hindred For these great and weightie causes must we take good hede what we conclude in this matter We striue not of our owne frowardnesse heeddynesse or pryde as some men laye to our charges God whiche knoweth all mennes hertes wotteth howe gladlye we woulde se and haue peace oureselues with all our hertes But this earnest and strong coÌ„maundement that we shall not forsake nor persecute the knowen learning of the trueth driueth and thrusâ—heth vs to the defence of the true learnyng whiche is preached in our Churhes And as for the perill we will put commit to God AND in asmuche as we nowe se and fele by the very dede it selfe that the Bushoppes and their partakers wyll receaue no agreemeÌ„t and that the discord of the learning and certen ceremonies will neuerthelesse abyde and that they wyll make or ordre no priestes for vs it were better that we in dede kepe caulmnesse quietnesse and peace in oure churches and begyn not vnquietnesse discorde debate and offfence among our selues For this * booke wyll surelye not be receaued in manye Countreyes and Cyties But for as muche as the articles in the Boke be diuers some be right and some be vnrighte some speake of the chiefe articles of the belefe which all men muste knowe and vnderstand and some of other matters whiche are not so nedeful to be knowen we will orderly declare our obedient meaning and that that is right wyll we not casuÌ„niose sophistice striue against but plainely and singely acknowlege it and agayne that that is vnright wyll we not allowe THE begynning of the boke as touchyng the creacion and fall of man the originall or byrthsinne and the redempcion or raunsoming through Christe is righte and vnfautye But afterwarde in the fourth leafe in the title of Justificacion or rightwessemakyng is this faute that the Booke plainly saith that we be iustified or made rightwesse through loue and the same meaning is also afterward reherced and declared that it maye suerly be vnderstanded therby that that booke is not agreable with the true learnig which is through gods grace preached in our Churches y t a man is made rightwesse before God and pleaseth him for ourlorde Christes sake through belefe And althoughe the boke saye in some places that a man cometh to rightwesenes through belefe yet is this the meaning of the boke that the belefe is but a makyng readye before and that afterwarde a man is made rightwesse throughe loue as the boke also playnely sayeth y t a man is afterwarde verely made rightwesse throughe loue And to declare it selfe playnelyer it saithe that there is yet a true belefe in a maÌ„ although he liue with an euell coÌ„science and haue not loue And also that a man is an inheriter of euerlasting life throughe loue So that this is in very dede the whol meaning y t a maÌ„ is rightwesse that is pleaseth God throughe loue and worckes as the monckes and freers taught longe a gone And the neadfull learnyng of belefe is not spoken of whiche is this althoughe loue and a good conscience muste be in vs yet are we before God rightwesse y t is we please hym throughe our Sauiour christ and for his sake through y e trust y t we haue in him not because of our purenesse or cleannes This Article is throughe Gods grace so declared expounded and set out in our churches that we doubte not but there are very many men whiche vnderstand it right well and can also well iudge the boke We acknowledge and teache also and that diligently and truly that repentaunce sorowfulnes or grefe of herte conuersion or turning again to God loue a good purpose to amend and a good conscience muste be in the hert and that this saying muste abyde true Qui non diligit manet in morte He that loueth not abideth in death There must many neadefull vertues be together belefe loue hope a good conscience a good purpose c as thys thyng is throughe Gods grace plenteously preached in our churches But yet ouer aboue these vertues must the trust in y e soÌ„ne of God be there as is afore saied it must alwaise ouershadow thother vertues for almaner of vertues be weake in vs there abideth yet much vncleaÌ„nes in mannes herte in this lyfe Therefore muste we cleaue and sticke to the mediatour and seke grace and fauour through him for so speaketh the psalme Before the is no man liuing rightwes And Da. 9. saieth heare vs not because of our rightwesnes but because of thy mercy for the Lordes sake And so shall we come before God and bryng thys truste in the sonne of God with vs and knowe that althoughe loue and other vertues be and muste be in vs that they yet be to weake and that the truste in to and vpon the sonne of God muste stande suer vnstirrable and vnouerthrowable and do that that is done to our rightwesmakyng And if we speake of the rightwesnes poured into vs of God as they calle it we maye not leaue out this belefe and liuing trust for it is one of the highe and neadfull vertues Yee this truste wakeneth vp counforth loue prayer or callyng vpon God and life in the herte as is written Gall. 2. That I nowe liue I lyue throughe the belefe