therby righteousnesse vnto them selues Wherfore Job sayth Althoughe I were iuste yet would I not make answere but intreate my ludge And Dauid sayth Enter not into iudgemente O Lorde with thy seruaunt bycause no man liuing shall bee iustified in thy sighte And it is euident what Saint Paule writeth to the Romanes the seuenth Chapter Fourthly if any man should be iustified by his workes then Abraham and the Apostles should be iustified by the works of their faith but that they were not iustified by workes is manyfestly taughte Romanes 4. Galathians 2. Wherfore iustification is not to be attributed to workes althoughe liuely workes procéede from sayth Fifthly nothing ought to be done or suffered in the churche of Chryste that should obseure or darken the death and merites of Chryste and frée mercy of God but if we attribute iustification to our workes then they blot out bothe the merites and death of Chryste and the frée mercy of God as Paule teacheth Galath 2. and. 5. Therefore we must not ascribe iustificatioÌ„ to works Sixtly wee muste keepe faithfully and purely the Apostles doctrine and that teacheth that wée are not iustified by works but through faythe in the froe mercies of God lyke as it appeareth Acts. 15. and in al the Epistles of Paul wherefore wée muste faythefully and stedfastly cleaue to this doctrine But yet amongst many testimonies I will bring onely one whereby it shall manyfestly appeare that this Answere of ours to this twentith Question is taken out of the wordes of S. Paule and therefore in the seconde Chapter to the Ephesians he sayth thus By grace are yee saued throughe Faythe and that not of your selues it is the gifte of God and not of woorkes leaste any man should boaste For wee are hys woorkemanshippe created in Chryste Iesu vnto good woorkes whiche GOD hathe ordeined that we shoulde walke therin And truely I thinke there is no man could speake this more plainly wherefore it is méete that we beléeue this the Apostles doctrine and that we be not so miserable and wicked menne as a great numbre are to affirme that it is a false and heretical opinion to beléeus that faith iustifieth before God and not woorkes The. xxi Question If faithe only iustifie whether theÌ„ the Deuill Judas and such like be saued If not then whether it dothe not followe that men are not saued only by faith â–ª but also by charitie and hope The Answere TOuching the Deuill Iudas Simon Magus such like they had not true faithe in Christ for if they had had this true faith in him then had they also had Christe and eternall life like as it is written He vvhich beleeueth in the sonne of God hathe a testimonie in himself And this testimonie is that God gaue vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne He vvhich hath the sonne hath life Wherfore sith they haue not life they neither haue faythe nor Christe for so it is wrytten Hee vvhich hath not the sonne of God hath not life And againe Except you beleue that I am the sonne of God you shall perishe in your sinne But whereas S. James saythe in the seuenth Chapter of his Epistle that the Diuels doe beléeue and tremble and S. Luke in the eighte Chapter of the Actes saithe that Simon Magus beléeued it is not to be vnderstanded of true faith but of a false and dissembling faithe For in the holy scripture there is mention made of two kindes of faith that is true faith false True faithe is liuely and of great force in Christe iustifying vs in him and afterwarde bringethforthe good wooâ—â—â—â— Yet notwithstanding it followeth nâ—â— that we shall not be saued through faith but by charitie and hope also For if we be not saued by faithe onely then those things muste néedes be false which are redde in the gospel and wrytings of S. Paul touching Christ and faith in him But bicause those whiche beleeue in Christ are made heires of saluation by his merites therefore they hope loue also Therefore when the scripture attributeth iustificatioÌ„ to hope and charitie or calleth good woorks the righteousnesse of the faithfull that is not done for the woorks sake but bicause the true beléeuers are vnited with god so please God in him therfore are their works acceptable vnto him and bicause they are iustified by faithe in Christe they doe also the woorkes of righteousnesse so that all honoure and glory mighte be giuen to faithe or rather to Christ and the frée mercyes of God. Wherefore when we say that we are iustified by faith onely before God we doe not say that saith is alone without hope charitie and good woorkes but we say that faith alone iustifieth bicause we receiue by faithe the frée mercy of God Christ his redeÌ„ption for in him onely oure true iustification consisteth and not in our woorkes which procéede of faithe Not for that faithe wanteth these for if it be true faithe it woorketh good woorkes as Peter Paule James and John teache and yet notwithstanding it first iustifieth and so man being iustified by the grace of God throughe faith in Christ doth finally bring foorth good woorkes 2. Pet. 1. Rom. 6. Iacob 2. 1. Iohn â— c. The. xxij Question Whether they beleeue that good workes done of charitie and throughe the grace of God doe deserue eternal life through Christe and for his sake The Answere THe grace of God and merites of Christe cannot be coupled with our workes For Paul saith plainly If vve be iustified by grace then not by vvorkes for els grace vvere no grace But if vvee be iustified by vvorkes then is it not by grace for else vvorkes are no vvorkes Rom. 11. The like dothe the Apostle teach Rom 4. And in the second Chapter to the Galathians he saythe I make not the grace of God of none effecte for if righteousnesse come by the lavve then died Christe in vaine For if vve vvere able to deserue eternall life vvhat neede had Christe to suffer But hére is obiected vnto vs that the merites of manne be made effectuall through the merites of Christe but this they finde not in the holy scripture for they teache that righteousnesse and saluation is bestowed vppon vs for Christes sake and not for oure workes and howe then might they teache that oure works are made meritorious through the merites of Christe But these men cannot abide that all things which we receiue should be referred to the frée mercies of God but they woulde haue some parte with it And therfore héerein they diligently labor that althoughe they are constrained to graunt the glorie to Christe that yet neuerthelesse in the wrapping vp they mighte plucke somewhat to themselues And to thys ende they wrest those places of Scripture in which rewarde is promised the righteousnesse of the faithfull In deede we Confesse that many things are written in the holy Scripture touching the rewarde
of the righteous and punishment of the vngodly which rewarde is not referred to the deseruing of oure woorkes but to the free mercie of God and therefore when the faithful doe any thing for the which God giueth them a rewarde they receiue not the same as of duetie but as giuen them fréely by grace And thys same dothe the Scripture manyfestly teache for Paule saythe The revvarde of sinne is deathe but eternall life is the gifte of God throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde Wherefore it is manifest that oure sinne deserueth deathe but oure righteousnesse deserueth not eternall life For it is the frée gift of God which Christe hathe deserued for vs and is therefore freely giuen vnto vs Wherefore the Apostle sayth For I counte not the afflictioÌ„s of this present time vvorthy of that glory vvhich shall be shevved on vs in the life to come Yet neuerlesse these men go about to persuade with all men that we deserue so great things by our owne woorkes and so wilfully sette them selues againste the faithfull Doctrine of our Lorde who saythe So you likevvise vvhen you haue done all that you can yet say that you are vnprofitable seruauntes vvee haue done that vve oughte to haue done And againste this saying of Augustine God revvardeth his ovvne giftes and not thy merites Againe If thou vvilt be an abiecte from grace then bragge of thy merites The. xxiii Question Whether that Marie Magdalenes sinnes were not forgiuen for the earnest loues sake which she bare vnto Christe The Answere IF that sinnefull Maries sinnes were forgiueÌ„ hir for the loue which shée bore to Christ then shée recompenced thys hir forgiuenesse and therefore it was not the frée gift of God neither wer hir sinnes remitted by grace But the Gospell teacheth that shée had remission of hir sinnes without any desert For the Lorde sayth There vvas a certaine man vvhich had tvvo detters and vvhen they vvere not able to paie him he forgaue bothe of them the dets Wherfore if hir det were forgiuen and pardoned then did shée not purchase or deserue it by hir loue Furthermore the wordes of the gospel plainly teache that Maries loue sprang from the forgiuenesse of hir sinnes and not the forgiuenesse of hir sinnes from hir loue for so is it written Of these tvvo therefore that is to say of the two detters which were pardoned tell me vvhiche vvill loue him most Simon answered saying I thinke him to vvhome moste vvas forgiuen And he said to him thou hast iudged right And therefore he afterwarde telleth with what great loue Marie embraced him and that bicause he had forgiuen hir many sinnes Yet notwithstaÌ„ding these men dare manifestly affirme the contrary to wit that â—ure Lord forgaue hir hir sinnes that for hir loues sake But yet they obiect that Christ sayd Many sinnes are forgiuen hir for shee loued much To that I answere that it is all one as if he should haue sayd many sinnes are forgiueÌ„ hir â–ª and therfore shée loueth much And that this is the true meaning of our Lordes words the things which go before and the things which folow after do manifestly teache For euen immediatly after these words he saith To vvhome a little is remitted he loueth a little Then knitteth he vp his words thus Thy fins are forgiuen thee Thy faith hath saued thee go in peace Sée therfore what saued hir first the free grace of our Lord by which hir sinnes were forgiuen secondly faith by the which shee receyued the mercy or grace of god