A CHRISTIAN LETTER of certaine English Protestants vnfained fauourers of the present state of Religion authorised and professed in ENGLAND vnto that Reverend and learned man M r R. Hoo. requiring resolution in certaine matters of doctrine which seeme to ouerthrow the foundation of Christian Religion and of the church among vs expreslie contained in his fiue books of Ecclesiasticall Pollicie 1599. A Christian LETTER of certaine English Protestantes vnfayned fauourers of the present state of religion authorised and professed in England vnto that Reuerend and Learned man Maister R. Hoo. requiring resolution in certayne matters of doctrine which seeme to ouerthrowe the foundation of Christian Religion and of the Church among vs expreslie contayned in his fiue bookes of Ecclesiasticall Policie WHEN men dreame they are asleepe and while men sleepe the enemie soweth tares and tares take roote and hinder the good corne of the Church before it be espied Therefore Wise men through silence permitt nothing looselie to passe away as in a dreame Your offer then Maist. Hoo. is godly and laudable to enforme men of the estate of the church of God established among vs. For the Teachers of righteous things are highlie to be commēded And he that leadeth mē rightlie to iudge of the church of God is to be beloued of all men Howbeit sometimes goodlie promises are meere formal and great offers serue onely to hoodwinke such as meane well And as by a faire shew of wishing well our first parents were fowlie deceaued so is there a cunning framed method by excellencie of wordes intising speeches of mans wisedome to beguile and bewitch the verie Church of GOD. And such as are vsed for this purpose come in sheepes clothing For he translateth him self into an Angel of light who blindeth all men with vtter darknes When wee therefore your louing cuntrymen vnfaynedlie fouoring the present state and embracing from our heartes the Gospel of Christ as it is preached and professed in England being readie euery hower to giue vp our liues for Gods glorie and the honour of our Queene hauing so goodlie a champion to offer combat in our defence were made verie secure and by the sweete sounde of your melodious stile almost cast into a dreaming sleepe Wee happelie remembring your Preface that there might bee some other cause opened at the length our heauie eyes and casting some more earnest and intentiue sight into your manner of fight it seemed vnto vs that couertlie and vnderhand you did bende all your skill and force against the present state of our English church and by colour of defending the discipline and gouuernement thereof to make questionable and bring in contempt the doctrine and faith it selfe For we saw the theme and the cause you haue in hand to be notable simples whereof a skilfull popishe Apoticarie can readilie make some fine potion or sweete smelling ointment to bring heedlesse men into the pleasant dreame of well-weening while they closelie set on fire the house of God And may wee not trulie say that vnder the shewe of inveighing against Puritanes the chiefest pointes of popish blasphemie are many times and in many places by diuers men not obscurelie broached both in Sermons and in Writing to the great griefe of manie faithfull subiectes who pray for the blessed and peaceable continuance of her most gracious Maiestie and of the estate of the Church of IESVS Christ as it is nowe established among vs. And verelie such a thing offered it selfe vnto our eyes in reading your bookes and we had not skill howe to iudge otherwise of the handling of your penne and of the scope of your matter Notwithstanding because rash iudgemēt may preiudice honest trauailes and faithfull labourers may haue their vnaduised slippes and we could not tell howe zeale loue or glorie might carie a man of such towardlie and excellent giftes in the firste shewing of him selfe to the worlde or that an earnest striuing bending your selfe in heate of disputation against the one side might dazell your eyes and drawe your hande at vnawares to farre and too fauourable to the other side or else peradventure we might mistake your meaning and so wee should doe you wrong against our willes We thought it therefore our parte in regarde of our dutie to the Church and most agreeing to charitie both for your credit and our ease in all christian loue to intreat you that as you tēder the good estate of Christes church among vs and of thousands cōuerted to the gospel you would in like publike manner but plainly and directlie shew vnto vs and all English Protestantes your owne true meaning and how your wordes in diuers thinges doe agree with the doctrine established among vs. And that not onelie for avoyding of offence giuen to many godlie and religious Christians but also that the Atheistes Papistes and other hereticques be not incouraged by your so harde and so harsh stile beating as it were as we verilie thinke against the verie heart of all true christian doctrine professed by her Maiestie and the whole state of this Realme to despise and set light by her sacred Maiestie the reverend Fathers of our Church and the whole cause of our religion Wee haue made choyce therefore of a few principal things which trouble manie godlie minded christians who aduisedlie read ouer your bookes that by the sincere answering and vpright clearinge of them you might satisfie vs all both in them and in all the rest and free your selfe from all suspition of falshoode or treacherie and make vs able to giue a reason of defence vnto all such as stumble at your writinges And for your better ease herein and our more readie satisfaction we haue compared your positions and assertions in your long discourses vnto the articles of religion sett forth An̄ Dn̄i 1562. and confirmed by Parliament the 13. of her Maiesties most blessed ioyfull reigne and vnto the Apologies of such Reverend Fathers and chiefe pillars of our church as from time to time since the Gospell began to shine among vs haue written and preached and euerie way laboured to advaunce and defende the same with the Liturgie church governement established among vs. If you therefore good Ma. Hoo. will make it to appeare to the world that in these pointes you are all one in iudgement with the church of Englande and that your such speaches wherewith your godly brethrē are grieued may beare such sence and meaning or else as euery humble christian will doe freelie and ingenuouslie acknowledge your vnwilling ouersight or at the least which we vndoubtedly beleeue you will neuer bee able shew plainlie and by good demonstration that all our Reuerend Fathers haue hitherto bene deceaued then shall we hold our selues very well contented and satisfied Hoping therfore of your charitable direct plaine sincere and speedie answere we tender here our doubtes vnto your christian consideration and craue your brotherlie resolution in manner and forme following One foundation of christian
