The acquital or purgation of the moost catholyke Christen Prince EDwarde the VI. Kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. and of the Churche of Englande refourmed and gouerned vnder hym agaynst al suche as blasphemously and traitorously infame hym or the sayd Church of heresie or sedicion They are gone to Baal Peor and runne awaye from the Lorde to that shamefull Idole and are become as abominable as theyr louers Ephraim flyeth lyke a birde so shall theyr glorye also Ose 9. ¶ To the nobilitie and to the reste of the charitable christen laytie of Englande Iohn Olde wisheth grace and mercy from god the father and from Iesus Christ the common and only saueour of the worlde with the gifte of perfite faithe earnest repentaunce FOrasmuche as the preachers in Englande now promoted and set vp in throne by the Quenes highnesse aswell at Paules crosse as commonly in open pulpittes in place of Christes syncere gospel spewe out with scolding roaring and railing the abominable poison of Antichrists tradiciones as holsō medicine for the soul infamyng therwith the order forme and vse of preaching prayer administracion of the holy sacramentes set furthe and exerciced by common autoritie in the churche of Englande refourmed vnder the gouernemēt of the most christen King and mayntenour of Chrystes catholyke faythe King Edwarde the .vi. and most vilie slaundering his famous father King Henry the .viii. for banyshing the violent vsurped power and supremacie of the Romyshe auncient Antichrist for being dyuorced from his brothers knowne wyfe and for takyng iustly vpon him the title estate of supremacy incident and aperteynyng by the vndoubted ordinaunce of God to his Regal office emperiall crowne So that euery indifferent harte enlumyned eyther with the spirite of God by the instruction of his holy worde and gospel or with any common vnderstanding of natural loue and ciuile duetie of obedience to his souerayne liege lordes Goddes lieutenauntes vnder Christ vpon earthe perceaueth those false prophetes and prowde paūched praters to be therin not only horrible blasphemers of the holy goost enemies of christes crosse tearours of his seameles coate defylers of his blessed ordinaunces comp trollers of his holy Apostles and primatyue true catholike churche and moste bloody furious rauening wolnes among his sely shepe but also most harde harted heretikes moste haynous traitours against the crowne and their countrey most sedicious rebelles against the vnitie of peace and tranquillitie of the realme most periured pestilent papistes and most wauering wethercockes like as in their further frutes they are notoryously knowne to be holowe harted hooremongers most sawcye shamelesse sodomites the manciples of myschief and very slaues of Satan and if they repent not the more spedily the most fitte fyre brandes of the perpetual flamyng fornace of hell Albeit no fewe in Englande haue most faithfully resisted the babling blasphemye false forged fables of the mytred maskers and shauen swarme of shameles sodomites not only in suffring hōger tolde pouertie vnquietnesse and paynfull prysone but also in pacient bearing of the crosse of fyre galowes sweorde euen vnto the deathe to the comforte and streynghtenyng of Christes weake flocke to the conuertyng of many that were wofully wrapped in popishe errours and to the cōfusion of the lusty railing reprobates them selues and all their trayne Yet considering it the bounden duetie of euery true harted subiecte to defend with all his possible power the innocencie and truthe of his natural soue rayne against the traitorous talke enuious iniurie of railing reporters and specially in Christes cause whose ministers and officers all Princes Kinges ar whose worde and lawe al chrystianes are most straytly dette bounden not only to embrace with the belefe of the harre but also to confesse it openly with mouthe a mydde mōg the aduouterous synfull generacion of rule and power of this worlde and spirituall wyckednesse in heauenly thinges I haue thought it no lesse thā my duetie being a naturall englishe man and sworne to the loyaltie and obedyence of those worthy famous christen kinges against the sodomitical Syre of Rome and all forayn powers as all those periured wetherrockes the shauen sorcerers were to answerre the forsworne swarme and rable of railing rutterkines in defense and purgacion of christes catholike flocke Priestes the locustes of Englande called the gospellers churche specially respecting the christen euangelical churche of Englande refourmed and gouerned by the ordinaunce rule and practice of Christes most holy sacred euangelical law vnder our forsaide most christen catholyke souerayne King Edwarde the vi who according to the principall poynt of his regal office and charge and according to the fotesteppes and examples of Moses Iosua Dauid Salomö Ezechias Iosias Iosaphat and other most godly gouernours kinges whiche haue their perpetuall cōmendacion in the regestre of goddes voke for their hartie diligence trauailes in the aduaunceing of hys pure religiō sought chiefly the glorie of God the honour of christ crucified his owne edifyeng and discharge of conscience and the instruction