God onely knoweth not he but blindely I leaue this blinde guide and ignorant Doctor stumbling ignorantly in darknes and teachynge in ignorance he seeth not what It is a world to beholde how shamefully they disagrée about Hoc est Corpus Disagremēt about the vvoordes of Consecration meum This is my Bodie some say they be not the woordes of Consecration but that Christe did Consecrate whē he Blessed most parte denie that some saye by the woorde Hoc this is meante Bread not his Bodie some his Bodie and not Bread some nether Bread nor his Bodie but Indiuidüum vagū indiuidüum in genere indiuidüum entis indiuidüum insignitū Indiuidüum indiuidui I know not what phantasticall vnknowen vncertaine vnsensible thinge Vouchsafe good gentle Reader to peruse the answeare of the godly learned pretious Iuell and reuerende father in Christe B. of Sarum to Articl 24. M. Hardinges Indiuidum vagū and thou shalte finde vij or viij sundrie opinions or expositions aboute these woordes of Consecration Hoc est Corpus meum this is my Bodie which argueth either their blinde ignorance or their obstinate malitiousnesse Thus all men may sée howe they dissent in Trāsubstantiatiō one of the Articles of their beliefe I néede not to declare the vehemencie of Pope Gelasius to The Sacrament in bothe kindes haue the Sacrament ministred in both kindes affirminge that he which deuided the Euchariste when he taketh the one parte absteyneth frō the other doth wickedly committeth sacrilege For you know that Pope Innocentius thought it no sacrilege but highe seruice to God to commaunde that the Cuppe shoulde not be ministred to the Laye people It were to long to shew how pitifully thei dissent how vncōstantly they answeare when they be vrged with absurdities which necessarilie foloweth their Transubstātiatiō It were to tedious to trouble your Disagremēt about the Masse good eares with the iarring discorde of Pope Leo who helde it vnlawfull to saye any more then one Masse in one Churche in one daye and our later Popes who defende it to be meritorious to say a Trētall of Masses in one forenoone in one place whereas in déede one halfe Masse were to manie It were bootelesse to put you in remēbraunce that you shall finde very few or none but mislike some pointe or other of Popishe inuentions some the Latine seruice some praier to Saincts some the Popes Supremacie some Purgatorie some Iustification by woorkes some ministring in one kind some sole receauinge some crepinge offering to Images some the makyng the picture of God the Father and the most parte Pilgrimage pardons Reliques with such like trumperie howbeit they will openly defende the doctrine of the Romish Churche boldly talke their pleasure against the reprouers thereof Hereby thou maiste perceaue good Christian reader what credite should be giuen to thē who would accuse vs of discorde when they themselues agrée not emonge them selues but with shame inough be at great variance for their Princely Supremacie for the frée election sure confirmation and absolute iurisdiction of their holy Father the Pope for the glorious erecting of their wodden images for their meruailous miracle of their straunge Transubstantiatiō for the vnnatural presence of Christes Bodie in their hoste for the coniuringe Woordes of their diuine Consecration for the sacrilege robbing of the lay people of the Cuppe for to often sayinge of their Idolatrous Masse for the greatest misteries highest pointes strōgest keies and chiefest Articles of their opinions Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum It is a foule faulte to rebuke an other for that wherein thou thy selfe most offendest If they answeare that the truth of their doctrine is one albeit in some pointes a few dissent and sauour a little of errours so ascribe the blame to men and not to Religion it might please them to alledge the same excuse for our defence For as here in this confession thei may reade the Articles of our doctrine dissent not one from the other If thē any cominge out of Egipte desire to woorshippe God in the forme of a Calfe as the Egiptians did or beinge lately weaned from the breste of Gentilitie longe to lap some sower whigge of Paganisme or beyng turned from Iudaisme delight in sundrie of Aarons gorgious ceremonies or beynge conuerted from Papistrie smell fulsomely sauer ranckely yea stinke filthelie of some dunge of Poperie blame the mē and not the truth For wine is not to be dispraysed bicause dronkerdes distemper thēselues therewith nor meate to be refused for that gluttons surfaite thereby The vndoubted veritie of God his woorde is pleasaunt meate and comfortable drinke to that Christian soule whiche doth hunger thirste after rightuousnes albeit the queasiè stomackes of the vngodly cannot brooke it or the infirmitie of weakelings wil not kéepe al but caste vp some that it receaueth As for vs it may plainely be perceaued by this little treatise that we dissent not in any Article of our beliefe in any mater of saluation or damuation but rather in ceremonies in trifelinge and indifferent thinges yea in such sort that notwithstādyng we al consent in this that they may be altered remoued and quite abolished without any great hinderāce to Christ his Church Thus haue I giuen thée warning good Christian reader of two daungerous snares wilfull Ignorance and slaunderous Reportes wherwith thy craftie enemy Satan woulde intangle thée and withholde thée from cōminge to the truth Now then it resteth that thou wilfully doo not blindefield thine eies from beholding the clere light of the Gospel least wittingly thou stumble into perilous ginnes nor lightly open thine eares to beleue forged slaūders least thou be faste tied with the stronge cheynes of diuelishe illusions but that thou willingely marke the proufes on bothe sides indifferently heare what we teache and so vprightly iudge our cause whiche thinge that euen the simplest might the better