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
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
the Pope to be the true onely Church of Chryst which the faythfull throughout the whole worlde without all maner of question ought to beléeue and obey as shall manifestly appeare by the questions following And this question truely is very absurde for it is alone as if it should be demaunded whether any one citie in a Realme be the whole Realme or no Or whether that any one man in a multitude be the whole coÌ„pany or no Or whether the hand or foote of some one body be the whole body or no For before I haue already shewed that this worde Catholike signifieth vniuersal and yet I am not ignoraunte also that it may be taken for any faythfull man But by these questions they openly shew vnto the world their foolishnesse or rather their excéeding and intâ—lerable pride whilest they woulde haue vs to acknowledge one parte to be the whole and to haue full power and authoritie to gouerne in the whole kingdome company and body Wherfore to this question VVhether the Church of Rome be the true catholike Church or no I answere thus If they demaunde of the auncient Church of Rome to the whiche Paule wrote his Epistle to the Romanes in the which also he remayned a prisoner and preached by the space of two yéeres then I confesse the same to be the true and faythfull Churche of Chryst but not the vniuersall Church or the head of all other churches but only a member of the vniuersall church vnder one head Chryst of like and equall power with other the churches of Chryst whiche are heere on the earthe and that the Ministers thereof are of no greater power and authoritie than the Ministers of other Churches The lyke hathe Saint Hierome written concerning the Churche of Rome and the Byshoppes thereof in these woordes Neither is it to be thought that there is one Churche of Rome and an other of the whole worlde For where so euer a Byshop is whether it be the Byshop of Rome or of EugubiuÌ„ or of Constantinople or of RhegiuÌ„ c. he is of like authoritie and like priesthoode By the whiche woordes he teacheth that the churche of Rome is no better than other churches wheresoeuer they be in the whole woride and that the Byshoppes thereof haue no more power or superioritie of Priesthoode than other Byshoppes whether they bee in small or in greate Cities But if they demaunde of the Churche of Rome whiche nowe is in the sorte and maner as all men sée vnder these Byshoppes and as it hathe bene also of late by the space of a fewe hundred yeres I aunswere that it altogither differeth from the state of the auncient and Apostolyke Churche of Rome and therefore may in no wyse bee acknowledged for the vniuersall and catholyke Churche whereof it boasteth For the signes of the true Churche of Chryst buylte by the Apostles at Rome and else where are no more there to be sounde Namely the spirite of Chryst whych loueth pure modest and humble hearts and departeth from all impuritie arrogancie and pride Yea the worde of truthe and that only voyce of the true Pastor is not onely not hearde any more nowe in the Churche of Rome purely and truely taughte but it is also forbidden and persecuted with fyre and sworde on the other side the doctrines of men whiche is contrary to the worde of GOD is by violence and all manner of deceytfull means mainteined and thrust vppo◠〈◊〉 That sincere fayth which ascribeth all mans saluation to that onely Meâ—iator betwéene God and man very God and very man our Lorde Jesus Chryst is obscured and those things which are to be sought in Chryst are appoynted to be founde in his creatures and in the workes of men The inuocation of God due to him alone through our only mediator Jesus Chryst is turned from God and attributed to many other his creatures whome they by images doo represent vnto the simple and all other christians to be honered euen in their temples The Sacraments of Chryst are moste shamefully abused for lucre and are so mingled with the opinions and ordinances of men that the sinceritie and firste institution of them can very hardely be perceiued yea euen of the faythfull What kinde of charitie and peace is in the Romishe Churche from the which what great and exceeding bloody battels and spoyling of men and Regions are sprong vp and dayly doo arise within these fewe hundred yeares in the whiche an innumerable number of widdowes and fatherlesse children are encreased excepte they would willingly be blind all men haue knowen to be tootoo much But this miserable matter is rather to be lameÌ„ted than as doubtfull to be proued like as also the things whereof I haue before spoken are too wel knowen and that to the whole worlde And touching the lyfe and maners of the Romish courte and churche especially the principall states and chéefe spirituall persons it is right euidently knowen whereas neuerthelesse Paul saith that those which name them selues Christians and yet without repentance serue Idols are couetous pillers shamelesse whoremasters adulterers drouned in all other filthy and abhominable wickednesse giuing them selues to gluttonie dronkennesse hatred and backbiting shall neuer possesse the kingdome of God yea and no christian ought to haue