mercie then by our owne accorde And as Paule saieth What i. Cor. iiii hast thou that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued it why boastest thou as though thou haddest not receiued it And as out of that place the holy martire Cyprian Cypriā gathereth We must glorie in nothyng because wee haue nothyng Heresies of our owne Wee condemne therefore these who in suche sorte defende mennes merites that thei diminishe the grace of God ¶ Of the holie catholike churche of God of the one onely hedde of the Churche Chapi 17. SEyng that God from the beginnyng The churche euer was euer shal be would haue manne saued and come to the knoweledge of the truthe it muste nedes bee that euer there was and now is and to the ende of the worlde there shal bée what the churche is a Churche that is to saie a companie of the faithfull called and gathered out of the worlde a companie I saie of all the Sainctes to witte of them whiche doe truly knowe and rightly worship the true God in Christe their sauiour accordyng to his worde and by the aide of the holie Ghoste to bee shorte whiche are made partakers of al goodnes offered fréelie vnto them through Christe by faithe All these be citezens of one Citie liuyng vnder one Lorde vnder one kinde of lawes being alike partakers of all good thynges For so the Apostle calleth them fellowe citezeins with the Sainctes and of Gods housholde folke namyng them sainctes who abidyng in the yearth are faithfull sanctified by the blood of gods soonne Of whom this article of our Ephe. ii 1. Cor. vi beleife speaketh wherein it is saied I beleue the holie catholike church The Communion of Sainctes And seyng that there is alwaies one onely God one mediatour betwene God and mā Iesus our Messias and one shepherde There was neuer but one true churche of the whole flocke one hedde of this bodie to conclude one spirite one saluacion one faithe one Testamente or couenaunte it followeth necessarilie that there is one onely Churche also Whiche therefore we call Catholike Why it is called catholike because it is vniuersall is dispersed throughout all the partes of the world and extendeth it self to all tymes beyng limited and inclosed in no place or tyme. We condemne therefore the Donatistes who straightlie enclosed Heretikes tiyng the churche to certain places and times the churche in I knowe not what corners of Aphrike Neither dooe wee allowe the Romishe Clergie who bests that almoste the onely Romishe churche is the catholike Churche The Churche is distributed into tiuers Diuers partes of the churche partes not that it is seuered or torne in peeces in it self but rather by reasō of the diuersitie of the members that be therein For there is one churche The Militant churche called Militant an other Triumphant that is militante whiche being as yet on the yearth wageth battaile and fighteth with the fleshe the world and the Prince of this worlde the deuill also with synne and death Whē this Churche is discharged of attendaunce here it triumpheth in heauen for the victorie ouer all those her enemies reioysyng before the Lorde albeit these twoo Churches are still vnited or knitte together The militant Churche remainyng Particuler churches on the yearth hath alwaies had many particuler Churches yet all thei are referred to the vnitie of the catholike Churche This Churche was otherwise gouerned before the lawe emōg the Patriarkes otherwise vnder Moises by the laws otherwise of Christe by the gospell Cōmenly also there are compted twoo kinds of people the Israelites and the Gentiles or a people consistyng of the Iewes and Gētiles gathered together in the Churche There be twoo Testamentes also the old and the newe Yet of all these people there was and is one societie one saluacion by one Messias in whom as members of one bodie vnder one hedde all are knitte together in one faithe all are partakers of one spiritual meate and drinke Howbeit here we acknowledge that there were sundrie tymes diuers signes or Sacramentes of our Messias both promised giuen also to vs of his father that the ceremonies remoued a brighter light now shineth vnto vs that we receiue larger giftes inioy greater libertie thē our forefathers had before the commyng of Christe This holie Churche of God is called the house of the liuyng Lorde built The names of the church of liuing and spiritual stones and sect vpon an vnmoueable rocke vpō suche a foundaciō that there can none other foundaciō be laied then it And in that i. Timo. iii. respecte it is also called the piller and ground of truthe It erreth not as lōg when the church erreth as it testeth vpon Christe the Rocke and foundacion of the Prophettes and Apostles But no meruell if it erre as often as it forsaketh hym who onely is the truthe The Churche also is called the virgine and spouse of Christe and the onely and welbeloued spouse of Christe For the Apostle saieth I ii Cor. xi ioigned you to one housbande to presente you as a pure virgine to Christ It is also called the flocke of