We are accounted Righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own Works or deservings Wherefore that we are justified by Faith is a most wholesome Doctrine and very full of comfort as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification in that sense wherein it is set forth in the Homily of Justification is the most certain and most wholesome Doctrine for a Christian Man XII Of Good Works Albeit the Good Works which are the Fruits of Faith and follow after Justification cannot put away our Sins and endure the severity of God's Judgment yet are they pleasing and acceptable unto God in Christ and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively Faith insomuch that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known as a Tree discerned by the Fruit. XII Works before Justification Works done before the Grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of Faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace or as the School Authors say deserve Grace of Congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of Sin XIII Works of Supererrogation Voluntary Works besides over and above God's Commandments which they call Works of Supererrogation cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety for by them Men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do but that they do more for his sake than of bounden Duty is required Whereas Christ saith plainly When you have done all that are commanded to you say we are unprofitable Servants XIV None but Christ without Sin Christ in the truth of our Nature was made like unto us in all things sin only excepted from which he was clearly void both in his Flesh and in his Spirit He came to be a Lamb without spot who by Sacrifice of himself once made should take away the Sins of the World and Sin as St. John saith was not in him But all we the rest although baptized and born in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us XV. Of the Sin against the Holy Ghost Not every deadly Sin willingly committed after Baptism is Sin against the Holy Ghost and unpardonable Wherefore the grant of Repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptism After we have received the Holy Ghost we may depart from Grace given and fall into sin and by the Grace of God we may arise again and amend our Lives And therefore they are to be condemned which say They can no more sin as long as they live here or deny the * Place of Forgiveness place of Penance to such as truly repent XVI The Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost The Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is then committed when any Man out of malice and hardness of heart doth wilfully reproach and persecute in an hostile manner the Truth of God's Word manifestly made known unto him Which sort of Men being made obnoxious to the Curse subject themselves to the most grievous of all wickednesses from whence this kind of Sin is called unpardonable and so affirmed to be by our Lord and Saviour XVII Of Predestination and Election Predestination unto Life is the everlasting Purpose of God whereby before the Foundations of the World were laid he hath constantly decreed by his Counsel secret unto us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen * In Christ out of Man-kind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting Salvation as Vessels made to Honour Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to God's Purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through Grace obey the Calling they be justified freely they are made Sons of †God by Adoption they are made like the Image of ‖ His. the only begotten Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good Works and at length by God's Mercy they attain to everlasting felicity As the godly consideration of Predestination and Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly Persons and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the Works of the Flesh and their Earthly Members and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly Things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their Faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God So for curious and carnal Persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's Predestination is a most dangerous downfal whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desparation or into wretchlesness of most unclean living no less perilous than desparation Furthermore * Left out though the Decrees of Predestination be unknown to us yet must we receive God's Promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture and in our doings that Will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the Word of God XVIII Everlasting Salvation to be obtained only in the Name of Christ They also are to be had accursed that presume to say That every Man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his Life according to that Law and the Light of Nature For Holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the Name of Jesus Christ whereby Men must be saved XIX All Men are bound to keep the Precepts of the Moral Law Although the Law given from God by Moses as touching Ceremonies and Rites do not bind Christian Men nor the Civil Precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any Common-Wealth yet notwithstanding no Christian Man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral Wherefore they are not to be heard which teach that the Holy Scriptures were given to none but to the Weak and brag continually of the Spirit by which they do pretend that all whatsoever they preach is suggested to them though manifestly contrary to the Holy Scripture XX. Of the Church The Visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful Men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christ's Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same As the Church of Jerusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred so also the Church of Rome hath erred not only in their Livings and manner of Ceremonies but also in Matters of Faith XXI Of the Authority of the Church The Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies and Authority
or Persons therefore or in that behalf and without any offence of or against our Laws Statutes Proclamations or other whatsoever Ordinances and without incurring therefore into any Dammages Penalty Forfeit Loss or any other Encumbrance Trouble or Vexation of his or any of their Bodies Lands Tenements Goods or Chattels or of his or their or any their Heirs Successors Assigns Executors or Administrators And therefore we Will and Command not only all and every our Judges Justices Serjeants Attornies Sollicitors Sheriffs Escheators Bailiffs and all other our Officers Ministers and Subjects that now be or hereafter shall be in no wise to Impeach Appeal Arrest Trouble Vex Injure or Molest in our Name or otherwise Our said Uncle or our said Counsellors or any of them or any other Person for any Cause Matter Deed Thing or Things which he or they or any of them have done or shall do execute or cause to be executed or done as aforesaid But also We require and nevertheless straitly Charge and Command by these Presents all and every our Officers Ministers and Subjects of what Estate Degree or Condition soever he or they be or shall be to be obedient aiding attendant and assisting to Our said Uncle and Counsellors and to every of them as behoveth for the execution of this Charge and Commission given and committed unto Our said Uncle and Council as aforesaid as they tender our Favour and their own Weals and as they will answer unto Us at their uttermost Perils for the contrary In Witness whereof We have caused these our Letters to be made Patents Witness our Self at Westminster the 13th day of March in the first Year of our Reign E. Somerset T. Cantuarien W. St. John J. Russell W. Northamp T. Cheynie William Paget Anthony Brown Number 7. The King's Letter to the Arch-Bishop of York concerning the Visitation then intended EDwardus sextus Dei Gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Rex Cotton Libr. Titus B. 2. Fidei Defensor ac in terra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hiberniae supremum Caput Reverendissimo in Christo Patri ac praedilecto Consiliario nostro Roberto permissione divina Eboracen Archiepisc Angliae Primati Metropolitano salutem Quum nos suprema Authoritate nostra Regia omnia singula loca Ecclesiastica clerumque populum infra per totum nostrum Angliae Regnum constituta propediem visitare statuerimus Vobis tenore praesentium stricte inhibemus atque mandamus per vos Suffraganeis vestris confratribus Episcopis ac per illos suis Archidiaconis ac aliis quibuscunque jurisdictionem Ecclesiasticam exercentibus tam exemptis quam non exemptis infra vestram Provinciam Eboracens ubilibet constitutis sic inhibere volumus atque praecipimus quatenus nec vos nec quisquam eorum Ecclesias aut alia loca praedicta Clerumve aut populum visitare aut ea quae sunt jurisdictionis exercere seu quicquam aliud in praejudicium dictae nostrae Visitationis generalis quovismodo attemptare presumat sive presumant sub poena contemptus donec quousque licentiam facultatem vobis eis in ea parte largiend impertiend fore duxerimus Et quia non solum internam animorum subditorum nostrorum pacem verum etiam externam eorum concordiam multiplicibus opinionum procellis ex contentione dissentione contraversiis concionatorum exortis multum corruptam violatam ac misere divulsam esse cernimus Idcirco nobis admodum necessarium visum est ad sedandas componendas hujusmodi opinionum varietates quatenus inhibeatis seu inhiberi faciatis omnibus singulis Episcopis nec alibi quam in Ecclesiis suis Cathedralibus aliis Personis Ecclesiasticis quibuscunque ne in alio loco quam in suis Ecclesiis Collegiatis sive Parochialibus in quibus intitulati sunt predicent aut subditis nostris quovismodo concionandi munus exerceant nisi ex gratia nostra speciali ad id postea licentiati fuerint sub nostrae indignationis paena In cujus rei testimonium Sigillum nostrum quo ad causas Ecclesiasticas utimur praesentibus apponi mandavimus E. Somerset T. Seimour T. Cantuarien W. St. John Will. Petre Secretary J. Russell John Barker John Gage Dat. quarto die mensis Maii Anno Dom. 1547. Regni nostri Anno primo Number 8. The Form of bidding Prayer before the Reformation The Bedes on the Sunday Out of the Festival printed An. 1509. YE shall kneel down on your Knees and lift up your Hearts making your Prayers to Almighty God for