Gen. 20.7 cap. 49 1. prophets did tel of things to come ordred the church in the families as they were g 2. Pet. 1.21 Gen. 15. 17. 21. c. guided by the spirite of God in prophesie or receiued commandement by vision or dreame from God Vnder the law there is the h This is taught in Exodus Numbers Leuiticus expounded in Deuteronomy all the prophets priesthood in the house of Aaron the Leuites vnder thē attend vpon the holy administration by diuers orders and ordināces keeping the people vnder the pure religion of faith loue Vnder the gospel there be also diuers i 1. Cor. 12.4.5.6 c. Mat. 28.19 Ephes 4.11 Rom. 15.18.19 administrations giftes and works set in the church to rule and feede the flocke of Christ to make them obedient to the faith in worde and deed And the k Math. 13.17 cap. 11.11 2. Cor. 3. manifestation of the spirit is more excellent abundant in the latter times then in the former Now in these three times you may see touching these ceremonies and maner of gouernment great difference and that the word of God doth not esteeme of these outward thinges as of the substance of religion vnchangeable as he doth of the inward and spirituall namely faith and loue And first as touching the time before the law Christ teacheth that the Iewes could not be Abrahams children l Ioh. 8.39 because they did not the works of Abraham which workes are not in ceremonies and maner of gouernment for they were two curious in those things and therefore Christ saith in another place m Math. 9.13 Go and learne what this meaneth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Thereby declaring the morall duties of loue to be substantiall in a religious profession not ceremonies as sacrifice washing tithinge c. And S. Paul on the other side saith thus a Rom. 4.10.11.12 Abrahams faith was imputed to him for righteousnes before hee was circumcised and that after he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should bee the father of all them that beleeue Where hee sheweth that Abrahams religion whereby hee was iust before God was his faith and that was before hee was circumcised and without circumcision then his circumcision was onely a signe and a seale to strengthen his faith in sealing vp of his righteousnesse but not of the matter or substaunce of his righteousnesse Secondly that this was so deuided that the gentilles which were not circumcised might bee iustified through the same faith without the obseruing of the lawe and the Iewes though circumcised were not iustified except they walked in the steppes of Abrahams faith So that herein consisteth Abrahams religion euen in his faith and walking in the steppes thereof the ceremonies were onely ornamentes and outward helpes to the same After which manner the prophetes also do interprete the law For when the people preferred the ceremonies and maner of gouernment before the morall dueties and faith Esay saith vnto them b Esai 1.10 Heare the word of the Lord O princes of Sodom herken vnto the law of our God O people of Gomorrah What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord c. Where he calleth thē frō the foolish and curious obseruation of ceremonies and maner of gouernment c vers 16. Repentance and the fruites thereof according to loue and of faith in the consent and obedience to Gods word and mercy d vers 19. And in another place he saith that e cap. 66.1.2 God esteemeth neither temple nor sacrifice but the humble and contrite heart who trembleth at his word Hereof Hieremie f Hier. 7.3.4 Amend your waies and your works I will let you dwell in this place trust not in lying wordes saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord c. For this cause the Psalmist sheweth that the end g Psal 78.5.7 why God gaue Israel his law that they should teach it there posteritie was this That they might set their hope on God and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements And the cause of all the plagues was not in regard of ceremonies or maner of gouernment for he saith h Psal 50.8 I wil not reproue thee for thy sacrifices but for their falling away from faith as it is written a Psal 106.13.14.24 They forgat his workes waited not for his counsell but lusted with concupiscence c. and beleeued not his worde And therefore it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes b Heb. 3.2 The word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it So likewise in the whole tenor of the gospell what is the principall aime of the holy Ghost to make men religious are not these two namely faith and loue is not the summe of the gospel in these two c Marc. 1.15 Repent beleeue the gospell Did not Paul say that when he taught the Ephesians all the counsell of God that he taught them d Act. 20.20.21 Repentance towardes God faith in Iesus Christ and what is this els but that wee should leaue the wickednesse of our heartes and liues and walke in all dueties of loue to God and man and hold fast his holy couenant by a true liuely faith Therefore he saith els where that e Gal. 5.6 in Iesus Christ neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Where by circumcision he meaneth the ceremonies and maner of gouernment of the law as hee expoundeth it verse 3. and so contrarily vncircumcision signifieth the order and maner of the gentils Therefore these outward thinges are not the maine substance but onely faith and loue Hereof it is that the spirite of God commendeth the f Eph. 1.15 Coloss 1.4 1. Thes 1.3 churches for their faith and loue hope and patience and Saint Paul speaking of himselfe sheweth how hee became a religious Christian saying g 1. Tim. 2.13 Before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercie c. but the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus Whereby you see that a wicked life and vnbeliefe make a prophane and irreligious person but faith and loue a true and religious Christian And hereof followeth the difference betweene an hipocrite and a true Christian the one is altogether superstitious in outward thinges h Mat. 23.5 labouring by such obseruations to appeare righteous religious vnto men but within is full of hipocrisie and iniquitie the other hath i 1. Tim. 1.5 loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience of faith vnfained And this is the cause that
he doth shew that all Israel in Abraham and Sarah their father and mother had vtterly perished with the rest of the world thorow this originall corruption had not God called them endewed them with faith and giuen them the couenant And as a childe new borne whose nauell is vncut and walloweth in his bloud and cast out in contempt hath no cleannesse in him nor power to prepare himselfe vnto cleannesse must needes haue all from the hand of them that take pittie on him So was Abraham void of all good knowledge and wil vnto godlinesse vntil God purified his heart by faith And as this was found in Abraham so he learned and beleeued the same obseruing the like in others whom God had not called as he had him for when a Gen. 12.10 cap. by famine hee was faine to go into Aegypt and afterward into Gerar his wife Sarah being a faire woman hee feared to acknowledge her to be his wife because he knew that the people being without grace and faith could not but encline to lust after her as the sequell did plainely declare and hee sheweth a reason b vers 11. Surely the feare of God is not in this place and they will slay mee for my wiues sake Where by the want of the feare of God putting the effect for the cause he vnderstandeth that they were voide of the grace of God of and in themselues so corrupt with this naturall deprauation that hee could not looke for any good but euill to come from them euen as Christ saith c Mat. 12.33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good or els make the tree euill and his fruit euill d Apolog. of England cap. 19. diuis 1 And this is also the faith of the Church of England for wee say That euerie person is borne in sin that no bodie is able truely to say his heart is cleane c. e Articles of religion Artic. 9. 10. Of free will originall sinne The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he can not turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes to faith and calling vpon God wherefore we haue no power to do good workes pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ preuenting vs that wee may haue a good will and working in vs when wee haue that good will and f Artic. 