rightly to be observed among them 5. They worship God in the Idol temples of Antichrist Exod. 20.4 with Deut. 12 2 3. 2. King 10 26 27 28. and 18 4. Act. 17 23. Rev. 18 11 12 c 6 The Ministers have their set mayntenance after another manner then Christ hath ordeyned 1. Cor 9 14. And that also such as by which any Ministery at all whether popish or other whatsoever might be maynteyned 7. Their elders chaunge yearly and do not continew in their office according to the doctrine of the Apostles and practise of the Primitive Churches Rom. 12 4 5 6 7 8. 1. Cor. 12 11 12 c Act 20.17.28 1. Pet. 5.1 2.3 4 See also Numb 8.24 c. 8. They celebrate Mariage in the Church as if it were a part of the Ecclesiasticall administration wheras it is in the nature of it merely civill Ruth 4. chap. 9. They vse a new censure of Suspension which Christ hath not appointed Mat. 28.20 Gal. 3.15 2. Tim. 3.16 17. 10. They observe dayes and tymes consecrating certeyn dayes in the yeare to the Nativity Resurrection Ascension of Christ etc. Exod. 20. commaundement 2. and 4. Rev. 1.10 1 Cor. 1â— 1.4.2 Act 20.7 Col. 2 16.17 Esa 66 23. Gal 10.11 11 They receiâ—e vnrepeÌ„tant excommunicates to be membres of their Church which by this meanes becometh one body with such as be delivered vnto SathaÌ„ 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Tim. 1.20 These among other are the corruptions of the church aforesaid which they are neyther able to defend nor willing to forsake Herein therfore we differ from them as they which knowe this estate of theirs may perceive by our confession compared with their errours noted before which the Lord give them to see and mynd And for your self good Sir take you heed in godlynes that in this cause you do not in any respect with hold the duty which you ow vnto them or defence which you ow vnto the truth So let God almighty also love you and Christ our Saviour be mercifull vnto you And this you may do truly Godlye brotherly wisely with great profit to vs and the Church of Christ every where Therfore we exhort and beseech you in the lord that you be carefull alwayes to help no way to hurt the Church and cause of Christ by your studyes endevâ—urs labours which being thus directed the Lord Iesus blesse to the glory of his name and your owne comfort for ever Amen Amsterdam The first day of the seventh moneth called Iuly 1602. Yours in Christ by whose grace we witnesse the truth of his Gospellâ— against the will worship and remnants of Antichrist what soever Francis â—ohnson Stanshall Mercer David Bresâ—o Henry Ainsworth Câ—ristophâ—r Boman Daniel Studley Thomas Bishop With the rest of the brethren of the English Church now living as straungers at Amsterdam A third letter written by Mr. Iunius vpon receipt of the last aforesaid and of his tvvo former imprinted before in England and therevpon by vs sent vnto him included withall To his beloved brethren in Christ the English people at Amsterdam Salutations in Christ AN huge bundell of letters beloved brethren I received from you yesterday in the evening I gave you counsell to rest from questioÌ„s you commaund me to enter into questions I continew still in my purpose for I esteem more of peace in the Church then of the seeds of strife they that are fedde with these seeds shall reap the fruit Where you conclude and pronounce that I do therefore assent vnto you it is a false conclusion As towching the matter I have enjoyned my self silence and although I be an hundred tymes called vpon by letters I will continew still in the argument of counsell till I see another course taken If it like you not let it alone neyther do I like the handling of questions in this tyme. It is more according to God that I be silent from questions in this estate of things then that I powre forth my self and you together into them You move many things in your letters I wil rest froÌ„ those things and will occupy my self religiously in the work of the Lord. Christian wisdome will never suffer me to speak of questioÌ„s controverted the one party being vnheard That my letters vnto you were translated into English I have now first knowen it by you I knew not that it was done You object that my letters were not shewed by you I beleev it for both by letters and reports of many I have ben certifyed that they were not shewed If it please you shew them for me you may All shall see how false reports have ben given forth concerning theÌ„ I neyther am ashamed of them neyther ever will be But I pitty you I speak it vnfeynedly who for my letters give forth in publick your conclusions With good men good dealing should be used That the copyes of my letters were carryed into England your selves may easily coÌ„jecture by what meanes it came to passe About teÌ„ moneths synce the Soveraign Quenes Ambassadour was there and two of your company dined with him What hapned at that dinner you can remember He came hither vnto me he marveled at the fact of your departure I told him that I had writteÌ„ vnto you he desired a copy To you I gave counsell whosoever gave it forth in publick hath done it without my knouwledg I will not answer for an others doing but for myne owne In the meane while I will pray God that he frame your mynds vnto the truth wisdome love and peace and all our mynds vnto his glory Farewell in the Lord. From Leyden in Holland The 16. day of Iuly 1602. Yours vnfeynedly Fr. Iunius The Answer to Mr. Iunius his third letter To the reverend and our beloued brother in Christ Mr. Fr. Iunius at Leyden in Holland Grace and peace in Iesus Christ YOur third and very brief letter beloved Sir we received this last week They were your letters imprinted and included that made the â—uge bundell if so it were It is not well said of you that terme the Confession of Christian faith and defeÌ„ce of publishing it to be questioÌ„s and seâ—ds of strife nor that you say we coÌ„manâ— you to enter into questions For the conclusâ—on whether it be true or false now let others judge which shall see your letters together with ours Towching the matter you have enjoyned your self silence Yea and towching the maner and other things also where you can fynd no answer neyther Yet for the matter it self if so be that with the Papists Anabaptists or any the like we did erre froÌ„ the true faith we doubt not but you would open your mouth to answer to refute to convince But because in our faith you can shew no errour and yet in this tyme and estate of things like not â—o stand for vs and this cause it is safest to be silent Wisely done in deed but not according to God who denouÌ„cing by the Prophet hath said Cursed be
it staÌ„deth we have truly and as briefly as we could related them in the Preface to the Reader hereafter following and therefore thought here to omit the repetition of them The Lord Iesus alway preserve you and your Vniversityes to the praise of his name the ornameÌ„t of good learning the propagation and maintenance of his pure Religion From Amsterdam in the low countreyes The yeare of the last patience of the saints 1598. The preface to the Christian Reader IT may seeme strange vnto thee Christian Reader that any off the Englysh nation should for the truth of the Gospell be forced to forsake their natyve contrye and lyve in exile especially in these dayes when the Gospell seemeth to have free passage and florish in that land And for this cause have our exile bene hardly thought of by many and evil spoken of by some who know not as it seemeth eyther the trewe estate of the Church of England or causes of our forsaking and separating from the same but hearing this sect as they call it to be every where spoken against have with out at all further search accounted and divulged vs as heretickes or Schismatickes at the least Yea some and such as worst might have sought the increase of our afflictions even here also yf they could which thinge they have both secretly and openly attempted This hath Sathan added vnto all our former sorrowes envying that we should have rest in any part of the inhabyted world and therfor ceaseth not to make warre with the remnant of the womans seed which keepe the commaundemeÌ„ts of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ But the Lord that brought his former Israell out off Egypt and when they walked aboute from nation to natioÌ„ from one Kingdome to an other people suffered no man to do them wronge but reproved kinges for their sakes the same Lord yet lyveth to maynteyne the right off his afflicted servantes whome he hath severed and dayly gathereth out off the world to be vnto himselff a chosen generatioÌ„ a royall priesthood a peculiar people and Israell off God He is our hope and strength and helpe in trobles ready to be found he will hyde vs vnder his winges and vnder his feathers we shall be sure vntyll these myseries be over past And though we could for our partes well have borne this rebuke off Christ in silence and left our cause to him who iudgeth iustly all the children off men yet for the manyfestation and clearing of the truth off God from reproche off men and for the bringing off others togither with our selves to the same knouwledge and fellowship off the Gospell we have thought it needfull and our duty to make knowen vnto the world our vnfeyghned fayth in God and loyall obedience towardes our Prince and all Governours set over vs in the Lord together with the reasons off our leaving the ministery worship and Church off England Which are not as they pretend for some fewe faultes and corruptions remayning such as we acknowledge man be found in the perfectest Church on earth Neyther count we it lawfull for any member to forsake the fellowship off the Church for blemyshes and imperfections which every one according to his calling should studeously seeke to cure and to exspect and further it vntyll eyther there followe redresse or the disease be growen incureable and the candlestick be moved out off the place But we having through Gods mercy learned to discerne betwixt the true worship off God and the Antichristian leitourgie the true ministerie off Christ and Antichristian priesthood and prelacy the ordinances off Christes testament and popysh cannons have also learned to leave the evill and choose the good to forsake Babell the land off our captyvitie and get vs vnto Sion the mount of the Lordes holynes and place where his honour dwelleth But first we desyre thee good Reader to vnderstand and mynde that we have not in any dislyke of the civill estate and politicke goverment in that common wealth which we much lyke and love seperated our selves from that Churche Neyther have we shaken of our alleageance and dutyfull obedyence to our Soveraigne Prince Elezabeth her honorable Consellers and other Magistrates set over vs but have alwayes and still do reverence love and obey them every one in the