he doth shew that all Israel in Abraham and Sarah their father and mother had vtterly perished with the rest of the world thorow this originall corruption had not God called them endewed them with faith and giuen them the couenant And as a childe new borne whose nauell is vncut and walloweth in his bloud and cast out in contempt hath no cleannesse in him nor power to prepare himselfe vnto cleannesse must needes haue all from the hand of them that take pittie on him So was Abraham void of all good knowledge and wil vnto godlinesse vntil God purified his heart by faith And as this was found in Abraham so he learned and beleeued the same obseruing the like in others whom God had not called as he had him for when a Gen. 12.10 cap. by famine hee was faine to go into Aegypt and afterward into Gerar his wife Sarah being a faire woman hee feared to acknowledge her to be his wife because he knew that the people being without grace and faith could not but encline to lust after her as the sequell did plainely declare and hee sheweth a reason b vers 11. Surely the feare of God is not in this place and they will slay mee for my wiues sake Where by the want of the feare of God putting the effect for the cause he vnderstandeth that they were voide of the grace of God of and in themselues so corrupt with this naturall deprauation that hee could not looke for any good but euill to come from them euen as Christ saith c Mat. 12.33 Either make the tree good and his fruit good or els make the tree euill and his fruit euill d Apolog. of England cap. 19. diuis 1 And this is also the faith of the Church of England for wee say That euerie person is borne in sin that no bodie is able truely to say his heart is cleane c. e Articles of religion Artic. 9. 10. Of free will originall sinne The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he can not turne and prepare himselfe by his owne naturall strength and good workes to faith and calling vpon God wherefore we haue no power to do good workes pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ preuenting vs that wee may haue a good will and working in vs when wee haue that good will and f Artic. 13. of workes before iustification works before the grace of Christ haue the nature of sinne Which is altogether agreeing in sence and meaning with that which is before shewed of the fathers time and of Abraham therefore let vs now heare Moses and the prophetes Moses saith g Deut. 9.5.6 O Israel thou enterest not to inherit their land for thy righteousnesse or for thy vpright heart for thou art a stiffe necked people And againe h Cap. 29.2.3.4 Ye haue seene all that the Lord did before your eyes in the lande of Egipt vnto Pharaoh c. Yet the Lord hath not giuen your an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vntill this day Where it appeareth plainly that Moses taught them that without Gods gift they could not vnderstand nor obey but were rebelles against God and stiffe necked And the prophetes declare the verie same i Psal 51.5 Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceyued mee k Prouerb 20.9 Who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am cleane from sinne By which is manifest that this originall corruption descending from Adam maketh the heart so corrupt that it can not prepare it selfe to any cleannes of righteousnes but of it selfe runneth headlong to all euill Therefore because that in this respect the heart in the faithfull is made as it were new the Lord saith by the Prophet a Ezech. 36.26 A new heart will I giue you a new spirit will I put within you Yet is the new testament more euident for it saith b Ioh. 3.3 Except a man be borne again he can not see the kingdome of God c Eph. 2.1.2 ye were in times past that is before our calling and regeneration dead in sinnes and trespasses c. walking in the lust of the flesh and fulfilling the will of the flesh of the minde d Tit. 3.3 and were by nature the children of wrath we were vnwise disobedient deceiued seruing the lustes and diuers pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie hatefull and hating one another Then which what can be more said the minde the will the affections wordes and deedes bee all ill euen as a deade man that hath no mouing but must be new borne before he can haue any sight is not such an one vniuersally corrupt voide of knowledge and free will vnto any godlinesse and vnable to doe workes pleasing vnto God yea and therefore the Apostle is bolde to say that it is e Philip. 2.13 God which worketh in vs the will and the deed of his good pleasure Then you see that the fathers Moses the prophets Christ his Apostles doe all agree in the same doctrine of the estate of man after his fall before his calling in Christ and that it is the same which we professe in England The fourth article entereth into the consideration how we are deliuered from this corrupt and damnable estate 4 There is one onely way of righteousnesse saluation which is by faith in Iesus Christ THis is verie apparant in the storie of Abraham when God saith that all the families of the earth should be blessed in his seed Where by blessed is vnderstood the deliuerance from the corruption and damnation which came by Adam This seede is Christ when hee saith all families or that sheweth that whosoeuer in the world shall bee saued must bee saued by Christ And there is no other seede or faith by which one man can be saued therfore he receiued the couenant as is before declared for Iewes and gentils