13. of workes before iustification works before the grace of Christ haue the nature of sinne Which is altogether agreeing in sence and meaning with that which is before shewed of the fathers time and of Abraham therefore let vs now heare Moses and the prophetes Moses saith g Deut. 9.5.6 O Israel thou enterest not to inherit their land for thy righteousnesse or for thy vpright heart for thou art a stiffe necked people And againe h Cap. 29.2.3.4 Ye haue seene all that the Lord did before your eyes in the lande of Egipt vnto Pharaoh c. Yet the Lord hath not giuen your an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vntill this day Where it appeareth plainly that Moses taught them that without Gods gift they could not vnderstand nor obey but were rebelles against God and stiffe necked And the prophetes declare the verie same i Psal 51.5 Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceyued mee k Prouerb 20.9 Who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am cleane from sinne By which is manifest that this originall corruption descending from Adam maketh the heart so corrupt that it can not prepare it selfe to any cleannes of righteousnes but of it selfe runneth headlong to all euill Therefore because that in this respect the heart in the faithfull is made as it were new the Lord saith by the Prophet a Ezech. 36.26 A new heart will I giue you a new spirit will I put within you Yet is the new testament more euident for it saith b Ioh. 3.3 Except a man be borne again he can not see the kingdome of God c Eph. 2.1.2 ye were in times past that is before our calling and regeneration dead in sinnes and trespasses c. walking in the lust of the flesh and fulfilling the will of the flesh of the minde d Tit. 3.3 and were by nature the children of wrath we were vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating one another Then which what can be more said the minde the will the affections wordes and deedes bee all ill euen as a deade man that hath no mouing but must be new borne before he can haue any sight is not such an one vniuersally corrupt voide of knowledge and free will vnto any godlinesse and vnable to doe workes pleasing vnto God yea and therefore the Apostle is bolde to say that it is e Philip. 2.13 God which worketh in vs the will and the deed of his good pleasure Then you see that the fathers Moses the prophets Christ his Apostles doe all agree in the same doctrine of the estate of man after his fall before his calling in Christ and that it is the same which we professe in England The fourth article entereth into the consideration how we are deliuered from this corrupt and damnable estate 4 There is one onely way of righteousnesse saluation which is by faith in Iesus Christ THis is verie apparant in the storie of Abraham when God saith that all the families of the earth should be blessed in his seed Where by blessed is vnderstood the deliuerance from the corruption and damnation which came by Adam This seede is Christ when hee saith all families or that sheweth that whosoeuer in the world shall bee saued must bee saued by Christ And there is no other seede or faith by which one man can be saued therfore he receiued the couenant as is before declared for Iewes and gentils that men might not looke for righteousnes or saluation in any other thing but only in by faith in Iesus Christ And so saith Moses as the blessed Apostle interpreteth it f Rom. 10.6 Deut. 30.11.12 The righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue or who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring Christ againe from the dead but what saith it The word is neere euē in thy mouth in thine heart this is the word of faith which we preach For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt belieue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued Where thou seest by Moses docttrine that we must not seek righteousnes or saluation any where els but in the faith of Christ which the prophets expresse thus a Esai 28.16 Thus saith the Lord God Behold I
kingdoms But as concerning the saluation or damnation of men they say thus g Pro. 16.4 God made all things or men for himselfe yea euen the wicked for the day of euil which words sheweth that the coūsel of God in making all things regarded this ende Gods glorie not only in those which are elected vnto saluation but euen in those which are reprobated vnto euil that is to damnation as in Malachie he also saith h Malach. 1. ver 2.3 Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated which words are before cited by saint Paul for Gods eternal decree touching mans saluation and damnation But the new Testament is somewhat plainer where we are taught to confesse Gods eternall purpose before the creation how all things should be in these words i Reuel 4.11 Rom. 11.36 Thou art worthie O Lord to receiue glorie and honour and power for thou hast created all thinges and for thy will sake they are and haue been created And againe Of him and through him and for him are all things to him bee glorie for euer Amen But more particularly touching man it is said first for the elect k Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world c. And of the reprobate Christ is l 1. Pet. 2.8 a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence euen to them which stumble at the word vnto the which thing they were euen ordained Which is so plaine that all men may see euidently that the counsell and decree of God ruleth ouer all and in all things His holy name be blessed for euer Amen Therefore in this Article our English beliefe is the same which God teacheth Abraham by himselfe and Israel by Moses and the prophets and both Iewes and gentils by his Christ and his Apostles The third Article of the estate of man by the fall of Adam and before his calling 3 The heart of man before and without the grace of God is altogether corrupt by originall sinne descending from Adam so that in him there is no power to do any worke of godlines pleasing God THis Article doth shew the damnable estate of man before hee haue faith in Christ in three things 1. in the vniuersall corruption of his soule by originall sin which consisteth in the want of knowledge and freewill vnto godlinesse 2. That it commeth from Adam descending from father to sonne 3. And in that before grace all his workes are sinne in the sight of God Before the fall Adam being made a Gen. 1.26 Colos 3.10 Eph. 4.24 after Gods image in knowledge holinesse and righteousnes could not be corrupt in soule but as the preacher saith b Eccles 7.3 Gen. 1.31 God made man righteous And Moses saith God saw all that he had made loe it was verie good But after Adam c Cap. 3. had eaten of the forbidden fruite the tree of knowledge of good and euill then lost he this holy image and goodnes of soule as appeareth in that he could not abide the presence of God he was ashamed and hid himselfe and whē God called him to an account he posted the matter to his wife and in a sort charged God saying d Vers 12. The woman which thou gauest to be with me she gaue mee of the tree c. Which declareth how hee was vtterly voide of goodnes in that hee shewed no inclination to repentance or submission to God and this further appeareth in his sonnes Caine and Abell e Gen. 4. Heb. 11.4 the one being without faith alas altogether set on euil works could not please God with his sacrifice the other by faith shewing his new birth offered an acceptable sacrifice So that it is apparant that this corruptiō is exceeding great is hereditarie descending from Adam and so from father to sonne making euerie soule vnable to doe any godlines Wherefore when the world was multiplyed in people they became most shamefull in wickednes which God not able to abide therefore minding their destruction sheweth the ground to be this originall sinne namely f Gen. 6.5 cap. 8.21 All the imaginations of the thoughtes of his heart were onely euill continually And againe the imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth Where thou maist see that being in the heart and from the youth this corruption is naturall and originall comming from the parents and being onely euill and imaginations it sheweth the vniuersal corruption and then being continually this bewrayeth the emptinesse of knowledge free wil vnto God also that nothing can be done by a mā vnregenerate godly pleasing to the