Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Title page – Dedication 1
AN EXPOSITION of the Symbole of the Apoſtles, or rather of the Articles of Faith. In which the chiefe points of the euerlaſting and free couenant betweene God and the faithfull is briefly and plainly handled.
GATHERED OVT OF THE catechiſing Sermons of GASPER OLEVIAN TREVIR,
And now tranſlated out of the Latine tongue into the Engliſh for the benifite of Chriſt his Church.
By IOHN FIELDE.
AT LONDON, Printed by H. Middleton, for Thomas Man, and Tobie Smith.
ANNO. 1581.
To the right honorable and my very good Lord, Ambroſe Earle of Warwicke, Maſter of the Queenes Maieſties Ordinance, Knight of the noble order of the Garter, one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie counſell, I. Fielde his faithfull ſeruant wiſheth with his heart, grace from God the Father by Ieſus Christ, and constancie in the trueth of the Goſpell, to the ende. Amen.
OF all the faultes that we fall into, in theſe dayes of our vanity, (right honorable & my very good Lord) I know none that deſerue greater blame, than to be vnthankfull where we hauehave receaued benefites. And this is the cauſe yt I hauing takē ſome paines in this profitable worke, (which I am bolde vnderunder your honours name, to offer to the whole Church of God:) I thought good to leaue it in lieu of thankefulneſſe, as a teſtimony both of your honours louelove towards the truth of God, and of my humble duety againe towards your honor and the whole Church of God to all poſteritie: for who am I that I ſhould not, whiles life laſteth, liue to the profite of the Church? and who are you with all your honour, auctority, wealth, and libertie, & all the gifts which God in merciemercy hath beſtowed vponupon you, yt you ſhould not employ all to the maintenance of the truth, and defence of the Church, vnderunder her Maieſtie, wherein both high and lowe, receaue the aſſuraunce of ſpirituall bleſſings, ſealed in the hope of an euerlaſting kingdome? And as ye glory of God, is ſhewed moſt herein, that he defendeth his ſpowſe, & hath bewtified her with giftes from aboue, that ſhe might be a pure and vndefiled ſpowſe, chaſt and holy vntounto him ſelfe: ſo this is our greateſt glory of what ſtate or condition ſo euer we be, to be members of this Church, by the Communion whereof, we are his members. For he is the onelyonly head of his Church, to giuegive it gifts, to gouerne it, & to lead it, to that great and euerlaſting ſaluation. There is no life, but from this head, nor any ſaluation but in this Church: wherein as ſyncere doctrine is profeſſed and out of his worde ſhineth and dwelleth, ſo that holy obedience, of children towards their father, and of ſeruauntes towards their Lord, framed and conformed to his will, alwayes appeareth and ſheweth it ſelfe, And therefore it is called his howſe, becauſe he is the huſband of it, the houſholder and maſter that ruleth in it, ſetting down his owne orders to his children and familie: wherein it is intollerable preſumption, (if not blaſphemie) for any man to dare to alter or chaunge the leaſt iote againſt his will. He is the Kinge and Paſtor of it,Luke 12.4. and his friendes ſtande and heare him:Io. 10.4.5. his ſheepe followe his voice, and will not goe after a ſtraunger. They louelove him that keepe his wordes, and he beautifieth them, not onelyonly as gueſtes & ſtrangers, but as Citizens and Saintes,Epheſ. 2.19. and ſuch as are of his owne houſholde. Theſe are they that flie as the cloudes, (ſuch is the multitude of them diſperſed vponupon the face of the earth) and they mounte vp as Doues to his windowe.Eſay. 60.8. And this is both called & is the Church of the liuing God,1. Timot. 3.15. the foundation and piller of truth, the body of Chriſt, the houſe of the higheſt, the keeper & teacher of the Goſpell, the mother of the faithfull, clenſed of Chriſt and pretious vntounto him. This is no particular ſynagogue, whoriſh and diſobedient, impure and filthy, full of rebellion and falſehood, as is that ſynagogue of Rome which hath departed from her firſt faith and louelove: which although the Papiſts would aduāce aboue the skies, (alwaies like Cuckowes ſinging one & the ſame ſonge, and ſhameleſly begging yt which they ſhoulde chiefly proue:) yet they ſhall neuer be able, though they burſt their harts for it, to proue it to be either the Catholique Church of Ieſus Chriſt, or a member of it. For