Truth and Falsehood, Title page – Table of contents
Truth and Falſhood: Or, A Compariſon betweene the Truth now taught in England, and the Doctrine of the Romiſh Church: with a briefe confutation of that Popiſh doctrine.
Hereunto is added an Anſwere to ſuch reaſons as the popiſh Recuſants alledge, why they will not come to our Churches.
By Francis Bunny, ſometime fellow of Magdalen College in Oxford.
GAL. 1.9.
If any man preach vntounto you otherwiſe than that ye hauehave receiued, let him be accurſed.
LONDON Printed by Valentine Sims, for Rafc Iacſon, dwelling in Paules Church-yard, at the ſigne of the white Swanne. 1595.
To the right worsh…full Companie of Ironmongers in London, Francis Bunny, ſomtime their Scholer, wiſheth increaſe of knowledge, and zeale of the trueth, with abundance of all ſpirituall graces heere, and a happy life with God elſewhere.
IF the children of Ruben and Gad, Numb 31.21, 2…might not ſetle thēſelues to reſt & eaſe til the Lord had caſt out his enemies frō his ſight, but that they ſhould ſinne againſt the Lord, and their ſinne ſhould finde them out: (for it is great reaſon, that they that hauehave one inheritance promiſed, ſhould take paines together to get the ſame, and put from it their common enemies) then how much more ſhal God finde vsus guiltie, if ſo many and mighty enemies, ſeeking by al meanes poſsible, to keepe vsus and our brethren from the poſſeſsion of the trueth here, and ſo from that ſpiritual Canaan, and heauenly Ieruſalem elſe-where, we ſeeking our quiet eſtate, and contenting our ſelues with our owne happy life, do not our indeuour to ſcatter and confound according vntounto our place and calling, the common enemies to our ſaluation. When the children of Ruben and Gad, Ioſh. 22.1…and the halfe tribe of Manaſſeh, had builded them an altar in their countrey, for a remembrance that they were to be accounted Iſraelites, although Iordan parted them from the other tribes, and the reſt of Iſrael had thought that they had builded it to offer ſacrifices vponupon the ſame, the whole congregation of the children of Iſrael gathered them together at Shiloh to warre againſt them: For they thought it to be eueryevery mans part, to oppoſe thēſelues againſt Gods enemies, and to be forward in defence of his glorie. Seeing the… fore a common cauſe requireth common help, and they that … he not keepe a good watch in the place that is appointed vntounto them, and in their calling, doe as much as in them lieth, betray the cauſe:Matth. 25.30. and ſuch as doe not occupie their talent, ſhalbe Caſt into vtter darkenes as vnprofitable ſeruants: I hauehave thought it good, according to my ſlender skill, and ſimple talent, to oppoſe my ſelfe against our aduerſaries, in defence of Gods glorie and the truth: euen againſt them, who are both the moſt dangerous enimies to our ſoules health and the continual diſturbers of all common wealths. The firſt, they indeuour by their falſe doctrine: the other, by their moſt perillous and endleſſe practiſes. Inſomuch, as of the troubles that are this day in the world, the Cardinall of Loraine ſeemeth to hauehave made a true confeſsion euen in the councell of Trent. For our ſakes, brethren (ſaieth hee) is this ſtorme riſen, therefore caſt vsus into the ſea. Indeede not for their ſakes onelyonly,Gentil. exam. concil. Trident. ſeſſ. 22 lib. 4. but by their meanes, are theſe troubles come vponupon this part of the worlde. Nowe the multitude or malice of our enemies must not diſcourage vsus from doing our duty: but how much more they increaſe in number, ſo much the more diligent ſhould we be: and their crueltie and malice ſhould increaſe our courage againſt them. But in vaine doe wee withſtand them with our tongues and pennes, if the Chriſtian Magiſtrates doe not put to their helping hand: who hauehave alſo their du y to do in the church of God, as wel as they, to whom the miniſtery of the word is committed Moſes & Aaron, the prince and the prieſt