as beleue hath bin more careful for the naturalmaÌ„ by leaving those principles which stande vpon their owne ground that so he may attaine to the knowledge of all such Arts sciences which are profitable for the maintenaÌ„ce of this teÌ„poral life that he hath not left the like principles and grouÌ„ds for the regenerate maÌ„ wherby he may attaine to the knowledge of al such things as do coÌ„cerne eternal life And if Aristotle bee iudge in Philosophy Galene in Physicke Iustinian in the law albeit many of their rules precepts he diversly expounded by their Interpreters even so albeit there be diverse expositions of holy scripture yet God forbide but the holy scripture of God the most cleare pure fountaine of truth should be the iudge of faith that especially by the maine grounds of faith therein coÌ„tained The which are therefore named by the auncieÌ„t Fathers the key A bâ— serm 38. Aug. de doct Christ l. 3. cap 2. 3. De Temp. Serm 119. So r. hist Eccles lib. 5. Cap. 10. and rule of faith for that the perspicuity plainnes of theÌ„ doth open as it were a doore into all the mysteries of faith And hereof it was that not only Theodosius the Emperor vsed theÌ„ as a meanes to end all coÌ„troversies in his time but S. Austin also being to expouÌ„d the first booke of Moses called Gen. setteth theÌ„ down in the forefroÌ„t of his worke as a rule whereby he meaneth to frame al his interpretatioÌ„s that if they misse in the meaning of any particular place yet they may not erre in the substaÌ„ce of faith because he avoucheth nothing but that which is agreable to the grouÌ„ds of faith So likwise TertulliaÌ„ Iraene that liued near the Apostles See Kemnis Exa Trid. Conc. de traditionibus time wheÌ„ certaine heretikes charged the scriptures as the meÌ„bers of the Church of Rome doe now that they were in sufficieÌ„t dark ambiguous that the truth could not be fouÌ„d out by them without traditions they ioined issue with theÌ„ referred themselues to the iudgmeÌ„t of that doctrine which the Apostles delivered by tradition to the Churches the suÌ„me whereof they relate altogeather as it were eveÌ„ as it is set down in the Apostles Creed being the very pith substaÌ„ce of that faith which was delivered first by mouth by the Apostles theÌ„selues afterward set downe in their writings that it might be the pillar fouÌ„datioÌ„ of faith al interpretatioÌ„s of scripture they require to be agreable to this entire perfect body of truth as they had learned of the Apostle S. Paul that al prophecie should bee Rom. 12. 6. sutable proportionable to the faith Vnto the which Testimonies of these learned Fathers I adde the iudgment of Beza KeÌ„nitius quoted before that al indiffereÌ„t persoÌ„s may perceiue that we walke in the saÌ„e waies that these learned Fathers haue trod out vnto vs vsed the same meanes to attaine to the right interpretatioÌ„ of holy scripture and to a sound catholike iudgment in matters of faith No huÌ„ble Serm. in c 3. Cant. christiaÌ„ saith Beza if he desire to be taught caÌ„ be deceiued in the interpretatioÌ„ of holy scripture if he diligeÌ„tly coÌ„fer place with place according vnto the exaÌ„ple of our S. Christ the Math. 4. 7. practise of the auncieÌ„t CouÌ„cels if with all he referre the whole vnto the correspoÌ„deÌ„cy of the articles of our faith which we call our Creede being the suÌ„mary abridgmeÌ„t of every fuÌ„dameÌ„tall point of our Christian religioÌ„ Most notable also to Serm 4 de Incarnat Dumini this purpose is that of Leo If any saith he shal preach vnto you any other thing besides that which ye haue learned let him be accursed preferre not wicked fables before evideÌ„t truth whatsoever it shall happeÌ„ that ye read or heare coÌ„trary to the rule of the Catholike Apostolike Creede accouÌ„t it altogeather daÌ„nable divelish By which testimony of this learned Father we may gather that the doctrine of faith sette down in the Creede is that evideÌ„t truth which was delivered by the Apostles whatsoever is contrary to the same is a wicked fable to be accursed as being no better then flat daÌ„nable divelish Wherefore good ChristiaÌ„ reader if thou wouldst not willingly hold that faith which is fabulous accursed daÌ„nable diuelish examine thy faith according to those grouÌ„ds which are both easie short perfect least thou shouldst plead ignoraÌ„ce in thy selfe or leÌ„gth tediousnes in the worke it selfe Be not ouer credulous in this matter of so greate moment nor so simple as to receaue any pointes of faith which are not agreeable to this rule of faith No although that they be taâ—ght by that Church which maketh her boast that she caÌ„not erre and that the faith of her cheife governor caÌ„ never faile Nay rather if thou wilt be a sound scholer in the schoole of Christ learne to yeelde that reverence honour only to the bookes of Aug ep 91. ad â—litron the diuine scripture that thou firmely beleue that none of the Autors of theÌ„ erred any whit in the penning of the same giue this prerogatiue only to the worde of God that it hath his sufficieÌ„t warraÌ„t credite in itselfe because it is inspired of God proceedeth froÌ„ him which caÌ„not erre deceiue or be deceiued as for the writtings of all other albeit they excel in wisdom holines receiue theÌ„ not because they haue thus iudged but for that they are coÌ„firmed by the autority of the Canonicall scripture or by some reasoÌ„ agreable vnto Hom. 13. in 2. ep ad Cor trueth And verily it is an absurd thing as Chrysost saith in a mony matter not to trust an other but to tell that eveÌ„ after a mans own father in matters of farre greater momeÌ„t which coÌ„cerne Gods glory the salvatioÌ„ of our owne soules in a simple sottish credulity to follow the iudgmeÌ„ts of other men whereas also we haue a most exact ballaÌ„ce rule even the ceÌ„sure determinatioÌ„ of the divine lawes Yea whereas we are precisely coÌ„maÌ„ded to proue all to approue the best â— Th. 5. 21. 1. Ioh 4. 1. 1. Cor. 14. 32. not to beleeue every spirit but to try the spirits whether they bee of God or no for that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets therefor by trial to be fouÌ„d true before they be beleeued Neither is it any disgrace to the iudgmeÌ„t of man to be subiect to the ceÌ„sure of Gods spirite already set downe in the canonical scriptures for eveÌ„ the spirit of God speaking in S. Paul was coÌ„teÌ„t to be tried by the sacred scriptures that is in truth by himselfe the BereaÌ„s at coÌ„meÌ„ded Act 17. 11. Apoc. 2. 2. for doing the same as the Angeâ—l of the church of â—phesus is also coÌ„mended for examining
the knowledge of all such things as shal be necessary to our own salvation Marcus Aemilius Seaurus when he was accused to haue received mony to betray the common vvealth beganne in his ovvne defence after this manner It is O yee Romanes an harde course vvhereas I haue lived in one place to giue an accounte of my life in another yet I vvil be bold to make vnto you this one demaunde VARIVS SVCRONENSIS saieth that MARCVS AEMILIVS SCAVRVS beeing corrupted vvith bribes hath purposed to betray the people of Rome MARCVS AEMILIVS SCAVRVS denieth himselfe to be guilty of any such crime To vvhich of vs vvill yee giue credite The plainetise and the defendant beeing only named the people straight-vvaies refused to take notice of any such accusation So may the vvorde of God contained in the Canonicall Scriptures complaine of great vvtonge offered vnto her by the Church of Rome and say Oh yee Papistes yee haue expelled mee in your schooles and assemblies out of the seat of iudgement as I vvas delivered vnto you in my originalles and out of the handes of the people in their vulgar and knowne languages and tongues and haue accused mee to bee darke and obscure and full of ambiguities and harde to bee vnderstoode but I say that I am a lanterne to your feete and a lighte shining in a darke Psal 119. place and plaine and easie to him that vvill vnderstande And now 2. p. 1. Pro. 8. vvhich of vs I praye you deserue to bee credited the more Surelye hee is most vvorthye to bee deceived that vvill giue more credite to the slaunderous accusation of the Antichristian Church of Rome then to the most evident and plaine testimonye of the vvoorde of God for the clearing and iustifying of it selfe Nowe then seeing that our doctrine is plaine that wee must renounce our selues and our ovvne fancies and condemne all our owne imagination of blindnesse and folly and continually resort by our prayer to God and by our study vnto his vvorde as vnto the onely vnerring teacher of all trueth allowing of no one pointe of faith that is not most evidently set dovvne in the Canonical Scriptures therefore wee are most vniustly charged to teach the people to make choice of their faith according vnto their owne private fancies and so to open a doore vnto heresies vvhereas in trueth the Church of Rome herselfe teaching the people in divine matters somevvhat to relye vpon the naturall light of their owne vnderstandings and vpon the choice of their owne free vvill as likewise vpon the censures of Popes and canons Aug. l. 2. de bapt cap. 3. The doctrine of the word of God is catholike albeit it be embraced but by one alone and the doctrine of men are private albeit they be received by never so many 1. Kin. 19 10. Ier. 15. 10. 1. Kin. 22. 8. of Councels which may deceiue and bee deceived wherof the latter may correct the former as experience taught Saint Augustine to iudge and vpon traditions and vnwritten verities hath giuen them occasion to make choice of such things as shall best fitte their owne fancies and bee most agreeable to the humours of men and so hath set them in the ready way to embrace errour insteed of truth and to fall from verity into damnable heresie That doctrine we may be sure is sound catholike which hath his foundation in the Canonical scriptures the which hath his authority from the first author and not from the professours there of the which is not to be condemned for private and singular albeit it bee embraced but by one man For as Panormitan coulde avouch one singular man alleadging Scripture is to bee preferred before a generall Councell as it vvas put in practise in the Councell of Nice vvhere the sentence of Paphâ—utius vvas preferred before the generall opinion of the vvhole assembly Elias Ieremias and other of the prophets that vvere raised vp by God in their several times to reforme the worshippe of God that was generally corrupted had fewe and sometimes none at all to assist them in the execution of their charge but were after a fort left alone to contend and striue with the vvhole earth and yet their prophesies and interpretations of Scriptures were not condemned by any of the faithfull for private and singular for that as S. Peter testifieth they proceeded not from the 2. Pet. 1. 20. wil of man but from the motion of the spirit of God So in the primitiue church albeit Liberius bishop of Rome stood after a fort alone against the Arrians in the defence of the most Catholike doctrine of the divine nature of the coessential and consubstantial son of God and interpreted the scriptures for the confirmation of that faith yet his alonenes made not his interpretations private but that they were most catholike and sounde For whatsoever proceedeth from men be they few or many that is to be taken for private and vnfounde and certainely in the ende it shall come to nought whereas not one lote or tittle of the law shal Act. 5. 38. Mat. 5. 18. perish til al things be fulfilled Vnder the time of the law for that in the bookes of Moses all points of faith were not set downe with such perspicuity plainnes that they could be so fully easily vnderstood then as they may now vnder the gospel therfore the Lord raised vp vnto theÌ„ many vnerring interpreters for the supplying of that defect Yet hee did not giue any such ordinary and perpetuall priviledge to the successors of Aaron that they should be alwaies maintainers of truth albeit they made claime to such a prerogatiue as it may appeare by their own vaunts The law shall not perish from the priest Ier. 18. 18. nor counsell froÌ„ the ancient but he raised vp Prophets extraordinarily when and where he thought good who were priviledged in deed from falling into heresie and from the misinterpreting of the law of God and by them he reformed al such abuses as were crept into his owne worship and service But now al revelations are ceased and the raysing vp of vnerring interpreters is come to an end for that in the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists al points of faith necessary to salvation are set down with al perspiculty and plainenes and for that also there is very great aboundance of the spirit given to al the faithful servaÌ„ts of Christ which reverently and religiously employ themselues in the zealous study of those holy bookes The Apostle Saint Iohn writing to the 1. Ioh. 2. 27. church concerning deceivers telleth the faithful that the means wherby they must be armed against them is to hold fast that doctrine which they had heard from the beginning the which being throughly setled in their hearts by the effectuell working of the spirit of God wherewithal they were before annointed and made christians they needed not that any man should teach theÌ„ Not that the continual
the Interpreter but vpon the light it selfe of the divine doctrine which is now sufficiently manifest vnto them being duely vveighed and considered without the auctority of the Interpreter When wee beleeve saith Austine being now made more strong in the faith we vnderstand that vvhich we beleeve not novve men but God himselfe inwardly strengthning lightning our mind And thus do we teach the people of God which are already setled in the faith of Christ not to ground their faith vpon their owne private fancies nor vpon the private opinions of any other man or men be they few or many nor yet vpon any humane interpretations of scripture but vpon the plaine sentence of GOD himselfe deciding and determining what is falshood and what is truth that is vpon the interpretations of holy scriptures which are delivered in the scriptures theÌ„selues eveÌ„ vpoÌ„ those plaine manifest places therof which are in theÌ„selues so evideÌ„t cleare that they stand in neede of no interpreter at al not yet to frame their liues according vnto the decrees of the church the special rules of such as are fouÌ„ders of any private devotioÌ„s but according vnto the general laws coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„ts of God hiÌ„selfe For theÌ„ wil both our faith life be acceptable to God when this is throughly fixed and setled in our harts we can truly sincerely say Thus do I beleeue thus do I liue because the Lord himselfe whose servaÌ„t I am hath coÌ„maÌ„ded me thus to beleeue thus to live For this is not a sufficient warraÌ„t security for vs to say My conscience iudgeth this or that to be good therfore it is good or my coÌ„scieÌ„ce iudgeth this or that to be evil therefore it is evill to be avoided for then should al superstitious Idolatrous kindes of serving of God be good ChristiaÌ„ religioÌ„ evil because the coÌ„sciences of all Infidels allow of the one condemne the other before the eies of their minds be lightned their coÌ„sciences reformed by the holy and heaveÌ„ly rules of our ChristiaÌ„ professioÌ„ And verely not our selues our own consciences but God only is our Lord iudge who hath autority to enact lawes to set theÌ„ out vnto vs as limits bouÌ„ds the which if we in any wise traÌ„sgresse we do coÌ„mit iniquity sin And therfore albeit the Apostle teacheth that he that Rom. 14. 23. eateth of things lawful sinneth if in coÌ„science he doubt whether he may do so or no yet herein he sinneth not for that he traÌ„sgresseth any law of his own coÌ„science seeing she hath noÌ„e autority to make any but for that either doubting in coÌ„scieÌ„ce whether God doth allow of his fact or no or else being parswaded that he doth disallow it yet he wil needs do the same being carried away with his own headstroÌ„g affectioÌ„s or by the perswasioÌ„s of othe meÌ„ For heerein he doth tredde vnder foote the autority of God sette GOD himselfe after a sorte at naught in that hee resolveth to do this or that albeit he doubteth whether God doth allowe it yea albeit he is perswaded that God doth disallow coÌ„demne the same Our conscience then must not be our canon rule in matters belonging to the service of God but God himselfe in his Canonicall scriptures For they are the onely sure and infallible witnesses of the will of God and our consciences cannot rightly bee assured of any thinge that is not delivered in those bookes And therfore seeing that in what thing soever we do belonging to the worshippe service of God we must be assuredly perswaded that it pleaseth God for whatsoever is done without Rom. 14. 23 this faith certain persuasioÌ„ is sinne we must not be ledde therein either by the vncertaine guesses of our owne coÌ„sciences or by the doubtfull coniectures of other men but only by the warrant of the Canonicall scriptures But the church of Rome will haue the deciding of all doubtes and controversies to be devolved froÌ„ Alabaster the scripture to the interpreter that is from the text to the glosse from God to man from the master to the servant from the iudge to the minister as if the iudge himselfe could not sette downe his owne definitiue sentence no not in writing as plainly fully and sufficiently as it can be delivered by the mouth of his messeÌ„ger and shee commaundeth the people to sette their faith vpon the decisions of the Pope and vpon the determinations of his counsellers vpon the bookes Apochryphs vpon traditions and vnwritten verities and to order their lives not according vnto the prescription of the law of God alone but also according vnto her owne ordinances and the rules of the founders of her relligious orders Wherefore shee which most vniustly accuseth vs to misleade the people into errour and heresie may in truth bee most iustly charged therwith seeing the cause of heresie is not the diligent and humble resort to the word of God the very fountaine and welspring of all heavenly truth that by this touchstone wee may trie discerne sound and currant doctrine from vnsound counterfeite but either the vtter reiecting forsaking of this holy word or the mingling of our owne fancies and dreames therwith or the dotages and inventions of other men For by this meanes hath truth faith bin banished heresie Idolatry brought in even froÌ„ the beginning of the world vnto this day For how â—ell Adam and Eue into their Apostasie but by forsaking the commaundement of God delivered vnto them by the Lords own mouth And what was the cause that al the posterity of Adam excepting only the family of Abraham fell by little and little into al errour and heresie vntil they came into most grosse and damnable Idolatry but as the Apostle testifieth for Act. 14. 18. that God suffered them all to walke in their owne waies For he had given his word only to Iacob his statutes ordinances to Psal 147. 19 Israel he had not deâ—lt so with any other nation neither had the heathen knowledge of his lawes And amongst this people of Israell vvhat was the cause that the tenne tribes at once fell avvay from God They fell avvay from the house of David because of the sinnes of Solomon and by the folly of Rehoboham his sonne but they fell from God when they vvoâ—shipped the calues that vvere set vppe by Ieroboham vvho made Israell to sinne contrary to the lavv and commaundement of God they forsooke the vvorshippe of God in Ierusalem ordained and established by the Lordes ovvne vvorde and set vppe in Dan and Bethell a new kinde of worshippe of God according vnto their owne inventions and so they fell avvay from the living GOD. And when those tenne tribes for their Idolatries and sinnes were carried out of their owne countrey into captivity by the king of Ashur the Samaritanes were placed in their roomes the cause also
