14 That other hinderance that is of more special force with them al generally is that they have a certain persuasion that they can not join with us in our profession but that so they should depart from the catholik church Which thing indeed is of such importance that if it were tru it were not for any that loved his own salvation or the glorie of God to join with us in our religion For there is but one church as also there is but one faith and whosoever they are that depart from either of both they cannot be of sound religion whatsoever it is they do professe Therfore to examin this matter a little first we may do wel to search out what it is that maketh them to think that if they should reform their profession so far foorth as we have done they should then depart from the catholik church and so consequently deprive themselves of aeternal life then how the same opinion of theirs may be amended Concerning the former me think that the principal cause of this their persuasion is for that they do not rightly gather neither what the church it selfe is nor yet what it is to depart from the same And then if the groundwork it selfe be wrong it is no marvel if the building that be set therupon be awrie likewise The former of them is that in the aestimation of the church they take not unto them a right trial to teach them which is the church indeed For the levels that they commonly use are especially two one taken out of the first foundation of it the other the successe that since it hath had to this praesent time wherin we live Out of the foundation of their church they go about to establish the certaintie of it by two conveiances one from Christ unto Peter the other from Peter unto them For first they imagin that Christ made Peter the cheefe of al and his general substitute heer on earth that he should be under him the head of his church and have the feeding of al that are his Out of this they gather that those onlie are the church that acknowledge Peter next under Christ to be their cheefe principal head Then do they conceive that Peter was disposed to leave this primacy with the church of Rome and to those that should be the bishops therof and that for that cause he left other places and came unto Rome and was bishop there five and twentie yeers And therupon they think they may safely gather that whosoever is not under the church of Rome he also is none of the church of God These conveiances do we take to be of very little force and so consequently no matter of substance to assure us of the truth of this matter For first that Peter had any such praerogative or primacie we find it not set down by Christ himselfe or by any of his Apostles which notwithstanding must needs have been done without quaestion if it had been tru being as it was of such importance Then as touching any assigment over from him to the church of Rome and to those that should be the bishops therof neither do we find by undowted authoritie that he ever did it nor if he had at any time done it yet that he had libertie so to do and that God would ratifie his assigment But I mean not to enter into that discourse sufficiently handled by many others neither is it needful when as our adversaries themselves do of late so much mislike that part of their groundwork that none of them al of any account can finde in their harts to build so much as their own credit theron The other which standeth in the successe that their church hath had is indeed of greater force to such a purpose but yet notwithstanding such as being rightly considered yeeldeth no assurance to the matter that we have in hand The successe which the church of Rome hath had resteth in two principal points in continuance and consent of others By continuance I mean that it hath not fallen bak again to Paganism or heathenish vanitie neither yet stept aside to the sect of Mahomet as the Turks and manie others have done but ever continued after a sort in the profession of the faith since the time that by the Apostles it was delivered unto them Which surely is a very special blessing of God an evident work of the holie Ghost and a very good cause why al those that wish wel to the Gospel of Christ should have the ancient church of Rome so much the more in reverence for it So commeth it to passe that they have not onlie had after a sort a continual succession of bishops teachers but also have in some maner praeserved and hitherto maintained both the word and the sacraments that Christ himself did leave unto us The consent also that they have had hath been verie great yet not ever alike but somtime more than at some other So long as it kept the faith undefiled and was earnestly bent to advance the kingdom of Christ and would in no wise break but carefully maintained the unitie of the church so long they had the consent of al that dwelt about them or by any means could have any dealing with them And that not altogither for the antiquitie and dignitie of the citie bicause it had been of great continuance in a florishing estate and was now the imperial seat but also even for the sinceritie of the faith and for divers excellent gifts that God had powred upon that church in plentiful maner But after that the former zeal being abated it began to fal in love with earthly things and to break the peace of the church to advance it selfe then began manie to let down their former good liking of it al the East churches generally and manie of the better sort in the West likewise Nevertheles even then also the greatest part of al Europe and some others else-where besides did cleave unto it partly of themselves for the former dignitie of the place or for that they perceived not how they began to slide away from the sinceritie of their profession but especially bicause of the great power that the church of Rome did after obtain from which they saw not how to withdraw themselves without some praesent displeasure or danger Hence commeth it that they have had their doings allowed and their opinions confirmed not onlie by manie several persons of best account but also by Provincials abroad and by general Councels at home themselves or their frinds in these latter ages ever bearing the sway in them both So that indeed the church of Rome hath had such successe in these parts of the world among us that to our knowledge there hath not been the like for earthlie pomp any where else Yet notwithstanding this also is over weak wherupon to set that building of theirs needs must it have a faster ground else can it never be able to
