1215. And I will not héere tell howe gréeuously the consciences of the godly were by this Romishe and Papisticall confession troubled and howe they learned more euill thereby than good and howe horrible and fylthie factes were in this confession committed and howe the same serued to vpholde the power pryde errours and disceiptes of that vnspirituall spiritualtie as they call them selues But it is no small fortresse or foundation of their kingdome and therefore no maruell thoughe they so earnestly and busely labour to defende and kéepe the same But all these things thanks bée vnto God are made manyfest vnto the whole worlde The. Lj. Question Whether those things which the Priest dothe enioyne vs to do for our sinnes which we haue confessed are not to be done as the punishments and deedes of tepentaunce â–ª and whether this our satisfaction be hurtefull or contrary to the satisfaction of Chryste The Answere NEyther the confession whiche is done to the Priest neither yet the payne or penance which is ioyned for the same haue any authoritie froÌ„ the holy Scrypture but are onely grounded vppon the authorities of a fewe fathers And therfore I answere that the faythfull are not bounde by the word of god to do that penaunce which they call satisfaction neither I say to require or doo them For there is one eternall satisfaction that is to say a price reconciliation redemption from our sinnes to wit the death passion of Chryst by meanes wherof al our sins â—ffences and punishments deserued for the same are clerely forgiuen and wyped away And this is confirmed by Esai 53. the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles and chiefly of Paul to the Romanes the thirde and fifth chapters and 1. Cor. 1. c. If therefore by our workes and penaunce which we suffer that is to say if we attribute to our satisfaction which consisteth in the correctioÌ„ of our body fasting prayer almes other such like workes the remission of our sinnes the punishment due therefore or if wée suppose that by this satisfaction we satisfie and requite all those things for the which we were gilty before God then truely this satisfaction is directly coÌ„trary and striueth agaynst the satisfaction of Chryst. Or else must they say that Paule in the like case reasoned not aright when he sayd For if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then is Chryst dead in vayne For euen after the same maner doo wée also reason saying If wee our selues can make satisfaction for our sinnes what neede then had Chryst to dye Wherfore the Chuche kéepeth still that one eternall satisfaction euen the death of Chryste and héerewith doo all the faythfull content them selues iudging their works not to bée so perfecte or worthy that by them their sinnes should be forgiuen and that God by them should bée satisfyed and eternall lyfe bée purchased Here also is to be noted that the faythful which acknowledge Chrystes death to be their onely satisfaction and redemption and are delyuered by hym doo earnestly and diligently auoyde sinne and willingly suffer whatsoeuer God layeth vpon them and yet not to make any satisfaction therby bycause Chryste already hathe fully satisfied but bycause it pleaseth God so to exercise them and call them from their sinnes shewing howe gréeuously the same offende him and by this meanes exerciseth their fayth and maketh them partakers of the afflictions of Chryst. And therefore when GOD receyued Abraham and Dauid into fauour for Chrystes sake and had forgiuen theyr sinnes yet dyd he exercise them in this lyfe with the mortification of their fleshe Chryste also in the Gospel sayth vnto the man which he healed Behold thou art made whole see thou sinne no more least some worse thing happen vnto thee And therefore wée vse commonly to say to doo the same offence no more is a great punishment but yet the beste punishement And out of thys penaunce and satisfaction whiche standeth by no warrant of the Scripture is farrowed all the Whelpes of Romishe indulgences For after they had layde moste gréeuous penaunces and punyshments vppon the poore Penitentiaries for which they must make satisfaction for their mortall sinnes as by fasting many yeres togither then by their Indulgences they mitigated the same agayne and so by this meanes heaped vy huge heapes of money and so of Gods house they made an house or shoppe of Marchaundise yea rather a very denne of théeues and therefore doubtlesse God will shortly whip them out of his house The thirtenth Common place Of the authoritie or power of Priestes The. Lij Question Whether Priests haue power and authoritie to forgiue or retayne those sinnes for the whiche wee bee sory and confesse our selues The Answere THe power which Christ hathe giuen to the Ministers of the Churche is rather an office than a power for power belongeth to Christ alone And that power or Office which the Ministers or Priests haue receyued is to edifie and not to destroy as Paule manifestly teacheth 2. Cor. 10. And the keyes of the kingdome of god are giuen in déede vnto