Rom. 15.4 1. Thess 5.20 2. Pet. 1.19 Authoritie of the Church Act. 2.42 19 20. Ephes 5.24 Sacraments Their seauen-fold number 1. Cor. 11.23 Reue. 22.18 Their opus operatum Eph. 4.5 Their whole taking away sinne Rom. 7.7 8. 1. Ioh. 1.8 Their sacrifice of the Masse Heb. 7.24 9.15 10.10 Reall presence Ioh. 6.35 Act. 3.21 1. Cor. 11.37 Keeping backe the cup from the lay people 1. Cor. 11.33 34. Will-worship Coloss 2.18 20 23. Math. 15.9 Veniall sinnes Rom. 6.23 Iames 1.15 Prayer To Saints Angels Rom. 10.14 Col. 2.18 In an vnknown tongue 1. Cor. 14.16 The Church A promiscuous company Eph. 5.25 26. 1. Ioh. 2.19 False markes Math. 24.23 Popish monarchie 2. Thess 2.4 6 7. Reuel 13.8 Popish Hierarchy pardons and suspensions Act. 11.28 2. Cor. 10.4 Sanctification Jn obseruation of dayes and meates Coloss 2.16 Rom. 14.14 Faith A beliefe in generall Rom. 10.14 Jmplicite Iam. 2.19 in hereticks and wicked men 2. Thess 3.2 Repentance Free will 1. Cor. 2.14 Coloss 2.13 Meritorious Rom. 4.5 6. Auricular confession Luk. 5.21 Places after this life Only two Heauen and Hell Reuel 14.13 22.13 Good workes Before Iustification Matth. 12.33 Luk. 6.43 Rom. 11.17 Merit of them Rom. 5.12 Galat. 3.11 Heb. 11.17 Exemption from obedience 1. Tim. 2.1 2. Iude 1. Purgatorie Luk. 23.43 2. Cor. 12.3 4. I Might instance in many more yea in all the differences betweene vs and the Papists wherein I might as clearely prooue the consent of the Apostles and those Primitiue Christians together with vs and their dissent from the Papists and consequently prooue effâ—ctually our Church to haue beene in that ancient Primitiue Church But these proofes may suffice in stead of many and by these wee may learne what wee are to iudge of the rest referring the tryall of our whole Religion in all and euerie point thereof wherein wee differ from the Papists vnto the touchstone of the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles and to that which in the writings of sacred Scriptures is commended vnto the Churches which indeede is the onely true rule to examine by and to end Controuersies But our Romanists will none of that for they cannot endure their Religion to come vnder this tryall of Gods word neither will it content them that wee make triall thereby See the Fisher caught in his owne Net which was the reason that Fisher in the late conference neither could denie that Christ and his Apostles taught the same faith and doctrine which the Protestants now professe nor would abide the triall by it but fled from that to the practise of ensuing times and more remote Canus loc li. 3. c. 3. p. 151. for Canus a Writer of their owne confesseth That the most points of the Roman faith are not contained in the Scripture Andrad Orth. Exp. lib. 2. And Andradius speaketh plainely That many points of the now Romish faith would reele and totter if they were not supported by the helpe of Tradition Therefore our Masse Priests will not endure the resolution of the now depending controuersies between vs and them should be tried by the authority of the Scriptures Take from them saith Standish their English damnable translations Standish ca. 6. pro. â— and let thâ—m learne to giue as much credit to that which is not expressed as to that which is expressed in the Scripture Brist Mot. vlt. And Bristo teaching his Scholler how to deale with a Protestant biddeth him First get the weake and proud heretick out of his weake and false Castle of onely Scripture into the plaine field of Traditions and then like cowards they shall not be able to stand Alas what small foundation hath that Religion of theirs which is onely supported by Traditions what comfort can there be in that Religion which is afraid to be tried by the Scripture Hitherto I haue shewed the ascent of the Protestants Church from before Luthers dayes euen to the time of our Sauiour Iesus Christ his Apostles and found our Church which the Papists traduce as a Nouice euen in the primitiue Church our Religion which they taxe as a new Religion to be the first Religion Christian I could now deriue it from an higher straine and shew it in a more auncient time before Christ was manifested in the flesh euen in the daies of the Prophets whose agreement with vs and disagreeing from the Papists I might euidently conuince out of their Writings Before them in the time of Moses and vnder the Law Before the Law in the Patriarchs Before them and before the Flood in Noah Enoch Abel and so bring it to the very beginning euen to the time of Adam But this would be a needlesse labour for if we proue as already hath beene proued