Articles I haue here breefly set folowing in order The Common places which are handled in these Questions 1 OF the holy Trinitie Fol. 1. 2 Of the holy Christian Church and of the Churche of Rome eodem 3 Of Counsels and decrees of the church Fol. 30. 4 Of Free will. Fol. 43. 5 Of fayth and good workes Fol. 46. 6 Of the intercession inuocation and worshipping of Saincts Fol. 58. 7 Of Relikes Images and suche lyke Fol. 70. 8 Of purgatory and prayers for the dead Fol. 75 9 Of Sacraments Fol. 83. 10 Of Baptisme of children and of the Anabaptistes Fol. 85. 11 Of the Lords supper and receyuing thereof Fol. 88. 12 Of the sacrifice of the Masse Fol. 103. 13 Of repentaunce and Confession Fol. 108. 14 Of the authoritie of Priestes Fol. 116. 15 Of Mariage vowes and Chastitie Fol. 120. 16 Of Enoyling Fol. 139. 17 Of the Magistrate and lawefull obedience Fol. 141. The fyrst Common place Of the holy Trinitie The first question What they doe thinke of the holy Trinitie The Answere TOuching the holy Trinitie I doe beléeue all that which the true and sacred woorde of God dothe teache to acknoweledge beléeue To witte that there is one only true and liuing God in Trinitie one I say vndeuided in substaÌ„ce and thrée distinct parsons God the father God the sonne and God the ho y ghost being of like power and equally to be worshipped So are we taught Deut. 6. Exod. 20. Matth. 18. Luke 1. Iohn 1. 3. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. 14. 15. 16. and 17. Rom. 1. and. 9. 1. Corinth 8. 1. Iohn 5. Likewise we confesse the true faithe of the Trinitie contained in the twelue Articles of our Christian faithe where we say I beleeue in God the father in his only begotten sonne and in the holy ghoste And therefore what so euer in times past hath bene written or taught againste this Doctrine by Praxeas Arius Macedoniâ— and suche like yea and whatsoeuer the Jewes Turkes Michael Seruetus that Spaniard with their adherentes haue written we abhorre and detest assenting only to the olde holy Apostolike Church The second Common place Of the holy christiaÌ„ church of the church of Rome The seconde Question Whether they beleue in one holy Catholike and Apostolical church The Answere LIke as there is coÌ„tained and expressed â–ª in the. xij Articles of our christian faith so do I beléeue that ther is one holy and Catholike church and that the same or the Sainctes which are therin be partakers of all the grace and giftes of Christe I call the same one and Catholicke bicause there is but one only true Churche biside the which there is none other And the same is the congregation and felowship of all the faithfull throughout the whole worlde which at any time haue liued on this earthe in what time or place so euer they haue bin or that now are or héereafter shall be And as there is one God and Lorde neither any moe Gods or Lordes â–ª as appeareth â— Corinth 8. and Ephes. 4. so also it is of necessitie that there be but one only churche Wherfore althoughe this churche be dispersed diuers times into diuers sundry members through out the face of the whole earth yet hath it but one spirite one faith beléeueth in one God the father in one sauior our Lord Jesus Christ in the holy ghost And therfore is knit in one charitie and in one mind with all faithfull where and in what place so euer they be And this church is holy that is to say sanctified purged from sinnes beutified endued with holinesse and righteousnes and that through the grace of God the father in the blud of his only sonne by the power effectuall working of the holy ghoste It is called the christian Apostolical church bicause it is grounded built by the blissed Apostles vpoÌ„ the true rock that only euerlasting foundation Jesus Christ in the which foundation also it is preserued réedified and increased by the doctrine of thapostles as we may lerne by S. Paul 1. Cor. 3. Eph. 2. 4. 1. Pet. 2. And here is to be noted that as the Israelites did beléeue Moses that is to say did beleue the doctrin commaundements which he brought to theÌ„ froÌ„ God euen so the christiaÌ„s beléeue the true church Paule also calleth it the piller and fouÌ„dation of truth bicause shée heareth the voice only of hir pastor Jesus Christ not the voice of any stranger Nether is it beleued bicause it is the church only that is to say the congregation or felowship of meÌ„ but bicause it is the church of Christ heareth only his eternal truth preserueth confesseth teacheth the same and for this cause shée is called the piller fouÌ„datioÌ„ of truth Wherfore we beleue the church for Christes sake and for his truthe and doctrines sake which by his faithfull ministers is taught in the same Neither ought any maÌ„ to beléeue in the church bicause she is collected of men therfore is of the order of things created And it is manifest that God abhorreth all those which trust in men Ierem. 17. wherfore this preposition â—n is ioyned in the. xij Articles of our faith only to the thrée persones of the holy Trinitie For vve confesse that vve beleeue in God the father in his only begotten sonne and in the holy ghost Furthermore Cyprian and other holy fathers do excellently teach in their interpretations of the Créede that we must beleeue there is an holy church but not to beleue in the church And therfore do we not teache any new thing but that which the fathers before vs haue themselues most plainly diligeÌ„tly taught The third Question What they vnderstande by the name of the church The Answere WE vnderstande thereby the congregation or coÌ„pany of those which beléeue in christ For the church in the Germain tong is called Kirch as though it were deriued from the Grecians which call our Lord Jesus Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say lord Wherefore all those which are coupled or knitte to Christ the true head and fruteful vine as his proper members and braunches springing and growing in him are the true Christian churche And this interpretation of the name of the church we haue also in the Articles of our faith for to the confession of the catholike church we adde that we beleue in the Communion or felowship of Sainctes as though we should say the church is none other thing but the congregation of Sainctes And euen in this sort do the blessed Fathers interprete these thyngs The church is called the Communion or felowshippe of Sainctes for these causes First bicause all the faithfull there are partakers of all the giftes and graces which Christe hath purchased that is to say chéefely the remission of sinnes like as it is said in the Créede next after this Article I
