statutes and iudgements Here you see that the prophets hauing the same spirite of truth to leade them and their pen which Moses had in his writings auouch the perfection of Gods word in Moses bookes so farre as they would be vnderstood to doe or speake nothing that should not agree vnto that worde so written and whosoeuer did otherwise had not the light in him Now because Moses and the prophets agreed in their writinges in declaring and making manifest the same truth and word of God which he would haue to be the knowen canon and rule of religion Our Sauiour Christ reiecteth all c Math. 15.3 new deuises writing traditions and customes of men sendeth vs to the d Luk. 16.29 cap. 24.44 law and the prophets bidding vs to e Ioh. 5.39 search the scriptures Which also to bee a most certaine rule Saint Peter saith We haue a most sure worde of the prophets And Saint Paul a 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach vs that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes What can be a more perfect rule or touchstone then that which is most sure inspired of God profitable euery way in righteousnes by which a man may be absolute perfect vnto all good workes And hereof it commeth that the writinges of the new testament are not a new Canon or additament of rule in religion but onely a more plaine reuelation fulfilling of that which was before taught by Moses and the prophetes and therefore you shal find that Christ and the Apostles euery where do approue their doctrine by the testimonies of the scriptures of the olde testament Wherefore Paul acknowledgeth that b Rom. 16.26 God commanded the preaching of the gospell to bee by the scriptures of the prophets and Peter c Act. 3.22.24 appealeth to Moses and to all the prophets from Samuel and thenceforth that they foretold of those daies that is of the time of the gospell and the things which should bee manifested therein And therefore Paul protested that he d Cap. 26.22 witnessed both to small and great no other things then those which the prophets and Moses did say should come Wherefore the whole scriptures of the olde and new testament is one and the same rule of religion Although peraduēture as is before declared there may be some difference in ceremony and maner of gouernment yet is the first euen in those thinges a witnesse of the last and the last a true and faithfull expounder and fulfiller of the first Hereof it is that Mathew and the other Euangelists do confirme all the doctrine and doings of Christ by seuerall scriptures Yea those thinges which in forme order differ are yet proued that so they ought to be by Moses and the prophetes as the ministerie of a Math. 3.3 Iohn Baptist b Act. 2.16 and of the Apostles c Heb. 7.1.12 the priesthood of Christ and his changing of the lawe d 1. Cor. 9.9.13 prouiding for the ministerie though not by tithes and many such like But as for the most substantiall parts of the doctrine of faith and saluation I hope it shal appeare to the godly Christian by reading this Chapter throughout that there is but one canon and rule of truth Therefore to conclude let the reader obserue that this writing of Gods word is done by the spirit of God to this vse and ende that we might bee sure to know and how to trie and finde out what is the worde of God by examining all things wee heare by the Canon of the scripture As did e Act. 17.11 the noble men of Berea Wherefore Saint f Cap. 1.3.4 Luke affirmeth that the ende of this writing was that wee might acknowledge the certaintie of those thinges whereof wee haue beene instructed And Saint Paule saith that for the Church g Philip. 3.1 it was a sure thing and this sure thing is expounded by the Euangelist who sayth h Ioh. 20.21 These thinges are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Therefore as Moyses which first wrote shewed the absolutenesse of this Canon of Gods worde written by i Deut. 4.2 forbidding all adding to and taking from So the last booke of this Canon sealeth vp all the writinges of God with the like admonition saying e Reuelat. 22.18 I protest to euerie one that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke If any man shall adde vnto these thinges God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke Now in both partes of this Article agreeing to all these testimonies of holy scripture is the iudgement and profession of the Church of England For we say b Artic. 20. of the authoritie of the church It is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods worde written c Articl 6. the doctrine of holy scripture Holy scripture containeth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of the faith or bee thought requisite and necessarie to saluation c. d Apolog. cap. 9. diuis 1. We receiue and embrace all the Canonicall scriptures both of the old and new testament c. they bee the verie sure and infallible rule whereby may be tried Whether the Church do swarue or erre and whereunto all ecclesiasticall doctrine ought to bee called to account and that against these scriptures neyther law nor ordinance nor any custome ought to be heard c. In all which wee doe acknowledge this most absolute canon of Gods word agreeing with Abraham Moses the Prophets Christ and his Apostles The tenth Article of the people who follow the right religion that is the Church of God 10 There is but one Church of God and the same is catholike and spread ouer all the world holding onely the true faith of Christ and it is made visible and knowne by the profession of the same faith which is in the preaching of the pure word of God and right administration of his holy sacraments IN this Article is a double description of Christes Church first in regard of the nature and second in regard of the visible markes The nature is in three things vnitie and vniuersalitie and faith The markes are declared by their profession which is preaching and administring the word sacraments By vnitie wee vnderstand that God hath not diuers Churches of diuers sectes in diuers places or times but howsoeuer times and places may haue some externall and temporal differences yet in all times and places the people whom God alloweth and accepteth to bee his church are but one misticall bodie wherof Christ is the head and as
new testament thus h Rom. 3.23.24 There is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus 25. whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud c. In the seuenth Article there are three contradictories of the lying erring multitude of Rome vnto the true religion For they i Concil Trident sessi 5. sess 6. canon 18. 25. say that Concupiscence in the regenerate after baptisme is no sinne although they confesse Saint Paule calleth it sinne 2. That there is nothing in him displeasing God but he is pure innocent and immaculate 3. A iustified man can keepe all Gods commaundements If these men had learned and beleeued the true religion they would not dare to speake so directly contrarie to truth seeing God teacheth far otherwise First in the old testament where the church is directed to say k Esai 64.6 Wee haue bin all as an vncleane thing all our righteousnes as filthy clouts And in the new testament l 1. Ioh. 1.8 If we say we haue no sin wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. Which two places being spoken of the people being by the sacrament of initiation or Baptisme entred into the Church do shew plainely that original corruption is a sinfull matter in the flesh of the regenerate by which they are made vnable to doe any one worke perfect much lesse to doe all Gods commandements at all times in thought word and deede a thing which euerie man 's owne conscience doth testifie if he bee not too much besotted with the looking vpon his fruitlesse peacockes taile In the eight Article they make additaments namely that a Concil Trid. sess 6. canon 24. 33. 20. good workes are also causes of the encreasing of iustification and truely deserue eternall life and encrease of glorie and that the obseruing of the commandements of God and the Church are the condition of the promise of eternall life to which the iustified man is bound if he will be saued By which while they robbe Christ of his merits and giue more honour to the corrupt life of man and lesse to the redeemer and lay an other burthen vpon Christians then that which God layeth and such as no man can beare they leade themselues so farre from religion that either by a vaine hope of that which is not they forsake their owne saluation or els by a greeuous desperate downe-fall finding themselues as the truth is vnable to fulfill the condition they lay themselues open to euerlasting perdition But God alloweth no such additamentes where he teacheth vs in the old testament to say vnto him b Psal 16.2 Thou art my Lord my well doing extendeth not to thee And in the new c Luc. 17.10 When ye haue done all those things which are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruants c. And the condition of fulfilling the commandements is called d Act. 15.10 a yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare and if it were possible to doe the commandements yet the holie Ghost teâ—â—eth vs that e Gal. 2.21 if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Against the ninth Article the Romists do diuersly oppose themselues shewing themselues to bee of no religion For first they adde the commandement of the church making it equall vnto Gods written worde saying f Gret decreâ— pars 1. dist 20. cap. de libellis They which receiue not indifferently their Canons they profitablie effectually and to purpose holde or beleeue neither the catholike faith nor the foure holy Euangelistes They adde moreouer that g Distinct 19. all the decretals constitutions of that sea yea though it decree things scarce to bee borne yet must they bee borne with a godly deuotion though there bee as h Decret abbreuiat in versibus they say in one booke of decrees aboue 3000. Againe they say that i Concil Trident sess 4. decret 1. pari pietatis affectu reuerentia Traditions pertaine to faith and maners and that they doe receiue and embrace them with equall godly deuotion and reuerence as they doe the holy scriptures Lastly they set the Church before the scriptures as that by k Test Rhem. note vpon Gal. 2. vers 2. 6. D. Smith briefe treatise cap 2. 3. it the scriptures are so farre made knowen to all Christians as they are not bound so to take them vnlesse by the authoritie of the Church they knew them And that the authoritie of holy scripture dependeth and hangeth vpon the iudgement of the vniuersall or catholike church and that there are many vnwritten verities left by Christ and his Apostles to be beleeued and obeyed vnder paine of damnation Here is the mouth of blasphemie if wee may beleeue the vndoubted word of God how hee teacheth vs to esteeme of the holy scriptures and of the Church for in the olde Testament hee saith l Esai 8.20 To the law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them And in the new a 2. Tim. 3.13 The holy scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation c. Let then euery wise man iudge that if the scriptures bee able to make a man wise vnto saluation and that there is no light that is to say knowledge of truth and godlinesse in them which agree not to the holy scriptures what canons decrees decretals traditions or vnwritten verities can haue any authoritie vnlesse they agree to the written word of God or that they can containe in them any thing not written in the scripture which is of necessitie to saluation or which not to doe or beleeue is damnation Againe how can the scriptures take their authoritie from the church seeing that the church is of no light vnlesse it bee found agreeable to the scriptures and therefore no church except it bee approued by the scriptures and so the scripture is iudge ouer the church and not contrarie And if I say the scriptures can make a man wise vnto saluation it is the greatest follie in the world to clogge the people of God with so many thousand of needles canons decrees decretals traditions and vnwritten falsely called verities and so make the light and easie yoke of Iesus Christ most heauie and burdenous If these diuilish blasphemies were true alas who could be saued For who was euer found that did or could doe all the foresaid Canons and traditions Therefore in them is fulfilled which is said by the Lord of Hypocrites b Math. 23.4 They bind heauie greeuous burthens not to be borne and lay them on mens sholders but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers Let vs abandon therefore these painted sepulchers and enemies of all true
