it was in EnglaÌ„de vnder Kyng Edward the holy sacred and ryght diuine prayer which Iesus Christ the sonne of God hym selfe hath geuen vs as a handsome shorte summe of all prayers or formes of prayers and is written Matthew 6. Ther is vsed and exercised in the Bospellers churche and so it was also vnder King Edwarde the true inuocacion and callyng vpon the true almyghty God with due thankes geuyng for the gyftes benefytes that we haue and do receaue of hym And that inuocacion we kepe syncere and pure For we vse our vulgare common knowen tongue in all thynges whether we syng or praye wythout syngyng For who knoweth not that it is free eyther to syng or not syng in churches as is requisite or not requisite for the congregacions We call vpon God alone our most mercyfull alknowyng and almyghty father yea and we call vpon hym as he hym selfe hathe taught vs by Iesus Christ our Lorde As for creatures we call vpon none of them nother in stede of the creatour nor wyth the creatour We call vpon hym Rom. 10. in whome we beleue but we beleue in God alone and not in creatures therfore we call vpon God and vpon no creature As for the sayntes departed whose soules lyue wyth God in heauen we make no prayer to them For inasmuche as the scripture teacheth vs that in God alone is all pleyntifull fulnesse of all good thynges and that Christ Iesus dothe at al tymes continually diligently faythfully and most perfitely accomplyshe all the partes of a most faythefull intercessour wyth God the Father ther is no cause lefte why faythfull folkes should turne vnto others than vnto God alone or desire helpe at any other than at Iesus Christ vnto God the Father Come to me sayeth Christ aloude all ye that labour and are heauy laden 〈◊〉 11. I shal refreshe you â—o 16. Verely I saye vn to you what so euer ye shall aske the father in my name he shall geue it you Hebr. 4. And Paule sayeth we haue not a hygh priest that can not haue compassion on our infirmities but was tempted in al pointes lyke as we are but yet without synne Let vs therfore go boldely vnto the trone of grace that we may obteyne mercye fynde grace to helpe in tyme of nede What offence now doth the gospellers churche in thys case whych in obeyeng the preceptes recorded in the Euangelistes and Apostles wrytynges goeth the strayght hygh waye vnto Christ and desyreth to be commended vnto God by his only intercessioÌ„ It is not readde in any place of the scriptures that any of the holy Apostles whyle they lyued here vpoÌ„ earthe requyred the intercession or helpe of any Patriarke Prophete or Martyr They dyd all cal vpon God by Iesus Christ alone Why should we than folowe straunge examples Thys is the true and pure callyng vpon God this is the true seruing of God and a sacrifice to God most acceptable Hebr. 13. Ro. 12. as Paule after the Prophetes beareth playn recorde Therfore ther is no heresie nor schisme fouÌ„de in these cases Saint Austen in his exposicion of this place of Iohn Babes if any do sinne Super epist Io. canonicam 1. Io. 2. we haue an aduocate wyth the father Iesus Christ the righteous sayeth Iohn dronke the secretes of hydden mysteries out of the Lordes brest He for al he was suche a man sayd not you haue an aduocate with the father but we haue an aduocate He sayd not you haue nor you haue Christ but he put in Christ not hym selfe and he sayd we haue not you haue He rather put hym selfe in the nombre of synners to haue Christe hys aduocate than put hym selfe an aduocate in Christes stede be founde among the proude damned Brethren we haue Iesus Christ the righteous an aduocate wyth the father he is the mercye seate of our synnes He that hath holden thys hathe done no heresie he that hath holden thys hath done no schisme nor sedicion Thus sayeth Austen Than seyng we folow the commaundement of the Apostle which did nother heresie nor schisme and seyng we call not vpon Iohn now lyuyng wyth Christ in heauen to be our aduocate but vpon Iesus Christ alone we may not be iustly called either heretikes or schismatikes The .xv. Capter YEt for all thys the Gospellers churche contemneth not the sayntes in heauen Honouring of Saynctes nor hyndreth them of their due glorie For we so honour them as the holy scripture teacheth vs to honour them We iudge honourably of them as it becoÌ„meth vs to iudge of goddes electe We thanke God for theyr fayth and doctrine and we praye that we maye atteyne to theyr company We loue them as brethren we prayse them as teachers and examples of faythe we defende them agaynst railers and wycked wretches as faythfull persones and worthy of eternall glorye we acknowlage them as dere frendes and brethrem of the sonne of God we preache of them as of the ercel lent instrumentes of God by whome he hathe wrought bothe our saluacion and wonderful weyghtye great maters besydes Now I trust no man wyll saye that we are enemyes to the sayntes raignyng wyth Christ in heauen seyng we attribute thus muche vnto them of a syncere and reuerent vnfeyned hart geuyng to God that is Goddes and to hys sayntes that is theirs The .xvi. Chapter A Gayn Sacramâ—â—tes of Christ aâ— the cureâ— the gospellers churthe hathe no newe Sacramente nor any mo than God hym selfe hath ordayned for it If ther be any other discipline or obseruaunce we so reuerence vse it as the Lorde hathe commauÌ„ded to vse it or as the forgeyng examples of the Apostles haue taught vs. Therfore the Churche of Englande vnder Kyng Edwarde the .vi. hade not Baptismâ— and the gospellers churche elles where at thys daye hathe not any newe Baptisme but the olde Baptisme euen the same that wyth callyng vpon the name of God is geuen in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Goost to the forgeueneffe of synnes By thys baptisme we beleue that all are baptised to be one body throughe the spirite of Christ 〈…〉 6. 〈…〉 l. 3. that baptisme dothe alwayes worke effectuallye in faythful beleuers For Christ dothe alwayes wattre the meÌ„bres of hys bodye wyth hys owne spirite So are we therfore the true membres of Christes churche â—â—e head 〈◊〉 memâ—â—â—s of the â—â—â—rche vnder that one head kyng shepeherde and most myghtye hye priest Iesus Christ our Lorde We are not schismatical cut of membres For we stycke faste vnto our one only head Christ our Lorde nother do we fal from the feloweship of the membres or body of the church wherwyth we are knytte together in spirite fayth and loue than why are we called schismatikes If we dyd put on an other head or departed froÌ„ the true meÌ„bres of Christ and were coupled to other straunge membres and so
thus Custodite vos ab Idolus non iaÌ„ ab idolatria quasi ab officio sed ab idolis id est ab ipsa eorum effige Indignum enim vt ima go Dei viui imago idolis mortui fiat That is kepe your selues from ydoles not now from ydolatrie as from the seruice doyng but from the ydoles that is from the very ymages of them For it were wrong that the ymage of the lyuing God should be the ymage of an ydole and of a deade thyng Therfore our churches are by these wordes acquieted from the cryme of heresie whych a great meignye of bishoppes preachers and Papistes wyth stampyng and staryng scolding and roaryng charge vs wythal and for none other cause but that the ymages of God and hys sayntes be throwen out of all Christes temples and were in no wyse receaued any more in Kyng Edwardes dayes but the scriptures of the lyuyng God set in their places Ther is no doubt sayeth LactaÌ„cius Li. 2. ca 19. ConstaÌ„tinus scholemaister but ther is no religion whersoeuer an ymage is And S. Austen in hys Cataloge wherin he rehearceth al the heresies of hys tyme reckoneth amoÌ„g them one Marcella a woman of Carpocratia whych worshipped the ymages of Iesus Christ of Paule of Pythagoras and of Homere wyth makyng addracion and incensing to them For the holy martir S. Ireneus in the 24. chap. of hys fyrst boke Contra haereses reporteth that the heretikes called Gnostici dyd worship the expresse lyuely painted ymage of our saueour Christ the paterne wherof they sent vnto Pilate the lieutenaunt of Iewrie who fouÌ„de the meanes to haue Christ set furthe as an heathen man by ymage lyke vnto hym selfe whan he was alyue by singular connyng payntours and caruers And yet that bishop and martir inueyed to the vttermost of his power agaynst that ymage whyche the Gnostici set so muche price by A and yf it were now to be had it should be reputed among the most holy reliques But thys Bishop was not a seuere earnest persecutour and enemye of ymages and ymage seruice alone for it is knowen to all men what Epiphanius the Bishop of Salamine Cyprus dyd 〈…〉 as he wryteth of him selfe in hys greke Epistle that S. Ierome translated into latine whych doubtles he wolde not haue done yf he had thought Epyphanius facte to haue beÌ„ sacrilege Epiphanius also sawe a vaile hanging in a certain churche dore stained and paynted and hauyng an ymage as it hade ben of Christ orsom saynt But he plucked it by the ende In tomo Hiero. 3. fo 73. b and reÌ„t it downe thinking it vnworthy that the image of a man should heng in the churche of Christ coÌ„trary as he saithe playnly to the autoritie of the scriptures And he exhorteth Iohn bishop of Ierusalem to charge the elders ministers of that place the they should heng vp no such vailes whych come against the religion of Christ For he sayd it was more besemyng the duetie of a bishop to see that such scrupulositie for so he termeth the vse of images in temples should be taken out of the waye whych is not worthy of the churche of Christ Now ther is no good grounde for the papistes to obiecte vnto vs the sentences and decrees of Gregorie B. of Rome Damascene the greke wrytour Bardiners great clearke and of the seuenth Synode whych they call the Synode of Nice agaynst these so cleare and so substauÌ„cial authorities For these that I haue alleged are of muche more auncientie certayntie thaÌ„ theyrs be Therfore who so euer reporteth vs to be he retikes bycause we lacke ymages let them fyrst proue the lawe of god heresie let them prone the testimonies iudgemeÌ„tes of the Prophetes and Apostles heresie and let theÌ„ proue the sayenges and doynges of Ireneus Tertullian LactaÌ„tius Epiphanius AusteÌ„ and Ierome to be heresie and whan they haue done so let them com and condemne vs of heresie also And so they wyl do one day whan they caÌ„ But yf they spare them let them be good to vs also Now wil we returne to our purpose Our churche called the gospellers churche dothe religiously holde and confesse that most excellent and most true godly belief called SymboluÌ„ apostolicum or the apostles Crede 〈◊〉 apostâ— Crede Whyche though it be purported in no place of the scriptures in the very same forme of wordes that we rehearse it in yet it is all holly and euery title of it fette out of the apostles writinges Thys Crede comprehendeth the most plenteous full forme of belief so that our elders did by it as a most tryed and certain sure rule alwayes proue and trye who were true ryght catholike beleuers who were