This must come in in the 23. page after these vvordes in the 12 line To render our reasons But Lord how vnfitlie the text of leremie is Wrasted agaiÌ„st vs as though he had exhorted the lewis to seke the peace of the Bailonians by receyuing such attires rites and Ceremonies as migh make them seme one people and in one religion with the Babiloniall Idolaters And touching S. Paull hit hath bene the custome of the Chirch of God to striue for the treuth euen to the death I ynally S. Augustyn spekith of ciuill lawes and not Ceremonies Which are profitable to sustaine our liffe and hurt not the religion of God The Fortresse of Fathers ernestlie defending the puritie of Religion and Ceremonies by the trew expositioÌ„ of certaine places of Scripture against such as wold bring in an Abuse of Idol stouff and of thinges indifferent and do appoinct th'aucthority of Princes and Prelates larger then the trueth is Translated out of Latine into English for there sakes that vnderstand no Latine by I. B. ACTES IX Saul Saul why presecutest thou me What art thou Lord I am Iesus whome thou persecutest It is hard for the to kick against the prickes c. Go into the Citie and hit shal be told the what thou shalt do M.D.LXVI The Names of the Fathers in this fortresse 1 Sainct Ambrose B. of Millane 2 Theophilact B. of Bulgaria 3 Erasmus Roterodame the Peerle of this age 4 Martine Bucer some time Reader of the Diuinite lector in Cambridg 5 Peter Martyr somtime reder of the Diuinitie lector in oxford 6 Iohn Epinus superintendent of Hamburg 7 Matthias Flacius Illyricus 8 Philip Melancthon 9 Iohn Alasco Baron of Poleland and superintendent of all the straungers chirch in Englond 10 Henry Bullinger 11 Wolfgangus Musculus Reder of Diuinitie in Berna 12 Rodolphus Gualterus The places wheron those fathers in this Forteresse do stand In thold Testament The Iudges Peter Martyr vpon the. 8. The 1. Reg. Peter Martyr vppon 18. The 2 Reg. Peter Martyr vppon 10. 2. The Places of the Newe Testament In Matthevv Erasmus vppon th 11. Bucer vppon the. 18. Musculus vppon the. 22. Philip Melancthon vppon 27. Marc. Rodolph Gualter vppon 2.12 Act. Gualter vppon the. 1.6 Rom. Peter Martyr vppon 13. Philip Melancth vppon 13 14. 1. Cor. Ambrose vppon the. 7. Theophilact vppon the. 7 Peter Martyr vppon the. 7. 2. Cor. Musculus vppon the. 2. Ephes Martine Bucet vppon 1. Musculus vppon 2. 1. Pet. Erasmus annotac vppon 5. In There tractesies Musculus in Chap. of Magistrates Musculus in Chap. of Minister of the word Bullinger in his Decade 5. ser 9. Bullinger De orig haeres c. 6. Iohn Alasco against the same thinges Iohn Epinus against the same thinges Matth. Fiacius against the same thinges TO ALL SVCH AS VNFAInedly hate in the zeale of a Godly loue all monumentes and remnauntes of Idolatrie The translator wisheth perseueraunce into th end through Christ Iesus THis hath allvvayes ben the practise and policie of the Fend to trouble the Congregationes of Christe that haue receâ—ued some streÌ„gth in Doctrine vvith the questions of Ceremonies of thinges indifferent and Dominion as a meâ—â—e vvherby he often doeth assuredly preuaile vvhylâ—st that the brethern only regardinge the direct Doctrine of faith do littel attend that these thinges in there vse touch and concerne often times the first table but aivvayes the second and so in regard of the second also the first As in Corinth it did appere in Pauls time and sithenc in diuers ages By practisinge of vvhich deuise he thincketh novv onles God help vs to ouerthrovve the vvorke of God begon emongest vs in England Against vvhich daunger it behoueth all men as in a commune al arme to put forth him self to serue But for as much as it hath hether to ben reported that this is but a particuler combate against the Mimsters of London I haue here translated into our English speache the Iudgements of certaine fathers beynge on those Ministers side To this intent that both trueth of Religion Reuerene of these Fathers orels shame might preuent the enemie by causinge the lordinge B. to ceasse and retire there folly And also may strenghthen such as stand and restore those that ar fallen through there deuises And to the fuller accomplishing her of I haue poincted ovvt vvhere and on vvhose side those reuerend Fathers Maister Bullinger and Gualter ar and stand Whose letters they haue iniustely abused as hauing obtained them the plaine case and trueth of the deformed estate of the Chirch of England not opened truly to them As erâ— hit belonge you shall deare Christians I hope