Manichâ—es and Marcion some haue reiected the Booke of Psalmes as the Nicholaitans and Anabaptists some the booke of Iob as some Rabbins and some Daniel as Porphyrius some haue reiected the Gospel of Luke as Cerdon some all but Marke as Cerinthus some the Gospel of Iohn as the Alogâ— some all Pauls works as the Ebionites c. Concerning the second some haue made the Apocryphall Books of equall authoritie with the fore recited Scriptures as the Papists and others haue more boldly long since obtruded for Canonical the fatherlesse brood of other books vnto these as the third and fourth of Eldras and Appendix of Iob a Preface to the Lamentation the third and fourth of the Macchabees a Booke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Booke of Enoch the Gospel of Thomas and of Matthias the acts of Peter And in the yeare 1120 a certaine new Gospell called Euangelium aeternum the eternall Gospell was found out being full of blasphemies but all these and the like are damnable presumptions plainly forbidden by the Lord saying Deut 4.2 Ye shal not put ought vnto the word that I command you neither shall ye take ought there-from and grieuously threatned Reu. 22.18 19. If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this Booke and if any man shall diminish any thing God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life Now that the Books first aboue named are all Canonicall Scriptures and part of the word of God Epist Tom. 3. hath been acknowledged in all ages by the Christian Church Ierome writing to Paulinus of the study of the holy Scriptures doth both reckon vp all these bookes in particular and adioyneth to euery one of them a seuerall pithy commendation And vnto Leta he prescribeth an order of reading them with most safetie and profit As for the other Bookes Epist Tom. 1. which our Church adioyneth to the volume of the inspired Scriptures they are both entertained and in part publikely read in our Churches not as authentike Principles whereon to ground any doctrine but as wholesome precepts of moralitie and declarations of the estate of the Church in those times very profitable for deuotion and heauenly meditation Quest. 146. What speciall proofe is there making manifest that those Bookes of Scripture are the word of God Answ The antiquity of those books some of them being before all other bookes sundry times oppugned and sought to be burnt vp by persecutors and yet wonderfully preserued and by miracles from heauen confirmed is a manifest proofe that they came from heauen and are not of mans inuention That the â—oly Scriptures are Gods word Explan Amongst all arguments there is none of that force in the conscience of man that this is of being taken from the diuinitie of the holy Scriptures For let it appeare that they are of God and what heart dares doe any other but yeeld vnto them Now that they are of God may bee plainely prooued by sundry reasons First by their Antiquitie for the first and most ancient writings in the world concerning Religion must needs be Gods but these are the first and most ancient therefore must needs be Gods 1. That the most ancient are Gods Scriptures is plaine because otherwise either some other Instructor must haue beene before God or else God the Ruler of the whole world must haue beene without any thing recorded whereby the world ought to be ruled till that man had inuented something to gouerne man by both which are most absurd That the holy Scriptures are most ancient appeareth by the most ancient humane writers Orpheus the first of all writeth of the two Tables deliuered to Moses Whence he saith that he learned what he knew of God Linus wrote of the Tower of Babylon described by Moses c. making plaine heereby that the Bookes of Moses were long before any of their writings and so the most ancient in the world Hence it is that Tacianus affirmeth that it appeareth out of Berosus a Caldee Writer Tatiani Oratio aduersus gentes Moses fuit Baccho antiquior plurimis diis gentium Clem. Alexandr out of the writings of the Phoenicians and Annales of the Egyptians that Moses wrote long before Orpheus Linus Amphyon Homer or the most ancient Ethnickes Now the Bookes of Moses are in effect the whole Scriptures all that followeth tending onely to the further explanation heereof Wherefore the Scriptures are most auncient and consequently the vndoubted word of God 2. This is further prooued by the preseruation of the Scriptures in all ages other ancient Bookes being perished either in part or in whole but the holy Scriptures though more oppugned then any by persecutors who haue sought to blot out the memory of them yet are wholly preserued without diminution or corruption of any part of them Had they beene of man certainly it would haue