any company or felowship with suche And sithe it is so euery christian may hereby gather what he ought to thinke of the churche of Rome and whether he oughte to bée bounde to that Churche or rather flée from it rather to Chryst and hys true Churche as the Lorde hym selfe hathe taughte hys in the seuententhe and eyghtenthe Chapters of the Reuelation Truely it is very lamentable that so greate turmoyles and vexations of godly men shoulde be for the Romishe Churche and that suche rumors shoulde be blowen abroade as thoughe shie were styll euen as the primatiue Churche of Rome was when all men may sée what manner of Churche shée is what is doone therein and what wée may hope to haue from thence Therefore wée muste departe and flée from hir and cleaue to Chryste our Lorde and to hys Christian Churche whiche in déede wée confesse to be holy and the communion or felowshippe of all the Saincts The. viij Question If any man doubt of the church of Rome that then he shewe where the true and Catholyke Church of Chryste hath hithervnto ben or as yet is and that he name the place wher the Church is and where it may be founde The Answere THe Donatistes agaynst whoÌ„ blessed Augustine wrote dyd thinke that the Churche of Chryste was tyed or bounde to one certayne place and that she coulde bée founde no where but in Africa and the secrete corners of the Donatistes bicause they thought that in al other places she was extincted or put out In like sort these men go about to include bring the whole church of Christ into the Papal See of Rome so as there should be no christian church
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.
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
did set on Moses chair could haue deriued the petigree of their succession from them selues euen vnto Aaron but bicause their life and Doctrine did not agrée with the life and Doctrine of Aaron and other godlye Priestes their succession auailed nothing against Christ and his Apostles neyther were Christ and hys Apostles false Doctoures or disseuered from the true Churche bicause they were not able to proue theyr succession as the Pharisies coulde For the woorde of God and the institution of Christ was sufficient for them Wherefore sith euen wée also now haue on oure side the woorde of God and the institution of Christe there is no succession of Bishoppes that canne proue vs to be no Christians or to be oute of the true Churche The Histories of Popes and other like Prelates which are written yea euen by theyr beare frendes and defendoures doe sufficiently â—eâ—â—â—ie that almost al of them haue obtained this dignitie and place by moste â—iltâ—â—e meanes by Symonie wiâ—ked artes violence murthers and trayâ—erous conspiracies wherefore if it woulde pleâ—le them a little more narowly to consider héereof they shoulde â—â—nde by better aduise there were no iâ—lt cause to bragge of theyr succession but rather to burie the same in silence sith by it their euilles and horrible filthâ—â—esse is so clearly detected But God hathe â—one this to the ende the truthe might be reuealed and the goâ—ly warned to gather them selues together vnder our head Christe and into hys true Churche In times paste aboute a thousande yeares agone it was an vsuall kinde of speache amongste the Fathers to say The Apostolike seate the Sea of Antioche of Alexandria of Rome But by the name of sea or seat they did not vnderstande only the seate or place oute of the which the Bishoppes â—f those Cities did teache but rather the Doctrine which the Apostles and their Disciples preached first in those cities Wherfore the ancient Bishops which by lawfull election obtained any of those seats did preache defend publishe and preserue in the church the Apostolicall doctrine and that oute of the wrytings â–ª of the blessed Apostles But where is nowe I pray you the Apostolike seate Where are the bookes and preachings of the Apostles Where is theyr holy life What Doctrine teache they and in what sorte liue they now which boast of the Apostolike seate Teache they and gouerne they not contrarily to the Apostles Doctrine There is no néede to speake muche of it heere for all men sée it and knowe it yea they finde by experience that they are so shamefully wandered from the Apostles that if nowe the sayde Apostles and holy Bishoppes of the primitiue churche shoulde come amongste them and beholde the pride and pompe which these Prelates vse in their gouernemente they woulde not onely disalowe them for theyr successoures but also accuse them for their ennimies And Paule truely speaketh very well of this kinde of succession of Prelates in the. 20. of the Actes of the Apostles For I knovve sayth he that after my departure ther vvil come amongste you gredy vvolues not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your ovvne selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to dravv disciples after them But when Paule spake these things where I pray you was there a more holye congregation than his disciples And yet notwithstanding he sayth Oute of you yea euen oute of your ovvne selues there shall come euill and wicked men which shall scatter and destroy the flocke of Christe Wherfore it is no wonder to hear that at Rome