A Letter Unto them of the Romish Church, Letter
A Letter to them of the Romiſh Church, by Peter du Moulin, Miniſter of GOD's Word in the Reformed Church of Paris.
Tranſlated into Engliſh out of the French Originall.
My Masters:
THE things that I have to repreſent to you, would perhappes bee more acceptable from any other hand than from mine: and yet I may bee bould to ſay, that never did any man ſpeak to you more void of hatred, or more deſirous of your good and ſalvation. The Word of God, from whence wee draw our Religion, commands us to love thoſe that hate us, and to beleeve that thoſe which doo perſecute us doo thinke they doo God good ſervice. Every ſpirit, which ſeeketh after the truth, ought thus to be diſpoſed. Without this, it is impoſſible to gather anie fruit by our communication: for, never doth any wound cloze up again, during the inflammation. And even as in a houſe which is on fire, thoſe which ſpeake are not underſtood: ſo ſhall we never underſtand one another, whil'ſt our ſpirits doo burne with hatred and ſpleen. The ſtudy of the ſacred Word of GOD requireth a quiet ſpirit, which wiſely waigheth things without exception againſt any mans perſon: for, what reaſon is it to hate any bodie becauſe hee goeth aſtray, or becauſe wee think wee ſee more cleere than hee?
Now then, even as blinde-men are commonly wranglers and cholerick; ſo alſo ſuch as are moſt violent receive leaſt inſtruction: therefore hee that ſhall remedy this ignorance, ſhall likewiſe appeaſe this furiouſneſſe. But, the evill is without remedy in him that endeavoureth to be ignorant, and feareth to know the will of God, leſt hee ſhould bee ſo much the more obliged to follow it. This is (my Maſters) the diſeaſe of this Age: in which, people make profeſſion of following without knowing, and to beleeve his Church without knowing what the Church ought to beleeve; and reſteth upon the faith of other, being ignorant of the rule of faith, which is the Word of God: as if thoſe that lead us ought to bee our warrants againſt GOD's judgement, or as if it were a vertue to beleeve in God by Attorney.
Indeed, people ought to obey their Guides, in caſe God bee their Guide; and beleeve that which they teach, if ſo bee that which they deliver bee drawne from the Word of God.The Index of bookes forbidden, together with the rules which were made by the fathers that were choſen thereto by the Trēt Synod. The fourth rule. In as much as it is plainly ſeen by experience, that if the Bible bee every where ſuffered to bee read in the vulgar tongue without any reſtraint, more hurt then good will thence ariſe, by occaſion of mens raſhnes. Hee that without ſuch like licence ſhall preſume to read or have the Bible, may not have an abſolution of his ſinnes, vnleſſe hee firſt deliver it up into the hands of the Ordinary. The which if they hide from the people, and hinder the reading thereof, it is a ſigne that they find themſelves guilty; or that, in ſtead of ſubjecting themſelves to this rule, they will have the ſoveraign rule to bee their authority. For, wherefore ſhould the Word of God, contained in holy Scriptures, bee a ſuſpicious thing unto us, and as it were a dangerous book? Wherefore ſhould not children bee permitted to ſee their fathers Teſtament? The Apoſtle Saint Paul hath written his Epiſtles to the people of Rome, of Corinth and Epheſus, to the end they might read them: wherefore then ſhould Chriſtian people at this day bee deprived of the reading of them? The Catholike Epiſtles of Saint Iames, Where it is to be noted, that there it is ſpoken of Bibles tranſlated by Catholick Roman Authors.S. Peter, and Saint Iohn, are written to all the faithfull in generall: wherefore then ſhould not Chriſtian people read thoſe Letters which are expreſly directed unto them, and are written for their inſtruction? wherfore may they not read the writings of the Prophets, as well as the people of Berea? which, coming from Saint Pauls Sermon, went and conferred it with the Scriptures. To what end are Texts alleaged in Sermons, if it bee not lawfull for the Auditor to goe home and ſee in the Scriptures,Acts 17. 11 whether they bee truely alleaged or no? A horrible thing, that in thoſe Countries where the Inquiſition raigneth, it is a crime worthy the fire to have a Bible in the vulgar tongue; whil'ſt not onelyonly the reading of fables is tolerated, but whoredome alſo eſtabliſhed there by law and politick regiment. If ſo bee the Tranſlation bee not thought true by the Pope, his Holineſſe ſhould give order for a Tranſlation fitting his judgement.
To ſay, that ſome abuſe this reading, is to accuſe the Apoſtles of folly to have written their*The Apoſtles did write in a language moſt publikely underſtood. Epiſtles to chriſtian people, without foreſeeing that they might abuſe the ſame: by the ſame reaſon, they might forbid the preaching thereof, becauſe many doo abuſe it. Men abuſe even the very goodnes of GOD. Nay, which is more, it was never ſeene, that any of the people did ever forge any Hereſie through reading of the Scripture. All our Hereſiarchs have been perſons that have had place in the Church. Now, if to reade the holy Scripture, wee muſt have ſpeciall leave given us, is it not a miſerable thing that wee may not obey God but upon ſufferance, and that God can have no ſervants without the Biſhop of Romes permiſſion? Or if they ſay, it is not for ignorant people to read them: I anſwer, that all men are ignorant in religion before they read them, and that men may not without impiety aſcribe any skil unto themſelves in religion, beſides or without the Scripture.
