to beléefe for they haue left scarse any sence or memorie of the true members of Christes Church If we beléeue the Romaine Church to be The holie Catholique Church The Scriptures are against vs theyr owne Doctours are against vs and the definition of the word Church is against vs. Shall we beléeue the building of Saint Peters Church to be our holie Mother the Church Beléeue it who that will and I assure him that he hath not the true Church on his side nor the Gospell to excuse him Séeke for this Church whereof Christe is head and not the Pope in this Church haue we lybertie not to doo euyll but to doo good The Churth of Roome bringeth to our lyfe myserable bondage Whyles we are in the Church of Christe wée hope for the promises of lyfe euerlasting but whyles wée stande in the Churche of Roome wée stande in feare and terrour of eternall condempnation to come vppon vs for our sinnes in the day of death Through Christe who is the head of this true Churche wée sée our sinnes purged the Deuill vanquished death and condempnation abolished and our selues in the lybertie of the chyldren of God to crie Abba Father Thus much touching the Church ¶ Of the infallible perfect ground and sufficiencie of the Scriptures to the eternall comfort and consolation of all true Christians and vtter confusion of the Pope and all his adherentes BEcause the Papistes affirme and boldly say that the Scriptures are not sufficient for a man therby to knowe the trueth by the which he may be saued it is erpedient and néedefull at this present tyme to heare what the Scriptures and Doctors doo say therevnto First I will beginne with the Scriptures as with the veritie it selfe and then with the Doctors who ground theyr argumentes and reasons vpon the worde of God which is the holy Scripture Although it behooueth man earnestly to bende his eyes to consider the workes of God For as much as he is set as it were in this gorgeous stage to be a beholder of them yet principallie ought be to bend his eares to the Scriptures that he may better profite thereby and sooner learne the trueth by the which he may be saued And therefore it is no meruayle that they which are borne in darknesse doo more and more waxe harde in theyr amazed dulnesse because verie fewe of them doo giue them selues pliable to learne of the worde of God whereby to kéepe them within the boundes but they rather reioyce in theyr owne vanitie Thus then ought we to holde that to the ende true Religion may shine amongst vs we must take our begynning at the heauenlie doctrine and that no man can haue any taste be it neuer so little of true and sounde doctrine vnlesse he haue béene Scholler to the Scriptures And from hence groweth the originall of true vnderstanding that we reuerentlie embrace whatsoeuer it pleaseth GOD therein to testifie of him selfe for not â—nely the perfect and in all poynts absolute faith but also all right knowledge of God springeth from obedience and truely in this behalfe God of his singuler prouidence hath prouided for men in all ages For if we consider howe slippery an inclination mans minde hath to slide into by forgetfulnes of God how great a readinesse to fall into all kinde of errours howe great a lust to forge oftentimes new and counterfeyt Religions The onely fall of man into so many and sundrie euyls is the forgetfulnesse of God We may thereby perceyue how necessarie it was to haue the heauenly doctrine so put in writing that it should not eyther perishe by forgetfulnesse or growe vaine by errour or be corrupted by boldnesse of men Sith therfore it is manifest that God hath alway vsed the helpe of his worde towardes all those whome it pleased him at any tyme fruitfully to instruct because he foresawe that his Image imprinted in that most beautifull forme of the world was not sufficiently effectuall therfore it behooueth vs to trauaile this straight waye if we earnestlie couette to attayne to the true beholding of God we must I saye come to his worde wherin God is well and liuelie set out by his workes when his workes be weyed not after the peruersenesse of our owne iudgement but according to the rule of the eternall trueth If we swerue from that worde as I sayd euen nowe although we runne neuer so faste yet we shall neuer attayne to the marke because the course of our running is out of the way For thus we must thinke that the brightnesse of the face of God which the Apostle calleth Rom. 16. such as can not be attained vnto is vnto vs lyke a Maze out of which we can not vnwrappe our selues vnlesse we be by the line of the worde guided into it And therfore Dauid Psalm 9. et 96.97.99 c. oftentimes when he teacheth that superstitions are to be taken away out of the world that pure Religion may florishe bringeth in God reigning meaning by this worde reigning not the power that he hath but the doctrine wherby he challengeth to him selfe a lawfull gouernment because errors can neuer be rooted out of the hearts of men tyll the true knowledge of God be planted Therefore the same Prophete after that he hath recited Psalm 19.21 That the heauens declare the glorie of God that the fyrmament sheweth foorth the workes of his handes That the orderlie succéeding course of dayes and nightes preacheth his Maiestie then he descendeth to make mention of his worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lawe of the Lorde is vndefiled conuerting soules sayth Dauid the witnesse of the Lorde is faithfull giuing wisdome to lyttle ones The rightfulnesse of the Lord is vpright making hearts cheerefull the commaundement of the Lord is bright giuing light to the eyes For although he comprehendeth the other vses of the Lawe yet in generallitie he meaneth that for as much as God dooth in vaine call vnto him all Nations by the beholding of the heauen and earth therefore this is the peculiar schoole of the children of God The same meaning hath the .xix. Psalme where the Prophet hauing preached Of the voice of God which in thunder winds showers whirle-winds and stormes shaketh the earth maketh the mountaines to tremble and breaketh the Ceder trees In the ende at last he goeth farther and sayth That his prayses are sung in the Sanctuarie because the vnbeleeuers are deafe and heare not all the voices of God that resound in the ayre And in lyke manner in an other Psalme 93.5 after that he had described the terrible waues of the sea He thus concludeth Thy testimonies are verified the beautie of thy Temple is holinesse for euer And out of this meaning also proceeded that which Christe sayde to the woman of Samaria Iohn 4.22 That her Nation and the rest did honour that which they knewe not and that onely the Iewes did worshippe the true God For whereas
