statutes and iudgements Here you see that the prophets hauing the same spirite of truth to leade them and their pen which Moses had in his writings auouch the perfection of Gods word in Moses bookes so farre as they would be vnderstood to doe or speake nothing that should not agree vnto that worde so written and whosoeuer did otherwise had not the light in him Now because Moses and the prophets agreed in their writinges in declaring and making manifest the same truth and word of God which he would haue to be the knowen canon and rule of religion Our Sauiour Christ reiecteth all c Math. 15.3 new deuises writing traditions and customes of men sendeth vs to the d Luk. 16.29 cap. 24.44 law and the prophets bidding vs to e Ioh. 5.39 search the scriptures Which also to bee a most certaine rule Saint Peter saith We haue a most sure worde of the prophets And Saint Paul a 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach vs that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes What can be a more perfect rule or touchstone then that which is most sure inspired of God profitable euery way in righteousnes by which a man may be absolute perfect vnto all good workes And hereof it commeth that the writinges of the new testament are not a new Canon or additament of rule in religion but onely a more plaine reuelation fulfilling of that which was before taught by Moses and the prophetes and therefore you shal find that Christ and the Apostles euery where do approue their doctrine by the testimonies of the scriptures of the olde testament Wherefore Paul acknowledgeth that b Rom. 16.26 God commanded the preaching of the gospell to bee by the scriptures of the prophets and Peter c Act. 3.22.24 appealeth to Moses and to all the prophets from Samuel and thenceforth that they foretold of those daies that is of the time of the gospell and the things which should bee manifested therein And therefore Paul protested that he d Cap. 26.22 witnessed both to small and great no other things then those which the prophets and Moses did say should come Wherefore the whole scriptures of the olde and new testament is one and the same rule of religion Although peraduēture as is before declared there may be some difference in ceremony and maner of gouernment yet is the first euen in those thinges a witnesse of the last and the last a true and faithfull expounder and fulfiller of the first Hereof it is that Mathew and the other Euangelists do confirme all the doctrine and doings of Christ by seuerall scriptures Yea those thinges which in forme order differ are yet proued that so they ought to be by Moses and the prophetes as the ministerie of a Math. 3.3 Iohn Baptist b Act. 2.16 and of the Apostles c Heb. 7.1.12 the priesthood of Christ and his changing of the lawe d 1. Cor. 9.9.13 prouiding for the ministerie though not by tithes and many such like But as for the most substantiall parts of the doctrine of faith and saluation I hope it shal appeare to the godly Christian by reading this Chapter throughout that there is but one canon and rule of truth Therefore to conclude let the reader obserue that this writing of Gods word is done by the spirit of God to this vse and ende that we might bee sure to know and how to trie and finde out what is the worde of God by examining all things wee heare by the Canon of the scripture As did e Act. 17.11 the noble men of Berea Wherefore Saint f Cap. 1.3.4 Luke affirmeth that the ende of this writing was that wee might acknowledge the certaintie of those thinges whereof wee haue beene instructed And Saint Paule saith that for the Church g Philip. 3.1 it was a sure thing and this sure thing is expounded by the Euangelist who sayth h Ioh. 20.21 These thinges are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Therefore as Moyses which first wrote shewed the absolutenesse of this Canon of Gods worde written by i Deut. 4.2 forbidding all adding to and taking from So the last booke of this Canon sealeth vp all the writinges of God with the like admonition saying e Reuelat. 22.18 I protest to euerie one that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Now in both partes of this Article agreeing to all these testimonies of holy scripture is the iudgement and profession of the Church of England For we say b Artic. 20. of the authoritie of the church It is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods worde written c Articl 6. the doctrine of holy scripture Holy scripture containeth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of the faith or bee thought requisite and necessarie to saluation c. d Apolog. cap. 9. diuis 1. We receiue and embrace all the Canonicall scriptures both of the old and new testament c. they bee the verie sure and infallible rule whereby may be tried Whether the Church do swarue or erre and whereunto all ecclesiasticall doctrine ought to bee called to account and that against these scriptures neyther law nor ordinance nor any custome ought to be heard c. In all which wee doe acknowledge this most absolute canon of Gods word agreeing with Abraham Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles The tenth Article of the people who follow the right religion that is the Church of God 10 There is but one Church of God and the same is catholike and spread ouer all the world holding onely the true faith of Christ and it is made visible and knowne by the profession of the same faith which is in the preaching of the pure word of God and right administration of his holy sacraments IN this Article is a double description of Christes Church first in regard of the nature and second in regard of the visible markes The nature is in three things vnitie and vniuersalitie and faith The markes are declared by their profession which is preaching and administring the word sacraments By vnitie wee vnderstand that God hath not diuers Churches of diuers sectes in diuers places or times but howsoeuer times and places may haue some externall and temporal differences yet in all times and places the people whom God alloweth and accepteth to bee his church are but one misticall bodie wherof Christ is the head and as
