he hold the catholike faythe whych fayth except euery one doth kepe holly and vndefyled wyth out doubt he shall peryshe euerlastyngly Nother dothe Christes churche of the gospellers cleaue supersticiously frowardly vnto the wordes neclecting the holy sense ryght meaning and therfore it ioyfully receaueth all declaracions and conferences of faith called in our coÌ„mon speche Credes whether they be set furthe by the holy fathers or true faithful counsailes though in mo and more copious wordes yet nothyng varieng in sentences nor conteynyng any contrarye mater Therfore we receaue and reuerence the Crede of Nice of Athanasius and the seconde set furth Crede called Symbolum Constantinopolitanum and all other good definitions of faythe agreing to those same And so we reproue and reiecte al heresies and holde accursed al heretikes condemned by the holy scripture eyther in the Counsailes or out of the couÌ„sailes And so we coÌ„demne Symon Magus wyth al Symonye Basilides Valentinus Marcion Braxeas Artemon Montanus Nouatus Sabellius Appollinaris Arius Eunomius Macedonius Manicheus Nestorius Eutyches Priscillianus Donatus Pelagius Heluidius the Monothelites and all other of the lyke leuen So that the churche of gospellers is not a congregacion of heretikes nor a swarme of schismatikes as the Papistes and settaries do wyckedly and falsly lye vpoÌ„ vs but a true christian and catholike churche of Iesus Christ The .x. Chapter THe very cyuile lawe it self doth also recken vs among the catholikes For the Emperours Gratianus Valentinianus and Theodotius wrytyng to the people of CoÌ„stantinopole geue them thys decreed commauÌ„dement We wil that al people whom our imperial clemencie hathe the gouernement of lyue in that religion whych S Petre the apostle set furthe to the Romanes as the religioÌ„ that he him self maketh mencion of beareth recorde euen vnto thys daye the whych it is euident that bishop Damasus Petre bishop of Alexandria a man of apostolike holynesse did also folowe That is to saye that we should according to the apostles discipline doctrine of the Gospel beleue one Godhead of the father and the sonne and the holy gost vnder like Maiestie and holy Trinitie Those that folowe this lawe we commaunde to take vpon them and embrace the name of christian catholikes and the rest as witles and madde folkes we iudge to beare the infamye of hereticall learnyng c. If any man be ignoraunt what was the faythe that the holy fathers Damasus and Peter B. of Alexandria professed let hym learne of the ecclesiastical histories They varied not one tote from the apostolike and Nicene Crede Therfore seing we beleue them wyth all our hartes we are purged cleane from the slauÌ„der of heresie which our aduersaries goo about wickedly to discredite and blemyshe vs withall But I knowe well inough they wyl charge vs that we doo not only not receaue the tradiciones of the apostles but also contemne them and vtterlyreiecte them and that therfore it is but lost labour for vs to pretende an vncorrupte souÌ„de faythe specially forsomuche as the imperfectioÌ„ of the doctrine of the apostolike scripture is most fully perfyted by vnwrytten tradicion by worde of mouthe for that cause the vnwrytten tradicions to be of equal authoritie wyth the apostolyke holy scriptures And seyng we reiecte the tradicioÌ„s it foloweth that our doctrine and faith is not perfyte Now in asmuche as our aduersaris the Papistes make these the toppe and roote of al theyr maters as they them selues reporte in theyr open decrees and bokes we wyl talke a lytel as sortenesse of tyme shall suffre of the traditions of Apostles Fathers I fynde thys worde Tradicion many tymes in the holy Apostles wrytynges Tradicions For wher the historie of the gospel was not wrytten from the begynnyng of any man the Apostles of Christ as they sawe wyth theyr eyes and hearde with theyr eares and receaued out of Christes owne mouthe so dyd they declare in dede the wordes and dedes of Christ to the congregacions by tradicion or lyuely worde of mouthe but yet not without scripture For loke what they learned preached of Christ they confirmed thesame by the scriptures of goddes lawe of the Psalmes and of the prophetes And at lenght whan God sawe tyme he admonished hys Apostles by the holy Goost that they should enrolle that lynely tradicion partly in to wryltyng them selues and partly shoulde cause other to wryte vp the rest For so the Euangelist Luke reporteth that he wyth al diligent forsyght and sure searche of all thynges before hande wrote a moste certayne true historie as they instructed hym whych froÌ„ the begynnyng had sene with theyr eyes and part of them also hade ben ministers of the thynges theÌ„selues which they spake of Suche a wytour was Marke also As for Mathewe Iohn the Apostles they were both seers and hearers them selues Nowe for asmuche as the churche of Christ hathe these scriptures at thys daye it can not be chosen but it hath also the full fayth doctryne or tradicion of the Apostles For the Apostles in theyr writinges left out nothyng that they beleued necessarie and that semed to appertayne to the makyng vp of the doctrine fully perfite I am not alone nor the furst that auouche thys For ther were that haue spoken the same before me Ireneus and Papias very auncient olde doctours of the churche For Ireneus in the fyrst Chapiter of hys 3. doke Contra Valentinianos sayeth we knewe not how our saluacion was bestowed vnto vs by any other men than those by whome the gospel came vnto vs whyche they at that time preached vnto vs and after ward by the wyl of God they delyuered vnto vs in scripture that is in wrytyng to be the foundacion piller of our fayth Nother can we safely say what they preached before they had parfyte knowledge And Papias in Eusebius Caesariensis sayeth Eccl. histoâ—â—i 3. Ca â—lt Marke whan he was Petres interpretour dyd diligently put in writyng what so euer he kept in memorie as necessitie required For thys one thyng he thought vpon that he would leaue out nothyng that he had hearde The Apostles therfore wrote al that was necessarie vnto the saluacion of al faythful beleuers As Iohn the Apostle reporteth in the ende of hys gospel most manyfestly the he hath done 〈…〉 21. Iesus dyd many other thynges sayeth he whych are not written in this boke But these are wrytten that ye may beleue and lyue Thys scripture therfore is sufficient to informe our faythe fully and to attayne euerlastyng lyfe Therfore we are certainly assured that we haue the declaracion or tradicion which the apostles taught concernyng the saluacion of faythful beleuers sufficiently and fully comprehended in the scriptures Touchyng thys tradicion the apostle Paule making mencion in the furst to the Corinthianes sayth 1. Cor 11. that he deliuered the vnto them whych he receaued of the lorde Nother speaketh he in the wordes by and by folowing any thyng but
beleue they were true or to acknowlage that the faultes wherof they spitefulli slauÌ„dre vs were in vs in dede The scripture also by the euaÌ„gelistes and apostles commaundeth and bindeth vs to defende the truthe to refute lyes to beare recorde vnto the truthe and to acquyte the faythfull christianes in theyr innocencye and ryght But what can a man doo in so furyons a rageing rable of aduersaryes and Iniuryous entreatyng of men Or how shold a man begynne to defende the churche seyng such a sorte of cruell and maddebrayned enemies obiecte so many and so haynous crymes agaynst vs and dyng on as it were wyth quartre strokes on euery syde Whan S. Paule the preacher of the Gentyles and moste chosen vessell of Chryst was accused him selfe of the Iewes in a singular good cause euen the cause of the gospel furst before Antonius Felix and eftesones before Portius Festus lieutenauntes of Iewrye of many maters and was more than ouerlayde wyth the power eloquence autoritie and reputacion of hys aduersaries could obteyne nother place nor space to answere vnto euery point throughly he thought he should defende hym selfe and hys cause wel ynough yf he myght shewe by some euident most playne homely shorte reasons that he neuer taught contrarye to the scriptures nor agaynst the hope of Israel but that he was iniuriously enuyed pressed of hys enemyes for constantlye preachyng and defendyng of the hope of the Resurrection whych the Israelites holde And now folowyng his moste godly and singular good exaÌ„ple and vsyng the helpe ordre and almoste