of their Idolatries was their following of the corrupt customs of their owne countries and their refusall of the ordinaunces and 2. Kin. 17. 34 lawes of God And what was the cause that the Iewes theÌ„selues also which had the law and the prophets to direct them in al the waies of God did so often fall away from the service of God and defile theÌ„selues with abominable Idolatries but that they either vtterly forsooke the directioÌ„ of the word of God and follovved their owne inventions or the corrupte customes of their forefathers or else they mingled their owne dreames and the traditioÌ„s of their elders togither with the worshippe of God delivered in his worde which ought to haue bin kept pure and sincere without any mixture without any such hotch-potch mingle maÌ„gle The cause of the Idolatries that so much abouÌ„ded in the time of the Iudges was for that there was no king in Israel who was to coÌ„mand Iud. 17. 1. the carefull keeping of the law of God but every man did that which was good in his owne eies And what was the cause of those outragious dolatries in the daies of the kings especially in the daies of Manasses and Amon his sonne but this that the lavve of 2. Chro 34. 14. God was so neglected that the very autheÌ„tical coppy therof given by the hand of Moses himselfe was lost And if we will know also what was the cause of those damnable Idolatries that so prevailed in the daies of the prophets we may heare the same out of their mouthes who were the principall actors or at the least the chiefe abetters therof The word say they to the prophet Ieremy which thou hâ—st spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord we will not heare Ier 44. 16. it of thee but we will doe whatsoever goeth out of our owne mouth as to â—…rae incense to the Queene of heaven and to powre out our drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both we and our Fathers our kings our Princes in the cittie of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem for then had we plenty of victuals and were well and felt none evill Their wilful reiecting of the word of God and their obstinate resolution to follovve their ovvne customes and the practise of their forefathers vvas the cause of all their abominable Idolatries Neither vvas the vtter reiecting of the woorde of GOD the cause of so many corruptions in the Iewish religion but alâ—o the mingling therewith of their ovvne Inventions and of the traditions of their forefathers For in the Lordes fielde there oughte nothing to bee sowen but the most pure seede of the worde of God whatsoever is beside the same it is not good corne but cockle and darnell and they of the Lordes family are onely to be fedde with the holesome foode of that vvorde which is provided for their sustenaunce by their heavenly master whatsoever meate they take beside it is corrupte leaven yea deadly poison And therefore both GOD himselfe did most sharpely reproue the hypocriticall Iewes in the time of the Prophete Isay and our Saviour CHRIST the Scribes and Phaâ—isies in his dayes not foc that they did vtterlie reiect the service of GOD prescribed in his own word for it is cleare manifest that they did not so but for that they did corrupt the same with the mingling of their owne leaven they condemne that worship for Isa 20. 14. Mat. 1â— 9. vaine which is prescribed either wholy or in part by the precepts and doctrines of men And verily as in the bodies of men either want of good holesome food or the receiving of corrupt and bad either wholy or but in parte is the cause of many bodily disâ—ases even so either the want of the holesome food of the worde of God or the receiving of the corrupt food of humane doctrins either wholy or in part doth breed many sins corruptioÌ„s in our soules and make them sicke even to death Yea this hath bred al manner of errours heresies and Idolatries in all ages and at all times This was the cause of errour vnder the law and that amoÌ„g the Lords own people They erred in their hearts saieth the Lorde Psa 95. 10. himselfe because they haue not knowne my waies And why erred the Sadducies at the time of our Saviours appearing in the flesh so grosly and that in the chiefest grounds principles of the faith Mark 12. 23 Aug. in psa 131. Cyp. de simpl praelatorum Chrys hom 3. de Laza Yee erre saith our Saviour vnto them not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God This is the cause of all evill saith Austine that the scriptures are not knowne Hence saith Cyprian proceede errours for that menreturne not to the head nor seeke to the spring of truth nor keepe the doctrine of our heavenly Master The reading of the scriptures saith Chrysostome is a strong fortresse against sinne and the ignoraunce of them is a great downefull and a deepe hell to know nothing of â—he divine lawes is a great losse of salvation this thing hath bred heresies and brought in a corrupt life and hath turned al topsie turvy For how can it otherwise be but that health must needes decay and sicknesse grow where either holesome foode is not received at all or else is not received alone without the mixture of that which is corrupt And how can it otherwise bee but that weedes must needes spring vp where either good seed is not sowen at al or else not without the mixture of cockle and darnell And how can it otherwise be but that such must needs be misledde which either will not at all follow those are vnerring guides or else will not be guided by them alone but by such also as may be deceived Wherfore in that the church of Rome doth not only keep the greatest part of the people from the liberty of reading the holie scriptures but also doth mingle with the pure foode thereof the corrupt leaven of humane doctrines it cannot otherwise be but that spiritual sicknesses must grow in her apace ghostly health and strength greatly decay And seeing that shee soweth in the harts of the people not the sincere seede of the worde of God alone but also the darnell of mens inventions it caÌ„not be but that weedes must neâ—des mount vp and overgrowe the good corne And seeing she will haue her followers ledde by bookes Apocripha vnwritten verities ordinaunces of the Church decrees of Popes canons of Councels rules of Friers customes of the multitude traditions of forefathers and the like and not by the books alone of the Canonicall scriptures who are the only sure and vndeceiueable guides it is no marvaile that shee hath beene so misledde out of the way of truth hath wandred in the by-pathes of heresies and Idolatries even as the Idolatrous Iewes and Gentiles haue bin before her for that they followed the same
THE TRIALL OF TRVTH Containing A PLAINE AND SHORT DISCOVEry of the chiefest pointes of the Doctrine of the great Antichrist and of his adherentes the false Teachers and Heretikes of these last times Math. 16. O yee Hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the sky and can ye not discerne the signes of the times 2. Thess 2. Let no man deceiue you by any meanes for the Lord shall not come except there come an Apostasie first and that man of sinne be revealed the sonne of perdition who is an adversary and is exalted aboue all that is called God or worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God AT OXFORD Printed by JOSEPH BARNES and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bible Ann. Dom. 1600. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD HIS VERY GOOD Lord HENRY Bishoppe of Sarum RIGHT Reverende Father and my very good L. I am bold in your Lordshippes name to present to Christ his Church these my travailes vndertaken in defence of the same against her capitall enemy the great Antichrist especially seeing your Lordship is our Coronell vnder whose conduct we that are leaders of smal bandes vnder your regiment are marshalled along vnto these our military services and are encouraged to fight the Lords battles VVherefore I am most humbly to craue not only your Lordshippes approbation herein but also your speciall protection that so the better successe may ensue And I am most earnestly to exhort all those which are Leaders with me of smaller companies that they would submitte themselues dutifully to the government of their Lieftenant generall and Coronels appointed over them for their spirituall services that they take them for their governours and not for their enemies and that they be preast and ready to put in execution their lawfull designmentes howsoeuer some of them perhappes may conceaue that there might bee devised some better course for the menaging of these affaires For doubtles whersoeuer the Generall Coronels be not readily obeied by their vnder Officers but deemed iudged for deadly enemies there must needes arise sedition and mutinies and so in the end vnlesse it be prevented the vtter overthrowe of the whole army As therefore my brethren wee would bee loath to be the meanes to weaken dissolue the Lords bands and to strengthen and encrease the force of the enemy let vs so stand vpon our several watches that we keepe our selues to our owne colours and discerne our chiefest Patrones Protectors from our most dangerous and deadly foes and distinguish our Fathers that haue begotten vs through the gospell from such as would bastardize vs if they could and rob vs of our caelestiall and heavenly inheritance Yea whereas the enemy by strong leagues and confederacâ—es and by all meanes that pollicy can devise or industry bring to passe hath long time sought to strengthen himselfe that he might bring vs to vtter destruction how ought we with one heart and one soule ioine togeather for our owne preservatioÌ„ especially for the furthering of the glorious gospell of Christ our Lord for the establishing of his kingdome VVe knowe all very well that by peace and vnity small things become great as by discorde and dissention great things are brought to nothing And therfore I cannot but greatly reuerence that godly affection of that religious reverend father in God THOMAS COOPER late Bishop of VVinchester who lying in his death bed wheÌ„ sense reason iudgment began to faile him yet this desire did not waxe weake but his importunate wil if I may so tearme his holy and godly zeale ther in was that set praiers should bee appointed for the peace of this our Church for the establishing of Christian loue and vnity among our selues The which thing as I take it would the more easily come to passe if we would duely weigh with our selues that government and ceremonies about the which we contende are only in general Calvin in J. ep ad Cor. c. 11. commanded in the word of God but what special kinde of government is fittest for every time and countrey what ceremonies in particular belong to order comelines and edification these things are not left in the power of private persons for that woulde tende to confusion and all disorder and cause Controversies to be endles but to the povver of such as be in autoritie and the determination of their holesome lawes The articles of faith saith Tertullian be the law of faith Tertul. dâ— virg vtâ—ad this law remaining other matters of discipline and conversation doe admitte the novelty of correction the grace of God working profiting the Church to the end VVherefore as I would exhort our Leaders of smaller companies to acknowledge and reverence their greater Commanders and to submit theÌ„selues to their governemeÌ„t so I vvould also most humblie beseech those wich are in higher place autority to embrace with loue their inferior Officers which are desirous to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bonde of peace And Hostes iudicandi suns qui contrae remp arma ferunt non qui suo iudie cio tueri velint remp that they will not over hastely adiudge all those to be factious mutinous who differ a little in iudgemeÌ„t froÌ„ theÌ„ in the ordering of the battle in the maÌ„ner of performing of this or that peece of service if they fly not nor turne their backes in the skirmish but advauÌ„ce their ensignes couragiously employ their forces maÌ„fully against the enimy The time hath ben Euseb lib. 5. Cap. 23. wheÌ„ that the diversity in fasting so no doubt in other matters of the like kind hath ben thought to haue ben a coÌ„mendatioÌ„ to the vnity in faith The time hath beene when heady Idem lib. 5. Cap. 26. Victor seeking a victory to himselfe and so hindering the conquest and triumph of the truth hath beene overruled by a discrete Irene perswading peace that so the gospel might gette the greater victorie The time hath beene when rash Iosuah provoking meeke Moses to put to silence Eldad Numb 11. 28. and Medad for prophecying in the host and not being present as it vvere before his Consistorie receaued the cheeke for his labour Enviest thou for my sake I would to God all the LORDES people could prophecie and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them For if Christ Ph. 1. 18. be preached any manner of way it ought to be the matter of great ioy to every true sincere ChristiaÌ„ And if to vs this dispeÌ„satioÌ„ be coÌ„mitted woe woe vnto vs if we preach not the 1. Cor 9. 16. Gospell but if we be instaÌ„t herein in seasoÌ„ out of season and feede Christes sheepe againe againe for that they are redeemed with his owne blood happie are we even by the testimony of the Lord himselfe seing we are possessed with his loue And
happy also is the estate of those sheepe which haue Ioh 21. 15. a faithfull sheapheard to goe in and out before them and to lead thē alonge into the pastures of righteousnes as lamentable is the case of those Cōgregations which are as sheepe scattered abroad without a sheapheard as wretched is the estate Math 9. 36. of that ground which hath no skilfull husbandman to manure the same Surely the harvest is great the labourers are but few therefore we must make earnest suite to the Lord of the harvest that he would thrust forth labourers into his harvest And may we not as truly say that these battles are hote that the leaders thereof on the adverse part are many expert cruel therefore that there is great neede that all the Leaders of the Lords armies should be stirred vp encouraged each by other to stand vp in the breach and couragiously to withstand the force of the enimie The which thinge if any of thē shall either be vnwilling or vnable to performe order had neede to be taken presētly for such least the armie thereby should be brought in great danger And verely right Reverend in the Lord it is lamentable to behold what great massacres blindnes and ignorance superstition and Idolatrie do make as yet in the middest of many Congregations who are laide as it were wast and desolate for want as it may be supposed either of hability or else of industry in their Leaders which should withstand the force of these enimies How many are there even among those which outwardly notwithstāding cōforme thēselues to law order who feede still vpon poisō for want of holesome foode to be so divided that they may be able to receaue the same like silly sheepe are still ready to stray hither thither to become a pray to the greedy wolfe for wāt of such a sheapheard as should still goe in out before thē and direct them along in a right course For is it not with vs who are in this our Church as it were the feete of the Ministery as it was with that image represēted to Nabuchadnezzar in a dreāe whose feete were part of iron part of clay For there are in many the Lord be blessed for thē encrease the number of thē the strength of iron whereby they are enabled to stay the people vpright to keepe thē in obediēce to God to their Soveraigne and there are others like moultring clay hauing little power to strengthē thēselues lesse hability to stay others Thus am I bold to intimate the estate of Christs sheepe vnto your Lordshippe being our great sheepheard who not onely by your antority do require our watchfulnes diligence over our severall flocks but also by your owne example do perswade vs therevnto verifiyng by your practise the truth of that saying of one of your L. most famous Predecessors that as an Emperour should die standing in the fielde so should a B. in the pulpitte The high and cheife Bishop of all our soules visite your Lordship daily with his mercies encrease his graces blessings vpon you preserue you both in body soule to his owne honour to the benefite of his Church Amen Your LORDSHIPPES as dutie bindeth me to command IOHN TERRY To the Christian Reader AS it is a necessary duty good Christian Reader for every mēber in mans body even for the meanest and basest as wel as for the most principal to performe their common service for the cōmon benefit preservation of the whole even so it is as needful for every member of the Church cōmon weale be he higher or lower greater or lesse to walke painfully in his seueral calling in obediēce to God who hath thus or thus placed him carefully to discharge that dutie which the Lord requireth at his hands For there are none of Gods blessings be they in cōparison of the greater of never so low a rate estimatiō but that they are worthy that we should employ our cares cogitations about the lavvful obtaining encreasing preserving of the same there is no talent so smal cōmitted to any that is carelesly or cōtemptuously to be flunge aside tied vp in a napkin or buried Math. 25. in the groūd Should a little light be cleane put out wheras it may fit some little cādlesticke serue to lightē some little house Or should a man of meane stature when he is assaulted by his enemy stand nothing at al vpon his owne defence but cast away al manner of weapon because he is not able to vse Hercules clubbe Our Saviour Christ which Isa 42 3. Mat. 21. 16. breaketh not the bruised reede nor quencheth the smoaking flax reiected not the testimony of very childrē crying in the tēple saying Hosanna the son of Dauid but gaue strēgth vnto it with Haue ye never reade out of the mouthes of babes Psal 8. 2. and sucklings thou hast made perfite thy praise Little David vnable to beare the weapon of a man of warre beeing 1. Sam. 17. strengthned by the Lords aide prevailed against great Goliah And experience doth teach that in martiall services a meane souldiours bullet may strike some cheife man of the adverse part and so further the winning of the fielde and helpe to the getting of the full victorie The Lords hād is not shortned nor his spirit tied the planting and watring of such as haue the greatest giftes is nothing vnlesse God 1. Cor. 3. 7. giue the encrease and the laboures of the meanest Minister of Christ may be profitable to his Church when it pleaseth the Lord to giue a blessing therevnto Yea the meaner the instrument the greater is the glorie of him that worketh by the same when all men that see it shall say this hath 2. Cor. 47. the Lord done and shall perceaue that it is his worke Vpon these groundes haue I beene emboldened good Christian Reader albeit but a meane souldiour to come into the fielde with the residue of the Lordes army to the succouring if it be but of one soule or to the rescuing of one captiue out of the enimies handes Many things do plainly cōvince the B. of Rome his adherēts as the most capitall enimies of Christes Church in these last times endes of the world For howsoever they pretend thēselues to be the onely preservers yet in truth they are most greavous destroiers of the Catholike faith albeit they make a shew as if they were the cheifest pillars yet they are the greatest pullers downe of the Church of Christ and although they glory of their perfect consent and agreement with the doctrine of Christ yet in truth they maintaine many flat direct cōtradictiōs against the very groūds foūdations of the doctrine of Christ The shortest sūme abridgment of the doctrine of Christ is Repēt beleeue the gospel Repētāce Faith Whereof the
