that I condemne all princes and Kynges as Ennymies of the gospell because they peaceable enyoi there kingdōes so I wishe thē allwaies so to do with harti praier to the glory god But of this one thing I will assure euery prince of the worold the more syncere he is in the cause of god the more shalbe his crosse I report me unto the Kynges maiestye that ded is whiche at the fyrst brount as sone as he toke godes cause in hand that Leopard and dragon of Rome did not only solicitat thole forene worold agaist him but also he suffryd souch an ungodly and detestable insurrection of his papyshe subiectes and other more crosses that neuer shuld haue ben mouyd had he not unquietid the best of her rest that sate aboue his maiesti and God also in this awne Realme they be flaterers of prynces that say euerything may be rulyd with ease they cō consider not what an Ennymye of godes order the deuill is that would not only the gospell of truith to be appressid but also euery prince that studithe the preferment and setting fortb of godes word the deuill neuer seasith to molest and unquiet euery Godly polytyke and commune wealthe where there no scriptur deuine to detect thart of the deuyll Aristotile in the 5. book of his politykes were sufficient to manifest the deuille ennymyte agaynst all comme wealthes farther the nature of man is infyrm and fare unable to sustayne the offyce of ony uocaciō be it polliticall Ecclesiasticall or domesticall with out à singuler ayde of god Wese be saul that noble man who in the begynning of his raygne dyd many noble actes yet the deuill gote the uictori in the end his successor Dauid was lik wyce so intanglid in the snares of the deuill that with mouche paine he could quit hym self from the wycchyd coupe that the deuill had ons browght hym god Luk of how be it god defendid booth him and his kyngdom so that not only the preachers but also he himself tawght the word of god unto the people as he had promisid Psal 6. 50. god preseruithe aboue humane reason his ministres as he dyd Iacob from the handes of Esau Dauid ffrom Saul daniell from the lyons and Paule in the shippe where as no humane hope of saluacion was at all but onli the protection of god Those examples declare that he dooth defend his people agaynst all the worold by his mighr poore Likewyce he gouernith this churche with his only lawes and would his subiectes to know hym to honor him and to obey him as he hathe cōmaundid in his lawe Paule expressith this law Roma 1. Euangelium uirtus dei est in salutem omni credendi Marci ultimo Predicate Euangelium omni creaturae The only law wherūto this congregation is bound is the gospell as Christ saith Io. 14. Spiritus sanctus docebit uos omnia rediget uobis in memoriam omnia quae ego dixi uobis Here Christ byndith the Apostelles and all the churche unto the thynges that he had tawght them This cōmune wealthe of the trew churche is knowyn by these too Markes the pure preaching of the gospell and the ringht use of the sacramētes thus prouith Paule Ephesios 2. that the churche is bound unto the word of god super fundamentum Apostolorum prophetarum extructi estis Likwyse Esa 59. Spiritus meus qui est in te uerba mea quae posui in ore tuo nō recedent ab ore tuo nec ab ore seminis tui in aeternum Of the right use of sacramentes it is tawght 1. Cor. 11. Mar. ult Luce ult Mat. ult souche as teachith people to know the churche by these signes The traditions of men and the succeffion of bishopes teache wrong Those too false opinions hathe yeuen unto the succession of bishopes pore to interpretat the scripture and pore to mak souche lawes in the church as it pleacid them There is nomā hath pore to interpretat the scripture god for the preseruacion of his churche doothe yeue unto certayne persones the giffte and knolege to opē the scripture But that yest is no pore bound to ony order succession of bishopes or title of dignite Te princes of the Erth dooth yeue allwayes souche pore of ciuile Iustice by succession as one is cheyffe iustice for the tyme of his office to do euery thing appettayning unto the same so hath allwayes his successor the like God hathe yeuē the ciuile magistrates poure and auctorite to make souche lawes for the cōmune wealthe as shalbe agreable withe reason and not agaynst godes lawe and like wyce pore to interpretat the same lawes But this is not to be admittid in the church unto whom god hathe yeuen the gospell and inter pretatyd the same by his only sonne tawght the mening and cōtentes therof himselfe To know god and his ire agaynst sinne the greatnis of sinne the iustice yeuen in Christ the fere of god The faith in his promises the persequution of his membres The ayed and helpe of god in aduersite the resurrexion of the ded Where and what the trew church is of Euerlasting lief Of the too natures in Chtist of the father the sonne and the holy gost These be contentes of the