the eternall wisdome of God sawe not these things before he instituted the cuppe and could not he if it had séemed to him good haue forbidden the lay men the vse of the same But sith the eternall wisedome of God hath giuen the same vnto them let vs content our selues therewith onlesse we would séeme to haue more wisdome than god And may not the priests I pray yée shed the wine as well as the lay men And why then shuld not the same be forbidden vnto them But the Lordes supper is brought into contempt for farre many other causes than when any parte of the Wine falleth by chaunce on the grounde or is shedde vnwillingly For true faithe burning charitie stedfaste hope faithfulnesse mercy iustice and the puritie of those which coÌ„municate are the true ornamentes of the Sacramentes Wherefore what offences or what honor they bring to this Sacrament which daily vse the same to gette their liuing thereby yet in the meane time are drunkardes whoremaisters vncleane persones studying all vngodlynesse liue publikely in their naughtinesse to the great offence of many is nowe by the great mercy of God most manifestly knowne Wherefore I hartely beséeche almighty God to graunte all those the true knowledge of their sinnes wherby they may repent and amend their liues Amen The. xij Common place Of the sacrifice of the Masse The. xlviij Question Whether they doe beleue that the true bodie bloud of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar be a true and an acceptable sacrifice vnto God whiche ought to be offered in the Churche of Christ in the blessed office of the Masse vncessantly for the quick the dead vntyll the comming of Chryst The Answere SIth we haue sufficiently before proued that the true body and bloude of Christ is not in the Sacramente corporally it foloweth of necessitie that the same canne not be offered vp in the Masse by the priestes But yet the Romishe churche teacheth that the bodye and bloude of Christe is corporally and substantially present and in the office of their Masse offered vp to God by the Priestes for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead and therefore oughte to be woorshipped But the form of the Masse dothe not agrée with the institution of the Lordes supper but is encreased by the long continuaunce of time wyth diuers additions rights Ceremonies so as Gregorius the seuenth Pope doth confesse that in his time the Masse was not celebrated in all places of the world after one manner wherefore without all doute the Apostles Peter James and Mathewe did neuer celebrate the Masse vsed in the Churche of Rome but were altogyther ignoraunte thereof Therefore the Churches of the gospell haue by good right putte away and abolished the Romishe Masse and in the stead therof haue rightly and godly ordained the supper of oure Lord Jesus Christe which was godly celebrated in the old Apostolical church without any of the Popes or mannes traditions or additions And therfore to the foresaide question we answer that we do not acknowledge nor receiue the Masse for the institution of God but flée from it as being contrary to oure profession partly for causes already shewed and partly for such causes as héereafter we shall shewe But that we may the better knowe what sacrifices are we will héere vnto adde a few words There are amongst the Christians chéefely two kindes of sacrifices the one propiciatorie for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes and the other of thaÌ„ks geuing in which we exercise our faith serue God geue him thankes bothe wyth wordes and déedes for his benefits bestowed vpon vs In the olde Testament the sacrifice propitiatorie was shadowed and figured by many figures yet was there but one thing which they all did signifie to wit the body and bloud of Christe offered on the crosse Wherefore after that Christ came into the world and remained héere a certaine time that he might offer his body and bloude on the crosse for the remission of sinnes he ordained â—n his supper the Sacrament of the geâ—ing of his body and the shedding of his â—loud calling it the cuppe of the Newe â—estament in his bloud Wherfore this Sacrament ought from hence forth onâ—â— to be in stead of all the Sacraments of the Olde testament which were figures and to witnesse that as Christe by the Sacraments of the Olde testament was promised a sauiour so in the â—ewe testament he is come and hathe â—â—rformed it and so by the sacrifice of his body and bloud hathe taken away for euer all the sinnes of the faythfull Wherefore when our Lord would ofâ—â—r himselfe vppon the crosse and that 〈…〉 houre was come in which he would â—â—liuer vp his spirite so by his deathe â—ll sinne death and hell he cried with â—â—oud voice It is finished As who shuld â—â—y that sacrifice is nowe ended and fulâ—â—lled in which all the figures and proâ—isses of the fathers are accomplished 〈…〉 ne fréely pardoned and eternal righâ—â—ousnesse is obtained vnto euerlasting life And therefore so soone as our Lord was deade and had in this sorte offered vp him selfe a sacrifice to God his heauenly father the vaile of the Temple rente in two péeces greate myracles were séene bothe in the liuing and in the deade yea in heauen and in earthe And thus did the olde Testament the Leuiticall priesthoode and all the other Sacrifices take their ende whereunto they were ordained Therfore nowe resteth but the one only and euerlasting sacrifice of Christ as the chéefest holyest and moste perfecte And suche is the propretie of this Sacrifice that it neither coulde nor yet can be offered of any liuing man bicause not onely for the excellencie and holynesse thereof but also bicause of the imperfection of manne And therefore Christe offered vp him selfe that is to say gaue him self vnto death and so became the one and euerlasting Bishop after the order of Melchisedech as onely Bishop and sacrifice offered to God by him selfe onely Yea this sacrifice which he offered is but one that is to say once offered neither can it any more be offered againe For that hys one sacrifice is hys deathe once made effectuall that it onely and for euer mighte be sufficiente for all ages for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes And bicause Christe hathe suffered for vs dyed was buryed and arose againe from the deade and ascended into Heauen appearing for euer euen vnto the laste daye as one sufficient sacrifice in the sight of God for the full and perfecte redemption of all the Faithfull that is sufficient neither néedeth there any other Sacrifice to be offered in the Churche for the remission of sinnes Wherefore if there be any that wil offer a Sacrifice for his sinnes he dothe manifestly héereby declare that hée dothe not beléeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him by the onely Sacrifice of Christe For if he stedfastly beléeue that they are washed away why then dothe he