the Ministers of the church For our Lord promised them to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Math. 16. with these words I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt lose in earth shal be losed in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shal be bound in heauen the same he gaue to all the Disciples John. 20. saying Euen as my father sent me so sende I you who soeuers sinnes you shall remitte they shall be forgiuen and whose sinnes you shall retayne they shall be retayned Therefore to lose is to forgiue sinnes and to binde is not to forgiue or to retayne sinnes But bycause no man can remit or forgiue sinnes but God onely therefore the Ministers of God by his commaundement preaching the Gospel doo declare that god forgiueth their sinnes and remitteth all punishmente if they beléeue in Chryst and that on the other side their sinne remayneth and that they shall bée punyshed for the same if they beléeue not in Chryst and therfore for this cause dothe the Scripture say that the Minister doth bind or lose forgiue or retaine sinnes And as the minister doth truly preach this so doth it vndoutedly come to passe both on the faithfull and vnfaithfull For God being in heauen performeth that which his ministers héere doe promisse on the earthe By this we may easily gather that the keyes are nothing else but the preaching of the gospel and not a peculiare iurisdiction or power as oure aduersaries reache For euen as a maister of some house giueth his keyes vnto his seruaunt to open and shut the house to let men bothe in out So is the church the house of God in the which who so euer abideth is an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen those which through infidelitie are not in the churche haue no portion in the
like as it foloweth not that the body of the sunne bicause it is not alone but hathe light and heate therfore shineth not only with hys lighte but also with hys heat so likewise it foloweth not which our aduersaries affirme Faythe is not alone but ioyned with charitie therfore fayth onely iustifieth not before God but charitie also But touching iustification I shall by Gods helpe hereafter speake more at large The. xx Question Whether men be iustified before God by faith only in chryst or by good workes also The Answere FIrst we will shew what it is to be iustified before God and that is to bée purged from sinne deliuered from the punishement thereof and to bée had and receyued into the number of the sonnes of God and heires of eternall lyfe yea and that before the iudgement seate of God before the which all men are accused and condemned as giltie And that we shall euery one of vs before the iudgement seate of God be conuicted and founde gyltie of sinne and eternall damnation Paule in the thirde to the Romanes dothe playnely teache And agayne that iustification is the taking away and remission of our sinnes the same aptly also teacheth Acts. 13. Wherfore the remission of the sinne and the punishement or damnation is called of him iustificatioÌ„ Rom. 5. And that to be iustified and adopted in the number of the sonnes and heires of God is all one wée may gather by that Paule saythe VVe are iustified by fayth and Sainct John sayth But as many as beleeued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God. Secondely wée muste séeke the cause why God forgiueth our sinnes delyuereth vs from damnation and adopteth vs into hys sonnes and heyres Truely the proper cause hereof is hys mercy and grace by the which he gaue vnto vs his onely sonne to take our nature vpon him and to suffer death and shedde his bloud for our sakes to the ende that béeing deliuered from our sinnes eternall death and damnation frée from all accusations we might be absolued before the iudgement seate of God yea and that béeing made righteous by Chryst for his righteousnesse is made ours we might be made heires of eternall life Wherefore it is onely the grace of God the bloud and death of Chryst and his innocencie and righteousnesse for whose sake we are not condemned but are adopted into his sonnes and heires and are made partakers of eternall life Of this doctrine there are diuers proofes in Paul Rom. 3. 4. and. 5. 2. Corinth 5. Ephesi 1. Coloss. 1. and. 2. Tim. 2. c. Furthermore we must note by what meanes the grace of God in Chryste redemption righteousnesse and eternall lyfe is imputed vnto vs and on the other side howe wée receiue it and by what meanes they bée made ours so that Chryste in vs and we in him doo lyue All the good giftes of God are imputed vnto vs by the holy Ghoste as the holy Scripture testifieth almoste euery where and chiefly our Lorde him selfe saythe It is the spirit which quickeneth c. And wée receiue all these things by fayth yea by fayth only and by none other thing And therefore it may very well bee sayde that a man is iustified by saythe onely For Chryste him selfe in the thirde of John teacheth vs that wée muste bée saued euen after the same manner as the Israelites were healed of the deadely stinging of the