for it alloweth not anie man to glorie in himselfe but sheweth that whatsoeuer gloryeth should glorie in the Lorde 1. Cor. 1.30.31 Rom. 4.2 Therfore the Christian Religion is the onlie true Religion 10 Lastly the spreading and preuailing of the Gospell of Christ ouer the vniuersall world when as all the worlde both Iewes and Gentiles were sette and opposed against it doth demonstrate plentifully and effectually that the Christian Religion procéeded from God and that God is the author thereof for if it had not had a God to protect and patronage it and to make it passe currantly through the world it must needes haue béene vtterly suppressed and choked euen in the springing and first rising thereof For after the ascention of Christ Iesus into heauen what were his few Apostles in the iudgement of reasonable men able to doo for the spreading and preuailing thereof against the force and power of all the world which was then readie bent with all both furie and fraud violence and vengeance with all their deuises which they could inuent to suppresse it or what eloquence had his few Apostles to perswade the worlde or any therein to the receiuing and imbracing of that Christian Religion which they were appointed to preach they as al men know were reputed known to bée vnlearned men but only that they were taught and instructed by the spirit of God which according to the promise of Christ their maister at the time appointed descended downe vpon them béeing assembled at Ierusalem by which spirite they were enabled to speake all languages and imboldned to preach his Gospell and religion in such sort and with such puissant and diuine wisedome as none should bée able to resist that spirit they spake by howsoeuer their persons might bée hindered molested vexed and persecuted This euen this is a wonder of wonders and an infallible demonstration of the diuine vertue of the Christian religion that it hauing so few to publish it and such as they were and beeing encountred by all the Princes and Potentates of the worlde it shoulde notwithstanding so strangely preuaile as within a short time to bée vniuersally spread ouer the face of the whole earth Who can now say but that it was protected and preuailed by the power of God for the power of all the world was against it and if the Christian religion had béene no better protected by God than by men alas it had perished long ago yea it had neuer liued vntill this day but it had béene choked euen at the first vprising as it were in the cradle or infancie thereof Let all wittes therefore throw downe themselues and let all tongues fréely confesse the diuine vertue of the Christian religion which could not bée stopped or suppressed but was so mightie as that the power of all the worlde and of all the deuils in hel ioyning with them was not able to stay the course and passage thereof but that it did preuaile and that within short space ouer all the earth And therefore the Christian religion without al doubt is the onely true religion which came downe from heauen béeing brought by Iesus Christ the true Messias from the bosome of God his father Of which hauing so many and so infallible arguments to prooue to euery mans sence the truth thereof none can doubt except hée will also doubt whether the eye dooth see the eare doth heare and the heart dooth vnderstand the euidence thereof is so cleare and manifest as that it is able if not to conuert yet to conuince all gayne-sayers whosoeuer and to make vs that alreadie professe firmely to hold the same knowing for certayne that the Christian Religion is the onely true religion in the world and that saluation is no where els to be sought For run ouer all the religions of the worlde and where shall you finde any so pure so diuine so powerfull so miraculous It hath all the signes tokens argumentes and proofes that may bée for the splendent truth thereof and to demonstrate that vndoubtedly it came from God CHAP. IIII. Wherein is briefly shewed the Religion of Mahomet to be a false and wicked Religion IF I shall speake some thing of the Mahometish Religion I thinke the truth of the Christian Religion will appéere so much the more for when blacke and white are laid together the white carrieth the greater estimation and glorie with it And beside Mahomet himselfe testifieth of Christ to be a great Prophet of God and a great worker of miracles And that the same Iesus Christ was Borne of the Virgin Marie that he liued without sin among men that hee was a Prophet and more than a Prophet and that hee ascended into the heauens and therefore he reproued the Iewes for that they would not beléeue him to bée borne of a Uirgin But on the other side because he would not haue Christ to beare credit aboue him hee disliked that hee should be called or reputed the Sonne of God But beside the testimonie of all the former Prophetes of the worlde both Iewes and Gentiles as is before shewed who all do teach that hee should bée the Sonne of God Suidas doth moreouer confute this false Prophet who reporteth in his historie that the Pharisées at Ierusalem called a Councell to finde out the Father of Iesus They enioyned certaine women to search his mother the women affirmed they found her a Virgin Then was it recorded in the famous register booke of the Temple Iesus the Sonne of God and of Marie the Virgin This proueth not onely that the mother of Iesus was a Uirgin which Mahomet truely held but also that Iesus was the Son of God which Mahomet allowed not And indeed Mahomets Religion is a patched religion mixt partly with Iudaism partly with Gentilism partly with Papisme partly with Christianisme béeing subtilly contriued for the erecting of the same and to bring followers after him whereof shall be spoken more hereafter The beginning of Mahomets vprising and of his Sect was thus Many hundred yéeres after Christ namely in the yéere of our Lord 597. in the raigne of Mauricius the Emperour when as Gregorius magnus was Byshop of Rome this Mahomet was borne béeing of the lyne of Ismael the Sonne of Abraham by Agar the bond-woman hauing vnto his Father one Abdara and vnto his Mother one Emma béeing verie obscure and base parentes in Mecha a Cittie of Arabia his parents deceased and left him a verie yoong Orphan who in short time by misaduenture was taken captiue This béeing once knowne vnto his kindred one Abdemonaplâ—s sayth Volateran and Israelite bearing him good will for his fauour and forwardnes of wit payde his raunsome and made him seruant and factor in all his merchandize Not long after his maister died without issue and his seruant Mahomet matched with his mistresse a widowe of fiftie yéeres of age called Eadigam and saith Paulus Diaconus his owne kinswoman so that his maister béeing of
being the Creator and preseruer of men and of all things els and the prouident father of all is planted and inseparably fixed in the harts of al men though al men of all nations know not how to worship him aright and in such sort as he requireth This is manifest by the examples of all nations and people in the world who all haue some one kinde of religion or other though all finde not the right religion All be deuoted to the worship of God howsoeuer all doe not finde out the true God nor his right name of worship but worship him according to the deuises of their owne braine Considering then that there is no Nation vnder the sunne so barberous nor euâ—r was but aymed at the worshippe of God and either worshipped him or some thing els in his place It appeareth to be a most vaine and foolish conceit which Atheists sometimes vtter namely that religion is nothing els but a matter of pollicie or a politicke deuise of humane Inuention For it is euident that a religious aâ—â—ection to worship God is naturallie sealed and euer was in the harts of all men And the conscience of euery man euen of the greatest scorner and contemner of God which sometimes trembleth before his iudgment seate doth aboundantlie testifie that a religious deuotion of feare toward God is bred and borne with euery man and therefore there cannot be any pollicie of humane Inuention in as much as if there were no lawes of men yet this religious affection to worship God and the feare of him would doth remaine written by the finger of God in the harts and consciences of all men liuing howe rude sauage or barberous