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A briefe discourse against the outwarde apparell and Ministring garmentes of the popishe church.
I haue hated all those, that holde of superstitious vanities.
1566.
¶ The Booke to the Reader.
A declaration of the doings of those Ministers of Gods worde and Sacraments, in the Citie of London, which haue refused to weare the outwarde apparell, and Ministring garmentes of the Popes church.
COnsidering how hurteful a thing it is to a christian cōmon weale, to haue the ministers of Gods worde despised, and brought into cōtemt: we haue thought it our dutie, briefly to declare in writing, & to set forth to be seene of al men, some parte of the reasons & groundes of our doings, in refusing to weare the outwarde apparel, & ministring garments of the popes church.
First, we consider that the power that God hath giuen to his Ministers, is giuen them that they should therby edifie or build vp the Church of Christ, & not destroy it, or pul it downe: according as S. Paule writeth to ye Corinths.2. Cor. 13. Of which edifying or building of the church of Christ, ye same S. Paule speaketh in that Epistle that he wrote to ye Ephesians. It were to long to cite all his words in order, we will therfore set downe certaine sentences, referringe the Reader to the places, where the same are written by S. Paule in that his Epistle.
First he saith thus, I am non estis hospites. &c. Ye are not nowe straungers and forreners, but ye are Citizens togither with ye saints, and of the housholde of God, being builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles & Prophets,Eph. 2. Iesus Christ being the Head stone in the corner. In whom whatsoeuer building is encreased, it groweth into an holy temple in the Lorde. These wordes doth S. Paule write, to signify that the church of Christ, which is builded of liuing stones & timber, taken out both from among the Iewes and the gentiles, must be builded vpō the firme & sure foundation Iesus Christ, & not vpon any other (for he was that foundatiō that the Apostles & Prophets builded vpon) and that the building which is set vpon yt foundation, doth growe in to an holy Tempell in the Lorde. The builders must not suffer it to decay, but they must still labour diligently, that it may growe into an holy temple, and that till it be as large, & as beautiful, as it is possible for it to be in this vale of misery. So farre of woulde S. Paule haue all ye builders of gods temple to be from the pulling downe, or defacing any parte therof.
Againe, the same S. Paule sayth in ye same Epistle. Idem dedit alios quidem Apostolos. &c. Eph. 4. The same hath giuen vs, some to be Apostles, some to be Prophets, some to be Euangelists, [Page] some to be Shepheardes, and some to be teachers, to furnishe the Saintes vnto the work af administration, for the building vp of the body of Christ, till we doe all come into the vnitie of fayth, & the acknowledging of the sonne of God. That we may be a perfect man, and come into the measure of the ful age of Christ. That we be no more babes, to wauer and to be caryed about with euery winde of doctrine, through the craftinesse and wylinesse of men, wherby they set vpō vs to disceiue vs. &c. And afterwarde in ye same chapter, he saith: I speake and testifie these things, euen on the Lordes behalfe, that ye should not walke as other nations doe, in the vanitie of their owne mindes.
By these wordes S. Paule doth plainely teache, [...]e dutie [...] a faith [...]ll prea [...]er. that al such as are appointed to minister in the Church of Christ, must be still occupied in building, and neuer in pulling down, neither in staying the reast frō going forwarde with the building they haue begonne. And that such shoulde not be so babishe, that they may be caryed away with euery straunge Doctrine, or deceyued with euery subtile persuasion, nor walke in the vanitie of their owne mindes, but be stayde by the holy worde of God, and in all things acknowledge ye sonne of God, by exercising [Page] their Ministeries according to his institution, so nere as possibly they may: vtterly renouncing & forsaking all those vnprofitable ceremonies & rytes, that men haue deuised without sure grounde in Gods holy word, in following the vanity of their owne mindes. We therefore, knowing that we haue receiued power, to edifie and not to destroy, & that a day will come wherin we shal be sure to receyue at his handes, whose builders we are, according to our doings, eyther in building or plucking downe, or in staying & hindring of that which should haue bene builded by others: dare not be so bolde as to admit the outwarde & ministring apparell of the popes church, til it may manifestly appeare vnto vs, that the same may helpe forwarde, and not pull downe, staye or hinder the building vp of the Lordes temple, which is his Church or congregation, purchased & bought with so deare a price, as the heart bloud of his most derely beloued, and only begotten Sonne Christ Iesus.
We woulde not therfore in these dayes refuse them, if we might but conceiue an hope, that the vse of them might helpe forwardes with ye Lordes building: but forasmuch as we see playnely the contrary, we may in no case admit them.
Wee graunt, that of themselues, they be [Page] things indifferent, and may be vsed or not vsed, as occasion shall serue: but when the vse of them will destroy, or not edifie, then ceasse they to be so indifferent, that in such case we may vse them. For S. Paule hath taught vs, that in the vse of things indifferent, we must alwayes note, whether ye same doe edifie or not. For he hath sayd, Omnia ad aedificationem fiant. 1. cor. 14 Let all things be done to edifie withall▪ If the vsing of the outwarde & ministring garmēts of the popes church, cannot now edifie the church of Christ, then doe they ceasse to be indifferent that we may vse them. And howe ye church of Christ is edified by the vsing of these thinges, is plaine to as many as will see.
[...]mple [...]hristiās.First, the simple Christians (ouer whome we shoulde haue the chiefe care) are by these things so grieued, when they see vs receiue them, that they sorrowe & mourne in theyr heartes. And suche amongst them as be not altogether so strong, but that they doe yet somewhat depende vpon our example and doctrine (as the nature of man is so long as he is but a Nouice in Christ) those are by vs beaten back to superstition, from which they were before making hast to flye. And vnlesse God doe by his spyrite stay them: they shall by oure example in reuolting to those thinges, which we haue taught to be [Page] superfluous and superstitious, take occasiō to thinke that ther is no truth in any thing that we haue taught, and so cleaue to that false religion, wherof these indifferent thinges are reliques and remnaunts, and vtterly forsake the true Religion of Christ, that by oure labour and trauaile began to take roote in them?
And when we haue thus sinned against the brethren, and wounded their weake consciences, and so sinned against Christ: what may wee looke for, but that heauie cursse,1. Cor. 8. which our Sauiour hath pronounced against all suche as laye stumbling blocks in theyr brothers wayes. It were muche better for vs, that mylstones were fastened about our neckes, and we tast into ye depth of the sea,Mat. 18. than that one of these litle ones shoulde be so offended by vs. We dare not therefore admit these things, and so incurre the daunger of this cursse. For it is an horrible thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God.Heb. 10
Secondlye, the blinde, stubborne, and obstinate papistes (whome we ought by all meanes possible to drawe oute of the darcke dungeon of ignoraunce,Stubburn Papists. superstition and errour) shal by our receiuyng of these things be encouraged, not only to continue in ignoraunce, superstition and errour, but also to encrease in the same, being more confirmed [Page] therin by oure retourning agayne to those things, that we haue both by doctrine and example disalowed & forsaken: than they coulde haue bene by the persuasions of many of their owne opinion. For they must needes thinke, that we, which haue so earnestly refused & spokē against these things, would neuer haue receiued them again, vnlesse it had bene made manifest vnto vs, that without them our Ministerie is sore defaced, and almost vtterly prophaned.
The Lord God therfore, when he brought his owne people into the lande of Canaan: he commaunded them,al monuments of Idolatrie must be destroied vtterlye to destroye all those thinges, that the heathen nations (whom he had cast out before them) had deuised for the furniture of their Idoll seruice, least they in vsing of anye of those thinges, shoulde gyue occasion to the Heathen to thinke, that the God of heauen & earth, had any pleasure in those thinges,Deut. 12 or neede of the vse of them in his true seruice. Why shoulde not wee then feare to giue the lyke occasion to the papistes, to thinke that the true seruice of Christ can not lacke theyr glittering geare, & that it is more acceptable to God, when it is furnished therwith?
the bishops aduertissementes.But this doubt is aunswered thus, It shall be leefull for all ministers to teache & to protest, that they do not vse these things, [Page] as things without the which the ministration shoulde be prophaned or defaced: but only for decencie and comely order, vniformitie, and obedience to our Prince. Yea, and the same is playnely set forth in the aduertisements, that are published in print. This doubt therefore is out of doubt.
All men shal vnderstand that these things be not enforced, as thinges that can not be lacked, but as things decent and comely, & that in the church there maye be an vniformitie in outwarde apparell and ministerie, & consequently mutuall loue and vnitie.
This wisedome & pollicie,Mans polici. passeth the wisedome of God: And it is muche lyke the wisedome of them that will haue Images in Churches, not to worshyp them: but by them to exercise theyr strength in refrayning frō the worshipping of them: for (say such) to haue Images, and not to worship them, is a token of more strength, than it is to refraine from the worshipping of them, when we haue them not. Euen so, to haue and to vse these things, and yet not to haue any supersticion or opinion of holinesse in them, is much more perfectiō, than to haue no superstition in them, when they be cleane set aside and left.
