had in suspicion when there is anie question of their profit or authority Heere my Masters it is easie to shewe you that they lead you in a way by which it is altogether impossible you should bee saved for you are taught simply to beleeve the Church of Rome and without farther enquiry to depend entirely upon her authority and yet you are deprived of all means to know whether this Church whereunto you give credit bee pure and teacheth true doctrine For how should you knowe that should it be by the holy Scriptures yea but this book is not permitted you At Rome and in Spaine to read in it is no lesse than burning at a stake or would you knowe it by the Antients those are greek latin books which the people understand not What knowes an artificer or a woman or an husbandman amongst you whether the Church teacheth conformably unto the Scripture or if their church bee such as it was some 12. or 1500. years since or whether of a long list of Popes pictured the first have beleeved as the last and that the times have altered nothing In briefe you have no other proof of the purity of your church but the witnes of your Church it self whose Prelates vanting themselves that they cannot erre in the meane time deprive you of all means to discern of error from truth by hiding from you the rule of truth which is the holy Scriptures But wherfore should the Roman Church rather have this perfection that the Greek or the Syrian more antient and more pure than the Roman founded by Ies Christ himselfe and by his Apostles and who also brag to have Saint Peters chair Doth the Scripture give unto the Roman Church any prerogative above others or doth it give her the priviledge of not erring From hence doe ensue two things as cleere as the day the one that your faith is grounded onely upon the authority of men and by consequent that your religion is a humane religion and not divine Whosoever saith I beleeve the Gospell and the Word of GOD because the Church ordaineth it maketh the Church more credible than God To doubt of Gods truth is a lesse crime than to make it depend upon men The other is that of all humane witnesses you ground your selves upon the worst and most uncertain for you say your Church is good because shee saith it and so doo make her Iudge in her owne cause not considering that by this word Church you understand not Christian people nor the generality of Pastors but the Pope and some fewe Prelates whose rules are called Church-rules although they tend onely to the profit of the Clergie and the advancement of the Empire of the Bishop of Rome And you poor soules whom God hath framed after his owne Image whom hee hath redeemed with the blood of his Son whom God solliciteth by his Word will you languish alwaies in this captivity will you heap up unto your selves the wrath and indignation of the Lord by rejecting the salvation which is proposed you I confesse that the Roman Chur. in certain points alleageth scripture and that between her and us there is strife about the interpretation but we make use of the Scripture in another manner than those which teach you For first they are afraid the people should read the Scriptures but we exhort men thereunto Secondly they perswade you that the Scripture is obscure and ambiguous but we say all things necessary unto salvation are therein layd downe with much clearness Thirdly they say that the Scripture is an unperfect rule they will needs have another unwritten word and traditions of the Church equall in authority to the Scripture wee on the contrary say that the holie Scripture can make us wise unto salvation 1 Tim. 15. 1 and that wee ought not to bee wise beyond what is written 1 Cor. 6. 4 and that in that which is cleare in the Scriptures and needeth no interpretation are cōtained all the doctrines necessary unto salvation Fourthly when wee alleage the Scripture we alleage it as soveraign Iudge and as it that ruleth the Chur. and giveth her her authority but the Romane Church alleageth the Scripture as a doctrine authorized by the Church and that you ought to receive it because the Church hath ordained it Fiftly when wee interpret the Scriptures wee give not out our interpretations for lawes as doth the Roman Church nor call our selves judges or infallible interpreters of the holy Scriptures Finally when wee interpret the Scriptures wee draw our interpretations from the Scripture it self but the Roman Church draw their interpretations from the unwritten word and from tradition For example wee expound those words This is my body He took the bread gave it c. Do this in remembrance of me By the bread which I give you is the commemoration of my body the which expositiō is found in the text it self of the institution of the sacrament or by these words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. 