelie remembring your Preface that there might bee some other cause opened at the length our heauie eyes and casting some more earnest and intentiue sight into your manner of fight it seemed vnto vs that couertlie and vnderhand you did bende all your skill and force against the present state of our English church and by colour of defending the discipline and gouuernement thereof to make questionable and bring in contempt the doctrine and faith it selfe For we saw the theme and the cause you haue in hand to be notable simples whereof a skilfull popishe Apoticarie can readilie make some fine potion or sweete smelling ointment to bring heedlesse men into the pleasant dreame of well-weening while they closelie set on fire the house of God And may wee not trulie say that vnder the shewe of inveighing against Puritanes the chiefest pointes of popish blasphemie are many times and in many places by diuers men not obscurelie broached both in Sermons and in Writing to the great griefe of manie faithfull subiectes who pray for the blessed and peaceable continuance of her most gracious Maiestie and of the estate of the Church of IESVS Christ as it is nowe established among vs. And verelie such a thing offered it selfe vnto our eyes in reading your bookes and we had not skill howe to iudge otherwise of the handling of your penne and of the scope of your matter Notwithstanding because rash iudgemēt may preiudice honest trauailes and faithfull labourers may haue their vnaduised slippes and we could not tell howe zeale loue or glorie might carie a man of such towardlie and excellent giftes in the firste shewing of him selfe to the worlde or that an earnest striuing bending your selfe in heate of disputation against the one side might dazell your eyes and drawe your hande at vnawares to farre and too fauourable to the other side or else peradventure we might mistake your meaning and so wee should doe you wrong against our willes We thought it therefore our parte in regarde of our dutie to the Church and most agreeing to charitie both for your credit and our ease in all christian loue to intreat you that as you tēder the good estate of Christes church among vs and of thousands cōuerted to the gospel you would in like publike manner but plainly and directlie shew vnto vs and all English Protestantes your owne true meaning and how your wordes in diuers thinges doe agree with the doctrine established among vs. And that not onelie for avoyding of offence giuen to many godlie and religious Christians but also that the Atheistes Papistes and other hereticques be not incouraged by your so harde and so harsh stile beating as it were as we verilie thinke against the verie heart of all true christian doctrine professed by her Maiestie and the whole state of this Realme to despise and set light by her sacred Maiestie the reverend Fathers of our Church and the whole cause of our religion Wee haue made choyce therefore of a few principal things which trouble manie godlie minded christians who aduisedlie read ouer your bookes that by the sincere answering and vpright clearinge of them you might satisfie vs all both in them and in all the rest and free your selfe from all suspition of falshoode or treacherie and make vs able to giue a reason of defence vnto all such as stumble at your writinges And for your better ease herein and our more readie satisfaction we haue compared your positions and assertions in your long discourses vnto the articles of religion sett forth An̄ Dn̄i 1562. and confirmed by Parliament the 13. of her Maiesties most blessed ioyfull reigne and vnto the Apologies of such Reverend Fathers and chiefe pillars of our church as from time to time since the Gospell began to shine among vs haue written and preached and euerie way laboured to advaunce and defende the same with the Liturgie church governement established among vs. If you therefore good Ma. Hoo. will make it to appeare to the world that in these pointes you are all one in iudgement with the church of Englande and that your such speaches wherewith your godly brethrē are grieued may beare such sence and meaning or else as euery humble christian will doe freelie and ingenuouslie acknowledge your vnwilling ouersight or at the least which we vndoubtedly beleeue you will neuer bee able shew plainlie and by good demonstration that all our Reuerend Fathers haue hitherto bene deceaued then shall we hold our selues very well contented and satisfied Hoping therfore of your charitable direct plaine sincere and speedie answere we tender here our doubtes vnto your christian consideration and craue your brotherlie resolution in manner and forme following One foundation of christian
the world by reuelation and it presumeth vs taught otherwise that it selfe is diuine sacred Here we beseech you Mai. Hoo. that if as our Reverend Fathers affirme wee may noe otherwise beleeue the Churches them selues but as they agree to the scriptures that by them the true church is to be discerned c. and that onely scriptures sufficientlie warrant the triall of Gods worde what certaintie of saluation wee can haue in anie presuming or motiue by the church if the scripture cānot assure vs that it is the word of God Are not these contradictorie Tell vs therefore if your meaning be not that the authoritie of the church must do that which the scripture cannot doe namelie to assure vs that they are the word of God And our reuerend Fathers say The church can not so assure vs vnlesse we trie it first to be the true church by the scriptures Are not these contradictorie They say Onely Scriptures warrand vs what is the worde of God you say they cannot assure vs of the worde of God but presume vs to be taught that thinge otherwise Are not these contradictorie Haue we not here good cause to suspect the vnderpropping of a popish principle cōcerning the churches authoritie aboue the holy Scripture to the disgrace of the English church If not then recōcile your assertions vnto theirs and shew mercie and trueth vnto our reverend Fathers And therewithal we pray you to expound either by experience or otherwise Whether the worde of God was receaued in the world and beleeued by men by the virtue and authoritie of the witnesses either Prophets or Apostles or the holy church or that such witnesses were not esteemed for the wordes sake and the Church alway approued both by God faithfull men as the same was described commended and ordered