Lord opposing our selves against al enemyes forreigne or domesticall against all invasions insurrections treasons or conspiracies by whome soever intended against her Majestie and the State and are ready to adveÌ„ture our lyves in their defence iff need require Neiter have our greatest adversaryes ever bene able to attaint vs of the least disloyalty in this regarde And though now we be exiled yet do we dayly pray and will for the preservation peace and prosperity off her Majestie and all her domynions And wheras we have bene accused off intrusion into the Magistrates office as goeing about our selves to reforme the abuses in that land it is a mere malicious calumnie which our adversaries have forged out of their owne hart We have alwayes both by word and practise shewed the contrary neyther ever attempted or purposed any such thinge but have indevored thus onely to reforme our selves and our lyves according to the rule off Gods word by absteyning from all evyll and keeping the commandements off Iesus leaving the suppressing and casting out off those remnants of Idolatry vnto the Magistrates to whome it belongeth And further we testifye by these presents vnto all men and desyre them to take knowledge herof that we have not forsaken any one poynt of the true ancient catholicke and apostolicke fayth professed in our land but hold the same groundes of Christian religion with them still agreeing lykewise herein with the Dutch Scottysh Germane French Heldetian and all other Christian reformed Churches round about vs whose confessions publyshed we call to witnes our agrement with them in matters of greatest moment being coÌ„ferred with these articles of our fayth following The thinges then onely against which we contend and which we mislyke in the Englysh parish assemblyes are many reliques of that man off Synne whome they pretend to have abandoned yet reteyned among them and with a high hand maynteyned vpholden and imposed The particiâ—ers wherof being almost infinite cannot well off vs besett downe and would be tedious and yrksome to thee good Reader But the principall heades we wil truely relate and that so briefely as in so large and confuse a subject we can First in the planting and constituting of their Churche at the begining of our Queene Elizabets reigne they receved at once into the body of that Churche as members the whole land which generally then stood for the most part professed Papistes who had revolted from the profession which they made in the dayes of king Edward off happy memorye and shed much blood off many Christian Martyrs in Queene Maryes dayes This people yet standinge in this fearfull
the commandement commission and promise of our Saviour Christ who as hee hath all power in heaven and in earth so hath also promised if we keep his commandements which he hath given without limitation of tyme place Magistrates allowance or disallowance to be with vs vnto the end of the world and when we have finished our course and kept the faith to give vs the crowne of righteousnes which is layd vp for all that love his appearing 43 Vnto all men is to be given whatsoever is due vnto them Tributes Customes and all other such lawfull and accustomed dutyes ought willingly and orderly to be payed and performed Our lands goods and bodyes to be submitted in the Lord to the Magistrates pleasure And the Magistrates themselves every way to be acknowledged reverenced and obeyed according to godlines not because of wrath only but also for conscience sake And finally all men so to be esteemed and regarded as is due and meet for their place age estate and condition 44 And thus wee labour to give vnto God that which is Gods and vnto Cesar that which is Cesars and vnto all men that which be longeth vnto them Endevoring our selves to have alwayes a cleare conscience towards God and towards men And having hope in God that the resurrection of the dead shal be of the iust vnto life and of the vniust vnto condemnation everlasting Now if any take this to be heresie then do wee with the Apostle freely confesse that after the way which they call heresie wee worship God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ beleeving all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets and Apostles And what soever is according to this rule of truth published by this State or holdē by anie reformed Churches in their Confessions abrode in the world We do also reiect and detest all straunge and hereticall opinions and doctrines of all Hereticks both old and new whatsoever 45 Finally wheras wee are much flandered and traduced as if we denyed or misliked that forme of prayer commonly called the Lords prayer wee thought it needfull here also concerning it to make known that we beleeve ād acknowledg it to be a most absolute and most excellent forme of prayer such as no men nor Angels can set downe the like And that it was taught and appointed by our Lord Iesus Christ not that we should be tyed to the vse of those very words but that we should according to that rule make all our requests and thanksgyuing vnto God forasmuch as it is a perfect forme and paterne conteining in it plaine and sufficient directions of prayer for all occasions and necessities that have ben are or shal be to the Church of God or any member therof to the end of the world Now vnto him that is able to keep vs that wee fall not and to present vs faltlesse before the presence of his glorie with ioy that is to God only wise our Saviour be glory and maiestie and dominion power both now for ever Amen MAISTER IVNIVS HIS FIRST LETTER CONCERNING THE CONFESSION OF FAITH AFORESAID To his beloved in Christ the Brethren of the English Church now abiding at Amsterdam GRace mercie and peace from God the Father and our Saviour Iesus Christ I have received of late belooved Brethren in Christ a little booke by one of your companie which is intituled The confession of faith of some English men banished in Belgia and have knowne your desire partly by the speach of the same messenger partly by the preface of the writing But as concerning my selfe beloved brethren whom for nearnes sake peradventure yee have thought meete to be called vpon a part I verily see not how much I can doe in this cause or how I can fit your purpose For I knowe that now long since euery man doth abound in his owne sense and that those that are other wise minded are with a brotherly mynd so fare to be borne with holding the heade and fundation til the Lord reveale things further vnto them I know it is my part not to play the busie body but that I should serve the truth and charitie in my standing and measure which the Lord hath bestowed vpon me in Christian modestie and simplicitie as farre as my skil and abilitie wil stretch vnto Certainely when I considered this cause more diligently I thought nothing more commodious or more safe for the publick and for you and my selfe in all this matter thē that we should embrace a holy silēce if there be any thing wherein we be offended and that we commit our cause to the Lord the author of our faith and righter of our cause But because after a sort you will not suffer mee to be silent and to cōdole in secret for the woundes of the Church which is rent more then inough by actions especially being thrust forth in publik in this our age I wil declare faith fully and with a good cōscience before God what I thinke beseeching him who is author of truth and peace that he would leade both you and me alike into all truth according to his promise also dispose each of our mindes and affections to interpret brotherly one anothers requestes answeres admonitions and finally all our duties although as it commeth to passe and is incident to man disagreeing from our sense and taste I obserue therefore that there are three heads or chief poynts in your little booke wherein you desire our counsell and iudgement The first head is of doctrine which you professe in your little booke The secōd is of fact whereof yee accuse the English Churches Lastly the third is of the conclusion which you inferre by comparing that your doctrine with that practise of England namely that yee cannot with good conscience entertaine a communiō with those Churches but that yee doe abhorre them with all your heartes Therefore I will speak briefely of these 3. things what I think entreating you brotherly to take my answere in good part I marvell that the point of doctrine or little booke of your confession beloved brethrē is sent ouer to me I marvell that it was sent ouer to all the students of holy Scriptures in all Christian Vniuersities for if there be a certaine consent of doctrine as you pretend it truely I do not see what need there was that you should set forth a newe confession in this consent of holy and auncient doctrine But if there be a dissention peradventure in the doctrine or rather a differēce that in deed ought not to bee dissembled if so be that yee thought it necessarie that your doctrine should be declared Besides in that you send to mee yea that you send to publicke viewe your confession I marvell brethren yea I greatly maruell what your meaning should bee both in respect of the ende and the fact For if ye haue set it foorth to that end that yee might
