theÌ„ which said they were Apostles finding theÌ„ liars So likewise our Saviour Christ the wisdome of God in whome were hid al the treasures of knowledge willeth his auditors to search the scriptures Ioh. 5. 39. so to try by theÌ„ whether he taught any other doctrine theÌ„ was coÌ„tained in these sacred bookes for in them saith he ye thinke to haue life they are my deponeÌ„ts witnesses Neither doth he desire any better lurers to giue evideÌ„ce coÌ„cerning the truth of his doctrine And S. Hierome foretelleth of the faithfull of these last daies that they shall not suffer In Nah. c. 3. theÌ„selues any longer to be kept in ignorance by their blind guides but shal ascend vp to the mouÌ„taines of the Apostles Prophets that by the cleere light of their infallible doctrine they may be directed in the right way to their eternall salvation Wherefore as many of vs as desire to be saued by coÌ„ming 1. Tim. 2. 4. to the knowledge of the truth let vs follow the commandemeÌ„t of Christ and his Apostles the example of the noble BereaÌ„s of the faithful of these last time let vs asceÌ„d vp to the mountaine of the Apostles Prophets take them to be our guids in all our ghostly spirituall affaires let vs by their Canonicall writings especially by the fouÌ„datioÌ„s of faith in theÌ„ coÌ„tained as by a most certaine sure rule try the doctrine of al meÌ„ angels of al particular Churches whatsoever be they FreÌ„ch Duch Spanish or Italian I hat law that will not be tried is worthely suspected that doctrine which flieth the light is the doctrine of darknes For truth seeketh not corners it would not be covered vnder a bushel but set on a caÌ„dlestick she would not haue her face masked lest she should passe vnknown she would appeare with opeÌ„ couÌ„tenaÌ„ce that so she might be iustified of all her childreÌ„ For thy furtheraÌ„ce herein good ChristiaÌ„â—eader in this short treatise the which if it giue but occasioÌ„ to some other to haÌ„dle the same matter in maÌ„ner more suffiâ—ient I neede not accouÌ„t my labour to be lost I haue laide purple to purple that it might the better be discerned as also the cloth of the coÌ„trary colour that is I haue ioined to the Articles of our Christian Creede the points of our Christian faith agreeable therevnto as also such erronious and heretical positions which are repugnaÌ„t contrary to the same The which thing being so behouefull and necessary it had bin convenient that some one of great giftes had been emploied therin neither could his learning eloquence haue beene more advanced then in being handmaides in so profitable a service But now it pleaseth the Lorde to send this present vnto thee by the hands of a simple servitour and in a rude and vnpolished speech as in an earthen platter or wodden dish that so the meate may rellish for the meates sake it selfe not for the fairenes or goodlines of the dish But first thou must purge and free thy taste froÌ„ the corrupt humors of partiality and of al obstinate wilful resolutioÌ„s neither must thou presume to appointe of thy selfe what shal be sweet what sowre but suffer the Lord himselfe only to be thy taster therein and so thou maiest also in thy course both taste and see how gracious the Lord is and at the length attaine to the blessednes of al such as place their whole hope and confidence in him The Lord for his mercies sake disperse more more the grosse misles of al spirituall blindnes and darknes and open thine heart as hee did the heart of Lidia giue thee vnderstanding in all things Act. 16. 14. graunting vnto thee the spirit of truth to leade thee into al truth for his owne glory and thine vnspeakeable comfort and ioy Thine in the Lord JOHN TERRY The principall vses of this Treatise FIrst here the Reader may behold the pointes of faith with the errours repugnant therevnto referred to the Articles of our Christian faith and to the residue of the maine grounds and principles of our Catholike profession Secondly in this collation he may perceiue both the particular pointes of faith to be a light for the better vnderstanding of these grounds of faith also the groundes of faith to giue greater strength for the confirmation of the particular pointes of faith and for the confutation of the erroures that are contrary thereto Thirdly whereas the people for the most part cannot read the holy scriptures nor so well vnderstand and keepe in memorie the sentences takeÌ„ out of the Apostles Prophets as they can these grouÌ„ds of our ChristiaÌ„ professioÌ„ by reason of the more familiar vse of the same therefore the particular pointes of faith being made open and knowen vnto them the more easily by this collatioÌ„ they may the sooner hereby be brought to the knowledge of the truth and also confirmed and established in the same Fourthly wheras the most venemous Doctrine of Antichrist is the more A preservatiue for the simple against the polloned doctrine of the Romish Antichrist being offered vnto them in a cup of gold that is vnder the name the of Catholike faith readâ—ly received for that it is delivered in a cuppe of gold that is vnder the name of the Catholike faith even the simple vnlearned may receiue by this collation a most soveraigne preseruatiue against the same For it is an vndoubted trueth agreed vpon of both sides that these grouÌ„des of faith are Catholike and Apostolike therefore that all such doctrines as are not agreable thereto but are contrary to the same are neither Catholike nor yet Apostolike How then may even a simple man say to such as would seduce him to the Popish religion vnder the preteÌ„ce of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ to the Catholike faith caÌ„ that doctrine be Catholike which teacheth it to be sufficient to beleeue in grosse as the Church beleeueth wheras the scope end of my Catholike Creede is that I not only know vnderstaÌ„d but also be able to make a distinct coÌ„fession of the very hardest pointes of the Christian faith SecoÌ„dly he may say how can that doctrine be Catholike which teacheth me to doubt of particular faith whereas the Catholike Creede teacheth every faithfull Christian constantly to professe without wavering I BELEEVE Thirdly be may aaâ—e how can your Romish doctrine be Catholike which teacheth me to beleeue in the Church in the Saintes wheras my catholike Creede teacheth me to beleeue the Church and not in the Church but only in God Lastly to omitte the rest whereas my Catholike Creede teacheth me that Christ only suffred died for my sinnes that he is my only Redeemer Saviour how can your Romish doctrine be Catholike which teacheth that the Saintes also suffered and died for me and that their sufferings being applied vnto me by the Popes Pardons are both SATISFACTORY for
as beleue hath bin more careful for the naturalmaÌ„ by leaving those principles which stande vpon their owne ground that so he may attaine to the knowledge of all such Arts sciences which are profitable for the maintenaÌ„ce of this teÌ„poral life that he hath not left the like principles and grouÌ„ds for the regenerate maÌ„ wherby he may attaine to the knowledge of al such things as do coÌ„cerne eternal life And if Aristotle bee iudge in Philosophy Galene in Physicke Iustinian in the law albeit many of their rules precepts he diversly expounded by their Interpreters even so albeit there be diverse expositions of holy scripture yet God forbide but the holy scripture of God the most cleare pure fountaine of truth should be the iudge of faith that especially by the maine grounds of faith therein coÌ„tained The which are therefore named by the auncieÌ„t Fathers the key A bâ— serm 38. Aug. de doct Christ l. 3. cap 2. 3. De Temp. Serm 119. So r. hist Eccles lib. 5. Cap. 10. and rule of faith for that the perspicuity plainnes of theÌ„ doth open as it were a doore into all the mysteries of faith And hereof it was that not only Theodosius the Emperor vsed theÌ„ as a meanes to end all coÌ„troversies in his time but S. Austin also being to expouÌ„d the first booke of Moses called Gen. setteth theÌ„ down in the forefroÌ„t of his worke as a rule whereby he meaneth to frame al his interpretatioÌ„s that if they misse in the meaning of any particular place yet they may not erre in the substaÌ„ce of faith because he avoucheth nothing but that which is agreable to the grouÌ„ds of faith So likwise TertulliaÌ„ Iraene that liued near the Apostles See Kemnis Exa Trid. Conc. de traditionibus time wheÌ„ certaine heretikes charged the scriptures as the meÌ„bers of the Church of Rome doe now that they were in sufficieÌ„t dark ambiguous that the truth could not be fouÌ„d out by them without traditions they ioined issue with theÌ„ referred themselues to the iudgmeÌ„t of that doctrine which the Apostles delivered by tradition to the Churches the suÌ„me whereof they relate altogeather as it were eveÌ„ as it is set down in the Apostles Creed being the very pith substaÌ„ce of that faith which was delivered first by mouth by the Apostles theÌ„selues afterward set downe in their writings that it might be the pillar fouÌ„datioÌ„ of faith al interpretatioÌ„s of scripture they require to be agreable to this entire perfect body of truth as they had learned of the Apostle S. Paul that al prophecie should bee Rom. 12. 6. sutable proportionable to the faith Vnto the which Testimonies of these learned Fathers I adde the iudgment of Beza KeÌ„nitius quoted before that al indiffereÌ„t persoÌ„s may perceiue that we walke in the saÌ„e waies that these learned Fathers haue trod out vnto vs vsed the same meanes to attaine to the right interpretatioÌ„ of holy scripture and to a sound catholike iudgment in matters of faith No huÌ„ble Serm. in c 3. Cant. christiaÌ„ saith Beza if he desire to be taught caÌ„ be deceiued in the interpretatioÌ„ of holy scripture if he diligeÌ„tly coÌ„fer place with place according vnto the exaÌ„ple of our S. Christ the Math. 4. 7. practise of the auncieÌ„t CouÌ„cels if with all he referre the whole vnto the correspoÌ„deÌ„cy of the articles of our faith which we call our Creede being the suÌ„mary abridgmeÌ„t of every fuÌ„dameÌ„tall point of our Christian religioÌ„ Most notable also to Serm 4 de Incarnat Dumini this purpose is that of Leo If any saith he shal preach vnto you any other thing besides that which ye haue learned let him be accursed preferre not wicked fables before evideÌ„t truth whatsoever it shall happeÌ„ that ye read or heare coÌ„trary to the rule of the Catholike Apostolike Creede accouÌ„t it altogeather daÌ„nable divelish By which testimony of this learned Father we may gather that the doctrine of faith sette down in the Creede is that evideÌ„t truth which was delivered by the Apostles whatsoever is contrary to the same is a wicked fable to be accursed as being no better then flat daÌ„nable divelish Wherefore good ChristiaÌ„ reader if thou wouldst not willingly hold that faith which is fabulous accursed daÌ„nable diuelish examine thy faith according to those grouÌ„ds which are both easie short perfect least thou shouldst plead ignoraÌ„ce in thy selfe or leÌ„gth tediousnes in the worke it selfe Be not ouer credulous in this matter of so greate moment nor so simple as to receaue any pointes of faith which are not agreeable to this rule of faith No although that they be taâ—ght by that Church which maketh her boast that she caÌ„not erre and that the faith of her cheife governor caÌ„ never faile Nay rather if thou wilt be a sound scholer in the schoole of Christ learne to yeelde that reverence honour only to the bookes of Aug ep 91. ad â—litron the diuine scripture that thou firmely beleue that none of the Autors of theÌ„ erred any whit in the penning of the same giue this prerogatiue only to the worde of God that it hath his sufficieÌ„t warraÌ„t credite in itselfe because it is inspired of God proceedeth froÌ„ him which caÌ„not erre deceiue or be deceiued as for the writtings of all other albeit they excel in wisdom holines receiue theÌ„ not because they haue thus iudged but for that they are coÌ„firmed by the autority of the Canonicall scripture or by some reasoÌ„ agreable vnto Hom. 13. in 2. ep ad Cor trueth And verily it is an absurd thing as Chrysost saith in a mony matter not to trust an other but to tell that eveÌ„ after a mans own father in matters of farre greater momeÌ„t which coÌ„cerne Gods glory the salvatioÌ„ of our owne soules in a simple sottish credulity to follow the iudgmeÌ„ts of other men whereas also we haue a most exact ballaÌ„ce rule even the ceÌ„sure determinatioÌ„ of the divine lawes Yea whereas we are precisely coÌ„maÌ„ded to proue all to approue the best â— Th. 5. 21. 1. Ioh 4. 1. 1. Cor. 14. 32. not to beleeue every spirit but to try the spirits whether they bee of God or no for that the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets therefor by trial to be fouÌ„d true before they be beleeued Neither is it any disgrace to the iudgmeÌ„t of man to be subiect to the ceÌ„sure of Gods spirite already set downe in the canonical scriptures for eveÌ„ the spirit of God speaking in S. Paul was coÌ„teÌ„t to be tried by the sacred scriptures that is in truth by himselfe the BereaÌ„s at coÌ„meÌ„ded Act 17. 11. Apoc. 2. 2. for doing the same as the Angeâ—l of the church of â—phesus is also coÌ„mended for examining
is a manifest falling away from the faith and a note of pride either to reiect any of those thinges vvhich are vvritten in the Lordes bookes or to bring in any thinges vvhich are not vvritten but are either receaued by tradition from other or else are sucked out of our own braines yea that is the vilest as Austine saith and the basest kinde of Aug. de veâ— rarel ca. 38. Idolatrie when men vvorshippe GOD after their ovvne fancies obseruing that for a religion vvhich their deceiuing and svvelling mindes imagine Nay it is no lesse an offence to frame God after our ovvne Hil. in Ps 1. fancy then to deny him And therefore it is not vvithout cause that Saint Austine is so bolde to say that if any one concerning any Aug. coÌ„t lit Petil. l. 3â— 6. thing whatsoever which doth belonge to our faith and our life albeit hee bee an Angell from heaven shall â—each you any thing besides that vvhich yee haue learned out of the scriptures of the lavve and Gospell let him bee accursed VVherefore the church of Rome in that shee restraineth the people from the reading of the scriptures disgracing those holy and heavenly bookes and reproaching such as are studious of the same denying also the sufficiency of the doctrine therein contained and adding thereto her vnvvritten verities and her vvil-vvorshippes of her owne devising is most iustly charged to haue fallen from the faith and to haue sorted her selfe both vvith olde â—nd nevve haeretikes to haue spotted her selfe with the vilest and bâ—…st kind of idolatrie and with the deniall of the trewe GOD and therfore to be held for a cursed company and for the Congregation of the malignant Opposit 2. Dumbe and dead images are blinde and wrong guides which turne vs out of the way of truth and verity but the writings of the Apostles and prophets are sure guides and vn erring teachers appointed by God to bee our instructers and to set before our eies and after a sorte to painte out vnto vs in most liuely coloures all those thinges vvhich concerne the true worshippe of God and the salvation of our ovvne soules IMages are teachers of lies especially such as are made to represent Hab 2. 18. Ier. 10 8. Aug. de â—iv Dei l 4. c. 31 Idem de coÌ„sens Evâ—ng lib. 1. ca. 10. Lact instit lib. 2. ca. 19. the sacred Trinitie which cannot be represented for that it is invisible and incomprensible And therefore al such images doe both diminish the feare of the divine maiesty and also teach errours concerning the same VVherefore they haue deserved to erre vvho haue sought CHRIST not in the sacred hookes but on painted vvalles and may vvorthily bee iudged to haue no religion at all or at the least no sounde and sincere religion For al sound and sincere religion is to bee learned not of dumbe and mute images but out of the canonicall and sacred scriptures vvhich Rom. 15. 4. wer not only writen by the appointment of god that they might be our instructers and teachers but also were so penned by the direction of his Spirite that they are very profitable and availeable thereunto yea they are so profitable to this purpose that they are able to fence vs against all corruptions both in doctrine and 2. Tim 3 15 16. manners and to make vs vvise vnto salvation through faith in Christ For in them are most liuely drawen out the true images of a sounde faith and of an holy and a godly life vnto the which if we vvill compare the counterfeites of the same dravvne out by men we shall easily be able to giue a true iudgement therof O foolish Galathians saith the Apostle vvho hath bewitched Gal. 3. 