happened vnto them as vnto many other humane writings which are most ancient which if they haue not perished yet they haue been falsified yea one complaineth that hee himselfe yet liuing to see it Fratribus rogantibus vt scriberem Epistolas scripsi has Apostoli Diaboli Zizanijs alia eximentes alia adâ—icientes Dionysius Areoâ— pag. repleuerunt The Brethren requesting I wrote Epistles these the Apostles of the Deuill haue filled with tares adding some things and taking away othersome Now the holy Scriptures haue been singularly preserued heerein in the hands of the Iewes who haue misliked some things and forbidden them to be read as Daniel because he speaketh so plainly of the Messiah in the hands of the heathen as when at the request of Ptolomee they were translated by the Septuagint and in the hands of Heretikes who haue corrupted Fathers and Councels yet neuer durst but haue beene restrained from heauen from corrupting the Scriptures 3. This is further proued by the miracles which haue been wrought to confirme the Scriptures to be of God the Author of all true miracles of this sort are the miracles wought by Moses by the Prophets by Christ and by his Disciples For all these miracles doe plainly testifie of them that they were sent of God and if they were of God then the word by them set forth is the word of God 4. The same is proued by the prophesies contained in the Scriptures some being of things to come to passe many hundreds of yeares after as that the seed of the woman should breake the serpents head that Abrahams posterity should be numberlesse that they should be strangers 400. yeares that Josiah should burne the bones of Baals Priests where Ieroboam did sacrifice that the people of Israel should be in captiuity 70. yeares that Cyrus expressely forenamed should giue them leaue to returne and diuersly honour them c. From hence we may reason thus Those Scriptures which in their reuelations exceed all the vnderstanding of all creatures are vndoubtedly his who is aboue
all creatures that is Gods but such are the holy Scriptures as appeareth by these the like Prophesies Ergo c. for no created vnderstanding can of it selfe reach to things to come to say certainly thus it shal be some may coniecture or being appointed as instruments of execution may declare what themselues shall performe as the Deuill did to Saul but God onely hath made it so proper to himselfe to foretell independently absolutely and infallibly what shall come afterwards as that it may well be said Let them tell what shall come let them doe good or euill and say that they be Gods 5. The same is further proued by the Argument handled in the Scriptures which is altogether graue holy tending to the setting forth of all vertue and against all vice wheras as Iustine Martyr hath obserued the writers of the Heathen gods and religion Iustin Martyr were either ridiculous Poets which deriue the beginning of all from the waters handle the quarrels and filthy loues of the gods or Phylosophers more ridiculous for that the very chiefe of them were vncertaine of the beginning of things Now such as the writing is such must needs be the Author from whom it first commeth true it is that he which is vnholy may write things holy good but then they come not from him but first from some other fountaine therefore the most holy who is God must needs be the Author of the holy Scriptures 6. This is proued by the testimony of Heathen men themselues The Law of Moses against Images Numa Pompilius the chiefe religious Emperour amongst the heathen Romans approued of Numenius a Pythagorean Phylosopher saith of Plato that hee was none other but Moses speaking in the Atticke tongue Euseb de prepar Euang. The Oracle of Apollo confessed that the Christians onely had the truth and acknowledged the true God saith Eusebius Tribellius Pollio writing of Moses saith that hee was the only man familiar with God Cornelius Tacitus confesseth the truth of that History in Exodus telling how Pharaoh after many plagues let the children of Israel goe though hee thrust in some absurd fabulous lyes concerning the Iewes Procopius testifieth of Ioshua that for feare of him the Phoenicians left their country Linus and Homer write of the Creation of the world in sixe dayes Ouid of the generall deluge as also of the Gyants rearing of mountaines vp to heauen which is an allusion to the Tower of Babell Abidenus Sybilla and Hestiaeus of the long liues of the Ancients Epolemus of Abraham and how he fought for Lot Plato confesseth that he learned the most excellent precepts of wisdom of the barbarous meaning Moses and the Prophets Now whence commeth this consent of men of contrary minds to the truth of the Scriptures Verily from Gods prouidence that no man