vnderstand by there vvritinges if they ceasse not to abuse there first Thus thristinge your health in Christ I humbly eraue your prayers to God that by his spirit he vvill guide me to knovve his vvill to performe the same through Christ The Lord Iesus kepe you and blesse you all Amen ¶ CERTAINE CONCLVSIONS partly holden and defended by good Docters sentences contained in this booke and partly to be defended by the Translator if the same be not sufficiently defended by the Doctours mentioned in this Booke against all that vvyll vvrite against them THE Kynge Prince or other supreme Magistrate hath power and aucthoritie to exercise his sword and to punish with it all the Bushoppes Elders and Clerckes of his Realme or Countrey yf they be offendors Breakers of Gods lawe either with imprisonment or depriuation or with Death or any such lyke punishmeÌ„t according to the greatnes of the offence that is committed If the Bishops or Elders either do not they re dewties in preaching or preache false Doctrine and commit faultes worthey depriuatioÌ„ he may commaund the Clergie that is neither infected with false doctrine nor Idolatrie neither defiled with any notable crime of euell lyfe to examin the fautie Bushops and their Doctrine and if they deserue hit suspend them depriue them or to make them recante The Lordshippe of Bushops now exercised ouer both the rest of the Clergie and ouer the lay people hath no grounde in the word of God Christ is onely the head of his mistical bodie which is the Chirch as the Prince or cheif Magistrate is the head of the Politique bodie of his Realme and countrey The supreme Magistrate is bound to obey the worde of God preached by Christes Messen gers and he is also subiect to the discipline of the Chirch Neither the Prince nor anie Prelate hath any aucthoritie by the word of God to make any ecclesiasticall lawe or rite to bind mens consciences in paine of dedly sinne to kepe them Princes haue aucthoretie so to reforme the Chirch that they reforme it not after any Doctrine or traditions of their owne makinge or any other mans makynge But onely accordinge to the written word of God and then shall they bringe none of theire policies into the Church be they neuer so gorgeous and goodly to looke to As the
had leyuer that their scoles should be broken vp then in any part to geue place vnto the vngodlie or to coÌ„firme or allowe their traditiones What boldnes is this that men dare geue vnto goddis enemies any part of the treasures of the chirch which the sonne of God hath geuen vnto it It belongeth not to any one man neyther to a fevv men to ordeyne such ceremonies or rites as ar aboue named to wete such as neither promote the glory of God nor profit his chirche but haue only a vayne shevv of holynes or semelynes and do no other good and that vvithout the coÌ„sent of the chirch or congregation much lesse ought any mà to make such quite contrary to the mynd and will of the Chirch or of the assembly of gods people For all thinges belonge vnto the Chirch and the Ministers ar teachers of it and not Lordes as Saincte Paule Saith and they ar geuen to the Chirche of Christ Therefore all they offeÌ„d greuouslye videlicet papa cum suis whether that they ar Bishoppes or other men which without the consent of the Chirche or against the consent of the Chirche with an vntollerable licentious vsurping libertie dare ordeyne any thing in the Chirch of Christ yea although it be not vngodlye As they that put on the Crowne of thorne vpon Christes head to mock him gaue him no honor although they semed to make him a Kynge but greued him very sore and put him to muche payne Euen so they that vvillbevvtifie and honor the Sacramentes and Chirch of Christ vvyth the ceremonies of his aduersary Antichrist do not honor trulye Christ and his sacramentes but dishonor them and deface them The teachers of the gospell in Saxony could scarcely driue away the abuses no not after that the foundation of the abuses were taken away neither at this howre canne oure Auditores be deliuered from those abhominationes superstitiones which they were brought vp wyth all from their tender yeares vntill the tyme of the preachinge of the gospell wherefore wyth a lyttel preaching of those olde rites and ceremonies that they were brought vp vvyth all they vvill easely runne ageyne to the vvhole sink and abhomination of the vvhole popedorne Few yong persones excepted that were borne sence the preaching of the gosspell that neuer heard neyther sawe any such abhomynation The spouse of Christe