Shake off then (my Maſters) this ſcrupulous feare, by which God is wronged, as if his Word were contagious, and a ſnare laid for weake conſciences; leſt upon you bee accompliſhed the Prophecy of Eſay, Eſay 5. 13My people are in captivity, becauſe they bee without knowledge: and the ſaying of our Saviour, You erre, not knowing the Scriptures. Let not this pretious treaſure bee wrung out of your hands; this contract of our ſpirituall marriage with the Sonne of God: hould them as ſuſpected perſons, who during this night of ignorance do hide this heavenly Light, and in the mean time light up their owne candles at high-noon. Hope not to bee ſaved by the faith of others: for, God declares unto us,Hab. 4. 2 that The iuſt ſhall live by his owne faith: Mat. 15. 14and that If the blinde lead the blinde, they ſhall both fall into the ditch.
Now, that you may knowe that they take the Scriptures away from you, not to keep you in ſobriety, but to detaine you in ignorance; conſider, that in the Roman Church they read publikely unto you ſome chapters of the Bible in a tongue which you underſtand not. If in theſe chapters GOD were ſpoken unto, one might excuſe it; ſaying, that GOD underſtands all languages: but theſe chapters are divine Lectures, in wch God ſpeaketh unto men. Tell me in conſcience, wherefore ſhould God bee a Barbarian unto us, and ſpeak to us in an unknowne tongue? Wherefore ſpeaks hee unto men, but to the end they ſhould underſtand him? Wherefore ſhould thoſe things, wch every where elſe would be eſteemed ridiculous and againſt cōmon ſenſe, bee thought good and comely in religion? But, is it not a ſleight of the enimy of our ſalvation; that he might make Chriſtianity ridiculous, and hinder the Word of God from beeing underſtood of you? to the end likewiſe that the threatning may be accompliſhed which God uſeth to a people with whom hee is angry, I will ſpeak to this people by men of other language, 1 Cor. 14. 21.& in a ſtrange tongue, and ſo they ſhall not underſtand mee.
This evil hath produced another: for, in taking away from you the holy Scriptures which make men learned, they have given you Images, which they call the books of ignorant men, becauſe they nouriſh ignorance: therewithall they buſie the people, in ſtead of inſtructing them; in ſtead of teaching them, they make them paſſe-time. But becauſe that againſt this ſame, the ſecond of Gods commandements is expreſſe, which forbids in matter of Gods ſervice to make any Image, and to fall downe before any repreſentation of anie thing in Heaven or earth; and that his Law, pronounced with thundering, affrighteth even to this day this ſuperſtition: theſe Doctours have impoſed ſilence unto this Lawe of God, and dare to raze out this commandement out of thoſe books, praiers and ſervice-bookes, which they appoint them to uſe: A thing wherin wee may ſuſpect our owne eyes, and hardly beleeve when wee ſee it, that very wormes of the earth have made ſo bould as to correct the Law of God pronounced with his owne mouth; yea, that ſame Lawe, by which they ſhall bee judged at the laſt day.
VntoUnto ſuch enterpriſes the holie & ſacred name of Church ſerveth as a cloak. It is ſaid that the Church cannot erre; that ſhe is ſoveraign Iudge of the points and doubts of faith; that ſhee is the faithfull interpreter of the Scripture. By which Church, is underſtood not the Greek, nor the Syrian, nor the African (although more ancient & more pure than the Romane); but onelyonly the Romane Church, which, having never been but a particular Church, cals herſelf the Vniverſall. By this meanes the Church of Rome is becomne Iudge in her own cauſe. The Greek Chur. more ancient than the Roman, complaineth that the Roman Church is revolted and ſeparated from her, producing againſt her her chaires, her ſucceſſion, her antiquity. In this conteſtation, the Romane Church vanteth herſelf to bee Iudge, and ſo will bee both Iudge and Party. In the queſtion whether the Romane Church can erre, ſhee herſelfe will be Iudge; and (which is more) whē there is queſtion of deciding what the Churches duty is, the Romane Church will bee ſoveraigne Iudge, to the end ſhee may have no other lawes but of her owne eſtabliſhing, and what ſhee will carve out for her owne ſelf. And, moreover, when the ſenſe and interpretation of the Lawe of God lieth at the ſtake, ſhee eſteemeth herſelf the infallible expounder, and reputes her owne interpretation of equall authority with the Law of God; yet is it certaine, that by this Law ſhee ſhall bee judged at the later day. Now, there is no raſhnes ſo extravagant, as to put ſinners for infallible judges of the ſenſe of the Lawe, by which their ſinnes are to be judged. What obedience think you is the Soveraign Maſter to look for, if his ſervants may ſay unto him, Thou haſt indeed commanded us that ſame, but wee interpret it thus, and doo judge that thy commandement ought thus to bee underſtood; and thou knoweſt, that wee are undoubted judges in ſuch matters, and that our interpretations are of equal authority to thy commandements? By this reckoning, it were better to bee ſervant than Maſter. By which of theſe two (thinke you) ſhall the Prelates of the Church of Rome be judged at the laſt day? whether by the Law of God, or by their owne interpretations? I referre this to the judgement of any man that hath but the remainder of common ſenſe left him, or any ſpark of free and unpreocupate conceipt, which of the two ought rather to be ſupream Iudge in religion: whether God, ruling and teaching the Church by his Word; or the church, that ought to receive this Word, and obey him. Who ſhall rather be Iudge, the ſcripture which cōmands there ſhould be a Church, and giveth it lawes; or the Church, which onelyonly giveth atteſtation that that is the Scripture? ſpecially conſidering, that even this teſtimony may be given by a corrupt Church, and diſobedient to this Scripture. Who ſhall bee rather Iudge, the Scripture which is one, and judgeth without paſſion; or the Church, which is divided into cōtrary churches which cannot bee aſſembled, and whoſe Paſtors are ſubject to ambition and avarice, and fitter to bee had in ſuſpicion when there is anie queſtion of their profit or authority?