Serpentes For as they coulde by none other meanes attayne vnto healthe than by the beholding of the Brasen Serpent hanged vp in the myddest of their Campe so wée can by none other meanes bée delyuered from euerlasting deathe and damnation and bée preserued in eternall lyfe than by the beholding of Chryste Crucifyed And thys beholding of Jesus Chryste is fayth yea fayth onely For as no Woorkes no Prayers Fastings Almes Sacrifices or any thing else whatsoeuer coulde helpe the stynging of the Serpente but onely the beholdyng of the Brasen Serpente so is there nothing that can saue vs but Faythe onely Wherefore Chryst in the sixthe Chapter of Sainct John saythe Veryly veryly I say vnto you excepte you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud you haue no lyfe in you And to eate the Lorde hym selfe interpreteth it to beléeue But if there bee anye that desire to knowe more testimonies by the whiche our Justification in Chryste by Faythe onely is proued then let him reade the thirde and fourthe Chapters of S. Paule to the Romanes and also the Epistle to the Galathians where the Apostle in the second Chapter writeth thus Nowe lyue I no longer but Chryste lyueth in mee And the lyfe whiche I nowe lyue in the fleshe I lyue by the faythe of the sonne of god c. Wherefore when wée say that Fayth only in Chryst iustifieth we attribute not Justification to Faythe as in respecte that it is any woorke of oures for Faythe also is the frée gyfte of GOD but bycause that Faythe onely beholdeth or regardeth the grace of God in Chryst and trusteth only herein in none other thing And the grace of God in Chryste iustifieth as wée haue sayde before Therefore when wée stryue and contende aboute thys question Faythe onely iustifieth wée striue for Chrystes cause and the glory of GOD that this iustification may bée attributed to none other than Chryste to the ende wée may haue one onely true ryghteousnesse Laste of all wée muste shewe why not onely wée doo not attribute iustification to woorkes but also wherefore wée suffer not parte thereof to bée attributed to Woorkes and parte to Faythe but saye playnely that wée are iustified onely by Faythe and not by Woorkes Firste for that God wyll in no wyse haue vs to glorye and truste in our selues but in hym alone Like as it is manyfestly taught Rom. 3. 1. Corinth 1. lerem 9. Those therefore whiche impute their righteousnesse to Woorks they trust in them but those whiche beléeue in Chryste by whome throughe grace their sinnes are forgiuen and obtayne saluation they truste not in them selues but in the grace of God alone Secondely all good Woorkes are wrought of good men Wherefore it is of necessitie that the trée bee made good before she bring foorthe good fruite and therefore the frute maketh not the trée good but is rather the signe of a good trâ—e so it followeth that Woorkes dâ—â— not iustfie bycause they are â—oone of those which before were made righteouse throughe grace Wherefore all men may easily knowe that the righteouse doo not good Woorks to the ende they mighte thereby bee ryghteouse but rather bycause they are righteouse so that nowe those whiche withoute woorks were firste iustified by grace bring afterwarde foorthe good workes euen as the good trée beareth good frute Thirdly the works euen of the faithfull by reason of the infirmitie of mans nature which remayneth with vs yea vnto death are neuer so pure and perfect that they durst ascribe
of the righteous and punishment of the vngodly which rewarde is not referred to the deseruing of oure woorkes but to the free mercie of God and therefore when the faithful doe any thing for the which God giueth them a rewarde they receiue not the same as of duetie but as giuen them fréely by grace And thys same dothe the Scripture manyfestly teache for Paule saythe The revvarde of sinne is deathe but eternall life is the gifte of God throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde Wherefore it is manifest that oure sinne deserueth deathe but oure righteousnesse deserueth not eternall life For it is the frée gift of God which Christe hathe deserued for vs and is therefore freely giuen vnto vs Wherefore the Apostle sayth For I counte not the afflictioÌ„s of this present time vvorthy of that glory vvhich shall be shevved on vs in the life to come Yet neuerlesse these men go about to persuade with all men that we deserue so great things by our owne woorkes and so wilfully sette them selues againste the faithfull Doctrine of our Lorde who saythe So you likevvise vvhen you haue done all that you can yet say that you are vnprofitable seruauntes vvee haue done that vve oughte to haue done And againste this saying of Augustine God revvardeth his ovvne giftes and not thy merites Againe If thou vvilt be an abiecte from grace then bragge of thy merites The. xxiii Question Whether that Marie Magdalenes sinnes were not forgiuen for the earnest loues sake which she bare vnto Christe The Answere IF that sinnefull Maries sinnes were forgiueÌ„ hir for the loue which shée bore