law wher unto god hath bound his churche and commandyd here to hyre his sonne conserning the interpretation of these poyntes And at the commandement of Christ the Apostelles were sent to preache these uerites in the sprit of god It is therfore necessary to retayne in the churche the doctrine yeuē unto us by the Apostelles ād to be the disciples of there doctrine and not to fayne interpretations of our awne hedes cōtrari unto there doctrine Souche as will be the mēbres of this churche must be adisciple of the gospell ād lern in fere and humblenys of sprit tharticles of our religion as they be tawght there and not stand unto the iudgēt of ony man what so euer hebe towghe he say truithe for his truithe is nothing except thauctorite of Godes worde conteyne the sayd truithe it is a great confirmacion of our faythe when we see souche as were godly persones before us interpretat the scripture and use the Sacramentes as we doo As when the heresye of semo satenus troblid the Christiāe brothers that sayd this word uerbum in Iohan In principio erat uerbum did not signifie ony person nor substaynce deuyne They were confyrmid by the te testimony of Ireneus that hard Policar pus Iohan the Euangelist Disciple interpretat uerbū in the gospell for the sane of God second person in Trinite thowghe we be bound to hire the churche to say the trew and fayhfull preachers of Godes worde as was in this case Policarpus and Ireneus Not with stōding our faithe Is not grown dyd upon the authorite of the churche But in and upon the uoyce of the gospell we pray and inuocat the son̄e of God second
Christ by one sacrifice made perfet all thinges Ebre 7. 8. 9. 10. and as Iohan. saythe Sanguis Iesu Christi emundat nos â peccatis and there remaynithe nomore after it as Paule saith Vbi peccatorum remissio ibi noÌ„ amplius hostia pro peccato and to take away all dout that remission of sinne caÌ„not be optaynid for the me rites of the masse Paule saith playnely that without bludshedding no sacrifice can merite remission of sinne Althowge Christ now sit at the ringht hand of god and pray for his churche and like wice dothe offre the prayers and complaynt of us that belyue yet it is only for the merites of his deathe that we optayne the mercy of godes promesse in the whiche he susteynid souche payne that the remembraunce therof and the greatnis of godes Ire agaynst synne put his precious body and solle in souch an agony and fere that his passion of sorow surmountyd the passions of all men that euer trauelyd or were bordenyd with the weight and peace of godes importable Ire agaynst man for synÌ„ in so mouche that he wept not only tyres of blud but so aboundantly payne forsid them to descend that they trycklid upon the growne Sore troblyd and ouer coÌ„ with sorow was Dauid Psa 6 When he wayshyd his bed withe tyres for synne but it was Ioy and myrthe if his paynes be conferrid to these dolores of Christ They wantyd no augmentation this sacrifice was kyllyd alitle and alitle from one place of iudgment send unto the other and all wayes from the flames into the ardeÌ„t coles his deathe upon the crosse so differryd that altowgh he was uery god and the dere belouid son of the ffather his abiection was so contemptible aÌ„d uile â–ª that he cried out as Aman moost destitute of godes fauor and loue and sayd Deus meus Deus meus quare dereliquisti me And untill souch tyme as he offryd his moost holy soule unto the father and his blessid side percid with the spere his paines and sorowes incressyd Lo thus was the maner to offre Christ for sinne affter this sort and cruell handelyng of Christ was theire of God apecid If they sacrifice Christ in the masse let theÌ„ hange hym tyrauntes agayne upon the crosse and thrust â spere to his blessid hart that he may shed his blud for with out schedding of blud is no remission the scripture damnythe this abuse of the lordes supê‘ and is the coÌ„culcation of his precious blud As concerning the use of this Sacrament and all other The rites aÌ„d ceremonijs that be godly they shuld be so kept and usyd in the churche as they were deliueryd unto us of the highe Bishope Christ the auctor of all Sacramentes For this is trew that he moost godly moost religiousi and moost perfetly institutyd and celebratyd the supper And None other wayes then the Euangelist doothe record the best maner and moost godly way to celebrat this supper is to preache the deathe of Christ unto the churche And the redemption of man as Christ did at his supper and there to haue commune prayers as Christ prayed with his disciples then to repet the last wordes of the supper and with the same to breake the bread and distribute the winne to the hole church Then yeuyng thankes to God depart in peace these ceremonijs that God institutyd not But repugneth Godes institution be not necessari but rether in ony case to be leffte because they abrogat the institution