might deny that which by the light of nature is acknowledged of naturall man viz the truth and Diuinitie of the Scriptures 7. The same is proued by the single drift of the Scriptures which is only to giue all glory to God nothing to man seeing that the faults of the best are ingenuously and without flattery set downe neither is any mans fauour affected or sought for in any of these books which cannot be said of any humane writings 8. The same is proued by the consent of all the books of holy Scripture though written by diuers men at sundry times Neuer was the like to be found touching mens writings but euen the same Author hath been oftentimes noted to differ from himselfe Wherefore the Writers of the holy Scriptures were vndoubtedly guided by one spirit of truth and what they wrote came from this spirit which is God If any differences seeme to be in these holy writings this is through the weaknesse of our conceit and misvnderstanding and not indeed Quest 147. Hauing this Word of God written is it not sufficient for our saluation without any other helpe euen as to haue a Booke of Statutes sufficeth to be kept from the danger of the Law to those that will Answ It is not sufficient but it must also bee set forth by preaching that the hard places may bee rightly vnderstood wee may bee kept from errours and haue our dull hearts stirred vp to imbrace the holy precepts hereof Explan Many there be who acknowledge the Scriptures to be Gods word but doe not so much regard the preaching of this word prosuming vpon their owne ability to make a good vse of it in priuat by reading for their edification and saluation And some colour of reason there is also for this seeing that the word serueth to acquaint vs with the wil and law of God as a statute booke with the Lawes of the land and knowing these Lawes if we will not obey all preaching cannot bring vs to obedience or doe vs more good But this is a deceitfull colour First because a Statute book is not like vnto Gods booke that being humane and the penalty sensible this diuine and spirituall and not vnderstood by a naturall man so that a man may read much here but remain still as destitute of vnderstanding Actes 8. as the Eunuch who asked How can I vnderstand without an Interpreter Secondly because preaching is the meane by which God hath wrought in all ages and will principally and most powerfully worke by this ordinarily for our saluation 1. Cor. 1.18 1 Pet. 2 2. Thirdly because no man can receiue the word to his comfort vnlesse he reuerence and esteeme of the preaching therof seeing that the word it selfe doth so highly commend and vrge to attend to preaching Fourthly because the Lord who onely can giue light by his word doth direct such as be in darknes to the Preachers of his word Saul to Ananias Cornelius to Peter the Eunuch to Philip c. refusing otherwise to giue them any light Lastly because men are naturally dull and backward to that which is good when they know it so that reading only they are still frozen in their sins it is necessary that by the exhortation of preaching they should bee stirred vp and by the zeale and heat of others bee warmed and become agile and chearefull to doe accordingly In all things wee say for comfort Two are better then one and why should it not be so in this also A man reading alone is forgetfull and letteth it flip soone out of his mind which he readeth a faithfull Minister of Gods word preacheth vnto him and bringeth continually to his remembrance hee is like a sticke lying by a firebrand ready to goe out the Minister stirres vp the fire and layes the stickes together he hath bread by him but is feeble because he cannot breake it in pieces to eate some of it the Minister breakes it vnto him for his comfort I conclude therefore that it is necessary to exercise the hearing of this Word preached besides the priuate reading thereof and hee that hauing the meanes contemneth them wandreth
in a chest So the Lord would haue vs at any time to come vnto his owne Maiesty and whereas this is slandered with the name of presumption let not any word or sillable tending heerevnto be shewed in all the Scriptures and then wee will yeeld it to bee so also but sure it is that all things there sound to the contrary that God is very gratious to all that seeke vnto him without the help of Aduocates Or if we need an Aduocate as sure we doe such an one as partaketh both natures we haue one appointed vs Iesus Christ the righteous 1 Ioh 2 2. who is the propitiation for our sinnes and therfore I am sure that such as flye to others in auoyding supposed presumption doe incurre very damnable superstition Rom. 10. Now we cannot thus set vp the Lord yet in our hearts vnlesse we know him according to that How shall thâ—y call vpon him of whom they heard not So how shall wee pray vnto him whom wee know not How shall wee loue him and trust in him Ignoti nulla cupido There is no desire of a thing vnknowne we will neuer take any paines in seruing the Lord vnlesse we know him For this cause is ignorance so much exclaimed against and the knowledge of God so highly commended as that it is said to be life eternall Wherefore wee must also endeauour our selues in this as the foundation of all Ioh 17. Hâ—b 11. seeing he â—hat commeth vnto God must first know what God is But concerning this wee shall not need to adde any more in this place because it hath been already handled in the sixth Question vnder the title What God is Quest. 