if we beleeue not at all the traditions of men but the Scripture manifestly doeth Esay 29.13 Matth. 15.3 Colos 2.8 forbid vs to beleue them If you can find one only text of the scripture that willeth and commandeth vs to beleeue in the Romane church as hauing prerogatiue ouer all churches the world throughout I will be on your side to the death But no such place I am certain you can shewe in the whole Bible that the Romane church is the holy Catholique Church which all men of what countrey soeuer they be must acknowledge to be chiefest It is not sufficient to claime succession of place it behoueth vs rather to haue regard to the succession of doctrine Bernard in Concil Rem Bernard sayth Quid prodest si canonice eligantur non canonice viuant What auaileth it if they be chosē in order liue out of order So sayeth Saint Augustine contra Donatistas August lib. 6. 1. q. 3. Vocatur canes Ipsum characterem multi lupi lupis imprimunt The outward marke or right of a Bishoppe many giue to wolues and be wolues them selues Therefore the auncient father Ireneus giueth vs this good counsell Eis qui sunt in ecclesia praesbyteris obedire oportet qui successionem habent ab Apostolis qui cum episcopatus successione charisma veritatis certum secundum beneplacitum patris acceperunt It becommeth vs to obey those Priestes in the church which haue their succession from the Apostles and together with the succession of the Byshoprickes according to the good wil of God the Father haue receiued the vndoubted gyft of the trueth Saint Cyprian being likewise charged for dissenting from his predecessours answereth thus Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 3. Si quis de antecessoribus meis non hoc obseruauit tenuit quod nos dominus exemplo magisterio suo docuit potest simplicitati eius venia concedi nobis vero ignosci non potest qui nunc a Domino admoniti instructi sumus If any of my predecessours haue not obserued and kept the same that our Lord hath taught vs both by his example and commandement his simplicitie may be pardoned but we if we doe the like can hope for no pardon being now admonished instructed of our Lorde Compare the vse order of our churches my brethrē with the Primitiue church of God and you shall easely see the right of our succession S. Cyprian sayeth ad Pompeium contra Epistolam Stephani Si canalis aquae quae copiosè priùs largiter profluebat subitò deficiat nonne ad fontem pergitur c. Hoc nunc facere oportet Dei sacerdotes praecepta diuina seruantes vt in aliquo si mutauerit vacillauerit veritas ad originem Dominicam Euangelicam atque Apostolicam traditionem reuertamur inde surgat actus nostri ratio vnde ordo origo surrexit If the pipes of the conduyte which before ranne with aboundance happen to faile doe wee not vse to search to the head c. The Priestes of God keeping Gods commandements must doe the same that if the trueth haue faynted or fayled in any point wee returne to the very originall of our Lorde and to the tradition of the Gospel of the Apostles that from thence wee maye take the discretion of our doings from whence the order it selfe and originall first began Thus much touching succession of place Now I exhorte you brotherly to be reconciled to the true church of God I meane the Church of England wherein you finde not so many idolaters Necromancers heretikes adulterers Sodomites churchrobbers periured persons mankillers Runnagates mōsters Sicophants Clawbacks slaundering tongues scribes and pharises as you may easely finde in the church of Rome Boast not of the succession of your Pope S. Paul sayth Rom. 10.17 Faith cōmeth not by succession but by hearing and hearing commeth not of legacie or inheritance frō Bishop to Bishop but of the worde of God They are not alwayes godly that succeede the godly Manasses succeeded Ezechias and Ieroboam succeeded Dauid the Prophet By succession the Turke this day possesseth and holdeth the foure great patriarchal Sees of the church Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Hierusalem Dan. 9.25 Matt. 24.15 Mar. 13.14 Luk. 21.20 By succession Desolation shal sit in the holy place and Antichrist shall preasse into the roome of Christ Thus much welbeloued brethren touching succession of place Now I will speake a litle in confutation of your forged myracles wherewith you seeke to oppugne the true church of Christ and defende your wicked church of Antichrist polluted with all maner of detestable idolatrie and cursed superstition There are two maner of myracles Miracles the one true the other false Myracles are counted false when either they be not that which they seeme to bee or if they be they are not supernatural but are done by vertue of nature and that the Angels either good or bad three maner of waies may bring to passe For sometime the force of nature which they best knowe they accommodate to the matter of which coniunction with efficient causes folowe the effects and that suddenly which effectes are of the beholders thought to bee myracles The deuils knowe that frogs wormes or serpents bee ingendred of putrefacted and rotten things so that there be put heate in certain degrees in consideration whereof seeing that it is not a hard thing for them to do these things which by nature maye bee wrought it is the easier to deceiue the weake of beliefe And by this meanes S. August de Trin. lib. 3. Augustine thought as he writeth in his third booke of Trinity Pharaos Magicians sometime to haue done the same Moreouer the coniunctions of the spirits of bloud and of humors do much disquiet mens bodies from whence proceede the sights or visiōs of things which are in those things conserued in the same motion before they come into the phantasie or imaginatiō and by the same reason and order wherewith the spirit is troubled it ioyneth them together which thing appeareth in such as be Phrentique Wee are not bound of necessitie to beleeue all such myracles whatsoeuer without exception Alexander of Hales sayeth Par. 4. quaest 53. Mem. 4. ar 3. solut 2. In sacramento apparet caro interdum humana procuratione interdum operatione diabolica In the Sacrament it selfe there appeareth flesh sometyme by the conueyance of men sometime by the woorking of the deuill Likewise saith Nicholaus Lyra Lyr. in 14. Dan. Aliquando in ecclesia fit maxima deceptio populi in miraculis factis a Sacerdotibus vel eis adhaerentibus propter lucrum Sometime euen in the church the people are shamefully deceiued with feigned miracles wrought either by the Priestes or els by their companions for lucres sake Miracles be not euermore vndouted proofes of true doctrine therfore Saint Augustine saith vnto the Manichees Miracula non facitis Aug. lib. 13. quae si
