Father in heauen Iohn 6.56.57 And againe Faith is the ladder that reacheth vp to heauen and by which euen nowe we remayne and sitte in the heauenly places with Christ Ephe. 2.6 Faith is the hand by which we take holde of Christe in whome is performed all the promises of God to his elect 2. Cor. 1.20 Faith is that weapoÌ„ by which we ouercome the world the end wherof is the saluatioÌ„ of our soules Faith is a cleare and effectual persuasion wrought not in the bodily eares but in the eares of the heart not by men but by the holy ghost wherby we are made certaine and sure to be the sonnes of God Faith as it is written in the. 8. Cha. to the Rom. is a firme coÌ„stant and perseuering trust in the bouÌ„tifulnes of God Faith is a lyght which lyfteth vp rauisheth aboue all sensible things and beyond that any man is not able to make discourse to comprehende the breadth length height and depth of those things which are to vs incomprehensible with naturall eyes Faith is a cleere eye of the mind wherewith pearcing through the heauens we doo see the diuine secretes of God Faith is a quickening cleere and fiery lyght which purgeth our heartes and delyuereth vs from the darke and inextricable Laborinthes of the vaine shadowes of this worlde by which we guide our blinde reason and are lyfted vp to an high estate so that by the taste of heauenly thinges we despise humane thinges Roma 4. Faith maketh vs to conceiue Christe spirituallie and by force of the spirite to be borne againe with lyfting vs vp vnto God it maketh vs put of the olde Adam and his concupiscences and to put on Christe with his vertues and to become of vngodlie iust temples of God and his chyldren brothers and members of Christe Faith iustifieth pacifieth the minde and conscience maketh merie causeth to reioyce and in such sort that we glory euen in shame This faith is such that it reneweth vs regenerateth vs quickeneth maketh noble enritcheth saueth sanctifieth preserueth defendeth and obteyneth that which it demaundeth Faith knitteth vs to God maketh vs his heyres and Children the brothers of Christe and his members yea it maketh vs diuine and happy Faith is that which in Abell made him offer Sacrifices acceptable to God In Noe caused him to frame the Arke for the sauegarde of the worlde Made Sara to conceyue and that Abraham offred his owne sonne to God Caused Moses to worke so many woonders in Egipt and in the wyldernesse Faith made the Prophets to speake loosed the tongue of Zacharias and saued men in daunger made Simeon not to feare death also made Paule to wishe for it This in the Saintes caused them ouercomming the world that they haue wrought woonderfull thinges through looue But what néede I speake any more Faith is a vertue so noble excellent and woorthy that howe much the more a man considereth of it so much the more wyll it discouer the perfection Therefore he which hath tasted it wyll neuer be satisfied with speaking in prayse thereof Whereas those which neuer haue felt nor tried it in them selues can as much speake thereof as one that is blinde can discerne of coullours yea if those speake of it as those which be carnall and brutishe they doo not vnderstand it nor knowe the excellencie thereof He that hath this liuely Faith wherof the scripture in sundry places speaketh and so highlie commendeth with so many tytles before specified he is sure to be iustified he is sure to be saued This faith made Abraham righteous Gen. 15.6 By this faith the iust lyueth Haba 2.4 This faith made the woman whole to whome Iesus sayde Confide filia fides tua saluam te fecit Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not afrayde Saith Luke in the â—â— Chapt. 48. verse Beleeue onely And he sayde to the woman H 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Fayth hath saued thee goe in peace To him giue all the Prophetes witnesse That through his name all that beleeue in him shall receyue remission of sinnes Actes 10.43 And put no difference betwéene vs and them after that by fayth hee had purified theyr heartes There is no dyfference For all haue sinned Sayth Saint Paule Roma 3.23 and are depriued of the glorie of GOD and are iustified freelie by his grace through the redemption that is in Christe Iesus Therefore wée conclude that a man is iustified by Faith without the workes of the Lawe but to him that worketh not but beléeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodlye his Faith is coumpted for ryghteousnesse wée béeing iustified by Faith wée haue peace towards God through Iesus Christe Knowe that a man is not iustifyed by the workes of the Lawe but by the Fayth of Iesus Christe Euen as I saye we haue beleeued in Iesus Christe that we might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christe and not by the workes of the Lawe Because that by the workes of the Lawe no flesh shall be iustified Gala. 2.16 Againe if righteousnesse be by the law then Christe dyed without a cause And that no man is iustified by the lawe in