do specially commend this unto thee the rather for that it proceedeth from those that otherwise are for divers points the greatest adversaries that we have in the cause of religion And wheras inordinate contention is not only unseemly for the church of God but also hurtful to the cause of religion a special point of wisdome it is when God hath bestowed any good gift on any of us al that others should so aesteem therof as that they make the same a mean to moderate the bitternes of their affections towards al those that gladly would live peaceably with al so much as they might as also on the other side it is very cleer that those that wil not so far as the cause of religion it selfe doth permit them may have just occasion to be ashamed and therby to finde out what kind of spirit it is that doth lead them So the substance of the booke is such as that a minde that is wel disposed may with one and the selfesame labor gather out of it both lessons of godlines unto it selfe and that which may somwhat occasion some better agreement among certain of us with such of them I mean as stand more indifferent and are content to dissent no further from us than of conscience they think that they ought The former of which wil yeeld us this fruit that we shal addresse our selves to do in som good measure our service to God the other that we shal do it with a quieter conscience our selves desirous to be at peace withal so far as conveniently may be obteined On the other side likewise bicause I found the maner and form so far foorth out of order as I have declared therfore did I indevor my selfe to help it a little as need required But as touching the transsation that they use I have altogither let them alone therwith partly to condescend so far unto them as to suffer themselves in such case to use what translation they wil and with good wil to hear them therin and partly for that divers points of the matter were so grounded therupon that the translation might not be amended unlesse the matter were altered likewise So far foorth therfore as there was no manifest error taken in withal I have left it wholy unto them though otherwise it might oft times be amended For which cause also I did the rather omit to meddle with the quotations to alledge the verse of the chapter withal bicause that in distinguishing of the verses we disagree somtimes and forbearing to obtrude ours to them unlesse I thought they would take it in good part have forborn likewise to use theirs for that we finde it not so agreeable to the truth it selfe As for those special words of theirs that the Author so praecisely useth I have used my libertie therin somtimes letting them stand as they are and somtimes altering them when they were abused or otherwise the case did so require Those other points of their proper opinions wherin we dissent from them and they no dowt from the truth it selfe I have clean left out and some of those venturous points besides togither with certain of those places likewise which he hath alledged out of others that did not so much appertain to the matter that he had in hand or not so effectually touched the same as himselfe otherwise hath done The former of which I therfore left out for that neither my selfe could allow to leave any such as to my knowledge might be any hurt or else but occasion of stumbling to others neither could I so have gotten it foorth to the use of al carrieng stil such corruption with it And this have I done so much the rather for that most of those things seem rather to be added by some that had the perusing of the booke before it might be allowed among them to come to the print than by the proper Author therof they do so little oft times agree with the argument that there he hath in hand nor with the maner of handling of it As for example in the first part of the booke and third chapter setting down the end of mans life which he saith is the service of God eight or nine times in that chapter is joined withal the gaining of heaven which notwithstanding is not agreeable to the maner of the Authors handling of that point as it may appeer in the whole discourse there and namely by his place of Zacharie in the beginning of the third and by his division in the beginning of the fourth chapter where notwithstanding the gaining of heaven is very odly put in again The other sort likewise I thought good to leave foorth for that being impertinent they might discredit some part of the rest or else but weaker than the rest might so let down the affections again which were stirred up before by the other And truly the spirit in these dais doth proceed a great deal more effectually both in doctrine and exhortation than it did in the dais of divers of those that were heer alledged Wherin if there shal be any that shal think either on the one side that I have put out too much or on the other that I have put out too little neither