promotion their vnsatiable and inordinate couetousnesse their proude and statelie going in ruffian-like apparell their too much pampering of hungrie gorges their excessiue lauishnesse in riotous expences their vnstablenesse of promise their swearing and forswearing them-selues for the value of a strawe their wanton and lasciuious songs vpon ale-benches and finally pōdering of their dissolute behauior in words gesture If they teach the people one thing and doo an other what hope can the people haue to be saued what comfort doo they receiue what confidence are they boūd to giue to his preaching or to his glorious wordes howe can he abolishe sinne ouerthrowe God his enimies treade downe Sathan roote out idolatrie confound hell and establishe trueth howe can the Gospell encrease righteousnesse shine God haue the glorie if Ministers should be the example of all euill to whome as they saye the worde of God is cōmitted to instruct the people how to please the Lord and maker of heauen and earth in all holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues Is it maruaile that the people doo amisse and swerue from the trueth truelie I am thorowlie persuaded that as they are farre from God in life and conuersation so farre they are from him in faith and good Religion if their Religion sauoured not of heresie would God punishe them as he dooth What contrarietie in Religion is there amongst them one professeth this doctrine and another professeth that one crieth Ecce hic est Christus Ecce ibi est Behold heere is Christe sayth one and we haue the best Religion though the Pope say naie But the other sayth no they haue not the trueth on their side this faith wherevpon we build this Religion wherevnto we trust euerie man of what degree so euer high or lowe poore or ritch noble or ignoble ioyfully ought to embrace and gladlie receyue By this Religion we shall be blessed and inherite an euerlasting crowne of heauenlie glorie One saith he is a Zwinglian and an other sayth he is an Annabaptist one sayth he is a Lybertine and an other sayth he is a Puritane one sayth he is a Caluinist and an other sayth he is a Lutherane Good God howe many Religions be there if there were many Gods I would not woonder at their varietie in Religion But seeing there is but one God who made all thinges hath ordayned all thinges in a dewe order the Sunne to rule by daye the Moone by night the earth to bring foorth her encrease and the waters not to passe their dewe boundes who ruleth all thinges and at whose becke all thinges doo appeare in whome we haue our life our beeing and essence VVhy should there be such diuersitie in Religion such varietie in opinions such contrarietie in matters touching our saluation There is but one GOD there ought to be but one Religion There is but one trueth what needeth so many dissentions so many controuersies and so many alterations from the trueth But their life is so wicked and prophane so rechlesse and lewde that they wyll haue their Religion correspondent and agreeable to their conuersation He that is rocked in the cradle of sinne and securitie he that is nusled in wantonnes and brought vp in delightes he that is choaked with worldlie cares of this life he whose bellie is his god he whose money is his onelie ioye and he whose land is his onely trust regardeth more these corruptible fleeting vanities then the incorruptible and immutable trea sures of heauēlie Paradise He whose whole trust and confidence is in sensible pleasures must be depriued of insensible delightes He whose care is greater to become ritch and stately in the sight of the world then to become poore in spirite and meeke in conuersation passeth not much what Religion to professe so that his state be not impaired but rather to higher dignitie promoted Howe esteemeth he Religion which obstinatelie persisteth in sinne walloweth in sensualitie and liueth in wickednesse is he religious which carefully obserueth not the lawes of the most righteous and almighty God but liueth securelie without all feare of his maiestie In verie deede the life deedes and conuersation of heretiques doo plainlie shewe that they more abhorre and feare the odious name of an Epicure or Saduceie then they doo the nature For what think they the soule to be immortall who liue not farre better then the brutish beasts which follow nature but they degenerate from nature and are by reason of their corrupt life inferiour to the beasts of the feeld Be they persuaded that God rewardeth the godly in heauen or punisheth sinners in hell with endlesse torments In euery trifling thing they dread not to violat the cōmaundements of God and run headlong into sinne euen as though they did either thinke that God were but a vaine fay ned thing or beleue that when the body dieth the soule likewise perisheth and commeth vnto to nothing They liue so idle carelesse and secure in their callinges that GOD must surelie plague them at length and bring them to confusion They respect the safetie and prosperitie of their bodies heere on earth rather then the saluation of theyr soules in the kingdome of Christ They rather obey the wordes of Cambyses for temporall gaine then the warning of Christ for eternall happinesse Whereby it comes to passe that they haue commonlie fayre bodies but deformed soules much goodes but little goodnesse and glorious they seeme in the sight of men outwardlie but odious inwardlie in the eyes of God For it is harde to finde a man sayth Aristotle Lib. 2. Rhet. 1. ad The odetem Cap. 10. vvhich in prosperitie is not proude disdainfull and arrogant of which sort are they whome clients whome aucthoritie whome fauour of men hath exalted and so enioying theyr heartes desire they are of minde that no aduersitie can hurte them And what is that as Dauid sayde The vngodlie hath sayde in his heart tushe I shall neuer be cast downe there shall no euill happen vnto me But the fayrest Oke is soonest cast downe the fattest Oxe is readiest for slaugher And the felicitie of fooles is their owne destruction sayth Salomon Prouer. Chap. 1. Psalm 73. For howe suddenlie doo they consume vanishe and come to fearefull ende yea euen as a dreame are they when one awaketh Lorde when thou raysest the dead thou wylt despise their Image Thou wylt punishe them and reward them according to their deserts if they wyll not amend and timelie bee conuerted to the trueth and hartelie embrace the Decrees and constitutions of our holye Mother the Churche God will surelie one daie be reuenged on them not onely in hell with euerlasting paine but also in this life with infinit miseries and a laborinth of intricate euyls VVhat doo I say one day yea God already for their wickednesse and sliding from our holie Mother the Church hath greeuouslie afflicted them and brought them to extreeme calamities wretchednesse and desolation With how many troubles with how