the sight of God it is euident For the iust shall liue by faith Gala. 3. By grace are ye saued through faith Sayth Paule to the Ephe. 2.8 and that not of your selues it is the gifte of God The scripture hath included all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christe should be giuen to them that beléeue Origene writeth in his thirde Booke and third Chapter to the Romaines that Saint Paule by these wordes A rbitramur enim iustificari hominem absque operibus legis We suppose therfore that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Affyrmeth that the iustification Solae fidei Of faith onely is sufficient so that any man beléeuing onely can be iustified although no manner of worke hath béene fulfilled or done by him And if we require an example who was iustified Sola fide By faith onely without workes I suppose that the same Théefe dooth suffise who when he was crucified with Christe did crye vnto him froÌ„ the Crosse Lord Iesu remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Neither any good worke of his is described or set foorth vnto vs in the Gospels but for HaÌ„c solaÌ„ fideÌ„ This faith onely Iesus sayde vnto him Verelie I saye vnto thee this daye shalt thou be with mee in Paradise This Théefe then was iustified by faith with out the workes of the lawe For the Lord dyd not vpon this requyre what he had wrought before neyther dyd he looke what worke he should doo after he did beléeue but béeing ready to enter into Paradise he tooke him for his waighting-man béeing iustified by that confession onely Hesichius in his fowrth Booke and first Chapter vpon Leuiticus saith That the grace of God is giuen onely of mercie and fauour and is embraced
and receyued Sola fide by onely fayth Hierome vpon the tenth Chapter to the Romaines They not knowing that God iustifieth Sola fide by Faith onely and suppose them selues to be iust by the workes of the lawe which they neuer obserued they would not submit them selues vnto the remission of sinnes least they should seeme to haue beene sinners Hillarie in the ninth Canon vpon the. 8. of Mathewe It mooueth the Scribes that sinne was forgiuen by man for they dyd onely beholde man in Christe Iesu and that to be forgiuen of him which the lawe could not release Fides enim sola iustificat For faith only iustifieth Basill in his Homilie of Humility That at length is a perfect and sound reioycing in God when a man dooth not bragge and boast of his owne righteousnesse he is iustified Sola fide By faith onely in Christe Thus haue I recited bothe Scriptures and Doctours for proofe that a man is iustified onely by Faith more places out of the Scriptures and Doctours might be gathered But these may suffise for this matter ¶ Of Free wyll I Wyll prooue bothe by Scriptures and Doctours that frée wyll was giuen vnto man euen before his fall after his fall That man had frée wyll before his fall these testimonies of the Scriptures alleadged doo testifie the same In Genesis the first Chapter and 26. verse there it is written Et ait Deus faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram et praesit piscibus maris et volatilibus caeli et bestijs vniuersaeque terrae omnique reptili quòd mouetur in terra God sayd let vs make man in our owne Image according to our likenesse and let him rule ouer the Fishes of the sea and ouer the Fowles of the heauen and ouer the Beastes and ouer all the earth and ouer euerie thing that creepeth and mooueth on the earth If hee had rule ouer the Beastes of the féelde of the Fowles of the ayre and of the Fishes of the Sea he had then frée wyll And whereas it is written That God made man to his own image It is not meant of the body nor yet of the soule but of principallitie dominion In the. 2. Chap. of Gen it is written Tulit ergo Domnus Deus hominem et posuit eum in Paradisum voluptatis vt operaretur et custodiret illum praecepitque ei dicens ex omni ligno Paradisicomedes Then the Lord God tooke the man and put him into the garden of Eden that he might dresse it and keepe it and the Lord God commaunded the man saying thou shalt eat freely of euerie Tree of the garden By these words I gather that séeing it was graunted by God to man to eate of euerie Trée of the garden then had he frée wyll to doo as he would to eate or not to eate Againe Ecclesi 15.14 Deus ab initio cōstituit hominem et reliquit illum in manu consilij sui adiecit mandata et praecepta sua si volueris mandata seruare conseruabunt te c. He made man from the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsell and gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes if thou wilt thou shalt obserue the commaundementes and testifie thy good wyll You sée that frée wyll was graunted vnto man before his fall God created him and left him in the hand of his counsell to doo what he would he had his owne choise eyther to the eating of euerie Trée of the garden and so to lyue eternallie in pleasures delightes ioye rest and quietnesse or to eate of the Trée of knowledge of good and bad and so to become mortall to léese his former state to become myserable wretched a caitife subiect to death hell and dampnation Againe in the same Chap. of Eccle. 