to Christ then shée recompenced thys hir forgiuenesse and therefore it was not the frée gift of God neither wer hir sinnes remitted by grace But the Gospell teacheth that shée had remission of hir sinnes without any desert For the Lorde sayth There vvas a certaine man vvhich had tvvo detters and vvhen they vvere not able to paie him he forgaue bothe of them the dets Wherfore if hir det were forgiuen and pardoned then did shée not purchase or deserue it by hir loue Furthermore the wordes of the gospel plainly teache that Maries loue sprang from the forgiuenesse of hir sinnes and not the forgiuenesse of hir sinnes from hir loue for so is it written Of these tvvo therefore that is to say of the two detters which were pardoned tell me vvhiche vvill loue him most Simon answered saying I thinke him to vvhome moste vvas forgiuen And he said to him thou hast iudged right And therefore he afterwarde telleth with what great loue Marie embraced him and that bicause he had forgiuen hir many sinnes Yet notwithstaÌ„ding these men dare manifestly affirme the contrary to wit that â—ure Lord forgaue hir hir sinnes that for hir loues sake But yet they obiect that Christ sayd Many sinnes are forgiuen hir for shee loued much To that I answere that it is all one as if he should haue sayd many sinnes are forgiueÌ„ hir â–ª and therfore shée loueth much And that this is the true meaning of our Lordes words the things which go before and the things which folow after do manifestly teache For euen immediatly after these words he saith To vvhome a little is remitted he loueth a little Then knitteth he vp his words thus Thy fins are forgiuen thee Thy faith hath saued thee go in peace Sée therfore what saued hir first the free grace of our Lord by which hir sinnes were forgiuen secondly faith by the which shee receyued the mercy or grace of god and committed hir selfe wholely to him And héere hence it came that shée obtained quietnesse and faithfully loued him The. xxiiij Question Whether Christe did not reiect those which beleued in him and cast out deuils in his name and did not good workes and whether he will not call all those to eternall life which haue done good works whether he will not condemne al those at the last day which are workers of iniquitie The Answere IT hath bin euer known that the faith to woorke miracles is distincted from the faith in christ Wherfore it followeth not that bicause the faithe to woorke miracles saueth not those which doe them therfore true faithe in Christe saueth not Like as it foloweth not as we haue said before The deuil beléeueth and yet is not saued therfore faith saueth not For there is one faithe of the deuels an other of the faithfull wherby they trust in the grace and promisse of god Furthermore Christ shal iudge in the laste day after the manner of men for they iudge of things manifest and known and so also shall Christ do But bicause faith is the gift of God spirituall and inuisible yet notwithstanding sheweth it selfe by workes so that therby is made manifest who are faithful and who not therfore the Lord iudgeth according to works But let vs heare the sentence of the iudge Come saith he you blessed of my father possesse the inheritance or kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world And in whom are we blessed but only in christ Gal. 3. Wherfore if the kingdome come by inheritance theÌ„ is it of grace Furthermore if it be prepared before the foundations of the worlde then was it prepared before we were borne or could doe good woorks Of this matter Paule speaketh more Ephesi 1. Thus much haue we spoken of faith and good woorkes which we do not condemne or despise as our aduersaries do falsly accuse vs but this is it we onely séeke that we wold not haue that to be attributed to good woorks which only is due vnto christ For otherwise we exhort all meÌ„ to the doing of good woorks and that not such as we faine or deuise of oure selues but suche as God hathe commaunded to be done throughe true faithe and not to make marchandise of them Yea we testifie vnto all those churches which we teach that they are greatly reproued and coÌ„demned if they brag of faithe and declare not the samâ— by good woorkes The sixth Common place Of Intercession Inuocation and woorshippyng of Sainctes which now liue in heauen The. xxv Question Whether they doe not beleeue that Christe and his members that is to say the Angelles and Sainctes which liue in heauen doe pray vnto God for the vniuersal church of Christ The Answere IT is bothe faithfully manifestly taughte in the gospell the wrytings of the Apostles that Christ doth pray for his vniuersall churche and for all faithfull and is their only intercessor aduocate and mediator to God his heauenly father For Christe himselfe in the Gospell saythe Verely verely I say vnto you vvhat so euer you shall aske of my father in my name he vvill giue it you Hitherto you haue not asked any thing in my name novve aske and you shall receiue it And again Come vnto me all you that doe laboure and are heauy loden and I vvill refreshe you These woordes therfore of Christe
