he coulde suffer nothing and if he were only man he should sinke vnder the burden of Gods wrath Because he is God and man therfore he was able to dye and vanquyshe death in dying Moreouer for asmuch as be is man most pure and most holy conceiued by the holy ghost this purity being perfect pleaseth God Wherefore we haue in Iesus Christe a man agréeable pleasing vnto God Nowe out of this puritie springeth two Ryuers as out of the fountayne or spring that is to saye a perfect righteousnesse and a whole and perfect abstayning from sinne ▪ For Iesus Christ very man bath fulfilled all the wyll of God for as much as hee neuer sinned in any manner wyse Therefore be is most iust righteous before God aswel because of this naturall puritie as of the fruites sprynging out of the same purity and cleanes Wherefore we maye with good ryght conclude that we doo fynde onelye in Iesus Christ perfect remedie against all the euyls that doth or mought feare our conscience or let vs from comming to the glory of God or might cause vs iustly to be condempned to eternall death But yet neuertheles we must ioygne a condition to this that is to saye if we doo take or ioyne to vs these remedies in Iesus Christ For as it profiteth not a sicke person to haue a good medicine except bee vse it nor a hungry man to be at a tables end garnished with plenty of good meats except he eate of them lykewise be there medies of Iesus Christe against y e wrath of God and eternal death set before vs in vain except we vse them Now we cānot vse them except first we knowe by what maner after what sort it may be done Wherefore first we must see how Iesus Christ is may be applied to our profit aduantage Then to declare how Iesus Christ may be applied to our saluation eternall lyfe we wyl vse this preface As it is not in our power to finde a medicine of saluation ▪ so cā we not find the maner how to vse this medicine For as in the sicknes of the body the sick person is past al hope of health vtterly dispaired then it is needful for the Phisition not onely to find and prepare the medicine but also to dispose the sick person so as he wyl may vse this medicin and y ◠he may vnderstād howe to vse it so the sicknes of the soule which is most precious aboue althings in the which mankind is not onely ignorant but also enemies of their owne saluation then we must vnderstande by the Phisition of the soule what is the medicine then after what maner it must be vsed yea in such wise y ◠the same Phisition do prepare make vs apt and meete y ◠we both will and cā vse those remedies which he prepareth and apoynteth to vs. God then is he which in the beginning of the world spake by his Angels to y ◠first man y ◠is to say Adam and others vntyll Moses declaring to them the only remedy of saluation as before is declared that is to wéete Iesus Christ in whom onely we find all y ◠is needful and requisit to saluation And after the reiecting of al other natiōs people made apoyntment w t the posterity of Abraham multiplied them exceedinglye expoūded to them his wyll most abūdantly as it is cōprised in the. x commaundementes of God also ioyned therto certain sacrifices and ceremonies the which dyd not only deuyde the people of God frō al other nations but also were certain testimonies of Christes coming ▪ of all the things that he should suffer for to delyuer vs from the wrath of God so y ◠they myght certaynly trust and beléeue in hym whiche they hoped shoulde come Moreouer because God knewe that the diuel would moue styrre vp false Prophets which woulde spreade foorth theyr lies as the true cōmaundements of God he wylled Moyses and the Prophetes to wryte all that God reuealed to them to the ende that the false Prophetes shoulde not so easily deceyue the people But in the end when y e tyme was come which he had eternally appoynted according to his eternall infinite wisedome he sent downe and presented from Heauē his promise that is to say his eternall sonne the which tooke vppon him a verye humaine body by the vertue of the holye ghost of the substance of the virgin Mary of the séede of Abraham and of Dauid with the whiche body God conioygned a most pure and most holy soule created by the same force of the holy ghost He was made the very mediatour as is sayde before and hath truly fulfilled accomplyshed all that was necessary to be fulfilled for to reconcyle man vnto God But in the ende when all these things were fulfilled Iesus Christe ascended vp into heauen and wylled this doctrine not onelye to bee preached by mouth of the Apostles Euangelists but also that theyr handes shoulde wryte it in suche wyse as the Church should haue to the ende of the worlde one certayne doctrine vppon the which she might stay rest and also by it might separate moste clearely the lyes of the false Prophets and Antichrists from the only verity of God which is comprehēded wholy and perfectly in the bookes of the olde and new testaments so that it is not lawfull to chaunge any thing eyther adde to it or take from it Moreouer this doctrine had bene written in vayne if it were not preached and declared faythfully And man cannot endure nor sustayne the face of God or of Angelles And God hauing pittie of the seede of man in this poynt hath ordained and constytuted Pastours and Teachers in his Church by whome he wylled that this doctryne shoulde be faythfully declared and applyed to the necessyties of the Church publykely and partycularly that man shoulde not alledge any ignoraunce of the wyll of God Wherefore to the ende I may comprehende all these things in few wordes we learne by the mouth of the faithfull Ministers of God which declare his woorde to the church al that we haue heretofore declared to be necessarie to vnderstande our myserie and our saluation And for as much as when the word of God is preached vnto man it is as if they spake vnto insensible stones therfore we must know that as God worketh to the external senses by his woorde pronounced by his Ministers euen so hee worketh inwardly by his infinite power that is to saye by hys holy spirit whose office consisteth in these effectes here following Fyrst that as this parte of Scripture which is called the law testifieth to our eares that wée bée most myserable sinners deseruing eternal death euen so the holy ghost teacheth the same and sixeth it in our consciences whiche otherwyse were dull and insensyble and maketh that we bée touched with the true perfect féeling
the most excellent works and the qualities of true praier according to the work of God and the authoritye of the aunciente doctors of the Church folio 28 17 The secōd differēce of y e mater of good works is to know from whence they procéede fol. 31 18 The thyrde dyfference in the matter of good workes is to knowe wherevnto they be good fol. 33 19 To what ende good works do serue vs before God and before men foli 34 20 Remedies against the laste and most daungerous temptation which is whether we be saued or not fol. 37 21 Of two instrumentes wherewith the holye Ghoste is serued to create fayth in the hartes of his electe to wéete the worde of God and the sacraments foli 42 22 What is that we call the word of God and of the two partes that is to say the lawe and the Gospel Eodem 23 What dyfference there is betwene the law and the Gospell folio 43 24 After what maner the preaching of the law serueth the holy ghost fo 46 25 Of the other part of the word of god caled the gospel of what autoritie it is wherfore howe and to what ende it is written foli 48 26 How the gospel comprehendeth in substance all the bookes of the olde testament fo 50 27 Howe it is to be vnderstande that we haue spoken of the authority of the word written and if it be necessarye to traunslate it into all languages folio 51 28 Howe the holye ghost is serued with the exteriour preachinge of the Gospell to create fayth in the hartes of the elect and to harden the reprobate fol. 52 29 Another fruite of the preaching of the lawe after the preaching of the Gospel begynneth to worke folio 53 30 The seconde meane which the holye ghoste vseth to make vs reioyce in Iesus Christ and wherfore the lord is not only content with the symple preaching of his word fol. 55 31 The diffynition of that which is called Sacrament folio 57 32 The difference betwen the sacraments of y e olde couenaunt and those of the new fo 58 33 Whereby the false sacraments be knowen from the true and the abuse of them from the right vsage Eodem 34 Which things be common to the preaching of the word and to the sacraments fol. 59 35 What things belong properly to the sacramentes hauing respect to the ende wherefore they were ordained of God folio 60 36 Howe there is but two Sacraments in the Christian Church fol. 63 37 The fowre points which be to be consydered in the declaration of this matter Eodem 38 The first point is to vnderstand what we do meane by the name of sygnes in this matter of Sacramentes and wherfore the Lord dyd chuse for sygnes the most vulgar and cōmon thinges Eodem 39 What followeth the errour of those which take awaye the substaunce from the sygnes in the sacrament foli 65 40 What mutation or change is in the things which he vsed in the sacrament