be cause they haue not the power to vnderstande and beleue For this part of y â— text partaineth no more vnto them theÌ„ the other concerning the precept of the preachyng doth This place of scriptur therfore is to be vnderstanded of them onely that haue the vse of reasone to per ceiue and vnderstaÌ„de the preachyng of the gospell and yet wyll not embrace it and receyue baptisme the signe of the washynge of theyr sinnes by the preciouse bloude of our sauiour Christe shedde for the redeÌ„ption of the world As for the other texte that is of Paule to the Hebrues the. xi chapit wherin is declared that without faieth non can he acceptable to God apparteyneth also vnto suche as are of yeres of discrecioÌ„ For in al the chapter is ther none rehersed but such as were of age discrecion Wherfore we maye iustly inferre herof that it is not possible that any persone shoulde bee acceptable vnto god in hys workes without the worke that he doeth do proceade of a pure and sincere fayth For as the prophet Esaye sayth in his lxiiii chap. Out workes are al as the cloth y t is defiled with menstruous bloud And further 〈◊〉 Paule to the Romaynes xiiii The workes that procede not of fayth are sin Fayth it is therfore that maketh our doinges acceptable vnto God and without fayth nothyng that we doo is acceptable Wherupon I infer that excepte the congregation whych Baptise theyâ—… chyldreÌ„ do it of faith this their Baptisyng is synne in the syght of God and therfore not acceptable vnto God But if theâ—… do it of fayth â—…rusting that God shal plant in the hertes of the infantes that lyuynge fayth that may cause them to confesse his name wheÌ„ they shal receyue the vse of reasoÌ„ then is this their facte no lesse acceptable before God theâ—… the deede of Abraham was when he vpon the fayth that he had in the promyse of God Circusised al the males of hys housholde For as Circumcision was a signe or token to declare that all they that receiued it trusted to bee redeamed by the Mesias that was promysed to the sayde Abraham and as the fathers to declare thier faythful hope dyd not onely cyrcumsise theim selues but their chyldren and familes also so is Baptisme a signe to declare that the receiuers therof doo vnfaynedly beleue that y t bloud of Chryst hath washed their sinnes And vppon lyke trust as the fathers had that God wyl exteÌ„d his mercy vnto their chyldren and famyly they do baptise them also as appeareth in the actes of the Apostles wher is mencion made of certayne meÌ„ whose families and housholdes were Baptised wheÌ„ thei had receiued the fayth But here it myght be sayd that in these places it is meÌ„cioned that the whole families beleued and then receiued Baptisme So that the infantes whych had no beleue remayned styll vnbaptised Whervnto I aunswere that if the Parentes were faithful they coulde not chose but theyr faith would constrayne them to do as those fayth ful dyd y t brought their chyldren vnto Christ Marke x. And then the Apostles I am sure were not so forgetfull but that they bare in mynde the wordes of their maister who rebuked theÌ„ for forbidding the children to approch hym whych were brought by theyr faythfull parentes that he myght put hys hand on them Yea 〈◊〉 doubte not but that after the example of theyr maister they embraced the infantes declaring theÌ„ to be the inheritours of the king dome of God and that none should enter that kyngdome vnlesse he woulde become aâ—… one of them Thus haue I declared myne opinion concernynge the Baptisme of infantes as I trust sufficietly to satisfy them that haue inâ—…staken me to declare that all such sentences in this litle boke as doo so greatly impugne Baptisme without faith are to be vnderstaÌ„d so that nether they that be of age ought to be Baptised without they do fyrst beleue and coÌ„ fesse Chryst nor the infantes onles the fayth ful congregation do with one assent offer theÌ„ at the font of regeneration with ful mynd and heâ—…tie desire to haue them membres of the church of Christ hauyng most sure and certayn hope that God 〈◊〉 â—…oorke in theÌ„ such maner of fayth as shal cause theÌ„ at the yeares of discretion to