thereof as differ from the Liturgy of the Church of Rome such principall parts of the said diuine Seruice are here to bee iustified to bee established amongst vs according to that Doctrine which our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles haue deliuered For performance whereof it is to be vnderstood that there are sundry points of Religion set downe in the said booke whereof no pretended Catholique is supposed to make any doubt Of this sort it is that the said Booke appointeth the reading of the holy Scriptures of both the Testaments and particularly out of the old Testament of the Law of the two Tables contayning the ten Commandements of Almighty God and out of the new Testament of the Lords Prayer Of like kinde also it is that in the same our faith in many of the highest and most sacred mysteries of Christian Religion is declared and professed in three of the most ancient and notable Confessions of Christian faith that haue beene gathered out of the Scriptures in any former ages Of which Confessions or Creedes as they are commonly called the first and most ancient is that which vsually is called the Apostles Creede because it containeth many principall points of the Doctrine of the Apostles and in a great part followeth from one degree to another the Story of the Gospell concerning the sundry degrees of the humiliation and glory of our Sauiour Christ The other two are somewhat larger declarations of the same points of doctrine that are in the former of which Confessions or Creedes the one is of Athanasius that resolute constant Professor of Christ worthy in honour to be immortall in the Church according to his name The other the Creede set forth by the first and most famous oecumenicall Councell of Nice Besides these though not expressed in this booke the Lawes of England so receiue the holy determinations of all the first foure generall Councels in that they agreeably to the Scriptures determined of the doctrine concerning Christs two natures of God and Man and of the Vnity of his Person and of the Godhead of the holy Ghost against the damnable Heresies of Arius Nestorius Eutyches and Macedonius as they ordaine punishment by death vpon any that shall obstinately maintaine the foresaid Heresies Moreouer the said booke appointeth the order for the administration of both the Sacraments instituted by our Sauiour Christ as signes and seales of the Gospell of Christ and of the righteousnes that is by Faith viz. Baptisme the Sacrament of our new birth and the Lords Supper the Sacrament of our continuall nourishment by him to life euerlasting Finally the same booke containeth besides the Lords prayer the true rule and direction whereby all other are framed many other godly prayers for all estates and degrees and applied to the confession of our sins to the administration of the Sacraments and other like occasions of the Church Thus farre of such particulars as it is to be thought no Christian doubteth but that they are from God Wherefore the proofe to bee made seemeth needfull only in such points as our Church hath reformed in the Religion and Liturgie professed and vsed in the Church of Rome Now therefore the principall things of difference betweene our diuine Sâ—ruice and the Liturgie of the Church of Rome follow to be considered in the principall parts thereof after that two points haue beene debated which are to be regarded in them all whereof the former is the subiect or person that is to say who it is that with Sâ—ruice of Religion ought to be serued and worshiped by vs * In the Church of England God only is worshipped with diuine seruice not any creature or dead things as Images reliques suâ—n like in England by publique Authority with Diuine seruice the law intendeth that onely the true eternall God the Almighty creatour of heauen and earth and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ is to be religiously serued and honored by vs. For which cause it is ordained that the word of God be read and expounded that his Sacraments bee administred and that all our prayers be made to God and to God alone And by like Authority there are learned Homilies set out declaring and prouing that to worship creatures in themselues or in their Images and to haue them in Churches is not lawfull Now in some former time by the authority of the Sea of Rome our Churches Temples in England were wont to bee full of Images some representing God the sacred Mystery of the Persons in the Godhead and some representing Iesus Christ both otherwise and specially as hee was crucified besides these there was also almost an innumerable multitude of Images representing the Saints departed out of this life besides many other of whose Christian vertues there appeared little proofe And as these Images were brought into the Churches so they were by like authority serued and worshiped with garments ornaments kissing kneeling creeping candlelight censing reading their Legends finging Anthemes and making prayers to them and to their honour or at least to their honour