PapistaruÌ„ partem propendebam in Seminario Anglicano Romae duos plus minus annos sedeÌ„ collocassem quà m saepe me ad te accersi vocarÃque fecisti quà m mansuetè humanitérque mecum semper egisti quà m salubre mihi coÌ„silium impertitus es vt Papisticae idololatriae faecem exuerem nonne concionatores permultos non vulgari doctrina praeditos ad me accedere voluisti vt si qua possent ratione me coelesti Euangelij veritati reconciliarent atque deuincirent Plerosque mihi insuper libros suppeditasti quibus nonnunquam lectis immenso Dei beneficio magnam inde vtilitatem salutiferam mihi paruo temporis interiecto spatio comparaui Habito identidem sermone cum peritis atque crebris concionibus auditis ex indubiae veritatis inimico Deo adiuuante dum in his inclusus corporis compagibus fuero verum meipsum praestabo amicum ad studia sacrarum literarum animum applicabo quarum praesidio Papistarum fraudes detegere furta conuincere valeam omnibus Deo meis conatibus auspicante demonstrabo quod sit illis artificium quo priùs persuadent quà m doceant vbi autem veritas docendo potiùs suadeat quà m suadendo doceat Ambros in 1. cap. ad Rom. Declarabo cunctis istos se noÌ„ putare reos qui honorem nominis Dei deferunt creaturae relicto Domino conseruos adorant sibique persuasum habent Deum sine mediatore inexorabilem esse prorsus ignorant ad reges per tribunos comites euÌ„dum esse quia homines vtique sunt reges nesciunt quibus debeant ReÌ„publicam credere Ad Deum autem quem nihil latet omnium rerum merita nouit ad promerendum suffragatore non est opus sed mente deuota Vbicunque enim talis loquutus fuerit ei procul dubio respondebit illi Sed aduersarij nostri etsi videaÌ„t scripturas sacras suae sententiae oppositas confiteri tamen nolunt se in tetra erroris caligine versari Quare haec Sancti Hilarij verba in illos haud indignè quadrare videntur Hilarius de Trinitate li. 6. cap. 84. Grauis periculosus est lapsus in multis etsi enim se intelligant tamen pudor exurgendi autoritatem sibi praesumit vt quod errant prudeÌ„tiam velint existimari quod cum multis errant intelligentiam asserant veritatis Et vnde illud quaeso Ex contemptu certè scripturarum ex insolenti superbia qua inflati sunt Si circundarent sibi quasi murum firmissimum scripturaruÌ„ doctrinam nunquam tà m citò ad illoruÌ„ interiora irrumpere posset hostis Tunc omnes errores idola similitudines veritatis comminuerent atque dispergerent adeò iudicarent immunda vt ea menstruatae mulieris sordidissimo sanguini coÌ„pararent Si corde non ficto diuinum auxilium compellarent sibique nihil inaniter arrogarent Dominus supernè intrans in corda sua claro suo lumine mentes illoruÌ„ illustraret rationi animae formae iubar suum infunderet detegeret occulta doctorque fieret eorum quae ignorarent tantum si illi ea quae ab illis sunt auferre vellent Sed omnia haec media quibus possent saluari tanquam si nulli essent vsui respuunt spernuntque qua de ratione illorum salus valde désperanda est Concedat Deus Optimus Maximus vt resipiscant veritatem agnoscaÌ„t dum huius lucis vsura hoc vitae curriculo fruuntur atque omnia figmenta quae multis simplicibus aditum ad coelorum regnuÌ„ penitùs intercludunt seponant atque abijciant Sancti Dauidis verborum recordationeÌ„ obliuio nunquaÌ„ deleat Psal 34.13 14. quae in Hebraico textu sic se habeÌ„t Iamim oheu chaiim hecaphets hais mi tou liroth vsephatheca merag lesconecha Netsor Mirma Middabber id est Quis ille vir qui vult vitam diliget dies ad videndum bonum custodi linguam tuam à malo labia tua à loquendo dolum Et Beatus Paulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 1. Cor. 6.20 1. Pet. 1.19 Empti estis pretio magno glorificate igitur Deum in corpore vestro in spiritu vestro quae sunt Dei. Temerè fortassis magis quà m prudenter hanc epistolam nullis verborum phalaris flosculÃsue Ciceronianis exaratam tuae amplitudini dicare conabar sed meae temeritati tua ignoscat humanitas atque dignetur vt sub tuo patrocinio tutela haec breuis recantationis meae declaratio in lucem aspectumque omnium intrepide prodeat impioruÌ„ maleuolentiam flocci pendat quibus nocendi voluntas non deest sed officiendi potestas abest declinata recumbit Ne epistola haec longior sit quà m par est diutiùs tuam amplitudinem detinere nolo sed vt hoc meae erga te qualecunque obseruantiae monumentum beneuola manu excipere ne grauè tibi ducas mirum in modum posco imploro Dominus Iesus te tuosque vir magnifice muneribus suis ornet augeatque in multos annos Ecclesiae suae conseruet retineat Serenissimam verò Reginam Elizabetham quam exteri plerique omnibus laudis ornamentis efferunt protegat longaeuam in terra faciat ad gloriam Dei propagandaÌ„ ad comprimendam confringendam inimicorum suorum audaciam denique ad consolationem nostram Nobilissimòs Proceres adeoque omnes huius regni potentissimos ordines defendat omni benedictionum genere cumulet ad verae pietatis regni Christi propagationem perducat Amen Tuae amplitudini addictissimus humilimus seruus Ioannes Nicholaus The preface to the gentle Reader GOD that is my recorde and searcher of all mens heartes good Christian Reader knovveth Ier. 11.20 17.10 20.12 1. Chron. 28.9 1. Sam. 16.7 Psal 7.10 Esay 29.13 that with vnfeyned heart I greatly wished this declaration of my repentance desire to be receiued to the true Church to be imprinted for two principall causes the one to certifie my deare countrey men of my reconciliation to the true Church the other of my disposition to do them good hereafter when it shal please God to increase me with greater knowledge and to manifest how it hath pleased Christ our Sauiour the head shepheard Heb. 13.20 to call me away by his instruments the faithfull and godly from the whore of Babylon Apoc. 18.9 from the schole of error and from the temple of heresie to the City of righteousnesse the true Church his vndefiled spouse I doubt not but that the godly and vnfeined louers of the glorious and comfortable Gospell of Iesus Christ will heartily reioyce and giue God thanks that it was his diuine pleasure to bring me a lost sheepe into his folde Mat. 18.12 Luk. 15.4 to him make their prayers in my behalfe that he of his bountifull mercie will vouchsafe to graunt me continuall perseuerance
therein euen vnto the ende of my life that I may neuer swarue from his heauenly trueth vnto blindnesse and errour Psal 125.5 wherewith once seduced by false prophets I was holden captiue But nowe hauing the assistance of Gods holy Spirit the trueth of his sacred worde and perfect loue of the faithfull on my side I passe not what wicked Papistes speake or do against me their immoderate and vnciuill bitternesse proceeding from the furious and stormie passions of their poysoned heartes I may well lament but restraine I can not therefore I say Let the Papists here in England fret and fume and say of my name what euill or slaunder they can deuise let them write their letters to Rheims in Fraunce and from thence to Rome with the poste and certifie all the English Scholers there that the Popes scholer their owne companion and fellow student is reuolted from papistrie hath left the Pope in plaine fielde and quite denyed him protested against his blasphemies and renounced the deuilish dregges of all his Idolatrie So soone as these letters shal come to viewe Robert Parsons sometimes of Bailyol Colledge in Oxford they will name one Father Parsons Iesuite a Prophet or Southsayer for that he at Rome in the English Seminarie in a certaine exhortation made to the schollers prophecied that one or other of that company my selfe being then present amongest them shoulde degenerate from their faith and be the ouerthrowe of that colledge he confirmed also the profe thereof by example beginning with Christ and his Apostles Mat. 26.16 Luk. 22.4 Ioh. 6.71 pyking out Iudas one of the colledge of Christ that forsooke his master and then from the colledge of the Apostles he named Nicholaus that reuolted Actes 6.5 Apoc. 2.6 Nowe will their diuines