Gen. 20.7 cap. 49 1. prophets did tel of things to come ordred the church in the families as they were g 2. Pet. 1.21 Gen. 15. 17. 21. c. guided by the spirite of God in prophesie or receiued commandement by vision or dreame from God Vnder the law there is the h This is taught in Exodus Numbers Leuiticus expounded in Deuteronomy all the prophets priesthood in the house of Aaron the Leuites vnder thē attend vpon the holy administration by diuers orders and ordināces keeping the people vnder the pure religion of faith loue Vnder the gospel there be also diuers i 1. Cor. 12.4.5.6 c. Mat. 28.19 Ephes 4.11 Rom. 15.18.19 administrations giftes and works set in the church to rule and feede the flocke of Christ to make them obedient to the faith in worde and deed And the k Math. 13.17 cap. 11.11 2. Cor. 3. manifestation of the spirit is more excellent abundant in the latter times then in the former Now in these three times you may see touching these ceremonies and maner of gouernment great difference and that the word of God doth not esteeme of these outward thinges as of the substance of religion vnchangeable as he doth of the inward and spirituall namely faith and loue And first as touching the time before the law Christ teacheth that the Iewes could not be Abrahams children l Ioh. 8.39 because they did not the works of Abraham which workes are not in ceremonies and maner of gouernment for they were two curious in those things and therefore Christ saith in another place m Math. 9.13 Go and learne what this meaneth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Thereby declaring the morall duties of loue to be substantiall in a religious profession not ceremonies as sacrifice washing tithinge c. And S. Paul on the other side saith thus a Rom. 4.10.11.12 Abrahams faith was imputed to him for righteousnes before hee was circumcised and that after he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should bee the father of all them that beleeue Where hee sheweth that Abrahams religion whereby hee was iust before God was his faith and that was before hee was circumcised and without circumcision then his circumcision was onely a signe and a seale to strengthen his faith in sealing vp of his righteousnesse but not of the matter or substaunce of his righteousnesse Secondly that this was so deuided that the gentilles which were not circumcised might bee iustified through the same faith without the obseruing of the lawe and the Iewes though circumcised were not iustified except they walked in the steppes of Abrahams faith So that herein consisteth Abrahams religion euen in his faith and walking in the steppes thereof the ceremonies were onely ornamentes and outward helpes to the same After which manner the prophetes also do interprete the law For when the people preferred the ceremonies and maner of gouernment before the morall dueties and faith Esay saith vnto them b Esai 1.10 Heare the word of the Lord O princes of Sodom herken vnto the law of our God O people of Gomorrah What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord c. Where he calleth thē frō the foolish and curious obseruation of ceremonies and maner of gouernment c vers 16. Repentance and the fruites thereof according to loue and of faith in the consent and obedience to Gods word and mercy d vers 19. And in another place he saith that e cap. 66.1.2 God esteemeth neither temple nor sacrifice but the humble and contrite heart who trembleth at his word Hereof Hieremie f Hier. 7.3.4 Amend your waies and your works I will let you dwell in this place trust not in lying wordes saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord c. For this cause the Psalmist sheweth that the end g Psal 78.5.7 why God gaue Israel his law that they should teach it there posteritie was this That they might set their hope on God and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements And the cause of all the plagues was not in regard of ceremonies or maner of gouernment for he saith h Psal 50.8 I wil not reproue thee for thy sacrifices but for their falling away from faith as it is written a Psal 106.13.14.24 They forgat his workes waited not for his counsell but lusted with concupiscence c. and beleeued not his worde And therefore it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes b Heb. 3.2 The word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it So likewise in the whole tenor of the gospell what is the principall aime of the holy Ghost to make men religious are not these two namely faith and loue is not the summe of the gospel in these two c Marc. 1.15 Repent beleeue the gospell Did not Paul say that when he taught the Ephesians all the counsell of God that he taught them d Act. 20.20.21 Repentance towardes God faith in Iesus Christ and what is this els but that wee should leaue the wickednesse of our heartes and liues and walke in all