heale the blind his stooping downe to the ground to write washing his Disciples feet and many such like Thus might we play the fooles with Guilhermus Durandus in his rationale diuinorum turning all things into mysteries make trifling and prophane sport with the schoole men turning vpside downe the true sence of holy scripture by allegoricall morall and anagogicall interpretations and when we haue done come as neere the meaning of God as the east is to the west But if they be sacraments ordayned of God for his Church they ought to bring forth the commaundement of God such as is for Baptisme d Math. 28.19 1. Cor. 11.23 Baptize in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and for the Lords supper Do this in remembrance of me Secondly let thē shew out of Gods booke the signe in penance and the rest that they pertaine to the generall couenant of grace and promise of Christ As that matrimonie is anie more but a similitude or allegorie or that confirmation was any more but the taking of the children vnto him at one time to blesse them particulerlie or that orders is any more but for the grace of the estate of the ministrie their vnction was but for the bodie that they might liue and not for the soule at the very point of death therfore here is great presumption to father vpon God their owne beastly inuentions Thirdly in that which is speciall in either of the two sacraments they commit very great absurdities by most ridiculous idolatrous additaments First in Baptisme they thrust in a strange e Looke Manipul curat c. 8. de Anex Bapt. Catechising a filthy exorcising In the first they put the finger in his eare to signifie that his eare should be apt to heare Gods word and spit in his mouth that hee may be prompt to speake of faith 2. He crosseth him in his breast that in breast mouth he confesse the faith of Christ crosse him in the forehead that he be not ashamed of the faith of Christ 3. He putteth salt in his mouth signifying wisdom His filthy exorcisme is to coniure the diuell that he depart frō the soule of the party to be baptized giue place to the holy ghost And in baptizing they make three other crosses in declaring whereof I am lost to defile this paper they are so foolish so greatly derogatorie to Christs holy institution for on the one side they dash baptisme out of countenance with so many goodly shewes vses and secondly they blaspheme God to coniure especially in the place time of Gods worship but one bable I may not omit that they a Ib. cap. 7. Godfather Godmother may not marry together by Poperie giue baptisme such a power to make a spirituall cosonage namelie that it hindreth matrimonie breaketh a contract See here if Antechrist presume not as God nay aboue God for they make that vnlawfull b Heb. 13.4 Math. 19.6 which God hath made honorable among al men put asunder thē whom God hath coupled together But yet there are more abhominations heretical presumptions For in the sacrament of the Eucharist they amende the signe and put water to the wine secondly they take away one of the signes from all the communicants sauing him that maketh the sacrament thirdly they driue away both the signes altogether by their fiction of transubstantiation set in the roome therof if we may beleeue them the body soule Godhead of Christ that very body which was borne of the virgin Mary crucified vnder Pontious Pilate and so being chaunged they giue godly honor vnto it they lift it vp and carrie it in procession and hold it forth to be publikely worshipped of all men they offer it vp for a sacrifice for the quicke the dead and keepe it very deuoutly in the pix to be readie at all times to comfort them that need Surely it should seeme that Christ his Apostles were but children vnto those both in wisdome and in power For they neuer once dreamed of these things and being matters of very great importance it is meruaile they neuer had leisure to commit at the least some of them vnto writing that it might be found in holy scripture but being not found there they haue their holie traditions of equall reuerence with Gods word or els the plenarie power of their Apostaticall sea sufficientlie to warrant whatsoeuer to them whom God hath giuen ouer to beleeue lies This is the profoundnes of Sathan good Lord God and mercifull father keepe it euer out of this land that it neuer deceiue thy people any more First the mingling of wawith the wine is c Concil trident ses 6. ca. 7. brought in vpon three goodllie reasons 1. Christ is thought to haue done so 2. water came out of his side 3. water in the Apocalips signifieth people therefore it sheweth the misterie of vnion of the faithfull people with Christ Loe here a forgerie of a new misterie why might they not put in nailes or stakes that might signifie the fastning of Christ to his people because the d Eccl. 12.11 preacher speaketh of such a misticall fastening If men may add thus vpon coniectures and set Anathema and a curse as they doe vpon all that consent not how shall wee finde the measure of truth or how shall they auoide the curse of God which saith Reuel 22. cursed is he that addeth to this booke But alasse poore men how little effect this deuise hath brought forth For by and by as soone as it is a sacrament for before the words of consecration as they call them it is no sacrament the wine is cleane gone they say where is thē their new misterie How can they represent which haue no being in rerum natura in the world Againe how can it signifie this to the people when they keepe it from them and blesse them with the emptie cup. This is a second presumption against the expresse commandement of Christ which saith a Math. 29.27 Mark 14.23 drinke yee all of this and they dranke all of it Thirdlie in transubstantiation see how many monsters they feed First wee must beleeue there is no wine or bread though wee see them and taste them though they haue the same quantities and qualities and effects they had before though they corrupt and putrifie as before and we must beleeue that Christ God and Man is vnder those formes quantities and qualities though wee can see heare or feele no forme quantitie or qualitie of a true or naturall bodie or man Here is a monsterous mā which if you look vpon him is all ouer couered with a little roūd peece of starch not surmounting the greatnes of a mans hād Here be al the properties of bread and wine and their naturall operations but they are not bread nor wine but a man here one subiect hath accidents and essentiall qualities
