from the filth therof but that they haue neede to be made cleane by our helpe stayed from slyding in againe yea and lest we shoulde make sorowfull and pyerce the heartes of them that be quite escaped wheÌ„ they shoulde see vs by whose meanes they haue escaped bewadled in the same filth our selues and so bring al that we haue taught into doubt and all that we shall teache into suspicion we haue thought it meete for vs vtterly to refuse all these thinges that now are vrged For if we that haue by doctrine proued these things to be superfluous in the abuse of them superstitions shall nowe receyue them our selues and so in doing although not in words affirme them to be necessary What obstinate Papist will not be the more confirmed in the reuerende opinion of them what yong nouice in Christ will not afreshe embrace them what weakling will not againe inclyne to them And what perfect Christian will not weepe in hys heart to see them And shall not the bloude of all these be required at our hands shal not we once heare that horrible saying that Christ shal once pronounce against suche as we should herein shewe oure selues to be Tollite seruum nequam c. Take vp that naughty slaue binde hym hande and foote and cast hym into vtter darkenesse there shal be weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth Fearing therefore to lose our selues with the losse of so many soules besides our selues we haue chosen rather to venture the losse of worldely commoditie than to hazarde that which no earthlye treasure can bye Trusting that our Prince and all other in auctoritie will fauour our iust cause and not mislike with vs bycause we feare god more than man and are more loth to lose the heauenly Kingdome than earthly commoditie We hope that all wise men doe see what marke the earnest soliciters of this matter do shoot at They are not neyther were at anye tyme Protestantes but when tyme woulde serue them they were bloudy persecuters synce tyme fayled them they haue borne back as much as lay in them Shall we think then that such do seeke the aduauÌ„cement of gods glorye in the setting forth of his true religion no no. Theyr purpose is in vs sielly wretches to deface the glorious gospell of Christ Iesus whiche thing they shall neuer be able to bring to passe For thoughe we lyke cowardes shoulde runne from our Captayne and yelde our weapons into the handes of oure enimyes yea thoughe we shoulde lyke traitours tourne our pikes against him yet wil he haue the victorie For he hath the heartes of his enimies in his hande can cause them to take his part and to vse vs as traytours shoulde be vsed Our goodes our bodyes and our lyues we do with al humble submission yelde into the hands of gods officers vpon earth but our conscience we keepe vnspotted in the sight of him that shall iudge al men Desiring no thing but that it may be free for vs by doctrine to teach the flocke of Christ whereof we haue taken charge and when we haue so taught them to goe before them in doing that which we haue taught according to the truth of gods holy worde That when we shall appeare before that great shephearde Christ our flocke with vs and we with our flock may heare these ioyful words Euge ser ue bone fidelis c. Well done thou good faythfull seruaunt bicause thou haste bene faithful in the thing that is of small value I will make thee Ruler ouer muche enter thou into thy Lordes ioy Whiche ioy shall vndoubtedly be giueÌ„ to as many as vnfaynedly shall loue the comming of that shepheard To whome with the eternall father and the holy ghost be all honor glory and dominion for euer Amen Ecclesiasticus 4. Stryue for the truthe euen vnto death and the Lorde God shall fight for thee ¶ A godly prayer agreable to the tyme and occasion O Almighty God great Iudge of all Father of mercy and louing Lorde of thy flock and congregation we doe acknowledge they goodnesse thorowe which thou hast vouchedsafe to choose and call vs into the societie of thy Saintes the fellowship of thyne elect the folde of thy sheepe wherein allwayes thou haste dealt with vs in all thinges as with thine owne inheritance thy chosen sheepe and beloued Lambes For this thy great kindenesse we doe yelde to thee our moste humble heartie thankes We doe confesse also that on our behalfe for want of due consyderation of this thy goodnesse our dutie we haue grieuously offended thee not onely in vnthankfull vsinge thy benefites but also in wilfull and sinfull abusing thy mercie To holy assemblies we haue ioyned oure selues in the exercises of thy worde and sacraments of prayer charity yet not with such zeale diligence as we ought but with that lothsomenesse contempte whiche we ought not In comming to them dayly we haue filled our fansie rather than feede our faith we haue come to them more of custome than of conscience we haue heard much more with oure eares than we digested in our mindes And thus with harde hearts hearing much doing little promising faire performing nothinge in effect we haue remayned vncorrected not amended to the great offence of thy diuine maiestye Of thy displeasure kindled heretofore against vs we haue bene diuers wayes admonished For euen as thou didest leaue a remnaunt of the Cananites not cast out from amoÌ„gst thy people Israel to be snares whippes and thornes in their sydes and eyes bicause they did not fully cleane vnto thee so doe the remnants of the Remishe adâ—omination 〈◊〉 still amongest vs to witnesse thy wrath against our colde loue of sincere seruing thee yet is not our zeale inflamed to better The sharp scourges which we haue seene felte together with straunge signes shewed in heauen earth haue testifyed thyne anger agaynst vs but we earth and ashes are not yet by them taught our good The ministers of thy worde seing oure sinful state haue seuerely threatned greater plagues to fal on vs but we haue tryfled of our tyme not heartly tourned vnto thee And therfor it is that euen now we see as a begynning of greater vengeaunce their heartes whose power shoulde procure the correction of our mischiefe not only holdeÌ„ in neglect coÌ„tempt of that they should do but bent also to maintayne that they should destroy to the hindering of the course of thy gospel which they should set forwarde Are not the reliques of Romishe Idolatrie stoutely retayned Are we not bereaued of some of our pastors who by worde example sought to free thy flocke from those offences Ah good Lord these are now by power put downe from pastural cure they are forbyd to feede vs theyr voyce we can not heare This is oure great discomfort This is the ioy triumph of Antichrist his lymmes our enimyes yea that is more heauy increase of