as they confesse not found in holy scriptures cannot bee good if the first part of their rule be true Secondly if it be of the nature of the scripture as we haue proued to containe all things necessarie to saluation and some of these as their dreadfull sacrifice of the masse rites in baptisme confirmation purgatorie prayers for the dead c. are by popish doctrine necessarie to saluation and yet are not to be found in holy scriptures then it followeth that they are contrarie to the law of God when they stand vp to shew themselues auaileable to saluation because they falsely accuse the scripture not to containe all thinges necssarie to saluation yea they accuse the scripture of a lie when it saith c 2. Tim. 3.15.16.17 They are able to make thee wise vnto saluation and that the man of God may bee perfect and absolute vnto euerie good worke But what can bee more contrarie to the law of God then to make his inspired word written to tell a lie Here then by their owne rule fall downe their traditions forged vpon Christ and his Apostles and presumed by their Church and if the scripture bee true there can and ought to bee no such thing and therefore of necessitie by their owne doctrine these are but deuises of men traditions not good Now for the second part of this first braunch of their rule where they say that the naughtie traditions are verie neere occasions of sinne These traditions breake that rule also For beside that they are all sinne in that God neuer commaunded them and come vnder that checke d Math. 15.2 In vaine they worship mee teaching for doctrines mans precepts they can neuer denie by any good reason but that by these traditions they giue occasions of sinne many waies As in Baptisme men cannot discerne the true worke of Baptisme for the multitude of ceremonies vnto which are giuen the verie power and operation of Baptisme by the sacrifice of the masse relickes images and praying to Saintes they are ledde vnto sinne being directly against that commandement which saith a Math. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And their vowes of chastitie and single life giue occasion of all filthinesse buggery and murder and sodomitrie But if in these traditions there be a direct and particular contradiction to holy scripture then where is their foundation as for example the holy scripture saith b Heb. 18. There remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne they say the sacrifice of the masse is for the quicke and the dead the holy scripture saith it is c 1. Tim. 4.1 a doctrine of deuils to forbidde meates and mariage These traditions make priesthoode vowes and holding the childe at Baptisme to hinder marrige and that Lent and ember daies must not see any flesh and that for conscience sake The scripture saith thou d Precep 2. Exod. 20. shalt make no image nor worshippe them and they say thou mayest and oughtest to worship them And there are a great many more as is before apparant to bee seene whereof I thought good to giue the reader a taste that hee might the better remember what hath beene before written For the second part of the rule to knowe a naughtie tradition to be of men and not of God they say it is naught if it bee derogatorie to the glorie of Christ I pray you looke vpon all and euerie of these traditions and you shall find that they are set forth for merite and remission of sinnes for satisfaction and iustification All which as is before proued are the glorie of Christ because there is e Act. 4.12 no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby a man may bee saued These being newe names challenging that which belongeth to him cause men to giue his glorie vnto others And therefore by this rule seeing they derogate from the glorie of Christ they are no good traditions but meere inuentions of men not sufferable in the Church of God Lastly they are friuolous and burdenous c. which is the third part of their rule to know traditions to be of man do but looke vpon the number If f Gratians decrees one booke can shew vs 3090. decrees whereof most of them be of these traditions and that there be besides these in decretall and extrauagants I cannot tell how many thousand more then how can they auoid the name of burden And as for their profite if wee may iudge by holy scriptures which teacheth that g Heb. 1.3 Christ by himselfe purgeth our sins What profit can there be in any or all of these except we may say that Christ hath not purged our sinnes But their owne conscience telleth them there is no need of them As for example when they can h Manipul curat cap. 8. de annex bapt say of all the rites of tradition in Baptisme that they are not of the essence of Baptisme because that without them Baptisme may bee well giuen in case of necessitie which hauing as great a warrant as any of the rest wee may verily conclude that they are all but friuolous and superfluous ouerspreading outslippes of mens deuises What shall we then determine of this goodly popish trash but that they cannot be ancient autentical after Gods word seeing they cannot agree to their owne rules whereby they would proue them to be of God Therefore that is most blasphemous that they call the worde of God as it is in the holy bookes dead incke in comparison of their tradition vnlesse it be warranted by tradition and vnderstood in the sence of the mastership of their church Wee are then come thus farre that poperie is a tradition not written with dead incke in Gods holy bookes but some other kinde of doctrine which by their owne rules cannot bee found worthy the name of a good tradition and therefore a meere deuise of mans foolishnesse that is to say verie fables much displeasing and abhominable in the holy eyes of almightie God 4 Now let vs looke into the particulers Heere come the a Antididagma printed at Louan 1544. reuerend Canons of Colen who in the generall ioyning with this great clearke Peresius in many things crie with him Traditum est or traditum tenemus that is it is a tradition or wee hold it a tradition And this they doe where they are to shewe their originall and in deede it is an easie matter to maintayne any foolish or wicked thing by such a deuise yet are these learned men of Colon content to tell vs one or two originalles First b Pag. 70. they say It is true that Christ gaue the Sacrament to his Apostles vnder both kindes of breade and wine and that the church obserued that order a long time after therefore they teach vs that to keep the cup from the common people is but new learning So also they c Pag. 143. say their holy daies reckning by name 22.
the title of Christ hanging on the crosse was written in Hebrew Greeke and Latine Where you may see three strange thinges to bee done of these holy fathers first to celebrate that in an vnknowne tongue which containeth great instruction to the faithfull people as if it were meete in their eies that the meate which was good and appointed for them ought to bee kept out of their sight Secondly that this order must be learned of Pontius Pilate who put Christ to death a verie good an Apostle for an Apostaticall Church Thirdly this is expressely repugnant to holy scripture which saith c 1. Cor. 14.26.28 Let all things be done to edification and that hee which speaketh in a strange tongue should keepe silence in the Church In the foureteenth Article they bee also contradictorie to the truth And first touching matrimony they haue three degrees of contradiction d Concil trid sess 8. canon 9. First absolutely forbidding all preestes and ecclesiasticall persons to marie e Canon 11. Secondly they forbidde mariage certaine times in the yeare as in Lent c. And f Canon 3. thirdly take vpon thē to dispence with the order of God g Cap. 18. in Leuiticus touching the degrees of kindred prohibited also to adde and ordaine moe degrees to be prohibited which God hath not forbidden And whosoeuer doth maintain the Christian libertie herein they pronounce him Anathema accursed Forgetting what h Act. 10.15 Reuelat. 3.7 God said to Peter That God hath purified pollute thou not and that Christ the head of his Church hath the keye of Dauid that openeth and no man shutteth c. Wherefore seeing that Christ hath made i Heb. 13.4 Tit. 1.15 mariage honourable for all men and that by his ordinance To the cleane all things are cleane doe they not herein bewray their apostatical presumption to challenge authoritie more then euer Peter durst euen aboue Christ when they make mariage dishonourable in certayne times and persons and dispence by giuing libertie where Christ forbiddeth and making restraint where hee giueth libertie Now in the authoritie of the magistrate how vnlike the Pope is vnto Peter euerie man seeth For cleane contrarie to all religion and honestie hee taketh vppon him not onely to bee vniuersall Bishoppe aboue all Bishoppes but also vniuersall ministeriall head in earth aboue all power and potentates kinges and Emperours that is aboue all that is called k Psal 82.1 The Pope aboue all called God God Therefore we need not vse many wordes in this place seeing the Pope vsurpeth that which Christ himselfe neuer did in his owne person neyther gaue to any other after him For he meekely submitted himselfe to the ciuill power saying directly a Ioh. 18.36 Mark 10.43 My kingdome is not of this world and forbidding others he saith It shall not be so among you In the fifteenth Article the disagreement by addition that where the true religion by holie scripture haue this hope of the bodies rising at the last day The sea of Rome teach another arising namely of the soule out of Limbus Patrum out of purgatorie and out of Hell before that great day of iudgement come As first that b Test Rhem. annot Luc. 16.22.26 Dorbel distinct 2 sent 4. In miss quotid pro defund offert Christ descended into Hell deliuered the fathers some out of Limbus some out of purgatorie which had lien there till that time And that in hell a man may suffer part of his temporall penance which being ended hee is free from thence and therefore they pray in their Masse Domine Iesu c. O Lord Iesu Christ deliuer the soules departed c. Which dreaming additament of hope concerning the dead bewrayeth it selfe to disagree from the Christian religion in as much as God doth teach men that after death the faithfull doe onely rest till the last day First in the olde testament thus c Esa 57.2 Dan 12.13 He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds Thou shalt rest and stand vp in thy lot at the end of the daies And in the new Testament d Reuelat. 14.13 Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord euen so saith the spirit for they rest from their labours If they rest and that till they stand vp then no translation out of Limbus Purgatorie or Hell And if they rest then no penance in hell or purgatorie for the faithfull Therefore I may conclude in this place that the popish superstition hath verie little or no affinitie with the true ancient and catholike religion but it hath verie many great intollerable disagreements from the same CAP. II. Of the disagreement that popish superstition now taught in Rome hath with the religion which Saint Paul taught the Romans and with the doctrine Saint Peter taught the Iewes IT will also appeare how new the superstition of poperie is if we find they keep not the doctrine of the blessed Apostles and founders of Christs Church Saint Paule and Saint Peter vpon which two they father all their authoritie and doings and call them founders and protectors and patrons of the church of Rome If then they be fallē from the faith which these two holy Apostles taught by the spirit of truth they must needs be accounted vpstarts of an apostatical new borne generation Marke therefore good Reader and consider Saint Paul taught the Romanes that it was an hethenish wickednes a Rom. 1.23 to turne the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man The sea of Rome that now is cleane contrarie to that doctrine doth make images to represent the Trinitie and to represent God the father by the likenesse of an olde corruptible man The doctrine which Saint Peter taught the Iews saith that b Act. 2.23 Christ was deliuered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God to bee crucified and slaine by the handes of wicked men The sea of Rome that now is doth say that God did onely foresee but not determine or ordaine any thing which he commandeth not and it is certaine he commanded not the Iewes to crucifie Christ therefore in these two points they agree not with Paul Peters doctrine S. Paul taught the ancient Romanes that a Rom. 8.7 The wisedome of the flesh that is to say the knowledge and will of man as it is infected by original corruption before we be regenerate is enmitie against God and that it is not subiect to the law of God neither in deed can bee And the doctrine of Peter to the Iewes is that wee b 1. Pet. 1.22.23 cap. 2. 1. 2. 2. Cor. 3.5 are borne againe as new borne babes shewing that without the spirit of God we haue not one good thought But these new Romistes say that mans will onely stirred vp by the grace of God can prepare it selfe to the grace of iustification and doeth workes of congruitie pleasing God and