soeuer they be What law of men I pray was there to make Caligula the Emperour when hee heard the tirrible thundering in the aire and sawe the flashing flames of lightning about him to runne vnder his bed and to hide himselfe for feare of this tirrible and great God Or what maketh the rankest Atheist in the worlde in the like case at the like tempest to do the like Or what made the heathen in any dangerous or sodaine distres to lift vp their eies or hands to heauen mightily to feare and to be astonished None can say it is the law of men for no law of men doth enforce this attempt But it is a naturall instinct of the Feare of God whome hee hath offended and whose vengeance he dreadeth and from whome he thinketh succour may come seated in all mens harts euen from their Natiuitie which doth make him to feare and cause him to seeke to God for refuge Let this therefore remaine firme and most vndoubted that the feare of the great God and a Religious disposition to worship the same God is not enforced by lawes of men but naturaly sowen in the harts of all men though all finde not out nor obserue the right religion Let vs therefore nowe seeke and serch out which is the true Religion which is acceptable to God and which without wauering doubting is tâ— be obserued of men For all nations people haue a kinde of religion as I said before but all haue not the true and right religion Chap. 2. Wherein and in the next Chapter is shewed that the Christian Religion is the onely true Religion in the world and wherewith onelie God is pleased IN auntient times all the world was deuided and distinguished into Iewes and Gentiles and this distinction doth and may still remaine among vs If therefore I canne proue the truth of this our Christian Religion against both Iewes Gentiles I shall then proue it against all the worlde In this Chapter I will first proue it against the Iewes and in the next against the Gentiles Concerning the Iewes they will easily graunt our Religion to be the true Religion if we can proue Iesus Christ whome we beléeue to be that Messias which was foretold by their prophets being the true and vndoubted prophets of God And this we are sure may easily be proued and therefore in vaine doe the Iewes looke for any other Messias than he that is already come namely Iesus Christ our Mediator Sauiour and Redeemer in whome God his Father is well pleased and for whose sake if we beleeue in him he will not be offended with vs but be reconciled to vs saue vs. Whatsoeuer was foretold to belong vnto their Messias is fullie performed and perfectly accomplished in our Iesus Christ and in no other And therefore our Iesus was and is the true Messias and no other Let vs herein consider the markes of the Messias whereby he might be knowne And so shal I we see that our Sauiour Iesus Christ is the onely true Messias none but he 1 One marke for vs to know the Messias by is that when hee came hee should not be knowne or acknowledged to be the Messias but should be reiected and refused of the Iewish Nation to the end he might be put to death amongst them according to the fore-apointment and determinate counsell of God for had they receaued him for the Messias they would neuer haue vsed him so shamefully as they did neither shuld he then haue bin slaine amongst them as was foretold he should This then being one marke of the Messias that he should be refused for the Messias of the Iewish Nation and of the chiefest rulers amongst them is a great confirmation of our faith in as much as it is found fully performed in our Sauiour Iesus Christ whome they scorned reiected condemned and put to death And therefore as if the Iewish Nation had receaued our Iesus for the Messias It had bin an vndoubted argument that he had not bin the right Messias so on the other side because they did refuse him It is a very strong perswasion to vs that he was and is the very true Messias indeede In vaine therefore it is if any do looke for such a Messias as should be wholie receaued of the Iewish Nation for none such was promised yea it was foretold contrarie wise that hee should be refused of them As our Iesus was that so he might be made an offering for sinne according to the preordination of God 2 It was foretold of the Messias that he should be borne of a Virgin Esay 7. ver 14. That the place of his byrth should be Bethlem Mich. 5. ver 1. That at his byrth all the Infantes rounde about Bethlem should be slaine for his sake Ier. 31. ver 15. That the King of the earth should come and adore him and offer gold and other gifts vnto him Psal. 71.10 That he should be presented in the temple of Ierusalem for the greater glorie of that second temple Mat. 3. ver 1. That he should fly into Egypt and be recalled thence againe Osc. 11.2 That a starre should appeare at his byrth to notifie his comming into the worlde Num. 2. That Iohn Baptist who came in the spirite and power of
Persia but he lost Lydia his owne Kingdome and so was deceaued by that vncertaine Oracle Like answer gaue the Oracle of Apollo to Pyrrus king of Epirus demaunding whether he shoulde prosper in the warre against the Romanes for it was deliuered in these words Aio te Aeacidâ— Romanos vincere posse I say that the Sonne of Aeacus the Romanes may ouercome Uppon which Oracle Pyrrus the sonne of Aeacus thinking to be the Conqueror was himselfe vanquisht by the Romanes A number more such Oracles there were wherewith the world was deceiued that trusted them but I néede not recite them for as it appeareth the Oracles and answers which their wicked spirits gaue forth in matters future and méerely contingent were such as might be taken and construed two waies and therefore their worshippers if they had béene wise to haue noted their cunning and deceitfull answers con-containing no certainety at all they had béene as good neuér to come at them to inquire of any matter future for they had such ambiguous answers as whereby they might remaine as doubtfully and as vnresolued as they were at first and so depart home as wise as they came or rather more fooles than when they went But what might be the reason why these diuels or diuellish spirites gaue no certâ—â—â—er aunsweres to their worshippers in these matters future whereof they were demanded The reason is manifest for no doubt they would if they could that so their credit might haue beene the more But it was a thing not in their power but onely reserued vnto God to knowe and foretell certainely the thinges that are to come for here in God prouoketh all the gods of the gentiles to make triall and experience of their power in these words Declare vnto vs saith hée what shall ensue hereafter and thereby wee shall know that yee are Gods indeede Which sheweth that the certaine foretelling of things future doth manifest a diuine power whereof these diuellish spirits are not pertakers for had these wicked spirits such a power in them as certainely to know and foretell such thinges as were to come out of all doubt they would then haue giuen such certaine plaine and vndoubted Oracles and answers in this behalfe as would haue purchased them euerlasting credit in all the world but now the falshood and vncertainty and deceitfulnes of them haue got them iustly perpetuall discredit in all the world and manifested them to be no better than lying spirits whose worshippers were miserably deluded by them as euen the Heathen themselues haue testified Hauing thus briefly yet I trust sufficiently disprooued the religion of the gentiles as being a cruell wicked false lying and deceitfull religion hauing in it no certaintie at all whereupon men might relye or assure themselues it remaineth now that I shewe and proue against them the truth of the Christian religion which we profasse Where in the first Argument to shewe the powerfull and vndoubted trueth thereof shall bée this namely the confession of the gods of the Gentiles that is of Diuels and hellish spirits themselues who haue giuen testimonie thereof euen to their owne worshippers especially when the time of Christ his appearing in the worlde who should bée the light of the Gentiles drew néere anâ— approched for the manifestation whereof two Oracles of Apollo may suâ—â—ice the one whereof was to a Priest of his owne that demaunded him of true Religion and of God to whome hee aunswered thus in Gréeke O thou