declayme in the refectory pulpit of my sudden sequestration and estranging from their brotherly societie The triall and experience of their rash iudgement hatred and enuie mocking scoffing had pronounced against others giueth me sufficient notice that I shall incurre their like rayling and misreport I knowe that I cannot be voyde of their imagined slaunders in iudging me to be the first begotten sonne of the deuil I cannot escape their sinister exposition of all things to the worst wherefore I must arme my selfe with patience and seeing through Gods goodnesse I am reduced from the miserable captiuitie of blindnesse and errour to the true vnderstanding and knowledge of Gods holy trueth I neede take no great thought for their conceiued choller slaunderous speach and rayling wordes of Sathans prompting sithens they haue dealt so maliciously with my betters And as for their holy father the Popes curse with booke bell and candell it shall not grieue me at all neither will I take one vnquiet nappe for al his banning and cursing and seeing I haue renounced his Popish church wherein I neither heard the worde of God syncerely taught the Sacraments rightly administred nor the Name of God duely called vpon Seeyng that I say I forsooke the idolatrous church of Rome and haue so gone from it Dan. 6.23 3.26 as Daniel went out of the lyons denne and the three children out of the furnace and am come to that Church wherein the most earnest Papistes them selues can not deny if they will say truely and as they thinke in their owne conscience but all things be gouerned purely and reuerently in this true Church of Christ I haue a desirous minde to profit my louing countreymen according to the Talent which God of his bountifulnesse shall giue vnto me in preaching vnto them his holy word in exhorting them vnto watchfulnesse and prayer against Romish doctrine which is builded vpon false miracles and traditions of men beeing the fantasticall deuises of their busie braine for lucre and ambition sake fynally in warning them vnto amendement of life that both by their faith and conuersation Gods name may be glorified If thou art a member of that church the spouse of Christ whereof he is head and not Antichrist the Bishop of Rome it needeth not then good christian Reader much to entreat thee to take in good part this vnlearned declaration of my reconcilement made as it were ex tempore my selfe being in prison and wanting bookes to the great impediment and hinderance of this my discourse The beneuolence of the Papistes I seeke not for if I shoulde it were but in vaine I can not obteine it for that I haue with vpright conscience made a true rehearsall of such thinges as I haue seene at Rome yet not all nor the twentyeth part thereof but here one thing and there another and so fewe thinges in all and this I adde in the ende if they can not afforde one good worde by mee yet for good fellowshippe sake let them then say Requiescat in pace but let it be a solemne dirge for Aristotles soule who neuer knew the true God but euer liued in gentility blindnes of the trueth that he may be deliuered out of Purgatory where they hold him to be so that we may haue conference with him know of him whether it be substantiall true diuinitie such as he taught and set forth in writing or els whether it be Plato his diuinitie who was an Heathen or Gentile and which of them is best and as for the diuinitie which Christ preached and was deliuered by the Apostles and receiued of the faithfull they are not acquainted with God euermore enflame and direct me with his holy Spirit that the zeale of his trueth may throughly pearce and possesse my heart that I may safely walke in the wayes of righteousnes holines al the dayes of my life vtterly abandon detest all hypocrisie idolatrous superstition I. N. A declaration of Gods benefites towardes me a wretched sinner HOwe prouident a patrone and bountifull a father the Lorde of life hath bene vnto me his vnthankeful and rebellious childe his sundry and manifolde benefits doe testifie and this my vnfeyned reconciliation to the true Church doeth verefie the same yea the continuance of his louing kindenesse was herein principally declared for whereas mine owne natural corruption wrought dayly in me the banishment out of his fauour and the danger of reprobation he notwithstanding in consideration of my frailtie neuer withstoode to helpe me in all dangers both bodily and ghostly and to plucke me out of the pit of perdition whereinto the haynousnesse of my offences haled me by violence Oh gratious God howe shall I a sinner conceiued in sinne and brought vp in iniquitie worthily aduance the excellencie of thy loue who shal giue me a heart to conceiue this thy kindnesse whence shal I haue vtterance to sound out thy mercie Of my self because I am a vessell of wrath subiect to sinne death hel condemnation I can not conceiue so perfect a worke thou therefore which art the euerlasting fountaine of all goodnesse Ier. 2.13 Iam. 1.17 giue it me oh giue
praedicare quae saluti animarum cōuenire videantur non pauca praedicant quae ad perennem animarum perniciem ducūt Whiles that the Romish priests endeuor as much as they may to preache many thinges which seeme to agree to the saluation of soules then teach they not few things which tende to the perpetuall destructiō therof The first point of their deuilish doctrine in seducing the blinde and ignorant people is this To tell vs that we leaue this article of our Creede vnbeleeued Credo sanctam Catholicam Ecclesiam I beleeue in the holy Catholike Church if we acknowledge not the Romane church to be the holy catholique Church As though that were true In the iudgemēt of all the learned and godly the Catholique Church is dispersed ouer the face of the earth not tied or vnited to any proper place as Rome or person as the Pope The Councill of Nice in tyme past committed the charge of the Catholique Church to three principall Patriarkes Rome Alexandria and Antioch which afterwards came to Constantinople Nilius in his booke de primatu Romani Pontificis of the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome sayth Quandoquidem quaedā prouinciae spectant ad ecclesiam Romanam aliquae ad Episcopum Alexandriae aliquae ad Episcopum Constantinapolaeos iam non magis subditae sunt Romano Episcopo quam Romanus Episcopus subditus sit illis Primacie by lymitatiō Forasmuch as certayne countries are limited to the church of Rome certeine to the Bishop of Alexandria and certeine to the Bishop of Constantinople they are now no more vnder him then he vnder them I gather by this Councill of Nice which all Papists of Rome do allowe that the Church of Rome was not onely accompted Catholique but also the Church of Alexandria was taken to be Catholique in like maner the Church of Antioch I am certeine you wil not deny the Bishop of Rome euer heretofore to haue bene as yet to be Pope therefore I inferre the Bishop of Alexandria and the Bishoppe of Antioch to be Popes Christes Vicars and so consequently to be three Popes and three Christes Vicars Haue you taught our English men so that there be three Popes three Catholique churches and are you put in prison therefore No no I know it is otherwise I take you to be hirelings Pope Gregory the xiii Greg. 13. of that name or rather by his right name Hugo Bon