from them or what grounds they maintained against them To what manner of end these things will at last reach vnto we intreat all vnderstanding people to consider And when yet they will not thinke vpon it who ought most of all to thinke vpon it then the Lord God grant that the Princes and Lords together with their peacelouing councells may for that end once open their owne eies It is high time and if it come not to passe speedily then will the mischiefe which the Pope hath intended against vs most assuredly not long be kept out from vs. The God of Peace who hath euer hetherto taken his Church into his fatherly protection hee bee pleased furthermore also to take pitty vpō the same and to stirre vp godly people who may rightly consider and take to hart what that is that Christ saith Mat. 6.5 happy are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God To the almighty true God and Father together with the sonne and holy Ghost the onely and alone true God be thanks honour and praise both now and for euermore Amen A SHORT ABSTRACT TAKEN out of the warning about the Iesuites bloodthirsty plots which was put in print at Tubingen by Doctor LVCAS OSIANDER DOctor Lucas Osiander published a booke at Tubingen vnder this title Warning about the Iesuits bad practises bloodthirsty plots c. In the which booke euen from the Iesuites owne pictures writings hee manifestly noteth and testifieth that the Iesuites together with the Popes confederates haue wholly concluded that they will no more dispute with vs out of the word of God but would consume and destroy all those with fire and sword by the helpe of the worldly potentates who were fallen from the Pope And that they are determined to put in practise such their bloud thirsty plots and bad practises so soon as may possibly be brought to passe that most especially in our beloued fatherland the Dutch Nation In the same booke are two things most especially to be marked the one is that the Papists are euen as great enemies to the Lutherans as to the Caluinists and desire to consume and destroy the one side as wel as the other the other is That the religious peace would nothing at all stay the Papists from their intents when they can but come to practise them These two things doe not all men in Dutchland beleeue but Doctor Lucas Osiander doth constantly beleeue them as indeed the truth is not otherwaies Doctor Lucas Osiander his words are as follow Pap. 5. Although Satan be a thousand fold more subtle spirit and much more secret and crafty together with the children of this world in their practises then the children of light in their businesse yet for all that our Lord God oftentimes so blindeth Satan that he cannot in all things bee secret and close in the wickednes which hee goeth about but hee tickleth himselfe so with his intended practises that men of vnderstanding can marke yea and as it were lay hold on what he hath in his mind Euen so hath Satan in the abouenamed paintings of his trustie beloued the Iesuites so let his sharpe clawes peepe out that a man may gripe how they haue hitherto practised that the highest and chiefest Potentates in Christendome if they would follow their mindes might fall vpon the Euangelicall Protestant States of the Augsburges Confession and distroy them and consume the faith of the Euangelicall professors for it is manifest by the counsel of Trent in the which our Christian Euangelicall Religion is most vnreasonably railed on and condemned for herisie and in like manner out of the manifould poisenous writings of the Iesuites which they haue these diuers yeares published against the sound Doctrine of the Agusburges confession what people they hould for heritickes and for enemies of the Christian Churches in their opinion which in their mindes as wilde beasts should destroy the vineyard of the Christian Churches which also should bee strangled and distroyed according to the Iesuites desires by great and high intituled Potentates And the Iesuites vnderstand by the same beasts The Iesuits haue sworne the death of the Lutherans as well as the Caluinists not onely those who are fallen from the Romish Religion and yet agree not rightly with the Augsburges confession but all those who will not haue to doe with the Papists Religion misdoings and Idolatrie And especially those who haue bound themselues constantly to the Christian Augsburges confession and therefore they haue also put vnder the beasts some of those ensignes which the Protestant Princes vse to beare in their Armes And when they should get the gace into their owne hands they would out of all doubt hold the one as the other and destroy them all who would not acknowledge the Pope of Rome for the vicar of Christ nor worship him for their earthly God c. Also Pag. 10. If the Iesuites had but one drop of Christian bloud in them and one sparke of the meeke spirit of Iesus they would not onelie in right not hate vs or persecute vs but loue vs with all their hearts and in time of