by the rule of holy scripture What thinke you of the beautifull feete that bringe glad tydings and of the Kings who for reuerence stopped their mouthes at it The people pricked in harte at Peters preaching And the men of Berea searching the scriptures whether that in all these the testimonie of man as Prophet Apostle or church did authorise the word of God that it was beleeued or the demonstration of the spirituall power of the word it selfe And was not this the meaning of Saint Paule when reiecting letters of cōmendation hee affirmeth that the Corinthians were his epistle written in their heartes which is vnderstood and read of all menne c. Doeth he not preferre the power of the worde testifying of it selfe by the conversion of the heart before all other motiues and by it he him selfe was authorised in their consciences and not it by him Lastlie shew vs where you finde that the scripture presumeth vs taught otherwise c. What thinke you Is it of man or by man or of God that it so presumeth or doe not you presume against the worde of God to set vp mans testimonie when we know that the testimonie of God is greater When the Iewes and the Gentiles did both oppose them selues against the gospel what did it presume vpon was it not of it selfe the two edged sworde pearching into the marrow of the bones the rodde of iron to crush in peeces the Nations and the armour spirituall to bring in subiection euery thought vnto the obedience of the knowledge of God The Church of England professeth this groūd of faith Without the grace of God which is by Christ preventing vs that we will and working togither while we will we are nothing at all able to doe the workes of pietie which are pleasing and acceptable to God You to our vnderstāding write cleane cōtrarie namelie there is in the will of man naturallie that freedome whereby it is apt to take or refuse anie particular obiect whatsoeuer being presented vnto it And a litle after There is not that good which concerneth vs but it hath euidence enough for it self If reason were diligent to search it out Heere we pray your helpe to teach vs how will is apt as you say freelie to take or refuse anie particular obiect what soeuer that reason by diligence is able to find out anie good concerning vs If it bee true that the Church of England professeth that without the preventing and helping grace of God we can will and doe nothing pleasing to God To which beleefe of Englande the scripture accordeth shewing that without the said grace of God we are dead in sinnes and trespasses we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing It is God which worketh in vs the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure Shew vs therefore howe your positions agree with our church and the scriptures If you say you vnderstande reason and will helpe by the grace of God then tell vs how we may perceaue it by your writing whiche putteth difference betwixt naturall and supernaturall trueth lawes If you meane reason vncorrupted not respecting how in trueth we are by Adams fall perverted may wee not suspect that your whole discourse is subtill and cunning because you pretend the naturall way of finding out lawes by reason to guide the will vnto that which is good pag. 59. 62. 63. c. or at the least friuoulous seeing man hath no such reason without the grace of GOD if you meane without the grace of God and in the state of corruption as in deed all men naturallie nowe are Heere wee desire to be taught how such sayings ouerthrow not our English creed and the holy scripture in this matter and therewithall shewe vs the true meaning of Saint Paule and how he fitteth your discourse in this place namelie when he saith Rom. 8. 7. The wisedome of the flesh is ennimitie against God for it is not subiect vnto the law of God neither in deed can be The Church of England beleeueth Onely for the meritt of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ through faith and not for workes and our merites we are accounted righteous before God You saye The way of supernaturall duetie which to vs he hath prescribed our Sauiour in the Gospell of Saint John doeth note terming it by an excellēcie the worke of God This is the worke of God that you beleeue in him whom he hath sente not that God doeth require nothing at the handes of men vnto happines sauing only a naked beleefe for hope and charitie we may not exclude but that without beleefe all other thinges are as nothing and it is the ground of those other diuine virtues And againe The same things diuine lawe also teacheth as at large we haue shewed it doeth all partes of morall duetie wherevnto we all of necessitie stande bounde in regard of life to come And in another place Euery mans religion is in him selfe the well-spring of all other sound and sincere verities from whence both heere in some sorte
we not keepe our robe pure and without spot vntill the comming of Christ and so bee iustified more and more by our works as the popish Cannons teach but pray by Christes commaundement euery day Forgiue vs our trespasses The Church of England beleeueth that Predestination vnto life is the eternal purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were layde hee constantlie decreed by his counsell vnto vs vnknowen to deliuer from the curse destruction them whom he chose in Christ out of mankinde as vessells made vnto honour through Christ to bring them to eternall saluation Wherevppon they who are indowed with so excellent benefit of God are called according to his purpose and that by his spirit working in a fitt time But you Mai. Hoo. seeme to vs to affirme contrarie when you say If anie man doubt how God should accept such prayers in case they be opposite to his will or not graunt them if they be according to that him selfe willeth Our aunswer is that such sutes God accepteth in that they are conformable to his generall inclination which is that all men might be saued yet alwayes he graunteth them not for so much as there is in God a more priuate occasioned will which determineth the contrarie Heere we begge your ayde to make manifest vnto vs howe God eternallie predestinateth by a constant decree them whom he calleth and saueth as our Church professeth and yet hath as you say a generall inclination that all men might be saued Whether he foresaw not something that occasioned his will otherwise so that he elected not all but onely them whom he calleth and saueth or that