Articles I haue here breefly set folowing in order The Common places which are handled in these Questions 1 OF the holy Trinitie Fol. 1. 2 Of the holy Christian Church and of the Churche of Rome eodem 3 Of Counsels and decrees of the church Fol. 30. 4 Of Free will. Fol. 43. 5 Of fayth and good workes Fol. 46. 6 Of the intercession inuocation and worshipping of Saincts Fol. 58. 7 Of Relikes Images and suche lyke Fol. 70. 8 Of purgatory and prayers for the dead Fol. 75 9 Of Sacraments Fol. 83. 10 Of Baptisme of children and of the Anabaptistes Fol. 85. 11 Of the Lords supper and receyuing thereof Fol. 88. 12 Of the sacrifice of the Masse Fol. 103. 13 Of repentaunce and Confession Fol. 108. 14 Of the authoritie of Priestes Fol. 116. 15 Of Mariage vowes and Chastitie Fol. 120. 16 Of Enoyling Fol. 139. 17 Of the Magistrate and lawefull obedience Fol. 141. The fyrst Common place Of the holy Trinitie The first question What they doe thinke of the holy Trinitie The Answere TOuching the holy Trinitie I doe beléeue all that which the true and sacred woorde of God dothe teache to acknoweledge beléeue To witte that there is one only true and liuing God in Trinitie one I say vndeuided in substaÌ„ce and thrée distinct parsons God the father God the sonne and God the ho y ghost being of like power and equally to be worshipped So are we taught Deut. 6. Exod. 20. Matth. 18. Luke 1. Iohn 1. 3. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. 14. 15. 16. and 17. Rom. 1. and. 9. 1. Corinth 8. 1. Iohn 5. Likewise we confesse the true faithe of the Trinitie contained in the twelue Articles of our Christian faithe where we say I beleeue in God the father in his only begotten sonne and in the holy ghoste And therefore what so euer in times past hath bene written or taught againste this Doctrine by Praxeas Arius Macedoniâ— and suche like yea and whatsoeuer the Jewes Turkes Michael Seruetus that Spaniard with their adherentes haue written we abhorre and detest assenting only to the olde holy Apostolike Church The second Common place Of the holy christiaÌ„ church of the church of Rome The seconde Question Whether they beleue in one holy Catholike and Apostolical church The Answere LIke as there is coÌ„tained and expressed â–ª in the. xij Articles of our christian faith so do I beléeue that ther is one holy and Catholike church and that the same or the Sainctes which are therin be partakers of all the grace and giftes of Christe I call the same one and Catholicke bicause there is but one only true Churche biside the which there is none other And the same is the congregation and felowship of all the faithfull throughout the whole worlde which at any time haue liued on this earthe in what time or place so euer they haue bin or that now are or héereafter shall be And as there is one God and Lorde neither any moe Gods or Lordes â–ª as appeareth â— Corinth 8. and Ephes. 4. so also it is of necessitie that there be but one only churche Wherfore althoughe this churche be dispersed diuers times into diuers sundry members through out the face of the whole earth yet hath it but one spirite one faith beléeueth in one God the father in one sauior our Lord Jesus Christ in the holy ghost And therfore is knit in one charitie and in one mind with all faithfull where and in what place so euer they be And this church is holy that is to say sanctified purged from sinnes beutified endued with holinesse and righteousnes and that through the grace of God the father in the blud of his only sonne by the power effectuall working of the holy ghoste It is called the christian Apostolical church bicause it is grounded built by the blissed Apostles vpoÌ„ the true rock that only euerlasting foundation Jesus Christ in the which foundation also it is preserued réedified and increased by the doctrine of thapostles as we may lerne by S. Paul 1. Cor. 3. Eph. 2. 4. 1. Pet. 2. And here is to be noted that as the Israelites did beléeue Moses that is to say did beleue the doctrin commaundements which he brought to theÌ„ froÌ„ God euen so the christiaÌ„s beléeue the true church Paule also calleth it the piller and fouÌ„dation of truth bicause shée heareth the voice only of hir pastor Jesus Christ not the voice of any stranger Nether is it beleued bicause it is the church only that is to say the congregation or felowship of meÌ„ but bicause it is the church of Christ heareth only his eternal truth preserueth confesseth teacheth the same and for this cause shée is called the piller fouÌ„datioÌ„ of truth Wherfore we beleue the church for Christes sake and for his truthe and doctrines sake which by his faithfull ministers is taught in the same Neither ought any maÌ„ to beléeue in the church bicause she is collected of men therfore is of the order of things created And it is manifest that God abhorreth all those which trust in men Ierem. 17. wherfore this preposition â—n is ioyned in the. xij Articles of our faith only to the thrée persones of the holy Trinitie For vve confesse that vve beleeue in God the father in his only begotten sonne and in the holy ghost Furthermore Cyprian and other holy fathers do excellently teach in their interpretations of the Créede that we must beleeue there is an holy church but not to beleue in the church And therfore do we not teache any new thing but that which the fathers before vs haue themselues most plainly diligeÌ„tly taught The third Question What they vnderstande by the name of the church The Answere WE vnderstande thereby the congregation or coÌ„pany of those which beléeue in christ For the church in the Germain tong is called Kirch as though it were deriued from the Grecians which call our Lord Jesus Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say lord Wherefore all those which are coupled or knitte to Christ the true head and fruteful vine as his proper members and braunches springing and growing in him are the true Christian churche And this interpretation of the name of the church we haue also in the Articles of our faith for to the confession of the catholike church we adde that we beleue in the Communion or felowship of Sainctes as though we should say the church is none other thing but the congregation of Sainctes And euen in this sort do the blessed Fathers interprete these thyngs The church is called the Communion or felowshippe of Sainctes for these causes First bicause all the faithfull there are partakers of all the giftes and graces which Christe hath purchased that is to say chéefely the remission of sinnes like as it is said in the Créede next after this Article I
holy spirite whereas notwithstanding he accuseth them of gréeuous erroures and vices and exhorteth them to repentaunce and amendment of theyr liues Whereby it is euident that euen these most excellent churches of the Apostles haue erred But there is an other Obiection brought againste vs oute of the ballades of Salomon and out of the fifth Chapiter of S. Paules Epistle to the Ephesians where it is sayde that the church is beautiful and without spot or wrinkle which place S. Augustine interpreteth saying that this puritie and holinesse is begon in this life but in the life to come vvhen through deathe vve shall putte of this fleshe it shall be fully perfited so as vve shal haue neither spot nor blemishe but be moste perfectly pure Héereunto we adde the woordes of Christe who moste plainly expoundeth this matter in the Gospell saying He that is vvashed needeth not saue to vvash his fete but is cleane euery vvhit And againe he sayeth Euery braunche vvhich bringeth forth frute my father purgeth that it may bring forthe more frute Novve are you cleane throughe the vvorde vvhich I haue spoken vnto you He doeth not onely say that the Churche is pure but altogither pure yea that it may bring foorthe frute and yet neuerthelesse he speaketh of the washing of the féete and of the purging which his father shall doe Wherby we may easily gather and perceiue that the churche is cleane throughe the grace of God in Christ Iesu and yet by hir owne nature and through the manifold infirmities of the flesh which shée retaineth euen vntill this temporall deathe shée hathe néede to be washed and purged Wherfore shée daily prayeth Forgeue vs oure trespasses as vvee forgiue them that trespasse againste vs. And S. Iohn the Apostle sayth If vvee say vvee haue no sinne vvee deceiue oure selues and there is no truthe in vs â— Iohn â— wherefore being deliuered from this miserable fleshe we are made perfectly pure in the life to come and frée from al blemishe But so long as the Sainctes liue heere on this earthe clothed with theyr flesh they are subiecte to many infirmities And therfore héereby it appeareth that by this reason the Churche bothe may and dothe erre although it cannot be moued bicause shée is grounded vpon the true rocke and so long as shée heareth and foloweth the voice of her true pastor shée erreth not The fifth Question By what markes or tokens may the church of Christ be knowen The Answere CHefely the Churche of God may be known by the pure worde of God perfect faith charity innoceÌ„cy newnesse of life the coÌ„tinual calling vpoÌ„ god in al her necessities For Christe plainly sayeth He that is of God heareth gods vvord And againe My shepe heare my voice but the voice of a straunger vvill they not heare but vvill flee from it And againe In this shall all men knovve that you bee my Disciples if you loue one an other And S. Paule The sure fouÌ„dation of God abideth hauing thys token God knovveth vvho are his and lette euery one vvhiche calleth on the name of Christe departe from euyll And againe Euery one vvhich calleth on the name of the Lorde shal be saued And to this ende also appertayne the blessed Sacramentes whome Christe hathe ordeyned as outwarde signes of his churche and therfore oughte moste reuerently to be receiued of vs as they haue bene by the Sainctes before in true faithe as may appeare Matth. 