dueties of loue to God and man and hold fast his holy couenant by a true liuely faith Therefore he saith els where that e Gal. 5.6 in Iesus Christ neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Where by circumcision he meaneth the ceremonies and maner of gouernment of the law as hee expoundeth it verse 3. and so contrarily vncircumcision signifieth the order and maner of the gentils Therefore these outward thinges are not the maine substance but onely faith and loue Hereof it is that the spirite of God commendeth the f Eph. 1.15 Coloss 1.4 1. Thes 1.3 churches for their faith and loue hope and patience and Saint Paul speaking of himselfe sheweth how hee became a religious Christian saying g 1. Tim. 2.13 Before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercie c. but the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus Whereby you see that a wicked life and vnbeliefe make a prophane and irreligious person but faith and loue a true and religious Christian And hereof followeth the difference betweene an hipocrite and a true Christian the one is altogether superstitious in outward thinges h Mat. 23.5 labouring by such obseruations to appeare righteous religious vnto men but within is full of hipocrisie and iniquitie the other hath i 1. Tim. 1.5 loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience of faith vnfained And this is the cause that
ABRAHAM'S FAITH THAT IS The olde Religion WHEREIN IS TAVGHT THAT THE RELIGION NOW publikely taught and defended by order in the Church of England is the onely true Catholicke auncient and vnchangeable faith of Gods elect AND THE PRETENSED religion of the Sea of Rome is a false bastard new vpstart hereticall and variable superstitious deuise of man Published by IOSIAS NICHOLLS an humble seruant and minister of the gospell in the Church Stand in the waies and behold and aske of the old waies which is the good waie and walke therein and ye shall find rest for your soules HIER 6.16 LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Wight 1602. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER in God my Lords grace Archb. of Canterburie and to the right Honorable my L chiefe Iustice of England both of her Maiesties most Honourable priuie Counsell Iosias Nicholls wisheth all grace and peace in our Lord Iesus Christ PVrposing right Reuerend Honorable to publish this little book it came into my mind to commend the same to your honourable protection For it seemed to me that although all good men of al estates are bound in conscience and loue to contend earnestly for the faith which as S. Iude saith was once giuen to the Saintes yet are there some more proper reasons in regard of your two callings which challenge in my iudgement a more peculiar eye and watch vnto these causes For being both of the same most Honourable table of her Maiesties most graue wise and Christian Counsell where all are set in the same charge and ioyned in the same care namely in all prouident and godly ouersight to manage the great affaires pertaining to Gods worship and glorie and the blessed safetie of the Queenes most excellent Maiestie whom God vouchsafe long to preserue among vs yet the one being a minister and Bishoppe of the gospell and set ouer many others for the good and faithfull teaching and practising of the christian faith in this land And the other a professed and chiefe Iudge for the executing of all lawes and statutes ordeined for the maintenaunce of true religion iustice peace and godlines this being a necessarie declaration of our Christian faith and religion established by the publike magistracie and lawes of this realme and a faithfull displaying of the iniquitie of poperie being a mortall enemie and a verie great opposite vnto the same It could not so properly respect any other whose ofifce and profession did so neerely and naturally offer it selfe to patronize and protect so iust a matter of this kind Therefore I humblie craue your Honours fauour to accept of this my trauaile and your fatherly countenaunce vppon mine honest labours Which although I frankly acknowledge might haue beene more eloquently and exquisitly handled by some man of greater giftes yet I hope that in some measure it shalll satisfie the expectation of such honest and Christian readers who both can and will iudge according to equitie und truth For my purpose being considering the season to shew the antiquitie and certaine truth of our faith and religion nowe professed in England and the newnesse vncertaintie and falshoode of the popish superstition to this ende that it might bee a stay to many which wauer and seeme nowe readie to fall away I endeuoured rather to ioyne plainnesse and perspicuitie with breuitie then by large amplification to shew great learning and by direct arguments to make manifest an vndoubted truth to the conscience of all men for the gayning of some vnto Christ rather then by saying what I could to trouble the reader with abundance of matter or hunt for that which is vayne and fruitlesse And this verily I thought most necessarie and the rather because diuers men in differing manner haue heretofore handled this argument both that I might giue occasion to men to enquire after and to reade such godly writinges and also because the present season seemeth to call for the same when poperie beginneth to ouerspreade and after a sort to set vp his brissels against the gospell and men of that superstition are verie much lifted vp that it might appeare what a foolish wicked new broacht and monstrous heresie and apostasie they so much contend for so egerly labour for being greedie of that which will slay their soules and proud of that whereof they ought to bee ashamed Therefore I haue made choice of such methode and reasons as I hope thorow Gods blessing shall effect that I purposed and make that manifest which I desire Whereof knowing that your Honours can iudge with wisedome and that your Christian care tendeth to this ende that the people by all good meanes should bee staide in their faithfull obedience to God and our most gracious prince I was bolde to present this booke vnto you most humblie beseeching you to accepte of my bounden duetie to my Prince countrie and to the Church of GOD earnestlie praying GOD to bee with you alwayes with his gracious fauour and good spirite to guide you and prosper you in all good and godly endeuours to his honour and glorie to the good of prince and countrie to the increase of the Church and to your owne soules comfort in Iesus Christ Amen Your honours most humble to commaunde IOSIAS NICHOLLS TO THE HOLY AND Christian congregation of England being a most liuely member of Christes Catholicke and visible Church Iosias Nicholls Minister and seruant of Iesus Christ as a son to his most deare mother wisheth all grace and spirituall blessinges in heauenly things in Christ and all peace and prosperitie in godlinesse truth for euer NO Nation euer vnder heauen English men grealy bound to praise and serue God for his rich blessings in by the Gospell vnder the happie raigne of her maiestie more bound to praise serue God then we English men now aboue fortie yeares vnder the happie raigne of our deare Soueraigne and Ladie Queene Elizabeth whom God long preserue tasting enioying the sweet goodnes fauor of God most kindly shewing it selfe and shining into our harts by his most blessed and ioyfull Gospel No nation euer vnder heauen hath had more cause of ioy and comfortable encouragement vnto godlinesse and honestie then we Englishmen all these yeares when God most miraculously by a maiden Queene the weaker vessell hath made his name knowen and his Saintes glorious by deliueraunce when mightie potentates could not stand in battaile hee hath raised health by a woman and made the weake to confound the strong No nation euer vnder heauen hath had more sure and perfect experience of the truth of God and his worde and of the certaine knowledge of the holy faith and pure religion then we Englishmen whose eyes the God of this world hath not blinded most abundantly haue had that we might glorie in our God and magnifie the rich grace of Iesus Christ and the effectuall power of his holy and blessed spirit For we haue seene the breath of Gods mouth mightie to consume Antechrist and
the light of his word to make all things manifest that it might be said of vs as by prerogatiue it was once spoken of Israel Psal 147.19 He sheweth his worde vnto Iacob his statutes his iudgements vnto Israel he hath not so dealt with euerie nation c. The entrance of her Maiesties raigne a most blessed day vnto England There was a day of darkenesse a day of great blacknes sorrow when the people of this land were made slaues vnder the thraldome of spirituall Aegipt and Babilon when they knew not aright the true and liuing God nor the power grace of our Lord Iesus Christ but were led after vaine things in whom there was no helpe and men by a iust plague of God were giuen ouer vnto their owne lustes and fancies yea euen vnto most abhominable idolatrie But the day of her Maiesties most royall coronation was a day of light and glorie a day of cleare and perfect ioy in that day did the sunne of righteousnes arise shined from on hie hee cast forth his bright and pleasant beames and enlightened all the land Then fell away the grosse misse of palpable foolishnesse and ignorance and the vaile of mans presumption was taken from our hartes Then humane deuises and the greeuous yoke of the apostaticall bondage in tradition voluntary seruice of men was taken from our necks Then were our hearts opened and the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God and his bright shining countenance in the face of Iesus Christ did shine into our soules It was a day that the verie Angels of heauen did reioyce