like as it foloweth not that the body of the sunne bicause it is not alone but hathe light and heate therfore shineth not only with hys lighte but also with hys heat so likewise it foloweth not which our aduersaries affirme Faythe is not alone but ioyned with charitie therfore fayth onely iustifieth not before God but charitie also But touching iustification I shall by Gods helpe hereafter speake more at large The. xx Question Whether men be iustified before God by faith only in chryst or by good workes also The Answere FIrst we will shew what it is to be iustified before God and that is to bée purged from sinne deliuered from the punishement thereof and to bée had and receyued into the number of the sonnes of God and heires of eternall lyfe yea and that before the iudgement seate of God before the which all men are accused and condemned as giltie And that we shall euery one of vs before the iudgement seate of God be conuicted and founde gyltie of sinne and eternall damnation Paule in the thirde to the Romanes dothe playnely teache And agayne that iustification is the taking away and remission of our sinnes the same aptly also teacheth Acts. 13. Wherfore the remission of the sinne and the punishement or damnation is called of him iustificatioÌ„ Rom. 5. And that to be iustified and adopted in the number of the sonnes and heires of God is all one wée may gather by that Paule saythe VVe are iustified by fayth and Sainct John sayth But as many as beleeued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God. Secondely wée muste séeke the cause why God forgiueth our sinnes delyuereth vs from damnation and adopteth vs into hys sonnes and heyres Truely the proper cause hereof is hys mercy and grace by the which he gaue vnto vs his onely sonne to take our nature vpon him and to suffer death and shedde his bloud for our sakes to the ende that béeing deliuered from our sinnes eternall death and damnation frée from all accusations we might be absolued before the iudgement seate of God yea and that béeing made righteous by Chryst for his righteousnesse is made ours we might be made heires of eternall life Wherefore it is onely the grace of God the bloud and death of Chryst and his innocencie and righteousnesse for whose sake we are not condemned but are adopted into his sonnes and heires and are made partakers of eternall life Of this doctrine there are diuers proofes in Paul Rom. 3. 4. and. 5. 2. Corinth 5. Ephesi 1. Coloss. 1. and. 2. Tim. 2. c. Furthermore we must note by what meanes the grace of God in Chryste redemption righteousnesse and eternall lyfe is imputed vnto vs and on the other side howe wée receiue it and by what meanes they bée made ours so that Chryste in vs and we in him doo lyue All the good giftes of God are imputed vnto vs by the holy Ghoste as the holy Scripture testifieth almoste euery where and chiefly our Lorde him selfe saythe It is the spirit which quickeneth c. And wée receiue all these things by fayth yea by fayth only and by none other thing And therefore it may very well bee sayde that a man is iustified by saythe onely For Chryste him selfe in the thirde of John teacheth vs that wée muste bée saued euen after the same manner as the Israelites were healed of the deadely stinging of the Serpentes For as they coulde by none other meanes attayne vnto healthe than by the beholding of the Brasen Serpent hanged vp in the myddest of their Campe so wée can by none other meanes bée delyuered from euerlasting deathe and damnation and bée preserued in eternall lyfe than by the beholding of Chryste Crucifyed And thys beholding of Jesus Chryste is fayth yea fayth onely For as no Woorkes no Prayers Fastings Almes Sacrifices or any thing else whatsoeuer coulde helpe the stynging of the Serpente but onely the beholdyng of the Brasen Serpente so is there nothing that can saue vs but Faythe onely Wherefore Chryst in the sixthe Chapter of Sainct John saythe Veryly veryly I say vnto you excepte you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you haue no lyfe in you And to eate the Lorde hym selfe interpreteth it to beléeue But if there bee anye that desire to knowe more testimonies by the whiche our Justification in Chryste by Faythe onely is proued then let him reade the thirde and fourthe Chapters of S. Paule to the Romanes and also the Epistle to the Galathians where the Apostle in the second Chapter writeth thus Nowe lyue I no longer but Chryste lyueth in mee And the lyfe whiche I nowe lyue in the fleshe I lyue by the faythe of the sonne of god c. Wherefore when wée say that Fayth only in Chryst iustifieth we attribute not Justification to Faythe as in respecte that it is any woorke of oures for Faythe also is the frée gyfte of GOD but bycause that Faythe onely beholdeth or regardeth the grace of God in Chryst and trusteth only herein in none other thing And the grace of God in Chryste iustifieth as wée haue sayde before Therefore when wée stryue and contende aboute thys question Faythe onely iustifieth wée striue for Chrystes cause and the glory of GOD that this iustification may bée attributed to none other than Chryste to the ende wée may haue one onely true ryghteousnesse Laste of all wée muste shewe why not onely wée doo not attribute iustification to woorkes but also wherefore wée suffer not parte thereof to bée attributed to Woorkes and parte to Faythe but saye playnely that wée are iustified onely by Faythe and not by Woorkes Firste for that God wyll in no wyse haue vs to glorye and truste in our selues but in hym alone Like as it is manyfestly taught Rom. 3. 