the very wordes of a certayn notable profouÌ„de learned Pastour who hath done the same in latine in defence and purgation of the christen gospellike flocke churche committed to hys spiritual charge seyng I am barred out of place and tyme as an abiecte out of my natural countrey so that I can not possibly answere to all theyr odious obiections in ordre one by one singularly by them selues I shal yet by the helpe of God do myn endeauour to declare and set before all mennes eyes by the waye of translation rather myne owne edicion that whyche is moste chief and generall mater in thys cause wyth the moste cleare and playne argumentes that I can that is to wete that the Churche of Englande refourmed and gouerned vnder Kyng Edwarde the .vi. was no heretical schismatical nor sedicious Church and that all other Churches embraceyng the Gospel in assemblable wyse are no heretical nor schismatical Churches but the vndenyable churche of Iesus Christ bothe true faythfull and catholike Wherfore I beseche you ryght honourable lordes ryght worshipfull gentilmen and the rest of my charytable chrysten countreymen for the loue and loyaltye the you bare and owed to your most christen and moste louyng souerayne liege lorde and maister Kyng Edwarde the .vi. reade or heare thys simple shorte treatyse paciently and gentlye inasmuche as I shal do my diligence as euidentlye and in as fewe wordes as I possibly can to speake not of all thynges that myght be alleged in thys behalfe but suche reasons onely as chiefly and principally concerne thys present cause The fyrst Chaptre FYrst where Christ our Lorde sayeth â—he Gosâ—llerschur â—e receaâ—eth the â—ole Scriâ—tuâ—e my shepe heare my voyce the churche of Christe whyche to be knowne from the churche of Papistes is called the gospellers church as the churche of Englande in Kyng Edwardes tyme was dothe acknowlege and receaue the Canonical bokes bothe of the olde TestameÌ„t and newe as those that were proclaymed and spoken out of Boddes owne mouthe Ther is none of them that it denyeth or refuseth but receaueth and reteyneth theÌ„ al holly and perfytly Nother doth it capciously reason about the receauyng of those bokes who hath receaued them or who hath refused them nor whether is of greater force the autorite of the churche receauyng the scriptures or of the scriptures them selues receaued For albeit we read that S. Austen wrote thus Non crederem EuaÌ„ gelio nisi ecclesiae catholicae autoritas me coÌ„moue ret I wold geue no credeÌ„ce sayth he vnto the gospell if the autorytye of the catholike churche dyd not inoue me yet Berson the chauncellour of Parise Gerson a ryght excellent famous man in hys tyme dothe in hys seconde boke De vita spirituali like a discrete profouÌ„de learned clerke saye S. Austen in that place taketh the churche for the primityue congregacion of those faythful christeÌ„ men that harde and sawe Christ were his recorde bearours For whan ther crepte out dyuerse soÌ„dry Bospelles in the churche while the apostles disciples of Christ were yet lyuing they that hade sene Christ him selfe hade harde hys apostles could testifye whych were ryght and true and whych were not Ireneus also in the .xi. chapter of his .3 boke Contra haereses sheweth by many manyfest proues that ther ought to be but only 4. gospelles and yet he maketh no mencion of the churche that ther ought to be but only 4. gospelles bycause the churche hathe receaued no moo but only 4. but bycause the Lord hath so appointed For ther was neuer man that in any Conuocacion or Synode assembled al for that purpose from the begynnyng coÌ„firmed the Canonical bokes of the scriptures or decreed which were canonical which were not but the thurche as it receaued them of the writours autours the holy Prophetes and Apestles theÌ„ selues eueÌ„ so dyd it delyuer them as it were by hande vnto her posteritie It was late ere it begoÌ„ne to be decreed in counsailes vpon canonical and not canonical bokes of scripture not that ther was no diuersitye of them before that tyme or that the bokes of holy scripture had none autoritye before that tyme as they hade and must haue dyuine autoritye in dede although ther hade neuer ben counsayl holden but that the holy men of God were disposed to shewe their iudgemeÌ„t also agaynst suche as bare to vnfrenly a minde agaynst the canonical bokes of scripture And we confesse al that the churche is buylded and set vpon the foundacion of the Prophetes and apostles so if the doctrine of the apostles and prophetes be the foundaceon of the churche thaÌ„ it foloweth of necessytye that the autoritye of the doctrine must nedes be of greater force and importaunce than the autoritie of the churche We therfore in Englande dyd receaue as the Gospellers church elles where doth stil receaue al and singular Canonical bokes both of the olde Testament and newe and namelye those that the Greke wrytours Melito Origene and Eusebius Caesariensis and of the Latines Cipriane and Ierome haue affirmed by theyr owne haÌ„de wrytynges to be taken and reputed of the auncient fathers yea euen from the begynnyng for the vndoubted true Canonical scriptures ¶ The seconde Chapter AS touching the truthe and perfyte integritye of these bokes Of the truth and perfection of the canennical scriptures we doubt nothyng therof at al in such places
as be doubtful hard to vnderstand we teache men to make recourse vnto the oryginall fountaynes wherout they were translated S. Austen contra Adimantum the 3. chap. saithe Si admittamus haereticis quod caussaÌ„tur libros sacros esse corruptos nullus erit contentionum finis That is yf we graunt vnto the he retikes as they fynde fault the the bokes of holy scripture are corrupt ther wylbe none ende of coÌ„tencion And in the 2. chap. of hys .xi. boke CoÌ„tra Faustum Manichaeum he sayeth Si de fide ex emplarium quaestio verteretur sicut in nonnullis quae paucae sunt sacrarum literarum studiosis notissimae sententiarum varietates vel ex aliarum regionuÌ„ codicibus vnde ipsa doctrina coÌ„meauit nostra dubitatio dijudicaretur vel si ibi quoque co dices variareÌ„t plures paucioribus aut vetustiores recentioribus praeferrentur Et si adhuc incerta esset varietas praecedens lingua vnde illud interpretatum est consuleretur Yf questioÌ„ should be moued concernyng the credence to be geuen vnto the copyes of the bokes of holye scriptures as it chaunceth in some diuersities of sentences whyche are but a fewe and knowen at the fyngers endes to them that be studentes of holy scriptures eyther our doubt muste be resolued by the textes of other couÌ„treyes whence that doctrine came or elles yf the textes themselues dyd varye in that behalfe the greater nombre should be preferred before the fewer or the auncienter before the yonger And in case the diuersitye were yet still vncertayn it should be tryed bi the former tongue wherout it was interpreted or translated For the same Austen rehearceth in an other place it is alleged in the decrees Dist 9 vt veteruÌ„ libroruÌ„ fides de Hebraeis voluminibus examinaÌ„da est ita nouorum veritas Graeci sera monis normam desiderat That is like as the truthe of the bokes of the olde testameÌ„t is to be tryed by the Hebrue textes so must the bokes of the newe be ruled by the truthe of the greke tong And agayn in the .xi. chaptre of hys seconde boke De doctrina Christiana he saythe Latini homines duabus alijs ad scripturarum diuinarum cognitionem opus habent Hebraea scilicet Graeca vt ad exemplaria praecedentia recurratur si quaÌ„ dubitationem attulerit latinorum interpretum infinita varietas Latine men sayeth he had nede of two other toÌ„gues also to the perfyte knowlege of holy scripture that is to saye the Hebrue and Greke that they maye haue recourse vnto the original copyes in case the infinite diuersytye of latine interpretours haue caused any doubt Thus muche saithe Austen whythe hathe taught vs to be more fauourable vnto the sondry translaciones of the Bible and to iudge more purely of the authentike boke being written in bys owne language thaÌ„ those meÌ„nes wonted maner is whych takyng vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to haue the holy goost bynde all the churche vniuersally vnto the common receaued latine translacien contrary to the iudgement of all the auncieÌ„t doctours of the churche and condemine all godlye and faythfull interpretours of the Bible fowlly of ingratitude ¶ The .iii. Chapiter VVe of the churche of England