Lord. Now looke we vpon the storie of Abraham Noe was a iust man he his three sons had seen the great plague vpō all the world by the floud yet there posterity fell from God this was found in Abraham and his fathers house so that they were cleane fallen from God worshipped other Gods which in deede were no Gods which doubtlesse had not beene but by this originall corruption For what did they either by vnderstanding or will to prepare or dispose themselues to grace or what worke find wee they did to please God iust nothing But God called Abraham and in calling of him endewed him with faith and so he by faith obeyed pleased God as is interpreted by the holy ghost in the Epistle to the a Heb. 11.8 Hebrewes By faith Abraham when he was called obeyed God c. And if it were by faith it must needs be meerely the supernaturall gift of Gods spirit as the Apostle saith b 1. Cor. 12.8 To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedom to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another is giuen faith by the same spirit Then surely before this gift of the spirite Abrahams heart was altogether corrupt which the prophet Ezechiel openeth more plainly who Ezec. 16.3.4.5 c. speaking of the first founding of the church of Israel Iews in the persō calling of Abr. cōpares that time of their first ingrafting into the couenant to bee made Gods people vnto the time of a childe newly come into the world Namely that God saw their father Abraham in whom he adopted them to be his church and Sarah his wife their mother as a child whose nauel was not cut nor washed with water nor softened nor swadled with clouts whom no eye pittied but was cast out in contempt of his person then saith God to the whole generatiō of Israel as one man that began in Abraham When I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy bloud thou shalt liue And a little after I spread my skirt ouer thee and couered thy filthinesse yea I sware vnto thee entered into couenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine c. In which wordes allegorically
will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation He that beleeueth shall not make hast b Malack 4.2 Vnto you that feare my name shall the sonne of righteousnesse arise and health shall bee vnder his winges c. The gospell more plainely sheweth that where Christ is not knowen c Math. 4.16 the people sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and that hee d Luc. 1.78.79 is the day spring from on high giuing light to them that sitte in darkenesse and in the shadow of death e 2. Tim. 1.10 And that hee bringeth life and immortalitie to light by the gospell And that God is so farre from allowing that any man should bee able in any other meane to attaine vnto righteousnes or saluation thus he speaketh expressely that there is no f Act. 4.11 Saluation in any other for among men is giuen no name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Now what confesseth the Church of England in this regarde Namely that g Artic. 18. they are to bee had accursed abhorred that presume to say that euery man shall be saued by law or sect that he professeth c. For holy Scripture doth set out vnto vs onely the name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saued So that heere you see the faith of Abraham Moses the prophets Apostles determine one way of mans restoring vnto righteousnes and saluation and the verie same is the faith of the church of England The fift article of Iesus Christ the onely author ef our saluation What we ought to know and beleeue of him 5. Iesus Christ in regarde of his person is perfect God and perfect man in one person and in regarde of his office mediator betweene God and man of the couenant of mercie IN this article we embrace two things First what Christ is in himselfe where wee vnderstand not that God alone or man alone is Christ but God and man is one Christ By God we vnderstand the onely and euerlasting begotten son of God the second person in the trinitie by man we vnderstande that hee came of the seed of Abraham and Dauid and a very naturall man borne of the virgin Marie hauing bodie and soule and all faculties and qualities of mind and bodie as we haue onely sin excepted and that the two natures in Christ are not confounded nor seperated but vnited distinct as the body soul of a man hauing their seueral natures properties make but one thing which is a mā So the godhead of Christ assuming the manhood chāgeth not it selfe nor the nature of man assumed but God man vnited in one person make one Iesus Christ and Sauior who by his incarnation and obedience suffering death resurrection assention sitting at the right hand of God and lastly by his iudgement hath and will saue all the elect of God declare make manifest the iust condemnation of the wicked reprobate And these are the works of his office of mediatorship which office of mediator we thus vnderstand that where all mankind being dead in sin there whole nature corrupted vnder the wrath of God and damnation of bodie and soule had in himselfe as is before declared nothing sound being vnable to doe any thing that could please God for his restoring vnto righteousnes and saluation Christ by the will of his father and of his free loue came into the world and became a man that where man had sinned by man might come deliuerance from sinne But because we men were wicked void of strēgth he was also God that he might be able perfectly to saue vs And so being God and man he was a fit mediator to make peace that where by sinnes we were enemies to God he being righteous suffering for vs payd the ransome for our sins and as God being the son of God was apt to reconcile vs vnto his father being beloued of his father his doing and suffering set vs free from the curse of the law the wrath of God and brought vs so far into Gods fauor that by him we are made righteous adopted children to his father and heires vnder hope of his euerlasting kingdom in al things in and through faith in him our harts being purified God is wel pleased with vs. In which office he is a priest and a king In his priestly office first as a prophet he bringeth vnto vs the oracles and word of God and secondly performing perfect obedience he offereth himselfe an immaculate lambe a pure and vndefiled sacrifice for our sins and continually maketh intercession for vs As he is King he hath all power in his hands he is Lord and head of his church and ruleth it by his word and spirit and sitteth and raigneth at the right hand of the glorie of God til all his enemies which are the enemies of his church be destroied and al things being restored hee will deliuer vp his kingdome into the hands of his father that God may be all in all This person and office of Christ being thus briefely but faithfully described See we now whether it be not that ancient faith which was taught Abraham First for the godhead of Christ a Gen. 18. he appeared vnto Abraham in the plaine of Mamre where one of the three angels is called Iehouah which is proper vnto God onely And againe b Cap. 22. when he offered vp his son Isaack an angel called to him from heauen saying Now I know thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onley sonne this must needs bee vnderstood of the son of God for the father is no where entituled by the name of an angel but the son is c Esai 63.9 els where called The angel of Gods presence and by special name d Dan. 10.21 Michael our prince which is by interpretation who like God which fitly declareth his godhead for so is it said in the Psalmes e Psal 89.8 O Lord God of hosts who is like vnto thee a mighty God and thy truth is about thee Secondly the manhood of Christ to bee assumed by Christ in the fulnes of times was taught Abraham when God preached the Gospel to him saying In thy seed which argueth the incarnation of the sonne of God that he should be made man of the seed of Abraham as it is expounded by the holie ghost saying f Heb. 2.16.17 He in no sort tooke the angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham Wherefore in all thinges it became him to be like his brethren c. that is to say seeing he came to saue man whom he would make his brethren by adoption it became him to take the seed of Abraham that he might be a verie true and naturall man his office is directly taught in that All the families of the earth by him should bee made blessed that is deliuered out of that cursed estate of original