Heere (my Maſters) it is eaſie to ſhewe you, that they lead you in a way by which it is altogether impoſſible you ſhould bee ſaved: for, you are taught ſimply to beleeve the Church of Rome, and without farther enquiry to depend entirely upon her authority; and yet you are deprived of all means to know whether this Church, whereunto you give credit, bee pure, and teacheth true doctrine. For, how ſhould you knowe that? ſhould it be by the holy Scriptures? yea, but this book is not permitted you. At Rome and in Spaine, to read in it, is no leſſe than burning at a ſtake: or would you knowe it by the Antients? thoſe are greek & latin books which the people underſtand not. What knowes an artificer, or a woman, or an huſbandman amongſt you, whether the Church teacheth conformably unto the Scripture? or if their church bee ſuch as it was ſome 12. or 1500. years ſince? or whether of a long liſt of Popes pictured, the firſt have beleeved as the laſt, and that the times have altered nothing? In briefe, you have no other proof of the purity of your church, but the witnes of your Church it ſelf: whoſe Prelates, vanting themſelves that they cannot erre, in the meane time deprive you of all means to diſcern of error from truth; by hiding from you the rule of truth, which is the holy Scriptures. But wherfore ſhould the Roman Church rather have this perfection, that the Greek or the Syrian (more antient and more pure than the Roman) founded by Ieſ. Chriſt himſelfe, and by his Apoſtles; and who alſo brag to have Saint Peters chair? Doth the Scripture give unto the Roman Church any prerogative above others? or doth it give her the priviledge of not erring?
From hence doe enſue two things as cleere as the day: the one, that your faith is grounded onelyonly upon the authority of men, and by conſequent that your religion is a humane religion and not divine. Whoſoever ſaith, I beleeve the Goſpell and the Word of GOD, becauſe the Church ordaineth it, maketh the Church more credible than God. To doubt of Gods truth, is a leſſe crime, than to make it depend upon men. The other is, that, of all humane witneſſes, you ground your ſelves upon the worſt and moſt uncertain: for, you ſay, your Church is good becauſe ſhee ſaith it, and ſo doo make her Iudge in her owne cauſe; not conſidering, that by this word Church, you underſtand not Chriſtian people, nor the generality of Paſtors, but the Pope and ſome fewe Prelates whoſe rules are called Church-rules, although they tend onelyonly to the profit of the Clergie, and the advancement of the Empire of the Biſhop of Rome.
And you poor ſoules, whom God hath framed after his owne Image, whom hee hath redeemed with the blood of his Son, whom God ſolliciteth by his Word, will you languiſh alwaies in this captivity? will you heap up unto your ſelves the wrath and indignation of the Lord, by rejecting the ſalvation which is propoſed you?
I confeſſe, that the Roman Chur. in certain points alleageth ſcripture, and that between her and us there is ſtrife about the interpretation: but we make uſe of the Scripture in another manner than thoſe which teach you.
For firſt, they are afraid the people ſhould read the Scriptures: but we exhort men thereunto.
Secondly, they perſwade you, that the Scripture is obſcure and ambiguous: but we ſay, all things neceſſary unto ſalvation are therein layd downe with much clearneſs.
Thirdly, they ſay that the Scripture is an unperfect rule, they will needs have another unwritten word, and traditions of the Church equall in authority to the Scripture: wee (on the contrary) ſay, that the holie Scripture can make us wiſe unto ſalvation,1 Tim. 15. 1 and that wee ought not to bee wiſe beyond what is written;1 Cor. 6. 4 and that in that which is cleare in the Scriptures, and needeth no interpretation, are cōtained all the doctrines neceſſary unto ſalvation.
Fourthly, when wee alleage the Scripture, we alleage it as ſoveraign Iudge, and as it that ruleth the Chur. and giveth her her authority: but the Romane Church alleageth the Scripture as a doctrine authorized by the Church, and that you ought to receive it becauſe the Church hath ordained it.
