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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03087	A simple, and religious consultation of vs Herman by the grace of God Archebishop of Colone, and prince Electour. [et] c. by what meanes a Christian reformation, and founded in Gods worde, of doctrine, administration of the deuine sacramentes, of ceremonies, and the hole cure of soules, and other ecclesiastical ministeries may be begon among men committed to our pastorall charge, vntil the Lorde graunt a better to be appoynted either by a free, and Christian cou[n]sayle, general, or national, or elles by the states of the empire of the natio[n] of Germanie, gathered together in the holye Gost; Einfaltigs Bedencken, warauff ein christliche in dem Wort Gottes gegrünte Reformation an Lehr, Brauch der heyligen Sacramenten un Ceremonien, Seelsorg und anderem Kirchendienst, biss auff eines freyen, christlichen, gemeinen oder nationals Concilii, oder dess Reichs Teutscher Nation Stende, im Heyligen Geyst versamelt, Verbesserung, bei denen so unserer Seelsorge befohlen, anzurichten seye, English	Wied, Hermann von.; Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560.; Bucer, Martin, 1491-1551.	1547 (1547)	STC 13213; ESTC S103980	258,817	620

into the people in sermons ¶ The article of the trinitie AL though mannes reason vnderstandeth not the nature of God yet God hath opened hym selfe in the worde and in his sonne that we maye knowe him asmuch as he hath reuelated him selfe and calle vpon him After whiche sorte whan we calle vpon God the father there is a greate difference betwene our inuocation and the inuocation of all other people and nations and this difference cōsisteth cheifely in ij pointes One is that inuocation thus ordered is derected to the true and natural God Thother is that our inuocation so vsed must needes please God and not be voyde and frustrate Wherfore the preachers must teach out of the holy scripture of the true and almightie Thre persōs but one substaunce God the father the onely begotten sonne and the holie goste that they be one God of the same deuine nature and power but yet three distincted personnes And that thys one God made and maynteneth all thynges Further that the sonne of God by the vnspeakeable purpose and vnmeasurable mercie of God dyd put on mannes nature that he might be a sacrifice and a raunsome for vs and that these two natures that is to saye mannes nature and Goddes is one and vndiuided personne Iesus Christe Two natures vnited in Christ Howe be it these two natures be so knytte in Christe that they be not confounded or mixte but eche hath by it selfe his owne substaunce and proprietie As al these thynges are well knowen out of the worde of God administred by the Apostles and Prophetes and be declared in sundry confessions of the holie fathers agaynste sundrie heresies in the crede made in the counsel of Nice and in the crede of Athanasius Item in the agreable decrees and confestions of the olde and very holy counselles as Nicene Cōstātinopolitane Ephesine Calchedonēse cōstātinopolitane againe Further by the wrytinges of the fathers cōsēting herunto whiche faught earnestly for the worde of God as by the bokes of Athanasius Basilius Nazianzenus and Augustine it appeareth Wherfore the sentence and doctrine of thys article muste be diligently propouned to the people and commended and defended that the true knowledged of God may be mayntayned and that we maye retayne a difference betwene the inuocation of christian men and other nations whiche is verye necessarye namely that thou mayste call vpon thys true God the father of Iesus Christe together wyth his sonne Iesus Christe and the holie gooste whiche hath reueyled hym selfe in the sonne for whose sake he wyll be mercifull and wyll geue the holie gooste to them that thus call vpon hym in fayeth whiche also stireeth vp in the hertes of men the true knowledge of God feare fayeth and other motions The differēce betwene the i●uocation of Christians and other nations of newe lyfe For thoughe the excellente Philolophers among the heathē the Iewes and the Mahometistes do glorye that they worshyppe not ymages and Idolles but the eternal God maker of heauē and earth of mē and of all other thinges neuertheles semge that they wil not acknowledge thys God whiche hath opened him selfe in his word by his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ they do not worship and call vpon the true God but they worshippe the vayne imaginations of their owne hertes and handes Neither can they persuade them selues that God is mercifull vnto them and heareth them because they refuse the Gospell and the onelye mediatoure And therfore their inuocation can in no wyse be directed to the true God the father of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ but these men imagin to thē selues A peculiar God whiche is not the father of oure mediatour Iesus Christe and therfore is not the true God for whiche cause they can not persuade them sellues that theyr prayers be harde Their inuocation then hāgeth and abideth in the vayne deuices of theyr owne reason in images and Idoles stāding before thē and they remaine verie straūgers and abominable to the true God bicause they lyue without Christ and the worde of God as Christ sayeth he that honoureth not the sonne honoureth not the father And Paule to the Roma v. thorowe Christe we haue entraunce vnto the father Thus God also reueiled hym selfe to Iohn How the holy Trinitie was reueiled to Iohn Baptiste at the baptisme of Christ the sonne of Zacharie that he afterwarde mighte instructe the churche of true knowledge and right inuocation for in thys sorte God eternall the father witnesseth his sōne Thys is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased the sonne him selfe standeth at baptisme the holie goste cōmeth downe opēly vpon him to testifie that the holie gooste should be geuen both to Christ and to his cōgregation Wherfore thre personnes appeared in thys place This appering thē ought to be wel considered of euerie christen man whiche chaunced not for Ihon his sake onely but for the whole congregation his sake that the same might offre praiers to the only eternall and almightie God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ which made al thinges with the eternal sōne and the holy gost And whiche also wyl heare the churche gouerne and sanctifie it wyth his holy spirite for Christe the mediatoure his sake The wordes of Baptisme signifie the same thinge wheras it is saied I baptise the A declaration of the wordes of baptisme in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie goste For here be three personnes numbred of one equall power and diuitie to whō alone the whole cause of our saluatiō is ascribed for thys is the meaning of the wordes I baptise the that is to saye I testifie by thys token of dipping or sprinklynge that thy synnes be forgeuen the and that thou art receyued into the grace of the eternall and the true God the father of Iesus Christ and that for this his sōnes sake Item that the holie gooste shal worke in the effectuouslie Surely thys is an highe doctrine and aboue mannes wysedome of the nature wyl and efficacie of God towardes vs whiche maketh a difference betwene vs and al heythen comprehending most ample promises as we wyll declare herafter of whiche promises it is very requisite that the people be admonished as often as the texte of the scripture requireth it that the congregation maye be well instructed of the one and singuler diuine substaunce and of the there personnes For thys article muste be obserued of al mē and exercised in our dayly inuocation And our inuocation muste be discerned frō the inuocation of the heathen the Iewes and the mahometistes that we do beleue that God certaynly heareth vs if in oure prayer we apprehende the mediatour wherof no heathen Iewe no mahometist can certifie hym selfe For thus we must pray Almightie and eternal god the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ which with thy A fourme of christen prayer onely begotten sonne and the holy gost madest al thinges and preseruest the

