Deut. 27. and hathe thereby deliuered vs from the cursse The ceremonies also he hath ended Galat. 3. for they serued but for the time before his suffering of our sinnes Being at the point therfore to gyue vp the ghost he sayde Consummatum est Iohn 19 It is finisshed The whole deliueraunce of my people is now perfectly wrought They are deliuered from the tyrannie of sinne Iohn 4. the cursse condemnation of the law and from the seruitude of ceremonies We are therfore that people that must serue God in Spirit and truth and not in figures and shadowes Least we therefore shoulde by admitting these things which were at the first brought into the Churche with opinion of necessitie bynde our selues and our posteritie to the same or lyke necessitie or at least confirme that necessitie in the myndes of them which neuer thought them other than necessary we doe vtterly refuse the admitting of them choosing rather with cleare conscience to suffer the penalties of the law for so doing than by receyuing any of them to fall into that horrible hel of a troubled conscience frome whiche God for his mercye keepe all those that with some trouble of conscience haue not refused them â—euerall â—oparell â—r Miniâ—ers not â—ecessarie How vnnecessary a thing it is for the ministers of Gods worde to be knowen from other men by any outwarde apparell maye easely appeare by that which we reade of Samuel and other Prophetes of Peter of Paule and other holy men When Saule sought his fathers asses and came where Samuel was and met him he did not by his apparell knowe him to be a Prophet but sayde vnto him Indica orô mihi vbi est domus videntis I praye thee tell mee wher is the sears house Reg. 9. When the messangers of Ahaziah met with Eliah they dyd not by his apparell knowe that he was a Prophet But when they had declared to their maister 4. Re. 1. that it was an hairie man and one that was girded with a leather girdell the King knewe by those signes of austeritie that it was Eliah the Thesbite bycause it was not a kinde of apparell that serued for Prophetes to be knowen by but suche homelye apparell as Eliah alone vsed to weare Iohn Baptist who was a Prophete and more than a Prophet wore not any kinde of garment whereby he might be knowen to be a Prophet Mat. 3. but his appareil was such as was commonly worne in the wildernesse or forrest where his abode was Peter when he followed Christ into the highe Priestes house was not knowen by his apparell to be one of Christes disciples but by his speache For they that stoode by sayde not to Peter Mat. 26. thou arte apparelled like one of them but they sayde thy speach doth shew that thou art of Galile Sainct Hierome in his Epistle to Eustochium wherein he doth instruct hir howe to kepe hir virginitie according as she was purposed to doe doth amongst other lessons gyue hir thys instruction for the maner of hir apparell Vestis nec satis munda Hierom ad Eustochium nec sordida nulla diuersitate notabilis ne ad te obuiam praetereuntium turba consistat digito monstreris Thy garment must be neyther to clenly nor to sluttishe neyther notable by anye diuersytie least the multitude of them that come against thee and passe by shoulde stande still and point at thee with the finger And the same Eustochium wryting to Mercella persuading hir to leaue the Citie of Rome and to come and dwell with hir hir mother Paula at Bethlehem saith thus Concurrunt ad haec loca diuersarum nobis virtutum specimen ostendunt Vox quidem dissona sed vna Religio Tot penè psallentium Chori quot gentium diuersitates Inter haec quae prima in Christianis virtus est nihil arrogant sibi de continentiae supercilij Humilitatis inter omnes contentio est Quicunque nouissimus fuerit hic primus putatur In veste nulla discretio nulla admiratio vtcunque placuerit incedere nec detractionis est nec laudis Men runne togither to this place and doe shewe vs the example of sundry vertues The language is dyuers but the Religion is one There be almost as many quiers of singers as there be diuersities of nations And in the middest of these things they take vpon them no pride of continencie which in Christians is the thiefe vertue The contention that is amongst them all is who shall be the moste base or humble of them And whosoeuer shall be in the lowest rome the same is thought to be the chiefe In garments there is no difference no admiration or straungenesse Howsoeuer it shall please a man to goe in his apparel it is neyther occasion to be euil spoken of nor to be praysed The whole Cleargie of Rauenna in the dayes of the Emperour Carolus Caluus about the yeare of our Lorde .876 did write an Epistle to the Emperour wherein are these wordes Discernendi à plebe vel caeteris sumus doctrina non veste conuersatione non habitu mentis puritate non vultu Docendi enim sunt populi potius quà m ludendi Nec imponendum est eorum oculis sed mentibus praecepta sunt infundenda We must be discerned from the common people or other men by doctrine not by garments by conuersation not by apparell by puritie of minde not by countenaunce For the people muste rather be taught than mocked Wee muste not deceyue their sight but fill their mindes with Preceptes and Rules This the Cleargie of Rauenna did write following the iudgement of Celestinus the first Pope of that name As appeareth in the first tome of the Councelles In the Decrees also the .xxj. cause and fourth questioÌ„ we reade thus In priscis enim temporibus omnis sacratus vir cum mediocri aut vili veste conuersabatur Omne quippè quod non propter necessitatem suam sed propter venustatem suscipitur elationis habet calumniam Quemadmodum Magnus ait Basilius In the olde tymes all such men as were appointed to the Ministerie did vse meane and base apparell For euery thing that is taken for the beautie of it and not for the necessitie bringeth with it the reproche of pride As sayth Basilius Magnus By these places it is manifest that it is nothing necessarie neyther according to the example of the first church that there should be in the outwarde apparell of Ministers any such difference as we are nowe required to admitte As touching the ministering garmentes that are nowe enforced how vnmeete it is that we should now admit them shall easely appeare to all that will consider whence they first came howe they haue bene vsed what opinion men haue had and haue in them and what shall happen vnto vs if we shall nowe receyue them For the first they are partly Iewishe and partly Heathenishe the original of the Popish