in the sonne of God And loue and counforth caÌ„not be or abyde in the hert yf this belefe and this truste go not before So that this is spoken without coÌ„sideracion in the boke y e we befirst made ryghtwesse indede throughe loue wheras yet this rightwesnes y t God is merciful vnto vs for y e mediatours sake and that the mediatoure couereth hideth our weaknes ought moche more and highlyet to be loked to and esteamed then our owne loue And when we be in nede and in earnest prayer or callyng vpon God we seke not loue and oure owne cleannes but be muche more affearde and shrynke for our wretchednesse and synnes and muste seke coumforte at the onely peace-maker whiche God of his greate mercy and wonderfull wisedome hath apoynted vs. Thereof speaketh Paule Justificati fide pacem habemus after we be made rightwesse throughe belefe we haue peace or are at peace And that this is the vnchaungeable voyce meanyng of the gospell in the Churche of god from Adams tyme hitherto that is plaine in the holy Scripture and s. Paule setteth Abrahams example before our eies and declareth this saying Abraham beleued God and that was counted vnto hym for rightwesnes That is although Abraham had great and highe vertues yet was this his rightwesnesse before God and he pleased him because he beleued that God woulde be graciouse and fauourable to him according as his promes sounded And althoughe this vnderstanding of the promes be ofte at all ages and tymes darkened yet hath it abyden and abydeth among the vnderstandyng and perceauyng christen alwayes as euery godlye christen mannes owne experience that hath
our Churches with a good exposicion therof that the absolucion shall be sought therin for we iudge that the priuy absolucion is nedefull to be kept for great and weyghtye causes in asmuche as it is a witnesse that there is forgeuenes of sinnes in the Churche and that they that be fallen after theyr Christenyng maye be agayne receaued It is also very good that ther be some certeyne acknowledgyng and pullyng downe or lowlines of the herte so that they that desyre absolucion shewe themselues repentaunt and sorowful and acknowledge that they be synners and trespacers before God But yet we wyl not loade the conscyences with this perlouse and vnneadful burthen that they should thynke it were nedefull to tell all and euery of the synnes that they haue done And forasmuche as this Article belongeth to al mennes cōsciences we counsell not that all men agre to this poynt OF satisfaccion OF Satisfaccionis muche easlyer and Jentlyer spoken in the boke then before tymes in the learnyng of the Monckes and Freers But the sayinges contayne many thinges in them whiche haue neade of much declaryng Therfore we also comit this Artycle to euery mans owne declaracyon and acknowledgyng OF THE SACRAment of christes body and bloudde In this matter are not oure Churches agaynste the boke But yf ther be any further declaracyon demaūded of any man as touching this Article him we suffer to speake thereof through his owne confessyon and acknowledgyng OF makyng or annoynting of prystes It displeaseth not vs that this is reckened in the noumbre of the Sacramentes if it be ryghte and Chrystenly kepte and holden And we wyshe that it might be so kepte in all maner of landes countreyes with great dylygence that it were not onely a ceremonye or a dysguysyng playe but that they that be ordeyned be well heard and instruct or taught and that there were an erneste commaundement geuen with y e ceremony and also that there wer afterwarde diligent heede taken to the learnyng and to the maners of the priestes OF MARIAGE This Artycle is neadfull that in the dyuorcyng of the fautelesse person the second maryage be graunted Therefore is that poynt in the boke as touchyng this matter that there maye no further dyuorcemente be made then from bedde and bourde not to be agreed vnto OF THE MASSE The booke acknoweledgeth that the Masse deserueth not forgeuenesse of synnes That is true But that they afterward further alleage sayinges out of the olde new teachers as touchyng the oblacion offeryng to strēgthen theyr preuy Masse those be sayinges that cōtain many thynges in them and it were very easy to shew good suer groūd out of S. Austen and other theragaynst that the same sayinges belong not to theyr preuy Masse and oblacion or offeryng for althoughe they call it an offeryng yet declare they them selues thus that it deseruethe not forgeuenes of Synnes And also that they them selues offer not the Sonne to God the father for that is the owne onely worcke of the onely begotten sonne that he offereth himselfe as the texte speaketh Heb 9 He is gone into the holy place throughe his owne bloude he standeth before the father as a peacemaker for euer and prayeth for vs in the same moste preuy coūcel whiche is the holy place But of the offeryng that men offer they say it is a thancksgeuing and a rememberaunce that is therwith we throughe belefe praye for and receaue the forgeuenesse that is obtayned and gotten for the sonnes sake And