The Confession of Faith of English People in Exile, Preface
❧The preface to the Christian Reader.
IT may seem strange vntounto thee (Christian Reader) that any of the Englysh nation should for the truth of the Gospell be forced to forsake their native country, & live in exile, especially in these dayes when the Gospel seemeth to have free passage & florish in that land. And for this cause have our exile ben hardly thought of by many, and evil spoken of by some, who know not (as it seemeth) eyther the trew estate of the Church of England, or causes of our forsaking and separation from the same, but hearing this sect (as they call it) to be every where spoken against, Act. 28 2have (without all further search) accounted and divulged vsus as heretickes, or Schismatickes at the least. Yea some (and such as worst might) have sought the increase of our afflictions, even here also if they could: which thing they have both secretly and openly attempted. This hath Sathan added vntounto all our former sorrowes, envying that we should have rest in any part of the inhabited world, and therfore ceaseth not to make warre with the remnant of the womans seed, Rev, …which keep the comcōmaundements of, God and the testimony of Iesus Christ. …al. 105. …, 14.But the Lord that brought his former Israel out of Egypt & when they walked about from nation to nation, from one Kingdome to an other people, suffered no man to do them wrong, but reproved Kinges for their sakes: the same Lord yet liveth to mainteyn the right of his afflicted servantes, whō he hath severed, and dayly gathereth out of the world,Pet. 2, 9. to be vntounto himself a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, Psal. 46, 1a peculiar people & Israell of God: He is our hope and strength and help in troubles ready to be found, he will hyde vsus vnderunder his winges, and vnderunder his feathers we shall be sure, vntill these miseries be overpast.
And though we could for our partes wel have borne this rebuke of Christ in silence, aud left our cause to him who iudgeth iustly al the children of men: yet for the manifestation & clearing of the truth of God from reproches of men, and for the bringing others together with our selves to the same knowledg and fellowship off the Gospel, we have thought it needfull & our duty to make knowen vntounto the world, our vnfeyned fayth in God, and loyall obedience towards our Prince and all Governers set over vsus in the Lord, together with the reasons of our leaving the Ministery worship and Church of England. Which are not (as they pretend) for some few faultes & corcorruptions remayning, such as we acknowledg may be found in the perfectest Church on earth: Neyther count wee it lawfull for any member to forsake the fellowship off the Church for blemishes and imperfections, which every one according to his calling should studiously seek to cure, and to exspect and further it, vntill eyther there follow redresse or the disease be growe incureable,Rev. 2. 5. & the candlestick be moved out of the place. But we having through Gods mercy learned to discerne betwixr*2 Cor. 6. 1. … ▪ 15. &c Psa. 94. 20. the true worship of God & the Antichristiā leitourgy; the true ministery of Christ & Antichristiā prelacy;2 Thes. 2. 3. the ordināces of Christs testament & Popish canons: have also learned to leave|Ps. 37. 2… ▪ Ier. 51. 6. the evill & choose the good, to forsake Babell the land of our captivitie, & get vsus vntounto Sion the mount of the Lordes holynes, Rev. 18. 4. & 14. 1.and place where his honour dwelleth.
But first we desire thee, good Reader, to vnderstand, and mynd that we have not in any dislyke of the Civill estate and politick government in that Common wealth, which we much like and love, separated our selves from that Church: Neyther have we shaken of our alleageance and dutifull obedyence to our Soveraigne PRINCE, the honorable Counsellers, and other Magistrates set over vsus, but have alwayes and still do reverēce love and obey them every one in the Lord, opposing our selves against all enemyes forreigne or domestical: against all invasions, insurrections, treasons or conspiracies by whomsoever intended against the Prince and the State, and are ready to adventure our lives in their defence, if need require. Neither have our greatest adversaryes ever ben able to attaint vsus of the least disloyalty in this regard. And though now we be exiled, yet do we dayly pray & wil for the preservation peace & prosperity of our Soveraigne Prince & al the dominions of that kingdome.