were brethren, to teach vsus what mutuall help the one of them muſt make to the other. Kings and Queenes (if they forget not their dutie) muſt be nurſing fathers & nurces to Gods church.Pſa. 49.23. They muſt cheriſh and noriſh it, they muſt louelove and defend it. And as idolatrous princes, the ſlaues of antichriſt, hauehave one mind, … ocal. 17.12,and ſhal giuegive their power & authoritie to the beaſt, and ſhall fight with the Lamb, 13as we ſee it is come to paſſe in theſe our dayes: euen ſo ſhould all godly Princes and Magiſtrates be aſhamed, that, zeale of Gods glory, and louelove vntounto his trueth ſhould not knit them as faſt together, and make them as willing to maintaine the good cauſe: as ſuperſtition, ambition and malice preuaileth with the wicked, to make them ſo … bornly to ſtriue againſt Gods vndoubted word. Such princes … in ſcriptures commended vntounto vsus, as hauehave beene ready to maintaine trueth, ſet foorth Gods word, and regarded the ſinceritie of the ſame: and hauehave on the contrary withſtoode ſuperſtition, put downe idolatry, and compelled their people vntounto the ſeruice of God, both according to the firſt and ſecond table of the Commandements. And on the other ſide, it is left as a ſtaine vntounto the memory of others, that they did not take away occaſions of idolatry, and remoue ſuch ſtumbling blockes out of mens wayes. If then we could in ſuch a godly conſent, as the Prophet Sophonie ſaith, ſerue the Lord with one ſhoulder, the ciuil magiſtrates,Zophon. 3.9. by the ſword, we by the word: they by correction (if neede require) we by exhortations: they by puniſhments, we by threatnings, remembring that both the one and the other must one day make an account of our ſtewardſhip, and anſwere for our defaults: then I doubt not but God would bleſſe our godly labors, with great increaſe of knowlege and godlines. But, as in the end of this treatiſe, I hauehave made ſome exhortation vntounto magiſtrates, to conſider of their dutie in this point, ſo hauehave I alſo thought it my part to maintaine to my power, Truth againſt Falſhood euen Gods word againſt mens inuentions. And for this cauſe hauehave I taken this trauell, to ſet downe the ſumme of that that we teach, eſpecially in ſuch matters as are principally in queſtion amongſt vsus: and on the contrary, what our aduerſaries teach concerning the ſame. Which I thought to be neceſſary, becauſe our doctrine is many times by the aduerſaries ſlandered, eſpecially before ſuch as are ignorant, as though it were far otherwiſe than in truth it is. And that the truth more eaſly may appeare, what is taught by them and vsus, he that liſteth may ſee with little labor, euen as it were at one view both our opinions. Neither do I vndertake to ſet downe all that we teach concerning thoſe articles, but onelyonly the points that doe eſpecially belong to the controuerſies that are betweene vsus. Then alſo hauehave I ſet downe the principall arguments whereby they confirme their doctrines, and indeuour to confute them. Wherein eſpecially I alleadge M. Bellarmines reaſons (though not alwayes) becauſe he is accounted learned amongeſt vsus, and alſo commeth after others, ſo that he hath ſeene what others hauehave, and hath taken out of them what he liketh. And as in all this treatiſe, my endeuour is to proue (I truſt with ſome good effect) that the doctrine of the church of Rome is not catholike, ſo that it may the better appeare, I hauehave towards the end ſet downe an abridgement of Vincentius Lyrinenſis, whereby I truſt the meaneſt that ſeeth it ſhalbe able to iudge, how they make an vniuſt claime to the catholike religion. And although I know my own wants, and could rather ſubmit my ſelfe to be a ſcholer vntounto many, than a teacher almoſt of any: yet becauſe (I know not how) my minde giueth me, that this manner of writing may do ſome good, eſpecially among the vnlearned that are deſirous to be taught, I thought my duetie forced me to take this