shepe vnder one shepherde Christe bothe in the xxxiiij Chap. of Ezech. and. x. of Ihon. And it is named Christe his bodie because the faithfull are the liuyng mēbers of Christ vnder Christ their hed The hedde is that whiche hath preeminence and the higheste roume in the bodie geuyng life to it and ruling it so in all thynges with the vitall spirites comming from thence that it increaseth groweth thereby There is also but one hed of that bodie wherewith it doeth wel agree For the churche There is but one hedde of the churche Christe Iesus can not haue any other hedde then Christe and as the Churche is a spirituall bodie so it is meete that it haue a spirituall hedde agreablie Neither cā it be ruled by any other spirit then by Christe his spirite Paule writeth he is the hedde of the bodie of the churche He is the beginning first borne Col. 1. of the dedde that in all thynges he might haue the preeminence Againe Christ is the hedde of the churche and Ephe. v. Ephe. i. the same Christe is the sauiour of his bodie And again he saieth Which is the hedde of the churche whiche churche is his bodie euen the fulnesse of hym that filleth all in all Moreouer Ephe. iiij Let vs in all thinges growe vp into hym whiche is the hedde that is Christ by whom al the body beyng coupled and knitte together by euery ioynte receiueth increase We allowe not therfore that doctrine of the Romishe Clergie makyng their Romishe bisshoppe an vniuersall Shepeherde the The Pope chief hedde yea and Christes true vicare of his catholike militante churche in the yearth wherein he hath fulnesse of power and supreme dominion as thei saie For we teache that Christ is
the Lorde and remaineth the onely vniuersall shepherde chief high priest before God his father and that he in Christ is present with his churche the churche doeth all the dueties of an high bisshoppe or shepherd and so will continue vnto the ende of the worlde and therefore néedes no vicare as one that were absente Truely Christe is present with his Churche and is a liuyng hedde who straightly forbadde his Apostles and their successours to chalenge the primacie or supremacie in the churche Whosoeuer then gainsaieth this manifest truth bringeth into the church of Christ a coÌ„trary gouernment who seeth not that thei are to be coumpted emong the nomber of those whoÌ„ Christes Apostles Prophesied of ij Peter ij and Paule Acte xx ij Cor xi and. ij Thes ij By takyng awaie the Romish hed No desorder in the church we bryng into the Churche of Christe no disorder no trouble seyng that we teache that the gouernemente of the churche prescribed by the Apostles is sufficiente for vs to kepe the Churche in due order Whiche 〈◊〉 the beginnyng while it was without suche a Romishe hedde as now adaies is said to keepe the Churche in order it was not without very 〈…〉 Doubtlesse The head of Rome the hedde of Rome maintaineth the tyrannie and corruption brought into the churche but 〈◊〉 resisteth and with all the might he 〈◊〉 withstaÌ„deth the true reformacion thereof It is obiected vnto vs that there are diuers coÌ„tentions crept into our churches Contentions in the church sithens we separated our selues from the Romishe churche wherevpoÌ„ Contentions in the romish churche some conclude that we bée not the true Churches of Christe as though there were neuer any sectes in the Churche of Rome neuer any strie for contencion and that for religion not so muche in Scholes as in their holte Chaires and in open assemblies We acknowledge i. Cor. xiiii that the Apostle said God is not GOD of dissencion but of peare and seyng there is emong you emulacion and contencion are ye not carnall yet it cannot be deuied but that God was Contention is no true note of the false churche 〈◊〉 the Apostolike Churche and that that Churche was the true Churche in which notwithstandyng there was striefe and discorde For the Apostle Gal. ii Act. xv Paule reprehended Peter the apostle and Barnaâ—â—â— dissented froÌ„ Paule A greuous coÌ„tencion 〈◊〉 in the churche of Antibche betwene them that preache Christ as Luke reherseth Act. rv There hath vtter great strief alwaies in the Churche and the moste famous doctors thereof haue dissented emong theimselues in no light matters the Church notwithstanding ceassed not to bee Christe his Churche still as it was before for so it pleased God to vse the strief in the Churche to the glorie of his name to sette forthe his truthe and to haue those whoe are tried better knowen But as wee acknowledge none other The markes of the true churche hedde of the Churche then Christ so wee agnise not euery one that boasteth it self for the true Churche to be the true Churche in deede We teache that to bee the true Churche wherein are found the signes or markes of the true Churche especially the right and sincere preachyng of God his woorde As wée be taught in the bookes of the Prophettes and Apostles who referre all to Christ whiche faieth in the Gospell My Shepe heare 〈◊〉 voice and I knowe theim thei followe me and