they came For beholde their owne proper wordes in the booke which they dyd offer to Pope Paule the thyrde in the yeare 1538. Intituled Concilium delectorum Cardinalium mendicantium ordines tollendos censemus omnes that is to saye We are of that opinion that all the orders of Mendicantes or beggyng Fryars ought to bée abolished Although a certayne Fryar of late dayes bathe Imprynted a Booke of the Counselles and hath put in Conuentuales ordines that is to saye the orders Couentuels It maye be thought hee dyd it to saue his owne order But what néede is it to enter into these puddelles Trulye they must needes be vtterlye blynde which seeke not onelye Christianitie but also the perfection of Christianity in such an hell But for this time to the ende we may declare what tytle they haue to meddle with preaching or with any manner of Ecclesiasticall charge or office I wyll desire them of fowre thinges The fyrste is if euer they haue bene compted but among those which they cal the Laitie euer since the Church was reformed let them declare The seconde let them deny and they can during the time namely of Gregory the fyrst that to be of the Cleargie and a Moonke were thinges intollerable except he renounced the Moonkerie But during suche tyme all Ecclesiastycall affayres of theirs were interdited The thyrde they deny that they bée subiectes to the Bishop within their Diocesse by the generall counsell of Chalcedon one of the whiche they themselues compare to the fowre Euangelists And if they alleadge their Priueledge of exemption let them shewe that the holye ghost doth euer deny or gainsay himself or that the Pope can abolysh the decrées of a generall counsell ratified and approued so many tymes and so autentike The fowrth let them declare if there be any idle monke that is to say which doth not his good wyll to get his liuing which is not an Apostata and periured by the contents and rules of his owne order These points answered it wyl be time to consyder what order they ought to keepe in their goodly Hierarchy 15 The Papists be manifestly culpable of rebellion against the magistrate THe impudentie of those whiche burden vs to be rebelles against kings Princes or other Magistrates is to much and to extréeme For concerning our doctrine it is cleane contrary as we haue declared in the sixt poynt And for experience wee make Iudges with our Princes and Lords all the whole world yea euen our cruell persecutours But if there be Anabaptists lybertines which do â—owe abroade the contrarie to defame the verity of the gospell be we in y e fault It is we onely that at this day do stryue inueigh against them more firmly and lyuely then all the rest of the world But what neede is it in this case to attrybute it to the Anabaptistes For there be no people in all the worlde lesse subiectes to kings and princes then those which burden vs falsely and against the truth For who is he that abaseth bringeth down kinges and Emperours vnder his féete And namely is there euer so vilaine a Moonke or so wicked a Priest in y e world that is not exempt from the iurisdiction of the secular magistrat as they cal him Let those here answer vs in stéede to accuse vs For consider what we saye and maintaine for asmuch as Iesus Christe himself hath practised although he were exempt being the sonne of God and the Apostle expresly coÌ„mauÌ„d that euery person shalbe subiect to the superior powers with a threate that hee whiche resysteth them resisteth God Also S. Peter hath ordained declared largely as foreseeing that which those should doo which falsely woulde be called his successours From whence think ye doth come their exemptions which they cal ecclesiastical these their temporall iurisdictions which haue destroyed the Church Those which now a dayes mayntayne thinke that in such things consisteth the prehemineÌ„ce of the Church be they not the same of whom s Iude hath spoken which folow y e flesh walking after their old filthy lustes contempning powers seignory which also bee audatious pleasers of them selues not hauing any fear or shame to coÌ„temne and dispise rulars powers If they wyl not beleue vs nor experience at the least let them heare what is written S. Chri. expouÌ„ding these words of S. Paul let euery person be subiect to y â— hyer powers this sayth he is ordained to the ecclesiasticals clergy and to Monks and not only to the seculars or laity although y â— were Apostle Euangelist or Prophete or any other whatsoeuer it be For thy obedieÌ„ce subiection doth not alter thy seruice towards God Behold also what S. Bern. hath written by what title saith he is it speaking of the temporal sword that the Pope selleth these thinges It is not according to the ryght vse Apostolicall For Saynt Peter coulde not geue that which he him selfe had not but he hath left to his successours that which he had to wete the care of the Churches Item sayth he your powers are not ouer possessions but ouer the synnes for as muche as ye haue receyued the keyes of the kingdome