Abrahams Faith, Part 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. Where is declared: First that antiquitie, vniuerſalitie and viſible ſucceſsion, is no perfect marke of the church, much leſſe of the popiſh Synagogue, which is but of yeſterday: 2. The meaſure & order of the viſible ſucceſſion of the Church from Chriſts time forward, is ſhewed by the Scripture. 3. Therefore the papists do prooue themſelues to be no church, when they ground themſelues on this falſe principle, the church cannot erre: 4. How the true religion hath ſhewed it ſelfe by manie witneſſes from the Apoſtles time euen vntounto our dayes.
THE Synagogue of Rome, claimeth antiquitie, vniuerſality and ſucceſſion viſible from the time of Chriſts Apoſtles, to be vndoubted markes of the church of God, and ſo of the pure religion: addinge thereunto, as it were the ſinewes and ioints, to make them all holde together, the faithfull and conſtant grace of the church viſible, vnderunder the ghoſpell, namly (this falſe principle) that, It cannot erre. And therfore when they are convicted, to hauehave fallen from the true chriſtian religion, and find themſelues openly bewraied, being tried, by the perfect touchſtone of Gods holie written woord, to be lately vpſtart and of a new deuiſed religion, doctrine and faith, brought forth into the world, by the fanatical and ſuperſtitious humor of heretical prauitie and humaine follie, and begotten by the cunning inſinuations and coulorable ſuggeſtions of him, which vſeth all ſpirituall craftines and profoundnes of wiſedom, to bruſe the heele of the womans ſeede, and to darken the glorious light of the heauenlie faith of Gods choſen (leaſt happely they ſhould not be found, the very true Antechriſt, after the maner of him, that trāsformeth him ſelfe into an angel of light (they would beare downe the world, with the vaine titles and goodly ſhew, of antiquitie, vniuerſalitie & viſible ſucceſſion, & of the vnerring and vnchangeable perſiſtance of the viſible church in the truth: and leaue out altogether (that which is indeede, the very nature and foundation of the church) the true religion, faith and doctrine of Apoſtles and Prophets of God. But alas, theſe are but the figge leaues of Adam, which cannot couer their ſhame: for as all men knowe, that the ſerpent cannot proue himſelfe a man, by his auncient continuance and remaining in the world, vnleſſe hee had thoſe eſſential properties of bodie and ſoule, whereof eueryevery man doth naturally conſiſt: So, for ſo much as all theſe things, antiquitie, vniuerſalitie &c. are ſuch as heretikes & Ethnikes, did and could claime, from Caine and Cham or Iaphet; as wel as Chriſtians from Seth and Shem: and that the true nature of the church cōſiſteth in the fellowship of the true religion, doctrine and faith: the ſygnogoge of Rome, vnleſſe it hold the true faith and religion, cannot for theſe things be the true viſible church of God. For no antiquitie, vniuerſalitie or ſucceſſion, can make the whore of Babel to be the true and chaſt ſpouſe of Chriſt. And who knoweth not that Caine was before Sheth and that their two poſterities, were the two churches one which is of Caine called the children of men; becauſe their religion came of a runnagate man: & the other was called the childrē of God, becauſe their religion was giuen and taught them of God. Likewiſe in the Apoſtaſie of the time of Abraham, the nations were almoſt ſetled vponupon the dregges of their filthie idolatry, when Abraham was now but newly called. Iſmael and Eſaue, which fell out of the church and houſe of Abraham, became goodly ſtates and monarkes before Iacob was eſtabliſhed and the people of Iſraell were gathered into a knowen and viſible flooriſhing forme of a church, which was 430. yeeres after the calling of Abraham. Laſtlie the gentils, continued in that apoſtaſie and idolatrie ouerſpreading all the world, from the time of Abraham vntil Chriſt, eighteene hundred yeeres, when the Church was but in a little corner of the world, the land of Canaan, and of that a great ſpace in the territories of Iuda and Hieruſalem onelyonly. Becauſe Caine, Iſmael, and Eſaie calling antiquitie and viſible ſucceſſion before Sheth and Iſaack and Iacob, is their religion the true religion? or were they the true church? or ſhall the Gentils iuſtifie thē ſelues, to be the true worſhippers of God, or to hauehave the true God, becauſe they can brag ouer the Iewes & chriſtiās, with al theſe termes