may tarry in it without ship wracke of faith and conscience or take from it the name of a Church especially seeing euery Church consisteth of Pastors and flocke which if some Pastors or Prelates trouble yet it is vnmeete that this name either should be taken away from the other Pastors which Christ doth witnesse by the doctrine of truth or from the flocke which Christ hath purchased with his owne bloode and doth daily sanctifie with the washing of the newe birth by the worde This ought to be sufficient for you if any thing have offended you at home that now the fatherly mercifull providence of God hath provided for you elsewhere Certainely whiles yee inueigh against those Churches yee shal make that your cause neuer the better neither more probable with good men which thing if yee have not yet considered and conceived by my aduise and counsell and by the admonition of those which wish you wel experience it selfe at last God grant it be not to late and he informe you in good will prooue all thâ—se things vnto you For by the trueth of doctrine holinesse of life by the worke of faith and patience and by the dueties of charitie euen towards them of whome yee professe that ye are wronged yee shal rather approove your selves and your cause theÌ„ by outcryes and publishing of writings euen as our Sauiour is saide to bring iudgement to victorie not by filling the streetes with shouting and clamours but by blowing gently into the smoking flax and tender handling the bruised reede Which thinges seeing they be so I beseech you most louing brethreÌ„ in Christ by that most holi name of Christ which ye profese by those bowels mercie wherewith Christ hath embraced vs froÌ„ on high that yee would thinke of another course that yee would take another way to salvation to edificatioÌ„ to peace If there be consent shake not your faith which is not to be winnowed againe by new reasons This course is suspitious But if it must needs be sifted let it suffice you that it be first approved by those servants of God among whome yee dwell this is certainnly a lawfull course Forgiue the former iniuries if any have beene by Christian charitie to them from whom yee have received the same hide them froÌ„ others by ChristiaÌ„ wisdome There is no feare that by so doing yee should be burst God will enlarge your harts by the spirite of charitie most coÌ„modiously Looke to your selues that overcomming al sharpnesse and al bitternesse of minde yee may be acceptable to Christ and profitable to the Church and that the sweet odour of your pietie may be spread in speach in life in order to all the godly without the stench of enmitie and schisme Iudge not that yee be not iudged But abstaine from those heavie determinations and conclusions as they call them against othermen neither labour either to get Abetters or partakers in that your former iudgement which would be saide in you to be a spice of faction in them of imprudencie or else to drawe them to an vnseasonable vncivill inconvenient and dangerous deliuerie of opinions Pitie your selues I beseech you most louing brethren and the whole flocke which is gathered among you Haue pittie of them whome thorough error infirmitie yee cry out be hurt Pitie your entertainers among whome it were a most iâ—iurious thing that ye should sowe these tates especially being admonished And it would be a greate indignitie by clamours and writings to brede in them suspicions and sinister opinions eyther of your selves or of those your adversaries as you count them or els of both Finally pitie the Church of Christ which verily it is not comely nor expedient neither in any case tolerable amoÌ„g so many and greeuous wounds which are universally given vnto it to be further galled with this particular wound So let God almightie loue you and Iesus Christ that most mercifull Lord and our Sauiour be mercifull vnto you And if I shall be able to doe any good in the publicke cause and yours assure your selves that I will spare no diligence no labour no paines that you with vs and all togither may be filled with saÌ„ctimony without which none shal se God with the good things of the Lord in his house and before his face And the God of peace which hath raised from the dead our Lord Iesus that great sheepeheard of the sheepe by the blood of the eternall couenant make you perfect in euery good worke to doe his will working in you that which is acceptable in his sight by Iesus Christ to whom be glorie for ever and ever Amen And I pray you brethren suffer this word of exhortation which I have briefely writteÌ„ vnto you The grace of God be with you all Amen From Leyden this Saturday the 9. of Ianuary 1599. Yours in the Lord Francis Iunius The answer to the Letter aforesaid To the Reverend and learned Mr. Francis Iunius our beloved brother in Christ At Leyden in Holland GRace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ our Saviour Reverend Sr. and beloved brother in Christ we have lately received your letter which you sent vnsealed to the Ministers of the Dutch and freÌ„ch Churches that it might first be read of theÌ„ and them be delyvered to vs. We have also read and weighed it and thought it meet to wryte agayne partly to thank you that vouched safe to write vnto vs partly to satisfy you if we can in some thinges wherein we see you are mistaken In the wryting wherof we humbly request that speaking freely that which the thing it self requireth you would take it in good part as you are wooÌ„t Many thinges indeed you have wrytten which we do willingly acknowledg and consent therein with you Those we will not touch at all The rest we will prosequute in the same order as by your self â—hey are propounded Whereas there was a litle booke exhibited vnto you by one of vs it is not so to be takeÌ„ as if you were called vpoÌ„ alone or apart from others For the brother which delyvered you the booke certified vs that this passed betwene you that by you it should be communicated with your Colleagues the governours of that Vniversity and that you tooke vpon you to do it Now if you have so done how is it that you alone wryte back againe why also do you so often repeat and seeme to reprehend that you you we say alone apart are called vpon If you have not done it mynde then on whome the blame lyeth that it is not communicated with theÌ„ in that Vniversity to whome by vs it was dedicated And we do now agayne entreat you that being myndfull of your promyse you would performe it that so you with the other learned and godly men and brethren there may eyther convynce our fayth and cause of errour or els together with vs conted for this sayth once gyven to
Certayne Letters translated into English being first written in Latine Two by the reverend and learned Mr. Francis Iunius Divinitie Reader at Leyden in Holland The other by the exiled English Church abiding for the present at Amsterdam in Holland Together with the Confession of faith prefixed where vpon the said letters were first written Esa 53.1 Who beleveth our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Printed in the yeare 1602. R.G. the translatour of M. Iunius his letters To the Christian Reader SVch as of late yeares have rent themselues from the holie service of God used im the publique congregations and Churches of England being destitute of any sound warrant from the worde of God have sought from time to time so much the more earnestly as the manner of such is to shroude themselves vnder the shadowe of humane authoritie HeÌ„ce it came to passe that Master Francis Iunius a maÌ„ of great learning and godlinesse was solicited by some of them as may appeare by these letters ensuing in the yeare 99. to be a favourer of their erronious opinions and of their vnchristian disordered and vndutifull proceedings whose answere being delivered by himselfe to a religious and worshipful knight and so comming to my handes I have presumed to communicate with thee by the motion of some godly and well disposed hoping that through the blessing of God and thy prayers it may proove a good meanes to stay such as are wavering to confirme such as doe stand and to recover such as are fallen For although he doe not enter into an exact discussing of the question with arguments objections and answeres yet he vseth a very grave and godly admonition which is oftentimes of greater fruite then a long and learned disputation And whosoever doth diligently studie the booke of God shal finde that the holy Prophets Apostles do in manie places insist upoÌ„ a plaine simple asleveâ—ation of the truth rather then vpon multitude of proof arguments Besides if we observe the story of the holy Martyrs of our own Church others we may preceive that by the sound profession of their faith and suffering for the same they have glorified God and advanced the kingdome of Iesus Christ aswel as others have done by arguments and reasons And yet notwithstanding if thou do well obserue these letters of Master Iunius thou shalt finde in them not vaine and emptie wordes but waightie and sounde reasons grounded upon the holie Scriptures of God Thus praying thee to take these first fruites of my poore laboures in this kinde in good part and beseching god to give a blessing hereunto I bid thee heartily farewel in the Lord. Thyne in the Lord R.G. The Answer to R.G. his Epistle prefixed before Mr. Iunius letters SUch as have separated themselves from the corrupt service of God vsed in the publick congregations and parishes of England being persecuted with afâ—lictions reproches and slanders both at home and in the land wheâ— now they live exiles have ben constreyned to publish to the world the confession of their Christian faith and causes of their departure from the foresayd English synagogues for clearing of the truth of God and witnesses of the same both which were much and many wayes calumniated More specially they dedicated that litle book to al Christian vniversities neer about to be discussed approved or reproved by the godly learned in them And sending one in particular to the hands of M.H. Iunius a man of great learning and godlines dwelling neer vnto them to be by him and the rest of his brethreÌ„ of the vniversitie at Leyden judged of they received from him a letter lately by one R.G. traÌ„slated and printed in English whether with the authors consent or not is yet vnknowne but the copy as the publisher sayth was given out by the author himself who might had done wel to have given a copy of the answer likewise or if he did the translator hath not dealt indifferently to publish one and not an other How ever it were al men may see how just and necessary occasion those eriled Christians now have to print their answer also which vpoÌ„ the receipt of his Letter they sent vnto him but hitherto have spared to give out any one copy either of his or theirs whether for doubt of their owne cause or reverend regard rather of that maÌ„ let the sequel declare and let the discrete reader by it judge whether party hath most advantage As for the translators censure that they sought to shrowd themselves vnder the shadow of humane authoritie this brief narratioÌ„ of the cariage of the matter and the plaine apologie which they make vnto Mr. Iunius of their proceedings wil shew it vnto al godly wyse to be but the surmise of a malicious hart And were it not that the weaknes and badnes of their cause compelleth them thus to doe it might seem strange that any of the church of England would publish such a writing as this in their owne defence as if it approved their estate and condeÌ„ned those foresayd Christian exiles when any whose eyes ar in his head may see by Mr Iunius his writing vnto them as Christian brethren and refusing at al to vndertake the maintenance of those English parishes or conviction of such as separate from them how far it is froÌ„ justifying those synagogues estate Yea al wiseharted may and will we doubt not easily discerne how naked and helplesse they be which neither by their friends at home nor the most learned abroad can otherwise be â—elieved then by such things as hitherto they have printed Or howsoever this present generation shall judge of these things yet the ages to come which wil be lesse partial wil easily give sentence The better to certify thee good reader of the whole cause and cariage therof here is with these Lecters set forth also their Confession of faith with the Episâ—le and preface as it is in Latine And wheras ther is since that time published also a second epistle of Mr. Iunius ther is now the answer to it set forth likewise which answer was presently written vpon the receipt of his Letter but not then sent for causes partly before noted and now more fully signified and sent to Mr. Iunius himself The things which here are mentioned of corruptions in some other churches and dealings that have passed about theÌ„ ar yet spared from being published in print at large til further occasion and provocation be Onely the general and brief hâ—â—ds of the matter in controversie at now printed as they were sent vnto Mr. Iunius although we were loth to do it but that their was necessarie occasion given by things which passed in the Letters as al meÌ„ may see Moreover it is not to be omitted how in the printed copy of Mr. Iunius Letter some things were corrupted by alteration omission and c. Otherwise then in the original by himself first sent they do stand and ar yet to