doo I haue done mine indeuour faithfully to trāslate out of Latine into English the Confession of the Christian faith cōpiled by the generall consent of sundrie Christian Churches as by the title thou maist vnderstande I liste not at large to cōmēde their godly Zeale who woulde not couetously hoorde vp from their poore bretherne so greate a treasure but liberally deuide it emong them to the enritchinge of their soules with heauenly riches for so thei might lose the chiefest parte of their deserued prayse by the folye of a slender cōmender Neither minde I to extoll the woorthinesse of their woorke for pure Golde cōpared with rustie brasse preferreth it selfe and néedeth no prayser This onely I affirme that by readyng this booke the learned may refresh his memorie with profitable repetinge of that he hath bene taught the vnskilfull may learne that he neuer knewe the faithfull maye be confirmed in the truth the infidell reclaymed from his errour the Parent the Childe the Maister the seruaunt the Prince the subiect
Purgatory then arise the whiche yet was not generally receyued in the Church as the writings of Augustine doo manifestly declare Wherefore to returns to the matter whom of so great a multitude shall we especially choose for iudges if we will heare that Apostata of whome I haue spoken we muste chouse them that liued about the time of Theodosias the great And surely I graunt that there was at that time very learned Bishoppes but yet dare I affirme this thinge the whiche I doo protest that I doo not speake for the reproche of any that scarcely any of them cā be named which doth not bothe dissent from him The Doctors dissēt one from another selfe from others in many thinges and those of no small importance And if peraduenture that Apostata that I did speake of shall denie it then let me be counted a lier onles I doo plainely proue it But here I knowe what exception he will make at the leaste by these wryters saith he it shal appeare what was the forme outwarde face of the Catholike Churche As though VVhat neede vve seeke for formalitie this were the chiefe pointe of our controuersie not rather of the doctrine it selfe or as though at all times al rites Ceremonies are to be receiued without exception whiche the Apostolike Church it selfe hath vsed either as profitable or necessarie for their times and as though they were not playne Buylde thy house before thou paynte it fooles which when the foundations of the houses were al fallē downe would be so carefull for building vp the roofe And what néede many woordes I suppose that many of you most excellent noble Lordes haue in your remembrance how when we did treate of this matter at Poissy where we had rather a triflynge skirmishe alteration then a serious and earnest disputation we did thus cōclude in fewe woordes that the waie and meane to finish the troubles and controuersies whiche some froward Newtrals and halfefaced mē Agree of the doctrine then talke of the comely Ceremonies to name them no worse doo so importunately craue was first of al that we should dispute and agrée by the woorde of God of the doctrine it selfe and of Faith the whiche beyng once established then should we agrée much more easely about the Ceremonial matters of the whiche we would reiect some as vaine and foolishe some as superstitious either by them selues or by circūstances some as altogether wicked and some finally we would willingly admit whiche coulde be proued either profitable or necessarie What then doo these men require any more assuredly most noble Prince they séeke this one thinge that they may bringe into hatred Many that seeme qualifiers of these controuersies seeke to spoyle the flocke still vvithout checke the faithfull Ministers of God as men seditious ambitious and louers of changes suche as woulde haue all thinges new that they thēselues may still spoyle and destroy the poore flocke of Christe without controlment For they are like those without doubte of whome the Lorde speaketh that they neither will enter into the Kingdome of Heauen thē selues nor suffer others to enter in Thei are the most perilous men vndoubtedly that are suffered VVho are the moste perilous enemies to liue this day vnder the Sūne more daungerous by muche then the open enemies of the Gospell and therefore ought you principally that are the patrones and defenders of the Churches of God by the most Christian Kinges decrée to auoyde such men and beware of them who partely for their bellies sake partly for lucre partly for enuie and malice partely for fauour of them whom they flatter lie in waite to trap you But I sée that I haue bene somwhat longe in confutinge this opiniō therefore I doo returne to the matter For what shall we say or doo to those which imagine that the publike errour Publike errour cā not be the rule of Religiō muste be folowed for the rule of Religion whiche set the bare names of fathers and custome against all reasons and proufes whiche finally doo sticke onely to that one Churche whiche no The Papists calling one church Vniuersall ioygne together cōtraries lesse foolishly then falsely they call the Catholike Romish Churche that is to say an Vniuersall particular Church surely I doo thinke that we muste let them alone least we shoulde séeme to labour to cure madnesse with reason But now if none of these that we haue God is the Iudge spoken of may sitte as Iudges in this cause but rather muste be iudged of others in what courte then shall this great controuersie be pleaded Verely before the iudgemēt seate of God onely Then will they say let him be called VVhere shall vvee finde him downe from his Heauenly palace Nay why doo they not draw him foorth of these their Chancels and holy corners forsooth because we stande in no néede of a dumbe God that can doo nothinge but kéepe silence suche one as their crusted God is in the wafer cake but of that good God that speaketh clearely