matter say that the Church of Christe is a schoole in which the worde of the Lorde is not onely barely to be read as out of the letter written but also to bee taught that it maye bee rightly vnderstoode and so to be taught that exhortations corrections and consolations both openly and priuately maye bee vsed which in Paul is vnderstoode by the name of Prophecying Rom. 12.6 Moreouer this also wee adde which thing ought here chiefly to bee marked that the interpretation of those scriptures are to be set no where else then out of the scriptures themselues not onely because the word of God is able to giue credite to it selfe but also because that trueth is reuealed vnto vs no where els then in the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles For that saying of Austen is well knowen and is most true That the scripture is to be expounded by the scripture Neither shall it irke me heere to put downe that nonotable place out of the 49. Homelie of the imperfect worke vpon Mathew because it agreeth altogeather with our times He that will know saith he which is the true Church of Christ let him not know it but onely by the scriptures And by and by after Christians therefore beeing willing to receiue the certainetie of true fayth let them flie to nothing but to the scriptures otherwise if they shall haue respect to other thinges they shall stumble perish not vnderstanding which is the true Church and by this meanes they shall fall into the abhomintaion of desolation which standeth in the holy places of the Church But to whom shall belong will these men say the interpretation of scriptures Verily all be not Prophetes all be not teachers But againe Esay Esay as crieth that both Priestes and Prophetes haue erred in their vision neither would Christ haue admonished Math. 16.6 Math. 23.2 That the leauen of the Pharises should be auoyded if we shoulde without exception haue consented vnto them That sit in Moses chayre Neither should the false Prophetes be eschued if all the Prophetes did speake the truth neither would Caiphas and the whole Synode of the Priestes haue condemned Christ if the holy Ghost had beene tried without exception to those that sit in Aarons seat What then Antiquitye or noueltye maketh nothing at all to instruct men to discerne the true interpretation of scripture from the false Let these men therefore heare at length that which we haue so often times cryed out vnto deafe men to wit that we do not simply reiect neither the old nor the new counsels whether they be particular or generall vnlesse they be plainly theeuish that we do not simply refuse neither old nor new writers vnles they be manifestly either superstitious or ridiculous or by cōmon consent abrogated That we doe not simply cast from vs the writings neither of auncient nor new writers whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Laicall as these men call them for God is no accepter of persons and often times euen by the basest sorte he confoundeth the pride of the most wise vnlesse they be plainly wicked superstitious or foolishe But this onely we require which the most learned and euery the most religious of the old writers monish carefully to be don to wit that all these thinges should be diligently examined according to the rule of the written word of God For antiquitie and authoritie of those that wryte may in deed set some collour of truth vpon falshood but that it shoulde be true which disagreeth neuer so little from the writings of the Prophets and Apostles that truely it can neuer bring to passe Furthermore The Creeds of the ancient Synodes the iudgement of the fathers against heretiques are at no hand reiected by vs yea rather they are strongly defended against aduersaries although not as yeelding credite themselues experience it self more than sufficiently declareth that there haue beene long time since builded vpon the foundation layd by the Apostles not onely bay and stubble but also yron and rust to be short lies vppon trueth All which thinges muste at the length be consumed by the light and fire of Gods word Now least these men shoulde agayne complaine that what soeuer hath bene established by counsell after consell in the auncient Churche shoulde by this meanes be called into doubt we confes that we doe acknowledge the Créedes which were alwayes approoued by the common consent of the whole Church to wit the Creed of the Apostles Nice Athanasius his creed the creed of Constantinople Chalcedon togeather with the curses pronounced in the second counsel of Ephesus againste Nestorius And that we both with mouth and hart detest al heresies which either by open or secret consent of the whole Church were out of the word of God condemned in those 4. councels and also ouer throwen in the fifth and sixth councels of Constantinople And all other heresies whatsoeuer which afterwarde eyther newlye sprong vp or are newly polished not that the truth hangeth vpon any Synods or Creedes but because we acknowledge that the thinges which are prescribed and established in them The conclusion of the disputation of the true Christ who is the only true perpetual and absolute necessary note of the true Church may be rightly iudged by the writings of the prophets and Apostles so far of is it that we take away the authority of the church or dispise the consent of the godly either ancient or new