and committed hir selfe wholely to him And héere hence it came that shée obtained quietnesse and faithfully loued him The. xxiiij Question Whether Christe did not reiect those which beleued in him and cast out deuils in his name and did not good workes and whether he will not call all those to eternall life which haue done good works whether he will not condemne al those at the last day which are workers of iniquitie The Answere IT hath bin euer known that the faith to woorke miracles is distincted from the faith in christ Wherfore it followeth not that bicause the faithe to woorke miracles saueth not those which doe them therfore true faithe in Christe saueth not Like as it foloweth not as we haue said before The deuil beléeueth and yet is not saued therfore faith saueth not For there is one faithe of the deuels an other of the faithfull wherby they trust in the grace and promisse of god Furthermore Christ shal iudge in the laste day after the manner of men for they iudge of things manifest and known and so also shall Christ do But bicause faith is the gift of God spirituall and inuisible yet notwithstanding sheweth it selfe by workes so that therby is made manifest who are faithful and who not therfore the Lord iudgeth according to works But let vs heare the sentence of the iudge Come saith he you blessed of my father possesse the inheritance or kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world And in whom are we blessed but only in christ Gal. 3. Wherfore if the kingdome come by inheritance theÌ„ is it of grace Furthermore if it be prepared before the foundations of the worlde then was it prepared before we were borne or could doe good woorks Of this matter Paule speaketh more Ephesi 1. Thus much haue we spoken of faith and good woorkes which we do not condemne or despise as our aduersaries do falsly accuse vs but this is it we onely séeke that we wold not haue that to be attributed to good woorks which only is due vnto christ For otherwise we exhort all meÌ„ to the doing of good woorks and that not such as we faine or deuise of oure selues but suche as God hathe commaunded to be done throughe true faithe and not to make marchandise of them Yea we testifie vnto all those churches which we teach that they are greatly reproued and coÌ„demned if they brag of faithe and declare not the samâ— by good woorkes The sixth Common place Of Intercession Inuocation and woorshippyng of Sainctes which now liue in heauen The. xxv Question Whether they doe not beleeue that Christe and his members that is to say the Angelles and Sainctes which liue in heauen doe pray vnto God for the vniuersal church of Christ The Answere IT is bothe faithfully manifestly taughte in the gospell the wrytings of the Apostles that Christ doth pray for his vniuersall churche and for all faithfull and is their only intercessor aduocate and mediator to God his heauenly father For Christe himselfe in the Gospell saythe Verely verely I say vnto you vvhat so euer you shall aske of my father in my name he vvill giue it you Hitherto you haue not asked any thing in my name novve aske and you shall receiue it And again Come vnto me all you that doe laboure and are heauy loden and I vvill refreshe you These woordes therfore of Christe
onely without the which yet nothing can purge vs but without all authoritie of Gods worde they fayne vnto vs I knowe not what kinde of fire to the which they without all shame attribute our purging This also wée finde false with them for that they say the faythfull who departe out of this life are tormented in the life to come quite contrary to the wordes of Chryst Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my worde and beleueth him that sent me hath eternall life and shall not come into iudgement but passeth from death to life Iohn 5. Wherefore if he went into Purgatorie then must he néedes come into iudgement but sith the faythfull passe from death to life we answere that the faithful are clerely purged of the Lord and are not subiect to any fire of Purgatorie The. xxxv Question Whether the prayers almes and sacrifices which are done in the christian Churche for those who are tormented in purgatorie be profitable to theÌ„ or not The Answere FOrasmuche as we haue alredy playnly declared that our aduersaries erre euen in the chefest point of this question and that is in the fire of Purgatorie it selfe bycause it hath no testimonie in the Scripture therefore I conclude the soules of the faythfull can not there bée punished bycause there is no suche thing and therfore we néede not pray for them after they be dead or do any thing for them sauing onely to make a reuerende remembraunce and render thankes vnto God for that it hathe pleased him to call them out of this worlde in the true fayth vnto his kingdome and that it would please him to encrease our fayth and so in tyme to couple vs with our forefathers in eternall felicitie Furthermore we teache that if we could doo anything for their sakes acceptable to God and profitable to them that then we ought to doo for their wyues children and kynsfolk And I am not ignoraunt that many ciuill men are maruelously offended with vs bicause they thinke it very vndeceÌ„t yea horrible a thing in no wise beséeming a christian man that we not onely doo nothing to helpe our forefathers but also speake write agaynst so auncient a custome and as wée ourselues knowe so vniuersally receyued and vsed And therefore I hartily beséeche all those to heare and way those our reasons which moue vs herevnto For we doo not this neither ceasse we to pray for them or neglecte so vsuall things bicause we loue not our forefathers or for that we care not for them but bicause the christian fayth teacheth and confirmeth yea forceth so as by no meanes wée can acknowledge â–ª it good and sounde doctrine to pray for them or that these things oughte to bée done for their saluation yea we know that our fathers haue no néede hereof and that they require no suche thing of vs For wée faythfully and certaynely beléeue and knowe that sinnes are remitted bothe héere in this lyfe and in that to come by none other meanes but by the grace of God in the bloud of Jesus Chryste through fayth and as for the fyre of Purgatorie which standeth on our merites and punishments whiche we suffer is nothing appertayning to the grace of God nor the bloud of christ in fayth Agayne it is certayne that our fathers dyed in the confession of the same fayth with vs wherein wée say I beleeue the remission of sinnes the resurrection of the body the lyfe euerlasting Wherefore sithe the vniuersall fayth the manyfest testimonies of the Scriptures doo euidently proue that al they which by true fayth commit them selues to the grace and mercy of God and dye in Christ are preserued of him so as they come not into iudgement into any fire payne or punishment 〈◊〉 are receiued into euerlasting ioyeâ— how then I beseeche you can wée prâ— for them or do such like things for theâ— saluation wherof in déede they shoâ—â— haue néede if they suffered any payâ— or punyshmente But they suffer noâ— and therfore there néedeth nothing bée done to delyuer them from it Fâ—â— if after the departure out of this life the true Fayth they yet neuerthelesâ— suffered the fire of Purgatorie punishementes and torments then weâ— all that vayne and to no purpose whiche are reade and taughte vs out of 〈…〉 holy Scryptures touching the frâ—â— mercyfull promyse of God the delâ—ueraunce by Chryst and of the certaiâ— tie and veritie of fayth yea our fayâ— it selfe shoulde bée moste vntrue Bâ— our fayth is certayne and sure Therâ— fore as our fathers did vndoubtedly bâ— léeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes eteâ—nall lyfe so haue they vndoubtedly oâ— â–ª teyned the same and féele no payne in â—â—e other lyfe And therefore bothe for the glory of God the prayse and confession of our faith as also for the honor of â—â—r fathers touching whose saluation â—e doubt not we do nothing after their 〈…〉 at h for the saluation of their soules 〈…〉 ea we think that by these kind of doâ—gs prayers of ours both our saluation and faythe is called in doubte as 〈…〉 oughe they beléeued the remission of 〈…〉 nes euerlasting life and yet haue 〈…〉 t obteined it But this is most wicked be thought therfore not to be spokeÌ„ 〈◊〉 it is all one as though God and our â—â—th might deceiue vs which is impos 〈…〉 le Moreouer for breuities sake I wil 〈…〉 t here declare how vile those things 〈…〉 and without all authoritie of Gods â—â—rde whiche they commaunde vs to 〈…〉 for the helpe of our fathers so as they shoulde féele but some of those â—ollerable paynes of Purgatorie as â—y saye they doo yet coulde these 〈…〉 ngs helpe them nothing at all for â—t for the moste parte their delyue 〈…〉 nce and remedie is boughte of those who are moste filthye and wycked Wherfore it is much better not to séekâ— the saluatioÌ„ of our fathers at the handâ— of those wicked and filthy marchaunts â–ª who doo nothing but for money or from the traditions of men but rather stedfastly to knitte our selues to the sure foundation of the grace and mercy oâ— God in the bloud and death of our sauiour Chryst through perfect fayth And so by this meanes shall our mindes bée assured of the saluation of our fathers where as otherwyse by celebratyng yerely Ceremonies for them wee are stil left doubtfull when they are effectuall or they receiue profite by them Agayne we learne not to truste in the merites and workes of other men after our death for Purgatories sake For those fiue foolishe Uirgins perished by suche negligence whylest they sought and would bye Oyle of others For the Scripture byddeth vs to doo good and not to deferre it whylest we haue time And therefore wée earnestly exhort all men whyle they are heere in this lyfe and in perfect remembraunce to serue God and prepare them selues to their iourney and not to trust in the workes of other men to bée done
