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
in this Article two things The vse and power of this word and the true touchstone how we may know or where we may find this word The first is touching religion that Gods word is the only rule thereof which onely teacheth the doctrine of righteousnesse and saluation And this is verie well to be seene in the storie of Abraham that he had no sauour of religion before God taught him by his word neither can wee find that he added any thing of his owne And this will euidently appeare if you consider how God first preached vnto him a Gal. 3.8 Gen. 12.1.2.3 the gospell and so from b Cap. 15. 17 18. time to time reuealed more and more vnto him and that God acknowleged him to bee a c Gen. 20.7 prophet such an one as would d Cap. 18.19 command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord. What is all this els but that God by his word taught him the true religion and godlinesse what he should beleeue and doe As for Moses he maketh the word of God so absolute a rule that the Church ought not e Deut. 4.2 to put any thing to it nor take any thing from it and the prophets are also verie confident in this point saying f Prouerb 30.5 Euerie word of God is pure put nothing to his word least hee reproue thee and thou be found a lyer And the reason of this perfection is plaine because it maketh g Cap. 2.1.9 a man to vnderstand righteousnes and iudgement and equitie and euerie good path and to exclude all mens inuentions from ordaining any part of religion God saith by his prophets that h Esai 29.13 The wisedome of the wise shall perish because their feare toward God was taught by the precept of men Which Christ intepreteth to this sence i Mat. 15.9 That they worshipped God in vaine teaching for doctrines mens preceptes If this suffice not then let vs heare this point in expresse wordes of the Prophet k Psal 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule So likewise our Sauiour Christ in the gospell gaue to his Apostles and Church no other thing but the l Ioh. 17.8 worde which God his father gaue him pronouncing that this is m Vers 17. The truth by which they should be sanctified n Cap. 15.3 made cleane o Cap. 8.31.32 and free from sin p Cap. 5.24 and by hearing thereof they might haue euerlasting life Therefore the Apostles finding the absolute sufficiencie thereof doe forsake all wisedome of men for the same calling it the words of eternall life q Cap. 6.68 Hereof it is that Saint Iames saith r Cap. 1.19 Be swift to heare and slow to speake because wee men must not put forth our owne wisedome in matters of faith and religion but submit our selues to learne of God as he after expoundeth saying ſ Vers 21. Receiue with meeknesse the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules And thereupon Saint Paule condemneth all shewes of t Coloss 2.22.23 wisedome in voluntarie religion after the commandement and doctrines of men giuing charge that no man u Vers 8. spoile vs through philosophie and vaine deceite according to the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ And the ground of this is this that in x Vers 3. Christ are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Now as touching the second point which is the touchstone to trie the word of God where and how to find and know it This is The holy inspired writinges of the olde and new Testament wherein is contained all the word of God touching religion necessarie for the Church and Gods elect to know for their saluation Which although it were not written in the time of Abraham and of the fathers but after by Moses the Prophetes the Apostles and Euangelistes yet is it so absolute a rule and canon that wee ought not to beleeue any thing of faith and religion touching saluation to be or to haue beene the word of God which may not be rightly gathered taught or proued confirmed or allowed by the writings of Moses and the prophets in the old testament and in the new testament by the Euangelistes and Apostles of Iesus Christ And this will appeare verie euidently to the conscience of all faithful and wise hearted Christians if they consider what the spirite of God teacheth in all these times For the first a most glorious writer was the a Deut. 5.22 finger of God writing the ten wordes in two tables Then Moses by his direction wrote all the b Exod. 24.4 words of the Lord and a little before his death he wrote the whole c Deut. 31.9 law and deliuered it to the priestes the sonnes of Leui. So that then and from thenceforth the law written became the canon of the Church and the onely rule to measure religion by as may appeare because it was published in this sort d Deut. 27.26 Cursed bee he that confirmeth not all the wordes of this law to do them e Cap 30.10 which is interpreted to bee the commandementes and ordinaunces of the Lord written in the booke of the law And Ioshuah being