Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	church_n	doctrine_n	2,019	5	6.0761	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20920	Certayne letters, translated into English, being first written in Latine. Two, by the reverend and learned Mr. Francis Iunius, divinitie reader at Leyden in Holland. The other, by the exiled English Church, abiding for the present at Amsterdam in Holland. Together with the confession of faith prefixed: where vpon the said letters were first written	Junius, Franciscus, 1545-1602.; R. G., fl. 1602.; Junius, Franciscus, 1545-1602. Christian letter.; Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.; Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?	1602 (1602)	STC 7298; ESTC S105409	64,792	60

the commandement commission and promise of our Saviour Christ who as hee hath all power in heaven and in earth so hath also promised if we keep his commandements which he hath given without limitation of tyme place Magistrates allowance or disallowance to be with vs vnto the end of the world and when we have finished our course and kept the faith to give vs the crowne of righteousnes which is layd vp for all that love his appearing 43 Vnto all men is to be given whatsoever is due vnto them Tributes Customes and all other such lawfull and accustomed dutyes ought willingly and orderly to be payed and performed Our lands goods and bodyes to be submitted in the Lord to the Magistrates pleasure And the Magistrates themselves every way to be acknowledged reverenced and obeyed according to godlines not because of wrath only but also for conscience sake And finally all men so to be esteemed and regarded as is due and meet for their place age estate and condition 44 And thus wee labour to give vnto God that which is Gods and vnto Cesar that which is Cesars and vnto all men that which be longeth vnto them Endevoring our selves to have alwayes a cleare conscience towards God and towards men And having hope in God that the resurrection of the dead shal be of the iust vnto life and of the vniust vnto condemnation everlasting Now if any take this to be heresie then do wee with the Apostle freely confesse that after the way which they call heresie wee worship God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ beleeving all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets and Apostles And what soever is according to this rule of truth published by this State or holdē by anie reformed Churches in their Confessions abrode in the world We do also reiect and detest all straunge and hereticall opinions and doctrines of all Hereticks both old and new whatsoever 45 Finally wheras wee are much flandered and traduced as if we denyed or misliked that forme of prayer commonly called the Lords prayer wee thought it needfull here also concerning it to make known that we beleeve ād acknowledg it to be a most absolute and most excellent forme of prayer such as no men nor Angels can set downe the like And that it was taught and appointed by our Lord Iesus Christ not that we should be tyed to the vse of those very words but that we should according to that rule make all our requests and thanksgyuing vnto God forasmuch as it is a perfect forme and paterne conteining in it plaine and sufficient directions of prayer for all occasions and necessities that have ben are or shal be to the Church of God or any member therof to the end of the world Now vnto him that is able to keep vs that wee fall not and to present vs faltlesse before the presence of his glorie with ioy that is to God only wise our Saviour be glory and maiestie and dominion power both now for ever Amen MAISTER IVNIVS HIS FIRST LETTER CONCERNING THE CONFESSION OF FAITH AFORESAID To his beloved in Christ the Brethren of the English Church now abiding at Amsterdam GRace mercie and peace from God the Father and our Saviour Iesus Christ I have received of late belooved Brethren in Christ a little booke by one of your companie which is intituled The confession of faith of some English men banished in Belgia and have knowne your desire partly by the speach of the same messenger partly by the preface of the writing But as concerning my selfe beloved brethren whom for nearnes sake peradventure yee have thought meete to be called vpon a part I verily see not how much I can doe in this cause or how I can fit your purpose For I knowe that now long since euery man doth abound in his owne sense and that those that are other wise minded are with a brotherly mynd so fare to be borne with holding the heade and fundation til the Lord reveale things further vnto them I know it is my part not to play the busie body but that I should serve the truth and charitie in my standing and measure which the Lord hath bestowed vpon me in Christian modestie and simplicitie as farre as my skil and abilitie wil stretch vnto Certainely when I considered this cause more diligently I thought nothing more commodious or more safe for the publick and for you and my selfe in all this matter thē that we should embrace