16 The bread which wee break is the communion of the body of Christ Your Teachers do not thus interpret the Scriptures for they draw their interpretations from the unwritten word and from tradition When the Lord said to Peter I have prayed that thy faith fail not they say that by these words Saint Peter and the Popes of Rome his successours were promised the vertue that they could not erre but the Scripture speaketh not of Popes or of Bishops of Rome nor grants unto Saint Peter any successor in his Apostleship So Malachie speaketh of a pure oblation which was to bee made in all places Mal. 1. 11 This oblation according to the interpretation of these Masters is the Masse in which they say the body of Christ is really sacrificed But this interpretation is taken out of the unwritten word for the holy scripture speaketh not of any Masse nor of the sacrifice of the body of Iesus Christ nor establisheth any sacrificers in the Church to sacrifice the Son of God So when the Scripture saith Thou shalt worship one God and shalt serve him alone The interpretations of these Masters is that God forbiddeth onely the worship of Latria but not the adoratiō of Dulia which is an inferiour religious service But the Scripture speaketh not of the adoration of Dulia nor of any other religious service then that which is due unto God These are interpretations which the Romane Church draweth from the unwritten word which is at the discretion of the Romish Church nor can bee learned but from her mouth for I doo not think there is any that ever hath seen all the instructions of this unwritten word reduced into one body Bellar. in Barkl c. 3. He thinkes not rightly of the chur of the chur of Christ that admits nothing but what hee reads expresly to have bin alledged or practised in the old chu as if the Church of later time either ceast to be a chr or hath not
authority to expresse and declare to decree also and cōmād those things which concern faith Christian manners and that because this word changeth according to the age and is fitted unto the time and that the Romish Chur. hath power also to adde new articles thereunto even in the points of faith The greatest mischief is that these traditions and instructions of the unwritten word are not only additions unto the Scripture but also manifest oppositions thereunto whereof the Mass alone doth furnish us with many examples 1. For Iesus Christ administring the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist spake in a tongue understood of the standers by but the Priest in his Masse speaketh in an unknown language 2. Iesus Christ administred to all there present but the Priest oftentimes eateth drinketh himselfe alone 3. Iesus Christ communicated the cup unto all and willed that all should drink thereof but the Priest drinketh alone and denieth the chalice unto the people 4. Iesus Christ offred nothing to God but the Priest prayeth in the Masse that God would be pleased with his oblation 5. Iesus Christ made no elevation of the hoste but the Priest houldeth up an hoste to bee adored 6. In the institution of this holy Sacrament there is no speech of a sacrifice nor of sacrificing the body of Iesus Christ cleane contrary the Priest pretendeth the sacrificing of the body of Iesus Christ in a reall propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead also 7. Vnder the Table of our Lord there were no reliques hid We beseech thee Lord through the merits of the Saints whose relicks wee have heer and for the merits of all the Saints besides that thou wouldest vouchsafe to pardon all our sins nor the bones of any Patriarch or Prophet on the contrary the Priest hath under the stones of his Altar the bones of the dead without which reliques an Altar cannot bee consecrated and so accordingly the Priest in his Masse craveth salvation by the merits of those Saints whose bones lie hidden under that Altar a thing that Iesus Christ never thought of 8. Iesus Christ witnessed that it was the fruit of the Vine that hee drank but the Priest denies that it is so 9. Iesus Christ will that we make commemoration of him but the Priest pretendeth to make Iesus Christ himself 10. Saint Paul saith foure times that we eat break bread on the contrary the Priest maintains that we neither eat nor break bread 11. The Lord instituteth a Sacrament but the Priest celebrateth a Sacrifice In a word the one administreth the Communion the other singeth Masse expresly made to dis-figure the holy Supper of our Lord. These Masters thinke themselves well fensed with using a childish recrimination in objecting unto us that seeing wee will imitate our Lord we ought all to celebrate the Communion after supper in a high chamber and not to admit of women but neither the place nor the houre nor the sex of the assistants is either part or essence of the action and without any of these the action remaineth intire nor hath Iesus Christ touching the same given any rule or forbidden any circumstance But the chāge which wee object against them is in things essentiall and which change the nature of the action seeing that thereby is introduced an adoration not commanded nor practised by the Apostles and a sacrifice established which our Lord hath not ordained and an authorized superstition about dead mens bones and a publike repast changed into a private Mass and the people frustrate of understanding their ordinary service and instructed to take God and to eat their Creator adore the creature and deprived of one halfe of the Sacrament to wit the cup wherof Christ hath said 1 Cor. 8. 