that were represented by them Which being so it is to bee considered what our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles taught concerning the subiect of diuinâ— Seruice that so it might appeare that our Religion and manner of seruing God in England is the same in this respect that was taught by them and that the other of the Sea of Rome is directly contrary to their Doctrine Our Sauiour Chist taught that God is a Spirit Ioh. 4.23 24. and that whosoeuer will worship him aright must worship him in spirit and truth whereby it is plaine that the Godhead or any person of the Godhead cannot be represented by an Image For if no Art of a man can truely represent the soule of a man because it is a spirituall substance which no bodily thing can truly represent much lesse can the spirituall substance of God be represented which without all comparison is more simple Rom. 1. verse 18. to 24 25. For which cause the Apostle saith that the Gentiles representing God by creatures were guilty of lying and turned that which God truely is into a false resemblance In which respect also the Prophets call such Images teachers of lyes Hab. 2.18.19 Ier. 10.8 which is manifest so to be because it is a false representation to represent Eternity by that which had a beginning incorruption by that which is corruptible the creator by the creature and that more false then if a man would repâ—esent the day by the night light by darkenesse and life by death Moreouer Rom. 1.24 to the end the Apostle there teacheth that God held himselfe so highly dishonoured thereby as for that cause he gaue them ouer to their owne lusts to dishonour themselves with all kinde of shamefull dishonour and abhominable iniquities Whereunto the sâ—me Apostle doth adde in another place 1 Cor. 6.9 that Idolaters shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Reuel
21.8 Likewise in the Reuelation it is said that Idolaters together with dogges Iâ— chanters Harlots and Lyers shall not enter into the City of God the heauenly Ierusalem Moreouer our Sauiour Christ teacheth concerning the worship of God agreeably to the Law saying it is written Math. 4. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue By which words he declareth it to be vtterly vnlawfull to worship any creature with the worship that is due vnto God and further that all religious kneeling adoration is to be yeelded to God onely Which is agreeable to the ancient commandement that so commandeth God to be worshipped Exod. 20.4 as it forbiddeth by way of Religion to worship with religious worship the likenes of any creature either in heauen or in earth or in the waters vnder the earth against the transgressors of which commandement the Lord declareth himselfe most prouoked to vengeance in comparing his anger to the anger of aiealous man that will not bee pacified by any meanes but will be aâ—enged vpon the adulterer Likewise in that he addeth further a terrible commination against Idolaters whom he there declareth to hold for his enemies and such as hate him in threatning to visite that is to punish their sinnes in their children and also in their childrens children to the third and fourth generation For which cause the Apostle Iohn exhorteth all Christians to beware of Idols saying 1 Iohn 5.21 Little children keepe your selues from Idols or take ye heede and beware of Images 1 Cor. 10.14 So the Apostle Paul writeth to the Corinthians saying My beloued fly from Idolatry 1 Thes 1.9 Likewise the same Apostle in al his ministry sought to withdraw as the Corinthians and the Thessalonians so all other gentiles from the seruice of Idols to serue the true God Acts 17.16 For which cause also being at Athens and greiued in spirit to see their City wholy addicted to the seruice of Idols did most zealously endeauour both in the Synogogues of the Iewes and in the market place vpon all occasions and in the highest Court of Iustice to disswade them from those vaine and impious seruices and exhort them to worship onely the true God the creator of heauen and earth To which end also in another place he shewing that true Christians because they are the Temples of God ought to haue nothing to doe with Idols saith What participation hath Iustice with iniquitie 2 Cor. 6.14.15 or what communion hath light with darknesse or what communion can Christ haue with Belial or what part can a faithfull man haue with an Infidell or what agreement can the Temple of God haue with Idols Wherefore goe yee out from the middest of them and separate your selues saith the Lord and touch no vncleanc thing and then I will receiue you and I will bee your father and you shall be my sonnes and daughters sayth the Lord God Almighty This is that our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles taught concerning the worshiping of God only and the auoyding with all zealous detestation the seruice of Idols and Images and reliques and of any creature Now in times past contrary to this doctrine our Churches were full of Idols and Images and such religious adoration and