fruite of them selues of the earth and of their cattell and that they should enlarge their dominion from sea to sea and from one floud to an other Of the other parte Deu. 28. if they did not kéepe the law of the Lorde their God his iudgements and his statutes which he had commaunded them then the Lord threatned to bring vpon them the plagues of Egipt to cursse them in all that they should deale withall to cast them out of the land which he had caused their Fathers to possesse and making wast their citties yea their sanctuaries and their countrye to bring vppon them famine and hunger nakednesse and pouertie dissolution and captiuitie These and such like sayinges of the lawe so vehemently vttered vnto al Israell with taking heauen and earth to witnesse Deu. 30.19 that thus they shoulde finde it in the ende doe plainely testifie that such religion must néedes be good for the establishing and prospering a common weale which the Lorde him selfe hath left vnto vs with promise of blessinge to those that kéepe it and contrarywise that no false seruice of him can bée good for any state but that it continually prouoketh the curse indignation of God against it Therefore was the K. commaunded to take a copye of the lawe to haue it by him and to reade in it all the dayes of hys lyfe that he might learne to feare the Lord his God to obserue all his wordes and statutes by dooing of theÌ„ that his mind might not be lift vp aboue his brethren nor he departe froÌ„ it to the right hande or to the left that he might prolonge his dayes in his kingdome and hys Sonnes in the middest of Israell Deu. 17.18 19.20 Iosua 1.8 To lyke effecte was it sayde vnto Iosua lette not the booke of thys Lawe departe out of thy mouthe but meditate in it night day that thou mayest diligentlye obserue as it is written in it For then thou shalte prosper in thy wayes and haue successe in thy affayres Whereby lykewise it is euident that the blessyng of Kynges and Princes dependeth hereupon so that they onely which worshyppe the Lorde aryght accordynge to hys woorde Psal 2.10 11.12 haue promise of blessynge for it bothe of thys lyfe and of the life to come For this cause the Prophet exhorteth Kynges to bée wyse and Counsellers to bée well aduysed that they worshyppe GOD and hys annointed denouncyng vnto the Ennemies the almightye power of Christe to the confusion of all that sette themselues agaynste hym whereby hée shoulde bee able as easelye to breake them as a Manne wyth a barre of Yron dooth dashe in peeces a Potte of earth To thys purpose notable is the speeche of Asaria the Prophet 2. Chro. 15 vnto Kynge Asa and to all Iuda and Beniamin when the Lorde hadde miraculouslye foyled the innumerable multitude of theyr ennemyes The LORDE sayeth hée hath beene wyth you while yee haue béene wyth hym 1 Sam 2 30 and yf yee wyll yett seeke hym hée wyll bée readye for you but yf yée forsake him hée will forsake you Accordynge to that whych the Manne of God had sayde hereof before 1. Sam. 15 23 26.28 Psal â—8 2. Sam. 22 I wyll honour those which honour mée and dispise those which dispise me Thys was sealed in the castinge away of Saule and the choosing and prosperous successe of Dauid as he often acknowledgeth Lykewise in Salomon the moste wise and Politique Prynce that euer sat in the seate of Dauid 1. Reg. 10 or ruled anye people in the woorlde who because hée fullye established the seruice of GOD accordynge to all that hadde bene commaunded by the Prophets The Lorde also established his seate increased his glory aboue all the kinges of the earth till hee beganne to decline from the Lord his God and broughte the abhominable Idoles of the straunge women whom hée looued into his owne kingdome houses and worshipped theÌ„ for then the Lorde raysed vppe hys seruaunte against him who also in the dayes of hys Sonne so rente awaye tenne Tribes of Israell from the house of Dauid 2. Chr. 12 5 that they neuer returned vnto it agayne Thys was the spéeche of the Prophet Shemaiah to Roboam hys counsellers and the people of Iudah thus sayeth the Lorde you haue forsaken mée therefore wyll I also abandon you and giue you into the hande of Senacherib which was perfourmed but in mercye vppon their repentaunce 2 Chr. 13 Abiah obiected againste Jeroboam that he coulde not prosper because hée hadde erected Idoles in hys kingdome and had made hym Priestes contrarye to the lawe and assureth hym selfe of Gods assistaunce agaynste hym for thys reason because they had the Lorde for theyr God who was theyr Captayne and his lawfull Priestes the sonnes of Aaron sounding the Lordes Trumpettes in the fielde before them Therefore sayeth hée yée chyldren of Israell fighte not agaynst the Lorde the God of your Fathers for ye can not prosper And accordinglye it is added that the Isralites were ouerthrowne hauinge 50000. chosen men of warre slayne and the Iewes were strengthned because as sayth the storye they rested vpon the Lorde God of their Fathers Diuerse was the estate of the