a holy silēce if there be any thing wherein we be offended and that we commit our cause to the Lord the author of our faith and righter of our cause But because after a sort you will not suffer mee to be silent and to cōdole in secret for the woundes of the Church which is rent more then inough by actions especially being thrust forth in publik in this our age I wil declare faith fully and with a good cōscience before God what I thinke beseeching him who is author of truth and peace that he would leade both you and me alike into all truth according to his promise also dispose each of our mindes and affections to interpret brotherly one anothers requestes answeres admonitions and finally all our duties although as it commeth to passe and is incident to man disagreeing from our sense and taste I obserue therefore that there are three heads or chief poynts in your little booke wherein you desire our counsell and iudgement The first head is of doctrine which you professe in your little booke The secōd is of fact whereof yee accuse the English Churches Lastly the third is of the conclusion which you inferre by comparing that your doctrine with that practise of England namely that yee cannot with good conscience entertaine a communiō with those Churches but that yee doe abhorre them with all your heartes Therefore I will speak briefely of these 3. things what I think entreating you brotherly to take my answere in good part I marvell that the point of doctrine or little booke of your confession beloved brethrē is sent ouer to me I marvell that it was sent ouer to all the students of holy Scriptures in all Christian Vniuersities for if there be a certaine consent of doctrine as you pretend it truely I do not see what need there was that you should set forth a newe confession in this consent of holy and auncient doctrine But if there be a dissention peradventure in the doctrine or rather a differēce that in deed ought not to bee dissembled if so be that yee thought it necessarie that your doctrine should be declared Besides in that you send to mee yea that you send to publicke viewe your confession I marvell brethren yea I greatly maruell what your meaning should bee both in respect of the ende and the fact For if ye haue set it foorth to that end that yee might

any commandement or vnder anie colour whatsoever 33 And being come forth of this antichristian estate vnto the freedom and true profession of Christ besides the instructing and well guyding of their owne families they are willingly to ioyne together in christian communion and orderly covenant and by free confession of the faith and obediēce of Christ to vnite themselves into peculiar and visible congregations wherin as members of one body wherof Christ is the only head they are to worship and serve God according to his word remembring to keep holy the Lords day 34. Then also such to whom God hath given gifts to interpret the Scriptures tryed in the exercise of Prophecy attending to studie and learning may and ought by the appointment of the congregation to prophecy according to the proportion of faith and so to teach publickly the word of God for the edification exhort●tion and comfort of the Church Vntill such tyme as the people do meet for and God manifest men with able guifts and 〈◊〉 to such Office or Offices as Christ hath appointed to the publick ministerie of his Church But no Sacraments to be administred vntill the Pastors or Teachers be chosen and ordeined into theyr office 35 And then wheresoever ther shall be a people fit and men furnished with meet and necessary guifts they are not onely still to continue the exercise of Prophecy aforsaid but also vpon due tryall to proceed vnto choyce and ordination of Officers for the ministery ād service of the Church according to the rule of Gods word And so hold on stil to walke forward in the ways of Christ for theyr mutuall edification and confort as it shall please God to give knowledge and gra●e therevnto And particularly that such as be of the seed or vnder the governmēt of anie of the Church be even in their infancie receyved to Baptisme and made partakers of the signe of Gods covenant made with the Faithful and their seed throughout all generations And that all of the Church that are of yeares and able to examine themselves doo communicate also in the Lords supper both men and women and in both kindes bread and wine In which elements as also in the water of baptisme even after they are consecrate there is neyther transubstantiation into nor cōsubstantiatiō with the bodye and blood of Iesus Christ whom the heavens must conteyne vntill the tyme that al things be restored But they are in the ordinance of God signes and seales of Gods everlasting covenant with vs representing and offring to all the receyvers but exhibiting only to the true beleevers the Lord Iesus Christ and all his benefits vnto righteousnes sanctification and eternall lyfe through faith in his name to the glorie and prayse of God 36 Thus being righly gathered established and still