vnhappy Priest why dost thou aske mee of God that is the Father of all thinges and of this most renowned kings deare and onely Sonne and of the spirit that conteyneth all c. Alas that spirit will enforce mee shortly to leaue this habitation and place of Oracles The other Oracle was to Augustus Caesar euen about the very time that Christ was readie to appeare in the flesh for the said Emperour now drawing to age would néedes go to Delphâ—s and there learne of Apollo who shuld raigne after him and what should become of things when he was dead Apollo for a great 〈◊〉 would make no aunswere notwithstanding Augustus had béene very liberall in making the great sacrifice called Hecatombe but in the end when the Emperour began to iterate his sacrifice and to bée instant for an aunswere Apollo as it were enforced to speake vttered these strange wordes vnto him An Hebrew childe that ruleth ouer the blessed gods commaundeth mee to leeue this habitation and out of hand to get mee to hell But yet doe thou departe in silence from our Altars Thus it appeareth that this Hebrew childe which is our Christ Iesus hath power ouer the gods of the Gentiles to command them vnto hell from whence they came to inioyne them silence and to remoue them from their habitations And therfore the religion of this powerful Iesus whereof he is the author must needes euen by the acknowledgement of the Diuels themselues whom he doth command be the true religion 3 Another Argument of the diuinitie and trueth therof is this namely that it hath remoued by the puissant force thereof all the gods of the Gentiles in despite of them ceased their oracles and driuen them cleane out of the earth so that now they are no where to be found And so it was fore-told by the Prophets that Christ when he came Attennuabit omnes deos terrae shall weare out all the gods of the earth The trueth whereof all the world doth now sée clearely to be certaine and vndoubted by the euent The Oracles and aunsweres of of these gods euen in Ciceroes time as Cicero himselfe witnesseth who syued somewhat before the comming of Christ began to cease and at last by little and little they ceased altogether and were vtterly extinct It is reported that in Egypt when Christ was there with Ioseph and his mother Marie all the Adals of that foolish and superstitious Nation fell downe of theyr owne accord Afterwardes in the time of the Emperour Adrian all sacrifices vnto those gods ceased as also the Oracle of Apollo and all other Oracles became dâ—nube Wherefore Iunenal sayth Cessant oracula Delphis that is The oracles cease at Delphos And another Poet sayth Excessere omnes a ditis arisque relictis Dij quibus imperium hoc steterat c. that is All the gods whereby this Empire stoode haue departed from their Temples and left their Altars and place of their habitation Plutarch affirmeth the like and is much busied to search out the cause reason of the ceasing of their Oracles who being a heathen was much troubled heerewith gessing at the matter and vainly deuising fond conceits in his brain not able indéede to pierce into the very cause thereof But Porphiry euen that great patron of Paganisme and enemie of Christian Religion can teach him or any other the true cause thereof shewing them that since the comming of Iesus their gods are dumbe
them saying He that slayeth his enemie or is slaine of his enemie let him enter possesse paradise he spake like a man with a carnal spirit teaching reuenge to the vttermost prâ—mising paradise to such but no proofe of a diuine spirit appeareth in him 6 As Mahomets religion is defended by force of sword and fraud insomuch as hée made it death to cal it into question so likewise did it begin as by force of sword so likewise by notable fraud was established through wiles deceit subtiltie and lyes for first he hauing the falling sicknes perswaded his wife and others that it was the power of God the presence of the Angell Gabriel that caused him to fall downe Sergius the hereticall Monke was at hande and bare false witnes to the same saith Zonaras He told them that the same Deue which hee taught to féede at his care was sometime an Angell and sometime the holy Ghost He had thrée companions all of a confederacie to deuise and face out lyes with him When hee perceiued that men gaue eare to him he feigned that the Angell Gabriel had carryed him to Ierusalem thence to haue lifted him vp to heauen and there to haue learned his law Hee made the Saracens beléeue that before God made the world there was written in the throne of God There is no God but the God of Mahomet When hee had framed his Alcoran and bound it vp faire he caused secretly a wilde asse to bée taken and the booke to be bound about his necke and as he preached vnto the people vpon a sodaine hée stood amazed as if some great secrecie were reuealed to him from aboue he brake out and tolde the people Behold God hath sent you a lawe from heauen goe to such a desert there yee shall find an Asse and a booke tyed about his necke The people ran in great hast they found it so as hee had saide they take the Asse they bring the booke they honour the Prophet Touching diuorced and separated wiues hée tolde the Saracens he had receiued a paper from heauen He vsed sooth-saying and diuination the which at Fessa a Cittie of Mauritania vnto this day is called Zarragia He perswaded his followers that at the end of the world hée should bée transformed into the forme of a mightie Ramme full of lacks and long fléeces of wooll that all that held of his lawe should bée as fleas shrouding themselues in his fléeces and that he would iumpe into heauen and so conuey them all thither These and such like were his sleightes to beguile a foolish rude and barbarous country people the foolerie pride and vanitie of whose religion I trust euery one doth sufficiently perceiue 7 Mahomets Religion is no true Religion but a méere deuise of his owne and of thrée others his false conspirators for hée hath patched together his Alcoran of the doctrine of Heathens Indians and Arabians of superstitious Iewes of Rechabites of false Christians and Heretikes as Nestorians Sabellians Manichées Arrians Cerinthians Macedonians Eunomians and Nicholaits of illusions and inuentions of their owne and lastly for further credit hée borrowed some out of the old and new Testament But God will not thus bée serued for hée deliuered his mind of old vnto Israell and hée is not chaunged but continueth the same God still Ye shall not saith God doe euerie man what seemeth him good in his owne eyes Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought there from Satan béeing coniured to deliuer the truth of the Alcoran of Mahomet said that therein were comprised twelue thousand lyes and the rest was truth by all likelyhood verie little And therfore I conclude that there is no euidence to proue Mahomet a true Prophet many to proue him to bée a false Prophet and blasphemous and presumptuous and his Religion to bée a wicked carnall absurd and false Religion procéeding from a proud spirit and humane subtill and corrupt inuention and euen from the deuill the craftie father of lies a murderer and mankiller from the beginning And so much héereof may suffise CHAP. V. VVherein is shewed that the Church of Rome is not the true Church of God nor obserueth the right Religion I Am nowe entring into that great controuersie betwéene the Protestantes the Papistes whether of them should bée the true Church and true worshippers of God in Christ for they both acknowledge God and Christ his son and all the sacred and canonicall books of the scriptures they confes to come from God from his diuine spirit as indéede they could come from no other But whiles they both confesse this booke it is good reason that they shoulde both stand to the arbitrement and iudgement of these bookes for the trial of the true Church which if they doo as indéed they must this controuersie is at an end and not worthy to be made a question or to be doubted of for by the sacred canonicall writinges it shal by and by be manifest that the Church of Rome cannot bee the true Church possibly But first let vs hear what it saith for it selfe what good groundes it hath for the fortification thereof For if it bee not builded vpon a good foundation and vpon such sure groundes as will holde the whole