1. you that yee shoulde not obey the trueth to vvhome Iesus Christ vvas before your eies painted and even crucified among you And in deede Christ is best painted out before the eies of the people by the doctrine of his painefull pastours and teachers and not by the pensile of the artificiall painters Such a faithful teacher vvas Iohn Hus of vvhom it is recorded that hauing painefully taught in his church called Bethlehem the gospell of Christ dreamed a little before his death that he had drawne out there divers goodly images the vvhich being defaced by the limbes of Antichrist hee further dreamed that hee sawe the same more liuely drawne out againe by better painters vvhereby vvas fore-signified the preaching of the learned and godly preachers of these last times And verily where the dignity and povver of Christs death is sufficiently set out by painefull preaching there is no neede of painting it in pictures and images made and framed by artificiall painters It vvas the Devils vvorke to cause that kinde of teaching to cease which was made the meanes ordained by God both to convert the infidels and also to confirme the faithfull in the truth of the gospell to bring them out of the kingdome of darkenes into the kingdome of light that he might bring in his kingdome of darkenesse by the corrupt teaching of blinde and dumbe Images VVherefore seeing that the church of Rome alloweth still of these her lay mens bookes vvhich the prophets call teachers of lyes and vvill not haue all trueth to bee learned onely out of the booke of bookes the booke of truth no mervaile that shee hath so shamefully embraced lies and so fowly fallen away from the truth Opposit 3. The doctrine taughte and penned by the prophets and Apostles hath no neede of any nevve miracles seeing it is sufficiently confirmed alreadye by olde but the Turkes Alcharon and the Popes Decretals haue neede to bee confirmed with new miracles for they containe new doctrine OVr faith is neuer so honourable nor GOD so well pleased with vs as when we seeke no signes for the confirmation therof when the word of God hath such a perswasioÌ„ in our hearts we haue so deepely tasted of the sweetnes therof that vve are ready to say to al miracles Get you hence Blessed vvere they vvhen miracles vvere in vse that by miracles vvere brought to embrace the true faith but more blessed are they that embrace faith for it selfe and not for that it is testified by miracles Blessed no doubt vvas Thomas for that hee sawe and beleeved â—…h 20. 29. â— Cor. 1. 22 â— Cor. 14. â—… but blessed are they rather vvhich see not and yet beleeue The vnbeleeuing Iewes sought for a signe and had also in admiration strange tongues vvhich vvere appointed for vnbeleevers to conuert them to the faith they that are already converted haue no neede of the same VVhen they vvere offered of God he shevved his compassion on mans infirmity now he hath taken them avvay he shevveth greater mercy in that he strongtheneth our faith vvithout them And verily if the vvorde it selfe being now acknovvledged to be the vvorde of God bee not able to vvinne credite to the doctrine therein contained neither vvill vvee
hoale when they are sicke even to death and therefore haue need of the more spiritual physicke because this their estate is most dangerous of all and such persons of all other are most hardly to be recovered For why did Publicanes and harlots Mat. 11. 21. An infidell is sooner converted then a couÌ„terfeit chri stian and a notorious sinner theÌ„ a dissembling hypocrite Pro. 26. 12. Mat 9. 12. sooner enter into the kingdome of God then the Scribes Pharisies and why would Sodom haue repented before Capernaum but for that all such as content theÌ„sâ—lues with an outward shew of piety and godlines are furthest of indeed from true piety and godlines Seest thou a man saith Solomon that is wise in his owne eies there is more hope of a foole then of such an one So seest thou one that is hoale in his own conceite there is far more hope of his recovery who albeit hee were more dangerously sicke yet hath not so strong an opinion of his own health For it is a good step to health to know a mans owne sicknes but he that cannot be perswaded that he is sicke wil not be perswaded to take physick therefore is past all hope of recovery he that will not bee perswaded that he is out of the way will never be perswaded to seek for a guide and therfore will never come into the right way Wherfore never more neede then nowe that the Lorde shoulde even force vpon vs as faithful guides the doctrine of his holy Apostles and Prophets and never more need then now that our heavenly physition should even constraine vs oftentimes to receiue his spiritual physicke and not only in respect of those that are Christians only in shew who are otherwise past all hope of recovery but also in respect of those that are true Christians indeede who yet notwithstanding are so distempered and crasie that without the continual administring of this spiritual physicke they wil by one ghostly sicknes or other soone fall into great danger yea vnlesse these men be stil feeding on this food they wil soone become so weake and feeble that they will not bee able to doe the Lordes worke vnlesse they be stil moistened with these eaelesâ—…al shewers they wil become fruitlesse and yeeld a smal haâ—vest vnlesse by this net they are stil drawne out of the sea of their sins they will sinke deeper deeper vntil they be drowned vnlesse this light be stil in their hands they will stumble and fall into the pit of destruction vnlesse this voice of the great shepheard doth stil souÌ„d in their eares they wil nothing but wander and go astray vnlesâ—e this spurre be stil in their sides they wil sone be at a stand giue over their iourney vnlesse these bellowes be stil blowing the fire of their zeale wil soone goe out As may appear by the examples of those renowned servants of God Zorobabell Iosuah the residue of that holy remnant of the people of God which returned out of the captivity of Babilon who were soone moued to give over the building of the temple of God and to settle themselues to their owne coÌ„modities pleasures vntill by the vvord of the Lord out of the mouth of the Prophet Haggey they vvere Hagg. 1. 3. effectually stirred vp vnto the finishing of the LORDS worke Wherfore no marvaile that al the faithful servants of God knowing the great necessity of having continuall in their handes and harts the most holesome instructions admonitions of the word of God doe exhort one another zealously after this manner saying Come lette vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde to the Isa 2. 5. Mich. 4. 1. house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his lawes and we will walke in his pathes They wil not walke in the vvaies of the Psal 1. 1. vngodly nor stand in the waies of sinners nor sitte in the seate of the scornefull and why their delight is in the law of the Lord. and in that law they doe exercise themselues day and night and thereby they become like erees planted by the water side which bring forth their fruite in due season whose leaves never wither And no marvaile though they prove such fruitful trees seing they are so plentifully watered with such holesome dewes whereas all such as refuse to drinke in continuall those holesome droppes being planted in the dry wildernes of this barren world become withered and deade trees good for nothing but to bee hewen downe and cast into the fire Seeing then the relligious reading hearing and meditating of the worde of GOD is not onely in it selfe a very excellent good worke and a principall part of the service of God which is to bee performed as every day so especially vpon the Lords day but also the meaue to begette and bring forth every good worke and to further the whole service of God to lead the people to the behoulding of God and to their perfect and absolute blessednes what then may we iudge of the vvorkes of the Church of Rome and of her manner of serving of GOD and of her leading of the people to the beholding of GOD and to their perfecte and absolute blessednes seeing shee keepeth this word of GOD fast shutte vp from the greatest part of them vnder the locke and key of a straunge tongue and debarreth them from the continuall reading thereof yea from the reading thereof altogeather and not onely so but also chargeth our Church to lay a stumbling blocke before the people and to minister occasion vnto them of falling into heresie for that wee not onely allowe but also exhort them to haue their continuall and dayly resort to the same that so they might be enabled to know the truth and to discerne it from falshood lies not receiving any doctrine vpon the bare credite of their teachers but trying it by this touchstone before they receive it for currant and good But if hereby we sett open a doore to errour heresie theÌ„ did The doctrine of al teachers is to be tried before it be received Ioh. 5. 39. Act. 17. 11. Christ and his Apostles doe the same before vs and many also Apostolical men For our Saviour himselfe willeth the people to search the Scriptures and no further to give credite to his ovvne Doctrine then they shoulde finde it approved by those vvitnesses And the Beraeans are commended for searching the Scriptures and for putting into those ballances the verie doctrine of the Apostle Saint Paule that so they might see whether it would holde weight For as Austine teacheth all other ballances are deceitfull and therefore in his controversies with Aug. cont Donat. l. 2. cap. 6. the Donatistes he appealeth to them and vvill haue his cause to bee vveighed onely therein And is it not the commaundement of CHRIST himselfe given to the people Beware of false Math. 7. 15. Prephets which come to you in
guides Yea what cause of heresie observed and noted by her own children hath shee not embraced that so shee might defile her selfe with all manner of spirituall abominations If to make choice of religion according vnto the darke light of our owne natural reason and the servile liberty of our own free-will be to follow such guides as must needs lead into errour shee hath taught her children to do the same If to thinke basely of the common dueties generally belonging to all christians and to make choice of singular and private devotions be the cause of heresie shee hath perswaded her children thereto If the overmuch admiring of men and the addicting of our selues to our particular masters bee not only the beginning of schisme but the cause of heresie shee hath made her sectaries and followers not only schismatikes but also heretikes For vvhere may we finde more admiring and magnifying of men of their supreme power authority of their greate priviledges and prerogatiues of the holinesse of their rules and orders canons and constitutions and of the worthines perfectioÌ„ and merite of their workes then is to be found in the Church of Rome Lastly if he be an heretike which is an other-wise teacher or an after reacher and he a superstitious person that doeth any Rhom in 1. cp ad Tim. c. 1. thing supra statutuÌ„ more then is commaÌ„ded how can the chuâ—ch of Rome be free from the note of superstition and heresie seeing shee performeth her devotions otherwise then they were ordained to be done by the Apostles of Christ and most rigorously exacteth many duties which were not commanded by them at all and hath coyned many after-doctrines which were not heard of in their times For was not the word the sacraments otherwise delivered vnto the people by the Apostles of Christ then nowe Otherwise devotions they are by the church of Rome Was the word either publikely reade by them vnto the people in a strange tongue or kept from their owne private reading in a vnknowen language they sent to learne their devotions froÌ„ senceles dombe and deade images did they not penne it in a most vulgar tongue and after a most plaine familiar manner that for theÌ„ learning instructioÌ„ of Luk. 1. 4. Rom. 15. 4. the people Neither was the Sacrament of the Lordes supper ordained by them to be ministred to the people in one kinde nor baptisme with such a number of ceremonies as it is by the church of Rome disguised cast after a sort into a new forme much lesse was the observation of any outward ceremonie rite more rigorously exacted by them then the precise keeping of Christs institutioÌ„ or vrged vnder the paine of a more grievous curse Did the Apostles ordaine the solemne observing of so many festival daies After doctrines and workes supra statutuÌ„ and eves or the building of churches in the honour of the saints or the running on pilgrimage to offer before their images or the sett times of fasting and abstinence or secret coÌ„fession of all sins in the Priests eare or the vow of single life voluntary poverty Francis Dominike and Layola were not borne in their times not the holy rules made of any of their relligious orders but all vvillworships were condeÌ„ned by theÌ„ which afterward were not only Coll. 2. 23. allowed but also preferred before the workes required in the law of God Lastly the supreme auctority and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome was not ordained by the Apostles neither was he appointed by them to bee a vniversall Bishoppe and to haue dominion over the whole church and to bee the vnerring and infallible iudge vnto whom appeale should bee made in all controversies much lesse was he placed by them aboue all kings and Emperors to depose them to set them vp at his own pleasure neither was any such auctority practised by S. Peter himselfe or by his successors long after him which yet had most skill and best courage to maintaine all doctrine belonging to their most Christian profession neither did they approue the bookes Apocriphs for Canonicall scripture nor their lawfull successors long after them alleaged the auctority of those bookes to confirme any doctrine or point of faith much lesse preferred they any translation before the authenticall text of the scripture as it is now done by the church of Rome and iustified openly by her auctority in her last generall councell of Trent Wherby shee hath made it manifest to the whole world that shee is not in some pointes onely but wholy and altogither fallen away from the word of GOD seeing shee refuseth to receiue it for the foundation of her faith as it was penned in the originalles by the speciall direction of GODS vnerring spirit and admitteth it onely as it is expounded by her translator which vvas not therein directed by any revelation nor had any priveledge of not falling into errour And verely if it bee a good reason against vs as it hath beene sette forth not long since by one of her Pamphleters that the vnlearned among vs haue no faith at all but a meere fancie because they doe builde it vppon our bare translations being not able to examine the truth of them by the originalles then much more may vvee avouch that neither the vnlearned nor yet the learned themselues among them haue anie faith at all seeing they all must vvill they vvill they settle their faith vppon the vvoordes and meaning of their transslator albeit hee differ never so much from the originall VVherefore to conclude seeing the Church of Rome hath embraced all manner of meanes of falling avvaie from GOD and his truth vvee may bee boulde to affirme that shee hath revolted and played the Apostata and so is become not onelie hereticall but also apostaticall yea that shee hath brought in that great apostasy that was foretolde by the Apostle Thus hast thou gentle Reader delivered vnto thee the maine foundation of all good workes the foure principall motiues so often vrged in the divine scripture to stirre vp the faithfull to the right and approued manner that is to be kept in the due performing of all holy actions And herein thou hast on the one side sette dovvne the true fountaine of sincere devotion and of all the parts therof wherin consisteth the true worship service of God and his spirituall and heavenly kingdome and on the other side not only the causes of errour and heresy but also of superstition and of all manner of Idolatry Now it remaineth that thou carefully put in practise these holy precepts and sanctified rules wheÌ„ thou art moued to the performaÌ„ce of any good worke and that thou stirre vp the gift of God in thee by these or the like holy meditations thus reasoning with thy selfe and saying This good worke God himselfe in his holy word commandeth me to performe vnto whose will I owe all obedience for that it is
