The Buckler of the Faith, Preface
THE PREFACE TO THOSE OF THE CHVRCH OF ROME.
SIRS, that which I intend at this time to offer vntounto you, it may be, would be better accepted if it were tendred vntounto you by another hand: howbeit I dare boldly affirme, that neuer any spake vntounto you, that was either more voide of hatred, of more desirous of your good and saluation. The word of God, whereupon we ground our Religion, commandeth vsus to louelove those that hate vsus; and to beleeue that those which hauehave persecuted vsus, hauehave thought that in so doing they hauehave done God good seruice. EueryEvery man that seeketh the truth, ought to be thus affected, without which it is impossible to reape any fruite by our communication: for no wound will euer be healed, as long as the inflammatiō continues. And as in an house that burneth, those that speake are not vnderstood, by reason of the noise and cries of those that gather about it: so we shall neuer vnderstand one the other, as long as our minds are inflamed with hatred and rancour. The studie of sacred truth requireth a peaceable spirit, which deliberately weigheth things, without carping at the persons. For what reason hauehave we to hate any man because he erreth, or because we thinke we see clearer then he doth? Now as blind men commonly are mutinous and cholericke, so those men are most violent that hauehave least vnderstanding: so that he that will take vponupon him to remedy this ignorance, must seeke to pacifie their rage. But there is no hope of remedy in him who studieth to be ignorant, and feareth to know the will of God, lest he should be obliged to follow it. Such is the malady of this age, wherein the people make profession to follow without knowledge; and to beleeue the Church, not knowing what the Church ought to beleeue: and rely vponupon the faith of another, not knowing the rule of faith, which is the word of God. As if those that are our pastors and guides, ought to be our warrant before the iugdement seate of God; or as if it were a vertue to beleeue in God by an atturney. It is true, that the people ought to obey their guides (prouided God be their guide,) and to beleeue that which they teach, (so that which they teach be drawne from the word of God:) which if they hide from the people, and hinder them from the reading thereof, it is an euident signe either that they feele themselues culpable; or that in stead of submitting themselues vntounto this rule, they would hauehave their authority to be the supreme rule. For why should the word of God contained in the holy Scriptures, be suspected by vsus to be a dangerous booke?Index librorū prohibitorum cum regulis confectis per patres à Tridentina Synodo delectos. Regula 4. Cum experimento manifestum sit, si sacra Biblia vulgari lingua passim sine discrimine permittantur, plus inde ob hominum temeritatem detrimenti quàm vtilitatis oriri: Qui absque tali fatultate ea legere seu habère praesumpserit, nisi prius Biblijs ordinario reddi…is, peccatorum absolutionem percipere non possit. Where you must note, that there it is spoken of Bibles translated by Catholicke Romane authors. Why should children be forbidden to looke into their fathers testament? Saint Paul the Apostle wrote his Epistles to the people of Rome, Corinth, and Ephesus, that they might reade them: why then should Christians in these dayes be depriued of the reading of them? The Catholicke Epistles of Saint Iames, Saint Peter, and Saint Iohn, are written to all the faithfull in generall: why then should not Christian people reade those letters that are expresly addressed vntounto them, and written for their instructions? Why should not a Christian reade the writings of the Prophets, as well as they of Beroea did,Act. 17.11. who hauing bin at Saint Pauls preaching, went and conferred his doctrine with the Scriptures? To what end is it, in our Sermons to alledge the places of the holy Scriptures, if the auditory be not permitted to examine whether they hauehave bin faithfully and truly alledged? It is a most horrible thing, that in those countries where the Inquisition reigneth, it should be a crime deseruing burning, to hauehave a Bible in the vulgar tongue; and in the meane time not onelyonly the reading of friuolous fables is tollerated, but whoredome also by the law and publicke authoritie is established and permitted. And if it be the translation that displeaseth his Holinesse, at least he ought to take order that there should be one done according to his mind. To alledge that some men abuse the reading thereof, is as much as to accuse the Apostles of want of discretion, for hauing written their Epistles to Christian people, without foreseeing that they might abuse them. By the same reason also, preaching likewise should be prohibited, because men abuse it. We also abuse the bountie and goodnesse of God. And if we must hauehave speciall leaue to reade the holy Scriptures, is it not a miserable case, that we may not obey God without licence? and that God can hauehave no seruants without the Pope of Romes permission? If they say, that it is not conuenient nor fit that ignorant people should reade them; I answer, that all men are ignorant in religion before they hauehave read them; and that, without impietie, a man cannot hauehave knowledge in religion without the Scriptures. Therefore let me intreate you to shake off this scrupulositie, whereby God is wronged, as if his word were contagious, and a net spread abroad to intangle the consciences of weake Christians; lest that prophecie be accomplished in you which is pronounced by the Prophet Esay, saying,Esa. 5.13. Therefore my people are gone into captiuitie because they hauehave no knowledge; and that saying of our Sauiour Christ, Ye are deceiued, Math. 22.19.not knowing the Scriptures. Suffer not this precious treasure, nor this contract of our spirituall mariage with the Sonne of God, to be pulled out of your hands. Suspect those who during the night of ignorance, hide this celestiall light, and in the meane time light and set vp candles at noone day. Neuer hope to be saued by the faith of other men, for God saith,Habac. 