affayres of Asa accordinge as hee walked with God prosperinge when hee trusted in God and decayinge when hee followed the vayne dyscourse of fleshe and bloode and soughte to the Asserians for helpe The same is alwayes dylygentlye noted in the lyues of the reste of the Kinges Amazia Azaria Ioas Ezechia Iehosophat Manasses and the reste euen to the deportation and caryinge awaye into captiuitie of bothe the houses of Israell and Iuda wyth theyr Kynges for false worshyppe 2. Reg. 17 2. Chr. 36 and dysobedyence vnto the woorde of the Lorde theyr GOD as it is notablye declared in manye places of the holye storye and of the Prophets These and infinite suche lyke examples which are in the Bookes of Kynges For which woulde to God all Chrystian Princes and they re Counsellers dyd dyligentlye reade them and cause them to bee reade and expounded vnto them do declare true pyetye to bée the verye base and foundatyon of all sounde Wysedome and Pollicye and Impyetye what shewe soeuer it haue of outwarde profitte and commoditye for a season yett indeede and in the ende to bée the verye cause of ruine and ouerthrowe to all estates and kingdomes The reason whereof is manifeste because all Kynges and Princes hold theyr Crownes and Scepters at the wyll and pleasure of GOD who is Kynge of Kynges and Lorde of Lords as it is wrytten by mée Kynges doo raigne Pro. 8 15. Dan. 4.32 and as Nebuchadnezer by proofe and the iuste chastisement of hys pryde in beeinge caste oute seauen yeares from hys kyngdome to lyue wyth the Beastes of the fielde confesseth that GOD dysposeth of the Crownes and Kyngdomes of the world gyuynge and takynge them to and from when it pleaseth him As therefore the
abhominations for which after they might condemne them to the fire But we confer with them as desirous to delyuer their soules from the wrath to come and their present estate from such punishment as the law doth lay vpon them Releeuing of the prisoners of Christ was thorowe their extreme dealing an occasion to sundrie of great troubles But who hath heard of any Act. and Mo. who for this onely cause hath fallen into any trouble amongst vs. They killed fiue prisoners for the Gospell at Canterbury with famine and miserably relieued the rest for any torment As in time of imprysonment not one of theirs hath bene offered any for religions sake In deed if vnder color of conscience they haue intermedled so far in matters of State as that they haue bene to be tainted of treason it may be such haue beene examined vpon the Rack according to the auncient order both of this and other States in like cases that therby they might be constrayned to confesse that to the safety of many which otherwise they would obstinately conceale to the ouerthrowe of their Countrey Whereof not hauing vs in suspicion at any time but persecuting vs only for the Gospels sake yet some with Ioseph haue had the yron enter into their soule and other with Paul and Silas haue beene layd in the dungeons and there also had their feete put into the stockes Act. 16.25 singing to God as if they had byn in heauen Act. 5. I might name also a great nūber who with Peter and Iohn were whipped and scourged and reioyced that they were vouchsafed to suffer for the word of the Lord Iesu whereof as there were many so a young child amongst the rest was so sore beaten that he dyed of it who before his death was sent to his father whom they had put in the stockes in Lollards Tower Actes and Mo. setting a dish of water by him with a stone in it not much vnlike that of the Iewes which as they read said of Ieremie let vs put wood into his bread to torment the poore man with the pittiful sight of his child so shamefully beaten and many other such foule extremities I could remember them off How they dealt with Hun as it is like with some other which dyed in pryson is partly vnderstoode to their iust reproch and will be plainly discouered in the day when all secretes shal be reuealed It were to long to examine their like dealings in other countreys therfore I referre the Reader to their stories and namely to the 6. and 9. Chapters of the Spanish Inquisition where he shall see what close prysons what spare and lothsome dyet what strange and barbarous extremities are vsed by them The last poynt of the comparyson of vsage is in the execution of death which hee sayth hath beene done of their part in all fauor for iust reproofe wherof let the gentle Reader looke ouer the Storie of D. Tayler who being cruelly vsed all the way he went to execution there being ready for it was stroken a great stroke vpon the head with a waster and hurt againe with a fagot cast at him which light vpon his head brake his face that the bloud ran downe after stricken vpon the lips and last of all so smitten with a Halbard that hys braynes fell out But of all other horrible was the execution of the Garnesey woman Perotine both in her own person in that she was executed being great with child also in her child which being taken vp out of