especially famous men for profession of religion with these things are the schooles of diuines earnestly occupied Mark heere good reader and consider what an vgly and fearefull monster this would haue beene if God had not come downe and cut him off with this two edged sword of his holy worde For beside all these before how many other new thinges came forth in the same generation First because Iohn Husse was put to death by the counsel of Constance against and contrarie to the Emperours letters pattentes of safe conduit there came foorth this new head of blasphemy Fides non seruanda haereticis promise is not to be kept with an hereticke And no maruell for b Platina Pope Alexander the sixt hauing by three Cardinals in Latine French Italian giuen full remission of sinnes to all the army of the French vnder Charles the 8. comming into Italie for the recouerie of Naples against their returne did way-lay them to haue cut them off with Maximilian K. of the Romans Ferdinand K. of Aragon Lodouich Sforce duke of Millan Secondly P. Pius the 2. made a new order of Scribes Abreuiators Paul the 2. made a law that none should weare scarlet bonets but the Cardinals and gaue euerie Cardinall a peece of scarlet to couer their Mules And he wold haue made their hattes of redde silke but that some sage Cardinals shewed him that the encrease of the pompe of the Church destroyed the Christian faith Sixtus the 4. ordained and increased many feastes The conception of the virgin Mary and the presentation the feast of Anna the mother of Marie the feast of S. Ioseph and of S. Francis a Baleus in vita Clementis octaui Nicholas Egmundanus master of Louen and a Carmelite did teach and write that the Pope was Lord of all thinges in heauen in earth and vnder the earth And Paul the third Pope of that name being an old man found out a new kind of religion to the encrease of Gods worship he consecrated a little bowle of wood with his Popall blessing to gratifie a noble matron that she might carrie it hanged it on her necke against diuers griefs The late counsell of Trent hath hatched many new thinges First that the b Sess 4. decret 2. vulgar translation in publike readings disputations preachings and expositions to bee autenticall whereof c Preface of Test Rhem. ariseth great disputation against the Greeke and Hebrew text contrarie to the ancient decree which d Distinct 9. cap. vt veterū Gratian auowcheth That the truth of the old Testament should be examined by the Hebrew and of the new by the Greeke And e Sess 7. with an heauie and pittifull curse they establish these schoole trickes 1. That the Sacraments of the new Testament conferre grace 2. By Baptisme Confirmation and orders a Charecter is imprinted in the soule 3. The intention of the priest is required to the making of the Sacrament 4. Iohns Baptisme hath lesse vertue then that which Christ commanded his Apostles and such like out of this forge commeth the newe forging of the e Printed at Paris Anno 1577. masse booke set foorth by Pius the 5. and a f Printed at Paris An. 1583 newe Callender which was done by pope Gregorie the 13. wherein the times of the yere and of the feastes and the course of the Sunne is set in his right order that we may know nothing in heauen and in earth to be safe from the presumption and proud arrogancie of this triple crowned beast and this holie prelate hath made a g Printed at Antwerpe An. 1589. new Martyrologe or Legend according to this new Callender And for the better garding and keeping of their high tower of confusion they haue a set watch called Index expurgatorius to charme all writers both newe and olde and to fray them that they lift not vp their voice so much as one woord against their superstitious follie and a Read Martin Remnicius ex amen concili Triden parti 1. pag. 1. and his booke called doctrinae Iesui tarum pag. 1. c. Baleaeus in vita Paul 4. here withal sprang vp a new religion of armed souldiers to fight their battails breeding secretly about Anno 1536. but shewe themselues openly in their colledge at Rome Anno 1553. and since in diuerse places and they goe into all nations to stirre vp the kings of the earth the princes and people to make warre against the Saints our Englishe soile hath been assayled by this newe broode vnder the name of Iesuits and Seminarie priests But as the groweth of this monster is strange and fearefull and that in it newe religions haue risen vp sodainly like padstooles as b De inuentor rerū lib. 7. ca. 3. Polydor virgill saith so from 600. yeres after Christ vntill our time it could not come to his full groweth yea although the Trident Councell seemeth to licke him and shape him as the beare doth his whealps to some handsome forme of perfection For there are many things which are not yet come to their birth and many which stay at the verie birth and are not yet deliuered As namely first those 14. controuersies of those two woorthie doctors of their popish Apostasie that is to say the angelicall doctor Thomas of Aquine and the subtil doctor Scotus the Duns For one saith God is vnto vs an end super natural and the other saith God is vnto vs an end Natural The one saith that Blessednes is meerely an effect super natural and cannot naturally be had The other saith that Blessednes may be had naturally and that it is naturall and such like Which a F. Constantius Saruanus cōciliatio c. printed at Rome 1589. a verie worshipful Cardinall laboureth to reconcile vntil the churches determination and minde may be knowen And this verie Cardinall addeth a very great encrease of this newe spawne called directorium theologicum which hath many worthie conceits of Logick and Philosophie which perhaps one day may take life being by their magisteriall power There are in these scholes deuines infinite and verie deepe questions which their mother church hath not yet by determination brought forth and acknowledged as her children as namely such as this is b Petri Tartareti reportata quest 2. distinct 10. deinceps whether Christ being verie man in the Ost or sacrament in one place can see him selfe when he is made being the verie same Christ and man in many other places and whether that so many thousands made at one instant in many places might not be an armie of men to meete and fight a battaile in one field c. Don Iohn a Bononia professor of diuinitie in his c Printed at Louan Anno 1554. booke of predestination and reprobation dedicated to Charles the Emperor and king of Spaine telleth vs that the church hath not set downe what is to be beleeued or receiued of all Christians touching that