Marc. 1. 15. one is occasioned by the due consideration of our owne most manifold and greavous corruptions the other by the apprehension of the Lordes most singular and endles goodnes And therefore the scope of the whole Scripture teÌ„ding to teach repeÌ„taÌ„ce faith teÌ„deth likewise to these two ends on the one side to display lay open the incomparable excellencies perfectioÌ„s that be in God that by the beauty therof we may be most earnestly stirred vp to desire reconciliatioÌ„ fellowship with him to place our whole hope confideÌ„ce in him to ascribe vnto him al honour glory on the other side to discover the infirmities corruptions of man that therby he may be induced al selfe loue set aside to distrust deny renouÌ„ce himselfe to haÌ„g down the head being coÌ„fouÌ„ded in himselfe cast downe to the bottomles pitte of hell So the Prophet I say setting downe the mighty working of the gospell at the coming of the Messias testifieth that thereby the high lookes shall be humbled and the Isa 2. 17. 24. 23. loftines of man shall be abated and the Lord onely shall be exalted in that day yea that the Moone shal be abashed and the Sunne ashamed wheÌ„ the Lord shal appeare that is that such things as in our selues seeme beautiful as the SuÌ„ne shal be covered with darknes dashed over as with a coaâ—e in respect of the brightnes of Gods most admirable goodnes shining in the face of the glorious Messias And whaâ— else also meaneth the Prophet â—zechiell in saying that when Ezech. 16. the Lord hath confirmed his everlasting Covenant with vs is pacified towards vs theÌ„ we shal remeÌ„ber our waies be ashamed neuer open our mouthes any more in respect of our shame Wherefore if we will bee partakers of the fruite of the gospell we must be moued thereby to looke throughly into our own corruptioÌ„s to cast down our eies as it were vpoÌ„ our own fowle feete that so we may haue our part in that shaÌ„e which is the path way to worship honor We Eccl. 4. 21. must not be gazing vpon our peacockes tailes nor beholding the SuÌ„ne when he shineth nor the Moone walking in her Iob. 31. 26. brightnes that is we must not admire ourselues no not in respect of our teÌ„poral or spiritual gifts lest our owne harts do flatter vs in secret so induce vs to kisse our own haÌ„ds Surely this is an iniquity to be coÌ„deÌ„ned seing it is a denial Hab. 2. 4. of the Lord aboue For he that lifteth vp himselfe his hart is not vpright for the iust shal liue by faith which teacheth vs not to admire ourselues or to trust in our selues but to go out of our selues and to trust in God and to place our whole hope in the riches of his grace in the fulnes of his goodnes And in truth we can hardly detract to much from man in whose flesh dwelleth no good thing al the imaginatioÌ„s Rom. 7 18. Gen. 6. 5. of whose hart are only evil coÌ„tinually that so he may be brought to cast away al selfe loue pride coÌ„fidence in himselfe take to himselfe his due deserved coÌ„fuâ—ion and shame be vnfainedly huÌ„bled as he ought to be As on the coÌ„trary side we caÌ„ as hardly ascribe to much to Gods goodnes or be overlavish in extolling the hight leÌ„gth bredth depth of the loue of Christ that passeth knowledge that so the pledges of his endles favour may raise vs vp to a true liuely faith to giue him that glory that is due to him And why should mire that lieth in the streete be so gready to be seasoÌ„ed with sugar spice a vile peece of a rotten post to be gilded over with fine gold why should wretched sinful man be desirous to enlarg his own estimatioÌ„ by advauÌ„cing lifting vp himselfe prepare a way to a most daÌ„gerous downfall So God be glorified we ought not greatly regard what becometh of vs seing all is due to him nothing to vs. And verely the most blessed servants saints of God being purged and clensed from all corruptions being admitted to the vision of God and to bebold not his hinder partes but even to see him face to face and so to behold his vnspeakable glory as farre forth as the creature is capable of the same albeit they are so highly advauÌ„ced yet they take their crownes from their owne heades and cast them downe before the throne saying Apoc. 4 10. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receaue honour glorie power for thou hast created all thinges for thy willes sake they were are created never ceasing day nor night to sing holy holy holy Lord God Apoc. 15. 4. almighty who shal not feare thee glorify thy name for thou only art holy Yea our most glorious Lord Saviour Christ Iesus himselfe who was annointed with the oile of gladnes aboue his fellowes and endued vvith the spirite vvith out measure vvho is advaunced to the right hand of GOD and hath all power in heaven and earth giuen vnto him is appointed iudge of quicke deade when he shall haue finished the worke of his Mediator-shippe and shall haue placed al the elect of God in the peaceable possessioÌ„ of that most glorious kingdome which he hath purchased for theÌ„ with his owne blood theÌ„ as he is man he shal deliver vp his kingdome to God be subiect to him that to this end that God may be all in all all glorie honour power 1. Co. 15. 28 praise being worthely ascribed only to him Whereby it is evident that God can never be sufficiently magnified in respect of his incomprehensible goodnes glory as on the contrary side man can never be sufficiently huÌ„bled abased especially in comparison had vnto God And yet the members of the Church of Rome fearing belike that Gods great grace should be to highly magnified that to much should be yeelded therevnto being loath as it seemeth that man should take to himselfe that due deserued shaÌ„e that beloÌ„geth vnto him wil haue neither Conc. Trid. sess 6. cap. 1. Can. 7. al our workes before our coÌ„versatioÌ„ being doÌ„e without faith to be condemned for sinne nor all our good workes after our Cap. â—… con 25. Cap. 2. can 4. conversion to be stained so much as with any â—ental sinne neither all our very sinnes to be damnable and mortall nor yet our conversion it selfe to be wrought only by the spirit of regeneration but also by the power of our owne free wil neither our salvation to be ascribed to the only death of our all sufficient Saviour but also to our owne merites and desertes The Prophet Cap. 11. can 32. Psal 115. 1. David was of another spiâ—…e Not vnto vs O Lorde saith he not vnto vs but vnto
thy nâ—…e giue the praise for thy loving mercy for thy truthes saâ—e Oh saith Aust God doth prevent thee in all thinges prevent thou also his wrath How Confesse that all good thou receivest of him and all evil Serm. 10. de ver Apost from thy selfe But the Church of â—ome regardeth not this holesome counsel of this learned Father shee will not haue her children to disgrace themselues so much as to confesse themselues voide of al goodnes and replenished with all evill neither will shee haue the free mercy of God in Christ so farre foâ—th mâ—gnâ—fied and extolled as iâ— all the due deserved glory of al celestial graces were to be ascribed thervnto and therefore God in his iust wrath hath given her over to her owne blindnes that making her boast that her faith No manerreth more then hee that thinketh he never erreth cannot faile yet shee teacheth divers and manifold errours contrary to all the grounds of the Catholike faith For many grievous and damnable are the heresies wherewithall the Bishop and Church of â—ome are most truely and iustly charged by vs which professe the Gospell of â—esus Christ for the removing wherof the words indeed of the scripâ—ure are alleadged by them but the question being of the right sence thereof albeit the children of that Church pretende for the iustifying of their interpretations the consent of fathers Stap. doct princ li. 7. ca. â—…â—… 8 10. â— l. 10. cap. 11. the common testimony of the faithfull the decrees of councels yet at the last only or at the least principally they rest vpon the definitiue sentence and censure of the Pope So that the question being whether the Pope bee Antichrist the ful and finall decision thereof must in the ende as they teach be devolved to the Pope himseâ—fe and hee must be the Iudge in his owne cause Now what is this but aske my fellow nay aske my selfe whether I am a thiefe Whereby they make manifest vnto the whole world the great weaknes and wretchedneâ— of their owne cause which cannot otherwise be iustified approved vnlesse the guilty parties theÌ„selues be suffered to pronounce the definitiue sentence Whereas our Saviour Christ testifieth of himselfe saying If I shoulde beare witnesse of my selfe my witnesse were not Ioh 5. 31. Ioh. 8. 54. true And againe If I should honour my selfe my honour is nothing worth If then our Saviour himselfe would not be beleeved vpon his owne bare word bâ—t had his doctrine confirmed by his Fathers voice from heaven by the testimonies of the Prophets and by his owne miracles what pride possesseth the Popes heart that he will not submit himselfe as Christ did and be tried as he was tried Now herein the Antichristian presumption of the Bishop of Rome in exalting himselfe aboue our Saviour Christ beeing manifestly detected with the great nakednes and wretchednes of his cause his friendes to shadow darken â—he same haue raised Camp rat 2 Poss Bibl. select no. 7. cap. 18. vp a mist of a most notorious slander against vs as if we were those parties that would be tried by none but by our selues and would allow in no manner of controversie the iudgement of any Interpreteâ— but Luthers Melancthons Caluins Bezaes or the like The which thing if it were true we see no reason why we may not iustifie the same far better then they can their depending vpon the Popes chaire For these meÌ„ were painefully exercised in praierâ— reading and meditation and were furnished with the knowledge of Artes and tongues which are great helpes to the attaining vnto the right interpretation of holy scriptures Whereas it is averred by men of their ovvne profession as a thing notorious that many of their Popes haue not vnderstood the Alphonsus li. 1. c. 4. groundes and principles of the very Grammer it selfe and of those that haue beene learned the greater sort haue beene expert in pointes of policie rather then in sound and profound Divinity Now right interpretation of holy scriptures being obtained from God not extraordinarily by revelation in these daies but ordinarily by meanes let all indifferent persons iudge vvhether the vnlearned or politike Popes or the other so wel studied learned men were like to be the better Interpreters of holy scriptures But indeede we stand not vpon this exception but constantly avouch that this their accusation is a most impudent and shameles slaunder raised vp in al likelyhoode even against their ovvne consciences as it may appeare by the appeale of that reverend Father John Juell in diverse controversies betweene theÌ„ and vs made vnto all approved antiquity cited censured euen by themselues For vve like of the testimonies of Fathers Camp Rat 5. Church and Councels and haue iust cause in many pointes to allovv of their decisions but we tie not the truth necessarily vnto them but vnto the spirit of truth who being the Autor is also the best interpreter of holy Scripture having therefore plainely set downe in them all necessarie points of faith that the plaine easie places therof might be as lightes to the darke and obscure for the better opening and explaning of the same Yea as in al Artes Sciences there are some principles and grounds vndeniable and vnavoideable having open manifest truth in themselues evident to the light of nature shining in vs and winning credit to theÌ„selues by their own perspicuous verity by the which the certainety of al other precepts of lesse perspicuity authority is to be tried eveÌ„ so in Theology also there are certaine principles grouÌ„ds having open confessed vndeniable truth in themselues such as are the Articles of the Apostles creede vnto which the interpretations of darker places are to be referred by which the doubts coÌ„troversies in matters of faith are to be decided For these are even as great torch-lightes lightning both themselues others also And as any having but meane skil in that craft if he set but the level to the worke shal soone see whether it be right or if he rub the mettal vpon the touch-stone he shal quickly perceiue what it is even so to any that is but meanly experienced in the doctrine of Christ if he compare his faith to these grounds of faith he may soone perceiue whether he hold a souÌ„d faith For as in Law Physicke in al other libeâ—al Arts Sciences the painfull studeÌ„t may attaine to a sufficient knowledge of the same by the helpe especially of their maine groundes and principles albeit there bee no vnerring Interpreter able to decide al doubts and controversies therein even so in Theology albeit there be none vnerring Interpreter amoÌ„g meÌ„ yet the studious devout Christian may attaine to a sufficient knowledge of al such points of faith as are necessary to salvatioÌ„ by the helpe of the maine grounds principles of faith Or may we suppose that the God of all but especially of such
theÌ„ which said they were Apostles finding theÌ„ liars So likewise our Saviour Christ the wisdome of God in whome were hid al the treasures of knowledge willeth his auditors to search the scriptures Ioh. 5. 39. so to try by theÌ„ whether he taught any other doctrine theÌ„ was coÌ„tained in these sacred bookes for in them saith he ye thinke to haue life they are my deponeÌ„ts witnesses Neither doth he desire any better lurers to giue evideÌ„ce coÌ„cerning the truth of his doctrine And S. Hierome foretelleth of the faithfull of these last daies that they shall not suffer In Nah. c. 3. theÌ„selues any longer to be kept in ignorance by their blind guides but shal ascend vp to the mouÌ„taines of the Apostles Prophets that by the cleere light of their infallible doctrine they may be directed in the right way to their eternall salvation Wherefore as many of vs as desire to be saued by coÌ„ming 1. Tim. 2. 4. to the knowledge of the truth let vs follow the commandemeÌ„t of Christ and his Apostles the example of the noble BereaÌ„s of the faithful of these last time let vs asceÌ„d vp to the mountaine of the Apostles Prophets take them to be our guids in all our ghostly spirituall affaires let vs by their Canonicall writings especially by the fouÌ„datioÌ„s of faith in theÌ„ coÌ„tained as by a most certaine sure rule try the doctrine of al meÌ„ angels of al particular Churches whatsoever be they FreÌ„ch Duch Spanish or Italian I hat law that will not be tried is worthely suspected that doctrine which flieth the light is the doctrine of darknes For truth seeketh not corners it would not be covered vnder a bushel but set on a caÌ„dlestick she would not haue her face masked lest she should passe vnknown she would appeare with opeÌ„ couÌ„tenaÌ„ce that so she might be iustified of all her childreÌ„ For thy furtheraÌ„ce herein good ChristiaÌ„â—eader in this short treatise the which if it giue but occasioÌ„ to some other to haÌ„dle the same matter in maÌ„ner more suffiâ—ient I neede not accouÌ„t my labour to be lost I haue laide purple to purple that it might the better be discerned as also the cloth of the coÌ„trary colour that is I haue ioined to the Articles of our Christian Creede the points of our Christian faith agreeable therevnto as also such erronious and heretical positions which are repugnaÌ„t contrary to the same The which thing being so behouefull and necessary it had bin convenient that some one of great giftes had been emploied therin neither could his learning eloquence haue beene more advanced then in being handmaides in so profitable a service But now it pleaseth the Lorde to send this present vnto thee by the hands of a simple servitour and in a rude and vnpolished speech as in an earthen platter or wodden dish that so the meate may rellish for the meates sake it selfe not for the fairenes or goodlines of the dish But first thou must purge and free thy taste froÌ„ the corrupt humors of partiality and of al obstinate wilful resolutioÌ„s neither must thou presume to appointe of thy selfe what shal be sweet what sowre but suffer the Lord himselfe only to be thy taster therein and so thou maiest also in thy course both taste and see how gracious the Lord is and at the length attaine to the blessednes of al such as place their whole hope and confidence in him The Lord for his mercies sake disperse more more the grosse misles of al spirituall blindnes and darknes and open thine heart as hee did the heart of Lidia giue thee vnderstanding in all things Act. 16. 14. graunting vnto thee the spirit of truth to leade thee into al truth for his owne glory and thine vnspeakeable comfort and ioy Thine in the Lord JOHN TERRY The principall vses of this Treatise FIrst here the Reader may behold the pointes of faith with the errours repugnant therevnto referred to the Articles of our Christian faith and to the residue of the maine grounds and principles of our Catholike profession Secondly in this collation he may perceiue both the particular pointes of faith to be a light for the better vnderstanding of these grounds of faith also the groundes of faith to giue greater strength for the confirmation of the particular pointes of faith and for the confutation of the erroures that are contrary thereto Thirdly whereas the people for the most part cannot read the holy scriptures nor so well vnderstand and keepe in memorie the sentences takeÌ„ out of the Apostles Prophets as they can these grouÌ„ds of our ChristiaÌ„ professioÌ„ by reason of the more familiar vse of the same therefore the particular pointes of faith being made open and knowen vnto them the more easily by this collatioÌ„ they may the sooner hereby be brought to the knowledge of the truth and also confirmed and established in the same Fourthly wheras the most venemous Doctrine of Antichrist is the more A preservatiue for the simple against the polloned doctrine of the Romish Antichrist being offered vnto them in a cup of gold that is vnder the name the of Catholike faith readâ—ly received for that it is delivered in a cuppe of gold that is vnder the name of the Catholike faith even the simple vnlearned may receiue by this collation a most soveraigne preseruatiue against the same For it is an vndoubted trueth agreed vpon of both sides that these grouÌ„des of faith are Catholike and Apostolike therefore that all such doctrines as are not agreable thereto but are contrary to the same are neither Catholike nor yet Apostolike How then may even a simple man say to such as would seduce him to the Popish religion vnder the preteÌ„ce of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ to the Catholike faith caÌ„ that doctrine be Catholike which teacheth it to be sufficient to beleeue in grosse as the Church beleeueth wheras the scope end of my Catholike Creede is that I not only know vnderstaÌ„d but also be able to make a distinct coÌ„fession of the very hardest pointes of the Christian faith SecoÌ„dly he may say how can that doctrine be Catholike which teacheth me to doubt of particular faith whereas the Catholike Creede teacheth every faithfull Christian constantly to professe without wavering I BELEEVE Thirdly be may aaâ—e how can your Romish doctrine be Catholike which teacheth me to beleeue in the Church in the Saintes wheras my catholike Creede teacheth me to beleeue the Church and not in the Church but only in God Lastly to omitte the rest whereas my Catholike Creede teacheth me that Christ only suffred died for my sinnes that he is my only Redeemer Saviour how can your Romish doctrine be Catholike which teacheth that the Saintes also suffered and died for me and that their sufferings being applied vnto me by the Popes Pardons are both SATISFACTORY for