praiers in an vnknowne tongue giue them images to be their bookes Saint Peters doctrine touching mariage appeareth that he being b 2. Cor. 9.5 1. Pet. 5.2 an Elder had a wife as the other Apostles laid no other burden vpon Elders but to feed the flocke of God and yet these new law makers forbid mariage to the which Peter called elders S. Paul taught the Romans that c Rom. 13.1 1. Pet. 2.13 euery soule should be subiect to the higher powers and S. Peter commaundeth submission to all maner ordinance of man But these proude vsurpers take vpon them to dispence with the oth obedience of subiects bringing all superiour power vnder their seruant the Pope of Rome S. Peter taught d 1. Pet. 5.9 to resist the diuell stedfast in faith these afterwitted men teach vs to do it by coniuring by crosses and by holie water Saint Paul taught the first childe of the Romanes that e Rom. 14.2.3.4 in meate and dayes men should not iudge and condemne one another these men vnder the name of the Church forbid and commaund iudge and condemne men in meates and in dayes and that vnder paine of damnation S. Peter taught the Iewes f 1. Pet. 1.5 that wee are kept by the power of God thorough faith vnto saluation these mē say that faith without hope charity cannot performe it S. g 2. Pet. 3.18 1. Pet. 3.15 Peter would haue euery man grow in the knowledge of our lord Iesus Christ and to be so far instructed in the gospel that hee might be able to giue a reason of his faith These Antipetrians would haue men to content thēselues with ignorance to beleeue as the church beleeueth by this colour that ignorāce is the mother of deuotion they kepe the common people frō knowledge of the scriptures S. Peters doctrine doth say h Act. 3.2 that the heauens must containe Christ vntil the time that al things be restored S. Paul taught the Romanes i Rom. 8.24 that Christ is at the right hand of God yet say these shameles forgers that Iesus Christ very God and very man is really locally by the intention of a Priest vttering certaine wordes which they call cōsecration is in the sacrament as they cal it of the Aulter Saint Peter taught the Iewes that it was k Acts. 15.10 a tempting of God to binde Gods people to keepe the law because it is a yoke that neyther we nor our fathers were able to beare These presumptuous backesliders doe say that it is a condition of our saluation and righteousnesse to doe the commaundements of God and the Church that a man is able to fulfill the commaundements of God Saint Peter l Act. 10.25.26 Math. 17.24 forbad Cornelius a Captaine of a band when he fell downe at his feete and worshipped him saying that hee himselfe was a man and being directed and commaunded by our Sauiour Christ hee paide tribute and pollemonie vnto Caesar But the Pope the counterfeit successour of Peter refuseth no kinde of honour euen to the kissing of his feete done by Kinges or Emperours and taketh tolle and tribute out of all lands whom he can make his vassals and vnderlings Saint * Act. 3.12 Peter in the good works which he did renounced in plaine tearmes his owne power and godlinesse and laboured by all meanes to set forth the name of Christ that Christ onely might be glorified These filthie changelings haue no end in aduancing the power of Peter and therein of the name authoritie and glorie of the Pope Saint Peter neither a Act. 8. 11. 15. hauing nor taking vpon him any soueraigntie aboue other Apostles or aboue any estate was sent by the Apostles at Ierusalem to doe some Apostolicall worke in his ministrie and S. Iohn equallie with him and he obeyed his bretheren submitted himselfe to giue an account of his doings for his going to the Gentils and gaue place to Iames to determine the controuersie touching circumcision and the law of Moses to be imposed vpon the Gentils had no greater title in the counsell nor in any place of scripture then Simeon Peter or Cephas seruant and Apostle of Iesus Christ or Elder Also hee b Gal. 2.7.8.9.11 acknowledged the same authoritie in Paul ouer the Gentils which he had ouer the Iewes and therefore hee meekelie suffered reproofe for his weakenesse at the hands of Paul and c Act. 5.40.41 with all patience and ioyfulnesse tooke stripes with the rest of the Apostles for the name of Christ The Pope his pretended successor taketh vpon him farre otherwise namely the Primacie aboue all Bishops and Patriarkes aboue all Princes Magistrates and maketh Cardinals and Archbishops his Embassadors and Legattes disdaineth to giue an account of any thing and taketh vpon him to confirme all counsels and to annihilate whatsoeuer is concluded without his consent and authoritie entituling himselfe Bishop of Bishops cheefe Pastour head of the vniuersall Church of Christ He is so far from being reprooued that hee will iudge all men but himself be iudged of no man and that his determinations must not be reasoned nor disputed vpon and not onely ouer the Iewes but also ouer all nations he vsurpeth authoritie and is so farre from meek bearing of reproof or stripes for the name of Christ that he raiseth vp sedition rebellion and cruell wars against the lawfull superiour putteth downe Emperours and Kings for his owne name sake maintenance of his owne pride and vsurped iurisdiction In all the storie which is in the new testament concerning Paul and Peter we haue not one word that Peter should be head of the Apostles much lesse head of the vniuersall Church or ouer Princes neither is there any direct or indirect collection to be made out of holy scripture that if Christ had giuen him such authority the same should haue descended and gone to his successors And if to his successors yet it would be doubtfull whether Babilon or Samaria or Ioppa or Ierusalem might not be the place of succession for at these places it is expreslie said hee was and remained And as for Rome there is great reason to thinke that hee was neuer there or at the least some verie little while and if he were there at all yet neuer was hee Bishop of Rome First it is cleare that S. Peter kept at Ierusalem till the conuersion of Saint Paul a Act. 8. 9. 10. 15. which was sometime after the Apostles had begun the planting of the Church of Ierusalem and the Martyrdome of Steuen the Deacon Then b Gal. 1.18 three yeeres after Paul visited Peter at Ierusalem and c Gal. 2.1 fourteene yeeres after that he communicated with Peter Iames and Iohn at Ierusalem and then after this d Act. 12.1.2.3 was Peter cast into prison by Herode after the martirdom of Iames the brother of Iohn after e
fathers and decretals epistles so that by the papistes owne account and confession the holy scriptures raigned alone many ages together after Christs ascention as Lady Queene to bee the onely law to rule iudge and know the Church and whatsoeuer necessarie to saluation And the Church presumed not ouer the scriptures but was squared ordered by them This Gratian sheweth vs f Distinct 16. Cap. Canons that the Canons of the Apostles were pronounced by g He liued Anno 530. Isidorus not to haue bene receiued of the Church nor of the holy fathers because they were knowne to be made of heretikes vnder the name of the Apostles After he h Distinct 19. cap. Si Romanor Ann. 865. telleth vs that Pope Nicholas giueth autenticall authoritie to the decretall Epistles of his predecessors And that i Distinct 19. cap. sic omnes Anno. 680. Pope Agatha first breathed out this blasphemie that all sanctions of the Apostolicall sea are to be receiued as confirmed by the deuine voice of Peter And k Distinct 20. cap. de libellis Anno 850. Leo the 4. followed him in the same rebellion of Gods word pronouncing that they who do not receiue al their canons indifferently do not beleeue the Apostolicall faith and the foure Euangelists effectually as they should And here the maker of the glosse is touched in conscience for the East churches that did not receiue these decretalles all this while whether they were not heretikes Much about this time came in the Legenda aurea which is l Bernard de Girard hist Franc. lib. 4. Albert. Krant Saxonia lib. 2. fathered vpon Carolus Magnus And after this others in these things kept on this new deuotion and presumption But the battell was not full and strong till Gratian himselfe m Anno. 1160. came vp and set them in aray by compiling the booke of decrees containing more then halfe a legion the Ciuilians and Canonistes muster themselues to make the first squadrant then Lombardus his brother bringeth forth a second in foure bookes of sentences and in the reare warde march n Anno 1270 Thomas Aquinas and o Ann. 1295. Scotus Duns with many Franciscans and Dominicans and make a strong battell of distinctions questions philosophie Aristotelians and all the forces of reason a Anno 1230. Gregorie the 9. bringeth forth his barbed horsemen of decretall as flanckers to make incursions in fiue troopes or bookes well armed with Apostaticall ordinaunce and Boniface the eight added a sixth Then come in the light horsemen of Clementines and extrauagantes readie for many seruices amongst whome there commeth in a monstrous huge b Seruice in a strange tonge came in after the adoring of Eucharist Anno 1220. read Lyra vpō 1. Cor. 14. beast to make way for the rest called Lingua Latina seu peregrina that is seruice and scriptures in an vnknowen tongue which casteth such a mist into the eyes of Gods people that they are brought vnder the antechristian bondage and from the glorious lawe of libertie which is the gospell of Christ Iesus before they be aware By all these there came vp such great and vniuersall studie of the Canon and Ciuill lawes and such honour of schoole learning amongst all the learned and wise men on the one side and such palpable ignorance in the common people that it was impossible that the worde of God could haue his primatiue dignitie witnesse the councell of Trent c Reade Caesar Baron vpon the Martyrolog Non Martij who often clapped handes and gaue great applause to Thomas Aquinas And that when Luther beganne to preach the gospell his greatest aduersaries fought against him eyther by Canons decrees of some scholasticall conclusion and witnesse the conscience and knowledge of all men that haue looked into the estate of religion Thus is it easie to see what a strong force the deuill had by this meanes to bring the holie scriptures of God into a base and low remembraunce and how in tracte of time hee hath made his owne lawes traditions decrees and counsels not onely equall but far aboue them And as iustly complaineth Anthonius de Rampegolis a man of their owne side who as Tritte then d De scriptoribus ecclesiasticis writeth flourished personally in the counsel of Constance e Figurae bibliae cap. de sacra scriptura Sacram scripturam in honorantes trahunt in obsequium philosophiae faciunt ancillā dominam de domina ancillam many dishonoured the holy scripture and made it obedient to philosophie causing the handmaid to be mistresse and the mistresse to be handmaid and thus was fulfilled that which Hilarius wisely obseruing did f Aduersus Arianos Et facta est fides temporum potius quā Euangeliorum say in his time When the vse of writing innouating of faith beganne to bee in vre after it did rather beginne to make new thinges then keepe that which it had receiued it neither maintained the old nor confirmed the newe and so faith became to bee of the times rather then of the gospels That is to say men leauing that which they receiued and learned by the scriptures and writing themselues opinions and decrees of their owne it came to passe in time that the faith of the Church was not that which the Gospell of Christ teacheth but such as liked men of the seuerall ages and times such as counselles decreed and Bishoppes ordained Which thing Erasmus being a great Scholler did see to be happened vnto the Church of Rome and thereof giueth admonition to a great Bishoppe and amongst other thinges touching humane constitutions g ad Christoph Episcop Basil de interdicto esu carmum c. he saith Haec primum obrepant honesti specie c. These thinges first creepe in by a colour of honestie after they ouerflow more aboundantly then after a while being confirmed by vse they raigne as tyrants c. 5. Of the supremacie Now let vs come to the last foundation of popery and banishing of Christ and his lawes Namely the royal primacie of the Pope clyming into the seat of Christ and aduancing himselfe aboue all that is called God And let vs examine whether it be Euangelicall and of the Christian religion and ancient profession of the primatiue Church First it is manifest and cleare that the first sixe hundred yeare neuer knew him but they were all protestants allowing no vniuersall Bishop but Christ onely and honouring the Emperors and kinges where they liued as Lordes and supreame gouernors ouer all persons ecclesiasticall ciuill euen as they had learned of Saint Paule who did commaund a Rom. 13.1 euerie soule to bee subiect to the higher power and of Saint Peter b 1. Pet. 2.13 who would haue them submit themselues to the king as the superior And herein I will call for the papistes themselues to be my witnesses First Gratian c Distinct 21. cap.