28. Mar. 16. Luk. 24. Act. 2. 8. 10. c. 1. Cor. 10. 11. But bicause many godly men which are the true and liuely members of Christ do ofteÌ„times want the sacraments not throughe contempte but by reason of necessitie being yet neuerthelesse knitte vnto Christe and his members by true faithe spirite loue and newnesse of life exercising themselues in all Godly studies I haue placed the firste order of signes as moste chéefe and necessarye whereby the Churche may be knowen yet not omitting these godly signes or Sacraments But nowe the Prelates of Rome thynke and say that the true and lawefull signe of Christes Churche is the orderly succession of Bishoppes in the Churche wyth theyr spirituall gouernement And bicause the Churche of Rome hathe suche succession therefore they say that it is the true and primitiue Churche and that they haue the true gouernemente of the same so that who soeuer is oute of that gouernment is out of the true Churche They call succession a contynued order wherein one Byshoppe hathe succéeded in the place of an other and hathe gouerned the Church euen from Sainct Peter the Apostles time vnto this Pope called Paule the fourthe But they greatly erre whiche thynke that any thing may be proued by succession whylest they leaue oute thaâ— â–ª which is of moste force therein That is that if like as they haue succéeded in the place of Peter and the other Godly Bishoppes which thyng we graunte them they haue also succéeded them in the spirite of Christe in Doctrine in faithe grauitie godlinesse humilitie and pacience Wherefore sithe they wante thys poynte being the chéefest as all menne knowe and finde by experyence so as it neadeth no further proofe theyr vaunte of succession is nothing els but an idle sounde to bleare the eyes of those which are simpie Saincte Paule the Apostle sayeth thus Bee yee folovvers of mee euen as I folovve Christe Whereby appeareth that Succession taketh his force and effecte onely in Christe wythoute whome it neyther proueth or auaâ—â—eth any thing Wherefore euen in theyr owne Canons it is thus wrytten Distâ—n 40. It is not an easie matter to stande in the place of Peter and Paule and to occupie the seate of those vvhiche raigne vvith Christe Bicause it is sayde they are not the children of holy menne vvhiche occupie the place of holy men but they vvhiche exercise the vvoorkes of them VVee therefore vvhich gouerne oughte to be knovvne not by the Noblenesse of birthe or of the place but by the excellencie of oure manners not by the famousnesse of Cities but by the puritie of Faithe The seat maketh not a priest but a priest maketh the seate the place sanctifieth not a man but the man the place Euery priest is not holy but euery one vvhich is holy is a prieste Hee that occupieth the seate vvell receiueth honoure of the same But he that vseth it euil dothe vvrong vnto the seate By these woordes it is manifestly taughte that the chaire or seate wherin holy Bishoppes haue sette or succession is nothing woorthe excepte he be also holy which succéedeth in the place of holy menne imitating the steppes of those which were before him but if he be wicked he then receyueth no honoure of the seate but dishonoureth the same Wherefore these Prelates may nowe consider what honoure they receiue by their succession whiche dayly to the ende they may bring vs into contempte they obiecte agaynste vs The highe Priests and Prelates who in the time of Christe
but at Rome and that churche whiche agréed not therewith to bée excluded from Chrystes churche And therefore they haue excommunicated the Grecian and Easte churches and haue herevppon stirred vp gréeuous troubles offences and braulings in the whole vniuersall churche of Chryste But to this Question we aunswere thus Bicause the churche of Chryste is catholike or vniuersall it can not be bound tyed or shutte vp into one certayne place for how can it otherwyse be called the catholike or vniuersall church Therefore if it continue to bée catholyke as the vndoubted Truthe dothe testifie then it both hath bene in times paste and is nowe also in those places where the true members of Chryste are for those onely are they which beléeue in him call on him worshippe and honour hym for their onely Pastor and Sauiour and haue those principall tokens whereof I haue spoken before And thus haue I shewed you the place wherein the true and vniuersall Churche of Chryste hathe héeretofore bene and is yet to bée founde And wée speake of the vniuersall Churche whyche is on thys earthe and not of that whiche is in heauen bycause the place thereof is knowen and manyfest vnto the faythfull But what aunswere wil these Prelates make to that that there was a glorious and scattered church of Christ throughout the worlde before there was any Church of Chryst at Rome the whiche was not called the Churche of Rome but the Churche of Chryste and was in euery place where any faythfull were For the Popish Prelates them selues doo confesse that Saint Peter came to Rome the second yere of Claudius the Emperour and that was tenne yeres after the ascention of Chryste and that there he dyd beginne and preache the Gospell For the gospel sprang not vp first at Rome but it dyd spread from Hierusalem to Rome and so into the whole worlde wherevppon some haue called Hierusalem the mother Churche Therefore the Romishe Churche hathe ouer soone and to quickly desired the gouernment of other Churches and for that cause hathe stirred vp turmoyles and discordes no smal confusion and trouble to the vniuersall Church Furthermore not onely in Grecia but also in the south and in the east there are many faythfull whiche not onely doo confesse Jesus Christ but also worship cal vpon him serue him and doo vndoubtedly appertayne to the kingdome of Chryst although they be subiect to the ciuill gouernement of the tyrannous Lurke and such like tyrants Yet none of all these men care any whit at al for the Byshop of Rome the church thereof or for any customes or Ceremonies by the same Churche deuised or ordeined beeing contrary to the worde of God I say they esteeme them no more than we in this our age and in this our countrey esteeme them And doo they not nowe therefore appertayne to the Churche of Chryste Wherfore it is euident that Chryste hathe his church yea euen in those Countreys But when as in tymes paste the Byshop of Rome desired certayne of those Nations to submitte them selues vnder the Churche of Rome they as the Storie testifieth aunswered VVee knowe your power and your pride we can not satisfie your couetousnesse nor wyll suffer your tyrannie and vnlawefull luste and therefore as wee are so wee wyll remayne And yet these godly men refuse not to obey the Chrystian Churche but onely they doo refuse to obey the vnlawefull luste of these pontificall Prelates and yet notwithstanding loue and serue Chryste yea so muche the more for that they submitte not them selues to the Byshop of Rome The. ix Question Whether they do beleeue that without the Churche of Rome there be no saluation or remission of sinnes and whether they doo also beleeue that all those which separate thēselues willingly from that church are to be condemned as Heretikes and Schismatikes The Answere LEt vs make some difference betwéene these questiōs whether there be any saluation or remission of sinnes without the churche of Rome Or again whether there be any saluation or remission of sinnes without the Christian church For thus truely we suppose say that there is no more saluation to be looked for without the christian church than there was health to be loked for in the floud without the arke of Noe. For our sauiour Chryst Jesus the remissiō of sinnes and al other good gifts of God that are declared vnto vs by the preaching of the gospel are written in our herts by the holy ghost vnto eternall lyfe are only to be founde in the communion or felowship of saincts For without the Churche there are many erroures in this world as of the Gentiles Jewes Mahomets diuers other Heresies yea the lawes and superstitious constitutions and Ceremonies of the Popes which all are vnknowne and repugnant to the churche of Christe Wherfore we say that saluation and remission of sinnes may very well be had withoute the churche of Rome For the faithfull which beléeue Christes woorde and féele the power of faith and redemption of Christ and in the meane while beholde what is done in the church of Rome wherein Heauen remission of sinnes and all other holy things are set out to sale and are bidde to be redéemed with oure vnrighteous riches as by the shamefull mart of their indulgences it appeareth doe not long abide in suche a churche nor studie not to be pertakers of these knackes but flée with a quiet and faithfull harte without money to the onely grace of God bicause Esaie in hys 55. Chapter sheweth that euen for thys cause the Lorde speaketh vnto and reproueth men for that they come not to him but lay oute their money for those things which profitte nothing to theyr saluation Let therefore euery man I beséeche you reade the fiue and fiftie chapter of this Prophet And how suche buying and selling in the churche displeaseth bothe Christe yea and Peter of whome the churche of Rome dothe so busily but yet without cause bragge Christe himselfe declareth by his example in that he draue twise out of the Temple the buyers and sellers yea euen with whippes Iohn 2. Matth. 21. In the Actes of the Apostles also it is wrytten That when Simon Magus sawe the holy Ghoste was giuen of the Apostles by laying on of their handes he broughte money vnto them saying Geeue mee also this povver that on vvhome so euer I lay mine hande hee may receiue the holy Ghost but Peter answered him Let thy siluer perishe togyther vvith thee or as some doe interprete it Let thy mony be vvith thee into perdition vvhich thinkest the gift of God may begotten vvith mony For thou hast neyther parte nor felovvship in this doctrine for thy hart is not right before god Act. 8. And bicause God héere by Peter cursseth all those which are not of an vprighte harte and pronounceth them to haue no parte or fellowshippe wyth Goddes electe which make marchandise of his grace and other giftes amongste whome saluation