they maintaine another head beſides Chriſt, another worde beſides the worde of Chriſt, vnwritten verities or rather abſurde vntruthes, preferring the commaundements of a ſinnefull man, before the vnchaungeable and euerlaſting trueth of God. And truely, I do not a little wonder, what madneſſe is entred into their braines, that with ſuch Owles faces, they dare in the open lighte of the Goſpell, ſchritch forth their olde abſurdities, as though now after the great inſtruction of the truth, they were able to thruſt forth vntounto vsus (as in times paſt when they lead vsus in the darke) their counterfaite ware, to deceaue vsus, and ſo turne vsus away from the glorious lighte of our ſaluation. We had thought they had receiued their aunſwere long agoe, & would neuer hauehave durſte to looke the trueth in the face againe: but nowe as they are continually inſtructed from that ſame enemy of truth, ſo they bring forth their olde rotten ſtuffe, and their new Ieſuites hauehave furbuſhed ouer their olde arguments of their blinde predeceſſors, & as if they were ſpicke & ſpanne newe, they offer them vntounto vsus. But we finde them all of one metall. This onelyonly is the difference, that whereas they were wont to ſpeake in their owne language and like themſelues, nowe they ſpeake in an other diſſembling voyce, and being in caſe to couch for feare of the whippe, they hauehave turned their ruſtie roughnes into ſome ſmoothnes, and like Angels of lighte, that they may hauehave ſome entertainment amongeſt vsus: and to the end they may infect the lande againe with their idolatries, and turne vpſide downe the quiet peace the bleſſing of the Goſpell hath brought vsus, and drinke vp our bloud, (as together with Antichriſt their head they hauehave done in times paſt, and in the countries, where they hauehave had entertainment rounde about vsus;) with ſtrong flatterie, they prepare euen to creepe into our boſomes. And hēce are thoſe ſpeaches vſed by Parſons Howlet, in yt fraudulent and doubling Epiſtle, that he of late hath preſumed to whoope in the eares of her Soueraigne Highnes, wherewith becauſe I hauehave dealt more fully in another place, now I do but touch it. But as there is greateſt daunger when foes beginne to faigne, ſo hauehave we greateſt cauſe to diſtruſt theſe enemies of God and of the common weale, when they hauehave made their tongues moſt glyb and ſmoothe to deceaue withall,August. in Pſal. 9. that as one ſaith verie well, they may binde mēs ſoules in their ſinnes. For a ſinner delighteth to doe thoſe things, wherein not onelyonly the reprouer is feared, but alſo the praiſer is heard. There are therfore more dangers vnderunder ye tongue of a flatterer, then vnderunder the hand of a perſecutor. For where as the hande reacheth but to the bodie, the falſe praiſe and faigned louelove of a flatterer, turneth mens hearts from the ſynceritie of the truth. And therefore we ought to take heede of theſe flattering Papiſts, as of the enemies,August. ad Demetriadem. Epiſt. 142, not of our bodies, but of our ſoules, whoſe ſofteſt ſpeches and glauering praiſes, which they pounce out to the vttermoſt, to ſteale in vponupon vsus, & to gain againſt ye truth, are ſo many ſwords & darts to our ſoules. Thei corrupt light mindes with their faigned praiſes, & in the mindes of thoſe that are light of credite, they giuegive gentle woūds. Thei couer their poiſon with hony. And this vice hath ſo encreaſed in this our age, yt it ſtands at ye laſt ſtint & cannot be encreaſed: eueryevery mā applieth this ſtudy, & giueth himſelfe wholy to follow this ſchole, yt he may deceiue & be deceiued. we receaue that willingly of others, which we offer as a gift to others, & the hope of receauing praiſe maketh vsus to praiſe thoſe to their faces of whom we would be praiſed. We oftentimes refuſe the praiſe of flatterers, when they ſpeake to our faces, and yet we nouriſh their flatteries in our mindes, and thinke we hauehave gained much with men, when God knoweth & our conſciences tell vsus that they are forged and faigned. We do not thinke what we are our ſelues in deede, but what we ſeeme to be to others. And hence it is, that the moſt men puſh at the opinion of the worlde: they labour to be well thought of, fetching the teſtimony of their credite, rather from a lying fame, than a ſounde conſcience. But happie are they that perfectly ouercome this vice, that neither flatter, nor beleue