euerlasting Also Math. xviij It is not my fathers will that any of these little ones should perishe Lette Christ therefore be our glasse wherein wee maie beholde our predestinacion wée shall haue a testimonie plaine and sure inough that wée are writtē in the booke of life if wee take parte with Christe and if he be ours and we his knit together with the bondes of true faith when we be tempted about predestinacion Temptatiōs about Predestination then the whiche temptacion there is scase any more daungerous let it be our comforte that Gods promises are generall to the faithfull saiyng Aske and ye shal receiue euery man that asketh receiueth And to cōclude Luke xi lette vs reioyce that with the whole churche of God wee praie Our father whiche art in heauen c. That we are also by Baptisme ingraffed in Christes bodie and fedde in the church oftimes with his flesh and blood to the obtainyng of life euerlastyng With these comfortes we being strēgthened are willed by Paule to worke our saluacion with feare and tremblyng ¶ Of Iesus Christ true God and perfecte man the onely sauiour of the worlde Chap. 11. WE beleue and teache that the sonne of God our lorde Iesus Christ is true God Christe from the beginnyng was predestinate of his father to bee the sauiour of the worlde and that he was begotte not onely when he tooke fleshe of the virgine Marie and before the foundaciō of the worlde was laied but euen before all eternitie and that of his Father after an vnspeakeable sort For Esay saith xxxv What man shall declare his generaciō And Mich. v. His goyng forthe hath been frō the beginnyng and frō euerlastyng And Ihon in the Gospell Cha. j. In the beginnyng was the worde the worde was with God and that woorde was GOD. c. Therefore the Sonne touchyng his diuinitie is coequall and of one substaunce with the Father true God not by name or adoption or any dignitie onely but in substaunce and nature as Ihon the Apostle saieth 1. Ioh. 5. This is the true God and life euerlasting and Paule Heb. j. He hath made his sonne heire of all thynges by whō he made the worlde beyng the brightnesse of the glorie and the ingraued forme of his persone and bearyng vp all thynges by his mightie worde for in the Gospell the Lorde hymself hath said Glorifie thou me O father with thine owne self with the glorie which Ihon. xvii I had with thee before the world was It is written Ihō v. That the Iewes sought to kill Christ bicause he called God his father making himself equal with God we deteste therefore the impious doctrine of Arrius and al the Arians Heresies againste the soonne of God but chieflie the blasphemies of Michaell Seruetus a Spaniarde and all that take his parte whiche blasphemies against the sonne of God Satan by thē hath as it were brought from helle and moste impudentlie and impiously doeth sowe abrode in the worlde Wee beleue also teache that the self same Christ being true man had fleshe also eternall soonne of the eternall God was made the soonne of manne also of the sede of Abraham and Dauid not by carnall copulation as Hebion said but conceiued moste purely of the holy ghoste and borne of Marie who notwithstandyng continued a virgine as The virgin Marie Math. i. Ihon. i. Hebre ii the storie of the Gospell diligently setteth out vnto vs and Paule saieth he chose not Angels but the seede of Abraham Ihon the Apostle likewise saith He that beleueth not that Iesus Christ came in the flesh is not of God The fleshe therfore of Christ was neither fantasticall nor broughte downe from heauen as Valentine and Martion dreamed Furthermore our lorde Iesus Christe had a soule not voide of sēce reasō as Appollinaris thought Iesus Christ had a soule indued with reason neither had he fleshe without a soule as Eunomius taughte but a soule indeed with reason and fleshe with all her senses by the whiche senses he felt and suffered true vnfained tormentes griefes at the time of his passion Mat. xxvi as he hymself saied My soule is verie heauie euen to the death and in Ihon the .xij. Now my soule is troubled c. Wee acknowledge therefore twoo Twoo natures in Christ natures a diuine and humane in our one Lorde Iesus Christe and further saie that thei bee ioyned or knitte together not confounded or mixte but rather that the propertie of their natures remain safe in one persone vnited or ioyned together for that wee worshippe one Christe our Lorde and not twoo I saie one true GOD and true man as touchyng his diuine nature of like substaunce with his father as Heb. 4. touchyng his humanitie of like substaunce with vs menne and like in all poinctes exceptyng synne For as wée doe abhorre from the Nestorians opinion Heresies makyng twoo of one Christ and breakyng the vnitie of his persone so we willynglie deteste the madnesse of Eutiches and Molothelites or Monophistices who deny the propertie of his humain nature Neither doe we teach that Christe his diuine nature did suffer Christ his diuine nature suffred not neither is his humaine nature euery where or that he as touchyng his humain nature remaineth to this daie on the yearth or that his humanitie is euery where neither do we thinke or teach that Christe had no true bodie after it was glorified or that then it was deified and so deified that it kept not the properties of a bodie and soule or that it was chaunged all together into a diuine nature and begā to be onely one substaunce Wherefore we allowe not the fonde foolishe quirkes of Schuenkfeldius Heresies and suche like subtile disputers nor their intricate obscure reasonyng of this matter wherein thei agree not emong them selues Further more we beleue that our Lorde Iesus Christe suffered and died in deede for vs in the fleshe as Peter saieth Wee 1. Pet. 4. Christe touching his humanitie suffred in deede deteste therefore the Iacobits and the Turkes moste impious madnes who abhorre the passion of Christe In the meane while wee denye not but that the Lorde of glorie according to Paules woordes was crucified for vs. For 1. Cor. 2. deuoutlie and reuerentlie wee reade and vse the cōmon propertie of speach drawen out of the scriptures and vsed of all the olde writers in expoundyng and recōcilyng the places of the scriptures whiche seme to disagree Wee beleue and teache that the same our Lorde Iesus Christe did rise from the dedde in the self same true fleshe in the whiche he was crucified and died and Christe his resurrection that he raised not vp an other bodie in steede of that whiche was buried nor that he became a spirite whereas before he was fleshe but that he kept stil his true bodie Therfore when his disciples thought that thei sawe the spirite of the
wherby we must be saued but the name of Christe in whome truely whosoeuer deliteth and taketh pleasure they séeke nothinge without his helpe How be it we contemne not the Sainctes nor thinke of them as we doo VVhat honour is to be giuen to Sainctes of the common people for we acknowledge them to be the liuely Images of Christe the louers of God who haue ouercome the fleshe the worlde with glory we loue them therefore as our bretherne and honour them also but not with godly honour but haue them in honorable estimatiō and geue them their due and iust prayse we imitate also their good steppes for we moste earnestly desire and wishe that we beinge folowers of their faith and vertues may be made with thē partakers of eternall life and maye dwell together with God for euer In this behalfe we like the sentence of S. Augustine of true Religion sayinge Let vs not thinke it any Religion to woorshippe dead men Yf they haue liued godly they are not thought to be suche as require of vs that honour but rather suche as would haue vs to woorshippe God and reioyce when the eies of our harte be opened throughe his mercie wherby we are made felowseruantes of their rewarde They are therefore to be honored for imitation not to be adored for Religion Much lesse doo we beleue that the Reliques of Sainctes are Reliques of Sainctes to be woorshipped The holy Sainctes in olde time thought that they had sufficiently honored the dead if they had Honoringe the dead honestly and comely committed their Reliques to the earth whē their soules were ascended into Heauen And they estéemed the vertues learninge and faithe of their forefathers to be moste precious reliques of all other whiche giftes of God as they extolled when they praysed the dead so they indeuored to expresse in their owne déedes while they liued here on the earth The selfe same olde auncient holy men To svveare by the name of God onely Deut. 10. Exod. 23. swoore not but by the name of the onely God Iehouah according to his law by the whiche lawe as it is forbidde to sweare by the name of straūge Gods so we take no solemne Othes required in the Sainctes name we reiecte therfore in all these poinctes the doctrine that attributeth to to muche honour to the Sainctes whiche be in Heauen ¶ Of Gods Prouidence Cap 6. WE beleue that all thinges in All thinges are gouerned by God his Prouidence Heauen in Earth and all his creatures are preserued and gouerned by the Prouidence of this wise eternall and omnipotent God For Dauid testifieth saying The Lord is high aboue all nations and his glorie aboue the Heauēs who is like vnto