I geue to theÌ„ eternall life and thei shall neuer perishe thei followe not a strauÌ„ger but flie from hym because thei knowe not the voice of strauÌ„gers and these Shepe be all of one faithe of one spirit and therefore worship one onely God seruyng hym alone in spirite and truth and louing him onely with all their harte with all their strength dooe call on hym onely for Christe his sake their onely mediatour and intercossour seekyng without Christe and faithe in him no rightuousnes no life because thei acknowledge Christe to be the onely hedde and foundacion of the Churche and them selues to bee laied vpon this foundacion Thei doe daiely repare them selues with repentaunce dooe paciently beare the crosse 〈◊〉 vpon them and beyng knitte together by vnfained loue with al Christes members doe thereby declare theÌ„selues to bee the Disciples of Christe continuyng in the bonde of peace and godlie vnitie Thei be also partakers together of the Sacramentes instituted by Christe and taught of the Apostles vsyng them none otherwise then the lorde hath commanded them The saiyng of the Apostle is well knowen to all men I haue receiued of the lord that whiche I also haue deliuered vnto you Wherfore we condemne those i. Cor. xi Churches as disagreyng from Christ his true Church which be not such as we haue heard that thei shuld be boast thei neuer so muche of the succession of Bisshops of vnitie and antiquitie Yea the Apostles commauÌ„de vs to flie from Idolatrie and Babilon and not to take part with her except we would i. Cor. x. i. Ihon. v. Apoc. xviii ii Cor. vi There is no saluatioÌ„ with out we be of Christe his churche take part of God his plages also We so muche esteme the societie with the true Churche of Christe that we deny that thei can liue in GOD his sighte whiche doe not communicate with the true Churche of God but separate theÌ„selues from it For as out of the Arke of Noe there was no sauyng helpe A similitude when the worlde perished by the flood so wee beleue that there is no assured saluacion without Christ who offreth hymself in the Churche to be enioyed of his electe and therefore we teache that thei whiche will liue muste not separte theimselues froÌ„ the true churche of Christe Howbeit wée doe not so narrowlie include the Churche within the signes aboue rehearsed that we The churche is not tyed to signes teache all those to be out of the church whiche either receiue not the Sacramentes so that it be not a self will or All offenders are not counted to be out of the church contempte but compelled rather by necessitie whiche thei can not auoide either those in whom sometime faithe fainteth but is not vtterly loste and cleane dedde either els suche in whoÌ„ there are founde faultes and errours by infirmitie For we knowe that god had some frendes in the worlde which were not of the Israelites Common wealthe We are not ignoraunt what happened to the people of God in the captiuitie of Babilon in the whiche thei lacked their sacrifices for the space of lxx yeres We knowe what befell to Peter who denied his maister and what daiely is wonte to happe to the electe and faithfull weaklinges Further we are not ignoraunt what maner of Churches in the Apostles tyme the Galathians Corinthians had in the whiche the Apostle laieth to their charge that there was many and greuous The churche sumtime semeth to be
naturall corruption of maner stickinge faste in vs to our liues ende Howbeit seinge that the streÌ„gth of the fleshe reliques of the olde man be not so stronge of such puisance as vtterly to suppresse conquere the woorking of the spirit therfore the faithful are said Note to be frée yet so that they acknowledge their infirmitie weakenesse without boostinge bragginge of their frée will For 〈◊〉 faithfull ought alwaies to kéepe in minde that saying which so ofteÌ„ S. Augustine repeteth out of the Apostle what haste thou that thou diddest not receaue if thou hast receaued it why hastest thou as though thou receauedst it not Moreouer that thing commeth not straight waye to passe whiche he appointed The successe of thinges is in Gods hande Rom. 1. In outvvard thinges all men haue freevvill For that successe of thinges is in Gods hands Whereupon Paule desireth the Lorde to prosper his iourney euen for this cause then our frewill is but a weake frewill Howbeit no man denieth but that men regenerate and not regenerate haue fréewill in outwarde things for man hath his constitution as other liuing creatures haue that he will doo one thing and will not doo an other thinge so he may speake or holde his peace goe out of the house or tarie within doores Yet here the power of God is alway to be marked whiche brought to passe that Balaam Num. â—4 coulde not goe thether whether he woulde neither Zacharie returninge Luc. 1. out of the Temple could speake as he had a good will to doo We condemne Heresies in this behalfe the Manicheis who denied that frewill was to a good maÌ„ the beginninge of euill We condeÌ„ne also the Pelagians