That our Church hath beene as auncient as the time of Christ and his Apostles the other must needes follow That it is as auncient as Adams time and from the beginning Cantic 6.9 Ephes 4. Because the Church of Christ is but one and there is but one Faith one Lord one Baptisme The Fathers before the Law 1. Cor. 10.3 4. and those who liued vnder the Law though they and we differ in some outward Rites and Ceremonies 1. Cor. 3.11 yet for substance embrace one and the same Religion haue one and the same Truth one and the same Foundation Eph. 4.11 That Church which was founded vpon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone euer was from the beginning shall euer be to the end of the world Such is ours and such is our Religion Therefore we conclude That our Church and our Religion is no vpstart but the true Church of Christ the ancientest and only Orthodox Religion And now O ye seducing Papists ye Iesuiticall Fry and Seminarie Frogs which are crept vp out of the mouth of the false Prophet and sculk abroad to seduce people what haue you to say for your selues with what face can you impute nouelty to vs Reu. 16.14 15. how dare ye buzze into the eares of your Proselites That our Religion was neuer heard of vntill Luthers dayes peraduenture you take your ayme at this because the name of Protestants came in neere about that time The name indeede arose vpon occasion of a Protestation made by the 14. principall Cities and diuers Princes of Germany at the Dyet of Noremberg appealing from the Pope vnto the Emperour Ioh. Sleid. lib. 3. Hist of the Trent Councel lib. 1. p. 48. and to a generall Councell in which protestation was contained a declaration of their faith and of those grieuances which they had against the Church of Rome for which by their aduersaries they were termed Protestants Now wee although wee are not ashamed of that name yet stand not so much vpon the name glorying in no name so much as in the name of Christians And that such protestations were made such declarations of the
Catalogue before recited and see what colour they haue to set vpon their false suggestion which they buzze into the eares of their proselites that our Religion was not heard of before Luthers time when we haue such a cloude of Witnesses of our side as already hath beene produced Their first cauill is against the smalnesse of the number Geneâ—raâ—d Chr. lib. 4. Admit say they that there haue beene in the daies of old some that haue leaned to diuers of these hereticall propositions of the Protestants and haue opposed themselues against the doctrine of the Romish Church Brist profâ—â— in 〈◊〉 as there hath beene scarce any peece or Article of the Roman faith but by one or other first or last it hath beene called in question yet as Andrew said of the fiue Barly Loaues and two small Fishes which were to bee deuided among fiue thousand hungry people Ioh. 6.9 Iohn 6.9 What are these among so many so say they What are these few Bellarm. lib. 4. de Eccles c. 8. Rhem. in Act. 11 sâ— 4. this little handfull of Protestants in regard of whole Countries Kingdomes and Nations throughout all the world who haue embraced the Catholike faith of the Church of Rome and adhaered to that sea or how can so small a number make a visible Church To this we answer 1. That number or multitude is no true marke or note of a Church for if Truth should be measured by the opinion or practise of the multitude Then Iesabels Church should bee better then the Church of which Elias was King 18.19 for Baals Prophets were 450. fed at Iesabels Table when as Elias as farre as hee could see was left himselfe alone Then should the Pagan religion bee better then that in Israel which was but an handfull in regard of the rest of the world â—sal 76.1.2 Psal 147.19.20 Then should Turkisme bee better then the Christian religion for that at this day hath greater number that follow it then this And so the Turke should be better then the Pope Mahumetisme more to be commended then Poperie because the ones Dominion is larger in extent then the other and that hath more Proselites then this But our Blessed Sauiour himselfe preuenteth that obiection when he calleth his flocke Pufillum gregem A little flocke Luk. 12.13 Luk. 12.31 and againe telleth vs. Mat. 7.13 Math. 7.13 that wide is the gate and broad thei way that leadeth to destruction and many there bee which goe in thereat but straight is the gate and narrow the way which leadeth vnto life and few there bee that finde it 2. It is no wonder that in these times of persecution of the Church of Christ by the See of Rome