and heereafter more aboundantlie their full ioy and felicitie ariseth because while they liue they are blessed of God and when they dye their workes follow them And yet againe you say I will not dispute whether truely it may not be sayde that poenitent both weeping and fasting are meanes to blott out sinne meanes whereby through Gods vnspeakeable and vndeserued mercie wee obtayne and procure to our selues pardon which attaynement vnto anie gracious benefite by him bestowed the phrase of antiquitie vseth to expresse by the name of merite Heere wee desire to bee resolued how these your assertions can stande with the doctrine and beleef of the church of England Fayth only iustifieth To which the holy Scripture accordeth saying If there had bene a lawe that could haue giuen life surelie righteousnes had bene by the law but the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Jesus Christ might be giuen to them that beleeue And againe David declareth the blessednes of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without workes For if from sound and sincere virtues as you say full ioy and felicitie ariseth and that we all of necessitie stande bounde vnto all partes of morall duetie in regarde of life to come and God requireth more at the handes of men vnto happines then such a naked beleefe as Christ calleth the worke of God alas what shal we poore finful wretches doe who can haue no confidence in the flesh being farre from those sounde and sincere virtues and from manie that we say not all partes of morall dutie in such measure as the holy iust good law of God doeth require them yea our verie righteous workes we finde to be stayned like a filthie cloth when we cōpare them vnto that absolute righteousnes which is indeed pure vnspotted before the eyes of God therefore we clayme nothing by any duetie we doe or can doe or anie virtue which wee finde in our selues but onelie by that naked faith which is the work of God in vs and maketh vs beleeue in him whom he hath sente and by his stripes onelie we hope to be healed Tell vs therefore by sounde and plaine demonstration what wee may trust to whether the English beleefe be imperfect without some necessarie additament whether you thinke that not faith alone but faith hope and loue be the formall cause of our righteousnes whether a man that hath faith can also doe all the works of the law and so make vp that which is wāting in his naked faith or that if he cannot but falleth into sinne seuen times yea sometimes into great sinnes whether his faith may not saue him Lastlie whether there bee not other sufficient causes to induce a christian to godlines honestie of life such as is the glorie of God our Father his great mercies in Christ his loue to vs example to others but that we must do it to merit or to make perfitt that which Christ hath done for vs. And lastlie shew vs that phrase of antiquitie whether it were in the Apostles time among the sounder christians or in what time immediatlie following or doe you not closelie make the popish doctrine of meritt by workes at the least to be tollerable to the disgrace of our English creede The church of England professeth that Good workes the frutes of faith and following the iustified cannot abide the seueritie of Gods iudgement and that The workes which are done before the grace of Christ are not onely not acceptable to God but also haue the nature of sinne You say The most certayne token of evident goodnes is If the generall perswasion of all men doe so account it And againe Only mans obseruation of the lawe of his nature is Righteousnes only mans transgression sinne Gods verie commaundements in some kinde as namelie his precepts comprehended in the law of nature may otherwise be knowen then onelie by scripture and that to doe them howsoeuer we know them must needes be acceptable in his sight Here we desire to be instructed howe the goodnes of these actions done by the light of nature are to be vnderstoode eyther simplie in them selues as nature onelie declareth and teacheth or as men following the light of nature iudge of them and so doe them if you answere onelie as nature teacheth without regarde of man doeing according to nature then can we not vnderstande your discourse which seemeth to vs to teach that by doeing such operations of goodnes as nature teacheth though he haue no further teachinge it is righteousnes and pleaseth God If you meane this second then I pray you in what sence can you call that righteousnes in man which our Church calleth sinne and doe you not establish the Romish doctrine of pura naturalia and workes of congruitie And if that be true which you say that men doing such workes be acceptable in Gods sight doe you not make the Church of England to holde an errour when they say they are not acceptable to God The church of England professeth that Works of supererogation cannot bee taught without arrogancie and wickednes And you say God approued much more then he commaundeth Open vnto vs then that seeing you seeme to teach that the order and course of all things supernaturall naturall sensible and reasonable is a diuine lawe and so by it he commaundeth accordinge to euerie kinde and that in the former articles you appeare to vs to scatter the prophane graines of poperie whether we may not iustlie iudge that in thus speaking you sow the seede of the doctrine whiche leadeth men to those arrogant workes of supererogation If not shew your own meaning and howe you esteeme of this Article of our beleefe The Church of England holdeth that Christ onely being the immaculate Lambe was without sinne and that we which are baptized and regenerated in him doe all offende in manie things You say Although we cannot bee free from all sinne collectiuelie in such sorte that no parte thereof shalbe found inherent in vs yet distributiuelie at the least all great and greeuous actuall offences as they offer themselues one by one both may and ought to be by all meanes auoyded So that in this sense to be preserued from all sinne is not impossible Heere we demaunde to be informed that if all offende in manie things and to say otherwise be a lye as our English creede affirmeth how your saying can be true that it is possible to avoyde all great and greeuous sinnes And what manie things they bee whereof the scripture speaketh Whether it meaneth not actual offences great and greeuous but that some may be excepted in regard of great sinnes or whether you meane that it is possible for all christians to be preserued from all great sinnes and if so why should it not bee as possible from all small offences and if from small and great why doe
we not keepe our robe pure and without spot vntill the comming of Christ and so bee iustified more and more by our works as the popish Cannons teach but pray by Christes commaundement euery day Forgiue vs our trespasses The Church of England beleeueth that Predestination vnto life is the eternal purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were layde hee constantlie decreed by his counsell vnto vs vnknowen to deliuer from the curse destruction them whom he chose in Christ out of mankinde as vessells made vnto honour through Christ to bring them to eternall saluation Wherevppon they who are indowed with so excellent benefit of God are called according to his purpose and that by his spirit working in a fitt time But you Mai. Hoo. seeme to vs to affirme contrarie when you say If anie man doubt how God should accept such prayers in case they be opposite to his will or not graunt them if they be according to that him selfe willeth Our aunswer is that such sutes God accepteth in that they are conformable to his generall inclination which is that all men might be saued yet alwayes he graunteth them not for so much as there is in God a more priuate occasioned will which determineth the contrarie Heere we begge your ayde to make manifest vnto vs howe God eternallie predestinateth by a constant decree them whom he calleth and saueth as our Church professeth and yet hath as you say a generall inclination