WE see all men, who at leastwise strive not to cast off all sense of humanity, to embrace and profess some opinion of God and his will, as also some manner of worshipping him, partly drawn from nature her self, and partly by persuasion received: which is it that they call Religion. Now albeit all will easily grant that to be the true Religion, which hath been delivered by God himself, neither will they seem to have come unto that degree of impudency, as not to yield their assent unto God when he speaketh of himself and of his own will: yet notwithstanding, which may be that Religion delivered from above, will never be agreed upon amongest men, until our Lord Jesus Christ returning to judge the quick and dead, do decide the controversy. There are two opinions of Religion. The one deemeth that in every Religion, which doth lead a man towards God, salvation is to be found. The just man shall live by his faith, that is, every man (as these men interpret it) shall live by his faith, what manner so ever it be. But this opinion is not true: because there is but one true Religion: others are false, lying at variance with the true, according as it is said: He that believeth not in the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him. The other opinion thinketh (and that rightly) that that is the true Religion, in which God is truly worshipped, and that to be but one, & that in it only men shall be saved. But the Church of God doth certainly know, and though all the Devils and wicked ones stamp at it, doth profess that this is the alone true and wholesome doctrine of God and his worship, which God himself even from the creation of man delivered by his own voice to our first fathers, and afterwards would have to be contained in the scriptures by the Prophets and Apostles. Since then whatsoever we may affirm of God and the salvation of men, doth depend on the written word, we will first consider these four things as touching the Scripture, before we come to make recital what our selves affirm.
WE see all men, who at leastwise striue not to cast off all sense of humanitie, to imbrace and professe some opinion of God and his wil, as also some manner of worshipping him, partly drawen from nature her selfe, and partly by persuasion receaued: which is it that they cal Religiō. Now albeit al wil easily grant that to be the true Religion, which hath beene deliuered by God himselfe, neither will they seem to haue come vnto that degree of impudency, as not to yeeld their assent vnto God when he speaketh of himselfe and of his owne wil: yet notwithstanding, which maie be that Religion deliuered from aboue, wil neuer be agreed vpon amongest men, vntil our Lord Iesus Christ returning to iudge the quick and dead, doe decide the controuersie. There are two opinions of Religion. The one deemeth that in euery Religion, which doth leade a man towardes God, saluation is to be found. The iust man shal liue by his faith, that is, euery man (as these men interpret it) shall liue by his faith, what maner so euer it be. But this opinion is not true: because there is but one true Religion: others are false, lying at variance with the true, according as it is said: He that beleeueth not in the Sonne, the wrath of God abideth on him. The other opinion thinketh (and that rightly) that that is the true Religion, in which God is truely worshipped, and that to be but one, & that in it onely men shal be saued. But the Church of God doth certainly know, and though all the Diuels and wicked ones stamp at it, doth professe that this is the alone true and wholesome doctrine of God and his worship, which God himselfe euen from the creation of man deliuered by his owne voice to our first fathers, and afterwards would haue to be contained in the scriptures by the Prophets and Apostles. Since then whatsoeuer we may affirme of God and the saluation of men, doth depend on the written word, we wil first consider these foure things as touching the Scripture, before wee come to make recitall what our selues affirme.