thoſe that flatter, that depend not vponupon the blaſts of mens mouthes, but ſtudie to approue themſelues to God, whoſe iudgement is according to truth. And I beſeech the Lord, that her Highnes with all her Coūſel & Nobles, may be indued with this wiſdome from aboue, (becauſe ſuch as they are, are in moſt dāger of theſe ſweete poiſoners) yt they may ſhun & auoyde their pleaſant hiſſings. For albeit now they creepe, becauſe they can not goe, yet the time was when they ran & made deepe furrowes euen vponupon our backs: when her maieſtie ſhould hauehave found curteſie, they executed crueltie; when all ſhould hauehave found truth and loyaltie, they bent themſelues and their whole powers to kill both ſoule and body. But I ſee Sathan is like himſelfe, and his children beare his reſemblance: that which they can not compaſſe one way, they wil attempt another. And therefore I wonder not, that they are ſodainly turned for a time from yt rough courſe which yet lurketh hiddē in their bones, and which in times paſt was wont to be their way,That traitor Storie ſaid it openly in the Parleament houſe. Ann. prim. of her Highnes most gration… raigne. that now they flatter her whō they then perſecuted & put in daunger of life; whom they ſo vncurteouſly entreated, & ſome with ſuch ſorow repented yt they had not grubbed vp the ſtock, & paſſed ouer the brāches: againſt whom they hauehave moued ſo many rebellions, and entred into ſuch traiterous and curſſed practiſes, ſome of their greateſt Clarkes, appearing in actuall rebellion, and inuading her maieſties terretories and countries: I wonder not I ſay, that now they call her highnes Chriſtes ſubſtitute, their ſoueraigne princeſſe, ſo extolling her vertues, as though her highnes gouernement, the eſtabliſhing of Chriſtian religion, and the execution of her highnes lawes againſt ſuch traiterous offenders were inforced and againſt her will and purpoſe. Thus they kiſſe and kill togeather. The Pope their god in earth hath excommunicated her highnes, and Sanders (as it were their own mouth) to witnes their perſuaſion, by vertue of that Bull which Mourton procured, and Felton (whom with Thomas Becket for treaſon they make a martyr) ſet vp, hath pronounced them all free from all dutie and allegeance: and yet forſoth now they will needes be counted faithfull ſubiectes. Allen in his ſeditious Apologie of his engliſh Seminarie, ſpeaketh faire for obedience, and yet malapertly preſumeth, to confute her highnes proclamatiōs, made againſt ſuch runagates. Their going beyond ſea, is for nothing but religion, & yet from them, & out of their ſchooles hath ſpronge, the ground of al ſeditious practiſes, ye ſtirring vp vntounto ſedition & rebellion, in diuerſe places both at home and abroade, the attemps of compaſſing her maieſties life, which ye lord long preſerue to the maintenance of the goſpel, & their cōfuſion. And becauſe ye man is ſo hot, for yt we aſſure all ranke papiſts to be right traitors: he telleth vsus yt thoſe prieſts & Ieſuits, hauehave expreſſe cōmandement frō their ſuperiors, not to moue any ſedition, or to meddle with matters of ſtate or tēporal gouernmēt,Allen Apolog. Cap. 6. Fol. 72. but only by their prieſthood & functions, to do ſuch duties as be requiſite for chriſtian mens ſoules, which cōſiſteth in preaching, teaching, catechiſing,Howlets auctor ſaith in the 7. reaſon, that none can be called Prieſtes, but in reſpect of that ſacrifice. miniſtring the ſacraments & ſuch like. Firſt therefore we anſwere, that preaching, teaching, catechiſing, and miniſtring the ſacraments is no part of popiſh prieſtes office. For they are in deede (as alſo he will hauehave them called) maſſe prieſtes, in reſpect of their abhominable ſacrifice. And as they ſcarſe knew any practiſe of theſe he nameth, ſo for Catechiſing or teaching the principles of Chriſtian religion, they neuer knew what it ment. For they could not ſo much as abide, ye Lords prayer, or creede, commonly called the Creede of the Apoſtles, to be in our mother tongue. As for miniſtring ye Sacraments, they had neither calling ſo to do, neither yet kept any right forme in the adminiſtration, or taught the vſe of thē. And if their commiſſion from their ſpirituall ſuperiors there, be ſufficient calling to enable them to entrude them ſelues here, or to go into other countries, like gadding Circumcellions: to diſturbe both Churches and common weales, where they hauehave