This must come in in the 23. page after these vvordes in the 12 line To render our reasons But Lord how vnfitlie the text of leremie is Wrasted agaiÌ„st vs as though he had exhorted the lewis to seke the peace of the Bailonians by receyuing such attires rites and Ceremonies as migh make them seme one people and in one religion with the Babiloniall Idolaters And touching S. Paull hit hath bene the custome of the Chirch of God to striue for the treuth euen to the death I ynally S. Augustyn spekith of ciuill lawes and not Ceremonies Which are profitable to sustaine our liffe and hurt not the religion of God The Fortresse of Fathers ernestlie defending the puritie of Religion and Ceremonies by the trew expositioÌ„ of certaine places of Scripture against such as wold bring in an Abuse of Idol stouff and of thinges indifferent and do appoinct th'aucthority of Princes and Prelates larger then the trueth is Translated out of Latine into English for there sakes that vnderstand no Latine by I. B. ACTES IX Saul Saul why presecutest thou me What art thou Lord I am Iesus whome thou persecutest It is hard for the to kick against the prickes c. Go into the Citie and hit shal be told the what thou shalt do M.D.LXVI The Names of the Fathers in this fortresse 1 Sainct Ambrose B. of Millane 2 Theophilact B. of Bulgaria 3 Erasmus Roterodame the Peerle of this age 4 Martine Bucer some time Reader of the Diuinite lector in Cambridg 5 Peter Martyr somtime reder of the Diuinitie lector in oxford 6 Iohn Epinus superintendent of Hamburg 7 Matthias Flacius Illyricus 8 Philip Melancthon 9 Iohn Alasco Baron of Poleland and superintendent of all the straungers chirch in Englond 10 Henry Bullinger 11 Wolfgangus Musculus Reder of Diuinitie in Berna 12 Rodolphus Gualterus The places wheron those fathers in this Forteresse do stand In thold Testament The Iudges Peter Martyr vpon the. 8. The 1. Reg. Peter Martyr vppon 18. The 2 Reg. Peter Martyr vppon 10. 2. The Places of the Newe Testament In Matthevv Erasmus vppon th 11. Bucer vppon the. 18. Musculus vppon the. 22. Philip Melancthon vppon 27. Marc. Rodolph Gualter vppon 2.12 Act. Gualter vppon the. 1.6 Rom. Peter Martyr vppon 13. Philip Melancth vppon 13 14. 1. Cor. Ambrose vppon the. 7. Theophilact vppon the. 7 Peter Martyr vppon the. 7. 2. Cor. Musculus vppon the. 2. Ephes Martine Bucet vppon 1. Musculus vppon 2. 1. Pet. Erasmus annotac vppon 5. In There tractesies Musculus in Chap. of Magistrates Musculus in Chap. of Minister of the word Bullinger in his Decade 5. ser 9. Bullinger De orig haeres c. 6. Iohn Alasco against the same thinges Iohn Epinus against the same thinges Matth. Fiacius against the same thinges TO ALL SVCH AS VNFAInedly hate in the zeale of a Godly loue all monumentes and remnauntes of Idolatrie The translator wisheth perseueraunce into th end through Christ Iesus THis hath allvvayes ben the practise and policie of the Fend to trouble the Congregationes of Christe that haue receâ—ued some streÌ„gth in Doctrine vvith the questions of Ceremonies of thinges indifferent and Dominion as a meâ—â—e vvherby he often doeth assuredly preuaile vvhylâ—st that the brethern only regardinge the direct Doctrine of faith do littel attend that these thinges in there vse touch and concerne often times the first table but aivvayes the second and so in regard of the second also the first As in Corinth it did appere in Pauls time and sithenc in diuers ages By practisinge of vvhich deuise he thincketh novv onles God help vs to ouerthrovve the vvorke of God begon emongest vs in England Against vvhich daunger it behoueth all men as in a commune al arme to put forth him self to serue But for as much as it hath hether to ben reported that this is but a particuler combate against the Mimsters of London I haue here translated into our English speache the Iudgements of certaine fathers beynge on those Ministers side To this intent that both trueth of Religion Reuerene of these Fathers orels shame might preuent the enemie by causinge the lordinge B. to ceasse and retire there folly And also may strenghthen such as stand and restore those that ar fallen through there deuises And to the fuller accomplishing her of I haue poincted ovvt vvhere and on vvhose side those reuerend Fathers Maister Bullinger and Gualter ar and stand Whose letters they haue iniustely abused as hauing obtained them the plaine case and trueth of the deformed estate of the Chirch of England not opened truly to them As erâ— hit belonge you shall deare Christians I hope vnderstand by there vvritinges if they ceasse not to abuse there first Thus thristinge your health in Christ I humbly eraue your prayers to God that by his spirit he vvill guide me to knovve his vvill to performe the same through Christ The Lord Iesus kepe you and blesse you all Amen ¶ CERTAINE CONCLVSIONS partly holden and defended by good Docters sentences contained in this booke and partly to be defended by the Translator if the same be not sufficiently defended by the Doctours mentioned in this Booke against all that vvyll vvrite