1. Corinth 1. lerem 9. Those therefore whiche impute their righteousnesse to Woorks they trust in them but those whiche beléeue in Chryste by whome throughe grace their sinnes are forgiuen and obtayne saluation they truste not in them selues but in the grace of God alone Secondely all good Woorkes are wrought of good men Wherefore it is of necessitie that the trée bee made good before she bring foorthe good fruite and therefore the frute maketh not the trée good but is rather the signe of a good trâ—e so it followeth that Woorkes dâ—â— not iustfie bycause they are â—oone of those which before were made righteouse throughe grace Wherefore all men may easily knowe that the righteouse doo not good Woorks to the ende they mighte thereby bee ryghteouse but rather bycause they are righteouse so that nowe those whiche withoute woorks were firste iustified by grace bring afterwarde foorthe good workes euen as the good trée beareth good frute Thirdly the works euen of the faithfull by reason of the infirmitie of mans nature which remayneth with vs yea vnto death are neuer so pure and perfect that they durst ascribe
beleue the remission of sinnes the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting Secondly it is called the Communion or felowship of Sainctes that is to say of the faithfull for as appeareth by the Epistles of S. Paul the Apostles and other blessed Fathers called the faithful or Christians Sainctes Bicause as I said before they are sanctified by Christ in his blud through the holy Ghost But bicause the church is a congregation or companie peraduenture therfore it is called in our mother tong Kuch by this letter L and not as some other Germanes do sound it by the letter R. For in the Hebrewe tonge the people or churche of God is called Kâ—haâ— and Kehâ—â—aâ— whereuppon the Germanes say Kilcha But whether it be deriued from the Hebrue or from the Gréeke it is all one For ech of those wordes signifie the congregation or felowshippe of Gods people euen as this worde Ecclesia amongest the Latines dothe also signifie which worde is borowed of the Grecians And although the vniuersall Churche of God in thys earth can not be brought into one company or felowshippe before the last day yet notwithstanding is the same neuerthelesse a spirituall and inuisible body perfectely compacte vnder one heade Jesu Chryste euen as diuers members hauyng sundry operations are ioyned in one body The vniuersall Churche of Chryst is deuided first into the congregation of them whych hauing finished the course of this their lyfe and passed ouer all corruptible things do now reioyce with christ their head in heauen prayse God for euermore Secondely it is deuided into the congregation of those which do yet liue here on this earthe in dayly battell in the Churche of Chryst and haue thys hope that at the time appointed by god they shall come to Chryst their heade and the felowship of their elect brethreÌ„ And in this coÌ„gregation there are some which haue true faythe and therefore are the liuely members of the Church vnder their head Chryste some lacke that liuely fayth and therfore are hypocrites being yet numbred in the visible Churche so long as their wickednesse springeth not foorthe nor they bewray theÌ„selues Touching these S John writeth thus They went out from vs by this it appeareth they were reckned in the Church for else could they not haue gone out theÌ„â—e but they were not of vs that is to say they were not the liuely members of the church true beleuers for if they had ben of vs they wold haue remained with vs. And herevpon it commeth to pas that many deuide the church into the inwarde and inuisible and into the outwarde and visible Churche Yea furthermore it is deuided into the congregation of those which haue liued froÌ„ the creation of the world vnto the coÌ„ming of christ into the coÌ„pany of those faithful which haue ben since the tune of christ and shal be to the end of the world And euery congregation of eche these parts are called the Catholike or vniuersall church yea eche of those churches which are scattered in this worlde haue but one spirite or faithe hath eche the name of vniuersall churche For in the scriptures there is mention made of particulare churches in this earthe as that Paule wryteth to the church of Rome Corinth Ephesus and suche others And therfore eueÌ„ as many Cities and Prouinces are contained in one kingdome and of many members is made one perfect body so also those churches which are dispersed vpon the face of the earth make but one church one kingdom and one spirituall body of Christe be being the head therof The fourth Question Whether they beleeue that the vniuersal church of Christ be guided ruled and gouerned by the holy Ghost The Answere GOd hathe alwayes euen froÌ„ the beginning of the world bene present with his people and churche gouerning the same by the ministerie of the Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles and that throughe the holy Ghoste For oftentimes God speaketh in the old Testament saying Beholde I am alvvayes vvith you I vvill guide and defende you c. And in the new Testament our Lord Christ saith Beholde I am vvith you for euer vntill the ende of the vvorlde And againe I vvill giue my spirite vnto you that he may abide vvith you for euer And againe vvhere tvvo or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them But the purpose of this Question is to bring the godly and simple into perplexitie and doubte For when they confesse that god gouerneth his church by his holy