of Christ it semithe sufficient unto me if the churche do as Christ hath commaundid it to do Saynct Paule to the Corinthious affter the ascenfion of Christ at lest 18. yeres wrote his Epistole and sayd he would delyuer them nothing but that he had receauid of the lord and wrote conserning the use of the supper as Matth. Mark and Luk writithe this is therfore and ungodly disputacion that the Papistes contend abut the chaÌ„ge and alteracion of the bread and also à false aÌ„d pernicious doctrine that teachyth the corporall presence of Christ booth God and man in the bread for althowgh Christ said of the bread this mi body It is well knowyn that he purposid to institute à sacrament Therfore he spak of à sacrameÌ„t sacramentally To spek sacramentally is to gyne the Name of the thing to the signe so yet not withstoÌ„ding that the nature and substaince of the signe remaynit and is not turnid into the thing that it signifiet farther the uerite of the scripture and the uerite of à Christiane faith will not suffre to iudge and belyue Christes body inuisible or uisible to be upon the Erth Act. 1. Luce ult Mar. ult Act. 3. If we lik wyce consyder the other places of the scripture Ioan. 6. 16. 17. we shall fynd that Christ would not nor ment not to institute ony corporall presence of his body But à memory of the body slayne resuscitatyd ascendid into heuens and from thense to cuÌ„ unto iudgment trew it is that the body is eatin and the blud dronkyn but not corporally in faith and sprit it is eatyn and by that sacrament the promis of god sealyd and coÌ„firmid in us The corporall body remayning in heuyn in the 24 chapiter of Matthew Christ yeuing his church warning of this heresy to cum by the preaching of false Prophetes sayd they will say lo here is Christe lo there is Christ belyue them not for as the lightynyng coÌ„mith from the est into the west so shall the cumming of the sone of man be meanyg by these wordes that his body is not à phantasticall bodi nor inuifible as these teach that say his corporall body is corporally yeuen in the bread with the bred and under the bred inuisible Agaynst this errour I will set the word of God and declare the truith therbi that they haue but an ymagynacioÌ„ or ydeam of Christes body and not the natural aÌ„d corporall body and the fyrst reason is this Christe byd his disceples they shuld not belyue hym that shuld say Lo here is Christ or there is Christ he spake of his body doutles and humaine nature for he commaundith us to belyue that his godhed is eueri where as Dauid sayth and as he sayth my father and Iamone likwyce he told theÌ„ be playne wordes Math. the last capi that he would be with them unto the end of the worold Christ hauing but too natures one deuine and the other humane by these expresse wordes now he declarithe to be present with the one and absent with the other these thinges markyd I put this mater incomprysse to be iudgid of euery humble and cheritable sprytyd man who iudgithe aright of the body of Christ those that say bodely he is not in the sacrameÌ„t or these that say he is bodely and corporalli there If he be there corporally and bodely as they say Why shall Inot beliue these wordes Ecce hic ecce illic and say Christ lyyth that sayd beliue them
but untill souch tyme as they shew me that glorious and perfeit mannes body of Christ as it was shewid unto the blessid uirgine there sayng belyue belyue shall not com into my belyue for Christ saith Nolite credere Of Christes wordes Marci 13. de die illo nemoscit the moment of the last tyme No man knowithe nether the sonne of god in asmouche as he is man I gather this argument A maiori if it be denied Christ concerning his man hed to know the last day mouch more to be euery where or to be in diuer places at one tyme is denied his humanite for it is more iÌ„possible and wounderfull to be euery where then to know many thinges I kno the Geographus conceuithe and coÌ„prehendithe all the worold in his hed But to be in all places where as his thowghtes and sprit is ocopyed it is impossible farther Christ is body hathe not loost his corporall qualites but wher so euer he be corporaly there is he with all qualites of abody and not withe out qualites as these dreamers imagine I will not iudge my sauiour that died for the sinne of the worold to haue abody in heuen sensible with all qualites of trew man and in the sacrament with out all qualites and quantites of à trew body But abhor and detest with the scriptura this opinion as an heresy so litle differing from marcion that I can scarse put diuersite as corporally is the corporall and substantiall body of all Englond in the hed of hym that describith by mape or cart the hole Realme in Italy or other wher so corporally is the body of Christ in the hart of the Christian The concept imaginacion or form conceuid of Englond is not the body mater nor substance selfe of inglond