many moe seuerall braunches thereof But my second cause is more speciall and of greater wayght namely that God made choise of Abraham in calling of him to bee the father of all belieuers and that the same faith which hee receyued of God should bee the religion of all nations wherein and whereby they should bee saued to the end of the world Which thing Saint Paule teacheth when hee saith b Gal. 3.8 The scripture foreseeing that God woulde iustifie the gentilles through faith preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the gentils bee blessed Where we learne that the gospell which teacheth this religion that men should bee iustified by faith was preached to Abraham and namely for the vse of the gentilles that they should bee made of the same religion with Abraham and with him by faith onely bee iustified as hee saith in the next verse Vers 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham This did GOD signifie vnto Abraham when hee chaunged his name saying a Gen. 17.45 Behold I make my couenant with thee and thou shalt bee a father of many nations neither shall thy name any more be called Abraham but thy name shall bee Abraham for a father of many nations haue I made thee Hereof the Apostle teacheth that Abrahams seede is twofold b Rom. 4.16 not onely of the law which is meant of the Iewes but also that which is of the faith of Abraham that is the gentilles who not hauing the lawe are yet his seed through faith and therfore he addeth He is father of vs all that is both of Iew gentil which belieue alleadging this place for proofe saying as it is written I haue made thee a father of manie nations c. Whereby it is pregnantly proued that Abraham is made in regard of faith and religion a father both to Iewes and Gentils The Iewes are first admitted to be his children to walke in his religion and steppes of faith after we succeed in their roome to walk in the same steps of faith religion of Abraham they as the Apostle els where c cap. 11.17.18 saith being naturall braunches for vnbeliefe were cut off But we though braunches of the wild Oliue are grafted in by faith Now because it is here manifest that Abraham receiued the couenant for vs and the whole religion of God as well for vs as for the Iewes and that God wold not haue the Iews to haue one religiō the gentils an other the one to be saued by one faith the other by another but both to be of that faith and religion which was taught and found in Abraham and that Christ comming of his seed should bee sauiour both of Iewes and gentils d Luc. 2.32 A light to be reuealed to the gentils the glorie of Israel religion then being one the same one being the same only which was taught Abraham I thought it best to choose him and his storie because that neither the law nor the gospel could or ought to differ in religion and faith from that of Abraham that if our religion in Englande agree with that of Abraham then it might bee knowen to be the true auncient and catholike religion and faith no new broached religion or doctrine such as that is of the Church of Rome as in the processe of this booke shall be seene But for thy better help good Christian reader I will follow this order I will shew the seuerall points of religion which are most materiall one after an other as they are in nature first second and then in euerie part or article Abrahams faith first And secondly except some special reason draw me to alter this order I wil shew how our religion agreeth with his faith and lastly how Moyses the prophets and the new testament confirme the same And thus they follow The first Article of faith and religion concerning God 1. There is one true euerliuing Almightie God and three persons God the father God the Son God the holy Ghost which are not three Gods but one God THis Article hath two partes first of the vnitie of the Godhead and secondly the trinitie of persons The first God taught Abraham when in his calling he brought him to forsake the a Ioshuah 24.2 strange and many Gods of his fathers to embrace one and the onely true God shewing this perfect marke that he could set downe order what should become of b Gen. 12.3 cap. 15.13 cap. 17.1 cap. 18.14 all the families of the earth and particularly of his posteritie that hee was God all sufficient and that nothing was harde to him Therefore Abraham hauing learned this professeth it to be his faith and religion calling the Lord c cap. 14.22 The most high God possessor of heauen and earth and hee gaue him this d Rom. 4.18.19 glorie of God that although himselfe were an hundred yeare old Sarah his wiues wombe now dead yet did he beleeue Gods word concerning his seed being assured that he which had promised was also able to do it The second God taught Abraham when hee e Gal. 3.8 preached the gospell vnto him in these wordes f Gen. 28.18 In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed For by the seed being vnderstood Christ namely the son of God to be made man of the seede of Abraham God speaking in these words to Abraham concerning his son Abrahā must needs vnderstand the first person of the father in him that speaketh and the second person of the Sonne in him that is spoken of And of this second person in the knowledge and faith of Abraham speaketh Christ saying g Ioh. 8.56.58 Abraham reioyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad And againe before Abraham was I am And as concerning the holy Ghost the third person Abraham vnderstood that in all the wordes because they are as the Apostle teacheth h Gal. 3.14 the promise of the spirit which thing you shall perceiue if you looke vpon Abrahams seed for it came not by the naturall vertue and power of man but by the holy Ghost as first Isaacke was borne when Abraham and Sarah were past age of the naturall begetting and conceiuing of a child by the vertue of the promise of God which being performed by the power of the holy ghost he is said sometime i Rom. 9.7.8 Gal. 4.23.29 to be borne by promise and sometime to be borne after the spirit Secondly Christ the seed of Abraham by whom all are made blessed is also borne a man without the seed begetting of any man onely of a virgin and conceiued by the holy Ghost as the k Luk. 1.34.35 Angell in Luke declareth Lastly all the faithfull which are the spirituall seed and children of Abraham and made blessed by this promise of Christ are no otherwise made partakers of this blessing
but by the holy ghost as Christ plainly a Ioh. 3.5 expoundeth saying No man can enter into the kingdome of God except he be borne againe by the holie ghost Abraham doubtles being taught the true meaning of these words who spake and of whom and what maner of promise this was and how it shoulde be performed could not but behold therin learne the most excellent misterie and doctrine of the trinitie And in this sence and meaning doth the church of England hold this article of religion with Abraham as may appeare not onely by the vniuersall and notorious knowledge of our profession but also by fower Creedes set downe in the booke of Common praier to be heard learned and confessed of all men The Apostles creed Te Deum Athanasius creed and the Nicen creed and in the first article of religion agreed vpon by our church and established by lawe Ann̄ 1562. Moses consent in this article is to bee seene in these words b Deut. 6.4 Here O Israel the Lord our God is Lord only Where this word Lord being in Hebrew Iehouah noteth out the true God being all sufficient of him selfe and therfore Moses was c Exod. 3.14 taught to call him Eheie that is I am or shal be meaning a continuance without beginning or ending Secondly this clause our God in hebrew is * Elohenu a word of the plurall number noteth out the pluralitie of persons then adding in the singuler number that he is Lord or Iehouah onely signifieth that although there is pluralitie that is three persons yet there is but one God And therefore that which is spoken Psal 95. of the tempting of God out of Deut. 9. ver 8. where is said by Moses they prouoked Iehouah to anger the prophet d Esai 36.10 Esay the epistle e Heb. 3.7 to the Hebrewes expound it to be the tempting of the holy ghost f 1. Cor. 10.5 and S. Paul to bee tempting of Christ so that Moses by these places is to bee vnderstood to haue taught the same doctrin of the Trinitie namely one all sufficient Iehouah the same three persōs God the father God the son God the holy ghost The prophets who are the true and perfect interpreters of Moses doe vtter this doctrin yet more plainly speaking in the person of God g Esai 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and beside me there is no God h Cap. 4.3.13 Before the day was I am there is none that can deliuer out of mine hand i 45.21 a iust God and a Sauiour and there is none beside me k Malach. 