that men might not looke for righteousnes or saluation in any other thing but only in by faith in Iesus Christ And so saith Moses as the blessed Apostle interpreteth it f Rom. 10.6 Deut. 30.11.12 The righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thine heart who shall ascend into heauen that is to bring Christ from aboue or who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring Christ againe from the dead but what saith it The word is neere euē in thy mouth in thine heart this is the word of faith which we preach For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt belieue in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saued Where thou seest by Moses docttrine that we must not seek righteousnes or saluation any where els but in the faith of Christ which the prophets expresse thus a Esai 28.16 Thus saith the Lord God Behold I
neither do men seeke the Lord behold euerie man seeth how his anger is kindled more and more and how neere his sword is come vnto vs that the Lords wrath is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still But yet if it please thee O God and mercifull father bee thou entreated by thy poore seruants who seeing the plague call night and day vpon thee that thou take not so great vengeance of our sinnes as to make the sweete streaming fountains which water all thy holy temple and the garden of thy delight among vs to be salt and vnsauourie or to let that burning starre of wormewood which is fallen from heauen to touch our riuers of waters or that thou shouldst make the heart of this people fat and their eares heauie shut their eyes least they see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their heartes and conuert and thou heale them Why should we be as men of another generation which know not and remember not thy great workes which thou hast done by our princely Iehoshuah and the great victorie ouer the Cananites of the land by thine annointed handmaid our renowned Deborah that our eyes should looke backe to the flesh pots of Egypt or that wee should returne to ioyne in friendship with that wicked Babilon whom thou hast commanded vs to reward with double as they haue rewarded vs and learning their maners being partakers of their sinnes we should be partakers of their punishmentes and thou shouldst giue vs ouer to the enemie and they which hate vs should be Lords ouer vs and then al these good things and the light of thy countenance should bee quite turned from vs and our glorie forsake vs. We haue indeed sinned most deare father and our offences are many yet is there mercie with thee that thou maiest bee feared Teach vs therfore thy way O Lord that we may walk in thy truth and knit our hearts vnto thee that we may feare thy holy name euen for thy holy Son sake our deare Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen When men waxe rich they begin to bee carelesse and by aboundance of peace Deut. 32.15 men forget themselues and fall away as it is written When he waxed fat he spurned with the heele For this cause hath God set vs ministers as watchmen to see the plague when it commeth and to admonish the people that they die not in their sinnes and to say vnto them Take heed you forget not the Lord your God which hath done all these good thinges for you but feare ye the Lord your God The cause matter purpose of this booke and serue him thou shalt cleaue vnto him and sweare by his name And this is verily the reason of the publishing of this treatise wherein I shew that the religion and faith publikely professed in this Realme and maintained by the righteous scepter and sword of our dread soueraign and gracious Queene Elizabeth is of the onely truth most auncient catholicke and vnchangeable out of which none euer haue beene saued from the beginning of the world neither can or shall bee And that the faith and religion vnder the pretence and name of Christ Peter and Paul and of the glorious shew and title of the Church which is now professed at Rome and followed by the vassals of the pope is but a new vpstart hereticall and superstitious deuise of man contrariant to the faith of Gods elect of the ancient couenant which God gaue taught Abraham both for Iewes and Gentils and which Moses and the prophets declared expounded and Christ fulfilled and established and his holy Apostles published to all the world and taught all nations by Christes commandement For I thought my duetie first vnto God and then to my gracious prince to shew some token of my thankefull mind and secondly to acknowledge my bounden duetie to Christes Church here among vs my deare mother in whose wombe I freely confesse my selfe to be bgotten and borne one of Gods children and though of thousands the most vnworthie yet one of the seruants of Christ and of his congregation in the ministerie of his Gospell And especially that I might call to remembrance and set before the eyes of my louing country men my louing and faithfull brethren and sisters in Christ the assurednesse of truth and the good treasure of God among vs namely that wee are lighted vpon that heauenly pearle blessed be God for which a man would sell all that he hath that this might bee some meanes to blow away the ashes from the cooling zeale of some stirre vp and awake some that are now readie to sleepe and bring backe againe some if it please God which are readie to go out of the way and that I might admonish others that they receiue not the grace of God in vaine For when a man shall thinke with