And whereas we have been accused of intrusion into the Magistrates office, as going about our selves to reforme the abuses in that land, it is a mere malicious calumnie, which our adversaries have forged out of their own hart.Neh. 6. 6. 7. …. We have alwayes both by word & practise shewed the contrary, neyther ever attempted or purposed any such thing: but have endevored thus only to reforme our selves and our lives according to the rule of Gods word, by absteyning from al evill & keeping the cōmandements of Iesus: leaving the suppressing and casting out of those remnants of Idolatry, vntounto the Magistrates, to whom it belongeth.
And further we testify by these presents vntounto all men, & desyre them to take knowledg heerof, that we have not forsaken any poynt of the true Ancient Catholicke and Apostolike fayth professed in our land: but hold the same groundes of Christian religion with them stil, agreeing lykewise herein, with the Dutch, Harmon. of Confes.Scottish, Germane, French, Helvetian, and al other Christian reformed Churches round about vsus, whose Confessions published, we cal to witnes our agreement with them, in matters of greatest moment, being conferred with these Articles of our sayth following. The thinges then onelyonly against which we contend, & which we mislike in the E…glish parish assemblies, are many reliqu…s of that m…n of synne (whom they pretend to have abandoned) yet reteyned among them, and with a high hand maynteyned, vpholden, and imposed. The particulers whereof (being almost infinite) cannot wel of vsus be set down, and would be tedious and yrksome to thee (good Reader:) But the principal heads we wil truely relate, and that …o briefly as in so large and confuse a subject we can.
First, in the planting and constituting of their Church (at the beginning of Queen Elizabets reigne) they receyved at once into the body of that Church, as mēbers, the whole land, which generally then stood for the most part professed Papists, who had revolted from the profession, which they made in the dayes of King Edward of happy memory, and shed much blood of many Christian Martyrs in Queen Maryes dayes. This people yet standing in this fearful sinful state, in Idolatry, blyndnes, superstition, and all manner wickednes, without any professed repentance, and without the meanes thereof, namely the preaching of the word going before, were by force & authority of Law only compelled, and together received into the bosome and body of the Church, their seed baptised, themselves receved and compelled to the Lords supper, had this ministery and service (which now they vse) inioyned & set over thē, and ever synce they and their seed remayne in this estate, being all but one body commonly called the Church of England. Here are none exempted or excluded, be they never so prophane or wretched, no Atheist, adulterer, thief, or murderer, no lyer, perjurer, Witch or conjurer, &c▪ al are one fellowship, one body, one Church. Now let the law of God be looked into, and there wilbe found, that such persons‡1 Pet. 2. 5. Ier. 51. 26. are not fit stones for the Lords spiritual howse, no meet members for Christs glorious body. None of yeares*Act. 2. 38. 40. 41. and 8. 36. 37. & 15 9. Ioh 10. 3. 4 5. Esa. 35. 8. 9. may be received into the Church without fr…e professed fayth repentance and submission vntounto the Gospel of Christ & his heavenly ordinances. Neyther may|Ioh. 15. 2. 5. Mat. 18. 15. 17 Lev. 13. 46. Num. 4. 13. any contynew there longer then they bring forth the fruyts of fayth, walking as becommeth the Gospell of Christ. Christ Iesus†Iohn. 15. 19. & 17. 14. 16 Mat. 3. 12. Lev. 20. 24. …6. 1 Iohn. 4. 5. 6. hath called & severed his servants out of and from the world. How then should this confused and mixed people be esteemed the orderly gathered true planted and right constituted Church of God?
Secondly, as they have reteyned the whole …rout of the popish multitude without any distinctiō, for mēbers of their Church▪ so have they set over them (as reason was) the same popish Clergie & Prelacy, which they receved from the Romish Apostasie, and this day is to be found in the popish Churches:About forty ecclesiasticall popish offices are at this day in the Church of England, never a one appointed by Christ in his Testament. to witt, Archbs, Primates, Bbs. Metropolitanes, Suffraganes, Archdeacōs, Deanes, Chauncellors, Commissaries, and the rest of that rable, which rule and govern these assemblyes according to the Popish Canons, Rites, and Customes. These have the power and aucthoritie in their hands to set forth Injunctions, to make and depose Ministers, to excommunicate both Priests and people, which they do very exquisitly, if they yeeld not vntounto them their due homage and obedience. These have both Ecclesiastical and Civil aucthoritie, to reigne as Princes in the Church and live as Lords in the Common wealth, to punish, imprison, and persecute even to death al that dare but once mutter against their vnlawfull proceedings. Of these Prelates tyranny cruelty & vnlawful aucthoritie, the better sort both of preachers and people have cryed out, and long tyme sued vntounto the Prince and Parlament to have them removed out of the Church as bei…g the lymmes of Antichrist. But not prevayling. they are now content (fo… avoyding of the crosse of Christ) to submit themselves & their soules to this Antichris…tian Hierarchie, and beare the sinful yok… and burthen of their traditions, and to re…ceive and carry about the dreadful and d…testable marke of the Beast vponupon them.
