The Old Faith an Evident Probation out of the Holy Scripture, Tract · Conclusion
☞ A concluſion, that this fayth is the ryght true olde fayth, whyche alway ſhall ſtonde ſure
THis holy vndefiled faith which the Lorde …anted and ſet vp in all nations by the Apoſtles, immediatly after the Apoſtles dyſſeaſſe, was …ore▪ attempted, by ſondrye vnclea…e perſonnes, whych brought vp falſe cuſtomes and miſbeleuers, and made per…ous ſectes Beſydes thys alſo was it ſore perſecuted wyth the ſwerde of tyrauntes. But in all ſuch daungers the trueth ouer came and had the victory. For though the cytezins of the deuels cytye (accordinge to the diſpoſitiō of theyr patriarke Cain) dyd mur thur, … all though falfe prophetes brought vp euell counſaill, yet the cytye of God triumpheth, and the bloude of innocent Abell and his brethren, ſpeaketh yet. But after that the perſecuciō was ſomwhath …raſſed, and the perſecuters ſore and horr… bly puniſhed for their bloude ſheddinge (the hereſies alſo beinge well brought downe by faythfull ſhepherdes) In the ſame reſt alſo was oure holy fayth not a litle hurt. For reſt put a waye feare, brought ydle felicite, voluptuouſnes and fleſhly ſekynge of riches and dominyon:the decay of chriſtes religion. and ſo thorow couetouſnes and ambiſiō, there was pou…ed great poyſon in to the church, wherby religion ſore decayed.
For whyle the myniſters of the worde laboured more after riches, then to perfourme their office and charge, and to edt …e the church, they were pleaſed with ſuperſticiouſnes in ſteade of true religion Of …u…s then folowed it farther, that the ſingleneſſe of fayth was forgotten, newe law…s made, the olde rytes and cuſtomes ether peruerted, or els vtterly ouerthrowē and abuſed: wherby men came farr… from the doctryne and Chriſten ceremonies, from the waye of trueth in to er…oure fooWhat in cōueniēce▪ folowed. …ly, & partly in to ceremonies of ydolatrye. Here of commeth it, that we ha… now the abhomination, of the popes power, of pardons, of maſſes for the deed and quycke, of merites, power and interceſſion of ſayntes in heauen, of worſhyppinge their bones vponupon e…th, of ydols, and vayne ornamentes, pompe & pryde of the church, of hyred ſyngynge and prayenge in the temple, and of the whole ſwarme of ydele religious. All whiche thynges with other mo… like fondneſſe, are nothing but new alteracions, peruertinges, and contrary to all olde ordinaunces, hauynge no grounde in gods wo…de, and are cleane agaynſt God, though many hardnecked people are yet in a furye and braule for ſuch hinges, and wyll make all the world beleue, that thys theyr fooliſhnes alteracion & peruer…nge of Gods ordinaunce, is the olde fayth. And yet wo…e they or wyll not knowe, that theyr …abling hath very litle grounde, and that they (yf they conſidred the matter as it is) are very naked and miſerable.
And though this papiſticall religiō hath endured, preuayled, & triumphed now certayne hundreth yeares, yet hath God all waye ſent his …aythfull ſeruantes, and had a litle holy flock of his owne, like as afore tyme in the day…s of the iudges, oft the kinges of Juda and Iſrael, and in the captiuite of Babilon, though it was all mooſt at the worſt afore & at the cōminge of Chriſt. Like as it is alſo with vsus, the nyer the ſecond commynge of Chriſt, the worſe is it in the world. Neuertheles (as I ſayde afore) God all waye ſet forth his worde and doth yet. Contrary wyſe, the,The Pope & Machomet ſtry…e agaynſte Chriſte. pope with his multitude, and▪ Machomet with his (as it ſemeth and becometh very Antichriſtes (hauehave hitherto vndertaken (to ſuppreſſe the olde religion (and to ſet vp hys owne ordinaunce (vnknowne to oure fathers of olde tyme (to bringe it in to poſſeſſion and vnderunder y• name of God and his holy church / to ſprede it vponupon all chriſtendome. For out of y• Actes and ſtatutes of the pope and hys wanton ſpiritualtye and out of the lawes of Machomet it is manifeſt (what, the one hath taken in hand and done now more then 600. yeares (and the other vponupon a 900 yeares. It is cuident yet alſo euen now / wherto hys generall coun ſayls and perliamentes do extende, But not▪ regardinge how he threnteneth …nd faceth / and how he garniſheth hys new and wanton religions with falſe (but diſſemblynge titles / boaſtinge of many hundreth yeares / many generall counſayles / fathers holy men / doctours / vniuerſities / cloſters ſyngyng / prayeng / faſting almes geuingeLet vsus do as our ol…eſt fathers hauehave done longe before vsus. de…plynge / and telleth ſuche lyke: All hys▪ bragginge ſet a ſyde let vsus caſt hys relygion from vsus & take vponupon vsus vnfaynedly the true olde religion / which hath endured ſens the begynnyng of the worlde (by the which all holy m…n hauehave euer loued / worſhipped and ſerued God & knew nothinge vtterly of the Popes religion. And yf we muſt for thys cau…e be hated and perſecuted of the worlde: well / it happened euen ſo vntounto all holy Prophetes before vsus lykewyſe / and ſpecially vntounto Jeſus Chriſte our Lorde: whiche ſhall come ſhortly to iudgement / and vtterly deſtroye the kyuge dome of Antichriſt / whom he now kylleth with the ſprete of his mouth. Our poſſeſſiō is not here vpō earth / the kyngdom of heauen is our natiue countre. From thēcePhilip. iii. loke we for the ſauyoure Jeſus Chriſt our Lorde / which ſhall rayſe vp oute mortall & miſerable body / that he maye make it lyke hys excellent and glorified body / ator dinge to the power wherby he. maye ſubdue all thynges. vntounto hym ſelf. To him be▪ honoure and prayſe for euer and euer.
Amen.
End of the text · Henrich Bullinger, The Old Faith an Evident Probation out of the Holy Scripture (1547)