my sins and also MERITORIOVS of eternall glory wherefore pretende no longer your Romish doctrine to bee the Catholike faith seeing that it is directly contrary to the maine grounds and Articles of the Catholike faith Lastly by this treatise it may be perceived how the Bishop of Rome and his aaherentes haue brought in that great Apostasie from the faith foretold by the Apostle and haue also fulfilled all the other prophecies which dâ— concerne the great Antichrist and therefore that hee is most truly and iustly charged by the professors of the Gospell to be that very grerâ— Antichrist THE TRIALL OF TRVTH CHAP. 1. 1 That all fundamentall pointes of faith are contained within the articles of the creede by the iudgement of diverse catholicke men that lived in former ages and that all such are to be taken for false prophets which teach any other faith then is contained in these groundes of faith 2 That the people ought to examine the doctrine of their pastors teachers by the rule levell of the canonical scriptures and the grounds of faith therein contained 3 That all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are plaine and easie to every faithful and humble christian who is sufficiently exercised in the word of God 4 That the people ought to vnderstand the severall pointes of their faith and not beleeue in grosse and blindefully as the church beleeveth THIS word SymboluÌ„ signifying a summe The Symbole or creede of the Apostles an heape coÌ„gested togither or a signe or badge to discerne one from another teacheth vs that in these articles of our faith is contained the whole summe of such things as are to be beleeued of every true faithfull christian whereby both the teacher of the true faith may bee discerned from the false and a right beleever from a wrong The creede as testifieth an ancient writer is a perfect August ser 115. de tempore collection and summe plaine shorte full that the playnnes might helpe the weakenes of the hearers the shortnes their memory the fullnes their instruction Vnto whom consenteth Cassianus the creed saith Lib. 6. de Inâ— car domini he is called a collection or summe because whatsoever is plentifully dispersed throughout the body of the divine scripture is heere all collected knitte vp togeather in a perfect brevity the Lord herein as a most louing father providing both for the slowenes and also for the dulnes of some of his children that the simple and weake minde shoulde not be troubled to vnderstand that which also it might easily keepe in memory Russious saith that In exposit Symboli this creede is called a signe or badge because in the apostles as it may appeare by the Actes of the Apostles many of the circumcised Iewes did fayne themselues to be the apostles of Christ and either for their bellies sake or for gaine went forth to preach setting out the gospell of Christ not with that sincerity and integrity as it was delivered by the apostles Therefore saith he the Apostles made this creede to be a marke whereby it might be knowen vvho did preach Christ truly according vnto the rules of the apostles Now by these interpretations of the name Symbole made by these auncient and learned fathers we may obserue these fowre thinges 1 First that seeing in their iudgementes this creede containeth a perfect summe of our christian faith therfore the doctrines of the church of Rome concerning pilgrimages pardons purgatory the papall supremacy and the like being neither expresly set downe therein nor necessarily to be drawen out of the same are no fundameÌ„tall pointes of our christian religion Nay may they not admit this as a sufficient exception against them all they are none of my creede therefore I neede not beleeue them Nay further doth noâ— this vehemently vrge and presse our Romanistes with the badge and marke of false prophets in that they teach other fundamentall pointes of faith then are delivered in this summe of faith 2 Secondly we learne that seeing the people that were coÌ„verted to the faith of Christ in the primitiue church were by this rule to examine to discerne the doctrine of the true teachers from the false that even so the faithfull people are novve also by the same rule to examine to discerne the doctrine of their pastors teachers and not in a sottish and brutish simplicity to pinne their faith vpon their sleeues and without all examination and triall blindfully to followe whithersoever they leade them and to beleeue as they beleeue Nay they are to be thankefull to their most gracious God who hath provided for theÌ„ so good a meanes whereby they themselues albeit weake and simple yet may discerne truth from falsehoode and rest on their owne most assured knowledge embracing the substance of christian religion not for company but for conscience yea the devill raging and the limbes of Antichrist threatning and our great and manifold sinnes deserving that God should take againe from vs the vse of his worde how ought especially the simple so to lay vp in their heartes the true sence and meaning of these articles of our creede that it may never be takeÌ„ from them but that even thereby they may be enabled against all their adversaries to iustifie their sound christian faith be made ready to confirme and seale it with their bloud 3 Thirdly we learne that seeing the articles of our christian faith were set downe with that shortnes and plainnes that all the faithfull be they never so simple might vnderstand them and keepe them also in memory all pointes of faith necessary to salvation or at the least the hardest pointes being in them contained therefore all thinges necessary to salvation are plaine and easie even to the simplest amongst the Lordes people if so be Prov 8. 9. 9. 4. Hebr. 5. 14. they be desirous in all holy humility to vnderstand the truth are sufficiently exercised in the word of truth 4 Fourthly we learne that seeing these articles were set downe plainely for the capacity of the simple therefore they ought nor to be debarred from the right vnderstanding of them detained in the darkenes of ignorance as it shall be further declared in the nexte chapter Now on the contrary side the church of Rome teacheth that all pointes of faith necessary to salvation are not set downe no not in the large volumes of the canonicall scriptures much lesse within the straiter boundes of this shorte summe of faith that the people should not presume to examine discerne the doctrine of their pastors teachers that the doctrine of faith is full of hardenes and difficulty aboue the capacity of the Lords people and therefore that they must content themseâ—ues to be without this knowledge perswading themselues that ignorance is the mother of devotion as may well be of their blinde superstitious devotion CHAP. 2. That it is not enough for the lay
themselues many also of the râ—probaâ—e beleeue the mystery of the Trinity the truth of the doctrine coÌ„cerning the vvorkes of the creation redemption and sâ—…ctification but they looke for â—o benefite to redounde to themselues by the fame therefore they beleeue and tremble beeing excluded from all hope But this true catholike faith teacheth the faithfull so to beleeue the doctrine concerning God and his vvorkes that they beleeue also in particular that the benefite thereof belongeth to themselues beeing already receiued into the housholde of faith and made members of the holy catholike church For otherwise then by this faithfull perswasion how could they be induced to beleeue in God and to place their assured hope and confideÌ„ce in him For to beleeue that God is a father redeemer and sanctifier to other and to doubt whether he be such a one to me also were but a cold comfort and a very faint and feeble motiue to induce me to beleeue in God to devote my selfe to his service and to associate my selfe to his church VVherefore it is not to be doubted but that the liuely members of the holy catholike church hauing an holy assurance of the grace and favour of God towardes themselues and being resolued that he is now become their louing father in Christ and hath cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea doe thereby beleeue and reioyce in Gods mercies and so grow daily by little and little into a stedfast aâ— assured perswasion of their full and finall glorification But the church of Rome teacheth her children not to seeke for any assurance in particular of the favour of God and of the remission of their sinnes by the death of Christ but still to doubt and to be in suspence thereof so by keeping them from the true faith excludeth them out of the number of the faithfull and so by consequent out of the true church Whereas the true church the spouse of Christ hauing a stedfast assurance of the loue of her bridegrome is thereby induced not onely to trust confidently in him and to loue him againe but also to testifie the same by harkening most reverently vnto his vndoubted will and resting her selfe onely vpon his most sure word and yeelding all â— Pet. 1. 19. obedience to the same And hereof it is that this true church is sometime called Gods feilde wherein the most pure seede of his Math. 13. 3. holy worde is sowen and not the darnell and cockell of mens inventions sometime his sold wherein are his sheepe which harken onely Ioh 10 5. to the voice of their sheepheard not to the voice of a stranger sometimes Gods family and housholde wherein he ruleth alone all autority Eph 2. 19. of commanding being yeelded to him sometime the mother of the faithfull hauing her children begotten by the immortall seede of the worde of God and nurced also by the sincere milke thereof drawen out of her two brestes which are the olde and the newe testament Lastly Aug in ep Ioh. tract 3. Apoc. 8. 20. she is called a goldeÌ„ candlesticke for that she resteth not on her own light but holdeth out the candle of the word of God to al such as are of his family houshold to direct them therby in the waies of the Lorde and to detect vnto them all stumbling blockes by pathes which might cause them either to stumble or fall or else to wander out of the right way And the verie name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a convocation or congregation doth signifie a company wakened by the shrill call of the voice of a crier out of the drowsie sleepe of ignorance and sinne emploied in the workes and the waies of piety and godlines By all which appellations is signified that the true church hath her children begotten onely of the immortall seede of the word of God and nourished with the sincere milke of the same directed by the light thereof and alwaies ruled by that autority wakened thereby when they fall a sleepe and reclaimed when they beginne to wander made fruitfull also to all good workes Now the church of Rome hath her children begotten also of the corruptible seede of mens traditions and ruled by her owne decrees and decretals for shee will not haue them harken onely to the voice of the true shephearde vttered in the sacred scriptures nor to be obedient to the commaundement of the master of the family onely therein contained nor to be guided by the candle onely of that vndoubted will of God shee deemeth that foode to be to harde meate for them and therefore shee setteth before them the festivityes of her golden legend so causing the prophecy of the Apostle to be fulfilled who saide that the time should come that men shoulde turne away their eares from the truth and 2. Tim 44. should be turned vnto fables Moreover shee addeth to the Canonicall scriptures the bookes Apocrypha and her vnwritten verities to the written word and whereas the holy scripture is profitable after so sufficient a manner to teach that the faithfull christian the man of 2. Tim. 3. 17 God may thereby be made absolute and perfect shee denieth this sufficiency and perfection thereof and whereas the spirit of truâ—h calleth this word a light she calleth it darke and whereas hee avoucheth it to be easie to him that will vnderstand she chargeth it to be an obscure and hidden doctrine even to the Lords owne chosen and peculiar people yea whereas our blessed Saviour the very wisedome of God speaking to the multitude commandeth them to search the scriptures yet shee very flatly forbiddeth the same Ioh. 5 39. Where by it is evident that seeing shee thus disgraceth the holy scriptures inspired of God that vndoubted worde of the bridegrome and his last will and testament sealed with his own blood calling light darkenes and darkenes light harkeneth not wholy â—sa 5. 20. to his decrees therein contained neither suffereth him to strike the stroke only to rule therewith in his owne family repealing disanulling his direct coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts that therefore shee is not to be esteemed the chast faithfull spouse of Christ but a cursed harlot a faithles adulteresse The which thing that it may more evidently appeare I wil here set downe sixteene distinct direct oppositions betweene the true church and the false betweene the faithfull servantes of Christ and the Sinagogue of Satan the limbes of Antichrist Opposit 1. The faithfull especially vnder the raigne of Antichrist flye only to the scriptures as to the onely sufficient iudge for the deciding of all controversies and that according vnto the precise commandement of Christ and the ensample of his faithfull servantes whereas seducing and seduced heretikes take away this key of knowledge and shut the gates against the truth not onely defaming the faithfull for the study of holy scripture but also disgracing those most holy bookes
theÌ„selues for that their erroures are in them reproved and adding also vnto them their vnwritten verities and their wilworshippes of their owne devising IN doubts coÌ„troversies of Christian religioÌ„ the spirit of God sendeth vs neither to the Bishop of Rome neither to any other Bishop or Bishops nor yet to Councels nor to any inter pretouâ—s to rest our faith vpon their resolutions but rather willeth vs to try the spirites whether they bee of God or no and no further 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Aug cont â—rescon l 2. cap 31. to beleeue them then they bring warrant for their doctrine out of the holy Canonicall scripture For not vvithout cause as Austine saith was the ecclesiasticali Canon ordained with most holesome vigilancy vnto the which certaine bookes of the prophets and Apostles doe appertaine vvhome in no case vvee dare to iudge and by vvhome vvee may freely iudge of the other vvritinges of beleeuers and infidels For shoulde not a people enquire of their GOD To the lavve Isa 8 19 oâ— Opta l. 5. ad Parâ—… saith Esay and to the testimonie In earth saith Optatus there can bee no iudgment of this matter vvee must seekâ— for a iudge from heaven but vvhy knocke vvee at heaven vvhen vvee haue his vvill here in the Gospell Then the Pope by the iudgement of Optatus is no competent iudge nor any other Bishoppe or Bishoppes here on earth for that either they bee ignorant in the cause or else partiall or giuen to sides but only GOD himselfe in his Canonicall scriptures And verely for such as vvill not admitte of GOD to be their iudge where shall vve finde a competent iudge Surely our Saviour Christ when controversie vvas betweene him and the Pharisees coÌ„cerning the truth of his doctrine appealeth not to any interpreter but to the iudgment and sentence of God in the scriptures Search Ioh. 5. 39. the scriptures saith he for in them yee thinke to haue life and they are they vvhich testifie of mee Let the divine scripture saith Basile be asked Bas in ep â—a Eust concerning these thinges and let the decision of truth proceede altogeather from it I beseech you saith Chrysostome let vs set aside what seemeth Chrys hom 13. in 1. Ep. ad Cor. to him or to him and let vs seeke for all these thinges out of the scriptures The writinges saith Constantine of the Evangelistes and Apostles and the oracles of the auncient prophets do instruct vs plainely what Trip. hist l. 2. Cap. 5. we ought to vnderstande and beleeue of Gods pleasure And therefore all contention set apart let vs seeke the solution of these thinges that be propounded out of the scripiures of God When yee shall see saith the autor Op. imperâ— in Math. hom 49. of the imperfect worke vpon Matthew wicked heresie which is the army of Antichrist standing in the holy places of the church then they that are in Iury let them fly to the mountaines that is they which are in christianity let them betake themselues to the scriptures And a litle after Why doth hee commande all christians to betake themselues then to the scriptures Because since the time that heresies haue possessed the churches there can be no proofe of sound christianity nor any other refuge of Christians that vvoulde knowe the true faith but the divine scriptures And againe The LORDE knovving that in the last daies there vvould bee such a confusion of thinges did therefore command that the christians then liuing being desirous to holde the sinceritie of the true faith should retire to nothing but to the scriptures For otherwise saith he if they rest on any thinge else they shall stumble and perish and not come to knowe the true church but shall fall into the abomination of desolation vvhich standeth in the holy places of the church And so verely hath this prophesie beene fulfilled in all the members of the church of Rome who are now fallen into the abominatioÌ„ of desolation staÌ„ding in the holy places of the church embracing Antichrist in steede of Christ for that they refused to to be directed onely by the divine scriptures which are onely able to stay vs vpright and to preserue vs from all errours heresies 2. Tim. 3. 