refourmed and gouerned vnder Kyng Edwarde the All truthe and godlynesse to be sought in the scripture .vi. and al other gospellers churches doo constauntly beleue that all truthe is to be sought and beleued and that all godlynesse and true seruing worship of God is most pleyntifully coÌ„prised in the holy sacred authentike hoke the Bible so that the maÌ„ of God is perfytlye prepared vnto all good workes vnto all good partes of office and al dueties doyng And on thys wyse dothe the gospellers churche deme and thynke of the Canonical scripture Wherin it diffreth toto muche from the churche of heretikes that most vniustly eyther defame the scriptures of vncertayntie and imperfection or els do not receaue some particular bokes therof or yf they do receaue them yet they corrupt and myngle mangle them and contende with tothe and nayle that all thynges necessarye to godlynesse and saluacion are not fully conteyned in them The iiii Chapter ALso where S. The menyng of the scripture 2. Pe. 1. Petre pronouÌ„ceth in playne wordes that propherye that is to saye the declared scripture was not brought by the wyl of man but the holy men of God beyng enforced spake as the holye Goost taught them and that therfore the scripture whych is the worde of prophecye is not of mannes priuate interpretacion furthermore where Paule accordyng to S. Ro. 10. Petres wordes coÌ„maundeth vs to moderate prophecie that is the office of interpretacion after the proporcion of faith and that the interpretours vse a discrete sobrietie and abyde wythin the bandes of fayth as the Lorde hath bestowed vnto euery one the measure of fayth The gospellers churche admitteth not euery interpretacion of the scriptures after euery ones opinion but that onely whych is fette out of the scripture selfe whych is of the spirite of God by whom the scripture is inspired whych agreeth wyth hym selfe in euery thyng and accordeth wyth the rule of fayth and charitie wherof we shal anone speake more largely For the scripture can not be expounded by any other spirite than by the self same by whom it was deliuered and set furthe 〈◊〉 8. As Thrist saithe in the gospel If you haue God to your father why doo ye not knowe my speche â—â—m 8. And the apostle saithe He that hathe not the spirite of Christe is none of his And agayn what maÌ„ knoweth the thinges that be of man Cor. 2. but the spirite of man which is in him so the thinges that be of God non knoweth but the spirite of God But we haue not receaued the spirit of the worlde but the spirit which is of God that we may know what thynges are geuen vnto vs of Christ In dede after suche sorte we affirme that the scriptures are cleare whych the heretikes contende to be obscure so that in thys behalfe we haue no thyng to do wyth them The .v. Chapter IN thys case we do in no wyse reiecte nor contemne the disputacions reasons what is be attriâ—â—ted vnto the fathâ—â— the interpretours of scriptâ—re and expositions of the holy fathers I meane the auncient olde byshopes and doctours of the church vpon the scriptures as Ireneus Origene Chrisostome Ambrofe Ierome Austen and suche other lyke so theyr exposition iudgementes vary in no poynt from the rules of the Apostles For theyr mynde and wyl was that theyr wrytynges should be none otherwyse demed of nor no further fidelitie attributed vnto them Hereof let S. AusteÌ„ hym self tel the tale wher he wryteth to Fortunatianus in hys thyrde epistle in these wordes Neque quorumlibet disputa tiones quamuis catholicorum laudatorum hominum velut scripturas canonicas habere debemus vt nobis non liceat salua honorificentia
tyme. The .vii. Chapter THerfore the gospellers churche dothe not cal euery one at aueÌ„ture tagge ragge to be ministers of Goddes holy worde Ministers of the gospellers churche but suche men as be furst exerciced in the holy scriptures and in the catholyke vnderstaÌ„dyng of faythe wyth the churche For ther be chosen vnto the holy ministerie of the churche men of sounde doctrine and vpryght lyfe accordyng to the Apostles rules And lyke as saynt Paule whan he ordeyned Timothee to be bishop byndeth hym as it were wyth an othe 2. Timo. 5. to preathe the Gospel syncerely sayeng I charge the in the syght of God and our Lorde Iesus Christ and of the chosen holy angels that thou kepe and obserue thys with out rashenesse of iudgement 2. Timo. 4 And eftsones he sayeth I charge thee before God our Lorde-Iesus Christ whych shal iudge both the quicke the deade at hys appearing and in hys kyngdome preache the worde be feruent and reproue in season and out of season c. Euen so doth the Gospellers churche bynde theyr ministers by an othe that they make no newe gloses nor exposicions of theyr owne heades nor vtter in theyr docerine any thing against the scripture and the true catholike vnderstandyng of fayth but euery where and in euery point both to respecte onely folowe the canone and rule of faythe And in the yearely conuocacions which the gospellers churche vseth there is diligent inquisicion and searche made vpon the pastours and vpon the lyfe and doctrine of euery minister whether it be souÌ„de and vpryght or not least the sorer fal of the minister should make a good parte of the churche coÌ„mitted to hys spiritual charge to fal miserably into euil wyth hym The lyke ordre was appointed set furthe by kyng Edwarde the .vi. to hys churche by hys publyke commission coÌ„maundement onely the fault of not executyng the same was in some of hys corrupte doublefaced dreamyng counsailours and traiterous harted Popishe Bishoppes and ordinaries by whom the vertuous good Kyng was deluded And so in thys mater againe we are most farre of from the heretikes churche by al meanes For the heretykes bothe Papistical and Anabaptistical lyke as they renne whan no man sendeth them nor haue any regarde to the sayd general rule inasmuche as they be a rule and a lawe to them selues euen so maye they in no wyse abyde any reformacion or correction Of the chief principles of our faithe and religion In dede the Gospellers churche dothe most religiously kepe the catholyke vnderstandynge of the churche and the chief principles of the true catholyke religion and doctrine Our congregacion beleueth and embraceth the fyrst promise that the eternal almyghty God hym selfe made pronounced in Paradise sayeng Ge. 3. I will set enemitie betwene the and the woman or that specially appointed woman and betwene thy sede and her sede It shall treade downe thy head and thou shalt tread vpon hys heele For we knowe acknowlage that the furst and principall grouÌ„de workes of our faythe and saluacion were sattled and coÌ„prised in thys promyse For we are lost through our owne synne but we are saued by the mere mercie of god through christ in whoÌ„ like as God hathe frely chosen vs froÌ„ euerlasting euen so he openeth vnto vs by hys worde whaÌ„ it is best tyme in his sight bothe for his owne glorie and our coÌ„moditie that we through hys grace should beleue in Christ the sonne of the most souerayne hyghe God and of that excellent woman Hebr. 2. the most blessed virgine Marie and so be saued For Christ by hys painfull passion hathe brokeÌ„ and stamped vnder fote the head or kingdome of the Deuil in that he hathe conquered deathe abolished synne despeched damnacion quyte out of the waye froÌ„ all faithfull christianes ¶ The .8 Chapiter VVe and oure Gospellers churches do beleue and religiously embrace that only and eternal couenaunt that God made to Adam The coueâ—aunt of â—od with â—en furst in Paradise afterwarde many tymes renewed and playnly compacted with the holy fathers as Noe and singularly wyth Abraham the father of the beleuers adding therto the Sacrament of Circumcision For the Lorde appeared vnto Abraham 〈◊〉 17. and sayd vnto hym I am El Saddai a myghty stroÌ„g God euery where present and omnisufficiently fillyng all wyth all good thynges Walke before me and be perfite and I shal rayse vp that is I shal repayre my couenaÌ„t betwene me and thee and betwene me and thy sede after thee in theyr generations with an euerlastyng couenaunt that I may be thy God thy sedes after thee Al these sayenges we applye also vnto vs â—ala 3. in that the Apostle sayd yf you be of Christ than in dede ye are the sede of AbrahaÌ„ and heyres according to the promise in that Baptisme was geuen vnto the churche in stede of Circumcision and also in that we haue receaued Iesus Christ our Lord the ende and accomplishement of all the