vpon an another point wher he is sure to finde sea rome ynough And shall we that be lodes men the shippe of Christ to trye our cunning creepe so neare the flattes or rocks the we put our whole charge in daunger of perishing by falling vpon them God forbydde That wise politike gouernour of Gods shippe S. Paule woulde not venter so farre But seing daunger in the vse of indifferent thinges he sayth Omnia mihi licent sed non omnia conducunt Omnia mihi licent sed non omnia aedificant 1. Cor. 10 It is leeful for me a to doe al things meaning of things indifferent but all things doe not profit It is leefull for me to do all things but al things do not edifie Againe he sayth Bonum est non manducare carnem non bibere vinum neque quicquam in quo frater tuus impingit aut offenditur aut infirmatur Ro. 14 It is good sayth S. Paule not to eate fleshe nor to drink wine nor to do any other thing wherat thy brother doth stumble or is offended or made weake Yea and the same S. Paule exhorting the Corinthes to set them selues free from all the superstitions of the Heathen saith thus vnto them Eandem autem habentes remunerationem tanquam filiis dico dilatemini vos 2. cor 6. Nolite iugum ducere cum infidelibus You also hauing the same rewarde with me I speake as vnto mine owne children set youre selues at libertie be not willing to drawe in one yoke with the infidelles What confort can there be betwixte righteousnesse vnrighteousenesse Or what fellowship hath light with darkenesse And what agreement is there betwene Christe and Beliall Or what parte can a faithfull man haue with an infidell And howe agreeth the temple of God with Images You are the temple of the lyuing God as sayth God I will dwel in them I will walk amongst them I will be their God and they shall be may people Wherfore get ye out from amongst them Esaie 52 and separate your selues from them sayth the Lorde And see that ye touch no vncleane thyng and I will receyue you And I will be your father Iere. 32. and you shall be my sonnes and daughters sayth the Lorde almightie These places of scriptures doe moue as to flye from al suche thinges as haue bene brought into the church of Christ eyther contrary or besides the worde of God And to embrace vse those things onely which are commaunded or haue good grounde in the holy worde of God Not despising the auctoritie that God hath giuen to Princes and other Potentates but preferring the commaundement of him that is the giuer of auctoritie before the comaundement of those that haue none auctoritie of themselues but haue receyued theyr auctoritie at hys hande and shall aunswere to hym for the vse therof And herein we follow the cōmaundement of God and the example of all good men The seruaunt of God Moses hath sayde Non addetis ad verbum quod ego vobis loquor Deut. 4 nec auferetis ex eo Custodite mandata Domini Dei vestri quae ego praecipio vobis Ye shall not adde any thing vnto the worde that I speake vnto you neyther shall ye take any thing from it Kepe the commaundements of the Lorde your God which I doe commaunde you And againe he sayth Non declmabitis neque ad dexteram neque ad sinistram Deut. 5. sed per viam quā praecepit Dominus Deus vester ambulabitis vt vi uatis bene sit vobis protelentur dies vestri in terra possessionis vestrae You shall not bow neyther to the right hande nor to the left but by the waye that the Lorde your God hath commaunded you shall ye walke that ye may lyue and prosper that your dayes may be long in the land of your possessiō King Saule walked not in this waye 1. Re. 15. but bowed to the right hande of his owne good intent And therefore he prospered not but was rooted out with al his offspring and one set vp in his place that had a pleasure to walk in that way 3. Re. 12 King Roboham walked not in this waye but bowed to the left hand of his owne malitious tyrannie and therefore ten of the twelue kindreds of Israel were taken from him and giuen to his neighbour 4. Re. 20. King Ezechias walked in this way and therefore in his trouble he founde fauour helpe at the Lordes hande and when he was sicke he found health and had .xv. yeares added to his life ended his life in the Lord. As many as haue walked in this waye haue done it bicause they haue had and assured hope of a farre better lyfe and more blessed estate after this lyfe Heb. 11. And therefore the trouble that they sustayned here hath not bene greuous vnto them for they had the rewarde alwayes before their eyes The true Prophets The true Prophets woulde neuer pleasure Princes by addyng to the commaundements of God nor yet by taking anithing therefor by bowing to the right hande or to the lefte But they dyd alwayes walke straight forth in his cōmandemēs although they did oftentimes sustayne great displeasure at Princes handes for so doing false prophetes But the false Prophets did alwayes marke the inclinacion of Princes fashion them selues to the pleasure of Princes For they were al brought vp in Gnatoes schoole and had learned to say Aiunt aio negant nego If they say it then I say it too If they doe denye it then doe I denie it also Such were the false prophetes in the dayes of King Achab who being in number foure hundreth did with one consent prophecie that