please God for he that cometh to God must beleue that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seke hym We saye not I see or I knowe Ebr. xi but I beleue Paule sayth Faythe is a sure confidence of thynges whiche are hoped for and a certaynte of thinges whiche are not sene For these articles be wonderfull secretes of God which thorough mennes witte can not be obtayned and vnderstonde but onely with the eyes of fayth Mannes wysedome can not vnderstonde that god is become man and frō death rysen agayne and rayseth also the dead in Christe that he ascended into heauen sitteth on the ryghte hand of God his father Item that Goddes naturall sonne be borne of a virgyn and suche lyke Wisedome of the crosse The wysedome of the crosse is hyden from al eyes of worldly wysedome it is a mistery which is knowen by fayth All worldly policye knoweth nothynge of it i. Cor. i. Euen thus sayth Paul we preache Christ crucifyed vnto the Iewes an occasion of fallyng and vnto the Grekes folisshnes but vnto thē whiche are called bothe of Iewes and Grekes we preache Christe the power of God and the wysedome of God It semeth vnto the Gentiles to be a folissh thyng that God shoulde dye beyng the incomprehensible maiestye They knowe nothynge of the mistery of the blessed manhode whiche God toke vpon hym for oure saluacyon from the beginnynge prouyded Ephes i and ordeyned Saynt Paul speaketh vnto the Corinthians When the world through their wisedome knowe not God in hys wysedome i. Cor. i it pleased God through folyshnes of preachynge to saue them that beleue thereon Luce. ij Here is set and erected the signe which is spoken agaynst and whiche is the fall and resurrection of many in Israel Esay xxviij Here is set the stone of stomblynge and rocke of offence as Esay sayth Vvhereon many shall be brused That is the wisedome of Christen men whiche saued vs. As for all the wysedome of the Gentiles was not able to comforte her teachers effectually in their smalest grefe Mat. xi The wysedō hath God hyd from the wyse and prudent and hath opened it vnto babes The Iewes wente about Rom. xi to be made and to come ryghteous to God throughe the lawe and throughe the dedes of the lawe but so coulde coulde they not be ryghteous Roma x They haue reiected Christe the precious corner stone which is the ende of the lawe in whome is made righteous he that beleueth Rom. ix But there is another ryghteousnes whereof the Iewes knowe not whiche is called the ryghteousnes of God that is no thynge elles then to beleue in hym that iustifyeth the synner accordynge as saynte Paul witnesseth Rom iiij If I beleue truely in Christe as in the very some of God myne onely redemer and saueour truely then shall thys fayth and truste be counted vnto me for ryghteousnes before God Fayth is not a slyght thynge whiche a man may geue vnto hym selfe or make it when he wyll But it is a great myghtye thynge whiche renueth man and leaueth hym not in hys olde opinyon Vvhat is fayth and in hys olde skynne and desyres To beleue is stedfastly to cleaue vnto the worde sf God whether it be wordes of threatenynges or of promyse that thou doest truste there vpon That can no man do of hym selfe Act. iiij the spirite of God must renue illumyne hys herte before A man maye make to hymfelfe an opinyon of God that he is good and merciful but it hath no efficacye for as sone as the earnest nede cometh it vanissheth awaye as a dreame A right fayth It is not ynowgh that we speake the articles of oure fayth euery daye fyue sixe or seuen tymes after the pater noster Thei must be written in the herte that lyuely not onely mumbled with the tōg that when the affliction beginneth that it be then euen as thou speakest Thou sayest I beleue the forgeuenes of synnes when the deuyll doth assayle the in necessyte of death for thy manyfolde synnes sake then arte thou abasshed and wylt dispayre Thereby do I see that thou spekest this article with thy mouthe but thy herte knoweth nothynge thereof Thou beleuest it not truely Thou saakest I beleue the resurrection of the body and the lyfe euerlastynge but whan death breaketh in and body soule must parte than arte thou so afrayde as though body and soule dyed altogether as yf it were cleane done with the Se yf there were a right fayth in the of this article that there were no doubtefulnes with the in it that thy body and soule woulde sone come together agayne thou shouldest not be so fearefull For fayth is kepte in necessite euen as golde in the fyre dayly prayer Thy daily and moost diligent prayer allwayes to god shal be O Lorde euerlastyng almighty God geue me the ryght true faythe loue and hope that I maye serue my neyghboure accordynge to thy pleasure AMEN ¶ The fyrste Artycle I Beleue in God the father almighty maker of heauē and earth Here marke fyrste One god thre persons that there is but one God but they be thre personnes The father and the sonne and the holy goost as the scripture testifyeth The thre personnes be lyke euerlastyng lyke myghtye of one maiestye and beynge The sonne in the holy trinitye is sent vnto vs in the last tyme hath tagen vpō him humayne nature to thintent that he shoulde fulfylle the scripture and redeme vs accordynge to the good wyll of hys father And he hath also created all thynges with the father and the hooly goost after the Godheade in the beginnynge Deu. vi Thus sayth the scripture Heare Israel The Lorde oure God is an onely Lorde And thou shalt loue the Lord thy god with all thy herte with all thy soule with all thy mighte the nature beleueth not that there is one God The nature of mankynde is so euel so sore blynded through synne that she of her owne power and strengthe can not well comprehende thys article that there is one God yea althoughe she thynke there be somewhat that is God as the gentyle Cicero maketh mencion yet knoweth she nothyng sure of hym of hys power and wille It is easy to perceyue how littel the gentyls haue knowen of god thorough theyr own wittes thei haue made many Goddes Roma i and haue waxed ful of vanities in theyr imaginacions ād haue knowen nothynge truely of the almyghtynes of God The lyght of nature is to weake for suche hyghe matters The lyght of grace must shyne here in darkenes elles is it errour and ignoraunce God oure father God is called oure father that is a confortable thynge to the faythfull is he our father so be we hys children and heyres of hys kyngdome Euē so doeth also Esay calle hym Lord thou atre our father oure