that all men might be saued Whether he foresaw not something that occasioned his will otherwise so that he elected not all but onely them whom he calleth and saueth or that of his generall inclination he elected all men but some more privatelie occasioned him in time to alter his will and to refuse them or that some men gaue God occasiō that he saueth them though he neuer decreed it before the foundations of the world What meant the blessed Apostle where he sayeth Whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified c. Is this to bee vnderstoode of a constant decree as we say or of an inclination Hee sayeth God worketh all thinges after the counsell of his owne will Is this to be vnderstood that vpon occasion sometimes hee either altereth his counsell or decreeth something which hee had not thought vpon before Saint Iames saith that In God there is no variablenes nor shadowe of turning Is not this more then a variablenes or shadow of turning to incline one way and upon occasion to decree another Doe not these wordes of yours giue some place vnto chaunce and fortune Doe they not make GOD as a man not of an all-sufficient knowledge wisedome and counsell but inclinable some one way till by occasion he finde a more better way Where is that God you speake of in your first booke of whom and through whom and for whom are all things And where is that law by which he worketh which you there call aeternall and therefore can haue no shew or colour of mutabilitie Haue we not cause to feare that the wittie schoolemen haue seduced you and by their conceited distinctions made you forget That you are neither able nor worthie to open and looke into the booke of Gods law by which he guideth the worlde And yet you will say There is in God an occasioned will Good Mai. Hoo. helpe vs heere and shewe vs howe we may thinke that you incline not to the errour of poperie touching workes forseene and that you fauour our churches beleefe The Churche of Englande doeth confesse That the church of Christ is a companie of faithfull people among whom the pure worde of God is preached the Sacramentes rightlie administred according to Christes institution c. and that the church of Rome hath erred not onely in maners ceremonies but also in matters of faith Which by the Reverend Fathers of our Church is expounded thus Without Christ the church is no church neither hath anie right or claime without his promise nor anie promise without his worde The church of Rome being as it is now vtterlie voyd of Gods word is as a lanterne without light We haue departed from that church which they haue made a denne of theeues and in which they haue left nothing sound or like to a church which thē selues did cōfesse to haue erred in manie things euen as Lot in olde time out of Sodom or Abraham out of Chaldea c. The generall error and defection of the popish Sinagogue frō Christ his true Church foreshewed in the scriptures is now manifest to the world by dissention from Christ and his holy Apostles doctrine and from the doctrine of the churches by the Apostles foūded And for this cause they call the heresie of that Romish church Apostasia Romanensium ab Ecclesia The Apostasie of the Romish rabble frō the church And they cal the Pope Apostatam Antichristum an Apostata Antichrist And binde vp in one bundle Idolaters superstitious persons papistes and Atheistes constantlie affirming that among English christians no other thing is ment by the name of papistes then heretickes and traytours Antichristians and Apostataes enemies to God their Prince and their countrie Now we finde in you these peremptorie affirmations With Rome we dare not cōmunicate concerning sundrie her grosse grieuous abhominations yet touching those maine partes of christian trueth wherein they constantlie still persist we gladlie acknowledge them to be of the familie of Iesus Christ. And a little before We hope that to reforme our selues if at anie time we haue done amisse is not to seuer our selues from the church wee were of before In the church we were and we are so still And in another place you would haue men To acknowledge that it is due to the church of Rome to be held reputed a part of the house of God and a limme of the visible church of Christ. And your principall reason seemeth to be because you say That whiche separateth vtterlie That which cutteth off cleane from the visible church of Christ is plaine Apostasie direct deniall vtter reiection of the whole christian faith as farre as the sonne is professedly different from infidelitie Heere you seeme vnto vs to come foorth as an other Elias to bring againe the people vnto the God of their Fathers They say that the church of Rome hath erred not onely in manners but also in matters of fayth You you call thē backe and say Sundrie grosse and grieuous abhominations They say that the church of Rome as it is nowe is vtterlie voyde of Gods word as a lanterne without light and that it is a denne of theeues in which they haue left nothing soūd or like a church but is like Sodom c. You call them backe and say That they haue mayne partes of christian trueth wherein they constantlie
telling Abraham his couenant reached to his seede and by differring the seale of the same to witt circumcision to the eight day You Maister Hoo. speake to our vnderstanding a farre differing language namely Predestination bringeth not to life without the grace of externall vocation wherein our baptisme is implyed For as wee are not naturallie men without birth so neither are we christian men in the eie of the church of God but by new birth nor according to the ordinarie course of divine dispensation new borne but by that baptisme which both declareth and maketh vs christians in which respect we holde it to bee the doore of our actuall entrance into Gods house the first apparant beginning of life a seale perhaps to the grace of election before receaved but to our sanctification heere a stepp that hath not any before it And againe The fruit of Baptisme dependeth onely upon the couenant whiche God hath made that God by couenant requireth of the elder sorte fayth and Baptisme in childrē the sacrament of Baptisme alone And in another place We haue for baptisme no day sett as the Iewes had for circumcision neither haue wee by the lawe of God but onely by the churches discretion a place therevnto appointed Baptisme therfore euen in the meaning of the lawe of Christ belongeth vnto infantes capable thereof from the verie instant of their birth which if they haue not howsoeuer rather then loose it by being put of because the time the place or some such like circumstance doth not solemnly enough concurre the church as much as in her lyeth wilfullie casteth away their soules Heere are we at our wittes ende not knowing what to beleeue For if our English confession bee true that baptisme is a signe of regeneration and visibly sealeth our remission of sinnes and adoption and increaseth grace c. we know not what to make of that you say Baptisme to be the first apparant beginning of life a seale perhaps of the grace of election and that there is no stepp of sanctification before Baptisme And againe if it be true as you say Predestination bringeth not life without the grace of externall vocation wherein baptisme is implyed what shall we thinke of that our Reverend Fathers say A man by Gods free election is holy and pure and that before Baptisme a man may stande in the state of salvation And if our churches doctrine be true that baptisme is a