writers which thing our aduersaries falsly shamlesly obiect vnto vs. Now the summe of al these things is this that Christ is the true perpetual necessary to be short the onely marke of the Church yea I say the true Christ that is suche a one as he from the beginning hath most perfectly touching the matter and maner of saluation reuealed him selfe both in the writings of the prophets and of the Apostles Mat. 12.13 For that saying standeth sure He that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad and that saying 1. Pet. 2.7 that christ is that corner stone of the foundation vppon whome the whole building riseth vp And that onely head which ministreth vnto his body that is vnto the true catholique Church al féeling and mouing To be short Iohn 10.7 Iohn 14.6 Iohn 11.25 he is the dore the way the resurrection and the lyfe Therfore whersoeuer that word is heard as it ought to be there in deed Christe raigneth and where Christe raigneth there in deed we iudge the Catholique visible Churche to be neither tied to any certaine place nor vnto the multitude for where that dead carkas is Mat. 24.28 to wit Christe crucified there be those Egles there is saluation Act. 4.12 where that onely name is in which we must be saued there be the children of light where that sonne shineth there be the true sheepe Where the voyce of that sheepeheard is heard Mat. 18.20 although two or three onely throughout all the world
assemblye vvhich pretendeth to bee the Church shoulde haue them and yet haue not therevvithal the trueth and sinceritie of God his doctrine it is no vvhit at al the better for all that All these thinges tende to this end that for as much as in trueth there is but one Churche euen as the heade thereof is one and therefore so must the body be or else it shoulde be monstrous notvvithstanding that there bee sundry particular partes and members thereof as vvee see in a mans body all yet making but one and the selfe same body And forasmuche also as vvithout that Church there can be no saluation because vnto it alone is it that the Lord hath made such large and gracious promises as The gates of Hell shall not preuayle agaynste it and that to it onely belongeth the forgiuenesse of sinnes in this life and euerlasting saluation in the life to come And lastly forasmuch as it behoueth euery one euen as he tendeth his ovvne peace of conscience and regardeth the hope of eternall blessednes to be vvatchfull in discrying and knovving this Church and carefull in vniting himselfe vnto the same euerye good man therefore should earnestly labour not onely to knovve it but also stedfastly to ioyne himselfe vnto it in the religious exercises thereof That so in the holye feeling of the communion of Saints he may bee a fruitfull partaker of all those excellent graces that God in great mercie hath bequethed to the same True it is that Satan the common enemy of mankinde vvho in his ovvne person and the personne of his instruments and ministers laboreth to hinder vvhat he maye the vvorke of oure saluation hath in all ages vsed and yet presently doth vse manye subtile and slie shiftes to let vs from the apprehension and vnderstanding of these great graces for somtimes he maketh men vtterly and altogether carelesse of the Churche and of the benefites and blessinges of God promised thereto As vvee maye see in that troup of prophane Atheistes and vvorldly minded men vvho make no more account of the Church and the holy exercises therof than of a vaine tale or vnholy matter no nor so muche neither many times for the one they embrace vvith greedines vvonderfull delight the other they doe either most dispitefullie contemne or most negligently vse vvithout any spirituall profite at all vnto themselues But to beate dovvne these men there is no better VVeapon vvay then to send them to the fearefull iudgementes of Almightie God and to the horrors of hel and eternal condēnation which many times they feele in themselues though thorough the profites and pleasures of this present euil vvorlde they vtterly put them out already prepared for them and in due time to be perfourmed to them Sometimes againe hee discourageth men by setting before them the feareful persecutions and troubles that follovve and take holde of the particular members of the Church for the syncere profession of God his vvorde for the surmounting of vvhich assaulte men muste often meditate vppon those same large comfortable discourses that are put dovvn and conteined in God his vvord for their comfort in that behalfe and to holde them back from the fearful fall of renouncing god his truth hauing their eye fast fixed also vpon the particular deliuerances that God in al ages hath vvroght for his children vvhich are as it vvere so manye seales set vnto the vvriting that he vvill alvvaies deale so graciouslye vvith his children as shall make most for his ovvne glorie and their eternall comfort Sometimes he deceiueth other somme and that no small some by the bare name and vizor of the Churche alone as vve may see in that miserable sect of seduced Papists vniustly called and claiming vnto themselues the name of Catholiques vvhoe vvillingly embrace vnder the title of the Churche euery fabulous falshood corruptiō vvhatsoeuer not only not looking vpon the things giuen or offred vvhich euery vvise man vvill doo least he receiue poyson in steede of vvholsom