15.17 Apposuit tibi aquam et ignem ad quod volueris porrige manum tuam And in the 18. verse Ante hominem vita et mors bonum et malum quod placuerit ci dabitur illi He hath set water and fire before thee stretch out thy hand vnto which thou wilt Before man is life and death good and euyll what it lyketh him it shall be giuen him Héere we sée moste manifestly that man had frée wyll before his fall For if the first man Adam could haue chosen eyther lyfe or death good or euyll who can with reason denie but that he had frée wyll For frée wyll is nothing else but a frée and loose lybertie of the minde to doo as he lyst Our Parentes An euident signe of free wyll Adam and Eue might haue lyued but they would not Adam and Eue had theyr choyse eyther to lyue or to dye to lyue and to doo good obseruing his commaundement and to dye if they would doo euyll neglecting his precept They followed the counsell of the Serpent in eating the fruite forbidden and so offended Gods Maiestie Wherefore it appeareth by these wordes that they had frée wyll to doo as they were commaunded and so to lyue in Paradise or to breake the commaūdement of God and so to dye bannished out of Paradise Eccle. 17.1 Deus creauit de terra hominem et iterum conuertit illum in ipsam The Lord hath created man of the earth and turned him to it againe Numerum dierum et tempus dedit illi c. He gaue him the number of dayes and certaine tymes and gaue him power of the thinges that are vpon earth He cloathed him with strength as he had néede and made him according to his Image He made all fleshe to feare him so that he had dominion ouer the Beastes and Fowles He created vnto him a helper lyke vnto him selfe and gaue him discretion and tongue and eyes cares and an heart to vnderstand and sixtlie he gaue him a spirite and seuenthly he gaue him spéeche to declare his workes and he filled him with knowledge of good and euyll And he sayde vnto him Beware of all vnrighteous thinges Wisd 23. Deus creauit hominem inexterminabilem et adimaginem similitudinis sue fecitillum God created man without corruption and made him after the Image of his owne lykenesse Coloss 3.9 Lye not one to an other seeing that yee haue put off the olde man with his workes and haue put on the newe which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Ephesi 4.23 Be yee renewed in the spirite of your minde 24. And put on the newe man which after GOD is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Omnes homines Sayth Ambrose in his first Booke and third Chapter of the calling of the Gentiles in primo homine creati sunt sine vicio et culpa et tota natura nostra integra et valida erat et peccato istius hominis totius nostrae naturae integritatem et salutem amisimus All men in the first man were created without vice or faulte and all our nature was sounde and in health and by the sinne of the
the auncient Fathers much to blame who in setting downe the Articles of our Creede dyd neglect and lightly passe ouer this vpstart Article of the Romish sea that where we be commaunded to beléeue one Catholique and Apostolique Church they dyd not in manner commaund vs to beléeue the Romaine Church withall Héereby you perceyue well enough my fréendes into what combersome straights and absurdities the Papistes haue hurled them selues by their blinde and vnaduised rashnesse For first if no certaintie of saluation be to be hoped for out of the Church which Church must be without all question that same verie Church of Roome as they frame theyr argumentes and that the Church of Roome be none other but the same which is strained and straighted to the vniuersall commaundementes and decrées of the Bishoppe of Roome Nowe then they doo exempt out of the priuiledge of the Church not onely this our English nation but together with them also they doo exclude out of the number of the Catholique Church infinite other famous learned Clarks of the auncient and pure age of the Church as Doctors Patriarches and Bishoppes yea amongst these also all the Bishoppes of Roome as many as were Gregories predecessors But what néede many proofes in a matter of it selfe so manifest and well knowne Vndoubtedlie sithens Christe would vouchsafe to lay the first foundation yea and to build vp that beautifull and euerlasting building of his owne house vpon none other ground worke then vpon that corner stone of Christian faith and Christian confession And if Paule doubted nothing to recoumpt the same faith to be the only and infallible shoote-Ancker of saluation By what Lawe then will the Pope adiudge them as out-castes worthy to be banished from the Catholique and Apostolique Church which professe the selfe same faith of Christe that the Apostles and other Catholique Churches dyd professe Why should the Papistes thus cruelly deale with the