1215. And I will not héere tell howe gréeuously the consciences of the godly were by this Romishe and Papisticall confession troubled and howe they learned more euill thereby than good and howe horrible and fylthie factes were in this confession committed and howe the same serued to vpholde the power pryde errours and disceiptes of that vnspirituall spiritualtie as they call them selues But it is no small fortresse or foundation of their kingdome and therefore no maruell thoughe they so earnestly and busely labour to defende and kéepe the same But all these things thanks bée vnto God are made manyfest vnto the whole worlde The. Lj. Question Whether those things which the Priest dothe enioyne vs to do for our sinnes which we haue confessed are not to be done as the punishments and deedes of tepentaunce â–ª and whether this our satisfaction be hurtefull or contrary to the satisfaction of Chryste The Answere NEyther the confession whiche is done to the Priest neither yet the payne or penance which is ioyned for the same haue any authoritie froÌ„ the holy Scrypture but are onely grounded vppon the authorities of a fewe fathers And therfore I answere that the faythfull are not bounde by the word of god to do that penaunce which they call satisfaction neither I say to require or doo them For there is one eternall satisfaction that is to say a price reconciliation redemption from our sinnes to wit the death passion of Chryst by meanes wherof al our sins â—ffences and punishments deserued for the same are clerely forgiuen and wyped away And this is confirmed by Esai 53. the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles and chiefly of Paul to the Romanes the thirde and fifth chapters and 1. Cor. 1. c. If therefore by our workes and penaunce which we suffer that is to say if we attribute to our satisfaction which consisteth in the correctioÌ„ of our body fasting prayer almes other such like workes the remission of our sinnes the punishment due therefore or if wée suppose that by this satisfaction we satisfie and requite all those things for the which we were gilty before God then truely this satisfaction is directly coÌ„trary and striueth agaynst the satisfaction of Chryst. Or else must they say that Paule in the like case reasoned not aright when he sayd For if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then is Chryst dead in vayne For euen after the same maner doo wée also reason saying If wee our selues can make satisfaction for our sinnes what neede then had Chryst to dye Wherfore the Chuche kéepeth still that one eternall satisfaction euen the death of Chryste and héerewith doo all the faythfull content them selues iudging their works not to bée so perfecte or worthy that by them their sinnes should be forgiuen and that God by them should bée satisfyed and eternall lyfe bée purchased Here also is to be noted that the faythful which acknowledge Chrystes death to be their onely satisfaction and redemption and are delyuered by hym doo earnestly and diligently auoyde sinne and willingly suffer whatsoeuer God layeth vpon them and yet not to make any satisfaction therby bycause Chryste already hathe fully satisfied but bycause it pleaseth God so to exercise them and call them from their sinnes shewing howe gréeuously the same offende him and by this meanes exerciseth their fayth and maketh them partakers of the afflictions of Chryst. And therefore when GOD receyued Abraham and Dauid into fauour for Chrystes sake and had forgiuen theyr sinnes yet dyd he exercise them in this lyfe with the mortification of their fleshe Chryste also in the Gospel sayth vnto the man which he healed Behold thou art made whole see thou sinne no more least some worse thing happen vnto thee And therefore wée vse commonly to say to doo the same offence no more is a great punishment but yet the beste punishement And out of thys penaunce and satisfaction whiche standeth by no warrant of the Scripture is farrowed all the Whelpes of Romishe indulgences For after they had layde moste gréeuous penaunces and punyshments vppon the poore Penitentiaries for which they must make satisfaction for their mortall sinnes as by fasting many yeres togither then by their Indulgences they mitigated the same agayne and so by this meanes heaped vy huge heapes of money and so of Gods house they made an house or shoppe of Marchaundise yea rather a very denne of théeues and therefore doubtlesse God will shortly whip them out of his house The thirtenth Common place Of the authoritie or power of Priestes The. Lij Question Whether Priests haue power and authoritie to forgiue or retayne those sinnes for the whiche wee bee sory and confesse our selues The Answere THe power which Christ hathe giuen to the Ministers of the Churche is rather an office than a power for power belongeth to Christ alone And that power or Office which the Ministers or Priests haue receyued is to edifie and not to destroy as Paule manifestly teacheth 2. Cor. 10. And the keyes of the kingdome of god are giuen in déede vnto the Ministers of the church For our Lord promised them to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Math. 16. with these words I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt lose in earth shal be losed in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shal be bound in heauen the same he gaue to all the Disciples John. 20. saying Euen as my father sent me so sende I you who soeuers sinnes you shall remitte they shall be forgiuen and whose sinnes you shall retayne they shall be retayned Therefore to lose is to forgiue sinnes and to binde is not to forgiue or to retayne sinnes But bycause no man can remit or forgiue sinnes but God onely therefore the Ministers of God by his commaundement preaching the Gospel doo declare that god forgiueth their sinnes and remitteth all punishmente if they beléeue in Chryst and that on the other side their sinne remayneth and that they shall bée punyshed for the same if they beléeue not in Chryst and therfore for this cause dothe the Scripture say that the Minister doth bind or lose forgiue or retaine sinnes And as the minister doth truly preach this so doth it vndoutedly come to passe both on the faithfull and vnfaithfull For God being in heauen performeth that which his ministers héere doe promisse on the earthe By this we may easily gather that the keyes are nothing else but the preaching of the gospel and not a peculiare iurisdiction or power as oure aduersaries reache For euen as a maister of some house giueth his keyes vnto his seruaunt to open and shut the house to let men bothe in out So is the church the house of God in the which who so euer abideth is an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen those which through infidelitie are not in the churche haue no portion in the