after their death for them bycause they can not then helpe them But if it chaunce any man to lye at the poynt of death then with the wordes of the Gospell wée sende hym to Chryste to pray for the remission of hys sinnes to truste to the grace and mercie of God and so with full consolation hope for eternall lyfe And this and none other was the doctrine of the primatiue Apostolyke Church like as Paule writeth of the dead 1. Thes. 4. And therfore by Gods grace wée will kéepe the same The. xxxvj Question What they say to the glory of Lazarus and his systers Martha and Marie who prayed vnto Chryste for their brother Lykewise of Eutiches whom Paule raysed from the deade whether this were done without prayers and whether that Saint Peter did not rayse Tabitha to life by prayers The Answere I Suppose that Mary Martha Peter Paule prayed vnto God but yet not as our aduersaries teache vs to pray for the dead that is that God would be merciful to their soules and delyuer them from the fire of purgatorie and receiue them into eternall life but they prayed that vnto the glory of god they might be restored to this life And do they thinke that Lazarus Eutiches and Tabitha were in the fire of purgatorie and after their death suffered prayers I suppose they dare not affirme it And therfore they bring vs such examples as serue not their purpose but are onely to blere the eyes of the simple But if they say they were in Purgatory then I pray you howe proue they the same But some of them affirme say If Lazarus were in hell then could he not be deliuered for in hell there is no redemption but if he were in heauen then had he wrong to be brought agayne to this earth of miserie And héere therfore they conclude that there muste néedes bée a thirde or midle place To these I answer first that hereby they haue not proued this midle place to be purgatorie but that it may be as wel some other place only knoweÌ„ vnto god Secondly I say that their whole argument is false vaine Lazarus as the scripture there techeth was Christes frende and therfore his soulo was receiued into the bosome of Abraham after his death like as we may sée in the other Lazarus of whome Luke speketh ca. â—6 Neither had he any iniury offred him when his soule to the setting forth of Gods glory was agayne coupled to his body for all creatures doo of right and dutie serue their creator The Lord said vnto the these hanging on the crosse This day shalt thou be with me in paradise yet the. 3. day he rose agayn dyd not thereby suffer any wrong c. Truely I thinke that if these men which are called the Spiritualtie were compelled tobestow so much money for the dead vpon the laypeople as they for thys matter doo receyue of them their fire of Purgatorie woulde not burns so hotte and their prayers would come downe to a lower pryce But if thys doctrine of Purgatorie bée so necessarie howe commeth it then to passe I beséeche you that the Caste Churches in Grecia dydde neuer receyue it nor knowe of it vntill the tyme of Eugenius the fourth at whiche tyme very shortely after Constantinople was taken by the Turke The. xxxvij Question What they say to this place of the Machabees It is therefore an holy and holesome thoughte to pray for the dead that they may bee delyuered from their sinnes The Answere SAint Hierome Ciprian and Gelasius shall vnto this place aunswere for vs that this secoÌ„d boke of Machabées is read in the Church but hath not like authority with other canonical scriptures of the Bible to take authoritie thence as froÌ„ other scriptures in the controuersies of religion Therfore bycause in al the bookes of the olde new testament there is not one word spokeÌ„ of the sacrifices for the dead we leaue this place as we found it as not béeing able to proue any thing Agayne all the actes of holy meÌ„ are not to be folowed neither are they acceptable to god Geâ—eon for a good inteÌ„t made an Ephod in â—phra which yet had bin better if it had not bin done In the. 14. Chapter of the historie of the Machabées Raazias is praised for killing himself that he might not al into the hands of his enimies yet his act as the whole scripture techeth 〈◊〉 the best of the fathers do iudge deserueth neither prayse nor is thought wel of for euery man touching death ought to abide till God doo call And as touching this Booke I could say more but this is sufficient The ninthe Common place Of Sacramentes The. xxxviij Question How many Sacraments there be also whether those be effectuall signes of Gods grace by the which we receiue the same The Answere THe Romish church hath seuen Sacraments of al the which we do account but two to bée true Sacramentes of Chrystes church and that is Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord and vnto these we attribute so muche as the holie Scripture willeth vs And as touching these two Confirmation Extreme vnction or anoynting as they be now vsed in the church of Rome we do not acknowledge them for any Sacraments of Chryste neither