3.6 I the Lord change not l Nahum 1.5 The mountains tremble for him and the hils melt c. And as touching the Trinitie in plaine termes thus m Hag. 2.5.6 I am with you saith the Lord of hostes with the word wherewith I couenanted with you when you came out of Egypt and with my spirit remaining among you where you see the father by excellencie called the Lord of hosts the son being the mediator of the couenant is called the word by whom and for whom God couenanteth and the holy ghost his spirit placed in his church by his manifold gifts and mightie works Heb. 2.4 the like place is in a Esai 63.7.8.9.10 Esay where in the person of the father is shewed Gods mercie loue and kinde prouidence ouer his people and he pointeth out the second person by the name of the angel of his presence who saued them and the holy ghost he calleth his holy spirit whom they vexed But the new Testament is plainest of al. First Math. 3. where the father witnesseth of the son and the holy ghost in the shape of a doue commeth vpon him and Christ commandeth to b Math 28.19 Baptise in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost And c 1. Ioh. 5.7.9 S. Iohn calleth this the witnes of God that there are three which beare record in heauen the father the word and the holie ghost and these three are one In which article wee must vnderstād the three persons not as we do three persons of men who though they be but of one nature which is the nature of man yet are they in such sort 3. persons in one nature as they are also 3. diuers men But in God is a more neere vnion namely that they being 3. persōs distinguished in property the father begetting the son begotten the holy ghost proceeding yet these three so distinct in person are not onely of one kind of nature which is to be God for so they might be vnderstood to be three gods as Peter Iames and Iohn though of one nature are yet three men but also of one and the same essence in vnitie of number namely that the father son and holie ghost are all in one God and do make and be all but one and the same God of the same inseperable power eternitie wil wisdom and goodnes as is very excellently expounded in the creed of Athanasius The second article is of the Cause of Causes 2 By the decree of God all thinges were fore ordained how they should be and concerning man who should be saued by faith in Christ and who should be damned for their sinnes THis doctrine GOD teacheth Abraham two waies first in the promise d Gen. 12.3 how al the families of the earth should be blessed in which there is the reuelation of Gods decree what should become of all nations in the world namely that they of al nations which attaine blessednes shoulde haue it by Christ and all other should be damned then e Cap. 17. when he seperateth the Iewes by circumcision kept out the gentils till the fulnes of times it argueth that according to his decree he dispenseth the times and seperateth the nations and that in the matter of the saluation and damnation of men euen as saint Paul expoundeth it saying f Eph. 1.9.10 And hath opened to vs the mistery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in him selfe that in the dispensation of the fulnes of times he might gather together in one all things both which are in heauen which are in earth euen in Christ The other way is in trying of Abraham whē he was so olde before he had his son Isaac for hauing made the promise to Abraham generally First a Gen. 12.3 cap. 15.5 In thy seed and secondly So shall thy seed be Sarah finding her selfe barren b Gen. 16. gaue her maide to Abraham thinking to haue the seed that way and he went into her and she brought him foorth a sonne when he was fower score and six yere olde and he called his name Ismaell But after this God c Cap. 17.15 commanded Abraham to change his wiue Sarahs name from Sarai to Sarah because he would giue her a son and blesse and
multiplie her seede Here Abraham entreated God for Ismael saying O that Ismael might liue in thy sight by occasion whereof God openeth his will more plainly and saith Sarah thy wife shal beare thee a son in deed and thou shalt call his name Isaack and I wil establish my couenant with him for an euerlasting couenant and with his seed after him And after d Cap. 18. appearing vnto him in Mamre he repeteth this manifestation of his wil saying I wil certainly come againe vnto thee according to the time of life and loe Sarah thy wife shal haue a sonne At which time Sarah laughed in her selfe as though it were a strange or impossible thing that she should haue a son being so old and Abraham also was verie olde And God rebuked her saying that Nothing was hard to God and for certaintie repeateth the promise At the time appointed wil I returne vnto thee and last of all when e Cap. 21. Abraham was one hundred yere olde Sarah in deed brought him forth a son at the season which God told him and he called his name Isaack And after when at the weaning of this his son Isaack hee made a great feast Sarah sawe Ismael the son of the bond woman which was now som 14. yeres old mocking her son Isaack therefore she saith vnto Abraham Cast out the bondwoman and her son c. and this greeued Abraham but God admonished him not to be greeued but to doe as Sarah spake because that in Isaack his seed should be called and so Abraham put the bond woman and her son Ismael out of his house This story sheweth the decree of god namly touching the saluation damnatiō of men that as Abraham and Sarah diuersly regarded Ismael and thought he might be the seed as appereth by his generation Abrahās intreaty griefe for him Sarahs laughing yet were they altogether deceiued of their mind and will but Isaack whom God decreed to be of Sarahs bodie and so promised became in deed to be the only seed in whō the couenāt should be established So therby is taught that no man is saued by chance constellation of stars or by mans wil choise or workes or any other way within the compasse of mans reache or wisdom but according as God hath ordained and fore appointed and they whom he hath not appointed to be saued shal neuer be saued This durst I neuer so interpret of mine owne head nor many other places of like sort in this treatise but that the holy ghost the same spirit wherby God taught Abraham hath opened it in the new testamēt as by the holy Apostle is plainly shewed where it is thus said a Rom. 9 6.7.8.9 c. Notwithstanding it cannot be that the word