know God turned from dumbe idols to serue the liuing and true God Hereof the almightie giueth sentence by his holy seruant Hieromie saying d Hier. 9.23 Let not the wiseman glorie in his wisdom nor the strong man glory in his strength neither the rich man glorie in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me c. And according to this frame is the last iudgement literally described namly that e 2. Thes 1.7 the Lord Iesus should shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that doe not know God c. 2. And herein we shall find that he which knoweth God is instructed in two things First that God is one and that there is no other God beside him euen as Moses saith f Deut. 6.4 Here O Israel the Lord our God is Lord onely and how is he one namely g Esai 44.6 the first and the last the beginning and the ending which is which was and is to come h Maluch 3.6 he neuer changeth nor hath so much as a i Iacob 1.17 shadow of turning Therefore saith the Psalmist k Psal 90.2 Before the mountaines were made and before thou haddest formed the earth and the worlde euen from euerlasting to euerlasting thou art God Secondlie that God is the l Iacob 4.12 onely law-giuer and teacher of righteousnes saluation as saith m Psal 94.10 Micas 6.8 Psal 98.2 the Prophets He teacheth man knowledge shewing him what is good and what the Lord requireth of him he declareth his saluation his righteousnes he reueileth in the sight of the nations 3. Now in the true and perfect vnderstanding of these true things we shall clerely see that there is but one true catholike religion from the beginning of the world to thend thereof fitly proportioned to the nature of the only God the author foūdor maintainer therof For as Christ teacheth because n Ioh. 4.24 God is a spirit he must be worshipped in spirit and truth So the nature of God being one vnchangeable his supreme authority to be the only lawgiuer there can no religion please him but onlie one which varieth not whereof himselfe is the author For this cause in one part of our religion which is our iustification saluatiō S. Paul reasoneth thus a Rom. 3.29 God is hee the God of the Iewes only not of the gentils also for it is one God who shall iustifie circumcision of faith vncircumcision thorow faith Thereby shewing that as God is one namely as wel ouer the Gentils as ouer the Iews so he will iustifie circumcision which are the Iewes vncircumcision which are the gentils that is al other nations by one way of religion that is to say thorough faith and beleefe in his sonne Iesus Christ For which cause this religion is called the b Tit. 1.1 faith of Gods elect because al the elect are but of one religion and therefore saint Iude c Iud. ver 3. wisheth vs to contend for the faith which was once giuen to the saints affirming that in writing thereof hee writeth of the common saluation And it is called in the former place of saint Paul The knowledge of the truth according to Godlines vnder the hope of eternall life shewing what is the matter of this religion and lastly to shew the author he saith which God that cannot lye hath promised before the world began hath made manifest in his times c. To which sence are these words in the Epistle to the Hebrewes d Heb. 13.8 Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same is for euer where speaking before of the word of God and faith and after admonishing them not to bee caried about with diuers and strange doctrins he meaneth by Iesus Christ putting the cause for the effect the doctrin and religion whereof he is the founder that as he in regard of his Godhead is without change beginning and ending so he is eternally the foundation of the church and that doctrine and religion which he teacheth is the truth euerlasting infallible and not to be altered as it seemeth to be expounded in the epistle to the Ephesians e Ephe. 4.4 There is one bodie and one spirit euen as you are called in one hope of your vocation there is one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and thorow all in you all And for this cause saint f Epist 2. ver 9. Iohn is bold to say whosoeuer transgresseth abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Hee that continueth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the father and the sonne 4 For the more plaine euidence of this matter we may obserue in the new Testament two thinges First that Christ and his apostles professed taught no new religion but the same which the scriptures of the old testament did before instruct and secondly that in it the gentils were made and adopted children vnto Abraham The former Christ sheweth where he saith a Matt. 5.17 Thinke not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets I am not come to destroy them but to fulfil them and againe b Ioh. 5.39 Search the scriptures for in them ye thinke to haue eternal life they are they which testifie of me And saint Peter affirmeth that c Act. 10.43 To him giue all the prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shal receiue remission of sinnes and saint Paul saith that he spake d Cap. 26.22 no other thinges then those which the Prophets Moses did say should come and e Rom. 16.26 that the Gospell and reuelation of the misery of Iesus Christ is opened and published among all nations by the scripture of the prophets at the commandement of the euerlasting God for the obedience of faith Therefore Christ and his Apostles taught no new thing differing from the old Testament the writings of Moses and the prophets Now for the second Christ saith f Matt. 8.12 Many shall come from the east and from the west and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaacke and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Heare he spake of the calling of the gentils insinuating that they must bee saued by the same faith and religion by which Abraham was and for this cause entring into the house of Zacheus a gentile and finding faith in the promise made to Abraham he saith g Luk. 19.9 This day saluation is come into this house for asmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham and it is shadowed in that phrase of Christ where hee saith that Lazarus was in Abrahams bosome Cap 16. But it is made more plaine by the Apostle saying h Gal. 3.29 If ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seede and heires by promise So
differing religion and faith concerning God from all people vnder heauen whatsoeuer b Rom. 1.1.2.3.4 The third sort in regard of the persons are the gentils that is all nations and languages after the comming of Christ and in regard of the things they had the gospel which Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD being made man of the virgin Marie did preach ordaine and commit to writing to be preserued for the euerlasting benefit of the church which being preached by the Apostles of Christ as well to the Iewes as to the Gentils at his commaundement and by his commission the Iewes for their vnbelefe fel away and being left to the hardnes of their hart were reiected and ceased to be the visible church of God remaine scattered ouer the face of the whole earth vntill this day and the gentils hearing and receiuing the gospell and submitting them selues by faith vnto the doctrin of Christ became Gods people againe and his visible church and so the true religion hath remained among the gentils in one place or other vntil this day and of this number are we of the church of Englande one happie part The Lord our God and merciful father in Iesus Christ be praised therefore 3. Now in all these times notwithstanding that the outward face of the church by the ceremonies and maner of gouernment did verie much differ yet in all these was but one substance of religion consisting in the knowledg of one true and liuing God and in the worship of his diuine maiestie by faith in the holy promise of Iesus Christ which promise was made vnto Adam Abraham and Dauid declared by the prophets preached to the gentils in the gospel For so Adam a Gen. 4.1.2.3 trained vp his sons by sacrifice to worship God arguing their expectation of the Messias or seed of the woman to come And therfore b Heb. 11.2.3.4 Abel Enoch Noe Abraham are wel reported of for their faith and to haue pleased God Vnto c 1. Pe. 3.10.11 Noe the ark vnto Abraham circumcision being types and figures of Christ were helpes in this faith religion so in the law all the priestes their sacrifices and seruice yea al the law d Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3.22 ponited out Christ as thend therof and concluded all vnder sin that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to them that beleeue And the prophets which best vnderstood the law shew the maine substance of their religion to be in faith when they say e Esai 26.16 He that beleeueth in him meaning Christ shal not make hast f Aaback 2.4 The iust shal liue by faith g Psal 34.8 Tast and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the mā that trusteth in him Which thing witnesseth the Apostle saying h Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that we thorow patience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope and that the i 2. Tim. 3.15 scriptures speaking of the law and prophets are able to make one wise vnto saluation thorow faith in Iesus Christ And lastly touching the gospell it is most cleare that by k Gal. 3.26 Act. 24.14 beleefe in Christ wee are made Gods people in this beleef we worship and serue God as in one true pure religion Therefore they which are taught l Math 28.19 Act. 2.38 cap. 16.31 Iacob 1.6 Heb. 11.6 are baptized when they beleeue and so receaued into the church such are said to be saued such are said to pray aright and generally such are said to please God 4. Now to conclude this place we may obserue the wonderful administration of God in vpholding of this one true religion faith of Christ in all ages of the world and that in two things First in his iudgments and secondly in the diuers manifestation of his spirit as concerning the first the ould world falling into a most horrible apostasie m Gen. 6. by prophane and vnequal yoking of the children of God with the children of men God stirred vp Noe the preacher of righteousnes in his family preserued the true faith when all the whole world was fallen away therefore drowned by waters Then after the floud som 400. yeres when idolatry had ouercrept the world in the posterity of Noe namely after the confounding of the languages and that they were become many nations God a Gen. 12. Ioshuah 24.2 called Abraham and taught him the faith and pure religion of Christ when hee gaue him the promise That in his seede all the families of the earth should be blessed and in his posteritie namly of his son b Gen. 17.19 Act. 14.16 Isaak when all the nations of the world were left to their own waies the same was preserued and althogh the Israelits c Ps 78. 106 many times departed from the true God to follow the maners fashions of the gentils yet he reduced thē home again by his plagues punishments somtimes by his d 1. Kin. 18 3◠Esai 6.13 prophets and somtimes destroying the multitude reserued a smal remnant as a seed plot among whom he preserued the true faith and religion And last of all when they had many times prouoked God by their vnbeleefe and rebellion he cast them vtterly off and ingrafted the gentils although among these there hath bin great * The first 300. yeres after Christ persecution a most horrible apostasy both by ₠Mahomet and the Pope east and west yet hath he alwaies had his witnesses who keeping the faith haue professed the true religion of Christ and nowe according to his e word the same is renewed and taketh hold againe in the open eyes of all the world amonge the elect of God his chosen people whō he calleth by his gospel A thing verily fore prophesied by f Gen. 9.27 Gen. 12.3 Deut. 32.21 Esai 49.6 Rom. 15.18 Noe taught and promised to Abraham threatned by Moses plainely foretold by the prophets and fully accomplished by Christ and of these things we haue now had 1602. yeres triall experience the Lords most holy name be praised But as touching the manifestation of the spirit marke with me that the same promise which to Adam was generall g Gen. 3. cap. 12. cap. 49.10 Esai 9.6.7 Matth. 1. in the seede of the woman was more speciall to Abraham to be in his seede and in his posteritie more certaine in Iuda and yet in Iuda more particuler in the house and linage of Dauid and yet more plainly and neerly by the prophets that he should be borne of h Esai 7.14 a virgin yea hee is also so thoroughly described in the prophets that there is scarse any action of Christ or accident befalling him which Matthew the euangelist in his historie doth not confirme by some prophet or other Yet is Iohn Baptist more cleere then they all