seale of remission of sinnes and that the Sacramentes make not the couenantes but are seales of the covenantes howe can yours bee true that by couenant God requireth fayth and baptisme in the elder and baptisme alone in children Is baptisme parte of the couenant and more then a seale And seeing our Reverend Fathers affirme that God and well ordered churches forbidd baptisme by women and that God hath not inthralled his church to such vrgent necessitie and that such doctrine is fearfull iniurious and blasphemous and our sweete and tender Father hath saide I will be thy God and thy childes not adding anie condition of baptisme if it cannot be had as it ought How can it bee well in you to make it a bloodie and wilfull casting away of soules if the church provide not that children haue baptisme howsoeuer And heere we pray you to teach vs whether the couenant and Sacramentes in the Gospell bee not the same in nature virtue and substance that they were vnder the lawe or that our Sacramentes haue more necessitie And if so why our Reverend Fathers disavow the necessitie of Baptisme to be done anie other wise then as it ought because God appointed circumcisiō till the eight day is there a further grace in our sacramēts or haue they not somewhat in the worke wrought whiche the Sacramentes of the law had not We pray you therefore plainelie and distinctlie to shew vs your minde whether righteousnes cōmeth by baptisme or by faith And seeing notwithstanding all these harde and peremptorie speaches you sometimes saye that grace is not absolutelie tyed to sacramentes and the necessitie of receaving not so absolute as that of administring the Sacramentes Wee would faine knowe what you holde and affirme what manner of necessitie you meane For if grace be not absolutelie tyed vnto Sacraments and necessitie of receaving Sacraments not absolute we knowe not what should make necessitie of administring absolute but that as our Reverend Fathers say we are not enthralled to appoint or suffer it to bee done by Women or lay persons if it cannot be had as it ought and if GOD haue not added any such condition of baptisme where borrowed you that distinction Wee can not tell where to finde you or how to take your meaning or at the least that your minde concurreth with the doctrine of the church of Englande we expect therefore and pray you to declare faithfullie these thinges vnto vs. The Church of Englande pronounceth that The Transubstantiation of the bread and wine in the Eucharist can not bee proued by the sacred Scripture but is against playne wordes of Scripture overturneth the nature of the sacrament hath giuē occasion of many superstitions And for this cause our Reverend Fathers call it A monstrous blasphemous doctrine bringing in doubt the trueth of Christs body Contrarie to Christes wordes sayinge It is expedient that I goe awaye Joh. 16. 7. and to that of Peter Whom the heauens must contayne vntill the time that all things bee restored Act. 3. 21. disagreeing from the articles of faith Hee ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hande of God the Father c. making voyde the institution of Christ which is to continue till he come c. casting holy things to prophane as whoremongers murderers c. mise and dogges to receaue the true reall body of Christ. causing most cruell eating of mans fleshe and manie monstrous miracles accidentes without subjectes the body of Christ without his qualities and true manner of a bodye nourishinge the Marcionist to beleeue the phantasticall body of Christ and Eutichians confounding the two natures of Christ and therefore they which affirme transubstantiation are indeed right Sacramentaries and Capernaites In regarde whereof we intreate you Mai. Hoo. to make a fitt construction of your wordes were you say Sith we all agree that by the sacrament Christ doeth reallie and truelie in vs performe his promise why doe we vainely trouble our selues with so fearce contentions whether by consubstantiation or els by transubstātiation the sacrament it selfe be first possessed with Christ or no a thing which no way can eyther further or hinder vs howsouer it stande because our participation of Christ in the Sacrament depēdeth on the cooperatiō of his omnipotent power which maketh it his body and blood vnto vs whether with change or without alteration of the element such as they imagine we neede not greatlie to care nor inquire after In all which words you seeme to
other learned men and English writers leauing out vnnecessarie long discourses and common places sett out your reasons in playne termes and wordes of sinceritie without these hugie embossements or stuffed bumbasing that poore playne men which cannot skill of such hidden misteries may perceaue and learne something by your great travailes Thirdly that you would bee carefull not to corrupt the English creede and pure doctrine whervnto you haue subscribed either by philosophie or vaine deceate of schoolemens newborne diuinitie or by any other beggerly rudiments of this worlde nor sett these Churches by the eares with these closely caried and daintie insinuations and that through desire of vayne glorie you prouoke not your brethren and helpe the common and sworne enemie which fighteth against God against Christes church against our peaceable cuntrie and against our religious godly and christian Princesse And especially that you beware in the cause of supremacie to giue your lawfull soueraigne her right and full due and not so to make the Church of Rome of the familie of Christ IESVS that you lift vppe the sonne of pride the blasphemous tyrant the Pope into that hie chayre of pestilence to bee Christes vicar vpon earth and ministeriall head of his vniuersall Church For as there is one that saith the church of Rome is Mater nostra our mother So if you should goe but one step further we know not what iniurie may be done to her Maiesties rightfull Imperiall Crowne and dignitie And lastely that you remember him which is hie and excellent the king of all glorie and Lord of all power that you please not man to displease God seeking your self you forsake not your own mercie You knowe that it is written Only by pride doth man make contention but with the well advised is wisedome And when pride commeth then shame commeth but with the lowlie is wisedome You know also who hath saide Vengeaunce is mine c. And againe Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophetes no harme And againe The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked shall perish Now in all these things good Maister Hoo. though wee thus write we doe not take vpon vs to censure your bookes neither rashly to iudge of you for them but because wee bee all children borne in this Church and euery child louing his mother is ielous ouer that which seemeth disgracefull to his mother and all Christians are exhorted to contende earnestly for the faith which was once giuen to the saints and he that toucheth our faith toucheth the apple of our eye Wee could not but vtter our inwarde greefe and yet in as charitable manner as the cause in hande would suffer for is it not a great matter when you seeme to vs to make a wide open breach in the church and to stayne the pure doctrine of faith wee seeke that the trueth bee not darkened or defaced and that you by wise playne and honest resolution vnto these our doubtes and demandes may approue your selfe as the faithfull and sincere seruant of Iesus Christ. If then in all these our demaundes and requestes you doe