spirite forthwith the popish bishops conclude therof that the churche neither hathe nor can erre and héereby they suppose that all other things are sufficiently proued to wit that what soeuer they vnder the tytle and name of the Church shal thrust vppon men are bothe good and enspired by the holy Ghost But vnto these mates we answere Firste that we doo not acknowledge that church whereof they bragge to be the true primatiue apostolike church as hereafter we shal proue Secondely we dâ—â— not confesse that the Churche can not altogither or in all points erre For so long as she is gouerned by the holy ghost and onely harkeneth vnto him dooing nothing but by his motion and worde she neither doth nor can erre But if she swarue at any time from the gouernement of the same spirite and gouerneth after hir owne luste then truely shée not onely may but also dothe erre But if any wyll aske whether the Church may swarue from the direction of Gods spirite I answere that it is euident and may in no wyse be denied that the Churche of God héere vpon this earthe often times vnder Moses the Iudges and the Kings of Israell and Iuda hath erred Yea and that the Disciples of Chryst who yet neuerthelesse were the church of christ did erre and had their falles For who is ignoraunt what happened to Dauid Aaron Peter and other the holy Sainctes and Disciples of Chryst Yea wée must note that the Church is gathered not of Angels but of men Wherefore although it be inspired and gouerned by the spirite yet it is not thereby turned into the spirite for it keepeth still hir fleshe and the infirmities thereof yea euen vnto death Who is ignoraunte of those writings which Sainte Paule hathe generally vttered touching the battell betwéene the fleshe and the spirite and that not in the vngodly and vnbeléeuers onely whiche are not of the Churche but euen in the faythefull also and members of the Church And this battell is so vehemente and sharpe that euen thereby the godly are forced not to doo that good and iuste thyng whyche they knowe but to doo that which they ought not to doo Read S. Paules fifth chapter to the Galathians also the seuenth to the Romanes Yet neuerthelesse the same Apostle calleth the Galathians and Corinthians the true church of Christ as purified by his bloude and gouerned by his
but at Rome and that churche whiche agréed not therewith to bée excluded from Chrystes churche And therefore they haue excommunicated the Grecian and Easte churches and haue herevppon stirred vp gréeuous troubles offences and braulings in the whole vniuersall churche of Chryste But to this Question we aunswere thus Bicause the churche of Chryste is catholike or vniuersall it can not be bound tyed or shutte vp into one certayne place for how can it otherwyse be called the catholike or vniuersall church Therefore if it continue to bée catholyke as the vndoubted Truthe dothe testifie then it both hath bene in times paste and is nowe also in those places where the true members of Chryste are for those onely are they which beléeue in him call on him worshippe and honour hym for their onely Pastor and Sauiour and haue those principall tokens whereof I haue spoken before And thus haue I shewed you the place wherein the true and vniuersall Churche of Chryste hathe héeretofore bene and is yet to bée founde And wée speake of the vniuersall Churche whyche is on thys earthe and not of that whiche is in heauen bycause the place thereof is knowen and manyfest vnto the faythfull But what aunswere wil these Prelates make to that that there was a glorious and scattered church of Christ throughout the worlde before there was any Church of Chryst at Rome the whiche was not called the Churche of Rome but the Churche of Chryste and was in euery place where any faythfull were For the Popish Prelates them selues doo confesse that Saint Peter came to Rome the second yere of Claudius the Emperour and that was tenne yeres after the ascention of Chryste and that there he dyd beginne and preache the Gospell For the gospel sprang not vp first at Rome but it dyd spread from Hierusalem to Rome and so into the whole worlde wherevppon some haue called Hierusalem the mother Churche Therefore the Romishe Churche hathe ouer soone and to quickly desired the gouernment of other Churches and for that cause hathe stirred vp turmoyles and discordes no smal confusion and trouble to the vniuersall Church Furthermore not onely in Grecia but also in the south and in the east there are many faythfull whiche not onely doo confesse Jesus Christ but also worship cal vpon him serue him and doo vndoubtedly appertayne to the kingdome of Chryst although they be subiect to the ciuill gouernement of the tyrannous Lurke and such like tyrants Yet none of all these men care any whit at al for the Byshop of Rome the church thereof or for any customes or Ceremonies by the same Churche deuised or ordeined beeing contrary to the worde of God I say they esteeme them no more than we in this our age and in this our countrey esteeme them And doo they not nowe therefore appertayne to the Churche of Chryste Wherfore it is euident that Chryste hathe his church yea euen in those Countreys But when as in tymes paste the Byshop of Rome desired certayne of those Nations to submitte them selues vnder the Churche of Rome they as the Storie testifieth aunswered VVee knowe your power and your pride we can not satisfie your couetousnesse nor wyll suffer your tyrannie and vnlawefull luste and therefore as wee are so wee wyll remayne And yet these godly men refuse not to obey the Chrystian Churche but onely they doo refuse to obey the vnlawefull luste of these pontificall Prelates and yet notwithstanding loue and serue Chryste yea so muche the more for that they submitte not them selues to the Byshop of Rome The. ix Question Whether they do beleeue that without the Churche of Rome there be no saluation or remission