As it is in the scriptures and in the seconde part of the common crede I beleue in Iesus Christ his onelye sonne our Lorde whiche was conceyued by the holy ghoste borne of the vyrgyn Marye suffred vnder Poncâ—us Pylate he was crucified dead and buried he descended into hel and the third day he arose agayn froÌ„ death vnto life and ascended into heauen and there sitteth on the ryght hand of God the Father almyghtie And froÌ„ thence he shal come to iudge both the quick the dead I beleue that by this meanes and no other the sinnes of al beleuers to be forgeuen without the merites and deseruiÌ„ges of Adams posteritie By AdaÌ„ sinne came into the world and bi sinne deathe Euen so wythoute all merites respectes and worthynes of Adam either of anye of his posteritie by Iesus Chryste came remission of synne and lyfe euerlastyng And euen as I beleue stedfastli sinne death bi this meanes to be ouercome and destroyed and euer lastyng lyfe to follow it so beleue I the sonne of God to be perfect God maÌ„ accordyng to the scriptures and do condemne the heresies of Arian and Marâ—ian with their complices adhereÌ„tes that wyckedly beleued the contrarye And as I confesse and beleue the measies of our saluation to be onely Christ so I condemne the Pelagian and all such other as beleued and taught that thei culd by their own powers streÌ„gth and wyll worke theyr own saluation which false opinion coÌ„culcateth frustrateth slandereth condemneth and blasphemeth all the deseruynges of Christ. Therfore the Pelagian is called worthyly the ennemy of grace Farther I beâ—eeue that the grace of God deserued by the passion of Christ dothe not onely freely and without all merites of man begyn teache and prouoke manne to beleue the promyses of God and so to begyn to worke the wyl of God but also all the woorkes merites deseruynges dooynges and obedience of man towardes God althoughe they bee done by the spirite of god in the grace of god yet being thus done be of no validitee worthynes nor merite before God except God by mercy and grace accompte theym worthy for the worthynes and merites of Iesus Christ that dyed vnder Poncius Pilatus So that I beleue grace not oneli to be the begynner of al good workes but that all good workes done by man in the greattest perfeccion haue neede and wanteth grace to pardon their imperfeccion I beleue in the holye ghoste equalle god with the father and the soÌ„ne and procedynge from them both by whose vertue streÌ„gth and operacion the Catholyke churche is preserued from all 〈◊〉 and false doctrines and teacheth the coÌ„munioÌ„â—f saincts in al truth and verity the whych holy spirit shal neuer forsake the holy church which is Christ his mystical bodye I beleue that this holye spirit worketh the remission of synne the resurreccion of the fleshe and euerlastynge lyfe accordyng to the holy scripture Thys is my fayth and doctryne concirnyng the Godhed and diuersitie of persons in the holy Trinitie and also of the two natures in Chryst hys godhed and manhed Abhorring and detestiÌ„g the heresies of Samosaâ—enes Arian Nestor Eutiches who wer condemned by godly couÌ„cels Nece CoÌ„staÌ„tinople Ephesin Calchedom other I detest and abhor the Martian Manâ—che that faineth to be two gods and both eternal one good the other euil alwaies at debate among them selus I detest abor y e monsterous doctrine of the Valentines so generally of all those that haue denied to be ani god or wold haue many gods Also al those I detest that haue erred and in aintaine theyr erroure in any thyng concerning the essence of god ordeined the plurality of persons as of the father the soÌ„ne and the holye goost This is the faith of gods spiryte in my conscience whiche I haue lerned in hys word haue fayethfullye and râ—lygyouslye preathed and taughte the same in all my sermons as I wyll be iudged by onne audytory Also the same doctryne I haue furthred set forth in al mi boks 〈◊〉 writings though sum CaluÌ„niators and sclaunderers wulde gladly make pore the people beleue the coÌ„trary But I do decline and appeale from such vncharitable spretes vnto the charitable reader and louyng herte of all theym that be indued with gods holy sprete for they wyll not constrayne nor force letter sillable word or senteÌ„ce coÌ„trary to the mynde of the speaker writer but wyll Iudge and serche for iudgement in the processes and circumstances of the writer content themselues with the writers mynde