which were â—ut menne In lyke manner John the Baptiste than the which there was neuer any holyer amongste men whome Christe also commeÌ„deth sent his disciples from himselfe vnto Christe as to the true sauioure yea he rebuked them bycause they attributed more vnto him than was conuenient althoughe they yet attributed vnto him nothing so muche as these men nowe adayes attribute to the Sainctes Reade the first and seconde Chapter of S. John his gospel Wherfore sith it is moste sure that the Sainctes in heaueÌ„ haue not altered their minds then is it withoute all doubt that God is to be called vppon and prayed vnto through Christ only and that from him all things necessary are to be asked for and not from any Saincte The seuenth Common place Of the relikes of Sainctes images such like things The. xxxj Question Whether they beleeue that the going on Pilgrimage to the bones churches of the saincts be not a godly thing The Answere THis question compriseth in it three others First what we thinke of Pilgrymages that are taken in hande for religions sake Secondly what we thinke of the reliques and bones of the Saincts Thirdly what wée thinke of their temples To these wée aunswere All those things are godlie which men do being therevnto comauÌ„ded of God by his worde Wherfore if you wil haue vs iudge these Pilgrymages godlie then shew vs out of the scriptures where they were instituted and commanded of god For we can finde no one letter or title of holy Scripture where any mention is made of these pilgrymages but most perfectly know that our Lorde hath taught vs not to estéeme one place in this earth better than another nor to gadde hither and thither for the obtaining of grace For God is present and mercifull wheresoeuer the faithful haue néede of his grace and call vppon him with a true fayth Psalm 107. and. 145. Amos. 5. Jere. 7. 23. John. 4. 1. Timothe 2. and many other places Againe sithe in the Questions before going we haue alreadie shewed that the Sainctes sende vs from them selues to God and to his sonne Jesus Christe it is euidente that they allowe not of these Pilgrimages and that they are not profitable nor healthfull for those which take them in hand and therefore we ought not to doe them Touching the bones and Relikes of Sainctes there is thrée sortes of them Either they are their wrytings containing theyr Doctrine or some partes or menibers of theyr bodyes Or some exterioure things which they vsed as their garmentes and suche lyke Their wrytings therfore which containe their Doctrines are the right Relickes yea the vnspeakeable treasure of all good Christians which ought therfore to be had in moste great honor Againe the bones and bodyes of the Sainctes are worthy of their honoure as hauing parte in the Resurrection of the deade for the which they looke and were bisides the houses of that moste excellent spirite with which they were fulfilled But euen as the bodyes of the Patriarkes of Moses Aaron Josua the Kings Prophetes and the holy bodie of Christe of John Stephen and other the Apostles were moste honourably buried So are the bones of the Sainctes coÌ„mitted to the earthe vntill the day of iudgemente and are not to be digged vppe nor sette to be worshipped of the Christians in their churches as Athanasius hathe taughte in the life of blessed Anthonie Furthermore if we haue oughte which we knowe the Sainctes vsed in the time of theyr life yet oughte we not to woorshippe it For as the aunciente Fathers haue taughte vs suche woorshipping is superstition and displeaseth bothe God and the Saincts as before it is said what thing else may be said touching Relickes I héere omitte bicause theyr deceites are euidently knowne For oftentimes it happeneth that the heade arme or some one or other meÌ„ber of a saincte is found to be in two or thre places as though he had had thrée heades or thrée armes more than any other man Againe in the stead of Reliques fonde and foolishe things are offered vnto men to be woorshipped by meanes wherof the sainctes are rather dishonoured than honoured yet in this their marchandise they so shamefully behaue themselues that those whiche haue in them any sparke of honesty although they delighte in Papisticall doctrine yet are they dyspleased hereat Lastely Temples and Chappels are not to be dedicated and built vnto sainctes which now are in heauen but they only ought to haue sepulchres or graues as becommeth mortal men Wherfore although it may be supposed that our elders for some good intent did build temples vnto the saincts yet is it euident that it displeseth both god the saincts For temples are not to be built in the names of sainctes nor congregations oughte to be collected in their names for that honor is due to the creator onely as it may easily be proued by diuers authorities bothe of the scriptures of men which héer for breuities sake I do omit Wherfore we iudge that the christians haue néede of churches to be built to the honor of god of our lord Jesus Christ in the which his word ought to be preached publike prayers to be made the sacramentes ministred almes to be bestowed And of these churches we think very honorably and therfore gladly cal them the churches or houses of god of Christe and ought in no wise to be prophaned as I haue already else where sufficiently taught The. xxxij Question Whether they beleue that it is good and godly to light vp candels before the sacrament of the altare and the images and relikes of sainctes The Answere THe vse of candels is necessary in the churches in the nighte times by reason of the darknesse as in the morning before day c. And after this sorte did the apostles vse candels in the church or congregation Actes 20. But to set vp light in stead of a sacrifice to the woorshipping of sainctes or for the saluation of soules this is cleane contrary to the holy scripture and therfore condemned by Lactantius a most auncient wryteâ— Our hartes must be kindled vnto God in the Newe testament and we muste giue light by our good woorkes and that shal be an acceptable sacrifice vnto god And bicause the Lord commaundeth vs to take and eate the sacrament it is not lawful for vs to kéepe it and shut it vp but we must eate it and therfore there is no neede to set lightes before it But let them rather which are partakers of that sacrament prouide that the bright and shining light of true fayth may bée in their hartes for this setting vppe of lightes before the Sacrament is a new deuise found out of late and vtterly vnknowne to the Primitiue Church And as touching Images this is our iudgement First God hath forbiddeÌ„ to make Images to worship them as appeareth in the seconde Commaundemente Againe in the wrytings of the lawe the
Prophetes and Apostles he hathe altogither and that very earnestly forbidden Images yea moste greeuously threatning all those which either make them or woorshippe them Wherefore that which God abhorreth calleth euil and cursseth we can not call the same good Wherfore if any man desire to sée any testimonies héereof let him reade the twentieth of Exodus Deuteronomie the fifth fourthe and seuenth and twentie seuen Psalme an hundred and thirtiâ—ne Esay fortie and fortie foure Jeremie tenth Rom. first first Corrin tenth first Peter fourth and first John the fifth c. And where as some of them say they woorshippe not the Image but him whome it signifieth that is but a single souled reason for neither God nor his Sainctes wil be so worshipped Againe Images are not like vnto God nor to the Sainctes For God is a spirite that can not be measured without beginning and without ending of most â—reate power and Maiestie and canne â—herefore be expressed by no Image as the holy scripture doth euideÌ„tly teach vs Actes 17. and in diuers other places Againe the Angels which are spirites howe can there be made any image of them The Sainctes while they heere liued on the earth had bothe a body and a soule that is consumed and this remaines in heauen howe therefore can they be expressed by any image The image of their bodyes can nothing at all helpe vs to eternall life and therefore althoughe we had them they could nothing helpe vs Againe that which is chéefest in the Sainctes as the grace of God faithe and suche like giftes can neuer be expressed vnto vs by any colour woode or stone To conclude God the Angels and Sainctes are in heauen indowed with a more excellent glorye than that they may be expressed or represented by any images which images the holy Prophetes of God haue scorned and derided as Esay 44. and Baruch 6. But if they say that images muste be made to teache and instructe only then doe we knowe that we haue receiued a more perfecte and excellenter way héereunto from God which is his holy spirite and woorde And bicause neither in the Apostles times nor in the primitiue Churche there was any vse at all of images we cannot then truely call them good sithe they are so condemned as we haue saide of God and his Sainctes Touching Relikes we haue spoken in the Question before going and therfore contented therwith we will speake no more therof The. xxxiij Question Whether they like well of the halowing of water herbes and other things vsed in the Christian Churche The Answere THe primytiue Apostolicke churche was altogether ignorant of these consecrations and blessings of water fire salt butter oyle palm herbs wafers and suche like And therfore bicause they are abuses and méere inuentions of men they can in no wise