Fiftly, when wee interpret the Scriptures, wee give not out our interpretations for lawes as doth the Roman Church, nor call our ſelves judges or infallible interpreters of the holy Scriptures.
Finally, when wee interpret the Scriptures, wee draw our interpretations from the Scripture it ſelf: but the Roman Church draw their interpretations from the unwritten word and from tradition. For example: wee expound thoſe words, This is my body, He took the bread, gave it, &c. Do this in remembrance of me.By the bread which I give you is the commemoration of my body; the which expoſitiō is found in the text it ſelf of the inſtitution of the ſacrament: or by theſe words of the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 10. 16, The bread which wee break is the communion of the body of Chriſt. Your Teachers do not thus interpret the Scriptures: for, they draw their interpretations from the unwritten word and from tradition. When the Lord ſaid to Peter, I have prayed that thy faith fail not; they ſay, that by theſe words Saint Peter and the Popes of Rome, his ſucceſſours, were promiſed the vertue that they could not erre: but the Scripture ſpeaketh not of Popes or of Biſhops of Rome, nor grants unto Saint Peter any ſucceſſor in his Apoſtleſhip. So Malachie ſpeaketh of a pure oblation which was to bee made in all places;Mal. 1. 11 This oblation, according to the interpretation of theſe Maſters, is the Maſſe; in which they ſay the body of Chriſt is really ſacrificed. But this interpretation is taken out of the unwritten word: for, the holy ſcripture ſpeaketh not of any Maſſe, nor of the ſacrifice of the body of Ieſus Chriſt, nor eſtabliſheth any ſacrificers in the Church to ſacrifice the Son of God. So, when the Scripture ſaith, Thou ſhalt worſhip one God, and ſhalt ſerve him alone; The interpretations of theſe Maſters is, that God forbiddeth onelyonly the worſhip of Latria, but not the adoratiō of Dulia, which is an inferiour religious ſervice. But, the Scripture ſpeaketh not of the adoration of Dulia, nor of any other religious ſervice then that which is due unto God. Theſe are interpretations which the Romane Church draweth from the unwritten word, which is at the diſcretion of the Romiſh Church, nor can bee learned but from her mouth: for, I doo not think there is any that ever hath ſeen all the inſtructions of this unwritten word reduced into one body;Bellar. in Barkl. c. 3. He thinkes not rightly of the chur. of the chur. of Chriſt, that admits nothing but what hee reads expreſly to have bin alledged or practiſed in the old chu. as if the Church of later time either ceaſt to be a chr. or hath not authority to expreſſe and declare, to decree alſo, and cōmād thoſe things which concern faith & Chriſtian manners. and that becauſe this word changeth according to the age, and is fitted unto the time, and that the Romiſh Chur. hath power alſo to adde new articles thereunto even in the points of faith.
The greateſt miſchief is, that theſe traditions and inſtructions of the unwritten word are not only additions unto the Scripture, but alſo manifeſt oppoſitions thereunto: whereof, the Maſs alone doth furniſh us with many examples. 1. For, Ieſus Chriſt, adminiſtring the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, ſpake in a tongue underſtood of the ſtanders by: but the Prieſt in his Maſſe ſpeaketh in an unknown language. 2. Ieſus Chriſt adminiſtred to all there preſent: but the Prieſt oftentimes eateth & drinketh himſelfe alone. 3. Ieſus Chriſt communicated the cup unto all, and willed that all ſhould drink thereof: but the Prieſt drinketh alone, and denieth the chalice unto the people. 4. Ieſus Chriſt offred nothing to God: but the Prieſt prayeth in the Maſſe, that God would be pleaſed with his oblation. 5. Ieſus Chriſt made no elevation of the hoſte: but the Prieſt houldeth up an hoſte to bee adored. 6. In the inſtitution of this holy Sacrament there is no ſpeech of a ſacrifice, nor of ſacrificing the body of Ieſus Chriſt: cleane contrary, the Prieſt pretendeth the ſacrificing of the body of Ieſus Chriſt in a reall & propitiatory ſacrifice for the living and the dead alſo. 7. VnderUnder the Table of our Lord there were no reliques hid,We beſeech thee, Lord, through the merits of the Saints, whoſe relicks wee have heer, and for the merits of all the Saints beſides, that thou wouldeſt vouchſafe to pardon all our ſins. nor the bones of any Patriarch or Prophet: on the contrary, the Prieſt hath under the ſtones of his Altar the bones of the dead, without which reliques an Altar cannot bee conſecrated: and ſo accordingly the Prieſt in his Maſſe craveth ſalvation by the merits of thoſe Saints whoſe bones lie hidden under that Altar; a thing that Ieſus Chriſt never thought of. 8. Ieſus Chriſt witneſſed, that it was the fruit of the Vine that hee drank: but the Prieſt denies that it is ſo. 9. Ieſus Chriſt will, that we make commemoration of him: but the Prieſt pretendeth to make Ieſus Chriſt himſelf. 10. Saint Paul ſaith foure times, that we eat & break bread: on the contrary, the Prieſt maintains, that we neither eat nor break bread. 11. The Lord inſtituteth a Sacrament: but the Prieſt celebrateth a Sacrifice. In a word, the one adminiſtreth the Communion; the other ſingeth Maſſe, expreſly made to diſ-figure the holy Supper of our Lord.