against them THE Kynge Prince or other supreme Magistrate hath power and aucthoritie to exercise his sword and to punish with it all the Bushoppes Elders and Clerckes of his Realme or Countrey yf they be offendors Breakers of Gods lawe either with imprisonment or depriuation or with Death or any such lyke punishmeÌ„t according to the greatnes of the offence that is committed If the Bishops or Elders either do not they re dewties in preaching or preache false Doctrine and commit faultes worthey depriuatioÌ„ he may commaund the Clergie that is neither infected with false doctrine nor Idolatrie neither defiled with any notable crime of euell lyfe to examin the fautie Bushops and their Doctrine and if they deserue hit suspend them depriue them or to make them recante The Lordshippe of Bushops now exercised ouer both the rest of the Clergie and ouer the lay people hath no grounde in the word of God Christ is onely the head of his mistical bodie which is the Chirch as the Prince or cheif Magistrate is the head of the Politique bodie of his Realme and countrey The supreme Magistrate is bound to obey the worde of God preached by Christes Messen gers and he is also subiect to the discipline of the Chirch Neither the Prince nor anie Prelate hath any aucthoritie by the word of God to make any ecclesiasticall lawe or rite to bind mens consciences in paine of dedly sinne to kepe them Princes haue aucthoretie so to reforme the Chirch that they reforme it not after any Doctrine or traditions of their owne makinge or any other mans makynge But onely accordinge to the written word of God and then shall they bringe none of theire policies into the Church be they neuer so gorgeous and goodly to looke to As the
as many yeares ago Saint Augustine in a certaine epistel to IaÌ„uarrus he is angry and bewaileth th' estate of Christes chirche so to be burthened that the coÌ„dition of the Iewes was almost more tollerable then the condition of the Christians what if he sawe the fre people of Christ snared with so many lawes and ceremonies and not only oppressed with a single tyrannie of prophane Princes but also of Byshops Cardinalles Popes Not only prophane princes But also B. ar oppressors of the chirch and most of all of there seruauntes who being disguysed with the visure of Religion go busily aboute the busines of there bellies The Iewes had no certaine kind of apparaile forbidden theÌ„ more then that which was made of flaxe and wolle together howe many constitutions at there made nowe for apparraile what superstition is there in garmentes and in coloures of thesame at this present tyme. ¶ Also againe in thesame vvork vpon the xxiij of Matth. SOme wrest this place so farre as Such B. we haue somme now a daies in England men ought to obey all manner of thinges whatsoeuer the Byshops Presidences or Rulers commaunde although they be vngodly and that for there aucthorities sake when as Christ did speak only of them which did teache rightly the lawe of Moses and not of such as did snarre men with there ordinaunces and constitutions Nowe peraduenture after thesame maÌ„ner a Byshop might be heard which preacheth truly the gospell although he liue but a little according to thesame But who can abide that they shold occupie an open tyrannie against Christis doctrine and make lawes for there owne aduantage measuring all thinges according to there gaine 〈◊〉 glorious maiesties They that snare the people with rites and ordinances deuised for there profit and to fulfill there tyrannie do not sitt in the chaire of the gospell but in the chaire of Simon magus and Caipl as Martine Buâ—er vppon the first chapiter of S. Paule to the Ephes AMongest the meÌ„bers of this chirch there is none in all the earth that is the hadde therof There is no member of the chirch that can be bed But the chirch hathe Christ hedd therof in heauen The princes in dede the Magistrates of all places may be called heddes but not in the ecclesiasticall body but in the politick bodie and in the politique gouernement And a littel after he saieth Christ by him self is gouernor of the chirch yet not withstanding he vseth the seruice of Angells and of men and yet for all that he is alwaies pre sent with his chirch And a little aster Seing that the chirch hath Christ her hedde he surely as a good shepeherd with his word gathereth together his shope that go astray and he cometh to open his father to his shepe and to drawe all thing to him to open there mindes that they by trew faithe may vnderstand the gospell by the which faith he iustifieth them This faith is mighty in working thorough Charitieâ— which Charitie seketh not lier owne whersore there is a wonderfull vnitie and ioyning together of the members ' as hit was saied in the primatiue Chirch They had onesowle and one hert in the Lord. Furthermore for as much as Christ is the Ruler and gouerneth hit in all thinges as Paul beareth witnes hereafter in the fiueth chapiter monisheth wemen that they shold be subiect or obedient vnto there husbandes as the chirch is vnto Christ He purgeth hit or