Summa he kan not do it Notwitstondinge all the premisses coulde not helpe the Christianite and there shoulde ryse many more sectes than before For seynge mē sholde not be bounde to obey suche a heade by the commandemēt of God But of mannes good will it shoulde very lightely and sone be despised at the last not be estemed as a membre And also it must not allwayes be at rome or in any other place But whersoeuer and in what Churche God had geuen suche a man as shoulde be mete for the same O what a wylde and dissolute thinge shoulde that be Therfore can the Churche be neuer better gouerned and mayntayned Than that we all lyue vnder one heade Christe And that the Bysshoppes lyke in office although they be vnlyke in gyftes earnestly agree and holde together in vnitie of doctrine Faythe Sacramētes Prayers and workes of loue According to the writtinge of S. Ierome That the Priestes of Alexandria together in cōmune did gouerne the Churches As the Apostles did also And after them all Bysshoppes in the whole Christianite vntill the tyme that the Pope did exalte his heade aboue all To sette hymselfe aboue agaynst God This part sheweth euidētly that he is the right Antichrist which hath set exalted hym selfe aboue and agaynst Christe whylest he will not suffer the Christiās to be saued withoute his iurisdiction whiche notwithstondinge is vayne not ordeyned of God nor commaunded This is called properly to sette hym selfe aboue God agaynst God as saynt Paul sayth Such thynges doth neyther Turk nor Tatter be they neuer so greate enemyes to the Christians But permitte to beleue in Christ whosoeuer wil takyng bodely tribute obedience of the Christians But the Pope wyl not suffer to beleue but sayth mē ought to obey him and so doynge they shoulde be saued Howe be it Thys wyl we not do but rather dye therfore in the name of god Thys cometh al thereby that he Iure diuino would be called the superiour ouer the Christen Church Therfore hath he made him self equal with Christ hath set him self aboue Christe as the head After that a Lorde of the Churche and laste of all hath suffred hym selfe to be boasted Lorde of all the worlde and euen a GOD in earth In so much that he presumed also to cōmaunde the Angels in heauē Popysh doctryne And whan a distinction is made betwene the Papisticall doctryne the holy scripture or an egal comparyson it apereth euidently that the popyshe doctryne euen where as it is beste is taken oute of the ciuile and Heathen lawes and teacheth worldly busynes and iudgementes decrees as hys decrees declare After that doth she teache ceremonyes of Churches rayment meates Personnes and of suche chyldren games vysers and fowles babels innumerable But in all these not one worde of Christe faythe and Goddes commaundementes Tast of all is it nothynge but al deuelysshe wheras he setteth furthe hys lyes of masses purgatory Cloysteringes propre workes and Goddes seruyces whiche is euen the ryght Papacye ouer and aboue god condemneth slayeth punyshed al Christians that do not exaite and worshyp suche hys abhomination aboue all thynges Papistcal gouernaunce Therfore as littel as we may worshyppe the deuyl hym selfe for a Lord or God euen so lyttel may we also suffer hys Apostle the Pope or Antichrist in his iurisdiction to be our Lorde or head for lyes and murther destructiō of body soule euerlastingly thys is proprely his papistical gouernaunce Euen as I haue declared the same in many bookes In these foure Articles shall they haue ynough to condēne in the Counsayll For they can nor will not leaue or graunte vnto vs the least membre of any of the sayde Articles wherfore we must be sure of this and stedfastely truste that God hath apprehended his aduersary and shall suppresse hym bothe by his spirite and also by his comynge Amen For in the Counsayll shall we not stande before the Emperour or tēporall powers as at Augspurg which made a very gracious Proclamation and caused the matter to be heard fauourably But we shall stande there before the Pope the deuill hym selfe whiche intendeth not to heare But euen to condemne murther and to cōpelle to Idolatrye Vvherfore here we may not kysse his