Articles I haue here breefly set folowing in order The Common places which are handled in these Questions 1 OF the holy Trinitie Fol. 1. 2 Of the holy Christian Church and of the Churche of Rome eodem 3 Of Counsels and decrees of the church Fol. 30. 4 Of Free will. Fol. 43. 5 Of fayth and good workes Fol. 46. 6 Of the intercession inuocation and worshipping of Saincts Fol. 58. 7 Of Relikes Images and suche lyke Fol. 70. 8 Of purgatory and prayers for the dead Fol. 75 9 Of Sacraments Fol. 83. 10 Of Baptisme of children and of the Anabaptistes Fol. 85. 11 Of the Lords supper and receyuing thereof Fol. 88. 12 Of the sacrifice of the Masse Fol. 103. 13 Of repentaunce and Confession Fol. 108. 14 Of the authoritie of Priestes Fol. 116. 15 Of Mariage vowes and Chastitie Fol. 120. 16 Of Enoyling Fol. 139. 17 Of the Magistrate and lawefull obedience Fol. 141. The fyrst Common place Of the holy Trinitie The first question What they doe thinke of the holy Trinitie The Answere TOuching the holy Trinitie I doe beléeue all that which the true and sacred woorde of God dothe teache to acknoweledge beléeue To witte that there is one only true and liuing God in Trinitie one I say vndeuided in substaÌ„ce and thrée distinct parsons God the father God the sonne and God the ho y ghost being of like power and equally to be worshipped So are we taught Deut. 6. Exod. 20. Matth. 18. Luke 1. Iohn 1. 3. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. 14. 15. 16. and 17. Rom. 1. and. 9. 1. Corinth 8. 1. Iohn 5. Likewise we confesse the true faithe of the Trinitie contained in the twelue Articles of our Christian faithe where we say I beleeue in God the father in his only begotten sonne and in the holy ghoste And therefore what so euer in times past hath bene written or taught againste this Doctrine by Praxeas Arius Macedoniâ— and suche like yea and whatsoeuer the Jewes Turkes Michael Seruetus that Spaniard with their adherentes haue written we abhorre and detest assenting only to the olde holy Apostolike Church The second Common place Of the holy christiaÌ„ church of the church of Rome The seconde Question Whether they beleue in one holy Catholike and Apostolical church The Answere LIke as there is coÌ„tained and expressed â–ª in the. xij Articles of our christian faith so do I beléeue that ther is one holy and Catholike church and that the same or the Sainctes which are therin be partakers of all the grace and giftes of Christe I call the same one and Catholicke bicause there is but one only true Churche biside the which there is none other And the same is the congregation and felowship of all the faithfull throughout the whole worlde which at any time haue liued on this earthe in what time or place so euer they haue bin or that now are or héereafter shall be And as there is one God and Lorde neither any moe Gods or Lordes â–ª as appeareth â— Corinth 8. and Ephes. 4. so also it is of necessitie that there be but one only churche Wherfore althoughe this churche be dispersed diuers times into diuers sundry members through out the face of the whole earth yet hath it but one spirite one faith beléeueth in one God the father in one sauior our Lord Jesus Christ in the holy ghost And therfore is knit in one charitie and in one mind with all faithfull where and in what place so euer they be And this church is holy that is to say sanctified purged from sinnes beutified endued with holinesse and righteousnes and that through the grace of God the father in the blud of his only sonne by the power effectuall working of the holy ghoste It is called the christian Apostolical church bicause it is grounded built by the blissed Apostles vpoÌ„ the true rock that only euerlasting foundation Jesus Christ in the which foundation also it is preserued réedified and increased by the doctrine of thapostles as we may lerne by S. Paul 1. Cor. 3. Eph. 2. 4. 1. Pet. 2. And here is to be noted that as the Israelites did beléeue Moses that is to say did beleue the doctrin commaundements which he brought to theÌ„ froÌ„ God euen so the christiaÌ„s beléeue the true church Paule also calleth it the piller and fouÌ„dation of truth bicause shée heareth the voice only of hir pastor Jesus Christ not the voice of any stranger Nether is it beleued bicause it is the church only that is to say the congregation or felowship of meÌ„ but bicause it is the church of Christ heareth only his eternal truth preserueth confesseth teacheth the same and for this cause shée is called the piller fouÌ„datioÌ„ of truth Wherfore we beleue the church for Christes sake and for his truthe and doctrines sake which by his faithfull ministers is taught in the same Neither ought any maÌ„ to beléeue in the church bicause she is collected of men therfore is of the order of things created And it is manifest that God abhorreth all those which trust in men Ierem. 17. wherfore this preposition â—n is ioyned in the. xij Articles of our faith only to the thrée persones of the holy Trinitie For vve confesse that vve beleeue in God the father in his only begotten sonne and in the holy ghost Furthermore Cyprian and other holy fathers do excellently teach in their interpretations of the Créede that we must beleeue there is an holy church but not to beleue in the church And therfore do we not teache any new thing but that which the fathers before vs haue themselues most plainly diligeÌ„tly taught The third Question What they vnderstande by the name of the church The Answere WE vnderstande thereby the congregation or coÌ„pany of those which beléeue in christ For the church in the Germain tong is called Kirch as though it were deriued from the Grecians which call our Lord Jesus Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say lord Wherefore all those which are coupled or knitte to Christ the true head and fruteful vine as his proper members and braunches springing and growing in him are the true Christian churche And this interpretation of the name of the church we haue also in the Articles of our faith for to the confession of the catholike church we adde that we beleue in the Communion or felowship of Sainctes as though we should say the church is none other thing but the congregation of Sainctes And euen in this sort do the blessed Fathers interprete these thyngs The church is called the Communion or felowshippe of Sainctes for these causes First bicause all the faithfull there are partakers of all the giftes and graces which Christe hath purchased that is to say chéefely the remission of sinnes like as it is said in the Créede next after this Article I
