The Ancient Faith of the Romans and the Romish Religion, Chapter 2 – Chapter 3
CHAP. II.
SAint Paule in that Epiſtle that he writeth to the Romans teacheth,Gods word powerfull and neceſſarie for all. that The Goſpell is the power of God vntounto ſaluation, to eueryevery one that beleeueth. Rom. 1. 16.By the Goſpell, he meaneth that part of Gods word,Goſpell. that preacheth vntounto vsus that ioyfull newes of our attonement made with God, which elſwhere he calleth the word of Reconciliation. 2. Cor. 5. 19.This word he ſaith is The power of God: The power of God.For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall, but mighty through God, to caſt down holds, caſting down the imaginations, 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5.and eueryevery high thing that is exalted againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie eueryevery thought to the obedience of Chriſt. Of this powerfull word,Iere. 23. 29. GOD ſpake long before Saint Paules time by his Prophet Ieremie. Is not my word euen like a fire ſaith the Lord, and as a hammer that breaketh the ſtone? Hebr. 4. 12.Of the power of this word thapoſtle writeth, that It is liuely, and mighty in operation, and ſharper then any two edged ſword, and entreth through, euen to the deuiding aſunder of the ſoule and the ſpirite, and of the ioints, & the marrow, and is a diſcerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart. Eſay 49. 2.Yea, Chriſt himſelf in the Prophet Eſay is brought in confeſſing, that the Lord Hath made his mouth like a ſharpe ſword. So that this word is neither ſo blunt or dull, or ſo vnable to make the man of GOD perfect to eueryevery good work, as the aduerſaries of the Goſpell would hauehave vsus to imagine it to be. So that in this place Saint Paul doth giuegive teſtimony,Iam. 1. 22. that the word of God is as Saint Iames ſaith, able to ſaue our ſoules:2. Timot. 3. 16. And profitable to teach, to reproue, to correct, and to inſtruct in righteouſnes. 1. Pet. 1. 23.Saint Peter therfore doth liken the word to a ſéed, and that to ſuch a ſéed, as doth (if the fault be not in vsus) ſpring and grow vntounto eternall life. For as the good ſéed, if it be caſt in a good ground, and moiſtned in due ſeaſon with the dew of heauen, can not but be fruitfull when the time ſhall ſerue: euen ſo Gods word, if it ſound To him that is poore, and of a contrite ſpirit, Eſay 66. 2.and trembleth at his words, and be watered by the graces of Gods holy ſpirit, it cannot, it will not be vnfruitfull. Saint Mark alſo in that parable of the ſeed that falleth vponupon the good ground,Mark. 4. 8. and brought forth fruit, ſome thirtie, ſome ſixtie, ſome a hundred fold: doth ſufficiently teſtifie vntounto vsus of the efficacie of the word, if by reaſon of the infirmitie of our fleſh, and corruption of our ſinful nature, the edge therof be not rebated, and the force hindered. Not becauſe I aſcribe ſuch force either vntounto the ſound, that we may heare, or the letters, that we may read, but vntounto the ſence and ſubſtance of the word; vntounto the leſſon that may be gathered out of the ſame. Whereunto we ſée Saint Paule writing to the Romans, and Saint Peter being at Rome (as our aduerſaries affirme) and S. Marke alſo there according to the doctrine of S. Peter as they tell vsus, penning his goſpell, do giuegive this effect that it is of power to ſaue, and the very ſéede of eternall life. They find not therein any ſuch hardnes, as ſhould driue men and women from the reading therof. They find no ſuch dangers, they ſpy no ſuch perils. But on the contrary it was holden for good doctrine at Rome, 1. Pet. 3. 15.when Saint Peter did write (if from thence he wrote) Alwaies to be ready with all meeknes and reuerence, to anſwere to eueryevery body, that ſhall aske a reaſon of that hope which is in you. And that this is required of eueryevery man & woman, that ſhould ſanctifie the Lord God in their hearts, euen of ſeruants, and not of maiſters onelyonly, of wiues▪ and not of huſbands onelyonly: it is more plaine, then that it can be probably denied. Now to yéeld a reaſon of thy faith, requireth much greter knowledge, then to make confeſſion of thy faith. So that héere the Apoſtle ſéemeth to require that of them, that S. Paule doth aſſure himſelfe that he ſhal find in them, namely that they are ſo filled with all knowledge,Rom. 15. 14. that they can admoniſh one an other. Philip. 1. 9. 10Yea this knowledg is ſo neceſſary for all Chriſtians that Saint Paule alwaies wiſheth it to be in ſuch as he writeth vntounto,Coloſſ. 1. 9. 10. and prayeth that they may hauehave it. But ſéeing this hope that is in vsus, is grounded vponupon the word (for otherwiſe it is but a foolſh fancy, and no ſound hope) the knowledge whereby wee muſt be made able to aunſwer of the ſame, muſt be the knowledge of Gods worde. Yea whatſoeuer beſides that we doe know it may perchaunce ſome way ſatiſfie our humour, and ſerue for ſome turnes, but this one knowledge, is that onelie that is neceſſary and without which we cannot but erre, as Saint Marke himſelfe reporteth vntounto vsus that Chriſt told the Iewes: Marke. 12. 24.Doe you not erre, becauſe you know not the Scriptures? So that we ſée, that the auncient doctrine of the Church of Rome was this: That to knowe Gods word is the meanes or power whereby God ſaueth vsus, and the ſéede of euerlaſting life. And therfore as the knowledge thereof is comfortable and profitable, ſo to be ignorant thereof, is very dangerous for any Chriſtian man or woman.