of heauen not for to be great Lordes but to haue the correction of vices Whiche dygnitie séemeth greatest to you To forgeue sinnes or to distrybute possessions There is no comparison These earthly superiorities haue theyr Iudges which be Kynges of the earth and wherefore vsurpe you the office dignities lymittes of other men Learne sayth he to haue a spade to delue and dresse the Vineyarde of the Lorde and not to beare a Scepter And yet more it is a cleare thing sayth he that all Lordshyppes is forbydden to the Apostles Go then thou which vsurpest the tytle of an Apostle in ruling Lordlike Go where as the authoritie and power is set in the Apostolyke seate Beholde the proper words of Saint Chrisostome and Saynt Bernarde whiche hearde not the blasphemies of Boniface the eyght and other such Monsters And if this sufficeth not let them adde to it the Epistles of saint Gregorie to the Emperor Maurice the aunswere of Pellagius Pope to Chyldebert 25. quest 1. Chapiter Satagendum and lykewise the aunswere of Leo the fowrth 2. q. 1. Chapiter nos si incompetenter By this shall appeare more cleare then the daye from whence theyr tyranny doth come whiche at this daye hath brought vnder them the kingdomes of the earth It serueth them to no purpose to alledge the donations and gyftes of Kynges besydes that whych they haue forged and make men beleeue what they lyst It is certaine that kings maye not nor ought not to chaunge the order whiche is establyshed of God that which hath deuyded and separated these two iurysdictions And also they cannot alledge prescription For there is no prescription against God Besydes that in them there is nothing to be had but most
body formed of y e substance of y e virgin Mary daughter of Dauid by the vertue of the holye Ghost was by this meanes conceyued and borne of the same virgin Marye deliuerance both after and before her deliuerance al this was done for the accomplishment of our reconciliation 24. The summe of the accomplishement of oure saluation in Iesus christ HE therfore came down on earth for to drawe vs vp to heauen He hath borne the paine dewe to our sins clearly to discharge vs euen from the beginninge of his conception vnto his resurrectiō He hath fulfilled perfectly al righteousnes for to couer our vnrighteousnesse he hath declared to vs all y e wyl of God his father both by workes and also by words to the end to shew vs the trew way of saluation In fine for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whole ful satisfaction for our sinnes which he toke vpon him he was bound to vnbind vs condempned for to delyuer vs he suffred great and infinite shame for to deliuer vs from all confusion he was nailed on the crosse for to fasten thereon our sinnes he died and sustained y e curse and malediction which was dew to vs for to apease the wrath of god for euer by his onlye oblations made hee was buried to approue verify his death and to vanquishe deathe euen to the house thereof that is to say euen to the graue wherin he felt no corruption for to declare that euen in dying he had ouercome vanquished death He was raised againe in tripūhe as a conquerer to y e end that al our corruption being dead buried we should be renued into a new spirituall euerlasting life that therby the first death should be no more to vs a punishmēt dew for sinne as it were an entraunce into the second death but cōtrariwise a finishing and ende of y ◠death of our corruption and an entrance into eternal life Finally he being raised afterward was conuersaunt here on earth by the space of fortie daies to confirm and approue his resurrectiō He ascended visible verily into heauen where he is set on the right hande of god his father and hath taken possession m of his eternal kingdom for vs and for our behoue for whose sake also he is y e only mediatour n and aduocate o gouerning his church by his holy spirite vntil the nōber of y e elected of god his father be accomplished and fulfylled 25. Hovve Iesus christ beinge ascended into heuen is neuertheles here on earth vvith his flocke WE vnderstande that glory hathe brought immortality to y e body of Iesus Christ but hath not taken away the nature of his body therfore concerninge his humayne nature hee hathe taken it from vs into heauen where he shal dwell vntil the time he shall come to iudge the quyck and the dead but concerning his dyuinitye and the workinge of the holye spirite he is with his elect and shalbe vntyll the ende of the world ▪ as Christ hath sayde the poore shall yee haue alwayes with you but me shal ye not haue And also as the Angelles sayd to the Apostles after his ascension Iesus which is lyft vp from you into heauen shal come agayn euē as ye haue seene him ascend into heauen as S. Peter sayd to the Iewes that heauens must hold him vntil the restoring of al thinges Whervpon saint Augustin said well agreeing with the scripture that we ought to take heede that we do not so confirme the diuinity that we deny the verity of the body and not to make