our owne merites For what can be more plaine then that whiche Paule saieth All Roma iii. haue synned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freelie by his grace and through the redempcion that is in Christe Iesus For Christe hath taken vpon hym and borne the sinnes of the worlde he hath satisfied the iustice of God God therefore for his onely Christes sake Iustice imputed to vs. who suffred death and rose againe is mercifull to our sinnes not imputing them to vs but accepting Christes iustice as our rightuousnes so that now we are not onely purged and clensed frō synne but also clothed with Christ his iustice and deliuered from synne death and condemnacion to be short we are made rightuous and heires of life euerlastyng To speake properlie therefore God alone doeth iustifie vs and that onely for Christe his sake not laiyng our synnes to our charge but imputyng his rightuousnes to vs. Because wee receiue this iustificacion not for any of our workes sake we are iustified by faith only but by faithe in God his mercie and through Christe therefore we teache and beleue with the Apostle that man is iustified by faithe onely in Christe not by the Lawe or by any woorkes For Paule saieth Wee thinke that a man is iustified by faithe without the workes of the lawe And again Rom. iiij Roma iii. If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherin to reioyce but not with God For what saieth the scripture Abrahā beleued God and it was cōpted to hym as rightuousnes Now to hym that woorketh the wages is not compted by fauour but by debte and to hym that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the faithe of the vngodly is compted for rightuousnes And again Ephe. ij by grace are ye saued through faithe and that not of your selues it is the gifte of God and not of woorkes leaste any man should boaste hymself Then because faithe ketcheth holde faste on Christe who is our rightuousnes and attributeth all thynges to the grace we receaue Christe by fayth of God in hym therefore iustificacion is ascribed to faithe chiefly for Christ and not because it is our woorke for it is the gifte of God That wee receiue Christe by faithe the Lorde declareth at large wher he vseth this woorde Ihon. vi Eate for beleue and beleue for eate For as by eatyng wee receiue meate Eat vsed for beleue so by beleuyng wee are made partakers of Christ Wherefore we deuide not the benefite of Iustificacion attributyng Iustification is not to be attributed partly to vs. and partly to Christ it partely to the grace of God or to Christe and partly to our selues our loue to our woorkes to our merites But wee ascribe it wholie to the grace of God in Christe by faithe And whiche is more out loue and our workes cannot please God if thei be doen of vs that are vniuste Wherefore we muste firste be made iuste before wee can loue or doe iuste workes We are made iuste in deéde as we haue declared by faithe in Christe by the mere grace of God who dooeth not impute our sinnes but Christe his rightuousnes to vs and compteth our faithe in Christe as rightuousnesse Furthermore the Apostle plainly sheweth that i. Timo. i. loue cometh of faithe The ende of the Lawe is Loue issuyng out of a pure harte a good consctence and an vnfained faithe Here we speake not of a counterfet vaine idle or dedde faithe but of a liuely and quickenyng faithe whiche through Christe who is life and quickeneth hym whō faithe ketcheth hold on is a liue and so is saied to bee because Sainct Paules saiyng is cōferred with sainct Iames. Iames. ii she declareth her self to line by her liuely woorkes Saincte Iames then maketh nothing against this dostrine who speaketh of a vaine and dedde faithe whereof some boasted albéeit thei had not Christ liuyng in thē by faithe He saieth also that woorkes Iustifie not therein disagreyng from the Apostle for then he were to bée reiected but shewing that Abraham declared his liuely and iustifiyng faithe by his woorkes The whiche thing all the godlie doe who notwithstandyng putte their truste in Christe onely and in no workes of their owne For in an other place the Apostle saith Thus I Gala. ii liue yet not I now but Christe liueth in me and in that that I now line in the fleshe I liue by faithe in the sonne of God who hath loued me and geuē himself for me I doe not abrogate the grace of God For if rightuousnes bée by the lawe then Christe died in vain ¶ Of faithe and good woorkes of their reward and mannes merite Cha. 16. CHristian faithe is not a bare opinion what faith is or perswasion of men but a moste sure confidēce an euidente and constaunte assente of the mynde to bee shorte a moste certaine comprehendyng of God his truthe set forthe in the Scriptures conteined in the Apostles Crede yea and cōmaunded of God himself who surmounteth al goodnes But chieflie faith is a cōfidence in God and his soonne Christ his promises whiche Christe is thence of all promises This faithe is the free gifte of God whiche onely he