proceeding in christian communion and obedience of the Gospell of Christ none is to separate for falts and corruptions which may and so long as the Church consisteth of mortall men will fall out and arise among them even in true constituted Churches but by due order to seeke redresse therof 37. Such as yet see not the truth may heare the publik doctine and prayers of the church and with al meeknes are to bee sought by all meanes Yet none who are growne in yeares may bee received into their communion as members but such as doe make confession of their faith publickly desiring to be received as members and promissing to walke in the obedience of Christ Neyther any infants but such as are the seed of the faithfull by one of the parents or vnder their education and government And further not anie from one cōgregation to be received members in another without bringing certificate of their former estate and present purpose 38 And although the particular congregations be thus distinct and severall bodies every one as a compact and knit citie in it self yet are they all to walke by one and the same rule and by all meanes conveniēt to have the cōsell and help one of another in all needfull affaires of the Church as members of one body in the common faith vnder Christ their onely head 39 It is the office and dutie of Princes and Magistrates who by the ordinance of God are supreme governors vnder him over all persons and causes within their Realmes and dominions to suppresse and root out by their authority all false ministeries voluntarie religions and counterfeit worship of God to abolish and destroy the Idoll Temples Images Altars Vestments and all other monuments of idolatry and superstition and to take and convert to theyr owne ●●vile vses not only the benefit of all such idolatrous buildings and monuments but also the Revenues Demeanes Lordships Possessions Glea●es and maintenance of any false ministeryes and vnlawfull ecclesiasticall functions whatsoever within their dominions And on the other hand to establish and mainteine by their lawes every par● of Gods word his Christian Religion pure worship and true ministery described in his word to cherish and protect all such as are carefull ●o worship God according to his word and to lead a godly lyfe in all peace and loyaltie yea to enforce all their subiects whoever ecclesiasticall or civile to do their dutyes to God and men●protecting and mainteining the good punishing and restraining the evill according as God hath commaunded whose Lieutenants they are here on earth 40 And thus the protection and cōmandement of the Princes and Magistrates maketh it much more peaceable though no wit at all more lawfull to walke in the wayes and ordinances of Iesus Christ which he hath commanded his Church to keep without spot and vnrebukeable vntill his appearing in the end of the world And in this behalfe therefore the brethren thus mynded ād proceeding as is before said are both continually to supplicate to God and as they may to their Princes and Governors that thus and vnder them they may leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlines and honestie 41 And if God encline the Magistrates hearts ●o the allowance and Protecction of the Church therin it ought to be accompted a singular and happy blessing of God who granteth such nourcing Fathers and nourcing Mothers to his Church And it behoveth all to be carefull to walke worthie so great a mercy of God in all thankfulnes and obedience 42 But if God withold the Magistrates allowance and furtherāce herein yet must wee notwithstanding proceed together in Christiā covenant and communion thus to walke in the obedience of Christ ād confessiō of his faith and Gospell even through the middest of all tryalls and afflictions not accompting our goods lands wive● children Fathers Mothers brethren sisters no nor our lyves dear vnto vs so as we may finish our course with ioy remembring always that we ought to obey God rather then man and grounding vpon

prudent part if thou abstaine from stirring the evill that is well appeased an impotent thing if thou doe contrariwise And to what end I pray you is it To the end that you might purge your selues But here is no man that doth repeate anew or lay these accusations against you Wherefore serueth this purgatiō that yee may be euen with them against whom yee cōplaine But this is not the part of a Christian I doe not thinke that this is your meaning Is it to reforme them This indeed is an holy endeuour But if yee could not doe this when yee were present cōsider what yee can doe when yee are absent But first of all consider with your selues by what meanes yee take this way namely to accuse to me to others to the publike in the theatre of the Church in the circle of the world Ah beloued brethren was it euer heard of that any priuate man to say nothing of a great communitie was euer amended by this course Further consider I pray you before whom yee bring these things I will speak of my selfe to whom alone yee would commit this your little