of antiquity, vniuerſality, ſucceſſion, viſible, &c. therfore he that readeth the ſtories ſhall find, how they ſcoffe at the Iewes & chriſtians, euen as the papiſt do at vsus: becauſe that although they hauehave no truth on their ſide, yet they thinke theſe painted paper walles, and leaden weapons of long continuance and open appearance and flowriſhing in the world, doth ſufficiently couer and defende their filthie follie. Whereas they fooliſhlie know not and conſider not, or at the leaſt, thorough maliciouſnes and hardnes of hart, wil not know, that an ill thing, the more vniuerſall, the longer, the larger, the ſtronger, the more in cuſtome, vſe authoritie and open familiaritie of men, the more dangerous, infectious, incurable and deadly it is. And this gentiliſme and poperie, are ſo much the more ſtronge in diluſion, for the damnation of ſoules, by howe much they being void of godlines and truth, are and hauehave been ancient; vniuerſal, viſible, &c. And therefore it hah coſt the more ſweat and bloud vntounto the faithfull ſeruants of Chriſt, to cure the infected people, and to bring them againe into the boſom of Abraham and arcke of Noe, the folde and church of Chriſt. We may then boldlie ſay, that ſuch miniſters are to be obeied who (as anaIan. lib. 4. cap. 43. auncient father ſaith) together with the ſucceſſion of their Biſhopricks according to the good will of God the father, hauehave receaued the certaine gift of the truth, which while the church of Rome, that now is, hath not done, becauſe they doo not beleeue in thoſe things which are, they are fallen into thoſe things which are not; & hauing forſaken, the pure and chaſt nature and beutifull ornaments of the true ſpouſe of Chriſt, which is the ſincere doctrine of holie ſcripture, they are faine to array themſelues in the counterfait and comon whoriſh apparel of al the filthy idolaters of the world, the vaine pretence of antiquitie, vniuerſalitie &c. But yet this ſuit of apparel will not ſerue them, no more then that can fit a childe borne yeſterday, which is large and wide for a man of a great and full ſtature. For how doo theſe termes agree to that apoſtalical ſea of Rome which is one of the laſt & loweſt borne children of ſuperſtition begotten of the diuell in this laſt furie of his old age, euen now he knoweth his time is verie ſhort. For as it ſhall appeare in the latter part of this booke, (through Gods gracious aſſiſtance) the ſynagogue of Rome wil want at the leaſt 4500. yeres of that antiquitie, vniuerſality, and viſible ſucceſſion, which I hauehave here, already ſhewed to appertaine, to the true auncient catholike religion of Gods moſt holie & vndoubted church founded in Adams promiſe, ſeperated in Abrahams poſterity, publiſhed & offered to all the world by Chriſts moſt bleſſed Apoſtles. For an introduction into which matter I will in this Chapter (through my Lord Chriſtes fauour and grace) ſhew vntounto thee (good Chriſtian reader) how this religion of ours, now profeſſed and openly maintayned in Englande (which is manifeſtly proued alreadie in the Chapter going before, to be the ancient true faith, from the beginning of the world, and namely and eſpecially from our father Abraham) now in theſe latter daies hath deſcended and continued by ſucceſſion viſible in the worlde, from the Apoſtles time vntounto ours. For although wee bragge not of antiquitie and vniuerſalitie, yet wee doe humblie thanke our louing God, and mercifull father in Ieſus Chriſt, that vntounto vsus the pure doctrine and true Chriſtian religion is come and is fruitfull, as euer it hath bin in any part of the world, and we are made the children of Abraham through faith in Ieſus Chriſt.
2 And that you may vnderſtand this the better, you are to know the meaſure hereof by the holy ſcriptures of God, which as a line being gone ouer all the worlde doth ſhew the tract and footeſteppes of religion, among the gentilles vntounto the ende of the worlde. In the 24. of Mathew, the 17. and 21. of Luke, and in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn, is fore deſcribed, the treading vnderunder feete of Hieruſalem and the Iewes, vntill the times of the gentils bee fulfilled, and that in theſe times ſhould ariſe falſe prophets and falſe Chriſtes and deceiue many, yea great chaunges and alteration in religion ſhould be in all the Chriſtian world. The kings and princes of the earth ſhould obey the will of the leaſt, and this obedience ſhould be ſo