geueth Faith is the gifte of God of his grace to his electe accordyng to measure when to whō and as muche as he liste and that by his holie spirits by the meane of preachyng the Gospel and faithfull praier This faithe is increased and that by God his mercie For els the Apostle would not haue The increese of fayth Luke xi saied Lorde increase our faithe Al that hetherto we haue saied concernyng faith thapostles haue taught before vs For Paule saieth Faith is the ground of thynges whiche are hoped for and the euidence of those thynges Hebre. xi that are not seen And againe he saith Al the promises of god in Christ ii Cor. i. are yea and are in hym Amen To the Philippians he writeth that it was Phi. i. geuen to them that thei should beleue in Christe And againe Christe hath Rom. xii ii Thes iii. Rom. xi distributed to euery man a measure of faithe And again All menne haue not faithe neither dooe all men obeye the Gospell Luke also witnesseth Act. xiij As many as were ordained vnto eternall life beleued Wherefore he calleth faithe the faithe of Gods elect And againe Roma x. Faithe cometh by hearyng and hearing by the worde of God In other places he often biddeth men praie for faithe The saied Apostle affirmeth faithe The force of faith to bee of greate efficacie declaryng it self by Loue Faithe quieteth the conscience openeth to vs a frée entrie vnto GOD that wee maie come to hym with bolones and obtain of hym profitable and necessarie thynges It kepeth vs in doyng our duetie that wee owe to God and our neighboure In aduersitie it strengthneth vs with paciēte facioneth and formeth in vs
all the daies of our life againste the worlde Sathan and our owne fleshe We are Baptised also into one bodie of the Churche that we maie well agrée with al the members thereof in one Religion dooyng one for another We beleue that the maner of Baptisme whereby Christe hym self was The forme of baptismge Baptised and his Apostles did Baptise is moste perfect Wherfore what soeuer was after by mannes inuencion added and vsed in the Churche we thinke not to be necessarie to the perfection of Baptisme As the coniuracion Popish bapt the vse of burning lightes of oile of Salte of spittle and the like with this custome to cōsecrate twise in the yere Baptisme For wee beleue that one Baptisme of the churche in Gods firste Institucion was sanctified and consecrated by his worde and is now also of efficacie and vertue by reason of that firste blessyng of God We teache that women or midwiues wemē should not baptise ought not to Baptise in the churche For Paule secludeth women frō Ecclestasticall offices but Baptisme partaineth to Ecclesiasticall dueties We condemne the Anabaptistes who Heresies deny that yong children newly borne ought to bee Baptised of the faithfull accordyng to the doctrine of the Gospell The kyngdome of God belongeth to children And séeyng thei are included in God his couenaunte why should not the signe of the couenaunte be giuen to them Wée condemne the Anabaptistes in other poinctes also of their doctrine whiche thei alone holde particulerlie and defende against the worde of God We are not then Anabaptistes neither dooe wée take parte with them in any matter of theirs ¶ Of the holy Supper of the Lord Chap. 21. THe Supper of the Lorde whiche is also called the table of the Lorde the Euchariste that is thankes geuinge is therfore cōmonly named a Supper because it was instituted of Christ in his last Supper and nowe representeth the same the faithful spiritually fedynge and drinkynge in it for the aucthor of the Lord his Supper is The aucthor of the Lords Supper not any Angell or man but the sonne of GOD him selfe our Lorde Iesus Christe who firste consecrated it for his Churche that consecration blessinge dureth as yet amonge all those that celebrat none other Supper but the selfe same whiche the Lord instituted recitynge his wordes and in al thinges looking on Christ only with a true faith of whose handes as it were they receaue that which they take by It is a remembraunce of gods benefites the seruice of the ministers of the churche The Lorde wyll kepe by this holy Sacramente in freshe remembrāce his chiefeste benefite bestowed vppon mākynde namely that when he gaue his bodie to be betraied and his bloud to be shedde he forgaue vs all our sinnes and redemed vs from eternall death and from the power of the Deuill and now fedeth vs with his flesh and giueth vs his bloudde to drincke whiche beyng with a true faithe spiritually receiued nourisheth vs to life euerlastyng And this so greate a benefite is renewed so ofte as the supper of the Lorde is celebrated For he said dooe this in the remembraunce of me It is also confirmed vnto vs in this Supper leaste wee should wauer in faithe that the Lordes bodie in deede was deliuered for vs and his bloude shedde for the remission of our sinnes And truely that to the outwarde yies is by the minister represented in the Sacramente and as it were laied before our face