Eodem 41 From whence proceedeth this alteration the errour of those which make a charme or sorcery of the the ▪ sacramental words fo 66 42 The Sacramentes to be no Sacramentes without the vse of them Eodem 43 The seconde poynt is the thing sygnified in the sacrament Eodem 44 The thyrd poynt is howe Iesus Christ is ioygned with the sygnes Eodem 45 The distinction of sygnes and of the thing sygnified Folio 67 46 The maner to communicate aswel y ◠signes of the sacraments as the thing signified eodē 47 Application of all that is beforesayde of the sacrament of Baptisme foli 68 48 For what cause the young chyldren of the faithfull be Baptised foli 70 49 Applycation of all that goeth before of the Sacrament of the Supper and the ryght vse therof foli 71 50 The conclusion of the matter of the Sacraments foli 76 51 Wherfore y e holy ghost is called y ◠consolator or comfortour and to what purpose and ende the afflictions of the faithful serueth Eodem ¶ The v. poynt intreating of the Church containeth the 43. Articles 1 That there hath alwayes béene and ouer shalbe a Churche out of the whiche there is no saluation Foli 77 2 There can be but one true Church Fol. 78 3 Wherfore we call the Church catholik eodē 4 In what thynge lyeth the Communion of Saynts Eodem 5 The Churche hath but one heade that is to saye Iesus Christe to whome there néedeth no lieuetenaunt foli 79 6 The communion of the Sayntes letteth nor hindereth not the diuersytie of offices among the faithfull fol 80 7 The markes whereby we maye discerne the false Church from the true fol. 81 8 Which be the true members of y ◠church fo 82 9 The marks or tokens of the Churche be not alwaies in one estate and how it ought to be gouerned fol. 83 10 Wherein consisteth the duetie and autority of the Church generally Folio 84 11 Of the autority of the vniuersal counselles and first what is an vniuersall counsel Eodē 12 Howe farre wée maye dyfferre from the counselles folio 85 13 To whom it pertaineth to cal a coūsel fo 86 14 Howe those ought to bee chosen whiche the churches do send to the counsels folio 87 15 Euery man ought to be heard in the counsel prouided that there be no confusion fol. 88 16 Who ought to procéede or to be chiefe in the counsell folio 89 17 How far extendeth the power of the coūsels and why they be ordained in the church fo 91 18 The first point to consider the case wel when or at what time they shoulde set vp publique lawes in the Churche folio 93 19 The secōd poynt which is to be considered in the Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces folio 95 20 The third consideration that ought to be had in Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces folio 96 21 What is to be aunswered to those whiche alleadge counselles against vs. folio 97 22 Of particular counselles as of nations or prouinces Foli 98 23 Howe manye sortes of speciall gouernours there be in the Churche Eodem 24 The office of Apostles Euangelists Prophetes in the primatiue Church folio 99 25 Of the office of pastours doctours fol. 100 26 The dyfference betwéene Pastours and Doctours folio 101 27 The pastours and doctours be but instrumentes by the which God conducteth the mynisterye of his worde Eodem 28 The markes and tokens of false Doctours and Pastours fol ▪ 102 29 Of degrées which ought to be among ministers of the worde according as they be disseuered by companies folio 104 30 The second degrée of Ecclesiasticall offices which is the office of deacons the distribution of the goodes of the Church foli 105 31 Of the fowre orders whiche they call minores ordine foli 107 32 The third degre of ecclesiastical offices which is the iurisdiction office of the elders fol. 108 33 To what purpose and ende serueth the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and
synn 〈…〉 his glorye SO nowe there remayned nothing but that all the whole world should runne to ruine and destruction but that God beinge not onely most rightuâ—us but also moste mercifull had eterâ—ally ordained a meane to cause al those â—hinges to tourne to his greate glory to â—ete to the greater declaration of his â—â—finite goodnes towardes those whiche 〈…〉 hath also ordained and chosen eterâ—allye to be glorified in their saluation and likewise to the declaration of his pâ—wer d and wrath by the iust iudgemenâ— and condempnation of the vesselles 〈…〉 wrathe prepared to destruction For a 〈…〉 S. e Augustine sayde vearye well if aâ— were deliuered that which were dewâ— to synne by iustice should be secret anâ— hidde and if none were deliuered thâ—â— shoulde not be séene whiche grace haâ— geuen and graunted 17. Iesus Christ the onely medâ—atouâ— ordained and promised THis one and all onely meane is thâ— misterye of the incarnation of thâ— sonne of god with all that which foloweth it who was from age to agâ— promised euen from a Adam vnto sainâ— Ihon was published and preached bâ— the patriarkes as prophetes was all fygured diuers wayes vnder the law as is at large contained in the bokes 〈…〉 the olde Testamente to the ende thaâ— man moughte be saued by faythe 〈…〉 Iesus Christ for to come 18. The agrement and difference of the olde and nevve testament THer was neuer but one couenant of saluation betwene god man if we consyder the substance ther 〈…〉 which is Iesus Christ a But in conâ—â—deration of the circumstaunces there â—re two testaments or couenantes wherâ—f we haue the names and autentike reâ—isters called the holy Scripture and â—orde of god The one is called the old The other the newe b which is the betâ—er abolyshing the olde for as much as â—e olde did not propound and set foorth â—esus Christe but a farre of and hidden â—nder shadowes and fygures whiche â—ere abolished by his comming 19 vvherfore it behoued Iesus Christ to be a verye naturall man in bodie and soule vvithout synne IT behoued the Mediatour of this couenant and reconciliation to be a veryman without any spot of origiâ—all sinne or other for those reasons folowyng First for as muche as God 〈…〉 iust and man was bound and endetteâ— to his wraâ—he by his naturall corruption as we haue declared heretofore iâ— the fiftenth Article it was méete therâ— shoulds be a very man in whome thiâ— ruine and decaye shoulde be thorowlyâ— and perfectelye repayred for to pleasâ— God Secondlye man is bound to accomplishe and fulfyll all the righteousnes which god requireth of him for to be glorified then there must be a man for to accomplyshe perfitelye all righteousnes to please god Thyrdly all men be couered with an infinite nuÌ„ber of synnes as well inwardly as outwardly therfore culpable of y â— maledicton of god of necessity there must be a man which should satisfie fullye the iustice of God for to please him Forthlye no man beyng corrupte coulde in any wyse beginne to doe the least of these thynges but rather shoulde haue néede of a â—edemer euen for him selfe muche lesse then coulde he redeme or deliuer other men or do any thyng whiche shoulde be pleasyng or acceptable to God It was néedfull then that the Redemer and Mediator of man shoulde be a verye man in bodye and foule and yet neuerthelesse perfectlye and altogether pure and cleane from all synne 20. wherfore it was needfull that Iesus Christ should be very God IT was of necessitie y â— this Mediatour shoulde be verye God and not onlye man for these reasons folowing First if he had not bene very God he shoulde not haue bene a Sauiour but shoulde haue néeded a Sauiour for himselfe Secondly there muste be before the iustice God proporcion betwene the faulte and the payne thereof the offence or faulte is infinite for as muche as he is infinite against whose maiestie it is committed therefore it was nedefull to haue satisfaction that is infinite and consequently that he which shouldâ— do it as very man should also be infinite that is to saye verye god Thirdlye d for that the wrathe of god is infinite there was no strength of maÌ„ or Angell which coulde haue bene able to beare suche a burden but it should fal be ouerwhelmed vnder it therfore it was néedefull that he which should rise againe hauing the victorye ouer the deuill synne the worlde and death ioyned with the wrath of god should be not onelye perfect man but also very god Fynally god the better to declare his incoÌ„prehensible goodnes woulde make his grace not onelye equall e with our offence but woulde that it should exceede and surmount the trespasse For this cause euen as the f firste Adam the auctour of oure offence thoughâ—e he were created to the Image of god yet notwithstanding was earthy as his frailty and weaknes hathe well declared so on the coÌ„trary Iesus Christ the seconde Adam by whom we be deliuered is in such wife perfecte and very man that he is also heauenly that is to say very god for as much as the fulnes of the godheade dwelleth in him bodily So that if the disobedience of Adam doth astonishe or make vs afraid y e righteousnes of Iesus Christ should muche more comfort and stablishe vs and that we shoulde hope for a lyfe obtained vs by Iesus Christ much better then that which we haue lost in Adam yea so much better as Iesus Christ is aboue Adam 21. Howe the misterie of our saluation was fulfilled in Iesus Christ WE confesse then that for to fulfyll the couenante promised to the auncient fathers and prophesied by the mouthe of the prophets The trew and only eternal sonne of God in the time ordeined of the father toke on him the forme of a seruaunte that is to say a very humane nature with the infirmities of the same sinne excepted beinge conceyued in the wombe of the blessed vyrgin Mary by the vertue of the holy ghoste without any operation of man 22 The tvvo natures vvere vnited and knitte in one person from the first instaunt of the conception WE confesse that from the first instaÌ„t of this conception the person of the son was inseperably vnited with the nature of man in suche sorte that there be not two sonnes of God nor two Iesus Christs but one onely sonne of God Iesus Christ very God and very man yet neuerthelesse bothe these natures abyding and remainyng in their seueral properties For the diuinitie seperated from the humanity or the humanitie deuided or pluckte from the diuinitie or the one confused with the other woulde serue vs to no purpose 23 The virgin Marye is mother of Iesus Christ God and man IEsus Christ verye God and verye man that is to say hauyng a very trewe and humaine soule and a very humain