the fire viewed by the offycers was to the perpetual reproach of their most barbarous cruelty cast againe to his mother into the fire In elder time also terible was the executiō death of Sir Iohn Oldcastle the worthie L. Cobham is a witnesse to all ages of their barbarous executions It were to long to rehearse the stories of their most cruell executions in other Countries in all ages Therefore I referre the reader to the bookes themselues namely to the 12. chap. of the Spanish Inquisition Only two examples I will set down for a shewe one of more auncient time and the other of verie late In the low Countries at Tourney Bertram a zealous professor of the Gospell found such fauour as this man speaketh in his execution that after many rackings and tormentes before he had his right hande and foot pressed and mishapen with hot irons his tongue cut of his mouth stopt with a ball of iron his body let vp and downe to the fire till it was burned to ashes which were cast into the riuer Of late in the yeare 1581. at Roome Atkines an English man a zealous professor of the Gospell for a like matter as Bertrames was before which was the taking of their masse Idol from their altar and throwing it vpon the ground had this fauour shewed him in his execution that al the way he went to it as it is reported by such as saw it there were foure did nothing but thrust at his naked body with burning Torches and by a deuise for the purpose was burned so as his legges were burned first that the Tyrantes might feede their eyes with a horrible spectacle of so strange tormentes of the constant Martyr witnesse of Christ this hath bene their execution with al fauour Thus we see the chastisement layd vpon them is the rod of a tender most louing mother correcting her obstinate sonnes to bring thē to her obediēce duety but they haue beaten the true church of God with Scorpions as the Sirians did to the Israelites in Galaad they haue threshed it with flayles of yron Their greatest restraint is such I speak of those which are restrained for matter of religiō that they haue cōuenient roomes houses with gardēs to walke in but they thrust our poore brethren into their darkest dungeōs into the caues holes of the earth as into the dens of Dragons Their dyet is liberall and such as pleaseth them selues to haue but they so fedde the true Church of God in their time and yet doe where their authoritie may serue that she might and yet may in such places renewe the complaint of the olde church of Israell and of her cheefe heade and captaine Christ Iesus I haue eaten ashes as breade and mingled my drinke with weeping They gaue me gall and wormewoode to eate Psal 22. and vineger for to drinke they opened their mouthes vpon me as roaring Lyons they made me so spare that I might tell my bones my heart melted in me like waxe my tongue did cleaue to the roofe of my mouth for drought and I sate me downe vpon the earth Psal 2◠and in the dust But the Lorde whose right hand worketh such changes and alterations hath had compassion of our estate in this land his name be praysed for it and hath opened the prison doores he hath deliuered those which were vowed to death when his appoynted time was come
works and bookes written by some of our profession which may seeme to haue a shew of repugnance betwene themselues If a man should deale thus not onely with their wrangling writers which are full of quarrels controuersies but euen with the ancient and learned fathers it were an easie matter to note a multitude of differences and contrarieties in them in matters of greater importance then any hee chargeth vs withall He hath made choyse especially of three in whose workes hee will shew a difference in some poynts These three are the famous and worthie Clarkes of blessed memorie in the Church of God M. Luther P. Melancthon â— Sam. 23.8.9.10.11 and Iohn Caluin Three such worthies in the Campe and Tentes of the Lorde God of Hostes as Ioshab Eleazer and Shammah are reported to haue beene in the Hoast of Dauid For though many haue done worthily and therefore may iustly bee accounted in the honorable places of the thirtie of Dauids worthie Soldiers and some of them of the second thrée yet hardly haue they attayned to these three Of which three Luther and Melancton were the burning Lampes and the shining lights of Germany Luther cleare as the light shined first as in a darke place and as the appearing of the day to those which sate in the shadow of death He was endued of God with a spirit of power as Elias so as he stoode not onely against 400. false Prophets of Baal but against almost 400000. The Lorde had made him as he had done Ieremy a defensed Citie and as a piller of yron and wall of brasse to al the Kings Princes Priests and people of Europe He was a chosen instrument in the Lordes hande an elect vessell euen a vessell of gold made of God to beare his name before Princes and rulers and to present the truth of the Gospell to Kinges and Kesars as he did at Wormes in