the Pope to be the true onely Church of Chryst which the faythfull throughout the whole worlde without all maner of question ought to beléeue and obey as shall manifestly appeare by the questions following And this question truely is very absurde for it is alone as if it should be demaunded whether any one citie in a Realme be the whole Realme or no Or whether that any one man in a multitude be the whole coÌ„pany or no Or whether the hand or foote of some one body be the whole body or no For before I haue already shewed that this worde Catholike signifieth vniuersal and yet I am not ignoraunte also that it may be taken for any faythfull man But by these questions they openly shew vnto the world their foolishnesse or rather their excéeding and intâ—lerable pride whilest they woulde haue vs to acknowledge one parte to be the whole and to haue full power and authoritie to gouerne in the whole kingdome company and body Wherfore to this question VVhether the Church of Rome be the true catholike Church or no I answere thus If they demaunde of the auncient Church of Rome to the whiche Paule wrote his Epistle to the Romanes in the which also he remayned a prisoner and preached by the space of two yéeres then I confesse the same to be the true and faythfull Churche of Chryst but not the vniuersall Church or the head of all other churches but only a member of the vniuersall church vnder one head Chryst of like and equall power with other the churches of Chryst whiche are heere on the earthe and that the Ministers thereof are of no greater power and authoritie than the Ministers of other Churches The lyke hathe Saint Hierome written concerning the Churche of Rome and the Byshoppes thereof in these woordes Neither is it to be thought that there is one Churche of Rome and an other of the whole worlde For where so euer a Byshop is whether it be the Byshop of Rome or of EugubiuÌ„ or of Constantinople or of RhegiuÌ„ c. he is of like authoritie and like priesthoode By the whiche woordes he teacheth that the churche of Rome is no better than other churches wheresoeuer they be in the whole woride and that the Byshoppes thereof haue no more power or superioritie of Priesthoode than other Byshoppes whether they bee in small or in greate Cities But if they demaunde of the Churche of Rome whiche nowe is in the sorte and maner as all men sée vnder these Byshoppes and as it hathe bene also of late by the space of a fewe hundred yeres I aunswere that it altogither differeth from the state of the auncient and Apostolyke Churche of Rome and therefore may in no wyse bee acknowledged for the vniuersall and catholyke Churche whereof it boasteth For the signes of the true Churche of Chryst buylte by the Apostles at Rome and else where are no more there to be sounde Namely the spirite of Chryst whych loueth pure modest and humble hearts and departeth from all impuritie arrogancie and pride Yea the worde of truthe and that only voyce of the true Pastor is not onely not hearde any more nowe in the Churche of Rome purely and truely taughte but it is also forbidden and persecuted with fyre and sworde on the other side the doctrines of men whiche is contrary to the worde of GOD is by violence and all manner of deceytfull means mainteined and thrust vppo◠〈◊〉 That sincere fayth which ascribeth all mans saluation to that onely Meâ—iator betwéene God and man very God and very man our Lorde Jesus Chryst is obscured and those things which are to be sought in Chryst are appoynted to be founde in his creatures and in the workes of men The inuocation of God due to him alone through our only mediator Jesus Chryst is turned from God and attributed to many other his creatures whome they by images doo represent vnto the simple and all other christians to be honered euen in their temples The Sacraments of Chryst are moste shamefully abused for lucre and are so mingled with the opinions and ordinances of men that the sinceritie and firste institution of them can very hardely be perceiued yea euen of the faythfull What kinde of charitie and peace is in the Romishe Churche from the which what great and exceeding bloody battels and spoyling of men and Regions are sprong vp and dayly doo arise within these fewe hundred yeares in the whiche an innumerable number of widdowes and fatherlesse children are encreased excepte they would willingly be blind all men haue knowen to be tootoo much But this miserable matter is rather to be lameÌ„ted than as doubtfull to be proued like as also the things whereof I haue before spoken are too wel knowen and that to the whole worlde And touching the lyfe and maners of the Romish courte and churche especially the principall states and chéefe spirituall persons it is right euidently knowen whereas neuerthelesse Paul saith that those which name them selues Christians and yet without repentance serue Idols are couetous pillers shamelesse whoremasters adulterers drouned in all other filthy and abhominable wickednesse giuing them selues to gluttonie dronkennesse hatred and backbiting shall neuer possesse the kingdome of God yea and no christian ought to haue any company or felowship with suche And sithe it is so euery christian may hereby gather what he ought to thinke of the churche of Rome and whether he oughte to bée bounde