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
flesh that is corporallie eaten profiteth nothing It is the spirit that quickeneth and the wordes whiche I speake vnto you are spirite and life Now as wée muste in eatyng swallowe doune the meate into our stomackes that it may inwardlie worke shewe his strength in vs wheras beyng put without our bodies it doeth vs no good Euen so is it necessarie that we receiue Christ by faithe that he maie be made ours and he liue in vs and wee in hym For he saieth I am the breade of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleueth in me shall neuer thirste And againe he that shall eate me he shall also liue through me and abide in me and I in hym By this it is manifeste that we vnderstande not by spiritual meate I knowe not what maner of imagined meate but the self The receiuing of christ his bodie same bodie of the Lorde whiche was crucified for vs whiche notwithstandyng is receiued of the faithefull not bodilie but spiritually by faithe And in this matter wée followe in all pointes the doctrine of our sauiour Iesus Christ whiche he taught This eating Ihon. vi what eating of Christe is necessarie to saluation of the fleshe and drinkyng of the bloud of the Lorde is so necessarie to saluacion that without it no manne can be saued Wée maie also eate and drinke A spirituall eatynge of Christ with out the Samentes spirituallie the bodie and bloode of Christe although wee receiue not the supper of the Lorde as ofte as wée beleue in Christe To this ende parhaps belongeth that saiyng of Augustine Note Aug. Why preparest thou thy tethe bealie Beleue and thou haste eaten Beside the former spirituall eating A sacramentall eatinge of Christe there is also a Sacramental eating of the Lordes bodie whereby the faythfull is not onelye spiritually and inwardly made partaker of the true bodie and bloode of the Lorde but outwardly also by comming to the Lords table receaueth the visible Sacramēt of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde When the faithful beleued he receaceaued quicknyng nourishmēt before whiche he still enioyeth therefore when nowe he receaueth the Sacrament he receaueth therwith muche norishment to his soule For he continueth in continuall receauinge of the Lorde his bodie bloud In so much Faithfull receauers receaue not the sacramentes onelye but Christ also that his faith is more and more kindled increased and with spirituall fode refreshed For while we liue fayth continually increaseth in vs. And he that outwardlie receaueth the Sacramentes with a true faith euen he receiueth not the signe onely but enioyeth the thynge it self also ment by the Sacramēt as we haue declared Furthermore he obeieth the Lorde his institucion and commaundemente and with a cherefull harte giueth thankes for his and all mankindes redēption remembryng faithefullie the Lordes death and witnessyng the same before the churche of whose bodie he is a mēber It is confirmed or sealed also to theim that receiue the Sacramentes that the bodie of Christ was betraied and his bloud shedde not onely generally for men but also particulerly for euery faithfull receiuer whose meate Note and drinke it is to life euerlastyng But he that without faithe cometh to the holie Table of the Lorde receiueth Vnfaithfull receauers receaue but the bare signes the Sacramente onely and not the thyng mente by the Sacramente whereby commeth life and saluacion and suche eate vnworthely of the lorde his table Now thei that eate vnworthely Vnworthie receauers of the Lordes breade and drinke of his Cuppe vnworthely are giltie of the bodie and bloude of the Lorde eatyng and drinkyng their owne damnacion For when thei come not with a true faithe thei doe slaūder and like vilaines despise the death of Christe and therefore eate and drincke their owne damnacion Wherefore wée dooe not so knitte Christe his presence in his Supper and ioigne together the Lords his bodie and blood with the bread and wine that we affirme the bread to be the bodie of Christe but after a Sacramentall maner Neither saie wee that the bodie of Christe lieth hidden corporally Heresies vnder the breade or that it oughte vnder the forme of breade to bee worshipped or that who soeuer receiueth the signe he also receiueth the thyng it self The bodie of Christ is in heauen on the right hande of his father Wee must therefore lifte vp our hartes and not fire set our mindes on the bread Neither ought wee to worshippe