holie scripture the priestes haue nothyng more then the lay men but all thynges are commune to both and one breade of the Lorde and one cuppe is sette before al men togyther and equally Thus the Lorde instituted thus the olde churche obserued alwayes Therefore none other thynge coulde be instituted of mē neither dyd the fathers euer institute anie other thynge But in these later tymes when the gouernours of congregations dyd vtterlie neglecte theyr office thys abuse crepte in secretely that in the holy supper the Lordes breade onely should be distributed whether priestes or laye men dyd communicate But that all the abuses that haue crepte into thys Sacrament maye be vtterly takē away and rooted vp by the true vse of thys Sacrament whiche the Lorde hym selfe cōmaunded the pastours and preachers shall diligently warne and exhort the people that as often as they come togyther to the holie supper of the Lorde with the bretherne they gyue them selues wholy to the Lorde to be his disciples that they thynke that all his wordes be spoken vnto them and that they beleue them certeynely that they feruently desire the communion of the Lorde to be encreased in them and that they receyue the same offered in the Sacramēt wyth a faithfull and thankeful minde briefely that they euer go forwarde in the faith of Christ and in the whole newe lyfe wyth Christ neither stande there as dispisers of so great gyftes whiche in the holie supper be offered to all that are present nor make to them selues an hurtfull spectacle of a blessed teaste Surely he that is not meete to receyue the Sacrament is not meete neither to praye wyth the cōgregation as S. Chrisostome doth rightly gather Thys Sacrament is not only the meate of the stronger but also the medicine of the weake onely lette no man receyue it whiche sticketh in synnes agaynste his conscience For he that cōtinueth in such sinnes wyll not lyue in Christe the Lorde he refuseth his communion in dede and vtterly renounceth Christ and his kyngdome Wherfore he must absteyne frō those Sacramētes in whiche the cōmunion of Christe is exhibited And such sticke also in the condemnation of hell and haue no parte in the kyngdome of Christe Wherfore they can neither be present nor ought to be present at the holie supper nor pray wyth the congregation For no man that determineth to continue in open synnes and in the despite of God can call vpon God his father wyth true fayth and praye for the sanctification of his name the commyng of his kyngdome and obedience of his wyll But they that repent them selues of theyr synnes that desire the grace of God and reteyne the cōmunion and lyfe in Christe our Lorde and wishe the same to be encreased in them neither be commaunded by the congregation to absteyne these men I saye maye muche lyfte vp and conforte them selues wyth fayth and kendle them selues wyth the desire of a newe lyfe thorowe the participation of Sacramentes at euerie supper whereat they be present Therfore they ought not in anie wyse to despice so great bountuousnes of Christ the Lorde beinge freely offered to them but 〈◊〉 ther receyue it wyth mooste feruent 〈◊〉 and great thankefulnes remembryng 〈◊〉 blessed worde of the Lorde alluryng● 〈…〉 to him Come vnto me al ye that 〈…〉 Item take eate thys is my bodie 〈…〉 of thys al thys is my bloude etc. 〈…〉 thys meate and drynke he truly refresheth and receyueth vs vnto euerlastyng lyfe The fathers in the primitiue church which obserued the Apostles tradition estemed so muche these wordes of Christ that they excōmunicated them that were present at the Lordes supper and woulde not be parte takers of the sacramentes wyth the rest For thys cause was that ordeined that we reade distinct ij of the cōstitutions whē the consecration is ended let al cōmunicate they that wil not let them not come into the temple For so the Apostles ordeyned and the holie Romaine churche holdeth Lo this decree speaketh of one consecration and it requireth that al that be present do cōmunicate and that vndre the payne of excōmunication It witnesseth also that the Apostles so constituted whiche had receiued it of the Lorde Item that the Romaine church doth so holde which thinge also al other cōgregations obserued as many as had ●eteined thordinaūce of the lorde of thapostles This is the cause why S. Chrisostome so sore rebuked thē whiche in his cōgregation taried in the temple at the celebration of the Lordes supper yet did not cōmunicate and he saied that they stode at the Lordes supper vnshāfastly and stubburnly and not wythout the dispite of Christ and cōtempt of his so great bountuousnes which he offereth vs in the holie supper For thei that be not the mēbres of Christ neither of true repētaūce and griefe of their synnes seeke renuinge of lyfe in Christe but wil cōtinue in their sinnes willingly or haue offended the cōgregation of Christe with so greuous sinnes that except they first repent and approue them selues wyth a better lyfe thei cā not come to the Lordes borde al these whiles the Lordes moste holy supper is ministred oughte to be awaye and not once to beholde the Sacrament of the Lorde as S. Chrisostome with greate grauitie warneth and that out of the deede and wordes of the Lorde whiche as he hym selfe did so he cōmaunded that this supper shoulde not be celebrated but wyth his disciples wyth suche I saye which haue gyuen them selues to his worde which desire remission of synnes and saluation out of true repētaunce and griefe of synnes which be made part takers of the newe Testamēt and be the sonnes of God Al which thinges as we shewed before are cōprehēded in the very wordes of the Lorde As the pastours then muste deligently teache and dissuade them whiche wyth the rest of the congregation can not communicate bycause they sticke in open synnes that they be not present at the holie supper and testifie vnto them that if they stande at the supper wyth suche a mynde they do spite vnto Christe and that it shall be damnation vnto them So they muste also diligently warne and exhort them which wyth a good conscience may be present at the supper that is to saye whiche truly beleue in Christ the Lorde that they receyue the Sacramentes wyth other membres of Christe But forasmuch as thys institution of the Lorde that all they whiche be present at the same supper of the Lorde should communicate of one breade and cuppe his bodie and bloude is to muche out of vse and couered a greate whyle sithens thorowe commune ignoraunce it shall be needefull to call men backe agayne treateably and gently to the obseruation of thys tradition of the Lorde and they muste beware that the myndes of the simple whiche neuertheles be the true disciples of the Lorde and are entangled in no mischiuous and wycked actes for the whiche they shoulde be restrayned from the Lordes

❧ A simple and religious consultation of vs Herman by the grace of God Archebishop of Colone and prince Electour c. by what meanes a Christian reformation and founded in Gods worde Of doctrine administration of the deuine Sacramentes of Ceremonies and the hole cure of soules and other ecclesiastical ministeries may be begon among men committed to our pastorall charge vntil the lorde graunt a better to be appoynted either by a free and Christian coūsayle general or national or elles by the states of the Empire of the natiō of Germanie gathered together in the holye Gost ¶ Imprinted in the yere of our Lorde 1547. The. xxx of October I. D. ¶ We Herman by Gods grace archbishop of Colone Archchaunceler in Italye of the holye Romayne Empire And prynce Electour Duke of Westphalia and Angaria administratour of Padebourne wysheth to al them that shal reade heare and vnderstand this our boke grace peace and blisfulnes from God our father through our Lorde and onely sauiour Iesus Chryst IT is knowne to al men manifestly that our most redouted Emperour Charles our moost gratious Lorde hath ryght diligently sought sondry waies in many counsels wyth the prynces Electours and other princes and states of the holye Romayne Empire in Germany wherby these daūgerous and pernicious dissēcion altercatiō in holi religion myght be taken away and a general and christian consent and reformation of congregations myght be appoynted and in troduced through the whole nation of Germanye But because the Emperours maiestie could not hitherto deuyse and constitute this general and godly concorde and reformatiō of churches he for a godly cause and very christian purpose enioyned and commaunded in the counsayle last assembled at Ratespone with the bishpop of Romes Legate to al prelates that among them selues and their diocesanes they shoulde begyne a christian correction of ecclesiastical matters which myght helpe to a comely and holsom administration of the congregations and that they shoulde propoune the same to the congregation to be obserued and mayntain it with ernest diligence and suche faythfulnes as becometh ecclesiastical persos in thys matter neither should haue any regarde of theim whiche woulde hyndre or staye thys godlye purpose because he trusted that by this meane a more cōmodious way myghte be made to the ordring refurming of churches and that mens mindes might be prepared the soner to cōsent to a cōsultatiō of religion Besides this the states of our dominion haue earnestlye required of vs in manye conuocations that we would make a godly and christian reformation And moreouer in the last Conuocation at Bone the Erls Knightes Gentilmen and cities of our dominion committed vnto vs that after the sayd maner we should procure a reformation of congregations to bee gathered to gether and to bee pubblished and propouned to the congregations committed vnto o●●● charge whiche they shoulde obserue 〈◊〉 hereunto that we our selues by most certain arguments of God do perceiue daily howe grate nede of amēdement our cōgregacions haue because they be vtterlye destitute of godlie and lerned ministers and therefore no sincere and certayne doctrine is handled amōg our men where as yet the same ought alwaies to be preched and taught before old men and younge For we perceiue that of thys neglectinge of perfecte and pure doctrine horrible ignorance of God pernitious supersticion vnbelefe most greuous fautes and confusion of all good thinges folowe necessarely Therefore whan we perceyued that the saide thynges preuailed horribly it semed that we ought to make no longer delaie but rather we thought vpon the emendation of these thinges and consulted aboute the same ernestly cheifely in this our extreme olde age which surely warneth vs that we must shortely come before the iudgement seate of Christ where we knowe that we must giue an accompe of this office enioyned vnto vs. Wherefore that we myght first shewe oure selues obedient to our saniour and the Lord Christe the prynce of pastours and to hys flocke and secōdly acknowlege our supreme officer the emperour and finally seke the preseruacion and correction of religion among the people of Christe committed vnto oure charge