But the wisedome of God,Gods wisedome. who knoweth what we are, and how ready to abuse euen [Page] his good creatures which he hath made to serue our necessitie, & without ye vse whereof we can not continue in lyfe: hath playnely forbiddē his people the hauing of Images, and hath comaunded them to destroy them, & al the furniture of them, as things which he doth detest & abhorre.Deut. 7. And in things not cōmaunded, and forbidden, he hath sayde, that his people shall not follow their owne fantasie in adding any thinge to his commaundement, but by the mouth of his Prophets, he hath vtterly disalowed their additions, saying:Mat. [...] Frustra me colunt docentes doctrinas, praecepta hominum. Esa [...]e. [...] In vaine doe they worship me, which teach doctrines that are but the commaundements of men.
The wisedome of God hath sayde, Take heede that ye offende not one of these little ones that beleue in me.Mat. 18. Wo vnto that man by whom offences come. It were better for that man, that a milstone were tyed about his necke, and he cast into the deepe of the sea, than that he shoulde offende one of the least that beleue in me.
A wise shippers, that knoweth wher [...] daungers doe lye in the sea, will not of purpose sayle so neare those daungers, as he maye possibly and escape: but contraryewise, he will hale aloufe, and be sure (if the weather will suffer him) not to fall vpō those daungers. [Page] Yea, & if he see, that the weather will not suffer him to holde his straight course, withour daunger to fal vpon the Rocks or Flattes, he will rather runne vpon an another point wher he is sure to finde sea rome ynough. And shall we that be lodes men the shippe of Christ (to trye our cunning) creepe so neare the flattes or rocks, ye we put our whole charge in daunger of perishing by falling vpon them? God forbydde.
That wise & politike gouernour of Gods shippe S. Paule, woulde not venter so farre. But seing daunger in the vse of indifferent thinges he sayth, Omnia mihi licent, sed non omnia conducunt. Omnia mihi licent, sed non omnia aedificant. 1. Cor. 10 It is leeful for me a to doe al things (meaning of things indifferent) but all things doe not profit. It is leefull for me to do all things, but al things do not edifie.
Againe, he sayth. Bonum est non manducare carnem, & non bibere vinum, neque quicquam in quo frater tuus impingit, aut offenditur, aut infirmatur. Ro. 14 It is good (sayth S. Paule) not to eate fleshe, nor to drink wine, nor to do any other thing, wherat thy brother doth stumble, or is offended, or made weake.
Yea, and the same S. Paule, exhorting the Corinthes to set them selues free from all the superstitions of the Heathen: saith thus vnto them: Eandem autem habentes remunerationem [Page] (tanquam filiis dico) dilatemini & vos. 2. cor. 6. Nolite iugum ducere cum infidelibus. You also hauing the same rewarde with me (I speake as vnto mine owne children) set youre selues at libertie, be not willing to drawe in one yoke with the infidelles. What confort can there be betwixte righteousnesse & vnrighteousenesse? Or what fellowship hath light with darkenesse? And what agreement is there betwene Christe and Beliall? Or what parte can a faithfull man haue wt an infidell? And howe agreeth the temple of God with Images? You are the temple of the lyuing God: as sayth God, I will dwel in them, & I will walk amongst them, & I will be their God, and they shall be may people. Wherfore, get ye out from amongst them,Esaie. 52 and separate your selues from them, sayth the Lorde. And see that ye touch no vncleane thyng: and I will receyue you. And I will be your father,Iere. 32. and you shall be my sonnes and daughters, sayth the Lorde almightie.
These places of scriptures doe moue as to flye from al suche thinges, as haue bene brought into the church of Christ, eyther contrary or besides the worde of God. And to embrace & vse those things onely, which are commaunded or haue good grounde in the holy worde of God. Not despising the [Page] auctoritie that God hath giuen to Princes, and other Potentates: but preferring the commaundement of him that is the giuer of auctoritie, before the comaundement of those that haue none auctoritie of themselues, but haue receyued theyr auctoritie at hys hande, and shall aunswere to hym for the vse therof.
And herein we follow the cōmaundement of God, and the example of all good men. The seruaunt of God Moses, hath sayde: Non addetis ad verbum quod ego vobis loquor, Deut. 4 nec auferetis ex eo. Custodite mandata Domini Dei vestri, quae ego praecipio vobis. Ye shall not adde any thing vnto ye worde that I speake vnto you: neyther shall ye take any thing from it. Kepe the commaundements of the Lorde your God, which I doe commaunde you. And againe he sayth, Non declmabitis, neque ad dexteram, neque ad sinistram: Deut. 5. sed per viam quā praecepit Dominus Deus vester ambulabitis, vt vi uatis, & bene sit vobis, & protelentur dies vestri, in terra possessionis vestrae. You shall not bow neyther to the right hande, nor to the left: but by the waye that the Lorde your God hath commaunded you, shall ye walke, that ye may lyue and prosper, & that your dayes may be long in the land of your possessiō.
King Saule walked not in this waye:1. Re. 15. but bowed to the right hande of his owne good [Page] intent. And therefore he prospered not, but was rooted out with al his offspring, and one set vp in his place, that had a pleasure to walk in that way.
3. Re. 12King Roboham walked not in this waye: but bowed to the left hand of his owne malitious tyrannie: and therefore ten of ye twelue kindreds of Israel were taken from him, and giuen to his neighbour.
4. Re. 20.King Ezechias walked in this way: and therefore in his trouble he founde fauour & helpe at the Lordes hande, and when he was sicke, he found health, and had .xv. yeares added to his life, & ended his life in the Lord.
As many as haue walked in this waye, haue done it, bicause they haue had and assured hope of a farre better lyfe, and more blessed estate after this lyfe.Heb. 11. And therefore, the trouble that they sustayned here, hath not bene greuous vnto them, for they had the rewarde alwayes before their eyes.
The true ProphetsThe true Prophets woulde neuer pleasure Princes, by addyng to the commaundements of God, nor yet by taking anithing therefor, by bowing to the right hande, or to the lefte: But they dyd alwayes walke straight forth in his cōmandemēs although they did oftentimes sustayne great displeasure at Princes handes for so doing.false prophetes. But the false Prophets did alwayes marke the [Page] inclinacion of Princes: & fashion them selues to ye pleasure of Princes. For they were al brought vp in Gnatoes schoole, and had learned to say, Aiunt, aio: negant, nego. If they say it, then I say it too: If they doe denye it, then doe I denie it also.
Such were the false prophetes in ye dayes of King Achab, who being in number foure hundreth, did with one consent prophecie that the King should prosper in the warres that he purposed to take in hande against Ramoth in Galaad. But the true Prophet Michea could not flatter, for he had not bene brought vp in flatterers schoole.3. Re. 22. And therfore he saide, Vidi cunctum Israel dispersum in montibus, sicut oues non habentes pastorem. Et ait Dominus, non habent isti dominum, Reuertatur vnusquisque in domum suam in pace. I sawe all Israell scattered abrode in the mountaines, as sheepe without a shepheard. And ye Lorde sayd, These men haue no master, let euery one retourne into his owne house in peace. This plaine man that coulde no skill of flattering, was striken and cast into prison, and threatened a worse tourne: but the false Prophets were highly esteemed, tyll theyr prophecie was proued false, & Micheas prophecie true.
It hath alwayes bene the maner of the true prophetes to be sure that they might truely [Page] saye:Eze. 13. Haec dicit dominus. Thus saith the Lord: but the false Prophetes could neuer truely say so. For they vsed allwayes to prophecie out of their owne fantasies.
Mat. 15Our Sauyour Christ taught none other thing than the will of his heauenly Father: but the Scribes and Pharisies taught their owne traditions, aduauncing them aboue the commaundements of God.Mat. 16 Wherefore our Sauyour commaundeth his disciples to beware of their Leuen, that is, of theyr doctrine.
The Apostles were commaunded to go in to all the worlde, and to teache all nations, and to baptise them,Mat. 28 &c. And to teache them to obserue all those things that he hath cō maunded them to obserue. Which commission they did truely and faithfully exec [...]. For none of them preached his owne dreames,Mar. 16 but euerye one of them preached that which they had learned of Christ.
1. cor. 11Saint Paule saith not, followe mee & doe whatsoeuer I shall deuise for you to doe, but he sayth:Phil. 3. follow me as I follow Christ, and looke on suche, as walke as ye haue vs for example.2. cor. 4 And agayne he sayth: we preache not our selues, but Iesus Christ to be the Lorde, and our selues your ministers.
We therefore, in refusing to admit those things which neither haue cōmaundement [Page] nor grounde in the holy scriptures, follow the commaundement of God, and example of al good men, which were builders of the house of God before vs.
But what is all this to the purpose? (saye some) The things that you refuse, are [...]iche as God hath neither commaunded nor forbidden: and therfore, Princes haue auctoritie ouer them to cōmaunde them, eyther to be vsed, or not to be vsed. In refusing therefore, to vse them at the comaundement of ye Prince, ye do not onely resist the ordinaunce of God your selues, but ye doe also fall into that incōuenience, which ye woulde so faine seeme to be moste afrayde of. That is, ye be made stumbling stockes to the simple Subiects, who seeing your disobedience, are encouraged to think, that it is none offence at all to disobey a Prince. And so seming to flye from the gulffe, ye are fallen vpon the most daungerous Rockes.