am I desirous to overrule their judgements nor very careful to maintain mine own if any shal come with better matter contenting my selfe only with this that I have done what seemed to me to be most expedient to the glorie of God and to the benefit of his people heer And so without any further defence of my doings therin now gentle Reader I send thee over to the booke it selfe where if thou shalt bestow a little pains though it be no more but once with advisement to read it over I dowt not but that thou wilt confesse thy labor to be wel bestowed Which when thou shalt finde then descending to the Author of it seeing himselfe desireth to be holpen by thy praiers thou shalt do wel both to thank God for him for this which is done and to solicite him with thy praiers on behalfe of him and the rest that it would please him to give them a further knowledge of the truth in Christ so far as his wisdome hath thought expedient to the setting foorth of his own glorie and to the salvation of those that are his And God give us al so many as do appertain to his kingdome his grace in that measure that both we may agree togither in the truth of religion and altogither imploy our selves in his service heer in peace and quietnes one with another And so I bid thee hartily farewel At Bolton-Percy in the ancientie or liberties of York the 9. of Iulie 1584. Thy hartie wel-willer in Christ EDMVND BVNNY The booke of Christian exercise appertaining to Resolution The contents of the first part of this booke touching the helps of resolution to serve God The first Chapter Of the end and parts of this booke with a necessarie
the discipline of the Lord and be not wearie when thou art chastened of him For whom God loveth he chasteneth he whippeth every son whom he receiveth Persevere therfore in the correction laid upon you God offereth himselfe to you as to his children For what child is there whom the father correcteth not If you be out of correction wherof al his children are made partakers then are you bastards and not children Al correction for the present time when it is suffered seemeth unpleasant and sorrowful but yet after it bringeth foorth most quiet fruit of justice unto them that are exercised by it Wherfore strengthen up your wearie hands and loosed knees make way to your feet c. That is take courage unto you and go forward valiantly under the crosse laid upon you This was the exhortation of this holie captain unto his countrie men soldiers of Iesus Christ the Iewes 47 Saint Iames the brother of our Lord useth another exhortation to al tru Catholiks not much different from this in that his epistle which he writeth generally to al. Be you therfore patient my brethren saith he until the comming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman expecteth for a time the fruit of the earth so pretious unto him bearing patiently until he may receive the same in his season be you therfore patient and comfort your harts for that the comming of the Lord wil shortly draw neere Be not sad and complain not one of another Behold the judge is even at the gate Take the prophets for an example of labor and patience which spake unto us in the name of God Behold we account them blessed which have suffered You have heard of the sufferance of Iob and you have seen the end of the Lord with him you have seen I say that the Lord is merciful and ful of compassion 48 I might heer alledge many things more out of the scripture to this purpose for that the scripture is most copious heerin and in verie deed if it should al be melted and powred out it would yeeld us nothing else almost but touching the crosse and patient bearing of tribulation in this life But I must end for that this chapter riseth to be long as the other before did and therfore I wil only for my conclusion set down the confession and most excellent exhortation of old Mathathias unto his children in the time of the cruel persecution of Antiochus against the Iews Now saith he is the time that pride is in hir strength now is the time of chastisement towards us of eversion and indignation come Now therfore O children be you zealous in the law of God yeeld up your lives for the testament of your fathers remember the works of your ancestors what they have done in their generations and so shal you receive great glorie and eternal name Was not Abraham found faithful in time of temptation and it was reputed unto him for justice Ioseph in time of his distresse kept Gods commandements and was made Lord over al Egypt Phinees our father for his zeal towards the law of God received the testament of an everlasting preesthood Iosue for that he fulfilled Gods word was made a captain over al Israel Caleb for that he testified in the church received an inheritance David for his mercie obtained the seat of an eternal kingdom Elias for that he was zealous in zeal of the law was taken up to heaven Ananias Azarias and Misael through their beleef were delivered from the flame of the fire Daniel for his simplicitie was delivered from the mouth of lions And so do you run over by cogitation al generations and you shal see that al those that hope in God shal not be vanquished And do you not fear the words of a sinful man for his glorie is nothing els but dung and worms to day he is great and exalted and to morrow he shal not be found for he shal return unto his earth again and al his fond cogitations shal perish Wherfore take courage unto you my children and play the men in the law of God For therin shal be your honor and glorie Hitherto are the words of Mathathias which shal suffice for the end of this chapter CHAP. III. Of the third impediment that letteth men from resolution which is the love of the world