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
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
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
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
a name The preaching of the gospell is called The spirite and the letter ii Cor. iii. also by the apostle the Spirit the seruice of the Spirit because that it is made of great efficacy liuely by faith in the eares or rather in the hartes of beleuers by the holy ghost illuminating thē For the letter whiche is contrary to the spirit doeth surely signifie euery outward thyng but chiefly the doctrin of the lawe whiche causeth wrathe to vnbeleuers and prouoketh to synne without the aide of the spirit and faith woorkyng in their mindes For the whiche cause the Apostle calleth it also the ministerie of death For here vnto belōgeth that saiyng of his the letter killeth but the spirite quicekneth The false Prophetes preached the gospell corruptly mingelyng the Lawe therewith as though Christ could not The heresies saue vs without the lawe Suche as the Hebionites are said to be who sprang of the heretike Hebeō Suche wer the Nazareans whiche were in olde tyme called Minei whom euery one we cōdemne Preachyng the Gospell purely teachyng that by the spirite alone and not by the lawe beleuers are iustified But of this matter we will intreate hereafter more at large in the title of Iustificacion And albeeit the Preachyng of the Gospell compared with the Pharises The doctrine of the Gospel is not newe but a moste auncient doctrine doctrine of the Lawe séemed when it was firste preached by Christe to bée a newe doctrine whiche Hieremie also prophesied of the new Testament yet in verie déede it was not onely then and now is olde doctrine as now adayes Papistes call it newe comparyng it with their longe receiued doctrine but also is the moste auncient doctrine in the worlde For God from the beginnyng predestinated she worlde to be saued by Christe Whiche predestinacion and eternall counsaile of his he hath opened to the worlde by the Gospell whereby it is manifeste that the Religion and doctrine of the Gospell is the eldest of all that euer was is or shal be Wherefore we saie that all thei are fouly deceiued and speake vnsemelie of Gods euerlastyng counsaile whiche affirme that the Gospell and this religion is sprong vp of late and is a faithe scase thirtie yeres olde In whō that saiyng of Esay the Prophete Esaie v. is fulfilled Wo be to them that speake good of euill and euill of good whiche put darkenesse from light and light from darkenesse and that putte bitter for swéete and swéete for sowre ¶ Of repentaunce and the conuersion of man Chap. 14. THe Gospell hath ioigned vnto what repentaunce is Luke xxiiii it the doctrine of Repentaūce For so saied the Lorde Repēpentaunce and remission of synnes muste bée preached in my name to all nacions By repentaunce we vnderstande the amendement of the mynde in the sinfull man prouoked therevnto by the preaching of the Gospell and inward woorkyng of the holie ghoste and receiued with true saithe wherby the synner doeth straite waie acknowledge his naturall corrupcion and all his synnes reproued by the woorde of God and beeyng hariely sorie for the same doeth not onely bewaile his iniquities but beeyng ashamed thereof confesse theim but also with disdaine deteste them mindyng earnestlie to amende and alwaies indeuouryng to leade an innocent and vertuous life as long as he liueth And this assuredly Repentaunce is a true conuersion from satan to God is vnfained repentaunce to wit a true conuersion to God and all goodnesse with a spedie departure from satan and all euill We also plainly affirme that this repentaūce is the mere gifte of God and not the worke of our Repentaunce is the gifte of God ii Cor. ii strengthe For the Apostle biddeth a faithfull minister diligētly to instruct theim whiche resiste the truthe assaiyng if God at any tyme will giue thē repentaunce that thei maie knowe the truthe Moreouer the synfull woman mencioned in the Gospell who wasshed Christes fete with her teares and Peter who wept bitterly be wailyng Luke vii and. xxii his deniall of Christe doe plainly declare vnto vs what maner of minde the penitent should haue when he earnestly lamenteth his sinnes which he hath committed The prodigall sonne also and the Publicane mencioned in the Gospell and compared with the Pharisie are fitte examples for vs to imitate in confessing our sinnes The prodigall sonne saied Father I haue synned against heauen in thy sight nowe I am