sinfull state in idolatry blyndnes superstitioÌ„ and all manner wickednes without any professed repentance and without the meanes theroff namely the preaching off the word goeing before were by force and aucthority of lawe onely compelled and together receved into the bosome and body of the Churche their seed baptised themselves receved and compelled to the Lords supper had this ministery and servyce which now then use inioyned and set over them and eversynce they and their seed remayne in this estate being all but one body comonly called the Church of England Here are none exempted or excluded be they never soo prophane or wretched no athiest adulterer thiefe or murderer no lyer periured witche or coniurer and c. all are one fellowship one body one Churche Now let the law off God be looked into and there wil be found that such persones are not fit stones for the lordes spiritual howse no meete members for Christes glorious body None of yeres may be receved into the Churche without free professed fayth repeÌ„tance and submission vnto the Gospell of Christ and his heavenly ordynances Neyther may any contynew there longer then they bring forth the fruytes off fayth walking as becometh the Gospell of Christ Christ Iesus hath called and severed his servants out of and from the world How then should this confused and mixed people be esteemed the orderly gathered true planted and right constituted Church of God Secondly as they have reteyned the whole rout of the popysh multitude without any distinction for members of their Churche so have they set over them as reason was the same popysh Clergie and Prelacy which they receved from the Romysh Apostasie and this day is to be found in the popysh Churches to witâ— Archbs Primats Bbs Metropolitanes Suffraganes ArchdeacoÌ„s Deanes Chauncellors Commissaries and the rest of that rable which rule and governe these assemblyes according to the popysh cannons rites and customes These have the power and aucthoritie in their haÌ„des to set forth iniunctions to make and depose ministers to excomunicate both priest and people which they do very exquisitly if they yeld not vnto them their due homage and obedience These have both Ecclesiasticall and civill aucthoritie to reigne as Princes in the Churche and lyve as Lordes in the common wealth to punysh imprison and persecute eveÌ„ to death all that dare but once mutter against their vnlaufull proceedinges Of these prelates tyranny cruelty and vnlawfull aurthoritie the better sort both of preachers and people have cryed out and longe tyme sued vnto the Prince and parliameÌ„t to have them removed out of the Churche as being the lymmes of Antichrist But not prevayling they are now content for avoyding of the crosse of Christ to submitt them selves and their soules to this Antichristian Hierarchie and beare the sinfull yoke and burthen of their traditions and to receve and carry aboute the dreadfull and detestable marke of the beast vpon them Thirdly The inferiour ministery of that Churche consisteth of Priests Parsons Vicars Curats hired preachers or Lecturers with Clarkes Sextons c. all which have receved their offices callings and aucthoritie from their â—orenamed Lordes the Prelats to whome they have sworne their canonicall obedience and promysed to performe it with all reverence and submyssion Their office is to read over the servyce booke and Bps. Decrees thereby to worship God to marry to bury to church women to visit the sicke give him the Sacrament and forgyve him all his sinnes and if their lyvinges or benefices as they are called amount to a certeyne summe of money in the Queenes booke then must they preach or get some other to preach for them fower sermons in a yere in their parish where also must be noted that the most part of these Priestes are utterlye vnlearned and cannot preache at all wherby it cometh to passe that most of the people are as blynde as they were in the darke dayes of popery These ministers generally aswel preachers as other lyve in feare and servitude vnder their foresaid Lords the Bbs. for as without their lycence wrytten and sealed they cannot preach so vpon their displeasure and for not obeying their injunctions they are many tymes suspeÌ„ded degraded and if they will not be ruled put in prison so that sundry of them have bene suspended and imprisoned for preaching against the Prelats not subscribing to their devised articles and booke of comon prayer not wearing the square capp and surplus not reading the service booke and be tyed to the same not coming to the Bishops courtes visitations inquisitions and c. tyll now of late being wearyed with these trobles they give place to their tyranny and are content to conforme themselves and yelde their canonicall obedience according to their oathe keeping now silence yea going back bearing and bolstering the thinges which heretofore by word and wryting they stoode against so longe as there was any hope that the Queene and Counsell would have harkened vnto them and put these adversary Prelats out of the Churche Fourthly for the administration which is by lawe imposed vpon all both Clergie and Laitie for so they distinguish them they have gathered their service booke verbatim out of the masse booâ—â— turning out of latine into englysh the Suffragies Prayers Letany Collects c. leaving onâ— some of the grosse pointes therin keeping still the old fashyon of Psalmes Chapters Pistles Gospells versicles respondes also Te Deum Beâ—edictus Magnificat Nunc dimittis Our Father Lord have mercy vpon vs The Lord be with you O Lord open tâ—ow my lyps Glory to God on high Lyft vp your harts O come let vs rejoyce Glory be to the Father Quicunque vult c. These doe they read dayly morning and evening all the yere longe in their priestly vestures Surplus cope and c. some they saye and some they singe having in their Cathedrall Churches the Organs Queristers singing men and boyes as in tymes past in popery Many popysh errors yet remayne in that booke which their owne preachers have noted and found fault with There are they prescribed what prayers to read over the dead over the corne and grasse some tyme in the yere By it are they inioyned to keepe their holy dayes to their Lady as they call her to all Saincts and Angells to all Christes Apostells except Paul and Barnabas whose eves they are commaunded to fast as also their Lent and Ember dayes besydes frydayes and satardayes through out the whole yere By this booke are the ministers instructed how to marry with the signe of the Ringe and c. to baptise in the hallowed Font with signe of the crosse with Godfathers and Godmothers asking the childe whether it will forsake the devyll and all his workes and c. to minister also their other sacrament or communion to the people kneeling as when in popery they receved their maker the wordes of Christes institution altered and others in stead of them takeÌ„ out
of the popes portuis with innumerable such lyke enormyties and fopperies wherewith it swarmeth And this is all the worship and service which many parishes have contynually except peradventure some wrytten homelyes which the vnlearned priestes read vnto them This service must first be read and hath the preeminence even on the Lordes dayes before any preaching yra before the Bible it self He that can read this booke distinctly is fit ynough with them to be priest yea many that have ben Artificers as Shoemakers Taylers Weavers Porters and c. and with out any giffes or knowledge at all save only to read Englysh have bene and are admytted and to this day maynteyned by the prelats in the ministery To these Churches ministers and servyce must all the people there come every daye yea though they have in the next parish a preacher and in their owne a dumbe vnlearned priest yet are they all tyed to their owne Church and minister and must at the least twise a yere receve the Sacrament at his handes If they refuse this or do not ordinaryly come to their parish Churche then are they summoned excommunicated and imprisoned tyll they become obedient In this bōdage are our countrymen there held vnder their Priests and Prelates and such as by the word of God witnes against and condemne these abhominations they hate punysh put to death and persecute out of the land Who now in whome any sparke of true light is cannot playnly perceive this their ministery worship and Churche to be false and adulterate doth Christes eternall testament or deyne and approve of suche popish Lordes and Prelats to reigne over his Churche are these those Christian Bishops that is Pastors Teachers and Elders which he hath set in his Churche and over his owne people vnto the worldes end Or can chose preachers which are thus created and deposed by thus sworne and obediēt vnto their spirituall lordes be deemed true teachers of the Gospell of Christ lawfully called and ordeyned to that ministerye Is that their Englysh Masse the trewe and spirituall worship of God according to his owne wil we are taught in the scriptures that there can be no agrement made betwixt Christ and Antichrist betwixt the Lawes of God and mens traditions that the servants of Iesus may not submytt unto or receve the marke of that beast neyther drinke of the cup of the whore of Babylons fornycations or buy any of her wares but must contend for the mayntenāce of that faith which was once gyven vnto the sainctes keeping their soules and bodyes pure from Antichristian pollutions touching no vncle anethinge nor having any fellowship with the vnfruteful workes of darknes least by partaking with their sunnes they receve also of their plagues and dryncke of the wyne of the wrath of God and be tormented in fyre and brimstone before the holy Angells and before the lambe for evermore If Christ be God let vs follow him but if the pope be God what shall wee say why