fete or saye ye are my souereique Lorde But euen as in Dachary the Angell said to the deuill God reproue the Datan The thyrde Parte of the Articles ☞ The peeces or Articles following may we with learned and discrete persons or amonge oure selues dispute and discusse for the Pope and his kyngdome doth not passe muche vpon them For by thē is no Conscience but money honour and power is all Of Synne Originall synne HEre must we knowledge as S. Paull Rom. v. sayth That Synne came by that onely man Adam through whose disobedience all men are become Synners subiecte vnto death the deuill This is called the Originall Synne or capitall synne The frutes of this synne are consequently the euill workes which in the tenne cōmaundementes Frutes of the original synne are forbiddē as vnbeleue false fayth Idolatry to be without the frutes of god arrogācye dispayre blyndnes sūma not to knowe god nor to regarde him Cōsequently to lye to sweare by the name of god Not to pray not to worshippe not to regarde gods word disobediēce vnto the parentes murther vnclenlynes to steale to begyle c. This original synne is suche a very depe euyll destructiō of nature that no witte doth knowe her but must be beleued through the reuelatiō of the scripture Psal li. Ro. v. Exo. xxxiii Gene. iii. Therfore is it nothynge but errour blyndnes contrary to this Article whatsoeuer Theologiens haue taught Doctryne of the scoole theologiens i Namely That after the originall fal of Adam the natural power and strength of man remayned hole and vncorrupt And that man haue of nature a ryght discretiō a good wil euē as the Philosophers teache the same ii Item that man hath a free wil to do good to leaue euyl contrariwyse to leaue the good vndone and to do that whiche is euyll iii Item that man maye by naturell power and strength do and kepe all the commaundementes of God iiii Item that he may of naturall power loue God aboue al thynges and hys neyghbour as hym selfe v Item whan man doth so much as lyeth in hym that than God geueth hym hys grace vi Itē that whā he wyll receyue the sacrament it is not necessary to haue a good purpose to do good But that it is sufficient that he haue not an euyll purpose to do syn so excedynge good is nature the Sacrament so mighty vii That it is not grounded in the Scripture that the holy gost with hys grace and assistence be necessary and requisite for to do good workes Suche and such lyke Articles many be trough misvnderstandynge and ignoraunce bothe of
handes full So that in the meane seasoÌ„ thei should forgette all children playes and foolyshnes of long gownes greate crownes broade gyrdels Bysshoppes and Cardinalles hattes or staues and suche other iugglynges When fyrst we hadde executed the Commaundementes and ordinaunce of God bothe in the spiritual and temporal estates theÌ„ shoulde we fynde tyme ynough to refourme meates garmentes cronnes and câ—pes But when thei deuoure suche camelles and in stede hereof wil see a moote let the beame alone and iudge the chippe than myght we also well forbeare the counsayll Therfore haue I set but fewe Articles For as muche as we besydes that haue of God so many commaundementes to do in the churche in the superiorite within the housse that we can neuer be able to perfourme them Vvho then or what doth it auayll to make besydes them many decrees and Statutes in the counsayl Specially seyng these chiefe poyntes commaunded of God are not regarded nor obserued Euen as though he should set by oure iuglynge tromperies because we treade hys earnest commaundementes vnder oure fete But oure synnes suppresse vs and suffre not God to be mercyfull vnto vs neyther do we also repente but will moreouer maynteyne and vpholde all abhomination O Lorde Iesu Christe kepe thou Counsayll thy selfe and delyuer thy people by thy gloryous commynge It is done with the Pope and hys adhereÌ„tes They wyll none of the Therfore helpe thou vs poore and miserable whiche sygh vnto the and seke the with earnest accordyng to the grace whiche thou haste geuen vs through the holye Ghoste which lyueth and reygneth with the and thy father praysed for euer and euer AMEN The fyrste parte