A CONFES­sion of Fayth, made by common consent of diuers reformed Churches beyonde the Seas: with an Exhortation to the Reformation of the Churche.

Perused amd allowed accordinge to the Queenes Maiesties In­iunctions.

Imprinted at Lon­don by Henry Wykes, for Lucas Harrison.

Ʋnto the Christian Reader.

THe subtill Ser­pent, our deadly e­nemie Satan, laieth many snares to in­tangeil mankinde, to withhold him frō cōming to the truth: but especially two, whiche be of all o­ther most perilous, Wilfull ignorance and Slaūderous reportes: wherwith, if once man be ensnared, say, what you liste, doo what you please, he lieth still in his errours, and will not be remo­ued: for wilfull ignorance so blindeth his eyes from readinge, slaunderours reportes so stoppe his eares from hea­ringe the truth, that not knowynge the clerenesse of the light, he estemeth the darknes of a cloudie night, as the brightnes of noone daies, and giuinge light credite to false rumors, beleueth forged lies as vnfallible truthes. Thus many a Christian ketcheth his [Page] bane: and no maruell. For, what di­sease is cured by increasing the corrupt humors, whereon the sicknes féedeth? howe is it possible, that he shoulde be wonne to the Gospell, that wittingly & wilfully doth blindesielde him selfe, dothe stubbernly refuse to Reade the truthe, dothe frowardely disdayne to peruse any other bookes, then suche as nussell him in his errours? What good successe, trowe you, is that Capitayne like to haue, that considereth his owne powre onely, and is not desirous to know his enemies strength also? what wise and trustie Lawier will harken to his Clientes tale alone, and would not gladly (if opportunitie were offe­red) scanne his aduersaries writinges also? If the iudge will giue eare to the first accuser, & beleue all that he sayeth to be true, and either wil not heare the defendant, or if he doo, estéemeth his woordes as lies, howe can he iudge a­righte? if thou wander in Poperie as in darknes, and wilt not walke in the light of the Gospell: if thy soule be poi­soned with venimous superstitiō, and [Page] wilte not tast the preseruatiue of God his woorde: if thou consider Antichrist his powre onely, and wilt not vnder­stāde Christe his might and puisance: if thou defende thine errours as an e­uill cause, and wilt not regarde thine aduersaries proufes to mayntaine his righte: if thou wilt credite the first do­ctrine, that euer thou hardest, which is nothinge els but mens Traditions, & wilt not harken to any other truthe: no maruell, if thou be blinde, if thy soule be poisoned, if thou be cōquered, if thou lose thy cause, if thou iudge wrongefully in weightie matters of Faith and true Religion. Suche was the wilfull ignorāce of the Idolatrous Iewes, who sayed to Ieremie: The woorde, that thou haste spoken to vs in the name of the Lorde, we will not heare it of thée, but we will doo what soeuer thinge goeth out of our owne mouth, we will burne incense to the Quéene of Heauen, we wil powre out drinke offerings vnto her, as we haue done, bothe we and our Fathers, our Kinges, and our Princes: for then had [Page] we plentie of vitayles, and were well and felte no euill: so, they that now a­daies will not heare the Preacher of God his woorde, that wil doo what thei liste, that will offer to theyr Ladie of heauen, that will sence to their worm­eaten Images, that will doo as their forefathers, their Kinges and Princes haue done, bosting, that then they had plentie of all thinges, that then it was a merie worlde, that then they felte no euill, doo wilfully, as it were, hyde­winke themselues frō seing the truth: No maruell if Iehoiakim runne hed­longe into his destruction, when he woulde not vouchsafe so muche as to giue Iehudie the hearyng, while he red the booke of the Lorde, written by Ba­ruch, but cut it with a penknife, hurled it into the fier, and brente it to Ashes. Ahab was content at the length to heare what Michah woulde saye, but estemyng his woordes as lesinges, and beleuing his flattering false Prophets hasted to his miserable ende. And as Michah then saide, that a spirite went out, & was a false spirit in the mouthes [Page] of al his Prophetes, so in this our age, not one but many spirites are broken lose, and be false Spirites bothe in the mouthes, tounges & hartes of our Ro­mishe cole Prophetes. For how many lies coyne they? howe many slaunde­rous Sclaunde­rous re­portes. reportes forge they to deface the Gospell and the true professours ther­of? Doo thei not laye to our charge (as yt Iewes did to Christ) that our doctrine is newe learnynge? that we are Ana­baptistes, Pelagians, Libertines, dete­stable Heretikes? that we contemne fa­stinge, neglect prayinge, doo no Almes déedes, dispraise good woorkes? that we denie God his powre, beleue not his woordes, defie Christe his Image, and are enemies to his Crosse? that we fal­cifie the Scriptures, refuse ye Doctors, deface the Councels, sette at naught Traditions? that we honour not the Sainctes, estéeme not the Mother of Christe, nor his blessed Martirs? that we care not for the dead? that we make God the auctor of sinne, and man as a stocke or a blocke, voide of all goodnes? that we passe not for the Churche, and [Page] rayle against the head therof? that we abuse the Sacramentes? that we are rebelles, and teach subiectes to disobay their Prince, inferiours to resist their superiours? that we preache nothinge but libertie, libertie? to be shorte, that we cannot agrée amonge our selues a­bout the chiefest pointes of our Reli­gion. These and many such like slaun­derous reportes; haue lyinge spirites put into the mouthes of the Romishe Cleargie, and their adherentes, which if thou credite to be as true as the Go­spell, it wil be longe before thou beleue the truth of the Gospell.

But if thou wilt voutchsafe, good Christian Reader, diligently to peruse in the feare of the Lord, this litle trea­tise, not condemnynge it before thou reade it, nor wrestynge euery woorde to an euill sence, but with indifferēcie ponder eche thyng and iudge vpright­ly: then, then I hope that God will opē thine eies, and giue thée grace to sée & to acknowledge his truth, wil enriche thée with wisedome, to discerne the Spirite of truthe, from the Spirite of [Page] errour, light from darknesse, Christe from Antichriste.

To those slaunderous reportes I néede not to answeare particularly, bi­cause they be confuted by this woorke it selfe, as by readinge thou maist vn­derstande. But two pointes, I cannot omitte vntouched, which are often vr­ged and neuer proued: that we falcifie the Scriptures, and agrée not emonge our selues; in the weightiest matters of Religion. Touchynge the firste, we gather the true meaning of the Scrip­tures Expoun­dinge of Scripture. by the circumstances of the text, by reconcilinge it with other places of God his woorde, to the confirmation of the truth, and not to the establishinge of our owne deuises: as some wreste them & racke them, to maintaine their fonde phantasies, inuented of their foolishe braynes. We alledge not the Racking of Scripture. sayinge of Christe to Peter, Ego oraui pro te &c. I haue prayed for thée, that thy faith fayle not, to proue that the Pope cannot erre: Nor, Nemo accen­dit candela, & ponit eam sub modio: No man lighteth a candell, and hideth [Page] it vnder a bushel, to shew that candels should be set at none daies on the Aul­ter: nor, Lumen ad reuelationem gen­tium, a lighte to lighten the Gentils, for carriyng of candels on Candelmas daye: nor, Deus creauit hominem ad i­maginem sui, God created man accor­dyng to his owne image, for erectinge of images in Churches: nor Abrahams circumcisinge, for sole and chaste life: nor, Omnia munda mūdis: nor, Qui in carne sunt Deo placere non possunt, Al thinges are cleane to the cleane, They that are in the flesh cānot please God, to proue that Priests may not marry: Nor, Nisi abundauerit Iustitia vestra plus quam scribarum & pharisaeorū, nō intrabitis in regnum coelorum, Excepte your rightuousnes excéede the rightu­ousnes of the Scribes and Phariseis, ye shal not enter into the kingdome of Heauē, to declare, that a Bishop muste haue more garmentes at his masse, thē Aaron had at his sacrifice. After suche a phantasticall childishe sorte, we vio­lently wrest not the holy Scriptures, to that sence whiche the holie Ghoste [Page] neuer meante. Now touchinge our disagrement emonge our selues in the Disagre­yng in Re­ligion. weightest matters of Religion. Sure­ly, if we agrée no better then Papistes doo, then were we at a great Iarre: wherefore, I counsell them to plucke the beame out of their owne eyes, and then indeuer to remoue the mote from their brothers sighte: be they so blinde that they sée not the ciuill warre be­twixt thēselues, and that for the chie­fest Articles of their Religion? Is not yt Popes supremacie a principall point Papistes disagree, a­boute Su­premacie. of their doctrine? And neuer harde thei that Pope Clement denieth that it is lawfull for a Bishoppe to beare bothe swoordes: saiynge, If thou wilt haue bothe, thou shalte disceaue thy selfe, & those ye heare thée? Contrary wise, that Pope Boniface the. 8. was in a solēne day decked in his Pontificalibus, and caried about Rome on mens shoulders (the great lobberly Babie woulde not goe alone, but must be borne) the next day glitteringe in his Imperiall robes he mounted on his Mule (an vncomely sight to beholde an Asse ridyng vpon a [Page] Mule) & commaūdyng a naked swoords to be borne before him, he him selfe cri­ynge with a loude voice, Ecce. duo gla­dij hic, beholde here are two swoordes: bostinge him selfe to be Lorde of the whole worlde (muche like to Satans bragge) bothe concerninge Temporall & Spirituall matters. Pope Pelagius affirmed, that the Supremacie of the Bishoppe of Rome, was ordained nei­ther of Men nor of Counsell, but by Christe his owne appointment. Pope John the. 3. his next successour vtterly denied it. Pope Gregory the firste cal­led him the forerunner of Antichriste, yt would be named Vniuersall Bishop. Pope Boniface the. 3. woulde be so cal­led, manger the téeth of his Cleargie, and obtained that proude title by the mischieuous ayde of the impious Em­perour Phocas that Trayterous mur­therer, and murtheringe traytour. Pope Leo the. 3. acknowleged it to be the Emperour his right, to elect & con­firme, whome he liste to be Bishoppe of Rome. Pope Adrian the thirde for­bad the people to waight for the Em­perours [Page] pleasure therein, deniyng that he had any thinge to doo in suche mat­ters. Beholde these Popes agrée for their Headship like cattes & dogges.

Is not erectinge of Images a prin­cipall Papists dis­agree a­boute I­mages. poincte of Popishe Diuinitie? how happened it then, that the Gréeke Churche, and the Latine Churche fell at such variance about thē, that wher­as before thei agreed friendly in other matters, & were vnited as one Church, for Images they were seperated, and neuer sithens ioyned againe? Howe well agreeth Pope Gregory the firste, who would in no wise haue Images to be woorshipped, or knéeled vnto, with Pope Gregory the third, who decreed that they shoulde be woorshipped & had in greater reuerence then euer they were before, & that, whosoeuer were of a contrarie opinion, shoulde be con­demned as an Heretike? Is not Trā ­substantiation Disagre­mēt about Transub­stantiation. a chiefe, a principall, & most necessarie Article of Popishe Di­uinitie? how chaūced it then, yt not lōg after the reigne of Carolus the great, 840. yeares after Christe his incarna­tion, [Page] there beganne suche maruelous great contention about it, and the best learned could not agrée in the matter, as the writinges and doynges of Bar­tram, Iohn Scot, Paschasius, Lātfranke, & diuers others witnesse? Lantfrancke confessed, that the earthly substaunce of breade is turned into the essence or substaunce of the Lorde his Bodie, so that it may truely be saide, that we re­ceaue bothe the selfe same true Bodie, which Christ toke of the virgin Mary, and that we receaue not the selfe same Bodie? Many of our late Transubstā ­tiators affirme, that the substance of Breade vanisheth away, and the sub­stance of Christe his Bodie cōmeth in place thereof. M. Hardyng biddeth vs Articl. 12. Diu. 7. beware, that we thinke not that the Bodie of Christe is made of Bread as of a matter, but sayeth yt where bread was before, after Consecration there is the very Bodie of Christe, this good counsel he giueth, least we should mis­conster his Augustine, who, (as he say­eth, albeit we can not reade it in him) writeth that the Bodie and Bloude of [Page] Christe is made of the Substaunce of Bread and Wine. The counsell called Concilium Vercellense allowed & con­firmed the opinion of the saide Lant­franke: the Councell holden at Ante­gane, and an other at Turone, condem­ned that Vercellense Concilium. Pope Innocentius. 3. in his Laterane Sinode added to the. 12. articles of our Christē Faith, Transubstantiation, as the. 13. Article, wheras diuers other Papistes thinke not that we are bounde to be­leue it in payne of dānation, or as the Articles of our beliefe. Some say, that the true and naturall Bodie of Christe is in the Sacrament, but not natural­ly and sensibly: some other, that it is there naturally and sensibly, as it is e­uident by Berengarius his recantation that Pope Nicolas & the moste parte of the Cleargie present at the second coū ­sell assembled at Rome then were per­swaded. A late writer not so wise as hardie, shoting his croked bolte, ouer­shoteth his fellowes and him selfe af­ter a straūge sorte: saying, that Christ his Bodie is present in the Sacramēt, [Page] (not as a Creature, nor as a Creator, but) after a māner as a thing betwene both, not after a grosse & carnall man­ner, but spiritually and supernatural­ly, and yet substantially, not by locall, but by substantiall presence, &c. and to mende the matter, he inferreth at the laste, but in such a māner as God one­ly knoweth. Well fare a good helpe at a dead lifte, disputinge of Christe his presence, in the Sacrament, & tellyng how he is there & how he is not there, concludeth that he can not tell how he is there, for God onely knoweth & not he, but blindely I leaue this blinde guide, and ignorant Doctor stumbling ignorantly in darknes, and teachynge in ignorance he seeth not what.

It is a world to beholde, how shame­fully they disagrée about Hoc est Cor­pus Disagremēt about the vvoordes of Consecra­tion. meum, This is my Bodie: some say they be not the woordes of Consecra­tion, but that Christe did Consecrate, whē he Blessed: most parte denie that, some saye by the woorde Hoc, this is meante, Bread & not his Bodie: some his Bodie and not Bread: some nether [Page] Bread nor his Bodie, but Indiuidüum vagū, indiuidüum in genere, indiuidüum entis, indiuidüum insignitū, Indiuidüum indiuidui, & I know not what phanta­sticall vnknowen, vncertaine, vnsen­sible thinge. Vouchsafe, good gentle Reader to peruse the answeare of the godly learned pretious Iuell and reue­rende father in Christe B. of Sarum, to Articl. 24. M. Hardinges Indiuidum vagū, and thou shalte finde, vij. or. viij. sundrie opinions or expositions aboute these woordes of Consecration, Hoc est Cor­pus meum, this is my Bodie: which ar­gueth either their blinde ignorance, or their obstinate malitiousnesse. Thus all men may sée, howe they dissent in Trāsubstantiatiō, one of the Articles of their beliefe. I néede not to declare the vehemencie of Pope Gelasius to The Sacra­ment in bothe kindes. haue the Sacrament ministred in both kindes: affirminge, that he, which de­uided the Euchariste, & when he taketh ye one parte, absteyneth frō the other, doth wickedly & committeth sacrilege. For you know that Pope Innocentius thought it no sacrilege, but highe ser­uice [Page] to God, to commaunde that the Cuppe shoulde not be ministred to the Laye people. It were to long to shew, how pitifully thei dissent, & how vncō ­stantly they answeare, when they be vrged with absurdities, which necessa­rilie foloweth their Transubstātiatiō.

It were to tedious to trouble your Disagre­mēt about the Masse. good eares with the iarring discorde of Pope Leo, who helde it vnlawfull to saye any more then one Masse, in one Churche, in one daye: and our later Popes, who defende it to be merito­rious to say a Trētall of Masses, in one forenoone, in one place, whereas in déede one halfe Masse were to manie. It were bootelesse to put you in remē ­braunce that you shall finde very few, or none, but mislike some pointe or o­ther of Popishe inuentions: some the Latine seruice, some praier to Saincts, some the Popes Supremacie, some Purgatorie, some Iustification by woorkes, some ministring in one kind, some sole receauinge, some crepinge & offering to Images, some the makyng the picture of God the Father, and the [Page] most parte Pilgrimage, pardons, Re­liques, with such like trumperie: how­beit they will openly defende the do­ctrine of the Romish Churche, & boldly talke their pleasure against the repro­uers thereof. Hereby thou maiste per­ceaue, good Christian reader, what cre­dite should be giuen to thē, who would accuse vs of discorde, when they them­selues agrée not emonge them selues, but with shame inough, be at great va­riance for their Princely Supremacie, for the frée election, sure confirmation, and absolute iurisdiction of their holy Father the Pope, for the glorious ere­cting of their wodden images, for their meruailous miracle of their straunge Transubstantiatiō, for the vnnatural presence of Christes Bodie in their hoste, for the coniuringe Woordes of their diuine Consecration, for the sa­crilege robbing of the lay people of the Cuppe, for to often sayinge of their I­dolatrous Masse, for the greatest mi­steries, highest pointes, strōgest keies, and chiefest Articles of their opinions. Turpe est doctori, cum culpa redarguit [Page] ipsum. It is a foule faulte to rebuke an other for that, wherein thou thy selfe most offendest. If they answeare that the truth of their doctrine is one, albeit in some pointes, a few dissent, and sa­uour a little of errours, & so ascribe the blame to men, and not to Religion, it might please them to alledge the same excuse for our defence. For, as here in this confession thei may reade: the Ar­ticles of our doctrine dissent not one from the other. If thē any cominge out of Egipte, desire to woorshippe God in the forme of a Calfe as the Egiptians did: or beinge lately weaned from the breste of Gentilitie, longe to lap some sower whigge of Paganisme: or beyng turned from Iudaisme, delight in sun­drie of Aarons gorgious ceremonies: or beynge conuerted from Papistrie smell fulsomely, sauer ranckely, yea stinke filthelie of some dunge of Po­perie, blame the mē, and not the truth. For wine is not to be dispraysed, bi­cause dronkerdes distemper thēselues therewith: nor meate to be refused, for that gluttons surfaite thereby. The [Page] vndoubted veritie of God his woorde is pleasaunt meate, and comfortable drinke to that Christian soule, whiche doth hunger & thirste after rightuous­nes, albeit ye queasiè stomackes of the vngodly cannot brooke it, or the infir­mitie of weakelings, wil not kéepe al, but caste vp some, that it receaueth. As for vs, it may plainely be perceaued by this little treatise, yt we dissent not in any Article of our beliefe: in any ma­ter of saluation or damuation: but ra­ther in ceremonies, in trifelinge and indifferent thinges, yea & in such sort, that notwithstādyng we al consent in this, that they may be altered, remo­ued, and quite abolished without any great hinderāce to Christ his Church.

Thus haue I giuen thée warning, good Christian reader, of two daunge­rous snares: wilfull Ignorance, and slaunderous Reportes, wherwith thy craftie enemy Satan woulde intangle thée, and withholde thée from cōminge to the truth. Now then it resteth, that thou wilfully doo not blindefield thine eies, from beholding the clere light of [Page] the Gospel, least wittingly thou stum­ble into perilous ginnes, nor lightly open thine eares to beleue forged slaū ­ders, least thou be faste tied, with the stronge cheynes of diuelishe illusions, but that thou willingely marke the proufes on bothe sides, & indifferently heare, what we teache, and so vpright­ly iudge our cause: whiche thinge that euen the simplest might the better doo, I haue done mine indeuour faithfully to trāslate out of Latine into English the Confession of the Christian faith, cōpiled by the generall consent of sun­drie Christian Churches, as by the ti­tle thou maist vnderstande. I liste not at large to cōmēde their godly Zeale, who woulde not couetously hoorde vp from their poore bretherne so greate a treasure, but liberally deuide it emong them to the enritchinge of their soules with heauenly riches, for so thei might lose the chiefest parte of their deserued prayse, by the folye of a slender cōmen­der. Neither minde I to extoll the woorthinesse of their woorke: for pure Golde cōpared with rustie brasse pre­ferreth [Page] it selfe, and néedeth no prayser. This onely I affirme, that by readyng this booke, the learned may refresh his memorie, with profitable repetinge of that he hath bene taught, the vnskil­full may learne that he neuer knewe, the faithfull maye be confirmed in the truth, the infidell reclaymed from his errour, the Parent, the Childe, the Maister, the seruaunt, the Prince, the subiect, instructed to serue God, to la­bour in his vocation, to fulfill his due­tie, so that muche profite may ensue to all, except any mā beyng blinded with the darke miste of superstition & ido­latrie, disdayne to reade the truthe, whome iustly we maye accuse of wil­full ignorance: or els, beinge wedded to his lewde phantasie, cōdemneth be­fore he readeth, who declareth him self to be of a malitious frowardenesse, stubbernlie bente against Christe and his woorde. God (if it be thy will) con­uert all such from theyr sinfull waies: God giue them the spirite of wisdome, to consider, that it is harde for them to kicke againste the pricke: God soften [Page] their stonie hartes, least the preachyng of thy Gospell be to them, Odor mor­tis in mortem, a sauour of death vnto death and eternall damnation. God indue vs all with his heauenly grace not onely to heare and reade this vn­fallible truth, but to beleue it also: that beleuing it, we may openly professe it, and openly professing it, may cōstant­ly continue therein, & constantly con­tinuynge therein, may leade our liues accordingly, to the profite of our coun­trie, the edifiynge of thy Churche, the defacinge of Hippocrisie, the rootinge vp of iniquitie, the establishinge of thy woorde, the aduaunsinge of thine ho­nour and our soules Saluatiō: Graūt this O mercifull Father for thy déere sonne Iesus Christ his sake, to whome with thée and the holy Ghost, be praise and glorie for euer and euer. Amen.

q, I. O.
FINIS.

To the moste renoumed Prince, Lewes of Borbon, Prince of Condey, &c. and other famous and noble Dukes, Mar­queses, Erles, Barons & Lordes of the Nobilitie, that embrace the true Gospell of Christe in the realme of Fraunce. Theodorus Beza Vezelius a minister of the Church of Geneua, wisheth grace and peace, from God the Father and our Lorde Iesus Christe.

I Present vnto thée most renoumed Prince, and to the VVhat is true nobi­litie? residue of you that are made noble by the true knowledge of Christe, through the mercie of our most mercifull and heauenly Father, the bookes of the newe Testament: which were translated into Latine by me, a fewe yeares by passed, & are now againe perused by me, with as great [Page] fidelitie and diligence as I could possi­ble, and set foorth with certaine briefe summaries of the doctrine therein cō ­prehēded, a present vnto the Churches of God (of whome you are the tutors fosters and norishinge Fathers by the The noble are the no­rishers of the church. decrée of the moste Christian Kinge) would to God so profitable, as I truste vnto you it shal be pleasant and accep­table. For why should not I promise my self this of you, who haue so stoute­ly and constantly declared before the whole worlde that you are not asha­med of the Gospell of Christe: and to whome (I woulde knowe) rather then to you (whiche doo not onely approue & allowe the doctrine here taught, but set it at libertie, and restore it) shoulde I dedicate these my poore trauayles? But what néede we these trauayles shal some say? Beholde therfore I will recite the reasons more at large that haue moued me hereunto.

Those men are altogether intolle­rable and in no case to be suffered, who for the desire of Nouelty, doo cōdemne Antiquitie may not be Antiquitie, like as also those are woor­thie [Page] great reproche, whiche can finde condemned onely for desire of Noueltie. taste in nothinge but in that whiche is olde and auncient. For I praye you, were they not al once new which now are olde & auncient? And this can not be denied of any, that will confesse the truth without contention, that euer­more in all worldes there were some, Errours are olde. that either of ignorance, or of set pur­pose, did darken and obscure the mani­fest truth of God. And also this is eui­dēt (though God did neuer so seuerely punishe the infidelitie of the worlde, that he did leaue his Churche vtterly destitute of the true knowledge of his woorde) yet that there was not al­waies the like measure of knowledge, no not in those things ye are the chiefe pointes of our Religion. So that some most false and daūgerous errours are very auncient, in so muche that Paule him selfe of olde time did write vnto the Thessalonians, sayinge: Nowe the misterie of iniquitie is already in wor­kinge. And Iohn saide, that euen then were many Antichristes in the world. Antichriste is olde. Howbeit no man can easely finde sure [Page] and certaine remedies for these euels The wante of the woorde is the cause of all errour. and diseases, saue onely that knoweth the right and true causes of them, the whiche causes in déede are many, but they flowe all as it were foorth of one fountaine: that is, because that men turne from the woorde of God, frō the woorde I saye, that is conteined in the bookes of the Prophets & the Apostles, vnto theyr owne dreames and inuen­tions. For that light beyng once ta­ken away (the whiche who so doth not sée to be the onely and singuler light, seeth nothinge at all) what can folow, but that like blinde men, they shoulde grope in darkenesse? Neither are they in any wise to be hearde, that are of a contrarie opinion. For what say they, doo not the Heretikes pretende the woorde of God? therefore stande we néede of some one rule whereby ye false interpretations of the woorde whiche sometime is ambiguous and doubtful, maye be discerned from the true: But What rule will serue. what rule shall this be?

One sorte doo here obtrude vnto vs, that their most vaine name of Catho­like [Page] or Vniuersall, whiche at all times Catholike. and in euery place; and with all men hath bene receiued. Of whome if thou goe further to aske the question, what is so Catholike? there of necessitie they muste sticke faste in the myre, when the demaūde is made of ye most parte, of the matters that are in cōtrouersie.

Another sorte set before them selfes the Councels & olde Canons: to whom Councelles and Canōs. they geue glorious titles, as though thereby the concorde of the Churche might be recouered, but all in vayne: for I doo thinke that no man is now so ignorant, but that he doth know, that many Synodes and Councels (I doo speake of them that are not openly cō ­demned) haue decreed euen in thinges concerning doctrine, not onely darke­ly but also vnlearnedly. Wherfore of­tentimes the Prouincials haue bene corrected by the Generall, and yet the Prouinciall hath sometimes iudged more vprightly then the General. And that the truth was so, euery one maye easely perceiue, that can compare Gā ­grensis Gangrensis Synode, taught more pure­ly of the Sacramentes, &c. Counsell with many that they [Page] call generall. I passe ouer that thinge whiche the very History of those times doth moste manifestly proue, that in those which we may call the best times (if they be compared with the latter) there was partly such ambition of the Bishops, partly suche a vaine babling ignorance, and of many of them suche an open and desperate malice, that ve­rie Sathā hath bene the president of some Coū ­cels. blinde men may easely sée that Sa­tan was the president of these assem­blies. What now then if we doo sette before vs the Councels assembled for a rule? since that time that most mani­fest tyrannie hath oppressed ye Church, suche as that late Councell of Trent was? Yea what if those best and moste approued Coūcels determine nothyng of any of the chiefe pointes of Religiō, onlesse it be of one pointe or twaine? Agayne, what if some be corrupted, their Epistels falcified, their decrees fayned, & forged Canons an infinite number cropē into place? That fraude Pope Bo­niface did falcifie the Nicene Councell. and crafte of Boniface, then Bishop of Rome, whiche was perceiued in the time of Augustine, in the Aphricane [Page] Councell is not vnknowen: the which yet a certaine foolishe and most wicked Apostata, whose impudencie also is wel knowen, went about of late to ex­cuse before thée (most noble Prince) To conclude, what haue not these wicked men attempted? and what durste they not take in hande in these Countreis, in the whiche thinges were lawfull that they lusted? Thus muche then for the Councelles.

Others doo flie vnto the writinges Those that call moste for the Fa­thers vvill not allovve the Fathers in all thin­ges. of those that they call the auncient and Catholike Fathers, but of so greate a nūber of those, whome I pray you shal we choose? for we haue but fewe very ancient (that is to say vnto the time of Constantine) emonge whome the La­tines vndoubtedly were the chiefe: yet are they such as thei that haue the Fa­thers in most reuerence, will not alto­gether agrée vnto, without many ex­ceptions.

Then Arius firste occupied the age that folowed, vnto the manifest fall of the Romaine Empire: and after him Macedonius, deniyng the holy Spirit [Page] to be God, and therefore was called [...]. But chiefly Nestorius and Eutyches in the East, vnto whom the principall & moste excellent wittes did answeare and oppose them selues: neither was there any age that had more plenty of learned Bishops. The secte of the Pelagians did occupie the West, whose dregges to this daye doo still destroy the Churche. Here now I require that without the iniurie of a­ny, I maye vtter the matter as it is. Therefore I demaunde this question: VVhiche of the Fathers shall iudge these con­trouersies. which one chiefly, or whome of al these Fathers, they wil haue for the iudges & desciders of these controuersies that are at this daye emongst vs? Firste of all, thei them selues (as becōmeth them well) refuse this authoritie: for they crie with one voice, that they doo bring that, whiche the Lorde hath taught: The Fa­thers vvill haue the vvoorde of God iudge. and that they will haue their doctrine no farther mainteined then it is pro­ued by the woorde of God written. The saiynges of Cyprian, Augustine, and Chrysostome, chiefly of all others are euident in this point: wherby they [Page] call vs to the onely holy Scripture. I will saye a little more also by the licēce of them, that haue studied their wri­tinges. Euen at that time in Grecia, The lear­ned Fathers permitted foule er­rours. did Satan lay the first foundations of the inuocation of the dead: the whiche errour the Bishops of moste reputatiō did not onely not resist, neither yet o­ther godly and learned men (saue for suche faultes) but were occupied to set foorthe their eloquence al together in writinge of their prayses. Others of lesse learnyng busied thēselues wholy in certaine vaine studies, whiche that nation of the Grekes was alwayes o­uermuche geuen vnto: as to the buil­dinge of glorious temples, for the ho­noring of the memories of ye Martyrs, and to the heapynge together of cere­monies. Another sort partely of igno­rāce, partely of couetousnesse and am­bition, & in the ende of a manifest wic­kednesse, did not onely not represse those open superstitions, as they did grow, but altogether did norish them. Howbeit in that time, thrée euels did principally reigne: first, that they that [Page] had bene brought vp in Philosophie, Three euels in the dayes of those Fa­thers. Philosophi­call Diuini­tie. did not remēber that moste graue and Apostolicall sentence: Take you héede, least any doo spoyle you through Phi­losophie. For besides that thei had ma­ny vaine speculations, as in the appli­yng to the Angels the imaginatiōs of Plato, concerninge the intelligences & Platoes su­perstitious dreames. spirites (the whiche errour séemeth to haue cōtinued from the Apostles time, who cōdemneth plainely the supersti­tion about the Angels) they did mani­festly wraste the woorde of God vnto those lessons, that they had learned of the Philosophers. Hereof sprange the opinions, of the powre and frée will of man, whiche are altogether Aristoteli­call, Aristotels Diuinitie. wherwith at this day the Churche of God is shaken, and had bene troden downe longe ago, had not Augustine (prouoked by Pelagius) set him selfe a­gainste it: yet to passe many other thinges (whiche I would gladly to be couered as the faultes of the Fathers) he him selfe also sometimes bearing to highe a faile, rusheth vpō the rockes of humane Philosophie. Yet was there [Page] an other euell the worst of al, that like The thirde euell of Al­legories. as wc a deadly disease, all mens mindes were infected, with a meruelous de­sire to turne and transforme all the Scriptures into allegories: in the in­uention whereof, euery man thought euery thing in this point to be lawfull to him selfe. Origene surely séemeth, to Origene. haue geuen occasiō to both those euels, of folowyng the Philosophers, and al­so of the Allegories: whiche was the most vnpure writer (as I do take him) that euer did write vppon the Scrip­tures: whome though many (as he wel deserued) did abhorre, yet some, of the other side, had him in great admiratiō because he was very excellent in the knowledge of the languages, artes and sciences: and some did pursue him rather of enuie then of vpright iudge­ment. But this euell did not staye in the East, but spredde through Africke, Italy, France and Spayne: so that all the Scripture was transformed into perpetuall Allegories. In the meane reason Pelagius & Donatus did arise, against whome God set vp Augustine Augustine. [Page] and caused the chiefe pointes of Chri­stian Religion (as of the prouidence & Predestination, of frée will, of faithe, and of Iustificatiō by frée grace, which were almost oppressed by the Philoso­phicall Gloses of the Gretian bishops, to be knowen and published: and yet notwithstandinge at the same time (whiche is wonderfull) prayer to the dead did growe into vse, and also that foolish opinion of single life: the which shamefull errours Hyerome is not Hierome. ashamed to defende. And the multi­tude of Ceremonies did encrease, as Augustine complayneth to Ianuarius: and many did honour the Monkes as they had bene Angels, especially in E­gypt and Syria, the most superstitious of all nations: and then began prayers to be made for the dead: & the question of Plato of the fire of Purgatorie did Plato his Purgatory. then arise, the whiche yet was not ge­nerally receyued in the Church, as the writings of Augustine doo manifestly declare. Wherefore to returns to the matter, whom of so great a multitude shall we especially choose for iudges: if [Page] we will heare that Apostata of whome I haue spoken, we muste chouse them that liued about the time of Theodosi­as the great. And surely I graunt that there was at that time very learned Bishoppes, but yet dare I affirme this thinge (the whiche I doo protest that I doo not speake for the reproche of any) that scarcely any of them cā be named which doth not bothe dissent from him The Do­ctors dissēt one from another. selfe, & from others in many thinges, and those of no small importance. And if peraduenture that Apostata (that I did speake of) shall denie it, then let me be counted a lier, onles I doo plainely proue it. But here I knowe what ex­ception he will make: at the leaste by these wryters saith he, it shal appeare, what was the forme & outwarde face of the Catholike Churche. As though VVhat neede vve seeke for formalitie. this were the chiefe pointe of our con­trouersie, & not rather of the doctrine it selfe: or as though at all times, al rites & Ceremonies are to be receiued with­out exception, whiche the Apostolike Church it selfe hath vsed either as pro­fitable or necessarie for their times: [Page] and as though they were not playne Buylde thy house be­fore thou paynte it. fooles which when the foundations of the houses were al fallē downe, would be so carefull for building vp the roofe? And what néede many woordes? I sup­pose that many of you (most excellent & noble Lordes) haue in your remem­brance how when we did treate of this matter at Poissy (where we had rather a triflynge skirmishe & alteration then a serious and earnest disputation) we did thus cōclude in fewe woordes: that the waie and meane to finish the trou­bles and controuersies, whiche some froward Newtrals and halfefaced mē Agree of the do­ctrine then talke of the comely Ce­remonies. (to name them no worse) doo so impor­tunately craue, was first of al, that we should dispute and agrée by the woorde of God, of the doctrine it selfe, and of Faith, the whiche beyng once establi­shed, then should we agrée much more easely about the Ceremonial matters: of the whiche we would reiect some as vaine and foolishe, some as superstiti­ous, either by them selues or by circū ­stances, some as altogether wicked, and some finally we would willingly [Page] admit: whiche coulde be proued either profitable or necessarie. What then doo these men require any more? assuredly most noble Prince, they séeke this one thinge, that they may bringe into ha­tred Many that seeme qua­lifiers of these con­trouersies seeke to spoyle the flocke still vvithout checke. the faithfull Ministers of God, as men seditious, ambitious, and louers of changes, suche as woulde haue all thinges new, that they thēselues may still spoyle and destroy the poore flocke of Christe without controlment. For they are like those without doubte of whome the Lorde speaketh: that they neither will enter into the Kingdome of Heauen thē selues, nor suffer others to enter in. Thei are the most perilous men vndoubtedly, that are suffered VVho are the moste perilous e­nemies? to liue this day vnder the Sūne: more daungerous by muche, then the open enemies of the Gospell, and therefore ought you principally, that are the pa­trones and defenders of the Churches of God, (by the most Christian Kinges decrée) to auoyde such men and beware of them: who partely for their bellies sake, partly for lucre, partly for enuie and malice, partely for fauour of them [Page] whom they flatter, lie in waite to trap you. But I sée that I haue bene som­what longe in confutinge this opiniō: therefore I doo returne to the matter. For what shall we say or doo to those, which imagine that the publike errour Publike er­rour cā not be the rule of Religiō. muste be folowed for the rule of Reli­gion? whiche set the bare names of fa­thers and custome against all reasons and proufes? whiche finally doo sticke onely to that one Churche, whiche no The Pa­pists calling one church Vniuersall, ioygne to­gether cō ­traries. lesse foolishly then falsely they call the Catholike Romish Churche (that is to say an Vniuersall particular Church?) surely I doo thinke that we muste let them alone, least we shoulde séeme to labour to cure madnesse with reason. But now if none of these that we haue God is the Iudge. spoken of, may sitte as Iudges in this cause, but rather muste be iudged of o­thers, in what courte then shall this great controuersie be pleaded? Verely before the iudgemēt seate of God one­ly. Then will they say, let him be cal­led VVhere shall vvee finde him. downe from his Heauenly palace. Nay why doo they not draw him foorth of these their Chancels and holy cor­ners? [Page] forsooth because we stande in no néede of a dumbe God, that can doo no­thinge but kéepe silence, suche one as their crusted God is in the wafer cake: but of that good God yt speaketh cleare­ly and plainely vnto vs. And I praye you where shall we finde him? no Not in the Boxe. But in the Scriptures. where doubtles saue in the writinges of those mē of God, who (as Peter wit­nesseth) haue bene stirred vp by the ho­ly Ghost to speake vnto vs: of those I saye vpon whose doctrine as vpon the foundation, the Apostle crieth that the Churche is builded, euen vppon the bookes of the Apostles & the Prophetes whiche are conteined vnder the name of the Olde and new Testament. But say they, the doubt standeth of the in­terpretation Obiection. of this woorde whiche we say must be sought at the Church. But first of all we must agrée whiche is the Ansvveare. Churche: for the Synagoge of Satan also doth abuse that fayre and beutiful name of the Churche. And howe canst thou iudge this same thinge but by the kinde of the doctrine? And how canst The worde is iudge of the Church thou put a difference betwixt the true [Page] doctrine and the false, but by the holy Scriptures? As for that succession wherein some sette all their succour, it hath ceased lōge ago to haue any force or valure, seyng this is most certaine, that the most ignorant and wicked mē haue bene the successours for many yeares vnto the good and learned Bi­shops: Successiō of doctrine not of per­sons requi­site. and that there doth appeare no steppe or token of any lawfull vocatiō in the Churches now for a longe cea­son. Furthermore we doo require a succession of doctrine, not of the per­sons, euen of the Propheticall and A­postolicall doctrine, so that of necessitie we must runne againe to the bookes of the Prophetes & the Apostles, for the proofe of the true succession.