yet to presse into it Couetousnes worketh suche whiche is a roote of all iniquytie Lyke as loue is a roote of al goodnes as Paule sayth i. tim vi i. Pe. v Pryde cleaneth to them that be couetous There of speaketh Peter God resisteth the proude but geueth grace to the humble In Apocalypse writteth S. Ihon thus Apoc. iij Christe standeth euen nowe before the dore of oure hertes knocketh yf any man heare hys voyce and opē the dore vnto him vnto him wil he entre in and suppe with hym He prouoketh and beekeneth vs confortably to hym by hys holy word many wayes whereby we be delyuered frō the captiuite of mans lawe so that we wyll heare hym Vve be waxed so blynde that we se not oure redemptiō and lyberty Ioha v. and .xiiij Therfore sheweth he vs the waye and the dore sayenge Seke in the scripture for she beareth witnesse of me And I am the waye the trueth and the lyfe No man cometh to the father but by me Item I am the dore all they that haue entred any other waye Iohan. x than by my be theues and murderers He that entreth in by my shal besafe and shall goo in and oute and fynde pasture The thefe cometh not into the fold but to steale to destroy I am come that they myght haue lyfe and haue it more aboundantly Mat. xi Item come vnto me all ye that laboure and are ladē and I shal refresshe you Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meke and lowely in herte and ye shal fynde rest vnto your soules For my yoke is easy my burthen is lyght Of suche lyke sainges be here and there innumerable many Therfore lette vs ioyfully receyue and with greate diligence thankefully kepe the holy pure sincere worde of God the sustenaūce of the soule whiche the Lorde God agayne of newe mercifully hath manifested vnto vs. For Christ saith Luce. xi Deuter viij happye are they that heare the worde of god and kepe it Therewith maye we boldely praye in spyte of the deuill and all hys illusions And to thintente that we maye the more stedfaste lyer do the same here followeth moost compendiously cōprehended howe we oughte to holde vs in al Christian lyuinge concernynge the faythe in doynge and lyuing towarde God and man and where the same al together and euery parte therof is grounded in the scripture to the prayse of god and for the succoure crudicion of the simple Christen congregacion ordeyned and made to vse them selues in the holy scripture The mercyfull God vouchesafe to geue and graunte vs hys grace helpe and fatherly succoure there vnto AMEN ¶ The twelue Articles of oure Christen faythe with annotations of holy scripture wherein they be grounded By Vrbanum Regium to the pleasure of the worshipfull wyse man Caspar wytbrugge collected Prologe CYprian Ruffyn be of thys opinion mat xvi that the Apostles whan Christ had commaunded the gospell vniuersally in the worlde to be preached before theyr departynge the one from the other haue agreed and haue made a summe of all theyr predications to come what euery one dyd holde to thintent that they myght preache the Godly doctryne of Christe to all creatures with one accorde And that shoulde be the twelue articles of oure beleue as euery mā speketh them dayly Nowe be it as it wyll whether the Apostles or likewise their successours haue extracted it moost briefly The scripture ought men to reade them selues rom xv Vvhat we beleue is not all comprehended in the Crede it is good in myne opynyon notwithstandynge Let euery man also heare or reade the treasure of wysedome the Byble as the ryght well and springe where that and other thynges more for our instruccyon is written Vve beleue that in the Sacrament of the aulter is the body and blode of Christe That standeth not in these twelue articles and yet is an artycle of faythe therfore must men reade the scripture also In the twelue chiefe articles of faithe is the chiefest comprehended what to a christen man is necessary to beleue for hys saluacyon For as muche now that faythe is to vs so necessary mar cxvi Ebre xi Iohan iij that no man withoute fayth can be saued as Christe sayeth He that beleueth not is dampned Item he that beleueth not is condēpned all ready Verely the wicked spirite our enemy laboureth with many craftes to put vs awaye from the faythe of these articles wherfore it is necessarye that oure herte be very sure bound to these articles with a strōg stedfast faithe which in the felde of heauy temptacion may resiste Matth. iiij Deute viij Psa xci Ioh. viij Christe dyde set him selfe agaynste the deuyls temptacion with the scripture castynge before hym the saynges out of the scripture euē so shoulde we do also The wicked spirit feareth the scripture For as muche as he is a father of lyes Gen. iij Iho. viij he can not abyde the wordes of the euerlastynge veryte He is a Prynce of darkenes therfore flyeth he from the wordes of lyfe Therfore shall euery Christian surely walle rounde aboute and make stronge with saynges of the holye Scripture these twelue articles that the Deuyll be not able to ouercome hym ¶ The holy Scripture is here oure wall and refuge where vpon the hert may and shall