price 3s 4d A briefe discourse against the outwarde apparell and Ministring garmentes of the popishe church psalme 31. I haue hated all those that holde of superstitious vanities 1566. ¶ The Booke to the Reader THe Popes attyre whereof I talke I knowe to be but vaine Wherfore some men that wittie are to reade mee will disdaine But I woulde wishe that such men shoulde with iudgement reade me twise And marke how great an euill it is Gods Preachers to disguise I knowe a cocks combe can not take from wise men any wit So doe I knowe that such attyre is for no wise man fit Good mindes can not but much mislike to see good men displaste But better mindes woulde sorrowe more to see such men defaste Their persons if ye do respect the matter is but small But on their office if ye looke then are they guides of all The Preacher is a messanger sent from no worldely wight But from that Prince that pearlessâ— is and made all by his might King Dauid coulde not take it well but thought himselfe dispisde When Hanon sent his seruauntes backe dishonorde and disguisde And shall not God thinke you reuenge himselfe vpon that route That to deface or else displace his Preachers goe about Yes doubtlesse for the mighty God will not long tyme endure The spite of such as so doe seeke to worke him displeasure All wise men therfore will beware How they doe such men wrong As haue such one to take their parte as for all is to strong God graunt that all men may once see on which side truth doth stande And pray to him for such as be made Rulers of the lande That they hauing before their eyes the feare of God aboue May seeke to set Gods worde in place and all vayne toyes remoue FINIS A declaration of the doings of those Ministers of Gods worde and Sacraments in the Citie of London which haue refused to weare the outwarde apparell and Ministring garmentes of the Popes church COnsidering how hurteful a thing it is to a christian coÌ„mon weale to haue the ministers of Gods worde despised and brought into coÌ„temt we haue thought it our dutie briefly to declare in writing to set forth to be seene of al men some parte of the reasons groundes of our doings in refusing to weare the outwarde apparel ministring garments of the popes church First we consider that the power that God hath giuen to his Ministers is giuen them that they should therby edifie or build vp the Church of Christ not destroy it or pul it downe according as S. Paule writeth to the Corinths 2. Cor. 13. Of which edifying or building of the church of Christ the same S. Paule speaketh in that Epistle that he wrote to the Ephesians It were to long to cite all his words in order we will therfore set downe certaine sentences referringe the Reader to the places where the same are written by S. Paule in that his Epistle First he saith thus I am non estis hospites c. Ye are not nowe straungers and forreners but ye are Citizens togither with the saints and of the housholde of God being builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets Eph. 2. Iesus Christ being the Head stone in the corner In whom whatsoeuer building is encreased it groweth into an holy temple in the Lorde These wordes doth S. Paule write to signify that the church of Christ which is builded of liuing stones timber taken out both from among the Iewes and the gentiles must be builded vpoÌ„ the firme sure foundation Iesus Christ not vpon any other for he was that foundatioÌ„ that the Apostles Prophets builded vpon and that the building which is set vpon that foundation doth growe in to an holy Tempell in the Lorde The builders must not suffer it to decay but they must still labour diligently that it may growe into an holy temple and that till it be as large as beautiful as it is possible for it to be in this vale of misery So farre of woulde S. Paule haue all the builders of gods temple to be from the pulling downe or defacing any parte therof Againe the same S. Paule sayth in the same Epistle Idem dedit alios quidem Apostolos c. Eph. 4. The same hath giuen vs some to be Apostles some to be Prophets some to be Euangelists some to be Shepheardes and some to be teachers to furnishe the Saintes vnto the work af administration for the building vp of the body of Christ till we doe all come into the vnitie of fayth the acknowledging of the sonne of God That we may be a perfect man and come into the measure of the ful age of Christ That we be no more babes to wauer and to be caryed about with euery winde of doctrine through the craftinesse and wylinesse of men wherby they set vpoÌ„ vs to disceiue vs. c. And afterwarde in the same chapter he saith I speake and testifie these things euen on the Lordes behalfe that ye should not walke as other nations doe in the vanitie of their owne mindes By these wordes S. Paule doth plainely teache â—â—e dutie 〈◊〉 a faithâ—ll preaâ—â—er that al such as are appointed to minister in the Church of Christ must be still occupied in building and neuer in pulling down neither in staying the reast froÌ„ going forwarde with the building they haue begonne And that such shoulde not be so babishe that they may be caryed away with euery straunge Doctrine or deceyued with euery subtile persuasion nor walke in the vanitie of their owne mindes but be stayde by the holy worde of God and in all things acknowledge the sonne of God