false beleuers and heretikes Symâ—n is S. Cipriane in the exposicion of thys apostles Crede saythe that this greke worde Simbolum is a declaracioÌ„ a collacion or a gatheryng of sondry maters together into one forme And for thys cause thys same declaracion is set and compacte together by conference of the apostles doctrine that therby it myght be knowne who coÌ„fessed Christ truly according to the rules of the apostles The holy Martir Ireneus after the rehearsal of the apostles Crede saythe Li. conâ— haereses Ca. 3. Forasmuche as the church dispersed throughout the hole vniuersal worlde hathe receaued thys confession and Crede it obserueth it diligently as though the hole churche were dwellyng all in one house and preacheth and confesseth it after all one consonaunt sort as if al the churche had but one mouthe For albeit the speches in the worlde be vnlike yet the vertue and power of the declaring therof is but all one the self same one And nother the laÌ„guage that is in Spayne nor the speche that is in Fraunce ne the languages that are in the east couÌ„treyes ne yet the Egipcians tongue nor the Lybianes speche nother the languages that are vsed in the mydle partes of the world but as the sunne of goddes makyng is but one and the selfe same one in all the hole vniuersall worlde so dothe the light preaching of the truthe shyne euery wher lighteneth all folkes that are willing to com to the knowlage of the truthe And nother the bishop of the churche hym self that hath the best vtterauÌ„ce speaketh any thyng elles but these articles nother doth he that is of slenderer vtteraunce speake any lesse For seyng ther is but one and the selfe same one faythe nother dothe he that is hable to vttre it at large speake any more nor he that can not vttre the mater so plenteously speake any lesse Thus muche hath Ireneus Therfore it is most certainly out of peraueÌ„ture that the ful forme of belefe is most fully comprehended in the Apostles Crede and he that constauÌ„tly and purely continueth therin to the ende shall doubtles obteyne euerlastyng lyfe as Athanasius sayeth who so euer wylbe saued before al thinges it is necessary that
the same that we reade in the gospel written almost worde by worde In the same epistle he speaketh also of the same tradicion and saythe I deliuered vnto you that whych I receaued 1. Cori. 13. that christ died for our synnes according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the thyrd daye accordyng to the scriptures Again he maketh mencion of his maner of teaching or tradition 2. Thes 3. but he openeth in playne flat wordes whych a one it was And in the .2 of the Thessaloni .2 he speaketh eftesones of tradicion Therfort brethren sayeth he stande and holde fast the tradicions whych ye haue receaued whether it be by worde of mouthe or by epistle sent from vs. Now Paule comprehendeth all hys hole doctrine whyche he calleth by a general terme tradicion in worde spoken and epistle writteÌ„ By worde he vnderstaÌ„deth the preachyng of the gospel whyche he hade preached presently to the Thessalonians by lyuely worde of mouthe after such sorte and reason as the other Apostles also preached Christ vnto other nacioÌ„s which Luke also put in wrytyng and Paule hymselfe preached to the Romaynes by hys wrytten Epistle For I sayde that Luke dyd wyth most circumspect diligence put in wrytyng those thynges that he hade learned of the Apostles touchyng Christes wordes and dedes Eusebius reporteth that the olde fathers vnderstode these wordes of Paule according to my gospel of the gospel of Luke And in dede Paule hym selfe in the .1 and 15. Chapters to the Romanes testifyeth that he preached the Gospell to the Romaynes in hys wrytten epistle plaine to al mens vnderstandyng For in his epistles he treateth of the mater more briefly beyng absent whyche when he was present wyth theÌ„ he had taught more at large reformyng by his written epistles those errours in the churche whych the false Apostles had sowed abroad the tyme while he was absent and admonished al men of theyr duetie and refourmed yf any thyng were diminished And for asmuche as ther remayne foure consonaunt bokes of the Gospel and fourtene Epistles of Paule as I wyll not speake of other Apostles epistles who could doubt that the tradicion or doctrine of the Apostles is not fully delyuered and registred vnto vs In the Actes of the Apostles we reade that Luke made mencion of the Apostles decrees Act 15.16 whyche other men ral tradicions But it is expressed in cleare playne wordes by the wrytten epistle that the Apostles sent furthe at theyr conuocacion tyme what they ment by theyr decrees or tradicions Act. 15. For thus they wryte It semeth good to the holy Goost vs to charge you wyth no more than these necessary thynges that is to saye that ye absteyne froÌ„ thynges offred to ymages and from bloud and from strangled and from fornicacion Surely thys decree whych is a right Apostolike decree in dede dothe by al meanes contrarye the tradicions falsely called the Apostles tradicions wherwith faythful christiaÌ„s are greuously burthened in the churche at this present For the true Apostles of Christ saye It semeth good to the holy goost and vs to charge you wyth nomore Lo to charge you wyth no more saye they For Paules aduersaries against whom the hole conuocacion house of the Apostles and elders geueth sentence Loke Socrates in eccle histo Li. 15. ca. 22. contended that christians must nedes be circumcised and obserue the lawe of Moses And made the rest of the Apostles autors of that theyr false doctrine As in our tyme also many vnder the preteÌ„ce of the Apostles tradicions do laye heauy burthens vpon free faythful folkes neckes wyth opinions and ceremonies But what is the Apostles sentence of them We gaue them saye they no suche commaundement They went furth from vs but they were not sent of vs. They are distourbours of the congregacions Out of the whyche apostolike sentence Saint Paule dyd doubtles borowe hys wordes whyche we reade in the begynnyng of hys epistle to the Galathians in thys wyse Gal. 1. I maruaile that ye are so sone turned from Christ whyche called you by grace vnto an other Gospell whych is nothyng els but that ther be some whych trouble you and intende to peruerte the Gospel of Christ Neuerthelesse though we oure selues or an Angel from heaueÌ„ preache any other gospel vnto you than that whych we haue preached vnto you let hym be accursed The Apostle in repetyng thys same sentence declareth howe ware christen folkes hade nede to be in receauyng suche obseruaunces as are set furthe in the tytle of the Apostles tradicions For al tradicions are condemned and denounced accursed whych burthen and ouercharge christen mennes lybertie and what so euer thei be that are not agreable with the written gospel and doctrine of the apostle Paule yea and wyth the preachyng of the rest of the Apostles whych is al of one sorte and consonaunt in euery condicion In the .15 〈…〉 of Matthewe ther is also mencion made of the trâ—â—â—â—ons of Elders or Fathers as 〈◊〉 in the fyrst to the Galathians whych Christ our Lorde hym selfe vtterly coÌ„deÌ„neth bycause they were not agreable to the scripture lawe of God and calleth Esaye the prophete to wytnesse wyth hym whych also condemneth al suche tradicions of man sayeng They worship me in vayne teachyng doctrines whych are mennes preceptes Therfore Tradicions that is al doctrines and obseruauÌ„ces that are not agreable to the scriptures or procede of a Iewishe supersticion are barred out of Boddes true seruice worship howe gloriously so euer they be garnyshed wyth the tytle of auncient fathers And the Apostle hym self wryteth also against them Collos 2. Thus muche of the iudgement of scripture concernyng Tradicions Now as touchyng the fathers Note how bolde Ireneus is to call the Pope and his shaueâ—inges heretikes a maÌ„ may easely gather of theyr owne wrytynges howe sore heretikes dyd combre the holy fathers vnder the cloake pretense of the Apostles Tradacions For Ireneus in the .2 chapter of his .3 boke Contra Valentinianos sayeth whan heretikes be reproued by the scriptures they fal straight wayes to accusyng of the scriptures as though they were not wel or were not of autoritie and that they be spoken after diuerse vnderstandinges that suche as knowe not Tradicions can not fynde the truthe by the scriptures For tradicioÌ„s were not geuen in wryting but by lyuely worde of mouthe Thus muche sayeth Ireneus And what doÌ„ the Papistes obiecte elles vnto vs nowe a dayes when we laye for vs most euident cleare scriptures They are come to suche a wyckednesse and shamelesnesse that they sticke not to pronounce in theyr open bokes that the chief fouÌ„taine of al errours is to receaue nothing but only that whych is conteyned in the scriptures For they saye ther is an other kynde of doctrine besydes whych they cal tradicions wherin yf a maÌ„ be not wel skilled he caÌ„ nother go vpryghtly in the scriptures nor haue any perfection
filthynesse of religion and maners that they doo 1. Pet. 4. Therfore we are not sondred from the felowship and communion of the thurche that hathe ben from the begynnyng of that worlde vnto this daye We are souldyours with all sayntes vnder all one Emperour and captayn we haue the same hope and expectacion that they haue We repose all the necessaries of our life saluacion and helpe in one only and the self same paymaister euen our lorde God Iesus Christ So we be true membres of yâ— true churche of Christe though our aduersaries haue hitherto synfully accused vs the membres of the gospellers churche of heresye and sedicyon 〈…〉 vs vp theyr olde song â—â—uersaries obiections that we are fallen from the holy churche of Rome that we haue gathered a newe fangled schismaticall churche together whych hath nother head nor continual successioÌ„ of bishoppes and therfore that newe fangled churche is no churche but a conspiracie of a fewe mystye rascal knaues crept out of a sorte of obscure felowes and denounced accursed long ago and slaketh and abateth agayne daylye more and more to bewraye it selfe by that token seyng it is not stable as Bamaliel sayde it is of men and not of God Here vnto we make thys answere at fewe wordes Aboue all thynges it is to be weyghed and consydred whiche a one the true churche of Christ is and wher it is Not al that are called Israel sayrth the Apostle are Israel Rom. 9. euen so al that bragge of the name of the churche be not the true churche but the is the true churche that is knyt to her one onely husbande and head Christ that heareth the voyce of none but of her only husbande and shepeherde Christ and continueth wyth al sayntes in hym From thys maner church we neuer fel whether it beare the name of the churche of Rome the churche of Alexandria the churche of ConstaÌ„tinopole or the churche of Antioche For what so euer is or euer was of Christ of truthe and of true godlynesse in these or in other churches throughout the wyde worlde we embrace it with al our