to that Churche or rather flée from it rather to Chryst and hys true Churche as the Lorde hym selfe hathe taughte hys in the seuententhe and eyghtenthe Chapters of the Reuelation Truely it is very lamentable that so greate turmoyles and vexations of godly men shoulde be for the Romishe Churche and that suche rumors shoulde be blowen abroade as thoughe shie were styll euen as the primatiue Churche of Rome was when all men may sée what manner of Churche shée is what is doone therein and what wée may hope to haue from thence Therefore wée muste departe and flée from hir and cleaue to Chryste our Lorde and to hys Christian Churche whiche in déede wée confesse to be holy and the communion or felowshippe of all the Saincts The. viij Question If any man doubt of the church of Rome that then he shewe where the true and Catholyke Church of Chryste hath hithervnto ben or as yet is and that he name the place wher the Church is and where it may be founde The Answere THe Donatistes agaynst whoÌ„ blessed Augustine wrote dyd thinke that the Churche of Chryste was tyed or bounde to one certayne place and that she coulde bée founde no where but in Africa and the secrete corners of the Donatistes bicause they thought that in al other places she was extincted or put out In like sort these men go about to include bring the whole church of Christ into the Papal See of Rome so as there should be no christian church
those Magistrates as Eusebius and Orosius doo testifie in their Histories And wée haue a manifest and an excellent example of this matter in the seconde thirde and sixte Chapters of Daniell And in the Historie of the Machabées and the Actes of the Apostles Furthermore the Churche which is called Chrystes Churche and is not so in déede hathe in it none of those things whiche it oughte for to haue for they neither truste in God nor in Chryste nor in his woorde but put their confidence in other matters and make diuerse Lawes and Customes of Religion and the seruice of GOD contrary to Gods woorde and hauing among themselues insimte Sectes yet wyll they bée called the Catholyke Churche And in thys Churche the godly Magistrate hathe power and authoritie to make and ordeyne Lawes and Statutes for the abolyshing and taking away of those thinges whiche are ordeyned contrary to the wyll and woorde of almightie god For Dauid Salomon Josaphat Ezechias Josias Constantinus and other godly Princes are euident examples héereof Therfore when the Magistrate for the profite and reformation of the Church dothe ordeyne Statutes and Lawes agreable to the woorde of GOD they ought moste diligently to bée obeyed of al men yea and if nede require the magistrate must bée assisted in them and those which will not so doo but resiste their Magistrates shall bée most sharply punished of god But the Popes and Prelates of the Romish Church to the ende they may defend and maintayne their honours pryde ryches pleasures and horrible wyckednesse haue hither vnto persuaded with Princes Noble men and Magistrates yea and by force haue héerevnto constrayned them that they shoulde beléeue that the lawes and reformations whiche touched their Pontificall state were cleane contrary to the holy churche God himselfe and all equitie and Justice And by this meanes they dyd not onely mayntayne their pompe and pryde but dyd also dayly encrease the same when as yet rather it had béene their partes to haue called them selues to accountes and to haue considered diligently the state of the Churche and of the afflicted Christendome and so to prouyde for the same and not onely to exhorte the Magistrates but also to helpe them and further them in the reformation hereof and for the spéedier redresse to beginne euen wyth themselues For these are the laste tymes and the indgemente of the Lorde in the whiche they â— all render a moste sharpe accounte is not farre off And blessed are those whome the corruptible trashe of thys lyfe dothe not lette but that they may readily prepare them selues agaynst his comming when he shal iudge bothe the quicke and the deade The Conclusion THus farre by the helpe of God to whom I render most hartie thanks haue I answered to 〈◊〉 Questions and taughte those to whom they shal be obiected how to answere them yea I haue taught what is to be thought of eche of these howe to confesse the true doctrine of Chryst and to take héede of the false And therefore nowe euen for Chrystes sake I hartily beséeche al you which sticke vnto the truth of the Gospell and minde not to returne to filthynesse of Rome that you answere soberly and without fcare and constantly abide in the truth béeing nothing amased with the dayly torments and afflictions which are euer at hande For the Religion my brethren for whiche you suffer persecutions disple asures and other gréefes is not of aâ—eight hundred yeres standing but hath ben euer from the birthe of Chryste yea and from the beginning of the worlde grounded vppon the Scriptures and is in déede the very true and auucient fayth On the other side wée are taughte that the doctrine and Religion of the Churche of Rome that now is is not onely a new doctrine but also deuised by men and ratified by the Counsels and Decrées of men with whom Chryst sayth that he is worshipped in vayne Our doctrine and religion giueth all glory to God and séeketh saluation in Chryste onely And bycause we haue all fulnesse in him wée haue no respecte vnto the creatures And him wée serue not with outwarde pompe and shewes but in spirite and truth in prayer and thanks giuing in righteousnesse charitie puritie fayth and mercy And euen common sense teacheth all men that the true seruice of God consisteth in these things whereas on the other parte all men crye out agaynst the vncertayne doctrine of the Romish Clergie béeing confirmed by no good authority yet they cry out agaynst their filthy lyfe their intollerable oppressions pride and tyrannie Wherfore although they haue great