2.4. that The iust shall liue by his faith; and that If the blind leade the blind, Math. 15.14.both shall fall into the ditch. Now to make you know, that the Scripture is taken away from you, not to keepe you within the bounds of sobrietie, but to detaine you in ignorance, consider that in the Church of Rome they reade certaine Chapters of the holy Scriptures openly vntounto you in a language which you vnderstand not. If in those Chapters men spake vntounto God, it might for an excuse be alledged, that God vnderstandeth all languages: but those Chapters are diuine instructions, wherein God speaketh vntounto men. Tell me in conscience, why should God be, as it were, a barbarian vntounto vsus, speaking vntounto vsus in an vnknowne tongue? Why doth he speake vntounto men, but because he would hauehave them to vnderstand him? Why are those things (which otherwise would be held to be ridiculous, and contrary to common sense) in religion esteemed to be good and conuenient? Is it not rather an intention of the enemy of our saluation, by that meanes to expose Christianitie to an open scorne, and to hinder the word of God from being vnderstood by vsus? to the end also that the threatning pronounced by God vntounto those people with whom he is angry, might be accomplished, saying,1. Cor. 14.21. By men of other languages will I speake vntounto this people, and yet will they not heare me. This mischiefe hath produced another; for that by taking the holy Scriptures from you, which is the booke that maketh men wise, they hauehave giuen you images, which are termed the books of the ignorant, because by them ignorance is maintained. By them the people is amused, in stead of being taught the truth. In stead of instruction, they giuegive them recreation. But because the second commandement of the law of God is against it, which concerning the seruice of God, forbiddeth vsus to make any grauen images, & to worship or fall downe before any thing that is in heauen aboue, or in the earth beneath: and that this law pronounced with thunder and lightening, thundereth yet against this superstition: these Doctors hauehave imposed silence to the law of God, and hauehave bene so bold as to race this commandement out of the Houres of the virgin Mary and Seruice bookes which they giuegive you leaue to reade: which makes vsus wholly to suspect them. And it is a thing hardly to be thought or beleeued, that poore little wormes of the earth dare be so bold, as to correct that law which God pronounced with his owne mouth: yea the same law, whereby at the latter day they shall be iudged. For these practises the holy and sacred name of the Church serueth for a couer. They say, that the Church cannot erre: that she is the soueraigne Iudge of the points and doubts of faith: and that she is an infallible interpreter of the Scriptures. By which Church they vnderstand neither the Grecian, Syrian, nor African, (although much ancienter and purer then the Romane,) but onelyonly the Romane Church: which hauing neuer bene other then a particular Church, is said to be the vniuersall Church; and by this meanes the Church of Rome is become a iudge in her owne cause. The Greek Church (much ancienter then the Romane) complaineth that the Church of Rome hath reuolted and separated it selfe from her, producing against her, her chaires, her succession, and her antiquitie. In this controuersie, the Church of Rome boasteth to be Iudge, and so will be both Iudge and partie. And in the question, whether the Church of Rome cannot erre, she her selfe will be Iudge: and which is more, when question is made to decide what the dutie of the Church is, the Church of Rome will be the soueraigne Iudge, that she may hauehave no other law then that which she will establish, and which she propoundeth to her selfe. And when any argument is moued concerning the sense and interpretation of the Law of God, she saith she is the infallible interpreter thereof, and will hauehave her interpretations to be held to be of equall authority with the Law of God. And yet it is certaine, that at the latter day she shall be iudged by that Law. There is no absurditie more palpable, then to make sinfull men infallible iudges of the sence of that law by which their sins ought to be iudged. What obedience, thinke you, is the soueraigne Maister of all creatures to expect, if his seruants might presume to say vntounto him, It is true that thou hast commanded vsus to obserue such a law, but we interprete the same otherwise, and iudge that thy commandement ought thus to be vnderstood; and thou knowest that we are infallible iudges in such matters, and that our interpretations are of equall authoritie with thy commandement. After this maner it were better to be a seruant then a maister. By which of these two wayes, think you, ought the Prelates of the Church to be iudged at the latter day? whether by the law of God, or by their owne interpretations? Herein I make all men iudges, that hauehave any sparke of common sense, or any free iudgement without preiudicate opinion in them; whether in religion, God gouerning and teaching the Church by his word, or the Church which ought to receiue this word and yeeld obedience vntounto him, ought rather to be soueraigne Iudge? And which should rather be Iudge, either the Scripture that commands that there shall be a Church, and propounds and prescribes lawes thereunto; or the Church which onelyonly testifieth the same to be the Scripture? specially seeing that this testimonie may be giuen by a corrupt and disobedient Church to the Scripture? Which shall rather be Iudge, the Scripture that is one, and which iudgeth without passion; or the Church which is deuided into diuers contrary Churches, which cannot be assembled together, and whereof the Pastors are subiect to be ambitious, and addicted to couetousnes, and that ought to be suspected Iudges, when they onelyonly seeke their owne profite and authoritie.