call his name wonderfull counseller the mightie God c. m cap 53.10 he shall make his soule an offering for sinne a Zach. 6.12.13 Behold the man whose name is the branch and he shall grow vp out of his place and hee shall build the temple of the Lord euen he shall build the temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glorie and shall sit and rule vpon his throne and he shal be a priest vpon his throne and the counsell of peace shall be betweene them both And many other places where his godhead manhood mediatorship priesthood kingly office are expresly described But yet most abundantly and most euidently in the gospel where of his person it is said b Rom. 1.3.4 He was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh and declared mightely to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead c Rom. 9.5 Of the Israelites concerning the fleshe Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer Touching both person and office When the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption of sons d 1. Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sins the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God and was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit His kingly office thou hast where it is said e Eph. 1.20.21 God set him at his right hand in heauenly places far aboue all principalitie power and might and domination and euerie name that is named not in this worlde only but also in that is to come and hath made all things subiect vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all things to be head to his church and his priestly office in these words f Heb. 7.24 This man because hee endureth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthood Wherefore hee is able perfectly to saue them which come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them O blessed harmony and sweet consent in so ioyfull a description of our louing God and sauiour Happie art thou O England who hast fellowship with Abraham Moses the prophets Apostles in so heauenly holy g 1. Tim. 3.16 great misterie of godlinesse Which God doth not reueile to all people but only to his h Colos 1.26 Saints All thanks therefore bee giuen vnto the most glorious name of our good God for his most excellent gift and rich grace Amen The sixt Article of the applying of Christ Faith onely iustifieth and who so euer beleeueth in Christ shal be saued THe meaning of this Article is that there is not in man either before or after hee beleeue any inherent righteousnesse or goodnes of mind neither any kind of workes done by him which can either deserue any thing at Gods handes or in any part satisfie his wrath wherby we should be accounted righteous in his sight but that Christ alone hath paid our ransome for our sinnes and wee are saued by the meere and free grace of God thorow his bloud and wee are then onely accounted iust and iustified before God made inheritors of saluatiō when by a true vnfained faith beliefe in Christ bloud wee acknowledge embrace and receaue this grace and fauour of God and this faith onely in this sort apprehending Christ maketh vs righteous and iustified before God And thus surely it befell vnto Abraham our father For first he was taught it Secondly hee found and felt it Thirdly God wrote it for euer with great and golden letters in the image of his house that all posteritie might reade it and learne it to their euerlasting comfort That he was taught it is apparant in that God finding him void of all goodnesse and righteousnesse as is before declared gaue him the promise that a Gen. 12.3 in him all the families of the earth should bee blessed This the Apostle interpreteth to bee meant that the nations should bee iustified by faith in Christ and not by works saying b Gal. 3.8 The scripture foreseeing that God wold iustifie the Gentils through faith preached before the gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the gentils bee blessed Where thou mayest obserue two thinges First that this vttering of this promise to Abraham was the preaching of the gospell Secondly that the summe of the gospell is Iustification is by faith onely And that all nations should haue no other but the same order of iustification which God taught Abraham namely by faith onely In the second place Abraham found and felt this when he c Gen. 15.2 mourned to God because he had no child and God shewed him the starres and said looke now vp into heauen and tell the starres if thou be able to number them and hee said vnto him So shall thy seede bee And Abraham beleeued the Lord and hee counted that to him for righteousnesse Which the Apostle doth interprete to be vnderstood that faith without workes doth iustifie not onely in the person of Abraham but also that it pertayneth to all other in the like and verie same manner to be iustified and in none other First of Abraham he saith a Rom. 4.1 What shall we say that Abraham our father hath found concerning the fleshe for if Abraham were iustified by workes hee hath wherein to reioyce but not with God For what saith the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnes In which wordes it is plaine that Abraham was iustified by faith onely and if hee had beene by workes hee had had no reioycing with God And as touching all other that it is the onely and perpetuall rule of iustification hee saith b Verse 23. Now it is not written for him onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse which beleeue in him which raysed vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead Thirdly the great and golden letters wherewith this doctrine is written in Abrahams house be Sarah his wife and her sonne Isaack and Hagar his bond seruant and her sonne Ismael in whom God hath set forth as in a wide open book the two couenants the couenant of works and the couenant of mercie the one of the law and the other of the gospell For Sarah representeth the couenant of mercie and the estate of the Church vnder the gospell and her sonne the true and faithfull beleeuers in Iesus Christ Read Gen. 16. 21. Hagar representeth the couenaunt of workes and the state of the Church vnder the lawe and her sonne Ismael such as seeke righteousnesse by their workes Now as Sarah being the free woman her sonne Isaack was the heire vnto Abraham and remayned in his house for euer so the couenaunt of mercie and the
state of the Church vnder the gospell being free the true beleeuers being children of that church are iustified through faith made heires of God through hope and remaine in Gods house for euer And as Hagar being a bondseruant her sonne could bee no otherwise but a bond slaue and so both were cast out of Abrahams house for euer So the couenant of workes and the estate of the church vnder the law in them which sought righteousnes any where but in the promise made afore vnto Abraham in as much as no man is able to performe the law engendreth vnto the bondage of sinne death and damnation and as many as seeke to bee iustified by their workes are vnder the curse and therefore to bee cast out of Gods house for euer euen as in the examples of Iewes and gentils the Apostle speaketh plainely c Rom. 9.30 What shall we say then that the Gentils which followed not righteousnes haue attained vnto righteousnesse euē to the righteousnes which is of faith But Israel which followed the law of righteousnesse could not attaine to the law of righteousnes wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the law Here I do humbly confesse that I should neuer haue beene able to haue read this doctrine in these great letters if the hand of the master builder the Apostle of the gentils had not pointed it out vnto mee by the finger of Gods spirit For in the Epistle to the Galathians hauing proued and declared by many arguments that we are iustified by faith and not by workes at all and shewing the vse of the law to bee so farre from iustifying by workes that it was ordained onely to driue vs from works vnto Christ to be iustified by faith in him At the length he calleth his reader to looke vpon this table wherin this doctrine is purtraied in the house of Abraham and so plainly interpreteth it that euerie nouice in religion may perceiue it saying a Gal. 4.21 Tell me ye that will be vnder the law do ye not heare the law for it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one by a seruant and one by a free woman but he which was of the seruant was borne after the flesh hee which was of the free woman was borne by promise By the which things an other thing is ment for these mothers are the two testaments the one which is Agar of mount Sina which gendereth vnto bondage for Agar or Sina is a mountaine in Arabia aunswereth to Hierusalem which now is she is in bondage with her children but Hierusalem which is aboue is free which is mother of vs all c. Now that we may heare Moses consent this verie doctrine doth the law it selfe teach For although it be called the ministerie b 2. Cor. 3.9 Rom. 4.15 of condemnation and that which causeth wrath yet is it not in the nature of the law so to doe for it is c Rom. 7.12 holy and pure but in the corruption of our nature infected with originall sinne Who first are vnable either with d Verse 24. Iacob 4.2 grace or e Rom. 8.7 without grace to fulfill it and therfore the law accurseth vs saying f Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euerie one which continueth not in all the wordes of this law to do them And secondly without the speciall grace of God wee cannot vse the law of God aright for there g Cor. 3.13.14 hangeth a vaile of ignorance and hardnes of heart ouer our eyes in reading of the law that we can not see the end why the law serueth and so we are enthralled as were the Iewes as the Apostle teacheth h They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to establish their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God But if wee turne to the Lord and his spirit set vs at libertie then shall wee see how that the law and couenant of workes which vnto vnbeleeuers and them which seeke to bee iustified by their workes engendereth bondage is a verie good and necessarie seruant and handmaide to the gospel as it is written a Rom. 3.21 The righteousnes of God is made manifest without the law hauing witnesse of the law and the prophets to wit the righteousnesse of God by faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And this seruice of the lawe vnto the gospell in bearing witnesse the Apostle most liuely expresseth where hee saith b Gal. 3.22 Is the law then against