suppose wée that they haue their original from gods word The other thrée that is penance Imposition of hands or Orders Matrimonie although we recken theÌ„ not amongst the Sacramentes of Chrystes church as we do baptisme the supper of the Lorde yet we acknowledge them to be profitable necessarie institutions of God and very holsome for the faythfull if they vse them in such sort and to the end for which they were ordeined and as the Saincts haue vsed them in times paste Neither doo wée allowe or thinke wel of al those things which the church of Rome doth vse in these thrée but we allow that only which is agreable with the worde of god But where we allow baptisme the Lords supper onely for true Sacraments I haue else where more largely taughte shewing that it onely belongeth to God and not to man to institute or ordeine Sacraments the signes of Gods verity and grace but also howe the promisses of God are in the Sacramentes and outwarde signes of his benefites Touching the efficacie and vertue of the Sacraments we answere that all those things which God hath ordeined haue power and vertue to bring to passe and performe al that for the which they were ordeined of God and so haue the Sacraments their power to whome therfore we ought not to attribute any other thing than that the Scriptures do attribute vnto them and for which causes they were ordeined Wherefore if we finde the Sacraments ineffectuall vnto vs that is not to be attributed to them as though the institution of God were of no sorce but it is to be attributed vnto meÌ„ which vse them
the eternall wisdome of God sawe not these things before he instituted the cuppe and could not he if it had séemed to him good haue forbidden the lay men the vse of the same But sith the eternall wisedome of God hath giuen the same vnto them let vs content our selues therewith onlesse we would séeme to haue more wisdome than god And may not the priests I pray yée shed the wine as well as the lay men And why then shuld not the same be forbidden vnto them But the Lordes supper is brought into contempt for farre many other causes than when any parte of the Wine falleth by chaunce on the grounde or is shedde vnwillingly For true faithe burning charitie stedfaste hope faithfulnesse mercy iustice and the puritie of those which coÌ„municate are the true ornamentes of the Sacramentes Wherefore what offences or what honor they bring to this Sacrament which daily vse the same to gette their liuing thereby yet in the meane time are drunkardes whoremaisters vncleane persones studying all vngodlynesse liue publikely in their naughtinesse to the great offence of many is nowe by the great mercy of God most manifestly knowne Wherefore I hartely beséeche almighty God to graunte all those the true knowledge of their sinnes wherby they may repent and amend their liues Amen The. xij Common place Of the sacrifice of the Masse The. xlviij Question Whether they doe beleue that the true bodie bloud of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar be a true and an acceptable sacrifice vnto God whiche ought to be offered in the Churche of Christ in the blessed office of the Masse vncessantly for the quick the dead vntyll the comming of Chryst The Answere SIth we haue sufficiently before proued that the true body and bloude of Christ is not in the Sacramente corporally it foloweth of necessitie that the same canne not be offered vp in the Masse by the priestes But yet the Romishe churche teacheth that the bodye and bloude of Christe is corporally and substantially present and in the office of their Masse offered vp to God by the Priestes for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead and therefore oughte to be woorshipped But the form of the Masse dothe not agrée with the institution of the Lordes supper but is encreased by the long continuaunce of time wyth diuers additions rights Ceremonies so as Gregorius the seuenth Pope doth confesse that in his time the Masse was not celebrated in all places of the world after one manner wherefore without all doute the Apostles Peter James and Mathewe did neuer celebrate the Masse vsed in the Churche of Rome but were altogyther ignoraunte thereof Therefore the Churches of the gospell haue by good right putte away and abolished the Romishe Masse and in the stead therof haue rightly and godly ordained the supper of oure Lord Jesus Christe which was godly celebrated in the old Apostolical church without any of the Popes or mannes traditions or additions And therfore to the foresaide question we answer that we do not acknowledge nor receiue the Masse for the institution of God but flée from it as being contrary to oure profession partly for causes already shewed and partly for such causes as héereafter we shall shewe But that we may the better knowe what sacrifices are we will héere vnto adde a few words There are amongst the Christians chéefely two kindes of sacrifices the one propiciatorie for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes and the other of thaÌ„ks geuing in