building is like to lie in the dust and to come to ruine 1 They hold very stiffely but not so strongly that the Church of God militant here vpon earth is euer visible to the outward eye and may bee pointed out by the finger at al times in such sort as that any one may know thither to resort as to the congregation of Gods people there to ioine himselfe vnto them to praise and pray vnto God with them and to do those things which he requireth at their hands But al this gain of profit them nor hurt vs for as in the Primitiue Churches persecuted by those tyrannicall heathen Emperors there was a Church of God though not seem of them who had their meetings assemblies amongst themselues though secretly because of their enemies so likewise in the dayes of Quéene Marie as also in all other times of the persecution of our Church by the Romish Bishops and their partakers our Church no doubt was and might be and they likewise haue their méetinges and assemblies though both they and the place of their resort were vnknowne to those their persecutors In the time of Dioclesian the Emperour especially Christians were so wasted as to the iudgement of men none were remaining theyr bookes were burned the Churches destroyed and themselues put to death in the end when this great hauock was made and crueltie had wasted and destroyed all that could be found where was then the visible church It must néedes then bée enforced to hide it selfe and so it was and the glorie thereof so eclipsed that for a wâ—ylâ— it shined
GODS Arrovve against Atheists By Henrie Smith Printed at London by Iohn Danter and are to be sold by William Barley at his shop in Gratious-streete ouer against Leaden-Hall 1593. To the Right Worshipfull Vertuous and Godly Ladie Katherine Hayward VVife to Syr Rowland Hayward the graue Father and Auntient Alderman of the famous Citie of London Iohn Danter wisheth Health with increase of Authoritie THe Gardner right vertuous Godly Ladye Walking in the prime of Summer in a fragrant odoriferous Garden where growes all sortes of sweete Flowers commonly gathereth the pleasants Rose to gratifie his Maâ—â—er So I right Worshipfull hauing come to my hand many excellent workes to be published abroad the worlde haue from amongst them all chosen this Booke Entituled Gods Arrowe against Atheists as the purest Rose for your Ladyship to delight in hoping vpon this fauour that you will be the sweet Patronesse of this my poore good will and to shadow it vnder the winges of your clemencie from the bitter stormes of al Hereticall Schismaticks In so doing my minde will bee fully satisfied that long hath waited the time to shew my bounden dutie to the Graue Fathers and â—untient Gouernours of this famous Ciâ—ie of London but especially to the right worâ—hipfull Sir Rowland Hayward your reuerent Husband who thrice hath bin Lieftenant vnder her Maiestie and borne the chiefest office in this Citie to the preseruation of Londons Charter And you sweet Ladâ—â—is renowmed wife whose vertuous minde hath euer yet bin willing to preferre Schollers to the setting forth of Gods truth and to beautyfie the true endeuours of vs Citizens I therfore stil expecting your wonted fauorable liking that you wil spend away some part of winters weary nights Summers plesant Euenings in perusing ouer this worthy booke made by that famous learned man Master Henrie Smith before he departed this life wherein is discoursed the vaine Heresies of sundry religions now vsed in England to the great hurt of this flowrishing Common wealth In so doing I haue my desire wishing you the increase of all dignitie in this world and in the world to come euerlasting happines Amen â—â—urs in all Humble and dutifull seruice to his poore power Iohn Danter Printer ⧠A Table of such Chapters as are handled in this Booke following IN the first Chapter is contained the absurditie of Atheisme Irreligion with the confutation thereof In the second and third Chapters the Christian Religion is approoued to be the only true Religion against the Gentiles and all the Infidels in the world In the fourth Chapter the Religion of Mahomet is confuted In the fift Chapter the Church of Rome is disproued to be the true Church of God In the sixth Chapter the Brownists and Barrowists with their detestable Schismes are confuted and our Church approoued to be the only true Church of God Gods Arrovve Against Atheisme and Irreligion The first Chapter ATheisme and Irreligion was euer odâ—ous euen amonge the Heathen themselues insomuch as that Protagoras for that he doubted whether there were any God or no was by the Athenians vanished out of their Country Diagoras was such a notorious Infidell that he helde there was no God him and all such like Atheists the very Heathens haue abhorred and detested as being more like rude beastes than reasonable men For Cicero the Heathen Philosopher doth condemne them all and further saith that there was neuer any Nation so sauadge or people so barbarous but alwaies confessed there was a God whereunto they were led euen by the light of Nature and naturall instinct For the very same is confirmed by the common vse of all Heathens in lifting vp their eyes and handes to heauen in any sodaine distresse that commeth vpon them Yea by experience of all ages it hath beene prooued that Atheists themselues that is such as in their health and prosperitie for more libertie of sinning would striue against the being of a God when they came to die or fall into any great miserie they of all other would shew themselues most fearefull of this God as Seneca himselfe declareth Insomuch as Zeno the Philosopher was woont to say that it seeâ—ned to him a more substantiall proofe of this matter to heare an Atheist at his dying day preach God when he asked God all the world forgiuenes then to heare all the Philosophers in the worlde dispute the point For that at this instant of death and miserie it is like that such doe speake in earnest and sobrietie of spirite who before in the wantonnes impugned God It is remembred of Caius Caligula that wicked and incestuous Emperour that he was a notable scorner and contemner of God made no reckoning of any other to be God but himselfe yet this abhominable and wicked Atheist as God left him not vnpunished for by his iust iudgement hee was slaine by some of his owne officers so whilest he liued he was woont as the Historiographers report of him at the terrible thundering and lightning not onely to couer his head but also to get himselfe vnder his bed and there to hide himselfe for feare Whence I praie â—ame this feare vpon him but that his own conscience did tell him howsoeuer in words perchance hee would not affirme so much that there was a God in heauen able to quaile and cast down his pride and all the Emperours of the world if hee listed whose thunderboltes were so terrible as that iustly by his owne example he shewed hee was to bee feared of all the world And heereof it is that some say that God is called Deus of the Greeke word Theos which signifieth feare because the feare of him is planted and engraffed in the verie natures and conscience of all reasonable creatures yea euen in the conscience of the greatest contemners and raâ—â—kest Atheists of the world who say what they list and doe what they list yet shall they neuer bee able to root out this impression namely that there is a God whose feare is engrauen in the hearts of all men And whence I pray you commeth shame in men after an offence committed Or why should men by naturall distinct put a difference betwéene vertue and vice good and euill if there were not a God who because hee loueth the one and hateth the other hath written that difference in euery mans heart Therefore conclude that euery mans knowledge conscience and féeling is in stead of a thousand witnesses to conuince him whosoeuer he be that there is a God which is to be feared which hateth iniquitie and wicked waies and which in time of trouble and déepe distresse is to be sought vnto for refuge and reliefe as the acts of the very heathen themselues do plainely demonstrate 2 Moreouer as God is to bee felt sensible in euerie mans conscience so is he to be séene visibly if I may so speake in the creation of the world and of all thinges therein contained for that this world