is of the hygh Article of the Godly Maiestye as i THat Father Sonne and holy goost in one godly essence and nature three sondry Persones is one onely God whiche created heauen and earth ij That the father of none the Sonne of the father is borne the holy goost from the father and the sonne procedynge iij That not the father nor the Holye Ghoost but the Sonne is become man iiij That the Sonne so is become man that he was conceyued by the holye Ghoost withoute the helpe of man and borne of the pure holy virgin Mary After that suffred dyed was buryed DesceÌ„ded into hel rose again from the deade Ascended into heauen sittynge on the ryght hande of God shall come to iudge the quicke the deade c. As the Symbole of the Apostles Item of S. Athanasius and the common Cathechismus for Children do teache These Articles are in no controuersie nor variaunce for as moche as of bothe parties we knowledge and confesse the same wherfor it is nedeles to entreate further there of at this time ⧠The seconde parte is of those Articles that concerne the office worke of Iesu Christe or oure redemption Here is the fyrst and Chiefe Article THat Iesus Christe oure God and Lorde suffered death for oure synnes and rose agayne for oure Iustification Roma iiij And that he onely is the lambe of God which beareth the synnes of the worlde Iohan .i. And that God hath layde all oure synnes vpon hym Isaie liij Item They are all Synners and are iustifyed frelye withoute deseruing by his grace through the redeÌ„ption of Iesu Christe in his blonde c. Roma iij. For as muche nowe as this must be beleued and otherwyse can not be obteyned or comprehended by no worke lawe nor deseruinge So is it cleare euident and sure that onely suche faith maketh vs righteous As Roman .iij. S. Paull sayth We suppose that a man is iustifyed by faith withoute the dedes of the lawe Item That he onely be counted iuste and a iustifyer of hym that beleueth on Iesus From these Articles may noman shrynke nor geue backe any thinge yea though heauen and earthe shoulde fall and what soeuer will not abyde for there is none other Name geuen vnto men were in we maye be saned sayeth S. Peter Acto iiij And by his strypes we are healed Isaie liij And vpon this Article standeth all whatsoeuer we teache and lyue agaynst the Pope deuill and worlde Wherfore we must be very sure thereof doubte nothinge Or elles all is lost and the Pope and the deuill must obteyne the victory and right against vs. The â—… Article Masse in the Papacye That the masse in the Papacye is the greatest and mooste horrible Abhomination as that whiche directely and vyolently stryueth against this Chiefe Article And yet aboue and before all other Papisticall Idolatries hath ben moost hyest and fayrest For it is supposed That suche an offer or worke of the Masse done also by a leaude Person doth delyuer man from synne bothe here in this lyfe and yonder in Purgatorie Vvhich onely belongeth to the lambe of God as is aboue saide From this Article also may no man swarne or geue backe For the fyrst Article wil not suffer it And yf there were any Papistes of descretion any where men might common with them measurably and reasone with them after a gentle fasshion Namely wherfore they didde sticke so fast to the Masse Seynge it is nothinge but mannes inuention not commaunded of God And inuentions of man may we lette fall As Christe sayeth matthei .xv. In vayne do they worshippe me with preceptes of men Secondarely is it a thinge not necessary which withoute synne or feare may well be lefte Thirdely maye the Sacrament be had after a godlier and better waye yea onely after a Godlyer fasshson after Christes institution Vvhat is it then that for an inuented and on necessarye thinge which otherwyse may be had well and muche godlyer men wyl compelle the worlde to miserye and necessitie Let it be openly preached vnto the people howe that the masse as a thynge inuented by man may withoute synne be omitted and that noman is damned because he doth not regarde it But maye wel withoute masse and by a bolde meane be saued Vvhat wyl ye laye yf the masse as then do not fall by her selfe not onely among the