the promise of God God forbid For if there had beene a law which could haue giuen life surely righteousnesse should haue beene by the law but the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shoulde bee giuen to them that beleeue Whereby you may learne that the lawe is so farre from iustifying that thereby it should hinder the iustifying by faith onely in the promise that it determineth all men to bee sinners and maketh it manifest that if wee desire to bee iustified we must runne to the promise by faith in Iesus Christ And in another place he sheweth a further witnesse of the law saying c Rom. 5.20 The law entred that the offence might abound neuerthelesse where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more Whereby he teacheth vs two thinges first that the law making sinne appeare as hee saith els where d Cap. 7.13 out of measure sinfull was a schoolemaster to driue men to Christ that beleeuing in him they might bee righteous by not imputing their sinnes The second that by so much as by the law man seeth his owne corruption and cursed estate for breaking the law by so much the more aboundantly doeth appeare vnto him the rich grace of God in Iesus Christ And this is not all the witnesse of the lawe For all the priesthoode of Aaron and of the Leuites the Tabernacle Altars the Arke and all the instrumentes sacrifices washinges feastes c. What doe they argue but as the holy ghost saith e Heb. 10.7 a remembraunce of sinne euerie yeare and so declared that they neede a better sacrifice which was Christ by which they should bee purged as it is taught els where f Heb. 9.15 For this cause is Christ the mediator of the new testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former testament they which are called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance So did the g 1. Cor. 10.1.2 rocke streaming out water after them sende them to Christ and the man was a spirituall meate to shew them Christ Yea this verie way of iustification did the brasen serpent teach them when they were stunge with fierie serpents in the wildernesse Numb 21.4.8.9 for tempting of God That as they had nothing in or of themselues to ease them or free them from
many ought to be vnder the gospell and how these two differ in their special and particuler vse The confession of the church of England is altogether so and of the same consent For as touching the nature of a Sacrament we say the same in substance of truth a Sacraments ordained of Christ are not onely badges and tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by the which he doth worke inuisibly in vs and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirme our faith in him and againe b Articl 25. of the sacramēts b Apolog. part 2.10 diuis 1. Wee allow the Sacraments of the Church that is to say certaine holie signes and ceremonies which Christ would we should vse that by them hee might set before our eies the misteries of our saluation and might more strongly confirme the faith which wee haue in his blood and might seale his grace in our hartes and in the same places there are no more but two sacraments acknowledged which properly ought to be called by that name and as touching the speciall difference First we say of Baptisme a Articl 27. that It is a signe and a seale of our new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receaue Baptisme are grafted into the church the promises of forgiuenes of sinnes and our adoption to be the sonnes of God by the holie ghost are visibly signed and sealed c. and of the Lords supper we say b Articl 28. The supper of the Lord is not only a signe of the loue that Christians ought to haue among themselues but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption Insomuch that to such as rightly woorthely and with faith receaue the same the bread which wee breake is a communion of the bodie of Christ and likewise the cup of blessing is a communion of the blood of Christ If all these things be compared together with the Scriptures you shall see that they doo verie fitly agree so that in the doctrine of the Sacraments we are of the auncient faith of Gods elect and of the holie vniuersall church The thirtenth article of the order of religious exercises and seruice of God 13. All religious exercises as prayer and Sacramentes c. ought to be done in the toonge or language which the people best vnderstande and as is most to edification HOw the pride presumption of man brought this great plague of many languages into the worlde and thereby great seperation of people and nations and diuersities of religion as c Gen. 11. Moses doth declare the originall so the story and experience of all times doo witnes And as it caused great toile and contention among men so it came to passe in tract of time that the true religion was found but in one people and language and that of Abraham and his seede the children of Israel Howbeit when the fulnes of time was come that the most glorious sonne of God our blessed Sauiour sanctified all nations vnto God by his death then were all languages made d Phil. 2.11 Esai 45.23 holie vnto the Lord that Euerie toonge should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the father Therefore what people so euer it pleaseth God to call to be of his church and teacheth them his holie religion the language of that very people is made holie to the Lord to talke of his woord to confesse his name to pray to his goodnes to celebrate his heauenly worship This appeareth by the storie of Abraham being an a Gen. 14.13 11.16 Hebrew comming of Heber that God reuealed his worde vnto him and his seede in the Hebrew tongue In that tongue which was to them naturall and knowne he and they vsed all their prayers and holy exercises and in that tongue did Moses the prophets write all the oracles of God Saue onely when Iudah was in captiuitie Daniell wrote some Chapters which concerned the Chaldeans all nations in that language of Calde which they best vnderstoode and fittest at that time for all nations the Emperor of the world being of that language and by mixture with other people the Hebrew writings of the prophetes do somewhat sauour of the language of the people among whom they dwelt Therfore it doth appeare that God was carefull as a matter best for the Churches edification to haue his will reuealed vnto his people in that tong they best vnderstood So when all the world in all nations was called by the gospel to know and worship the true and liuing God then were the scriptures written in Greeke namely so much as then was written by the Apostles and Euangelistes which language was at that time the most b Act. 21 37. common language of the worlde in so much as all c Gal. 3.28 nations are called Grecians in opposition to the Iewes and their language Also God d Act. 2. endued his Apostles with the gift of diuers tongues that euen in that gift it might bee made manifest that all languages are sanctified in Christ and that hee thought it need that euery country people should worship him in their owne language And therefore the Prophet Daniel prophesying of these daies directly saith e Dan. 7.14 All people nations and languages shall serue him Hereupon Saint Paul least the vse of gift of many languages should be abused spendeth one f Cor. 14. whole chapter about this matter and therein teacheth that it was most to edification that the prayers and exercises of Gods worship should bee in a language knowen to the vulgar and meaner sort of people a thing so familiarly knowen that I need not repeate it Therefore without any amplification in this point I may conclude that seeing the Church of England both by practise as is seene in our dayly seruice of God by the booke of common prayer and also by our confession in the Apologie g Apolog. cap. 18. diuis 1. Artic. 24. of the common prayers and Articles of our religion published for that purpose doth allow no other but the vsuall language best knowen to the people as best to edification it followeth that herein wee agree with the auncient and catholike riligion and order of Almightie God and of his seruants Moses the prophets and Apostles The 14. Article of libertie in religion whether it take away any naturall comfort or duetie among men 14 The true and catholike religion forbiddeth no man or woman of what caling soeuer to marrie so it bee in the Lord and commaundeth all sortes of men and that of all callings as well ecclesiasticall as ciuill to be subiect to the ciuill magistrate and higher power and to obey him in the Lord. IN this Article are two specials as mariage and the dutie to the magistrate which two may be as an instance for all of like sort for
heale the blind his stooping downe to the ground to write washing his Disciples feet and many such like Thus might we play the fooles with Guilhermus Durandus in his rationale diuinorum turning all things into mysteries make trifling and prophane sport with the schoole men turning vpside downe the true sence of holy scripture by allegoricall morall and anagogicall interpretations and when we haue done come as neere the meaning of God as the east is to the west But if they be sacraments ordayned of God for his Church they ought to bring forth the commaundement of God such as is for Baptisme d Math. 28.19 1. Cor. 11.23 Baptize in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and for the Lords supper Do this in remembrance of me Secondly let thē shew out of Gods booke the signe in penance and the rest that they pertaine to the generall couenant of grace and promise of Christ As that matrimonie is anie more but a similitude or allegorie or that confirmation was any more but the taking of the children vnto him at one time to blesse them particulerlie or that orders is any more but for the grace of the estate of the ministrie their vnction was but for the bodie that they might liue and not for the soule at the very point of death therfore here is great presumption to father vpon God their owne beastly inuentions Thirdly in that which is speciall in either of the two sacraments they commit very great absurdities by most ridiculous idolatrous additaments First in Baptisme they thrust in a strange e Looke Manipul curat c. 8. de Anex Bapt. Catechising a filthy exorcising In the first they put the finger in his eare to signifie that his eare should be apt to heare Gods word and spit in his mouth that hee may be prompt to speake of faith 2. He crosseth him in his breast that in breast mouth he confesse the faith of Christ crosse him in the forehead that he be not ashamed of the faith of Christ 3. He putteth salt in his mouth signifying wisdom His filthy exorcisme is to coniure the diuell that he depart frō the soule of the party to be baptized giue place to the holy ghost And in baptizing they make three other crosses in declaring whereof I am lost to defile this paper they are so foolish so greatly derogatorie to Christs holy institution for on the one side they dash baptisme out of countenance with so many goodly shewes vses and secondly they blaspheme God to coniure especially in the place time of Gods worship but one bable I may not omit that they a Ib. cap. 7. Godfather Godmother may not marry together by Poperie giue baptisme such a power to make a spirituall cosonage namelie that it hindreth matrimonie breaketh a contract See here if Antechrist presume not as God nay aboue God for they make that vnlawfull b Heb. 13.4 Math. 19.6 which God hath made honorable among al men put asunder thē whom God hath coupled together But yet there are more abhominations heretical presumptions For in the sacrament of the Eucharist they amende the signe and put water to the