had commytted Set before vs then their examples not to contynue in synne for they contynued not therein when they were waked of the Lorde but let vs folowe theyr repentaunce and assuraunte whyche they had of theyr saluation And conclude that Sathan is a lyar when he would make vs beleeue that our faith was neuer good although for a time the workinge and effectes thereof were bidden whiche is as muche as to saye there is no fire bicause there is no flame Or that the trées be deade in winter bicause there is no gréene leaues nor fruite or appearaunce of life Fowrthlie let vs haue recourse vnto the surer and perfecter remedie whiche is the certainetie of our Election established vppon the immutable purpose of God And to haue the certaine testimonie of this infallible and vnmoonable Election although the motions and workinges of faith séeme to bee quenched and perished in vs call to remembraunce the dayes paste of the example of Dauid and wee shall finde most certaine testimonies of the fauour of God towardes vs so that we shall not neede to doubte Also we maye finde that sometimes wee had the workinge of faith and so of our Election and saluation whiche were so manyfest in vs that the Deuyll him selfe can not denye but then we were in the fauour of God and had true fayth For without fayth no man can please God But if Sathan replie to that that then wée had faythe but nowe wée haue lost it and that God hath taken his grace cleane from vs. Let vs aunswere boldely that this is as false a doctrine as the aucthour thereof is a lyer For those two poyntes bée infallible first God neuer chaungeth his purpose and aduise The other is that which he hath once purposed must come to passe whatsoeuer lettes and stoppes doe come Also ioyne the thirde reason to this which is that fayth is a particuler gift and belongeth onely to the elect as I will proue For he that beleueth is vnited and knit to Iesus Christe And therefore can neuer dye These foundations beyng layde I affirme that whosoeuer hath a certayne testimonie of his faith once in all hys life may be assured that it is there styll and shalbe vntyll the ende although for a time they feele it not nor perceyue it For doeth it followe that a little chylde hath no reasonable soule in him bicause he hath not the vse of it Or that a dronken man hath not a reasonable soule because that for a time he hath lost y e vse féeling thereof Peter denyed his maister with an oth Was his faith therfore voyde and naught or did the Lord geue him a newe fayth No but on the contrarye accordyng to the prayer that Christe made for hym hys fayth neuer fayled him altogether And as the vytal and liuely spirite and strength is not cleane out of him that for a time séemeth to bée rather dead then aliue not onely by the iudgement of Phisitions but also by his owne féeling Wherefore let vs kéepe stedfast this precyous testimonie of our faith and kéepe these infallible argumentes agaynst Sathan in this harde battayle assuring our selues that if euer faith were in vs it is there styll and shall be Wherefore wée conclude that we be the children and elected of God wée shall neuer perishe but he heard and receyued of him to our amendement thus calling vppon him which neuer chaungeth nor altereth his purpose neyther wyll condempne him to daye that he was determined to saue yesterdaye Let vs knowe then that our saluation dependeth vppon the eternall prouidence and wyll of him that hath giuen vs to his sonne who sayde piainlie that he woulde not lose one of those which his Father had giuen him nor they shoulde neuer be reiected For it is most necessary that our saluation should remaine in surer handes then our own But there maye bée alleaged certaine reasons contrarie to this doctrine but they be easily refuted as is amply declared from point to point in suÌ„drie bookes set foorth in our time of this matter 21. Of tvvo instrumentes vvhere vvith the holy ghoste is serued to create fayth in the hartes of his electe to vvitte the vvord of â—od and the sacramentes IT hathe béen declared in the Article goyng before howe it is the holy ghost whyche createths vs in the Instrumente of the true faithe and whiche be the effectes and operations thereof in vs that is to say to apprehend and take hold of Iesus Christ in whom only we fynde all that is required and necessary to iustifie and saue vs. Secondly we muste vnderstand with what instruments the holy Ghoste is serued to create fayth in vs and furthermore by what maner or how as we haue declared before that he is serued with two instrumentes wherof we shall speake distinctly 22 What it is that vve call the vvorde of God and of the tvvo partes that is to say the lavve and the Gospell WE call the word of God the canonicall bookes of the old and newe testament and no other thing whatsoeuer it be And wée deuide this woorde into two kyndes or parts of the which one is called the law and the other the gospell For al the rest depeÌ„d on the one or other of these two partes We call law when it is distincte from the Gospell a certayne doctrine whose séede is naturally written in oure hartes the whyche neuerthelesse for a more expresse declaration was written of God and comprehended briefly in the. x. commaundementes by the which he declareth to vs the obedience and perfecte ryghteousnesse whiche we owe to his maiestye and to oure neyghbours Under a chaungeable condition that is to say eyther of lyfe eternall so that wée haue perfectly fulfilled the whole lawe withont breakyng any one poynte or else death eternal for lack of the entier fulfilling and accomplishing the contents of euery parcell of the commaundementes Wee call the Gospell or Euangelie that is to say good newes a certayne doctrine reuealed from heauen and altogether surmounting the naturall sense of man by the which word God declareth to vs that hee will saue vs fréely by his onely sonne so that wee embrace and accept him by fayth as oure only wisdome righteousnes sanctification redemption by the whiche also I say he testifieth to vs these things yea in suche wise that incontinent he renueth vs thorowe the same worde to embrace the goodnes which there is offred to vs. 23. What difference there is betvveene the lavve and the Gospell THese things be greatly to be noted for it may iustly be said that y â— ignorance of this distinction betwéene y e law and the Gospel is one of the principal causes rootes of al the abuse which hath corrupted and yet doth corrupt the whole Christianitie bycause the moste parte of men blynded by the iust iudgement of God haue neuer well considered into what malediction and curse the lawe hath