and plainely vnto vs. And I praye you where shall we finde him no Not in the Boxe But in the Scriptures where doubtles saue in the writinges of those mē of God who as Peter witnesseth haue bene stirred vp by the holy Ghost to speake vnto vs of those I saye vpon whose doctrine as vpon the foundation the Apostle crieth that the Churche is builded euen vppon the bookes of the Apostles the Prophetes whiche are conteined vnder the name of the Olde and new Testament But say they the doubt standeth of the interpretation Obiection of this woorde whiche we say must be sought at the Church But first of all we must agrée whiche is the Ansvveare Churche for the Synagoge of Satan also doth abuse that fayre and beutiful name of the Churche And howe canst thou iudge this same thinge but by the kinde of the doctrine And how canst The worde is iudge of the Church thou put a difference betwixt the true doctrine and the false but by the holy Scriptures As for that succession wherein some sette all their succour it hath ceased lōge ago to haue any force or valure seyng this is most certaine that the most ignorant and wicked mē haue bene the successours for many yeares vnto the good and learned Bishops Successiō of doctrine not of persons requisite and that there doth appeare no steppe or token of any lawfull vocatiō in the Churches now for a longe ceason Furthermore we doo require a succession of doctrine not of the persons euen of the Propheticall and Apostolicall doctrine so that of necessitie we must runne againe to the bookes of the Prophetes the Apostles for the proofe of the true succession As for the name of Traditions the The bare visar of Traditions serueth not whiche some also that feare nothinge more then the triall of the Scripture doo holde
their suppositiōs I doo not onely dissent from them but I doo vtterly abhorre them so in their proposition I cā not agrée vnto them For if we séeke The chiefe patterne of the Church is in Christe and his Apostles the most beautifull face of the Church most perfect patterne I suppose that is it which was not onely begonne as these men imagine or shadowed out with the firste pouncinge or paintinge draughtes by the Apostles thēselues which were the chiefe workemaisters the euer the Church hath had or shall haue hereafter but portered foorth moste beautifully most diligētly with most liuely colours from the which the farther that thou strayest so farre wide wanderest thou more more from the rule of thy worke And after what sort that forme was why I should thinke that we ought to séeke it no where els saue onely in the writings of the Apostles the Apostolical Historie writen by Luke whome I doo graunt to haue The cōtrarietie and lies of Antichristes Churche painted this foorth most excellētly not onely the contrarietie emonges themselues doth cōpel me vnto it but also to speake plainly the fonde vanitie of thē which haue either perticularly recited or wholly collected the Apostolical Traditions as they terme them suche as those foolishe most false descriptiōs of them attributed vnto Clement those that thei call the Canons of the Apostles whiche haue bene a greate while ago counted emonge the bookes the are to be reiected But if some will obiect that al thinges are not written by the Apostles and by Luke I praye you why doo they thinke so because there be but fewe Christ contented him selfe vvith fevv ceremonies and so did his Apostles thinges conteined in their writinges Nay would to God that they which boste thēselues to be the successors of the Apostles could haue contented thēselues with this smal nūber For God would neuer haue had the rites ceremonies of Moises abolished to the intēt that others shuld be put in their places if it were not lawful to imitate the Iewes Ievves nor Idolaters may neither be folovved much more vnlawful is it to folow the Gentiles the which thing if the Anciēt Bishops had remēbred Christian Religiō had neither swarued so soone nor so shamefully first into vaine ceremonies triflinge Liturgies after the into manifest superstition last of all euen degenerate into an Atheisme For Paule woorthely doth call thē Atheists Godlesse whiche doo not woorship the onely true God as he ought to be woorshipped But shal we say that the Apostles did not properly treate of this argument matter Nay certainely it were a certaine kinde of impietie to thinke that the holy Ghost had not so great regard of the Church as was cōueniēt and this dare I affirme that he which readeth diligētly the History of Luke and the Epistles of the Apostles shall therby very wel learne not only the chiefe pointes of the Ecclesiasticall Folowe the Scriptures and thou shalte not neede vnvvrittē traditions order but also almost euery part therof so that no place néede to be lefte at all to those vnwritten Traditions Notwithstādyng how so euer this be seinge we stāde néede of a most perfect distinction to discerne the diuersitie of those infinite Traditiōs by what rule By vvhat rule shall vve trie the diuersitie of Traditions and Ceremonies I praye you shall we trie them for we haue declared that there cā be no sufficient argument concluded neither by the Antiquitie nor Authoritie of the writers neither by the multitude of thē by whome thei haue bene allowed Therfore stāde we néede of the woorde of God onely euen of that woorde of God I say whiche is published by the Prophetes and the Apostles and as it were sette foorth in publike Tables wherby we may disseuer the holy from the vnholy the profitable from the vnprofitable and hurtfull the necessarie from the superfluous and to establishe those Traditions by good reason that are thus disseuered Now then if it be necessary the the light of Gods woorde Gods vvoorde is the touche stone of doctrine writen must be our guide to iudge the rites Ceremonies howe muche more necessarie is it vnto the knowledge of the doctrine it selfe that the same light muste