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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01236	A Christian confession of the late moste noble and mightie prince, Friderich of that name the third, Count Palatine by [ye] Rhein, one of the electours of the holy Empire, and Duke in Bauire: wherein constantlie and meekelie he departed out of this world the 26. of October in the yere of our Lord God 1576. Taken word for word out of his last will and testament. Whereunto is added the Lantgraue his answere to the French King; Proclamations. 1620-07-01	Friedrich III, Elector Palatine, 1515-1576.; Johann Casimir, Pfalzgraf bei Rhein, 1543-1592.; Wilhelm IV, Landgrave of Hesse, 1532-1592.	1577 (1577)	STC 11348; ESTC S116026	25,880	96

and before hath deliuered vs from the sorowes and paine of hell So that from henceforth neither hell nor the deuill shal hinder or hurte vs in our saluatiō We beleue also with our heart that the third day he rose again from the dead And we are certainly persuaded first that by his resurrection hee hath ouercome death to the intent hee might make vs partakers of the righteousnes which he hath purchased for vs by his bitter passion and death And secondly that we also now by his power should bee resuscitated quickened to newnes of life And thirdly that the resurrection of Christe is a most certaine assurance vnto vs that as he is first risen vp againe from death so wee also at the last daye shal be raysed vp againe to life euerlasting And further wee also beleeue that Christ our Lorde truely and visiblie with his manifested manhoode which he had takē on him is ascēded vp into heauen there sitteth on the right hande of his heauenly Father that is to saye with heauēly and godly maiestie he sheweth him selfe vnto all the holy Angels and mē to be a head of his whole Church and from thence also truely and visiblie as he ascended vp hee shall againe come downe in the cloudes in the dominion and maiestie of his Father to iudge the liuing and the dead And yet notwithstanding wee confesse and acknowledge that albeit our Lord IESUS Christ true God and man according to his humane nature is now no more in earth but in heauen yet according to his Godhead maiestie grace and spirite hee neuer departeth from vs And wee litle esteeme that which is sayde by some that both the natures were so vnited and confounded in Christe as though his humane nature were in all places as the diuine is For seeing the diuine nature is incomprehensible and alwayes to bee found in all places it followeth necessarilie that it is both without the humane nature which was assumed also personallie vnited to the same euen as the diuine nature neuer left heauen when Christ was cōceaued in the wōbe of the blessed virgin And all this which our Lord Christ hath suffered and done we beleue and cōfesse that it hath bene done for the behoofe and benefit of vs that he thereby hath giuē him self vnto vs as our owne And besides the rest this comforteth vs most that we are assured that our flesh is alreadie in heauen that our Sauiour Christ Iesus sendeth down vnto vs frō thēce his holy ghost as a pledge By the inspiration power of whom we seeke the thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God his Father and not things here vpon earth Thirdly wee beleue and confesse that the holy Ghost with God the Father and God the sonne is a true only and eternall God secondly that he is giuē vnto vs to make vs partakers through a true faith in Christ of al his good giftes and benefites and further that he is our comforter and is with vs and will remaine with vs vntill the ende As touching the vniuersall Christian Church we beleue that the sonne of God hath out of all kinreds and generations of men chosen a congregation vnto him selfe for euerlasting life by the holie Ghost his godly word in the vnitie of true faith which frō the beginning of the world he hath gathered yet gathereth together preserueth defēdeth beleue also that we are a liuely member therof and so shall remaine eternally Of the communion of Saints we beleue and confesse that wee with al and euerie true beleuers as members of our Lord Jesus Christ haue a communion and societie in all his treasures and giftes and therefore we acknowledge that wee are debters of all such giftes as he hath imparted vnto vs to bestowe thē willingly and ioyfully to the profit helpe of others our commembers Wee beleeue and confesse also that God the Father for the satisfaction and ful paiment of Christ Iesus hath forgiuen and neuer will call to remembrance our sinnes or sinful inclinations and affections wherewith wee haue to fight all the dayes of our life but rather will giue and impute vnto vs the righteousnes of Christ Iesus So that wee neede not to bee afraid of the iudgement of God. Of the resurrection of the flesh we beleeue and confesse that not onely our soules when they shall be departed out of our bodies by temporall death are in the same instant takē vp and receiued vnto Christ their head but also that our flesh shal be in the last day vnited againe with our soules and made conformable vnto the glorious bodie of Christ Iesus Of life euerlasting we beleue and confesse that euen as now we feele in our hearts the beginning of an euerlasting ioy so after this life wee shall possesse an eternall blessednes which neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor any mās heart can conceiue God bee alwayes thāked praised therfore and thereto helpe vs God the Father Sonne and holie Ghost one true and euerlasting