in no wyse to be admitted when God hath opened the waye to ordinarie meanes except there appeare euident and manifest causes Also these be false pastors which be not able or méete to execute the offyce and charge Item all such as be defamed and slaunderous persons Item those which execute not their offyce and duty for hée is no Pastor that feedeth not his flocke Item those which excéede their commission that is to say which expoūd not faythfully the worde of God eyther chaunging putting to or diminishing but declare their owne fantasies or other mennes traditions in steede of the worde of God all such persons I saye be holden and declared namely by the auncient canons for false pastors and ministers of Sathan and not of God Wherfore all that euer they can say or do contrary to this order is in vayne and fryuelous before God although they had fiftie crownes vpon their heads and as many Buls for the power to bynde lose to open and shut is appoynted lymitted to the misterie of the worde of God and pertayneth not to those which holde the place of Lordly Pastors but to those which be true godly Pastors And if Magistrates in stéede to chastice such doo maintayne them it foloweth y ◠God doth not allowe them nor theyr deedes but reproueth them 29 Of degrees which ought to bee among Ministers of the word accordyng as they be disseuered by companies IN all companies it is certayne that there must be an order ▪ as we sée there was among the Apostles in Ierusalem where S. Peter had the voyce fréely wyllingly But this establysheth not a preheminence of a state or dignitie for it was but for a certayne order and tyme as was expedient and it was in suche wyse that Saynt Peter must render accoumpt to the Church of his voyage after he was burdened to haue misused him self and also suffred him selfe to bée reproued by S. Paule at Antioch ▪ For to conclude we confesse y ◠ther must be a distinctiō among pastors doctors the more orderly to assēble together whē néede shall require to kéepe a decent order y ◠one procéede be chéefe among thē who was called in the beginning by the Gréekes proestio y ◠is to say president as Iustine witnesseth Now we call him in France Doien in some places superintendēt And although we be not ignorant how often the auncient church hath established degrées among y e bishops in thinking to do wel neuertheles considering the horryble tiranny cōfusion which by this meanes is sprong vp in the church of God we content our selues with the custome of the Apostles which was to chose those which shoulde cōduct their affaires y ◠were most godlie and meete according as it was requisit ▪ whose power extēded no further nor longer time thē the consent of assemble dyd import much lesse then had hee power to do any thing on his own head or authority or to alledge that he could not erre as it playnlie appeareth in the election of S. Mathias in the election of the Deacons in that S. Peter and Saynt Iohn bee sent to Samaria by the other Apostles and in that which was sayd and done in the counsell of Ierusalem ▪ and in Antioche and by Saint Paule in many places 54 The secōd degree of ecclesiastical offices which is the office of deacōs the distribution of the goods of the church THe secōd place of ecclesiastical offices lyeth in the ministration the distribution of ecclesiastical goods wherof the Apostles dyscharged them selues wyth their good wylles for that they could not beare so great a burden Far ▪ vnlike we◠they to those which at this day call them selues men of the Church a. First in the church of Ierusalem were elected 7. persons ful of the holy ghost of wisdome ▪ of lyfe approued by sufficient testimony which were called Deacons that i◠to saye Ministers although this name oftentimes extendeth further this order ensewed continued as all the auncient ecclesiasticall Histories declareth Also it appereth by the auncient canons that the ecclesiasticall goods were deuyded into fowre partes whereof one was distributed to clarkes that is to say to those which were norished and maintained with the consent of their parents for to serue afterwardes in the Church according as they shoulde be found apte and meete and also those which serued presently yea which serued in effect and not onely in name for the workeman is worthy of his hyre and on the contrary he that trauelleth not is not worthy to eate wherein neuertheles this meane was kept that they respected to that which was necessary So farre that those which might bee mayntayned and kept of the goods of their Parentes and yet neuerthelesse tooke the goods of the Churche were reproued yea as sacrilegers The seconde parte of the fowre was dystributed to the poore the thyrde employed to maintaine the buyldinges and such other ecclesiasticall necessities ▪ Yet neuerthelesse all the ornaments of the Temples in the which as yet they kept a measure and meane order was employed for the poore in tyme of necessyties although S. Ierome complained of his tyme and Saynte Ambrose also that they were to much geuen euen then to such excesse and pompes rather lyke Painims then Christians The fowrth parte was assigned to the Byshop net for to dispose at his appetite or pleasure the whiche coulde not be done without great sacrilege and euident contrarietie of al that which is ordained and limited by the counsel of Carthage the fourth but for his necessarie charges to comforte the prisoners and to receiue and relieue the poore straungers as recyteth Gelasius S. Ierom declareth it plainely The offices to receiue and to