no more is the spirituall coÌ„cept of Christes body the corporall body it selfe thowg Auicen and Auerrois would prow souch à conclusion yet the fayth of our Religion will not suffre it à Pantasticall imagination to be à trew substannce to say that Christes uere naturall body is in the erth and yet inuisible it is to destroy the body and not to honor the body Aristole li. 5. metaphisicoruÌ„ cap. 22. definit what inuisible is inuisible inquit est quod non habet omni no colorem Take this from Christes body that it is trewly in the sacrament corporally and yet inuisible is to say Christ hath lost all the colour shape and form of his humanite But what shall Aristolle do in this our fayth the scripture teachith what we shuld belyue ascendit ad coelos sedet ad dex tram Dei patris omnipotentis Inde ueÌ„turus est iudicare uiuos mortuos Act. 1. Mar ultimo Luc. ultimo And hath leffte us à sacrament of his blessid body the which wear bond to use religiousy and many times to exercise and stablish our fayth and he being absent corporally dooth communicat by fayth in sprit that most precious body and the merites of the same and would to god peple would use it with more reuereÌ„ce and more awght as the scriptur teachith with trew amendemet of lieff and fyrm fayth I pout out a book in Septembre last past dedycatyd to my lord of wincheffter where in I haue declarid all my fayth conserning this blessyd and holy sacrament therfor I will passe to the other offyce of Christes pryshed Caput IX THe fourthe offyce of Christ is to consecrat and sanctifie these that beliue in him He is not onli holy him self but makith holy others also As he saythe IoaÌ„ 17. Pro eis sanctifico meipsum ut sint ipsi sanctificati perueritatem this sanctification is none other but à trew knolege of God in Christ by the gospell that teachyth us how unclene wear by the sinne of Adamme an how that wear clensid by Christ for who is sake the father of heauen doothe not only remitt the sinnes wrowght willyngly agaynst the word of God but also the imperfectioÌ„n and naturall concupiscens whiche remaynythe in euery man as long as the nature of man is mortall How the father dooth sanctifie his people the prayer of Christ shewith Ioan. 17. sanctifica eos per ueritatem tuam sanctifie them by thy word purche the hart teache them halow them make them apt for thy kyngdon wherwithe withe thy worde which is euer lastiÌ„g uerite The meaÌ„s to sanctifie is the word of God the holy gost and faith that receuith the word of our redemption so doothe Peter say Acto 15. Fide purgari corda nostra Here is the cause expressyd wherby we accept our sanctificacion by fayth sayth sanct Peter saynct Paule 1. Corint 6. shewith for whois sake and wherfore we ar sanctified Abluti estis sanctificati estis iustificati estis per nomen domini Iesu ê‘ spiritum Dei nostri For the merites of Iesus Christe by the operacion of the holy goost This is to be allwaies markyd that when Christ had prayed his father to sanctifie his church by his word and by his holy sprit and destityd hym to preserue them from ile for his mercys sake He addid the pryce the merites and iust deseruyng of Godes graces and sayd I sanctifie my selfe for them because they may be sanctified by the truith He sanctified hymselfe for the churche when he died for the detestable unclenys and fylthinis therof more stynkyng and fylthy theÌ„euer was the thaborryd and leporous bodi of Lazar 9. as tawghe he had said for asmouch as I offer aÌ„d submitt myselfe unto the bytter and cruell payne of the crosse for the church thow must most holy father sanctifie them and accept them as sanctified norysh theÌ„ loue them and defend them for the price and satisfactioÌ„ of my deathe what à consolacion is this for euery troblyd consciens to undrestond althowgh it be unworthi of remission of sinne for the gratnys therof yet for the prayer of Christ he shall not be a cast away so that he belyue as Christ said he praid not only for his Apostelles but also for as many as shuld beliue his word till the woroldes end as many as wilbe gospellers as the Ioue the gospel aÌ„d there awne saluacion let them not daily and play with it as thowgh god were à babe to be pleacid with à figg for syn let hym thynk upon the most uile and tyrannous deathe of hym that only was able to clense us from sinÌ„e and from hens beware of sinne it suffycit as Paule saythe that before we knew the truith to lyue want only 1. Cor. 6. Caput X. Of this verite and truit that the gospell reachith us only to be sanctfiied in the blud of Christ is confutyd the blaspemus pryde of the Bishope of Rome THat namith hiÌ„selfe the most holy father and takith upoÌ„ him to sanctifie all other men of therth as Godes uicar and leaue tenent to absolue à poena à culpa to pull out of hel aÌ„d send to heuen with his pardons Masses and