of God should take none effect for they are not all Israel which are of Israel neither are they al children because they are the seed of Abraham but in Isaack shall thy seed be called that is they which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed For this is a word of promise in this same time wil I come and Sarah shal haue a son Neither he only felt this but also Rebecca when she had cōceiued by one euen by our father Isaack for ere the children were borne and when they had neither done good nor euil that the purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth it was said vnto her the elder shal serue the yonger as it is written I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau what shal we say then is there vnrighteousnes with God God forbid For he saith to Moses I wil haue mercy on him to whom I wil shew mercy and wil haue compassion on him on whom I wil haue cōpassion So then it is not in him that willeth not in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy which plainly telleth vs that both this preferment of Isaack before Ismael that of Iacob before Esau do proue teach that general doctrin which God spake vnto Moses namely that Gods mercy in sauing regardeth no mās works or wil but only his own holy wil and pleasure so that we may say here as Christ in the same case saith b Math. 11.26 It is so O father because thy good pleasure was such Agreeing to which the church of England describeth c Artic. 17. of predestination and election Predestination to life to be the euerlasting purpose of God wherby before the foūdations of the world were laid he hath constantly decreed to deliuer from the curse damnatiō those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind to bring them by Christ to euerlasting saluation as vessels made to honor c. Now Moses in his consent not onely openeth this point in that which we haue before seene alleadged by saint Paul but also where he entreating for Israel for their saluation wisheth his own damnation in these words d Exod. 32.32 Rase me out of the booke which thou hast written which book is Gods decree purpose touching the saluatiō of his elect as appeareth by that in the reuelation e Reuel 20.15 Whosoeuer was not found in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire Also that which is spokē in Moses touching Pharao a Exod. 9.16 For this cause haue I appointed thee c. which the Apostle b Rom. 19.17 expoundeth to be of Gods eternall purpose and such is that of Moses song c Deut. 32.8 When the most hie God deuided to the nations their inheritance when he seperated the sons of Adam he appointed the borders of the people according to the number of the children of Israel which sheweth gods decree prouidence touching deuiding of the nations and choosing Israel to be his church before all other which saint Paul expoundeth where hee saith that God d Act. 17.26 assigned the times which were ordained before and the bounds of their habitation So then Moses teacheth Gods eternal decree touching al things touching his church and elect and his prouidence effecting the same Now let vs see with what termes the prophets interpret this They say e Psal 135.6 33.11 Whatsoeuer pleased the Lord that did he in heauen and in earth in the sea and in all depthes The counsel of the Lord shall stand and the thoughts of his harte thorough all ages f Hier 27.4.5 Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel c. I haue made the earth the man and the beast that are vpon the ground by my great power and by my stretched out arme haue giuen it to whom it pleased me c. whereby it appeareth that by Gods eternall counsel and will the prophets vnderstand that all things come to passe in all ages in all creatures and namely among men such as is the translating of
it were one sheepfold wherof Christ alone is sheapheard And therefore the Church of the fathers before the law the Church of the Iewes vnder the law and of the gentiles vnder the gospell are not three Churches but one in one felowship with God by one Sauiour Iesus Christ as it is written a Ephes 1 1â— That in the dispensation of the fulnes of times he might gather in one all things both which are in heauen and which are in earth euen in Christ Then must it needs follow that distance and difference of time place nation or language doth not disanul this vnitie so long as it may be said a Act. 15.9 God put no difference between them and vs after that by faith he had purified their hearts By vniuersalitie we vnderstand that the Church is not tied vnto any one place person nation or language citie or countrie but as Saint Peter saith b Act. 10.31 In euerie nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him How be it in the dispensation of times there is some difference for it pleased God for the wickednesse of the nations for a time to place his holy oracles couenantes in that one nation of the Iewes vntill these last daies when Christ came and tooke away the partition wall and opened the kingdome of heauen for all people to enter in and to bee made one church with the Iewes Yet although the sinnes of the gentils did shut them out for a season God so disposed it that the time of the fathers and Moses the prophets do witnesse that now in the end of the worlde they should bee admitted into the same fellowship and no nation barred from being of the Church of God The last point in the nature of the church is the chiefest without which they cannot be the church for it is Christ c 1. Pet. 3.18 that bringeth vs to God And as S. Paul saith d Ephe. 2.18 we both that is Iews gentils haue an entrance to the father by one spirit Therefore this is the true proper and onely being nature of the church That e Gal. 3.26 we are all the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ haue f 1. Ioh. 1.3 fellowship one with an other in the fellowship which we haue with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ Now this faith and fellowship doth appeare to the world by our profession that is commonly seene and discerned in all constituted churches by these two marks Gods word and sacraments And this thou mayest directly learne in the story of Abraham first for the nature of the church where God preached the gospell to him there he describeth what it should be First the vniuersalitie when he saith all nations or families of the earth secondly the vnitie wheÌ„ he propoundeth theÌ„ vnited in one seed in one the same happines And lastly seeing that this seed is Christ and this happines is the blessed estate wee haue in the fellowship with God in whose presence as the g Psal 16. â—â— psalme saith is the fulnes of ioy It must needs follow that God herein taught Abraham that this should be the nature of his church To bee in his fauour by fath in Iesus Christ This verie thing in all these three respectes was further shewed him h Gen. 17. in the change of his name addition of circumcision as is plainely expounded by S. Paul in the fourth to the Romanes Then as touching the marks Abraham professed the true and liuing God faith in Iesus Christ which is testified i Gen. 18. 12. 