booke I know not whether in this your little booke yee call upon me as an intercessor or examiner or a Iudge For if as an intercessor were it not better that your cōplain●s were kept secret then layed open which tendeth to reproch and the Church of Christ innumerable soules weake strangers to be beaten with the types of your impression It is most manifest that they against whom yee deale wil be more prouoked by this grieuous sting If as an examiner by what right can I doe it who haue no lawful authority from God from the Church from the Magistrate or frō both the parties neither if it should be committed would I easily accept it I am so privie to my selfe of my owne insufficiencie for who am I or what am I that I should be able throughly to see euery particular thing concerning you and them which are required to a iust examination And this the right course of examination doth require otherwise as Seneca wisely saith he that judgeth one party being not heard albeit he iudgeth that which is right yet he is vniust Yee are not a little deceiued in this your iudgement beloued brethren Yee almost do me an iniury when ye call me to be a busie body or think that I wil take upon me the part of an examiner or that which is more subject to envie and farre from duetie of a Iudge And brethrē that which I say of my selfe thinke that is the answere of the other brethren which are any where els in Churches and Vniversities No wise man will rashly goe downe these steps or clime vp to this seate of judgement In deed concerning your faith and doctrine something may be said if you expound it and if the thing be done in order But touching the accusatiō of your coūtreymen and of mattets passed to and fro no wise man by my consent wil on this condition take vpon him the burthen of iudging And for Gods sake consider the event of this fact For I pray you whom would it profit if that were done which yee desire Certainly neither would it profit you nor thē nor these with whom ye soiourne nor the Church of God Contrariwise whom would it not hurt This thing would set you more on fire as contentions are woont the more to make hote the more they are stirred It would more alienate them whom yee pretend to be to injuriously enstranged from you For this is not the way of teaching nor of informing nor of seeking reconciliation It would rent asunder the good men whose hospitality yee doe now commodiously vse either frō you or amongst themselues which duetie they have not deserved of you by their hospitalitie It would set a more grievous fier on the whole Church and spread through all her ioynts which God turne away And that vnwise mā which should vsurpe this authority it would make a scorne to ill tōgues while good men would pittie his vaine labour and your expectation Lastly that I may also adde this and marke brethren how sincerely and brotherly I deale with you albeit I might and would lawfully give sentence both of your faith which yee declare and also of the fact of accusatiō which yee bend against your countreymen Yet yee by this course and maner of dealing have taken from me the authority of doing that which yee require touching your fact your selves by this maner of request do hinder your owne desier Ye will marvalle perhaps at that which I say and yet it is so For you doe so require my iudgement as you doe also with all require the iudgement of all Vniversities and Students If you request this in common then you doe not desire that I should doe it alone but if particularly doe you thinke that any of vs will be so mad that when the judgement of so many good men and diligence is desired some one Palamon should take vpon him the chiefest parts and should by him selfe speake of that thing which is required of so many as learned yea better learned and better furnished with pi●●ie judgement and experience which requireth a serious consultation an holy communication and a ripe inoffensive judgment But now of the third thing what shal I say your selves I think beloved brethren do mynd that if I cannot on this condition neyther ought to give answer concerning the two points a foresaid it would be vtterly vnjust if I should as yet determine any thing on eyther side towching the cōclusion which you draw frō thence that is from those premisses But I verily suspēd my iudgemēt brethrē I suspend my iudgemēt in this cause even as God nature reason and al lawes command me to do Ye know I think the causes by these things which ye haue now read shal learne besides by other things which God shal minister vnto you I hope by the spirit of trueth and wisdome I ought not to iudge with my selfe of matters vnknowne at least not so evident neither yet with such forward boldnesse to pronoūce among you or others the matter being not sufficiently manifest to my selfe God knoweth and iudgeth to whom stand or fall as many as are his servants Otherwise I trust yee are not ignorāt that there are three things which euē frō the verie infancie of the Church the holy fathers would haue to be distinguished by the word of God among the people of God namely faith or doctrine conversation or manners and the order of discipline And all wise men haue taught this with one consent and delivered it to posteritie that where the foundation of the truth of doctrine remaineth which is the piller of saluation although with most corrupt manners and discipline there the Church remaineth that no man ought rashly to separate himselfe from that Church whiles he