nowe stande whiche he can not better doe than in setting before vs the declaration of his lawe what we ought to doe and also what we be As the coloure of blacke is neuer better sette foorthe than when whyte is sette by it so the spirite of God beginneth by the preachyng of the lawe wherein wée maye sée what we doe owe and what we be not hable to pay And consequently howe neare we be to our condemnation if there be no otherwise founde some remedy And also the inuinsible dulnesse whiche alwayes hath raygned in the world and raygneth yet more than euer it did declareth sufficiently howe necessarie it is that God shoulde beginne at this ende to drawe vs to himselfe that is to say in declaring vnto vs in howe great and euident daungers those be whiche make least accompt of it For the lawe was not gyuen to iustifie vs for if it were so the Gospell were not needefull and Iesus Chryste dyed in vaine as saythe Sainte Paule but to condemne vs and to shewe the Hells al open to swallowe vs. And also to abase and bring downe oure fearce and hye pryde declaring to vs the multytude of oure synnes and the wrathe of God which he declareth and pronoūceth from Heauen agaynste vs. Neuerthelesse the worlde is thus farre blynded that not onely they searche theyr saluation in those thynges whyche condemne them That is to saye in theyr workes either partly or all togither But also in stéede to attayne to Iesus Chryst the only remedy agaynste what so euer maye accuse them before God They cease not to heape lawes vppon lawes to theyr owne conscience that is to say condemnation vppon condemnation as though the lawe of God condemned them not déepe inoughe Lyke as yf a prisoner to whom the prison doore were open and in stead to go out woulde lock him selfe in wyllyngly further and further tourning the libertye whyche he forsaketh into a straighter pryson So nowe ye maye beholde the firste vse and profite of the preachynge of the lawe ▪ whyche is the declaration of oure innumerable synnes for to displease vs and make vs sory and to humble and throw downe oure selues to the vttermost and also to kyndle in vs the fyrste poynt of repentaunce whyche they call contrition from whence followeth the confession of synnes towardes God For that man will neuer come to the Phisition to bée healed whyche thinketh not himselfe to be sicke so there be no people more vnapte to be taught and lyghtned of god vnto saluation than those which thinke they vnderstand and sée clerely of themselues But for lacke of vnderstanding they be our whelmed and doubled in the darkenesse wherin they were borne and so swallowe them selues continually therein 25. Of the other parte of the worde of God called the Gospell of what authorite it is Wherefore howe and to what ende it is written AFter the lawe commeth the Gospell the vse wherof cannot be better vnderstande than by the obseruation of these poynts which folowe Firste as there is but one Sauioure so there is but one onely doctrine of saluation whyche is called the Gospell that is to saye glad tydyngs or good newes the whiche hath béenefully and perfectly declared and signifyed to the worlde by Iesus Chryste hys Apostles and Euangelystes the whiche haue faythfully written and registred it that we myghte auoyde the suttilties and craftes of Sathan whyche woulde more easly were not the Gospell spred foorthe hys lyes vnder the name of the Gospell the whiche neuerthelesse he ceaseth not to doe continually by the iust vengeaunce of God againste those whyche haue alwayes loued darkenesse better than light And where we saye that the Apostles and Euangelystes haue faythfully written and registred all the Euangelicall doctrine we do vnderstand three poyntes The firste that they haue not added or put to any thing whiche was giuen them in charge concerning the substance of the doctrine For Christ sayde to them goe ye and preache all those thyngs whiche I haue commaunded you And as Sainte Paule protesteth in writing to the Corinthians The seconde is that they haue omitted nor lefte out nothing which is necessarie to saluation For then had they béene vnfaythfull in their charge and office the whiche coulde not be And also we see what S. Paule and S. Peter witnesseth according to Iesus Chrystes wordes And S. Augustine playnely declareth and saythe true it is that the Lorde hath done many thyngs the which be not all written for the Euangelist testifieth that Iesus Chryste hath sayde and done many things the whiche be not al written but they haue written those things which ought to be written and which is sufficient for the saluation of all belouers The third poynt is that that whiche they haue written is so playnly written that the most simple and ignorant of al the worlde if the faulte be not in them selues may learne what is necessarie to their saluation For else wherefore was the Gospell written in a language that all might vnderstand it and also in suche a maner of speakyng whiche was moste familiar and acquaynted among the people that was possible to bée chosen Therfore sayd S. Paule that if the Gospell bée hidden it is hidden to those whiche perishe whome the god of this worlde hathe blynded their senses and vnderstanding that is to saye the vnbeléeuers And certainely the experience hath declared alwayes that God hathe not called the most wyse and of greatest knoweledge but the simple and ignoraunt of the worlde muche lesse would he hyde it or so darken his doctrine that it should not be vnderstande of all men whereof wée gather two conclusions to this purpose The firste that nothyng is Gospell whiche men haue added to the woorde of God wrytten or dyminyshed from it but all is mere superstition and corruption of the true and onely Gospell of our Lorde as Saincte Paule hathe spoken And Saincte Hierome wryting of thys matter y ◠sayth he which is spoken without the auctoritie of the holy scripture is easelie confuted and to bee reiected and dispersed ▪ The second conclusion is that those which saye that it appertaineth not but to certaine person◠to reade the scripture and for that cause wyll not haue it translated into the vulgar tongue for feare that simple Women other people should reade it those be the ▪ verie right Antichristes instrumentes of Sathan fearing that their abuse shoulde be discouered by the comming of the light 26. Hovve the Gospell comprehendeth in substaunce all the bookes of the olde testament FUrthermore it is not our minde neyther doo wee vnderstande this woorde Gospell or Euangelie as the Papistes haue accustomablie called and vsed it That is to saye certaine peeces of Chapters rent or deuided without purpose or reason of the bookes of the fowre Euāgelystes or the Epistles of Saint Paule in
theyr Masse but we doo comprehende vnder this woorde Gospell not onelie all the newe Testament but also all that which hath bene prophecied to come or promised in the old Testament touching Iesus Christe For as we haue saide the Gospell is the onelie meane by the which GOD from the beginning of the worlde hath alwaies saued his electe and therfore began to declare it in the beginning of the worlde to Adam as Moises declareth and afterwarde it was declared and preached manifestlie plainelie by Iesus Christ himselfe in his owne person by his Apostels We call Gospell that happy tidinges which GOD by his onelie grace and mercie hath declared to his Church from the beginning of the worlde that is to saye whosoeuer beleeueth in Iesus Christ shalbe saued 27 Hovv it is to be vnderstande that vve haue spoken of the auctoritie of the vvoorde vvritten and if it be necessarie to translate it into all languages THirdly when wee saye that the Gospell so written and regystred as God hath geuen it vs is the onely ordinary meane with the whiche the spirite of God is serued to saue man by reason whereof this word is called the word of lyfe and of reconciliation Wee doe not rest nor stay vpon syllables neyther vpon paper and ynke neyther vppon a Gospell hanged about ones necke or read spoken or pronounced onelye as these Charmers doe their charmes neyther a Booke finely carued and gylte or worshipped by sensing and other fyne inuentions but exclude all fantasticall inuentions whiche euer haue serued the Deuyll and vnderstande that to bee the Gospell which is well and trulye preached and expounded so that the substaunce thereof bee well vnderstande by the people and to laye it vp in their hartes where it maye bryng foorth the fruite of true repentaunce by fayth as Saynte Paule and Saynte Peter haue expresselye declared Also Iesus Christ dyd not say to his Apostels goe reade the Gospell in an vnknowen toung and woorshyp the booke wherein it is wrytten but hee sayde goe and preache the Gospell to all Creatures But howe shall they beleeue wythout vnderstandyng For fayth commeth by hearyng as sayth Saynte Paule And howe shall they vnderstande that which is soong or reade in an vnknowen toung or not syncerelye and trulye expounded Howe also shall those bee confyrmed in the holye and true doctrine and comforted in all theyr temptations and aduertised to knowe the false doctrine from the pure exposition of the Christian religion but in meditation and readyng of the woorde of God nyghte and daye as sayeth the Prophet Dauid and conferryng together diligentlye the sextes of the holye Scripture And so hath it beene alwayes vsed in the Churche vntyll the Deuyll by the iuste punyshement of God dyd put awaye thys lyghte to brynge in hys darckenes before it was perceyued Sayncte Peter is wytnes wryttyng to all the faythfull when he prayseth them for the dilligence whiche they tooke to Reade and vnderstande the Prophet rightlie For he knewe when the Lorde had sayde to him feede my shéepe was to be vnderstande of the preachinge of the woorde of lyfe As Saint Paule expounded it and practised it Yet notwithstanding wee doo not saye that euerie one ought to be a Doctour and expositour of the holye Scrypture For this office appertayneth to those which bee called and ordayned lawfullye to doo it in the Churche But wee speake of readynge the Scrypture to be confyrmed in that which hath bene expounded and to reiect the false Doctrine of false Pastours and Teachers And we deny that the reading of the holie Scripture and the preachinge of the same for the which the Doctors and Pastours be ordayned in the Church and not to Sacrifice a newe Iesus Christe or to bring in a straunge Language among the common people maketh heretikes But on the contrarie