15. by teaching his familie the way of the Lord that is the word of God sacraments by his altar circumcision sacrifices so was Abrahams house knowen to be the visible church of God as it is written k Gen. 20.22 1 Cor. 14.25 God is with thee in all that thou doest And verily such is the church of England which hauing bin taught of God as Abraham was doth also beleeue concerning the Church of God in the verie same maner For we say that l Apolog. part We beleeue that there is one Church of God and that the same is not shut vp as in times past among the Iewes into some one corner or kingdome but that it is catholike and vniuersall dispersed through out the whole world So that there is now no nation which may truely complaine that they be shut out and may not bee one of the church people of God and that this Church is the kingdome the bodie and the spouse of Christ and that Christ alone is the prince of this kingdome and that Christ alone is the head of this bodie and that Christ alone is the bridegroome of this spouse And againe a Artic. 19. of the church The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure worde of God is preached and the sacraments bee duely ministred according to Christes ordinance c. Which our beliefe if you marke it nothing differeth from that of Abrahams time and is further confirmed by Moses Moses tought Israel this vnitie and fellowship of faith in one Church when hee gaue them b 1. Cor. 10.1.2 all one spirituall Manna and made them all drinke of the spirituall rocke which followed them which rocke was Christ and he taught them that there should be an vniuersalitie namely that the gentils should bee of the church as well as they together with them where he saith c Deut. 32.43 Sing ye gentils with his people Which the d Rom. 15.10 Apostle doth interprete to meane the calling ingrafting of all nations into the same fellowship of the Church The markes are cleare in his time For they had the preaching of e Deut. 4. vers 6. Gods word and nothing els and the administration of such sacraments as God did ordaine for that time as the f Exod. 12. passeouer and other sacrifices therefore Moses taught constituted no other church then is before described But the Prophets open this matter more fully in many places but I wil onely recite that where God saith concerning Christ g Esai 49.6 It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruant to raise vp the tribes of Iacob to restore the desolations of Israel I wil also giue thee for a light that thou mayest be my saluation vnto the ende of the world Where is plaine to be seene the vniuersalitie of the Church in that all nations are restored in and by Christ as well as the Iewes the vnitie and felowship with God is plaine in that one Christ saueth Iewes and gentils Wherefore in anohter place it is said h Zachar. 13.1 In that day there shal be a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Hierusalem for sinne and for vncleanesse i Cap. 14.8
Certes al these are contrarie to the true religion which in the olde Testament saith g Gen. 6.5 All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans hart are onely euil continually and in the new h 2. Cor. 3.5 we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God As touching the fourth article howe we are deliuered from the corruption damnable estate wherinto we fell by Adams transgression There be many waies and religions forged in the great cage of Antechrist ful of vnclean birds out of which as out of the botomles pit come great swarmes of locustes bringing with them a mist and cloud of darknes which hideth all godlines and true religion But to leaue out verie many deuises till another place I onely wishe the reader to cal to mind the holie Eremits Munks Friers and Nuns and namly amongst the manifold broods one Frances and an other Dominick This latter bread the religion of the obseruant preaching black friers the former the deuout host of the beggerly minorites and out of these two many seckes of diuers rules names of religions who by their vow and streight obseruation by them deuised set downe diuers rules to subdue this corruption and to obtain eternall life therefore they are by an excellency of speech called by the name a Gratian decret pars 2. caus 19. Quest 3. Bonauentur de profectu religios Antho. de Rampegol fig. Biblia Catholicon a Iohan. de Ianua in virgo of religion or religions al other are called seculer because they renounce the world and by fulfilling of three perfections which they obserue that is to say Pouertie chastity and obedience by which they are compared vnto angels the blessed crown which is giuen vnto such as they say they shal obtaine euen the special reward of the learned being presented vnto Christ in the heauenlie kingdom And the opinion deuotion of these religions grew to be so highly esteemed of men their life to be so angelical that in steed of christ his merits men would leaue al things whatsoeuer to follow them ye the very coule garment of Frances was thought to be of such vertue that some b Ioh. Sleiden lib. 12. noble men som very learned of those times haue taken order to be buried in them yea they are not afraid c Iere. Bouch. in his conformities to compare him with Christ in al things Therfore you may perceiue they had forgotten the true religion way of saluation which is in christ d Gen. 12.3 in the old testamēt is called the seed of Abrahā in whom al the families of the earth were appointed to be blessed and in the new testament he is called e Ioh. 14.6 the way the truth the life and the rule of this religion is that f cap. 3.16 that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternal life Therefore here is no agreement betweene these popish religions and the true ancient and catholike religion seeing they teach many other waies to heauen beside that which God hath taught vs to be the onely way for all the families of the earth to be blessed Concerning the fift article these bastardly counterfeites of Rome are more like the strange beast of Arabia and Ethiopia then the obseruers of the true religion For they greatly wound the doctrine of Christes person vnder a colour of honouring him and they ouerthrow his mediatorship by pretence of deuotion For while they giue godly honour to his bodie in the sacrament and make him to be a verie man vnder the formes of bread and wine inuisible in all places where the priest doth consecrate doe they not make him a man in fansie to haue an heauenly bodie in no part to bee like a true naturall man doe they not hereby make him to haue but one nature which is God or els that the manhood is swallowed vp or confounded with the Godhead for it is the nature of God and not of man to bee inuisible incircumscriptible and in many places at once therefore in stead of the seede and sonne of Dauid and Abraham they teach vs to beleeue they cannot tell what But as touching his office all men know how many mediators and intercessors they call vpon beside Christ Though a 1. Tim. 2.5 Gods word say there is but one mediator Marie Peter Paul all the Apostles martirs and foolishly canonized Saintes are made mediators Then against Christs sacrifice by whose perfection all sacrifice should cease as b Heb. 10.18 God teacheth they haue a new deuised sacrifice for quicke dead they haue masses diriges pilgrimage shrift penance purgatorie indulgencies satisfaction merite deuout obseruations numbring of prayers