hartes and endeauour our selues to kepe that syncerely stil vnto the ende But in dede we are fallen from and abhorre the Romyshe wyckednesse the Romyshe errours the Romyshe corrupcioÌ„s the Romyshe lyes the Romishe false iugglyng knackes and all abuses wheÌ„ce so euer they be as we vtterly also abhorre the Ieweship and Mahumetes religion We do very wel agree wyth the olde states of the churches of Alexandria Antioche and Constantinopole but wyth Mahumetes corrupcion of them wherin they sticke all fast at thys daye we agree not We agree very wel with the olde church of Rome which the chosen vessel of God S. Paul made so muche prayse of but we agre neuer a wytte at thys daye wyth the extreme corrupcion of the churche of Rome whyche theyr owne very frendes can not chose but speake euil of bycause of the horrible abominacions of it Are we therfore falleÌ„ froÌ„ the churche of Christ bycause we accordyng to Christes owne mynde and coÌ„maundement renounce and caste awaye the errours of the churche of Rome The holy prophetes of God the natural soÌ„ne of God Iesus Christ our Lorde wyth hys chosen Apostles were vndoubtedly in the body of the true and catholike churche of God albeit they had no feloweship the while wyth that churche that vaunted them selues to be the true churche of God Naye that churche excommunicated and persecuted the Prophetes and Christ and the Apostles and condemned them openly for heretikes and schismatikes But yet they were true faythful men and catholikes neuerthelesse for al that And how cometh it to passe that the gospellers churche is called a newe fangled churche which haue theyr relacion from hence to the begynnyng of the worlde whych haue Christ the eternal sonne of God to be theyr fouÌ„dacion and acknowlage the Apostles and Prophetes to be her founders and sheweth in her selfe all the tokens of the true churche in the sight of all men That is not an headlesse churche whych acknowledgeth and reuereÌ„ceth Iesus Christ the sonne of God the same I meane whom the Apostles name the heade and the saluacion the king chief hygh priest of the church Nother is the gospellers churche without coÌ„tinual succession of bishoppes seyng it hathe her relacion euen vnto the Apostles of Christ Christ hade the continual rable of bishoppes and pristes in the cathedral churche of Ierusalem euer agaynst hym The same was agaynst the apostles also But yet who wyll therfore denye that the Apostles churches are the true churches Who wyl reproue Christes doctrine and hys Apostles of lyeng excepte it be a man to wycked to tel of Besydes thys I coulde tell what a maner one the succession of bishoppes of Rome is namely of them that haue made theyr neste in that Satanicall seate for these fyue hundred yeares yf I wolde do as Suetonius dyd and yf I lusted as he disclosed the most shameful filthy lyues of Emperours to blase out the cursed false partes and abominable wyckednesses of many bishoppes of Rome and yf I lusted to expouÌ„d thys sayeng of Paul Ther shal starte vp from among you Act. 20. men speakyng peruerse thynges to drawe disciples after them c. But it is ynough to play touche go in these maters bycause I speake to men of vnderstandyng That churche is not of a fewe folke that is dispersed al the worlde ouer and comprehendeth all those that be faythfull except our aduersaries peraduenture meane that whych Christ our Lorde spake in the Gospell Mat. 22. Many are called but fewe chosen And agayne Narowe is the gate and strayte is the waye that leadeth vnto lyfe and fewe ther be that fynde it Ther is also no conspiracie in vs to any euel purpose but an holy consent to the doctrine and obedience of Christ As for mystye knaues we are none for we cast no mystes nor darke clowdes to deceaue any man but we allure al meÌ„ to the most clear lyght of the gospel Nother is the gospellers churche buylded vpon obscure men and holden accursed but of Christes owne Apostles which were most famous notable men in all the worlde For albeit the preaching of the gospel was brought vnto vs by those meÌ„nes ministeries who are of most hygh coÌ„mendacion amoÌ„g the godly yet we geue not thankes for the begynnyng of so precious a Iewel vnto men but vnto Christ the sonne of God Paule was the furst that preached the Gospel to the Corinthianes but for all that he wolde not haue them called Paulinianes but he wolde haue them called Christianes If Christ whych is the true lyght of the worlde yf the Apostles whych are the lyght bear ours of the worlde be obscure men and accursed we graunt that our doctrine came of obscure and accursed men But I am sure they that go about to bryng them into that slauÌ„der shal haue light ynough and
The acquital or purgation of the moost catholyke Christen Prince EDwarde the VI. Kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. and of the Churche of Englande refourmed and gouerned vnder hym agaynst al suche as blasphemously and traitorously infame hym or the sayd Church of heresie or sedicion They are gone to Baal Peor and runne awaye from the Lorde to that shamefull Idole and are become as abominable as theyr louers Ephraim flyeth lyke a birde so shall theyr glorye also Ose 9. ¶ To the nobilitie and to the reste of the charitable christen laytie of Englande Iohn Olde wisheth grace and mercy from god the father and from Iesus Christ the common and only saueour of the worlde with the gifte of perfite faithe earnest repentaunce FOrasmuche as the preachers in Englande now promoted and set vp in throne by the Quenes highnesse aswell at Paules crosse as commonly in open pulpittes in place of Christes syncere gospel spewe out with scolding roaring and railing the abominable poison of Antichrists tradiciones as holsō medicine for the soul infamyng therwith the order forme and vse of preaching prayer administracion of the holy sacramentes set furthe and exerciced by common autoritie in the churche of Englande refourmed vnder the gouernemēt of the most christen King and mayntenour of Chrystes catholyke faythe King Edwarde the .vi. and most vilie slaundering his famous father King Henry the .viii. for banyshing the violent vsurped power and supremacie of the Romyshe auncient Antichrist for being dyuorced from his brothers knowne wyfe and for takyng iustly vpon him the title estate of supremacy incident and aperteynyng by the vndoubted ordinaunce of God to his Regal office emperiall crowne So that euery indifferent harte enlumyned eyther with the spirite of God by the instruction of his holy worde and gospel or with any common vnderstanding of natural loue and ciuile duetie of obedience to his souerayne liege lordes Goddes lieutenauntes vnder Christ vpon earthe perceaueth those false prophetes and prowde paūched praters to be therin not only horrible blasphemers of the holy goost enemies of christes crosse tearours of his seameles coate defylers of his blessed ordinaunces comp trollers of his holy Apostles and primatyue true catholike churche and moste bloody furious rauening wolnes among his sely shepe but also most harde harted heretikes moste haynous traitours against the crowne and their countrey most sedicious rebelles against the vnitie of peace and tranquillitie of the realme most periured pestilent papistes and most wauering wethercockes like as in their further frutes they are notoryously knowne to be holowe harted hooremongers most sawcye shamelesse sodomites the manciples of myschief and very slaues of Satan and if they repent not the more spedily the most fitte fyre brandes of the perpetual flamyng fornace of hell Albeit no fewe in Englande haue most faithfully resisted the babling blasphemye false forged fables of the mytred maskers and shauen swarme of shameles sodomites not only in suffring hōger tolde pouertie vnquietnesse and paynfull prysone but also in pacient bearing of the crosse of fyre galowes sweorde euen vnto the deathe to the comforte and streynghtenyng of Christes weake flocke to the conuertyng of many that were wofully wrapped in popishe errours and to the cōfusion of the lusty railing reprobates them selues and all their trayne Yet considering it the bounden duetie of euery true harted subiecte to defend with all his possible power the innocencie and truthe of his natural soue rayne against the traitorous talke enuious iniurie of railing reporters and specially in Christes cause whose ministers and officers all Princes Kinges ar whose worde and lawe al chrystianes are most straytly dette bounden not only to embrace with the belefe of the harre but also to confesse it openly with mouthe a mydde mōg the aduouterous synfull generacion of rule and power of this worlde and spirituall wyckednesse in heauenly thinges I haue thought it no lesse thā my duetie being a naturall englishe man and sworne to the loyaltie and obedyence of those worthy famous christen kinges against the sodomitical Syre of Rome and all forayn powers as all those periured wetherrockes the shauen sorcerers were to answerre the forsworne swarme and rable of railing rutterkines in defense and purgacion of christes catholike flocke Priestes the locustes of Englande called the gospellers churche specially respecting the christen euangelical churche of Englande refourmed and gouerned by the ordinaunce rule and practice of Christes most holy sacred euangelical law vnder our forsaide most christen catholyke souerayne King Edwarde the vi who according to the principall poynt of his regal office and charge and according to the fotesteppes and examples of Moses Iosua Dauid Salomö Ezechias Iosias Iosaphat and other most godly gouernours kinges whiche haue their perpetuall cōmendacion in the regestre of goddes voke for their hartie diligence trauailes in the aduaunceing of hys pure religiō sought chiefly the glorie of God the honour of christ crucified his owne edifyeng and discharge of conscience and the instruction gouernemēt of his subiectes in the true knowlage faythe feare and loue of God and his glorious gospel and to buylde the churche of Englande committed of God to his Regall charge only vpon the foundacion of the Prophetes and apostles and to scowre the same from the cursed customes and traunting tradiciōes of Satans synfull sinagoge Albeit I could make a docket of remembraunce how you of the nobilitie that were put in autoritie and trust vnder the king might ought haue answered and vsed those lecherous lieng locustes according to the ordre of iustice bi examples bothe of diuine and prophane histories and by the substaūcial godly lauful lawes of the realme for their traitorous slādring railing vpō the lordes anointed their owne naturall liege lorde for their recaryeng of their infernall father the abiured antichrist of Rome in to Englande agayn for their procuring of forayn powers in to the realme for their false foxelye forgeing of fables among the busye headed vulgare commones againste theyr natural nobilitie for theyr others to deuelishe demerites besydes yet now seing you haue allready runne to farre against your owne consciences so that it semeth almost to late for any admonicion or remēbraūceing to synke in to your hartes being afrayde of euerye barking blaste of Antichristes bawdye beagles contentig your selues to be ledde like an oxe by horne and eare as it pleaseth thē to appoynt til they haue brought you to blocklaye faire in to the slaughter house as they haue done a greate sorte of your best fedde felowes I shal spare my pēne with my continual prayers for your preseruacion frō theyr clouthes leaue you to God your selues In the meane while hauing occasiō oportunitie I shal shape those wicked wormes a reasonable answer leaste in kepyng silence and wynkyng at their licencious libertie wickednesse we seme to be afrayde of theyr obiectiones so make folkes
