the wheat and tares grow together in the world untill the Harvest Mat. 13. And so in humble manner we proceed CHAP. I. The doctrine of the Holy Ghost contained in the sacred Scriptures is the rule of faith and not any Church Counsell Prince or Potentate nor any mortall man whatsoever Proved BY the Scriptures themselves which are the writings of Moses and the Prophets The Evangelists and Apostles These are a sufficient Rule to trie all faith and religion by Our reasons are 1. They are inspired of God and are able to make us wise unto salvation and perfect to every good worke 2. Tim. 3.15 Secondly because these writings were written that we might have certainety of the things whereof we are instructed Luke 1.4 That our joy might be full 1. Ioh. 1.4 and that we might beleeve and in beleeving might have life Ioh. 20.31 Thirdly we are cōmanded Not to presume or be wise above that which is written 1. Cor. 4.6 For with this weapon Christ put to flight the devill Mat. 4. and taught his Disciples Luk. 24.27 46. and Paul taught Christ Iesus Act. 17.2 The godly are commended for searching the Scriptures Act. 17.11 and commanded to search them Ioh. 5.39 and they that vvill not beleeve these Writings will not beleeve Christs vvords nor one that should come from the dead Ioh. 5.47 Luke 16.31 If any Papist or Atheist aske how vvee know all or any of these Scriptures to be inspired of God Wee answer The eare saith Iob 12.11 discerneth words and the mouth tasteth meate for it selfe And as the eie discerneth the light of the Sun so doth our spirit discerne these Scriptures to be of God and that for these reasons First in regard of the majestie wisedome and Grace of them from all other writings For there is as great glorie in these Scriptures as in the making of this vvonderfull vvorld which may evidently be seene Secondly by their teachings which excelleth all humane teachings leading us from Satan from this world and our selves to God in holinesse faith love feare humilitie Thirdly the true events of them or fulfilling of the Prophesies conteined in them Fourthly the consent and agreement of all the parts of them the like wherof cannot be shewed of so many severall Writers since the vvorld began Fiftly the admirable preservation therof against time and tyrants all which could not extinguish them Sixtly the devill and his instruments rage against those that practise the doctrines conteined in them Seventhly the conversion of thousands to God by the power of the doctrine of them Eightly the vengeance of God upon such as have not obeyed them Ninthly the acknowledgement of them by the verie professed adversaries thereof Tenthly the miracles from heaven confirming them Eleventhly the sight of a Saviour to man is onely from them And lastly the simplicity of the Writers and plainenes of the writings For God hath chosen the meane contemptible and despised to publish the mysteries of his will These are sufficient to perswade that these holy Writings are inspired of God and so able to make us wise to salvation and perfect to every good worke These Scriptures conteine the Law and Testimonie and if any Councell Church Prince or Potentate speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Esa 8.20 but we are commanded to hold them accursed Gal. 1.8.9 For whosoever shall adde unto these things God shall adde the plagues written herein and who so shall take away from those things God shall take his name out of the booke of Life and out of the holy Citie and from those things that are written Revel 22.18.19 Much by us shall not need to be vvritten in this thing it is so evident and so generally acknowledged except the Papists onely we will bring some humane Testimonies The Protestants affirme Whites Way to the Church Dedicated to the Bishops pag. 12. That it is the doctrine of the Church of England Article six that the Scriptures comprehended in the old and new Testament is the Rule of Faith so far that whatsoever is not read therein nor cannot be proved thereby is not to be accepted as any point of faith or needfull to be followed but by it all doctrines taught and the Churches practice must be examined and that rejected which is contrary to it under what title or pretence soever it come unto us And further they say pag. 1. That the Pope or any mortall man should be the rule that must resolve in questions and controversies of faith is an unreasonable Position voide of all indifferency when common sence teacheth that he that is a Party cannot be a Iudge And againe p 17. Which is the Church is controversall which is the Scriptures is not therefore let that be the Rule which is out of doubt Againe pag. 44. The Scriptures containeth the Principles of our faith and shall we not beleeve them Or cannot we know them of themselves infallibly without we let in the authority of the Church This and much more the Protestants have written sufficiently confirmeth That no Church nor man whatsoeuer may be a Rule or Iudge in matters of Faith but onely the holy Scriptures and whosoever teacheth or practiseth