god Amen And for asmuch as without cause we haue bene suspected of many as though we helde beleued not in such sort of the holy and blessed Sacraments as became good Christians wee haue thought good immediatly after the former Confessiō of our faith to set down also in writing our plaine Confession of those pointes We therfore beleue and cōfesse both with our mouth hearte and penne that all Sacramentes aswell of the olde as newe Testament were appointed and ordained by God him selfe to this end that they all should signifie and pointe as with a finger vnto the bloudie offering of Christ Iesus once accōplished vpon the crosse as vndoubtedly all the patriarches and faithfull fathers in the olde Testament herewith onely comforted them selues in faith when they killed their lambes other beastes that after the same sorte the seede of the woman the Lord Iesus should be slaine and make a full satisfaction and paiment for the sinnes of the whole worlde And therefore the holie Sacraments as many hundred yeres hitherto in the scholes hath bene taught to youth and yet is are onely Sacrae rei symbola inuisibilis gratiae visibilia signa that is to say visible signes or seales of a holy thing namely of the grace of God in Christ Iesus whereby we are assured and made certain of that which otherwise in Gods worde by God him selfe and his holy Prophets Apostles hath bene promised vnto vs And we beleue and holde stedfastly that the Lorde God thought chieftiest vpon the weaknes and infirmitie of mans nature and as the only knower and searcher of heartes vnderstoode how hard it was for the nature of man to beleue the naked worde of God which is preached and declared in the holy Gospel And therefore he would also represent and set before our eyes such things which we daily vse and are most knowen vnto vs to quicken stirre

any one place els thē at this presēt sought by our prayers aboue in heauē honored inuocated as only present and bodily there If it be true that as hee ascended vp he shal come down again from heauen in the cloudes then is hee not alreadie before inuisible belowe And he shall not bee in al places visible and inuisible but visible in one place with his humane nature that is in the cloudes where he shall shew him selfe as a iudge of the liuing and of the dead He sendeth also his holy Spirit into the heartes of his electe to assemble and gather together vnto him amongest the generations of men frō the beginning of the worlde vnto the ende an vniuersall church or congregation which hath the verye same and like fellowshippe with their head Christ to whome he participateth all his heauēly benefits And this fellowshippe or communiō of the saints is not wrought by a visible or inuisible entrance of the bodie of Christ into our bodies but by the dwelling and working of the spirit of Christ in them and in vs We also which come vnto the Supper of the Lorde shall not nor can not haue anye other participation or habitation of CHRIST in vs then such as all the faithfull had which from the beginning of the worlde haue bene saued or such as they which cannot come vnto the communion now haue and shall retaine euerlastinglye Yea Christ in his holye supper wil impart giue vnto vs the fruition of himself no otherwise thē so farre in such sorte that he according to the vse of the said supper not onely in this life but in the life to come will euerlastinglye dwell and remaine with vs And seeing it is assured and certaine that hee giueth the fruition of him self vnto vs it is not to be thought that he wil againe incōtinently departe from vs as to the great dishonour of the Sōne of God hath bene forged by the papistes but will remaine in and with vs euerlastingly If he hath purchased vnto vs the forgiuenes of all our sinnes through his bitter passiō death vpon the crosse in case we shal receaue take applie and make the same proper vnto vs by true faith as the ful satisfactiō ransō for our sinnes then had he not a nature deified presēt in euery place but a very true humane visible cōprehēsible bodie also at the time subiect to death which was sin excepted in al thinges like vnto ours for otherwise we could not be saued fromour sinnes by him Hebrewes 2. If our fleshe shall rise againe from death be made partaking of euerlasting life through Christ then must our head Christ Iesus haue bene conuersant here in his trew humane nature and not alone in his godlie spirituall and inuisible nature present in euery place but retaine for euer the liknes and vnitie of his humane nature which it had and hath with our nature so that we may for euer bee his brethren and members of him planted and graffed in him as the braunches in the vine tree and so be and remaine alwaies his fleshe and his bones And lastlye if the communion of CHRIST and of all his giftes and benefites righteousnesse and lyfe euerlasting was not otherwyse purchased vnto vs then by his death vpon the crosse and otherwise cannot be obteined of vs but through trewe faith which the holy ghost worketh in our hearts then it is certaine that neither the vse of the holy Sacraments nor yet any other inward or outward worke ex opere operato that is by vertue of a worke done can make vs partakers of Christe or his benefits But the holye Sacramentes are godlye tokens and seales by which our faithe is strengthened and they doe directe and leade vs to the onelye offering of Christe which hath bene once made vpon the crosse for vs And there cannot come vnto vs anye such communion fellowshippe with Christ when we only heare outwardely