neither place allotted, nor beinge aſſigned, either by God or man: how can they ſhew vsus the ſeale of theſe commiſſioners commiſſion from aboue? But if they will draw all auctority from that ſtranger, that man of ſinne and perdition, who as he taketh vponupon him to giuegive a ſpirituall commiſſion, (I ſhould hauehave ſaide a ſpitefull) In foro conſcientiae to excommunicate and to abſolue from all ſinnes: then they ſhould firſt proue that he receiued his auctority from God, and ſo they might hauehave ſome better allowance. But what auctority can this ſtraunge vſurper challendge ouer the Lords inheritance? How can he abſolue from ſinnes, who is the verie ſonne of perdition? And what auctority can theſe ſubſtitutes hauehave, to free from ſchiſme and hereſie, who are the greateſt ſchiſmatiques and heretiques of the worlde, renting themſelues from the ſpowſe of Chriſt, from Chriſt himſelfe, and ioyning ſo faſt to Antichriſt? Let them ſhewe vsus by what tenor they holde this priuiledge, whether in Fee farme, in Socage, or in Capite. Sure I am that theſe ſpirituall keies, in their ſeuerall priuiledges are annexed to ye true miniſterie and miniſters of Chriſt. And though Maſter Allen now be ſomewhat abated in his reconing, who fraudulently beginneth to diſtinguiſh betwixt the Eccleſiaſticall iuriſdiction and Temporall, and would perſuade vsus, that theſe newe creatures of the Popes making, take vponupon them no dealing in ſtate matters, and therefore, that they are farre from being traitors: yet he knoweth, and all ye worlde knoweth who it is that hath vſurped the auctority of both ſwordes; and who they are that thinke both vnlawfull without his allowance; and whether they hauehave a Bull or no Bull, yet he can not be ſo ignorant, or rather impudent to deny the Pope, and Papiſts entermedling by their Buls euen with our Princes perſon and ſtate. Her perſon crowne and dignity, her right ouer all perſons in gouerning them according to Gods word, and keeping her ſubiects in order, are matters of ſtate. And therfore the matter is not miſtaken, concerning the Bull of Pius Quintus, that hath, if it be of force, taken the crowne which God hath ſet vponupon her highnes head, frō her, and diſcharged all her ſubiects from her obedience. And howſoeuer he flattereth, yet he inſinuateth too plainly, yt our Parleaments are no Parleaments, our ciuill Officers & Church Miniſters, no Officers and Miniſters, becauſe they hauehave not the approbation & allowance of his holy father. And yet forſoth, theſe Romiſh Romaniſtes, though they tugge with tooth and naile for to bring in this Romiſh iuriſdiction which is forreine, againſt the word of God, and againſt the lawes of this realme, which the Pope challengeth Iure diuino, & yet can ſhew no euidence out of that lawe for it, and that ouer al cauſes & perſons, bereauing her Highnes of that principall part of her office, which is to looke to Gods matters, yea though he excommunicate her as a ſchiſmatique, laying her as a pray open to the ſwords of her enimies, yet muſt they be friendes and no enimies, loyall and not traiterous. If this be their truth, what is their treaſon? Neither doth the example of Chriſt and his Apoſtles ſuffering for the truth, nor of Daniel ſeruing the true God, helpe their cauſe one whit. For Chriſt and his Apoſtles were wrongfully charged, and theſe truly. They ſtoode for the truth & glory of God, and theſe againſt it, and therefore all other idolaters, and falſe worſhippers of God, may aſwell challendge Chriſt and his Apoſtles for their patrons, as they, & with ye ſame truth. Beſides, Daniel ſerued the true God, & was faithfull to an heathen Prince; theſe ſerue a falſe God, and are vnfaithfull to their Soueraigne a Chriſtian Prince. And albeit it were to be graunted, yt Maſſe, Mattins, Confeſſion, Abſolution, Beads, Agnus Deies, and ſuch conſecrated tokens as they call them, indeede ſuperſtitious traſh, and idolatrous trumperie, were in themſelues no matters of treaſon, yet when runagates, enimies to her Highnes, maliciouſly bring them in as tokens of reconciliation to the Pope, withdrawing her people frō the dutiful obedience they owe her, diſturbe her ſtate, and hazard her Crowne and dignitie;The Bul frō Mourton, from Cutbert Maine executed in Cornewall, from Strāguidge obtained for the Queene of Scottes, proue al this to be true. they doing all by the commiſſion of a forreine vſurper, breaking