they should looke vppon when they had pierced him These things which haue béene spoken though in very briefe and plaine sort are I trust sufficient to conuince the Iewes that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is that séede of the woman which shoulde breake the Serpents head which deceiued Adam and Eue our first parents and hee in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed and is in all points the verie true certainè and vndoubted Messias which was fore-promised and fore-told by their prophets for all thinges which were fore-tolde of the Messias doo fitly fully and onely agrée to him and to no other And therefore I conclude against them that the Christian Religion which wee professe which we hold deriued to vs from that Christ the true Messias the author thereof is the onely true Religion which is acceptable to God CHAP. III. Wherein is shewed that the Christian Religion is the only true Religion against the Gentiles and all Infidels of the world THat there is a God the heathen haue euermore confessed and that there is but one God as the Christian religion holdeth all the learned sort of the heathen philosophers haue acknowledged for howsoeuer they dissembled at some times applied themselues outwardly to the errour of the vulgar sort in naming of gods yet surely they neuer spake of mo than of one God Which thing may appeare by Plato in an Epistle which hée writeth vnto Dionisius king of Sicilie wherein hee giueth him a signe when hee spake in ieast and when in earnest Hinc disces tu scribam ego seriò nec ne cum seriò ordiorâ— pistolam ab vno Deo cum secus a pluribus hereby 〈◊〉 he shall you know whether I write in earnest or not for when I write in earnest I begin my letter with one God and when I write not in earnest I doo beginne my letter in the name of manie Gods And three of the most learned that euer professed the Platonicke Sect Plotinus Porphyrius Proclus doo all testifie and proue in diuers partes of their workes béeing themselues but Heathens that both themselues and their Maister Plato neuer beleeued indéede but one God Aristotle that insued Plato and began the sect of the Perâ—pateticks though he were a man so much giuen to the search of nature as that sometime hée seemed to forget God the author of nature yet in his old age when hee wrote the booke of the world hee resolueth the matter more clearely acknowledging also one God and saith moreouer in the same place that the multitude of Gods was inuented to expresse the power of this one God by the multitude of his ministers whereby dooth appeare that belike the foolisher sort of heathens did imagine of God as of earthlie Princes for they sawe that euery earthly Prince had a great manie men ministers otherwise called seruantes and attendantes vppon him thereby to declare and shewe his power his magnificence and high honor and therefore they thought likewise that the great high God could not be sufficiently conceiued of except it were supposed that hée had a greate number of inferiour gods waiting and attending vpon him in like sort to shew his greatnes and magnificence This opinion of their Master concerning One God Theophrastus and Aphrodiseus two principal Peripateticks doo confirme at large Zeno the chiefe and father of all the Stoicks was wont to say as Aristotle himselfe reporteth that either one God or no God Which opinion of One God is auerred euery where by Plutarch and Seneca two most excellent writers and great admirers of the Stoicke seueritie And before them by Epictetus a man of singuler account in that sect whose wordes were estéemed Oracles Dicondum ante omnia vnum esse Deum omnia negere omnibus prouidere Before all thinges sayth hee wee must affirme that there is one God and that this God gouerneth all and hath prouidence ouer all As for the Academickes although their vsage was to doubt and dispute euery thing as Cicero séemeth to doo in his discoerse concerning the gods yet at last he concludeth in this point with the Stoicks who beléeued One God And as for Socrates who was the father and founder of the Academicke Sect and who was iudged by the Oracle of Apollo to bée the wisest man in all Gréece the worlde doth know that hée was put to death for â—easting at the multitude of gods among the Gentiles All these foure Seâ—â—s of Philosophers then who in their time baâ—e the credit of learning made as we sée profession of one God when they came to speake as they thought And yet if wée will ascend vp higher to the daies before these sects began that is to Pythagoras and Archytas Tarentinus and before them againe to Mercurius Trismegistus that was the first Parent of Philosophy to the Aegyptians wée shall finde them so plaine and resolute herein as none can bée more It is true that the Heathen did honour such men as were famous either for their valiant actes their singuler inuention in matters their good turnes to others or their owne rare gifts and quallities aboue others with their titled gods but yet they beléeued not that those men were gods yea they knewe them to bée no other than mortall men which thing Trismegistus sheweth when hée sayth Deos non natura ratione sed honor is causa nominamus Wee name them Gods not in respect of their natures but for honours sake That is wée call them gods not for that we thinke them to be so but because vnder that title we would honour some famous acts or rare parts and quallities which were in them Cicero likewise testifieth the same in these words The life of man sayth hée and common custome haue now receaued to lift vp to heauen by fame and good will such men as for their good turnes are accounted excellent And hereof it commeth that Hercules Castor and Pollux Aesculapius and Liber which were but men are not reckoned for gods Persons likewise Zenoes scholler testifieth the same And therefore did the Gretians truly thinke who as Herodotis reporteth thought that their gods whom they so called were no other at first than mortall men and so is the common opinion of all And when men and women that were famous excellent and surpassing others dyed because the memory of them should not dye with them but remaine as presidents to follow or as persons to be admired at those that were liuing coulde not bée content to honour them with the title of gods and goddesses but also woulde néeds haue their pictures or Images drawen and sâ—t vp some where for posterity â— behold Her of it ame that they after a while began as mans naturall corrupt inclination is too prone that way to giue honour and to doo reuerence vnto themâ— and not so contented they procéeded further and builded Altars and Temples vnto them and at length consecrated
can doo them no good but are all gone and departed from them His words bee these Nune vero mirantur inquis fi tam multos annos ciuit as peste vexetur cum Aesculopius alii dii longe absint ab ea postea enim quam IESVS colitur nihil vtilitatis adiìs consesequì possumus Now saith he they maruell why this citie is so many yeares vexed with pestilence when as indeed Aesculapius and other gods bee far gone and departed from it for since the time that Iesus is worshipped all our gods haue beene vnprofitable to vs. Considering then that Iesus the author of the christian religion hath silenced utterly destroied the gods of the Gentiles as histories the visible event them his religion must needs be the only true religioÌ„ 4 What should I say more euen the Gentiles themselues the most ancient the best haue testified of Iesus Christ of the truth of his religion for in as much as Christ was appointed before the creation of the worlde to worke the redemption both of the Iew and Gentile and to make them both one people in the seruice of his Father héere-hence it is that hée was fore-tolde and not altogether vnknowne or vnheard of to both these Nations and therefore diuers fore-warnings and significations of him were leste aswell amongst the Gentiles as the Iewes to stirre them vp to expect his comming For first by the consent of writers it is agréed that in those ancient times there were thrée famous men that liued together namely Abraham who descending from Heber was the father or beginner of the Hebrews who were afterwards called the Iewes and with him Iob Zoroastres that were not of that Iynage of Heber but as wée call them for distinations sake heathens or Gentiles Iob wee knowe testifieth of Christ calling him the Redeemer and was most assured to sée him one day with his owne eyes and none other for him although wormes should destroy that body of his as he himselfe testifieth Zoroastres liuing thus in Abrahams time also might by account of scriptures see or speake with Noe for Abraham was borne 60 yéers before Noe deceased and héere of it is that in the writings of Zoroastres which are yet extant or recorded by other Authors in his name there bée founde verie manie plaine spéeches of the Sonne of God whome hée calleth Sucundam mentem the second mind but much more is to bee seene in the writings of Hermes Trismegestus who receiued his learning from this Zoroastres hâ— whome appeareth that these first heathen philosophers had manifest vnderstanding of this second person in Trinitie whom Hermes calleth the first begotten Sonne of God his onely Sonne his deare eternall immutable and incorruptible Son whose sacred name is ineffable 〈◊〉 are his wordes And after him againe amongst the Grecians were Orpheus Hesiodus and others that vttéred the lyke speeches of the Sonne of God as also did the Plateniffs whose words and sentences were too long to repeate Moreouer the Gentiles must remember that they had also some Prophets among them for Balaam was a Prophet among the Gentiles and a Gentile and hee is such a one as testified of Christ of the Starre that should appears at his birth by means of whose prophecie it shoulde séeme the wise men in the East séeing that Starre were assured that Christ was borne and therefore came a long iourney to Iudea to sée him as one Gospell sheweth The same Starre is mentioned by diuers heathen writers as by Pliniâ— vnder the name of a Comet for so they tearme all extraordinarie Starres which appeared in the latter dayes of Augustus Caesar and was farre different from all other that euer appeared And Pliny saith of it Is comet a vnus tote orbe colitur that onely Comet is worshipped throughout all the worlde Calcidius a Platonicke doth say that the Chaldean Astronomers did gather by contemplation of this Starre that some God descended from heauen to the benefite of mankind The Gentiles also had certaine women called Sibylla which were Prophetesses who béeing endued with a certaine spirit of prophecie vttered most wonderfull particularities of Christ to come one of them beginning her Gréeke mâ—eter in these very wordes Know thy God which is the Sonne of God Another of them maketh a whole discourse in Gréek verse called Accresticki expressely affirming therein that Christ Iesus by name should be the Sauiour that he was the Sonne of God expressely saying that he should bée incarnate of a virgin that he should suffer death for our sinnes and that hee should bee crucified that he should rise againe and be exalted into the glorious heauens and from thence at the time appoynted and at the day of the resurrection of all flesh come againe to the last iudgement Of these Sybils there were ten in number talking of his first comming into the world they also say that Rutilans cum fidus monstrabit A blazing Starre shal declare him These Sybils speake so plainly of Christ Iesus as the Prophets among the Iewes did yea more plainely and as plainely as may bée and in a manner as fully as our Gospell speaketh and therefore if the Gentiles will beléeue their own Prophets they must likewise beléeue the Christian religion wherof Iesus Christ is the author of whome they aboundantly testifie Now least it might bée thought by some suspitious heades that Christians haue deuised and inuented these thinges as also that it may yet more fully appeare that Christ before his comming was notified ouer the world by meanes of those verses of the Sybils it must be remembred that Marcus Varro a learned Romane who liued almost a hundred yéeres before Christ maketh mention at large of the Sybils who in number he saith were ten and of their writings countries and ages as also of the writers and authors that before his time had left memorie of theÌ„ and both he Fenestella another heathen do affirme that the writings of the Sybils were gathered by the Romanes from all partes of the world where they might be heard of laid vp with great diligence and reuerence in the Capitol Sybilla Erithraea who made the former accrostoick verses testifieth of her selfe as Constantine the Emperour doth record that shee lyued about fire hundred yeares after the floud of Naâ— And her countryman Apollidorus Erithraeus Varro doo report that she liued before the warre of Troy and prophecied to the Grecians that went to that warre that Troy should be destroied as it came to passe which was more then a thousand yéeres before Christ was born Cicero also that died more than 40 yeares before Christ was borne translated into latin the former accrosticke verses as Constantine sayth which translation was to be séen in his works when Constantine wrote that his oration sée Cicero of these accresticke verses of Sybilla lib. 2. de diuinatione
And finally Suetonius an heathen recordeth that Augustus Caesar before our Sauiour Christ was borne had such speciall regard of the sayinges of the Sybils that hée laide them vp in more straighter order than before vnder the Altar of Apollo in the hil Palatine where no man might haue the sight of them but by speciall licence And so much for the credit of the Sybils who gaue full testimonie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ by name and therefore if the Gentiles wil beléeue them who were their owne Prophets highly reuerenced of all the world they must also beleue our Gospell and the Christian religion to bée the onelie true religion Lastly the Gentils might haue the vnderstanding of Christ the Messias by the Hebrew scriptures which were in the Gréek language diuers ages before Christ was borne For Ptolomy king of Egipt which had the famous library was studiously inquisitiue to search out the originall of all nations religions he found that the people of the Iews was the most ancient and that they onely had the most certaine and vndoubted historie of the creation of the world therfore he sent vnto them to send to him frō Ierusalem seuentie men by whose helpe the sacred Bible might bée translated out of Hebrew into their tongue which was doone accordingly as also the Gentiles might haue knowledge of this Messias eyther by accesse into the Iewish cuntry or by the access of the Iewes into their country as namely by their long bondage in Egypt as also their long captiuitie in Babylon c. But I conclude this matter thus Sith the Prophets of both Iewes and Gentiles that is to say the Prophets of all the worlde haue giuen full plaine euident testimonie of Iesus Christ the sonne of God that therefore his religion is the onelie true religion and all other to be reiected and detested 5 That religion which is most ancient is the true religion for truth was first insomuch as error is nothing else but the corruption of truth or wandering from truth but the religion whereof Christ is the author is the most ancient in as much as Christ the author thereof is the most ancient of dayes béeing the Sonne of God as also because hée is testified of by the Hebrew records which are the most ancient writings in the world Ergo the Christian religion is that which must néedes bée the onely true religion in the world For it is a true saying of Tertullian Verum quod primum quod posterius adulterinum est that is true whatsoeuer is first that is adulterate which is not the first That the Hebrew records doo testifie and foreshew Christ to come is declared before in the second Chapter and none can denie it For hee was promised to Adam the first man that euer God made vnder the name of the séede of the woman that should breake the Serpents head hée was fore-tolde to Abraham that hée should come of his séede in whom all the Nations of the earth should bée blessed Iacob fore-tolde of him calling him Shilo and that hée should bée the expectation of the Gentiles God telleth Moses of him and fore-sheweth to him that he should be the Prophet whose voice all should heare and obey c. Considering then that hée is come and that hee is the very same that was fore-tolde by the writings of Moses and by the Hebrew records which are the most ancient recordes of the worlde I conclude that his religion whereof hée is the author is the