in this Article two things The vse and power of this word and the true touchstone how we may know or where we may find this word The first is touching religion that Gods word is the only rule thereof which onely teacheth the doctrine of righteousnesse and saluation And this is verie well to be seene in the storie of Abraham that he had no sauour of religion before God taught him by his word neither can wee find that he added any thing of his owne And this will euidently appeare if you consider how God first preached vnto him a Gal. 3.8 Gen. 12.1.2.3 the gospell and so from b Cap. 15. 17 18. time to time reuealed more and more vnto him and that God acknowleged him to bee a c Gen. 20.7 prophet such an one as would d Cap. 18.19 command his sonnes and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord. What is all this els but that God by his word taught him the true religion and godlinesse what he should beleeue and doe As for Moses he maketh the word of God so absolute a rule that the Church ought not e Deut. 4.2 to put any thing to it nor take any thing from it and the prophets are also verie confident in this point saying f Prouerb 30.5 Euerie word of God is pure put nothing to his word least hee reproue thee and thou be found a lyer And the reason of this perfection is plaine because it maketh g Cap. 2.1.9 a man to vnderstand righteousnes and iudgement and equitie and euerie good path and to exclude all mens inuentions from ordaining any part of religion God saith by his prophets that h Esai 29.13 The wisedome of the wise shall perish because their feare toward God was taught by the precept of men Which Christ intepreteth to this sence i Mat. 15.9 That they worshipped God in vaine teaching for doctrines mens preceptes If this suffice not then let vs heare this point in expresse wordes of the Prophet k Psal 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule So likewise our Sauiour Christ in the gospell gaue to his Apostles and Church no other thing but the l Ioh. 17.8 worde which God his father gaue him pronouncing that this is m Vers 17. The truth by which they should be sanctified n Cap. 15.3 made cleane o Cap. 8.31.32 and free from sin p Cap. 5.24 and by hearing thereof they might haue euerlasting life Therefore the Apostles finding the absolute sufficiencie thereof doe forsake all wisedome of men for the same calling it the words of eternall life q Cap. 6.68 Hereof it is that Saint Iames saith r Cap. 1.19 Be swift to heare and slow to speake because wee men must not put forth our owne wisedome in matters of faith and religion but submit our selues to learne of God as he after expoundeth saying ſ Vers 21. Receiue with meeknesse the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules And thereupon Saint Paule condemneth all shewes of t Coloss 2.22.23 wisedome in voluntarie religion after the commandement and doctrines of men giuing charge that no man u Vers 8. spoile vs through philosophie and vaine deceite according to the traditions of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ And the ground of this is this that in x Vers 3. Christ are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Now as touching the second point which is the touchstone to trie the word of God where and how to find and know it This is The holy inspired writinges of the olde and new Testament wherein is contained all the word of God touching religion necessarie for the Church and Gods elect to know for their saluation Which although it were not written in the time of Abraham and of the fathers but after by Moses the Prophetes the Apostles and Euangelistes yet is it so absolute a rule and canon that wee ought not to beleeue any thing of faith and religion touching saluation to be or to haue beene the word of God which may not be rightly gathered taught or proued confirmed or allowed by the writings of Moses and the prophets in the old testament and in the new testament by the Euangelistes and Apostles of Iesus Christ And this will appeare verie euidently to the conscience of all faithful and wise hearted Christians if they consider what the spirite of God teacheth in all these times For the first a most glorious writer was the a Deut. 5.22 finger of God writing the ten wordes in two tables Then Moses by his direction wrote all the b Exod. 24.4 words of the Lord and a little before his death he wrote the whole c Deut. 31.9 law and deliuered it to the priestes the sonnes of Leui. So that then and from thenceforth the law written became the canon of the Church and the onely rule to measure religion by as may appeare because it was published in this sort d Deut. 27.26 Cursed bee he that confirmeth not all the wordes of this law to do them e Cap 30.10 which is interpreted to bee the commandementes and ordinaunces of the Lord written in the booke of the law And Ioshuah being of the same times knowing it to bee such an absolute rule chargeth the people a little before his death to f Ioshua 23.6 obserue and do all that is written in the booke of the law of Moses that they turne not there from to the right hand nor to the left By which it appeareth that in his time the writinges of Moses were this touchston to know the word of God as it were the arke of God wherein the tables of the couenant written with the finger of God were kept which will somewhat more be seene if you consider with me that in Moses writings and in and by nothing els we learne all the word of God reuealed and made knowne to the Church not onely touching the creation and olde world but also concerning Abraham Isaack Iacob and whatsoeuer God spake would haue to be knowen to be his word in his time which hee committed to writing for the perpetuall vse of the people of God And after him God added the pen of the prophets for the more perfect manifestation of this word and misterie of Gods will and yet so as nothing in substance did differ from the written law of Moses Therefore the prophetes pronounce the same writinges to be a most perfect Canon not to be added to nor taken from saying after this maner a Esa 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in thē And againe b Malach. 4.4 Remember the law of Moses my seruant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel the