which we exercise our faith serue God geue him thankes bothe wyth wordes and déedes for his benefits bestowed vpon vs In the olde Testament the sacrifice propitiatorie was shadowed and figured by many figures yet was there but one thing which they all did signifie to wit the body and bloud of Christe offered on the crosse Wherefore after that Christ came into the world and remained héere a certaine time that he might offer his body and bloude on the crosse for the remission of sinnes he ordained â—n his supper the Sacrament of the geâ—ing of his body and the shedding of his â—loud calling it the cuppe of the Newe â—estament in his bloud Wherfore this Sacrament ought from hence forth onâ—â— to be in stead of all the Sacraments of the Olde testament which were figures and to witnesse that as Christe by the Sacraments of the Olde testament was promised a sauiour so in the â—ewe testament he is come and hathe â—â—rformed it and so by the sacrifice of his body and bloud hathe taken away for euer all the sinnes of the faythfull Wherefore when our Lord would ofâ—â—r himselfe vppon the crosse and that 〈…〉 houre was come in which he would â—â—liuer vp his spirite so by his deathe â—ll sinne death and hell he cried with â—â—oud voice It is finished As who shuld â—â—y that sacrifice is nowe ended and fulâ—â—lled in which all the figures and proâ—isses of the fathers are accomplished 〈…〉 ne fréely pardoned and eternal righâ—â—ousnesse is obtained vnto euerlasting life And therefore so soone as our Lord was deade and had in this sorte offered vp him selfe a sacrifice to God his heauenly father the vaile of the Temple rente in two péeces greate myracles were séene bothe in the liuing and in the deade yea in heauen and in earthe And thus did the olde Testament the Leuiticall priesthoode and all the other Sacrifices take their ende whereunto they were ordained Therfore nowe resteth but the one only and euerlasting sacrifice of Christ as the chéefest holyest and moste perfecte And suche is the propretie of this Sacrifice that it neither coulde nor yet can be offered of any liuing man bicause not onely for the excellencie and holynesse thereof but also bicause of the imperfection of manne And therefore Christe offered vp him selfe that is to say gaue him self vnto death and so became the one and euerlasting Bishop after the order of Melchisedech as onely Bishop and sacrifice offered to God by him selfe onely Yea this sacrifice which he offered is but one that is to say once offered neither can it any more be offered againe For that hys one sacrifice is hys deathe once made effectuall that it onely and for euer mighte be sufficiente for all ages for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes And bicause Christe hathe suffered for vs dyed was buryed and arose againe from the deade and ascended into Heauen appearing for euer euen vnto the laste daye as one sufficient sacrifice in the sight of God for the full and perfecte redemption of all the Faithfull that is sufficient neither néedeth there any other Sacrifice to be offered in the Churche for the remission of sinnes Wherefore if there be any that wil offer a Sacrifice for his sinnes he dothe manifestly héereby declare that hée dothe not beléeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him by the onely Sacrifice of Christe For if he stedfastly beléeue that they are washed away why then dothe he
onely without the which yet nothing can purge vs but without all authoritie of Gods worde they fayne vnto vs I knowe not what kinde of fire to the which they without all shame attribute our purging This also wée finde false with them for that they say the faythfull who departe out of this life are tormented in the life to come quite contrary to the wordes of Chryst Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my worde and beleueth him that sent me hath eternall life and shall not come into iudgement but passeth from death to life Iohn 5. Wherefore if he went into Purgatorie then must he néedes come into iudgement but sith the faythfull passe from death to life we answere that the faithful are clerely purged of the Lord and are not subiect to any fire of Purgatorie The. xxxv Question Whether the prayers almes and sacrifices which are done in the christian Churche for those who are tormented in purgatorie be profitable to theÌ„ or not The Answere FOrasmuche as we haue alredy playnly declared that our aduersaries erre euen in the chefest point of this question and that is in the fire of Purgatorie it selfe bycause it hath no testimonie in the Scripture therefore I conclude the soules of the faythfull can not there bée punished bycause there is no suche thing and therfore we néede not pray for them after they be dead or do any thing for them sauing onely to make a reuerende remembraunce and render thankes vnto God for that it hathe pleased him to call them out of this worlde in the true fayth vnto his kingdome and that it would please him to encrease our fayth and so in tyme to couple vs with our forefathers