the visible worde or promise of the Sacraments as whē inwardly we beleue the word of the Gospel which shal be heard and preached vnto vs And therfore although the visible signes may be abused by the vngodly wicked to their condēnation yet the inuisible and heauenly giftes and benefits which we apprehēd onely by our faith must onely be and remaine proper to the faithfull And in this cōfession and profession of our Christian and true faith both nowe and at al times we bequeath our soule when it shal be separated from our mortal bodie to the holie and vndiuided Trinitie God the Father our maker God the sonne our redeemer mediatour and onely Sauiour Christ Iesus God the holy Ghost our true comforte humblie beseching from the bottome of our heart our onely redeemer and sauiour Christ Iesus that hee would vouchsafe to holde his gratious mercifull and sauing hand ouer vs encrease our faith and graunt vnto vs a Christiā and good ende in perfect sense and memorie and when wee shal be separated from this earthlie bodie wofull vale of miserie that it would please him to carie and receiue vs vp into euerlasting rest peace and blessednes in his fathers kingdome which he hath promised purchased and prepared for vs and all the faithfull by his bitter death and shedding of his most pretious bloud to remaine there in the companie of his Sainctes and all true beleeuers in Christe Iesus And as we thinke to bee saued by this our former Christian confession and to appeare with a ioyful coūtenance before the iudgement seate of Christ Iesus So we admonish warne and praye our deare childrē heires and successours in most friendly sort as a true father also gratiouslie require such our subiects as by Gods ordināce haue bene cōmitted vnto vs our coūsellours officers and especiallie our Vniuersitie schoole ministers of what dignitie state or degree soeuer they be their successours we also ordaine cōmāde enioyne vnto thē euerie of thē by vertue of the immutable cōmandemēt of the almightie God of Abraham who said I know he will giue charge vnto his children his house after him that they may keepe the wayes of the Lorde and doe that which is good and right in his sight to the intent the Lord maye bring vpon Abraham that which hee promysed vnto hym And therefore wee will and commande with the greatest earnestnes charge zeale that we can that they not onely for their own persons persist cōstant vnto their end by this acknowleged confessed and blessed truth of the holie Gospel and former Christian cōfession wherby the horrible darknes of Poperie in our dayes through the vnspeakeable goodnes and mercie of almightie God hath bene confounded throwen downe And besides ioyfully and frankely confesse the same before God and the worlde neuer abalienate or withdraw them selues from the same to the intent that with vs as wee heartily desire they may bee partakers of euerlasting saluation But chiefly

A CHRISTIAN CONFESSION of the late moste noble and mightie Prince Friderich of that name the third Count Palatine by the Rhein one of the Electours of the holy Empire and Duke in Bauire wherein constantlie and meekelie he departed out of this world the 26. of October in the yere of our Lord God 1576. Taken word for word out of his last will and testament Whereunto is added the Lantgraue his answere to the French King. 1. Petri. 3. Be alwayes readie to giue answere to euerie man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Roman 10. If a man beleue Christ Iesus with his heart he shal be righteous If a man confesse him with his mouth he shal be saued Matth. 10. Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I acknowledge before my Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shal denie me before men him also will I denie before my Father which is in heauen Imprinted at London by Christopher Barkar ANNO. 1577. Iohn Casimire by the grace of God Count Palatine by the Rhein Duke in Bauire c. and appointed Lieutenant Generall of the said Palatinate besides the Rhein sendeth greeting ALthough the highe and mightie prince our entirelie beloued Lorde and father Friderich late Paltzgraue by the Rhein and Elector of the holie empire of worthie memorie in the whole time of his gouernement and especially in the yere of our lord god 1566 at the time of the diet holden at Augusta where he was present about the confession of his christian faith and also in the Cathechisme and booke of the reformation and orders of the churches in his dominions heretofore published hath sufficiently declared witnessed to the whole world that neither he him selfe held or mainteined nor in his landes and dominions had suffered to be set forth and published anie other kinde of religion then that which was in all partes agreeable vnto the doctrine of the holy prophetical and apostolical scriptures besides conformable with the confession of Augusta and apologie thereof as the same was allowed of by the Princes Estates assembled at Nawmburg yet sithe the time of the departure of our said lord and father out of this vale of miserie we haue partly our selues with our own eares heard and partly vnderstoode from other places to our great grief that it hath bene giuen out by some although vntruelie that our said father before his death should haue bene remoued from his former confession as though aforetimes he had proceeded to farre in such matters And albeit wee for our owne part sith the time that by the grace of God we were called out of Poperie haue alwayes taken and founde his said Confession to be no otherwise