seruice was yeelded and done vnto them adoration in bodily gestures of vncouering the head vnto them of kissing them and bowing the body and the knee vnto them and such like seruice in couering them with garments adorning them with ornaments incensing of them burning candles before them bestowing gifts vpon them making vowes and going of Pilgrimages vnto them with other such like seruices But the Lord vouchsafing vs mercy stirred vp the spirit of our renowned Princes to reforme such enormities as many vertuous Kings of Iudah had done the like before them and hauing caused the Temples and Churches to bee cleansed from all such Idols and Idolatry straightly charged and commanded all their Subiects abandoning all these vaine and most impious seruices to Idols to worship the true and liuing God and to yeeld religious adoration and seruice to him onely On the contrary in all places yet subiect to the Sea of Rome the Temples are full of Images yea priuate houses publique streets and high-wayes and nothing either so priuate or so publique where these Idols are not By which comparison it manifestly appeareth that our Religion in England for this point of the subiect of diuine Seruice is that which was taught by Christ and his Apostles and the seruice of the Sea of Rome is directly contrary to it and full of Idolatry But some thinke to avoid all that the Scriptures speak against Idols and Idolatry by a distinction or two for which end distinguishing betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they say that this latter only that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is forbidden to bee giuen to creatures but the former that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be giuen to some creatures yea to some also a higher worship which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this distinction cannot serue to excuse the worship seruice done to Images by such as are subiect to the Sea of Rome For the people ignorant of this distinction if there were any such in the Scriptures could not possibly be kept from Idolatry by it but would be in continuall danger to passe the bounds of worship prescribed and to giue to their Images the honor of Almighty God But the Scriptures make no such distinction at all but indifferently vse both these alike to note the sernice and servants of God Our Sauiour sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye cannot serue God and mammon Likewise the Apostle Paul calleth himselfe The Seruant of Christ Rom. 1.1 Gal. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Likewise in the Acts of the Apostles all the Apostles call themselues by the same word the Seruants of God Of the Thessalonians it is sayd that they had beene turned to God from Idols Acts 2.29 1 Thes 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serue the true and liuing God and in like manner in diuers other places whereby it is plaine that this distinction hath no ground in the word of God Moreouer by the same word it appeareth that such seruices as the Sea of Rome ordaineth to be done to their Images are such as are due to God only and for yeelding whereof to Images theyr worshippers are charged with Idolatry This is proued by that the law speaking of all similitudes of things sayeth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor serue them And in the first booke of the Kings 1 King 19.18 19. ver 18. it is sayd I haue left 7000. in Israel which haue not bowed the knee to Baal and whose mouth hath not kissed him Ro. 11.4 Further in the second booke of Kings chap. 18. ver 14. it is written of the vertuous and zealous King Ezekias
that he tooke away the high places brake downe the Images cut downe the groues and that he beat into powder the brasen Serpent which Moysus had made because the Israelits to that day had offered incense to it and called it Nehustan that is a peece of brasse By which places it appeareth that for the seruices of bowing the knee to the Image of Baal and of kissing his Image and of censing the brasen Serpent such worshippers are reproued as Idolaters And these with many other like are the seruices that by the ordinances and practise of the Sea of Rome are dayly done to Images by those which cleaue still to that Sea whereof it followeth that for the same causes they are iustly charged with Idolatry On the contrary part it appeareth that our Religion yeelding all religious Seruice onely to the true eternall God and giuing no such seruice to any Image or creature whatsoeuer is the same that was taught by our Sauiour Christ and by his Apostles Yet for excuse of such Idolatry as hath beene mentioned there is yet further alleaged that the Images of the heathen men onely are Idols and not the Images of Christians and holy men set vp in the Churches subiect to the Sea of Rome But this is plainely confuted by that the Prohibition of the law forbiddeth bowing down of the body or any manner of religious seruice to bee done to the likenes of any thing is heauen in the earth Exod. 20. or in the waters vnder