this prayer and thankesgeuyng shall be made in the dealing out and in the vse of the sacramēt as it is commaunded and instituted And the ceremony of it selfe withoute this worck in the herte in belefe prayer and thankesgeuyng is no offeryng And let this be ynough spoken of the olde teachers whereof we offer oure selues to geue furher declaracyon at all tymes And because ther lyeth muche of this matter in that that it belongeth to all chrystendome and for that that the Masse is through many erroures comen in to great misuse for whiche God vndoutedly punysheth the worlde as it is wrytten whoso vnworthely vseth the Sacrament maketh hymselfe gylty of the Body and bloud of Chryste ought men with great earnest to seke and helpe to kepe mayntayne and vpholde the trueth of this Artycle to the honoure of God and saluacyon of menne And this is also one of thartycles whiche belongeth in generall to all menue bothe learned and vnlearned Wherefore thortely to aunswere to this question Whether the preuy Masse or the Masse without a companye takyng it to gether be to be set vp agayne This is oure answere That we with true meanyng counsel that we sette not vp the Masse agayne that is done without a company receanyng it together And the piayne reason why is this There shall no Gods seruyce be ordened or done in the Churche that is not ordeyned and commaunded in the worde of God And the vse of the Sacramente is so ordeyned and not otherwyse that the dealyng oute and the vse be kepte and done as the sonne of God sayeth Take it and eate it c. And drynke all thereof c. And doe this in my remembraunce And it was also thus holden many hundreth yeares in the fyrste churche Therefore is this fyrst vse agreyng with the wordes of Chryste suerly the ryght and true vse and shalbe mayntened vpholden and kepte and there shall no other worckes be set vp therein whiche are not commaunded There haue not been also alwayes in tymes paste dayly Masses But at Alexaundria whiche was a great cytye was the Cōmunion holden three tymes a weke on sonday wensdaye and fridaye and in many other Cities onely vpon the Sondaye and holy daye This olde goodly and godly custome is throughe goddes grace with all reuerence with sermons Leassons commaundementes and thanckesgeuynges orderly holden in our Churches And yf there be any other worck sette vp in the stede of these that offence wyll wounde many hertes and feare them wholly from the communyon There are also mo burthens hāgyng vpon this artycle of the Masse as to saye of the Canon prayer to Saynctes and Soull Masses The Canon sayth playnly that this worke is holden for the redēpcion raunsoming of the soules c. Whereby all the vnlearned haue vnderstanded that this worke deserueth forgeuenes of sines which meanyng is also against the booke There be also other vnmete sayinges in the Canon as when the priest prayeth that God will take in good worth that offeryng as he did Abels offeryng where they yet vnderstand the offeryng of the sone of God To be shorte there be so manye horrible misuses in the popishe custome and facyon that we shrynke and quake for feare whē we speake of them and praye therfore that no man may be loadē with the setting vp of suche thynges Of the praying to Sayntes THe praying to a substaunce y t cannot be seen which is not by
vnderstanding sheweth Therfore is this one fawte in the Booke that it sayeth loue is true rightwesnes and fayneth y t belefe is but a knowledge suche a one as is in the deuels And saith further that a man is an inheritour of euerlastyng life because he hath loue and so sedeth vs to our owne workes and speaketh nothyng of this comfort that we shall beleue that God suerly receaueth all those to euerlastyng lyfe that turne agayne and amend and trust vpon the soÌ„ne of god through suche belefe But that some saie that we vnderstand not the boke this we lette them iudge that wyll hereafter largelier write thervpon if it come abroade and shewe his head And althoughe menne woulde suttely and wylily excuse it and gether the poyntes therin contayned here and there together so is it yet agaynst it selfe For as muche then as this Article howe a man is rightwes before god and pleaseth god must be knowen to all men that the righte honour maye be geuen to the sonne of God and that men maye haue right true coumforte must all men both the learned and the vnlearned helpe to kepe the godly learnyng of the gospell pure cleane and vndarkned Therfore can we not councell that anye man receaue the booke in this poynte And in asmuche as it is playne that no creature neither in heauen or earth oughte to chaunge the vnchaungeable councell of God opened in the gospell we will through Gods grace also from henceforthe truly teache the learnyng of belefe good workes as we haue nowe many yeres preached and taught it in these churches for it is so set out in the scripture of God OF THE CHVRCHE and Busshops FROM the leuenth leafe vntyll the eightenth is saide what y e Churche of God is of the order and power of the Bushops there be many