which inwardly is doen after an inuisible sorte by the holie ghoste Outwardlie breade is offered by the minister the wordes of Christ The signe the thinge signified are heard Take eate this is my body take deuide it betwixt you Drinke ye all of this this is my bloud Therfore the faithfull taketh that whiche is offred what the faithfull receaue by the lordes minister Thei eate the Lorde his bread and drinke of the Lordes Cuppe but inwardlie by the helpe of Christ through the holy ghost thei receiue the fleshe also the bloud of the Lorde and are fedde with them to life euerlastyng For the fleshe and bloud of Christ is true meate drinke to eternall life And Christe hym self in that he was deliuered for our sakes and is our sauiour is that principall chiefe thyng of the supper neither suffer we any other thyng to be put in his stede But that it maie the better and more plainly bee perceiued how the Howe the fleshe blode of Christe is meat drīke indede fleshe and bloud of Christ is the meate and drinke of the faithfull receiued of them to life euerlasting we will adde these fewe woordes There bee diuers kindes of eating For there is a bodily eatyng whereby meate is receiued into mannes mouth is chewed with the Two kindes of Eatinge with the bodelie mouth tethe and swallowed into the beailie After this kind of eatyng the Capernites in tyme paste vnderstoode that thei should eate the Lorde his fleshe But thei are confuted by Christe hym Heresies self For Christe his fleshe can not bée eaten corporally without an heinous Aug. de doct Christ cruell acte It is not then meate for the beallie as al menne are cōpelled to confesse We disalowe the Popes Canons in the decrees of the bisshops of Rome Ego Berēgarius de cōse dist 2. For neither the godlie in tyme passe nor wée doe now beleue that Christe his bodie is eaten with the mouthe of the bodie corporallie or essenciallie There is also a spirituall eatyng of Christ his bodie not that wherby we Christe his bodie is not eaten with the bodelye mouth 2. A spiritual eatinge by fayth thinke that the verie meate is chaunged into the spirite but whereby the bodie and bloud of the Lorde kéepyng still their essence and propertie we receiue theim not after a corporal but after a spirituall sorte by the working of the holie ghoste who doeth bestowe vpon vs those giftes whiche wer purchased by the flesh and blud of Christ who was deliuered and put to death for vs grauntyng vs remission of our synnes deliueraunce from Sathan and life euerlastyng so that Christe liueth in vs and we in him For he bringeth it to passe that wee receiue hym Christ is spirituall meate and drinke with a true faithe and that he is spirituall meate and drincke to vs that is to saie our life For as bodilye meate and drincke dooeth not onely refreshe and strengthē our bodies but also preserueth our life so the fleshe of Christ betraied for vs and his bloude shedde for our sakes dooe not onely refreshe and strengthen our soules but also preserueth them a liue not in that thei are corporally eaten or dronken but in that thei are giuen vnto vs by the spirite of God spiritually accordyng to the Lord his saiyng The bread which I wil giue is my flesh which I wil giue for the life of the worlde Also the
the profite and vse of Man We affirme that al those things did procéede of one beginnyng onely We condemne therfore the Manicheis Marcionites who impiously forged twoo substances or Manicheis Marcionites natures the one good the other euill also two beginninges and two Gods contrary to them selues a good and a badde Angels and men doo excell al other Creatures The holy Scripture pronounceth of Angels that God maketh Psalm 104. Angels the spirites his messengers and a flaming fire his Ministers also Heb. 1. Are they not all ministringe spirites sent foorth to minister for their sakes whiche shal be heires of saluation Our Lorde Iesus Christe himselfe testifieth of the Diuell Ioh. 8. He hath bene a The Diuell murtherer from the beginninge and abode not in the truth because there is no trueth in him when he speaketh a lie then speaketh he of his owne For he is a lier and the father thereof We teache therefore that some Angels did continewe in their obedience are appointed to the faithful seruice of God and Man and that other some fell of their owne accorde and beinge caste downe headlong into eternall destruction are become the enemies of al goodnesse and of the faithfull Now concerninge Man the Scripture sayeth Of man That at the first he was created good Gen. 2. according to the Image and likenes of God that God placed him in Paradise makinge all thinges subiecte to him whiche thinge Dauid dothe gloriously set foorth 8. Psalm He gaue him also a wife blessed them both we saye that man cōsisteth of two diuerse Substances comprehended in one person of the soule whiche is immortall for beynge seperated frō the bodie it neither sléepeth nor dieth and of the bodie which is mortall but shal notwithstandinge