compaignion Hugh goodfellowe hath brybed you with his money that you should preach him to be Pope alone and none other Is this pretie stuffe vt amor nummi esset casus multorum that the loue of money should be the fall of many I will speake a litle more touching your Catholique church Athanasius saith Roma est metropolis Romanae ditio nis Rome is the mother church not of the whole worlde but of the prouince of Rome I wil not speake of Englād Ireland Scotland Frāce Dēmarke Polonia Suetia Bohoemia of Germanie Heluetia Prussia Russia Lituania Pomerania Austria Rhetia Vallis Tellina c. where the Gospel florisheth But is your church the mother church and hath your Pope gouernmēt and iurisdiction ouer the churches in Asia and Affricke It is well knowen that there is Christianitie in Asia Affricke Armenia Aethiopia Cyprus Constantinople and other places where the Pope dareth not once peepe for all his pontificalitie at Rome And in respect of all Christian assemblies faithfull members wheresoeuer the church is called Catholique that is meant vniuersall So that your church and all churches are to bee tried and knowen not by your erring councils canons constitutions decrees and glosses but by the word of God which is the touchstone of trueth Ireneus saith Lib. 3. cap. 11. Columna firmamentum ecclesiae est Euangelium spiritus vitae The pillar and buttresse of the church is the Gospell and spirit of life August de vnitate Eccle lib. 3. cap. 3. Augustine vnto the Donatistes saith Sunt certe libri dominici quorum authoritati vtrique consentimus vtrique credimus vtrique seruimus ibi quaeramus ecclesiā ibi discutiamus causam nostram There are verely bookes of our Lorde vnto the authoritie whereof eche part agreeth eche part beleeueth and eche part regardeth Church to be sought in the scripture there let vs seeke for the church and thereby let vs examine and trie our matters This I thought good to note here least that any of this faithfull congregation should at any time be caried away with the bare name of your catholique churche Nowe moreouer you seeke to proue your church by antiquitie multitude succession of person or place none otherwise then false coyners who will not haue their money knowē by the finenesse of golde or by the touchstone but by the waight by the sounde by the coyne and by the colour which they may easely counterfeite Therefore they alledge antiquitie vnto vs following that which was spoken vnto Iob by one of his friendes Iob. cap. 8.8 Consule quaeso priscam aetatem et compara te ad peruestigationem maiorum illorum Aske for the auncient generation and prepare thy selfe to seeke for the fathers Iob. 32.7 Prouecti aetate loquentur et annosi notam facient sapientiam Dayes shall speake the multitude of yeeres shall teach wisedome To whom I could answere by Iob himself euē in the verse next following 9. vers Magistri semper sapientes non sunt neque senes omni tempore intelligunt Iudicium The masters are not alwaies wise neither do the olde men alwayes vnderstād Iudgement Profectò spiritus ille in mortali 8. vers et afflatus omni potentis efficit eos intelligentes It is the spirit of God not yeres that ought to speak in man August ad Pet. Diac. cap. 34. If antiquitie should preuaile why then I pray you is the Church compared to a litle Barke or Ship which the more she is vpon the sea the more shee leaketh vnto a house which with age decayeth falleth to ruine to a Citie and the policie of it which is corrupted from tyme to time if it be not brought backe to the first institution to a mans body whereunto yeeres do bryng all kindes of euill to be short age is euen as sickenesse it selfe to the most healthfull and temperate body in the world I say thē that antiquitie alone ought to make vs thinke that in the Church there is a great sicknes and much filthynes that euen for this cause alone without any longer confutation it is requisite to bring a broome to purge it and to call for a Physition So farre is it off that for these things a man should mainteyne your Churche to bee pure holy as you do Furthermore I demand how you wil answere vnto Saint Augustine entreating vpon the threescore and fourth Psalme who sayth That Ierusalem began by Abel and Babylon by Cain The promise was made by
Isaac and the bastardise by Ismael Who were the elders If antiquitie were a marke of the trueth how woulde you haue answered vnto the Iewes who tolde Christ that they were the children of Abraham Iohn 8.33 who was the first father of the beleeuers They had their Genealogie from the creation of the fyrst man they did alledge the couenants that were made betweene God them Notwithstanding Christe being sent vnto them according to these promises vnder the shadowe of this antiquitie they maliciously called hym the carpenters sonne a Samaritane Matth. 13.55 Iohn 8.48 Marke 1.27 one that had the deuil a preacher of Noueltie And there is great likelyhood that if some of you Papists had bene theÌ„ there seeing at that time they vsed the selfe same arguments you would haue holpen to haue crucified him Furthermore what wil you answere vnto the Greeke Churches the Armenians EthiopiaÌ„s c. founded by the Apostles and as olde as the church of Rome yea and elder too seeing that the Church of Christ as we knowe tooke her beginning from the East to the West If antiquitie be a marke of holines and puritie they are holy and pure and if they bee holy and pure then the latin Church in comparison of them is moste vnholy and impure If they bee Heretiques and impure then it followeth that antiquitie is not a marke to proue the holines or veritie of the Church Howe then shall we reiect antiquitie nay rather we imbrace it with all our hearts so that it bee agreeable to Gods worde Tertullian de Virginibus velandis saith Consuetudo initium ab aliqua ignorantia vel simplicitate sortita in vsum per successionem corroboratur ita aduersus veritatem vendicatur Sed Dominus noster Christus veritateÌ„ se non consuetudinem cognominauit Viderint ergò quibus nouum est quod sibi vetus est Haereses non tam nouitas quà m veritas reuincit QuodcuÌ„que aduersus veritatem sapit hoc erit haeresis etiam vetus coÌ„suetudo Custome either of simplicitie or of ignorance getting once an entrie is inured strengthened by succession and then is defended against the trueth But Christ our Lorde calleth himselfe trueth and not custome Ioh. 14.6 Let them take heede therefore vnto whome the thing seemeth newe that in it selfe is olde It is not so much the noueltie of the matter as the trueth that reproueth an heresy Whatsoeuer sauoreth against the trueth is an heresie be the custome thereof neuer so olde Victi ratione opponunt consuetudinem quasi consuetudo sit maior veritate Beyng ouercome with reason they defende themselues with custome as though custome were better theÌ„ the trueth We may not prescribe of custome but wee must ouercome with reasoÌ„ Custome without trueth is the mother of error Istud non est curandum quod aliquis ante nostruÌ„ tempus fecit sed id precipue nobis curae debet esse ê™ a Christo factum est Non est imitanda nobis hominum consuetudo sed dei veritas expectanda That is We must not regard that which any other hath done before vs but we must regarde that which Christ hath done which is before all For we must not followe the custome of men but the trueth