15. and from all the power of the kingdome of darkenes As on the other side the sincere embracers of the Gospell of Christ haue hereby beene preserued from the snares of Antichrist in that according to the prophesie of S. Ierome they haue fled to the mountaines of the scriptures haue made them their place of refuge Hiâ—…onymus in Nahum Cap. 3. Before saith he the coming of the Messias c. the people shal be raâ—sed vp and shall prophesie vvho before vnder their masters vvere lulled asleepe and they shall goe to the mountaines of the scriptures and shall finde there Moses and Iosuah the sonne of Nun the mouÌ„taines the prophetes the mountaines the Apostles and Evangelistes and when any slieth to these mountaines and is occupied in the readâ—ng of the same albeit hee finde none to teach him yet his care shall bee approved â—hr that hee did flie vnto the mountaines Contrarily as Chrysostome Op. imp in Matt. hom 44. Luc. 11. 52. saith Hareticall Priestes shutte vp the gates of truth taking away with the Pharesies the key of knowledge for they are assured if truth bee once knovven their church vvill soone be forsaken and themselues throwen downe from their priestly dignity In evangelio regni ca. 23. 33. Scriptura rij to be esteemed no better of then other men Henry Nicholas master of the family of Loue glorieth in the name of Vnlearned in a scoffe termeth the learned in the scriptures scripture-vvise or scripture-men warning his scholers to be ware of such whereas he and his like should soone haue beene descried in former ages Lucifugae scripturaruÌ„ Tert. de resur and noted in their faces with a blacke coale if it had once appeared that they shunned the light of the sacred scripture For it is not the conference of the scriptures that is the path-vvaie to haeresie but the ignorance of those holie vvritinges Yee err â—aith our Saviour the teacher of truth to the seduced Sadduces not knovving the scriptures out of vvhome there most sufficiently Mat. 22. 29. Chry. hom 3 de Lazaro he confuteth their heresie So Chrysostome the ignorance of the scripture hath bredde haeresies and hath brought in a corrupt life and hath turned all vpside dovvne And therefore they are impudent and shamles haeretikes vvho vvhen they are reproved out of the scriptures sette themselues as Irenaeus saith to Iren. l. 3. cap. 2. reproue the scriptures as if they vvere not right and that they are vttered ambiguously and that the truth cannot be learned out of them by such as knovve not tradition For if GOD be faithfull Bas in asceâ— serm de fiâ—e in all his vvorkes as Basill saith then it
to trye â— Pet. 1. 6. their obedience and patience and to humble them for their manifold infirmities and sinnes or when Tyrantes persecute them for their most holy faith But as for all voluntary tortures and tormentes they leaue the same to infidels and heretikes vvho thereby seeke after a greater opinion of godlines and devotion before men THe Gentiles did offer vp their sonnes in fire vnto Idols and did â— Reg. â—… 28. â—…v 21. 5. cutte and launce themselues vntill the bloode followed the which voluntary tortures the Lord precisely interdicteth his owne people Contrary to the which interdiction the dearest darlinges of the church of Rome as likewise such among the Turkes as would seeme most devout vse to scourge and to whippe theÌ„selues diverse waies tormenting their owne bodies and not sparing their ovvne flesh Whereby it is evident that they haue â—…ol 2. 23. not onely sorted themselues with the Gentiles and some of the olde heretikes but also with these of the last times who through hipocrisie hunte after a shewe of most rare holines in these outvvard â— Tim. 4. 1. thinges preferring these their wil-worshippes and voluntary devotions before faith repentance and the fruites of the spirit imagining thereby to ascende to the highest degree of the greatest perfection and to be esteemed the only religious of all other Opposit 12. The faithfull souldiers of Christ furnish themselues against their ghostly enimies with such weapons as are taken out of the Lordes armoury whereas the counterfeite christian furnisheth himselfe with such as are framed in the devils forge and in the shoppe of mans invention THe faithfull which fight vnder the banner of Christ even al the members of the militant church knowing the greate force of their fendish foes seeke according vnto the exhortation of the Apostle to be strong in the Lorde and in the power of Eph. 6. 10. his might putting on to that purpose all the armour of God that so they may bee able to stand against all the assaultes of the Devill they stand and their loines girded about with verity hauing on the breastplate of righteousnes and their feete shodde with the preparation of the gospel of peace aboue all they take the shield of faith whereby they may quench all the fiery dartes of the wicked and the helmet of salvation and the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God praying alway with all manner of praier and supplication in the spirite and watching thereunto withall perseverance VVhereas the souldiers of Satans companies are forbidden for the most parte to enter into the Lordes armory wherein are the weapons of all the Lordes worthies wherevvith they prevailed against all their enemies and to fence their soules with that armour of proofe whereby they may be preserued from Chrys in Math. hom 43. Hier. in Mat. ca 23. Num. 9. 11. Tert. de Idola Lact. instit l. 6. ca. 2. all deadly woundes it is enough for them to arme themselues with holy bookes tyed at their girdle but not laid vp in their hartes with holy reliques such as defiled those that touched them vnder the law with holy candle lighted at noone-day to driue away belike spiritual darknesse with holy breaede to put away the famine of the soule with holy water to wash away the spots of the spirit with holy bell to fray the hell-hound with that sacred sound with crossing and crossing againe this and that member and with anoyling the instruments of the fiue wits with holy creame holy salt holy spitile with as holy exorcismes and coniurations as were vsed by the seven sonnes of Sceva the priest with holy graines agnus deies crucifixes with buriall in an holy cloister in a Monkes coule or a Friers frocke with Act. 19. 13. a pardon cast into the graue with the body for the safer passage of the silly soule albeit it had passed and receiued iudgement before with other such furniture of their owne framing as if those things which are without could sanctisie a man and fence him from the woundes of sinne as if the subtile serpent were some silly foole that could be driuen away with such scarre-crowes or some weake and feeble foe that could be overturned with such bulrushes Opposit 13. The faithfull are not puffed vp with pride in respect of Gods graces but rather hang downe their heades in respect of their owne infirmities ascribing to God the glory of all good things IF when wee haue done all that is commanded vs we must say that â—uc 9 54 we are vnprofitable servantes then when we faile more or lesse in all what iust occasion haue we with the humble Publican to stande aloofe and to hange downe the heade and to beate the brest being â—zr 9 6. â—zech â—6 33. â—an â— 7. full of confusion in regarde of our ovvne iniquities Nowe as the faithfull thus cry out shame and confusion against themselues so they ascribe righteousnes to God in all his corrections and endles mercy in all his blessinges magnifying and extoling his glory in both And verely he that seeketh the glory of him â—oh 7. 18. that sent him is true and there is no vnrighteousnes in him But in Aug in â—oh Tract â—9 Antichrist saith Austine there is vnrighteousnes and hee is not true because hee will not seekeâ—… he glory of him that sent him Let vs all then which pertaine to the body of Christ beware lest we fall into the snares of Antichrist and let vs not seeke our owne glory Chrys in Math. Hom. 19. If one cover saith Chrysostome a wolfe with a sheepes skinne how may another know him but by his voice or by his action The sheepe bleateth looking downe ward the wolfe looketh vpwarde and howleth against heaven He then that vttereth the voice of humility and confession according vnto God is a sheepe but hee that howlethout blasphemies against God and against the truth is a wolfe Nowe howe the doctrine of the church of Rome teacheth to lay aside the humility of a sheepe and to take to our selues the pride of the wolfe to advaunce our selues and not to giue the glory of all thinges onely to GOD see before in the preface to the Christian roader Opposit 14. The faithfull Christian as in generall he giueth the glory of all good things onely to Gods mercy and goodnes so especially of his eternall salvation resting onely vpon the mediation and merite of Christes passion for the obtaining thereof and not vpon his owne or other mens workes VVHat worthy thing do we that thereby we may be Walâ—ensis contra Wicleâ—um made partakers of heavenly glory whereas the Apostle saieth I thinke that the passions of this time are not worthy of the glory that shal be revealed Therefore I recken him to be the more sounder divine the more saithfull catholike and more agreeable to holy scriptures who doth flatly deny any such merite And verely our Saviour Christ
in respect of them for that their number is alwaies the greater â—as shee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy in respect of the godly for that they are the better part Wherfore all vngodly and faithlesse dissembling hypocrites as they seeme onely to be holy and are not so they seeme also but are not in deed the true members of the holy catholike church For how can they haue the church to be their mother which are not begotten againe of the immortal seede of the word of God which liueth and lasteth for euer How can I say those bee members of the holy catholicke church and haue her for their mother vvho haue not God for their father who as they honour not God as a father neither endevour to resemble his image so he doth not acknowledge them for his sonnes nor accept them as inheritours of his heavenly kingdome And doth not our creede reach vs also that this holy catholike church of Christ is a communâ—on of saintes who haue in this life remission of sinnes and shall attaine in the life to come to a glorious resurrection and to lâ—e everlasting But the wicked vngodly dissembling hypocrites the sonnes of the bond woman which are base-borne and bastarde brethren they haue no part nor portioÌ„ in these blessings of God with the sonnes Gal. 4. 30. of the free woman which are the elect chosen children of God and the true members of the holy catholicke church of Christ Wherefore the church of Rome greatly disgraceth this holy catholike church of Christ in that shee would allowe an interest in her to impuâ—e and vngodly dissembling hypocrites as on other respectes shee advaunceth her to high in assigning her that priviledge that shee cannot erre and graunting that ability vnto her children whereby they may perfectly fulfill the law of God Div. 4. That the church may erre in matters of faith THe Apostles prophets had their doctrine from God not onely mediately by instruction but also immediatly by revelation Holy but revelations are now ceased and the church hath her doctrine now mediatly onely by instruction out of the divine and sacred scriptures and therefore the church may erre albeit the Apostles and Prophets were free from errour For in learning out of the scriptures the dulnesse and blindnes of our capacity oftentimes misseth of the true sence and meaning thereof which is no impediment when as the spirite of God by revelation vseth not the blockishnesse of our vnderstanding to bring vs to the knovvledge of God but doth immediately by his power shâ—dde it in our heartes or else teacheth vs by such as are instructed immediately 〈…〉 2. Div. 3. That every member of the church breaketh the law and doeth not perfectly fulfill the same NO man loveth the Lorde with all his heart power and strength so that all his â—ffections cogitations thoughts are only employed in the Lords service and in obedience to his commandementes and therefore no man perfectly fulfilleth the whole law For our loue doth so follow ouâ— knowledge that no man can perfectly loue God that perfectly knoweth not his loue and goodnes towardes vs but in this life wee knowe but in 〈◊〉 13. 9 parte vvee vnderstande but in parte wee see as through a glasse and in a darke speaking and so our loue also is but in parte it is no wise so perfect as it ought to be VVherefore that perfect loue beeing not in any which the lawe requireth that which wanteth thereof is sinne â—…p 29. and a breach of the lawe and commaundementes of God For to loue the Lorde withall our hearte soule and strength is not a point of perfection counselled onely in the gospell aboue the lawe but a necessary duety commaunded in the lavve and therefore our Saviour calleth it in slâ—tte tearmes not onely a commaundement 〈◊〉 â—…2 38. but also the first of the commaundementes VVherefore all being guilty of the breach of this commaundement there is none that is able to fulfill the vvhole lawe much lesse to doe any worke of supererogation more then is commaunded in the law of God Many prowde debtours hauing not as yet wasted their whole stockes but beeing only declining and ready to fall conceaue so well of themselues and of their owne ability that when they looke but vpon the particular billes of their debt they conceaue some hope to recover and to bee able in time to discharge all but vvhen they cast them all togither and so take a viewe of the totall summe that appeareth by and by to bee so great that thereby they are cleane dismaide and discouraged and vtterly excluded from all hope But the pride of our Romish banke-ruptes is in a farre higher degree in that the summe of all the commandements contayning the summe of our vvhole debte bee it neuer so great and neuer so huge yet it doeth not mooue them to acknowledge their inhabilitie but they still imagine themselues to be able to fulfil the whole lavve and so to discharge their vvhole debte yea and more also vvith the surplussage vvhereof beeing due vnto them The meanest in the church of Rome are taught that they may fulfil al the commandementes whereas the very best in the church of Christ more or lesse faile in all vppon a reckoning and an accountes they thinke themselues able to helpe tovvardes the dischardge of the debtes of others also VVhereas in trueth if vvee vvoulde duely looke into the greatnesse of the duety that is required at our handes in any one of the commaundementes wee should perceiue the very debte of every one of these particular billes to amounte and grovve to so great a summe that as long as vvee liue heere in this life such is our spirituall penury and beggary vvee are neuer able to discharge the same 1. CoÌ„mand For vvho is there euen amonge the most perfecte and iust that neuer preferreth profite or pleasure or the satisfying of one affection or other before iustice and righteousnesse and before his loue and obedience to God thereby placing them after a sort in Gods throne 2 who alvvaies so highly conceiveth of the incomprehensible maiesty of the almighty Iehovah as hee ought to doe and of his incomparable and vnmatchable glory that cannot be resembled by any similitude without great impeachment and derogation to the same 3 Who conceiveth so reverently of the infinite power of the most mighty creator of heaven earth that hee neuer taketh his glorious and dreadfull name in vaine but euer vseth it with such reverence and feare as is due vnto it 4 VVho sanctifieth on that manner the Sabaoth day that ceasing altogither from satisfying his owne vvill hee suffereth the Lord by his holy spirite and sacred vvorde vvholy to vvoâ—ke in himselfe and so employeth himselfe only in his service Yea who is it that keepeth a perpetuall Sabaoth vnto the LORDE 5 VVho is it that so honoureth his pâ—rentes and the rest of his