surely truste whereout cometh confirmation of oure faythe Profyte of the holy scripture whatsoeuer she teacheth and biddeth vs the same is right and Goddes wille She is oure lyght and waye she cometh of God the holy gooste teacheth vs what is necessary for vs to oure saluacyon cōforteth vs in all tēptacions refourmeth vs in all errours illumineth vs in the darknes of oure ignoraunce rom xv Therfore sayth s Paule whatsoeuer is written afore tyme is written for our learnynge that we through pacience and comforte of the scripture myght haue hope And to Timothee ij tim iij all scripture geuen by inspiration of god is profitable to teache to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnes that the man of God be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes god speketh through men ij Pet. i. Laudable perseueraunce vertue honoure of the godly scripture of the old and newe testament testifyeth to vs sufficiently that menne haue not of them selues but God hath spoken through the men Exo iiij They be not mennes but Goddes wordes Euen thus spake God vnto Moyses Goo to I wyll be in thy mouthe and wil teache the what thou shalt speake Christe asscrybeth hys doctryne to the father Iohā vij and .xiiij mat xvi as stondeth in Iohn God the father hath geuen hym vnto the congregacion as theyr ryght true doctour whome men should beleue as he sayth him selfe In the articles of oure holy faythe standeth thys worde beleue Ebr. xi before in the beginnyng For as saynt Paule sayth withoute fayth it is impossible to
Prophetes Esay Ieremye Ezechiel Danyel Twelue small Prophetes i Hosea ij Ioel iii Amos iiij Abdia v Iona vi Micha vij Nahum viij Habacuck ix Sophonia x Haggi xi Sacharia xij Malachia Thobie Iudith Baruch Esra Esra iij. and iiij The boke of wysedome Sapientia The wyseman Ecclesiasticus Machabeus The bokes of the newe Testament i The Gospell S. Mathewe ii The Gospell S. Marke iij The Gospell S. Luke iiij The Gospell S. Iohn v The Actes of the Apostles descrybed of Saynct Luke vi The Epistle of S. Paule to the Romaynes vij The fyrst Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians viij The second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians ix The Epistle of S. Paul to the Galathians x The Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians xi The Epistle of S. Paule to the Philippians xij The Epistle of S. Paule to the Colossians xiij The fyrst Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessaloniens xiiij The seconde Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessaloniens xv The fyrste Epistle of S. Paule to Timothe xvi The second Epistle of S. Paul vnto Timothe xvij The Epistle of S. Paule vnto Titus xviij The Epistle of S. Paule vnto Philemon xix The first Epistle of S. Peter xx The second Epistle of s Peter xxi The fyrste Epistle of S. Iohn xxij The second Epistle of S. Iohn xxiij The thyrde Epistle of S. Iohn The Epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrues The Epistle of S. Iames. The Epistle of S. Iudas The Reuelations of S. Iohn Holy Scripture The worde of God THese are the laudable ryght bokes of Holy Scripture whiche came from the holy gooste they can not lye or faylthe wherein is also sufficiently comprehended whatsoeuer is necessary for the saluation of the soule so that for the rulynge of the conscience in the kyngdome of faythe in the spirite none other worde doctryne or commaundemente is necessary vnto man but onely the Byble How be it there is a great battayl in the same whosoeuer truely vnderstandeth the Scripture for asmuche as euery man vndertaketh to vse the Scripture whether he be apte or vnapte Thys battel shall sone be slighted yf the Scripture indifferently be loked vppon and concordantly expounded not onely here there peces taken oute but before and behynde and in the middes duely loked vppon and scanded It is al one spirite of the olde and newe Testament Euen the same holy goost that through the holy Prophetes hath shewed the commynge of Christ the same hath also ruled the hertes and pennes of the Apostles Euangelistes Peter sayeth ij Pet. i. Da. ix b Zac. vij ij tim iij There came neuer any Prophecye by the wille of man but holy menne of God spake as thei were moued by the holy Goost It is also no mans doctryne or worde but Goddes owne worde of menne descrybed Euen so doth Christe asscrybe hys doctryne to God the father in Iohn Ioh. vij My doctryne is not myne but hys that hath sent me Item it is the foode of the soule as Christe sayth in Mathewe mat iiij Item blessed are they that heare the worde do it S. Austen sayeth that onely the Scripture afore named without any doubte or fayll oughte maye be beleued and that there is the verite of God But the other which he maketh or Hierome or other doctours and fathers shal be iudged after the Scripture God God is onely euerlastyng al other thynges haue a beginnyng his nature is kyndenes and beneficence Rom. i. God is knowen here in thys lyfe by the goodly orderyng of hys creatures To knowe christ But the ryght knoweledge of God which is necessary vnto vs for oure saluacyon is the knowlege of Christe Ro. viij And to knowe Christe that is to knowe wherfore god hath sent his Sonne vnto vs what great immeasurable and excellēt benefites he hath geuen vs by hym The righte honour of God The ryght honour of god is to knoweledge him as a creatoure of heauē Ioh. iiij and earth and of all creatures to sette oure hope trust and confidence in him onely as in hym that can helpe vs for he is almighty and will do it with all hys harte for he is oure father in heauen Item to loue hym aboue all thynges as the mooste hyest and greatest good for hys owne sake and to feare hym as chyldren not with the feare of bondage Goddes greatest dishonour The