soule and mind to folow the meanes untill souche tyme as theffect and end be optainid wherfore the meanes was appoyntid The meanes was she wyd unto Adame at his fyrst and originall transgression the sede of awoman which shuld breake the hed of the serpent destroye the kingdome of the deuill and Restore Adame and as monye as knew and belyuyd in this sede unto lief euerlasting and as the sinne of Adame thonly occacion of all mannes miserie was deryuid into all his posterite and made subiect unto deathe and the ire of God for euer so was this sede frō the begynning aueri trew and sufficient remedie to as mony as belyuid and god for his promes sake quit and deliueryd man from the right and cleame of the deuill and by marcy restorid the place that was by malite ād cōtēpt lost he that would cōsider diligētli these to thynges the sinne of Adame and the marcy of God shuld fynd hym selfe far unable to expresse or sufficientli thinck the greamis of the one or of the other When they ar so far passyng the reason and undrestondyng of man All the solace and Ioy of Adames posterite consistith soli and only in this Rom. 5. Vbi abundauit delictum super abundauit gracia the benefitis and merites of this seade aboundith and is more auayle able before the iudgment of God then sinne the flesh the deuyll and the worold this treasure and in estimable ryches must beperfetly knowen of euery person that wilbe sauyd it is onli in Christe and in the knolege of hym what he is and what is his offyce The second Chapiter conteynythe what Christ is HE is the sone of the lyuing God and perpetuall uirgine Marie Booth god and man the trew Messias promisid unto man from the begynning of his falle Whom sainct Iohn callythe the word of eternall essens and deuine maiestie saing In principio erat sermo sermo erat apud deū sermo erat deus Ioan. 1. sainct Paule ad Coloss capite 1. Callith hym the ymaige of god c. Vnto the ebrewes cap. 1. the bryghtmis of god the creade of Nece callith hym lumen de lumine the naturall sone of god in whom dwellith the fountayne of all diuinite naturally as Paule saith Coll. 2. in eo inhabitat plenitudo diuinitatis corporaliter meaning that he is not the sone of god by adoption or acceptation into grace as Abraam Dauid and other holy saynctes But naturally the sone of god equall with the father in all thīgis as Iohn saythe Vidimus gloriam eius tanquam unigeniti â patre cap. 1. so dooth sainct Iohn proue hym in all his writinges to be the uery trew and euerlasting god and not as Ebion and Cerinthus sayde that he was but uery man only he was made mortall man as Iohan sayth Et sermo ille caro factus cap. 1. est to saue the Dan̄id man from imortall deathe and to be à mediator and intercessor unto god for man Matthaei 11. Iohannis 3. Esaiae 11. This scripture dooth not only teache usi the knolege of saluacion but dooth confort us agaynst all the assaules subtiltes and crafftes of the deuill that god would of his inestimable loue rather suffre his only sonne to dy for the worold then all the worold shuld peryshe Remayning allways as he was uery god immortall receauyd the thyng he was not the mortall nature and trew fleshe of man in the which he died as peter sayth 1. Pet. 4. Ireneus pagina 185. hathe those godly wordes Christus fuit Crucifixus mortuus quiescente uerbo ut crucifigi mori possit The deuyne nature of Christ was not rent nor torn nor kyllyd But it obeyd the will of the father It gaue place unto the displeasure and Ire of god that the body of Christ might dye being all wayes equall with his father he could if he had executyd his deuine poure delyueryd this body from the tyranny of the lewes these wordes of Ireneus dooth wounderfully declare unto us what Christ is and agreith with Paule Philipp 2. qui cum in forma dei esset non rapinam arbitratus est ut esset equalis deo sed semetipsum inaniuit forma serui sumpta seing he was sent into the worold to suffre this moost cruell death and passiō He would do nothing that shuld be contrary unto his uocation but with patience prayng for his ennymis submittyd hymselfe unto the ignomynie and contempt of the crosse suffryng paynes in̄umerable without grug or murmur agaynst the holy will of his father his Godhed hyding it selfe untill the thyrd daye when it restorid the soule agayne unto the body and causid it to rysse with great triumph and glory Roman 1. Matthaei 29. Ioann 20. Luk. 24. Mar. 16. Repeting the doctrine that before his deathe he preachid unto the worold that he was booth Kyng and lord highe bishope and prist booth of heuen and of erth Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terra Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes c. Matth. 