beleue they were true or to acknowlage that the faultes wherof they spitefulli slauÌ„dre vs were in vs in dede The scripture also by the euaÌ„gelistes and apostles commaundeth and bindeth vs to defende the truthe to refute lyes to beare recorde vnto the truthe and to acquyte the faythfull christianes in theyr innocencye and ryght But what can a man doo in so furyons a rageing rable of aduersaryes and Iniuryous entreatyng of men Or how shold a man begynne to defende the churche seyng such a sorte of cruell and maddebrayned enemies obiecte so many and so haynous crymes agaynst vs and dyng on as it were wyth quartre strokes on euery syde Whan S. Paule the preacher of the Gentyles and moste chosen vessell of Chryst was accused him selfe of the Iewes in a singular good cause euen the cause of the gospel furst before Antonius Felix and eftesones before Portius Festus lieutenauntes of Iewrye of many maters and was more than ouerlayde wyth the power eloquence autoritie and reputacion of hys aduersaries could obteyne nother place nor space to answere vnto euery point throughly he thought he should defende hym selfe and hys cause wel ynough yf he myght shewe by some euident most playne homely shorte reasons that he neuer taught contrarye to the scriptures nor agaynst the hope of Israel but that he was iniuriously enuyed pressed of hys enemyes for constantlye preachyng and defendyng of the hope of the Resurrection whych the Israelites holde And now folowyng his moste godly and singular good exaÌ„ple and vsyng the helpe ordre and almoste the very wordes of a certayn notable profouÌ„de learned Pastour who hath done the same in latine in defence and purgation of the christen gospellike flocke churche committed to hys spiritual charge seyng I am barred out of place and tyme as an abiecte out of my natural countrey so that I can not possibly answere to all theyr odious obiections in ordre one by one singularly by them selues I shal yet by the helpe of God do myn endeauour to declare and set before all mennes eyes by the waye of translation rather myne owne edicion that whyche is moste chief and generall mater in thys cause wyth the moste cleare and playne argumentes that I can that is to wete that the Churche of Englande refourmed and gouerned vnder Kyng Edwarde the .vi. was no heretical schismatical nor sedicious Church and that all other Churches embraceyng the Gospel in assemblable wyse are no heretical nor schismatical Churches but the vndenyable churche of Iesus Christ bothe true faythfull and catholike Wherfore I beseche you ryght honourable lordes ryght worshipfull gentilmen and the rest of my charytable chrysten countreymen for the loue and loyaltye the you bare and owed to your most christen and moste louyng souerayne liege lorde and maister Kyng Edwarde the .vi. reade or heare thys simple shorte treatyse paciently and gentlye inasmuche as I shal do my diligence as euidentlye and in as fewe wordes as I possibly can to speake not of all thynges that myght be alleged in thys behalfe but suche reasons onely as chiefly and principally concerne thys present cause The fyrst Chaptre FYrst where Christ our Lorde sayeth â—he Gosâ—llerschur â—e receaâ—eth the â—ole Scriâ—tuâ—e my shepe heare my voyce the churche of Christe whyche to be knowne from the churche of Papistes is called the gospellers church as the churche of Englande in Kyng Edwardes tyme was dothe acknowlege and receaue the Canonical bokes bothe of the olde TestameÌ„t and newe as those that were proclaymed and spoken out of Boddes owne mouthe Ther is none of them that it denyeth or refuseth but receaueth and reteyneth theÌ„ al holly and perfytly Nother doth it capciously reason about the receauyng of those bokes who hath receaued them or who hath refused them nor whether is of greater force the autorite of the churche receauyng the scriptures or of the scriptures them selues receaued For albeit we read that S. Austen wrote thus Non crederem EuaÌ„ gelio nisi ecclesiae catholicae autoritas me coÌ„moue ret I wold geue no credeÌ„ce sayth he vnto the gospell if the autorytye of the catholike churche dyd not inoue me yet Berson the chauncellour of Parise Gerson a ryght excellent famous man in hys tyme dothe in hys seconde boke De vita spirituali like a discrete profouÌ„de learned clerke saye S. Austen in that place taketh the churche for the primityue congregacion of those faythful christeÌ„ men that harde and sawe Christ were his recorde bearours For whan ther crepte out dyuerse soÌ„dry Bospelles in the churche while the apostles disciples of Christ were yet lyuing they that hade sene Christ him selfe hade harde hys apostles could testifye whych were ryght and true and whych were not Ireneus also in the .xi. chapter of his .3 boke Contra haereses sheweth by many manyfest proues that ther ought to be but only 4. gospelles and yet he maketh no mencion of the churche that ther ought to be but only 4. gospelles bycause the churche hathe receaued no moo but only 4. but bycause the Lord hath so appointed For ther was neuer man that in any Conuocacion or Synode assembled al for that purpose from the begynnyng coÌ„firmed the Canonical bokes of the scriptures or decreed which were canonical which were not but the thurche as it receaued them of the writours autours the holy Prophetes and Apestles theÌ„ selues eueÌ„ so dyd it delyuer them as it were by hande vnto her posteritie It was late ere it begoÌ„ne to be decreed in counsailes vpon canonical and not canonical bokes of scripture not that ther was no diuersitye of them before that tyme or that the bokes of holy scripture had none autoritye before that tyme as they hade and must haue dyuine autoritye in dede although ther hade neuer ben counsayl holden but that the holy men of God were disposed to shewe their iudgemeÌ„t also agaynst suche as bare to vnfrenly a minde agaynst the canonical bokes of scripture And we confesse al that the churche is buylded and set vpon the foundacion of the Prophetes and apostles so if the doctrine of the apostles and prophetes be the foundaceon of the churche thaÌ„ it foloweth of necessytye that the autoritye of the doctrine must nedes be of greater force and importaunce than the autoritie of the churche We therfore in Englande dyd receaue as the Gospellers church elles where doth stil receaue al and singular Canonical bokes both of the olde Testament and newe and namelye those that the Greke wrytours Melito Origene and Eusebius Caesariensis and of the Latines Cipriane and Ierome haue affirmed by theyr owne haÌ„de wrytynges to be taken and reputed of the auncient fathers yea euen from the begynnyng for the vndoubted true Canonical scriptures ¶ The seconde Chapter AS touching the truthe and perfyte integritye of these bokes Of the truth and perfection of the canennical scriptures we doubt nothyng therof at al in such places
quae illis debetur hominibus aliquid in eorum scriptis improbare atque respuere si forte inuenerimus que aliter senserint quaÌ„ veritas habet diuino adiuto rio vel ab alijs intellecta uel à nobis Qualis ego sum in scriptis aliorum tales volo esse intellectores meorum That is we ought not to repute any mennes reasons and sayenges though they be catholyke and prayse worthye men as we ought to do the canonical scriptures as thoughe we myght not sauyng the reuerence due vnto those men improue and reiecte any thyng in theyr wrytynges yf we chaunce to fynde that they meane otherwyse than the truthe hathe whether it be vnderstanden by the helpe of God of vs or of others As I am in the wrytynges of other suche wolde I haue to be vnderstanders of myne The same S. Austen dothe more largely expounde thys hys iudgement in his epistle to S. Ierome in the 5. chap. of his 11. boke Contra Faustum and in hys 48. epistle Ad Vincentium and in the. 3. chap. of hys 2. boke De Baptismo coÌ„ tra Donatistas Furthermore he reasoneth vpon generall Counsailles wyth Maximinus bishop of the Arianes in hys 3. boke and among other thinges sayeth Sed nunc non ego Nicenum nec tu debes Ariminense tanque praeiudicaturus proferre consilium nec ego huius au thoritate nec tu illius detineris scripturarum authoritatibus non quorumque propriis sed vtrisque coÌ„munibus testibus res cum re caussa cum caussa ratio cuÌ„ ratione concertet But now ought not I sayeth s Austen to allege the CouÌ„sail of Nice nor thou the counsail of Arimine as though to haue that vpperhaÌ„de ther by but by the autorities of the scriptures not by euery mannes owne authoritie but both sydes hauyng common witnesses let mater pleade wyth mater cause wyth cause reasoÌ„ with reasoÌ„ Here you see S. Austen calleth vs from counsailles yea euen from the moste sacred couunsail of Nice vnto the autoritie of the scriptures Panormitanus therfore a writour of late dayes semeth not to speake fondly nor falsly wher he sayeth Panormitanus Plus credeÌ„duÌ„ est vni laico afferentiscripturas quam genera li concilio vniuersalem representanti Ecclesiam si scripturas non afferat There is more credence sayeth he to be geueÌ„ to one laye man that bringeth furth scriptures than to a general CouÌ„sail whych representeth the hole vniuersal churche yf they bring not furth scriptures Therfore yf the sayenges or iudgementes of fathers or expositions of the scriptures varye from the canonical scripture the rule of fayth ther is no cause why any man should laye agaynst vs that the fathers were ryght famous learned men singular holy men and men of reuerend antiquitie For the prophetes and apostles of Christ were greater learned more holy of more auncient antiquitie than they Nother is ther any cause why any man should charge vs with the multitude of churches that haue agreed in thys or that meanyng or in thys or that exposition For the coÌ„sent of Christes prophetes Apostles and Patriarkes is worthy muche hygher reputacion in syncere religion and godly vnderstaÌ„ding of religion manifestly reuealed vnto vs by the scriptures And yf a man wolde recken vs vp thus many and thus many great realmes and hole countreyes that are of thys iudgemeÌ„t or that we wyl cheoke hym wyth the trauailes of one maÌ„ eueÌ„ poore Paule whych filled all places full wyth the playne sense and simple vnderstandyng of the Gospel from Ierusalem and