And in that day shal their waters of life go out from Hierusalem halfe of them toward the east sea and halfe of them toward the vttermost sea and shal be both in sommer winter And the Lord shal be king ouer all the earth in that day shall there bee one Lord and his name shal be one What is this fountaine but Christ which is of the house of Dauid and what is the opening of this fountaine and flowing of waters but the preaching of the gospell as the prophets also say k Esai 2.3 The law shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord out of Hierusalem What is this east and vttermost sea this one Lord and king of all the earth But that the Church should be made vniuersall and one in Christ being of one faith throughout the world And they note out the visible markes of the church first the preaching of Gods pure word where prophesying of the church of the gentils it is said l Micah 4.2 Many nations shall come and say come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and hee will teach vs his waies and we will walke in his pathes c. And concerning the sacraments Christ a Malac. 3.3 shall sit downe to trie and fine the siluer hee shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as golde and siluer that they may bring offeringes vnto the Lord in righteousnesse c. Whereby is taught that where God gathereth his Church by Christ there he placeth his word and there he teacheth them to worship him aright which as it was by offeringes in the law so it is by sacraments in the gospell therefore by these thinges they are to bee discerned For when these thinges fayled and the people b Esai 5 24. Hier. 16.10.11 Hos 8. 1. 2. cast of Gods word and his ordinaunces in sacrifices and sacraments God cast them out of his sight and out of his grace as a people without the true markes of Gods church In the gospel this vniuersality and vnity in the nature of the church is taught where Christ saith c Ioh. 10.16 other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voice and there shal be one shepheard and one fold Where when he saith other sheepe not of this fold he signifieth that in election and promise the gentiles should bee of the Church this noteth the vniuersalitie and when he saith hee will bring them and they shall heare his voice he vnderstandeth their calling and ingrafting into the same church in the same vnitie of faith And lastly it should be but one as one folde vnder shepheard which he expoundeth where he sendeth d Math. 28.19 his Apostles to teach all nations The end whereof as the Apostle e Eph. 3.6 teacheth is that the gentils shold be inheritors also and of the same bodie partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospell For which cause it is said g Gal. 3.28 There is neither Iewe nor Grecian bond nor free ther is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus that is to say there is no exception of countrie estate or sex but if they beleeue in Christ Iesus they are all of the same true and catholike church as citizens of the same citie children of the same house stones of the same building built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone The outward markes are set vpon this church thus when the Apostles preached a Act. 2.41.42 Then they that gladly receiued his worde were baptized and the same day were added to the church about three thousand soules and they continued in the Apostles doctrin and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers Where you may see that the doctrine of the Apostles which is the woord of God and the sacraments are markes of seperation to discerne the church of Christ frō others Hereof it is that S. Paul cōmendeth the church of Colosse to haue the right badge of gods people where he said that in his spirit he saw b Colos 2.5 there good order stedfast faith in Christ for amongst other things the due administratiō of the sacraments was a good note of their good order as in the contrary the c 1. Cor. 11.17 20.34 Corinthians are reproued that the right preaching profession of Christ sheweth their stedfast faith the Romanes and the Thessalonians are greatly extolled by this marke that d Rom. 1.8 1. Thess 1.8 their faith was published throughout the whole world spread abroad in all quarters And that you may perceiue the vertue of these markes and first for the preaching of the pure word of God harkē what the holy Apostle affirmeth when the ministers e 1. Cor. 14.24.25 prophesie that is preach If there come in one that beleeueth not or vnlearned that is who neuer knewe the difference of the church of God from others he is rebuked of all men he is iudged of all that is all the preaching ministerie by the pure word of God do shew him his wretched and euill estate and so are the secrets of his hart made manifest and so hee will fall downe with his face and worshippe God and say plainely that God is in you of a truth What is all this but that he discerneth by the preaching that they are a people among whom God dwelleth that is to say the visible church of God The like he teacheth vs of the sacraments where he saith f 1. Cor. 10.21 You cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of the diuels c. which words manifestly teach that the sacraments are such a marke proper to the church that they which be in the church and partakers therof must seperate themselues from all pollutions of idolatrie and abominations of the heathen and wicked men and to be knowen to bee of the visible church of God by the right vse and celebration of Christes holie misteries as it is also written a 1. Cor. 11.26 As often as you eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come When then the true English Christian shall see that both in profession and practise the church of England hath the verie nature of of the true church of GOD and also by the true markes it is visibly knowen and discerned to be a right member of the vniuersall bodie of Christ he shall haue great cause to glorifie almightie GOD that hath vouchsafed him that mercie and honor to be of that fellowship which is with God the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ agreeing with Abraham Moses the Prophets and with Christ and his Apostles The eleuenth article of the exercises in religion in generall how to be vsed in the church 11. Wee ought