the chiefest foundation of our Christian faith 3 That the principall point of his Antichristian doctrine wherevnto hee and his adherentes shall ascribe greatest perfection shall bee the vowe of single life and abstinence from diverse kindes of meates and other such will-worshippes of their owne devising 4 That it is a manifest mark of the AntichristiaÌ„ pride of the B. of Rome against God in that he ascribeth greater perfection to the rules of his religious orders then to the lawe of God himselfe yea in that he taketh vpoÌ„ him to dispence with the law of Goa as if he were superior to God 5 That it is a manifest marke of the Luciferlike and AntichristiaÌ„ pride of the Bishop of Rome against all that is called God and counted worthy of honor here in his church in that as a presumptuous vsurper he exalteth himselfe not only against the Ecclesiasticall but also against the civill governors yea against generall councels themselues which after a sort represent vnto vs the whole church 6 That the Bishop of Rome in his Antichristian pride mainetaining his owne faith to be an immoueable rocke which cannot be shaken his decisions to be infallible oracles which cannot erre his church to bee eternall which cannot perish declareth himselfe most manifestly to bee that vaine glorious whore of Babylon which vaunteth her selfe and saith I sit as a Queene am no widdow shall see no mourning 7 That the seat designed by the spirit of God for the great Antichrist of these last times is that city which in S. Iohns time raigned over the kings of the earth that was Rome as it may be also conâ—ectured by the number of Antichrists name shadowed in the figures 666 expressed by Lateinâ—s that is a Romane or by Romijth or Italica Ecclesia in the account of the Hebrewe and Greeke letters and that is the church of Rome 8 That a Papist as a Papist is a limbe of Antichrist and so no member of Christ and therefore hath no interest in the worke of our Redemption wrought by Christ of the which if he will be partaker hee must flatly renounce all society with Antichrist and fight the Lordes battles against him vnder the banner of Christ 1 BEllarmine that great pillar of the heresies In prafâ—… lib de contâ— rel tom 1. Act. 24. 14. Cyp l. 2. â—p 3 and Idolatries of of the church of Rome endeavoureth by this meanes to fasten on vs vvho beleeue all thinges that are vvritten in the Lavv and in the Prophets and vvhich our Lorde Christ who vvas before all hath delivered vnto vs the heresies that vvere to arise in these latter times for that vvee vvithstande boldly and coÌ„stantly the most grieuous corruptions of the church of Rome For saith hee the Devill the founder of all falshoode and lies the enemy of God and of all truth the oppâ—gner and vnderminer of all the articles of our Christian faith as in former ages he hath assaulted the first pointes thereof vvhich concerne the mysterie of the blessed Trinitie so to shevve his hatred against all the pointes of the same hath novve by vs as he vvould haue the vvorlde perswaded in these last times endeavoured the overthrovveof those other articles vvhich concerne the holie Catholicke Church But his collection heerein is sophisticall for that it is one thinge to reprooue the errours of the Church of Rome that novve is and an other thing to deface the holy Catholicke Church for that the church of Rome that novve is is fallen from that faith vvhich vvas there first planted by the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul as it may appeare to any indifferent person that vvithout partialiality vvill compare the most parte of that doctrine vvhich shee novve mainetaineth but vvith that onely vvhich is delivered by the Apostle Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Romanes The trueth is that the Devill in the Primitiue Church made his chiefe battery against the doctrine of the most glorious Trinity but that his repulse therein vvas not such as caused him altogeather to giue over that enterprise For â—ee hath in some countreyes renevved the same assault againe in these daies hath laboured a fresh to shake that very â—elfe same foundation And albeit he be an enimie to al the members of Christs mystical body yet his cheifest malice is against the heade And Gen. 3. 15. 1. Cor 3 11 Mat. 16. 18. for that the doctrine of our Redemption wrought by CHRIST it that invincible rocke vvhereon the church is builte his cheifest assaultes haue beene set against the same by his Ministers the false Prophetes and Antichristes of these latter times vvho are therforâ— in holy scripture not so much called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they shoulde vtterly deny GOD or oppugne the doctrine of the blessed Trinitie as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that they shall albeit not in outward shevves but in effect and deede evacuate the crosse of CHRIST and the vvorkes of our redemption vvrought thereby The great Antichrist as saith Saint Iohn shall haue two hornes like a lambe that is shall pretend the two folde autority of Christ the immaculate and vndefiled lambe of God and as the Apostle testifieth he shall sit in the temple of God as God that is as Gods Leifetenant generall Christs Vicar vniversall represeÌ„ting his person executing his autority and shall pretend himselfe to be the church of Christ or at the least shall arrogate to himselfe the cheife â—eate Aug. de civ dei lib. 20. Cap. 19. in the same as S. Austine testifieth and Theodorete and Pâ—…masiaâ— vpon the same place of the Apostle And verely if Antichrist when he came had openly revâ—…ed the olde condemned heresies of the Arrians Marcionites Manichees and the like and had in flat tearmes denied either the natures or the offices of Christ our Saviour what Christian would not soone haue espied his wickednes and what faithfull person woulde not straight waies haue abhorred his blasphemy Therfore that the greate Antichrist might the more easily bring in a greate Apostasie from the faith and the sooner make drunke all the kingdomes of the earth with the cuppe of his spirituall fornication and adultery he was to come like an whore with Apoc. 17 4 2. Th. 2. 10. flattery and deceit vvith stronge delusion and all deceaueablenes of vnrighteousnesse and to offer forth his poison in a cuppe of gold that is he vvas in outvvard appearance to make gâ—…ate shevve of the Gospell and faith of CHRIST and most gloriously to pretend that he and his adherentes are the onely Catholikes and the onely pillers of CHRISTES church The asse perceauing that all the beastes of the forest stooped and bovved lovve before the Lion vvrapped himselfe in a Lyons skinne and in confidence thereof came among them and beganne to make an harrish noise that so he might receaue honour of them the lesser beastes beholding this bugge fell downe
before him and did him homage but the greater and vviser beastes discerning him by his voice set him at naught and laughed him to scorne The Bishoppe of Rome knowing what honour is due vnto Christ and his church hath put on as it were the Lyons skinne by pretending himselfe to be Christs Vicar and his church to be the church of Christ Now many men iudging only by the outward appearaÌ„ce haue so taken him to be haue honoured him accordingly but other who haue more throughly looked into the truth haue by the sound of his voice doctrine found him not to be the vicar nor yet the frend of Christ but eveÌ„ his grand enimie the very great Antichrist For they will not suffer themselues to be deluded with coloures and shewes seing they will vnderstaÌ„d that by the caution giueÌ„ by their master Christ that the heretickes of these last times shall come in sheepes cloathing when inwardly they be ravening wolues and that Antichrist the head of Math. 7. 15. Greg. in â—ob l. 25. cap. 20 Hil. conâ— Auxentium Chrysâ—in Math. Hâ—m 49. all hypocrites by the iudgmeÌ„t of Gregory shall faine piety to draw to iniquity that vnder the cloake of the gospell as Hilary saith he shall bee contrary to Christ in so much that Christ shall be denied wheÌ„ he is thought to be preached They know by the admonition of Chrysostome that they must come to the divine scriptures only that so they may rightly discerne the doctrine of Antichrist seeing that if respect be had to names titles and profession he and his adherentes shall professe themselues good Christians yea they shall pretende greater chastitie and mortification of the flesh then shall bee founde amongst the true Christians And so Saâ—…t Paule by the spirite of prophecie had most evidently foretolde that the heretikes of these latter times that is Antichrist 1. Tim 4. 2. and his adherentes should speake lyes through hypocrisie forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meates that so by their hypocriticall shevve of continency and abstinence they might procure the greater credite both to themselues and to their doctrine VVherefore â—t is but a cunning and crafty collusion of Satan to perswade the worlde that Antichrist his Leife-tenant generall should be an open enimie of CHRIST and his church and make open vvarre against all professed Christians that vvhiles they prepared themselues against such an open Antichrist they might suffer themselues vnavvares to be overtaken by the subtlety and fraude of the true but privy Antichrist And so certainly it came to passe For as he caused the Iewes vvho professed themselues to be the Lordes onely heritage to refuse their true Messias and Christ vvhiles he persvvaded them to looke for such an one as should come vvith outward pompe earthly glorie and establish his kingdome by an high arme of flesh so he hath prevailed with those that accounted themselues onely to be the meÌ„bers of the true church in these latter daieâ— and hath made them yeeld to the spirituall bondage of Antichrist whiles he warned them to beware of such an Antichrist as should proclaime open vvarre and be at vtter defiaÌ„ce vvith all professed Christians But what saide our Sauiour to Math. 16. 3. the deceaued â—evves ye hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie and can yee not discerne the signes of the times They that thus expected a vvorldly Messias should haue diligeÌ„tly looked into the bookes of the Prophetes and so duely examined the signes of the true Messias that finding them throughly perfourmed in CHRIST as the drifts and discourses of the Evangelistes doe testifie and our Saviour himselfe vvitnesseth in these vvordes all thinges are finished should thereby haue beene induced to haue receiued him for the true Messias After the like maÌ„ner Ioh. 19. 30. all that profesâ—e themselues to be true Christians and would not be deluded by the subtleâ—ies of Satan shoud be carefull to discerne the signes of these times and to obserue the right notes and markes of the true Antichrist that so they might be able both to descry and also to avoide his most dangerous snares VVhen the Pharisies that looked that their Messias should be a temporall Monarch demanded of our Saviour Luc. 17. 20. CHRIST when the kingdome of GOD the kingdome of the Messias shoulde come he aunsvvered The kingdome of God commeth not vvith observation Neither shall men say Loe here Loe there for the kingdome of GOD is vvithin you VVhereby he signifieth that the kingdome of the Messias should not be vvith outvvard pompe and earthly glory but that by the preaching of the gospell he should lay the foundation of a true faith and a godly life in the heartes of all his people and so establish vvithin them his spirituall kingdome consisting in righteousnes peace and â—oy in the holy Ghost After the like manner may vve be bold to avouch Rom. 14. 1â— that the kingdome of Antichrist cometh neither vvith observation for that he shall not be an outvvard and professed enimie to Christianity but shall vvith greate subtlety vndermine the foundations of a true faith and godly life and so erect his spirituall Antichristian kingdome And hereof it is that Chrysostome calleth Chrys in Math. Hom. 49. not bandes and companies of armed souldiers but heresies the armies of Antichrist certaine it is that al heretikes that did arise from the Apostles times and did oppugne any pointe of faith 2. Th. 2. 7. are saide to prepare away to the kingdome of Antichrist for this Mystery of â—niquitie did vvorke even in the Apostles time And is called a Mystery for that it did vvorke secretly their poysoned doctrine being outvvardly shadovved vvith the profession of the true â—aith And verelie hovve came Arrianisme it selfe to overflovve the outvvarde face of the whole Hieron adverâ— Luciferianos Leo. Epist 81 visible church Infidelitie saith Ierome vvas planted vnder the name of faith So in the time of Leo hovve vvere heresies sette abroach you thinke saith hee speaking to the autors of them that yee deale for faith vvhereas yee contende against faith â—ee are armed vvith the name of the Church and yet yee fighte against the Church But especiallie in these last times since Antichrist beganne more and more to be disclosed the olde Serpent hath searched out the verie depth and profundity of all his craftie devices and hath bestovved all his art cunning and skill to beautifie his corrupte doctrine vvith many faire glozes and to painte it vvith many glorious colours An example vvhereof vvee haue in that proude champion of this greate Antichrist vvho marched forth not many yeares since like Goliaâ—… the Gittite 1. Sam. 17. vvho had an helmet of brasse vpon his head and a brigandine vveighing 5000 shekels of brasâ—e vpon his legges and a shâ—…lde of brasse vpon his shoulders the sâ—…fte of vvhose speare vvas like a vveavers beame vvho defiled the host of the
also execution accordingly never making stay of your fervent zeale vntill yee haue brought her to her vtter desolation And so if yee fight this good fight and fulfill your course keepe the faith be yee most assured that there is laid vp for you a crowne of righteousnes 2. Tim. 4. 7. which the righteous iudge shall giue vnto you and to all those that loue his appearing Now to the immortall invisible and onely wise God be all honour and glory dominion and power praise and thankes both now and ever Amen Psal 40. 74. Let all those that seeke thee be ioyful and glad in thee and let all such as loue thy salvatioÌ„ say alwaies The Lord be praised FINIS THE SECOND PART OF THE TRIAL OF TRVTH WHEREIN IS SET DOWNE THE proper fountaine or foundation of all good works the fowre principal motiues which the spirit of God so often vseth in the sacred scriptures to perswade therevnto togither with the contrariety of the doctrine of the Church of Rome to the same wherein also are opened not only the causes of all true piety and godlines but also of all heresie and Idolatry which is and hath beene among Gentiles and Iewes and vs likewise that are called Christians By JOHN TERRY He that commendeth himselfe is not allowed but whom the Lord commendeth 2. Cor. 10. 18. VVhether we be out of our wit we are it to God or whether we be in our right minde we are it vnto you The loue of Christ constraineth vs. 2. Cor. 5. 13. 14. AT OXFORD Printed by Joseph Barnes and are to be solde in Fleetstreete at the signe of the Turkes head by IOHN BARNES 1602. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL Master Doctor RIVES warden of S. Mary Colledge of VVinchester in Oxford commonly called New Colledge and to the residue of the members that are or haue bin of that society IT is a truth generally confessed Right VVorshipful yee the residue beloved in the Lord that of all feastes that is the most sumptuous and dainty which wisedome hath provided for Proâ— 9. her guests the which consisteth of three courses that is of the instructions of faith of the precepts of life and of the rules of discipline and government The two first courses of this worthy feast especially the first coÌ„sisting of the instructions of faith as they haue bin seasoÌ„ed served in by the Lords most skilfull Cookes and sworne servaÌ„ts and also as they haue beene attempted to be distempered even poisoned by the blacke guard of Antichrists kitchin the devils scullery I haue already set before the Christian Reader which vouchsafeth to be a guest at wisedomes table that vnder the tast of the Right Reverend Father in God my very good Lorde the Bishop of SaruÌ„ And now that which was then wanting of the second service without the supply wherof this feast might seeme to be somwhat sparing as far forth as I haue beene credited therewith I present vnto the church vnder the approbation of the Right worshipful M. Doctor Riues laâ—e chiefe overâ—eer of our coÌ„mon mother the Vniversity of Oxford and remaining still a careful Guardian of one of my speciall nurses the Colledge of S. Mary of Winchester in Oxford coÌ„moÌ„ly called New Colledge Sir your kinde affection towardes mee of long time and your friendly perswasion in moving mee to publish to the benefite of the church of Christ the first part of my private labours and your advaÌ„cemeÌ„t by God to the governmeÌ„t of that Colledge vnto the which â—owe more then vnto any other place or person whatsoever seeing there I had my being well wheras elsewhere I had but my bare being or rather with my being my being evil haue induced me so farre forth to presume of your favour and good will as that I am bold to request your protection for the seconde part of these my travailes and paines For my hope is the more that God hath advaÌ„ced you to worshippe that the greater will bee your care to further all such meanes as doe concerne his worship that you do esteeme this to be your chiefest worship that you haue receiued of the â—ord not only a minde to will but also by reason of your place hability to perfourme many thinges that belong to the glory of God and to the good of his church Cicero saide of Caesar that his high estate had nothing greater and his nature nothing better theÌ„ that he was both able ready to preserue many And Plinie saidâ— of Vespasian that the greatnesse of his honor had changed nothing in him but this that now by his advancement he was made able as before he was willing to doe good to many And Aristotle hath set down this as a differeÌ„ce between a king a tyraÌ„t that the one seeketh the publike the other his own private good Lastly the Poet could say that this was the great Hoc reges habeÌ„t magnificum ingens nullus quod ra piat dies prodesse miseris and magnificeÌ„t prerogatiue of princes which no day could take from them to profite the miserable and to protect the suppliant c. Now Christian magistrates know more then these heathenish persoâ—s did which liued without the knowledge of the true God eveÌ„ that they are the Lords Leifetenantes not onely to preserue the commodities of their earthly kingdoÌ„ms for the good of their subiects but much more to maintaine establish among them the meanes whereby they may be made partakers of the kingdome of heaven And verely this is a great dignity vnto you that God the full fountaine of all good thinges hath made you a river to water the plantes of a goodly nursery and to minister vnto theÌ„ al such thinges as might further their growth and a carfull Guardian to fence and keepe them from all such things as might worke their annoy ance that so many good trees might grow vp therein fit to be transplanted into many places of this land to replenish the same with much fruite We also which haue bin heretofore plantes in your nurserie hope that your river wil flowe forth farre further and extend it selfe even vnto vs to water vs with some of your droppes and to bee our fence and fortification that the fruites of faith godlines that growe vpon our branches may bee the better preserved and kept vntill they come to maturity and ripenes And now to come to you my foster brethren as I togither with you expect protection and direction from our common head so as a fellowe member I am bould to put you in minde that while yee may come to the full breast yee desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby if ye haue tasted how sweete the Lord is and what an honour it is to be borne of God and how great is the gaine of faith and godlines And that while the yeeres of plenty coÌ„tinue ye follow the ensample of provident Ioseph and
to be discerned are meant their corrupt opinions and doctrines for that opinions sayings aswel as doings be they good or badde are the effects fruits of good and badde men yet for that also that doctrine not delivered to others but first conceaved by our selues is not the fruite but the cause of faith and faith engendred by sound doctrine engraffeth vs into Christ and so maketh vs good trees bringing forth good workes as good fruit and faith proceeding from evil doctrine bringeth forth evill workes as evil fruit wee will be contented at this time to vnderstand also by fruits wherby false prophets are to be discerned their evill and vngodly workes Especially if it bee added that workes are no otherwise knowen to be good or badde then as they agree or disagree froÌ„ the precepts and rules of good works which are delivered in the canonicall scripture For that is the most exact canon and rule whereby wee must trie both ouâ— faith and our workes and that faith and workes are onely to be approved which are agreeable and consonant thereto And vnlesse wee keepe our selues most carefully to the triall of this iudge wee may easily bee deceived with probabilities and shewes For according vnto the admonition of our Saviour set downe in the former rule false prophets which inwardly are ravening wolves may bee attired in sheepes cloathing that is may haue an outward shewe both of a sounde faith and also of an holy and godly life For the Devill is a most cunning counterfeite and the skilfullest Ape that ever was He can alleâ—ge scripture and the holy word of God to draw vs from that pure doctrine of that holy word and hee can turne himselfe into an angel of light and make his ministers to appeare to bee the children of light and furnish them with the outward shewe of the workes of light yea he can imitate the miraculous workes and wonders of God to perswade the world that God himselfe by hâ—s omnipotent almighty power doth giue testimony vnto his lies The which thing is so much the more carefully to bee considered of vs for that wee are fallen into these latter daies wherein experience hath taught vs that to be true which vvas foretolde by Isidore Gregory that is that the true Church of See Mâ— Fox vol. 1. fol. 418. Christ should want the glorious power of working of miracles before the comming of Antichrist that he might the more freely and without controlement persecute her as a base obiect that Antichrist should come himselfe not onely with straunge signes and wonders to gette the greater credit and admiration but also with a certaine shew of holines that both the lighenes of the reprobate might be detected that are soone caried away with every shew and also that the patience and stayednes of the faithfull might be made manifest who will embrace the truth albeâ— it be not garnished with outward shewes and sette themselues against falshood and lies although they be never so much beautified adorned with the same Heerein theâ— is coÌ„mended vnto vs one speciall point of Christian wisedome that as Christ who was endued with the spirit of wisedome aboue measure iudgeth not according to the sight of Isa 11. 3. 1. Sam. 16. 7. the eies nor reproveth according to the hearing of the eares but iudgeth righteously as God himselfe looketh not on the outward Good workes in shew are not alwaies good workes in deede but sometimes evill and what is the cause therof not the worke it selfe but the maÌ„ner of doing of doing of it maketh it faulty Aug. de doct Christ l. 3. c. 12. 2. Tim. 3. 5. The shewe of good works may be greater among Hypocrites Heretiques and the ve ry Infidels then amoÌ„g sound and sincere Christians appearance but behouldeth the heart so doth the wise and prudent Christian also He iudgeth of the workes of man not according vnto the glorious shewe of the outward action but according vnto the pure sincerity of the inward intention neither doth hee so much respect the worke done as the manner wherby it is done For as the Philosopher can teach vs he is not a iust man that doth iust actions but he that doth them after a iust maÌ„ner as the schoolmeÌ„ haue taught God is not a rewarder of nownes but of adverbes that is God rewardeth not the deeds that are barely iust but such as are done iustly For a iust deed performed but not iustly is a iust deede in shewe but not in substace Now iust deedes onely in shewe and not in substance may bee founde in false Prophets and seducing Heretiques yea they shal be found in the Hereâ—iques of these last times who shall haue a shew of godlines but shal deny the power thereof And verelie such as â—… open offendors notorious malefactors can hardly perswade others to like of that doctrine which themselues professe whatsoever it be but such as are in outward appearance of an holy life and conversation may greatly prevaile and do much mischiefe if that they be teachers of falshoode and lies and of erronious and heâ—…icall doctrines And this the Devill knoweth right well and therfore ofteÌ„times maketh his ministers to seeme to be of an heavenly and Angelical coÌ„versation that so he may by this meanes more easily bring in his divelish errours And hath not our Saviour tolde vs Luke 16 8. that the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light Mat. 23. 15. And doth not experience it selfe teach vs that they are not onely more painefull industrious compassing sea and land to make one of their profession but also more beneficial and bountifull Exod. 32. 24 giuing away their goodâ—… and treasures and robbing themselues and theirs of their most pâ—etions and costly Iewels to make a golden calfe or some other the like Idoll The Apostle Saint Paule hath testified that the Heretiques of these last times shall forbidde mariage and commaund 1. Tim. 4. 2. to abstaine from meate in hypocricy that so they might seeme very abstemious and chast and of a most severe and straite life And Chrysostome hath witnessed lâ—kewise of them that they Chrysost in matth hom 49. shâ—ll haue a greater shewe of abstinence and continency then shall be found among the true Christians And is it not recorded of The very Turkes that such as are of their religious orders vse wonderfull austerity and rigour in punishing their owne bodies that so they might seeme great mortified me And did not Baals Priestes vse to launce themselues vvith kniues vntill they vvere goared in their owne blood But what doe I speake of rigorous 1. Reg. 18. 28 discipline found among Turkes Heretiques Idolators Were there not among the heathen theÌ„selues as notable examples for the exercise of all manner of civill duties as ever were found among any Christians Was not Aristides most famous for iustice Socrates for sobriety
Appius Claudius for fidelity Fabritius for abstinence Scaevola for courage Cato for severity Cimon the Plut. in vita Cimonis Athenian for liberality Of whom it is recorded that he tooke away the moundes and fences from his groundes that the stranger and poore might take what fruite they would to refresh and satisfie themselues there withall besides he prepared a large supper ordinarily to the which any poore man might come and receiue sustenance and if he mette any auncient citizen in ragged and torne attire he commaunded one or other of his follovvers to chaunge his apparell with him and of his retinue that accompanied him some carried large suÌ„mes of mony that if they mette with any honest poore man they might giue vnto him all that he needed And yet vvhat vvere all these so glorious and goodly workes but bare shadowes counterfeites of vertuous actions rather then vertuous actions indeede Yea what were they but Splendid a peccata The best workes of the vnfaithâ—ull aâ—e no better then sinnes Rom. 11. 20. beautiful sinnes And as for the parties themselues shal we therfore esteeme them to haue beene good trees for that they had such an outward shew of good fruite Surely the spirit of truth doth testifie of vs that we are all by nature brambles breers wild â—…ues vntill we be grasled into the true oliue Nowe it is faith that doth grafte vs into the true olive as infidelity doth breake vs of Without saith then we are no better then brambles briars and wilde olives And whâ—… Dee men gather grapeâ— of thorâ—es figges Math. 7. 16. of brâ—arâ— Or doth the wilde oliue bring forth a kinde and natural olive Wherfore all these before named so famous and worthy personages in the eies of flesh bloud for al their glorious shew of goodly fruite living without faith without Christ vvithout God being Ephes 2. 12. alâ—ans from the â—ommâ—n wealâ—h of Israell and from the covenants of grace must needes vndergoe that heavy but iâ—st sentence of the Lord of the vineyard Cutte downe the vnprofitable trees for why Luke 13 7. Math. 3 10. cumber they the grounde And againe Now is the aâ—e laide vnto the roote of the treesâ— therfore every tree that bringoth not forth good fruite is bowâ—n downe and cast into the fire For if I giue al my goods to the poore 1. Cor. 13. 3 and haue not loue it profiâ—…th me nothing that is if this liberall fact of mine proceede not from a sincere harty affection to the good of my neighbour as likevvise if this harty affection towarde my neighbour come not from a sincere loue towardes God vvho is loued for himselfe and in whom also I love my neighbour yea if this my loue towardes God flow not from his loue in Christ towardâ— me embraced and apprehended by a true and lively faith all this my releiving of the poore cannot releiue my selfe and all this my mercy toward the needy cannot be a meanes to convey over vnto me the Lordes mercy For vnlesse all my goodnes be after this manner derived from God the onely fountaine of all goodnes well it may vnto men seeme to be goodnes yet it shall not haue his allowance from God But now let vs returne againe vnto our Saviours rule Beware of false Prophots which come vnto you in sheepes cloathing but inwardlie are ravening wolves ye shall know them by their fruites True teachers which with their harts sincerely embrace that holesome doctrine which they professe with their mouthes togither with their faith full disciples and schollers are as trees planted in the paradise of God and watered with the pure streames of the river of the vvater of life that floweth throughout the paradise of God and so receiving the blessing of God doe there by bring forth fruit good in truth and substance and not in shewe onely or outward appearance whereas false teachers as bastard plantes setled in the wildernes of this barren and vnfruitful world and wette with the venemous drops of the infected and deadly puddles of humane devices and dreames doe thereby bring forth fruit sometimes holesome and good in shew but never in substance For an infected fountaine cannot yeeld forth holesome water neither can a corrupt faith bring forth an vncorrupt life For the mind and vnderstanding are the leaders and guides vnto the will and the affectious and therefore if they be misledde with falshood errour and wander and goe astray in the bye pathes of impiety vngodlines howe can they direct the will and affections in the right way of piety and godlines Verily vnto whomsoever God in his iustice hath denied the knowledge of the groundeâ—and principles of a sound faith to them also he doth deny the gift and blessing of an holy life seeing that selfesame holy doctrine that is the cause of an holy faith is also the cause of an holy life as it is made manifest in the fourth motiue As on the contrary side vnto whom God in his mercy hath given the faithful acknowledging embracing of the grounds and principles of a sounde faith vndoubtedly to them hee doeth likewise graunt the practicall knowledge of an holy life For true faith and sincere loue which are the mother and nurce of all good workes are as Hypocrates twinnes borne togither and living without separation so that if one of them be strengthned the other receiveth strength also and if one of them be weakned the other is weakned they go alwaies hand in hand and bee inseparable companions and never breake company giue entertainement to the one thou must giue entertainment to the other sâ—ut the one of them out of thy dores and the other will in no wise be thy guest nor abide vvith thee the least moment of time For albeit a bare naked knowledge of the grounds of faith may be severed from the practise of a godly life yet a faithfull embracing and a sincere reâ—oiceing in them can never be idle and vnfruitfull but alwaies is accompaned with good works which giue witnesse vnto the sincerity Qui non fac it bonuÌ„ non credit bonum soundnes of faith and do sufficiently declare the holinesse of the doctrine from whence â—hey proceede Holy doctrine embraced but in shew and in hypocrisie may be vnfruitfull but being sinâ—…ly received it maketh good trees which cannot bee without gâ—…d fruite Now then this being evident that good workes are the infalhble notes of a good faith it remaineth that as in the former part of this treatise we declared that faith to be only sounde and catholike which was agreeable to the grounds of faith more briefly abridged in the Apostles Creede and set downe more at large in the canonicall seripture so now we set downe those divine rules of an holy life which are delivered in the same books wherevnto we must frame all our works if that wee desire to bee assured that they shall