of sinnes and whether they doo also beleeue that all those which separate thēselues willingly from that church are to be condemned as Heretikes and Schismatikes The Answere LEt vs make some difference betwéene these questiōs whether there be any saluation or remission of sinnes without the churche of Rome Or again whether there be any saluation or remission of sinnes without the Christian church For thus truely we suppose say that there is no more saluation to be looked for without the christian church than there was health to be loked for in the floud without the arke of Noe. For our sauiour Chryst Jesus the remissiō of sinnes and al other good gifts of God that are declared vnto vs by the preaching of the gospel are written in our herts by the holy ghost vnto eternall lyfe are only to be founde in the communion or felowship of saincts For without the Churche there are many erroures in this world as of the Gentiles Jewes Mahomets diuers other Heresies yea the lawes and superstitious constitutions and Ceremonies of the Popes which all are vnknowne and repugnant to the churche of Christe Wherfore we say that saluation and remission of sinnes may very well be had withoute the churche of Rome For the faithfull which beléeue Christes woorde and féele the power of faith and redemption of Christ and in the meane while beholde what is done in the church of Rome wherein Heauen remission of sinnes and all other holy things are set out to sale and are bidde to be redéemed with oure vnrighteous riches as by the shamefull mart of their indulgences it appeareth doe not long abide in suche a churche nor studie not to be pertakers of these knackes but flée with a quiet and faithfull harte without money to the onely grace of God bicause Esaie in hys 55. Chapter sheweth that euen for thys cause the Lorde speaketh vnto and reproueth men for that they come not to him but lay oute their money for those things which profitte nothing to theyr saluation Let therefore euery man I beséeche you reade the fiue and fiftie chapter of this Prophet And how suche buying and selling in the churche displeaseth bothe Christe yea and Peter of whome the churche of Rome dothe so busily but yet without cause bragge Christe himselfe declareth by his example in that he draue twise out of the Temple the buyers and sellers yea euen with whippes Iohn 2. Matth. 21. In the Actes of the Apostles also it is wrytten That when Simon Magus sawe the holy Ghoste was giuen of the Apostles by laying on of their handes he broughte money vnto them saying Geeue mee also this povver that on vvhome so euer I lay mine hande hee may receiue the holy Ghost but Peter answered him Let thy siluer perishe togyther vvith thee or as some doe interprete it Let thy mony be vvith thee into perdition vvhich thinkest the gift of God may begotten vvith mony For thou hast neyther parte nor felovvship in this doctrine for thy hart is not right before god Act. 8. And bicause God héere by Peter cursseth all those which are not of an vprighte harte and pronounceth them to haue no parte or fellowshippe wyth Goddes electe which make marchandise of his grace and other giftes amongste whome saluation
the eternall wisdome of God sawe not these things before he instituted the cuppe and could not he if it had séemed to him good haue forbidden the lay men the vse of the same But sith the eternall wisedome of God hath giuen the same vnto them let vs content our selues therewith onlesse we would séeme to haue more wisdome than god And may not the priests I pray yée shed the wine as well as the lay men And why then shuld not the same be forbidden vnto them But the Lordes supper is brought into contempt for farre many other causes than when any parte of the Wine falleth by chaunce on the grounde or is shedde vnwillingly For true faithe burning charitie stedfaste hope faithfulnesse mercy iustice and the puritie of those which coÌ„municate are the true ornamentes of the Sacramentes Wherefore what offences or what honor they bring to this Sacrament which daily vse the same to gette their liuing thereby yet in the meane time are drunkardes whoremaisters vncleane persones studying all vngodlynesse liue publikely in their naughtinesse to the great offence of many is nowe by the great mercy of God most manifestly knowne Wherefore I hartely beséeche almighty God to graunte all those the true knowledge of their sinnes wherby they may repent and amend their liues Amen The. xij Common place Of the sacrifice of the Masse The. xlviij Question Whether they doe beleue that the true bodie bloud of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar be a true and an acceptable sacrifice vnto God whiche ought to be offered in the Churche of Christ in the blessed office of the Masse vncessantly for the quick the dead vntyll the comming of Chryst The Answere SIth we haue sufficiently before proued that the true body and bloude of Christ is not in the Sacramente corporally it foloweth of necessitie that the same canne not be offered vp in the Masse by the priestes But yet the Romishe churche teacheth that the bodye and bloude of Christe is corporally and substantially present and in the office of their Masse offered vp to God by the Priestes for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead and therefore oughte to be woorshipped But the form of the Masse dothe not agrée with the institution of the Lordes supper but is encreased by the long continuaunce of time wyth diuers additions rights Ceremonies so as Gregorius the seuenth Pope doth confesse that in his time the Masse was not celebrated in all places of the world after one manner wherefore without all doute the Apostles Peter James and Mathewe did neuer celebrate the Masse vsed in the Churche of Rome but were altogyther ignoraunte thereof Therefore the Churches of the gospell haue by good right putte away and abolished the Romishe Masse and