of his generall inclination he elected all men but some more privatelie occasioned him in time to alter his will and to refuse them or that some men gaue God occasiō that he saueth them though he neuer decreed it before the foundations of the world What meant the blessed Apostle where he sayeth Whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified c. Is this to bee vnderstoode of a constant decree as we say or of an inclination Hee sayeth God worketh all thinges after the counsell of his owne will Is this to be vnderstood that vpon occasion sometimes hee either altereth his counsell or decreeth something which hee had not thought vpon before Saint Iames saith that In God there is no variablenes nor shadowe of turning Is not this more then a variablenes or shadow of turning to incline one way and upon occasion to decree another Doe not these wordes of yours giue some place vnto chaunce and fortune Doe they not make GOD as a man not of an all-sufficient knowledge wisedome and counsell but inclinable some one way till by occasion he finde a more better way Where is that God you speake of in your first booke of whom and through whom and for whom are all things And where is that law by which he worketh which you there call aeternall and therefore can haue no shew or colour of mutabilitie Haue we not cause to feare that the wittie schoolemen haue seduced you and by their conceited distinctions made you forget That you are neither able nor worthie to open and looke into the booke of Gods law by which he guideth the worlde And yet you will say There is in God an occasioned will Good Mai. Hoo. helpe vs heere and shewe vs howe we may thinke that you incline not to the errour of poperie touching workes forseene and that you fauour our churches beleefe The Churche of Englande doeth confesse That the church of Christ is a companie of faithfull people among whom the pure worde of God is preached the Sacramentes rightlie administred according to Christes institution c. and that the church of Rome hath erred not onely in maners ceremonies but also in matters of faith Which by the Reverend Fathers of our Church is expounded thus Without Christ the church is no church neither hath anie right or claime without his promise nor anie promise without his worde The church of Rome being as it is now vtterlie voyd of Gods word is as a lanterne without light We haue departed from that church which they haue made a denne of theeues and in which they haue left nothing sound or like to a church which thē selues did cōfesse to haue erred in manie things euen as Lot in olde time out of Sodom or Abraham out of Chaldea c. The generall error and defection of the popish Sinagogue frō Christ his true Church foreshewed in the scriptures is now manifest to the world by dissention from Christ and his holy Apostles doctrine and from the doctrine of the churches by the Apostles foūded And for this cause they call the heresie of that Romish church Apostasia Romanensium ab Ecclesia The Apostasie of the Romish rabble frō the church And they cal the Pope Apostatam Antichristum an Apostata Antichrist And binde vp in one bundle Idolaters superstitious persons papistes and Atheistes constantlie affirming that among English christians no other thing is ment by the name of papistes then heretickes and traytours Antichristians and Apostataes enemies to God their Prince and their countrie Now we finde in you these peremptorie affirmations With Rome we dare not cōmunicate concerning sundrie her grosse grieuous abhominations yet touching those maine partes of christian trueth wherein they constantlie still persist we gladlie acknowledge them to be of the familie of Iesus Christ. And a little before We hope that to reforme our selues if at anie time we haue done amisse is not to seuer our selues from the church wee were of before In the church we were and we are so still And in another place you would haue men To acknowledge that it is due to the church of Rome to be held reputed a part of the house of God and a limme of the visible church of Christ. And your principall reason seemeth to be because you say That whiche separateth vtterlie That which cutteth off cleane from the visible church of Christ is plaine Apostasie direct deniall vtter reiection of the whole christian faith as farre as the sonne is professedly different from infidelitie Heere you seeme vnto vs to come foorth as an other Elias to bring againe the people vnto the God of their Fathers They say that the church of Rome hath erred not onely in manners but also in matters of fayth You you call thē backe and say Sundrie grosse and grieuous abhominations They say that the church of Rome as it is nowe is vtterlie voyde of Gods word as a lanterne without light and that it is a denne of theeues in which they haue left nothing soūd or like a church but is like Sodom c. You call them backe and say That they haue mayne partes of christian trueth wherein they constantlie
persist They affirme and that constantlie that there is a general errour and defection of the church of Rome foreshewed in the scriptures and therefore cald them Apostataes and matched them with Atheistes seeing it is nowe made manifest to the world that they are departed from the doctrine of Christ his Apostles c. you call them backe and say we gladlie acknowledge them to be of the familie of Iesus Christ and to be helde and reputed a parte of the house of God and a limme of the visible church of Christ. And therefore you are bolde to affirme that we seuer not our selues from the church we were of before In the Church we were we are so still We are here in a streight except you helpe vs out For if we beleeue you we must thinke our reverend Fathers to haue misledd vs all this while either of malice or ignorance if wee beleeue them we must thinke that Mai. Hoo. is verie arrogant and presumptuous to make him self the onelie Rabbi We pray you therefore to reconcile these two iudgemēts that men fall not away to looke back into Egypt or else explane your minde further shew vs some cleere demonstration of that you intende whether you be not sorrie that wee are departed from the vnitie of that Sea or that you thinke they erre not in matters of faith that all these great disputes about the church and bloodie dissentions and conflicts come by ouersight and too great zeale and for want of knowledge in our Reverend Fathers in all those millions of learned men