the earth Now the Images set vp in all the Popish Churches are similitudes of some such things therefore they are by that law forbidden Besides the law commanding God onely to be adored serued and worshiped religiously excludeth alike from that honor all creatures whatsoeuer Esay 42.8 according as it is said I will not giue my honor to any other In regard hereof the Lord making mention of his Iealousey Exod. 20.5 compareth with adultâ—ry that offence done to him in communicating such adoration and seruice with any other Therefore as the wife is no lesse an adulteresse that communicateth the honor and beneuolence due to her husband alone with the chiefe seruant he hath as the wife of Potiphar would haue done with Ioseph then if she yeeld the same to a stranger So the Idolatry is no lesse that is done in communicating these honors with the chiefe seruants of God then was the Idolatry of the heathen in yeelding of the same to the Lords of the Gentiles Sometime the Lord in this respect compareth himselfe also to a King Now in like manner they are no lesse guilty of high treason against a lawfull King that yeeld his proper regalities and honors to any of his owne subiects then if they did it to strangers For the alleagiance being communicated with any other high treason is commited whatsoeuer the party be to whom it is yeelded whether it be an enemie or a friend a stranger or a subiect one that is farre off or of the nearest about him and of cheefest dignity in his Court. For these are duties that will not admit of any participation and fellowship with any other but are to be yeelded wholly and onely to the soueraigne King and lawfull Husband And as whatsoeuer is otherwise is adultery and high treason so in the case of religious adoring and worshipping whatsoeuer is yeelded to any creature or to the Image and likenesse of any creature is the sinne of Idolatry Therefore the difference betwixt the parties represented by the Images cannot excuse the matter Moreouer that such adoration and seruice is not to be excused may appeare in that often times the people of Israel and others are reprooued for worshipping the Sunne the Moone the Starres and all the hoste of heauen Likewise in that the censing of the brasen Serpent is accounted Idolatry notwithstanding that at the beginning it had beene set vp by Gods expresse commandement for another purpose and that it in a sort represented Christ Crucified and lifted vp on high by the preaching of the Gospell that all which should looke vpon him and behold him with the eye of Faith might be saued from the power and sting of Sathan the old Serpent The same may be also prooued by that the Apostle Paul Act. 14.14 when they would haue sacrificed to him which was no more then offering incense to this effect rent his clothes and with great zeale detested it that any such thing should be done vnto him The Apostle Peter also being respected and reuerenced by Cornelius Acts 10.25 26. with so much reuerence as seemed to him might be dangerous to prooue offensiue to God withdrew him earnestly from it and acknowledged himselfe to be his fellow seruant The worship of Angels is likewise reprooued in the Epistle to the Colossians and the Apostle Iohn Col. 2.18 rauished vpon the suddaine with admiration of the Angel that had reuealed so great Mysteries vnto him and worshipping him was forbidden by the Angell Reuel 19.10 acknowledging himselfe to bee fellow seruant with Iohn Reuel 22.8 9. and exhorted to yeeld that honour to God onely And if such honour be not to be giuen to the Apostles of Christ nor yet to the Angels in heauen surely it is not to bee giuen to any other creature much lesse to their Images Hereunto may be added that the Images of Christians are as well the workemanship of men as those of the Heathen were Further also that the Images euen of the Apostles and of Christ himselfe were for their matter like to the Images of the Heathen being made of wood stone mettall or such like matters The outward shape also is no other Likewise it â—s to be said as well of them as of the other Psal 115.4 5 6 7 8. That they haue eyes to see yet they see not eares to heare but they heare not feete to goe but walke not but stand in neede to be lifted vp to the place where they stand and to be nailed to it least they fall downe Therefore no such Images are to bee honoured nor to bee suffered in Christian Churches For these and such like are the reasons for which the worshippers of Images are reprocued by the Scriptures as Idolaters viz. because they worship the workes of mens hands they worship things that are dead as stocks and stones false representations and lying shapes that haue likenesse of senses and life and yet are indued with no sene nor power of life and finally such things as can neither do good nor hurt to men but need mens helpe to stand and may be burnt or otherwise consumed by them This is the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ and of his Apostles concerning this point that God onely is to be religiously worshipped and that no creatures or their Images are to be adored After that also a long time the same doctrine was acknowledged and the worship of Images reprooued For declaring whereof it may suffice