folysshe people but also amonge all ryghteous godly discrete God fearynge hertes Moche more yf they heare that it is a daungerous thynge withoute Goddes worde and wyll imagyned and inuented Fourthely Seynge suche innumerable and ineffable abuses in all the worlde by byenge and sellinge of the masse are rysen ought men by reason to let her go and euen to resiste onely suche abuses althoughe she hadde in her selfe some good and commodious thynge Howe muche more oughte men to let her go for to auoyde suche abuses for euermore seynge that she is hole vnnecessary vnprofitable and daungerous and that men maye haue all thynges more necessarye profitabler and surer withoute the masse Fyftely for as muche nowe as the masse is or can be none other as the Canon and al Bokes saye but a worke of menne also of a leawde person whereby one wyll reconcyle hym self and other with hym to God obteyne and deserue grace and remissioÌ„ of
wyl stande vntyll my death God willyng And knowe nothyng therein to alter nor to geue backe But yf any maÌ„ will geue backe any thyng let hym do it vpoÌ„ hys own conscience Hallowynge of churches Christenyng of billes Last of all is yet the Popes Iouglinge bagge behynde of foolyshe and chyldysshe Articles as of hallowynge Churches Christonynge of billes Baptisynge of aulter stones and biddynge of Gosshippes therevnto that gaue somewhat thereto c. Which Baptisynge is a slaunder and mocke of the holy Baptisme so that it ought not to be suffered After that of halowyng of lyghtes candels palmes Lakes wafers spyces and worthes c whiche neuertheles can neyther be called halowed nor yet be hallowed but is a mere mocke and deceyte And of suche iugglynge castes an innumerable sorte whiche we committe vnto theyr God and to themselues to worshyppe vntyl they waxe wery Vve wyl not be entangled therewith ¶ The confessyon or knoweledgynge of the faythe of Doctor Marten Luther FOr as moche as I se that sectes errours from day to day do more and more increase and that SataÌ„ doth not ceasse from hys fury and Tyrannye To thintent that not from hencefurthe durynge my lyfe or after my deceasse any myght come take holde of me falsely interpretate my writtynges for to stablysshe theyr errours thereby euen as the Sacramentaryes and Anabaptistes began to do So wyll I by thys writtynge before God and all the worlde knoweledge my fayth from pece to pece whereby I intende to abyde and perseuere vntyll my death and therein whiche God vouchesafe to graunte me to departe out of thys world and to come before the iudgement seate of oure Lorde Iesus Christe And yf any man after my deceasse shoulde saye yf Luther were a lyue nowe he woulde teache and take this or that article otherwyse for he hath not scanded examyned it sufficiently c. To thys I answer nowe as then and than as nowe That I by the grace of God haue moost diligently and moost earnestly remembred and pouÌ„dered al these Articles and haue examyned searched and often retracted them agayne and agayne throughout the scripture and wil so surely stedfastely fighte for them as I haue all ready foughten for the Sacramente of the aulter I am not now dronken nor vnaduised I knowe right well what I saye And also feele ryghtwel what charge it is vnto me agaynst the commynge of oure Lorde Iesus Christ to the last iudgement Therfore let no maÌ„ make a geste or a trifelynge matter of it For it is earnest vnto me For I knowe Satan by Gods grace a greate parte Seyng he can peruerte and tangle the worde of God and scripture what woulde he not do with myne or with other mennes wordes I First I beleue with herte the hygh Article of the godly maiestye That Father Sonne Holy Ghooste three seuerall persons is one ryghte onely naturall true God maker of heauen and earthe in all thynges contrary to the Arrianes Macedoniens Sabellines and suche lyke heresyes Gene. i. accordyng as all that hath beÌ„ holden and kepte hitherto bothe in the Romysshe Churche and in all the worlde by the Christen Churches Second person in God II Secondarely I beleue and knowe that the Scripture teacheth vs that the seconde Person in God namely the Sonne is onely become very