there is none other meane or way in the worlde to driue awaye all heresies And whosoeuer taketh awaye or letteth the readyng of the Scripture taketh awaye incontinent the onelie meanes of consolation and the saluation of the poore people 28. Hovv the holy Ghost is serued vvith the exteriour preachyng of the Gospel to create faith in the hartes of the elect ▪ and to harden the reprobate FOurthly we saye that as this exteryour preaching of the Gospell is a sauour or odour of death to the Rebels whych harden them selues lyke wyse is it the sauour or odour of lyfe to the children of God not that thys force and vertue to saue is in the noyse or sounde of the woorde or that it commeth from the power of him whiche Preacheth but because the holie Ghoste of whose office we speake is serued with this externall Preachinge as with a trunke or conduite which entreth and pearseth vnto the verie depthe of the spirite as sayth the Apostle for to make by his onelie grace and goodnesse the vnderstanding of the Children of God capable and meete to conceyue and vnderstande this highe mysterie of their Saluation by Iesus Christe Moreouer to reforme and renew their iudgementes whereby they maye approue that to bée the sapience and wisedome of GOD whiche our sense and reason estéemeth to bée follie Moreouer to correcte and chaunge their wyll so that with an ardent affection they maye embrace and appropriate to them selues the remedie which is geuen them and shewed foorth in Iesus Christe against dispaire into the which without the same they shoulde fall perforce headlong through the preaching of the law Nowe yee maye see how the holye Ghos by the preaching of the Gospell healeth the wounde whyche the preaching of the lawe hath discouered and layd open Here ye may see how the preaching of the Gospell createth in vs the gift of fayth whiche commeth incontinent and apprehendeth in Iesus Christ al that is necessarye to saluation as hath bene shewed heretofore 26. Another fruite of the preaching of the lavv after the preaching of the gospell beginneth to vvorke NOwe among the benefytes of Iesus Christe dwellyng in vs as it hath beene declared this is not the least to create in vs a pure harte to knowe to wyll and to doo that which is of God that is to say to take pleasure and to studye to serue God in steede where wee were before slaues of synne enemyes of God and coulde not onelye thynke anye good By this meanes the preaching of the lawe beginneth to chaunge the effect in vs after that our disposition is chaunged in suche wyse that in steede where it made vs afrayde it comforteth vs in steede where it shewed vs our condemnation readye prepared it serueth vs nowe for a guyde to shewe vs the good workes into the which wee be prepared to walke in them In steede that it was a yoke vnpleasaunte and importable nowe it is
vnder lx yeares and also to haue good testimony of her chaste lyfe and conuersation 31 Of the fowre orders which they call minores ordines BEsyde thys amonge the olde wryters there is mencyon of three degrees whiche afterwarde were called Minores ordines although some count of fowre and other count more There was also Porters or Vsshers which were called Ostiarii who kept at the gates of the Churche to open and to shutte especiallye because of the Cathacumines the excommunicated and the penytentes whiche were not permytted to be present at the mynistration of the Sacramentes There were those also which followed the Pastour ordynarylye as well to doo hym reuerence and honour as to be wytnesses of those thynges whiche hee dyd or sayde and also to acquaynt and make them selues knowen to the church and also to learne to knowe and exercise their offyces and those they called Acolites that is to say following and also they dyd vse to set them to other small affayres néedeful in the assemblie Moreouer there were those which they called Lectors who dyd reade openly the textes of the scripture which the pastour or doctour afterward expounded in the Church they ioygned to them Exorcistes that is to say coniurers the which office as I think is now ceased or at the least ought to cease in the Churche with the gyft of myracles which was not but for a time for to confyrme and stablyshe the veritye of the word of God newly declared and reuealed to the world they serued for all those small affaires which concerne the ecclesiasticall seruice To trye and proue by lytle and lytle those whome they myght afterwardes appoint to offyces of greater importaunce And whensoeuer good orders shall be set vp and appoynted in the Church for such or so good purposes wée wyll not gaynsaye or refuse them prouided that they haue respecte to that which is necessary to edification 32 The thirde degree of ecclesiasticall offyces whiche is the Iurisdiction and offyce of the elders THe thyrde estate of ecclesiasticall offices lieth in the spiritual iurisdiction y e which was committed to those who were called in the wryttinges of the Apostles auncient Doctours both counsels and canons partycullarly presbiter that is to say Senior or Elder which also somtimes be called gouernours by saint Paule and were chosen not onelye by the clargye but by all the body of the Churche as it appeareth euidently by the complaynt whiche saint Ambrose made that euen in his tyme certayne persons tooke vpon themselues this offyce And by that which S. Cyprian c hath wrytten wherein it is easye to gather that the Byshoppe proseded and was chiefe in this companye not for to rule and raygne ouer them but to doo nothyng without the aduyse of the Church Now this iurisdiction lyeth not in worldlie temporal thinges but altogether in those thinges whiche concerneth the conscience So that it is fully distinde from the offyce of a cyuill magistrate according as the lord Christ not only said to his Apostles but practised and S. Paule after him True it is that in the tyme when there were no magistrates which made profession or vowed openly to be Christians s Paule would that for to eschew slaunders and offences the faythfull should decyde and ende all controuersies among themselues when neede required but this was but for a certaine tyme. And surely as I thinke such persons were but as arbitrers chosen by the parties or at the least was an offyce distincte from those which we spake of Also it is certayne that euen vnder Christian Emperours the good Byshoppes haue beene maruelouslie letted and troubled about the ending of controuersies but it was more for to appoynt and agree the partyes by amiable and friendlye abytrement then to meddell the spyrituall Iurisdiction with the temporall And Saint Augustine sheweth plainely in many places how it gréeued him for that he was constrayned to employe and bestowe so much tyme for the importunitie of the people All Byshoppes haue not so done but rather haue desyred nothing more then to serue theyr ambition vnder the shadowe of holynes whereof it came to passe that the Emperours haue graunted to them more in this case then was needefull or appertayned to them or the profyte of the Churche required 33 To what purpose or ende serueth the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and which be the partes therof THe cause and purpose of the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction tendeth to one ende that is to saye that all the body of the Church in generall and euery member of the same in particular bee pâ—esorâ—ed and entertained in doctrine and wel doing according to the wyll and word of God Now the continuance hereof consisteth in good lawes and in the good obseruation of the same And that y e lawes eyther be made touching the doctrine of saluation generally that is to wéete concerning their duetie which they owe to God and their neyghbours or concerning the regiment or manner of doing which euerye one ought to kéepe in his charge or office It followeth then that this iurisoiction ought to be deuided into two principall partes The first is concerning the authoritie to ordayne appoint those thinges whiche concerne as well doctrine and manners as the regiment which euery one ought to kéepe in his degrée The second in the punishing of those which offend in the obseruation of any of these two things But concerning the first parte which lyeth in the power to decrée or ordayne we haue alreadye declared here aboue that God hath receyued to him selfe fully and entirelye to preseribe lawes pertayning to the conscience for vs to walke in them vprightly before God and man Wherfore there resteth no more but the other part which concerneth the discipline and regimeÌ„t which is required that all thinges be done by good order as we haue treated amply in speaking of the authority of the body of the Church 34 VVhat is the office of the Elders in the Church IT is the office of the Elders principally to watche that the Church whiche is committed to them begouerned by good order according to the rule of the Gospel and that the ecclesiasticall lawes and ordinaunces eyther vniuersall or particular be mayntained and executed dilygentlye accordinge to their charge And if there shall happen any new inconuenience their duty is to prouide therefore by newe ordinaunces iniunctions conformable to the Christian religion charitie Without burdening of mens conscience neyther to charge the Churche with a multitude of lawes nor brynging in superstition according to that which hath beene sayde herebefore where it speaketh of couÌ„sels eyther to be done by theÌ„selues or to take the aduise and counsel of other churches and the sayd lawes and ordinances to be incontinent allowed auctorised by the magistrate if so be that he be a ChristiaÌ„ And for this cause in all the prymatiue Churche they haue beene accustomed to holde prouinciall