and sing because of the sweet blessed tidings of great ioy vnto al the people of this land For the grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men did then appeare and the beautifull feet of the messengers of peace which brought tidings of good thinges and said vnto euery elect soule Thy God raigneth had then a merrie and comfortable passage and safe trauell ouer all the land the embassadors of God brought vnto vs the wholsome word of reconciliation Then did the Lorde plant his vineyard and build his holy temple among vs and hee became our strong sanctuarie and visited vs with his rich mercie and saluation his blessings spirituall and corporall most plentiful flowed down from heauen vpon our land So that our enemies being Iudges it must needes be said God hath done great things for vs and hath giuen vs all things aboundantly to enioy In which time many nations round about vs in greeuous darknesse and bloudy miserie euen mourning dayly before our eyes might well haue counted themselues happie if they had part of our peace We haue lent and not borrowed wee haue giuen and not taken we haue beene a refuge for the poore and a place of succour for the persecuted our men and money haue beene a reliefe to the oppressed and deliueraunce to many in great daunger and distresse Our prince hath bin an hyding place from the wind as a refuge for the tempest as riuers of waters in a drie place and as the shadow of a rocke in a wearie land My pen is insufficient and I am vnworthie and vnable to rehearse the manifold and constant goodnesse and fauours of God vpon vs these many yeares O let vs loue the Lord and serue him let vs praise and glorifie him who hath beene so beneficiall and bountifull vnto vs. Hee hath deliuered our soules from death our eyes from teares and our feet from falling hee hath brought vs out of the horrible pitte and mierie clay and set our feet vpon the rocke and ordered our goings hath put in our mouthes a newe song of praise vnto our God many that haue seene this haue reuerenced the Lord and put their trust in our God All Englishmē are bound to loue the Queenes most excelent Maiestie And who can but loue the blessed and worthy instrument of our peace and ioy whose heart is not inflamed with her desire If wee were tenne thousand times more then wee are and euerie man had a thousand liues who would not willingly lay them downe at her feete in the cause of truth to shewe his thankfull mind vnto her Maiestie who hath constantly passed through many hazardes of her life for loue of Gods truth and care of his Church whose hart is not greatly moued to glorifie God who hath giuen vs so faithful constant a nurse louing mother so wōderfully defended and preserued her and by vnder her most happy gouernment hath made vs so many yeares together without feare the free possessors of most vnspeakable ioy in the participation of incomparable heauenly treasure and most flourishing earthly prosperitie We are to consider whether we haue rendred to the Lord according to his kindnes toward vs. But O my deare mother my good reuerend fathers and brethren haue wee rendred to the Lorde according to his kindnesse haue wee with reuerence receiued with thankfulnesse acknowledged and with care conscience vsed these mercies of our good and louing God and mercifull father in Iesus Christ O that I could boldly and faithfully so say that our siluer were not become drosse and our wine mixt with water And that the vine which God hath planted with good and pleasant plants did not in stead of grapes bring forth wild grapes and men did not neglect yea forsake the word of the Lord and follow the foolish imaginations of their owne heartes O that it might not be iustly said that the Lord hath a controuersie with this lande because there is no truth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whooring they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud And that men did not encourage one another in their wicked and vicious liuing saying come and let vs bring wine and wee will fill our selues with strong drinke and to morrow shall bee as this day and much more aboundant let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die O that men would consider and that their hearts would smite them in remembring and forethinking what a fatherly watch word our tender and louing God hath giuen vs by many and sundry most mild and kindly tempered corrections and chastisementes at many times but especially within these eighteene yeares last past when hee beganne at his sanctuarie and lightly touched his holy remembrancers when he caused a great and cloudie mist to couer the verie heauens so that many bright starres were not seene to shine for a certaine season Then did the windes burst out shaking our houses ouer our heades as vnworthie to dwell vnder so good and plentifull grace our bodies and liues were assailed with grieuous pestilence dearth scarsitie and the threatning sword did aduance themselues against vs. Thousands haue gone forth and returned but by hundreds And now seeing all these things haue not made vs to turne to him that smiteth