vnderstood by the people is profitable for them and fit to further them in the knowledge faith and obedience of God and as honorable to God by making knowne his goodnesse mercy Iustice greatnesse and peâ—fection in all respects vnto his Church and people This is confirmed also at large by the Apostle Paul in his former Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 14 as it hath beened clared Hereunto may bee added that it appeareth by the 33 and 36. verses that the Apostle ordayned thus in all other Churches that were taught by him and that the Church of Corinth in that disorder differed both from the Church of Ierusalem and from all other Churches that at that time had receiued the Gospell Further also it appeareth that in all ages before the true Church serued God with knowledge and vnderstanding of that was taught them and yeelded to God their Seruice in such sort as they knew what duty it was which they performed vnto him For first almighty God himselfe deliâ—ered the two tables of the tenne commandements in that speach which the people vnderstood After also by his commandement often times repeated both Moyses and the Priests Exo. 19 9. Exo. 20.18.19 Deut. 5 10 11 28 29.30 c. are charged to teach the people to heare and know learne and obserue the low of God Particularly the law commanded that the King should write the coppy of the law in a booke coppied out of that booke which was kept by the leuitical Priests Deut. 6.1 2 3. c. wherein he is charged to reade all the dayes of his life chap. 17.18 19. Deut. 12.1.27.1 c. 29.1 c. that he may learne to feare the Lord his God and to obserue and doe all his commandements In many places of the bookes of Moyses and especially in the booke of Deut. it is sayd that Moyses taught all the people the commandements and statutes which the Lord had deliuered vnto him Ios 1.10 11. c. Iosuah in like manner dealt with all the people instructing and exhorting them to the obseruation of the statutes which God had deliuered vnto them In the like manner did Dauid 1 Chron. 16.2 4 7 35 36 37. and all the Prophets deliuering Psalmes and other bookes of Scriptures in the Hebrew tongue for the publique vse of the Church of Israell which they had indited in the Hebrew tongue the common speech of all the people Likewise Solomon 1 Chton 25.2 5 28.2 8. c. 1 Kings â—â— 55 57 58 61 62. Dauids son at the dedication of the Temple which hee had builded made his solemne prayers and publique supplications vnto God in the hearing of all the people in their owne Hebrew tongue which they best vnderstood And of Iosias it is also particularly recorded 2 Kings 22.11 23.2 3. c. that hee read in the hearing of all the people from the greatest to the least of them all the words of Gods Couenant which had beene found in the house of the Lord. After the captiuity also wee reade Ezra 8.21 9.5 â— 10.1 that Ezra at a publique feast once or twice made his earnest supplication vnto God for all the people they hearing and so vnderstanding him that men women and children wept and lamented exceedingly And in the booke of Nehemiah it is written Ezra did reade the booke of the law of God from morning to mid-day before all the people men women and all that for vnderstanding were fit to heare and that all the people was attentiue to the booke of the law and when Ezra blessed all the people said Amen Nehe. 8.2 3 4 7 8 9 10 c. Amen with lifting vp their hands and bowing downe their heads they worshipped God with their faces towards the ground In the time of our Sauiour Christ the Apostle Iames sayth Moyses was read and preached euery Sabbath in the Synagogues Acts 15.21 13.15 of which custome wee reade an example in the 13 of the Asts where it is said that after the reading of the law and the Prophets Paul and Barnabas were willed to exhort the people Of the example of our Sauiour Christ it is expresly written as hath beene touched before Luke 4.16 17 21 22. that hee entred into the Synagogue of Nazareth vpon the sabbath day as his manner was and there standing vp to reade when the booke of the Prophet Esay had beene deliuered to him hee opened it and read that which is written in the begining of the 61 Chap. of that Prophecy And further that hauing deliuered againe the booke hee sate downe and the eyes of all that were in the Synogogue were bent vpon him To whom hauing sayd that that Scripture was fulfiled that day in their hearing they all bare him witnesse that it was so and maruelled at the speeches full of grace that proceeded out of his mouth The like practise of the Apostles in their Liturgie and publique ministry in the Church at Ierusalem appeareth in the booke of the Acts and namely in these places Acts 2 4 7 8 14 22 37 38 40 41 42 46 47. Throughout the same booke and likewise in all Epistles of the Apostles it is playne that this was their practise