power glory and dignitie fauor and help of great and mightie men and that the poore menne which beléeue in Christ and embrace his woorde and despise the Romish church doe suffer persecutions imprisonment banishment yea and many times death that there appéereth no helpe many times from God but that it séemeth he doth rather fauor the other yet was al this foretold by the Prophetes Apostles yea and by our sauioure Christ him selfe who suffered for vs leauing vs an example to folow his steps And therfore we ought not to take any thought for our goodes frends body or life For we haue great promisses of grace helpe and rewarde from God if we abide stedfast vnto the ende On the other part our aduersaries are dreadfully threatned and shall in time fele the same that without dout Againe touching the things of this world we knowe they are vnconstant brittle and corrupt and therefore we caÌ„not long enioy them neither can the power or riches of our frends any thing profit vs For we shal all die and stand before the iudgement seate of Christe vnto whonte all our sinnes and secrete thoughts shall be made most manifest Therfore let no maÌ„ be gréeued though he suffer affliction in this life for the gospels sake For at that general day both the innocenciè and offences of all men shall appeare And hearken I beséeche you how louingly Christ speaketh vnto vs and comforteth vs Blossed sayth he are those vvhich suffer persecution for righteoufnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are you vvhen they shall speake ouil of you and perfecute you and speake all manner of euill saying making lies vppon you for my sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your revvarde in heauen for euen so did they persecute the Prophets vvhich vvere before you The scholler is not aboue his maister nor the seruaunt greater than his lord If they haue called the good man of the house Belâ—cbub hovv much more vvill they call his seruaunts so you shall not therefore be a fraide of them for thereis nothing so hidden but it shall be knovvne Neither be you afraide of those vvhiche can but kill the body but feare you him rather that is able to destroy bothe body and soule in hell fire Are not tvvo sparovves solde for a farthing and yet one of them falleth not vnto the grounde vvithout the
Wherefore â—ithe wée giue our whole diligence labour and studie that the Auncient and Primatiue puritie and vnitie of the fayth and christian Apostolike Church may be restored and that Chryst may obteine that reuerence in the heartes of the faythfull which is due vnto him and wée in this lyfe may lyue holily and in the lyfe to come eternally in him I hope that no good and godly man can then slaunder or condemne vs for Heretikes bycause we haue forsaken not the aunciente Churche of Rome in those things whiche shée had common with the vniuersall Apostolike Church but this latter Romishe Churche yea and that onely in those thinges whiche to moste shamefull abuse and offence shee hathe deuysed and ordayned not by the authoritie of Goddes woorde but of hir owne brayne yea and moreouer bycause shee is fraughte with all horrible filthinesse and that our Lorde commaundeth vs to go out of hir Rom. 16. 2. Cor 6 Apoc. 18. c. The thirde Common place Of the Decrees and Counsels of the Churche The. x. Question Whether they do stedfastly and without all doubt teach and beleeue that which the holy Catholike church of Rome doth commaunde and teache to be beleeued The Answere TOuching the holy Catholike Churche wée haue already wrytten that the Gospel teacheth vs shée only heareth the voyce of hir only pastor and not of any straunger Wherby we may easily conclude that she commandeth nothing to be beléeued which shée hathe not heard from the mouth of our Lorde and that chiefly bicause Paule sayth that fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God or of Chryst Wherfore when the faythfull doo stedfastly beléeue the word of God then doo they also beléeue all that the holy Churche commaundeth and teacheth to be beléeued for she commaundeth nothing to bée beléeued but that which is conteined in the word of god And whatsoeuer is contrary to Gods worde oughte not to bée beléeued although it were colored with the name of the Churche or any other tytle And as touching the churche of Rome it is manyfest that vnder hir name many things were commaunded to be beléeued and kepte whiche were bothe vnknowen to the primatiue Churche and cleane contrary to the worde of God And all suche things God forbiddeth to beléeue or to receiue saying by his prophet Jeremie Do yee not hearken to the words of the Prophets which speak the imaginations of their owne hearts and not out of the worde of the Lorde And our Lorde out of the prophet Csai sayth in the Gospell â–ª They worshippe me in vayne teaching for doctrynes the preccptes of men And Paule affirmeth there is no truthe in the decrées of men and curseth euery doctrine that is contrarie to the Gospell By this Question it may easily appeare that these men desire or couete nothing else but that the Churche of Rome that is to say themselues might be accounted the only and true church and that whatsoeuer they commaunde to bée kepte and beléeued myght without further question bée receyued But why coÌ„maunde they not all men without all question to beléeue the holy Scripture or woorde of GOD and to acknowledge that all which is néedefull to saluation is fullie conteyned faughte and written therein lyke as Paule sayth in his seconde Epistle to Timothe the thirde Chapter Truely bycause they seeke not the honour of God and the encrease of hys woorde but theyr owne honoure the authoritie confirmation of their owne lawes and customes The. xj Question Whether they doo beleeue that the Decrees and Preceptes of the Churche the Canones and Ordinaunces of the Fathers be of the holy Ghost and not contrary to Christ or the Scriptures The Answere TOuching the decrées of the Churche wée haue answered in the former question But concerning the Canones and ordinances which the fathers haue ordeyned thus muche of them God our moste saythfull father gaue vnto his Churche his holy worde conteyned in both the Testamentes to be as a certayn direction or touchstone by the which all that in stéede of golde that is to say for the ordinaunce of god vndoubted truth was offered vnto vs mighte be tried proued whether they were pure or corrupted Now the Canons and ordinances of the fathers are offered vnto vs for Golde and as the true Oracles of god But sithe them selues were men and might erre and did also commaunde their ordinaunces and decrées to be no further beléeued but as they were proued and allowed by the touchestone of the holy Scriptures they ought therefore to be tryed and proued by the same as Paule teacheth 1. Thessa. 