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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19216	The humble and vnfained confessio[n] of the belefe of certain poore banished men grounded vpon the holy scriptures of God, and vpo[n] the articles of that vndefiled and onlye vndoubted true Christian faith, which the holy Catholicke (that is to say vniuersal) Churche of Christ professeth. Specially concerning, not only the worde of God, and the ministerye of the same: but also the church and sacramentes therof. Which we send moost humbly vnto the Lordes of Engla[n]d, and al the commons of the same. ... Lorde increase our faith.; Humble and unfained confession of the belefe of certain poore banished men.	Ponet, John, 1516?-1556, attributed name.	1554 (1554)	STC 5630; ESTC S111154	26,257	72

we trust to the glory of God and your edifying For these and such cōsideracions we haue therfore set forth this humble vnfained confession of our belefe that is to say how we in conscience ar perswaded by the infallible testimony of the scriptures concerning the word of God written and the ministery of the same his Church also and sacramēts therof For as these are the principall pointes of the fayth and true Religiō which is builded only vpon Christ so if our mindes by the witnes of the holy Gost in his word be fully resolued herein then by the grace of the same most holy spirite neyther our vnderstandynge nor good wylles neyther yet oure bodyes shall be stopte nor hindred from praier ●r fastynge frō pacience or obedyence from peace or Christian quietnes from doynge our duties to God and man or from e●ercisyng of those good works that are comprehended in his holy preceptes and cōmaundementes And thus most hertely prayng you to kepe you stil in the Arke with Noah his housholde We assure you in the word of the Lorde that so dooinge the fludde shal not drowne you nether shal the wrath to come ouer take you Amen FIrst because we mind not to build vppon a weke foundation we are stedfastly perswaded and do reuerētly beleue al the Articles of the christē fayth comprehended in thre Eredes commonly called Simbolum Apos●olicum Simbolum Nicenum and simbolum Athanasii Item We do stedfastli beleue end reuerence euen from the botome of our hartes al the holy Scriptures of Gods b●oke which is the sacred ●yble con●teinyng the Olde and Newe-testament being fullye perswaded 〈◊〉 our conscience accordyng to the testimony of the holy gost that the same holy Scripture is able to make men learned vnto saluation throughe the faith which is in Christ Iesu And that like as the sayd holy Scripture was geuen by inspiration of God whose gracious blessed spirit was the worker therof and is profitable to teach to improue to refourme and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be perfect and prepared vnto al good works euen so is it the ●ure word of prophecie very lighte that shineth in a darke place so that who so taketh hede therūto doth wel vntil the day dawne and til the daye starre arise in his heart Item We beleue that whosoeuer transgresseth or ouer passeth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God so that if any mā com vnto vs ▪ and bring not this learny●● of Gods holy word we ought not to receiue him into our house nether to welcome him but rather to beware of such false prophetes as beynge inwardlye rauenynge wolffes woulde spoile vs through philosophy and de●eifull vanitie after the tradicions of men and after the ordinaunces of the world and not a●ter Christ. Item Our stedfast beliefe is that like as if an Angel from heauē or the Apostles them selues should preache vnto vs any other Gospel or doctrin concerning Religion contrary to that thei haue taught alredy we ought to holde them accursed Euen so we are bound to beware least any man with vayn traditions or coloured holines cause vs to shote at a wronge marke or leade vs out of the ryght way Item We beleue verely that whosoeuer doth wilfully follow or teach such doctrin as is contrary to the holy scriptures of God The same for y t he agreeth not vnto the holsome wordes of oure sauior Iesus Christ is a proud ignoraunt person and a verye wast brain And that vnto those which wil not receiue the loue of the said deuine truth and holye scriptures to their saluation ▪ Almyghtie God doth most iustli send strōg delusiō suffring thē to beleue lies to y e damnatiō of al such as disdainīg to geue credēce vnto y e truth haue plesure in vnrightousnes Item Our beleif is that for al our liplabour and outwarde apperaunce