the number of true professors was so small for these were the daies and times Reuel 12.5.6 When this woman fled into the wildernesse when the greatest part of the Christian world both small and great rich and poore Reuel 13.16 17. bond and free were compelled to receaue the marke of the Beast and no man could buy or sell saue hee that had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name By reason whereof the number of this faithfull flocke of Christ was much diminished and obscured which is the cause why the professors of our Religion in those times being driuen from place to place and persecuted by Antichristian tyrannie Their names the places of their abode and other circumstances whereby their memories should haue beene preserued could not so easily be made knowne vnto vs. 3. As the true Church may sometimes bee more secret and hidden yea reduced to a very small number as already hath beene declared so that number be it neuer so small that company be they neuer so few professing the Truth aright and hauing the right markes of the Church may be a true Church Where two or three saith our blessed Sauiour are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of â—â—em Mat. 18.20 Math. 18.20 Whereupon Tertullian inferreth Tertul. exhorâ— ad Castital Augustin Ennar in psal 2â— Darand lib. 6. 72. v. 25. Where three are that sincerely professe the truth there is a Church And Augustin saith The Church sometimes was only in the house of Noah sometimes in Abrahams family only sometimes in Lot and his house And the Papists themselues doe acknowledge that at the time of our Sauiours Passion the true Faith remayned onely in the Virgin Mary 4. Neither haue I in the Catologue before recited set downe all that either liued or are recorded in the seuerall Ages aboue mentioned but onely a few in stead of many by which few it may bee easily gathered that there were many more of them for such Learned such eminent men when they shew foorth themselues could not want partakers howsoeuer the oppression and Tyrannie of the aduerse partie did keepe them vnder Neither are there so few who haue already beene named if wee rightly cast the account In some of these Centuries and halfe Centuries I confesse there appeare more in some lesse as the cloud of Popish ignorance or persecution did thicken or lessen as sometimes amounting to hundreds at other times to thousands as may appeare by that which already hath been alledged And this if wee had no more witnesses to produce were enough for answer vnto their demand who require vs to shew any that professed our Religion before the dayes of Martin Luther and to stop the mouthes of our Popish aduersaries who thus vauntingly insult ouer vs That they will not put the Protestants to proue that there were seauen thousand of their Sect before their new Elias Rhem. in Rom. 11.4 Luther began But let them proue say they that there were seauen or any one either then or before then in any Age that was in all points of his beliefe Obiect 2 And these last wordes of the Rhemists are a branch of another Obiection which the Papists frame against our former Catologue Gregor de Valent Com. theol com 3. d. 1. And that is this How can you prooue say they that those parties whom you claime to bee yours such as in the former Catalogue were mentioned held the same Religion which you now doe or if in some things they may seeme to accord with you yet that in all points they were of your beliefe To this I answer 1. That it is not requisite that to proue them to professe the same Religion together with vs wee must proue them in all points to haue beene of our Beliefe or that the least difference in opinion should make a difference in Religion for what Church euer was there wherein all the members thereof did fully consent in euery point without any shew of difference Surely not the Pope Catholique Church for doe all that professe themselues members of that Church agree in euery point professed and maintained by that Church Concil Trident. Waâ—â— Quodâ— What then meane
