euerlastynge â—nd not made one withe the father in â—ubstaunce coeternall and consubstanâ—iall equall to God his father in all thinges and euerye where 2 The sonne onely mediatour betvveene god and his elect eternally ordained THis is the onely whom the father hath ordained from euerlasting to vnite him to mans nature to â—hende to saue his electe and chosen by â—im as foloweth 3. God is perfectlye iuste and me 〈…〉 cyfull GOD is perfectlye rightous a who vpon it foloweth that he neytheâ— wyll ne maye suffer any iniustiâ— vnpunyshed He is also perfectly merc 〈…〉 full b whereupon it foloweth that thâ— good whiche he dothe to man be doth iâ— of his full and only grace 4. God is immutable GOd is immutable in his counsellâ— a so it foloweth that al which commeth or happeneth to man hathâ— bene eternally ordained by him b accordynge to that we haue sayde of his pronydence 5. The councell of god dothe not exclude the seconde causes THis doth not let but establishe the seconde causes by the whiche all thinges doe come to passe For god in ordaynynge that which ought to come ordayneth â—â—so the meanes by y â— which it pleaseth him that such things â—hould come to passe yea in suche sorte â—hat although there be found some vice â—r faulte in y e second cause yet is there â—o euil in y â— euerlasting counsell of god 6. Man vvas created to declare the Iustice and mercy of god THere shalbe some â—aueâ— and some damned all for the glorye of god as the whole Scripture dothe declare It foloweth then that for as much as nothing doth happen or come to passe at aueÌ„ture or by chance that god doth neuer chaunge hys purpose nor mynde and god hathe not onelye foreséene but also eternally ordained to create man to sprede for the and declare his glorye a in sauing b by his grace those which pleaseth him forgetting nothing appartâ—yning to his iustice without the which he cannot be god and c condemning other by his iust Iudgement 7. vvhye it vvas necessarye that the firste man shoulde be created good and pure FOR to execute thys counsell â— was necessarye that god shoulde create nan good and pure for besyde this that god himselfe beinge good he can doe nothinge but that whiche is good but if man had bene created wicked or euyll god had not had iust occasion to punishe the wickednes wherof hâ— himselfe was the authour and maker 8. It vvas necessarye that man should fal from his puritie IT was then necessarye that man should so be created good that not withstanding he should be mutable and fal from this degrée and that by his owne onely faulte For if sinne had not so entred into the worlde God had not founde suche cause to magnifye hys mercye in sauing those whiche he hathe ordained to saluation nor matter to declare hys iustice in condemninge those which he hathe ordayned to hys wrathe to the ende he maye punishe them for their demerites 9 Hovv God hath created men good THe lorde then at that tyme whiche semed good to him to execute his eternall counsell created men a male female after his owne image and likenes that is to saye with righteousnes and trewe holynes 10 Hovve man broughte himselfe vvith all hys posteritie culpable of the first and second death MAn being suche did willingly and withoute anyâ— compulsion Ioigne and knite hym selfe to the diuel and therefore became culpable of the first and second death withall his posteritie consequeÌ„tly hath made himselfe and all his culpable of all that whiche leadethe to the one and other of these two deathes xi The vvaye vvhyche leadeth to the first death THE corruption of humors wyth infinite other inconueniences descendinge and diâ—â—yllynge from the synne of Adam by lineall succession and hathe brought all men vnder subiection to the first death which is the seperation of the soule from the bodye with putrefication of the bodye 12. The first death cannot be eternal THis death caÌ„not be eternall for by that meanes the bodye at the least had escaped y e eternal death which bringeth wyth it sorowe and perpetuall punishement and likewise it should neuer haue enioyned the eternall felicitie and so by this meanes the eternall couÌ„sell of god concerning the declaratioÌ„ of his mercy iustice shuld be made voide 13. The vvaye vvhich leadeth to the seconde death THe inward corruption of the hole man nothing reserued the whiche we call originall sinne a maketh euery man euen from the verye first beginning of his