louingly and faithfully satisfie vs your natiue countrymen who haue sucked out the sincere milke of the Gospell by the doctrine in England professed published and preached by sermons apologies articles and reading of holy scripture euen now these 40. yeares for whiche wee are not able to render sufficient prayse and thankes to our most mercifull Father in IESVS Christ and namely for that worthie instrument of our ioy that blessed Halcyon and Christian Deborah his annoynted hande-mayde our soueraigne Ladie and Queene Elizabeth whom the sunne of righteousnes hath raysed vpp to still the raging streames and roaring waues of Gods enemies euen the cursed Cananites of Romish Babilon whose peaceable and florishing raigne wee most humbly pray the mightie God of heauen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ still to continue in ioy and honour if indeede you aunswer our desire in loue and faithfulnesse we shall haue good cause to commende well of your sincere meaning we shalbe beholdinge vnto you for your godly zeale in defending our church and giue vnto you your condigne praise in all places for your true and vpright dealing and pray earnestlie vnto God for you that such excellent giftes and graces which he hath vouchased vnto you aboue many may be alway wisely imployed to the aduancing of the glorie of the most high God and of his most glorious Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde to the furtherance of the prosperous wealth of his holy Church the fruitfull seruice of your soueraigne Prince and natiue countrie and to your owne inward comfort and vndeceavable ioy of conscience in and through Iesus Christ our blessed Lorde and Saviour to whom bee all praise and glorie in his Church and in all places of the world for euer Amen Faultes to be corrected Folio 3. lin 31. read fauoring Fol. 11. lin 2. read pearcing Idem lin 30. read helped Fol 18. lin 28. for sonne read same Fol. 19 lin 30. read professed Fol 22. lin ult then read them Fol. 34. lin penult read ingenuously Fol. 35. lin 14. read such Fol. 37. lin 19. take away the puncte Fol. 40. lin 13. after absent put a parenthesis thus 1. The Deitie of the Sonne a Artic. 1. de â—ide in sacrosanctaram Trinitatem b Quicunque vult in the book of common prayer b booke 5. pag. 113. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 5. a Artic. 2. 5. 2 The coeternitie of the Sonne proceeding of the holy Ghost b Prouer. 8. 2â— c Ioh. 1. 1. d Iohn 17. 5. e Ioh. 15. 2â— a Booke 1. pag. 86. 87. f Artic. 6. De diuinis scripturis The holy scripture containe all thinges necessarie to saluation b Booke 2. pag. 122. c Booke 1. pag. 88. Lin. 36. Last lin a Coloss. 2. 10. b Rom. 3. 27. c Act. 4. 12. d 1 Cor. 2. 14. e Ioh. 3. 3. 4. Holy scripture aboue the Church a Replie of Bb. Iewell against Harding arti 15 pag. 537. b Reioynd to Brist replye by W. Fulk pa. 84. c ibid. pag. 99. d Booke 2. pag. 102. e Booke 2. pag. 146. f lin 38. a Esaie 52. 6 14. b Act. 2. 37. and b 17. 11. c 1 Cor. 2. 4. d 1 Cor. 3. 1. 2. e Psal. 19. 7. a 1 Iohn 5. 9. b Heb. 4. 12. c Psal. 2. d 2 Cor. 10. 3. 4. a Artic 10. De libero arbitrio 5 Of free will b Booke 1. pag. 60 61. a Ephe. 2. 5. b 2 Cor. 3. 5. c Phil. 2. 13. a Artic. 11. De hominis iustificatione a Of fayth and workes b Booke 1. pag. 82. c Booke 1. pag. 95. d Booke 5. pag. 221. e Booke 5. pag. 208. a Galat. 3. 21. 22 b Rom. 4. 6. a Mat. 5. 16. b Rom. 12. 1. c 1 Ioh. 4. 11. 19 d 1 Pet. 2. 12. 15 7 The virtue of workes a
faith professed by the English church is this There is one true and living God c. And Although we acknowledge the three persons to be God and Lord yet the Godhead of the Father and the Sonne is all one c. Here we craue of you Maister Hoo. to explaine your owne meaninge where you saye The Father alone is originallie that Deitie which Christ originallie is not Howe the Godhead of the Father and of the Sonne be all one and yet originallie not the same Deitie And then teach vs how farre this differeth from the heresie of Arius who sayeth of God the Sonne There was when he was not who yet graunteth that he was before all creatures of thinges which were not Whether such wordes weaken not the eternitie of the Sonne in the opiniō of the simple or at the least make the Sōne inferior to the Father in respect of the Godhead or els teach the ignorant there be many Gods Another foundation of our beleef The Sonne is the Worde of the Father from euerlasting begotten of the Father c. and the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne Where we holde the coeternitie of the Sonne with the Father by expresse litterall mētion in the Scriptures found in these wordes The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way c. And agayne In the beginning was the Worde and the Worde was with God and the Worde was God c. And againe Glorifie mee thou Father with thine own selfe with the glorie which I had with thee before the world was And we holde the proceeding of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne by like expresse wordes of holy scripture namelie When the Comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the Father euen the spirit of trueth which proceedeth of the Father c. Shew we pray you your full meaning where you say The coeternitie of the Sonne of God with his Father and the proceeding of the spirit from the Father and the Sonne are in scripture no where to be found by expresse litterall mention Whether there bee not expresse litterall mention of these two pointes in the former alleadged places and whether such maner of speeches may not worke a scruple in the weak christian to doubt of these articles or at the least so vnderproppe the popish traditions that menne may the rather fauour their allegations when they see vs fayne to borrow of them The Church of Englande professeth Holye Scripture contayneth all things which are necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is neither read in it neither can be proued thereby is not to be exacted of any man that it should bee beleeued as an article of faith or should be thought to be required vnto the necessitie of saluation You on the other side saye In actions of this kinde speaking of direct immediate and proper necessitie final to saluation our chiefest direction is from scripture and agayne The insufficiencie of the light of nature is by the light of scripture fullie and perfectlie supplied And in another place It sufficeth that nature and scripture doe serue in such full sorte that they both iointlie and not seuerallie eyther of them be so compleate that vnto euerlasting felicitie we need not the knowledge of anie thing more then these two c. Where you seeme vnto vs that although you exclude traditions as a part of supernaturall trueth yet you infer that the light of nature teacheth some knowledge naturall whiche is necessarie to saluation and that the Scripture is a supplement and making perfect of that knowledge Which being cōpared vnto pag. 127. where you affirme that the wante of moral vertues exclude from saluation And pag. 82. where you make faith hope charitie to be taught only by supernatural trueth It seemeth to vs that naturall light teaching morall virtues teacheth thinges necessarie to saluation whiche yet is not perfect without that which supernaturall knowledge in holy Scripture reveileth Heere wee pray you to explane your owne meaning whether you thinke that there be anie naturall light teaching knowledge of things necessarie to saluation which knowledge is not contayned in