Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

ƲƲhat be the contraries to this doctrine?

1 The enemies of the church which now & then from Satās cāpe breaks out, who like tyrāts by manifest strengh, like Sophisters by corruptiō of doctrine, like hipocrites by superstition, like Epicures by leudnes of life do assault, and fight against the church.

2 The error of the prelates, which exclude frō the church thē that are newly instructed, & infāts that are not yet entred in the sacra∣mēts. 2. which transforme the church into a ciuil kingdome, that requireth a secular arme, and into the greatest monarchy of the world, wherin the Pope is chiefe ruler & gouernour ouer all per∣sons: as well laymen, as clergymen, ouer Emperors & Kings, who hath authority in heauē & in earth, & who is the vniuersal B. of the whole world, 3. which teach that the church hath many heads that Christ indeed is the head of the church triūphāt, but the Pope of the church militant. & which say that it is necessary to saluation to beleiue that the Bishop of Rome is ouer all churches, or as it is in the article of Boniface the. 8. The greatest lord ouer all. 4. which ty the catholick church not to the word onely, but to a certaine place, namely to the city of Rome, to the Pope, & to the Bishops, & which make personal succession to be an absolute & sure marke of the church: by the church, they vnderstād the pastors only, and they cal it heresie to referre the name of the church to the number of the faithfull, contrary to the saing of Christ. super hanc petram. i. vpon my selfe will I build my church, & contrary to the article of our creede, which commaunds vs to beleeue the catholike church. 5, which make the word of God subiect to the church, and not the church subiect to the word of God. 6, which make the doctrine and precepts of men the foundation, vpon the which the church is built. 7. which place the vnity

of the church not in faith, not in spirit, but in the vse and simili∣tude of such ceremonies, and which teach, that multitude, visibi∣lity, perpetuity, antiquity and such like, for the marke of the true church.

3 The Romane clergie, or that rabblement of Monks and Priests, which depraue the naturall sence and meaning of the scripture, and doe in very deede deny the office of Christ, while they doe attribute to the worke of their owne or other, that the most proper and peculier vnto Christ: and their sectes, whereof some are named after one teacher, some after another, whose rule they haue made choise of, to follow and to liue thereafter:

4 The assembly of all infidels, which doe persecute and reiect the doctrine of the prophets and Apostles, and Christ himselfe.

5 The error of those men, that are of opinion, that euery one shalbe saued in his owne religion, when, without that one alone catholicke church their is no saluation.

6 Of the Academicks which haue brought into the church 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, incomprehensibility.

7 Of the Platonicks which make the church to be altogether inuisible: and on the contrary, of them that thinke the church is, and hath alwaies bin visible on earth.

8 Of donatists, Anabaptists, and schismaticks, which because of the wicked, make a departure from the true church, in which the true gospell is preached, and the sacraments rightly administred: which asmuch as in them lyeth deuide the vnity of Christs body breake the band of peace, that is Charity, wherewith Christ knits the church to himselfe: these proudly contemne the church, and indanger there owne saluation, for he cannot haue any com∣munion with Christ, which will not haue communion with the church.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. schisme: not such whereat a wicked vnity is deuided like as the vnitie of the Iewes who hearing of Christ raised adissen¦tion among themselues: whereby their vnity brake and was de∣uided,a 1.1 neither such: by which good Men seperate themselues from wicked men: but factions, whereby the society of the faithfull is deuided into contrary partes and studies, as when the Corinthians were deuided into partesb 1.2 either when they did disagre one from the other, not onely in opinion, and will, but in

the verie communitie of holy things, and in rites and customes, so that one anothers community and fellowship, they auoided as damnable: an heresie declares properly some certaine faction and sect about doctrinee 1.3: and so heretickes are called, which in such sort depart from the true and sound doctrine, that contemning the judgement of God, and the iudgement of the Church, continue in their opinions, and violate the concord and agreement of the Church.

10 The contempt of Ecclesiasticall assemblies, namely, of them which seeme vnto themselues to knowe all things, or which keepe themselues busied at home, or which misliking the meanenesse of the preachers person, or finding some other occasion of absence, neglect Sermons, or which for feare of the crosse, or for the fauour of great men, or of their friends, contemne and set light by them. Also the abuse of those men, which either through some foolish deuotion, or accustomed ostentation, or to beguile the tediousnes of time, frequent holy assemblyes either seldome, or at them trifle the time away, or let their minde raunge abroad, or else after they haue heard a word or two, depart out: or in a word, they heare indeed Sermos, but yet liue wickedly.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Iohn. •• 16 & 10.9
• b 1.2

  1 Cor. 10 11.12. &. 3 3
• e 1.3

  Act. 5.37.