rather than to brynge theyr affection and corrupte myndes to make their own imaginations and fantasies an other mans doctrine as the Arrian Pelagiane Anabaptist Papist and other do and haue doone bryngynge corrupte myndes to the lesson and readyng of Christes testament and wold that their fals heresies and vntrue imaginations should be Christe his doctrine Seeyng bothe goddes lawes and mans lawes suffereth and geueth libertee to euery man in a cause of religion to be interpretater of his owne wordes it were contrarye to iustice to put any man from it For if the auctor may not be the interpreter of his owne mynde what wold not malyce enuy spite and disdayne gather of works most truly and faith fully mente and wrytten And seyng charitee and the lawes of this realme as it appereth in an act of parliament made in y â— first yere of the reigne of our Soueraine Lorde Kyng Edward the syxte geueth lybertee and lycence to hym that shalbe accused for a matter of Religion vpon malice euyll wil hatred disdayn or bee made and suborned recordes to repell and conuicte all suche false recordes and theyr accusers by other faithfull and indifferent Recordes The whiche acte of parliament God forbydde should be denied to any of the kyngs Maiesties preachers for yf the testimonye of theyr audientes shal not quitte theym from the spyte calumniacion of malicious vncharitable meÌ„ they shal not long preache the truth For ether the papistes wyll accuse theÌ„ bycause thei wishe theÌ„ pope al monumentes of papistry to be taken out of the way Ether the carnall gospellar that cannot abyde to heare his faultes carnal life rebuked And I thinke if the Kinges magestie his most honorable couÌ„sel prepare not the soner a brydle correction for synne the true preacher of God hereafter shal be more persicuted for reprehendynge of synne and vngodly lyfe then euer yet hyther vnto he hath bene persecuted by the papistes Thus I haue declared my fayth and belefe towardes God accordyng to the Scriptures in the which I trust to coÌ„tiune vntil deth end this myserable and wâ—fihed life Nowe I wyll declare also the same towardes the churche of Christe what I beleâ—e of the magistrates the mynisters of the woâ—de and the people I dwel wyth al. And of these thynges I wyl speake accordyng
shuld perish by like plage Euen so when I beholde the euâ—l pestiferous affected mindes of english men and perpend and waâ— the fruâ—ts of such corrupte myndes contempte hatred grudge malice against their King magistrates laws orders pollicies dâ—â—tles I can 〈◊〉 other think but these men as much as is in theÌ„ coÌ„spire work the distruccion of thys realme For it caÌ„noâ— other wise be but as coÌ„tempt of godlye lawes sedicion amonge the people â–ª and subiectes of what 〈…〉 they be haue wroughte the destiâ—icyon of other realmes so must it and can no otherwise do vnto thys realme 〈◊〉 what realme or kingdom 〈◊〉 auoyde these eulls 〈◊〉 prouide the word of God to be trulye and diâ—igently preached taught vnto the subiects and members thereof The lacke of 〈◊〉 is the chiefe cause of sedition and 〈◊〉 as Salomon sayth Wher 〈◊〉 â—â—phecye wanteth the people are dyscyâ—pated wherfore 〈◊〉 not a litle woÌ„der at the opinion and doctrine of suâ—ly as saye a Sermon 〈◊〉 in a weke in a moneth or in a quarter of a yere is sufficieÌ„t for y e people Truly it is iniuriously 〈…〉 agaiÌ„st y t glory of god saluacioÌ„ of the people But seing they wil not be in the whol as good vnto god as before thei haue ben vnto the diuil neither so glad to remoue false doctryne froÌ„ the people and to coÌ„tinue them in the true â–ª wher as thei did before occupi the most parte of the forâ—â—oâ—e the most part of the after none yea and a great part of the night to kepe the estimatioÌ„ continuance of daungerous vayne supersticious were it much now to occupy one hour in the morning and another hour towardes nyght to occupye the people with true and ernest prayer vnto GOD in Christe his bloud and in preaching the true doctrine of Christ that they myghte knowe and continue in the â—ewe relygyon and faythfull confydence of Christ Iesu. Exercyse and dylygence bryngeth â–ª credit vnto religion whether it be true or false For it neuer taketh place nor coole in the people without diligence as it is to be perceiued bi the acts and iestes done in theâ— me of Ieroâ—oaÌ„ and Roboam the kynge of Israel and Iuda What brought the Masse and al other Idolatry