accordinge to the office of a bishoppe enioyned vnto vs we haue applied our hole diligence hereunto accordinge to our simplicitie and the gifte which the almightie hath graūted to vs that we might finde out some meane to reforme ecclesiasticall doctrine beinge so necessarie in thys greate perturbacion of thinges which afterwarde we mighte propoune to our men wherein if we should not do our dutie surely we shoulde stirre vp greater anger of God to warde vs and all godlie men perceiue that vndoubted and vn couerable destruction of soules wold folow thereof Wherefore we nether woulde nor coulde delaie our purpose of a reformacion Therefore we called to our cōsultation manie men and those exercised men and endued wyth the feare of God and wyth spirituall wisdōe and lerninge with whom after that we had had longe communication we considered al thinges faithfulli and at the last we ordanied the forme and preparation folowinge of restoringe ecclesiastical doctrine and discipline amonge our men And thought I be their vnworthye bishop yet I was lawefully made both archbishoppe and curate of soules And sette not furth this same forme and maner of a reformation as thought nothinge coulde be amēded or chaunged in it or as though other ought in anie wise to folowe it Thorough the grace of God we acknowledge the weaknes of our faith and the slendernes of our iudgemēt in these matters of so greate difficultie cōcerning the heauen lie kingdome of our Lorde Iesu Christe and our saluation But because our dere Lord Iesus Christe praised his father and gaue hym thāckes also for that that he had hidden the misteries of the heauenlie kyngdome from the prudent and wise mē of this world and had opened them to the simple and despised and commaunded his holesome gospel to be preached without differēce to the lerned and vnlerned that they might attain euerlasting saluacion and moreouer promised hys spirite by whom we vndrestande and receiue those thinges whiche he hymselfe giueth vs in the gospel for our euerlastinge saluation asmanie as would seke the same in the name of his dere sonne our Lord Iesus Christ as Christe hymselfe witnesseth it shoulde not haue becomed vs whiche professe the name of Christe execute the office of a bishoppe though we graūte we do not satisfy in both I meane in Chriistan life and in the office of a bishoppe to doubte of grace and gifte of God and to distruste God our most mercifull heauenlie father as though he myght not be moued with our praiers and the godlie praiers of oure men to gene vs mercifulli his hollye spirite whereby we myght lerne of his gospel to adourne our office enioyned by him and to dispose and ordain that the peple cōmitted to our charge be faithfully and diligently taught by godlie and mete ministers howe thorough

true and liuelie fayth they shoulde acknowledge oure Lorde Iesus Christ and confesse him to be the only sauiour and calle for his helpe in al trobles with a verie trust and exercise them selues in such worckes as in dede be good and fruteful in the holye sacramētes and other ceremonies of the church accordinge to Christes institution that godlines maie daily encrease more and more and that al thinges which be contrarie to Godes worde all sinnes and offences that be crept in to the church of God maye be abolisched wherefore attributinge nothinge ether to our wisdome or to the wisdome and doctrine of other but only encouraged and trusting in the true grace and sure promise of God the father and in the merite and strenghth of our Lord Iesus Christ the only hed and vigilant pastour of hys comgregation we haue determined to set furth accordynge to oure simplicite these thynges thus gathered after diligent deliberacion and correction asmuch as coulde be done in shorte tyme and asmuch as God helped vs wyth hys grace for some reformacion of Christian discipline For we graunte that it is our office to fede christes shepe and faithfully to loke to the congregacions cōmitted vnto vs. And we cal God our creator to witnesse whiche is euerlastinge truth and knoweth the hertes and seeth al thoughtes that we in al this matter of reformation seke nether our owne glorie nor oure priuate commodite but only haue respecte hereunto that the glorie of the almightie maye bee mooste largely set furth to the euerlastinge saluacion of oure men Therfore we besech al christen men of what condicion soeuer thei be which shal reade o● heare this our preparation of a reformation by our Lord Iesus Christ whose cause matter and busines is hādled in this boke if thei shal finde anie thinge in it that shal not seme to be agreable to goddes worde and make to the true edificacion of fayth in Christe whiche resteth in the augmentacion of goddes encrease that they wil certifie vs thereof and gently teach vs out of the holie scriptur We wyll take the same by goddes grace in good parte and gladli embrace those thinges that we shal perceiue to helpe to the reparation of the church and we be readie to do them more diligently than it is set furth in this boke that nothinge wante to the nessarie reformacion of the church And contrarie wise we require of them that if they shal perceiue that the Lord hath mercifully giuē vs to attain his meaninge and wil they wil helpe vs wyth their beniuolence and diligence asmuch as they maye that these thinges as the holsome commaundementes of oure maker redemer iugde Iesus Christ maye be sette furth chiefely seing that they vnder stand that it becōmeth vs in nowyse in those thinges whiche we surely knowe to be enioyned and commaunded vnto vs by oure God and sauiour out of hys worde to differ any lōger either for the authorite and power of anie men or for the expectacion of a councell generall or nationall the thinges which perteine to the glorie of God and of his most dere sonne and the saluation of the people but rather as commodiously as we maye to propone the same to be obserued of our men and other asmuch as the almightie will helpe vs with hys diuine grace whiche we wishe to al them that seke the same truly thorough our Lord Iesus Christ As we cōmende vnto them this our obedience such as it is in this our purpose whiche we owe to the diuine maieste with al our subiectes and our office desiringe the same children of god which with a sincere herte wishe the amplification of Christes kingdom to whome vndoubtedly our necessarie diligence though it be slender shal be acceptable that they with their godlie praiers will diligentlye ayde in this our purpose and ministerie vs and our subiectes Which thinge how acceptable it was vnto vs we desire to declare to euerie one whan we shal be able ❧ Giuen at Buschonie ❧ A Table of the principall Articles in this boke of a Reformacion OF Doctrine That some Lesson muste be resited out of the holye Scripture before a Sermon and declared vnto the people That al Sermōs must be made to the magnifiyng of the Lord Christ Of the Trinitie Of the creacion and gouernaunce of all thynges Of the cause of synne and death Of original sinne and mannes wekenes before regeneration Of the olde Testament Of the difference of the olde and newe Testament Of preachyng peculiar to the newe Testament Of the preachyng of Repentaunce Of the true and proper vse of Goddes lawe A short exposition of the .x. commaundementes Of remission of synnes and iustification Of good workes Of the true and natural significatiō of this worde fayth Of the crosse and tribulations Of the church of God Of the vnitie or concorde of the church Of christian prayer A short exposition of the Lordes praier Of the abuse in prayer Of the true and false vse of Images Of Christian fast Of holy offerynges A premoniciō and commaundement against the errours of the Anabaptistes Of the administration of religion Of Sacramentes generally Of Baptisme The fourme of a Catechisme before Baptisme The exorcisme Of the administration of Baptisme Howe Baptisme must be administred at times not prescribed Of Confirmation Of the Lordes Supper At what tyme the Lordes Supper ought to be celebrated Of the cōmuniō of straungers and sickfolke Howe sicke persōs must be visited and how we must celebrate the cōmunion with thē Of communion in priuate houses for menne in health Of turning from sins and true repentaunce Of excommunication Of the makyng of Pastours Of the blessyng of Mariages Of Buriyng Of holy and feastful dayes Of fastyng dayes and Lent Of the difference of meates Of certayne other ryghtes or ceremonies of the church Of ecclesiastical rites vpon working daies Of peculiar dayes of procession Of Letany Of commune almes Of scholes for chyldren Of scholes of Diuinitie Of disputation By what meanes a christian reformation of holy ministerie and cure of soules maye be begunne and practised in parishes Of refourmyng of canonical colleges Of the reformation of monasteries both of men and women Of free and not Monasticall Colleges of virgins Of the ordre of selbrethren and laye brethrē The ende of the table Of Doctrine OUR sauiour Gods sonne Iesus Christ which cam into this world to the intent to open that wonder ful and hyd wil of God concernyng the saluation of mankynd after this sort spake to his disciples and to all them that are called to the ministery of his Gospel As the father hath sente me so I sende Iohn x. Marke the last Chap. you And in another place Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to euery creature teachyng theim to kepe all thynges that I haue cōmaunded you Further God eternal the father of our Lord Iesu Chryst Mat. iii. xvii spake thus from heauen of hys sonne Him heare