the King should prosper in the warres that he purposed to take in hande against Ramoth in Galaad But the true Prophet Michea could not flatter for he had not bene brought vp in flatterers schoole 3. Re. 22. And therfore he saide Vidi cunctum Israel dispersum in montibus sicut oues non habentes pastorem Et ait Dominus non habent isti dominum Reuertatur vnusquisque in domum suam in pace I sawe all Israell scattered abrode in the mountaines as sheepe without a shepheard And the Lorde sayd These men haue no master let euery one retourne into his owne house in peace This plaine man that coulde no skill of flattering was striken and cast into prison and threatened a worse tourne but the false Prophets were highly esteemed tyll theyr prophecie was proued false Micheas prophecie true It hath alwayes bene the maner of the true prophetes to be sure that they might truely saye Eze. 13. Haec dicit dominus Thus saith the Lord but the false Prophetes could neuer truely say so For they vsed allwayes to prophecie out of their owne fantasies Mat. 15 Our Sauyour Christ taught none other thing than the will of his heauenly
this misery is of some threatned of the wicked hoped for and of vs feared as thy iuâ—t iudgemeÌ„t against vs for our sinnes And nowe Lorde what can we say confusion of faces is ours We haue synned done amisse we confesse our fault As iustice is thyne iustelie to correct soe mercye is thyne also to pardon and to helpe the miserable We persuaded of thy goodnesse towardes vs in Iesus Christ doe knowe that of loue thou dost nowe chastyse vs as children Correct vs O Lorde but not in thy wrath Remember thy louing kindnesse and in the ryches of thy great mercye pardon forgiue all oure synnes through which we haue thus offended thee O Lord blot them out of thy remembraunce by the bloude of thy sonne Iesus And let thy good spiryte now transforme vs from our olde euils so that we commit them no more that ther apeare no cause to moue the memorie of them anye more in thy holy sight but rule vs to growe in regeneration that this our mortall lyfe maye bring forth plentifully those fruites of the spirite which do please thee O heauenlye Father stay thy stroke nowe begon Restore our helpes to vs agayn Yea of thy liberall goodnes giue more of suche ayde and help as thou knowest nedefull to worke the thorow reformation of oure state generally and of eche one of vs particularlye Much good hast thou wrought vnto vs by our souerayne and the ministers whom thou hast appointed to gouernement Doe not withdrawe thy graces frome them for oure sinnes sake but rather increase thy good gyftes in them for thy mercye sake Indue them with increase of knowledge zeale and diligence that they may doe that which is to be done to gyue thy glorious gospell the full course so that by it perfyte stablishment maye be wrought of thy religion in sincerity and of ciuile regiment in peace and equitie Loke Lord and Iudge most iuste on the proude bragge and boast of antichrist thyne enimy cut his courage coÌ„founde his counsell disapoint his hope breake his power giue him that vtter ouerthrow that there do not remayne so muche as a memorie or token of him to be had in regarde but that his memorye maye be had in confusion O Lorde set vp thy glorye remoue thy wrath restore thy mercye comforte thyne afflicted tourne thy louing countenance to vs poure forth thy grace on vs build vs vp in Christ loue vs still Let the trumpet of thy gospell with suche power plenty be blowne that all flesh may hearken yelde thereto thyne elect to their comforte the reprobate to their confusion And let this blast continue without ceassing with due effect vntill that last trump be sounded by thine ArchaÌ„gell at the daye of Christ And come Lorde Iesus In thy name O Christ our Capitayne we aske these things praye vnto thee o Heauenlye father saying Our Father c. O Lord increase our faith whereof we make confession I beleue in God c. Arise O Lord and let thyne enimyes be confounded Let them vnderstand that against thee they fight Let them flye from thy presence that hate thy godly name Let the grones of thy afflicted enter in before thee And for thy name sake wash away all dregs of Poperie and superstition that presentlye trouble the state of thy church And preserue the Vyne whiche thy ryghthande hathe planted that the glory of thyne annointed Iesus Christ oure Lorde maye clearely shyne here and before all nations So be it To my louynge brethren that is troublyd abowt the popishe aparrell two short and comfortable Epistels Be ye constant for the Lorde shall fyght for yow yowrs in Christ ¶ To all my faithful brethren in Christ Iesu and to all other that labour to weade out the wedes of popery Peace in the Lorde Iesu be with you and make you perfite in all good workes to doe his will working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ our Lord. DEare Brethren because we are creatid for gods glory the edification one of another in Christ and are bounde to serue thervnto by wealthe or woo lyfe or death and cheifly they to whom God haue geuen the greter gyftes and whom he hath callyd to higher romes are moste bounde to be zelous for gods glory with godly zelousie to profyt the churche and sponse of Christe vnder their charge and that by no subteltye as the Apostel warnithe they shulde be corrupted from the symplicitie of Christ therfore there is no doubt of your good zealle and diligence My good fathers deare brethren who at first callid to the battel to striue for gods glory and the edification of his people against the Romish reliques and rages of Antichrist I doubt not but that you wyl coragiouslye and constantlye in Christ rape at these rages of Gods enemyes and that you will by this occasion race vp many as grete enormites that we all know labore to race out all the dregges remnants of transformid popery that are crept into England by to much lenite of them that wylbe namid the Lordes of the