slaine yea there is a sacrifice for the leaper the running issue for women newely deliuered of child and for touching any vncleane thing for vnwittingly speking or doing any euil which one perceiueth not all sins of ignorance had their sacrifice what doe all these mean but the sin of concupiscence imperfection in the regenerate And whē he saith thou f Exod. 20.17 Rom. 7.7 shalt not lust he declareth plainly that this concupiscence in the regenerate is sin as the holie Apostle doth expound it And as touching the want or vncleanes in good works there is an especial feast g Leuit. 16. of reconciliation to purge the holie sanctuary the tabernacle of the congregation to cleanse the alter to make atonement for the priest for al the people of the congregation that this shal be don once euery yere where in euerie soule shal humble himselfe what doth this argue but that the best things and workes of the best men are vncleane and haue neede to be cleansed by faith in Iesus Christes holie sacrifice But the prophets speake yet more plainely First the Psalmist saith a Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faultes cleanse me from secrete faultes b Psal 119.5 O that my waies were directed to keepe thy statutes c Psal 141.4 Set a watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips incline not my hart vnto euill c. These wordes shewe directly and expresly the sinfull concupiscence in man regenerate to cause sinne vnawares and secret and that the children of God saw their owne inhabilitie vnto good thinges and that no regenerate man could doe all Gods commandements especially at all times to which the preacher accordeth saying d Eccl. 7.22 Surely there is no man iust in the earth that doth good and sinneth not and as touching the sinne of their good workes they teach the Church to confesse and say e Esai 69.6 Wee haue been all as an vncleane things and all our righteousnes as filthie cloutes vpon this the gospell speaking of the regenerate saith f Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to an other so that ye cannot doe the same thinges that yee woulde wherefore the regenerate man confesseth this and saith g Rom. 7.19 I doo not the good things which I would but the euill which I would not that doo I which sheweth expressely the imperfection of the regenerate and righteous man in this life that hee hath sinne in him and cannot but sinne yea in his best deeds For where such resistance is there must needes be weakenesse and sinne and therefore in this place h ver 7. concupiscence in the regenerate is directly called sinne And Saint i Iacob 3.2 Iames confesseth that in manie thinges wee sinne all And that wee may further see our imperfection in our best dooings this also doth the regenerate k 1. Cor. 4.4 acknowledge that although in some one thing he doo knowe nothing by him selfe as the Apostle in his ministerie yet he is not thereby iustified thereby teaching that a good man cannot see what escapes there be in his perfectest doings as God can therfore he wil not cleere himselfe no not in that wherin he cannot accuse himselfe for seeing as elsewhere he affirmeth l Rom. 7.21 When he would doo good euil is present with him it must needs follow that although the regenerate man do not in euerie action perceiue it yet this euill concupiscence which is alway present with him doth make his good deedes vnperfect and sinne that it cannot aunswere to the righteousnes of the law nor stand before Gods iudgment seate if he should iudge by mans deeds according to the law and not by his faith according to the gospel and therfore the spirit of God a 1. Ioh. 5.3.4 teacheth that the reason why Gods commandemēts are not greeuous to the beleeuer is our faith by which we haue victorie ouer the worlde Then may I boldly conclude that Abraham Moses the Prophets and Apostles felt and found this doctrin to be true that in the regenerate man there is sinful concupiscence which dwelling in our harts and resisting the spirit doth not onely make vs sin in many things but also stayneth our best deedes with greeuous spottes of corruption and imperfection in Gods sight so that only faith in Christ must be our b Ephe. 6.16 shield against the firie darts of the Diuel and c 1. Pet. 1.5 by faith onely doth God preserue vs through his power vnto eternal saluation And this is for certainty the doctrine which the church of England now holdeth For we publish to all the worlde that Although for Christ sake d Artic. 9. of original sin there is no condemnation to the regenerate and beleeuing yet concupiscence in it selfe is verie sin and that e Artic. 12. of good workes our good workes which are fruits of faith and follow after iustification cannot put away our sins and endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement And that f Artic. 15. Christ onely without sin Christ onely was without sin as a lambe without spot but we although we be baptised and borne againe in Christ yet we offend in many things g Apolog. cap. 19. diuis 1. The most righteous person is an vnprofitable seruant the law of God is perfect and requireth of vs perfect and ful obedience we are able by no meanes to fulfill that law in this worldly life Therefore it is clere that in this article also we consent and agree to the most ancient and catholike faith of the fathers law Prophets and Apostles of Christ The eight article of the right place and vse of good woorkes 8. Good workes are the fruits of the iustified Christians and do make knowen their true and liuely faith and where they are not their faith is dead THis article doth declare that although by faith onely we are iust in Gods sight made heires of saluation without any workes of our owne as causes adiuuant and concurrent and that the law cannot iustifie or saue any man yet in the true religion allowed of God good workes are not excluded altogether neither is the law so abolished as that it were not our dutie to liue godly and vprightly according to the law But according to the law of iustice they hauing no place in the matter and causing of saluation should yet haue their own proper right place and honour according to their dignity vse and vertue For if by the law and good workes wee all haue been iustified it had been their due place to haue ioined them in that article of iustification and to haue honored them with the glorie of merite and deseruing but because we men are so corrupt that in this life our good workes attaine not to the righteousnes which the law exacteth wee must graunt them a lower place euen so great
couenant of faith to be their God in the promise of Christ vpon this he requiring obedience in a godlie life doth insinuate that they which professe the faith that God is their God must declare their faith by obedience to his commaundements and therefore he saith in an other place e Deut. 6.11 Beware thou forget not the Lorde thy God not keeping his commandements c. which sheweth plainlie that where disobedience is there is no faith for how can he haue faith that forgetteth him in whom hee should beleeue Hereupon all their disobedience rebelling and prouoking of God in the wildernes is said to be this a Psal 78.22.32 Heb. 4.1 They beleeue not God And this doth Moises aime at when hee saith Thou hast set vp the Lord this day to be thy God and to walke in his waies and to keepe his ordinances c. whereby it appeareth that vnto faith in couenanting with GOD this is an inseperable consequent that if we embrase God by faith we ought to follow his commandements by our deeds and he that doth not this latter bewraieth that he hath not with a true hart and faith receiued the former Therefore the prophets which expound the law in the person of God say thus a Mat. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his Master If then I bee a father where is my honour and if I be a master where is my feare c. Nowe we know that wee are sonnes no way but by faith Therefore this prophet intendeth that we are not ioined to the Lorde by faith either as his people children or seruants or that hee is our God father and Lorde except our deedes shew the vnfainednes of our faith in honor and feare Therefore saith an other prophet b Psal 116.10 I beleeued and therefore I spake making it a most assured thing that a liuely faith cannot bee secrete and idle but will shewe it selfe by the outwarde deedes and namely profession Therefore a iust and righteous man in the prophets is thus described a Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome and his tongue will talke of iudgement for the law of his God is in his heart c. Who is righteous but the beleeuer and how are we righteous but by faith this teacheth then that the beleeuer hauing the law of his God in his heart cannot but bring foorth good workes both in worde and in deed euen as the vnbeleeuer cannot bring forth any other but euill deeds therefore by the prophetes euill doers and beleeuers are made contraries as it is written b Verse 9. Euill doers shall be cut off but they which waite vpon the Lord shall inherite the lande And againe c Psal 32.10 Many sorrowes come to the wicked but he that trusteth in the Lord mercie shal compasse him But the Gospell doeth shewe this yet more brightly as namely where it is said d Gal. 5.6 In Iesus Christ neyther circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue that is to say faith doeth not onely take holde on Christ for righteousnes but also buddeth out before God and man the sweet blossoms of loue in the workes of pietie and honestie And therefore Christ challengeth them for no beleeuers in him which walke disobediently saying e Luk. 6.46 Why call ye mee master master and do not the things that I speake Whereupon the blessed Apostle is not afeard to say that he which is not a new man in holines righteousnesse but runneth greedily after his lusts in wickednesse hath not f Eph. 4.10.11 learned Christ as the truth is in Iesus And S. Iohn speaking of the hope of Gods children what they shal be at the ioyful appearance of Christ constantly affirmeth that i 1. Ioh. 3.3 euerie man who hath this hope purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure And againe k Vers 10. In this are the children of God knowen the children of the Deuil whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother So that as clearely as the sunne is seene to shine in the middest of the day it is most apparant both by Abraham Moses and the prophetes and also by Christ and his Apostles that our faith and doctrine taught in England touching workes is most sound and catholicke namely that works necessarily follow faith declare it to be a true and a liuely faith and he that liueth licentiously and wickedly hath not faith The ninth Article of the meanes of religion which is the word of God 9 The word of God is the onely perfect rule of religion teaching all things whatsoeuer is necessarie vnto saluation and the same is fully wholy and onely contained in the holy and canonicall scriptures of the old and new testament IN this Article it is first necessary to know distinctly what is this word of God For some men confound this with the second person in the trinitie because the sonne of God is called the word by the holy Euangelist a Ioh. 1.1 1. Ioh. 5.7 S. Iohn Where they are to know that we consider in God two things what hee is in himselfe and what outwardly he doth or commeth from him Now the worde which is the sonne of God which is the second person in the trinitie is alwaies in God verie God as we truely say The father the word or the sonne and the holy ghost are ouer the same God But the word of God which wee heere speake of is the knowledge and reuelation of Gods wil touching godlinesse therfore called Gods word because it commeth not nor can come by the will or vnderstanding of man or any creature but by God himselfe is deliuered to his saintes as it were spoken by Almightie God as wee see in our first parente b Gen. 3. Adam after his fall hee was deade in sinne he had no will wit nor vnderstanding touching saluation till God called him and taught him by his word and gaue him the promise of Christ saying The seed of the woman should breake the serpentes head For which cause it is called c Eph. 1.9 Colos 25.26 The mystery of Gods will Which God in diuers maners in diuers times hath reueiled to his church d Numb 12. c. 7.8 2. Pet. 1.21 In darke speeches by dreames and vision openly and plainly as vnto Moses and by inspiration of the holy Ghost Of which it is thus written e Heb. 1.1.2 At sundrie times in diuers manners God spake in the olde time to our fathers by the prophetes in these last dayes he hath spoken to vs by his son And therfore these phrases in the prophets are plentifull The f Esai 1. Hier. 1. Lord hath said The word of the Lord came c. And many such like as all men know â—hich are acquainted with the holy scripture Now this being vnderstood we are to obserue
it were one sheepfold wherof Christ alone is sheapheard And therefore the Church of the fathers before the law the Church of the Iewes vnder the law and of the gentiles vnder the gospell are not three Churches but one in one felowship with God by one Sauiour Iesus Christ as it is written a Ephes 1 1â— That in the dispensation of the fulnes of times he might gather in one all things both which are in heauen and which are in earth euen in Christ Then must it needs follow that distance and difference of time place nation or language doth not disanul this vnitie so long as it may be said a Act. 15.9 God put no difference between them and vs after that by faith he had purified their hearts By vniuersalitie we vnderstand that the Church is not tied vnto any one place person nation or language citie or countrie but as Saint Peter saith b Act. 10.31 In euerie nation hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him How be it in the dispensation of times there is some difference for it pleased God for the wickednesse of the nations for a time to place his holy oracles couenantes in that one nation of the Iewes vntill these last daies when Christ came and tooke away the partition wall and opened the kingdome of heauen for all people to enter in and to bee made one church with the Iewes Yet although the sinnes of the gentils did shut them out for a season God so disposed it that the time of the fathers and Moses the prophets do witnesse that now in the end of the worlde they should bee admitted into the same fellowship and no nation barred from being of the Church of God The last point in the nature of the church is the chiefest without which they cannot be the church for it is Christ c 1. Pet. 3.18 that bringeth vs to God And as S. Paul saith d Ephe. 2.18 we both that is Iews gentils haue an entrance to the father by one spirit Therefore this is the true proper and onely being nature of the church That e Gal. 3.26 we are all the sonnes of God by faith in Iesus Christ haue f 1. Ioh. 1.3 fellowship one with an other in the fellowship which we haue with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ Now this faith and fellowship doth appeare to the world by our profession that is commonly seene and discerned in all constituted churches by these two marks Gods word and sacraments And this thou mayest directly learne in the story of Abraham first for the nature of the church where God preached the gospell to him there he describeth what it should be First the vniuersalitie when he saith all nations or families of the earth secondly the vnitie wheÌ„ he propoundeth theÌ„ vnited in one seed in one the same happines And lastly seeing that this seed is Christ and this happines is the blessed estate wee haue in the fellowship with God in whose presence as the g Psal 16. â—â— psalme saith is the fulnes of ioy It must needs follow that God herein taught Abraham that this should be the nature of his church To bee in his fauour by fath in Iesus Christ This verie thing in all these three respectes was further shewed him h Gen. 17. in the change of his name addition of circumcision as is plainely expounded by S. Paul in the fourth to the Romanes Then as touching the marks Abraham professed the true and liuing God faith in Iesus Christ which is testified i Gen. 18. 12. 15. by teaching his familie the way of the Lord that is the word of God sacraments by his altar circumcision sacrifices so was Abrahams house knowen to be the visible church of God as it is written k Gen. 20.22 1 Cor. 14.25 God is with thee in all that thou doest And verily such is the church of England which hauing bin taught of God as Abraham was doth also beleeue concerning the Church of God in the verie same maner For we say that l Apolog. part We beleeue that there is one Church of God and that the same is not shut vp as in times past among the Iewes into some one corner or kingdome but that it is catholike and vniuersall dispersed through out the whole world So that there is now no nation which may truely complaine that they be shut out and may not bee one of the church people of God and that this Church is the kingdome the bodie and the spouse of Christ and that Christ alone is the prince of this kingdome and that Christ alone is the head of this bodie and that Christ alone is the bridegroome of this spouse And againe a Artic. 