my sins and also MERITORIOVS of eternall glory wherefore pretende no longer your Romish doctrine to bee the Catholike faith seeing that it is directly contrary to the maine grounds and Articles of the Catholike faith Lastly by this treatise it may be perceived how the Bishop of Rome and his aaherentes haue brought in that great Apostasie from the faith foretold by the Apostle and haue also fulfilled all the other prophecies which dâ— concerne the great Antichrist and therefore that hee is most truly and iustly charged by the professors of the Gospell to be that very grerâ— Antichrist THE TRIALL OF TRVTH CHAP. 1. 1 That all fundamentall pointes of faith are contained within the articles of the creede by the iudgement of diverse catholicke men that lived in former ages and that all such are to be taken for false prophets which teach any other faith then is contained in these groundes of faith 2 That the people ought to examine the doctrine of their pastors teachers by the rule levell of the canonical scriptures and the grounds of faith therein contained 3 That all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are plaine and easie to every faithful and humble christian who is sufficiently exercised in the word of God 4 That the people ought to vnderstand the severall pointes of their faith and not beleeue in grosse and blindefully as the church beleeveth THIS word SymboluÌ„ signifying a summe The Symbole or creede of the Apostles an heape coÌ„gested togither or a signe or badge to discerne one from another teacheth vs that in these articles of our faith is contained the whole summe of such things as are to be beleeued of every true faithfull christian whereby both the teacher of the true faith may bee discerned from the false and a right beleever from a wrong The creede as testifieth an ancient writer is a perfect August ser 115. de tempore collection and summe plaine shorte full that the playnnes might helpe the weakenes of the hearers the shortnes their memory the fullnes their instruction Vnto whom consenteth Cassianus the creed saith Lib. 6. de Inâ— car domini he is called a collection or summe because whatsoever is plentifully dispersed throughout the body of the divine scripture is heere all collected knitte vp togeather in a perfect brevity the Lord herein as a most louing father providing both for the slowenes and also for the dulnes of some of his children that the simple and weake minde shoulde not be troubled to vnderstand that which also it might easily keepe in memory Russious saith that In exposit Symboli this creede is called a signe or badge because in the apostles as it may appeare by the Actes of the Apostles many of the circumcised Iewes did fayne themselues to be the apostles of Christ and either for their bellies sake or for gaine went forth to preach setting out the gospell of Christ not with that sincerity and integrity as it was delivered by the apostles Therefore saith he the Apostles made this creede to be a marke whereby it might be knowen vvho did preach Christ truly according vnto the rules of the apostles Now by these interpretations of the name Symbole made by these auncient and learned fathers we may obserue these fowre thinges 1 First that seeing in their iudgementes this creede containeth a perfect summe of our christian faith therfore the doctrines of the church of Rome concerning pilgrimages pardons purgatory the papall supremacy and the like being neither expresly set downe therein nor necessarily to be drawen out of the same are no fundameÌ„tall pointes of our christian religion Nay may they not admit this as a sufficient exception against them all they are none of my creede therefore I neede not beleeue them Nay further doth noâ— this vehemently vrge and presse our Romanistes with the badge and marke of false prophets in that they teach other fundamentall pointes of faith then are delivered in this summe of faith 2 Secondly we learne that seeing the people that were coÌ„verted to the faith of Christ in the primitiue church were by this rule to examine to discerne the doctrine of the true teachers from the false that even so the faithfull people are novve also by the same rule to examine to discerne the doctrine of their pastors teachers and not in a sottish and brutish simplicity to pinne their faith vpon their sleeues and without all examination and triall blindfully to followe whithersoever they leade them and to beleeue as they beleeue Nay they are to be thankefull to their most gracious God who hath provided for theÌ„ so good a meanes whereby they themselues albeit weake and simple yet may discerne truth from falsehoode and rest on their owne most assured knowledge embracing the substance of christian religion not for company but for conscience yea the devill raging and the limbes of Antichrist threatning and our great and manifold sinnes deserving that God should take againe from vs the vse of his worde how ought especially the simple so to lay vp in their heartes the true sence and meaning of these articles of our creede that it may never be takeÌ„ from them but that even thereby they may be enabled against all their adversaries to iustifie their sound christian faith be made ready to confirme and seale it with their bloud 3 Thirdly we learne that seeing the articles of our christian faith were set downe with that shortnes and plainnes that all the faithfull be they never so simple might vnderstand them and keepe them also in memory all pointes of faith necessary to salvation or at the least the hardest pointes being in them contained therefore all thinges necessary to salvation are plaine and easie even to the simplest amongst the Lordes people if so be Prov 8. 9. 9. 4. Hebr. 5. 14. they be desirous in all holy humility to vnderstand the truth are sufficiently exercised in the word of truth 4 Fourthly we learne that seeing these articles were set downe plainely for the capacity of the simple therefore they ought nor to be debarred from the right vnderstanding of them detained in the darkenes of ignorance as it shall be further declared in the nexte chapter Now on the contrary side the church of Rome teacheth that all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are not set downe no not in the large volumes of the canonicall scriptures much lesse within the straiter boundes of this shorte summe of faith that the people should not presume to examine discerne the doctrine of their pastors teachers that the doctrine of faith is full of hardenes and difficulty aboue the capacity of the Lords people and therefore that they must content themseâ—ues to be without this knowledge perswading themselues that ignorance is the mother of devotion as may well be of their blinde superstitious devotion CHAP. 2. That it is not enough for the lay
vertue of CHRISTS bloode to vvash and clense the staines of all the sinnes of the faithfull were infidelitie or not to doubt thereof but to doubt vvhether it bee availâ—able to purge and clense THINE iniquities sinnes is to bewray thine infidelity in another degree even in that thou beleevest not thy selfe to belong to that number nor yet to bee partaker vvith them of their mercie VVherefore to teach the faithfull that they shoulde bee persvvaded of the remission of their ovvne sinnes through the death of Christ is to plucke vp the rootes of infidelity it is not to teach pride but faith nor to open a gappe to all â—inne and vvickednesse but contrarivvise most effectuallie to provoke to repentance loue and thankefulnesse and to the practise of all other christian dueties Aâ—d in truth we cannot bee rightly offended with our selues for offending so merciful and gracious a God vntill he hath given vs some sense feeling of his vnspeakeable mercy towardes vs in assuring vs of the pardon of our offences and sinnes Neither can vve vnfainedly loue the Lord and desire to be thankfull vnto him as we ought to be vntil we be perswaded that he loueth vs and beareth a kinde affection tovvards vs. Neither yet can we wholy resigne our selues to God vntil we perceiue that we are not our ovvn but that we are bought with a price that so we should 1. Cor. 6. 20 sanctifie the Lorde both in our bodies and in our spirites which are the Lordes My beloued sâ—ith the spouse is mine and I am his he hath Cant. 2. 16. giuen himselfe to me and hath assured me of his loue and therefore I giue my selfe to him and assure him of mine obedience VVee loue him saith Saint Iohn because he loved vs first For as 1. Ioh. 4 19. one fire kindleth another and one heate raiseth vp another so the â—iâ—…y heate of the Lords kindnes and loue felt in the hearts of the faithful doth kindle againe the fiâ—e of their loue and thankefulnesse towards God causing them to busie all their thoughtes and cogitations how they may after the best manner perfourme this there bouâ—den duety and service to God When the Lord by the prophet had mentioned his great mercies bestowed vpon his people of Israel the prophet straâ—t-waies in the person of the people breaketh out into these words Wherewithall shall I come before Mich 6. 6. the Lorde and bowe my selfe before the high God Likevvise David vppon the like consideration VVhat shall I render vnto the Psa 116. 12. 103. 1. Lorde for all his benefites bestovved on mee and againe Praise the LORDE O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name praise the LORDE O my soule and forget not all his benefites vvho forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities vvhâ— saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindnes In which words we may perceaue that the sence and feeling of the Lords mercies in reâ—…tting to the prophet David his manifold sinnes was in him as a great vehement flame kindling in his very hart soule a most fervent zealous desire of magnifying and extolling the Lords mercies So Mary loved Luc. 7 47. much because manie sinnes vvere forgiven her â—eeling first the great aboundance of Gods loue tovvardes her selfe in pardonâ—ng her manifolde and grievous sinnes vvhich caused in her as it vvâ—re a reflexion and reciprocation of her loue towards God for those his great and endlesse mercies And surely if the small kindenes of a man and that towardes his enimy doth oftentimes â—eape coales of fire on his heade turning malice into meekenesse Rom. 12. 20 and currishnes into kindenes and so overcomming evill with goodnes how much more the infinite loue of God in pardoning our manifold and grievous sinnes being once felt within vs vvill it not possesse our soules with his loue and winne al our affections to his obedience Surely it vvil cause vs to reioyce if wee may suffer any tribulation for his names sake or performe any other duety whatsoeuer that may be grateful and acceptable vnto him We reioice saith the Apostle in tribulations knowing that tribulation Rom. 5. 4. bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost And to say the truth who euer were greater enimies to carnal security and dissolutenes of life more zealous followers of Christ more religious embracers of true piety and godlines then such as aboue all other haue felt the loue of God most aboundantly towardes themselues in assuring them most vndoubtedly of the forgiuenes of all thâ—ir sinnes of their inheritance in the kingdome of glory Wherefore this doctrine which teacheth the faithful to raise vp themselues to a stedfast assurance of Gods mercies tendeth neither to pride noâ— to dissolutnes of life but that doctrine which teacheth to doubt of Gods favour is no better then a flat stepmother to faith and a naturall nurce to infidelity For he that wil rightly come vâ—to God must come vnto him without doubting whereby we see that faith Iac. 1. 6. and doubtfulnesse cannot wel agree together So vvhen God promised Abraham a sonne in his old age adding further that Rom 4. 2â— in his seed al the nations of the earth should be blessed Mâ—t â—4 31. Rom. 14 23 In Gen 4â— The popish faith â—…ke to the Infidell Poets he doubted not saith the Apostle through vnbeliefe shewing thereby that doubtfulnes ariseth of infidelity Wherefore for any that professeth himselfe to belong to the number of the faithfull to doubt of the performance of any of the Lordes promisâ—s in generall or in particular of the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life made to al that beleeue doth argue a very small faith at the least if it doe not convince the party of â—latte infidelity Non si mihi Iuppiter ipse sâ—…n â—…at â—…am sâ—crem hoc contingere ponâ—… Wherefore as Martin Luther truely avouched if there were no other errors and heresies in the doctrine of the church of Rome but euen this that they teach that the faithful which are iustified before God ought not yet assure themselues of 〈◊〉 owne iustification and of their owne vndoubted calling vnto the estate of grace but remaine stil pensiue and doubtful of the remission of their sinnes and of their interest in the kingdome of glory yet this alone were a sufficient motâ—ue to make a separation from her as being the mother of infidelity and not of faith Div. 3. That we ought to beleeue onlie in God and not in the church or in anie creature THose things which the Gentiles offer vp in sacrifice they I beleeue in God I beleeue the church offer to devils not to God the Iews all hereticks beleeue not in the true God but
theÌ„selues for that their erroures are in them reproved and adding also vnto them their vnwritten verities and their wilworshippes of their owne devising IN doubts coÌ„troversies of Christian religioÌ„ the spirit of God sendeth vs neither to the Bishop of Rome neither to any other Bishop or Bishops nor yet to Councels nor to any inter pretouâ—s to rest our faith vpon their resolutions but rather willeth vs to try the spirites whether they bee of God or no and no further 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Aug cont â—rescon l 2. cap 31. to beleeue them then they bring warrant for their doctrine out of the holy Canonicall scripture For not vvithout cause as Austine saith was the ecclesiasticali Canon ordained with most holesome vigilancy vnto the which certaine bookes of the prophets and Apostles doe appertaine vvhome in no case vvee dare to iudge and by vvhome vvee may freely iudge of the other vvritinges of beleeuers and infidels For shoulde not a people enquire of their GOD To the lavve Isa 8 19 oâ— Opta l. 5. ad Parâ—… saith Esay and to the testimonie In earth saith Optatus there can bee no iudgment of this matter vvee must seekâ— for a iudge from heaven but vvhy knocke vvee at heaven vvhen vvee haue his vvill here in the Gospell Then the Pope by the iudgement of Optatus is no competent iudge nor any other Bishoppe or Bishoppes here on earth for that either they bee ignorant in the cause or else partiall or giuen to sides but only GOD himselfe in his Canonicall scriptures And verely for such as vvill not admitte of GOD to be their iudge where shall vve finde a competent iudge Surely our Saviour Christ when controversie vvas betweene him and the Pharisees coÌ„cerning the truth of his doctrine appealeth not to any interpreter but to the iudgment and sentence of God in the scriptures Search Ioh. 5. 39. the scriptures saith he for in them yee thinke to haue life and they are they vvhich testifie of mee Let the divine scripture saith Basile be asked Bas in ep â—a Eust concerning these thinges and let the decision of truth proceede altogeather from it I beseech you saith Chrysostome let vs set aside what seemeth Chrys hom 13. in 1. Ep. ad Cor. to him or to him and let vs seeke for all these thinges out of the scriptures The writinges saith Constantine of the Evangelistes and Apostles and the oracles of the auncient prophets do instruct vs plainely what Trip. hist l. 2. Cap. 5. we ought to vnderstande and beleeue of Gods pleasure And therefore all contention set apart let vs seeke the solution of these thinges that be propounded out of the scripiures of God When yee shall see saith the autor Op. imperâ— in Math. hom 49. of the imperfect worke vpon Matthew wicked heresie which is the army of Antichrist standing in the holy places of the church then they that are in Iury let them fly to the mountaines that is they which are in christianity let them betake themselues to the scriptures And a litle after Why doth hee commande all christians to betake themselues then to the scriptures Because since the time that heresies haue possessed the churches there can be no proofe of sound christianity nor any other refuge of Christians that vvoulde knowe the true faith but the divine scriptures And againe The LORDE knovving that in the last daies there vvould bee such a confusion of thinges did therefore command that the christians then liuing being desirous to holde the sinceritie of the true faith should retire to nothing but to the scriptures For otherwise saith he if they rest on any thinge else they shall stumble and perish and not come to knowe the true church but shall fall into the abomination of desolation vvhich standeth in the holy places of the church And so verely hath this prophesie beene fulfilled in all the members of the church of Rome who are now fallen into the abominatioÌ„ of desolation staÌ„ding in the holy places of the church embracing Antichrist in steede of Christ for that they refused to to be directed onely by the divine scriptures which are onely able to stay vs vpright and to preserue vs from all errours heresies 2. Tim. 3. 15. and from all the power of the kingdome of darkenes As on the other side the sincere embracers of the Gospell of Christ haue hereby beene preserued from the snares of Antichrist in that according to the prophesie of S. Ierome they haue fled to the mountaines of the scriptures haue made them their place of refuge Hiâ—…onymus in Nahum Cap. 3. Before saith he the coming of the Messias c. the people shal be raâ—sed vp and shall prophesie vvho before vnder their masters vvere lulled asleepe and they shall goe to the mountaines of the scriptures and shall finde there Moses and Iosuah the sonne of Nun the mouÌ„taines the prophetes the mountaines the Apostles and Evangelistes and when any slieth to these mountaines and is occupied in the readâ—ng of the same albeit hee finde none to teach him yet his care shall bee approved â—hr that hee did flie vnto the mountaines Contrarily as Chrysostome Op. imp in Matt. hom 44. Luc. 11. 52. saith Hareticall Priestes shutte vp the gates of truth taking away with the Pharesies the key of knowledge for they are assured if truth bee once knovven their church vvill soone be forsaken and themselues throwen downe from their priestly dignity In evangelio regni ca. 23. 33. Scriptura rij to be esteemed no better of then other men Henry Nicholas master of the family of Loue glorieth in the name of Vnlearned in a scoffe termeth the learned in the scriptures scripture-vvise or scripture-men warning his scholers to be ware of such whereas he and his like should soone haue beene descried in former ages Lucifugae scripturaruÌ„ Tert. de resur and noted in their faces with a blacke coale if it had once appeared that they shunned the light of the sacred scripture For it is not the conference of the scriptures that is the path-vvaie to haeresie but the ignorance of those holie vvritinges Yee err â—aith our Saviour the teacher of truth to the seduced Sadduces not knovving the scriptures out of vvhome there most sufficiently Mat. 22. 29. Chry. hom 3 de Lazaro he confuteth their heresie So Chrysostome the ignorance of the scripture hath bredde haeresies and hath brought in a corrupt life and hath turned all vpside dovvne And therefore they are impudent and shamles haeretikes vvho vvhen they are reproved out of the scriptures sette themselues as Irenaeus saith to Iren. l. 3. cap. 2. reproue the scriptures as if they vvere not right and that they are vttered ambiguously and that the truth cannot be learned out of them by such as knovve not tradition For if GOD be faithfull Bas in asceâ— serm de fiâ—e in all his vvorkes as Basill saith then it
through the whole worlde neither are the large kingdomes of * â—…er non â—…frica â—…undus Affrica the Lordes onely field wherein the pure seede of his word is sowen much lesse the smal territories of the city of * Jllud esseâ— includere orbâ—m in vrbe Rome but the vniversal globe of the whole earth And yet wheÌ„ of al the families kinreds of the earth the Lorde had called out and chosen onely the posteritie of Abraham and when the church of Christ vvas annexed to that one people alone the service of God was not theÌ„ so tied to theÌ„ which had the roomes of the cheife professors therof but that the lawe did sometimes perish from the priest and counsell from the auncient and the Sunne went downe vpon their prophets in Ier. 7. 4. 18. 18. Mich. 3. 6. so much that night was vnto them for a vision and darkenes for a divination As for example in our Saviours time those that shoulde haue beene the principall pillars of the church vvere the cheife subverters thereof and they which had the roomes of the master builders reiected the cheife corner stone and sought the Mat. 21. 42. vtter ruine and dovvne fall of the LORDES house And as it thus happened to the Sinagogue of the Ievves even so also it befell the church of CHRIST when Arrianisme overflowed the outvvarde face thereof in so much that Liberius himselfe Hier de eccles scriptoribus in Fortunatiano being then Bishoppe of Rome yeelded thereto and confirmed it vvith his subscription At what time nothing vvas esteemed a matter of greater pietie and more befitting the servaunt of CHRIST then to follow vnity and not to be divided from the communion of the world when the christian vvorlde Hier. adversus Lucifeâ—ianos sighed and vvondred that of a Christian it vvas become an Arriaâ— VVherefore no mervaile that diverse particular churches planted by the Apostles themselues haue not beene so firmly seased of the truth but that they haue beene longe agoe cast out of the possession thereof no marvaile though they hauing reiected the faith of CHRIST haue themselues also beene reiected from beeing the people and Church of Christ Now that which happeneth to many may also happen to any yea to Rome it selfe and the church thereof seing they haue no Cypr. ad Pomp. cont epist Sâ—eph Hier. ad Princip Marcel ep Tim. 1. greater charter or priveledge of not erring then any other partilar church Certainly Cyprian knevve none for he avoucheth of the Bishope of Rome that he maintaineth heresie against the church Hierome knevve none for hee saith that the fountaine of the Romane faith vvas defiled vvith mudde and that the faith commended by the Apostle was violated in most things albeit our Romanists greatly boast that no good autor hath ever testified of the failing of faith in the church of Rome Nay the Apostle himselfe knewe none for writing to the church of Rome by name he telleth her plainely that she should not be proude of her staÌ„ding nor insult against the church of the Iewes for her fall for of 〈◊〉 11. 21 God saith he spared not the naturall branches take thou heede also that he spare not thee For if they which were Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles being borne vnder covenant of mercy and descending from most holy progenitors had no such perpetuity in the favour of God nor assurance for the continuance of the true worshippe and service of God amongst them but that they might vtterly fall from both then surely such as descended from impious and idolatrous parentes and were straungers and alians from the covenantes of grace being of the Lordes endles goodnes receiued into favour can haue no such assurance of the Lordes mercie but that in successe of time the posterity may fall away from that grace whereof their progenitors were made partakers And if the true worship service of God was not vnseperably tied vnto Siloh Sion or Ierusalem whâ— presumption is it in the church of Rome to make such boast thâ— her faith caÌ„not faile as if the truth were necessarily annexed to that city and the spirite of God as it were entailed to Peters châ—ire or as if God were in bonds still to keepe that See vpright whatsoever else became of all other christian churches Verely of them it may be verefied that which Terasius Archbishop of Constantinople testified of their like that the heresie of Macedonius was more tollerable then theirs in that he avoucheth the spirit of God to be servaÌ„t to the father and the sonne wheras they after a â—ort make him their servant to convey over continually the certaintie of faith from the predecessor to the successor VVhat may a man in his death bed dispose of the inward qualities of his soule as he may of his temporall goodes and possessions May any one make over by deede of gifte vnto an other his faithfull hart and sincere minde or bequeath by will and testament his piety and godlines These thinges are personall and appropriated to the person on whome they are bestowed they pasâ—e not from hand to hand they remoue not from subiect to subiect these giftes are not parted by death but accompany vs continually when all other things bid vs adue when all all other things faile they faile not when all other things are lefte behinde they cannot be lefte there is no conveyance to be made from one to an other of these goods For Non naâ—ciâ—ur Christiani seâ— fimus vertue is no inheritance it descendeth not from the father to the child the child taketh his bodely substance from his parentes at his first birth but as for the substance of vertue if he receaue it he receiveth it by a second birth Now if these giftes come not by descent from the father to the sonne that succeedeth him an nature in substance in the very covenat of grace also much lesse doe they come by descent vnto him that succeedeth onely in place and office It is true indeede that Elias promised Elizaeus thâ—t was to succeede him in his propheticall office that if he saw him when he waâ— tâ—ken out of his sight he should haue his spirite doubled vpon him But Elias knewe that God hauing appointed Elizâ—…s to succeede him in his propheticall office woulde haue him endued with such a measure of his spirite that so he might be meete â—or the execution of the same moreover his promise was made to the person of Elizaeus alone and not to any of his successors But the church of Rome will haue the stability of Peters faith to be conveyed over to all his successors and that to the worlds end yea shee will haue it annexed to Peters chaiâ—e to his very consistory and iudgement seate For when it is proved that many of the Popes in person were Apostataes from the faith Lyra in Math c. 16. Conc. Basil Op. â—inod Non