Christians for following Christe and his Apostles Why should they thus furiously persecute the godlie burne them or consume them in prison for denying the Romaine Church to be the holie Catholique Church Séeing that no mention thereof is made to be such a Church as the Papistes would haue it to be throughout all the Scriptures But we gather by the Scriptures that the Church of Roome is the Church of the deuill for if the Church of Roome were the true Church of Christe Christes sheepe heare his voice But the Church of Roome heareth not his voyce but heareth rather the voyce of Courtezanes therefore it is not the true Church but the Sinagogue of Sathan Shee wryteth in her coyne That Kingdome and people that doo not obey mee shall be rooted out contrarie to that the Kinges of Nations beare rule ouer them but ye shall not so doo therefore shée is not the true Church Ambrose sayth That the true Church is the Mother of the liuing But those that be in this Church are dead for they haue no faith because they haue no knowledge therfore this Church is not the true Church Shée committeth idolatrie and spirituall adulterie many wayes therefore shée is not the holie Catholique Church The Church of Roome numbers her multitudes as Dauid nūbred his Souldiors and therfore shée is not the holie Catholique Church These Papistes are like Cockles they carry theyr house about with them so doo they theyr Church Aspalathus will not growe but in Boetia ye kill these men if ye take away the couerture of the Church of Roome This Church is the ritch Arras that couereth all her faultes follies But admit good people that we were wunderfull hūble obediēt to this Church and most willing to come againe as foolishe Béetles to the shirt of this Church and to aske of her questions and demaundes I protest before heauen and earth and the founder of them bothe that I thinke it not good we should be holde in asking for the great imminent daunger in her aunswering For if we aske Whether Iesus be Christe or no This Romishe Church giueth out her aunswere That the Bishop of Roome is the high Preest and that the sayde Bishoppe hath the strength of the kingdome of Christe and the infallible veritie of a Prophete And therefore they allowe to ouer rule Christe by adding and taking too and fro his woorde If we aske If Christe were the onely oblation offered once vp for all for the sinnes of the world Her aunswere is verie daungerous That the Masse is a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead And shee falleth into commendation of her wheaten God and dooth attribute the health of the world to that abhominable bread and Idoll If we aske her If Christe be her intercessour to God Shée aunswereth vs most wickedlie Iure Matris imperat That Christe forsoothe shall commaund his Father by the right of his Mother If we aske her Of the state and condition of man since the fall of Adam Shée aunswereth That hee may ouertake heauen of him selfe and well enough by him selfe worke out his owne saluation Aske her What faith is And shee wyll tell of an implicite thing and of a generall faith and to be holden fast by that hand there shée kéepeth silence and is as spéechlesse as a Fishe If we aske her What the Lawe is Shée ladeth our shoulders with the heauy Ceremonies of Judaisme and Paganisme If we aske her What the Gospell is Shée maketh voide Gods promise with her owne Iustice If we aske her Of good workes Shee aunswereth iust lyke Saint Lukes Pharasie Then againe shée deuiseth good workes to be thus to hyre certayne men for money to pray and to mumble vp much quantitie of Psalmes in a couert tongue to kéepe huge troughes of Ling and Saltfishe many yéeres to waxe spéechlesse with seldome speaking to waxe lame with much sitting to vse many knottes in theyr gyrdles and many windowes in theyr showes to be buried in Monkishe wéedes and Nunnishe Cowles c. If we aske her Of the number of Christes Sacramentes Shee aunswereth That there be seuen Without Scripture shée hath added fiue to Gods two as though God hath let her his two Sacramentes to vsurie If we aske her Whether we goe after this life Shée telleth vs of Virgils Platoes and Mahomets Purgatorie If we should say vnto her Fayre Church of Roome whether is thy belooued gone Shée would say He went in his body to harrowe hell And then I wyll aske her Howe she can aunswere to Signum Ionae et signum Lazari The signe of Ionas and the signe of Lazarus that Christe should be three dayes in his graue If we would say Fayre Church of Roome whether is thy belooued gone Shée wyll say To heauen But then shée dreameth grosely of heauen as Mahomet and besides that in euerie hyll Alter and grone Alter shée wyll saye Here is Christe and there is Christe The more shée aunswereth the more shée aunswereth of lesinges Vneath hath shée nowe these many long yéeres aunswered any