of the same times knowing it to bee such an absolute rule chargeth the people a little before his death to f Ioshua 23.6 obserue and do all that is written in the booke of the law of Moses that they turne not there from to the right hand nor to the left By which it appeareth that in his time the writinges of Moses were this touchston to know the word of God as it were the arke of God wherein the tables of the couenant written with the finger of God were kept which will somewhat more be seene if you consider with me that in Moses writings and in and by nothing els we learne all the word of God reuealed and made knowne to the Church not onely touching the creation and olde world but also concerning Abraham Isaack Iacob and whatsoeuer God spake would haue to be knowen to be his word in his time which hee committed to writing for the perpetuall vse of the people of God And after him God added the pen of the prophets for the more perfect manifestation of this word and misterie of Gods will and yet so as nothing in substance did differ from the written law of Moses Therefore the prophetes pronounce the same writinges to be a most perfect Canon not to be added to nor taken from saying after this maner a Esa 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in thē And againe b Malach. 4.4 Remember the law of Moses my seruant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel the
And in that day shal their waters of life go out from Hierusalem halfe of them toward the east sea and halfe of them toward the vttermost sea and shal be both in sommer winter And the Lord shal be king ouer all the earth in that day shall there bee one Lord and his name shal be one What is this fountaine but Christ which is of the house of Dauid and what is the opening of this fountaine and flowing of waters but the preaching of the gospell as the prophets also say k Esai 2.3 The law shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord out of Hierusalem What is this east and vttermost sea this one Lord and king of all the earth But that the Church should be made vniuersall and one in Christ being of one faith throughout the world And they note out the visible markes of the church first the preaching of Gods pure word where prophesying of the church of the gentils it is said l Micah 4.2 Many nations shall come and say come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his pathes c. And concerning the sacraments Christ a Malac. 3.3 shall sit downe to trie and fine the siluer hee shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as golde and siluer that they may bring offeringes vnto the Lord in righteousnesse c. Whereby is taught that where God gathereth his Church by Christ there he placeth his word and there he teacheth them to worship him aright which as it was by offeringes in the law so it is by sacraments in the gospell therefore by these thinges they are to bee discerned For when these thinges fayled and the people b Esai 5 24. Hier. 16.10.11 Hos 8. 1. 2. cast of Gods word and his ordinaunces in sacrifices and sacraments God cast them out of his sight and out of his grace as a people without the true markes of Gods church In the gospel this vniuersality and vnity in the nature of the church is taught where Christ saith c Ioh. 10.16 other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voice and there shal be one shepheard and one fold Where when he saith other sheepe not of this fold he signifieth that in election and promise the gentiles should bee of the Church this noteth the vniuersalitie and when he saith hee will bring them and they shall heare his voice he vnderstandeth their calling and ingrafting into the same church in the same vnitie of faith And lastly it should be but one as one folde vnder shepheard which he expoundeth where he sendeth d Math. 28.19 his Apostles to teach all nations The end whereof as the Apostle e Eph. 3.6 teacheth is that the gentils shold be inheritors also and of the same bodie partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospell For which cause it is said g Gal. 3.28 There is neither Iewe nor Grecian bond nor free ther is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus that is to say there is no exception of countrie estate or sex but if they beleeue in Christ Iesus they are all of the same true and catholike church as citizens of the same citie children of the same house stones of the same building built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone The outward markes are set vpon this church thus when the Apostles preached a Act. 2.41.42 Then they that gladly receiued his worde were baptized and the same day were added to the church about three thousand soules and they continued in the Apostles doctrin and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers Where you may see that the doctrine of the Apostles which is the woord