not rightly but without fayth The worde of God abideth euermore true and is left vnto vs for our instruction but in that all men doo not acknowledge it to bée the truthe and suffer them selues to be instructed therby they yea their lacks of fayth is the cause thereof Simon Magus was baptised but not purged not for bycause baptisme is without effect or is not the true signe of our clensing but bycause he beléeued not In lyke manner Judas at the supper of our lord receiued not the body of Christe vnto eternall life not bicause the sacrament did not represente and offer the same meat of eternall life but bicause he receiued it without faithe Againe the vse of the sacraments do not therefore obtaine the grace of God vnto vs bicause it is our worke but we receiue the Sacraments bicause through grace we are reconciled vnto God in Christe by faithe and now be in his fauoure therfore by this meanes shewe our selues thankefull and obedient towardes him Againe we know that the grace and giftes of God doe oftentimes increase and growe in the faythfull S. Paule to the Romanes the fourth asketh whether Abraham were iustified through Circumcision and whether he was iustified before or after he was circumcised he answereth not in circumcision but before he vvas circumcised and yet was not circumcision vnprositable or a vaine signe for he receyued the same as the seale of the righteousnesse of faithe that is to say to confirme and testifie that his righteousnesse came by faithe and that therby we be iustified So may we say of our sacramentes for baptisme is come in the stead of circumcision and the fathers also did eate of one spiritual meat with vs as Paule testifieth Coloss. 2. and. 1. Cor. 10. The tenth Common place Of Baptisme The. xxxix Question Whether they beleeue that infants ought to be baptized and whether they thinke the firste baptisme sufficient or that men oughte to be baptized againe when they come to haue the vse of reason The Answere IT appeareth by this Question they minde to make some proofe of vs what we do thinke of the Anabaptists Wherfore we answere that euen you which are the vpholders maintainers of the Popish kingdom the hinderers of the preaching of the gospel doe most wickedly offende and that the faulte is cheefely in you why that many are first seduced by the Anabaptistes and then secondly for lacke of teaching do perish in that erroure For if yée would suffer the pure preaching of the Gospell to haue his frée passage then coulde not this heresie nor any other so mightely preuaile and take place to the deceiuing of simple and vnlearned menne which thinke what so euer is taughte them is straight wayes the doctrine of the gospel Neither go we about to defende the Anabaptist from whom we discent very muche as in all oure bookes we doe plainely declare But many of them are very simple menne and otherwyse of an honest nature who haue skarce heard any thing of the gospell or if they haue yet bicause they sée so little amēdment of life among those that professe the same are called Gospellers yéelding to the subtile persuasiōs of the Anabaptists thinke they shuld greatly offend if they baptise their infants take an othe or come vnto those churches in which as they say sinners do yet remain Yea that no minister which receiueth any stipende for his ministerie or dothe not him selfe all those things which he teacheth others to doe can teache the true doctrine and that there is no congregation a true churche in which the order of Prophesying and excommunication is not according to that forme which S. Paule hathe prescribed 1. Corrin 14. Therfore as these their errors are not to be suffred so yet must they be frendly instructed by the woorde of God and so broughte home againe as S. Paule teacheth Rom. 14. But if they be contentious and stubberne they muste not yet therfore straight wayes be cast off but hope better of them taking héede in the meane time least they infecte any other with these their obscure opinions whilest we looke for their amendment And if they be not conuerted yet must we alwayes deale soberly vertuoussy and holily with them hauing a consideration of the matter and person in correcting and punishing of them Other some of them are not of a simple and honest nature but malitious troublesome enuious couetous which all their life time haue bene vnquiet and obstinate euer louing contention and so falling into that error doe amongste themselues raise vp broiles stirre mē against their Magistrates and Preachers against othes against iudgement and punishment against taxes rentes and tiches and many other things furthermore they stirre vp contention betwene man and wife and yet notwithstanding they cloke and smoothe themselues with a certaine glorious hipocritical kinde of spéeche to the end they might séeme to be farre honester men than they are in very déede For what they would doe if they might haue frée libertie we haue good experience in the Monkishe Anabaptistes If therefore these menne which are so malitious might be fréely suffred no punishmēt done vnto them the common wealthe would quite be ouerthrowne as experience dothe teache vs And these men being the heades of this faction abusing the simple sort do in like manner stirre them vp to be contentious and raise tumultes Wherupon being thus instructed although they be manifestly ouerthrowne by the truthe yet leaue they not their erroure nor will receiue any godly instruction but despise the gentlenesse and mercy of the Magistrate neuer kéeping touche though they promisse and sweare neuer so muche hauing no regard to honestie neuer cease to molest and trouble the congregatiōs with their rash and seditious dealings And touching these menne what bothe Gods lawe and mannes dothe decrée of them it is manifestly knowne wherefore we doe not goe about to excuse any suche neither haue we any felowship with them or with their teachers nor yet by Gods grace minde we to haue Touching the baptisme of infantes it hathe his aucthoritie from the scripture For bicause we all confesse that Baptisme is a signe of the couenaunte and people of God and that it cannot be denyed that infants are in the couenaunt of God and are numbred with his people therfore baptisme which is the signe heereof cannot be denyed vnto them Againe S. Peter in the Actes teacheth that they oughte to be baptized which haue the holy Ghost But if the infants of the faithfull had not the holy Ghost then should they not belong vnto God neither should they be holy nor haue the kingdome of God But they are belonging to god Rom. 8. they are holy 1. Corinth 7. and to them belongeth the kingdome of heauen Mar. 10. Therfore they ought to be baptized But there is no néede we should be baptized againe when we come to the vse of reason being once in
beleue the remission of sinnes the resurrection of the body and life euerlasting Secondly it is called the Communion or felowship of Sainctes that is to say of the faithfull for as appeareth by the Epistles of S. Paul the Apostles and other blessed Fathers called the faithful or Christians Sainctes Bicause as I said before they are sanctified by Christ in his blud through the holy Ghost But bicause the church is a congregation or companie peraduenture therfore it is called in our mother tong Kuch by this letter L and not as some other Germanes do sound it by the letter R. For in the Hebrewe tonge the people or churche of God is called Kâ—haâ— and Kehâ—â—aâ— whereuppon the Germanes say Kilcha But whether it be deriued from the Hebrue or from the Gréeke it is all one For ech of those wordes signifie the congregation or felowshippe of Gods people euen as this worde Ecclesia amongest the Latines dothe also signifie which worde is borowed of the Grecians And although the vniuersall Churche of God in thys earth can not be brought into one company or felowshippe before the last day yet notwithstanding is the same neuerthelesse a spirituall and inuisible body perfectely compacte vnder one heade Jesu Chryste euen as diuers members hauyng sundry operations are ioyned in one body The vniuersall Churche of Chryst is deuided first into the congregation of them whych hauing finished the course of this their lyfe and passed ouer all corruptible things do now reioyce with christ their head in heauen prayse God for euermore Secondely it is deuided into the congregation of those which do yet liue here on this earthe in dayly battell in the Churche of Chryst and haue thys hope that at the time appointed by god they shall come to Chryst their heade and the felowship of their elect brethreÌ„ And in this coÌ„gregation there are some which haue true faythe and therefore are the liuely members of the Church vnder their head Chryste some lacke that liuely fayth and therfore are hypocrites being yet numbred in the visible Churche so long as their wickednesse springeth not foorthe nor they bewray theÌ„selues Touching these S John writeth thus They went out from vs by this it appeareth they were reckned in the Church for else could they not haue gone out theÌ„â—e but they were not of vs that is to say they were not the liuely members of the church true beleuers for if they had ben of vs they wold haue remained with vs. And herevpon it commeth to pas that many deuide the church into the inwarde and inuisible and into the outwarde and visible Churche Yea furthermore it is deuided into the congregation of those which haue liued froÌ„ the creation of the world vnto the coÌ„ming of christ into the coÌ„pany of those faithful which haue ben since the tune of christ and shal be to the end of the world And euery congregation of eche these parts are called the Catholike or vniuersall church yea eche of those churches which are scattered in this worlde haue but one spirite or faithe hath eche the name of vniuersall churche For in the scriptures there is mention made of particulare churches in this earthe as that Paule wryteth to the church of Rome Corinth Ephesus and suche others And therfore eueÌ„ as many Cities and Prouinces are contained in one kingdome and of many members is made one perfect body so also those churches which are dispersed vpon the face of the earth make but one church one kingdom and one spirituall body of Christe be being the head therof The fourth Question Whether they beleeue that the vniuersal church of Christ be guided ruled