56. What are wee forbidden in this Commandement Answ First Atheisme which is the acknowlâ—dgement of no God Secondly ignorance which is the neglect of he knowledge of God or of his Word Thirdly prophanenesse which is a regardlesnes of God and of h s worship that is prayer hearing of the Word and receiuing of the Sacram nts Fourthly inward Idolatry which is the giuing of Gods worship vnto creatures by praying vnto them trusting in them or setting our hearts vpon them Explan After the duty Vices forbidden in this Commandement 1. Breach by Atheisme heere follow the vices and sins against this Commandement not all but the principall which haue also other branches springing from them The first and maine breach of this Commandement that striketh at the very head is Atheisme a monster in nature whereby the creature riseth against the Creatour not as the men of Babell to stop the passage of his iudgements but vnlike to all men to disanull him to make him without being who giueth being to all to pull him out of his Throne and to leaue him no authority who is aboue Kings and Princes and to put downe his power who alone by his power vpholdeth all things and in whom only we liue and moue Yet such a sin as this there is amongst monstrous and vnnaturall men and that not only amongst some barbarous people in profession which is the heighth of Atheisme but euen secretly in the heart with which kinde many are infected euen vnder the Gospell And this is when men doe but in their hearts imagine that it is all vanity which is spoken of God or that there is no such God as the word doth describe vnto vs. The diuers kindes of Atheisme Thus there be sundry sorts of heart-Atheisme as first that which Dauid complaineth of in the Psalme The foole hath said in his heart that there is no God Which is when men through a selfe-conceitednesse affect to be wiser then all the world Psal 14.1 doe hold this that there is a God not really but in opinion or shew being an Idol Scar-crow fit only to keepe simple persons in awe by these their reaching imaginations prouing themselues most simple and foolish of all others For what greater folly can there bee then to haue the vnderstanding blinded more then bruite beasts Psal 104. whose eyes doe looke vnto God and so receiue their food in due season but these being daily fed and cloathed by the same God are not able to see so farre as to him that reacheth out the hand of prouidence continually to sustaine them O Aegyptiacall darknesse with which they are beset which neuer befell any that were left vnto nature onely except Epicures Belly-gods that lay ouer-whelmed in the bottome of pleasures gulfe Act. 17. all others scorned to be Atheists and rather than vnto none did sacrifice to the vnknowne God as wee may see by the Athenians Psal 10.3 A second heart-Atheisme is to conceiue otherwise of God then he hath reuealed himselfe in his Word for whatsoeuer is there spoken of God such an one he is yea euery attribute of God is God so that the heart conceiuing a God without any of these is guilty of Atheisme Now the attributes of God are mercy power iustice presence wisedme and holines all infinite and in the highest degree so that he which goeth on in sin blesseth himselfe with the couetous he which flattereth himselfe with a conceit of Gods absence far aboue in the Heauens and couered with the clouds with the wicked against whom Ioh sharpeneth his tongue and he which kisseth his hand in secret Iob. 22.22.3 and sacrificeth to his nets in his prosperity praising his owne diligence industry with the wicked ones of Zephanies time Zeph. 1.12 ascribing neither good nor euill to the Lord hee I say hath an heart possessed of Atheisme And hence ariseth also a third Atheisme when any shall conceiue otherwise of God in regard of the persons in the God-head viz. denying either the Sonne or Holy Ghost as Turkes and Iewes 1 Iâ—h 2.23 for he that hath not the Son neither hath he the Father and then must needs be an Atheist as by the same reason he is that hath not the Holy Ghost For the