they cannot doo they thinke vnlesse they haue the peoples heartes and they perswade themselues that the people of the other side will neuer be reconciled to their Romish Church vnlesse their religion be easie plausible and pleasant to the outward sight and delight of the flesh Hereupon haue they graunted their Bulles their dispensations and all other their licentious doctrines which geue free leaue and authoritie to commit any sinne or sinnes for as long or as short a time as they listed so that they might take their choise of pleasant sinnes to sport themselues at their pleasure and conuenient leisure which to atchieue notwithstanding they must pay good currant coyne for Behold gentle Reader the two pillers of the church of Rome viz. The glorie and riches of their proude Pope and prelates was one and the libertie preached to the people was the other So that the pope I thinke went about to builde a kingdome for himselfe on earth rather then to build a church for God in heauen Hereupon is he magnified with so many titles Hereupon after he began to growe in ambition he vsurped the tytle of Supremacie ouer all kinges princes and Emperours of the world And when the pope had all this iurisdiction and preheminence what was it els but to say with the Whore of Babylon d Reue. 18.8 Sit as Queene I wonder that all the Papistes of the world are not ashamed of their vnholye father whose kingdome whose Church whose religion is onely to preach libertie and licentious kinde of liuing to the people seeking his owne onlie glorie and renowne and not the glorie of God This is that the Iesuits fight for that the Seminaries perswade and contend for that the papistes boast of that they dare challenge al the world in disputation for the defence thereof namely the erecting of the downfalling pride of the Pope in their subtill perswasions to reconcile sillie vnstable soules vnto their Romish Sea They can paint out the honour of Rome with most princelie building in the authoritie of their Pope with more then kinglie tytles and the glory of their splendant Church with no lesse eloquence insomuch as they haue made their tongues as sweete as musicke to enchant and their reason nothing but sophistry to deceiue of whom I wish all men to take heede as of rauening wolues and to flie them as venemous serpents For the true Church of God dooth not stande in such outward glystering pompe as these men would make beleeue but in trueth of the word of God deliuered in sacred scriptures as heretofore hath bene declared But all the pomp wherewith the Romaine Iesuits Seminaries and papistes doo so aduance their proude Pope withall and calling their Church the mother Church What dooth it els represent vnto vs but the glorious state of the Whore of Babylon which was clothed with e Reue. 17.4 purple and decked with golde with pretious stones and pearles hauing a cuppe of golde in her hand full of th'abhominations and vncleannesse of filthinesse and in her forhead was written not the mother Church but great Babylon the mother of fornications and of abhominations of the earth O but I doo the Pope great iniury for he calleth himselfe Seruus seruorum the seruant of seruants but what matter is it to cal himself so in name when in deed he sheweth himself Rex regū a king of kings and a Lord aboue all nations as his title of supremacie his vsurped authoritie of-excommunication of princes his putting downe of kinges and giuing their kingdoms away to whome he list doth manifestly bewray So that this is but a mist cast ouer mens eies to blind fold men from beholding the vsurped princelinesse of the Pope In trueth the Church of Rome sauoureth of too much earthly pompe to haue any part in the true church of God though it boast neuer so much and trust in lying words saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord The papistes can say that concerning Rome they haue the testimonie of Paule who in his Epistle to the Romanes writeth to al that be in Rome calleth thē f Rom. 1.7 beloued of God called saints but what profiteth it thē that in times past there was a true spouse of Christ in Rome sith now and manie yeares since it is become an adultresse and hath forsaken her first loue her first faith But al this is outcountenanced with the authority of the pope being Peters successor as he glorieth And the pope he chalengeth the Apostolike Sea so that hee will be Peters successour and yet vicarius dei what is this els but to assure vs that Antichrist shall sit in the Temple g Thess 24. of God as God boasting himselfe to be God The Pharisees in Christes dayes could say who can forgiue sinnes but God and yet the Pope hee will arrogate vnto himselfe that authoritie to wreath from kinges their crownes and scepters what is this but to sit in the temple of God as God and boasting himself to be God Now how well he dischargeth the office of an Apostle I think al men vnderstand he braggeth to be Peters successour but what glory is it to be Peters successour in place and not to retaine the doctrine and performe the office of the Apostle Peter It is the maner of papistes altogether to glorie of names persons and places and such outward titles they neuer looke to the trueth of inward puritie so that al there religion is nothing els but a painted schulchre fayre to the eye but within full of rotten bones because the pope was successour to a good Apostle It followeth not no more then an vsurper of a kingdome shal be said a lawful king because he is a successour to a lawfull king Though Peter were a true apostle yet the pope may be a false Apostle and that the Pope is a false Apostle appeareth by the notes of a true and false Apostle Peter had his calling from Christ to be an Apostle and so entred Peter into the Apostleship For Christ is the h Ioh. 10.1 dore whosoeuer entereth not in by the doore but climeth vp some other way the same is a theefe and a robber therefore let the Pope shew that he entred in by the dore or els hee is not like Peter a lawful Apostle In doctrine how the Pope and Peter agree is soone seene Peter saith if i 1. Pet. 4 1◠anie man speake let him speake as the words of God the pope hee blotteerth out his owne traditions his vnwritten verities and vomiteth out the puddle of his owne brayne yea he wil preache matter contrarie to the word of God and peruert the worde of God as when Paule sayth and the whole Scripture agreeing with hym that by the k Rom. 3.20 workes of the lawe no flesh shal be iustified before God the Pope and Papistes holde and teache that good woorkes are meritorious yea and that