of Gods temporall giftes is a deniall of God and therefore much more the ascribinâ— of eternall life to our own merites but of our temporal goods and possessions vnto our owne industry and witte be an iniquity to be condemned because it is a deniall of God then is it a greater iniquity more to be condemned and a more heinous deniall of God to robbe him of the glory of his greatest giftes by ascribing them vnto our owne merites But herein is fulfilled the prophesie of Saint Peter * 2. Pet. 2. 1. who hath plainely foretolde that as there were then false prophets among the people so there shoulde bee false teachers among vs who shoulde prively bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lorde that bought them The truth is that the children of the Church of Rome confesse in word their redemption wrought by Christ but wheÌ„ they theÌ„ selues labour to purchase heaven by their ovvn merites do they not plainely disallowe the sufficiencie of the purchase thereof made by Christ Yea whereas our Rhemistes are so bolde as to call the iustice of God which is residenâ— in Christ appreheÌ„ded by our faith and so imputed to vs because it was wrought for vs a new no iustice a phant asticall apprehension of that which is not a falsâ— faith and an vntrue imputation and to affirme that there is no righteousnes Rhem in c. 3. ep ad Rom. whereby we are iustified before God but that which is inherent in vs being giveÌ„ to vs of God by Christ that therby we might merit for our selues our iustification salvation doe they not in flat tearmes deny Christs own inhereÌ„t righteousnes wherby we are iustified saved ascribe the same to our own inherent righteousnes If a friend should procure of a father some portion of a stocke for his son by the which being well emploied encreased the son should in some spate of time purchase a good farme were the friend or the father or the son to be tearmed the purchaser thereof It is plaine and manifest that none but the son Why then if Christs own righteousnes inherent in himselfe and imputed to vs be a new no righteousnes not the price of our redemption but our owne inherent righteousnesse procured of God our heavenly Father by the death of Christ as by the mediation of our dearest friend then wee our selues are the purchasers of everlasting life and so our owne Saviours and redeemers and are no surther beholding to Christ for the same then for that he hath procured for vs some portion of loue repentaÌ„ce obedience and the like the which being well emploied and encreased by our owne free will is the only price that is given for that heavenly purchase But far be this blâ—sphemous doctrine from the heartes of all true and faithfull Christians let it bee enough for vs to enioy the fruite of our salvation purchased by Christ let vs giue to his owne most pure and perfect obedience this glory that we esteeme it bee the only price that is or could bee equivalent vnto that so great and worthy a purchase And whereas the great endlesse loue of God our Father electing iustifying vs freely in Christ are the steppes vvhereby God descendeth to vs to finish his worke heere begunne in vs by bringing vs heere in this lâ—…e to our sanctification and to our glorification in the life to come and vvhereas also the Lorde in his high and admirable vvisedome hath appointed that this his greate and endlesse loue in electing and iustififying vs freely in Christ should bee the only effectuall meanes to worke our conversion and sanctification and the most strong and forcible motiue to in duce vs to the ready performaunce of all such holy vvorkes as are the steppes and staires to our glorification let vs not presume to perverte this order and course ordayned by God in his greate wisedome by setting the cart before the horse by turning all â—opsie turvey by chaunging the effectes into the causes and the causes into the effectes by placing the highest steppes in the lowest roomes and the lowest in the highest by altring the first into the last and the last into the first and yet all this is done by vs if vvee make our sanctification and good vvorkes the merit orious causes of the loue of God and of our election iustification by CHRIST vvhich are but the effectes and fruites of the same Nay rather seeing God hath not only loved vs but also hath made manifest the same vnto vs by his manifold blessinges by giving our selues vnto our selues and all this glorious vvorlde to our vse and service by giving vs his ovvne deare sonne to iustifie vs by his bloode and to sanctifie vs by his spirite and to leade vs by his worde in the right way to our full and finall glorification howe oughte wee to serue him that hath thus served vs and honour him that hath honoured vs and loue him that hath loved vs to be most desirous to testifie the same by our careful continual emploiment in all those works which he himselfe hath ordained for vs to walk in that in most ready and humble obedience vnto his will not onely because it is holy iust acceptable welpleasing vnto himselfe and the wil of him vnto whom we owe all obedience in respect of his supreme auctority over vs but much more for that we are so deeply endebtted vnto him in respect of his infinite endlesse mercies Seing theÌ„ the wil of God must be the rule squier of al our workes or else they will grow much out of square therfore it coÌ„cerneth vs most nearely to make most diligent inquiry by what meanes we may attaine to the assured knowledge therof that so we may conforme our selues wholy therevnto The knowledge of the most certaine and vndoubted will of The sure certaine â—…ill of God â—s onely to â—e learned â—ut of the Canonical scriptures God is now to be found only in the word of God revealed to the Prophets Apostles by the spirit of God sette downe by theÌ„ in the Canonical Scriptures For as words are given to vs of God that therby we might signify each to other the seÌ„ce meaning of our minds eveÌ„ so hath the Lord himselfe revealed to vs by his written word what is the meaning of his wil hath coÌ„manded vs to seeke for the same onely from thence This commandement Deut. 30. 11. saith Moses which I command thee this day is not hidde froÌ„ thee neither is it farre of It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp into heaven and bring it vnto vs and cause vs to heare it that we may doe it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say vvho shall goe over the sea to bring it to vs to cause vs to heare it that vvee may doe it But the word is neere vnto thee even
aftervvardes by the vvill of God delivered vnto vs in the holy Scriptures that is might bee the foundation and pillar of our saith The doctrine then delivered in the Scriptures is a most sure doctrine and hee that buildeth his faith thereon buildeth vpon a most strong foundation but hee that buildeth vpon any thing else buildeth vpon the slippery sande If anie thinge saith Chrysostome be spoken vvithout the Scripture the knovvledge of the Chrysâ—in Psal 95. bearer halteth novve staggering novve graunting novve dâ—testing the speech as vaine and novve receiving the same as probable but vvhere the Scripture the testimonie of GODS voice commeth forth it confirmeth the talke of the speaker and the minde of the hearer And verely vvee may bee fully assured that to bee sound and perfect vvhich is delivered in the holy Scripture the which vvhosoever follovveth vvalketh safely and all other doctrines may bee suspected vvhich the Lavve and the Prophets vvith the Gospell doe not confirme For as for our ovvne narrations and declarations they haue no credite at all vvithout the divine bookes and therefore if vve wil be accounted the teachers of truth wee must not â—et abroach our ovvne inventions or any manner of doctrine received froÌ„ man but only â—ecite rehearse out of the scriptures the doctrine of Christ our onely Doctor and teacher For humane testimonies are not sufficient aâ—d allowable in divine matters of what force and validity soever they be in humane affaires to warrant divine matters they are not of sufficient auctority albeit they be the revereÌ„d testimonies of Apostolicall men For they were apostolicall men on both sides in the first age of the primitiue church that contended so eagerly about the observation of Easter and pretended both apostolicall tradition yet even so neere the Apostles time on the one side at the least there was in al likely-hood but a meere pretence Wherfore Ier. in 1. Hagg. Ierome is bolde to avouch that the sword of the spirit which is the word of God doth strike through those things which without the auctorities testimonies of the scripture men doe finde out faine as if they had them by apostolical tradition Cyprian also thought it to be a sufficient exception against any apostolical Cyp. ep 74. tradition if it were not written in the bookes of the Prophets Apostles For the Lord saith he doth testifie that those things are to be done which are registred in writing as to Iosuah the sonne of NuÌ„ Let not the booke of the lawe depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayst observe do all things that are written therin In all well ordred countries kingdomes there is a common beame or ballance or sealed weights allowed measures for the preservation of iustice equitie which would not vndoubtedly be so well kept if every one were permitted to follow what measure he listed This common ballance among the Lordes people Aug. cont Donatist â—2 c. 6. is the Lords owne word therfore when any goe about to measure their faith or their workes by their owne good intentes and meanings or by the opinions iudgments of men it is as it were a taking to themselues of new ballance that is to be esteemed no better then flatt forgery these their measures are to be broken themselues to be punished for that they presume to refuse the Lords weights measures to gette to themselues other of their owne devising Wherfore if we desire to be rightly instructed what is the holy perfecte wil of God what are the things that belong to his service we must not now seeke for any new revelation nor for any information to be given vs by Angels or by any from the dead we must not follow the customes of the multitude nor say a conspiracy to that whereto the people saith a conspiracy neither must wee be over ruled by the examples of our forefathers nor yet by the pretence of apostolike traditions seing all these are but false ballances vncertaine deceaveable guides The books of the Prophets Apostles are the onely iust ballances the onely sure infallible teachers that will not mislead vs nor carry vs into errors Wherefore most holesome is the counsell of the preacher VVhen thou goest vp saith hee to the Eccl. 4. 17. house of God take heede to thy foote be more ready to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they doe evill Our naturall light in divine matters is grosse darkenes our fleshly wisedome 1. Cor. 3. 19. is meere follie and therfore he that will come to the house of God there offer vp to God as parte of his service any thing either drawen out of his owne foolish braines or taken froÌ„ others like to himselfe he doth offer to God the sacrifice of fooles wheras he that is affraide to thrust vpon God his owne or other mens follies therfore is ready to harkeÌ„ most diligeÌ„tly to the word of the most wise God the full fountaine welspring of all true wisdome he is in the ready way to offer to God that service vvhich is most gratefull and acceptable vnto him as being most agreeable to his owne will And no doubt but that hereof it was that in the ancieÌ„t church of the Iewes every Saboth day wheÌ„ the Lords people went vp to the Lords house to perform that service which wâ—s acceptable vnto him the bookes of Moses were read expounded Act. 15. 21. as it may appeare by the history of Nehemiah by the common practise of Christ and his Apostles For this cause in the primitiue church all bookes that vvere not Canonicall vvere in Concil Laod. Caâ— â—9 some Christian churches forbidden to be read in their publike asseÌ„blâ—es in those churches where there was a tolleration of some books to be read that were Apocripha that was done not as if any point of faith could sufficiently be confirmed by their auctority but for the edification of manners by the ensamples of the servantes of GOD therein remembred vvhose lives vvere framed according vnto the Lavve of GOD and according vnto the rules of the Canonicall Scriptures For vvee ought not to follovve the holiest of the Saintes but vvith this restriction as they follovve CHRIST Bee follovvers saith Saint Paule of mee as I am of CHRIST So that if the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 1. himselfe in any thing bee it never so little decline from GOD and turne out of the directe vvaie of his commandements we must turne from him if he leaue God we must leaue him only in what things he most vprightly walketh vvith God in those thinges vve are bounde ro walke with him steppe by steppe and to follow his holy and godly example But the precepts of a sincereâ— faith and of an holy life delivered in the Caâ—onicall scriptures doe in all pointes leade
sheepes cloathing therfore cannot easily be discerned vntill their cloakes be taken from them a due viewe be taken of them by their portraitures and resemblances most liuely drawen out onely by the pensill of the Prophets and Apostles Doth not S. Iohn also will the Christian congregation not to beleeve ever ie spirite but to trie the spirites whether they bee of 1. Ioh. 4. 1. God or no seeing even then in his life time many false Prophets were gone out into the world For he is a foole that beleeveth every Prov. 14. 15 thing and the iointes of true wisdome are these two first to bee â—ober in our owne opinions and secondly not to bee to hasty in giving credit to others Proue all things saith the Apostle 1. The. 5. 21 but approue that which is good even that which is found to be so by sufficient triall Yea he was not only contented to haue his owne doctrine to bee tried but also giueth a straite charge that the same be diligentlie done I speake saith hee as to them that have vnderstanding iudge yee what I say and his commaundemente is 1. Cor 10. 15 that all other teachers be subiect also to the same lawe Lett the Prophets speake two or three and let the other iudge VVherfore Origen 1. Cor. 14. 29 Orig. in Ios hom 2. speaking vnto the people saith vnto them Doe yee that vvhich is vvritten that is that one speaking all the rest examine So saith he vvhiles I speake that vvhich I thinke doe yee discerne vvhat is right and vvhat is othervvise And Saint Ambrose Ambr. cp lib. 5. orat in Auxen doth exasperate his auditory against his adversarie Auxentius for that hee refused to haue his cause heard and tryed by the censure and iudgment of the people Auxentius saith hee speaking to the people knovving you not to bee ignorant of the faith hath shunned your iudgement and hath chosen foure or five heathen men Then in that hee hath chosen Infidels hee is vvorthie to bee condemned of Christians because hee hath reiected she Apostles precepte vvhere hee saith Dare any of you having ought against another hee iudged vnder the vniust and not rather vnder the Saints Yee see that vvhich hee hath offered is against the Apostles auctority But vvhat speake I of the Apostle vvhen the LORDE himselfe proclaimeth by the Prophet Heare yee mee O my people that know vvhat belonges to iudgment in vvhose hearte my Lavve is GOD saith Heare yee mee O my people that knovve iudgment Auxentius saith yee knovve not hovve to iudge yee see that hee contemneth GOD in you vvhich refuseth this sentence of the heavenly oracle for the people in vvhose hearts the lavve of God is doth iudge VVho then doth you vvrong Hee that refuseth or hee that referreth himselfe to your audience Wherfore to be able to discerne the spirites and to distinguish truth from falshoode and verity from vanity is not a special gift proper to a few but a generall grace common to al the Lords people For as the natural man is able to discerne holesome foode from vnholesome vnlesse his body be infected with sicknesse and his tast distempered with some corrupte humor so the spirituall man is able to discerne the foode of the soule and to distingush falshoode from truth vnlesse his minde be blinded with errour and his iudgment corrupted with some preiudicate opinion According as our Saviour himselfe hath Ioh. 10. vers 4. sette it dovvne as a property belonging to all his sheepe that they doe knovve his voice from the voice of a stranger and are able to discerne the sheepheard from the wolfe And verely hovve othervvise could they shunne the wolfe and follovv the shepheard Hovve could they flye falshood that leadeth to destruction and embrace the truth to the salvation of their soules Yea but saith the composer of the Ward-vvord if the The due trial of the doctrine of our teachers by the touchstone of the scriptures is not the cause of falling into heresie but of sinding ouâ— the truth People may iudge of the doctrine of their teachers and if every one may make choice according to his ovvne private fancy is not this the high and open vvay to errour and heresy It is sufficiently declared before that the people ought to try and to discerne by the Scriptures the doctrine of their pastors and teachers and to approue of that only which is agreeable to that foundation of truth but not of that which best fitteth their owne private fancies or the fanciful opinions of any other For we must not drawe our pastors and teachers before the consistory of our owne harts to receive their censure iudgmeÌ„t froÌ„ our selues but before the tribunal seat of the word of God For as for our selues wee must not presume to pronounce any definitiue sentence but we must giue our esseÌ„t consent to that seÌ„teÌ„ce which we vnderstaÌ„d to be pronouÌ„ced by that iudge And if we be desirous rightly to vnderstaÌ„d what is the seÌ„tence of that iudge we must renouÌ„ce our own iudgmeÌ„t which we haue drawen other froÌ„ the blindnes of our corrupt nature or else froÌ„ our evil badde education we must become fooles that is coÌ„demne all our 1. Cor. 3. 