may tarry in it without ship wracke of faith and conscience or take from it the name of a Church especially seeing euery Church consisteth of Pastors and flocke which if some Pastors or Prelates trouble yet it is vnmeete that this name either should be taken away from the other Pastors which Christ doth witnesse by the doctrine of truth or from the flocke which Christ hath purchased with his owne bloode and doth daily sanctifie with the washing of the newe birth by the worde This ought to be sufficient for you if any thing have offended you at home that now the fatherly mercifull providence of God hath provided for you elsewhere Certainely whiles yee inueigh against those Churches yee shal make that your cause neuer the better neither more probable with good men which thing if yee have not yet considered and conceived by my aduise and counsell and by the admonition of those which wish you wel experience it selfe at last God grant it be not to late and he informe you in good will prooue all th●se things vnto you For by the trueth of doctrine holinesse of life by the worke of faith and patience and by the dueties of charitie euen towards them of whome yee professe that ye are wronged yee shal rather approove your selves and your cause thē by outcryes and publishing of writings euen as our Sauiour is saide to bring iudgement to victorie not by filling the streetes with shouting and clamours but by blowing gently into the smoking flax and tender handling the bruised reede Which thinges seeing they be so I beseech you most louing brethrē in Christ by that most holi name of Christ which ye profese by those bowels mercie wherewith Christ hath embraced vs frō on high that yee would thinke of another course that yee would take another way to salvation to edificatiō to peace If there be consent shake not your faith which is not to be winnowed againe by new reasons This course is suspitious But if it must needs be sifted let it suffice you that it be first approved by those servants of God among whome yee dwell this is certainnly a lawfull course Forgiue the former iniuries if any have beene by Christian charitie to them from whom yee have received the same hide them frō others by Christiā wisdome There is no feare that by so doing yee should be burst God will enlarge your harts by the spirite of charitie most cōmodiously Looke to your selues that overcomming al sharpnesse and al bitternesse of minde yee may be acceptable to Christ and profitable to the Church and that the sweet odour of your pietie may be spread in speach in life in order to all the godly without the stench of enmitie and schisme Iudge not that yee be not iudged But abstaine from those heavie determinations and conclusions as they call them against othermen neither labour either to get Abetters or partakers in that your former iudgement which would be saide in you to be a spice of faction in them of imprudencie or else to drawe them to an vnseasonable vncivill inconvenient and dangerous deliuerie of opinions Pitie your selues I beseech you most louing brethren and the whole flocke which is gathered among you Haue pittie of them whome thorough error infirmitie yee cry out be hurt Pitie your entertainers among whome it were a most i●iurious thing that ye should sowe these tates especially being admonished And it would be a greate indignitie by clamours and writings to brede in them suspicions and sinister opinions eyther of your selves or of those your adversaries as you count them or els of both Finally pitie the Church of Christ which verily it is not comely nor expedient neither in any case tolerable amōg so many and greeuous wounds which are universally given vnto it to be further galled with this particular wound So let God almightie loue you and Iesus Christ that most mercifull Lord and our Sauiour be mercifull vnto you And if I shall be able to doe any good in the publicke cause and yours assure your selves that I will spare no diligence no labour no paines that you with vs and all togither may be filled with sāctimony without which none shal se God with the good things of the Lord in his house and before his face And the God of peace which hath raised from the dead our Lord Iesus that great sheepeheard of the sheepe by the blood of the eternall couenant make you perfect in euery good worke to doe his will working in you that which is acceptable in his sight by Iesus Christ to whom be glorie for ever and ever Amen And I pray you brethren suffer this word of exhortation which I have briefely writtē vnto you The grace of God be with you all Amen From Leyden this Saturday