the Lorde in the breade and yet the Lords is not absent from his churche when it celebrateth his supper The soonne beyng absente from vs and runnyng Note this similitude his race in the firmament is notwithstandyng present emong vs by his vertue How muche more Christe the soonne of rightuousnesse beyng absent from vs touchyng his bodie whiche is in heauen is present with vs not bodily but spirituallie by his liuely working in vs And as he hath declared that he would be presente with vs in his laste supper Ihon. xiiij xv xvj Whereby it foloweth that we haue no supper with out Christe yet that we haue a misticall Supper without bloudshed euen as our aunciēt fathers haue termed it We are also admonished in the celebracion Other endes of the Lords Supper of the Lordes supper to bee mindfull of whose bodie we are made mēbers in cōsideracion thereof to agree with all our brethren to liue an holie life and not to defile our selues with wickednesse and straunge religions but to continue in true faithe to the ende of our life to indeuer to excel in holinesse of liuyng It is mete therfore A preparyng of our selues before we come to receauinge of the lords supper that mindyng to come to the supper we first trie our selues accordyng to the Apostles commaūdement chiefly of what faithe we are whether wée beleue that Christ is come to saue sinners and to call them to repentaunce and whether eche man beleue that he is one of that nomber who beyng deliuered by Christe is saued throughe him and whether he haue determined to amende his synfull life and to liue godlie to continue by Gods helpe in true Religion in concorde with their The beste kinde of celebrating christ his Supper brethren and to giue God hartie thākes for their deliueraunce c. Wee iudge that to be the plainest and beste maner or waie of celebratyng the lord his Supper whiche cometh nereste to Christ his institucion and the doctrine of the Apostles that is to witte which consisteth in declaryng or preachyng God his woorde in Godlie praiers in imitatyng Christe his doynges in eatyng the bodie and drinkyng the blood of the Lorde also in the fruictfull remembraunce of his death in saithfull The supper of the Lorde should be celebrated in both kindes thankes giuyng ioinyng them selues in Godlie felowship to the vnitie of the bodie of the Churche Wee disalowe
instructed to serue God to labour in his vocation to fulfill his duetie so that muche profite may ensue to all except any mā beyng blinded with the darke miste of superstition idolatrie disdayne to reade the truthe whome iustly we maye accuse of wilfull ignorance or els beinge wedded to his lewde phantasie cōdemneth before he readeth who declareth him self to be of a malitious frowardenesse stubbernlie bente against Christe and his woorde God if it be thy will conuert all such from theyr sinfull waies God giue them the spirite of wisdome to consider that it is harde for them to kicke againste the pricke God soften their stonie hartes least the preachyng of thy Gospell be to them Odor mortis in mortem a sauour of death vnto death and eternall damnation God indue vs all with his heauenly grace not onely to heare and reade this vnfallible truth but to beleue it also that beleuing it we may openly professe it and openly professing it may cōstantly continue therein constantly continuynge therein may leade our liues accordingly to the profite of our countrie the edifiynge of thy Churche the defacinge of Hippocrisie the rootinge vp of iniquitie the establishinge of thy woorde the aduaunsinge of thine honour and our soules Saluatiō Graūt this O mercifull Father for thy déere sonne Iesus Christ his sake to whome with thée and the holy Ghost be praise and glorie for euer and euer Amen q I. O. FINIS To the moste renoumed Prince Lewes of Borbon Prince of Condey c. and other famous and noble Dukes Marqueses Erles Barons Lordes of the Nobilitie that embrace the true Gospell of Christe in the realme of Fraunce Theodorus Beza Vezelius a minister of the Church of Geneua wisheth grace and peace from God the Father and our Lorde Iesus Christe I Present vnto thée most renoumed Prince and to the VVhat is true nobilitie residue of you that are made noble by the true knowledge of Christe through the mercie of our most mercifull and heauenly Father the bookes of the newe Testament which were translated into Latine by me a fewe yeares by passed are now againe perused by me with as great fidelitie and diligence as I