by exercising their Ministeries according to his institution so nere as possibly they may vtterly renouncing forsaking all those vnprofitable ceremonies rytes that men haue deuised without sure grounde in Gods holy word in following the vanity of their owne mindes We therefore knowing that we haue receiued power to edifie and not to destroy that a day will come wherin we shal be sure to receyue at his handes whose builders we are according to our doings eyther in building or plucking downe or in staying hindring of that which should haue bene builded by others dare not be so bolde as to admit the outwarde ministring apparell of the popes church til it may manifestly appeare vnto vs that the same may helpe forwarde and not pull downe staye or hinder the building vp of the Lordes temple which is his Church or congregation purchased bought with so deare a price as the heart bloud of his most derely beloued and only begotten Sonne Christ Iesus We woulde not therfore in these dayes refuse them if we might but conceiue an hope that the vse of them might helpe forwardes with the Lordes building but forasmuch as we see playnely the contrary we may in no case admit them Wee graunt
that yelde in anye iote and se how they are edifyed and increase in godlines which holde that ryght waye that you goe in the which the Lorde increase you vs all and strenthen vs with his holy spyrit that we may continewe to oure lyues ende al wayes both by our thoughtes wordes and workes to avaunce his glorye and honor dayly more and more now and for euer Amen ¶ Grace and peace with all maner spiritual feling and liuing worthi of the kindnes of Christ be with all that thrist the will of God TO my faythfull and deare brethren in Christ Iesu as in comen daungers of fier or suche lyke welbelouyd they that be fare of com to socoure those that haue nede so I beinge out of iepordie and far of tru Christian loue can not but of deuty wyshe well to those that be touchyd about the popishe apparell in thys libertye of Gods truthe whyche is tought plainely without offencis in the greatyst misterys of our religion and saluacion yt is much to be marvayled that this small controuersye of aparell should be so heuely taken But this is the mallis of satan the practis◠of the wickid that wher he can not ouerthrow the greatist matters he will cause great troubels in trifels Peter and Paule agreyde in the greatyste articles of our saluacion and yet they differyd so about meattes that Paule withstode and rebuckid hym openly the infirmites of the godly Paule and Barnabas fell at suche bytter contencion whether Marke shuld go with them or no that they partyd companyes and eyther of them went sondry waies God defend vs from the lyke the constance of the godly Paule circumcisyd Timothe when ther was hope to wine the Iewes but when they wold haue it of necessite he would not circumcise Titus therfore compellinge would not be vsyd in thinges of liberte yt is a lamētable case that among them that are civil full of knouledge that yt shuld come thus to passe Consyder dearly belouyd I besech you how that all countres whiche haue reformid religion haue cast away the popishe aparell with the pope and yet we that wyll be taken for the best gospelars are contentid to kepe it as an holie religion Marke well also how many godly and learnid ministers ther be here in all countres that be so zelous not onlie to forsake the wickyd doctrine of poperie ready to leue the minystry to lose lyuinges rather then to be lyke the popishe teachers of supersticious order in aparell or behaviour This realme hath such skacite of teachers that yf so many worthye men and learnid shuld be cast out of the ministrie for suche small matters many placis shulde be destitude of preachers yt wold geue an incurable offence to all the fauourars of gods truthe here and in other countres also shall we make so much and so precious of the popes rages that other reformyd places exteme as vyle filthye God forbid S. Paule byddith wemen vse suche aparell as becomith them that profes true godlines which rule is muche more to be obseruid of men especiallye of preachers But yf we forsake popery as wickid shall we say that their aparell becommith saintes and professars of tru holines Saint Paule bydith vs refraine from al outward shew of evell but surely in kepinge of this popishe aparell we forbear not an outwarde shew of much evell yf popery be iudgid evell as greter wickidnes can not be as we wolde haue a diuers shewe of aparel to be knowē from the comon people so is yt necessary in aparell to haue a shew howe a protestante is to be knowen from a papiste Yt hathe pleasyd God to call vs to preache his heuenly worde to that hye office God geue you grace and vs all to seke hys honor glorie yf we so do with a pure hart and mynde he hath promysed He that honorith me I will glorify him and he that contemnith me I wyll contemne him Let ther be no curtisye made to healpe gods people now they be in danger Call to your remembraunce Quene Easter she be gaue to make curtisy to speke in that cause but Mardocheus sayd vnto her Yf thou now hold thy peace God shall delyuer by an other meane yet thou thy fathers house shall peryshe You that can and may do good do it whyle tyme is offerid the tyme will come when it wylbe to late yet god wyll comfort his by some other meane It ys a perilous thinge not to healpe in the tyme of neade not to suffer religion to goe forward in all syncerite and to further gods cause when ye maye when Terenti a good Christian captaine returnid with great triumphe victory the Emperor Valerius bade him are what he wold and he shuld haue it for his good seruice he hauing God before his eyes desyrd nether ryches nether honor but those which had aduentered their liues for true religion might haue a church alowid them to serue their god purely in seueral from the Arrians The Emperour beyng angrie with his request