synodes twise a yeare It is their office lykewise when any peryl or dauÌ„ger doth happen among them to appoynt prayers fasting extraordinarilye to practise vse them in theyr churches when any such chauÌ„ces do happen with the consent of y e Christian magistrate if there be any so that the godly orders of the church may be maintained w t discipline And aboue al things let the word of god be diligeÌ„tly sincerely preached w t the sacraments truly ministred y e ecclesiastical goods wel gouerned althings wel ordred Their duty is also to elect men méete for the same I say elect for it caÌ„not be found that euer ther was any other lawful ecclesiastical vocation in the Christian Churche synce it was brought into any good order of gouernement but by the way of ellection except God called any extraordinarily without ordinary meanes Now concerning the election that it may be lawful behold the pointes which we consider therin First who ought to bee electours what persons ought to be elected and howe they ought to elect and howe to confirme the election 35 How the ecclesiasticall elections ought to be FOr the fyrste poyncte wée neyther fynde it a custome nor yet reasonable in the Churche of God that be which shoulde serue a Churche already erected can bee elected without the good wyll of the same Yet neuertheles according to the places and the conditions of the people it is requisyte that the ecclesiasticall gouernours haue fyrst a respect to those and appoynt most méetest then to aduertyse the people who oftentymes the greatest parte be ignoraunt who are méetest for them And in the primatyue Churche it happened sometyme that good Byshoppes haue named those which they desyred to haue for theyr successors but it was without respecte of their owne priuate or partycular affections And this nomination was none otherwyse then a declaration of theyr opinyon which incontinent after was consydered and examyned by the whole Church as we see by the example of S. Augustin and of Anastasius Moreouer the ecclesiasticall rulers ought to take order to preuent all things which may be a let or hyndrance that the election be not fréelye done as it appertayneth And first to be authorised by the Christian magistrate when God shall appoynt him after by good delyberation and admonitions But without the approbation and consent of the body of the Churche where they be the election cannot be lawfull Also good heâ—de must be takeÌ„ that this approbation and election of a multitude bee done without confusion As it was ordayned and decreed in the counsel of Laodicia The same order we see was kept in the election of saint Mathias of the deacons by the Apostles Such order also was dillygentlye kepte and obserued in the Church by a long space as it appeareth by all the auncient wryters especiallye when there was occasion to receyue any into the clergye as it appeareth by y â— S. CypriaÌ„ wrote And concerning priests that is to saye Elders there is a playne Canon for them which hath the tytle of Anaclete whiche they coumpt for the fowrth Byshop of Rome Item Leo first of that name in his Epistles hath expressed the same in a dosen places at the least S. Gregorie in his Epistles writeth the lyke And also let them consyder the maner of electing the Pope him self which Nicolas the secoÌ„d ordayned about a fiue C. yeares paste they shall find that the conseÌ„t of the people was among them although the Emperour dyd ratifie and allow altogether afterward 36 Of the qualities and conditions of those which they ought to elect AS concernynge the conditions requyred in those whiche shoulde be elected and chosen it is manyfestlye declared at large by the spyrite and worde of God Wherefore we maye conclude that hee which wyll dyspence with any for money or rewardes cannot be led but with the spirite of Sathan 37 The order and maner to geue the voyces COncerning the manner to elect wée find that fasting prayers were the beginning of the electioÌ„s the which don shortlie after in the most best and wysest maner they gaue their voices in the great feare of God after they had examined the lyues and sufficiencie of those which were named according as God ordained by Saint Paule 38 Of confyrmation and consecration of the persons elected COncerning the confyrmation consecratioÌ„ of the person elected it was done by laying handes vpon the head of him which was elected commendyng him to the Lord by the prayers of all the Churche whiche were there assembled which ceremony hath ben vsed from the law of Moises after retained and vsed by Iesus Christ by the apostles Neuertheles in the election of bishops this was added by the auncient Canons that the nexte Byshops should be there at the least to the number of thrée with the metropolitane 39 Of mariage of fasting and of the difference of dayes and meates BEcause that matrymonyall causes be partlie ecclesiasticall and also fasting pertayneth to theÌ„ exteriour discipline of the Churche I haue gathered in a fewe wordes that which we beléeue and vse according to the scripture We do not put any part of our saluation in those things that is to say either in mariage or virginity either in fleshe or fyshe eyther to eate or not to eate but we do stay and establishe our selues in Iesus Christ onely as hath bene saide afore And as for good workes wherein the Christians ought to exâ—â—â—yse them selues they do far excell these aforesayd according as is commaunded or forbydden in the two tables of the. â— commauÌ„dementes â–ª Yet notwithstanding we doo commende and prayse such thinges as farre forth as the spirite of God doth commend them to vs. That is to weete as foloweth Fyrst we know that y â— seat of chastity resteth in the hart And therfore let not those brag or boast of virginitye which doo abstayne from the outward acte but those in whom the natural concupisceÌ„ce is so mortified that they haue no néede of y â— remedy of mariage Secondarily we know by the worde of God by most euident experience that continency is a speciall gyft which God geueth to those whiche séemeth good to him And for as long tyme as it pleaseth him Thirdly to abstaine froÌ„ mariage is not a thing that of it selfe doeth make vs acceptable to God nor yet mariage But he that is vnmaried hath more leysure to execute the publike or particular office that God hath geuen him and in this respecte we prayse continencie as a thing which serueth vs to vse our vocation better and none otherwyse â–ª Concerning mariage first we say that it is ordained of God honorable in al estates as the holy scripture teacheth so that who so euer hath not the gyfte of continency that is to say who
Pope as head of the vniuersall Church Finally if the counsels be set and stablyshed by the holy Ghoste from whence commeth it then that there be none y â— doo lesse estéeme them when they lyst then the Pope and all his sequiel I wyll saye yet more that there is at this daye neyther Pope Cardinal Bishop nor Priest which maye not be reproued excommunicated and accursed if they shall be iudged by the counsels And if they dare denye I shall proue it 6 The papistes spoyleth Iesus Christ of his office of head of the church COncerning the office of Kinge and gouernor of the Churche of which Iesus Christ is head both in heaueÌ„ in earth sytting on the ryght hande of God his father and yet neuertheles present in his Church by his spirituall vertue from whence commeth it then that they wyll appoynte him a Uycar in his presence considering principallye that it is directly against the word of God agaynste the Metropolytans iurisdiction ordayned by the first counsell of Nicene against all the hystorie of the primatiue Church yea against sainct Gregory himselfe whiche wytnesseth in many places that the name of vniuersall Byshoppe ought not to be vpon earth but to Antechrist Moreouer put the case yet that he were Uicare of Christe in the vniuersall gouernement of the Churche from whence commeth â–ª thys power to dyspense with the worde of Iesus Christe and to abrogate the doctrine of the Apostles and namely of Sainct Peter And yet neuertheles are not ashamed to saye that they are his successors saint Peter was he not sent to Hâ—erusalem by the Churche refuseth he to render accompt of his office and what dyd he teache to others I sayth he beséech the Priests that is to saye those which haue office in the Church I which also am a Priest with them a witnes of the afflyctions of Christ and partaker also of the glorye which shall be reuealed Féede the flocke of Christe as much as ye may watching ouer it not by constraint but willingly not for dishonest