and gouerned by the holy Ghost The Answere GOd hathe alwayes euen froÌ„ the beginning of the world bene present with his people and churche gouerning the same by the ministerie of the Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles and that throughe the holy Ghoste For oftentimes God speaketh in the old Testament saying Beholde I am alvvayes vvith you I vvill guide and defende you c. And in the new Testament our Lord Christ saith Beholde I am vvith you for euer vntill the ende of the vvorlde And againe I vvill giue my spirite vnto you that he may abide vvith you for euer And againe vvhere tvvo or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them But the purpose of this Question is to bring the godly and simple into perplexitie and doubte For when they confesse that god gouerneth his church by his holy spirite forthwith the popish bishops conclude therof that the churche neither hathe nor can erre and héereby they suppose that all other things are sufficiently proued to wit that what soeuer they vnder the tytle and name of the Church shal thrust vppon men are bothe good and enspired by the holy Ghost But vnto these mates we answere Firste that we doo not acknowledge that church whereof they bragge to be the true primatiue apostolike church as hereafter we shal proue Secondely we dâ—â— not confesse that the Churche can not altogither or in all points erre For so long as she is gouerned by the holy ghost and onely harkeneth vnto him dooing nothing but by his motion and worde she neither doth nor can erre But if she swarue at any time from the gouernement of the same spirite and gouerneth after hir owne luste then truely shée not onely may but also dothe erre But if any wyll aske whether the Church may swarue from the direction of Gods spirite I answere that it is euident and may in no wyse be denied that the Churche of God héere vpon this earthe often times vnder Moses the Iudges and the Kings of Israell and Iuda hath erred Yea and that the Disciples of Chryst who yet neuerthelesse were the church of christ did erre and had their falles For who is ignoraunt what happened to Dauid Aaron Peter and other the holy Sainctes and Disciples of Chryst Yea wée must note that the Church is gathered not of Angels but of men Wherefore although it be inspired and gouerned by the spirite yet it is not thereby turned into the spirite for it keepeth still hir fleshe and the infirmities thereof yea euen vnto death Who is ignoraunte of those writings which Sainte Paule hathe generally vttered touching the battell betwéene the fleshe and the spirite and that not in the vngodly and vnbeléeuers onely whiche are not of the Churche but euen in the faythefull also and members of the Church And this battell is so vehemente and sharpe that euen thereby the godly are forced not to doo that good and iuste thyng whyche they knowe but to doo that which they ought not to doo Read S. Paules fifth chapter to the Galathians also the seuenth to the Romanes Yet neuerthelesse the same Apostle calleth the Galathians and Corinthians the true church of Christ as purified by his bloude and gouerned by his
did set on Moses chair could haue deriued the petigree of their succession from them selues euen vnto Aaron but bicause their life and Doctrine did not agrée with the life and Doctrine of Aaron and other godlye Priestes their succession auailed nothing against Christ and his Apostles neyther were Christ and hys Apostles false Doctoures or disseuered from the true Churche bicause they were not able to proue theyr succession as the Pharisies coulde For the woorde of God and the institution of Christ was sufficient for them Wherefore sith euen wée also now haue on oure side the woorde of God and the institution of Christe there is no succession of Bishoppes that canne proue vs to be no Christians or to be oute of the true Churche The Histories of Popes and other like Prelates which are written yea euen by theyr beare frendes and defendoures doe sufficiently â—eâ—â—â—ie that almost al of them haue obtained this dignitie and place by moste â—iltâ—â—e meanes by Symonie wiâ—ked artes violence murthers and trayâ—erous conspiracies wherefore if it woulde pleâ—le them a little more narowly to consider héereof they shoulde â—â—nde by better aduise there were no iâ—lt cause to bragge of theyr succession but rather to burie the same in silence sith by it their euilles and horrible filthâ—â—esse is so clearly detected But God hathe â—one this to the ende the truthe might be reuealed and the goâ—ly warned to gather them selues together vnder our head Christe and into hys true Churche In times paste aboute a thousande yeares agone it was an vsuall kinde of speache amongste the Fathers to say The Apostolike seate the Sea of Antioche of Alexandria of Rome But by the name of sea or seat they did not vnderstande only the seate or place oute of the which the Bishoppes â—f those Cities did teache but rather the Doctrine which the Apostles and their Disciples preached first in those cities Wherfore the ancient Bishops which by lawfull election obtained any of those seats did preache defend publishe and preserue in the church the Apostolicall doctrine and that oute of the wrytings â–ª of the blessed Apostles But where is nowe I pray you the Apostolike seate Where are the bookes and preachings of the Apostles Where is theyr holy life What Doctrine teache they and in what sorte liue they now which boast of the Apostolike seate Teache they and gouerne they not contrarily to the Apostles Doctrine There is no néede to speake muche of it heere for all men sée it and knowe it yea they finde by experience that they are so shamefully wandered from the Apostles that if nowe the sayde Apostles and holy Bishoppes of the primitiue churche shoulde come amongste them and beholde the pride and pompe which these Prelates vse in their gouernemente they woulde not onely disalowe them for theyr successoures but also accuse them for their ennimies And Paule truely speaketh very well of this kinde of succession of Prelates in the. 20. of the Actes of the Apostles For I knovve sayth he that after my departure ther vvil come amongste you gredy vvolues not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your ovvne selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to dravv disciples after them But when Paule spake these things where I pray you was there a more holye congregation than his disciples And yet notwithstanding he sayth Oute of you yea euen oute of your ovvne selues there shall come euill and wicked men which shall scatter and destroy the flocke of Christe Wherfore it is no wonder to hear that at Rome other places there were in times past holy Bishops in whose places now succéedeth most wicked men corrupte bothe of doctrine and lyfe And in that parte addeth that these things shall shortly come to passe after his departure or deathe we may easily perceiue that to be of no force which the Popish Prelates so often alleage saying It is impossible that errors should be of so long coÌ„tinuance in the Church neither that God woulde suffer errors so long to remayne And agayne that it is impossible that in those places wherein the Apostles haue preached and so many godly Bishoppes haue bin resident all corruption and abhomination should now altogither reigne But all men sée what the state and conditions of these things are yea and moreouer with greate gréefe and sorowe I speake it it is euident vnder what gouernement and in what miserable corruption the auncient and chiefest churches of the East partes are nowe in these dayes But of all these things the blessed Prophetes and Apostles haue spoken and forewarned vs to the ende we should not thereby be offended nor seduced by any The. vj. Question Whether they do beleeue that the christian Church is not only visible but also inuisible The Answere IT behoueth in this place to vse some distinction For the congregation of the saincts which are in heauen althogh we behold them with-the eies of our faith desire to be coupled with theÌ„ in the rest ioy which they possesse yet are they inuisible to the faithfull which liue here on the earth touching the bodily sight Furthermore â—ith God alone knoweth the harts that he only knoweth who are faythfull and who not and bicause many doo boste them selues to bée faythefull whiche notwithstanding are nothing so but are mere hipocrites which thing none séeth but God alone yea and bycause many tymes men iudge those to be wretched â—inners and abiectes from God which yet neuerthelesse are not separated froÌ„ him but are better affected in their heart towards God than we doo know and are also knowne to him only therfore in respect hereof also the church of Chryst is called inuisible Agayne bycause the vniuersall churche of Chryst can neuer be gathered togither that we may wholly see it before the laâ—â—e day and iudgemente of our Lorde Jesus Chryst it is also called inuisible But she is not called inuisible as though sâ—e were not at all for we doo willingly confesse that vpon this earth the church of Chryst is visible also For it is euident that the congregations of the Corinthians â–ª Ephesians Philippians c. are called of Paule the church and we know also that euery one of those faithfull in those churches were visible althogh yet neuerthelesse the spirit those spiritual gifts which they had were inuisible but when they shewed foorthe them selues by the exercises of sundry vertues But what needed this questioÌ„ Or what profite coÌ„meth thereby to the faythful Truly it tendeth â—o thâ—â— eâ—de the Popes and Prelates desire to bée accompted the visible Church and hereby would fayne haue all power and authoritie to bée conueyed ouer vnto them The. vij Question Whether they do beleeue the Church of Rome to be the true catholike Church The Answere SE héere I pray you their purpose for to this ende groweth the drifts of all their arguments namely to haue vs confesse the Churche of Rome which now is and the head therof