this conclusion that those things which are in god be euerye where as God is euery where 29. There can be no other nevve religion then this IN this mistery of our redemption which mans reason cānot attaine god is declared to be very god y ◠is to saye perfectlye righteous and perfetly merciful First perfectly righteous in y ◠hee hath punished al our sins very sharply in his persō who made himself a satisfaction pledge to wit in Iesus Christ moreouer doeth not receiue vs nor allow vs as his childrē except we be couered clothed with the innocencie holines perfect rightousnes of Iesus Christ On the other part he declareth himself to be perfectly mercifull in y ◠he finding in vs nothing but cause and matter of damnation yet would that his sonne should take our nature in whom he foūd a remedy to appease his iustice whom also he doth cōmunicat to vs freely with all his treasures to y e end that we may be partakers of eternal life by his only goodnes and mercy so that by faith we lay hold on Iesus Christ as shalbe shewed hereafter But contrariwise al religion whiche dothe appose or sette againste the wrath of God anye other thing then the only innocency righteousnes satisfaction of Iesus Christe apprehended by fayth spoyled god of his perfecte righteousnes and mercy and consequently ought to be holden for false and deceitful as shalbe declared in the seuenth poynte Of the holy ghost The fourth point The firste article of the person of the holye Ghoste VVE beléeue in the holy ghoste whyche is the coeternall and consubstanciall power of the father and the Sonne in whom he is resident from whom proceedeth being one God with them and neuertheles distynct in person 2. Of the effectes properlie considered in the holie ghost THe infynit force vertue of him is declared in the creation and preseruation of all creatures frō the beginning of the world and principally shalbe considered by vs in this present Treatise according to y ◠effects which he bringeth forth in the chyldrē of God in bringing with him his grace to make them feele the efficacie and vertue thereof and briefe to bring thē from degrée to degrée to the right ende mark whervnto they be predestined before the foundation of the world 3. The holie ghost maketh vs partakers of Iesus Christ by faith onelie THe holye ghost then is the same by whome the Father doeth put kéepe his electe in possession of Iesus Christ his sonne consequently of all the graces which bee necessarye to their saluation But first it behoued y ◠the same holy spirit make vs capable and méete to receyue the same Iesus Christe the which he doth in creating within vs by his méere diuyne goodnes and mercye that whyche we call Fayth the onely instrument to take holde of Iesus Christ when he is offered to vs and the onlye vessell to receyue him 4. vvhat meanes the holie ghost vseth to create and maintaine faith in vs. HE vseth two ordinarie meanes neuertheles without cōmunicating his vertue to them but working by them for to create in vs thys instrument of fayth and also to mayntayne and confirme it more and more That is to saye by
buylding not beyng restrayned to any certayne Church or place as they haue dreamed of Saint Peter who by this meanes they haue made bishop in stéede of Apostle But being sent to preach thorowe out y ◠worlde according as the spirit of the Lord conducted lead them as the historie of the Actes of the Apostles declared And not as these falle legendes full not onely of folyes and lyes but also of blasphemies wherwith Sathan hath stuffed and fylled the church the Euangelystes were as coadiutors of the Apostles whome they followed as we sée of Sylas of Timothe and of S. Luke and others which ordinarelye accompanyed Saint Paule and were sent foorth and appointed by him as the necessity of the churches dyd requyre The Prophetes were restrained more to certaine places who had syngular giftes for to expound the secreetes of the scriptures and sometymes they had the gyfte to vnderstande and reueale thinges to come for to approue and confyrme by those myracles the doctrine of the Apostles in these first beginnings of the Church Then remaineth nowe to declare of the pastors and doctours whose office is necessarie and perpetuall in the Church of God in such measure as it pleaseth God We shall speake of those here particularly 15 Of the offyce of pastours and doctours THe charge and offyce of those in generall and namelie of pastors is to be diligent take he de to their doctrine vnder the which also we comprehend the sacraments to praier vnder the which also we vnderstand the blessing of mariages of the faithfull accordyng to the auncient custome of the Church although often tymes the deacons haue supplied that office of the administration of the sacramentes and also that which concerneth mariages al the which things Iesus Christe dyd vnderstande by byndinge and lowsynge shutting and opening and by the keyes of the kingdome of heauen which is a matter verye euyll vnderstoode as yet much worse