other places there were in times past holy Bishops in whose places now succéedeth most wicked men corrupte bothe of doctrine and lyfe And in that parte addeth that these things shall shortly come to passe after his departure or deathe we may easily perceiue that to be of no force which the Popish Prelates so often alleage saying It is impossible that errors should be of so long coÌ„tinuance in the Church neither that God woulde suffer errors so long to remayne And agayne that it is impossible that in those places wherein the Apostles haue preached and so many godly Bishoppes haue bin resident all corruption and abhomination should now altogither reigne But all men sée what the state and conditions of these things are yea and moreouer with greate gréefe and sorowe I speake it it is euident vnder what gouernement and in what miserable corruption the auncient and chiefest churches of the East partes are nowe in these dayes But of all these things the blessed Prophetes and Apostles haue spoken and forewarned vs to the ende we should not thereby be offended nor seduced by any The. vj. Question Whether they do beleeue that the christian Church is not only visible but also inuisible The Answere IT behoueth in this place to vse some distinction For the congregation of the saincts which are in heauen althogh we behold them with-the eies of our faith desire to be coupled with theÌ„ in the rest ioy which they possesse yet are they inuisible to the faithfull which liue here on the earth touching the bodily sight Furthermore â—ith God alone knoweth the harts that he only knoweth who are faythfull and who not and bicause many doo boste them selues to bée faythefull whiche notwithstanding are nothing so but are mere hipocrites which thing none séeth but God alone yea and bycause many tymes men iudge those to be wretched â—inners and abiectes from God which yet neuerthelesse are not separated froÌ„ him but are better affected in their heart towards God than we doo know and are also knowne to him only therfore in respect hereof also the church of Chryst is called inuisible Agayne bycause the vniuersall churche of Chryst can neuer be gathered togither that we may wholly see it before the laâ—â—e day and iudgemente of our Lorde Jesus Chryst it is also called inuisible But she is not called inuisible as though sâ—e were not at all for we doo willingly confesse that vpon this earth the church of Chryst is visible also For it is euident that the congregations of the Corinthians â–ª Ephesians Philippians c. are called of Paule the church and we know also that euery one of those faithfull in those churches were visible althogh yet neuerthelesse the spirit those spiritual gifts which they had were inuisible but when they shewed foorthe them selues by the exercises of sundry vertues But what needed this questioÌ„ Or what profite coÌ„meth thereby to the faythful Truly it tendeth â—o thâ—â— eâ—de the Popes and Prelates desire to bée accompted the visible Church and hereby would fayne haue all power and authoritie to bée conueyed ouer vnto them The. vij Question Whether they do beleeue the Church of Rome to be the true catholike Church The Answere SE héere I pray you their purpose for to this ende groweth the drifts of all their arguments namely to haue vs confesse the Churche of Rome which now is and the head therof
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
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
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
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
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
a mans wyfe is not a wife onely in name or by supposition but is so in déede except the word of God deceiue vs But whereas the authors of these questions whosoeuer they were dyd call the lawful mariage of such men whordome or double adulterie it is horrible sinne and detestable impudencie yea haynous blasphemie and procéedeth from moste bytter malice I pray you let them remember the words of Esay saying VVo be to those which call good euyll and euyll good And call you the mariage of such as in tymes paste had made vowes a doubled whoredome and incest iudgâ— yée the lasciuious wicked and adulterous life of these spirituall men which neuer a whit obserue their vowes for a thing of nothing or a trifle For what haue they suffered for any such matter Or who hurteth theÌ„ for any such thing But those which haue maried yée séeke vtterly to destroy bothe with fire and swoorde and yet in the meane time yée suffer horrible and things woorthy to be punished which for the reuerence of the godly eares I let slippe and wil not once name But if yée be so bent to the earnest punishing of wickednesse and vngodlynèsse why then doe yée not punishe those faults which God him selfe and equitie and iustice commaundeth to be punished For where there is no lawfull impediment founde no manne ought to be punished for marriage But héere they Obiect the saying of S. Paule in his 1. Tim. 5. where he thus wryteth But refuse the yonger vvidovves for they after they beginne to vvaxe vvanton againste Christe vvill marrie receiuing dampnation bicause they haue broken the firste faithe But the Apostle doth not say that they