or shewe of Religion ▪ Yet so longe as we ●epe vs not to the rule of the holy scripture but wilfully folowe the corrupt tradicions doctrines preceptes and lawes of men we worship Go● in vain and serue him not in such vpryght sort as we ought to do Item Our conscience is fully perswaded that because men are so stubbourne and disobedient so hard herted froward that thei thinke scorne to herkē vnto the voyce of God and wilfully refuse to be ordred by the teaching of his holye worde and scriptures God therfore geuing them vp to their owne heartes lust and sufferyng them to folowe their owne imaginations doth most iustly take part against them powrynge vpon theim such great and horrible pla●es as the prophet Moses speaketh of Item Our stedfast beleife is that whatsoeuer the almightie and euerliuyng God commaūdeth vs by his word which he hath appointed to be the Lanterne vnto our feete lyghte vnto our pathes like as we ought to haue the same in such reuerence that we bowe not aside therfrom neither to the ryght hand nor to the left and that we do not suche thinges as seme good in our own eies but only that which is right in the sight of the Lord adding nothinge vnto his wordes least he reproue and plage vs least we be found liars Euen so we should not take away or minish ought from his words least he take awaye from vs our porcion out of the boke of life Item Like as our beleife is that y e sayd holy word and scripture of God alone sheweth mē y e right path to cōe to god to se him to know him to loue hym to serue hym so to serue hym as he most desireth so ar we fulli perswaded according to s. Austines coūsail y t it is our boūden dutie aswel to yelde and consent to the authoritie of holy scripture which neither can disceiue nor be desceiued As also in the vnderstanding therof diligētly to obserue the circumstaūces of the places times and persons ▪ and to take good hede not oneli what but also of whō any thing therin contained is spokē And here with this humble confesion of our fayth in Christ we do euē from the botome o● our hartes right sore lament and bewaile the present miserable decay of Christes true Religion the manyfold inconueniences the great harme and horrible abuses that are entred in among the generations of men of al sortes and degrees through addyng vnto the sayd holye Scripture throughe minishing of it and for not duely consideryng the circumstances therof That is to say for not regarding for not obeiyng and for not folowyng the infallible truth of the same moost reuerende word of God The curssed and vnhappy contempt wherof vndoubtedli hath brought into this worlde al wickednes aswel of false doctrine as of vngodly and sinful liuyng To the subuerting of al good ordre not oneli in matters of Religion but also in thynges concernyng our

vnto Christes wordes do also practise the same in their life and cōuersaciō plaiing the partes of wisemen whiche against stormes for to come build their house vpon the rocke and sure foundation Of this blessed felowship are thei that endurynge stedfast vnto the ende and fearyng God more thē mē take vp theyr crosse and follow Christ beyng wel content to ieopard all that thei haue their life also for his sake These in al their aduersitie resorte vnto the Lorde takyng his yoke vppon them and lernyng of him to be meke and lowly in heart fynd ease and rest vnto their soules Of thys holy congregation and Churche are thei vnto whom it is geuen to knowe the misteries of the kyngdom of heauē whose eyes are blessed for they se and lykewyse their cares for thei beynge children of Gods kyngdome the good seede sowne in the fortunate grounde do not onely heare the word of God but also vnderstand it and bring furth plentiful fruit some more some lesse accordyng to the measure of such giftes as he hath geuen them These are the Lordes owne shepe whych knowing Hom their shepherd his voice folowe not a straunger but flye from him for thei knowe not the voice of strangers It is the Lordes only voice that thei herken vnto and hym they followe who knoweth them and geueth them eternal life so tha they shal neuer perish neither shal any manne plucke them out of his hand The father of heauen who hath geuen this holye flocke and Congregation vnto Christ his sone is greater then al and no man is able to plucke them out of his heauenly fathers hande Nowe is God the father and Christ his sonne all one to the endles comforte of this his vniuersal Church This flocke of Christ this holy congregation is that blessed Church whose vnrightousnes is forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered and not imputed Yea in this Church hath the Lord himself ordayned appointed the heauēly ministracion of continuall remission and forgeuenes of sinnes to al such as vnfainedly repente of their former wicked lyfe and truelye conuerte vnto hym ▪ For vnto this Church hath he geuen the keyes of heauen that whatsoeuer thei bynde vpon earth shalbe bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer they lose in earth shalbe losed in heauen Vnto this Church hath he geuen his holye gost ▪ so that whose synnes soeuer they forgeue the same are forgeuen And whose sinnes so euer thei retayne the same are retained In this church is the pure word of God and al the worthye exercises of his true Religion the holy Sacramētes praiers thankesgeuynge ecclesiasticall discipline c. duelye and faythfully ministred And thoughe the particuler members of this church maye erre as many both perticuler persons also perticuler churches haue erred and som do at this day while thei are compaced with fleshe and bloud Yet shall not one shepe perishe that is of this holy vniuersall flocke neither the fayth or foundation of this Catholike Churche fayle This holy vniuersall church as the sōne in brightnes hath beames of light whereof it commeth to passe that there be also particuler Churches or congregations Where thoughe there be but two or thre gathered together in y e name of Christe He is in the myddes amonge theim For thoughe we confesse and knowledge that the holy Catholike or vniuersal churche of Christ is inuisible suche as our Crede teacheth vs to beleue y t such a church there is Though no mortal man can se the regeneratiō of the spirit and the fayth of Christ in it selfe Yet a good tre mai be knowne by his fruts Like as the beames then that procede of the Sūne are testimonies and partakers of the lyght therof Euen so what church or congregation soeuer professeth the name Religiō of Christ hauyng and exercising the pure and sincere doctrine of hys Gospel of his Sacraments and of al his dissipline accordyng to his holye institutiō y e same do we take vndoutedly for Christs church For bi mās wordes and dedes we mai discerne to alowe or disalowe theim True Prophetes also from false may we know by their fruites The heart God only seeth and iudgeth Notwithstandyng to build vpon we are throwli perswaded that as the sayd blessed vniuersal Church and cōgregation of Christ is the pillor and ground of the truth for greate is the misterye of godlines that it teacheth Euen so in such wonderful deuersitie of doctrines sectes and sondry religions of the worlde we should neither haue com to the true knowledge and beliefe of the Gospel neither shoulde we be satisfied in our selues or surelye fixed to continewe and abyde still in in y e sayth therof as we be God haue the praise against al herisies and false opinions If the authoritie of the said holy vniuersal and catholike churche of Christ had not wholly fully moued stirred prouoked admonished and taught vs so to do But whan we considered with S. Augustine the estimation and dignitie the worthines and authoritie of the sayde vnyuersal church and howe vniformally the mēbers of that mistical body accordeth and consenteth together in the vnitie of the holy gost and in the ministracion of heauenly thinges our conscience with al thanful obedience with obedient thākfulnes doth most cherfully and gladli agree aswel to learne what the said church teacheth vs and to beleue gods word that it preacheth vnto vs. As to be warned by the coūsailes that it geueth vs and to folowe the instructions lessons and ensāples that it sheweth vs. For sure we be as we haue cōfessed alredy that the foūdation of this Church is fyrme fast Herein hath the Lord set vp his owne lyght that hath no darknes in it Here is the truth that desceiueth no man the lyfe that kylleth no man and the kynges hye way that bringeth euery man righte to his iourneies ende As for a perticuler mā a perticuler church or Congregation as we sayd before they maye erre thei may be disceiued in one thyng or other at one tyme or other The consideration wherof as it appeareth did moue S. Augustine to haue most prīcipal regard to y e church vnyuersall although the particuler churches of Aphrica in his time were not defiled and poysoned as they be nowe O that mē were so circumspect this day as to builde vppon so sure a ground For though we maye safely geue credence to ani perticuler church whan it followeth the wholesome doctrine wherin the holy gost by his Apostle did stablish the Churche of the Ephesians of the Philippians of the Colossians of the Tessalonians c. Yet if any such Church do shute at another marke we shall but loose oure game in doyng therafter As for ensample what sound doctrine what wholsome religion what good and vpright discipline is there at this present day in any of the said particular Churches