be our guide in the whiche doctrine men are much more blinded and doo erre with farre more daunger For if nothing as we haue declared heretofore may be folowed of vs in doctrine but that either is expressed by playne woordes in the Scriptures of God or els is gathered necessarily by the conferringe together of places howe can I beware of the false Prophetes onles I doo compare the doctrine pronounced by thē with the woorde of God it selfe But thou wilt saye what if he brynge foorth the woorde of God also for so did An Obiection Arrius vrging this texte My father is greater then I and so was the disputation with Macedonius of the persone of the holy Ghost with Nestorius and Eutiches of the vnion of the two natures and with Pelagius of Grace and Nature So is the controuersie at this daye of the sacramentall Phrases and maners of speach whiles that one sort of the same woordes and those moste fewe in number that is to say this is my Bodie this is my Bloud doo finde out Transubstantiation others Consubstantiation others onely a Sacramentall Coniunction Finally saye these mediatours these halters in Religion that would séeme to appease the controuersies when the controuersie falleth not of the woorde but of the sence whether shall we runne rather then to the Churche to the writinges of the Catholike fathers that were of sounde iudgement finally to the true and lawfull Councels To the whiche I doo aunsweare as before that I doo The Ansvveare not thinke that the testimonies of the Church nor of the Fathers nor of the Councels are to be reiected but I suppose that in them men muste vse great warynesse First of all if any thinge be affirmed Bare names of mē vvith out Gods vvoorde cā not staye our faith without the woorde of God the bare names of the Churche of the Fathers of the Coūcels are pretēded in vaine seyng that in this pointe the very Angels are not to be harde For that sayinge of Paule stādeth still in force that if any Angel frō heauen should preach an other Gospell let him be accursed Neither is it the duetie of the Churche to speake in this but to here her husbande what he speaketh And the Godly learned Fathers would haue their writings none other waies to be redde neither with any other condition but that they should be examined by the rule of the woorde writen Finally this is not the office of the Councels to make any newe doctrine but to confirme by Gods woorde that which is already made and ordeined by him those Synodes that haue done otherwaies are the chaires of the wicked and the
other halfe of the word of God Surely he that denieth this denieth the Sonne to shine at the middaie And I praie you what common wealthe what citie what house or familie shall not straight waies bee dissolued vnlesse it be knit together with The churche the scolehouse of honestie maie not bee the denne of vnthriftes the bondes of Lawes and Order What Shall wée suffer the Churche of Christe that teacheth all holinesse and honestie to bée transformed into a schoole of wickednesse and licencious life But if we take awaie this discipline that wée speake of if euery one bee permitted to preache publikely if there be no examinacion of the doctrine and maners of the Pastours if euery man bee receiued without difference vnto the Sacramentes if it be not lawful to reproue those that synne with the offence of others and seuerely to correcte those that resiste stubbernely and also in the ende if nede be by the example of the Apostle to thrust suche forthe of the flocke leaste thei infecte others and also vnlessé there be prouision for the poore and almoses bée distributed by the order appoincted by the holy ghost vnlesse finally all thynges bee rightly and orderly dooen in the house of God what will the Churche bee streight waies for the moste parte but an assemblie of men geuen to libertie and all licētious life But will some saie these An obiection The answer are the duties of Magistrates As though wée wee would haue temporall and yearthly thinges suche as are onely for this world to come into question by any meanes in the Ecclesiasticall Consistorie or that we would exempt either Pastours them selues or any others from the aucthoritie or commaundemente of the Ciuile Magistrates as those doe whom men call Catholikes Christ aunswered vnto them that called Christe hath established the discipline of the church vpon hym to deuide their heritage who saieth he hath appoincted me youre Iudge But he saieth also he that heareth not the Churche let hym bee as an Heathen a Publicane wherfore those thynges are to be disseuered that GOD hath deuided but thei maie not be takē awaie that he hath established Naie certainly it is so farre from the truthe that this Discipline dooeth hinder or lessen the ancthoritie of the Magistrates if it bée lawfully that is to saie by the worde of God onely placed and ordered that contrarywise it dooeth as muche as maie bée establishe it séeyng that nothyng is able so muche to maintain publike tranquilitie as this one thyng that the conscienses of all maie bée retained in the feare of God But it is to bée feared least that olde Popishe An obiection tyrannie bée brought again into the Churche So it is howbeit this is greate The answer foolishenesse saieth the Poet so to auoide vices that thou doe fall into the contrary extremities Wherefore wee maie not auoide Christs yoke of Discipline moste sweete to the godlie mannes tyrannie shake of Christes yoke but we muste receiue it for it is onely vnpleasaunte vnto the wicked and prophane persones and is to the good and godlie moste swéete and comfortable And wée are so farre from coumptyng the Magistrates The Magistrates the sheldes of the Churche and you whom God hath made the foster fathers of his Churche by the Kinges Maiesties Decrees Laie men as certaine dooe and so to separate you as straūgers frō this discipline that I speake of that contrary wise wée doe