pointes patched in which wyll and rightfully maye be spokeÌ„ against and withstanded of godly and learned men But in as moche as these sayeinges almoste to the ende of the article be general moche contaynyng doubtfull and hastie sayinges we wyll not counsell y t our most gracyous Prynce meddle moche in this Article It is truthe that the churche is a congregacion or company gatherd together of the right beleuing and that no man shal deuide and disseuer him selfe from the Churche But than is this the question which be those right beleuing And because the disseueryng and parting from the church is made an heuy and highe faute to our dispise and shame be ye suer is this our answere for neade theragaynst which the boke it self acknowledgeth that the teachers muste fynde faute with false learning and false Godsseruyces Nowe yf the withstanders of y e trueth wyll not geue place and y t so discorde and debate folowe therevppon so be the pesecuters of the trueth specially in needy weighty matters fauty before God and not the poare Godly people that preach or receyue the trueth This is plain and the saying of S. Paul is knowen to many If an Aungell in heauen preache any other ghospell holde hym accursed But that there be many great erroures and mysvses defended of the Rome bushop and his nowe at this tyme that is playne And the boke it selfe hath fouÌ„de fawte at some erroures whiche yet the Counsels holden at Trident and Bonoâ—y haue strengthened Let this be ynoughe for the excuse of our churches at this tyme We beseche also our moste graciouse Prynce and his prayse worthy lande that yf the Byshoppes wil haue vs to be obedient to them that that maye be done with thys condycyon and after this facion that they persecute not the trueth and sette not vp agayne vngodly ceremonyes in the lande Furthermore thys muste also be shewed neede dryuyng vs therto Although we wyll charge no manne to take in hande all these dispuracions whiche stycke in this Artycle for they be not all a lyke nedefull and some thynges there be whereto the suer and stedfaste wytnesses of the olde churche be neadefull whiche euery man can not seake out and we kepe this laboure for our self some other y e euery maÌ„ make his owne christen profitabe acknowledgyng declaracioÌ„ for himself vpoÌ„his owne ieoê‘dy as touchiÌ„g these other matters for that y t the boke saith in this point of the Councels and de potestate Interpretationis that is of the power to expound y e Scripture there are many thynges to be spoken of God hath gracyously opened hys mynde and wil those must we heare and receiue and not as in worldly kyngdomes geue one certen person power to make exposicions at hys pleasure Of the sacramentes OF Chrystenyng there is no strife and our churches haue christenly and with profet striuen as touchyng the chrystenyng of chyldren and other articles belongyng thereto and shewed good and sure ground agaynst many errours of the Anabaptistes or Againechristeners or twisechristeners this our labour hath profitably holpen to the declaring of manye Artycles Of Confirmacion and anoyn â–ª tyng OF these thynges I councell also that we stryue not but so muche as belongeth to the callyng vpoÌ„ or praying vnto saintes wherof we will hereafter speake And although it displease vs that men so praise both these workes ConfirmacioÌ„ anoynting that they make them like thother Sacramentes bynde the working of y e holy ghost therto wheras it is yet plaine that thei be so paiÌ„ted out but for a shew yet wyl we not at this time dispute therof and commyt it also to euery mans owne acknowledgyng But we cannot agree vnto this blasphemyng of God y t meÌ„ should charge our priestes to receaue and reache out suche Anoyntinges and vngodly consecracioÌ„s wherof they falsly crake and boast in Póntificalibê Agenden y e the holy ghost forgeuenes of sinnes other giftes of god and defence agaynst the deuell is geuen therby and that they should serue for the helthe of bodye and soule c. Of Repentaunce ALL menne of vnderstandyng knowe that before these our dayes the Monkes Freers learning in this Article of RepeÌ„taunce was full of great errours blyndnesse They could shew no sure couÌ„forth yee they taught rather theragaynst that we shoulde alwayes abyde in doubte of the forgeuenes of synnes They haue also loaded the conscyences with thunpossible tellyng of our synnes and afterwarde with the erroures of Satisfaccions with pardons and manye supersticions and misbelefes These selfe same erroures and mysuses did first raise this strife of the learnyng For Godly preachers which were men of vnderstanding muste nedes finde faute at suche erroures and blaspheinyes of God And the learnyng of Repentaunce is through goddes grace so well and surely declared that all men of vnderstandyng acknoweledge that the same christen declaracioÌ„ taught in our churches is right true and couÌ„fortable and also profitable to the righte praying and callyng vnto god and to the knowledge of the gospell OF CONFESSION COnfession is also diligentlye kept in