Be they not vtterlye corrupted and poysoned with diuers kindes of horrible idolatrye with shameful supersticious with dānable sectes and false religions and with the dotyng doctrynes of men Is the Church of the Ephesians yet still light in the Lorde and not rather barckenes in Mahomet Hath the Church of the Philippians this present day felowship stil in the Gospel and not rather in the fylthy doctryne of the Turke Both the church of the Collossians continewe yet styl groūded and stablished in the fayth of the word of God and not rather blinded in infidelitie and in such horrible idolatry as is taughte by the false doctrines of men Is the churche of the Tessalonians nowe conuerted still from images to serue the liuynge God or contente to suffre trouble and losse of their goodes for the truthes sake and not rather turned back agayn to their idols as the dogge to hys vomyte and become cruel persecutors of Christes gospel What sound doctrine thē cā be had in a church or cōgregation y t is so corrupted Yea is the churche of Rome it selfe nowe obedient vnto the faith of Christ as it was in S Pauls time and not rather to the Popes ordinaunces and decrees Wherfore inconsideration of the premisses and for auoydinge of suche stormes as must needes ouerthrowe the house that is builded vpō the sāde we are fully resolued in maner aboue written concerning the sayd holye Apostolicke and Catholike or vniuersal church of Christ. Of the ministery of the word of God VUe are fully perswaded and do sted fastly beleue that the same almighti eternal most gracicious God who in times past diuersly and many waies spake vnto the fathers by the Prophetes hath in these last daies not only spoken vnto vs by his owne deare sone our onlye Sauiour Iesus Christ but hathe also by him ordained appoynted in hys Churche the ministerie of hys holye word willing his Gospel to be preached vnto al creatures to the intent y t al Nacions might become his disciples be taught to obserue al thinges whatsoeuer he hathe commaunded For in consideraciō of this most gracious purpose he did not onlye geue vnto his Apostles and Disciples the holy Ghost and opened theyr wittes that they might vnderstand the scriptures but also cōmitted vnto them to theyr succession in his Church the office and charge of preaching repentaunce and remission of sinnes in hys name among al nacions For this intent also hath it pleased him to constitute and ordaine diuers and sondrye Ministers some hauyng one charge some another that the Saintes holy members of his mistical body and Church myght haue all thynges necessary to worke and minister wythall for the edifying thereof for the increase also and conseruatiō of his true doctrine and Religion This holy office which the Apostle calleth y e stewardship of the misteries of God the ministracion of the spirit the ministracion of rightuousnes the preaching of the attonement and the embassage of Christ though the blind se it not and the vnthankefull worlde regard it not is a noble and precious treasure which the ministers haue in earthen ves●els that the excellent power therof may appeare to be of god and not of them yea of suche worthynes is it that the true ministers thereof are Messengers in the roume of Christ as if God himselfe did ▪ beseche ●s thorowe them to be at one wyth him So that who so heareth thē heareth him who so despiseth them despiseth him and he that receaueth whom soeuer the Lord sendeth receaueth the Lord himself When we consider this as we are bound to do it moueth vs to haue the holy ministracion of gods blessed woorde the more in reuerence And euen so are we occasioned to doe when we cal to remembraunce how worthye Apostles Euangeli●tes and Disciples it pleased him not onlye to appoin●e at the fyrst in hys primatiue Church chiefly for the excecutinge of thys holy office but also to descrybe by hym selfe and them how vpryght Ministers hys wyll was to succeede them what good qualities and gift● they ought to be endued withal ho●● wel learned and exercised in the scriptures how apt to teache other howe true shepheardes how painful worke men in Gods vyn● yarde how dylygent labourers in hys