and nourishing foode but also not considering the personne of the giuer neither yet vvhat right and authoritie he hath to bestovv the thinges giuen vvhich blockishnesse of the aduersaries is rather to be lamented because it is altogether voide of common sense and reason than largely or learnedly confuted And yet vve see that manye good men haue not spared to take great paines in that behalfe both by preaching vvriting to vvinne seduced souls vnto Cod. Somtimes hee setteth before other some either the hardnesse that there is to discrie the true Church from the false Church by remember I pray you that vvhen I giue the name Church to corrupted and counterfaited assemblies I do it by abusion as they say or else layeth out the great iarres and dissentions that many times are in the same that so he may discourage them from ioyning themselues to that holy societie And indeede by this assault he specially preuaileth against them that are in some forvvardnes to encline to the truth And yet by reason of some certaine vveakenesse in them are easely turned the one vvay or the other but these men for the better staie of themselues are to knovv that there must be heresies euen among the godly that they vvhich are approued among them might be knovvne 1 Cor. 11.19 and to be exhorted that they labour to abounde in al holy knovvledge of God his vvil reuealed in his vvord For therefore they erre and are so vnstable in their opinions because they knovv not the Scriptures nor the povver of God Novve therefore necessarie is it that these stumbling blocks cast by Satan his seruants in our vvaies to hinder vs in the race and course of Godlines should be remoued that so vvee maye the more cheerefully and readily goe forevvard vvith faith patience and constancie euen to the goal that is set before vs. In vvhich respect that excellent instrument of God in his Churche M. Theodor Beza hah notably trauailed by publishing in the Latine tongue a most learned Treatie of the visible Notes of the visible Church And I for the same consideration haue according to my small measure faithfully turned the same into our vulger speech offring these my poore trauailes vnto you right vvorshipfull and in you to the vvhole Church of God in this land as a sure testimonie of that vnfained good vvill vvhich in the Lorde I haue carried and vvill carry tovvards you all the dayes of my life I hope I shall not neede to spend many vvords eyther in commending the vvorke it self or in declaring the resons that haue moued me to attempt this matter for if either the man vvho is the author therof or the matter vvhich is propounded or the maner that he vseth in laying out of the thing may add cōmendation vnto it it shal not vvant any grace that may bring it into loue and lyking vvith the Godly for as touching the man himselfe hee is euen the miror of the
doctrine Now for as much as these thinges be so that is seeing neither this succession of persons is a sufficient true and proper marke of the Churche nor though we should graunt it such pertayneth any thing at all to this popishe vizard What is then the matter wherein we see some at this day so greatly to sticke that no small number as though [a] That is some fearefull terrible thing Gorgons head were caste in the way goe backe Verely this is the strength of the spirite of error that they which are prooued and pure may be made manifest Now let vs heare also suche an other testimonie of their impudencie That the canonicall ordeyning of Ministers i◠not a perpetuall and necessary mark of the Catholique Church they wil haue that to be iudged a Church where there continueth an ordinary calling to the holy ministerie But what other thing is this than after the example of that hostise of Chalcis to set before vs againe the same meate new drest Notwithstanding because here againe I sée some sticke as it were at a rocke and that not without danger of shipwrack I will indeuour and that as it were by the wind of truth hence to deliuer them that are cast vpon this coast Truely Pastors must in deede alwayes be sent by the Lorde but there is not alwayes alike order of their sending if a man bid them declare vnto vs what they vnderstād by the name of ordination which requeste in this question is altogether honest and verie necessarie then the clawes of these Lions wil openly shew themselues They will alleadge that of the Apostle How shall they preache vnlesse they be sent and that saying Rom. 10.15 1. Cor. 14.40 All things ought to be done in the house of God rightly and in order We agrée vnto it They will say that all that order is comprehended in the olde Canons which may not or ought not by any meanes be broken First we aunswere that it is playne by the comparison of the very Canons that one and the same order in the Christian Churches neither alwayes hath beene prescribed nor euerie where kept and that also the diuersitie of circumstances cannot suffer this that one order in these thinges shoulde be euerie where and alwayes exactly obserued and therefore very vnseasonablie is the obseruation euen of the moste auncient and best Canons required as absolutely and necessarilie to be kept And if they be here so impudent that they will deny this thing truely I will conuince them as manifest offenders For if it be vnlawfull Although the canonicall ordination be established for a perpetuall marke