gayne but with a ready wyll and not as hauing lordship ouer the cleargy that is to say ouer the heritage of the lord but so y â— ye be examples of the flocke when the principal pastor shall appeare you shall receyue a crown of incorruptible glory Behold y â— proper words of s Peter which are far of from appropriating to himselfe y â— segniory or lordship of Italy superintendeÌ„t aswell of Kings Princes as of all other churches And briefly if they looke well they shal finde that there is nothing agréeing or any comparison betwéene S. Peter these which falsly cal themselues his successors but in one thing y â— is to wete the denying of Iesus Christe for the which S. Peter repented but these do not 7 By the doctrine of the papists we can in no wise vnderstand how mortal the naturall sicknes of mankinde is IT is no maruell though suche people vnderstande not the offyce of Christe our onely sauiour for they know not howe deadely theyr sicknesse is nor by what meane Iesus Chryst our only medycine is applyed and vnyted to vs. For firste in steade to declare that man is altogether dead by originall sinne otherwyse called naturall corruption they teach that the vnderstanding and wyl of man is so sore hurte that the fyrst grace doeth but onely ease and comforte vs in our infyrmitie So that if this doctrine â—e true our regeneration procéedeth not onely of grace but there is a participation or concurrence betwéene grace that which they call fréewyll of whiche is spoken amplye in the 13. 14 â–ª and 15. Articles of the thyrde poynte Moreouer to ioygne and heape together errour vpon errour they wyll haue a certayne disposition procéeding from the nature of maÌ„ to receyue the fyrst grace and that God maye be prouoked by our merites for to geue vs the seconde grace Item that the concupiscence whiche continueth after Baptisme is not sinne of it self before God Item that al smnes deserue not eternall death for there bee some whiche they call venyall synnes Item if our saluation be grounded vpon our good workes in all or in parte to what ende doth grace serue vs then but as an instrument to helpe our frée wyll â—o saue our selues Which be all execrable errours wholy abollishing the benefites of Iesus Christe and the vertue of the holy ghost in vs. 8 Another execrable error of the papistes in the vsing of the onely medicine of health which is the benefit of Iesus Christ AS there is but one onely Iustyce by imputation for the whiche we be estéemed and holden for ryghteous before God be consequent saued that is to say by the righteousnes of Iesus Christe whiche is declared to vs in the gospell So is there but one meane to be ioyned vnited with Iesus Christe for to haue saluation in hym that is to weâ—e fayth which is an assuraunce that all ChristiaÌ„s ought to haue of their election saluation by the onely grace and goodnes of God in Iesus Christ Fayth and assuraunce is created and dayly encreased by the vertue of the holy ghoste within the hartes of the electe by the meane of preachinge the worde of God and the ministration of the sacraments as wée haue amply and largely declared in the thyrde and fowrth poyncte of this confession So then this fayth is as the hande which onely doth receyue and apprehende Iesus Christe to the saluation of him that beleeueth It followeth that those doo take awaye all meanes of saluation from men which dyrectly stryue and fyght againste this doctrine not knowinge them selues what fayth is muche lesse can they declare it to others For according to theyr doctrine fayth is no other thinge than to beléeue in generall that which is contayned in the holie scriptures to be true that the Romish Church as they call it cannot erre what soeuer they saye or doo Notwithstanding concerning the fyrst of these two poyntes it is forbydden to translate the Scriptures into the mother tongue and to reade it to knowe what is contayned therein to the ende it maye bée knowen what it is that they do beléeue except he be a Doctour or a man of the Church as they cal them And so by this means it is folly to permyt the greatest part of their priests to reade it For coÌ„sider the greatest parte of them cannot scarcely reade it truly And of those which caÌ„ reade yea euen the greatest Prelates setting asyde those whiche haue not muche more knowledge of Christes doctrine than beasts which féede in the fielde and those which passe not greatly for it in exercysing them selues rather in other things than in their vocation namely mocke it with open mouthe I beléeue the rest shalbe found maruelous few NotwithstaÌ„ding according to their own doctrine al this is not without faith although he knowe not what he beleeueth and what may
and Princes euen by the meanes of his Cardinalles who of good ryght he calleth his Creatures And neuerthelesse of suche greâ— force is the Trueth that in the yeare â— â–ª â—8 the principall among them yea naâ—â—ly the same which at thys tyme or of late was Pope and called Paule the fowrth â–ª declareth fréely to Pope Paule the thyrde that to bée a Byshoppe and Cardynall were thinges vtterlye not to be suffered The booke is imprinted and open to be séene What lacketh it then that they bée not iudged by theyr owne mouthes I leaue out to speake of theyr Buggeryes Auarices Symonies Treasons poysoninges and other Cardynall vertues vsed of many among them which all the world styncketh with the sight and knowledge therof To speake of their estate although they were the moste honest men in the worlde yet I saye â–ª they haue no approuation nor iust tytle neither in the scripture or in Counsell neyther Decrée or auncient Doctor although they set them selues aboue the Metropolytanes Byshops But truely I agrée with them in one thing that is to say that their vniuersall heade whiche Saynt Gregory calleth Antichriste cannot better be chosen then of such an honest company But of one thing I muche maruayle that so many great men of so noble and auncient houses yea euen Princes haue thorowe thys curssed sonne of perdition béene so bewytched deceyued and poysoned to make them Mynisters of his crueltyes that they haue no more regarde to the dygnitie of theyr auncestours nor the building and restoring of the poore Christian Church and the authority of kings ruinated and ouerthrowen by the false perswasions of this wycked beast But to be so contamynated with such fylthynes to maintaine that which they sée and knowe in theyr owne consciences â—owe euyll it is Beholde here howe the Pope and his Cardinalles be the successours of the Apostles and Disciples of â–ª Iesus Christe Concernyng theyr Suffraganes Officials Proctours in the Courtes of the Church Notaries Apostolycall Promoters Auditors Bullists Copists Courriers Vicars Chaplaynes Prouostes and other suche innumerable vermyne what can I say otherwyse For one shall find assoone the diuel among the Angels as one worde or mencion of them in the holy scripture or in the auncient Counsels Decrées Doctours Gréekes or Latines for to approue them I say more that it is as possyble to accorde these estates with the true forme of the Christian Churche as to accorde lyght and darknes trueth and lyes I come nowe to the other which haue more apparence for as muche as they haue theyr foundation in the scrypture yet notwithstanding because they be nothing lesse then that whiche they be called to what purpose doeth these names serue whiche they beare but the more to condempne them of falsehoodde and deceypt Wee haue here before declared and shewed that there is in all two degrées of Ecclesiasticall offices as well for the mynistration of the woorde of God as of publyke prayers and Sacramentes to weete the offyce of Pastours and Doctours Suche was the manner and the custome in all the primatyue Churche And for as muche as the Pastoures are deuyded into many degrées to wéete Archbyshoppes or Metropolytanes Bishops or Curates this was not onely in respecte to the office of the worde but in consyderation of the orderyng of the affayres which concerneth the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the whiche wee shall speake in his place Wherefore there is in consideration of the offyce to mynister the doctryne of the Gospell no dyfference before God betwéene the Archbishop the Byshoppe and the Curate so that eache of them bée Pastour of their owne flockes And for this cause bee they all named with the common name of Bishops So hath Iesus Christ and his Apostles both exercysed and spoken and all their true Successours As if they consider al the auncient Counsels and decrees concerning the election and the lyfe as wel domesticall as publike of those whom we speake of they shall fynde there and perceyue thinges yet more straight Nowe then is it possyble that the stubborne impudencie of these horned beastes shoulde come so farre to bee called Successours of the Apostles vaunt them selues of names which appertayneth least to them of any men vnder heauen For who set them in this estate By what doore be they entered in Where is the election examination of all theyr lyfe according to all right orders both diuine humaine Is there one among a hundred of them that is meete or disposed to