into estimacion but dailye preachyng and saying therof with such laud and praise as euery old wife knew what a masse was worth Fyftene Masses in a churche dayelye were not to many for the priests of Baal and shuld one sermoÌ„ euery day be to muche for a godly Bishoppe and Euangelical preacher I wonder how it maye be to muche opened and declared vnto the people If any man saye labour is left and mennes busynes lyeth vndon by that menes Suerly it is vngodly spokeÌ„ for those that here the people in hande of such a thyng knoweth ryghte well that there was nether laboures cares nedes necessity nor any thynges elles that heretofore could kepe theÌ„ froÌ„ hearing of Masse though it had bene sayd at .iiii. a clocke in the mornynge Therfore as far as Ise people wer content to lose more labour and spent more time then to go to the Deuyl theÌ„ nowe to come to God but my faith is that both Master seruant shal find vauntage gaine therby at the yeres end though they heare morning Sermon and mornyng prayers euery daye of the weake For by this meanes thei should learne not only to know God but also theyr magestrates to put difference betwene the office the person that is in office betwene the offyce and the troubles necessarilie annexed vnto the office which bringeth not onely knowledge of office officer but also honour reuerence vnto theÌ„ both as S. Paule that leued the policy laws order and wisdom of the Romaynes yet dislyked verye muche the vice naughtines of Niro vnto whoÌ„ he submitted and willyngly broâ—ght into seruitude both his body and hys goddes and rebelled not thoughe Nero was a noughtâ— Emperoure for his office sake which was the 〈…〉 of God So dyd Elias loue the state honour and dignitie of the kynges fo Israel yet detested and fell foule oute with y â— fauts of Hachab The same doctrine teacheth saint Peter vnto al seruauntes commaunding them to obey their maister thoughe they be euil hauyng a respect to the place they be in which is thorder of god not vnto the vice abuse of the persoÌ„ in gods order Truly be the ruler of him self neuer so euel yet the lawes iudgementes punyshmeÌ„tes and statutes made for the punishment of euyl and the defence of the good be the very worke of god for the magistrates be the kepers of discipline and peace Therfore as y e motion of the heueÌ„s the fertilite of the earth be the works of god preserued by him euen so be the gouernours and rulers of the earth as Dauid saith he geueth healthe to Prynces as it was shewed in hym selfe Salomon Iosophat others The regimente policy of king Dauid was troublous and ful of miseries thereygne of king SalomoÌ„ his sonne peaceable and quiet the reâ—ygne of Iosua victorious and prosperous The raygn of the iudges that folowed so troublous vnquyet as a more reÌ„t and torne common wealth I haue not redde of yet was the order of God all one aswel in the one as in thother and requyred as much loue assistence and obedyence of the people to theyr kyng and magistrates in theyr trouble as in theyr quietnes peace So doth Daniel y â— prophet most godli wysely teache by hys ymage that he sawe made of fower â—undry mettals but he concludeth whether the regiment and regeÌ„twer gold syluer copper or Iron the people alwayes obeied The same teacheth also the doctryne and example of Iohn Baptyste Chryste Saynte Stephen and saynte Iames Iohns brother For althoughe the regymente were neyther so godlye nor so quiet in Herodes times and Pontius Pilatus as it was in Salomons time yet gaue they alwayes lyke reuerence honoure and obedience vnto them for theyr orders sake as thoughe they had ben the verteousest princes of the world as their doctrine tribute and bloude recordeth For they gaue vnto Cesar the thinges dewe vnto Cesar as theyr boyes aâ—d their goods but their soules they owed to none but vnto God And when diuersitye of relygyon doctryn shuld be discussed and determined by their lawes they declyned froÌ„ theyr iudgemeÌ„t and appealed vnto the word of god to haue al controuersyes ended thereby When that toke place they gaue thankes to god when it dyd not they were content paciently to beare whatsoeuer goddes hand wold permyt the magystrates to say vpoÌ„ theÌ„ Wer these exaÌ„pels knoweÌ„ and kept before mens eies people wold not for a faut or two that shuld happen in the regyment iritate and prouoke the regentes and Prynces wyth contumacy and rebellion as it is sene commonlye at thys daye but rather folow the exaÌ„ple of