ye Wherefore let vs constitute hym a Doctoure of authoritie and iudge of all writinges Peruse Cypriās boke ij Epistle iij. And that Christ ought only to be heard the father witnesseth also from heauen saying this is my sonne in whom I am well pleased heare hym Wherfore if Christ only oughte to be hearde we must not looke what any mā before vs hath thought good to bee doone but what Christe fyrste dyd whych is before all All preachinges ought to be taken out of the holie scriptures Forasmuch as thā this doctrine of God the father and of oure Lorde Jesus Chryst is taught in no wrytinges but in the wrytynges of the Propheies and the Apostles and seyng that there is none other doctrine wherin the wyll of God from the begynnyng concernyng mannes saluation is set furth with more certayne and strong testimonies Paule saiyng also that the churche Ephe. ij is buylded therupon it is ryght necessary that al the ministers of the Gospel read often pondre the hole deuine scripture with the feare of God and exquisite diligence both that they them selues maye be better learned and also that they may enstruct other of the euerlastyng wyl of God of the law of synne of the wrath of God of grace and ryghteousnes promysed for Chryst the mediatour of lyfe euerlastyng and paynes euerlasting which the dispisers of the word must nedes suffre This wysdome as Paule witnesseth to the Corinth doth far excel al mans wisdom For he saith we speake the wisdome of God in mistery which is hid whych God predestinated before the worldes vnto our glory whyche none of the prynces of this worlde hath knowne but God hath opened it vnto vs by his spirit i. Corin. xi Wherefore forasmuch as God hathe propouned vnto vs this his holesome and heauenlye doctryne onely in the writynges of the Prophetes of the holy Apostles and because we cannot receiue the same certaine and vndouted els where al shepherdes preachers ought to exercyse them selues diligently daye and nyght in these holy and deuyne bokes that they may be apter to teach other As the holy S. Ciprian to Pompeius agaynst Stephanes Epistle I● behoueth a byshop not only to teach but also to learne For he dothe better teache which dayely encreaseth and profiteth in learnynge better thynges Se. s Augu. also boke v. of Baptisme agaynste the Donatistes Cha. xvi Gost requireth it in them by name that they declare and shewe them selues approued to God and such workemen of Christ as nede not to be ashamed of their mynistery and whych also may rightly deuide the word of truth and teach other with fruite ij Timoth. ij Item that they holde fast that faythful word whych is accordyng to doctryne that they may bee able to exhort thorough holsome doctrine and to conuince the agaynsayers therof Titu i. In which deuine precept propouned to al teachers ministers of congregations the pastours and preachers shall obserue diligently Fyrst that it is required of thē that in teachyng they hold fast the certayne and faythful word that is to say to whych certayne and vndouted fayth ought to be geuē Wherof it foloweth that thei must take ryght diligent hede that they myngle none opinions of men with their doctryne and preachyng but that they teache religiously and deliuer to the people the syncere worde Ther be ma ▪ of God For this saiyng is euer true Euery man is a lyar Psalm Cxvi And Paule saith The natural man vnderstandeth not those thynges that be of the spirite of God for thei be folyshnes vnto hym and he cannot perceiue them i. Cori. ij After the same sort sayth Esay xl Al flesh is grasse and al the glory therof is as the flour of the felde the grasse wythereth and the floure fadeth But the word of the lorde abideth for euer Seing then that men of theyr owne nature be deceyued and can not of them selues vnderstande the doctrine of grace and seinge that theyr glorie or excellencie by whiche worde the prophete would chiefely signifie mannes wysedome falleth awaye lyke a floure howe can mannes reason and wisdome when it is not guyded and directed by the spirite and worde of God perceyue and teache anie certentie and truth chiefely concernyng diuine matters and the restitution of man And although al christian men haue the spirite of God whiche as he leadeth eche one into all truth as muche as is sufficient for his owne saluation and for the profitte of the congregation so he hath witnessed in man the gospell of Christe wyth goodly bookes and wrytynges and doeth euen vnto thys daye wytnesse and preache neuerthelesse fleshe and bloude abyde in al men be they neuer so holy and spiritual as Augustine I can not denie nether ought to denie that as in oure elders them selues so there be many thinges in so manie my workes that may be blamed wyth ryghte iudgement and no rashenes at all longe as they lyue here whiche fleshe and bloude perceyue not the thynges that pertayne vnto God The sense and vnderstandyng of the fleshe remayneth whiche stryueth agaynst God Wherfore in thys lyfe there neyther hath ben nor is anie man endued wyth so great holines or doctrine but that it hath chaunced hym often to fall and to be deceyued Wherefore as Saynte Augustine so lykewyse other fathers and olde doctours allowed not all the writinges and sentences of them whiche had taughte eyther before them or in theyr tyme for thys cause that those thynges came from men so excellent in godlines and learnynge but as farre as euerie man confirmed his doctrine The same antour in the Epistle to saint Hierome and sentence with the worde of God and sure reasons And they counted those onely reasons to be sure and certaine which thei perceiued to be deriued out of the word of God Of which sort those be with which S. Paule proueth that a woman muste couer Howe we muste iudge of the wrytynges of the fathers hyr heade in the congregation and kepe silence and not teache men i. the Corhinth xi and. xiiii For the apostle cōfirmeth these thynges wyth thys reason namely because the worde of God testifieth that the womā is of the man that she was made after the man and first admitted the gyle of Satan Item that she oughte to be subiecte to hy husbande Wherfore al cōfirmations of godlie doctrine consiste in the onely testimonie of the Vppon what foundation al godly doctrine ought to stand scripture vpon wihche scripture al that we either beleue or teache of God and oure Christe oughte to be grounded For thys scripture only setteth before vs the word of God vnmixte and certayne wherunto onely we ought to giue credence in diuine matters for it was not taught of mē but of the holy goste from heauen as S. Petre wytnesseth sayinge knowe this first that euerie prophetical scripture is not of priuate interpretation For prophecie was not at

For seinge that our prayer hath the promise of God laied before it it foloweth that he which doubteth whether he be hearde or no doubteth also whether God be true whether he perfourm the thynge that he promiseth And there can be no greater shame done to God then if we doubte whether he be true And therfore the prayer of a man that doubteth can obtayne nothynge as Iames teacheth i. Chap. He that doubteth is lyke the waues of the sea whiche is tossed wyth the wyndes Let not a doubtynge man thinke that he shal receyue any thynge of the Lorde A man that wanereth in all his dedes can do nothynge wyth a quiet conscience In the meane whyle the preachers muste loke hereunto that they gently handle the weake consciences of the godlie which stagger in the promises of God and that they healpe theyr weakenes wyth some good cōsolation teachyng that Christe wyll mercifully beare their weaknes for a ceason as he beare the weakenes of his disciples to whō euen after his resurrection he vnbrayded vn beliefe wyth muche softnes But they shall exhorte them to praye thus constantly wyth the disciples Lorde encrease our fayth Thirdly they shal teache the people that God hath cōmaunded vs that what so euer good thynges we lacke we shoulde aske thē of hym and also that he wyll remoue the euyls that oppresse vs. Aske sayeth Christe Math. vij And ye shal receyue Item Iohn xvi Aske and ye shal receyue that your ioy maye be ful Luke xviij He teacheth vs with an apte similitude that we muste praye euer and wythout ceasyng The Lorde requireth the same thynge in the beginnyng of the ten commaundementes when he sayeth I am the Lorde thy God thou shalte not haue straunge Goddes before me sanctifie my name For he that acknowledgeth the Lorde his God that is to saye hym whiche onely giueth all good thynges and alone putteth awaye all euyll and he that setteth his trust in no creature besydes the Lorde and therefore desireth wyth all his herte all his soule and all his strength to sanctifie extoll and glorifie the name of the Lorde this mā must needes aske al thynges of God and require healpe of hym agaynst al euyls and prayse and magnifie hym for the same accordynge to the Psalme l. Call vpon me in the day of tribulation and I wyl deliuer the and thou shalt glorifie me Wherfore as he sinneth agaynste the lawe whiche honoureth not his parentes whiche committeth thefte lyeth and offendeth agaynste other commaundementes so they synne ryghte greuously and agaynste the principall commaundementes of the lawe whiche call not vpon God in theyr doinges neither aske of hym what thynge so euer they neede whether it be corporall or spirituall And that thys synne maye be more easely auoyded it is a christian and godlie ordinaunce that chyldren be diligently instructed and accustomed to prayer and that a fourme maner and ordre of praying be appoynted vnto them when where howe oftē and what they