practised For asmuch then as Heauen is proposed and set open to vs as a perpetuall dwellyng place and there is none other waye to go nor other gate to enter in then Iesus Christe And for so muche as the onelye meanes to haue Iesus Christe is fayth the which is created and preserued in vs by the holy Ghost thorow the preaching of the Gospell and the Sacramentes as it hath bene sayde heretofore Behold then wherfore it is sayd that the pastours or doctours to whome this worde and administration of sacramentes is committed haue the keye of the kingdome of heauen Because that by theyr preachings the worlde may be brought to eternall life hauing in their mouthes the word of reconciliation and trueth Moreouer because that our sinnes hold vs bound And the preaching of the Gospell annexed with the Sacramentes declareth to vs the delyuerance from sinne from death and from the deuyll For this cause it is sayde that the Ministers haue power to loose and to bynde with the authoritye of God But here must be noted the poynts that foloweth 26 The difference betweene Pastors and Doctours THe fyrst dyfference betwéene Pastours and doctours consysteth in this that the doctours ought to expounde the scriptures symplie truly ▪ for to haue the true vnderstanding and sence and also to examine the Cathacuminie that is to saye those which be yet learning the principles of Christian religion As Origen dyd in the Church of Alexandria But the pastors office extendeth yet further which is to minister true doctrine by preaching for the necessitye of the Church to teach to reproue to comfort and exhort accordyng as is requisite publikely and particularly making common prayers and also watchinge daye and nyght ouer theyr flocke whiche they be charged with to feede publykely◠and particularlye with the worde of lyfe 27 The pastours and doctours bee but instrumentes by the which God conducteth the ministerie of his worde THe second is that neither of them dyrectly doo eyther bynde or lose nor open nor shut the kingdome of heauen for it appertaineth to god only which hath made our harts to chaūge them and to drawe them it is hée onelye that geueth remission of sinnes ▪ to saue and dampne bodye and soule But for as muche as hée is serued with men to declare his worde and mynister his Sacramentes who be as troonckes or conduites thorow whom he destilleth and powreth his grace into the hartes of his electe so it appeareth that this is the cause that so excellent tyttles and testymonies haue bene attrybuted to the faithfull ministers of the Gospell Christe him selfe sayth He that despiseth you despiseth me hauing respect to him that worketh in them and by them As for the ministers being considered a parte by them selues it must come to this which Saint Paule sayde he that planteth he that watereth is nothing but God which geueth the encrease ther must also be a respect that the Ministers of God ve not despised and on the contrary not to extol them into Gods place nor set them in his steede as men do often times Yea euen those which be nothynge lesse then the Ministers of God how shall we do then Let vs follow S. Paule who in speaking of Pastors and doctors saide let euery one so estéeme of vs as the ministers of Iesus Christ and distributers of the secretes of God 28 The marckes and tokens of false doctours and pastours THe thyrde poynte lyeth in thys which S. Paule ioyneth in y ◠same text the whiche is required also on the Ministers parte that euerie of them be found faithfull Now we accoumpt not them for faithfull and so by consequent worthye of the honour due to the ministers nor yet to be accepted as ministers which haue not receyued y e office and charge of the Lord that is to say those which haue bene thruste in without consent as is appoynted by the Church And namely when the Lord geueth this grace in the worlde that there is a Churche erected excepte God doth stur vp some one or two extraordinaryly as he hath alwayes done when it séemeth good to him For howe shall they preache sayth Saynt Paule if they bée not sente And to saye trueth what earthly Prince is there that woulde allowe those thinges within his Realme which bee done without his commaundement Wherefore we doo exhort all faithfull to take dillygent heede and beware of those whiche contempne the ordynarie meanes of a lawfull and godly election which importeth a true and free examination of manners learning and doctrine without ambition or wicked meanes whensoeuer it shal please God to erect his order in any place of the world For when this order by gods iust iudgemēt cānot be kept it wilbe folly to hope for any reformation confirmed by them who be the very enemies of the Church Also all extraordinarie vocations ought to be suspected and