in eternall felicitie Furthermore we teache that if we could doo anything for their sakes acceptable to God and profitable to them that then we ought to doo for their wyues children and kynsfolk And I am not ignoraunt that many ciuill men are maruelously offended with vs bicause they thinke it very vndeceÌ„t yea horrible a thing in no wise beséeming a christian man that we not onely doo nothing to helpe our forefathers but also speake write agaynst so auncient a custome and as wée ourselues knowe so vniuersally receyued and vsed And therefore I hartily beséeche all those to heare and way those our reasons which moue vs herevnto For we doo not this neither ceasse we to pray for them or neglecte so vsuall things bicause we loue not our forefathers or for that we care not for them but bicause the christian fayth teacheth and confirmeth yea forceth so as by no meanes wée can acknowledge â–ª it good and sounde doctrine to pray for them or that these things oughte to bée done for their saluation yea we know that our fathers haue no néede hereof and that they require no suche thing of vs For wée faythfully and certaynely beléeue and knowe that sinnes are remitted bothe héere in this lyfe and in that to come by none other meanes but by the grace of God in the bloud of Jesus Chryste through fayth and as for the fyre of Purgatorie which standeth on our merites and punishments whiche we suffer is nothing appertayning to the grace of God nor the bloud of christ in fayth Agayne it is certayne that our fathers dyed in the confession of the same fayth with vs wherein wée say I beleeue the remission of sinnes the resurrection of the body the lyfe euerlasting Wherefore sithe the vniuersall fayth the manyfest testimonies of the Scriptures doo euidently proue that al they which by true fayth commit them selues to the grace and mercy of God and dye in Christ are preserued of him so as they come not into iudgement into any fire payne or punishment 〈◊〉 are receiued into euerlasting ioyeâ— how then I beseeche you can wée prâ— for them or do such like things for theâ— saluation wherof in déede they shoâ—â— haue néede if they suffered any payâ— or punyshmente But they suffer noâ— and therfore there néedeth nothing bée done to delyuer them from it Fâ—â— if after the departure out of this life the true Fayth they yet neuerthelesâ— suffered the fire of Purgatorie punishementes and torments then weâ— all that vayne and to no purpose whiche are reade and taughte vs out of 〈…〉 holy Scryptures touching the frâ—â— mercyfull promyse of God the delâ—ueraunce by Chryst and of the certaiâ— tie and veritie of fayth yea our fayâ— it selfe shoulde bée moste vntrue Bâ— our fayth is certayne and sure Therâ— fore as our fathers did vndoubtedly bâ— léeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes eteâ—nall lyfe so haue they vndoubtedly oâ— â–ª teyned the same and féele no payne in â—â—e other lyfe And therefore bothe for the glory of God the prayse and confession of our faith as also for the honor of â—â—r fathers touching whose saluation â—e doubt not we do nothing after their 〈…〉 at h for the saluation of their soules 〈…〉 ea we think that by these kind of doâ—gs prayers of ours both our saluation and faythe is called in doubte as 〈…〉 oughe they beléeued the remission of 〈…〉 nes euerlasting life and yet haue 〈…〉 t obteined it But this is most wicked be thought therfore not to be spokeÌ„ 〈◊〉 it is all one as though God and our â—â—th might deceiue vs which is impos 〈…〉 le Moreouer for breuities sake I wil 〈…〉 t here declare how vile those things 〈…〉 and without all authoritie of Gods â—â—rde whiche they commaunde vs to 〈…〉 for the helpe of our fathers so as they shoulde féele but some of those â—ollerable paynes of Purgatorie as â—y saye they doo yet coulde these 〈…〉 ngs helpe them nothing at all for â—t for the moste parte their delyue 〈…〉 nce and remedie is boughte of those who are moste filthye and wycked Wherfore it is much better not to séekâ— the saluatioÌ„ of our fathers at the handâ— of those wicked and filthy marchaunts â–ª who doo nothing but for money or from the traditions of men but rather stedfastly to knitte our selues to the sure foundation of the grace and mercy oâ— God in the bloud and death of our sauiour Chryst through perfect fayth And so by this meanes shall our mindes bée assured of the saluation of our fathers where as otherwyse by celebratyng yerely Ceremonies for them wee are stil left doubtfull when they are effectuall or they receiue profite by them Agayne we learne not to truste in the merites and workes of other men after our death for Purgatories sake For those fiue foolishe Uirgins perished by suche negligence whylest they sought and would bye Oyle of others For the Scripture byddeth vs to doo good and not to deferre it whylest we haue time And therefore wée earnestly exhort all men whyle they are heere in this lyfe and in perfect remembraunce to serue God and prepare them selues to their iourney and not to trust in the workes of other men to bée done