gouernemēt of his subiectes in the true knowlage faythe feare and loue of God and his glorious gospel and to buylde the churche of Englande committed of God to his Regall charge only vpon the foundacion of the Prophetes and apostles and to scowre the same from the cursed customes and traunting tradiciōes of Satans synfull sinagoge Albeit I could make a docket of remembraunce how you of the nobilitie that were put in autoritie and trust vnder the king might ought haue answered and vsed those lecherous lieng locustes according to the ordre of iustice bi examples bothe of diuine and prophane histories and by the substaūcial godly lauful lawes of the realme for their traitorous slādring railing vpō the lordes anointed their owne naturall liege lorde for their recaryeng of their infernall father the abiured antichrist of Rome in to Englande agayn for their procuring of forayn powers in to the realme for their false foxelye forgeing of fables among the busye headed vulgare commones againste theyr natural nobilitie for theyr others to deuelishe demerites besydes yet now seing you haue allready runne to farre against your owne consciences so that it semeth almost to late for any admonicion or remēbraūceing to synke in to your hartes being afrayde of euerye barking blaste of Antichristes bawdye beagles contentig your selues to be ledde like an oxe by horne and eare as it pleaseth thē to appoynt til they haue brought you to blocklaye faire in to the slaughter house as they haue done a greate sorte of your best fedde felowes I shal spare my pēne with my continual prayers for your preseruacion frō theyr clouthes leaue you to God your selues In the meane while hauing occasiō oportunitie I shal shape those wicked wormes a reasonable answer leaste in kepyng silence and wynkyng at their licencious libertie wickednesse we seme to be afrayde of theyr obiectiones so make folkes
quae illis debetur hominibus aliquid in eorum scriptis improbare atque respuere si forte inuenerimus que aliter senserint quaÌ„ veritas habet diuino adiuto rio vel ab alijs intellecta uel à nobis Qualis ego sum in scriptis aliorum tales volo esse intellectores meorum That is we ought not to repute any mennes reasons and sayenges though they be catholyke and prayse worthye men as we ought to do the canonical scriptures as thoughe we myght not sauyng the reuerence due vnto those men improue and reiecte any thyng in theyr wrytynges yf we chaunce to fynde that they meane otherwyse than the truthe hathe whether it be vnderstanden by the helpe of God of vs or of others As I am in the wrytynges of other suche wolde I haue to be vnderstanders of myne The same S. Austen dothe more largely expounde thys hys iudgement in his epistle to S. Ierome in the 5. chap. of his 11. boke Contra Faustum and in hys 48. epistle Ad Vincentium and in the. 3. chap. of hys 2. boke De Baptismo coÌ„ tra Donatistas Furthermore he reasoneth vpon generall Counsailles wyth Maximinus bishop of the Arianes in hys 3. boke and among other thinges sayeth Sed nunc non ego Nicenum nec tu debes Ariminense tanque praeiudicaturus proferre consilium nec ego huius au thoritate nec tu illius detineris scripturarum authoritatibus non quorumque propriis sed vtrisque coÌ„munibus testibus res cum re caussa cum caussa ratio cuÌ„ ratione concertet But now ought not I sayeth s Austen to allege the CouÌ„sail of Nice nor thou the counsail of Arimine as though to haue that vpperhaÌ„de ther by but by the autorities of the scriptures not by euery mannes owne authoritie but both sydes hauyng common witnesses let mater pleade wyth mater cause wyth cause reasoÌ„ with reasoÌ„ Here you see S. Austen calleth vs from counsailles yea euen from the moste sacred couunsail of Nice vnto the autoritie of the scriptures Panormitanus therfore a writour of late dayes semeth not to speake fondly nor falsly wher he sayeth Panormitanus Plus credeÌ„duÌ„ est vni laico afferentiscripturas quam genera li concilio vniuersalem representanti Ecclesiam si scripturas non afferat There is more credence sayeth he to be geueÌ„ to one laye man that bringeth furth scriptures than to a general CouÌ„sail whych representeth the hole vniuersal churche yf they bring not furth scriptures Therfore yf the sayenges or iudgementes of fathers or expositions of the scriptures varye from the canonical scripture the rule of fayth ther is no cause why any man should laye agaynst vs that the fathers were ryght famous learned men singular holy men and men of reuerend antiquitie For the prophetes and apostles of Christ were greater learned more holy of more auncient antiquitie than they Nother is ther any cause why any man should charge vs with the multitude of churches that haue agreed in thys or that meanyng or in thys or that exposition For the coÌ„sent of Christes prophetes Apostles and Patriarkes is worthy muche hygher reputacion in syncere religion and godly vnderstaÌ„ding of religion manifestly reuealed vnto vs by the scriptures And yf a man wolde recken vs vp thus many and thus many great realmes and hole countreyes that are of thys iudgemeÌ„t or that we wyl cheoke hym wyth the trauailes of one maÌ„ eueÌ„ poore Paule whych filled all places full wyth