cleargie what is he that hath the zeale of gods glory before his face that wyl not ioyne both in prayer and in sufferinge with you in so good a cause that is so much for gods glory and the edificacion of gods church in the pure simplicite of Christes word sacramentes wherin our enemies and persecutours are strangely bewitchid I wote not by what Circes cupe that they do make suche a diuersite betwixt Christes worde his sacramentes that they can not thinke the worde of God safelye ynoughe preachid honorably inough handlyd without cap cope surplis But that the sacraments the maryinge the buryinge the churching of wemen other church seruice as they call it muste nedes be decored with crossinge with capping with surplessing with knelinge with preti wafer cakes and other knackes of poperi O Paule that thou were a lyue thou durst tell those politike gentelmen that ther hath bin to much laboure bestoued vpon them in vaine thou durste say vnto them as thou didest to the Corinthians that they eat not the Lordes supper but pley a pagent of their owne to blynde the people and kepe them still in supersticion fare from the symplicite of Christes supper but howe many sely sowles is ther that dothe beleue veryly that they haue an English masse and so put no difference betwene truth falshod betwene Christ and antichrist betwene God and the deuell they are strangely bewitched I say that thus wyll bynde theyr Englyshe presthode sacraments but muche more enchauntid that can fynd no garments to please them But such as haue ben polutid openly with popishe supersticion Idolatry but most of all in this point shall theyr madnes apere to all posterites that they make these Antichristian rages Causam sine qua non that is a cause without which ther is no holy ministery in Christ
price 3s 4d A briefe discourse against the outwarde apparell and Ministring garmentes of the popishe church psalme 31. I haue hated all those that holde of superstitious vanities 1566. ¶ The Booke to the Reader THe Popes attyre whereof I talke I knowe to be but vaine Wherfore some men that wittie are to reade mee will disdaine But I woulde wishe that such men shoulde with iudgement reade me twise And marke how great an euill it is Gods Preachers to disguise I knowe a cocks combe can not take from wise men any wit So doe I knowe that such attyre is for no wise man fit Good mindes can not but much mislike to see good men displaste But better mindes woulde sorrowe more to see such men defaste Their persons if ye do respect the matter is but small But on their office if ye looke then are they guides of all The Preacher is a messanger sent from no worldely wight But from that Prince that pearlessâ— is and made all by his might King Dauid coulde not take it well but thought himselfe dispisde When Hanon sent his seruauntes backe dishonorde and disguisde And shall not God thinke you reuenge himselfe vpon that route That to deface or else displace his Preachers goe about Yes doubtlesse for the mighty God will not long tyme endure The spite of such as so doe seeke to worke him displeasure All wise men therfore will beware How they doe such men wrong As haue such one to take their parte as for all is to strong God graunt that all men may once see on which side truth doth stande And pray to him for such as be made Rulers of the lande That they hauing before their eyes the feare of God aboue May seeke to set Gods worde in place and all vayne toyes remoue FINIS A declaration of the doings of those Ministers of Gods worde and Sacraments in the Citie of London which haue refused to weare the outwarde apparell and Ministring garmentes of the Popes church COnsidering how hurteful a thing it is to a christian coÌ„mon weale to haue the ministers of Gods worde despised and brought into coÌ„temt we haue thought it our dutie briefly to declare in writing to set forth to be seene of al men some parte of the reasons groundes of our doings in refusing to weare the outwarde apparel ministring garments of the popes church First we consider that the power that God hath giuen to his Ministers is giuen them that they should therby edifie or build vp the Church of Christ not destroy it or pul it downe according as S. Paule writeth to the Corinths 2. Cor. 13. Of which edifying or building of the church of Christ the same S. Paule speaketh in that Epistle that he wrote to the Ephesians It were to long to cite all his words in order we will therfore set downe certaine sentences referringe the Reader to the places where the same are written by S. Paule in that his Epistle First he saith thus I am non estis hospites c. Ye are not nowe straungers and forreners but ye are Citizens togither with the saints and of the housholde of God being builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets Eph. 2. Iesus Christ being the Head stone in the corner In whom whatsoeuer building is encreased it groweth into an holy temple in the Lorde These wordes doth S. Paule write to signify that the church of Christ which is builded of liuing stones timber taken out both from among the Iewes and the gentiles must be builded vpoÌ„ the firme sure foundation Iesus Christ not vpon any other for he was that foundatioÌ„ that the Apostles Prophets builded vpon and that the building which is set vpon that foundation doth growe in to an holy Tempell in the Lorde The builders must not suffer it to decay but they must still labour diligently that it may growe into an holy temple and that till it be as large as beautiful as it is possible for it to be in this vale of misery So farre of woulde S. Paule haue all the builders of gods temple to be from the pulling downe or defacing any parte therof Againe the same S. Paule sayth in the same Epistle Idem dedit alios quidem Apostolos c. Eph. 4. The same hath giuen vs some to be Apostles some to be Prophets some to be Euangelists some to be Shepheardes and some to be teachers to furnishe the Saintes