in tyrannouſly both vponupon the Church and ciuill gouernment, which alwaies in it owne nature hath bene deemed treaſon by the lawes of this Realme, & ſo ſtandeth adiudged, hauing neither place nor calling, roaring out againſt her Highnes rightfull poſſeſſion by their Bulls; theſe ſuperſtitions cōſidered in theſe circumſtances, can no more be ſundred from treaſon, than lighte from the Sunne, heate from the fier, or moyſtnes from water. And as true religion is an enimy to all vices, ſo ſuperſtition moſt commonly is friendly, & a companion with them. Truth and treaſon hardly agree, but falſhood and treaſon are conceaued in the ſame wombe, and nouriſhed vp with the ſame milke, and this is the cauſe that Poperie hath had in all ages, her greateſt maintenance by treaſon, & treaſon by it. How wickedly ſoeuer this runagate, to diſcredite her highnes moſt honorable and truſtie Counſailors, would beare the worlde in hande, that ſhe and h…r gouernment are parted, that ſhe is enforced, and as it were rauiſhed by ſome about her, of her free right and power of ruling, ſo malapert is this perking proctor of the Popes, that vponupon the ſuddaine is become ſo loyall, and yet feareth not to ſhew his traiterous heart, by ſuch ouert and manifeſt treaſons. In deede it were an eaſie thing here not to finde a ſtaffe, to beat this dogge, (that I may vſe his owne word) but a ſword, or rather being vnworthy of the honour of heading, a rope, to put an ende to his wicked attēpts. It had bin an hapy thing both for our church & country, if he had bin in his mans place in the late rebellion & inuaſiō into Ireland, procured by ſuch dutiful ſubiects as himſelfe to hauehave excuſed him. I doubt not but our Lions, would hauehave found out his hornes, what ſoeuer vizard of eares, he and ſuch hauehave put on. True it is, yt the temporal ſtate & Eccleſiaſtical are diſtinguiſhed. And as a man may be a good ciuil man, & yet no godly man, ſo a man may be a ciuill ſubiect, & yet is not a faithfull & religious ſubiect. But yet euē as the church & common wealth are twinnes, and the happines and floriſhing of the elder, giues comfort and glory to the younger, ſo is it in theſe two ſtates. If the miniſterie, the onelyonly meane to ye felicitie of the Church, cauſe it to floriſh: the common wealth is the better. The ſoule is ye life of the body, and whileſt they continue together in perfecte ſtate, it goeth well with the whole man, and ſo is it with whole mankinde. No ſoule hath true life, that is ſeparated from Chriſt the life thereof, neither are bodies any thing elſe, but dead carcaſſes & carriōs, frō which ye ſoule is departed. Firſt therfore the Eccleſiaſticall ſtate is occupied about ye ſoule, & ye Ciuill about ye body. Eche keepe them within their liſtes to ye preſeruatiō of both, & intrude not one into an others office. The Churche ſtate and gouernment is wholy occupied in Church matters, and the Ciuill in common wealth matters. And albeit ye Chriſtian Prince hath auctority from God, ouer all perſons; yet the Prince enforceth no lawes in Gods matters to binde the conſcience againſt his lawes. The Chriſtian Prince, looketh that Gods lawes be had in price, that all eſtates keepe themſelues in order, that eueryevery man do his duty according to his order, and inflicteth bodily puniſhments vponupon malefactors and offenders: and the other execute that ſpirituall ſworde, that pierceth further than the temporall, euen to the ſoule and conſcience. When both theſe meete together, dwell in one kingdome, and kiſſe ech other, there is a bleſſed ſtate; and in regarde of Chriſtian Princes, though treaſon againſt the one, can not be with any loyaltie to the other; yet we exempt ſuch ignorant and ſeduced Papiſts from the gilt of treaſon; as (being led by ſuch Capitaine Romaniſts, as Sanders and Allen are) onelyonly hauehave a diſlike of ye truth, & yet bear dutifull hearts to their Prince and Country, hauing not in ſuch ouert and actuall manner, hatched forth that curſed and treacherous ſeede. But I wiſh theſe with all my hearte in time to take heede, leſt whileſt they nouriſh and foſter this conceaued ſuperſtition in them, they growe to the ſame wretched attempts, that they ſee others hauehave done & do daily to their great coſt, & they pay (as they are worthy) the ſame price for it. Let them in time therefore feare God, and honor the Kinge, obey God that they may obeye their Prince.