Prophetes and Apostles he hathe altogither and that very earnestly forbidden Images yea moste greeuously threatning all those which either make them or woorshippe them Wherefore that which God abhorreth calleth euil and cursseth we can not call the same good Wherfore if any man desire to sée any testimonies héereof let him reade the twentieth of Exodus Deuteronomie the fifth fourthe and seuenth and twentie seuen Psalme an hundred and thirtiâ—ne Esay fortie and fortie foure Jeremie tenth Rom. first first Corrin tenth first Peter fourth and first John the fifth c. And where as some of them say they woorshippe not the Image but him whome it signifieth that is but a single souled reason for neither God nor his Sainctes wil be so worshipped Againe Images are not like vnto God nor to the Sainctes For God is a spirite that can not be measured without beginning and without ending of most â—reate power and Maiestie and canne â—herefore be expressed by no Image as the holy scripture doth euideÌ„tly teach vs Actes 17. and in diuers other places Againe the Angels which are spirites howe can there be made any image of them The Sainctes while they heere liued on the earth had bothe a body and a soule that is consumed and this remaines in heauen howe therefore can they be expressed by any image The image of their bodyes can nothing at all helpe vs to eternall life and therefore althoughe we had them they could nothing helpe vs Againe that which is chéefest in the Sainctes as the grace of God faithe and suche like giftes can neuer be expressed vnto vs by any colour woode or stone To conclude God the Angels and Sainctes are in heauen indowed with a more excellent glorye than that they may be expressed or represented by any images which images the holy Prophetes of God haue scorned and derided as Esay 44. and Baruch 6. But if they say that images muste be made to teache and instructe only then doe we knowe that we haue receiued a more perfecte and excellenter way héereunto from God which is his holy spirite and woorde And bicause neither in the Apostles times nor in the primitiue Churche there was any vse at all of images we cannot then truely call them good sithe they are so condemned as we haue saide of God and his Sainctes Touching Relikes we haue spoken in the Question before going and therfore contented therwith we will speake no more therof The. xxxiij Question Whether they like well of the halowing of water herbes and other things vsed in the Christian Churche The Answere THe primytiue Apostolicke churche was altogether ignorant of these consecrations and blessings of water fire salt butter oyle palm herbs wafers and suche like And therfore bicause they are abuses and méere inuentions of men they can in no wise please vs For we beleeue that Christe hathe blessed all those creatures whereof the faithfull haue neede so as if they vse them moderately in faithe wyth giuing of thankes they cannot be hurtfull but pure and good vnto them as Paul witnesseth ◠〈◊〉 4. and Tit. â— But to beleeue trust that these halowed things whereof we haue spoken can defende and keepe vs from euill is meere superstitious condemned of God and reproued of all Gods faithfull ministers The eight Common place Of purgatorie and prayer for the deade The. xxxiiij Question Whether they beleeue that the soules of those which are dead be tormented in the fire of Purgatorie who not perfecting their repentance nor being thorowly purified haue departed out of this life The Answere AL that depart out of this life either depart in the true faithe or else without the same and of both these hath our Lord pronounced sentence in these woordes For God sent not his son into the vvorld to condemne the vvorld but that it might be saued throughe him He therefore vvhich beleeueth in him is not iudged but he that beleeueth not is iudged alreadie bicause he beleeueth not in the name of the only begotten son of God. But our aduersaries Obiecte that a faithfull man may die who yet notwithstaÌ„ding he be faithful yet is not thorowly purged bicause he hathe not performed his penance such one say they cannot be saued bicause he is yet vnpure neyther can he be dampned bycause he is a faithfull And therfore it necessarily foloweth that ther is a midle place betwéen these prepared of god in the which such are thorowly purged and wyth theyr paines repay that wanted in penance And this place they cal Purgatorie bicause as they say the soules are purged there But in this kinde of Doctrine which hathe no authoritie at all in the Scriptures we finde faulte with diuers things For firste Christe teacheth that the faithfull are made all pure in hym althoughe there remaine some parte of infirmitie in them whereof they haue néede to be clensed for he manifestly saithe He that is vvashed hath no nede saue to vvashe his feete for he is cleane altogether John. 13. and. 15. And S. Paul teacheth the same Romanes 7. and. 8. where he sheweth that many things are yet wanting in the faithfull which are not imputed vnto them bicause of their faith in Christe And therfore in the articles of our faith we coÌ„fesse that we belèeue the remission of sinnes the resurrectioÌ„ of the body the life euerlasting And as we beleue so shal it be vnto vs we beléeue our sinnes are forgiuen vs and therfore they are so Furthermore when we say sinnes we doo not onely meane the faulte but also the punishemente due for the same Wherefore when the sinnes for the whiche we are punished are forgiuen vs howe then I pray you are we vncleane Or if sin be quite â—akeÌ„ away why then should they suffer as though they were not remitted Wherefore if they had true fayth in Chryst then shall they liue for euer but if they beléeued not then are they damned And this dothe our fayth teach vs whiche is confirmed Esai 53. and John. 3. 5. 6. and. â— Chapters Secondly we blame in their doctrine that they ascribe perfecte puritie to perfecte repentaunce whiche puritie is onely had by the death bloud merites of christ For if puritie were had by our merites then is Christ dead in vayne But Chryst is not dead in vayne therefore puritie commeth onely by the grace of God throughe faythe in the deathe of Chryst. Actes 1â— Gala. 7. and. 1. John. 1. But howe féeble an argument that is which they say that the soules requite with their punishmentes in the fire of Purgatorie which before they wanted to perfecte repentaunce wée haue héeretofore shewed when wée entreated of Faythe and Workes prouing then those things which we both do and suffer not to bée worthy of that ioye wherof in the life to come we are made partakers by Chryste Thirdly wée blame in their doctrine of Purgatorie that they attribute not puritie to the bloude of Chryste
vs to eternall life â–ª For the body of Christe which was 〈…〉 uen for vs and his bloud that was shâ—â— for vs is our lyfe or lyfe is therby purchased to vs and these do we receiue bâ— faithe so as thereby Christe dothe liâ—â— in vs and we in him Wherfore in thâ— holy supper of our Lord Jesus Christe â–ª we do not eate bread and drinke winâ— onely but his body and bloude also buâ— yet in suche sorte as before I haue said spiritually by faithe so as the presence of Christe in this supper is spirituall is the eating therof also is For the body of Christe which is and remaineth 〈…〉 heauen euen vnto the laste day is a â—aturall body subiecte to a place and â—s therefore in heauen ouer vs and can â—n no wise bodely or fleshly be in diâ—ers places at once vppon this earthe â—r be carnally eaten And therefore in the celebrating of this Supper they haue alwayes sayd Lift vp your harts and therefore the aunciente wryters haue alwayes in interpreatyng the â—oordes of Christe touching the eating and drinking of his body and bloud exâ—ounded the same to be done spiritually by faithe bicause the fleshe profiteth not as in the sixth Chapter of John and therefore they haue interpreated these â—oords of Christ This is my body This is my bloud thus It so signifieth or it is the signe or Sacrament or token of my body and bloud For euen immediatly after the forsaid words our Lord himself â—aith Do this in the remembraÌ„ce of me And Paule saith shevv you the Lordes death vntill he come to witte to iudgement Wherefore to this Question we Answere that the naturall body and true bloude of Christe is in heauen as touching the substance and that in the supper or in the bread and wine which two retaine their propre substaunces they are Sacramentally or spiritually present not substancially or bodily For the bread and wine are the true Sacraments or signes of the bodye and bloud of Christe which being once offered on the Crosse â–ª are now abiding in heauen and are spiritullay by faithe receiued of vs vnto eternall life But some not being concente with this plaine exposition obiecte that in oure dayes there is great strife aboute the sacrament some teaching that Christ must be eaten spiritually other some saying that it ought to be carnally c. And these men we hartely beseeche that they woulde diligently marke those which thus so earnestly holde that the breade it selfe or that vnder the breade or formes thereof the very body of Christe is presente and corporally to be eaten for after they haue contentiously tossed themselues and others herein yet at the last they come to this poynt that they confesse this not to be done so grosly or carnally bicause the whole matter is heauenly Sacramentall and Spirituall Wherefore if this be true why then yéeide they not here vnto and ceasse hencefoorth to bée contentiouse and to perswade this thing to bée carnally spirituall and that the substaunce of bread no longer remayneth c. Wherby neither them selues nor yet others can tell what they meane Let the auncient doctrine of Chrystes Churche remayne which alwayes beléeued that Chryste had a true naturall body and that glorified in hys resurrection yet still remayning a true naturall body euen suche as our bodies shall bée at the last day and that with this body he ascended into heauen there remayneth and shall from thence come to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead And that yet neuerthelesse he is present spiritually in the Sacramente of the supper and so receiued of the faythfull spiritually and not carnally vnto eternall