vniuerſall, that no man ſhould be permitted to buy or ſell, without his marke in their foreheades: the prophetes and witneſſes of Chriſt ſhould bee ſlaine, and there ſhould bee the patience and triall of the Saintes. Smoke comming out of the bottomleſſe pitte couereth the aire, and hideth the Sun Moone and ſtars. What doth this ſhew but that the world ſhould bee found a continuall enemie to the true religion, and that the faith of Chriſt ſhould not alway be vniuerſally profeſſed and maintained, but that the Chriſtian Churches ſhould fall into errors: and that the true religious and faithfull people of God, ſhould paſſe through the furnace of the fierie triall, and bee as it were heere and there certayne ſcattered ſtones of a building, that is witneſſes ſtanding vp for the truth, teſtifying that there is a pure religion ordained and accepted of God: And not that the Church ſhoulde bee alway a beautifull pauilion and goodly temple wherein the King dwelleth, ſeene and admired, and honoured of all men. According to that of Chriſt:aMath. 24.13. Becauſe iniquitie ſhall abound, the louelove of many ſhall waxe colde. And this coldneſſe ſhall bee ſo great and ſo vniuerſall, that the true profeſſors of Gods true religionbVerſ. 9. ſhall be hated of all men, and mencIoh. 16.1.2 ſhal thinke they do God ſeruice, when they kill any of them. And the ground of this Saint Paul ſheweth ſaying:d2. Tim. 4.3. The time will come when they will not ſuffer wholeſome doctrine &c. And yet it ſeemeth to be more fully opened where hee foretelleth, that there muſt bee ane2. Theſſ. 2.3. Apoſtaſie or falling from the faith, before the world could hauehave an ende, and the man of ſinne diſcloſed, 4which is an aduerſarie, and exalteth himſelfe againſt that is called God, or that is worſhipped, ſo that he doth ſitte as God in the temple of God. And a little after:7 For the miſterie of iniquitie doth alreadie worke &c. Wherein hee teacheth plainely foure thinges. Firſt, that there ſhould be a generall decay of religion in the Church. Secondly, that it ſhould be by ſuch an aduerſarie of Chriſt as ſhould raigne in the Church. Thirdly, that he ſhould bee reuealed in his time. And fourthly, that this was an hidde and ſecret thing, which did beginne to worke ſecretely, euen in the Apoſtles time. By which wee may perceiue the ſucceſſion and vniuerſalitie of the Church, in the viſible ſhew and flouriſhing of the true religion, is not to bee found nor looked for in all the times of the goſpell after the Apoſtles daies, but that by little and little it ſhould bee darkened corrupted and hidden. For howe can that bee ſaide to bee the true viſible Church of Chriſt, where his aduerſarie dwelleth, and beareth all the rule aduauncing himſelfe as God? And whereas touching the true faith the people are fallen into an Apoſtaſie? And the reaſon he giueth, confirmeth it directly, that it ſhould vndoubtedly fall out and ſo come to paſſe: for hee afterward affirmeth that it commeth of the righteous iudgement of God vponupon the reprobate ſaying: God ſhall ſende them ſtronge deluſion that they ſhould beleeue lies, that all they might bee damned, Verſ. 12.12.which beleeued not the truth, but had pleaſure in vnrighteouſneſſe: which thing if it be wel ſeen into & vprightly waied, it will cōuince the church of Rome, to be of the falſe religion and antechriſtian church: and their brauerie of profeſſion, their antiquitie vniuerſalitie and viſible ſucceſſion, to be the ſitting of the man of ſinne in the temple of God, that is the plague and running ſoare of the Church, the damnation of many ſoules, and that now within theſe few yeares, the goſpel teaching the true Chriſtian religion, hath reuealed their Apoſtaſie: and that ſo openly & clearly, as euerie man may ſee it, if he doe not wilfully blind his owne eyes.