amongst the dispersed Iewes and the Churches of the Gentiles as of the Romanes Corinthians and the rest yea that they did so ordaine in all Churches in their time 1 Cor. 14.33 36 37. For the time succeeding it appeareth by the Apologeticall writings of Iustin Martyr Tertullian and others that the Liturgies in their time were such as the people vnderstood The like appeareth in Ierome who was so desirous to further the knowledge of Religion in the common sort as hee translated the Scriptures into the Dalmaticall Sclauonian tongue for the vse of his Country men Origens Hexapla and Octopla bookes setting out the Scripture in so many diuers translations witnesse the like care and desite in him And of others Augustine writeth that the Latine translations were not to be numâ—red The Liturgies that go vnder the name of Basil and Chrysostome declare also that in the time wherein they were written when soeuer it was for they cannot be of their time but latter the Church vnderstood the Scripture Prayer Thankesgiuing and other parts of diuine Seruice that was administred amongst them And in the East Church it continued so â—â—long time as appâ—areth by many exhortations of Chrysostome and other of the Greeke Teachers to the reading of the Scriptures and by some parts of the Liturgie whereof mention is made in their writings So did it like wise long continue in the West Church euen till almost all things were corrupted and that darkenesse had ouer cast the face of the heauens and taken the light thereof from these parts of the earth namely in the Church of Romeâ— which howsoeuer it hath preuailed and continued a long time in diuers parts and especially in these of the West yet in this
against the Pestilence Feuer Toothach Gout Falling sicknesse and such like In their Letany and Masses they pray to Angels to the Mother of our Lord Iesus Christ to the Apostles to Martyrs to diuers confessors Bishops Doctors of the Church and to Saints of the Popes Cannonizing and saynting In their prayers to them they pray them to saue their sinfull soules to destroy their enemies to heale them of their diseases to deliuer them from all aduersities and all impediments of Soule and body at the howre of death to receiue their soules and to bring them to euerlasting life An infinite number almost of examples of such prayers might be rehearsed which they make vnto Creatures And to them likewise they offer their thanksgiuing vowes incense guifts and oblations yea they say the Lords Prayer beginning Our Father c. Before euery picture and Image of them in their Churches or houses so fulfilling that which was sayd to the old Idolaters that they say to the block and to the stone thou hast begotten me Esay 44.17 Hab. 2.19 But to the blessed Mother of our Lord Iesus Christ they doe more wrong in this kinde then to any of the soules of the faithfull that are departed out of this life for they magnifie her with the names of our Lady the Queene of Heauen the Lady of the Angels the mother of mercy the hope of the Church our life our sweetnesse our hope some of them say that God hath giuen her the one halfe of his Kingdome that is of mercy and hath reserued to himselfe the other which is of iudgment they say also vnto her By right of a mother commaund thy sonne they abuse the Salutation of the Angell beginning in latine with Aue Maria as a prayer vnto her oâ— to doe her honor with the rehearsing of it and ordaine that it bee sayd at a knell of the bell They vse Rosaryes in her honor that is saying Aues vpon their beades for euery ten of them one Pater noster that is in all 55 to a Rosary Of three such Rosaryes they made a Psalter for her wherein shold be 150 Aues according to the number of the Psalmes There hath also beene made a speciall Letany to her and a Psalter wherein throwout all the Psalmes the name Lord is turned into Lady and whatsoeuer is spoken to God in all the Psalmes is attributed vnto her But it were endlesse to rehearse all the meanes whereby God is robbed of this high pâ—rt of his glory of Prayers and prayses by such as are of the Church of Rome and namely by their psalters canonicall howres Letanies Collects antiphonyes missals and such like parts of their Liturgie and diuine Seruice This may suffice to shew how that which was intended that whereas in our diuine Seruice in England wee offer prayers and thankes vnto God onely according to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles they offer them to Creatures passing by the Creator blessed for euer Amen Wherein contrary to the Doctrine of Christ they haue not onely according to the number of their Citties multiplyed their Gods as it is sayd According to the number of thy Cittyes are thy Gods O Iudah but of townes streets Churches Chappels houses persons diseases and other occasions euen to praying to dumbe stockes and stones to the astonishment of heauen and earth as it is in the Prophet Ieremy O yee Heauens Iere. 2.12.13 bee astonished at this bee affrayd and vtterly confounded saith the Lord for my