the coastes lyeng rounde about vnto Illiricum The .vi. Chaptre NOtwythstandyng in thys behalfe I maye not saye naye Of the catholike vâ—derstanding of the scripture but the holy fathers the olde interpretours of scriptures do many times make mencion of some certayne vndeniable most catholyke meanyng of the scriptures But yet we may not vnderstande that of theyr owne peculiar expositions seyng they varye very often in theyr interpretacions and disagree wyth them selues and accorde not wyth other interpretours of most excellent iudgement yea and wonderous many tymes one reprehendeth an others exposition As we nede to seke no further examples but of S. Ierome in hys CoÌ„mentaries vpon the Prophetes And the catholyke churche of God hathe alwayes had and hath yet at thys daye a certain catholike and assured true exposicion of the scriptures grounded of the concordaunce of faithe and set forthe for Christes people to folowe it in all poyntes wherin al godly men albeit they dissent in other maters yet they agree in it as wher we read in scripture that God made heauen and earth that he spake vnto the fathers and that he hathe and dothe stil rewarde the good and punishe the euil the catholike vnderstanding of faithe biddeth vs vnderstande those sayenges of the true euer lyuing merciful God not of a fearce cruel God that were a maker of euil as Cerdon Mercion and Manicheus in their fonde fables flirted out the mater Also wher we reade that God worketh al in al thinges the catholike sence of faith chargeth vs that we take not God to be the autor of synne For we bring and commytte synne as it were by enheritaunce euen of our owne original vicious poisoned nature And the holy people while they lyue in this worlde are endaungered to synne are saued by the mere mercy free ê‘done of God not by theyr owne merites Furthermore where the scripture speaketh of God and calleth hym the Father the sonne the holy goost the catholyke sense of faith of the church byddeth vs vnderstaÌ„d that God is one in substaunce three in persones And wher the scripture affirmeth Christ to be very perfite God very perfite man the catholike sense of the church byddeth vs vnderstande Christ to be abyde in diuerse natures but not confused in them selues yet in one inseperable persone Praxeas and Sabellius confounde iomble the persones together Arius denyeth the sonne to be very God consubstancial wyth the father Valentinus denyeth the sonne to be very man of al one substauÌ„ce wyth vs. Nestorius disseuereth hys persone Eutyches Timotheus make the natures of hys Godhead maÌ„heade al one But the catholike churche alwayes reteyneth her owne true ryght vnderstandyng of the scripture whych for all that the holy fathers in theyr written workes disputacions against heresies haue declared coÌ„firmed by that scriptures For that cause the holy fathers haue euer obiected the catholyke mynde of the churche to heritikes howbeit they dyd strayght wayes confirme and declare the same by the scriptures and deduced it religiously out of the chief principles of our fayth As I shal anone speake of these maters more at large And thys selfe same catholyke sense vnderstandyng of the scriptures the gospellers churche kepeth diligently perfite sounde euen at thys daye as Kyng Edward the .vi. and the churche of Englande dyd in hys
tyme. The .vii. Chapter THerfore the gospellers churche dothe not cal euery one at aueÌ„ture tagge ragge to be ministers of Goddes holy worde Ministers of the gospellers churche but suche men as be furst exerciced in the holy scriptures and in the catholyke vnderstaÌ„dyng of faythe wyth the churche For ther be chosen vnto the holy ministerie of the churche men of sounde doctrine and vpryght lyfe accordyng to the Apostles rules And lyke as saynt Paule whan he ordeyned Timothee to be bishop byndeth hym as it were wyth an othe 2. Timo. 5. to preathe the Gospel syncerely sayeng I charge the in the syght of God and our Lorde Iesus Christ and of the chosen holy angels that thou kepe and obserue thys with out rashenesse of iudgement 2. Timo. 4 And eftsones he sayeth I charge thee before God our Lorde-Iesus Christ whych shal iudge both the quicke the deade at hys appearing and in hys kyngdome preache the worde be feruent and reproue in season and out of season c. Euen so doth the Gospellers churche bynde theyr ministers by an othe that they make no newe gloses nor exposicions of theyr owne heades nor vtter in theyr docerine any thing against the scripture and the true catholike vnderstandyng of fayth but euery where and in euery point both to respecte onely folowe the canone and rule of faythe And in the yearely conuocacions which the gospellers churche vseth there is diligent inquisicion and searche made vpon the pastours and vpon the lyfe and doctrine of euery minister whether it be souÌ„de and vpryght or not least the sorer fal of the minister should make a good parte of the churche coÌ„mitted to hys spiritual charge to fal miserably into euil wyth hym The lyke ordre was appointed set furthe by kyng Edwarde the .vi. to hys churche by hys publyke commission coÌ„maundement onely the fault of not executyng the same was in some of hys corrupte doublefaced dreamyng counsailours and traiterous harted Popishe Bishoppes and ordinaries by whom the vertuous good Kyng was deluded And so in thys mater againe we are most farre of from the heretikes churche by al meanes For the heretykes bothe Papistical and Anabaptistical lyke as they renne whan no man sendeth them nor haue any regarde to the sayd general rule inasmuche as they be a rule and a lawe to them selues euen so maye they in no wyse abyde any reformacion or correction Of the chief principles of our faithe and religion In dede the Gospellers churche dothe most religiously kepe the catholyke vnderstandynge of the churche and the chief principles of the true catholyke religion and doctrine Our congregacion beleueth and embraceth the fyrst promise that the eternal almyghty God hym selfe made pronounced in Paradise sayeng Ge. 3. I will set enemitie betwene the and the woman or that specially appointed woman and betwene thy sede and her sede It shall treade downe thy head and thou shalt tread vpon hys heele For we knowe acknowlage that the furst and principall grouÌ„de workes of our faythe and saluacion were sattled and coÌ„prised in thys promyse For we are lost through our owne synne but we are saued by the mere mercie of god through christ in whoÌ„ like as God hathe frely chosen vs froÌ„ euerlasting euen so he openeth vnto vs by hys worde whaÌ„ it is best tyme in his sight bothe for his owne glorie and our coÌ„moditie that we through hys grace should beleue in Christ the sonne of the most souerayne hyghe God and of that excellent woman Hebr. 2. the most blessed virgine Marie and so be saued For Christ by hys painfull passion hathe brokeÌ„ and stamped vnder fote the head or kingdome of the Deuil in that he hathe conquered deathe abolished synne despeched damnacion quyte out of the waye froÌ„ all faithfull christianes ¶ The .8 Chapiter VVe and oure Gospellers churches do beleue and religiously embrace that only and eternal couenaunt that God made to Adam The coueâ—aunt of â—od with â—en furst in Paradise afterwarde many tymes renewed and playnly compacted with the holy fathers as Noe and singularly wyth Abraham the father of the beleuers adding therto the Sacrament of Circumcision For the Lorde appeared vnto Abraham 〈◊〉 17. and sayd vnto hym I am El Saddai a myghty stroÌ„g God euery where present and omnisufficiently fillyng all wyth all good thynges Walke before me and be perfite and I shal rayse vp that is I shal repayre my couenaÌ„t betwene me and thee and betwene me and thy sede after thee in theyr generations with an euerlastyng couenaunt that I may be thy God thy sedes after thee Al these sayenges we applye also vnto vs â—ala 3. in that the Apostle sayd yf you be of Christ than in dede ye are the sede of AbrahaÌ„ and heyres according to the promise in that Baptisme was geuen vnto the churche in stede of Circumcision and also in that we haue receaued Iesus Christ our Lord the ende and accomplishement of all the promyses Our churches do religiously embrace the most holy tables of thys eternal couenauÌ„t The tables of the couenaunt grauen wyth the very fyngre of our almyghtye souerayne Lorde God in two tables of stone with great mysterie and to thintent they should the longer indure and geuen to the churche of the Israelites of al faythfull beleuers throughout al the hole worlde of God hym selfe by hys most blessed seruaunt Moses In the which as it were in a certain haÌ„dsom short suÌ„me and yet most fully expounded we haue recyted and conteyned al mystical maters perteynyng to godlynesse and the most sure testimonie of Goddes good wil towardes vs and the most perfite rule of al out offices and dueties These tables I saye that were written wyth the fyngre of God and proclaymed beforehande wyth Goddes owne mouth in that great church at the mount Synai we kepe entier perfite sounde vncorrupte we take awaye nothyng we altre nothyng we putto nothyng we leaue out nothyng we thrust in nothyng contrarye to Christes mynde we chaunge nothynge at al. From the botome of our hartes therfore we abhorre Idolatrye whiche we se also condemned so zelously and so earnestly of the prophetes and Apostles And therfore we should thynke it abhominable wyckednesse in case ther be sene in our teÌ„ples dedicated only vnto God any Images eyther of God hym selfe or of hys sayntes muche more of prophane men or women S. Paule reasonyng with the most wyttye learned Brekes of Athenes Act. 17. sayeth For asmuche as we are the generacion of God we ought not to iudge that the alwelding God is lyke vnto golde or syluer or stone craftely grauen or vnto the inuencion of man By meanes wherof we reade also that S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist charged Christes Churche sayeng Babes beware of Images â— Io. 5. which wordes the auncient writour Tertullian in hys boke De corona militis expoundeth