were the Prophets so likewise the Apostles at more times and in more places then one charged with many accusations which yet in truth were but meere calumniations Plinius so the Iewes when the visible Church of God was onely among them were slandered as worshippers of Hogs Cornel. Taciâ— and Asses and contemners of all Religion So the olde Christians in the Primitiue Church were slandered to vse incestuous companie each with other like Oâ—dipus and to eate mans flesh at the banquet of Thyestes Eusâ—◠〈◊〉 hist lib. 4. c. â— Socrat. lib. 1. â— â— Euseb lib. 9. c. 6. Soram l. 5. c. 25 Idem lib. 8. c. 28 So Athanasius Narcissus Cyrill Chrysostome and which else of the ancientest worthies of the Church haue been free from slanders and sinister imputations No maruell then if these who in their seuerall times did seperate themselues from the common corruptions of the Times and withstood the errours of those lines doe taste of the malignant aspersion in those times Secondly wee are not so much to regard what the Court of Rome and their Councels haue thought and pronounced against these our Ancients for they were parties partially affected against these their opposits and it is no rare thing with that Synagogue to damne those to the pit of hell who any wayes crosse their proceedings Neither doe wee beleeue that all they are or were Hereticks whom the Papists call heretickes for whatsoeuer doth withstand their Hierarchie they account heresie But our Apologie in that behalfe is that of the Apostle St. Paul Act. 24.14 After the way which they call heresie so worship wee the God of our Fathers Rob. Grosâ—â—â—d B. of Lincoln vt citatur in â—â—cheâ— of trâ—â—g And if that description of Heresie may goe for currant which was deliuered by a Reuerend and learned Prelate in this Land almost foure hundred yeares agone That Heresie Haeresis Grâ—â—e electio Latine est sententia 〈◊〉 mâ—â—â— sensu â—â—â—cta scriptâ—â— sacra contrâ—â— pa'am dâ—câ—â— peâ—tinacitur defensu is an opinion hatch'd in mans owne braine contrary to holy Scripture openly maintained and stifly defended then can they by no meanes brand either vs or these our predecessors with the name of Hereticks who neither hold any opinions grounded vpon our owne fancies neither openly maintained or stoutly stand to any errours whereof they iustly can conuict vs but that wee and they are truely orthodoxe and right Catholikes who teach and maintaine nothing but that whereof we haue euident warrant out of the Word of God Thirdly what is that which they can obiect against any of those who are mentioned in our former Catalogue Is it concerning our Faith or Life or both Let vs looke to the Triall of the particulars and I doubt not but all their suggestions will proue lyes and meere slanders as may appeare if we doe take a view of the particulars And here 1. Wee will begin at Luther because their spight is most against him as being a principall opposite of theirs and vpon whom they would father the beginning of our cause And let vs heare what they can say against Luther Popish Discourse of Faith ss 57. Martin Luther say they was an Apostate Frier a man knowne by his Writings words deeds and death to haue beene a notorious euill liuer That Luther was somtimes a Frier wee grant and that afterwards through the mercy of God hee obtaining a more cleare knowledge of the Truth renounced their profession we doe not deny But what Apostasie was this in him or how can it more disparage him then it did the Apostle Paul Act. 22.3 23.6 9.1 2 3 6 18 â—9 D. Whiâ—e his way to the true Church who at the first was a Pharisie and after that being better illightned by God renounced the profession Pharisaicall and became an Apostle both those former professions being meere hypocrisie saue that this of the Frier is of the deeper tincture Stapleton disc p. 159. And what haue they to say against his Writings Forsooth they were vnsauourie rash petulant vnsound and altogether heriticall Soone said but not so soone proued for it doth so appeare by their confutation of the same let them make that appeare and then wee will credit them In the meane space howsoeuer wee stand not in defence of all either matter or manner of his writings neither indeed doe wee build vpon him we will rather giue credit to some lesse partiall but more iuditious euen among the Papists themselues who giue other manner of testimonie concerning Luthers writings Q. Erasm ad Cardâ—n Mogâ—at for thus Erasmus speaketh of them It is obserued for a truth that these men meaning tho Papists condemne many things in Luthers bookes which in Augustine and Bernard are read for godly and good diuinitie And he addeth That hee seeth this the best men are least offended at his writings Hosâ—and Hist Eccles cent 16. p. 83â— So Andreas Masius in the company of diuers obserued and acknowledged that there was more diuinitie moâ—â— page of Luther then sometimes in a whole booke of sâ—â—ne Father And what can they obiect against his life did he forsake his Monasterie and giue himselfe to the Deuill following him and doing homage vnto him that all things might prosper according to his minde as did Siluester the second Platinan Silâ—est 2. did hee robbe Churches and murther his Predecessors as did Pope Boniface the seauenth Baron au◠〈◊〉 n. 1. Oâ—◠〈◊〉 lib. 3. did he commit incest with his owne Daughter as did Pope Alexander the sixth did he cast the Sacrament into the fire as did Pope Hildebrand did he keepe a beâ—ie of whores Bruno Cardinalis Iâ—â—ipraud lib. 6. c. 6. 