18. own thoughts of extreme folly if we be desirous to be partakers of that wisdome which is to be learned out of the word of God the fouÌ„taine welspring of all wisdome We must most huÌ„bly devoutly resort in our praiers to the father of light that he would cause vs to behold our own blindnes darknesâ— haue our continual recourse to his holy word which is a lanterne to our feete and a light to our pathes that so the eles of our mind being lightned we may attaine to a sound and vncorrupt iudgment and be â—…le to disâ—…rne falshoode from truth For if thou call for knovvledge and crie for vnderstanding and if thou seeke for her as for silver Pro. 2. 3. and search for her as for treasures then shalt thou vnderstande the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God A scorner indeed seeketh Pro. 14. 6. knowledge and findeth it not but vvisedome is easie to him that will vnderstande The vvorde of God saith Origen is shut vppe against Orig. in Exod. hom 9. Heb. 5. 11. the negligent but it is open to them that seeke and knocke Manie thinges saieth the Apostle are harde to them that are dull of hearing and are vnexpert in the vvorde of righteousnes and haue not their vvittes exercised through longe custome to discerne betvveene good and evill But if vvee haue our continuall resorte vnto GOD by praier and bee dayly exercised in reading and meditating on the vvorde of GOD and lay it as our sure ground-worke and foundation of all trueth vvee shall not long bee neglected neither shal our labour bee in vaine in the Lord but we shal be lightned with
ministery of pastours and Doctors is not stil needfull for the people of God but the meaning is that the doctrine first taught by the mouth of the Apostles afterward set downe in their Canonical writings is so plaine evident and ful to the servants of Christ which are endued with his spirit that they need not now at vnder the law any vnerring teacher ordinary or extraordinary for the further opening of any necessary point of faith which otherwise might be secret and lye hid And so also the Apostle to the Hebrews teacheth out of the booke of the Prophet Ieremy This is the testament that I will make with the Heb. 8. 10. house of Israell after these daies saith the Lord I will put my laws in their mindes and in their heartes will I write them and I will be their God and they shall bee my people and they shall no more teach one another saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the greatest vnto the least Not as I said before that the ministery of teaching by ordinarie pastours should cease amongst vs which is still most behouefull both to renew the memory of those things which we know seeing we are stil ready to forget and to teach better those thinges which we know but in part and also those things which as yet we know not at al for the most skilful may proceede from knowledge to knowledge but that there shal be now no neede of any vnerring interpreter to open any necessary point of faith which otherwise would be altogether vnknown For al necessary things are set downe so plainly in the bookes of the Apostles and Evangelists by him that was best able to write even to the capacity of the most simple who caused also those bookes to be penned not to obscure but to lighten the truth that the lambe may wade in them without danger of drowning and drinke most plentifully of those vvaters of life yea the vvary of Gods service is now so plaine that the very fooles cannot erre therein The pointes of faith contained in these bookes neede neither to begge credite All thinges necessary to salvatioÌ„ are sette downe so plainely in the bookes of the new testament that all the faithfull may vnderstand the same without the helpe of an vnerring Interpreter yea without the helpe of any Interpreter at all nor to take light from the writings expositioÌ„s of men but haue their credite in themselues take their light from themselues giue light credit both to the persoÌ„s also to the bokes of al other whoÌ„soever that haue any credite or light in them And the maine grounds of faith contained in them stand vpon their owne ground haue in themselues most manifest perspicuity that the mind passing through many forms of opinions being once lightned therwith may resolue settle his ful assent consent vpon theÌ„ without the helpe of any vnerring Interpreter yea without the helpe of any Interpreter at all For what containe the bookes of the new testament but the vncovering of that which was covered in the old Now if those things be vncovered already what neede haue they of a further vncovering Vnlesse we thinke that the Apostles themselues which had the greatest measure of the spirite and the largest portion of knowledge in the misteries of God had either not so good skill or will to sett downe plainly in their Canonicall writings all points of faith as their schollers and successors had in their writings which are not Canonicall The truth is that all thinges necessarie vnto salvation are novve most plainly delivered in the bookes of the new testament the best Interpreters doe not by their expositions bring any new light at all vnto them but pointe as it were with the finger to that light which is in them that we may turne our eies vpon it togither with them behould the same they bring no grounds and principles of their owne that thereby they may lighten the doctrine of the scripture but they hould out the grounds principles of the scripture it selfe that therby they may lighten all that is obscure For albeit in the divine scriptures there are many places darke obscure hard to be vnderstoode such wherein the best Interpreters themselues may erre be deceaved yet as S. Austine Aug. de doct Christ l. 2. cap. 9. saith all things that belong to faith good manners that is to say to hope and loue are openly delivered sette downe in the same and out of these plaine and open places all necessary doctrines are to be taken and not out of the doubtfull and obscure And therefore when the heretike Petilian did alleage mystical obscure places for the confirmatioÌ„ of his errours the same father taketh exception against him after this manner saying these places Aug. cont Petil. cap. 16. are mysticall obscure and figurative but vvee require a manifest place that needeth no Interpreter at all And such places were alleaged by the Catholike Bishoppes for the opening and confirming of all controversies and doubtes Attende saith Iustine Iust Martyr in dialogo cuÌ„â—rypho Chrys in ep ad RoÌ„ hom 19. 2. Pet 3. 16. Martyr to these thinges vvhich I shall rehearse out of the scriptures vvhich neede not at all to bee expounded but onely to bee hearde So Chrysostome Doe these saith he neede any exposition are they not cleare and manifest even to those that are very dull And albeit in Saint Paule there are some thinges hard to bee vnderstoode vvhich the vnlearned and vnstable pervert as they doe also the other scriptures to their destruction yet Saint Ambrose is bold Ambr in ep 7. in principio epistolae to avouch of him that in most thinges hee doth so expound himselfe that he vvhich doth deliver and teach his doctrine can finde nothing that hee may adde or if hee vvill needes say something he must rather performe the dutie of a grammarian then of a discourser or disputer And verely albeit the vnbeleevers and such as are ignorant of the divine and heavenly doctrine of the Canonicall Scriptures Stap doct princ lib. 8. cap. 22. veritas docendo suadet Tertul. coÌ„t ValeÌ„t Aug cont ep Funda cap 14. The saith of the fiue members of the church of Christ is not setled vpon the auctority of the church or the iudgment of the Interpreter but vpon the light of the divine doctrine it selfe are at the first mooued sometimes to embrace the faith of CHRIST by the auctority of the Church and by the dignity and vvorthines of the Bishoppes and teachers yet when they are once perswaded and setled therein beeing lightned by the spirit of illumination and by the light of the doctrine it selfe then as Stapleton himselfe also hath taught they doe not any longer beleeue for the voice of the church but for the divine light it selfe they doe not any longer builde their faith vpon the voice of
of their Idolatries was their following of the corrupt customs of their owne countries and their refusall of the ordinaunces and 2. Kin. 17. 34 lawes of God And what was the cause that the Iewes theÌ„selues also which had the law and the prophets to direct them in al the waies of God did so often fall away from the service of God and defile theÌ„selues with abominable Idolatries but that they either vtterly forsooke the directioÌ„ of the word of God and follovved their owne inventions or the corrupte customes of their forefathers or else they mingled their owne dreames and the traditioÌ„s of their elders togither with the worshippe of God delivered in his worde which ought to haue bin kept pure and sincere without any mixture without any such hotch-potch mingle maÌ„gle The cause of the Idolatries that so much abouÌ„ded in the time of the Iudges was for that there was no king in Israel who was to coÌ„mand Iud. 17. 1. the carefull keeping of the law of God but every man did that which was good in his owne eies And what was the cause of those outragious dolatries in the daies of the kings especially in the daies of Manasses and Amon his sonne but this that the lavve of 2. Chro 34. 14. God was so neglected that the very autheÌ„tical coppy therof given by the hand of Moses himselfe was lost And if we will know also what was the cause of those damnable Idolatries that so prevailed in the daies of the prophets we may heare the same out of their mouthes who were the principall actors or at the least the chiefe abetters therof The word say they to the prophet Ieremy which thou hâ—st spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord we will not heare Ier 44. 16. it of thee but we will doe whatsoever goeth out of our owne mouth as to â—…rae incense to the Queene of heaven and to powre out our drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both we and our Fathers our kings our Princes in the cittie of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem for then had we plenty of victuals and were well and felt none evill Their wilful reiecting of the word of God and their obstinate resolution to follovve their ovvne customes and the practise of their forefathers vvas the cause of all their abominable Idolatries Neither vvas the vtter reiecting of the woorde of GOD the cause of so many corruptions in the Iewish religion but alâ—o the mingling therewith of their ovvne Inventions and of the traditions of their forefathers For in the Lordes fielde there oughte nothing to bee sowen but the most pure seede of the worde of God whatsoever is beside the same it is not good corne but cockle and darnell and they of the Lordes family are onely to be fedde with the holesome foode of that vvorde which is provided for their sustenaunce by their heavenly master whatsoever meate they take beside it is corrupte leaven yea deadly poison And therefore both GOD himselfe did most sharpely reproue the hypocriticall Iewes in the time of the Prophete Isay and our Saviour CHRIST the Scribes and Phaâ—isies in his dayes not foc that they did vtterlie reiect the service of GOD prescribed in his own word for it is cleare manifest that they did not so but for that they did corrupt the same with the mingling of their owne leaven they condemne that worship for Isa 20. 14. Mat. 1â— 9. vaine which is prescribed either wholy or in part by the precepts and doctrines of men And verily as in the bodies of men either want of good holesome food or the receiving of corrupt and bad either wholy or but in parte is the cause of many bodily disâ—ases even so either the want of the holesome food of the worde of God or the receiving of the corrupt food of humane doctrins either wholy or in part doth breed many sins corruptioÌ„s in our soules and make them sicke even to death Yea this hath bred al manner of errours heresies and Idolatries in all ages and at all times This was the cause of errour vnder the law and that amoÌ„g the Lords own people They erred in their hearts saieth the Lorde Psa 95. 10. himselfe because they haue not knowne my waies And why erred the Sadducies at the time of our Saviours appearing in the flesh so grosly and that in the chiefest grounds principles of the faith Mark 12. 23 Aug. in psa 131. Cyp. de simpl praelatorum Chrys hom 3. de Laza Yee erre saith our Saviour vnto them not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God This is the cause of all evill saith Austine that the scriptures are not knowne Hence saith Cyprian proceede errours for that menreturne not to the head nor seeke to the spring of truth nor keepe the doctrine of our heavenly Master The reading of the scriptures saith Chrysostome is a strong fortresse against sinne and the ignoraunce of them is a great downefull and a deepe hell to know nothing of â—he divine lawes is a great losse of salvation this thing hath bred heresies and brought in a corrupt life and hath turned al topsie turvy For how can it otherwise be but that health must needes decay and sicknesse grow where either holesome foode is not received at all or else is not received alone without the mixture of that which is corrupt And how can it otherwise bee but that weedes must needes spring vp where either good seed is not sowen at al or else not without the mixture of cockle and darnell And how can it otherwise be but that such must needs be misledde which either will not at all follow those are vnerring guides or else will not be guided by them alone but by such also as may be deceived Wherfore in that the church of Rome doth not only keep the greatest part of the people from the liberty of reading the holie scriptures but also doth mingle with the pure foode thereof the corrupt leaven of humane doctrines it cannot otherwise be but that spiritual sicknesses must grow in her apace ghostly health and strength greatly decay And seeing that shee soweth in the harts of the people not the sincere seede of the worde of God alone but also the darnell of mens inventions it caÌ„not be but that weedes must neâ—des mount vp and overgrowe the good corne And seeing she will haue her followers ledde by bookes Apocripha vnwritten verities ordinaunces of the Church decrees of Popes canons of Councels rules of Friers customes of the multitude traditions of forefathers and the like and not by the books alone of the Canonicall scriptures who are the only sure and vndeceiueable guides it is no marvaile that shee hath beene so misledde out of the way of truth hath wandred in the by-pathes of heresies and Idolatries even as the Idolatrous Iewes and Gentiles haue bin before her for that they followed the same