his mortalitie in the latter daye of Iudgement be raised from the dead to the ende that euer after the whole man both bodie and soule maye remaine alwaies either in life or death We condemne Heresies al them which iest at or by subtill disputacions call in doubte the immortalitie of the soule or that affirme the soule to sléepe or to be a parte of God To be shorte we cōdemne all the opinions of al those whosoeuer thinke of Creation of Angels of Deuels and of man contrary to the doctrine which is taught vs by the holy Scriptures in the Apostolike Churche of Christe ¶ Of the fall of Man of Sinne and of the cause of Sinne. Cap. 8. MAn was at the beginninge created The fall of Man of God after his Image in righteousnes and true holines good and vertuous but by the intisement of the Serpent and thorowe his owne defaulte he fell from goodnesse righteousnes and was made a bonde-slaue to sinne death sundry calamities Such as he became after his fall such are all thei which be his ofspring subiect I meane to sinne to death and diuerse miseries We vnderstande by sinne that naturall corruptiō of manderiued VVhat sinne is or spronge from those our first parentes to vs all wherwith we being drowned in wicked concupiscence geuen to no good but prone to all mischiefe ful of naughtinesse distrust cōtempte and hatred of God are able of our selues to doo no not so muche as to thinke any good Moreouer increasinge in yeeres offendinge by wicked thoughtes woordes and déedes against Mat. 17. the lawe of God we bringe foorth corrupt fruite méete for so corrupte a trée by reasō wherof thorow our owne defaute being subiect to Gods wrath we stande in daunger of iust punishment and should in déede vtterly haue bene reiected of God had not Christ our deliuerer brought reconciled vs to him againe By death therfore we vnderstande not onely bodely death wherof VVhat death is we must also ones fast for our sinnes but also continuall punishment due for our sinne and corruption For the Apostle sayeth We were dead in sinne Ephe. 2. were by nature the childrē of wrath euen as other were but God who is riche in mercy when we were dead through sinne reuiued vs with Christ Likewise Rom. 5. By one man sinne Rom. 5. entred into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men for as much as all men haue sinned We acknowledge therefore that Originall sinne there is in al men Original sinne We confesse that all other sinnes whiche come of it be both in name and in very déede sinnes by what name so euer they be called either mortall sinne or Actuall sinne Mar. 3. veniall or that sinne whiche is named the sinne against the holy Ghost whiche shal neuer be forgeuen We cōfesse also that al sinnes be not equal but some 1. Io. 5. more heynous then other some although they spring out of one foūtaine of corruptiō and incredulitie that accordyng to the Lord his saying it should Mat. 10. 11. be easier for them of the lāde of Zodom in the day of iudgement then for that citie which despiseth the glad tidinges of the Gospell We condemne therfore also those which haue taught contrary doctrine to this Especially Pelagius all Pelagians with the Iouianistes who as the Stoyckes doo make all sinnes alike We thinke in all poinctes touchinge this matter as S. Augustine doth who gathered out of the Scripture and defended by them this doctrine Furthermore we condemne Florinus and Blastus againste whome Ireneus wrote also we condemne those that make God the author of sinne for it is God is not the author of Sinne. plainely writen thou art not the God whiche wouldest iniquitie thou hatest Psalm 5. all them that woorke mischiefe wilt destroy all those that speake lies Againe Ioh. 8. When the Diuell speaketh a lie thē speaketh he of his owne for he is a lier and the Father of lies but in our selues also there is vice inough so that there is no néede that God should powre into vs a newe kinde of wickednesse or more iniquitie Wherfore when God is sayde in the Scripture Obiection to harden to make blinde to geue ouer in a reprobrate sence it is to be vnderstode that God so doth by rightuous iudgement as a iudge and iuste Solut. reuenger To conclude as oft as God in the Scripture is saide to doo or semeth to doo any euell it is not meant that man doth no euell of himselfe but it is signified that God suffereth euill to be done and letteth or hindereth it not by his iuste iudgement although he might haue stayed it if he would or else we may aunswere that God turneth the sinne of man to a good vse as he did the sinnes of Iosephes brethern or els we may say that God ruleth and bridleth sinne least it burst foorth and raunge further then it is méete S. Augustine in his Enchiridion writeth after a wonderfull and vnspeakeable sorte that is not done without Gods will whiche is done notwithstāding contrary to his will