Auemaries creedes fastes almes workes of supererogation vowes vestementes crosses tapers relickes shrines ointinges coniurings and I know not what other trumperie and beggerly rudimentes of this world by which they wold make perfect the works of Christes mediation for our redemption righteousnesse and saluation Which the more they be aboundant and ouerflowing the greater is their disagreement with the true religion of God which teacheth in the old testament thus a Esai 53.5.6 God laide vpon Christ the iniquitie of vs all namely that hee was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed And in the new testament thus b 1. Ioh. 1.7 The bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne Now if Christ bloud cleanse vs from all sinne and by his stripes wee bee healed alas what neede we make so much adoe why doe we forsake the c Ioh. 1.24 Esai 55.1.2.3 lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the worlde with the sure mercies of Dauid and seeke after vaine thinges in which there is no helpe why should we commit these d Hier. 2.23 two euils to forsake God the fountaine of liuing waters and to digge vnto our selues pittes euen broken pittes which will hold no water In the sixt Article the opposition is plaine and apparant for although they whom Christ teacheth say that all e Philip. 3.4 righteousnesse taught by workes is but dunge in comparison of the doctrine of righteousnesse which is by faith onely yet they of this whoorish Babilon deny it and f Antidigma Coloniens cap. de iustificat per quas causas Concil Trident sess 6. make faith with hope and loue the formall cause of our righteousnesse they make an inherent righteousnesse And affirme directly that a man is not iustified by faith onely but also by workes Is not this a verie great disagreement where as the true religion teacheth the Church of God to say as in the olde testament thus g Psal 143. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And in the
of an other subiect And accidents are and haue a being without their true substance proper and naturall subiect A bodie which is a thing circūscriptible and by the diuine law of Gods creation prouidence is alway and can be but in one place at one time is here made and set in diuers places yet still one the same and that at one time in heauen and earth at Constantinople at Ierusalem at Rome at Carthage euery where But how cā they shift here the making of God to assume these formes as they call thē into the vnity of his person that so God man the formes of bread wine make not one Christ for by their doctrine these formes haue no being but in Christ Christ is vnder thē I quake to write it yet say they we must beleeue this chāge for nothing is vnpossible to God They must not so blinde our eies for it is vnpossible to God to haue already done that which he neuer did nor neuer will doe such is this transubstantiation of theirs It is impossible for God to deny himself such is this transubstātiation it is impossible for God to lie such is this transubstātiation Againe how can this be a sacrament when the outward signes be gone and a remembrance of him that is present but rather that himself is the signe of himself a remembrance of himself present neither yet is this so for we cannot see him feele nor vnderstand how he is present that he might be a signe or a remēbrance of himselfe but a third thing is present the accidents or forms of bread wine this is a new learning to teach Christ and his Apostles to goe to schoole nay this is the monster of all mōsters Teach we the Indians that this is the God of the christians may they not think rather the sunne or moone more likely to be God to haue a more expresse maiestie of a God may not the diuel laugh in himself that he hath so far passing measure bewitched the wise and graue learned mē to beleeue that which a child may easily perceiue to be meere folly Infinit is the blood that hath bin shed to maintaine this fansie and who would not willingly spend all the blood in his heart rather thē to yeeld to such blasphemie But the diuel is not herewithal content but that he might lead thē euery way as slaues in triumph against God and his Christ he maketh thē to worship these formes and host as they call it and carrie it about in procession that all men might adore it as God And this a Concil trident Ses 6. Septemb. 17. 1562. Cap. 1. ses 3. canon 5. they build vpon these words of Christ Doe this in remembrance of mee for by them as they say the Priest hath power to make a sacrifice propitiatorie and then being turned into God they say it is meet and fit that hee should be worshipped whom God bringing into the world commaunded the Angels to adore But herein first they gainesay the Scripture which teacheth the end of all sacrifices by the Priesthood of Christ as is by many arguments proued from the sixt till the eleuenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Secondlie when they cause it to be worshipped and yet God instituted it to be taken and eaten onelie what doe they but peruert the ordinance of God and they say wee must worship the sacrament or els Christ in the sacrament If they say the sacrament then they cannot say Christ because he is not the sacrament but the sacrament is a signe of him or els the sacrament is no sacrament I so they say in the sacrament thē they say no thing because that by their doctrine there is no such thing but only the formes of bread and wine for the bread and wine is turned into Christs body and blood as they say and so there is nothing left to be the sacrament Yet if it were so as they say what man can appoint a new forme of worship to be performed vnto God without his expresse commandement or authoritie Math. 15. Looke in the Masse booke ordinarium Missae For Christ saith that all such worship as is by the precept of men is in vaine And lastly consider how this can agree when they offer the sacrifice they desire God to accept that sacrifice againe when they shew it the people they cause them to worship it a strange and new kind of God that must be prayed for and praied to But howsoeuer it is a manifest thing that the popish sacrament and sacrifice is not the same which Christ instituted and therefore not of the exercises of the true Catholike religion For if Saint Paul when there was among the Corinthians but a little abuse in the mixture of eating 1. Cor. 11.20 in the congregation at the time of the celebration of the Lords supper whereupon there was discontentment betweene rich and poore if I say hereupon hee called them to the plaine and simple institution saying I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto you c. And therein addeth nothing to that which is written in Mathew Marke and Luke what doth he inferre but that it should be obserued without all additions and therfore vpon this ground forbiddeth their eating in the church What would he haue done if he had seene such swelling boiles filthy bunches standing vp so abhominablie as these Romish additaments which altogether take away the verie forme of Christes institution This sheweth how little these men haue of the gospell of Christ the teachers whereof are enioyned to teach the church to doe b Mat. 28.19 1. Tim. 6.4 whatsoeuer he commaunded And to keepe this commandement