that haue franklie giuen their blood for the detection and departing from that church as from Antichrist and an Apostata And heere wee pray you to shew vs out of divine trueth your rule to discerne a Congregation to bee a member of the visible Church whether whosoeuer holdeth anie one professeth trueth differing from infidelitie may be reputed a member of the visible church and whether you meane by infidelitie nothing els but that which is not taught by the gospell of Iesus Christ and they which holde anie part of that which you call supernaturall trueth that is as we take it of that trueth which men know no otherwise but by the worde of God they are not fallen into an Apostasie c. And heere we craue your iudgement of the Turke how your rule fitteth them For as wee thinke by reading his Alcoran hee holdeth some mayne pointes of christian trueth as namelie these There is one God and that he created all things without labour or wearines and that he preserueth the things created faith is giuen and augmented of God He forbiddeth the adoring of saintes and images affirmeth God to hate and abhorre the arte of Magicke and teacheth the resurrection of all men from the dead Shewe vs now whether the Turke be not of the familie of IESVS Christ. Lastlie we pray you to open vnto vs that seeing you saye the church of Rome is the house of God whether a man continuing in that house and neuer comming out to holde the true beleefe of Christ as we doe in England but renouncing and persecuting it to the death whether such a one may be saued if yea why need we seuer our selues to so great trouble from her grosse and grieuous abhominations if they bee not such as can extinguish our faith to our destruction If no why doe you not ioyne with our Reverend Fathers to abandon that house where there is no saluation Of Gods house it is said It is the grounde pillar of trueth The habitation of God by his spirit and the glorious rest of Christ. In which God loueth to dwell and wherin he hath delight and the same hee will blesse in victualles Priestes and Saintes So that such as be planted in that house shal florish in the courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruite in their age c. Shew vs wee pray you whether these thinges may bee applied to the church of Rome rightlie and essentiallie and what comfort wee may haue by departing from her communion if shee be a parte of the house of God c. and these things we pray you to averre not by humane witnesse but by that which commeth down frō heauen So did Elias Againe out of this article ariseth another noe smal scruple where our church constantlie affirmeth that The visible church is that cōgregation of faithfull people wherein the pure worde of God is preached Wherevpon the Reuerend Fathers of our church publickely teach that The true preaching of the word is an essential note of the church For which cause they interpret the parable of the seede in this sorte God is the husbandman the Preachers of the worde are the seede sowers the seede is the worde of God the grounde is the hearts of men c. And Therefore Christ did sende his Apostles to preach the Gospell that thereby they might be brought to the beleefe of the Church And To this preaching he annexed such force of his holie spirit that it had greater strength and authoritie then all the eloquence then all the wisedome then all the learning then al the pollicie and power of the worlde and that not onely in the Apostles but also in the Preachers who haue restored the pure light of the Gospell in these latter dayes euen in those countries whose Princes and people were professed aduersaries therof vnto which accordeth the holy scriptures calling this preaching A gifte of the grace of God to admonishe euery man and to teach euery man in all wisedome that wee may present euery man perfect in Christ Jesus Which thinges maketh vs much to muse what you meane where you say Sith speach is the verie image whereby the minde and soule of the speaker conveyeth it selfe into the bosome of him that heareth We can not chuse but see great reason wherefore the worde that proceedeth from God who is in him selfe very trueth and life should be as the Apostle to the Hebrewes noteth liuelie and mightie in operation sharper then any two edged sworde Now if in this and the like places we did conceaue that our owne sermons are that strong and forcible worde should we not euen heereby imparte euen the most peculiar glorie of the worde of God vnto that which is not his worde For touching our sermons that whiche giueth them their verie being is the will of man and therefore they oftentimes accordinglie taste too much of that ouercorrupt fountaine from which they come Heere Mai. Hoo. we are hampered with your words because they seeme to vs contrarie to the iudgement of our church We therefore desire you hartilie to resolue vs what you meane in this place by sermons whether it be not all one with that our Fathers call preaching of the word consisting in teaching and exhorting by the worde of God secondlie what you meane by the being of
a sermon whether the Logicall and Dialecticall frame by which men contriue their matter in such and such a forme or that by the gift of the grace of God waying and searching and fitting togither many sentences they seeke out pleasant wordes euery right writing and faithfull wordes and so vtter in their doctrine integritie grauitie and the wholesome worde which can not be reproued If you meane the former then euerie declamation and formal oration in the schooles may be called sermons for these are framed of the meere witt of man if you meane this latter then we thinke you teach contrarie to our church the holy scriptures You say our sermons are not that stronge and forcible worde They saye it is an essentiall note of the true church to haue true preaching of the worde and namelie the preaching of the pure worde of GOD and that this hath such a force as no eloquence wisedome learning pollicie and power of the worlde can match You saye the witt of man giueth our sermons the verie being They say God sent his Apostles that the Preachers are the seede sowers and the seede is the worde of God and that this is done by the gift of the grace of God Heere we beseech you to shewe the iust harmonie of your wordes and theirs and therein to teach vs by sounde demonstration that a man can preach the pure worde of God by his owne naturall witt without a gift