have we left him his Church and ministery his worship and jurisdiction or what halting and mocking with the Lord is this to put away the popes person and retayne his prelacy and ministery his Lawes Traditiōs and Cannons his worship and service or at the least to frame vnto our selves a worship ministery and Church after the patterne and mould of the Apostacye of Roome which what other thing is it them to make an Image of that first wild beast and force men to worship it Thus seest thow briefely good Christian Reader the thinges which we mislike in the Churche of England and for which we have separated our selves as God commandeth To all these if we were amongst them s uld we be forced to submytt our bodyes and soules or els suffer violence at the handes of the Prelats and end our lyves by violent death or most miserable imprisonment as many of our bretheren before vs have donne For so great is the malice and power of those romysh priests that they persecute vnto death such as speake against them and such poore Christians as they cast into their noysome prysons can seldome or never get out except with shipwracke of cōscience vntyll they be caryed forth vpon the Bere Neyther is there any care taken for their reliefe in this case but being thus cast into pryson there they are deteyned without any alloweance of meate or money for their mayntenance be their want and poverty never so great If they have any thing of their owne there they are driven to spend it vp if they have nothing there they are left by the Prelats to feede on the ayre And that they maye more readily be sterved or weakened in the truth they are comonly shut vp in close prison their frends and acquayntance being not suffered to come at them Nay even their wyves and children being kept and debarred from them by the tyranny of these bloddye Prelats and their instruments whose hard hartes and vnnaturall cruelty if thou didest vnderstand gentle Reader as many of vs have felt and to this daye yet feele it would make thy hart to bleede considering their vnmercyfull and barbarous dealing And how many soules have perished in their prisons through miserable vsage how many have ben put to death and how many banyshed though we could to their eternall infamy relate to all the world yet wil we not blaze abroad their acts for we take no delight in laying open their shame but mourne for them in secret commytting our cause to God that judgeth justly knowing that he that maketh inquisition for blood remembreth it and will not forget the complaint of the poore And thou Christian Reader voutch safe to remember vnto God in thy prayers such as yet remayne in bandes and pryson amongest them for the testymony of Iesus enduring a hard fight of afflictions and having the sentence of death in themselves are lyke if the Lord send not vnexspected delyverance there to end their dayes Concerning our selves who through the mercy of God have found a place of rest in this land for which benefyt we are alwayes and every where humbly thanckfull we desyre Christian Reader thy charitable and Christian opinion of and holy prayers vnto God for vs whose kingdome we seeke whose ordinances we desyre to establysh and obey protesting with good consciences that it is the truth of his Gospell only for which we stryve against those cursed reliques of Antichristian apostasie vnto which we dare in no wise submytt our selves no not for a moment For if it be not lawfull for Christians at this daye to receyue the ceremonye◠of Moses Lawe together with the Gospell as the Passeover Circumcision the Priesthood Sacrifices and c. which yet were once commaunded by God himself how can we thincke it tollerable to observe the odious ceremonyes of Antichrist or submytt our selves to his lawes Priesthood Hierarchie and traditions which the Lord
any commandement or vnder anie colour whatsoever 33 And being come forth of this antichristian estate vnto the freedom and true profession of Christ besides the instructing and well guyding of their owne families they are willingly to ioyne together in christian communion and orderly covenant and by free confession of the faith and obedieÌ„ce of Christ to vnite themselves into peculiar and visible congregations wherin as members of one body wherof Christ is the only head they are to worship and serve God according to his word remembring to keep holy the Lords day 34. Then also such to whom God hath given gifts to interpret the Scriptures tryed in the exercise of Prophecy attending to studie and learning may and ought by the appointment of the congregation to prophecy according to the proportion of faith and so to teach publickly the word of God for the edification exhortâ—tion and comfort of the Church Vntill such tyme as the people do meet for and God manifest men with able guifts and 〈◊〉 to such Office or Offices as Christ hath appointed to the publick ministerie of his Church But no Sacraments to be administred vntill the Pastors or Teachers be chosen and ordeined into theyr office 35 And then wheresoever ther shall be a people fit and men furnished with meet and necessary guifts they are not onely still to continue the exercise of Prophecy aforsaid but also vpon due tryall to proceed vnto choyce and ordination of Officers for the ministery aÌ„d service of the Church according to the rule of Gods word And so hold on stil to walke forward in the ways of Christ for theyr mutuall edification and confort as it shall please God to give knowledge and graâ—e therevnto And particularly that such as be of the seed or vnder the governmeÌ„t of anie of the Church be even in their infancie receyved to Baptisme and made partakers of the signe of Gods covenant made with the Faithful and their seed throughout all generations And that all of the Church that are of yeares and able to examine themselves doo communicate also in the Lords supper both men and women and in both kindes bread and wine In which elements as also in the water of baptisme even after they are consecrate there is neyther transubstantiation into nor coÌ„substantiatioÌ„ with the bodye and blood of Iesus Christ whom the heavens must conteyne vntill the tyme that al things be restored But they are in the ordinance of God signes and seales of Gods everlasting covenant with vs representing and offring to all the receyvers but exhibiting only to the true beleevers the Lord Iesus Christ and all his benefits vnto righteousnes sanctification and eternall lyfe through faith in his name to the glorie and prayse of God 36 Thus being righly gathered established and still proceeding in christian communion and obedience of the Gospell of Christ none is to separate for falts and corruptions which may and so long as the Church consisteth of mortall men will fall out and arise among them even in true constituted Churches but by due order to seeke redresse therof 37. Such as yet see not the truth may heare the publik doctine and prayers of the church and with al meeknes are to bee sought by all meanes Yet none who are growne in yeares may bee received into their communion as members but such as doe make confession of their faith publickly desiring to be received as members and promissing to walke in the obedience of Christ Neyther any infants but such as are the seed of the faithfull by one of the parents or vnder their education and government And further not anie from one coÌ„gregation to be received members in another without bringing certificate of their former estate and present purpose 38 And although the particular congregations be thus distinct and severall bodies every one as a compact and knit citie in it self yet are they all to walke by one and the same rule and by all meanes convenieÌ„t to have the coÌ„sell and help one of another in all needfull affaires of the Church as members of one body in the common faith vnder Christ their onely head 39 It is the office and dutie of Princes and Magistrates who by the ordinance of God are supreme governors vnder him over all persons and causes within their Realmes and dominions to suppresse and root out by their authority all false ministeries voluntarie religions and counterfeit worship of God to abolish and destroy the Idoll Temples Images Altars Vestments and all other monuments of idolatry and superstition and to take and convert to theyr owne â—â—vile vses not only the benefit of all such idolatrous buildings and monuments but also the Revenues Demeanes Lordships Possessions Gleaâ—es and maintenance of any false ministeryes and vnlawfull ecclesiasticall functions whatsoever within their dominions And on the other hand to establish and mainteine by their lawes every parâ— of Gods word his Christian Religion pure worship and true ministery described in his word to cherish and protect all such as are carefull â—o worship God according to his word and to lead a godly lyfe in all peace and loyaltie yea to enforce all their subiects whoever ecclesiasticall or civile to do their dutyes to God and menâ—protecting and mainteining the good punishing and restraining the evill according as God hath commaunded whose Lieutenants they are here on earth 40 And thus the protection and coÌ„mandement of the Princes and Magistrates maketh it much more peaceable though no wit at all more lawfull to walke in the wayes and ordinances of Iesus Christ which he hath commanded his Church to keep without spot and vnrebukeable vntill his appearing in the end of the world And in this behalfe therefore the brethren thus mynded aÌ„d proceeding as is before said are both continually to supplicate to God and as they may to their Princes and Governors that thus and vnder them they may leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlines and honestie 41 And if God encline the Magistrates hearts â—o the allowance and Protecction of the Church therin it ought to be accompted a singular and happy blessing of God who granteth such nourcing Fathers and nourcing Mothers to his Church And it behoveth all to be carefull to walke worthie so great a mercy of God in all thankfulnes and obedience 42 But if God withold the Magistrates allowance and furtheraÌ„ce herein yet must wee notwithstanding proceed together in ChristiaÌ„ covenant and communion thus to walke in the obedience of Christ aÌ„d confessioÌ„ of his faith and Gospell even through the middest of all tryalls and afflictions not accompting our goods lands wiveâ— children Fathers Mothers brethren sisters no nor our lyves dear vnto vs so as we may finish our course with ioy remembring always that we ought to obey God rather then man and grounding vpon