all to try the truth therof out of the sacred scriptures they bind mens consciences with the decrees of their own councels without apellation We say with the Prophet Esay That all our righteousnes is like a defiled cloath and with Paule that Christ is made vnto vs a 1. Co. 1.3 ct righteousnesse by the bountifulnes of God and wisedome and redemption that as it is written He that b Iere 9 23 reioiceth should reioice in the Lord. We say with Christ that no man can come vnto him vnlesse it bee c Iohn 6 65 giuen him from his father We say also with Paule in plaine tearms that it is d Phil. z 3 God that worketh both the will and thee deede They say they haue free will of themselues to good acceptable to God by I knowe not what blinde light of nature they haue good woorkes yea workes of superogation meritorious for themselues and others also wherein they may boast and bragge but not before e Rom. 4 2 God So we ascribe all all glorie to God and they robbe God of his glory and take it to themselues Peter was commanded to feed the f ohn 21 flock of Christ and he did according The Pope he starueth the flocke of Christ without any foode and yet he taketh the fleece for ignorance saith he is the mother of deuotion and heathen Idols be the bookes that Lay-men must looke on and this is the foode he ministreth and the knowledge and trueth Christ biddeth the people Search the g Iohn 5.39 Scriptures the papisticall church saith no It breedeth sectes and schismes as though they wer wiser then christ The religion of God is sincere holy and pure for money a man may haue a pardon and dispensation of the Pope for all kindes of beastlie vilanies what dooth this shew but that their bellye is theyr God their kitchin is their roligion yea they are not ashamed to publish murther of christian princes to be a matter meritorious and wherfore contend they for this but that they may raigne themselues in earthly pompe and sit aboue kings adorned with large extēded authority This last point is such a blur to their religion that he is wilfully blind that seeth not the falshood thereof yea it is such a spot to their religion to giue a commission to commit murder that by the name of meritorious that it bewraieth al the rest of their religiō to be ful of fraud deceit open trecherie For what man of sound wit can be perswaded that he that is a true faithful apostle indeed can dispēce in anie sort with such open grosse faults which are euen odious to the law of nature readie footpath to bring the bodie into bondage the soule to hellish tormēts I would wish therfore no mans im plicita fides to be so intangled with his open sleightes as to beleue him in anie thing for he sheweth himself reuera to be verie Antichrist in such perspicuous maner that no man can doubt thereof for what doth he els but sit in the h 2. Thess 2. temple of God and boast himselfe to be God when claiming the Apostolike sea he calleth himself the vicar of Christ in earth the head of the church that he cannot erre that he can forgiue sinnes matters that belong peculiarly to God alone and yet that proud Antichrist will be extolled with those titles what is this but to sit in the seate of God as God Also that he claimeth to be Dux ducum Rex regum imperator imperatorum that hee hath authoritie to depose and set vp princes at his pleasure to build and ouerthrow kingdomes what is this but malepertly and moste blasphemously to thrust himselfe into the seat of God boasting himselfe to be God for it is God per quem Reges regnant ac principes dominantur But let all the Romanistes knowe this that is also written in the same Chapter concerning their Antichrist the pope that for the decite wherewith hee hath deceaued the inhabitantes of the earth and for his treasons and blasphemies against the mighty God the Lord from heauen shall consume him with the i 2. Thess 28. spirite of his mouth and confound him in the brightnesse of his comming Babilon must k Reul 18 2 fall yea great Babilon must fall and must become an habitation of deuils a prison of alvnclean spirits Now let him boast that he is Peters successor that maketh him neuer a iote the more lawful apostle vnlesse he perform the office of a sincere Apostle as Peter did l Iohn 10 1 for otherwise he is a l theefe a robber and a Woolfe that appeareth in sheepes clothing of whome Christ bad vs beware And therein he doth nothing els but like the deuils impe transform himself into an angel of light to deceiue simple soules Let them glory in the name of the church crying that Rome is the mother church the mother church what benefite is it to haue the name and to want the thing for in trueth all their preheminence is onely in names of the church of Peters place in the statelinesse of their Hierarchie of goodly order of their carnal cardinals and in such outward pompe and glorie But alas these painted clothes bewray the raggednesse of their religion for the churche of God is not builded vpon such outward shewes but vppon sinceritie