of God Againe he saith De seipso ad Pompeian epist 9. Mos sine veritate est vetustas erroris Et dixit dominus Ego sum veritas noÌ„ loquutus est Dominus Ego sum consuetudo Custome without trueth is an old error And the Lord hath said I am the trueth and not I am custome Ignatius sayeth Ignatius ad Philadelph Canon consuetud dist 11. Quem non audire est manifesta perditio Whome not to heare is manifest perdition See then howe the most auncient sende vs alwayes to learne the trueth of him which is most ancient of all Thus much briefely touching antiquitie or custome Nowe let vs come to multitude It is sayde expressely Exod. 23.2 Exodus 23. Ne insistito vestigiis potentiorum ad mala Thou shalt not folowe a multitude to do euil Also Mat. 7. Lata est porta spatiosa via quae ducit in exitium multique sunt qui ambulaÌ„t per mediuÌ„ eius Wide is the gate and broade is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat CoÌ„trariwise Luke 12. Ne time ô parue grex nam visum est patri meo dare vobis regnum Feare not my litle flocke for it is my fathers will to giue you a kingdome Moreouer wee see how that all the worlde was brought to one Noah and afterwardes came to Abraham then God chose one people of Israel the least as it is sayd of all peoples and finally of all peoples the least parte that is to wit Christendome which for this cause he calleth a litle flocke so farre forth that S. Augustine saith That the Church was sometime in one Abel in one Enoch August super Psalm 128. Wherefore multitude ought rather to be presumption then a marke of the true Church Forasmuch also as man by nature is alwayes more prone to euill then to any goodnes if multitude shoulde take place then Paynims should be happier then we be for that they surpasse in nomber For whereas there is one that beleeueth in Christ our Sauiour you haue a thousande that beleeue him not What a multitude is there of Turkes of Iewes and other infidels Also in Noah his tyme what a multitude there was that would not acknowledge God nor folow his commandements nor giue credit to Noah his preaching but with one consent conspired against him mocked him his religion Gen. chap. 6. The Samaritanes were more in noÌ„ber then they of the tribe of Iuda And in Iuda and Israel the multitude of the idolaters was the greater For the Prophet Elias made his complaint that he was left alone that all the rest had forsaken their liuing Lorde and giuen them selues to idolatrie and as you may reade in Ieremie 4. 1. King 22.6 13 24. There arose vp 400. false Prophets who swarued from Gods lawe and folowed their owne imaginations against one good Prophet Micheas And the Prophets crie Ierem. 18.18 Omnem populum seductum fuisse a regibus vsque ad Sacerdotes Prophetas That all the people were deceiued euen from the Kings to the Priestes and Prophets In the Church of Christ also nomber multitude shall haue as small roume for euen at the beginning thereof Esa 53.1 Ioh. 12.38 Rom. 10.16 it was sayde Who hath beleeued our word and to whom hath the Arme of the Lorde bene reueiled Anon after the death of our Sauiour the Scholemen hold that for one instant the church stood in the Virgin Mary alone In the time of Arrius almost the world throughout was of the Arrian heresie and fewe besides Athanasius with fiue of his company professed the true fayth Theod. lib. 2. cap. 16. Wherefore the Emperour
of the Arrians sayd That foure or fiue persons with their Athanasius woulde trouble the peace of the world To whom Liberius the Bishop of Rome answered That his solitude or fewnesse did not any whit diminish the worde of faith As for the declining estate of the Church wee are giuen to wit That when the sonne of man shall come before whose coÌ„ming Antichrist shall seduce the world Neque fides Matt. 24.12 37. neque charitas inuenta erit in terra isti dies erunt tanquaÌ„ dies Noah Lot There shall neither faith nor charity be found on the earth and those dayes shal be as the daies of Noah Lot c. The Eclipse then of this Moone shal be as it were vniuersal al the whole earth being put betweene the Church the sunne And therefore if we shall finde no other direction in such darknes then the multitude we shall haue no part with that litle nomber So much for multitude whereof the Papists make great account Nowe will I speake a litle of Succession which you my brethren take to bee a very substantiall argument of the trueth But Christ saith in the 23. of Matthewe In cathedra Mosis sedent Scribae Pharisaei By order of Succession the Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses chaire Annas and Caiphas touching Succession were aswel Bishops as Aaron and Eleazar Of Succession S. Paul saith to the faithfull at Ephesus Scio quod post discessum meum intrabunt lupi rapaces ex vobis ipsis exurgent viri peruersa loquentes I knowe that after my departure hence rauening wolues shall enter and succeede mee and out of yourselues there shall by Succession spring vp men speaking peruersly Therfore S. Hierome saith Non sanctorum filii sunt qui tenent loca sanctorum They bee not alwayes the children of holy men that by succession haue the places of holy men Notwithstanding the Pope himselfe will say as it is before alledged In Papasi desint bona acquisita per meritum sufficiunt quae a loci praedecessore praestantur If the Pope want good things by his own merits the good thinges which hee hath by SuccessioÌ„ of Peter his predecessor are sufficient And the glose vpon Petrus fecit Papas haeredes bonitatis suae Peter made the Popes heires of his goodnes by Succession And againe Papa recipit a cathedra sanctitateÌ„ The Pope receiueth his holines by succession of his chaire Such affiance sometime had the Scribes and Pharises in their succession therefore they sayde Ioh. 8.33 53. We are the children of Abraham Vnto vs hath God made his promises art thou greater then our father Abraham Iohn 9.29 As for Christ we know not from whence hee came or what can he shewe for his succession And when our Sauiour went about to reforme the abuses and errors they sayde vnto him Matt. 21.23 Iohn 2.18 By what power doest thou these things and who gaue thee this authoritie where is thy succession Vpon which wordes Beda saith Beda in Matth. 21. Intelligi volunt diaboli esse quod fecit They woulde haue the people vnderstand for that he had no solemne succession that al that he did was of the deuill Cyrillus Carena in Luc. 39. And Cyrillus frameth their words in this sort Tu ortus ex Iuda commissos nobis fasces vsurpas Thou beeing of the tribe of Iuda and therefore hauing no right vnto the priesthoode takest vpon thee the office that is committed vnto vs. Likewise Chrysostom imagineth the Pharises thus to say Chrysost in Mat. Hom. 39. Tu de sacerdotali familia natus non es Senatus tibi hoc non concessit Caesar non donauit Thou art not of the house of priests the Councill hath not graunted it thee the Emperour hath not giuen it thee Thus to mainteine themselues in credit for that they had succession and continuance from Aaron and sate in Moses chaire they kept Christ quite out of possession Matt. 23.2 and sayd vnto him then euen as you my brethren saye nowe vnto vs Who euer taught vs this pernitious doctrine before what ordinary succession of persons and vocation haue we what Bishop admitted vs who confirmed vs who allowed vs