Here I can easily, as it were with a finger, point out and shew vntounto you, that you are led and guided in a way wherein it is impossible for you to be saued. For you are taught simply to beleeue in the Church of Rome, and without other enquiry, wholly to depend vponupon the authoritie thereof. And yet neuerthelesse, you are depriued of all meanes whereby to know and find out, whether this Church wherein you beleeue is pure, and teacheth true doctrine. For how should you know it? is it by the holy Scriptures? But that booke you are not permitted to reade. At Rome and in Spaine, to reade it is burning. Wil you know it by antiquitie? But they are Greeke and Latin bookes, which the people vnderstand not. What knowes an artificer, a woman, or labourer among you, whether his Church teacheth truly according to the Scriptures? or whether his Church was the same that it is now, twelue or fifteene hundred yeares past? or whether in a great role of Popes set downe in a paper, the first of them beleeued as the latter do; and whether time hath wrought no alteration therein? To be short, you hauehave no other proofe for the puritie of your Church, but onelyonly the testimonie of your Church it selfe, the Prelates whereof boast and brag that they cannot erre. In the meane time they bereaue you of all meanes of discerning error from truth, by hiding from you the rule of truth, which is the holy Scriptures. But why should the Church of Rome rather hauehave this perfection, then the Greeke or Syrian Churches (farre ancienter and purer then the Church of Rome) founded by Iesus Christ himselfe and by his Apostles, and which also affirme that they hauehave Saint Peters chaire? Doth the Scripture attribute any prerogatiue aboue others to the Romane Church? or doth it giuegive her the priuiledge not to erre? From all this there followeth two things that are as cleare as the Sunne at noone day; the one, that your faith is onelyonly grounded vponupon the authoritie of men; and by consequence, that your religion is humane, and not diuine. Whosoeuer saith, I beleeue the Gospell and the word of God, because the Church commandeth it, giueth more credite to the Church then to God. To doubt of Gods truth, is a lesse crime then to make it to depend vponupon men. The other, that of all humane testimonies you ground vponupon the worst & most vncertaine: for you beleeue that your Church is good, because she saith so, and make her Iudge in her owne cause: not once considering, that by this word Church, you vnderstand not the Christian people, nor all Pastors in generall, but the Pope and a few Prelats, whose rules are called the Rules of the Church; although they tend wholly to the profite of the Clergie, and to aduance the Empire of the Bishop of Rome. And will you alwayes hold your soules, by God created according to his image, and which he hath redeemed by the bloud of his Sonne, in this miserable captiuitie? Will you draw and heape the wrath and indignation of God vponupon your heads, by reiecting the saluation which is offered vntounto you?
I confesse that the Church of Rome in certaine points alledgeth the Scriptures; and that betweene vsus and her there is great contention touching the interpretation thereof: but we vse the Scriptures in other manner then those that teach you.
1. For they prohibite the people to reade them, and we exhort them thereunto.
2. They perswade you that the Scriptures are obscure and ambiguous: but we say, that all things necessary to saluation are therein contained, and may be from thence clearely deduced.
3. They say, that the Scriptures are an imperfect rule, and will hauehave another vnwritten rule, and traditions of the Church, which they equall in authoritie with the Scriptures. We on the contrary say, that the holy Scriptures are able to make vsus wise vntounto saluation:2. Tim. 3.15. 1. Cor. 4.6. and that we ought not to presume aboue that which is written: and that in those things which are cleare and manifest in the Scriptures, and need no interpretation, all doctrines necessary to saluation are contained.
4. Also when we alledge the Scriptures, we alledge them as the soueraigne Iudge, and as that which gouerneth the Church, and giues her her authoritie. But the Church of Rome alledgeth the Scriptures as a doctrine authorised by the Church, and saith, that we must receiue them because the Church hath so ordained it.
5. And when we interpret the Scriptures, we giuegive not our interpretations for lawes, as the Church of Rome doth, neither do we make our selues iudges and infallible interpreters of the holy Scriptures.