degrées Concerning publike offences S. Paul wylleth that they should be reproued publikely for to redresse the slaunder and also practysed it him selfe in reprouing S. Peter If the most easiest meanes can profite it sufficeth if not they must procéede frō degrée to degrée vntyl they come to the last remedy w t such discretion that principally the honour of God may be kept that all maye be done to the edification of the body of the Churche As for offences which concerne the ecclesiasticall order there be aūcient canons ordayned from degrée to degrée yet neuertheles the rygour ought to bee moderated and out of them to chose those which bee most connenient for to edifie 41 vvhat excommunication is what the right vse thereof is THe ecclesiasticall corrections hath to degrées the firste is admonition Sometime easye and sometime sharpe according as the offēce of the case requyreth The second and last degrée is that we call excommunication wherin must be noted the poynt folowing First what is excommunication We cal excōmunication a sentence wherby the ecclesiasticall Seniors after lawfull knowledge of the cause dooth declare in the name and authoritie of God and his holy word that such or such one or many be iustlye excluded and seperated from y e company or communion of the Saynts that is to say y e Church of God by consequent delyuered to sathan for asmuch as without the Church there is no saluation yet not to continue for euer but so long as they continue vnreformed and vntil that they haue satisfied for the slander or offence geuen Secondly it must be vnderstande that such a power is not groūded vpon man for man hath no manner of power ouer the soule but by the authoritye of God who vseth them in the Churche as organes and instrumentes by whome hee speaketh therefore it is not to be doubted but such sentences be ratified and confyrmed in heauen For as muche as Iesus Christ hath so sayde and promised to all his church in the person of hys xii Apostles vnder the name of keies of the kingdome of heauen and to bynde and vnbinde as also S. Paule practised the lyke with the Churche of Corinthe and others Yet neuertheles the Churche ought after lawful satisfactiō to receyue him again which hath bene cast out that is to saye if afterward be shall satisfy to the Church make amends for the publyke offence according to the ordinaunce of the Church sufficient proofes had of true amendment as farre foorth as man may iudge And there is no doubte but such absolutary sentence is ratifyed and confirmed in heauen Thirdly it is to be noted diligently that such authoritie neuer pertayneth to one man alone except God worketh at any tyme extraordinarilye but to the whole ecclesiasticall senate Fourthly this is not geuen to al those whiche call them selues of the Churche but to the true ecclesiastical senate lawfullye and cannonicallye elected as wee haue sayde for to gouerne the affayres of the Church The fift poynt is y ◠the very true ecclesiasticall senate cannot nor may not vse it at their wyls as we see al men be subiect to many infirmities But this power is lymitted appointed by the worde of God And for this cause Iesus Christ and his Apostles despised the excommunications of the Scrybes Pharisees And according to y e same Irene a most auncient Bishop of Lyons reproued verye sharplye the temerious excommunication which Victor Bishoppe of Rome made about the yeere of God a hundred nynetie and eight which declareth very well what was the primatiue or first be gynninge of the Byshoppes of Rome where as then they walked in vpryght conscience And there were other Bysshops y ◠vnderstoode their office and one of the causes that the prouincial and nationall counsels were ordained and holden for was to heare and decide the causes of those whiche complayned of theyr pastors Also it appeareth sufficiently thorowout the whole ecclesiasticall hystorye howe the Byshoppes in these cases ought to helpe one another to edyfye without ambition Beside this the Metropolitans ought to be content thēseues with their lymites and ought to doo nothyng without the deuise of theyr brethrē in their Iurisdiction But ambition hath so wrought that of longe tyme the Bishops of the principall townes and aboue all hée of Rome hath drawn all to themselues witnesseth the falsehood of Boniface whiche was discouered and reuealed at the Counsell of Carthage where as was S. Augustine where it was ordayned that those of the Clergie of Affrica which appealed ouer the sea to Rome should be deposed from theyr office For the sixt poynt it is to bee noted to what end excommunication was ordayned of God First that the church of God shoulde he as pure as might be possyble and that there myght be no occasion to think that it should be a refuge or den of the wicked Secondly for feare that the infected shoulde not defyle those whiche were whole Thirdly if it were possible y ◠the synner might bée brought home to the flocke againe It followeth then that this punishment must be applyed and vsed for to edifie as may be expedient and that there be good héede taken least they confounde the sinner by too much heauynes and sorowr when he geueth a sgyne of repentaunce but ther to mitigate the punishment when néede shall require ▪ 42 