Poperie is the nurce & mother of treaſon, rebellion, and confuſion. Poperie hath alwaies been a perker and prier in to princes greateſt ſecretes and intentions, for the maintenance of it owne kingdome. True religion in deede teacheth all eſtates, and taketh knowledge to reproue, whatſoeuer is contrary to the light: But poperie, ruſheth into all matters and cauſes, and chalengeth and vſurpeth authoritie ouer all perſons, it taketh vponupon it the alteration of kingdomes, ouerturneth Princes crownes, alienateth inheritances, & intermedleth vniuſtly in al things: as I wil (if god aſſiſt me) ſhew further if I be further vrged. I beſeech your Honor pardon me, that I hauehave paſſed the boundes of an epiſtle. Theſe creaking papiſts euē compel me, who are ſo ſhameleſſe, in ye cleere light of the goſpell, ſtill to prouoke vsus: But a day ſhall come, yt ſhal reueale al things: in the meane time I nothing doubt of his mercifull goodnes (if we go cheerefully forward, and draw not his iudgements vponupon vsus by our ſlackneſſe & coldneſſe towards the ſynceritie of his truth) towards his poore Church, towards her Maieſtie, and the whole body of this cō mon weale. And thankes be to God, for that rich and vnſpeakeable knowledge of his truth, wherby he hath enabled vsus to diſcerne and ſee their errors. Of all benefites this is moſt precious; and I beſeech your honor in your place, to ſeeke the aduancing of it. Let them not be able to preuaile with you, that bewray their owne ſhame, whileſt with boaſting words, they would ſeeme to mount vp to heauen, and yet lie flat groueling vponupon the earth, hauing no ſparke of heauenly wiſedome, or vnderſtanding from the word of God. OnelyOnly they hauehave a few waſte words, & a little lauiſh latine, wherewith they thinke to ouergoe and ouerthrow the ſetled truth of God. We looked for high matter from our chalinging champion, at the leaſt, ſeeing he cō meth after al others; we looked for ſom ſhew of weightie and grounded arguments▪ but alacke, our hope is fruſtrate, for nothing appeareth, but that a man may finde in theſe goldē daies of knowledge,… euen in thoſe youthes and boyes that yet hauehave ſcarſe a farre of ſaluted diuinitie. His ten arguments are nothing els, but ſo many paralogiſmes, all taken frō others, that wrote long before him; onelyonly he hath turned the wrong ſide of …heir coates outwarde. Becauſe ſome men hauehave refuſed certaine bookes to be numbred in the Canon of the ſcriptures; for which yet they are not deſtitute of ſome teſtimonies, and yet ſome of thoſe books hauehave not bin denied of vsus: therefore we flie the ſcriptures, and Campion hath woon the fielde already: becauſe the ſenſe and meaning of the ſcriptures hauehave been diuerſly taken of ſome particular, men in ſome controuerſies, therfore the meaning of the ſcriptures are on his ſide. Thus he braineth himſelfe with his owne hammer, and cutteth his owne throte with his owne ſworde. As though all that profeſſe papiſtrie, keepe one ſenſe and meaning in the interpretation of ye ſcripture: becauſe they boaſt of the name of a Church, & the name of the Church is glorious, we loke wan at it, and muſt needes flie, becauſe they com againſt vsus onelyonly with ye bare name. We make a church of our owne faſhiō, a Platonicall Idea, and an idle fancie. In diſcribing a church, we vtterly ouerthrow it &c. All the heretiques that euer were, are our predeceſſors, becauſe papiſts ſay ſo; & we muſt ſubſcribe to their church, or elſe to a church that is no where. Thē forſooth al general Councels are theirs, and we refuſe all: becauſe ſome hauehave erred, and many hauehave byn contrary one to another. The Coūcel of Trent ſhal liue, whē Kemnitius ſhalbe buried (if he take not heede) with Arrius, & now we may truſt them; for Iohn Hus brake the conditions that the Emperour had ſet him, and running away, which the Emperour had forbidden vponupon paine