of God and the sacraments are markes of seperation to discerne the church of Christ frō others Hereof it is that S. Paul cōmendeth the church of Colosse to haue the right badge of gods people where he said that in his spirit he saw b Colos 2.5 there good order stedfast faith in Christ for amongst other things the due administratiō of the sacraments was a good note of their good order as in the contrary the c 1. Cor. 11.17 20.34 Corinthians are reproued that the right preaching profession of Christ sheweth their stedfast faith the Romanes and the Thessalonians are greatly extolled by this marke that d Rom. 1.8 1. Thess 1.8 their faith was published throughout the whole world spread abroad in all quarters And that you may perceiue the vertue of these markes and first for the preaching of the pure word of God harkē what the holy Apostle affirmeth when the ministers e 1. Cor. 14.24.25 prophesie that is preach If there come in one that beleeueth not or vnlearned that is who neuer knewe the difference of the church of God from others he is rebuked of all men he is iudged of all that is all the preaching ministerie by the pure word of God do shew him his wretched and euill estate and so are the secrets of his hart made manifest and so hee will fall downe with his face and worshippe God and say plainely that God is in you of a truth What is all this but that he discerneth by the preaching that they are a people among whom God dwelleth that is to say the visible church of God The like he teacheth vs of the sacraments where he saith f 1. Cor. 10.21 You cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of the diuels c. which words manifestly teach that the sacraments are such a marke proper to the church that they which be in the church and partakers therof must seperate themselues from all pollutions of idolatrie and abominations of the heathen and wicked men and to be knowen to bee of the visible church of God by the right vse and celebration of Christes holie misteries as it is also written a 1. Cor. 11.26 As often as you eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come When then the true English Christian shall see that both in profession and practise the church of England hath the verie nature of of the true church of GOD and also by the true markes it is visibly knowen and discerned to be a right member of the vniuersall bodie of Christ he shall haue great cause to glorifie almightie GOD that hath vouchsafed him that mercie and honor to be of that fellowship which is with God the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ agreeing with Abraham Moses the Prophets and with Christ and his Apostles The eleuenth article of the exercises in religion in generall how to be vsed in the church 11. Wee ought
the holie ghost doth vse as holy misteries to stirre vp and quicken and encrease all good graces and the worke of faith in vs according to Gods free promise in the couenant Now for the number of sacraments That in the new Testament there are and should bee but two Sacraments of the couenant This will appeare if it be shewed that the old testamēt did shadow out these two onely and that the new Testament commands no more First for Baptisme Saint Peter saith that the a 1. Pe. 3.20.21 Arke of Noe was a figure of our Baptisme and Saint Paule b Colos 2.11.12 auowcheth that our Baptisme is come in the roome and place of circumcision Secondly touching the Lords supper Christ instituting it after he had eat the passouer did thereby declare that the same succeeded the passouer and that the passouer being fulfilled and finished by his death should giue place vnto his supper or holy communion which is confirmed by the practise of the Apostles who euer after instructed the church to receyue this and leaue out that as in the constituting of the seueral churches it doth may appeare Againe that place 1. Cor. 10.1.2 comparing the cloud going through the read sea the manna and rocke vnto our two Sacraments sheweth plainely that the equitie of Gods proceeding which vnder the law was figured in these two sacraments should bee preserued Namely one for the first entrie into the couenant and an other for the confirmation of the same that although there were many yet they had no more but the substance of these two and therefore these two were to remaine perpetuall and be in as great value and vse vnto vs as if they were manie And I am fully perswaded that no honest man by any learning can shew any place pregnant either in the olde or new Testament for any other third or fourth or more to be shadowed out in like maner as these two Now in the new Testament it is apparant that these two are cōmāded by that which is alreadie spoken But that there bee no other let a man examine whatsoeuer is or may bee pretended by this diffinition of a Sacrament and the holy scriptures wherein and whereby I haue declared and