the Lorde our God that hath his dwellinge Psalm 113. on high who abaseth himselfe to beholde thinges in Heauen in earth Againe he saieth Thou hast foreséene all my waies for there is not a woorde in my tounge but lo thou knowest it Psalm 139. wholly O Lorde Paule also witnesseth in him we liue moue and haue Act. 17. our beinge Rom. II. Of him and thorowe him and for him are all thinges Most truely therfore and according to the Scriptures hath Augustine in his booke De agone Christi Cap. 8. pronoūced The Lorde sayde are not two sparowes solde for a farthinge and one of them shall not lighte on the grounde without your father By which woords Rom. 10. he woulde declare vnto vs that euen that whiche men thinke moste vile is gouerned by the omnipotent powre of the Lorde For so speaketh the trueth himselfe the fowles of the ayre are fedde by him and the Lilies of the Mat. 6. fielde were clothed of him and the heares of oure head are numbred Wée condemne therefore Epicures Heresies Epicures whiche denie the Prouidence of God and al those which blasphemously say that God is occupied about the whéeles of Heauen and neither seeth nor yet careth for vs and our matters Dauid also the kingly Prophete accuseth thē sayinge Lorde howe longe shall the Psalm 94. wicked triumphe They say the Lorde shall not sée neither will the God of Iacob regarde it Vnderstande ye vnwise amonge the people and ye fooles when will ye be wise he that planted the eare shall he not heare or he that formed the eye shall he not sée How be it we dispise not the meanes as vnprofitable whereby the diuine prouidence VVe ought not to dispise lavvfull meanes to bringe thinges to passe woorketh but we teach that we should so farrefoorth vse them as they are cōmended vnto vs in Gods woorde Wherefore we disalowe theyr rashe woordes whiche saye If all thinges be gouerned by the woorde of God doubtles our indeuours and studies be in Obiection vaine it shall suffise if we committe al thinges to the gouernaunce of Gods prouidence neither is there cause why we shoulde be more carefull for any matter or doo any thinge els For although Solution Paule did acknowledge that he sayled by the prouidence of God who saide to him Thou muste beare witnesse of me at Rome also who more Act. 23. ouer promised sayinge No man shall be loste neither shal there an heare fal Act. 27. from the head of any of you yet notwithstandinge the selfe same Paule auouched to the Centurion and Souldiers except these abide in the shippe ye can not be saued For God whiche hath appoincted an ende for euery Note thing euen he hath ordeined also both the beginninge and meanes by the whiche he may come to the ende The Ethnickes ascribe the gouernment of To fortune vve ought not to attribute thinges Iam. 4. thinges to blinde Fortune and vncertaine chaunce but S. Iames will not haue vs say to daye or to morowe we will goo into suche a Citie continue there a yere and bie and sell and gette gaine but addeth for that we ought to saye if the Lorde will if we liue we wil doo this or that And Augustine showeth in 148. Psal all thinges in the worlde which vaine men thinke to be done by chaunce are not done but by Goddes woorde because they are not brought to passe without his cōmaundement So it semed that it was done by chaunce or fortune that Saull séeking his fathers Asses should light vpō the Prophets Samuell But God said 1. Sam. 9. before the Prophet To morowe I will sende to thée a man of the tribe of Beniamin c. ¶ Of the Creation of all thinges of Angels of the Deuell and of Man Cap. 7. THis good omnipotent God hath God made all thinges created by his eternall woorde al thinges both visible vnuisible and preserueth thē by his euerlastinge spirite as Dauid witnesseth sayinge By the woorde of God the heauēs were made and all the hoste of them by the Psal 33. breath of his mouth all thinges that God made were very good created for
Lorde he shewed theim his Luke xxiiii handes and feete pearsed with nailes and rased with woūdes addyng these woordes beholde my handes and my feete that it is I my self handle me and see for a spirite hath no fleshe and bones as ye see me haue In the self same his flesh we beleue Christe his true ascenciō into heauen that our Lorde Iesus Christe did ascende aboue all heauens that maie be séen into the very highest heauen that is to witte the seate of God and place of the blessed where he sitteth on the right hande of God the father whiche The righte hande of god right hande although it signifie equall glorie and Maiestie with God the father yet it is taken for a certaine place also whereof the Lorde speaketh saiyng that he would go awaie and prepare Ihon. xiiii a place for his Disciples The Apostle Peter also witnesseth that the Actes iii. heauens must containe Christe vntill the tyme that all thynges be restored And he hymself shall come againe frō heauen to the Iudgemét at suche time The cōming of Christ as there shal be in the world most wickednesse and Antichriste true religion being corrupted shall ouerwhelme all with supersticion and impietie cruelly persecutyng the churche embruyng himself with the blood of God his sainctes and consumyng their bodies with fire then then I saie Christ will Actes xvii i. Thes iiii Math. xiii The Resurrection of the dead come to iudge the quicke the dedde to receiue his electe to his mercie and to destroye Antichriste For the dedde shall rise and thei whiche are founde liuyng in that daie shal be chaūged in the twinckelyng of an yie and all the faithfull shal be caried vp into the ayre to meete Christe and so from thence thei shall with him enter into a blessed place where thei shall liue with hym worlde without ende but infidels and impious persones shall descende with the Deuils into helle fire there to bee i. Cor. xv Math. xxv burned for euer and neuer to bee deliuered or released of their tormentes We condemne therefore all which Heresies deny the true resurrection of the body and those who with Ihō of Ierusalem against whom Ierome wrote thinke not a right of glorified bodies Wee condemne those who thought that the deuilles and all wicked men should at the length be saued and haue an ende of their punishementes For without exception the Lorde hath saied Their fire is neuer quenched their worme dooeth neuer dye Moreouer wee condemne Iewishe dreames dreamyng that before the daie of Iudgements there shal bee in the yearth a golden worlde wherein the godlie their wicked enemies beeyng oppressed shall possesse the kyngdomes of the yearth For we are farre otherwise taught in the Gospell Math. xxiiij Luk. xxv and xvij Also in the doctrine of the Apostles ij Thess ij and. ij Timo. iij. iiij chapiters Furthermore our Lorde by The frute of Christe his death and resurrection his death and passion and by all thinges whiche sithens his incarnacion he did and suffered for our sakes hath reconciled our heauenlie father to all Rom. 4. beleuers hath purged by his sacrifice our synne hath vnarmed death broken the strength of condemnacion and Cor. 7. hell hath by his resurreccion from the dedde restored vs to immortall life for Io. 6. 11. he is our rightuousnesse life and resurrection to be short he is the fulnes the perfection and the discharge the healthe and moste aboundant sufficiencie Collos 1. 2. of all the faithfull For the Apostle saieth so it pleased the father that all fulnes should dwell in hym and in hym ye are made perfecte For we teache and beleue that this That Christ is thouly sauiour of the worlde Iesus Christe our onely and eternall Lorde is the sauiour of all mankinde and of all the worlde in whō by faithe so many are saued as were saued before the lawe vnder the lawe and duryng the tyme of the Gospell and all Ioh. 10. that shal bee saued before th ende of the worlde For the Lorde hymself saieth in the Gospell he that entereth not in by the dore into the shepefolde but climeth Ioh. 8. vp an other waie he is a theife a robber I am the doore of the shepe Act. 4. 10. 15. Abraham saw my daie and was glad In like maner Peter the Apostle saith There is saluaciō in none other but in Iesus Christe neither is there emong mē giuen any other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued We beleue therefore that wee shal bee saued by the grace of God euen as our fathers were accordyng to Paule his saiyng All our fathers did eate of the same spirituall meate did al drinke the same spirituall drinke For thei all 1. Cor. 10. dranke of the spirituall rocke that folowed thē and the rocke was Christe Therefore we read that Ihon also writeth Apoc. 15. that Christe was that Lambe whiche was killed frō the beginnyng of the worlde And that Ihō the Baptiste witnessed that Christe is the lābe Ioh. 1. of God whiche taketh awaie the synnes of the worlde Wherefore we opēly professe and Preache that Iesus Christe is the onely redemer and sauiour of the worlde a Kyng and chiefe Prieste the true Messias and he that was looked for I meane that holie blessed one whom al the figures of the lawe and Prophesies of the Prophetes prefigured and promised GOD hath fulfilled his promes and hath sēt hym to vs so that wee oughte not to looke hereafter for any other neither resteth there any more now but that wee giue all glorie to Christe and beleue in him contēting our selues with hym onely despising and reiectyng all other helpes to obtain life euerlasting For they are fallen from grace and make Christ to die in vaine for them Gal. v. whiche seeke saluation in any other thing then in Christe alone Nowe in fewe woordes to speake muche concerning this matter whatsoeuer is decreed by the scriptures of the misterie of our Lorde Iesus Christ his incarnacion and comprehended in the holy sacramētes and concluded in the first iiij moste godly Synodes holden The approued Credes of counsels at Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Calcedon whatsoeuer is conteined in the Crede of that blessed manne Athanasius or in the like we beleue it with a sincere hart we frelie plainly confesse with vnfained lippes cōdemnyng all other opinions contrary to theim Thus wee defende in all poinctes the true and catholike Christian faith knowyng that in the fore named Credes nothyng is contained that is not agreable to the woorde of God or plainlie and truely setteth not forthe the Christian faithe ¶ Of God his lawe Chap. 12. WE teache that in the lawe of The lawe of God declareth his will God is declared to vs his will what he would and what he would not haue vs to doe what is good and