housbandry haruest how faithful stewards of his misteries how honest keepers of hospitality how voyde of fylthynes and corrupcion how discrite vertuous fa●teles they ought to be how sober honest and faithful wyues howe wel ordered housholdes how obedient godly brought vp children they shuld haue how wel esteemed also and regarded and how worthely prouided of nessary liuinges they ought to be Of these and such like thinges testifyed in the scriptures we ar out of dout concernyng the ministerye of Gods holye woorde Of the Sacramentes YF it be meete and conueniēt as it is in dede that the circumstāces of the scriptures as S. Augustine saieth be diligentlie obserued Then is it lykewyse expedient necessary that in medlyng with Gods holy sacramentes it be also r●uerently and discretly considered by whom whā wher after what maner ▪ for whom and for what intent purpose they were ordeined For the ignoraunce and not regardynge thereof hathe marred al the matter and is the verye occasion that as cōcerning the true vnderstāding vse of Gods holy Sacramentes men shute either to wide to shorte or to far of so that therby they loose the game and come not neare the marcke Now because we must nedes confesse as we do reuerently wyth al our hartes that the mistery of Gods holy Sacramentes is most comfortable most worthy to be tasted felt and vnderstand in euery Christen consciēce And forasmuch as the Diuel with the cloud of blynd and wilful ignoraūce hath darkned theeyes of mani a mothers child so that they do not see nor perceiue the swetenes of this treasure what it is wher it lyeth nor the right vse of it Therfore albeit y e holy Gost him selfe hath broken the hard shel of the Nutte already yet seing there are sondry good peeces of the swete kernel ca●t out and lye some troden vnder feete some shuffeled amonge the shels We mynde as sincerely faithfullye as we can to do our best in taking vp and laying forth such parcels of the said most swete kernell concerning the mis●ery of Gods holye Sacramentes as the Lord himselfe bi his grace in this our humble confession shal helpe and teach vs to vtter Nowe as it is most requisite worthely to consider the sayde misterye whych is the Communiō and felowshyp that we haue in eternal lyfe thorow the me●i●es of Christ Euē so we confesse and fynde it so by ecsperiēce that the verity and truth therof doth much the more comfortably appeare when Gods wonderful and most gragracious working for mankynde frō the beginnīg is

duties one towardes another Wherfore beynge fullye perswaded that the eternal God hath appoynted the ministery of his worde to be continued in his churche or congregation and hath geuen giftes vnto mē to edifie it withal aswel bi teachyng of true doctrine and improuīg of false aswel bi planting of godlines and al vertues as by instructyng of the ignoraunt rebukyng of the ●uyll and refourmynge of thinges that be a misse We mynde therfore nowe to confesse what oure beliefe is consernyng the Church of Christ. Of the Churche THough this word church betakē in diuers significatiōs as for a perticuler congregation somtime of the good somtime of the wicked sometime for an assemble of both good and euyll together And other wise vsurped partly for an house of commen resorte and partly for the only state of the Cicargie ye● are we fullye perswaded and do stedfastly beleue that there is but oneonly Apostolicke and holy Catholicke or vniuersal Church and congregation of God which being moued ●aught and gathered together frō among al nations of the whole world by the operation of the holy ghost into the vnitie and truth of the faith and vndefiled Religion of the Apostles Is not onely sanctified clensed and purified in the bloud of our sauior Christ but specialli also endued with vnfained holines of life This Church hath the Lord Iesus builded vpon the sure stedfast and hard stony rocke that is to say vpon him self against whom the gates of hel cannot preuayle Nether hath this Church any other founda●ion thē that which as the prophet sayth Almyghti God the father hath ●ayde alredy which the Apostle declareth to be euen Iesus Christ. This Churche is the house the dwellynge place and congregation of the liuing God the piller and ground that is to say the mayntainer and defendor the ●ure staye and vpholder of the truth This Church is the mistical bodye and beloued Spouse of Christe who is the head and Sauiour therof who also for the entire loue that he beareth therunto not only gaue him selfe for it to sanctifie it clensed it in the foūtaine of