necessity euen wager their verie liues for vs. As Iohn teacheth in his Epistle where he saith wee should euen lay downe our liues for the brethren therfore the Iesuites haue no reasonable cause to persecute vs if they were true Iesuites that is were faithfull Christians And though there be here and there some Christians N. B. The Caluinists are also true Christiās most especiallie in France and the low Countries who are found to haue falne from the Pope and neuerthelesse doe not agree with vs in euery article of Christian religion whose error we indeed cannot also allow of as being against the holy Scripture yet is not this any Christian way or meanes to helpe the Church of God and to maintaine pure Religion that the same should be destroyed with the sword And the Iesuites should in all reason consider that looke how often the same Christians defend one Erronious Article that they the Iesuites haue alwaies tenne Erronious Popish Articles which they both beleeue and hold which yet they shall neuer be able to defend to the end of the world and therefore they might very well carry water with them vpon one colestaffe And besides that consider that vnder the aforenamed Christians there are certaine thousand simple people who haue neuer bene better instructed that if they heard of a better religion in their Lands they looking to it thēselues would take it in thankfulnes And so there is a great number vnder them like to those of whom the Lord said to the Prophet Ionas that they know not the difference betwixt the right hand or the left And therefore if the Iesuites had that Christian loue by which Christ willeth that his disciples should bee knowne in their hearts they would not cast out the child with the bath or rend vp the good wheat with the weeds much lesse so lay their platformes that the childe should be murthered in the mothers bellies as is manifested by their prouocations in France at Paris Orliance and other places vpon Bartholmew day Anno. 1574. c. practised where no woman with child was spared But the Iesuites would gladly begin the play with those simple Christians who are not in al things sufficiently informed N. B. The Iesuites would begin with the Caluinists that so they might end it with the Lutherans M. Lucas Ostanders glosse The Iesuites esteeme one Euangelist Christian as the other whereby they might end it with those who do in euery point hold the pure doctrine of the Augsburges confession For the Iesuites esteeme the one as they doe the other Who will not make himselfe partaker of their Idolatry iugling and false Romish Religion hee is adiudged of them to death These Christians which faile men ought to informe out of the word of God and make them to vnderstand better the truth but for the cause of Religion which they doe neuerthelesse maintaine quietly and reasonably should they not be put to death Also page 14. If we had no better testimony against the Romish Antichrist the Pope that hee is from his Father the Diuell yet were it sufficiently witnessed by this that he hath in the cause of Religion stirred vp so much shedding of blood and yet at this present day doth most eagerly prouoke and desire to driue on the Potentates thereto that they might staine their hands in the innocent bloud of honest Christians And to effect this The Iesuites care for no religious peace hee vseth his Scoutwatches the Diuels posts the Iesuites who vnder the shew of great holinesse possesse the hearts of many people and desire to bring the matter to that passe that a fearefull cutting of throats and butchery might be set abroach in Dutchland and other kingdomes the peace of Religion be broken and that the stronger should put the weaker in the sacke In like manner also before this time one that thought himselfe a Lawyer but a bad and false Christian Doctor George Eder mocked the Religious peace in manifest writing put in print and drue the same onely to a toleration which neither could nor should be of force Such folke hath the subtill Diuell kept till the last ende of thē game and made his cards of helps that through them he might set a worke misery and necessity And therfore whilest there is not onely so much to be gathered out of the abouenamed pictures of the Iesuites but also out of their writings practises and plots that their intent and purpose reacheth to that end to destroie the Protestant Religion and Estates By this it is manifest that the murthering spirit namely the Diuellrideth them and will not let them keepe holy day till that they when the Lord shall tolerate them haue set a worke a fearefull bloodbath Therefore is it much better to hould nothing then to be such people who desire to ouerthrow the peace of Religion and also the worldly peace and to be set a worke to the furthering of Misery and necessity FINIS