wine secondly they take away one of the signes from all the communicants sauing him that maketh the sacrament thirdly they driue away both the signes altogether by their fiction of transubstantiation set in the roome therof if we may beleeue them the body soule Godhead of Christ that very body which was borne of the virgin Mary crucified vnder Pontious Pilate and so being chaunged they giue godly honor vnto it they lift it vp and carrie it in procession and hold it forth to be publikely worshipped of all men they offer it vp for a sacrifice for the quicke the dead and keepe it very deuoutly in the pix to be readie at all times to comfort them that need Surely it should seeme that Christ his Apostles were but children vnto those both in wisdome and in power For they neuer once dreamed of these things and being matters of very great importance it is meruaile they neuer had leisure to commit at the least some of them vnto writing that it might be found in holy scripture but being not found there they haue their holie traditions of equall reuerence with Gods word or els the plenarie power of their Apostaticall sea sufficientlie to warrant whatsoeuer to them whom God hath giuen ouer to beleeue lies This is the profoundnes of Sathan good Lord God and mercifull father keepe it euer out of this land that it neuer deceiue thy people any more First the mingling of wawith the wine is c Concil trident ses 6. ca. 7. brought in vpon three goodllie reasons 1. Christ is thought to haue done so 2. water came out of his side 3. water in the Apocalips signifieth people therefore it sheweth the misterie of vnion of the faithfull people with Christ Loe here a forgerie of a new misterie why might they not put in nailes or stakes that might signifie the fastning of Christ to his people because the d Eccl. 12.11 preacher speaketh of such a misticall fastening If men may add thus vpon coniectures and set Anathema and a curse as they doe vpon all that consent not how shall wee finde the measure of truth or how shall they auoide the curse of God which saith Reuel 22. cursed is he that addeth to this booke But alasse poore men how little effect this deuise hath brought forth For by and by as soone as it is a sacrament for before the words of consecration as they call them it is no sacrament the wine is cleane gone they say where is thē their new misterie How can they represent which haue no being in rerum natura in the world Againe how can it signifie this to the people when they keepe it from them and blesse them with the emptie cup. This is a second presumption against the expresse commandement of Christ which saith a Math. 29.27 Mark 14.23 drinke yee all of this and they dranke all of it Thirdlie in transubstantiation see how many monsters they feed First wee must beleeue there is no wine or bread though wee see them and taste them though they haue the same quantities and qualities and effects they had before though they corrupt and putrifie as before and we must beleeue that Christ God and Man is vnder those formes quantities and qualities though wee can see heare or feele no forme quantitie or qualitie of a true or naturall bodie or man Here is a monsterous mā which if you look vpon him is all ouer couered with a little roūd peece of starch not surmounting the greatnes of a mans hād Here be al the properties of bread and wine and their naturall operations but they are not bread nor wine but a man here one subiect hath accidents and essentiall qualities
to haue beene celebrated aboue a thousand yeares which yet they cannot say to bee enioyned the Church but by a counsell of Lions which they can hardly shewe or by Gregorie the ninth about the yeare of the Lord 1210. There is another verie learned man deuoutly giuen to the sea of Rome called Iohannes Stephanus Durantus who hauing taken great paynes in a d Printed at Rom. 1591. booke Deritibus ecclesiae dedicated to Pope Gregorie the 14. doth mightily labour to shew the ancient originall of the popish worship and seruice of God searching authorities both olde and new yet is hee faine to sing the same song with others of Traditum est and to alledge many corrupt and partial authors Howbeit he is an helpe to vs in many thinges that we may know by their confession that they worship God in many things by the precept of men Namely that in e Lib. 1. Sap. 1. Sectio 8. the gospell and vnto the time of Irenaeus priests were called Presbyteri patres that is elders and fathers Secondly he can tell vs that f Cap. 8. sect 5. Lactantius lib. 6. cap. 2. and after him the counsell Elibert cap. 37. And Hierome against Vigilantius haue taught men to deride the vse of candles in the church namely that they taught that to light candles for the honour of martirs appertaineth vnto the ignoraunce and simplicitie of seculer men and of religious women which haue indeed a zeale but not according to knowledge Hee would haue vs know that g Cap. 11. sect 2. Zepherinus the 16. Pope ordained a dish of glasse to say masse in and that Vrbanus the 18. Pope made them of gold And the h Cap. 12.3 corporall to bee of linnen to wrap the bodie of Christ he will haue vs thinke to bee ordained by Eusebius And as for the a Cap. 16.9.10 reseruing of the hoste hee woulde haue vs to beleeue the late Counsell of Trent to haue good cause to affirme that the custome is auncient reaching to the Councell of Nice though himselfe cannot find it in the councell nor in Gratian but only in Rufinus As for baptisme he confesseth b Cap. 19.2 that in the beginning it was vsed simply in riuers or fountaines but processe of time bringing foorth more honour to religion these goodly fontes and ceremonies now vsed in the Church of Rome by degrees came vp Also notwithstanding this he would haue vs thinke that c Cap. 21.2 Alexander the fift Pope from Peter did command water sprinkled with salt to be blessed to sprinkle the Christian people withall This man would haue vs fet the d Cap. 22.6 hallowing of bels at the Synode of Colon vnder Pope Iulius the first Anno 338. that the deuill might bee made afeard by the noise of belles calling Christians to praiers The worthie e Lib. 2. ca. 1. 6. name of the masse hee telleth vs out of Burchades decretals to bee verie auncient euen from Euaristus the third Pope of Rome Concerning the f Cap. 2.2 sacrifice of the masse the first strength he would haue vs take out of the Canons falsely tearmed the Apostles and out of the councell of Nice and of diuers fathers because they make mention of offeringes and sacrifice Who in deed haue no such meaning but onely vse these termes by allusion to the old law to signifie our thanksgiuing and memorie of Christes sacrifice in which sence it may be called an offering or sacrifice but you should not find them say that their priest did really and truely offer vp vnto God his son or the whole man Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine for the quick dead therfore this is but a new deuise of their own Howbeit his first g Cap. 4.1.4 inuention of publike masse hee layeth vpon the counsel of Carthage about Anno 389. and the priuate masse as they now vse it when the priest alone doth communicate he would haue vs thinke though he shew no reason to belong before Gregories time that is An. 606. yet if men beleeue him this masse publicke and priuate is but new learning as he teacheth it whereof neither Christ nor his Apostles can be prooued authors but men who liued after their time Hereof it is that although he boldly affirme many patches of the masse to be auncient euen from the Apostles time which no man that reuerenceth the holie Scriptures as hee ought can doo in such maner as hee doth yet is hee willing to teach vs the beginning of some of them Namelie that the confession Cap. 12.4 which is made in the beginning of the masse is of a doubtfull parentage whether of Damasus or Pontianus But b Cap. 14.1 Gloria in excelsis he saith Talesphorus 7. Pope from Peter to haue ordained c Cap. 21.1 of the tract hee careth not if we beleeue Gelasius to be the author or els Celestinus and that hee made the gradnale d Cap. 27.1 Alexander the fifth hee sayth appointed wine mingled with water and the e Cap. 28.6 washing of handes in the masse hee teacheth out of Thomas Aquinas a newe writer to bee as it were instituted of the Church as a certaine conuenient thinge The f Cap. 32.1 37.1 Canon of the masse which hee saith is the lawfull and reguler making of the sacrament he coniectureth to be long before S. Gregorie because that S. Ambrose as he saith maketh mention of Benedicta ascripta rata rationabilis c. so that he teacheth that before Ambrose time there is no proofe of any vnlawfull and reguler making of their sacrament and therefore it is not of God but of man especially seeing that to a reasonable man this is but a streined proofe of antiquitie Ambrose mentioneth these termes therefore the Canon was in his time before Gregories time which being so I meruaile how g Cap. 38.1 Alexander the first being fift pope could as he saith adde that part of the Canon Quipridie when the auncient Canon was long after him yet he gesseth that h Cap. 38.6 the cōsecrating of the bread round like a penie is not new because he findeth in Gregorie oblationum coronas the crownes of the offerings and such like sandie foundations i Cap. 42.9 Leo the first he saith addeth this particle Sanctum sacrificium immaculatam hostiam The k Cap. 43.2 memorie of the dead in the masse he warranteth by the second prouincial counsell called Concilium Arelatense holden vnder pope Siluester Anno 320. The l Cap. 47.1 preface before the Lords praier Oremus preceptis salutaribus moniti hath his testimonie from the ancient time of Charles the great Anno 880. This man thinketh that m Cap. 51.8 Albertus was deceaued to thinke that Sergius ordained the breaking of the host he would haue us looke hyer but so as we may see it was of some man a 53. 1. Pacis osculum in the masse he