As for the name of Traditions, the The bare visar of Traditions ser­ueth not. whiche some also that feare nothinge more then the triall of the Scripture, doo holde foorth as the terrible face of Gorgon, what is it els I pray you, but a bare visar? for if it be vnderstande of the doctrine, seyng we haue the woorde writen, what néede we any thing vn­writen? for surely this vnwriten is [Page] more vncertaine thē that writen, and no man maye séeke a proofe at the vn­certaintie of that whiche is certaine. How be it here I doo sée, that many thinges maye be obiected against vs. For first of all they will say, that they vnderstande by the name of Traditiō, An obie­ction. not that whiche was not writen by no man at all, and onely deliuered from hande to hande, but that which though it be not comprehended in those holy bookes which men call Canonicall, yet may be proued by some other woorthie wryters: so that though at the firste it was vnwriten, yet may nowe woor­thely be called writen: and suche they call the Traditions of the Apostles. Moreouer they will also alledge that they vnderstand by this name Tradi­tions, certaine plaine and manifest ex­plicatiōs of the Christian Faith, which were receiued in the olde Churche, as of Christe, how he is of the same Sub­stance with the Father: and of the v­nitinge of these two natures, and such like: for these men vse to choose foorth such thinges as are certaine and moste [Page] plansible. Now though I suppose that I haue sufficiently answeared vnto these thinges heretofore, when I did speake of the Councels and of the wri­tings of the Fathers: yet haue I more The ans­vveare. to answeare. For first of al, they them selues will graunt that all suche Tra­ditions are not to be receiued without exceptiō. What rule then shal we kéepe herein? Againe if we depende of mens writinges and authoritie, when the Mens vvri­tinges can not be iud­ges. question peraduenture is of the rites and ordinaunces, howe many thinges shal we finde not onely diuerse one frō another, but cleane contrarie? when that controuersie of kéepinge the feast of Pasche or Easter was in the Church of most ancient time, whiche proued & tried most manifestly the vayne iang­lyng, the ambition, the ignorance, and the frowardnes, of the moste parte of the Bishoppes of the whole worlde: so that the whole worlde was shaken to­gether, none otherwise then if the cō ­trouersie had bene of the whole Sub­stance of our faithe: and bothe parties doo alleadge the Traditiōs of the Apo­stles: [Page] what came to passe at the length, but that both parties hauyng on their side (as thei said) the Apostles, the strife was more styrred. Let ye Epistle of Ire­naeus be red, not to one coūted a Pope By the Epi­stle of Ire­naeus vve may see the libertie in Traditions. & the Vniuersall Bishop of the whole worlde, but to the most foolish & ambi­tious B. of Rome: & therby it may easi­ly be knowen, what libertie hath bene in al Churches hertofore in these rites & ceremonies, vntill by the tiranny of some ye Churches were oppressed. Nei­ther meane I here to recōpte vp euery thinge, for we had néede of a whole booke so to doo. What then shall we fo­low here? That (say they) which shal be foūde euery where to be receyued of al men, as the oyle & creame as they call it, the signe of the Crosse and such like. Thē let vs cōclude this one point, that the particular Traditions beyng shut out and secluded, onely the Catholike and Vniuersall maye be receaued: and of these we shall speake afterwarde.

Let vs come to the Traditions of Tvvo good kindes of Traditions. doctrine. They are such, that either to resist the Heretikes, doo make playne [Page] certayne thynges taught in the holy Scriptures, whiche the Heretikes doo vse to darkē as thei doo the most cleare matters: or els they doo set foorth suche thinges as may be gathered by the cō ­paringe of the places together, though they be no where writen in the selfe Euell Tra­ditions. same woordes. Either are they such, as doo either adde or diminishe or alter and change either openly or priuely a­ny thinge in the Propheticall and A­postolicall writinges. Both those first kinde of Traditions (suche as are the expositions or confessions of the faithe of the foure Councels) we are so farce from refusinge of them, that contrary wise with open armes (as they say) and most willinge mindes we doo embrace all suche.

But for the thirde kinde of Tradi­tions how can we iudge that to be ad­mitted? The Tra­ditiōs that adde to the vvorde. for if any thinge ought to be added to the woorde of God written, it foloweth that all thinges necessarie to our Saluation are not writen in the Lawe and the Gospell. But of the law this neither may nor ought to be spokē [Page] for then God might séeme vniuste for­biddyng by plaine woordes any thinge to be added thereunto. Neither doo I here care for ye Cabalistes, Talmudistes, and all that kinde of shamelesse men. For what can be spokē more plainely by the Lorde? And howe seuerely God hath aduenged this rashnes when any thing was added not onely in doctrine but also in rites, & ceremonies, so ma­ny proclamatiōs of the Prophetes the interpretours of the lawes, criyng out against them, and all the Historie of the Bible, finally Christe him selfe is a sufficiēt witnesse. And shall we thinke yt God hath cared lesse for his Church, or prouided worse for it, when he sent Christe and his Apostels sufficient teachers▪ his sonne downe into the Earth? or cā we suppose that the Apostles were lesse diligent in this pointe then the Prophetes? Paule dothe protest vnto the Ephesians, that he had holden no­thinge backe, but had declared all the counfasle of God vnto them, so farre foorth at the least as appertained vnto their eternall Saluation. Lette them shewe then what Paule hath taught [Page] that he hath not writen: or els let them confesse the full doctrine of the Gospell (which he calleth the power of God to saluation) to be comprehended in his writinges. But what néede so many woordes? when we come to the pointe what can they bringe foorth that is o­mitted in matters of faith by the Apo­stles and the Euangelistes? Peraduē ­ture that the blessed virgin Mary was Obiectiōs for Tradi­tions. not conceiued in Originall sinne: that she continued all hir life longe a vir­gine, that children muste be Baptised, that Baptisme is not to be reiterated, that men muste fast in Lente, the holy oyle and chreme, the Holy water, that Altars muste be hallowed, the Crosse must be woorshipped, and what ye wil. For they confesse that none of those thinges are founde in the holy Scrip­tures. As for Transubstantiation, au­ricular confession, praying vnto Sain­ctes & purgatorie fire, they haue nowe a good while sought thē in Scriptures but all in vaine. But concernynge the maner of conception of the virgine Marie, not onely the holy Scriptures [Page] doo not teache it, but neither any of the auncient writers doo make mention of it. And although I doo willingly and reuerently beleue her perpetuall Vir­ginitie vnto death, yet (as I once an­sweared Ansvveare. to an impudēt Munke in thy presence most noble Prince) this thing perteineth nothinge to the mysterie of our Saluation. For it is sufficient for vs to beleue that whiche is done in déede, & declared by the Euangelistes that Christe our Sauiour was concei­ued by the holy Ghost, and borne of the virgine Mary. And that the infantes ought to be Baptised, & that Baptisme may not be reiterate, we doo not gether of any bare Tradition without the woorde of God. As for those other thinges howe can the holy Scriptures expresse them? the which coulde not be established in the Church, but that the authoritie of the woorde of God muste firste be ouerthrowen, as maye be pro­ued with moste euident reasons. But this muche at this present, for we doo not vndertake nowe to declare euery particular matter. Wherefore I come [Page] to that kinde of Traditions, whereby Traditions that dimi­nishe. somethinge is taken from the doctrine of the woorde of God written, as when the one parte of the Supper of the Lorde is taken awaye from the Laye men: and when vnto the woordes of Paule that calleth the forbiddynge of mariage, and the lawe of forbiddinge of meates, the doctrine of Diuels: there is added the exception of an aduised vowe, and an other generall exceptiō, whiche many will haue to be auaile­able in all pointes, Except it please our Lorde the Pope othervvaies. But who Blasphemy. I praye you that tendereth the glory of God as he ought to doo, can suffer suche cursed sacriledge? for assuredly if it be lawfull to take away any thing from that doctrine written, then is it necessary that like as these men haue compted the doctrine taught by the ho­lie Ghost a littell before, to be haltyng and vnperfecte, and to wante some­what, so nowe in other thinges, they may say, that it is redoundant & super­fluous: neither of ye which two things any good mans eares can heare with­out [Page] great offence. But yet they saye, that no man can denie, but that the ce­remonies of the lawe are altogether already taken away. Howbeit we doo not treate nowe of the rites and cere­monies; but of the very substāce of the woorship of God, whereof though we doo iudge yt Ceremonies of old to haue bene a portiō, yet serueth this nothing to defende their bolde sacrilege. For what meruell is it, though the lawe whiche was made to shadowe those things whiche were hoped for to come at the time apointed, did vade and va­nish away at the light and sight of the same? but if these men bringe against vs that the loue feastes called Agape. & that Apostolicall decrée of things offe­red to idols & the strangeled, was takē away by commen consent, & the anoin­tinge Apostolical which we haue now abolished. I doo answere againe, yt these are externall thinges of which we shal dispute afterwarde. But this we con­clude for certaine, that the doctrine of Saluatiō conteyned in Gods woorde, must be mainteyned safe & sounde, not [Page] onely in the whole substance but in e­uery the least and smalest parte therof without addition or diminution.

Now why should we once name or VVicked Traditiōs. make mention of that thirde kinde of Traditions, which doo either shake the fundations of the Saluatiō by Christ, eyther ouerthrowe the thynges that are builte vpon that foundation. Such as are the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome, ye praying to sainctes, prayer for the dead, the makyng and the woor­shippyng of Idols, the Magistrall and Doctorall determinations (as thei call them) of frée wil, of merite, of pardons and of such other filthinesse, the which thinges séeinge they coulde neuer be established so longe as the authoritie of the Heauenly doctrine stoode vnsha­ken in his full force, so are they ouer impudent, whiche doo thinke that these thinges maye be established, eyther by the false forged title of the Church, or by the prescription & length of time.

Goe to then, lette vs conclude this All Catho­like Tradi­tions are not alvvaies to be al­lovved. place, that they are farre deceyued which thinke that the Catholike rites [Page] are of necessitie to be receyued, for there be also some Catholike errours, whiche haue crepte into the Churche, partely by the ignoraunce of many of the Bishops, partly by their negligēce, partly by their blinde zeale and apishe imitation of others, and also by theyr ambition & couetousnes, but chiefly by ye moste gréedy desire of honour which was in the Romish Bishoppes. Fur­thermore wheras in the appointing of Externall rites and ceremonies whiche are perticular may be al­vvaies chaū ­ged, and muste be a­bolished vvhen they become su­perstitious or Idola­trous. rites & orders, wise men alwaies haue had regard to the time, place, and per­sons: who dothe not sée, that they are moste foolishe, who in these kinde of thinges, when the circumstances are changed, will not onely haue nothyng chaunged, but also such thinges as are for iuste causes abolished, either by the continuāce of time or other waies, yet because they are aūcient, thei wil haue them to be againe reuoked? but what shall we saye of those thinges that are degenerate into ye most manifest mad­nesse of Idolatrie? the whiche in that most cursed time whē God was angry with our sinnes did preuaile, though a fewe in the beginninge (but in vaine) [Page] did resiste, the whiche thinges finally though they were not at this present vtterly polluted, yet are they such, as can scarsely (no not all) be kepte pure any longe space.

But here cometh to my minde the Politike Gentlemē. voice of these mē, that thinke thēselues most witty of all others, which thinke that the Churche ought to be reformed but not transformed. And they call the reformation, a restorynge agayne of those rites, whiche were in vse in the florishyng time of the Church, as they terme it (takinge awaye some thinges which by the wickednes of times haue bene abused) the whiche except we doo receyue, they crie that the Churche is transformed, and depriued vtterly of hir beautie and comelinesse. Surely their woordes haue a greate shewe and a beautifull, but it procedeth from the spirite of Satan, whiche then bewray­eth it selfe, when we come to the mat­ter: for thē there is nothyng so shame­full that they dare not couer vnder the colour of antiquitie and obtrude it vn­to vs for comely and beautifull. Those Rapsodies moste vayne and foolishe [Page] written of these matters by G. Cas­sander that bablynge Apostata (with whose name I woulde not defile these papers) doo declare these matters.

How be it I folowynge the example of Kinge Ezekiah (so greatly commended) had much rather to imitate such, which doo Iudge that the offence and daūger that lieth in the high way, ought to be abolished and taken away, though at sometimes there hath bene or maye be some vse therof: rather then to appoint monitores to stande by, which may ad­monish the passengers lest they at vn­wares doo fall into suche perilles. For what if they that are admonished doo not obey? or the Monitors doo not their office? Moreouer besides that in many of their suppositiōs I doo not onely dis­sent from them, but I doo vtterly ab­horre them, so in their proposition I cā not agrée vnto them. For if we séeke The chiefe patterne of the Church is in Christe and his A­postles. the most beautifull face of the Church & most perfect patterne, I suppose that is it, which was not onely begonne (as these men imagine) or shadowed out with the firste pouncinge or paintinge draughtes, by the Apostles thēselues [Page] (which were the chiefe workemaisters ye euer ye Church hath had or shall haue hereafter) but portered foorth moste beautifully & most diligētly, with most liuely colours: from the which the far­ther that thou strayest, so farre wide wanderest thou more & more from the rule of thy worke. And after what sort that forme was, & why I should thinke that we ought to séeke it no where els, saue onely in the writings of the Apo­stles & the Apostolical Historie writen by Luke (whome I doo graunt to haue The cōtra­rietie and lies of An­tichristes Churche. painted this foorth most excellētly) not onely the contrarietie emonges them­selues doth cōpel me vnto it, but also to speake plainly, the fonde vanitie of thē which haue either perticularly recited or wholly collected ye Apostolical Tra­ditions (as they terme them) suche as those foolishe & most false descriptiōs of them attributed vnto Clement, & those that thei call the Canons of ye Apostles whiche haue bene a greate while ago counted emonge the bookes ye are to be reiected. But if some will obiect that al thinges are not written by ye Apostles and by Luke: I praye you why doo they [Page] thinke so, because there be but fewe Christ con­tented him selfe vvith fevv ceremonies, and so did his A­postles. thinges conteined in their writinges? Nay would to God yt they which boste thēselues to be the successors of the A­postles could haue contented thēselues with this smal nūber. For God would neuer haue had the rites & ceremonies of Moises abolished to the intēt that o­thers shuld be put in their places: & if it were not lawful to imitate the Iewes, Ievves nor Idolaters may nei­ther be fo­lovved. much more vnlawful is it to folow the Gentiles, the which thing if the Anciēt Bishops had remēbred, Christian Re­ligiō had neither swarued so soone nor so shamefully, first into vaine ceremo­nies & triflinge Liturgies, after ye into manifest superstition, & last of all euen degenerate into an Atheisme. For Paule woorthely doth call thē Atheists & Godlesse, whiche doo not woorship the onely true God as he ought to be woor­shipped. But shal we say that the Apo­stles did not properly treate of this argument & matter? Nay certainely it were a certaine kinde of impietie, to thinke that the holy Ghost had not so great regard of the Church as was cō ­ueniēt: and this dare I affirme that he [Page] which readeth diligētly the History of Luke, and the Epistles of the Apostles, shall therby very wel learne, not only the chiefe pointes of the Ecclesiasticall Folowe the Scriptures and thou shalte not neede vn­vvrittē tra­ditions. order, but also almost euery part ther­of, so that no place néede to be lefte at all, to those vnwritten Traditions. Notwithstādyng how so euer this be, seinge we stāde néede of a most perfect distinction to discerne the diuersitie of those infinite Traditiōs, by what rule By vvhat rule shall vve trie the diuersitie of Traditions and Cere­monies. I praye you shall we trie them? for we haue declared that there cā be no suffi­cient argument concluded, neither by the Antiquitie nor Authoritie of the writers, neither by the multitude of thē by whome thei haue bene allowed: Therfore stāde we néede of the woorde of God onely, euen of that woorde of God (I say) whiche is published by the Prophetes and the Apostles, and as it were, sette foorth in publike Tables: wherby we may disseuer the holy from the vnholy, the profitable from the vn­profitable and hurtfull, the necessarie from the superfluous, and to establishe those Traditions by good reason that are thus disseuered. Now then if it [Page] be necessary ye the light of Gods woorde Gods vvoorde is the touche stone of doctrine. writen must be our guide, to iudge the rites & Ceremonies: howe muche more necessarie is it vnto the knowledge of the doctrine it selfe, that the same light muste be our guide, in the whiche do­ctrine men are much more blinded and doo erre with farre more daunger? For if nothing, as we haue declared hereto­fore may be folowed of vs in doctrine, but that either is expressed by playne woordes in the Scriptures of God, or els is gathered necessarily by the con­ferringe together of places, howe can I beware of the false Prophetes, onles I doo compare the doctrine pronounced by thē, with the woorde of God it selfe? But thou wilt saye, what if he brynge foorth the woorde of God also? for so did An Obie­ction. Arrius vrging this texte. My father is greater then I: and so was the dispu­tation with Macedonius of the persone of the holy Ghost, with Nestorius and Eutiches of the vnion of the two na­tures, and with Pelagius of Grace and Nature: So is the controuersie at this daye of the sacramentall Phrases and maners of speach, whiles that one sort [Page] of the same woordes, and those moste fewe in number (that is to say) this is my Bodie, this is my Bloud, doo finde out Transubstantiation, others Con­substantiation, others onely a Sacra­mentall Coniunction. Finally saye these mediatours, these halters in Re­ligion, that would séeme to appease the controuersies, when the controuersie falleth, not of the woorde, but of the sence, whether shall we runne rather then to the Churche, to the writinges of the Catholike fathers, that were of sounde iudgement, finally to the true and lawfull Councels? To the whiche I doo aunsweare as before, that I doo The An­svveare. not thinke that the testimonies of the Church, nor of the Fathers, nor of the Councels are to be reiected, but I sup­pose that in them men muste vse great warynesse.

First of all if any thinge be affirmed Bare names of mē vvith out Gods vvoorde cā not staye our faith. without the woorde of God, the bare names of the Churche, of the Fathers, of the Coūcels, are pretēded in vaine: seyng that in this pointe the very An­gels are not to be harde. For that say­inge of Paule stādeth still in force, that [Page] if any Angel frō heauen should preach an other Gospell let him be accursed. Neither is it the duetie of the Churche to speake in this, but to here her hus­bande what he speaketh.

And the Godly learned Fathers would haue their writings none other waies to be redde, neither with any o­ther condition, but that they should be examined by ye rule of the woorde wri­ten. Finally this is not the office of the Councels to make any newe do­ctrine, but to confirme by Gods woorde that which is already made and ordei­ned by him: those Synodes that haue done otherwaies, are the chaires of the wicked and the seates of the scorners, the whiche we are commaunded to flie that we may be blessed. Moreouer if Doctors and Councels, may be cal­led as vvit­nesses so that vve do iudge by the vvorde. there be any doubte of the interpreta­tion of the woorde writen, I doo not re­fuse thē to be witnesses as I haue said, but I suppose that first of all we muste diligently discerne the true Churche from the Synagoge of Satan: the Fa­thers that are not suspected in Faithe nor cōdemned, from such as either are mē manifestly without knowledge, or [Page] Heretikes, or otherwise suspected: and the lawfull and vndoubted faithfull Councels, from the Synodes and con­uenticles assembled against Christes truthe: finally the true bookes must be warely Iudged from the forged and counterfaite.

These thinges beinge determined, God is only iudge by his vvorde. then doo I saye, that all these are to be hearde, not as iudges (for God is only ye iudge by his written woorde) but as witnesses cited and sworne, and that certainely, after the same maner as witnesses are heard by skilfull Iudges in publike controuersies: euen so vere­ly that they shew the causes & reasons of their testimonies, causes I say not borowed any where els, but foorthe of the same woorde, of the interpretation wherof the questiō is moued. For Au­gustine renouncinge humaine reason saith very wel: by the holy Scriptures we walke much more safely, the which Augustine. beinge shadowed with borowed spea­ches, when we wil search them, either that cōmeth foorth whiche is without controuersie, or if it haue any doubte, it may be determined by ye same Scrip­ture, [Page] by the gatheringe and finding of testimonies & witnesses of euery side. Thus saith he, and that very wel. For if we must onely haue our wisdome by the onely writen woorde, then may not the interpretation of this woorde be fetched any other where: For as the same Augustine saith, so hath the holy spirite tempered & ordered the Scrip­tures, ye that thyng which is spoken in some place somethinge darkly, in some other place is declared more plainly.

Finally what other man shal we fo­low VVho ra­ther to be folovved then Christ and the A­postles. Heretikes ouercome by the Scriptures. then Christ him self and his Apo­stles? and Christe did confute Satan abusinge the Scriptures, by no other meanes but by the same Scriptures. The Apostles confirme their doctrine by the writings of the Prophets: And the Iewes of Beraea are praysed, that whē they had hearde ye doctrine taught by Paule, they cōpared it with the wri­tinges of the Prophetes, to trie whe­ther those thinges were so or no. Cer­tainely the Councels of Nice did with none other weapon cut the throte of Arrius, nor that of Cōstantinople, Ma­cedonius, nor the Ephesine Nestorius, [Page] nor the Chalcedonian Eutiches, nor Augustine, Pelagius, & Donatus: wher­fore they that counte the Scripture so doubtfull and darke, that it standeth néede to haue light brought thereunto some other wayes, are woorthie of all good men to be spitted vpō as blasphe­mers, and vtterly to be abhorred.

Yet doo I not disprayse the writings Doctors al­lovved of God. of the Doctors and their interpretati­ons, seinge that he that hath ordeined pastors and doctors to the edificatiō of the bodie, hath Authorised them bothe by woorde and by writinges to inter­pretate the same: but I declare howe farre we must sticke vnto them, euen so farre as they doo bringe nothinge of their owne, no not at yt time when as the controuersie is of the sence and in­terpretatiō of any place of Scripture, but that they by the Scriptures doo interpretate the Scriptures, accor­dinge to the proportion of Faithe: the whiche who so dothe, whether he be newe or olde, a Priuate person or Publike officer in the Churche, whe­ther he come alone or with many, whe­ther he be an olde man or a yong man, [Page] let hym bee heard. For though order Order is ne­cessary, but not so that we binde Gods grace to per­sone & place, but measure all by the rule of gods word must nedes be kepte in the Churche of God, yet are no men so farre deceiued, as thei that dooe binde the grace of the holie ghost, to certaine places and per­sones. For who murdered the Prophetes? Who crucified Christe? Thei vn­doubtedlie, that should haue been the chief pillers of true religion. Therfore doeth not the Prophete, sende the peo­ple of God, to those godlesse Priestes, but to the Lawe and the Prophettes. Neither assuredlie hath the condicion of the Churche, a long while béen any otherwaies, whiles the corner stone hath been reproued, by the verie chiefe builders, and Antichrist hath sitten in the temple and place of God hym self. What shall we now conclude? Vere­lie, that by the woorde of God, all con­trouersies muste bee ended: and that it is necessarie, that the false and forged The worde of God ende of all contro­uersies. woorde, bee iudged from the true, like as also the true churche, from the false and adulterous: and the Synodes and coūcelles, gouerned by the holie ghost, from those wherein Sathan was pre­sidente: [Page] Finallie, the truthe from lyes and errours, by Gods holie woorde. For we muste beleue, that in thynges concernyng our saluaciō, we haue no The want of the word the original of all errours. where els the truthe reueiled. The whiche thynges beyng true, if follo­weth that that thyng is moste certain, whiche I said in the beginning, moste noble Prince, to bee the originalle, whence all these euils did flowe, wher­with in our fathers daies, the churche was almoste oppressed, and therefore that this onelie is the waie and mean, to raise it vp again, if by the pure word of God, these controuersies maie bee decided.

For so will it come to passe, that of the moste parte of those thynges, there shal bee no question at all: aboute the whiche, yet at this daie verie many, partly by ignoraunce, partly through malice and frowardnesse, dooe moste stubbernely contende and striue. And those thynges, whiche shall seme to be staied, by the testimonies of scriptures, if thei be iudged not by custome (which when it departeth from the woorde, [Page] hath no aucthoritie at all in matters of religion) neither by the bare aucthori­tie of certaine menne, bee thei newe or olde, but by the comparison of the pla­ces together, all the interpretaciōs be­yng examined by the proporcion and rule of faithe: then finallie, no thyng shal bee founde so harde, that shall not easily be vnderstand, nothing so darke that shall not be made cleare, nothyng so doubtfull, that shall not bee made plaine and euidente. But who shall binde men to this order: who shall di­recte this action, and who finallie shall treate these thynges by common auc­thoritie? It is not our purpose, to pro­secute these matters at this presente, although whiles I often and many ti­mes dooe thinke of this matter, some thynges dooe come into my mynde, of the whiche it maie be, that I shal haue occasion to speake at some other time. Now lette vs treate, that wee haue in hande.

Seyng then all these controuersies, must be discussed by gods holy worde, I suppose that this thing, ought chief­ly [Page] to be prouided for, that seing all can not haue the knowledge, to vnder­stande the woorde of God, in those pe­culiar A good and true copy of the scriptures very necessa­ry. languages, the Hebrue and the Greke (whiche were to be wished) that there should be some true and apt trā ­slacion, of the olde and newe Testa­mente made: the whiche diuers haue alredie laboured to bryng to passe, but no manne hath yet sufficiētly enough performed it. For the olde translacion, The old texte (whose so euer it is) although it ought not to bee condemned, yet is it founde bothe obscure, and vnperfit and super­fluous, and also false in many places, to speake nothing of an infinite varie­tie, almoste of the copies. The whiche text therfore, for good cause many god­lie and learned menne, haue laboured to amende, but not with like successe. And yet how necessary a thing this is, The learned Grecian fa­thers did not attain to the Hebrue veri­tie. whosoeuer shall read those moste lear­ned writers of the Grecians, and shall compare their interpretacions (which are many tymes farre frō the purpose) with the Hebrue veritie, he shall con­fesse it with greate sorowe. And the▪ [Page] same euill was not onelie hurtefull, emonges the Latine writers, but also the ignoraunce of the Greke tongue, The Latin writers wer troubled for wāt of knowledge of He­brue & greke. where with many of them were trou­bled: whiles thei did depende of the common translacion, thei often times seke a knot in the Rushe (according to the prouerhe) and fall into moste foule errours.

This cause therfore hath moued me to compare moste diligētlie, the diuer­sitie of copies, and to weigh the senten­ses and iudgemētes, of the moste part of the learned men, especially of theim that this age hath brought forthe skil­full in the languages, who are moe in nomber doubtles, and better learned then the Churche hath had, since the time of the Apostles: and so to ease thē The nombre of the lerned. somewhat, that desire a more pure in­terpretaciō. And that it might be doen with the more profite, I haue also ad­ded annotacions, in the whiche I haue also conferred together, the diuersitie of interpretacions, and as muche as I could, I haue laboured to make plain and euidente, the sense and meauyng, [Page] of all the moste darke places.

But when as I did see, that thicke woorke (and very painfull, as I muste nedes by experience confesse it) growe so greate, when it came againe to the Printyng, that many could not haue the commoditie of it, I caused it to bee Printed alone, without those annota­cions: In the place whereof yet I sup­pose, that I haue sette suche thynges, the which (if I could haue doen them, as thei oughte to haue been dooen) I would not doubt to commende them, not onely as profitable, but also as ve­rie necessarie.

There bee twoo kindes of interpre­taciōs: The one is of that sorte, which Two kinds of interpre­ters. doe not consider properly the thyng it self, and what is spoken, but take in hande to declare, with what woordes any thyng is spoken, chaungyng one­ly the phrases, & the maner of speache. The whiche kinde of interpretacion, although it can scarsly, no not at all rightly be performed of hym, that vn­derstandeth not the thyng it self, yet standeth it in the woordes.

[Page] The other kinde is of them, whiche dooe declare the thyng and matter it Caluine. self with many woordes, and geue the reasons. In the whiche kinde of inter­pretacion (in my iudgement, and as I suppose in the iudgemente of all the learned, that haue read his bokes) that noble Ihon Caluine, that man of bles­sed memorie, and my father in. Christe shal be founde (so that no manne enuy my saiyng) farre to haue passed and excelled all the writers, bothe did and new. Therefore, though I some times in certaine places, not in any poinct of his doctrine (the whiche I haue alwa­yes marked, to be moste pure & sounds in his writynges, as in any other in­terpreter besides) but in the explicaci­on of certaine places, doe dissent from hym: yet dooe, I iudge of his commen­taries, that which Cicero did iudge of Iulius Caesars commentaries, in a kind of writing farre vnlike (that is to saie) that he made all menne of any witte, affraied to write after him. And would to God that wée, that are ministers in Christes churche, through the [...] [Page] of God (and I my self especially) might be occupied in learnyng and teaching rather then in writing. But what shal we doe? The importunitie of certaine of our aduersaries (against whose pra­ctises it is necessarie, that the louers of the truthe, by all meanes oppose them selues) doeth partly driue vs herevnto, least the simple bee trapped at vnwa­res: and partly Charitie, whiche doeth admonishe vs, to applie to the profite of our brethren, what soeuer we haue receiued. Now verie many haue see­med vnto me (either because it is so, or because I am deceiued) to faile muche in this, that in the particular rehersals of the Euangelicall, and Appostolical The cheife points of chri­stian Religiō and the order of the wri­ters are to be obserued. historie, in to that whiche is diuided; doubtles by moste diuine arte, thei do not marke nor cōsider to what poinct chiefly of christian religiō, euery thing ought to bee referred: muche lesse also in those moste graue disputacions, in the Epistles of thapostles, whiche are written (as is moste true) with an ex­cellente order, do thei cōsider, what is the state of theim, what is the order: or [Page] finally, what is the ende and pur­pose: herof commeth it that in some of their writinges, neither hed nor foote appereth many tymes. And thei lea­uyng the scope and purpose, wander to certaine notes and obseruacions, confusedly and without order heaped together: So that in many places of moste importaunce, no regarde is had to the sentence it self.

This is the cause that in Paule cheif­ly (who yet had as great a skill & iud­gement in writing as any writer that Paul of most diuine iudge­ment hath written most orderly. euer did write) vnlearned and vnskil­full men haue dreamed hertofore to be infinitie Hiperbatons and Anantapo dotons, sentences and wordes not an­swering out to an other, and haue in their commentaries vpon him, euery where to their owne shame still incul­cated the same: in so muche that cer­tainly this moste excellent, declarer of gods secrets, was no more knowen in the scholes, then if he had lefte no monumentes nor writinges, yea ma­ny did flye from him as from a rocke, for feare of shipwrake. Wherfore that [Page] I might fynde a remedy for this mis­chiefe, I haue endeuored my selfe as much as in me lyeth, to note the brefe Bezas anno­tations. summaries of doctrine in the historie matters: that who so euer shall saile as it were in that see, maye marke a hauen before their eies where vnto thei may directe their course. And in the Epistles I haue labored that the scope and order of arguments, and the methode and all other thinges beinge set in their places, the natiue exposi­tions maye be knowen. And if God His expositiō and the hard wordes & cō ­mune places. graunt me that I may hereafter adde hereunto twoo other thinges whiche I am about nowe, that is to say a breife exposition of the wordes that offer thē selues in the texte, & commune places beside euery one noted with a word, in their proper places, then truly shall I thinke that I haue done some thynge worthie trauell. But it may please god once to graūt these: In the meane seasō (most noble Lords) I thought it good to writte and dedicate vnto you, chiefly that haue embraced true Reli­gion in Fraunce, my natiue countrie, [Page] all that whiche God hath giuen met bothe that I might shewe forthe some token, of a thanckfull minde (for what dooe we not allowe vnto you, whiche with the bucklers of your own bodies haue defēded the poore miserable shepe againste the rage of the Wolues) and also that I maie cōfirme you more and more, to perseuer in this heroicall for­titude and stoutenes, whiche becometh your noble courage. Lo then most no­ble Prince, those holy teachers of that heauēlie doctrine, for the defēce wher­of, thou haste not doubted to offer thy life (I saie) to so many and so great pe­rilles and daungers. Lo, vnto you ho­nourable and noble Lordes, those ho­lie misteries of that eternal wisedome the whiche the more that you shall knowe, the more glad shall you bee, though you bee driuen to shedde your blood again, for him whiche hath rede­med you with his moste precious blood. These are the excellēt ensignes of the victorie, of your faithe and zele, euen before the verie Angelles of heauen: in the settyng vp whereof, yet would [Page] to God, O would to God, I saie, like as your desire was, you might onelie haue vsed Spirituall weapons. But now when peace is restored, you haue greate nede of a spirituall constancie, and an inuincible power and force of faithe, that this woorke that you haue begonne, maie bee finished with your euerlastyng laude and praise. And the Lorde will minister this vnto you, by the continuall and diligente hearyng of his woorde, and meditatyng of the same. For that, whiche meate is vnto The exercise in gods word necessary. our bodies, the same do these heauen­lie dainties, minister to our myndes: that is to say, not onely that we should liue by the liuelie iuice of theim, but also that we should grow and encreace to full age, whiles at the length, we be made perfite at that last daie. And here I dooe desire your honours, that you would vouchsafe with quiet myndes, to heare certain thinges of me, whiche belong to your charge. If so bee that Beleue faithfull teachers that bring no thinge but Gods worde. you be fullie perswaded, that we whō you haue heard, and of whom you are begotten in the Lorde, doe teache true [Page] and holie thynges, I beseche you suf­fer not your selues, to be drawen from Beware of crafty hypo­crites. thēce one iote. And I haue great cause thus to admonishe you. For though I doe knowe the fortitude of your myn­des: yet doe I also knowe, how greate the craft is of certain that lie in waite to berciue you of your saluacion, and what is their impudencie and malice. I doe not speake of those opē and kno­wen enemies of the truthe, but I doe meane those Sinons and craftie coū ­terfaictes, Sinon a Greciā vnder the pretence of religiō betraied Troye. who partely would haue a certaine meane and mingled religion (I knowe not how) and partely waite for the occasion, to sowe discorde emō ­ges you, by those infortunate discor­des and controuersies, about the Lor­des Supper. What saie thei, is it all one to transforme the Churche, and to reforme it? Wer our fathers al blind? Are these felowe (that come we knowe not whence) onely wise? Are not these the', that all the beste learned dooe call Sacramētaries? and vtterly abhorre? All true gos­pellers are ready to geue accomptes. Now what we haue to aunswer here­vnto, you are not ignoraunt, and wée [Page] will neuer refuse, to shewe the causes before the whole worlde, of this that thei cal a trasformacion. But it is wō ­der if al menne doe not see, what these menne goe about: seyng some of them dooe seruice to those, that are openly the moste deadly enemies of the Gos­pell Beware of crafty tourne cotes. of Christ, others are notorious, by plaiyng so oftē the Apostatates, others of them haue vttered al their life long vnto the whole worlde, their incon­stancie, and their babblyng, and that thei haue no iudgemente at all, seyng in thirtie yeres space, thei haue not yet learned, that menne maie not halt nor wauer in religion.

These are thei that I admonish you chiesly to take heede of: and you shal be safe from them, if you stedfastlie conti­newyng in that faithe, that you haue receiued of your faithefull Pastours, whiche is sealed with the bloode of so many martyres, whereof a plaine and euidente confession is published, will either presently chase awaie these poi­soned plagues, or if that you haue de­termined ones to heare theim, then [Page] that you dooe heare theim before suche Pastours, by whom their craftes may bee opened, and their lyes conuinced and confuted.

Neither is there any cause, why Ther muste nedes be controuersies & contrarieties alwayes. these cōtrouersies should trouble you. For the Lorde hym self our maister, hath diligentlie admonished vs, that this is the condicion of this Churche, and the continuall experience of al ty­mes doeth confirme the same. Thus in our tymes did the Anabaptistes arise, beyng deuided into many sectes.

Thus at this daie, dooeth the stub­bernnesse of certaine, in defendynge moste manifest errours, so boile forthe, that thei openlie dare dissolue the twoo natures of Christ with Nestorius, and confounde the properties with Euty­ches, whose pestilente bookes, I dooe forewarne you, are alreadie transla­ted into Frenche. In other places, as in Polonia, the cursed Tritheits, that imagine three Gods are risen vp, and haue almoste destroyed the countrie: and Sathan styll forgeth other se­crete misteries, againste the whiche [Page] it is necessarie, that you doe resiste and stande stedfaste, by the sinceritie and pure simplicitie of Christian doctrine.

But nowe because that neither the Ecclesiastical Discipline necessary. offences, wherewith the wrathe of GOD is many tymes prouoked, nor the heresies whereby the true doctrine is oppressed, can bee taken awaie in due tyme, excepte a true and lawfull order of Ecclesiasticall discipline bee appointed: therefore I dooe require this of you, by the name of the soonne of GOD: I craue this thing, I saie of you, that you dooe not reiecte this dis­cipline, as any inuencion of man, but that you would establishe it with al di­ligéce, and earnest affection, and kepe and retaine it, being ones established, The redres­singe of ma­ners is the one halfe of the scriptures as the ordinaunce of GOD: without the whiche, the whole buildyng muste come to ruine of necessitie. For what? Is not this the other halfe of the word of God? Surely he that denieth this, denieth the Sonne to shine at the middaie. And I praie you, what common wealthe, what citie, what house, or familie, shall not straight waies, bee [Page] dissolued, vnlesse it be knit together with The churche the scolehouse of honestie, maie not bee the denne of vnthriftes. the bondes of Lawes and Order. What? Shall wée suffer the Churche of Christe, that teacheth all holinesse and honestie, to bée transformed into a schoole of wicked­nesse, and licencious life? But if we take awaie this discipline, that wée speake of, if euery one bee permitted to preache publi­kely, if there be no examinacion of the do­ctrine and maners of the Pastours, if e­uery man bee receiued without difference vnto the Sacramentes, if it be not lawful to reproue those that synne with the of­fence of others, and seuerely to correcte those that resiste stubbernely, and also in the ende (if nede be) by the example of the Apostle, to thrust suche forthe of the flocke, leaste thei infecte others: and also vnlessé there be prouision for the poore, and almo­ses bée distributed by the order appoincted by the holy ghost: vnlesse finally all thyn­ges bee rightly and orderly dooen, in the house of God, what will the Churche bee streight waies for the moste parte, but an assemblie of men, geuen to libertie and all licētious life? But will some saie, these An obiection. The answer. are the duties of Magistrates. As though wée [Page] wee would haue temporall and yearthly thinges, suche as are onely for this world to come into question by any meanes, in the Ecclesiasticall Consistorie, or that we would exempt, either Pastours them sel­ues, or any others from the aucthoritie or commaundemente of the Ciuile Magi­strates, as those doe, whom men call Ca­tholikes.