locus virum honestat Quâ— malâ—s est vbique malâ—… est yet say they whensoever they sate in iudgment vpon the decision of any doubt and vpon the determination of any question they were so directed and guided therein that they did never pronounce any definitiue sentence against the truth As if the very place did sanctifie the person and suddainly change his former resolution or else did force him to pronounce sentence against his owne setled conscience iudgment But what an assurance the Bishop and church of Rome haue that their faith cannot faile it may appeare by this that the truth Verum vero consonat alwaies being like to it selfe and one truth evermore agreeing with another diverse of the very maine groundes of their faith are directly contrary each to other As first the church cannot erre and yet the faithfull themselues by vvhom the trueth is preserved in the church when it is preserved vnlesse vve imagine that it may be better preserved by such as are but meere dissembling hypocrites may altogither and that finally fall from God and so by consequent from the trueth 2 Secondly the faithfull being in danger to fall away wholy from God yet are still in possibility to be renewed by repentance for that repentaÌ„ce is only denied to such as sinne against the holy Ghost and yet they are not to be rebaptized whereas if they did vvholy fall away at their reconciliation and regeneration they should be admitted againe to the sacrament of regeneration Or thus The faithful that are borne againe of the incorruptible seede of the vvord and are made the sonnes of God by faith in Christ may wholy fall away from this grace but yet so that they may be renewed againe by repentaunce and recover againe a true faith and so be borne the second time the sonnes of God And yet as they themselues also teach as we can be but once borne the sonnes of Adam so we can be but once regenerate and borne the sonnes of God 3 Thirdly the children of the faithful in baptisme are devoted to the service of God only as being only baptised in his name and yet they may as they teach bee devoted also to the service of the saintes 4 Fourthly al the infants of the faithful haue their sinnes in baptisme fully washed and clensed are made members of the holy catholicke church and so are effectually called to the estate of grace And yet I hope they vvil also teach that these be 〈◊〉 20. 1. not all called at the first houre 5 Fiftly they call their sacrifice of the Masse an vnbloody sacrifice and yet they teach that Christs blood is there really present And if they â—ay that it is called an vnbloody sacrifice for that the bloode is there present after an vnbloody manner they might then as vvel call it an vnbodily sacrifice also for that as they teach the body of Christ is there also but not after a bodily manner whereas in trueth a true body and true blood haue alwaies the manner and condition of a true body and of true blood 6 Sixtly they teach that by the wordes of consecration transubstantiation is made and yet the nature of the bread is abolished and gone before the first worde thereof THIS is vttered by the Priest For in the words of consecration whatsoeuer this word THIS doth signifie in any case it must not signifie true and reall bread 7 Seventhly Matrimony as they teach is an holy sacrament and conferreth grace and yet it is with them a prophanation of holy orders as if one grace did disgrace another and as if one holy thing were a prophanation to another and that single life which vndoubtedly giveth no grace is an holier estate then the estate of Matrimony whereas it may be well knowne of euery young scholer that single life is no vertue but continencie and chastity either in single life or else in matrimony 8 Eightly they teach that grace sometime worketh alone in vs which Gratia operans â—ooperans needs must be if it be at all in our conversion and yet they teach that our free will worketh together also with Gods grace even in our verie first conversion 9 Ninthly they vaunt most confidently themselues to be the only catholikes their faith to be vndoubtedly the sound faith and they determine most peremptonly that the true catholike iustifying faith consisteth only in beleeving the truth of the articles of our christian creede and yet they teach that neither they are nor yet ought to bee assured that they haue obtained a true faith 10 Tenthly they teach that we ought most assuredly to beleue the truth of Gods generall promises as whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall neuer be confouâ—ded yet they say that it is presumption for this or that particular man which beleeueth to perswade himselfe assuredly that he shall never be confounded 11 EleveÌ„thly in their pardons shriftes exhortations to religious actioÌ„s they take vpon them to forgiue to particular persons their sinnes and yet they also to whome particularly they forgiue must sâ—il doubt whether their sinnes be forgiven For al their catholikes must still stand in doubt thereof vnlesse it be otherwise opened vnto them by revelation 12 Twelfthly they teach that they can fulfil the law more also the which thing caÌ„not be performed without grace yea without great grace yet they thus assuredly knowing that they fulfill the law caÌ„not yet for all that assuredly knowe that they themselues are in the estate of Rom. 14 23 grace wheras not only the Apostle but a very heatheÌ„ maÌ„ caÌ„teach theÌ„ that vnto every good actioÌ„ therfore much more to so many as whereby the whole lawe is fulfilled and more also it is a necessary circumstance that is required that it be done vpon an * â—er coÌ„â—…nstaÌ„ assured knowledge 13. Thirtenethly they teach that the fulfilling of the law is an ordinary dutie that is to be performed of the common and vulgar sorte of people and therefore that their relligious men must striue to ascende to a faâ—re higher degree of greater perfection and yet they teach also that the common people cannot attaine vnto the vnderstanding of the sacred scriptures vvhich containe for a good part but an exposition of the lavve and yet as I take it it is a farre harder matter to doe then to vnderstand that vvhich is right 14. Fourtenethly they teach that all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are not contained in â—he holy scripture and yet they alleadge scripture for all pointes vvhich are necessary to salvation And therfore all such pointes may be proved out of the scriptures or else they greatly abuse the scriptures even by the testimonie of their owne consciences in alleaging them against their meâ—ning only for shewe and not for truth 15. Fiftenethly some of them teach that Election which is the precedent cause of the first iustification dependeth vpon foreseene workes and yet that the first
respect of the other they ought not to be lifted vp to glorie in themselues and in their ovvne righteousnes Let vs end with Bernard My merite is the LORDES mercye And so O LORD graunte vnto vs appealling vpon this tiâ—…e to the Bern. in caÌ„ Serm. 61. throne of grace to enioy the benefite of grace and mercy and let the members of the church of Rome if they list plead the merite of their ovvne vvorkes and trie the title of their ovvne deseruinges at the barre of iustice and soe proue vvhether they shall stande in iudgemente or fall And so to conclude this treatise concerning the articles of our Christian creede seeing that the members of the church of Rome teach so many contradictions against these groundes of â—…aâ—…re â—…ely â—…ikes â—…thâ—…e â—…tho â—…d aâ—…ike of the catholike faith let all the vvorlde iudge what iust cause they haue to boast that they themselues only are the true catholikes and inheritors as it vvere of the apostolike faith and that their Popes faith cannot faile not bee over-come by the gates of hell The vvhich thinge if it vvere so vvhat neede were there vvith so greate travaile and studie to seeke for the decision of all doubtes and the determination of all controversies in matters of faith from GOD himselfe opening the same in the sacred bookes of the canonicall scriptures what neede vvere there so greatly to seeke after the knovvledge of the artes and tongues as beeing the keyes that open the dores into the secrete chambers of these holy mysteries Yea what neede vvere there to craue the helpe of all the godâ—…â—earned of all ages and their directions set dovvne in their private vvittinges or else at their publike meetinges and assemblies in their provinciall or generall councels Certainely this vvere then to goe the nearest vvaâ—e about and as vvhen one knovveth aslu edly vvhere the game is lodged not to goe directly to the same place but to traise it out by a trouble-some tracke For if the Popes faith cannot faile if hee cannot pronounce sentence against the truth the nearest vvay to holde a right faith and to side vvith the truth is in all matters of faith to looke to his determinations and to rest our selues vpon his oracles And therefore also needles are the greate â—…ue â—…pe â—…s inâ—…e cen â—…ay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for â—…ole â—…e of â—…stes abours and travailes of many of the children of the church of Rome about the opening and iustifying of diverse points of their superstition and idolatry VVhereas if they could vvith all their endevoures proue sufficientlye the integritye and infallibiliâ—ye of their Popes faith they had vvonne the fielde and gotten the full conquest they needed not to strike one stroke more for the further clearing of any other pointe of their doctrine Neither shoulde they onely by this meanes provide verie vvell for their owne securitie in matters of faith but also greatly strengthen themselues in their temporalities and mightely establish their earthly kingdome as they may easily gather by that greate succesle they had therein vvhen this maine pointe of theirs vvas generally helde by the most part in former times for sound and catholike For then whosoever woulde be taken for a member of the catholike church were he king or Keazer or whatsoever This newe ar icle of faith concerning the Popes autority necessary subiection to be giuen thereto is sâ—b nefici all t the church of Rome that her fiends would condemne her of great fâ—ly iâ— that shee would leaue it fer al the articles of the Apostles creede he were he was vpon the necessity of his salvation to bee builte vpon that Romish rocke and to settle his safety vpon his triple crowne who was the greate commander in earth purgatory and heaven he was wholy to be ruled by him vvho had both svvordes temporall and spirituall and to commit all into his handes And albeit by this meanes CHRIST himselfe vvas almost forgotten for vvhat neede vvas there to seeke to him vvhen his Viceroy coulde doe all yet this his Vicar generall vvith all his vnder officers vvere veriâ— vvell remembred And albeit fevve sought for entrance into heaven at the right doore yet manye came farre and neare and brought all kinde of keies of gold and silver landes and luelyhodes to open that doore whereof Peter and his successors vvere thought to bee the onely or at the least the cheife porters For they verâ—ly thought that if their pasport had beene signed by the Pope and subscribed with SEENE AND ALLOWED CHRIST would in no case haue disalovved thereof but that they had beene thereby most safe and sure and out of all manner of perill and danger Hereby grewe that high and royall state to the kingdome of Antichrist hereby vvere gathered into his store-houses the riches and treasures of Kinges and Princes and Saint Peters patrimonie vvas in most ample manner encreased nothing beeing thought to much that vvas bestovved vpon his holines albeit it vvere with the robbing spoiling and vtter vndoing of the party himselfe and of all his posteritie In so much that although the spirituall kingdome of CHRIST was not hereby erected in al holines wisedome and righteousnes yet an earthly kingdome was obtained for themselues in worldly wealth pompe and glory But now behold the hand of the Lord what is become of this great Babylon which was a terrour to all the kings of the earth her walles already are wel battered and downe shee must to the very ground yea to the bottomles pit of hel when the sounde faith of al sincere Christians contained in these articles of our Christian creede as an immoueable rocke in deed shall remaine vnshaken and shal giue testimony of their engraffing into him by whose grace they continuested fast and immoueable and by whose power they are preserued vnto that eternal and everlasting kingdome which he himselfe hath purchased for them with his owne blood Now to this our almighty and all sufficient king and Saviour be all honour and glory praise and thankes both now and euer Amen CHAP. 7. Div. 1. That the right sence of the word of God is alwaies agreeable to his most holy law being the most exact rule of all true piety and godlinesse AS the true sence interpretation of Gods 〈◊〉 holiâ—… of the of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God â—…eanes â—…scerne â—…ight â—…e of diâ—… scripâ—… from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wrong most holy worde and the pointes of faith drawne out of the same are alwaies agreeable to the articles of the creede which are the maine groundes of our christian faith and no way thwarte and contradict the same for that God himselfe the author thereof it true and alwaies true and evermore like vnto himselfe so they are holy pure iust and righteous altogither even as God himselfe and his sacred law is holy and righteous altogither And therefore it is an over-ruled case that when the litterall sence of any
only doth this their doctrine of satisfaction and merites greate wrong vnto our Saviour Christ by disanulling the covenant of life made in him and by defacing of the sufficiency of his death but otherwise also it is most iniurious vnto God and tendeth highly to the dishonour of his sacred maiesty 1. First it maketh him like to a very vniust and hard Land-lord whoe hauing graunted an estate in a bargaine vnto a yonger brother vpon a sufficient fine tendered by the elder yet will not let the yonger enioy it vnlesse he fine for it againe himselfe 2. Secondly it maketh him like to a cruell Creditour who hauing the debt discharged to the vttermost by a frieÌ„d yet casteth the poore debtour himselfe into prison vntill he there also in parte make some satisfaction 3. Thirdly it maketh him like to a mercilesse Iudge who hauing punished an ofâ—ence with condigne punishment yet will haue the offender punished againe as if he delighted in the tormentes of the miserable 4. Fourthly it maketh him lesse mercifull then man who doth remitte to his penitent brother all manner of offence and all manner of revenge also 5. Lastly it â—inistreth matter to the malitious to the satisfying of his malicious humor to the full seeing as GOD doth pardon vs so vve are to deale one vvith an other and therefore if GOD doth so forgiue vs our sinnes in CHRIST as that we must yet still either afflict our selues vvith the rigorous vvorkes of Penance or else bee cast into the extreame tormentes of Purgatorie then we may also so forgiue our brother as that we may yet procure his most greavous punishment Wherefore let all true and faithfull Christians abhorre those aboâ—inations of the whore of Babylon yea let all such as looke for forgiuenes of sinne and eternal life by the covenant of mercy in CHRIST Iesus giue the glory thereof not to themselues or their owne workes but onely to the death of our al-sufficient Redeemer And yet let them haue a most earnest care to shew forth their most holy faith by their godly workes not as if they were part of the satisfaction made for sinne or anie parcell of the price giuen for the purchase of eternall glorie but thereby to testifie their thankefulnes to him who hath paide the whole price for that purchase himselfe and hath made for them a perfect and full satisfaction For true faith is not idle nor deade but a living faith working by loue albeit this mother iustifieth vvithout the Fides iustificat ante partum Roffensis helpe of her daughters yea before their very birth as the truth hath forced an enimie to confesse For workes do follovve the iustified man they go not before our iustification even as good fruits proceede from a tree which is already good declaring and not making the tree good Wherfore if we which by nature are wilde oliues being ingraffed in Christ are made good oliues and if we which of our selues bringe forth sowre grapes being planted into the true vine yeeld a sweete liquor if we be made good trees and pleasant plantes such as are setled in the caelestiall paradise we owe that wholy to our engraâ—…ing into Christ by a true faith and not in any vvise to the fruites of our faith the vvhich are only requisite and necessary duties vvhich are carefully to be performed of all such as are called to be pertakers of so greate mercies For as in those landes and liuinges vvhich are holden of temporall Lords ther are besides the fines paide for the purchase of the first estates certaine rentes services and other duties vvhich are also to be performed for the quiet and peaceable possessing of the same liuinges and yet he were but a simple tenante that vvoulde imagine those rentes and seruices to be his whole fine or any part or parcell thereof even so the faithfull which haue their estates purchased for them by the death of Christ in the kingdome of heaven must as it vvere pay their rents performe their services submit theÌ„selues to the custoÌ„e of that heavenly mannour and yet they must neither be so proud nor so simple as to thinke that these rentes services and duties are any part or parcell of that fine that was paid for the first purchase of that heavenly inheritance Chap. 13. That the very end and scope of the sacramentes also is to teach the faithfull that remission of sinne and eternall life is obtained onely by faith in Christ VNTO the preaching of the gospell and Bap isme Eucharist doctrine of the new testament vvere adioyned by our Saviour Christ the sacramentes of the newe TestameÌ„t For it pleased our louing and gracious father not only to giue vs eternall life in his onely begotten sonne but also by certaine external rites and ceremonies to take vs as it were by the hand and to put vs into possession thereof If vvee had beene saith Chrysostome spirituall GOD Chrys in Math. hom 83. vvoulde haue giuen vs these thinge nakedly and spiritually but now for that our soules dvvell in bodies hee giueth spirituall thinges vnder visible creatures Visible sacramentes saith another vvere In quaest ve teris testamenti ordained for such as are environed vvith flesh that by the steppes thereof vvee mighte ascende from such thinges as are seene to thinges that are vnderstoode Saint Austine calleth the sacraments Aug. â—ont Faustum Lib. 19. Cap. 16. in generall a visible vvorde as our Saviour calleth the cuppe in particular the nevve Testament in his bloode because as the worde and testament doth teach our eares that the blood of Christ is the purgation of all our sinnes and his body the bread of eternall life even so doe the sacramentes represent the same doctrine visibly to our eies For certaine it is that in the right vse of thâ—se holy mysteries by the reverent receauinug of the bodely creatures God doth ratifie to the faithfull his graunt and donation of spirituall thinges that is of remission of sinnes and of eternall life in CHRIST IESVS and the faithfull in the religiouâ— vse thereof do againe for their part after a sort vow vnto GOD that they will seeke for the same blessinges onely by Christ and not by any other meanes whatsoever VVherefore the members of the church of Rome seeking for remission of sinnes and eternall life not onely by CHRIST but also by their owne merites and satisfactions may worthely be charged not onely as transgressors of the new TestameÌ„t but also as violaters of the holy sacraments and breakers of that solemne and sacred vovve made at thereceauing of these holy mysteries Yea vvhereas in the religious vse of the sacramentes GOD giueth vs CHRIST vvith all his blessinges according vnto the plaine vvordes of the institution of the LORDES supper take yee eate yee this is my body the church of Rome hath turned this tipsie turvy and vvill not so much receaue CHRIST therein as a sacrifice already offered to GOD for them