11. Drink ye all of this as also the Apostle commandeth the people of Corinth to take the cup as well as the bread Let a man prove himself and so eat of this bread and drink of this cup. Whereupon wee propose a means of agreement which cannot bee refused but by him that loves discord or is thirsty of Christian blood or which will war against God for all Christians confesse that Iesus Christ hath done well and that there is nothing amisse in his institution and that even when it might bee lawfull to celebrate the holy Communion in some other fashion then hee did yet all agree that it would not bee ill done to follow his example speak as hee spake and doo as he did Now this is that which wee demand and certaine it is that the Pope might make an end of all contētions sprung from this point which trouble and divide Christendome if hee would restore the holy Communion unto the form in which our Lord did celebrate it laying aside all disputes binding the people unto the example of the Son of God What incommodities or incōveniences soever might bee alleaged against the same could not bee put in balance against the obedience which wee owe to Iesus Christ against the peace of Christendome and the re-union of that rupture and separation of people which hath caused so many troubles and spilt so much blood and which goareth the side of the Ro. Church as well as ours exposing it to the violence of Turks and Infidels Every spirit that is not preoccupated will easily acknowledge that this is the language of truth wherewith lest your consciences should bee touched they use a device namely to represent unto you our religion altogether other then it is and paint it out unto you like a hideous monster and to make us speake things wholly against our beleef And thereupon many amongst you are of so easie beleef as to chuse rather to learne what our religion is by our enemies invectives than by our owne confession yea after wee have protested not to beleeve any thing of all they father upon us yet would they make us perswade our selves that wee beleeve that which wee beleeve not wherein they justifie us before they bee aware For thereby they privily confesse that our religion truely proposed cannot bee encountred and that if it were represented in as true colours at the very first it would make a strong impression in the minde of the Auditor through the evidence of the truth thereof They tell you 1. that our religion teacheth that good works are not necessary 2. that the Elect may without danger licence themselves to doo evill 3. that God gives no recompense to good works 4. that God constraineth our willes and forceth them unto good 5. that we accuse God of injustice as having given us a law which wee cannot accomplish 6. that wee are enemies to the Saints and the Virgin Mary 7. that for the understanding of the Scriptures every one of us vanteth to have a particular inspiration 8. and that wee deny the Almightinesse of God in the Eucharist Is not this all false and contrary to our beleef 1. Our religion teacheth that good
A LETTER VNTO THEM of The Romish Church By PETER du MOVLIN Minister in the reformed Church at Paris Together with a true Iubile or generall Pardon of Indulgence by the same Author LONDON Printed by H. L. for Mathew Lownes dwelling in Paules Church-yard 1621. TO The right worshipfull Master VVILLIAM HAKEVVILL Esquier R. G. Wisheth as in dutie he is bound all increase of grace and true happiness Sir THis little but excellent tract of Monsieur du Moulins being giuen mee to translate by your worthie brother who formerlie as your Worship may remember did once set me aworke in the like kinde vvith no ill successe and being desirous to haue it patronized by some good friend as the custome is I soone bethought mee how it might verie acceptablie passe vnder your name if so it would please you to grace my poore endeuour which in all humblenes I gladlie offer vp vnto you first as a thankfull remembrance of your manie charitable fauours towardes mee and then as an earnest of my willingnes to bee doing as I am able The discourse of it selfe in the originall is of worth enough to giue all good men content which loue Gods true Religion together with the propogation and increase thereof and as I hope hath receiued no greate soile or blemish by passing through my handes It seemes it was intended by that famous man the Authour especiallie for his owne countriemen of the Romish Church but alas who are so deafe as they that will not heare or blind like them that will not see Yet as hee saith in the end of his discourse that Animam suam liberauit in case it worke not amongst them his wished effect So likewise if it passe into English