iudge that this poinct chieflie belongeth vnto you to punishe most seuerely those troublesome contemners of the Churche and by your aucthoritie to procure that the worship of God maie moste purely bee maintained And seyng this regimente of the Elders must bee appoincted not onely of the Pastours but of suche also by whom the pastours theim selues if néede bée maye bée corrected who is so madde but that in the chusyng of the Elders he muste thinke that greate consideracion must bee had of those that besides the commendacions of their godlinesse haue also aucthoritie and proeminence in the Churche But paraduenture I haue spoken to muche of these thynges vnto you especially of whose good willes I can nothyng doubt Therfore I make an ende besechyng the moste merciful and mightie God that he would strengthen thee moste noble Prince with his mightie power and you the rest of the renouned Lordes endued with his holie and excellente spirite and with the true knowledge of his soonne and vouchsafe to adorne you cōtinually more and more with all his moste excellente giftes that he maie finishe that greate worke that he hath begonne in you to the full restoryng of his heauenly kyngdome moste blessedly with your immortall praise and glorie At Geneua the .x. of the Calendes of Marche The yere from Christes incarnaciō for vs. 1565. To al the faithfull Christians whiche are in Germany and other foraigne Nations the Ministers of the Churches throughout Heluetia vvhose names are subscribed wishe grace and peace from God the Father by Iesus Christe our Lorde MAny and sundrie cōfessiōs and declarations of our Faith haue béene heretofore writtē but chieflye in this our age set foorthe in Printe by Kingedomes Nations and Cities wherby in these our latter daies in so vnhappie increase of pernicious Heresies which euery where sprynge vp they shewe and testifie that they thinke beleue and teache purely plainely and according to the vnfallible truthe all euery Article of the Christian faithe and Religiō to be short that thei are farre from Heresies or erronious opinions Albeit therefore we haue done the like alreadie in our writinges whiche we haue published yet bicause they are now perhaps out of minde scattered in diuers places intreate of the matter more at large then that euery man can haue leasure to peruse and reade them through we beinge incoraged by other faithfull mens good example doo our indeuour in this briefe declaratiō to comprehende and set foorth to al that beleue in Christe the doctrine gouernment of our Churches whiche they frō the beginninge of their reformation these many yeares wadinge through sundrie perils haue taught euen to this daie and now also doo retaine with one full cōsent Hereby also we witnesse to all men our generall agrement which the Lord hath wrought emong vs that in our Churches wherein God hath apointed vs Ministers we al speake one thinge not disagreynge amonge our selues but are a perfecte bodie of one minde of one iudgement Moreouer we declare by this our woorke that we sowe not such séede of corrupte doctrine in our Churches as many of our aduersaries falsely and vndeseruedly goe about to laie to our charge to thrust violently vpō vs specially in their hearinge to whome our writinges come not and before suche as know not our Doctrine Indifferent Readers therefore shall most manifestly perceiue by this our writinge that we doo in no wise allow any Heresies whiche heresies that it might the better appeare how greatly
Apocrypha Apocrypha of other Ecclesiasticall bicause they woulde haue them Read in the Churche but yet not to be alleaged as sufficient authoritie to confirme our faith as Augustine in his booke Deciuitate Dei 18. ca. 38. declareth that in the bookes of Kinges mention is made of names and bookes of certaine Prophetes but he addeth that thei are not recited in the Canon and that those bookes which we haue are sufficient to instruct vs in all poinctes of godlines ¶ Of expoundinge the holy Scriptures of the Doctors Councels and Traditions Cap. 2 THe Apostle Peter saide that the 2. Pet. 1. The true interpretation of the Scripture holy Scriptures are not of any priuate interpretation Wherefore we doo not allow al kinde of interpretations neither doo we acknowledge that sence of that Romaine Church as thei cal it which simply God wote the defendors of the Churche of Rome would compell euery man to receaue but we accept that interpretation onely as true whiche is gathered out of the Scriptures themselues that is of the proprietie of that tounge in the whiche they were writen and examined according to the circumstance and so expounded as they may agrée with many other like and vnlike places not swaruinge from the rule of Faith and charitie but may moste auaunce Gods glorie and mans saluacion Therfore we dispise not the holy Fathers expositiōs Greke or Latine neither doo we The holy fathers expositions reiect their disputations or treatises of holy thinges as longe as they agree with the Scriptures Howbeit we disalow after a modest sorte their iudgementes when they are espied to write thinges not agreyng or cōtrary to the Scriptures Neither thinke we that we doo them any iniurie in so doynge seinge they all with one consent are of this minde that they woulde not haue their writinges to be of equall authoritie with the Canonicall Scriptures but wille vs so farfoorth to allowe thē as they consente with the Scriptures biddinge vs to receaue those thinges which agrée with Gods woorde leaue that whiche swarueth from the same In like maner ought we to esteme the decrées or Canōs of Councels Wherfore Councels we iudge it of small force in controuersies of Religion or matters of faithe to be vrged with the bare sentēces of the Fathers or with Decrées of Councels much lesse with receaued customes or with cōtinuance of time For we admitte none other iudge in VVho is our Iudge in matters of Faith