the playne sense and simple vnderstandyng of the Gospel from Ierusalem and the coastes lyeng rounde about vnto Illiricum The .vi. Chaptre NOtwythstandyng in thys behalfe I maye not saye naye Of the catholike vâ—derstanding of the scripture but the holy fathers the olde interpretours of scriptures do many times make mencion of some certayne vndeniable most catholyke meanyng of the scriptures But yet we may not vnderstande that of theyr owne peculiar expositions seyng they varye very often in theyr interpretacions and disagree wyth them selues and accorde not wyth other interpretours of most excellent iudgement yea and wonderous many tymes one reprehendeth an others exposition As we nede to seke no further examples but of S. Ierome in hys CoÌ„mentaries vpon the Prophetes And the catholyke churche of God hathe alwayes had and hath yet at thys daye a certain catholike and assured true exposicion of the scriptures grounded of the concordaunce of faithe and set forthe for Christes people to folowe it in all poyntes wherin al godly men albeit they dissent in other maters yet they agree in it as wher we read in scripture that God made heauen and earth that he spake vnto the fathers and that he hathe and dothe stil rewarde the good and punishe the euil the catholike vnderstanding of faithe biddeth vs vnderstande those sayenges of the true euer lyuing merciful God not of a fearce cruel God that were a maker of euil as Cerdon Mercion and Manicheus in their fonde fables flirted out the mater Also wher we reade that God worketh al in al thinges the catholike sence of faith chargeth vs that we take not God to be the autor of synne For we bring and commytte synne as it were by enheritaunce euen of our owne original vicious poisoned nature And the holy people while they lyue in this worlde are endaungered to synne are saued by the mere mercy free ê‘done of God not by theyr owne merites Furthermore where the scripture speaketh of God and calleth hym the Father the sonne the holy goost the catholyke sense of faith of the church byddeth vs vnderstaÌ„d that God is one in substaunce three in persones And wher the scripture affirmeth Christ to be very perfite God very perfite man the catholike sense of the church byddeth vs vnderstande Christ to be abyde in diuerse natures but not confused in them selues yet in one inseperable persone Praxeas and Sabellius confounde iomble the persones together Arius denyeth the sonne to be very God consubstancial wyth the father Valentinus denyeth the sonne to be very man of al one substauÌ„ce wyth vs. Nestorius disseuereth hys persone Eutyches Timotheus make the natures of hys Godhead maÌ„heade al one But the catholike churche alwayes reteyneth her owne true ryght vnderstandyng of the scripture whych for all that the holy fathers in theyr written workes disputacions against heresies haue declared coÌ„firmed by that scriptures For that cause the holy fathers haue euer obiected the catholyke mynde of the churche to heritikes howbeit they dyd strayght wayes confirme and declare the same by the scriptures and deduced it religiously out of the chief principles of our fayth As I shal anone speake of these maters more at large And thys selfe same catholyke sense vnderstandyng of the scriptures the gospellers churche kepeth diligently perfite sounde euen at thys daye as Kyng Edward the .vi. and the churche of Englande dyd in hys
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
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
to spare in theyr kyngdom wher hel fyre shal be theyr light They also make a most open lowd lye in sayeng the the gospellers church of Christ abateth and slaketh euery daye more and more Sure they prate that bycause Germanye was so lately assaulted and afflicted wyth warres bycause of the horrible alteracion in EnglaÌ„de And do not the lyeng wretches see that as Bermanye was tryed as golde is in the fyre euen so is Englande by martires blood The Lorde said to Petre Symon Symon Satan hathe desyred to sifte you Luce. 22. as it were wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy faythe fayle not And whan thou arte coÌ„uerted streyngtheÌ„ thy brethren As for Petre he fell and denyed hys maister yea hys maister was also hanged on the crosse and all hys disciples ranne awaye But yet who caÌ„ gather therof Ergo Christes doctrine is false Ergo the Apostles churche is not the church Are not our aduersaries aduised the all which wyll lyue godly must nedes suffre persecucion Or why do they not see the they are fayne perforce with a sorowfull hart to confesse it to be true that in al theyr hyghe poÌ„pous ruffe their kingdom is euery daye more more rent cut of slydeth awaye that Christes gospel is clearly preached dayly more and more and taketh good roote in very Italye and Fraunce and is surely plaÌ„ted for al theyr massing myschief and tyrannous tormenting in wooful England it putteth furth hys grene buddes in Polone in Hungarie in Ilandes not a fewe yea and in very Turkye also For as fast as kynges and Prynces by the incensyng of bishoppes and priestes psecute faithful christiaÌ„ people with fyre sweord and for al that the wyse of thys world laye theyr heades together