Lorde he shewed theim his Luke xxiiii handes and feete pearsed with nailes and rased with woūdes addyng these woordes beholde my handes and my feete that it is I my self handle me and see for a spirite hath no fleshe and bones as ye see me haue In the self same his flesh we beleue Christe his true ascenciō into heauen that our Lorde Iesus Christe did ascende aboue all heauens that maie be séen into the very highest heauen that is to witte the seate of God and place of the blessed where he sitteth on the right hande of God the father whiche The righte hande of god right hande although it signifie equall glorie and Maiestie with God the father yet it is taken for a certaine place also whereof the Lorde speaketh saiyng that he would go awaie and prepare Ihon. xiiii a place for his Disciples The Apostle Peter also witnesseth that the Actes iii. heauens must containe Christe vntill the tyme that all thynges be restored And he hymself shall come againe frō heauen to the Iudgemét at suche time The cōming of Christ as there shal be in the world most wickednesse and Antichriste true religion being corrupted shall ouerwhelme all with supersticion and impietie cruelly persecutyng the churche embruyng himself with the blood of God his sainctes and consumyng their bodies with fire then then I saie Christ will Actes xvii i. Thes iiii Math. xiii The Resurrection of the dead come to iudge the quicke the dedde to receiue his electe to his mercie and to destroye Antichriste For the dedde shall rise and thei whiche are founde liuyng in that daie shal be chaūged in the twinckelyng of an yie and all the faithfull shal be caried vp into the ayre to meete Christe and so from thence thei shall with him enter into a blessed place where thei shall liue with hym worlde without ende but infidels and impious persones shall descende with the Deuils into helle fire there to bee i. Cor. xv Math. xxv burned for euer and neuer to bee deliuered or released of their tormentes We condemne therefore all which Heresies deny the true resurrection of the body and those who with Ihō of Ierusalem against whom Ierome wrote thinke not a right of glorified bodies Wee condemne those who thought that the deuilles and all wicked men should at the length be saued and haue an ende of their punishementes For without exception the Lorde hath saied Their fire is neuer quenched their worme dooeth neuer dye Moreouer wee condemne Iewishe dreames dreamyng that before the daie of Iudgements there shal bee in the yearth a golden worlde wherein the godlie their wicked enemies beeyng oppressed shall possesse the kyngdomes of the yearth For we are farre otherwise taught in the Gospell Math. xxiiij Luk. xxv and xvij Also in the doctrine of the Apostles ij Thess ij and. ij Timo. iij. iiij chapiters Furthermore our Lorde by The frute of Christe his death and resurrection his death and passion and by all thinges whiche sithens his incarnacion he did and suffered for our sakes hath reconciled our heauenlie father to all Rom. 4. beleuers hath purged by his sacrifice our synne hath vnarmed death broken the strength of condemnacion and Cor. 7. hell hath by his resurreccion from the dedde restored vs to immortall life for Io. 6. 11. he is our rightuousnesse life and resurrection to be short he is the fulnes the perfection and the discharge the healthe and moste aboundant sufficiencie Collos 1. 2. of all the faithfull For the Apostle saieth so it pleased the father that all fulnes should dwell in hym and in hym ye are made perfecte For we teache and beleue that this That Christ is thouly sauiour of the worlde Iesus Christe our onely and eternall Lorde is the sauiour of all mankinde and of all the worlde in whō by faithe so many are saued as were saued before the lawe vnder the lawe and duryng the tyme of the Gospell and all Ioh. 10. that shal bee saued before th ende of the worlde For the Lorde hymself saieth in the Gospell he that entereth not in by the dore into the shepefolde but climeth Ioh. 8. vp an other waie he is a theife a robber I am the doore of the shepe Act. 4. 10. 15. Abraham saw my daie and was glad In like maner Peter the Apostle saith There is saluaciō in none other but in Iesus Christe neither is there emong mē giuen any other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued We beleue therefore that wee shal bee saued by the grace of God euen as our fathers were accordyng to Paule his saiyng All our fathers did eate of the same spirituall meate did al drinke the same spirituall drinke For thei all 1. Cor. 10. dranke of the spirituall rocke that folowed thē and the rocke was Christe Therefore we read that Ihon also writeth Apoc. 15. that Christe was that Lambe whiche was killed frō the beginnyng of the worlde And that Ihō the Baptiste witnessed that Christe is the lābe Ioh. 1. of God whiche taketh awaie the synnes of the worlde Wherefore we opēly professe and Preache that Iesus Christe is the onely redemer and sauiour of the worlde a Kyng and chiefe Prieste the true Messias and he that was looked for I meane that holie blessed one whom al the figures of the lawe and Prophesies