AS the two impediments remooved before be indeed great staies to many men from the resolution we talk of so this that now I take in hand is not only of it selfe a strong impediment but also a great cause and common ground as it were to al the other impediments that be For if a man could touch the very pulse of al those who refuse or neglect or defer this resolution he should find the foundation therof to be the love of this world whatsoever other excuse they pretend besides The noble men of Iewrie pretended fear to be the cause why they could not resolve to confesse Christ openly but Saint Iohn that felt their pulse uttereth the tru cause to have been For that they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God Demas that forsook Saint Paul in his bands even a little before his death pretended another cause of his departure to Thessalonica but Saint Paul saith it was Quia diligebat hoc seculum For that he loved this world So that this is a general and universal impediment and more indeed dispersed than outwardly appeereth for that it bringeth foorth divers other excuses therby to cover hir selfe in many men 2 This may be confirmed by that most excellent parable of Christ recorded by three Evangelists of the three sorts of men which are to be damned the three causes of their damnation wherof the third and last and most general including as it were both the rest is the love of this world For the first sort of men are compared to a high way where al seed of life that is sown either withereth presently or else is eaten up by the birds of the aire that is as Christ expoundeth it by the devil in carelesse men that contemn whatsoever is said unto them as infidels and al other obstinate and contemptuous people The second sort are compared to rocky grounds in which for lak of deep roote the seed continueth not wherby are signified light and unconstant men that now chop in and now run out now are fervent and by and by key-cold again and so in time of temptation they are gon The third sort are compared to a field where the seed groweth up but yet there are so many thorns on the same which Christ expoundeth to be the cares troubles miseries deceveable vanities of this life as the good corn is choked up and bringeth foorth no fruit By which last words our savior signifieth that whersoever the doctrine of Christ groweth up yet bringeth not foorth du fruit that is whersoever it is
if they should ioin with us they fear that therby they should depart from the Church Concerning which First the hardnes of the matter is unfolded Which is done by shewing First how they are deceived which is for that they do not rightly conceive Either what the Church is Sect. 14. Or what it is to depart from it Sec. 15. Then how the error may be amended which is by right understanding What the Church is Sect. 16. What it is to depart frō the same Se. 17. Then the Resolution therof is gathered which is that of departing altogither from the Church there ought to be at al no quaestion among us but only who are the truer members of that Church that we al are of In which point so long as the quaestion is but betwixt us and them the advantage is wholy and only ours Sect. 18. The Treatise tending to Pacification TO persuade or move others to the truth of Religion that being as by yet preiudice deceived cānot persuade themselves to be so short therof as they are hath been and ever must be in al ages so needful an argument as that many do gladly bestow their labor therin Of which as other ages have ever given sufficient testimonie so this of ours doth most plentifully witnes the same being so much more fruitful and abundant therin as it hath pleased God to blesse it with so rare and singular a light of the truth as to our knowlege he never yet bestowed on others Therfore among us also there are and those very many that have taken this argument in hand and have done so wel therin that God is glorified the church is increased and themselves have gotten a reverend aestimation among the people of God therby So commeth it to passe that whatsoever I shal do therin according to the smal talent that God of his goodnes hath bestowed on me may seem to be needlesse and as it were to come out of season when the church is so wel stored alreadie with such persuasion and others long since seem to themselves halfe cloied therwith Neverthelesse seeing that now I was purposed to get foorth this booke of Resolution that goeth before which so treateth of godlines of life that in a maner it maketh no mention of knowledge or faith as also it appeereth that the author himselfe was in some things of a contrarie judgement to us therin I thought the case it selfe to be such as that it behooved me to say somwhat therof as before in the preface I have declared The effect wherof is no more but this first to shew that there is very reason why they should join in profession with us and then to declare in what sort to remoove such things as most do hinder the weaker sort The reason why they ought to join in profession with vs is for that it becommeth and behooveth the church of God in many respects to be at unitie in it selfe and yet the case so standeth in this matter that we are not able in our profession to yeeld unto them but they verie wel may and of dutie ought to accord unto us It becommeth and behooveth the church of God to be at unitie in it selfe for so many good and substantial causes that it needeth no confirmation at al insomuch that it shal not be needful to bestow any labor in the prooving of it The other is not so fully concluded of al and yet notwithstanding we dowt not but we have sufficient ground-work to be persuaded therin as we are The reason why we