the 9. of Ianuary 1599. Yours in the Lord Francis Iunius The answer to the Letter aforesaid To the Reverend and learned Mr. Francis Iunius our beloved brother in Christ At Leyden in Holland GRace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ our Saviour Reverend Sr. and beloved brother in Christ we have lately received your letter which you sent vnsealed to the Ministers of the Dutch and frēch Churches that it might first be read of thē and them be delyvered to vs. We have also read and weighed it and thought it meet to wryte agayne partly to thank you that vouched safe to write vnto vs partly to satisfy you if we can in some thinges wherein we see you are mistaken In the wryting wherof we humbly request that speaking freely that which the thing it self requireth you would take it in good part as you are woōt Many thinges indeed you have wrytten which we do willingly acknowledg and consent therein with you Those we will not touch at all The rest we will prosequute in the same order as by your self ●hey are propounded Whereas there was a litle booke exhibited vnto you by one of vs it is not so to be takē as if you were called vpō alone or apart from others For the brother which delyvered you the booke certified vs that this passed betwene you that by you it should be communicated with your Colleagues the governours of that Vniversity and that you tooke vpon you to do it Now if you have so done how is it that you alone wryte back againe why also do you so often repeat and seeme to reprehend that you you we say alone apart are called vpon If you have not done it mynde then on whome the blame lyeth that it is not communicated with thē in that Vniversity to whome by vs it was dedicated And we do now agayne entreat you that being myndfull of your promyse you would performe it that so you with the other learned and godly men and brethren there may eyther convynce our fayth and cause of errour or els together with vs conted for this sayth once gyven to

the Saints The one of these we take it must needes be donne And we gather it by comparing together Iam. 5.19.12 with Iude ver 3. This also is the very thing which we did desire and still do desire in that Epistle dedicatory And let these thinges once spoken suffyce we pray you for the crimination of calling on you apar● which in this letter of yours you have so oftē objected and repeated Next you propound three tinges to be considered in the booke it self of which you promyse to speake briefly and brotherly what you thinke 1. The first head you say is of the doctrine which we professe in our booke Be it so indeed Here we expected because you purpose to wryte of the doctrine we professe that you would have discussed the articles of our fayth and reproved the errours if there be any by the light of Gods word And who would not have expected this But behold there is not a word of the doctrine and fayth it self What may this meane Is it because your self beleeu this faith to be trew-sound groūded on the word of God and agreable thervnto If so why thē wryting these thinges do you not professe it Why do you dissemble it specially whē you heare that this fayth is traduced as schisme as heresy but you see perhaps that in the doctrine of faith we erre from the truth If it be so why then wryte you and yet shew not the errours why do you not as much as in you is bring into the way such as do erre Do not whē request is made that the errours may be shewed by the light of the holy Scripture Certainly your godlynes perswadeth otherwise yea God himself requireth otherwise Iam. 5.19.20 Yet now when you touch not the doctrine it self what is it that you wryte in this behalf Even this only that you would perswade we have erred herein that we have publyshed the confession of our faith First of al this concerneth the maner not the matter it self But yet let vs weigh your reasons If say you there be a certayne consent of doctrine then there was no need that we should set forth a new Confession in this agreement of holy and ancient doctrine Doe you indeed speak as you thinke How is it then that some while synce when the Germane and French Churches had before publyshed their Confessions of fayth yet afterward the Belgick Scotish and other Churches set forth theirs also notwitstanding that they agreed with them in the holy and anncient doctrine Yea tell vs we pray you what you think of that godly and learned Mr. Beza his pryvate Confession of fayth lately publyshed Not to speake of many other wrytten and divulged by many of the martyrs also in their severall ages Do not all these agree in the holy and anncyent doctrine of Godlynes Or should not therfore these Confessions have bene publyshed What soever you shall say for them mynd the same also as spoken for vs. Secondly you say if there be any dissention in doctrine that ought not to be dissembled c. But what is this to vs who have playnely shewed and reckned vp the thinges wherein we dissent from the Church of England with whom we have to do in this behalf Neyther that only but