true confessioÌ„ and to speake all at a worde saithe bringeth forthe al kinde of good Good workes come of â—uth fruites and good woorkes in vs. For we teache that true good workes doe spryng of a liuely faithe by the woorkyng of the holie ghoste and are doen of the faithfull accordyng to the wille or rule of God his woorde For Peter the Apostle faieth geue all diligence i. Peter i. thereunto and ioine vertue with your faithe and with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperauÌ„ce c. We saied before that the Lawe of GOD whiche is the will of God dooeth prescribe vnto vs a paterne of good workes And the Apostle affirmeth this is i. Thes iiii the will of God your sanctificacioÌ„ and that ye should abstaine from vnclennes that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter For God workes that men inuente of their owne braine alloweth not those workes those worshippynges whiche wee chose of our owne hedde whiche Paule calleth volontarie religioÌ„ Whereof the lorde Collos ii also in the gospell saith Thei worship me in vain teachyng the doctrine and preceptes of men Wee reproue therefore suche woorkes but we highly coÌ„mende and earenestly require those woorkes whicheÌ„ be accordyng to the wille and commaundemente of God The ende of good workes We must therfore doe good dedes yet not to merite thereby life euerlastyng for as the Apostle saieth Life euerlastyng is the gifte of God nor to make our boaste or bragge thereof whiche Math. vi Christe reproueth nor yet for gaine whiche also he disaloweth Math. xxiij but to the glory of God to commende our vocacion to shewe our thankfulnesse to God and to profite our neighboure Againe our Lorde faieth in the Gospell Lette your light so shine before Math. v. men that thei maie see your good workes glorifie your father whiche is in heauen And the Apostle Paule Eyh iiij Walke as becommeth your vocacion Also Collo iij. Whatsoeuer ye shall doe saith he in worde or dede doe all in the name of the Lorde Iesus geuyng thankes to GOD the father through hym And Phil. ij Looke not euery man on his owne matters but on other mennes thynges also And Tite iij. Lette our brethren learne to shewe for the good woorkes for necessarie vses that thei be not vnfruitfull Albeit therefore wee teache as the We reiecte not good workes but necessarilie require them Apostle doeth that a man is Iustified freelie by faithe in Christe and not by any good woorkes yet we doe not dispise or condemne good woorkes wée knowing that man was not made nor regenerate by faithe to be idle but rather to dooe without ceassyng those thynges whiche are good and profitable For in the Gospell the lorde faith A good trée bringeth forthe good frute Math. xii And in Ihon. xv He that dwelleth in me bringeth forthe muche fruite To conclude the Apostle saieth wee are Gods creatures made in Christ Iesu to doe good woorkes whiche GOD hath prepared to walke in And again Heresies whoe deliuered hymself for vs to redeme vs from all our iniquitie and to cleÌ„se his owne peculier people which do good woorkes We condeÌ„ne therefore all those that despise good woorkes babblyng that thei are vnprofitable Oure good workes are not the cause of our saluation and not to bee regarded Notwithstandyng we thinke not as was saied before that we are saued by good workes or that thei are so necessarie that without them no manne was euer saued For by grace by Christes onely benefite wee are saued Woorkes come of saithe necessarily but yet saluacion is vnproperlie ascribed to theÌ„ for moste aptlie it is to bee attributed to grace For that saiyng of the Apostle is verie well knowen if it bee of grace it is no more of woorkes or els were grace no grace But if it bee of workes it is no more grace or els wer Rom. xi woorkes no more woorkes Those workes doubtlesse do please God and are allowed of hym whiche Good workes please God we doe with faithe because thei please him by faithe in Christ who doe good workes which also procede of the grace of God through the holie ghoste For saincte Peter saieth In euery nacion Actes x. he that feareth GOD and woorketh rightuousnesse is accepted with hym And we ceasse not to pray for you that ye might walke worthie of the Lorde Col. i. and please hym in all thynges beyng fruitfull in all good woorkes Therefore we instructe men with as muche Note diligeÌ„ce as we can and beate into their eares to embrase true and not false or Philosophicall vertues to doe in dede Hypocrites good workes and to performe the bouÌ„den duetie of a Christian manne We muche discommeÌ„de both the sluggishnesse hipocrisie of all suche as praise and professe the Gospell with their mouthe but with their filthie liuyng defile it And we laye before their yies Gods horrible threatenynges concernyng this matter his large promises liberall rewardes with exhortacions comfortes and rebukynges For wee teache that God geneth a God rewardeth our good deedes large rewarde to theim that doe good accordyng to the Prophettes saiyng Refraine thy voice from wepyng for Iere. xxxi Esaie iiii Math. v. x. thou shalte haue a rewarde for thy woorke Christe also promiseth in the gospell Be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen And he that will geue to one of these little ones a Cuppe of colde water verelie I saie to you he shall not lose his reward Howbeit wee referre this rewarde whiche the Lorde geueth not to mennes merite Note who receiue the rewarde but to why God rewardeth them that doe good deedes the goodnesse liberalitie and truthe of God promisyng and geuyng it who notwithstandyng he oweth nothyng to any man yet hath promised to giue a rewarde to theim whiche faithfullie worshippe hym but to that ende GOD bestoweth on theim his rewarde that thei should serue hym Furthermore there be many thynges vnmete to bee presented to God and sundrie thynges are founde vnperfite euen in the sainctes deédes or workes But because God receiueth them into his fauour and loueth the workers for Christ his sake he geueth them the rewarde whiche he promised theim For otherwise our rightuousnesse is likened to filthie clothes The Lorde Esaie lxiiii Luke xvii Mennes merites merite nothyng also saieth in the Gospell When you haue doen all that is coÌ„maunded you saie ye are vnprofitable seruantes we haue dooen but that whiche was our bounded duetie to not Albeit then we Note Augu. teache that God rewardeth our good deedes yet we teache there withall as Augustine doeth that God crowneth in vs not our merites but his owne gifte And therefore what reward soeuer we receiue we affirme that it cometh of the grace of God worthelier called grace then a rewarde because that good which we do is doen rather by God his
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