Of the ciuill and Christiā magistrate and to what ende his office tendeth IT resteth nowe to speake of Magistrates which bee in their estate the pryncipall members of the Churche ordained of God yea namely aboue al others in their estate To these appertayneth the doing execution of ciuyll and temporall affayres so as their subiectes maye lyue in peace By reason whereof the taxes and subsidies are due vnto them and to them appertayneth to vse the swoord which God hath geuen thē for the preseruation aswell of the countreyes which be committed to them as also for the defence and mayntenaunce of good lawes and punishment of the euyll and wicked doers Secondlye the duetye and offyce of the magistrates is not to regarde simplye the peace and concorde of subiectes but principallye for thys ende that the peace and concorde maye tende to the honour and glorie of God that all men maye lyue not onelye in a certayne ciuyll honestye but also with pyetie and true worshyppe of God ▪ as wytnesseth Saynte Paule For thys cause especiallye it appertayneth to the Magistrate that the Lawes whiche hée vseth and executeth maye bée conformable to the wyll of God and pryncipallye to geue order that the relygyon bee perfecte and holye and that all the Churche bee ordered accordynge to the woorde of God forbyddyng and punyshynge as the case requyreth All those which trouble the Churche or concerning the discipline thereof Also Dauid discribed the estate of a faithfull Prince
Pope as head of the vniuersall Church Finally if the counsels be set and stablyshed by the holy Ghoste from whence commeth it then that there be none y â— doo lesse estéeme them when they lyst then the Pope and all his sequiel I wyll saye yet more that there is at this daye neyther Pope Cardinal Bishop nor Priest which maye not be reproued excommunicated and accursed if they shall be iudged by the counsels And if they dare denye I shall proue it 6 The papistes spoyleth Iesus Christ of his office of head of the church COncerning the office of Kinge and gouernor of the Churche of which Iesus Christ is head both in heaueÌ„ in earth sytting on the ryght hande of God his father and yet neuertheles present in his Church by his spirituall vertue from whence commeth it then that they wyll appoynte him a Uycar in his presence considering principallye that it is directly against the word of God agaynste the Metropolytans iurisdiction ordayned by the first counsell of Nicene against all the hystorie of the primatiue Church yea against sainct Gregory himselfe whiche wytnesseth in many places that the name of vniuersall Byshoppe ought not to be vpon earth but to Antechrist Moreouer put the case yet that he were Uicare of Christe in the vniuersall gouernement of the Churche from whence commeth â–ª thys power to dyspense with the worde of Iesus Christe and to abrogate the doctrine of the Apostles and namely of Sainct Peter And yet neuertheles are not ashamed to saye that they are his successors saint Peter was he not sent to Hâ—erusalem by the Churche refuseth he to render accompt of his office and what dyd he teache to others I sayth he beséech the Priests that is to saye those which haue office in the Church I which also am a Priest with them a witnes of the afflyctions of Christ and partaker also of the glorye which shall be reuealed Féede the flocke of Christe as much as ye may watching ouer it not by constraint but willingly not for dishonest gayne but with a ready wyll and not as hauing lordship ouer the cleargy that is to say ouer the heritage of the lord but so y â— ye be examples of the flocke when the principal pastor shall appeare you shall receyue a crown of incorruptible glory Behold y â— proper words of s Peter which are far of from appropriating to himselfe y â— segniory or lordship of Italy superintendeÌ„t aswell of Kings Princes as of all other churches And briefly if they looke well they shal finde that there is nothing agréeing or any comparison betwéene S. Peter these which falsly cal themselues his successors but in one thing y â— is to wete the denying of Iesus Christe for the which S. Peter repented but these do not 7 By the doctrine of the papists we can in no wise vnderstand how mortal the naturall sicknes of mankinde is IT is no maruell though suche people vnderstande not the offyce of Christe our onely sauiour for they know not howe deadely theyr sicknesse is nor by what meane Iesus Chryst our only medycine is applyed and vnyted to vs. For firste in steade to declare that man is altogether dead by originall sinne otherwyse called naturall corruption they teach that the vnderstanding and wyl of man is so sore hurte that the fyrst grace doeth but onely ease and comforte vs in our infyrmitie So that if this doctrine â—e true our regeneration procéedeth not onely of grace but there is a participation or concurrence betwéene grace that which they call fréewyll of whiche is spoken amplye in the 13. 