professe and folow the doctrine of Christ to whom wyth the father and thâ—… holye gost bee all honour for euer and euer â–ª â—…o be it A BRIFE AND FAYTHfull declaration of the true fayth of Christ made by certeyne men susspected of heresye in these articles folowyng ¶ i. Thessalonians v. ☞ Quenche not the spirite despise not the propheciynges but proue all thynges and kepe that that is good ¶ Esaye v. ☞ Wo be vnto them that call good euyll and euyl good whyche make darkenesse lyght and light darkenesse ¶ Anno. M. D. xlvii Per me I.D. The Prologe SEynge that saynte Paule sayeth to the EphesiaÌ„s iiii that there is but one fayth or beliefe so may euery christen man hertely morne when he seeth that so manye and diuers faythes are founde amonge them that boste them selues to be christen men Also that the one dreadfully sclaundereth and with great tyranny persecuteth the other and that wythout indifferencie But also the lorde Iesu Christe hath sayed that in the last dayes shall be many offended and the one shall betraye the other and the one hate the other And that ma ny false prophetes and false christen shal aryse and seduce many For thys cause is it very necessary that euery christen man faythfully crye vnto God wyth continual prayer that he wyâ—… gyue hym a stedfast beliefe and wyl kepe hym in the ryghte waye that he do not go into croked wayes through the gyle or disceyt of false hypocrysye of the false christen or propheâ—…es And God wyll doubtlesse kepe his electe from Sathan his ministers although the tyme be neuer so perylous or neuer so many dampnable sectes be broughte forth yea althoughe the darkenesse shouldè couer whole Egypte yet shall God neuertheles let his face lighten ouer all trewe Israelites so that they shall knowe his wayes vpon the earth and his saluacion amonge the heathen And although Himeneus and Phileâ—…us do turne from the ryghte waye neuerthelesse the sure grounde of God standeth euer faste and hath thys seale that God knoweth them that are his For we know wel that God howe be it ' that he out of his vnmeasurable nâ—…ye grace yea out of the vnexpressable loue of his fatherly hert defendeth his childreÌ„ froÌ„ al euyl yet neuerthelesse wyl he be prayed vnto of them as we haue many ensamples therof in scrypture how that the holy men in theyr trybulacion or angwyshe haue called vnto god and haue ben herd and holpen of hym And seyng then that the ryght christen euer for theyr befifes sake greuously are troubled yea as golde and syluer in the fyre bothe with bodely troble and fals doctryne vndâ—…tsought
â—…phesi i. And hath subdewed all thynges vnder hys fete Hebre. ii in summa he is alorde aboue all lordes and a kyng aboue all kynges Apo. xix yea he is an almighty god with his fa ther. Apo. xxii Iohn x. And neuerthelesse he is also our onely aduocate and mediator i. Iohn ii Tymo ii our onely hye priest Hebre. v. the sacrifyce that he hath done for our synnes abydeth of valure for euermore 〈◊〉 ebre x. ☞ Forthermore likewyse as Christ our lord is ascended vp into heauen so shall he come agayne from heauen Act. i. wyth the dominion of his father with the angels Mat. xxv for to gyue euery man rewarde after his workes yea for to iuge y t quicke dead Act. x. Tim. iiii ☞ We beleue also in the holy gost god with the father the soÌ„ne which holy goste is a teacher of all chrysten Ioh. xiiii and he doth cloth them with his gyftes and giueth euery one the measure of feyth after his owne wyll i. Corin xii and kepeth them vnmouable in one fayth for he is a ruler of the christian congregacyon Acti xx He is also the anoyntement i. Iohn ii wherwith all christeÌ„ are anoynted and of that behalfe are called the anoynted of the lorde Psal. ciiii ☞ So is this holy gost geueÌ„ vnto the christeÌ„ as an erneste of theyr inherytaunce to theyr re dempcyon and they agayne be his owne to the prayse of his glorye Ephesi i. In summa it is impossible without this holy ghoste to knowe god ryghtly i. Cor. ii or with all the hole herte to beleue vpon hun i. Corin. xii or to call vpon him as a father Roma viii And therfore doth god poure this his holy ghoste vpon his chil dren