vnto the work af administration for the building vp of the body of Christ till we doe all come into the vnitie of fayth the acknowledging of the sonne of God That we may be a perfect man and come into the measure of the ful age of Christ That we be no more babes to wauer and to be caryed about with euery winde of doctrine through the craftinesse and wylinesse of men wherby they set vpoÌ„ vs to disceiue vs. c. And afterwarde in the same chapter he saith I speake and testifie these things euen on the Lordes behalfe that ye should not walke as other nations doe in the vanitie of their owne mindes By these wordes S. Paule doth plainely teache â—â—e dutie 〈◊〉 a faithâ—ll preaâ—â—er that al such as are appointed to minister in the Church of Christ must be still occupied in building and neuer in pulling down neither in staying the reast froÌ„ going forwarde with the building they haue begonne And that such shoulde not be so babishe that they may be caryed away with euery straunge Doctrine or deceyued with euery subtile persuasion nor walke in the vanitie of their owne mindes but be stayde by the holy worde of God and in all things acknowledge the sonne of God by exercising their Ministeries according to his institution so nere as possibly they may vtterly renouncing forsaking all those vnprofitable ceremonies rytes that men haue deuised without sure grounde in Gods holy word in following the vanity of their owne mindes We therefore knowing that we haue receiued power to edifie and not to destroy that a day will come wherin we shal be sure to receyue at his handes whose builders we are according to our doings eyther in building or plucking downe or in staying hindring of that which should haue bene builded by others dare not be so bolde as to admit the outwarde ministring apparell of the popes church til it may manifestly appeare vnto vs that the same may helpe forwarde and not pull downe staye or hinder the building vp of the Lordes temple which is his Church or congregation purchased bought with so deare a price as the heart bloud of his most derely beloued and only begotten Sonne Christ Iesus We woulde not therfore in these dayes refuse them if we might but conceiue an hope that the vse of them might helpe forwardes with the Lordes building but forasmuch as we see playnely the contrary we may in no case admit them Wee graunt
Father but the Scribes and Pharisies taught their owne traditions aduauncing them aboue the commaundements of God Mat. 16 Wherefore our Sauyour commaundeth his disciples to beware of their Leuen that is of theyr doctrine The Apostles were commaunded to go in to all the worlde and to teache all nations and to baptise them Mat. 28 c. And to teache them to obserue all those things that he hath coÌ„maunded them to obserue Which commission they did truely and faithfully execâ—â— For none of them preached his owne dreames Mar. 16 but euerye one of them preached that which they had learned of Christ 1. cor 11 Saint Paule saith not followe mee doe whatsoeuer I shall deuise for you to doe but he sayth Phil. 3. follow me as I follow Christ and looke on suche as walke as ye haue vs for example 2. cor 4 And agayne he sayth we preache not our selues but Iesus Christ to be the Lorde and our selues your ministers We therefore in refusing to admit those things which neither haue coÌ„maundement nor grounde in the holy scriptures follow the commaundement of God and example of al good men which were builders of the house of God before vs. But what is all this to the purpose saye some The things that you refuse are â—iche as God hath neither commaunded nor forbidden and therfore Princes haue auctoritie ouer them to coÌ„maunde them eyther to be vsed or not to be vsed In refusing therefore to vse them at the comaundement of the Prince ye do not onely resist the ordinaunce of God your selues but ye doe also fall into that incoÌ„uenience which ye woulde so faine seeme to be moste afrayde of That is ye be made stumbling stockes to the simple Subiects who seeing your disobedience are encouraged to think that it is none offence at all to disobey a Prince And so seming to flye from the gulffe ye are fallen vpon the most daungerous Rockes To this we muste aunswere thus The things that we doe refuse are such as God neyther hath coÌ„maunded nor forbidden otherwise than in the vse and abuse of them And therefore Princes haue no auctoritie either to coÌ„maunde or forbidde them otherwise than so For this is the power that God hath gyuen to Princes To see his coÌ„maundements executed to punishe suche as breake them and to defende those that keepe them Thus doth S. Paule write to the Romanes Wilt thou be without feare of him that is in auctoritie Doe wel then thou shalt not nede to feare him Ro. 13. for god hath ordayned him for thy wealth But yf thou doe euil then feare for he beareth not a sworde for nought Nam Dei Minister est vltor ad iram ei qui quod malum est fecerit For he is gods Minister a reuenger to execute his wrath vpon that man that dothe the thing that is euill We must therfor be subiecte not onely for feare of punishement but euen for very conscience But this subiection is not to doe at the Princes commaundement whatsoeuer the Prince shall for pleasure commaunde but humbly to suffer at the Princes hande suche punishementes as the lawes whereof the Prince hath the execution doe appoynt vs to suffer for the transgression therof And if the Prince shall take in hande to commaunde vs to doe anye of those things which God hath not commaunded â—e boÌ„des â—d limits â—f true oâ—edience in such sort that we maye not leaue them vndone vnlesse we wil therby ruone into the penaltie of the law wheÌ„ we shal see that in doing therof we can not edifie but destroye we muste then refuse to doe the thing coÌ„maunded by the Prince and humbly submit our selues to suffer the penaltie but in any case not consent to enfringe the Christian libertye wich is to