6. Lastly, when we interpret the Scriptures, we draw our interpretations from the Scriptures themselues. But the Church of Rome drawes her interpretations from the vnwritten word and traditions.He tooke bread & gaue it, Do this in remembrance of me. As for example, we expound these words, This is my bodie, by these words, The bread which I giuegive you, is the commemoration of my bodie; which exposition is found in the text it selfe, touching the institution of the Sacrament: or by these words of the Apostle,1. Cor. 10.16. The bread which we breake, is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ? But your Doctors do not interpret the Scriptures so: for they draw their interpretations from the vnwritten word, and from Traditions. When the Lord said to Peter, I hauehave prayed that thy faith may not faile: they say that by those words the vertue not to erre was promised to Saint Peter, and to the Popes of Rome his successors. But the Scripture speaketh not of Popes, nor of Bishops of Rome, nor giueth any successor to Saint Peter in his Apostolicall place. In like sort there is mention in Malachi of a pure oblation that should be offered in all places.Mala. 1.11. This oblation, according to the interpretations of the Romish Doctors, is the Masse, wherein they say, that the body of our Lord is really sacrificed. But this interpretation is taken out of the vnwritten word: for the holy Scripture speaketh not of the Masse, neither commandeth vsus to sacrifice the body of Iesus Christ; nor establisheth Priests in the Church to sacrifice the Sonne of God. And so when the Scripture saith, Thou shalt worship one onelyonly God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serue: the Romish Doctors interpret it, that God onelyonly forbiddeth the adoration of Latria, but not of Dulia, which is an inferiour religious seruice. But the Scriptures make no mention of the adoration of Dulia, nor of any other religious seruice, but onelyonly of that which is due vntounto God. These are interpretations which the Romish Church drawes from the vnwritten word, which is referred to the discretion of the Church of Rome, and cannot be learned but from her mouth. For I am of opinion, that neuer any man saw all the doctrines of the vnwritten word drawne into one bodie, because that word altereth and changeth with times and seasons, and is accommodated to the times, and that still the Church of Rome hath power to adde new articles therunto, and namely touching the points of faith.
The greatest mischiefe is, that these traditions and doctrines of the vnwritten word, are not onelyonly additions to the Scriptures, but manifest contradictions: whereof the Masse onelyonly sheweth many examples.
1.Bellar. in Bark cap. 3. Non recte de Ecclesia Christi sentit, qui nihil admittit, nisi quod expresse in veteri Ecclesia sumptum aut factū esse legit: quasi Ecclesia posterioris temporis aut defierit esse Ecclesia, aut facultatem non habeat explicandi, & declarandi, constituendi, etiā & iubendi quae ad fidem & mores Christianorum pertinent. For Iesus Christ administring the Sacrament of the Eucharist, spake in a tongue vnderstood by the assistants: but the Priest in the Masse speakes in a tongue not vnderstood by the people.
2. Iesus Christ communicated to all the assistants: but the Priest oftentimes eateth and drinketh alone.
3. Iesus Christ giueth the cup to all men, and will hauehave all to drinke thereof: but the Priest drinkes alone, and denieth the cup to the people.
4. Iesus Christ offered nothing to God: but the Priest in the Masse prayeth God to accept his oblation of Christ.
5. Iesus Christ lifted vp no hoast: but the Priest lifteth vp an hoast to be adored.
6. In the institution of the holy Sacrament, there is no mention made of a sacrifice, nor to sacrifice the bodie of Iesus Christ: on the contrary, the Priest pretendeth to sacrifice the body of Iesus Christ in a reall and propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and the dead.
7. In the institution of this Sacrament, there is no adoration of the hoast, but all the Apostles sate at the table: on the contrary, the Priest causeth the hoast to be adored. He that at this day should do as the Apostles did, should be held and esteemed to be prophane and an hereticke.Oramus te Domine per merita Sanctorum quorum reliquiae hic sunt & omnium Sanctorum, vt indulgere digneris omnia peccata mea.
8. There was no reliques hidden vnderunder the Lords table, nor bones of any of the Patriarkes or Prophets: on the contrary, vnderunder the stones of the altar there are bones of the dead, without which reliques an altar cannot be consecrated; and the Priest in the Masse asketh merciemercy and forgiuenesse of his sinnes for the merites of the Saints, whose bones are hidden vnderunder the altar.
9. The Gospell witnesseth, that Iesus Christ giuing bread vntounto his disciples, said, it was his body: on the contrary, the Priest saith, that the bread is not the body of Iesus Christ, but that the bread is transsubstantiated into the body of Iesus Christ.
11. Iesus Christ witnesseth, that it was the fruite of the vine which he dranke: but the Priest denieth that it is the fruite of the vine.
11. Iesus Christ will hauehave vsus to do it in remembrance of him: but the Priest pretendeth to make Christ himselfe.
12. Saint Paul in foure places saith, that we breake and eate bread: on the contrary, the Priest maintaineth that we neither breake nor eate bread.
13. The Lord instituted a Sacrament, but the Priest celebrateth a sacrifice. In a word, the one celebrated the holy Supper, the other singeth Masse, expresly made to disfigure the holy Supper of the Lord.