But the now Romiſh Church,Gods word reproched. doth not onelyonly ſuffer without any publike ſhewing of their miſlike, the ſacred Scriptures, and Gods written worde, to be moſt reprochfully diſgraced, and blaſphemouſly ſcorned at, by comparing it to a leaden rule, a noſe of wax, Inkye diuinitie, and with ſuch like prophane and godleſſe ſcornes: but alſo they teach, that that word of trueth wherewith (Saint Iames ſaith) God hath begotten vsus,Iac. 1. 18. is doubtfull and may be wreſted any way: it is not ſufficient to teach vsus all trueth,Doubtful and not ſufficient. without the helpe of traditions:Ignoraunce mother of deuotion. it is harde to be vnderſtoode, and therefore the people muſt not reade it. And that it is beſt for the people to be ignorant ſtill: for ignorance is the mother of deuotion. So that we ſee the auncient Church of Rome commended vntounto vsus Gods word as moſt neceſſary for Chriſtians: the now Church of Rome condemneth the ſame, not as needleſſe onelyonly,Dangerous. but euen as hurtfull and dangerous. They hated ignorance as a ſworne enemy to Chriſtianitie: theſe reuerence her, as a fruitfull and the onelyonly mother of popery. Therefore the olde faith of the Romans, and the newe Romiſh religion are in this nothing like.Gods word muſt hauehave power from man. And yet there is not any greater diſgrace, that they can lay vponupon this powerfull worde, then that which blaſphemouſly they affirme, and prophanely maintaine, that eùen this power of GOD, and immortall ſeede, hath no power at all or authoritie,Eckius in enc…i. de auto Eccle. vnleſſe the Church authorize the ſame. As though this power of God, that it may be powerfull,Marke. 4▪ 3. muſt receiue power from man: and this ſeede, that GOD that ſower went forth to ſowe, cannot growe, vnleſſe man giuegive it increaſe.
CHAP. III.
THere is alſo in theſe daies great queſtion what is Gods word, that is to ſay, what that word is, that ſhould be the rule of religion and conuerſation.What is Gods word. For the which the old religion of Rome was this: That in any wiſe they ſhould take héede of ſuch as make diuiſion, and giuegive occaſion of euill contrarye to that doctrine which they had learned. Rome. 16. 17.And S. Paule prayeth that they may be Confirmed according to his goſpel, and preaching of Ieſus Chriſt. 25.As for other worde then that hee did teach, or other goſpell then that he did preach, as he héere teacheth the Romans, Gal. 1. ….that they ought not to beléeue, ſo he flatly writeth to the Galathians, that If he or an Angell from heauen, preach any other goſpell, they ſhoulde be ſo farre from receiuing it, that they ſhoulde hold him accurſed that bringeth it. And S. Peter commending the worde whereby men (by their ſinfull nature mortall) are made immortall, poynting vntounto that word ſheweth what it is, And this is (ſaith he) the word, which by the goſpell is preached vntounto you. 1. Pet. 1. 25.And in the end of this his firſt epiſtle he proteſteth. This is the true grace of God wherein ye ſtand. That is to ſay,1. Pet. 5. 12. this faith or religion that you hauehave béene taught, this doctrine of the goſpell which you hauehave learned, is the true faith, the true religion, a true doctrine. For ſo do Claudius Guilliandus and Iac. Faber no enemies to popery expound it. Then by the old faith of Rome we ſée, that that which they then preached, and that which was agréeably to that rule, is the truth: euen that which was then Depoſitum committed or taught, not any thing that ſhould be afterward committed to them or taught. And this is in trueth that old worde of God, which was then acknowledged for Gods word, and had not any beginning from later times, this is in déed an auncient religion, Which was promiſed before by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures. Rom. 1. 2.But the now Romiſh faith cannot abide this doctrine. And therfore our new M. of Rome hauehave decreed, that al the books of the old and new teſtament (as wel the Apocrypha as Canonical) and alſo the traditions themſelues concerning faith or maners, Apocrypha & traditions added to Gods word.ſhal with like affection bee beleeued, and with like reuerence receiued. Yea & they are not aſhamed to teach that theſe their traditions are more neceſſary and profitable then Gods word. We ſee then that the old religion of Rome, taught both by Peter and Paule, is to reſt in that worde that then was taught without adding thereto. The Romiſh religion that now is, doth arrogate vntounto themſelues alwaies to adde as they ſee cauſe, which their additions are nothing elſe but an augmenting of the heapes of their ſuperſtitions: whereas Auguſt. Hierom. & others, appoint the liſtes and limites of Gods word, to be the Law, the Prophets, the Euangeliſtes, and Apoſtles.