of his head, was iuſtly not headed, but burned: and yet the Councel of Conſtance debated ſpecially of this matter, & thought they were not bound to the Emperours promiſe. Hierom of Prage, ſpake freely in ye Councell, & recanting, departed freely, but falling into his hereſie again, drunk of the ſame cup. We refuſe all fathers, he alloweth all and refuſeth none, tagge and ragge are welcome to him, all their errours ſhalbe defended for manifeſt truth. Not ſo much as Dioniſius & Hyppolytus, but muſt be ranked amongeſt the Doctors. And if euer any ſearched the ſcriptures, theſe did it, and ſpent their whole liues in it. And all hiſtories make for them, and our hiſtoriographers, for 1500 yeares together, are emptie of all matter, ſauing of that they write for them and to maintaine their cauſe. And we can not deny but that Rome was an holy Church, that their faith was famous, that Paule preached there, that a Church was gathered in yt Babylon, where Peter ruled,Whether Clement ſucceeded Peter or Linu… I would faine hauehave determined. and Clement ſucceeded, &c. therefore all are his & for his religion. We further maintaine nothing but Paradoxes, and monſtrous opinions, of God, of Chriſt, of man, of grace, of righteouſneſſe, of manners, &c. And we muſt needes ſpeake and be vnderſtood as this luſtie challenger will hauehave vsus to ſpeake and be vnderſtoode. Our Sophiſtications are palpable, and our barenes in teſtimonies are miſerable, he hath from heauen, from ye earth, from Roſes, from Lilies, the one purpuled with martyrdome, the other whited with innocencie. They hauehave thoſe that were ſhepeheardes to all landes, and all flockes of all faithfull, all were theirs, of all ſortes, and none ours. And thus we are confuted. But, my Lord, it hath ben an old ſaid ſaw: The greateſt barkers are not the beſt biters, nor ye greateſt boaſters ye beſt fighters. I doubt not but he ſhal receaue a ful anſwere in time. In meane time let him & al the papiſts in the world, if they can, ouerthrow ye truth of doctrine which we hold, ye articles of whoſe faith & religiō, depēdeth not vpō any man or mans authority, but vpō ye vndoubted ſcriptures. If they can ſhew better warrant for that they holde, let vsus heare their euidence, but if their ſtoare be ſo beggerly, that ye richeſt of them, and he that comes ſo appointed to challendge all in the name of al the reſt; writing, (which is with greater aduice than any ſodain ſpeaking can be) be faine to limpe, & ſinke in his entry; what ſhal we thinke wil be done ere the battell be fought? Surely if we came with carnall weapons, it is like he would ouermatch vsus, hauing mans wiſedome, the world and the diuell on his ſide: But thankes be to God, we come appointed with ſpirituall weapons, we come in the name of the Lord, armed with the mightie word of God, againſt all counterfait catholiques and heretiques. And if God bleſſe her Maieſties gouernment, ſo that the Goſpell may proceede in a ful miniſterie, that the youth may be catechiſed & ſeaſoned with ſuch ſound inſtructions as this booke yeeldeth, & thoſe that are ancient may be confirmed, and the froward by an holy diſcipline ordered: our youth, our aged, our common people of al ſorts, ſhalbe able to vāquiſh & put to flight all ſuch emptie & vaine boaſters. And this is the thing that I ſought for, in trāſlating this excellent & ſound worke. Which I hope your honor will accept, according to that humble dutie and ſeruice wherewith I hauehave euermore helde my ſelfe ſpecially bounde to your good Lordſhip as my ſingular patrone, & as a principall member in ye church of God. The Lorde Ieſus eſtabliſh your honors heart, & giuegive you a ſetled perſuaſion in that euerlaſting trueth, yt euermore you may feele the cōfort & aſſurance of that bleſſed kingdome, which he ſo freely hath purchaſed for you. Amen.
Your good Lordſhips faithfull ſeruant euer to commaund. IOHN FIELDE.