life This is the auncient playne Apostolical truth to whiche not onely thou mayest yeelde thy selfe but also know what thou beléeuest Wherfore if thou goo foorth any further to séeke to contende or to quarel then must we let thee alone that euen through thine own default thou maiest al thy life long remayne and continue a most miserable man c. The. xlj Question Whether they do beleeue that Christ being present in the Sacrament is to be worshipped wheÌ„ the same is eleuated or lift vp by the priest giueÌ„ vnto other caried to the sicke or is otherwise shewed or caried about The Answere TOuching the presence of Chryst we haue answered in the former question but if any man bée not sufficiently answered therwith let him heare the answere of S. Augustine vpon the words of Chryst Tracâ— in â—oan 50 The poore shall you haue alwayes with you but me shall ye not haue alwayes Thus he wryteth Accordyng to that substance after which he was borne of the Virgin taken of the Iewes nayled on the Crosse and appeared manyfestly in the resurrection according to that substance you shal not haue me alwaies with you VVherefore he was conuersaunt bodily fortie dayes with hys disciples and after ascended into heauen and is not nowe héere on earth For there he sitteth on the righte hande of his father yet is here also for the presence of his Maiestie did not depart Therfore according to the presence of his maiesty we haue Chryst always present but as touching the preseÌ„ce of his humane body we haue it not For the Church had him present but a few dais yet faith appreheÌ„deth him though our eyes see him not And this is S. Augustines doctrine Touching the worshipping of Chryste we beléeue he oughte to be worshipped in what place so euer he bee in bodie For whylest he was héere on earth the Apostles and others dyd worship him here and after he ascended into heaueÌ„ they worshipped him there Luk. 24. Wherfore sithe we haue already sufficiently declared that Chryst is not bodily presente in the earthe vnder the fourme of bread but is in heauen therfore is he to be worshipped in heauen sitting on the right hande of God and not vnder the fourme of breade Furthermore touching the worshipping of the Sacrament we haue neither commaundement from God nor example of the Apostles For the Lorde sayth Take yée eate yee and not shew it and worship it Neither dyd the Apostles kéepe this Sacrament and shut it in a Boxe carrie it to the sicke or in procession or dedicate any festiuall day vnto it no more than they did to Baptisme which notwithstanding is an holy Sacrament giuen in the name of the blessed Trinitie the father the sonne and the holy ghost And wée truely do worship rightly the holy Trinitie and yet not in Baptisme Laste of all it is euident by Histories that 1200. yeres and somewhat more after Chryste the inuention and buylding of Chappels to the Sacraments and feastes and carying of the same aboute on procession was inuented and ordeyned onely by men cleane contrary to the worde of god Dan. 11. and Math. 24. The. xlij Question Whether those Priests which are not consecrated suche as a greate many bee amongest the gospellers haue power to make of bread and wine the
the eternall wisdome of God sawe not these things before he instituted the cuppe and could not he if it had séemed to him good haue forbidden the lay men the vse of the same But sith the eternall wisedome of God hath giuen the same vnto them let vs content our selues therewith onlesse we would séeme to haue more wisdome than god And may not the priests I pray yée shed the wine as well as the lay men And why then shuld not the same be forbidden vnto them But the Lordes supper is brought into contempt for farre many other causes than when any parte of the Wine falleth by chaunce on the grounde or is shedde vnwillingly For true faithe burning charitie stedfaste hope faithfulnesse mercy iustice and the puritie of those which coÌ„municate are the true ornamentes of the Sacramentes Wherefore what offences or what honor they bring to this Sacrament which daily vse the same to gette their liuing thereby yet in the meane time are drunkardes whoremaisters vncleane persones studying all vngodlynesse liue publikely in their naughtinesse to the great offence of many is nowe by the great mercy of God most manifestly knowne Wherefore I hartely beséeche almighty God to graunte all those the true knowledge of their sinnes wherby they may repent and amend their liues Amen The. xij Common place Of the sacrifice of the Masse The. xlviij Question Whether they doe beleue that the true bodie bloud of Christ in the sacrament of the aultar be a true and an acceptable sacrifice vnto God whiche ought to be offered in the Churche of Christ in the blessed office of the Masse vncessantly for the quick the dead vntyll the comming of Chryst The Answere SIth we haue sufficiently before proued that the true body and bloude of Christ is not in the Sacramente corporally it foloweth of necessitie that the same canne not be offered vp in the Masse by the priestes But yet the Romishe churche teacheth that the bodye and bloude of Christe is corporally and substantially present and in the office of their Masse offered vp to God by the Priestes for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead and therefore oughte to be woorshipped But the form of the Masse dothe not agrée with the institution of the Lordes supper but is encreased by the long continuaunce of time wyth diuers additions rights Ceremonies so as Gregorius the seuenth Pope doth confesse that in his time the Masse was not celebrated in all places of the world after one manner wherefore without all doute the Apostles Peter James and Mathewe did neuer celebrate the Masse vsed in the Churche of Rome but were altogyther ignoraunte thereof Therefore the Churches of the gospell haue by good right putte away and abolished the Romishe Masse and in the stead therof haue rightly and godly ordained the supper of oure Lord Jesus Christe which was godly celebrated in the old Apostolical church without any of the Popes or mannes traditions or additions And therfore to the foresaide question we answer that we do not acknowledge nor receiue the Masse for the institution of God but flée from it as being contrary to oure profession partly for causes already shewed and partly for such causes as héereafter we shall shewe But that we may the better knowe what sacrifices are we will héere vnto adde a few words There are amongst the Christians chéefely two kindes of sacrifices the one propiciatorie for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes and the other of thaÌ„ks geuing in which we exercise our faith serue God geue him thankes bothe wyth wordes and déedes for his benefits bestowed vpon vs In the olde Testament the sacrifice propitiatorie was shadowed and figured by many figures yet was there but one thing which they all did signifie to wit the body and bloud of Christe offered on the crosse Wherefore after that Christ came into the world and remained héere a certaine time that he might offer his body and bloude on the crosse for the remission of sinnes he ordained â—n his supper the Sacrament of the geâ—ing of his body and the shedding of his â—loud calling it the cuppe of the Newe â—estament in his bloud Wherfore this Sacrament ought from hence forth onâ—â— to be in stead of all the Sacraments of the Olde testament which were figures and to witnesse that as Christe by the Sacraments of the Olde testament was promised a sauiour so in the â—ewe testament he is come and hathe â—â—rformed it and so by the sacrifice of his body and bloud hathe taken away for euer all the sinnes of the faythfull Wherefore when our Lord would ofâ—â—r himselfe vppon the crosse and that 〈…〉 houre was come in which he would â—â—liuer vp his spirite so by his deathe â—ll sinne death and hell he cried with â—â—oud voice It is finished As who shuld â—â—y that sacrifice is nowe ended and fulâ—â—lled in which all the figures and proâ—isses of the fathers are accomplished 〈…〉 ne fréely pardoned and eternal righâ—â—ousnesse is obtained vnto euerlasting life And therefore so soone as our Lord was deade and had in this sorte offered vp him selfe a sacrifice to God his heauenly father the vaile of the Temple rente in two péeces greate myracles were séene bothe in the liuing and in the deade yea in heauen and in earthe And thus did the olde Testament the Leuiticall priesthoode and all the other Sacrifices take their ende whereunto they were ordained Therfore nowe resteth but the one only and euerlasting sacrifice of Christ as the chéefest holyest and moste perfecte And suche is the propretie of this Sacrifice that it neither coulde nor yet can be offered of any liuing man bicause not onely for the excellencie and holynesse thereof but also bicause of the imperfection of manne And therefore Christe offered vp him selfe that is to say gaue him self vnto death and so became the one and euerlasting Bishop after the order of Melchisedech as onely Bishop and sacrifice offered to God by him selfe onely Yea this sacrifice which he offered is but one that is to say once offered neither can it any more be offered againe For that hys one sacrifice is hys deathe once made effectuall that it onely and for euer mighte be sufficiente for all ages for the reconciliation and remission of sinnes And bicause Christe hathe suffered for vs dyed was buryed and arose againe from the deade and ascended into Heauen appearing for euer euen vnto the laste daye as one sufficient sacrifice in the sight of God for the full and perfecte redemption of all the Faithfull that is sufficient neither néedeth there any other Sacrifice to be offered in the Churche for the remission of sinnes Wherefore if there be any that wil offer a Sacrifice for his sinnes he dothe manifestly héereby declare that hée dothe not beléeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him by the onely Sacrifice of Christe For if he stedfastly beléeue that they are washed away why then dothe he