5. and John. 1. Epist. 4. Wherfore if they agrée with the scriptures then are they of the holy Ghost and not contrary to Chryste and hys worde but if they agrée not with them then are they not of the holy ghost but contrary to Chryst and his worde and therefore ought not to be beléeued nor kepte But howe many Decrées of the fathers do apparantly shew themselues contrary to the Scriptures it would be too tedious to recite and therefore as muche as is néedefull to be knowen may easily by these questions be perceiued For almoste all that these men striue for are nothing else but the ordinances and decrées of the fathers or of other men And to say the truthe the decrées of the fathers are many tymes cleane contrary one to an other For some of their decrées forbidde the mariage of the Ministers of the Churche and on the contrarie parte it is euident what the Counsell of Gangraâ—â— dyd teache concerning the same excommunicating all those whiche forsake or despise those Priestes that hée maried And many suche like shal yée finde yea euen in the very Popes decrées But why I beséech you doo not they sée men striue as earnestly for the Lawes and ordinances of God to commende them as the holsome knowledge of our saluation vnto the worlde But truely in all their Questions there is not one word spoken hereof Doo they not therfore moste liuely represente vnto vs the Scribes and Pharisies who were at continuall debate with Chryste and hys Disciples and that onely aboute the decrées of the fathers neglecting the lawe of God and as Chryste often did â—ast in their téeth preferred them to the â—awe of God Math. 15. Mark. 7. The xij Question Whether those generall Councelles whiche are lawefully kepte oughte to bee beleeued and obeyed and whether they may bee called into question as though they had erred and so be disputed vpon The Answere THis Question conteyneth thrée others First whether those generall Councelles whiche are lawfully made ought to be obeyed and beléeued To this we answere that all councels both vniuersall and prouincial as they terme them oughte to take their authoritie from the worde of god Wherfore if the lawes decrées of Councels be deriued from the worde of God and confirmed by the same then ought they no lesse to be
¶ Questions of Religion cast abroad in HELVETIA by the Aduersaries of the same and aunswered by M. H. Bullinger of ZVRICK reduced into 17. Common places Translated into Englishe by Iohn Coxe 1572. ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman for George Byshop To the right Reuerend father in God and my very good Lorde William by Gods prouideÌ„ce Bishop of Excester Iohn Cox Wisheth all grace and peace of conscience from God our heauenly father through Chryste Iesus our Lord nowe and for euer WHEN I HAD finished the translation of thys Booke right Reuerende father and being persvvaded by some of my godly freends to publishe the same in Printe for that it vvas a Booke not onely conteyning the vvhole summe of our Christian Religion but also ansvveres to all the obiections vvhich our aduersaries the Papistes may or can obiecte agaynst vs bearing any similitude or likelyhode of truthe and agayne also considering vvith my selfe that in these our dayes beeing the laste and therefore the moste perillous and daungerous dayes for so our sauiour Christ him selfe teacheth vs vvherin vve haue great neede to be furnished against the assaultes of the enimies of true Religion and vvaying vvith my selfe the godly minde of the author D. Henry Bullinger vvho vvrote the same in hys ovvne naturall tongue for the profite of his Countreymen as more largely appeareth in his ovvne preface vvhere he declareth vvhy he tooke this matter in hande a man of moste singular learning and vertuous liuing for vvhom all christendome is bound to magnifie the maiestie of god declaring his loue tovvards vs in sending such an excellent member to his Church vvho paynfully traueled not only in Lectures and Sermons euen in his olde and feble age but also vvrote many Bookes so that it can not vvell be discerned in vvhich of these tvvo exercises he did most excede in labor thought I could do God no better seruice and no greater pleasure to my Countreymen than to make them partakers of suche a precious perle as this For that it is a sure shield and strong furnished fortresse agaynst the carping tongs and clapping clacks of Moâ—â—â— his race For such is the gret frovvardnesse obstinacie of some men that althoughe God of his mercy and clemencie hath repressed and beateÌ„ dovvne the frosen frostie and darke mountayns of Popish Cimmeria vvherby the clearenesse of his Gospell vvas kepte from vs and hath caused the most comfortable bright beames of his Gospell to shyne foorthe ouer vs yet they most vvickedly blyndfield them selues vvyth the thicke and foggie mystes of mans imaginations and so rebelling agaynst God their Creator chose rather stubbornely to abyde in their olde horrible darkenesse than vvillingly to embrace the comfortable lyghte of so mercyfull a god VVherefore I mused vvith my selfe to vvhome