ought to pray Not that this thynge be made by a lawe wherby their cōsciences maye be entangled in superstition but onely that theyr myndes maye be induced and accustomed to praye whom also it is conuenient to allure to praye wyth chyldishe entisementes and gyftes For what so euer is broughte into custome in youth the same cleaueth faste in al ages whether it be good or bad Agayne thynges not accustomed are learned wyth greate difficultie in olde age though they be ryghte profitable and good and though we greatly desire to haue the vse of the same But to them that feare God and set much by his commaundementes there is nothynge harde Lette the ministers then admonishe the parentes that they also healpe them therein that chyldren may be enstructed and accustomed to prayer from their chyldhode chiefely when they go to bedde when they ryse whē they come to the table and go from the same in the tēple when the tyme requireth not to herken to the readynge of the holie scripture or sermons or when they muste synge wyth the congregation It shal be good also for the confirmation of godlines in them to accustome them to praye alwayes when they be alone or to call to theyr myndes some parte of the holie scripture or some workes of God For it is incredible howe manie and greuous euyls maye be auoyded if idlenes and those their wanton and wanderynge thoughtes when they are alone be restrayned wyth godlie prayers or holie meditations And God commaūded by Moyses also suche an institution and exercise of chyldren saying Deut. vi These wordes which I commaunde the thys daye shal be in thine herte and thou shalt declare them and print them in and muse vpon them sittynge in thyne house and walkynge in thy iourney goyng to bedde and rysynge And that we myghte haue no cause of excuse either that we haue no leysure by reason of oure businesse or that we can not learne howe we shoulde praye Christe hym selfe hath not onely warned vs that we neede not manie wordes but he also hath sette before vs a moste apte shorte and easy fourme of praying which we cal the Lordes prayer wherin he hath briefely comprehended what so euer we maye praye for so that we learne truely to vnderstande and weigh it And howe it ought to be vnderstanded and pondred the preachers maye teache out of our institution if they haue not a more commodious waye them selues ¶ A shorte exposition of the Lordes prayer ANd this is a summe of those thinges that ought to be considered in thys fourme of praying First we muste marke the fūdation of godlie prayer whiche is the truste of fatherlie beniuolence whereof the Lorde warned vs in thys that he commaunded to call God father though we be miserable synners Thys truste before al thinges must be confirmed thorowe fayeth in oure Lorde Iesus Christe that we maye determine that God is a father to vs also and that he wyll denie no fatherlie thynge to vs beinge nowe his chyldren for Christes sake his onely begotten sonne amonge manie brethern in whom he hath receyued vs into fauour beinge disherited and caste awaye for synne and hath begotten vs agayne and adopted vs into his sonnes and made vs partakers heyres of eternall lyfe Wherfore accordyng to his fatherlie loue towardes vs he wyll suffre hym selfe to be entreated if we shall pray in the name of his sonne as he hymselfe hathe commaunded vs. He made mencion of the heauens that we should remember that for asmuch as we are now lifted vp into heauēly thynges in Christ we ought to aske heauenly thinges to thynke vpon the same Wherfore in thinges that wepraye for or woulde haue taken awaye of God he hath prescribed this order that our wishes for spiritual thinges should go before our wyshes for bodely thynges For firste he teacheth vs to pray that the name of god be sāctified that is to say that the name of God the eternal power of God wysedome and

waye the fayth of Christ is confirmed in vs that God wyll also be good vnto vs accordynge to our portion and there is a desire steared vp in vs to folowe their exemples Thus the olde church worshypped the sayntes which thing appeareth by certayne soleme prayers called collectes For thus the churche prayeth ¶ In the memorie of the Apostles Petre and Paule Gd whiche haste consecrated thys daye wyth the martyrdome of thine apostles Petre and Paule graunt to thy churche to folowe theyr precepte in all thynges by whō it receyued the begynnyng of religion thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ On the feast of S. Iohn Baptist God whiche hast giuen vs thys present day honourable in the natiuitie of blessed Iohn graunte thy people the grace of spirituall ioyes and guyde the mindes of al the faithfull into the waye of euerlastynge lyfe thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ On the natiuitie of S. Stephane Graunt vs we beseche the Lorde to folowe the thynge that we haue in reuerence that we maye learne to loue euen oure enemies for we celebrate his natiuitie whiche coulde praye euen for his persecutours thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ In the cōmemoration of saynt Laurence Graunt we besech the almightie God that we maye quenche the flames of oure vices whiche gauest the blessed Laurence thy martyre to ouercome the fyer of his tormentes thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christe ¶ In the memorie of S. Agatha God whiche amonge other miracles of thy power gaueste the victorie of martyrdome euen in a fraile kynde graunte mercifully that we maye walke vnto the by hyr exemples whose natiuitie we celebrate thorowe Christe our Lorde ¶ In the cōmemoration of S. Cecilie God which makest vs merie with the yerely solemnitie of thy martyr blessed Cecilie graunt that we may folowe hyr in exemple of godlie conuersation whom we reuerence wyth humanitie Of thys sort be all suche prayers that be anie thinge olde In other made longe afterwarde though there be somewhat mengled of the merites and intercessions of sayntes yet they be not called vpon as Lordes they be not spokē to they be not desired that they wyll offre theyr owne merites for vs to the father or that they wil healpe vs with their intercessions but God onely the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe is called vpon and desired that he wyl vouchsafe to recompēce the good dedes euē of his sayntes in vs and that he wyll both steare vp and make effectuous theyr intercession for vs thorow our Lorde Iesus Christ not by the vertue of the sayntes The thirde abuse is when the wordes of a prayer otherwyse godlie and christian are drawen to an vngodly and vnlawfull ende as when thorowe the Lordes prayer we wil staunche bloude or dryue awaye wolues that they deuoure not our sheepe As some go about to wrest the Psalme xxxv To auoyed woundes Of whiche kinde innumerable superstitiōs and impieties are vsed of vngodlie enchaunters Therefore the preachers shal warne the people diligently how greuous a synne it is howe great wydkednes to abuse the word of god to such witchcraftes and enchauntmentes Which abuse is pernitious and abhommable no lesse thē the abuse of other false and idolatrious doctrine The fourth abuse is when the ende of prayer is peruerted when men reherse the wordes of the prayers wyth thys opinion that they thynke they do acceptable seruice to God and to the sayntes euen wyth thys worke of rehersyng whereas we must pray to God not to do hym some seruice wyth that worke but that we may call for the free healpe of God being in daunger of perils and euyls whiche we haue deserued or that being vnworthie we may receyue benifittes whiche we haue not deserued And that we maye praye wyth a fuller feelynge both of our owne miserie and of the diuine goodnes of Christe and wyth feruenter desire of Goddes healpe we muste vse holy wordes in our prayes But the comon people hath ben brought into thys errour longe sithens by vnfaythfull pastours that they offre the wordes of the Lordes prayer of the Angels salutation of the Psalmes and other prayers to God the blessed virgin other sayntes as some acceptable seruice or gift wherby they thinke they deserue muche of God and sayntes that they purge their synnes and obtayne the benifittes of God Which abuse of praying doth not onely fyght with the worde of God but also is folishe and mad euen by the iudgemente of reason and it may easely be taken away if the people be so enstructed of prayer as we haue shewed before The fyrst abuse in prayinge and no lesse to be reproued and corrected is thys that men communely beleue that theyr prayer is more commended to God and soner hearde by reason of places of whiche they thynke some to be more holy then some as if the prayers be made at certaine grauen stockes or relikes of sayntes or other places wherevnto men go on pilgrimage whiche is a greate dispitefull wronge to the grace and merite of our Lorde Iesu Christe by whom onely our prayers be acceptable vnto God in what place so euer they be made as he hym selfe promised Iohn xv What soeuer ye aske the father in my name he shall gyue it you And moreouer he sayed to the womā of Samarie Woman beleue me the houre cometh when ye shall worshippe the father neither in thys hille nor at Hierusalē God is a spirite and they that worship him must worshippe hym in spirite and truth Iohn iiij And Mathew xviij He sayeth If two of you consente togyther vpon the earth of anie thynge what so euer they aske it shal be done vnto them of my father whiche is in heauen For where two or three are gathered togyther in my name there am I in the middest of them Lo here the Lorde promiseth that we shall be hearde if we consent in prayer and that he wyl be a meane betwene vs and obtayne al thynges for vs of the father whē so euer and where so euer we shall come and agree in his name These promises al they diminishe that thynke they shall be hearde more certaynly and soner in anie place for the respect of grauen stockes or relikes of sayntes or some other outward prerogatiue of the place Howebeit it becometh vs to come to the temples and cōmon places and it healpeth to praye more deuoutly for this cause that the congregation cometh togyther in those places to prayer and bycause we are there more steared vp to praier thorowe the ministerie of the worde and other holie exercises and thorowe the very cōpanie of men prayinge togyther wyth vs. So priuate places haue thys comoditie to prayer that in them we maye praye wyth a more attentiue minde and more lifted vp to God For in these places there chaūce fewer thynges to call our myndes frō the thinges that we go about in our prayers For thys cause we reade that the Lorde Iesus prayed often in mountaynes and gardines as he comaunded vs

