as Christ saith (John, xiv.), “The Holy Spirit shall teach you all things, which I have said unto you." Here Christ bindeth the Apostles and all the church unto the things that he had taught them.

This commonwealth of the true church is known. by these two marks; the pure preaching of the Gospel, and the right use of the sacraments. Thus proveth Paul (Eph. ii.) that the church is bound unto the word of God: " Upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets are ye built." Likewisė (Isa. lix.), " "My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed for ever."

Of the right use of sacraments it is taught 1 Cor. xi. Mark, xvi. Luke, xxiv. and Matt. xxviii. which teach people to know the church by these signs. The traditions of men and the succession of bishops teach wrong. Those two false opinions have given unto the succession of bishops power to interpret the Scripture, and power to make such laws in the church at it pleased them. There is no man that hath power to interpret the Scripture. God, for the preservation of his church, doth give unto, certain persons the gift and knowledge to open the Scripture: but that gift is not a power bound to any order, or succession of bishops, or title of dignity. princes of the earth do give always such power of civil justice by succession; as one is chief justice for the time of his office to do every thing appertaining unto the same; so hath always his successor the like.

The

God hath given the civil magistrates power and authority to make such laws for the commonwealth, as shall be agreeable with reason and not against God's law, and likewise power to interpret the same laws. But this is not to be admitted in the church, unto whom God hath given the Gospel, and inter

preted the same by his only Son, who taught the meaning and contents thereof himself.

To know God and his ire against sin, the greatness of sin, the justice given in Christ, the fear of God, the faith in his promises, the persecution of his members, the aid and help of God in adversity, the resurrection of the dead; where and what the true church is; the doctrine of everlasting life, of the two natures in Christ, of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: these be the contents of the law whereunto God hath bound his church; and he hath commanded her to hear his Son concerning the interpretation of these points. And at the commandment of Christ the Apostles were sent to preach these verities in the Spirit of God. It is therefore necessary to retain in the church the doctrine given unto us by the Apostles, and to be the disciples of their doctrine, and not to feign interpretations of our own heads contrary unto their doctrine.

Such, as will be the members of this church, must be disciples of the Gospel, and learn, in fear and humbleness of spirit, the articles of our religion, as they be taught there, and not stand unto the judgment of any man, whatsoever he be, though he say truth. For his truth is nothing, except the authority of God's word contain the said truth.

It is a great confirmation of our faith when we see such as were godly persons before us interpret the Scripture, and use the sacraments as we do. As when the heresy of Samosatanus troubled the Christian brethren, that said, this word, " Verbum,” in John, "In the beginning was the word," did not signify any person or divine substance, they were confirmed by the testimony of Irenæus, who heard Polycarp, John the Evangelist's disciple, interpret, Verbum," in the Gospel, for the Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity. Though we be bound

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to hear the church (i. e. to say), the true and faithful preachers of God's word, as were in this case Polycarp and Irenæus; notwithstanding, our faith is not grounded upon the authority of the church, but in and upon the voice of the Gospel. We pray and invocate the Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity, because the Scripture proveth him to be God: "The Word was God;" also, " My Father worketh until now, and I also work;" "Without me ye can do nothing;" likewise, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

The adversaries of the truth defend many a false error under the name of the Holy Church; therefore these treasons and secret conspiracies must be taken heed of; and when the church is named, we ought diligently to consider, when the articles they would defend were accepted of the church, by whom, and who was the author of them; and to leave not, till the matter be brought unto the first original and most perfect church of the Apostles. If thou findest by their writings that their church used the thing that the preacher would prove, then accept it, or else not. Be not amazed, though they speak of never so many years, or name never so many doctors. Christ and his Apostles be grandfathers in age to their doctors and masters in learning. Repose thyself only on the church that they have taught thee by the Scripture. Fear neither the ordinary power or succession of bishops, nor of the greater part. For if either the authority of bishops or the greater part should have power to interpret the Scripture, the sentence of the Pharisees should have been preferred before the sentence of Zacharias, Simeon, Elizabeth, or the blessed Virgin.

"

Consider, that many times the true church is but a small congregation, as Isaiah saith: Except God had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom." There

fore is not the interpretation of the Scripture obligated unto an ordinary power, or to the greatest number, as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, and Christ's time testifieth.

Beware of deceit, when thou hearest the name of the church. The verity is then assaulted; for they call the church of the devil, the holy church many times. As Korah and the rest of the people said unto Moses many times, "Why have ye deceived the people of God, and brought them out of Egypt?" They were the church of God nothing the rather, though it was painted with this holy title: but the church of the devil and a congregation of rebellious and seditious persons, as God declared both by word and fact. Moses called not them the church of God, but the church of Korah; not the people of God, but rebels and God's enemies, as God declared them to be by his severe revenging of them. So, many times, had the most part been preferred, then the truth had been confounded, and Moses and Aaron put to death.

Remember, Christian reader, that the gift of interpretation of the Scripture is the light of the Holy Ghost given unto the humble and penitent person that sceketh it only to honour God with: and not unto that person that claims it by title or place, because he is a bishop, or followed by succession Peter or Paul. Examine their laws by the Scripture, and then shalt thou perceive, that they be the enemies of Christ's church and the very church of Korah. Remember, therefore, to examine all kind of doctrine by the word of God. For even such as preach it aright have their infirmities and ignorance. They may depart from the truth, or else build some superstition and false doctrine upon the Gospel of Christ. Superstition is to be avoided, and false doctrine to be abhorred,

whosoever be the author thereof, prince, magistrate, or bishop and the Apostles made answer (Acts, v.), We must obey God, rather than

men.

But

The superior powers have authority and may make what laws they list for the wealth and preservation of their subjects, so they repugn not the law of nature, nor the law of God. But, as touching the church of Christ which governeth the soul of man, only the law of God must be obeyed; the ceremonies ordained for good order to be observed in the church should not be neglected, as the assemblies of people on the Sabbath-day, and other feasts wherein the word of God is preached, and the sacraments rightly administered. those ceremonies, that partly superstition, partly avarice, partly tyranny, have brought into the church, are to be eschewed; as the saying of private masses, blessing of water, holy bread, bell or candle, with such-like. As for the praying unto dead saints, or to have their images in the church, it is not a mere ceremonial matter, but very plain and manifest idolatry, contrary unto the express word of God, who forbiddeth to make any image. And he that prayeth unto God in the name of any dead saint is an heathen, and knoweth not God. For he followeth his own imagination, and not the word of God, which teacheth and commandeth that we should both know and pray unto him in his Son's name (John, xiv.). The neglecting of this commandment deserveth eternal pains.

Such, as have a knowledge of Christ, from henceforth let them give him his right honour, and leave this idolatry and superstition, considering that with great pain he has won the church out of the hands of the devil, defendeth it with his holy