after their death for them bycause they can not then helpe them But if it chaunce any man to lye at the poynt of death then with the wordes of the Gospell wée sende hym to Chryste to pray for the remission of hys sinnes to truste to the grace and mercie of God and so with full consolation hope for eternall lyfe And this and none other was the doctrine of the primatiue Apostolyke Church like as Paule writeth of the dead 1. Thes. 4. And therfore by Gods grace wée will kéepe the same The. xxxvj Question What they say to the glory of Lazarus and his systers Martha and Marie who prayed vnto Chryste for their brother Lykewise of Eutiches whom Paule raysed from the deade whether this were done without prayers and whether that Saint Peter did not rayse Tabitha to life by prayers The Answere I Suppose that Mary Martha Peter Paule prayed vnto God but yet not as our aduersaries teache vs to pray for the dead that is that God would be merciful to their soules and delyuer them from the fire of purgatorie and receiue them into eternall life but they prayed that vnto the glory of god they might be restored to this life And do they thinke that Lazarus Eutiches and Tabitha were in the fire of purgatorie and after their death suffered prayers I suppose they dare not affirme it And therfore they bring vs such examples as serue not their purpose but are onely to blere the eyes of the simple But if they say they were in Purgatory then I pray you howe proue they the same But some of them affirme say If Lazarus were in hell then could he not be deliuered for in hell there is no redemption but if he were in heauen then had he wrong to be brought agayne to this earth of miserie And héere therfore they conclude that there muste néedes bée a thirde or midle place To these I answer first that hereby they haue not proued this midle place to be purgatorie but that it may be as wel some other place only knoweÌ„ vnto god Secondly I say that their whole argument is false vaine Lazarus as the scripture there techeth was Christes frende and therfore his soulo was receiued into the bosome of Abraham after his death like as we may sée in the other Lazarus of whome Luke speketh ca. â—6 Neither had he any iniury offred him when his soule to the setting forth of Gods glory was agayne coupled to his body for all creatures doo of right and dutie serue their creator The Lord said vnto the these hanging on the crosse This day shalt thou be with me in paradise yet the. 3. day he rose agayn dyd not thereby suffer any wrong c. Truely I thinke that if these men which are called the Spiritualtie were compelled tobestow so much money for the dead vpon the laypeople as they for thys matter doo receyue of them their fire of Purgatorie woulde not burns so hotte and their prayers would come downe to a lower pryce But if thys doctrine of Purgatorie bée so necessarie howe commeth it then to passe I beséeche you that the Caste Churches in Grecia dydde neuer receyue it nor knowe of it vntill the tyme of Eugenius the fourth at whiche tyme very shortely after Constantinople was taken by the Turke The. xxxvij Question What they say to this place of the Machabees It is therefore an holy and holesome thoughte to pray for the dead that they may bee delyuered from their sinnes The Answere SAint Hierome Ciprian and Gelasius shall vnto this place aunswere for vs that this secoÌ„d boke of Machabées is read in the Church but hath not like authority with other canonical scriptures of the Bible to take authoritie thence as froÌ„ other scriptures in the controuersies of religion Therfore bycause in al the bookes of the olde new testament there is not one word spokeÌ„ of the sacrifices for the dead we leaue this place as we found it as not béeing able to proue any thing Agayne all the actes of holy meÌ„ are not to be folowed neither are they acceptable to god Geâ—eon for a good inteÌ„t made an Ephod in â—phra which yet had bin better if it had not bin done In the. 14. Chapter of the historie of the Machabées Raazias is praised for killing himself that he might not al into the hands of his enimies yet his act as the whole scripture techeth 〈◊〉 the best of the fathers do iudge deserueth neither prayse nor is thought wel of for euery man touching death ought to abide till God doo call And as touching this Booke I could say more but this is sufficient The ninthe Common place Of Sacramentes The. xxxviij Question How many Sacraments there be also whether those be effectuall signes of Gods grace by the which we receiue the same The Answere THe Romish church hath seuen Sacraments of al the which we do account but two to bée true Sacramentes of Chrystes church and that is Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord and vnto these we attribute so muche as the holie Scripture willeth vs And as touching these two Confirmation Extreme vnction or anoynting as they be now vsed in the church of Rome we do not acknowledge them for any Sacraments of Chryste neither suppose wée that they haue their original from gods word The other thrée that is penance Imposition of hands or Orders Matrimonie although we recken theÌ„ not amongst the Sacramentes of Chrystes church as we do baptisme the supper of the Lorde yet we acknowledge them to be profitable necessarie institutions of God and very holsome for the faythfull if they vse them in such sort and to the end for which they were ordeined and as the Saincts haue vsed them in times paste Neither doo wée allowe or thinke wel of al those things which the church of Rome doth vse in these thrée but we allow that only which is agreable with the worde of god But where we allow baptisme the Lords supper onely for true Sacraments I haue else where more largely taughte shewing that it onely belongeth to God and not to man to institute or ordeine Sacraments the signes of Gods verity and grace but also howe the promisses of God are in the Sacramentes and outwarde signes of his benefites Touching the efficacie and vertue of the Sacraments we answere that all those things which God hath ordeined haue power and vertue to bring to passe and performe al that for the which they were ordeined of God and so haue the Sacraments their power to whome therfore we ought not to attribute any other thing than that the Scriptures do attribute vnto them and for which causes they were ordeined Wherefore if we finde the Sacraments ineffectuall vnto vs that is not to be attributed to them as though the institution of God were of no sorce but it is to be attributed vnto meÌ„ which vse them