vse things indifferent to edification and not to destruction And if the Prince shall forbidde any of those things to be done which in their owne nature be indifferent so that when we shall see that the leauing of them vndone shall destroye or not edifie then maye not we leaue them vndone but doe them to the edification of the Church and submitt our selues lowely to suffer at the handes of the Prince the execution of that penalty that the law doth appoint for doing that thing which the Prince shall in suche case forbidde to be done And this is not to giue example of disobedience as it is before obiected but by example to teache true obedience both to God also to man First we obey God in that both in doing and leauing vndone we seeke the edification of his Church And then we obey man in that we doe humblye submit our selues to suffer at mans hande whatsoeuer punishments mans lawes doe appoint for our doing or refusing to doe at mans commaundement Considering therfore that at this tyme by the admitting of the outwarde apparel and ministring garmentes of the popes church not onely the Christian liberty shoulde be manifestly enfringed but the whole Religion of Christ also like to be brought to be esteemed no other thinge than the pleasure of Princes we haue thought it our duetye being Ministers of gods worde and Sacraments vtterly to refuse to shewe our coÌ„firmity in receyuing of those things that now are vrged and enforced and yett willing to submit our selues to suffer whatsoeuer punishment the Lawes doe appoint in this case And so to teache by our example true obedience both to God and man and yet to keepe the Christian liberty sounde and the Christian religion to be such that no Prince or potentate may alter or chaunge the same We hope therefore that our Prince and all good men will like well with this our doing vnderstanding by Christian libertie that freedome that Christ hath brought vs vnto by beating downe the particion that was betweene the Iewes and the gentiles which was the law of ceremonies contained in the law written Eph. 2. In which libertye S. Paule willed the Galathians to stand Gal. 5. Not for that the Christian libertye dothe consist onely in this point but for that this is one of the three points wherein that liberty doth stand Christ hath deliuered vs from the thraldome of sinne the cursse of the lawe the ceremonies of the same By that sinne that the first man commited al mankinde became so bounde vnto sinne that none of Adams naturall posteritie can be able without regeneration or new birth once to desire to refraine doing that which is against god From this hath Christ deliuered his elected chosen children so that our inwarde man our spirite our new creature or newe borne parte hath nowe a delight in the lawe of God as S. Paule writeth to the Romans Ro. 7. From that cursse of the law also he hath set vs free For the sentence that the law pronounceth against al them that breake any point therof is fallen vpon Christ and he is become accursed for vs all
case as we are nowe he willeth that in no case they should be receyued as doth most plainly appeare in that which he wrote vpon the xviij chapter of S. Mathewes gospel and vpon these wordes Bucers opinion of suche as maintain the popishe ceremonies Vae mundo ab offendiculis Woo to the worlde by the reason of offences or occasions of fallings wherafter manye wordes to this effecte he sayth That no man will earnestlye stryue to maintayne these superstitious ceremonies but such as be eyther open enimies to Christ or else backeslyders from Christ Hostes aut desertores And bicause it is sayde of some men that this Father is agaynst vs in this matter we set downe his wordes written from Camebridge to a most deare friende of his beyonde the seas cited by Theodore Beze in his aunswere to the calumniatioÌ„s of fraunces Baldwine which wordes were written the .xij. of Ianuarie in the yeare of our Lord 1550. The wordes are these Quòd me mones de puriâ—ate rituum scito hîc neminem extraneum de his rebus rogari Tamen ex nobis vbi possumus officio nostro non desumus scriptis coram Ac in primis vt plebibus Christi de veris pastoribus consulatur Deinde etiam de puritate purissima doctrinae rituum Where as ye write vnto me concerning the puritye of Ceremonies ye shall vnderstande that no straunger is here called to councell in those matters Notwithstanding when occasion doth serue vs we are not slack in doing our dutie both by writing and worde And especially that the people of Christ maye be prouided of true Shepherds and then also that both doctrine and ceremonies maye be brought to most perfect puritie And in the same Epistle he sayth Sunt qui humanissima sapientia euanescentibus cogitationibus velint fermento Antichristi conglutinare Deum Belial There be some which by most wordly wisedome vaine deuises would with the leuen of Antichrist glewe togither God Belial Here is the iudgement of Bucer concerninge the retayning of Ceremonies plainelye set forth speaking expresselye of this Churche of Englande And Peter Martyr whose iudgement hath in this matter bene oftentimes asked dothe more than once in his writinges call them Reliquias Amorraeorum leauings or remnaunts of the Amorites Martyr And although he do in some case thinke that they maye be borne with for a season yet in our case he would not haue them suffered to remaine in the church of Christ Doctor Ridley late Byshop of London when one Doctor Broches with others at â—xforde came to degrade him a little before his death persuaded the sayde D. Ridley to put on the Surplesse with the reast of the Massing garmentes which he vttâ—rlye refused to doe Sayinge as in the historie of Martyrs appereth truely if it come on me meaning the Surplesse it shall be against my will Then the sayde D. Brockes caused the sayde Surplesse with the rest of the trinkets appertayning to the Masse to be by force put vpon him Wherevpon he dyd vehemently