the good State and Peace of all-holy Church that God maintain save and keep it For our Holy Father the Pope with all his true College of Cardinals that God for his Mercy them maintain and keep in the right Belief and it hold and increase and all Misbelief and Heresy be less and destroy'd Also ye shall pray for the Holy Land and for the Holy Cross that Jesus Christ died on for the redemption of Man's Souls that it may come into the power of Christian Men the more to be honoured for our Prayers Also ye shall pray for all Arch-Bishops and Bishops and especially for the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury our Metropolitane and for the Bishop of N. our Diocesan that God of his Mercy give to them Grace so to govern and rule Holy Church that it may be to the Honour and Worship of him and Salvation of our Souls Also ye shall pray for Abbots Priors Monks Canons Friers and for all Men and Women of Religion in what Order Estate or Degree that they stand in from the highest Estate unto the lowest Degree Also ye shall pray for all them that have Charge and Cure of Christian Mens Souls as Curats and Parsons Vicars Priests and Clarks and in especial for the Parson and Curat of this Church and for all the Priests and Minsters that serve therein or have served therein and for all them that have taken any Order that Almighty God give them Grace of continuance well for to keep and observe it to the honour and health of their Souls Also ye shall pray for the Unity and Peace of all Christian Realms and in especial for the good Estate Peace and Tranquility of this Realm of England for our Liege Lord the King that God for his great Mercy send him Grace so to Govern and Rule this Realm that God be pleased and worshipped and to the Profit and Salvation of this Land Also ye shall pray for our Liege Lady the Queen my Lord Prince and all the noble Progeny of them for all Dukes Earls Barons Knights and Esquires and other Lords of the King's Council which have any Rule and Governance in this Land that God give them Grace so to Council Rule and Govern that God be pleased the Land defended and to the profit and Salvation of all the Realm Also ye shall pray for the Peace both on Land and on the Water that God grant Love and Charity
And lest in giving just offence to the little Ones in setting a Trap of Errors for the Ignorant and digging a Pit for the Blind to fall into we should not only be guilty of the Blood of our Brethren and deserve the wrathful Vae and Vengeance of God but also procure to our reclaiming Consciences the biting Worm that never dieth for our endless confusion For in what thing soever we may serve your Excellent Majesty not offending the Divine Majesty of God we shall with all humble Obedience be most ready thereunto if it be even to the loss of our Life for so God commandeth of us Duty requireth of us and we with all conformity have put in proof And as God through your gracious Government hath delivered unto us innumerable Benefits which we most humbly acknowledg and with due Reverence daily give him Thanks So we do not doubt but that of his Mercy He will happily finish in your Majesty that good Work which of His free Favour He hath most graciously begun that following the Examples of the Godly Princes which have gone before you may clearly purge the polluted Church and remove all occasions of Evil. And for so much as we have heretofore at sundry times made Petition to your Majesty concerning the Matter of Images but at no time exhibited any Reasons for the removing of the same Now lest we should seem to say much and prove little to alleage Consciences without the Warrant of God and unreasonably require that for the which we can give no Reason we have at this time put in writing and do most humbly exhibit to your gracious Consideration those Authorities of the Scriptures Reasons and pithy Persuasions which as they have moved all such our Brethren as now bear the Office of Bishops to think and affirm Images not expedient for the Church of Christ so will they not suffer us without the great offending of God and grievous wounding of our own Consciences which God deliver us from to consent to the erecting or retaining of the same in the place of Worshipping and we trust and most earnestly ask it of God that they may also persuade your Majesty by your Regal Authority and in the Zeal of God utterly to remove this Offensive Evil out of the Church of England to God's great Glory and our great Comfort Here follow the Reasons against them of which I have given a full Abstract in the History and therefore do not set them down here for they are very large The Address concludes in these words Having thus declared unto your Highness a few Causes of many which do move our Consciences in this Matter we beseech your Highness most humbly not to strain us any further but to consider that God's Word doth threaten a terrible Judgment unto us if we being Pastors and Ministers in His Church should assent unto the thing which in our Learning and Conscience we are persuaded doth tend to the confirmation of Error Superstition and Idolatry and finally Heb. 13. 