bourde be striken and troubled wyth sore rebukes or vntymely thrustynge vnto the receyuynge of the Sacrament For there be not a fewe whiche though they can not thorowlie vnderstande this misterie and the perfecte vse of Sacramentes yet they haue suche fayth in Christe that they can praye wyth the congregation and be somewhat edified in fayth thorow holie doctrine and exhortations that be wonte to be vsed aboute the holie supper and the ministration thereof yea and they maye be taughte and moued by litle and litle to a perfecter knowledge of thys misterie and an oftner vse of the Sacramentes euen by thys that they be present at the holie supper which absteyne not from the Lordes supper of anie contempte of the Sacramentes which they acknowledge in them selues but of a certeine weakenes of men and preposterous reuerence of the Sacramente These men the pastoures muste fatherlie and gentlie teach and enstructe dayly of these misteries and brynge them fayre and softlie to a perfecter knowledge and vse of the same declarynge diligently and printynge in them the thynges that we haue taughte in this place concerning the true and perfect administratiō and vse of this Sacramēt and they must not fray them away and driue them frō the hole action of the supper whyle they haue anie hope of them that they wil go forward in the studie and communion of Christ ¶ At what tyme the supper of the Lorde muste be celebrated ❧ Therfore that thys moste holie Sacrament may be better knowen among al godlie men and that the true vse of it maye be more easely restored and muche estemed we wyll that it be ministred as sone as the people of euerie cōgregation for the moste part be well enstructe out of Goddes worde of the true vse of it onely vpon the sundayes and holie dayes or vpon suche dayes when great companies assemble together to commune prayer Thys thynge was obserued in the time of the fathers also in greater and muche more populous cōgregations then we haue For the Lorde instituted not thys Sacramēt vnto vs for a thinge to be beholded but he commaunded it to be ministred for the commune and holsome receyuyng of his bodie and bloude whiche thynges al the membres ought equally to receyue in euery great holie assemble from one table and one altare Hereof S. Ciprian amonge other alledgeth thys cause why we celebrate this holy supper in the mornyng whereas Christe dyd it after supper bycause sayeth he that when we suppe we can not cal the commune people to our feaste that we maye celebrate the trueth of the Sacrament al the brotherhode beinge present These be the wordes of Ciprian whiche he toke out of the doctrine of Paul i. Cor. x. which we alledged before For the truth of thys Sacrament is as the Apostle teacheth in the same place that all we whiche are the membres and bodie of Christe should receyue the bodie and bloud out of the same Sacramēt Wherfore the father 's iudged that thys supper is not truly rightly celebrated except the whole brotherhode be present I meane thys commune supper For the holie bishoppes dyd sometymes celebrate the holie supper priuately that is to saye the whole congregation not beinge present sometymes wyth straungers and sometymes wyth the better and feruenter sorte of bretherne and that in their peculiar prayinge places and sometymes also in priuate houses wyth sicke folke of whose communion we wyll speake hereafter And these the holie fathers called priuate masses not bicause that in them the Sacramentes were distributed to no bodie but bycause they were distributed to fewe and the whole cōgregation not beinge present and that euen as it were in a priuate place For the holie fathers celebrated no supper wythout distribution of the Sacramentes For they doubted not but that that dyd vtterly fyghte wyth the Lordes Institution ❧ Of the preparation to the supper of the Lorde Seinge that the Lordes supper as we sayed before ought not to be celebrated but wyth his disciples and for asmuche as the ministers must be faythfull disposers of the misteries of God and must take great hede that they caste not an holie thynge before dogges and pearles before swyne we wyll that the pastours admitte no mā to the Lordes supper which hath not first offered him selfe to thē and after that he hath first made a confession of his synnes being Catechised he receyue absolution accordyng to the Lordes worde And that there may be a certeine and appoynted tyme for the doinge hereof I meane that they whiche shall cōmunicate be prepared and sanctified to the cōmunion of Christ with an holy instructiō and prayer let the pastours procure that the people be called together in the temple at euentyde the day before the celebration of the Lordes supper and lette them make a preparation and sanctification vnto the Lordes bourde after thys sorte Wheree clerkes shall be or scholers let them in the meane ceason while the people come together syng a Psalme or two with a dominical antiphone or Hymne whiche yet we wyll haue to be pure that is to saye diffenting in no parte from the holie scripture To these let them adde the songe of the Lordes mother Magnificat and some conuenient Collecte Afterwarde when the people be come together they shall synge a Psalme in the Douche tonge And then the pastour or ministre to whom the office of thys preparation is committed shall reade some place of the Lordes supper out of the Euangelistes or out of Paule Chap. x. xi Of the firste to the Corhinthi or out of the Lordes sermon Iohn vi For though the Lorde speake not in that place of the Sacramēt of the supper whiche he had not yet made neuertheles he preacheth of the true eatynge of his bodie and drynkyng of his bloude for the exhibition wherof he afterwarde instituted the holie supper Out of such lessons the ministers shall diligently teache the people to what vse the Lorde ordeined his supper and howe we may receiue it holsomely after this sort ¶ Ashorte institution or sermon of the Lordes supper Forasmuche as we entende to keepe tomorowe the moste holie supper of our sauiour Christe by his healpe for the celebration of a blessed remembraūce of him and cōfirmation of our fayth first it is conuenient to declare with fewe wordes and call to our mindes the misterie of this right diuine Sacrament Before al thinges then the Lorde offereth vnto vs his fleshe and his bloude and biddeth vs to take the same and affirming that we shall not haue lyfe but shall remayne in euerlasting death excepte we eate his fleshe and drinke his bloud Let vs remembre and acknowledge that our fleshe and bloud that is to saye our whole nature is thorow wickednes so loste adiudged to eternal death by the iust wrath of God that of our selues we can neuer obteyne euerlastynge life and the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdome Thys remembraunce acknowledging of our destruction

euer in the congregation meete men and well furnished to set furthe and defende the doctrine of Christe and that so the true doctrine of Christ reueled vnto vs from God and comended and beclared by the Appostles which the true catholike church of Christe hath euer holden maye be kepte and sprede furth vnto oure posterite by the grace and goodnes of christ thys of righte ought to be chiefeste care of great princes and al gouerners of commenweales as in dede it is the principall seruice of God For these causes the Apostles and their disciples instituted in theyr congregacions such peculiar lectures and scholes as we read of Iohan the Euāgeliste Pof olicarpus of the scholes erected Antioch Alexandre and constātinople And such wer scholes at the beginning whych nowe be ecclesiastical colleges And this maner of institutinge such scholes was verie profitable to the cōgregacions for foure causes First that the writinges of the Apostles and prophet in such colleges and scholes might be preserued from perishinge Secōdly that there myght euer be witnesses of the Apostolike writinges whyche shoulde be true and which counterfeit For euen streyght waye at the beginninge some wrytinges were carred aboute vnder the name of the Apostles vntruly whyche were furth with reiected and noted by these scholes As we reade that Ihon the Euangeliste reproued one for addyng a false appendice to the Actes of the Apostles Thirdlye that such scoles might bear witnes what doctrin and vnderstandinge of the scriptures was taught by the Apostles least straunge doctrines and enterpretations of the scriptures and suche as fyght with the doctrine of the Apostles