is dishonored and put to shame when sheis clothed with the garmentes of the Hore of Babylon What conformitie is this wheÌ„ as the Spouse of Christ is made lyke the Hore of Babylon in ceremonies God who is gelous wil not suffer that the Chirch hys Spouse should be clothed with the garmeÌ„tes apoincted by a wicked man 1 Thesear the incommodities that rise and springe of the receuing of some of the Popes ceremonies They bringe home the popedome againe 2 They open the wyndowes to all the superstitiones of Antichrist 3 They darken the gospell an hinder the light of it so throwghtly to shine as it did before 4 They receaue agayne wolues into theÌ„ Shepefold and dryue away true Shepherdes 5 They make faynt and discorage all godly men and coÌ„firme and strength theÌ„ all stubborne and wicked Papistes in they re papistrie c. Melanthon vvryting vppon the xiij chap. of Sainct Paule to the Romames THere may be also reasones gathered of the differeÌ„ce of powers If there be difference of powers theÌ„ ar they in diuers persons God hath giueÌ„ chardge vnto the Magistrates or Rulers that they should make iust lawes therefore he wyll also that we should be obeydient vnto those lawes But he deliuered vnto the Shepherdes or Pastors the sure worde neyther will he that we thaibe lawe makers any further or to put therevnto any other lawes Therefore he requireth that we should be obeydieÌ„t vnto that word and not vnto new lawes which men shall further add vnto the worde Lawes made beside and beyond the word ar not to be obcied And so the difference betwene one power and a nother bringth more lyght vnto this question Yet for all that hit is more safe to leane vnto an other reason to were that the learning of the Apostles doth require that we should thinke that hit is deadly synne No deadly sinne to break chirch lawes if hit may be don withowte offence or contumacy and on the contrary part that the breakinge of the ecclesiasticall traditiones or Chirch ordinaunces wythout the case of offence and contumacie is no deadly sinne Melanthon vppon the .xiiij. chapiter to the Romaines THe error in ceremonies bredeth many great disprofites and hurtes the first is The doctrine of the gospell of fayth of the benefit of Christ is darckned vvhen the opinion creapeth in Discommodities by Error in Ce remonies that such obseruances deserue forgeuenes of sinnes or that by them we are maderyghteous as the Iewes dyd ymagen of theyr rytes This opinion doth naturally occupie meÌ„nes mindes except they be taught rightly by the gospell The second incommodety ys that the doctrine of difference of vvorkes is destroyed when ceremonies are preferred before the politique lyfe but novv they are more set by then the inwarde spirituall exercises are Man naturally endined to ill by ceremonies as are patiens and calling vppon the name of God As Monckes called theyr traditiones more perfit then others The thirde discommodety is that the opinion of necessitie crepeth in vvich is a very perilous crucifieng of the coÌ„science The fowrth is that the opinion of necessitie that is that ceremonies can not be missed in the Chrich bredeth vncuâ—eable discord and contention as in tyme past there was dissention for keaping of the feaste of Easter LoÌ„g vse brin geth this opi mon in The fifte is that there is fallely geuen to the Bishoppes auctoritie of makinge nevv vvorshippinges when as the trewe vse of ceremonies is not knowen And so is the doctrine of the new TestameÌ„t darckned and vngodlines is confirmed and the Tirannye of the Bishoppes encreased And a lytle after when as the opinion of worshipping Contention is bred ince remonies and. B. becoÌ„ tyraunts or of necessitie cometh vnto thinges indifferent then such traditiones darcken the doctrine of the Gospell and the opinion that commeth thereto maketh the traditiones made of thinges indiffereÌ„t to be vngodlye Therefore hit is vvell don to breake such and to put them avvay that that false opinion may How indiffereÌ„t things ar made ill be corrected for it is very necessarie nedfull that the errors concerning worshipping merites and necessitie shoulde be cast away Phillip Melanthon vppon the xxvij of Math. CHrist is accused that he hath sturred vp Sedition thoughout all Iewrye from Galelye to Ierusalem and that he for bade tribute to be geuen vnto the Emperor These are greate trespasses and accusationes and this kynd ofte times greueth afore haÌ„d the Doctors or Teachers we are called Seditious because we do not obey the Emperor commaunding