in hand, though I want many helpes and meanes that other hauehave. And, to whom ſhould this my labour (ſuch as it is) be due rather than vntounto you, next after that place where I did ſucke as it were my firſt milke of learning, and laid almoſt the foundation of that knowledge (ſuch as it is) that God hath indued mee withall? By your good liberalitie, I confeſſe my ſelfe to be the better inabled to do any good (be it neuer ſo little that I can do) in the church of God. To your Worſhips therefore I confeſſe this my trauell to be due, as a ſimple token of my ſincere heart, which would hauehave yeelded a better remembrance, if my abilitie could hauehave affoorded it. And the rather do I dedicate this Booke vntounto your W. Company, that you, ſeeing the meaning of beſtowing your exhibition (which is to bring vp Labourers in Gods harueſt, teachers in his church) to be in ſome part performed in me, who firſt in Oxford receiued your liberalitie, as I doubt not but you hauehave ſeene much more plentiful fruit in many other you may the more willingly continue your godly courſe, and not be weary of your wel-doing. Accept in good part (I pray you) this ſimple gift, and if you ſee in it but my deſire to doe good, giuegive glo… y to God, to whoſe good grace I commit you and yours, and my ſelfe to your good prayers. From my houſe at Ryton in the Biſhoprike of Durham.
Anno 1595.
❧ A neceſſarie Table, of all the principall matters contained in eueryevery chapter of this Booke.
THAT the Scriptures or word written, is onelyonly Gods word, and not traditions Chapter 1
That this word is ſufficient Chapter 2
The Scripture a ſure rule Chapter 3
Scriptures eaſie Chapter 4
That onelyonly the canonicall bookes of the old and new teſtament are this written word or Scriptures Chapter 5
What the catholike church is, that in the creede is mentioned Chapter 6
That the catholike church mentioned in the articles of our creede is not viſible or to be ſeene Chapter 7
The church here militant vponupon the earth may erre Chapter 8
Of the markes of the church, or how we may know the true church Chapter 9
What a ſacrament is, what is the effect of it, or what it worketh: how many ſacraments there are Chapter 10
Of the ſacrament of Baptiſme Chapter 11
Of Confirmation Chapter 12
Of the Lords ſupper, and Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Chriſt, and namely of tranſubſtantiation Chapter 13
That the wicked receiue not in the ſacrament Chriſts body and bloud Chapter 14
That the cup ought not to be denied to the lay people, which thing the papiſts do Chapter 15
Againſt their ſacrifice of the Maſſe, or of the altar, as they call it Chapter 16
Of true and chriſtian repentance, and of the Popiſh Sacrament of penance Chapter 17
Of lawfull calling into the miniſterie, and againſt the ſacrament of Orders, as they call it Chapter 18
Of matrimony, that it is not a ſacrament, and that it is lawfull for all. Chapter 19
Of anoiling or extreme vnction, that it is not a ſacrament Chapter 20
Of originall ſin, what it is, and whether concupiſcence be ſin, or not. Chapter 21
Of the works of infidels and ſuch as are not regenerate Chapter 22
Of Baptiſme, whether it doe extinguiſh and kill in vsus originall ſinne or not Chapter 23
That we hauehave not of our ſelues free wil or power to deliuer our ſelues from ſinne Chapter 24
That by our workes we cannot bee iuſtified: and againſt the doctrine of merites Chapter 25
Of iuſtification by faith, and what faith is? Chapter 26
That good works are neceſſary duties for all chriſtians to perfourme Chapter 27
Of prayer: to whome, and how we ſhould pray Chapter 28
Againſt Images in churches or anie where elſe for religions cauſe Chapter 29
What faſting is, and of the true vſe of faſting Chapter 30
Of Purgatorie Chapter 31
An Abridgement of Vincentius Lyrinenſis, with obſeruations vponupon the ſaid Author Chapter 32
An exhortation to chriſtian magiſtrates for to defend this truth Chapter 33
FINIS.