the Saints The one of these we take it must needes be donne And we gather it by comparing together Iam. 5.19.12 with Iude ver 3. This also is the very thing which we did desire and still do desire in that Epistle dedicatory And let these thinges once spoken suffyce we pray you for the crimination of calling on you apar◠which in this letter of yours you have so oftē objected and repeated Next you propound three tinges to be considered in the booke it self of which you promyse to speake briefly and brotherly what you thinke 1. The first head you say is of the doctrine which we professe in our booke Be it so indeed Here we expected because you purpose to wryte of the doctrine we professe that you would have discussed the articles of our fayth and reproved the errours if there be any by the light of Gods word And who would not have expected this But behold there is not a word of the doctrine and fayth it self What may this meane Is it because your self beleeu this faith to be trew-sound groūded on the word of God and agreable thervnto If so why thē wryting these thinges do you not professe it Why do you dissemble it specially whē you heare that this fayth is traduced as schisme as heresy but you see perhaps that in the doctrine of faith we erre from the truth If it be so why then wryte you and yet shew not the errours why do you not as much as in you is bring into the way such as do erre Do not whē request is made that the errours may be shewed by the light of the holy Scripture Certainly your godlynes perswadeth otherwise yea God himself requireth otherwise Iam. 5.19.20 Yet now when you touch not the doctrine it self what is it that you wryte in this behalf Even this only that you would perswade we have erred herein that we have publyshed the confession of our faith First of al this concerneth the maner not the matter it self But yet let vs weigh your reasons If say you there be a certayne consent of doctrine then there was no need that we should set forth a new Confession in this agreement of holy and ancient doctrine Doe you indeed speak as you thinke How is it then that some while synce when the Germane and French Churches had before publyshed their Confessions of fayth yet afterward the Belgick Scotish and other Churches set forth theirs also notwitstanding that they agreed with them in the holy and anncient doctrine Yea tell vs we pray you what you think of that godly and learned Mr. Beza his pryvate Confession of fayth lately publyshed Not to speake of many other wrytten and divulged by many of the martyrs also in their severall ages Do not all these agree in the holy and anncyent doctrine of Godlynes Or should not therfore these Confessions have bene publyshed What soever you shall say for them mynd the same also as spoken for vs. Secondly you say if there be any dissention in doctrine that ought not to be dissembled c. But what is this to vs who have playnely shewed and reckned vp the thinges wherein we dissent from the Church of England with whom we have to do in this behalf Neyther that only but have also in our Confession not obscurely signified concerning the thinges wherein the other Churches of this city and ours as yet do not agree After these thinges you come to discusse the end and fact of our publyshing this Confession Touching the end we have shewed it in the epistle and preface set before the booke it self And we answer further that we did this to the same end that all the reformed Churches of late did publysh theirs For proof wherof let the preface of the Harmony of Confessions compared with ours speak for vs. If you take away the reasons by both alleadged we yeeld But if you cannot then see whether both here and other where often in this letter you do not through our sydes strike at all these Churches lykewise Our cause and cleering we commyt to God and to all godly that love the truth Such as before knewe not our cause they may now by this meanes have knowledg therof Such as be enemyes of God of the Church of the truth have nothing by this book of ours wherof to rejoyce They will rather be grieved when thus they shall see Antichrist that man of synne to be more and more discovered whom the Lord in the end will wholy consume and abolysh with the spirit of his mouth in the testimony not in the silence of his servants 2. Thes 2.8 with Rev. 12.11 and 14 6 7 8. and 20.4 Fynally such as be weak and by reason of the stink of schismes know not the true body of Christ whervnto they should joyne themselves they may by this meanes be better instructed and induced more certainly to know and imbrace the true Church and fayth of Christ Thus desyre we that the publyck good of the Church be holye forward that Christ may have the preeminence over all And thus have we spoken of the end in which as yet we see not any mistaking or errour Touching the fact we answer in lyke maner as before concerning the end Yea and the thinges which here you bring for not doing it in publyck you may vrge the very same lykewise against all the reformed Churches against Athanasius Origen Augustine Tertullian and others of the fathers against Zuinglius Luther Calvine Beza and many other of these ages godly men and divers of them also Martyrs of Iesus Christ who have set forth in publyck their Confessions of fayth private their apologies complaynts disputations yea and their letters concerning matters in religion publyckly controverted But these things perhaps came not in your mynd whiles there was before your eyes only the contemplation of our particular cause which thing your self we trust will perceive if you turne your eyes a lytle from vs vnto others approved by your self Moreover howsoever the evill wherof you wryte do prevayte in publyck yet alwayes and every where wisdome is justified of her children as Christ hath taught Mat. 11.16.19 And this shall suffice vs and all that are godly Lastly in a case of such weight and necessity who should rather be called vpon then the students of the holy Scriptures in Christian vniversityes Who we pray you are esteemed to be of better or sounder judgment Whome doth it more concerne to take knowledg of the truth and errours in religion Who should better instruct in the truth or convince falshoold And to conclude who can or ought to attend more to the discussing of these things But you object that seeing we have here found place of rest here also we must receive the judgment of our doctrine and fayth if we will have the same lawfully knowen and approved c. Here come many things to be considered First what if the rest and breathing which here we enjoye come
let vs be so You may if so be you know the thing so well have the iudgemeÌ„t of it with your selves but to publish it among the people to call for abettors of it and to exact like iudgement of vs you cannot Keepe your confidence to your selves and leave vs our modesty who have resolved not to speake of other mens matters except we know them thoroughly You thinke that other good meÌ„ will say otherwise but I think better of them who in my perswasion are furnished with knowledge skill and wisedome from heaven that they would sooner subscribe to our modestie then to this your iudiciall confidence To looke to the event is a point of wisdome which if you regard not I pray God the author of all wisedome to give you discretion Touching the conclusion Bretheren what shall I say otherwise then I haue said I verily have resolved neither for you nor for any mortall man to bee headie and inconsiderate in iudging especially when it neither belongeth to me to do it neither can it bee done with any fruit If you can doe it rightly wee doe not hinder you but let vs who cannot professe this one thing to you that we can be no iudges Touching others whome we knowe we have spoken else where but touching them because we knowe theÌ„ not wee do not yet speak CoÌ„cerning Beza how excellent a man that which you often say take heede Brethren you bee not deceived He spake by way of supposition which you expresse in your letters we because we see and experience doth teach vs that his wordes being spoken by way of supposition are vnderstoode of many as spoken simply dare not so much as answere by way of supposition Is this such an hainous and capitall fault with you bee it farre from you Brethren bee it farre from you to take that course with good men which God reason and the times haue taught vs to be daungerous Rash and headie iudgements are not to be required not to bee endured not to be heard That God of truth might iustly punish vs if casting a side discretion which is most needefull in these times wee should answere alwayes to all questions according to the lawes prescribed by such as propounde the same These three things according to God and vnder him are a lawe to vs veritie charitie and discretion If any one of these bewanting we are afraid to offend We crave of you brethreÌ„ that at least you woulde leave vs this our religious feare till all thinges bee made more plaine and easie vnto vs and if you thinke your selves more stroÌ„g in iudging beare with vs as with weake ones til by godly quietnes and holy studie we may attaine to more high and certaine thinges That which wee may doe truely godlily brotherly wisely we will neuer be slacke to doe if wee may profite you and the Church of Christ The Lorde furnish you beloued Brethren with his Spirit and direct you to veritie and charitie in holy wisedome and faith to the glorie of his name the edification of his bodie and obtayning of your owne salvation Amen Leyden Wednesday the 10 of March 1599. Yours vnfeynedly Fran Iunius The answer to Mr. Iunius his second Letter To the learned and our beloved Brother in Christ Mr. Francis Iunius at Leyden in Holland GRace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Iesus Christ RevereÌ„d Sr. your letters were delyvered vs which when we had read we thought thus with our selves If we wryte againe it wil be thought perhaps â—ontentious if we hold our peace it may prove hurtfull to the truth What is then to be done We must absteyne from contending yet so as the truth be not forsaken for which the Apostle exhorteth even to â—omesty Thus then worthy Sr. receive our answer briefly In that you did nothing in this matter without the knowledg of your brethren and Colleagues we therefore give you thanckes for now you have had consultatioÌ„ together yet shew you nor any one errour in our fayth and cause Touching that we rested not in your counsell we had many and waighty reasons so to move vs which we signifyed to you in our former letters but you have herâ— in silence passed by them Vntyll you take them away we think it cannot be shewed that in this matter we have done any thing otherwise then in good mannerâ— and order meet and needfull Publyck infamy requireth publick apology Others that have set forth their Confessions are by you acknowledged and commended We belyke only have offended in so doing aâ—d that which every Church man lawfully do and almost every man vpoÌ„ iust cause yet to vs and our Church you