holy spirite whereas notwithstanding he accuseth them of gréeuous erroures and vices and exhorteth them to repentaunce and amendment of theyr liues Whereby it is euident that euen these most excellent churches of the Apostles haue erred But there is an other Obiection brought againste vs oute of the ballades of Salomon and out of the fifth Chapiter of S. Paules Epistle to the Ephesians where it is sayde that the church is beautiful and without spot or wrinkle which place S. Augustine interpreteth saying that this puritie and holinesse is begon in this life but in the life to come vvhen through deathe vve shall putte of this fleshe it shall be fully perfited so as vve shal haue neither spot nor blemishe but be moste perfectly pure Héereunto we adde the woordes of Christe who moste plainly expoundeth this matter in the Gospell saying He that is vvashed needeth not saue to vvash his fete but is cleane euery vvhit And againe he sayeth Euery braunche vvhich bringeth forth frute my father purgeth that it may bring forthe more frute Novve are you cleane throughe the vvorde vvhich I haue spoken vnto you He doeth not onely say that the Churche is pure but altogither pure yea that it may bring foorthe frute and yet neuerthelesse he speaketh of the washing of the féete and of the purging which his father shall doe Wherby we may easily gather and perceiue that the churche is cleane throughe the grace of God in Christ Iesu and yet by hir owne nature and through the manifold infirmities of the flesh which shée retaineth euen vntill this temporall deathe shée hathe néede to be washed and purged Wherfore shée daily prayeth Forgeue vs oure trespasses as vvee forgiue them that trespasse againste vs. And S. Iohn the Apostle sayth If vvee say vvee haue no sinne vvee deceiue oure selues and there is no truthe in vs â— Iohn â— wherefore being deliuered from this miserable fleshe we are made perfectly pure in the life to come and frée from al blemishe But so long as the Sainctes liue heere on this earthe clothed with theyr flesh they are subiecte to many infirmities And therfore héereby it appeareth that by this reason the Churche bothe may and dothe erre although it cannot be moued bicause shée is grounded vpon the true rocke and so long as shée heareth and foloweth the voice of her true pastor shée erreth not The fifth Question By what markes or tokens may the church of Christ be knowen The Answere CHefely the Churche of God may be known by the pure worde of God perfect faith charity innoceÌ„cy newnesse of life the coÌ„tinual calling vpoÌ„ god in al her necessities For Christe plainly sayeth He that is of God heareth gods vvord And againe My shepe heare my voice but the voice of a straunger vvill they not heare but vvill flee from it And againe In this shall all men knovve that you bee my Disciples if you loue one an other And S. Paule The sure fouÌ„dation of God abideth hauing thys token God knovveth vvho are his and lette euery one vvhiche calleth on the name of Christe departe from euyll And againe Euery one vvhich calleth on the name of the Lorde shal be saued And to this ende also appertayne the blessed Sacramentes whome Christe hathe ordeyned as outwarde signes of his churche and therfore oughte moste reuerently to be receiued of vs as they haue bene by the Sainctes before in true faithe as may appeare Matth. 28. Mar. 16. Luk. 24. Act. 2. 8. 10. c. 1. Cor. 10. 11. But bicause many godly men which are the true and liuely members of Christ do ofteÌ„times want the sacraments not throughe contempte but by reason of necessitie being yet neuerthelesse knitte vnto Christe and his members by true faithe spirite loue and newnesse of life exercising themselues in all Godly studies I haue placed the firste order of signes as moste chéefe and necessarye whereby the Churche may be knowen yet not omitting these godly signes or Sacraments But nowe the Prelates of Rome thynke and say that the true and lawefull signe of Christes Churche is the orderly succession of Bishoppes in the Churche wyth theyr spirituall gouernement And bicause the Churche of Rome hathe suche succession therefore they say that it is the true and primitiue Churche and that they haue the true gouernemente of the same so that who soeuer is oute of that gouernment is out of the true Churche They call succession a contynued order wherein one Byshoppe hathe succéeded in the place of an other and hathe gouerned the Church euen from Sainct Peter the Apostles time vnto this Pope called Paule the fourthe But they greatly erre whiche thynke that any thing may be proued by succession whylest they leaue oute thaâ— â–ª which is of moste force therein That is that if like as they haue succéeded in the place of Peter and the other Godly Bishoppes which thyng we graunte them they haue also succéeded them in the spirite of Christe in Doctrine in faithe grauitie godlinesse humilitie and pacience Wherefore sithe they wante thys poynte being the chéefest as all menne knowe and finde by experyence so as it neadeth no further proofe theyr vaunte of succession is nothing els but an idle sounde to bleare the eyes of those which are simpie Saincte Paule the Apostle sayeth thus Bee yee folovvers of mee euen as I folovve Christe Whereby appeareth that Succession taketh his force and effecte onely in Christe wythoute whome it neyther proueth or auaâ—â—eth any thing Wherefore euen in theyr owne Canons it is thus wrytten Distâ—n 40. It is not an easie matter to stande in the place of Peter and Paule and to occupie the seate of those vvhiche raigne vvith Christe Bicause it is sayde they are not the children of holy menne vvhiche occupie the place of holy men but they vvhiche exercise the vvoorkes of them VVee therefore vvhich gouerne oughte to be knovvne not by the Noblenesse of birthe or of the place but by the excellencie of oure manners not by the famousnesse of Cities but by the puritie of Faithe The seat maketh not a priest but a priest maketh the seate the place sanctifieth not a man but the man the place Euery priest is not holy but euery one vvhich is holy is a prieste Hee that occupieth the seate vvell receiueth honoure of the same But he that vseth it euil dothe vvrong vnto the seate By these woordes it is manifestly taughte that the chaire or seate wherin holy Bishoppes haue sette or succession is nothing woorthe excepte he be also holy which succéedeth in the place of holy menne imitating the steppes of those which were before him but if he be wicked he then receyueth no honoure of the seate but dishonoureth the same Wherefore these Prelates may nowe consider what honoure they receiue by their succession whiche dayly to the ende they may bring vs into contempte they obiecte agaynste vs The highe Priests and Prelates who in the time of Christe