A FAITHFVLL ADMONITION OF THE PALTSGRAVES Churches to all other Protestant Churches in Dutchland THAT THEY WOVLD CONSIder the great danger that hangeth ouer their heads as well as ours by the Popedome and therefore Christianly and brotherly cease the priuate vnnecessary and now too much growne strife with vs. TOGETHER WITH A SHORT ABSTRACT of the warning about the Iesuites bloodthirsty plots published in print at Tubing Published by Authoritie According to the Originall Printed in the Electors Palsgraues Country at Nustadt vpon the Hardt Englished by IOHN ROLTE Imprinted at London by Edward Griffin for George Gibbes and are to be sould at his shop in Poules-church-yard at the signe of the Flowerdeluce 1614. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE OLIVER Lord St. Iohn Baron of Bletso his Maiesties Lieutenant of the County of Huntington the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and heereafter the Crowne of glory ABRAHAM the Prophet roote of true nobility Right Honourable hasted to performe dueties of loue euen to strangers and noble Nehemias stayed not vntill his poore brethren spake to him but with Moses had his affections amongest Gods afflicted ones abroad though they themselues abounded in earthly comforts Wherefore I make no doubt of your Honours fauourable acceptance of these my small endeuours not for my labours being of no worth neither my person also of no respect but of your honours godly disposition thereby the better to see how it standeth with the people of God elsewhere The present is small and also plaine being serued in so homelily in an earthen dishe With which presumption of mine I trust your honour will beare I being neither Prophet nor a Prophets sonne but a heardman and gatherer of wild figges and lighting yet in my liuing abroad on this small bunch of Rhenish grapes which though it be not that goodly one brought out of that land manifestly notifying the fruitfulnesse thereof to wit the renowned Prince Frederike his Catechisme vsed in all the Churches schooles of his Excellency and also all the Netherlands reformed Churches yet is it of the same grouth and both watered and warmed ripe by the Spirit and Son of God from heauen as well appeareth herein by their cōstancy to the truth of God manifested to them out of his holy word by their meeknesse towards their brethren who yet are too vnnatural to them and also by their vigilancie to preuent the subtle stratagems of the arch-enemy of Iesus Christ intended against them and the rest of the Churches of God And therefore if your honour be pleased to suffer it onely to bee set at the lower end of your table though vnder the couert of some of your goodlier seruices I make no doubt but others wil thereby be encouraged the rather to tast thereof and so find it as wholesome for their soules as they haue done in Germany I assuring my selfe that no sound body can take any hurt thereby Which I only ayming at and praying for desire the Lord of light to encrease your daies in honour to the further comfort of his Maiesties subiects in this part of the land and after you to make your sonnes like vnto the sonne of Barzillai to stand before our Dauid to follow your steps as wel in inward as outward graces to the glory of God and further comfort of his seruants Your honours most humble at command IOHN ROLTE Epistle to the Reader CHristian Reader and beloued in the Lord amongst many friuolous and slanderous imputations which our aduersaries the Papists lay vpon our Religion this is none of the meanest nor vnusuallest that wee cannot be the true Church which is as a Cittie at vnitie in it selfe because of the manifould dissentions diuisions which are nourished amongst vs for they thus cast in our teeth that the Doctrine of Luther was no sooner bred borne but it deuided it selfe like a Hidra into many heads Lutherans Caluinists Anabaptists Libertines Swelckfeldians Arians c. which to be a mere calumniation of theirs deuised as many other things else by them to the discredit of our religion may appeate by many reasons three or foure whereof I will onely propound to thy indifferent censure in this short Epistle First therefore their calumnie doth appeare in that diuerse of those sects which are named as springing from Luthers roote are none of ours neither euer were of vs. We abhorre detest them as much if not more then they themselues They sprung from the Diuel and not from Caluin and Luther to wit the Anabaptists Libertines Swenckfeldians and Arians against whom both Luther and Caluin haue writtē expresse treatises that the world may know how farre they were from approuing their damned errors and how our aduersaries make no conscience of open lying and slandering our religion and persons so that they may discredit vs aduantage themselues thereby Secondly if vnity in all things be a certaine marke of the true Church and diuision a marke of the false Church then was there neuer true Church in the world for there was neuer any yet in the perfect vnitie of opinions that in it there were not many sects and diuisions Irenaeus an excellent and holy father telleth vs as much when he saith tanquam