otherwise they must hold maintain the Papists Creed or Colliers faith which the Protestants so much detesteth mentioneth p. 6. out of Staphilus his Apologie Thus The Collier being at the point of death tempted of the devill what his faith was answered J beleeve and die in the faith of Christs Church being againe demanded what the faith of Christs Church was that faith saith he that J beleeve in Thus the devill getting no other answer was overcome and put to flight by this faith of the Collier every unlearned man may trie the spirits of men whether they be of God or no by this faith he may resist the devill and judge the true interpretation from the false and dis erne the Catholique from the Hereticall Minister the true doctrine from the forged For if this answer of the Collier and the Papists conclusion upon it be not sound but detestable as the Protestants confesse and cry woe unto the Papists for the same and that justly Then is it no lesse detestable in the Protestants or any other to require or force any to yeeld so in Religion and Faith that upon such a temptation he hath no better answer to make then as the Collier to say I beleeve and die in the faith of the Church or of the Prince or of the learned For being demanded what that faith is if he be not able to prove it by Gods word conteyned in the Scriptures it is no better then the answer of the Collier The faith that I beleeve in c. Oh how manie millions of soules in this Nation not Papists but Protestants live and die and have no other faith then this CHAP. II. The interpreter of this Rule is the Scriptures themselves and the Holy
hid c. And Esa 56.10 c. Their watchmen are all blind they have no knowledge c. and these shepheards cannot understand for they all looke to their owne way every one for his owne advantage and for his owne purpose Also Ier. 8.9 The wisemen are ashamed they are afraid and taken for loe they have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisâ—dome is in them c. Reade Ier. 14.14 c. and 50.6 My people have beene as lost sheep their sheepherds have caused them to goe astray and have turned them away to the Mountaines c. And Micha 3. ch Night shall be unto them for a vision and darkenesse for a divination and he Sunne shall goe down over the Prophets and the day shall be darke over them c. For they have no answer of God They build up Sion with bloud and Ierusalem with iniquitie c. And Zeph. 3.4 Her Prophets are light and wicked persons her Priests have polluted the Sanctuarie they have â—…rested the Law And in the time of our Saviour how had they made the commandements of God of no authoriâ—y by their Traditions Mat. 15. And Act. 13.27 For the Rulers of Ierusalem the high Priests Scribes â—nd Pharisees knew not Christ nor yet the words of â—he Prophets which they heard read every Sabbath day but fulfilled them in condemning him And our Saviour saith thanke thee O Father because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of understanding Mat. 11. And none of the Pharisees or Rulers beleeved on him Ioh. 7.48 And the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world Hath not God made the wisedome of this world foolishnesse And vers 26. Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called and others moe Next for the learned since the time of our Saviour The Councell of Ephesus where were present 132. Bishops of Seleucia where were present 160. Bishops related by the Protestants how grievously did they erre in decreeing flat Arianisme Who is ignorant knowing the Histories that from time to time both particular Popes and Generall Councels have grossely erred in many things Onely one wee will mention passing by Trent and others the Councell Lateran we meane which for Vniversalitie was behind none where were present two Patriarches 70. Archbishop Metropolitanes 400. Bishops 12. Abbats 800. Coventuall Priors the Legates of the Greeke and Romane Empire besides the Orators and Embassadours of the Kings of Ierusalem France Spaine England and Cyprus in which Councell it was decreed That all Heretiques and so many as in any point resist the Catholique Faith should be condemned c. And that the Secular powers of what degree soever they bee shall be compelled openly to sweare for the defence of the faith that to the uttermost of their power to roote out and destroy in all their Kingdomes all such persons as the Catholique Church had condemned for Heretiques and if they doe not they shall be excommunicate and if they doe not reforme within one whole yere then the Pope may denounce all his subjects absolved and utterly delivered from shewing or owing any fidelitie or obedience towards him Againe That the Pope may give that land to be occupied and enjoyed of the Catholiques to possesse it all Heretiques being rooted out quietly without contradiction Tho. Beacon Cum privil An. 1567. And the Protestants say that this imperfection hath hung so fast upon all Councels and Churches that Nazianzen saith He never saw any Councell have a good end White pag. 83. Are not here sufficient