then Christian groūded in the infallible word of God and especially at the time of the said dyet of Augusta where we attended vpon our said father and by his commandemēt exhibited the bookes of the holie Bible and Confession of Augusta before the Electours and other Princes of the Empire then present and the Commissioners Ambassadours of those which were absent Out of which in our said fathers behalf we desired that an other and better confession might bee shewed and taught vnto him where seeing none of them brought any thing at al against our said fathers confessiō wee were at that time the more confirmed therein And since according to the same haue not onely with heart and mouth professed but also being accompanied with diuers noble men other vertuous honest persones fearing God haue at two seueral times sufficiently in the face of the whole worlde witnessed our zeale therein And yet in like sort as we haue bene enformed it hath bene imputed vnto vs that if we were not wholy departed remoued from our fathers said Cōfession yet at the lest we were become somewhat lesse earnest then before For which cause seeing our said Lord and father in the absence of the noble mightie Prince Ludouick Palzgraue by the Rhein now Electour of the holie Empire our welbeloued Lord and brother about the space of one moneth before his departure called and sent for vs in this place vnto him where we remained with him still vntill his ende in which time we vnderstoode from himselfe that not onely the aboue mentioned Confession heretofore published was with his owne hands made but also that he had caused the same to be written and inserted in his last will and testament And further are witnesses that we haue both heard seene that vntil his last breath he with good remēbrance and great constancie cōtinued in the profession of the same and so blessedly departed in our Lord Christ Iesus And where as afterwards our said welbeloued brother comming hither and with common cōsent opening the said will and testament which in the meane time remained not onely vntouched by anie person but also kept vnder the handes and seales of good and sufficient witnesses and further was in euerie leafe subscribed with our said fathers owne hande we not onely founde therein contained his aboue mentioned Confession but also that we his children appointed executours of his said last will vpon paine of the auoiding of Gods displeasure anger and curse and eternall and worldly punishment by vertue and power of Gods immutable precept of obedience due vnto him were commanded and enioyned both to mainteine our said fathers confession and also to do our endeuours for the planting and spreading of it further For which cause with a good conscience as we trust and also without any discredit or preiudice to our fathers said will and for diuers other weightie and necessarie causes wee could not any lōger forbeare for knowledge of the truth answering of such reportes as haue bene vntruely bruted and spred abroad to the contrarie openly to giue herewith a true testimonie of the saide matter causing the said Confession as it was word for word written and inserted in our fathers said testament to be published and printed To the intent that the duetiful accomplishment and fulfilling of his said last and deare will which is not onely committed to the charge of the Electour our said lord brother although to him chiefly but also to his subiectes Counsellours officers and especially to the vniuersitie here the Schole and ministers also to the whole posteritie euery man in particular as is expressely conteined in the said testament might be knowen vnto them and they thereby vnderstande their duetie what they haue to do and further euerie person whatsoeuer be thereby assuredlie perswaded in his conscience that our sayd lord and father in no other confession nor in any erronious condemned opinion but in a most Christian confession and acknowledging of the infallible and inuincible truth of our common true and auncient Christian faith departed most godlie out of this vale of miserie into euerlasting ioye and quietnes By which confession as grounded vpon the right rocke Christ Iesus our Lord

principally wee desire them as Christian and godlie Princes magistrates to whom the defence and propagatiō of Gods knowē veritie is by almightie God him selfe verie earnestly imposed and commanded as their chiefest and highest office that they would with all diligence haue a due regarde that the holy and blessed Gospell and the onely trueth of God which is infallible and shal not passe away but remaine for euer may be preached and taught vnto all their subiectes others appertaining vnto them according to the contentes of the Prophetical and Apostolical scriptures purely and vnfalsified that through the blessing of almightie God the same may be stil planted inherited and professed by their successours and posteritie to the intēt they may be partakers of the rich and gratious promise of our Lorde and Sauiour IESUS Christ saying Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof the rest shall fall or be giuen vnto you truely assuredly confirming strengthening them selues with the commandemēt comfort of almightie God which he gaue to his louing true seruant Iosua in these wordes Be strong and of a most valiant courage that thou maiest obserue do all things according to the law which Moyses my seruant hath commaunded thee Turne not from it neither to the right hand nor to the left that thou maiest prosper and proceade wisely in all