Theſe Maſters thinke themſelves well fenſed with uſing a childiſh recrimination in objecting unto us, that ſeeing wee will imitate our Lord, we ought all to celebrate the Communion after ſupper, & in a high chamber, and not to admit of women: but neither the place, nor the houre, nor the ſex of the aſſiſtants, is either part or eſſence of the action; and without any of theſe the action remaineth intire, nor hath Ieſus Chriſt touching the ſame given any rule, or forbidden any circumſtance. But the chāge which wee object againſt them, is in things eſſentiall, and which change the nature of the action; ſeeing that thereby is introduced an adoration not commanded nor practiſed by the Apoſtles; and a ſacrifice eſtabliſhed, which our Lord hath not ordained; and an authorized ſuperſtition about dead mens bones; and a publike repaſt changed into a private Maſs; and the people fruſtrate of underſtanding their ordinary ſervice; and inſtructed to take God, and to eat their Creator, & adore the creature; and deprived of one halfe of the Sacrament, to wit the cup, wherof Chriſt hath ſaid,1 Cor. 8. 11. Drink ye all of this: as alſo the Apoſtle commandeth the people of Corinth to take the cup as well as the bread.Let a man prove himſelf, and ſo eat of this bread, and drink of this cup.
Whereupon wee propoſe a means of agreement, which cannot bee refuſed but by him that loves diſcord, or is thirſty of Chriſtian blood, or which will war againſt God: for, all Chriſtians confeſſe that Ieſus Chriſt hath done well, and that there is nothing amiſſe in his inſtitution, and that even when it might bee lawfull to celebrate the holy Communion in ſome other faſhion then hee did; yet all agree, that it would not bee ill done to follow his example, ſpeak as hee ſpake, and doo as he did. Now, this is that which wee demand: and certaine it is, that the Pope might make an end of all contētions ſprung from this point, which trouble and divide Chriſtendome, if hee would reſtore the holy Communion unto the form in which our Lord did celebrate it; laying aſide all diſputes, & binding the people unto the example of the Son of God. What incommodities or incōveniences ſoever might bee alleaged againſt the ſame, could not bee put in balance againſt the obedience which wee owe to Ieſus Chriſt, & againſt the peace of Chriſtendome, and the re-union of that rupture and ſeparation of people, which hath cauſed ſo many troubles, and ſpilt ſo much blood, and which goareth the ſide of the Ro. Church as well as ours, expoſing it to the violence of Turks and Infidels.
Every ſpirit that is not preoccupated will eaſily acknowledge, that this is the language of truth: wherewith, leſt your conſciences ſhould bee touched, they uſe a device, namely, to repreſent unto you our religion altogether other then it is, and paint it out unto you like a hideous monſter, and to make us ſpeake things wholly againſt our beleef. And thereupon, many amongſt you are of ſo eaſie beleef, as to chuſe rather to learne what our religion is by our enemies invectives, than by our owne confeſſion; yea, after wee have proteſted, not to beleeve any thing of all they father upon us, yet would they make us perſwade our ſelves, that wee beleeve that which wee beleeve not: wherein they juſtifie us before they bee aware. For, thereby they privily confeſſe, that our religion truely propoſed cannot bee encountred; and that if it were repreſented in as true colours, at the very firſt it would make a ſtrong impreſſion in the minde of the Auditor through the evidence of the truth thereof. They tell you, 1. that our religion teacheth, that good works are not neceſſary; 2. that the Elect may without danger licence themſelves to doo evill; 3. that God gives no recompenſe to good works; 4. that God conſtraineth our willes, and forceth them unto good; 5. that we accuſe God of injuſtice, as having given us a law which wee cannot accompliſh; 6. that wee are enemies to the Saints and the Virgin Mary; 7. that for the underſtanding of the Scriptures, every one of us vanteth to have a particular inſpiration; 8. and that wee deny the Almightineſſe of God in the Euchariſt.