matters of faithe then God himselfe pronouncinge in his holy Scripture what is true what false what to be folowed what to be auoided So that we are satisfied with the iudgements onely of spirituall men whiche iudgemēts are taken out of the woorde of God Ieremie and other Prophetes did vtterly condemne the Councels of the Priestes holden againste the lawe of God earnestly admonishing vs not to heare those Fathers who walking in their owne inuentions haue gone astray from the path of Gods lawe We refuse also Mennes Traditiōs Mennes Traditiōs which notwithstandinge their glorious titles as though thei came of God his Apostels deliuered to the Church by expresse woorde of mouth and as it were by the handes of Apostolike men geuen to Bishoppes their successours yet being conferred with the Scripture doth dissent from them which argueth that they were neuer made by the Apostles scolers For as the Apostles taught not cōtrarie doctrine one to the other so their scolers published not repugnant doctrine to the Apostles nay it were rather impious to affirme that the Apostles in their life time by woorde of mouthe did appoint thinges contrary to their owne writinges Paule plainely affirmeth that he taught one kinde of doctrine in all Churches And 1. Cor. 4. againe he saieth We write none other thinges vnto you then that you reade 2. Cor. 1. or know In an other place he witnesseth that he and his Disciples that is 2. Cor. 12. to witte they that folowe his Apostolike steps doo walke all in one waye and doo all thinges together with one spirite The Iewes had in time paste traditiōs of the Elders but they were confuted by Christe sayinge that the Mat. 15. Marc. 7. kepinge of them was an hinderance to Gods lawe and that God was woorshipped in vaine by them ¶ Of God of his Vnitie and of the Trinitie Cap. 3. WE beleue and teach that there There is but one God is one God in essence or nature subsistinge by himselfe sufficient in all pointes of himselfe inuisible without a body infinite eternall maker of all thinges both visible vnuisible the soueraigne good euer liuinge geuinge life and preseruinge all thinges omnipotente of perfecte wisedome gentle mercifull iuste and true but we detest their Heresies that would haue more Gods then one For it is plainely written the Lorde thy God is one I am the Lorde thy God thou shalte haue none other Gods before Deut. 6. Exod. 20. me I am the Lorde and there is none other ther is no God besides me Am not I the Lord and there is none Esay 45. other but I alone a iuste and sauinge God there is none but I I am Iehouath Iehouah a merciful and gracious Exod. 34. God of longe sufferinge aboundinge in goodnes and truthe We beleue notwithstandinge and teache that the same God of infinite The Trinitie power beynge one God indiuisible is distinguished inseparably and vnconfusely into the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost so that the father begat the sonne from the beginnyng the sonne was begotten by vnspeakeable generation the holy Ghost procedeth from them both and that from the beginning and is to be adored with them bothe so that they be not thrée Gods but thrée persons consubstantiall co-eternall and coequall distincte touching their Substance the one goinge before the other in order but yet without any maner of inequalitie for by nature or essence thei be so vnited that they be one God and haue one diuine essence common to the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost For the Scriptures hath taught vs a manifest distinction of persons by the woordes whiche emonge all other thinges the Angel spake to the blessed Virgin The holy Ghost shal come vppon thée the Luc. 1. power of the most high shall ouer shadow thée that holy thinge whiche shal be borne of thée shal be called the Sonne of God In the baptisme also of Christ a voice was heard frō heauē speakinge of him This is my beloued Sonne Mat. ◠The holy Ghoste appéered in the likenesse Ioh. 1. of a Dooue when the Lord himself bidde his Disciples Baptise he cōmaunded them to Baptise in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Mat. 28. Ghost Also in another place of the Gospell he saide My father shal sende you Ioh. 14. the holy Ghost in my name Againe he affirmeth the same sayinge When the comforter shall
the Lorde and remaineth the onely vniuersall shepherde chief high priest before God his father and that he in Christ is present with his churche the churche doeth all the dueties of an high bisshoppe or shepherd and so will continue vnto the ende of the worlde and therefore néedes no vicare as one that were absente Truely Christe is present with his Churche and is a liuyng hedde who straightly forbadde his Apostles and their successours to chalenge the primacie or supremacie in the churche Whosoeuer then gainsaieth this manifest truth bringeth into the church of Christ a coÌ„trary gouernment who seeth not that thei are to be coumpted emong the nomber of those whoÌ„ Christes Apostles Prophesied of ij Peter ij and Paule Acte xx ij Cor xi and. ij Thes ij By takyng awaie the Romish hed No desorder in the church we bryng into the Churche of Christe no disorder no trouble seyng that we teache that the gouernemente of the churche prescribed by the Apostles is sufficiente for vs to kepe the Churche in due order Whiche 〈◊〉 the beginnyng while it was without suche a Romishe hedde as now adaies is said to keepe the Churche in order it was not without very 〈…〉 Doubtlesse The head of Rome the hedde of Rome maintaineth the tyrannie and corruption brought into the churche but 〈◊〉 resisteth and with all the might he 〈◊〉 withstaÌ„deth the true reformacion thereof It is obiected vnto vs that there are diuers coÌ„tentions crept into our churches Contentions in the church sithens we separated our selues from the Romishe churche wherevpoÌ„ Contentions in the romish churche some conclude that we bée not the true Churches