pullyd his supplicacion in pecis and bade him axe som other thing but he gathered vp the pecis of his paper and sayd I haue receuid my rewarde I wyll axe nothinge els God encrece about Princes the small nomber of suche zelous suters promoters of religion and then no doubt gods glorye shall florishe when we seke his dewe honor and not oure owne profyte But to avoide contencion scisme Austen gevith good counsel to godly and quiet men that they mercifully correcte that whiche they can that which they can not paciently beare grone and morne with loue vntil god ether correct or amend them But how this Christian loue shuld be kept in this church when so manye godlie for so small thinges shal be thruste out also how many already is from the ministery theyr lyuinges yt passyth manye good and godlie wittes to conceyue S. Pauls rule in suche thinges sayth All thinges to me is lawfull but all thinges is not expedient all thinges to me is lawfull but all thinges edefye not Therfor in this case we must not so suttelly dispute what Christian liberte will suffer vs to do but what is metist and most edefying for Christian charite promoting Christian and pure religion But surely how popishe aparell shuld edefie or set forwarde the gospell of Christ Iesus it can not be seen of the multitude nay it is to much fealt how gredly it reioysith the aduersaries of the truth when they see what we borowe of them contend for the same as thinges necessarie marke well the bysshopes wearing of their whyte rochets what grounde they fyrste had and from whence they receyuid it Ther was a certayne man namid Sisinius an heriticke bishop of the Novacions and he first begane yt all those other popish trashe hath the lyke foundacions but they haue to long contineuyd pleasyd poperie which is beggerly patchid vp of al sortes of cerimones that they coulde neuer be routyd out sence no not from manie professors of the gospel Wherfore you that se others that is come to a better perfection grudge not at yt but be thankfull to God though thynges may be borne wythe for a tyme for Christian lybertes sake in hope to winne the weake yet when lyberte is turnyd into necessite yt ys evell no lenger lyberte and that that was for wynning the weake sufferid for a tyme is become the confyrminge of the frowarde in their obstinacie Paul vsyd circūcision for a tyme as of lyberte but when it was vrgyd of necessite he wold not bende vnto it That famous father Master Bucer when he was aryd why he wolde not weare a square cape made aunswere because hys heade was not foure square wherin surelye he notyd well the comlynes of aparell to be when yt was fassionyd lyke the body a gret folly when a square cape was set on a rounde heade God be mercyfull vnto vs and graunte vs vprightly to seke hys honore wyth all earnestnes simplicite The Lorde comfort his afflictid church graunte that in this oulde age of the worlde we may serue the Lord of hostes in synglenes of hart and laboure to rote out all stomblinge blockes in religion that Christes glorie maye nakydly shyne of yt sealue without all tradicions or inuencions of men as in the begynninge when yt was purest and all such deuyses vnknowen but inuentid of late to bleare the eyes of the ignorant with outwarde shewe of holines God graunt that we may geue all honor to whom al honore is deue both inwardly and outwardly to serve hym vnfaynedlye al the dayes of oure lyfe Fare well deare brethren in the Lorde Iesu who euer kepe vs in hys fayth feare and loue for euer Amen
vpon an another point wher he is sure to finde sea rome ynough And shall we that be lodes men the shippe of Christ to trye our cunning creepe so neare the flattes or rocks the we put our whole charge in daunger of perishing by falling vpon them God forbydde That wise politike gouernour of Gods shippe S. Paule woulde not venter so farre But seing daunger in the vse of indifferent thinges he sayth Omnia mihi licent sed non omnia conducunt Omnia mihi licent sed non omnia aedificant 1. Cor. 10 It is leeful for me a to doe al things meaning of things indifferent but all things doe not profit It is leefull for me to do all things but al things do not edifie Againe he sayth Bonum est non manducare carnem non bibere vinum neque quicquam in quo frater tuus impingit aut offenditur aut infirmatur Ro. 14 It is good sayth S. Paule not to eate fleshe nor to drink wine nor to do any other thing wherat thy brother doth stumble or is offended or made weake Yea and the same S. Paule exhorting the Corinthes to set them selues free from all the superstitions of the Heathen saith thus vnto them Eandem autem habentes remunerationem tanquam filiis dico dilatemini vos 2. cor 6. Nolite iugum ducere cum infidelibus You also hauing the same rewarde with me I speake as vnto mine owne children set youre selues at libertie be not willing to drawe in one yoke with the infidelles What confort can there be betwixte righteousnesse vnrighteousenesse Or what fellowship hath light with darkenesse And what agreement is there betwene Christe and Beliall Or what parte can a faithfull man haue with an infidell And howe agreeth the temple of God with Images You are the temple of the lyuing God as sayth God I will dwel in them I will walk amongst them I will be their God and they shall be may people Wherfore get ye out from amongst them Esaie 52 and separate your selues from them sayth the Lorde And see that ye touch no vncleane thyng and I will receyue you And I will be your father Iere. 32. and you shall be my sonnes and daughters sayth the Lorde almightie These places of scriptures doe moue as to flye from al suche thinges as haue bene brought into the church of Christ eyther contrary or besides the worde of God And to embrace vse those things onely which are commaunded or haue good grounde in the holy worde of God Not despising the auctoritie that God hath giuen to Princes and other Potentates but preferring