distribute other suche lyke were geuen to the Deacons which neuertheles rendred a count to the pastors and especially to the Byshop as it appeareth by the canons which they call apostoliques in such sorte that it was not permytted neither to Deacons nor to Bishops to distribute or employ any thing without consent the one of the other as it appeareth by the counsell of Antioch Afterwardes because of the difficultie of the great charge they ioygned to them subdeacons as coadiutors of the Deacons there where it was expedient And also archdeacons to gouerne althings in good order one or many according as néede required of the which Saint Hierome and Saint Gregory maketh mencion Also there was appoynted to the subdeacons certaine Wyddowes whiche were entertained to kéepe and gouerne the sicke for other necessyties of the poore wherein the ministerie of Women is more handsome and méete then of men The same is spoken of in Saynt Luke and in Saynte Paule where it was ordayned that no wydowe shoulde bee appoynted
not written but halfe or a part what assuraunce had there bene in their doctrine And as S. Augustine speaking of the Traditions whiche they call Apostolikes If Iesus Christ had kept backe any thing from vs who coulde saye it is this or that Or if any should say it how could he proue it we conclude then that it is open and manifest blasphemye against the auctoritie of Iesus Christ the onely espouse Lord maister and head of the Churche against the Prophetes and Apostles against the worde of God and all the Auncient and faythfull Doctours Briefe it is to reuerse and ouerturne the foundation of the Churche to estéeme and thinke that it were lawfull to men whatsoeuer they were to put to or take from that doctrine contayned in the holie scripture But here ye maye sée what hath caused oftentimes y â— faithfull to assemble and come together First to maintaine the pure syncere doctrine contained in the holy scripture against the heretikes which would corrupt it Also to render and geue an open testimonye of the healthfull doctrine of saluation preached and written by the Apostles Farre was it from them to assemble or congregate to adde to it any thing in condemning it as vnperfect Brieflye they dyd not assemble to stablishe and confirme the scriptures the which be grounded and stablished vpon the eternall trueth of God and shal continue for euer but for to confirme them selues by the scriptures against Satan and his adherentes So then we beléeue the holy church not as the foundation of the Scriptures but grounded vpon the doctrine of y â— scriptures which be pure and the onelye trueth so that for this cause the Church is called by S. Paul and with good right the pyller and stay of the trueth And consequeÌ„tly we estéeme that assembly for a false church which swarueth from this fouÌ„dation and for a whoorishe Churche that which heareth the voyce of a straunger not being content with y â— voyce of her spouse Secondlie the faythfull be gathered together for to appoynt and set orders in the church aâ— it is to be séen in the Actes of the auncient counsel For of necessitie al things must be done in the Church of God by good order as S. Paule sayde But this may not be but when necessities do happen But of this let vs mark well the poyntes which folow 18 The fyrst poynt to consider the case well when or at what tyme they should set vp politike lawes in the Church FIrst there ought to be put great difference betwene the doctrine of saluation and those things which they establish onely for to kéepe the ciuill order required in the church For the doctrine vnder the which also we doo comprehende the Sacraments do teach the conscience dependeth not vpon man who is bounde to mayntaine it vnder paine of damnation without chauÌ„ging putting to or dyminishing any thing in no manner of wise as we haue declared heretofore but the canonicall ordinaunces concerning the manner of doing is all exterior and outwardlye according to the cyrcumstances of places tymes and persons by reason whereof they can neyther be perpetuall nor vniuersall without exception For such order and fashion maye be holden in one place which can nor maye in no wyse bee vsed in another place Such thing also is good in one place or in one time which shoulde be vnprofitable or domageable in another And for this cause there is often tymes contrariety among y e Canons as it was néedefull to haue respect to those which were expedient For as much then as such ordinaunces be mutable and made by man it followeth that they concerne not the conscience but in cases of slaunder and dysorder which shoulde bee a let or stoppe of the purpose for the whiche they were set vp that is to saye the edification and quietnes of the Church as for example It was agreed vpon in Ierusalem by the Counsell where the Apostles were that the onelye grace of God iustifieth vs by faith against those which woulde ioyne the Ceremonies of the lawe with the Sacrifices of Iesus Christe And moreouer fornication is forbidden Beholde a doctrine which was not newly set vp by the authoritie of the Counsell but with good ryght approued by this assemble For as much as it is the true doctrine reuealed to the worlde from the begynning and confyrmed by all the preachynges and writinges of the Prophetes Finally it is ordained that the Gentiles shoulde abstayne from eating the Sacrifices of Idolles from bloud and beastes that bée suffocate or strangled I saye that this is an ordynaunce dystiucte from the other going before the whiche partayneth not to