of doctrine and conuersation Therefore leauing the Lion to be knowne by his clawes whome times and seasons haue so manifestly disclosed I counsell thee to forsake the pope and to learne of Peter build thy faith not vpon the pope who of himselfe wanteth a foundation but vpon Paule and Peter and the rest of the Apostles Christ Iesus himselfe being the corner stone Take heed of implicita fides learne thy selfe out of the worde of God what thou beleeuest and wherevpon thy faith is builded for if it be builded generallie vpon men thy faith is wauering and doubtfull but if vpon God then is it built vpon a rocke against which the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile Followe the aduise of Christ n Iohn 5 39 Searche the scriptures diligently read them with reuerence in all humilitie and pray to God earnestly so shall his word be a light vnto thy feete o Psal i19 105 and a lanterne to thy pathes to direct thee in the way of trueth to keepe thy minde sincere and thy eye cleere to see and discerne the trueth from falshoode a shepheard from a woolfe a true Apostle from a false and Christ from Antichrist FINIS
diuelish braynes that doe nothing els but deuise the vtter ruine and destruction thereof if they could tell which way To these men therefore me thinkes Gameliel a doctor of the lawe should satisfie answering in the like case to the rulers who tooke counsell to put Peter and the rest of the Apostles to death for their preaching in the name of Iesus Let them alone saith he for if this a Act. 5 28 worke be of men it will surely come to naught if of God you cannot dissolue it least you be found to fight against God As long therefore as our religion is builded not vpon men but vpon God in vayne doe papistes looke for the ouerthrow of that whereof God himselfe purposeth to vphold They obiect as contrarie vnto vs the antient fathers by whose consenting voyce if the debate were to be ended the better part of the victorie to speake moste modestly would bend to our side but whereas manie thinges haue bin well and wisely written of those fathers and something hath happened to them which is woont to happen to men these kinde natured children according to the rightnesse they haue both of wit and iudgement doe worship onely their faultes and errours and those thinges which are well spoken they eyther vtterly reiect or els mischieuousle corrupt with their bastard glozes and interpretations And no maruell though they thus deale with the fathers who were but men when they dare be bolde to adde to to take from to curtoll corrupt in like sort the sacred scriptures of God himselfe as afterward shal be declared But the papistes are so drowned in their owne sensuall blindnesse they are so addicted onely to the outward eye that they can see no true token of the true church they shew themselues to be men in that rather then they will haue no Church they will build it vpon men when they want the word of God for their foundation whervpon in trueth the true Church is builded but of the same fountain of ignorance is it that they call our religion newe because it appeared not in outward shewe along time together as their painted Church hath done to whome we answere that it is new to them to whome the Gospel is new And wheras it hath long lien hid vnknown and as it were buried that was the fault of the vngodlinesse of the world but nowe sith it is by the bountifulnesse of God restored againe it ought by right of full restitution to receiue againe the due title of antiquitie And herein the papistes do manifest iniurie vnto vs who conuey our religion farre before theirs namely from the mouth of God and the prophets of Christ and his apostles by a lawfull conueyance written with the finger of God sealed with the blood of his sonne and deliuered vnto vs by the handes of the prophetes and apostles so that we haue the writinges of God lawfully sealed and deliuered to giue in euidence for the trueth of that faith that we professe the truth whereof is confirmed by the myracles that are extant in scriptures wrought by Christ and his apostles for the establishing of his doctrine foreuer So that I trust the Papistes will not driue vs to other myracles for all the myracles that euer were done before either in the time of Moses and the Prophetes or Christ and his apostles for confirming of the doctrine that they should teach vpon which doctrine already confirmed by innumerable myracles signes and wonders Wee rest and stay our selues as vpon a most sure anchor and infallible foundation which can neuer faile nor fall They haue charged our doctrine as the welspring of troubles vprores and contentions and tearmed it most slaunderously a Doctrine of Libertines and licentious libertie But who knoweth not that these are euident and apparant badges of their Romish religion Dooth not daylie experience teach vs that the Romaine Iesuits and Seminaries of Rome doo disquiet not onely England but all Europe with erecting vprores and monstrous treacheries and treasons in peaceable common-weales with seeking to shead innocent blood to pull crownes from lawfull annointed Princes and setting subiectes if they could in rebellious troupes to bid battaile against their lawful Soueraignes But it is an hard matter to take Hercules club out of his hand and to wreath from Princes their crownes is more impossible but in raising warre against God the annointer of Princes and preseruer of their regal Scepters is far lesse hope to get a victorie Therefore to the turbulent spirited Papistes Elias hath taught vs to answere that it is not we that haue c 1. King 18 troubled Israell but themselues that wrastle against the power of God And whereas they vrge vpon vs a doctrine of liberties and licentiousnesse they throwe that vppon