the commaundement of him that is the giuer of auctoritie before the comaundement of those that haue none auctoritie of themselues but haue receyued theyr auctoritie at hys hande and shall aunswere to hym for the vse therof And herein we follow the cōmaundement of God and the example of all good men The seruaunt of God Moses hath sayde Non addetis ad verbum quod ego vobis loquor Deut. 4 nec auferetis ex eo Custodite mandata Domini Dei vestri quae ego praecipio vobis Ye shall not adde any thing vnto the worde that I speake vnto you neyther shall ye take any thing from it Kepe the commaundements of the Lorde your God which I doe commaunde you And againe he sayth Non declmabitis neque ad dexteram neque ad sinistram Deut. 5. sed per viam quā praecepit Dominus Deus vester ambulabitis vt vi uatis bene sit vobis protelentur dies vestri in terra possessionis vestrae You shall not bow neyther to the right hande nor to the left but by the waye that the Lorde your God hath commaunded you shall ye walke that ye may lyue and prosper that your dayes may be long in the land of your possessiō King Saule walked not in this waye 1. Re. 15. but bowed to the right hande of his owne good intent And therefore he prospered not but was rooted out with al his offspring and one set vp in his place that had a pleasure to walk in that way 3. Re. 12 King Roboham walked not in this waye but bowed to the left hand of his owne malitious tyrannie and therefore ten of the twelue kindreds of Israel were taken from him and giuen to his neighbour 4. Re. 20. King Ezechias walked in this way and therefore in his trouble he founde fauour helpe at the Lordes hande and when he was sicke he found health and had .xv. yeares added to his life ended his life in the Lord. As many as haue walked in this waye haue done it bicause they haue had and assured hope of a farre better lyfe and more blessed estate after this lyfe Heb. 11. And therefore the trouble that they sustayned here hath not bene greuous vnto them for they had the rewarde alwayes before their eyes The true Prophets The true Prophets woulde neuer pleasure Princes by addyng to the commaundements of God nor yet by taking anithing therefor by bowing to the right hande or to the lefte But they dyd alwayes walke straight forth in his cōmandemēs although they did oftentimes sustayne great displeasure at Princes handes for so doing false prophetes But the false Prophets did alwayes marke the inclinacion of Princes fashion them selues to the pleasure of Princes For they were al brought vp in Gnatoes schoole and had learned to say Aiunt aio negant nego If they say it then I say it too If they doe denye it then doe I denie it also Such were the false prophetes in the dayes of King Achab who being in number foure hundreth did with one consent prophecie that the King should prosper in the warres that he purposed to take in hande against Ramoth in Galaad But the true Prophet Michea could not flatter for he had not bene brought vp in flatterers schoole 3. Re. 22. And therfore he saide Vidi cunctum Israel dispersum in montibus sicut oues non habentes pastorem Et ait Dominus non habent isti dominum Reuertatur vnusquisque in domum suam in pace I sawe all Israell scattered abrode in the mountaines as sheepe without a shepheard And the Lorde sayd These men haue no master let euery one retourne into his owne house in peace This plaine man that coulde no skill of flattering was striken and cast into prison and threatened a worse tourne but the false Prophets were highly esteemed tyll theyr prophecie was proued false Micheas prophecie true It hath alwayes bene the maner of the true prophetes to be sure that they might truely saye Eze. 13. Haec dicit dominus Thus saith the Lord but the false Prophetes could neuer truely say so For they vsed allwayes to prophecie out of their owne fantasies Mat. 15 Our Sauyour Christ taught none other thing than the will of his heauenly
case as we are nowe he willeth that in no case they should be receyued as doth most plainly appeare in that which he wrote vpon the xviij chapter of S. Mathewes gospel and vpon these wordes Bucers opinion of suche as maintain the popishe ceremonies Vae mundo ab offendiculis Woo to the worlde by the reason of offences or occasions of fallings wherafter manye wordes to this effecte he sayth That no man will earnestlye stryue to maintayne these superstitious ceremonies but such as be eyther open enimies to Christ or else backeslyders from Christ Hostes aut desertores And bicause it is sayde of some men that this Father is agaynst vs in this matter we set downe his wordes written from Camebridge to a most deare friende of his beyonde the seas cited by Theodore Beze in his aunswere to the calumniatioÌ„s of fraunces Baldwine which wordes were written the .xij. of Ianuarie in the yeare of our Lord 1550. The wordes are these Quòd me mones de puriâ—ate rituum scito hîc neminem extraneum de his rebus rogari Tamen ex nobis vbi possumus officio nostro non desumus scriptis coram Ac in primis vt plebibus Christi de veris pastoribus consulatur Deinde etiam de puritate purissima doctrinae rituum Where as ye write vnto me concerning the puritye of Ceremonies ye shall vnderstande that no straunger is here called to councell in those matters Notwithstanding when occasion doth serue vs we are not slack in doing our dutie both by writing and worde And especially that the people of Christ maye be prouided of true Shepherds and then also that both doctrine and ceremonies maye be brought to most perfect puritie And in the same Epistle he sayth Sunt qui humanissima sapientia euanescentibus cogitationibus velint fermento Antichristi conglutinare Deum Belial There be some which by most wordly wisedome vaine deuises would with the leuen of Antichrist glewe togither God Belial Here is the iudgement of Bucer concerninge the retayning of Ceremonies plainelye set forth speaking expresselye