7. turne the Church into a Stewes drinke healths to the deuill reuell vp and downe the streetes in armour and set mens houses on fire as Pope Iohn the 12. did No surely Not any shew in Luthers life of any of these or such like offences yea Erâ—smus one who was familiar with him in a certaine Epistle to Cardinall Wolfie giueth testimonie of him Erasm Epist ad Cardinal Eâ—â—rac that his life was approued with great consent of all men And this saith he is no small honour to him that the integritie of his manners is so great that his very enemies can finde nothing which they may Calumniate Pontac Campian Onuâ—b in Ioh. 8 What deedes then hath he done for which they should finde such fault with his life Forsooth he married a Nunne hee lay with Bora hee lay with her But first he married her hee had not his Marozias Reyneras Theodoraes Stephanaes to be his bedfellowes without any care or veile of marriage Baron in ann 928. 912. But hee was a Frier shee a Nunne both which had vowed not to marrie But who tied them to those vowes or what vow of man can disanull the lawfulnesse of Gods owne ordinance Whether is it not better to marrie
one Parish called Cammach Reyner resp there were tenne open Schooles of them And whereas they are taxed by Aeneus Siluius to sauour of an Anabastinill communitie that they had all things common among them Martyrol 209. This is a malicious slander of a papall Parasite Indeed because they being thrust forth both of Countrie and goods and compelled to make the best shift as they could for themselues they did not intend their owne priuate commoditie but euery one did helpe each other to the vtmost of his power the most part of them being made through the Tyrannie of their persecutors very poore and hence they were called Pauperes de Lugouno Or the poore men of Lyons Their Doctrine howsoeuer the Papists after their vsuall manner mis-report of it and speake worse of it then it is yet cannot be brought by them within the compasse of Heresie or be confuted by the Word of God The Booke of Inquisition doth thus describe them and their manners Ex Inquisitorio quodam libello de moribus consuetudine Waldens The manner of the Waldensis is this They kneeling vpon their knees doe continue in their prayers with silence so long as a man may say thirtie or fortie Pater-nosters And this they doe euery day with great reuerence being among themselues and such as be of their owne Religion both before Meales and after likewise when they goe to bed and in the morning when they rise and at certaine other times also as well in the Day as in the Night Also they haue and vse the seuen Articles of Faith concerning the Diuinitie and seuen Articles concerning the Humanitie and the ten Commandements and seuen workes of Mercie which they haue compyled together in a compendious Booke glorying much in the same and thereby offer themselues readie to answere any man for their Faith Before they goe to meat they haue this Grace Benedicite Kyrie eleyson Christe eleyson Kyrie eleyson Pater-noster Whiâ—h being said then the elder amongst them beginneth thus in their owne Tongue God which blessed the fiue Barley Loaues and two Fishes in the Desart before his Disciples blesse this Table and that which is or shall be set vpon it In the Name of the Father of the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Amen And likewise when they rise from meat the Senior giueth thankes saying the words of the Apocalypse Blessing and Worship and Wisdome and Thanks-giuing Honor Vertue and Strength to God alone for euermore Amen And addeth moreouer God reward them in their Bosomes and be beneficiall to all them that be beneficiall to vs and blesse vs And the God which hath giuen vs Corporall Feeding graunt vs Spirituall Life and God be with vs and wee alwayes with him To which they all answere Amen And thus saying Grace they hold their hands vpward looking vp to Heauen After their Meat and Grace thus said they teach and exhort among themselues conferring together vpon their Doctrine c. Hitherto the Booke of Inquisition made against them doth testifie of them Let vs adde hereto the Testimonie of Reynerus their professed Enemie who when hee