of the catholique church yet it reproueth the false church of Rome to omit any thing of the Canons without any exception From whence commeth that greate gaine vnto the court of Rome by dispensation also euen with the law of God neither truely wil I easely suffer my self to be thrust from this exception a But go to we are content here to do these men a pleasure let vs therfore say the disputation of this exception beyng deferred that vocation is an order not onely agreable to the worde of God but also euen to the verie auncient pure Canons by which an ecclesiasticall office is committed to some man Let vs graunt them also yet with no preiudice of the truth that there also the true Church is to be seene where this order continueth sound and pure yet I say that by that meanes it most certainely appeareth that that Popishe Churche is nothing lesse than that catholique church whose name it chalengeth to hir selfe For tell me what is this order to wit that a lawfull knowledge of learning and of manners going before and the order of ecclesiasticall degrees beeing not rashly violated some man by the free consent of any whole Church touching which the question is being appointed to this holy ministerie is ordained by thē of whom he ought that is is put into the possession as it were of his office And if anie man breake this order that is if a fault happen either in the examination or in the election all the pure Canons commaund all that to be iudged of no effect and so they subiect him that ordayneth the minister to moste gréeuous punishmentes That this is so they them selues cannot denie Wherefore I woulde not load many leaues with the alleadging of Canons Now let these men come forth and let them alleadge vnto vs euen one amongst all their clergie in whome this order hath beene thorowly obserued I demaund not whether these thinges prescribed both by the word of God and also by the pure Canons haue bene exactly obserued of them now a long time But this I aske whether there be any vse of election amongest them in the most places seeing that the Romish harlot hath couenaunted with Kings Princes for the abolishment of it and suffereth those bargaines to be printed and set out to sale Now where there remaineth any shew of election woulde a man haue thought any of them coulde haue beene so impudent that they shoulde be so bold as to denie that those offices which the whole world knoweth are openly gotten by purchase and that by buying free voyces which thing is specially practised amongst them that seke for priesthood and Canonicall persons as they call them that is to say amongst swine and asses which are altogether vncleane beastes to be so bold I saye as to denie it to be anye other thing than an abhominable treading vnder foote of all law both Gods owne and of that purer part of the canon law as they call it And of the triall both of doctrine and maners the lawful witnesses for sooth be those wicked men getting their liuing by no other means but by dayly and open periuries partly in the prouinces of the Church of Rome partly in the lappe of that Romish harlotte And this thing for sooth the high Bishops know not which begin their bulles with these wordes The honestie of life and maners vppon which commending the same vnto vs by a credible ttstimonie c. What say I their lawes of giuing either ordinarie or falling out vpon some as they call them and the lawes of resignation where were they deuised braied strained out at length set out and deliuered to make mad all both the highest and the lowest but in the deuilles kitchin And yet these men for sooth will prooue the Ecclesiasticall calling to remaine in their possession That the false clergie of Rome doth rashly dispute against vs for the laying on of hands But againe let vs heare that that may more conuince these mens shamelesnesse When they dispute with vs of a calling they are wont to vrge the laying on of hands as though the true difference of a lawfull and counterfaite calling consisted in that But I suppose these good men haue not forgotten that which I euen now saide to wit that by al the old canons his
Paule 1. Thessalonians 2. And also Iohn in the discription of the Image of the beaste haue now so many yeares paste set before our eyes to behold and the auncient fathers both Greeke and Latin interpreters Irene Chrisostome Hierome Augustine Becla and Cardinall Cusan himselfe also haue interpreted the same of the seat of Rome For which of those three markes of the catholique Church wherof we haue shewed that one of thē onely is vnmoueable and perpetuall the other we haue declared also to be some time discontinued remaineth in the popish Church For to speake first of that proper perpetuall and absolutly necessary marke that is the holy word writen seeing that that is in the popishe Church is not set forth vnto the people but torne in sundry péeces and that also in a strange tongue and further seeing that their shamelesnesse hath proceeded so far that they can not beare the same to be turned into vulgare cōmon speches neither yet indure that the Latin interpretation being barbarous and in many places false shoulde be amended by the Hebrue and Greek copies is there any man vnlesse he be by the iust iudgement of God blinded that will iudge these men to be the Catholique Church in which onely there is saluation and not rather take