the imperiall assemblie to Charles the fift to the Princes Electors and other the great States and Princes of Germanie If hee were rude in speach as he truly wrote to Erasmus yet was hee not so in knowledge Nay both his skill in diuinitie was profound and his tongue was eloquent to vtter it Notwithstanding as the elect vessell so first called â— Cor. 12.7 and the Doctor of the Gentiles least hee should bee lifted vp with the Reuelations which had beene shewed vnto him in Paradise being rapt into the third heauens receyued some blowes and buffets of the Aungell of Sathan so no maruell if the Lorde suffered Luther likewise some other way to take a blowe of Sathan and in some respect to be foiled that he might humble him and teach vs to trust in God and not in men Iacob hauing seene the face of God in Peniell Gen. 32.24 and wrastled with him all the night yea preuayled against him by which victorie he got that new and honorable name of Israell whereby to this day he is more renoumed in the Church then all the Affricani Germanici which had their praise of men yet caried not away such a victory and so great glory without such a blowe that he halted of after all the dayes of his life In like maner this worthie Israelite so sawe God and so wrastled to his euerlasting prayse before God and man as yet he halted and was blemished in some part al the dayes of his life Which was for the humbling of him that the sight which hee had seene as in Peniel that the Reuelations which he had as if he had beene taken to the third Heauen and Paradise of God should not lift him vp aboue measure and that the Church hereby shuld be instructed to depend vpon no mortall creature but onely vpon the Lorde Therefore if hee fayled in a poynt or two this is not so much to be obiected against him much lesse against vs as his name is to be esteemed for the fauour he was vouchsafed of God to be his chosen instrument vnto vs to discouer so farre as he did the truth which our aduersaries had drowned in the bottom of the sea His spirit indéed was vehement and hote as fire his style and pen as a sharpe two edged sworde in his hand and cut like a Rasor which was giuen him of God to cut in sunder the Troupes and companies of the enimies of the Gospell Which if he were not alwaies able so to wealde and handle but that sometime also the sworde fell vpon those whome hee ought not onely not to haue hurt but to haue defended it was his weakenesse and infirmitie yet such as ought not to preiudice his other honorable seruice done to God and to his Church against their enimies And so much the lesse ought it to bee preiudiciall because sometimes hee founde his vehemency that waye not very wel bestowed and sought to heale againe the woundes which he had made Which hee did both at other times subscribing to the same poynts he had oppugned as appeareth by sundrie letters of diuers men and by the sollemne agréement made with the Churches of Heluâ—tia and Suenia and by his owne confession to Melancton as it is sufficiently testifyed at his last farewell from him before his death Melancton the second light of Germany was giuen of God as a great blessing and helpe to Luther in all his battailes who was faithfull to him as was Ionathan to Dauid He was excellently learned not onely in Diuinitie but also in the tongues and sciences and generally in all good learning as appeareth by his worthie labours in them vnto this day For what arte or science was not polished with his learned hand He fyled the tongue with his precepts of rhetorike He made reason more reasonable by his skilfull rules of logike He lift vp our heads to behold the Starres taught vs to looke backe into the times that are past Finally all good learning receyued helpe of his excellent wit God gaue him a soffter and a milder spirit a nature more easie to be dealt with louely and amiable gratious and curteous to all men Whereby the Lord ioyning those two excellent wittes of contrarie nature together so tempered them both as they might bee fittest for his seruice Luthers fierie nature needefull for him being to stande in the Front of all the battell least it should haue beene too hot was mittigated with a gratious aspect of this sweete nature of the other and a fitte cast of his temperat beames for the purpose Whereby hee so increased the light and aswaged the heate of Luther that the Church of God receyued great benefit by their happy coniunction 2. Re. 3.19 For when Luthers vehement spirit was moued as was the spirit of Elizeus when Iehoram came to aske counsell of him then Melanctons company and conuersation mittigated his extreme heats and hye displeasures euen as the musike which pacifyed Elizeus and quyeted his minde that was sore offended So of the other part wheras Melanctons méekenesse was