promyses Our churches do religiously embrace the most holy tables of thys eternal couenauÌ„t The tables of the couenaunt grauen wyth the very fyngre of our almyghtye souerayne Lorde God in two tables of stone with great mysterie and to thintent they should the longer indure and geuen to the churche of the Israelites of al faythfull beleuers throughout al the hole worlde of God hym selfe by hys most blessed seruaunt Moses In the which as it were in a certain haÌ„dsom short suÌ„me and yet most fully expounded we haue recyted and conteyned al mystical maters perteynyng to godlynesse and the most sure testimonie of Goddes good wil towardes vs and the most perfite rule of al out offices and dueties These tables I saye that were written wyth the fyngre of God and proclaymed beforehande wyth Goddes owne mouth in that great church at the mount Synai we kepe entier perfite sounde vncorrupte we take awaye nothyng we altre nothyng we putto nothyng we leaue out nothyng we thrust in nothyng contrarye to Christes mynde we chaunge nothynge at al. From the botome of our hartes therfore we abhorre Idolatrye whiche we se also condemned so zelously and so earnestly of the prophetes and Apostles And therfore we should thynke it abhominable wyckednesse in case ther be sene in our teÌ„ples dedicated only vnto God any Images eyther of God hym selfe or of hys sayntes muche more of prophane men or women S. Paule reasonyng with the most wyttye learned Brekes of Athenes Act. 17. sayeth For asmuche as we are the generacion of God we ought not to iudge that the alwelding God is lyke vnto golde or syluer or stone craftely grauen or vnto the inuencion of man By meanes wherof we reade also that S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist charged Christes Churche sayeng Babes beware of Images â— Io. 5. which wordes the auncient writour Tertullian in hys boke De corona militis expoundeth
the same that we reade in the gospel written almost worde by worde In the same epistle he speaketh also of the same tradicion and saythe I deliuered vnto you that whych I receaued 1. Cori. 13. that christ died for our synnes according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the thyrd daye accordyng to the scriptures Again he maketh mencion of his maner of teaching or tradition 2. Thes 3. but he openeth in playne flat wordes whych a one it was And in the .2 of the Thessaloni .2 he speaketh eftesones of tradicion Therfort brethren sayeth he stande and holde fast the tradicions whych ye haue receaued whether it be by worde of mouthe or by epistle sent from vs. Now Paule comprehendeth all hys hole doctrine whyche he calleth by a general terme tradicion in worde spoken and epistle writteÌ„ By worde he vnderstaÌ„deth the preachyng of the gospel whyche he hade preached presently to the Thessalonians by lyuely worde of mouthe after such sorte and reason as the other Apostles also preached Christ vnto other nacioÌ„s which Luke also put in wrytyng and Paule hymselfe preached to the Romaynes by hys wrytten Epistle For I sayde that Luke dyd wyth most circumspect diligence put in wrytyng those thynges that he hade learned of the Apostles touchyng Christes wordes and dedes Eusebius reporteth that the olde fathers vnderstode these wordes of Paule according to my gospel of the gospel of Luke And in dede Paule hym selfe in the .1 and 15. Chapters to the Romanes testifyeth that he preached the Gospell to the Romaynes in hys wrytten epistle plaine to al mens vnderstandyng For in his epistles he treateth of the mater more briefly beyng absent whyche when he was present wyth theÌ„ he had taught more at large reformyng by his written epistles those errours in the churche whych the false Apostles had sowed abroad the tyme while he was absent and admonished al men of theyr duetie and refourmed yf any thyng were diminished And for asmuche as ther remayne foure consonaunt bokes of the Gospel and fourtene Epistles of Paule as I wyll not speake of other Apostles epistles who could doubt that the tradicion or doctrine of the Apostles is not fully delyuered and registred vnto vs In the Actes of the Apostles we reade that Luke made mencion of the Apostles decrees Act 15.16 whyche other men ral tradicions But it is expressed in cleare playne wordes by the wrytten epistle that the Apostles sent furthe at theyr conuocacion tyme what they ment by theyr decrees or tradicions Act. 15. For thus they wryte It semeth good to the holy Goost vs to charge you wyth no more than these necessary thynges that is to saye that ye absteyne froÌ„ thynges offred to ymages and from bloud and from strangled and from fornicacion Surely thys decree whych is a right Apostolike decree in dede dothe by al meanes contrarye the tradicions falsely called the Apostles tradicions wherwith faythful christiaÌ„s are greuously burthened in the churche at this present For the true Apostles of Christ saye It semeth good to the holy goost and vs to charge you wyth nomore Lo to charge you wyth no more saye they For Paules aduersaries against whom the hole conuocacion house of the Apostles and elders geueth sentence Loke Socrates in eccle histo Li. 15. ca. 22. contended that christians must nedes be circumcised and obserue the lawe of Moses And made the rest of the Apostles autors of that theyr false doctrine As in our tyme also many vnder the preteÌ„ce of the Apostles tradicions do laye heauy burthens vpon free faythful folkes neckes wyth opinions and ceremonies But what is the Apostles sentence of them We gaue them saye they no suche commaundement They went furth from vs but they were not sent of vs. They are distourbours of the congregacions Out of the whyche apostolike sentence Saint Paule dyd doubtles borowe hys wordes whyche we reade in the begynnyng of hys epistle to the Galathians in thys wyse Gal. 1. I maruaile that ye are so sone turned from Christ whyche called you by grace vnto an other Gospell whych is nothyng els but that ther be some whych trouble you and intende to peruerte the Gospel of Christ Neuerthelesse though we oure selues or an Angel from heaueÌ„ preache any other gospel vnto you than that whych we haue preached vnto you let hym be accursed The Apostle in repetyng thys same sentence declareth howe ware christen folkes hade nede to be in receauyng suche obseruaunces as are set furthe in the tytle of the Apostles tradicions For al tradicions are condemned and denounced accursed whych burthen and ouercharge christen mennes lybertie and what so euer thei be that are not agreable with the written gospel and doctrine of the apostle Paule yea and wyth the preachyng of the rest of the Apostles whych is al of one sorte and consonaunt in euery condicion In the .15 〈…〉 of Matthewe ther is also mencion made of the trâ—â—â—â—ons of Elders or Fathers as 〈◊〉 in the fyrst to the Galathians whych Christ our Lorde hym selfe vtterly coÌ„deÌ„neth bycause they were not agreable to the scripture lawe of God and calleth Esaye the prophete to wytnesse wyth hym whych also condemneth al suche tradicions of man sayeng They worship me in vayne teachyng doctrines whych are mennes preceptes Therfore Tradicions that is al doctrines and obseruauÌ„ces that are not agreable to the scriptures or procede of a Iewishe supersticion are barred out of Boddes true seruice worship howe gloriously so euer they be garnyshed wyth the tytle of auncient fathers And the Apostle hym self wryteth also against them Collos 2. Thus muche of the iudgement of scripture concernyng Tradicions Now as touchyng the fathers Note how bolde Ireneus is to call the Pope and his shaueâ—inges heretikes a maÌ„ may easely gather of theyr owne wrytynges howe sore heretikes dyd combre the holy fathers vnder the cloake pretense of the Apostles Tradacions For Ireneus in the .2 chapter of his .3 boke Contra Valentinianos sayeth whan heretikes be reproued by the scriptures they fal straight wayes to accusyng of the scriptures as though they were not wel or were not of autoritie and that they be spoken after diuerse vnderstandinges that suche as knowe not Tradicions can not fynde the truthe by the scriptures For tradicioÌ„s were not geuen in wryting but by lyuely worde of mouthe Thus muche sayeth Ireneus And what doÌ„ the Papistes obiecte elles vnto vs nowe a dayes when we laye for vs most euident cleare scriptures They are come to suche a wyckednesse and shamelesnesse that they sticke not to pronounce in theyr open bokes that the chief fouÌ„taine of al errours is to receaue nothing but only that whych is conteyned in the scriptures For they saye ther is an other kynde of doctrine besydes whych they cal tradicions wherin yf a maÌ„ be not wel skilled he caÌ„ nother go vpryghtly in the scriptures nor haue any perfection