ex nucleo nucis oliuae nascitur oleaster sic ex medio ecclesiae extiterunt hereses that is as from the kernell of the sweete Oliue springeth the wilde so out of the midst of the Church springeth heresies Thus was it in the Church of Corinth Galatia Thessalonica and the rest to whom Paul wrote his Epistles where there were many sects and diuisions and many exorbitant opinions touching things indifferent the Lords supper and the resurrection of the body Circumcision the second comming of the Lord c. Likewise after and in the Apostles times how the primatiue Church was pestered with Heritikes the Simonians the Nicolaitans the Ebionists the Cerinthonians and such like Who knoweth not the like may be showne of all ages successiuely Neither was there euer such a vnity to be found in any Church vpon earth that there were no heresies nor opposition of opinion lurking therein Thirdly if this be a iust exception against vs then much more may it take hould of them whose diuisions are both more in number and weightier in consequent then ours are for example they cannot agree whether the Pope can erre in the faith or no nor whether the counsell be aboue the Pope or the Pope aboue the Counsell nor whether a man may be certaine of his standing in the state of grace or no. All matters of great moment Againe it is notoriously knowne to all men how the Iesuites and secular Priests differ in iudgement about the Popes coactiue power in the temporall affaires of Princes and how of elder yeares their diuinitie was diuided into three families Thomists Scotists Occamists Thomas against Scot and Scot against Thomas and Occam against both And againe who knoweth not how the Romish doctors differ in iudgement about the
vow of single life the lent fast auricular confessiō whether these be of diuine institution or ecclesiasticall onely as also about mariage after diuors originall sinne and the conception of the Virgin Mary about all these matters there is such contention amongst them and oftentimes with such bitternesse that they would euen seeme to deuour one another Lastly it is a wonder to see with how many idle controuersies their doctrine of transubstantiation is enwrapped one houlding this another that scarce two of them agreeing all things the verse is well knowne which I shall heere set downe Corpore de Christi lis est de sanguine lis est Lis est de modo non habitura modum If varietie of opinions now marre the forme of a Church then is their Church vtterly spoyled and put out of fashion rather then ours wherein for one controuersie with vs there are tenne with them I dare bouldly auouch and those of no trifles but of main points of their Religion Lastly if we consider aright the diuisions that are in our Church betwixt the Caluinists and the Lutherans we shall easely perceaue that they are both few in quantitie and in qualitie such as ouerthrow no fundamentall article of the faith And this to be so this short treatise will plainely and briefely discouer vnto thee if thou please to bestow but an houre or two reading vpon it The Authors thereof are Germanes the translator a man not professing schollership but exercised in traficke of marchandise and therefore thou in wisedome wilt accept his wholesome bunch of Rhenish grapes though clad with a plain and easie garment made of homespun thred I am perswaded that his zeale to Gods Church and his loue to the peace of Zion moued him to vndertake this taske and in my iudgement this his good intent cannot but in some measure take some good effect for this short tract may serue thee for three excellent purposes First to discouer the malice of our Romish aduersaries who by mustering vp our diuisions would faine proue vs to haue no veritie amongst vs because we haue no vnitie whereas our differences are here made manifest to be not many in number nor of anie great moment that is such as concerne the wals and windowes of our faith but not the foundation Secondly thou maist also here take view what the maine differences are betwixt the Lutherans and the Caluinists that thou maist be able to iudge how the vnitie of faith is not broken betwixt them and that both ioine together in the seruice of one Christ and against his great enemie Antichrist And Lastly it may serue also as a meanes to calm the heat of the moderne quarrels in our Church which haue beene pursued on both partes with too too much violence of spirit for here both sides may learne this wholesome and short lesson that seeing they builde vpon one foundation therefore though they meete not in opinion yet they would meete in brotherly loue and laying aside all rancour and violent courses ioine their forces against the common aduersarie And this is the principall drift of this short discourse Now the God of peace sāctisie vs al throughout both in body soule and spirit that they may bee kept blamelesse to the comming of our Lord Iesus and giue vs grace that wee may hould fast the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace Thine in the Lord Thomas Beard Minister of Gods word in the towne of Huntington Pag. 4. lin 25. read is not A FAITHFVLL ADMONITION of the PFALTZGRAVES Churches To all other Protestant Churches in DVCHLAND BEloued brethren all you that call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus with vs and desire to be saued by his death and bloodshedding as well as we you know how our true Lord and Sauiour so heartily councelled vs to peace Ioh. 13.34.35 Ioh. 17.11.21 And how feruently hee commanded at his departure out of this world that wee should agree one with another that so the whole world might know that hee was sent of God You know also how Paul saith 1. Cor. 10.17 1. Cor. 12.12.13.14 that wee who beleeue in Christ are all together one body and should loue together as members of one body and one beare with the infirmities of another And he that doth not so 1. Cor. 11.16 but hath delight in contention hee is no true member of the Church of God For the congregation of God hath no pleasure in contention How come we then to it Louing brethren that wee haue now contended together so many yeares with such bitternesse which well beseemeth not the very heathen and that for such questions without the knowledge whereof a man may well bee saued It being so that many thousands are since dead on both sides who vnderstood neither the one nor the others meaning aright and yet are neuerthelesse saued being dead in Christ What intend we then by so shameful a separation about such questions whereon saluation dependeth not One thinketh that the bread is to be broken at the Supper the other that it may well be left vnbroken How many thousand people are saued who haue eaten the bread brokē at the Supper How many thousand people are saued also who haue eaten the bread at the Supper vnbroken Is that then such a matter for which one should condemne an other so vnchristianly as formerly the Wittenbergers condemned vs and as now the Darmstatters condemne vs anew True it is the Darmstatters and Wittenbergers accuse vs as if wee had begun such condemning and had outlawed to Hell all such as doe not breake the bread at the Supper But the Lord knowes it that they doe vs wrong They would indeed inforce it from this for that we hold the breaking of bread for needfull Now it is most certaine wee hold the breaking of bread as needfull for we take it that Christ required it so to bee to accomplish his commaund is then needfull And therefore we beleeue that they do erre who hold the breaking of bread for a free indifferent thing which one may as wel leaue vndone as done But that wee should condemne any man for such an error that wil neuer be found in any of our writings but almost euery where the very contrary is holden by vs in this matter Epist 2. Beza writ at least 30 yeares agone that one who dwelt in such a place where the breaking of bread were not in vse was not therefore to refraine the Supper For although it be an errour to leaue the bread vnbroken yet is it not such an errour for which a man should be houlden a heathen which a man doth when he refuseth to cōmunicate with him that houldeth the contrary But it is such an errour which a man for christian loue sake must beare withal in them that commit it as with many more others also The like also writes Doct. Parens in his remembrance of breaking bread and saith that we do not
Doe this in remembrance of me that is take this bread and eat it in remembrance that I as the true heauenly breade gaue vp my body for you euen to death on the crosse and haue spilt my bloud for the forgiuenes of your sinnes and shall be vnto you a true meat drinke to euerlasting life which meat and drinke neuerthelesse you must eat by true faith and let slip into your hearts that it may comfort wash quicken your selues both in life and death Admit now that we did erre with such a construction of ours yet did not such an error concerne the grounds of saluation for Saluation dependeth not in the bodily eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ but saluation standeth in the spirituall eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ as D. Luther confesseth himselfe therefore and if indeede we did erre about the bodily eating and drinking of the bodie and blood of Christ yet neuerthelesse did we not ouerthrow the ground of saluation with such an error Wherefore they haue no sufficient and vrgent cause for this points sake namely for so much as concerneth the holy supper wherefore they should condemne vs as heathens and with such condemning any longer hinder the highly needefull agreement of the Protestant Churches Intruth it were well to be wished Rom. 12.16 Rom. 15.5 1. Cor. 1.10 that we were all of one mind and vsed one forme of reasoning euen all of vs together of all and euery point of Christian Religion as also the Apostle Paul in diuers places most truely admonisheth vs therunto But it is vnpossible that wee can euer bring it perfectly to that passe in