for if there were difference the Lord would haue mentioned it by some word or other The like teach the prophets of the sacrifice as in the psalmes it is said that the people make a g Psal 50.5 couenant with God by sacrifice Where thou maiest perceiue the solemne acknowledging and auowching of the couenant was by sacrifice as an outward signe testifying the agreement of both parties And so God chargeth the people in the time of Hieremie the prophet h Hier. 34.18 That they kept not the words of the couenant which they had made before him when they cut the calfe in twain passed betweene the parts thereof So then you see that the couenant the wordes of the couenant is one thing the sacrifice is an other euen a signe yet not a naked bare signe but also a seale ratifying the couenant And therfore i Exod. 24.8 Moses did sprinkle the bloud of the sacrifice on the people saying Behold the bloud of the couenant which the Lord hath made with you which vse or power so to be commeth of institution who ordained the sacrifice to that end But the operation effect to be onely of Gods spirit appeareth because that this people though couenanting by sacrifice are found far frō the couenāt as is plainly declared by the psalme place of Ieremy before alleadged which yet is further opened by k Cap. 36.27 Ezech. by whom God saith I wil put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them And in this maner are the sacraments described in the new testament as namely where it is said a 1. Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are we al baptised into one body whether we be Iewes or Grecians whether bond or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit Where this phrase into one bodie into one spirit noteth the couenant of grace in Christ that as members of one bodie so are wee vnited in fellowship together with God through Christ by his spirite working faith in our hearts Baptized noteth the one sacrament and drinke noteth the other which is the Lords supper a part which is one signe set for the whole which are two signes bread and wine eating and drinking Now when he saith baptised into one bodie that sheweth the vse of baptisme is to be a seale to confirme the couenant vnto vs and not onely to bee a bare signe and this phrase drinke into one spirite doth argue the same thing of the Lords supper but making mention of the spirit he sheweth that the effect and operation is of the holy ghost So thē there be signs the thing signified and the power and operation of them both The signes water washing bread wine eating and drinking the thing signified the fellowship of the couenant which is in Christ The power is of this that God ordained this baptisme and supper of the Lord to bee signes of such importance as to seale and confirme vnto vs the couenant of grace but the operation is of the spirite of God which maketh vs really and in deede partakers of the things promised So that there is no difference in our sacraments from the sacramentes of the olde testament and that you may perceiue it is euen so examine with mee their institution First Baptisme is ordained by these wordes b Math. 28.19 Go teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the sonne and the holy ghost And againe c Mark 16.15.16 Go yee into all the world and preach the gospell to euerie creature hee that shall beleeue and be baptised shal be saued Here first the couenant is published by teaching and preaching then the parties receiue the couenant by beliefe and lastly the same is confirmed by baptisme As in the practise may appeare Peter preacheth Christ the people are pricked in heart asking what shall we do and he teacheth them by these wordes d Act. 2.22.37.38 Repent and be baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy ghost Where the word e Metanoésate Repent noteth out the chaunge of the mind not onely vnto amendment of life but also by turning vnto God by beliefe and therefore to declare the same sometime beliefe is ioyned with it as where it is said f Mark 1.15 Repent and beleeue the gospell so that hereby hee biddeth them so to repent and conuert as by faith they may receiue the couenant of grace in Christ and then adding that they should bee baptised in the name of Christ for remission of sinnes hee teacheth that baptisme should bee vnto them an assurance of that couenant which contayneth remission of sinnes which thing they should perceiue by the gift of the holy ghost accompanying the same Hereupon Philip g Act. 8.36.37 being demanded of baptisme by the Eunuch before hee baptized him required the acceptation of the couenant by these wordes If thou beleeuest thou mayest And least wee should thinke