many vexations of minde and with how many sorrowes hath God punished the heretiques in Flaunders for their hautie stomackes and disloyaltie to their natural King for their stubbornes in not receiuing clemencie offered vnto them and for their wilfulnes in reiecting the same for their contemning of the Catholique faith and for their following I cannot tell nor they them selues vvhat Religion so vnstable and vnconstant their opinion is in matters of faith God hath stirred vp the Catholiques against them their strength is feebled their fayre buildinges made euen with the ground their coffers are opened and their gold and siluer fyll the purses of their aduersaries their costlie household stuffe their hangings their trim attyre their cloath of Tissue and whatsoeuer thing else they haue is taken away Their cattell is driuen from them their corne is burnt and in summe they them selues are eyther iustlie made bonde-men and slaues or else wretchedlie and rufullie slaine So that now after Gods iust reuengement they are become the outcast and the verie scum of the earth they are banished out of their owne countrey and can finde no abiding place to rest they are a fable vnto all the world for their newe inuented heresies their state and condition is not far better then the Iewes and their punishmēt doth not much differ the one from the other the heretiques and the Iewes are hated a lyke are persecuted a lyke and are punished heere in this worlde a lyke But heerein the Iewes and the Heretiques doo differre in sinne the Iewe sinneth ignorauntlie and obstinatelie but Heretiques sinne not ignorauntlie but obstinatelie and wilfullie The Iewes neuer knewe Christe neuer beleeued in him nor neuer tooke him to be the sauiour of the worlde The Heretiques acknowledged Christe to be the onelie begotten sonne of GOD beleeued in him and tooke him to be theyr Messias or Iesuah But in sweruing from the Catholique fayth they haue lost the knowledge of Christe their faith is frustrate and in vaine Their taking of Christe to be their sauiour can nothing auayle them can stande them in no steede And why they haue denied the Pope to be Supreame head they haue renounced the Traditions of the Apostles the Councelles they despise the aucthorities of the graue and learned Fathers they disallowe and to be breefe the Lawes of our holie Mother the churche they haue contempned and contrary sayd them VVherefore their sinne is not excusable and more greeuouslie to be punished in hell then the obstinate ignoraunce of the Iewes for not receyuing Christe to be theyr redeemer If this fayth whereby we hope to be saued which is the Catholique faith were not the true and substantiall faith whereof mention is made in our Creede where as it is sayde I beleeue in the holie Catholique Churche And what church is this is it not that for the which so many Martirs ended their vitall breath before the due course of nature So many in wyldernesse lead a most austeare life lyued in penurie and scarsitie glad they were to sustaine their lyues with rootes and water they forsooke the world with all the pompe and glistering shewes therof they bridled their carnall affections and sensuall lustes the deuill with all his subtill temptations they ouercame with fasting and praier What doo they beleeue that these holie Hermites are all condempned for that they haue beleeued the church of Roome to be the holie catholique Church and the Pope to be the head and cheefe Sheepheard thereof Haue so many Monkes so many Friers erred who wrought so many charitable deedes so often fasted so often prayed so often called vnto God for grace and helpe so brotherlie exhorted the wicked to amendement of lyfe so freendlie harboured the harborlesse cloathed the naked fed the hungrie visited the sicke helped the poore prisoners and redeemed the captiues forsooke their lyuinges and gaue them selues onelie to contemplation VVere all these reprobate doo they all suffer tormentes in hell for euer neuer to enioy the glorious contemplation of Gods heauenlie countenaunce is this the rewarde which they haue for all their holinesse for their vpright dealinges for their timerous conscience to offend their neighbour and beeing by some mischaunce offended to aske him forgiuenesse and to render a satisfaction Shall good workes reape no better reward then among the dampned should this their reward be euerlastinglie to rue in hell If as the heretiques say their faith was Antichristian-like and contrarie to Gods word Beleeue this who that will and let him be an heretique therefore I beleeue they were holie men and for their holinesse and catholique Religion were crowned with an incorruptible crowne of perpetuall blisse in heauenlie ioye If the Religion of our holie Mother the Church were nought then in vaine haue so many Saintes serued the Lord honoured him and kept his commaundementes in vaine haue so many Virgins intruded them-selues to Monasteries sequestring and estraunging them-selues from the societie of seculer women in vaine haue they reserued their virginitie forsaking wealthy and ritch mariages in vaine haue they chastised their bodies subduing and bringing them to subiection in vaine haue they liued and in vaine haue they beleeued if for the confession of the Catholique Church of Roome damnation bothe of body and soule should be then their reward So many Preests so many Leuits so many Kinges so many Princes so many Potentates so many Magistrates haue liued in vaine and in vaine was their faith who were no happier then the Gentiles in Cicero his time to be condemned with the heathen Gentiles since the beginning of the faith of Christe Onely perishing in soule and bodie for that their faith depended of the Catholique faith of our holie Mother the Churche Empires Kingdomes Prouinces Islands Citties and Townes beleeued in the Church of Roome which is the holy Catholique Church and are they all condemned therefore and haue they all liued in blindnesse and errour and hath Christe beene so vniust of his promise neuer to fayle his Church and haue his woordes beene so vntrue that the holie Ghost should direct the Catholique Church in all her dooinges howe was the Church directed if all the people erred How should Christ beeing the way the trueth and life neuer fayle his Spowse if he suffered her to decline from him who is the trueth Christ his wordes are true Coelum et terra peribunt sed verba eius remanebunt vera in aeternum Heauen and earth shall perishe but his wordes shall remaine true for euer Though the heretiques prate or speake neuer so much against the trueth Christe hath euermore instructed the churche of Roome Though Martin Luther and Iohn Caluin write to the contrarie who make them-selues more familliar with Christe and more priuie to his secretes then euer the Apostles were who were conuersant with Christe liuing on earth But Luther and Caluin not so they make men beleeue that their Forefathers liued in blindnesse and errour euen from the time of the Apostles