as good towardnesse as Tom Collier thy fathers man And where as more impudentlie then an Asse thou writest That the most parte of my reportes touching your treacheries and malicious practises against the Queenes Maiestie and her honourable Councell is vntrue If I wrote any thing otherwise then the trueth was why dydst thou not make mention thereof that I might haue purged my selfe of infamie and vntrueth But I wrote no more then trueth gaue place but in the booke of Pilgrimage I wyll discouer God wylling more at large your treasonable attemptes against the Crowne and dignitie against her honourable Councell and against her common weale I haue spoken and doo speake and wyll speake nothing else but trueth of you But it is as harde a thing to heare trueth of you as it is for the Pope to giue his Miter away to poore beggers And finally where as thou concludest thy Lybell with these wordes That there shall neuer want vacabounds and runnagates for gaine If thou wylt haue these wordes to haue relation to thy selfe and to thy brothers who in déede are Vacabounds and runnagates from Tauerne to Tauerne from Towne to Towne from Shiere to Shiere Thou sayst well and truely and I goe not about to disprooue thy wordes but if thou meanest of me I am no runnagate I stay in one place and am not affrayde to shewe my face in the presence of you all if I could tell where to finde you But you are not farre vnlyke to the théeues who in the day tyme sléepe or lurke in Caues and in the night tyme raunge abroade I thinke you meete bothe together on the plaines of Salisburie the theefe he séeketh but the purse but you are not contented with the purse but seeke to bereaue a man of his body and soule We had more néede by a great deale if we haue respect to the safetie of our bodies and soules to take héede that we be not deceyued by the craftie iugling of these wandering Popish Préests Thus haue I aunswered to euerie particular Article contayned in the infamous Lybell against me written and I thought it good to containe the same in this Epistle written vnto you worshipfull Company for this cause onely For that they say That I attempted many most malicious thinges betweene the Prince of Orainge and the King of Spaine If you heare and vnderstand it of credible persons that I was such a fellowe as they report me to be I desire you as not compelled to make mention thereof in your Letters and conuay it to London I am sure and certaine that there is no man can auouch that I was such a fellowe as they make me to be I confesse my life hath béene wicked and lewde but neuer so wickedlie and lewdlic bent as the Papists doo report They say I am irreligious I am altogether giuen to vngodlinesse God hath forsaken me there is no hope of my saluation This is but theyr rashe iudgement God forgiue them I wishe them well to doo God graunt them a penitent heart and a tongue to speake trueth I am not the first that hath béene wrongfullie slaundered nor shall be the last There is a Popishe Préest héere in England that reported that he knewe him selfe bothe noble men worshipfull and Preachers héere in this Land to be of the householde of Atheisme But as I told so tell I againe that Papists can doo nothing else but lye and falselie report I leaue héere to trouble you any farther beeing otherwise occupied with waightier affayres then to obtaine fitte opportunitie and leasure to peruse this rude Letter of mine Pray that I may stand fast to the glorie of his name and the good example of others whose lyke conuersation I doo heartily wishe in the Lord. And so desiring your good prayers to Iesus Christe worshipfull Company to assist me with his grace that I may persenere in this his gratious calling to the end and in the end The Lord Iesus gouerne and guide you in true obedience of his glorious Gospell to the glorie of his name Amen Your fellow seruant in the Lord. Iohn Nichols ⧠The Oration made at Roome before the fowre Cardinalles of the Inquisition and the Dominican Inquisitour presented also before the Pope the .xxvii. day of May. 1578. YOu commaunded me most illustrious and most reuerend Cardinalles to write what I could against our holie Father the Pope and against the Catholique faith What your meaning is herein I knowe not if you seeke to knowe what learning I haue I confesse I haue none the time of my studies in the flourishing Vniuersities of England hath beene but short my maintenance in other common Schooles dured but for a small space of time wherfore neither in the Vniuersities neither yet abroade in the countrie could I reape any sound and vnconfused knowledge in good Letters therefore you may easilie be persuaded that if you require of me that which you would of a learned Scholer demaund my want of learning and rudenesse of inuention is such that I can not sufficiently whereas I gladly would accomplishe your request according to your minde If your desire be to vnderstand howe in times past liuing in blindnesse and errour Marke heere I counted the bright shining beames of Christ his Gospell blindnesse and the preaching thereof the preaching of errour I subuerted corrupted and