Thirdly, the inferiour ministery of tha… Church, consisteth of Priests, Parsons, Vi…cars, Curats, hired preachers or Lecturers, with Clerks and other like Officers, which have received their offices callings and aucthoritie from their forenamed Lords the Prelates to whom they sweare their canonical obedience, and promise to performe it with al… reverence and submission. Their office i… to read over the service book & Bbs Decrees thereby to worship God,With what words and rites, in what habit and gesture, these things are to be done, they are taught in their Rubrik. to marry, to bu…ry, to church women, to visit the sick, give him the Sacrament, and forgive him al his sinnes: & if their livings or benefices (as they are called) amount to a certeine sūme of money in the Princes booke, then must they preach, or get some other to preach for them fower sermons in a yeare in their parish. Where also must be noted that the most part of these Priests are vtterly vnlearned, and cannot preach at all: whereby it commeth to passe that most of the people are as blynd as they were in the dark dayes of popery. These Ministers generally, aswel preachers as other, live in feare & servitude vnderunder their foresaid Lords the Bbs. For as without their licence written and sealed they cannot preach, so vponupon their displeasure and for not obeying their injunctions, they are many tymes suspended, degraded, and if they will not be ruled, put in prison: so that sundry of thē have ben suspended and imprisoned for preaching against the Prelats, not subscribing to their devised Articles and Booke of cō mon prayer, not wearing the sqare cap and surplice, not reading the service booke, & be tyed to the same, not coming to the Bbs courts, visitations, inquisitions, &c. tyll now of late being wearyed with these troubles, they give place to their tyranny, and are content to conforme themselves, and yeeld their canonical obedience according to their oath, …eeping now silence, yea going back, bearing & bolstering the things which heretofore by word and wryting they stood against, so long as there was any hope that the Prince & Counsel would have hea…kened vntounto them, and put these adversary Prelats out of the Church.
Fourthly, for administratiō, which is by Law imposed vponupon all both Clergie and Laitie, (for so they distinguish them) they have gathered their Service book verbatim out of the Masse book, turning out of Latine into English the Suffrages, Prayers, Let any Collects, &c. (leaving out some of the gross pointes therin) keping still the old fashio… of Psalmes, Chapters, Pistles, Gospell… versicles, respondes, also T… Deum, Bened…tus, Magnificat, Nunc dimittis, Our Father Lord have mercy vponupon vsus, The Lord be wi… you, O Lord open th…w my lyps, Glory to God … high, Lyft vp your harts, O come let vsus reioyc… Glory be to the Father, Quicunque vult, &… These doe they read dayly morninge an… evening all the yeare long in their priest… vestures, Surplice, cope, &c. some the… saye, and some they sing, having in the Cathedrall Churches, the Organs, Quer…ters, singing men and boyes, as in tymes pa… in pope…y.Some of them in certaine English books set forth, have reckned above 100. popish corruptiōs yet reteyned in this Church. Many popish errors yet remayn in that book, which their own preacher have noted, & found fault with. There a… they prescribed what prayers to read ov… the dead, over the co…n & grasse, some time in the yeare. By it are they injoyned … keep their holy dayes to their Lady (… they cal her) to all Saincts and Angel… to all Christs Apostles, (except Paul a… Barnabas) whose eyes they are cōmande… to fast, as also their Lent & Ember day… besides frydayes and saturdayes throug… out the whole year. By this book are t… Ministers instructed how to marry, wi… the signe of the Ring, &c. to baptise the hallowed Font, with signe of … crosse, with Godfathers and Godmothers, asking the child whether it wil forsake the devil and all his works, &c. to minister also their other sacrament or communion to the people kneling, as when in popery they received their maker, the words of Christs institution altered, and others in stead of them taken out of the popes portuis, with innumerable such like enormities and fopperies wherewith it swarmeth. And this is all the worship and service which many parishes have vsually, except peradventure some written Homilies which the vnlearned Priests read vntounto them. This service must first be read, and hath the preeminence, even on the Lords dayes, before any preaching, yea before the Bible it self. He that can read this book… distinctly, is fit ynough with them to be a Preist, yea many that have ben Artificers, as Shoemakers, Taylers, Weavers, Porters, &c, and without any giftes or knowledg at all, save only to read English, have ben and are admitted, & to this day maynteyned by the Prelats in the Ministerie.