séeke a newe Sacrifice to be offered And therfore it followeth that the holy church euen to the ende of the worlde doth acknowledge none other sacrifice propitiatorie for sinnes but the deathe and passion of Christe alone And that which of this only sacrifice of Christe I haue hither vnto spoken is most truely and manifestly confirmed by the euideÌ„t testimony of holy scripture as Leui. 16. Zach. 3. Hebr. 5. 7. 8. 9. and 10. chapters But to returne to the Lords supper it is not in that respecte that we do minister it a propitiatorie Sacrifice that by the doing and celebrating of it we should be deliuered from sinne For the deathe and sacrifice of Christe vpon the crosse if we haue faithe hathe deliuered and purged vs from oure sinnes Neyther is Christe in his supper crucified againe or his body offered in the same againe for why no Priest is able to offer it but there is onely celebrated a remembraunce of his Sacrifice once perfected and that not by the Priest alone but by the whole churche For so our sauioure Christ commaunded saying Doc this in the remembraunce of me wherefore S. Augustine very agreeable with the holy scripture wryteth againste the Manachees saying That before the comming of Christe the Sacrifice of his body and bloud vvas promised by the figured sacrifices of the olde Testamente but by his comming and passion it is finished and that after his ascention the remembrance thereof is celebrated Wherefore the opinion of those which say that the body and bloud of Christe is offered in the Masse for the quicke and the deade vnto the ende of the worlde can in no wise be confirmed by any testimonies of holy Scripture And to passe ouer that the deade haue already receiued their iudgement as it is already saide in the thirtie foure and thirtie fiue Questions they besides can not any more be made partakers of the Lords supper for the Lord saith Take and eate which thing the deade can not doe But in that they say the priest eateth for the deade they doe it contrary to the commaundemente of Christe To conclude the supper of the Lorde is onely the remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ once finished and not the sacrifice it selfe and that done only by those which héere doe liue The sacrifice of praise and thanks giuing comprehendeth first the praise and thankes which they offer to God by a pure faith for all his benefites bestowed on them And bicause in the Lordes Supper we chéefely make a remembrance of Christes death and our redemption therfore praise God and geue thankes vnto him the fathers haue called the same supper a sacrifice and we also doe willingly acknowledge that this sacrameÌ„t in this sorte is an acceptable Sacrifice vnto God and yet not bicause the priest offereth the body and bloud or prayers for to merite or gaine thereby but bicause the whole congregation in theyr prayers offer vnto God praise thanks geuing for the benefite of Christes sacrifice which once offered vp him selfe vppon the crosse Many things in déede are spoken of this Sacrifice in the holy scriptures as in the Psalmes the Prophets the Epistles of Paul and chéefely in the thirtienth chapter to the Hebrewes Yea also of the Fathers as Ireneus and Tertullian vppon the woordes of Malachie in his firste Chapter c. Furthermore the studie to obey the commaundemente of God to the encrease of oure faithe and the prouoking of others vnto good the forgeuing of offences and mutuall loue yea the studie of righteousnesse and holinesse the offering of oure bodies and soules is an acceptable sacrifice vnto god Like as the Psalmes Prophetes Euangelists and Apostles doe eche where exhortâ— vs and chéefely in the twelfthe chapter to the Romaines And we thincke it more necessary and profitable that men be wel instructed touching this Sacrifice and that these things shoulde be taughte them than to force them to beléeue the sacrifice of the Masse by the marchaundise whereof those which call them selues spirituall doe rather encrease enlarge their owne riches than the glorye of Christ and the saluation of the faithful Therefore lette euery good man well consider with him self the doctrine concerning the sacrifices of the Christians whereof we haue hither vnto spoken and leaning neither the one way nor the other let them dueâ—y coÌ„sider which is best for their saluation The. xiij Common place Of repentaunce and Confession The. xlix Question Whether they beleue that ther be three partes of repentaunce to witte contrition confession and satisfaction The Answere THere are many things wrytten in the Holye scripture of repentance and the amendemente of life bothe in the New and Old testament For the doctrine of repentaunce is very necessarie and profitable for all Chrystians And this worde Repentaunce séemeth to come of this worde repayring as when torne broken or things rente are renued and repaired The Hebrues call repentaunce returning or conuerting to god But he which is returned to God ought first necessarily to know and vnderstande how he fell from him and to knowe what God is howe wée fall from him and howe wée oughte to turne to him agayne So that he which must repente ought to know his owne naughtinesse and wickednesse and also by what meanes the same may bée amended whiche is broken or spoyled And these things can in no wyse be don of any wretched sinner onlesse they be drawen herevnto and therin instructed by the spirite and worde of God which they must also most stedfastly beléeue For these things are so necessarily required that onlesse GOD by grace through his spirite open and drawe the heart of the sinner and by his worde shewe vs the perfect way gouerne and kéepe vs in the same giue vs true faith wherby to quicken and iustifie vs that onlesse I say he giue vs these al repentaunce howe harde or gréenous soeuer it séeme is no true repentaunce Let Judas bée an example héereof who repenting for hys sinnes confessed the same to the Priestes in the Temple saying I haue betrayed the innocente bloud Yea and he in this part made satisfactioÌ„ that he threw the vnrighteous price of bloud into the teÌ„ple But what did this repeÌ„tance profite him although it had in it contrition confession and satisfaction they holpe him nothing at all and bicause he lacked true fayth he dispaired and hong him selfe On the other side the Lorde looking backe vpon Peter and the Cocke crowing he remembred the words of the Lord and beléeuing them departed from the wicked company wept for his sinnes and amended his faults and this his repentance was a true and perfecte repentaunce And Jeremie the Prophet confirmeth this doctrine who in his 31. chapter prayeth to the Lorde saying Conuert mee O Lorde and I shall bee conuerted for thou arte the Lorde my God and after thou haste conuerted me I shall repent and after thou haste shewed thy selfe vnto me I wyll strike my selfe
1215. And I will not héere tell howe gréeuously the consciences of the godly were by this Romishe and Papisticall confession troubled and howe they learned more euill thereby than good and howe horrible and fylthie factes were in this confession committed and howe the same serued to vpholde the power pryde errours and disceiptes of that vnspirituall spiritualtie as they call them selues But it is no small fortresse or foundation of their kingdome and therefore no maruell thoughe they so earnestly and busely labour to defende and kéepe the same But all these things thanks bée vnto God are made manyfest vnto the whole worlde The. Lj. Question Whether those things which the Priest dothe enioyne vs to do for our sinnes which we haue confessed are not to be done as the punishments and deedes of tepentaunce â–ª and whether this our satisfaction be hurtefull or contrary to the satisfaction of Chryste The Answere NEyther the confession whiche is done to the Priest neither yet the payne or penance which is ioyned for the same haue any authoritie froÌ„ the holy Scrypture but are onely grounded vppon the authorities of a fewe fathers And therfore I answere that the faythfull are not bounde by the word of god to do that penaunce which they call satisfaction neither I say to require or doo them For there is one eternall satisfaction that is to say a price reconciliation redemption from our sinnes to wit the death passion of Chryst by meanes wherof al our sins â—ffences and punishments deserued for the same are clerely forgiuen and wyped away And this is confirmed by Esai 53. the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles and chiefly of Paul to the Romanes the thirde and fifth chapters and 1. Cor. 1. c. If therefore by our workes and penaunce which we suffer that is to say if we attribute to our satisfaction which consisteth in the correctioÌ„ of our body fasting prayer almes other such like workes the remission of our sinnes the punishment due therefore or if wée suppose that by this satisfaction we satisfie and requite all those things for the which we were gilty before God then truely this satisfaction is directly coÌ„trary and striueth agaynst the satisfaction of Chryst. Or else must they say that Paule in the like case reasoned not aright when he sayd For if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then is Chryst dead in vayne For euen after the same maner doo wée also reason saying If wee our selues can make satisfaction for our sinnes what neede then had Chryst to dye Wherfore the Chuche kéepeth still that one eternall satisfaction euen the death of Chryste and héerewith doo all the faythfull content them selues iudging their works not to bée so perfecte or worthy that by them their sinnes should be forgiuen and that God by them should bée satisfyed and eternall lyfe bée purchased Here also is to be noted that the faythful which acknowledge Chrystes death to be their onely satisfaction and redemption and are delyuered by hym doo earnestly and diligently auoyde sinne and willingly suffer whatsoeuer God layeth vpon them and yet not to make any satisfaction therby bycause Chryste already hathe fully satisfied but bycause it pleaseth God so to exercise them and call them from their sinnes shewing howe gréeuously the same offende him and by this meanes exerciseth their fayth and maketh them partakers of the afflictions of