like as it foloweth not that the body of the sunne bicause it is not alone but hathe light and heate therfore shineth not only with hys lighte but also with hys heat so likewise it foloweth not which our aduersaries affirme Faythe is not alone but ioyned with charitie therfore fayth onely iustifieth not before God but charitie also But touching iustification I shall by Gods helpe hereafter speake more at large The. xx Question Whether men be iustified before God by faith only in chryst or by good workes also The Answere FIrst we will shew what it is to be iustified before God and that is to bée purged from sinne deliuered from the punishement thereof and to bée had and receyued into the number of the sonnes of God and heires of eternall lyfe yea and that before the iudgement seate of God before the which all men are accused and condemned as giltie And that we shall euery one of vs before the iudgement seate of God be conuicted and founde gyltie of sinne and eternall damnation Paule in the thirde to the Romanes dothe playnely teache And agayne that iustification is the taking away and remission of our sinnes the same aptly also teacheth Acts. 13. Wherfore the remission of the sinne and the punishement or damnation is called of him iustificatioÌ„ Rom. 5. And that to be iustified and adopted in the number of the sonnes and heires of God is all one wée may gather by that Paule saythe VVe are iustified by fayth and Sainct John sayth But as many as beleeued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God. Secondely wée muste séeke the cause why God forgiueth our sinnes delyuereth vs from damnation and adopteth vs into hys sonnes and heyres Truely the proper cause hereof is hys mercy and grace by the which he gaue vnto vs his onely sonne to take our nature vpon him and to suffer death and shedde his bloud for our sakes to the ende that béeing deliuered from our sinnes eternall death and damnation frée from all accusations we might be absolued before the iudgement seate of God yea and that béeing made righteous by Chryst for his righteousnesse is made ours we might be made heires of eternall life Wherefore it is onely the grace of God the bloud and death of Chryst and his innocencie and righteousnesse for whose sake we are not condemned but are adopted into his sonnes and heires and are made partakers of eternall life Of this doctrine there are diuers proofes in Paul Rom. 3. 4. and. 5. 2. Corinth 5. Ephesi 1. Coloss. 1. and. 2. Tim. 2. c. Furthermore we must note by what meanes the grace of God in Chryste redemption righteousnesse and eternall lyfe is imputed vnto vs and on the other side howe wée receiue it and by what meanes they bée made ours so that Chryste in vs and we in him doo lyue All the good giftes of God are imputed vnto vs by the holy Ghoste as the holy Scripture testifieth almoste euery where and chiefly our Lorde him selfe saythe It is the spirit which quickeneth c. And wée receiue all these things by fayth yea by fayth only and by none other thing And therefore it may very well bee sayde that a man is iustified by saythe onely For Chryste him selfe in the thirde of John teacheth vs that wée muste bée saued euen after the same manner as the Israelites were healed of the deadely stinging of the Serpentes For as they coulde by none other meanes attayne vnto healthe than by the beholding of the Brasen Serpent hanged vp in the myddest of their Campe so wée can by none other meanes bée delyuered from euerlasting deathe and damnation and bée preserued in eternall lyfe than by the beholding of Chryste Crucifyed And thys beholding of Jesus Chryste is fayth yea fayth onely For as no Woorkes no Prayers Fastings Almes Sacrifices or any thing else whatsoeuer coulde helpe the stynging of the Serpente but onely the beholdyng of the Brasen Serpente so is there nothing that can saue vs but Faythe onely Wherefore Chryst in the sixthe Chapter of Sainct John saythe Veryly veryly I say vnto you excepte you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you haue no lyfe in you And to eate the Lorde hym selfe interpreteth it to beléeue But if there bee anye that desire to knowe more testimonies by the whiche our Justification in Chryste by Faythe onely is proued then let him reade the thirde and fourthe Chapters of S. Paule to the Romanes and also the Epistle to the Galathians where the Apostle in the second Chapter writeth thus Nowe lyue I no longer but Chryste lyueth in mee And the lyfe whiche I nowe lyue in the fleshe I lyue by the faythe of the sonne of god c. Wherefore when wée say that Fayth only in Chryst iustifieth we attribute not Justification to Faythe as in respecte that it is any woorke of oures for Faythe also is the frée gyfte of GOD but bycause that Faythe onely beholdeth or regardeth the grace of God in Chryst and trusteth only herein in none other thing And the grace of God in Chryste iustifieth as wée haue sayde before Therefore when wée stryue and contende aboute thys question Faythe onely iustifieth wée striue for Chrystes cause and the glory of GOD that this iustification may bée attributed to none other than Chryste to the ende wée may haue one onely true ryghteousnesse Laste of all wée muste shewe why not onely wée doo not attribute iustification to woorkes but also wherefore wée suffer not parte thereof to bée attributed to Woorkes and parte to Faythe but saye playnely that wée are iustified onely by Faythe and not by Woorkes Firste for that God wyll in no wyse haue vs to glorye and truste in our selues but in hym alone Like as it is manyfestly taught Rom. 3. 1. Corinth 1. lerem 9. Those therefore whiche impute their righteousnesse to Woorks they trust in them but those whiche beléeue in Chryste by whome throughe grace their sinnes are forgiuen and obtayne saluation they truste not in them selues but in the grace of God alone Secondely all good Woorkes are wrought of good men Wherefore it is of necessitie that the trée bee made good before she bring foorthe good fruite and therefore the frute maketh not the trée good but is rather the signe of a good trâ—e so it followeth that Woorkes dâ—â— not iustfie bycause they are â—oone of those which before were made righteouse throughe grace Wherefore all men may easily knowe that the righteouse doo not good Woorks to the ende they mighte thereby bee ryghteouse but rather bycause they are righteouse so that nowe those whiche withoute woorks were firste iustified by grace bring afterwarde foorthe good workes euen as the good trée beareth good frute Thirdly the works euen of the faithfull by reason of the infirmitie of mans nature which remayneth with vs yea vnto death are neuer so pure and perfect that they durst ascribe