To this we muste aunswere thus: The things that we doe refuse, are such as God neyther hath cōmaunded nor forbidden, otherwise than in the vse and abuse of them. And therefore, Princes haue no auctoritie either to cōmaunde or forbidde them otherwise than so. For this is the power, that God hath gyuen to Princes, To see his cō maundements executed, to punishe suche [Page] as breake them, and to defende those that keepe them. Thus doth S. Paule write to the Romanes, Wilt thou be without feare of him that is in auctoritie? Doe wel then, & thou shalt not nede to feare him:Ro. 13. for god hath ordayned him for thy wealth. But yf thou doe euil, then feare: for he beareth not a sworde for nought. Nam Dei Minister est, vltor ad iram, ei qui quod malum est fecerit. For he is gods Minister, a reuenger to execute his wrath vpon that man that dothe the thing that is euill. We must therfor be subiecte, not onely for feare of punishement, but euen for very conscience. But this subiection is not to doe at the Princes commaundement, whatsoeuer the Prince shall for pleasure commaunde: but humbly to suffer at the Princes hande suche punishementes as the lawes (whereof the Prince hath the execution) doe appoynt vs to suffer for the transgression therof.
And if the Prince shall take in hande to commaunde vs to doe anye of those things which God hath not commaunded, [...]e bōdes [...]d limits [...]f true o [...]edience. in such sort that we maye not leaue them vndone, vnlesse we wil therby ruone into the penaltie of the law (whē we shal see that in doing therof, we can not edifie but destroye) we muste then refuse to doe the thing cōmaunded by the Prince, and humbly submit our [Page] selues to suffer the penaltie, but in any case not consent to enfringe the Christian libertye, wich is to vse things indifferent, to edification and not to destruction.
And if the Prince shall forbidde any of those things to be done, which in their owne nature be indifferent, so that when we shall see that the leauing of them vndone, shall destroye or not edifie, then maye not we leaue them vndone, but doe them to the edification of the Church, and submitt our selues lowely to suffer at the handes of the Prince, the execution of that penalty that the law doth appoint for doing, that thing which the Prince shall in suche case forbidde to be done.
And this is not to giue example of disobedience (as it is before obiected) but by example to teache true obedience both to God & also to man. First we obey God, in that, both in doing and leauing vndone, we seeke the edification of his Church. And then we obey man, in that we doe humblye submit our selues to suffer at mans hande, whatsoeuer punishments mans lawes doe appoint for our doing or refusing to doe at mans commaundement.
Considering therfore, that at this tyme, by the admitting of the outwarde apparel and ministring garmentes of the popes church, [Page] not onely the Christian liberty shoulde be manifestly enfringed, but the whole Religion of Christ also, like to be brought to be esteemed, no other thinge, than the pleasure of Princes: we haue thought it our duetye (being Ministers of gods worde, and Sacraments) vtterly to refuse to shewe our cōfirmity in receyuing of those things that now are vrged and enforced, and yett willing to submit our selues to suffer whatsoeuer punishment the Lawes doe appoint in this case. And so to teache by our example, true obedience both to God and man, and yet to keepe the Christian liberty sounde, and the Christian religion to be such, that no Prince or potentate, may alter or chaunge the same.
We hope therefore, that our Prince and all good men, will like well with this our doing, vnderstanding by Christian libertie, that freedome that Christ hath brought vs vnto, by beating downe the particion that was betweene the Iewes and the gentiles, which was the law of ceremonies contained in the law written:Eph. 2. In which libertye, S. Paule willed the Galathians to stand.Gal. 5. Not for that the Christian libertye dothe consist onely in this point, but for that this is one of the three points, wherein that liberty doth stand.
Christ hath deliuered vs from the thraldome of sinne, the cursse of the lawe, & the ceremonies of the same. By that sinne, that the first man commited, al mankinde became so bounde vnto sinne, that none of Adams naturall posteritie can be able (without regeneration or new birth) once to desire to refraine doing that which is against god: From this hath Christ deliuered his elected & chosen children, so that our inwarde man, our spirite, our new creature or newe borne parte, hath nowe a delight in the lawe of God, as S. Paule writeth to the Romans:Ro. 7. From that cursse of ye law also, he hath set vs free. For the sentence that the law pronounceth against al them that breake any point therof, is fallen vpon Christ, and he is become accursed for vs all,Deut. 27. and hathe thereby deliuered vs from the cursse. The ceremonies also, he hath ended:Galat. 3. for they serued but for the time before his suffering of our sinnes. Being at the point therfore, to gyue vp the ghost, he sayde: Consummatum est. Iohn. 19 It is finisshed. The whole deliueraunce of my people is now perfectly wrought. They are deliuered from the tyrannie of sinne,Iohn. 4. the cursse & condemnation of the law, and from the seruitude of ceremonies. We are therfore that people that must serue God in Spirit and truth, and not in figures and shadowes.
Least we therefore shoulde by admitting these things (which were at ye first brought into the Churche with opinion of necessitie) bynde our selues and our posteritie to the same or lyke necessitie, or at least confirme, that necessitie in the myndes of them, which neuer thought them other than necessary: we doe vtterly refuse the admitting of them, choosing rather, (with cleare conscience) to suffer the penalties of the law for so doing, than by receyuing any of them to fall into that horrible hel of a troubled conscience, frome whiche God for his mercye keepe all those that with some trouble of conscience haue not refused them.
[...]euerall [...]oparell [...]r Mini [...]ers not [...]ecessarieHow vnnecessary a thing it is for the ministers of Gods worde to be knowen from other men, by any outwarde apparell, maye easely appeare by that which we reade of Samuel, and other Prophetes, of Peter, of Paule, and other holy men.
When Saule sought his fathers asses, and came where Samuel was, and met him: he did not by his apparell knowe him to be a Prophet, but sayde vnto him, Indica orô mihi, vbi est domus videntis? I praye thee tell mee, wher is the sears house?Reg. 9. When the messangers of Ahaziah met with Eliah: they dyd not by his apparell knowe that he was a Prophet. But when they had declared to [Page] their maister,4. Re. 1. that it was an hairie man and one that was girded with a leather girdell: the King knewe by those signes of austeritie, that it was Eliah the Thesbite: bycause it was not a kinde of apparell, that serued for Prophetes to be knowen by, but suche homelye apparell as Eliah alone vsed to weare.
Iohn Baptist, who was a Prophete, and more than a Prophet, wore not any kinde of garment whereby he might be knowen to be a Prophet:Mat. 3. but his appareil was such as was commonly worne in the wildernesse or forrest where his abode was.
Peter, when he followed Christ into the highe Priestes house, was not knowen by his apparell to be one of Christes disciples, but by his speache. For they that stoode by, sayde not to Peter: Mat. 26. thou arte apparelled like one of them, but they sayde, thy speach doth shew that thou art of Galile.
Sainct Hierome in his Epistle to Eustochium, wherein he doth instruct hir, howe to kepe hir virginitie, according as she was purposed to doe: doth amongst other lessons gyue hir thys instruction for the maner of hir apparell. Vestis, nec satis munda, Hierom ad Eustochium. nec sordida, & nulla diuersitate notabilis: ne ad te obuiam praetereuntium, turba consistat, & digito monstreris. Thy garment must be neyther [Page] to clenly, nor to sluttishe, neyther notable by anye diuersytie: least the multitude of them that come against thee, and passe by, shoulde stande still, and point at thee with the finger.
And the same Eustochium, wryting to Mercella, persuading hir to leaue the Citie of Rome, and to come and dwell with hir & hir mother Paula at Bethlehem: saith thus, Concurrunt ad haec loca, & diuersarum nobis virtutum specimen ostendunt. Vox quidem dissona, sed vna Religio. Tot penè psallentium Chori quot gentium diuersitates. Inter haec quae prima in Christianis virtus est, nihil arrogant sibi de continentiae supercilij. Humilitatis inter omnes contentio est: Quicunque nouissimus fuerit, hic primus putatur. In veste, nulla discretio, nulla admiratio, vtcunque placuerit incedere, nec detractionis est, nec laudis.
Men runne togither to this place, and doe shewe vs the example of sundry vertues. The language is dyuers, but the Religion is one. There be almost as many quiers of singers, as there be diuersities of nations. And in the middest of these things, they take vpon them no pride of continencie, which in Christians is the thiefe vertue.
The contention that is amongst them all, is who shall be the moste base or humble of them. And whosoeuer shall be in the lowest rome, the same is thought to be the chiefe. [Page] In garments, there is no difference, no admiration or straungenesse. Howsoeuer it shall please a man to goe in his apparel, it is neyther occasion to be euil spoken of, nor to be praysed.
The whole Cleargie of Rauenna, in the dayes of the Emperour Carolus Caluus, about the yeare of our Lorde .876. did write an Epistle to the Emperour, wherein are these wordes. Discernendi à plebe, vel caeteris sumus, doctrina, non veste: conuersatione, non habitu: mentis puritate, non vultu. Docendi enim sunt populi potius quàm ludendi. Nec imponendum est eorum oculis, sed mentibus praecepta sunt infundenda. We must be discerned from the common people, or other men, by doctrine, not by garments: by conuersation, not by apparell: by puritie of minde, not by countenaunce. For the people muste rather be taught than mocked. Wee muste not deceyue their sight, but fill their mindes with Preceptes and Rules. This the Cleargie of Rauenna did write, following the iudgement of Celestinus the first Pope of that name. As appeareth in the first tome of the Councelles.