conception the chylde of wrathe and subiecte to the second and eternall death For to speake briefly this corruptioÌ„ maketh vs altogether vnpro 〈…〉 table yea contrary to all goodnes and â—holly subiect to sinne Whervpon S. â—ugustine said agreing b with the scriptures that the will of man vanquished â—f synne into whiche it fell nature was â—epriued and loste her libertye and a â—aine that man euyll vsynge frewill â—ath lost it and hymselfe withall Item d â—en saith he labour to fynd what good â—ere is in their owne wyll but knowe â—ot howe a man shuld finde any 14 vvhat frevvyll remayneth in man after synne NOtwithstanding we denye not a but that men haue sufficiente light to make them without exâ—â—se And to spoile them not nor dipriue 〈…〉 em of their naturall faculties and poâ—ers as of reason Iudgement wyll suche others to make them stockes or â—okes nor yet of frewyll so that they â—igne this to it that al is nothing but darknes and enemitie against god and that by this worde frewyl be not vnderstand a naturall power to thinke wyâ— or doe good or euell but a wyll not constrayned the whiche not withstanding cannot nor wyll not any thyng but altogether euyll so much is the nature â—â— maÌ„ not being regenerate that is to saâ— not healed nor restored by grace not onlye wounded or hurt but vtterly and altogether corrupted and also willyngly becom y â— seruant of sinne Therfore said S. Augustine that the faulte whychâ— folowed the synne and whiche is the punishement hathe tourned lybertye into necessitie Item frewyl as it is bound and thralle is nothinge worthe but to synne and fall 15. Abriefe some of originall synne ORiginall synne then is a fulle corruptioÌ„ of the whole nature of mâ— the whych corruption is proceded from Adam into all his rase and bryngeth forth in man thre maner of sinnes The first comprehendeth euery inwarâ— mocion and thought in mannes vnderstandinge althoughe the wyll gyue not consent there vnto For god requireth to â—e loued withal the vnderstaÌ„ding we haue alreadye sayde that it is vtterlye and altogether corrupted The second maner of synne is when the wil and afâ—ection doth consent therto The third is when men euen enforce them selues to â—xecute that whiche inwardelye they â—aue conceyued and willed 16. Hovve god tourneth mannes
of God and coūteth the blood of the newe Testament an vnholie thing But some haue not onely troden vnder foote but also mocked despised and most cruelly brent the Testament and woorde of the eternall God and also tormented and shamefully murdered his true and faythfull seruauntes and preachers the deere members of Iesus Christ his sonne And most blasphe ▪ mously contemning the holy sacraments truely mynistred and all godly ecclesiasticall orders and discipline To redresse of these enormities must come by y ◠magistrates for they are powers ordayned and exalted of God for the same entent ▪ If they be not redressed and that short ▪ lie in stéede of the comfortable promises of God wée shalbe oppressed with the terryble plagues whiche hée threatneth to the breakers of his lawe As dearth warre pestilence and other his scourges as wée be threatened now of late by the punyshmente of our neyghbours in Fraunce Happy are those that can bée admonyshed by the fall of others and amend I would thinke my labour well bestowed if I mought obtayne of your honor and other that be of a godly meaninge to reade this ouer with good delyberation and Iudgement And also suche as be in doubte whiche is the true religion And those that thinke we be in an errour I would to God they woulde vouchesafe to reade and conferre it with the scriptures and doctours as is noted in the margine And in reading to put a syde disdayne contempte and all singular and pryuate affections And then I doubte not but God wyll open vnto them further knowledge and mooue them to be more studious in Gods word and also haue a better opinion of the true religion I haue for my Countryes sake translated this godly and necessarye woorke wherevnto I haue added nothyng of myne owne but symple and playnelye according to my small vnderstanding I haue kepte the wordes and meanyng of the authoritie as neare as our English wyl suffer mée rather shewing mee selfe homelye and playne then by ouer muche fynenesse to dissent from the mynde of hym who in the feare of God and for his Bretherns sake set it foorth Humblye beséechynge youre honour and