thinke only of his charge or offyce or knoweth certaynly what office and charge he hath or which onely enquyreth after his flocke And if there be found one among a huÌ„dred how doth he occupy himselfe but rather to do any other thing then that which pertayneth to his office And if of a thousand Bishops or Curats in the papistry there he founde one which teacheth his people what doctrine is it but such as is directly against the trueth as we haue declared And what Sacramentes can hee mynister what orders maye he kéepe where there is nought but all pollution and falsifying of the true sacramentes and all abhomynable confusion as here before hath bene declared The prouincial couÌ„selles howe be they kept Nowe many Archbishoppes be there How many Archbishoppes be there How many Bishoppes be there meete to dyscerne and geue counsell Concerning Sinodes of euery Diocesse howe bée they practised Wherefore be the Curates called but to paye theyr tribute and procurations What assemble what doctrine or what order is there But I wyll demaunde of them according to their own ordinaunces whether one that is excommunicated ought not to be reiected and not to be taken as a member of the Churche Howe much lesse then ought he to be a Pastour Secondly I demaunde of them if he be not suffyciently excommunicated which is notoriouslye suche a one as are those whiche Iesus Christe and his Apostles commaunde to eschewe as one infected or full of pestilence and whiche be expresselye entered and mayntayned in the Churche against all the constitutions and ordinaunces of Counsels Decrées and auncient Doctours conformable to the scriptures Nowe for to know if they bée suche I sende them besyde the Scryptures whiche wee haue alreadye often tymes alleadged to the Epistles 3. and 4. and fourth booke of S. Ciprian and to the third Treatise of the same entituled The simplicitie of Prelates Item to the Epistle 85. of Leo the first Item to the Canon 4. and 6. of the counsel of Nicene Item to the Canon 23 and 25. of the counsell of Antioche Item to the Canon 14. and 15. of the counsell of Sardicque Item disti 23. ca. Clericâ— plebisque and 8. q. 1. c. Sicut vir Paragr Epis copum vere and 9 q 3. c. Archiepiscopus nihil There and other where in an infinite number of textes they shall fynde by what title they be called Archbishops Byshops and Curates how auayleable the title of their
Hierarchie is 13 The abuse which is commytted in the seconde partie of ecclesiasticall offyces which be Deacons COncerning those whiche ought to wayte and watche vppon the doctrine and prayers let vs come first to the dispensation of the goodes of the poore for the which it was declared that the Deacons were principallye established Also in the Papistrie what examination what election or what order is there in the making of Deacons and Subdeacons what charge also is geuen them Forsoothe to bee able to iuggell in theyr mommerie to bee assistaunt at the renouncinge of the sacrifice and intercession of Iesus Christe as hath bene declared before in the thyrde and fowrth Article to syng a gobbet of the History of the Gospell or of an Epistle in an vnknowen language and without exposition to handell the Challice to holde the Crewetes to receyue the offeryng whereof the poore shall haue nothing to geue the Paxâ— to saye Ita missa est in a hye Masse But in what Churche forsoothe where they maye And for howe long Untyll they them selues maye be Priestes euen the first day And because that long time before he be a Priest that is to weete before hée haue the office of doctrine or of ecclesiasticall iurisdiction according to the olde Canons be must be for a tyme exercised and proned in these base offyces Therefore it was néedefull for these Maister Apes to worke some inuention for to saye they kéepe the auncient decrées Nowe I praye you these thinges consydered by what title dare these wycked wretches bée called Deacons against the testimony of the scripture against all the auncient decrées and Doctours For the which they spake of the offyce of the Deacons in the ministration of the Sacrament of the supper howe can it agree with that which is dyrectly against it And especially of Archdeacons by what tytle are they called by that name consyderinge they haue not followed one iotte of their office And for the admynistration of the goodes of the Churche where is the distrybution of fowre partes ordayned by auncient Counselles as it hath bene amplye declared in the thyrtie Article of the fyfte poynt From whence commeth that euerye Benefyce as they call it hath hys reuenue a parte But that the Lordes coate whiche the Souldiors woulde not teare is by them parted into infinyte peeces Where is the fowrth parte committed to the Byshoppe and howe is it dystributed I report mée to theyr whoores to Bawdes to Dogges to Hawkes Popengayes and Byrdes to Horses and Cookes Where be the Cleargye that ought to be norished with his fowrth portion But rather in what Churche haue they any learned Clarkes or Schollers I report mée to the Cathedrall Churches and Collegyalles as they doo call them where the bootye and spoyle is parted Where is the fowrth parte of the poore I reporte mée to those whiche kéepe the accoumptes of Hospytalles howe muche they be holpen by the part of those which haue the goods of the Churches Where is the fowrth part for the reparation not of theyr superfluous Palaces vnméete for Christian men and yet lesse for the entertaynement of such horryble Idolatries But to mayntayne the buyldynges necessarye for the congregations I report mée to those that sée it Beholde in summe the godly order of this Ecclesiastical Hierarchie in these poyntes 14 Of the abuse which is commytted in the order of Priesthoode and in the gouernment of theyr spirituall iurisdiction IF it bée néedefull to speake of the abuse whiche is commytted in the thyrde part of Ecclesiasticall offyces of the which hath bene spoken in the fifte poynt in the Artycles 32. 33. 34. and other following by what ende maye we begynne to enter into so great a confusion Fyrst by what authoritie haue they chaunged for the moste parte the nature of the spyrituall iurisdiction of the Churche into a mâ—ere temporalitie appertayninge onelye to the Ciuyll Magistrate by all ryght both diuine and humaine Secondly although the Priestes or Elders be especially ordained to do their offyce by Gods woorde from whence commeth it that it is so out of vse in all the Papacie For I doubt not of that I speake and also it is manyfest throughout the Scripture and by all the auncient Counselles and Doctours that those which be called Priestes at this daye be no more lyke that they beare the name of then blacke is lyke whyte For after theyr manner what is it to bée a Priest It is to haue authoritie to Sacrifice and to offer vp Iesus Christe for the quycke and for the deade that is to saye in one worde to turne the rootes vpwarde as much as in them is of all the grounde of our saluation as in other places hath bene sayde And from thence is it sprong that of Gouernours they haue made hyreling Sacrificers for wages And so there is become two sortes of Priestes that is to weete the Beneficed and the poore hyrelinges whiche lyue vnder the other and bée more busyed in offeringes aswell in their dayly butchery for mony as Iudas was as also affyrming theyr office to saue and dampne for money yea of those which be so occupyed to dampne them selues that they are forced to haue Uicars vnder them to dampne others And to aduaunce this occupation they muste yet haue goodlye Bulles and Dispensations to dystribute to all that commeth paying honestly for it to the ende that those which lyue to eate vp deuour and dampne all the worlde as muche as in them lyeth also maye deuour and dampne one another by priuiledge For truelye it is easye to sée in this confusion whiche is apparaunt to all the worlde and to those whiche bée of the best of them if theyr bellye doo not ouercome theyr consciences that the Diuell fyndeth hym selfe as it were combered and ouerladen to receyue so manye at once and woulde inuent some maner of way that eache maye come in bys ranke and order drawing and tollyng after him his companie a thyng certaynly moste miserable and pitifull amongst the Christian people Notwithstanding who hath this iurisdiction whiche deuowreth the quycke and the deade vnder the name of the Churche I wyll not enter here into the great bottomlesse court of Rome but I leaue it to be scanned to Saint Barnard in his bookes De consideratione to Pope â—â—gene although that which they then dyd was nothyng in respecte of this whiche is nowe But I wyll speake of the Ordinarie Fyrst my Lorde Byshoppe maister Offyciall maister Uicar theyr Promoters Procurers and suche lyke haue taken the place of my maisters the Sacrificers On the other side the Canons as well in theyr Chapiter as in theyr dygnities Capitularies lykewyse haue taken theyr part â–ª Nowe for the first that is the Officialles and their sequell who hath set them in thys degrée Truelie the same Spyrite that doeth conducte them as the experyence declareth For as I haue sayde in other places it was not possyble to haue brought them