also of our soules as hée doth of a great many both in Roome Italie Fraunce Spaine and else where O my déerelie belooued be not deceyued in your owne conceytes and fonde imagiations what mooueth you to take the Pope to be such a fellowe that hée is able to gouerne vniuersallie all Churches Dooth his singular vertue and not Scriptures persuade you that the Pope is the vniuerfall head of the Church If it be so where appeareth the excellencie of his vertue Is hée humble as Christe was nay the Pope is prowde Is he poore as Christe was naie the Pope is ritch Is he patient as Christe was naie the Pope is impatient Is he mercifull as Christe was naie the Pope is vnmercifull Dooth he vse admonition as Christe vsed not so the Pope vseth imprisonment Dooth he vse communication as Christe vsed naie the Pope vseth extirpation Dooth the Pope vse clemencie as Christe vsed naie the Pope vseth all manner of tyrannie Dooth the Pope praye for his aduersaries as Christe dyd I tell you no the Pope cursseth them apace and with his thunderboltes of curssing and banning he maketh affraide yea and dooth terrifie the heartes of many that offend him I tell you plainely and thâ—â— without flatterie you shall finde the Pope in all vertue seuered from Christe you shall finde him to Christe Beliall to lyght darknesse to trueth falsehood Are not these and such like the verie fruites of Antichriste the Trée is knowen by his fruite O déere countreymen forsake not Christe to followe Antichrist embrace not fables in stéede of veritie looue not him which aduanceth him selfe aboue all thinges that is called God Ireneus Lib. 5. Cap. Penultis mo a most auncient Doctour of the Church who liued almost fiftéene hundred yéeres since disputing of Antichrist sayth thus Antichristus cùm sit seruus tamen adorari vult vt Deus Antichrist notwithstanding he be but a slaue yet he will be worshipped as if he were God Ioachimus Abbas sayth Antichristus iampridem natus est Rome et altius extolletur in sede Apostolica Antichrist is long since borne in Roome yet shall he be higher aduanced in the Apostolique sea Antichriste is hee sayth Gregorie lib. 4. Epist 38. that shall clayme to him selfe to be vniuersall Bisshoppe and shall haue a garde of Preests to attende vppon him This Gregorie was Bishop of Roome and if this prerogatiue and preheminence of the name of Christe his generall Vicar héere on earth had béene due vnto him he had neuer beeing a wise man reiected the same neither had he at any tyme béene so bolde as to call him Antichriste that should clayme to him selfe supremacie If he béeing Bishoppe of Roome a godlie and a learned man would in no wise be counted chéefe Pastour ouer all Nations and Kingdomes surelie his successors that came after him were much to blame to vsurpe that swelling and statelie title of supremacie Saint Gregorie calleth the name Of a supreame head Of a generallitie of an vniuersall Patriarche of a supreame Bishop for all is one the name of pride of rashnesse of blasphemie an vngodlie a wicked and a prophane name And that he further sayth Eulogio et Anastasio None of my predecessours no Bishop of Roome hath at any time agreede to vse so vngodlie a tytle Let not such also forgette who take vpon them so rashlie and so vnlearnedlie to maintayne the Bishoppe of Roome what Gregorie héerein further sayth his wordes be these for that they are manifest I may not omit them Gregorius Ioanni Episcopo Constantinopolitano Who is therefore sayth he in so corrupt and naughtie a name set before vs to be followed which despising the Legions of Angels appointed with him in equall fellowshippe hath lept out into the highest point of singularitie to the intent hee might obey none but rule all Who also sayde I will clime vp into heauen and make my seate aboue the Starres of the skie I will sit vppon the glorious mount towardes the North I will clime vp aboue the clowdes and will be lykest the most highest Esai 21. Let those which are in blindnesse if they haue eyes sée if they haue eares let them heare if they haue reason let them iudge if they haue learning let them discusse whether these wordes be so plaine as the Pope in no wise except hee renounce his Pardons and pride can auoide them Chrisost Opere imperfect Hom. 35. Quicunque in terra primatum desiderauerit confusionem in coelo inueniet Whosoeuer ambiciouslie desireth supremacie in earth he shall finde confusion in heauen The Pope ambiciouslie desireth supremacie on earth therefore he shall finde confusion in heauen Saint Augustine Tom. 5. De Ciuitate Dei Lib. 18. Cap. 2. Et Lib. 20. Cap. 19. He sayth Babylon is the first Roome and Roome the second Babylon And to come néerer to the matter Saint Iohn sayth Antichrist shall sit in the Cittie that is built vpon seuen hilles And so is the Cittie of Roome Apoca. 17. And moreouer Sibilla sayth That the greatest terrour and furie of his Empire and the greatest woe that he shall worke shall be by the bancks of Tyber and there is Roome Hée that hath eyes to sée let him sée and hée that hath eares to heare let him heare Phocas as you may reade in Platina In vita Bonifacij 3. That execrable murtherer was he that proclaymed the Bishoppe of Roome to be head of the vniuersall Church About six hundred thirtéene yéeres after Christe was borne this Phocas béeing but a common Souldiour The monstrous cruelty of Phocas vpon the Emperour Mauricius by treason and conspiracie laide handes vpon his liege Lord and maister the Emperour Mauricius and in villainous sort put him to death and so by trayterous villanie he aspyred to the Empyre The manner of his crueltie was this first he commaunded foorth the Emperours youngest Sonne and caused him to be slaine euen in the sight of his Father and so the second and then the thirde and afterwarde the Empresse Mauricius heauilie looking on lamented and cryed vnto God saying Righteous arte thou O Lord and rightfull is thy iudgement Last of all he vsed the like tyrannie also vpon the Emperour and layde him his wife and his thrée chyldren on a heape together After that he had thus lyued and committed sundrie murthers and other great mischéefes the people tooke him slewe him and threwe him into the fire Héere you may see the first promotour a holie promotour of the Popes holines a murtherer the finder out of supremacie and supremacie founded and builded vppon murder Thus you haue heard howe first the Bishop of Roome was claymed in stéede of president of the vniuersall Church Not according to Christe his institution but according to the commaundement of the murderer Phocas the Popes vsurpe the name of supremacie Well shall we haue a view of the Scriptures shall we sée what in them that Bishoppe of Roome hath to maintaine his Papacie one thing déerely