In the Decrees also, the .xxj. cause and fourth questiō, we reade thus. In priscis enim temporibus, omnis sacratus vir, cum mediocri aut vili veste conuersabatur. Omne quippè quod non [Page] propter necessitatem suam, sed propter venustatem suscipitur: elationis habet calumniam. Quemadmodum Magnus ait Basilius: In the olde tymes all such men as were appointed to the Ministerie, did vse meane and base apparell.
For euery thing that is taken for the beautie of it and not for the necessitie, bringeth with it the reproche of pride. As sayth Basilius Magnus.
By these places it is manifest, that it is nothing necessarie, neyther according to the example of ye first church: that there should be in the outwarde apparell of Ministers, any such difference, as we are nowe required to admitte.
As touching the ministering garmentes that are nowe enforced: how vnmeete it is that we should now admit them, shall easely appeare to all that will consider, whence they first came, howe they haue bene vsed, what opinion men haue had, and haue in them, and what shall happen vnto vs if we shall nowe receyue them.
For the first, they are partly Iewishe, and partly Heathenishe.the original of the Popish garmēts. For the Iewes, bicause they were a people muche gyuen to haue a sensible gods seruice, had many goodly glittering things prescribed them, to stay them from receiuing of those things that ye heathen nations from amongst whome they [Page] came, and that dwelt rounde aboute them, had and did vse. But none of those garmentes that Aarons priestes wore, did lack their liuely significations, to be fulfilled in Christ and his church▪
When Christ therfore was come, and had fulfilled all those things that were by those garments figured to be fulfilled by him: then was there no more vse of those garmentes: but it remayned that the people that should serue god vnder grace, shoulde not serue him in figures and shadowes.Iohn. 4. but in spirite and truth.
Suche partes therefore of the Popes ministring garmentes, as haue bene borowed of the Iewes: ought not to be receyued of vs, bicause the receyuing of them, shoulde argue, that we are not persuaded that the Messiah is yet come, which were as muche as to denye our selues to be Christians.
Some parte of the Popes ministring garments were heathenish, as is the Surplesse, the Tunicles, the Chesible and Cope. And some mixt of both, as is the Albe, or whyte linnen garment, wherein the Priest vseth to say his Masse▪
It appeareth by Glossa ordinaria vpon Ezechiell, Ezec. 44. that the Egiptian priests vsed a white linnen garment in their sacrifices. Of what fashion ye same was, it is not shewed there. [Page] The lyke matter writeth S. Hierome vpon the same place.
The Iewes had also Ephod lineum. A linnen Ephod or garment, muche like to the popish Albe. Platina in his booke de vitis Pontificum, wryteth, that Syluester the first about. 320. yeares after Christ, ordeyned that the sacrament of Christes bodye shoulde be ministred in a whyte linnen garment onely,Rational. deuinoru. 3 bicause Christes body was buried in white linnen cloth.
Of this linnen garment Durandus in his thirde booke entituled, Rationale diuinorum, saith, that of necessitie it must be had in all holy ministratiō. His wordes be these: Vestis linea, qua quibuslibet seruitiis altaris & sacrorum vacantes, super vestes communes vti debent.
A linnen garment, which all such as be appointed to any manner of seruices of ye Altare and holy things, ought to weare vpon their common garmentes.
The Surples with the significations therof.Moreouer, he doth in the same place note ye significations of it. The shining witnesse, signifieth, the cleanesse or puritye of chastitie. The name in latin, which is Superpelliciū, doth signifie the mortificatiō of our fleshe, & doth put vs in minde of those garments, that God made for the first man and first woman, whiche were Tunicae pelliceae, Cotes made of pelts. The often vse of it, doth signifie [Page] innocentie. The largenesse of it, charitie, & the fashion of it, the passion of Christ, and the crucifying of Christians, Vitiis & concupiscentiis. To vices and fleshly lustes.
All this writeth Durandus of the necessitye and significations of the Surplesse▪
These wordes being well wayghed, all men may see, that the ministring garments of the Popes Church, were taken partely from the Iewes, and partely from the gentiles. And as Polidorus Vigilius,Cap. 5. dothe note in his fourthe booke, De inuentoribus rerum, they came from the Egyptians by the Hebrues.
How these garments haue bene abused,Idolater cōiurers & sorcerers, can doe nothīg wit [...] out the Popish garmēte is manifest to as many as haue considered the doings of Idolaters, sorcerers, & coniurers. For all these doe nothinge without them. The Idolater dare not appeare before his Idoll to offer any sacrifice, vnlesse he be in his sacrificing garmentes. For without his prescript garments, he is not only without hope to purchase anything for others by his sacrifice: but also in great feare to sustaine great displeasure him selfe at the hands of his god, whose wrath he is persuaded, that he hath deserued by enterprising to do sacrifice, lacking such ministring garmētes as are of necessitye required therein. And hereof it commeth, that no massyng Priest [Page] will take vpon him to say Masse, if he lacke any one thing yt by the order of his Masse is appointed to be had, his Albe, his Stoale, his Fannel, his Amias, his Chesible, his Cup, his Corporasse cloth, his Altare or Superaltare.
And if any of al these thinges be lacking, or not halowed by the Bishop or Suffragane: then can he say no Masse, yea if his Cuppe or Corporasse cloth hath bene touched by any seculer person, it will not serue his turne, till it be new halowed. Thus ioyneth the Massing priest with ye Idolaters, & is him selfe the greatest Idolater of all.
The Sorcerers and Coniurers also, can neyther haue the instruments yt they work with, nor vse them, when they haue them: but they muste haue some helpe of some of these thinges. Their Aarons Rodde, wherewith they worke wonders, can not be had without much helpe of these things. Their Aqua lustra [...]s, their coniured water (without which no Circle can be made to keepe out the diuel) can in no wise be made without Surplesse or Albe. The diuels can neither be called vp, nor bounde, when they be called vp, nor yet coniured downe agayne, without an halowed Stoale.
If there were no more in vs therefore, but a desire, not to seeme to be Idolatours, [Page] sorcerers or coniurers, it were ynough to moue vs to refuse to admit the Ministring garmentes of the popes church. but there is more to moue vs. For we see what opinion men haue had, and haue still in them: and what shall happen vnto vs, if we shall nowe receyue them.
The blinde and obstinate papists suppose,The opinion that three sortes of mē haue of these garments. that without these things no holinesse can be in ought that we do: and therefore they wil not be partakers with vs in any thing.
The weake papistes, which are contented to be partakers with vs, doe fynde none so great faulte with vs, as for that we Minister without their Ministring garmentes, and startche breade▪
The simple gospellers doe suppose, that forasmuch as the Papistes doe holde that without these things there can be no right ministration: they ought not to communicate with those that vse them.
And we our selues (although we know the indifferencie of them in their owne nature) yet when we cōsider how these three sortes, doe esteeme them, cannot be persuaded that we should shew our selues meete to occupie the place of Pastours or shepheards in the church of Christ, if we should now vse them.
A learned Father, & one whose bones were burned after his death, for the doctrine [Page] that he preached in his lyfe,Martinus Bucerus & lefte behinde him in wrytinge, beinge required to wryte his iudgemēt what he thought meete to be done in this case: aunswered that he coulde be cōtent to suffer some great payne in his owne body, vpon condition yt these things were vtterly taken away. And in such case as we are nowe, he willeth, that in no case they should be receyued: as doth most plainly appeare in that which he wrote vpon the xviij. chapter of S. Mathewes gospel, and vpon these wordes:Bucers opinion of suche as maintain ye popishe ceremonies. Vae mundo ab offendiculis. Woo to the worlde by the reason of offences or occasions of fallings: wherafter manye wordes to this effecte, he sayth: That no man will earnestlye stryue to maintayne these superstitious ceremonies, but such as be eyther open enimies to Christ, or else backeslyders from Christ. Hostes aut desertores.
And bicause it is sayde of some men, that this Father is agaynst vs in this matter: we set downe his wordes written from Camebridge, to a most deare friende of his beyonde the seas, cited by Theodore Beze in his aunswere to the calumniatiōs of fraunces Baldwine, which wordes were written the .xij. of Ianuarie in the yeare of our Lord 1550. The wordes are these: Quòd me mones de puri [...]ate rituum, scito, hîc neminem extraneum [Page] de his rebus rogari. Tamen ex nobis, vbi possumus, officio nostro non desumus, scriptis, & coram. Ac in primis, vt plebibus Christi de veris pastoribus consulatur. Deinde etiam, de puritate purissima, & doctrinae & rituum. Where as ye write vnto me concerning ye puritye of Ceremonies, ye shall vnderstande, that no straunger is here called to councell in those matters.