supernaturall of the spirit to giue him vtterance and to speak the word as he ought to speake If all that a man preach be the pure worde of God what derogation is it to call such a mans sermons or preachings the strong and forcible worde In euerie being there is as you schollers teach the matter and the forme and that which ioyneth these togither is the efficient Vnto which of these will you applie the witt of man if you say to the matter then our church is against you and sayeth it is the pure worde of God if to the forme as interpretation doctrine and exhortation then the holy scriptures doe tye vnto the gift of the spirit saying That wee haue diuers giftes as the gift of prophecie teaching exhortation and no scripture is of anie priuate interpretation If you make it the efficient then the scripture saith There are diuersities of giftes but the same spirit and there are diuersities of administrations but the same Lord and there are diuersities of operations but God is the same which worketh all in all No man can preach except he bee sente When he ascended he gaue giftes vnto men Here we pray you to teach vs how your speaches consent to these testimonies of our church and holy Scripture or may you not meane that the Sermons of manie nowe a dayes who in stead of the pure word of God doe most curiouslie bring into the pulpitt Poetts Philosophers Rhetoricians Phisitians Schoolemen and whatsoeuer either by finenesse of witt or helpe of arte they thinke may appeare fine smooth to their hearers and winne praise to them selues may you not meane I say that such our sermons haue their being of the meere witt of man or doe you thinke that the sermons of our Reuerend Fathers and more stayed diuines which are verie warie that in all their sermons whatsoeuer they speake may be the true sense of holie Scriptures and according to the proportion of faith seeing they agree not with the familie of Iesus Christ that is at Rome are not therefore the strong and forcible worde of God And heere we pray you to teach vs whether that all doctrine interpretatiō and exhortation which is truelie and meerelie the natural meaning of holy scripture be not the worde of God or that the word is onelie in the letter of the text as of Hebrewe and Greeke or if you will truelie translated and which of these hath the word of God he that alleadgeth the wordes as did the Tempter or he that alleadgeth the true meaninge as did our Saviour Christ Mat. 4. 6. 10. Lastlie shew vs that if all our sermons bee of the witt of man and none the stronge and forcible worde of God whether Romish Babilon may not chalendge our church to wante one essentiall marke as preaching the pure word of God And whether it be possible for the witt of man to giue beeing vnto that which is an essential marke of the church of God and of that which hath greater strength and authoritie then all eloquence wisedome learning policie and power of the worlde And lastlie open vnto vs whether that reverend Father did well who graunteth that the worde of God is not only in writing but in preaching in Coūsels or Doctors Because Christ saith Hee that heareth you heareth mee The Church of England affirmeth that It is not lawful for anie one to take to him selfe the office of preaching publikely or administring the Sacramentes in the church except hee be first lawfullie called and sente to doe these thinges And heerevpon our Reverend Fathers doe not only not defende nor vse anie reasons at all to prooue that women may baptize and therefore would not haue the booke of cōmon prayer touching baptisme in private to be vnderstood to permitt women to baptize but also cōnstantlie affirme that God and well ordered churches forbidd Women to dispence that holy misterie But you Mai. Hoo. haue another kinde of determinatiō where you say Ministeriall power is a marke of separation because it seuereth them that haue it from other men and maketh them a speciall order consecrated vnto the seruice of the most highest in thinges wherewith others may not medle And in another place There is an errour which beguileth many who much intangle both themselues and others by not distinguishing seruices offices and orders ecclesiasticall the first of which three in parte the seconde may be executed by the laytie whereas none haue or can haue the third but the cleargie From the whiche Cleargie you separate Catechistes Exorcistes Readers and Singers c. And in another place you seeme to mainteyne defende the practise of those churches which necessitie requiring allowe baptisme in private to be administred by Women affirming elswhere That diuers reformed churches doe both allow and defende that kinde of Baptisme Heere we desire to knowe what you meane by ministeriall power whether you take it actiuelie as that euerie minister or all Ministers haue power to make an order consecrated to the seruice of God or passiuelie that by their calling they are made to haue the authoritie and power of a Minister or that you vnderstand by it the formall cause of their ministerie by which they differ from al other orders or that you meane the holy vnction and character which the church of Rome giueth in their consecration of priesthoode And this wee desire because we finde our church and Reverend Fathers speaking like
telling Abraham his couenant reached to his seede and by differring the seale of the same to witt circumcision to the eight day You Maister Hoo. speake to our vnderstanding a farre differing language namely Predestination bringeth not to life without the grace of externall vocation wherein our baptisme is implyed For as wee are not naturallie men without birth so neither are we christian men in the eie of the church of God but by new birth nor according to the ordinarie course of divine dispensation new borne but by that baptisme which both declareth and maketh vs christians in which respect we holde it to bee the doore of our actuall entrance into Gods house the first apparant beginning of life a seale perhaps to the grace of election before receaved but to our sanctification heere a stepp that hath not any before it And againe The fruit of Baptisme dependeth onely upon the couenant whiche God hath made that God by couenant requireth of the elder sorte fayth and Baptisme in childrē the sacrament of Baptisme alone And in another place We haue for baptisme no day sett as the Iewes had for circumcision neither haue wee by the lawe of God but