who affirme that an euill man hath frewill inough to kéepe a good commaundement both of them are reproued by the holy Scripture whiche saieth againste the Manicheis God made man righteous and good against the Pelagians If the Sonne of God shal make you frée you shal be frée in déede ¶ Of Gods predestination and election of his Sainctes Cap. 10. GOd hath froÌ„ the beginninge predestinated God choseth freely of his grace or chosen fréely and of his mere grace for no respecte that is in men the Sainctes whom he will haue saued for Christes sake accordinge to the Apostles sayinge God Ephes 1. hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde And againe who 2. Tim. 1. hath saued vs called vs with an holy callyng not according to our woorkes but according to his owne determinate councell and grace whiche was geuen to vs thorow Christ Iesus before the worlde was created but is now made manifest by the appearinge of our sauiour Iesu Christe Wherefore not without a meanes although not for VVe are chosen or predestinated for Christe his sake our merites but in Christe for Christ God hath choosen vs so that they whiche are nowe ingraffed in Christe by faithe be also elected and they be reprobrate or caste awaies whiche are without Christe Agreable to the sayinge of the Apostle Proue your selues whether ye are in the faithe knowe 2. Cor. 13. you not your ownselues how that Iesus Christe is in you excepte ye be reprobates To conclude the Sainctes are choosen in Christe by God to a certaine To vvhat ende vve are chosen Ephes 1. ende whiche the Apostle declareth sayinge He hath choosen vs in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted thorow Iesus Christe vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace And albeit God knoweth who be his and in a certaine place mencion be made of the VVe should hope the best of euery man small number of the elect yet we must hope well of all not rashely iudgynge any maÌ„ to be a reprobrate Paule saith I thanke my God for you all he speaketh Philip. 1. of the whole Churche of the Philippians because of the felowshippe whiche ye haue in the Gospell beinge perswaded that he whiche hath begon this good woorke in you wil perfourme it vntill the day of Iesus Christe as it becommeth me so to Iudge of you all And when the Lord was demaunded whether there were fewe in number VVhether fevve be chosen that shoulde be saued he aunswered not that a fewe or many shoulde be saued or damned but rather exhorted euery manne to labour that he mighte enter in throughe the strayte Luc. 13. gate as though he had saide it is not your parte so curiously to enquire of these thinges but rather to endeuer that by the right way ye may enter into Heauen Wherefore we allow not their wicked ObiectioÌ„ talke which prattle that a few are chosen and séeinge I am not certaine whether I be any of that smal nuÌ„ber or not I will take my pleasure Neither those that saye If I be predestinate or electe of God nothyng shall hinder me from the SaluatioÌ„ alreadie certainely appointed for me whatsoeuer I doo for if I be one of the reprobrate no faith no repentaunce shall helpe me seyng that Gods determinate sentence can not be chaunged and therfore all teachinges Solution and admonitioÌ„s are vnprofitable that sayinge of the Apostle maketh against 2. Tim. 2. Admonitions are not in vaine them The seruaunt of the Lorde must be apt to teache instructing them with méekenes that are contrary minded prouinge if God at any time will geue them repentauÌ„ce that they may know the trueth and that they may come to ameÌ„dment out of the snare of the Deuill which are taken of him at his wil. But Augustine in his booke intituled De bono perseuerantiae Cap. 14. and the residue folowyng doth shew that both must be preached not onely the grace of frée election and predestination but also holsome admonitioÌ„s We disalow therfore those which demaunde without Christe whether they be elected from the beginninge and what God determined of them before the worlde was made for thou muste heare the preaching of the Gospell and beleue it VVhether vve be elect and muste vndoubtedly thinke if thou beleue and be in Christ that thou arte one of the electe For the father hath opened to vs by Christ as euen now I declared out of the Apostle ij Tim. j. the eternall sentence of his predestinacion Wee ought therefore to teache and to consider aboue all other thynges how muche loue our heauenly father hath reueled to vs thorow Christ We must heare what the lord hymself daiely saieth to vs in his Gospell and marcke howe he calleth vs saiyng Come vnto me all ye that labour and Math. xj are heauie laden and I will refreshe you So God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for the worlde to the ende that all whiche beleue Ihon. iij. in hym should not perishe but haue life