he hold the catholike faythe whych fayth except euery one doth kepe holly and vndefyled wyth out doubt he shall peryshe euerlastyngly Nother dothe Christes churche of the gospellers cleaue supersticiously frowardly vnto the wordes neclecting the holy sense ryght meaning and therfore it ioyfully receaueth all declaracions and conferences of faith called in our coÌ„mon speche Credes whether they be set furthe by the holy fathers or true faithful counsailes though in mo and more copious wordes yet nothyng varieng in sentences nor conteynyng any contrarye mater Therfore we receaue and reuerence the Crede of Nice of Athanasius and the seconde set furth Crede called Symbolum Constantinopolitanum and all other good definitions of faythe agreing to those same And so we reproue and reiecte al heresies and holde accursed al heretikes condemned by the holy scripture eyther in the Counsailes or out of the couÌ„sailes And so we coÌ„demne Symon Magus wyth al Symonye Basilides Valentinus Marcion Braxeas Artemon Montanus Nouatus Sabellius Appollinaris Arius Eunomius Macedonius Manicheus Nestorius Eutyches Priscillianus Donatus Pelagius Heluidius the Monothelites and all other of the lyke leuen So that the churche of gospellers is not a congregacion of heretikes nor a swarme of schismatikes as the Papistes and settaries do wyckedly and falsly lye vpoÌ„ vs but a true christian and catholike churche of Iesus Christ The .x. Chapter THe very cyuile lawe it self doth also recken vs among the catholikes For the Emperours Gratianus Valentinianus and Theodotius wrytyng to the people of CoÌ„stantinopole geue them thys decreed commauÌ„dement We wil that al people whom our imperial clemencie hathe the gouernement of lyue in that religion whych S Petre the apostle set furthe to the Romanes as the religioÌ„ that he him self maketh mencion of beareth recorde euen vnto thys daye the whych it is euident that bishop Damasus Petre bishop of Alexandria a man of apostolike holynesse did also folowe That is to saye that we should according to the apostles discipline doctrine of the Gospel beleue one Godhead of the father and the sonne and the holy gost vnder like Maiestie and holy Trinitie Those that folowe this lawe we commaunde to take vpon them and embrace the name of christian catholikes and the rest as witles and madde folkes we iudge to beare the infamye of hereticall learnyng c. If any man be ignoraunt what was the faythe that the holy fathers Damasus and Peter B. of Alexandria professed let hym learne of the ecclesiastical histories They varied not one tote from the apostolike and Nicene Crede Therfore seing we beleue them wyth all our hartes we are purged cleane from the slauÌ„der of heresie which our aduersaries goo about wickedly to discredite and blemyshe vs withall But I knowe well inough they wyl charge vs that we doo not only not receaue the tradiciones of the apostles but also contemne them and vtterlyreiecte them and that therfore it is but lost labour for vs to pretende an vncorrupte souÌ„de faythe specially forsomuche as the imperfectioÌ„ of the doctrine of the apostolike scripture is most fully perfyted by vnwrytten tradicion by worde of mouthe for that cause the vnwrytten tradicions to be of equal authoritie wyth the apostolyke holy scriptures And seyng we reiecte the tradicioÌ„s it foloweth that our doctrine and faith is not perfyte Now in asmuche as our aduersaris the Papistes make these the toppe and roote of al theyr maters as they them selues reporte in theyr open decrees and bokes we wyl talke a lytel as sortenesse of tyme shall suffre of the traditions of Apostles Fathers I fynde thys worde Tradicion many tymes in the holy Apostles wrytynges Tradicions For wher the historie of the gospel was not wrytten from the begynnyng of any man the Apostles of Christ as they sawe wyth theyr eyes and hearde with theyr eares and receaued out of Christes owne mouthe so dyd they declare in dede the wordes and dedes of Christ to the congregacions by tradicion or lyuely worde of mouthe but yet not without scripture For loke what they learned preached of Christ they confirmed thesame by the scriptures of goddes lawe of the Psalmes and of the prophetes And at lenght whan God sawe tyme he admonished hys Apostles by the holy Goost that they should enrolle that lynely tradicion partly in to wryltyng them selues and partly shoulde cause other to wryte vp the rest For so the Euangelist Luke reporteth that he wyth al diligent forsyght and sure searche of all thynges before hande wrote a moste certayne true historie as they instructed hym whych froÌ„ the begynnyng had sene with theyr eyes and part of them also hade ben ministers of the thynges theÌ„selues which they spake of Suche a wytour was Marke also As for Mathewe Iohn the Apostles they were both seers and hearers them selues Nowe for asmuche as the churche of Christ hathe these scriptures at thys daye it can not be chosen but it hath also the full fayth doctryne or tradicion of the Apostles For the Apostles in theyr writinges left out nothyng that they beleued necessarie and that semed to appertayne to the makyng vp of the doctrine fully perfite I am not alone nor the furst that auouche thys For ther were that haue spoken the same before me Ireneus and Papias very auncient olde doctours of the churche For Ireneus in the fyrst Chapiter of hys 3. doke Contra Valentinianos sayeth we knewe not how our saluacion was bestowed vnto vs by any other men than those by whome the gospel came vnto vs whyche they at that time preached vnto vs and after ward by the wyl of God they delyuered vnto vs in scripture that is in wrytyng to be the foundacion piller of our fayth Nother can we safely say what they preached before they had parfyte knowledge And Papias in Eusebius Caesariensis sayeth Eccl. histoâ—â—i 3. Ca â—lt Marke whan he was Petres interpretour dyd diligently put in writyng what so euer he kept in memorie as necessitie required For thys one thyng he thought vpon that he would leaue out nothyng that he had hearde The Apostles therfore wrote al that was necessarie vnto the saluacion of al faythful beleuers As Iohn the Apostle reporteth in the ende of hys gospel most manyfestly the he hath done 〈…〉 21. Iesus dyd many other thynges sayeth he whych are not written in this boke But these are wrytten that ye may beleue and lyue Thys scripture therfore is sufficient to informe our faythe fully and to attayne euerlastyng lyfe Therfore we are certainly assured that we haue the declaracion or tradicion which the apostles taught concernyng the saluacion of faythful beleuers sufficiently and fully comprehended in the scriptures Touchyng thys tradicion the apostle Paule making mencion in the furst to the Corinthianes sayth 1. Cor 11. that he deliuered the vnto them whych he receaued of the lorde Nother speaketh he in the wordes by and by folowing any thyng but
or certaintie in the onely scriptures Whych sayeng as it is not spokeÌ„ without great reproche of the eternal truthe euen so they take no hede but receaue those tradicions also at auenture wythout weyeng of them which the holy fathers themselues ser out for the Apostles tradicions For I see that the tradicions which they set furthe be not of al one kynde For ther are whyche they cal the fathers tradicions but not directly the Apostles tradicions Ther are also whych they wolde haue to seme all together apostolike tradicions And ther is a diuersitie in these also For ther are some that be vtterly historical tradicions that rehearse what Christ what Christes Apostles haue sayd or done of whyche sorte Eusebius reporteth that Papias rekoned vp many Eccl. histo i. 3. ca. 39. And the same wrytour clouteth in other maters as though they had ben tolde hym by lyuely worde of mouthe and certayn straunge parables and doctrines of our saueour wyth dyuers flyme flammes besydes And concernyng the tradicion of Iohn the Apostle touchyng the age of our Lorde Iesus Christ whych Ireneus speaketh of he that seeth not it to be a vayne flamme flewe Contra Walent â—i 39. seeth nothyng The tradicion of Policarpus Eccl. hist li. 3. ca. 28 that Iohn ranne awaye from the bayne wherin Cerinthus the heretike was least he should fal agreeth gayly with the scripturely doctrine of the Apostles Let vs therfore in thys kynde of tradicions holde that is to be holden in al pointes proue al thynges holde that whych is good Ther are also tradicions set furthe of rites and opinions De peccat meritis remiss li. 1. ca. 20. but yet they are not in al pointes lyke nother obserued nor receaued of al men S. Typriane and S. Austen reherse a tradicioÌ„ wherby the communion was vsed to be ministred vnto yong chyldren vnder bothe kyndes as a necessary mater vnto saluacion but who medleth wyth that tradicion at thys daye Epiphanius contra Aerium wryteth it to be a tradicion of the Apostles that folkes should .vi. dayes before Easter eate nothyng but bread and salt Eccl. hist li. 5. ca. 24. but Ireneus reporteth that all churches obserued not that as Eusebius telleth the tale In an other place it was said Damaseen Ang. dc Bap. contra Dona. li. 2. ca. 7. lâ—â— ca. 42 li. 5 ca. 23 de cura pro mort that the Apostles commaunded the Passeouer to be celebrated after the maner of the Iewes But Socrates the historie writer in the .22 chap. of the .5 boke Eccl. histo speaketh agaynst them Epiphanius Contra Valesianos sayeth that the wyueles lyfe of ministers is a tradicion In an other place it is read that the Apostles coÌ„maunded by tradicion that folkes should pray and offre for the deade whyche onlesse it be vnderstandeÌ„ of thankes gening who is it â— Cor. 7. â— Io. 5. â— Thess 4. that seeth not suche maner tradicions manifestly repugnaunt with the doctrine of the euangelistes and apostles and for that cause nothing is to be attributed to these and such like Finally I see S. Ireneus in sondry places wonderously preache and beate vpon the tradicioÌ„ of the apostles And that is it that our aduersaries wraste and wrythe to all their feyned trynkettes and tradiciones of the Masse of Images of MoÌ„kery cloister life the rest of such trumpery Howbeit the holy man Ireneusin these principal places vnderstandeth nothyng clles by the apostles tradicion than the commune sense and vnderstandyng of our faythe and the very apostles Crede I wyll not desyre to be beleued in thys case if Ireneus hym selfe saye not the same that I haue sayde Reade hys .1 boke Contra valentinianos Ca. 2. .3 and hys .3 boke the .4 chap. In bothe places he dothe agreably rehearse the articles of fayth in ordre one by one whaÌ„ he hath done he plainly calleth thys profession of the faithe a tradicion Of thys tradiction spake Constantine the myghty Emperour in his Epistles whyche Eusebius maketh reporte of almoste in the ende of hys .3 boke De vita Conslantini Thus farre therfore the gospellers churches wythout any busynesse embrace the tradicion that I haue now spoken of but as for other tradicions whether they be Apostles or fathers tradicions they lay them to the rule of Goddes worde as they agree or disagree they eyther reiecte them or receaue them accordyng to Christ our Lordes owne commaundement Math .15 and Col .2 Wherof I haue already spoken before And I pray you wherin thynke you the gospellers churche offendeth in thys behalfe Herein it hath nothing adoo wyth heretikes who hade deuised to teache false opinions vnto suche as were to symple vnder pretense of tradicions and contrarywyse to teare in pieces corrupt yea and to denye and stampe vnder fote the true tradicion that is the Apostles Trede In thys behalfe I coulde dryng furthe a great deale against our aduersaries who recken thys predense of tradicions of muche force agaynst the very scriptures and the simplicitie of tradicion yea for the affirmyng or confutyng of any mater what so euer it be But I wyl kepe thys in store tyl a better and a further leasure Hitherto I haue treated as briefly as I could of the most certain and pfytest principles of the ChristiaÌ„ faith Wherby I trust it dothe specially appeare the the Englyshe Churche vnder King Edward the .vi. the rest of the gospellers churches haue deuysed no newe doctrine of fayth but enibrace confesse the olde faythe wyth all theyr hartes and that they reiecte no point of syncere doctrine whether it be proued by the scriptures or by tradicioÌ„s consonauÌ„t to the scriptures and therfore we are most farre of from newe fangled felowes and obstinate heretikes The .xi. Chapter SO the poore gospellers church beyng confirmed by this true doctrine of the true faythe â—ustificatiâ—n loketh to be iustifyed that is to haue full forgeuenesse of all theyr synnes ryghteousnesse euerlastyng lyfe of the only free mercye grace of God by Iesus Christ that dyed and rose agayne for vs. We beleue that Christ wyth al hys gyftes is receaued by faythe and that by faythe Christ dwelleth in our hartes And that fayth is learned by the worde of the Gospel is craued asked of God by prayers and geueÌ„ frely by the holy Boost We attribute not that vnto mannes merites and mannes workes whych we knowe is due onely vnto fayth naye vnto Christ our redemer and to the fre grace of God Eph. 2. For Paul sayeth By grace are ye saued through faythe and not of your selues It is the gyfte of God and not of workes that no man should boast For we are hys handy worke created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes whych God hath prepared that we should walke in them Therfore we knowe and acknowlage that workes which procede out of a true faythe by the spirite of