onely true religion The antiquitie of the Hebrew historie to bée long before al other is acknowledged by the heathen them selues and therefore I néed not to proue it only this I say that Eupolonius and Eusebius also doe say that letters which are the beginning of words that should bée written were first found out by Moses by him deliuered to the Iewes and that the Iewes taught them to the Phenicians and that lastly the Grecians receiued them of the Phenicians and therefore the Hebrews most néedes bée they amongst whome the first and most ancient records of the world were to be found as Ptolemy also king of Egypt did find and affirme and therefore made much of the Hebrew scriptures Now then for as much as the Hebrew wrytings and histories bée the most ancient they must also néedes bée supposed true in as much as in themselues they all agrée in a swéet harmony and no other records are able to disproue them yea if men will be so incredulous as to doubt of Moses historie because it is so ancient why may they not with as good reason also doubt of any other historie which is ancient and long before their times But because some are of so little beléefe although the historie doo sufficiently giue credite to it selfe yet for better setling of their minds in this behalfe I will briefly shew that euen the heathen historiographers writers doo confirme the same that so the credite and reuerence due vnto Moses may be reserued wicked tongues that barke against him may bée stopped The verie heathen and prophane writers themselues that speake of Moses speake of him most reuerently insomuch that Trebellius Pollio speaking of Moses Solum Dei familiarem vocet doth call him the onely man with whom God was familiar Cornelius Tacitus although he speaketh what hee can against the religion of the Iewes yet cannot discredit Moses historie but is inforced to confesse according to the historie written by Moses that after there were botches and swelling sores sent into the land of Egypt which were noysome both to men beastes the king of Egypt then tooke order that the people of the Hebrews should go out of his land and depart whither they should be directed Procopius also mentioneth Iosuah the sonne of Nun Moses successor and saith that the people of Phenicia for feare of Iosuah and of the Israelites left their owne country departed into Affrike he mentioneth likewise the Iehusites Gergesites the other people named in the sacred Bible Orpheus one of the most ancient wryters next to Moses and an heathen doth mention the two Tables of stone wherein the lawe of God was written and wisheth moreouer all such as he studious of vertue to learn out of his verses diuine knowledge whereby saith he they shall vnderstand and knowe the author of the worlde which is one God which created all things cherisheth all things nourisheth all things who is not seene with humane eyes but is perceiued only by the mind which doth no hurt to mortal men insomuch as hee is the causer procurer of all good things Furthermore he addeth that no man mortall hath seene God at any time except onely a certaine most godly olde man that came of the Chaldeans vz. Moses At last hee concludeth with this saying that hee had learned these thinges out of the monuments which God in times past had deliuered in two Tables
together with their tabernacles bagges and baggages Beside what wondrous workes or myracles soeuer Moses did hee alwayes acknowledged to come from God reiecting vtterly all glorie from himselfe and attributing and yéelding all the glorie vnto God Agayne in his writinges hee dooth not excuse nor conceale his owne sinne nor the sinne of his people no not the sinne of Aaron his owne brother nor of Marie his sister nor of Leui his grandfather nor of anie other of his lynage and kinred neyther did hee once séeke or goe about although hee were in place of power and authoritie to doo it to bring in anie of his owne Sonnes into the rule and gouernement after his decease although hee had manie but left the onely rule and gouernement vnto a stranger named Iosuah as God commanded All which thinges doo shewe and many more too tedious to rehearse that Moses both in his writings in his wordes and in his works was no man of ambition or of worldly spirite but of a méeke humble dutifull obedient and faithfull seruant of God in all matters The historie of Moses therefore béeing the most ancient and the same béeing most vndoubted and certaine true insomuch as he and his history do plentifully testifie of Christ which was to come should bée heard in all that he should say and teach it remaineth that his religion which hée hath taught vnto the world is the onely true religion and all other religions not grounded of the like antiquity and truth to bée abandoned 6 None can discredit Moses nor the Psalms nor any of the Prophets amongst the Iewes but they must withall discredit Christ for Christ saith thus of himselfe that All must be fulfilled which were written of him in Moses the Prophets and the Psalmes And againe hée sendeth such as would knowe of him whether hée were the true Messias to the scriptures of the Iewes saying thus Search the Scriptures for they are they that testifie of me So that Christ Moses the Psalmes and the Prophets and in a word the whole canonicall scriptures of the Iewes doo got arme in arme and bée linked together like inseparable friends that will not bée sundred and therfore the one is alwayes a proofe for the other as likewise a disproofe of the truth of the one is a disproofe of the other and therefore is it that though the incredulous Iews be so false in friendship as that they will not through vnbeléefe take part with the ChristiaÌ„s yet the Christians bée more firme and will holde with the Scriptures of the Iewes to the death Now if there were no more to proue the diuinitie of Christ but the great and wonderfull miracles which he did some wherof were such as neuer any did before nor could doe but God onely it were sufficient to proue him to bee the Sâ—nne of God and that hée came from the bosome of his Father The great and many myracles that hee did béeing famous not onely in Iudea but in all the Romane Empire and so ouer all the worlde are and were such as none of the heathen dare doo or can denie but all acknowledge And therefore I conclude that the Christian religion procéeding from so diuine a power and from one whose workes and wonders is aboue all the world is the most vndoubted true religion 7 Christ did neuer any hurt on earth but hee did maruellous much good hée healed all manner of diseases he caused the dumbe to speake the halt to goe the blind to sée and the deafe to heare hée stilled the raging of the windes and seas gaue sight to him that was borne blind raised the deade to life againe cast out deuils knew mens thoughts and did such works as no man could doo except God with him yea except himselfe were God Moreouer his life was such as none was able to accuse him of any sinne so pure and vnreproouable was he Againe the doctrine he taught was farre from a worldly spirit béeing most heauenly most innocent and most diuine for neuer any man spake as hee spake nor with such authoritie Agayne hée alwaies pronounced that he sought not his owne glorie which deceiuers are wont to doo but the glory of his Father and as hée spake so it was indeede The whole course of his life and death resurrection and ascention doth shewe the same for when the Iewes would haue made him an earthly king hee would none of it but conueyed himselfe away Iohn 6.15 teaching his Ministers to doo the like also Luk. 22.25 26. for hée proclaimed that his kingdome was not of this world Iob. 18.36 but that hée came to doo the wil of his Father Ouer and aboue all this hée was the greatest Prophet that euer was and fore-told diuers things as namely that hee should bée crucified of the Iewes and the third day rise againe that Ierusalem and the Temple should bée destroyed ere that generation passed that after his Ascention the holy Ghost shoulde come downe vppon his Disciples assembled at Ierusalem and diuers others all which the world doth knowe came to passe accordingly And nothing which hée hath spoken but it shall bée performed for there was neuer any fraud within his lippes or falshood within his tongue And therefore I conclude that the Religion of him who