Is not this all falſe, and contrary to our beleef? 1. Our religion teacheth, that good works are neceſſary unto ſalvation: for, men goe not to Heaven by the way of hell, nor unto the Kingdome of God by ſerving the divell. 2. Our religion teacheth, that the predeſtinated unto ſalvation are alſo predeſtinate to live holily. To ſay, I may abandon my ſelf unto evill ſeeing I am elected, it is the language of a reprobate, who will be bad becauſe God is good, and who makes of the grace of God, which is a ſpurre unto vertue, a pillow to ſleep upon in all vice. 3. Our religion beleeveth, that God rewardes good works, but with a ſalary freely given. 4. We beleeve that God conſtraineth not our wills, but bendeth them, and cauſeth them to give themſelves willingly unto good. 5. We eſteem it not a thing unjuſt that God ſhould demand at mans hands that which hee cannot, when man doth owe it, and when his unableneſſe commeth of his owne default. fault. 6. We honor the Saints as they honoured the Saints that were before them. 7. For the underſtanding of the Scriptures, wee content our ſelves with that which we finde clear in them, and leave particular inſpirations to frantick perſons. 8. Wee deny not the omnipotency of God in the Euchariſt, but rule our ſelves according to his will: wee uſe the Sacrament of the Communion, not to make Ieſus Chriſt, but to honor him; not to make his body deſcend unto us, but to elevate our hearts to him. Wee undertake not to take GOD in this life, but content our ſelves that hee take us at our deaths. Wee feare not, that God can fall to the ground, or be ſtolne away, or gnawn by mice, or eaten by his enemies. We beleeve not that the Son of God and the divell could enter both together into Iudas; nor that Ieſus Chriſt did eat himſelf, ſeeing it was nothing neceſſary for our ſalvation.
Our religion is a religion which duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page acknowledgeth no other head of the Church but Ieſus Chriſt, nor other rule of faith then his Word, nor other propitiatory ſacrifice then his Death, nor other purgatory then his Blood, nor other merit than his Obedience.
It is a religion, which would have the people to read the word of God, becauſe we fear not to finde our condemnation therein; and which ſpeaketh in a knowne tongue, for that it is not aſhamed of her beleef.
It is a religion, which holdeth faſting to bee in abſtinence, and not in diſtinction of meats: wee faſt for exerciſe of humility, and not in opinion of merit or ſatisfaction: wee borrow not other mens ſatisfactions; but wee beleeve with the Apoſtle, That every one ſhall bear his owne burden.
It is a religion, which diſtruſting her owne works beleeveth in Gods promiſes, which preacheth the aſſurance, and not the doubt of her ſalvation, recommendeth an humble aſſurance, and not an arrogant perplexity, by which they that ſet forth their merits, make a profeſſion to doubt of their ſalvation.
It is a religion, wherein men confeſſe they have often don that which God hath forbidden, farre from having done more than hee hath commanded; ſo farre from dooing overmuch, as that they faile even of that which is neceſſary: they pretend not to make God a debter by their works of ſupererogation, but confeſs themſelves debters through their diſobedience.
It is a religion, which, in ſtead of forming of ſtones to the likeneſſe of man, endeavoureth to reforme man unto the image of God; which, in ſtead of adoring a wooden croſſe, adoreth the crucified, truſteth in his paſſion, and glorieth in his reproach.
It is a religion, which beleeves not that God taketh pleaſure to torment the ſoules of his children in burning fire, and to puniſh them for faults already ready pardoned, and for which Ieſus Chriſt hath fully ſatisfied by puniſhment; which ſerveth not to amend the ſinner, but to content the Iuſtice of God.
It is a religion, which maketh not her praiers by count, nor placeth the power of it in the number of the repetition of one & the ſelf ſame praier; but in the faith and diſpoſition of the heart.
It is a religion, which holdeth that faith conſiſteth not in ignorance, but in knowledge: which equally diſtributeth holy things to rich and poor; not like as in the Romane Church, whoſe diſpenſations & letters of abſolution are ſold, and particular Maſſes never ſaid for him that hath nothing to give.
Briefly, it is a religion which hath leſſe ſplendour without, but more ſolidneſs within; which will endure narrow ſifting; which ordaineth few ceremonies, but giveth much inſtruction.
You wil heer ſay, But theſe things are new. How new, ſeeing Ieſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles have thus taught? Indeed theſe are new to perſons brought up in an inveterate errour; and you knowe, that healing is alwaies newer than ſicknes: but wee muſt alwaies goe up to the ſpringhead of truth; in compariſon of wch, all ould errour is new. Never did any man oppoſe himſelfe to any rooted errour ſettled by long cuſtome, who hath not been accuſed of novelty. And this reproach of novelty is very unſeemly in their mouthes who hide from the people the true Antiquity, which is the holy Scriptures; and who to this day maintaine, that the Church can make new ordinances touching faith; and, by the Church, underſtand no other but the Roman, who in the very firſt time after the Apoſtles cannot ſhewe one man of their religion; & who knowe that in all Antiquity there is no mention made of excluding the people from the cup, nor of forbidding from the reading of the Scriptures, nor of reading the Scriptures unto them in an unknowne tongue which they underſtand not, nor of picturing the Trinity, nor of adoring Images, nor the Hoſte, with the adoration of Latria, nor of private Maſſes, nor of the Biſhop of Romes Court, nor of his Indulgences and Church-Treaſure, nor of his power to depoſe Kings, & draw ſoules out of Purgatory, nor of many other new corruptions which they plaiſter over with the fraudulent title of Apoſtlique traditions, as if they came from the Apoſtles.
The themſelves, who thus vaunt of Antiquity, are thoſe which uſe the antient Doctours moſt courſely, cenſuring and condemning them upon ſlight occaſion: who will that the Fathers ſhould be interpreters of the Scriptures, in caſe they themſelves alone may be the fathers interpreters, and the Iudges of Antiquity; & who not only condemn every Father perſonally, but alſo whole Councels where the Fathers ſpeake in common.