vs which is appropriated and peculier vnto themselues onely For our religion teacheth a true faith towards God and good and godly conuersation among men but all the Romishe Catholikes if they bee once reconciled to the Sea of Rome there is no trueth in their mouthes nor faithfulnesse in their heartes they may sweare and forsweare for Fides non est seruanda cum haereticis as they with as much rage as litle reason tearme vs yea what villanie may they not commit They may sinne all monstrous sinnes of the world and iustifie it when they haue done so that they may sinne and that with authoritie They may haue a pardon from the pope and a dispensation also for money to commit all filthinesse and kindes of naughtinesse adulterie robberie murther treasons rebellions And what villanie is there that they may not commit with boldnesse by vertue of their vitious and most pestilent religion For a popes pardon will salue all Doo wee not see it euident that the pope sendeth his Legates hither to perswade the people to a wrong faith to whisper in their eares treachery and treason against a most naturall prince and Soueraigne And to such fellowes as like hereof they graunt pardons and take it a matter meritorious in heauen But who is so blind that dooth not see the peruersnes and sensuall beastinesse of their Romish religion who when they are able no longer to stand vpright and to maintaine the pompe of the Pope but that his kingdom beginneth to fall being already shaken when by the power of the word of God the glory of their church beginneth to decay and fade away then they are driuen to deuise newe subtilties and because their doctrine cannot please God they endeuour another while to see if they can please men withall Wherein good reader I beseech thee consider with me vpon what good foundation the Church of Rome is builded and how well the pope that vainely bosteth himselfe to be Peters successour dischargeth the office of a true apostle The papistes and Romanistes they contend with stretched out voice and fight with all the violence they can to erect and vphold the vanishing and all tottering glorie of the pope This
A Briefe resolution of a right Religion TOVCHING THE CONtrouersies that are nowe in England Written by C. S. PRO. 15.32 He that refuseth to be reformed despiseth his owne soule but he that submitteth himselfe to correction is wise LONDON Printed by Roger Ward for Iohn Proctor and are to be sold at his shop vpon Holborne Bridge 1590. TO THE READER THou hast courteous Reader heere offered vnto thy viewe a small booke conteining the resolution of a true Religion It is garnished with no great eloquēce or rhetoricall florishe as manifesting my intent therin to be more to delight the inward heart with matter of substance then the outwaed care with words of trifling daliance The positions I hope will proue true the question not doubtfull though dangerous to my selfe in that I shall hazard my person in running vppon the cragged Rockes of the pestilent toonged Papistes I trust notwithstanding the shippe of my safetie will be strong inough if not to breake the rockes yet to beare the bruntes of all such stormie and tempestuous accidentes as winde and weather shall throwe vpon me sayling in so troublesome seas howbeit I meane well euen to the Romish Catholikes themselues whom earnestly I would request to reade this small worke with a single eye and with an indifferent minde not caried away with inraged rancor or woonted obstinacie for I will not feare to make themselues Iudges of the cause if they haue their eyes to see or wils to iudge with indifferencie I haue not runne ouer all matters of both sides for neither could I in so smal a roume onely and especially I haue leuelled at the verie foundation Read it through therefore gentle Reader with no lesse good minde then I wrote it and then I doubt not but thou wilt in fine be resolued with me of a right Religion If my worke want learning in recompence thereof I pray thee accept my good will wherin is no defect Thus not doubting of thy humanitie hoping well also of thy diuinitie I commend this my booke to thy gratefull curtesie and bid thee most heartely farewell Vale in Christo C. S. R. Armin in praise and commendation of this briefe Resolution of a right Religion THere are manie that haue tooke vpon them to set downe the poyntes of true Religion and haue aptly argued of particular partes yea and rightly disciphered the ample Rules of trueth amongest whome as chiefe this learned student C.S. hath sufficiently plainely and profoundly plac'd it before our eyes and hauing quite supprest false doctrine hath presented to our viewe this right resolution and I in this behalfe will say that the papist may well knocke himselfe on the brest saying a Confiteor making vaine signes of repentance of his sinnes but if he looke narrowly vnto it he shall finde it nothing but mockerie and hypocrisie The other vitious and detestable sect are Martinesses who see so farre into matters that they ouersee themselues wresting thinges from the right sence to the wrong making shew of zeale when it is meere follie therefore let them know here is the right religion though a briefe resolution short and sweete and therefore you that will be heyres of heauen and you zealous protestantes wish him wel whose imployed studie was and is to conduct you to the trueth and therfore hold euery sect false whose rules he doth contradict and withall patience waite for the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ and labour so that you may be found of him without spot and blamelesse Surely that day ought to be fearefull to the wicked but of vs that should be most desired knowing assuredlie that there is no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesus and his great kindnes and meekenes when hee commeth to make vs liue with him for euer in heauen Amen R. A. A BRIEFE RESOLVTION OF a right Religion GReat controuersie hath long bin betweene the Papists and Protestantes as they are commonly tearmed whether of them be the true church for it is agreed of both sides that Extra Ecclesiam non est salus but surely me thinks it is a question scarse questionable for the papistical Romishe Church arrogateth that they are the true church and our Religion grounded out of the worde of God perswadeth vs to be of the true church for we are builded vpon the sacred writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles Christ Iesus himselfe being the a Ephes 2.20 corner stone their church or rather synagogue of Sathan is builded vpon vnwritten verities and depraued sacred trueth the pope of Rome a man nay b Reue. 13.1 a beast with seuen heades and tenne hornes and vpon his hornes tenne crownes and vppon his heades the names of blasphemie being the head thereof We imbrace Paule we imbrace Peter and yet we renounce the Pope who vainly boasteth himselfe to be Peters successour in asmuch as the Pope is neither like to Peter in doctrine maners nor religion and in vaine shall the pope boast to haue his place when he commeth nothing neere vnto in the qualities of his person nor in the doctrine of the Apostles for in this respect there is as much difference betweene them as betwixt blacke and white light and darkenesse heauen and hell as afterward shal be manifested Christ hath forewarned vs that there shall arise c Mat. 24.24 false Christes and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders to deceiue if it were possible the verie elect Paule hath giuen vs a good caueat let no man saith he deceiue himselfe againe let euery man take heede howe he buildeth And he addeth this rule to know d 1. Cor. 3.18 assuredly the true and right foundation for saith he other foundation can no man lay but that which is layd alreadie which saith hee is Iesus Christ The same Paule in his Epistle to the Galathians saith e Gal. 1.8 if we or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you anie other Gospell then that we haue preached Anathema esto let him be accursed And this sentence he iterateth a second time If we are bidden not to beleue Angels from heauen if they teache doctrine contrary to Paules will aine man then be so foolish as to beleeue the pope vpon his word and vnwritten verities teaching matters contrarie not onely to Paule but to Peter and to all the whole body of the sacred scriptures When f Luke 16. Diues was in hell and cast vp his eyes and saw Lazarus in Abrahams bosome and being in torments could not obtaine of Abraham that Lazarus might dip hys finger in water and coole his toonge because hee was tormented in that flame He did then beseeche Abraham that he would send Lazarus to his fathers house for he had fiue brethren that he might testifie to them least they also came in that place of torment But whether did he referre them They haue saith Abraham Moses and the Prophets let them heare them for if they will not heare them neither will
as I suppose they glorie to call themselues Catholikes The Pope say they holdeth the Apostolicall Sea and the Byshops that be annointed and consecrated by him so that they be trimmed with fillets and Myters doo represent the Church and ought to be taken for the Church and therfore they cannot er because they are consecrated to the Lord which consequent also followeth not For Aaron and other rulers of Israell also were consecrate to the Lord but Aaron and his sonnes after they were made Priestes did yet erre when they Exo. 31.4 made the calfe But let vs examine the premises Wilt thou simple papist haue vniuersalitie a contiuall badge of the church wilt thou haue the true Church to consist in such outward glorious shew Then was the chiefe Priests the Scribes and Pharises who were assembled to kil Christ the true church and then shal Christ and his apostles few in number and dispearsed abroad be the false church For the glorie of the outward Church remained in the chiefe priestes Scribes and Pharises yet who be so blasphemous as to dare say that they were the true Church who crucified the Lord of life So that silly papists neuer deceiue the world with this glose for your outward pomp of your church is rather you see an argument of a false church than of a true Church By this reason of the papistes the foure t 1. King 22 1â— hundreth Prophets which lied to Achab should haue represented the true Churche but the Churche was indeed on Micheas side being indeede but one man alone and vnregarded but out of whose mouth came trueth Did not the false prophets in resemblance beare both the face and name of the Church when they did with one violent assault rise vp against Ieremie and with threatning boasted that it was not possible that the v Iere. 18.18 law should perish from the priest counsell from the wise and the word from the Prophet Ieremie alone was sent against the whole companie of the Prophets to declare from the Lord that it shoulde come to passe that the lawe should perish from the priest counsell from the wise man and the worde from the Proophet and yet all men knowe that Ieremie was in the right and of the true Church and all the rest against him in a maruellous errour Thus you see that trueth is not tyed to the multitude of men or to the title of vniuersalitie nor to the outward glistring pompe but rather contrà In the olde world did not Noah and his family being verie few in number in respect of all the worlde beside did not they I say represent the Church of God at that time Doth not Christ often call his a little flocke Doth not Christ say that x Math. 7.13 wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that