a name The preaching of the gospell is called The spirite and the letter ii Cor. iii. also by the apostle the Spirit the seruice of the Spirit because that it is made of great efficacy liuely by faith in the eares or rather in the hartes of beleuers by the holy ghost illuminating thē For the letter whiche is contrary to the spirit doeth surely signifie euery outward thyng but chiefly the doctrin of the lawe whiche causeth wrathe to vnbeleuers and prouoketh to synne without the aide of the spirit and faith woorkyng in their mindes For the whiche cause the Apostle calleth it also the ministerie of death For here vnto belōgeth that saiyng of his the letter killeth but the spirite quicekneth The false Prophetes preached the gospell corruptly mingelyng the Lawe therewith as though Christ could not The heresies saue vs without the lawe Suche as the Hebionites are said to be who sprang of the heretike Hebeō Suche wer the Nazareans whiche were in olde tyme called Minei whom euery one we cōdemne Preachyng the Gospell purely teachyng that by the spirite alone and not by the lawe beleuers are iustified But of this matter we will intreate hereafter more at large in the title of Iustificacion And albeeit the Preachyng of the Gospell compared with the Pharises The doctrine of the Gospel is not newe but a moste auncient doctrine doctrine of the Lawe séemed when it was firste preached by Christe to bée a newe doctrine whiche Hieremie also prophesied of the new Testament yet in verie déede it was not onely then and now is olde doctrine as now adayes Papistes call it newe comparyng it with their longe receiued doctrine but also is the moste auncient doctrine in the worlde For God from the beginnyng predestinated she worlde to be saued by Christe Whiche predestinacion and eternall counsaile of his he hath opened to the worlde by the Gospell whereby it is manifeste that the Religion and doctrine of the Gospell is the eldest of all that euer was is or shal be Wherefore we saie that all thei are fouly deceiued and speake vnsemelie of Gods euerlastyng counsaile whiche affirme that the Gospell and this religion is sprong vp of late and is a faithe scase thirtie yeres olde In whō that saiyng of Esay the Prophete Esaie v. is fulfilled Wo be to them that speake good of euill and euill of good whiche put darkenesse from light and light from darkenesse and that putte bitter for swéete and swéete for sowre ¶ Of repentaunce and the conuersion of man Chap. 14. THe Gospell hath ioigned vnto what repentaunce is Luke xxiiii it the doctrine of Repentaūce For so saied the Lorde Repēpentaunce and remission of synnes muste bée preached in my name to all nacions By repentaunce we vnderstande the amendement of the mynde in the sinfull man prouoked therevnto by the preaching of the Gospell and inward woorkyng of the holie ghoste and receiued with true saithe wherby the synner doeth straite waie acknowledge his naturall corrupcion and all his synnes reproued by the woorde of God and beeyng hariely sorie for the same doeth not onely bewaile his iniquities but beeyng ashamed thereof confesse theim but also with disdaine deteste them mindyng earnestlie to amende and alwaies indeuouryng to leade an innocent and vertuous life as long as he liueth And this assuredly Repentaunce is a true conuersion from satan to God is vnfained repentaunce to wit a true conuersion to God and all goodnesse with a spedie departure from satan and all euill We also plainly affirme that this repentaūce is the mere gifte of God and not the worke of our Repentaunce is the gifte of God ii Cor. ii strengthe For the Apostle biddeth a faithfull minister diligētly to instruct theim whiche resiste the truthe assaiyng if God at any tyme will giue thē repentaunce that thei maie knowe the truthe Moreouer the synfull woman mencioned in the Gospell who wasshed Christes fete with her teares and Peter who wept bitterly be wailyng Luke vii and. xxii his deniall of Christe doe plainly declare vnto vs what maner of minde the penitent should haue when he earnestly lamenteth his sinnes which he hath committed The prodigall sonne also and the Publicane mencioned in the Gospell and compared with the Pharisie are fitte examples for vs to imitate in confessing our sinnes The prodigall sonne saied Father I haue synned against heauen in thy sight nowe I am not worthie to bee called thy soonne make me as one of thy hiered seruauntes The Publicane not beyng so bolde as to lifte vp his yies to heauen knockyng his breast cried O God bee mercifull to me a synner These penitent offendours we doubt not but that God receiued againe to his mercie and fauour For Ihon the Apostle saith If we acknowledge our i. Ihon. i. synnes he is faithfull and iuste to forgiue vs our synnes and to clense vs from all vnrightuousnes If wee saie we haue not synned wée make hym a lier and his woorde is not in vs. Wée beleue that this plain and frée confessiō which is made onely to God either priuately betwixte God and the offendour or openly in the Churche when the generall confession of synne is recited dooeth suffice and that it is not necessarie to obtaine remission of synnes by confessyng our