Three univerſall Coūcels did condemn Honorius, Biſhop of Rome, for Cotton in the preface of his Catholique inſtitution ſpeaks thus of theſe two univerſall Councels.an heretique: but, at this day they maintain, that thoſe Councels miſtook themſelves.Greece began in the year 388. to rebell againſt the holy Sea, & to thwart the Biſhop of Rome, giving him the Biſhop of Conſtantinople for a Second. At the firſt Councell of Conſtantinople, in the yeare 381. there were a hundred and fiftie Orthodox Biſhops, and 630. in the Councell of Chalcedon, the yeare 450. Neither this great number, nor their great Antiquity, hindreth our adverſaries from condemning all thoſe Fathers, for equalling the Biſhoppe of Conſtantinople to him of Rome in eccleſiaſticall matters.
And it is marvelous how theſe men dare ſpeak of Councels,Afterwards in the year 450. they ſaid they had the ſame priviledges. ſeeing they knowe, the day & night are not more contrary than the ancient Councels and the new, in which the Pope ruleth and ordaineth all: but the other biſhops give their opinion only, with bowing of the head in ſigne of approbation. At the beginning of which, they lay down the holy Scripture at the Popes feet; in witnes, that the Word of God is ſubject unto him: where the Pope is ſeated on a high Throne, having the Emperor ſitting at his feet. In brief, wee may ſee by the practice of theſe later Councels, and above all by the Councel of Florence, and the laſt of Lateran, and by the book of ſacred ceremonies, that a Councell now within theſe few Ages is no other than a papal conſiſtory, though with more ſoleminity: whereas in the antient Councels, the biſhop of Rome durſt not be preſent, and his deputies ordinarily had no precedencie there nor authority; far from ordaining, that no book ſhall be canonicall without the Popes authority, and that all Kings ſhould kiſs his feet; and to declare, that there is no other name under Heaven but that of the great Biſhop:Annal. Baron. which are the decrees of the Roman Councell under Gregory the ſeventh,Anno. 1078 the yeare 1076. Briefly, it is certain, that they which buzze in your eares the Fathers and Councels, do it not becauſe the Antients are favourable unto them; but becauſe they knowe that the people can knowe nothing of them, and that they muſt needs in thoſe things referre themſelves unto them. But, as for the Scripture, which you ought to knowe, and which ruleth all the Fathers, it is that which is forbidden you. In ſumme, yeares are no rules, and lying is ever ſince the beginning of the world. The Church is not in a Countrey, of cuſtome; but, where the written truth is. There is no preſcription againſt divine truth: yea, even in the time of the Apoſtles the myſtery of iniquity was a-brewing; how far ought it now then to bee advanced? And indeed as wel the people as the paſtors of the Ro. Church have theſe many Ages cried out, that their Church had need of reformation. In the Councell of Pyſa, held in the yeare 1411, Pope Alexnder the fift, in the twentieth Seſſion, promiſed ſolemnly to intend the reformation of the Church, and to aſſemble for that purpoſe the moſt learned of all Nations. A while after, was held a Councell at Senes, the yeare 1423. where the propoſition of the reformation of the Church was revived, and then put off to another time: for, they ſaw they could not ſtir this ſtone without ſhaking the papall ſeat.
That which the great ones would not doo, God hath performed by the hands of little ones; uſing unhoped for means to expoſe unto the view of the world the doctrine of ſalvation maugre al the machinations of Satan.
VntoUnto thoſe that have endeavored, and do yet endeavour to perfect this work, you are thus much beholding, as that the holy Scripture, which the people ſaw not heertofore, is now tranſlated into the vulgar tongue, and that the Spirit of God ſpeakes it; ſo, as none can be ignorant of the Word of God, but he that hood-winks himſelf leſt hee ſhould ſee the light. You are alſo thus much more beholding unto them, that the Pope doth leſſe tyrannize over you than he did ſome foure or five hundreth yeares ſince, and that your ſervitude is by a quarter leſſe burdenſome.Such Buls are found in Math. Paris, and in the 3. Tome of Councels, at the end of the Councell of Lateran vnderunder Innocent the third. For, in thoſe daies the Pope gave to the French, which armed themſelves for him and at his commandement, beſides the remiſſion of all their ſins, a degree of glory in Paradiſe above others: whereas now if he ſhould ſend them to goe into a farre Countrey upon a Croyſada, to fight againſt Hereticks, or to take-in ſome Townes of their neighbours to the Popes uſe, as was done not very long ſince, you your ſelves would mock at his commandement. In former times, when any King angred him, his cuſtome was to interdite his Kingdome; and ſo put (as far as in him lay) many millions of perſons out of the communion of the Church, cauſe all divine ſervice to ceaſe in a large Countrey, cauſe the Bels to bee ſtill, hinder Burialls, and to expoſe the Countrey in preie to him could firſt conquer it. England was ſix years and a half in this eſtate, in the time of King Iohn: but, now-a-daies he drawes no more that weapon; leſt, beſtirring himſelfe too hard, hee overturne his owne chair, which the doctrine of the goſpell hath already much ſhaken.