enter that way Doth hee not also adde that straight is the gate and narrowe is the way that leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it What doth all this proue but that the fewest vsually are the Church of God and vniuersalities and multitudes they are so farre from beeing markes of the true Church that they rather euidently bewray the synagogue of Sathan The Papists are still busie with vs and they thinke they driue vs to a hard straight when they demand of vs where our church was manie hundred yeres agoe for they say that the Church must consist of an alwaies appearing forme visible to the eye and that it may be alwaies poynted out with the finger in apparent shewe Truely this answere is easie to dissolue this which they make so knotted an argument for though papistes like carnall and sensuall men can iudge of nothâ—ng but that which they see with outward eyes yet Protestantes as they tearme them God hath endued them with better vnderstanding Let them aunswere me what forme of the Church shined in outward shewe when Helias complained and bewayled that he z 1. King 19.11 alone was left No question there was then and hath bene since and euer will be a Church of God so long as Christ shall raigne at the right hand of the father and yet it was not then seene in outward visible pompe but rather seemed as desolate as the Prophet Helias himselfe supposed and as no Churche indeede but it was saide to Helias that there were reserued seuen thousand men that had not bowed their knees to Baall So that there was euen then a church which yet was not seene with outward shining pompe and when the Prophet himselfe began therewith also to be dismayed Where was the Church in the time of Christ and hys Apostles when the shepheard was taken and the sheepe was scattered and dispersed When the glistring outward shewe was in the high Priestes Scribes and Pharisees And yet the Church obscured was the true Churche and not the synagoue of the Scribes Pharisees high priests that excelled in outward gorgeous shew Thus there is no question but that the true Church may be and yet not appeare in outward pompe of shew and glorious to the eye For where was our church in Quene Maries dayes as in all other times of persecutions in all places of the worlde besides Is there not a Church though it be not seene nor shewed in outward and eminent brightnesse but lyeth as it were hid darkened scattered abroad The Church was then persecuted and many then like constant Martirs of the true Church indeede induced the tyrannie of that romish religion so that some were bannished and other fled into other nations for succour and some indured martyrdome at home some other hid themselues but the whole Church generallie was vexed and oppressed And therefore when our Church was persecuted it is a good argument I thinke to say there was a Church ouerwhelmed with tyrannicall malice Is anie man so buzzard like or so blockishly blind that will say there is no sinne at al because it is sometime couered with a cloud or that there is no fire at all because it is sometime raked vp in imbers our Church may be and yet not seene not knowne to be by reason of darkenesse and palpable blindnesse and ignorance that ouer shadowed the light thereof so that by reason of clowdie darkenesse that grewe the Church could not shine to the viewe of others though in it selfe it were inlightened from God with a secret hidden and vnapparent light many ages togither Thus by expresse testimonie of scripture thou seest that a Church may be yea a true Church may be though it be not eminent in apparent shew for God doth shew the bright beames thereof in time and causeth it to shine in perfect bewtie for it is neither deuill nor pope nor prelate nor potentate no power nor pollicie that is able vtterly to roote it out from the earth for the God of heauen is the strong defender and moste puissant preseruer thereof against all the
there bee woorkes of superogation able to saue both themselues and others also they may so aboūd with such superfluitie of good workes Yea worse then all this they holde and teache and teach other to practise which is most horrible blasphemie that bad workes are also meritorious namely that treason in subiects and murthering of their lawfull Christian Soueraigne is not onely lawful but alowable yea commendable nay more than so meritorious in heauen which doctrine as it is moste blasphemous so the practise thereof is moste damnable and dangerous abhorring from nature which teacheth euerie subiect to feare and honour his prince as nature bindeth the sonne to feare and honour his father for princeps est patriae parens degenerating from the law of all nations for it is lawfull and meritorious for a papisticall Romanist treacherously to murder his holy father the pope yea rather more if of euils the least be to be chosen then it is for a sworne subiect to be false and traiterous to so christian a prince Meere repugnant to all Scripture yea contrary to the doctrine of Peter himselfe whose doctrine the pope must obey and teach if in succession hee will be accompted a lawfull Apostle of Christ harken O ye Papists and listen what Peter teacheth you follow his doctrine let not the popes bare name of holy father deceiue you any more nor the name of the Apostolicke Sea for they are but lying wordes to deceiue you Compare the Apostleship of Peter with the Apostleship of the Pope and then if you find him contrarie though he be Peters successour reiect him and tread hys doctrine vnder feete The wordes of Peter are thus be m 1. Pet. 2 13. subiect therefore saith he to euery humain creature whether it be to the king as to the chiefe or to relers as to them that be set in authoritie for the punishment