greatest dishonour of God is to put hys hope trust confidence and hyest loue in a creature and not to beleue God in his wordes where in he offereth hym selfe vnto vs as an onely willynge ryche sauyour The lawe The lawe is a sentence deu v. vi Ro. vij whereby the good is commaunded and the euil prohibited as loue god and thy neighbour Steale not do no murther The lawe is spiritual that is Ro. viij It requyreth the desyre and the herte It may onely be fulfylled by the spirite and not by the flesshe The flesshe is enemye to the lawe Mē come no further by the lawe then into fearfulnesse and knoweledge of theyr synnes and damnation Gala. v Faythe whiche by loue is mighty in operation doth onely fulfyl the lawe and faythe is a gyfte of God The Gospell The Gospel is a Ioyfull message gone furth from God vnto mankynde that he through Christe hys onelye Sonne hath delyuered man Rom. iij from sinne death and hell The lawe maketh man to feare and shewed hym hys faultes The Gospel conforteth man and sheweth hym the Phisicyon The lawe sayth Thou arte a synner and damned The Gospell sayth Be of good chiere and free herted Rom. iij Esa liij Christe hath taken vpon hym thy synnes ouercome and satisfyed for them Beleue in Christe as thy redemer that same fayth maketh thy ryghteous before God and killeth in thy the olde man with hys carnal lustes whosoeuer through fayth is made one with Christe our Lorde vpon the same hath synne death and hell no more complaynte nor power Rom. iij iiij viij as Paule wytnesseth in the Epistle to the Romeyns Faythe Fayth is no slight dreamynge imagination or meanyng of God but faythe is a liuely confidence in the mercyfulnes of God promysed and plenteously declared in Christe oure Lorde Also promysed in other sygnes as the Sacramentes are He that beleueth ryght hangeth vpon the scripture whiche speaketh of iudgement wrathe and also of the mercyfulnes of God and hangeth there on so earnestlye that he there in trusteth in all necessities and also dyeth thereon Suche a fayth Fayth bryngeth loue with her is the ryghte Christen fayth whiche bryngeth with her the Christen loue For through faythe vnderstandeth man the aboundante and inestimable loue of God towardes vs whereby hys herte is fyrste moued and getteth peace and is kindled with the fyre of Godly loue that he for suche mercyfulnes doth ioyfully geue thankes and becometh wyllinge to please God agayne also so to serue hys neyghboure and the
Scripture whiche neuertheles are vnsure and contrary to the scripture God wil that hys worde be onely taughte for saluation For thus sayth Saynt Peter i. Pe. iiij Yf any man speake let hym talke as thoughe he spake the wordes of God that is let him be sure that it is the worde of God whiche he speaketh and teacheth Obedience Before all thynges Ro. xiij i. Pet. ij must men be obedient vnto god as vnto our right Lord After that also vnto such as god hath ordeyned and geuen to be rulers ouer vs as father and mother Lordes and iudges and whosoeuer is ordeyned for the defence of the commō peace in the hyer powers Yf they commaunde oughte that perteyneth to the profyte of the commune welth and serueth for the common peace or any thynge elles although it were tyranny then suffer be pacient subdue thy selfe mekely be obedyent to thys byndeth the the brotherly loue But yf they commaunde ought cōtrary to the wyll of God Act. v. Mat. vi then say as Peter and the Apostles do saye Vve ought more to obey God then men No man can serue two contrary maysters The kynge of Babylon commaunded the Prophete Daniel that he shoulde worshyp the Dragon for a God Daniel xiiij Daniel sayde I worshyppe god my Lord. For he is the liuynge God but the dragon is not the lyuing god Paul sayth Ro. xiij The hyer power is goddes minister for thy welth Therfore when thei commaunde the ought that is wicked and agaynst God then do it not The wyll of God The wyll of God is a ryghte lyne of all ryghteousnes and of all goodnes whiche can not erre whatsoeuer is ryght and good is therfore ryghte and good because that God will haue it so Mannes wyll Mannes wyll is erronious and must be made conformable and submitted vnto the wyll of God wherein the perfection of the reasonable creature doth consiste Euen thus do we praye Thy wyl be done Matth. xxvi Euen so dyd Christe praye also Father thy wyll be done Yf Christe dyd subdue hys moost holy and moost ryghtest wyll vnto the wyll of hys heauenly father Wherfore would not then the poore stynkynge worme the synfull man desyre in all thynges that not mānes wyll whiche erreth but goddes wyll myght be done whiche can not erre In Ieremye sayth the spirit of God Ier. xvij Ge. viij that the harte of man is wicked croked and vnsercheable Nowe is mannes herte a place of all carnall desyres and wylles Thou wylt of thyne owne selfe withoute the grace of god nothynge but that which is euyl where is then the fre wyll Offence There is two maner of offence The one is geuen vnto the neyghbour As when a man teacheth his neyghbour wronge in the faith this is an horrible offence Matth. xviij or offendeth hym with his euil lyuinge as the open synners do The other offence is taken as whan Christe taught the worde of trueth before the Iewes Ioh. viij whiche his heuenly father had commaunded hym than were the Iewes offended there at but Christe gaue them none offence Euen so are many offended as yet whan they heare the christen lybertye preached for theyr conscience is miserably entangled with mennes traditions and institutions Luce. ij The Gospell must nedes be preached whosoeuer be offended with it Christ is ordeyned to be a fall and resurrection of many in Israell and a signe whiche shal be spoken agaynst They that be hys shepe shall in tyme conuenient heare and accepte the