approoued the same hee shal find they come short and beside the marke for either they lack a commandemēt from god or els an outward signe or els are not declared signes of the couenant As for example if any would make penance a Sacrament he shall find that God commanded not penance by satisfaction but onely the satisfaction which is made alreadie by the bloud of Christ and there is no signe appointed by God thereunto if any other will make orders a sacrament he shall finde their wants the couenant of mercie for that imposition of hands in orders is a signe of the grace of the ministerie and not of the couenant of saluation If some other should set foorth matrimonie for a sacrament there wants a commandement to make it a signe secondly it is in no place any otherwise but as infinite other things a comparison and similitude or metaphore And so it may be truely said of any thing else which is colourablie thrust vpon the church by the name of a sacrament Nowe lastly the difference betweene Baptisme and the Lords supper in sealing of the couenant is that Baptisme is for the first sanction of the couenant and entring into the church A seale of our adoption regeneration this was circumcision to Abraham and his seed and the cloud and read sea was this vnto all Israel who were led by the hand of Moses And that Baptisme might be for the first sanction of the couenant and entring into the church the Apostles were a Matth. 28. commanded to preach and to receiue such as beleeued by Baptisme into the church and so b Act. 2. 8. 10. 13. 14. c. they by this marke seperated the christians from others whē they first wonne them to the gospell as all examples of their practise do shew so well knowen as I neede not to reherse them But for the other part you haue for regeneration these woords c Tit. 3.5 The washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holie ghost and for adoption these woords d Gal. 3.26.27 Ye are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus for all ye that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ. Where the putting on of Christ by Baptisme being alleaged to shew our being Gods sons by faith teacheth that Baptisme is a seale of our adoption And for this also Baptisme is but once ministred because we once enter into the church and are but once borne againe and adopted to be Gods children Then as for the Lords supper that it is a seale of our communion in the couenant these words directly shew e 1. Cor. 10.16.17 The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ the bread which we break is not the cōmunion of the body of Christ for we that are many ar one bread one body because we al are partakers of one bred where it is called communion c. because by this sacrament we are confirmed in the participation of Christ as by a true seale of the couenant and assured to be of his mysticall bodie As touching the continual strength we haue hereby the often receauing doth notifie the same and the kindnes of creatures the maner of applying and the nature of working For we being dailie subiect to sinne and weakenes are here on as on a banket to feede for our dailie inward strengthning and bread and wine familiarly shew vs that Christ is the bread from heauen and his bloud is the ioyfull wine to glad mans hart which when Christ biddeth vs to vse in remembrance of him what is it else but that by the taking eating drinking of these things for such an end we should stirre vp our harts in the assurance of the forgiuenes of sinnes and of the continuall grace and mercie of God 1. Cor. 11. which Paul confirmeth when he saith we shew the Lords death c. For by it we are confirmed so that we thereby professe before all the world 1. Cor. 10. that so we beleeue and are assured that our sauiour will come againe to receiue vs into glorie And in that it is called as before a communion with Christ what other woorking can it haue 1. Cor. 12. but to strengthen our faith and to encrease in vs euerie good gift by the spirit And hereof the Apostle saith we are made to drinke into one spirit as if he should say as we drink wine to cherish our fleshie hart so here we haue a spirituall drinking of Christs blood to cherish our soules vnto eternal life Thus you see the sweet consent of the old new Testament touching the holie Sacraments what they are in nature how