of this Churche of Englande And Peter Martyr whose iudgement hath in this matter bene oftentimes asked dothe more than once in his writinges call them Reliquias Amorraeorum leauings or remnaunts of the Amorites Martyr And although he do in some case thinke that they maye be borne with for a season yet in our case he would not haue them suffered to remaine in the church of Christ Doctor Ridley late Byshop of London when one Doctor Broches with others at â—xforde came to degrade him a little before his death persuaded the sayde D. Ridley to put on the Surplesse with the reast of the Massing garmentes which he vttâ—rlye refused to doe Sayinge as in the historie of Martyrs appereth truely if it come on me meaning the Surplesse it shall be against my will Then the sayde D. Brockes caused the sayde Surplesse with the rest of the trinkets appertayning to the Masse to be by force put vpon him Wherevpon he dyd vehemently inuey against the bishop of Rome Ridl◠〈…〉 callinge him Antichrist and all that apparell folish and abhominable yea to fonde fâ—r a â—ice in a play Wherwith Doctor Brockes beinge very angrie bad him holde his peace for he did but rayle Hereby it appeareth what estimation that worthy Martyr of God had of the Popishe garmentes at the tyme of his death Albeit in the dayes of King Edwarde he did stoutely maintayne them â—gainst bâ—shâ—p â—oper Bâ—shop â—uell Bishop â—uell in his replye to D. Harding in the .442 page against the breaking of the Sacrament hath these wordes Verilye in the house of God that thing is hurtfull that doth no good All the Ceremonies of the Church ought to be cleare and liuelye and able to edifie Yf these thinges now in controuersie can be proued such then will we not refuse them But in case they want all these properties as vndoubtedly they doe then by this mans iudgement we may well reiect them What shall happen to vs yf we shall now receyue them shall be plaine ynough to them that will but waighe these fewe lines afore written It shall happen vnto vs as it should haue happened vnto Moses if he would haue consented to bring the Hebrues back againe into Egipt after he had brought them out of that lande through the read Sea We haue by doctrine brought many out of the Romishe slauerie of Idol seruice and nowe by example we haue begonne to go before them in the vtter abolishing of all those chaines of darkenesse wherewith they and we haue bene long tyme holden in miserable captiuitye and were it meete that we shoulde now a freshe binde our selues them with the same chaines Whilest wee oure selues were in those chaines although we did knowe them to be bondes yet we were for a season content to beare them tyll we might be able to cause others to see that which we our selues did see And now that we haue by the helpe of god caused some men to see what these thinges are and haue in theyr sight shaked them of from our owne neckes and loosed the same from their neckes also what should our receyuing of them againe be other than a going backe againe into Egipt and a leading thither agayne of all suche as we haue laboured to bring thence We haue taught that which Tertul. wryteth Nihil dandum Idolo sic nec sumendum ab Idolo Si in Idolio recumbere alienuÌ„ est à fide quid in Idoli habitu videri We may giue nothing to the Idoll â—e Corâ—ilitis so may we take nothing of the Idoll If it be a thing against the fayth to sitte at meate in the Idolles feast what is it to be seene in the habite of an Idolater We haue taught that the popishe masse is Idolatrie that all the popes holy creatures as his waxe his ashes his palme his fyre his holywater other his holy things made holy by his coniurations are derogations to Christes glory therefore to be refused of all Christians and shall it not be as meete for vs now to flye in lyke maner from the vse of those garments that they taught to be so necessarie in their coniurations Surely we can not be persuaded but it is as great an euill for vs now to weare in our Ministration anye of those coniuring garments as it is for any of them that doe knowe what these coniured things are to be partakers of them Lest we shoulde therfore encourage the obstinate and blinde Papistes to sticke still in their popishe puddle the causes that moue the prâ—achers of the gospeâ— to refuse the coÌ„iuring garments of the papistes lest we should beat back those that are by oure cryinge vnto them begynning to craule out of that puddle lest we should shake off and hurle headlong into that puddle those that are by our meanes plucked out therof and yet not so freed
this misery is of some threatned of the wicked hoped for and of vs feared as thy iuâ—t iudgemeÌ„t against vs for our sinnes And nowe Lorde what can we say confusion of faces is ours We haue synned done amisse we confesse our fault As iustice is thyne iustelie to correct soe mercye is thyne also to pardon and to helpe the miserable We persuaded of thy goodnesse towardes vs in Iesus Christ doe knowe that of loue thou dost nowe chastyse vs as children Correct vs O Lorde but not in thy wrath Remember thy louing kindnesse and in the ryches of thy great mercye pardon forgiue all oure synnes through which we haue thus offended thee O Lord blot them out of thy remembraunce by the bloude of thy sonne Iesus And let thy good spiryte now transforme vs from our olde euils so that we commit them no more that ther apeare no cause to moue the memorie of them anye more in thy holy sight but rule vs to growe in regeneration that this our mortall lyfe maye bring forth plentifully those fruites of the spirite which do please thee O heauenlye Father stay thy stroke nowe begon Restore our helpes to vs agayn Yea of thy liberall goodnes giue more of suche ayde and help as thou knowest nedefull to worke the thorow reformation of oure state generally and of eche one of vs particularlye Much good hast thou wrought vnto vs by our souerayne and the ministers