cheefly I might dedicate this treatise amongst many graue and vvise personages I fouÌ„d none so meete as your fatherhoode and that for tvvo causes The one for that it hath pleased god of his mercy to take avvay hence vnto him selfe that moste precious levvel and excellent ornament of his Church D. Jewell late Byshop of Sarisburie for vvhose death vvhat sighes and teares are amongest the godly I ceasse to declare partly for that I vvyll not augmente and renue your Fatherhoods conceiued sorrovves vvhich you haue planted vvithin your breste such vvas the great amitie loue and faythfull frendship betvveene you and for that partly the aboundaunce of mine ovvne teares forceth the same such are the vehement affections of mans nature to vvhome this Booke vvas dedicated by one Iosias Simlerus one of the chefe Ministers in the Church of Zuricke vvho turned the same out of Dutche into Latin vvherin the author vvrote it as I sayd before that as the Booke vvas a defence and fortresse to many so he lykevvyse mighte be a sheelde and defence vnto the same agaynst the brauling tongues of the barking enimyes the Papistes vvho are euer ready to spit foorthe the pestiferous humors of their malitious and vngodly stomacks as their tyrannous practises from tyme to tyme haue and doo moste manyfestly declare VVherfore righte reuerende father and my singular good Lorde sithe it hathe pleased God as I sayde before to take avvay from vs such an ornament and Ievvel for some good cause vnto him knovven I offer this his defence into your hands beeing no lesse vvorthy to take so good a matter in hande The other is your good Lordshyps accustomable fauour and good vvill continually bestovved on the cheefe of my freends vvhich forceth me to dedicate this vnto you therby to signifie that althoughe there vvanteth povver and habilitie bothe in them and me to requite any parte thereof yet suche is our bounden dueties tovvards your Lordshippe that neither blinde obliuion nor tyme vvith his crooked sithe shall be able to cut that reuerende affection and loue from our brestes vvhich vvee haue duetifully conceiued tovvards you VVherefore I moste humbly beseeche you to accepte this my trauell in good parte and as the onely token of him vvho prayeth dayly vnto the almightie God that he may encrese you vvith honor and so gouerne you vvith his holy spirite that as you haue begun so you may continue a most vigilant and paynfull pastor in Chrystes Churche to the comforte and encrease thereof the quiet and discharge of your ovvn conscience the defacing and ouerthrovving of the aduersaries of the same and the incoraging and prouoking of your godly Ministers and Preachers to folovv your steppes in paynfulnesse diligence loue humilitie and other moste excelleÌ„t vertues for the vvhich amongst all the godly you are moste vvorthely commended and that so finishing your lyfe vvith a long and an honorable age you may vvith Chryst Iesus our head and onely cheefe pastor possesse the crovvne of eternall glory for euer and euer Amen Your Lorpships moste humble at commaundement IOHN COXE To the right reuerend Father in God Iohn Iuel Bishop of Sarisburie Iosias Simlerus vvisheth health I Haue heard oftentimes many godly men greatly desire some wryting in the which ther might bréefely be confuted all the chéefe argumentes of the Popishe prelates For saide they there is muche written very copiously and learnedly against them but all meÌ„ haue not leisure to reade ouer so great and large woorkes And furthermore to those which trauell and by crueltie of the persecuters of oure religion are forced to read them priuily these great volumes are to them very incommodious bicause they cannot easily be caried about with them nor thrust or hidde in their bosome And remembring that a fewe yéeres agone the reuerend father in God Iohn Parkhurst did often times desire me that like as D. Bullinger my father in lawe whome for reuerence sake I name had bréefely set foorthe the chéefe poyntes of our religion and confirmed the same by testimonie of holy scripture intituling it the Summe of Christian Religion so I in like maner shuld gather togither al the arguments which the papists
but at Rome and that churche whiche agréed not therewith to bée excluded from Chrystes churche And therefore they haue excommunicated the Grecian and Easte churches and haue herevppon stirred vp gréeuous troubles offences and braulings in the whole vniuersall churche of Chryste But to this Question we aunswere thus Bicause the churche of Chryste is catholike or vniuersall it can not be bound tyed or shutte vp into one certayne place for how can it otherwyse be called the catholike or vniuersall church Therefore if it continue to bée catholyke as the vndoubted Truthe dothe testifie then it both hath bene in times paste and is nowe also in those places where the true members of Chryste are for those onely are they which beléeue in him call on him worshippe and honour hym for their onely Pastor and Sauiour and haue those principall tokens whereof I haue spoken before And thus haue I shewed you the place wherein the true and vniuersall Churche of Chryste hathe héeretofore bene and is yet to bée founde And wée speake of the vniuersall Churche whyche is on thys earthe and not of that whiche is in heauen bycause the place thereof is knowen and manyfest vnto the faythfull But what aunswere wil these Prelates make to that that there was a glorious and scattered church of Christ throughout the worlde before there was any Church of Chryst at Rome the whiche was not called the Churche of Rome but the Churche of Chryste and was in euery place where any faythfull were For the Popish Prelates them selues doo confesse that Saint Peter came to Rome the second yere of Claudius the Emperour and that was tenne yeres after the ascention of Chryste and that there he dyd beginne and preache the Gospell For the gospel sprang not vp first at Rome but it dyd spread