many ought to be vnder the gospell and how these two differ in their special and particuler vse The confession of the church of England is altogether so and of the same consent For as touching the nature of a Sacrament we say the same in substance of truth a Sacraments ordained of Christ are not onely badges and tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by the which he doth worke inuisibly in vs and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirme our faith in him and againe b Articl 25. of the sacramēts b Apolog. part 2.10 diuis 1. Wee allow the Sacraments of the Church that is to say certaine holie signes and ceremonies which Christ would we should vse that by them hee might set before our eies the misteries of our saluation and might more strongly confirme the faith which wee haue in his blood and might seale his grace in our hartes and in the same places there are no more but two sacraments acknowledged which properly ought to be called by that name and as touching the speciall difference First we say of Baptisme a Articl 27. that It is a signe and a seale of our new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receaue Baptisme are grafted into the church the promises of forgiuenes of sinnes and our adoption to be the sonnes of God by the holie ghost are visibly signed and sealed c. and of the Lords supper we say b Articl 28. The supper of the Lord is not only a signe of the loue that Christians ought to haue among themselues but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption Insomuch that to such as rightly woorthely and with faith receaue the same the bread which wee breake is a communion of the bodie of Christ and likewise the cup of blessing is a communion of the blood of Christ If all these things be compared together with the Scriptures you shall see that they doo verie fitly agree so that in the doctrine of the Sacraments we are of the auncient faith of Gods elect and of the holie vniuersall church The thirtenth article of the order of religious exercises and seruice of God 13. All religious exercises as prayer and Sacramentes c. ought to be done in the toonge or language which the people best vnderstande and as is most to edification HOw the pride presumption of man brought this great plague of many languages into the worlde and thereby great seperation of people and nations and diuersities of religion as c Gen. 11. Moses doth declare the originall so the story and experience of all times doo witnes And as it caused great toile and contention among men so it came to passe in tract of time that the true religion was found but in one people and language and that of Abraham and his seede the children of Israel Howbeit when the fulnes of time was come that the most glorious sonne of God our blessed Sauiour sanctified all nations vnto God by his death then were all languages made d Phil. 2.11 Esai 45.23 holie vnto the Lord that Euerie toonge should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the father Therefore what people so euer it pleaseth God to call to be of his church and teacheth them his holie religion the language of that very people is made holie to the Lord to talke of his woord to confesse his name to pray to his goodnes to celebrate his heauenly worship This appeareth by the storie of Abraham being an a Gen. 14.13 11.16 Hebrew comming of Heber that God reuealed his worde vnto him and his seede in the Hebrew tongue In that tongue which was to them naturall and knowne he and they vsed all their prayers and holy exercises and in that tongue did Moses the prophets write all the oracles of God Saue onely when Iudah was in captiuitie Daniell wrote some Chapters which concerned the Chaldeans all nations in that language of Calde which they best vnderstoode and fittest at that time for all nations the Emperor of the world being of that language and by mixture with other people the Hebrew writings of the prophetes do somewhat sauour of the language of the people among whom they dwelt Therfore it doth appeare that God was carefull as a matter best for the Churches edification to haue his will reuealed vnto his people in that tong they best vnderstood So when all the world in all nations was called by the gospel to know and worship the true and liuing God then were the scriptures written in Greeke namely so much as then was written by the Apostles and Euangelistes which language was at that time the most b Act. 21 37. common language of the worlde in so much as all c Gal. 3.28 nations are called Grecians in opposition to the Iewes and their language Also God d Act. 2. endued his Apostles with the gift of diuers tongues that euen in that gift it might bee made manifest that all languages are sanctified in Christ and that hee thought it need that euery country people should worship him in their owne language And therefore the Prophet Daniel prophesying of these daies directly saith e Dan. 7.14 All people nations and languages shall serue him Hereupon Saint Paul least the vse of gift of many languages should be abused spendeth one f Cor. 14. whole chapter about this matter and therein teacheth that it was most to edification that the prayers and exercises of Gods worship should bee in a language knowen to the vulgar and meaner sort of people a thing so familiarly knowen that I need not repeate it Therefore without any amplification in this point I may conclude that seeing the Church of England both by practise as is seene in our dayly seruice of God by the booke of common prayer and also by our confession in the Apologie g Apolog. cap. 18. diuis 1. Artic. 