in daunger to bee turned into coldnesse of zeale Psal 6 and feare to professe the truth which God had made knowne vnto him Luther was to him as the Aungel was to the Prophet Esay Es 6. which by the burning coales of the Lordes Altar kindled and inflamed his zeale For by his noble spirit of magnanimitie he strengthned and fortifyed the other against the feare of flesh and bloud Such was the comfort and benefit which they receyued of their mutuall giftes to the great edification of the Church And this is the golden payre of two of the worthiest Ministers of the Gospel that Germany hath brought forth in any age Out of whose large volumes the pretended differences obiected vnto vs are taken and gathered The third is Iohn Caluin one of the soundest Diuines and of deepest iudgement in matters of religion both of doctrine and of discipline that God gaue to his Church this thousand yeares whose good name is in déed as the wise man saith a most sweete and excellent oyntment Eccle. 7.3 For howsoeuer Bolsec and the slaunderous defender of the late Censure haue rayled in the spirit of Semei against him and sought to their power to spoyle and marre this pretious oyntment yet all that are of the Church in these partes of Europe smell the sauour of it as the Apostles did the narde of Marie Iohn 2.3 which she powred vpon the heade of our Sauiour Christ and as they that were in the Temple did the sweete and fragrant odor of the holy oyntment when it was powred out vpon Aarons heade Ex. 30.23.24 25.30 Psal 133.2 and trickled downe to the hemme of his garment This worthie man of God like a goodly Starre rising first in Fraunce and after ascending to Geneua where also it went downe so shined in his time in the middes of the Church as if all the Firmament thereof had beene but one Starre and as if in all the Cope of Heauen there had shined none other And these three worthies of all the Lordes hoste at once this weake Authour hath specially chosen to encounter and to deface with contrarietie to themselues and one with another putting his trust as it seemeth in this that his surmysed contrarieties should neuer come to be examined The poyntes wherein hee chargeth them with contrarietie are of the Sacramentes and first in generall of the number of them whereof hee affirmeth that Luther acknowledged but one Caluin two Melancton three or foure For Caluin I confesse hee saith there are but two and in deede there are neyther more nor lesse For a Sacrament being a seale of our Communion with Christ Rom. 4.11 it can not bee shewed that our Sauiour Christ appoynted any more or lesse Seales of the righteousnesse that is by faith and our coniunction with him then onely two namely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lorde Which without any manner of question or difference is manifestly declared to bee the generall iudgement of the Churches professing the Gospell by the booke of the harmony of the confessions of their faith Which hauing beene long agoe exhibited to the seuerall Princes of the Countries states and kingdomes where these Churches are are nowe of late very profitably published to the iust conuiction of all such as slaunder the reformed Churches to be variably distracted rent in sonder with infinit differences of faith For it appeareth by that most profitable labor that the Lorde hath knit and vnited them together with a holy vnitie both sweete as the oyntment of Aaron and also profitable and rich as the due of Sion Psal 133. and of Hermon By which pleasant hermony of the confessions both of this Church and many others it appeareth that the generall iudgement and faith of our Churches acknowledgeth onely two Sacraments Wherein the Churches of God agreeing so well together the diuers opinion of a particular man or two if it were so culd not preiudice their holy vnitie in the faith But how vntrue it is that is here obiected to Luther Melancton will plainly be discouered For Luther that hee euer helde or taught that there should bee but one Sacrament as the Authour chargeth I say is an vniust slaunderous accusatiō In the places hee alleadgeth for his proofe in the beginning of his booke of the Babilonicall captiuitie after the denying of the seauen Sacraments and graunting of three which he there expresly nameth Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance His wordes are these Although saith hee if I would speake after the vse of the scripture I should haue but one Sacrament and three Sacramentall signes whereof more largely in his time By which wordes it is euident that Luther ment nothing lesse then to teach but one Sacrament in that sense wee here speake of a Sacrament which conteyneth in it both the signe of the Sacrament or holy thing signifyed by it and also the Sacrament or holy thing it selfe for such hee playnely confesseth three Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance But by one Sacracrament vnderstandeth the matter and substance of the sacramentall signs which is in deede but one namely our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ Which manifestly discouereth the simplicitie of this Authour if not hauing redde nor eonsidered the place himselfe he vouched