not worthie to bee called thy soonne make me as one of thy hiered seruauntes The Publicane not beyng so bolde as to lifte vp his yies to heauen knockyng his breast cried O God bee mercifull to me a synner These penitent offendours we doubt not but that God receiued againe to his mercie and fauour For Ihon the Apostle saith If we acknowledge our i. Ihon. i. synnes he is faithfull and iuste to forgiue vs our synnes and to clense vs from all vnrightuousnes If wee saie we haue not synned wée make hym a lier and his woorde is not in vs. Wée beleue that this plain and frée confessiō which is made onely to God either priuately betwixte God and the offendour or openly in the Churche when the generall confession of synne is recited dooeth suffice and that it is not necessarie to obtaine remission of synnes by confessyng our offences Popishe confession with whisperyng in a Priestes eare or by hearing his absolucion while he laieth his handes vpō our heddes For of suche maner of repentaunce there is founde in the holie scriptures neither any commaundement ne yet example Dauid protested saiyng I acknowledged Psal xxxii my synne vnto thée neither hid I myne iniquitie from thée I thought I would confesse against my self my wickednesse vnto the Lorde and thou diddeste remitte the punishmente of my synne The Lorde also teachyng vs to praie and eke to confesse our iniquities saied Thus shall ye praie Our father which art in heauen c. Math. vi Forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue theim that trespas against vs. It is therefore necessary that wée confesse our faultes and that wee reconcile Note our selues to our brother if we haue offēded hym Of the whiche kind of confession Iames the Apostle speaketh saiyng Acknowledge your synnes Iames. v. one to another How bee it if any what priuate Confession is allowed man beyng oppressed with the burthē and temptacion of doubtfull synne would aske counsaile and seeke comfort priuately either of the minister of the church or any other learned in the Laws of God wée disalowe it not In like maner we greatly commēde that Publike confession generall and publike confession of sinnes whiche is accustomed to be rehersed as we saied before in the Churche and holy assemblies Many babble maruelous thynges of the Keies of the kyngdome of God The forged keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and forge thereby swoordes speares scepters crounes and absolute auctoritie ouer the greateste kingdomes to
all the daies of our life againste the worlde Sathan and our owne fleshe We are Baptised also into one bodie of the Churche that we maie well agrée with al the members thereof in one Religion dooyng one for another We beleue that the maner of Baptisme whereby Christe hym self was The forme of baptismge Baptised and his Apostles did Baptise is moste perfect Wherfore what soeuer was after by mannes inuencion added and vsed in the Churche we thinke not to be necessarie to the perfection of Baptisme As the coniuracion Popish bapt the vse of burning lightes of oile of Salte of spittle and the like with this custome to cōsecrate twise in the yere Baptisme For wee beleue that one Baptisme of the churche in Gods firste Institucion was sanctified and consecrated by his worde and is now also of efficacie and vertue by reason of that firste blessyng of God We teache that women or midwiues wemē should not baptise ought not to Baptise in the churche For Paule secludeth women frō Ecclestasticall offices but Baptisme partaineth to Ecclesiasticall dueties We condemne the Anabaptistes who Heresies deny that yong children newly borne ought to bee Baptised of the faithfull accordyng to the doctrine of the Gospell The kyngdome of God belongeth to children And séeyng thei are included in God his couenaunte why should not the signe of the couenaunte be giuen to them Wée condemne the Anabaptistes in other poinctes also of their doctrine whiche thei alone holde particulerlie and defende against the worde of God We are not then Anabaptistes neither dooe wée take parte with them in any matter of theirs ¶ Of the holy Supper of the Lord Chap. 21. THe Supper of the Lorde whiche is also called the table of the Lorde the Euchariste that is thankes geuinge is therfore cōmonly named a Supper because it was instituted of Christ in his last Supper and nowe representeth the same the faithful spiritually fedynge and drinkynge in it for the aucthor of the Lord his Supper is The aucthor of the Lords Supper not any Angell or man but the sonne of GOD him selfe our Lorde