methode and all other thinges beinge set in their places the natiue expositions maye be knowen And if God His expositiō and the hard wordes cōmune places graunt me that I may hereafter adde hereunto twoo other thinges whiche I am about nowe that is to say a breife exposition of the wordes that offer thē selues in the texte commune places beside euery one noted with a word in their proper places then truly shall I thinke that I haue done some thynge worthie trauell But it may please god once to graūt these In the meane seasō most noble Lords I thought it good to writte and dedicate vnto you chiefly that haue embraced true Religion in Fraunce my natiue countrie all that whiche God hath giuen met bothe that I might shewe forthe some token of a thanckfull minde for what dooe we not allowe vnto you whiche with the bucklers of your own bodies haue defēded the poore miserable shepe againste the rage of the Wolues and also that I maie cōfirme you more and more to perseuer in this heroicall fortitude and stoutenes whiche becometh your noble courage Lo then most noble Prince those holy teachers of that heauēlie doctrine for the defēce wherof thou haste not doubted to offer thy life I saie to so many and so great perilles and daungers Lo vnto you honourable and noble Lordes those holie misteries of that eternal wisedome the whiche the more that you shall knowe the more glad shall you bee though you bee driuen to shedde your blood again for him whiche hath redemed you with his moste precious blood These are the excellēt ensignes of the victorie of your faithe and zele euen before the verie Angelles of heauen in the settyng vp whereof yet would to God O would to God I saie like as your desire was you might onelie haue vsed Spirituall weapons But now when peace is restored you haue greate nede of a spirituall constancie and an inuincible power and force of faithe that this woorke that you haue begonne maie bee finished with your euerlastyng laude and praise And the Lorde will minister this vnto you by the continuall and diligente hearyng of his woorde and meditatyng of the same For that whiche meate is vnto The exercise in gods word necessary our bodies the same do these heauenlie dainties minister to our myndes that is to say not onely that we should liue by the liuelie iuice of theim but also that we should grow and encreace to full age whiles at the length we be made perfite at that last daie And here I dooe desire your honours that you would vouchsafe with quiet myndes to heare certain thinges of me whiche belong to your charge If so bee that Beleue faithfull teachers that bring no thinge but Gods worde you be fullie perswaded that we whō you haue heard and of whom you are begotten in the Lorde doe teache true and holie thynges I beseche you suffer not your selues to be drawen from Beware of crafty hypocrites thēce one iote And I haue great cause thus to admonishe you For though I doe knowe the fortitude of your myndes yet doe I also knowe how greate the craft is of certain that lie in waite to berciue you of your saluacion and what is their impudencie and malice I doe not speake of those opē and knowen enemies of the truthe but I doe meane those Sinons and craftie coūterfaictes Sinon a Greciā vnder the pretence of religiō betraied Troye who partely would haue a certaine meane and mingled religion I knowe not how and partely waite for the occasion to sowe discorde emōges you by those infortunate discordes and controuersies about the Lordes Supper What saie thei is it all one to transforme the Churche and to reforme it Wer our fathers al blind Are these felowe that come we knowe not whence onely wise Are not these the' that all the beste learned dooe call Sacramētaries and vtterly abhorre All true gospellers are ready to geue accomptes Now what we haue to aunswer herevnto you are not ignoraunt and wée will neuer refuse to shewe the causes before the whole worlde of this that thei cal a trasformacion But it is wōder if al menne doe not see what these menne goe about seyng some of them dooe seruice to those that are openly the moste deadly enemies of the Gospell Beware of crafty tourne cotes of Christ others are notorious by plaiyng so oftē the Apostatates others of them haue vttered al their life long vnto the whole worlde their inconstancie and their babblyng and that thei haue no iudgemente at all seyng in thirtie yeres space thei haue not yet learned that menne maie not halt nor wauer in religion These are thei that I admonish you chiesly to take heede of and you shal be safe from them if you stedfastlie continewyng in that faithe that you haue receiued of your faithefull Pastours whiche is sealed with the bloode of so many martyres whereof a plaine and euidente confession is published will either presently chase awaie these poisoned plagues or if that you haue determined ones to heare theim then that you dooe heare theim before suche Pastours by whom their craftes may bee opened and their lyes conuinced and confuted Neither is there any cause why Ther muste nedes be controuersies contrarieties alwayes these cōtrouersies should trouble you For the Lorde hym self our maister hath diligentlie admonished vs that this is the condicion of this Churche and the continuall experience of al tymes doeth confirme the same Thus in our tymes did the Anabaptistes arise beyng deuided into many sectes Thus at this daie dooeth the stubbernnesse of certaine in defendynge moste manifest errours so boile forthe that thei openlie dare dissolue the twoo natures of Christ with Nestorius and confounde the properties with Eutyches whose pestilente bookes I dooe forewarne you are alreadie translated into Frenche In other places as in Polonia the cursed Tritheits that imagine three Gods are risen vp and haue almoste destroyed the countrie and Sathan styll forgeth other secrete misteries againste the whiche it is necessarie that you doe resiste and stande stedfaste by the sinceritie and pure simplicitie of Christian doctrine But nowe because that neither the Ecclesiastical Discipline necessary offences wherewith the wrathe of GOD is many tymes prouoked nor the heresies whereby the true doctrine is oppressed can bee taken awaie in due tyme excepte a true and lawfull order of Ecclesiasticall discipline bee appointed therefore I dooe require this of you by the name of the soonne of GOD I craue this thing I saie of you that you dooe not reiecte this discipline as any inuencion of man but that you would establishe it with al diligéce and earnest affection and kepe and retaine it being ones established The redressinge of maners is the one halfe of the scriptures as the ordinaunce of GOD without the whiche the whole buildyng muste come to ruine of necessitie For what Is not this the
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 true keyes bée short ouer bodies and soule Wée simple iudging according to God his worde saie that all ministers lawfully called haue and occupie the keyes when the preache the Gospell that is when thei teache exhorte comfort reproue and kepe in good order the people committed to their charge For in To open or to shutte the kyngdome of God so doyng thei open the kyngdome of heauen to the obedient and shutte it to the disobedient These keyes the lorde promised to his Apostles Math. xvi and performed his promes Ihon. xx Marke xvi Luke xxiiii when he sent his disciples and bid them preache the Gospell and forgeuenes of synnes to all the worlde Paule ij Cor. v. saieth that the Lorde hath geuen to his ministers the office of reconcilyng synners to God What that is immediatly he declareth addyng The worde or doctrine of reconciliation And more plainlie expoundyng his owne woordes enferreth that Christe his ministers dooe the embassage of Christe in his name representyng God his persone exhorting his people to be reconciled to God by faithefull obedience Thei then vse the Reies whē thei exhort The vse of the keyes vs to faithe and repentaunce So thei reconcile to GOD so thei forgiue synnes so thei open the kyngdome of heauen and bryng beleuers in farre Mat. xxiii otherwise then thei of whom the lord spake in the Gospell wo be to you Scribes and Pharisies Hipocrites bicause ye shutte vp the knowledge of heauen before men for ye your selues goe not in neither suffer ye theim that would enter to come in Well therefore and effectuallie doe ministers absolue whē To adsolue thei preache the Gospell of Christ and remission of sinnes for his sake which is promised to all that beleue and are baptised Neither dooe we thinke that the absolucion is therefore of greater vertue because it is whispered in ones eare alone or mūmeled ouer ons hed We thinke notwithstanding that remission of synnes ought diligently to be preached to all men and that euery particuler man ought to bee admonished that it lieth hym vpon to seke for remission of his synne But how circumspecte and diligent penitentes ought to bee in indeuouryng Amendemēte of life to lead a newe life in depressyng the old and sturryng vp the newe mā exāples in the Gospell teache vs The Lorde saied to the man whom he cured of the palsie behold thou art made Ihon. v. whole sinne no more least some wors thing happen to thee To the adultres woman whom he condemned not he said goe thy waies synne no more By Ihon. viii the whiche wordes doubtles he ment not that it was possible for man to be without synne as longe as he liues in the fleshe but he would haue vs watch and to bee verie carefull to indeuoure by all meanes wee can and to praie vnto God that we fall not againe into those synnes from the whiche we are risen as it were and that we be not ouercome with the flesh the worlde and the deuill Zacheus the Publicane being Luke xix receiued into God his fauor crieth in the Gospell Behold half my gooddes I geue to the poore O Lorde and if I haue deceiptfully begiled any mā I restore hym iiij times so muche After Good deedes required in the penitent the same sort therefore we preache that restitucion mercie and almose déedes are necessary to be doen of thē whiche truely repent And generally with the Apostles woordes we exhort all and saie Let not synne reigne in Roma vi your mortall bodies to obeye it in the lustes therof neither geue your members as weapons of vnrightuousnes vnto synne but geue your selues vnto God as thei that are a liue from the dedde and geue your members as weapons of rightuousnes vnto God Wherfore