To these Churches Ministers & Service must all the people there come every daye, yea though they hav in the next parish a Preacher, and in their own a dumb vnlearned Priest, yet are they all tyed to their owne Church and Minister, and must at the least twise a yeare, receve the Sacramēt at his hāds. If they refuse this, or do not ordinarily come to their parish Church, thē are they sūmoned, excōmunicated, & imprisoned tyl they become obedient▪ In this bō dage are our countrymen there held vnderunder their Priests and Prelats: and such as by the word of God witnes against and condemne these abhominations, they hate, punish, put to death, and persecute out of the Land.
Who now in whom any spark of true light is. cannot playnly perceive this their Ministery worship and Church to be false & adulterate? Doth Christs eternall testament ordeyn and approve of such popish Lordes and Prelats to reigne over his Church? Are these, those Christian Bishops that is*Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. Eph. 4. 11. 12 13. Pastors, Teachers, and Elders, which he hath set in his Church and over his owne people vntounto the ende of the world? Or can those Preachers which are thus created and deposed by, thus sworne and obedient vntounto their spirituall Lordes, be deemed true Teachers of the Gospell of Christ lawfully called and ordeyned to that Ministerye? Is that their English Masse the‡Ioh. 4. 24. Mat. 15. 9. trew & spirituall worship of God according to his owne wil? We are taught in the scriptures†Deut. 6. 4. 5 Mat. 16. 6. … Cor. 6. 14. 15. Psal. 106. 34. 35. 36. that there can be no agrement made betwixt Christ and Antichrist, betwixt the Lawes of God and mens traditions; that the servants of Iesus may not submitt vntounto or receive the marke of that Beast, neyther drinke of the cup of the whore of Babylons fornications, or buy any of her wares; but must|Iudo. vers. 3. contend for the mayntenance of that saith which was once gyven vntounto the saincts, keeping their souls and bodyes pure frō Antichristiā pollutions, touching ‡2 Cor. 6. 17. Eph. 5. 11.no vnclean thing, nor having any fellowship with the vnfruteful works of darknes, least*Rev. 18. 4. & 14. 10, 11. by partaking with their synnes they receve also of their plagues, & drynck of the wyne of the wrath of God, & be tormented in fyre and brimstone, before the holy Angels and before the Lamb for evermore. If Christ be God, let vsus follow him: but if the Pope be God, what shall we say? Why have we left him, his Church and ministery, his worship & jurisdiction, or what halting and mocking with the Lord is this,Mat. 6. 24. to put away the Popes person, 2 Kin. 16. 10, 11, 12. Rev…l. 13. 12. 14. 15.and reteyne his Prelacy and Ministery, his Lawes, Traditions and Canons, his worship & service: or at the least to frame vntounto our selves a worship Ministery and Church after the patterne and mould of the Apostasy of Rome? which what other thing is it, then to make an Image of that wild beast, and force men to worship it?