liuing GOD saying giue me a man that we may fight togither After the like maner marched forth this other prowde champion with his most stately furniture as he himselfe thought and armour of proofe even vvith a most goodly and glorious shevve of all Antiquity and Novelty Law and Custome Fathers and Councels Histories and all Monuments Reasons naturall and morall togither with the vvhole armies and hostes of heauen and earth and the bandes and companies of all the creatures great and small in confidence hereof he was bold to blaspheme the truth of the gospell and to revile the professors thereof even all the Lordes armies and to provoke them all to an open combate Now there was sent forth against this Gyant little David with a staffe as it were a sâ—ing and a fevve Guilielmus Whitakerus small stones taken out of the cleere streames of the sacred scriptures and so with this armour of the Lordes he overthrewe this vaine glorious Goâ—ah the sonne of pride and child of Antichrist and with his owne sword of Fathers Councels c. he cut of his head and gaue his carcase to be meate for the birds of the aire and the beasts of the field and made it manifest to all indifferent persons that this prowde vaunt was nothing else but a glorious shew of vaine words and a puffing blast of a swelling spirit The Apostle S. Peter by the spirit of prophesie foreseeing the great corruptions of these last and most dangerous daies setteth downe these notes and markes of the false prophets and Antichristes which shall seduce the most part of the Christian world 1 as first in generall tearmes 2. Pet. 2. 1. that they shall prively and vnder the vizard of truth bring in damnable heresies Satan in them turning himselfe into an Angell of light and not shewing himselfe openly as hee is but shaddowing his false-hood vnder the cloake of truth For with â—eiâ—edwordes saith he shall they make merchandize of the people that is vnder the pretence as it were of the Catholike faith the Holy Church the consent of Fathers Christs Vâ—car Peters successor Antiquity Vnity Vniversality they shall sell many â—oules to the Devill when they which be deceaved by such meanes shall perswade themselues that they gaâ—e God 2 Secondly the Apostle setteth downe in particular what shal be the principal of these damnable and privy heresies even this that they shall deny the Loraâ—haâ— bought them that is they shall deny the great vertue sufficiency of our redemption wrought by Christ Quicquid eiuâ— negaris ipsum negavit Aug. in Joh. tract 66. vvhich is in effect a â—…at deniall of Christ himselfe For as Austine teacheth whosoeuer denieth any thing belonging to Christ denieth Christ 3 Thâ—…dly they shal come with so strong delusion that they shal make drunke with the cuppe of their spirituall foâ—nication many of the countries and kingdomes of the earth whereby there shall fall out a great Apostasie from the faith the multitude following their damnable waies 4 Fourthly they shall speake evill of the way of truth charging both the profession thereof with error and heresie and the professours of the same with many most heinous and grievous crimes 5 Lastly Apo. 18. 13. through covetousnes they shall make merchandize of people and set out to sale even their soules for gaine Nowe doe not all these cognisaunces and badges of these heretikes and Antichrists of the last times agree most apparantly to the Pope and his Ministers of whome we may say that they seeme to be friends but indeed Omnes aâ— ici omnes inimici servi Christi servâ—unâ— Antichristâ— Bern. in cÌ„atserm 33. are enemies In shew they serue Christ but in truth Antichrist For howsoeuer in outvvard shevv they seeme to esteeme of the Lord that bought them and of the redemption vvrought by his death yet in effect they cleane overthrovv the vertue and validity thereof in that they teach that vve must seeke for a second iustificatioÌ„ by our ovvne deeds and not content our selues vvith our first iustification by Christ that vve must make satisfaction by the works of Pennance or else in Purgatory for our ovvne sins as if Christes satisfaction vvere not sufficient and that vve must deserue heaven by our ovvne merites as if Christ had not fully bought it vvith his blood Novv what other thing saith S. Austine doe vve Aug. de verb â—om secund â—oh ser 45. fearein Antichrist but that he shall honour his owâ—e name and contÌ„eâ—e Christs And what else doth he when he â—aith I iustifie For to seek to establish our ovvne righteousnes is to derogate from the vertue of Christs righteousnes and to seeke iustification by our ovvne vvorks is to disalovv the fulnes of our iustification by Christ and is not this to honor our selues with the dishonour of Christ which is a marke of a very Antichrist For as our Messias Saviour vvas an all-sufficient God that so he might be an al-sufficient Saviour so he vvil be acknovvledged an al-sufficient Savior or no Savior an entire perfect and only Redeemer or no Redeemer And therefore in that the Bishoppe of Rome and his adherents do deny our Saviour Christ to be an entire perfect only and all-sufficient Saviour they do in effect deny him to be their Savior at al according vnto the prophecie of the Apostle S. Peter And yet haue they set such a gloze vpon this their most wicked doctrine and deliuered forth their poison in such a golden cup that a great nuÌ„ber haue beene deceiued and led into error by them and many haue followed their damnable waies in so much that whosoeuer neuer so little opposed himselfe against them he was strait waies an Horetike and a Lollarde for his labour a fire and a fagot was to good for him and whatsoeuer mischiefe they could do him either in word or deed all was thought to little And did they not with feined words deceiue the world whiles they taught that this doctrine of meriting of saluation by our owne workes was both a magnifying of the vertue of Gods most holy spirit by whose power and efficacy they are wrought and a great provocatioÌ„ to piety godlines in that thereby we should deserue our own salvatioÌ„ yea did they not through couetousnes make merchandize of the people whiles they taught that they had power to remit sinnes that they had the keies of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ that they could by their masles and pardons deliuer any soule whatsoeuer out of Purgatory if that they were well hired and paâ—de for their paines And did they not by their thus merchandizâ—ng of mens soules so well profit gaine that they had gotten into their own hands many of the goodliest possessions in Christendome vvith great aboundance of riches treasures and had still at coÌ„mande as they thought good the purses liuely hoods of all Christians Wherefore seeing that all these markes of the heâ—etâ—kes and
the Gospell of Christ may be coÌ„victed in their own coÌ„sciences brought to acknowledge and to bewaile their wretched estate and that other also seeing their fall may thereby bee made more watchfull and warie least they bee taken in the same trappe the which thing is so much the more carefully to bee obserued by vs all seeing wee bee fallen into those times wherin Christ and his Apostles haue plainely foretold vs that the danger wherevnto Math. 24 38 Luk. 17. 28. 2. Tim. 3. 4. 2. Pet. 2. 3. Apoc. 12. 4. al shal generally be subiect and particularly such as be of the Ministery is this even the loue of the earth that shall draw away the most part of men from the loue of heaven and shall make many of Demas his place and giftes to forsake Paule and to embrace this present world and with Iudas to sell Christ and that for a matter of no great gaiâ—e The faithfull indeede are the right heires even of all the blessings of their heavenly father but yet so that they must not be their owne carvers but seeke for them by such meanes as hee hath ordained being resolved to be wholy at his dispositioÌ„ and to content themselues with such a portion as he best knoweth to be most meete for them And what neede haue they too greedily to seeke after the temporal and transitory goods of this world seeing their portion is fallen vnto them in a very good ground and they haue a very goodly heritage seeing God is their Father and Christ their brother and the holy Ghost their comforter and faith their freehold and truth their treasure and godlines their gaine and goodnes their goods and righteousnes their riches pietâ— their portion and the kingdome of God their â—…heritaÌ„ce heaven the haven of their eternall rest blessednes and the gracious promises of the gospell written in their harts the authenticall evidences for their title and right vnto these and all other blessings of God But these things are sufficiently knowne vnto you therfore I cease any farther to trouble you most hartely beseeching the most blessed God so to water you al with the pleÌ„tiful streames of his heavenly graces that when yee haue beene as good trees bearing much fruit in the dry wildernes of this barren world ye may be transplanted by his gracious hand and set in his celestial and heavenly paradise Your VVorships most assured in the Lord JOHN TERRY To the Christian Reader OF many stuÌ„bling blocks good Christian Reader that are cast in the way by the servants of Antichrist to keep the people that they do not so much as turne their eies to behold much lesse settle their affectioÌ„s to embrace the glorious lighte of the gospell of Christ this is not the least that they are not ashamed to charge not only some principal and eminent persons but generally all the professours thereof with an huge sea of outragious sins and a great drought of godlines and vertue yea many points of the most holy doctrine it selfe they avouch to tende directly to the corruption of good maners in all states But to omit their particulaâ— slaÌ„ders raised vp against particular persons which haue bin fully answered by others our severe ceÌ„sors of Rhemes Rhem. in e. 7. Math. The professers of the gospel most vniustly charged by the adversary to bee sacrilegious prophanâ— incestuous men of inâ—…tiable siâ— beside many grievous crimes which they avouch to be coÌ„mon with vs and al other heretickes charge vs particularly with sacriledge against God and the prophanation of all holy things and incestuous marriages and these with the other abominatioÌ„s they would haue the world beleeue to be in so high a degree among vs as they are likely to be among all such as are men of insatiable sin Now if the pulling downe of Idols and the destroying of Idolatry the removing of the superstitious worship of creatures the restoring of the pure worship of one almighty and alsufficient God in spirit and truth according vnto the prescription of his owne most holy word be sacriledge the prophanation of all holy things and if the abolishing of the common stewes and the disanulling of the vow of single life which was indeed the cause of abominable pollutions and of vnnatural and monstrous murders and the restitution 1. Cor. 7. 3. of holy matrimony according vnto the direct coÌ„mandement of God by the penne of the Apostle be incestuous pollutions and if these and the like make vs men of insatiable sin then we must be content to vndergoe this slander seeing herein we are made but conformable to our Master Ioh. 6. 48. Christ who was charged to haue beene in league with the Devil whereas his comming was to destroy the workes of Mat. 11. 19. the devil and to haue beene a friend to Publicanes sinners being in truth the greatest enemy to sin that ever was borne of flesh blood But what manner of men are these themselues which lay to our charge so grievous crimes yea what are their most holy and most godly Fathers the SaÌ„ctissimi pijssimi Lyr. in Mat. c. 16 Platina in Rom. c. 1. â—drian Papa In nomine domini incipit omne malum Bern. in Cant. serm 33. The most corrupt abominable liues of the chiefest enemies of the Gospel of Christ Popes vnto whose very becke they owe all obedience Is it not recorded by principal men among them that many of them haue beene apostataes from the faith and very monsters and mishapen creatures such as succeeded not Peter in feeding but Romulus in manquelling that they pretended the name of God and the service of Christ but vnder that name wrought all maner of mischiefe and did service vnto Antichrist Neither did this spirituall contagion stay in their greatest personages but spread it selfe abroad in al states and callings And no mervaile seeing the whole world doeth frame it selfe to the likenes and liking of such as be in greatest power authority especially where the vow of obedience without gaine-saying yea without inquiring whether it be lawfull or no is esteemed as one of the highest steppes to the greatest perfection Whereby it came to passe that Rome it selfe the chiefe city of this Empire became the mother of all abominations and grew to â—uch ripenes and perfection in sin that shee deserved the name of the westerne Babilon where the whore of whores eveÌ„ the great Antichrist of these last times should sit who was to make drunke all the kings of the earth with the cup of his spiritual fornications adulteries Vnto the which place whosoeuer should haue his recourse first he should see and then he should be acquainted with and the thirde time hee himselfe should become a wicked person For there is liberty of all other thinges saue only of true pietie Romae omnia cum liceant non licet esse pium MaÌ„t and godlines So outragious and abominable
vnto our Saviour Christ that he is called by the name of truth and his spirit is said to be the spirit of truth and that it is testified of him that one of the principal causes why he came downe from the father was that hee might beare vvitnes to the truth and why he ascended againe vp to the Ioh. 18. 13. father even that he might send downe his spirit vpon his A postles to lead them into all truth and by the voice of truth to gather Ioh. 16. 13. to himselfe a church and congregation which should be a lover embracer maintainer and pillar of truth For all such as Christ 1. Tim. 3 15 would haue to be saued hee would haue them come thereto by the knowledge of the truth And therfore he sendeth vnto them the 1. Tim. 2. 4. light of his word causeth them with all constancy to embrace the same whereby they are enabled to know the truth and the truth Ioh. 8. 32. doth make them free Free from the slavery of sinne and Satan from all the powers of the kingdome of darknes and the same truth doth sanctifie them being before polluted with blind infidelity Ioh. 17. 17. and ignorance of God and so maketh them fellowe cittizens of the Saintes and enrolleth them into the Lords family So then the faithful embracing professing of the truth being the bādes of our communion fellowship with God and an assured note of the Lords people no marvaile though all nations of the earth of what profession soever they be be they Pagans Turks Iewes or Heretikes make so bold a claime to the possession of truth and be at open defiance with al other which wil not yeeld vnto their pretended title And yet there is but one truth one faith which The greatest chalengers are not the rightest owners of truth The testimony of God is the best evidence for truth is the sure anchor of our hope in God the direct way vnto his heavenly kingdome Neither are they seased of the possession therof who make the stoutest claime and chalenge thereto and seeme to be most earnest in the defence of the same but rather such as can shew for it the best evidence Now the best evidēce for truth is the testimony of God who is onely true and cannot lie who cannot erre be deceiued himselfe or in any wise deceiue others And this is acknowledged by all as it may appeare by the pretence made by the autors and inventors of every devotion who haue fained either conference with some God or goddesse or some revelation from some divine power to get the greater credit to their profession So dealt Numa among the Romans Licurgus amōg the Lacedemonians and Solon among the Athenians The truth is that God who dwelleth in a light that no man can approach vnto whom no man hath 1. Tim 6. 16. seene nor can see whose voice is so terrible and glorious that no man can heare it and liue who is onely knowen vnto himselfe and who onely knoweth what is truth what belongeth to his owne worshippe and service hath revealed his wil vnto his faithfull servants and hath made them his penmen and scribes and as it were the publike notaries of his heavenly wisdome And these publike notaries we that be Christians beleeue not to be Solon Lygurgus Numa Mahomet or the like but the Prophets Apostles and Evangelistes even the penmen and scribes of the word The pen-men of the bookes of the olde new testament are the onelie sure and infallible witnesses of truth of God contained in the bookes of the olde and newe testamēt For as for those lawgiuers among the heathē it is acknowledged that they were great learned and politicke men as being trained vp in those artes and sciences which did florish in those ages wherein they liued wherby they were enabled to set down many witty and skilfull rules for the better managing of humane affaires But as for the most of our Prophets Apostles they were simple and ignorant men brought vp not in famous places and schooles of learning but in meane poore and base occupations and therefore the divine knowledge of all heavenly wisedome wherewithal they were endued most plentifully must needes be extraordinarily derived vpon them from God himselfe the foūtaine and wel-spring of all wisedome seeing they obtained not the same by any ordinarie meanes and the miraculous gifte of tongues bestowed vpon them whereby they were enabled in all languages to open to all nations the wonderfull workes of God could not proceede but frō him who is the author of all languages and tongues as likewise the quicke and speedy prevailing of this heavenly doctrine the strong effectual working therof in the harts of the faithful which made them yong old most desirous to testifie their exceeding great loue to the same with the sheading of their decrest blood doth manifestly convince it to be the most mighty powerfull word of the most mighty powerful God Now as the persons from whom the bookes of the olde new testament proceeded by whom the doctrine thereof was so louingly embraced declare them to be divine so doth the matter also in them contained For where are the deformities of all iniquities and sinnes so liuely drawen forth sette out in their coloures to moue to a through dislike and hatred of them and to vnfained repentance and amendement of life as they are described in these divine bookes And where else may we find such a gratious mediator to reconcile vs to God so great a price given for the purchase of the kingdome of heaven so ample and full a satisfaction for the discharge of al our sinnes such a soveraigne salve for the curing of al our maladies such an effectual meanes to relieve our distresled consciences and to secure vs of the loue and favour of God as are offered vnto vs in the holie scriptures And wheras the penmen of these holy bookes lived in diverse ages countries doth not the perfect cōsent agreement of their precepts and instructions manifestly declare by whom they were directed even by him who is alwaies one and the same never differing or disagreeing from himselfe So doth the perfect accomplishment of so many strange predictions foretolde so many ages before they came to passe evidently cōvince that these books proceeded frō him vnto whō only were known al his own decrees works before the foūdatiō of the world was Veritas docendo suadet Tertul. cōt Valēt laide Lastly the perfect purity holines of all points of faith set down in these bookes that absolute equity righteousnes of all the precepts of piety and godlines therein contained doeth plainely declare also that they proceeded from the holy of holies euen from him whose wil is the rule of all equity and righteousnes So that Moses the first penman of this holy write mighte