whom thou hast appointed to gouernement Doe not withdrawe thy graces frome them for oure sinnes sake but rather increase thy good gyftes in them for thy mercye sake Indue them with increase of knowledge zeale and diligence that they may doe that which is to be done to gyue thy glorious gospell the full course so that by it perfyte stablishment maye be wrought of thy religion in sincerity and of ciuile regiment in peace and equitie Loke Lord and Iudge most iuste on the proude bragge and boast of antichrist thyne enimy cut his courage coÌ„founde his counsell disapoint his hope breake his power giue him that vtter ouerthrow that there do not remayne so muche as a memorie or token of him to be had in regarde but that his memorye maye be had in confusion O Lorde set vp thy glorye remoue thy wrath restore thy mercye comforte thyne afflicted tourne thy louing countenance to vs poure forth thy grace on vs build vs vp in Christ loue vs still Let the trumpet of thy gospell with suche power plenty be blowne that all flesh may hearken yelde thereto thyne elect to their comforte the reprobate to their confusion And let this blast continue without ceassing with due effect vntill that last trump be sounded by thine ArchaÌ„gell at the daye of Christ And come Lorde Iesus In thy name O Christ our Capitayne we aske these things praye vnto thee o Heauenlye father saying Our Father c. O Lord increase our faith whereof we make confession I beleue in God c. Arise O Lord and let thyne enimyes be confounded Let them vnderstand that against thee they fight Let them flye from thy presence that hate thy godly name Let the grones of thy afflicted enter in before thee And for thy name sake wash away all dregs of Poperie and superstition that presentlye trouble the state of thy church And preserue the Vyne whiche thy ryghthande hathe planted that the glory of thyne annointed Iesus Christ oure Lorde maye clearely shyne here and before all nations So be it To my louynge brethren that is troublyd abowt the popishe aparrell two short and comfortable Epistels Be ye constant for the Lorde shall fyght for yow yowrs in Christ ¶ To all my faithful brethren in Christ Iesu and to all other that labour to weade out the wedes of popery Peace in the Lorde Iesu be with you and make you perfite in all good workes to doe his will working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ our Lord. DEare Brethren because we are creatid for gods glory the edification one of another in Christ and are bounde to serue thervnto by wealthe or woo lyfe or death and cheifly they to whom God haue geuen the greter gyftes and whom he hath callyd to higher romes are moste bounde to be zelous for gods glory with godly zelousie to profyt the churche and sponse of Christe vnder their charge and that by no subteltye as the Apostel warnithe they shulde be corrupted from the symplicitie of Christ therfore there is no doubt of your good zealle and diligence My good fathers deare brethren who at first callid to the battel to striue for gods glory and the edification of his people against the Romish reliques and rages of Antichrist I doubt not but that you wyl coragiouslye and constantlye in Christ rape at these rages of Gods enemyes and that you will by this occasion race vp many as grete enormites that we all know labore to race out all the dregges remnants of transformid popery that are crept into England by to much lenite of them that wylbe namid the Lordes of the cleargie what is he that hath the zeale of gods glory before his face that wyl not ioyne both in prayer and in sufferinge with you in so good a cause that is so much for gods glory and the edificacion of gods church in the pure simplicite of Christes word sacramentes wherin our enemies and persecutours are strangely bewitchid I wote not by what Circes cupe that they do make suche a diuersite betwixt Christes worde his sacramentes that they can not thinke the worde of God safelye ynoughe preachid honorably inough handlyd without cap cope surplis But that the sacraments the maryinge the buryinge the churching of wemen other church seruice as they call it muste nedes be decored with crossinge with capping with surplessing with knelinge with preti wafer cakes and other knackes of poperi O Paule that thou were a lyue thou durst tell those politike gentelmen that ther hath bin to much laboure bestoued vpon them in vaine thou durste say vnto them as thou didest to the Corinthians that they eat not the Lordes supper but pley a pagent of their owne to blynde the people and kepe them still in supersticion fare from the symplicite of Christes supper but howe many sely sowles is ther that dothe beleue veryly that they haue an English masse and so put no difference betwene truth falshod betwene Christ and antichrist betwene God and the deuell they are strangely bewitched I say that thus wyll bynde theyr Englyshe presthode sacraments but muche more enchauntid that can fynd no garments to please them But such as haue ben polutid openly with popishe supersticion Idolatry but most of all in this point shall theyr madnes apere to all posterites that they make these Antichristian rages Causam sine qua non that is a cause without which ther is no holy ministery in Christ