man of the holy Ghoost conceyued withoute the helpe of man and borne of the pure blessed virgyn Mary as of a ryghte naturall mother accordyng as al the same S. Luke doth clearly describe Luc. i. and as the Prophetes haue declared So that not the Father or the holy Ghoost dyd become man as certeyn heretykes haue taught Also that God the Sonne hath not onely taken vpon hym the body withoute a Soule as certeyn heretykes haue taught But also the Soul that is a whole perfecte manhode And the ryght seede or Chylde promysed to Abraham and Dauid and is borne a naturall sonne of Mary In euery condition and shape a ryght man euen as I am my selfe and al other excepte that he was borne without synne onely of the virgyn by the holy Ghoost And that thesame man is verye God as an euerlastynge inseparable person become of God and man so that Mary the blessed virgyn is a very right mother not onely of the man Christe Nestorianes as the Nestorians teache but of the sonne of God as saynt Lucas sayth Luc. i That holy one whiche shall be borne in thy shal be called the Sonne of God That is my Lorde and the Lorde of all men Iesus Christe the onely ryght natural sonne of God Mary very God and man The sonne of God suffered for vs. Also I beleue that the same sonne of God and Mary oure Lorde Iesus Christe suffered for vs wretched synners was crucifyed dead and buried Vvhereby he dyd delyuer vs from synne death and euerlastyng wrathe of God through hys innocent bloude and that he rose agayne the thyrde daye from death and ascended into heauen and sitteth on the ryghthand of God the Father almightye a Lord aboue all Lordes Kynge ouer al Kynges and aboue al creatures in heaueÌ„ earth and vnder the earth ouer death and lyfe ouer synne and ryghteousnes Al men borne in synne For I knowledge and can testifie by the scripture that al meÌ„ cam of one man Adam and of thesame thorough the byrthe brynge with them and inherite the fal trespas synne whiche thesame Adam in Paradys Gen. iij throughe the deuyls wickednes dyd perpetrate and so with hym are borne in synne lyue and dye and must be condemned to euerlastynge death Yf not Iesus Christe were come to succour vs and as an innocent lambe had taken vpon hym al oure transgressyons and synnes satisfyed for vs by hys passyon and yet dayly standeth and maketh intercessyon for vs as a true mercyfull mediatour Sauiour and onely priest and Bysshop of oure soules Esa liij Rom. ij Gal. iij. i. Tim. ij Heb vij ix Io xvij i. Ioh ij Hereby do I reiecte and condemne as for a mere errour all such doctrine as commendeth our free wyl as that whih stryueth cleane against such helpe and grace of oure sauyour Iesus Christe For seynge without Christe death and synne be oure Lordes the deuyl oure God and Prince there can be no strength nor power no witte nor vnderstandyng whereby we be able to prepare oure selues or to thinke towardes the righteousnes and lyfe But must he blynded and captyue at the deuyls and synnes owne commaundement to do to thinke whatsoeuer pleaseth him and is contrary to God and hys commaundementes Newe olde Pelagians In lyke maner do I also condemne bothe new old Pelagianes Original synne that wil not graunte the originall synne to be synne but that it should be a lacke or impedimeÌ„t But for as much as death goeth ouer al men must nedes the original synne be no â—mal faulte but an excedyng great
synne and also of Christ our sauyour crepte in and they be euen the ryghte doctryne of the heathen which we can not suffer For yf thys doctryne be true then dyed CHRISTE in vayne seynge there is no wicknednes or synne in maÌ„ wherfore he ought to dye Or elles he dyed onely for the body and not for the soule also forsomuche as the soule is safe and onely the body worthy of deathe Of the lawe Wherfore the lawe is geuen Here holde we that the lawe is geuen of God fyrst for to anoyde synne by threatenynge and feare of punishement And also by promyses and offeringe of grace and benefites Howbe it all this as concernyng iniquitie for as muche as synne hathe wrought in man is very euill chaunced Rawe wicked persons For some are thereby become worse As they that be enemy