all godlye Readers to take this my small labour in good parte and accept my good meaning which tendeth to the profite of my Country men and especiallye to the glorie of God and aduauncement of his kingdome Who prospere and maintaine your honour in his feare long to continue enrytching you with all good blessinges and gouerninge you and yours by his holye spirite vntyll he shall call you to come vnto him selfe there to continue in his glorious kingdom for euer and euer Amen This vvhole Worke or confession consisteth of .vij. principall poinctes The first number signifieth the article The second the leafe THe fyrste poinct intreating of the Trinitie contayneth these thrée articles 1 Of the vnitie of God Folio 1 2 Of the Trinitie of personnes distinct in one vnitie of substance Eodem 3 Of the eternall prouidence of God Eodem ¶ The second poinct intreating of God the Father containeth these fowre articles 1 Of the person of the Father fol. 2 2 How the father is creatour and preseruour of all thinges Eodem 3 Of the creation of Angelles Eodem 4 The works of y e trinity are inseparable eodē ¶ The thirde poinct intreating of Iesus Christ the onelye Sonne of God containeth these 26 articles 1 Of the diuinitie of the Sonne fol. 3 2 The Sonne onely mediatour betwéene God and his elect eternally ordayned Eodem 3 God is perfectly iust and mercifull Eodem 4 God is immutable Eodem 5 The counsell of God doeth not exclude the seconde causes Eodem 6 Man was created to declare the Iustice and mercy of God Foli 4 7 Why it was necessarye that the fyrste man should be created good and pure Eodem 8 It was necessary that man should fall from his puritie Eodem 9 How God hath created men good Foli 5 10 How mā brought himself w t all his posterity culpable of the first seconde death Eodem 11 The way which leadeth to y ◠first death Eodē 12 The fyrst death can not be eternall Eodem 13 The way which leadeth to y ◠secōd death eodē 14 What free wyll remayneth in man after sinne Foli 6 15 A briefe summe of originall sinne Eodem 16 Howe God turneth mannes sinne to his glorie Foli 7 17 Iesus Christ the onely mediatour ordained and promised Eodem 18 The agreement and difference of the olde and new Testament Foli 8 19 Wherefore it behoued Iesus Christ to be a very naturall man in body and soule without synne Eodem 20 Wherfore was it néedeful that Iesus Christ should be very God Folio 9 21 Howe the mistery of our saluation was fulfilled in Iesus Christ Foli 10 22 The two natures were vnited and knitte in one personne from the fyrst instaunt of the conception Eodem 23 The Vyrgine Marye is Mother of Iesus Christe God and man Eodem 24 The summe of the accomplishment of our saluation in Iesus Christ folio 11 25 Howe Iesus Christe beinge ascended into heauen is neuerthelesse here on earth wyth his flocke Fol. 12 26 There can be no other true Relygion then this Folio 13 ¶ The iiii poynt intreating of the holye ghost containeth the 15. Articles 1 Of the person of the holy ghost Folio 13 2 Of the effectes properlye consydered in the holy Ghost fol. 14 3 The holy Ghost maketh vs partakers of Iesus Christ by fayth onely Eodem 4 What meanes the holy ghost vseth to create and maintaine faith in vs. Eodem 5 How necessary faith is what faith is fol. 15 6 What is the obiect of the true fayth and of what force it is Fol. 16 7 How this is to be vnderstand which we say as Saint Paule sayth that we be iustified by onely fayth Eodem 8 To be assured of our saluation by faythe in Iesus Christe is nothing lesse then arrogancie or presumption fol. 17 9 Faythe findeth in Iesus Christe all that is necessary to saluation fol. 18 10 Of the remedy which faith findeth in Iesus Christ only against y e first assault of y e first tēptation groūded vpon y e multitude of our syns what assuraunce there is in this case eyther vpon the saints or vpon our selues Eodem 11 The remedy which only fayth findeth in Iesus Christe onely against the second assault of the first temptation grounded vpon this that we be vnfurnished of the righteousnesse which God requireth of vs. fol. 22 12 The thyrde assault of the same temptation grounded vppon the naturall corruption of originall sinne which is within vs. Fol. 23 13 The remedy against the seconde temptation whether we haue faith or not fol. 24 14 Those do slaunder vs falsely which say that we disalow good workes fol. 26 15 The first differēce in the mater of good works is which be good and which be euyll fol. 27 16 Which be