himselfe and well way it in his heart that we haue the true faith which is vnchaungeable by which all Gods elect are saued will it not moue him to bestir himselfe that he neglect not so great saluation and that he trie euerie spirit before he beleeue and that he be not caried away with the vaine shew of ostentation in men of schoole learning but whomsoeuer he heare with the men of Berea to search the Scriptures whether those things be so yea though it were Paule or an Angel from heauen should preach another doctrine then that wee haue receiued we should hold him accursed I pray God for Christes sake to bee mercifull vnto mee that as he put into mine hart to take this worke in hand hath graciously assisted me and strengthened me to finish it and now to publish it So it would please him to vouchsafe his blessing to accompanie the same that it may bee accordingly profitable to many and haue an effectuall fruit to his glorie and the good of his church in the encouragement and strengthening of weake Christians I humblie beg this at his fatherly hands in and by the mediation of his son Iesus Christ euen for his holy and blessed name to whom with his holy spirit be all praise power and dominion for euer Amen From Eastwell in Kent the 26. of March 1602. The Contents of this Booke The first part of the auncient and vnchangeable estate of our religion now professed in England CAp. 1. Wherein is shewed first That wee come to know the true religion by the true knowledge of God pag. 1.2 2. That there is one God and he is the onely law-giuer pag. 3. 3. There is but one catholike religion whereof God is author and maintainer pag. 3. 4. For this cause Christ his Apostles teach the same religion which is in the olde testament and the gentils are adopted to bee children vnto Abraham pag. 5. 5. Here is taken away the obiection which might arise by the difference which seemeth to be in the three times before the law vnder the lawe and vnder the
Gen. 20.7 cap. 49 1. prophets did tel of things to come ordred the church in the families as they were g 2. Pet. 1.21 Gen. 15. 17. 21. c. guided by the spirite of God in prophesie or receiued commandement by vision or dreame from God Vnder the law there is the h This is taught in Exodus Numbers Leuiticus expounded in Deuteronomy all the prophets priesthood in the house of Aaron the Leuites vnder thē attend vpon the holy administration by diuers orders and ordināces keeping the people vnder the pure religion of faith loue Vnder the gospel there be also diuers i 1. Cor. 12.4.5.6 c. Mat. 28.19 Ephes 4.11 Rom. 15.18.19 administrations giftes and works set in the church to rule and feede the flocke of Christ to make them obedient to the faith in worde and deed And the k Math. 13.17 cap. 11.11 2. Cor. 3. manifestation of the spirit is more excellent abundant in the latter times then in the former Now in these three times you may see touching these ceremonies and maner of gouernment great difference and that the word of God doth not esteeme of these outward thinges as of the substance of religion vnchangeable as he doth of the inward and spirituall namely faith and loue And first as touching the time before the law Christ teacheth that the Iewes could not be Abrahams children l Ioh. 8.39 because they did not the works of Abraham which workes are not in ceremonies and maner of gouernment for they were two curious in those things and therefore Christ saith in another place m Math. 9.13 Go and learne what this meaneth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Thereby declaring the morall duties of loue to be substantiall in a religious profession not ceremonies as sacrifice washing tithinge c. And S. Paul on the other side saith thus a Rom. 4.10.11.12 Abrahams faith was imputed to him for righteousnes before hee was circumcised and that after he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should bee the father of all them that beleeue Where hee sheweth that Abrahams religion whereby hee was iust before God was his faith and that was before hee was circumcised and without circumcision then his circumcision was onely a signe and a seale to strengthen his faith in sealing vp of his righteousnesse but not of the matter or substaunce of his righteousnesse Secondly that this was so deuided that the gentilles which were not circumcised might bee iustified through the same faith without the obseruing of the lawe and the Iewes though circumcised were not iustified except they walked in the steppes of Abrahams faith So that herein consisteth Abrahams religion euen in his faith and walking in the steppes thereof the ceremonies were onely ornamentes and outward helpes to the same After which manner the prophetes also do interprete the law For when the people preferred the ceremonies and maner of gouernment before the morall dueties and faith Esay saith vnto them b Esai 1.10 Heare the word of the Lord O princes of Sodom herken vnto the law of our God O people of Gomorrah What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord c. Where he calleth thē frō the foolish and curious obseruation of ceremonies and maner of gouernment c vers 16. Repentance and the fruites thereof according to loue and of faith in the consent and obedience to Gods word and mercy d vers 19. And in another place he saith that e cap. 66.1.2 God esteemeth neither temple nor sacrifice but the humble and contrite heart who trembleth at his word Hereof Hieremie f Hier. 7.3.4 Amend your waies and your