have also in our Confession not obscurely signified concerning the thinges wherein the other Churches of this city and ours as yet do not agree After these thinges you come to discusse the end and fact of our publyshing this Confession Touching the end we have shewed it in the epistle and preface set before the booke it self And we answer further that we did this to the same end that all the reformed Churches of late did publysh theirs For proof wherof let the preface of the Harmony of Confessions compared with ours speak for vs. If you take away the reasons by both alleadged we yeeld But if you cannot then see whether both here and other where often in this letter you do not through our sydes strike at all these Churches lykewise Our cause and cleering we commyt to God and to all godly that love the truth Such as before knewe not our cause they may now by this meanes have knowledg therof Such as be enemyes of God of the Church of the truth have nothing by this book of ours wherof to rejoyce They will rather be grieved when thus they shall see Antichrist that man of synne to be more and more discovered whom the Lord in the end will wholy consume and abolysh with the spirit of his mouth in the testimony not in the silence of his servants 2. Thes 2.8 with Rev. 12.11 and 14 6 7 8. and 20.4 Fynally such as be weak and by reason of the stink of schismes know not the true body of Christ whervnto they should joyne themselves they may by this meanes be better instructed and induced more certainly to know and imbrace the true Church and fayth of Christ Thus desyre we that the publyck good of the Church be holye forward that Christ may have the preeminence over all And thus have we spoken of the end in which as yet we see not any mistaking or errour Touching the fact we answer in lyke maner as before concerning the end Yea and the thinges which here you bring for not doing it in publyck you may vrge the very same lykewise against all the reformed Churches against Athanasius Origen Augustine Tertullian and others of the fathers against Zuinglius Luther Calvine Beza and many other of these ages godly men and divers of them also Martyrs of Iesus Christ who have set forth in publyck their Confessions of fayth private their apologies complaynts disputations yea and their letters concerning matters in religion publyckly controverted But these things perhaps came not in your mynd whiles there was before your eyes only the contemplation of our particular cause which thing your self we trust will perceive if you turne your eyes a lytle from vs vnto others approved by your self Moreover howsoever the evill wherof you wryte do prevayte in publyck yet alwayes and every where wisdome is justified of her children as Christ hath taught Mat. 11.16.19 And this shall suffice vs and all that are godly Lastly in a case of such weight and necessity who should rather be called vpon then the students of the holy Scriptures in Christian vniversityes Who we pray you are esteemed to be of better or sounder judgment Whome doth it more concerne to take knowledg of the truth and errours in religion Who should better instruct in the truth or convince falshoold And to conclude who can or ought to attend more to the discussing of these things But you object that seeing we have here found place of rest here also we must receive the judgment of our doctrine and fayth if we will have the same lawfully knowen and approved c. Here come many things to be considered First what if the rest and breathing which here we enjoye come

vs which we wrote the day after we had received yours not afterward thought we needed not send it vnles some other occasion were offered both because your self intimated as if you would be silent if we wrote agayne and because in very deed you did in those letters yeeld vs the cause and answered nothing at all to any purpose eyther touching our Confession of faith which was publyshed or touching our former letters which we sent vnto you thereabout Of all which things now let the Reader judge If you aske why we chaunged our purpose and have now sent you this letter which was wrytten so longe synce ●o here this litle booke included withall to witt your letters trāslated into English and set forth in print Wherevpon we are constreyned not only to send these wrytten vnto you but to set them forth in publyck also in the English tounge Yet let nothing here offend you for it is we if any that are injuried yea and the truth it self inasmuch as your first letter was publyshed alone without our answer which you receyved from vs. By whose fault to what end with what equitie mynd you well Sure that Priest which trāslated yours wryteth in his preface how truly you know that your self delyvered the copy of your first letter to a worshipfull knight of whō he receved it and turning it into English imprinted it Yet have we not hitherto gyvē vnto any so much as a copy eyther of yours or our owne providing what we could for your credyt ye so as we neglected our owne our selves and were traduced