of the righteous and punishment of the vngodly which rewarde is not referred to the deseruing of oure woorkes but to the free mercie of God and therefore when the faithful doe any thing for the which God giueth them a rewarde they receiue not the same as of duetie but as giuen them fréely by grace And thys same dothe the Scripture manyfestly teache for Paule saythe The revvarde of sinne is deathe but eternall life is the gifte of God throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde Wherefore it is manifest that oure sinne deserueth deathe but oure righteousnesse deserueth not eternall life For it is the frée gift of God which Christe hathe deserued for vs and is therefore freely giuen vnto vs Wherefore the Apostle sayth For I counte not the afflictioÌ„s of this present time vvorthy of that glory vvhich shall be shevved on vs in the life to come Yet neuerlesse these men go about to persuade with all men that we deserue so great things by our owne woorkes and so wilfully sette them selues againste the faithfull Doctrine of our Lorde who saythe So you likevvise vvhen you haue done all that you can yet say that you are vnprofitable seruauntes vvee haue done that vve oughte to haue done And againste this saying of Augustine God revvardeth his ovvne giftes and not thy merites Againe If thou vvilt be an abiecte from grace then bragge of thy merites The. xxiii Question Whether that Marie Magdalenes sinnes were not forgiuen for the earnest loues sake which she bare vnto Christe The Answere IF that sinnefull Maries sinnes were forgiueÌ„ hir for the loue which shée bore to Christ then shée recompenced thys hir forgiuenesse and therefore it was not the frée gift of God neither wer hir sinnes remitted by grace But the Gospell teacheth that shée had remission of hir sinnes without any desert For the Lorde sayth There vvas a certaine man vvhich had tvvo detters and vvhen they vvere not able to paie him he forgaue bothe of them the dets Wherfore if hir det were forgiuen and pardoned then did shée not purchase or deserue it by hir loue Furthermore the wordes of the gospel plainly teache that Maries loue sprang from the forgiuenesse of hir sinnes and not the forgiuenesse of hir sinnes from hir loue for so is it written Of these tvvo therefore that is to say of the two detters which were pardoned tell me vvhiche vvill loue him most Simon answered saying I thinke him to vvhome moste vvas forgiuen And he said to him thou hast iudged right And therefore he afterwarde telleth with what great loue Marie embraced him and that bicause he had forgiuen hir many sinnes Yet notwithstaÌ„ding these men dare manifestly affirme the contrary to wit that â—ure Lord forgaue hir hir sinnes that for hir loues sake But yet they obiect that Christ sayd Many sinnes are forgiuen hir for shee loued much To that I answere that it is all one as if he should haue sayd many sinnes are forgiueÌ„ hir â–ª and therfore shée loueth much And that this is the true meaning of our Lordes words the things which go before and the things which folow after do manifestly teache For euen immediatly after these words he saith To vvhome a little is remitted he loueth a little Then knitteth he vp his words thus Thy fins are forgiuen thee Thy faith hath saued thee go in peace Sée therfore what saued hir first the free grace of our Lord by which hir sinnes were forgiuen secondly faith by the which shee receyued the mercy or grace of god and committed hir selfe wholely to him And héere hence it came that shée obtained quietnesse and faithfully loued him The. xxiiij Question Whether Christe did not reiect those which beleued in him and cast out deuils in his name and did not good workes and whether he will not call all those to eternall life which haue done good works whether he will not condemne al those at the last day which are workers of iniquitie The Answere IT hath bin euer known that the faith to woorke miracles is distincted from the faith in christ Wherfore it followeth not that bicause the faithe to woorke miracles saueth not those which doe them therfore true faithe in Christe saueth not Like as it foloweth not as we haue said before The deuil beléeueth and yet is not saued therfore faith saueth not For there is one faithe of the deuels an other of the faithfull wherby they trust in the grace and promisse of god Furthermore Christ shal iudge in the laste day after the manner of men for they iudge of things manifest and known and so also shall Christ do But bicause faith is the gift of God spirituall and inuisible yet notwithstanding sheweth it selfe by workes so that therby is made manifest who are faithful and who not therfore the Lord iudgeth according to works But let vs heare the sentence of the iudge Come saith he you blessed of my father possesse the inheritance or kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world And in whom are we blessed but only in christ Gal. 3. Wherfore if the kingdome come by inheritance theÌ„ is it of grace Furthermore if it be prepared before the foundations of the worlde then was it prepared before we were borne or could doe good woorks Of this matter Paule speaketh more Ephesi 1. Thus much haue we spoken of faith and good woorkes which we do not condemne or despise as our aduersaries do falsly accuse vs but this is it we onely séeke that we wold not haue that to be attributed to good woorks which only is due vnto christ For otherwise we exhort all meÌ„ to the doing of good woorks and that not such as we faine or deuise of oure selues but suche as God hathe commaunded to be done throughe true faithe and not to make marchandise of them Yea we testifie vnto all those churches which we teach that they are greatly reproued and coÌ„demned if they brag of faithe and declare not the samâ— by good woorkes The sixth Common place Of Intercession Inuocation and woorshippyng of Sainctes which now liue in heauen The. xxv Question Whether they doe not beleeue that Christe and his members that is to say the Angelles and Sainctes which liue in heauen doe pray vnto God for the vniuersal church of Christ The Answere IT is bothe faithfully manifestly taughte in the gospell the wrytings of the Apostles that Christ doth pray for his vniuersall churche and for all faithfull and is their only intercessor aduocate and mediator to God his heauenly father For Christe himselfe in the Gospell saythe Verely verely I say vnto you vvhat so euer you shall aske of my father in my name he vvill giue it you Hitherto you haue not asked any thing in my name novve aske and you shall receiue it And again Come vnto me all you that doe laboure and are heauy loden and I vvill refreshe you These woordes therfore of Christe