or certaintie in the onely scriptures Whych sayeng as it is not spokeÌ„ without great reproche of the eternal truthe euen so they take no hede but receaue those tradicions also at auenture wythout weyeng of them which the holy fathers themselues ser out for the Apostles tradicions For I see that the tradicions which they set furthe be not of al one kynde For ther are whyche they cal the fathers tradicions but not directly the Apostles tradicions Ther are also whych they wolde haue to seme all together apostolike tradicions And ther is a diuersitie in these also For ther are some that be vtterly historical tradicions that rehearse what Christ what Christes Apostles haue sayd or done of whyche sorte Eusebius reporteth that Papias rekoned vp many Eccl. histo i. 3. ca. 39. And the same wrytour clouteth in other maters as though they had ben tolde hym by lyuely worde of mouthe and certayn straunge parables and doctrines of our saueour wyth dyuers flyme flammes besydes And concernyng the tradicion of Iohn the Apostle touchyng the age of our Lorde Iesus Christ whych Ireneus speaketh of he that seeth not it to be a vayne flamme flewe Contra Walent â—i 39. seeth nothyng The tradicion of Policarpus Eccl. hist li. 3. ca. 28 that Iohn ranne awaye from the bayne wherin Cerinthus the heretike was least he should fal agreeth gayly with the scripturely doctrine of the Apostles Let vs therfore in thys kynde of tradicions holde that is to be holden in al pointes proue al thynges holde that whych is good Ther are also tradicions set furthe of rites and opinions De peccat meritis remiss li. 1. ca. 20. but yet they are not in al pointes lyke nother obserued nor receaued of al men S. Typriane and S. Austen reherse a tradicioÌ„ wherby the communion was vsed to be ministred vnto yong chyldren vnder bothe kyndes as a necessary mater vnto saluacion but who medleth wyth that tradicion at thys daye Epiphanius contra Aerium wryteth it to be a tradicion of the Apostles that folkes should .vi. dayes before Easter eate nothyng but bread and salt Eccl. hist li. 5. ca. 24. but Ireneus reporteth that all churches obserued not that as Eusebius telleth the tale In an other place it was said Damaseen Ang. dc Bap. contra Dona. li. 2. ca. 7. lâ—â— ca. 42 li. 5 ca. 23 de cura pro mort that the Apostles commaunded the Passeouer to be celebrated after the maner of the Iewes But Socrates the historie writer in the .22 chap. of the .5 boke Eccl. histo speaketh agaynst them Epiphanius Contra Valesianos sayeth that the wyueles lyfe of ministers is a tradicion In an other place it is read that the Apostles coÌ„maunded by tradicion that folkes should pray and offre for the deade whyche onlesse it be vnderstandeÌ„ of thankes gening who is it â— Cor. 7. â— Io. 5. â— Thess 4. that seeth not suche maner tradicions manifestly repugnaunt with the doctrine of the euangelistes and apostles and for that cause nothing is to be attributed to these and such like Finally I see S. Ireneus in sondry places wonderously preache and beate vpon the tradicioÌ„ of the apostles And that is it that our aduersaries wraste and wrythe to all their feyned trynkettes and tradiciones of the Masse of Images of MoÌ„kery cloister life the rest of such trumpery Howbeit the holy man Ireneusin these principal places vnderstandeth nothyng clles by the apostles tradicion than the commune sense and vnderstandyng of our faythe and the very apostles Crede I wyll not desyre to be beleued in thys case if Ireneus hym selfe saye not the same that I haue sayde Reade hys .1 boke Contra valentinianos Ca. 2. .3 and hys .3 boke the .4 chap. In bothe places he dothe agreably rehearse the articles of fayth in ordre one by one whaÌ„ he hath done he plainly calleth thys profession of the faithe a tradicion Of thys tradiction spake Constantine the myghty Emperour in his Epistles whyche Eusebius maketh reporte of almoste in the ende of hys .3 boke De vita Conslantini Thus farre therfore the gospellers churches wythout any busynesse embrace the tradicion that I haue now spoken of but as for other tradicions whether they be Apostles or fathers tradicions they lay them to the rule of Goddes worde as they agree or disagree they eyther reiecte them or receaue them accordyng to Christ our Lordes owne commaundement Math .15 and Col .2 Wherof I haue already spoken before And I pray you wherin thynke you the gospellers churche offendeth in thys behalfe Herein it hath nothing adoo wyth heretikes who hade deuised to teache false opinions vnto suche as were to symple vnder pretense of tradicions and contrarywyse to teare in pieces corrupt yea and to denye and stampe vnder fote the true tradicion that is the Apostles Trede In thys behalfe I coulde dryng furthe a great deale against our aduersaries who recken thys predense of tradicions of muche force agaynst the very scriptures and the simplicitie of tradicion yea for the affirmyng or confutyng of any mater what so euer it be But I wyl kepe thys in store tyl a better and a further leasure Hitherto I haue treated as briefly as I could of the most certain and pfytest principles of the ChristiaÌ„ faith Wherby I trust it dothe specially appeare the the Englyshe Churche vnder King Edward the .vi. the rest of the gospellers churches haue deuysed no newe doctrine of fayth but enibrace confesse the olde faythe wyth all theyr hartes and that they reiecte no point of syncere doctrine whether it be proued by the scriptures or by tradicioÌ„s consonauÌ„t to the scriptures and therfore we are most farre of from newe fangled felowes and obstinate heretikes The .xi. Chapter SO the poore gospellers church beyng confirmed by this true doctrine of the true faythe â—ustificatiâ—n loketh to be iustifyed that is to haue full forgeuenesse of all theyr synnes ryghteousnesse euerlastyng lyfe of the only free mercye grace of God by Iesus Christ that dyed and rose agayne for vs. We beleue that Christ wyth al hys gyftes is receaued by faythe and that by faythe Christ dwelleth in our hartes And that fayth is learned by the worde of the Gospel is craued asked of God by prayers and geueÌ„ frely by the holy Boost We attribute not that vnto mannes merites and mannes workes whych we knowe is due onely vnto fayth naye vnto Christ our redemer and to the fre grace of God Eph. 2. For Paul sayeth By grace are ye saued through faythe and not of your selues It is the gyfte of God and not of workes that no man should boast For we are hys handy worke created in Christe Iesu vnto good workes whych God hath prepared that we should walke in them Therfore we knowe and acknowlage that workes which procede out of a true faythe by the spirite of
it was in EnglaÌ„de vnder Kyng Edward the holy sacred and ryght diuine prayer which Iesus Christ the sonne of God hym selfe hath geuen vs as a handsome shorte summe of all prayers or formes of prayers and is written Matthew 6. Ther is vsed and exercised in the Bospellers churche and so it was also vnder King Edwarde the true inuocacion and callyng vpon the true almyghty God with due thankes geuyng for the gyftes benefytes that we haue and do receaue of hym And that inuocacion we kepe syncere and pure For we vse our vulgare common knowen tongue in all thynges whether we syng or praye wythout syngyng For who knoweth not that it is free eyther to syng or not syng in churches as is requisite or not requisite for the congregacions We call vpon God alone our most mercyfull alknowyng and almyghty father yea and we call vpon hym as he hym selfe hathe taught vs by Iesus Christ our Lorde As for creatures we call vpon none of them nother in stede of the creatour nor wyth the creatour We call vpon hym Rom. 10. in whome we beleue but we beleue in God alone and not in creatures therfore we call vpon God and vpon no creature As for the sayntes departed whose soules lyue wyth God in heauen we make no prayer to them For inasmuche as the scripture teacheth vs that in God alone is all pleyntifull fulnesse of all good thynges and that Christ Iesus dothe at al tymes continually diligently faythfully and most perfitely accomplyshe all the partes of a most faythefull intercessour wyth God