Notwithstanding, when occasion doth serue vs, we are not slack in doing our dutie, both by writing and worde. And especially, that the people of Christ maye be prouided of true Shepherds, and then also, that both doctrine and ceremonies, maye be brought to most perfect puritie. And in the same Epistle he sayth: Sunt qui humanissima sapientia, & euanescentibus cogitationibus, velint fermento Antichristi conglutinare Deum & Belial. There be some which by most wordly wisedome & vaine deuises, would with the leuen of Antichrist glewe togither God & Belial. Here is the iudgement of Bucer, concerninge the retayning of Ceremonies, plainelye set forth, speaking expresselye of this Churche of Englande.
And Peter Martyr, whose iudgement hath in this matter bene oftentimes asked, dothe more than once in his writinges call them Reliquias Amorraeorum, leauings or remnaunts of the Amorites.
Martyr.And although he do in some case thinke that they maye be borne with for a season: yet in our case, he would not haue them suffered to remaine in the church of Christ.
Doctor Ridley late Byshop of London, when one Doctor Broches with others at [...]xforde came to degrade him a little before his death, persuaded the sayde D. Ridley to put on the Surplesse with the reast of the Massing garmentes, which he vtt [...]rlye refused to doe. Sayinge (as in the historie of Martyrs appereth,) truely if it come on me (meaning the Surplesse) it shall be against my will. Then the sayde D. Brockes caused the sayde Surplesse with the rest of the trinkets appertayning to the Masse, to be by force put vpon him. Wherevpon he dyd vehemently inuey against the bishop of Rome,Ridl [...] [...] callinge him Antichrist, and all that apparell folish and abhominable, yea, to fonde f [...]r a [...]ice in a play. Wherwith Doctor Brockes beinge very angrie, bad him holde his peace, for he did but rayle. Hereby it appeareth what estimation that worthy Martyr of God had of the Popishe garmentes at the tyme of his death. Albeit in the dayes of King Edwarde, he did stoutely maintayne them [...]gainst b [...]sh [...]p [...]oper.
B [...]shop [...]uell.Bishop [...]uell in his replye to D. Harding in the .442. page against the breaking of the [Page] Sacrament, hath these wordes: Verilye in the house of God, that thing is hurtfull, that doth no good. All the Ceremonies of the Church ought to be cleare and liuelye, and able to edifie. Yf these thinges now in controuersie can be proued such, then will we not refuse them. But in case they want all these properties (as vndoubtedly they doe) then by this mans iudgement we may well reiect them.
What shall happen to vs, yf we shall now receyue them, shall be plaine ynough to them, that will but waighe these fewe lines afore written? It shall happen vnto vs, as it should haue happened vnto Moses if he would haue consented to bring the Hebrues back againe into Egipt, after he had brought them out of that lande, & through the read Sea.
We haue by doctrine brought many out of the Romishe slauerie of Idol seruice, and nowe by example we haue begonne to go before them, in ye vtter abolishing of all those chaines of darkenesse, wherewith they, and we haue bene long tyme holden in miserable captiuitye: and were it meete, that we shoulde now a freshe binde our selues & them with the same chaines?
Whilest wee oure selues were in those chaines, although we did knowe them to be [Page] bondes: yet we were for a season content to beare them, tyll we might be able to cause others to see yt which we our selues did see. And now that we haue by the helpe of god caused some men to see what these thinges are, and haue in theyr sight shaked them of from our owne neckes, and loosed the same from their neckes also: what should our receyuing of them againe be other than a going backe againe into Egipt, and a leading thither agayne, of all suche as we haue laboured to bring thence?
We haue taught that which Tertul. wryteth: Nihil dandum Idolo, sic nec sumendum ab Idolo. Si in Idolio recumbere alienū est à fide, quid in Idoli habitu videri? We may giue nothing to the Idoll, [...]e Cor [...]ilitis. so may we take nothing of the Idoll. If it be a thing against the fayth to sitte at meate in the Idolles feast, what is it to be seene in the habite of an Idolater?
We haue taught that the popishe masse is Idolatrie, that all the popes holy creatures, as his waxe, his ashes, his palme, his fyre, his holywater, & other his holy things made holy by his coniurations, are derogations to Christes glory, & therefore to be refused of all Christians: and shall it not be as meete for vs now to flye in lyke maner from the vse of those garments that they taught [Page] to be so necessarie in their coniurations?
Surely we can not be persuaded, but it is as great an euill for vs, now to weare in our Ministration anye of those coniuring garments, as it is for any of them that doe knowe what these coniured things are, to be partakers of them.
Lest we shoulde therfore encourage the obstinate and blinde Papistes to sticke still in their popishe puddle:the causes that moue the pr [...] achers of the gospe [...] to refuse the cōiuring garments of the papistes. lest we should beat back those that are by oure cryinge vnto them begynning to craule out of that puddle: lest we should shake off and hurle headlong into that puddle, those that are by our meanes plucked out therof, and yet not so freed from the filth therof, but that they haue neede to be made cleane by our helpe, & stayed from slyding in againe: yea and lest we shoulde make sorowfull and pyerce the heartes of them, that be quite escaped, whē they shoulde see vs by whose meanes they haue escaped, bewadled in ye same filth our selues: and so bring al that we haue taught into doubt, and all that we shall teache into suspicion, we haue thought it meete for vs, vtterly to refuse all these thinges that now are vrged.
For if we, that haue by doctrine proued these things to be superfluous, & in the abuse of them superstitions, shall nowe receyue [Page] them our selues, and so in doing (although not in words) affirme them to be necessary? What obstinate Papist will not be the more confirmed in the reuerende opinion of them? what yong nouice in Christ, will not afreshe embrace them? what weakling will not againe inclyne to them: And what perfect Christian will not weepe in hys heart to see them?
And shall not the bloude of all these be required at our hands: shal not we once heare that horrible saying that Christ shal once pronounce against suche as we should herein shewe oure selues to be: Tollite seruum nequam. &c. Take vp that naughty slaue, binde hym hande and foote, and cast hym into vtter darkenesse: there shal be weeping and wayling, and gnashing of teeth.
Fearing therefore to lose our selues with the losse of so many soules, besides our selues: we haue chosen rather to venture the losse of worldely commoditie, than to hazarde that which no earthlye treasure can bye. Trusting that our Prince and all other in auctoritie will fauour our iust cause, and not mislike with vs, bycause we feare god more than man, and are more loth to lose the heauenly Kingdome, than earthly commoditie.
We hope that all wise men doe see, what [Page] marke the earnest soliciters of this matter do shoot at. They are not, neyther were at anye tyme Protestantes: but when tyme woulde serue them, they were bloudy persecuters, & synce tyme fayled them, they haue borne back as much as lay in them. Shall we think then, that such do seeke the aduaū cement of gods glorye, in the setting forth of his true religion? no, no. Theyr purpose is, in vs (sielly wretches) to deface the glorious gospell of Christ Iesus, whiche thing they shall neuer be able to bring to passe.
For thoughe we, lyke cowardes, shoulde runne from our Captayne, and yelde our weapons into the handes of oure enimyes: yea thoughe we shoulde (lyke traitours) tourne our pikes against him yet wil he haue the victorie. For he hath the heartes of his enimies in his hande, & can cause them to take his part, and to vse vs as traytours shoulde be vsed.
Our goodes, our bodyes, and our lyues, we do with al humble submission yelde into ye hands of gods officers vpon earth: but our conscience we keepe vnspotted in the sight of him that shall iudge al men. Desiring no thing, but that it may be free for vs by doctrine to teach ye flocke of Christ, whereof we haue taken charge: and when we haue so taught them, to goe before them, in doing [Page] that which we haue taught according to the truth of gods holy worde. That when we shall appeare before that great shephearde Christ, our flocke with vs, and we with our flock may heare these ioyful words, Euge ser ue bone & fidelis, &c. Well done thou good & faythfull seruaunt: bicause thou haste bene faithful in the thing that is of small value, I will make thee Ruler ouer muche: enter thou into thy Lordes ioy. Whiche ioy shall vndoubtedly be giuē to as many as vnfaynedly shall loue the comming of that shepheard. To whome, with the eternall father and the holy ghost, be all honor, glory and dominion for euer.
Amen.
Stryue for the truthe euen vnto death, and the Lorde God shall fight for thee.
¶ A godly prayer, agreable to the tyme and occasion.
O Almighty God, great Iudge of all, Father of mercy, and louing Lorde of thy flock and congregation: we doe acknowledge they goodnesse, thorowe which thou hast vouchedsafe to choose and call vs into the societie of thy Saintes, the fellowship of thyne elect, the folde of thy sheepe, wherein allwayes thou haste dealt [Page] with vs in all thinges, as with thine owne inheritance, thy chosen sheepe, and beloued Lambes. For this thy great kindenesse, we doe yelde to thee our moste humble & heartie thankes. We doe confesse also, that on our behalfe, for want of due consyderation of this thy goodnesse, & our dutie, we haue grieuously offended thee, not onely in vnthankfull vsinge thy benefites, but also in wilfull and sinfull abusing thy mercie.
To holy assemblies we haue ioyned oure selues in the exercises of thy worde and sacraments, of prayer, & charity, yet not with such zeale & diligence as we ought, but with that lothsomenesse & contempte, whiche we ought not. In comming to them dayly, we haue filled our fansie, rather than feede our faith, we haue come to them more of custome than of conscience, we haue heard much more with oure eares, than we digested in our mindes. And thus with harde hearts, hearing much, doing little, promising faire, performing nothinge in effect, we haue remayned vncorrected, not amended, to the great offence of thy diuine maiestye.