Testimonies proved from Scriptures and Experience that the learned have usually erred and that so often the holy Scripture warneth us to beware of false Prophets for many are gone out into the world 1. Ioh. 4.1 c. And will not your Majestie your Highnesse your Honours your Worships be pleased to consider of these things but will your selves submit the guidance of your soules to the learned Spirituality as they are called without due examination by the Scriptures which if you doe we can but bewaile with the sorowes of our hearts and are you not herewith satisfied but will you with your power which God hath given you to use well compell and constraine your subjects and underlings to beleeve as the learned binding our consciences by not suffring us to reade and search the Scriptures which if you abhor as being the Romish practise will you doe that which is worse letting us reade the Scripture wherby we may know the will of our heavenly Master and have our consciences enlightned and convinced but not suffer us to practise that we learne and know and that our consciences are convinced of by the Scriptures whereby our sinne and condemnation is made greater against God then the blinde Papist as is proved Luk. 12.47 but we must captivate our consciences and practise to that which in our soules we know to be will and contrary to the manifest law of the Lord onely because the learned have so decreed whom you acknowledge are subject to erre as well as others or else lie in perpetuall imprisonment and be otherwise grievously persecuted May it please you to observe that The Church of Rome seeth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh hath abolished the Priesthood of Aaron and the Legal sacrifices but the learned Iewes see it not to this day nay the high Priests Scribes and Pharisees saw it not but for the publishing thereof persecuted Christ the Lord his holy Apostles to the death calling their doctrine heresie them seditious enemies to Caesar what not for which their cruelty we all justly condemne them so often as we reade the holy historie And the Church of England seeth divers damnable doctrines of the Church of Rome this among many That the Scriptures are not the onely rule of faith but that men ought to be constrained to beleev as the Church beleeves the Protestants see the iniquitie of this because they see all Churches are subject to erre But the learned Papists see it not but have decreed That who so resisteth any point shal be judged as an Heretique and suffer fire and fagot for the which the Protestants and we justly cry out against them for all the innocent bloud that they have shed And we see most manifestly that whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 and that no mortall man may make a law to the conscience and force unto it by persecutions and consequently may not compell to any religion where faith is wanting But the learned of this land see it not or rather will not practise it but for our profession practise of this truth procureth your temporall sword for their spirituall is without edge to persecute us by casting us into prisons where some of us have remained divers yeres in lingring imprisonment without hope of release till our God perswade the harts
instructing them with meeknesse that are contrary minded proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may acknowledge the truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the devill c. 2. Tim. 2. vvhich plainely sheweth that repentance must continually be waited for and not constreyned by persecution for repentance is the gift of God and cannot be constrained at mans pleasure Fiftly Christs Kingdome is not of this world Ioh. 18. neither are the vveapons thereof carnall but Spirituall 2. Cor. 10.4 And therefore the worldly weapons of earthly Kingdome cannot accomplish the things of Christs Kingdome The reason of all these are Because they who are now tares may hereafter become wheate they that now resist him may hereafter receive him they that are now in the devils snare even adversaries to the truth may hereafter come to repentance some come not till the eleventh houre Mat. 20.6 If those that come not to the last houre should be destroyed because they come not at the first then should they never come but be prevented CHAP. VII The Testimonies and practises of famous Princes against persecution FIrst your most excellent Majestie saith in your exposition upon Revel 20. ch First Printed in Edenborough 1588. after in London 1603. Sixtly the Compassing of the Saints and besieging of the beloved Citie declareth unto us a certaine note of a false Church to be persecution For they come to seeke the faithfull the faithfull are those that are sought the wicked are the besiegers the faithful the besieged And in your Highnesse speech at the Session of Parliament 1609. you say It is a sure rule in Divinity that God never loves to plant his Church by violence and bloudshed And in your Majesties Apologie for the Oath of Allegeance pag. 4. you say I gave a good proofe that I intended