maketh hit cleane with his bloode although he vse in hit diuers ministeries or seruices yet is he the chieff gouernor the first and the most strong and mighty ¶ And a little after Wherin standeth or consisteth the vnitie of the chirch Not in garmentes VVherin the vnity of the chirch consisteth Not in cerimonies not in Ceremonies as thow shalt se here after in the fourth chapiter in these wordes Indeauoring or laboring to kepe the vnitie of spirite in the boÌ„de of peace c. Therfore the vnitie of the chirch standeth in the vnitie of the spirite of Charitie of the word of God of Christ of the sacramentes and in the communion of giftes that we may consent in one that we may agre in one thing that we may speake one thing that no maÌ„ shall rule him self but geue him self to be ruled vnto Christ the Spirite that we shold coÌ„sent with the will of oure heauenly father that we shold allowe altogether thesame things and reproue also thesame for by the Spirite in thesame place he doth vnderstand the inward power of the spirite from whence come all oure counsailes and doinges which in all thinges ought to be thesame and like hit that is of God opened vnto vs in the worde There is one word one Scripture one Baptisme one death of Christ one Father one Religion and one Charitie one sacrament of thaÌ„kes giuing and one laing onne of handes and one discipline and one consent of the Ministers and of those by the which these ar ministred To conclude all thinges that ar ordained to the buylding or profitt of the Chirch we must haue all those as one thinge But whatsoeuer is not declared in the word there is no ne cessarie vnitie in that but rather liberty c. ¶ Vpon thesame chapiter he vvriteth thus To the bylding of godlines al thinges ought to be done in the Chirch Prelats ar become Tyraunts in making lawes and hit is commauÌ„ded that the Rulers of the Chirches shold teach those thinges that Christ hath commaunded wherfore they ought not to make theÌ„ selues Tyrauntes in exacting or requiring of mens coÌ„sciences that vvhich Christ neuer commaunded Thesame BVCER in his commentaries on Matth vpon these vvordes Matth. 18. Luc 7. Wo vnto the vvorld for offences AN offence is what so euer we say or do by any meanes which riseth not of sound or perfect faith and is not ordered of sincere and trew loue promoting Godes glory and oure neighbours Saluation After that this Doctor hath spoken of offences generally and shewed them not to beseme Christians and hath also perticulerly amplified the matter in deedes of them selues not euel but done contrary to Charity with abuse of Christian liberty as Rom. 14.1 Cor. 8. This note first geuen that sainct Paul often with somme force repeateth this name A brother He coÌ„cludeth that this is the Scope and drifte of all So to order and do all thinges that they may make to the edifieÌ„g of oure Brethren so shall hit fall oute that sommetime liberty is to be vsed some time not for when as wordes ar to be coÌ„firmed with deedes then must saieth he the liberty that is preched nedes be confirmed with examples This he setteth owt with th'examples of Peter c. at Antioch Galat. 2. Commending his vsing of Christian liberty in meates and discommending his dissimulation and also of Paul in not circunciciding of Titus Galat. 2. Wherin he noteth thus 1 First if in this slippery place Peter
he that loueth partes thereof can not hate the whole Moreouar yf we knowe that the Popes priesthood with all the notes and signes therof be Antechristes priesthod and euerie worke of Antechrist be Satans worke we must not promote and helpe it forward but ouerthrow destroy it if so be wee wylbe workers together wyth Christ who came to destroy the workes of the Diuell as the scriptures beare record And let vs not thynke that it is lawfell for anye man to institute reduce or kepe in vse by his auctoritie these garmentes for all power is giuen to edific not to destroy as Paule sayth who in the same place saith we can do nothing agaynst the truth but for the truth And edefiyng is to build the faythfull vppon Christ in fayth hope charytie and innoceÌ„cie of lyffe coÌ„tendyng alw ayes to more perfection but the garmentes promote or helpe forth none of these thynges but rayther obscure Christes face bryng in a certayne agrement wyth Antechristes pristhod or rayther a backesliding to the shadowes of AaroÌ„ from the bodye of Christ The truth is it for the whych Apostolike men and christian Magistrates ought to trauell and Christ is content wyth the ordinaunce whych he him self hath left neyther doth he any longar require shadowes wherfore they must and wyll labore for it not against it by reuokynge those thynges whych Christ hath destroyed and abolished Furthermore Paule simplie admittith nothing into thâ— Church but that which may edefie that is to say encrease godlines peculiar garmentes in the ministerie edifie not therfore are they not to be borne those thinges that minister a certaine counterfait or fantasticall occasion to godlines do not by and by edefie but they must nedes giue Christians a