holy scripture if you thinke no How then say you before Not the scripture severallie but nature and scripture iointlie be compleate vnto euerlasting felicitie If you say yea how then agree you with the beleef of our Church which affirmeth that holy scripture contayneth all thinges necessarie to salvation And here we pray you to shew vs whether nature reach anie thing touchinge Christ whether without or beside him any thing be necessarie whether that in him we be not copleate Lastlie whether you meane that the knowledge of humane wisedome concerning God haue anie thinge not expressed in Scripture or that morall virtues are any where rightlie taught but in holy scriptu or that whersoeuer they be taught they be of such necessitie that the wante of them exclude from salvation and what scripture approueth such a saying or that cases and matters of salvation bee determinable by any other lawe then of holy scripture And then tell vs howe you vnderstande these places following and howe they agree with this your position of the light of nature and morall virtues A man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Neither is there salvation in anie other For there is no other name which is giuen vnder heauen amongst men by which we must be saued The naturall man perceaueth not the thinges of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him c. Except a man be borne againe hee can not see the kingdome of God The Reverend Fathers of our church to avouch our forsaking of the Antichristian sinagogue of Rome cleauing to the scriptures of God doe so farre make the iudgement of the scriptures aboue the Church that with the auncient Fathers they say In time of dissention it is most behoofefull for the people to haue recourse vnto the scriptures and that wee may in no wise beleeue the Churches them selues vnlesse they say and doe such thinges as bee agreeable to the Scriptures The triall of scriptures is necessarie to discerne the true church from all false congregations which all boast of the spirit of trueth as much as the true church And Only scriptures are a sufficient warrand to euery Christian to trie what is the word of God and what is the worde of man c. But you Maist. Hoo. doe saye It is not the worde of God which doeth or possiblie can assure vs that we doe well to thinke it is his worde And againe By experience we all know that the first outwarde motiue leading men so to esteeme of the scripture is the authoritie of Gods Church And a litle before Scripture teacheth vs that sauing trueth which God hath discouered to
the world by reuelation and it presumeth vs taught otherwise that it selfe is diuine sacred Here we beseech you Mai. Hoo. that if as our Reverend Fathers affirme wee may noe otherwise beleeue the Churches them selues but as they agree to the scriptures that by them the true church is to be discerned c. and that onely scriptures sufficientlie warrant the triall of Gods worde what certaintie of saluation wee can haue in anie presuming or motiue by the church if the scripture cānot assure vs that it is the word of God Are not these contradictorie Tell vs therefore if your meaning be not that the authoritie of the church must do that which the scripture cannot doe namelie to assure vs that they are the word of God And our reuerend Fathers say The church can not so assure vs vnlesse we trie it first to be the true church by the scriptures Are not these contradictorie They say Onely Scriptures warrand vs what is the worde of God you say they cannot assure vs of the worde of God but presume vs to be taught that thinge otherwise Are not these contradictorie Haue we not here good cause to suspect the vnderpropping of a popish principle cōcerning the churches authoritie aboue the holy Scripture to the disgrace of the English church If not then recōcile your assertions vnto theirs and shew mercie and trueth vnto our reverend Fathers And therewithal we pray you to expound either by experience or otherwise Whether the worde of God was receaued in the world and beleeued by men by the virtue and authoritie of the witnesses either Prophets or Apostles or the holy church or that such witnesses were not esteemed for the wordes sake and the Church alway approued both by God faithfull men as the same was described commended and ordered by the rule of holy scripture What thinke you of the beautifull feete that bringe glad tydings and of the Kings who for reuerence stopped their mouthes at it The people pricked in harte at Peters preaching And the men of Berea searching the scriptures whether that in all these the testimonie of man as Prophet Apostle or church did authorise the word of God that it was beleeued or the demonstration of the spirituall power of the word it selfe And was not this the meaning of Saint Paule when reiecting letters of cōmendation hee affirmeth that the Corinthians were his epistle written in their heartes which is vnderstood and read of all menne c. Doeth he not preferre the power of the worde testifying of it selfe by the conversion of the heart before all other motiues and by it he him selfe was authorised in their consciences and not it by him Lastlie shew vs where you finde that the scripture presumeth vs taught otherwise c. What thinke you Is it of man or by man or of God that it so presumeth or doe not you presume against the worde of God to set vp mans testimonie when we know that the testimonie of God is greater When the Iewes and the Gentiles did both oppose them selues against the gospel what did it presume vpon was it not of it selfe the two edged sworde pearching into the marrow of the bones the rodde of iron to crush in peeces the Nations and the armour spirituall to bring in subiection euery thought vnto the obedience of the knowledge of God The Church of England professeth this groūd of faith Without the grace of God which is by Christ preventing vs that we will and working togither while we will we are nothing at all able to doe the workes of pietie which are pleasing and acceptable to God You to our vnderstāding write cleane cōtrarie namelie there is in the will of man naturallie that freedome whereby it is apt to take or refuse anie particular obiect whatsoeuer being presented vnto it And a litle after There is not that good which concerneth vs but it hath euidence enough for it self If reason were diligent to search it out Heere we pray your helpe to teach vs how will is apt as you say freelie to take or refuse anie particular obiect what soeuer that reason by diligence is able to find out anie good concerning vs If it bee true that the Church of England professeth that without the preventing and helping grace of God we can will and doe nothing pleasing to God To which beleefe of Englande the scripture accordeth shewing that without the said grace of God we are dead in sinnes and trespasses we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing It is God which worketh in vs the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure Shew vs therefore howe your positions agree with our church and the scriptures If you say you vnderstande reason and will helpe by the grace of God then tell vs how we may perceaue it by your writing whiche putteth difference betwixt naturall and supernaturall trueth lawes If you meane reason vncorrupted not respecting how in trueth we are by Adams fall perverted may wee not suspect that your whole discourse is subtill and cunning because you pretend the naturall way of finding out lawes by reason to guide the will vnto that which is good pag. 59. 