Christ aunswered vnto them, that cal­led Christe hath established the discipline of the church. vpon hym, to deuide their heritage: who saieth he hath appoincted me youre Iudge? But he saieth also, he that heareth not the Churche, let hym bee as an Hea­then & a Publicane: wherfore those thyn­ges are to be disseuered, that GOD hath deuided, but thei maie not be takē awaie, that he hath established. Naie certainly, it is so farre from the truthe, that this Discipline, dooeth hinder or lessen the an­cthoritie of the Magistrates, if it bée law­fully (that is to saie) by the worde of God onely placed and ordered, that contrary­wise it dooeth as muche as maie bée esta­blishe it: séeyng that nothyng is able so muche to maintain publike tranquilitie, as this one thyng, that the conscienses of [Page] all maie bée retained in the feare of God. But it is to bée feared, least that olde Po­pishe An obiection. tyrannie bée brought again into the Churche. So it is, howbeit this is greate The answer. foolishenesse (saieth the Poet) so to auoide vices, that thou doe fall into the contrary extremities. Wherefore wee maie not a­uoide Christs yoke of Discipline moste sweete to the godlie. mannes tyrannie, shake of Chri­stes yoke, but we muste receiue it, for it is onely vnpleasaunte vnto the wicked and prophane persones, and is to the good and godlie moste swéete and comfortable. And wée are so farre from coumptyng the Ma­gistrates, The Magi­strates, the sheldes of the Churche. and you (whom God hath made the foster fathers of his Churche, by the Kinges Maiesties Decrees) Laie men (as certaine dooe) and so to separate you, as straūgers frō this discipline that I speake of, that contrary wise, wée doe iudge that this poinct chieflie belongeth vnto you, to punishe most seuerely, those troublesome contemners of the Churche, and by your aucthoritie, to procure that the worship of God, maie moste purely bee maintained. And seyng this regimente of the Elders, must bee appoincted, not onely of the Pa­stours, but of suche also, by whom the pa­stours [Page] theim selues (if néede bée) maye bée corrected, who is so madde, but that in the chusyng of the Elders, he muste thinke, that greate consideracion must bee had, of those, that besides the commendacions of their godlinesse, haue also aucthoritie and proeminence in the Churche? But parad­uenture I haue spoken to muche of these thynges, vnto you especially of whose good willes, I can nothyng doubt. Ther­fore I make an ende, besechyng the moste merciful and mightie God, that he would strengthen thee, moste noble Prince, with his mightie power, and you the rest of the renouned Lordes, endued with his holie and excellente spirite, and with the true knowledge of his soonne, and vouchsafe to adorne you cōtinually more and more, with all his moste excellente giftes: that he maie finishe that greate worke, that he hath begonne in you, to the full restoryng of his heauenly kyngdome, moste blessed­ly with your immortall praise and glorie.

At Geneua the .x. of the Calen­des of Marche. The yere from Christes incarnaciō for vs. 1565.

To al the faithfull Chri­stians, whiche are in Germany, and other foraigne Nations, the Ministers of the Churches, throughout Helue­tia, vvhose names are subscribed, wishe grace and peace from God the Father, by Iesus Christe our Lorde.

MAny and sundrie cō ­fessiōs and declarati­ons of our Faith haue béene here­tofore writ­tē, but chief­lye in this our age set foorthe in Printe by Kinge­domes, Nations and Cities, wherby in these our latter daies, in so vnhappie increase of pernicious Heresies, (which euery where sprynge vp) they shewe and testifie, that they thinke, beleue, [Page] and teache, purely, plainely, and accor­ding to the vnfallible truthe, all & eue­ry Article of the Christian faithe and Religiō: to be short, that thei are farre from Heresies, or erronious opinions. Albeit therefore we haue done the like alreadie in our writinges, whiche we haue published, yet bicause they are now, perhaps, out of minde, scattered in diuers places, & intreate of the mat­ter more at large, then that euery man can haue leasure to peruse and reade them through: we beinge incoraged by other faithfull mens good example, doo our indeuour in this briefe declaratiō, to comprehende and set foorth to al that beleue in Christe, the doctrine & gouern­ment of our Churches, whiche they frō the beginninge of their reformation these many yeares, wadinge through sundrie perils haue taught, euen to this daie, and now also doo retaine with one full cōsent. Hereby also we witnesse to all men our generall agrement (which the Lord hath wrought emong vs) that [Page 2] in our Churches, wherein God hath a­pointed vs Ministers, we al speake one thinge, not disagreynge amonge our selues, but are a perfecte bodie of one minde, & of one iudgement. Moreouer we declare by this our woorke, that we sowe not such séede of corrupte doctrine in our Churches, as many of our ad­uersaries falsely, and vndeseruedly goe about to laie to our charge, & to thrust violently vpō vs, specially in their hea­ringe, to whome our writinges come not, and before suche as know not our Doctrine. Indifferent Readers there­fore shall most manifestly perceiue by this our writinge, that we doo in no wise allow any Heresies, whiche here­sies (that it might the better appeare, how greatly we deteste) we haue made mention of them almost in euery Cha­piter, briefly recitinge, & reiecting them. Men shall easely gather this also, that we doo not by any wicked Schisme se­uer or cut of our selues from Christ his holie Churches of Germany, France, [Page] Englande, and other Christian Nati­ons, but that we well agrée with all and euery one of them in the truthe of Christe, whiche here we haue acknow­ledged. For albeit there is some va­rietie in diuers Churches, aboute the vtteringe and settinge foorthe of their doctrine, and aboute rites or Ceremo­nies, Varietie of Ceremo­nies, and dissent in trifels. whiche they receaue as a meane to edifie their Churches, yet that va­rietie neuer seemed to minister cause of dissention and Schisme in the Church: For in suche matters the Churches of Christe haue alwaies vsed their liber­tie, as we may Reade in the Ecclesi­asticall Historie. The Godly in time past thought it sufficient, if they agreed Agrement. in the chiefe pointes of their faith, in the true meaninge thereof, and in bro­therly loue: wherefore we truste, that Christes Churches (when they shall perceaue and finde that we consente in all Articles of our holy and eternall Gods doctrine, in the true vnderstan­dinge thereof, & in brotherly loue with [Page 3] theim, and chiefely with the auncient Apostolike Churche) will likewise wil­lingly agree with vs in those matters: for the chiefest cause, whiche moued vs to publish this Cōfession, was to séeke, obtaine, and once obtayned, to keepe peace, concorde, and mutuall loue with the Churche of Germany and other fo­raigne Countries: who be, as we throughly perswade our selues, so kind, so sincere and perfect, that if any of our doinges haue, perhaps, not bene well vnderstoode hetherto of diuers, they will herafter, (hearing this our plaine Cōfession) not count vs Heretikes, nor condemne our Churches (whiche are true Christian Churches) as impious. But in especiall we professe, that we are alwaies readie, (if any man require it) more at large to declare all and eche particular thinge, that here we haue proposed, yea and to yeelde, and giue them most hartie thankes, and to obey them in the Lorde, which can teach vs better doctrine, by the woorde of God, [Page] to whome be prayse and Glorie. The firste of Marche. 1566.

All the Ministers of all Christe his Churches in Heluetia, subscribed their names whiche be at Tygur. Bern. Sca­phonse. Sangall. the Court of Grisons, and they whiche be ioigned in leage with them, on this side and beyonde the Alpes, Milhous. and Bienne. To whome the Ministers of the Churche of Geneua haue associated them selues also.

A briefe, and plaine confession and declara­tion of true Christian Religion, &c.

Of the holy Scripture, and of the true woorde of God. Cap. 1.

WE beleue, and con­fesse, The Cano­nical Scrip­ture is the vvoorde of God. that the Ca­nonical Scriptures set foorth in the olde & new Testament, by holie Prophetes, and Apostles, is the verse true woorde of God: and that thei haue sufficient authoritie not of men, but of them selues. For God himselfe spake to our forefathers, the Prophets and Apostles, and speaketh yet to vs The Scrip­ture is suf­ficiēt to in­structe vs in al godlines. by his holy Scriptures, wherin the ca­tholike Churche of Christe hath at full set foorth, what so euer may truely in­structe vs, bothe how we should beleue to be saued, and what life we shoulde leade to please God, for the which cause [Page] he hath expresly commaunded, that no­thinge be added to his woorde, or dimi­nished from the same. We thinke ther­fore that in these Scriptures we ought to séeke true wisedome and godlines, reformatiō, and gouernment of Chur­ches, instruction to gouerne our selues in all godlines, to be shorte, the proufe of doctrine, & reproufe, or confutation of al errours, with good admonitions: accordinge to that sayinge of the Apo­stle: The holy Scripture is geuen by the inspiration of God, and is profita­ble to teach, to improue &c. 2. Timoth. 3. And againe, these thinges I wryte to thée (sayeth he 1. Timoth. 3.) that thou mayst know, how thou oughtest to be­haue thy selfe in the house of God: and 1. Thes. 2 when you receaued of vs the woorde of the preachinge of God, ye re­ceaued it not, as the woorde of mē, but, as it is in déede, ye woorde of God. The Lord himselfe saide in the Gospell: you are not they which speake, but the spi­rite Mat. 10. Luc. 10. Ioan. 13. of my father speaketh in you ther­fore he that heareth you; heareth me, but he that dispiseth you, dispiseth me.

[Page 5] Wherfore when this woorde of God The preach ynge of Goddes voorde, is the vvorde of God. is preached in the Church by preachers lawfully therto called, we beleue, that the very true woorde of God is taught and receaued of the faithfull, and that we ought not to imagine or to looke for frō heauē for any other woorde of God, nor consider the preacher so muche, as the woorde it selfe, whiche is preached: For albeit the preacher be euell & sin­full, The preachers sinne maketh not Gods vvorde the vvorse. The in­vvard vvor­kinge of the holye ghost disa­nulleth not the out­vvarde preachyng. Ier. 31. 1. Cor. 3. Ioan. 6. yet the woorde of God remayneth still true and good. Neither doo we thinke, that the outwarde preachinge is therefore to be compted vnprofita­ble, because the true Religion depen­deth of the inwarde lightninge of the holy Ghost, or bicause, it is written, no man shall teache his neighbour. for all men shall knowe me: he is nothinge, whiche watereth or planteth, but God which geueth the sucrease. For albeit no man come to Christe, excepte he be drawen of his heauenly father, and il­luminated with the holy Ghoste, yet we know that God wil haue his woord preached by some outwarde meanes also. For he could haue faught Corne­lius [Page] by his holy spirite or by an Angel, without Peters ministerie, yet not withstanding he sent him to Peter, of whome the Angell speakinge, sayeth: He shall tell thée what thou muste doo. For he whiche inwardly illuminateth by geuinge his holy spirite to men, cō ­maundeth also his Disciples: sayinge, Goe ye into all the world and preache the Gospel to euery creature, as Paule preached the outward woorde to Lydia a sellar of purple at Philipie, but in­wardly the Lorde opened the womans harte. And the saide Paule speakinge elegantly by degreese, as it were, Rom. 10. at the length inferreth: Then faith is by hearinge, & hearinge by the woorde of God. Howbeit we acknow­ledge that God can illuminate, whom, & when he will, euen without the out­warde ministerie, (suche is his omni­potent power) but we speake of the ordinary waye showed to vs by Gods commaundement, and declared by ex­amples. We detest therefore the He­resies of Artemon, of the Maniches, of Heresies. the Valentinians, of Cerdo, and the [Page 6] Marcyonites, who eyther denied the Scriptures to be of the holy Ghoste, or els disalowed some part therof, or mā ­gled and corrupted them. Not with­standing we plainely affirme, that cer­taine bookes of the old Testament are called of some anncient writers, Apo­crypha, Apocrypha. of other Ecclesiasticall, bicause they woulde haue them Read in the Churche: but yet not to be alleaged as sufficient authoritie to confirme our faith: as Augustine in his booke Deci­uitate Dei. 18. ca. 38. declareth, that in the bookes of Kinges mention is made of names and bookes of certaine Pro­phetes: but he addeth, that thei are not recited in the Canon, and that those bookes, which we haue, are sufficient to instruct vs in all poinctes of godlines.

Of expoundinge the holy Scriptures, of the Doctors, Councels, and Tra­ditions. Cap. 2

THe Apostle Peter saide, that the 2. Pet. 1. The true interpreta­tion of the Scripture. holy Scriptures are not of any priuate interpretation. Where­fore [Page] we doo not allow al kinde of inter­pretations, neither doo we acknow­ledge that sence of yt Romaine Church, as thei cal it, which simply, God wote, the defendors of the Churche of Rome would compell euery man to receaue: but we accept that interpretation one­ly, as true, whiche is gathered out of the Scriptures themselues, that is, of the proprietie of that tounge in the whiche they were writen, and exami­ned according to the circumstance, and so expounded, as they may agrée with many other like and vnlike places, not swaruinge from the rule of Faith and charitie; but may moste auaunce Gods glorie and mans saluacion. Therfore we dispise not the holy Fathers expo­sitiōs Greke or Latine, neither doo we The holy fathers ex­positions. reiect their disputations or treatises of holy thinges, as longe as they agree with the Scriptures. Howbeit we dis­alow (after a modest sorte) their iudge­mentes, when they are espied to write thinges not agreyng or cōtrary to the Scriptures. Neither thinke we that we doo them any iniurie in so doynge, [Page 7] seinge they all with one consent are of this minde, that they woulde not haue their writinges to be of equall autho­ritie with the Canonicall Scriptures, but wille vs so farfoorth to allowe thē, as they consente with the Scriptures, biddinge vs to receaue those thinges which agrée with Gods woorde, & leaue that whiche swarueth from the same. In like maner ought we to esteme the decrées or Canōs of Councels. Wher­fore Councels. we iudge it of small force in con­trouersies of Religion or matters of faithe, to be vrged with the bare sen­tēces of the Fathers, or with Decrées of Councels, much lesse with receaued customes, or with cōtinuance of time. For we admitte none other iudge in VVho is our Iudge in matters of Faith. matters of faithe, then God himselfe: pronouncinge in his holy Scripture, what is true, what false, what to be fo­lowed, what to be auoided. So that we are satisfied with the iudgements one­ly of spirituall men, whiche iudgemēts are taken out of the woorde of God. Ieremie and other Prophetes did vt­terly condemne the Councels of the [Page] Priestes holden againste the lawe of God, earnestly admonishing vs not to heare those Fathers, who, walking in their owne inuentions, haue gone a­stray from the path of Gods lawe.

We refuse also Mennes Traditiōs, Mennes Traditiōs. which, notwithstandinge their glori­ous titles, as though thei came of God, & his Apostels, deliuered to the Church by expresse woorde of mouth, and as it were by the handes of Apostolike men geuen to Bishoppes their successours, yet being conferred with ye Scripture, doth dissent from them, which argueth that they were neuer made by the A­postles scolers. For as the Apostles taught not cōtrarie doctrine one to the other, so their scolers published not re­pugnant doctrine to the Apostles: nay it were rather impious to affirme, that ye Apostles in their life time by woorde of mouthe did appoint thinges contra­ry to their owne writinges. Paule plainely affirmeth, that he taught one kinde of doctrine in all Churches. And 1. Cor. 4. againe he saieth: We write none other thinges vnto you, then that you reade 2. Cor. 1. [Page 8] or know. In an other place he witnes­seth, that he and his Disciples, that is 2. Cor. 12. to witte, they that folowe his Aposto­like steps, doo walke all in one waye, and doo all thinges together with one spirite. The Iewes had in time paste traditiōs of the Elders, but they were confuted by Christe, sayinge: that the Mat. 15. Marc. 7. kepinge of them was an hinderance to Gods lawe, and that God was woor­shipped in vaine by them.

Of God, of his Vnitie, and of the Trinitie. Cap. 3.

WE beleue and teach that there There is but one God. is one God in essence or na­ture, subsistinge by himselfe, sufficient in all pointes of himselfe, in­uisible without a body, infinite, eter­nall, maker of all thinges both visible & vnuisible, the soueraigne good, euer liuinge, geuinge life, and preseruinge all thinges, omnipotente, of perfecte wisedome, gentle, mercifull, iuste, and true, but we detest their Heresies, that would haue more Gods, then one. For [Page] it is plainely written, the Lorde thy God is one, I am the Lorde thy God, thou shalte haue none other Gods be­fore Deut. 6. Exod. 20. me. I am the Lorde, and there is none other, ther is no God besides me. Am not I the Lord? and there is none Esay. 45. other but I alone: a iuste and sauinge God, there is none, but I: I am Ieho­uath, Iehouah a merciful, and gracious Exod. 34. God, of longe sufferinge, aboundinge in goodnes and truthe.

We beleue notwithstandinge and teache, that the same God of infinite The Tri­nitie. power beynge one God indiuisible, is distinguished inseparably, and vncon­fusely into the Father, the sonne, and the holy Ghost, so that the father be­gat the sonne from the beginnyng: the sonne was begotten by vnspeakeable generation: the holy Ghost procedeth from them both, and that from the be­ginning and is to be adored with them bothe: so that they be not thrée Gods, but thrée persons consubstantiall, co-eternall, and coequall, distincte tou­ching their Substance, the one goinge before the other in order but yet with­out [Page 9] any maner of inequalitie, for by nature or essence thei be so vnited, that they be one God, and haue one diuine essence common to the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost. For the Scriptures hath taught vs a manifest distinction of persons, by the woordes, whiche emonge all other thinges, the Angel spake to the blessed Virgin: The holy Ghost shal come vppon thée, & the Luc. 1. power of the most high shall ouer sha­dow thée: & yt holy thinge whiche shal be borne of thée, shal be called the Sonne of God. In the baptisme also of Christ, a voice was heard frō heauē, speakinge of him: This is my beloued Sonne. Mat. [...]. The holy Ghoste appéered in the like­nesse Ioh. 1. of a Dooue: & when the Lord him­self bidde his Disciples Baptise, he cō ­maunded them to Baptise in the name of the Father, the Sonne and the holy Mat. 28. Ghost. Also in another place of the Go­spell, he saide: My father shal sende you Ioh. 14. the holy Ghost in my name: Againe he affirmeth the same, sayinge: When the comforter shall come, whome I will Ioh. 15. sende vnto you from the Father, euen [Page] the spirite of truthe, whiche procéedeth of the Father, he shall testifie of me: to be shorte we receaue and allow the A­postels Créede, whiche teacheth vs the true faith. We condemne therfore the Iewes, with al blasphemers of the ho­ly Trinitie, whiche we ought to ho­nour. We condempne also all Here­sies, and Heretikes, teachyng that the Heresies. Sonne and the holy Ghoste is God by name onely. Also that there is in the Trinitie a thinge created, and seruing or subiecte to the other, to be short that there is in it any inequalitie of more or lesse, or that the Trinitie hath one bodie, or is facioned like a bodie, diffe­ringe in maners or will, or confuse or solitarie, as though the Sonne and the holy Ghoste were nothinge else, but the affections, and proprieties of one God the Father, as Monarchici, the Nouatians, Praxeas, Patripassians, Sa­bellius, Samosatenus, Aetius, Macedo­nius, Anthropomorphitae, Arius, and such like did thinke.

Of Idolles or Images of God, of Christe and of Sainctes. Cap. 4.

BEcause God is an inuisible spirit, Images of God the Father. of an infinite essence, truely he cā not be expressed or represented by any Image, or any māner of Science. In consideration wherof, we feare not to call ye images of God, (as the Scrip­ture doth) mere lies. We reiecte there­fore the Idols, not of the Gentils one­ly, but the Images of Christians also. For, albeit Christe did take vpon him our humaine nature, yet he toke it not Images of Christe. for that intent, to geue a paterne to caruers and painters. He denied, that Math. 5. he came to breake the lawe & the Pro­phetes: but by the lawe and Prophets Deut. 4. images be forbidden. He deuied, that his corporal presence should profite his Esay. 40. Church, he promised, that he would be alwaies with vs, by his spirite, who then would thinke that the shadow or Ioh. 16. image of his bodie shoulde profite the Godly any maner of waies? And seing that he abideth in vs by his spirite, we 2. Cor. 3. are doubtles the temples of God. But [Page] what agréemēt hath the temple of God with Idolles? And seing that the bles­sed 2. Cor. 6. Images of Sainctes. Act. 3. 14. Apo. 14. 22. spirites & heauēly Sainctes would in no wise be woorshipped, and were a­gainst Images, while they liued here vpon earth: is it like that they beynge nowe Sainctes in Heauen, and Aun­gelles, are pleased with their Images, to the which men boowe their knée, put of their cappe, and otherwise honour?

To the ende that men might be in­structed in Religion and put in minde of diuine matters, and their saluaciō, Christ hath commaunded that his Go­spell should be preached, he hath not li­censed Marc. 16. Images are not Lay mens bookes. vs to painte Images, & to teach Lay mē with pictures: he ordained his Sacramentes also, but hath no where appointed Images to be erected. More­ouer whether so euer we turne our face, the liuely & true creatures of God are before our eies, whiche beyng well marked (as it is meete they shoulde) doo much more moue the beholder, then all the Images, or vaine, immoueable, rotten, and dead pictures of al the men in the worlde. Of these the Prophete [Page 11] spake full truely: They haue eies and sée not, &c. Therefore we allowe the Psalm. 115. Lactantius. iudgement of Lactantius that auncient Doctor: saying, There is no doubt, but that there is no Religiō, where so euer an Image is. We affirme also that E­piphanius that blessed Bishop did wel, Epiphani', & Ierome. whiche findinge in a Churche porche a vealle, wheron was painted the image as it were of Christ, or of some Sainct, cut it in péeces, & carried it away with him, because contrary to the auctoritie of the Scripture, as he saide, he sawe the Image of Christes humaine na­ture hange on the Crosse, wherfore he cōmaunded that no more such vealles should euer after be hāged in Christes Churche, as be against our Religion, (quoth he) but rather that that scrupu­lositie should be taken away, whiche is vnwoorthie of the Church of Christe, & not méete for faithful people. Further­more we approue this sentēce pronoū ­sed of S. Augustine of true Religion: Augustine. cap. 55. Let vs not compte it Religiō, to woor­shippe the woorkes of mens handes, for the craftes men that forge such things [Page] are muche more excellent then their handie woorkes, whome not withstan­dinge we ought not to adore, or woor­shippe.

Of Adoration, seruinge and callinge vppon God by our onely mediator Ie­sus Christe. Cap. 5.

WE teache menne to honour, and woorshippe the true God God onely is to be ad­ored and vvoorship­ped. Mat. 4. onely. We geue this ho­nour to none other, accordinge to the commaundement of the Lorde: Thou shalt honour the Lorde thy God, and him alone shalte thou serue. Verely all the Prophetes haue vehemently in­uaide agaynst the people of Israell, bi­cause they woorshipped strange Gods, and not the onely true God. But we teache, that God is to be woorshipped, as he himselfe hath taught vs to serue him: that is, in Spirite, and trueth: and not with any superstition, but with sinceritie of hearte, accordynge Esay. 66. to his woorde, least he saye to vs at Ierem. 7. [Page 12] any time: Who required this at your handes? Paule auoucheth, that God is Act. 17. not woorshipped with mens handes, as though he néeded any thinge: We call vppon him onely in all daungers and affayres of our life, and that by God onely is to be cal­led vppon for Christes sake alone. Psalm. 50. the intercession of our onely mediator Iesus Christe, for we are thus expres­ly commaunded. Call vppon me in the daye of trouble, and I will deliuer thée, and thou shalte glorifie me: More­ouer the Lorde hath moste bountifully promised vs, sayinge: Whatsoeuer ye Ioh. 16. shall aske of my Father he will geue it you: Againe, come vnto me all ye that Math. 11. labour, and are heauie laden, and I will refreshe you. And againe: How Rom. 10. shall they call vppon him in whome they haue not beleued? we then that beleue in God onely, call vppon him onely, and that for Christes sake one­ly. For there is one God saieth the A­postle, and one mediator betwixt God, 1. Tim. 3. and man Christe Iesus: And againe, If any man sinne, we haue an Adua­cate 1. Io. 2. with the father Iesus Christe the righteous: wherfore we neither Adore [Page] the Sainctes in Heauen, neither woor­shippe, Sainctes should not be Adored, or called vppon. neither call vppon them, ne yet acknowledge them to be in Heauen, as our intercessors or mediators to God. For God suffiseth vs, & our onely Me­diatour Iesus Christe, wherefore we geue not to any other the honor due to God, and his Sonne, because he hath plainely saide: I will not geue my glo­rie Esay. 43. Act. 4. vnto an other. And Peter teacheth: Amonge men there is geuē none other name vnder Heauen, wherby we must be saued, but the name of Christe, in whome truely whosoeuer deliteth and taketh pleasure, they séeke nothinge without his helpe.

How be it, we contemne not the Sainctes, nor thinke of them as we doo VVhat ho­nour is to be giuen to Sainctes. of the common people, for we acknow­ledge them to be the liuely Images of Christe, the louers of God, who haue ouercome the fleshe & the worlde with glory, we loue them therefore as our bretherne, and honour them also, but not with godly honour, but haue them in honorable estimatiō, and geue them their due and iust prayse, we imitate [Page 13] also their good steppes, for we moste earnestly desire and wishe, that we, beinge folowers of their faith and ver­tues, may be made with thē partakers of eternall life, and maye dwell toge­ther with God for euer. In this behalfe we like the sentence of S. Augustine of true Religion, sayinge: Let vs not thinke it any Religion to woorshippe dead men. Yf they haue liued godly, they are not thought to be suche, as re­quire of vs that honour, but rather suche, as would haue vs to woorshippe God, and reioyce when the eies of our harte be opened throughe his mercie (wherby we are made felowseruantes of their rewarde). They are therefore to be honored for imitation, not to be adored for Religion. Much lesse doo we beleue, yt the Reliques of Sainctes are Reliques of Sainctes. to be woorshipped. The holy Sainctes in olde time thought that they had suf­ficiently honored the dead, if they had Honoringe the dead. honestly, and comely committed their Reliques to the earth, whē their soules were ascended into Heauen. And they estéemed the vertues, learninge, and [Page] faithe of their forefathers to be moste precious reliques of all other: whiche giftes of God, as they extolled when they praysed the dead, so they indeuo­red to expresse in their owne déedes, while they liued here on the earth.

The selfe same olde auncient holy men To svveare by the name of God onely. Deut. 10. Exod. 23. swoore not but by the name of the one­ly God Iehouah, according to his law, by the whiche lawe as it is forbidde to sweare by the name of straūge Gods, so we take no solemne Othes required in the Sainctes name, we reiecte ther­fore in all these poinctes the doctrine, that attributeth to to muche honour to the Sainctes whiche be in Heauen.

Of Gods Prouidence. Cap 6.

WE beleue that all thinges in All thinges are gouer­ned by God his Proui­dence. Heauen, in Earth, and all his creatures are preserued, and gouerned by the Prouidence of this wise, eternall, and omnipotent God. For Dauid testifieth, saying: The Lord is high aboue all nations, and his glo­rie aboue the Heauēs, who is like vnto [Page 14] the Lorde our God that hath his dwel­linge Psalm. 113. on high, who abaseth himselfe to beholde thinges in Heauen, & in earth? Againe he saieth: Thou hast foreséene all my waies, for there is not a woorde in my tounge, but lo, thou knowest it Psalm. 139. wholly, O Lorde. Paule also witnes­seth, in him we liue, moue, and haue Act. 17. our beinge. Rom. II. Of him, and tho­rowe him, and for him are all thinges: Most truely therfore, and according to the Scriptures, hath Augustine in his booke De agone Christi. Cap. 8. pronoū ­ced: The Lorde sayde, are not two spa­rowes solde for a farthinge? and one of them shall not lighte on the grounde without your father: By which woords Rom. 10. he woulde declare vnto vs, that euen that, whiche men thinke moste vile, is gouerned by the omnipotent powre of the Lorde. For so speaketh the trueth himselfe, the fowles of the ayre are fedde by him, and the Lilies of the Mat. 6. fielde were clothed of him, and the heares of oure head are numbred. Wée condemne therefore Epicures, Heresies. Epicures. whiche denie the Prouidence of God, [Page] and al those, which blasphemously say, that God is occupied about the whéeles of Heauen, and neither seeth, nor yet careth for vs and our matters. Dauid also the kingly Prophete accuseth thē, sayinge: Lorde howe longe shall the Psalm. 94. wicked triumphe? They say, the Lorde shall not sée, neither will the God of Iacob regarde it. Vnderstande ye vn­wise amonge the people, and ye fooles when will ye be wise? he that planted the eare shall he not heare? or he that formed the eye shall he not sée? How be it we dispise not the meanes, as vnpro­fitable, whereby the diuine prouidence VVe ought not to dis­pise lavvfull meanes to bringe thinges to passe. woorketh, but we teach that we should so farrefoorth vse them, as they are cō ­mended vnto vs in Gods woorde.

Wherefore we disalowe theyr rashe woordes, whiche saye: If all thinges be gouerned by the woorde of God, doubt­les, our indeuours and studies be in Obiection. vaine, it shall suffise if we committe al thinges to the gouernaunce of Gods prouidence, neither is there cause why we shoulde be more carefull for any matter, or doo any thinge els. For al­though Solution. [Page 15] Paule did acknowledge, that he sayled by ye prouidence of God, who saide to him: Thou muste beare wit­nesse of me at Rome also: who more Act. 23. ouer promised, sayinge: No man shall be loste, neither shal there an heare fal Act. 27. from the head of any of you, yet not­withstandinge, the selfe same Paule auouched to the Centurion and Soul­diers, except these abide in the shippe, ye can not be saued. For God whiche hath appoincted an ende for euery Note. thing, euen he hath ordeined also both the beginninge and meanes, by the whiche he may come to the ende. The Ethnickes ascribe the gouernment of To fortune vve ought not to at­tribute thinges. Iam. 4. thinges to blinde Fortune, and vncer­taine chaunce, but S. Iames will not haue vs say, to daye or to morowe we will goo into suche a Citie, & continue there a yere, and bie and sell and gette gaine, but addeth, for that we ought to saye, if the Lorde will, & if we liue, we wil doo this or that: And Augustine showeth in. 148. Psal. all thinges in the worlde, which vaine men thinke to be done by chaunce, are not done but by [Page] Goddes woorde, because they are not brought to passe without his cōmaun­dement: So it semed that it was done by chaunce or fortune, that Saull sée­king his fathers Asses, should light vpō the Prophets Samuell. But God said 1. Sam. 9. before the Prophet. To morowe I will sende to thée a man of the tribe of Ben­iamin, &c.

Of the Creation of all thinges, of Angels, of the Deuell, and of Man. Cap. 7.

THis good & omnipotent God hath God made all thinges. created by his eternall woorde al thinges both visible & vnuisible, and preserueth thē by his euerlastinge spirite: as Dauid witnesseth, sayinge: By the woorde of God the heauēs were made, and all the hoste of them by the Psal. 33. breath of his mouth: all thinges that God made were very good, created for the profite and vse of Man: We affirme that al those things did procéede of one beginnyng onely. We condemne ther­fore the Manicheis & Marcionites, who impiously forged twoo substances or Manicheis, & Marcio­nites. [Page 16] natures, the one good, the other euill, also two beginninges, and two Gods contrary to them selues, a good, and a badde. Angels and men, doo excell al o­ther Creatures: The holy Scripture pronounceth of Angels, that God ma­keth Psalm. 104. Angels. the spirites his messengers, and a flaming fire his Ministers, also Heb. 1. Are they not all ministringe spirites sent foorth to minister for their sakes, whiche shal be heires of saluation? Our Lorde Iesus Christe himselfe testifieth of the Diuell. Ioh. 8. He hath bene a The Diuell. murtherer from the beginninge, and abode not in the truth, because there is no trueth in him, when he speaketh a lie, then speaketh he of his owne: For he is a lier, and the father thereof. We teache therefore, that some Angels did continewe in their obedience, & are ap­pointed to the faithful seruice of God, and Man, and that other some fell, of their owne accorde, and beinge caste downe headlong into eternall destruc­tion are become the enemies of al good­nesse, and of the faithfull. Now con­cerninge Man, the Scripture sayeth: Of man. [Page] That at the first, he was created good, Gen. 2. according to the Image and likenes of God, that God placed him in Paradise, makinge all thinges subiecte to him, whiche thinge Dauid dothe gloriously set foorth. 8. Psalm. He gaue him also a wife, & blessed them both, we saye that man cōsisteth of two diuerse Substan­ces, comprehended in one person, of the soule (whiche is immortall, for beynge seperated frō the bodie, it neither slée­peth, nor dieth) and of the bodie, which is mortall, but shal, notwithstandinge his mortalitie, in the latter daye of Iudgement, be raised from the dead, to the ende yt euer after, the whole man, both bodie and soule, maye remaine al­waies either in life or death. We con­demne Heresies. al them which iest at, or by sub­till disputacions call in doubte the im­mortalitie of the soule, or that affirme the soule to sléepe, or to be a parte of God. To be shorte, we cōdemne all the opinions of al those, whosoeuer thinke of Creation, of Angels, of Deuels, and of man, contrary to the doctrine, which is taught vs by the holy Scriptures, [Page 17] in the Apostolike Churche of Christe.

Of the fall of Man, of Sinne, and of the cause of Sinne. Cap. 8.

MAn was at the beginninge crea­ted The fall of Man. of God, after his Image, in righteousnes, and true holines, good, and vertuous: but by the intise­ment of the Serpent, and thorowe his owne defaulte, he fell from goodnesse & righteousnes, and was made a bonde-slaue to sinne, death, & sundry calami­ties. Such as he became after his fall, such are all thei which be his ofspring, subiect I meane, to sinne, to death, and diuerse miseries. We vnderstande by sinne, that naturall corruptiō of man­deriued VVhat sinne is. or spronge from those our first parentes to vs all, wherwith we being drowned in wicked concupiscence, ge­uen to no good, but prone to all mis­chiefe, ful of naughtinesse, distrust, cō ­tempte, and hatred of God, are able of our selues to doo, no not so muche as to thinke any good: Moreouer increa­singe in yeeres, offendinge by wicked [Page] thoughtes, woordes and déedes against Mat. 17. the lawe of God, we bringe foorth cor­rupt fruite méete for so corrupte a trée, by reasō wherof thorow our owne de­faute, being subiect to Gods wrath, we stande in daunger of iust punishment, and should in déede vtterly haue bene reiected of God, had not Christ our de­liuerer brought, & reconciled vs to him againe. By death therfore we vnder­stande, not onely bodely death (wherof VVhat death is. we must also ones fast, for our sinnes) but also continuall punishment due for our sinne, and corruption: For the A­postle sayeth, We were dead in sinne, Ephe. 2. & were by nature the childrē of wrath, euen as other were, but God, who is riche in mercy, when we were dead through sinne, reuiued vs with Christ. Likewise, Rom. 5. By one man sinne Rom. 5. entred into the worlde, and death by sinne, and so death went ouer all men, for as much as all men haue sinned.

We acknowledge therefore, that Originall sinne. there is in al men Original sinne. We confesse that all other sinnes, whiche come of it, be both in name and in very [Page 18] déede sinnes, by what name so euer they be called, either mortall sinne, or Actuall sinne. Mar. 3. veniall, or that sinne whiche is named the sinne against ye holy Ghost, whiche shal neuer be forgeuen: We cōfesse al­so that al sinnes be not equal, but some 1. Io. 5. more heynous, then other some, (al­though they spring out of one foūtaine of corruptiō and incredulitie,) that ac­cordyng to ye Lord his saying, it should Mat. 10. 11. be easier for them of the lāde of Zodom in the day of iudgement, then for that citie which despiseth the glad tidinges of the Gospell. We condemne therfore also those, which haue taught contrary doctrine to this: Especially Pelagius & all Pelagians, with the Iouianistes, who as the Stoyckes doo, make all sinnes a­like. We thinke in all poinctes touch­inge this matter as S. Augustine doth, who gathered out of the Scripture, and defended by them, this doctrine. Furthermore we condemne Florinus, and Blastus, againste whome Ireneus wrote: also we condemne those, that make God the author of sinne, for it is God is not the author of Sinne. plainely writen, thou art not the God, [Page] whiche wouldest iniquitie, thou hatest Psalm. 5. all them that woorke mischiefe, & wilt destroy all those, that speake lies. A­gaine, Ioh. 8. When the Diuell spea­keth a lie, thē speaketh he of his owne, for he is a lier and the Father of lies, but in our selues also there is vice i­nough, so that there is no néede yt God should powre into vs a newe kinde of wickednesse, or more iniquitie. Wher­fore, when God is sayde in the Scrip­ture, Obiection. to harden, to make blinde, to geue ouer in a reprobrate sence, it is to be vnderstode, that God so doth by right­uous iudgement, as a iudge, and iuste Solut. reuenger. To conclude, as oft as God in the Scripture is saide to doo, or se­meth to doo any euell, it is not meant, that man doth no euell of himselfe, but it is signified, that God suffereth euill to be done, and letteth or hindereth it not, by his iuste iudgement, although he might haue stayed it, if he would, or else we may aunswere, that God tur­neth the sinne of man, to a good vse, as he did the sinnes of Iosephes brethern: or els we may say that God ruleth and [Page 19] bridleth sinne, least it burst foorth and raunge further, then it is méete. S. Augustine in his Enchiridion writeth after a wonderfull and vnspeakeable sorte, that is not done without Gods will, whiche is done, notwithstāding, contrary to his will, for it shoulde not be done, if he woulde not suffer it to be done, neyther doubtles doth he permit it vnwillingly or by force, but wil­lingly: Neither woulde he, beynge so good a God, suffer any thinge to be e­uell done, except, beinge omnipotent also, he coulde turne the euell to good. thus much Augustine. Other questiōs, Curious questions. whether God woulde that Adā should fall, or whether he cōpelled him to fall, or why he staied him not from falling, and such like, we compte to curious to be discussed, excepte perhaps the wic­kednesse of Heretikes or some impor­tunate men, enforce vs to declare these things out of the woorde of God, as oft times godly doctours of the Churche haue done. For we know that the lord Reg. 2. did forbidde man to take of the forbid­den fruite, and that he punished the [Page] breach of his commaundement. Nei­ther are we ignorant that those things whiche are done, are not euell, in re­specte of Gods Prouidence, will, and power, but in respect of Sathan, & our will, whiche rebelleth againste Gods will.

Of free will, and of the strength or force of Man. Cap. 9.