wherby thei may rightly knowe him and ryghtly beleue in hym and as a ryght father call vpon hym Sata iiii ☞ This is our belefe to the father soÌ„ne and holy ghoste which thre we knowledge to be one god Deut. vi whose seate is the heauen and the erth is a benche of his fete Esay xivi yea the which is an euerlastynge ii Mach. i. an almyghty Psal. â—…v a ryhgtuouse Psa. ii and a mercyfull god Psal. cxiv The which alone wylbe worshypped and serued Deu. vi For he can alone helpe vs. Esaye xliii whyche he doth for his names sáke not for oure rygh tuousenes sake Esay rliii ☞ Forthermore as we haue said that al they that do beleue are ioyned togyther through the holy goost knitte in vnitie so is there a chri sten church the with is buylded of lyuing stones i. Pet. ii which church is the house of god Heb. iii. the house of god is the congregacion of God i. Timoi iii. and the congregacyon of God is the bodye of Christ. Ephesians i. And seynge that al right christians are one bodye 〈◊〉 Cor. r. in the which they al through one spirite are baptised i. Cor. rii So muste there be a coÌ„munion of sayntes namely that al sayntes or true beleuers are also ioyned togyther in vnitie as the membres of one body Rom. xii And in this coÌ„munioÌ„ of saintes is remission of sinnes that wout it is no sinne forgiueÌ„ nor any hope of saluacion Ephe. ii yea like as it is vnpossible y t a meÌ„bre caÌ„ lyue that is not in the bo dy so is it possible y t any man may lyue in hys soule caÌ„ be releaced out of death by remissioÌ„ of synne the which is not a meÌ„bre of the body of Christ. For Christ hath recoÌ„ciled vs al vnto god his father in one bodye Ephe. ii And ther fore must al they staÌ„de in variauÌ„ce y t are no 〈◊〉 bres of this body of y t which Christ is y t head Eph. i. to the which he giueth saluacioÌ„ Eph. 〈◊〉 ☞ Now must we also knowe that howe be it that God alwayes forgyueth synnes Esay xliii yet hath Christ giuen vnto his congregacion power to bynde and to lowse which shall not be vnderscaÌ„de after the antichrist doctrine the byshoppe of Rome hath power to remitte synnes but the christen congregacion whose heade is Christe and not the Romyshe Antechrist and is rewled of the holy gooste and not of the fornicatyshe spirite of the Prophetysse Iesabell Thys congregacion I saye hath power to bynde lowse that is to saye all what she byndeth other lowseth is done by the power of oure Lorde Iesu Christe i. Cor. v. and thorow the holy goste as a rewler of the christen congregacion Actu xx so is there in the christen congregacion remission of synnes ☞ There shal be also a general resurrection of the fleshe namely that all they that are dead shal ryse agayne some to euerlastyng lyfe and some to euerlasting dampnacion Iohn v And they that shall lyue and remayne vntyl the coÌ„myng of our Lorde Iesu Christe they shall be chaunged in the twynkelynge of an eye at the tyme of the last â—…ompet i. Corhin xv For the trompet sayth Paule shal blow and the dead shal ryse vncorruptible and we shalbe chaunged For this corruptible body must put on vn corruptibilitie and thys mortall bodye muste put on immortalitie i. Corhin xv ☞ At the laste is there also an euerlastynge lyfe Iohn xvii whyche all they shall receyue that beleue on Iesu Ihrist Iohn vl and stedfastlye abyde in good workes sekynge prayse honour and immortalitie Roma ii ☞ Thys is the summe of oure beliefe yea and a ryght christen beliefe thorowe the which fayth all ryghtuouse lyue Aâ—…ac ii And wyth out the whyth beliefe no man may please god Heb. xv Therfore must the euerlastynge God be blessed that out of his immeasurable mercy and grace hath gyuen vs thys fayth thorowe Iesu Christe Ephe. ii And this is the some of our fayth wyth the shortest ¶ The sacrament of Baptysme BAptysme is a sacramenttall token the whiche is geuen vs of Christe Math. xxviiii And is at the fyrste an entrynge into the christen congregacyon as Paule sayth we are baptysed in one spirite to be one bodye i. Corhi xii ☞ Secondarily it is a fountayne of regeneracion as Paul witnesseth saying that Christ hath saued vs by the fountayne of the newe byrthe and renewynge of the holy gooste Tit. 