any power to bee in this sacrament otherwise then the institution maketh it to bee a signe and a seale of the couenant or that the worke wrought that is the verie outwarde signe being applyed by the minister when he washeth or dippeth the person baptized did effect the thing signified Saint Peter doth a 1. Pet. 3.21 expound it saying Baptisme doth saue vs. But howe Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request vnto God c. That is it is not the outward washing or worke of the ministrie but Gods spirit working in our hearts faith with a good conscience receiuing the couenant which saueth vs. And in this sorte also Christ b Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.23 instituteth his supper the holy cōmuniō First taking bread after thanksgiuing breaking it he saith this is my bodie and then taking the cup he saith This cup is the new testament in my bloud Then secondly for a commandement to his Church he saith doe this in remembrance of me c. where ordaining a sacrament hee vseth such phrases and maner of speech as God did in the same kind in the old testament sometime calling the signe signifying by the name of the thing signified as when he saith This is my bodie And sometime again least we might thinke it made a further change then was of old in the sacraments he addeth Do this in remembrance of me by the latter making it a signe and holy memoriall of Christ and his couenant and by the former making it more then a bare signe euen a seale of assurance vnto the faithfull beleeuers with the same termes order as the sacraments were ordained and instituted in the olde testament as wee haue seene before in circumcision the passeouer and the sacrifices So then the signe the thing signified and
worketh together with the grace of God vnto merit and deseruing of saluation S. Paul taught the Romanes that c Rom. 8.8 they which are in the flesh that is the vnregenerate can not please God And again d Cap. 3.12 They haue all gone out of the way they haue beene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And he openeth himselfe els where saying e Eph. 4.17.18 The Gentils walke in the vanitie of their mind hauing their cogitation darkened being straungers from the life of God through the ignoraunce that is in them c. that is to say their ignoraunce is so great that they cannot doe any thing but sinne which he confirmeth by this maxime to the same Romans f Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Therefore his doctrine to them is this that by their exceeding ignoraunce the vnregenerate did nothing but such as was sinne in Gods eye-sight These late Romistes doe g Concil trident Ses 6. canon 7. accurse this doctrine of Saint Paule and all them that say that all the workes of the vnregenerate to bee truely sinne Saint Peter taught the Iewes h Act. 4.12 That there is saluation in none other meaning none other but Christ for that there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued These degenerate pretenders of Peter place saluation in others as in merites satisfaction and workes of supererogation and say there bee other names by which wee must bee saued as diriges religious orders and vowes pilgrimage pardons relickes and many other names by them deuised Saint Paule taught the auncient Romanes that i Rom. 4.25 8.33.34 Christ dyed for our sinnes and rose to make vs righteous and being hereby iustified of God nothing can bee layed to our charge nor condemne vs. By which it appeareth that the obedience and suffering of Chryst was the perfect working of our saluation These bastarde Romanes doe saye that wee yet neede the sacrifice of the Masse for quicke and deade and that the doing and fulfilling of Gods commaundementes and the Church is the condition on our part S. Peters doctrine saith that all the faithful k 1. Pet. 2.5.9 are an holy priesthood To offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ These counterfet successors of Peter adde a new deuise saying that their priests haue an especial office to offer vp sacrifice namely their Hoste S. Paul taught the old Romanes that l Rom. 8.34 Christ sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs. These declined Romistes say that the virgin Marie Peter and Paul and the Saints are intercessors for vs. Saint Peter taught the Iewes that he the said a 1. Pet. 5.1.2 Peter was an elder as other elders ministers of Christ and that such elders should not be Lordes ouer Gods heritage but that Christ was the chiefe shepheard These stately prelates make themselues Lords of sea and land disdaining at the low estate of the Apostles and elders of the primitiue church Saint Paule taught the Christian Romanes that b Rom. 3.28 A man is iustified by faith without workes These Antechristian Romanes say that by doing good workes a man is iust and iustified and not by faith alone Saint Paul taught the Christian Romans that c Rom. 7.7 