A Golden Chain, Dedication 6 – Table of contents 5
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull, Sir William Bowes Knight, &c. Grace and peace.
RIght Worshipful, it is a notable pollicie of the deuil, which he hath put into the heades of sundrie men in this age, to thinke that our religion and the religion of the present Church of Rome are all one for substance: and that they may be reunited as (in their opinion) they were before. Writings to this effect, are spread abroad in the French tongue, and respected of English protestants more then is meete; or ought to be. For, let men in shew of moderation, pretend the peace and good estate of the Catholike Church as long as long as they will; this Vnion of the two religions can neuer be made, more then the vnion of light & darknes. And this shall appeare, if we doe but a little consider, howe they of the Romane Church hauehave rased the foundation. For though in wordes they honour Christ, yet in deed they turne him to a Pseudo-Christ and an Idol of their owne braine. They call him our Lord, but with this condition, that the Seruant of Seruants of this Lord may chaunge and adde to his commandements: hauing so great a power, that he may open and shut heauen to whome he will; and bind the verie conscience with his owne lawes, and consequently be partaker of the spiritual kingdome of Christ. Againe they call him a Sauiour, but yet in VsUs: in that hee giues this grace vntounto vsus, that by our merits wee may be our owne Sauiours: and in the want of our own merits, wee may pertake in the merits of the Saints. And they acknowledge that he died and suffered for vsus, but with this caueat, that the Fault beeing pardoned, wee must satisfie for the temporall punishment either in this world or in Purgatorie. In a word, they make him our mediatour of Intercession vntounto God: but withal his Mother must be the Queene of Heauen, and by the right of a Mother commaund him there. Thus, in worde they crie Osunna, but in deede they crucifie Christ. Therefore wee hauehave good cause to blesse the name of God, that hath freed vsus from the yoke of this Romane bondage, and hath brought vsus to the true light & libertie of the gospel. And it should be a great height of vnthankfulnesse in vsus, not to stand out against the present Church of Rome, but to yeeld our selues to plottes of reconciliation. To this effect and purpose I hauehave penned this little Treatise, which I present to your Worship, desiring it might be some token of a thankfull mind, for vndeserued louelove. And I craue withall, not onelyonly your Worshipfull (which is more common) but also your learned protection; beeing well assured, that by skill and arte you are able to iustifie whatsoeuer I hauehave truely taught. Thus wishing to you and yours the continuance and the increase of faith and good conscience, I take my leaue.
Cambridge, Iun. 28. 1597. Your Worships in the Lord, William Perkins.
THE AVTHOR TO THE Christian Reader.
BY a Reformed Catholike, I vnderstand any one that holdes the same necessarie beads of religion with the Romane Church: yet so, as he pares off and reiects all errours in doctrine whereby the said religion is corrupted. Howe this may be done, I hauehave begun to make some little declaration in this small Treatise: the intent whereof is to shewe how neere wee may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of religion: and wherein we must for euer dissent.
My purpose in penning this small discourse is threefolde. The first is, to confute all such Politikes as hold and maintaine, that our religion, and that of the Romane Church differ not in substance, and consequently that they may be reconciled: yet my meaning is not here to condemne any Pacification that tends to perswade the Romane Church to our religion. The second is, that the Papists which thinke so basely of our religion, may be wonne to a better liking of it: when they shall see howe neere we come vntounto them in sundrie points. The third, that the common protestant might in some part see and conceiue the point of difference betweene vsus and the Church of Rome: and know in what manner and how farre forth, we condemne the opinions of the said Church.
I craue pardon for the order which I vse, in handling the seuerall points. For I hauehave set them downe one by one, as they came to mind, not respecting the lawes of method. If any Papist shall say that I hauehave not alleadged their opinions aright, I answer, that their bookes be at hand, and I can iustifie what I hauehave saide.
Thus crauing thine acceptation of this my paines, and wishing vntounto thee the increase of knowledge and louelove of pure and sound religion, I take my leaue and make an ende.
The places of doctrine handled, are
1 Of Free-will.
2 Of Originall sinne.
3 Assurance of saluation.
4 Iustification of a sinner.
5 Of merits.
6 Satisfactions for sinne.
7 Of Traditions.
8 Of Vowes.
9 Of Images.
10 Of Reall presence.
11 The sacrifice of the Masse.
12 Of Fasting.
13 The state of perfection.
14 Worshipping of Saints departed.
15 Intercession of Saints.
16 Implicite faith.
17 Of Purgatorie.
18 Of the supremacie.
19 Of the efficacie of the Sacraments.
20 Of faith.
21 Of Repentance.
22 The sinnes of the Romane Church.