Thus seest thow briefely (good Christian Reader) the thinges which we mislike in the Church of England, and for which we have separated our selves as God commaundeth. …. 51. 6. Mi… 2. 10. Rev. 18. 4. 2 Cor. 6. 17.To all these, if we were amongst them, should we be forced to submitt our bodyes & soules, or els suffer violence at the handes of the Prelats,…. 40. & end our lives by violent death or most miserable imprisonment, as many of our brethren before vsus have done. For so great is the malice and power of those Romysh Priests, that they persecute vntounto death such as speak against them: and such poor Christians as they cast into their noysome prysons, can seldome or never get out (except with shipwrack of conscience) vntil they be caryed forth vponupon the Bere. Neyther is there any care taken for their relief in this case: but being cast into pryson, there they are deteyned without any alloweance of meat or money for their mayntenance, be their want and poverty never so great. If they have any thing of their own, there they are driven to spend it vp: if they have nothing, there they are left by the Prelates to feed on the ayre. And that they may more readily be sterved, or weakened in the truth, they are cōmonly shut vp in close pryson, their frends & acquayntance being not suffred to come at them: Nay even their wives & children being kept and debarred from them by the tyranny of these bloody Prelats and their Instruments: whose hard harts and vnnaturall cruelty, if thou diddest vnderstand (gentle Reader) as many of vsus hauehave felt and to this day yet feel, it would make thy hart to bleed, considering their vnmercyfull and barbarous dealing. And how many soules hauehave perished in their prisons through miserable vsage, how many have ben put to death, and how many banished, though we could to their eternall infamy relate to all the world, yet wil we not blaze abroad their acts (for we take no delight in laying opē their shame) but mourne for them in secret, cōmitting our cause to God that judgeth justly, knowing that he that maketh inquisition for blood remembreth it, Psal. 9. 12.and will not forget the complaint of the poore. And thou (Christian Reader) vouch safe to remember vntounto God in thy prayers such as yet remayne in bandes and pryson amongest them for the testimony of Iesus,Heb. 13. 3. enduring a hard sight of afflictions, and having the sentence of death in them selves, are like (if the Lord send not vnexspected deliverance) there to end their dayes.
Concerning our selves, who through the mercy of God have found a place of rest in this land, for which benefyt we are alwayes and every where humbly thankfull: we desyre (Christian Reader) thy charitable and Christian opinion of and holy prayers vntounto God for vsus, whose kingdome we seek, whose ordinances we desire to establish and obey: protesting with good consciences, that it is the truth of his Gospel only for which we strive against those cursed reliques of Antichristian apostasie: vntounto which we dare in no wise submit our selves, no not for a moment. For if it be not lawfull for Christians at this day to reteyn the ceremonyes of Moses Law together with the Gospel, as the Passeover, Circumcision, the Priesthood, Sacrifices, &c. Gal. 4. 4. 5. 6. &. 5. 1. 2. Heb. 8. & 9. & 10. chap.which yet were once cōmanded by God himself: how can we think it tollerable to observe the odious ceremonies of Antichrist, or submit our selves to his lawes, Priesthood, Hierarchie, & traditions, which the Lord never allowed, & which never entred into his heart: yea which he hath so severely forbidden, with fearfull judgments threatned vntounto all that shal so do.
But because we have ben very grievously slaundred in our owne nation, and the bruit thereoff hath followed vsus vntounto this land, whereby we have ben hardly deemed of by many without cause, we have ben forced at length to publysh this brief but true Confession of our fayth, for the clearing of our selves from sclaunder, and satisfying of many who desired to knowe the thinges we hold. Wherein if in any thing we erre (as who is so perfit that he erreth not) we crave (good Reader) thy Christian brotherly censure and information, promising alwayes (through the grace of God) to yeild vntounto the truth when it shall be further shewed vsus, and leave our errors when by the light of his word they shalbe reproved. In lyke manner it shall be thy par… and duty to acknowledge and submytt vntounto the truth, by whomsoever it is professed, looking alwayes rather to the preciousnes of the treasure it self then to the basenes of the vessels which conteyne it,2. Cor. 4. … or the infirmities of those that witnes the same: in whose mortall bodyes thow shalt see nothing but the markes and dying of our Lord Iesus Christ. Iam. 2. ….But hold not thy fayth in respect of mens persons, neyther be thow moved at the evyl reports which have ben raised of vsus. Here hast thow the trew summe of our Christian saith: try al thinges by the true light of Gods word: and if thou shalt reap any profit by these our labours, give God the glory, and remember vsus vntounto him in thy prayers. Farewell in Christ Iesus.
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