will not permit it So indifferent are nou towards vs. Neyther when they set forth their Confessions did the whole Caâ—holick Church consent and if you speak of â—â—e consent and approbaâ—â—on of a particular Church so also was our Confession publyshed But they wrote dissenting from the Church of Rome and the like being moved of conscience And the very same thing have we lykewise done dissenting from a daughter of the Romysh Church touching her Leitourgy hierarchy constitution to wit the Church of England Yet they thus wryting neyther wrote agâ—inst order nor sifted the soares of the Church against the law of charity Noâ—noâ— we neythre And touching he dissention not conceale what need we wryte otherwise then as before we have done It is with the Church of EnglaÌ„d that we had and still have to deale in this behalf and that difference we did by name and vnder certayn hâ—adâ—â— particularly relate as both the thing it self and our exile did necessarily require Now although in some thinges we differ from the ministers of these Churches yet were they not before they despise admonition to be dealt with in lyke sorte Else you might indeed some what rightly vrge order and the lawe of câ—â—rity if their names and peâ—uliar descriptioÌ„ of that differeÌ„ce had beÌ„ by vs particvlarly specifyed in that book Nevertheles whosoever know and consider the practise of these â—hurches and of such only we speak they may by that practise and our Confessâ—on coÌ„pared together peâ—ceive there is difference betwene them and vs Yea we know that some have so observed Otherwyse if it be as you pretend that in our Confession you see not aâ—y token whereby you may â—eâ— certainly perswaded there of how is it tâ—at in so great agreement they should by so many be judged as true Churches in the right fayth we as hereticks Besydes that even by this you do also grannt that you see not but they consent in one with vs touching the corruptions of the Church of England and our separation from them seing he that hath but half an eye man there see these most playnly propounded In which behalf we give thancks both to you and to God that hath brought you to give this judgment and testimony For this is the very thing wherein we
vs which we wrote the day after we had received yours not afterward thought we needed not send it vnles some other occasion were offered both because your self intimated as if you would be silent if we wrote agayne and because in very deed you did in those letters yeeld vs the cause and answered nothing at all to any purpose eyther touching our Confession of faith which was publyshed or touching our former letters which we sent vnto you thereabout Of all which things now let the Reader judge If you aske why we chaunged our purpose and have now sent you this letter which was wrytten so longe synce â—o here this litle booke included withall to witt your letters traÌ„slated into English and set forth in print Wherevpon we are constreyned not only to send these wrytten vnto you but to set them forth in publyck also in the English tounge Yet let nothing here offend you for it is we if any that are injuried yea and the truth it self inasmuch as your first letter was publyshed alone without our answer which you receyved from vs. By whose fault to what end with what equitie mynd you well Sure that Priest which traÌ„slated yours wryteth in his preface how truly you know that your self delyvered the copy of your first letter to a worshipfull knight of whoÌ„ he receved it and turning it into English imprinted it Yet have we not hitherto gyveÌ„ vnto any so much as a copy eyther of yours or our owne providing what we could for your credyt ye so as we neglected our owne our selves and were traduced by others as now by this book publyshed will appeare vnto all But perhaps in this matter you purposed one thing he another Whatsoever it were now you cannot but see how the Prelats and Priests of our countrey do so interpret your letters as if they had bene wrytten against the truth of the Gospell of Christ which we professe and for defence of the Antichristian Apostasy and tyranny wherein they persist Which thing we leave vnto you to be weighed seriously before the Lord. Neyther is it to be omitted that your private letters are set forth in publyck yours we say who took it so yll that the CoÌ„fession of fayth of this whole Church should be made publyck whom these very letters of yours wrote so much of the publyck view of publishing the woundes of the Church vndiscreetly before so many deadly enemyes of God and the Church of not offending any one of Christs disciples of not provoking Churches of every one abounding in their owne sence c. It is marvell if your translatour turne not your owne wordes vpon your self and tell you that a Christian an humble and godly mind ought to be otherwise affected and setting a side the respect of their owne pryvate regard c. But this the more vnjustly if he made your letters publyck without your knowledg Which we indeed at first did suspect tyll we saw your second Epistle come forth some while after the other Neyther could we well thinke other wise of the matter specially seing you wrote vnto vs that we might rent the letters and that you also would conceale it Knowe moreover that in the edition of your letters there be certeyne clauses wherin the translation is not answerable to yours in latine sent vnto vs which we by your originall amend in our edition nowe ready to be published These and many other things which yet we conceale seem vnto vs to be of some moment But we are deceived perhaps in our owne cause and therfore you and your Translatour would omytting all coÌ„futation that others should have the iudgment therof you in delyvering he in publyshing your letters But why then did you not douchsafe to give vs any knowledg therof At least why did you not so provide as that letter of ours which was in your handes should also be translated and published Did you thinck that he which is first in his owne cause is iust Why then did you not also mynd that his neighbour comyng after him will make inquiry of him that so both partyes being heard judgment may be gyven according to truth and equity For which cause though we have hytherto borne this yet will we hereafter meet with such dealing by the best and fyttest meanes we can Neither doubt we but all these things howsoever now they stand will at length fall out for good both to vs and to all other which love Christ with all his ordinances and hate Antichrist with all his abhominations And having this hope we will expect and endure whatsoever it shall please God who is the Lord and faythfull maynteyner of his servants Concerning the differences wherof you write agayne in your letters which are betwene vs and the dutch Church of this city it needeth not that we wryte vnto non of the particulars otherwise then as before we have donne If you do yet desyre more we give you to vnderstand that above a yeare synce we delyvered in wryting the true and particular narration of the whole matter to the ministers and whole eldership of that Church who if yet they have not maâ— now communicate it with you By it also will appeare that we have donne what was our duty and as brotherly as we could If not let the errour be shewed and it shal be corrected God willing In the meane tyme because we are both pryvatly and publyckly so much vrged by you herevnto we will briefely note the chief heades wherin we differ from them and where about we have had dealing with them both before and synce you wrote vnto vs. They are these which follow 1. The estate of the Dutch Church at Amsterdam is so confused as the whole Church can never come together iâ— one the ministers can never together with the flock sanctify the Lords â—aâ—e the pâ—esence of the members of the Church cannot certeynly be knowen and fynally no publyck action wheâ—her exâ—ommunication or any other can riggâ—ip be performed VVhich is cotrary to these Scriptures 1. Cor. 12.27 and 11.20 23. Math. 18 â—7 with 1. Cor. 5 4. Act. â— 2.5 Numb 8.9 Act. 20 28. 2. They baptize the seed of them who aâ—e not members of any visible Church of whom moreover they have not care as of membeâ—s neyther admytt their parents to the Lords Supper Gen. 17 7.9.10.11 1. Cor. 7 14. Exod. 12.48 with 2. Caron 30 6. c. Numb 9.13 Hos 2 â— 4. with Rev. 17.1 Ezech 16 59 c. 3. In the publyck worship of God they have devysed and vse an other forme of prayer besydes that which Christ our lord hath prescribed Mat. 6. reading out of a book certayne prayers invented and imposed by man Exod. 20 4 5. and 30 9. with Psal 141.2 and Rev. 8 3. Lev. 10 1. Esa 29 14. with Mat. 15.9 Rom. 8 26. Eph. 4.8 1. Pet. 2 5. 4. That rule and commandement of Christ Mat. 18 15 16 17. they neyther observe nor suffer
he that doth the worck of the Lord frauduleÌ„tly and cursed be he that kepeth back his sword from blooâ— On the contrary Blessed be he that shall reward thee as thou hast rewarded vs o daughter of Babel to be destroyed Blessed be he that shall take and scattering dash thy children against the stones If this against Moab and the materiall BabyloÌ„ how much more against Antichrist and the spirituall Babylon with al the daughters and abominatioÌ„s thereof If this against the shadow and type how much more against the substance and body it self Of the argument of coâ—nsell ynough is said If you repeat it a thousand tymes and yet take not away our answer and reasons alledged in our first letters we will alwayes repeat the same answer againe Those many things which are conteyned in your letters and ours do now come forth in publick Neyther doubt we but this is the work of the Lord. See therefore that you be occupied therein religiously That any should speak of things controverted we desier not otherwise then the reformed Churches and those godly meÌ„ and Martyrs of Iesus who with like purpose have published their confessions of faith and causes of their troubles being so constreyned That your letters were not shewed by vs we wrote not but this that we gave not a copy of them to any for what cause we wrote in our former Shewed they were and read in the publick meeting of our Church If your mynd were to have them shewed to others that knew we not But now that you write this is your mynd we shall shew them together with ours publickly vnto all And if any have giveÌ„ forth any false reports conâ—erning them let theÌ„ now be ashamed In the meane time your self provided by sending yours at first vnsealed that they should be shewed to others and be read also of others before vs. Neyther doth it excuse the matter which you wrote in your second that â—â—e messenger shewed you not to wâ—oÌ„er whither you should have written and that therefore you sought and wayted an whole moneth being vncertayne thereof