You owe them moreover this obligation, that you ſee not (as in the time of Boniface the ninth, and Leo the tenth) Pardoners to run from houſe to houſe through France, who for half a crown ſould every one remiſſion of all their ſins, and deliverance of a ſoule out of Purgatory.
The time hath bin, that in France there was no ſpeech but of miracles, and of Saint Anthonies fire, and of the apparition of damned ſoules, or others returning from Purgatory: of which illuſions the greater part is vaniſhed at the Sunne-riſe of the holy Scriptures, which the night of ignorance had hidden. And if now they doo any petty miracles, it is in ſecret, and never in our ſight: for, before a man that feareth God, and knoweth him, Satan is as it were afflicted, and loſeth his fenſe-play; yea, even your owne Magiſtrates have puniſht theſe deceivers.
There bee but a few amongſt you that doo wholly beleeve your owne religion, but doo finde ſome fault in the Romiſh Church: for indeed, it would be a hard matter to endure the decrees and gloſſes which ſay, that aTit. 8 de Praebend. cap. Propoſuit. According to the fulneſs of our power we may lawfully diſpenſe above law. Where the Gloſſe alſo; The Pope doth diſpenſe againſt the Apoſtle; as alſo againſt the old Teſtament, as alſo in another. Gloſſa. diſt. 34. can. lector. The Pope can diſpenſe againſt the Apoſtle. Et cauſa 23. qu. 1. can. Sunt quidam, The Gloſſe hath it thus: Hee (the Pope) diſpenſeth in the Goſpell, by interpreting it.the pope is above law and right, and that he can diſpenſe againſt the Apoſtle, and against the goſpell; and which cals bGloſſa extrav. Cū inter. Our Lord god the Pope.the Pope, god; andcConcil. Lat. ultimum ſeſſ. 9. The countenance of thy divine Majeſty. Bellarm. in Barkl. c. 31. Chriſt gaue to Peter, in a good ſenſe, power to make of ſinne no ſinne; and of no ſinne, ſinne. the divine majeſty: or thoſe fabulous Legends, which compare and equall in many things, S. Dominick and S. Francis with Ieſus Chriſt; or the opinion of thoſe which muffle themſelves with the habit of S. Francis when they are on their death-beddes, ready to give up the ghoſt, becauſe (ſay their Doctors) that this garment is as good as aſecond baptiſme: nor the gadding of poor people 200. leagues off, after pardons, ſeeing the remiſſion of ſins is offered to us at home by the preaching of the goſpell: nor thoſe that teach, that the Pope can make that which is ſin to bee no ſinne, and that which is no ſin to be ſin. And certain it is, that though wee ſhould hould our peace, yet the truth doth ſpeake in the conſciences of many which are held in this captivity for feare of men, and for their domeſtick affairs: for, the divell tickles men by the panch, and rockes them a ſleep with pleaſures and honours; from whence it coms to paſſe, that the ſparks of the knowne truth are ſmother'd in them; or, if they be not quenched in them, they burn & torture the conſcience, and make them more culpable, not onelyonly for having buried their talent of the knowledge of God, but even for having diſſipated it; for having bin aſhamed to confeſs the Sonne of God before men, and not defending his cauſe in time of need; for beeing more afraid of mens diſpleaſure, than to offend God, whoſe promiſes are certain, his threatnings horrible, and judgements eternall and inevitable: who having now in our daies done ſo many marvellous things, to build up again the ruines of his Church, will not ſurely leave unpuniſhed thoſe which endeavour to trouble his work, and who go purpoſely aſtray at highnoon.
All this diſcourſe (my Maiſters) proceedeth from nought elſe but a ſervent deſire that wee have of your ſalvation, and that God might be ſerved: for, wee have heerein no other intereſt but your happineſſe; ſeeing that for defending this cauſe we are like to purchaſe nothing but trouble, hatred and diſcommodity. Wee rather deſire a great deale more to live in peace and amity with our fellow-citizens under one ſelf-ſame religion, if wee might doo it without offenſe to God. Nor ceaſe wee to beſeech the Father of mercy, whoſe compaſſions ſurmount our iniquties, that hee would pardon thoſe which hate us, that hee would touch their hearts with repentance, and inlighten their underſtandings with his light, to knowe the day of their viſitation, and the way of eternall ſalvation; leſt in the end he turn away his favour frō a people which turn their backs upon him; and pour out a darknes more thick than the former upon a nation enraged againſt the light of the goſpell.
If theſe conſiderations ſhall move any one, it will bee a great joy unto mee, and an ample reward for my labour: if it ſhall happen otherwiſe, wee ſhall have at leaſt delivered our owne ſoules, freed our conſciences, and born witnes in this hart-harned Age, until the Son of God com from Heaven to heare our griefs, and deliver his children, and reward every one according to his worke. To him be glory world without end. Amen.
FINIS.