may not yeeld unto them is for that there can be no other account made of the matter but that the benefit we should get therby would be verie little and the inconvenience that commeth withal marvelous great The benefite that we should get therby seemeth to rest but only in a certain persuasion that we should be in better case than now we are For whether we should be so or not that must needs as yet lie in question betwixt us But this is very tru in deed that if we were of their profession then should we be with them persuaded that our estate were so much the better And our estate would then seem to be bettered both for the certaintie of our salvation in the world to come and in some things that do concern this present life For as touching our salvation we should account our selves more sure of it bicause that then we should imagin our selves to have the mediation and help of angels and saints in heaven and the benefite of our own and other mens merits on earth wheras by the profession that now we are of we so rest in Iesus Christ alone that we seeke for no help by any of those And if Iesus Christ be not only sufficient to work our salvation which themselves do never denie but also sufficient in himselfe not going out of his own person for any part of his sufficiencie but keeping only to his own merits and mediation having no respect at al to the mediation or merits of any others which also I think very few of them wil denie though when they have granted it they are fain somtime to borrow it again to establish the doctrine of those other helps what special advantage is it to us for to have any mo besides when we have inough and inough only in him For although it were not il to mingle any other with him which at this present we wil not urge yet if be but more than needeth it can be no special benefite to us He that hath wel dined alreadie can very little be holpen by more plentie of meat be it never so good and otherwise welcome unto the taste Now that Christ is sufficient even in himselfe without the help of any other if it be not in the scripture so plainly set down and so derived through al antiquitie in the judgement of any but that stil they wil hold it needful to seeke unto others so far as before they were woont to do neither wil we labor at this present to make it plainer The things that do belong to this praesent life wherin it might seem our estate might be bettered are of two special sorts wherof some concern our inward and one other concerneth our outward government Our inward comfort may seem might be increased under that profession two principal wais First that then we need not fear the excommunication or curse of the bishop of Rome under which we are now and long have been then for that they have a more copious representation as they take it of heavenly comforts than we for that in sacraments and ceremonies they far exceed us and have that use of images also wheras we have none at al. First therfore concerning the Popes curse we do not find it now to be of that force that heertofore we thought it to be neither by the word of God neither by experience it selfe And if we
works but to the free mercie of God So on the other side if Saint Paul had purposed to exhort to newnes of life he would there have told us as else-where he did that though we had al faith and had not love yet al were nothing So for the doctrine of justification likewise I trust there is no such absurditie held by us that any may have any just cause to fear to join with us therin 9 Those things that hinder are some of them of lesse importance and lightly hinder not but those that are of the weaker sort and one other there is of more special force with them that I take to be the greatest stay that hindereth those that take it to be a matter of conscience indeed Those lesser hinderances likewise are divers For some respect their persons especially and one other there is that somwhat respecteth the cause likewise Those that do most properly respect their persons are especially two one that proceedeth from regard of their credit which was somwhat touched before as one of the inconveniences that heerby they should have the other that concerneth certain hardnes that by bodily punishment they suppose themselves to be put unto untouched as yet And the discredit that they dowt would fal upon them is partly with al generally but especially with those with whom they have so long held togither For with al generally it is like to be some disgrace unto them for that they have al so professed and some of them besides have accordingly taught but yet no such as of right may hold them stil in the course that now they are in For as touching their profession it is very incident to the nature of man to be deceived especially in the truth of religion Howsoever we have a reasonable good sight in other things yet in this the best of us al are far to seeke for any thing that we have in our selves to help us withal Neither are we only to seeke heerin but also prone to conceive best liking of that which is wrong But besides their own natural weaknes and inclination they may wel remember that the former dais were such and their own proper education withal that whosoever is of any reasonable consideration wil easily pardon for the former time such wanderings unto them For both those things are verie forcible to lead us away with them whersoever there is not the special grace of Gods holie spirit both for to teach us a better course and to lead us therin So with men who are al of the selfe-same mould and have al had our parts of that other infection besides it is a very pardonable matter in religion to have held that course that they did pardonable I say in