had said all that he could in deprauing and impugning them yet is driuen to confesse this of them Reyner Hist de Waldens Ex Orthuin Gratian. This Sect of Lyonests so hee calleth them of the place where-hence first they sprang hath great shew of Pietie liuing vprightly before men and beleeuing all things aright concerning God and all the Articles of the Creed onely they hate and blaspheme the Church of Rome c. Thus farre by way of Apologie for the Waldenses The like Apologie I might make for all the rest of those famous Worthies which together with vs long before our dayes or the dayes of Martin Luther haue professed the same Religion which wee now professe But because these before-mentioned are the parties against whom our Aduersaries the Papists especially doe except and whatsoeuer else they doe or can alleadge against any other particulars are the same things which haue beene answered vnto the former exceptions I will surcease from further Apologies especially seeing that I labour to be briefe This which this way hath beene spoken may suffice to cleare these Auncients of our Religion whom wee haue alreadie prooued to haue beene of the same Faith and Religion which wee now hold and the Papists themselues call the fore-runners of our Faith from those slanderous Calumniations which they asperse vpon them and to prooue them such famous and worthie Instruments of Gods glorie that wee need not be ashamed to follow them in that holy way which they haue gone before vs. Hauing now cleared the way and traced the footsteps of our Protestant predecessors backward from the dayes of Martin Luther vnto the very time when Poperie that great Mysterie of Iniquitie began to display it selfe in her colours from the time of King Henry the eight vnto the dayes of Phocas the Emperour for the space well-nigh of a thousand yeeres I now returne againe to prosecute this Catalogue and to shew a farre higher ascent of the same from the time when Poperie was set on foot vnto the dayes of the Apostles and the time in which our blessed Sauiour did manifest himselfe in the flesh Which labour albeit it might well be spared for as much as the Controuersie being betweene vs and the Papists Which of the two Churches is the most auncientest wee hauing alreadie shewed the continuance of our Church euen from the time when first their Church if wee may call that a Church which they haue turned into a Court began wee haue done alreadie to stop their mouthes and to free our selues from that imputation of Noueltie which they obiect against vs Yet for the more ample manifesting of the Point now in Controuersie and wholly to stop the mouth of the Aduersarie that it may appeare that our Religion is yet of farre greater Antiquitie a farther demonstration shall be made wherein it shall appeare that our Religion that which is now professed by the Protestant Churches is that same Religion which was taught by Christ and his Apostles professed and maintained by all the Orthodoxe ancient Fathers Martyrs and Confessors that liued in and since the Primitiue Church to the time that Poperie was first hatched out of his Cockatrice Egge Which to make plaine wee must by the way take notice That in the first six hundred yeeres there was no substantiall or fundamentall Innouation receiued in the Church the present Romane Faith touching the Points controuerted betweene them and vs being as yet eyther vnhatched or not receiued by knowne Heretikes 2. Thess 2.7 Onely the Mysterie of Iniquitie that began to worke in the Apostles time Euscb Hist lib. 3. cap. 32. lib. 4. cap. 23. encreased by the Heresie Ignorance and Superstition of some that dayly corrupted the Truth Stories remember vs of a saying of Hegesippus Niceph. lib. 4. cap. 7. That the Church continued a Virgin vndefiled
of our Religion haue beene neyther so frequent nor so publike as now it is eyther in place or persons was the persecution of Poperie and the generall corruption of the Papacie which as a Leprosie infected and as a Myst obscured the Times so that sometimes not the true beleeuers themselues such I meane as are come to our knowledge were void of error in euery point though they firmely held the foundation And if it pleased God in processe of time to giue more libertie to the persons and more puritie to the Doctrine why are wee vnthankfull and why should any enuie if the Truth hath growne more ripe in our Age And if there be any yet among vs I would to God there were not too many such who stand as Newters and lookers on not regarding any Religion nor caring to ioyne themselues to either side