62. 63. c. or at the least friuoulous seeing man hath no such reason without the grace of GOD if you meane without the grace of God and in the state of corruption as in deed all men naturallie nowe are Heere wee desire to be taught how such sayings ouerthrow not our English creed and the holy scripture in this matter and therewithall shewe vs the true meaning of Saint Paule and how he fitteth your discourse in this place namelie when he saith Rom. 8. 7. The wisedome of the flesh is ennimitie against God for it is not subiect vnto the law of God neither in deed can be The Church of England beleeueth Onely for the meritt of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ through faith and not for workes and our merites we are accounted righteous before God You saye The way of supernaturall duetie which to vs he hath prescribed our Sauiour in the Gospell of Saint John doeth note terming it by an excellēcie the worke of God This is the worke of God that you beleeue in him whom he hath sente not that God doeth require nothing at the handes of men vnto happines sauing only a naked beleefe for hope and charitie we may not exclude but that without beleefe all other thinges are as nothing and it is the ground of those other diuine virtues And againe The same things diuine lawe also teacheth as at large we haue shewed it doeth all partes of morall duetie wherevnto we all of necessitie stande bounde in regard of life to come And in another place Euery mans religion is in him selfe the well-spring of all other sound and sincere verities from whence both heere in some sorte
to holy scripture to vse plaine good and sensible termes to note out the difference of a ministers estate from other mens and yours seemeth to carie another kinde of stile more befitting the glorie of the Romish character then the simplicitie of our ministerie Our church saieth they must bee called that preach publicklie you say a Catechist or whom wee finde in aūcient time to haue bene such as Clemens and Origine in Alexandria as to whom the people came to heare the preaching of the word of God is none of the order of the Cleargie meaning as wee think without this ministeriall power We pray you thē to shew vs whether you meane by ministeriall power Cleargie or order that which our church meaneth by calling if you doe then we see not how you and they agree that you allow a Catechist which is an office to preach the worde which is not of the Ecclesiasticall order and as we say hath no calling therevnto and our church saieth that it is not lawfull c. Againe our Church saieth that it is not lawfull to administer the Sacramentes without that calling and that God and well ordered Churches forbidd Women to baptize you as wee thinke contrarie to our church maintaine such churches as allow the private baptisme by Women in case of necessitie and you saye diuers reformed churches allow and defende such baptisme Heere wee intreate you to declare the agreement of these sayings and whether because you say that the speciall order you speake of is consecrated vnto the seruice of the highest in thinges wherewith others may not medle your meaning be that lay people in case of necessitie may medle with those thinges which our church saieth is not lawfull without calling or that because you would haue the ministeriall power to be a marke and character you giue libertie to preaching baptizing as to certaine seruices and that the character and indeleble order hath nothing to it selfe peculiar but the making of the body of Christ in the Sacrament and offering him vp in sacrifice to his Father that the laitie women and catechist may not medle with that And heere wee desire to vnderstande whence you fett that worthie distinction the ignorance whereof beguileth manie and that you would declare the same by holy scripture bring vs one pregnant proofe to shew the errour of our church in affirming preaching and ministring without calling to bee vnlawfull or else declare the exception either by scripture or by some order or interpretation published by our church or some of our Reuerend Fathers which also may haue their harmonie with the sayings of the Reuerend Fathers by vs before rehearsed And lastlie whether that you in these three places are not cōtrarie to your self or that you make not a deluding proposition which contayneth a generall prohibition without limitation which yet is not generall but must haue exception And if you place Readers as distinct from cleargie what may we thinke you esteeme of our reading ministers are they no cleargie men It is an Article of our faith that The Sacramentes instituted of Christ are not onely markes of christian profession but rather certayne testimonies and effectuall signes of grace and of the good will of God towards vs by which hee doeth worke invisiblie in vs and doeth not onelie stirre vp but also confirme our faith towardes him selfe Which by the reverend Fathers of our Church is interpreted thus Sacraments are visible wordes seales of righteousnes and tokens of grace The soule of man not the creature of bread or water receaue the grace of God c. The grace of God is not in the visible signes but in the soule The substance of all Sacramentes is the worde of God which S t Paule calleth verbum reconciliationis the worde of Attonement this worde is the instrument of remissiō of sinne The Sacraments are the seales affixed vnto the same the Priest is the meane And speaking of all the faithfull to bee one bodye all endewed with one spirit they further say This marvelous coniunction and incorporation is first begonne and wrought by faith c. Afterward the same corporation is assured vnto vs and increased in our baptisme c. And for that we are verie vnperfect of our selues and therefore must dailie proceede forwarde that we may grow vnto a perfect man in Christ Therfore hath God appointed that the same incorporation should bee often renewed and confirmed in vs by the vse of the holy misteries wherein must bee considered that the said holie misteries doe not beginne but rather continue confirme this incorporation Heere wee demaunde howe it may appeare vnto vs that you broach not a new doctrine diuers and cōtrarie to our beleefe in Englande When you say that The Sacramentes chiefest force and virtue consisteth in this that they are heauenlie ceremonies which God hath sanctified and ordayned to be administred in his church First as markes to know when God doeth imparte the vitall or sauing grace of Christ vnto all that are capable thereof And secondlie as meanes conditionall which God requireth in them vnto whom he imparteth grace And in another place It is a braunch of beleefe that Sacramentes are in their place no lesse required then beleefe it selfe For when our Lord Saviour promiseth eternall life is it any otherwise then as hee promised restitution of health vnto Naaman the Sirian namely with this condition washe and be cleane And in another place you say that both the Worde and Sacraments haue generatiue force and virtue By which your wordes we are greatlie amazed that our Church hath left out in her creede and the Reverend Fathers haue not taught vs that which is as you say the chiefest force and virtue of the Sacraments Where finde you that God ordained the Sacramentes to tell vs when God giueth grace and that they are meanes conditionall and as necessarie as faith Teach vs we pray you by holy scripture these three chief virtues of the Sacraments The furthest that they say as we gather is to make them seales of assurance by which the spirit worketh invisiblie to strengthen our faith and they seeme to square their faith by holy scripture which propoūdeth Abraham to be an example of the true way of iustifying a paterne to all the children of God namelie that he was first iustified by faith and after receaued the Sacrament as a signe to bee a seale of the righteousnesse of his faith Shew therefore whether we ought not to goe further then our church or holy scripture vnlesse we will leaue out the cheefest virtue of the Sacramentes Moreouer they say the grace of God is not in the visible signes you say they are meanes cōdicionall they say that grace which they cal this marvelous coniunction and incorporation is first begon and wrought by faith and afterwarde is assured and increased by the Sacramentes you say