all writings of Bishops prouinces and generall counsels as vncertain and vnperfect and such as may be amended but lifteth vp the scriptures and writings of the new and olde testament as the onely sure and sufficient truth b De baptism contra Donat. lib. 2. cap. 3. saying Who knoweth not that the holy scripture as well of the olde as of the new testament is contained within certaine boundes and the same to be preferred before all the letters of the bishops comming after as that there can be no doubt dispute of or about it But the letters of Bishops which haue bin written after the confirming of the Canon or are now written may be reprehended both by the speech perauenture more wise of any man more wise in the same thing and by the grauer authoritie of other Bishops prudencie of learned men and by counsels if perauenture any thing in them do erre frō the truth Also counsels which are holden in seuerall regions or prouinces are to giue place without any staggering to the authoritie of fuller counsels which are holden of all the Christian world and those verie fuller councels often the former may be amended by the latter when as by any experience of things that is made knowne which was hidden Cyrillus in that verie age sheweth himselfe in this matter a verie true protestant c Vpon Ioh. 20. cap. 68. saying All things which the Lord hath done are not written but those things which the writers haue thought sufficient as well for maners as doctrine that shining in a right faith and workes and vertue we may come to the kingdome of heauen through our Lord Iesus Christ And Theophilact one of the later writers of the Greekes condescendeth to this doctrine b Vpon 2. Tim. 3. and saith Nihil est quod nequeat scripturis dissolut There is nothing which cannot bee assoiled by the scriptures Here the Christian reader may see that the auncient Christian religion was the same of protestants holding the scripture for the onely Canon of faith the rule of righteousnesse containing all thinges necessarie to saluation most certaine and sure to discerne all truth and able to assoile all dobts and questions and that wee ought to follow no man because Bishops letters the most generall and fullest councels may be amended and that it is onely the holy scripture whereof there can bee no doubt or dispute so that it followeth that it is a new doctrine to say that the Churches authoritie is aboue the scripture or that the Church iudgeth the scripture and not the scripture the Church or that wee neede and must accept with equall reuerence traditions or vnwritten verities and canons of the church without disputing and such like blasphemies Gratian also the compiler of the decrees who c About Ann. 1160. liued in the chiefest growth of corruption did publish to all the world as an ecclesiasticall decree the soueraigntie of holy scripture For speaking of deuine lawes he sheweth the determination of ancient fathers to set the holy scriptures aboue all other lawes whatsoeuer And first aboue all customes in d Distinct 8. ca. Si solus Christus these wordes If Christ onely bee to bee hearde wee are not to regarde what any man before vs thought meete to bee done but what Christ who is before all hath first done For wee must not follow the custome of men but the truth of God seeing God speaketh by Esai the prophet and saith in vaine doe they worshippe mee teaching the commandements and doctrines of men Secondly that it is proper and peculier to the Canonicall scriptures e For so the glosse interpreteth the Canons of the distinction following of the olde and new Testament onely not to erre f Distinct 9. cap. Ego solit saying I haue learned to giue vnto those writinges onely which now are called Canonicall this reuerence and honour that I beleeue that none of them haue erred And againe g Cap. Noli frater Doe not desire brother to gather out of the writings of Bishoppes cauils against so many so excellent and vndoubted testimonies deuine c. Whether they bee ours or Hillarius or Cyprian and Agrippinus before the part of Donatus was seperated And first this kind of letters is to bee distinguished from the authoritie of the Canons for they are not so reade as though a testimonie were so brought out of them that it is not lawfull to thinke contrarie if in any place they vnderstood otherwise then the truth doeth require And againe Neither ought wee to account the disputations of any men whatsoeuer although Catholicke and reuerende men like vnto the Canonicall Scriptures that it shoulde not bee lawfull for vs sauing the reuerence due vnto these men to improoue some thing in their wrytinges and to reiecte it if happely wee shall finde that they thinke or imagine otherwise then the truth hath In the next age after Gratian I finde Bonauentura a Franciscan a man of great account in h De profect◠religiosorū cap. 6. He liued about Ann. 1280. his time with cleare tearmes to teach the doctrine of protestantes in these wordes Nam quod ratio nostra lippa facta est c. Whereas our reason is become as bleare eied our vnderstanding darkened through sinne that wee cannot finde the truth of our selues God came downe vnto vs least we should bee in error and gaue vs the knowledge of the truth in the scriptures which he would haue vs beleeue where we might find sufficiently and truely all thinges necessarie for vs vnto saluation that in them we should not follow our sence but humblie submit our sence vnto the rule of faith if we will not erre Nicholas Lyra in the a 1315. next age protesteth for the scripture in like maner b Vpon the Prouerb ca. 31. saying Sacra scriptura continet firmam c. The holy scripture containeth the firme and inuiolable truth as in a merchants shippe are caried diuers thinges necessarie for mans life so in scripture are contained all things necessarie to saluation But that I ouercloy not the reader with many testimonies for the authority of holy scriptures I wil now turne to the other side to trace the footsteps of the popish doctrine how it came vp that the scriptures hath lost their first authority and honour Surely by the witnesse of the papistes themselues not in 400. or 600. yeares after Christ For then saith the glosse vpon c Vpon distinct 9. cap. noli me 15. Gratian that about the times of Augustine Augustina scripta aliorū sanctorū patrum non erant autentica c. The writings of Augustine and of other holy fathers were not autenticall but d that is about Anno 1200. now they are commanded to be holdē to the vtmost Iod. And this Gratian e Distinct 15. cap. sancta Romana sendeth vs to Gelasius for the first founder of the authoritie of councels
risen vp without Gods authoritie by men how where and when since the pure times of the blessed Apostles and founders of Christes church and religion yea and that in most of the particulers Wherin my purpose is not to enter so farre as might be spoken for I cannot make in so short a roome an exact treatise but onely as briefely as I can conueniently so far to shew the christian reader as he may sufficiently see and perceiue that poperie hath his originall from men and not from God that it came vp since and vnder the Christian religion like vnto the Iuie that commeth vp after the oke and taketh holde thereon and by little and little so ouerspreadeth it and couereth it from the sight of men that wee can scarse see or discerne the oke Histories differ in setting downe 〈◊〉 times And here I am to aduertise the reader that historie writers and reporters of antiquitie differ much in these causes about the times so as the cronologie writers finde themselues encombred howe to set downe the certaintie in manie things yet notwithstanding though the authors disagree about the certaine time yet the matter is made vndoubted when they all agree that it is found out to come in after the Apostles times Wherein I make choise to take our testimony from hartie and vnfained papists that the truth of this cause may the more appeare when themselues cannot but yeeld vnto vs sufficient warrant and proofe of their new borne superstition Two deuises to hide the newnes of poperie They haue two great helpes to maintaine the antiquitie of their follie First the authorising of counterfait writinges such as are the decretall Epistles of Clemens Anacletus and others of the primatiue Church which not onely disagreeing in stile and matter from the times they pretende but also telling of those thinges and persons which were many yeres after doo very much argue that when the papists are faine to runne vnder the shadowe of such muddie and vnsetled Wales of forged authoritie their foundation is not so deepe in their owne conscience as they would beare the worlde in hand Their second helpe is that they proine pare and loppe and engraft the writings of auncient fathers and others teaching them by a newe deuise called Index Expurgatorius hatched in the late Counsell of Trent Anno 1571. to speake as they thinke best for there sea of sinne and to holde their peace where they like not of their sayinges If they may thus authorise false witnesses to speake for their purpose as they list and gagge the toonges of the true witnesses they can speake no further but as they giue them leaue then may euerie simple man see in them that an euill conscience findinge themselues to haue no antiquitie of trueth doth cause them to inuent shiftes to colour and cloake their wicked forgeries and newe deuises by which they haue manie yeeres abused Gods people But GGD bee thanked who bringeth the hidden and secreate thinges of the wicked vnto light he hath confounded their wisedom that all this doth not hide their filthie and earthlie generation For the prophesie of Saint Paul concerning such peruerse and cursed speakers which haue a shewe of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof is now in the eyes and knowledge of all men come to passe For he a 2. Tim. 3.9 saith They shall preuaile no longer for their madnesse shal be euident to all men 3. And this verily is brought to passe by the righteous iudgements of God causing their owne tongs to take them and making the counsell of the wicked to bee foolishnesse Marke therefore and consider how they confound the glorie of their inuentions ad deuises Martinus Peresius Aiala a Bishop and a verie zealous papist seeming to haue taken great paines in reading of antiquities writeth a b Printed at Paris 1549. booke of traditions dedicated to Phillip king of Spain where hee c In his preface nisi attramento mortuo in sacris codicibus expressū calleth the inspired scriptures of the worde of God Dead incke in the holy bookes and affirmeth that if we should follow onely the holy scriptures which he calleth a pestiferous opinion Christian religion and ecclesiasticall pollicie should vtterly be destroied auouching beside the canonical scriptures another kind of doctrine called Tradition the head seed plot as he saith of almost all controuersies betweene vs and if herein wee agreede all discord now in religion would quickly cease And in this booke he maketh d 3. pars assertio 6. fol. 6. Diuina authoritas magisterium apostolicum Episcop maxime Romanorum a Deo concessa authoritas three fountains of traditions First they call diuine authority that is such as Christ in their deuise instituted deliuered which were not laid vp in the scriptures the second fountaine they call the Apostolicall mastership where they haue traditions some in the canons Apostolicall some in holy mens writings the last fountaine is the mastership authoritie of the Bishops most of all of the Roman Bishops which they also cal the e pars 2. assert 5. fol. 44. mastership of the church Wherein is a power as they say to iudge and determine what is canonicall scripture and to make diuers lawes and ecclesiasticall discipline And this last giueth power to all the rest for here as they say wee know which is the true worde of God heere the authoritie of decretalles is made firme and this being a gift and priuiledge that cannot erre is of that autenticall authoritie if we beleeue them that no man must once reason against it Out of these fountaines they drawe their traditions of the rites of Baptisme of confirmation auricular confession and penitentiall satisfaction the tradition of order and his rites the fearefull sacrifice of the alter transubstantiation praier for the dead communion vnder one kind purgatorie extreame vnction worship and intercession of Saints worship of relickes images exorcismes Lent fastes single life vowes of chastitie and such like In handling of which traditions he b Postulat 3. fol. aut quia legi Dei repugnant proximae sunt occasiones peccandi c. giueth vs a rule to discerne humane traditions from diuine saying Traditions which are not good are either contrarie to the law of God and are verie neere occasions to sin or derogate to the glorie of Christ or they are friuolous burdensome and of no profit If it be lawfull for vs to follow these three rules we shal easily proue popery to be no good tradition but a meere humane inuention of their owne For the first rule I hauing before shewed that all their popish religion is contrary to the religion which God taught Abraham Moses and the Prophets taught the Iewes and Christ and his Apostles taught all nations and contrarie to the doctrine which Paule taught the auncient Romanes and which Peter taught the Iewes it must needes follow that these traditions being