24. of the common prayers and Articles of our religion published for that purpose doth allow no other but the vsuall language best knowen to the people as best to edification it followeth that herein wee agree with the auncient and catholike riligion and order of Almightie God and of his seruants Moses the prophets and Apostles The 14. Article of libertie in religion whether it take away any naturall comfort or duetie among men 14 The true and catholike religion forbiddeth no man or woman of what caling soeuer to marrie so it bee in the Lord and commaundeth all sortes of men and that of all callings as well ecclesiasticall as ciuill to be subiect to the ciuill magistrate and higher power and to obey him in the Lord. IN this Article are two specials as mariage and the dutie to the magistrate which two may be as an instance for all of like sort for
at the glorious shining of the sonne of righteousnesse in those happie daies Yet men knowe that reade the stories of the church what whiles that blasphemous hereticke did worke how many friends abettors he had what great afflictions that good Catholike Bishop Athanasius had what persecution for many yeares together the true beleeuers endured after the death of that good Emperour by the ouerspreading of the Arrians and their followers Howbeit although that persecution much afflicted the faithfull and darkned the beautie of the Church and many heretickes inuaded them very sore and diuers liuing in wildernesse and solitarie places deuised strange formes and seruices of God yet for the space of sixe hundred yeares and more the vniuersall Church was not so much tainted but God raysed vp notable pillars of truth and lightes of his church by whom the truth of faith and found religion had all that time a most excellent witnesse For the Apostles ended at the death of Iohn the Euangelist Anno 99. Ignatius liued about Anno 110. hauing beene Iohns disciple and Bishop of Antioch Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and Iustinus martyr at Rome Anno 140. Iraeneus Bishop of Lions in France Anno 175. Tertullian in Africke flourished about Anno 190. Origin of Alexandria about Anno 210. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage Anno 255. Arnobius 310. Lactantius Firmianus 325. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt 340. Hilarius B. of Pictauia in Aquitania 360. Basilius B. of Caesarea in Cappadocia 370. Gregorius B. of Nazanzen Epiphanius B. of Cyprus Ambrose B. of Millain Hieronymus Stridonensis Augustine B. of Hippo Iohn Chrisostom B. of Constantinop Possidonius Prosper Fulgentin Casiodonus Gregorius first of that name B. of Rome These verie many more verie good writers beside infinite others liued in that first 600. yeres and som after by whom the light of Gods truth and the pure religion was defended against diuers and sundrie sorts of heretikes and declared by sermons and godly interpretations of holie scripture which may euidently appeare euen vnto him that can but read the English toonge if hee peruse the writings of our reuerend Bishops and teachers of this lande First the challenge was made by master Iewel in a Sermon preached at Paules crosse Anno 1560. the Sonday before Easter that for 600. yeeres after Christ our religion might be defended by the writings of fathers and counsels secondlie the defence was most truelie and fullie performed by the same master Iewell against Harding by master Horne against Fecknam master Pilkington against the man of Chester master Punet against Th. Martin as also by master Noel against Dorman master Edward Deering to Hardings reioinder master Calfils answer to Marshals defence of the crosse master Fulke against Allin Sanders Bristow c. and by the conference in the Tower with Campion and that of master Reinolds with Hart. In these and diuers others very notable english bookes all points of our Christian faith are not onely maintayned by the writinges of the foresayde auncient Fathers and Counsels of the first sixe hundred yeeres but also by diuers other wrighters and Counsels followinge in other ages yea by diuers Papistes as the Schoolemen popishe decrees decretals and historiographers But wee doo frankely confesse that sixe hundred yeeres after Christ beeing past the visible church not so well seasoned nor the true faith so openly vniuersally faithfully maintained but more and more decaied obscured and darkned vntill the reuelation of Antechrist which hath been since Luther Neither doo we take it to be any derogation to the truth seeing that these last nine hundreth yeres were the daies of darknes and the time of the punishment of God that they which regarded not to know God should be giuen ouer to lyes and fables