WE teach in this controuersie, (whiche hath alwaies bredds much cōtention in ye Church) [...]. that the condition or state of man is thrée waies to be cōsidered. First, what The state of man be­fore his fal. mā was before his fall, that is to wit, that he was righteous, and had freewil to continue in goodnes, or decline to il, howbeit, he choose to doo wickedly, whereby he intangled himselfe and all mankinde in the snares of sinne and death, as it is before declared: Secon­darily we muste consider in what case VVhat mā vvas, after his fall. man was after his fall, he was not be­rest of his vnderstādyng, his will was not taken frō him, & he cleane chaūged [Page 20] into a stone or a blocke, yet those giftes were so altered & diminished in him, that they were not so excellent, or able to doo so much, as they were before his fall. For his knowledge was darkned, his will was made bonde, whereas be­fore it was frée: for nowe it serueth sinne not vnwillingly, but willingly, for it is called Will, & not Will, ther­fore as touching wickednesse or sinne, Man dothe euill not by cōpul­sion but of his ovvne accorde. Man hath freevvill to euill. man not cōpelled either of God, or the Diuell, but of his owne motion, doth euell, and in this behalfe hath fréewill, to doo mischiefe. Whereas we sée it full oft come to passe, that God hindereth the wicked enterprises and councels of man, that he hath not his purpose, we must not therby gether, that he taketh from man the libertie he hath to doo e­uell, but that he preuenteth him, by his might and power, of that intēt, whiche God disa­pointeth mans de­uises. otherwise man had fréely determined to doo, as Iosephs brothern did by their owne fréewill apointe to dispatche Io­seph out of his life, howbeit they could not doo it, because God had otherwise by his councell determined.

[Page] As touchinge goodnes and vertue, mans knowledge doth not as of it self Man cānot doo good of himself. iudge well of diuine matters. For the Scriptures writen by the Euangelist and Apostles, require of euery one of vs, whiche would be saued, to be borne anewe. So that the former birth by A­dam, dothe nothinge profite vs to ob­taine saluation. Paule saieth: The na­turall 1. Cor. 2. man perceaueth not the thinges of the spirit of God. And in the. 2. Cor. 3. He denieth that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thinge, as of our selues, but our sufficiēcie is of God. It is manifest that the minde and vn­derstanding guideth the will but if the guide be blinde, it is euidēt how farre will wandereth: Wherefore man (not yet being regenerated) hath no fréewil to doo good, no strength to bringe any good thinge to passe. The Lorde in the Gospel affirmeth: Verily, verily, I say Ioh. [...]. vnto you, that euery one that commit­teth sinne, is the seruaunte of sinne. And Paule the Apostle writeth: The Rom. 8. wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God, for it is not subiect to the lawe of [Page 21] God, neither indéede cā it be. Further­more man, after his fall, had muche knowledge of earthly thinges. For God of his mercy, lefte him witte, but much differing from that which he had before his fall. God biddeth man shar­pen his wittes, and God himselfe in­creaseth his giftes in man. It is mani­fest Knovvledge in all scien­ces is Gods gifte. how litell or nothing we profite in any arte, without the blessing of God. Truely the Scripture witnesseth, that all sciences come of him, yea euen the Ethnickes ascribed the first beginninge of artes to yt Gods, as inuētors therof.

Last of all we must cōsider, whether they, which are regenerated, haue frée­will, The strēgth of men re­generate, and after vvhat sorte they haue freevvill, and after what sorte they haue it. In regeneration the minde is inspired with the holy spirite, to vnderstād and know the secretes & will of God. And the will is not onely chaūged by Gods Spirite, but is made of habilitie also of her owne accorde to be willing, and a­ble to doo good. Except we graunt this, Rom. 8. we shall denie Christian libertie, and shal bring in, the bondage of the lawe. The Prophet Ieremie speaketh thus: [Page] in the person of God, I will putte my Ierem. 31. lawe in their mindes and write it in there hartes. The Lorde also sayeth Ezech. 36. Ioh. 8. in the Gospell: If the Sonne of God shall make you frée, ye shal be frée in déede: And Paule to the Philippians. 1. Vnto you it is giuen for Christe, that not onely ye shoulde beleue in him, but also suffer for his sake: And a­gaine, I am perswaded that he whiche hath begonne this good woorke in you, will performe it vntill the daye of Ie­sus Christe. Also Philip. 2. It is God whiche woorketh in you bothe the will and the déede. Here notwithstanding twoo thinges are to be obserued: First that those whiche be regenerated in e­lectiō, Tvvoo thinges to be noted. and doo good, both not onely pas­siuely, but also actiuely, for they be dri­uen of God to doo that whiche they doo. Wherfore Augustine doth wel alledge ye God is called our helper, nowe none can be helped, except he take in hande somthinge. The Manicheis spoyled mā The Mani­cheis mad­nes. of all action, & made him as a stone or blocke: Secondarily we must note that an infirmitie and seblenes remayneth [Page 22] in them which be regenerated. In se­inge Freevvill in them that be regene­rate, is fe­ble and ve­ry vveake. that sinne dwelleth in them, and the flesh (although thei be borne a new) striueth against the spirite, as longe as they liue, thei doo not altogether with­out comberaunce bringe that to passe, which they determined, these thinges are confirmed by the Apostle Rom. 7. Gal. 5. Therefore weake is our frée will by reason of the dregges of old Adam, and the naturall corruption of maner, stickinge faste in vs to our liues ende. Howbeit, seinge that the strēgth of the fleshe & reliques of the olde man be not so stronge, & of such puisance as vtterly to suppresse & conquere the woorking of the spirit, therfore the faithful are said Note. to be frée, yet so that they acknowledge their infirmitie & weakenesse, without boostinge & bragginge of their frée will. For [...] faithfull ought alwaies to kéepe in minde that saying, which so oftē S. Augustine repeteth out of the Apostle: what haste thou, that thou diddest not receaue? & if thou hast receaued it why hastest thou, as though thou receauedst it not? Moreouer yt thing commeth not [Page] straight waye to passe, whiche he ap­pointed. The suc­cesse of thinges is in Gods hande. Rom. 1. In outvvard thinges all men haue freevvill. For yt successe of thinges is in Gods hands. Whereupon Paule desi­reth the Lorde to prosper his iourney, euen for this cause, then our frewill is but a weake frewill: Howbeit no man denieth, but that men regenerate and not regenerate, haue fréewill in out­warde things: for man hath his consti­tution as other liuing creatures haue, that he will doo one thing, and will not doo an other thinge, so he may speake, or holde his peace, goe out of the house, or tarie within doores. Yet here the power of God is alway to be marked, whiche brought to passe, that Balaam Num. [...]4. coulde not goe thether, whether he woulde, neither Zacharie returninge Luc. 1. out of the Temple, could speake, as he had a good will to doo. We condemne Heresies. in this behalfe the Manicheis, who de­nied that frewill was to a good mā the beginninge of euill. We condēne also the Pelagians, who affirme that an e­uill man hath frewill inough to kéepe a good commaundement: both of them are reproued by the holy Scripture, [Page 23] whiche saieth againste the Manicheis: God made man righteous and good: against the Pelagians. If the Sonne of God shal make you frée, you shal be frée in déede.

Of Gods predestination, and election of his Sainctes. Cap. 10.

GOd hath frō the beginninge pre­destinated God cho­seth freely of his grace or chosen fréely, and of his mere grace, for no respecte that is in men, the Sainctes, whom he will haue saued, for Christes sake, ac­cordinge to the Apostles sayinge: God Ephes. 1. hath chosen vs in him, before the foun­dation of the worlde: And againe, who 2. Tim. 1. hath saued vs & called vs with an holy callyng, not according to our woorkes, but according to his owne determinate councell, and grace whiche was geuen to vs, thorow Christ Iesus, before the worlde was created, but is now made manifest, by the appearinge of our sa­uiour Iesu Christe. Wherefore not without a meanes, although not for VVe are chosen or predestina­ted for Christe his sake. our merites, but in Christe & for Christ [Page] God hath choosen vs, so that they, whiche are nowe ingraffed in Christe by faithe, be also elected, and they be reprobrate or caste awaies whiche are without Christe. Agreable to the say­inge of the Apostle: Proue your selues, whether ye are in the faithe, knowe 2. Cor. 13. you not your ownselues? how that Ie­sus Christe is in you, excepte ye be re­probates? To conclude, the Sainctes are choosen in Christe by God to a cer­taine To vvhat ende vve are chosen. Ephes. 1. ende, whiche the Apostle decla­reth, sayinge: He hath choosen vs in him, that we should be holy, and with­out blame before him in loue, who hath predestinated vs to be adopted thorow Iesus Christe vnto himselfe, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace. And al­beit God knoweth who be his, and in a certaine place mencion be made of the VVe should hope the best of eue­ry man. small number of the elect, yet we must hope well of all, not rashely iudgynge any mā to be a reprobrate. Paule saith. I thanke my God for you all (he spea­keth Philip. 1. of the whole Churche of the Phi­lippians) because of the felowshippe, [Page 24] whiche ye haue in the Gospell, beinge perswaded, that he, whiche hath begon this good woorke in you wil perfourme it vntill the day of Iesus Christe, as it becommeth me so to Iudge of you all. And when the Lord was demaunded, whether there were fewe in number VVhether fevve be chosen. that shoulde be saued, he aunswered not, that a fewe, or many shoulde be saued, or damned, but rather exhor­ted euery manne to labour, that he mighte enter in throughe the strayte Luc. 13. gate: as though he had saide, it is not your parte so curiously to enquire of these thinges, but rather to endeuer that by the right way ye may enter in­to Heauen.

Wherefore we allow not their wic­ked Obiectiō. talke, which prattle, that a few are chosen, and séeinge I am not certaine, whether I be any of that smal nūber or not, I will take my pleasure. Neither those, that saye: If I be predestinate or electe of God, nothyng: shall hinder me from the Saluatiō, alreadie certainely appointed for me, whatsoeuer I doo, for if I be one of ye reprobrate, no faith, no [Page] repentaunce shall helpe me, seyng that Gods determinate sentence can not be chaunged, and therfore all teachinges Solution. and admonitiōs are vnprofitable: that sayinge of the Apostle maketh against 2. Tim. 2. Admoniti­ons are not in vaine. them. The seruaunt of the Lorde must be apt to teache, instructing them with méekenes that are contrary minded, prouinge if God at any time will geue them repentaūce, that they may know the trueth, and that they may come to amēdment out of the snare of the De­uill, which are taken of him, at his wil. But Augustine in his booke intituled De bono perseuerantiae. Cap. 14. and ye residue folowyng doth shew, that both must be preached, not onely the grace of frée election, and predestination, but also holsome admonitiōs. We disalow therfore those, which demaunde with­out Christe, whether they be elected from the beginninge, and what God determined of them before the worlde was made, for thou muste heare the preaching of the Gospell and beleue it, VVhether vve be e­lect. and muste vndoubtedly thinke, if thou beleue and be in Christ, that thou arte [Page 25] one of the electe. For the father hath o­pened to vs by Christ, (as euen now I declared) out of the Apostle. ij. Tim. j. the eternall sentence of his predestina­cion. Wee ought therefore to teache, and to consider aboue all other thyn­ges, how muche loue our heauenly fa­ther, hath reueled to vs thorow Christ: We must heare what the lord hymself daiely saieth to vs in his Gospell, and marcke howe he calleth vs, saiyng: Come vnto me all ye that labour, and Math. xj. are heauie laden, and I will refreshe you. So God loued the worlde, that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for the worlde, to the ende, that all, whiche be­leue Ihon. iij. in hym should not perishe, but haue life euerlasting. Also Math. xviij. It is not my fathers will, that any of these little ones should perishe. Lette Christ therefore be our glasse, wherein wee maie beholde our predestinacion, wée shall haue a testimonie plaine and sure inough, that wée are writtē in the booke of life, if wee take parte with Christe, and if he be ours, and we his, knit together with the bondes of true [Page] faith, when we be tempted about pre­destinacion Temptatiōs about Pre­destination. (then the whiche tempta­cion; there is scase any more daunge­rous) let it be our comforte, that Gods promises are generall to the faithfull, saiyng: Aske and ye shal receiue, euery man that asketh, receiueth. And to cō ­clude; Luke. xi. lette vs reioyce, that with the whole churche of God, wee praie; Our father whiche art in heauen. &c. That we are also by Baptisme, ingraffed in Christes bodie, and fedde in the church oftimes with his flesh and blood, to the obtainyng of life euerlastyng. With these comfortes we being strēgthened; are willed by Paule, to worke our sal­uacion, with feare and tremblyng.

Of Iesus Christ true God, and perfecte man, the onely sauiour of the worlde. Chap. 11.

WE beleue and teache, that the sonne of God our lorde Iesus Christ is true God. Christe from the beginnyng, was predestinate of his father, to bee the sauiour of the worlde, and that he [Page 26] was begotte not onely, when he tooke fleshe of the virgine Marie, and before the foundaciō of the worlde was laied, but euen before all eternitie, and that of his Father, after an vnspeakeable sort. For Esay saith. xxxv. What man shall declare his generaciō. And Mich. v. His goyng forthe hath been frō the beginnyng, and frō euerlastyng. And Ihon in the Gospell. Cha. j. In the be­ginnyng was the worde, & the worde was with God, and that woorde was GOD. &c. Therefore the Sonne, tou­chyng his diuinitie, is coequall, and of one substaunce with the Father, true God, not by name or adoption, or any dignitie onely, but in substaunce, and nature, as Ihon the Apostle saieth. 1. Ioh. 5. This is the true God, and life euerla­sting, and Paule Heb. j. He hath made his sonne heire of all thynges, by whō he made the worlde, beyng the bright­nesse of the glorie, and the ingraued forme of his persone, and bearyng vp all thynges by his mightie worde: for in the Gospell the Lorde hymself hath said: Glorifie thou me, O father, with [Page] [...] [Page 26] [...] [Page] thine owne self, with the glorie which Ihon. xvii. I had with thee before the world was. It is written. Ihō. v. That the Iewes sought to kill Christ, bicause he called God his father, making himself equal with God: we deteste therefore the im­pious doctrine of Arrius, and al the A­rians Heresies. againste the soonne of God, but chieflie the blasphemies of Michaell Seruetus a Spaniarde, and all that take his parte, whiche blasphemies a­gainst the sonne of God, Satan by thē hath, as it were, brought from helle, and moste impudentlie and impiously doeth sowe abrode in the worlde. Wee beleue also & teache, that the self same Christ being true man had fleshe also. eternall soonne of the eternall God, was made the soonne of manne also, of the sede of Abraham and Dauid, not by carnall copulation (as Hebion said) but conceiued moste purely of the holy ghoste, and borne of Marie, who not­withstandyng continued a virgine, as The virgin Marie. Math. i. Ihon. i. Hebre, ii. the storie of the Gospell, diligently setteth out vnto vs: and Paule saieth, he chose not Angels, but the seede of A­braham. Ihon the Apostle, likewise [Page 27] saith: He that beleueth not, that Iesus Christ came in the flesh, is not of God. The fleshe therfore of Christ was nei­ther fantasticall, nor broughte downe from heauen, as Valentine and Mar­tion dreamed. Furthermore, our lorde Iesus Christe, had a soule, not voide of sēce & reasō, as Appollinaris thought, Iesus Christ had a soule indued with reason. neither had he fleshe without a soule, as Eunomius taughte, but a soule in­deed with reason, and fleshe with all her senses: by the whiche senses he felt and suffered true & vnfained tormen­tes & griefes, at the time of his passion Mat. xxvi. as he hymself saied: My soule is verie heauie euen to the death: and in Ihon the .xij. Now my soule is troubled. &c.

Wee acknowledge therefore twoo Twoo natu­res in Christ. natures, a diuine, and humane in our one Lorde Iesus Christe, and further saie, that thei bee ioyned or knitte to­gether, not confounded or mixte, but rather that the propertie of their natu­res remain safe in one persone, vnited or ioyned together, for that wee wor­shippe one Christe our Lorde, and not twoo: I saie one, true GOD, and true [Page] man, as touchyng his diuine nature, of like substaunce with his father: as Heb. 4. touchyng his humanitie, of like sub­staunce with vs menne, and like in all poinctes, exceptyng synne. For as wée doe abhorre from the Nestorians opi­nion, Heresies. makyng twoo of one Christ, and breakyng the vnitie of his persone, so we willynglie deteste the madnesse of Eutiches, and Molothelites, or Mono­phistices, who deny the propertie of his humain nature. Neither doe we teach, that Christe his diuine nature did suf­fer, Christ his diuine nature suffred not, neither is his humaine na­ture euery where. or that he as touchyng his humain nature, remaineth to this daie on the yearth, or that his humanitie is euery where: neither do we thinke or teach, that Christe had no true bodie, after it was glorified, or that then it was dei­fied, and so deified, that it kept not the properties of a bodie and soule, or that it was chaunged all together into a di­uine nature, and begā to be onely one substaunce. Wherefore we allowe not the fonde foolishe quirkes of Schuenk­feldius, Heresies. and suche like subtile dispu­ters, nor their intricate, obscure reaso­nyng [Page 28] of this matter, wherein thei a­gree not emong them selues. Further more, we beleue, that our Lorde Iesus Christe suffered and died in deede, for vs in the fleshe, as Peter saieth. Wee 1. Pet. 4. Christe tou­ching his hu­manitie suf­fred in deede. deteste therefore the Iacobits, and the Turkes moste impious madnes, who abhorre the passion of Christe. In the meane while wee denye not, but that the Lorde of glorie, according to Pau­les woordes, was crucified for vs. For 1. Cor. 2. deuoutlie and reuerentlie wee reade, and vse the cōmon propertie of speach drawen out of the scriptures, and vsed of all the olde writers, in expoundyng and recōcilyng the places of the scrip­tures, whiche seme to disagree. Wee beleue and teache, that the same our Lorde Iesus Christe, did rise from the dedde in the self same true fleshe, in the whiche he was crucified and died, and Christe his resurrection. that he raised not vp an other bodie, in steede of that whiche was buried, nor that he became a spirite, whereas be­fore he was fleshe, but that he kept stil his true bodie. Therfore, when his di­sciples thought that thei sawe the spi­rite [Page] of the Lorde, he shewed theim his Luke. xxiiii. handes and feete, pearsed with nailes, and rased with woūdes, addyng these woordes: beholde my handes and my feete, that it is I my self, handle me, and see, for a spirite hath no fleshe and bones, as ye see me haue.

In the self same his flesh we beleue, Christe his true ascenciō into heauen. that our Lorde Iesus Christe, did as­cende aboue all heauens that maie be séen, into the very highest heauen, that is to witte, the seate of God, and place of the blessed, where he sitteth on the right hande of God the father: whiche The righte hande of god. right hande, although it signifie equall glorie and Maiestie with God the fa­ther, yet it is taken for a certaine place also, whereof the Lorde speaketh, sai­yng, that he would go awaie, and pre­pare Ihon. xiiii. a place for his Disciples. The A­postle Peter also witnesseth, that the Actes. iii. heauens must containe Christe, vntill the tyme, that all thynges be restored. And he hymself shall come againe frō heauen to the Iudgemét, at suche time The cōming of Christ. as there shal be in the world most wic­kednesse: and Antichriste (true religi­on [Page 29] being corrupted) shall ouerwhelme all with supersticion and impietie, cru­elly persecutyng the churche, embru­yng himself with the blood of God his sainctes, and consumyng their bodies with fire: then, then I saie, Christ will Actes. xvii. i. Thes. iiii. Math. xiii. The Resur­rection of the dead. come to iudge the quicke & the dedde, to receiue his electe to his mercie, and to destroye Antichriste. For the dedde shall rise, and thei whiche are founde liuyng in that daie, shal be chaūged in the twinckelyng of an yie, and all the faithfull shal be caried vp into the ayre to meete Christe, and so from thence thei shall with him enter into a blessed place, where thei shall liue with hym worlde without ende: but infidels and impious persones, shall descende with the Deuils into helle fire, there to bee i. Cor. xv. Math. xxv. burned for euer, and neuer to bee deli­uered or released of their tormentes.

We condemne therefore all, which Heresies. deny the true resurrection of the body, and those, who with Ihō of Ierusalem (against whom Ierome wrote) thinke not a right of glorified bodies: Wee condemne those, who thought that the [Page] deuilles and all wicked men, should at the length be saued, and haue an ende of their punishementes. For without exception the Lorde hath saied: Their fire is neuer quenched, & their worme dooeth neuer dye. Moreouer wee con­demne Iewishe dreames, dreamyng that before the daie of Iudgements, there shal bee in the yearth a golden worlde, wherein the godlie (their wic­ked enemies beeyng oppressed) shall possesse the kyngdomes of the yearth. For we are farre otherwise taught in the Gospell. Math. xxiiij. Luk. xxv. and xvij. Also in the doctrine of the Apo­stles. ij. Thess. ij. and. ij. Timo. iij. iiij. chapiters. Furthermore our Lorde by The frute of Christe his death and re­surrection. his death and passion, and by all thin­ges, whiche sithens his incarnacion, he did and suffered for our sakes, hath reconciled our heauenlie father to all Rom. 4. beleuers, hath purged by his sacrifice our synne, hath vnarmed death, bro­ken the strength of condemnacion and Cor. 7. hell, hath by his resurreccion from the dedde, restored vs to immortall life: for Io. 6. 11. he is our rightuousnesse, life, and re­surrection: [Page 30] to be short, he is the fulnes, the perfection, and the discharge, the healthe, and moste aboundant suffici­encie Collos. 1. 2. of all the faithfull. For the Apo­stle saieth, so it pleased the father, that all fulnes should dwell in hym, and in hym ye are made perfecte.

For we teache and beleue, that this That Christ is thouly sa­uiour of the worlde. Iesus Christe, our onely and eternall Lorde, is the sauiour of all mankinde, and of all the worlde: in whō by faithe so many are saued, as were saued be­fore the lawe, vnder the lawe, and du­ryng the tyme of the Gospell, and all Ioh. 10. that shal bee saued before thende of the worlde. For the Lorde hymself saieth in the Gospell, he that entereth not in by the dore into the shepefolde, but cli­meth Ioh. 8. vp an other waie, he is a theife & a robber: I am the doore of the shepe, Act. 4. 10. 15. Abraham saw my daie, and was glad: In like maner Peter the Apostle saith: There is saluaciō in none other, but in Iesus Christe, neither is there emong mē, giuen any other name vnder hea­uen, whereby wee must be saued. We beleue therefore, that wee shal bee sa­ued [Page] by the grace of God, euen as our fathers were, accordyng to Paule his saiyng, All our fathers did eate of the same spirituall meate, & did al drinke the same spirituall drinke. For thei all 1. Cor. 10. dranke of the spirituall rocke, that fo­lowed thē, and the rocke was Christe. Therefore we read, that Ihon also wri­teth, Apoc. 15. that Christe was that Lambe, whiche was killed frō the beginnyng of the worlde: And that Ihō the Bap­tiste witnessed, that Christe is the lābe Ioh. 1. of God, whiche taketh awaie the syn­nes of the worlde: Wherefore we opē ­ly professe and Preache, that Iesus Christe is the onely redemer and saui­our of the worlde, a Kyng and chiefe Prieste, the true Messias, and he that was looked for, I meane, that holie blessed one, whom al the figures of the lawe, and Prophesies of the Prophe­tes, prefigured and promised. GOD hath fulfilled his promes, and hath sēt hym to vs, so that wee oughte not to looke hereafter for any other, neither resteth there any more now, but that wee giue all glorie to Christe, and be­leue [Page 31] in him, contēting our selues with hym onely, despising and reiectyng all other helpes to obtain life euerlasting. For they are fallen from grace and make Christ to die in vaine for them, Gal. v. whiche seeke saluation in any other thing, then in Christe alone.

Nowe in fewe woordes to speake muche concerning this matter, what­soeuer is decreed by the scriptures of the misterie of our Lorde Iesus Christ his incarnacion, and comprehended in the holy sacramētes, and concluded in the first. iiij. moste godly Synodes, hol­den The appro­ued Credes of counsels. at Nice, Constantinople, Ephesus and Calcedon, whatsoeuer is contei­ned in the Crede of that blessed manne Athanasius, or in the like, we beleue it with a sincere hart, we frelie & plainly confesse with vnfained lippes, cōdem­nyng all other opinions contrary to theim. Thus wee defende in all poin­ctes, the true and catholike Christian faith, knowyng that in the fore named Credes, nothyng is contained, that is not agreable to the woorde of God, or plainlie and truely setteth not forthe [Page] the Christian faithe.

Of God his lawe. Chap. 12.

WE teache that in the lawe of The lawe of God decla­reth his will. God, is declared to vs his will, what he would, and what he would not haue vs to doe, what is good and iuste, what is euill and vniuste. Therefore wée con­fesse, that it is a good and a holie lawe, Rom. 2. The lawe of nature. and that this lawe was bothe written with the finger of God, in the hartes of men, and is called the lawe of nature: and also that it was grauen with the finger of God, in the twoo Tables of The twoo Tables of Moyses. Three kinde of lawes. Moises, and at large expounded in his bookes: we deuide it (for plaines sake) into three partes: Whereof the first is the Morall lawe, whiche is conteined in the tenne commaundementes: The seconde is, the Ceremoniall Lawe, which intreateth of Ceremonies, and Exod. 20. Deute. v. worshippyng of God: The third is, the Iudiciall Lawe, whiche consisteth in Ciuill matters.

Wee beleue, that in this Lawe of God, the will of God and all necessary God his law is perfect. preceptes for our whole life, is fullie [Page 31] taught: for otherwise God would not forbid to adde any thing to his lawe, or to take ought therfro. Neither would Deut. 4. 12. he haue had commaūded, to walke vp­rightly in this law, declinyng neither to the right, nor left hande. We teache also, that this Lawe is not geuen to man, to the ende he should be iustified, why the lawe was gyuen. by the keepyng and obseruyng it, but rather, that by the knowledge of the lawe, he might acknowledge his infir­mitie; sinne and condēnacion, and dis­paire of any helpe by his owne strēgth might be conuerted to Christ, through faithe: For the Apostle saieth plainlie: The lawe causeth wrath: And Gal. iij. Ro. iii. iiii. By the law cometh knowledge of our synnes: For if there had been a lawe giuen, whiche could haue giuen life, surely rightuousnes should a been by the lawe: but the scripture concludeth all vnder synne, that the promes tho­rowe faithe in Iesus Christe, should be giuen to theim that beleue: wherefore the lawe was a schole master, to bring vs to Christe, that wée made bee made rightuous by faith. Neither could, nor [Page] yet any flesh is able, to satisfie the law Fleshe can­not fulfill the lawe. of God, and to fulfill it, for the weake­nes that is in our fleshe, and still re­maineth in vs, euen to our laste gaspe. Againe the Apostle saieth, that whiche Roma. v. the law could not (bicause it was wea­kened by the fleshe) that God perfor­med, by sendyng his owne soonne, in the forme of fleshe, subiecte to synne. Therefore Christe is the perfection of Roma. x. the Lawe, and hath fulfilled it for vs: who, as he did beare the cursse of the lawe, while he was made accursed for our sakes, so he maketh vs by faithe, Gala. v. partakers of his fulfillyng the Lawe, his rightuousnes and obediēce beyng accepted, as though it were ours. In this respect therefore, the lawe of God In what re­spect the law of God is ab­olished. is abolished, in that it dooeth no more condemne vs, nor cause wrathe to fall vpon vs: For we are vnder grace, not vnder the lawe. Moreouer, Christ hath fulfilled all the figures of the Lawe, wherefore the shadowe ceassed, when the bodie came, for that now in Christ wee haue the truthe, and all fulnesse. Notwithstandyng, we dooe not there­fore [Page 33] disdain or dispise the lawe, for we remember the woordes of the Lorde, saiyng: I came not to breake the lawe, Math. v. and the Prophettes, but to fulfill thē. We knowe that, in the law is shewed sundrie kindes of vertues and vices, we are not ignoraunt, that if the lawe be expounded by the Gospell, it is pro­fitable to the churche, and therefore we affirme that the reading therof, ought not to bée banished out of the churche: For although Moises face was coue­red with a Vele, yet the Apostle affir­meth that Vele, to be taken awaie and abolished by Christe. Wee condemne all that the olde and newe heretikes Heresies. haue taught, against the lawe of God.

Of the Gospell of Iesus Christe, of his promises. Of the spirite, and of the letter. Chapit. 13.

THe Gospell doubtlesse is cō ­trarie to the Lawe: for the lawe causeth wrathe, decla­reth the curse, but the Gos­pell preacheth grace, & blessyng. Ihō. i. Ihon. i. saieth, the lawe was giuen by Moises, Our forefa­thers had promises of the gospell. but grace and truthe, sprang by Iesus [Page] Christ: Yet notwithstāding it is moste certain, that thei, who were before the lawe, and vnder the lawe, wer not al­together destitute of the Gospell: For thei had maruelous large promises of the Gospell, as these: The séede of the Gene. iii. Gene. xxii. Gene. xlix. Deut. xviii. Actes. iii. woman, shal breake the serpentes hed, and in thy féede shall all nacions bee blessed. The scepter shall not be taken awaie from Iudah, vntill Silo come: The Lorde shall raise vp a Prophette, from the middest of his brethren.

And surely wee acknowledge, that Two kindes of prounses. our forefathers had two kindes of pro­mises reueled to them, as wée haue to vs: Some were of yearthly matters, as are the promises of the land of Ca­naan, of victories, and suche as are to this daie made to vs, concernyng our daiely bread: Some other were then, and now also, be of heauenly and eter­nall thynges: that is to witte, of gods grace, of remission of synnes, and life euerlasting, by faithe in Iesus Christ. Our forfathers had in like maner, not onely outward and yearthly, but also Spirituall and Celestiall promises in [Page 34] Christe: For of saluacion speaketh Pe­ter. i. Peter. i. The Prophetes haue inquired and searched, who prophesied of the grace, that should come vnto vs. &c. Of this also the Apostle Paule writeth. Ro. i. The Gospell of GOD was promised before by gods Prophetes, in the holie scriptures: Hereby then it is euidente, that the old fathers, were not quite de­stitute of all the Gospell.

But although thei had the Gospell What the go­spell properly is. after this sorte, in the writynges of the Prophetes, wherby thei obtained sal­uacion in Christ by faithe: yet the gos­pell is properly called, that glad and happie message, by the whiche, first by Ihon Baptiste, then by Iesus Christe hymself our Lorde, afterwarde by his Apostles, and their successours, it was preached to the worlde, that GOD had nowe performed that, whiche he promised from the beginnyng of the worlde, in sendyng, or rather giuyng to vs his onely soonne, and in hym at­tonement with the father, forgiuenes of synne, all fulnesse, and life euerla­styng. Therefore the Gospell is truely [Page] called that historie, whiche is written of the fower Euangelistes, declaryng how these thinges were doen, and ful­filled of Christe, and what he taughte and did. And that thei, whiche beleue in him, haue all aboundaunce of grace: The preachyng and writing of the A­postles, wherein thei shewe vnto vs, how the sonne of God is giuen to vs of his father, and in hym all life and sal­uacion, is in like maner truely said, to be the doctrine of the Gospell: So that euē to this daie (if it be sincerely prea­ched) it loseth not so worthie a name.

The preaching of the gospell, is cal­led The spirite and the letter ii. Cor. iii. also by the apostle, the Spirit, & the seruice of the Spirit, because that it is made of great efficacy, & liuely by faith in the eares, or rather in ye hartes of be­leuers, by the holy ghost illuminating thē. For the letter, whiche is contrary to the spirit, doeth surely signifie euery outward thyng, but chiefly the doctrin of the lawe, whiche causeth wrathe to vnbeleuers, and prouoketh to synne, without the aide of the spirit, and faith woorkyng in their mindes: For the [Page 35] whiche cause, the Apostle calleth it al­so the ministerie of death. For here vn­to belōgeth that saiyng of his: the let­ter killeth, but the spirite quicekneth. The false Prophetes preached the go­spell corruptly, mingelyng the Lawe therewith, as though Christ could not The heresies saue vs, without the lawe: Suche as ye Hebionites are said to be, who sprang of the heretike Hebeō: Suche wer the Nazareans, whiche were in olde tyme called Minei, whom euery one we cō ­demne: Preachyng the Gospell pure­ly, teachyng, that by the spirite alone, and not by the lawe, beleuers are iu­stified. But of this matter we will in­treate hereafter more at large, in the title of Iustificacion.

And albeeit, the Preachyng of the Gospell, compared with the Pharises The doctrine of the Gospel is not newe, but a moste auncient doc­trine. doctrine of the Lawe, séemed, when it was firste preached by Christe, to bée a newe doctrine (whiche Hieremie also prophesied of the new Testament) yet in verie déede, it was not onely then and now is olde doctrine) as now ada­yes Papistes call it newe, comparyng [Page] it with their longe receiued doctrine) but also is the moste auncient doctrine in the worlde: For God from the be­ginnyng, predestinated she worlde to be saued by Christe: Whiche predesti­nacion, and eternall counsaile of his, he hath opened to the worlde, by the Gospell: whereby it is manifeste, that the Religion and doctrine of the Gos­pell, is the eldest of all, that euer was, is, or shal be. Wherefore we saie, that all thei are fouly deceiued, and speake vnsemelie of Gods euerlastyng coun­saile, whiche affirme, that the Gospell and this religion, is sprong vp of late, and is a faithe scase thirtie yeres olde: In whō that saiyng of Esay the Pro­phete Esaie. v. is fulfilled: Wo be to them, that speake good of euill, and euill of good: whiche put darkenesse from light, and light from darkenesse, and that putte bitter for swéete, and swéete for sowre.

Of repentaunce, and the con­uersion of man. Chap. 14.

THe Gospell hath ioigned vnto what repen­taunce is. Luke. xxiiii it, the doctrine of Repentaūce: For so saied the Lorde: Repē ­pentaunce [Page 36] and remission of synnes, muste bée preached in my name, to all nacions. By repentaunce we vnder­stande, the amendement of the mynde, in the sinfull man, prouoked therevn­to by the preaching of the Gospell, and inward woorkyng of the holie ghoste, and receiued with true saithe, wherby the synner doeth straite waie acknow­ledge his naturall corrupcion: and all his synnes reproued by the woorde of God, and beeyng hariely sorie for the same, doeth not onely bewaile his ini­quities, but beeyng ashamed thereof, confesse theim, but also with disdaine deteste them, mindyng earnestlie to a­mende, and alwaies indeuouryng to leade an innocent and vertuous life, as long as he liueth. And this assured­ly Repentaunce is a true con­uersion from satan to God. is vnfained repentaunce, to wit, a true conuersion to God and all good­nesse, with a spedie departure from sa­tan, and all euill. We also plainly af­firme, that this repentaūce is the mere gifte of God, and not the worke of our Repentaunce is the gifte of God. ii. Cor. ii. strengthe: For the Apostle biddeth a faithfull minister, diligētly to instruct [Page] theim, whiche resiste the truthe, assai­yng, if God at any tyme, will giue thē repentaunce, that thei maie knowe the truthe. Moreouer the synfull woman, mencioned in the Gospell, (who was­shed Christes fete with her teares, and Peter, who wept bitterly, be wailyng Luke. vii. and. xxii his deniall of Christe, doe plainly de­clare vnto vs, what maner of minde, the penitent should haue, when he ear­nestly lamenteth his sinnes, which he hath committed. The prodigall sonne also, and the Publicane, mencioned in the Gospell, and compared with the Pharisie, are fitte examples for vs to imitate, in confessing our sinnes. The prodigall sonne saied: Father, I haue synned against heauen, & in thy sight, nowe I am not worthie to bee called thy soonne, make me as one of thy hie­red seruauntes. The Publicane, not beyng so bolde, as to lifte vp his yies to heauen, knockyng his breast, cried, O God bee mercifull to me a synner. These penitent offendours, we doubt not, but that God receiued againe to his mercie and fauour. For Ihon the [Page 37] Apostle saith: If we acknowledge our i. Ihon. i. synnes, he is faithfull and iuste to for­giue vs our synnes, and to clense vs from all vnrightuousnes: If wee saie we haue not synned, wée make hym a lier, and his woorde is not in vs.

Wée beleue that this plain and frée confessiō, which is made onely to God, either priuately, betwixte God and the offendour, or openly in the Churche, when the generall confession of synne is recited, dooeth suffice: and that it is not necessarie, to obtaine remission of synnes, by confessyng our offences, Popishe con­fession. with whisperyng in a Priestes eare, or by hearing his absolucion, while he laieth his handes vpō our heddes: For of suche maner of repentaunce, there is founde in the holie scriptures, nei­ther any commaundement, ne yet ex­ample. Dauid protested saiyng, I ac­knowledged Psal. xxxii. my synne vnto thée nei­ther hid I myne iniquitie from thée, I thought, I would confesse against my self, my wickednesse vnto the Lorde, and thou diddeste remitte the punish­mente of my synne. The Lorde also [Page] teachyng vs to praie, and eke to con­fesse our iniquities, saied. Thus shall ye praie: Our father, which art in hea­uen. &c. Math. vi. Forgeue vs our trespasses, as we forgeue theim that trespas against vs. It is therefore necessary, that wée confesse our faultes, and that wee re­concile Note. our selues to our brother, if we haue offēded hym: Of the whiche kind of confession, Iames the Apostle spea­keth, saiyng: Acknowledge your syn­nes Iames. v. one to another. How bee it, if any what priuate Confession is allowed. man beyng oppressed, with the burthē and temptacion of doubtfull synne, would aske counsaile, and seeke com­fort priuately, either of the minister of the church, or any other learned in the Laws of God, wée disalowe it not: In like maner we greatly commēde, that Publike con­fession. generall and publike confession of sin­nes, whiche is accustomed to be reher­sed (as we saied before) in the Churche and holy assemblies.

Many babble maruelous thynges, of the Keies of the kyngdome of God, The forged keyes of the kyngdome of heauen. and forge thereby swoordes, speares, scepters, crounes, and absolute aucto­ritie, [Page 38] ouer the greateste kingdomes: to The true keyes. bée short, ouer bodies and soule. Wée simple iudging, according to God his worde, saie, that all ministers lawful­ly called, haue and occupie the keyes, when the preache the Gospell, that is, when thei teache, exhorte, comfort, re­proue, and kepe in good order the peo­ple, committed to their charge. For in To open, or to shutte the kyngdome of God. so doyng, thei open the kyngdome of heauen to the obedient, and shutte it to the disobedient. These keyes the lorde promised to his Apostles. Math. xvi. and performed his promes. Ihon. xx. Marke. xvi. Luke. xxiiii. when he sent his disciples, and bid them preache the Gospell, and forgeuenes of synnes, to all the worlde. Paule. ij. Cor. v. saieth, that the Lorde hath geuen to his mi­nisters, the office of reconcilyng syn­ners to God: What that is, immediat­ly he declareth, addyng: The worde or doctrine of reconciliation. And more plainlie expoundyng his owne woor­des, enferreth that Christe his mini­sters, dooe the embassage of Christe in his name, representyng God his per­sone, [Page] exhorting his people to be recon­ciled to God, by faithefull obedience. Thei then vse the Reies, whē thei ex­hort The vse of the keyes. vs to faithe and repentaunce: So thei reconcile to GOD, so thei forgiue synnes, so thei open the kyngdome of heauen, and bryng beleuers in, farre Mat. xxiii. otherwise, then thei of whom the lord spake in ye Gospell: wo be to you Scri­bes and Pharisies, Hipocrites, bicause ye shutte vp the knowledge of heauen before men: for ye your selues goe not in, neither suffer ye theim, that would enter, to come in. Well therefore and effectuallie doe ministers absolue, whē To adsolue. thei preache the Gospell of Christ, and remission of sinnes for his sake, which is promised to all that beleue, and are baptised. Neither dooe we thinke, that the absolucion is therefore of greater vertue, because it is whispered in ones eare alone, or mūmeled ouer ons hed: We thinke notwithstanding, that re­mission of synnes, ought diligently to be preached to all men, and that euery particuler man ought to bee admoni­shed, that it lieth hym vpon, to seke for [Page 39] remission of his synne.

But how circumspecte and diligent penitentes ought to bee, in indeuou­ryng Amendemēte of life. to lead a newe life, in depressyng the old, and sturryng vp the newe mā, exāples in the Gospell teache vs: The Lorde saied to the man, whom he cu­red of the palsie: behold, thou art made Ihon. v. whole, sinne no more, least some wors thing happen to thee: To the adultres woman, whom he condemned not, he said, goe thy waies, synne no more: By Ihon. viii. the whiche wordes doubtles, he ment not, that it was possible for man, to be without synne, as longe as he liues in the fleshe, but he would haue vs watch and to bee verie carefull, to indeuoure by all meanes wee can, and to praie vnto God, that we fall not againe into those synnes, from the whiche we are risen, as it were, and that we be not o­uercome with the flesh, the worlde, and the deuill. Zacheus the Publicane be­ing Luke. xix. receiued into God his fauor, crieth in the Gospell: Behold, half my good­des I geue to the poore, O Lorde, and if I haue deceiptfully begiled any mā, [Page] I restore hym. iiij. times so muche. Af­ter Good deedes required in the penitent. the same sort therefore, we preache that restitucion, mercie, and almose déedes, are necessary to be doen of thē, whiche truely repent. And generally, with the Apostles woordes we exhort all, and saie: Let not synne reigne in Roma. vi. your mortall bodies, to obeye it in the lustes therof, neither geue your mem­bers, as weapons of vnrightuousnes vnto synne, but geue your selues vnto God, as thei that are a liue from the dedde, and geue your members, as weapons of rightuousnes vnto God.

Wherfore we cōdēne al the impious Heresies. words of those, ye dispise the preaching of the Gospell, and saie: It is an easie matter, to returne to God. Christ hath made satisfactiō for all sinne. We shal quickly haue pardō for our wickednes what hurt then shal it do vs to sinne? We nede not muche to passe for repē ­tance. &c. Suche impious talke I saie, we condēne. Howbeit, we teache, that at al times, eche sinner maie haue frée accesse to God, who forgiueth the faithful al their iniquities, except onely the Marke. iii. [Page 40] sinne against the holy ghost. Therfore we disalowe the old & new Nouatians with ye heretikes called Catharie: chif­lie we condēne the gainfull doctrine of ye pope, touching penitēce. And against his Symonie, & his symonicall parda­nes, Popishe par­dons. we alledge the iudgement of Si­mon Peter, thy money perishe with thee, because thou thinkeste, that the Actes. viii. gifte of God maie bee obtained with money, thou haste neither part nor fe­lowshippe in this businesse: For thine harte is not right in the sight of God. We discommende all those, who ima­gin, that thei are able to make satisfac­cion Satisfactiōs: for their synne, whiche thei haue committed, and that with their owne satisfactions. For we teach that Christ onely, by his death and passion, is the satisfaction for all synne, and the paci­fier of God his wrathe: Yet notwith­standyng, as we said before, we ceasse not to call vpon menne, to subdue the rage of the fleshe: Addyng, that wee ought not arrogantiie to hurle before God, our good deedes, as satisfaction for our synnes, but rather humblie, [Page] like the children of God, to shewe our good liuyng, as a token of newe obe­dience, and thankfulnes for our deli­ueraunce, and full satisfaction, purcha­sed by the death of Christe the soonne of God.

Of the true Iustifiyng of the faithfull. Chap, 15,

TO Iustifie (according to the what it is to iustifie. Apostles meanyng, in his disputacion of Iustificaciō) is to forgiue synnes, to ab­solue from the faulte, and punishment also dewe for the same, to receiue into fauour, and to pronounce iuste: for the Apostle to the Romanes writeth: It is God that iustifieth, who is it that con­demneth: To iustifie and to condemne are here putte as contraries. In Actes xiij. he saieth: By Christe remission of synne is preached vnto vs, and from all thynges, from the whiche ye could not by the lawe of God be iustified, by hym euery one that beleueth, is iusti­fied. We also reade in the lawe, and in the Prophetes thus: If any strief arise [Page 41] betwene menne, and thei come vnto Deut. xxv. iudgement, let the Iudges iudge them but let the rightuous be iustified, and we are iusti­fied through Christe. the wicked condemned: And Esaie. v. Wo be to them that iustifie the impi­ous manne, for any bribe. It is moste certaine, that we all are by nature im­pious synners, and before the Iudge­mente seate of God, conuicted of im­pietie, and giltie of death: howbeit we beleue, that wee are iustified, that is to saie, pardoned of our synnes, and deli­uered from death by God (who is our Iudge) and that onely for Christe his sake, without any respect of our owne merites. For what can be more plaine then that, whiche Paule saieth: All Roma. iii. haue synned, and are depriued of the glorie of God, and are iustified freelie by his grace, and through the redemp­cion, that is in Christe Iesus.

For Christe hath taken vpon hym, and borne the sinnes of the worlde, he hath satisfied the iustice of God: God therefore for his onely Christes sake, Iustice im­puted to vs. (who suffred death, and rose againe) is mercifull to our sinnes, not imputing [Page] them to vs, but accepting Christes iu­stice, as our rightuousnes: so that now we are not onely purged, and clensed frō synne, but also clothed with Christ his iustice, and deliuered from synne, death, and condemnacion: to be short, we are made rightuous, and heires of life euerlastyng. To speake properlie therefore, God alone doeth iustifie vs, and that onely for Christe his sake, not laiyng our synnes to our charge, but imputyng his rightuousnes to vs.

Because wee receiue this iustifica­cion, not for any of our workes sake, we are iusti­fied by faith only. but by faithe in God his mercie, and through Christe, therefore we teache, and beleue with the Apostle, that man is iustified by faithe onely in Christe, not by the Lawe, or by any woorkes. For Paule saieth: Wee thinke that a man is iustified by faithe, without the workes of the lawe: And again. Rom. iiij. Roma. iii. If Abraham were iustified by wor­kes, he hath wherin to reioyce, but not with God. For what saieth the scrip­ture? Abrahā beleued God, and it was cōpted to hym as rightuousnes. Now [Page 42] to hym that woorketh, the wages is not compted by fauour, but by debte, and to hym that worketh not, but be­leueth in him that iustifieth, the faithe of the vngodly is compted for rightu­ousnes: And again. Ephe. ij. by grace are ye saued through faithe, and that not of your selues, it is the gifte of God, and not of woorkes, leaste any man should boaste hymself. Then be­cause faithe ketcheth holde faste on Christe, who is our rightuousnes, and attributeth all thynges, to the grace we receaue Christe by fayth. of God in hym, therefore iustificacion is ascribed to faithe, chiefly for Christ, and not because it is our woorke, for it is the gifte of God. That wee receiue Christe by faithe, the Lorde declareth at large, wher he vseth this woorde, Ihon. vi. Eate, for beleue, and beleue for eate: For as by eatyng wee receiue meate, Eat vsed for beleue. so by beleuyng wee are made parta­kers of Christ: Wherefore we deuide not the benefite of Iustificacion, attri­butyng Iustification is not to be attributed partly to vs. and partly to Christ. it partely to the grace of God, or to Christe, and partly to our selues, our loue to our woorkes, to our meri­tes: [Page] [...] [Page 42] [...] [Page] But wee ascribe it wholie to the grace of God in Christe by faithe. And whiche is more, out loue and our wor­kes cannot please God, if thei be doen of vs that are vniuste: Wherefore we muste firste be made iuste, before wee can loue, or doe iuste workes: We are made iuste in deéde (as we haue decla­red) by faithe in Christe, by the mere grace of God, who dooeth not impute our sinnes, but Christe his rightuous­nes to vs, and compteth our faithe in Christe, as rightuousnesse. Further­more the Apostle plainly sheweth, that i. Timo. i. loue cometh of faithe: The ende of the Lawe is Loue, issuyng out of a pure harte, a good consctence, and an vn­fained faithe.

Here we speake not of a counterfet, vaine, idle, or dedde faithe, but of a li­uely and quickenyng faithe, whiche through Christe (who is life, and quic­keneth hym, whō faithe ketcheth hold on) is a liue, and so is saied to bee, be­cause Sainct Pau­les saiyng, is cōferred with sainct Iames. Iames. ii. she declareth her self to line by her liuely woorkes. Saincte Iames then maketh nothing against this do­strine, [Page 43] who speaketh of a vaine, and dedde faithe, whereof some boasted, al­béeit thei had not Christ, liuyng in thē by faithe. He saieth also that woorkes Iustifie, not therein disagreyng from the Apostle (for then he were to bée re­iected) but shewing that Abraham de­clared his liuely and iustifiyng faithe, by his woorkes. The whiche thing all the godlie doe, who notwithstandyng putte their truste in Christe onely, and in no workes of their owne. For in an other place, the Apostle saith: Thus I Gala. ii. liue, yet not I now, but Christe liueth in me, and in that that I now line in the fleshe, I liue by faithe in the sonne of God, who hath loued me, and geuē himself for me, I doe not abrogate the grace of God: For if rightuousnes bée by the lawe, then Christe died in vain.

Of faithe and good woorkes, of their re­ward, and mannes merite. Cha. 16.

CHristian faithe is not a bare o­pinion, what faith is or perswasion of men, but a moste sure confidēce, an euidente and constaunte assente of the [Page] mynde: to bee shorte, a moste certaine comprehendyng of God his truthe, set forthe in the Scriptures, conteined in the Apostles Crede, yea, and cōmaun­ded of God himself (who surmounteth al goodnes) But chieflie, faith is a cō ­fidence in God, and his soonne Christ his promises, whiche Christe is thence of all promises. This faithe is the free gifte of God, whiche onely he geueth Faith is the gifte of God. of his grace to his electe, accordyng to measure, when, to whō, and as muche as he liste, and that by his holie spirits by the meane of preachyng the Gospel and faithfull praier. This faithe is in­creased, and that, by God his mercie: For els the Apostle would not haue The increese of fayth. Luke. xi. saied, Lorde increase our faithe.

Al that hetherto we haue saied con­cernyng faith, thapostles haue taught before vs: For Paule saieth: Faith is the ground of thynges, whiche are ho­ped for, and the euidence of those thyn­ges Hebre. xi. that are not seen. And againe he saith: Al the promises of god in Christ ii. Cor. i. are yea, and are in hym Amen. To the Philippians he writeth, that it was Phi. i. [Page 44] geuen to them, that thei should beleue in Christe: And againe, Christe hath Rom. xii. ii. Thes. iii. Rom. xi. distributed to euery man; a measure of faithe: And again, All menne haue not faithe, neither dooe all men obeye the Gospell. Luke also witnesseth Act. xiij. As many as were ordained vnto eternall life, beleued: Wherefore he calleth faithe, the faithe of Gods elect: And againe. Roma. x. Faithe cometh by hearyng, and hearing by the worde of God. In other places, he often bid­deth men praie for faithe.

The saied Apostle affirmeth, faithe The force of faith. to bee of greate efficacie, declaryng it self by Loue: Faithe quieteth the con­science, openeth to vs a frée entrie vn­to GOD, that wee maie come to hym with bolones, and obtain of hym pro­fitable, and necessarie thynges: It ke­peth vs in doyng our duetie, that wee owe to God, and our neighboure: In aduersitie, it strengthneth vs with pa­ciēte, facioneth and formeth in vs true confessiō: and to speake all at a worde, saithe bringeth forthe al kinde of good Good wor­kes come of [...]uth. [Page] fruites, and good woorkes in vs. For we teache, that true good workes, doe spryng of a liuely faithe, by the woor­kyng of the holie ghoste, and are doen of the faithfull, accordyng to the wille or rule of God his woorde. For Peter the Apostle faieth, geue all diligence i. Peter. i. thereunto, and ioine vertue with your faithe, and with vertue knowledge, & with knowledge temperaūce. &c. We saied before, that the Lawe of GOD, whiche is the will of God, dooeth pre­scribe vnto vs, a paterne of good wor­kes. And the Apostle affirmeth, this is i. Thes. iiii. the will of God, your sanctificaciō, and that ye should abstaine from vnclen­nes, that no man oppresse, or defraude his brother in any matter: For God workes that men inuente of their owne braine. alloweth not those workes, those wor­shippynges, whiche wee chose of our owne hedde, whiche Paule calleth, volontarie religiō. Whereof the lorde Collos. ii. also in the gospell saith. Thei worship me in vain, teachyng the doctrine, and preceptes of men. Wee reproue there­fore suche woorkes, but we highly cō ­mende, and earenestly require those [Page 45] woorkes, whichē be accordyng to the wille and commaundemente of God. The ende of good workes We must therfore doe good dedes, yet not to merite thereby life euerlastyng (for as the Apostle saieth. Life euerla­styng is the gifte of God) nor to make our boaste or bragge thereof, whiche Math. vi. Christe reproueth, nor yet for gaine, whiche also he disaloweth, Math. xxiij. but to the glory of God, to commende our vocacion, to shewe our thankful­nesse to God, and to profite our neigh­boure. Againe our Lorde faieth in the Gospell: Lette your light so shine be­fore Math. v. men, that thei maie see your good workes, & glorifie your father, whiche is in heauen: And the Apostle Paule, Eyh. iiij. Walke as becommeth your vocacion: Also Collo. iij. Whatsoeuer ye shall doe, saith he, in worde or dede, doe all in the name of the Lorde Iesus geuyng thankes to GOD the father, through hym. And Phil. ij. Looke not euery man on his owne matters, but on other mennes thynges also: And Tite. iij. Lette our brethren learne to shewe for the good woorkes, for neces­sarie [Page] vses, that thei be not vnfruitfull.

Albeit therefore wee teache, as the We reiecte not good workes, but ne­cessarilie re­quire them. Apostle doeth, that a man is Iustified freelie, by faithe in Christe, and not by any good woorkes, yet we doe not di­spise, or condemne good woorkes, wée knowing that man was not made, nor regenerate by faithe, to be idle, but ra­ther to dooe without ceassyng, those thynges, whiche are good and profita­ble. For in the Gospell the lorde faith: A good trée bringeth forthe good frute: Math. xii. And in Ihon. xv. He that dwelleth in me, bringeth forthe muche fruite. To conclude, the Apostle saieth, wee are Gods creatures made in Christ Iesu, to doe good woorkes, whiche GOD hath prepared to walke in. And again Heresies. whoe deliuered hymself for vs, to re­deme vs from all our iniquitie, and to clēse his owne peculier people, which do good woorkes. We condēne there­fore, all those that despise good woor­kes, babblyng that thei are vnprofita­ble, Oure good workes are not the cause of our salua­tion. and not to bee regarded. Notwith­standyng we thinke not, as was saied before, that we are saued by good wor­kes, [Page 46] or that thei are so necessarie that without them no manne was euer sa­ued. For by grace, & by Christes one­ly benefite wee are saued: Woorkes come of saithe necessarily, but yet sal­uacion is vnproperlie ascribed to thē, for moste aptlie it is to bee attributed to grace. For that saiyng of the Apo­stle is verie well knowen, if it bee of grace, it is no more of woorkes, or els were grace, no grace: But if it bee of workes, it is no more grace, or els wer Rom. xi. woorkes, no more woorkes.

Those workes doubtlesse do please God, and are allowed of hym, whiche Good wor­kes please God. we doe with faithe, because thei please him by faithe in Christ, who doe good workes, which also procede of ye grace of God, through the holie ghoste. For saincte Peter saieth: In euery nacion Actes. x. he that feareth GOD, and woorketh rightuousnesse, is accepted with hym: And we ceasse not to pray for you, that ye might walke worthie of the Lorde, Col. i. and please hym in all thynges, beyng fruitfull in all good woorkes. There­fore we instructe men, with as muche Note. [Page] diligēce as we can, and beate into their eares, to embrase true, and not false or Philosophicall vertues, to doe in dede Hypocrites. good workes, and to performe the boū ­den duetie of a Christian manne. We muche discommēde, both the sluggish­nesse & hipocrisie of all suche, as praise and professe the Gospell with their mouthe, but with their filthie liuyng defile it. And we laye before their yies, Gods horrible threatenynges concer­nyng this matter, his large promises & liberall rewardes, with exhortacions, comfortes and rebukynges.

For wee teache, that God geneth a God rewar­deth our good deedes. large rewarde to theim that doe good, accordyng to the Prophettes saiyng: Refraine thy voice from wepyng, for Iere. xxxi. Esaie. iiii. Math. v. x. thou shalte haue a rewarde for thy woorke. Christe also promiseth in the gospell: Be glad and reioyce, for great is your reward in heauen: And he that will geue to one of these little ones, a Cuppe of colde water, verelie I saie to you, he shall not lose his reward. Howbeit wee referre this rewarde, whiche the Lorde geueth, not to mennes me­rite, Note. [Page 47] who receiue the rewarde, but to why God rewardeth them that doe good deedes. the goodnesse, liberalitie and truthe of God promisyng, and geuyng it: who notwithstandyng he oweth nothyng to any man, yet hath promised to giue a rewarde to theim, whiche faithful­lie worshippe hym, but to that ende GOD bestoweth on theim his re­warde, that thei should serue hym. Furthermore, there be many thynges vnmete to bee presented to God, and sundrie thynges are founde vnperfite, euen in the sainctes deédes or workes. But because, God receiueth them in­to his fauour, and loueth the workers for Christ his sake, he geueth them the rewarde, whiche he promised theim. For otherwise our rightuousnesse, is likened to filthie clothes. The Lorde Esaie. lxiiii. Luke. xvii. Mennes me­rites, merite nothyng. also saieth in the Gospell: When you haue doen all that is cōmaunded you, saie, ye are vnprofitable seruantes: we haue dooen but that, whiche was our bounded duetie to not. Albeit then we Note Augu. teache, that God rewardeth our good deedes, yet we teache there withall, as Augustine doeth, that God crowneth [Page] in vs, not our merites, but his owne gifte: And therefore, what reward so­euer we receiue, we affirme that it co­meth of the grace of God, worthelier called grace, then a rewarde, because that good, which we do, is doen rather by God his mercie, then by our owne accorde. And as Paule saieth: What i. Cor. iiii. hast thou, yt thou hast not receiued? if thou hast receiued it; why boastest thou as though thou haddest not receiued it? And as out of that place, the holy mar­tire Cyprian. Cypriā gathereth: We must glo­rie in nothyng, because wee haue no­thyng Heresies. of our owne: Wee condemne therefore these, who in suche sorte de­fende mennes merites, that thei dimi­nishe the grace of God.

Of the holie catholike churche of God, of the one onely hedde of the Churche. Chapi, 17.

SEyng that God from the be­ginnyng, The churche euer was, & euer shal be. would haue manne saued, and come to the knowe­ledge of the truthe, it muste nedes bee that euer there was, and now is, and to the ende of the worlde there shal bée what the churche is. [Page 48] a Churche, that is to saie, a companie of the faithfull, called and gathered out of the worlde, a companie, I saie, of all the Sainctes, to witte of them, whiche doe truly knowe, and rightly worship the true God in Christe their sauiour, accordyng to his worde, and by the aide of the holie Ghoste: to bee shorte; whiche are made partakers of al good­nes, offered fréelie vnto them, through Christe by faithe. All these be citezens of one Citie, liuyng vnder one Lorde, vnder one kinde of lawes, being alike partakers of all good thynges: For so the Apostle calleth them, fellowe cite­zeins with the Sainctes, and of Gods housholde folke, namyng them sainc­tes, who abidyng in the yearth, are faithfull, sanctified by the blood of gods soonne: Of whom this article of our Ephe. ii. 1. Cor. vi. beleife speaketh, wherein it is saied, I beleue the holie catholike church, The Communion of Sainctes. And seyng that there is alwaies one onely God, one mediatour betwene God and mā Iesus, our Messias, and one shepherde There was neuer but one true churche. of the whole flocke, one hedde of this [Page] bodie, to conclude, one spirite, one sal­uacion, one faithe, one Testamente or couenaunte, it followeth necessarilie, that there is one onely Churche also: Whiche therefore we call Catholike, Why it is cal­led catholike. because it is vniuersall, & is dispersed throughout all the partes of the world and extendeth it self to all tymes, be­yng limited and inclosed in no place, or tyme. We condemne therefore the Donatistes, who straightlie enclosed Heretikes ti­yng the chur­che to certain places and ti­mes. the churche, in, I knowe not what cor­ners of Aphrike. Neither dooe wee al­lowe the Romishe Clergie, who bests that almoste the onely Romishe chur­che, is the catholike Churche.

The Churche is distributed into ti­uers Diuers par­tes of the churche. partes, not that it is seuered, or torne in peeces in it self, but rather by reasō of the diuersitie of the members, that be therein. For there is one chur­che, The Mili­tant churche. called Militant, an other Trium­phant: that is militante, whiche being as yet on the yearth, wageth battaile, and fighteth with the fleshe, the world and the Prince of this worlde, the de­uill, also with synne and death: Whē [Page 49] this Churche is discharged of atten­daunce here, it triumpheth in heauen, for the victorie ouer all those her ene­mies, reioysyng before the Lorde, al­beit these twoo Churches are still v­nited, or knitte together.

The militant Churche remainyng Particuler churches. on the yearth, hath alwaies had many particuler Churches, yet all thei are referred, to the vnitie of the catholike Churche. This Churche was other­wise gouerned before the lawe emōg the Patriarkes, otherwise vnder Moi­ses by the laws, otherwise of Christe, by the gospell. Cōmenly also there are compted twoo kinds of people, the Is­raelites, and the Gentiles, or a people consistyng of the Iewes and Gētiles, gathered together in the Churche. There be twoo Testamentes also, the old, and the newe: Yet of all these peo­ple there was, and is one societie, one saluacion, by one Messias, in whom, as members of one bodie, vnder one hedde, all are knitte together in one faithe, all are partakers of one spiritu­al meate and drinke. Howbeit here we [Page] acknowledge, that there were sundrie tymes, diuers signes or Sacramentes of our Messias, both promised & giuen also to vs of his father: & that the cere­monies remoued, a brighter light now shineth vnto vs, & that we receiue lar­ger giftes, & inioy greater libertie, thē our forefathers had, before the com­myng of Christe.

This holie Churche of God, is cal­led the house of the liuyng Lorde, built The names of the church. of liuing and spiritual stones, and sect vpon an vnmoueable rocke, vpō suche a foundaciō, that there can none other foundaciō be laied then it. And in that i. Timo. iii. respecte, it is also called the piller, and ground of truthe: It erreth not, as lōg when the church er­reth. as it testeth vpon Christe the Rocke, and foundacion of the Prophettes and Apostles. But no meruell if it erre, as often as it forsaketh hym, who onely is the truthe. The Churche also is cal­led the virgine, and spouse of Christe, and the onely and welbeloued spouse of Christe: For the Apostle saieth, I ii. Cor. xi. ioigned you to one housbande, to pre­sente you as a pure virgine to Christ: [Page 50] It is also called the flocke of shepe, vn­der one shepherde Christe, bothe in the xxxiiij. Chap. of Ezech. and. x. of Ihon. And it is named Christe his bodie, be­cause the faithfull are the liuyng mē ­bers of Christ, vnder Christ their hed: The hedde is, that whiche hath pree­minence, and the higheste roume in the bodie, geuyng life to it, and ruling it so in all thynges, with the vitall spi­rites comming from thence, that it in­creaseth & groweth thereby. There is also but one hed of that bodie, where­with it doeth wel agree: For the chur­che There is but one hedde of the churche Christe Ie­sus. can not haue any other hedde then Christe: and as the Churche is a spi­rituall bodie, so it is meete that it haue a spirituall hedde agreablie. Neither cā it be ruled by any other spirit, then by Christe his spirite. Paule writeth: he is the hedde of the bodie of the chur­che: He is the beginning; & first borne Col. 1. of the dedde, that in all thynges he might haue the preeminence. Againe, Christ is the hedde of the churche, and Ephe. v. Ephe. i. the same Christe is the sauiour of his bodie: And again he saieth: Which is [Page] the hedde of the churche, whiche chur­che is his bodie, euen the fulnesse of hym, that filleth all in all. Moreouer, Ephe. iiij. Let vs in all thinges growe vp into hym, whiche is the hedde, that is Christ, by whom al the body beyng coupled, and knitte together by euery ioynte, receiueth increase. We allowe not therfore, yt doctrine of the Romishe Clergie, makyng their Romishe bis­shoppe an vniuersall Shepeherde, the The Pope. chief hedde, yea, and Christes true vi­care of his catholike militante churche in the yearth: wherein he hath fulnesse of power, and supreme dominion, as thei saie. For we teache, that Christ is the Lorde, and remaineth the onely v­niuersall shepherde, & chief high priest, before God his father, and that he in Christ is present with his churche the churche, doeth all the dueties of an high bisshoppe or shepherd, and so will continue vnto the ende of the worlde, and therefore néedes no vicare, as one that were absente. Truely Christe is present with his Churche, and is a li­uyng hedde, who straightly forbadde his Apostles, and their successours, to [Page 51] chalenge the primacie, or supremacie in the churche. Whosoeuer then gain­saieth this manifest truth; & bringeth into the church of Christ a cōtrary go­uernment, who seeth not, that thei are to be coumpted emong the nomber of those, whō Christes Apostles Prophe­sied of ij. Peter. ij. and Paule Acte. xx. ij. Cor: xi. and. ij. Thes. ij.

By takyng awaie the Romish hed, No desorder in the church. we bryng into the Churche of Christe no disorder, no trouble seyng that we teache, that the gouernemente of the churche prescribed by the Apostles, is sufficiente for vs, to kepe the Churche in due order. Whiche [...] the begin­nyng, while it was without suche a Romishe hedde, as now adaies is said to keepe the Churche in order, it was not without very [...]: Doubt­lesse The head of Rome. the hedde of Rome, maintaineth the tyrannie and corruption, brought into ye churche, but [...] resisteth, and with all the might he [...], with­stādeth the true reformacion thereof.

It is obiected vnto vs that there are diuers cōtentions crept into our chur­ches, Contentions in the church [Page] sithens we separated our selues, from the Romishe churche, wherevpō Contentions in the romish churche. some conclude, that we bée not the true Churches of Christe: as though there were neuer any sectes in the Churche of Rome, neuer any strie for contenci­on, and that for religion, not so muche in Scholes, as in their holte Chaires, and in open assemblies. We acknow­ledge i. Cor. xiiii. that the Apostle said: God is not GOD of dissencion, but of peare, and seyng there is emong you emulacion, and contencion, are ye not carnall, yet it cannot be deuied, but that God was Contention is no true note of the false churche. [...] the Apostolike Churche, and that that Churche was the true Churche, in which notwithstandyng, there was striefe and discorde. For the Apostle Gal. ii. Act. xv. Paule, reprehended Peter the apostle: and Barna [...] dissented frō Paule. A greuous cōtencion [...] in the churche of Antibche betwene them that prea­che Christ, as Luke reherseth. Act. rv. There hath vtter great strief alwaies in the Churche, and the moste famous doctors thereof, haue dissented emong theimselues, in no light matters, the [Page 52] Church notwithstanding, ceassed not to bee Christe his Churche still, as it was before: for so it pleased God to vse the strief in the Churche, to the glorie of his name, to sette forthe his truthe, and to haue those, whoe are tried, bet­ter knowen.

But as wee acknowledge none o­ther The markes of the true churche. hedde of the Churche, then Christ, so wee agnise not euery one, that boa­steth it self for the true Churche, to be the true Churche in deede, We teache that to bee the true Churche, wherein are found the signes or markes of the true Churche, especially the right and sincere preachyng of God his woorde. As wée be taught in the bookes of the Prophettes and Apostles: who referre all to Christ, whiche faieth in the Go­spell, My Shepe heare [...] voice, and I knowe theim, thei followe me, and I geue to thē eternall life, and thei shall neuer perishe, thei followe not a straū ­ger, but flie from hym, because thei knowe not the voice of straūgers: and these Shepe be all of one faithe, of one spirit, and therefore worship one one­ly [Page] God, seruyng hym alone in spirite, and truth, and louing him onely with all their harte, with all their strength, dooe call on hym onely for Christe his sake, their onely mediatour and inter­cossour, seekyng without Christe, and faithe in him no rightuousnes, no life, because thei acknowledge Christe, to be the onely hedde and foundacion of the Churche, and them selues to bee laied vpon this foundacion. Thei doe daiely repare them selues with repen­taunce, dooe paciently beare the crosse [...] vpon them, and beyng knitte to­gether by vnfained loue, with al Christes members, doe thereby declare thē selues, to bee the Disciples of Christe, continuyng in the bonde of peace, and godlie vnitie. Thei be also partakers together of the Sacramentes, institu­ted by Christe, and taught of the Apo­stles, vsyng them none otherwise, then the lorde hath commanded them. The saiyng of the Apostle is well knowen to all men: I haue receiued of the lord, that whiche I also haue deliuered vn­to you: Wherfore we condemne those i. Cor. xi. [Page 53] Churches, as disagreyng from Christ his true Church, which be not such as we haue heard that thei shuld be, boast thei neuer so muche of the succession of Bisshops, of vnitie, and antiquitie. Yea, the Apostles commaūde vs to flie from Idolatrie and Babilon, and not to take part with her, except we would i. Cor. x. i. Ihon. v. Apoc. xviii ii. Cor. vi. There is no saluatiō with out we be of Christe his churche. take part of God his plages also. We so muche esteme the societie, with the true Churche of Christe, that we deny that thei can liue in GOD his sighte, whiche doe not communicate with the true Churche of God, but separate thē selues from it. For as out of the Arke of Noe, there was no sauyng helpe, A similitude. when the worlde perished by the flood, so wee beleue, that there is no assured saluacion without Christ, who offreth hymself in the Churche, to be enioyed of his electe: and therefore we teache, that thei whiche will liue, muste not separte theimselues frō the true chur­che of Christe. Howbeit wée doe not so narrowlie include the Churche, with­in the signes aboue rehearsed, that we The churche is not tyed to signes. teache all those to be out of the church, [Page] whiche either receiue not the Sacra­mentes (so that it be not a self will, or All offenders are not coun­ted to be out of the church. contempte, but compelled rather by necessitie, whiche thei can not auoide) either those, in whom sometime faithe fainteth, but is not vtterly loste, and cleane dedde: either els suche, in whō there are founde faultes and errours, by infirmitie. For we knowe that god had some frendes in the worlde, which were not of the Israelites Common wealthe. We are not ignoraunt, what happened to the people of God, in the captiuitie of Babilon, in the whiche, thei lacked their sacrifices, for the space of. lxx. yeres. We knowe, what befell to Peter, who denied his maister, and what daiely is wonte to happe to the electe and faithfull weaklinges. Fur­ther, we are not ignoraunt, what ma­ner of Churches in the Apostles tyme the Galathians & Corinthians had, in the whiche the Apostle laieth to their charge, that there was many and gre­uous The churche sumtime se­meth to be quike des­troyed. synnes, and yet he calleth theim the holie churches of Christ. Yea, some tyme it cometh to passe, that God by [Page 54] his iuste iudgement▪ suffreth the truth of his woorde, the catholike faithe, and true worshippyng of hym to be darke­ned, and plucked a sunder, as it were, so that it semeth vtterly to bee destro­yed, yea, and no Churche at all to re­maine. As wee reade that it came to passe in Elias daies, and other times: yet notwithstādyng, God hath in this worlde, and in these darknes those, his true worshippers, yea, and no smalle nomber of thē, aboue seuen thousande For the Apostle auoucheth, that the foundaciō of God remaineth sure, and ii. Reg. xix Apoc. vii. hath this seale: The Lorde knoweth, who are his. &c.

Wherefore, the Churche maie also The churche may be called vnuisible. be called inuisible, not that mē be in­uisible, of whom the churche is gathered, but because, it beyng hidde from our yies, and onely knowen to God, man ofte tymes is not able to Iudge, All be not of the churche that be in the churche. where it is. Moreouer, not all that are nombred in the Churche are sainctes, and the liuely or true members of the Churche. For there are many Hippo­crites, whiche to the outwarde shewe, [Page] heareth the worde of God, and openlie receiueth the Sacramentes, and seme also to call vpon GOD, in Christe his name onely, to confesse Christe to bee their onelie rightuousnesse, to serue God, to doe the workes of charitie, and to suffer or a tyme their miseries paci­ently: but inwardly thei are destitute of the lighte of the spirite, of faithe, of purenes of mynde, and of continuaūce to the ende, so that at lengthe thei are disclosed what thei bée. Ihō the Apostle saieth: Thei wante out frō vs, but thei i. Ioh. ii. were not of vs: for if thei had been of vs, thei would haue cōtinued with vs. And yet while thei faigne holines, al­beit thei be not of the churche, yet thei Apte simili­tudes. are compted to bée in the Churche: As traitours in a Common wealthe, are nombred emong citezeins, before thei be discouered: and as Daruell, Kockle and Chaffe is founde among wheate, and as boūches or swellings is foūde in a sounde bodie, whereas in dée de di­seases and deformities, are truly saied to belong to the bodie, thei are rather maladies and deformities of the body [Page 55] then true members thereof. Where­fore the Churche of God, is well com­pared Math. xiij. to a nette, wherein is drawen al kinde of fishe: and so a fielde, wherein is founde bothe Kockle and Wheate. Here muste wee take deede, that wee iudge not to sone, that wee goe not a­bout we must not rashly iudge. to shutte out, to caste awaie, or to cutte of those, whō God will not haue caste out, or suche; as without losse to the Churche, we can not separate. Al­so we must watch, leste while the god­lie slepe, the wicked preuaile so muche that thei dooe some hurte to the church. Moreouer, wée diligentlie teache men to marke, wherein chieflie the truthe and vnitie of the Churche dooeth con­siste, leaste by our rashenesse, we raise The vnitie of churches stoudeth not in outwarde rytes. and maintaine some Schisme in the churche. It consisteth not in Ceremo­nies, and outward rites, but rather in truthe, & vnitie of the catholike faithe: Whiche catholike faith, is not taught vs in mannes Lawe, but in the diuine scriptures: a brief somme whereof, the Apostles Crede is. We haue redd, that emong the olde fathers, there was di­uersitie [Page] of rites, but so free for men to vse, or not to vse, that no man thought the vnitie of the churche to be broken, Ceremonies indifferent to be vsed or not to be vsed. by not obseruyng theim. We affirme therefore, that the true concorde of the churche standeth in doctrine, in the v­niforme preachyng of Christe his Go­pell, & in kepyng of those rites, whiche the Lorde euidently deliuered and cō ­maunded. wherin the vnitie of the church consi­steth. Phi. iii. Here chiefly we alledge the sentence of the Apostle, Let as many as bee perfecte, bee thus mynded, and if ye bee otherwise mynded, God shall reucale euē the same vnto you: neuer­thelesse, in that whervnto we are come lette vs procede by one rule, that wes maie mynde one thyng.

Of the ministers of the Churche, of the ma­king of them, and their offices. Chap. 18.

GOd, to assemble together, to ordaine, to gouerne, or God vseth ministers to the instructing of his churche. preserue his Churche, hath alwaies, and dooeth to this daie, & euer will, so long as the churche shall cōtinue on the yearth, vse the ser­uice of ministers. The first beginning [Page 56] then, and appointing of ministers and their function, is of greate antiquitie, beyng God his owne ordinaunce, not The original cause of the ministrie. any newe doctrine inuented by man­nes braine. God doubtles could by his own power, without any meane, ioine himself & his churche (whiche cōsisteth of menne) together. But he had rather deale with men, by the seruice of men. Wherfore ministers ought to be este­med, The ministe­rie ought not to be cōtēned not as ministers onely, but as Gods ministers: for because by theim, God worketh mens saluaciō. Wher­fore, we warne men to take hede, that thei dooe not in suche sorte attribute those thynges, to the secrete woorkyng of the holie Ghoste, whiche belonge to our conuersion and instruction, that thereby the ministerie of the Churche bee abased. For it is meete that wee should alwaies bée mindfull of the A­postles woordes: How shall thei beleue Rom. x. in hym, of whom thei haue not heard? And howe shall thei heare, without a Preacher? Then faithe is by the hearing, and hearyng by the [...] of GOD. Neither should [...] forgette [...] his [Page] [...] [Page 56] [...] [Page] saiyng in the Gospell: Verely, verely, I saie vnto you, he that receiueth, whō soeuer Ihon. xiii. I shal sende, receiueth me: and he that receiueth me, receiueth hym that sente me. Wee ought also to re­member, Iohn. vi. what the man of Macedonie apperyng in a vision to Paule, beyng in Asia, counsailed hym to do, saiyng: Take thy iourney into Macedonie, & i. Cor. i. come & helpe vs. For in an other place the saied Apostle writeth: Wee toge­ther To muche ought not to be attributed to ministers. are God his laborers, ye are gods housbandrie, and Gods buildyng. A­gaine on the other side: We must be­ware, that wée attribute not to muche to ministers, or to the ministerie, re­membryng the Lordes woordes: No i. Cor. iii. manne cometh to me, except my father drawe hym. And the Apostles saiyng; Who is Paule then, and who is Apol­lo, but the ministers, by whom ye be­leued? And as the Lord gaue to euery man: I haue planted, Apollo watered, but God gaue the increase. So then, neither is he that planteth any thyng, neither he that watereth, but GOD that geueth the increase. Let vs there­fore [Page 57] beleue, that God doeth teache vs in his worde, outwardlie by his mini­sters, Howe God doth teache, & howe ministers. but inwardly he moueth the har­tes of his electe, to Faithe by the holie ghoste: And therefore wee ought to re­ferre all the glorie of this benefite to God. But of this matter, we haue spo­ken in the firste chapiter of this decla­racion: Verely, God hath vsed frō the what kynde of preachers god hath al­wayes sent. beginning of the world, the beste men of all (albeit many of them were sim­ple in worldlye wisedome and phi­losopie, yet passing other in the know­lege of true diuinitie) as the Patriar­kes, Patriarches with whome God talked ofte ti­mes by his Angels: For the Patriar­kes were Prophettes, or Teachers in their tyme, whō God would haue liue twoo or three mennes liues, to thende that they might be as it wer fathers, & lightes of the worlde. Moises and the Prophettes followed them, who were most famous throughout al ye worlde: What neede I to rehearse, that after them our heauēly father, sent his only begotten sonne, a most perfect teacher of the worlde: In whom was hid that [Page] diuine wisedom, which he deriued vn­to vs, by ye preaching of his most holy, plain, and of all other most perfecte do­ctrine. For he chose to hym Disciples, whom he made Apostles, who goyng out into all the quarters of the world, assembled euery where congregaciōs, by the preachyng of the Gospell: then in all Churches thei ordeined, by gods commaundemente, pastours and tea­chers, by whose successours he hath to this daie, instructed and gouerned his Churche. As therefore God sent to his people in the olde tyme Patriarkes, Moises, and the Prophetes, so to those to whom he hath geuen his newe Te­stamente, he hath sent his onely begot­ten sonne, with Apostles, and Doctors of the Churche. Furthermore, the mi­nisters of the newe Testament, be cal­led The names of ministers. i. Cor. xii. Ephe. iiii. by sundrie names: For thei are called Apostles, Prophetes, Euāgelistes, Bisshops, Elders, Pastours and doc­tours. The Apostles remained in no one certaine place, but gathered sun­drie Apostles. Churches throughout the worlde, whiche when thei had now dooen, thei [Page 58] were no longer to be called Apostles, but eche man became a Pastour in his owne churche. The prophetes in time Prophetes. paste, foreseyng thynges to come, were called Seers, who were expounders of the scriptures also, as some be euen now adaies. Euangelistes were wri­ters Euāgelistes. of the historie of the Gospell, and preachers also of the glad tidynges of Christe his Gospell: As Paule bidde Timothe, doe the worke of an Euan­geliste. Bisshops are superintenden­dentes, Byshopps. and watchemen of the church, whiche geue to it sustenaūce, and pro­uide for all necessaries. Elders are aū ­cientes, and as it were Senators, and Elders. fathers of the Churche, gouernyng it with wholsome counsaile. Pastours Pastours. doe bothe keepe the Shepefolde of the Lord, and prouide for thynges neces­sarie. Doctors dooe teache and preache the true faith, and vnfained godlines. Doctors. Wée maie therefore now call the mi­nisters of the Churche, Bishops, El­ders, Pastours, and Doctors.