3 Now if they ſay that the Church cannot erre, and thereupon build their antiquitie, vniuerſalitie, ſucceſſion &c. Namely, that they muſt needes bee the true Church being ſo actiuely and vniuerſally viſible in their continued ſucceſſion: becauſe it belongeth to the Church vnderunder the goſpell (as they ſay) to bee as the Moone that neuer is ecclipſed, nor couered vnderunder a cloud, but alwaies appeareth glorious and beautifull vntounto the world: then doe they euidently declare, and proue themſelues to bee the falſe ſinagogue of Sathan, and their religion to bee his deluſions and lies. Becauſe the worde of God doth ſo manifeſtly ſay there ſhall bee an Apoſtaſie and falling away in religion and that the enemie of Chriſt ſhould raigne in the place of Gods temple. And leaſt happily wee ſhould bee deceiued in thus iudging: euen in this one point of their religion that they hold that the church cannot erre, they cōuince themſelues to be Antechriſt, many wayes; eſpecially in that they make the authoritie of the Church aboue the ſcriptures, that they might be iudges of it and not of them. What do they herein more truely then profeſſe to all the worlde, that there ſitteth amongſt them the aduerſarie, that exalteth himſelfe againſt all that is called God: for what is there in the whole world, by which God is knowen or can bee knowen truely and rightly to bee God, and by which God is exalted, and all his honour, truth and word magnified, and his will wiſedome and goodneſſe glorified and worſhipped, but onelyonly the inſpired writinges of the bleſſed booke of God? If they hauing no truth on their ſide to maintayne themſelues to bee the Church of God, they will foiſt in with a braſen face, contrarie to euident ſcripture this vntruth, that the church cannot erre, and thereupon vſurpe authoritie ouer this booke of God, and after it to hauehave no authoritie, but ſuch as they allow, and to hauehave no other meaning or ſence, but ſuch as they giuegive: and ſo God and his holy law, muſt looke for no other name, credite and dignitie, but as it pleaſeth them being men to giuegive. And ſo againe, God and his word ſhould not bee builders and deſcribers of the Church, but the Church builders and deſcribers of God and his word, doth it not then neceſſarily follow, that they are verie Antechriſt and the ſeate of Apoſtaſie. Moreouer, if Chriſt ſay this Apoſtaſie ſhould bee ſo great, that if it were poſſibleaMath. 24.24. the verie elect ſhould bee deceyued. Are not they verie Antechriſt, to make the Church alwaies viſible, and not able to erre? And let the godly Chriſtian reader conſider what vſe there is of theſe rules & precepts.bMath. 7. 1. Ioh. 4.1.2. 2. Ioh. verſ. 9. Beware of falſe prophets, beleeue not euerie ſpirit &c. hereby ſhall you know the ſpirit of God, that Ieſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, is of God: whoſoeuer tranſgreſſeth and abideth not in the doctrine of Chriſt hath not God, &c. Againe there is propheſied of a woman whoſe name is,Reuelat. 17. & 18. A miſterie, great Babilon, the mother of whordoms & abominations of the earth, which is a great citie, which raigneth ouer the kings of the earth, and all nations drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication: And God ſaith to vsus, Go out of her my people, &c. If the true vſe of theſe ſcriptures teach vsus two things, firſt that we muſt trie and iudge the falſe prophets, the ſpirits and whoſoeuer may cal themſelues the Church, by the doctrine of Chriſt expreſſed in the ſcriptures, and that vnderunder the time of the goſpell, a citie by falſe doctrine ſhould poyſon all nations, and we ought to go out of that citie: how can any man iudge the Citie of Rome, which calleth her ſelfe the mother of all Churches, and vſurpeth ouer all nations, ſeeing that it hath forſaken the truth, and yet claimeth vniuerſalitie & perpetual ſucceſſion viſible, & refuſeth to be tried by the holy oracles of God, theſe rules and Canons of holy ſcriptures, how I ſay can any man iudge otherwiſe, but that it is the verie ſeat of Antechriſt? And in this that it would bee maintained, by ſaying it cannot erre, it erreth moſt apparantly. And therefore that onelyonly is the true Church and houſe of God, whether viſible or inuiſible,aHeb. 3.6. Math. 18.20. which holdeth faſt the true faith, where two or three are gathered together in Chriſtes name, and not that which pretendeth viſible ſucceſſion, and ſaith it cannot erre.