was most holy in his life most harmlesse towardes others most beautifull towardes all most wonderfull in his workes most true in his propecies most heauenly in his doctrine not sauouring of any carnall delight or worldly affection nor by any way or meanes séeking his owne glorie but the glorie of God and to doo the will of his Father is and must néedes bée the onelie true Religion 8 An other argument I frame thus that Religion which procéedeth vndoubtedly from God is the true Religion But the Christian Religion proceedeth vndoubtedly from God Ergo c. that it procéedeth vndoubtedly from God I proue thus Either it must procéed from God or from the Deuill or from men But it is too holie to procéede either from men or Deuilles for it ouerthroweth the workes and kingdome of the one and forbiddeth the reuenging spirite of the other commaunding men to loue theyr enemies to doo good to them that hate them and persecute them it condemneth their wanton eye and the adulterous thoughts of their harts and their couetous humour admitting no vncleannes or impuritie and forbidding all iniquitie and wickednes bee it neuer so secrete or close Sith therefore it is so opposite and contrary to mens affections wherewith naturally they bee carryed and that it commandeth to bée holie euen as God is holie it is manifest that it can neither bee of mans deuising nor of the deuils inuention it remayneth therefore that it must néedes bée of God and consequently the onelie true Religion 9 An other Argument is this that Religion which respecteth onely the glorie of God is and must néedes bée the onely true Religion But such is the Christian Religion
and their lawfull Princes he will not only pardon without exception but he will abette them in their deuilish deuised and perswade them forward in their damnable courses till at last when it is too late for them to repent they will if they take not good héed in time féele the â—â—art of it in hell tormentes together for euer What the religon of Rome is may appéere by this that any man for monie may get a pardoÌ„ for his sins then what sin néed rich men feare to commit when a Popes pardon will saiue all or how can it be otherwise than a religion of licentiousnes when for mony a man may haue a licence of dispensation against any sin whatsoeuer These things be such open blottes to the Romish religion as that worthily euery good and godly minde hath it in detestation doth iustly condemne it Yet further will I prooue that the Church of Rome cannot be the true Church possibly 1 The Church of Rome doth hold that the diuine and sacred Scriptures doo not containe all things necessarie to saluation but their vnwritten traditions must forsooth all bée receiued with equall and lyke authoritie for so hath theyr Councell of Trent determined And Pope Leâ— the fourth feareth not to pronounce with a loud voice That hee that receyueth not without difference the Popish Cannons as well as the foure Gospels beleeueth not aright nor holdeth the Catholike faith effectually The decretall Epistles also they number with the Canonical scriptures And Pope Agathe saith that all the sanctions and decrées of their Romish Sea are to bee taken as stablished by the diuine voice Which blasphemies who can abyde For heereby they make both the Scriptures imperfect and not so content doe further adde vnto those Scriptures Wherein they commit two notable sinnes first accusing the sacred and canonical scriptures that they containe not al matters necessary to saluation which is directly contrary to the testimonie of S. Iohn who saith that these things are written that ye may beleeue that in beleuing ye may haue life eternal and cleane contrary to the testimonie of Saint Paul who saith That the Scriptures giuen by diuine inspiration are profitable to reproue to teach to correct to instruct and perfect the man of God 2. Tim 3.15 Ergo the Scriptures or word of God written is a true sound and perfect whole doctrine containing in it selfe fully all things néedfull for our saluation Yea Saint Paule saith expressely to Timothie That the Scriptures are able to make him wise vnto saluation 2. Tim. 3.13 And therefore the Church of Rome béeing cleane contradictorie dooth marueilously erre and therefore also we néed none of theyr vnwritten traditions And againe how should we bée assured that those traditions which they call Apostolicall be Apostolicall considering them not written by the Apostles Augustine speaking hereof saith thus Si qua retinuit Iesus Christus quis nostrum dicet hoc vel illud esse Et si quis hoc dicat quomodo probabit That is If Iesus Christ haue kept any thing close which of vs shall say that it is this or that And if anie say it is this how wilâ— hee proue it For all the errors of the Church of Rome shrowd themselues vnder the harbour of traditions And Chrysostom saith flatly whatsoeuer is requisite for our saluation is conteined in the Scriptures And againe hee saith All thinges bee cleare and plaine in the Scriptures and whatsoeuer thinges be needfull be manifest there And Ierome in the prologue of the Bible to Paulyne after hée had recited the bookes of the new Testament and the old saith thus I pray thee deare brother among these liue muse vpon these know nothing else seeke for none other thing And againe vpon the bookes of the olde and new Testament These writings be holie these bookes bee sound there is none other to bee compared to these whatsoeuer is beside these may in no wise bee receaued amongst these holy things And againe hée saith All other thinges which they seeke out or inuent at their pleasure without the authority testimony of the Scriptures as though they were the traditions of the Apostles the word of God cutteth off Let vs therefore stand fast to the written word of God and as for their traditions which they cannot prooue but obtrude vnto vs without testimonie of Scriptures let vs contemne them For as Athanasius saith the holy Scriptures inspired from God are sufficient to all instruction of the truth And as for the other point of the Papists in equalling and adding of their traditions their decretall Epistles and Canons to the pure and diuine word of God it is a blasphemy intollerable and who can indure it For doth not God say thus Yee shall put nothing to the word which I commaunde you neither take ought there from Deut. 4. And againe he saith whatsoeuer I commaund you that take heede yee doe onely to the Lord put nothing thereto not take ought therefrom And doth not S. Iohn in his Reuelation say that if any man adde to this thinge God shall adde vnto him the plagues which are written in this booke and shall take away his part out of the booke of life I conclude therefore that the Church of Rome which doth not content hir selfe with the sacred and Holie Scripture which the chast spouse of Christ euermore doth is not the true Church of God for there she sheweth hir selfe to beare the marke of a strumpet But when shée procéedeth and addeth hir owne traditions Decretall Epistles and Cannons to the word written and maketh them to be of as good and equall authoritie as the Canonicall and sacred Scriptures themselues What greater pride could haue bin shewed or what higher blasphemie But these are the right notes of an adulteresse to equall hirself with her husband Yea What should I say more They holde that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the Scriptures which sheweth fullie the notable pride and spirituall whoredome of their Church 2 The Church of Rome is Idolatrous and therfore it is not the true Church They fall downe before Idolls and Images as the heathen did and therfore commit Idollatrie as the heathen did I speake for the manner of their worship for the heathen how soeuer they worshipped not the true God yet they thought they worshiped the true God and their meaning was to worship the the true God in the Image or Idoll as the Papists likewise doo meane for they say they be not such fooles as to thinke or beléeue that an Image or Idoll made of wood or stone could bée God neither were the heathen so foolish as to thinke or beléeue that their Idolles or Images were God for they knew they were made of wood or stone or such like but as they tooke it they worshipped God in the Image as the Papists say they doo and therefore the case for the manner of worship is all