19. of the church The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure worde of God is preached and the sacraments bee duely ministred according to Christes ordinance c. Which our beliefe if you marke it nothing differeth from that of Abrahams time and is further confirmed by Moses Moses tought Israel this vnitie and fellowship of faith in one Church when hee gaue them b 1. Cor. 10.1.2 all one spirituall Manna and made them all drinke of the spirituall rocke which followed them which rocke was Christ and he taught them that there should be an vniuersalitie namely that the gentils should bee of the church as well as they together with them where he saith c Deut. 32.43 Sing ye gentils with his people Which the d Rom. 15.10 Apostle doth interprete to meane the calling ingrafting of all nations into the same fellowship of the Church The markes are cleare in his time For they had the preaching of e Deut. 4. vers 6. Gods word and nothing els and the administration of such sacraments as God did ordaine for that time as the f Exod. 12. passeouer and other sacrifices therefore Moses taught constituted no other church then is before described But the Prophets open this matter more fully in many places but I wil onely recite that where God saith concerning Christ g Esai 49.6 It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruant to raise vp the tribes of Iacob to restore the desolations of Israel I wil also giue thee for a light that thou mayest be my saluation vnto the ende of the world Where is plaine to be seene the vniuersalitie of the Church in that all nations are restored in and by Christ as well as the Iewes the vnitie and felowship with God is plaine in that one Christ saueth Iewes and gentils Wherefore in anohter place it is said h Zachar. 13.1 In that day there shal be a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Hierusalem for sinne and for vncleanesse i Cap. 14.8
for if there were difference the Lord would haue mentioned it by some word or other The like teach the prophets of the sacrifice as in the psalmes it is said that the people make a g Psal 50.5 couenant with God by sacrifice Where thou maiest perceiue the solemne acknowledging and auowching of the couenant was by sacrifice as an outward signe testifying the agreement of both parties And so God chargeth the people in the time of Hieremie the prophet h Hier. 34.18 That they kept not the words of the couenant which they had made before him when they cut the calfe in twain passed betweene the parts thereof So then you see that the couenant the wordes of the couenant is one thing the sacrifice is an other euen a signe yet not a naked bare signe but also a seale ratifying the couenant And therfore i Exod. 24.8 Moses did sprinkle the bloud of the sacrifice on the people saying Behold the bloud of the couenant which the Lord hath made with you which vse or power so to be commeth of institution who ordained the sacrifice to that end But the operation effect to be onely of Gods spirit appeareth because that this people though couenanting by sacrifice are found far frō the couenāt as is plainly declared by the psalme place of Ieremy before alleadged which yet is further opened by k Cap. 36.27 Ezech. by whom God saith I wil put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them And in this maner are the sacraments described in the new testament as namely where it is said a 1. Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are we al baptised into one body whether we be Iewes or Grecians whether bond or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit Where this phrase into one bodie into one spirit noteth the couenant of grace in Christ that as members of one bodie so are wee vnited in fellowship together with God through Christ by his spirite working faith in our hearts Baptized noteth the one sacrament and drinke noteth the other which is the Lords supper a part which is one signe set for the whole which are two signes bread and wine eating and drinking Now when he saith baptised into one bodie that sheweth the vse of baptisme is to be a seale to confirme the couenant vnto vs and not onely to bee a bare signe and this phrase drinke into one spirite doth argue the same thing of the Lords supper but making mention of the spirit he sheweth that the effect and operation is of the holy ghost So thē there be signs the thing signified and the power and operation of them both The signes water washing bread wine eating and drinking the thing signified the fellowship of the couenant which is in Christ The power is of this that God ordained this baptisme and supper of the Lord to bee signes of such importance as to seale and confirme vnto vs the couenant of grace but the operation is of the spirite of God which maketh vs really and in deede partakers of the things promised So that there is no difference in our sacraments from the sacramentes of the olde testament and that you may perceiue it is euen so examine with mee their institution First Baptisme is ordained by these wordes b Math. 28.19 Go teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the sonne and the holy ghost And againe c Mark 16.15.16 Go yee into all the world and preach the gospell to euerie creature hee that shall beleeue and be baptised shal be saued Here first the couenant is published by teaching and preaching then the parties receiue the couenant by beliefe and lastly the same is confirmed by baptisme As in the practise may appeare Peter preacheth Christ the people are pricked in heart asking what shall we do and he teacheth them by these wordes d Act. 2.22.37.38 Repent and be baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy ghost Where the word e Metanoésate Repent noteth out the chaunge of the mind not onely vnto amendment of life but also by turning vnto God by beliefe and therefore to declare the same sometime beliefe is ioyned with it as where it is said f Mark 1.15 Repent and beleeue the gospell so that hereby hee biddeth them so to repent and conuert as by faith they may receiue the couenant of grace in Christ and then adding that they should bee baptised in the name of Christ for remission of sinnes hee teacheth that baptisme should bee vnto them an assurance of that couenant which contayneth remission of sinnes which thing they should perceiue by the gift of the holy ghost accompanying the same Hereupon Philip g Act. 8.36.37 being demanded of baptisme by the Eunuch before hee baptized him required the acceptation of the couenant by these wordes If thou beleeuest thou mayest And least wee should thinke any power to bee in this sacrament otherwise then the institution maketh it to bee a signe and a seale of the couenant or that the worke wrought that is the verie outwarde signe being applyed by the minister when he washeth or dippeth the person baptized did effect the thing signified Saint Peter doth a 1. Pet. 3.21 expound it saying Baptisme doth saue vs. But howe Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request vnto God c. That is it is not the outward washing or worke of the ministrie but Gods spirit working in our hearts faith with a good conscience receiuing the couenant which saueth vs. And in this sorte also Christ b Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.23 instituteth his supper the holy cōmuniō First taking bread after thanksgiuing breaking it he saith this is my bodie and then taking the cup he saith This cup is the new testament in my bloud Then secondly for a commandement to his Church he saith doe this in remembrance of me c. where ordaining a sacrament hee vseth such phrases and maner of speech as God did in the same kind in the old testament sometime calling the signe signifying by the name of the thing signified as when he saith This is my bodie And sometime again least we might thinke it made a further change then was of old in the sacraments he addeth Do this in remembrance of me by the latter making it a signe and holy memoriall of Christ and his couenant and by the former making it more then a bare signe euen a seale of assurance vnto the faithfull beleeuers with the same termes order as the sacraments were ordained and instituted in the olde testament as wee haue seene before in circumcision the passeouer and the sacrifices So then the signe the thing signified and