synn 〈…〉 his glorye SO nowe there remayned nothing but that all the whole world should runne to ruine and destruction but that God beinge not onely most rightuâ—us but also moste mercifull had eterâ—ally ordained a meane to cause al those â—hinges to tourne to his greate glory to â—ete to the greater declaration of his â—â—finite goodnes towardes those whiche 〈…〉 hath also ordained and chosen eterâ—allye to be glorified in their saluation and likewise to the declaration of his pâ—wer d and wrath by the iust iudgemenâ— and condempnation of the vesselles 〈…〉 wrathe prepared to destruction For a 〈…〉 S. e Augustine sayde vearye well if aâ— were deliuered that which were dewâ— to synne by iustice should be secret anâ— hidde and if none were deliuered thâ—â— shoulde not be séene whiche grace haâ— geuen and graunted 17. Iesus Christ the onely medâ—atouâ— ordained and promised THis one and all onely meane is thâ— misterye of the incarnation of thâ— sonne of god with all that which foloweth it who was from age to agâ— promised euen from a Adam vnto sainâ— Ihon was published and preached bâ— the patriarkes as prophetes was all fygured diuers wayes vnder the law as is at large contained in the bokes 〈…〉 the olde Testamente to the ende thaâ— man moughte be saued by faythe 〈…〉 Iesus Christ for to come 18. The agrement and difference of the olde and nevve testament THer was neuer but one couenant of saluation betwene god man if we consyder the substance ther 〈…〉 which is Iesus Christ a But in conâ—â—deration of the circumstaunces there â—re two testaments or couenantes wherâ—f we haue the names and autentike reâ—isters called the holy Scripture and â—orde of god The one is called the old The other the newe b which is the betâ—er abolyshing the olde for as much as â—e olde did not propound and set foorth â—esus Christe but a farre of and hidden â—nder shadowes and fygures whiche â—ere abolished by his comming 19 vvherfore it behoued Iesus Christ to be a verye naturall man in bodie and soule vvithout synne IT behoued the Mediatour of this couenant and reconciliation to be a veryman without any spot of origiâ—all sinne or other for those reasons folowyng First for as muche as God 〈…〉 iust and man was bound and endetteâ— to his wraâ—he by his naturall corruption as we haue declared heretofore iâ— the fiftenth Article it was méete therâ— shoulds be a very man in whome thiâ— ruine and decaye shoulde be thorowlyâ— and perfectelye repayred for to pleasâ— God Secondlye man is bound to accomplishe and fulfyll all the righteousnes which god requireth of him for to be glorified then there must be a man for to accomplyshe perfitelye all righteousnes to please god Thyrdly all men be couered with an infinite nuÌ„ber of synnes as well inwardly as outwardly therfore culpable of y â— maledicton of god of necessity there must be a man which should satisfie fullye the iustice of God for to please him Forthlye no man beyng corrupte coulde in any wyse beginne to doe the least of these thynges but rather shoulde haue néede of a â—edemer euen for him selfe muche lesse then coulde he redeme or deliuer other men or do any thyng whiche shoulde be pleasyng or acceptable to God It was néedfull then that the Redemer and Mediator of man shoulde be a verye man in bodye and foule and yet neuerthelesse perfectlye and altogether pure and cleane from all synne 20. wherfore it was needfull that Iesus Christ should be very God IT was of necessitie y â— this Mediatour shoulde be verye God and not onlye man for these reasons folowing First if he had not bene very God he shoulde not haue bene a Sauiour but shoulde haue néeded a Sauiour for himselfe Secondly there muste be before the iustice God proporcion betwene the faulte and the payne thereof the offence or faulte is infinite for as muche as he is infinite against whose maiestie it is committed therefore it was nedefull to haue satisfaction that is infinite and consequently that he which shouldâ— do it as very man should also be infinite that is to saye verye god Thirdlye d for that the wrathe of god is infinite there was no strength of maÌ„ or Angell which coulde haue bene able to beare suche a burden but it should fal be ouerwhelmed vnder it therfore it was néedefull that he which should rise againe hauing the victorye ouer the deuill synne the worlde and death ioyned