whereby God hath been truely serued and worshipped his elect saued and the true faith confessed from the beginning of the world and namely from Abraham euen vnto our daies which is now 5528. yeeres and the gates of hell could never preuaile against it no power of men subdue it no heresies ouerthrow it no wisdom or learning confute it no persecutions destroy it no pollicie nor crueltie subuert it no tract of time weare it out no changes or subuersions of kingdoms countries or states ouer whelme it no lawes edicts counsels canons cursses decrees or decretals put it down or banishe it Magna est veritas preualet Great is the truth and preuaileth Blessed be the God of truth And herein is fulfilled that which the prophet saith a Psal 19.9 102.27.28 The feare of the Lord is cleane and endure for euer And thou O God art the same and thy yeeres faile not the children of thy seruants shall continue and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight The second part of the newnes of Poperie CHAP. I. How the Romish superstition disagreeth with the true auncient catholike religion and faith of Gods elect where is declared 1. How manie waies in this sort disagreement is to bee founde 2. And that in all the former fifteene articles they disagree very greatly THere are two things which doo euidently argue the new and late begetting and birth of Romish heresie The Ante-christianitie or disagreement it hath with the pure holie and old faith which God hath once giuen to the Saints and the conformitie and agreement it hath with all heretical prauitie For seeing that all men know and the papists themselues must needs confesse that it is come foorth within these last times of the world for the face thereof neuer sawe the sonne before if it agree not with the wholsome truth of the inspired scriptures of God and so not of the auncient catholike faith of Gods chosen but resembleth and beareth the expresse and indeleble charecter of filthie new borne heresie it must needs leese those dainty terms of vnitie antiquitie vniuersalitie visible succession and of the olde and catholike religion And so the truth is For as then the Popes of Rome became most loftie and proud and aduanced themselues aboue all estates when they vsed in their stile the lowlie termes of seruus seruorum Seruant of Seruants so seased they then to bee truely and in deed Catholike or vniuersall when cutting of themselues from the true vniuersall church and religion they tyed the name and honor of Catholicke church to one place calling it contrarie to the holie creed The catholike church of Rome Therefore as I haue in the former part shewed the auncient and vnchangeable religion what it is and how it hath continued vnto this our age so now I doubt not but that it shall appeare through Gods grace to euerie honest conscience of any reasonable capacitie not forestalled with the preiudice of willful blindnes that the church of Rome and the religion thereof is not of the same generation hath no affinitie with God and his truth but is altogether earthly sensual and diuelish And first of the disagreement it hath with the true faith that is what it is not then of the agreement with heresie that is what it is In the first part the reader is to vnderstand that disagreement is in diuers sortes sometime direct and plaine contrarie as light and darkenes sometime contradictorie where one saying is the destruction of an other as to say A man is a reasonable creature and to say a man is not a reasonable creature Sometime they disagree by hauing a differing nature though not so directly set on against an other as a stone an egge and a tree differ from a man sometime the disagreement is hidden and vnderhand when there is a shewe to maintaine the truth in words and yet in deeds comming in by some hidden and closely carried circumstance men ouerthrew the same truth 2. Sam. 3.27 As Ioab spake with his mouth peaceable vnto Abner and with his hand he smote him vnder the fift ribbe that hee died And there is yet an other difference which is expresly named in holie scripture that is wheÌ„ in a matter taught in the scripture definitiuely men either take awaie something and make it too short or too little or else adde something and make it too long or too great Wheresoeuer there is any of these disagreements they cannot be said to be one and the same and so the church of Rome in all points of Christian religion differing in some one of these kindes cannot be said to bee of the true catholicke religion As in the first kinde the true religion a 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3 saith It is the spirit of errors and doctrine of diuels to forbid mariage and to abstaine from meats The sea of Rome say directly contrarie that by the holie ghost and spirit of truth they forbid mariage and to abstaine from meats In the second kind the true religion saith b Rom. 3.28 A man is iustified by faith without workes they say A man is not iustified by faith without workes In the thirde kind the true religion saith c Heb. 1.3 Iesus Christ hath by himselfe purged our sins they say we are purged also by satisfaction purgatorie indulgences and diuers other things In the fourth kinde the true religion saith that d Iacob 1.21 the woorde of God is able to saue our soules The synagogue of Rome do so say also in words but in deed they cut the throat of Gods word by equalling or preferring of traditions canons decrees decreâ—als and humaine customes euen as Christ e Matth. 15.6 speaketh of the pharisees who also in woords pretended Gods woord that they make the woord of God of no effect or authoritie by their tradition But as touching the last disagreement that shameles whoore of Babilon diminisheth and taketh from Gods word when they keepe the cup from the comon people and adde vnto Gods word when they cause the sacrament to be lifted vp and adored and verie many such things they doo Therefore if I shew that in al parts of religion they disagree from the truth in one of these kinds it will be sufficient to prooue that their abhominations are nothing sauouring of the true auncient religion 2. And this I will do God willing in two sorts First in this Chapter by shewing how they disagree with the articles taught out of Gods word in the former part and secondly in the next Chapter howe dissent from the doctrin of S. Paul S. Peter whoÌ„ they say to haue bin at Rome and to bee planters of that church in this first I must desire the reader to looke vpon euerie article as before cap. 2. and he shal easilie see the disagreement for I wil but a little open and briefely point out their error and the disagreement will bee manifest of it selfe Marke therefore