water thorow the woorde to make it vnto him selfe a glorious cōgregacion or church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing y t it should be holy and without blame But also after his ascencion when he led captiuitie captiue prouided ritchlye for it aswel with a most bewtiful diuersitye of offices and ministrations as wyth his owne worthy giftes meete conuenient for the same in a moste eccellent order vnitie agreement ▪ to the intent that his said church louinglye ●olowing his truth and in al thynges growyng in hym as an whole bodye coupled and knyt together in euerye ioynt w●erwyth one member ministreth vnto a nother according to the measure of his gift may helpe edify it selfe cōstantly to increase in al godlynes and not to wauer therfrō neyther to be caried with euery winde of doctrine by the wilynes subtelty of men Of this Church are they whom the Apostle calleth Citizens wyth the Saints and of the houshold of God Which being built together vpon the same foundation that the Prophetes and Apostles were builded vpon are made an habitaciō of God in the spirite This Church and Congregaciō is the Cōmunion of Saintes the heauenly felowship and blessed compani of al Gods elect and chosen children that euer were from the beginning of the world be now or shalbe hereafter euen a●l true worshyppers that serue him in the spirit and in the veritye in such holynes righteousnes as is alowed in his ●ight they that vnfainedly feare y t Lord that walke not on styl in the counsaile of the vngodlye that stand not in the way of wycked synners and that remain not among the spiteful scorners but euer delite in the law of the Lorde alway study to obserue and kepe his cōmaundements his rules his ordinaunces hys actes and statutes Of this Churche are the poore in spirite the true penitent the meeke harted the mercifull the pure and cleane minded the peacemakers Here are they that being hongry and thyrsti for righteousnes do suffer persecution for the same and be reuyled troubled and falsly belied of men for the Lordes sake Of this Churche are they whom the Lord calleth the salte and seasoners of the earth the light of the world which so shine before men that they seing theyr good woorkes godly liuing do glorify praise theyr father whyche is in heauen Of thys Church are thei that both obserue the cōmaundements of Christ thē selues and teache others also to do the lyke who vnderstanding the law spiritually accordyng to the Lordes interpretacion declare them selues to be the perfect childrē of God in louing their enemies blessing those that cursse thē ▪ doing good to such as hate thē praying for those that do them wrong and persecute them Of thys Churche are they y t when they do almes let not y e left hand know what the right hande doth seke no vaine glory or to be sene of men And when they pray they enter into the priuye chamber of theyr conscience shutting the dore to them and praying to theyr heauenly father which is in secret And thoughe they babble not much in theyr prayers as the Hethen doo and are assured that theyr heauenly Father dothe knowe what thinges thei haue nede of afore they aske of him Yet being taught of the Lord how vnto whom and what to pray they most obediently folowe his order forgiuing others theyr offēces as they them selues haue forgiuenes and desyre styll to be forgeuen of God These when they fast do it not to be sene of men but of theyr father which seeth in secret Of thys Church are they that gather them selues treasure together not vpon earthe but in heauen wher neither rust nor mothes corrupt wher theues nether breake vp nor steale These dependyng vpon the only prouidence of God though they ▪ abhorring idelnes do faithfully labour and trauaile euery one in their vocation the hādes working the eies looking the mouth speaking the fote going c. yet take they no vnlawfull care or thought for this life but fyrste seke the kingdom of God the righteousnes therof and so enioye at his hand the rich prouision of al necessary thinges with a good conscience Of this Church are thei that geue not that which is holy vnto dogges nether cast their pearles before swyne These aske and haue Seke and fynde knocke and the dore is opened vnto them These doynge vnto others as thei would be done vnto them selues entre in at the streight gate and bi the narrow way which ledeth vnto lyfe Of this Churche are the good trees ▪ that oute of the good treasure of the heart bring furth good fruitfull thinges As thei that beynge ware of false prophetes and herkening onely