of them that doe ill and the praise of them that doe good againe in the same chapter he saith honour all men loue brotherly charitie feare God honour the king againe he commandeth seruantes to submit themselues in all feare vnto their masters not onely saith he if they be good but also though they be froward If a froward maister be to be honoured and feared of his seruaunt much more ought the person of a kinde and vertuous Soueraigne be had in most reuerent estimation of all subiectes considering that the person of a Prince on earth is the image of God in heauen that she is a person of mightie maiestie of puissant magnificence and of most glistring princely royaltie who being placed in her throne by God by whome Reges regnant principes dominantur is impossible to be thrust out by the power or pollicie of men no not of the deuill himselfe nor all his adherentes for that must needes stand which God hath stablished but that may easily fall which men onely haue erected heauen and earth may passe but not one iote of the word of God shall perishe but shal be fulfilled They therefore may aswell thinke it as possible to pul God out of heauen as it is to remoue a lawful annoynted prince from beside the seat wherein God himself stablified her The vaine hope of the papists therefore dismayed and the false Apostleship of the pope confuted by the faithfull Apostle Peter let vs proceede further to compare them together n 1. Pet. 2.11 Beloued saith Peter I exhort you as strangers and pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule And againe he saith o 1. Pet. 1.15 As he which called you is holy so be ye also sanctified in all conuersation because sayth he it is written p Leuit. 11 4 4 be ye holy as I am holy So that Peter admitteth no vncleannesse nor dispenseth with anie sinne but reproueth all and onely alloweth sanctimonie of life and conuersation and hee bringeth in scriptum est also for the warrant of his doctrine I would all that pretend themselues to be his successours would doe the like and giue the like wholesome sound admonitions and preceptes then should not men eyther for loue or money haue pardons dispensations commissions with authoritie to commit most diuelish murder accompting that for meritorious which is most monstrous and meriteth in trueth a moste bloudie reuenge for the body and eternall tormentes for the soule if it should be but so much as conceaued in the imagination What the office of a true Apostle is Peter describeth in his fift Chapter q 1. Pet. 5.1 The elders that be amongest you I which am also an elder exhorte feede as muche as in yours the flocke of Christ not compelledly but willingly not couetous of filthy gaine but of a readie minde not as exercising lordship ouer the clergie but that yee may be r 2. Cor 4 24 examples of the flocke If Peter shewing himselfe that he is an elder doe clayme no Lordship in hys Apostleship how commeth it to passe then that the pope his pretended successour claymeth not onely a lordship and dominion in Rome but a litle of supremacie ouer all nations The Papistes answereth at christ said vnto Peter Thou s. Mat i6 18 art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church and the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it and I wil geue to thee the keies of the kingdom of heauen And whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth shal be boūd in heauen and whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shall be loosed in heauē But can these words of binding loosing giue a supremacie and kingdome vnto the Pope and not to Peter whose successour he is For we heard before from Peters own mouth that he claymeth nor alloweth but disclaimeth and disswadeth such exercised lordship ouer the Cleargie So that neither did he affect such proud titles of honour Lordship and superioritie but sought rather as he wished all other to be examples of mildnesse and good conuersation How can wee thinke that Christ should giue such Lord-like authoritie when Christ telleth his disciples contending among themselues who should seeme to bee the geeatest The t Luke 22 25 Mat 20.25 Marke 15.24 Kinges of nations saith he beare Lordship but it shall not be so with you but he that will be the greatest among you let him be as the least or as a seruant Now if neither Peter had the superiority but forbiddeth it as teaching al humilitie being taught by Christ his maister the kings of nations are to beare the lordship his apostles should be so far from contending for primacy on earth that they should rather be as seruants appointed to minister to the Church of Christ to build a kingdom for God in heauen If neither Peter had it and if Christ also forbad it shewing the kingdomes belong to the kinges of the nations how can any man gather that Christs meaning was to giue that to Peter which he forbiddeth Peter al the rest of the apostles If
the head of the church as hath bin proued before Ergo the pope hath no such preheminence As touching their generall counsels wherewith they binde mens consciences as with cordes how can they proue those counsels to be autentically true for whatsoeuer it be that is decreed by them they make them as oracles and necessarie conclusions of the trueth though they disagree neuer so muche from the Scriptures for suche matters must not be called into question for they hold it as a principle that from the determination of a counsell there can be no appellation but what if they erre They say they cānot erre whie Because they be the Church who alloweth it Will they prooue themselues to bee the Church who in their blinde and deuelishe doctrine and conuersation shewe themselues to be the Synagogue of Sathan I knowe not and I am sure themselues will neuer be able to prooue For the word of God is