of the Prophetes prefigured and promised GOD hath fulfilled his promes and hath sēt hym to vs so that wee oughte not to looke hereafter for any other neither resteth there any more now but that wee giue all glorie to Christe and beleue in him contēting our selues with hym onely despising and reiectyng all other helpes to obtain life euerlasting For they are fallen from grace and make Christ to die in vaine for them Gal. v. whiche seeke saluation in any other thing then in Christe alone Nowe in fewe woordes to speake muche concerning this matter whatsoeuer is decreed by the scriptures of the misterie of our Lorde Iesus Christ his incarnacion and comprehended in the holy sacramētes and concluded in the first iiij moste godly Synodes holden The approued Credes of counsels at Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Calcedon whatsoeuer is conteined in the Crede of that blessed manne Athanasius or in the like we beleue it with a sincere hart we frelie plainly confesse with vnfained lippes cōdemnyng all other opinions contrary to theim Thus wee defende in all poinctes the true and catholike Christian faith knowyng that in the fore named Credes nothyng is contained that is not agreable to the woorde of God or plainlie and truely setteth not forthe the Christian faithe ¶ Of God his lawe Chap. 12. WE teache that in the lawe of The lawe of God declareth his will God is declared to vs his will what he would and what he would not haue vs to doe what is good and
The true keyes bée short ouer bodies and soule Wée simple iudging according to God his worde saie that all ministers lawfully called haue and occupie the keyes when the preache the Gospell that is when thei teache exhorte comfort reproue and kepe in good order the people committed to their charge For in To open or to shutte the kyngdome of God so doyng thei open the kyngdome of heauen to the obedient and shutte it to the disobedient These keyes the lorde promised to his Apostles Math. xvi and performed his promes Ihon. xx Marke xvi Luke xxiiii when he sent his disciples and bid them preache the Gospell and forgeuenes of synnes to all the worlde Paule ij Cor. v. saieth that the Lorde hath geuen to his ministers the office of reconcilyng synners to God What that is immediatly he declareth addyng The worde or doctrine of reconciliation And more plainlie expoundyng his owne woordes enferreth that Christe his ministers dooe the embassage of Christe in his name representyng God his persone exhorting his people to be reconciled to God by faithefull obedience Thei then vse the Reies whē thei exhort The vse of the keyes vs to faithe and repentaunce So thei reconcile to GOD so thei forgiue synnes so thei open the kyngdome of heauen and bryng beleuers in farre Mat. xxiii otherwise then thei of whom the lord spake in the Gospell wo be to you Scribes and Pharisies Hipocrites bicause ye shutte vp the knowledge of heauen before men for ye your selues goe not in neither suffer ye theim that would enter to come in Well therefore and effectuallie doe ministers absolue whē To adsolue thei preache the Gospell of Christ and remission of sinnes for his sake which is promised to all that beleue and are baptised Neither dooe we thinke that the absolucion is therefore of greater vertue because it is whispered in ones eare alone or mūmeled ouer ons hed We thinke notwithstanding that remission of synnes ought diligently to be preached to all men and that euery particuler man ought to bee admonished that it lieth hym vpon to seke for remission of his synne But how circumspecte and diligent penitentes ought to bee in indeuouryng Amendemēte of life to lead a newe life in depressyng the old and sturryng vp the newe mā exāples in the Gospell teache vs The Lorde saied to the man whom he cured of the palsie behold thou art made Ihon. v. whole sinne no more least some wors thing happen to thee To the adultres woman whom he condemned not he said goe thy waies synne no more By Ihon. viii the whiche wordes doubtles he ment not that it was possible for man to be without synne as longe as he liues in the fleshe but he would haue vs watch and to bee verie carefull to indeuoure by all meanes wee can and to praie vnto God that we fall not againe into those synnes from the whiche we are risen as it were and that we be not ouercome with the flesh the worlde and the deuill Zacheus the Publicane being Luke xix receiued into God his fauor crieth in the Gospell Behold half my gooddes I geue to the poore O Lorde and if I haue deceiptfully begiled any mā I restore hym iiij times so muche After Good deedes required in the penitent the same sort therefore we preache that restitucion mercie and almose déedes are necessary to be doen of thē whiche truely repent And generally with the Apostles woordes we exhort all and saie Let not synne reigne in Roma vi your mortall bodies to obeye it in the lustes therof neither geue your members as weapons of vnrightuousnes vnto synne but geue your