necessarie prouocation vnto godlines But garmentes contrarie wyse partlie encrease hautines and pride in them that vse them partlie hypocrisie partlye both twain And to minister occasion to hypocrisie it is verye readie for them yea it must nedes be For yf that vertew be in thee which thow imaginest to be signified by the apparell why by shewing of it doest thou take the reward of men but yf it be not art not thow a plaine Hypocrite beinge indeed an other maner of man then thow pretendest to bee And thow canste not escape by sayeng these priuat garmentes signifie no vertew in vs but admonish vs as it were of our dutie and office what then I pray yow admonished the Apostles of their dutie and office attire or the spirit of the Lord the loue of the Chirch and Christ doe they then forget their dutie as often as they put these garmentes of why rather meditate they not in the word of the Lord day and night and therby mend their wayes for that it pearceth the ground of the hart when apparell can moue onelye the owtward maÌ„ What thing dothe Christ three seuerall times require of Peter to be admonished of his office in feading his sheeppe suarly nothyng but loue Againe it is to be feared lest it brede an opinion of merite or some such other follye that the dignitie of the Minister or Sacramentes or preachinge the word is diminished vnlesse these vnprofitable and pernicious garmeÌ„tes be vsed this feare of mans merite alone should moue vs that vestimentes ought to be shutt out of the Temple with other ceremonies deuised by men It is vngodly to giue such occasion of offence or falling to the weake for whom Christ dyed How easie a matter it is to put confidence in these thynges experieÌ„ce hath taught vs so that he that wayeth these thinges and hath no consideration therof may seme not to be free from the suspicion of vngodlines neither can they excuse them selues that it is known to all men that there lyeth no good nor hurt in the garmentes for though we graunt this this knowledge was in these dayes wheÌ„ they were first brought in of the Byshops we are borne not for our selues onelye but wee serue the Chirch and our posteritie also to whoÌ„ to leaue Christes religion verie pure can not but be verie acceptable vnto god No more whan he dyeth wyllynglie leauith his children a Testament or wyll vnlesse it be throughlie perfect that all occasion of striue maye be cut of why shew we not lyke diligence and fidelitie in gods Testament I know that some men bragg that the holie ministerie is adorned and bewtyfied bye garmeÌ„tes but it is indede much obscured and darckned therbye For the apparell affecting and occupieÌ„g mennes eies do stay and hynder theyr myndes from the consideration of such spirituall thynges as are don in the sacrameÌ„tes and drawe theÌ„ to delyghtes and pleasures of the Senses Holy simplicitye commendeth and setteth forth gods ordenaunces Examples make of our side both of Christ and the Apostles and also the primitiue Church which it is more safe more holye and more profitable to follow then to alter and chaunge or bye doing otherwise to condempne christ Here farther add I that which Paule hath noted of mennes doctrines that outwardly they haue a spice and shew of wysdome through supersticion and hnmblenes of the mind and hurtinge of the bodie Collo 2. and not by any honor thereof to the satisfieng or filling of the fleshe At the length tyrannie is brought in and the garment is put vppon men will they nill they And this tyrannie suerly makith that if a thinge be of his own nature free and indiffereÌ„t it nowe ceaseth to be indifferent Paulle in flat and plaine wordes forbiddeth Christians to submit them selues to suche superstitious tyrannie Collo 2. 1. Cor. 7. If therefore ye be dead from the ordenaunces of the woâ—lde c. and againe become not the seruantes of men Is it not a verie hard bondage and mere slauerye to be driuen to a certaine kind of garment in the Church that sauoreth ether gentilitye or heathnishnes or Araons priesthodè or els Antechrit stianisme and poperie that is so many wayes hurfull and no way profitable But what maketh vs to delyght so to defyle our selues with popish filthines whie geue we not that honor to Iesus Christs priesthode which popish Priestes giue to Antechristes priest hode There is nothing so small or light by hym prescribed although it dissent or varie from Christ which his obserue not verye superstitiously and precisely to the vttermost Whye do not we agayne lykewise in all thynges obey Christ contenting our selues with his naked and simple trueth To conclude 1. Thess 5. seing that Paule iudgeth it mere to abstaine froÌ„ all shew and aperaunce of euill and we haue shewed that to prescribe garmentes in the administracion of holye thynges is in dede euill for that it is a deuyse of men they be partes or members of the Aaronicall or popysh priesthode they edifie no thing at all they brede hautines and pride hipocrisie and opinion of merit or descruynge what christian is he that wyll not iudge them mete to be eschewed and shounnid There