inuey against the bishop of Rome Ridl◠〈…〉 callinge him Antichrist and all that apparell folish and abhominable yea to fonde fâ—r a â—ice in a play Wherwith Doctor Brockes beinge very angrie bad him holde his peace for he did but rayle Hereby it appeareth what estimation that worthy Martyr of God had of the Popishe garmentes at the tyme of his death Albeit in the dayes of King Edwarde he did stoutely maintayne them â—gainst bâ—shâ—p â—oper Bâ—shop â—uell Bishop â—uell in his replye to D. Harding in the .442 page against the breaking of the Sacrament hath these wordes Verilye in the house of God that thing is hurtfull that doth no good All the Ceremonies of the Church ought to be cleare and liuelye and able to edifie Yf these thinges now in controuersie can be proued such then will we not refuse them But in case they want all these properties as vndoubtedly they doe then by this mans iudgement we may well reiect them What shall happen to vs yf we shall now receyue them shall be plaine ynough to them that will but waighe these fewe lines afore written It shall happen vnto vs as it should haue happened vnto Moses if he would haue consented to bring the Hebrues back againe into Egipt after he had brought them out of that lande through the read Sea We haue by doctrine brought many out of the Romishe slauerie of Idol seruice and nowe by example we haue begonne to go before them in the vtter abolishing of all those chaines of darkenesse wherewith they and we haue bene long tyme holden in miserable captiuitye and were it meete that we shoulde now a freshe binde our selues them with the same chaines Whilest wee oure selues were in those chaines although we did knowe them to be bondes yet we were for a season content to beare them tyll we might be able to cause others to see that which we our selues did see And now that we haue by the helpe of god caused some men to see what these thinges are and haue in theyr sight shaked them of from our owne neckes and loosed the same from their neckes also what should our receyuing of them againe be other than a going backe againe into Egipt and a leading thither agayne of all suche as we haue laboured to bring thence We haue taught that which Tertul. wryteth Nihil dandum Idolo sic nec sumendum ab Idolo Si in Idolio recumbere alienuÌ„ est à fide quid in Idoli habitu videri We may giue nothing to the Idoll â—e Corâ—ilitis so may we take nothing of the Idoll If it be a thing against the fayth to sitte at meate in the Idolles feast what is it to be seene in the habite of an Idolater We haue taught that the popishe masse is Idolatrie that all the popes holy creatures as his waxe his ashes his palme his fyre his holywater other his holy things made holy by his coniurations are derogations to Christes glory therefore to be refused of all Christians and shall it not be as meete for vs now to flye in lyke maner from the vse of those garments that they taught to be so necessarie in their coniurations Surely we can not be persuaded but it is as great an euill for vs now to weare in our Ministration anye of those coniuring garments as it is for any of them that doe knowe what these coniured things are to be partakers of them Lest we shoulde therfore encourage the obstinate and blinde Papistes to sticke still in their popishe puddle the causes that moue the prâ—achers of the gospeâ— to refuse the coÌ„iuring garments of the papistes lest we should beat back those that are by oure cryinge vnto them begynning to craule out of that puddle lest we should shake off and hurle headlong into that puddle those that are by our meanes plucked out therof and yet not so freed
that yelde in anye iote and se how they are edifyed and increase in godlines which holde that ryght waye that you goe in the which the Lorde increase you vs all and strenthen vs with his holy spyrit that we may continewe to oure lyues ende al wayes both by our thoughtes wordes and workes to avaunce his glorye and honor dayly more and more now and for euer Amen ¶ Grace and peace with all maner spiritual feling and liuing worthi of the kindnes of Christ be with all that thrist the will of God TO my faythfull and deare brethren in Christ Iesu as in comen daungers of fier or suche lyke welbelouyd they that be fare of com to socoure those that haue nede so I beinge out of iepordie and far of tru Christian loue can not but of deuty wyshe well to those that be touchyd about the popishe apparell in thys libertye of Gods truthe whyche is tought plainely without offencis in the greatyst misterys of our religion and saluacion yt is much to be marvayled that this small controuersye of aparell should be so heuely taken But this is the mallis of satan the practis◠of the wickid that wher he can not ouerthrow the greatist matters he will cause great troubels in trifels Peter and Paule agreyde in the greatyste articles of our saluacion and yet they differyd so about meattes that Paule withstode and rebuckid hym openly the infirmites of the godly Paule and Barnabas fell at suche bytter contencion whether Marke shuld go with them or no that they partyd companyes and eyther of them went sondry waies God defend vs from the lyke the constance of the godly Paule circumcisyd Timothe when ther was hope to wine the Iewes but when they wold haue it of necessite he would not circumcise Titus therfore compellinge would not be vsyd in thinges of liberte yt is a lamētable case that among them that are civil full of knouledge that yt shuld come thus to passe Consyder dearly belouyd I besech you how that all countres whiche haue reformid religion haue cast away the popishe aparell with the pope and yet we that wyll be taken for the best gospelars are contentid to kepe it as an holie religion Marke well also how many godly and learnid ministers ther be here in all countres that be so zelous not onlie to forsake the wickyd doctrine of poperie ready to leue the minystry to lose lyuinges