the auncient Fathers much to blame who in setting downe the Articles of our Creede dyd neglect and lightly passe ouer this vpstart Article of the Romish sea that where we be commaunded to beléeue one Catholique and Apostolique Church they dyd not in manner commaund vs to beléeue the Romaine Church withall Héereby you perceyue well enough my fréendes into what combersome straights and absurdities the Papistes haue hurled them selues by their blinde and vnaduised rashnesse For first if no certaintie of saluation be to be hoped for out of the Church which Church must be without all question that same verie Church of Roome as they frame theyr argumentes and that the Church of Roome be none other but the same which is strained and straighted to the vniuersall commaundementes and decrées of the Bishoppe of Roome Nowe then they doo exempt out of the priuiledge of the Church not onely this our English nation but together with them also they doo exclude out of the number of the Catholique Church infinite other famous learned Clarks of the auncient and pure age of the Church as Doctors Patriarches and Bishoppes yea amongst these also all the Bishoppes of Roome as many as were Gregories predecessors But what néede many proofes in a matter of it selfe so manifest and well knowne Vndoubtedlie sithens Christe would vouchsafe to lay the first foundation yea and to build vp that beautifull and euerlasting building of his owne house vpon none other ground worke then vpon that corner stone of Christian faith and Christian confession And if Paule doubted nothing to recoumpt the same faith to be the only and infallible shoote-Ancker of saluation By what Lawe then will the Pope adiudge them as out-castes worthy to be banished from the Catholique and Apostolique Church which professe the selfe same faith of Christe that the Apostles and other Catholique Churches dyd professe Why should the Papistes thus cruelly deale with the Christians for following Christe and his Apostles Why should they thus furiously persecute the godlie burne them or consume them in prison for denying the Romaine Church to be the holie Catholique Church Séeing that no mention thereof is made to be such a Church as the Papistes would haue it to be throughout all the Scriptures But we gather by the Scriptures that the Church of Roome is the Church of the deuill for if the Church of Roome were the true Church of Christe Christes sheepe heare his voice But the Church of Roome heareth not his voyce but heareth rather the voyce of Courtezanes therefore it is not the true Church but the Sinagogue of Sathan Shee wryteth in her coyne That Kingdome and people that doo not obey mee shall be rooted out contrarie to that the Kinges of Nations beare rule ouer them but ye shall not so doo therefore shée is not the true Church Ambrose sayth That the true Church is the Mother of the liuing But those that be in this Church are dead for they haue no faith because they haue no knowledge therfore this Church is not the true Church Shée committeth idolatrie and spirituall adulterie many wayes therefore shée is not the holie Catholique Church The Church of Roome numbers her multitudes as Dauid nūbred his Souldiors and therfore shée is not the holie Catholique Church These Papistes are like Cockles they carry theyr house about with them so doo they theyr Church Aspalathus will not growe but in Boetia ye kill these men if ye take away the couerture of the Church of Roome This Church is the ritch Arras that couereth all her faultes follies But admit good people that we were wunderfull hūble obediēt to this Church and most willing to come againe as foolishe Béetles to the shirt of this Church and to aske of her questions and demaundes I protest before heauen and earth and the founder of them bothe that I thinke it not good we should be holde in asking for the great imminent daunger in her aunswering For if we aske Whether Iesus be Christe or no This Romishe Church giueth out her aunswere That the Bishop of Roome is the high Preest and that the sayde Bishoppe hath the strength of the kingdome of Christe and the infallible veritie of a Prophete And therefore they allowe to ouer rule Christe by adding and taking too and fro his woorde If we aske If Christe were the onely oblation offered once vp for all for the sinnes of the world Her aunswere is verie daungerous That the Masse is a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead And shee falleth into commendation of her wheaten God and dooth attribute the health of the world to that abhominable bread and Idoll If we aske her If Christe be her intercessour to God Shée aunswereth vs most wickedlie Iure Matris imperat That Christe forsoothe shall commaund his Father by the right of his Mother If we aske her Of the state and condition of man since the fall of Adam Shée aunswereth That hee may ouertake heauen of him selfe and well enough by him selfe worke out his owne saluation Aske her What faith is And shee wyll tell of an implicite thing and of a generall faith and to be holden fast by that hand there shée kéepeth silence and is as spéechlesse as a Fishe If we aske her What the Lawe is Shée ladeth our shoulders with the heauy Ceremonies of Judaisme and Paganisme If we aske her What the Gospell is Shée maketh voide Gods promise with her owne Iustice If we aske her Of good workes Shee aunswereth iust lyke Saint Lukes Pharasie Then againe shée deuiseth good workes to be thus to hyre certayne men for money to pray and to mumble vp much quantitie of Psalmes in a couert tongue to kéepe huge troughes of Ling and Saltfishe many yéeres to waxe spéechlesse with seldome speaking to waxe lame with much sitting to vse many knottes in theyr gyrdles and many windowes in theyr showes to be buried in Monkishe wéedes and Nunnishe Cowles c. If we aske her Of the number of Christes Sacramentes Shee aunswereth That there be seuen Without Scripture shée hath added fiue to Gods two as though God hath let her his two Sacramentes to vsurie If we aske her Whether we goe after this life Shée telleth vs of Virgils Platoes and Mahomets Purgatorie If we should say vnto her Fayre Church of Roome whether is thy belooued gone Shée would say He went in his body to harrowe hell And then I wyll aske her Howe she can aunswere to Signum Ionae et signum Lazari The signe of Ionas and the signe of Lazarus that Christe should be three dayes in his graue If we would say Fayre Church of Roome whether is thy belooued gone Shée wyll say To heauen But then shée dreameth grosely of heauen as Mahomet and besides that in euerie hyll Alter and grone Alter shée wyll saye Here is Christe and there is Christe The more shée aunswereth the more shée aunswereth of lesinges Vneath hath shée nowe these many long yéeres aunswered any