people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken mee the fountaine of liuing waters to dig them pits that can hold no water The other poynt is like vnto this For whereas in our English Church as Christ and his Apostles haue taught vs we haue but one God to whom wee pray and but one Mediator and intercessor by whom and in whose name and merits wee present our Prayers to God So on the contrary part the Church of Rome directly contrary to the doctrine of Christ and of all the Scriptures prayeth to men and Angels as hath beene declared so doth it likewise offer vp Prayers to God by the intercession of Angels and of men This appeareth in like manner in their Letanies Missalls Anthemes Collects and sundry parts of their Liturgie For in them they desire all the Angels and Arch-Angels to pray for them and by name Gabriel Michaell Raphaell They desire the mediation of all the Apostles in generall and of euery out in particular This petition they make also to all the Martyres in common and to diâ—ers by their proper Names to the Doctors of the Church to Confessors to sundry Popes Bishops Abbots and other Canonized Saints both men and women that they would pray for them to God that by their intercession yea and also by their merrits they may bee freed from their sinnes and the punishment due for the same and may obtaine all grace to euerlasting life In so many sundry sorts doe they dishonor the Sunne of God and rob him of that high glory and preheminence of his Priesthood which standeth in making intercession for his people in communicating it with so many others to whom it cannot in any sort belong For it is hee alone that was made the High Priest of the new Testament and that with an oath and the same for euer for which cause also his Priesthood is sayd to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as passeth not from his owne person to any other Heb. 7.16.17.20.21 Heb 7.23.24 Hee obtained this honor to enter into heauen to make prayer and intercession for vs by the shedding of his most pretious blood by the merrit whereof hee presenteth himselfe continually in the presence of God Heb. 9.7.12 Ver. 12.14 to obtaine all grace needfull for his Church which honor hauing beene obtained by blood it cannot agree to Angels which are only spirits neither haue flesh nor blood This blood whereby hee obtained this honor 1 Pet. 1.19 Iohn 1.19.36 Heb 9.14 is the blood of the Lambe immaculate vndefiled without spot or blemish that is of one perfectly innocent and righteous in the sight of God But such is not the state of any man whatsoeuer Esay 53.6 Psal 143.2 Wee haue all erred and gone astray saith the Prophet Esay And the Propher Dauid likewise Enter not into Iudgement with thy Seruant O Lord for no flesh shall bee iustified in thy sight Psal 14.1.3 Rom. 3.10 And againe There is none that doth good no not one Which is also the testimony of all the Prophets and Apostles wherefore all men are subiect to death by reason of sinne and are not able to procure fauour for themselues how then should they bee mediators and intercessors to procure fauour for others who themselues stand in neede to bee saued by the intercession and merrits of Iesus Christ But if there were any of them righteous yet the shedding of their blood could no more procure fauour for vs with
Prophets which had foreshewed the comming of Christ and themselues to haue murdered Christ that iust and righteous Person Fourthly by his constant testimony that hee beheld the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God Finally by his dying in the inuocation of the name of the Lord Iesus By all which reasons it is plaine that Steuen dyed for no other cause then onely for professing Iesus Christ to bee the Sonne of God and the Sauiour whom God had promised to send for the saluation of his people and this faith our Church in England by Gods mercy doth constantly professe with all that call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus and houldeth it most honorable to dye forbearring witnesse to that most holy faith Which being so it is cleare that Steuen whose head first had the honor to weare the Crowne of Martyrdome dyed for that faith which is at this day professed in England not for the Masse nor the Popes Supremacy nor any other Popish Corruption of Christian faith whatsoeuer The like is to bee sayd of the Apostle Iames whom Herod slew with the sword as it appeareth by that it is said Act. 12.1.2.3 that Herod vexed certaine of the Church and that hee saw that the killing of Iames had pleased the Iewes who were the enimies of Christ and by apprehending and committing of the Apostle Peter in like sort In the Acts of the Apostles the like cause appeareth of all the persecution both of the Disciples and of the Apostles Wherefore vpon occasion the Apostle Paul professeth saying I am ready not onely to bee bound Act. 21.13 but also to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus In the Reuelation the like testimony is giuen of Antipas where it is written I know thy workes Reue. 2.13 and where