works I will let you dwell in this place trust not in lying wordes saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord c. For this cause the Psalmist sheweth that the end g Psal 78.5.7 why God gaue Israel his law that they should teach it there posteritie was this That they might set their hope on God and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements And the cause of all the plagues was not in regard of ceremonies or maner of gouernment for he saith h Psal 50.8 I wil not reproue thee for thy sacrifices but for their falling away from faith as it is written a Psal 106.13.14.24 They forgat his workes waited not for his counsell but lusted with concupiscence c. and beleeued not his worde And therefore it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes b Heb. 3.2 The word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it So likewise in the whole tenor of the gospell what is the principall aime of the holy Ghost to make men religious are not these two namely faith and loue is not the summe of the gospel in these two c Marc. 1.15 Repent beleeue the gospell Did not Paul say that when he taught the Ephesians all the counsell of God that he taught them d Act. 20.20.21 Repentance towardes God faith in Iesus Christ and what is this els but that wee should leaue the wickednesse of our heartes and liues and walke in all dueties of loue to God and man and hold fast his holy couenant by a true liuely faith Therefore he saith els where that e Gal. 5.6 in Iesus Christ neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Where by circumcision he meaneth the ceremonies and maner of gouernment of the law as hee expoundeth it verse 3. and so contrarily vncircumcision signifieth the order and maner of the gentils Therefore these outward thinges are not the maine substance but onely faith and loue Hereof it is that the spirite of God commendeth the f Eph. 1.15 Coloss 1.4 1. Thes 1.3 churches for their faith and loue hope and patience and Saint Paul speaking of himselfe sheweth how hee became a religious Christian saying g 1. Tim. 2.13 Before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercie c. but the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus Whereby you see that a wicked life and vnbeliefe make a prophane and irreligious person but faith and loue a true and religious Christian And hereof followeth the difference betweene an hipocrite and a true Christian the one is altogether superstitious in outward thinges h Mat. 23.5 labouring by such obseruations to appeare righteous religious vnto men but within is full of hipocrisie and iniquitie the other hath i 1. Tim. 1.5 loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience of faith vnfained And this is the cause that
will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation He that beleeueth shall not make hast b Malack 4.2 Vnto you that feare my name shall the sonne of righteousnesse arise and health shall bee vnder his winges c. The gospell more plainely sheweth that where Christ is not knowen c Math. 4.16 the people sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and that hee d Luc. 1.78.79 is the day spring from on high giuing light to them that sitte in darkenesse and in the shadow of death e 2. Tim. 1.10 And that hee bringeth life and immortalitie to light by the gospell And that God is so farre from allowing that any man should bee able in any other meane to attaine vnto righteousnes or saluation thus he speaketh expressely that there is no f Act. 4.11 Saluation in any other for among men is giuen no name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued Now what confesseth the Church of England in this regarde Namely that g Artic. 18. they are to bee had accursed abhorred that presume to say that euery man shall be saued by law or sect that he professeth c. For holy Scripture doth set out vnto vs onely the name of Iesus Christ whereby men must be saued So that heere you see the faith of Abraham Moses the prophets Apostles determine one way of mans restoring vnto righteousnes and saluation and the verie same is the faith of the church of England The fift article of Iesus Christ the onely author ef our saluation What we ought to know and beleeue of him 5. Iesus Christ in regarde of his person is perfect God and perfect man in one person and in regarde of his office mediator betweene God and man of the couenant of mercie IN this article we embrace two things First what Christ is in himselfe where wee vnderstand not that God alone or man alone is Christ but God and man is one Christ By God we vnderstand the onely and euerlasting begotten son of God the second person in the trinitie by man we vnderstande that hee came of the seed of Abraham and Dauid and a very naturall man borne of the virgin Marie hauing bodie and soule and all faculties and qualities of mind and bodie as we haue onely sin excepted and that the two natures in Christ are not confounded nor seperated but vnited distinct as the body soul of a man hauing their seueral natures properties make but one thing which is a mā So the godhead of Christ assuming the manhood chāgeth not it selfe nor the nature of man assumed but God man vnited in one person make one Iesus Christ and Sauior who by his incarnation and obedience suffering death resurrection assention sitting at the right hand of God and lastly by his iudgement hath and will saue all the elect of God declare make manifest the iust condemnation of the wicked reprobate And