so that this shall make an Englyshe preste be he neuer suche a dolt or vnlearnid in the knouledge of the scripture as we haue very manye and without these romisshe reliques not Paule hym selfe shal be admittid as one of them dyd blaspheme the rest of them in effecte do affirme well agaynste suche popishe chaffer and popery hathe byne longe agone foughten withe all when the gret captaines of that religion lyuyd and yet God gaue the victory Therfor let vs not fear now although it doth begine to sture agayn for ther is no craft conuinge counsell wysdom or policy against the Lord. We haue Christ hys Apostells the Prophetes euer stryuing agaynst the Ipocrites of their time on our syde a strau for popishe polici we haue the worde of God to warant vs to rote out al monuments of supersticion and Idolatry are charged to abhor them to accompt them accursed and to defy them and to detest them as menstreous clowtes they haue not the worde of God for them And what wysdom is in them sayth god by his Prophet Ieremi they talke of obedience concorde but ther is no obedience against the Lorde no nor concorde to be desired but wher gods glory and verite is preserued Els better to haue al the worlde in hurly burleis and heauen earth to shake then one ioyte of gods glory shulde decaie So far forth as in vs leithe we haue theyr owne lawes and proclamacious to rote out all monuments of supersticion and Idolatrye theyr oune wordes are contrarye to theyr doinges Yt shulde apere that they repent their reformacion proclamid as did the Isralites they buylde agayn that which ons they haue distroied and this is done openlye that all the worlde may wonder and behold but what is done secretlye god wyll one daye haue it declarid openly ye they make the name of god this doctrine that we professe to be euell spoken of alredy By many of theyr doinges theyr iudgement hasteth that for such causes persecute Gods true preachers Wherfor let vs not feare theyr threteninges ther can none persecute the godly for this cause trasshe but ether such as are nether hote nor colde and then they shal be vomyted out vnlesse their zeale encrease or such as haue no God before their eies whose god is their bellie or els open papists whom god hathe geuen vp to a reprobate sense wherfore we must thus take it that they ar gods rodds for oure sinnes because we haue not ben more zelous in Gods cause nether carefull to seke his glorye that wolfe Wynchester blodie bucher Bonar fought once against many godli men for the grounde of this gere and thei had all the power of the Realme seruinge theyr lustes but beholde how the Lorde in short time ouerthrew them al to giue vs coradge to go forwarde the Lord forgeue vs we ar to slacke and neglygent in heauenly thynges this monster Bonar remainithe and is fed as papists say for their sakes it must be grauntyd it is for some purpos althoughe he be a traytor and an enemi to the crowne and realme and bothe to God and man whiche brunnid godes holy testament murderid his saintes and his servātes But what the Lord requyrith to be done wythe false Prophetes it is manyfest we haue bothe the lawe of god man for vs But we ar answerid nay you your sealues shal be compellid to turne your coates and cappes and get you into his leueris and to be lyke him in your garments O Elyas that thou lyuedste or that thy spyrit weare amongst vs thou woldest say with the Prophet Sophoni that God will vysit the werears of this Idolatours garmentes or strange aparell thou woldest say that thinges dedicatid once to idolatry is not indifferent thou woldest say reuerence to the sacramēt is wrought by doctrine and discipline and not by popisshe Idolatours garments thou woldest saye what decency can ther be gaynyd to the sacramēts by that which hath byn deuisyd vsyd to deface it if the golde ordeinyd by god for the reuerence and decenci of the Iewes temple is not to be admittyd to beutify the churche of Christe much lesse copes brought in by papistes the enemyes of god and alwayes continwyd in their seruice as ornamētes of their religion in no wyse ought of vs Christians to be retaynid But the papistes triumphe and glori in their assembles that the hote gospelars shal be driuen to their doltishe attires for the Lords sake let vs neuer giue them any cause of Ioye thoughe we shoulde dye for yt Moyses wold not yelde on hoofe of a beste in gods busines he wolde not leue the loupe vnmade nor make a button or a claspe more or lesse Eleasar will not decemble by eatynge of vnlawfull meates the faythfull Isralites wolde not receyue so muche as an yui bushe Contrariwyse Orygen caryinge a braunche and professynge that he bare it for Christ at the first But was afterwarde compellid to open Idolatry so cursid a thing it is to geue any place to the wicked all the papistes that saye they worship Christ in the crosse and God in the sacrament do still vnder these wordes continew still in their Idolatri beware of deceitfull wordes that couer wickid purposes to drawe vs from Christiā symplicite Let vs stand constantly agaynste all abuses and repent for our former coldnes in religion and our synnes and call for healpe from aboue for the hand of the Lorde is not shortenid we ar assured that we seke Gods glory and our aduersaries may see yf they can se any thinge that this thinge that they seke is not for gods glory seing the papistes the enemyes of God doe so desyre yt and glory in yt And reioyse that we whom they most hate cannot be safe but vnder their garments we ar assurid that we seke godes glory in folowinge Christ his Aposteles and Prophets who euer dispised these pharisaicall outward faces and visures Christe fyndethe fault withe the garmentes of the phariseis Paule counteth all his pharisaicall shew to be donge Zachari saithe that the false Prophet shal be ashamed of his prophecye and forsake his garments wherin he deceyuid shal the true Prophetes be fayne to crepe into their coules for by the same autorite may be comaundid any peace of popery so that it be namyd policie Ezechias and Iosias knew no suche aucthoritie but they say It is for policie For it plainly apearithe that ther is lesse care for religion then for policie But beware that the example of Ieroboham be not folowed that made such like prestes for policie as wolde do as he commaundid them Achaz of policie brought the fashion of an alter into Ierusalem as he sawe at Damascus where he had ouercome the Idolatours and their Idolls but cursed was his policie and so ar all they that wil retaine any thinge of their Idolatrie Nabuchodonosors Idoll was for vnitye and policie but