the Father ther is no cause lefte why faythfull folkes should turne vnto others than vnto God alone or desire helpe at any other than at Iesus Christ vnto God the Father Come to me sayeth Christ aloude all ye that labour and are heauy laden 〈◊〉 11. I shal refreshe you â—o 16. Verely I saye vn to you what so euer ye shall aske the father in my name he shall geue it you Hebr. 4. And Paule sayeth we haue not a hygh priest that can not haue compassion on our infirmities but was tempted in al pointes lyke as we are but yet without synne Let vs therfore go boldely vnto the trone of grace that we may obteyne mercye fynde grace to helpe in tyme of nede What offence now doth the gospellers churche in thys case whych in obeyeng the preceptes recorded in the Euangelistes and Apostles wrytynges goeth the strayght hygh waye vnto Christ and desyreth to be commended vnto God by his only intercessioÌ„ It is not readde in any place of the scriptures that any of the holy Apostles whyle they lyued here vpoÌ„ earthe requyred the intercession or helpe of any Patriarke Prophete or Martyr They dyd all cal vpon God by Iesus Christ alone Why should we than folowe straunge examples Thys is the true and pure callyng vpon God this is the true seruing of God and a sacrifice to God most acceptable Hebr. 13. Ro. 12. as Paule after the Prophetes beareth playn recorde Therfore ther is no heresie nor schisme fouÌ„de in these cases Saint Austen in his exposicion of this place of Iohn Babes if any do sinne Super epist Io. canonicam 1. Io. 2. we haue an aduocate wyth the father Iesus Christ the righteous sayeth Iohn dronke the secretes of hydden mysteries out of the Lordes brest He for al he was suche a man sayd not you haue an aduocate with the father but we haue an aduocate He sayd not you haue nor you haue Christ but he put in Christ not hym selfe and he sayd we haue not you haue He rather put hym selfe in the nombre of synners to haue Christe hys aduocate than put hym selfe an aduocate in Christes stede be founde among the proude damned Brethren we haue Iesus Christ the righteous an aduocate wyth the father he is the mercye seate of our synnes He that hath holden thys hathe done no heresie he that hath holden thys hath done no schisme nor sedicion Thus sayeth Austen Than seyng we folow the commaundement of the Apostle which did nother heresie nor schisme and seyng we call not vpon Iohn now lyuyng wyth Christ in heauen to be our aduocate but vpon Iesus Christ alone we may not be iustly called either heretikes or schismatikes The .xv. Capter YEt for all thys the Gospellers churche contemneth not the sayntes in heauen Honouring of Saynctes nor hyndreth them of their due glorie For we so honour them as the holy scripture teacheth vs to honour them We iudge honourably of them as it becoÌ„meth vs to iudge of goddes electe We thanke God for theyr fayth and doctrine and we praye that we maye atteyne to theyr company We loue them as brethren we prayse them as teachers and examples of faythe we defende them agaynst railers and wycked wretches as faythfull persones and worthy of eternall glorye we acknowlage them as dere frendes and brethrem of the sonne of God we preache of them as of the ercel lent instrumentes of God by whome he hathe wrought bothe our saluacion and wonderful weyghtye great maters besydes Now I trust no man wyll saye that we are enemyes to the sayntes raignyng wyth Christ in heauen seyng we attribute thus muche vnto them of a syncere and reuerent vnfeyned hart geuyng to God that is Goddes and to hys sayntes that is theirs The .xvi. Chapter A Gayn Sacramâ—â—tes of Christ aâ— the cureâ— the gospellers churthe hathe no newe Sacramente nor any mo than God hym selfe hath ordayned for it If ther be any other discipline or obseruaunce we so reuerence vse it as the Lorde hathe commauÌ„ded to vse it or as the forgeyng examples of the Apostles haue taught vs. Therfore the Churche of Englande vnder Kyng Edwarde the .vi. hade not Baptismâ— and the gospellers churche elles where at thys daye hathe not any newe Baptisme but the olde Baptisme euen the same that wyth callyng vpon the name of God is geuen in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Goost to the forgeueneffe of synnes By thys baptisme we beleue that all are baptised to be one body throughe the spirite of Christ 〈…〉 6. 〈…〉 l. 3. that baptisme dothe alwayes worke effectuallye in faythful beleuers For Christ dothe alwayes wattre the meÌ„bres of hys bodye wyth hys owne spirite So are we therfore the true membres of Christes churche â—â—e head 〈◊〉 memâ—â—â—s of the â—â—â—rche vnder that one head kyng shepeherde and most myghtye hye priest Iesus Christ our Lorde We are not schismatical cut of membres For we stycke faste vnto our one only head Christ our Lorde nother do we fal from the feloweship of the membres or body of the church wherwyth we are knytte together in spirite fayth and loue than why are we called schismatikes If we dyd put on an other head or departed froÌ„ the true meÌ„bres of Christ and were coupled to other straunge membres and so
Christ powred in to our hartes and done after the rule of Goddes worde christiaÌ„ charitie are good workes in dede and we affirme that excepte those that be iustifyed practise those workes diligentlye it is but lost labour of them to beast of theyr faythe as Petre the Apostle teacheth vs and sayeth Geue all diligence in youre fayeth ministre vertue in vertue knowlage Iacob 2. 2. Pet. 1. in knowlage temperaunce in temperauÌ„ce pacience in pacience god lynesse in godlynesse brotherly kyndnesse in brotherly kindnesse loue For yf these thynges be amoÌ„ge you and be pleynteous they wyll make you that ye nother shal be idle nor vnfrutefull in the knowlage of our Lorde Iesus Christ But he that lacketh these thinges is blinde gropeth for the waye with hys hande hath forgotten that he was purged from hys olde synnes Thys doctrine of grace and merites of fayth and workes hath no smel of heresie And so it eftesones clearely appeareth that the gospellers churche is the true churche of Christ And if they laye to our charge that our doctrine is iustlye condemned bicause we constauntly affirme that man is iustifyed by only faythe thys is to answer them that we haue feyned no newe kynde of speakyng in thys behalfe nother doo we alone affirme that faythfull beleuers are iustifyed by only faythe For we borowed that maner of speakyng of the very scriptures of the apostles and euangelistes and of certain doctours of the churche that are no heretikes but true catholikes For I haue allready shewed playnly ynough that we contende not by thys our sayeng that faythe is alone that is to saye vnfruteful If righteousnesse come of the lawe than Christ died in vayne but that faithe is the only cause of our saluacion For it is certain that we are iustified not for our owne workes sake but frely for Chrites sake and so our synnes are not imputed vnto vs and that iustified folke doo the workes of iustice and yet seing the faythfull knowe that they are iustified frely they ascribe not iustificacion vnto workes albeit they doubt not but God alloweth the workes of faythe If it wold lyke our aduersaries to condemne of heresie the doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles with Origene Chrisostome and Ambrose whych saye most many festly that the faythful are iustified by only faythe In dede we had rather be heretikes wyth them than ryght felowes and catholykes wyth our aduersaries The .xii. Chapter THe same poore Gospellers churche denyeth not absolucion to such as haue fallen The woundes of synne are healed by Penaunce but we coÌ„fesse that pure penaunce is a holsome medicine to heale synners in the churche yf whan they be accused by the worde of God and enlumined wyth the holy Goost they acknowlege and confesse theyr faultes and synnes to God and be hartely sory for theyr offenses trust to be forgeuen through Christes merites then leade a newe lyfe Now it appeareth agayne in thys place that we ymagine no newe doctrine of penaunce in the churche of God It is newe fangled stuffe that is feyned of synnes to be confessed except a man wil be damned not only to God but also to hys owne prieste by all circumstaunces euen to the vttermost smal thoughte It is newe fouÌ„de marchaundise that is feyned of cases Papal and episcopal reserued Act 16. of satisfaccions and indulgences Whan the keper of the pryson at Philippos fell to the Apostles