it vpon confidence of the collection of some other or his verie euill conscience if knowing this to bee Luthers meaning hee haue so wrongfully and vniustly slaundered him Thus for one Sacrament hee hath his answere Nowe to that hee obiecteth of three or foure For foure hee cyteth Melanctons common places where Melancton hauing named three Baptisme the Lords Supper and Penance hee addeth after these wordes It liketh mee most that ordinacion also bee added whereunto he annexeth this reason that it is commaunded of God and that great promise is made to the ministry and preaching of the word For answere whereunto it is to be noted that first in the place alledged hee nameth onely three then after adioyneth this that he could like also the ordinance of the ministeries for the commaundement of God to ordayne Ministers and the promise of God to assist and blesse the Ministery of such as are lawfully called were also named a Sacrament Which importeth as if hee had said that in some sense ordination also may be called a Sacrament Further the confession of Ausb and the Apologie of it as he truly alledgeth both endyted by Melancton maketh mention onely of three Whereby it appeareth that Melancton taught not simply foure but onely three and that the name of a Sacrament in some sense might bee attributed to the fourth and for teaching sake as he speaketh in his Apologie in the title of the number vse of Sacraments Where handling this matter expresly hee vseth these words wee doe not thinke it any great matter although some for teaching doe otherwise number so that they duely keepe the things which are deliuered in the Scriptures neyther did the auncient Fathers number
the synne of Adam a will in man whereby he is freely and willyngly carried to that he doeth but this will I saie is of it self carried willyngly to no goodnesse but onely and alwaies to euill Therfore beeyng deade in respecte of any good whē after the will chuseth well this worke we teache not to bee of Grace preuentyng and assistyng but to bee wholie the woorke of grace For as if the spirite of life should reenter into a deade man who after should rise and walke and dooe other thynges agreeyng to a liuyng man it can not bee saied these actions proceade partely from the spirit whiche is inspired into him partly from the deade bodie For what helpe or furtheraunce can death bryng to an action of life So also the Spirite of God reenteryng into vs who are borne dead in our synnes and wee after liuyng in some measure the life of GOD by the same spirite it cannot bee saied that our will choosyng to doe that whiche is good or any other naturall facultie dooyng in any measure the will of God that it doeth it partly of it self partly of the spirite inspired into vs but the honor of suche actions is wholy due to that spirite That wee will is of our nature but that our will doeth will that whiche is holy and good is not partly of vs and partly of the Grace assistyng but it is wholie the woorke of Grace Yet is it the goodnesse of God to call it ours that is wrought in him by vs because it is not wrought without vs neither are we as an axe or deade instrument in the Lordes hande but the powers of our naturall soule tendyng of theim selues wholy to that whiche is euill are tourned by the grace and power of God to that whiche is good Whiche doctrine as it is moste true so doeth it giue to God the honour whiche belongeth vnto him Neither is it a hinderaunce to good woorkes that God be acknowledged the onely aucthour and woorker of theim But saieth he more like a Philosopher and naturall man then a Christian and a Diuine except it bee in a mannes power to doe well it must needes vtterly discourage hym from doyng good workes The answere wherof is that those whiche beleeue cannot but bee fruitfull in good woorkes notwithstandyng thei dooe not to the dishonour of GOD arrogate to themselues the praise of thē For as a man that is quickened with a liuyng soule can not but doe the woorkes and actions of a liuyng man so also thei which haue receiued the spirite of Christe whereby thei haue beleeued notwithstandyng thei bee not incoraged by this reason vnto it that of their former deade nature thei are able to heare see or vnderstande yet of the nature of that spirite thei cannot but dooe the actions of that life whiche that spirite doeth quicken and animate thē withall And as a branche of a wilde Oliue taken frō his owne stocke and implanted into a naturall Oliue notwithstandyng that of it self it bring no maner of helpe to beare a right Oliue but rather whatsoeuer power is in it is contrarie therevnto Yet of the nature of the right Oliue it cannot beeyng a liuely braunche of it but beare right Oliues Euen so it fareth with vs. Rom. 11. For wee are by nature wilde Oliues and our Sauiour Christe is the true and naturall Oliue Tree into whom beyng grafted by faithe shall we saie it wil neuer beare any fruite excepte the former wilde and sauage nature it had before in his