selues vnto God as thei that are a liue from the dedde and geue your members as weapons of rightuousnes vnto God Wherfore we cōdēne al the impious Heresies words of those the dispise the preaching of the Gospell and saie It is an easie matter to returne to God Christ hath made satisfactiō for all sinne We shal quickly haue pardō for our wickednes what hurt then shal it do vs to sinne We nede not muche to passe for repētance c. Suche impious talke I saie we condēne Howbeit we teache that at al times eche sinner maie haue frée accesse to God who forgiueth the faithful al their iniquities except onely the Marke iii. sinne against the holy ghost Therfore we disalowe the old new Nouatians with the heretikes called Catharie chiflie we condēne the gainfull doctrine of the pope touching penitēce And against his Symonie his symonicall pardanes Popishe pardons we alledge the iudgement of Simon Peter thy money perishe with thee because thou thinkeste that the Actes viii gifte of God maie bee obtained with money thou haste neither part nor felowshippe in this businesse For thine harte is not right in the sight of God We discommende all those who imagin that thei are able to make satisfaccion Satisfactiōs for their synne whiche thei haue committed and that with their owne satisfactions For we teach that Christ onely by his death and passion is the satisfaction for all synne and the pacifier of God his wrathe Yet notwithstandyng as we said before we ceasse not to call vpon menne to subdue the rage of the fleshe Addyng that wee ought not arrogantiie to hurle before God our good deedes as satisfaction for our synnes but rather humblie like the children of God to shewe our good liuyng as a token of newe obedience and thankfulnes for our deliueraunce and full satisfaction purchased by the death of Christe the soonne of God ¶ Of the true Iustifiyng of the faithfull Chap 15 TO Iustifie according to the what it is to iustifie Apostles meanyng in his disputacion of Iustificaciō is to forgiue synnes to absolue from the faulte and punishment also dewe for the same to receiue into fauour and to pronounce iuste for the Apostle to the Romanes writeth It is God that iustifieth who is it that condemneth To iustifie and to condemne are here putte as contraries In Actes xiij he saieth By Christe remission of synne is preached vnto vs and from all thynges from the whiche ye could not by the lawe of God be iustified by hym euery one that beleueth is iustified We also reade in the lawe and in the Prophetes thus If any strief arise betwene menne and thei come vnto Deut. xxv iudgement let the Iudges iudge them but let the rightuous be iustified and we are iustified through Christe the wicked condemned And Esaie v. Wo be to them that iustifie the impious manne for any bribe It is moste certaine that we all are by nature impious synners and before the Iudgemente seate of God conuicted of impietie and giltie of death howbeit we beleue that wee are iustified that is to saie pardoned of our synnes and deliuered from death by God who is our Iudge and that onely for Christe his sake without any respect of
Epistles chiefly to Timothe i. Tim. iiii and Titus But with the saied To forbid mariage is a doctrine of deuils Apostle we compt it a doctrine of Deuils to forbidde or openly to dispraise mariage or to restrain it by some croked or couerte meanes as though it were not holy or cleane Wee deteste Heresies vnchaste single life the secrete or open and manifeste lustes and fornicacion committed by hypocrites faining chastitie when thei are moste lasciuious of all others God will iudge them all We disalowe not riches and riche Ritches men if thei be godlie and vse their riches well but wee mislike the secte of the Apostolicans who would haue all thynges common ¶ Of Magistrates EVery chief Magistrate is ordained of God hym self for Magistrates be ordained of God the peace and tranquilitie of mankynde and to beare the chiefeste rule and degree of honour in the worlde If he bee an enemie to the Churche he maie hinder and trouble it muche But if he be a friende and so a member of the churche he is the profitableste and moste excellente parte thereof whiche maie greatly profitte and beste helpe the Churche His chiefeste office is to prouide for The duetie of a Magistrate and kepe the publike peace and quietnesse Whiche thing he shall neuer do with better successe then when he feareth God in deede and zelously setteth for the his religion imitating the steppes of moste godlie Kynges and Princes that gouerned the Lordes people and aduaunseth the Preachyng of the truthe and sincere faithe rooteth out lies and vntruthes all Supersticion with all impietie and Idolatrie and defendeth God his churche We teach that a godlie Magistrate ought chiefly to care for the furtheraunce of Religion Lette hym therefore with all his might maintaine the worde of God and prouide that no doctrine contrary to it bée taught Let hym also rule the people cōmitted by God