vs that we shoulde receaue wycked doctrine And a litle after Christ aunsvvereth not vnto all the lyes that are made against him but leaueth them that are openly knowen But he answereth vnto the question of the kingdome graunteth that he is a Kyng Differenc of Christ king dome and maketh an open difference betwene the Kingdome of the worlde and his own Kyngedome whereof he beynge the Sonne of God is the King So the Chirche ought clearly to purge her selfe of the crime of Sedition and to say that she wolde geue all law full obedience in all politique matters vnto the Magistrate but concerning doctrine that she wold obey god as it is commaunded rather then man And here let all godly men consider the difference betwene the politique Kingdome and the euerlasting wherin the Sonne of God calleth vs vnto euerlasting Rytches and gyueth forgeuenes of sinnes vnto vs and lyfe euerlastinge And these Kingdomes ought not to be confounded Cōfounding of authoritie and myngled one wyth an other as the Pope vnder the pretēce of the mynisterye wylbe the Kyng of the worlde VVickednes of Pope Lorde ouer Kinges And after another manner the povvers are myngled togoyther vvhyleste the Emperor and Princes vvyll set oute a nevv doctrine rnto the Chirches For they have made the Interim and wyll stablish in the Chirch the Masse How lay Princes ar made Popes and Inuocatiō of Sainctes and such other lyke thinges and they wylbe Docters and Pastours when as they do not vnderstand the doctrine but are open enemies against it this is not to be allowed but let there be difference made betwene one office and another and let euery man labor faythfully in his office Pylate commaundeth Christ to be scourged and to be crowned wyth a Crowne of thornes Pylate graunteth that Iesus is innocent faultles and yet for all that he vexeth him wyth reproches and punishment euen as some now a dayes do whych kyll not Iesus and vtterly take not away thē that preache ryghtly because they cannot yet by manye signes they declare theyr hatred agaynst them for they despise the poore Preachers and suffer them many wayes to be trowbled the Pope all his Byshopes do scorge Christ whē as they set vp theyr Kyngdome they crowne Christ wyth thornes and put a purple garmēte vpon him that is to say they do worke much sorowe to Christe and to his trew Chrich by that false and wycked lordship whych they arrogantly take vnto them selues agaynst the wyll of God and the health of the Chirch Afterward Pylate is perswaded euen to kyll Christ when he hearde once these wordes sayde vnto hym thow arte not the Emperours frend yf thou do not crucifie him Euen such men are they which play wyth the wycked for although in the beginnyng they are not most cruell of all other Yet by lytle and lytle they wax worsse and worsse Therfore men had nede to take hede at the beginnyng according vnto the sayng of the scripture what fellow ship hath Christ wyth Beliall c. ¶ LET VS THINKE OF THESE HORRIBLE EXAMPLES AND LET vs flee such tryfling playeng and hearyng vvith out Enemies And let vs openlye confesse that vve do differ from them in doctrine And let vs not consent and agree vvyth them vvhen at they make their compositions IHon Alasco a Baron of Poleland by byrth in Kynge Edwardes dayes was called into Englād by the Prince at Master Cranmers the Archebishop of Cāterburies cōmendatiō councell vnknowen to the most parte of his contymen vnto whom was comitted by the King the chardg of the straungers Churches here whych the forenamed worthie Kynge Edward by his letters patentes in the fowrth yeare of his reign crected in London makyng this Ihon Alasco superintendet thereof and appoinctyng therto such other ministers as the sayd Ihon Alasco who was an earnest suter on the behalfe of the strangers thought mete for that rome he takyng this chardge vppon him so vsed him self therein vntyll the death of Kyng Edward that all the godly straungers and sondrye others had much ioye and cōfort of him the whole realme had a singuler treasure of him and the enemie had nothiug that he could iustly chardge hym wyth all Briefelye to say his singuler trauaile in the Lordes haruest in preaching and wryting both here and a broade his profound and depe knowledge of thynges his syncere iudgment in all poynctes of religion and hartye affection to the maintenaunce of Christes Kingdom against open enemyes and counterfait gospelers corruptyng the simplicitie of chrystian religion besides his vprightnes of lyfe godlye conuersation and other qualeties mete for such a personage causeth much