Chryst. And therefore when GOD receyued Abraham and Dauid into fauour for Chrystes sake and had forgiuen theyr sinnes yet dyd he exercise them in this lyfe with the mortification of their fleshe Chryste also in the Gospel sayth vnto the man which he healed Behold thou art made whole see thou sinne no more least some worse thing happen vnto thee And therefore wée vse commonly to say to doo the same offence no more is a great punishment but yet the beste punishement And out of thys penaunce and satisfaction whiche standeth by no warrant of the Scripture is farrowed all the Whelpes of Romishe indulgences For after they had layde moste gréeuous penaunces and punyshments vppon the poore Penitentiaries for which they must make satisfaction for their mortall sinnes as by fasting many yeres togither then by their Indulgences they mitigated the same agayne and so by this meanes heaped vy huge heapes of money and so of Gods house they made an house or shoppe of Marchaundise yea rather a very denne of théeues and therefore doubtlesse God will shortly whip them out of his house The thirtenth Common place Of the authoritie or power of Priestes The. Lij Question Whether Priests haue power and authoritie to forgiue or retayne those sinnes for the whiche wee bee sory and confesse our selues The Answere THe power which Christ hathe giuen to the Ministers of the Churche is rather an office than a power for power belongeth to Christ alone And that power or Office which the Ministers or Priests haue receyued is to edifie and not to destroy as Paule manifestly teacheth 2. Cor. 10. And the keyes of the kingdome of god are giuen in déede vnto the Ministers of the church For our Lord promised them to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Math. 16. with these words I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt lose in earth shal be losed in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shal be bound in heauen the same he gaue to all the Disciples John. 20. saying Euen as my father sent me so sende I you who soeuers sinnes you shall remitte they shall be forgiuen and whose sinnes you shall retayne they shall be retayned Therefore to lose is to forgiue sinnes and to binde is not to forgiue or to retayne sinnes But bycause no man can remit or forgiue sinnes but God onely therefore the Ministers of God by his commaundement preaching the Gospel doo declare that god forgiueth their sinnes and remitteth all punishmente if they beléeue in Chryst and that on the other side their sinne remayneth and that they shall bée punyshed for the same if they beléeue not in Chryst and therfore for this cause dothe the Scripture say that the Minister doth bind or lose forgiue or retaine sinnes And as the minister doth truly preach this so doth it vndoutedly come to passe both on the faithfull and vnfaithfull For God being in heauen performeth that which his ministers héere doe promisse on the earthe By this we may easily gather that the keyes are nothing else but the preaching of the gospel and not a peculiare iurisdiction or power as oure aduersaries reache For euen as a maister of some house giueth his keyes vnto his seruaunt to open and shut the house to let men bothe in out So is the church the house of God in the which who so euer abideth is an inheritor of the kingdome of heauen those which through infidelitie are not in the churche haue no portion in the
sufficientlye proue that this their enoyling was neuer ordained by the Apostles And what shall I say of that which they vse to speake in this their enoyling when they say In the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghoste I annoynt thee vvith this holy oyle that thereby thou maiste receiue remission of al thy sinnes What ground or forme of institution of this haue yée in all the holy scriptures of Christe and his Apostels The Apostles taught that ful remission of sinnes was to be soughte in the bloude of Christe and not in Oyle And therefore euen by this one pointe it may euidently appeare to the faythfull that for good consideration we vse not this Ceremonie Furthermore when wée beléeue that one baptisme which we haue once receiued wherein we were once Baptized with water in the name of the Father the Sonne and of the holye Ghoste is effectuall by the operation of the holy Ghoste euen all oure life long vnto death we thinke it not néedefull to be againe at the pointe of deathe rebaptized of a Baptisme deuised by man for they call this their annointing the laste Baptisme But we according to Christianitie visite the sicke instruct them admonish them exhort them cōfort them strengthen them and pray with them and charitably looks vnto them c. The seuententh Common place Of the Magistrate and lawful obedience The. lx Question Whether the spirituall and ciuill magistrate ought not to be obeyed chiefly when the things that they commaund are not agaynst God The Answere WE wyll héere make a difference betwene the Ciuill and the spirituall Magistrates For the teachers and gouernors of the Church are ministers and not Lords to exercise a gouernement lyke kings prynces or noble men and we ought to obey them as the Ministers of Chryste so long as they bée hys preache hys worde and execute the Christian ministerie And so Paule teacheth with these wordes VVee beseeche you brethren that you will know them which labour amongest you and take the charge ouer you in the Lorde and instruct you that you honor them throgh loue for their works sake and haue peace with them And againe Obey those which haue the ouersight of you and submyt your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accountes that they may do it with ioy Likewyse Chryst sayth to his Apostles He that heareth you heareth me And he manyfestly forbiddeth his Apostles to rule as Ciuill Magistrates John. 13. Reade more of this Math. 18. and. 20. Luke 22. where you shall manyfestly finde that our Lorde saythe The kings of the Nations reigne ouer them and those which exercise authoritie ouer them are called gracious lords but it shal not be so with you And therfore the ciuil power which the Bishops and gouernors of the Churche exercise hath no groūd or authoritie in the word of god neither hath Chryst at any time commaunded them to vse bothe the swordes Saint Peter in the sixt of the Actes speaketh of him self and the other Apostles thus It is not conuenient that we should leaue the worde of God and serue Tables that is to say giue ourselues to the féeding of the poore c. And yet it is more lyke that the Apostles woulde take charge care for the poore than to take vpon them gouernemente and ciuill authoritie onlesse they had knowen the same to bée agaynst the commaundement of god And therfore doubtlesse if suche power had ben offered vnto them they would neuer haue receiued it And besides this experience teacheth vs nowe in our age that these two can not be ioyned togither Yet let the christians submit thēselues to these magistrates so long as they cōmaunde not things contrary to god yet if they do they may not therfore stir cōmotiōs but do that which god hath cōmaunded Touching the Ciuil power as kings Emperours Princes Counsellors Magistrates and all other lyke which exercise any publique office by what name soeuer they bée called wée are bound to obey them by the worde of God in all things that are not contrarie to God yea God threatneth vengeaunce agaynst all those that are disobedient stubborne and rebellious agaynst the Magistrates Moreouer wée are taughte by Gods worde that the Magistrate is ordeyned of God and is for hys sake to be honored and to be acknowledged in hys Ministers ordeined for the wealth of good men but for the punishment of euill men and that wée muste loue them as fathers geuing vnto them their due honor tribute loyaltie faythfulnesse and other bodily seruices which appertayne vnto thē and that with a good hart and wil faithfully And thus are we taughte by the worde of God Math. 17. and 22. and 1. Peter 2. Romanes 13. and Titus 1. And in the Epistle to Timothe Paule commaundeth that wée make faythfull prayers vnto God for those which haue the gouernemente ouer vs And euen as the Apostles for Gods cause were obediente vnto the Magistrates so is it méete that Byshoppes and those which gouerne in the Churche as teachers and preachers bée obedient to the Ciuill Magistrate also like as Jeremie in his firste Chapter teacheth but yet in suche sorte as they teache the worde of God fréely But if any wyll not thus doo then let them reade the seconde Epistle of Sainct Peter the seconde Chapter and the Epistle of S. Jude and sée what the Apostles doo thinke and iudge of suche And agaynst those which resiste their Magistrates and so become worse than théeues or murtherers many sharpe thinges are written in the holy Scripture and in the Prouerbes of Salomon The. Lxj. Question Whether the magistrat ought to bee obeyed if he publishe set foorth or commaund any thing contrary to the vniuersal church of Chryst The Answere WE muste héere agayne make a difference betwéene the true Christian Churche and the false bearing onely the name and tytle therof For that Churche which is called and is in very déede the true vniuersall Church of Chryst is that company of the faythfull whiche rightly beléeue in Chryste putting all their trust in God throughe Chryste geuing eare onely to him in his holy worde séeking all things in hym and seruing him in holynesse and righteousnesse And agaynst this Churche can no Magistrate decrée any thing but if they chaunce to doo then doo the faythfull knowe that it is better to obey God than man In déede at the beginning and in the tyme of the Primatiue Churche Kinges and Emperours concluded set foorth many gréeuous things against the Christians but thē they which otherwise in al bodily seruices were contente to bée obedient vnto their Magistrates dyd in déede disobey them in the things which appertayned to their faythe for they would neither woorshippe their Idols nor doo sacrifice in their Temples or communicate with them in their Religion and for thys cause many of them were put to death Yet GOD in the ende maruellouslye punyshed