the witte of man by reason of the féeblenesse thereof can by no meanes attaine vnto God but béeing holpen and lyfted vp by his holie worde It followed of necessitie that all men except the Iewes did wander in vanitie errour because they sought God without his worde Should the Papistes committe such absurdities in theyr writinges of matters of Religion if they reiected not the scriptures Should they holde such erronious opinions as they doo if they would content them-selues with the sufficiencie of the Scriptures no truelie if they followed the doctrine preceptes and councell of the Scriptures and not Traditions the inuentions of ambitious and worldly minded men S. Iohn teacheth in the. 20. Chap. That all things needfull to saluation are onely contained in the word of God These are his wordes Multa quidem et alia signa fecit Iesus in conspectu discipulorum suorū quae non sunt scripta in libro hoc haec autem scripta sunt vt credatis quod Iesus est Christus ille filius Dei et vt credentes vi◠tam habeatis per nomen eius And many other signes dyd Iesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this booke but these thinges are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name The which wordes Cyrill expoundeth thus Non omnia qua Dominus fecit conscripta sunt sed quae scribentes putarunt sufficere tam ad mores quam ad dogmata All is not written that Christe dyd but so much as the writers thought sufficient as well to manners as to doctrine Saint Augustine De doctrina Christiana Lib. 2. Cap. 9. Sayth In his quae aperte in Scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur ea omnia quae continent fidem moresque viuendi All thinges contayning faith and manners are manifestly set downe in the Scriptures Basilius De fidei Confessione Sayth Manifesta est elapsio à fide et superbiae crimen aut reprobare quid ex ijs quae scripta sunt aut superinducere quid ex non scriptis It is a manifest slyding from the faith and a great pride eyther to reiect any thing that is written in the worde of GOD or to bring in any thing vnwritten For Christes sheepe sayth Saint Iohn Chap. 10.4 heare his voice and will not heare the voyce of an other And in his Moralles he sayth That if whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne if faith come by hearing hearing by the worde of God whatsoeuer is brought in beside the worde of God is not of faith and therefore sinne What haue we to doo good Christian people with Romish Traditions with Decrées Canons Constitutions Coūcels and Papisticall writings are their inuentions comparable with the scriptures or haue the Papists the lyke vtteraunce the lyke gifte of spéeche as Christe had Saint Iohn speaking of Christe Chap. 7.46 Sayth Nunquam sic loquutus est homo Neuer man spake as this man dooth Not all the hypocritical illusions of the Papists can once preuayle against Christes Church Not Cicero the father of eloquence not Demosthenes out of whose mouth flowed flooddes of eloquence not eloquent Pericles of whome it is written that he dyd thunder out his wordes not the golden tongued Chrisostome But Christes argumentes were so mightie and his wordes so swéete that a certaine woman hauing great admonition thereof lyfted vp her voice and sayde vnto him Happie is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes which thou hast sucked This worde differeth in perfection in his wordes all thinges endure take away this worde what is man a brute beast Take away the sunne out of the world what remaineth horrible darknesse Lactantius De ira Dei Cap. 1. Sayth Lumen mentis humanae Deus est remoto Deo coelestique doctrina omnia erroribus plena sunt God is the light of mans soule if you set a side or put away from you God his heauenlie worde all thinges are full of errours Take away this worde what is man a captiue of Sathan a praye of death a slaue of sinne a fire-brande of hell Ignorantia Scripturarū Christi ignorantia est Sayth Hierome in Prologo Esaiae Ignoraunce of the scriptures is ignoraunce of Christ As farre as heauen is distaunt from earth so farre ought heauenlie thinges alwayes be preferred before humaine thinges yea incomparably ought they alwayes to be preferred Hierome in Epistola Ad Demetriadem Virginem vtere lectione diuina Sayth hée Vtere speculo vide speculum foeda corrigenda pulchra conseruanda et pulchra facienda Scriptura enim speculum est foeda ostendens et corrige dicens Vse to reade the holie Scripture vse the glasse see the glasse that deformitie may be amended fayrenesse preserued and fayre thinges performed For the scripture is a glasse shewing deformitie and saying amend Gregoris in Moral sayth Sacra scriptura tanquam speculum quoddam mentis The holy Scriptures is as a certaine glasse of the minde S. Augustin in Psalm 48. Scriptura sancta sit tibi tanquam speculum speculum hoc habet splendorem non mendacem non adulantem nullius personam amantem formosus es formosum te ibi vides Sed cum foedus accesseries et foedum te ibi videris noli accusare speculum ad te redi non te fallit speculum tu te noli fallere Let the holie Scripture be to thee as a glasse this glasse hath no deceytfull or flattering brightnesse it is not in looue with any mans person Arte thou beautifull thou seest thy selfe there beautifull but when thou commest deformed accuse not the glasse aduise thy selfe the glasse deceyueth thee not deceyue not thou thy selfe Saint Augustine sayth Tom. 2. Epist 166. In Scripturis didicimus Christum in Scripturis didicimus Ecclesiā In the Scriptures we haue learned Christe in the Scriptures we haue learned the Church Saint Ambrose sayth in Homil. Lib. 4. Cap. 1. Christus oritur in lectione sol iustitiae In reading the Scriptures Christ the sonne of righteousnesse ryseth Saint Augustine sayth Verbo Dei docemur in omnibus By the worde of God we are instructed in all thinges Saint Basill in Concione Quod Deus non causa malorum verbum Dei ex quo solo noscitur Deus regiam viam monstrat et est lucerna pedum nostrorum The worde of GOD by the which onely GOD is knowen sheweth the kinges high way and is the lyght of our feete We learne faith in the Scriptures and not in Popishe Traditions Saint Hillarie sayth Ad imperatorem Constantinum to the Emperour Constantinus Fidem imperator quaeris audi eam non de nouis Chartulis sed de Dei libris Dooth your Maiestie seeke the faith Heare it then not out of any new scroll but out of the booke of God Saint Iohn sayth Chap. 14. Qui non diligit me sermones meos non seruat et sermo quem auditis non est meus sed eius