we cōdēne al the impious Heresies words of those the dispise the preaching of the Gospell and saie It is an easie matter to returne to God Christ hath made satisfactiō for all sinne We shal quickly haue pardō for our wickednes what hurt then shal it do vs to sinne We nede not muche to passe for repētance c. Suche impious talke I saie we condēne Howbeit we teache that at al times eche sinner maie haue frée accesse to God who forgiueth the faithful al their iniquities except onely the Marke iii. sinne against the holy ghost Therfore we disalowe the old new Nouatians with the heretikes called Catharie chiflie we condēne the gainfull doctrine of the pope touching penitēce And against his Symonie his symonicall pardanes Popishe pardons we alledge the iudgement of Simon Peter thy money perishe with thee because thou thinkeste that the Actes viii gifte of God maie bee obtained with money thou haste neither part nor felowshippe in this businesse For thine harte is not right in the sight of God We discommende all those who imagin that thei are able to make satisfaccion Satisfactiōs for their synne whiche thei haue committed and that with their owne satisfactions For we teach that Christ onely by his death and passion is the satisfaction for all synne and the pacifier of God his wrathe Yet notwithstandyng as we said before we ceasse not to call vpon menne to subdue the rage of the fleshe Addyng that wee ought not arrogantiie to hurle before God our good deedes as satisfaction for our synnes but rather humblie like the children of God to shewe our good liuyng as a token of newe obedience and thankfulnes for our deliueraunce and full satisfaction purchased by the death of Christe the soonne of God ¶ Of the true Iustifiyng of the faithfull Chap 15 TO Iustifie according to the what it is to iustifie Apostles meanyng in his disputacion of Iustificaciō is to forgiue synnes to absolue from the faulte and punishment also dewe for the same to receiue into fauour and to pronounce iuste for the Apostle to the Romanes writeth It is God that iustifieth who is it that condemneth To iustifie and to condemne are here putte as contraries In Actes xiij he saieth By Christe remission of synne is preached vnto vs and from all thynges from the whiche ye could not by the lawe of God be iustified by hym euery one that beleueth is iustified We also reade in the lawe and in the Prophetes thus If any strief arise betwene menne and thei come vnto Deut. xxv iudgement let the Iudges iudge them but let the rightuous be iustified and we are iustified through Christe the wicked condemned And Esaie v. Wo be to them that iustifie the impious manne for any bribe It is moste certaine that we all are by nature impious synners and before the Iudgemente seate of God conuicted of impietie and giltie of death howbeit we beleue that wee are iustified that is to saie pardoned of our synnes and deliuered from death by God who is our Iudge and that onely for Christe his sake without any respect of
mercie then by our owne accorde And as Paule saieth What i. Cor. iiii hast thou that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued it why boastest thou as though thou haddest not receiued it And as out of that place the holy martire Cyprian Cypriā gathereth We must glorie in nothyng because wee haue nothyng Heresies of our owne Wee condemne therefore these who in suche sorte defende mennes merites that thei diminishe the grace of God ¶ Of the holie catholike churche of God of the one onely hedde of the Churche Chapi 17. SEyng that God from the beginnyng The churche euer was euer shal be would haue manne saued and come to the knoweledge of the truthe it muste nedes bee that euer there was and now is and to the ende of the worlde there shal bée what the churche is a Churche that is to saie a companie of the faithfull called and gathered out of the worlde a companie I saie of all the Sainctes to witte of them whiche doe truly knowe and rightly worship the true God in Christe their sauiour accordyng to his worde and by the aide of the holie Ghoste to bee shorte whiche are made partakers of al goodnes offered fréelie vnto them through Christe by faithe All these be citezens of one Citie liuyng vnder one Lorde vnder one kinde of lawes being alike partakers of all good thynges For so the Apostle calleth them fellowe citezeins with the Sainctes and of Gods housholde folke namyng them sainctes who abidyng in the yearth are faithfull sanctified by the blood of gods soonne Of whom this article of our Ephe. ii 1. Cor. vi beleife speaketh wherein it is saied I beleue the holie catholike church The Communion of Sainctes And seyng that there is alwaies one onely God one mediatour betwene God and mā Iesus our Messias and one shepherde There was neuer but one true churche of the whole flocke one hedde of this bodie to conclude one spirite one saluacion one faithe one Testamente or couenaunte it followeth necessarilie that there is one onely Churche also Whiche therefore we call Catholike Why it is called catholike because it is vniuersall is dispersed throughout all the partes of the world and extendeth it self to all tymes beyng limited and inclosed in no place or tyme. We condemne therefore the Donatistes who straightlie enclosed Heretikes tiyng the churche to certain places and times the churche in I knowe not what corners of Aphrike Neither dooe wee allowe the Romishe Clergie who bests that almoste the onely Romishe churche is the catholike Churche The Churche is distributed into tiuers Diuers partes of the churche partes not that it is seuered or torne in peeces in it self but rather by reasō of the diuersitie of the members that be therein For there is one churche The Militant churche called Militant an other Triumphant that is militante whiche being as yet on the yearth wageth battaile and fighteth with the fleshe the world and the Prince of this worlde the deuill also with synne and death Whē this Churche is discharged of attendaunce here it triumpheth in heauen for the victorie ouer all those her enemies reioysyng before the Lorde albeit these twoo Churches are still vnited or knitte together The militant Churche remainyng Particuler churches on the yearth hath alwaies had many particuler Churches yet all thei are referred to the vnitie of the catholike Churche This Churche was otherwise gouerned before the lawe emōg the Patriarkes otherwise vnder Moises by the laws otherwise of Christe by the gospell Cōmenly also there are compted twoo kinds of people the Israelites and the Gentiles or a people consistyng of the Iewes and Gētiles gathered together in the Churche There be twoo Testamentes also the old and the newe Yet of all these people there was and is one societie one saluacion by one Messias in whom as members of one bodie vnder one hedde all are knitte together in one faithe all are partakers of one spiritual meate and drinke Howbeit here we acknowledge that there were sundrie tymes diuers signes or Sacramentes of our Messias both promised giuen also to vs of his father that the ceremonies remoued a brighter light now shineth vnto vs that we receiue larger giftes inioy greater libertie thē our forefathers had before the commyng of Christe This holie Churche of God is called the house of the liuyng Lorde built The names of the church of liuing and spiritual stones and sect vpon an vnmoueable rocke vpō suche a foundaciō that there can none other foundaciō be laied then it And in that i. Timo. iii. respecte it is also called the piller and ground of truthe It erreth not as lōg when the church erreth as it testeth vpon Christe the Rocke and foundacion of the Prophettes and Apostles But no meruell if it erre as often as it forsaketh hym who onely is the truthe The Churche also is called the virgine and spouse of Christe and the onely and welbeloued spouse of Christe For the Apostle saieth I ii Cor. xi ioigned you to one housbande to presente you as a pure virgine to Christ It is also called the flocke of shepe vnder one shepherde Christe bothe in the xxxiiij Chap. of Ezech. and. x. of Ihon. And it is named Christe his bodie because the faithfull are the liuyng mēbers of Christ vnder Christ their hed The hedde is that whiche hath preeminence and the higheste roume in the bodie geuyng life to it and ruling it so in all thynges with the vitall spirites comming from thence that it increaseth groweth thereby There is also but one hed of that bodie wherewith it doeth wel agree For the churche There is but one hedde of the churche Christe Iesus can not haue any other hedde then Christe and as the Churche is a spirituall bodie so it is meete that it haue a spirituall hedde agreablie Neither cā it be ruled by any other spirit then by Christe his spirite Paule writeth he is the hedde of the bodie of the churche He is the beginning first borne Col. 1. of the dedde that in all thynges he might haue the preeminence Againe Christ is the hedde of the churche and Ephe. v. Ephe. i. the same Christe is the sauiour of his bodie And again he saieth Which is the hedde of the churche whiche churche is his bodie euen the fulnesse of hym that filleth all in all Moreouer Ephe. iiij Let vs in all thinges growe vp into hym whiche is the hedde that is Christ by whom al the body beyng coupled and knitte together by euery ioynte receiueth increase We allowe not therfore that doctrine of the Romishe Clergie makyng their Romishe bisshoppe an vniuersall Shepeherde the The Pope chief hedde yea and Christes true vicare of his catholike militante churche in the yearth wherein he hath fulnesse of power and supreme dominion as thei saie For we teache that Christ is