fete and besought them sayeng Sirres what must I doo that I may be saued they tolde hym Beleue in the Lorde Iesus thou shalt be saued and al thy hole house Saint Petre gaue none other couÌ„sail to the citizines of IerusaleÌ„ Act. 2. that were pearced in theyr consciences sayd what shal we doo you men and brethren Petre answered Repent and be baptised euery one of you in the name of Itsus Christ to the remission of synnes c. And on this facion we reade that the Apostles vsed the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen The Key whan they receaued them of Christ after thys sorte they opened the kyngdome of heauen to faithful beleuers And on this wyse the gospellers church vseth yet stil the keyes that Christ hath geuen them So that we haue Christes olde keyes and not the Popes newe monstrous polling pikepurse crosse keyes Lactantius whych was neuer noted of errour in treating vpoÌ„ penaÌ„ce Li. 4. c. 20. after that he hade sayd ther is no saluacion founde but wythin the catholike churche he addeth by and by But for a smuch as heretikes thinke theirs to be also the catholike churche it is to vnderstaÌ„de that it is the true churche wherin is religion confession penaunce that holsomly cureth synnes and sores wherunto the fraile fleshe is subiecte Therfore seyng thys holsome medecine is not wanting in the gospellers churche wherin desperacion is also singularly beaten downe sure hope faste fixed and confirmed who can doubt that the gospellers churche is the true churche of Christ The .xiii. Chapter FVrthermore ther is in oure church brotherly admonicioÌ„ â—dmoniciâ—n and â—rotherly â—â—rrection correction and some reformacion of mennes faultes offenses For though all be not yet fully well herein as godly men could wyshe it yet ther is some ChristiaÌ„ discipline practiced in the gospellers churche Ther is two maner of disciplines the one of the clergie and the other of the laitie The gospellers churche by keping of conuocacions and other coÌ„uenient meanes in Germany kepeth the cleargie in ordre to do theyr dutie And so Kyng Edwardes wyl and coÌ„maundement was to haue hys cleargie as for the discipline of the laytie it confisteth in good lawes and diligent execucion of them And how that is vsed among the Germanes let other men reporte As for me I knowe nothyng but heare that it is godlye handled And though al is not so perfite as it should be that theyr sharpe roughe censure dothe not thwyte awaye all offenses at once yet euery good man knoweth that many thinges are reserued to be plucked vp by the rootes in that iudgemet to come euery godly persone acknowlageth his fault and is sory for it as often as he dothe lesse than he perceaueth the Lorde requyreth hym to do I could demaunde of the Papistes to shewe theyr discipline whyche they haue in theyr churche but bycause I knowe them as shameles as wylde coltes wythout discipline I hade rather defende the innocencie of the gospellers churche wherof I am an vnworthye membre than at thys tyme to cast other men in the tethe with theyr faultes I leaue that to the discussyng of better learned and fyner wytted men than I am Thus farre I trust the chief markes 〈…〉 fouÌ„de in the poore gospellers churche and therfore we haue nothyng a doo wyth the churches of heretikes schismatikes The .xiiii. Chaptre Prayer and inuocacion of God by Christ THer is also reteyned kept in the gospellers churche as
coÌ„stituted a new churche we might iustlye be noted for schismatikes but now sence we acknowlage that ther is but one only churche and that it is the communion of sayntes dispersed throughout al the wyde worlde in the feloweship wherof all our possible endeauour is to remayne and seyng we crye wyth S. Petre and saye Lorde Io. 6. whyther shall we goo thou haste the wordes of eternallyfe and we beleue and haue knoweÌ„ that thou arte Christ the sonne of the lyuyng God why I pray you are we called schismatikes The .xvii. Chapter VVe do also participate and fede of al one self same table of the Lorde wyth all sayntes through out the hole churche of Christ rendring thankes for the vnspeakeable benefite of our redemption The Lordes Supper We eate al one spiritual meate we drynke all one spiritual drinke wyth al faythfulles throughout the holy catholyke churche We are al one breade and one body with Christ wyth al faythfulles By what right therfore are we called schismatikes Wyl our aduersaries coÌ„demne vs of heresie bycause we beleue that to be the beste forme of celebratyng of the mystical supper whych Christ hym selfe hathe instituted and the Apostles delyuered wyll our aduersaries condemne vs as heretikes bycause we obey Christes biddyng Drynke of thys all and communicate vnder bothe kyndes Wyll our aduersaries condemne vs of heresie bycause we worship Christ the sonne of God and of Mary syttyng on the fathers ryght hande and not hidden vnder the kyndes of bread and wyne wil our aduersaries condemne vs as heretikes bycause we acknowlage Christ to be the only priest and that the one only sacrifice of hys body only once offred vpon the crosse is euer of sufficient perfyte efficacie in God the fathers syght to clense the peoples synnes and bycause we obserue the mystical supper for a remembraunce of the sacrifice that was offred for vs on the crosse once for all Than let them furst condemne Christ hym self whych instituted these maters none otherwyse let them condemne his Apostles whyche haue taught vs so to beleue and so to do But yf they thinke it wyckednesse to thynke any suche thyng than let them ceasse to charge the gospellers church wyth the cryme of heresie whych thynketh nothyng herein whych doth nothyng herein but as it hathe receaued of Christ our Lorde hym selfe and learned of hys holy Apostles The .xviii. Chaptert THe Apostle S. Petre speakyng of wycked teachers Obedience to Prince magistrates 2. Pe. 2. sayeth They despyse autoritie they are presumptuous and stubborne whythe feare not to rayle vpon them that excelle in honour c. we therfore abhorryng that kynde of doctrine condemning that ambicious stubburne presumptuous and raylyng rebellion of those men doo hartely honour Princes and magistrates and teache all other to doo the like allegeing S. Petres lesson Feare God 1. Pe. 2. honour the King And S. Paules sayeng Geue to euery man therfore his duetye Rom. 13. tribute to whom tribute beloÌ„geth custoÌ„ to whom custoÌ„ is due feare to whom feare beloÌ„geth honour to whom honour perteyneth We allowe scholes studie of good scieÌ„ces to our power vn boasted be it we doo faithfully diligeÌ„tly endeauour our selues to further them Further more we doo not damne good iuste politicall lawes nor necessary defenses iustly taken in hande ne iuste punishmentes against offenders We do not improue political rule gouernement honest buyeng and sellyng good sciences lawful occupacions propretie of goodes and landes and suche lyke whyche the pretendyng apostolical sectaries the Anabaptistes did afore tyme fynd fault wythall We teache folkes also to flee ydlenesse 1. Thess 4. 2. Thess 3. and to labour wyth theyr handes accordyng to the Apostles rules as we are constrayned also for causes of necessitie to abandon moÌ„kery and cloistre lubbers in our coÌ„gregacions For the solitary lyfe whyche the olde fathers make mencion of is an other maner a matter than thys is whych at thys daye where they continue is a heauye burthenous plage almost to al common wealthes And to reckeÌ„ vp all that can be spoken we haue no thyng adoo wyth eyther sectes or schismatikes The .xix. Chapter THe Apostle S. Paule by the holy spirite of God prophe cieth The differeÌ„ce of me ates 1. Timo. 4 that in the later tymes ther shal come most corrupt men whych shall geue hede vnto deceauable spirites and doâ—â—â—â—nes of deuilles for byddyng mariage and commaundyng to absteyne from meates whych God hathe created to receaue wyth thankes geuyng vnto the faythful And so we preache sobre fastyng and yet we bryng no meate into an euil name but alwayes graunt free vse of meates Howbeit we teache that abstinence is to be kept for a tyme from al meates what so euer we ê‘ceaue do make the fleshe ouer stoute so that it obeyeth not vnto the spirite As for mariage we forbidde it vnto none eyther ordre or lawfull age 1. Cor. 7. Hebr. 13. 