without spot and vnrebukeable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore wee are not bound to c 1. Cor. 11.1 follow them any otherwise but as they follow Christ In the thirteenth Article the sea of Rome is directly contradictory to the christian religion For they say a Concil Trident de sacris ling. peregrin cap. 8. Et si missa contineat populi fidelis eruditionem c. Although the masse containe great instruction of the faithfull people yet it seemed not conuenient to the fathers that it should be celebrated euerie where in the vulgar tongue And their masse booke which containeth prayers celebration of sacraments reading of holy scriptures c. is set forth to bee vsed in the latine tongue But saith b Manip curat cap. 10. de rit quo deb miss celebra one of that side Sciendum quod missa tribus linguis c. It is to be vnderstoode that the masse is celebrated in three languages that is to say Hebrew Greeke and Latine For Alleluya Amen Osanna Sabaoth are taken of the Hebrew Kyrie eleeson Christe eleeson are taken of the Greeke all the rest are Latin The masse is said in these three manners because
the authority of their Church before the holy scripture so these allow so much and so far of holy scripture as serueth for their purpose deuised wickednesse And as the heretikes called Nazarai did confirme their dotages by reuelations false miracles so traditions much ragged stuffe in poperie bee made warrantable by miraculous operations apperitions The heretikes aforenamed Pepuziani do send al men to a city in vpper Phrigia called Pepuza naming it the celestiall Ierusalem the citie whereof the prophets spake as though there were no other heauen So the papists cal vs to the church of Rome as though the vniuersall Church were tyed to one place out of which there is no saluation or way to heauen As concerning the worship of God Simon Magus the root of heretikes caused his owne image and of his harlot to bee worshipped of his disciples So the papistes set vp images of their canonized Saints to be adored Angelici were heretikes which worshipped Angels So the papists haue a b Missa votina de Angelis speciall masse of the Angels pray vnto Angels Marcellina companion of these heretikes called Carpocracians worshipped the images of Christ and Paul c. So do the papists Collyridiani worshipped the virgin Marie the Sethians worshipped Seth. The Abelonites worshippe Abell and diuers others doe the like according to their sect So the papistes according to their sect praye vnto all their canonized Saints and worship them The heretikes Armenij worshipped the crosse of Christ and so doe the papistes Concerning the sacraments the heretickes called Donatistes measure the power and effect of the sacraments by the dignitie holinesse and hand of the minister So the papists assigne the power of the sacraments to the worke wrought of the priest and that the intent of the minister is necessarie to make it a religious action And as the papists permit weomen to baptize cloistering their holy and religious nunnes So their progenitors the heretickes Pepuziani admitted weomen to the ecclesiasticall ministerie and the Marcionites taught that weomen might baptise The heretikes called Messalians say that the force of baptisme pertayneth onely to the signes and so do the Papistes And as the papists in Baptisme haue salte spittle crossing and other annexed ceremonies with coniuration by which it is as it were chaunged into a new thing So did the Simonians and Marcitae olde heretickes their naturall fathers defile and in a manner blot out baptisme In the Lordes Supper the heretikes Aquarij were not content with the two outwarde signes of bread and wine but added also water So do the papists mingle water with the wine in the cup. And the Marcitae aforesaid professed that by words and incantations they changed the wine in the cup into the bloud and bring the grace of God into the same cuppe so the papists professe that the sacrament is changed by their words of consecration and coniuring into the verie bodie bloud of Christ and that grace is contained in the sacraments And here they resemble the Apollinarians which made Christes bodie to bee heauenly and not earthly for the papistes say that it is the bodie of Christ though it be not seene felt nor heard and they are like the Marcionistes which accounted Christes bodie fantasticall so these will haue men beleeue the sacrament to bee his body though it haue no quantities nor qualities of a bodie And they are like the Timotheans which confound the two natures of Christ and the Euticheans who affirme the humane to be swallowed vp of the deuine and to the Nestorians who make his manhood equall to his Godhead For the papistes say that the same bodie or man is in heauen and in earth and that in as many places of the world at one and the same time as it is or may bee at once consecrated made by their priest which propertie of being in many places at once is not of the nature of man but of God therefore herein they are neere in affinitie with these heretickes The heresie of Vincentius Victor hath this amongst others that the sacrifice of Christians that is the sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of Christ is to be offered for them which being not baptised are departed out of the bodie So the papistes haue their sacrifice for the dead The Maniches refuse the olde testament and partly mangle and curtoll and partly cast away the new So the papist though in woordes they acknowledge both yet in truth they refuse both keeping them from Gods people and reading them in a strange toong that the people cannot vnderstande which vnto them is as good as if they were cast away The Heracleonites make a superstitious calling vpon God with strange and vnusuall words especially to driue away diuels such is the masse of the papistes all in a strange toong and their exorcismes are of the same fashion The heretikes called Taciani Origeniani Hierarchita Saturniani and diuers others make mariage an vnholie and vncleane thing and of the diuel and shut it out of their congregation So the papists not onely preferre a single life before mariage but also with such like tearmes make it as an vncleane thing not meete for their priestes and allure both men and weomen to the vowe of chastitie as a purer and holier life then matrimonie and therein they are also like the Eustachians who despised the maried priestes And as the papistes haue their Friers Monckes and Nunnes of a straunge and differing habite from other men and weomen and that seruants vpon a vowe may leaue their Masters and some of these vowed persons professe the renouncing of worldlie ritches and worldly dooings to walke a more neere course to heauen so these heretikes the Eustachians had their differing habite from other men seruauntes by this habite despised their Masters and ritche men which did not renounce all which they possessed were accounted without hope towardes God also these heretikes counted the eating of flesh vnlawfull euen as the papistes doo And as the papistes forbid flesh and as they call it white meat so their graundfathers the Maniches abstained from fleshe egges and milke And there were heretikes which put religion in going barefoot and therfore called of some Nudipedants so are the franciscans and others amongst the papistes of such religion The donatistes denie the magistrates authoritie in matters of religion and namely in punishing of heretikes So the papistes shut out the magistrate in causes ecclesiasticall and as the papist giue the pope the primacie aboue the magistrates in all causes and at their pleasure put them downe with their great curse so these their predecessours the heretikes called donatistes doo most vilelie raile against magistrates beate them downe with menacing words These donatistes had manie vile thinges in them wherein they fitly father the papistes they were circumcellions and counterfaited an austere life like the popish monkes heremites and friers liuing in caues and selles They ran vpon christians whom