many ought to be vnder the gospell and how these two differ in their special and particuler vse The confession of the church of England is altogether so and of the same consent For as touching the nature of a Sacrament we say the same in substance of truth a Sacraments ordained of Christ are not onely badges and tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards vs by the which he doth worke inuisibly in vs and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirme our faith in him and againe b Articl 25. of the sacramēts b Apolog. part 2.10 diuis 1. Wee allow the Sacraments of the Church that is to say certaine holie signes and ceremonies which Christ would we should vse that by them hee might set before our eies the misteries of our saluation and might more strongly confirme the faith which wee haue in his blood and might seale his grace in our hartes and in the same places there are no more but two sacraments acknowledged which properly ought to be called by that name and as touching the speciall difference First we say of Baptisme a Articl 27. that It is a signe and a seale of our new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receaue Baptisme are grafted into the church the promises of forgiuenes of sinnes and our adoption to be the sonnes of God by the holie ghost are visibly signed and sealed c. and of the Lords supper we say b Articl 28. The supper of the Lord is not only a signe of the loue that Christians ought to haue among themselues but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption Insomuch that to such as rightly woorthely and with faith receaue the same the bread which wee breake is a communion of the bodie of Christ and likewise the cup of blessing is a communion of the blood of Christ If all these things be compared together with the Scriptures you shall see that they doo verie fitly agree so that in the doctrine of the Sacraments we are of the auncient faith of Gods elect and of the holie vniuersall church The thirtenth article of the order of religious exercises and seruice of God 13. All religious exercises as prayer and Sacramentes c. ought to be done in the toonge or language which the people best vnderstande and as is most to edification HOw the pride presumption of man brought this great plague of many languages into the worlde and thereby great seperation of people and nations and diuersities of religion as c Gen. 11. Moses doth declare the originall so the story and experience of all times doo witnes And as it caused great toile and contention among men so it came to passe in tract of time that the true religion was found but in one people and language and that of Abraham and his seede the children of Israel Howbeit when the fulnes of time was come that the most glorious sonne of God our blessed Sauiour sanctified all nations vnto God by his death then were all languages made d Phil. 2.11 Esai 45.23 holie vnto the Lord that Euerie toonge should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glorie of God the father Therefore what people so euer it pleaseth God to call to be of his church and teacheth them his holie religion the language of that very people is made holie to the Lord to talke of his woord to confesse his name to pray to his goodnes to celebrate his heauenly worship This appeareth by the storie of Abraham being an a Gen. 14.13 11.16 Hebrew comming of Heber that God reuealed his worde vnto him and his seede in the Hebrew tongue In that tongue which was to them naturall and knowne he and they vsed all their prayers and holy exercises and in that tongue did Moses the prophets write all the oracles of God Saue onely when Iudah was in captiuitie Daniell wrote some Chapters which concerned the Chaldeans all nations in that language of Calde which they best vnderstoode and fittest at that time for all nations the Emperor of the world being of that language and by mixture with other people the Hebrew writings of the prophetes do somewhat sauour of the language of the people among whom they dwelt Therfore it doth appeare that God was carefull as a matter best for the Churches edification to haue his will reuealed vnto his people in that tong they best vnderstood So when all the world in all nations was called by the gospel to know and worship the true and liuing God then were the scriptures written in Greeke namely so much as then was written by the Apostles and Euangelistes which language was at that time the most b Act. 21 37. common language of the worlde in so much as all c Gal. 3.28 nations are called Grecians in opposition to the Iewes and their language Also God d Act. 2. endued his Apostles with the gift of diuers tongues that euen in that gift it might bee made manifest that all languages are sanctified in Christ and that hee thought it need that euery country people should worship him in their owne language And therefore the Prophet Daniel prophesying of these daies directly saith e Dan. 7.14 All people nations and languages shall serue him Hereupon Saint Paul least the vse of gift of many languages should be abused spendeth one f Cor. 14. whole chapter about this matter and therein teacheth that it was most to edification that the prayers and exercises of Gods worship should bee in a language knowen to the vulgar and meaner sort of people a thing so familiarly knowen that I need not repeate it Therefore without any amplification in this point I may conclude that seeing the Church of England both by practise as is seene in our dayly seruice of God by the booke of common prayer and also by our confession in the Apologie g Apolog. cap. 18. diuis 1. Artic. 24. of the common prayers and Articles of our religion published for that purpose doth allow no other but the vsuall language best knowen to the people as best to edification it followeth that herein wee agree with the auncient and catholike riligion and order of Almightie God and of his seruants Moses the prophets and Apostles The 14. Article of libertie in religion whether it take away any naturall comfort or duetie among men 14 The true and catholike religion forbiddeth no man or woman of what caling soeuer to marrie so it bee in the Lord and commaundeth all sortes of men and that of all callings as well ecclesiasticall as ciuill to be subiect to the ciuill magistrate and higher power and to obey him in the Lord. IN this Article are two specials as mariage and the dutie to the magistrate which two may be as an instance for all of like sort for
worketh together with the grace of God vnto merit and deseruing of saluation S. Paul taught the Romanes that c Rom. 8.8 they which are in the flesh that is the vnregenerate can not please God And again d Cap. 3.12 They haue all gone out of the way they haue beene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And he openeth himselfe els where saying e Eph. 4.17.18 The Gentils walke in the vanitie of their mind hauing their cogitation darkened being straungers from the life of God through the ignoraunce that is in them c. that is to say their ignoraunce is so great that they cannot doe any thing but sinne which he confirmeth by this maxime to the same Romans f Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Therefore his doctrine to them is this that by their exceeding ignoraunce the vnregenerate did nothing but such as was sinne in Gods eye-sight These late Romistes doe g Concil trident Ses 6. canon 7. accurse this doctrine of Saint Paule and all them that say that all the workes of the vnregenerate to bee truely sinne Saint Peter taught the Iewes h Act. 4.12 That there is saluation in none other meaning none other but Christ for that there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued These degenerate pretenders of Peter place saluation in others as in merites satisfaction and workes of supererogation and say there bee other names by which wee must bee saued as diriges religious orders and vowes pilgrimage pardons relickes and many other names by them deuised Saint Paule taught