Christ powred in to our hartes and done after the rule of Goddes worde christiaÌ„ charitie are good workes in dede and we affirme that excepte those that be iustifyed practise those workes diligentlye it is but lost labour of them to beast of theyr faythe as Petre the Apostle teacheth vs and sayeth Geue all diligence in youre fayeth ministre vertue in vertue knowlage Iacob 2. 2. Pet. 1. in knowlage temperaunce in temperauÌ„ce pacience in pacience god lynesse in godlynesse brotherly kyndnesse in brotherly kindnesse loue For yf these thynges be amoÌ„ge you and be pleynteous they wyll make you that ye nother shal be idle nor vnfrutefull in the knowlage of our Lorde Iesus Christ But he that lacketh these thinges is blinde gropeth for the waye with hys hande hath forgotten that he was purged from hys olde synnes Thys doctrine of grace and merites of fayth and workes hath no smel of heresie And so it eftesones clearely appeareth that the gospellers churche is the true churche of Christ And if they laye to our charge that our doctrine is iustlye condemned bicause we constauntly affirme that man is iustifyed by only faythe thys is to answer them that we haue feyned no newe kynde of speakyng in thys behalfe nother doo we alone affirme that faythfull beleuers are iustifyed by only faythe For we borowed that maner of speakyng of the very scriptures of the apostles and euangelistes and of certain doctours of the churche that are no heretikes but true catholikes For I haue allready shewed playnly ynough that we contende not by thys our sayeng that faythe is alone that is to saye vnfruteful If righteousnesse come of the lawe than Christ died in vayne but that faithe is the only cause of our saluacion For it is certain that we are iustified not for our owne workes sake but frely for Chrites sake and so our synnes are not imputed vnto vs and that iustified folke doo the workes of iustice and yet seing the faythfull knowe that they are iustified frely they ascribe not iustificacion vnto workes albeit they doubt not but God alloweth the workes of faythe If it wold lyke our aduersaries to condemne of heresie the doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles with Origene Chrisostome and Ambrose whych saye most many festly that the faythful are iustified by only faythe In dede we had rather be heretikes wyth them than ryght felowes and catholykes wyth our aduersaries The .xii. Chapter THe same poore Gospellers churche denyeth not absolucion to such as haue fallen The woundes of synne are healed by Penaunce but we coÌ„fesse that pure penaunce is a holsome medicine to heale synners in the churche yf whan they be accused by the worde of God and enlumined wyth the holy Goost they acknowlege and confesse theyr faultes and synnes to God and be hartely sory for theyr offenses trust to be forgeuen through Christes merites then leade a newe lyfe Now it appeareth agayne in thys place that we ymagine no newe doctrine of penaunce in the churche of God It is newe fangled stuffe that is feyned of synnes to be confessed except a man wil be damned not only to God but also to hys owne prieste by all circumstaunces euen to the vttermost smal thoughte It is newe fouÌ„de marchaundise that is feyned of cases Papal and episcopal reserued Act 16. of satisfaccions and indulgences Whan the keper of the pryson at Philippos fell to the Apostles fete and besought them sayeng Sirres what must I doo that I may be saued they tolde hym Beleue in the Lorde Iesus thou shalt be saued and al thy hole house Saint Petre gaue none other couÌ„sail to the citizines of IerusaleÌ„ Act. 2. that were pearced in theyr consciences sayd what shal we doo you men and brethren Petre answered Repent and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Itsus Christ to the remission of synnes c. And on this facion we reade that the Apostles vsed the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen The Key whan they receaued them of Christ after thys sorte they opened the kyngdome of heauen to faithful beleuers And on this wyse the gospellers church vseth yet stil the keyes that Christ hath geuen them So that we haue Christes olde keyes and not the Popes newe monstrous polling pikepurse crosse keyes Lactantius whych was neuer noted of errour in treating vpoÌ„ penaÌ„ce Li. 4. c. 20. after that he hade sayd ther is no saluacion founde but wythin the catholike churche he addeth by and by But for a smuch as heretikes thinke theirs to be also the catholike churche it is to vnderstaÌ„de that it is the true churche wherin is religion confession penaunce that holsomly cureth synnes and sores wherunto the fraile fleshe is subiecte Therfore seyng thys holsome medecine is not wanting in the gospellers churche wherin desperacion is also singularly beaten downe sure hope faste fixed and confirmed who can doubt that the gospellers churche is the true churche of Christ The .xiii. Chapter FVrthermore ther is in oure church brotherly admonicioÌ„ â—dmoniciâ—n and â—rotherly â—â—rrection correction and some reformacion of mennes faultes offenses For though all be not yet fully well herein as godly men could wyshe it yet ther is some ChristiaÌ„ discipline practiced in the gospellers churche Ther is two maner of disciplines the one of the clergie and the other of the laitie The gospellers churche by keping of conuocacions and other coÌ„uenient meanes in Germany kepeth the cleargie in ordre to do theyr dutie And so Kyng Edwardes wyl and coÌ„maundement was to haue hys cleargie as for the discipline of the laytie it confisteth in good lawes and diligent execucion of them And how that is vsed among the Germanes let other men reporte As for me I knowe nothyng but heare that it is godlye handled And though al is not so perfite as it should be that theyr sharpe roughe censure dothe not thwyte awaye all offenses at once yet euery good man knoweth that many thinges are reserued to be plucked vp by the rootes in that iudgemet to come euery godly persone acknowlageth his fault and is sory for it as often as he dothe lesse than he perceaueth the Lorde requyreth hym to do I could demaunde of the Papistes to shewe theyr discipline whyche they haue in theyr churche but bycause I knowe them as shameles as wylde coltes wythout discipline I hade rather defende the innocencie of the gospellers churche wherof I am an vnworthye membre than at thys tyme to cast other men in the tethe with theyr faultes I leaue that to the discussyng of better learned and fyner wytted men than I am Thus farre I trust the chief markes 〈…〉 fouÌ„de in the poore gospellers churche and therfore we haue nothyng a doo wyth the churches of heretikes schismatikes The .xiiii. Chaptre Prayer and inuocacion of God by Christ THer is also reteyned kept in the gospellers churche as
coÌ„stituted a new churche we might iustlye be noted for schismatikes but now sence we acknowlage that ther is but one only churche and that it is the communion of sayntes dispersed throughout al the wyde worlde in the feloweship wherof all our possible endeauour is to remayne and seyng we crye wyth S. Petre and saye Lorde Io. 6. whyther shall we goo thou haste the wordes of eternallyfe and we beleue and haue knoweÌ„ that thou arte Christ the sonne of the lyuyng God why I pray you are we called schismatikes The .xvii. Chapter VVe do also participate and fede of al one self same table of the Lorde wyth all sayntes through out the hole churche of Christ rendring thankes for the vnspeakeable benefite of our redemption The Lordes Supper We eate al one spiritual meate we drynke all one spiritual drinke wyth al faythfulles throughout the holy catholyke churche We are al one breade and one body with Christ wyth al faythfulles By what right therfore are we called schismatikes Wyl our aduersaries coÌ„demne vs of heresie bycause we beleue that to be the beste forme of celebratyng of the mystical supper whych Christ hym selfe hathe instituted and the Apostles delyuered wyll our aduersaries condemne vs as heretikes bycause we obey Christes biddyng Drynke of thys all and communicate vnder bothe kyndes Wyll our aduersaries condemne vs of heresie bycause we worship Christ the sonne of God and of Mary syttyng on the fathers ryght hande and not hidden vnder the kyndes of bread and wyne wil our aduersaries condemne vs as heretikes bycause we acknowlage Christ to be the only priest and that the one only sacrifice of hys body only once offred vpon the crosse is euer of sufficient perfyte efficacie in God the fathers syght to clense the peoples synnes and bycause we obserue the mystical supper for a remembraunce of the sacrifice that was offred for vs on the crosse once for all Than let them furst condemne Christ hym self whych instituted these maters none otherwyse let them condemne his Apostles whyche haue taught vs so to beleue and so to do But yf they thinke it wyckednesse to thynke any suche thyng than let them ceasse to charge the gospellers church wyth the cryme of heresie whych thynketh nothyng herein whych doth nothyng herein but as it hathe receaued of Christ our Lorde hym selfe and learned of hys holy Apostles The .xviii. Chaptert THe Apostle S. Petre speakyng of wycked teachers Obedience to Prince magistrates 2. Pe. 2. sayeth They despyse autoritie they are presumptuous and stubborne whythe feare not to rayle vpon them that excelle in honour c. we therfore abhorryng that kynde of doctrine condemning that ambicious stubburne presumptuous and raylyng rebellion of those men doo hartely honour Princes and magistrates and teache all other to doo the like allegeing S. Petres lesson Feare God 1. Pe. 2. honour the King And S. Paules sayeng Geue to euery man therfore his duetye Rom. 13. tribute to whom tribute beloÌ„geth custoÌ„ to whom custoÌ„ is due feare to whom feare beloÌ„geth honour to whom honour perteyneth We allowe scholes studie of good scieÌ„ces to our power vn boasted be it we doo faithfully diligeÌ„tly endeauour our selues to further them Further more we doo not damne good iuste politicall lawes nor necessary defenses iustly taken in hande ne iuste punishmentes against offenders We do not improue political rule gouernement honest buyeng and sellyng good sciences lawful occupacions propretie of goodes and landes and suche lyke whyche the pretendyng apostolical sectaries the Anabaptistes did afore tyme fynd fault wythall We teache folkes also to flee ydlenesse 1. Thess 4. 