The Romish Doctors thinke to defend their cause by vsing a childish accusation or obiection against vsus, saying, that seeing we will needs follow our Lord Iesus Christ, we ought to celebrate the holy Sacrament after supper, in a high chamber, and admit no women vntounto it. But neither the place, nor the houre, nor the sexes of the assistants, are of the essence or any part of the action; and without them the action is still entire: and therein Iesus Christ neither prescribed any rule, nor made any prohibition. But the change and alteration which we obiect against them, is in essentiall things, and such as change the nature of the action: seeing that thereby an adoration is induced, which was neuer commanded, nor yet practised by the Apostles: a sacrifice established which the Lord did not appoint: a superstition touching dead mens bones authorized: a common repast changed into a priuate Masse: and the people depriued of the vnderstanding of the ordinary Seruice; taught to take God in their hands, to eate their Creator, to adore the Creature, and are depriued of halfe the Sacrament (that is, of the cup) whereof Christ said, Drinke ye all of this; 1. Cor. 11.8. Let a man examine him selfe, and so eate of this bread and drinke of this cup.as the Apostle also commandeth the people of Corinth to take the cup as well as the bread. Wherein we propound a way and meanes for vsus to agree one with another, which cannot be refused but by him that loueth discord, that hath no Christian bloud in him, or that striueth against God. For eueryevery Christian confesseth, that Iesus Christ did well, and that there is no exception to be taken against his institution. And although it were lawfull to celebrate the Supper in other manner then he did it, yet all men grant, that it should not be ill done to follow his example, to speake as he spake, and to do as he did. This is it that we require. And it is certaine, that the Pope might end all the controuersies growne and raised vponupon this point, which trouble and make a diuision in Christendome, if he would reduce the holy Supper into the forme wherein the Lord did celebrate it; laying aside all disputations, and bind the people to the example of the Sonne of God. What discommodities or inconueniences soeuer might be alledged to the contrary, they cannot equalize nor counterballance the obedience that we owe vntounto Iesus Christ, the peace of Christendome, nor the revnion of this rupture and separation of the people, which hath bin the cause of so many troubles, and hath shed so much bloud, and which openeth the sides of the Church of Rome, as well as it doth ours, exposing the same to the violence of Turkes and Infidels.
All indifferent persons will easily confesse and acknowledge that this is truth; but fearing that your consciences should be touched therewith, they vse an artificiall meanes to represent our religion vntounto you in other maner then it is, and paint it out before you like a terrible monster, making vsus to speake and teach those things which are altogether contrary to our beleefe and confession: and withall, diuers of you are so light of credit, and so easily caried away, that you rather desire to learne and vnderstand what our religion is by the inuectiues of our enemies, then by our owne confession. And although we hauehave protested, that we beleeue nothing of all that which they impose vponupon vsus, yet they will constantly perswade vsus, that we beleeue that which we beleue not. Wherein against their wils they iustifie vsus. For thereby they secretly confesse, that our religion being truly set downe, cannot be repressed: and that if it were liuely described, it would at the first make a strong impression in the spirits and hearts of the auditors, by the euidence of the truth thereof. They say,
1. That our religion teacheth, that good works are not necessary.
2. That the elect may commit sinne, and liue wickedly without danger.
3. That God rewardeth not good workes.
4. That God constraineth our wils, and forcibly draweth them to goodnesse.
5. That we accuse and blame God to be vniust, as hauing propounded a law vntounto vsus, which we cannot fulfil.
6. That we are enemies to the Saints and to the virgin Marie.
7. That to vnderstand the Scriptures, eueryevery one of vsus boasteth that we hauehave a particular inspiration giuen vntounto vsus.
8. And that we deny the omnipotent power of God in the Eucharist. All this is false, and contrary to our beleefe.
1. Our religion teacheth, that good workes are necessary to saluation. For men go not into heauen by the way of hell, nor to the kingdome of God by seruing the diuell.
2. Our religion teacheth, that those that are predestinated to saluation, are also predestinated to liue holy. To say, I may boldly liue wickedly because I am predestinated to saluation, is the speech of a reprobate, that will be wicked because God is good, and that maketh Gods grace (which is a prouocation and a goade to prick vsus forward to vertue) a pillow to lull him asleep in vice.
3. Our religion beleeueth, that God rewardeth good works, but of his free merciemercy, without desert.
4. It beleeueth that God constraineth not mens wils, but boweth them, and causeth them willingly to addict their minds to goodnesse.
5. It doth not esteeme it a thing vniust, that God requireth that of man which he cannot do, when man is bound to do it, and that his weaknes or want of abilitie proceedeth from himselfe.
6. It honoureth the Saints, as the same Saints did honour those Saints that were before them.
7. For the vnderstanding of the Scriptures, it contenteth it selfe with that which therein is clearely and euidently set downe, and leaueth particular inspirations to mad and fantasticall persons.
8. It denieth not the omnipotent power of God in the Eucharist, but it ruleth it selfe according to his will. It vseth the holy Sacrament, not to make Iesus Christ, but to honour him; not to make his body to descend downe vntounto vsus, but to eleuate and lift vp our hearts vntounto him. It taketh not vponupon her to take God in this life, but is content that God would be pleased to take vsus vp into heauen when we die. She is not afraid that God can fall, be stolen, caried away by a mouse, or eaten by his enemies. She beleeueth not that the Son of God and the diuell both entred into Iudas together at one time; nor that Iesus Christ did eate himselfe, seeing it was not necessary for our redemption.