respect of our own natural impotencie and inclination and of those dais of ignorance that were before togither with our education then framed according to that praesent time But if we come to these dais of ours then is the case altered much For now it hath pleased the goodnes of God both to give them a more plentiful knowledge of his wil and pleasure and to offer unto them a readier direction by his holie spirit that so they may both see and walk the way to his kingdome so much the better Which diversitie of times and graces considered they may easily resolve themselves that it is no discredit unto them to alter the course of their former ignorance when as now their eies being opened they have found a better In the night it is no shame at al to go awry in the day time it is a fowl and stark shame indeed to hold on that course and not to break it off with speed Concerning those that besides their own profession have also taught the same unto others it cannot be denied but that they have done so much the more hurt and that their auditorie and disciples before may charge them with great alteration now if so they should alter their former course Nevertheles neither were their former doings to be denied their reasonable excuse with al those that are indifferent neither can they now continu on their course but that needs they must therwithal impeach their credit much more than if they had altered with al that have attained unto the knowledge of the truth For their former labors are the rather to be born withal for that being then persuaded that they were right it was their parts indeed to commend unto others that which themselves did think to be needful But that now it is rather for their credit to alter their course besides that other before recited which they have common with the rest hence also may they gather for that finding now that they have done much hurt before it standeth them upon for to amend the same so soone as they can The wound they have made it were meet that themselves should heal again Which if they should forsake to do howsoever it would stand with their credit or not it were verie like for to procure them an heavie judgement in the end For the errors that they should so leave uncorrected could not but infect manie others and likely inough so to grow on to the end of the world by which time it is not to say what heaps of iniquitie might come therby For al which they must needs stand chargeable before the judgement seat of God unlesse while they live heer among us they seek to amend al their errors delivered before In which respect Augustine hath left them in his own example a point of great wisdome diligently retracting or calling bak again whatsoever points of doctrine he found that he had unadvisedly delivered before and yet notwithstanding as it seemeth and himselfe in the praeface confesseth thought no shame with it at al as indeed it was a very good testimonie of his inward sinceritie and so consequently as much to his tru and just commendation as any thing else that ever he did If it be said that in him there was some further cause for to retract much of that which he wrote before both bicause he wrote very yoong and before he was baptised in the faith of Christ tru it is indeed that so he wrote but not so with al as leaveth to them any such advantage For the quaestion is not whether Saint Augustine or they had more need to retract some of their opinions but whether it be meete that those should do it that have taught unto others that which now they finde to be wrong And thogh it were yet I dowt much whether upon sufficient advisement any of them would so far urge the ods betwixt them either his youth to their yeers or his imperfection before his baptism to their ripenes now but that they would with good wil acknowledge rather that it were their parts if they have taught any erronious points of doctrine with him to retract them than to make any such allegation that they need not do it
stand Although therfore that in their own opinion their church hath had a special foundation and although it hath had indeed such successe since as themselves do stil imagin yet notwithstanding when they point us unto the church and undertake to shew us undowted tokens therof then we allow not that they should think to put us over onlie to this and shew us no better tokens than these We do not denie them to be of the church but we allow not the bounds of the church to be so taken in nor these things to stand for sufficient proofe that any such praeeminence belongeth to them 15 The other point that seemeth to yeeld some part of the groundwork of that persuasion is for bicause that they do conceive that to be a departure from the church which is none indeed after that once the truth is tried Concerning which matter it shal be good to consider these two things how this kind of persuasion doth grow and what inconvenience this one point of mistaking doth breed in the end This persuasion groweth most of al by the means of our adversaries then also by some of our selves too Those adversaries of ours by whom it commeth are lightly the most cunning and most learned of them who seeing themselves to have some advantage if they can win us to acknowledge or others to beleeve that we are simplie or in al things departed from them and make another peculiar church of our selves earnestly labor even at the first to obtain that advantage Hence commeth it that both they do so busily urge that point and would have neither us nor others to make at al any quaestion of it and so readily apply to that sense whatsoever they finde in our writings that doth import a division betwixt us Those on our part by whom it commeth are most of al