prophaned as much as I could the doctrine of our holie mother the Church Scilicet If you are desirous to knowe wherein I haue offended our holie Father the Pope and wherin I haue more tashly thē wisely spoken against the catholique Religion to obey your cōmaundement I did what I could to put in writing such words as I vsed against him and his Religion and trusting to your woonted clemencie in forgiuing my trespasse I write as boldlie as if I were in England if I did not so your commaundement should not be accomplished Wherefore how so euer I speake be not greeued and turne not therefore your fatherly fauour from me the fault is not in me to write the thing commaunded I write what I spake whiles that I lyued in England and I spake as I was taught nowe I write that which I hate but spake then that which I lyked This is a newe metamorphesis of a Collier to become a Scholler of a plow-man a Preacher and of an heretique to become a catholique there are colliers that haue gon to schoole haue read there is but one God one Baptisme one faith in Iesus christ why are they not schollers There are plow-men that can teache theyr household to looue God aboue all things to loue one another as god loued vs and gaue his only begotten sonne to reconcile vs vnto him beeing his enimies transgressours of his holie law and commaundement and are they not Preachers Heretiques will become catholiques if they consider and examine the corrupt lyuing of babling Preachers their vsurping of Ecclesiasticall liuinges their ambition to higher degrees of
belooued before I beginne I dare faithfullie promise you that you shall finde throughout the whole Testament neyther Papa Papatus Primas nor Primatus Neyther Pope Papacie Primate nor Primacie to be graunted vnto any of the Apostles of Christe then much lesse vnto the Bishop of Roome Howe shamefully they wrest those places of binding and loosing No learned man there is but vnderstandeth and perceyueth the same I aunswere with Cyprian and Augustine De. sin Cleri That God in the person of Simon Peter gaue the Keies to all to signifie the vnitie of all for Christe did it not for this purpose to preferre one man before another but to set out the vnitie of the Church for the rest of the Apostles were the same thing that Peter was endued with like partaking bothe of honour and power Augustine sayth Homil. in Iohn 1. Homil 11. Si in Petro Ecclesia mysterium non esset Dominus ei non diceret Dabo tibi claues If there were not in Peter a mysterie of the Church the Lord would not say to him I will giue thee the Keies For if this was said to Peter the Church hath them not but if the Church haue them then Peter when he receyued the Keies betokened the whole Church And in an other place when they were all asked onelie Peter aunswered Thou arte Christe And it is sayde to him I will giue thee the Keies As though he alone had receiued the power of binding and loosing whereas bothe he béeing one sayd then one for all and he receyued the other with all as bearing the person of vnitie therefore one for all because there is vnitie in all Let Peter truelie haue the first place yet there is great difference betwéene the honour of degrée and power We sée that the Apostles commonly graunted this to Peter that he should speake in assemblies and after a certaine manner goe before them with propoūding exhorting and admonishing but of his power we reade nothing at all Reade the Scriptures and there ye shall finde what office and power Peter had among the Apostles howe hée behaued him selfe and howe he was accepted of them Runne ouer all that remayneth written you shall finde nothing else but that he was one of the twelue equall with the rest and their fellowe but not their Lord. But to graunt them that which they require concerning Peter that is that he was the Prince of the Apostles and excelled the rest in dignitie Yet there is no cause why they should of a singular example make an vniuersall rule and drawe to perpetuitie that which was once doone sith there is a farre differing reason One was chéefe among the Apostles forsoothe because they were fewe in number If one were the chéefe of twelue men shall it therefore followe that one ought to be made ruler of a hundred thousand millions of men It is no meruaile that twelue had one among them that should rule them all for nature beareth this and the witte of men requireth this that in euerie assemblie although they be all equall in power yet there is one as a gouernour whome the rest may haue regard vnto There is no Court without a Consull no Session of Iudges without a Pretor or Propounder no Company without a Ruler no fellowshippe without a Maister So should it be no absurditie if we confessed that the Apostles gaue to Peter such a supremacie but that which is of force among fewe is by and by to be drawne to the whole world to the ruling whereof no one man is sufficient But say they this hath place no lesse in the whole vniuersalitie of nature then in all the