that thou hast to do And let the booke of the Lawe neuer depart frō thy mouth but meditate vpō it day night that thou maiest do and obserue al thinges according as it is written therein Secondlie for as much as both nowe and alwayes it hath so come to passe that when Gods worde and holie Sacramentes haue bene in any place taught administred purelie clerely and without darkenes or falsehoode and almightie God by his blessed worde hath gathered vnto him a Churche that then immediatlie and forthwith the enemie of Christian faith the raging deuil partlie soweth his weedes amōg it and partly opposeth him self assaulteth it with his whole forces might goeth about by al meanes he can not only to ouerthrow quench it with his outward power but also by stirring vp of diuers diuisions cōtentions false erronious opinions which also in the time of our gouernmēt as is wel knowē vnto all men not without some daūger haue also happened vnto vs especially in the some vnquiet and contentious persons of mere ambition setled hatred whereas they could not publish a better booke of their owne went about and verie earnestly laboured to slaunder cauill the Cathechisme and booke of the orders and reformation of our Church which we caused to be published and to bring the same into suspicion by sondrie simple and well meaning people All which notwithstanding by the helpe and grace of almightie God whilest we suffered our selues not to be caried away frō the right line of Gods worde nor to be made afraide by any respect of outward power but truly and cōstantly follewed our office and calling in the end wonderfully contrarie to all mens expectation with great and apparant benefit both worldly eternall and many other blessings commodities which happened to our people which did at length submitte them selues obediently vnto the manifest trueth we outstoode ouercame them all and out of Gods worde haue stopped the mouthes of such as so opposed and set them selues against our said Christian Cathechisme booke of orders so as to our great comfort the eyes of many haue bene thereby opened and brought to the right vnderstanding of our true Christian religion and confession of pure doctrine We therefore praye admonish and warne our deare childrē also our Counsellours officers ministers subiectes especially our Vniuersitie and Church at Heydelberg that seeing the malice deceipt and subtiltie of the diuell and so the daūgers of true faithfull Christians are like euerie daye more and more to encrease and waxe greater They would in consideratiō of such imminent perils haue a more true diligent and earnest regarde thereto not onely to set forwarde this good worke as they minde to auoyde the heauie anger and displeasure of almightie GOD and his euerlasting and worldlie punishment vpon them and tender the saluation of them selues and their posteritie but also not suffer them selues to bee feared turned awaye or seduced from this knowen and confessed trothe for any contentions alreadie entered into the Churche feare of offending respectes of persones deceiptes and other subtilties of this vayne worlde but rather open their eyes awake take heede do their best endeuours that in such places of our dominions as gods trothe hath alreadie bene taught and receiued may there still and constantly be retained kept and increased And in case the same hitherto through any empechementes of the wicked diuell and other defaultes shall not haue bene perfectly in al places established knowen and rooted in our said subiectes that then in such place or places by the grace and meanes of almightie God Christ Iesus they would procure that the same may be broght in taught planted to the euerlasting and temporall profit and benefit of our said subiectes Especially for the third point we will pray our deare sonnes to beware take heede of all contentious vnquiet ministers in churches scholes which in these times go about to stirre vp in matters of faith religion sondrie euill cōtentions and strifes about words vsing vnprofitable condēnations censures against other Christian Churches Scholes which neuertheles agree in the principall foundation and chiefe articles of the Christian faith and repose the saluation of their soules vpon the onely Sauiour and redeemer Christ Iesus going about by ambition and peruerse zeale to bring in and erect a pretended iurisdiction of a holy Ghost and euē as in time of blasphemous Poperie seeking both to rule and haue dominion ouer the consciences of magistrates and subiectes and to constitute a newe supremacie whereby not onely diuisions and bitternes of mindes both in temporall and spirituall gouernementes haue followed to the ouerthrowe and ruine of them But also thereby occasion hath bene giuen to the Pope and his followers to persecute our true and Christian religion with fyre and sworde banishmentes and other paines and punishments and thereby to establish and confirme his own tyrannie the more As the more is the pitie manie examples partly already heretofore happened euen in our dayes in some Electours and Princes houses among other straunge nations our neighbours where the holie Gospell a long time hath had a swaye and partly of late tyme sprong vp might be produced to declare sufficiently what miserable diuisiōs calamities and misfortunes haue happened thereby where unto also al Christian magistrates Churches and scholes ought to beholde and looke vnto as in a glasse And therefore we would haue them as much as in them shall lie to beware of such daungerous vnquiet persones enemies of