to the lawe because she forbiddeth that whiche they woulde fayne do And coÌ„maundeth that whiche they are not willinge to do In so moche that wher as they may coÌ„uenieÌ„tly withoute punysshemeÌ„t they do more agaynst the sawe nowe than they did before These are eueÌ„ suche rawe and wicked persons which ceasse not to do wickedly where as they maye haue tyme and place Ipocrytes and false sainctes The other become blynde and arrogaunt thinckynge that they do kepe and can kepe the lawe of theyr owne strength as euen nowe was rehersed aboue of the Scool TheologieÌ„s Out of these come the Ipocrites and false saynctes Offyce power of the lawe But the Chiefe and pryncipal office or power of the law is that she opeÌ„ the originall synne with al her frutes and shewe vnto man how depely his nature is fallen and howe miserably it is destroyed as vnto whome the lawe must declare that he hath no God nor yet regardeth God but worshyppeth straunge Goddes which before or without the lawe he coulde not haue beleued Therewith becometh he fearfull humble abasshed desperate and would fayne be holpen but knoweth not howe and beginneth to become enemy vnto God and to murmure c. This is it that Saynte Paule sayth Rom. iii. The lawe causeth wrath And Rom. v. Synne increasseth thorough the lawe Roma iii. v. Of Penaunce Thys offyce kepeth the newe Testament and teacheth the same also as S. Paule Rom. i. doth saynge The wrath of God apereth from heauen agaynst al men Rom. i. Item iii. All men are debters before God And no man is ryghteous before hym Rom. iij And Christe Ioh. xvi The holy gost shal rebuke the world of Synne Ioh. xvi This is eueÌ„ the thoÌ„derbolt of god wherewith he striketh downe al in one heape bothe the open synners and the false saynctes suffereth none to haue right but dryueth them all together into feare desperation Thys is the hammer as Ieremy sayth Ie. xxiij my worde is a haÌ„mer that breaketh harde stones Right contrition This is not actiua contritio a made repentaunce But passiua contritio the ryght repentaunce of the harte the sufferyng and fellynge of death Beginnyng of ryght penaunce And thys is euen the beginnynge of the ryghte Penaunce and man must here heare this sentence It is al in vayne with you all whether ye are open synners or saynetes ye muste al become and do otherwyse than ye are and do yet Be ye as great wyse myghtye and holy as ye wyl here is no man ryghteous Promyse of grace But vnto thys offyce doth the newe Testament by and by minister adde the comfortable promise of grace through the Gospel whiche muste be beleued as Christe sayeth Marc. i. Repente and beleue the gospel Mar. i. That is become and do otherwise and beleue my promyse And a littel before hym Iohn is named A preacher of repentaunce for the remission of synnes That is he shoulde rebuke them all make them synners that they might knowe what they were before God and knowledge them selues as damned people and so to be prepared for the Lorde to receyue hys grace of him to hope and accepte remissyou of synnes For thus sayth Christe him selfe Luce xxiiij That repentaunce and remissyon of synnes muste be preached in hys name amonge all nations Luce. xxiiij Offyce of the lawe without additioÌ„ of the Gospel But where as the lawe doth dryue thys her offyce onely withoute additioÌ„ of the Gospell there is death and hell And man must dispayre eueÌ„ as Saul and Iudas dyd accordyng to the saynge of Saynt Paul The lawe slayeth through Synne Comforte of the Gospell And agayn The gospel doth not alwayes vse one manner or fâ—ssyon to geue coÌ„forte and forgeuenes But by the worde sacracrament and suche lyke as we shall heare to thintent that the redemptioÌ„ be plenteous by God accordynge as the C. xxx Psalm sayeth agaynst the great captiuite of synne Psalm C. xxx But nowe must we make a comparyson betwene the false penaunce of the Sophistes and the righte Peuaunce whereby they may bothe so moche the better be vnderstande ¶ Of the false Papisticall Penaunce Vnpossyble was it that they should teache ryght of Penaunce whylest they knewe not the ryght synne For as is sayd aboue they holde a wroÌ„g opinion