onely by the churches discretion a place therevnto appointed Baptisme therfore euen in the meaning of the lawe of Christ belongeth vnto infantes capable thereof from the verie instant of their birth which if they haue not howsoeuer rather then loose it by being put of because the time the place or some such like circumstance doth not solemnly enough concurre the church as much as in her lyeth wilfullie casteth away their soules Heere are we at our wittes ende not knowing what to beleeue For if our English confession bee true that baptisme is a signe of regeneration and visibly sealeth our remission of sinnes and adoption and increaseth grace c. we know not what to make of that you say Baptisme to be the first apparant beginning of life a seale perhaps of the grace of election and that there is no stepp of sanctification before Baptisme And againe if it be true as you say Predestination bringeth not life without the grace of externall vocation wherein baptisme is implyed what shall we thinke of that our Reverend Fathers say A man by Gods free election is holy and pure and that before Baptisme a man may stande in the state of salvation And if our churches doctrine be true that baptisme is a seale of remission of sinnes and that the Sacramentes make not the couenantes but are seales of the covenantes howe can yours bee true that by couenant God requireth fayth and baptisme in the elder and baptisme alone in children Is baptisme parte of the couenant and more then a seale And seeing our Reverend Fathers affirme that God and well ordered churches forbidd baptisme by women and that God hath not inthralled his church to such vrgent necessitie and that such doctrine is fearfull iniurious and blasphemous and our sweete and tender Father hath saide I will be thy God and thy childes not adding anie condition of baptisme if it cannot be had as it ought How can it bee well in you to make it a bloodie and wilfull casting away of soules if the church provide not that children haue baptisme howsoeuer And heere we pray you to teach vs whether the couenant and Sacramentes in the Gospell bee not the same in nature virtue and substance that they were vnder the lawe or that our Sacramentes haue more necessitie And if so why our Reverend Fathers disavow the necessitie of Baptisme to be done anie other wise then as it ought because God appointed circumcisiō till the eight day is there a further grace in our sacramēts or haue they not somewhat in the worke wrought whiche the Sacramentes of the law had not We pray you therefore plainelie and distinctlie to shew vs your minde whether righteousnes cōmeth by baptisme or by faith And seeing notwithstanding all these harde and peremptorie speaches you sometimes saye that grace is not absolutelie tyed to sacramentes and the necessitie of receaving not so absolute as that of administring the Sacramentes Wee would faine knowe what you holde and affirme what manner of necessitie you meane For if grace be not absolutelie tyed vnto Sacraments and necessitie of receaving Sacraments not absolute we knowe not what should make necessitie of administring absolute but that as our Reverend Fathers say we are not enthralled to appoint or suffer it to bee done by Women or lay persons if it cannot be had as it ought and if GOD haue not added any such condition of baptisme where borrowed you that distinction Wee can not tell where to finde you or how to take your meaning or at the least that your minde concurreth with the doctrine of the church of Englande we expect therefore and pray you to declare faithfullie these thinges vnto vs. The Church of Englande pronounceth that The Transubstantiation of the bread and wine in the Eucharist can not bee proued by the sacred Scripture but is against playne wordes of Scripture overturneth the nature of the sacrament hath giuē occasion of many superstitions And for this cause our Reverend Fathers call it A monstrous blasphemous doctrine bringing in doubt the trueth of Christs body Contrarie to Christes wordes sayinge It is expedient that I goe awaye Joh. 16. 7. and to that of Peter Whom the heauens must contayne vntill the time that all things bee restored Act. 3. 21. disagreeing from the articles of faith Hee ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hande of God the Father c. making voyde the institution of Christ which is to continue till he come c. casting holy things to prophane as whoremongers murderers c. mise and dogges to receaue the true reall body of Christ. causing most cruell eating of mans fleshe and manie monstrous miracles accidentes without subjectes the body of Christ without his qualities and true manner of a bodye nourishinge the Marcionist to beleeue the phantasticall body of Christ and Eutichians confounding the two natures of Christ and therefore they which affirme transubstantiation are indeed right Sacramentaries and Capernaites In regarde whereof we intreate you Mai. Hoo. to make a fitt construction of your wordes were you say Sith we all agree that by the sacrament Christ doeth reallie and truelie in vs performe his promise why doe we vainely trouble our selues with so fearce contentions whether by consubstantiation or els by transubstātiation the sacrament it selfe be first possessed with Christ or no a thing which no way can eyther further or hinder vs howsouer it stande because our participation of Christ in the Sacrament depēdeth on the cooperatiō of his omnipotent power which maketh it his body and blood vnto vs whether with change or without alteration of the element such as they imagine we neede not greatlie to care nor inquire after In all which words you seeme to