1 Pet. 5. to the ruins of the Souls committed to our Charge for the which we must give an account to the Prince of Pastors at the last Day We pray your Majesty also not to be offended with this our Plainness and Liberty which all good and Christian Princes have ever taken in good part at the hands of Godly Bishops St. Ambrose writing to Theodosius the Emperor uses these words Sed neque Imperiale est libertatem dicendi negare Epist lib. 5. Epist 29. neque Sacerdotale quod sentiat non dicere And again In causa vero Dei quem audies si Sacerdotem non audies Ibidem cujus Majore peccatur periculo Quis tibi verum audebit dicere si Sacerdos non audeat These and such-like Speeches of St. Ambrose Theodosius and Valentinianus the Emperors did take in good part and we doubt not but your Grace will do the like of whose not only Clemency but also Beneficence we have largely tasted We beseech your Majesty also in these and such-like Controversies of Religion to refer the discusement and deciding of them to a Synod of the Bishops and other Godly Learned Men according to the Example of Constantinus Magnus and other Christian Emperors that the Reasons of both Parties being examined by them the Judgment may be given uprightly in all doubtful Matters And to return to this present Matter We most humbly beseech your Majesty to consider That besides weighty Causes in Policy which we leave to the Wisdom of the Honourable Counsellors the establishing of Images by your Authority shall not only utterly discredit our Ministries as builders of the thing which we have destroyed but also blemish the Fame of your most Godly Brother and such notable Fathers as have given their Lives for the Testimony of God's Truth who by publick Law removed all Images The Almighty and Everliving God plentifully endue your Majesty with His Spirit and Heavenly Wisdom and long preserve your most gracious Reign and prosperous Government over us to the advancement of his Glory to the overthrow of Superstition and to the Benefit and Comfort of all your Hignesses loving Subjects Amen Number 7. The Queen's Commissions to the Visitors that were sent to the Northern Parts ELizabetha Dei Gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Regina Fidei Defensor c. Charissimis Consanguineis Consiliariis nostris Francisco Comiti Salop. Domino Praesidenti Consilii nostri in partibus Borealibus Edwardo Comiti de Darbia ac charissimo consanguineo nostro Thomae Comiti Northumb. Domino Guardiano sive custodi Marchiarum nostrarum de Le East March midle March versus Scotiam ac perdilecto fideli nostro Willielmo Domino Evers ac etiam dilectis fidelibus nostris Henrico Piercy Thomae Gargrave Jacobo Crofts Henrico Gates Militibus necnon dilectis nobis Edwino Sandys Sacrae Theologiae Professori Henrico Harvy Legum Doctori Richardo Bowes Georgio Brown Chistophero Estcot Richardo Kingsmell Armigeris Salutem Quoniam Deus Populum suum Anglicanum imperio nostro subjecit cujus regalis suscepti muneris rationem perfecte reddere non possumus nisi veram religionem sincerum numinis divini cultum in omnibus Regni nostri partibus propagaverimus Nos igitur regalis absolutae potestatis nostrae nobis in hoc Regno nostro commissae respectu quoniam utrumque Regni nostri statum tam Ecclesiasticum quam Laicum visitare certas pietatis ac virtutis regulas illis praescribere constituimus praefatum Franciscum Comitem Salop. Edwardum Comitem de Darbia Thomam Comitem Northumb Willielmum Dominum Evers Henricum Piercy Thomam Gargrave Jacobum Crofts Henricum Gates Milites Edwinum Sandys Henricum Harvy Georgium Brown Christophorum Estcot Richardum Bowes Richardum Kingsmell Armigeros ad infrascriptum vice nomine Authoritate nostris exequendum vos quatuor tres aut duo vestrum ad minimum deputavimus substituimus ad
two several times that is to say the Sundays next following Easterday and St. Michael the Arch-Angel or on some other Sunday within one month after those Feasts immediately after the Gospel FOrasmuch as it appertaineth to all Christian Men but especially to the Ministers and the Pastors of the Church being Teachers and Instructers of others to be ready to give a Reason of their Faith when they shall be thereunto required I for my part now appointed your Parson Vicar or Curat having before my Eyes the Fear of God and the Testimony of my Conscience do acknowledg for my self and require you to assent to the same I. First That there is but one living and true God of infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness the maker and preserver of all Things And that in Unity of this God-head there be three Persons of one Substance of equal Power and Eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost II. I believe also whatsoever is contained in the Holy Canonical Scriptures In the which Scriptures are contained all things necessary to Salvation by the which also all Errors and Heresies may sufficiently be reproved and convicted and all Doctrine and Articles necessary to Salvation established I do also most firmly believe and confess all the Articles contained in the Three Creeds The Nicene Creed Athanasius Creed and our Common Creed called the Apostles Creed for these do briefly contain the principal Articles of our Faith which are at large set forth in the Holy Scriptures III. I do acknowledg also that Church to be the Spouse of Christ wherein the Word of God is truly taught the Sacraments orderly