owne stocke maie bee furtheraunce to it No but that nature beyng mortified and altered by the power of the true Oliue we cannot beyng liuely braunches in this Oliue of GOD but we must beare right and kindly fruites accordyng to the nature of the stock wee are receiued into Further as the nature of the spirite whiche wee are vouchsafed doeth leade vs to it so our indeuour is stirred vp herevnto in thākfulnesse vnto God for our saluation whiche he hath assured vnto vs by the power of the spirite giuen vs to the daie of our rededemption Therfore because we owe our selues wholie vnto hym that hath so derely bought vs and so graciously saued vs we are to apply our selues to all good workes wherby God our redemer may be glorified in vs. Whose glory if it be precious in our eyes as it worthely ought to bee more then heauen and earth wee cannot want prouocation to doe those thinges which he hath commaunded Now for the laste poinct of this Article of merite and the reward of heauen we say in deede that the doctrine of Merite and to teach that life euerlasting should be a reward deserued by our good works is a doctrine that maketh voyd in effect the death of Christ The benefite whereof by this meanes shal be onely this to procure vs this fauour with God that vppon condition that we doe suche and suche woorkes that then he will giue vs his Kyngdome for our woorkes sake whiche is a doctrine that of al other doeth moste discouer Antechrist as it is moste opposite to the doctrine and honour of Christe For wee are taught by hym that when wee haue doen all wee can doe wee are to acknowledge that wee are but vnprofitable seruauntes and thei teach that their seruice is worthie a reward and what reward of the kyngdome of heauen the glorie of God and of ioyes euerlastyng and vnspeakeable Thei teache these thynges to bee but a small purchase a little money giuen to their Corban the buildyng of a Monasterie or Abbey for a sort of Idle and Supersticious Friers to abuse the world and thynges many tymes of the iust desert of euerlastyng death to bee the worthie price of Gods kyngdome that is in effect that an Abbey a Seminarie College or suche like should be as muche worthe as the precious bloud of the Soonne of God Thus in deede we teache not nor whatsoeuer should become of all the states of the worlde ought not to teache it beeyng the proude doctrine of that presumpteous Antechriste guiltie of hye treason against the Imperiall state croune and dignitie of the kyng of heauen and earth Whose fauour and grace if we should saie wee had deserued we should account it little worthe and should take from hym his moste due and high honour of our saluation and be moste vnworthie his grace bestowed vpō vs. But saieth he who will be zealous of good workes if there be no reward of them in heauē I aunswere if there were none yet ought wee in thankfulnesse to GOD for our first Creation diligently to applie our selues to dooe his will and obeye his Commaundementes As also all cteatures sett forthe his glory in their kinde notwithstādyng there bee no rewarde promised them in heauen But I saie further that wee doe not teache that there is no reward for good workes but contrariwise that the reward of them is so exceedyng greate in heauen that no good deede shall bee
loste no not to the bestowyng of a Cupp of cold water in the name of a Disciple For as the sonne heire of the father for al his seruice receiueth a most large recompēce of his inheritance so muche more the inheritaunce of GOD must needes bee a moste bountifull recompence of all our seruice to hym Yet notwithstandyng the inheritaunce is not accounted due to the natural child frō his father for any desert of his but because he is his sonne So likewise the inheritaunce of Gods kingdome yea muche lesse without all comparison neuer can be earned by vs or deserued by any workes we can doe but shal be giuen vs because we are sonnes and heires to God by faithe in Christ Iesu So the inheritaunce is bothe a gifte and a rewarde a gifte because it is in euery respecte vndeserued and a rewarde because he that hath dooen nothyng in deede but endeuoured to doe some small parte of his duetie and yet receiueth that whiche could not be due vnto hym cannot saie that he is vnrewarded And thus our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell that the penie was the reward and the penie was giuen hym that bare no heate and burden of the daie but wrought onely one hower An howers worke could not deserue the wages and reward appointed for hym that should worke the whole daie yet he receiuing it of meere gift can not say but that his howers labour was moste bountifully rewarded Euerlastyng life was promised to the doers of the Lawe this worke wee doe not yet it pleaseth God of his goodnesse to giue as well to vs that haue not doen it as if wee had doen it can we saie then that any thyng we haue dooen is lefte vnrewarded Thus it is plaine that giuyng to God the honour whiche is due vnto hym wee