as is before manifestly prooued by the scriptures Notwithstanding in all this time it was not so obscure hidden but that the stories of these mystie daies doe affoord vs sufficient matter and markes whereby we may find where how and in what sort the true faith and religion stroue with the foolish and vnthankfull hart of man offering him in all this declining and apostatical generations the ioifull light of truth and the right way of peace and saluation but they would not but they fought against it and herein I will not stande to rehearse all particulers which would aske a great volume but onely mention that which is most generall and notoriously knowne vntill this 600. yeeres the churches by east and west were in vnitie and the christian faith continued his vniuersall and visible succession but shortlie after by reason that Bonifacius the thirde obtained the supremacy ouer all Bishops brought it into the sea of Rome there grew discontentments which continued vp and downe vntill Hildebrande came vp about An. 1237. all which time the Greeke church eastwarde held the auncient catholike faith as we now doo but by meanes that the Greeks condiscended not to the vnmeasurable pride of the popes there was made a seperation and so the faith was found onely in the Grecians amongst whom it also remained as it may appeare by this that in the time of the counsell of Basill about An. 1440. Engenious the fourth in a priuate conuocation at Florence laboured the grecians to condescende to the latin church to allow of purgatorie of the popes supremacie of vnleauened bread in the communion and of transubstantiation so that the east churches which containe not only Grecia but also the Ethiopians Syrians and many other great nations did in some good measure hold out the true faith vntill this time Now in the west parts there were certain men called Waldenses or Albigences and Pauperes de Lugduno who first at Lions in France and after in diuers other places as Meridoll and Cabriers and in many townes of the countrie of Piemont in great numbers shewed themselues from An. 1160. till the time of Luther Iohn Wickliefe and his fellowes and with them the good christians called Lollards did shew themselues in England in the time of Edwarde the third about the yere 1371. and thenceforth and in the time of Richard the second whereof followed great persecution many yeres Iohn Husse and Hierom of Prage with the countrie of Bohemia were famous for the true religion at the counsell of Constance about Anno 1413. and many yeres after So that when Luther came vp he found not the gospell and true religion without witnesse in diuers places Therefore leauing out Berthramus in France Iohn Scotus in England and verie many notable men in diuers countries whom God stirred vp heere and there euen in these euil daies of darknes som by writing some by preaching some by suffering and by death to giue testimonie in these west parts and vnder the Popes nose I may boldlie conclude this Chapter with humble and hartie thankes to God that the religion which wee holde and professe in Englande is the onely true auncient catholike and vniuersall religion wherein and
the title of Christ hanging on the crosse was written in Hebrew Greeke and Latine Where you may see three strange thinges to bee done of these holy fathers first to celebrate that in an vnknowne tongue which containeth great instruction to the faithfull people as if it were meete in their eies that the meate which was good and appointed for them ought to bee kept out of their sight Secondly that this order must be learned of Pontius Pilate who put Christ to death a verie good an Apostle for an Apostaticall Church Thirdly this is expressely repugnant to holy scripture which saith c 1. Cor. 14.26.28 Let all things be done to edification and that hee which speaketh in a strange tongue should keepe silence in the Church In the foureteenth Article they bee also contradictorie to the truth And first touching matrimony they haue three degrees of contradiction d Concil trid sess 8. canon 9. First absolutely forbidding all preestes and ecclesiasticall persons to marie e Canon 11. Secondly they forbidde mariage certaine times in the yeare as in Lent c. And f Canon 3. thirdly take vpon thē to dispence with the order of God g Cap. 18. in Leuiticus touching the degrees of kindred prohibited also to adde and ordaine moe degrees to be prohibited which God hath not forbidden And whosoeuer doth maintain the Christian libertie herein they pronounce him Anathema accursed Forgetting what h Act. 10.15 Reuelat. 