from Hierusalem to Rome and so into the whole worlde wherevppon some haue called Hierusalem the mother Churche Therefore the Romishe Churche hathe ouer soone and to quickly desired the gouernment of other Churches and for that cause hathe stirred vp turmoyles and discordes no smal confusion and trouble to the vniuersall Church Furthermore not onely in Grecia but also in the south and in the east there are many faythfull whiche not onely doo confesse Jesus Christ but also worship cal vpon him serue him and doo vndoubtedly appertayne to the kingdome of Chryst although they be subiect to the ciuill gouernement of the tyrannous Lurke and such like tyrants Yet none of all these men care any whit at al for the Byshop of Rome the church thereof or for any customes or Ceremonies by the same Churche deuised or ordeined beeing contrary to the worde of God I say they esteeme them no more than we in this our age and in this our countrey esteeme them And doo they not nowe therefore appertayne to the Churche of Chryste Wherfore it is euident that Chryste hathe his church yea euen in those Countreys But when as in tymes paste the Byshop of Rome desired certayne of those Nations to submitte them selues vnder the Churche of Rome they as the Storie testifieth aunswered VVee knowe your power and your pride we can not satisfie your couetousnesse nor wyll suffer your tyrannie and vnlawefull luste and therefore as wee are so wee wyll remayne And yet these godly men refuse not to obey the Chrystian Churche but onely they doo refuse to obey the vnlawefull luste of these pontificall Prelates and yet notwithstanding loue and serue Chryste yea so muche the more for that they submitte not them selues to the Byshop of Rome The. ix Question Whether they do beleeue that without the Churche of Rome there be no saluation or remission of sinnes and whether they doo also beleeue that all those which separate thēselues willingly from that church are to be condemned as Heretikes and Schismatikes The Answere LEt vs make some difference betwéene these questiōs whether there be any saluation or remission of sinnes without the churche of Rome Or again whether there be any saluation or remission of sinnes without the Christian church For thus truely we suppose say that there is no more saluation to be looked for without the christian church than there was health to be loked for in the floud without the arke of Noe. For our sauiour Chryst Jesus the remissiō of sinnes and al other good gifts of God that are declared vnto vs by the preaching of the gospel are written in our herts by the holy ghost vnto eternall lyfe are only to be founde in the communion or felowship of saincts For without the Churche there are many erroures in this world as of the Gentiles Jewes Mahomets diuers other Heresies yea the lawes and superstitious constitutions and Ceremonies of the Popes which all are vnknowne and repugnant to the churche of Christe Wherfore we say that saluation and remission of sinnes may very well be had withoute the churche of Rome For the faithfull which beléeue Christes woorde and féele the power of faith and redemption of Christ and in the meane while beholde what is done in the church of Rome wherein Heauen remission of sinnes and all other holy things are set out to sale and are bidde to be redéemed with oure vnrighteous riches as by the shamefull mart of their indulgences it appeareth doe not long abide in suche a churche nor studie not to be pertakers of these knackes but flée with a quiet and faithfull harte without money to the onely grace of God bicause Esaie in hys 55. Chapter sheweth that euen for thys cause the Lorde speaketh vnto and reproueth men for that they come not to him but lay oute their money for those things which profitte nothing to theyr saluation Let therefore euery man I beséeche you reade the fiue and fiftie chapter of this Prophet And how suche buying and selling in the churche displeaseth bothe Christe yea and Peter of whome the churche of Rome dothe so busily but yet without cause bragge Christe himselfe declareth by his example in that he draue twise out of the Temple the buyers and sellers yea euen with whippes Iohn 2. Matth. 21. In the Actes of the Apostles also it is wrytten That when Simon Magus sawe the holy Ghoste was giuen of the Apostles by laying on of their handes he broughte money vnto them saying Geeue mee also this povver that on vvhome so euer I lay mine hande hee may receiue the holy Ghost but Peter answered him Let thy siluer perishe togyther vvith thee or as some doe interprete it Let thy mony be vvith thee into perdition vvhich thinkest the gift of God may begotten vvith mony For thou hast neyther parte nor felovvship in this doctrine for thy hart is not right before god Act. 8. And bicause God héere by Peter cursseth all those which are not of an vprighte harte and pronounceth them to haue no parte or fellowshippe wyth Goddes electe which make marchandise of his grace and other giftes amongste whome saluation
beléeued than the worde of God it selfe But if it be otherwyse then is there no aucthoritie of any Councell to bée accepted agaynst the truthe of the holy Scriptures Constantinus the Emperoure in the firste generall Counsell holden at Nâ—câ— offered vnto the fathers there béeing lawfully assembled the Bookes of the olde and newe Testamente commaunding them thereby so iudge and determyne all controuersies The seconde Question is VVhether that Counsels haue erred But their Question is so demaunded as thoughe they mighte neuer erre But bycause all the Councelles that haue béene héeretofore as also those whiche are now were gathered from men and and that men doo and may erre like as in times past they haue often erred for Dauid sayth God is true but euery man is a lyar and saint James sayth In many things we sinne all It foloweth therfore that couÌ„cels may erre On the other side if they folow god his word they caÌ„ not