and receyued Sola fide by onely fayth Hierome vpon the tenth Chapter to the Romaines They not knowing that God iustifieth Sola fide by Faith onely and suppose them selues to be iust by the workes of the lawe which they neuer obserued they would not submit them selues vnto the remission of sinnes least they should seeme to haue beene sinners Hillarie in the ninth Canon vpon the. 8. of Mathewe It mooueth the Scribes that sinne was forgiuen by man for they dyd onely beholde man in Christe Iesu and that to be forgiuen of him which the lawe could not release Fides enim sola iustificat For faith only iustifieth Basill in his Homilie of Humility That at length is a perfect and sound reioycing in God when a man dooth not bragge and boast of his owne righteousnesse he is iustified Sola fide By faith onely in Christe Thus haue I recited bothe Scriptures and Doctours for proofe that a man is iustified onely by Faith more places out of the Scriptures and Doctours might be gathered But these may suffise for this matter ¶ Of Free wyll I Wyll prooue bothe by Scriptures and Doctours that frée wyll was giuen vnto man euen before his fall after his fall That man had frée wyll before his fall these testimonies of the Scriptures alleadged doo testifie the same In Genesis the first Chapter and 26. verse there it is written Et ait Deus faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram et praesit piscibus maris et volatilibus caeli et bestijs vniuersaeque terrae omnique reptili quòd mouetur in terra God sayd let vs make man in our owne Image according to our likenesse and let him rule ouer the Fishes of the sea and ouer the Fowles of the heauen and ouer the Beastes and ouer all the earth and ouer euerie thing that creepeth and mooueth on the earth If hee had rule ouer the Beastes of the féelde of the Fowles of the ayre and of the Fishes of the Sea he had then frée wyll And whereas it is written That God made man to his own image It is not meant of the body nor yet of the soule but of principallitie dominion In the. 2. Chap. of Gen it is written Tulit ergo Domnus Deus hominem et posuit eum in Paradisum voluptatis vt operaretur et custodiret illum praecepitque ei dicens ex omni ligno Paradisicomedes Then the Lord God tooke the man and put him into the garden of Eden that he might dresse it and keepe it and the Lord God commaunded the man saying thou shalt eat freely of euerie Tree of the garden By these words I gather that séeing it was graunted by God to man to eate of euerie Trée of the garden then had he frée wyll to doo as he would to eate or not to eate Againe Ecclesi 15.14 Deus ab initio cōstituit hominem et reliquit illum in manu consilij sui adiecit mandata et praecepta sua si volueris mandata seruare conseruabunt te c. He made man from the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsell and gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes if thou wilt thou shalt obserue the commaundementes and testifie thy good wyll You sée that frée wyll was graunted vnto man before his fall God created him and left him in the hand of his counsell to doo what he would he had his owne choise eyther to the eating of euerie Trée of the garden and so to lyue eternallie in pleasures delightes ioye rest and quietnesse or to eate of the Trée of knowledge of good and bad and so to become mortall to léese his former state to become myserable wretched a caitife subiect to death hell and dampnation Againe in the same Chap. of Eccle. 15.17 Apposuit tibi aquam et ignem ad quod volueris porrige manum tuam And in the 18. verse Ante hominem vita et mors bonum et malum quod placuerit ci dabitur illi He hath set water and fire before thee stretch out thy hand vnto which thou wilt Before man is life and death good and euyll what it lyketh him it shall be giuen him Héere we sée moste manifestly that man had frée wyll before his fall For if the first man Adam could haue chosen eyther lyfe or death good or euyll who can with reason denie but that he had frée wyll For frée wyll is nothing else but a frée and loose lybertie of the minde to doo as he lyst Our Parentes An euident signe of free wyll Adam and Eue might haue lyued but they would not Adam and Eue had theyr choyse eyther to lyue or to dye to lyue and to doo good obseruing his commaundement and to dye if they would doo euyll neglecting his precept They followed the counsell of the Serpent in eating the fruite forbidden and so offended Gods Maiestie Wherefore it appeareth by these wordes that they had frée wyll to doo as they were commaunded and so to lyue in Paradise or to breake the commaūdement of God and so to dye bannished out of Paradise Eccle. 17.1 Deus creauit de terra hominem et iterum conuertit illum in ipsam The Lord hath created man of the earth and turned him to it againe Numerum dierum et tempus dedit illi c. He gaue him the number of dayes and certaine tymes and gaue him power of the thinges that are vpon earth He cloathed him with strength as he had néede and made him according to his Image He made all fleshe to feare him so that he had dominion ouer the Beastes and Fowles He created vnto him a helper lyke vnto him selfe and gaue him discretion and tongue and eyes cares and an heart to vnderstand and sixtlie he gaue him a spirite and seuenthly he gaue him spéeche to declare his workes and he filled him with knowledge of good and euyll And he sayde vnto him Beware of all vnrighteous thinges Wisd 23. Deus creauit hominem inexterminabilem et adimaginem similitudinis sue fecitillum God created man without corruption and made him after the Image of his owne lykenesse Coloss 3.9 Lye not one to an other seeing that yee haue put off the olde man with his workes and haue put on the newe which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Ephesi 4.23 Be yee renewed in the spirite of your minde 24. And put on the newe man which after GOD is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Omnes homines Sayth Ambrose in his first Booke and third Chapter of the calling of the Gentiles in primo homine creati sunt sine vicio et culpa et tota natura nostra integra et valida erat et peccato istius hominis totius nostrae naturae integritatem et salutem amisimus All men in the first man were created without vice or faulte and all our nature was sounde and in health and by the sinne of the