shepeherdes voyce vnto them is Christe and hys doctryne ordeyned for a resurrectyon i. Pet ij Is xxiiij Rom. ix They that are not hys shal stōble at hym downe to the grounde In the thinges whiche God commaundeth be thou obedyent not regardinge whosoeuer will be offended withall Isa viij Of this take an example God will that I shall learne his holy worde and serche therein his will yf nowe any man would forbidde me the Scripture then woulde I not be obedient vnto hym In thynges whiche are instituted by man Mennes preceptes whiche maye well be done or left vndone therein followe the rule order the selfe therein as fayth loue and nede requyreth and teacheth as to eate flesshe or not to eate it here in hast thou libertye of God There in shall the brotherly loue teache the sufficiently Yf noman thereby be offended thē mayest thou eate that whiche is hoolsome for the but whereas noman knoweth of thys liberte there doest thou forbeare the same and absteynest for the welth of thy neyghboure from suche meates whiche notwithstandyng are good in themselues and not prohibited Thou doest therfore no good worke when thou eatest no flesshe vpon the frydaye but onely yf thou doest serue thy neyghboure therein Neyther doest thou synne also when thou doest eate it so that thou geue vnto no man an occasyon of fallynge ¶ Howe longe wyll we continue chyldren and drynke mylke Vvere it not ones tyme that we beleued more the worde of god then the foolysshe tradicions of men God sayth that vnto the pure are all thynges pure Tit i And yet wyl men styll forth be afrayde for a weake shadowe They had yet an occasyon in the tyme of Paule to be offended at the flesshe for it was flesshe that had bē offred vnto Idols But nowe wyll men be offended at the flesshe which cometh cleane and pure from the shambles or flessh market Vvhen shall we ones haue an ende of suche foolysshe offendynges Vvhy do not the wordes of the holye goost moue vs which he speaketh thorough Paule i. Cor. x. whatsoeuer is solde in the flesshe marketh that eate and aske no questions for conscience sake And yet was there of thesame flesshe also some solde for the Idolles It preuayleth not that thou sayest the counseylles the holy fathers dyd forbydde it Forbidde here forbydde there whatsoeuer Christ hath not prohibited but hath left it free vnto the thesame may nor can noman forbidde the vpon payn of deadly synne what soeuer they ordeyne or institute besydes the godly scripture thesame byndeth not thy conscience ij Cor. x and xiij they haue no power to destroye thy conscience but to edifye it as Paule sayth Almose dedes Almes is all maner of seruiablenes towardes thy neyghbour The Euangelicall Penaunce or repentaūce consisteth principally in thre sundry thynges Fastynge praynge Faste and geuinge of almes Fastinge doth conclude in it selfe all manner of chastenynges of the synfull flesshe with oute any difference of meates or apparell Prayer Prayenge comprehendeth in it selfe all manner of vsyng of the harte towardes God readyng hearynge prayenge and remembrynge Euen so doeth Almose comprehende all maner of seruyce Almose dedes towardes oure neyghboure By fastyng do I serue my selfe mortifye the olde man By prayer do I serue God By almose do I serue my neyghbour By fastynge doth a man ouercome the euyll concupiscēces of the flesshe a man
Phil. iiij whiche passeth all vnderstondynge kepe youre hertes and myndes in Christe Iesu And to the Ephesians Ephe. ij Rom. v He is oure peace Item to the Romaynes Because therfore through Christe when God is a mercyfull father and so continueth then desyreth she no further Therfore dyd the Prophetes name the kyngdome of Christe a kyngdome of saluation Esaye xxxij For thus sayth Esaias And the rewarde of ryghteousnes shal be peace and her frute reste and quietnes for euer And my people shall dwell in the innes of peace and in sure dwellynges in safe places of conforte The worde of God bryngeth thys spirituall peace and destroyeth the body of Behemoth but the carnal peace it bryngeth not for it is a word of the crosse and not of the wicked voluptuous lyfe vpon earth Therfore shall no man merueyll that through the preachynge of the cleare pure syncere worde of God ryseth contencion discorde for it is hys nature and propertye to separate the good from the euyll lyke as the fyre doth separate the copper from the golde Therfore knowe not the enemyes of GODDES worde what they speake whan thei say yea what good cometh by the preachynge that is vsed nowe a dayes it causeth nothyng but discorde and sedition I saye deare frēde thou vnderstandest not the matter a ryght It ought to be so It is a blessed discorde when the electe embrace the worde of God and wyll not haue theyr porcyon with the vngodly It can be none other wyse i. Cor. xi For thys waye muste the ryghte Christians be knowen and tryed It was euen so lykewyse in the primityue Church The Christians which dyd receyue the gospell separated themselues from the Gentyls and woulde not erre wyth the greate multitude It stode neuer better with the churche then when euery daye some shedde theyr bloude for the knoweledgyng of the holy name of Christe as Cyprian sayth and thys do we learne oute of the wordes of Christ wheras he speaketh Luc. xij I am come to kindle fyre vpō earth notwithstōding I must be baptised with a baptisme how am I payned till it be ended what is my desyre but that it were all ready kyndled Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earthe I tel you nay but rather debate For frō hence forthe there shall be fyue in one house deuyded thre agaynst two and two agaynst thre The father shal be deuided against the sonne and the sonne against the father The mother against the doughter and the doughter agaynst the mother The