rule the common wealth but manye tymes it toke not good effecte for lacke of the wysdom of God Esay the rest of the prophets gaue couÌ„sel not of them selus but froÌ„ god what prynce soeuer obeyed theyr couÌ„cel he prospered alwayes had good succes The same maie you se in the fashyons and maner of theyr warres Alexander thoughte hym selfe stronge inough by natural strengthe to conquer his enemies Kynge Dauyd added to hys sâ—yage stones the prayer and helpe of goddes name Therfore if heath in magâ—strates should be obeied muche more chrystian magystrates And in case the kynges mayestye of Englande maye fynde no lesse obedyence â—n his subiectes then Scipâ—o Alexander and other fouÌ„d amongs theirs England shalbe to strong with gods helpe for all the worlde But Englysh men I speake it with sorow and griefe of herte haue learned of Cleon a man that Aristophanes wryteth of that had one footein the senate and the other in the fielde so haue Englyshmen one hand at the plough and the other against y â— magistrates The ministers of the churche persons vicares one haÌ„d vpon the portesse and the other to strike at the kinges crowne They do followe the Ape that Harmogenes fable speaketh of that wold haue had other Apes to haue builded houses tounes cities to haue defeÌ„ded them selfs from the dominion of their Lord and ruler man and thought it not meete to liue in the state that God had appoynted them euen so subiects nowe a dayes God amende it wolde make them selues defences cities castels townes tentes pauilions to defend them against their king lord and magistrate and wil not be contente to liue in the state that god apointed theÌ„ vnto But it shal happeÌ„ vnto them as it did vnto the Apes their counsel and conspiracie shal neuer take place Let vs therfore remeÌ„ber s. Paul that saith the powers that be be of God and not suche as we wolde make and let vs be contented with them and obeye them for conscience sake for suche as disobey and rebel againste superioure powers rebel agaynst god so god punisheth it with eternal damnacion This is ynoughe to kepe euerye good man and trew subiect in obedience to theyr hyer powers If the reader of the scripture of god note the first the secoÌ„de chap. of Gen. he shuld perceyue rule policie or euer man wist what sinne menre for the Lord gaue the superioritie dominioÌ„ to AdaÌ„ ouer al beasts Of whoÌ„ now we may right wel lerne obedieÌ„ce yf we wer not worse theÌ„ bestes Now a word or two of the magistrates duty Aristotle calleth the Magistrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A keper of the law Let hym vse it therfore indifferentlye wythout respect of persons in punishynge suche as trouble by inordinate meanes the common wealthe and also suche as blaspheme the liuing God as godly kinges Rulars haue done Dauyd Iosias Nabucodonozor ConstaÌ„tine and other For although a Eyuyl Law and punishment can not chaunge the Herisies of the minde neyther the desire that men haue to do euell yet when they breake forth agaynst the honoure of GOD and trouble the common welthe they shoulde be punished For the maiestrat is as one that hath the two testaments tyed at hys necke and should defend them as hys owne life and therefore saynte Paule calleth him not only the reuenger of euyll but the mayntener of good and Esay the Prophet sayth the same Nowe I wyl declare my fayth concerning the external visible churche of Christ of the ministers thereof I call thys visible churche a visible congregation of meÌ„ and womeÌ„ that heare the gospell of Christ and vse his sacramentes as he hath instituted them In the whyche congregatyon the spyryte of God worketh the saluacion of al beleuers as saynte Paule sayeth The gospel is the power of God to the saluaryon of the beleuer As thoughe he hadde sayed the gospel of Christ wher it is hearde and beleued the mynde is chauÌ„ged by the vertue of the holy gost from the loue of synne vnto the loue of vertue The wyl is wrought to consente and the consente so assisted by the holye ghooste that saythe obteyneth the remission of fyâ—ne and the beginning of euerlastyng life And these two markes the true preachiÌ„g of gods word right vse of the sacrameÌ„tes declare what wher the true church is â–ª Vnto the which churche I woulde all Christian men shoulde assosiate them selues although there may happen to be some things desired in maners and discipline For no church