parts that there be one soueraigne head of all And héereof very wisely as they thinke they fetch a proofe from Cranes and Bées which alwayes chuse to them selues one guide and not many I allowe in déede the examples which they bring foorth but doo Bées resort together out of all the world to chuse them one King euery seuerall King is contented with his owne Hiue So among Cranes euery hierde hath theyr owne King What else shall they prooue héereby but that euerie Church ought to haue her owne seuerall Bishoppe appointed her But whereas I sayde let it be graūted that Peter was Prince of the Apostles He was no otherwise called Prince of the Apostles then Cicero was called Prince of Eloquence in respect of excellencie not of superioritie and so was Homer called the captaine of Poeticall finenesse If a questiō should be mooued who were the chéefe and captaine of the schoole Some one or other should be noted foorthwith yet is hée not therefore a Prince ouer his fellowes nor his fellowes subiect vnto him So I say though Peter had béene called the Prince of the Apostles yet was hée not theyr soueraigne and Lord but fellowe labourer in the Lord his Vineyarde And thus much bréeflie touching the Pope and his false supremacie Of the erronious hippocriticall and false Church of Roome HEther vnto I haue intreated of the Popes vsurped supremacie nowe I meane to speak a word or two of the Churche I wyll first beginne with the definition of this worde Church and then I wyll procéede farther to intreate thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a Congregation or company of faithfull men assembled together This Church is two manner of wayes construed that is the Church or company onely of those whome God hath chosen to euerlasting lyfe in all tymes and places Which is to man inuisible who can not enter so farre as to knowe GOD his wyll neyther the heart of man him selfe but is onelye visyble to GOD who knoweth those that are his as the Apostle sayth and hath sealed them with his owne seale And there is a Church of wicked and reprobate of Papistes and Turks yea the wicked to the ende of the world are mingled with the good Papists contrarie to their owne lawes frequent the Churches or assemblies of Christians the Goates kéepe company with the Shéepe the chaffe with the graine and the Tares are found among the good Corne. Into the bosom of the true Church God will haue his chyldren to be gathered together not onely that they should by her helpe and Ministery be nourished while they are Infantes and young chyldren but also be ruled by her motherlie care tyll they growe to ryper age and at length come to the marke of faith for it is not lawfull that those thinges be seuered which God hath conioyned That to whome hee is a Father the Church be also theyr Mother and that not only vnder the Lawe but also since the comming of Chrisie As Paule Galat. 8.26 witnesseth which teacheth That we are the chyldren of the newe and heauenlie Jerusalem In the Créede where we professe that we beléeue In the holie Catholique Church Wee meane not Roome to be that holie Catholique Church for if no Church ought to be reputed for Christian or Catholique but that which is of Rome Then were
the more boldly because it presumeth not hauing large matter to glorie vpō euen the many mercies of the Lord. This is the trueth the exercysed consciences perceiued this to be the onely sanctuarie of safety wherein they may safelye rest themselues when they haue to doe with the iudgement of God For if the starres that seemed most bright in the night season doe loose their brightnes with light of the Sun what thinke we shal become euen of the rarest innocencie of man when it shal be compared with the purenesse of God For that shal be a most seuere examination that shall pearce into the most hidden thoughtes of the heart And as Paule sayth Shall reueale the secrets of darcknes disclose the hidden things of the heart which shall compell the lurking and vnwilling conscience to vtter all thinges that now are fallen out of remembrance The Deuill our accuser will presse vs which is priuie to all the wicked deedes that he hath moued vs to doe There the outwarde pompous shewes of good works which now only are esteemed shal nothing profite vs. Onely the purenesse of will shall be requyred Wherefore the hipocrisie not onely whereby euery man knowing him selfe giltie beefore God desireth to boaste him selfe before men but also wherewith euery man deceiueth himselfe before God as we bee all inclined to flatter our selues shal fal down confounded howsoeuer it now be proud with more than dronken boldnesse they that bende not their wit to such a sight may in deede for a shorte time sweetly and pleasantly frame a righteousnes to themselues but it is such a righteousnes as shal be by and by shaken away frō them at the iudgement of God Like as great riches heaped vp in a dreame vanish away from men when they wake But they that shall earnestly as it were in the sight