base and meane persons that on them onely so mightie a man should spend his sharpe arrowes and coales of Iuniper but you will passe ouer the Seas and search the sepulchers of the straungers and finding no man aliue worthie your combat you call Maister Calvin out of his sweete bedd of rest and him that is entred into peace you chalendge againe into the fielde Will no man fitt you but he that was as you brauely affirme incōparably the wisest mā that euer the French church did enioy since the hower it did enioy him to whom thousands were debters and who for his exceeding paynes in composinge the institutions of Christian Religion exposition of holy scripture gayned the advantage of preiudice against all gainsayers following him and of glorie aboue all that consented to him How vnlike are you vnto that great mightie Goliah who defied the whole Host of God and made challenge of a man out of them all he was so proude that he demanded but chose not he sought for one that was aliue and vaunted not him selfe ouer one that was dead And heere wee most instantlie beseech you whether your weapons be the wordes of righteousnesse and the faithfull penne of trueth Where learned you and howe proove you that Mai. Calvin was the founder of discipline And herein declare vnto vs what moued that Reverend and learned man Mai. D. Whitgeeft to spende so manie leaues to shewe that the partes of Discipline might be altered by the civill Magistrate as seruing more fitlie for the Apostles time and the time of persecution then for vs hauing the Magistrate to friende and liuing in peace and quietnes If Maister Caluin as the true storie reporteth obtayned the consent of the townes men of Geneva not onelie by demonstration out of the holy scriptures but also by shewing the minde of verie learned men of his age out of their writings as of Oecolampadius Swinglius Suychius Philip Bucer Capito and Miconius who was the founder of the discipline Where had these notable men their iudgement Did he teach them or write before them Was it not one founder euen the Lorde Christe the author and builder of his Church who raised vp diuers men in diuers places and taught them by the same spirit out of the same holie scripture the same doctrine and commaundement of trueth and righteousnes Shew vs also we pray you before our God which searcheth the heart whether we haue not iust cause to iudge that in penning this storie you make of Calvin your purpose were not to deceaue your reader by an artificiall entwining of some part of the trueth with the hollow glittering threed of your owne wittie coniectures and peremptorie censures as namelie when you beginne to tell of the repentance of the people of Genevah irefullie champing vpon the bitt you suddenlie fall into a discourse of the rising vp of those reformed churches you besprinckle them with likelihood of desire of glorie of their owne enterprises you blame thē that in that troublesome time they wanted common cōference and that afterwardes least they should derogate from their credite they became euer after resolute to maintayne that whiche they had done and so leauing the churches all bespotted with leuitie and selfepride and eased of all conscience and honestie you closelie thrust in Calvin with this worde therefore that he and his associates as parteners of the same selfe weening stiffelie refusing to administer the holie Communion were banished the towne After speaking of his restoring and reestablishing of Discipline you haue in one place Many things might lead them c. And in other place He rightelie considered c. This devise I see not howe the wisest c. And again This sorte it may be c. Therefore we pray you to teach vs how such might lead may bees such entring into his thought and crosse commending that for his divise which he simply propounded as out of the Scriptures of God may not drop into your readers heart such vnheeded impressions as may make him highly admire R. H. great grauitie and iudicious wisedome and J. Caluins carnall pollicie fine hipocrisie and peremptorie follie We beseech you also helpe vs in these things following First the true storie saith Many being at the first gently admonished for many vnworthy acts and for old enmitie among the chiefe families and the stubberne being more sharpely reproued the citie was diuided by the faction of certayne priuate men Farellus and Calvin with Coraldus openly protested that they could not orderly celebrate the Lordes Supper vnto men so much at discorde At which time also betwixt the Church at Barne and Genevah was difference in certayne rites which while they were aboute to sett in order by a Synod summoned for that purpose the chief Magistrates for that yeare of Genevah being the Captaynes of the factions and discorde assembling the people brought the matter to this ende that these three faithfull seruants of God were commanded to depart the towne within two dayes And when these Officers like vnto filthy froth were cast out the one accused of seditiō going about to escape through a window falling downe headlong by the pease of his bodie was so hurte that within few dayes hee dyed another for murther was put to death and the two other being accused for ill gouern ment in a certaine embassage forsooke the cuntrie and were condemned being absent the Citie then began to seeke againe for their Farellus and Calvin You say when these things began to bee put in vre the people began to repent them of that they had done the rather for that they grew by meanes of this innovation into dislike with some Churches neere about them c. and so Calvin and his associates as is afore said were banished and that after the places of one or two of their Ministers beeing fallen voyde they are importunate to obtayne Calvin agayne and that they were content the other two should enioy their exile The contradiction of these two stories we pray you to reconcile eyther by the 24. epist. which you cite or by anie true narration whatsoeuer First shew vs that the dislike of other churches was for discipline and that for that dislike the towne was the rather mooued against Calvin And whether rather these churches did not make intercession by the decree of a Synode for Calvin to the Genevians Secondlie whether those Sindickes being wicked and taken away by the righteous iudgments of almightie God the people were not made free from the former factions and whether that thervpon the Lord moouing their mindes they remembred not the iniuries done to those two good Pastors And shewe vs by cleare demonstration they sought not as well for Farellus as for Calvin And heere also without your helpe wee knowe not what construction to make of your descanting on the Ministers assuring Calvin of their allegeance his returning as it had bene another Tullie and