Iesus Christe who firste consecrated it for his Churche that consecration blessinge dureth as yet amonge all those that celebrat none other Supper but the selfe same whiche the Lord instituted recitynge his wordes and in al thinges looking on Christ only with a true faith of whose handes as it were they receaue that which they take by It is a remembraunce of gods benefites the seruice of the ministers of the churche The Lorde wyll kepe by this holy Sacramente in freshe remembrāce his chiefeste benefite bestowed vppon mākynde namely that when he gaue his bodie to be betraied and his bloud to be shedde he forgaue vs all our sinnes and redemed vs from eternall death and from the power of the Deuill and now fedeth vs with his flesh and giueth vs his bloudde to drincke whiche beyng with a true faithe spiritually receiued nourisheth vs to life euerlastyng And this so greate a benefite is renewed so ofte as the supper of the Lorde is celebrated For he said dooe this in the remembraunce of me It is also confirmed vnto vs in this Supper leaste wee should wauer in faithe that the Lordes bodie in deede was deliuered for vs and his bloude shedde for the remission of our sinnes And truely that to the outwarde yies is by the minister represented in the Sacramente and as it were laied before our face which inwardly is doen after an inuisible sorte by the holie ghoste Outwardlie breade is offered by the minister the wordes of Christ The signe the thinge signified are heard Take eate this is my body take deuide it betwixt you Drinke ye all of this this is my bloud Therfore the faithfull taketh that whiche is offred what the faithfull receaue by the lordes minister Thei eate the Lorde his bread and drinke of the Lordes Cuppe but inwardlie by the helpe of Christ through the holy ghost thei receiue the fleshe also the bloud of the Lorde and are fedde with them to life euerlastyng For the fleshe and bloud of Christ is true meate drinke to eternall life And Christe hym self in that he was deliuered for our sakes and is our sauiour is that principall chiefe thyng of the supper neither suffer we any other thyng to be put in his stede But that it maie the better and more plainly bee perceiued how the Howe the fleshe blode of Christe is meat drīke indede fleshe and bloud of Christ is the meate and drinke of the faithfull receiued of them to life euerlasting we will adde these fewe woordes There bee diuers kindes of eating For there is a bodily eatyng whereby meate is receiued into mannes mouth is chewed with the Two kindes of Eatinge with the bodelie mouth tethe and swallowed into the beailie After this kind of eatyng the Capernites in tyme paste vnderstoode that thei should eate the Lorde his fleshe But thei are confuted by Christe hym Heresies self For Christe his fleshe can not bée eaten corporally without an heinous Aug. de doct Christ cruell acte It is not then meate for the beallie as al menne are cōpelled to confesse We disalowe the Popes Canons in the decrees of the bisshops of Rome Ego Berēgarius de cōse dist 2. For neither the godlie in tyme passe nor wée doe now beleue that Christe his bodie is eaten with the mouthe of the bodie corporallie or essenciallie There is also a spirituall eatyng of Christ his bodie not that wherby we Christe his bodie is not eaten with the bodelye mouth 2. A spiritual eatinge by fayth thinke that the verie meate is chaunged into the spirite but whereby the bodie and bloud of the Lorde kéepyng still their essence and propertie we receiue theim not after a corporal but after a spirituall sorte by the working of the holie ghoste who doeth bestowe vpon vs those giftes whiche wer purchased by the flesh and blud of Christ who was deliuered and put to death for vs grauntyng vs remission of our synnes deliueraunce from Sathan and life euerlastyng so that Christe liueth in vs and we in him For he bringeth it to passe that wee receiue hym Christ is spirituall meate and drinke with a true faithe and that he is spirituall meate and drincke to vs that is to saie our life For as bodilye meate and drincke dooeth not onely refreshe and strengthē our bodies but also preserueth our life so the fleshe of Christ betraied for vs and his bloude shedde for our sakes dooe not onely refreshe and strengthen our soules but also preserueth them a liue not in that thei are corporally eaten or dronken but in that thei are giuen vnto vs by the spirite of God spiritually accordyng to the Lord his saiyng The bread which I wil giue is my flesh which I wil giue for the life of the worlde Also the