offences Popishe confession with whisperyng in a Priestes eare or by hearing his absolucion while he laieth his handes vpō our heddes For of suche maner of repentaunce there is founde in the holie scriptures neither any commaundement ne yet example Dauid protested saiyng I acknowledged Psal xxxii my synne vnto thée neither hid I myne iniquitie from thée I thought I would confesse against my self my wickednesse vnto the Lorde and thou diddeste remitte the punishmente of my synne The Lorde also teachyng vs to praie and eke to confesse our iniquities saied Thus shall ye praie Our father which art in heauen c. Math. vi Forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue theim that trespas against vs. It is therefore necessary that wée confesse our faultes and that wee reconcile Note our selues to our brother if we haue offēded hym Of the whiche kind of confession Iames the Apostle speaketh saiyng Acknowledge your synnes Iames. v. one to another How bee it if any what priuate Confession is allowed man beyng oppressed with the burthē and temptacion of doubtfull synne would aske counsaile and seeke comfort priuately either of the minister of the church or any other learned in the Laws of God wée disalowe it not In like maner we greatly commēde that Publike confession generall and publike confession of sinnes whiche is accustomed to be rehersed as we saied before in the Churche and holy assemblies Many babble maruelous thynges of the Keies of the kyngdome of God The forged keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and forge thereby swoordes speares scepters crounes and absolute auctoritie ouer the greateste kingdomes to
quike destroyed synnes and yet he calleth theim the holie churches of Christ Yea some tyme it cometh to passe that God by his iuste iudgement ▪ suffreth the truth of his woorde the catholike faithe and true worshippyng of hym to be darkened and plucked a sunder as it were so that it semeth vtterly to bee destroyed yea and no Churche at all to remaine As wee reade that it came to passe in Elias daies and other times yet notwithstādyng God hath in this worlde and in these darknes those his true worshippers yea and no smalle nomber of thē aboue seuen thousande For the Apostle auoucheth that the foundaciō of God remaineth sure and ii Reg. xix Apoc. vii hath this seale The Lorde knoweth who are his c. Wherefore the Churche maie also The churche may be called vnuisible be called inuisible not that mē be inuisible of whom the churche is gathered but because it beyng hidde from our yies and onely knowen to God man ofte tymes is not able to Iudge All be not of the churche that be in the churche where it is Moreouer not all that are nombred in the Churche are sainctes and the liuely or true members of the Churche For there are many Hippocrites whiche to the outwarde shewe heareth the worde of God and openlie receiueth the Sacramentes and seme also to call vpon GOD in Christe his name onely to confesse Christe to bee their onelie rightuousnesse to serue God to doe the workes of charitie and to suffer or a tyme their miseries paciently but inwardly thei are destitute of the lighte of the spirite of faithe of purenes of mynde and of continuaūce to the ende so that at lengthe thei are disclosed what thei bée Ihō the Apostle saieth Thei wante out frō vs but thei i. Ioh. ii were not of vs for if thei had been of vs thei would haue cōtinued with vs. And yet while thei faigne holines albeit thei be not of the churche yet thei Apte similitudes are compted to bée in the Churche As traitours in a Common wealthe are nombred emong citezeins before thei be discouered and as Daruell Kockle and Chaffe is founde among wheate and as boūches or swellings is foūde in a sounde bodie whereas in dée de diseases and deformities are truly saied to belong to the bodie thei are rather maladies and deformities of the body then true members thereof Wherefore the Churche of God is well compared Math. xiij to a nette wherein is drawen al kinde of fishe and so a fielde wherein is founde bothe Kockle and Wheate Here muste wee take deede that wee iudge not to sone that wee goe not about we must not rashly iudge to shutte out to caste awaie or to cutte of those whō God will not haue caste out or suche as without losse to the Churche we can not separate Also we must watch leste while the godlie slepe the wicked preuaile so muche that thei dooe some hurte to the church Moreouer wée diligentlie teache men to marke wherein chieflie the truthe and vnitie of the Churche dooeth consiste leaste by our rashenesse we raise The vnitie of churches stoudeth not in outwarde rytes and maintaine some Schisme in the churche It consisteth not in Ceremonies and outward rites but rather in truthe vnitie of the catholike faithe Whiche catholike faith is not taught vs in mannes Lawe but in the diuine scriptures a brief somme whereof the Apostles Crede is We haue redd that emong the olde fathers there was diuersitie of rites but so free for men to