〈◊〉 Not that the water doth saue vs for nothynge can saue vs but ouely god Esay xliii But after that our Lorde Iesu christ hath spo ken that he that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued Mar. xvi and Goddes worde is veritie Iohan. xvii and his promyses maye not fayle Psal. cxlvii Therefore muste baptisme neadâ—…s bringe saluacion vnto them that in beliefe are baptised not for the workes sake but for goddes worde and promises Dâ—…u viii ☞ Thyrdely baptysme is a couenaunt of a good conscience to god i. Pet. iii. namelye that he that in beliefe is baptised bindeth him selfe or maketh a couenaunt with god that from thens forth he wyll lyue after hys wyll And of this couenauntes
Syon that is to say ouer the faythfull congregacyon Psalm ii whiche faythful congregacion is the kyngdome of Chryst. Col. i. And the domynyon of thys kyngdome standeth not in a carnall dominion or powre But lykewise as the lorde is a spirite ii Corhinthians iii. euen so is hys kyngdome spirituall inwardly within vs. Luke xvii and not of this worlde Iohn xviii wherefore the prophete zacharie promysed vs a kynge thorough the holy ghoste the which shold not come with viâ—…iable dominion nor great worldly tryumphe but w t an humble and a meke spyrite And shoulde not â—…ule as a worldly kynge ouer the carnal Syon or Israel but shoulde rayngne a spirytuall kynge and rule the spirituall Israelytes with the scepter of his godly worde And these are the wordes of the prophet Reioyse thou great lye O doughter Syon be glad O doughter Ierusalem beholde thy kynge cometh vnto the â—…owly and symple is he he rideth vpon an Asse and vpon the foele of an Asse euen thy rightwyse and sauyour and he hym selfe is poore 〈◊〉 ix These wordes of the prophete wytnesse clearely that Christes kyngdome is spirituall and standeth not in any outward dominion Iohn xviii And lykewyse all these prophetes do witnesse in these chapyters folowing Esa. iiii ix Ierem. xxiii xxxii Esechi xxxiiii xxxvii Myth iiii Therfore do we holde the doctryne of the carnal kingdome of Christ to be a dredfull errowr and a great heresye yea we holde it to be an heresye of the Chilcastes the which now agayne is raysed amongest theÌ„ of Mynster hath breyded her out in other places to the great slaunder and hinderaunce of the true gospel of god Forthermore yf any man take vpon him and presume to be the promysed Da uyd or a kynge of Syon as Iohn Layden at Mynster hath done hym do we holde for an antechriste aboue all antichristes yea boue the Romysh Antechryste How dredful so euer he hath slaundered god and exalted hym selfe against the almighty god and yet it is not com to suche an abhominacion as to put hym selfe a kynge of Sion or to take vpon hym to be a promysed dauyd But in these dayes ryse so many abhominable and presumptuous spirite fulfylled with all maner of wyckednes and sathans pride that take vpon them to rebbe Iesu Christe of his kingli scâ—…pter and to take it vnto them selfes wo be vnto all suche dred ful slaunderers of the godly maiesty or powre wo be also vnto the seduceres which go about with witchecrafte wherwith they haue begyled many men Wooe be also vnto all them whyche do not seperate them selues froÌ„ those antechrystes and seducers but yet do seke help or comforte of them yea that leaue the verye Moyâ—…en Iesu Christ and desire other goddes to go afore them vpon theÌ„ shal fal that which is spoken of by the prophete Ieremye Lorde they that do forsake the shalbe destroyed and they that turne from the shall be ashamed and theyr names shall be wrytten in the earthe for they haue leaft the the lyuynge fountayne of water Beholde therfore wyll we by the grace of God abyde by oure spirituall Kynge Iesu Christe and pray hym that his kyngdome may encrease in vs yea that he wyll defende vs from all euyll and reserue vs to his euerlastyng heauenly kyngdome to his glory and honoure for euer Amen ¶ The weapons wherwyth a very christian ought to fyght SEynge that the whole Gospell of ourâ—… Sauiour wytnesseth that the christian must suffer in no wyse may reuenge the euil So that we thynke by the helpe