Prophetes and Apostles he hathe altogither and that very earnestly forbidden Images yea moste greeuously threatning all those which either make them or woorshippe them Wherefore that which God abhorreth calleth euil and cursseth we can not call the same good Wherfore if any man desire to sée any testimonies héereof let him reade the twentieth of Exodus Deuteronomie the fifth fourthe and seuenth and twentie seuen Psalme an hundred and thirtiâ—ne Esay fortie and fortie foure Jeremie tenth Rom. first first Corrin tenth first Peter fourth and first John the fifth c. And where as some of them say they woorshippe not the Image but him whome it signifieth that is but a single souled reason for neither God nor his Sainctes wil be so worshipped Againe Images are not like vnto God nor to the Sainctes For God is a spirite that can not be measured without beginning and without ending of most â—reate power and Maiestie and canne â—herefore be expressed by no Image as the holy scripture doth euideÌ„tly teach vs Actes 17. and in diuers other places Againe the Angels which are spirites howe can there be made any image of them The Sainctes while they heere liued on the earth had bothe a body and a soule that is consumed and this remaines in heauen howe therefore can they be expressed by any image The image of their bodyes can nothing at all helpe vs to eternall life and therefore althoughe we had them they could nothing helpe vs Againe that which is chéefest in the Sainctes as the grace of God faithe and suche like giftes can neuer be expressed vnto vs by any colour woode or stone To conclude God the Angels and Sainctes are in heauen indowed with a more excellent glorye than that they may be expressed or represented by any images which images the holy Prophetes of God haue scorned and derided as Esay 44. and Baruch 6. But if they say that images muste be made to teache and instructe only then doe we knowe that we haue receiued a more perfecte and excellenter way héereunto from God which is his holy spirite and woorde And bicause neither in the Apostles times nor in the primitiue Churche there was any vse at all of images we cannot then truely call them good sithe they are so condemned as we haue saide of God and his Sainctes Touching Relikes we haue spoken in the Question before going and therfore contented therwith we will speake no more therof The. xxxiij Question Whether they like well of the halowing of water herbes and other things vsed in the Christian Churche The Answere THe primytiue Apostolicke churche was altogether ignorant of these consecrations and blessings of water fire salt butter oyle palm herbs wafers and suche like And therfore bicause they are abuses and méere inuentions of men they can in no wise please vs For we beleeue that Christe hathe blessed all those creatures whereof the faithfull haue neede so as if they vse them moderately in faithe wyth giuing of thankes they cannot be hurtfull but pure and good vnto them as Paul witnesseth ◠〈◊〉 4. and Tit. â— But to beleeue trust that these halowed things whereof we haue spoken can defende and keepe vs from euill is meere superstitious condemned of God and reproued of all Gods faithfull ministers The eight Common place Of purgatorie and prayer for the deade The. xxxiiij Question Whether they beleeue that the soules of those which are dead be tormented in the fire of Purgatorie who not perfecting their repentance nor being thorowly purified haue departed out of this life The Answere AL that depart out of this life either depart in the true faithe or else without the same and of both these hath our Lord pronounced sentence in these woordes For God sent not his son into the vvorld to condemne the vvorld but that it might be saued throughe him He therefore vvhich beleeueth in him is not iudged but he that beleeueth not is iudged alreadie bicause he beleeueth not in the name of the only begotten son of God. But our aduersaries Obiecte that a faithfull man may die who yet notwithstaÌ„ding he be faithful yet is not thorowly purged bicause he hathe not performed his penance such one say they cannot be saued bicause he is yet vnpure neyther can he be dampned bycause he is a faithfull And therfore it necessarily foloweth that ther is a midle place betwéen these prepared of god in the which such are thorowly purged and wyth theyr paines repay that wanted in penance And this place they cal Purgatorie bicause as they say the soules are purged there But in this kinde of Doctrine which hathe no authoritie at all in the Scriptures we finde faulte with diuers things For firste Christe teacheth that the faithfull are made all pure in hym althoughe there remaine some parte of infirmitie in them whereof they haue néede to be clensed for he manifestly saithe He that is vvashed hath no nede saue to vvashe his feete for he is cleane altogether John. 13. and. 15. And S. Paul teacheth the same Romanes 7. and. 8. where he sheweth that many things are yet wanting in the faithfull which are not imputed vnto them bicause of their faith in Christe And therfore in the articles of our faith we coÌ„fesse that we belèeue the remission of sinnes the resurrectioÌ„ of the body the life euerlasting And as we beleue so shal it be vnto vs we beléeue our sinnes are forgiuen vs and therfore they are so Furthermore when we say sinnes we doo not onely meane the faulte but also the punishemente due for the same Wherefore when the sinnes for the whiche we are punished are forgiuen vs howe then I pray you are we vncleane Or if sin be quite â—akeÌ„ away why then should they suffer as though they were not remitted Wherefore if they had true fayth in Chryst then shall they liue for euer but if they beléeued not then are they damned And this dothe our fayth teach vs whiche is confirmed Esai 53. and John. 3. 5. 6. and. â— Chapters Secondly we blame in their doctrine that they ascribe perfecte puritie to perfecte repentaunce whiche puritie is onely had by the death bloud merites of christ For if puritie were had by our merites then is Christ dead in vayne But Chryst is not dead in vayne therefore puritie commeth onely by the grace of God throughe faythe in the deathe of Chryst. Actes 1â— Gala. 7. and. 1. John. 1. But howe féeble an argument that is which they say that the soules requite with their punishmentes in the fire of Purgatorie which before they wanted to perfecte repentaunce wée haue héeretofore shewed when wée entreated of Faythe and Workes prouing then those things which we both do and suffer not to bée worthy of that ioye wherof in the life to come we are made partakers by Chryste Thirdly wée blame in their doctrine of Purgatorie that they attribute not puritie to the bloude of Chryste