vse or not to vse that no man thought the vnitie of the churche to be broken Ceremonies indifferent to be vsed or not to be vsed by not obseruyng theim We affirme therefore that the true concorde of the churche standeth in doctrine in the vniforme preachyng of Christe his Gopell in kepyng of those rites whiche the Lorde euidently deliuered and cōmaunded wherin the vnitie of the church consisteth Phi. iii. Here chiefly we alledge the sentence of the Apostle Let as many as bee perfecte bee thus mynded and if ye bee otherwise mynded God shall reucale euē the same vnto you neuerthelesse in that whervnto we are come lette vs procede by one rule that wes maie mynde one thyng ¶ Of the ministers of the Churche of the making of them and their offices Chap. 18. GOd to assemble together to ordaine to gouerne or God vseth ministers to the instructing of his churche preserue his Churche hath alwaies and dooeth to this daie euer will so long as the churche shall cōtinue on the yearth vse the seruice of ministers The first beginning then and appointing of ministers and their function is of greate antiquitie beyng God his owne ordinaunce not The original cause of the ministrie any newe doctrine inuented by mannes braine God doubtles could by his own power without any meane ioine himself his churche whiche cōsisteth of menne together But he had rather deale with men by the seruice of men Wherfore ministers ought to be estemed The ministerie ought not to be cōtēned not as ministers onely but as Gods ministers for because by theim God worketh mens saluaciō Wherfore we warne men to take hede that thei dooe not in suche sorte attribute those thynges to the secrete woorkyng of the holie Ghoste whiche belonge to our conuersion and instruction that thereby the ministerie of the Churche bee abased For it is meete that wee should alwaies bée mindfull of the Apostles woordes How shall thei beleue Rom. x. in hym of whom thei haue not heard And howe shall thei heare without a Preacher Then faithe is by the hearing and hearyng by the 〈…〉 of GOD. Neither should 〈◊〉 forgette 〈◊〉 his saiyng in the Gospell Verely verely I saie vnto you he that receiueth whōsoeuer Ihon. xiii I shal sende receiueth me and he that receiueth me receiueth hym that sente me Wee ought also to remember Iohn vi what the man of Macedonie apperyng in a vision to Paule beyng in Asia counsailed hym to do saiyng Take thy iourney into Macedonie i. Cor. i. come helpe vs. For in an other place the saied Apostle writeth Wee together To muche ought not to be attributed to ministers are God his laborers ye are gods housbandrie and Gods buildyng Againe on the other side We must beware that wée attribute not to muche to ministers or to the ministerie remembryng the Lordes woordes No i. Cor. iii. manne cometh to me except my father drawe hym And the Apostles saiyng Who is Paule then and who is Apollo but the ministers by whom ye beleued And as the Lord gaue to euery man I haue planted Apollo watered but God gaue the increase So then neither is he that planteth any thyng neither he that watereth but GOD that geueth the increase Let vs therefore beleue that God doeth teache vs in his worde outwardlie by his ministers Howe God doth
But to vse fewe woordes thei are stuffed with many absurdities wherfore thei bee well omitted and other thynges more profitable for all Gods Churche put in their places ¶ Of holie daies faslyng and choise or difference of meates Chapiter 24. ALbeit Religion is tied to no tyme yet cannot it be planted or exercised without conueniente Times apointed to come to churche diuidyng and appoinctyng of tyme. Euery Churche therefore hath chosen a certaine time for publike prayer for preaching the Gospell and celebratyng the Sacramētes Eche mā may not breake this order of the churche at his pleasure And excepte there bee graunted competente leasure for this exercise by outwarde dooyng to declare our Religion surely men will be withdrawen from it by their owne priuate businesse Wherefore we se in aunciente Churches that there were not onely certaine houres in the weke appoincted for the godlie congregaciō but that the Sabboth daie was made holie to assemble to praie and to hear God his woorde whiche euen now also veric wel is obserued in our Churches for the better seruyng of GOD and increase of brotherlie loue But wée allowe not Iewishe obseruacions Iewishe obseruations of dayes of daies and suche like supersticions For wée beleue not one daie to bée holier then an other Neither thinke wée that our reste is allowed of God for it self sake But we kepe the lordes daie called Sūdaie not the Saboth or Saterdaie The Lordes daye therein vsyng frée libertie Moreouer if Chuches as thei maie by Christian libertie kéepe religiouslie Feastes dates of christ may be kept the remembraunce of Christe his birthe Circumcision Passion Resurrection Ascention into heauē and sending his holie ghost vnto his disciples we well allowe it but holie daies dedicated Holy dayes for sainctes to be