please vs For we beleeue that Christe hathe blessed all those creatures whereof the faithfull haue neede so as if they vse them moderately in faithe wyth giuing of thankes they cannot be hurtfull but pure and good vnto them as Paul witnesseth ◠〈◊〉 4. and Tit. â— But to beleeue trust that these halowed things whereof we haue spoken can defende and keepe vs from euill is meere superstitious condemned of God and reproued of all Gods faithfull ministers The eight Common place Of purgatorie and prayer for the deade The. xxxiiij Question Whether they beleeue that the soules of those which are dead be tormented in the fire of Purgatorie who not perfecting their repentance nor being thorowly purified haue departed out of this life The Answere AL that depart out of this life either depart in the true faithe or else without the same and of both these hath our Lord pronounced sentence in these woordes For God sent not his son into the vvorld to condemne the vvorld but that it might be saued throughe him He therefore vvhich beleeueth in him is not iudged but he that beleeueth not is iudged alreadie bicause he beleeueth not in the name of the only begotten son of God. But our aduersaries Obiecte that a faithfull man may die who yet notwithstaÌ„ding he be faithful yet is not thorowly purged bicause he hathe not performed his penance such one say they cannot be saued bicause he is yet vnpure neyther can he be dampned bycause he is a faithfull And therfore it necessarily foloweth that ther is a midle place betwéen these prepared of god in the which such are thorowly purged and wyth theyr paines repay that wanted in penance And this place they cal Purgatorie bicause as they say the soules are purged there But in this kinde of Doctrine which hathe no authoritie at all in the Scriptures we finde faulte with diuers things For firste Christe teacheth that the faithfull are made all pure in hym althoughe there remaine some parte of infirmitie in them whereof they haue néede to be clensed for he manifestly saithe He that is vvashed hath no nede saue to vvashe his feete for he is cleane altogether John. 13. and. 15. And S. Paul teacheth the same Romanes 7. and. 8. where he sheweth that many things are yet wanting in the faithfull which are not imputed vnto them bicause of their faith in Christe And therfore in the articles of our faith we coÌ„fesse that we belèeue the remission of sinnes the resurrectioÌ„ of the body the life euerlasting And as we beleue so shal it be vnto vs we beléeue our sinnes are forgiuen vs and therfore they are so Furthermore when we say sinnes we doo not onely meane the faulte but also the punishemente due for the same Wherefore when the sinnes for the whiche we are punished are forgiuen vs howe then I pray you are we vncleane Or if sin be quite â—akeÌ„ away why then should they suffer as though they were not remitted Wherefore if they had true fayth in Chryst then shall they liue for euer but if they beléeued not then are they damned And this dothe our fayth teach vs whiche is confirmed Esai 53. and John. 3. 5. 6. and. â— Chapters Secondly we blame in their doctrine that they ascribe perfecte puritie to perfecte repentaunce whiche puritie is onely had by the death bloud merites of christ For if puritie were had by our merites then is Christ dead in vayne But Chryst is not dead in vayne therefore puritie commeth onely by the grace of God throughe faythe in the deathe of Chryst. Actes 1â— Gala. 7. and. 1. John. 1. But howe féeble an argument that is which they say that the soules requite with their punishmentes in the fire of Purgatorie which before they wanted to perfecte repentaunce wée haue héeretofore shewed when wée entreated of Faythe and Workes prouing then those things which we both do and suffer not to bée worthy of that ioye wherof in the life to come we are made partakers by Chryste Thirdly wée blame in their doctrine of Purgatorie that they attribute not puritie to the bloude of Chryste
sufficientlye proue that this their enoyling was neuer ordained by the Apostles And what shall I say of that which they vse to speake in this their enoyling when they say In the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghoste I annoynt thee vvith this holy oyle that thereby thou maiste receiue remission of al thy sinnes What ground or forme of institution of this haue yée in all the holy scriptures of Christe and his Apostels The Apostles taught that ful remission of sinnes was to be soughte in the bloude of Christe and not in Oyle And therefore euen by this one pointe it may euidently appeare to the faythfull that for good consideration we vse not this Ceremonie Furthermore when wée beléeue that one baptisme which we haue once receiued wherein we were once Baptized with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and of the holye Ghoste is effectuall by the operation of the holy Ghoste euen all oure life long vnto death we thinke it not néedefull to be againe at the pointe of deathe rebaptized of a Baptisme deuised by man for they call this their annointing the laste Baptisme But we according to Christianitie visite the sicke instruct them admonish them exhort them cōfort them strengthen them and pray with them and charitably looks vnto them c. The seuententh Common place Of the Magistrate and lawful obedience The. lx Question Whether the spirituall and ciuill magistrate ought not to be obeyed chiefly when the things that they commaund are not agaynst God The Answere WE wyll héere make a difference betwene the Ciuill and the spirituall Magistrates For the teachers and gouernors of the Church are ministers and not Lords to exercise a gouernement lyke kings prynces or noble men and we ought to obey them as the Ministers of Chryste so long as they bée hys preache hys worde and execute the Christian ministerie And so Paule teacheth with these wordes VVee beseeche you brethren that you will know them which labour amongest you and take the charge ouer you in the Lorde and instruct you that you honor them throgh loue for their works sake and haue peace with them And againe Obey those which haue the ouersight of you and submyt your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accountes that they may do it with ioy Likewyse Chryst sayth to his Apostles He that heareth you heareth me And he manyfestly forbiddeth his Apostles to rule as Ciuill Magistrates John. 13. Reade more of this Math. 18. and. 20. Luke 22. where you shall manyfestly finde that our Lorde saythe The kings of the Nations reigne ouer them and those which exercise authoritie ouer them are called gracious lords but it shal not be so with you And therfore the ciuil power which the Bishops and gouernors of the Churche exercise hath no groūd or authoritie in the word of god neither hath Chryst at any time commaunded them to vse bothe the swordes Saint Peter in the sixt of the Actes speaketh of him self and the other Apostles thus It is not conuenient that we should leaue the worde of God and serue Tables that is to say giue ourselues to the féeding of the poore c. And yet it is more lyke that the Apostles woulde take charge care for the poore than to take vpon them gouernemente and ciuill authoritie onlesse they had knowen the same to bée agaynst the commaundement of god And therfore doubtlesse if suche power had ben offered vnto them they would neuer haue receiued it And besides this experience teacheth vs nowe in our age that these two can not be ioyned togither Yet let the christians submit thēselues to these magistrates so long as they cōmaunde not things contrary to god yet if they do they may not therfore stir cōmotiōs but do that which god hath cōmaunded Touching the Ciuil power as kings Emperours Princes Counsellors Magistrates and all other lyke which exercise any publique office by what name soeuer they bée called wée are bound to obey them by the worde of God in all things that are not contrarie to God yea God threatneth vengeaunce agaynst all those that are disobedient stubborne and rebellious agaynst the Magistrates Moreouer wée are taughte by Gods worde that the Magistrate is ordeyned of God and is for hys sake to be honored and to be acknowledged in hys Ministers ordeined for the wealth of good men but for the punishment of euill men and that wée muste loue them as fathers geuing vnto them their due honor tribute loyaltie faythfulnesse and other bodily seruices which appertayne vnto thē and that with a good hart and wil faithfully And thus are we taughte by the worde of God Math. 17. and 22. and 1. Peter 2. Romanes 13. and Titus 1. And in the Epistle to Timothe Paule commaundeth that wée make faythfull prayers vnto God for those which haue the gouernemente ouer vs And euen as the Apostles for Gods cause were obediente vnto the Magistrates so is it méete that Byshoppes and those which gouerne in the Churche as teachers and preachers bée obedient to the Ciuill Magistrate also like as Jeremie in his firste Chapter teacheth but yet in suche sorte as they teache the worde of God fréely But if any wyll not thus doo then let them reade the seconde Epistle of Sainct Peter the seconde Chapter and the Epistle of S. Jude and sée what the Apostles doo thinke and iudge of suche And agaynst those which resiste their Magistrates and so become worse than théeues or murtherers many sharpe thinges are written in the holy Scripture and in the Prouerbes of Salomon The. Lxj. Question Whether the magistrat ought to bee obeyed if he publishe set foorth or commaund any thing contrary to the vniuersal church of Chryst The Answere WE muste héere agayne make a difference betwéene the true Christian Churche and the false bearing onely the name and tytle therof For that Churche which is called and is in very déede the true vniuersall Church of Chryst is that company of the faythfull whiche rightly beléeue in Chryste putting all their trust in God throughe Chryste geuing eare onely to him in his holy worde séeking all things in hym and seruing him in holynesse and righteousnesse And agaynst this Churche can no Magistrate decrée any thing but if they chaunce to doo then doo the faythfull knowe that it is better to obey God than man In déede at the beginning and in the tyme of the Primatiue Churche Kinges and Emperours concluded set foorth many gréeuous things against the Christians but thē they which otherwise in al bodily seruices were contente to bée obedient vnto their Magistrates dyd in déede disobey them in the things which appertayned to their faythe for they would neither woorshippe their Idols nor doo sacrifice in their Temples or communicate with them in their Religion and for thys cause many of them were put to death Yet GOD in the ende maruellouslye punyshed