no persecution against them for conscience cause but onely desired to be secured of them for civill obedience which for conscience cause they were bound to performe And Pag. 60. speaking of Blackwell the Arch-priest your Highnesse saith It was never my intention to lay any thing to the said Arch-priests charge as I have never done to any for cause of conscience c. And in your Majesties Meditation upon the Lords Prayer your Highnesse adviseth that in the matters of Gods worship we should not doe that we doubt Also that noble Prince The King of Bohemia hath written thus Notwithstanding the successe of these latter times wherein sundry opinions have beene hatched about the subject of Religion may make one clearely discerne with his eye and as it were touch with his finger that according to the veritie of holy Scripture and a Maxime heretofore held and maintained by the ancient Doctors of the Church That mens consciences ought in no sort to be violated urged or constrained and whensoever men have attempted any thing by this violent course whether openly or by secret meanes the issue hath beene pernitious and the cause of great and wonderfull innovations in the principallest and mightiest Kingdomes and Countries of all Christendome c. For which cause his Majestie saith So that once more wee doe protest before God and the whole world that from this time forward we are firmly resolved not to persecute or molest or suffer to be persecuted or molested any person whatsoever for matter of Religion no not they which professe themselves to be of the Romane Church neither to trouble nor disturbe them in the exercise of their Religion so they live conformably to the Lawes of the State c. And for the practise of this thing it is well known that many great Monarchs Princes and States suffer Religion free and doe not constraine the conscience of any man by bodily persecutions not onely Heathen Princes as the Turk and Persian but even Catholique Princes and many Protestant Princes also CHAP. VIII Divers Testimonies of inferiour men against persecution HIllar contra Auxen The Christian Church doth not persecute but is persecuted and lamentable it is to see the great follie of these times and to sigh at the foolish opinion of this world in that men thinke by humane aid to help God and with worldly pompe and power to undertake to defend the Christian Church J aske you Bishops what help used the Apostles in the publishing of the Gospell with the aide of what power did they preach Christ and converted the Heathen from their idolatry to God When they were in prisons and lay in chaines did they praise and give thankes to God for any Dignities Graces and Favours received from the Court Or doe you thinke that Paul went about Regall mandates or Kingly authoritie to gather and establish the Church of Christ Sought he protection from Nero Vespation whose envie and hate against Christ made the Gospell and the acknowledgement thereof more to flourish The Apostles wrought with their hands for their owne maintenance travelling by land and water from Town to Citie to preach Christ yea the more they were forbidden the more they taught and preached Christ but now alas humane helpe must assist and protect the faith â—nd give the same countenance with and by vaine and worldly honours doe men seeke to defend the Church of Christ as if he by his power were not able to performe it Hill con Arian The Church now which formerly â—y enduring miserie and imprisonment was knowne to be a â—rue Chruch doth now terrifie others by imprisonment banishment and miserie and boasteth that she is highly esteemed of the world whereas the true Church cannot but be hated of the same Ambrose in his booke of Widowes The Church oâ—ercommeth the power of the adversarie not with worldly but with spirituall weapons which are powerfull before God â—o cast downe holds and spirituall wickednesses Damasc 3. sent cap. 33. The Gospell is preached â—hrough the world which overcame not the adversaries â—hereof through the sword or by warre but a few naked poore unlearned and scourged people confounded and brought to nought the wise men of the world for how shall â—he Church otherwise have Martyrs if she her selfe martyred others Ierom. in proaem lib. 4. in Ieremiam Heresie is to be cut off with the sword of the Spirit let us strike thoâ—ow with the arrowes of the Spirit all sonnes and disciples of misse-led heretiques that is with Testimonies of holy Scripture the slaughter of Heretiques is by the word of God Tertul. ad Scapul It agreeth both with humane equiâ—ie and naturall reason that everie man worship God uncomâ—ompelled and beleeve what he will for it neither hurteth nor profiteth any man another mans Religion or Beleefe neither beseemeth it any Religion to compell another to be of their Religion which willingly and freely should be imbraced and not by constraint for as much as the offerings were required of those that freely and with a good will offered and not from the contrary Brentius upon 1. Cor. 3. No man hath power to make or