Our religion is a religion that acknowledgeth no other head of the Church but Iesus Christ, no other rule of faith then his word, no propitiatory sacrifice but his death, no other purgatory but his bloud, nor other merits but his obedience.
It is a religion that will hauehave the people to reade the word of God, because she is not afraid that men therin shall find their condemnation; which speaketh in a knowne language, because she is not ashamed of her beleefe.
It is a religion which teacheth fasting to consist in abstinence from meate, and not in distinction of meates: she fasteth for exercise of humilitie, and not with opinion of merite or satisfaction: she borroweth not other mens satisfactions, but with the Apostle beleeueth,Gal. 6.5. that eueryevery man shall beare his own burthen.
It is a religion, which distrusting in her owne works, trusteth in the promises of God; which preacheth hope and affiance, and not to doubt of her saluation: which recommendeth an humble assurance, and not an arrogant perplexitie, by the which those that display or boast of their owne merits, make profession to doubt o… their saluation.
It is a religion, wherein men confesse & acknowledge that they hauehave often done that which God forbiddeth to be done; far from hauing done more then he cōmandeth to be done: and is so far frō doing superabundant works, that it faileth in doing that which is necessary to be done. It pretendeth not to make God debtor to man by works of supererogation, but confesseth man to be a sinner before God, because of his disobedience.
It is a religion, which in stead of framing and fashioning stones like vntounto the image of man, seeketh by all meanes possible to reforme man according to the image of God. In stead of worshipping a crosse of wood, adoreth Christ crucified, trusteth in his passion, and glorieth in his ignominie.
It is a religion which beleeueth not, that God which gaue his Sonne to die to saue his enemies, taketh pleasure to torment the soules of his children in a fire of Purgatory, and to punish them for sinnes already pardoned (and for the which Iesus Christ hath made full satisfaction) by punishments which serue not to amend the sinner, but to satisfie the iustice of God.
It is a religion which maketh not her prayers by number, neither maketh the efficacie of prayer to consist in the often repetition of the same prayer, but in faith and the disposition of the heart.
It is a religion which holdeth that faith consisteth not in ignorance, but in knowledge: which equally administreth holy things as well to the rich as to the poore; not as in the Romish Church, where dispensations and absolutions are sold, and particular Masses are neuer said, but for them that first giuegive something to the Priest.
To be short, it is a religion which hath litle outward shew and glory, but much inward comfort, constancy and perseuerance, which will be knowne by the effects; and ordaineth few ceremonies, but ministreth many instructions.
You make answer to this, and say, that these are new things. How esteeme you them to be new, seeing that Iesus Christ himselfe & his Apostles taught in that maner? It is true, that they are new to those that are nourished in an inueterate error. Healing is newer then the disease: but we must alwayes ascend vp to the spring of truth, in regard whereof all old errors are new. No man euer opposed himselfe against an accustomed rooted error, but he was accused of noueltie. But this reproch of noueltie, ill becometh the mouthes of those persons which hide the true antiquitie from the people (that is, the word of God,) and which maintaine, that yet at this day the Church may & can make new ordinances touching faith; and which by the Church vnderstand no other then the Romish Church; that in the first ages after the Apostles, cannot produce one man that was of their religion; and which know that in all antiquitie there is no mention made of excluding the people frō the cup, of prohibiting them the reading of the holy Scriptures, of reading the Scriptures to the people in an vnknowne tongue which they vnderstand not, of painting the Trinitie, of worshipping images, of adoring the hoast with the worship of Latria, of priuate Masses, of the Bishop of Romes Court, of his Indulgences, of the treasure of the church, of his power to depose kings, and of drawing soules out of Purgatory, nor of many other corruptions which are beautified and set forth with the fraudulent title of Apostolicall traditions, as if they came from the Apostles themselues.
Those that boast & brag of Antiquitie, are they that rudely handle the Doctors, and censure and condemne them at their pleasure; that will hauehave the Fathers to be interpreters of the Scriptures (so that they themselues may be interpreters of the Fathers,Cotton in the Preface of his Cath. Institut. speaketh thus of those two vniuersall Councels, saying, Grecia began an. 380. to draw on to rebelliō against the holy seate, & to tranerse the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome, appointing the Bishop of Constantinople to be his equall. After that, an. 450. they said, that they had the same priuiledges. and iudges of Antiquitie,) and that not onelyonly condemne eueryevery particular Father, but also whole Councels, wherein the Fathers generally spake all together. Three vniuersall Councels condemned Honorius Bishop of Rome to be an heretik, but at this day they reiect those Councels. At the first Councell of Constantinople, anno 381. there was 150 orthodoxe Bishops, and 630 at the Councell of Chalcedon holden an. 451. and yet neither that great number, nor the great antiquitie, hindreth our aduersaries from condemning all those Fathers for making the Bishop of Constātinople equal with the Bishop of Rome in Ecclesiasticall things. The Councell of Constance holden anno 1416. acknowledgeth that in the primitiue Church the faithfull receiued the Sacrament vnderunder both kinds, and neuerthelesse ordaineth that those that would follow the ancient custome, should be holden and esteemed to be hereticks, and grieuously punished.