these are the works of his office of mediatorship which office of mediator we thus vnderstand that where all mankind being dead in sin there whole nature corrupted vnder the wrath of God and damnation of bodie and soule had in himselfe as is before declared nothing sound being vnable to doe any thing that could please God for his restoring vnto righteousnes and saluation Christ by the will of his father and of his free loue came into the world and became a man that where man had sinned by man might come deliuerance from sinne But because we men were wicked void of strēgth he was also God that he might be able perfectly to saue vs And so being God and man he was a fit mediator to make peace that where by sinnes we were enemies to God he being righteous suffering for vs payd the ransome for our sins and as God being the son of God was apt to reconcile vs vnto his father being beloued of his father his doing and suffering set vs free from the curse of the law the wrath of God and brought vs so far into Gods fauor that by him we are made righteous adopted children to his father and heires vnder hope of his euerlasting kingdom in al things in and through faith in him our harts being purified God is wel pleased with vs. In which office he is a priest and a king In his priestly office first as a prophet he bringeth vnto vs the oracles and word of God and secondly performing perfect obedience he offereth himselfe an immaculate lambe a pure and vndefiled sacrifice for our sins and continually maketh intercession for vs As he is King he hath all power in his hands he is Lord and head of his church and ruleth it by his word and spirit and sitteth and raigneth at the right hand of the glorie of God til all his enemies which are the enemies of his church be destroied and al things being restored hee will deliuer vp his kingdome into the hands of his father that God may be all in all This person and office of Christ being thus briefely but faithfully described See we now whether it be not that ancient faith which was taught Abraham First for the godhead of Christ a Gen. 18. he appeared vnto Abraham in the plaine of Mamre where one of the three angels is called Iehouah which is proper vnto God onely And againe b Cap. 22. when he offered vp his son Isaack an angel called to him from heauen saying Now I know thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onley sonne this must needs bee vnderstood of the son of God for the father is no where entituled by the name of an angel but the son is c Esai 63.9 els where called The angel of Gods presence and by special name d Dan. 10.21 Michael our prince which is by interpretation who like God which fitly declareth his godhead for so is it said in the Psalmes e Psal 89.8 O Lord God of hosts who is like vnto thee a mighty God and thy truth is about thee Secondly the manhood of Christ to bee assumed by Christ in the fulnes of times was taught Abraham when God preached the Gospel to him saying In thy seed which argueth the incarnation of the sonne of God that he should be made man of the seed of Abraham as it is expounded by the holie ghost saying f Heb. 2.16.17 He in no sort tooke the angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham Wherefore in all thinges it became him to be like his brethren c. that is to say seeing he came to saue man whom he would make his brethren by adoption it became him to take the seed of Abraham that he might be a verie true and naturall man his office is directly taught in that All the families of the earth by him should bee made blessed that is deliuered out of that cursed estate of original
for if there were difference the Lord would haue mentioned it by some word or other The like teach the prophets of the sacrifice as in the psalmes it is said that the people make a g Psal 50.5 couenant with God by sacrifice Where thou maiest perceiue the solemne acknowledging and auowching of the couenant was by sacrifice as an outward signe testifying the agreement of both parties And so God chargeth the people in the time of Hieremie the prophet h Hier. 34.18 That they kept not the words of the couenant which they had made before him when they cut the calfe in twain passed betweene the parts thereof So then you see that the couenant the wordes of the couenant is one thing the sacrifice is an other euen a signe yet not a naked bare signe but also a seale ratifying the couenant And therfore i Exod. 24.8 Moses did sprinkle the bloud of the sacrifice on the people saying Behold the bloud of the couenant which the Lord hath made with you which vse or power so to be commeth of institution who ordained the sacrifice to that end But the operation effect to be onely of Gods spirit appeareth because that this people though couenanting by sacrifice are found far frō the couenāt as is plainly declared by the psalme place of Ieremy before alleadged which yet is further opened by k Cap. 36.27 Ezech. by whom God saith I wil put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them And in this maner are the sacraments described in the new testament as namely where it is said a 1. Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are we al baptised into one body whether we be Iewes or Grecians whether bond or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit Where this phrase into one bodie into one spirit noteth the couenant of grace in Christ that as members of one bodie so are wee vnited in fellowship together with God through Christ by his spirite working faith in our hearts Baptized noteth the one sacrament and drinke noteth the other which is the Lords supper a part which is one signe set for the whole which are two signes bread and wine eating and drinking Now when he saith baptised into one bodie that sheweth the vse of baptisme is to be a seale to confirme the couenant vnto vs and not onely to bee a bare signe and this phrase drinke into one spirite doth argue the same thing of the Lords supper but making mention of the spirit he sheweth that the effect and operation is of the holy ghost So thē there be signs the thing signified and the power and operation of them both The signes water washing bread wine eating and drinking the thing signified the fellowship of the couenant which is in Christ The power is of this that God ordained this baptisme and supper of the Lord to bee signes of such importance as to seale and confirme vnto vs the couenant of grace but the operation is of the spirite of God which maketh vs really and in deede partakers of the things promised So that there is no difference in our sacraments from the sacramentes of the olde testament and that you may perceiue it is euen so examine with mee their institution First Baptisme is ordained by these wordes b Math. 28.19 Go teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the sonne and the holy ghost And againe c Mark 16.15.16 Go yee into all the world and preach the gospell to euerie creature hee that shall beleeue and be baptised shal be saued Here first the couenant is published by teaching and preaching then the parties receiue the couenant by beliefe and lastly the same is confirmed by baptisme As in the practise may appeare Peter preacheth Christ the people are pricked in heart asking what shall we do and he teacheth them by these wordes d Act. 2.22.37.38 Repent and be baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy ghost Where the word e Metanoésate Repent noteth out the chaunge of the mind not onely vnto amendment of life but also by turning vnto God by beliefe and therefore to declare the same sometime beliefe is ioyned with it as where it is said f Mark 1.15 Repent and beleeue the gospell so that hereby hee biddeth them so to repent and conuert as by faith they may receiue the couenant of grace in Christ and then adding that they should bee baptised in the name of Christ for remission of sinnes hee teacheth that baptisme should bee vnto them an assurance of that couenant which contayneth remission of sinnes which thing they should perceiue by the gift of the holy ghost accompanying the same Hereupon Philip g Act. 8.36.37 being demanded of baptisme by the Eunuch before hee baptized him required the acceptation of the couenant by these wordes If thou beleeuest thou mayest And least wee should thinke any power to bee in this sacrament otherwise then the institution maketh it to bee a signe and a seale of the couenant or that the worke wrought that is the verie outwarde signe being applyed by the minister when he washeth or dippeth the person baptized did effect the thing signified Saint Peter doth a 1. Pet. 3.21 expound it saying Baptisme doth saue vs. But howe Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request vnto God c. That is it is not the outward washing or worke of the ministrie but Gods spirit working in our hearts faith with a good conscience receiuing the couenant which saueth vs. And in this sorte also Christ b Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.23 instituteth his supper the holy cōmuniō First taking bread after thanksgiuing breaking it he saith this is my bodie and then taking the cup he saith This cup is the new testament in my bloud Then secondly for a commandement to his Church he saith doe this in remembrance of me c. where ordaining a sacrament hee vseth such phrases and maner of speech as God did in the same kind in the old testament sometime calling the signe signifying by the name of the thing signified as when he saith This is my bodie And sometime again least we might thinke it made a further change then was of old in the sacraments he addeth Do this in remembrance of me by the latter making it a signe and holy memoriall of Christ and his couenant and by the former making it more then a bare signe euen a seale of assurance vnto the faithfull beleeuers with the same termes order as the sacraments were ordained and instituted in the olde testament as wee haue seene before in circumcision the passeouer and the sacrifices So then the signe the thing signified and
of an other subiect And accidents are and haue a being without their true substance proper and naturall subiect A bodie which is a thing circūscriptible and by the diuine law of Gods creation prouidence is alway and can be but in one place at one time is here made and set in diuers places yet still one the same and that at one time in heauen and earth at Constantinople at Ierusalem at Rome at Carthage euery where But how cā they shift here the making of God to assume these formes as they call thē into the vnity of his person that so God man the formes of bread wine make not one Christ for by their doctrine these formes haue no being but in Christ Christ is vnder thē I quake to write it yet say they we must beleeue this chāge for nothing is vnpossible to God They must not so blinde our eies for it is vnpossible to God to haue already done that which he neuer did nor neuer will doe such is this transubstantiation of theirs It is