vvill of your heauenly father yea all the haires of your heade are numbred Bee not therfore afraide for you are more vvorth than many sparowes Euery one therefore that shall confesse me before men him also vvil I confesse before my father vvhich is in heauen and vvho so denieth mee before men him also vvill I denye before my father vvhich is in heauen And hee that loueth father or mother more than mee is not meete for me And hee that taketh not vppe his crosse and folovveth mee is not vvorthy of me VVho so vvill seeke to saue his life shall lose it and he that vvill lose his life for my sake shal finde it And vnto this doctrine that is so ful of consolation and comfort let vs earnestly sticke my brethren and so couple oure selues to the grace and power of Christe lette vs boldly confesse his name doctrine and refusing what so euer is contrary to the same Let vs call vpon him craue his grace and holy spirite to abide sted-fastly in his holy worde euen to deathe And so let vs ioyntly all pray vnto oure Lorde that he will haue mercy vppon al men and strengthen all those which suffer for his sake and lighten the harts of the persecuters that with S. Paule they may cleerely sée and vnderstande how hard a thing it is to kicke againste the pricke God oure heauenly father haue mercie on his poore afflicted Churche and comforte the same shortly with his comming through Jesus Christe our Lorde Amen FINIS Howe what we ought to beleue of the holye Trinitie There is but one Catholike Church The Church is holy Why the church is called Apostolicall Hovve the Churche is beleeued Wee muste not beleue in the Church What the Church is The Communion of saincts Sainctes 1. Cor. 12. Ephesi 4. Howe the vniuersal Churche is deuided Hipocriâ—s in the Church 1. Iohn 2. God gouerneth hys churche by his holy spirite Math. 28. 18 Iohn 14 The ende of this Question Howe the Church eyther erreth or doth not erre 2. Cori. 1. 6. Galat. 1. 1. Iohn 13. Iohn 15. The cheefe tokens of the Church The SacrameÌ„ts are signes of the Church The succession of Bishoppes Successâ—oÌ„ proueth nothing Succession of Bishops against Christ and hys Apostles Succession degenerated Of the Apostolicke seate What Paul teacheth touching the succession of Byshoppes Whether the Church of Rome be the catholick Churche What vve ought to thinke of the auncient Churche of Rome The new or late Church of Rome is not the Catholicke Churche 1 â–ª Cor. 5. 6. Ephesi 4. 5. To tye the Churche of Christ to onâ— place only The â—â—spell tooke not hyâ— beginning froÌ„ Rome There are many countryes that dothe not acknovvledge the Pope Out of the christian Churche there is no saluation There maye be saluation without the Churche of Rome Of the faythe and saluatioÌ„ of our forefathers 3. Reg 19. What is to breede Scismes or Heresies Deut. 4. 1â— Where in the vnitie of Christes Churche doth consist An example of the breach of vnitie in the Churche and faythe The first Heretickes Scismaticks in the Churche whither they be Heretycks which in our age doe peache the Gospell In what sort we must beleue the decrees of the Church Iere. 22. Esay 29. Math. 15. Tit. 1. Gala. 1. The purpose of this question How far the decrees of the fathers are to be beleued In what sorte general councels are to be beleued Constantinâ— Whether Counsels haue erred Psal. 1â— Rom. 3. â—acob â— Whether the articles vvhiche are decided coÌ„firmed may be disputed on agayne Whether it be lavvfull to dispute againste popish doctrin Augustines iudgement touching the counsels and the fathers The Papistes will be bothe accusers and Iudges Whether the Apostles admitted Hereticks into the Counsel The some of Paules doctrine and of his aduersaries Whither Heretikes ought to be admitted into a counsell Whether the Apostles admitted laye meÌ„ Heretiks into the CouÌ„sell It was not lawful for the Apostles to haue any agreement with their aduersaries Galat. 2. Why Paule vvent to Hierusalem Paul had the chefest place in the counsell The doctrine of free vvill is an arrogante doctrine Ioan. 15. 2. Corin. 3. 1. Corin. 4. Philip. 1. â— Fayth Hope Charitie Eche of these vertues haue their peculiar properties These three vertues are so coupled togither that the one springeth of the other Fayth is one but not all one Faythe iustifieth To be iustified before God. why god chose vs to be his sonnes heirs By what meanes rightuousnesse is impuâ—ed to vs. Why vvoorkeâ— do not iustifie Iob. 9. Psal. 14â— The summe of this doctrine Iohn 5. Iohn 8. Act. 8. How works are called righteousneâ— Fayth bringeth foorthe good works Of the discerâ—ing of workes Whether our mericeâ—â— are made meritorious by the merites of Christ The revvard of woorkes Rom. 6. Rom. 8. Luke 7. Marie therfore loued bicause hir sinnes were remitted Fayth to work miracles Why Christe wil iudge not according to fayth but according to works Math. 25. Christ is the onely intercessor with the father Heb. 9. Rom. 8. Heb. 7. 1. Tim. 2. 1. Iohn 2. The Scriptures maketh no mention of the intercession of Sainctes or Aungels Howe wee praye in Christes name when wee saye the Lordes praier Whether the Saincts in heauen do pray fos vs bicause they haue charitie Whether the sainctes bycause they prayed here on earth doe the same for vs nowe in heauen The glorie of the saincts which are in heauen Whether the rich maÌ„ in the 16. of Luke did praye for his brethren Of the worshipping of sainctes What wee ought to think of the blissed virgin Mary What we ought to think of the Apostles and other Sainctes How the saynctes are to be worshipped Rom. 10. We haue neede of an aduocate for vs to God. The Angels and saynctes send vs from themselues to Christ. Iohn 2. Act. 3. Of the reliques of sainctes 2. Pet. 1. Of Teâ—ples dedicated to sainctes The vse of candels in the churches Lactan. inst li. 6. cap. 1. Math. 5. Rom. 22. Lightes before the sacrament Of Images God nor hys sainctes can by Images be represented The making of holivvateâ— holy fire Eyther men dy in faythe or in infidilitie We are not counted pure for our own works sake Of praiers such lyke things done for the dead Thei are but filthy marchandise vvherevvyth they vvoulde haue vs redeemâ— souls We may not for purgatories sake truste in any thing Iohn 1â— Act. â—0 Hovve and vvherfore the apostles did pray Where Lazarus vvas that time he vvas dead Of the seconde booke of the Machebes Hovve many Sacramentes there be Of the vertue and power of the Sainctes Whether the sacramentes receiued do giue vs grace Of the Anabaptistes Baptisme of infantes Actes 10. Anabaptism Diners opinions touching Christes presence in the Sacramente The true and auncient doctrine of the sacrameÌ„t against transubstantiation The faythefull doe not receiue bread only in the Supper Howe the true bodie of christ must be receiued How ech man oughte to behaue himselfe in the controuersie of the sacrament The presence of Christ. Whether the Priests make bred wine the verie body and bloud of Christ. The true ordering or making of ministers Whether Christ be wholi vnder one kind The papistes wil eate vp al Christ and no more Whether the Lordes supper were giuen to the Apostles only Both the kinds in the sacrameÌ„t are due to al men The supper of Christ vvyth his tvvo disciples at Emaus The Corrinthians dydde not offend bycause they vsed the cup of our Lord. The councel of Constance touchyug bothe the kyndes of the decrees and sclanders that happe in the vse of both kindes Christes body is offered no more Of the sacrifices of Christians Christ is the onely sacrifice that taketh avvay sinne In the Lordes supper ther is onely a remeÌ„brance of his only sacrifice The sacrifice of praise thanks giuing What repentance is True repentance What confeâ—sion is good necessariâ— â–ª We must confesse vs vnto God. The confession to our neyghboure Against confession made to the priest Of popishe satisfaction The exercise of the faythfull Iohn â— Romish indulgences â—â—remi 7. Iohn 2. 〈…〉 21. Power is an office The kayes of the kingdome of heauen Of binding and loosing 1. Corin. 3. The office of priestes and ministers Of excoÌ„munication and the abuse thereof Not to heare the churche Mariage is frâ—â— for al 〈…〉 The vowes which are made in our daies are onely idle woordes without effect or workes Al vowes are not acceptable to god neyther yet to be perfourmed We must kepe promis Whither god giueth chastitie to euery man bicause he caÌ„ giue it An exhortation agaynst persecution The mariage of Priestes is lavvefull Whether 〈…〉 age vvhich is coÌ„tracted afterâ— vovv be lavvâ—â—â— â–ª Cyprians iudgement Against those vvhich sclander and forbid mariage What the holy Scripture teacheth of enoyling Actes 8. 10. 19. The spiritual Magistrates 1. Thessa. 5 Hebr. 13. Luke 10. The ciuill Magistrate The magistrate can coÌ„maunde nothing contrarie to the churche of Chryst. The godlyâ— Magistrate may make lawes and decrees against the false church â–ª Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman for George Bishop ANNO. 1572.