28. He that before was moost uile and contemple in the sight of the worold now be right and iust title acclemithe the Dominion and Empyre of all the worold how mighty a princ he is the creacion of the worold and the preseruacion therof declaryth hou mercifull to wardes them that repent we know by dayly experience in our selfes and by thexample of othere Adam Dauid Manasse and Peter how cruell and rigurous for sinne The ponishmēt that we suffre and the calamites of this worold declarithe specially the deathe of his moost innocent body how immortall his Ire is agaynst souch as repent not Saul Pharao Iudas with other declare Ho migty and ferfull â lord this is our sauiour Iesus Christe rede his title and stile Naū 1. Where the Prophet threthenythe the destructiō of Niniue and the hole Kyngdom of the assirias as the prynces of the worold use to declare in there letters patent of what pore forse and strenghe they be of and the names of the Realmes and dominions that they haue undre there protection and gouernance to fere there Ennymies that they make no resistance nor moue not the peace of so might aprince so souch a title yeuith the Prophet unto God to fere the cite of Niniue and Kyngdō of the assiriāce saing quid cogitatis contra Dominum ipse consummationem facit nec consurgit uice altera tubulatio this is the stile of the God omnipotentour sauior Iesus Christ in whois name all pores bow there kneys in heuē in erthe and in hell Philip. 2. Caput 3. NOw that the scripture hathe taught us to know that Christ is booth god and man I will briuely intreat of his office ffyrst of his pryshed then of his Kyngdom and Raygne ouer his church till the woroldes end then for euer in solace with his electes in perpetual mercy and fauour withe souch as contemne in this worold his holy
commaundement and pleasure in seuere iustice and immortali hatred and Ire for euer Io. 3. Saynct Paule in thepistole to the Ebrewes prouithe hym to be the prist callyd by god unto that function and office of the highe bishope Christus non glorificauit seipsum ut fierct Pontifex sed is qui dixerat ei Filius meus es tu ego hodie genui te alibi Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem meldizedek Caput 5. by whos obedience unto the crosse he gaue euerlasting healthe to as many as obeyd hym And in all thingis executyd the uerij trew office of à bishope To whom it apperteynyd to teache the people whiche was the chefist part of the hishopes office and most diligently and streightly cōmaundid by God As all the bookes of Moses and the Prophetes teach ad Christ commaundid Peter Ioan. 20. Paule all the bishopes and pristes of his tyme Act. 20. of Christes authorithe and preaching Moses and Stephin Acto 7. Deut. 18. sayth thus Prophetam suscitabit uobis Deus uester è fratribus uestris simi lem mei illum audietis He that will not harken unto his uoyce Shalbe as none of the people of God This authorite to preache te father gaue unto him in the hyryng of the Aposteles Matth. 3. 17. and bound his churche to reeeaue his doctrine sayng this is mydere belouyd sone in whom I delite hyre hyme He tawghe the will of his father unto the worold and how they might be sauyd from deathe infernall Ioan. 17. 6. Matth. 11. 5. 6. 7. so that they repentyd and beliuyd the gospel Matth. 3. Mar. 10. leaffte nothyng untawght But as a good doctor manifestyd unto his audiens all thynges necessarie for the healthe of man as the woman confessyd Ioā 4. Messias cū uenerit docebit nos omnia he prechid not only himselfe But sent his Aposteles an disciples to manifest unto te worold that the acceptable tyme of grace was com and the sacrifice for synne born into the worold Matt. 10. Io. 10. and after his resurrextion he gaue thē cōmauadement to preche and likwyce whatt hey shuld preache Ite in uniuersum mundum praedicate quae ego praecepiuobis Euangelium omni creature Matth. 28. Matth. ultimo the whiche doctrine luk thus expoundithe poenitentiam acremissionem peccatorum in omnes gentes in nomine meo initio facto ab Hierosolymis Lu ce ultim In his name to say in the knolege and faythe of his merites they shuld preche repentaynce and remission of synne unto all the worold As they dyd moost syncerely and playnly without all glosses or addicions of there awne inuencion and were as testimonies of the truithe and not the auctors therof Act 1. 1. Ioan. 1. So doothe Paule theache withe grauite and manifest wordes what is to be iudgyd of hym selfe and all other ministers Deus erat in Christo inquit mundum reconcilians sibi non imputans ei precata sua posuit in nobis sermonem reconciliationis Itaque nomine Christi legatione fungimur tanquam deo hor tante uos per nos Rogamus pro Christo reconciliemini deo Allwayes in there doctrine they tawght the thyng that Christ fyrst tawght and godes holy sprit inspyrid them Gale 1. 