mother in lawe against her doughter in lawe and the doughter in lawe against her mother in lawe Ebr. iiij The two edged swearde of the holy goost whiche entreth through euen vnto the diuidinge a sonder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the Mary iudgeth the thoughtes the intentes of the herte is now abroade Therfore let noman merueill at the dissention whiche nowe is euery where The inwarde peace can not be well withoute suche an owtewarde battail Free will Man had in Paradise in the state of innocencye a free wyll There vpō soundeth the sayenge in the wyse mā But after the tyme that Adam had synned Eccl. xv dyd also the spirite of god forsake man In so much that he became hole blynde ignoraunt and erronious and the Scripture doth call hym after the first byrth flesshe Gen. vi Not because onely the comprehensyble power is prone to euyll and is carnall but because the body and soule through the poyson of synne is hole infected and made vncleane In so much that man from hys fyrste byrthe through al his naturall power can do nothynge but synne The Scripture calleth the hert impure The herte is vncleane Heb. xij Ge viij mar vij what goodnes and purenes can then be in man He must be borne a newe elles is he hole vnprofitable and nothynge but flesshe that is proue to thynges terrestriall and al euyll he seketh not after God he regardeth hym not neyther holdeth he of hym Euen thus doth the Scripture conterfayte hym Ro. viij Saynt Paule speaketh to the Romaynes They that are carnall are carnally mynded but they that are spirituall are goostely mynded they that are geuen to the flesshe can not please God For the flesshely mynde is enemitie against God for it is not obedient to the lawe of God nether can be Augustyne Therfore called Augustine in the secōde booke agaynst Iulian the heretike the will of man a bonde will Ioh. viij accordinge to the wordes of Christe in Iohn who so euer committeth synne is the seruaunt of synne Libertie of the wyll Howe be it this will maye be made free agayne through the grace of God For thus is it conteyned euen in the same place of Iohn If the sonne shall make you free Ioh. viij then are ye free in dede The sonne of God Christe hath purchased agayne for vs the spirite and grace of God If we beleue than maye we and can do good agayne Notwithstondynge it must all be asscribed vnto the grace of God whiche worketh in vs and nothinge appropriated to oure owne naturall power or workinge whereof the will is also partely named to be an occasion of the good worke as the miserable Sophistes seduce the worlde In Paule is it written on this wyse ij Co. iij We are not sufficient of oure selues to thinke any thinge as it were of oure selues but oure ablenes cometh of God Yf then we can thynke no good of oure selues why presume the Sophistes by the power of the free wille to do any good Thus saith Paule It is God Phili. ij whiche worketh in you bothe the will and also the dede i. Co. xv Euen so doth he speake also in another place I laboured more aboundantly then all the other not I but the grace of God whiche is with me Euen so do all saynctes asscribe all goodnes onely to God knoweledge them selues as an instrumēt of the Godly grace sayēge with Dauid Not vnto vs O lorde Psa cxv Not vnto vs but vnto thy name geue the prayse Item Iohn iij A man can receyue nothinge at all excepte it be geuen hym from heauen Item Iohn vi No man can come to me excepte the father which hath sent me drawe hym And of suche lyke is the Scripture full Therfore is it euen as muche whē any man boasteth of hys free wyll that he of hym selfe maye begynne to do any good before grace and to obtayne the grace by workes As yf a man should boaste moche of a Castell that were brent and al destroyed with shutyng of ordinaunce whereas onely were left the place with brokē walles where as the towres were fallen downe and no defence left at all and yet woulde presume to kepe it perforce A broken Castell hath yet the olde name that men saye There standeth suche a Castell
but it hath not the fyrste strenght and power as it had whē it was yet standynge and had strong towres sure walles good and broade dyches Euen so hath oure wyll onely the name and tittell that he is called the free wyll But he is not in dede vntyll the grace do make him free But yf h◠be so free as they suppose howe cometh it then to passe that Paul was not able to do what he wolde why dyd he serue the synne Ro. vij which notwithstandyng he hated Beholde the chosen vessell of God Paule complayneth that he is in bondage vnder the lawe of synne and the vngodly Sophistes graunte to a synner that he hath a free wyll Yf he be so free as they make hym why praye we then Halowed be thy name Thy wyl be done Do we that for thys cause that oure free wyll so muche the better and easyer maye do good as the abhominable heretikes called Pelagians affirmed No truely Pelagians yf we praye then is it a signe that we haue it not in oure possibilite Therfore when we reade that the olde fathers defende the free wyl thā must we vnderstande that they wyll declare and teache that the wyl maye receyue freedome and not that he is free of hymselfe But he may be turned vnto the good through grace and become free in dede where vnto he was shapen that he maye do the commaundementes of God whiche elles withoute the grace were vnpossyble to kepe for he can do nothynge of him selfe but synne But in the grace are they possyble to be kept of hym as Paule sayth Phil. iiij The cōmandementes of God are impossible to be kept I can do all thynges thorough the help of Christ which strēgteth me Ierome speaketh wel Accurseth be he that sayth that the commaūdementes of God are vnpossyble to vs. They are not hole vnpossyble for they were elles geuen