could possible and set foorth with certaine briefe summaries of the doctrine therein cōprehēded a present vnto the Churches of God of whome you are the tutors fosters and norishinge Fathers by the The noble are the norishers of the church decrée of the moste Christian Kinge would to God so profitable as I truste vnto you it shal be pleasant and acceptable For why should not I promise my self this of you who haue so stoutely and constantly declared before the whole worlde that you are not ashamed of the Gospell of Christe and to whome I woulde knowe rather then to you whiche doo not onely approue allowe the doctrine here taught but set it at libertie and restore it shoulde I dedicate these my poore trauayles But what néede we these trauayles shal some say Beholde therfore I will recite the reasons more at large that haue moued me hereunto Those men are altogether intollerable and in no case to be suffered who for the desire of Nouelty doo cōdemne Antiquitie may not be Antiquitie like as also those are woorthie great reproche whiche can finde condemned onely for desire of Noueltie taste in nothinge but in that whiche is olde and auncient For I praye you were they not al once new which now are olde auncient And this can not be denied of any that will confesse the truth without contention that euermore in all worlde 's there were some Errours are olde that either of ignorance or of set purpose did darken and obscure the manifest truth of God And also this is euidēt though God did neuer so seuerely punishe the infidelitie of the worlde that he did leaue his Churche vtterly destitute of the true knowledge of his woorde yet that there was not alwaies the like measure of knowledge no not in those things the are the chiefe pointes of our Religion So that some most false and daūgerous errours are very auncient in so muche that Paule him selfe of olde time did write vnto the Thessalonians sayinge Nowe the misterie of iniquitie is already in workinge And Iohn saide that euen then were many Antichristes in the world Antichriste is olde Howbeit no man can easely finde sure and certaine remedies for these euels The wante of the woorde is the cause of all errour and diseases saue onely that knoweth the right and true causes of them the whiche causes in déede are many but they flowe all as it were foorth of one fountaine that is because that men turne from the woorde of God frō the woorde I saye that is conteined in the bookes of the Prophets the Apostles vnto theyr owne dreames and inuentions For that light beyng once taken away the whiche who so doth not sée to be the onely and singuler light seeth nothinge at all what can folow but that like blinde men they shoulde grope in darkenesse Neither are they in any wise to be hearde that are of a contrarie opinion For what say they doo not the Heretikes pretende the woorde of God therefore stande we néede of some one rule whereby the false interpretations of the woorde whiche sometime is ambiguous and doubtful maye be discerned from the true But What rule will serue what rule shall this be One sorte doo here obtrude vnto vs that their most vaine name of Catholike or Vniuersall whiche at all times Catholike and in euery place and with all men hath bene receiued Of whome if thou goe further to aske the question what is so Catholike there of necessitie they muste sticke faste in the myre when the demaūde is made of the most parte of the matters that are in cōtrouersie Another sorte set before them selfes the Councels olde Canons to whom Councelles and Canōs they geue glorious titles as though thereby the concorde of the Churche might be recouered but all in vayne for I doo thinke that no man is now so ignorant but that he doth know that many Synodes and Councels I doo speake of them that are not openly cōdemned haue decreed euen in thinges concerning doctrine not onely darkely but also vnlearnedly Wherfore oftentimes the Prouincials haue bene corrected by the Generall and yet the Prouinciall hath sometimes iudged more vprightly then the General And that the truth was so euery one maye easely perceiue that can compare Gāgrensis Gangrensis Synode taught more purely of the Sacramentes c. Counsell with many that they call generall I passe ouer that thinge whiche the very History of those times doth moste manifestly proue that in those which we may call the best times if they be compared with the latter there was partly such ambition of the Bishops partly suche a vaine babling ignorance and of many of them suche an open and desperate malice that verie