by others as now by this book publyshed will appeare vnto all But perhaps in this matter you purposed one thing he another Whatsoever it were now you cannot but see how the Prelats and Priests of our countrey do so interpret your letters as if they had bene wrytten against the truth of the Gospell of Christ which we professe and for defence of the Antichristian Apostasy and tyranny wherein they persist Which thing we leave vnto you to be weighed seriously before the Lord. Neyther is it to be omitted that your private letters are set forth in publyck yours we say who took it so yll that the Cōfession of fayth of this whole Church should be made publyck whom these very letters of yours wrote so much of the publyck view of publishing the woundes of the Church vndiscreetly before so many deadly enemyes of God and the Church of not offending any one of Christs disciples of not provoking Churches of every one abounding in their owne sence c. It is marvell if your translatour turne not your owne wordes vpon your self and tell you that a Christian an humble and godly mind ought to be otherwise affected and setting a side the respect of their owne pryvate regard c. But this the more vnjustly if he made your letters publyck without your knowledg Which we indeed at first did suspect tyll we saw your second Epistle come forth some while after the other Neyther could we well thinke other wise of the matter specially seing you wrote vnto vs that we might rent the letters and that you also would conceale it Knowe moreover that in the edition of your letters there be certeyne clauses wherin the translation is not answerable to yours in latine sent vnto vs which we by your originall amend in our edition nowe ready to be published These and many other things which yet we conceale seem vnto vs to be of some moment But we are deceived perhaps in our owne cause and therfore you and your Translatour would omytting all cōfutation that others should have the iudgment therof you in delyvering he in publyshing your letters But why then did you not douchsafe to give vs any knowledg therof At least why did you not so provide as that letter of ours which was in your handes should also be translated and published Did you thinck that he which is first in his owne cause is iust Why then did you not also mynd that his neighbour comyng after him will make inquiry of him that so both partyes being heard judgment may be gyven according to truth and equity For which cause though we have hytherto borne this yet will we hereafter meet with such dealing by the best and fyttest meanes we can Neither doubt we but all these things howsoever now they stand will at length fall out for good both to vs and to all other which love Christ with all his ordinances and hate Antichrist with all his abhominations And having this hope we will expect and endure whatsoever it shall please God who is the Lord and faythfull maynteyner of his servants Concerning the differences wherof you write agayne in your letters which are betwene vs and the dutch Church of this city it needeth not that we wryte vnto non of the particulars otherwise then as before we have donne If you do yet desyre more we give you to vnderstand that above a yeare synce we delyvered in wryting the true and particular narration of the whole matter to the ministers and whole eldership of that Church who if yet they have not ma● now communicate it with you By it also will appeare that we have donne what was our duty and as brotherly as we could If not let the errour be shewed and it shal be corrected God willing In the meane tyme because we are both pryvatly and publyckly so much vrged by you herevnto we will briefely note the chief heades wherin we differ from them and where about we have had dealing with them both before and synce you wrote vnto vs. They are these which follow 1. The estate of the Dutch Church at Amsterdam is so confused as the whole Church can never come together i● one the ministers can never together with the flock sanctify the Lords ●a●e the p●esence of the members of the Church cannot certeynly be knowen and fynally no publyck action whe●her ex●ommunication or any other can rigg●ip be performed VVhich is cotrary to these Scriptures 1. Cor. 12.27 and 11.20 23. Math. 18 ●7 with 1. Cor. 5 4. Act. ● 2.5 Numb 8.9 Act. 20 28. 2. They baptize the seed of them who a●e not members of any visible Church of whom moreover they have not care as of membe●s neyther admytt their parents to the Lords Supper Gen. 17 7.9.10.11 1. Cor. 7 14. Exod. 12.48 with 2. Caron 30 6. c. Numb 9.13 Hos 2 ● 4. with Rev. 17.1 Ezech 16 59 c. 3. In the publyck worship of God they have devysed and vse an other forme of prayer besydes that which Christ our lord hath prescribed Mat. 6. reading out of a book certayne prayers invented and imposed by man Exod. 20 4 5. and 30 9. with Psal 141.2 and Rev. 8 3. Lev. 10 1. Esa 29 14. with Mat. 15.9 Rom. 8 26. Eph. 4.8 1. Pet. 2 5. 4. That rule and commandement of Christ Mat. 18 15 16 17. they neyther observe nor suffer