as touchyng thys parte can be absolutely perfecte But where as the doctryne is sounde and no Idolatry defeÌ„ded that church is of God as farre as mortal man can iudge And wher as this doctrine and right vse of Sacramentes be not ther is no church of Christ though it seme neuer so holi For in the blessed virgins time the Pharisies and bishops wer accompted to be the true church yet by reason their doctrine was corrupt the true Church rested not in them but in Simeon zacharye Elisabeth the shepherdes other The same doth saynte Paule teach vs that whatsoeuer he be that preacheth other doctryne then the worde of God is not to be credited though he were an Angel of heauen Neither wyl 〈◊〉 as knowe God harken vnto theÌ„ but wyl heare Christ the Prophetes and Apostles and no other The other marke is the right vse of sacramentes wherof were two in noumber wyth the fathers in the ministerye of the church and so many yet be wyth vs in the ministerie of the churche and haue annexed vnto them the promyse of eternal saluation and also of eternall damnacion if they be contemned and may be lawfully hadde In the lawe of Moses was Circumcision and the Pascall Lambe in theyr places we haue Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord dyuers in externall elementes and Ceremonies but one ineffect misterie and thing it selfe sauing that theyr Sacramentes shewed the graces of God to be geuen vnto men in Christ to come and ours declare y â— graces of God to be geueÌ„ in Christe that is alredye come so that the Sacramentes be not chaunged but rather the Elementes of the SacrameÌ„tes And euerye of these Sacramentes haue theyr peculier proper promyses vnto the which they hange annexed as a seale vnto the writynge And there fore be called after Saynte Paule the confirmations or seales of goddes promises Thei haue peculier Elementes by the whych thei signifie the heauenly misteries that sacrameÌ„tallâ— thei coÌ„tain be the thynge in dede They are called Sacramentes That is to saye visible sygnes of inuisible grace They haue their proper ceremonies that testifie vnto vs the obsignation and confirmation of Goddes heauenly gyftes The haue also their proper commaundement because we shuld not chauÌ„ge adde nor take from them anything at our pleasures Thus in general
I thiÌ„k of all gods Sacramentes in the ministery of the churche And of Baptisme because it is a marke of our Christian church this I iudge after the doctryne of Saint Paul that it is a seale and coÌ„firmacion of iustice either of our accepcion into the grace of God for Chryst for his innocencye and iustice by fayth is ours and our sinnes and iniustice bi his obedience ar his wherof baptisme is the signe seale and coÌ„firmatioÌ„ For although frely by the grace of god our synnes be forgeuen yet the same is declared by the Gospel receiued by faith and sealed by y e sacramentes whyche be the seales of gods promises as it is to be sene by the fayth of the faythfull Abraham Baptisme hath hys promises as is a fore sayd hys elemente the water his proper coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t hys proper ceremonies washiÌ„g in y e water As for other mens opinioâ—s that saye Circumsicion was the seale not onely of AbrahaÌ„s acceptation freely into the grace of God by faith but also of hys obedience and proper iustice I beleue it not to be trewe for S. Paul confuteth it in the same place as an errour sayiÌ„g AbrahaÌ„ had nothiÌ„g wherof he mighte glory before god If he had nothiÌ„g god confirmed that he gaue him not that he found in him for S. Paul saith that Circumcision was the seale of the Iustice that caÌ„ by faith not by workes They be out of the way that haue the lyke opinion of baptisme for S. Paul disputeth not in that place whether works plese god but sheweth that our saluacion coÌ„meth by grace and not bi workes Ther be other that think SacrameÌ„ts to be the coÌ„firmatioÌ„s not only of our fre acceptacyon into gods fauour by fayth but also of our obedyeÌ„ce towardes God hereafter And because Infantes and young babes cannot professe obedience nor put of the olde man nor put on the newe thei would exempt and defraud the young chyldren of baptisme Saynt Paule coÌ„fesseth also this opinion in the same place AbrahaÌ„ saith he beleued God and it was accoÌ„ted vnto hym for iustice and sayth not Abraham professed obedience Therfore God coÌ„firmed his owne infallible truth and promises to