acknowledge also the reward to be great in heauen And therfore though we doe not incourage any mercinarie duetie but exhorte to a thankefull and cherefull obedience vnto God yet the benefite that maie arise to any Commonwealthe by this doctrine that our labour shall not be loste in the Lorde is to bee reaped of the doctrine that we teache Now followeth the twelueth and laste Article whiche is of Eareshrifte or Auricular Confession 12. Of auriculer confession Concernyng whiche thei teache it to bee necessarie for euerie Christian manne once in the yere at the least to Confesse hymself to a Priest telling hym euery fault in perticuler that he hath committed and this thei teache to bee so necessarie as if a man conceale any he cā not receiue absolution for it but that sinne remaineth still vpō hym And this he saieth is the very hedge and wall of all vertuous and good life whiche he pretendeth to proue by many particularities but first for their doctrine the vse and benefite of it shall bee after examined And first I wishe them to agree amongest them selues that it maie bee determined betweene them whether it be of the Commaundement of God or not or rather howsoeuer thei agree or disagree I affirme it hath no maner of ground in the worde of God Where we are onely taught to confesse our sinnes vnto GOD and to poore out our hartes before him that the Lorde maie bee mercifull vnto vs. Further also in the publique congregation bothe together with the rest of the Church and perticulerly vppon repentaunce of some notorious offence and priuately one vnto another And therein wee receiue and finde thorowe the good blessyng of God great comforte and commoditie in vsing of them But this confessiō that a man should rehearse in a Priestes eare all his sinnes once a yeare Neither was it cōmaunded of our Sauiour Christe nor vniuersally vsed in the West Church till about 300. yeares agoe And if this be the very lock of all honestie and vertue as he saith and the very hedge of wel doyng how could so many Churches Christian States haue wanted it so long Was there no vertue nor honestie for 1200. yeres after Christ in such places as had not receiued it It is not to be thought to come to his commodities that thei wanted meanes for redresse both of priuate and publique offences all that while Neither doth the Gospell whiche teacheth no suche matter as this is Leaue the Church vnfurnished of meanes to redresse all offences that come to knowledge which is by the godly exercise of that lawfull discipline whiche our Sauiour Christ appointed to be vsed in his Church whiche in deede is bothe the locke and keye of al good life next to the power of the word preached Whereas therfore we are taught by the Gospell to preache saluation to those which beleeue and walke accordyng to that faithe and contrariwise destruction to come vppon euery soule that shall not beleeue nor walke accordyng to the commaundement we haue receiued and to denounce this to all Estates and Dignities to those whiche are of priuate and publique calling who can not but finde them selues to be summoned by it to the tribunall seate of God and haue their hartes oft touched withall to true repentaunce It can not bee saied then without this newe founde deuise of auriculer Confession wee haue no meanes of good life amongest vs. Heb. 4. The liuyng worde of God that striketh deepe to the partyng betweene the soule and the spirite shall it be esteemed nothyng worth without this Confession Peter by this wrought through the grace of God suche a compunction in the hartes of 3000. in one daie that thei came and humbled them selues in true repentaunce acknowledged their sinnes in hauyng crucified the Sonne of GOD and receiued the Faith and Baptisme in the name of Christ Many suche like examples might bee vouched out of the Scriptures of mightie and powerfull workes and effectes of the word preached Whereby it appeareth that the Churches wherein it is truely taught as by the grace of God it is amongest vs are not without not onely some but not with out the cheefest and most principall meanes to keepe the people of God in due obedience of hym For further meanes of discipline as we acknowledge what the right order is whiche God hath commaunded and bothe see and are hartily greeued to see in so noble a parte of the Churche as this is and after so long continuance of the Gospell preached amongest vs greate abuses contrarie vnto it So wee cease not to bee most humble and continuall suters to God and to the authoritie he hath set ouer vs that we maie enioy it Which being in the vse thereof and in the ordinaunce of our Sauiour Christ so necessarie for the seruice of God and the saluation of men wee hope that the equitie and necessitie of that wee sue for beeyng throughly vnderstood the Lord wil dispose the hartes of so Christian authoritie as wee are subiect vnto most willyngly to graunt it For want whereof as your HH see how wyde the enemies mouth is opened against vs so the humble