Concupiscence in the regenerate was sinne and though he did will that which was good yet hee could not performe it These Antechristian Romanes do say that concupiscence is not sinne in the regenerate after Baptisme but onely left for the spirituall battell to bee resisted Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith That we must doe good workes d 1. Pet. 2.12.15 to shew forth the vertues of God and to glorifie him and to put to silence the ignoraunce of foolish men The new learning of these men is that we must do good workes that we might winne heauen thereby Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith e 1. Pet. 1.23 2.1 epist 2. cap. 3.1.15 That the Gospell is the word of God by which we are borne again that it is sincere milke and commendeth vnto them his owne and also S. Paules epistles And S. Paule taught the faithfull Romanes f Rom. 1.2 16.26 That God promised the gospell before by his prophetes in the holy scriptures and that God commaunded that it should bee taught all nations by the scriptures of the prophets These Romanes of the new learning do say that the g Reade Martin Peresius Aila de traditionibus scripture can not teach all the gospell but we must learne somewhat touching faith and saluation by tradition canons and the magisteriall power of the Church and equall these with holy scripture to teach that which cannot be found and learned in the written word of God Saint Paul taught the Romans the vniuersalitie of the Church when he said a Rom. 10.12 there is no difference betweene the Iew and the Grecian for hee that is Lord ouer all is right vnto all that call vpon him S. Peters doctrine agreeth thereunto where he saith b Act. 10.34.35 God is no accepter of persons but in euery nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him These late builders place the Church in the citie of Rome and call it the Catholike Church of Rome S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith c 1. Pet. 1.3 2 5.17 that he prayed and blessed God and that the Christians should feare God and offer spirituall sacrifices vnto God And S. Paul d Rom. 1. 10 15. 16. taught the beleeuing Romanes by his own ensample in diuers prayers and by a generall example of the Church in these words whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord c. that they should worship and pray to God onely These new deuisers giue this honour of God to Saints relickes and images and teach men to serue worship and pray to them S. Paul taught the Romanes of the Primatiue Church that after e Rom. 4.11 iustification by faith the sacraments are signes to seale the righteousnes of faith and S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith that f 1. Pet. 3. Baptisme saueth vs but not by the outward washing away of the filth of the flesh but by the spirit working in our hearts a good conscience to God 21. These new forgers of doctrine and sacraments make the sacraments in the worke wrought to containe to conferre grace and to iustifie together with faith and that without baptisme there happeneth no iustification Saint Paul and S. Peter wrote both in the Greeke tongue which was fittest for all nations to learne Gods word and wheresoeuer they gaue instructions a This appeareth Act. 2. all the whole storie following they did it in that language which might best be vnderstood of the people but these new religion makers deliuer instructions teach men
the Corinthians k 1. Cor. 10.1.2 3.4.5.6.7 c. are threatened with the feareful examples of the Israelites in their abode in the wildernesse that hauing the word of God and his holy sacramentes they walked not faithfully with God and therefore were punished So the Corinthians ought not to put their trust in their sacramentes and liue contrarie to faith and loue for thē they are like to be punished as the Israelits were So thē you see what is substātial perpetual what is changeable according to times 7 Howbeit here is to be vnderstood that those ceremonies outward things in the maner of gouernment are necessarie and in their times religiously to bee obserued though not so highly esteemed as the parts of the vnchangeable substance of religion but being the cōmandemēts of God by which he wold for the time be outwardly worshipped or els teach seal his couenant to his people that they might be steadie increase in faith loue that all things in the vse profession exercise of their faith might be done comely seemly orderly cōmendably according to his worde whosoeuer offended in any of these were subiect to punishment not onely that he which a Heb. 10.28 Deut. 19.17 dispised Moses law should die without mercy vnder two or three witnesses but b Heb. 2.2 also euery trāsgression disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward c Leuit. 