Abraham by circumcision and not Abrahams obedience For if he had he had confirmed the weke and vncertayn infirmitie of man and not hys own infallible truth For AbrahaÌ„ wyth all hys obedience was infyrme and vnperfect wythout Christ Yet was bouÌ„d to work in a godly life As for those that say CircumcisioÌ„ and Baptisme be like and yet attribut the remission of originall synne to Baptysme whyche was neuer gyuen vnto Circumcision they onelye destroye not the similitude and equalitie that should be betwene them but also take from Christe remission of synne and translate it into the water and element of baptisme As for the supper of the Lord which is the other Sacrament whereby the church of Christ is knowne I beleue it is a remembraunce of Christes death a seale confyrmation of his preciouse body geuen vnto death wherwyth we are redemed It is a vysyble word that precheth peace betwene God and man exhorteth to mutual loue and godlye lyfe teacheth to contemne the world for the hope of the lyfe to come when as chryst shall appeare and come downe in to the cloudes whyche nowe is in heauen as consernynge hys humanytye and no wher elles nor neuer shalbe tyll the tyme of the generall resurrection I be leue that this holi sacrament hath his proper promises proper elementes proper commauÌ„demeÌ„t and proper Ceremonies As concerning the ministers of the churche I beleue that the church is bound to no sort of people or any ordinary successioÌ„ of bishops Cardinals or such lyke but vnto the only word of god none of theÌ„ shuld be beleued but wheÌ„ thei speak y e word of god Althogh there be diuersitie of giftes knowledge amoÌ„g men some know more and some know lesse And if he that knoweth lest teache Christ after the holy scriptures he is to be accepted he that knoweth most teacheth Christ contrary or and ther wayes then the holye scryptures teache is to be refused I am sory therfore wyth all my herte to se the churche of Christ degenerated into a ciuil pollicy for euen as kinges of the world naturally by descent froÌ„ theyr parentes must solow in ciuil regiment rule and lawe as by right they oughte euen so must such as succede in the place of Bishops and priestes that dye possesse al giftes and learning of the holly gost to rule the church of Christe as his godly predecessour had so that tholy ghost must be captiue bondman to byshops seas palacies And because the holye gost was in saint Peter at Rome and in mani other godly men that haue occupied bishopprickes and dioses therfore the same gifts thei sai must nedes followe in their successours althoughe in dede thei be no more like of zeale nor diligence then Peter and Iudas Balaham and Ieremy Anna Caiphas to Iohn and Iames. But thus I conclude of the mynysters of what degre or dignity soeuer thei be thei be no better theÌ„ recordes testymonyes mynysters and seruauntes of goddes worde and gods sacrameÌ„ts Vnto the whych they shuld nether adde demynish nor chaunge any thyng And for their true seruyce and dyligeÌ„ce in thys part thei shoulde not be onely reuerenced of the people but also honoured by the magistrates as the seruauntes of god And I beleue that as many soules as perish by their negligeÌ„ce or contempt of gods word shalbe required at theyr handes Of the people thus I beleue that they owe their dutye and obebience to god to them kyng and magistrates vnto theyr neighboures and vnto them selues Vnto god they owe both bodye and soule to laude and prayse him according to gods boke To cal vpoÌ„ him in the daies of their trouble and vpon none els to coÌ„forme both their doctrin their lyues to promote and set forth the glory of God Theyr dutye to the kynges maiestie is theyr obedience to him his lawes and the Realme for conscience sake and rather to lose bothe body an goodes theÌ„ to offende his highnes or his lawes whensoeuer any subiect be called to serue with body or goodes at home or froÌ„ home willingly thei must obei without question or farther inquision to serche whether the kynges cause be righte or wronge for whether it bee or be not it maketh the death of him that serueth in this respect nether better nor worse For I beleue suche as obeyed kyng Iosias and were slaine in the battayle againste the Egiptians wer acceptable vnto god in Christ thoughe kyng Iosias had not y â— best quarell In this case the subiect oweth his body and goods vnto this lawfull magistrate and may deny him of none of them