might crepe in the authours wher of should be vnknowne or elles aduersaries to this testimoni of the cōgregacion Fourthly that out of suche colleges and scholes meete teachers and gouerners might be taken for other churches also These I thinck wer the causes whither wer alwaies in the congregations such companies and colledges from the beginninge whyche after that they wer enriched by the liberalitie of princes and godlye men thei were broughte to such colledges of Cannons as we se nowe a dayes But forasmuch as the studie of the holie scriptures is euer quēched a greate while sithens in these colledges many other slanders pernitious to the cōgregations ar com in with a lamentable ignorance of holy matters surely the great nede necessitie of the congregations requireth that scholes be restored and preserued asmuche as the Lorde wyl helpe thereunto Wherfore we also haue purposed to erect and cōstitute such a schole of Diuinitie at Bonne wherein after the custome some mete readers shal teach the holye scriptures and other good learnyng in which we wyll also procure that the studentes shal haue a place and a table as the maner is in other vniuersities And moreouer we wyl depute somwhat for pore younge men There shall then be appoynted for a beginning seuē professours in this our schole The firste shall professe diuinitie and shall teache openly two dayes of the wieke in the olde testament and two other in the newe to whose iudgement we wyll permitte that he shall chuse out of the holie bokes those that he thynketh wyll be moste profitable for the hearers as in the olde Testament Genesis Deutoronomie the Psalmes Esaie In the newe Paule Iohn Luke And this professoure shall so moderate his doctrine that it agre with this sūme of holie doctrine which we haue described in thys boke and whiche is in deede the doctrine and meanyng of the true and catholike churche of Christe This principall reader of diuinitie shall also exercise the office of the superintendant in the cōgregrations nigh aboute and as the rector of thys schole he shall haue charge of the other reders and shal warne thē of their duti if neede be and if they do not their duties he shal bryng the matter before them whō we wyl appoint to be vphoders and maynteyners of thys our ordinaunce He shal labour also to maynteyne mutuall cōcorde betwene the professours that one hurte not an other wyth wordes writinges or other wayes And he shall decree and put in execution by the aduise and assent of the other readers thynges perteynynge to the discipline and correction of the youth The seconde reader shal also examine the holie scripture but there wythall he shall teache the hebrue tonge Two daye in the wicke he shall enterprite some boke wyth a theological exposition Foure dayes he shall reade hebrue in order First he shal teach the grammer and then he shall expoune some boke of the Bible and therin he shal declare the rules and vse of the grammer that thys tonge maye be more certeynely knowen of yonge men and be made more familiar vnto them The thyrde professour shal reade logike and the greke tonge both twaine euerie day in the wieke in the which he muste teache as vpon the seconde the thyrde the fifte the sixt day of the wieke Which thynge shal not be harde vnto hym whiche hath atteyned but euen a meane knowledge of both the artes For he that hath once wel perceyued the ru●es of Logike shall not haue muche a do to teache them But he shal chuse some cōmune and good Logike as is the Logike of Cesarius philip or Sturmius And he shal not chaunge that that he hath begonne to teache and moreouer as often as he hath ended the same he shall adde some boke of Aritoteles his Logike whom he shall interprete in greke But he shall chose the easiar bokes as is the boke of Porphyrius or of the Predicamentes or some parte of the Analitikes that the youth maye be prepared to the readyng of Aristotle And he shall moderate all these thynges accordynge to the capacitie of the hearers When the boke of Aristotle is finished he shall returne to the accostomed Logike of Cesarie Philippe or Sturmius In the other houre when he muste reade greke this reader shal first teache the grammar and afterward Hesiodus or some part of Homere or some Tragidies of Euripides or Sophocles or some oratiō of Isocrates or somewhat of Luciane or Herodotus Those ended he shall returne to the grammare The fourth reader shall professe Rhetorike and shall reade euerie daye twyse one houre he shal bestowe vpon the preceptes of Rhetorike and he shal chuse some good Rhethorike cōmunely vsed in the scholes which ended he shall expoune Erasmus his boke de copia rerum and after that some bokes of Quintilian namely the second the thirde the eight and the tenth On the other houre he shal expoune some ●ration of Cicero wherein asmuche as he shall thynke needfull he shall declare howe the oration agreeth wyth the rules and preceptes of Rhethorike Howbeit some tymes in the steede of oratiōs he shall mengle some what out of the poetes This reader of Rhethorike shal also professe moral philosophie Therefore in the houre deputed to thys lecture he shall expoune sometymes Tullies offices and sometymes he shal interprete

spent in workes fained by thē selues and in suffraūce of euyls whiche they laye or pulle vpon them selues bicause they abstaine from the administration of the cōmon weale whereby neuertheles singuler benifittes are exhibited vnto men bycause they contemne other ciuile societie reiecte iudgementes refuse to go a warre fare eschewe bying and sellyng and other contractes necessarie in thys lyfe wyth all whiche thynges christen men shall studie to do good to theyr bretherne and neighbours Furthermore bycause also they wythdrawe them selues from ecclesiasticall communion and mocke holie assembles cōmon doctrine and the Sacramentes of the church and denie their healpe to their neghbours Finallie bycause that wyth obstinate madnes they suffre spoilynge of theyr goodes exile imprisonment scourgynges and maymyng of theyr lymmes and sūdrie kindes of death for these forsayed thynges and other seditious sayinges doinges These be the good workes of these felowes this is theyr rightuousnes whiche when the preachers shal trie in theyr sermons and priuate admonitiōs wyth the diuine scriptures and trie the nature of christen religion and shal cōpare them wyth verie good workes and wyth the ryghtuousnes of fayth the knowledge and desire of true ryghtuousnes shall be merueylously confirmed and kendled amonge the people of Christe and they shall eschewe and abhorre hypocrisie and thys counterfaited ryghtuousnes of frantike felowes Thus when the preachers shal with singuler diligence declare and commende often to the people howe the Lorde instituted the ministerie of the church and howe reuerently he would haue it executed and receyued what great thinges he vouchsafeth to worke thorow the same vnto our health exhibiting his grace and the redemption and communion of his sonne thorowe these thynges mē shall more esteme the holie ministerie and vse it more religiously omitting those vaine illuminations and visions whiche frantike men loke for and exhorte other to seeke the common ministerie of the churche beinge despised We thoughte it good to putte into thys place thys generall and shorte instruction concernynge the errours wycked doctrines and pernitious sisme of the Catabaptistes that the preachers being warned may learne howe they maye call them backe into the way of holsome doctrine and ecclesiasticall communion whom they haue founde seduced of those madde spirites and be not yet obstinate with hereticall furie And that they maye arme them whiche stande yet in the holesome doctrine and consent of the cōgregation agaynste the gyles and hypocrisie of them whom Satan holdeth cōfirmed in thys madnes and keepe them in the sinceritie of fayth and cōmunion of the cōgregation and drawe them from al felowship and cōmunion of those felowes For their talke as a canker eateth vp the hole flesh in the bodie of Christe And forasmuche as heretikes be verie subtile and haue a wonderfull madde zeale to defende theyr vngodlie imaginatiōs the feders of the Lordes flocke leste anie perishe thorowe theyr slouggishnes or ignorantie be caried away by these wolues muste furnishe them selues against theyr Sophistrie and diuelishe subtilties wyth readyng of the holie scriptures and those wrytynges whiche in oure tyme haue bene sette forth of godlie and learned men agaynst these thynges After thys sorte then lette the pastours watche in theyr sermons agaynste deceites and craftie awaytes wyth the care of euery man one by one if neede be of them whiche be committed to theyr charge But who so euer perceiueth that there is some one in the citie toune or village where he dwelleth whiche cōsenteth to the errours of the Anabaptistes and alloweth them we cōmaunde such a man by the authoritie of the electorall dignitie whiche we execute that he vtter the same personne to the cōstable or gouernoure of the place wyth all speede whiche thynge becometh a good and a christian citizin to do whiche ought to preferre the sinceritie of religion and health of the churche before all other commodities And we commaunde oure officers that they procure spedely the personne that shal be accused or suspected of anabaptisme to be called before them hauyng wyth them the pastoure and other meete ministrrs of the churche and other good and godly men Then the pastour or some of the ministers whiche shall be better furnished for that purpose shall propoune to hym that is