that which must trie out the trueth of the religion and Church of God For as for building faith vpon general Councels it is a verie feeble foundation and no question they might erre and did erre yea they are somtimes contrarie one to an other as the Synod of Constantinople gathered together vnder Leo the Emperour iudged that images set vp in Churches should bee ouerthrowen and broken in peeces A litle afterward the Councel of Nyce which the Empresse assembled in spite of him decreed that they should be restored both these Councels could not c true and whether of these should a man take to be true or how can he tell which is true but by that Scripture which is geuen by diuine inspiration which is the rule of the Church and the square of trueth whereupon the church must be builded els we shall neuer knowe what or which is the trueth Augustine saith that the latter Councell can not stande without present perrill of idolatrie Epiphanius saith it is a wickednesse and abhomination to haue Images seene in the Church of Christians The Councell of Constance forbad the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper to be geuen to the lay people but willed that the Priest onely should drinke thereof which I thinke the Romanistes themselues will not agree vnto Thus because Councels may easily erre ther is no faith to be built vpon them but all faith all religion and the true Church is onely to be built vpon the o Ephe. 2.20 Prophetes and Apostles Christ Iesus being the head corner stone the rocke that neuer falleth nor fadeth For this is a marke incident to the Church My p Iohn 10.3 sheepe saith Christ will heare my voyce Againe Christ saith He that is of q Iohn 3.47 God heareth Gods wordes you therefore heare them not saith he because you are not of God The sheepe will followe their good shepheard for they knowe his r iohn 10.3 voice A stranger they will not follow Therfore the church and true spouse of Christ must be subiect to her head and husband enclining to his wil and gouerned by his word For the Church which is not builded vpon the word of Christ is built vpon the s Mat. 7.26 Sand and so subiect to a continuall ruine and ouerthrow as Christ himselfe preached in his sermon But that which standeth vpon Christ the rock the t Math 16 18 gates of hell shall neuer preuaile a-against it as Christ tolde Peter Trie the spirites saith S. Iohn whether they be of v God or no f Iohn 4 1 for many false prophetes are come into the world Againe he that knoweth God heareth vs saith S. Iohn hee that is not of God heareth not vs by this we know the spirite of trueth and the spirit of errour The false prophetes saith hee speake of the world and the world heareth them because they are of the world but wee are of God saith he So that both Iohn and Christ shew this to be a marke to knowe the spirite of errour if they heare not the wordes of Christes apostles Let not the pope therefore deceiue thee gentle Reader as though he could not erre neyther let his generall counsell so bind thy conscience without appellation but that thou be free to trie the spirits by the worde of trueth For many false prophetes are come into the world Trie the gold by the touch stone For be he Pope be they generall councels yea be they Angels from heauen if they preach matter contrarie to the doctrin of Christ beleeue him not nay Anathema esto hold him accursed as Paule commandeth thee The Scribes and Pharises demaunded of Christ why his disciples transgressed the traditions of the elders Christ answered them Why doo yee Math 15 2 transgresse the precepts of God thorough your tradition for God commanded saying Honour father and mother c. Hypocrits saith he wel prophecied Esayas of you saying This people commeth neere vnto me with their mouthes and honoureth me with their lips but their heartes are farre from me but in vaine doo they worship me teaching for doctrine the preceptes of men And is not the religion of Rome as vain a worship when they teach for doctrine the preceptes of men viz. of generall Councels and that we must hold them as vndoubted oracles of the holy Ghost and that none must mutter against them or gainsay them vpon paine of a condemned heretik Yea they hold that the word of God is subiect to the censure of the Church which say they is their Pope generall councels and whatsoeuer sense they set vpon the scriptures is to be receiued for true without questioning against it what is this els but to make the head subiect to the foote the sheepe to rule their shephearde and the Spouse which should be subiect to beare authoritie ouer her husband that shoulde be soueraigne her Lord and maister to gouerne her after his wil But herein the Church of Rome sheweth her self to play the harlot plainly when she renounceth her head when she forsaketh her husband and runneth a whoring after her owne ymagmations Iudge then gentle reader whether thou think to be the true church ours that is builded vpon the foundation of Christ the prophetes and apostles or the church of Rome that is builded vpon the Pope his Cardinals and his generall councels Ours that acknowledgeth Christ to be the onely head thereof or theirs who most dishonourably to christ acknowledge the Pope the head therof Ours that is builded vpon God ortheirs that is builded vpon slippery men Ours that admitteth no impuritie or theirs who for money and to serue their turne will dispence with most monstrous and haynous cruelties Their religion which seeketh and thirsteth after blood beeing therein like to the Deuill their father who was a z Iohn 8 44 murtherer from the beginning or ours which seeketh peace of conscience in a godly conuersation Ours seeketh the glory of God theirs seeketh their own pomp and the glory of the world Ours giueth free liberty to