Appius Claudius for fidelity Fabritius for abstinence Scaevola for courage Cato for severity Cimon the Plut. in vita Cimonis Athenian for liberality Of whom it is recorded that he tooke away the moundes and fences from his groundes that the stranger and poore might take what fruite they would to refresh and satisfie themselues there withall besides he prepared a large supper ordinarily to the which any poore man might come and receiue sustenance and if he mette any auncient citizen in ragged and torne attire he commaunded one or other of his follovvers to chaunge his apparell with him and of his retinue that accompanied him some carried large suÌ„mes of mony that if they mette with any honest poore man they might giue vnto him all that he needed And yet vvhat vvere all these so glorious and goodly workes but bare shadowes counterfeites of vertuous actions rather then vertuous actions indeede Yea what were they but Splendid a peccata The best workes of the vnfaithâ—ull aâ—e no better then sinnes Rom. 11. 20. beautiful sinnes And as for the parties themselues shal we therfore esteeme them to haue beene good trees for that they had such an outward shew of good fruite Surely the spirit of truth doth testifie of vs that we are all by nature brambles breers wild â—…ues vntill we be grasled into the true oliue Nowe it is faith that doth grafte vs into the true olive as infidelity doth breake vs of Without saith then we are no better then brambles briars and wilde olives And whâ—… Dee men gather grapeâ— of thorâ—es figges Math. 7. 16. of brâ—arâ— Or doth the wilde oliue bring forth a kinde and natural olive Wherfore all these before named so famous and worthy personages in the eies of flesh bloud for al their glorious shew of goodly fruite living without faith without Christ vvithout God being Ephes 2. 12. alâ—ans from the â—ommâ—n wealâ—h of Israell and from the covenants of grace must needes vndergoe that heavy but iâ—st sentence of the Lord of the vineyard Cutte downe the vnprofitable trees for why Luke 13 7. Math. 3 10. cumber they the grounde And againe Now is the aâ—e laide vnto the roote of the treesâ— therfore every tree that bringoth not forth good fruite is bowâ—n downe and cast into the fire For if I giue al my goods to the poore 1. Cor. 13. 3 and haue not loue it profiâ—…th me nothing that is if this liberall fact of mine proceede not from a sincere harty affection to the good of my neighbour as likevvise if this harty affection towarde my neighbour come not from a sincere loue towardes God vvho is loued for himselfe and in whom also I love my neighbour yea if this my loue towardes God flow not from his loue in Christ towardâ— me embraced and apprehended by a true and lively faith all this my releiving of the poore cannot releiue my selfe and all this my mercy toward the needy cannot be a meanes to convey over vnto me the Lordes mercy For vnlesse all my goodnes be after this manner derived from God the onely fountaine of all goodnes well it may vnto men seeme to be goodnes yet it shall not haue his allowance from God But now let vs returne againe vnto our Saviours rule Beware of false Prophots which come vnto you in sheepes cloathing but inwardlie are ravening wolves ye shall know them by their fruites True teachers which with their harts sincerely embrace that holesome doctrine which they professe with their mouthes togither with their faith full disciples and schollers are as trees planted in the paradise of God and watered with the pure streames of the river of the vvater of life that floweth throughout the paradise of God and so receiving the blessing of God doe there by bring forth fruit good in truth and substance and not in shewe onely or outward appearance whereas false teachers as bastard plantes setled in the wildernes of this barren and vnfruitful world and wette with the venemous drops of the infected and deadly puddles of humane devices and dreames doe thereby bring forth fruit sometimes holesome and good in shew but never in substance For an infected fountaine cannot yeeld forth holesome water neither can a corrupt faith bring forth an vncorrupt life For the mind and vnderstanding are the leaders and guides vnto the will and the affectious and therefore if they be misledde with falshood errour and wander and goe astray in the bye pathes of impiety vngodlines howe can they direct the will and affections in the right way of piety and godlines Verily vnto whomsoever God in his iustice hath denied the knowledge of the groundeâ—and principles of a sound faith to them also he doth deny the gift and blessing of an holy life seeing that selfesame holy doctrine that is the cause of an holy faith is also the cause of an holy life as it is made manifest in the fourth motiue As on the contrary side vnto whom God in his mercy hath given the faithful acknowledging embracing of the grounds and principles of a sounde faith vndoubtedly to them hee doeth likewise graunt the practicall knowledge of an holy life For true faith and sincere loue which are the mother and nurce of all good workes are as Hypocrates twinnes borne togither and living without separation so that if one of them be strengthned the other receiveth strength also and if one of them be weakned the other is weakned they go alwaies hand in hand and bee inseparable companions and never breake company giue entertainement to the one thou must giue entertainment to the other sâ—ut the one of them out of thy dores and the other will in no wise be thy guest nor abide vvith thee the least moment of time For albeit a bare naked knowledge of the grounds of faith may be severed from the practise of a godly life yet a faithfull embracing and a sincere reâ—oiceing in them can never be idle and vnfruitfull but alwaies is accompaned with good works which giue witnesse vnto the sincerity Qui non fac it bonuÌ„ non credit bonum soundnes of faith and do sufficiently declare the holinesse of the doctrine from whence â—hey proceede Holy doctrine embraced but in shew and in hypocrisie may be vnfruitfull but being sinâ—…ly received it maketh good trees which cannot bee without gâ—…d fruite Now then this being evident that good workes are the infalhble notes of a good faith it remaineth that as in the former part of this treatise we declared that faith to be only sounde and catholike which was agreeable to the grounds of faith more briefly abridged in the Apostles Creede and set downe more at large in the canonicall seripture so now we set downe those divine rules of an holy life which are delivered in the same books wherevnto we must frame all our works if that wee desire to bee assured that they shall
wretched estate when yee sate in darknes and in the shaddow of death and forget not Gods mercy that hath translated you out of darknes into the kingdome of light and so see that yee walke worthy of God and of your high calling in Christ Iesus This due consideratioÌ„ of the Lords endlesse mercy in Christ and their owne vnworthines hath beene the only effectual motiue from the beginning of the world to draw the faithful out of the slavery of Satan vnto God and to confirme and establish them in his feare The seede of the woman shall breake the serpentes head made Adam who before hid himselfe from God afterward with boldnes to come into his presence In thy seede shall all the â—ations of the earth be blessed made Abraham who before was bred vp in Idolatry to forsake kindred and countrey and to endure many annoyances in a strange land that so he might shew his humble obedience vnto God Yea by the eies of this faith all the holy men of God before the comming of Christ in the flesh beholding the great goodnesse and loue of God as the Apostle testifieth Hebr. 11. haue offered vp their sacrifices acceptable to God performed all dueties and endured all crosses for the constant confession of this their holy faith And now since the comming of Christ in the flesh wherby was the whole world converted froÌ„ dumbe Idols to serue the living God Was it by the promulgation of the law of Moses or by the preaching of the gospel of Christ Surely the preaching and publishing of the glad tydings of the gospell of the yeare of Iubile of the acceptable day wherein the Lord for his Christes sake had graunted a free full and generall pardon and release of all debts trespasses and sins to all such as would willingly accept and faithfully embrace this vnspeakeable loue and make it the matter of their daily meditation and consolation and the rocke and foundation of their faith and hope was that warrelike chariot wherein the faith of Christ got the full victorie over falshoode and lies and trod vnder foote all infidelity and Idolatry and triumphed most gloriously against all the power and puissaunce of hell it selfe By the sounde of this doctrine did the servauntes of the great shepheard and Bishoppe of our soules call home all his straying and wandring sheepe and gathered them into the folde of Christ by this net did the fishers of men dravve into the arke of Christs Church all such as were before ready to bee drowned in the sea of their sinnes and to bee overwhelmed with the most terrible tempest of the Lordes wrath by this key did the Lords potters open the doore of the kingdome of heauen to them that vvere before most worthely driven out and dispossessed of that celestiall paradise With this ensigne did the Lordes standard bearers gather together all his companies and bandes which before had revolted became fugitiues fighting vnder the Devils colours by this boxe of ointmeÌ„t powred forth did the Lordes Apothecaries reviue and quicken the spirites of all the Lords patients who were before not only in a sound but also starke dead by the most noysome stincke of their abominable sinnes Lastly by this seed of faith sowen in the most drie and barren wildernes of the peoples hearts by the hand of the Lordes painefull and skilfull husbandmen vvas there raysed vppe a most plentifull and fruitefull harvest vnto the Lorde For faith commeth by hearing the word of faith Neither doeth this worde of faith revealing the vnspeakeable loue of God shining in the face of Christ beget faith only but by faith loue praier confession patience repentance feare obedience thankefulnes even all sounde and sincere devotion with all the partes and parcels thereof By faith we haue accesse to God and are admitted into his Church which is therefore called the family of Faith And Baptisme the sacrament of our Baptisme cleanseth as it doth fâ—…her make manifest vnto va and causeth vs to embrace the word of faith initiation and the seale of faith is added to the worde of faith for the further manifestation of the cause of this our admission into so honourable an estate and calling by setting after a sorte before our eies the loue of God who hath given vs his sonne with his owne most precious bloode to wash and cleanse our sinnes whereby there was before a seperatioÌ„ betweene vâ— God Now from whence saith Austine hath the water of Baptisme this vertue that it doth touch the body cleaâ—se the soul but by means of the word whervnto it is added that it might togither with the same not only represent the washing away of our sinnes by the blood of Christ but also â—atifie and coÌ„firme the same for the further strengthning of our fraile faith Not saith hee for that the word is vttered but for that it is beleeved not for that there is such vertue in the letters and sillables or in the pronunciation of the very wordes but for that they are the powerfull instrument ordained of God so to open the Lordes good and gracious meaning towardes vs and to assure vs of his vnchaungeable loue in Christ that thereby we might attaine to a sure faith For as long as we remaine in our naturall blindnes and ignorance either we fly from God as Adam did beeing touched with the pricke of a guilty conscience or else we embrace an Idol in steed of the true God being misled by the wrongful guiding of a blind coÌ„science as now naturally do all the posterity of Adam But wheÌ„ the Lord hath once revealed vnto vs the glory of his endlesse goodnes in Christ and hath made vs to behold the dignity of his death that he endured for our sins and the worthines of his obedience that he performed for our righteousnes thereby we are made bold to enter Heb. 10. 19. into the holy place by the newe and living way which he hath prepared for vs by his flesh and are encouraged to draw nigh with a true hart in assurance of faith being fully perswaded of the perfect purgation of all our sins and of our entire and absolute righteousnes I am saith our Saviour Christ the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me He then that is set in this way and walketh therein he vndoubtedly walketh in the right way and he cannot misse but come directly vnto God Hee that buildeth on this rocke buildeth on a sure foundatioÌ„ his faith cannot faile he cannot be vanquished his hope is sure he cannot be coÌ„founded He may be bold to triumph with the Apostle saying If God be on our side who can be against vs who spared not his owne sonne but Rom. 8. 31. gave him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Who shall lay anie thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne It is Christ that is dead
this wrathfull countenance of God of al other calamities crosses is most grievous burdensome vnto them and doth aboue al other miseries vexe and torment their tender harts casteth theÌ„ downe to the gates of hell Then in anguish of soule and bitternes of spirit they powre forth whole streames of complaineâ— crying out and saying Will the Lord absent himselfe forever and will he be no more entreated Is his mercy cleane gone for ever Psal 77. 7. and is his goodnes come vtterly to an end far evermore â— hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he shut vp his loving kindnes in displeasure TheÌ„ said I this is my death againe O Lord how long wilt thou be angrie Psal 80. 4. with thy people that praieth Thou hast fed them with the bread of teares and hast given them plentâ—…snes of teares to drinke thou haste made vs to be a very strife vnto our neighbours our enemies laugh vs to scorne Turne vs againe O God of hosts shew vs the light of thy countenance and we shall be safe And yet in truth when the Lorde most sharply chasteneth his God is nearest to his servants in their asstictions albeit he seemeth to be then farthest of he sheweth then most of all the effect of his loue allthough they for the present feele it not Psa 119. 71. 75 ver own deare children he is not in wrath offended with them but in great loue most of all then tendreth their good his grace and favour is not absent but then especially is present with them albeit they for the very instaÌ„t feele not the same For what is it that in and by their afflictions worketh in them humility repentaÌ„ce patience obedience an earnest desire to feele the Lord gracious and favourable vnto them aboue all things to behold the light of his countenaÌ„ce Are not al these the most evident effects of the favourable presence of God with theÌ„ of the most neere assistance of his grace Doth he not herein shew theÌ„ the light of his couÌ„tenance make manifest vnto them his loue to their great benefit good Surely David did most thaÌ„kfully acknowledge so much saying It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble that I might learne thy statutes And againe I know O Lorde that thy iudgements are righteous and that thou not of wrath but of very faithfulnes hast caused me to be troubled And therfore Ieremy praied for the Ier. 10 24. same as for a thing beneficiall and good Correct vs O Lord yeâ— in thy iudgement not in thy fury For God chastiseth his children in loue albeit he punisheth the wicked in wrath And therfore both Iob. 5. 17. Iob David iudge not that the godly when they are afflicted are in a bad but in a right good and blessed estate Blessed is the man say they whom thou chastenest O Lorde and teachest in thy lawe that thou maiest giue him patience in time of adversitie vntill the â—it bee digged vp for the vngodly And therefore the Apostles did reioice in Rom. 5. 3. tribulations knowing that tribulations bring forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroade in our heartes by the holy Ghost The loue of God then apprehended by faith not only engendereth Hope Patience ConfessioÌ„ in vs loue towardes God but also hope that maketh not ashamed and patience that maketh vs to reioice in tribulations and to be couragious and constant in the confession of his truth albeit all manner of crosses accompanye the same For out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and therfore if vvith the hearte wee beleeue to righteousnesse wee will bee ready vvith the mouth to confesse vnto salvation I beleeved saith David Rom. 10. 10 Psal 116. 10 2. Cor. 4. 13 and therefore haue I spoken so vvee also saith the Apostle beleeue and therefore speake And verily if wee doe beleeue that GOD from everlasting hath acknowledged vs and hath written our names in the booke of life howe can it bee but that wee shoulde thankefully acknowledge him before the greate congregation and willingly confesse him before the whole worlde Yea how can it bee but that wee shoulde continually make our resorte to Praier him by praier in all our necessities and craue his gracious aide to assiste and strengthen vs in all those afflictions and crosses which vvee endure for his most holy name sake The vnfaithfull vvho vvill not bee persvvaded of the fatherly loue and favour of God towardes them cannot come with any cheerefulnes to make their praiers vnto God for howe can they call vppon him Rom 10. 14 on whom they haue not beleeved but the faithfull that beleeue that God is become their loving father in Christ that by him they haue such interest in God in al his blessings must needs coÌ„e to him with great coÌ„fideÌ„ce hope powre out their whole harts continually before him and present vnto him all their petitions and requests And verily they need not to be ashamed to come into his presence seeing they are cloathed with the most precious garments of Christ their elder brother and haue him to bee their continuall advocate solliciter to pleade their cause In deed the more they behold their owne nakednes and shame take a true view of the rotten ragges fained garments of their owne righteousnes and the more deepely therewithal they meditate vpon that strange and admirable goodnesse of God that would cast the eies of his loue vpoÌ„ such loathsome wretches they haue great cause as to be ashamed of their abominable corruption so to be waile and lament their intollerable vnthankfulnesse And so the prophet Ezechiel hath testified that the faithful shal Eze. 16. 63. be confounded in themselues and hange downe their heads never open their mouthes for shame when they shal behold the loue of God towards them in Christ which hath freely pardoned all their iniquities and sinnes when I say they shal see on the one side how gracious God is to them on the otherside how grievous they themselues haue bin vnto God An ensample wherof In the praier of Manasse affixed at the end of the bookes of the Chronicles we haue in Manasse king of Iudah vnto whoÌ„ when the Lorde had given a little taste of his promise of mercy and had giveÌ„ him some assurance of the remission of his sinnes and of his receiving into favour how doth he debase and cast himselfe downe as if he were the only offender among all the servants of God and all other were as it were no sinners in comparison of him And how doth he exaggerate and amplifie his own transgressions as if they were more then the sande of the sea and togither withall so odious and abominable that he was not worthy to behold the heavens for the same