ministred according to Christ's Institution and the Authority of the Keys duly used And that every such particular Church hath authority to institute to change clean to put away Ceremonies and other Ecclesiastical Rites as they be superfluous or be abused and to constitute other making more to Seemliness to Order or Edification IV. Moreover I confess That it is not lawful for any Man to take upon him any Office or Ministry either Ecclesiastical or Secular but such only as are lawfully thereunto called by their High Authorities according to the Ordinances of this Realm V. Furthermore I do acknowledg the Queen's Majesty's Prerogative and Superiority of Government of all Estates and in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal within this Realm and other her Dominions and Countries to be agreable to God's Word and of right to appertain to her Highness in such sort as is in the late Act of Parliament expressed and sithence by her Majesty's Injunctions declared and expounded VI. Moreover touching the Bishop of Rome I do acknowledg and confess that by the Scriptures and Word of God he hath no more Authority than other Bishops have in their Provinces and Diocesses And therefore the Power which he now challengeth that is to be the Supream Head of the Universal Church of Christ and so to be above all Emperors Kings and Princes is an usurped Power contrary to the Scriptures and Word of God and contrary to the Example of the Primitive Church and therefore is for most just Causes taken away and abolished in this Realm VII Furthermore I do grant and confess That the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Holy Sacraments set sorth by the Authority of Parliament is agreeable to the Scriptures and that it is Catholick Apostolick and most for the advancing of God's Glory and the edifying of God's People both for that it is in a Tongue that may be understanded of the People and also for the Doctrine and Form of ministration contained in the same VIII And although in the Administration of Baptism there is neither Exorcism Oil Salt Spittle or hallowing of the Water now used and for that they were of late Years abused and esteemed necessary Where they pertain not to the substance and necessity of the Sacrament they be reasonably abolished and yet the Sacrament full and perfectly ministred to all intents and purposes agreeable to the Institution of our Saviour Christ IX Moreover I do not only acknowledg that Privat Masses were never used amongst the Fathers of the Primitive Church I mean publick Ministration and receiving of the Sacrament by the Priest alone without a just number of Communicants according to Christ's saying Take ye and eat ye c. But also that the Doctrine that maintaineth the Mass to be a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the Quick and the Dead and a mean to deliver Souls out of Purgatory is neither agreeable to Christ's Ordinance nor grounded upon Doctrine Apostolick But contrary-wise most ungodly and most injurious to the precious Redemption of our Saviour Christ and his only-sufficient Sacrifice offered once for ever upon the Altar of the Cross X. I am of that mind also That the Holy Communion or Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ for the due obedience to Christ's Institution and to express the vertue of the same ought to be ministred unto the People under both kinds And that it is avouched by certain Fathers of the Church to be a plain Sacrilege to rob them of the Mystical Cup for whom Christ hath shed his most precious Blood seeing he himself hath said Drink ye all of this Considering also That in the time of the Ancient Doctors of the Church as Cyprian Hierom Augustine Gelasius and others six hundred Years after Christ and more both the Parts of the Sacrament were ministred to the People Last of all As I do utterly disallow the extolling of Images Reliques and feigned Miracles and also all kind of expressing God Invisible in the form of an Old Man or the Holy Ghost in form of a Dove and all other vain worshipping of God devised by Man's fantasy besides or contrary to the Scriptures As wandering on Pilgrimages setting up of Candles praying upon Beads and such-like Superstition which kind of Works have no promise of Reward in Scripture but contrary-wise Threatnings and Maledictions So I do exhort all Men to the Obedience of God's Law and to the Works of Faith as Charity Mercy Pity Alms devout and fervent Prayer with the affection of the Heart and not with the Mouth only Godly Abstinence and Fasting Chastity Obedience to the Rulers and Superior Powers with such-like Works and godliness of Life commanded by God in his Word which as St. Paul saith hath Promises both of this Life and of the Life to come and are Works only acceptable in God's sight These things above-rehearsed though they be appointed by common Order yet do I without all compulsion with freedom of Mind and Conscience from the bottom of my Heart and upon most sure persuasion acknowledg to be true and agreeable to God's Word And therefore I exhort you all of whom I have Cure heartily and obediently to embrace and receive the same That we all joining together in unity of Spirit Faith and Charity may also at length be joined together in the Kingdom of God and that