ground of this truth there is a God See aboue vnder the sixth Question 2. Breach is by Ignorance The second breach of this Commandement is by ignorance which is the very next dore to Atheisme because that where ignorance preuaileth there can be but a poore deale of loue little confidence and simple seruice done vnto the Lord. This ignorance is somtime simple somtime affected Simple ignorance when the meanes of knowledge bee wanting either within a man there being dulnesse want of capacity or without there being no vision prophesying failing preaching coldly or seldome exercised and this excuseth not simple people thus liuing in ignorance Luc. 12. if they doe things worthy of stripes for they shall notwithstanding be beaten euen where vision faileth the people perish Ezech. 3. But if there bee fault in the watchmen their blood shall also bee required at their hands Neither ought this to seeme strange considering that naturall visible meanes the Heauens Sun Stars Rom.
altogether erred For if one or some may what more priuiledge can they haue altogether Obict 1 If it be said that this is a doctrine tending to Atheisme for if the Church may erre there is no certainety of truth to be had if no certainty of truth to be had then is there iust cause of suspition giuen that there is no certaine truth at all and then saith the Atheist all is fabulous I answere that this consequence is most false for though all the Churches visible in the world were in an error yet there is certainty of truth to be had viz in the holy Scriptures to which Gods people taking heed may be saued from following Baal 1. Kin. 19.18 with the seuen thousands in Israel in Elijahs time who complained of the common reuolt of all but himselfe alone but was comforted with this that the Lord had left vnto him seuen thousand whose knees had not bowed to Baal nor their mouthes kissed himselfe For thus taking heede vnto the holy writings of the Prophets 2. Pet. 1.19 Saint Peter commends them of his time calling it a sure word and a light shining in a darke place and telling them that they doe well and Saint Paul would haue the Galatians not to regard the very Apostles in comparison of the Gospell which they had receiued saying If we our selues Galat. 1.8 or an Angell from Heauen teach any other wise let him be accursed Obict 2 The truth knowne without the Pope Iudge If it be said further All Heretiques doe paint ouer their heresies with allegations out of the Scriptures how therefore shall we know them Can euery simple man barely by the Scriptures discouer their craft and keepe himselfe from their poyson they are rather thus in the way of being peruerted to their ineuitable damnation 2. Pet. 3.16 as S. Peter teacheth I answer that this is a maruell seeing S. 1. Iohn 4.1 1. Thessal 5.21 Iohn biddeth euery man trie the Spirits Whether they be of God or no and giueth a generall rule to know them by and S. Paul saith Try all things and cleaue to that which is good and the men of Beraea are commended Acts 17.11 for searching the Scriptures to finde whether those things were so which were taught them by chiefe Pillers in the Church of God What impudencie then is it to count this the high way of errour How did the people of God of olde Esay 8.20 that had none but the Law and the Testimony with the help of Gods Priests to direct them What were those of the Primitiue Church more slenderly appoynted then we of these last times Or is there any now superiour to the very Apostles who submitted their teaching to the triall of this rule Let the Romanists then be a â—amed of this shamefull aduancing their Pope as infallible Iudg of all poynts of religion For this is indeede the way to Atheisme the way to all errour when one Pope shall contradict another or any shall fall into heresie as they haue done and yet be held for infallible 2. Cor. 8. Our rule is more certaine and neuer deceiueth but when fickle-headed persons will wrest it to their owne wills not bring their conceipts into subiection to it which is S. Peters meaning For here holdeth the promise of Christ concerning the Spirit to leade vs into all truth viz. if with humble hearts thinking that we know nothing as we ought to know we come to reade and heare the word of God and compare places more hard and obscure with plaine and easie places praying heartily in the name of Christ to be directed aright and no way belongeth to the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church as his flatterers vainely pretend Obict 3 Of Points maintained by Papists from plaine Scriptures Iam. 2.24 If any man will further obiect that this cannot yet make any Church appeare to be a true Church to them that are without For thus also the Roman Church will rather be iustified for