each one the other therein then how much more ought they to doe it which are appointed to be publik officers for the same purpose How ougâ—t they especially most carefully to put in practise the exhortation of the prophet by calling continually vnto the people and saying Praise the Lord and call vpon his name and declare his workes among the people Sing vnto him sing praises vnto him and let your talking be of all his wondrous works Reioice in his holy name let the harts of them reioice that seâ—ke the Lord. Seeke the Lord and his strength seâ—ke his face continually Remember the maâ—veâ—lous works that he hath done the wonders and the iudgments of his mouth â—h yee seede of Abraham his servant ye châ—ldren of Iacob his chosen he is the Lord our God â— The 〈…〉 â—…ssistance accordâ—… to his own covenant And yet if all men faile in their duety the Lorde himselfe will not faile in that covenant which he hâ—th made with all his chosen wherein hee hath promised that hee himselfe will write his lawes in their heartes and plant them in their mindes and that he will doe the same so sufficiently that it shall not be a matter of absolute necessity for every one to exhort and to admonish his neighbor saying know the Lord for they shall all know me saith the Lord even Ier. 31 34. from the greatest vnto the least So and so beneficiall it is vnto all the Lords people to know the Lord and his gracious blessings to keepe a continuall remembrance of the same and therefore so and so many meanes hath the Lord appointed in his vnspeakeable wisedome and goodnesse for the stirring vp of every one of his faithful servants to the ready and careful performance of this so beneficiall and necessary a worke So and so carefull hath the Lord been that the people devoted vnto his service should want no meanes to strengthen further them in the holy exercise of sincere devotion Now let vs see how the church of Rome which boasteth so highly of her owne great devotions land of the huge multitude of all manner of good works which so and so abounde among her children religiously extolleth the Lords mercies what a carefull remembraunce shee keepeth of his goodnes seeing as it hath beene shewed that is the mother and the nurce of all sound and sincere devotion and the fountain welspring of all good workes The word of God in setting downe the great gracious blessings of God doth declare vnto vs these three pointes First the cause of them even his owne goodnesse and loue secondly the end which is the manifestation of his goodnes and loue thirdly the effect which is the working therby in the harts of his chosen of al inward graces outward dueties also both to God to our neighbour The grace goodnes loue and mercy of God is the full fountaine froÌ„ whence all his blessings doe issue flow The great blessed worke of mans redemption issueth from thence as our Saviour testifieth So God loved the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but haue Ioh. 3. 16. life everlasting The great blessed worke of the creation and all the residue of his gracious blessings many of the particulars wherof are set down by the prophet Ps 136. come also from thence even because his mercy enduâ—eth for ever This mercy loue of God is not oâ—ly most ample large but also most free vndeserved For every good gift and every perfect giving commeth downe froÌ„ Iac. 1. 17. aboue froÌ„ the father of light we hold all that wee enioy from this grand vniversal lâ—ndlord therefore we must pay our whole rent to him performe only to his court our suit service we are endebted vnto him alone for the loane of al that we possesse therfore to him alone we must discharge all our debt His loue also is most free vndeserved he seeketh therin not to gain any thing to himselfe but only to do good to benefit other this doth farther set forth the greatnes of his loue so doth enlarge the bil of our debt SecoÌ„dly the end why God bestoweth his blessings is that they might be vnto vs most plaine demoÌ„strations of his loue most certain testimonies of his goodnes Shew me saith St. Iams thy faith by thy works I wil shew thee my faith by my works Iac 2. 18. 1. Ioh. 3. 18. My childreÌ„ saith St. Iohn let vs not loue in word in toÌ„gue but in work in truth That loue theÌ„ is in truth that is effectual in works and that faith is souÌ„d right that sheweth it selfe in the fruits Wherfore god who would haue his choseÌ„ know be fully perswaded that he loveth theÌ„ in truth sheweth it forth to them by his most gracious and manifold blessings as by the effects fruits therof and this is also a great addition vnto his loue Thirdly the Lord maketh his loue manifested by his blessings the meanes to beget and to encrease faith loue repentance and the like in the hearts of his elect and chosen children he putteth them not out to vse nor taketh any encrease for them for his estate cannot be bettered nor his blessednes encreased the profite and encrease accrueth to vs and therefore by them we merite nothing at the hands of God nor make him thereby any way endebted to vs but wee our selues are more and more still in his debt for the free lone francke gift of all his blessings Now then to returne againe to the first point The loue of God is the ful fountaine of all manner of his blessings both bodyly and ghostly and he himselfe is not only the author but also the disposer and bestower of them all the blessings themselues and the meanes are of him and the working also of the one and the other Temporal meanes are in themselues nothing without the speciall power of God working in them by them Man liveth not by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And life consiseth not in the great aboundance of all such thinges aâ— doe belong to the maintenance of life The horse is counted but a vaine thing to saue a man neither can he deliver any one by his much strength the watchman also waketh but in vaine vnlesse the Lord keepe the citty So spirituall meanes also are nothing without the effectuall power of the almighty working by them for that is the very soule and life of all He that planteth is nothing and hee that watereth is nothing but God that giveth the encrease Iohn the Baptist can baptise but with water Austine can but speake to our bodyly eares Christ baptiseth only with the holy Ghost and he that hath his chaire in heaven is he only that can teach the heart The water in baptisme can
ministery of pastours and Doctors is not stil needfull for the people of God but the meaning is that the doctrine first taught by the mouth of the Apostles afterward set downe in their Canonical writings is so plaine evident and ful to the servants of Christ which are endued with his spirit that they need not now at vnder the law any vnerring teacher ordinary or extraordinary for the further opening of any necessary point of faith which otherwise might be secret and lye hid And so also the Apostle to the Hebrews teacheth out of the booke of the Prophet Ieremy This is the testament that I will make with the Heb. 8. 10. house of Israell after these daies saith the Lord I will put my laws in their mindes and in their heartes will I write them and I will be their God and they shall bee my people and they shall no more teach one another saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the greatest vnto the least Not as I said before that the ministery of teaching by ordinarie pastours should cease amongst vs which is still most behouefull both to renew the memory of those things which we know seeing we are stil ready to forget and to teach better those thinges which we know but in part and also those things which as yet we know not at al for the most skilful may proceede from knowledge to knowledge but that there shal be now no neede of any vnerring interpreter to open any necessary point of faith which otherwise would be altogether vnknown For al necessary things are set downe so plainly in the bookes of the Apostles and Evangelists by him that was best able to write even to the capacity of the most simple who caused also those bookes to be penned not to obscure but to lighten the truth that the lambe may wade in them without danger of drowning and drinke most plentifully of those vvaters of life yea the vvary of Gods service is now so plaine that the very fooles cannot erre therein The pointes of faith contained in these bookes neede neither to begge credite All thinges necessary to salvatioÌ„ are sette downe so plainely in the bookes of the new testament that all the faithfull may vnderstand the same without the helpe of an vnerring Interpreter yea without the helpe of any Interpreter at all nor to take light from the writings expositioÌ„s of men but haue their credite in themselues take their light from themselues giue light credit both to the persoÌ„s also to the bokes of al other whoÌ„soever that haue any credite or light in them And the maine grounds of faith contained in them stand vpon their owne ground haue in themselues most manifest perspicuity that the mind passing through many forms of opinions being once lightned therwith may resolue settle his ful assent consent vpon theÌ„ without the helpe of any vnerring Interpreter yea without the helpe of any Interpreter at all For what containe the bookes of the new testament but the vncovering of that which was covered in the old Now if those things be vncovered already what neede haue they of a further vncovering Vnlesse we thinke that the Apostles themselues which had the greatest measure of the spirite and the largest portion of knowledge in the misteries of God had either not so good skill or will to sett downe plainly in their Canonicall writings all points of faith as their schollers and successors had in their writings which are not Canonicall The truth is that all thinges necessarie vnto salvation are novve most plainly delivered in the bookes of the new testament the best Interpreters doe not by their expositions bring any new light at all vnto them but pointe as it were with the finger to that light which is in them that we may turne our eies vpon it togither with them behould the same they bring no grounds and principles of their owne that thereby they may lighten the doctrine of the scripture but they hould out the grounds principles of the scripture it selfe that therby they may lighten all that is obscure For albeit in the divine scriptures there are many places darke obscure hard to be vnderstoode such wherein the best Interpreters themselues may erre be deceaved yet as S. Austine Aug. de doct Christ l. 2. cap. 9. saith all things that belong to faith good manners that is to say to hope and loue are openly delivered sette downe in the same and out of these plaine and open places all necessary doctrines are to be taken and not out of the doubtfull and obscure And therefore when the heretike Petilian did alleage mystical obscure places for the confirmatioÌ„ of his errours the same father taketh exception against him after this manner saying these places Aug. cont Petil. cap. 16. are mysticall obscure and figurative but vvee require a manifest place that needeth no Interpreter at all And such places were alleaged by the Catholike Bishoppes for the opening and confirming of all controversies and doubtes Attende saith Iustine Iust Martyr in dialogo cuÌ„â—rypho Chrys in ep ad RoÌ„ hom 19. 2. Pet 3. 16. Martyr to these thinges vvhich I shall rehearse out of the scriptures vvhich neede not at all to bee expounded but onely to bee hearde So Chrysostome Doe these saith he neede any exposition are they not cleare and manifest even to those that are very dull And albeit in Saint Paule there are some thinges hard to bee vnderstoode vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable pervert as they doe also the other scriptures to their destruction yet Saint Ambrose is bold Ambr in ep 7. in principio epistolae to avouch of him that in most thinges hee doth so expound himselfe that he vvhich doth deliver and teach his doctrine can finde nothing that hee may adde or if hee vvill needes say something he must rather performe the dutie of a grammarian then of a discourser or disputer And verely albeit the vnbeleevers and such as are ignorant of the divine and heavenly doctrine of the Canonicall Scriptures Stap doct princ lib. 8. cap. 22. veritas docendo suadet Tertul. coÌ„t ValeÌ„t Aug cont ep Funda cap 14. The saith of the fiue members of the church of Christ is not setled vpon the auctority of the church or the iudgment of the Interpreter but vpon the light of the divine doctrine it selfe are at the first mooued sometimes to embrace the faith of CHRIST by the auctority of the Church and by the dignity and vvorthines of the Bishoppes and teachers yet when they are once perswaded and setled therein beeing lightned by the spirit of illumination and by the light of the doctrine it selfe then as Stapleton himselfe also hath taught they doe not any longer beleeue for the voice of the church but for the divine light it selfe they doe not any longer builde their faith vpon the voice of
guides Yea what cause of heresie observed and noted by her own children hath shee not embraced that so shee might defile her selfe with all manner of spirituall abominations If to make choice of religion according vnto the darke light of our owne natural reason and the servile liberty of our own free-will be to follow such guides as must needs lead into errour shee hath taught her children to do the same If to thinke basely of the common dueties generally belonging to all christians and to make choice of singular and private devotions be the cause of heresie shee hath perswaded her children thereto If the overmuch admiring of men and the addicting of our selues to our particular masters bee not only the beginning of schisme but the cause of heresie shee hath made her sectaries and followers not only schismatikes but also heretikes For vvhere may we finde more admiring and magnifying of men of their supreme power authority of their greate priviledges and prerogatiues of the holinesse of their rules and orders canons and constitutions and of the worthines perfectioÌ„ and merite of their workes then is to be found in the Church of Rome Lastly if he be an heretike which is an other-wise teacher or an after reacher and he a superstitious person that doeth any Rhom in 1. cp ad Tim. c. 1. thing supra statutuÌ„ more then is commaÌ„ded how can the chuâ—ch of Rome be free from the note of superstition and heresie seeing shee performeth her devotions otherwise then they were ordained to be done by the Apostles of Christ and most rigorously exacteth many duties which were not commanded by them at all and hath coyned many after-doctrines which were not heard of in their times For was not the word the sacraments otherwise delivered vnto the people by the Apostles of Christ then nowe Otherwise devotions they are by the church of Rome Was the word either publikely reade by them vnto the people in a strange tongue or kept from their owne private reading in a vnknowen language they sent to learne their devotions froÌ„ senceles dombe and deade images did they not penne it in a most vulgar tongue and after a most plaine familiar manner that for theÌ„ learning instructioÌ„ of Luk. 1. 4. Rom. 15. 4. the people Neither was the Sacrament of the Lordes supper ordained by them to be ministred to the people in one kinde nor baptisme with such a number of ceremonies as it is by the church of Rome disguised cast after a sort into a new forme much lesse was the observation of any outward ceremonie rite more rigorously exacted by them then the precise keeping of Christs institutioÌ„ or vrged vnder the paine of a more grievous curse Did the Apostles ordaine the solemne observing of so many festival daies After doctrines and workes supra statutuÌ„ and eves or the building of churches in the honour of the saints or the running on pilgrimage to offer before their images or the sett times of fasting and abstinence or secret coÌ„fession of all sins in the Priests eare or the vow of single life voluntary poverty Francis Dominike and Layola were not borne in their times not the holy rules made of any of their relligious orders but all vvillworships were condeÌ„ned by theÌ„ which afterward were not only Coll. 2. 23. allowed but also preferred before the workes required in the law of God Lastly the supreme auctority and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome was not ordained by the Apostles neither was he appointed by them to bee a vniversall Bishoppe and to haue dominion over the whole church and to bee the vnerring and infallible iudge vnto whom appeale should bee made in all controversies much lesse was he placed by them aboue all kings and Emperors to depose them to set them vp at his own pleasure neither was any such auctority practised by S. Peter himselfe or by his successors long after him which yet had most skill and best courage to maintaine all doctrine belonging to their most Christian profession neither did they approue the bookes Apocriphs for Canonicall scripture nor their lawfull successors long after them alleaged the auctority of those bookes to confirme any doctrine or point of faith much lesse preferred they any translation before the authenticall text of the scripture as it is now done by the church of Rome and iustified openly by her auctority in her last generall councell of Trent Wherby shee hath made it manifest to the whole world that shee is not in some pointes onely but wholy and altogither fallen away from the word of GOD seeing shee refuseth to receiue it for the foundation of her faith as it was penned in the originalles by the speciall direction of GODS vnerring spirit and admitteth it onely as it is expounded by her translator which vvas not therein directed by any revelation nor had any priveledge of not falling into errour And verely if it bee a good reason against vs as it hath beene sette forth not long since by one of her Pamphleters that the vnlearned among vs haue no faith at all but a meere fancie because they doe builde it vppon our bare translations being not able to examine the truth of them by the originalles then much more may vvee avouch that neither the vnlearned nor yet the learned themselues among them haue anie faith at all seeing they all must vvill they vvill they settle their faith vppon the vvoordes and meaning of their transslator albeit hee differ never so much from the originall VVherefore to conclude seeing the Church of Rome hath embraced all manner of meanes of falling avvaie from GOD and his truth vvee may bee boulde to affirme that shee hath revolted and played the Apostata and so is become not onelie hereticall but also apostaticall yea that shee hath brought in that great apostasy that was foretolde by the Apostle Thus hast thou gentle Reader delivered vnto thee the maine foundation of all good workes the foure principall motiues so often vrged in the divine scripture to stirre vp the faithfull to the right and approued manner that is to be kept in the due performing of all holy actions And herein thou hast on the one side sette dovvne the true fountaine of sincere devotion and of all the parts therof wherin consisteth the true worship service of God and his spirituall and heavenly kingdome and on the other side not only the causes of errour and heresy but also of superstition and of all manner of Idolatry Now it remaineth that thou carefully put in practise these holy precepts and sanctified rules wheÌ„ thou art moued to the performaÌ„ce of any good worke and that thou stirre vp the gift of God in thee by these or the like holy meditations thus reasoning with thy selfe and saying This good worke God himselfe in his holy word commandeth me to performe vnto whose will I owe all obedience for that it is