lamentation for the lacke of him in the Church of Christ through out christendom at these dayes And wyll procure a continuall remembraunce of him wyth honor amōgest the godlye vnto the worldes ende This restimonye hath Kyng Edward of famous memorie vnder the greate seale of England giuen of him whych is in print at this daye extant in laten to be sene of all the world IHON ALASCO BORNE in Poleland a very famous and notable man both for his honest vpryghtnes and innocēcie of lyfe and behauiour and also for his rare and singular knowledge in learning c. ¶ The iudgement of Maister Ihon Alasco of remouing the vse of singular apparell in the Chirch ministerie vvrytten the 20. daye of September in the 5 yere of the raygne of Kynge Edvvard the sixth vvhich vvas as follovveth FYrst of all I affirme that in the Chirch of Christ there are some thinges to be obserued continually some thinges are indifferent and free other some thinges are by no meanes tollerable Such thynges as ought continually to remaine in the Church are the pure doctrine of the Prophetes Aposteles whych for the sustenaunce of the soule are to be diligētly proponed to the shepe of Christ by rhe Ministers of God where vnto are adioyned the sacramentes of baptisme and the Lordes supper ministred accordyng to the Apostolik order set forth in the writinges of the Euangelistes and Apostles to the which may very fytlie be annexed Ecclesiasticall discipline I call those thynges ffree whatsoeuer they be that serue profitablye and commodiouslye to the ministerye of the worde and Sacramentes so they haue theyr originall ground in the Scriptures haue no commaundement against them cōtaine a manifest commoditie to the Chirch and be voyde of tyrannie byndynge mens consciences Of this fort are these to assemble to geither in the Church thys hower or that howre this daye or that daye to vse in the administration of the Sacramentes this kynde of prayer or that kynd the seuerall tymes in the yere to celebrate the supper of the Lord but ones or oftenar These thynges that are vttarly to be remoued from the church are of two sortes some haue so manifest impietie annexed to them that they cānot disceyue those that are but meanelye instructed in gods worde as are worshipping
of Images worshipping of breade and wyne prophanaciò of the Lordes Supper through the Masse praying to Sainctes prayng for the dead and infinit such other mōsters which Antechrist hath brought into the church of Christ there ar other thynges brought in by the same Antechrist whych are much contrarye to christian libertye obscure Christ encrease hypocrisie and bringe in pryde and swellyng into the church and yet in the meane whyle haue a certaine shew of profit comlines of this sort are the apointed fasting days choise of meates muche singynge in the church and such as is not vnderstanded organe playing and vse of church apparell in administracion of the Sacramentes Now what great incommodities and hurt haue crept into the church by meanes of euerye one of these and yet maye more crepe in except they be remoued I cannot at this present particularlye declare I haue here onely to entreat of the vse of apparell and to shew cause whie by no meanes it ought any lōgar to be borne with of a godlye Magistrate in a reformed church of Christ allthough many deuises muented by wyttie heddes may be alleged for some deffence thereof but we regard not wyttie heades but the Testimony of gods wyll Math. 15. First of all I conclude that euen these garmentes are vttarlye to be remoued from the church as a deuise of man by that ground and reason whych Christ and the Prophetes and Apostles vse in excluding or thrusting forth of the church as a pernicious thynge Colo. 2. all mens doctrines traditions or deuises Polidore virgil Li. 6. de inuent beareth wytnes thereof it is a manner taken from the Hebrews that preistly apparell wyth couering of Altars wyth other thinges necessarie for the vse of the Temple should be consecrated and the garmētes appoyncted ouar to the Preistes and others wythin orders who should put them on when they occupied them selues about holie thynges whych Pope Steuen the fyrst dyd first apoinct should be done amongst oure Chirch men for he sayth that in the begynning whan religion begane to spring Preistes were wont to put nothing more vppon them when they went to deuine seruice standing raither to decke them selues in wardlye wyth verteus of the mind and to cast awaye affections and vices of the bodye then to take on them new attire Now thus reason