new testament thus h Rom. 3.23.24 There is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus 25. whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud c. In the seuenth Article there are three contradictories of the lying erring multitude of Rome vnto the true religion For they i Concil Trident sessi 5. sess 6. canon 18. 25. say that Concupiscence in the regenerate after baptisme is no sinne although they confesse Saint Paule calleth it sinne 2. That there is nothing in him displeasing God but he is pure innocent and immaculate 3. A iustified man can keepe all Gods commaundements If these men had learned and beleeued the true religion they would not dare to speake so directly contrarie to truth seeing God teacheth far otherwise First in the old testament where the church is directed to say k Esai 64.6 Wee haue bin all as an vncleane thing all our righteousnes as filthy clouts And in the new testament l 1. Ioh. 1.8 If we say we haue no sin wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. Which two places being spoken of the people being by the sacrament of initiation or Baptisme entred into the Church do shew plainely that original corruption is a sinfull matter in the flesh of the regenerate by which they are made vnable to doe any one worke perfect much lesse to doe all Gods commandements at all times in thought word and deede a thing which euerie man 's owne conscience doth testifie if he bee not too much besotted with the looking vpon his fruitlesse peacockes taile In the eight Article they make additaments namely that a Concil Trid. sess 6. canon 24. 33. 20. good workes are also causes of the encreasing of iustification and truely deserue eternall life and encrease of glorie and that the obseruing of the commandements of God and the Church are the condition of the promise of eternall life to which the iustified man is bound if he will be saued By which while they robbe Christ of his merits and giue more honour to the corrupt life of man and lesse to the redeemer and lay an other burthen vpon Christians then that which God layeth and such as no man can beare they leade themselues so farre from religion that either by a vaine hope of that which is not they forsake their owne saluation or els by a greeuous desperate downe-fall finding themselues as the truth is vnable to fulfill the condition they lay themselues open to euerlasting perdition But God alloweth no such additamentes where he teacheth vs in the old testament to say vnto him b Psal 16.2 Thou art my Lord my well doing extendeth not to thee And in the new c Luc. 17.10 When ye haue done all those things which are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants c. And the condition of fulfilling the commandements is called d Act. 15.10 a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare and if it were possible to doe the commandements yet the holie Ghost teâ—â—eth vs that e Gal. 2.21 if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Against the ninth Article the Romists do diuersly oppose themselues shewing themselues to bee of no religion For first they adde the commandement of the church making it equall vnto Gods written worde saying f Gret decreâ— pars 1. dist 20. cap. de libellis They which receiue not indifferently their Canons they profitablie effectually and to purpose holde or beleeue neither the catholike faith nor the foure holy Euangelistes They adde moreouer that g Distinct 19. all the decretals constitutions of that sea yea though it decree things scarce to bee borne yet must they bee borne with a godly deuotion though there bee as h Decret abbreuiat in versibus they say in one booke of decrees aboue 3000. Againe they say that i Concil Trident sess 4. decret 1. pari pietatis affectu reuerentia Traditions pertaine to faith and maners and that they doe receiue and embrace them with equall godly deuotion and reuerence as they doe the holy scriptures Lastly they set the Church before the scriptures as that by k Test Rhem. note vpon Gal. 2. vers 2. 6. D. Smith briefe treatise cap 2. 3. it the scriptures are so farre made knowen to all Christians as they are not bound so to take them vnlesse by the authoritie of the Church they knew them And that the authoritie of holy scripture dependeth and hangeth vpon the iudgement of the vniuersall or catholike church and that there are many vnwritten verities left by Christ and his Apostles to be beleeued and obeyed vnder paine of damnation Here is the mouth of blasphemie if wee may beleeue the vndoubted word of God how hee teacheth vs to esteeme of the holy scriptures and of the Church for in the olde Testament hee saith l Esai 8.20 To the law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them And in the new a 2. Tim. 3.13 The holy scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation c. Let then euery wise man iudge that if the scriptures bee able to make a man wise vnto saluation and that there is no light that is to say knowledge of truth and godlinesse in them which agree not to the holy scriptures what canons decrees decretals traditions or vnwritten verities can haue any authoritie vnlesse they agree to the written word of God or that they can containe in them any thing not written in the scripture which is of necessitie to saluation or which not to doe or beleeue is damnation Againe how can the scriptures take their authoritie from the church seeing that the church is of no light vnlesse it bee found agreeable to the scriptures and therefore no church except it bee approued by the scriptures and so the scripture is iudge ouer the church and not contrarie And if I say the scriptures can make a man wise vnto saluation it is the greatest follie in the world to clogge the people of God with so many thousand of needles canons decrees decretals traditions and vnwritten falsely called verities and so make the light and easie yoke of Iesus Christ most heauie and burdenous If these diuilish blasphemies were true alas who could be saued For who was euer found that did or could doe all the foresaid Canons and traditions Therefore in them is fulfilled which is said by the Lord of Hypocrites b Math. 23.4 They bind heauie greeuous burthens not to be borne and lay them on mens sholders but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers Let vs abandon therefore these painted sepulchers and enemies of all true