vntill they see the sequell and issue whether the Protestant or Popish Church is likeliest to be most praeualent To such I say as Elias said to the people of Israel How long halt yee betweene two opinions 1. King 18.21 If the Lord be God follow him But if Baall then follow him Let them consider and call to minde whither of the two Religions sauour more of grace and of the spirit of God whether doth attribute most to God whether hath beene most fauoured by God Let them consider the damnable positions the horrible combustions and hellish proiects of Poperie and the sauing counsels peaceable prosperity and heauenly blessings which haue accompanied ours let them as the Apostle counselleth proue all things 1. Thess 5.21 and hold fast what is good If they doubt whether of them carrieth greatest shew of either veritie or Antiquitie I say vnto them as it was said to St. Augustine at the time of his conuersion Tolle lege Take vp this booke and reade or rather as the Lord speaketh by his Prophet Ieremie stand in the waies and see Ierem. 6.16 Aske for the old paths where is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde rest for your soules Lastly to the true members and vnseduced Protestants of our Church I say with the Apostle to the Corinthians Brethren you see your calling 1 Cor. 1 26.27â—â— albeit not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and weake things to confound the mightie c. yet some noble some learned some Worthies haue embraced the same Religion together with vs and that in all ages and times of the world What would wee haue what can wee desire more we haue Verity and Antiquitie for vs we haue the Patriarkes the Prophets and Apostles on our side we haue the company of innumerable Martyres who haue sealed the Truth thereof with their blood we haue the fellowship of many Churches in diuers Nations Being therefore Compassed about with so great a cloude of Witnesses Heb. 12.1 let vs follow the footsteps of those who haue walked before vs in this way of righteousnesse and runne with patience the race that is set before vs. What though Papists raue and rage and plot and seeke by all meanes to bring our Religion into disgrace yea If it were possible to cut of the name of Israel Psal 83.4 that it might be no more in remembrance Psal 81.12 Yet these aduersaries of the Lord shall be found lyers but the true Church of God shall endure for euer Consider what great things God hath done for vs and how mightily alwaies he hath defended and approued our Religion how miraculously did he preserue it manger all the furie of the Lyon and the wilde Boare of the Deuill and Antichrist euen in the time of their greatest persecutions how wonderfully hath he from time to time detected and defeated all plots and proiects conspiracies and trecheries of the enemies what strange deliuerances hath he giuen vnto vs By this wee may know that God fauoureth vs because our enemies preuaile not against vs. Psal 41.11 Psal 46.11 The God of Iacob is with vs the God of Hoasts is our refuge he hath giuen vnto vs a Dauid a man after his owne heart to rule ouer vs a Iehosophat whose heart is set to seeke the Lord a Iosias whose chiefest studie is to build vp Gods house and whose chiefest Title is to be the Defender of the Faith he hath taken away our feares by the happie returne of our most hopefull Prince redoubled our ioyes in his forward zeale for the furthering of true Religion he hath blessed vs with an Honourable assemblie of States in the high Court of Parliament and vnited their hearts and mindes to seâ—ke the promotion of his glory and the publike welfare of the Common-weale he hath stirred vp the hearts of all faithfull Subiects within this Iland to pray and cry Grace Zech. 4.7 Grace to that Parliamentarie assembly What now remaineth but that as the Apostle counselleth Wee stand fast in that libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free Gal. 5.1 and as our Sauiour doth admonish vs that wee be faithfull to the death Reuel 2.10 constantly professing and religiously perseuering in that Religion which we haue learned out of the Scriptures and which hath beene practised so long agone in all Ages by so many Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Bishops Confessors and holy Martyrs That so wee may glorifie God and stop the mouth of the aduersarie and both by life and doctrine confound Poperie till that misterie of Iniquitie bee fully reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his comming which we beseech the Lord to hasten Euen so Come Lord Iesus come quickly Amen FJNIS