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
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
the olde Testament to bee youth should be instructed in godlines verie diligent in instructyng a right their children euen from their infancie and gaue expresse cōmaundmente in his lawe to teache them and to expounde vnto theim the misteries of his Sacraments Seeyng then it is euidente by the doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles that God hath no lesse care for the youthe of his people with whom he lefte his newe Testamente when he openly witnesseth saiyng Suffer little children to come Mar. x. vnto me for to suche belongeth the kyngdome of heauen doubtlesse those ministers of churches doe moste wisely whiche betyme diligently instructe the youthe laiyng in theim the firste foundacions of faithe and faithefully teachyng the first principles of our religion expoundyng to them Gods cōmaundementes the Crede and the Lorde his praier the vse of his Sacramentes with suche other like firste instructions and chief poinctes of our religion Lette the congregacion shewe theim selues faithfull and diligent in bryngyng their children to be taught desiryng reioysyng that their youth maie be well instructed For as muche as menne are neuer more greuously tempted then whē thei be weake and sicke sore broken with diseases of the Visiting of the sicke mynde and bodie the Pastours of the Church doubtles ought at no time to be more watchfull and carefull to saue his flocke then in suche sickenesse and infirmities Let theim therefore visite the sicke betymes and let the diseased sende for theim without delaye if the cause so require Let the ministers cōforte The ministers duene and confirme theim in the true faithe arme them againste the pernicious suggestiōs of Sathan let theim say praiers in the sicke mannes house and if nede require let theim praie for his recouery bothe of bodie and soule in the Churche also And let theim do their indeuour that he maie depart out of this worlde in blessed state The Popishe visityng of the sicke Popishe visiting the sicke with their extreme vnction or ennoylyng we saied before that we allowed not because it containes many foolishe and odious thynges not approued by the Canonicall scripture ¶ Of buriyng the faithfull and care whiche men ought to take for the dedde of Purgatorie and thapperyng of spirites Cha. 26. THe scripture commaundeth to burie honestly and without Burying cōmaunded in scripture supersticion the bodies of the faithfull as the temples of the holie ghoste whiche we beleue shall rise again in the latter daie Also to make mencion after a comelie forte of theim who died Godlie in the what care we shoulde take for the dedde Lorde and to be ready to helpe and releue those whom thei haue left behind theim as widdowes and fatherlesse children We teach men to take none other care then this for theim that bee dedde Wée therefore muche disalowe the heretikes called Cynici who despised dedde bodies or very negligentlie Heretikes and contemptuously hurle theim into the yearth neuer speakyng so muche as a good woorde of them nor caryng any thyng at all for those whom they left behinde thē Now on thother side wee like not those that are to muche and to ouerthwertly seruicable to the dead howlīg like Ethnikes for their friendes departed saiyng or hearyng Masse for their soules and mummelyng for pence certaine praiers to deliuer them by this their deuocion from tormentes wherewith thei suppose that thei are after their death tormented yet so that by their lamentable sōges and Diriges thei are released of their paines Hobeit moderate mournyng whiche the Apostle j. Thes iiij Moderate mornynge is cōmendable graunteth we discommende not iudgyng it an vnnaturall parte to be nothyng greued in suche a case Wée beleue that the faithfull goe straight too Christe after their bodily death and therefore neede not the Suffrages or whether mē◠soules go after their departure praiers of the liuyng Wée beleue also that Infidelles are without delaye caste doune hedlonge into helle from whence no seruice of the liuyng is able to deliuer them The doctrine whiche some teache concernyng the fire of Purgatorie is Purgatorie contrary to our Christian faithe I beleue the forgeuenes of sinnes and the life euerlastyng and contrary to our cleane purgyng from all our iniquities by