the sacraments haue the generatiue force and virtue as well as the worde They say that the substance of all Sacramentes is the worde c. and that the Sacraments are the seales affixed to the same which being borowed frō the Apostle out of the former recited place Rom. 4. doeth argue that the necessitie of the sacraments is not comparable to that of faith For by this he proueth Abraham to be iustified by faith without workes because he first was iustified by faith before he receaued the Sacrament and that the Sacrament was but a signe and seale of his faith so that he excludeth the Sacrament as it is a worke and as you call it a morall instrument of salvation from all copertenership with faith in the matter of iustification You make it a meanes condicionall and no lesse required then faith it selfe and of as absolute necessitie as that to Naaman wash and be cleane These things good Mai. Hoo. we can not reconcile and therefore we are sutors vnto you to ayde vs in the same and to make your minde to appeare not to ouerturne the fayth of our church and heerein to tell vs where you finde that the grace of God is tyed to anie time as namelie the time of the Sacramentes or whether the Sacramentes teach vs some other time and whether the cōdition of Sacraments make not for the additament of workes vnto fayth in that which the English church holdeth to bee onelie properlie of faith And lastly whether such speaches be not meerelie popish accursed mixture of humane follie giuing a further grace to the blessed Sacraments then God hath ordayned and heerein explane vnto vs whether a man dying without faith yet receaueth the Sacraments can be saued or that a man hauing faith neuer any sacrament may not be saued or whether anie cā be saued if the condition of salvation be the vpright and perfect performance of all moral dueties which God requireth expreslie in his word The Church of England affirmeth that By the malice of wicked mē which are ouer the administratiō of the Sacraments the effect of the things ordayned by Christ is not taken away or the grace of Gods giftes diminished as touching them which receaue by faith and orderlie the things offered vnto them which for the institution of Christ and his promise are effectuall although they be administred by euill men Wherevpon the Reverend Fathers define a Sacrament to bee A reverend and holy misterie ordayned of God wherein hee by his holy worde and promise doth both stirre vp practise the faith of his people and by the operation of the holy ghost increase his grace in them c. And of the intention of the church they say This is the verie dungeon of incertaintie The heart of mā is vnsearcheable if we stay vppon the intention of a mortall man we may stande in doubt of our own baptisme You seeme to speake otherwise where you say Wee must note that in as much as Sacraments are actions religious and mistical which nature they haue not vnlesse they proceed frō a serious meaning and what euerie mans priuate minde is as we can not know so neither are we bounde to examine therefore alwayes in these cases the knowen intent of the church generally doeth suffice and where the contrarie is not manifest we must presume that he which outwardlie doeth the worke hath inwardlie the purpose of the church of God Heere we desire to be instructed how these two opinions can stande togither The one which sayeth the Sacraments are effectuall through the institution of Christ and his promise the other which tyeth it to the good meaninge of the Priest or of the Church Againe the one saieth the intention of the Church is the verie dungeon of incertaintie to make vs doubt of our Baptisme the other that the Sacraments haue not the nature to be religious and misticall without a serious meaning that is the intent of the church These things we pray you to reconcile and therewithall to shew vs howe the intent of the church can giue them their nature to be actions religious misticall and yet our reverend Fathers say they bee holy misteries ordayned of God Resolue therefore whether the virtue of the sacrament depende vpon the institution and promise of God or vpon the good meaning of the Priest or of the Church or vpon both and whether they cannot haue the nature of religious actions and misticall without the intent of the Priest or of the Church and so whether the church may ordaine a misterie or that the misteries ordained of GOD haue not their nature and forme with the presupposed intent of the Church Whether God in ordayning these misteries were holpē by the serious meaning of the church or did except that they should not bee misteries without the liking and allowing of the church by their good meaning And lastlie whether your assertion be not meere poperie a humane invention and an inducement vnto that which is called fides implicita that it should suffice a man to beleeue as the church beleeueth c. And herewithall shew vs what comforte we can haue in the vse of the Sacramentes if they can not be actions religious and misticall vnlesse they proceede from the intent and purpose of the church beeing as our Reverend Fathers esteeme the verie dungeon of vncertaintie The Church of Englande professeth That Baptisme is a signe of regeneration by whiche as by an instrument they which rightlie receaue baptisme are ingrafted into the Church the promises of remission of sinnes and of our adoption to bee the children of God by the holy spirit are visibly sealed our faith is confirmed and by the force of the calling vpon the name of God grace is increased Which the Reverend Fathers of our church doe expound in this sense The children of the faithful are borne holy and notwithstanding by nature they be the children of anger yet by Gods free election they be pure holy This is Saint Paules vndoubted doctrine which notwithstāding he neuer despised the Sacraments of Christ. And that A man may stande in the state of saluation out of all daunger of damnation before he be baptized And the contrarie to this they call fearfull doctrine injurious to thousands of poore infants blasphemous against the bottomlesse mercie of a sweet and tender Father who hath saide I will be thy God and thy childes not adding anie condition of baptisme if it can not be had as it ought and heerevpon they affirme that Sacraments make not the couenantes but only seale them and that God hath not thus inthralled his grace that there is such necessitie that either women or all sortes of persons should dispense the holy misteries to the ende that no poore creature might be cast away for wante of it nor taught his church in his worde but quite contrarie as we see by