of god not to turne from the holsome doctrine of our Lorde Iesu Christ. For it is righte conuenient that a seruaunt wyth his lordes coÌ„maundement and a disciple wyth his maysters doctrine to be coÌ„tented Mat x. And here now may no sophistical cauillacions nor fonde ymaginacions be alowed as though the wordes of Iesu Christe shoulde nowe be at an ende And seynge that Christ sayth vnto his apostles what I say vn to you that do I saye vnto al watche ye heauen and earth shal perishe but my wordes shal neuer peryshe Therfore do we holde them for dreadful seducers and abominable heretykes that wâ—…ll preâ—…ume to saye that the doctrine of Iesu Christ as coÌ„cernyng suffering should be â—…t an ende that the christen shoulde no more nede to suffer but that they shoulde cast away the weapons wher w t the apostles haue fought as theyr epistles rchearse put vpon them the harneys of Dauid yea that they shoulde destroy the whole worlde w t the material sworde and also take the worlde vnto them selues O what a blinde dreame is this which is spronge out of SathaÌ„ is coÌ„trary to the whole gospel of our lorde Iesu Christ. O what an iniquitie is this of theÌ„ that wyl with the chyldreÌ„ of Israel leaue the lorde the fouÌ„tayne of lyuing waters dygge them selues pyttes the whyche do seme fayâ—…e but they caÌ„ giue no water O what a blindnes yea what a folyshnes is it of them that for the sayinges of the prophetes whyche they vnderstande not wyll refuse leaue the moste highest prophet the onely begotteÌ„ sonne of god the euerlastynge veritie Iesu Christe and do not dreade to exalte the olde testamente aboue the new to set Moyses aboue Christ O god shal now the new testament auoyed for the olde shal the preciouse bloud of the innocent lambe Iesu Christ be couÌ„ted lesse then the bloud of calues O lorde how are these meÌ„ so blynded that they with the styffenecked Israelites do abhorre the lyuing breade of heauen and do desyre â—…he flesh of Egypt that is to say they do refuse Iesu Christe the very breade of heauen do huger after mennes doctrine and inueÌ„ted drâ—…es after â—…isceyuable prophetes But we wyl by the grace of god abyde by our lorde maister Iesu Christ holde it vndâ—…niable that no vncleane doctrine whiche myghte be agaynst the gospel of our lorde Iesu Christ maye be broughte in or suffered but he alone muste be allowed for he is lorde maister Sauiour besydes him is none other In summa we know of none other veritie nor of none other waye of none other lyfe but onely of Iesu Christe Iohn xiiii For thys cause yf there come any prophecies or visions that wil draw vs from this holsome doctrine of Iesu Christ they muste be accursed Furthermore how and wyth what weapons that the christian shall fyghte doth Paule clearelye teache vs to the Ephesians in the syxte Chapter wyth these wordes Stande therfore and your loynes gyr ded about wyth the truth hauyng on the brest plate of rightuousenes and shodde vpon your fete wyth the gospell of peace that you maye be prepared aâ—…oue all thynges take holde of the shelde of fayth wher wyth ye may quentch the fyry dartes of the wycked take the helme of saluacion and the sworde of he spirite whyche is the worde of God And Iohn sayth
and grace hathe gyuen vs a cleare vpryght fâ—…yth that he kepe and reserue vs forth in thys peryllous tyme frome all false doctrynes of the mynisters of the hellish Sathan And that we thorowe the Aungells coloure which they often tymes haue vpon them may not be perâ—…erted to â—…aue the trueth of god And fortherâ—…e do wee praye vnto the lorde that he wyll so strength and fortyfye vs with his holy gooste that we do not ware wery ofâ—…s sufferynge persecution for the ryghtuousnesset sake but that we maye be able to stande in all dreadfull sclaunder and tyrannous persecucions of the wycked Antechristes spirites yea and that we rather yf it be neade suffer thys bodely death byding in our fayth then we shoulde forsake it and dye eternally FroÌ„ the which eternal death the Lorde God preserue 〈◊〉 them that loue and seke hym wyth all theyr hert through Iesu Christe our Sauiour To whom be laude prayse honour maâ—…estie