with the wrath of god should be not onelye perfect man but also very god Fynally god the better to declare his incoÌ„prehensible goodnes woulde make his grace not onelye equall e with our offence but woulde that it should exceede and surmount the trespasse For this cause euen as the f firste Adam the auctour of oure offence thoughâ—e he were created to the Image of god yet notwithstanding was earthy as his frailty and weaknes hathe well declared so on the coÌ„trary Iesus Christ the seconde Adam by whom we be deliuered is in such wife perfecte and very man that he is also heauenly that is to say very god for as much as the fulnes of the godheade dwelleth in him bodily So that if the disobedience of Adam doth astonishe or make vs afraid y e righteousnes of Iesus Christ should muche more comfort and stablishe vs and that we shoulde hope for a lyfe obtained vs by Iesus Christ much better then that which we haue lost in Adam yea so much better as Iesus Christ is aboue Adam 21. Howe the misterie of our saluation was fulfilled in Iesus Christ WE confesse then that for to fulfyll the couenante promised to the auncient fathers and prophesied by the mouthe of the prophets The trew and only eternal sonne of God in the time ordeined of the father toke on him the forme of a seruaunte that is to say a very humane nature with the infirmities of the same sinne excepted beinge conceyued in the wombe of the blessed vyrgin Mary by the vertue of the holy ghoste without any operation of man 22 The tvvo natures vvere vnited and knitte in one person from the first instaunt of the conception WE confesse that from the first instaÌ„t of this conception the person of the son was inseperably vnited with the nature of man in suche sorte that there be not two sonnes of God nor two Iesus Christs but one onely sonne of God Iesus Christ very God and very man yet neuerthelesse bothe these natures abyding and remainyng in their seueral properties For the diuinitie seperated from the humanity or the humanitie deuided or pluckte from the diuinitie or the one confused with the other woulde serue vs to no purpose 23 The virgin Marye is mother of Iesus Christ God and man IEsus Christ verye God and verye man that is to say hauyng a very trewe and humaine soule and a very humain
that concerning afflictions First although all kinde of afflictions and also death bée entered into the worlde thorowe sinne yet God when he punisheth vs hath not euer respecte to our sinnes as it appeareth in the history of Iob and z many other places but in scorging vs he hath diuers respects tendynge to his glorye and our profyte as shalbe sayd hereafter in the laste artycle of the fowrth poynt Furthermore although god â–ª doth afflict his elect for their sinnes vntyll they feele y e very paines of death yet is he not angry with them as a Iudge to condempne them but as a Father chastising his chyldren to preserue them from perishing or geue other example 11 The remedy which onely faith fyndeth in Iesus Christ onely against the second assault of the fyrst temptation grounded vppon this that we be vnfurnyshed of the righteousnes which God requireth of vs. THe second assault which sathan may make against vs because of our vnworthines is that it is not sufficient to haue lyued without sinne or to haue satisfied for our syns but is required furthermore y â— man should fulfyll the whole lawe that is to saye that he hath loued God perfectly and his neighbor as him self Bring forth theÌ„ this righteousnes or els how wilt thou beare y â— curse of the law and the maiesty of god Now what can al the righteousnes of man helpe vs against this assault For here is spoken of a perfect obedieÌ„ce according to y â— lawe whiche was neuer founde but in Iesus Christ only Let vs learne here again to appropriate to vs by faith another treasure benefite of Iesus Christe that is to say his righteousnes For we know that it is he that hath fulfilled al righteousnes hauing perfectly obeyed God his Father perfectly loued his enemies so y â— he became accursed for them as s Paul sayth that is to wete he did beare the iudgement of the wrath of God for them to the ende y â— we being â—lad with this perfect rightousnes which is imputed to vs by faith as though it were properly our own we may be made acceptable before God as brethren and coheyres with Iesus Christ Now for this poynt Sathan must perforce haue his mouth stopped