those that are most zealous who being much mooved with the manifest corruption that the adversarie part maintaineth and with their unreasonable thirst of innocent blood in the quarrel of religion are by that occasion carried so far somtime that they do not ever speak and write in so sensed maner but that when they acknowledge that division that indeed is and ought to be betwixt them and us so long as they stand in such sort as they do they may seem to acknowledge that we are altogither divided that we are a distinct visible church from them and they but a synagog in no sense appertaining to the visible church Wheras notwithstanding by the whole course of al our writings it is cleer again that we do not sunder our selves from them nor them from us but only in those points that are in controversie betwixt us and for the rest agree togither and acknowledge likewise that in those we are one But bicause that whensoever we speak of the division that is betwixt us we do not therwithal shew how far we agree therupon it seemeth to them that we can easily be content to be altogither abandoned from them and to have no societie at al with such a people So commeth it to passe that as they upon the advantage disclame in us and bear us in hand that both they and we cannot be the members of any one and the selfesame church as indeed in some sense we cannot and in that sense is by us acknowledged so we likewise seem unto divers to be in that point of the selfesame mind with them and as fully to disclame in them as they do in us and as absolutely to hold that both sorts of us cannot in any sense or construction be members of one and the selfesame bodie especially of that which is ancient and tru and the catholik or apostolik church as notwithstanding we are generally The inconvenience that this mistaking dooth breed in the end is very great and hurtful to the cause of religion but some branches therof there be which are common to both parties and some that are proper to either Common to both are these two the inward hart burning and greefe of mind that is betwixt us one towards another and bitter contentions insuing theron whensoever occasion is offered And touching the former we need go no further than to appeal every one to his own conscience For there shal we finde both that we have an inward greefe one towards another and that we think we may and ought maintain the same in the cause of religion that we have in hand Our contentions are so apparant and known unto al that al Christendome is witnes of them Which also are for the most part so bitterly handled as if in religion we were utterly sundered one from another and had no point of faith at al that were common betwixt us to the increase of variance among our selves and to the great hinderance of many of those that are without and otherwise might be woon to the Christian faith Proper unto our adversaries it is that if it do fal out in the end as I trust it wil anon appeer that there was no such cause in us as deserved so to be abandoned from the church of God then abideth an heavie judgement for them that have been so bold as to set down that we are not of the church of Christ and therwithal for to power forth whatsoever curses they had against us And no marvel if they stand in such danger in the judgements of God when as being so they sin very greevously both against God and against their neighbor Against God for that they fight against his truth and abuse the place of justice that he hath given them against their neighbor for that so they discourage and terrifie many of the weak ones that are among us and among themselves are the only cause that many of the simpler sort that belong unto them are persuaded that we are none of the church and behave themselves accordingly towards us Then also if it should be so as we hope it wil appeer that we have a better title to be of the church than they thēselves have then would their subtiltie and fearcenes return to them again and conclude upon themselves that if we do not belong to the church much lesse do they Proper unto us are two others likewise if we at any time suffer them to make such an absolute division betwixt us For so commeth it to passe first that by consenting so far with them in this error we also must stand chargeable before God for whatsoever il fruits do spring of the same ratably at the least so far as the proportion of our fault requireth Then also we bring our selves to needles trouble for that it is great probabilitie with them that so we make our selves answerable for to finde out a distinct a several church from them from which we descend which hath continued frō the Apostles age to this praesent else that needs we must acknowledge that our church is sprong up of late or at least since theirs
certain by-matters concerning their profession yet that which is the very substance indeed have they ever professed togither so long as themselves abode in Christ therupon acknowledged ech other for catholiks notwithstanding the diversitie that in those other points they stil maintained As also we see in the law of arms that howsoever countries and kingdoms are divided among themselves yet therin do they agree togither notwithstanding the diversitie of government or laws and notwithstanding the mortal enmitie that otherwise may be betwixt them For even so is it in the church of God very much divided in many matters of lesse importance but in the substance of Christian religion which we term the catholik faith agreeing togither And as it is in men and al other creatures that God hath made that generally al are like unto the kind of which they are but otherwise varieng among themselves even so is it in this likewise al