godlinesse which burden Gods house with such great volumes of new laws made by men contrary to the true faith religion when God telleth vs expressely that his c Psal 19.7 Deut. 4. law written in his word is perfect and conuerteth the soule and that to it nothing is to be added or taken away In the tenth Article the contradiction is manifest to the whole worlde for all men see that they restraine the worde Catholike to one place and that the whole Church should be ruled by her square the whole vniuersall worlde made catholike by one citie wheras one city cannot be the vniuersal church of the whole world which containeth the meanest and smallest part of the whole Besides this they doe not hold professe the onely true catholike faith but do most earnestly fearsely and cruelly persecute Christ his members stand only vpon vain titles of antiquitie vniuersalitie visible succession other false grounds which are common to all the wicked pagans which notwithstanding their brags can not be found in their sinagogue and profession And as is their faith such is their preaching mans traditions and deuises altogether strangers from the life of God their sacraments as they handle the matter are not only ful of vnclean mixtures but also peruerted without authority from God All which to him that considereth will bee found true in the examination of the articles going afore following after namely that they haue nothing in doctrine or practise of the nature of the true Church of God nor yet those visible marks which do indeed truely shew discerne and make knowne the true church and chast spouse of Christ In the eleuenth Article there need but few words for when they worship the Roode and other idols relickes of Saints and the sacrament and when they pray to the virgine Marie to the Apostles and all canonized Saints of that sea euerie man may by by perceiue that they worship not God onely And if they would shift vs off with their blind distinction of Latine doulia hyperdoulia it is not the daliance of termes that can helpe the matter except the word of God made such a difference Againe they themselues a Preceptoriū Nider precept 1. cap. 6. Latria idem est quod seruitus Deo exhibita c. teach that latria which themselues say is a worship due and proper to God alone may be done and might lawfully be done to these namely to the trinitie of the persons diuine to the three Angels whom Abraham saw to the done appearing vpon Christ to the voice of the father to the wordes of the holy scripture in as much as they proceede from God to the manhoode of Christ vnited to his Godhead to the crosse of Christ to the image of Christ to the sacrament of the Eucharist to the garments nailes and speare of Christ If here the proper honour and worship of God bee not giuen to creatures and that these things be not disagreeing to the holy and ancient religion allowed by God I know not what is Let it be tried by that which God saith in the old testament b Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And in the new Christ speaketh in the minde and meaning of the old c Math. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue In the twelfth Article there are many disagreementes of Romish superstition and idolatrie from the true catholike religion First in the generall nature of a sacrament they add a further power namely that the sacraments containe grace giue grace and a Concil trident ses 7. that of the worke wrought yea and this alway and vnto all on the part of God and that without them or the vow of them a man doth not receiue of God the grace of Iustification and that the intent of the Minister is required at least according to the generall intent of the Church In which are two manifest cut-throats of the nature of a Sacrament for by conteyning grace c vnderstanding that grace is in the outward signe and so by the only outward ministerie as it is wrought by the Minister grace is giuen this maketh it more then a signe and a seale of the couenant and giueth that to the outward signe worke wrought of man which is due to the spirit of God And secondly the necessity of the Priests intention is made an efficient bearding outfacing the institution of God as though that the being of the Sacrament depended not onlie and wholly vpon Gods ordaining and institution but that it must haue the intent of the minister to make it a Sacrament And here they are to be vnderstood of the Sacraments of the new testament therfore let vs heare how God in the new law of the gospel doth teach the contrarie For he applyeth the vertue of both Sacraments to the spirit saying b 1. Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are wee all baptized into one body whether wee be Iewes or Grecians whether wee be bound or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit therefore the power is not in the outward signe or worke but onlie in the spirit because that c Ver. 4. 11. the diuersities of gifts come of the same spirit and he distributeth them to euerie one seuerallie as he will And as for the Priests intent he saith in the same chapter a Ver. 6. There are diuersities of operations but God is the same which worketh all in all If then God worke all where is the ground of the Priests intent and if the spirit distribute as hee will where is the worke wrought c There is yet a third addition namely that they lay vpon these sacraments the grace of iustification which God saith euidently is imputed to faith without any workes euen as b Rom. 4.1.2.3 11. c. Gal. 3.6 Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Secondly for the number the presuming sea addeth fiue matrimonie orders confirmation penance extreame vnction not one of them hauing the true nature of a sacrament for they are no where ordeined and commaunded of God to any such purpose except we would childishly say as they doe namely c Manipul curat cap. 1. de instit sacra that hee ordained confirmation when he laid his hands vpon children and said suffer little children to come vnto me and orders when he said Doe this in remembrance of me penance when he said to leapers Go shew your selues to the Priest and extreame vnction when hee sent his Apostles to anoint and heale the sicke that he made matrimony a sacrament when in the wombe of the virgin M. he would ioyne our nature to the diuine in the vnity of person c So might wee make a multitude of sacraments making of clay to