accused of anabaptisticall errours those thinges wherof he is accused Whiche man if he shall cōfesse anie errour he shal be kept in some tollerable cōmō prison til at cōuenient leasure he may be more fully examined and taught But if he acknowledge no errour neither can be conuicted thereof by true witnesses they shall lette hym go free But concernynge them whiche shal confesse them selues to be of the Anabaptistes opinion in one or two doctrines we wyll haue thys thynge obserued The officer of that place where suche one shal be as sone as he maye shall call the superintendent of that cōgregation and other fitte for that purpose both of the ministers and also of other tryed men of the congregation Before these men and the officer the superintendent or byshoppe moue interrogatories to hym whiche is fallen into anie anabaptisticall doctrine not onely of that that he hym selfe acknowledgeth but of the principall imaginations of these men wherof we spake before if he shall perchaunce be founde or if there be feare that he is snared in some other madde doctrines For there be catabaptistes whiche beare aboute in theyr brest that detestable and damnable indaical errour whiche faine that the church shall be before the laste daye a certeyne worldlie kyngdome wherein the godlie shall reygne and destroy with weapons al the vngodly and holde all the kingdomes in the worlde Some confounde the natures in Christe partly acknowledgynge in hym the diuine nature onely and partly the manhode onely Therfore they must be dilligētly demaūded of these and suche other errours and they must be earnestly and wyth all softnes of the spirite of Christe warned of those errours whiche they acknowledge and they must be brought again frō al errours to the sinceritie of faith and consent of the congregation And thys thynge muste be often assayed For we go about theyr saluation for whom the sonne of God was crucified and suffered a moste bitter and shamefull death that they myghte be called backe from errours Wherefore we muste shonne no labour so that we maye brynge agayne Christes sheepe begynnyg to straye to the sheepfolde of Christ We must assay then so lōge to deliuer suche frō theyr errours as longe as of charitie we shall perceyue anie hope to remaine that we may winne our neighbour If the Lorde shall be present at thys correction of men in errours and shal gyue his encrease that some maye turne from theyr errours we wyl that those whiche haue suffered them selues to be brought agayne into the waye shal playnely and particulerly renie and abiure that errour into which they are fallen and al other vngodlie doctrines whiche chiefly in thys tyme vexe the church before all them that

shall be present in theyr exammation and conuersion But if anie refusyng godlie admonition and doctrine shall obstinately continue in theyr impietie the officer of that place muste brynge theyr cause before an higher magistrate He shall punishe suche accordynge to the state of the personne and erroure wyth banishmente or other sore paynes after the law of the empire and the tēporal cōstitutiō decreed set forth cōceruyng these matters For we wyll that thys be knowen to all men that none in our dominions or places subiecte to our rule shal be suffered that dareth alowe one or more of the Anabaptisticall errours We wyl haue the same maner vsed with all them whiche steare vp spreade abrode or allowe anie false doctrine that fighteth with the receyued articles of our fayth ¶ Of the administration of religion that is to saye of the handlynge and dispensation of the doctrine Sacramentes and discipline of Christ in the churche And fyrste of the maner and ordre of holy sermons ON the sondaies and holie daies the preachers shal reherse and declare to the people the wonted lesson of the Gospell betwene the administration of the Sacramente as the custome is and out of that lesson they shal teache the people admonishe and argue those thinges which they shall perceyue to be moste necessarie and profitable for christian lyfe And forasmuch as al the lessons of the holy scripture preache vnto vs of God to be acknowledged in Christe of his almightines and mercie of repentaunce and forgyuenes of synnes in the name of Christe a wyse and faithful preacher shal easely chose that thing chiefely out of euerie lesson that shall make to the health and edification of the present congregation Wherfore the pastours must haue great care of the people and trye at certeyne tymes howe muche euerie one hath profited in religion in what partenerie one staggereth and is readie to fal whether it be in the doctrine of fayth or concernynge the trust of Gods mercie or in the feare of the iudgement of God or in patience loue or orderynge of maners that timelie and holesome remedies maye euer be brought out of the worde of God as out of a plentifull apothe caries shop and layed to the greuous diseases and vices of the people The lessons of the scripture beinge recited in the begynnynge of sermons muste be diligently declared to the people and that whole togither For the worde of God must be propouned to the people that they maye learne it and be enstructed to godlines therby Wherfore so muche shal be declared as was reade to the people that they maye receyue some fruite of godlines thereby But the preachers and ministers of the cōgregations shall labour diligently herein that the doctrine and exhortation whiche they wyll vse before the lessons euer be referred to those thynges wherein the people is weakeste and they shall instantly beate in the thynges whiche they shall perceyue to further the amendemēt of the people and holesome institution whiche thynge we se that the holy fathers dyd also which fyrst declared in ordre the lesson that was recited and afterwarde taryed in those places chiefely in teachyng exhortyng and reprouyng that semed moste to further the institution admonition and correction of the people But bycause all doctrine and exhortation is then ryghtly perceyued and lette to sinke deeper into the mynde if it be deriued out of certaine principles knowen before as fundacion and cōcluded in the same the preachers muste referre all doctrine and exortation in theyr sermones to some place of a Catachisme or institution as to the ten commaundementes to the articles of our faithe the Lordes praier the Sacramentes and suche lyke principall poyntes of our religion And bycause that the whole christiane doctrine and what so euer perteyneth to godlines consisteth in these sūmaries and be meetelie well knowē to the people it bringeth great light to the doctrine and it moueth the people the more if the sermons shal be referred to these poyntes as to a certeyne marke and they shall shewe the people to what parte of the catechisme that that they teache perteyneth Thys thynge shall healpe muche to thys purpose that the people maye dayly growe more and more in all godlines fayeth in Christe and loue towarde theyr neighbour The pastoure muste also teache the people the common offices and dueties of thys lyfe accordynge to euerie mannes vocation as the office of maried folke one towardes an other the office of the parentes towarde theyr chyldrē and cōtrary wise What maisters owe to their seruaūtes and seruauntes to theyr maisters Howe the officers oughte to be estemed and all other gouernours howe greate reuerence we owe them howe we oughte to lyue wyth oure superiours equalles and inferiours These thynges must be often propouned and repeted in sermons chiefely on the holie dayes when a greate cōpany of people resorteth togyther And the prayses of ciuile lyfe muste be diligētly beaten into mē and chiefely the youth muste be accustomed wyth great diligence and arte to learne to haue a reuerent opinion of the officers of the lawes and of al politike thinges This reuerence is profitable to the common weale and is the nurse of great vertues On the sundayes and holie dayes at the euenyng prayers some exhortation muste be made which shal be chosen out of the epistle of the sundaye or holie day whiche the preachers when it is reade to the people shal interprete diligently They may if they wyll declare to the people the actes of the Apostles or one of the euangelistes or some epistle of Paule or the Psa●ter in ordre But let none of the preachers take in hāde to declare the bokes of Moyses the histories of the olde Testamente the prophetes but they to whom the Deanes shal committe that matter We wyll also that vpon the sundayes and holie dayes aswel in the mornynges as eueninges holie assembles be vsed holie lessons be propouned and prayers be made if there be ministers inowe and if muche people come thereunto For so seruauntes and other of the common people shall be better prouided for which can not euer come to the principall assembles of the churche In the mornyng let the catechisme be declared if it maye be if not let it be declared at euentide when the people resorte togyther For a certeyne houre on the holie dayes muste be appoynted for the ruder sorte and the youth to haue the Catechisme declared And that houre for the Catechisme shal be appoynted that is moste conuenient for the people And A Catechisme is an introductiō institution and instruction of the vnlearned in the wicke dayes two dayes or one at the leste muste be appoynted for the Catechisme from Marche to Nouember From that tyme vnto the spryngtyde the Catechisme maye be omitted on the workynge dayes by reason of youge chyldren whiche can not be present for the great colde In euerie congregation suche ministers must be chosen to the handling of