For we did signify both these expressely in the Epistle dedicatory prefixed before that book which by the messenger was delivered vnto you Els how knew you at the moneths end more theÌ„ before whither and to whoÌ„ to send Or when you knew why did you not seale your letters Was it because you would have the shewed We beleev it as also that for the same cause the copyes of theÌ„ were caryed into England And this too we knew before they were translated in English but we held our peace wayting to see what would follow therevpon Now your self see they are translated and given forth in publick For them therefore and with them we traÌ„slate and publish ours by which will appeare that we have dealt well with good men You may call them as you please it skilleth vs litle this is the very thing we desier and endevour that the simplicity of the Gospell of Christ the iniquity of the defectioÌ„ of Antichrist may more and more be made knowen vnto all If for this thing you pity vs we will beare it praying that God in Christ would pitty you Where you write that two of our company dined with that honorable Ambassadour it is not true that we know of Neyther can we cell what hapned at that dinner He sent not for vs to come vnto him neyther did we like to intrude our selves If by vs he would have ben certifyed of our cause we would have done it willingly and syncerely And you also when he demaunded of you might have shewed our letters with your owne and the coÌ„fession of our faith and given also copyes of both the letters So might the Translatour have given forth both in publick So had you provided that sentence should not be given the one party being vnheard Which thing Christian wisdome your self say suffreth not â—o be done in questions controverted In this behalf therfore you have erred and this by you is to be answered notwithstaÌ„ding that for his doing himself is to answer that translated and published yours without your knowledg For our selves if any where we erre shew it we pray you agayne and agayne by the word of God that is by the onely rule of truth and we shal yeeld most willingly And thus we pray God that he would guyde you together with vs and all his alway vnto Iesus Christ and that he would keep vs in him who onely is the way the truth and the life Whose name be blessed for ever Amen Amsterdam Iuly 21. 1602. Yours in the truth and peace of the Gospell of Christ F. Io. H. Ains D. St. S. Mer. C. Bom. T. Bis D. Bre. Together with the other brethren of the English Church at Amsterdam * For proof herof see Mr. Iunius owne words noted in the margine of his letter herafter folowing and compare also this edition of it with the translators before published Act. 28 22 b Rev. 12. c Psal 105 13 14. d 1 Pet 2.9 e Psal 46.1 f Apoc. 2 5. gap 2 Cor 6 14 15 c. Psal 9â— 20. 2 Thes 2 3. h Psa 37 27 Ier. 51 6. Rev. 18 4. 14 1. Neh. 6 6.7.8 Harmon of confess i 1 Pet. 2 5. Ier. 51 26 k Act. 2 38 40 41 8 36 37 15 9. Ioh. 10 3.4 5. Esa 35 8.9 l Ioh. 15 2.5 Mat â—8 15 17 Lev. 13 46. Numb 4.13 m Ioh 15 19. and 17.14 16. Mat. 3 12 Lev. 20.24 26. 1. Ioh. 4.5.6 About forty ecclesiastical popish offices are at this daye in the Churche of EnglaÌ„d never a one appointed by Christ in his testament Apoc. 13. vvith what words rites in what habit gesture these things are to be done they are taught in their rubâ—ik Some of them in certaine English books seâ— forth have reckned aboue 100. popish corruptions yet reteyned in this church o Rom. 12 1. Cor. 12. Eph. 4. p Iohn 4 24 Mat 15 9 q Deu 6 4 5 Mat. 16 6 2. Cor. 6 14 15 Psal 106 34 35.36 s Iude ver 3 t 2 Cor. 6 17. u Eph. 5 11. w Reb. 18 4 14 10 11. Mat. 6 24. x 2. King 16 10 11 12. Apoc 13 12 14 15. y Ier. 51 6. Mich. 2 10. Rev. 18 4. 2 Cor. 6 17. Act. 2 40. z Ps 9.12 Heb. 13 3 A Gal. 4.4.5 6. 5.1.2 Heb. 8. 9 10. chap. 2 Cor. 4 7 Iam. 2 1 * Deut. 6.4 1. Tim 2.5 Ephe. 4.4.5.6 1 Cor. 8.6 12.4.5.6.13 Ier. 6.16 Ioh. 14.6 ‡ 1 Tim. 6.3.13.14 Mat. 15.9 28.20 Deut. 4.2.6 12.32 1 cor 4.17 14.33 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 Gal. 1.8.9 Reâ—el 22.18.19 * Ioh. 4.24 ‡ Exod. 3.14 Rom. 11.36 Act. 17.28 ☽ 1 Tim. 1.17 Esa 6.3 66.1.2 1 Ioh. 5.7 Mat. 28.19 Prou. 8.22 Heb. 1.3 Phil. 2.6 1 Cor. 8.6 Micah 5.2 Psal 2.7 Gal. 4.6 Ioh. 1.1.2.18 10.30.38 15.26 Heb. â— 14 * Ioh.
be seen This it is not likely Mr. Iunius himself would doe but was perhaps the printers fault or rather indeed the translators evil mind for his mother churches advantage whoÌ„ falshood seeketh to vphold when syncerity and truth hath forsaken her It shal therfore rest vpon him as the first fruits of his evil labours in this kind til he clear himself The Apostles and Prophets and Martyrs by him mentioned dealt not so Neither yet did they alwayes insist vpon a plaine and simple asseveration of the truth but mainteyned it also with proofes and arguments from scripture and sound reason against such as oppugned the same Act. 17.2.3 and 18.28 and 28.23 Rom 1.17 and 3.4.10 and 4.3.7.17 and 9.7.9.12.13.17.20.25.27.29.33 and 10.5.11.15.19.21 and 11.2.9.26 1 Cor. 15.3.4.25.27.45.54.55 Gal. 3.6 8.10.11.13.22 and 4.21.22.27.30 Esa 40.12 and 41.21.22.23.24 and 44.6 and c. Mal. 4.4 Acts monuments in the historie of Mr. Brute Thorp Lambert Ridly Philpot Bradford and many others And though the Apostles and Prophets had yet no maÌ„s asseveratioÌ„ now may be compared with theirs but must be tried by their writings And so these Christian exiles published to that end their faith vnto the world against which to this day neither Mr. Iunius nor any els of that or the other vniversities have to our knowledge vsed any one weighty and sound reason grounded vpon the holy scripture of God as this translator would bear men in hand he doth and as the Prophets did in al their asseverations taking their ground from the law before given Mat. 22.40 The Lord rebuke Satan and make bright the glorie of his name and Gospel and turne to the profit of every faithful soule these things now published by his vnworthy and contemned servants to his owne eternal prayse in Christ Amen To the Reader By the Printers default there are good Reader a few faults escaped in the printing some whereof are here noted Which with the rest thou observest thy self we pray thee amend thus Pag. 11. lin 13. then to make Pag. 12. l. 8. all that Pag. 15. l. 20.21.22.32.33.34 blot out these marcks * ‡ * ‡ Pag. 16. l. 1. also * of old And lin 7. Iob. 1.6 Pag. 17. l. 3. vnwritten And blot out of men Pag. 18. l. 13. Act. 3.22 Pag. 24. l. 34. Eph. 4.11 Pag. 25. l. 20. â—iev 2.1 1. King 12. Pag. 27. l. 28. Gal. 3.28.29 Pag. 29. l. 1. no whit L. 18.1 Tim. 2.2 L. 49. Exod. 18.12 and 10 1â— Pag. 39. l. 7. Churches of this city that etc. and then be delivered L. 27. contend Pag. 40. l. 26. publish Pag. 41. l. 1. their private Confessions of faith their apol L. 7.8 prevaile Pag. 42. l. 22. let vs. Pag. 45. l. 13. ingenuously Pag. 47. in the margent l. 10. licet vobis And l. 13. discindere P. 48. l. 10 coÌ„sent P. 50. li. 9. eveÌ„ to strive earnestly P. 51. l. 32. taunting Pag. 53. l. 3. yea so L. 13. many weak ones before so many deadly Pa. 54. l. 1. Amst is such as being but one yet it meeteth in three severall places wherevpon it is so confus etc. And li. 32. Gal. 4.10.11 Note besides where Mr. Iunius in his second letter Pag. 47. pretendeth as if there had ben some fault in the Messenger or vs that he knew not to whom or whither he should have written his first that in the book it self which was delivered vnto him there was particular mention both of the place and of the partyes from whoÌ„ it came as may be seen in the Epistle prefired before it which is of the dedication to the vniversityes And els how knew he at the moneths end more then before to whom and whither to send as he did Which poynt is so very playne as to himself we thought there needed not then so much as any mention of it Yet thought we here to note it least some others not observing so much might thinck the fault wherof he speaketh to ly on vs or the messeÌ„ger which what soever it were is still to rest vpon himself for ought we know The Confession of fayth of certayne English people living in exile in the Low countreyes Together vvith the Preface to the Reader Which we wish of all may be read and considered 2. Cor. 4 13. We beleev therefore have we spoken Harmony of Confess in the preface set before it in the Name of the French and Belgick Churches The Prelates and Priests do alvvay cry out that vve are Hereticks Schismaticks and Sectaryes Hovvbeit let theÌ„ knovv that the crime of Heresy is not to be imputed to theÌ„ vvhose faith doth vvholy rely vpon most sure grounds of the Scripture That they are not Schismaticks vvho entierly cleave to the true Church of God such as the Prophets and Apostles do describe vnto vs Nor they to be counted Sectaryes vvho embrace the truth of God vvhich is one and alvvayes like it self To the reverend and learned men the Students of holy Scripture in the Christian Vniversities of Leyden in Holland of Sanctandrewes in Scotland of Heidelbergh Geneva and the other like famous scholes of learning in the Low countreyes Scotland Germany and France The English exiles in the Low countreys wish grace and peace in Iesus Christ THis true confession of our faith in our judgment wholy agreable to the sacred Scripture we do here exhibit vnto all to be discussed and vnto you reverend Sirs we dedicate it for two causes First for that we know you are able in respect of your singular knowledge in the Scriptures and hope you are willing in respect of your syncere piety to convince our errours by the light of Gods word if in any thing we be out of the way Secondly that this testimony of Christian faith if you also fynd it agree with the word of truth may by you be approved eyther in silence or by writing as you shall think best It may be we shal be thought very bold that being despised of all yet doubted not to sollicite you so many and so great learned men But this we did partly at the request of others to whom we would not deny it partly with desier to have the truth through your help better defended and further spread abroad partly coÌ„streyned by our exile and other calamityes almost infinite partly also moved with love of our native couÌ„trey and of these wherein now we live and others else where wishing that all may walk with a right foot to the truth of the Gospell and praying daily vnto God that the great work of restoring Religion and the Church decayed which he hath happily begun in these latter tymes by our Gracious Soveraigne and the other Princes of these countreyes and ages his servants he would fully accomplish to the glory of his name and eternall salvation in Christ of his elect in all places of the earth As for the causes which moved vs to publish this Confession of faith and to forsake the Church of England as now