the authority of their Church before the holy scripture so these allow so much and so far of holy scripture as serueth for their purpose deuised wickednesse And as the heretikes called Nazarai did confirme their dotages by reuelations false miracles so traditions much ragged stuffe in poperie bee made warrantable by miraculous operations apperitions The heretikes aforenamed Pepuziani do send al men to a city in vpper Phrigia called Pepuza naming it the celestiall Ierusalem the citie whereof the prophets spake as though there were no other heauen So the papists cal vs to the church of Rome as though the vniuersall Church were tyed to one place out of which there is no saluation or way to heauen As concerning the worship of God Simon Magus the root of heretikes caused his owne image and of his harlot to bee worshipped of his disciples So the papistes set vp images of their canonized Saints to be adored Angelici were heretikes which worshipped Angels So the papists haue a b Missa votina de Angelis speciall masse of the Angels pray vnto Angels Marcellina companion of these heretikes called Carpocracians worshipped the images of Christ and Paul c. So do the papists Collyridiani worshipped the virgin Marie the Sethians worshipped Seth. The Abelonites worshippe Abell and diuers others doe the like according to their sect So the papistes according to their sect praye vnto all their canonized Saints and worship them The heretikes Armenij worshipped the crosse of Christ and so doe the papistes Concerning the sacraments the heretickes called Donatistes measure the power and effect of the sacraments by the dignitie holinesse and hand of the minister So the papists assigne the power of the sacraments to the worke wrought of the priest and that the intent of the minister is necessarie to make it a religious action And as the papists permit weomen to baptize cloistering their holy and religious nunnes So their progenitors the heretickes Pepuziani admitted weomen to the ecclesiasticall ministerie and the Marcionites taught that weomen might baptise The heretikes called Messalians say that the force of baptisme pertayneth onely to the signes and so do the Papistes And as the papists in Baptisme haue salte spittle crossing and other annexed ceremonies with coniuration by which it is as it were chaunged into a new thing So did the Simonians and Marcitae olde heretickes their naturall fathers defile and in a manner blot out baptisme In the Lordes Supper the heretikes Aquarij were not content with the two outwarde signes of bread and wine but added also water So do the papists mingle water with the wine in the cup. And the Marcitae aforesaid professed that by words and incantations they changed the wine in the cup into the bloud and bring the grace of God into the same cuppe so the papists professe that the sacrament is changed by their words of consecration and coniuring into the verie bodie bloud of Christ and that grace is contained in the sacraments And here they resemble the Apollinarians which made Christes bodie to bee heauenly and not earthly for the papistes say that it is the bodie of Christ though it be not seene felt nor heard and they are like the Marcionistes which accounted Christes bodie fantasticall so these will haue men beleeue the sacrament to bee his body though it haue no quantities nor qualities of a bodie And they are like the Timotheans which confound the two natures of Christ and the Euticheans who affirme the humane to be swallowed vp of the deuine and to the Nestorians who make his manhood equall to his Godhead For the papistes say that the same bodie or man is in heauen and in earth and that in as many places of the world at one and the same time as it is or may bee at once consecrated made by their priest which propertie of being in many places at once is not of the nature of man but of God therefore herein they are neere in affinitie with these heretickes The heresie of Vincentius Victor hath this amongst others that the sacrifice of Christians that is the sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of Christ is to be offered for them which being not baptised are departed out of the bodie So the papistes haue their sacrifice for the dead The Maniches refuse the olde testament and partly mangle and curtoll and partly cast away the new So the papist though in woordes they acknowledge both yet in truth they refuse both keeping them from Gods people and reading them in a strange toong that the people cannot vnderstande which vnto them is as good as if they were cast away The Heracleonites make a superstitious calling vpon God with strange and vnusuall words especially to driue away diuels such is the masse of the papistes all in a strange toong and their exorcismes are of the same fashion The heretikes called Taciani Origeniani Hierarchita Saturniani and diuers others make mariage an vnholie and vncleane thing and of the diuel and shut it out of their congregation So the papists not onely preferre a single life before mariage but also with such like tearmes make it as an vncleane thing not meete for their priestes and allure both men and weomen to the vowe of chastitie as a purer and holier life then matrimonie and therein they are also like the Eustachians who despised the maried priestes And as the papistes haue their Friers Monckes and Nunnes of a straunge and differing habite from other men and weomen and that seruants vpon a vowe may leaue their Masters and some of these vowed persons professe the renouncing of worldlie ritches and worldly dooings to walke a more neere course to heauen so these heretikes the Eustachians had their differing habite from other men seruauntes by this habite despised their Masters and ritche men which did not renounce all which they possessed were accounted without hope towardes God also these heretikes counted the eating of flesh vnlawfull euen as the papistes doo And as the papistes forbid flesh and as they call it white meat so their graundfathers the Maniches abstained from fleshe egges and milke And there were heretikes which put religion in going barefoot and therfore called of some Nudipedants so are the franciscans and others amongst the papistes of such religion The donatistes denie the magistrates authoritie in matters of religion and namely in punishing of heretikes So the papistes shut out the magistrate in causes ecclesiasticall and as the papist giue the pope the primacie aboue the magistrates in all causes and at their pleasure put them downe with their great curse so these their predecessours the heretikes called donatistes doo most vilelie raile against magistrates beate them downe with menacing words These donatistes had manie vile thinges in them wherein they fitly father the papistes they were circumcellions and counterfaited an austere life like the popish monkes heremites and friers liuing in caues and selles They ran vpon christians whom