I and gather Yf they changed not theyr garment or apparell whan they went to gods seruice then they vsed none for theim that were admitted into the Mynisterie of the gospell Paule and Barnabas were contented wyth laying on handes Fasting and prayer Paul diligentlye prescribing to Timothie and Titus all the offices of A Bishop makith no mention of peculiar garmentes and other ceremonies and that the vse of apparell did not by and by goe ouer all Churchis it is euident enough by the decre of Celestine the fyrst Byshop of Rome whose wordes are these against such peculiar vesture of Bishopes We are to be discerned saith he from the common people or other in doctrine not apparell in conuersation not in habit in puritie of mind not in attire For yf we begine to geue our selues to nouelties wee shall contemne and cast awaye the order that the Fathers haue deliuered and lefte vs and shall make a place for superfluous supersticions wee must not therfore drawe the simple mindes of the faithfull to such thinges for they must rayther be instructed then begiled and mocked neither must we deceiue theire bodylie eyes but poure in preceptes into theire mindes Thus far he yet can we not denye but as men bend and inclyne to supersticion of them selues so some kynde of garmentes although verye simple and plaine had crepte into many Churchis before this mans dayes For Syluester no doubt gaue the occasion But Carolus called the great finished the matter as stories beare wittnes Now it is made manifest that the vse of peculiar apparell in the church or ecclesiasticall persones is a mere deuise and inuention of men and therfore to be reiected for this cause if there were no more They which wolde kepe thuse of this apparell in the Church as a thinge instituted of God refer the same to Aarons preysthoode but they litle for see what they say For we knowe by the scriptures that Christ is not a Priest after the order of Aaron but of Melchisedech that Aarōs pristhood was extinguished and toke ende in Christe with all the parts therof among the which we recken also the apparell Therfore Christ the veric wisdome of the father vsed no new or peculiar kynd of apparell in holie ministerye neyther appoincted any other to be vsed For that the figuratiue priesthod as a shadowe was perfited and ended in Christ the one and onelye Priest All they therfore that call agayne Aarons apparell into the Chirch dishonor Christes priesthod as though beynge the lyght it self he nedid shadowes neither wyll that excuse serue to say that all Aarons priesthod is not called into vse agayne but some parte therof onelye but he that receyuith a parte doeth not reiect the wholle But all Aarons priesthode being a figure and shadowe is no doubt to be reiected for that it is abrogated and as many as do restore againe those thynges that the auctorytie of gods worde hathe destroyed and abrogated are transgressers of gods lawe Paule therfore well teachith that the bond mayde is to be cast forth hir Sonne singnifiyng that all the bondage of the lawe is to be reiected after the lyght of the gospell is spronge forth and risen and he wyllith vs not to suffer our selues to be remoued from our libertye in Christ now it is to playne that the doctrine and commaandementes of whatsoeuer kynd of apparell peculiar in gods mynisterye is a trāsgression of gods lawes For because Aarōs priesthode is called in to vse agayne If any man by occasion of the first argument deny that the garmentes are a portion of Aarons priesthoode and say that they were by a certaine libertye brought in of the Byshopes of Rome to adorne and set forth priestlye ordar yet saith he not enough why they may be law fully retained we knowe that the Pope of Rome is very Antechriste him selfe wherfore his priesthode also is Antichristian wherby Christes priesthod wholie is foyled and vtterlie troden vndar fote But forasmuch as the chiefest part of the priesthod of the Pope consistith in Ceremonies Anointing shauing Miters and garmētes for with owt these they accoumpt no man Byshoppe and they coumpthym Byshop whatsoeuar he be otherwyse that is set oute with these thinges yt followith that yf we condemne the popish priesthod for that it is Antchristian wee ought to auoid all the partes and notes therof also For how can A godlie and Christian hart loue the marke of the blasphemus popish priesthode Where with Christes pristhood is so greatlie contaminate and defiled he therfore that hateth Antechrist pristhod must hate also all the notes and markes therof Againe