of Christe as though there were neuer any sectes in the Churche of Rome neuer any strie for contencion and that for religion not so muche in Scholes as in their holte Chaires and in open assemblies We acknowledge i. Cor. xiiii that the Apostle said God is not GOD of dissencion but of peare and seyng there is emong you emulacion and contencion are ye not carnall yet it cannot be deuied but that God was Contention is no true note of the false churche 〈◊〉 the Apostolike Churche and that that Churche was the true Churche in which notwithstandyng there was striefe and discorde For the Apostle Gal. ii Act. xv Paule reprehended Peter the apostle and Barnaâ—â—â— dissented froÌ„ Paule A greuous coÌ„tencion 〈◊〉 in the churche of Antibche betwene them that preache Christ as Luke reherseth Act. rv There hath vtter great strief alwaies in the Churche and the moste famous doctors thereof haue dissented emong theimselues in no light matters the Church notwithstanding ceassed not to bee Christe his Churche still as it was before for so it pleased God to vse the strief in the Churche to the glorie of his name to sette forthe his truthe and to haue those whoe are tried better knowen But as wee acknowledge none other The markes of the true churche hedde of the Churche then Christ so wee agnise not euery one that boasteth it self for the true Churche to be the true Churche in deede We teache that to bee the true Churche wherein are found the signes or markes of the true Churche especially the right and sincere preachyng of God his woorde As wée be taught in the bookes of the Prophettes and Apostles who referre all to Christ whiche faieth in the Gospell My Shepe heare 〈◊〉 voice and I knowe theim thei followe me and I geue to theÌ„ eternall life and thei shall neuer perishe thei followe not a strauÌ„ger but flie from hym because thei knowe not the voice of strauÌ„gers and these Shepe be all of one faithe of one spirit and therefore worship one onely God seruyng hym alone in spirite and truth and louing him onely with all their harte with all their strength dooe call on hym onely for Christe his sake their onely mediatour and intercossour seekyng without Christe and faithe in him no rightuousnes no life because thei acknowledge Christe to be the onely hedde and foundacion of the Churche and them selues to bee laied vpon this foundacion Thei doe daiely repare them selues with repentaunce dooe paciently beare the crosse 〈◊〉 vpon them and beyng knitte together by vnfained loue with al Christes members doe thereby declare theÌ„selues to bee the Disciples of Christe continuyng in the bonde of peace and godlie vnitie Thei be also partakers together of the Sacramentes instituted by Christe and taught of the Apostles vsyng them none otherwise then the lorde hath commanded them The saiyng of the Apostle is well knowen to all men I haue receiued of the lord that whiche I also haue deliuered vnto you Wherfore we condemne those i. Cor. xi Churches as disagreyng from Christ his true Church which be not such as we haue heard that thei shuld be boast thei neuer so muche of the succession of Bisshops of vnitie and antiquitie Yea the Apostles commauÌ„de vs to flie from Idolatrie and Babilon and not to take part with her except we would i. Cor. x. i. Ihon. v. Apoc. xviii ii Cor. vi There is no saluatioÌ„ with out we be of Christe his churche take part of God his plages also We so muche esteme the societie with the true Churche of Christe that we deny that thei can liue in GOD his sighte whiche doe not communicate with the true Churche of God but separate theÌ„selues from it For as out of the Arke of Noe there was no sauyng helpe A similitude when the worlde perished by the flood so wee beleue that there is no assured saluacion without Christ who offreth hymself in the Churche to be enioyed of his electe and therefore we teache that thei whiche will liue muste not separte theimselues froÌ„ the true churche of Christe Howbeit wée doe not so narrowlie include the Churche within the signes aboue rehearsed that we The churche is not tyed to signes teache all those to be out of the church whiche either receiue not the Sacramentes so that it be not a self will or All offenders are not counted to be out of the church contempte but compelled rather by necessitie whiche thei can not auoide either those in whom sometime faithe fainteth but is not vtterly loste and cleane dedde either els suche in whoÌ„ there are founde faultes and errours by infirmitie For we knowe that god had some frendes in the worlde which were not of the Israelites Common wealthe We are not ignoraunt what happened to the people of God in the captiuitie of Babilon in the whiche thei lacked their sacrifices for the space of lxx yeres We knowe what befell to Peter who denied his maister and what daiely is wonte to happe to the electe and faithfull weaklinges Further we are not ignoraunt what maner of Churches in the Apostles tyme the Galathians Corinthians had in the whiche the Apostle laieth to their charge that there was many and greuous The churche sumtime semeth to be