14 â–ª and 15. Articles of the thyrde poynte Moreouer to ioygne and heape together errour vpon errour they wyll haue a certayne disposition procéeding from the nature of maÌ„ to receyue the fyrst grace and that God maye be prouoked by our merites for to geue vs the seconde grace Item that the concupiscence whiche continueth after Baptisme is not sinne of it self before God Item that al smnes deserue not eternall death for there bee some whiche they call venyall synnes Item if our saluation be grounded vpon our good workes in all or in parte to what ende doth grace serue vs then but as an instrument to helpe our frée wyll â—o saue our selues Which be all execrable errours wholy abollishing the benefites of Iesus Christe and the vertue of the holy ghost in vs. 8 Another execrable error of the papistes in the vsing of the onely medicine of health which is the benefit of Iesus Christ AS there is but one onely Iustyce by imputation for the whiche we be estéemed and holden for ryghteous before God be consequent saued that is to say by the righteousnes of Iesus Christe whiche is declared to vs in the gospell So is there but one meane to be ioyned vnited with Iesus Christe for to haue saluation in hym that is to weâ—e fayth which is an assuraunce that all ChristiaÌ„s ought to haue of their election saluation by the onely grace and goodnes of God in Iesus Christ Fayth and assuraunce is created and dayly encreased by the vertue of the holy ghoste within the hartes of the electe by the meane of preachinge the worde of God and the ministration of the sacraments as wée haue amply and largely declared in the thyrde and fowrth poyncte of this confession So then this fayth is as the hande which onely doth receyue and apprehende Iesus Christe to the saluation of him that beleeueth It followeth that those doo take awaye all meanes of saluation from men which dyrectly stryue and fyght againste this doctrine not knowinge them selues what fayth is muche lesse can they declare it to others For according to theyr doctrine fayth is no other thinge than to beléeue in generall that which is contayned in the holie scriptures to be true that the Romish Church as they call it cannot erre what soeuer they saye or doo Notwithstanding concerning the fyrst of these two poyntes it is forbydden to translate the Scriptures into the mother tongue and to reade it to knowe what is contayned therein to the ende it maye bée knowen what it is that they do beléeue except he be a Doctour or a man of the Church as they cal them And so by this means it is folly to permyt the greatest part of their priests to reade it For coÌ„sider the greatest parte of them cannot scarcely reade it truly And of those which caÌ„ reade yea euen the greatest Prelates setting asyde those whiche haue not muche more knowledge of Christes doctrine than beasts which féede in the fielde and those which passe not greatly for it in exercysing them selues rather in other things than in their vocation namely mocke it with open mouthe I beléeue the rest shalbe found maruelous few NotwithstaÌ„ding according to their own doctrine al this is not without faith although he knowe not what he beleeueth and what may
and not with corporall eyes in this world The effect of the Sacrament concerning the coniunction of the signe wyth the thing signified dependeth vppon the onely ordinaunce of God lawfully obserued and ministred And these contrarywise tyeth and byndeth their consecration to the intention of him whiche dothe consecrate so that no man can be assured whether he be an Idolater or no in worshypping of that whiche they would haue to be worshypped For if the intent for to consecrate be not in the Priest they say themselues there is but bread Nowe to woorship breade is very Idolatrie But who canne be assured of the intent of the Priest considering that men know for the most part what people they be The vertue and effecte of the Sacrament concerning the receyuing of the thing signified that is to say of the body and bloud of the Lorde consisteth in the fayth of him which receiueth the Sacrament bycause it is the onely meanes to receyue Iesus Chryst but these contrariwise will haue Iesus Chryst to be alwayes receiued as wel of the faithful as of the vnfaithfull which is as muche as to lodge God and the Deuill life and death togither Finally howe agréeth the garmentes and the apparell of these game players with the supper of the Lorde which is so much more excellent and celestial as the signe is homely and simple For we be no more comaunded to worshippe God by figures and shadowes but in spirite and veritie and if it were néedeful as yet to haue such apparel or figures can they finde any better than those whiche God himselfe appointed to his people by Moses But if God hath abolyshed those things yea namely forbidden them as thyngs shadowing and darkenyng the bright Sunne now that the cleare daye appeareth what other spirite but the spirit of the Prince of darknesse hath moued those whiche haue forged to vs and doe dayly inuent and forge new figures of