Touchstone to Determine the True Catholic Faith, Introduction
¶The sum of this Epistle, and chiefe pointes of Catholique Religion contained therein and handled.
FIrst it is a Catholique Epistle, because the doctrine therein contained is necessary for al Christians to know. The poison of the heretiques which it describeth shal not be in some one countrey, but shall spread it selfe thorow the whole world. It liuely painteth out vntounto vsus the church of Rome, and Antichrists kingdome.
Secondly, all Christians must beleeue and confesse the common saluation. That as they hauehave al one Sauiour: so they hauehave al one common saluation. That the saluation of the Apostles and of other Christians is all one. So that if they were certaine of their saluation, other christians may be certain of their saluation also. And they which teach contrary, are no Catholiques, but Heretiques.
Thirdly, they must maintaine the faith once giuen to the saintes. The first faith is the true faith: Sathan shall depraue and corrupt this faith. That faith which commeth in after, seeme it neuer so deuout, is the false faith: As Latine prayers, Images, purgatory, pardons, prayer to Saintes, and other such like, which I speake of in this treatise.
Fourthly, there shal heresies craftily creepe into the church, which shall turne the grace of God into wantonnes. And hath not poperie done so? comming into the church not all at once, but by degrees,Popery turneth the grace of God into wantonnes, and that vnderunder a pretence of deuotion and holinesse. Hath it not turned the grace of God into wantonnes? making religion and the worship of God, like a maske or stage play: pleasant to the flesh in all respects. In ringing and singing to the eares, in Images carued and gilded, in copes and vestments embrodered to the eies: In censing with sweet perfumes to the nose, and in their vsuall and often feasts to the bellie. Hath it not defended spirituall fornication? teaching men to trust in man, and not only in the liuing God, to commit Idolatry, and to worship creatures. Nay doth it not maintaine euen fleshly fornication, that is the stewes: and euen practise sorcery and coniuring? And is not this to turne the grace of God into wantonnes?
Fiftly, these Heretiques shal denie the onelyonly master of his house Iesus Christ. They shall confesse him to be master, but not onelyonly master. They shall ioine another with him: they shall say, hee must needes hauehave a vicegerent, a vicar generall vnderunder him: and thus they shall goe about to impaire his honor.
Sixtly, they are like the Israelites, who after they were deliuered out of Egypt,Papists like vntounto vnbeleeuing Israelites. beleeued not the promise of God, concerning ye land of Canaan: but murmured and doubted of it in the wildernes. So these, being deliuered from that great spirituall Pharaoh the deuill, by our sauiour Iesus Christ, beleeue not his promise, concerning the kingdome of heauen,Papists deny the Lord Iesus. our true Canaan; who hath promised, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall hauehave euerlasting life: but deny the Lorde that bought them; and adde merits of their owne, to his redemption, as not perfect,The church of Rome once like Lucifer was a principall mēber of Christs Church: but now by pride is falne like him. Reue. 8.10. & of it selfe vnsufficient. They are like the Angels, who being placed of God in heauen in great glory, were not content with their estate, but would be like God. Euen so these, being once messengers, and angels in Gods church, were not content with their first estate God placed them in, but exalted themselues aboue their brethren. Nay euen aboue all magistrates and gouernors, whom God in his word calleth gods.
Seuenthly, that they are like the Sodomites in sinfull life, in fleshlie lustes, in their pleasant dwellings and seates. They are opprobrious in mouth, blind and ignorant in heart, lacking the true light of Gods spirit, by his worde. They are bloudy teachers, like Cain, in persecuting those who reproue their sinnes, who putting those to death which confesse Iesus Christ, thinke they do God good seruice. They are couetous teachers like Balaam: As raging flouds, running after gaine, selling all their religion, doing all for money. They are rebellious like Corah and Dathan, who refuse the lawful magistrates, who perswade subiectes from their allegeance due vntounto them: who accompt those martyrs which poison and kill them: who, to bee short, abounde in all sinne.
Lastly, all true Christians must hate their ignorance, and must know Gods word, and by it must be able to edifie & instruct one another, in their most holy faith; must pray, not as they doe ignorantly, but in the holy ghost, that is with vnderstanding and feruency: and must not doubt of their saluation, and of the louelove of God towards them, as they shal go about to teach: but must keepe themselues in the louelove of God, by obeying his word, neuer doubting of it. And must look for the mercy of Iesus Christ to their saluation: not trusting in their owne works, (as the Pharisie did) not hauing any workes of supererogation, more then wil serue themselues: but must confesse, when they hauehave done all they can, that they are vnprofitable seruauntes, that they hauehave done but that they ought to hauehave done. That all their workes whatsoeuer, and more, if they were able to doe them, are but duties, not desertes. That they are all sinners, and offenders: and must craue grace and fauour. That they are far from good seruants: & can challenge no wages. This is the sum of this Epistle herein we may briefely see which is the true catholique faith: they which defende not this, are not true catholiques, but Heretiques.