to his charge with good lawes agreyng with gods worde and thereby kepe them in good order in doyng their duetie and in obedience Lette hym exercise hym self in iudgyng causes iustly not respectyng persones refusing bribes defendyng widowes fatherlesse children and other afflicted punishyng yea and rootyng out vniuste deceiptfull and cruell persones For he hath not Roma xiii the swearde of God for naught Letts hym therefore drawe his swearde against euill doers sowers of dissencion theues murtherers oppressours blasphemours forswearers of theim selues and againste all those whom God hath commaunded hym to punishe and put to death Lette hym chasten Heretikes also and correcte vncorrigible heretikes whiche be heretikes in deede which cease not to blaspheme the maiestie of God to trouble and destroye his Churche If it bee necessarie to defende warre the sauegarde of his people by warre lette hym goe to warre in the name of Lorde so that firste ▪ he seeke peace by all meanes he maie and can defende his subiectes none otherwise then by battaile While the Magistrate dooeth this of faithe he with the self same workes as good in déede serueth God and is blessed of hym Wee condemne the Anabaptistes who as Heresies thei deny that any Christian cā beare the office of a Magistrate so thei defende that no manne can lawfully be putte to death by a Magistrate or that a Magistrate oughte to wage battaile with any or that thei should require othes of menne and sweare them on a Booke c. For as God will that the sauegard of his people be wrought by his Magistrate Subiectes duetie whom he hath geuen to the worlde to bee as a father euen so all subiectes are charged to acknowledge this benefit of God in the magistrate It is their duetie therefore to honour and reuerence hym as God his minister to loue hym to praie for hym as for their father to obeie all his lawful and iuste commaundementes to bee shorte to paie hym Tribute with all suche like duetie faithefully and willynglie If the conseruacion of the publike wealthe and Iustice so require and the Magistrate bee forced necessarilie to warre let his subiectes be reddie to hassarde their liues and to shed their bloude gladlie valiauntlie and cherfullie in Gods name to saue their Countrie and their chief gouernour For he that resisteth his rewler doeth purchase God his greuous wrathe againste hymself We condemne therfore all despisers of Magistrates Rebelles Dispisers of Magistrats Traitours enemies to the common wealth sedicious knaues to bee shorte all that refuse either openlie or craftely and couertly to do their boūden duetie and allegeaunce to their gouernour We praie God our moste mercifull and heauēlie father to blesse the princes of his people and vs also with all his people through Iesus Christe our onely Lorde and sauior to whom bee praise glorie and thankes worlde without ende So be it A confession Of Faith made by common agreement of suche Frenchemen as desire to liue accordinge to the puritie of the Gospel of our Lorde IESVS CHRIST The Frenchmen that desire to liue accordyng to the puritie of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ to the King WE haue great cause most mightie Prince to geue God thankes that hauing not hitherto had accesse to youre Maiestie whereby we mighte declare what rigour of persecutions we haue suffered and dayly do suffer for desiring to liue according to the puritie of the Gospell and quietnesse of our consciences he hath no vouchsaued to graunt vs this fauour that your grace is willinge to vnderstande of our cause as appeareth by the last proclamation gyuen at Amboise the moneth of Marche the yeare 1559. when it pleased your Maiestie to cause the publicatiō of the same Whiche boldeneth vs at this present to open mouth whiche before by the violence and iniustice of certaine your officers was closed and stopped vp rather of malice to vs ward than good affection or seruice to you ward And to the ende your Maiestie maye be plainelye and fullye informed of the whole cause we most humbly beseche you to read and vnderstand this our Confession of Fayth whiche wee here present vnto you hopinge it to be sufficient defence for vs against all such blames and slaunders as we haue hitherto wrongfully ben charged withall by suche as haue daily sought to condemne vs before our cause were knowen or heard Wherin we proteste there is nothinge repugnant to the worde of God or contrary to that subiection which we owe to your Maiestie For these articles of Faithe set forth at large in our confession tend all to this ende that seeyng God hath sufficiently declared his wille by his Prophettes and Apostles yea by the monthe of his derely beloued soonne our sauiour Iesus Christe wee ought so to honour and reuerence this holie woorde of God that we adde nothyng thereto of our owne but wholie conforme our selues to the rewle prescribed vnto vs therein And for that the Romishe Churche leauyng the vse and custome of the primitiue Church