minister by the name of priest For our Lorde hymself ordained not Christ made no priestes but Ministers any priestes of the news Testamente in his Churche who beyng aucthorized of the Suffragane might offer daielie Sacrifice I meane the verie fleshe and bloud of the Lorde for the quicke and the dedde But he ordained suche as should teache the people and minister his Sacramētes For Paule simplie and brieflie declaryng what wee ought to thinke of the ministers of the newe Testamente or of the Christian churche and how we ought to esteme theim saieth Let men so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of God Therefore i. Cor. iiii the Apostle would that we iudge of ministers none otherwise then as of ministers He verely hath called ministers vnderrowers who haue yte onely to the shipmaister men not liuyng to pleace them selues and to doe what them liste but apoincted to pleasure others that is to saie their maisters at whose commaundement only thei be For a minister of the churche in all thinges belongyng to his office is bidde not to please his owne fantasie but to doe that onely whiche his maister cōmaundeth him And in the saied Chapiter it is expressed Who i. Cor. iiii is the Lord or maister euen Christ to whom ministers are bounde as seruauntes to do all businesse belonging to the ministerie be addeth further to declare more plainlie what the ministerie is that thei are bailifes or disposers of gods misteries Whiche misteries are called in many places chefly Ephe. iij the gospel of Christ as in olde tyme. Christe his Sacramentes why they are called ministers were called misteries wherefore thei are named ministers of the Churche bicause thei should preache the Gospel of Christ to the faithfull and minister the Sacramentes In an other place Luke xii of the Gospell we reade of a faithfull and wise seruaunte whom his Lorde appoincted ouerseer of his household to geue meate to theim in due season Againe wée reade that a man takyng his iourney into a farre countrey cōmitted the gouermente of his house to his seruauntes and gaue them auctoritie to ouersee his gooddes and appoincted euery man his woorke Here haue wée occasion ministered to speake somewhat of the aucthoritie and office of churche ministers wherin The auctoritie of ministers some haue with muche labour disputed and haue made subiecte vnto their power all the chiefest thinges in the yearth cleane contrary to the commaundemente of the Lorde whiche forbad his disciples to striue for chiefe rule and highlie commended humilitie Luke xxii Mat. 18. 20. In déede there is an absolute aucthoritie whiche is called Iuris aucthoritie by right of prescripcion whereby The true auctoritie and powre God kepeth to him selfe Math. 28. Apoc. ii iii. all thynges are subiecte to Christe the Lorde of all as he testifieth saiyng Power is geuen to me in heauen and in yearth And againe I am the firste and the laste beholde I liue worlde without ende and haue the Keyes of hell and of death Also he hath the keis of Dauid whiche openeth and no mā shutteth shutteth and no manne openeth This power the Lorde kepeth to himself and geueth to none other that he might stande idley beholdyng his ministers while thei doe woorke For Esaie writeth I will laye vpon his Esa 9. 22. shoulder the keye of the house of Dauid And againe whose rule shall remaine vpon his shoulders but he reserueth and still vseth his power rulyng all Moreouer there is an other power belongyng to the office or ministerie what powre god geueth to ministers limited of hym who hath full and absolute aucthoritie that power is rather to be likened to seruice then to rule For some lorde geueth to his steward power ouer his house and therwithal A pretie similitude he geueth his keies also wherwith he maie let in or shutte out of the house whom the Lorde will either to be lette in or shutte out Accordyng to this power the minister dooeth by his office that whiche he is commaunded to doe of his Lorde who ratifieth and alloweth his dooynges and will haue his ministers deede to be estemed and acknowledged as his owne And this is the meanyng of those sentences in the Gospell I will geue thée the keies Math. xvi of the kyngdome of heauen what soeuer thou shalt binde or lose in yearth shal be bounde or loosed in heauen Ihon. xx Also whose synnes ye remitte thei are remitted vnto theim and whose synnes ye retaine thei are retained But excepte the minister shall doe all thynges as he is commaunded of his Lorde if he passe the limites of faithe truely God disaloweth his dooynges Therefore the Ecclesiastical power of Churche ministers is that function whereby ministers dooe in deede rule the Churche of God but yet dooe all thinges therein as the Lorde hath appoincted in his woorde And beyng so dooen the faithefull accompte then as doen of the lorde hymself As touching the keyes we haue spoken muche before One equall power or functiō is geuen to all ministers of the Churche Equall power is gyuen to the ministers Doubtles in the beginnyng Bisshops or Elders ruled the churche alike one helping an other none preferring him self before other or vsurpyng greater aucthoritie or dominion ouer their felowe Bisshops For thei were myndfull of their maister his woordes He that will emong you be chief let hym be your seruaunte Thei kepte theim selues in humilitie and helped one an Luke xxii other in gouernyng and preseruyng the Churche Howbeit for order sake Howe whē one minister is preferred before other ▪ some one appoincted of the ministers sommoned their conuocacions and in their assemblies proposed thynges to bee deliberated vpon gathered also other mennes myndes and to be short did what in hym laye to prouide that matters should not be handled confusely and without order So wee reade that sainct Peter did in the Actes of the Apostles who notwithstandyng was not extolled aboue other nor of greater aucthoritie then the residewe For right well Cyprian the martyre affirmeth Cyprian in his booke of the simplicitie of the Clergie Such wer the other Apostles as Peter was of like felowship of like honour and power But the beginnyng betwene theim procedeth of one vnitie to the ende that wee maie knowe that there is but one Churche S. Ierome also writeth not muche vnlike Ierome wordes in his commentarie vpō the Epistle of Paule to Titus saiyng Before that by the Deuils intisemēt there was strief in religion Churches were gouerned by the common counsaile of thelders but after eche maner thought those whom he baptised to bée his owne and not Christes it was decréed that one of the Elders should bée chosen and preferred aboue the other to whom all the care of the Churche should appertain and by whose wisedome all occasions of schismes might bée taken awaie Yet Ierome boasteth not of
flesh that is corporallie eaten profiteth nothing It is the spirit that quickeneth and the wordes whiche I speake vnto you are spirite and life Now as wée muste in eatyng swallowe doune the meate into our stomackes that it may inwardlie worke shewe his strength in vs wheras beyng put without our bodies it doeth vs no good Euen so is it necessarie that we receiue Christ by faithe that he maie be made ours and he liue in vs and wee in hym For he saieth I am the breade of life he that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleueth in me shall neuer thirste And againe he that shall eate me he shall also liue through me and abide in me and I in hym By this it is manifeste that we vnderstande not by spiritual meate I knowe not what maner of imagined meate but the self The receiuing of christ his bodie same bodie of the Lorde whiche was crucified for vs whiche notwithstandyng is receiued of the faithefull not bodilie but spiritually by faithe And in this matter wée followe in all pointes the doctrine of our sauiour Iesus Christ whiche he taught This eating Ihon. vi what eating of Christe is necessarie to saluation of the fleshe and drinkyng of the bloud of the Lorde is so necessarie to saluacion that without it no manne can be saued Wée maie also eate and drinke A spirituall eatynge of Christ with out the Samentes spirituallie the bodie and bloode of Christe although wee receiue not the supper of the Lorde as ofte as wée beleue in Christe To this ende parhaps belongeth that saiyng of Augustine Note Aug. Why preparest thou thy tethe bealie Beleue and thou haste eaten Beside the former spirituall eating A sacramentall eatinge of Christe there is also a Sacramental eating of the Lordes bodie whereby the faythfull is not onelye spiritually and inwardly made partaker of the true bodie and bloode of the Lorde but outwardly also by comming to the Lords table receaueth the visible Sacramēt of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde When the faithful beleued he receaceaued quicknyng nourishmēt