vnder your â—auâ—…ur vous aurez aussi Monsieur adâ—…ncè une bonne oeuure So trusting to our Worships gentle acceptance I cease further to trouble you in your most worthie employments for the common good and remaine Your worships most humble and euer much bounden Ry. Goring A Letter to them of the Romish Church by Peter du Moulin Minister of GOD's Word in the Reformed Church of Paris Translated into English out of the French Originall My Masters THE things that I have to represent to you would perhappes bee more acceptable from any other hand than from mine and yet I may bee bould to say that never did any man speak to you more void of hatred or more desirous of your good and salvation The Word of God from whence wee draw our Religion commands us to love those that hate us and to beleeve that those which doo persecute us doo thinke they doo God good service Every spirit which seeketh after the truth ought thus to be disposed Without this it is impossible to gather anie fruit by our communication for never doth any wound cloze up again during the inflammation And even as in a house which is on fire those which speake are not understood so shall we never understand one another whil'st our spirits doo burne with hatred and spleen The study of the sacred Word of GOD requireth a quiet spirit which wisely waigheth things without exception against any mans person for what reason is it to hate any bodie because hee goeth astray or because wee think wee see more cleere than hee Now then even as blinde-men are commonly wranglers and cholerick so also such as are most violent receive least instruction therefore hee that shall remedy this ignorance shall likewise appease this furiousnesse But the evill is without remedy in him that endeavoureth to be ignorant and feareth to know the will of God lest hee should bee so much the more obliged to follow it This is my Masters the disease of this Age in which people make profession of following without knowing and to beleeve his Church without knowing what the Church ought to beleeve and resteth upon the faith of other being ignorant of the rule of faith which is the Word of God as if those that lead us ought to bee our warrants against GOD's judgement or as if it were a vertue to beleeve in God by Attorney Indeed people ought to obey their Guides in case God bee their Guide and beleeve that which they teach if so bee that which they deliver bee drawne from the Word of God The Index of bookes forbidden together with the rules which were made by the fathers that were chosen thereto by the TreÌ„t Synod The fourth rule In as much as it is plainly seen by experience that if the Bible bee every where suffered to bee read in the vulgar tongue without any restraint more hurt then good will thence arise by occasion of mens rashnes Hee that without such like licence shall presume to read or have the Bible may not have an absolution of his sinnes vnlesse hee first deliver it up into the hands of the Ordinary The which if they hide from the people and hinder the reading thereof it is a signe that they find themselves guilty or that in stead of subjecting themselves to this rule they will have the soveraign rule to bee their authority For wherefore should the Word of God contained in holy Scriptures bee a suspicious thing unto us and as it were a dangerous book Wherefore should not children bee permitted to see their fathers Testament The Apostle Saint Paul hath written his Epistles to the people of Rome of Corinth and Ephesus to the end they might read them wherefore then should Christian people at this day bee deprived of the reading of them The Catholike Epistles of Saint Iames Where it is to be noted that there it is spoken of Bibles translated by Catholick Roman Authors S. Peter and Saint Iohn are written to all the faithfull in generall wherefore then should not Christian people read those Letters which are expresly directed unto them and are written for their instruction wherfore may they not read the writings of the Prophets as well as the people of Berea which coming from Saint Pauls Sermon went and conferred it with the Scriptures To what end are Texts alleaged in Sermons if it bee not lawfull for the Auditor to goe home and see in the Scriptures Acts 17. 11 whether they bee truely alleaged or no A horrible thing that in those Countries where the Inquisition raigneth it is a crime worthy the fire to have a Bible in the vulgar tongue whil'st not onely the reading of fables is tolerated but whoredome also established there by law and politick regiment If so bee the Translation bee not thought true by the Pope his Holinesse should give order for a Translation fitting his judgement To say that some abuse this reading is to accuse the Apostles of folly to have written their * The Apostles did write in a language most publikely understood Epistles to christian people without foreseeing that they might abuse the same by the same reason they might forbid the preaching thereof because many doo abuse it Men abuse even