Abrahams Faith, Title page – Dedication 1
ABRAHAM'S FAITH: THAT IS, The olde Religion.
WHEREIN IS TAVGHT, THAT THE RELIGION NOW publikely taught and defended by order in the Church of England, is the onelyonly true Catholicke, auncient, and vnchangeable faith of Gods elect.
AND THE PRETENSED religion of the Sea of Rome is a falſe, baſtard, new, vpſtart, hereticall and variable ſuperſtitious deuiſe of man.
Publiſhed by IOSIAS NICHOLLS, an humble ſeruant and miniſter of the goſpell in the Church.
Stand in the waies, and behold, and aske of the old waies, which is the good waie; and walke therein, and ye ſhall find reſt for your ſoules. HIER. 6.16.
LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Wight. 1602.
TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER in God my Lords grace, Archb. of Canterburie, and to the right Honorable, my L: chiefe Iuſtice of England: both of her Maieſties moſt Honourable priuie Counſell, Ioſias Nicholls wiſheth all grace and peace in our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
PVrpoſing (right Reuerend & Honorable) to publiſh this little book, it came into my mind to commend the ſame to your honourable protection. For it ſeemed to me, that although all good men of al eſtates are bound in conſcience and louelove, to contend earneſtly for the faith, which (as S. Iude ſaith) was once giuen to the Saintes: yet are there ſome more proper reaſons, in regard of your two callings, which challenge in my iudgement, a more peculiar eye and watch vntounto theſe cauſes. For being both of the ſame most Honourable table, of her Maieſties moſt graue wiſe and Chriſtian Counſell, where all are ſet in the ſame charge and ioyned in the ſame care, namely in all prouident and godly ouerſight, to manage the great affaires, pertaining to Gods worſhip and glorie, and the bleſſed ſafetie of the Queenes moſt excellent Maieſtie (whom God vouchſafe long to preſerue among vsus:) yet the one being a miniſter and Biſhoppe of the goſpell, and ſet ouer many others, for the good and faithfull teaching and practiſing of the chriſtian faith in this land: And the other a profeſſed and chiefe Iudge, for the executing of all lawes and ſtatutes, ordeined for the maintenaunce of true religion, iuſtice, peace and godlines: this being a neceſſarie declaration of our Chriſtian faith and religion, eſtabliſhed by the publike magiſtracie, and lawes of this realme, and a faithfull diſplaying of the iniquitie of poperie, being a mortall enemie and a verie great oppoſite vntounto the ſame: It could not ſo properly reſpect any other, whoſe ofifce and profeſsion did ſo neerely and naturally offer it ſelfe to patronize and protect ſo iuſt a matter of this kind. Therefore I humblie craue your Honours fauour, to accept of this my trauaile, and your fatherly countenaunce vppon mine honeſt labours. Which, although I frankly acknowledge, might hauehave beene more eloquently and exquiſitly handled, by ſome man of greater giftes: yet I hope, that in ſome meaſure it ſhalll ſatiſfie the expectation of ſuch honeſt and Chriſtian readers, who both can and will iudge according to equitie und truth. For my purpoſe being, (conſidering the ſeaſon) to ſhew the antiquitie and certaine truth of our faith and religion, nowe profeſſed in England, and the newneſſe, vncertaintie and falſhoode of the popiſh ſuperſtition: to this ende that it might bee a ſtay to many which wauer and ſeeme nowe readie to fall away: I endeuoured rather to ioyne plainneſſe and perſpicuitie with breuitie, then by large amplification to ſhew great learning, and by direct arguments to make manifeſt an vndoubted truth to the conſcience of all men, for the gayning of ſome vntounto Chriſt, rather then by ſaying what I could to trouble the reader with abundance of matter, or hunt for that which is vayne and fruitleſſe. And this verily I thought moſt neceſsarie, and the rather becauſe diuers men in differing manner hauehave heretofore handled this argument, both that I might giuegive occaſion to men to enquire after and to reade ſuch godly writinges: and alſo becauſe the preſent ſeaſon ſeemeth to call for the ſame, when poperie beginneth to ouerſpreade, and after a ſort to ſet vp his briſſels againſt the goſpell, and men of that ſuperſtition are verie much lifted vp: that it might appeare, what a fooliſh, wicked, new broacht and monſtrous hereſie and apoſtaſie they ſo much contend for & ſo egerly labour for: being greedie of that which will ſlay their ſoules, and proud of that whereof they ought to bee aſhamed. Therefore I hauehave made choice of ſuch methode and reaſons, as I hope thorow Gods bleſsing, ſhall effect that I purpoſed, and make that manifeſt which I deſire. Whereof knowing that your Honours can iudge with wiſedome, and that your Chriſtian care tendeth to this ende, that the people by all good meanes ſhould bee ſtaide, in their faithfull obedience to God and our moſt gracious prince: I was bolde to preſent this booke vntounto you, moſt humblie beſeeching you to accepte of my bounden duetie to my Prince, countrie, and to the Church of GOD: earneſtlie praying GOD to bee with you alwayes with his gracious fauour and good ſpirite, to guide you and proſper you in all good and godly endeuours, to his honour and glorie, to the good of prince and countrie, to the increaſe of the Church, and to your owne ſoules comfort in Ieſus Chriſt, Amen.
Your honours moſt humble to commaunde, IOSIAS NICHOLLS.