thou dwellest namely where Sathans throne is I know that thou holdest my name and hast not denied my faith no not in the dayes wherein Antipas my faithfull Martyr was slayne amongst you where Sathan dwelleth Of other Christian Martyrs whose names are not mentioned in the Scriptures the like appeareth both by the prophecies and performances of their sufferings In the second of the Reuelation it is written in the 10 verse Feare nothing of that thou art to suffer Behold the Diuell will cast some of you into prison that yee may bee tryed and yee shall haue affliction for ten dayes Bee faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the Crowne of life In the sixt Chapter verse the ninth where the first seale was opened it is sayd I saw vnder the Altar the soules of those which had beene slayne for the word of God and for the testimony which they maintained After to them crying to God to reuenge their blood it is in the eleuenth verse answered That they should rest yet a little time vntill their fellow seruants their brethren might bee fulfilled which were to bee slayne as well as they In the Chapter cleauenth from the third verse to the twelfth is foreshewed the Martyrdome of the two Witnesses which bare witnesse to the Gospell of Christ for the space of 1260 dayes Finally in Chap 20 verse 4. it is said I saw the soules of those which had beene smitten with the axe for the testimony of Iesus and for the word of God and which haue not worshipped the beast nor the Image of the beast nor haue the marke vpon their foreheads or in their hands and they shall liue and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares These are the Prophecies that make mention of Christian Martyrs by all which places and the comparing them one with another it may euidently appeare that all such Martyrs were to beare witnesse to the Lord Iesus Christ vnto death and to suffer not for any tradition or for any ordinance of the Church of Rome but for the word of God and for refusing to become Idolaters and to take the marke of the beast in their foreheads or in their hands Now the performance of these prophecies that haue beene fulfilled vnto this time doe likewise declare that the Christian Martyrs which haue suffered hitherto haue suffered death for professing that they worshipped onely the true God that had made heauen earth his onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christ and refused to worship the Pagan Emperours Idols and the Idols of the heathen that liued in any part of the Romane Empire The certaine and vndoubted truth hereof is to bee iustified by the Apologeticall and other writings of the ancient Fathers by the history of Eusebius other writers of Ecclesiasticall story namely of Martyrs likewise by Aurelius Prudentius in his booke of the Crownes of Martyrs and other of like argument By the testimony of these writers it appeareth for the tyme of the ten great and cruell persecutions of the Romane Emperours while they were yet heathen euen to the reigne of Constantiue the Great which was the space of aboue 300 yeares and namely in the last tenne yeeres persecutions vnder the fiue last heathen Emperours which time is thought to bee forshewed by the mention of tenne dayes spoken in the 2 Chap. of the Reuelation the 10 verse For by all these it is plentifully testified that the Christians were put to death for no other cause but for professing themselues to bee Christians and refusing to worship the Idols of the heathen The same is confirmed also by forraigne and heathen writers and namely by the edicts and proclamations of Emperors by the commandements of their officers in their seuerall Prouinces by their proceeding in Iudgment the voyce of the cryer proclaming that they which suffered death professed themselues to bee Christians by a writing which was written in a table of such their profession which was borne before the Martyrs and finally by the sentences of their Iudges for such cause onely adiuding them to suffer diuers sundry kindes of exquisite torments and cruell deaths To proue this by the particular report of all the Martyrs that suffered in that time to the reigne of the Great Constantine would bee two long But wee may take a few for example amongst those that are reported to suffer Martyrdome in that time Heere may bee remembred Polycarpus Pastor of the Church of Smyrna mentioned in the Reuelation a tree that bare much fruite according to his name and like the Date or Almond tree which the more it is pressed is the more fruitefull For of him it is written that after horrible threatnings of wild beasts and of fire growing in constancy and perseuering stedfastly in professing himselfe to bee a Christian and refusing to worship the Idols of the heathen the Cryer by commandement proclaimed and cryed thrice Polycarpus hath confessed himselfe to bee a Christian Likewise the people cryed out vpon him This is that Teacher of Asia the Father of the Christians the ouerthrower of our gods which hath taught many that our gods are not to bee worshipped