Of thy displeasure kindled heretofore against vs, we haue bene diuers wayes admonished. For euen as thou didest leaue a remnaunt of ye Cananites, not cast out from amōgst thy people Israel, to be snares, whippes, [Page] and thornes in their sydes and eyes, bicause they did not fully cleane vnto thee: so doe the remnants of the Remishe ad [...]omination, [...] still amongest vs, to witnesse thy wrath against our colde loue of sincere seruing thee, & yet is not our zeale inflamed to better. The sharp scourges which we haue seene & felte, together with straunge signes shewed in heauen & earth, haue testifyed thyne anger agaynst vs, but we earth and ashes, are not yet by them taught our good.
The ministers of thy worde, seing oure sinful state, haue seuerely threatned greater plagues to fal on vs, but we haue tryfled of our tyme, & not heartly tourned vnto thee. And therfor it is, that euen now we see (as a begynning of greater vengeaunce) their heartes (whose power shoulde procure the correction of our mischiefe) not only holdē in neglect & cōtempt of that they should do, but bent also to maintayne that they should destroy, to the hindering of ye course of thy gospel, which they should set forwarde.
Are not the reliques of Romishe Idolatrie stoutely retayned? Are we not bereaued of some of our pastors, who by worde & example, sought to free thy flocke from those offences? Ah good Lord, these are now by power put downe from pastural cure, they are forbyd to feede vs, theyr voyce we can not [Page] heare. This is oure great discomfort. This is the ioy & triumph of Antichrist his lymmes, our enimyes: yea, & that is more heauy, increase of this misery, is of some threatned of the wicked hoped for, and of vs feared, as thy iu [...]t iudgemēt against vs for our sinnes.
And nowe Lorde, what can we say, confusion of faces is ours. We haue synned & done amisse, we confesse our fault. As iustice is thyne iustelie to correct, soe mercye is thyne also to pardon and to helpe the miserable. We persuaded of thy goodnesse towardes vs in Iesus Christ, doe knowe, that of loue thou dost nowe chastyse vs as children. Correct vs O Lorde, but not in thy wrath. Remember thy louing kindnesse, and in the ryches of thy great mercye, pardon & forgiue all oure synnes, through which, we haue thus offended thee. O Lord blot them out of thy remembraunce, by the bloude of thy sonne Iesus. And let thy good spiryte now transforme vs from our olde euils, so that we commit them no more, yt ther apeare no cause to moue the memorie of them anye more in thy holy sight: but rule vs to growe in regeneration, that this our mortall lyfe maye bring forth plentifully those fruites of the spirite, which do please thee. O heauenlye Father, stay thy stroke nowe begon. Restore our helpes to vs agayn. Yea [Page] of thy liberall goodnes, giue more of suche ayde and help, as thou knowest nedefull to worke the thorow reformation of oure state generally, and of eche one of vs particularlye.
Much good hast thou wrought vnto vs by our souerayne, and the ministers whom thou hast appointed to gouernement. Doe not withdrawe thy graces frome them for oure sinnes sake, but rather increase thy good gyftes in them, for thy mercye sake. Indue them with increase of knowledge, zeale, and diligence, that they may doe that which is to be done, to gyue thy glorious gospell the full course, so that by it perfyte stablishment maye be wrought of thy religion in sincerity, and of ciuile regiment, in peace and equitie.
Loke Lord and Iudge most iuste on the proude bragge and boast of antichrist thyne enimy, cut his courage, cōfounde his counsell, disapoint his hope, breake his power, & giue him that vtter ouerthrow, that there do not remayne so muche as a memorie or token of him, to be had in regarde, but that his memorye maye be had in confusion. O Lorde set vp thy glorye, remoue thy wrath, restore thy mercye, comforte thyne afflicted, tourne thy louing countenance to vs, poure [Page] forth thy grace on vs, build vs vp in Christ, & loue vs still. Let the trumpet of thy gospell with suche power & plenty be blowne, that all flesh may hearken & yelde thereto, thyne elect to their comforte, the reprobate to their confusion. And let this blast continue without ceassing with due effect, vntill that last trump be sounded by thine Archā gell, at the daye of Christ, And come Lorde Iesus. In thy name, O Christ our Capitayne, we aske these things, & praye vnto thee o Heauenlye father, saying. Our Father, &c. O Lord increase our faith whereof we make confession. I beleue in God, &c. Arise O Lord, and let thyne enimyes be confounded. Let them vnderstand that against thee they fight. Let them flye from thy presence, that hate thy godly name. Let the grones of thy afflicted, enter in before thee. And for thy name sake wash away all dregs of Poperie and superstition that presentlye trouble the state of thy church. And preserue the Vyne whiche thy ryghthande hathe planted, that the glory of thyne annointed Iesus Christ oure Lorde, maye clearely shyne here and before all nations.
So be it.
because we are creatid for gods glory the edification one of another in Christ, and are bounde to serue thervnto by wealthe or woo, lyfe or death, and cheifly, they to whom God haue geuen the greter gyftes, and whom he hath callyd to higher romes, are moste bounde to be zelous for gods glory with godly zelousie to profyt the churche and sponse of Christe vnder their charge, and that by no subteltye as the Apostel warnithe, they shulde be corrupted from the symplicitie of Christ: therfore there is no doubt of your good zealle and diligence. My good fathers & deare brethren, who at first callid to the battel, to striue for gods glory and the edification of his people, against the Romish reliques and rages of Antichrist, I doubt not but that you wyl coragiouslye and constantlye in Christ, rape at these rages of Gods enemyes, and that you will by this occasion race vp many as grete enormites that we all know, & labore to race out all the dregges & remnants of [Page] transformid popery, that are crept into England, by to much lenite of them that wylbe namid the Lordes of the cleargie: what is he that hath the zeale of gods glory before his face, that wyl not ioyne both in prayer, and in sufferinge with you, in so good a cause, that is so much for gods glory, and the edificacion of gods church, in the pure simplicite of Christes word & sacramentes, wherin our enemies and persecutours are strangely bewitchid. I wote not by what Circes cupe, that they do make suche a diuersite betwixt Christes worde & his sacramentes, that they can not thinke the worde of God safelye ynoughe preachid, & honorably inough handlyd, without cap, cope, surplis. But that the sacraments the maryinge, the buryinge, the churching of wemen, & other church seruice, as they call it, muste nedes be decored with crossinge, with capping, wt surplessing, with knelinge, with preti wafer cakes, and other knackes of poperi. O Paule that thou were a lyue, thou durst tell those politike gentelmen, that ther hath bin to much laboure bestoued vpon them in vaine, thou durste say vnto them, as thou didest to ye Corinthians, that they eat not the Lordes supper, but pley a pagent of their owne to blynde the people, and kepe them still in supersticion, fare from the symplicite of Christes supper: but howe [Page] many sely sowles is ther that dothe beleue veryly, that they haue an English masse, and so put no difference betwene truth & falshod, betwene Christ and antichrist, betwene God and the deuell, they are strangely bewitched. I say that thus wyll bynde theyr Englyshe presthode & sacraments, but muche more enchauntid that can fynd no garments to please them. But such as haue ben polutid openly with popishe supersticion & Idolatry, but most of all in this point shall theyr madnes apere to all posterites, that they make these Antichristian rages Causam sine qua non, that is, a cause without which ther is no holy ministery in Christ, so that this shall make an Englyshe preste, be he neuer suche a dolt or vnlearnid in the knouledge of the scripture as we haue very manye, and without these romisshe reliques not Paule hym selfe shalbe admittid (as one of them dyd blaspheme & the rest of them in effecte do affirme) well agaynste suche popishe chaffer and popery, hathe byne longe agone foughten withe all, when the gret captaines of that religion lyuyd, and yet God gaue the victory. Therfor let vs not fear now, although it doth begine to sture agayn, for ther is no craft, conuinge, counsell, wysdom, or policy against the Lord. We haue Christ & hys Apostells & the Prophetes euer stryuing agaynst the Ipocrites [Page] of their time on our syde: a strau for popishe polici we haue the worde of God to warant vs, to rote out al monuments of supersticion and Idolatry, & are charged to abhor them, to accompt them, accursed, and to defy them, and to detest them as menstreous clowtes, they haue not the worde of God for them. And what wysdom is in them, sayth god by his Prophet Ieremi, they talke of obedience & concorde, but ther is no obedience against the Lorde, no nor concorde to be desired, but wher gods glory and verite is preserued, Els better to haue al the worlde in hurly burleis, and heauen & earth to shake, then one ioyte of gods glory shulde decaie. So far forth as in vs leithe, we haue theyr owne lawes and proclamacious, to rote out all monuments of supersticion and Idolatrye, & theyr oune wordes are contrarye to theyr doinges. Yt shulde apere that they repent their reformacion proclamid, as did ye Isralites, they buylde agayn that which ons they haue distroied and this is done openlye that all the worlde may wonder, and behold: but what is done secretlye, god wyll one daye haue it declarid openly, ye they make the name of god & this doctrine that we professe to be euell spoken of alredy. By many of theyr doinges, theyr iudgement hasteth that for such causes persecute Gods true preachers. Wherfor let vs [Page] not feare theyr threteninges, ther can none persecute the godly for this cause & trasshe. but ether such as are nether hote nor colde and then they shalbe vomyted out vnlesse their zeale encrease, or such as haue no God before their eies, whose god is their bellie, or els open papists, whom god hathe geuen vp to a reprobate sense, wherfore we must thus take it, that they ar gods rodds for oure sinnes, because we haue not ben more zelous in Gods cause, nether carefull to seke his glorye, that wolfe Wynchester & blodie bucher Bonar fought once against many godli men for the grounde of this gere, and thei had all the power of the Realme seruinge theyr lustes, but beholde how the Lorde in short time ouerthrew them al, to giue vs coradge to go forwarde, the Lord forgeue vs, we ar to slacke and neglygent in heauenly thynges, this monster Bonar remainithe and is fed as papists say, for their sakes, & it must be grauntyd, it is for some purpos, althoughe he be a traytor and an enemi to the crowne and realme, and bothe to God and man, whiche brunnid godes holy