séeke a newe Sacrifice to be offered And therfore it followeth that the holy church euen to the ende of the worlde doth acknowledge none other sacrifice propitiatorie for sinnes but the deathe and passion of Christe alone And that which of this only sacrifice of Christe I haue hither vnto spoken is most truely and manifestly confirmed by the euideÌ„t testimony of holy scripture as Leui. 16. Zach. 3. Hebr. 5. 7. 8. 9. and 10. chapters But to returne to the Lords supper it is not in that respecte that we do minister it a propitiatorie Sacrifice that by the doing and celebrating of it we should be deliuered from sinne For the deathe and sacrifice of Christe vpon the crosse if we haue faithe hathe deliuered and purged vs from oure sinnes Neyther is Christe in his supper crucified againe or his body offered in the same againe for why no Priest is able to offer it but there is onely celebrated a remembraunce of his Sacrifice once perfected and that not by the Priest alone but by the whole churche For so our sauioure Christ commaunded saying Doc this in the remembraunce of me wherefore S. Augustine very agreeable with the holy scripture wryteth againste the Manachees saying That before the comming of Christe the Sacrifice of his body and bloud vvas promised by the figured sacrifices of the olde Testamente but by his comming and passion it is finished and that after his ascention the remembrance thereof is celebrated Wherefore the opinion of those which say that the body and bloud of Christe is offered in the Masse for the quicke and the deade vnto the ende of the worlde can in no wise be confirmed by any testimonies of holy Scripture And to passe ouer that the deade haue already receiued their iudgement as it is already saide in the thirtie foure and thirtie fiue Questions they besides can not any more be made partakers of the Lords supper for the Lord saith Take and eate which thing the deade can not doe But in that they say the priest eateth for the deade they doe it contrary to the commaundemente of Christe To conclude the supper of the Lorde is onely the remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ once finished and not the sacrifice it selfe and that done only by those which héere doe liue The sacrifice of praise and thanks giuing comprehendeth first the praise and thankes which they offer to God by a pure faith for all his benefites bestowed on them And bicause in the Lordes Supper we chéefely make a remembrance of Christes death and our redemption therfore praise God and geue thankes vnto him the fathers haue called the same supper a sacrifice and we also doe willingly acknowledge that this sacrameÌ„t in this sorte is an acceptable Sacrifice vnto God and yet not bicause the priest offereth the body and bloud or prayers for to merite or gaine thereby but bicause the whole congregation in theyr prayers offer vnto God praise thanks geuing for the benefite of Christes sacrifice which once offered vp him selfe vppon the crosse Many things in déede are spoken of this Sacrifice in the holy scriptures as in the Psalmes the Prophets the Epistles of Paul and chéefely in the thirtienth chapter to the Hebrewes Yea also of the Fathers as Ireneus and Tertullian vppon the woordes of Malachie in his firste Chapter c. Furthermore the studie to obey the commaundemente of God to the encrease of oure faithe and the prouoking of others vnto good the forgeuing of offences and mutuall loue yea the studie of righteousnesse and holinesse the offering of oure bodies and soules is an acceptable sacrifice vnto god Like as the Psalmes Prophetes Euangelists and Apostles doe eche where exhortâ— vs and chéefely in the twelfthe chapter to the Romaines And we thincke it more necessary and profitable that men be wel instructed touching this Sacrifice and that these things shoulde be taughte them than to force them to beléeue the sacrifice of the Masse by the marchaundise whereof those which call them selues spirituall doe rather encrease enlarge their owne riches than the glorye of Christ and the saluation of the faithful Therefore lette euery good man well consider with him self the doctrine concerning the sacrifices of the Christians whereof we haue hither vnto spoken and leaning neither the one way nor the other let them dueâ—y coÌ„sider which is best for their saluation The. xiij Common place Of repentaunce and Confession The. xlix Question Whether they beleue that ther be three partes of repentaunce to witte contrition confession and satisfaction The Answere THere are many things wrytten in the Holye scripture of repentance and the amendemente of life bothe in the New and Old testament For the doctrine of repentaunce is very necessarie and profitable for all Chrystians And this worde Repentaunce séemeth to come of this worde repayring as when torne broken or things rente are renued and repaired The Hebrues call repentaunce returning or conuerting to god But he which is returned to God ought first necessarily to know and vnderstande how he fell from him and to knowe what God is howe wée fall from him and howe wée oughte to turne to him agayne So that he which must repente ought to know his owne naughtinesse and wickednesse and also by what meanes the same may bée amended whiche is broken or spoyled And these things can in no wyse be don of any wretched sinner onlesse they be drawen herevnto and therin instructed by the spirite and worde of God which they must also most stedfastly beléeue For these things are so necessarily required that onlesse GOD by grace through his spirite open and drawe the heart of the sinner and by his worde shewe vs the perfect way gouerne and kéepe vs in the same giue vs true faith wherby to quicken and iustifie vs that onlesse I say he giue vs these al repentaunce howe harde or gréenous soeuer it séeme is no true repentaunce Let Judas bée an example héereof who repenting for hys sinnes confessed the same to the Priestes in the Temple saying I haue betrayed the innocente bloud Yea and he in this part made satisfactioÌ„ that he threw the vnrighteous price of bloud into the teÌ„ple But what did this repeÌ„tance profite him although it had in it contrition confession and satisfaction they holpe him nothing at all and bicause he lacked true fayth he dispaired and hong him selfe On the other side the Lorde looking backe vpon Peter and the Cocke crowing he remembred the words of the Lord and beléeuing them departed from the wicked company wept for his sinnes and amended his faults and this his repentance was a true and perfecte repentaunce And Jeremie the Prophet confirmeth this doctrine who in his 31. chapter prayeth to the Lorde saying Conuert mee O Lorde and I shall bee conuerted for thou arte the Lorde my God and after thou haste conuerted me I shall repent and after thou haste shewed thy selfe vnto me I wyll strike my selfe