2. Thess 3. and to labour wyth theyr handes accordyng to the Apostles rules as we are constrayned also for causes of necessitie to abandon moÌ„kery and cloistre lubbers in our coÌ„gregacions For the solitary lyfe whyche the olde fathers make mencion of is an other maner a matter than thys is whych at thys daye where they continue is a heauye burthenous plage almost to al common wealthes And to reckeÌ„ vp all that can be spoken we haue no thyng adoo wyth eyther sectes or schismatikes The .xix. Chapter THe Apostle S. Paule by the holy spirite of God prophe cieth The differeÌ„ce of me ates 1. Timo. 4 that in the later tymes ther shal come most corrupt men whych shall geue hede vnto deceauable spirites and doâ—â—â—â—nes of deuilles for byddyng mariage and commaundyng to absteyne from meates whych God hathe created to receaue wyth thankes geuyng vnto the faythful And so we preache sobre fastyng and yet we bryng no meate into an euil name but alwayes graunt free vse of meates Howbeit we teache that abstinence is to be kept for a tyme from al meates what so euer we ê‘ceaue do make the fleshe ouer stoute so that it obeyeth not vnto the spirite As for mariage we forbidde it vnto none eyther ordre or lawfull age 1. Cor. 7. Hebr. 13. 1. Cor. 16. whether it be man or woman albeit we wype not virginitie from her due prayse Mariage is honourable amoÌ„g al men and the mariage bedde vndefiled But we deteste al vncleanesse fornicacion adulterie inceste and abominable lustes We deteste dronkenesse surfettyng ryote and al vntemperaunce We teache temperaunce 1. Thess 4. Hebr. 12. sobre diete and chastitie We teache wyth the Apostle Paule euery one to possesse hys vessel in puritie and holinesse wythout the whyth no man shal see God 〈◊〉 that Christiane charitie is the most propre right marke of faihtfull christians Churâ—â—e workes of mercie Ioh. 13. Math. 25. as our saueour saithe In this shall all men knowe that you are my disciples yf you haue loue one to an other Therfore we condemne malicious manslaughters furious bloodsheading of Kynges and Princes vniust warres treasones murthers wytchcraftes c. For we knowe that mercye and gentilnesse is more acceptable before God Ose 6. Math. 9. than all other vertues I requyre mercye sayeth the Lorde and not sacrifice and the knowlage of God more than burnt offringes Nowe hereof it commeth that seyng we be coÌ„stitute in the same body that all the holy sayntes of God are we suffre for thys faythe and for this doctrines sake the selfe same persecucion that all that haue confessed the same faythe that we do haue suffred sence the dayes of Abel vnto this present Ioh 15. If you had ben of the worlde sayeth our Lorde in the Gospell the worlde wolde loue hys owne But bycause you are not of the worlde but I haue choseÌ„ you out of yâ— worlde 〈…〉 For all though we be synners and doo all amysse in many thinges yet this maye we iustly reioyte in that our aduersaries hate vs not for synnes sake but for godlynesse and syncere professing of Christes religion For we should haue ben a great deale better taken of many a one yf we wold fall in to the same ryotous losenesse and in to all
to spare in theyr kyngdom wher hel fyre shal be theyr light They also make a most open lowd lye in sayeng the the gospellers church of Christ abateth and slaketh euery daye more and more Sure they prate that bycause Germanye was so lately assaulted and afflicted wyth warres bycause of the horrible alteracion in EnglaÌ„de And do not the lyeng wretches see that as Bermanye was tryed as golde is in the fyre euen so is Englande by martires blood The Lorde said to Petre Symon Symon Satan hathe desyred to sifte you Luce. 22. as it were wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy faythe fayle not And whan thou arte coÌ„uerted streyngtheÌ„ thy brethren As for Petre he fell and denyed hys maister yea hys maister was also hanged on the crosse and all hys disciples ranne awaye But yet who caÌ„ gather therof Ergo Christes doctrine is false Ergo the Apostles churche is not the church Are not our aduersaries aduised the all which wyll lyue godly must nedes suffre persecucion Or why do they not see the they are fayne perforce with a sorowfull hart to confesse it to be true that in al theyr hyghe poÌ„pous ruffe their kingdom is euery daye more more rent cut of slydeth awaye that Christes gospel is clearly preached dayly more and more and taketh good roote in very Italye and Fraunce and is surely plaÌ„ted for al theyr massing myschief and tyrannous tormenting in wooful England it putteth furth hys grene buddes in Polone in Hungarie in Ilandes not a fewe yea and in very Turkye also For as fast as kynges and Prynces by the incensyng of bishoppes and priestes psecute faithful christiaÌ„ people with fyre sweord and for al that the wyse of thys world laye theyr heades together take couÌ„sail amoÌ„g them selues how they may hyndre the kyngdome of Christe and thwyte awaye the preachyng of the gospel yet they are neuer the farther for all theyr adoo the gospel bloweth hys horne stil wil do let the worlde stampe and stare euen to the last day til the sonne of God shal come geue rest and glorie to hys afflicted freÌ„des and seruauntes and caste hys enemyes headlong from hys presence in to the lake of vrymstone that shall burne for euermore Now yf a man wyl gather out of al thys simple treatise declaracioÌ„ the very markes of the true ryght catholike church of Christ wyl wyth aduised diligence beholde the gospellers churche whom the Papistes charge wyth heresie obseruing whether the more sure right markes of the true churche maye be founde in the gospellers churche he shall vtterly confesse that the gospellers church is gorgeously furnished wyth them and therfore cleare acquieted from all accusacions and raylyng reportes of al traiterous papistes aduersaries For the gospellers churche receaueth al and singular holy sacred canonical bokes The true markes of Christes â—atholike â—hurche bothe of the olde Testament the newe To them we geue credence in al pointes wythout contradiccion or doubt as authencicall that is hauing of them selues ful and perfit absolute autoritie In them we affirme that all truthe is to be beleued and al mysteries offices of godlynesse are in them fully conteyned and taught and therfore we referre all the affaires and businesses of the churche and al questions vnto them and we geue sentence ordayne and refourme after the definitiue iudgementes of them How be it we receaue not euery mannes iudgement of the holy scripture but the most catholike ryght meanyng grounded vpon the mynde of the holy Goost and of the conference of scriptures one place to an other conformable in all coÌ„dicions to sayth and charitie In thys behalfe we are not vnthankeful but thankful to antiquitis and set muche price by the labours and trauailes that the olde auÌ„cient fathers bestowed vpon the expounding of the scriptures and we gladly vse the godly interpretacions of the auncient prelates of the church whych diffre not from the rule of holy scripture The gospellers churche permitteth not the interpretacion of the scripture and the charge of the coÌ„gregacions to euery man at auenture but to suche as be therto lawfully chosen and apointed by the rule of the Apostles We beleue religiously embrace the chief principles of the christen fayth namely the fyrst health geuing promyse made of God in Paradise coÌ„terning Christ our redemer breaking the head or kyngdome and power of the deuil We religiously embrace that only and eternal couenaunt that God made wyth our fyrst parentes at the begynnyng of the worlde and afterwarde many tymes renewed it wyth the holy fathers We religiously beleue obey the most holye tables of the couenauÌ„t written wyth the fyngre of God and conteynyng the hole mysterye of al godlynesse We religiously receaue and vse the moste anntient articles of belefe called the Apostles Crede compreheÌ„dyng al the mysterye of faythe whych we fully syncerely beleue wyth al our hartes and confesse it also wyth open mouth and therupon we directly coÌ„demne all heresyes heretical persons We stycke not also to receaue al declaracioÌ„s and definicions of faythe whether they be of CouÌ„sailes or of Fathers so they agree wyth the Apostles Crede Nother do we refuse olde auncient Tradicions yf they agree wyth the doctrine of the gospell and the apostles scripture We preache the grace and merccie of God in Christ we professe that faithfulle christianes are iustifyed by the only merite of Christ through only faith in Christ and not by mannes workes or merites And therwith all we teache that a true faithe can not chose but bring furthe good workes Iames. 2. and we affirme with S. Iames the apostle that a fruteles faithe is a dead faithe We acknowlage that al men are synners and that all do amysse in verye many thynges and therfore synners haue nede of perpetual salue and we affirme that penaunce is the healthe geuyng salue to them that beleue in Christ And in thys behalfe as in other cases the Keyes of the kyngdome of heauen haue place Herein we neclecte not discrete admonicion and brotherly reformacion In al these maters we praye continually to God wythout ceassyng We vse euer the pure callyng vpon God by the intercession of Christ alone We receaue and vse nother mo nor fewer Sacramentes than God hym selfe hathe delyuered vnto hys churche By Baptisme we haue entraunce into the churche thorough baptisme we are washed and bounden by vowe vnto God We also the poore churche of gospellers are nourished with the mystical Supper we celebrate the remembraunce of mannes redempcion purchaced by the bodye broken and blood shead of Iesus Christ We the gospellers churche geue thankes for goddes benefites and so we openlye professe our faythe We therfore abyde in the vnitie of the mysticall bodye vnder one onely heade and Kynge hygh priest shepeherde Iesus Christ we are not sondred froÌ„ the most faste knytte feloweship of the faythful meÌ„bres We