Afterwarde in processe of tyme, the Popishe or­ders. ministers of the Churche had many o­ther [Page] names: For some wer made Pa­triarkes, som Archbishops, some Suf­fragans, also Metropolitans, Arche­deacons, Deacons, Subdeacons, Bē ­nettes and Collettes, Crorcistes, Sin­gers, Dorekepers, and I wotte not what, as Cardinalles, Prouestes and Priers, Fathers minores & maiores: But we passe for none of those orders, neither what ones thei wer, nor what now thei be. The doctrine of the Apo­stles, concernyng ministers, is suffici­ent for vs.

In like maner, seing that we knowe assuredlie, that Monkes and their or­ders, Monkes. were ordained neither of Christ, nor his Apostles. We teache that thei nothyng profite, naye, that thei dooe muche harme to the Churche: For al­though in tyme paste (when thei were solitarie, and gatte their liuyng with their handes, and were a burthen to none, but in all places obeied the mi­nisters of Churches, as laye menne did) thei were to be tollerated, yet now what thei are, all the worlde espieth & perceiueth. Thei adioyne to their or­ders, [Page 59] I knowe not what vowes, and lead a life cleane contrary to their vo­ues. So that the verie beste of theim, maie be nombred emong those, of whō thapostle spake. ij. Thes. iij. We heare that there are some, whiche walke e­mong you inordinatly, and worke not at al, but are busie bodies. Such there­fore in our Churches, we neither haue neither by our doctrine ought to suffer in Christe his Churche.

But no manne ought to vsurpe the honour of the ministerie of the church: Ministers should be cal­led & chosen to that office. that is to saie, by briberie, or crafte, or by his owne arbitriment, to take vpō hym their offices: Let them bée called and chosen, by the lawfull election of the Churche: that is to witte, let them be chosen with aduisement, by the cō ­gregacion, or by those, whiche are ap­poincted to that office in the Churche, and that orderly, without trouble, se­dicion, or contencion. But let not eue­ry man, without regard be chosen, but onely méete menne, of sufficient godlie Howe should be chosen to the ministe­rie. learnyng, of godlie vtteraunce, and wisedome ioigned with simplicitie: To [Page] be short, suche as are famous for their modestie, and honest life, accordyng to the Cannon of the Apostle, made by the Apostle. i. Tim. iij. and Ti. j. And let suche as are chosen, be made of the Elders with publike praier, and lai­yng on of handes. Here we condemne all those, who of their owne accorde, thruste themselues into the ministerie not beynge chosen, sent, or ordained: We cōdēne all vnmete ministers, not vninete mi­nisters. indued wt giftes, necessarie for a shep­herd, that should fede his flocke: Howbeit we acknowledge, that the harm­lesse simplicitie of some shepherdes in the olde churche, did some tymes more profite the Churche, then the greate, exquisite, and fine or delicate, but a lit­tle to proude learning of some others. Wherfore we reiecte not now adaies the good simplicitie of certaine, so that thei bee not altogether vnskilfull of God and his worde. Christe his Apo­stles called all those, that beleued in Christe, Priestes, but not in respecte of Priestes. the ministerie, but because through Christe, all the faithfull (beyng made [Page 60] Kynges and Priestes) maie offer spiri­tuall sacrifices to God. There is then a greate diuersitie betwene Priesthod A difference betwen preist hode and mi­nisterie. and the ministerie. For Priesthode is common to all Christians, as euē now wee declared: the ministerie is not so. Neither haue wée cleane taken awaie the ministerie of the Churche, when we cast the Popish Priestehode out of Christe his Chuche. Truelie in the newe Testamente of Christe, there is no lenger any suche priesthod, as was in the olde Testament, whiche had an outwarde annointyng, holie garmen­tes, and verie many Ceremonies, that were figures of Christe: and no mar­uell, sithens that Christ fulfillyng thē all, at his comyng abolished them. He therefore alone remaineth a prieste foreuer, from whom least we withdrawe any thyng, that is proper to hym, wee call no minister by the name of priest. For our Lorde hymself ordained not, Christ made no priestes: but Ministers. any priestes of the news Testamente in his Churche, who beyng aucthori­zed of ye Suffragane, might offer daie­lie [Page] Sacrifice, I meane the verie fleshe and bloud of the Lorde, for the quicke and the dedde: But he ordained suche as should teache the people, and mini­ster his Sacramētes. For Paule sim­plie and brieflie declaryng, what wee ought to thinke of the ministers of the newe Testamente, or of the Christian churche, and how we ought to esteme theim, saieth: Let men so thinke of vs, as of the ministers of Christe, and di­sposers of the secretes of God. There­fore i. Cor. iiii. the Apostle would, that we iudge of ministers none otherwise, then as of ministers. He verely hath called mi­nisters vnderrowers, who haue yte onely to the shipmaister, & men not li­uyng to pleace them selues, and to doe what them liste, but apoincted to plea­sure others, that is to saie, their mai­sters, at whose commaundement only thei be. For a minister of the churche, in all thinges belongyng to his office, is bidde not to please his owne fan­tasie, but to doe that onely, whiche his maister cōmaundeth him. And in the [Page 61] saied Chapiter, it is expressed: Who i. Cor. iiii. is the Lord or maister, euen Christ, to whom ministers are bounde as ser­uauntes, to do all businesse belonging to the ministerie: be addeth further, to declare more plainlie, what the mini­sterie is, that thei are bailifes or dispo­sers of gods misteries: Whiche mi­steries are called in many places) chef­ly Ephe. iij) the gospel of Christ, as in olde tyme. Christe his Sacramentes, why they are called mini­sters. were called misteries: wherefore thei are named ministers of the Churche, bicause thei should preache the Gospel of Christ to the faithfull, and minister the Sacramentes. In an other place Luke. xii. of the Gospell we reade, of a faithfull and wise seruaunte, whom his Lorde appoincted ouerseer of his household, to geue meate to theim in due season. Againe wée reade, that a man takyng his iourney into a farre countrey, cō ­mitted the gouermente of his house, to his seruauntes, and gaue them aucto­ritie to ouersee his gooddes, and ap­poincted euery man his woorke.

Here haue wée occasion ministered, [Page] to speake somewhat of the aucthoritie and office of churche ministers: wher­in The auctori­tie of mini­sters. some haue with muche labour dis­puted, and haue made subiecte vnto their power, all the chiefest thinges in the yearth, cleane contrary to the com­maundemente of the Lorde, whiche forbad his disciples, to striue for chiefe rule, and highlie commended humili­tie. Luke. xxii. Mat. 18. 20. In déede there is an absolute auc­thoritie, whiche is called Iuris, auctho­ritie by right of prescripcion, whereby The true au­ctoritie and powre, God kepeth to him selfe. Math. 28. Apoc. ii. iii. all thynges are subiecte, to Christe the Lorde of all, as he testifieth, saiyng: Power is geuen to me in heauen and in yearth: And againe, I am the firste and the laste, beholde I liue worlde without ende, and haue the Keyes of hell and of death. Also, he hath the keis of Dauid, whiche openeth, and no mā shutteth, shutteth and no manne ope­neth. This power the Lorde kepeth to himself, and geueth to none other, that he might stande idley, beholdyng his ministers, while thei doe woorke. For Esaie writeth, I will laye vpon his Esa. 9. 22. shoulder, the keye of the house of Da­uid. [Page 62] And againe, whose rule shall re­maine vpon his shoulders: but he re­serueth, and still vseth his power, ru­lyng all. Moreouer, there is an other power, belongyng to the office or mi­nisterie, what powre god geueth to ministers. limited of hym, who hath full and absolute aucthoritie, that power is rather to be likened to seruice, then to rule. For some lorde geueth to his ste­ward, power ouer his house, and ther­withal A pretie si­militude. he geueth his keies also, wher­with he maie let in or shutte out of the house, whom the Lorde will, either to be lette in, or shutte out. Accordyng to this power, the minister dooeth by his office, that whiche he is commaunded to doe of his Lorde, who ratifieth and alloweth his dooynges, and will haue his ministers deede, to be estemed and acknowledged as his owne. And this is the meanyng of those sentences in the Gospell, I will geue thée the keies Math. xvi. of the kyngdome of heauen: what soe­uer thou shalt binde or lose in yearth, shal be bounde or loosed in heauen. Ihon. xx. Also whose synnes ye remitte, thei are remitted vnto theim, and whose [Page] synnes ye retaine, thei are retained. But excepte the minister shall doe all thynges, as he is commaunded of his Lorde, if he passe the limites of faithe, truely God disaloweth his dooynges. Therefore the Ecclesiastical power of Churche ministers, is that function, whereby ministers dooe in deede rule the Churche of God, but yet dooe all thinges therein, as the Lorde hath ap­poincted in his woorde: And beyng so dooen, the faithefull accompte then as doen of the lorde hymself. As touching the keyes, we haue spoken muche be­fore.

One equall power or functiō, is ge­uen to all ministers of the Churche. Equall po­wer is gyuen to the mini­sters. Doubtles in the beginnyng Bisshops or Elders, ruled the churche alike, one helping an other, none preferring him self before other, or vsurpyng greater aucthoritie or dominion, ouer their fe­lowe Bisshops. For thei were mynd­full of their maister his woordes: He that will emong you be chief, let hym be your seruaunte. Thei kepte theim selues in humilitie, and helped one an Luke. xxii. [Page 63] other in gouernyng, and preseruyng the Churche. Howbeit for order sake, Howe & whē one minister is preferred before other▪ some one appoincted of the ministers, sommoned their conuocacions, and in their assemblies, proposed thynges to bee deliberated vpon, gathered also o­ther mennes myndes, and to be short, did what in hym laye, to prouide that matters, should not be handled confu­sely, and without order. So wee reade that sainct Peter did in the Actes of the Apostles, who notwithstandyng, was not extolled aboue other, nor of grea­ter aucthoritie then the residewe. For right well Cyprian the martyre affir­meth, Cyprian. in his booke of the simplicitie of the Clergie: Such wer the other Apo­stles, as Peter was, of like felowship, of like honour and power: But the be­ginnyng betwene theim, procedeth of one vnitie; to the ende that wee maie knowe, that there is but one Churche. S. Ierome also writeth not muche vn­like Ierome. wordes, in his commentarie vpō the Epistle of Paule to Titus, saiyng: Before that by the Deuils intisemēt, there was strief in religion, Churches [Page] were gouerned by the common coun­saile of thelders: but after eche maner thought those, whom he baptised to bée his owne, and not Christes, it was de­créed, that one of the Elders should bée chosen, and preferred aboue the other, to whom all the care of the Churche, should appertain, and by whose wise­dome, all occasions of schismes might bée taken awaie. Yet Ierome boasteth not of this Decree, as though it were godlie, for immediately he addeth: As Elders knowe, by the custome of the Churche, that thei are subiecte to hym, who is their ouerseer, so let Bisshops knowe that thei, more by custome, thā by the Lordes ordinaunce, are in grea­ter auctoritie then the elders, and that the Churche ought to bee ruled in co­men by other, as well as by thē. Thus muche Ierome. Therefore no man by right maie lette vs to retourne, to that olde gouernement of God his church, and to receiue it before the custome of manne.

There are sundrie dueties belōging to ministers, whiche notwithstanding what the dueties of mini­sters are. [Page 64] for the most part, maie be restrained to twoo, wherein all other dueties are comprehended. The one is preachyng of Christe his Gospell: the other is mi­nisteryng the Sacramentes. For it is the ministers duetie, to assemble the holy congregacion, & in it to expounde the worde of God, and to applie all his doctrine, to the cōmoditie of his chur­che, that those thynges, whiche are taught, maie profitte the hearers, and edifie the faithful. It belongeth to mi­nisters, to teache the vnlearned, to ex­hort them, and to pricke forward those that geue ouer, or walke slowlie in the waie of the Lorde. It is also their par­tes, to comfort and confirme those, that are weake harted, to arme thē against the sunderie temptacions of Sathan, to rebuke sinners, to call into the right waie those, that goe a straie, to lift vp those that fall, to conuince gainsaiers, to driue Wolfes frō the lordes shepe­folde, to reproue synne and synners, with wisedome and grauitie, not to winke at, or to conceile wickednesse, to minister the Sacramentes, to com­mende [Page] the right vse of theim, and to prepare all menne with wholsome do­ctrine, to the worthie receiuyng ther­of, to kepe the faithfull in holie vnitie, to forbidde Schismes and Heresies, to instruct the rude, to declare to the con­gregacion the necessitie of the poore, to visite the sicke, and those that be trou­bled with sundrie temptacions, to in­forme and keepe theim in the waie of life: Furthermore, to prouide for pu­blike praier, in the tyme of necessitie, and for fasting, that is to saie, holie ab­stinence: and with all diligence to loke to all thynges, that belongeth to the trāquilitie, peace, and sauegard of the Churche. That the minister maie ac­complishe, all those thynges the better and with more ease, it is required chiefly that be feare God, praie earnestlie, geue his mynde to the readyng of the scripture: In all thynges bee alwaies watcheful, & shew a good example, to all other of purenes of life. And seyng that there ought to be discipline in the Discipline. Churche, and our auncitours vsed ex­communicaciō, and the people of God Excommu­nication. [Page 65] had Ecclesiasticall Indgementes, the whiche Discipline was exercised by wise and Godlye men: it hath also belonged to ministers, for better edi­fiynge, to measure this discipline as the time, the common state and neces­sitie required. Where alwaies this rule is to be kepte, that all thynges ought to doen to edifie, comely, decētly, honestly, or without tyrānie or sediciō. For tha postle witnesseth, that he had ii. Cor. x. power geuen hym in the Churche of God to edifie, and not to destroie. The Lorde hymself saieth, that the Darnell Math. xiii. in the Lorde his lande, should not bee rooted out, whē there is daunger, least the Wheate also be plucked vp there­withall.

But wee deteste the Donatistes er­rour, Ministers, albeit they be euill shoulde be hearde. who thincke preachyng and mi­nisterynge the Sacramentes, to bée of efficacie and vertue, or not of effica­cie, accordyng to the good or euill life of ministers. For we knowe that the voice of Christ is to be beard euen out of the mouthe of euill ministers, seing the Lord himself hath saied: What so­euer [Page] thei bid you obserue, that obserue and dooe, but after their workes dooe Math. xxiii not. We knowe that the Sacramen­tes, by the institucion, and by the wor­des of Christe bee sanctified, and are fruitefull to the godlie, although thei be offered of vnworthie ministers. Of this matter Augustine the blessed ser­uaunte of God reasoned muche, alle­gyng the scriptures againste the Do­natistes. But there muste bee also due discipline emong ministers: For dili­gent Disciplines for ministers. Synodes. inquisition must be made in Si­nodes, of ministers learnyng, and ma­ner of liuyng. Offenders ought to bée corrected of the Elders, and broughte into the right waie againe, if thei bee curable: Orels beyng paste amende­mente, thei should bée deposed, and as wolfes, thruste by true shepherdes out of the Lorde his flocke. For if thei bee false teachers, thei are in no wise to be suffered. Neither doe we disalowe ge­nerall Councels. counsailes, if thei be holden, ac­cording to the example of the Apostles, to saue, and not to destroie the church.

Furthermore al faithfull ministers [Page 66] as good workemen are worthy of their rewarde. Thei synne not then, when The true mi­nister is worthie his re­warde. thei take a stipēde, and all thinges ne­cessarie for them and their familie. For the Apostle declareth, that these thyn­ges are lawfully giuen of the churche, and receiued of the ministers, in. j. cor. ix. and j. Tim. v. & other places: wher­by the Anabaptistes are cōfuted, who disalowe and raile at those ministers, Anabapti­stes. that liue by their ministerie.

Of the Sacramentes of Christe his Churche. Chapi. 19.

GOd from the beginnyng annexed Sacramētes, or Sacrament. Sacramentall signes, to the preaching of his word For so plainely witnes­seth al the holie scripture. Sacramen­tes what sacra­ments are. are misticall signes, or holie Rites or Ceremonies, ordained by God hymself, consistyng in the woorde of God, in signes, and in thynges signified, whereby he kepeth in mannes memo­rie, and somtymes renewcth his large benefites bestowed vpon his churche. [Page] Wherby also he sealeth or assureth his promises, and sheweth outwardlie, & as it were laieth before our yies, those thynges to beholde, whiche inwardly he worketh in vs: yea, by thē he strēg­theneth and increaseth our faithe, by the holie ghoste, workyng in our har­tes. And to be short, by his Sacramē ­tes, he separateth vs frō all other peo­ple, from all other religions, consecra­tyng vs, and bindyng vs to hym onely and signifieth what he requireth of vs to bée dooen.

There are some Sacramētes of the old Testament, and other some belon­ging The Sacra­ments of the olde and new testament are not all one. to the people of the newe Testa­mente. The Sacramentes of the olde lawe: were Circumcision, the Pascall lambe, whiche was offred vp. For the whiche cause it is referred to the Sa­crifices, whiche were offered from the beginning of the worlde. The Sacra­mentes of the newe Testamente, are Baptisme, and the Lordes Supper. two Sacra­ments of the new testamēt Some recken seuen Sacramentes of the newe Testamente, of the whiche we acknowledge, Repentaunce, ma­kyng [Page 67] of Ministers, (yet not after the Popishe sorte, but accordyng to the A­postles maner) and Matrimonie to bée profitable ordinaunces of God, but no Sacramentes: Confirmacion, and ex­treme Vnction, or anelyng, are the in­uencions of man, whiche the Churche maie wāt, without any dōmage. Nei­ther vse we them in our churches. For thei haue some thynges, whiche we cā not allowe. We vtterly deteste all the marchaundice, whiche the Romistes practise, in dispensing for their Sacra­mentes. The aucthor of all Sacra­mentes The author of sacramēts is God. is not man, but God onely: Men can not institute Sacramentes, for they partaine to the seruice of God, and it belongeth not to mennes duetie, to inuent or make God his ser­uice, but to receiue & kepe that, whiche Note. is deliuered to thē of God. Moreouer, the Sacramentes haue promises an­nexed to theim, whiche require faithe: But faith resteth onely vpō the worde of God: and the worde of God is like­ned to tables or letters, the Sacramē ­tes An apte si­militude. to seales, wherewith GOD onely [Page] sealeth his letters. And as God is the aucthour of his Sacramentes, so con­tinually God wor­keth in his sacramentes. he worketh in that Churche, wherein the Sacramentes are right­ly ministered. So that the faithefull, whē thei receiue the Sacramentes of God his ministers, doe acknowledge that God doeth woorke in them, and therefore receiue the Sacramentes, as though it were at GOD his handes. Thei knowe also that the ministers viciousnes (if there bee any notorious sinne in them) hurteth not them, seing The Sacra­ment is not the worse for the ministers sinne. that thei confesse, that the worthinesse of the Sacramentes, depēde of the lor­des institucion. Wherefore thei make a manifeste difference, in the ministe­ryng of the Sacramētes, betwene the Lorde hymself, and the minister of the A difference betwene the auctor, & the minister of sacramentes. Lord, cōfessyng, that the thyngs ment by the Sacramentes (as grace, faithe, forgiuenes of sinnes in Christ &c.) are geuen by the Lorde hymselfe: but the figures (to wit water, bread, or wine) Christ is the chiefest thing to be conside­red in the sa­craments. bee deliuered theim by the handes of Gods ministers. Howbeit the cheifest thyng, that in all the Sacramentes is [Page 68] proposed of God, and taken hede vnto of all the godlie in all ages (whiche o­ther call the substaunce and matter of the Sacramentes) is Christe their sa­uior that onely sacrifice, and that lābe of God, whiche was slain from the be­ginnyng of the worlde, and that rocke whereof al our forefathers did drinke, by whom all the electe are Circumci­sed without handes, and by the holie Ghoste are washed from all their syn­nes, and are nourished with the true bodie and bloud of Christ, to life euer­lastyng.

And touchyng that, whiche is chie­feste wherin the sacraments of the newe and olde Testa­mēt are a like in the Sacrament, and the thing it self, the Sacramentes of bothe peo­ple are like. For Christe the onely me­diatour and Sauiour of the faithefull in the Sacramentes, bothe of the olde and newe Testamente, is that chiefe principall thyng, and the thyng it self, ment by the Sacrament. One and the self same God, is aucthour of theim in bothe. To bothe people thei were giuē as tokens, yea, as pledges of God his grace, & promises, whiche maie bryng [Page] into our remembraunce, and renewe his large benefites, whereby also the faithfull were separated, from al other religions of the worlde, whiche, to cō ­clude, were receiued Spiritually by faith, vnityng the Ceremonies to the Churche, and admonishyng theim of their duetie. In these, I saie, & the like the Sacramentes of bothe people, are not vnlike, although thei differ in si­gnes. But wee make a farre greater difference, in the Sacramētall signes. For our Sacramentes are stronger, and of longer duraunce, because to the worldes ende, thei shall neuer bee chaunged. Our Sacramētes witnesse that bothe the thyng, and the promes is alreadie fulfilled, and made perfecte in Christ, whiche the Sacramentes of the old lawe did signifie should be ful­filled. Also ours are more simple, lesse troublesome, of smaller coste, and not intangled with Ceremonies: belon­gyng to a mightier people, dispersed throughout the whole worlde: and se­yng thei be more excellente, and brede in vs a stronger faith by the working [Page 69] of the holie ghoste) there foloweth also more plentifull store of God his spirit, by the worthie receiuyng of them.

Verelie, seyng that Christe the true Christ abro­gatinge the old sacramēts gaue vs new Messias, is come in the fleshe, and she­wed to vs, and abundaunce of grace powred vppon the people of the newe Testamente, the Sacramentes of the old people, are abrogated, and the Sa­cramentes of the newe. Testamente, put in their places: In the sted of Cir­cumcision, Baptisme: In the place of the Paschal lambe and Sacrifices, the Lordes supper.

Againe, as in time paste, the Sacra­mentes Sacraments consiste in three things. did consiste of the woorde, the signe, and the thyng signified, so now also the self same thre partes, as it wer are required to the perfecte making of our Sacramentes. For by the woorde of God, thei are made that, whiche be­fore The worde. thei were not, that is to witte, Sa­cramētes: For they be consecrated by Consecratiō. the worde, and are declared to bée san­ctified of hym, whiche firste ordained them. To sāctifie or cōsecrate a thing, is to dedicate it to GOD, and to some [Page] holie vses: that is to saie, to separate it from commō and prophane vses, and appoincte it to some holie purpose. For in Sacramentes, the signes are made of suche thynges, as are commonly v­sed, [...]. Signes. of outwarde and visible thynges: As in Baptisme, the elemēt of water and the visible wasshyng, whiche wee sée the minister doeth, is the signe, but the thyng signified, is regeneraciō and washyng awaie of our synnes: In the supper of the Lorde, the signe, is bread and wine (which we commonlie vse in eatyng and drinkyng) but the thynge signified, is the verie bodie of Christe 3. The things signified. deliuered, and his bloud shedde for vs. Therefore water, breade and wine of their owne nature, not seruing to god his instituciō, and not put to any holie vse, are onely that, whiche thei are na­med to be, and we proue them to be by experience. Howbeit, if the woorde of the lorde bée added, with callyng vpon God his name, and with renewyng of the firste institucion, and sanctificaciō, these signes are cōsecrated, and decla­red to be sanctified of Christe. For still [Page 70] remaineth in the Churche, in his ver­tue and efficacie, that firste institucion of Christe, and consecracion of the sa­cramentes. So that he, whiche none otherwise celebrateth the Sacramen­tes, then the Lorde hymself at the first ordained, dooeth euen now enioye the fruites, of that moste excellente conse­cracion of all other; & therefore Christ his owne woordes are rehearsed in the celebracion of the Sacramentes. And bicause by the worde of God we lerne, that these signes are ordained of the lorde, for an other ende, then cōmonly thei are vsed for: therefore wée teache, that the signes beyng put to this holie The signes beare the na­mes of the thinges signified. vse, beare the names of the thinges si­gnified by theim, and are no more cal­led onely water, bread, and wine, but also regeneracion, or the wasshyng of renouacion, also the bodie and bloude of the Lorde, or sacramentes of the bo­die and bloude of Christ. Not, that the signes are chaunged, into the thynges signified, and that thei cease to be that, whiche thei are by their owne nature, (for then thei should not be Sacramē ­tes, [Page] nor signes, but onely the thynges signified) but therfore the signes beare the names of the thinges, because thei are misticall tokens of holie thynges, and the signes and thynges signified, are ioigned together sacramentallie: I saie thei are ioigned or vnited, by a misticall significacion, by the will and counsaille of hym, who ordained Sa­cramētes. For water, bread, and wine are not common, but holie signes: and be that instituted water of Baptisme, did not institute it, to the intent that the faithfull should bée wasshed with the water of Baptisme onely: And he that commaūded in his supper to eate bread, and drinke wine, ment not that the faithful should take the bread, and wine onely without a misterie, as thei eate breade at home in their houses, but also that they shoulde spiritual­ly, bee partakers of the thynges signi­fied, and be in déede by faithe, wasshed from their synnes, and fedde in Christ, through faithe.

Therfore we allowe not those, who attribute the sanctifiyng of the Sacra­mentes, Heresies. [Page 71] to, I knowe not what Carac­ters, and to the recityng; or to the ver­tue of woordes, promised of the conse­crater, or of him that hath an intent to consecrate, or els to accidentall thyn­ges, which are deliuered to vs, neither by woorde, nor by example of Christe, nor his Apostles. Nether dooe wée al­lowe their doctrine, who speake of the Sacramentes, as though thei wer cō ­mō signes, not signifiyng som weigh­tie matter, or not of greate vertue or efficacie. Neither allow we those, who so muche regard the inuisible thynges (ment by the Sacrament) that thei de­spise the visible thynges in the Sacra­mentes, beleuyng yt it is superfluous for them to receiue the signes, because thei imagine that thei enioie alreadie, the thinges ment by thē: Such hereti­kes the Messalians are named to bee. Neither doe we allowe their doctrine, who teache that grace, and the thyn­ges signified, are so tied to the signes, and encluded in them, that whosoeuer receiueth the signes outwardlie, bee partakers also (what maner of man so­euer [Page] he bee) of the inwarde grace, and spirituall thinges, signified by the Sa­cramentes.

Notwithstandyng, as wée dooe not ponder the worthinesse of the Sacra­mentes, The Sacra­ment is not the worse for the vitious­nes of the re­ceauer. by the worthinesse, or vnwor­thinesse of the ministers, so we compte theim not better or worse, for the ver­tue or vice of the receiuers. For we ac­knowledge, that the worthinesse of the Sacramentes, doe depende of faithe, and of the mere goodnes of God. For as the woorde of God remaineth, the true worde of God, wherein not one­ly the bare wordes are rehersed, while it is preached, but all thinges signified by the wordes, are offered of God: Al­beeit wicked and Infidelles, heare the wordes, and vnderstande them, but yet enioye not the thynges ment thereby, because thei receiue theim not, with a true faithe: Euen so, the Sacramen­tes consistyng in the worde, the signes and thynges signified, remaine true & perfect Sacramentes, not onely signi­fiyng holie thynges, but also (God of­feryng them) the thynges signified, al­thoughe [Page 72] vnbeleuers receiue not the thynges offered. This cometh to passe not through the defaulte of the geuer, or of God the offerer, but of men re­ceiuyng without faithe, and vnwor­thely. Whose incredulitie maketh not Roma. iii. the faith of God of none effect or force. Furthermore, seyng that in the begin­nyng, where it was declared, what sa­cramentes were, wée brieflie shewed, to what ende thei were instituted, wée neede not tediouslie to reporte that, whiche wee haue ones saied: It follo­weth therefore, that wee seuerallie treate of the Sacramentes of the new Testamente.

Of holie Baptisme. Chapi. 20.

BAptisme was firste inuen­ted, Christ ordai­ned baptisme. and sanctified of GOD Ihon beeyng the firste that baptised Christe with wa­ter, in the riuer of Iordane. Afterward this office was committed to the Apo­stles, who Baptised also with water: The Lorde in plaine woordes, com­maunded them to preache the Gospell Math. 28. Actes. ii. and to Baptise, In the name of the fa­ther, [Page] and of the sonne, and of the holy ghost. Peter also answered in the Ac­tes to the Iewes, demaundyng of him, Act. ii. what thei should doe: Let euery one of you bée baptised, in the name of Iesus Christe, for the remission of your syn­nes, and ye shall receiue the gift of the holie ghoste. Wherefore Baptisme is called of many, the firste signe of gods people, because by it his electe begin, to retaine to the liuyng Lorde. There is but one Baptisme in the Churche of God, wherewith it is sufficient once to be Christened: For Baptisme once One baptis­me. receiued, doeth indure all our life lōg, beyng a perpetuall sealyng of our ad­optiō. For to be Baptised in the name of Christ, is to be written, to be entred, what it is to be baptised. and receiued into the couenaunte and familie, yea and into the inheritaunce of God his children, yea euen now to be named, by the name of God: that is, to be called the child of God, to be pur­ged also from the dregges of our syn­nes, and to haue frely sundrie graces of God, to leade a newe and innocente life. Baptisme dooeth kéepe in memo­rie, [Page 73] and renewe God his benefites, be­stowed on mankinde. For wee all are borne in the filthines of sinne, and are the children of wrathe, but God who is riche in mercie, dooeth clense vs from oure sinnes frelie, by the bloud of his soonne, in whom he maketh vs by ad­opcion his soonnes, knitteth vs to him with an holie couenaunte, & enricheth vs with sundrie giftes, that wee maie be able to liue a newe life. Al these be­nefites are sealed with Baptisme: for inwardlie our soules and myndes are regenerate, purified, and made newe of GOD by the holie ghoste, but out­wardlie wee receiue, the seale of his large giftes in water, by the whiche those greate benefites are represented, and as it were, laied before our yies to beholde. Therefore wée are Baptised, that is, we are wasshed, and sprincke­led with visible water: For as water maketh cleane our filthe, doeth refresh we are bapti­sed with wa­ter. and coole our fainte and burnyng bo­dies, so the grace of God doeth purge our soules, from stinkyng synne, after an inuisible sorte, or spiritually. God [Page] also separateth vs by the Sacraments of Baptisme, from all other religions, and from all other people, and dooeth consecrate vs, a peculier people to him, and as his owne proper gooddes: whē therefore we are Christened, wée con­fesse what we are bonde to doe by baptisme. our faithe, and are bound to God to obeye hym, to mortifie our fleshe, and to leade a newe life, and are in­rolled in the holie roule of Christe his souldiers, to fight all the daies of our life againste the worlde, Sathan, and our owne fleshe. We are Baptised al­so into one bodie of the Churche, that we maie well agrée with al the mem­bers thereof, in one Religion, dooyng one for another.

We beleue that the maner of Bap­tisme, whereby Christe hym self was The forme of baptismge. Baptised, and his Apostles did Bap­tise, is moste perfect: Wherfore, what soeuer was after, by mannes inuenci­on, added and vsed in the Churche, we thinke not to be necessarie, to the per­fection of Baptisme: As the coniura­cion, Popish bapt. the vse of burning lightes, of oile of Salte, of spittle, and the like, with [Page 74] this custome to cōsecrate twise in the yere Baptisme. For wee beleue, that one Baptisme of the churche, in Gods firste Institucion was sanctified, and consecrated by his worde, and is now also of efficacie and vertue, by reason of that firste blessyng of God.

We teache that women, or midwi­ues, wemē should not baptise. ought not to Baptise in the chur­che: For Paule secludeth women frō Ecclestasticall offices: but Baptisme partaineth to Ecclesiasticall dueties. We condemne the Anabaptistes, who Heresies. deny that yong children newly borne, ought to bee Baptised of the faithfull, accordyng to the doctrine of the Gos­pell. The kyngdome of God belon­geth to children: And séeyng thei are included in God his couenaunte, why should not the signe of the couenaunte be giuen to them. Wée condemne the Anabaptistes, in other poinctes also of their doctrine, whiche thei alone holde particulerlie, and defende against the worde of God. We are not then Ana­baptistes, neither dooe wée take parte with them, in any matter of theirs.

Of the holy Supper of the Lord Chap. 21.

THe Supper of the Lorde, whiche is also called the ta­ble of the Lorde, & the Eu­chariste, that is thankes ge­uinge, is therfore cōmonly named a Supper, because it was instituted of Christ in his last Supper, and nowe representeth the same, the faithful spi­ritually fedynge and drinkynge in it: for the aucthor of ye Lord his Supper is The aucthor of the Lords Supper. not any Angell or man, but the sonne of GOD him selfe our Lorde Iesus Christe, who firste consecrated it for his Churche: that consecration & bles­singe dureth as yet, amonge all those that celebrat none other Supper, but the selfe same, whiche the Lord insti­tuted, recitynge his wordes, and in al thinges looking on Christ only with a true faith, of whose handes as it were, they receaue that, which they take by It is a re­membraunce of gods bene­fites. the seruice of the ministers of ye chur­che. The Lorde wyll kepe by this ho­ly Sacramente in freshe remembrāce his chiefeste benefite bestowed vppon [Page 57] mākynde, namely, that when he gaue his bodie to be betraied, and his bloud to be shedde, he forgaue vs all our sin­nes, and redemed vs from eternall death: and from the power of the De­uill, and now fedeth vs with his flesh, and giueth vs his bloudde to drincke, whiche, beyng with a true faithe, spi­ritually receiued, nourisheth vs to life euerlastyng. And this so greate a be­nefite is renewed so ofte, as the supper of the Lorde is celebrated. For he said, dooe this in the remembraunce of me. It is also confirmed vnto vs, in this Supper (leaste wee should wauer in faithe) that the Lordes bodie in deede, was deliuered for vs, and his bloude shedde for the remission of our sinnes. And truely that to the outwarde yies, is by the minister, represented in the Sacramente, and as it were laied be­fore our face, which inwardly is doen after an inuisible sorte, by the holie ghoste: Outwardlie, breade is offered by the minister, & the wordes of Christ The signe & the thinge si­gnified. are heard, Take, eate, this is my body, take deuide it betwixt you, Drinke ye [Page] all of this, this is my bloud. Therfore the faithfull taketh that, whiche is of­fred what the faithfull re­ceaue. by the lordes minister: Thei eate the Lorde his bread, and drinke of the Lordes Cuppe, but inwardlie, by the helpe of Christ, through the holy ghost thei receiue the fleshe also, & the bloud of the Lorde, and are fedde with them, to life euerlastyng. For the fleshe and bloud of Christ, is true meate & drinke to eternall life. And Christe hym self in that he was deliuered for our sakes and is our sauiour, is that principall chiefe thyng of the supper, neither suf­fer we any other thyng to be put in his stede. But that it maie the better, and more plainly bee perceiued, how the Howe the fleshe & blode of Christe is meat & drīke indede. fleshe and bloud of Christ, is the meate and drinke of the faithfull, receiued of them to life euerlasting, we will adde these fewe woordes. There bee diuers kindes of eating: For there is a bodily eatyng, whereby meate is receiued in­to mannes mouth, is chewed with the Two kindes of Eatinge with the bo­delie mouth. tethe, and swallowed into the beailie. After this kind of eatyng, the Caper­nites in tyme paste vnderstoode, that [Page 76] thei should eate the Lorde his fleshe. But thei are confuted by Christe hym Heresies. self: For Christe his fleshe can not bée eaten corporally, without an heinous Aug. de doct. Christ. & cruell acte. It is not then meate for the beallie, as al menne are cōpelled to confesse. We disalowe the Popes Ca­nons, in the decrees of the bisshops of Rome. Ego Berēgarius, de cōse. dist. 2. For neither the godlie in tyme passe, nor wée doe now beleue, that Christe his bodie is eaten, with the mouthe of the bodie, corporallie, or essenciallie. There is also a spirituall eatyng of Christ his bodie, not that, wherby we Christe his bodie is not eaten with the bodelye mouth. 2. A spiritual eatinge by fayth. thinke, that the verie meate is chaun­ged into the spirite, but whereby (the bodie and bloud of the Lorde, kéepyng still their essence and propertie) we re­ceiue theim, not after a corporal, but after a spirituall sorte, by the working of the holie ghoste, who doeth bestowe vpon vs those giftes, whiche wer pur­chased by the flesh and blud of Christ, who was deliuered, and put to death for vs, grauntyng vs remission of our synnes, deliueraunce from Sathan, [Page] and life euerlastyng, so that Christe li­ueth in vs, and we in him. For he brin­geth it to passe, that wee receiue hym Christ is spi­rituall meate and drinke. with a true faithe, and that he is spiri­tuall meate and drincke to vs, that is to saie, our life. For as bodilye meate and drincke, dooeth not onely refreshe and strengthē our bodies, but also pre­serueth our life: so the fleshe of Christ betraied for vs, and his bloude shedde for our sakes, dooe not onely refreshe and strengthen our soules, but also preserueth them a liue, not in that thei are corporally eaten or dronken, but in that thei are giuen vnto vs, by the spi­rite of God, spiritually, accordyng to ye Lord his saiyng: The bread, which I wil giue, is my flesh, which I wil giue for the life of the worlde: Also the flesh, that is corporallie eaten, profiteth no­thing. It is the spirit that quickeneth: and the wordes whiche I speake vnto you, are spirite and life. Now as wée muste in eatyng, swallowe doune the meate into our stomackes, that it may inwardlie worke, & shewe his strength in vs, wheras beyng put without our [Page 77] bodies, it doeth vs no good: Euen so is it necessarie, that we receiue Christ by faithe, that he maie be made ours, and he liue in vs, and wee in hym. For he saieth, I am the breade of life, he that commeth to me shall not hunger, and he that beleueth in me, shall neuer thirste: And againe, he that shall eate me, he shall also liue through me, and abide in me, and I in hym. By this it is manifeste, that we vnderstande not, by spiritual meate, I knowe not what maner of imagined meate, but the self The recei­uing of christ his bodie. same bodie of the Lorde, whiche was crucified for vs, whiche notwithstan­dyng is receiued of the faithefull, not bodilie, but spiritually by faithe. And in this matter wée followe in all poin­tes, the doctrine of our sauiour Iesus Christ, whiche he taught. This eating Ihon. vi. what eating of Christe is necessarie to saluation. of the fleshe, and drinkyng of the bloud of the Lorde, is so necessarie to salua­cion, that without it, no manne can be saued. Wée maie also eate and drinke A spirituall eatynge of Christ, with out the Sa­mentes. spirituallie, the bodie and bloode of Christe, although wee receiue not the supper of the Lorde, as ofte as wée be­leue [Page] in Christe. To this ende parhaps belongeth that saiyng of Augustine: Note. Aug. Why preparest thou thy tethe & bea­lie? Beleue and thou haste eaten.