it to be that Babylon out of which all that will not perish ought to depart But some amongst them say We do not onely receiue the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles but also receiue them and in deed receiue them more large than yee receiue them For for one and two places sake they ad the bookes which are Apocripha As though in deed to haue books decked with gold and precious stones to worship papers trāsformed into idols to sing in a strāge tongue parcels torn in sundry peces or to hang them about the necke or to vse them in magical inchantments be the same that it is to teach the writings of the Prophets Apostles and by these to direct the whole seruice of God and to be short by these to order the whole life of man But againe they saye we haue euery sunday sermons and the readinges also and homelies of the Doctors and to be short admonitions as they call them in parishes Yea haue truly But when what maner ones of whome and to what end are they had Note Now to comprehend all thinges in a few words seeing there be three wayes of corrupting the holy books of scripture one is when some thing is taken away from thē the second is when some thing is added to them the third when some thing is changed in them Who at the length seeth not that these men are cōdemned as guilty of so many sortes of falsehood That I may beginne with the law That vnwriten word which they haue deuised wil haue to be the chifest part of the seruice of God that authority which they take to thēselues to make lawes to bynd mens consciences by what name shal we call it Now haue they not vtterly blotted out without any shame the second commandement to the ende they might openly and manifestly renew al kind of idolatrie while they haue changed the names onely of ancient Idols Haue they not oppressed the miserable consciences of Christians both by new and directly repugnant traditions and vnder that cloake Mat. 23.14 Haue they not deuoured widowes houses onely as in times past the Pharisees did but also haue swallowed vp empires and kingdomes To be shorte haue they not ouerthrowen from the very foundations the vse and end of the law And in the Gospell the other and the chiefest part of Gods word what haue they left sound First what maner of Christ do they set forth vnto vs verely a christ now in deed indued with a body without a body do they propound him 1. Cor. 1.30 as he which was made of God vnto vs wisedome Yea for sooth so far as he helpeth our natural light Do thei propoūd him as our whole righteousnesse for sooth so farre as this thing is attributed to vs who are therto prepared partly of our selues and partly by grace that the reward of eternall life may by desert be ascribed vnto the deseruinges of oure righteousnesse But what if our owne deseruinges be not sufficient Verely the deseruings of some certaine saints whose treasure is not yet in deede drawen drie purchased by a certayne price at the hand of these brokers shal be added vnto vs. And the merites of what saints I besech you do they set forth vnto vs surely such as the Bishoppes of Rome them selues shal put into their calender and such as euery one shal chuse to him selfe for Patrones and intercessors But doe they propound Christ as our sanctification yea for sooth againe so far as he augmenteth the remnants of our naturall holinesse Doe they propound him as our onely redemption in deed they doe it in worde but performe nothing lesse in deed For they except the satisfaction of punishment which being granted they make God himselfe most vniust For what is more wicked than to require of him which is not in fault satisfacory of punishmēts And to what ende hath the Lorde borne our sinnes vppon the tree Esai 53.4.5 to what end hath our chastisment rested vpon him But now seeing we are come to those satisfactions doe they not most manifestly mocke with God and men when they teach that in the sprinkling of coniured water in tapers in spittle in oyle in the signe of the crosse in choyce of meates in the murmuring vp also of certaine prayers not vnderstood in the praiers of counterfeit saints for the most part in the worshipping of images in the ringing of bels in a certaine kinde of apparel also and that after death suche satisfactions doe consist what more O the moste abhominable wickednesse that hath at any time bene committed of any man in the very real offering of Christ him self for the quick and the dead which is therfore so much the more effectuall as they say by how muche it is the more often reiterated but in deed is an open manifest treading vnder foot of the sacrifice made once for vs when they teach I say that satisfaction for the punishment of sins may be bought at theyr hands both for vs that liue and also for them that be dead scorched in that their fier of purgatory What maner of thing therefore is this Gospell And what manner of Christe is this of the Romishe Popedome Who also perceiueth not by the conference of the word of god that these men by their doctrine of Opus operatum that is of the worke wrought haue ouerthrowen all the vse of sacraments That I may saye nothing of the destroying of the trueth of Christe his bodye of his Ascention into heauen and of the article of his descending out of heauen And that by the opinion of Transubstantiation they haue ouerthrowen the definition of a Sacrament And that they