that many points there helde different from vs are plainly set down which without glozing or paraphrasing is not so in the Church of the Protestants For example Saint Iames hath taught plainly We are not iustified by faith without workes It is not so of iustification by faith alone Our Sauiour Christ hath sayd plainly This is my body but not so of the signe of his body Saint Paul hath sayd Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling Saint Iames againe sayth If any be sicke let him be annointed in the name of the Lord Iesus c and expresse mention is made of traditions c. I answer It is good for the Roman Catholiques to deale heerein but with some lighter poynts of their religion for feare if they should proceed further to their grand doctrines of inuocation of Saints of Image-worshipping of worshipping the bread in the Sacrament of withdrawing the Cup from the Laitie of their Latine Seruice and ridiculous ceremonies and works of Supererrogation c. of being altogether grauelled heere A man would not thinke that they had the face to bring their stubble to the Scriptures without blushing for if they haue one sentence of Scripture in words speaking with them we haue ten for the Protestants Exod. 20.4 We haue an expresse command forbidding Images and their worship and a further commentary hereupon made by the Lord himselfe Deut. 4.5 Take heede for you saw no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you Esa 63.16 c. against inuocation of Saints it is sayd Abraham knowes not of vs Jsaac is ignorant of vs and Angels and Saints haue refused this honour against the Popes Supremacy They that are great amongst the Gentiles haue dominion ouer them but it shall not be so with you Against the adoration of the Hoste They worshipped the creature Rom. 1 in stead of the Creator Against the merit of Workes We are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done but our duty when we haue done all 2 Cor. 3.5 Against free-will We cannot thinke a good thought of our selues With infinite places more of which very children are not ignorant For the places by them alledged they are but meere shewes Iames must be compared with Paul who is more large in the poynt of Iustification and so his meaning will appeare that we are iustified that is declared to be iust before men by our attentiue and vnpartial workes the rest are eiusdâ—m farinae easie to be answered as no Reader is ignorant And therefore if the Scriptures be acknowledged the rule of truth the Church will soone be made manifest euen to the vnconuerted Obict 4 The Scriptures translated Gods Word If it be further obiected that plaine people cannot know which be the Scriptures because the languages wherin they were first written is hidden from them now there be diuers translations indeede but much differing one from another how then can they know the
truth by the Scriptures I answer This is a very silly shift indeed for are not the Scriptures translated the very Scriptures of God as well as the Originalls If there be difference of translations it is no more but as if the same history written in a strange tongue should be tolde in English by diuers some expressing it after one manner some after another Now for this little difference in words no man I suppose will say that no certainty can be had of the truth of the thing told by such as are vnskilfull of that tongue but that he may the rather perceiue the truth because they all agree in the matter which they interpret Yet this is not the onely thing that bringeth them to the knowledge of the truth but to the first beginning of knowledge As the people of Samaria were brought first to beleeue in Christ by the report of the woman with whom he had talked but afterwards they professed that they did beleeue not because of her words Iohn 4.42 but for that they had heard him themselues so they acknowledged the truth at the first because they finde it so written in translations but afterwards because they are certified by the Spirit and their faith is not built vpon men as the Church of Rome doth slanderously alledge thus pulling themselues by the eare Obict 5 The Familists and Brownists If it be still further obiected that this iustifieth those inordinate heady persons the Brownists Anabaptists Familists c. for that in simplicitie seeking for the truth in the Scriptures they do find it to be the doctrine taught amongst them and cannot find ours to be so I answer that they doe fouly deceiue the world vnder the colour of simplicity and religion for that they seeke not the truth but to bring the truth to the fauouring of their conceipts as may easily appeare to such as shall obserue their insolent carriage and lewdnesse which they follow vnder the pretence of conscience