vnto vs in vayne but in oure power withoute the grace of God they are vnpossyble but vnto God are all thynges possyble Councell Mat. v The Sophistes haue taught for a great season what Christe Matthei in the fyfte dyd teache as to loue the enemyes not to resiste wronge not to striue before the iudge neyther to go to lawe to tourne the other cheke to loue withoute rewarde and suche lyke That they are good counseylles vnto those that wyll be perfect Christians howe be it yf any man do it not that neuerthelesse he is withoute danger of hys saluation And that Christ did here onely geue good counsell that is he hath conseilled it onely and not commaunded This is not true For loke vpon the texte with his circumstaunces then shalt thou see learne that they be pure commaundementes of God whiche he requyreth of vs vpon payne of losynge hys grace and assistence But they are the false Prophetes of whome God speaketh in Ezechiel Eze. xiij They deceaue the people and tell them of peace where as there is no peace They preache and teache that whosoeuer doth not the aboue mencioned poyntes shall not peryshe therfore Confessyon There is an Euangelicall Confessiō Matth. xviij as Christ sayth in Mat. yf thy brother trespace agaynst the. Go and tell hym hys faute betwene hym and the alone yf he heare the Thou hast wonne thy brother But yf he heare the not then take yet with the one or two that in the mouthe of two or thre witnesses all thinges maye be stablyshed Yf he heare not them tell it vnto the congregacion Yf he heare not the congregacion take hym as an heathen man and as a publican That was an open Confession i Tim. v Thus sayth S. Paule Agaynst an elder receyue none accusation but vnder two or thre witnesses At that tyme were the open crymes and blasphemyes hearde and examined with wetnesses and accusers vntill the tyme that suche as were giltie were knowen and reproued And this Confessiō hath ben kepte by the lawe of God of the twelue Apostles and of their successours and of this confession muste the fathers be vnderstande as Augustyne Ambrose Ierome Gregory But the confession whiche is done secretely in the eare is not grounded in the scripture I do not reiecte it but it greueth me that it is come to suche abomination and compulsion that men be dryuen and compelled there to agaynst their wille are betrayed where by they come in hazarde of their lyues Itē maketh euill entangled desperate consciences Merites or Deseruynge Deseruinge is a proude worde when a man doth asscribe it vnto hym selfe and boasteth that he hath done many meritorious workes O lorde seynge we can of oure selues thynke no good why do we boaste oure selues of many deseruynges What good soeuer we do that worketh God in vs he crowneth in vs his owne gyfte he maketh his owne workes oure deseruynge Thynke allwayes vn this sayenge in Luke Luc. xvij When ye haue done all those thinges whiche are cōmaunded you saye we are vnprofitable seruauntes We haue done that whiche was oure duetye to do Christe is oure sauiour and hath done all thinges for oure saluatiō not for any lucre or deseruinge but because it was the fathers pleasure And so shoulde we do also we shoulde not serue God for any lucre or profite as the seruauntes theyr maysters but free as the chyldren theyr father of free loue not thinkynge howe greate thynges we deserue but howe wel we please the good wyll of God Deseruynge Deseruyng is not to do any good to thintent to deserue ought thereby as the Seducers of soules haue taught hitherto to the abhominable vndoynge and destruction of the worlde but to deserue or to merite that is with a syngle herte willyngly withoute respecte of rewarde or deseruinge to obeye the wyll of God for loue seketh not her owne i. Co xiij as Paule sayth But deseruynge and rewarde followe and come of them selues without oure sekynge oute of the obedience which I do to the godly wyll Shepeherdes We haue one right good true shepeherde whiche hath geuen hys precious lyfe for vs that is Iesus Christe In Iohn sayth he Iohn x. I am a good shepeherde He is the dore of the shepe whosoeuer entreth not at thys dore is a thefe and a murtherer He is oure arche shepeherde i. Pet. v Ioh. xxi and the shepe are hys owne none of oures In Iohn sayth Christe to Peter Fede my shepe He sayth not thyne Vvhosoeuer endeuoureth hym selfe to followe the voyce of the shepeherde thesame shal not be deuoured of the wolfe infernall but shal be well and surely preserued There be many hyred seruauntes Phil. ij but fewe shepeherdes they seke all theyr owne and not that whiche is Iesus Christes as Paule sayth The vnder shepeherdes should feede with the worde of God syncerely and purely But they make additions and teache vs mannes doctryne through the whiche the soule doth hungre spiritually Mannes doctryne bryngeth money but Goddes doctryne bryngeth persecution
Therfore wyll noman truely take the Gospel in hande mat xvi Christ hath geuen vs warnynge of such in Matt. Beware of the Leuen of the Pharises and of the Saduces that is of mēnes traditions Thereof reade further Deut. iiij Prouer. xxx Esaye xxxix Matth. xv xxiiij Marc. vij Luc. xvij Gal. i. Colloss ij i. Timot. iiij Tit. i. And .i. Pe. ij Yf thou wilt see with what coloure the Scripture doth counterfaite and paynte the wicked shepeherdes then reade Ezechiel xiij and xxxiiij Ieremie xxiij Esaye iij. Michee iij To the Philippians iij. Conclusyon AT the last wyl I admonyshe charitably euerye good Christian that he wyll beware and take good hede in thys last perillous tyme wherein Ante Christe hath also hys predication sheweth hys miracles and that he wil earnestly reade the Byble hym selfe with humilitie and not with presumption Whereas the spirite of God openeth any thynge vnto hym let hym be