sinne bicause they marrie but bicause as he plainely saithe they haue broken their firste faithe that is bicause they béeing yong haue dedicated them selues to the seruice of the Churche promising fréely to serue and attende on the necessitie of the poore and nowe doe it not and therfore haue they damnation iudgement and reproche bicause they were vnconstante in that function which they tóoke vppon them and not bicause they married And yet the order of the yonger widowes in the primatiue Churche is not to be compared with the order of youre Priestes Munkes and Nunnes bicause they hadde their institution from God but the order of youre Priestes Munkes and Nunnes was neuer instituted by god Laste of all the Apostle dothe open his owne meaning saying Therefore I vvill that the yonger vvidovves marrie to bring forthe children c. And that Paule speaketh in this place of them which haue dedicated them selues to the ministerie of the Church the whole circumstances of the woordes doe declare When in time paste it was asked of Saincte Cyprian the Martire what shoulde be done with those Uirgines which hadde vowed to kéepe their virginitie but by reason of the continuall resorte of menne they liued in an euill name a Synode of godly learned Bishoppes being called together he aunsweared If by Faithe they did vowe them selues to Christ they would continue chaste and vnspotted withoute any deceite But if they will not neyther yet canne so continue it is better they marrie than burne in their vnsatiable lustes Cyp. lib. 1. Epist. 11. And S. Augustine in his booke de bono viduitatis in his ninthe chap. vpon the words of S. Paule in his firste Epistle to Timothe and the fifth chapter hath interpreted the same place euen as wée haue done and also he addeth more saying that those men doe not rightly weighe this matter which denie suche marriages to be true wedlocke Furthermore these woords of S. Augustine are recited in the Decrees distinct 27. beginning at this woord Quidam thus Some say that those which marrie after they haue made a Uowe of chastitie are adulterers but I say to you that they doe gréeuously offende which doe put suche a sunder But we néed not the testimonies of men bicause there are sufficiente testimonies in the woorde of God which plainely biddeth them to marrie yée though héeretofore they had made any Uowe to the contrarie Wherefore to conclude I leaue this place to the iudgemente of the wise to discusse with them selues whether not onely those which doe forbid marriage but also those which separate those that are married and raile at it calling the same a double whoredome were not long before thys time described and condemned by S. Paule when he exhorteth the godly to beware of them saying Novve the spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shal departe from the faithe and shall geeue heede to spirits of errour and doctrines of Deuils vvhich speake lies throughe hipocrisie and haue their consciences burned vvith an hotte iron forbidding to marrie and commaunding to abstain from meates c. 1 â–ª Tim â–ª 4. The. xvj Common place Of extreme vnction called enoyling The. lix Question Whether they vse enoyling The Answere MArke in the sixth chapter of his Gospell and S. James in his fifthe chapter make mention of annoynting But that kinde of annoynting doth very much differ from that which in our age is vsed in the Romish church to the sicke of whose life we stande in doubte For in the primitiue Churche the Apostles and their successoures did annoynte the sicke with Oyle and by that meanes they were restored to healthe And it was a certaine peculiare gifte of God and done as it were miraculously for euen as in the primatiue church was the peculiare gifte of healing so also was there the gifte of tonges For the Apostles laide their handes on the sicke and they receiued health spake with diuers tonges But as the gifte of tonges is â—eaffed in the Churche so also is that of healing by the annoynting with Oyle and therefore the ceremonie of imposition of handes and anointing with Oyle ceaseth All men know that in the primitiue Churche there were diuers things necessarily required as the gift of healing and of tongs with other miracles which wer signes for the vnbeléeuers and were done to confirme the religion but nowe when by the preaching of the Gospell faithe and the religion is published and confirmed the others haue ceased and are quite out of vse And therefore the annoynting vsed in the Churche of Rome is not by this confirmed that S. James and Marke doe speake of annoynting for their annoynting did muche differre from this and was neuer instituted by Christe or hys Apostles but deuised by men and that a long time after The Apostles vsed to annoynt with Oyle to the ende they mighte restore suche to health but the Papistes neuer annoynte any vntill they be paste hope of all recouerie neyther vse they this theyr enoyling for the healthe of his bodye but for the remission of sinnes Yea and in this their enoyling they pray vnto diuers Sainctes which liued long since the Apostles time and diuers suche other Ceremonyes they vse which were neuer knowne to the Apostles and therefore
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