of God enquire of the true rule of righteousnes certainly finde that al the woorkes of men if they be iudged by their own worthines are nothing but defilinges and filthines That which among the common people is accoūted righteousnes is before God meere wickednes that which is iudged puritie is vncleannesse that which is reckoned glory is but shame From this beholding of the perfection of God let it not greue vs to descend to look vpon our selues without flatterie or blinde affection of loue for it is no maruell if wee be all so blinde in this behalfe forsomuch as none doth beware of the pestilent tendernes towardes him selfe which as the scripture cryeth out Naturally sticketh fast in vs all To euery man saith Solomon Prouerb chap. 21. vers 2. 16. His own way is right in his owne eyes Againe All the wayes of man seeme cleane in his own eyes But what is he acquited by his blindnesse no But as hee further saieth in the same place the Lorde wayeth the hearts that is to say while man flattereth him selfe by reason of the outwarde visor of righteousnesse that hee beareth in resemblance In the meane time the Lord with his ballance examineth the hidden vncleannes of the heart Therefore seeing we see nothing profite with such flatterers let vs not wilfully mock our selues to our own destruction But that we may traine our selues rightly wee must necessarily call backe our conscience to the iudgement seate of God For we doe altogether neede his light to disclose the secrete foldinges of our peruersnesse which otherwise lie too deeply hidden For then and neuer till then wee shall cleerelye perceiue what is meant hereby that man being rottennesse and a worme abhominable vaine which drinketh wickednes as water is far from being iustified before God For who should make that cleane that is conceiued of vncleane seede not one man Then shall we also finde that by experience which Iob sayd of him selfe chapter 19. St iustificare me voluero os meum condemnabit me si innocentem ostendero prauum me comprobabit If I will goe about to shew my selfe innocent my own mouth shall condemne me If I wil shew my selfe righteous it wil prooue me wicked For that is not meant of one age onely but of all ages which the Prophet in old time of Israel that all went astray like sheepe that euery one turned aside to his owne way For he there comprehendeth all them to whom the grace of redemption should come and the rigorousnesse of this examination ought to proceede so far till it subdue vs so that we be fully throwen downe with all and by that meane prepare vs to receiue the grace of Christ For he is deceiued that thinketh himselfe able to receiue the enioying of this grace vntill he haue first throwen downe all hautinesse of minde This is a knowen saying that God confoundeth the proud and geueth grace to the humble O I would to God that mē would no longer trust to their owne righteousnesse but geue place to the mercie of God that they doe not presumptuously aduaunce them selues nor reprochfullye triumphe ouer others but vnfaynedly submitting thēselues before God acknowledging their own miserie and needinesse at last yealde to the trueth and say with vs and with S. Paule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non est iustus ne vnus quidē there is none righteous no not one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is none that doth good no not one Ex operibus Legis non iustificabitur omnis caro in conspectu eius By the workes of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight Againe to the Rom. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Abraham were iustified by workes hee hath wherein to reioyce but not with God Agayne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The wayes of sinne is death but the gifte of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Againe to the Rom. 10.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They beeinge ignoraunte of the Righteousnesse of God and going about to stablish their own righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God Againe in the 11. chap. 5. ver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euen then so at this present time is there a remnant through the election of grace and if it be of grace it is now no more of woorkes or els were grace no more grace But if it be of works it is no more grace or els were workes no more woorkes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath geuē to him first he shal be recompenced for of him and through him for him are all thinges To him be glorie for euer Amen Againe to the Cor. 1. Epist and 4. chap. 4. ver Nullius omnino rei mihi conscius sum sed non per hoc iuctificatus sum caeterum qui me iudicat Dominus est I know nothing by my selfe yet I am not therby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lord. S. Paule in his 2. Chapter to the Ephesians 8. verse Gratia enim estis saluati perfidem idque non ex vobis Dei donum est By grace are ye saued through faith and