thankefull And wheras any thynge is to harde for hym there let hym not iudge rasshely and put no doubtes in it but that all thyng is well and good written by the spirite of God whiche can not erre But the faulte is in our selues Moreouer one daye teacheth another what soeuer thou vnderstandest not to daye thesame bryngeth the daye of to morowe with him The holy scripture wyl not be reade as other bokes thou mayest not rasshely and with vnwassheth handes as the common Prouerbe soundeth fall into it but with a precedent deuoute prayer and yeldynge of thy selfe that God may worke in the and that thou wilt not vnderstonde the Scripture after thyne owne brayne or brynge an interpretation in the Scripture after thyne owne phantasy but that thou mayest seke it euen there and be taught of god in the ryght hygh scoole of the holy Ghooste and gladly enquyre of the learned and learne withoute arrogancye and curiosite There must nedes be good experience of the language and the spirite yf a man wil truely handle with the scripture For the one helpeth the other i. co xiij Paul wyll that a man shal here knowe the language and prophecye Therfore let not hym that is not very expert in languages be rasshe and presumpteous to iudge in the scripture how doth it agree that men hādell the reliques of Saynctes with so greate reuerence and honorablenes handel so rasshely or vndiscretely the ryght and true reliques that is the worde of God whiche the sonne of God hath confirmed and stablysshed by hys holy bloude and whereby we be all made ryghteous and holy Howe be it thou shalt not therfore be abolished thinkynge that to reade and to knowe the scripture perteineth onely to prestes Mat. vi It is the worde whereby thy soule make lyue whereby thou arte made a Christen man Vve are called all together to one kyngedom of heauen and inheritaunce of God There is one Baptisme Eph. iiij one worde and one fayth Vve muste al knowe what God requyreth of vs. Therfore as deare as thy soule health and saluation is vnto the euen so earnestly let the worde of God be committed vnto the. It preuayleth nothynge vnto the that thou sayest I wyll continue in my fathers belefe The belefe of oure forefathers Paraduenture thy father was taught that he shoulde be made righteous by workes that he should institute many soule masses buylde Churches that then all were well Yf thou shouldest fynde thy father in hel thou shouldest fynde an euyll fyndynge The sunne of ryghteousnes Iesus Christe is rysen the holy Gospell is purely and syncerely preached he that nowe openeth not hys eyes and shutteth the trueth withoute the dores shal surely fynde hymselfe deceaued Yf Sayncte Paule woulde haue beleued as hys father and the great multitude then shoulde he haue beleued that withoute the bodely circumsion no man coulde be saued what case hadde he byn in thou Yf my father hadde beleued that whatsoeuer a Byshoppe dyd institute or ordeyne were the holy Gospel shoulde I therfore folowe hym in thys errour Christe my hope and redemption saue me frō so doynge whiche vouchesafe through the quickenyng spirite to teache vs his scripture hym selfe that we may vnderstande the vnspeakeable ryches of hys grace AMEN Vvhosoeuer sayth I wil beleue as my father hath done before me and wyl not be instructed and infourmed to heare the Gospell the same wil not knowe the trueth and paraduenture Christ wyl not knowe hym also therfore shall he stande to hys owne daunger vnto hym is the Sunne rysen in vayne he is blynde and a blocke or he feareth the trueth of the Gospell he feareth that he shoulde be fayne to be good Hys euyl workes are espyed in in the cleare lighte of the Gospel whiche he hath couered with mennes traditions This is then as Christ sayth Iohn iij the condemnation that the lyght is come into the worlde and the men loued darkenes more then light Euery man that doth euyl hateth the lyght Thou wilt saye vnto me The Gospel hath bē darkened with mennes doctryne The Gospell hath alwayes ben preached But I saye naye to it The texte might wel be tolde vnto the whiche afterwarde was so darkened with mens gloses that the Gospell that is the glad tydynges was made a heauy tydynges vnto the. For they haue onely taught and preached many institutions but the conforte in the Scripture was hydden namely the inenarrable treasure of grace purchased vnto vs by Christe They haue not taught Christe but Antichrist Thou hast not ben set from thy selfe vnto Christe that thou mightest haue learned wherfore Christe is geuen vnto the. Item to knowe the secretes of the Gospel what is the right peace and ioye of al hertes and consciences but we haue ben brought leadde frō Christ vpon and into our selues that we shoulde be iustifyed and saued by the workes of oure free wyl O Lorde what misery and calamite haue we ben brought vp in in what great vnquietnes For the conscience can neuer be in quiete sure and content yf she must be iustifyed by workes She can neuer be sure in what case she standeth with God as Paule declareth Ro. iiij Gal. iij. But thys is vnto a troubled conscience a great conforte when she heareth that man is not iustifyed by workes but by the fayth in Iesu Christ Thys is the ryght preachinge of the Gospell Rom. iij iiij Gal. ij Rom. iij iiij v Ge. xv Lyke as oure father Abraham was iustifyed before God euen so must we be iustifyed also The scripture calleth hym a father of all beleuers and saith in the fyrst boke of Moyses Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto him for ryghteousnes And so doth Paul dryue it alwayes euery where we are iustifyed by fayth Thys shalt thou vnderstond thus for a conclusyō Two maner of faith We haue two maner of beleuynges or knoweledges of Christe The one is called an Actual knoweledge As when I haue