disalowed to men or sainctes wée discommēde And certes holie daies partaine to the firste table of the lawe and belong onely to God to beshort the feast daies instituted for sainctes which we haue abrogated confirme many foolishe vnprofitable thynges not to bee suffred Howbeit we cōfesse that frute fully the memorie of sainctes maie in A memory of sainctes due place and tyme bee recited to the people in godlie sermons and the holy examples of theim maie bee proposed as paternes to be followed of all men The more sharpelie the Churche of Christe reprehendeth glotonie dronkēnesse Publike and Priuate faste is requisite lasciuiousnes and all intemperauncie the more earnestlie it commēdeth christian fastyng For fastyng what fasting is is nothyng els but an abstinence and temperaunce of the godlie with chastenyng of our fleshe as presente necessitie requireth wherby we humble our selues before God and withdraw from the fleshe her nourishementes that it maie easelier and wittynglier obeye the spirite Wherefore thei faste Counterfet fasters not who haue no regard of these thinges but thincke thei faste if but once a daie thei fil their bealy and for a certaine prescript tyme abstaine from certaine meates thinckyng for this workes sake thei please God and doe a good deede Fastyng is the aide and helpe to all godlie menne to praie the feruentlier and to liue the vertuouslier That fast pleased not God as we Note maie reade in the Bookes of the Prophetes wherein the Iewes fasted frō meate and not from their wickednes There is a Publike a Priuate fast Our forefathers kepte in tyme paste The cause of publike fastes Publike fastes in lamentable tymes and when the Churche was afflicted Thei abstained altogether from meat vntill euenyng spendyng the tyme in the meane season in holie praier and worshippyng of GOD and in repentyng for their synnes This did little differ from mournyng Often menciō is made hereof in the Prophetes specially in the seconde of Ioell Suche a faste ought to be kept euē in these our daies the Church beeyng in so greate daunger Priuate fastes are obserued of eche man as euery man feeleth the The cause of priuate faste vertue of God his spirite to bee plucked frō him For so long he abstaineth from the nourishemente of the fleshe as he perceiueth God his spirite to bee withdrawen from hym All fastes oughte to come of a free The ende of fastinge willyng and a true humbled spirite not to gette praise or fauoure of men muche lesse to merite rightuousnesse thereby But lette euery manne faste to this ende to tame the pride of the fleshe to serue God more earnestlie Lenten faste maie bee proued by old testimonies but by none of the Apostles Lent fast not to be allowed writynges Therefore it oughte not nor maie be enioyned to the faithfull to keepe It is moste certaine that in tymes paste there were diuers kindes The time of fastynge and customes of fastyng Wherevpō Ireneus an auncient writer saith Some thinke that the faste muste bee Ireneus kept one daie onely some others many daies and others fourtie daies which varietie began not now in our tyme but longe before our daies by their meanes as I iudge who obseruyng not simplie that which was at the first taught theim vsed other maner of fastynges either through negligence or ignoraunce Socrates also the historigrapher Socrates saieth Because there is no aūciēte writyng foūde of this matter I suppose that the Apostle lefte it free to euery mannes mynde to dooe that whiche is good not by feare and necessitie Now as touchyng choise of meates Choise of meates is a doctrine of deuyls In fastyng we thinke that all is to be with holden frō the fleshe whiche maketh it more vnrewlie and wherein it taketh more delighte or whereby it is nourished or pampered whether it bee fishe fleshe pleasaunt fruites in sauor and tast daintie disshes or fine wines Otherwise wee knowe that all God Heb. ii his creatures are made for thuse and seruice of manne Al that GOD hath made are good without choise moderatly to be vsed with the feare of the Lorde For the Apostle affirmeth all thynges to bée cleane to them that bee Tit. i. cleane And again whatsoeuer is sold in the Shambles eate ye and aske no i. Cor. x. question for conscience sake The self same Apostle nameth their doctrine whiche commaunde to abstaine from meates the doctrine of Deuilles For i. Tim. iiii GOD made meate to bée eaten with thankes geuyng of the faithefull and them whiche knowe the truth bicause whatsoeuer God made is good and nothyng is to bee refused if it bee taken with thankes giuyng c. He also writing to the Collo reproueth those who Collos ii by ouer muche abstinence will purchace to thēselues an estimaciō of holines We therfore altogether disalowe the Tatians Encratites and to be short Heretikes Eustacius his scholers against whom was assēbled the Gangrens counsaite ¶ Of Cathechisyng or instructyng youth in the articles of their faithe of comforting or visiting the sicke Chap. 25. THe Lorde charged his people of