testament, murderid his saintes and his servātes. But what the Lord requyrith to be done wythe false Prophetes it is manyfest: we haue bothe the lawe of god & man for vs, But we ar answerid nay, you your sealues shalbe compellid to turne [Page] your coates and cappes, and get you into his leueris, and to be lyke him in your garments. O Elyas that thou lyuedste, or that thy spyrit weare amongst vs, thou woldest say with the Prophet Sophoni, that God will vysit the werears of this Idolatours garmentes or strange aparell, thou woldest say, that thinges dedicatid once to idolatry, is not indifferent, thou woldest say reuerence to the sacramēt is wrought by doctrine and discipline, and not by popisshe & Idolatours garments, thou woldest saye, what decency can ther be gaynyd to the sacramēts, by that which hath byn deuisyd & vsyd to deface it, if the golde ordeinyd by god for the reuerence and decenci of the Iewes temple, is not to be admittyd to beutify the churche of Christe, much lesse copes brought in by papistes the enemyes of god, and alwayes continwyd in their seruice as ornamētes of their religion in no wyse ought of vs Christians to be retaynid. But the papistes triumphe and glori in their assembles, that the hote gospelars shalbe driuen to their doltishe attires, for the Lords sake let vs neuer giue them any cause of Ioye, thoughe we shoulde dye for yt: Moyses wold not yelde on hoofe of a beste in gods busines, he wolde not leue the loupe vnmade nor make a button or a claspe more or lesse. Eleasar will not decemble by [Page] eatynge of vnlawfull meates the faythfull Isralites wolde not receyue so muche as an yui bushe. Contrariwyse Orygen caryinge a braunche and professynge, that he bare it for Christ at the first. But was afterwarde compellid to open Idolatry, so cursid a thing it is to geue any place to the wicked: all the papistes that saye, they worship Christ in the crosse, and God in the sacrament, do still vnder these wordes continew still in their Idolatri, beware of deceitfull wordes, that couer wickid purposes, to drawe vs from Christiā symplicite. Let vs stand constantly agaynste all abuses, and repent for our former coldnes in religion, and our synnes, and call for healpe from aboue, for the hand of the Lorde is not shortenid: we ar assured that we seke Gods glory, and our aduersaries may see, yf they can se any thinge, that this thinge that they seke is not for gods glory, seing the papistes the enemyes of God, doe so desyre yt and glory in yt. And reioyse, that we, whom they most hate, cannot be safe but vnder their garments: we ar assurid that we seke godes glory in folowinge Christ his Aposteles and Prophets. who euer dispised these pharisaicall outward faces and visures, Christe fyndethe fault withe the garmentes of the phariseis. Paule counteth all his pharisaicall, [Page] shew to be donge. Zachari saithe, that the false Prophet shalbe ashamed of his prophecye, and forsake his garments wherin he deceyuid. & shal the true Prophetes be fayne to crepe into their coules? for by the same autorite may be comaundid any peace of popery, so that it be namyd policie. Ezechias and Iosias knew no suche aucthoritie, but they say: It is for policie, For it plainly apearithe that ther is lesse care for religion, then for policie. But beware that the example of Ieroboham be not folowed, that made such like prestes for policie as wolde do as he commaundid them. Achaz of policie brought the fashion of an alter into Ierusalem, as he sawe at Damascus, where he had ouercome the Idolatours and their Idolls, but cursed was his policie, and so ar all they that wil retaine any thinge of their Idolatrie. Nabuchodonosors Idoll was for vnitye and policie, but without the warraunt of gods worde, ther is neyther good vnitye nor police. The godlie father Bucer callithe the tenthes and the first fruites sacriledge and roberie, they be kept stil for policie. Crosse and candelstickes at supersticious, though they be kepte. I wot not for what policie the adoration of the Sacrament in the countres, where they knocke and knele to a wa [...]r cake is a popishe [Page] policie. That wemen baptise, that pluralites, tot quots impropriacions, non residence, despensacions, suspensions, excomunications, & absolucions, for money ar grauntyd, yt is evell, like as are many other inormites borowed from Rome, which remayne in the name of policie. All these thinges were abhorryd as popishe supersticions, and Idolatries, amonge our gospellers both bishops & others, when they were vnder gods roddes in pouerte. But how thei now haue learnid courtely deuinite, to grounde all apon policie? Humble them agayne o Lorde, that they do not forget the, and thy great kindnes and mercie shewid apon them, and sture vp their hartes and myndes, that they may be carefull ouer thy pore flocke. O Christe, whom thou hast dearly bought, by this theyr policy ar blindid, & carithe for no more, but that thei may haue this supersticious shew which is so stifely maintained. Let him mumble as he liste, yf he be thus apparelid, al his seruice is well ynough, otherwyse yt is nothing worthe. Thus cause you them to perishe by your polices, for whome Christ hathe dyed. further more, yf poperi be superstitious and idolatrous, evel and wicked, as yet therwas neuer a worse thinge in the worlde, then ar we commaunded to absteine from all participatiō [Page] therof, and from all the shewe therof ab omni specie mali, that is, from all shewe of wickidnes. These garments were the shewe of their blasphemous preisthod, herein they dyd singe and saye their supersticious idolatrous seruice, they dyd sence their Idolls and healpe forwarde theyr Idolatrous masses, what policie can it be then to weare this gere. But a supersticious wickid and popishe policie, they doe it for policie, they saye, that their priestes may be knowen and magnified of men. Dyd not the Pharisies vse the same policie, to doe all their workes and make all their garmentes bothe Philacteris vpon their headdes, and their wide and syde robes and borders, that they might be more expectable, and notorious to the people? but their woo is thretenid aboue al other sinners. To suche ypocrites, as beinge voyde of all true holynes, delite in all outward shewes, theyr curse is most inculcate, their polyci is that ye preistes shall weare white in the churches to signify their vertue, their purenes, and holines. and when they go fourth of the church they must weare blacke gownes and blacke hornes, for cōtrary polycies, and for dyuers significacions, Our master Christes polycie was expressyd in one worde, fede, fede, fede. and the Prophetes before, and the Apostelles [Page] afterwarde, yf Christe be the wysdome of the father, the true ministers shalbe well inough knowen, by that one marke which he geueth: and yf that he haue not that marke better vnknowen then knowen, both for him selfe and others, therfore lett them not saye for shame, that they seeke gods glorie, Christes wil, or the edification of his church, by their polycie. Whyles they thretē & stope the spredinge of gods worde and fedinge of Christes flocke, cōmandyd by writing to excōmunicate the most faithful laborers in the planting of the gospell, because thei will not weare the rages of popery, to expulse ye most valiant soldiars agaynst the Romishe Antichrist, the most earnest ouerthrowars of the kyngdom of satan, which standith in sin and blindnes. O beware you, that wilbe Lordes ouer the flockes, that you be not sore punyshed for your pryde, towardes your brethren, and your cowardlines in gods cause, that for Princes pleasures and pompose liuinges, do turne poperi into policie, and to become our persecutors vnder the cloke of policie: it were better to lose your liuings, then to displease god in persecutinge of youre brethren, & hinder the course of the worde. But as oure deutie is, we wyll praye for you, and for all our brethren in the ministeri, that god of his [Page] grace would graunte vs more zeale for his glorie, than any of vs hathe had heretofore, more desire to edifie, Christes people in pure simplicite, to present them a chast virgin vnto Christ then hitherto hathe apeared, that when the he deshepherde shall cal to accounte, we be not ashamyd. But beinge founde perfecte in all good workes, may receiue the crowne prepared, as for you deare brethren whome God hath callyd into the brunte of the batell, The Lorde kepe ye constant, that ye yelde nether to tolleracion, nether to anye other subtelte persuasions of dispensacions, or lycences which were to fortifie their Romishe practises. but as you fyght the Lords fyght, be valiant. God will not leue you, nether forsake you, as you seke gods glorye, god wyll glorifye you, and as by you Christes church is edifyed, comfortid and confirmid in Christian simplycite, so shall you receyue comfort by Christe your heede captaine, when you shalbe callyd to geue acomptes of your stewardshippes, and to be rewardyd for your fidelite, the matter is not so smalle as the worlde do take yt, yt wyll appeare before all be endyd, what an harde thinge it is, to cut of the rages of the Hidra of Rome, it is beutifull, but poysonful, ther is no daling with such a mounster, beware of lokyng backe [Page] to Sodome or delyght anye witte in the garments of Babilone, neyther once touche the poysonid cupe, though yt be of golde or gliteringe. Let vs repent of our former synnes vnfaynidlye, and then shall we abhor and stamp vnder our fette these rages, that were apoyntid to supersticion and idolatry, Let vs hate the blasphemous preasthode, so iniurious to Christes preisthode, that euery pache and token of it be in execration, detestation, and accursed, and take no parte of yt vpon our heddes nor backes, least we be accursed as it is. Let vs not make the heritage of god as a byrde of many colours, holdinge of diuers religions, Let vs not mixte the Iewes with the gentills, let vs not in no wise mixt this our religion with any thinge of Antichrist, let vs not confyrme the blinde in their blindnes, neyther the weacke in their supersticion. But rather let vs take awaye, if we can, the names, memories, and all monumēts of poperye and that Antichristes priesthood. Let vs open our wyndous with Daniel, and professe what we ar: their cruelte shalbe our glorie. Let vs followe Paull, that knew that the truthe gospel cold not be retainyd, if any Iewishe cerimonies were mayntainyd. Lett vs rather neuer weare anye garment, then we should weare those, wherby our brethren [Page] shulde be weakened, offendyd or boldenyd to take parte with the idolatours, & so through our hautines in knouledge, oure weake brethren perishe, for whom Christ died. Behold and marke well, how they falle backwarde that yelde in anye iote, and se how they are edifyed, and increase in godlines, which holde that ryght waye that you goe in, the which the Lorde increase you, & vs all, and strenthen vs with his holy spyrit, that we may continewe to oure lyues ende, al wayes both by our thoughtes, wordes, and workes, to avaunce his glorye and honor dayly more and more, now and for euer.