600. yeres we must looke further for it to the diuels principal instrument namely that after this time the emperor made the pope of Rome high priest ouer al the Bishops of the world and the pope in tract of time by this very authority of being aecumenical Bishop giuen them by the Emperor rewarded him with this blessing and kindnes to make the Emperor to kisse his feet and to wait vpon him as his vassal The dignity of Bishops at this time was in iiij patriarkes till after the death of this Gregory then presently there arose a new cōtention between Cōstantinople Rome which would be chiefe here Boniface the 3. by some sweate labor obtained of Phocas whose hāds were yet blody with the slaughter of his L. Mauritius to be this soueraigne chiefe Bishop of Bishops then * Platina in vita Bonif. 3. came into the popes stile We wil and command and the next pope Boniface the 4. got of the Emperor the temple called Pantheon there made a church for the virgin Mary al Saints most liuely shewing that now they fell from God to al foule spirits as the sequele after declared For these were the beginnings of all maner of corruptions yet all this while the honor of the Emperor stood still the first step to pull of the Emperors crowne after this was that Constantinus then Emperour graunted to a About Anno 685. Benedick the second that whom soeuer the people and clergie chose should thence foorth be pope After b Anno 755. him Stephanus the 2. of rare loue was caried vpon the shoulders of the people and so the Bishops of Rome began to take that honour vnto them And c Anno 710. Iustinianus a wicked Emperor to flatter the pope was the first that kissed his feete namelie of pope Constantine the first Yet were not the popes aboue the Emperors all this while For after this the Empire of Constantinople being weak and not able to defend the pope and leauing them to the spoile of the Lombards they fled for succour vnto France First to Carolus Martellus and Pipine and after to Carolus Magnus d Anno 801. first Emperor of the west to whom some said the pope gaue the power of chosing confirming the pope but e Barnard Girard Tom. 1. lib. 4. Lois le papes nauoient aucune puiscana in authoritie en le ville de Rome c. the french Chronicle saith he wan it as he did the imperiall dignitie by his sword and law of armes For then the popes had no power or authority in the citie of Rome but medled only in the affaires of religiō of ceremonies of the church things pertaining to the soul Therfore saith Polydor that the successors of Charles the great did vse to confirme the election of popes De inuenter lib. 4. cap. 10. But last of all g Anno 1059. Pope Nicholas the second brought the election from Emperor people and Clergie to the Cardinals onely and so the pope of Rome became head of the church as he saith by consent of all nanations And here indeed he began to treade downe the Empire For h An. 1080. Hildebrand being called Pope Gregory the 7. depriued Henry the 4. of his imperial crowne Then did the Emperors begin to learn new maners as to a light from his horse and to do honor to the pope as to the vicar of Christ as did i Anno 1155. Frederick to pope Adrian the 4. and being vnaccustomed to such seruice as a Alber. Krant Saxon. lib. 6. cap. 16. some say was blamed for holding the stirrop on the wrong side when the pope alighted from his horse And the consuls of Rome learned to sweare fealtie to the pope as to b Anno 1165. Alexander the 3. Then could the Pope allowe who should bee Emperor as c Anno 1200. Decretal lib. 1. tit 6. cap. 34. Innocent the 3. did Otho and d Anno 1230. maketh it as a law that the right and authority to examine a person elected to be king and to be promoted to the Empire pertaineth to the pope who doth annoint him consecrate and crowne him Then could the popes make the people crosse themselues to fight against their liege Lord the Emperour as if it were against the Turke vnder promise of eternal life As d Anno 1230. Gregorie the 9. against Freodorick the 2. And pope Innocent by decree and his counsell depriued him of his kingdome of Sicile and so was established the authority of popes to depose Emperors Kings and Potentates But for the better enthronising of the pope in this fresh and new shining primacie herewithall e Read Polydor de inuent lib. 4. cap. 9. lib. 8. cap. 2. Platina in vita Bonif. 8. so forward and Boniface 13. and his successors Krant Saxon lib. 5. 6. Aeneus Syluius de moribus Germanorum ad Martin Meyr came vp the red hats and gay palfries and royall maiestie and senate of Cardinals the colledge of scribes and other officers which Polydor for their rauening calleth Harpeis and other annats and yerely scottes peter pence buls prices of pals pardons aduowsons dispensations appeales cases papall reseruations comendums prerogatiues and I cannot tell how infinite iurisdiction in heauen in earth in purgatorie hell they changed inuented renewed put downe and lifted vp whom what and when they woulde And so the estate of the pope became an imperiall maiestie far aboue all earthly monarkes and principalities and thrones and dominions Now therefore good christian reader thou maist here obserue that the order of this supremacie came vp by degrees through the climing pride of the cleargie and had many yeeres in growing First contending for highnes in dignitie among themselues and namly Constantinople against Rome and secondly when the Emperour had granted the title of vniuersall Bishop to the pope of Rome then he shifted the Emperors by little and little out of all dealing in Ecclesiasticall matters as namely and principally in the elections of Popes and from this it grew to soueraigne authority ouer all euen as a bramble it tooke hold and grewe vp ouer the hyest ceders of Libanon and a fire came out of this bramble and consumed the imperial glorie of the kingdom and ouer grew the maiesty of the temporall power Here shalt thou see a verie great change Gregorie the first proclaimeth the title of vniuersall Bishop to be blasphemus and not sufferable Boniface the 3. and all his successors take it vpon them and make it their principall strength and glorie a Anno 801. Antonius Archb. of Florens histor pars 2. tit 14. cap. 2. Adrian with a Synod of an hundred fiftie and three Bishops gaue vnto Charles the great as the papists say the right and power to choose the pope and graunted him the Apostolicall sea and dignitie of Senatorship moreouer hee desired that Archbishops and