this life 1 Cor. 13.9 For we know but in part and God giueth alwaies more light in spirituall matters to one then to another as a man may notably see in the writings of the old fathers whereof not anie of them agreede in all things together If then wee shall not loue one another before and as brethren hould together till such time as we haue one vnderstanding and meaning altogether in all godly matters then shall wee neuer in this life loue one another and hould together as brethren Now then this is the very Pith of the whole Christian Religion that we doe out of a pure hart and a good conscience and faith vnfained first loue God who gaue his sonne to death for vs and then also our selues that we loue each other Therefore Paul giues vs not onely this commaund that wee should bee of one minde in all things and should be diligent to vse one forme but he giues vs also yet another commaundement to this effect that though there were some difference found in vs about the vnderstanding of godly matters we should not breake the bond of loue and part the vnity of the spirit but beare patiently the one with the others ignorance and weakenesse Paules words are these Phil. 3.15.16 Let vs therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if yee be otherwise minded God shall reueale euen the same vnto you Neuerthelesse in that whereunto we are come let vs proceede by one rule that we may minde one thing That is the commaundement of the Apostle Paul namely that we seperate not our selues for one point or other but giue place to God whosoeuer he bee that at the present houlds any vnfit thing to make it more knowne vnto him in his time And in the meane time walke peaceably as is saide according to the common rule or ground of Christianity wherein by the grace of God we do agree This command of the Apostle Paul louing brethren wee intreate you to consider and to begin from this time forth to liue brotherly and peaceably with vs. We do not desire that you should for our sakes be silent in any thing you hold to be truth or not to confute our grounds if you can do it But onely this is our desire that you would for those errors sake which we hould in your opiniō of the holy supper not so shamefully raile vpon vs and condemne vs in your sermons and writings When you shall but doe so then is the peace readily accomplished For we desire not to condemne you But when you liue godlily according to the knowledge which God hath giuen vnto you then hould wee you for children of God for brethren in Christ Iesus for all the errors which wee are perswaded that you haue about the holy supper And therefore it resteth in you louing brethren you can helpe the Churches of God if you so please And there is iust cause why you should please being it is so Gods pleasure and also our great necessitie requires it for it is vnpossible that ours namely the Protestant Churches should be able long to stand if we do not quickly make peace one with another and lay downe the vnhappie contention that hetherto hath beene betwixt vs. For by such strife doe we make our selues naked of all armor which wee should haue both from God and man against the Pope Psal 133. It so being that God will not assist the contentious but if wee agree and call vpon him with an humble spirit then will he bestow vpon vs his grace and blessing And indeede the power of the Protestant Princes and States is also not sufficient to counteruaile the Popedomes if they seuer themselues into two or three sides and the one part shall helpe to rippe vp the other As touching the common man he vnderstands almost nothing any more now of the abominations of the Popedome for that he heares almost nothing else from the Pulpet but onely railings vpon the Caluinists yea he heares that according to their teachers suggestions the Papists are not by much so bad as the Caluinists and therefore is it not possible that in the time of necessity hee should haue a sound zeale to fight against the Popedome but in time he will hould as much of one Religion as of another And grant it that we should neuer be bodily set vpon by the Papists yet are we at this very present so set vpon by them spiritually as neuer before the like The Iesuites plot subtilely day and night how they may make their bad cause good with serpent-like writings and on the contrary side bring our good cause into all euill suspicion not onely to the common man but also and that most especially to all great Princes We in the meane time are together by the eares and the youth of the Protestants study almost nothing else but how the Lutherans may match with the Caluinists and the Caluinists with the Lutherans that is God be mercifull vnto vs almost all the diuinity in our times of the Protestants and should not a man also find a great number amongst the Preachers who doe not well and groundedlie know whereon dependeth the certaine grounds of strife betwixt vs and the Papists and wherfore our forefathers did separate themselues