And it is a wonder how these men dare speake of Councels, when they know very well, that day is not more contrary to night, then ancient Councels are cōtrary to the new, wherein the Pope ruleth all, and ordaineth all, the other Bishops onelyonly giuing their consents, by bowing their heads in signe of approbation; when at the entring into the same Councels, the holy Bible is laid at the Popes feet, to witnes that the word of God is subiect vntounto him; where the Pope is set in an high throne, & the Emperour below at his feet. To be short, we see, by the practises of the latter Councels, specially the Councell of Florence, the last of Latran, and by the booke of sacred Ceremonies, that a Councell for certaine ages past, is nothing else but a Papall Consistory, but held with more solemnitie: whereas in the ancient Councels, the Bishop of Rome durst not personally appeare, and his ordinary Deputies therein had neither presidence nor authoritie: which is far from ordaining, that no booke shall be Canonicall without the Popes authoritie; and that all Kings must kisse his feete: and to declare,Annal. Baron. an. 1076. that there is no other name vnderunder the heauens, but that of the Pope: which are the decrees & ordinances of the Councell of Rome vnderunder Gregory the 7. an. 1076.
To conclude, it is most certaine, that those which sound in your eares the Fathers and the Councels, do it not because the ancient Fathers are any thing fauourable vntounto them, but because they know, that the common people cannot tell how to disproue them, and that in those things you must of necessitie refer your selues vntounto them. But touching the Scriptures, which you may and ought to know, and which rule all the Fathers, those you are forbidden to reade. Yeares are not rules, and lying was from the beginning of the world. And if custome may serue for a law, tell me how many yeares at the least are required to authorise a doctrine? The Church is not in a country gouerned by custome, but in a country gouerned by a written law. There is no prescription against the diuine truth. In the time of the Apostles this mystery of iniquitie began to be hatched. How much then, thinke you, is it now increased? And in truth both the people and the pastors of the Church of Rome crie out since certaine yeares past, that the Church hath need to be reformed. At the Councell of Pisa, an. 1411. Pope Alexander the fift, in the 20 Session, solemnly promised to spend some time to take order for the reformation of the Church, and to that end to assemble the wisest men of all nations. Not long after that, there was a Councell helden at Senes, anno 1423. where the proposition of the reformatiō of the church was laid vponupon the table, and after referred to another time; for they saw that they could not stirre that stone, without shaking the Papall dignitie.
But that which great personages would not do, God hath done it by meaner men, vsing vnexpected and vnhoped for meanes, to set the doctrine of saluation before the peoples eyes, in despite of all the forces that Satan could vse against it. You are bound and beholding vntounto those that hauehave taken paines and trauelled in this worke, for this, that the holy Scripture (which the people saw not) is now translated into our mother tongue; and that the Spirit of God speaketh French, in such maner that no man can be ignorant of the word of God, but he that wilfully shuts his owne eyes for feare to see the light. You are bound vntounto them also for this, that the Pope doth now tyrannize lesse ouer you then he did 4 or 5 hūdred yeares past, & that your bondage is eased a fourth part:Such buls are found in Mathew Paris, and in the third Tome of the Councels, at the end of the Councell of Latran vnderunder Innocent the third. for then the Pope gaue those French men that at his commandement armed themselues (besides the remission of all their sinnes) a degree of honour in Paradise aboue other men. But if now at this day he would by a Croysado send the French men into a far country to fight against heretiks, or to conquer certaine townes (vponupon his enemies) for him, as he did not long since, you would mock and iest at his commnndement. Then his manner was, when a King had offended him, to interdict his kingdome, and by that meanes (as much as in him lay) to excommunicate diuers millions of people, to command an intermission of diuine Seruice to be made throughout a great country, to forbid the bels to be rung, to hinder burials, and to expose the countrey for a prey to him that first could conquer it. England was sixe yeares and a halfe in that state in the time of King Iohn; but at this day he puls his sword no more out of the sheath, fearing that taking so much vponupon him, he should be the meanes to ouerthrow his owne dignitie, which the doctrine of the Gospell hath already much shaken.
You are also beholding vntounto vsus, that sellers of pardons run not throughout France from house to house, as they did in the time of Boniface the 9. and Leo the 10. who for halfe a crowne sold to eueryevery man that would hauehave them, a remission of all his sins, and the deliuerance of a soule out of Purgatory.