impossible for God to deny himself such is this transubstātiation it is impossible for God to lie such is this transubstātiation Againe how can this be a sacrament when the outward signes be gone and a remembrance of him that is present but rather that himself is the signe of himself a remembrance of himself present neither yet is this so for we cannot see him feele nor vnderstand how he is present that he might be a signe or a remēbrance of himselfe but a third thing is present the accidents or forms of bread wine this is a new learning to teach Christ and his Apostles to goe to schoole nay this is the monster of all mōsters Teach we the Indians that this is the God of the christians may they not think rather the sunne or moone more likely to be God to haue a more expresse maiestie of a God may not the diuel laugh in himself that he hath so far passing measure bewitched the wise and graue learned mē to beleeue that which a child may easily perceiue to be meere folly Infinit is the blood that hath bin shed to maintaine this fansie and who would not willingly spend all the blood in his heart rather thē to yeeld to such blasphemie But the diuel is not herewithal content but that he might lead thē euery way as slaues in triumph against God and his Christ he maketh thē to worship these formes and host as they call it and carrie it about in procession that all men might adore it as God And this a Concil trident Ses 6. Septemb. 17. 1562. Cap. 1. ses 3. canon 5. they build vpon these words of Christ Doe this in remembrance of mee for by them as they say the Priest hath power to make a sacrifice propitiatorie and then being turned into God they say it is meet and fit that hee should be worshipped whom God bringing into the world commaunded the Angels to adore But herein first they gainesay the Scripture which teacheth the end of all sacrifices by the Priesthood of Christ as is by many arguments proued from the sixt till the eleuenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Secondlie when they cause it to be worshipped and yet God instituted it to be taken and eaten onelie what doe they but peruert the ordinance of God and they say wee must worship the sacrament or els Christ in the sacrament If they say the sacrament then they cannot say Christ because he is not the sacrament but the sacrament is a signe of him or els the sacrament is no sacrament I so they say in the sacrament thē they say no thing because that by their doctrine there is no such thing but only the formes of bread and wine for the bread and wine is turned into Christs body and blood as they say and so there is nothing left to be the sacrament Yet if it were so as they say what man can appoint a new forme of worship to be performed vnto God without his expresse commandement or authoritie Math. 15. Looke in the Masse booke ordinarium Missae For Christ saith that all such worship as is by the precept of men is in vaine And lastly consider how this can agree when they offer the sacrifice they desire God to accept that sacrifice againe when they shew it the people they cause them to worship it a strange and new kind of God that must be prayed for and praied to But howsoeuer it is a manifest thing that the popish sacrament and sacrifice is not the same which Christ instituted and therefore not of the exercises of the true Catholike religion For if Saint Paul when there was among the Corinthians but a little abuse in the mixture of eating 1. Cor. 11.20 in the congregation at the time of the celebration of the Lords supper whereupon there was discontentment betweene rich and poore if I say hereupon hee called them to the plaine and simple institution saying I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto you c. And therein addeth nothing to that which is written in Mathew Marke and Luke what doth he inferre but that it should be obserued without all additions and therfore vpon this ground forbiddeth their eating in the church What would he haue done if he had seene such swelling boiles filthy bunches standing vp so abhominablie as these Romish additaments which altogether take away the verie forme of Christes institution This sheweth how little these men haue of the gospell of Christ the teachers whereof are enioyned to teach the church to doe b Mat. 28.19 1. Tim. 6.4 whatsoeuer he commaunded And to keepe this commandement without spot and vnrebukeable vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore wee are not bound to c 1. Cor. 11.1 follow them any otherwise but as they follow Christ In the thirteenth Article the sea of Rome is directly contradictory to the christian religion For they say a Concil Trident de sacris ling. peregrin cap. 8. Et si missa contineat populi fidelis eruditionem c. Although the masse containe great instruction of the faithfull people yet it seemed not conuenient to the fathers that it should be celebrated euerie where in the vulgar tongue And their masse booke which containeth prayers celebration of sacraments reading of holy scriptures c. is set forth to bee vsed in the latine tongue But saith b Manip curat cap. 10. de rit quo deb miss celebra one of that side Sciendum quod missa tribus linguis c. It is to be vnderstoode that the masse is celebrated in three languages that is to say Hebrew Greeke and Latine For Alleluya Amen Osanna Sabaoth are taken of the Hebrew Kyrie eleeson Christe eleeson are taken of the Greeke all the rest are Latin The masse is said in these three manners because