in the stead therof haue rightly and godly ordained the supper of oure Lord Jesus Christe which was godly celebrated in the old Apostolical church without any of the Popes or mannes traditions or additions And therfore to the foresaide question we answer that we do not acknowledge nor receiue the Masse for the institution of God but flée from it as being contrary to oure profession partly for causes already shewed and partly for such causes as héereafter we shall shewe But that we may the better knowe what sacrifices are we will héere vnto adde a few words There are amongst the Christians chéefely two kindes of sacrifices the one propiciatorie for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes and the other of thaÌ„ks geuing in which we exercise our faith serue God geue him thankes bothe wyth wordes and déedes for his benefits bestowed vpon vs In the olde Testament the sacrifice propitiatorie was shadowed and figured by many figures yet was there but one thing which they all did signifie to wit the body and bloud of Christe offered on the crosse Wherefore after that Christ came into the world and remained héere a certaine time that he might offer his body and bloude on the crosse for the remission of sinnes he ordained â—n his supper the Sacrament of the geâ—ing of his body and the shedding of his â—loud calling it the cuppe of the Newe â—estament in his bloud Wherfore this Sacrament ought from hence forth onâ—â— to be in stead of all the Sacraments of the Olde testament which were figures and to witnesse that as Christe by the Sacraments of the Olde testament was promised a sauiour so in the â—ewe testament he is come and hathe â—â—rformed it and so by the sacrifice of his body and bloud hathe taken away for euer all the sinnes of the faythfull Wherefore when our Lord would ofâ—â—r himselfe vppon the crosse and that 〈…〉 houre was come in which he would â—â—liuer vp his spirite so by his deathe â—ll sinne death and hell he cried with â—â—oud voice It is finished As who shuld â—â—y that sacrifice is nowe ended and fulâ—â—lled in which all the figures and proâ—isses of the fathers are accomplished 〈…〉 ne fréely pardoned and eternal righâ—â—ousnesse is obtained vnto euerlasting life And therefore so soone as our Lord was deade and had in this sorte offered vp him selfe a sacrifice to God his heauenly father the vaile of the Temple rente in two péeces greate myracles were séene bothe in the liuing and in the deade yea in heauen and in earthe And thus did the olde Testament the Leuiticall priesthoode and all the other Sacrifices take their ende whereunto they were ordained Therfore nowe resteth but the one only and euerlasting sacrifice of Christ as the chéefest holyest and moste perfecte And suche is the propretie of this Sacrifice that it neither coulde nor yet can be offered of any liuing man bicause not onely for the excellencie and holynesse thereof but also bicause of the imperfection of manne And therefore Christe offered vp him selfe that is to say gaue him self vnto death and so became the one and euerlasting Bishop after the order of Melchisedech as onely Bishop and sacrifice offered to God by him selfe onely Yea this sacrifice which he offered is but one that is to say once offered neither can it any more be offered againe For that hys one sacrifice is hys deathe once made effectuall that it onely and for euer mighte be sufficiente for all ages for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes And bicause Christe hathe suffered for vs dyed was buryed and arose againe from the deade and ascended into Heauen appearing for euer euen vnto the laste daye as one sufficient sacrifice in the sight of God for the full and perfecte redemption of all the Faithfull that is sufficient neither néedeth there any other Sacrifice to be offered in the Churche for the remission of sinnes Wherefore if there be any that wil offer a Sacrifice for his sinnes he dothe manifestly héereby declare that hée dothe not beléeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him by the onely Sacrifice of Christe For if he stedfastly beléeue that they are washed away why then dothe he
1215. And I will not héere tell howe gréeuously the consciences of the godly were by this Romishe and Papisticall confession troubled and howe they learned more euill thereby than good and howe horrible and fylthie factes were in this confession committed and howe the same serued to vpholde the power pryde errours and disceiptes of that vnspirituall spiritualtie as they call them selues But it is no small fortresse or foundation of their kingdome and therefore no maruell thoughe they so earnestly and busely labour to defende and kéepe the same But all these things thanks bée vnto God are made manyfest vnto the whole worlde The. Lj. Question Whether those things which the Priest dothe enioyne vs to do for our sinnes which we haue confessed are not to be done as the punishments and deedes of tepentaunce â–ª and whether this our satisfaction be hurtefull or contrary to the satisfaction of Chryste The Answere NEyther the confession whiche is done to the Priest neither yet the payne or penance which is ioyned for the same haue any authoritie froÌ„ the holy Scrypture but are onely grounded vppon the authorities of a fewe fathers And therfore I answere that the faythfull are not bounde by the word of god to do that penaunce which they call satisfaction neither I say to require or doo them For there is one eternall satisfaction that is to say a price reconciliation redemption from our sinnes to wit the death passion of Chryst by meanes wherof al our sins â—ffences and punishments deserued for the same are clerely forgiuen and wyped away And this is confirmed by Esai 53. the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles and chiefly of Paul to the Romanes the thirde and fifth chapters and 1. Cor. 1. c. If therefore by