before whiche he still enioyeth therefore when nowe he receaueth the Sacrament he receaueth therwith muche norishment to his soule For he continueth in continuall receauinge of the Lorde his bodie bloud In so much Faithfull receauers receaue not the sacramentes onelye but Christ also that his faith is more and more kindled increased and with spirituall fode refreshed For while we liue fayth continually increaseth in vs. And he that outwardlie receaueth the Sacramentes with a true faith euen he receiueth not the signe onely but enioyeth the thynge it self also ment by the Sacramēt as we haue declared Furthermore he obeieth the Lorde his institucion and commaundemente and with a cherefull harte giueth thankes for his and all mankindes redēption remembryng faithefullie the Lordes death and witnessyng the same before the churche of whose bodie he is a mēber It is confirmed or sealed also to theim that receiue the Sacramentes that the bodie of Christ was betraied and his bloud shedde not onely generally for men but also particulerly for euery faithfull receiuer whose meate Note and drinke it is to life euerlastyng But he that without faithe cometh to the holie Table of the Lorde receiueth Vnfaithfull receauers receaue but the bare signes the Sacramente onely and not the thyng mente by the Sacramente whereby commeth life and saluacion and suche eate vnworthely of the lorde his table Now thei that eate vnworthely Vnworthie receauers of the Lordes breade and drinke of his Cuppe vnworthely are giltie of the bodie and bloude of the Lorde eatyng and drinkyng their owne damnacion For when thei come not with a true faithe thei doe slaūder and like vilaines despise the death of Christe and therefore eate and drincke their owne damnacion Wherefore wée dooe not so knitte Christe his presence in his Supper and ioigne together the Lords his bodie and blood with the bread and wine that we affirme the bread to be the bodie of Christe but after a Sacramentall maner Neither saie wee that the bodie of Christe lieth hidden corporally Heresies vnder the breade or that it oughte vnder the forme of breade to bee worshipped or that who soeuer receiueth the signe he also receiueth the thyng it self The bodie of Christ is in heauen on the right hande of his father Wee must therefore lifte vp our hartes and not fire set our mindes on the bread Neither ought wee to worshippe the Lorde in the breade and yet the Lords is not absent from his churche when it celebrateth his supper The soonne beyng absente from vs and runnyng Note this similitude his race in the firmament is notwithstandyng present emong vs by his vertue How muche more Christe the soonne of rightuousnesse beyng absent from vs touchyng his bodie whiche is in heauen is present with vs not bodily but spirituallie by his liuely working in vs And as he hath declared that he would be presente with vs in his laste supper Ihon. xiiij xv xvj Whereby it foloweth that we haue no supper with out Christe yet that we haue a misticall Supper without bloudshed euen as our aunciēt fathers haue termed it We are also admonished in the celebracion Other endes of the Lords Supper of the Lordes supper to bee mindfull of whose bodie we are made mēbers in cōsideracion thereof to agree with all our brethren to liue an holie life and not to defile our selues with wickednesse and straunge religions but to continue in true faithe to the ende of our life to indeuer to excel in holinesse of liuyng It is mete therfore A preparyng of our selues before we come to receauinge of the lords supper that mindyng to come to the supper we first trie our selues accordyng to the Apostles commaūdement chiefly of what faithe we are whether wée beleue that Christ is come to saue sinners and to call them to repentaunce and whether eche man beleue that he is one of that nomber who beyng deliuered by Christe is saued throughe him and whether he haue determined to amende his synfull life and to liue godlie to continue by Gods helpe in true Religion in concorde with their The beste kinde of celebrating christ his Supper brethren and to giue God hartie thākes for their deliueraunce c. Wee iudge that to be the plainest and beste maner or waie of celebratyng the lord his Supper whiche cometh nereste to Christ his institucion and the doctrine of the Apostles that is to witte which consisteth in declaryng or preachyng God his woorde in Godlie praiers in imitatyng Christe his doynges in eatyng the bodie and drinkyng the blood of the Lorde also in the fruictfull remembraunce of his death in saithfull The supper of the Lorde should be celebrated in both kindes thankes giuyng ioinyng them selues in Godlie felowship to the vnitie of the bodie of the Churche Wee disalowe
the olde Testament to bee youth should be instructed in godlines verie diligent in instructyng a right their children euen from their infancie and gaue expresse cōmaundmente in his lawe to teache them and to expounde vnto theim the misteries of his Sacraments Seeyng then it is euidente by the doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles that God hath no lesse care for the youthe of his people with whom he lefte his newe Testamente when he openly witnesseth saiyng Suffer little children to come Mar. x. vnto me for to suche belongeth the kyngdome of heauen doubtlesse those ministers of churches doe moste wisely whiche betyme diligently instructe the youthe laiyng in theim the firste foundacions of faithe and faithefully teachyng the first principles of our religion expoundyng to them Gods cōmaundementes the Crede and the Lorde his praier the vse of his Sacramentes with suche other like firste instructions and chief poinctes of our religion Lette the congregacion shewe theim selues faithfull and diligent in bryngyng their children to be taught desiryng reioysyng that their youth maie be well instructed For as muche as menne are neuer more greuously tempted then whē thei be weake and sicke sore broken with diseases of the Visiting of the sicke mynde and bodie the Pastours of the Church doubtles ought at no time to be more watchfull and carefull to saue his flocke then in suche sickenesse and infirmities Let theim therefore visite the sicke betymes and let the diseased sende for theim without delaye if the cause so require Let the ministers cōforte The ministers duene and confirme theim in the true faithe arme them againste the pernicious suggestiōs of Sathan let theim say praiers in the sicke mannes house and if nede require let theim praie for his recouery bothe of bodie and soule in the Churche also And let theim do their indeuour that he maie depart out of this worlde in blessed state The Popishe visityng of the sicke Popishe visiting the sicke with their extreme vnction or ennoylyng we saied before that we allowed not because it containes many foolishe and odious thynges not approued by the Canonicall scripture ¶ Of buriyng the faithfull and care whiche men ought to take for the dedde of Purgatorie and thapperyng of spirites Cha. 26. THe scripture commaundeth to burie honestly and without Burying cōmaunded in scripture supersticion the bodies of the faithfull as the temples of the holie ghoste whiche we beleue shall rise again in the latter daie Also to make mencion after a comelie forte of theim who died Godlie in the what care we shoulde take for the dedde Lorde and to be ready to helpe and releue those whom thei haue left behind theim as widdowes and fatherlesse children We teach men to take none other care then this for theim that bee dedde Wée therefore muche disalowe the heretikes called Cynici who despised dedde bodies or very negligentlie Heretikes and contemptuously hurle theim into the yearth neuer speakyng so muche as a good woorde of them nor caryng any thyng at all for those whom they left behinde thē Now on thother side wee like not those that are to muche and to ouerthwertly seruicable to the dead howlīg like Ethnikes for their friendes departed saiyng or hearyng Masse for their soules and mummelyng for pence certaine praiers to deliuer them by this their deuocion from tormentes wherewith thei suppose that thei are after their death tormented yet so that by their lamentable sōges and Diriges thei are released of their paines Hobeit moderate mournyng whiche the Apostle j. Thes iiij Moderate mornynge is cōmendable graunteth we discommende not iudgyng it an vnnaturall parte to be nothyng greued in suche a case Wée beleue that the faithfull goe straight too Christe after their bodily death and therefore neede not the Suffrages or whether mē◠soules go after their departure praiers of the liuyng Wée beleue also that Infidelles are without delaye caste doune hedlonge into helle from whence no seruice of the liuyng is able to deliuer them The doctrine whiche some teache concernyng the fire of Purgatorie is Purgatorie contrary to our Christian faithe I beleue the forgeuenes of sinnes and the life euerlastyng and contrary to our cleane purgyng from all our iniquities by Christe Neither agreeth Purgatorie with these saiynges of the lord Christ Verely verely I saie vnto you Iohn v. he that heareth my woorde and beleueth in hym that sent me hath euerlastyng life and shall not be condemned but hath passed