the auncient Romanes that i Rom. 4.25 8.33.34 Christ dyed for our sinnes and rose to make vs righteous and being hereby iustified of God nothing can bee layed to our charge nor condemne vs. By which it appeareth that the obedience and suffering of Chryst was the perfect working of our saluation These bastarde Romanes doe saye that wee yet neede the sacrifice of the Masse for quicke and deade and that the doing and fulfilling of Gods commaundementes and the Church is the condition on our part S. Peters doctrine saith that all the faithful k 1. Pet. 2.5.9 are an holy priesthood To offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ These counterfet successors of Peter adde a new deuise saying that their priests haue an especial office to offer vp sacrifice namely their Hoste S. Paul taught the old Romanes that l Rom. 8.34 Christ sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs. These declined Romistes say that the virgin Marie Peter and Paul and the Saints are intercessors for vs. Saint Peter taught the Iewes that he the said a 1. Pet. 5.1.2 Peter was an elder as other elders ministers of Christ and that such elders should not be Lordes ouer Gods heritage but that Christ was the chiefe shepheard These stately prelates make themselues Lords of sea and land disdaining at the low estate of the Apostles and elders of the primitiue church Saint Paule taught the Christian Romanes that b Rom. 3.28 A man is iustified by faith without workes These Antechristian Romanes say that by doing good workes a man is iust and iustified and not by faith alone Saint Paul taught the Christian Romans that c Rom. 7.7 Concupiscence in the regenerate was sinne and though he did will that which was good yet hee could not performe it These Antechristian Romanes do say that concupiscence is not sinne in the regenerate after Baptisme but onely left for the spirituall battell to bee resisted Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith That we must doe good workes d 1. Pet. 2.12.15 to shew forth the vertues of God and to glorifie him and to put to silence the ignoraunce of foolish men The new learning of these men is that we must do good workes that we might winne heauen thereby Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith e 1. Pet. 1.23 2.1 epist 2. cap. 3.1.15 That the Gospell is the word of God by which we are borne again that it is sincere milke and commendeth vnto them his owne and also S. Paules epistles And S. Paule taught the faithfull Romanes f Rom. 1.2 16.26 That God promised the gospell before by his prophetes in the holy scriptures and that God commaunded that it should bee taught all nations by the scriptures of the prophets These Romanes of the new learning do say that the g Reade Martin Peresius Aila de traditionibus scripture can not teach all the gospell but we must learne somewhat touching faith and saluation by tradition canons and the magisteriall power of the Church and equall these with holy scripture to teach that which cannot be found and learned in the written word of God Saint Paul taught the Romans the vniuersalitie of the Church when he said a Rom. 10.12 there is no difference betweene the Iew and the Grecian for hee that is Lord ouer all is right vnto all that call vpon him S. Peters doctrine agreeth thereunto where he saith b Act. 10.34.35 God is no accepter of persons but in euery nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him These late builders place the Church in the citie of Rome and call it the Catholike Church of Rome S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith c 1. Pet. 1.3 2 5.17 that he prayed and blessed God and that the Christians should feare God and offer spirituall sacrifices vnto God And S. Paul d Rom. 1. 10 15. 16. taught the beleeuing Romanes by his own ensample in diuers prayers and by a generall example of the Church in these words whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord c. that they should worship and pray to God onely These new deuisers giue this honour of God to Saints relickes and images and teach men to serue worship and pray to them S. Paul taught the Romanes of the Primatiue Church that after e Rom. 4.11 iustification by faith the sacraments are signes to seale the righteousnes of faith and S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith that f 1. Pet. 3. Baptisme saueth vs but not by the outward washing away of the filth of the flesh but by the spirit working in our hearts a good conscience to God 21. These new forgers of doctrine and sacraments make the sacraments in the worke wrought to containe to conferre grace and to iustifie together with faith and that without baptisme there happeneth no iustification Saint Paul and S. Peter wrote both in the Greeke tongue which was fittest for all nations to learne Gods word and wheresoeuer they gaue instructions a This appeareth Act. 2. all the whole storie following they did it in that language which might best be vnderstood of the people but these new religion makers deliuer instructions teach men
vndoubtedly knoweth will neuer bee faithfull but alway vndermine his estate bring his life in hazard 4 And sithence we haue had now aboue fortie yeares triall of the sound truth of the Gospell and of Gods notable hand in protecting and defending the state of this land receiuing and embracing the same all this while against most strong force verie many maruellous cunning treasons how wonderfully he hath blessed vs with peace and prosperitie and made vs so much the more happie by how much our enemies haue laboured most wisely strongly against vs he hath made the windes and seas to fight for vs the Popes curse hath he manifoldly turned vpon his owne heade and his abettors haue neuer prospered and in all things the Lord declared himselfe to bee our God by multiplying our peace and the daies of our gracious prince in all perils standing by her as his deare handmaide wee may boldly say that the more we bee estranged from poperie the neerer we are the dearer vnto the Lord our God and the lesse agreement we haue with the popish apostasie the more his grace mercies goodnes and shielding power doth watch ouer vs to feed to foster to keepe deliuer vs. Therefore we Christians who haue bin begotten with the pure seed of Gods holy word and felt found most sweet and sound nourishment by that sincere milke vnder the most gracious happie and prosperous raigne of the Lords blessed annointed seruant Elizabeth our liege Ladie and Queene and knowing what occasions to godlinesse aboundance of peace and wealth and ioyfull libertie of bodie and soule wee haue had and enioyed cannot cease night nor day to praise God for his blessing and mercie which wee haue had in and by her most constant faith and godly raigne continually praying his diuine goodnes to encrease his blessings and graces vpon her both bodily and ghostly to strengthen and enlarge her heart in all Christian vertues princely wisedome and courage to defend her against all her enemies and prolong her daies more and more in all ioy honour wealth prosperity and heauenly comfort in Christ to his owne glory the dailie good of his Church and this realme of England euen for Iesus Christes sake To whom be praise glory for euer Amen FINIS Faults escaped in the printing  Page Line Faults Corrections Epistle 2 19 Misse Miste Epistle 4 24 is of the is the Contents 2 last with with it Booke 2 8 word world  5 22 misery mistery  7 23 which with  9 18 by being  12 2 repentance to repentance  15 27 low law  16 7 Christ Christes  67 10 her their  76 10 beway bewray  Idem 19 ver 9. ver 19.  83 2 ouer euer  114 22 accepted excepted  135 4 Esaie Esaw  136 18 Apostalical Apostatical  137 31 least beast  141 15 after suffer  153 23 petro Catenus petre Catenas  155 15 in the Sacrament is in the Sacrament  160 27 is called he is called  166 14 light weight  176 21 I so if  224 26 turst trust  229 38 wares warres  240 14 left least  251 2 Aristle Aristotle  256 9 tumpery trumpery  258 11 dobts doubts  259 14 separated separated c.  262 3 dâ—cretâ—ll decretals  2â—6 21 Eâ—romenicus oecumenicus  276 14 collaions collations  278 5 vnnecessary vnnecessary matters  282 18 scholes deuines schole diuines  285 20 forbid and doth forbid  287 5 a Florencâ— at Florence  302 13 Edick Edict What other Faults good Reader that the Corrector hath let past let me entreat thee to mend with thy pen as well as these