Moreouer as Gamaliel well noted vnto the Councell gathered against the Apostles Acts 5.38 If this cousel or this worke be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God yee cannot destroy it So may it be sayd of them If they were of God they should at some time or other haue flourished but in that their worke comes to nought it is a signe that it is of man For they haue long troubled the world and yet they are at this day almost none As their fighting hath beene for shadowes and about no substance so haue these fantasticall Enthusiasts themselues as shadowes vanished away Obict 6 Of Lutherans and Caluinists Lastly if it be obiected that yet it wil remaine doubtfull notwithstanding this rule of the holy Scriptures whether the Lutherans or Caluinists so called be the true Church of God because they both propound vnto themselues to find out the truth hereby both are content thus to be brought to their triall and both do almost flourish alike I answer That howsoeuer the Lutherans be grieuous enemies vnto their brethren especially some more harsh and hot-spirited amongst them yet we doe thinke so well of them in regard of the points wherein we consent together as that wee hold them to be the true Church of God also The onely thing that misleadeth them is that they are addicted too much Iurare in verba Magistri that is to sticke to Luthers teaching who no maruell though he could not see to reforme all things himselfe alone and so were ouertaken with some small errours If they be not so charitably affected vnto other reformed Churches the Lord rectifie both their iudgements and affections in his good time 1. Duty To â—râ—quent the Word Preached Now follow the duties of this faith The first is diligently to frequent the preaching of Gods word and duely to read it because it is Gods voice whereby he calleth vs into the company of his people it is that whereby we must finde out his Church it is that by searching whereof we must finde eternall life 1 Peter 2.2 as saith our Sauiour To this S. Peter exhorteth As new-borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word for this the Bereans are commended vnto this all are by the Prophets and Apostles vrged as hath beene already shewed Other writings without this are but as pits that wil hold no water Wherefore as thou louest thine owne soule suffer not thy mouth to be musled by any massing Priest or thine eyes to be turned herefrom for feare of seeing as â—ue did that which may turne to thy destruction nay looke warily into this word pray heartily that thine eyes may be opened to see the truth lest by turning away thou come to destruction and know it not Ioh. 3.20.21 He that is in the truth seeketh not to haue the mouthes of all others stopped but is willing to let euery man speake and so it will appeare the better that the truth is with him If there be any then that cannot abide that others should bee heard but only themselues what shal we thinke of these men but much more if they cannot abide their chiefe witnesse of which they bragge to be heard speaking Surely we will say their matter is naught it cannot bee otherwise And what shall we thinke then of the Romanists which straightly tie their people from reading any Aduersaries writings yea from the holy Scriptures the chiefe witnesse of the truth Their matter must needes be naught and their workes euill as our Sauiour teacheth He that euill doeth hateth the light neyther commeth to the light lâ—ast his deede should be reprooued but he that doth truth commeth to the light that his deedes may be made manifest that they are wrought according to God 2 Duty To cleaue constantly to the Protestant Churchâ—es The second dutie is to stick inseparably to the Protestant Churches as hauing the true and infallible markes of the Church of God viz. the word purely taught and the Sacraments rightly administred and to account all the faire shews of the Church of Rome in the antiquity vniuersality c. but as the whiting of Sepulchres which inwardly are full of rottennesse and dead mens bones For trees often times seeme a farre off to be men but come neerer and with better light and they are soone discouered what they be So the Church of Rome which is but a trunk or dead tree in respect of the liuing Church of God may seeme the Church by this diuine light and if we be held thus a farre off but come neerer and bring the light of Gods holy word and it will appeare as it is there being no page almost in the Scriptures but some way depraued by their false interpretations none of the Sacraments but so loaden with their superstitious ceremonies as that there is scarce any appearance of their first institution Wherefore whatsoeuer it shall cost vs though all our substance and liues yet let vs