from death to life Againe Ihon. xiij He that is wasshed needeth not saue to wasshe his feete but is cleane euery whitte and ye are cleane Moreouer as touchyng their doctrine The appearig of spirits is disceate of the deuyll of spirittes or dedde mennes soules some tymes apperyng to thē that liue and desiryng them to dooe somewhat wherby thei maie be deliuered we esteme suche visions or sightes as mockynges craftes and disceiptes of the deuil Who as he can trāsfigure hym self into an Angell of lighte so is he busie to ouerthrowe and bryng in doubte the true faithe The Lorde forbadde in the olde Testamente to aske counsaille of the dedde or to haue any Deut. xviii thyng to doe with spirites It was denied to the riche glutton who laie tormented in hell fire as Christe the aucthour of all truthe in the Gospell declareth that Lazarus should retourne to his brethren God by the mouthe of Abrahā pronoūcyng and saiyng thei haue Moses and the Prophettes let them heare them if thei hear not Moses Luc. xvi and the Prophettes neither will thei bee perswaded though one rise againe from the dedde ¶ Of rites ceremonies and indifferent thinges Chap. 27. CEremonies were in tyme why ceremonies were geuen paste deliuered to the people in the olde Lawe as a certaine scolynge to them who were kepte vnder the lawe as it were vnder a scholemaister and tutor But when Christ came our deliuerer and had taken awaye the ceremoniall Ceremonies remoued by Christ lawe we that beleue are no more vnder the lawe nor yet boūde to obserue those ceremonies which at our Messiascōming vanished away which the Apostles were so farre from kepynge Ceremonies not kepte of the Apostles or renewynge in Christe his churche that they openlye affirmed that they would laie no suche yoke nor burthen vpō the churches necke Wherfore we might séme to bryng in or restore Iudaisme if in the Churche of Christ we Increase of Ceremonies to Iudaisme should heape vp ceremonies vpon Ceremonies after the maner of the olde churche Wherfore we bée not of their mindes who thought it good that Christ his churche should be kepte vnder as with a certain scoling with many and sundrie rites For if thapostles would not burthen Christian people with ceremonies why multitude of Ceremonies is not allowed which were firste ordained and apointed by God hymselfe who I praye you being well in his wittes woulde violently thruste
vppon them inuentions inuented by man The greater heape of ceremonies there be in the church the more is withdrawen not onely from Christian libertie but also from Christe and faythe in hym while the cōmon people looke for that in ceremonies whiche they shoulde seke in the onely sonne of God Iesus Christ by faith A fewe rites therfore A fewe Rites suffice which are sincere and plaine swerue not from God his woorde doe suffice the godly And if in Churches there bée founde Diuersitie of Ceremonies proue not dissent in Churches vnlike ceremonies let no man gather thereby that the Churches agree not Socrates saieth it were impossible to write the Ceremonies that bee in all cities and countries No religion obserueth Socrates one kinde of Rites although thei imbrace one doctrine touchynge them For thei that be all of one faith dissent emong them selues about Ceremonies Thus much Socrates And we also at this daie obseruyng in our Churches not all one kinde of Rites True consent is in doctrine and faithe in ministering the Lordes supper and in many other thynges doe notwithstandyng agree in doctrine and faithe Neither is the vnitie and societie of Churches for that cause broken a sunder Surely churches haue alwaies vsed their libertie and dooen what seemed Libertie aboute Ceremonies beste to theim in suche Ceremonies as thynges indifferent as we also doe now a daies But we aduertise all menne to take Indifferente thynges hede that thei compte not those thynges as indifferente whiche bée not indifferent whiche bée not indifferent in what is indifferent deede as some compte the Masse and Images in Churches That is indifferente saieth Ierome to Augustine whiche is neither good nor euil so that we are neither iuste nor vniuste whether wée doe it or no. Therefore when indifferent thyngs are vrged for confession of our faithe thei bée no lenger indifferent as Paule declareth that it How̄e longe they remaine indifferent i. Co. viii x is lawfull to eate fleshe if one put vs not in mynde that it is offered to Idols for then it shal bee made vnlawful because he that eateth suche meat now by his eatyng seemeth to allow Idolatrie ¶ Of Churche gooddes Chapit .. 28. CHriste his Churche is indued with riches by the bountifulnes of Princes and the liberalitie of the faithefull who gaue their gooddes to the Churche For it is ofte in néede and therfore it hath had from the beginnyng some treasure to serue for necessary vses The true vse of Churche goods in tyme passe was The true vse of the church gooddes and now is to maintaine with theim learnyng in schooles and holie assemblies with al furniture rites and buildyng to maintaine also teachers scholars and ministers with other necessaries chiefly to helpe feede and succour the poore But let suche bee chosen as feare God wise and skilfull in gouernyng of families whiche may well bestowe the churches gooddes If the treasure of the Churche thorowe Abuse of churche gooddes the iniquitie of the time or some mennes rashenesse folie ignoraunce or coueteousnesse be put to any abuse let godly and wise men tourne theim againe to a good and holy vse For we muste not wincke at any abuse especially if it be mixed which sacrilege Wée teache therefore that corrupte scholes and Colleges should bee reformed in doctrine in worshippyng of God and in maners and that there should bee established religiously with good conscience and wisedome a good order for the helpyng and releuing of the poore ¶ Of sole life of mariage and gouernyng our familie Chapi 29. LEt them whiche haue from Single life heauen the gift of single life so that in harte and mynde wholie thei be pure and continent and not greatly burne in fleshly The gifte of Chastitie luste let suche I saie serue the lorde in that vocacion so longe as thei shall perceiue them selues indued with that gift of God not extollyng them selues aboue others but seruyng the Lorde continually with simplicitie and humilitie These men doubtles are more meete to enter into Gods ministerie then thei that are withdrawē by their priuate businesse of their familie But if this gifte bee taken from them and thei feele a continuall burnyng in thēselues Mariage lette them remember the Apostles wordes It is better to mary then to burne For mariage beyng the remedy for Mariage is continencie incontinencie yea continence it self was ordained of the Lorde God hymself who abundantlie blessed it and Math. xix would that man and wife should not bee separated one from the other but liue together in perfecte loue and concorde Whervpon we knowe that the Apostle saieth Mariage is honourable Hebr. xiii i. Cor. xvii emōg all and the bedde vndefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God will Iudge And againe If a Virgine Marrie she synneth not We condēne Polygamie therefore the hauyng of many wifes or housbandes at one tyme a liue and theim also who disalowe the seconde Seconde Mariages mariages the mariage of widdowers or widdowes deniyng that one maye twise bee married Wee teache that How Mariage should be made marriage must be made after a lawfull sorte in the feare of the Lorde and not againste those whiche forbidde thē to bee coupled in Matrimonie that are within certaine degrees of kindered least inceste be committed Lette them The parentes consente is requisite in mariage be contracted with consent of their parentes or of suche as are in steede of their parentes and to that ende chiefly for the whiche the Lorde hath appoincted mariage Lette the bondes of Matrimonie bee kepte with holinesse with vnfained faithe and fidelitie towardes the yoke fellowe with godlines with loue and Chastitie bothe of bodie and mynde Let them auoide all brawlyng dissencion lustes and adultrie Lette there bee appoincted in the Churche lawfull Courtes for the hearyng Courts kept for matters of matrimonie of suche matters godlie Iudges to maintaine Mariages and contractes to punishe all vnclennes and impudencie and to discide controuersies of Matrimonie Parentes also should bryng vp their children in the feare of the Lorde and make prouision for thē remembryng the Apostles saiyng He that prouideth not for his owne he denieth Care for our familie Bringing vp of children 1. Timo. v. the faithe and is worse then an Infidell But chiefly let thē be taught some honest science whereby thei may be able to finde them selues Let them bee plucked from Idlenes and a sure truste in God ingraffed in them least thei to muche distrusting be to to carelesse or els be giuen to filthie couetuousnes and so come to naught Also it is moste certaine that those deedes whiche bee dooen of Parentes with true faithe according to the duetie of Matrimonie and gouernement of their familie are before God holie and good woorkes pleasyng hym as wel as Praiers Fastyng and Almose deedes dooe For so the Apostle hath taught in his