Therefore good christian hearers let not these the Papistes great wordes much abash vs. The Scribes Pharises in the like cases vsed the like language long ago But let me aske you a question Howe can you shewe any demonstration or probabilitie that the succession of your church is lawfull If there were any church that could alledge succession of persons it were the church of the Iewes for they were of the house of Aaron from the father to the sonne and besides them none might sacrifice Moreouer to them it was promised that they should continue so for euer And in deed when the Prophets exhorted them to reformation they had no other thing in their mouth but this Lex a Sacerdote non peribit neque consilium a sapiente neque verbum a propheta The lawe shall not perish from the priest nor the counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet But the spirit of the Lorde answered them Quomodo dicitis SapieÌ„tes sumus Iere. 8.8 lex Iehouae penes nos est vtique ecce ad falsitateÌ„ operatur stylus ad falsitatem operantur legis periti fecerúntne sapientes vt erubescerent consternatÃne sunt capti ecce verbum Iehouae spernunt eccuius rei sapientia inesset eis Howe say ye We are wise and the lawe of the Lord is with vs For it is in vaine that the pen is made and that there is a scribe wise men are confounded and seeing that they haue reiected the worde of the Lord what shal be their wisdome any more In like maner when the Iewes boasted to Iesus Christ that they were of the seede of Abraham Iohn 8.44 I know it wel saith he but the deuil is your father And in very deede this successiue and hereditarie wisdome crucified Christ and reiected saluation offred vnto them as also this self same successioÌ„ although it be only pretended worshippeth Antichrist and interteyneth her owne perdition Moreouer I demande what these alledgers of succession would haue answered to the Arrians Samosetans Nestorians c. who had their beginning continued from the first Bishops euen to themselues and namely to Nestorius and Samosetanus both which were lawfully called to the patriarchal churches the one to Constantinople and the other to Antioch Also what will you answere to the succession alledged by al the Greeke and east churches To be short to the reformed churches of England DeÌ„mark SwetheÌ„ a great part of Almaigne through all which there is at this daye this succession from Bishop to bishop from Pastor to Pastor If you wil alledge the Popes succession wee deny it you it is another question If simply succession you haue lost your cause If your doctrine then we gaine this poynt that the simple
succession of persons without the succession of doctrine is nothing worth With this sentence of Pope Adrian the fourth I end to discourse any further of antiquitie of persons Succedimus non Petro in pascendo sed Romulo in parricidio We succeede not Peter in feeding but Romulus in killing And so is it truely for you shall haue no Pope that teacheth the people howe to liue in the true feare loue of God but such an one as persecuteth and killeth the Christians that cherefully embrace and comfortably receiue the glad tydinges of the Gospell Thus being commanded to instruct the ignorant and to feede them with the heauenly word of God he practiseth tyrannie against them Wherfore this is an euident signe that if wee should seeme to grant which in no case is to be graunted the succession of Peter vnto your Bishop of Rome that he doeth farre degenerate from the diligence of Saint Peter who had more care to saue soules then to become riche famous in the face of the earth yea to haue all men subiect vnto him euen Emperours and kings to kisse his foote Your Pope doeth alter from the doings of S. Peter for Saint Peter neuer warranted to any man the possession of heauen for monies sake but your Pope like a good pedler setteth all things to sale and he that bringeth most shal in heauen beare the greatest swaye Wherefore these wordes of Baptista Mantuanus are true speaking of the vnhappie state of Rome venalia nobis Templa sacerdotes altaria Sacra coronae Ignis thura preces coelū est venale Deusque Amongst vs in Rome churches priestes altars masses crownes fire incense prayer and heauen are set to sale yea God himselfe amongst vs may be had for mony Budaeus sayth Sanctiones Pōtificiae nō moribus regendis vsui sunt sed propemodum dixerim argentariae faciendae autoritatem videntur accommodare The Popes canons serue not nowe to guyde mens liues but if I may so say they serue rather to make a banke to get money Bernard of Clunice sayeth thus Roma dat omnibus omnia dantibus Omnia Romae cum pretio Rome giueth all things to them that giue all thinges All things at Rome wil passe for money Yea euen in the Popes own Decretals you shall find it noted thus in sexto de elect electi potestat fundamēta in margine Roma est caput auaritiae ideo omnia ibi venduntur Rome is the head of al couetousnes therfore al things there are set to sale Yea Thomas Becket himself whom you call a saint whose festiual day about Christmas time you keepe with great solemnitie Gul. Neub lib. 2. cap. 15 25. a fewe of his bones you keep in such reuerēce that God himselfe is not honored so much whē for his wilfull disobedience treason cōmitted against his prince he had fled for ayde and succour to Rome and sawe that nothing woulde be wrought there without mony wrote thus thereof to the Bishop of Menze Mater Roma facta est meretrix prostituta est pro mercede Rome our mother is become an harlot and for money and meede layeth her selfe to sale To be short you know that our fathers long sithens were wont to say Curia Romana non captat ouem sine lana The court of Rome wil not take the sheepe wtout the fliece Iohn 2. Matth. 21. Christ sometime thrust such byers sellers brokers and coarsers out of the Temple but contrariwise you haue receiued in byers and sellers and thrust out Christ and so haue turned the house of God into a denne of theeues Saint Paul sayth thus vnto the people of Ephesus Argentum aurum nullius concupiui I haue desired no mans golde or siluer Vpon which wordes in the glose it is noted thus Per hoc lupi cognoscuntur qui talia concupiscunt Hereby they that desire such things are knowne for wolues Saint Hierome saith Hierom. 