rather then to be lyke the popishe teachers of supersticious order in aparell or behaviour This realme hath such skacite of teachers that yf so many worthye men and learnid shuld be cast out of the ministrie for suche small matters many placis shulde be destitude of preachers yt wold geue an incurable offence to all the fauourars of gods truthe here and in other countres also shall we make so much and so precious of the popes rages that other reformyd places exteme as vyle filthye God forbid S. Paule byddith wemen vse suche aparell as becomith them that profes true godlines which rule is muche more to be obseruid of men especiallye of preachers But yf we forsake popery as wickid shall we say that their aparell becommith saintes and professars of tru holines Saint Paule bydith vs refraine from al outward shew of evell but surely in kepinge of this popishe aparell we forbear not an outwarde shew of much evell yf popery be iudgid evell as greter wickidnes can not be as we wolde haue a diuers shewe of aparel to be knowē from the comon people so is yt necessary in aparell to haue a shew howe a protestante is to be knowen from a papiste Yt hathe pleasyd God to call vs to preache his heuenly worde to that hye office God geue you grace and vs all to seke hys honor glorie yf we so do with a pure hart and mynde he hath promysed He that honorith me I will glorify him and he that contemnith me I wyll contemne him Let ther be no curtisye made to healpe gods people now they be in danger Call to your remembraunce Quene Easter she be gaue to make curtisy to speke in that cause but Mardocheus sayd vnto her Yf thou now hold thy peace God shall delyuer by an other meane yet thou thy fathers house shall peryshe You that can and may do good do it whyle tyme is offerid the tyme will come when it wylbe to late yet god wyll comfort his by some other meane It ys a perilous thinge not to healpe in the tyme of neade not to suffer religion to goe forward in all syncerite and to further gods cause when ye maye when Terenti a good Christian captaine returnid with great triumphe victory the Emperor Valerius bade him are what he wold and he shuld haue it for his good seruice he hauing God before his eyes desyrd nether ryches nether honor but those which had aduentered their liues for true religion might haue a church alowid them to serue their god purely in seueral from the Arrians The Emperour beyng angrie with his request pullyd his supplicacion in pecis and bade him axe som other thing but he gathered vp the pecis of his paper and sayd I haue receuid my rewarde I wyll axe nothinge els God encrece about Princes the small nomber of suche zelous suters promoters of religion and then no doubt gods glorye shall florishe when we seke his dewe honor and not oure owne profyte But to avoide contencion scisme Austen gevith good counsel to godly and quiet men that they mercifully correcte that whiche they can that which they can not paciently beare grone and morne with loue vntil god ether correct or amend them But how this Christian loue shuld be kept in this church when so manye godlie for so small thinges shal be thruste out also how many already is from the ministery theyr lyuinges yt passyth manye good and godlie wittes to conceyue S. Pauls rule in suche thinges sayth All thinges to me is lawfull but all thinges is not expedient all thinges to me is lawfull but all thinges edefye not Therfor in this case we must not so suttelly dispute what Christian liberte will suffer vs to do but what is metist and most edefying for Christian charite promoting Christian and pure religion But surely how popishe aparell shuld edefie or set forwarde the gospell of Christ Iesus it can not be seen of the multitude nay it is to much fealt how gredly it reioysith the aduersaries of the truth when they see what we borowe of them contend for the same as thinges necessarie marke well the bysshopes wearing of their whyte rochets what grounde they fyrste had and from whence they receyuid it Ther was a certayne man namid Sisinius an heriticke bishop of the Novacions and he first begane yt all those other popish trashe hath the lyke foundacions but they haue to long contineuyd pleasyd poperie which is beggerly patchid vp of al sortes of cerimones that they coulde neuer be routyd out sence no not from manie professors of the gospel Wherfore you that se others that is come to a better perfection grudge not at yt but be thankfull to God though thynges may be borne wythe for a tyme for Christian lybertes sake in hope to winne the weake yet when lyberte is turnyd into necessite yt ys evell no lenger lyberte and that that was for wynning the weake sufferid for a tyme is become the confyrminge of the frowarde in their obstinacie Paul vsyd circūcision for a tyme as of lyberte but when it was vrgyd of necessite he wold not bende vnto it That famous father Master Bucer when he was aryd why he wolde not weare a square cape made aunswere because hys heade was not foure square wherin surelye he notyd well the comlynes of aparell to be when yt was fassionyd lyke the body a gret folly when a square cape was set on a rounde heade God be mercyfull vnto vs and graunte vs vprightly to seke hys honore wyth all earnestnes simplicite The Lorde comfort his afflictid church graunte that in this oulde age of the worlde we may serue the Lord of hostes in synglenes of hart and laboure to rote out all stomblinge blockes in religion that Christes glorie maye nakydly shyne of yt sealue without all tradicions or inuencions of men as in the begynninge when yt was purest and all such deuyses vnknowen but inuentid of late to bleare the eyes of the ignorant with outwarde shewe of holines God graunt that we may geue all honor to whom al honore is deue both inwardly and outwardly to serve hym vnfaynedlye al the dayes of oure lyfe Fare well deare brethren in the Lorde Iesu who euer kepe vs in hys fayth feare and loue for euer Amen