10.1 As Nadab Abihu the sons of Aaron for offering strange fire that is such as God had not appointed were deuoured with fire which came frō the Lord. d 2. Sam. 6. Vzzah was smitten with sodain death for holding the Arke vnto which he had no office calling e 2. Cron. 26.19 And Vzziah king of Iudah was striken with a leprosie for vsurping the priests office Therfore in their times and during so long time as God appointed these ceremonies and maner of gouernment to be vsed in his church they were to be obserued with all care conscience because of the commandmēt of God only taking heed that no affiance should be put in thē aboue their proper vse but only make them helpes and ornamentes to the more substantiall pillars of faith loue And when the time was come that they should bee abolished then was the church free from such ordinances for they were as the holy Ghost f Heb. 9.9 saith figures for the time present vntil the time of reformation g Cap. 10.11 they were shadowes of good things to come not the very image or substāce of the things themselues Namely in as much as Christ by the oath of God became a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck to make perfect that which the Leuiticall priesthood could neuer accomplish the priesthood of Aaron al the law of Moses were changed and the seruant gaue place to him that was Lord of the house as is at large disputed in the h Cap. 3.7.8.9.10 epistle to the Hebrewes Hereof it came to passe that all the sacrifices before the law circumcision which were of the fathers and all the ministerie of Moses gaue place at the comming of this great high priest the sonne of God the Lord head of the Church Iesus Christ And he i Dan. 9.27 confirmed the couenant and caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease he a Eph. 2.14.15 brake the stop of the partitiō wall abrogating through his flesh the law of cōmandemēts standing in ordināces that aswell gentils as Iewes might haue accesse vnto God by his spirit b Gal. 5.1.2.3 he hath set vs at liberty frō the yoke of bondage which was by the low so that now c Ioh. 4.21 we are not tied to Hierusalē to worship the father but that we d 1. Tim. 2.8 may pray euery where lifting vp pure handes And e Act. 15.9 God putteth no difference betweene men for these ceremonies and maner of gouernment when their heartes are purified by faith yet is it not his diuine wisedome and goodnesse that we should be altogether without ceremonies gouernment For in stead of the priestes Leuites he hath f 1. Cor. 12.18 Eph. 4.11 set in his church Apostles Prophets Euangelists pastors and teachers to teach vs guide vs in the pure religiō of faith knowledge of the son of God for our further help we haue in stead of all sacrifices before and vnder the law the sweet preaching of Christ only sacrifice by which they were ended accōplished to assure our consciences that he is g Heb. 7.25 ca. 9.28 10.18 able perfectly to saue them that come to God by him and that by one sacrifice once made hee did so fully take away sin that there is now no more offering for sin And h 1. Cor. 5.7 cap. 11.23 in steade of the passeouer which was a figure of Christ to come wee haue the holy supper of the Lord to shew forth his death til he come again And i Colos 2.11 Tit. 3.5 Math. 28.19 for circumcision which signified the putting of the sinfull flesh by the bloude of Christ which was to come now Christ is come wee haue baptisme for the washing of the new birth renuing of the holy Ghost to enter vs into his holy church And generally we are taught by the gospell k 1. Cor. 14.26.33 to doe all things in the church vnto edification without confusiō And all those euangelicall ordinances l Ibi. ver 37. 1. Tim 6.13.14 are the commandements of God to be kept vnblameable vnchangeable vntill the comming of Christ CHAP. 2. How God hath gouerned his church in one religion in all ages which is declared before and after the fall of Adam 2. And by the dispensation of times since the promise of Christ first giuen to Adam which is in three sorts the fathers before the law the Iewes vnder the law the Gentils vnder the gospel 3. In all these three times was there a differēce in the outward face of gouernment but not in substance of religion 4. Which by Gods iudgements manifestation of his spirit hath bene alwaies maintained preserued 5. And this will be a witnes of our religion now professed in England against all Atheistes Papistes and other wicked men in the day of Christ Iesus NOw this foundation being layed because my purpose is to shew that God alwaies set foorth and allowed but one faith and religion I will in the next place briefly shew howe God hath administred his church from the beginning of the world namely in what order he hath gouerned his people a Psal 37.12 48.3 Hier 10.25 Whom hee chose to himselfe to know him and call vpon his name First we are to remember that the world hath bin in two estates and a third we looke for For before the fall of Adam when mans hart was vpright being made after