beleue the remission of sinnes the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting Secondly it is called the Communion or felowship of Sainctes that is to say of the faithfull for as appeareth by the Epistles of S. Paul the Apostles and other blessed Fathers called the faithful or Christians Sainctes Bicause as I said before they are sanctified by Christ in his blud through the holy Ghost But bicause the church is a congregation or companie peraduenture therfore it is called in our mother tong Kuch by this letter L and not as some other Germanes do sound it by the letter R. For in the Hebrewe tonge the people or churche of God is called Kâ—haâ— and Kehâ—â—aâ— whereuppon the Germanes say Kilcha But whether it be deriued from the Hebrue or from the Gréeke it is all one For ech of those wordes signifie the congregation or felowshippe of Gods people euen as this worde Ecclesia amongest the Latines dothe also signifie which worde is borowed of the Grecians And although the vniuersall Churche of God in thys earth can not be brought into one company or felowshippe before the last day yet notwithstanding is the same neuerthelesse a spirituall and inuisible body perfectely compacte vnder one heade Jesu Chryste euen as diuers members hauyng sundry operations are ioyned in one body The vniuersall Churche of Chryst is deuided first into the congregation of them whych hauing finished the course of this their lyfe and passed ouer all corruptible things do now reioyce with christ their head in heauen prayse God for euermore Secondely it is deuided into the congregation of those which do yet liue here on this earthe in dayly battell in the Churche of Chryst and haue thys hope that at the time appointed by god they shall come to Chryst their heade and the felowship of their elect brethreÌ„ And in this coÌ„gregation there are some which haue true faythe and therefore are the liuely members of the Church vnder their head Chryste some lacke that liuely fayth and therfore are hypocrites being yet numbred in the visible Churche so long as their wickednesse springeth not foorthe nor they bewray theÌ„selues Touching these S John writeth thus They went out from vs by this it appeareth they were reckned in the Church for else could they not haue gone out theÌ„â—e but they were not of vs that is to say they were not the liuely members of the church true beleuers for if they had ben of vs they wold haue remained with vs. And herevpon it commeth to pas that many deuide the church into the inwarde and inuisible and into the outwarde and visible Churche Yea furthermore it is deuided into the congregation of those which haue liued froÌ„ the creation of the world vnto the coÌ„ming of christ into the coÌ„pany of those faithful which haue ben since the tune of christ and shal be to the end of the world And euery congregation of eche these parts are called the Catholike or vniuersall church yea eche of those churches which are scattered in this worlde haue but one spirite or faithe hath eche the name of vniuersall churche For in the scriptures there is mention made of particulare churches in this earthe as that Paule wryteth to the church of Rome Corinth Ephesus and suche others And therfore eueÌ„ as many Cities and Prouinces are contained in one kingdome and of many members is made one perfect body so also those churches which are dispersed vpon the face of the earth make but one church one kingdom and one spirituall body of Christe be being the head therof The fourth Question Whether they beleeue that the vniuersal church of Christ be guided ruled and gouerned by the holy Ghost The Answere GOd hathe alwayes euen froÌ„ the beginning of the world bene present with his people and churche gouerning the same by the ministerie of the Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles and that throughe the holy Ghoste For oftentimes God speaketh in the old Testament saying Beholde I am alvvayes vvith you I vvill guide and defende you c. And in the new Testament our Lord Christ saith Beholde I am vvith you for euer vntill the ende of the vvorlde And againe I vvill giue my spirite vnto you that he may abide vvith you for euer And againe vvhere tvvo or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them But the purpose of this Question is to bring the godly and simple into perplexitie and doubte For when they confesse that god gouerneth his church by his holy spirite forthwith the popish bishops conclude therof that the churche neither hathe nor can erre and héereby they suppose that all other things are sufficiently proued to wit that what soeuer they vnder the tytle and name of the Church shal thrust vppon men are bothe good and enspired by the holy Ghost But vnto these mates we answere Firste that we doo not acknowledge that church whereof they bragge to be the true primatiue apostolike church as hereafter we shal proue Secondely we dâ—â— not confesse that the Churche can not altogither or in all points erre For so long as she is gouerned by the holy ghost and onely harkeneth vnto him dooing nothing but by his motion and worde she neither doth nor can erre But if she swarue at any time from the gouernement of the same spirite and gouerneth after hir owne luste then truely shée not onely may but also dothe erre But if any wyll aske whether the Church may swarue from the direction of Gods spirite I answere that it is euident and may in no wyse be denied that the Churche of God héere vpon this earthe often times vnder Moses the Iudges and the Kings of Israell and Iuda hath erred Yea and that the Disciples of Chryst who yet neuerthelesse were the church of christ did erre and had their falles For who is ignoraunt what happened to Dauid Aaron Peter and other the holy Sainctes and Disciples of Chryst Yea wée must note that the Church is gathered not of Angels but of men Wherefore although it be inspired and gouerned by the spirite yet it is not thereby turned into the spirite for it keepeth still hir fleshe and the infirmities thereof yea euen vnto death Who is ignoraunte of those writings which Sainte Paule hathe generally vttered touching the battell betwéene the fleshe and the spirite and that not in the vngodly and vnbeléeuers onely whiche are not of the Churche but euen in the faythefull also and members of the Church And this battell is so vehemente and sharpe that euen thereby the godly are forced not to doo that good and iuste thyng whyche they knowe but to doo that which they ought not to doo Read S. Paules fifth chapter to the Galathians also the seuenth to the Romanes Yet neuerthelesse the same Apostle calleth the Galathians and Corinthians the true church of Christ as purified by his bloude and gouerned by his
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
doe all the faithfull in the vniuersall church beléeue acknowledge Christe to be their onely intercessor to God the father therefore come they vnto him onely For they stedfastly beléeue that he is the Christe that is to say the annoynted and ordained King and Priest at the righte hande of God who hathe deliuered vs and hath ascended into the heauens euen vnto the righte hande oâ— God that he mighte alwayes appearâ— before his heauenly father for vs likâ— as Paule saythe that Christe is entreâ— into the heauâ—s that he might appearâ— in the sâ—ght of God and make intercession and pray for vs. But bicause Intercession or Prayer is reckened amongste the chéefest partes of the office of a Prieste or Bi â–ª shop and that there is but one Priest hoode yea and that so vnited that it cannot be translated giuen or imparted tâ— any other whereby it is called eternal and immutable therefore the faithful séeke not any other Bishop aduocate or intercessor besides Christ no not vnto the Angels or sainctes liuing in heauen But content them selues with Christ alone and vse him their onely aduocate and intercessoure to God as he which is best accepted with his father and can moste faithfully readily excellently effectually and wisely do this office For the Angels and Sainctes can in no wise be compared to Christe Furthermore he bothe can and will performe those things which we craue knoweth our want and calleth vs vnto himself neyther can we héereby wearie him and knoweth what is profitable for vs and howe all things may be done most commodiously for vs And all these did he confirme while hée lyued héere in this worlde bothe with his woords and déedes For he readily gaue care to all menne yea he knewe their necessities better than they could expresse them by their wordes was neuer wearyed but healed all diseases holpe all menne hadde euer inoughe for them and althoughe he cured many and gaue maruellous giftes yet had he still asmuche grace helpe other giftes as he had before Yea and when his disciples wold oftentimes haue put men off he tooke it not in good parte but how muche the more they thronged vnto him and craued many things of him so muche the more declared he