1. Cor. 16. whether it be man or woman albeit we wype not virginitie from her due prayse Mariage is honourable amoÌ„g al men and the mariage bedde vndefiled But we deteste al vncleanesse fornicacion adulterie inceste and abominable lustes We deteste dronkenesse surfettyng ryote and al vntemperaunce We teache temperaunce 1. Thess 4. Hebr. 12. sobre diete and chastitie We teache wyth the Apostle Paule euery one to possesse hys vessel in puritie and holinesse wythout the whyth no man shal see God 〈◊〉 that Christiane charitie is the most propre right marke of faihtfull christians Churâ—â—e workes of mercie Ioh. 13. Math. 25. as our saueour saithe In this shall all men knowe that you are my disciples yf you haue loue one to an other Therfore we condemne malicious manslaughters furious bloodsheading of Kynges and Princes vniust warres treasones murthers wytchcraftes c. For we knowe that mercye and gentilnesse is more acceptable before God Ose 6. Math. 9. than all other vertues I requyre mercye sayeth the Lorde and not sacrifice and the knowlage of God more than burnt offringes Nowe hereof it commeth that seyng we be coÌ„stitute in the same body that all the holy sayntes of God are we suffre for thys faythe and for this doctrines sake the selfe same persecucion that all that haue confessed the same faythe that we do haue suffred sence the dayes of Abel vnto this present Ioh 15. If you had ben of the worlde sayeth our Lorde in the Gospell the worlde wolde loue hys owne But bycause you are not of the worlde but I haue choseÌ„ you out of yâ— worlde 〈…〉 For all though we be synners and doo all amysse in many thinges yet this maye we iustly reioyte in that our aduersaries hate vs not for synnes sake but for godlynesse and syncere professing of Christes religion For we should haue ben a great deale better taken of many a one yf we wold fall in to the same ryotous losenesse and in to all
filthynesse of religion and maners that they doo 1. Pet. 4. Therfore we are not sondred from the felowship and communion of the thurche that hathe ben from the begynnyng of that worlde vnto this daye We are souldyours with all sayntes vnder all one Emperour and captayn we haue the same hope and expectacion that they haue We repose all the necessaries of our life saluacion and helpe in one only and the self same paymaister euen our lorde God Iesus Christ So we be true membres of yâ— true churche of Christe though our aduersaries haue hitherto synfully accused vs the membres of the gospellers churche of heresye and sedicyon 〈…〉 vs vp theyr olde song â—â—uersaries obiections that we are fallen from the holy churche of Rome that we haue gathered a newe fangled schismaticall churche together whych hath nother head nor continual successioÌ„ of bishoppes and therfore that newe fangled churche is no churche but a conspiracie of a fewe mystye rascal knaues crept out of a sorte of obscure felowes and denounced accursed long ago and slaketh and abateth agayne daylye more and more to bewraye it selfe by that token seyng it is not stable as Bamaliel sayde it is of men and not of God Here vnto we make thys answere at fewe wordes Aboue all thynges it is to be weyghed and consydred whiche a one the true churche of Christ is and wher it is Not al that are called Israel sayrth the Apostle are Israel Rom. 9. euen so al that bragge of the name of the churche be not the true churche but the is the true churche that is knyt to her one onely husbande and head Christ that heareth the voyce of none but of her only husbande and shepeherde Christ and continueth wyth al sayntes in hym From thys maner church we neuer fel whether it beare the name of the churche of Rome the churche of Alexandria the churche of ConstaÌ„tinopole or the churche of Antioche For what so euer is or euer was of Christ of truthe and of true godlynesse in these or in other churches throughout the wyde worlde we embrace it with al our hartes and endeauour our selues to kepe that syncerely stil vnto the ende But in dede we are fallen from and abhorre the Romyshe wyckednesse the Romyshe errours the Romyshe corrupcioÌ„s the Romyshe lyes the Romishe false iugglyng knackes and all abuses wheÌ„ce so euer they be as we vtterly also abhorre the Ieweship and Mahumetes religion We do very wel agree wyth the olde states of the churches of Alexandria Antioche and Constantinopole but wyth Mahumetes corrupcion of them wherin they sticke all fast at thys daye we agree not We agree very wel with the olde church of Rome which the chosen vessel of God S. Paul made so muche prayse of but we agre neuer a wytte at thys daye wyth the extreme corrupcion of the churche of Rome whyche theyr owne very frendes can not chose but speake euil of bycause of the horrible abominacions of it Are we therfore falleÌ„ froÌ„ the churche of Christ bycause we accordyng to Christes owne mynde and coÌ„maundement renounce and caste awaye the errours of the churche of Rome The holy prophetes of God the natural soÌ„ne of God Iesus Christ our Lorde wyth hys chosen Apostles were vndoubtedly in the body of the true and catholike churche of God albeit they had no feloweship the while wyth that churche that vaunted them selues to be the true churche of God Naye that churche excommunicated and persecuted the Prophetes and Christ and the Apostles and condemned them openly for heretikes and schismatikes But yet they were true faythful men and catholikes neuerthelesse for al that And how cometh it to passe that the gospellers churche is called a newe fangled churche which haue theyr relacion from hence to the begynnyng of the worlde whych haue Christ the eternal sonne of God to be theyr fouÌ„dacion and acknowlage the Apostles and Prophetes to be her founders and sheweth in her selfe all the tokens of the true churche in the sight of all men That is not an headlesse churche whych acknowledgeth and reuereÌ„ceth Iesus Christ the sonne of God the same I meane whom the Apostles name the heade and the saluacion the king chief hygh priest of the church Nother is the gospellers churche without coÌ„tinual succession of bishoppes seyng it hathe her relacion euen vnto the Apostles of Christ Christ hade the continual rable of bishoppes and pristes in the cathedral churche of Ierusalem euer agaynst hym The same was agaynst the apostles also But yet who wyll therfore denye that the Apostles churches are the true churches Who wyl reproue Christes doctrine and hys Apostles of lyeng excepte it be a man to wycked to tel of Besydes thys I coulde tell what a maner one the succession of bishoppes of Rome is namely of them that haue made theyr neste in that Satanicall seate for these fyue hundred yeares yf I wolde do as Suetonius dyd and yf I lusted as he disclosed the most shameful filthy lyues of Emperours to blase out the cursed false partes and abominable wyckednesses of many bishoppes of Rome and yf I lusted to expouÌ„d thys sayeng of Paul Ther shal starte vp from among you Act. 20. men speakyng peruerse thynges to drawe disciples after them c. But it is ynough to play touche go in these maters bycause I speake to men of vnderstandyng That churche is not of a fewe folke that is dispersed al the worlde ouer and comprehendeth all those that be faythfull except our aduersaries peraduenture meane that whych Christ our Lorde spake in the Gospell Mat. 22. Many are called but fewe chosen And agayne Narowe is the gate and strayte is the waye that leadeth vnto lyfe and fewe ther be that fynde it Ther is also no conspiracie in vs to any euel purpose but an holy consent to the doctrine and obedience of Christ As for mystye knaues we are none for we cast no mystes nor darke clowdes to deceaue any man but we allure al meÌ„ to the most clear lyght of the gospel Nother is the gospellers churche buylded vpon obscure men and holden accursed but of Christes owne Apostles which were most famous notable men in all the worlde For albeit the preaching of the gospel was brought vnto vs by those meÌ„nes ministeries who are of most hygh coÌ„mendacion amoÌ„g the godly yet we geue not thankes for the begynnyng of so precious a Iewel vnto men but vnto Christ the sonne of God Paule was the furst that preached the Gospel to the Corinthianes but for all that he wolde not haue them called Paulinianes but he wolde haue them called Christianes If Christ whych is the true lyght of the worlde yf the Apostles whych are the lyght bear ours of the worlde be obscure men and accursed we graunt that our doctrine came of obscure and accursed men But I am sure they that go about to bryng them into that slauÌ„der shal haue light ynough and