blinde peruersenes of the Papists In the. 10. of Iohn Christe sayth I am the doore dooth it followe that hée is a doore in déede no forsooth I thinke but that a doore is to harde for any man to eate they would haue takē that place of scripture to make God Though Christ sayd I am the doore it followeth not Note heere that he was a materiall doore no more dooth it followe that this word Hoc est corpus meum This is my body to be the same body that Marie the Virgin bare it is plaine errour and they are fowly deceyued For when Christe sayd This is my body that shall be giuen for you the worde that he spake was him selfe him selfe was the worde or else must the bread haue béene crucified as is afore which I will prooue by the manifest scriptures Christ sayth in the 6. of Iohn I am the liuing bread that came from heauen your fathers did eate Manna in the desert and are dead but I am the bread of lyfe So it demonstrateth that Christe was the bread Note heere which was giuen for vs but these Gentlemen say that the bread is he Nowe héere is all the cōtrouersie betwéene the Christiās and the Papists Christ fayth that he is the bread that was giuen for vs or broken for vs the Papists say that the bread is Christ now how can we agree for we say as Christ saith that he is the bread these Gētlemen say that the bread is he marke well the scriptures Paul sayth That which I receyued of God I gaue vnto you Let them answer me to this dyd Paul receiue any thing of the Lord but his word for Paul was not with the Lord at the supper to receiue any other thing Oblinde creatures they wot not what they doo will they haue the blood of wytnesse of Iesus Christe required at their hāds still O good christian brethrē for the tender mercy of our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ beléeue not this erronious doctrine of the Papistes worship not a wheaten God In the. 6. Chap. of Iohn Christ sayth The bread which I will giue you is my fleshe which I will giue for the life of the world Héere you may perceyue that the bread that Christ gaue vs was his fleshe Ergo his fleshe was the bread that he brake which was him selfe him selfe was the word and his word was his body which was giuē for the life of the world Then stroue the Iewes among them selues sayd How can this fellow giue vs his flesh to eate for they tooke it carnally as our cleane fingred Gētlemen doo now a daies thinking the they should haue eaten him vp flesh blood bones Iesus sayd vnto thē Iohn 6. Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man ye haue no life in you for whosoeuer eateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath euerlasting lyfe And I shall raise him vp at the last day for my flesh is very meat and my blood hath euerlasting life and I shall raise him vp at the last day for my flesh is very meat and my blood is very drinke and whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abydeth in me and I in him Nowe I tolde you afore that Christe was the bread that was giuen for vs and euen as the materiall bread féedeth the body so this liuely bread féedeth the soule And Christe speaketh heere of his fleshe and blood which was offered in sacrifice for our saluation and our redemption as Iohn sayth Chap. 1.8 The worde became fleshe and we see the glorie of it as the onely begotten sonne of the Father and who so dooth beleeue this dooth eate Christes fleshe and drinketh his blood But not as these Papists do for they say that they crash him with their teeth carnally Oh abhominable blasphemy the same body that Mary bare but they which receiue him in a Christian Cōmunion receiue him by faith For Christe sayd Hoc facite in meam cōmemorationem Doo this in remembraunce of me And whosoeuer beléeueth that this body was done vpon the Crosse for his saluation and that the shedding of his blood is for the remissiō of his sinnes taken in the remembrance of Christes death eateth Christes body and drinketh his blood spiritually God graūt we may doo so for our own soules health Amen Thus much bréefly touching the supper of the Lord. Against mennes Merites and righteousnesse GReate controuersie and disputation there is betweene the Papists and vs Christians touching mennes merites righteousnesse The Papists say that they are iustified by good woorkes and not by faith We say that Sola fides iustificat omnes Faith alone iustifieth all men It is marueilous dearely beloued to see with what rashnes and boldnesse iustification of woorkes is commonly debated yea and it is to be seene how none doe more boldly or with fuller mouthes as the saying is prate of the righteousnesse of workes then they that are monstrously sicke of open outward diseases or be redy to burst with inward vices That commeth to passe because they thinke not vpon the righteousnes of God wherof if they had neuer so little feeling they would neuer make so great a mockerie of it And truely it is out of measure lightly regarded whē it is not acknowledged to be such and so perfect that nothing be imputed vnto it but euery way whole absolute and defiled with no vncleannesse such as neuer was and neuer shal be able to be found in man It is in deede easie and readie for euery man in schooles to talke vainlie vpon the worthinesse of woorkes to iustifie men but when they come into the sight of God such dalliances must auoyd because there is earnest doing vsed and no trifling strife aboute wordes To this to this I say we must applie our minde if we will profitably enquire of true righteousnesse how we may answere the heauenly Iudge when he calleth vs to account Let vs thinke him to be a Iudge not such a one as our own vnderstandinges do of themselues imagine but such a one as he is paynted out in the Scripture with whose brightnes the stars shal be darckned by whose strength the hils doe melt away by whose wrath the earth is shaken by whose wisdome the wise are takē in their suttletie by whose purenesse all thinges are prooued vnpure whose righteousnes the angels are not able to beare which maketh the innocent not innocent whose vengeance when it is once kindled pearceth to the bottome of hell If he I say sit to examine mens doinges who 〈…〉 peare assured before his throane Who shal dwell with a deuouring fire saith the prophet Esaie 3.34 Who shall abide with continuall burninges he that walketh in righteousnes and speaketh trueth c. But let such a one come foorth whatsoeuer he be but that aunswere maketh that none commeth foorth for this terrible saying soūdeth to the contrary Lord if thou marke our iniquities Lord who shall abide