Christe Neither agreeth Purgatorie with these saiynges of the lord Christ Verely verely I saie vnto you Iohn v. he that heareth my woorde and beleueth in hym that sent me hath euerlastyng life and shall not be condemned but hath passed from death to life Againe Ihon. xiij He that is wasshed needeth not saue to wasshe his feete but is cleane euery whitte and ye are cleane Moreouer as touchyng their doctrine The appearig of spirits is disceate of the deuyll of spirittes or dedde mennes soules some tymes apperyng to thē that liue and desiryng them to dooe somewhat wherby thei maie be deliuered we esteme suche visions or sightes as mockynges craftes and disceiptes of the deuil Who as he can trāsfigure hym self into an Angell of lighte so is he busie to ouerthrowe and bryng in doubte the true faithe The Lorde forbadde in the olde Testamente to aske counsaille of the dedde or to haue any Deut. xviii thyng to doe with spirites It was denied to the riche glutton who laie tormented in hell fire as Christe the aucthour of all truthe in the Gospell declareth that Lazarus should retourne to his brethren God by the mouthe of Abrahā pronoūcyng and saiyng thei haue Moses and the Prophettes let them heare them if thei hear not Moses Luc. xvi and the Prophettes neither will thei bee perswaded though one rise againe from the dedde ¶ Of rites ceremonies and indifferent thinges Chap. 27. CEremonies were in tyme why ceremonies were geuen paste deliuered to the people in the olde Lawe as a certaine scolynge to them who were kepte vnder the lawe as it were vnder a scholemaister and tutor But when Christ came our deliuerer and had taken awaye the ceremoniall Ceremonies remoued by Christ lawe we that beleue are no more vnder the lawe nor yet boūde to obserue those ceremonies which at our Messiascōming vanished away which the Apostles were so farre from kepynge Ceremonies not kepte of the Apostles or renewynge in Christe his churche that they openlye affirmed that they would laie no suche yoke nor burthen vpō the churches necke Wherfore we might séme to bryng in or restore Iudaisme if in the Churche of Christ we Increase of Ceremonies to Iudaisme should heape vp ceremonies vpon Ceremonies after the maner of the olde churche Wherfore we bée not of their mindes who thought it good that Christ his churche should be kepte vnder as with a certain scoling with many and sundrie rites For if thapostles would not burthen Christian people with ceremonies why multitude of Ceremonies is not allowed which were firste ordained and apointed by God hymselfe who I praye you being well in his wittes woulde violently thruste
18. 19. 2. Cor. 12. 7 as the hollest though thei resiste are not vnspotted of infirmities and faultes while thei liue in this worlde 12. We beleue that from this corrupcion and generail condemnacion in whiche all menne are plunged a Exod. 9. 16. Rom. 9. 22. God draweth out those whom in his euerlastyng and vnchaungeable counsaile he hath chosen through his onely goodnesse and mercie in our Lorde Iesus Christe without consideracion of their workes leauyng b Rom. 3. 2. 9. 23. 2. Tim. 2. 20 Tite 3. 5. 7. Ephe. 1. 4. 2. Tim. 1. 9. the reste in the self same corrupcion and condemnacion to shewe his iustice in them as he causeth the richesse of his mercie to shine in the firste For the one are no better then the other till GOD hath discerned them accordyng to his vnchangeble counsaile whiche he hath determined in Iesus Christe before the creacion of the worlde Neither is any able of his owne proper vertue to obtaine this goodnesse c Ier. 10. 23 Ephe. 1. 45 seyng that naturally we can not haue so muche as one good mocion affection or thoughte till God preuente vs and dispose vs therevnto 13. Wee beleue that in the same Iesus Christe all that is requisite to our saluacion hath been offered and communicate vnto vs a 1. Cor. 1. 30. Ephe. 1. 6. 7 Col. 1. 13. 14 Tite 2. 14. who beyng geuen to vs for our saluacion became to vs immediatlie wisedome rightuousnesse sanctificacion and redemption so that declinyng from hym wee forsake the mercies of the Father whiche ought to be our onely refuge 14. We beleue that Iesus Christe beyng the wisedome of God a Iohn 1. 14. Philip. 2. 6. and his eternall soonne hath taken our fleshe on him to the ende that beyng GOD and manne in one persone b Heb. 1 17. 2. Cor. 5. 21 yea man like to vs of bodie and soule subiect to passions sauyng that he is cleane from all spotte c Act. 13. 13. Rom. 1. a. 8. 