coÌ„cernyng the original synne Doctrine of the scoole Theologyens For they saye that the naturall powers of man dyd remayne hole and vncorrupte And that the discretion of man can teache ryght and the wyl of man can do ryght thereafter And that God vndoubtedly geueth hys grace whan a man doth so muche as is in hym after hys free wyli Out of thys must nedes followe that they onely repented the Actuall Synne as euyll thoughtes whereunto the Actuall dede dyd consente for euyl motyons lustes desyres and appetites was no synne with them euil wordes and euyll workes whiche the free wyll myght and coulde fulwell haue left vndone And to suche penaunce they putte three partes Contrition Confessyon and satisfaction with thys comforte promyse that yf a man hadde ryghte contrition were duely shryuen and made satisfaction than hadde he there by deserued forgeuenes and had made satisfaction for the synne before God And so they taught the people in Penaunce to truste in theyr owne workes Thereby came thys worde in vsage when the common Shrifte or Confessyon was read to the people Spare me Lorde god c. preserue my lyfe vntyl I may do penaunce for my synnes and amende my lyfe Here was no Christ nor any thing of fayth remembred But men did hope by theyr owne workes to ouercome â—ynne to quenche it before God To that intent dyd we also become Priestes and freers because we woulde sette oure selues agaynst synne Contrition As touchynge contrition thus was the matter handled for asmuch as noman was able to cal to remembraunce al hys synnes specially such as were coÌ„mitted throughout the hole yere they dyd coÌ„ueye the matter thus wheÌ„ the forgotten synnes came afterwardes to
synne as s Paul saith Rom. vi i. Co. xv The reward of synne is death And agayn synne is deathes styng Ose xiij So saith also Dauid Psal li. Psal li. Beholde I was shapen in wickednes in synne hath my mother coÌ„ceyued me Be saith not My mother hath conceyued me with synnes but I I I am shapen in wickednes and my mother hath conceyned me in sinne That is I am groweÌ„ of sinful seede in my mothers woÌ„be as may be gathered of the Ebrewe texte Furthermore I do reiecte and condemne also as mere deuelysh sectes errours al orders rewels cloysters mynsters and al what soeuer of men besydes and without the scripture is inuented and instituted stablysshed with vowes plightynges notwithstondyng that many great Saynctes haue lyued therein and as the electes of God at thys tyme thereby haue beÌ„ seduced and yet at the last by the faith in Iesu Christ were delyuered escaped For seyng such orders inpusters sectes to that intent haue lyued and are kepte that by suche wayes workes men wil and maye be saued and escape from synne and death So is it an open abhominable blaspemy and denyeng of the onely helpe and grace of â—ure onely Sauyour and Mediatour Iesus Christe Act. iiij For there is none other name geuen vnto vs whereby we maye be saued but onely thys whiche is called Iesus Christe And it is impossyble that there shoulde be more Sauyours wayes or meanes to be saued than through the onely righteousnes whiche is oure sauyour Iesus Christe whiche is geuen vs freely and setforth of God as oure onelye mercy seate Rom. iij. Rom. iij It were wel good yf Cloysters or inpysters were kepte and mainteyned to thys yntent that yonge people therein myght be taught the worde of God the Scripture and Godly nourtoure whereby myght be educated brought vp and prepared men of learnynge and discretion apte for Bysshoppes Curates and all maner of mynisters of the churche and also meÌ„ of learnynge and discretion for the gouernaunce of the publyke weale and honest discrete learned women whiche afterwarde myght knowe howe to kepe house Christenly and to brynge vp childreÌ„ But to seke there a waye of saluation that is a deuelyshe doctryne and a fayth diabolical .i. Timot. iiij i. tim iiij Holy orders of God instituted But the holy orders and ryghte Mynsters of God instituted are these three Priesthode matrimony and teÌ„porall power Church ministers Al suche as are found in the cure or ministration of the word be in a holy ryght good ordre and state acceptable