1. quaest 1. lib. Nunquam diuinatio Quia Prophetae pecuniam accipiebant prophetia eorum facta est diuinatio For that the Prophets fel to taking of money therfore their prophecy was become a soothsaying that is to say it was of the Deuill and not of God This I saye that according to your dealing hee that is poore is not like to go to heauen but the rich is sure to be saued Nowe you alledge succession of places not farre vnlike to the Iewes who will inclose orbem in vrbe the whole worlde in one citie but we see that God hath chosen many out of Ierusalem the Church is not tyed therunto God hath suffred by his righteous will many Christiā churches to be turned into the tēples of the Turks as that of Ephesus founded by S. Paul S. Iohn that of Bonne in Barbarie where Saint Austin preached c. And further it is sayde there expresly Glossa communis in eum versiculum Apocal 12.8 c. that the Church of God for a long time by reason of the persecution of Antichrist shal retire herself into the wildernes as the common glose it selfe doeth expounde If euer there were church that might alledge succession of place it was Ierusalem for of it was said Deut. 12.11 2. Sam. 7.10 1. King 8.29 Dominus in hoc Templo in aeternum habitabit The Lord wil euermore dwell in this house Also ◠King 21.7 Psal 132.14 Elegi 〈…〉 hanc domum vt nomen meum 〈◊〉 in perpetuum maneat I haue chosen this house to the end that my name may dwell there for euer And therefore the Priests had no other answere to al the Prophets that reprooued them but this Templum Domini Iere. 7.4 Templum Domini The Temple of the Lorde the Temple of the Lorde But see what the Lorde himselfe answereth vnto them Ite sayth he ad locum meum in Shiloh vbi habitauit nomen meum a principio c. Go and see Shiloh I haue chosen it from the beginning for my house nowe see what I haue done vnto it for the wickednes of my people I wil do euen so to the place which I haue giuen vnto you and to your fathers But if you will that I dwell there amend your wayes turne from your euil deedes Now therefore I say if God hath forsaken his owne Temple for the iniquitie of the Priestes euen then when he had none besides erected in the whole worlde must we tye our selues to the church of Rome or to any other place where all the clymates of the world are equally his temple I can not but maruaile why any of our countrey men shoulde take the church of Rome to be the mother church of all churches and the same to be an article of our faith We are not expresly commanded by the word of God to acknowledge the church of Rome Caput mundi the head of the worlde neyther is it expressed in holy scripture that we are condemned
Therefore Saul Caiaphas haue prophecied but as Saynt Augustine sayeth as Balaams asse once spake August lib. 2 ad simpli quaest 1. yet for all that they might haue once spoken the trueth for the deuill himself to colour his lying sometimes speaketh the trueth Howe weake my brethren your reuelations be and howe small credit ought to be giuen therunto there is no man but shoulde know At Rome you haue them that receiue reuelations daily as for example A poore man there is in the citie of Rome of whome I doubt not but you haue heard who maketh men beleeue that our blessed Lady with her garde of heauenly mayds saluteth him and hath conference with him dayly This man is no otherwise then a Saynt counted among the Iesuits The Pope hath him to pray for him the people regard him as a holy holy man This man helpeth the citizens to bring the wood from Tyber syde to their houses of his gaine hee reserueth nothing else but that which is sufficiēt for meat drink cloth the rest he giueth to the poore Father Hieronimus Iesuite repetitour of the Logiciās in the English Seminarie at Rome reported that there was there dwelling an old woman I wil not otherwise cal her for I deale gently mildely with you which would as he sayd tell him euery thing that hee had done in his life time and when he came to her house at any time she would tell one of her maydes not hauing seen him that there was such a felowe comming vnto her house She also foretolde him that he shoulde become a Iesuite Hee reported in like wise how the Pope in diuers matters cōsulted with her He praised this womā out of measure sayd how she was greatly in fauor with God who reuealed such hiddē secret mysteries vnto her He cōmended thereby the happie state of Rome that there shoulde be such in that city as were worthy to receiue these reuelatiōs visions he counted her a Saint No dout if one that I knew at Cowbridge in Wales in the Towne where I was borne had bene there they would haue taken him as a Saint and familiar felowe with Christ For whē he was aliue as he wandred the countrey he made men beleeue that he woulde tell them their fortune what thinges had before chaunced in their time thinges that shoulde happen afterwardes euen vnto their dying day But this man as he was wont to saye tooke his reuelations frō the Pharies But the Romanists affirme that their reuelations come from God or from some Angell or Saint of heauen where as in very deede if a man had the straight examination of them I am perswaded they would confesse that they haue their reuelations from the Phairies or frō the deuill as the other had whereof mention is made Moreouer there was a rich man in Lombardy that had the like reuelations but farre more excellent then the other vpon consideration whereof hee solde all that he had and gaue it to the poore frankly For it was reuealed vnto him in a vision by Christ his Apostles and the same also confirmed with the bodyly presence of our blessed Lady that he should be Pope of Rome and should trāslate the See of Rome into the citie of Hierusalem This man not able to reade presumed to preach and gathered vnto him twelue Apostles who at his cōmandement preached in likewise They had many folowers and such as beleeued him so much the sooner for that he told them that hee had receiued a reuelation He was presented before Cardinall Bromeo Cardinal of Milaine who examined him and when he had tolde this vision he was dismist and sette at libertie They counted not this man an heretique for crediting such false reuelations making himselfe Christ choosing to him self twelue Apostles Oh my brethren deceyue not your selues seeke not to deceyue others that meane you no hurt It is but in vaine to swim against the streame It is not wisdome to mainteyne an error knowē I am sure your consciences are burnt with hoate yrons speaking and maynteyning lyes in hypocrisie Oh giue not your selues ouer into reprobate wilful mindes despise not the wisdome of God within your selues Seeke not to be offensiue and grieuous to any which bee of the Church of Christe Doe what you can Gods trueth is mightie shall preuayle Dagon shal fal down headlōg before the Arke the darknes shal flee before the light the more fiercely mās wisedome shall withstande the more glorious shal God be in his victorie the more you doe falsely slaunder the faithfull and true meaning ministers of God the greater shal their reward bee in the heauenly kingdom of Christ If you take my conuersion to the true church to be outwardly and not inwardly and the same to be spotted with hypocrisie I may bee sorye not for my selfe as though I were such a one as you take mee to be for GOD knoweth it is nothing so his name be praised therefore but for your rashnesse in iudging that which you knowe not It is God that is the searcher of mens heartes and none other If I recanted eyther for feare of punishment or for prefermentes sake you mought count me then if it were so as it is not to be farre worse then a Turke or Pagan who neuer receiued the trueth Howe can I be a Protestant outwardly and a Papist in heart with a minde to be saued You knowe that according to your owne papisticall lawes no man dare in cōmon assembly deny the Popes authoritie and afterwardes to name himself the member of that church of Rome I am sure that no man is a true christian which with his lippes doeth professe Christ and with his heart doeth flatly denye him As I doe acknowledge that there is a God a Trinitie in vnitie to be woorshipped who hath most gloriously beautified the heauens most plentifully enriched the earth most Angelically created man who hath ordeyned the heauen to mayntaine life and light the earth to succour and sustaine nature all creatures liuing in land and water to supply his wants nothing to be reckened named which he hath not most liberally giuen vnto man as appointing him lord and soueraigne but them his vessels and seruants Against hunger lest we shoulde famish he hath prouided nourishment against thirst lest we shoulde perish he hath ordayned sauoury liquors Against colde lest we should die in our nakednesse he hath giuen vs clothing As I acknowledge the omnipotencie of God and confesse the vnmeasurable greatnesse of his goodnes loue towardes man so do I verily from the very bottome of my heart detest your Popish religion embrace the vndefiled trueth of Christes Gospell I cal God to witnesse that what I haue already spoken with my lippes that doe I establish in my minde I beseech you all such as haue forsaken the Pope sometimes to praye for mee that it would please God to make me a profitable