Amen.
as in comen daungers of fier, or suche lyke, welbelouyd, they that be fare of, com to socoure those that haue nede, so I beinge out of iepordie and far of,tru Christian loue. can not but of deuty wyshe well to those that be touchyd about the popishe apparell in thys libertye of Gods truthe, whyche is tought plainely without offencis, in ye greatyst misterys of our religion and saluacion, yt is much to be marvayled, that this small controuersye of aparell should be so heuely taken. But this is the mallis of satan,the practis [...] of the wickid. that wher he can not ouerthrow the greatist matters, he will cause great troubels in trifels. Peter and Paule agreyde in the greatyste articles of our saluacion, and yet they differyd so about meattes, that Paule withstode and rebuckid hym openly.the infirmites of the godly. Paule and Barnabas fell at suche bytter contencion, whether Marke shuld go with them or no, that they partyd companyes, and eyther of them went sondry waies. God defend vs from the lyke.the constance of the godly Paule circumcisyd Timothe when ther [Page] was hope to wine the Iewes: but when they wold haue it of necessite, he would not circumcise Titus, therfore compellinge would not be vsyd in thinges of liberte, yt is a lamētable case, that among them that are civil & full of knouledge, that yt shuld come thus to passe. Consyder dearly belouyd, I besech you, how that all countres, whiche haue reformid religion, haue cast away the popishe aparell with the pope: and yet we that wyll be taken for the best gospelars, are contentid to kepe it as an holie religion. Marke well also how many godly and learnid ministers ther be here in all countres, that be so zelous not onlie to forsake the wickyd doctrine of poperie, ready to leue the minystry, & to lose lyuinges, rather then to be lyke the popishe teachers of supersticious order in aparell or behaviour. This realme hath such skacite of teachers, that yf so many worthye men and learnid shuld be cast out of the ministrie for suche small matters, many placis shulde be destitude of preachers, & yt wold geue an incurable offence to all the fauourars of gods truthe here, and in other countres, also shall we make so much and so precious of the popes rages, that other reformyd places, exteme as vyle & filthye, God forbid. S. Paule byddith wemen vse suche aparell as becomith [Page] them that profes true godlines, which rule is muche more to be obseruid of men, & especiallye of preachers. But yf we forsake popery as wickid, shall we say that their aparell becommith saintes, and professars of tru holines. Saint Paule bydith vs refraine from al outward shew of evell, but surely in kepinge of this popishe aparell, we forbear not an outwarde shew of much evell, yf popery be iudgid evell, as greter wickidnes can not be, as we wolde haue a diuers shewe of aparel to be knowē from the comon people, so is yt necessary in aparell, to haue a shew, howe a protestante is to be knowen from a papiste. Yt hathe pleasyd God to call vs to preache his heuenly worde to that hye office, God geue you grace and vs all to seke hys honor & glorie yf we so do with a pure hart and mynde, he hath promysed, He that honorith me, I will glorify him, and he that contemnith me, I wyll contemne him. Let ther be no curtisye made to healpe gods people now they be in danger. Call to your remembraunce Quene Easter, she be gaue to make curtisy to speke in yt cause, but Mardocheus sayd vnto her: Yf thou now hold thy peace, God shall delyuer by an other meane, & yet thou & thy fathers house shall peryshe. You that can and may do good, do it whyle tyme [Page] is offerid, the tyme will come when it wylbe to late: yet god wyll comfort his by some other meane: It ys a perilous thinge, not to healpe in the tyme of neade, & not to suffer religion to goe forward in all syncerite, and to further gods cause when ye maye, when Terenti a good Christian captaine returnid with great triumphe & victory, the Emperor Valerius bade him are what he wold, and he shuld haue it for his good seruice: he hauing God before his eyes, desyrd nether ryches, nether honor, but those which had aduentered their liues for true religion, might haue a church alowid them, to serue their god purely in, & seueral from the Arrians. The Emperour beyng angrie with his request, pullyd his supplicacion in pecis, and bade him axe som other thing. but he gathered vp the pecis of his, paper and sayd: I haue receuid my rewarde, I wyll axe nothinge els, God encrece about Princes the small nomber of suche zelous suters & promoters of religion, and then no doubt gods glorye shall florishe when we seke his dewe honor, and not oure owne profyte. But to avoide contencion & scisme Austen gevith good counsel to godly and quiet men, that they mercifully correcte that whiche they can, & that which they can not, paciently beare, grone and morne, with [Page] loue, vntil god ether correct or amend them. But how this Christian loue shuld be kept in this church, when so manye godlie for so small thinges shalbe thruste out, & also how many already is from the ministery & theyr lyuinges, yt passyth manye good and godlie wittes to conceyue. S. Pauls rule in suche thinges, sayth: All thinges to me is lawfull, but all thinges is not expedient: all thinges to me is lawfull, but all thinges edefye not. Therfor in this case we must not so suttelly dispute, what Christian liberte will suffer vs to do, but what is metist and most edefying for Christian charite, & promoting Christian and pure religion. But surely how popishe aparell shuld edefie, or set forwarde the gospell of Christ Iesus, it can not be seen of the multitude, nay, it is to much fealt how gredly it reioysith the aduersaries of the truth, when they see what we borowe of them, & contend for the same as thinges necessarie. marke well the bysshopes wearing of their whyte rochets, what grounde they fyrste had, and from whence they receyuid it. Ther was a certayne man, namid Sisinius an heriticke bishop of the Novacions, and he first begane yt. all those other popish trashe hath the lyke foundacions, but they haue to long contineuyd & pleasyd poperie, which is beggerly [Page] patchid vp of al sortes of cerimones, & that they coulde neuer be routyd out sence, no not from manie professors of the gospel. Wherfore you that se others that is come to a better perfection, grudge not at yt, but be thankfull to God, though thynges may be borne wythe for a tyme for Christian lybertes sake, in hope to winne the weake. yet when lyberte is turnyd into necessite, yt ys evell, & no lenger lyberte: and that, that was for wynning the weake sufferid for a tyme, is become the confyrminge of the frowarde in their obstinacie. Paul vsyd circūcision for a tyme as of lyberte, but when it was vrgyd of necessite, he wold not bende vnto it. That famous father Master Bucer, when he was aryd why he wolde not weare a square cape, made aunswere, because hys heade was not foure square. wherin surelye he notyd well the comlynes of aparell to be, when yt was fassionyd lyke the body, & a gret folly when a square cape was set on a rounde heade.
God be mercyfull vnto vs, and graunte vs vprightly to seke hys honore wyth all earnestnes & simplicite. The Lorde comfort his afflictid church, & graunte that in this oulde age of the worlde, we may serue the Lord of hostes in synglenes of hart, and laboure to rote out all stomblinge blockes in religion, [Page] that Christes glorie maye nakydly shyne of yt sealue, without all tradicions or inuencions of men, as in the begynninge when yt was purest, and all such deuyses vnknowen, but inuentid of late to bleare the eyes of the ignorant, with outwarde shewe of holines. God graunt that we may geue all honor to whom al honore is deue, both inwardly and outwardly, to serve hym vnfaynedlye al the dayes of oure lyfe. Fare well deare brethren in the Lorde Iesu, who euer kepe vs in hys fayth, feare, and loue, for euer.
Amen.