take couÌ„sail amoÌ„g them selues how they may hyndre the kyngdome of Christe and thwyte awaye the preachyng of the gospel yet they are neuer the farther for all theyr adoo the gospel bloweth hys horne stil wil do let the worlde stampe and stare euen to the last day til the sonne of God shal come geue rest and glorie to hys afflicted freÌ„des and seruauntes and caste hys enemyes headlong from hys presence in to the lake of vrymstone that shall burne for euermore Now yf a man wyl gather out of al thys simple treatise declaracioÌ„ the very markes of the true ryght catholike church of Christ wyl wyth aduised diligence beholde the gospellers churche whom the Papistes charge wyth heresie obseruing whether the more sure right markes of the true churche maye be founde in the gospellers churche he shall vtterly confesse that the gospellers church is gorgeously furnished wyth them and therfore cleare acquieted from all accusacions and raylyng reportes of al traiterous papistes aduersaries For the gospellers churche receaueth al and singular holy sacred canonical bokes The true markes of Christes â—atholike â—hurche bothe of the olde Testament the newe To them we geue credence in al pointes wythout contradiccion or doubt as authencicall that is hauing of them selues ful and perfit absolute autoritie In them we affirme that all truthe is to be beleued and al mysteries offices of godlynesse are in them fully conteyned and taught and therfore we referre all the affaires and businesses of the churche and al questions vnto them and we geue sentence ordayne and refourme after the definitiue iudgementes of them How be it we receaue not euery mannes iudgement of the holy scripture but the most catholike ryght meanyng grounded vpon the mynde of the holy Goost and of the conference of scriptures one place to an other conformable in all coÌ„dicions to sayth and charitie In thys behalfe we are not vnthankeful but thankful to antiquitis and set muche price by the labours and trauailes that the olde auÌ„cient fathers bestowed vpon the expounding of the scriptures and we gladly vse the godly interpretacions of the auncient prelates of the church whych diffre not from the rule of holy scripture The gospellers churche permitteth not the interpretacion of the scripture and the charge of the coÌ„gregacions to euery man at auenture but to suche as be therto lawfully chosen and apointed by the rule of the Apostles We beleue religiously embrace the chief principles of the christen fayth namely the fyrst health geuing promyse made of God in Paradise coÌ„terning Christ our redemer breaking the head or kyngdome and power of the deuil We religiously embrace that only and eternal couenaunt that God made wyth our fyrst parentes at the begynnyng of the worlde and afterwarde many tymes renewed it wyth the holy fathers We religiously beleue obey the most holye tables of the couenauÌ„t written wyth the fyngre of God and conteynyng the hole mysterye of al godlynesse We religiously receaue and vse the moste anntient articles of belefe called the Apostles Crede compreheÌ„dyng al the mysterye of faythe whych we fully syncerely beleue wyth al our hartes and confesse it also wyth open mouth and therupon we directly coÌ„demne all heresyes heretical persons We stycke not also to receaue al declaracioÌ„s and definicions of faythe whether they be of CouÌ„sailes or of Fathers so they agree wyth the Apostles Crede Nother do we refuse olde auncient Tradicions yf they agree wyth the doctrine of the gospell and the apostles scripture We preache the grace and merccie of God in Christ we professe that faithfulle christianes are iustifyed by the only merite of Christ through only faith in Christ and not by mannes workes or merites And therwith all we teache that a true faithe can not chose but bring furthe good workes Iames. 2. and we affirme with S. Iames the apostle that a fruteles faithe is a dead faithe We acknowlage that al men are synners and that all do amysse in verye many thynges and therfore synners haue nede of perpetual salue and we affirme that penaunce is the healthe geuyng salue to them that beleue in Christ And in thys behalfe as in other cases the Keyes of the kyngdome of heauen haue place Herein we neclecte not discrete admonicion and brotherly reformacion In al these maters we praye continually to God wythout ceassyng We vse euer the pure callyng vpon God by the intercession of Christ alone We receaue and vse nother mo nor fewer Sacramentes than God hym selfe hathe delyuered vnto hys churche By Baptisme we haue entraunce into the churche thorough baptisme we are washed and bounden by vowe vnto God We also the poore churche of gospellers are nourished with the mystical Supper we celebrate the remembraunce of mannes redempcion purchaced by the bodye broken and blood shead of Iesus Christ We the gospellers churche geue thankes for goddes benefites and so we openlye professe our faythe We therfore abyde in the vnitie of the mysticall bodye vnder one onely heade and Kynge hygh priest shepeherde Iesus Christ we are not sondred froÌ„ the most faste knytte feloweship of the faythful meÌ„bres We
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