The time hath bin, that in France men commonly spake of miracles, of S. Anthonies fire, and of the apparition of damned soules, or such as were come out of Purgatory, which illusions are for the most part vanished away at the rising of the Sun of the holy Scripture, which the night of ignorance had hidden. And if at this day there are any small miracles spoken of, it is secretly, and neuer before vsus: for before a man that feareth God, and knoweth him, Satan is as it were chained, and loseth all his force, and the magistrates themselues of your religion hauehave oftentimes punished such impostures corporally. There are not many persons among you that wholly beleeue in their religion, and that find not fault with the Church of Rome. For it is hard for a man to support the Decrees & the Glosses, which say,Tit. 8. de Praebend. cap. Proposuit. Secundum plenitudinem potestatis de iure possumus supra iut dispensare. Et ibid. Glossa: Papa contra Apostolum dispensat. Item contra vetus testamentum. Item, in iuramento, Glossa Dist. 34. Can. Lector. Papa potest contra Apostolum dispensare. Et Causa 23. quaest 1. Can. Sunt quidam. Glossa habet, Dispensat in Euangelio interpretando ipsum. Glossa extrau. Cum inter Dominum Deum nostrum Papā. Concil. Later. vltimū Sess. 9. Diuinae maiestatis tuae conspectus. Bellarm. in Barkl. cap. 31. In bono sensu dedit Christus Petro potestatem faciendi de peccato non peccatum, & de non peccato peccatum. that the Pope is aboue the law, and that he hath power to dispense against the Apostles and the Gospell: that call the Pope, God, and Diuine maiestie: or the lying Legends, which in many things compare and equalize S. Dominicke and S. Francis to Iesus Christ: or the opinion of those that cause S. Francis Cowle to be put vponupon them when they are dead, because (as their Doctors say) that Cowle is as good & as auailable as a second baptisme: nor the runnings of poore people for pardons two hundred miles off, when remission of all our sins is offered at home vntounto vsus by the doctrine of the Gospell: nor the pardons of seuen or eight hundred thousand yeares: nor the priuiledged altars, whereon a Masse being said, a soule is deliuered out of Purgatory: nor the opinion of those that teach, that the Pope can make that which is sin, to be no sin, and that which is no sin, to be sin. And it is certaine, that although we should say nothing, yet the truth speaketh in the consciences of many persons that are holden vnderunder this captiuity by the feare of men and their domesticall affaires; for the diuell tilleth men by the belly, and rocketh them in a cradle of pleasures and honours to bring them asleepe: whereby it happeneth, that the sparks of the truth knowne, are quenched in them, or if they be not quenched, they burne, and torment their consciences, & serue for nothing else but to make them more culpable. For hauing not onelyonly buried their talent of the knowledge of God in the earth, but also for misspending the same; for hauing bin ashamed to confesse the Son of God before men, and not defending his cause when time required, and for fearing to offend men more then God, whose promises are certaine, his threatnings horrible, and his iudgements eternall and ineuitable: who hauing in our dayes shewed and done so many miracles to repaire the ruines of his Church in this Realme, wil not leaue those vnpunished that seeke to trouble his worke, and that expresly wander out of the way at high noone day.
All this which hath bene spoken proceeds from an ardent desire that we hauehave that you should be saued, and that God might be serued; for herein we hauehave no other interest then your saluation, seeing that from the defence of this cause, we receiue nothing but trouble, hatred and discommodities. We rather much more desire to liue in peace and amitie with our fellow citizens vnderunder one selfe same religion, if we could or might do it, without offence vntounto God; and ceasse not to pray & beseech the Father of merciemercy (whose compassion surmounts our iniquities) that he will pardon those that hate vsus, that he will touch their hearts with repentance, and illuminate their vnderstandings with his light, to know the day of their visitation, and the way of eternall saluation, for feare that in the end he should turne his fauour from a people that turne their backs vntounto him, and send greater darknesse then the first, vponupon a nation that striueth against the light of the Gospell.
If these considerations moue any man, it will be no small ioy vntounto me, and an ample reward of my labour. If it happeneth otherwise, we shal at the least hauehave deliuered our soules, and discharged our consciences, and serued for a witnesse in so hard and stiffenecked an age, attending till the Sonne of God come from heauen, to heare our griefes, to deliuer his children, and to reward eueryevery one according to his workes: to him be glorie eternally. Amen.
THE BVCKLER OF THE FAITH: OR, THE DEFENCE OF THE CONFESsion of the reformed Churches of France, against the Obiections of M. Arnoux a Iesuite.
THE FIRST ARTICLE.
The Confession.
WE beleeue and confesse, that there is one onelyonly God, of one onelyonly and simple essence, spiritual, inuisible, immoueable, infinite, incomprehensible, vnspeakeable; that can do all things, that is altogether wise, altogether good, altogether iust, and altogether mercifull.
THE SECOND ARTICLE.
This God manifesteth himselfe to be so vntounto men, first by his workes, as well in the creation, as in the conseruation, and gouerment thereof. Secondly, and more clearely, by his word, which in the beginning, being reuealed by oracle, hath since by writing bene reduced into the bookes which we call the holy Scripture.
M. Arnoux dealeth not at all with these two articles, and consequently, by his silence approueth them.