erre as we before haue sufficiently declared That councels haue erred and therby often haue bene quite coÌ„trary one to an other coÌ„demning one an other dothe manyfestly appeare by Hystories For it is not néedefull at large héere to discourse them all sithe I haue onely determined to aunswere the Questions aforesayde briefly The thirde Question is VVhether those thinges whiche are well and sufficiently decreed vppon once in some generall Councell oughte to bee called into question and to bee disputed on agayne To this question I aunswere thus Those thinges whereon the Counselles haue rightely and truely decréed by the woorde of GOD to those muste wée submitte our selues neyther are they to be called into question As the firste generall Counsels holden at Nice Constantinople and Ephesus dyd well and rightely decrée touching the holy Trinitie the Deuine and Humane nature of Chryste the holy Ghoste and of suche thinges whiche dydde héerevnto appertayne They nowe therefore offende not agaynst GOD whiche dispute and set them selues agaynst those that call these thinges agayne into question and make doubte of them but they whych are the causers and authors of these Disputations offende as namely Seruetus the Spaniarde in our age and diuerse others whiche haue done the lyke by their open workes and wrytings We also confesse that the lawes of the godly Emperours and Kinges were and are ryghte profitable and necessarie wherein blasphemouse and wycked disputations are forbydden But the Popishe Prelates can not by this tytle defende or shielde them selues as that nothing ought to bée written or disputed agaynst their late newe holden Counselles whiche thyng in déede they greately desire bycause they knowe them selues giltie of infidelitie For it is tootoo manyfeste and can by no manner of meanes bée denyed that in their Counsels they haue ordeined and decréed many thinges contrary to the custome of the Primatiue Churche and the manyfeste testimonies of the holy Scriptures which by their leaue wée may not leaue vntouched Wherevppon within these fewe hundred yeares many holy learned faythfull valyaunte and sincere Ministers of GOD haue cried out saying that the church of Rome is fraught and full stuffed with all abuses errors sinnes wicked and horrible factes and offences and therefore hathe néede of greate and earneste reformation But these men woulde that all these thinges shoulde bee couered and smered ouer and therefore they say It is not lawefull agayne to speake of or dispute agaynst those things which were once decreed and establyshed by generall Councels But whether this bée righte and iuste before God and men the wyse may easily perceiue Touching this matter Saincte Augustine dothe very well instruct vs for he commaundeth vs without all doubt to beléeue the Scriptures of the holy Bible and to beléeue the writinges of the fathers so farrefoorthe as they bee confirmed and proued by the witnesse of the holy Scripture Epistle 19. 111. 48. agaynst Cresconius Lib. 2. Capitu. 32. ni his Booke De peccatorum meritis remis cont Pelag. Li. 3. Ca. 7. De vera regione Cap. 10. Contra Epist. Pelag. ad Bonifac. Lib. 4. Cap. 8. And in his third Booke agaynst Maximinus he saythe But nowe neyther oughte I to bryng the Councell of Nice nor thou the councell of Arimineus as to be preiudiciall one to an other but let vs dispute by the authoritie of the Scriptures And in his seconde Booke agaynst the Donatistes and thirde Chapter he submitteth Councelles to the authoritie of the Scriptures and saythe that it often commeth to passe that the former Councelles may bée amended by those whiche are holden after Agayne De Vâ—itate Ecclesiae in hys sixetéenthe Chapter he sayth That the Scripture is the foundation and Pyller of the Churche and of all that is therein The. xiij Question Whether that Paule Peter James and the rest of the Apostles in the first Counsell holden at Jerusalem did take into theÌ„ the Heretikes which vrged Circumcision and the obseruing of Moyses lawe vpon the godly or the lay men which were of that secte The Answere THe whole scope and drift of this question is this that if there chance a frée conference or disputation in any counsel wherin they are required to render a reason of their fayth and Religion and so may not refuse the same that then they may haue at the leaste some kinde of prerogatiue to the ende that nothing may bee decréed agaynst theÌ„ that they may not be drawen froÌ„ their sinnes errors other abuses to a vertuous acceptable life before god Therfore séeke they by al meanes that them selues onely may be placed in thâ— councels and that they may not be constrained to admit any lay man or suche as are not of their stampe amongste them but that they alone may haue ful power and aucthoritie to accuse to be witnesses to determine and to iudge and that by this meanes nothing may be done but as it listeth them And eueÌ„ in this sorte haue some of their forefathers nowe a great while holden councels being the readye waye as they thought to prouide for them selues But whether this were acceptable before God vpright before men or profitable to the church the time it selfe the oppressing of the truthe the slaughters of moste godly men and the miserable gouernement of the thurche dothe euidently declare yea and all faithfull and wise men may easely iudge Of this question there is two partes The first is vvhether the Apostles in the firste councell at Ierusalem did take into the same those heretickes which wente about to thrust vpon the godly circumcision and the lawe of Moses Now héere they suppose we must néedes denie the same whereuppon they will conclude that bicause we are Heretickes we neither oughte to be heard nor be admitted into the councel But althoughe there were no place nor licence giuen to the heretickes in the councell at Jerusalem to speake yet it foloweth not that we ought not to be heard or ought not to be admitted into