3. 9. 5. ii Cor. 5. 21. Phil. 2. 7. Heb. 2. 14. 15. 5. a. And as concernyng his manhod that he was the true séede of Abraham and Dauid d Mat. 1. 18. Luke 1. 35. though he were conceiued by the secrete power of the holie Ghoste Wherein wee deteste all those heresies that of old time troubled the Churches and namely also the Deuillishe imaginacions of Seruet who altributeth to our sauiour Christe a phantasticall God hedde in that he termeth it to be the idea and patron of all thinges and nameth him the personall or figuratiue Soonne of God and finallie forgeth hym a bodie of three vncreate Elementes and so mingleth and destroieth bothe the natures 15. We beleue a Math. 1. Luke 1. Ihon. 1. 14. i. Tim. 2. 5. and. 3 16. Hebre. 5. 8. that in one onely persone that is Iesus Christe the twoo natures are truely and vndiuidedlie conioigned and knitte and eche nature neuerthelesse remainyng in his distincte propertie So that as in this coniunction the diuine nature retaining his propertie remaineth vncreat infinite and filling all things b Luc. 24. 38. 39. Rom. 1. 4. Philip. 2. so the humaine nature remaineth finite hauyng forme measure and propertie yea and though Iesus Christe in risyng againe haue made his bodie immortal yet toke he not away the truth of his nature And thus we so consider of his Godhedde that wee spoile hym not of his manhod 16. We a Iohn 3. 16 15. 13. beleue that God in sendyng his soonne mynded to shewe his loue and inestimable goodnesse towardes vs in deliuerynge hym to death and raisyng him again to fulfill all iustice and to obtaine vs euerlastyng life 17. We beleue a 2. Cor. 5. 19. Heb. 5. 7. 8. 9. 9. that by the onely Sacrifice that our Lorde Iesus offered on the crosse we are recōciled with God b 1. Pet. 2. 24. 25. to be holden and reputed iuste before hym for that wée can not please hym or be partakers of his adoption but in that he forgeueth burieth our faultes c Heb. 9. 14 Ephe. 5. 26. 1. Pet. 1. 18 19. So we proteste that Iesus Christ is our whole and perfecte wasshyng that in his death we haue full satisfaccion to discharge vs of those faultes and iniquities wherein wee offend send and that wee are deliuered by none other meane 18. We beleue a Psal 32. 1. Iohn 17. 23. Rom. 4. 7. 8 8. a. b. c 2. Cor. 5. 19 that all our iustice is grounded in the forgeuenesse of our synnes whiche is also our onelie felicitie as Dauid saieth b 1. Tim. 2. 5 1. Ioh. 2. 1. 2 Rom. 5. 19. Act. 4. 12. Wherfore we reiect all other meanes of iustificacion before God and without presumyng on any vertues or desertes we simply hold on the obedience of Iesus Christ whiche standeth vs in stede as well to couer all our faultes as to finde fauour before God And in effect we beleue that straiyng neuer so little from this grounde wee can finde t is where no reste but are continually moued with vnquietnesse for that we are neuer in quiet with God till we be fully resolued to be beloued in Iesus Christ séeyng wee bee worthie to bee hated of our selues 19. We beleue a Ro. 5. a. b. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 45. 6. 7. Ephe. 2. 13. 14. 15. that by this meane wee haue libertie and priuilege to cal vpon God with full assuraunce that he will shewe hym self to bee our Father For wee could haue none accesse to the Father if wée were not directed by this mediatour And to bee exalted in his name it behoueth vs to hold our liues of hym as of our hedde 20. We beleue a Rom. 1. d. Gal. 2. d. Iohn 3. 15. that we are made partakers of this rightuousnesse by faithe onelie as it is saied that he suffred to obtain our saluacion that who soeuer beleueth in hym should not perishe b Mat. 17. Iohn 3. 16 17. 10. 20 21. And that this is dooen for that the promises of life which are geuē to vs in hym are made fitte for our vse wée feele the effecte thereof when wee accepte theim not doubtyng that beyng assured by the mouthe of God we shal not bee frustrate thereof c Rom. 1. 17 3. 24. 25. 28. 30. 4. a. b. c. Gal. 2. d. So that righteousnesse whiche we obtaine by faithe dependeth on the free promises by whiche God declareth and testifieth that he loueth vs. 21. We beleue a Ephe. 2. 8. 1. Thes 2. 5. 1. Cor. 2. 12. 2. Pet. 1. 3 4 1. c. that we are illumined in the faithe by the secrete grace of the holie ghoste so that it is a frée and particuler gifte whiche God bestoweth vpon suche as seemeth to hym good in suche wise as the faithfull haue not wherein to glorie beyng doubly beholden in that thei were