Beside the former spirituall eating, A sacramen­tall eatinge of Christe. there is also a Sacramental eating of the Lordes bodie, whereby the fayth­full is not onelye spiritually and in­wardly made partaker of the true bo­die and bloode of the Lorde, but out­wardly also by comming to the Lords table, receaueth the visible Sacramēt of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde. When the faithful beleued, he recea­ceaued quicknyng nourishmēt before, whiche he still enioyeth, & therefore when nowe he receaueth the Sacra­ment, he receaueth therwith muche norishment to his soule. For he conti­nueth in continuall receauinge of the Lorde his bodie, & bloud: In so much Faithfull re­ceauers re­ceaue not the sacramentes onelye, but Christ also. that his faith is more and more kind­led, increased and with spirituall fode refreshed. For, while we liue, fayth continually increaseth in vs. And he that outwardlie receaueth the Sacra­mentes with a true faith, euen he re­ceiueth [Page 78] not the signe onely, but enioy­eth the thynge it self also, ment by the Sacramēt, as we haue declared. Fur­thermore, he obeieth the Lorde his in­stitucion and commaundemente, and with a cherefull harte giueth thankes, for his and all mankindes redēption, remembryng faithefullie the Lordes death, and witnessyng the same before the churche, of whose bodie he is a mē ­ber. It is confirmed or sealed also, to theim that receiue the Sacramentes, that the bodie of Christ was betraied, and his bloud shedde, not onely gene­rally for men, but also particulerly for euery faithfull receiuer, whose meate Note. and drinke it is, to life euerlastyng.

But he that without faithe, cometh to the holie Table of the Lorde, recei­ueth Vnfaithfull receauers re­ceaue but the bare signes. the Sacramente onely, and not the thyng mente by the Sacramente, whereby commeth life and saluacion: and suche eate vnworthely of the lorde his table. Now thei that eate vnwor­thely Vnworthie receauers. of the Lordes breade, and drinke of his Cuppe vnworthely, are giltie of the bodie and bloude of the Lorde, ea­tyng [Page] and drinkyng their owne dam­nacion. For when thei come not with a true faithe, thei doe slaūder, and like vilaines despise the death of Christe, and therefore eate and drincke their owne damnacion.

Wherefore wée dooe not so knitte Christe his presence in his Supper. and ioigne together, the Lords his bo­die and blood, with the bread and wine, that we affirme the bread to be the bo­die of Christe, but after a Sacramen­tall maner. Neither saie wee, that the bodie of Christe lieth hidden corporal­ly, Heresies. vnder the breade, or that it oughte vnder the forme of breade to bee wor­shipped, or that who soeuer receiueth the signe, he also receiueth the thyng it self. The bodie of Christ is in heauen, on the right hande of his father: Wee must therefore lifte vp our hartes, and not fire & set our mindes on the bread. Neither ought wee to worshippe the Lorde in the breade, and yet the Lords is not absent from his churche, when it celebrateth his supper. The soonne beyng absente from vs, and runnyng Note this si­militude. his race in the firmament, is notwith­standyng [Page 79] present emong vs by his vertue: How muche more Christe, the soonne of rightuousnesse, beyng absent from vs, touchyng his bodie, whiche is in heauen, is present with vs, not bodily but spirituallie, by his liuely working in vs: And as he hath declared, that he would be presente with vs in his laste supper. Ihon. xiiij. xv. xvj. Whereby it foloweth, that we haue no supper with out Christe, yet that we haue a misti­call Supper, without bloudshed, euen as our aunciēt fathers haue termed it.

We are also admonished, in the ce­lebracion Other endes of the Lords Supper. of the Lordes supper, to bee mindfull of whose bodie we are made mēbers, & in cōsideracion thereof, to a­gree with all our brethren, to liue an holie life, and not to defile our selues with wickednesse, and straunge religi­ons, but to continue in true faithe, to the ende of our life, to indeuer to excel in holinesse of liuyng. It is mete ther­fore, A preparyng of our selues before we come to receauinge of the lords supper. that mindyng to come to the sup­per, we first trie our selues, accordyng to the Apostles commaūdement, chief­ly of what faithe we are, whether wée [Page] beleue that Christ is come to saue sin­ners, and to call them to repentaunce: and whether eche man beleue, that he is one of that nomber, who beyng de­liuered by Christe, is saued throughe him: and whether he haue determined to amende his synfull life, and to liue godlie, to continue, by Gods helpe, in true Religion, in concorde with their The beste kinde of cele­brating christ his Supper. brethren, and to giue God hartie thā ­kes, for their deliueraunce. &c. Wee iudge that to be the plainest and beste maner or waie, of celebratyng the lord his Supper, whiche cometh nereste to Christ his institucion, and the doctrine of the Apostles: that is to witte, which consisteth in declaryng or preachyng God his woorde, in Godlie praiers, in imitatyng Christe his doynges, in ea­tyng the bodie, and drinkyng the blood of the Lorde, also in the fruictfull re­membraunce of his death, in saithfull The supper of the Lorde should be celebrated in both kindes. thankes giuyng, ioinyng them selues in Godlie felowship, to ye vnitie of the bodie of the Churche. Wee disalowe therefore those, whiche haue taken frō the faithfull, the one kind, I meane the [Page 80] Cuppe of the Lorde. For thei offende greuouslie againste Christe his Insti­tucion, who saied, Drinke ye al of this, whiche commaundement he gaue, not so expreslie of the bread.

What the Masse was in tyme past, The Masse. emong our forfathers, whether it wer to be suffred now, wée dispute not: but this we frelie affirme, that the Masse, which is now vsed; in all the churches of Rome, is banished out of our chur­ches, for sundrie and moste iuste cau­ses. Truely we could not allowe it, bi­cause it was made a vain sight or spec­tacle, why ye masse is not to be allowed. of a profitable action, bicause it was compted meritorious, bicause it was saied for money, for siluer & gold, bicause in it the Prieste is affirmed, to make the Lordes bodie, and to offer it really, for the remission of sinnes, both of the quicke and the dedde, and also bicause it is saied, For the honor, wor­ship, and remembraunce of the sainc­tes in heauen.

Of the holye and ecclesiasticall assemblies or commynge to the Churche. Chap. 22.

[Page] ALthoughe it be lawfull for all men to reade the holye scriptu­res what ought to be done in holye assem­blies. priuatlye at home, and to instructe or edifie one an other in true religion, yet holy congregations and metings together in churches is very necessarie, to thende that gods words maye be soundly preached to the peo­ple, that prayers & supplications maie be made publikely, the Sacramentes rightlye ministred, and almes ga­thered for the poore and other necessa­rie charges and expenses of the Chur­che. For it is euidēt in the apostolike & primitiue church, that there were such assemblies frequented of all the god­lye. Who soeuer dispise these congre­gations Refrainers from the churche. & witholde them selues frō them, contemne true religion, and ought to bee compelled by the mini­sters and godlie magistrates to seuer them selues no more so stubbernelye from faithfull people assembled in the churche. Let their metinges in the churche be, not secret, but publike, and ofte, excepte persecution and the cruell enemies of the Christian con­gregation [Page 81] wyll not suffer it. For we knowe, what maner of assemblies there were in time paste in the primi­tiue The place of their assem­blies. churche, in hidden and secret pla­ces, during the tyranny of the princes of Rome. Let also the places, wher the faithful mete together, be honeste and in al pointes conuenient for the chur­che of God. Let the Churches therfore be large, yet suche as are clensed from all those thynges, that become not the Churche. Let all thinges be furnished comelie, and as necessitie and Godlie honestie requireth. Lette nothyng bee lacking, requisite for necessarie vses of the Churche. But as wée beleue, that God dwelleth not in Temples made with handes, so we are not ignoraunt that places dedicated to God, for the worshipping of him, are not prophane but holie: & that thei, whiche be therin ought to vse theim selues reuerentlie we shuld vse our selues modestly in the Churche. and modestly, bicause thei are in an ho­lie place, before the sighte of God, and all his blessed Angels. Wherefore all excesse of apparell, all pride, and all Deckinge of Temples. thynges, whiche become not Christi­an [Page] humilitie, discipline, and modestie, oughte farre to bee remoued from the Churche, and places of praier. The true deckyng of Temples, consisteth not in Iuerie, in Golde, and precious stones, but in the honeste behauiour, godlie loue, and vertue of theim, who are in the Temple. Let all thynges bée dooen in the Churche comelie and orderlie: to bee shorte, to edifie. Let all straunge language ceasse in holy con­gregacions, and let al seruice be saied Seruice should not be sayed in a strāge tonge. in the vulgare tongue, and in suche language, as the people in that place vnderstandeth.

Of praiers in the Churche, of synging, and Canonicall howres. Chapit. 23.

IT is lawful, doubtles, to pray To praye in the mother tonge. priuatlie in any tōgue which thou vnderstandeste, but pu­blike praiers in the Churche, ought to be in the mother tongue. Lette all the praiers of the faithfull bee made with faithe, and loue to God, onely in Christ To whome we shoulde praye and in whose name. his name aboue. The Priesthoode of Christe our Lorde, and of true religi­on, [Page 82] forbiddeth vs to call vpon the sain­ctes in heauen, as our intercessours: Sainctes muste not be prayed to. Wee ought to praie for Magistrates, for Kynges, and all that be put in au­cthoritie, for the ministers of the chur­che, For whome we shoulde praye, when. and all thynges necessarie for the same. In all miseries of the Churche, especially wee ought to praie, without ceasyng, bothe priuatlie and publike­lie. Wée muste also praie of our owne wherfore, accorde, not by compulsion, or for any rewarde. Neither is it mete, that pra­yer where. should bée supersticiouslie tied to a place, as though wee mighte praie no where els, but in the churche. Neither Howe. is it requisite, that common praiers be like in al churches, touching the forme or fashion, or tyme. Let eche Churche dooe in that behalfe, as thei liste. As Socrates in his historie saieth: In no Socrates. Note. place or religion, thou shalt finde twoo Churches, whiche fullie agrée in prai­yng. I suppose that thei, who wer ru­lers of the Churches, frō tyme to time were the causes of suche difference. Howbeeit if thei agree, it is highlie to bée commended, and ought to bée imi­tated [Page] of other.

But it is well that there be a meant A meant in prayer. as in euery thing, so in common praier also, that thei bee not to long, or to te­dious. Let the chiefeste parte therfore of the seruice in the Churche, be prea­ching, and expoundyng of the Gospel, Preachinge. with prouision that the people bee not wearied, with too long praiers: leaste when the sermon should be heard, thei beyng wearied, desire either to go out of the Churche, or wishe that all were doen: To suche, that sermon semeth to lōg, which otherwise is short inough. The preachers also ought to keepe a meane. In like maner where singyng is vsed, it must bée moderated, and not Singynge. excede a meane. The singyng, whiche thei call Gregories singing, hath ma­ny thynges in it, without time or rea­son: Gregories singyng. Wherefore our Churches, and di­uers other, haue worthely reiected it. If there bee any Churches, wherein there is faithefull and lawfull praier, without singyng, thei ought not to be disalowed. For all churches are not a­ble to maintain singing in them: And [Page 83] it is moste euidente, by testimonies of great antiquitie, that as singyng was vsed of old, in the Oriētall Churches, so it was lately receiued into the Oc­cidentall Churches. Our forefathers neuer knewe their Cannonicall hou­res: Canonicall howres disa­lowed. that is to saie, praiers appoincted for certaine houres in the daie, whiche Papistes syng and saie: As maie bee proued by the Lessons of the houres, and by sundrie other argumētes. But to vse fewe woordes, thei are stuffed with many absurdities: wherfore thei bee well omitted, and other thynges more profitable for all Gods Churche, put in their places.

Of holie daies, faslyng and choise or diffe­rence of meates. Chapiter. 24.

ALbeit Religion is tied to no tyme, yet cannot it be planted or exercised, without conue­niente Times apointed to come to churche. diuidyng, and appoinctyng of tyme. Euery Churche therefore, hath chosen a certaine time for publike pra­yer, for preaching the Gospell, and ce­lebratyng the Sacramētes. Eche mā [Page] may not breake this order of the chur­che at his pleasure: And excepte there bee graunted competente leasure, for this exercise, by outwarde dooyng, to declare our Religion, surely men will be withdrawen from it, by their owne priuate businesse. Wherefore we se in aunciente Churches, that there were not onely certaine houres in the weke appoincted for the godlie congregaciō, but that the Sabboth daie was made holie, to assemble to praie: and to hear God his woorde: whiche euen now al­so veric wel is obserued in our Chur­ches, for the better seruyng of GOD, and increase of brotherlie loue. But wée allowe not Iewishe obseruacions Iewishe ob­seruations of dayes. of daies, and suche like supersticions. For wée beleue not one daie to bée ho­lier then an other: Neither thinke wée that our reste is allowed of God, for it self sake: But we kepe the lordes daie called Sūdaie, not the Saboth or Sa­terdaie, The Lordes daye. therein vsyng frée libertie.

Moreouer if Chuches, as thei maie by Christian libertie, kéepe religious­lie, Feastes dates of christ may be kept. the remembraunce of Christe his [Page 84] birthe, Circumcision, Passion, Resur­rection, Ascention into heauē, and sen­ding his holie ghost vnto his disciples, we well allowe it: but holie daies de­dicated Holy dayes for sainctes to be disalowed. to men or sainctes, wée discom­mēde. And certes, holie daies partaine to the firste table of the lawe, and be­long onely to God: to beshort, the feast daies instituted for sainctes, which we haue abrogated, confirme many foo­lishe, vnprofitable thynges, not to bee suffred. Howbeit we cōfesse, that frute fully the memorie of sainctes, maie in A memory of sainctes. due place and tyme, bee recited to the people in godlie sermons, and the holy examples of theim maie bee proposed, as paternes to be followed of all men.

The more sharpelie the Churche of Christe reprehendeth glotonie, dron­kēnesse, Publike and Priuate faste is requisite. lasciuiousnes, and all intem­perauncie, the more earnestlie it com­mēdeth christian fastyng: For fastyng what fasting is. is nothyng els but an abstinence, and temperaunce of the godlie, with cha­stenyng of our fleshe, as presente ne­cessitie requireth, wherby we humble our selues before God, and withdraw [Page] from the fleshe her nourishementes: that it maie easelier and wittynglier, obeye the spirite. Wherefore thei faste Counterfet fasters. not, who haue no regard of these thin­ges, but thincke thei faste, if but once a daie thei fil their bealy, and for a cer­taine prescript tyme, abstaine from certaine meates, thinckyng for this workes sake, thei please God, and doe a good deede. Fastyng is the aide and helpe to all godlie menne, to praie the feruentlier, and to liue the vertuous­lier. That fast pleased not God (as we Note. maie reade in the Bookes of the Pro­phetes) wherein the Iewes fasted frō meate, and not from their wickednes. There is a Publike, & a Priuate fast. Our forefathers kepte in tyme paste, The cause of publike fa­stes. Publike fastes, in lamentable tymes, and when the Churche was afflicted. Thei abstained altogether from meat vntill euenyng, spendyng the tyme in the meane season, in holie praier, and worshippyng of GOD, and in repen­tyng for their synnes. This did little differ from mournyng. Often menciō is made hereof in the Prophetes, spe­cially [Page 85] in the seconde of Ioell: Suche a faste ought to be kept, euē in these our daies, the Church beeyng in so greate daunger. Priuate fastes are obserued of eche man, as euery man feeleth the The cause of priuate faste. vertue of God his spirite, to bee pluc­ked frō him: For so long he abstaineth from the nourishemente of the fleshe, as he perceiueth God his spirite to bee withdrawen from hym.

All fastes oughte to come of a free, The ende of fastinge. willyng, and a true humbled spirite, not to gette praise or fauoure of men, muche lesse to merite rightuousnesse thereby. But lette euery manne faste to this ende, to tame the pride of the fleshe, & to serue God more earnestlie.

Lenten faste maie bee proued by old testimonies, but by none of the Apo­stles Lent fast not to be allowed writynges. Therefore it oughte not, nor maie be enioyned to the faith­full to keepe. It is moste certaine that in tymes paste, there were diuers kin­des The time of fastynge. and customes of fastyng. Where­vpō Ireneus an auncient writer saith, Some thinke that the faste muste bee Ireneus. kept, one daie onely, some others, many [Page] daies: and others, fourtie daies: which varietie began not now in our tyme, but longe before our daies, by their meanes, as I iudge, who obseruyng not simplie that, which was at the first taught theim, vsed other maner of fa­stynges, either through negligence, or ignoraunce. Socrates also the histori­grapher Socrates. saieth: Because there is no aūciēte writyng foūde of this matter, I suppose that the Apostle lefte it free to euery mannes mynde, to dooe that, whiche is good, not by feare and neces­sitie.

Now as touchyng choise of meates: Choise of meates is a doctrine of deuyls. In fastyng we thinke, that all is to be with holden frō the fleshe, whiche ma­keth it more vnrewlie, and wherein it taketh more delighte, or whereby it is nourished or pampered, whether it bee fishe, fleshe, pleasaunt fruites in sauor and tast, daintie disshes, or fine wines. Otherwise wee knowe, that all God Heb. ii. his creatures are made, for thuse and seruice of manne. Al that GOD hath made are good, & without choise, mo­deratly to be vsed, with the feare of the [Page 86] Lorde. For the Apostle affirmeth, all thynges to bée cleane, to them that bee Tit. i. cleane. And again, whatsoeuer is sold in the Shambles, eate ye and aske no i. Cor. x. question for conscience sake. The self same Apostle nameth their doctrine, whiche commaunde to abstaine from meates, the doctrine of Deuilles: For i. Tim. iiii. GOD made meate to bée eaten, with thankes geuyng of the faithefull, and them whiche knowe the truth, bicause whatsoeuer God made is good, and no­thyng is to bee refused, if it bee taken with thankes giuyng. &c. He also wri­ting to the Collo. reproueth those, who Collos. ii. by ouer muche abstinence, will pur­chace to thēselues an estimaciō of holi­nes. We therfore altogether disalowe the Tatians, Encratites, and to be short Heretikes. Eustacius his scholers, against whom was assēbled the Gangrens. counsaite.

Of Cathechisyng, or instructyng youth in the articles of their faithe, of comfor­ting or visiting the sicke. Chap. 25.

THe Lorde charged his people of the olde Testament, to bee youth should be instructed in godlines. verie diligent, in instructyng [Page] a right their children, euen from their infancie, and gaue expresse cōmaund­mente in his lawe, to teache them, and to expounde vnto theim, the misteries of his Sacraments. Seeyng then it is euidente, by the doctrine of the Euan­gelistes and Apostles, that God hath no lesse care for the youthe of his peo­ple, with whom he lefte his newe Te­stamente, when he openly witnesseth saiyng: Suffer little children to come Mar. x. vnto me, for to suche belongeth the kyngdome of heauen: doubtlesse, those ministers of churches doe moste wise­ly, whiche betyme diligently instructe the youthe, laiyng in theim the firste foundacions of faithe, and faithefully teachyng the first principles of our re­ligion, expoundyng to them Gods cō ­maundementes, the Crede, and the Lorde his praier, the vse of his Sacra­mentes, with suche other like firste in­structions, and chief poinctes of our re­ligion. Lette the congregacion shewe theim selues faithfull and diligent, in bryngyng their children to be taught, desiryng & reioysyng, that their youth [Page 87] maie be well instructed. For as muche as menne are neuer more greuously tempted, then whē thei be weake and sicke, sore broken with diseases of the Visiting of the sicke. mynde and bodie, the Pastours of the Church, doubtles, ought at no time to be more watchfull and carefull to saue his flocke, then in suche sickenesse and infirmities. Let theim therefore visite the sicke betymes, and let the diseased sende for theim without delaye, if the cause so require. Let the ministers cō ­forte, The mini­sters duene. and confirme theim in the true faithe, arme them againste the perni­cious suggestiōs of Sathan, let theim say praiers in the sicke mannes house, and if nede require, let theim praie for his recouery, bothe of bodie and soule, in the Churche also. And let theim do their indeuour, that he maie depart out of this worlde, in blessed state.

The Popishe visityng of the sicke, Popishe visi­ting the sicke with their extreme vnction, or ennoy­lyng, we saied before, that we allowed not, because it containes many foolishe and odious thynges, not approued by the Canonicall scripture.

Of buriyng the faithfull, and care whiche men ought to take for the dedde, of Purgatorie, and thapperyng of spirites. Cha. 26.

THe scripture commaundeth to burie honestly, and with­out Burying cō ­maunded in scripture. supersticion, the bodies of the faithfull, as the tem­ples of the holie ghoste, whiche we be­leue shall rise again, in the latter daie: Also to make mencion after a comelie forte, of theim who died Godlie in the what care we shoulde take for the dedde. Lorde, and to be ready to helpe and re­leue those, whom thei haue left behind theim, as widdowes, and fatherlesse children. We teach men to take none other care then this, for theim that bee dedde: Wée therefore muche disalowe the heretikes, called Cynici, who despi­sed dedde bodies, or very negligentlie Heretikes. and contemptuously hurle theim into the yearth, neuer speakyng so muche as a good woorde of them, nor caryng any thyng at all for those, whom they left behinde thē. Now on thother side, wee like not those, that are to muche, and to ouerthwertly seruicable to the dead, howlīg like Ethnikes, for their [Page 88] friendes departed, saiyng, or hearyng Masse for their soules, and mumme­lyng for pence certaine praiers, to de­liuer them by this their deuocion, from tormentes, wherewith thei suppose, that thei are after their death tormen­ted: yet so, that by their lamentable sōges and Diriges, thei are released of their paines. Hobeit moderate mour­nyng, whiche the Apostle. j. Thes. iiij. Moderate mornynge is cōmendable. graunteth, we discommende not, iud­gyng it an vnnaturall parte, to be no­thyng greued in suche a case. Wée be­leue that the faithfull, goe straight too Christe, after their bodily death, and therefore neede not the Suffrages, or whether mē [...] soules go af­ter their de­parture. praiers of the liuyng. Wée beleue al­so, that Infidelles are without delaye, caste doune hedlonge into helle, from whence no seruice of the liuyng, is a­ble to deliuer them.

The doctrine whiche some teache, concernyng the fire of Purgatorie, is Purgatorie. contrary to our Christian faithe, I be­leue the forgeuenes of sinnes, and the life euerlastyng: and contrary to our cleane purgyng from all our iniqui­ties, [Page] by Christe. Neither agreeth Pur­gatorie with these saiynges of the lord Christ: Verely, verely, I saie vnto you, Iohn. v. he that heareth my woorde, and bele­ueth in hym that sent me, hath euerla­styng life, and shall not be condemned but hath passed from death to life. A­gaine. Ihon. xiij. He that is wasshed, needeth not saue to wasshe his feete, but is cleane euery whitte, and ye are cleane.

Moreouer, as touchyng their doc­trine The appea­rig of spirits is disceate of the deuyll. of spirittes, or dedde mennes sou­les, some tymes apperyng to thē that liue, and desiryng them to dooe some­what, wherby thei maie be deliuered: we esteme suche visions or sightes, as mockynges, craftes and disceiptes of the deuil: Who as he can trāsfigure hym self into an Angell of lighte, so is he busie to ouerthrowe, and bryng in doubte the true faithe. The Lorde for­badde in the olde Testamente, to aske counsaille of the dedde, or to haue any Deut. xviii thyng to doe with spirites. It was de­nied to the riche glutton (who laie tor­mented in hell fire, as Christe the au­cthour [Page 89] of all truthe, in the Gospell de­clareth) that Lazarus should retourne to his brethren, God by the mouthe of Abrahā, pronoūcyng and saiyng, thei haue Moses and the Prophettes, let them heare them, if thei hear not Mo­ses Luc. xvi. and the Prophettes; neither will thei bee perswaded, though one rise a­gaine from the dedde.

Of rites, ceremonies, and indif­ferent thinges. Chap. 27.

CEremonies were in tyme why ceremo­nies were geuen. paste deliuered to the peo­ple in the olde Lawe, as a certaine scolynge to them, who were kepte vnder the lawe, as it were vnder a scholemaister and tutor: But when Christ came our deliuerer, and had taken awaye the ceremoniall Ceremonies remoued by Christ. lawe, we that beleue are no more vn­der the lawe, nor yet boūde to obserue those ceremonies, which at our Messi­ascōming, vanished away: which the Apostles were so farre from kepynge Ceremonies not kepte of the Apostles. or renewynge in Christe his churche, that they openlye affirmed that, they [Page] would laie no suche yoke, nor burthen vpō the churches necke. Wherfore we might séme to bryng in or restore Iu­daisme, if in the Churche of Christ we Increase of Ceremonies to Iudaisme. should heape vp ceremonies vpon Ce­remonies, after the maner of the olde churche. Wherfore we bée not of their mindes, who thought it good, yt Christ his churche should be kepte vnder (as with a certain scoling) with many and sundrie rites. For if thapostles would not burthen Christian people with ce­remonies, why multi­tude of Cere­monies is not allowed. which were firste ordained and apointed by God hymselfe, who, I praye you, being well in his wittes, woulde violently thruste vppon them inuentions inuented by man? The greater heape of ceremonies there be in the church, the more is withdrawen not onely from Christian libertie, but also from Christe, and faythe in hym, while the cōmon people looke for that in ceremonies, whiche they shoulde seke in the onely sonne of God Iesus Christ by faith. A fewe rites therfore, A fewe Ri­tes suffice. which are sincere and plaine, & swerue not from God his woorde, doe suffice [Page 90] the godly.

And if in Churches there bée founde Diuersitie of Ceremonies proue not dissent in Chur­ches. vnlike ceremonies, let no man gather thereby, that the Churches agree not. Socrates saieth, it were impossible to write the Ceremonies, that bee in all cities and countries. No religion ob­serueth Socrates. one kinde of Rites, although thei imbrace one doctrine touchynge them. For thei that be all of one faith, dissent emong them selues, about Ce­remonies. Thus much Socrates. And we also at this daie, obseruyng in our Churches, not all one kinde of Rites, True consent is in doctrine and faithe. in ministering the Lordes supper, and in many other thynges, doe, notwith­standyng, agree in doctrine and faithe. Neither is the vnitie and societie of Churches, for that cause broken a sun­der. Surely, churches haue alwaies v­sed their libertie, and dooen what see­med Libertie a­boute Cere­monies. beste to theim in suche Ceremo­nies, as thynges indifferent, as we al­so doe now a daies.

But we aduertise all menne to take Indifferente thynges. hede, that thei compte not those thyn­ges as indifferente, whiche bée not in­different, [Page] whiche bée not indifferent in what is in­different. deede: as some compte the Masse, and Images in Churches. That is indif­ferente (saieth Ierome to Augustine) whiche is neither good nor euil: so that we are neither iuste, nor vniuste, whe­ther wée doe it or no. Therefore when indifferent thyngs are vrged, for con­fession of our faithe, thei bée no lenger indifferent: as Paule declareth, that it How̄e longe they remaine indifferent. i. Co. viii. x is lawfull to eate fleshe, if one put vs not in mynde, that it is offered to I­dols: for then it shal bee made vnlaw­ful, because he that eateth suche meat, now by his eatyng, seemeth to allow Idolatrie.

Of Churche gooddes. Chapit.. 28.

CHriste his Churche is indued with riches, by the bountiful­nes of Princes, and the libera­litie of the faithefull, who gaue their gooddes to the Churche: For it is ofte in néede, and therfore it hath had from the beginnyng, some treasure to serue for necessary vses. The true vse of Churche goods in tyme passe was, The true vse of the church gooddes. and now is, to maintaine with theim [Page 91] learnyng in schooles and holie assem­blies, with al furniture, rites and buildyng: to maintaine also teachers, scho­lars and ministers, with other neces­saries: chiefly to helpe, feede, and suc­cour the poore. But let suche bee cho­sen as feare God, wise, and skilfull in gouernyng of families, whiche may well bestowe the churches gooddes.

If the treasure of the Churche, tho­rowe Abuse of churche gooddes. the iniquitie of the time, or some mennes rashenesse, folie, ignoraunce, or coueteousnesse, be put to any abuse, let godly and wise men, tourne theim againe to a good and holy vse. For we muste not wincke at any abuse, espe­cially if it be mixed wc sacrilege. Wée teache therefore, that corrupte scholes and Colleges should bee reformed in doctrine, in worshippyng of God, and in maners: and that there should bee established religiously, with good con­science and wisedome, a good order for the helpyng and releuing of the poore.

Of sole life, of mariage, and gouer­nyng our familie. Chapi. 29.

LEt them, whiche haue from Single life. heauen, the gift of single life (so that in harte and mynde, wholie thei be pure and con­tinent, and not greatly burne in flesh­ly The gifte of Chastitie. luste) let suche, I saie, serue the lorde in that vocacion, so longe as thei shall perceiue them selues indued with that gift of God: not extollyng them selues aboue others, but seruyng the Lorde continually, with simplicitie and hu­militie. These men doubtles, are more meete to enter into Gods ministerie, then thei that are withdrawē by their priuate businesse of their familie. But if this gifte bee taken from them, and thei feele a continuall burnyng in thē selues, Mariage. lette them remember the Apo­stles wordes: It is better to mary, then to burne.

For mariage beyng the remedy for Mariage is continencie. incontinencie (yea, continence it self) was ordained of the Lorde God hym­self, who abundantlie blessed it, and Math. xix. would that man and wife, should not bee separated one from the other, but liue together, in perfecte loue and con­corde: [Page 92] Whervpon we knowe, that the Apostle saieth, Mariage is honourable Hebr. xiii. i. Cor. xvii. emōg all, and the bedde vndefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will Iudge. And againe: If a Virgine Marrie, she synneth not. We condēne Polygamie. therefore the hauyng of many wifes or housbandes at one tyme a liue: and theim also, who disalowe the seconde Seconde Mariages. mariages, the mariage of widdowers or widdowes, deniyng that one maye twise bee married. Wee teache that How Ma­riage should be made. marriage must be made, after a law­full sorte, in the feare of the Lorde, and not againste those, whiche forbidde thē to bee coupled in Matrimonie, that are within certaine degrees of kindered, least inceste be committed. Lette them The paren­tes consente is requisite in mariage. be contracted with consent of their pa­rentes, or of suche as are in steede of their parentes, and to that ende chief­ly, for the whiche the Lorde hath ap­poincted mariage. Lette the bondes of Matrimonie bee kepte with holinesse, with vnfained faithe, and fidelitie to­wardes the yoke fellowe, with godli­nes, with loue and Chastitie, bothe of [Page] bodie and mynde. Let them auoide all brawlyng, dissencion, lustes and adul­trie. Lette there bee appoincted in the Churche lawfull Courtes, for the hea­ryng Courts kept for matters of matrimo­nie. of suche matters, godlie Iudges to maintaine Mariages and contrac­tes, to punishe all vnclennes, and im­pudencie, and to discide controuersies of Matrimonie. Parentes also should bryng vp their children, in the feare of the Lorde, and make prouision for thē: remembryng the Apostles saiyng: He that prouideth not for his owne, he de­nieth Care for our familie. Bringing vp of children. 1. Timo. v. the faithe, and is worse then an Infidell. But chiefly let thē be taught some honest science, whereby thei may be able to finde them selues. Let them bee plucked from Idlenes, and a sure truste in God ingraffed in them, least thei to muche distrusting, be to to care­lesse, or els be giuen to filthie couetu­ousnes, and so come to naught.

Also it is moste certaine, that those deedes, whiche bee dooen of Parentes with true faithe, according to the due­tie of Matrimonie, and gouernement of their familie, are before God holie, [Page 93] and good woorkes, pleasyng hym as wel as Praiers, Fastyng, and Almose deedes dooe. For so the Apostle hath taught in his Epistles, chiefly to Ti­mothe i. Tim. iiii. and Titus. But with the saied To forbid mariage is a do­ctrine of de­uils. Apostle, we compt it a doctrine of De­uils to forbidde, or openly to dispraise mariage, or to restrain it by some cro­ked or couerte meanes, as though it were not holy, or cleane. Wee deteste Heresies. vnchaste single life, the secrete or open and manifeste lustes and fornicacion, committed by hypocrites, faining cha­stitie, when thei are moste lasciuious of all others: God will iudge them all.

We disalowe not riches, and riche Ritches. men, if thei be godlie, and vse their ri­ches well: but wee mislike the secte of the Apostolicans, who would haue all thynges common.

Of Magistrates.

EVery chief Magistrate is or­dained of God hym self, for Magistrates be ordained of God. the peace and tranquilitie of mankynde, and to beare the chiefeste rule and degree of honour in the worlde. If he bee an enemie to the [Page] Churche, he maie hinder and trouble it muche: But if he be a friende, and so a member of the churche, he is the pro­fitableste and moste excellente parte thereof, whiche maie greatly profitte, and beste helpe the Churche.

His chiefeste office is to prouide for, The duetie of a Magi­strate. and kepe the publike peace and quiet­nesse: Whiche thing he shall neuer do with better successe, then when he fea­reth God in deede, and zelously setteth for the his religion, imitating the step­pes of moste godlie Kynges and Prin­ces, that gouerned the Lordes people: and aduaunseth the Preachyng of the truthe, and sincere faithe, rooteth out lies and vntruthes, all Supersticion, with all impietie and Idolatrie, and defendeth God his churche. We teach that a godlie Magistrate, ought chief­ly to care for the furtheraunce of Re­ligion.

Lette hym therefore with all his might, maintaine the worde of God, and prouide that no doctrine, contrary to it bée taught. Let hym also rule the people, cōmitted by God to his charge [Page 94] with good lawes, agreyng with gods worde, and thereby kepe them in good order, in doyng their duetie, and in o­bedience: Lette hym exercise hym self in iudgyng causes iustly, not respec­tyng persones, refusing bribes, defen­dyng widowes, fatherlesse children, and other afflicted: punishyng, yea, and rootyng out vniuste, deceiptfull, and cruell persones. For he hath not Roma. xiii. the swearde of God for naught. Letts hym therefore drawe his swearde a­gainst euill doers, sowers of dissenci­on, theues, murtherers, oppressours, blasphemours, forswearers of theim selues, and againste all those, whom, God hath commaunded hym, to pu­nishe and put to death. Lette hym cha­sten Heretikes. also and correcte vncorrigible he­retikes, whiche be heretikes in deede, which cease not to blaspheme the ma­iestie of God, to trouble and destroye his Churche. If it bee necessarie to de­fende warre. the sauegarde of his people by warre, lette hym goe to warre, in the name of Lorde, so that firste▪ he seeke peace, by all meanes he maie, and can [Page] defende his subiectes none otherwise, then by battaile. While the Magi­strate dooeth this of faithe, he with the self same workes, as good, in déede ser­ueth God, and is blessed of hym. Wee condemne the Anabaptistes: who as Heresies. thei deny, that any Christian, cā beare the office of a Magistrate, so thei de­fende that no manne, can lawfully be putte to death by a Magistrate, or that a Magistrate oughte to wage battaile with any, or that thei should require o­thes of menne, and sweare them on a Booke. &c.

For as God will, that the sauegard of his people, be wrought by his Ma­gistrate Subiectes duetie. (whom he hath geuen to the worlde, to bee as a father (euen so all subiectes are charged to acknowledge this benefit of God, in the magistrate. It is their duetie therefore, to honour and reuerence hym, as God his mini­ster: to loue hym, to praie for hym, as for their father: to obeie all his lawful and iuste commaundementes: to bee shorte, to paie hym Tribute, with all suche like duetie, faithefully and wil­lynglie. [Page 95] If the conseruacion of the pu­blike wealthe, and Iustice so require, and the Magistrate bee forced necessa­rilie to warre, let his subiectes be red­die to hassarde their liues, and to shed their bloude gladlie, valiauntlie, and cherfullie, in Gods name, to saue their Countrie, and their chief gouernour. For he that resisteth his rewler, doeth purchase God his greuous wrathe a­gainste hymself. We condemne ther­fore, all despisers of Magistrates, Re­belles, Dispisers of Magistrats. Traitours, enemies to the common wealth, sedicious knaues: to bee shorte, all that refuse either openlie, or craftely and couertly, to do their boū ­den duetie, and allegeaunce to their gouernour.