their owne pleasure and after their owne desire and appetite As aulters Napkins Idolles Towels Corporas Chalices Couers Creweâ—s Amises Albes Gyrdels Cappes Stoles Manipuls Crosses Missals Tapeâ—s Torches Copes Tunicles Paxes Sensors Shippes Banners Apyshe thyngs on féete and handes demaundes and answeres neyther knowing what they demaund nor what they aunswere And in breefe suche a working and iugling that themselues be constrayned to laugh at them and turne to iesting and pastime euen at their owne folke Notwythstandyng they say we be Sacramentaries whiche holde vs to the verie simple ordinances of Iesus Christ in al feare and reuerence And these here which mocke god and the world which lyue to diminishe and bring to nothyng the sacrifice of Iesus Christ and which sell Iesus Christe dayly as muche as in them lyeth for as much or more money than Iudas dyd these I saye be the prelates of Christendome 12 In the papistry there is no ecclesiastical gouernement IT appeareth by this aboue sayde that there is neyther worde of God purely declared nor prayers duely made neyther Sacramentes ryghtly admynistred in the papistrie But all is notoriously reuersed and chaunged which be neuerthelesse the verie substantiall and true markes of the Christian church as hath ben said It foloweth that the Papistes or otherwise the Romishe Churche be in no wise the holy Catholike Churche that is to saye vniuersall the whyche wée doe beléeue for as muche as God hath euer preserued and kept his church as was aunswered to Elias in the time of the reuolting of the ten Trybes of Israell But bycause they alleadge to vs the succession of the Apostles as if that were a sure argument it muste be séene of what force thys reason is at the least in the gouernemente whyche they call the ecclesiasticall Hierarchie Fyrste I saye they presuppose a foundation vtterly false that is to wit the Churche to be ioyned or tyed to a certaine nation sée or place consydering that all the Scripture and the experience of that we sée wyth oure eyes be all together contrary Secondlye these whyche enter not by the doore of the house be not called pastoures neyther successours of true pastours although they occupy the same places but rather robbers theues And it is not ordayned that false pastoures or Prophets should be obayed as successoures of Prophets But we muste take heede and separate oure selues from euerie one that teacheth any other doctrine than this of God Also S. Paule sayd that he is accursed and to be cut off from the Churche whych shoulde bring any other Gospell that is to say any other doctrine of Saluation than his He excepteth not the Angels but he passeth further and propheuÌ„eth that those which shoulde do thus shoulde sit in the Temple of God that is to say should hold the place of Pastours and Elders And S. Iohn declareth sufficiently in hys Apocalips that it shoulde be namely within Rome as the auncient writers haue vnderstand it And for to shewe in fewe wordes there is not one among them from the gretest to the lest which after this reckning is not a robber and a theefe if the word of Iesus Christe maye take place I say not one excepted as their Prouisions Presentations Collations Signatures Bulles Mandates Preuentions Dates Consentes Permutations Concordates Resignations Pencions Annates Vacantes Proces Fulmines takynges of possessions Dispensations which be the windowes where thorow they enter in bee dyrectlye against nature against al right and reason against the holy scripture against all the auncient counsels and decrées agaynst all the wrytinges of the auncient Gréekes and Latines briefly they be things of them selues most vyle infamous execrable in the Churche of God That neuer since the worlde was a worlde â–ª was there any such abomination nor so open marchandise of that which of it selfe is more precious then Heauen and earth that is to wéete the poore soules of the Christians bought with the precious bloud of Iesus Christe the Sonne of God And let all kings and Princes of Christendome vnderstand that they shal render a â—oâ—â—ts to the great Kyng of Heauen and earth for that they suffer théeâ—ery and robbery to haue place in their lands countries which hath no title or cullor of ryght eyther diuine or humaine Thyrdly if they be the successours of the Apostles then must the Apostles be theyr Predecessours But that case is cleane contrary for in their ecciesiastical regiment there be two sortes of estates of the which one of them was vtterlye vnknowen not only to the Apostles but also to al the Christian church the which maye not neyther ought to be maintayned or supported in any case The other concerning their names be not nowe in the Church but notwithstanding they be so disguised in effect as the light is no more contrary to the darknes then these be contrary to those â–ª whose names they beare Then I conclude that there is nought in all their case but an horryble confusion declaring sufficiently of what father they be chyldren In