member of his church and stedfast in the faith of Iesus Christ euen vnto the end of my life So much for Antiquitie Multitude succession of persons or place miracles and reuelations God of his mercy graunt you my brethren true repentance Nowe good Christian audience and welbeloued brethren I will speake a worde or two touching the images which Papistes allow and haue in their churches The scriptures in sundry places plainely forbid any image to bee made The Lorde warned the people of Israel Deut. 4.15 that they should remēber that they sawe no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto them in Horeb out of the mids of the fire Isa 40.18 And in Isaiah Cui assimilabitis Deum aut qua similitudine illum exprimetis To whome then wil you liken God or what similitude will you sette vp vnto him And againe the Lorde confirmeth the same Isa 44.9 to the 19. saying Quis audebit effingere Deum aut fusile aut sculptile facile quod nihil prodest Who hath made a god or molten an image that is profitable for nothing Beholde all they that are of the fellowship thereof shal be confounded for the workmen themselues are men let them all be gathered together and stande vp yet they shal feare and be confounded together I can not a litle maruayle that among you my brethren I meane the Papistes that Dominicke Asotus writing vpon the Epistle to the Romanes the first chapter Rom. 2.21 durst so boldly affirme that in the same commādement of God the Christiās were not forbidden to make images representing the fourme of man for sayde hee the lawe there onely maketh mention of birdes of fourefooted beastes of creeping wormes whereas in very deede they are strayghtly charged not to make the images of male or female Moreouer it is expressed in the Psalme Psal 115.4 5 6 c. Os habent non loquuntur pedes habent non ambulant aures habēt non audiunt nares non odorantur They haue a mouth and speake not they haue feete and walke not they haue eares and heare not they haue noses and smell not The Carpenter is blamed in Isaiah Isaiah 44.13 14. which of one part of the hewen tree maketh an image of the other parte he maketh fire and vpon the same he baketh bread he carueth and laboureth much that he may expresse the similitude of a man By all these places it doeth manifestly appeare that the images of men are vtterly forbidden which are instituted to a religious end And yet you though you knowe that all maner worshipping of images is forbidden by expresse testimonies of the holy scripture must haue them forsooth as you say for bookes vnto such as can not reade What thinke you in making the image of God the father and God the holy Ghost You knowe God is a Spirite Iohn 4.24 whereof it followeth that you can not expresse his forme with lineaments with paintings and colours It is writtē Iohn 1.18 1. Tim. 2.16 1. Ioh. 4.12 that no mā hath euer seene God Why then if he can not be seene or if he possesse inaccessible light howe can he be pictured or howe should a picture make him to bee seene Moreouer God is vnmeasurable and infinite but the thinges which are paynted grauen or molten are measurable finite Likewise Images are made of men that the absent after a maner may be thought present but God is euery where neyther is he absent from any thing It is written in the Psalme Psal 139.7 8 9. Si ascendero in coelum tu illic es Therefore it behooueth vs not to make God present with images seeing he is alwaies present to al men The image should with apt similitude expresse that which is to be represented Howe doeth the image of God the father rightly truly represent him whereas he hath no beginning The images are made by man and haue a beginning Who can set forth the quantitie of God and his wonderfull woorkes howe he is neuer idle but euermore doing that which tendeth to the saluation of man Contrariwise images sleepe and doe nothing at all Moreouer God is altogether wisedome and knowledge whereas your images feele nothing and vnderstande as much Saint Paul sayeth Actes 17.29 that we must not thinke the Godhead to be like golde or siluer or stone grauen by arte God that made the worlde and all thinges therein Actes 7.48 seeyng that he is Lorde of heauen and earth dwelleth not in temples made with handes neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giueth to all life and breath and all things Fortunate doe I thinke those stones to be whereof images are made and put vpon your popish altars because they are had in such reuerence and honor amongst you whereas other stones not vnlike vnto thē lye in the streetes are troden with feete and spet vpon Papistes obiection You obiect vnto vs the authoritie of the Scriptures and say It is lawfull to paint God in the forme of man which you seeke to proue by the vii of Daniel Dan. 7.13 22. I behelde sayeth the Prophet till the thrones were set vpon and the ancient of dayes did sitte whose garment was white as snowe and the heares of his head like the pure wooll his throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fyre In Ezechiel speaking of God Ezech. 1.5 is expressed the figure of man Isaiah sayeth Esay 6.1 that he sawe God sitting vpon a Throne Moses also with the Seniours sawe God when hee sate in his Throne or tribunal seate Exod. 33.20 23. And in the mount he sawe God in the forme of man departing Seeing these things nowe vttered were seene of the Prophets why then is it vnlawfull for vs to paint God with colours and karuing I answere thus vnto your obiection The diuersitie of bodily members which is ascribed vnto God in the holy Bible hath shewed in a mysterie that the Diuine nature should take vpō it the humane nature and likewise it signified mystically that God should take vpon him fleshe and become man Yea to let this answere goe I say it was the goodnesse of God wherewith he so applyed himself vnto our infirmity that whereas we could not vnderstand his nature GOD appeared so in the sight of man as though hee had bene man himselfe By his eyes hee described prouidence by his armes strength by his handes workemanshippe by his nostrelles wrath and many things of like sorte And whereas you say that it is lawfull for vs for the expressing of God to vse the like lineaments colours and caruings it followeth not To GOD there is no lawe giuen which hee ought to obserue neyther are all thinges lawfull to men which he iustly and rightly hath done Exod. 7.5 God reuengeth him on his enemies Gen. 22.2 10 hee giueth commaundement to the