his power ofteÌ„times exhorting them that they should continually come vnto him c. Wherby the faithfull receiue this comforte that euen this oure Lord Jesus Christe being nowe at the righte hande of God iâ— heauen is no lesse gentle willing ready and able to helpe all those whichâ— put their trust in him And therefore iâ— all their néedes they contente them selues with the intercession and medâ—ation of Christe And that chéefely sithâ— Paule sayth in the first Epistle to Tâ—mothe and the seconde Chapter Theâ— is one God and one mediator between God and manne euen the manne Iesu Christe vvhich gaue him selfe for thâ— redemption of all menne And S. Jhoâ— saith If any man sinne vve haue an adâ—uocate with God the father Iesus Chriâ—â— the righteouse and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but for the sinnes of the whole worlde Touching the intercession of our Lorde Jesus Chryste in heauen we haue the manyfest and inuincible testimonies of the holy Scriptures but as touching the intercession of Angels and Saincts which are in heauen we haue no testimonie thereof and therefore the godly care not for it Yea those whiche beléeue the worde of God in which we haue taught vs but one onely intercessor Chryste in heauen they â—éeke for none other intercessor there â—ycause they haue the same full and â—erfectly in Chryste But they whiche â—oo not beléeue nor acknowledge Christ â—or their onely and perfecte intercessor â—nd aduocate those Infidels shall neâ—er be holpen with any prayers of Anâ—els or Sainctes althoughe they dyd â—ray for them The .xxvj. Question If Chryste be our onely interâ—ssor why did he then teach vs this prayer which we call the Lordes prayer which was also vsed of the apostles and so with one accord continued in prayer as it is written in the first Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles The Answere YT may very easily appeare by this question that those wicked men whiche were the authors of these questions did neuer rightly vnderstande this holy Prayer common vnto all men and commonly called the Lords prayer For they speake thereof as though wée dydâ—e pray the same of ourselues without Chryste when as muche rather it is the prayer of Chryste and is so named not onely for that he made the same but also for that wée nowe pray the same as euen by his mouthe For when wée say the Lords prayer we then with those wordes pray euen as it were with Chrysts owne mouth therefore the father who loueth hys sonne acknowledgeth his wordes and prayer and those are moste acceptable vnto him therefore euen for his sons sake he heareth vs And therfore in the Lords prayer Chryst is made the only intercessor and although wée pray the same with the Apostles yet are we not herd for their sakes but for Christs for euen their prayers are made effectuall acceptable vnto god through Chryst. In the Acts they require the gift of the holy ghost of whoÌ„ the Lord before had spoken in the gospel saying that his father would send him in his name and therfore it euery where appeareth that Chryst is the true aduocate and intercesser of all the faythfull And it were not a little to be wondred at why these men shoâ—â—â— more set by and regard the intercession of saâ—â—câ—s than of Chryst on lesse they did manâ—festly declare theÌ„ selues to be of that number of whome Paule speaketh in the â—â—â—ste Chapter to the Romanes saying which worship and serue the creatures more than the creator c. The .xxvij. Question Whether the charitie and loue of the Angelles and Sainctes whiche are nowe in heauen bee cleane put out and taken away from vs when as Paule yet sayth that Charitie neuer fayleth The Answere CHaritie or loue can neuer in heauen nor yet in earth bring to passe that the Saincts should chaleÌ„ge that vnto them selues which is onely due to Chryst that is to say his priesthoode and the office of a mediatour to make intercession to God the father Furthermore in the Saincts all things are purged and perfected after they bée departed out of this lyfe and fleshe vnto eternall felicitie and therefore Charitie which in this life reioyceth not in the miserie of the vngodly is not in the lyfe to come troubled nor sorroweth not for their damnation And bycause that God in heauen is all in all and that the saincts haue giuen them selues all wholly ouer vnto the will of God so as his will is their chéefe felicitie or ioy and therefore wée pray thy wyll be done in earth as it is in heauen therfore no kinde of charitie moueth them to make intercession For why they perfectly knowe that
inuocation prayers holy dayes fasting dayes gyftes sacrifices almes dedicating of Churches lyghting of Candles and such lyke then saye wée that God alone is to bée worshipped inuocated and honoured and not the Sainctes Yea the Sainctes wyll not bée worshipped and serued in this sort But if this worshippe signifie to reuerence and honestly and reuerently to thynke of them and acknowledge them prayse and commende them as the deare frendes of God and to imbrace them as the singular Ministers and members of Chryste then doo wée gladly beléeue and truely confesse that all the godly the blessed virgin Mary the Angels Apostles Martyres and all other Sainctes oughte by good right to bée worshipped Furthermore wée condemne all those which contemptuously thinke any thing of the Sainctes whiche lyue in heauen And chiefly we confesse that the blessed virgin Mary is woorthy all prayse and that shée is a pure vndefyled virgin bothe before in and after the birthe of Chryste and that shée is blessed aboue all other women and that of hir wombe was borne the sonne of God and therefore may very well be called the mother of god Yea wée also acknowledge and confesse that shée was the dearely beloued handemayden of God who for hirâ—faythe loue puritie lowlinesse holynesse pacience hope and suche lyke vertues can neuer bée sufficiently praysed and that shée was aboue all others beautified with moste singular gifts of grace and therfore we ought to thinke moâ—e reuerently of hir And as touching the Apostles of our Lorde Jesus Chryst we acknowledge them to bée the chosen and singular frends and seruaunts of God indued with most excellent giftes by whom it was his pleasure that the gospel should bée preached vnto vs that thereby the worlde mighte receyue lighte and wée bée delyuered from the mouthe of Sathan and adopted in Chryste into the number of the children of god Yea wée defende the doctrine faythe loue vertues and example of lyfe bothe of the Apostles Martyres and all other the godly agaynst all the enimies of GOD and of the Sainctes yea wée prayse God in them and loue them as the very members of the selfe same body with vs vnder our onely heade Chryste wée studie to followe the example of their lyues and faythe that wée may togither with them after this lyfe haue the fruition of eternall ioyes with god Furthermore whatsoeuer the holy Scripture teacheth or God commaundeth to bée done vnto them we muste readily and willingly yéelde it vnto them But nowe why wée doo not attribute and giue vnto them those honors which the Papists require that is to aske séeke helpe of them in time of trouble as from our intercessors sauiors I wil héere bréefly render the reasons and further also shew why we so earnestly teache and affirme that god alone ought to be worshipped called vppon and serued our lord Jesus Chryst to be acknowledged the onely euerlasting mediator and intercessor before god the father in heaueÌ„ First we haue a manyfest commandement that in all necessities God only is to be prayed vnto and called vppon and that he alone is sufficient for vs and that he bothe can and will giue vnto vs all things necessarie bothe for our bodies and soules for he him selfe calleth vs vnto him and promiseth vs all good things and is displeased so often as wee seeke vnto others and not vnto him and therfore when we come vnto him we greatly delight him and thereby worshippe him Secondely by the examples of all Sainctes and in the Psalmes also wée are taughte that God alone in all cases is to be called vpon and to be thanked for those benefites whiche we receiue what so euer they be Thirdely that common and holy prayer called the Lordes prayer can onely be sayde and offered to God the father and to no maner of creature Wherefore if we had no other thing but this prayer of our Lorde yet might wée thereby sufficiently knowe that none other is to be called vppon but God only Last of all S. Paule saith he ought to be called vppon on whome we doe beléeue but we doe beléeue in God only and therfore we ought to call vpon him only as he who alone knoweth is able and will helpe vs And yet we do not reiecte the intercession of Christ neither say we that we haue néede of no intercessor with god But like as God alone is to be called vpon so ought we to vse none other intercession nor any other aduocate or intercessor before God than Christe Jesus onely bicause the father hath appoynted him alone to this function therefore in him he heareth and receiueth oure prayers as I haue héeretofore sufficiently preued Wherfore if we would doe obedient seruice to the Sainctes then should we content oureselues with God and Christ our sauioure only For vnto this marke haue the Sainctes alwayes sent all menne and would not suffer themselues to be worshipped or called vpon Wherfore if they suppose that the saincts did not send men to Christe alone but to others also then let them shewe vs who they were to whom they sent theÌ„ For we haue our opinion confirmed by the manifest scriptures For when S. John twice as appeareth in the Reuelation 19. 