A17219:78
Questions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the adversaries of the sameQuestions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the aduersaries of the same
Questions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the adversaries of the same: and answered by M. H. Bullinger of Zurick: reduced into .17. common places. Translated into English by John Cox. 1572Questions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the aduersaries of the same: and aunswered by M. H. Bullinger of Zurick: reduced into .17. common places. Translated into Englishe by Iohn Coxe. 1572
London: printed by Henry Bynneman for George Byshop, 1572London: printed by Henrie Bynneman for George Byshop, 1572
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But the defenders and preachers of1 this pontifical church, do object against all these (as by the same to bring us into an infamy amongst the people) and say: if salvation and remission of sins be not obtained in the church of Rome only, then should none of our forefathers be saved, sith they acknowledged none other but the Church of Rome? Truly we have a good hope of our ⟨image 34⟩forefathers touching their salvation, but yet not for that they lived in the Romish church, and were subject unto the tyranny thereof: but because they kept and held truly and sincerely the chief sum and argument of the doctrine of Christs church, to wit the xij. Articles of our Christian faith, the x. Commandments of God, and that holy Prayer given us by Christ, commonly called the Lords Prayer: which Principles of Doctrine, together with Baptism, are not found or invented by the Romish church, but proceed from the holy Apostolic doctrine, and have remained continually in the church, even unto this time, God by his merciful providence so governing the matter, that amongst so many laws, Decrees and Ceremonies of the church of Rome, yet these chief principles might be preserved pure, and untouched. Yea also God so gave his grace unto the godly, that in most extreme necessity, and in the very hour of death, they for the most part have despised and contemned all the superstitions of the Romish ⟨p. 23⟩bishops, and have wholly committed them selves to the grace of god, and to the death of Christ, and have so remained, even unto death in the confession of the Articles of the Faith, and making their petitions only by the Lords prayer. For although in all ages, men have been oppressed with the errors and superstitions of the Bishops, yet hath God even in the very hour of death, most mercifully vouchsafed to bestow his grace, as we may see by the thief on the cross, and therefore he did not reject them because of the unhappy state of the papacy. Furthermore, in all ages there hath ever been some godly men, which never liked well of the city of Rome, the Pope, their Priests, nor manner of life: but have marvellously complained from time to time, of their grievous burdens.
But the defenders and preachers of1