2. Cor. 3. holy Aposteles neuer toke upon them to be Christis uicar in the erthe nor to be his leaue tenent But sayd sic nos estimet homo ut ministros Christi ac dispensatores mysteriorum dei 1. Cor. 4. in the same Epistole he bindithe the Corinthious to folow him in nothing but where as he folowyd Christe 11. cap. Imitatores mei estote sicut ego Christi They ministryd not in the churche as thowghe Christ were absent althoughe his moost glorious body was departyd corporally into the heauens aboue But as Christ present that all wayes gouernyd his churche withe his sprit of truithe as he promisid Matt. ult Ecce ego uobiscum sum usque ad cōsummationem saeculi in the absence of his body he hathe commendyd the protection and gouernaunce of his churche unto the holy gost the same god and one god with the father and his diuinae nature Whoes diuinae puyssanc and poure ouer machithe the forse of the deuyll so that hel it selfe can not take one of Christes flock out of godes protection Ioan. 10. and this defense dury the not for aday nor here but shal demoure for euer till this churche be glorifieyd at the resurrexion of the fleshe Ioan. 15. it was no litle payne that Christe suffryd in wayshing away the sinnes of this churche Therefore he will not committ the defense therof unto man it is nolesse glorie to defend And kepe the thing wonne by forse then it is by for se to optayne the uictorye Adam Abel Abraham Moses nor Aron cold not wynne this churche out of the deuilles tyranny No more can they defend it delyuerid For althowghe by imputation of Christes iustice these men and all other ffaythfulles be delyueryd from the tyranny of the deuyll and condemnation of the law yet had and hath the deuyll his uery frendes Dwelling within the nature of man corrupt as long as he lyuithe The cōcupiscence and rebellion of mannes nature who seassythe nor day nor night to be tray man agayne to the deuill except with the motion of trew penitence this cōcupiscens be kept under in fere and faythe which too uertewes be so infirme in mā that be he neuer so perfet yet fallith he from god somtyme as Abrahā Isaac Iacob Moses and Aron Esa 43. Num. 19. therefore he kepithe the defence and gouernaunce of the churche only and soly hym selfe in whom the deuill hathe not à yot of right thowghe the Apostellis where instructyd in all truithe and lefft the same wroten unto his churche yet were they ministres seruantes testimonies and prechers of this uerite and not Christes Vicars in erthe and leaue tenent to kepe the Kayes of heuē hell and purgatory but only appoyntid to approue the thing to be godd that godes lawes commaundid ▪ And that to be yle that the word of god condemnyd Seing that Christ doothe gouern his church allwayes by his holy sprit and byndith all the ministers therof unto the sole word of god What abhomination is this that ony bishope of Rome Hierusalem antioche or else where shuld accleme to be Christis uicar in therthe and take upon hym to mak ony lawes in the church of God to bynd the consciens of man besyd the word of God and in placyng of there supersticion and Idolatry 〈◊〉 word of God out of his place by what law by whom or where hathe ony this title yeuen unto hym to be Godes uicar and leaue tenent upon therthe Moses and Aron the best Princ that euer was and most godly gouerner of the people Aron that fide le high pryst and preacher of Godes word neuer usurpyd this title to be as à second Christ and
iustifyed by faithe i Christ is asmouche to say as we optayne remission of sinne and ar acceptyd into the fauor of god by the merites of Christ to be iustied by workes is asmouche to say as to deserue remissiō of sine by workes Paule declarythe that for the dethe and merites of Christ we be sauyd and not by oure awne uertewes so that faythe doothe not only shew us Christ that died and now sittithe at the right hand of God but also applyythe the merites of this deathe unto us and makyth Christ oures faythe layng nothyng to gayge unto the iustice of God but the deathe of Christ and there upō clemythe marci and Godes promes the remission of sinne and desyrythe God to iustyfye and delyuer the soule from the accusacion of the law and right of the deuill whiche he is bound to do for his promesse sak Ezech. 33. Matth. 17. and altowghe withe this remission of sinne he yeuithe like wice the holy goost to work the will of God to loue boothe God and his neyghbowr not withstōding the conscience burdenyd and chargyd with sinne fyrst sekythe remission therof For this thyng the conscience laborythe and contendithe in all feres and terrours of sorow and cōtrycion it disputithe not what uertewes it bringith wreachid soule to accleme this promis of mercy but for sakyng here awne iustice ofrithe Christ ded upon the crosse and sitting at Godes right hand Nothyng makithe it the cause wherfore this mercy shuld be yeuen sauyng only the deathe of Christ which is ton litron the only sufficient price and gayge for sinne And althowghe it be necessary and requysyt that in the iustification of â synner contricion to be present and that necessaryly cherite and uertews lieffe moost folow yet dothe the scripture attribute thonly remission of syn̄e unto the mercy of god wliche