and dominion for euer Amen To the reader NOthing caÌ„ be so plain so manifest or opâ—… but the cauillour who seketh nothing els but doubtes wil finde abosidaunce of mattier therin to make the same at the fyrste syght to appeare harde obscure and darke In like maner he the lyueynge of the faythfull beleauers in Câ—…histe neuer so Godly and agreable to the truth be it neuer so quiet peaceable and ciuile yet wyl the aduersaries fynde mattier ynough to deface it so that the simple people shal iudge none other but that they be heretykes theyâ—… lyues aâ—…ominable theyr sayinges doynges sediciouse disquiet and sclaunderouse What man can deuyse to wryte more Godlye then Paule dyd to the Romaynes And yet were there some that sayed he woulde haue men to synne â—…o the intente that the mercye of God myght be the more aboundaunt in the forgiueynge of the same Roma iii. Who coulde leade so godly a lyfe in suche austeritie and hardenesse as Iohn the Baptiste dyd And dyd not the Iewse saye that he had a dyuell in hym To be bâ—…fe who conlde frequent the company of synners and misleueynge people wyth so perfyte crample of lyueynge haueynge so great force to drawe them from theyr wickednesse to folowe his example as Christe dyd And dyd not the Pharisies reporte hym to be a frende and maynteyner of euyll lyuers and open sâ—…ners Math. ri The same schole maister that instructed these false detractours hath also and doeth daylye instructe oure papistes in the â—…ame his documentes and playne lections The deuyll I saye leaueth not hys olde prâ—…actyse but kepeth his dearelye beloued â—…n â—…re wythal Yf any man preache or wryte of the iustificacion by fayeth and doe therin declare the vnworthinesse of vs and our workes whyche can desetue nothinge towarde our iustification incoÌ„tinent they câ—…e out vpon hym heretyke he sayeth men shal be saued thought they lyue neuer so vngodlye Vf he speake any thynge concernynge the abuse of the ceremonies and sacramentes what â—…rclamacions do they make howe do they reporte hym to be a sacramentarye Yf he speake anye thynge of Baptisme declaryng that neyther the holynes of the water neyther of the oyle can gyue the grace therin promised and that the was shynge in the founte auayleth not them that obserue not the profession they make there howe detestable an anabaptiste shall he be compted Of the supper of the Lorde who can wryte or speake any thynge concernyng the abuse therof but he is charged wyth the vtter deniall of the same That thou therfore christen reader mayst so wythdrawe thy credyt froÌ„ these false reporters that thou wylte but once thynke it possible that they maye belye these men whom they cal men of the newe learnyng I haue set forth thys lyttle boke wherein thou mayste se what fayth they haue that beare thys euyl reporte And that thou mayste thereby be prouoked fyrste to trye the spirites whether they be of God or not and after to credyt them euen as thou shalte fynde them worthye The prouerbe teacheth the that it is not all golde that glyttereth and we haue learned by experience that it is not all Gospell that the prieste preacheth Trye the golde therfore by the toutche stone â–ª the priestes preachinge by the worde of God Prouâ—… the spirites and knowe for certentie that that spirite is not of God whyche denieth that Christe is come in the fleshe And what other thynge is that then to denye that hys comynge in the fleshe is the sufficient and onelye satisfaction for oure synnes Who so euer he be therfore that denieth vs to be frelye redeamed by Christe wythout any part of our desertes the same denyeth Christe to be come in the fleshe If thou proue them therfore once to haue denyed on thys wyse that Christ came in the flesh I besech y â— euen for Christes sake to trye theyr reportes by the scripture or thou credyt them And theÌ„ as thou fyndest them so take them The Lorde open the eyes of thyne herte that thou mayst se the hydde and secretes abhominacions Amen ☞ Praye Christian reader that the worde of the Lord may haue free passage and that we may lyue a God ly lyfe there after that it may be acceptable in hys syght FINIS