the assenting of the people with no lesse alacritie of minde then cities vnable to holde outlonger Are these anie other but bitter skornes and despitefull fictions And to omitt many things because this is a personall cause we doe most hartilie begge at your handes to aunswere vs truelie and faithfullie whether you thinke Maister Calvin to haue bene an honest truehearted christian fearing God and not an imposter and a deceaver of the people or at the least you would haue men so to esteeme of him For howe can wee otherwise coniecture in that you blame him more for the countenancing of discipline beeing established then for establishing of it affirming with no small incitements of cunning insinuations that because hee by wisedome and not by the word of God saw that discipline requisite for that people hee imployed all his witt by sifting the very vtmost sentence and sillable of holy Scripture to confirme the same and not to omit the leaste occasion in all his writinges following of extolling the vse and singular necessitie thereof If wee may thus iudge of his faithfulnesse in promoting of discipline what may wee suspect of his sincere dealing in the doctrine About rites as the ministring with common bread you acknowledge that he would not stande with the Church to make trouble for a thinge indifferent and why if he were a good man should we thinke that hee would professe it to bee trayterous cowardlines not to dye a hundred times rather then to suffer that to bee wickedly borne downe which hee very well knew to bee taken out of the word of God Can you so farre make manifest eyther by good and iust presumptions or by playne and true storie his deepe hipocrisie and arrogant pride that euen against his owne conscience hee woulde so earnestly striue and trouble the whole Church to maintaine a deuise of his owne Wee pray you therefore to shewe vs sincerelie whether such insinuations bee charitable and whether if you bee a friend to the Gospell you make not a greater rent in Gods Church by such arguments then if you medled not at all in the matter but left it to men of more stayde and sounde discretion and of a more charitable and peaceable spirite For if such bolde and bare affirmations may goe for payment why may wee not as well heare and beleeue Maister Harding which calles all the whole and pure doctrine beleeued and professed in England A wicked new deuise of Geneva We desire you therfore in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ who shall iudge all men at his cōming and make manifest the intents thoughts of the heart to shew vnto vs without all artificiall glozing whether all this your treatise of Calvin be not polished armour and a sharper rasor prepared for the vse and helpe of the enemies of the Gospell and that it may not rather bee called a preiudiciall commentarie and a Popish paraphrase then a storie true plaine and without partialitie and that men haue not iust cause to thinke the better of Maister Calvin and the cause of discipline when they see so litle plaine and faithfull dealing in your writing Reade therefore his preface before his comment on the Psalmes and Beza his storie of his life and the French or any other stories or monuments of faithfull honest Christians and then aunswere faithfully the trueth and shewe your honest meaning Our reverend Fathers converting their studies frō schoole authors vnto the holy scriptures and causing others to do the like brought many to be well seene in divinite and themselues and others well affected in Religion and therefore constantlie affirme that The heauenly doctrine of our Sauiour Christ was so buried in the darkenesse of schoole-learning that no man tasted the sweetnes of it which to be true that worthy man Martin Luther through Gods goodnes to his Church finding by great experience in him selfe and others is bolde to say Theologia illa scholastica exulem nobis fecit veram sincer am theologiam That schoole diuinitie hath banished from vs the true sincere divinitie And againe Totus Aristoteles ad Theologiam est tenebra ad lucem All Aristotle vnto divinitie is darkenes vnto light Now in all your bookes although we finde manie good things many truethes and fine pointes bravelie handled yet in all your discourse for the most parte Aristotle the patriarch of Philosophers with divers other humane writers and the ingenuous schoolemen almost in all pointes haue some finger Reason is highlie sett vp against holie scripture and reading against preaching the church of Rome favourablie admitted to bee of the house of God Calvin with the reformed churches full of faults most of all they which indeuoured to be most removed from conformitie with the church of Rome Almost all the principall pointes of our English creede greatlie shaken and contradicted If you doe not sincerelie plainelie and truelie aunswere all these our necessarie doubtes and demandes what shall we haue cause to thinke of these your tedious and laborious writinges Shall wee doe you wronge to suspect you as a privie and subtill enemie to the whole state of the Englishe Church and that would haue men to deeme her Maiestie to haue done ill in abolishing the Romish religion and banishing the Popes authoritie and that you would bee glad to see the backesliding of all reformed churches to bee made conformable to that wicked synagogue of Rome and shame and reproche to all faithfull Ministers whom GOD hath raysed vp to reveale and beate downe Antichrist and that you esteeme the preaching and writing of all the Reverend Fathers of our Church and the bookes of holy scripture to bee at the least of no greater moment then Aristotle and the Schoolemen Or else doe you meane to bring in a confusion of all thinges to reconcile heauen and earth and to make all religions equall Will you bring vs to Atheisme or to Poperie or to prepare a plott for an Interim that our streetes may runne with blood when all religious shalbee tollerated and one shall bearde and provoke another Are there not examples sufficient of vnspeakeable massacres abroade vnlesse wee should fett the same home to our countrie reioycing vnder the blessed vnitie of the Gospell of peace Thinke you that the longe experience of Gods protection in these golden dayes of quiet concorde the religious and peaceable heart of our deare soueraigne Ladie and Queene ELIZABETH for whose ioyful preservation all good and christian minded English men doe vnceasantlie pray and the thousandes of faithfull subiectes who haue learned Christ vnder the shadowe of her most happie and honorable reigne would euer giue you thankes for such great service or euer agree vnto such abhominations if they should once beginne to espie such stratagemicall operations to appeare in their effectes and to shewe them selues directlie and openlie We beseech you therefore in the Name of IESVS Christ and as you will aunswere