3.7 God said to Peter That God hath purified pollute thou not and that Christ the head of his Church hath the keye of Dauid that openeth and no man shutteth c. Wherefore seeing that Christ hath made i Heb. 13.4 Tit. 1.15 mariage honourable for all men and that by his ordinance To the cleane all things are cleane doe they not herein bewray their apostatical presumption to challenge authoritie more then euer Peter durst euen aboue Christ when they make mariage dishonourable in certayne times and persons and dispence by giuing libertie where Christ forbiddeth and making restraint where hee giueth libertie Now in the authoritie of the magistrate how vnlike the Pope is vnto Peter euerie man seeth For cleane contrarie to all religion and honestie hee taketh vppon him not onely to bee vniuersall Bishoppe aboue all Bishoppes but also vniuersall ministeriall head in earth aboue all power and potentates kinges and Emperours that is aboue all that is called k Psal 82.1 The Pope aboue all called God God Therefore we need not vse many wordes in this place seeing the Pope vsurpeth that which Christ himselfe neuer did in his owne person neyther gaue to any other after him For he meekely submitted himselfe to the ciuill power saying directly a Ioh. 18.36 Mark 10.43 My kingdome is not of this world and forbidding others he saith It shall not be so among you In the fifteenth Article the disagreement by addition that where the true religion by holie scripture haue this hope of the bodies rising at the last day The sea of Rome teach another arising namely of the soule out of Limbus Patrum out of purgatorie and out of Hell before that great day of iudgement come As first that b Test Rhem. annot Luc. 16.22.26 Dorbel distinct 2 sent 4. In miss quotid pro defund offert Christ descended into Hell deliuered the fathers some out of Limbus some out of purgatorie which had lien there till that time And that in hell a man may suffer part of his temporall penance which being ended hee is free from thence and therefore they pray in their Masse Domine Iesu c. O Lord Iesu Christ deliuer the soules departed c. Which dreaming additament of hope concerning the dead bewrayeth it selfe to disagree from the Christian religion in as much as God doth teach men that after death the faithfull doe onely rest till the last day First in the olde testament thus c Esa 57.2 Dan 12.13 He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds Thou shalt rest and stand vp in thy lot at the end of the daies And in the new Testament d Reuelat. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord euen so saith the spirit for they rest from their labours If they rest and that till they stand vp then no translation out of Limbus Purgatorie or Hell And if they rest then no penance in hell or purgatorie for the faithfull Therefore I may conclude in this place that the popish superstition hath verie little or no affinitie with the true ancient and catholike religion but it hath verie many great intollerable disagreements from the same CAP. II. Of the disagreement that popish superstition now taught in Rome hath with the religion which Saint Paul taught the Romans and with the doctrine Saint Peter taught the Iewes IT will also appeare how new the superstition of poperie is if we find they keep not the doctrine of the blessed Apostles and founders of Christs Church Saint Paule and Saint Peter vpon which two they father all their authoritie and doings and call them founders and protectors and patrons of the church of Rome If then they be fallē from the faith which these two holy Apostles taught by the spirit of truth they must needs be accounted vpstarts of an apostatical new borne generation Marke therefore good Reader and consider Saint Paul taught the Romanes that it was an hethenish wickednes a Rom. 1.23 to turne the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man The sea of Rome that now is cleane contrarie to that doctrine doth make images to represent the Trinitie and to represent God the father by the likenesse of an olde corruptible man The doctrine which Saint Peter taught the Iews saith that b Act. 2.23 Christ was deliuered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God to bee crucified and slaine by the handes of wicked men The sea of Rome that now is doth say that God did onely foresee but not determine or ordaine any thing which he commandeth not and it is certaine he commanded not the Iewes to crucifie Christ therefore in these two points they agree not with Paul Peters doctrine S. Paul taught the ancient Romanes that a Rom. 8.7 The wisedome of the flesh that is to say the knowledge and will of man as it is infected by original corruption before we be regenerate is enmitie against God and that it is not subiect to the law of God neither in deed can bee And the doctrine of Peter to the Iewes is that wee b 1. Pet. 1.22.23 cap. 2. 1. 2. 2. Cor. 3.5 are borne againe as new borne babes shewing that without the spirit of God we haue not one good thought But these new Romistes say that mans will onely stirred vp by the grace of God can prepare it selfe to the grace of iustification and doeth workes of congruitie pleasing God and