that are Christians holding togither that which is the common faith of al the material and essential points of Christian religion and yet very often greatly divided in other matters therunto appertaining but not of the very substance indeed Seeing therfore that the substance of Christian religion the very effect of the whole is to rest in Christ alone for the whole work of our redemption in his preesthood for our attonement in his doctrine for al our wisdome and in his kingdome for our obedience whosoever they are that hold the same they hold without quaestion the catholik faith whosoever they are that diminish of this or put to any other they dowtles do that which hath not ever been in the church of God nor whersoever it hath been spread and so conseqvently that which in neither of these respects nor in any other can truly be aesteemed catholik For whatsoever it is that is catholik indeed it must needs have the testimonie of al ages and of al Christian churches which only agreeth to that which is taught by the written word And whatsoever is not such that also to abide by is not catholik 18 Now to find out who they are that depart from the church but so that we incumber our selves no further than to the praesent busines that we have in hand doth appertain the quaestion standeth betwixt the adhaerents of the church of Rome on the one side us on the other they plainly affirming that we are departed from the church we denieng it and not only claiming to have a lawful interest therin but also pleading a continual possession that we never were nor yet are departed nor excluded from it For the plainer demonstration wherof we are to justifie that of departing from the church there ought to be no quaestion at al among us but only of the members therof who they are that more truly answer unto their calling For we both acknowledge the holy Trinitie and three persons therin of aequal glorie and those three to be but one and the selfesame God we both acknowledge Iesus Christ to be the onlie begotten son of God and to be man of the virgin Marie we both acknowledge him to be the promised savior that there is no redemption in any but only by him the canonical scriptures we both acknowledge to be the undowted word of God and likewise observe those two sacraments that God ordained to be in perpetual use among us we both acknowledge that it behooveth Christians to mortifie the flesh and to walk in holines of life that one day we shal be raised up again and stand at the judgement seat of Christ and so manie as have done wel shal go to fruition of everlasting joies but al the rest to everlasting pains So that as touching the profession of the faith generally both sorts of us do so far agree that neither of us may justly account the other to be none of the church of God And therfore as it was very il done of those that first urged such a separation so likewise those that seemed so easily to accept therof as though that both sorts of us could not be of one and the selfesame church generally did unadvisedly likewise For whersoever this cōmunitie of profession is there whosoever make such division they are not able to justifie their doings therin bicause that so they make an utter separation wheras notwithstanding in general profession they are reasonably wel united togither and are not sundered but in some special matters of controversie But now if we come to the consideration of the several members heerunto appertaining whether they be whole congregations as national churches or but ordinarie parishes or whether they be but particular persons therin may we be bold to determin that both are not right but that one part whosoever it light on must needs be wrong For though by their outward profession generally we are both sorts to be accounted of the church yet in such diversitie as is betwixt us we cannot both sorts be tru members of the same If they be right then we are wrong if we be right then they are wrong Such is the diversitie that is betwixt us and of so material and needful points though both sorts be of the catholik church yet is it not possible for both sorts to be catholik members of the same Whether of us therfore it is that is wrong is now to be seen Where first as touching them we cannot account them to be catholik members for two principal causes First bicause that they do professe maintain divers opinions that very directly go against the Christian faith that generally they do otherwise hold For they do not content themselves only with Christ nor with his word nor with his sacraments or at the least not so fully as we but set them up other mediators in heaven other doctrines sacraments on earth And though it may be they wil say that they have not done these things in such sort or not in such measure as we would seem to charge them withal yet can they not denie but that they have done it and do it stil more than we and then if the quaestion lie betwixt them and us whether are the truer members needs must we in that respect praevail against them The force and power of his annointing they impeach very much when as they do not content themselves with him alone whom the father appointed made able to serve our turn Then also bicause they do so earnestly impugn the truth of religion in divers points and so bitterly persecute the persons of those that either professe religion sincerely or join not with them in al their corruptions and usurpations For so doing we can make no other account of them but that they have suffered themselves to be made the members of antichrist or man of sin that sitteth in the church of God and insolently confoundeth al at his pleasure Concerning our selves they wil not charge us but that we rest