We praie God our moste mercifull and heauēlie father, to blesse the prin­ces of his people, and vs also, with all his people, through Iesus Christe our onely Lorde and sauior, to whom bee praise, glorie, and than­kes, worlde without ende. So be it.

A confession Of Faith, made by common agree­ment of suche Frenchemen, as de­sire to liue accordinge to the puritie of the Gospel of our Lorde IESVS CHRIST.
The Frenchmen that desire to liue accor­dyng to the puritie of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ, to the King.

WE haue great cause (most mightie Prince,) to geue God thankes, that ha­uing not hitherto had ac­cesse to youre Maiestie, whereby we mighte declare what ri­gour of persecutions we haue suffered and dayly do suffer, for desiring to liue according to the puritie of the Gospell, and quietnesse of our consciences: he hath no vouchsaued to graunt vs this fauour, that your grace is willinge to vnderstande of our cause, as appea­reth [Page] by the last proclamation gyuen at Amboise the moneth of Marche, the yeare. 1559. when it pleased your Ma­iestie to cause ye publicatiō of the same. Whiche boldeneth vs at this present to open mouth, whiche before (by the violence and iniustice of certaine your officers) was closed and stopped vp, rather of malice to vs ward, than good affection or seruice to you ward. And to the ende your Maiestie maye be plainelye and fullye informed of the whole cause, we most humbly beseche you to read and vnderstand this our Confession of Fayth, whiche wee here present vnto you, hopinge it to be suf­ficient defence for vs, against all such blames and slaunders, as we haue hi­therto wrongfully ben charged with­all, by suche, as haue daily sought to condemne vs, before our cause were knowen or heard. Wherin we pro­teste there is nothinge repugnant to the worde of God, or contrary to that subiection which we owe to your Ma­iestie. For these articles of Faithe set forth at large in our confession, tend [Page 97] all to this ende, that seeyng God hath sufficiently declared his wille, by his Prophettes and Apostles, yea, by the monthe of his derely beloued soonne, our sauiour Iesus Christe, wee ought so to honour and reuerence, this holie woorde of God, that we adde nothyng thereto of our owne, but wholie con­forme our selues, to the rewle prescri­bed vnto vs therein. And for that the Romishe Churche (leauyng the vse and custome of the primitiue Church) hath broughte in newe commaunde­mentes, and a newe maner of seruing God, we thinke it moste reasonable to preferre the cōmaundmentes of God, (whiche is the truthe it self) to the cō ­maundementes of men, who natural­ly are enclined to lesyng and vanitie. And what soeuer our aduersaries, pre­tēde against vs, yet dare we saie bothe before God and manne, that we suffer for none other cause, but for maintai­nyng our Lorde Iesus Christe, to bee the onely Sauiour and redemer, and his doctrine to be the onely doctrine, of life and saluacion. And this is the one­ly [Page] cause, why the handes of hangmen, haue been so ofte embrued, with the bloodde of your poore subiectes: Who sparyng neither life nor gooddes, for maintainaunce of this Confession of faithe, haue manifestly declared to all the worlde, that thei wer moued ther­to, by a farre mightier spirit, then any spirit of manne, whiche is more care­full of quietnes and commoditie, then of the honour and glorie of God. And therefore, accordyng to the goodnesse and clemencie, whiche your Maiestie promiseth, to shewe to vs, your poore subiectes: wee moste humblie beseche you, to bee so gracious, as to take in hande, the knowledge of the cause, by whiche (beyng daily pursued to death, or banishemente) wee lose the power and meane, to shewe to you that most humble seruice, whiche of duetie wee owe. Maie it therfore please your Ma­iestie, in stede of fire and sweard, here­tofore vsed, to examine our Confession by the worde of God, and to graunt vs sufferaunce and sauetie in the meane while. And then wee hope that your [Page 98] self shall iudge of our innocēcie, & well perceiue, that there is neither heresie, nor rebellion in vs: but that we onely tende to this ende, to liue in quietnesse of conscience, serue God as he hath cō ­maunded, and to obeye your Maiestie in all humble obedience and seruice. And bicause the preaching of the word of God, is necessarie to putte vs in re­membraunce, as wel of our duetie to­wardes hym, as towardes you: wee moste humbly beseche your Maiestie, that we maie sometymes gather toge­ther, to be exhorted to the feare of God by his woorde, and confirmed by the administracion of the Sacramentes, whiche our Sauiour Christe hath ap­poincted to his church. And if it would please you, to graunte vs some open place, where all the worlde might see our assemblies, that onely sight should discharge vs of those hainous crimes, that heretofore our said assēblies haue been charged withall. For, there is nought to been, but modestie and cha­stitie, nought to be heard, but praise to God, exhortacion to his seruice, and [Page] praier for the conseruaciō of your Ma­iestie and kyngdome. And if it please not your grace, to shew vs this fauor, yet maie it please you at the leaste, to graunte, that wee maie particularly vse that quiet order, whiche is establi­shed. Moste humblie besechyng your Maiestie, in readyng this present sup­plicacion, to cōsider, that it is the cries and groaries, of an infinite nomber of your poore subiectes, whiche craue suche mercie at your handes, that it maie quenche the fires, that your cruel Iudges haue kindled in your realme. And so, that hūblie seruyng your ma­iestie, wee maie lawfully serue hym, that hath exalted your highnes to this dignitie and state. And if ye refuse to beare vs, yet maie please you to heare the voice of the sonne of God, who ge­uyng you power ouer oure bodies, goodes, & liues, requireth of you, that the power and gouernment ouer our soules and consciences (whiche he so dearely bought, by the price of his hart bloud) should be reserued to hym one­ly. The same God we beseche to guide [Page 99] you with his holy spirit: and with pour yeres, to encrease your might and po­wer, to geue you victorie ouer all your enemies, and establishe for euer, in all equitie, and iustice, the throne of your Maiestie: Before whom it maie please hym, to graunte vs to finde suche fa­uour, that we maie obtain some frute of our presente supplicacion: That so chaunging our grieffes, and afflictiōs into quietnesse and libertie, wee maie also chaunge our sighes and teares, into perpetuall thankyng GOD for your Maiestie, for grauntyng a thing so agreable to hym, so worthie of your goodnesse and Iustice, and so ne­cessarie for the conseruaci­on of your most hum­ble and obedient subiectes and seruaun­tes.

A confession of faithe, made by common agrement of suche Frenchemen, as desire to liue, accordyng to the puritie of the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ.

The firste article.

WE beleue and confesse, that there is Deut. 4. 35 & 39. 1. Cor. 8. 4. & 6. one onely GOD, which is one onely and sim­ple substaunce, Gene 1. 3. Iohn. 4. 24 2. Cor. 3. 17. spirituall, Exod 3. 15 16. & 18. euerlastyng, Rom 1. 20 1. Tim. 1. 17 inuisible, Mala. 3. 6. vnchaunge­able, Rom. 11. 33 Act. 17. 24. & 7. 48. endlesse, incomprehensible, vn­speakable, Ier. 10. 7. &. 10. Luc. 1. 37. that can doe all thynges, who is Ro. 16. 27 whollie wise, Mat. 19. 17 whollie good, Iere. 12. 1. whollie iuste, and whollie mercifull.

2.

This God declareth himself to men Exod. 34. 6. & 7. so to be Note: Rom. 1. 19., and first by his woorkes, as well in creatyng, conseruyng, as gui­dyng of the same. Heb. 1. 1. But secondlie and more plainlie by his worde: whiche in the beginnyng was Gene. 15. 1 reuealed by O­racle, and afterwardes Exod. 24. 3. & 4. written in [Page 100] bookes, whiche we call Rom. 1. 12 holy scripture.

3.

All this holie scripture, is comprised in the Canonicall bokes of the old and newe Testament, whereof the names hereafter followe: Firste, the fiue boo­kes of Moises, that is to saie: Genesis, Exodus, Leuiticus, Nombers, & Deu­teronomie. Further, Iosue, the Iud­ges, Ruth, the firste and seconde boo­kes of Samuel, the firste and seconde bookes of the Kynges: The firste and seconde bokes of the Chronicles, otherwise called Pari [...]pomenon, and the firste booke of Esoras: Also Nehemi­as, the bookes of Hester, Iob, Psal­mes of Dauid, Prouerbes of Salo­mon, the booke of Ecclesiastes, other­wise called the Preacher: The Canti­cles of Salomon. Likewise the bookes of Esaie, Ieremie, the Lamentacions of Ieremie, Ezechiell, Daniell, Osee, Ioell, Amos, Abdias, Ionas, Miche, Nahum, Abacucke, Sophonie, Agge, Zacharie, Malachie. Also the holy Go­spell of S. Matthew, sainct Marke, S. Luke, & S. Ihon: Furthermore the se­conde [Page] booke of saincte Luke, otherwise called the Actes of the Apostles: and one Epistle of sainct Paule to the Ro­maines, twoo the Corinthians, one to the Galathians, one to the Ephesians one to the Philippians, one to the Col­lossians, twoo to the Thessalonians, twoo to Timothe, one to Tite, and one to Philemon: Also the Epistle to the Hebrewes, the Epistle of sainct Ia­mes, the firste and seconde Epistles of saincte Peter: The firste, seconde, and third Epistles of sainct Ihon: The E­pistle of saincte Iude: and the Apoca­lipse or Reuelacion of sainct Ihon.

4.

We knowe these bookes to be Ca­nonicall, and a moste certaine Psal. xix. viii. and. ix. Psal. 12. 7. rule of our faithe: not so muche because of the common agremente, and consente of the Churche, as through the witnesse, and inwarde perswasion of the holie spirite, whiche causeth vs to discerne them, from the Ecclesiasticall bookes. On whiche (although thei bee profita­ble) wee maie not grounde any article of faithe.

5.

We beleue 2. Tim. iii. xv and. xvi 2. Pet. 1. that the worde contai­ned in these bookes, proceded frō God, Ihon. iii. xxxi. & 34. and. v. 34. of whō it taketh aucthoritie, and not of men: Iho. 15. 11. Act. 20. 27. and (for asmuche as it is the rule of all truthe, containyng al thyn­ges necessarie to the Seruice of God, and our saluacion) that Deut. 12. 32. and. 4. 2. Gal. 1. 8. Apo. 22. 18. and. 19. it is not law­full for any man, no not for Angelles, to adde, diminishe, or chaunge any thing therein. Whereby it followeth, that neither Mat. 15. 9 Actes. 5. 28. and. 29. antiquitie, custome, mul­titude, mannes wisedome, iudgement statute, proclamacion, decrée, counsail vision, or miracle, can bee compared with the said holie scripture, i. Cor. 11. 1. 2. and. 23. but that contrariwise, all thynges ought to bée tried, ruled, and reformed, by the same. And accordyng thereunto, wee allowe the thrée Simboles or Credes: that is, the Apostles Crede, the Crede of Nice and Athanasius Crede, because thei be agreable to the worde of God.

.6.

This holly scripture Deu. 4. 12 Mat. 28. 19. i. Ihon. 5. 7. teacheth vs, that in this onely and simple substance diuine whiche we haue confessed, there [Page] are three persones: The Father, the Sonne, and the holie ghost: the Father the firste cause, beginnyng, and origi­nal of al thinges: the Iohn. 1. 1. & 17. 5. Act. 17. 25. Rom. 1. 1. Sōne, his worde and euerlastyng wisedome: the Holie ghost, his vertoe, power, and efficacie. The Sōne from euerlasting begotten of the Father: The holie ghoste proce­dyng from bothe: The three persones not confused, but distincte: and neuer­thelesse not deuided, but of one onely substaunce, eternitie, power and equa­litie. And therein wee also allowe the determination of the auncient Coun­celles: and deteste all suche sectes and heresies, as haue been reiected by the holie Doctors: as fainct Hillarie, sainct Athanasius, S. Ambrose, & S. Cirill.

7.

We beliue Gene. 1. 1. Iohn. 1. 3. Iud. 6. Col. 1. 16. Hebr. 12. & 14. that God in three per­sones, together woorkyng by his ver­tue, wisedome, and incomprehensible, goodnes, hath ereated all thynges: not onelie heauen, & yearth, and eche thing therrein containe dibut also the inuisi­ble spirite: 2. Pet. 2. of whiche, some are fallen hedlong into perdicion: & Psal. 103. 20. 21. other some [Page 102] continue in obedience. Iohn. 8. 44. That the first beyng corrupt by malice, are enemies to all goodnesse, and consequentlie to the whole Churche. The seconde be­yng performed by the grace of God, Heb. 1. 7. 8. are ministers to glorifie the name of GOD, and serue to the sauetie of his chosen.

8.

We beleue Psal. 104. that not onely he hath creater all thinges, but that he gouer­neth and cōducteth, Pro. 16. 4 Mat. 10. 29 Rom. 9. 11. Actes 17. 24. & 26. 24. disposeth and or­daineth, according to his will, all thin­ges that come to passe in the worlde. 1. Iohn. 2. 16. Ose. 13. 9. 1. Iohn. 3. 8. Not that he is the aucthour of euill, or that any faulte maie be imputed to hym, Psal. 5. 5. & 119. Iob. 1. 22. seyng his will is the seueraine: and infallible rule, of all rightuousnes and equitie. Act. 2. 23. 24. 27. But he hath suche won­derfull meanes, to vse the seruice of Deuilles and wicked men, that he can conuerte to good, the euill whiche thei dooe, and wherein thei are culpable. And Rom. 9. 19. & 20. & 11 23. sa confessing nothing to be doen without the prouidence of God, we re­uerence with all humilitie those secre­tes that are hidden from vs, without [Page] further searchyng for that, whiche is aboue our reache. And rather applie to our vse, that whiche is declared vn­to vs in the holie scripture, to bee the better in quiet & safetie: mat. 10. 30 Luke. 21. 18. because that God to whō all thynges are subiecte, so watcheth ouer vs with a Father­ly care, that one heare can not fall frō our heddes without his will. Iob. 1. 1. Gene. 3. 15. And in the meane while so bridleth the Deuil and all our enemies, that thei can not harme vs, without his leaue.

9.

We beleue that man Ge. 1. 26. Eccls. 7. 30. Rom. 5. 12. Ep. 2. 2. &. 3. beyng at the beginnyng created cleane, perfite, and like to the Image of God, is through his owne proper fault, fallen from the grace whiche he receiued: Gene. 6. 5 and. 8. 21. and is so e­straunged from God (who is the foun­taine of rightuousnesse, and all good­nesse) that his nature is whollie cor­rupt, and beyng blinded in spirite, and corrupt in harte, hath loste all perfite­nesse, without hauyng any residewe thereof. Rom. 1. 21 and, 2. 18. 19. 20. And though he be yet able to discerne good from euil, i. Co. 2. 14 we safe that that light is tourned into darkenesse, [Page 103] when he goeth about to knowe God: For that by all his reason and vnder­standyng, he is not able to reache any thyng nere therevnto. Iho. 1. 4. 5 and. 8. 36. Rom. 8. 6. 7 And although he haue a will, that moueth hym to do this or that, yet that it is so thrall to synne, that he hath no libertie to dooe well; but suche as God geueth hym.

10.

Wee beleue Gen. 8. 21. Rom. 5. 12. Iob. 14. 4. that all the ofspryng of Adam, is infected with suche conta­gion, whiche is the originall synne, and naturall vice, and not onelie an imitaciō, as the Pelagians go about to proue, whom wee deteste with their errours. And thinke it not néedefull to enquire, how synne cometh from one man to an other, seyng it suffiseth, that that whiche God gaue hym, was not to hym alone, but to all his posteritie: And so, that in the persone of hym, wee are spoiled of all goodnesse, and ouer­whelmed in all pouertie & malediction.

11.

Wee beleue also, that this vice is verie synne: Psal. 51. 7. Ro. 3. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. & 5. 12. whiche is sufficiente to condenme all mankinde, yea, euē new [Page] borne children, and to so reputed bo­fore God: Rom. 7. And after Baptisme it re­maineth synne, as concernyng the fault: though the condemnacion be ta­ken awaie from the children of God, who of his free goodnesse, imputeth it not to them. Further, Rom. 7. 5. that it is a per­uersitie, bringyng for the continuallie the fruites of malice and rebellion: so, Rom. 7. 18. 19. 2. Cor. 12. 7 as the hollest (though thei resiste) are not vnspotted of infirmities and faul­tes, while thei liue in this worlde.

12.

We beleue, that from this corrup­cion, and generail condemnacion, in whiche all menne are plunged, Exod. 9. 16. Rom. 9. 22. God draweth out those, whom in his euer­lastyng and vnchaungeable counsaile he hath chosen, through his onely good­nesse and mercie, in our Lorde Iesus Christe, without consideracion of their workes: leauyng Rom. 3. 2. & 9. 23. 2. Tim. 2. 20 Tite. 3. 5. 7. Ephe. 1. 4. 2. Tim. 1. 9. the reste in the self same corrupcion and condemnacion, to shewe his iustice in them, as he cau­seth the richesse of his mercie, to shine in the firste. For the one are no better then the other, till GOD hath discer­ned [Page 104] them, accordyng to his vnchange­ble counsaile, whiche he hath determi­ned in Iesus Christe, before the crea­cion of the worlde: Neither is any able of his owne proper vertue, to obtaine this goodnesse, Ier. 10. 23 Ephe. 1. 45 seyng that naturally we can not haue so muche as one good mocion, affection or thoughte, till God preuente vs and dispose vs therevnto.

13.

Wee beleue that in the same Iesus Christe, all that is requisite to our sal­uacion, hath been offered and com­municate vnto vs: 1. Cor. 1. 30. Ephe. 1. 6. 7 Col. 1. 13. 14 Tite. 2. 14. who beyng geuen to vs for our saluacion, became to vs immediatlie, wisedome, rightuous­nesse, sanctificacion, and redemption: so that declinyng from hym, wee for­sake the mercies of the Father, whiche ought to be our onely refuge.

14.

We beleue that Iesus Christe, be­yng the wisedome of God, Iohn. 1. 14. Philip. 2. 6. and his e­ternall soonne, hath taken our fleshe on him, to the ende that beyng GOD and manne in one persone, Heb. 1 17. 2. Cor. 5. 21 yea, man like to vs, of bodie and soule, subiect [Page] to passions, sauyng that he is cleane from all spotte. Act. 13. 13. Rom. 1. a. & 8. 3. &. 9. 5. ii. Cor. 5. 21. Phil. 2. 7. Heb. 2. 14. 15. &. 5. a. And as concernyng his manhod, that he was the true séede of Abraham and Dauid, Mat. 1. 18. Luke. 1. 35. though he were conceiued by the secrete power of the holie Ghoste: Wherein wee de­teste all those heresies, that of old time troubled the Churches: and namely also the Deuillishe imaginacions of Seruet: who altributeth to our saui­our Christe a phantasticall God hedde, in that he termeth it to be the idea and patron of all thinges: and nameth him the personall or figuratiue Soonne of God, and finallie forgeth hym a bodie of three vncreate Elementes, and so mingleth and destroieth bothe the na­tures.

15.

We beleue Math. 1. Luke. 1. Ihon. 1. 14. i. Tim. 2. 5. and. 3, 16. Hebre. 5. 8. that in one onely per­sone, (that is Iesus Christe) the twoo natures are truely and vndiuidedlie conioigned and knitte: and eche na­ture neuerthelesse, remainyng in his distincte propertie: So that as in this coniunction, the diuine nature retai­ning his propertie, remaineth vncreat [Page 105] infinite, and filling all things Luc. 24. 38. 39. Rom. 1. 4. Philip. 2. so the humaine nature remaineth finite, ha­uyng forme, measure and propertie: yea, and though Iesus Christe in ri­syng againe, haue made his bodie im­mortal, yet toke he not away the truth of his nature. And thus we so consider of his Godhedde, that wee spoile hym not of his manhod.

16.

We Iohn. 3. 16 & 15. 13. beleue that God, in sendyng his soonne, mynded to shewe his loue, and inestimable goodnesse towardes vs: in deliuerynge hym to death, and raisyng him again, to fulfill all iustice, and to obtaine vs euerlastyng life.

17.

We beleue 2. Cor. 5. 19. Heb. 5. 7. 8. 9. & 9. that by the onely Sa­crifice, that our Lorde Iesus offered on the crosse, we are recōciled with God, 1. Pet. 2. 24. 25. to be holden and reputed iuste before hym: for that wée can not please hym, or be partakers of his adoption, but in that he forgeueth & burieth our faul­tes. Heb. 9. 14 Ephe. 5. 26. 1. Pet. 1. 18, 19. So we proteste, that Iesus Christ is our whole and perfecte wasshyng, that in his death we haue full satisfac­cion, to discharge vs of those faultes and iniquities, wherein wee offend [Page] send: and that wee are deliuered by none other meane.

18.

We beleue Psal. 32. 1. Iohn 17. 23. Rom. 4. 7. 8 & 8. a. b. c 2. Cor. 5. 19 that all our iustice is grounded, in the forgeuenesse of our synnes: whiche is also our onelie feli­citie, as Dauid saieth: 1. Tim. 2. 5 1. Ioh. 2. 1. 2 Rom. 5. 19. Act. 4. 12. Wherfore we reiect all other meanes of iustificacion before God: and without presumyng on any vertues or desertes, we simply hold on the obedience of Iesus Christ: whiche standeth vs in stede, as well to couer all our faultes, as to finde fa­uour before God. And in effect we be­leue, that straiyng neuer so little from this grounde, wee can finde tis where no reste, but are continually moued with vnquietnesse: for that we are ne­uer in quiet with God, till we be fully resolued to be beloued in Iesus Christ séeyng wee bee worthie to bee hated of our selues.

19.

We beleue Ro. 5. a. b. & 8. 15. Gal. 4. 45. 6. 7. Ephe. 2. 13. 14. 15. that by this meane, wee haue libertie and priuilege, to cal vpon God, with full assuraunce that he will shewe hym self to bee our Fa­ther: For wee could haue none accesse to the Father, if wée were not directed [Page 106] by this mediatour. And to bee exalted in his name, it behoueth vs to hold our liues of hym, as of our hedde.

20.

We beleue Rom. 1. d. Gal. 2. d. Iohn. 3. 15. that we are made par­takers of this rightuousnesse, by faithe onelie, as it is saied: that he suf­fred to obtain our saluacion, that who soeuer beleueth in hym should not pe­rishe. Mat. 17. Iohn. 3. 16 & 17. 10. 20 21. And that this is dooen, for that the promises of life, which are geuē to vs in hym, are made fitte for our vse: & wée feele the effecte thereof, when wee accepte theim: not doubtyng, that be­yng assured by the mouthe of God, we shal not bee frustrate thereof. Rom. 1. 17 & 3. 24. 25. 28. 30. & 4. a. b. c. Gal. 2. d. So that righteousnesse, whiche we obtaine by faithe, dependeth on the free promises, by whiche God declareth and testifieth that he loueth vs.

21.

We beleue Ephe. 2. 8. 1. Thes. 2. 5. 1. Cor. 2. 12. 2. Pet. 1. 3 4 &. 1. c. that we are illumined in the faithe, by the secrete grace of the holie ghoste, so that it is a frée and par­ticuler gifte, whiche God bestoweth v­pon suche, as seemeth to hym good: in suche wise as the faithfull haue not wherein to glorie, beyng doubly be­holden, in that thei were preferred be­fore [Page] other. 1. Cor. 1. 8 9. Yea, and that faith is not onelie geuen to the chosen, to bryng theim into the right waie, for one one­lie time, but causeth them to continue therein to the ende: Philipens. 2. 13 &. 1. 6. For as God must woorke the beginnyng, so must he al­so woorke the ende.

22

We beleue Ro. 6. a. b. & 7. a b. Col. 2. 13. & 3. 10. 1. Pet. 1. 3. that through this faith wee are regenerate into newenesse of life, beyng naturallie thrall to synne. And that wee receiue through faithe, the grace to liue holily, and in the fear of GOD, in receiuyng the promesse, which is geuen vs by the gospell: that is, that God will geue vs his holy spi­rite. Iames. 2. Gal. 5. 6. 1. Iohn. 2. 3. 4 & 5. 28. So faithe, dooeth not onelie not coole, the desire to liue well and holily, but rather engendreth and prouoketh the same in vs, necessarilie bringyng forth good workes. Deut. 30. Iohn. 3. 5. Furthermore, al­though God to fulfill our Saluacion, regenerateth vs, in framyng vs to doe well, Luc. 17. 10 Psal. 16. 2 Rom. 3. c. d Tit. 3. 5. Rom. 4. 3. 4 5. neuerthelesse wée confesse that the good woorkes, whiche wee dooe, through the guidyng of the holie spi­rite; are not sufficiente to iustifie vs, or deserue that GOD shal accepte vs for [Page 107] his children: for we should bee alwa­yes waueryng in doubte and vncer­taintie, if our cōsciences were not sta­yed on that satisfaction, where with Iesus Christe hath cleared vs.

23.

Wée beleue Ro. 10. 4. Gal. 3. & 4 Coll. 2. 17 that all the figures of the lawe, toke ende at the comming of Iesus Christe. But though the Cere­monies are no longer in vse, neuer­thelesse, the substaunce and truthe re­maineth with vs, in the person of him in whom consisteth all fulnesse. 2. Ti. 3. 16 2. Pet. 1. 19. & 3. 2. And further, that wee muste vse the helpe of the lawe and Prophetes, as well to the framyng of our liues, as to con­firme vs in the promises of the gospel.

24.

We beleue, 1. Tim. 2. 5 Act. 4. 12. 1. Ioh. 2. 1. 2 sith Iesus Christe is geuen to bée our onely aduocate, Ioh. 16. 23 24. and that he commaundeth vs to haue fa­miliar recourse in his name to his fa­ther, Mat. 6. 9. Luc. 11. 2. yea yt it is not lawfull for vs to praie, but accordyng to the forme, that God hath appoincted vs by his worde, Act. 10. 25 26. & 14. 14 Apoc. 19. that all that whiche men haue ima­gined, touchyng intercession of dedde Sainctes, is but abuse and deceipte of Sathan, to tourne menne from the [Page] forme of true praier. Wée despise also all other meanes, wherewith menne presume to be able to reunsome them selues to Godwarde, as derogatyng the sacrifice of the death and passion of Iesus Christ. To be shorte, we esteme purgatorie for an illusiō forged in the same forge, ye Mat. 15. 11 Act. 10. 14. Rom. 14. a. b. c. Gal. 4. 9. 10 Col. 2. 18. 19 23. 1. Tim. 4. 2. 3. 4. 5. Monkish vowes, pilgri­mages, forbiddyng of Mariages and vse of meates, the Ceremonious ob­seruacion of daies, Auriculer confessi­on, Pardons, with al other suche like, were: whereby menne thincke too de­serue grace and saluacion: Whiche thynges we despise, not onelie for the false opinion of deserte, that is had in theim, but also because thei are man­nes inuentions, and yoke mennes cō ­sciences.

25.

And Rom. 1. 16 17 & 10. c. because we enioye not Iesus Christ but by the Gospell, Math. 18. 20. Eph. 1. 22. 23 we beleue that the order of the Churche, whiche is established by his aucthoritie, ought to bee holie and inuiolable, and there­fore, that the Churche can not stande without Pastours, whose charge is to teache, Math. 10. Ioh. 13. 20 Rom. 10. [...] and ought to be honoured [Page 108] and reuerently heard, if thei be duelie called, and faithfully exercise their of­fice. Not that God is bounde to their helpes or base meanes, but that it pleaseth him to bridle vs therwith. Wherin wee despise all suche phantasticall persones, as goe aboute (as muche as in theim lieth) to deface the ministerie and preachyng of the woorde and Sa­cramentes.

26.

We beleue then, Psal. 58 & 22. 23. & 42 5. Ephe. 4. 12. Heb. 2. 12. that none ought to withdrawe hymself a parte, and be contented alone, but that all together ought to kéepe and maintain, the vni­tie of the Churche, submittyng theim selues to the common instruction, and to the yoke of Iesus Christe, and that in what place soeuer God hath establi­shed, a true order of his Churche: Act. 4. 19 20. Heb. 10. 25 yea though the Magistrates and their or­dinaunces be contrarie thereunto: and that all they that submitte not them­selues therevnto, but separate them selues from it, doe contrarie to the or­denaunce of God.

27.

Neuertheles Iere. 7. 4. b. 11. 12. Math. 3. 12. & 7. 22. & 24. 5. we beleue that it be­houeth carefullie & wiselie to discerne, [Page] whiche is the true Churche, for that this title hath been too too muche abu­sed. Ephe. 2. 20 & 4. 11. 12. 1. Tim. 3. 5. Deut. 31. 12. Wee saie therefore, accordyng to the woorde of God, that it is the com­panie of the faithfull, whiche agree to­gether to folowe the same worde, and the pure Religion dependeth thereon: and whiche profite therein, all the da­yes of their life, encreasyng and con­firmyng theim selues in the feare of GOD, accordyng as thei neede to ad­uance themselues, and to marche dai­lie forward: Rom. 3. c. & when they haue done their vttermoste, that it behoueth thē continually, to haue recourse to the re­mission of their synnes. Mat. 13. d 2. Tim. 2. 18 19. 20. And neuer­thelesse wee deny not but that emong the faithfull, there are Hypocrites and reprobate, whose malice is not able to deface the title of the Churche.

28.

Vpon this belief Math. 10. 14 & 15. Iohn 10. c. 1. Cor. 3. b. c we proteste, that where the woorde of God is not recei­ued, nor any professe to submit theimselues ther vnto, where the Sacramē ­tes are not ministred, to speake plain­ly, wee can not iudge any Churche to be there. And therefore we condemne [Page 109] the Popish assemblies, seyng the pure truthe of God is banished thence, in whiche the Sacramentes are corrupt, counterfeacte, falsified, or wholie defa­ced, and wherein all supersticion and Idolatrie beareth swaie. 2. Cor. 6. 14. 15. 16. 1. Cor. 6. 15. Wee holde then, that all thei that haue to do ther­in, or communicate after that sorte, se­parate and cutte of theim selues, from the bodie of Iesus Christe. Neuerthe­lesse, because there domaineth a cer­taine small trace of the Churche in Poperie, & namely that the substaunce of Baptisme remaineth therein, Math. 3. 11 & 28. 19. Mar. 1. 8. Act. 1. 5. & 11. 15. 16. 17 & 19. 4. 5. 6. for that the efficacie of Baptisme, depen­deth not on the minister, wee confesse those that are Baptised, to nede no se­conde Baptisme: and yet by reason of the corruption therof, that menne cannot present their children thereto, with out pollucion.

29.

As concerning the true Churche, Act. 6. 3. 4 5. Ep. 4. b. c. 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. b. Mat. 18. 17. we beleue that it ought to be gouer­ned, accordyng to the policie, that our sauiour Iesus Christ hath established: that is: that there bee Pastours, Su­perintendes, and Deacons, to thende [Page] that the puritie of the doctrine maye haue his course, that vices maie bee corrected and repressed, and that the poore and afflicted maie bée succoured in their necessities: and that the assem­blies maie bee made, in the name of God, wherein bothe greate and small maie be edified.

30.

We beleue, Math. 20. 26. 27. &. 28 2. 3. 4. 1. Cor. 3. a. b c. d. Ephe. 1. 22. Col. 1. 18. 19 that al true pastours, in what place so euer they be, haue e­qual power and aucthoritie vnder one onely bedde: the onely soueraigne and onely vniuersall bishop Iesus Christ: and for this cause, that no Churche oughte to pretend any rule or Lord­ship ouer other.

31.

We beleue Math. 28. 10. 19. Mar. 16. 15. Iohn. 15. 16. Act. 1. 21. & 6. a. b. Rom. 10. 15 Tit. 1. 5. 6. 7 that none ought of his owne authoritie to thrust himselfe in­to the gouernement of the church, but that it ought to be done by election, for that it is possible, and God permitteth it. Which exception we adde expresse­ly hereunto, because it behoued at somtimes and namelye in our time, (in whiche the churche was interrupt for a season) that GOD should rayse vp men by extraordinarye meanes, to [Page 110] reare vp his churche a newe, whiche was ouerthrowen and desolate. This notwithstandyng we beleue, that we must alwayes conforme our selues to this rule, Gal. 1. 15. 1. Tim. 3. 7. 8. 9. 10. 15. that all pastours, superten­dents and deacons, haue testimony of calling to their office.

32.

We also beleue, Act. 13. 2 6. 7. 25. 28. Rom. 12. 6. 7. 8. 1. cor. 14. fg 2. Cor. 12. 7 8. that it is good and profitable, that they whiche are chosen Superintendentes, should bée thincke thē, what meane they were best to vse for the gouernement of the whole bo­dy: 1. Pet. 5. [...]. 1. Cor. 14. 40. and neuertheles that thei swarue not one iote from that, whiche our fa­uiour Iesus Christe hath ordayned, whiche hindereth not, but that they maie haue certaine particular ordinā ­ces in eche place, as the commoditie thereof shall require.

33.

Yet for all that, Rom. 16. 17. 18. 1. Cor. 3. 11. Col. 2 6. 7. 8 Gal. 5. 1. wee exclude all mannes inuencions, and all Lawes, whiche are brought in vnder coulour of Gods seruice, whereby they goe a­boute to bynde mennes consciences: but onely allowe that, whiche bredeth and maintaineth concord, and kepeth eche persone, from the firste to the laste [Page] in obedience. Mat. 18. 17. 1. Cor. 5. 6. 1. Tim. 1. 20 Wherein we must fol­lowe that, whiche our sauiour Christe declareth concernyng Excommunicati­on: whiche wée allowe and confesse to be necessarie with all thynges thereto belongyng.

34.

We beleue that the Sacramentes are added to the woorde, for further confirmation thereof: to bée as it were pledges and earnest to vs of the grace of God, and so by this meane, to helpe and comforte our faithe, by reason of the grossenesse and infirmitie, whiche is in vs: And that thei are so outward signes, that GOD worketh through them, in the power of his spirite, to the ende that nothyng bee signified to vs in vaine: Neuerthelesse wee hold that all their substaunce and veritie is in Iesus Christe: and beeyng separated from hym, thei are nothyng but sha­dowe and smoke.

35.

Wee confesse Rom. 6. 3. Tit. 3. 5. 9. Act. 22. 16. onely twoo to be cō ­mon to the whole Churche: of whiche the firste (whiche is Baptisme) is ge­uen to vs for witnesse of our adopti­on, for that thereby we are graffed in­to [Page 111] the bodie of Iesus Christ, to thende to bee wasshed and clensed, throughe his bloude, and after renewed in holi­nesse of life, through his holie spirite. Math. 3. 11. 12. Mar. 16. 15. Ro. 6. a. b. c d. 22. 23 We also holde, that although we bée Baptised but ones, that the profite, whiche there is signified vnto vs, ex­tendeth to life, and death, to the ende that wee maye haue an euerlastyng marke, that Iesus Christe will alwa­yes remaine our rightuousnesse, and sanctificacion. And although it bee a Sacramente of saithe and repentaūce, Math. 19. 14. 1. Cor. 7. 14 neuerthelesse, because God receiueth into his Churche, the children with their fathers, wee saie, that by the au­cthoritie of Iesus Christe, young chil­dren begotten of faithefull parentes, ought to be Baptised.

36.

We 1. Cor. 10. 16. 17. & 11. 24. cōfesse that the holie Supper (whiche is the seconde Sacramente) witnesseth vnto vs the vnitie, whiche wee haue with Iesus Christe, in asmuche as he did not onely ones dye, and rise againe for vs, Iohn. 6. 56. 57. & 17 21. 22. but also true­ly fedeth and nourisheth vs, with his fleshe and bloude, that wee might bee [Page] one with hym, and his life common to vs. Mar. 16. 19. Act. 3. 21. And though he bee in heauen, till he come to iudge the worlde, 1. Cor. 10. 16. Iohn 6. yet wee beleue that by the secrete and incom­prehensible power of his Spirite, he nourisheth and quickeneth vs, with the substaunce of his bodie and bloud.

We hold that this is done spiritual­ly: not putting in ye place of effect, and veritie, imaginatiō, nor thought. But forasmuch as the highnesse of this mi­sterie for mounteth the measure of our vnderstanding, and all order of natu­ture, to be short, because it is heauīly, it cannot be apprehended but by faith.

37.

We beleue, as is said, that as well in the Supper, as in Baptisme, god geueth vs in dede and in effecte that whi­che is figured therby. And therefore we ioyne with the signes, the true posses­siō and enioying of that which is the­re presented vnto vs. So that all they whiche bringe to the holye table of Christe a pure fayth, (as a ves­sell) receiue truelye that whiche the signes testifie: That is, 1. Cor. 11. Iohn. 6. that the bo­dy and bloud of Iesus Christ serue no [Page 112] lesse for meat and drinke to the soule, than the bread & wine do to the body.

38.

Also we hold, Ro. 6. 3. 4. that though ye water be a transitory element, yet it truely testifieth vnto vs the inward washing of our soules in ye blod of Iesus Christ, through the working of his spirit: and that the bread & wine beinge giuen vs in the supper, is very spirituall food to vs, Iohn. 6. 1. Cor. 11. for that they manifestlye declare vnto vs, that the fleshe of Iesus Christ is our meate, & his bloud our drink: we despise all phantasticall heades & Sa­cramentaries, which wil not receiue such signes & markes, seinge that our Lord Iesus Christ pronosiceth. Mat. 26. 1. Cor. 11. This is my body, this cup is my bloud.

39

We beleue Exod. 18. Math. 17. 25 Rom. 13. that God willeth the worlde to be gouerned by laws & pol­licie, to ye end to bridle & kepe vnder ye disordonat appetites of the people. And like as he hath established kingdoms, cōmon weales, and all other sortes of powers, be they by inheritaunce or o­therwise, with all thinges belonging to the state of iustice, & wil be acknow­leged author therof: for this cause hath [Page] he put the swerde in the magistrates hād, not only to punish vice cōmitted against ye secōd table, but also against the first. 1. Pet. 2. 13 14. 1. Tim. 2. 2 And therfore it behoueth vs for his sake not onely to suffer superi­ours to rule, but also to honour and e­steme them with all reuerēce, holding them for his liftenauntes & officers, whiche he hath appointed to exercise a lawfull and holy charge.

40

We holde than, Math. 17. 24. that we muste obey their lawes and statutes: paye tributes, imposts, and other dueties: and willinglye to beare the yoake of subiectiō although they were infidels: Act. 4. 17 18. 19. so that the soueraigne Empire of God be kept whole. And therfore we detest those that woulde reiect superio­ritie, make all thinges common, and ouerthrowe all order and iustice.

FINIS.

This confession of faith, was publi­quely presented again to the Kings Maiestie, Charles the .ix. of that name at Poissy the yeare 1561. the ninth Septemb.

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