so that we haue y e fayth which maketh proper to vs Iesus Christ with all the riches and treasures which he hath to communicate to those which beléeue in him 12 The third assault of the same temptation grounded vppon the naturall corruption or originall sinne whiche is within vs. SAtan hath yet remaining one assault in the temptation of our vnworthynes which is this Although thou hast satisfyed for the payne of thy sinnes in the person of Iesus Christe that thou art also clothed with his righteousnesse yet art thou corrupted in thy nature wherein alwaye remayneth the roote of all sinne How darest thou then appeare before the maiestie of God enimy to all vncleanes and also which séeth the botome of thy hart Now coÌ„cerning this poynt we fynde yet one easie remedie in Iesus Christ only vpon whom we must staye But we be yet so enclosed in this mortall body that wée doo not the good whiche wée woulde and yet doo féele the synne that remayneth in vs and the flesh that striueth against the spirit by reason whereof we be yet defyled in body and soule concerning our selues but for as much as by fayth wée be vnyted incorporated rooted and grafted in Iesus Christe by whome our nature hath bene from the first moment of his conception more fullye restored sanctified and made more pure then euer it was created in Adam for asmuch as Adam was made but accordinge to the image of God and Iesus Christ is very God who hath taken vpon him our â—iesh conceyued by the vertue of the holy ghost this sanctification of Iesus Christ is imputed to vs as our owne then cannot y â— naturall corruption which resteth partly yet in vs come in accompt for as much as it is couered cloathed with the holynesse of Iesus Christe who is much more able to sanctifye and cleanse vs before God then the natural corruption is to defyle and corrupt vs. 13 The remedye against the seconde temptation whether we haue faith or not IN the second temptation SathaÌ„ shall replye vpon this that Iesus Christ is not deade for all synnes for as muche as all shall not be saued Then let vs haue recourse to our fayth and answere him that true it is none but the beléeuers doo receyue the fruite of this passion satisfaction of Iesus Christe But this in steade of desmayinge vs doth rather establishe vs. For that we do know in our hartes that wée haue faith wherby it is already saide in the thyrd article of this fourth point it is not inough only to beléeue that Iesus Christe came to saue synners but we must particularlye euerye man applye and appropriate Iesus Christ to himself in such wise that he doo conclude with him selfe I am in Iesus Christ by faith and therfore I caÌ„not perishe but am sure of my saluation so then to be assured that we haue ouercome Sathan in these thrée assaults of the first temptation and also to resist the second wée must examine our selues whether we haue this faith or not The meanes is to ascend by the effectes vnto the knowledge of the cause which worketh them Nowe the effectes which Iesus Christe worketh in vs when wée haue appreheÌ„ded him by faith be of two sortes The first is the testimony which the holye spirite bringeth to our spirites that we be the children of god and which maketh vs cry abba father in a certain assoraunce Secondlye we must vnderstand when we do ioyne appropriat to oure selues Iesus Christe by fayth it is not by a certaine vaine or folish fantasie Imagination but really and in déede although it be spirituallye in such wyse y â— as the soule bringeth foorth her effects and woorkes being naturallye vnited to the body so when by faith Iesus Christ is geuen to vs to dwell in vs his vertue then bringeth and sheweth forth his force vertues The which is vnderstaÌ„d in the Scripture by this worde regeneration because they make vs become newe creatures concerninge the qualities And this regeneration hath thrée partes For as the naturall corruption holdeth our personnes captiue bothe in body and soule working in vs bothe synne and death Lykewyse the vertue of Iesus Christe commeth and taketh possession in vs and bringeth to vs thrée effectes that is to saye mortifycation of this corruption which the Scripture calleth the olde man the burying also thereof and finallye the rysynge and restoringe of the newe man as S. Paule describeth these thinges The mortyfication of our corruption and synne is the worke of Iesus Christ in vs wherby hée quencheth and