vnto God as they that preache minister the Sacramentes they that procure and further the coÌ„mon boxe clarkes boyes or seruauntes that serue suche persons c. All these be pure holye workes before God Father mother In lyke maner whosoeuer is a Father and mother and ruleth hys own house honestly and bryngeth vp chyldren in Goddes seruyce Thys is also mere holynes and a holy worke and a holy order ChildreÌ„ Familie Item where as the chyldren or familye be obedyent to theyr parentes or rulers is also mere holynes and whosoeuer is founde therein is a lyuynge sayncte vpon earth In lyke maner also Prynces or superiours Iudges Offycers Chauncelers Scrybes seruauntes maydeÌ„s and al they that do serue such moreouer al such as mekely obey is al mere holynes and a holy lyfe before God Superiours Subiectes Because that these three states or orders are comprehended and establyshed in Gods worde for whatsoeuer is grounded vpon Goddes worde must nedes be holy for Goddes worde is holy and sanctifyeth althynges that be of it or in it ChristiaÌ„ Charite Besydes these thre estates or Orders is nowe the commune order of Christian Charitie and loue wherein meÌ„ do not onely serue the thre orders but also euery nedy person in general in al maner of benefytes as to refresshe the hungry and the thursty c. to forgâ—ue vnto the enemyes Matth. xxv To praye for all men vpon earthe suffre al maner of wronge vpon earth Beholde these are called good workes euery one And yet is none of these Orders a waye to saluation But the onely way remayneth aboue all these namely the sayth in Iesus Christ To be holy to be saued For there is great difference betwene to be holy and to be saued We are saued onely throughe Christ But we be holy bothe through suche fayth and also by suche godly estates and orders The vngodly maye also haue many holy thynges and yet are they not saued thereby for oure God will haue suche workes of vs to hys prayse and glorye and all they that so are saued in the faythe of Christe doo suche workes and kepe suche Orders The estate of wydowes and virgyns And whatsoeuer hath ben sayde of the state of matrimony the same muste also be vnderstande of the estate of Wydowes and virgins for they belonge also to the house and to the house kepynge Yf nowe these orders and godly estates do not worke saluation what shoulde than the deuelysh mynsters and cloysters doo which are come vp bare naked without Goddes worde and besydes that striue and rage furiously against the onely waye of fayth Holy Ghoost Thyrdely I beleue in the holye Goost which with the father and the sonne is very God and from the Father and the sonne euerlastingly procedeth But a seueral person in a Godly substaunce and nature Through the which as a lyuely euerlastynge Godly gyfte grace are al faythful people garnysshed with fayth and other spiritual gyftes raysed vp froÌ„ death delyuered from synne and made ioyful and confortable bolde and sure in conscience For thys is oure reioysing yf we do feele the witnes of thys spirite in oure hartes that God wyll be oure father forgeue oure synnes and hathe geuen to vs euerlastynge lyfe freely And that al through the merites of Christe whiche by hys death hath purchased for vs suche a spirite and that we oure selues through oure workes can deserue nothyng but is geuen to al them that heare the worde of God and embrace it These are the three Persons and one God whiche hath geuen hym self whole and all vnto vs with al that he is and hath Father The father geueth hym selfe vnto vs with heauen and earth and all creatures that they must serue and be profitable vnto vs. Howe be it this gyfte was darkened through the fall of Adam and become vnprofitable Sonne Therfore dyd afterwarde the sonne also geue hym selfe vnto vs al hys workes death wysedome and ryghteousnes and reconcyled vs to the father whereby we are quickened agayne and iustifyed and also maye knowe and haue agayne the Father with hys gyftes And because that thys grace could profite no man yf the were kept so close and hydden that she coulde not come vnto vs. Holy Ghoost Therfore cometh the holy Ghooste and geueth hym selfe also whole