our workes and penaunce which we suffer that is to say if we attribute to our satisfaction which consisteth in the correctioÌ„ of our body fasting prayer almes other such like workes the remission of our sinnes the punishment due therefore or if wée suppose that by this satisfaction we satisfie and requite all those things for the which we were gilty before God then truely this satisfaction is directly coÌ„trary and striueth agaynst the satisfaction of Chryst. Or else must they say that Paule in the like case reasoned not aright when he sayd For if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then is Chryst dead in vayne For euen after the same maner doo wée also reason saying If wee our selues can make satisfaction for our sinnes what neede then had Chryst to dye Wherfore the Chuche kéepeth still that one eternall satisfaction euen the death of Chryste and héerewith doo all the faythfull content them selues iudging their works not to bée so perfecte or worthy that by them their sinnes should be forgiuen and that God by them should bée satisfyed and eternall lyfe bée purchased Here also is to be noted that the faythful which acknowledge Chrystes death to be their onely satisfaction and redemption and are delyuered by hym doo earnestly and diligently auoyde sinne and willingly suffer whatsoeuer God layeth vpon them and yet not to make any satisfaction therby bycause Chryste already hathe fully satisfied but bycause it pleaseth God so to exercise them and call them from their sinnes shewing howe gréeuously the same offende him and by this meanes exerciseth their fayth and maketh them partakers of the afflictions of Chryst. And therefore when GOD receyued Abraham and Dauid into fauour for Chrystes sake and had forgiuen theyr sinnes yet dyd he exercise them in this lyfe with the mortification of their fleshe Chryste also in the Gospel sayth vnto the man which he healed Behold thou art made whole see thou sinne no more least some worse thing happen vnto thee And therefore wée vse commonly to say to doo the same offence no more is a great punishment but yet the beste punishement And out of thys penaunce and satisfaction whiche standeth by no warrant of the Scripture is farrowed all the Whelpes of Romishe indulgences For after they had layde moste gréeuous penaunces and punyshments vppon the poore Penitentiaries for which they must make satisfaction for their mortall sinnes as by fasting many yeres togither then by their Indulgences they mitigated the same agayne and so by this meanes heaped vy huge heapes of money and so of Gods house they made an house or shoppe of Marchaundise yea rather a very denne of théeues and therefore doubtlesse God will shortly whip them out of his house The thirtenth Common place Of the authoritie or power of Priestes The. Lij Question Whether Priests haue power and authoritie to forgiue or retayne those sinnes for the whiche wee bee sory and confesse our selues The Answere THe power which Christ hathe giuen to the Ministers of the Churche is rather an office than a power for power belongeth to Christ alone And that power or Office which the Ministers or Priests haue receyued is to edifie and not to destroy as Paule manifestly teacheth 2. Cor. 10. And the keyes of the kingdome of god are giuen in déede vnto the Ministers of the church For our Lord promised them to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Math. 16. with these words I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt lose in earth shal be losed in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shal be bound in heauen the same he gaue to all the Disciples John. 20. saying Euen as my father sent me so sende I you who soeuers sinnes you shall remitte they shall be forgiuen and whose sinnes you shall retayne they shall be retayned Therefore to lose is to forgiue sinnes and to binde is not to forgiue or to retayne sinnes But bycause no man can remit or forgiue sinnes but God onely therefore the Ministers of God by his commaundement preaching the Gospel doo declare that god forgiueth their sinnes and remitteth all punishmente if they beléeue in Chryst and that on the other side their sinne remayneth and that they shall bée punyshed for the same if they beléeue not in Chryst and therfore for this cause dothe the Scripture say that the Minister doth bind or lose forgiue or retaine sinnes And as the minister doth truly preach this so doth it vndoutedly come to passe both on the faithfull and vnfaithfull For God being in heauen performeth that which his ministers héere doe promisse on the earthe By this we may easily gather that the keyes are nothing else but the preaching of the gospel and not a peculiare iurisdiction or power as oure aduersaries reache For euen as a maister of some house giueth his keyes vnto his seruaunt to open and shut the house to let men bothe in out So is the church the house of God in the which who so euer abideth is an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen those which through infidelitie are not in the churche haue no portion in the