22. fel downe before the Angell to worship him the Angell answered Take heede thou do it not for I am thy fellovve seruaunte and of thy brethren the Prophets worship thou God. Againe at the mariage in Cana a citie of Galelei when there lacked wine the mother of Jesu saide vnto him They haue no vvine Iesus ansvvered vnto hir and sayde vvoman vvhat haue I to doe vvith thee mine houre is not yet come His mother said to the seruaunts vvhat so euer he sayth vnto you doe it And this is the only will of the virgine Mary that what so euer hir sonne commaundeth we should do it And bicause he commaundeth vs to come vnto him to cal on him to pray in his name doutlesse the blessed virgin wold haue vs so to do to serue him and not hir which thing we do when we call vpoÌ„ hir son not vppon hir In the Actes also it is written of Peter and John that when they hadde healed the lame at the gate of the Temple the whole multitude being amazed ranne vnto them but the Apostles sent the people from them selues vnto Christe saying vvhy meruell you at this Or vvhy looke you so on vs as thoughe by our povver or vertue vve had caused this man to vvalke God hathe in this sorte glorified hys sonne c. Likewise Paule and Barâ—abas when they had healed the man that was as is wrytten in the foure twentienth of the Acts of the Apostles and that the menne of Lystra woulde haue done Sacrifice vnto them Paule refused it as a thyng horyble in the sighte of GOD and so renting hys garmentes diligently taughte them that God onely was to be woorshipped and not the Apostles
within a whyle after perceyueth him selfe not able to kéepe them yea that it is a cause of whooredome lustes and manye other sinnes but he dothe well and godly if he kéepe not that foolishe Uowe that is to saye if he cut off those causes of sinne And so the Fathers teache saying In euill promisses breake thy promisse And that vvhich thou haste vnaduisedly vovved doe it not c. But that which we do vow with good aduise béeing iust and honest according to the lawe of God that let vs faythfully and constantly obserue without all disceite For the iuste God is a reuenger of all lying and wicked men that kéepe no promise wyth God or man And I speake thys from the bottome of my hart least any man should mistake our doctrine and say that we teache lybertie and that men shoulde not kéepe their fayth and promyse For wée doo euen from our hearts detest all filthy and vngodly libertie The. lvj Question Whether Chryst be not able to giue vnto those the gyft of chastitie whiche doo desyre and craue the same frō the bottome of their heart chiefly to those which labour and apply them selues earnestly to their studie and moderate them selues in meates and drinke The Answere AS it oughte not to bée sought so may wée not héere séeke what God may or can doo but what he hathe commaunded and what he wyll doo And wée muste moste warely obserue thys precepte Thou shalte not tempt the Lorde thy God. Wée all knowe that all thinges are possible to God and yet muste we knowe that this rule is for euer obserued in Chrystes Churche that it followeth not that he dothe all things that he can but wée must diligently marke what he commaundeth and byddeth vs to doo And this rule if wée apply it to this place it will appeare that thys is the commaundement of God that he which perceiueth him selfe to haue the gyfte of chastitie should vse the same so that he well perceyue that he hathe grace so to doo and that he which hath not this gyfte shoulde marry and not put him selfe in danger or tempt god For Saincte Paule speaketh of thys matter saying That he would intangle no man. 1. Corinth 7. And howe diligently they applye their Bookes in Monasteries howe they labour and what abstynence they vse in meates and drinkes I leaue it to the iudgement of any wyse man to discusse For it is euident that they seldome apply their Bookes but gyue them selues altogither to idlenesse dayntinesse and satisfying of their paunche In déede their talke hathe a goodly shewe but yet wyse men can well ynoughe perceyue what they are and therefore wyll not suffer them selues to bée seduced alwayes wyth thys spirituall babbling when they so manyfestlye perceyue their wyckednesse But if there bée any that wyll bée wylfull blynde then let their owne confusion fall on their owne pate The. lvij Question If any man be caste into pryson and fed hardly he doth not feele any great temptations Therefore is it not possible he shoulde keepe his vowe which he hathe made to Chrysts church which keepeth him selfe vnder by abstinence The Answere ALthough you haue made no mentiō in these your questions of the imprisoning torments with which you haue so gréeuously tormented the honest and godly maryed men either for mariage or for some other poynte of Religion neuerthelesse those good men whiche lyue nowe in this age may know and those which shall lyue after vs shall manyfestly sée that you are tootoo cruell in persecuting and tormenting I beséeche you consider with your selues why and wherefore you doo it If it so greatly delight you to chasten naughtie wycked men with imprisonment and with harde fare why then doo you not imprison whoremongers and adulterers and not those which liue chaste in mariage why do you not looke vpon you selues And why doo you not keepe vnder with abstinence those drunkards and horrible offendors But those men you neuer punish but you punish those whom God cōmaundeth to fauour and whom God commaundeth you to punish those you let goe You are nothing seuere towardes vyce and too cruell towardes goodnesse which God hath forbidden to punish I beseech you remember the auncient Histories of all ages and you shall sée that God dyd neuer forsake his for although he kepte them a long tyme vnder the crosse yet at the laste he delyuered them at his pleasure and they which dyd afflitte them for righteousnesse sake he terribly rewarded them with moste sharpe and gréenous punishments You would fayne be called spiritual and then fauour and mercy would better become you than thys rigor and crueltie But if you do rather delight in crueltie take héede least that corner stone agaynst whome you thus stryke bée found ouer harde vnto you and least it fal vpon you and grind you to péeces Feare God and take héede in tyme for all thinges haue an ende VVoe sayth the Lorde to those that spoyle for they shall be spoyled Oftentites in déede it commeth to passe that in the tyme of miserie men are least prouoked or moued wyth affections and that by reason of the gréefe of sicknesse or other myseries and yet hereby it followeth not that they should kéepe them selues vnmaryed all their lyfe tyme Saincte Paule who very well knew and had good experience of the grace and helpe of God and the infirmitie of our flesh dyd permit those that are maried to separate them selues for a time but yet by the consent of both the parties that therby being in some great distresse they might the more feruently giue them selues to prayer and yet he addeth héere vnto And come togyther agayne least Sathan tempt you for your incontinencie And why I pray you doo not these which would so fayne bée called Apostolike men giue suche counsell to those which are troubled and specially sithe wée haue so many wofull examples before our faces of those which whylest they professe chastitie fall into suche daunger that they at the last lose soule honors body and goodes The. Lviij Question Whether a Priest whiche marieth a wyfe by name and as he supposeth contrary to the vowe which he hathe made do not greeuously sinne and whether suche a mariage bee not double whordome and inceste and ought to be punished by the sworde according to lawe The Answere I Beseche you speake more fauourably for this kynde of speache is too filthy declareth what you are and encreseth most gréeuous iudgement agaynst you For that mariage whiche is done in the feare of god and for lawfull causes is bothe iuste and lawefull and béeing celebrated betwéene those whom no cause which God hath ordeyned dothe separate And the lawefull causes are declared Gen. 2. 3. Cor. 7. But the vowes of the Spiritualtie are neuer once named amongest the impediments of mariage wherefore they may marry notwithstanding their vowes And the mariage of those are true and holy and suche