is yeuyne only for the merites of Christe and receauid soly by faythe Paule doothe not Exclude those uertewes to be present but he excludith the merites of these uertews and deryuithe the cause of our acceptation in to the grace of god only for Christ And Mark this maner of speache fide iustificamur Hoc est fiducia misericordie sumus iusti This word faythe doth cōprehēd as well à perswacion and confidence that the promese of god appertaynith unto him for Christes sakeas the knolege of god for faith thowghe it desyre the cōpany of Contricion and sorow for synne yet contendith it not in iudgmen upon the merites of no workes but only for the merites of Christes deathe in case it dyd it auaylithe nothing For if a aman desyre to be delyūid from the law the law must be satisfied Whiche saithe diliges do minum deum tuum ex tota mente toto corde ex omnibus uiribus Deuteron 6. Now there is nor neuer was ony man born of the stoke of Adame in originall synne that feryd god asmouche as the law requirithe nor neuer had souche constant faythe as ys requiryd nor souche ardent loue as it requirithe seyng those uertewes that the law requiryd be infirm and debile for there merites we can optayne nothing of god we must therfore only trust to the merites of Christ whiche satisfied the extreme iot and uttermust point of the lawe for us and this his iustice and perfection he imputithe and cōmunicatithe withe us by faythe souche as say that only faythe iustifiethe not because other uertewes be present they cānot tell what they say euery man that will haue his cōscience appesyd moost Marke those too thynges How remission of synne is optaynid and wherfore it is optaynid faythe is the meane wherby it is optaynid and the cause wherfore it is receuid is the merites of Christ althowgh faythe by the meanes wherby it is receauid yet hathe nether faythe ner cherite ner contricion ner the word of god nor all those knyt to gather sufficient merites wherfore we shuld optayne this remission of synne But the only cause wherfore synne is for yeuing is the deathe of Christ Now Mark the wordes of Paule ffrely saythe he wear iustified by his grace Let the man byrst his hart withe contricion belyue that god is godd athowsand tymes burn in cherite yet shall not all these satisfie the law nor delyuer man from the Ire of god untill souch tyme as faythe lettithe fall all hope and confidence in the merites of souche uertewes as be in man and say lord behold thy unfrutefull seruant only for the merites of Christes blud yeue me remission of synnes for I know no man can be iustified other wyce beforethe as Dauid sayth Non iustificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis uiuens Psal 143. agayne Beatus uir cui Dominus non imputat peccatum Psal 32. He that would marke Christes communication wythe that Noble man and great Clerk Nicodemus Ioan. 3. Shuld be satisfyed how and wherfore man is iustified so plainly that no aduersary of the truithe shuld hurt this infallible uerite sole faythe to iustifie Nicodemus hauing â good opinion althow not â sufficiēt knolege of Christ Came unto hym by night and confessyd hym to be sent from God and that because of souche workes and miracles as he had wrowght Christ made answer Trewly Nicodemus Isay unto the Noman can se the kyngdon of God except he be born from â boue Nicodemus not undrestonding what Christ ment Askid him how an old mā could be born agayne and whether he could entre his mothers belye and then be born agayne Christe bringithe hym yet ner unto the light that he might know the meanes and saythe I tell the treuly Nicodemus that noman can entre the kyngdon of God Except he be born of the water and the holy gost c. Nicodemus confessyd yet agayne his ignorancy and desyryd to be father instructyd sayng How may these thynges be Christ answerid Thow art the great Master and Rabbi in Israel and yet ignorant of these thynges Meanyng that great and horrible must the ignorancy of the people be when there doctors know not the trewthe Nicodemus confessing his ignorancye and receauing reproche at Christes hand because he toke upon hym to teache other and yet â fole hym selfe in the religiō of god Might for shame haue lefte Christ and his gospell yke because he now is made â scholer that before was for his prudence and lerning the cheffe of the Iewes A pharise of moost notable estimacion Christ streight way confortithe hym all other lernid and unlernid and saythe Noman ascendithe into heauen Except he that descendyd from heauen the sonne of man Whiche is in heauen as thowghe Christ had sayd thus discomfort not thy selfe Nycodemus that althowghe thow be agreat lernyd man and yet ignoraunt of the wayes unto euer lasting lief for I promesse the there is noman lernyd nor unlernid that can of his awne wit and lerning ascend unto the knolege of lief euer lasting but only he that descendyd from heauen the sone