within a whyle after perceyueth him selfe not able to kéepe them yea that it is a cause of whooredome lustes and manye other sinnes but he dothe well and godly if he kéepe not that foolishe Uowe that is to saye if he cut off those causes of sinne And so the Fathers teache saying In euill promisses breake thy promisse And that vvhich thou haste vnaduisedly vovved doe it not c. But that which we do vow with good aduise béeing iust and honest according to the lawe of God that let vs faythfully and constantly obserue without all disceite For the iuste God is a reuenger of all lying and wicked men that kéepe no promise wyth God or man And I speake thys from the bottome of my hart least any man should mistake our doctrine and say that we teache lybertie and that men shoulde not kéepe their fayth and promyse For wée doo euen from our hearts detest all filthy and vngodly libertie The. lvj Question Whether Chryst be not able to giue vnto those the gyft of chastitie whiche doo desyre and craue the same frō the bottome of their heart chiefly to those which labour and apply them selues earnestly to their studie and moderate them selues in meates and drinke The Answere AS it oughte not to bée sought so may wée not héere séeke what God may or can doo but what he hathe commaunded and what he wyll doo And wée muste moste warely obserue thys precepte Thou shalte not tempt the Lorde thy God. Wée all knowe that all thinges are possible to God and yet muste we knowe that this rule is for euer obserued in Chrystes Churche that it followeth not that he dothe all things that he can but wée must diligently marke what he commaundeth and byddeth vs to doo And this rule if wée apply it to this place it will appeare that thys is the commaundement of God that he which perceiueth him selfe to haue the gyfte of chastitie should vse the same so that he well perceyue that he hathe grace so to doo and that he which hath not this gyfte shoulde marry and not put him selfe in danger or tempt god For Saincte Paule speaketh of thys matter saying That he would intangle no man. 1. Corinth 7. And howe diligently they applye their Bookes in Monasteries howe they labour and what abstynence they vse in meates and drinkes I leaue it to the iudgement of any wyse man to discusse For it is euident that they seldome apply their Bookes but gyue them selues altogither to idlenesse dayntinesse and satisfying of their paunche In déede their talke hathe a goodly shewe but yet wyse men can well ynoughe perceyue what they are and therefore wyll not suffer them selues to bée seduced alwayes wyth thys spirituall babbling when they so manyfestlye perceyue their wyckednesse But if there bée any that wyll bée wylfull blynde then let their owne confusion fall on their owne pate The. lvij Question If any man be caste into pryson and fed hardly he doth not feele any great temptations Therefore is it not possible he shoulde keepe his vowe which he hathe made to Chrysts church which keepeth him selfe vnder by abstinence The Answere ALthough you haue made no mentiō in these your questions of the imprisoning torments with which you haue so gréeuously tormented the honest and godly maryed men either for mariage or for some other poynte of Religion neuerthelesse those good men whiche lyue nowe in this age may know and those which shall lyue after vs shall manyfestly sée that you are tootoo cruell in persecuting and tormenting I beséeche you consider with your selues why and wherefore you doo it If it so greatly delight you to chasten naughtie wycked men with imprisonment and with harde fare why then doo you not imprison whoremongers and adulterers and not those which liue chaste in mariage why do you not looke vpon you selues And why doo you not keepe vnder with abstinence those drunkards and horrible offendors But those men you neuer punish but you punish those whom God cōmaundeth to fauour and whom God commaundeth you to punish those you let goe You are nothing seuere towardes vyce and too cruell towardes goodnesse which God hath forbidden to punish I beseech you remember the auncient Histories of all ages and you shall sée that God dyd neuer forsake his for although he kepte them a long tyme vnder the crosse yet at the laste he delyuered them at his pleasure and they which dyd afflitte them for righteousnesse sake he terribly rewarded them with moste sharpe and gréenous punishments You would fayne be called spiritual and then fauour and mercy would better become you than thys rigor and crueltie But if you do rather delight in crueltie take héede least that corner stone agaynst whome you thus stryke bée found ouer harde vnto you and least it fal vpon you and grind you to péeces Feare God and take héede in tyme for all thinges haue an ende VVoe sayth the Lorde to those that spoyle for they shall be spoyled Oftentites in déede it commeth to passe that in the tyme of miserie men are least prouoked or moued wyth affections and that by reason of the gréefe of sicknesse or other myseries and yet hereby it followeth not that they should kéepe them selues vnmaryed all their lyfe tyme Saincte Paule who very well knew and had good experience of the grace and helpe of God and the infirmitie of our flesh dyd permit those that are maried to separate them selues for a time but yet by the consent of both the parties that therby being in some great distresse they might the more feruently giue them selues to prayer and yet he addeth héere vnto And come togyther agayne least Sathan tempt you for your incontinencie And why I pray you doo not these which would so fayne bée called Apostolike men giue suche counsell to those which are troubled and specially sithe wée haue so many wofull examples before our faces of those which whylest they professe chastitie fall into suche daunger that they at the last lose soule honors body and goodes The. Lviij Question Whether a Priest whiche marieth a wyfe by name and as he supposeth contrary to the vowe which he hathe made do not greeuously sinne and whether suche a mariage bee not double whordome and inceste and ought to be punished by the sworde according to lawe The Answere I Beseche you speake more fauourably for this kynde of speache is too filthy declareth what you are and encreseth most gréeuous iudgement agaynst you For that mariage whiche is done in the feare of god and for lawfull causes is bothe iuste and lawefull and béeing celebrated betwéene those whom no cause which God hath ordeyned dothe separate And the lawefull causes are declared Gen. 2. 3. Cor. 7. But the vowes of the Spiritualtie are neuer once named amongest the impediments of mariage wherefore they may marry notwithstanding their vowes And the mariage of those are true and holy and suche