4 Howbeit in all this time it was not, as the church of Rome would beare vsus in hand, that our religion which is that auncient religion of Abraham, had ſuch an ecclipſe, that it cannot bee traced in theſe 1600. yeares after Chriſt: for as before the comming of Chriſt, it lay hidde in compariſon of the vniuerſalitie of the whole world, in the houſe and poſteritie of Abraham, and ſometime more then other appearing and ſhining forth, when God made his glorious truth to caſt the beames of light far and wide, at ſuch times as he made his ſaintes glorious by deliuerance as out of Egipt and Babilon: And in ſubduing the Cananites, in proſpering, Dauid, Solomon, Iehoſhaphat, Ezekiah, and Ioſhiah. So in this time of Chriſtianitie among the Gentils, there hath beene as it were an ebbing and flowing, and as I may ſay, a morning and an euening. For the goſpell beginning with ſmall degrees, and like a grayne of muſtard ſeede, was perſecuted by the vniuerſall world at the firſt. And yet preuailed mightely through all thoſe bitter and intollerable perſecutions of the firſt three hundred yeares, in ſo much as in the firſt Chriſtian Emperours dayes, namely Conſtantine the great, when hee ſummoned the firſt generall Councell of Nice, for the cauſe of Arrius, there came 318. Biſhops, and theſe were from all partes of the worlde, Weſt as farre as Spaine, and North in a manner at the verie North Pole. So that all the worlde ſtoode amaſed, at the glorious ſhining of the ſonne of righteouſneſſe in thoſe happie daies. Yet men knowe that reade the ſtories of the church, what whiles that blaſphemous hereticke did worke, how many friends & abettors he had, what great afflictions that good Catholike Biſhop Athanaſius, had, & what perſecution for many yeares together, the true beleeuers endured after the death of that good Emperour, by the ouerſpreading of the Arrians and their followers. Howbeit although that perſecution much afflicted the faithfull, and darkned the beautie of the Church, and many heretickes inuaded them very ſore, and diuers liuing in wilderneſſe and ſolitarie places, deuiſed ſtrange formes and ſeruices of God: yet for the ſpace of ſixe hundred yeares and more, the vniuerſall Church was not ſo much tainted; but God rayſed vp notable pillars of truth and lightes of his church, by whom the truth of faith and found religion had all that time a moſt excellent witneſſe. For the Apoſtles ended at the death of Iohn the Euangeliſt, Anno 99. Ignatius liued about Anno 110. hauing beene Iohns diſciple, and Biſhop of Antioch. Polycarpus Biſhop of Smyrna, and Iuſtinus martyr at Rome, Anno 140. Iraeneus Biſhop of Lions in France Anno 175. Tertullian in Africke flouriſhed about Anno 190. Origin of Alexandria about Anno 210. Cyprian Biſhop of Carthage Anno 255. Arnobius, 310. Lactantius Firmianus 325. Athanaſius Biſhop of Alexandria in Egypt 340. Hilarius B. of Pictauia in Aquitania, 360. Baſilius B. of Caeſarea in Cappadocia, 370. Gregorius B. of Nazanzen. Epiphanius B. of Cyprus, Ambroſe B. of Millain. Hieronymus Stridonenſis, Auguſtine B. of Hippo, Iohn Chriſoſtom B. of Conſtantinop. Poſſidonius, Proſper, Fulgentin Caſiodonus, Gregorius firſt of that name B. of Rome. Theſe & verie many more verie good writers, beſide infinite others liued in that firſt 600. yeres and ſom after by whom the light of Gods truth and the pure religion, was defended againſt diuers and ſundrie ſorts of heretikes, and declared by ſermons and godly interpretations of holie ſcripture, which may euidently appeare, euen vntounto him that can but read the Engliſh toonge, if hee peruſe the writings of our reuerend Biſhops and teachers of this lande. Firſt the challenge was made by maſter Iewel, in a Sermon preached at Paules croſſe, Anno 1560. the Sonday before Eaſter, that for 600. yeeres after Chriſt our religion might be defended by the writings of fathers and counſels: ſecondlie the defence was moſt truelie and fullie performed, by the ſame maſter Iewell againſt Harding, by maſter Horne againſt Fecknam, maſter Pilkington againſt the man of Cheſter, maſter Punet againſt Th. Martin, as alſo by maſter Noel againſt Dorman, maſter Edward Deering to Hardings reioinder, maſter Calfils anſwer to Marſhals defence of the croſſe, maſter Fulke againſt Allin, Sanders, Briſtow &c. and by the conference in the Tower with Campion, and that of maſter Reinolds with Hart. In theſe and diuers others very notable engliſh bookes, all points of our Chriſtian faith, are not onelyonly maintayned by the writinges of the foreſayde auncient Fathers and Counſels of the firſt ſixe hundred yeeres: but alſo by diuers other wrighters and Counſels followinge in other ages, yea by diuers Papiſtes as the Schoolemen, popiſhe decrees, decretals and hiſtoriographers. But wee doo frankely confeſſe that ſixe hundred yeeres after Chriſt beeing paſt, the viſible church not ſo well ſeaſoned, nor the true faith ſo openly vniuerſally & faithfully maintained, but more and more decaied, obſcured and darkned: vntill the reuelation of Antechriſt, which hath been ſince Luther. Neither doo we take it to be any derogation