therefore those whiche haue taken frō the faithfull the one kind I meane the Cuppe of the Lorde For thei offende greuouslie againste Christe his Institucion who saied Drinke ye al of this whiche commaundement he gaue not so expreslie of the bread What the Masse was in tyme past The Masse emong our forfathers whether it wer to be suffred now wée dispute not but this we frelie affirme that the Masse which is now vsed in all the churches of Rome is banished out of our churches for sundrie and moste iuste causes Truely we could not allowe it bicause it was made a vain sight or spectacle why the masse is not to be allowed of a profitable action bicause it was compted meritorious bicause it was saied for money for siluer gold bicause in it the Prieste is affirmed to make the Lordes bodie and to offer it really for the remission of sinnes both of the quicke and the dedde and also bicause it is saied For the honor worship and remembraunce of the sainctes in heauen ¶ Of the holye and ecclesiasticall assemblies or commynge to the Churche Chap. 22. ALthoughe it be lawfull for all men to reade the holye scriptures what ought to be done in holye assemblies priuatlye at home and to instructe or edifie one an other in true religion yet holy congregations and metings together in churches is very necessarie to th ende that gods words maye be soundly preached to the people that prayers supplications maie be made publikely the Sacramentes rightlye ministred and almes gathered for the poore and other necessarie charges and expenses of the Churche For it is euidēt in the apostolike primitiue church that there were such assemblies frequented of all the godlye Who soeuer dispise these congregations Refrainers from the churche witholde them selues frō them contemne true religion and ought to bee compelled by the ministers and godlie magistrates to seuer them selues no more so stubbernelye from faithfull people assembled in the churche Let their metinges in the churche be not secret but publike and ofte excepte persecution and the cruell enemies of the Christian congregation wyll not suffer it For we knowe what maner of assemblies there were in time paste in the primitiue The place of their assemblies churche in hidden and secret places during the tyranny of the princes of Rome Let also the places wher the faithful mete together be honeste and in al pointes conuenient for the churche of God Let the Churches therfore be large yet suche as are clensed from all those thynges that become not the Churche Let all thinges be furnished comelie and as necessitie and Godlie honestie requireth Lette nothyng bee lacking requisite for necessarie vses of the Churche But as wée beleue that God dwelleth not in Temples made with handes so we are not ignoraunt that places dedicated to God for the worshipping of him are not prophane but holie that thei whiche be therin ought to vse theim selues reuerentlie we shuld vse our selues modestly in the Churche and modestly bicause thei are in an holie place before the sighte of God and all his blessed Angels Wherefore all excesse of apparell all pride and all Deckinge of Temples thynges whiche become not Christian humilitie discipline and modestie oughte farre to bee remoued from the Churche and places of praier The true deckyng of Temples consisteth not in Iuerie in Golde and precious stones but in the honeste behauiour godlie loue and vertue of theim who are in the Temple Let all thynges bée dooen in the Churche comelie and orderlie to bee shorte to edifie Let all straunge language ceasse in holy congregacions and let al seruice be saied Seruice should not be sayed in a strāge tonge in the vulgare tongue and in suche language as the people in that place vnderstandeth ¶ Of praiers in the Churche of synging and Canonicall howres Chapit 23. IT is lawful doubtles to pray To praye in the mother tonge priuatlie in any tōgue which thou vnderstandeste but publike praiers in the Churche ought to be in the mother tongue Lette all the praiers of the faithfull bee made with faithe and loue to God onely in Christ To whome we shoulde praye and in whose name his name aboue The Priesthoode of Christe our Lorde and of true religion forbiddeth vs to call vpon the sainctes in heauen as our intercessours Sainctes muste not be prayed to Wee ought to praie for Magistrates for Kynges and all that be put in aucthoritie for the ministers of the churche For whome we shoulde praye when and all thynges necessarie for the same In all miseries of the Churche especially wee ought to praie without ceasyng bothe priuatlie and publikelie Wée muste also praie of our owne wherfore accorde not by compulsion or for any rewarde Neither is it mete that prayer where should bée supersticiouslie tied to a place as though wee mighte praie no where els but in the churche Neither Howe is it requisite that common praiers be like in al churches touching the forme or fashion or tyme. Let eche Churche dooe in that behalfe as thei liste As Socrates in his historie saieth In no Socrates Note place or religion thou shalt finde twoo Churches whiche fullie agrée in praiyng I suppose that thei who wer rulers of the Churches frō tyme to time were the causes of suche difference Howbeeit if thei agree it is highlie to bée commended and ought to bée imitated of other But it is well that there be a meant A meant in prayer as in euery thing so in common praier also that thei bee not to long or to tedious Let the chiefeste parte therfore of the seruice in the Churche be preaching and expoundyng of the Gospel Preachinge with prouision that the people bee not wearied with too long praiers leaste when the sermon should be heard thei beyng wearied desire either to go out of the Churche or wishe that all were doen To suche that sermon semeth to lōg which otherwise is short inough The preachers also ought to keepe a meane In like maner where singyng is vsed it must bée moderated and not Singynge excede a meane The singyng whiche thei call Gregories singing hath many thynges in it without time or reason Gregories singyng Wherefore our Churches and diuers other haue worthely reiected it If there bee any Churches wherein there is faithefull and lawfull praier without singyng thei ought not to be disalowed For all churches are not able to maintain singing in them And it is moste euidente by testimonies of great antiquitie that as singyng was vsed of old in the Oriētall Churches so it was lately receiued into the Occidentall Churches Our forefathers neuer knewe their Cannonicall houres Canonicall howres disalowed that is to saie praiers appoincted for certaine houres in the daie whiche Papistes syng and saie As maie bee proued by the Lessons of the houres and by sundrie other argumētes