to the truth, ſeeing that theſe laſt nine hundreth yeres, were the daies of darknes, and the time of the puniſhment of God, that they which regarded not to know God, ſhould be giuen ouer to lyes and fables, as is before manifeſtly prooued by the ſcriptures. Notwithſtanding in all this time, it was not ſo obſcure & hidden, but that the ſtories of theſe myſtie daies, doe affoord vsus ſufficient matter and markes, whereby we may find, where, how and in what ſort, the true faith and religion ſtroue with the fooliſh and vnthankfull hart of man, offering him in all this declining and apoſtatical generations, the ioifull light of truth and the right way of peace and ſaluation, but they would not, but they fought againſt it: and herein I will not ſtande to rehearſe all particulers (which would aske a great volume) but onelyonly mention that which is moſt generall and notoriouſly knowne, vntill this 600. yeeres the churches by eaſt and weſt were in vnitie and the chriſtian faith continued, his vniuerſall and viſible ſucceſſion, but ſhortlie after, by reaſon that Bonifacius the thirde, obtained the ſupremacy ouer all Biſhops & brought it into the ſea of Rome, there grew diſcontentments, which continued vp and downe, vntill Hildebrande came vp about An. 1237. all which time the Greeke church eaſtwarde, held the auncient catholike faith, as we now doo; but by meanes that the Greeks condiſcended not to the vnmeaſurable pride of the popes, there was made a ſeperation, and ſo the faith was found onelyonly in the Grecians, amongſt whom it alſo remained, as it may appeare by this that in the time of the counſell of Baſill, about An. 1440. Engenious the fourth in a priuate conuocation at Florence, laboured the grecians to condeſcende to the latin church to allow of purgatorie, of the popes ſupremacie, of vnleauened bread in the communion and of tranſubſtantiation, ſo that the eaſt churches, which containe not only Grecia, but alſo the Ethiopians, Syrians, and many other great nations, did in ſome good meaſure hold out the true faith vntill this time. Now in the weſt parts, there were certain men called Waldenſes or Albigences, and Pauperes de Lugduno, who firſt at Lions in France, and after in diuers other places, as Meridoll and Cabriers and in many townes of the countrie of Piemont, in great numbers ſhewed themſelues, from An. 1160. till the time of Luther, Iohn Wickliefe and his fellowes, and with them the good chriſtians called Lollards did ſhew themſelues in England in the time of Edwarde the third about the yere 1371. and thenceforth and in the time of Richard the ſecond whereof followed great perſecution many yeres. Iohn Huſſe and Hierom of Prage, with the countrie of Bohemia, were famous for the true religion, at the counſell of Conſtance about, Anno 1413. and many yeres after; So that when Luther came vp, he found not the goſpell and true religion without witneſſe in diuers places. Therefore (leauing out Berthramus in France, Iohn Scotus in England, and verie many notable men in diuers countries, whom God ſtirred vp heere and there, euen in theſe euil daies of darknes, ſom by writing, ſome by preaching, ſome by ſuffering and by death, to giuegive teſtimonie, in theſe weſt parts, and vnderunder the Popes noſe) I may boldlie conclude this Chapter with humble and hartie thankes to God, that the religion, which wee holde and profeſſe in Englande, is the onelyonly true auncient catholike and vniuerſall religion, wherein and whereby God hath been truely ſerued and worſhipped, his elect ſaued and the true faith confeſſed from the beginning of the world and namely from Abraham, euen vntounto our daies, which is now 5528. yeeres, and the gates of hell could never preuaile againſt it, no power of men ſubdue it, no hereſies ouerthrow it, no wiſdom or learning confute it, no perſecutions deſtroy it, no pollicie nor crueltie ſubuert it, no tract of time weare it out, no changes or ſubuerſions of kingdoms, countries or ſtates ouer whelme it, no lawes, edicts, counſels, canons, curſſes, decrees or decretals, put it down or baniſhe it. Magna est veritas & preualet: Great is the truth and preuaileth, Bleſſed be the God of truth: And herein is fulfilled, that which the prophet ſaith,aPſal. 19.9. & 102.27.28. The feare of the Lord is cleane and endure for euer: And thou, O God, art the ſame, and thy yeeres faile not, the children of thy ſeruants ſhall continue, and their ſeed ſhall ſtand fast in thy ſight.