the conscience nor to saluation simplye but onelye to the exterior and outwarde lyfe for to attayne an ende more excellent and perfecte that is to saye that the doctrine of saluation myght take place among the Iewes For if it had béene otherwyse the Apostles had béene contrary to them selues For in the begynning they agréede and stayed vpon this that grace onely iustifieth by fayth without the woorkes of the lawe and also they had béene contrarye to the doctrine of Iesus Christ which wytnesseth and sayth that which entreth into the mouth defileth not the man and Saint Paule which was in this Counsel should be contrary to him selfe For shortly after he wrote that the kingdome of God was not in meate nor drinke and that one mighte eate of al things without making any difficultie for conscience sake Such prohibitions be diueâ—lishe doctrines except they be vsed at lybertie to the edification of their neyghbours For auoyding slaunder let those then which wyll not vnderstande this dyfference declare to vs wherefore they haue abolished the Apostolycall ordinaunce or whether they haue greater power theÌ„ the Apostles or else whether they wyll geue place to the trueth of God and studye with vs to sée that whiche maye serue to the glorie of God in stéede to serue their owne auarice and ambition in abusing falsely the title and authority of the Church 19 The seconde poynt which is to be considered in the ecclesiasticall ordinaunces THE seconde poynt for asmuch as such ordinaunces and statutes be made to encrease the doctrine of y e Gospell let them be established and set vp in such wyse that not onelie there be no abuse or kinde of superstition but also y e man which of his nature is prompt ready to turne the best thinges in the world into abuse should not so easely abuse them And this must néeds be grauÌ„ted that for lacke of takinge good héede in the begynning to this poynt hath bene the verie meanes to serue Satans turne for to abolyshe and destroye the true seruice of God in his Churche so that if néede were we coulde she we before â—he eyes of all men from tyme to time and point to point from what originall beginning Idolatry
diuine nature as he sayd to his Apostles Finally if they alledge that the bodie of Iesus Chryst is now gloryfied the answere is peremptorie that wheÌ„ the Lord instituted thys sacrament his body was not as then gloryfied And neuerthelesse hys wordes were then as true and veritable as they be now at this day wherfore their saying is to no purpose for the glorification maketh but one bodye to become one infinite thing for it appertayneth but to one God to be infinite The ordinaunce of God ought to be playnely declared and expounded in the ministration of the sacramentes according to his word otherwise no faith can be there But these haue wrapped the ordinance word of the supper among a number of things vtterly contrarie to it for to turn away the people from that whiche they oughte chiefly to consider Also they say nothing but in an vnknowen language to the moste parte and finally muche lesse expounde they any thing but on the contrarie they enforce themselues to speake at that tyme basest and softeste so that then it séemeth they blow rather than speake And then they haue done their greate consecration by reason wherof they estéeme themselues more worthy than the Virgin Mary for say they the virgin Mary did but beare Iesus Chryst but we make him The supper is the Sacrament of the communion of the faythful as wel with Iesus Chryst as one with another but these against the expresse word of god againste the nature and the ende for whiche this Sacramente was instituted againste all the custome of the auncient Church haue changed it into their base Masses and particular Masses from whence shortely after were hatched and sprong vp this gret and horrible multitude of Massing Priestes We oughte to come to the Supper there to receyue in our owne persons by fayth the body and bloude of our onely Sauiour But these gyue in their Masses neyther breade nor Wyne but eate vp all themselues for all the Paryshe as they say But put the case that theyr Sacrament were a true Sacramente where fynd they that the sacraments do profite them whych receyueth them not or whether one maye receyue it by a Proctoure But what say they to Calixte one of their Popes whych woulde that al they shoulde be excommunicated whiche be founde at Masse not communicating the Sacramente wyth the Priest Also we ought to come to the Supper of the Lorde to the ende to receyue Iesus Chryste to euerlasting lyfe by the vertue of the oblation whiche he once made of hymselfe These on the contrarie what say they that they doe at their Masse They offer Iesus Chryst to God his father for the quick for the deade Now if this be true where is this only oblation of Iesus Chryst where is also his hie priesthood by consequent wher is the onely hope of our Saluation God hath instituted two Sacramentes that is to say breade and wyne These of their own authoritie besyde that in their hye and lowe Masses there is no communion no when they kéepe their Easter as they call it haue taken away the vsage of Wyne from all those whiche they call lay people And they cannot deny but it is against the expresse ordinaunce of God and against the custome of all the auncient Chrystian Churche But what say they of their Pope Gelasius which excommunicateth expresly al those which be conteÌ„t to take the bread and abstaineth from taking the Sacrament of the bloude The Sacrament of the bodye and the Sacrament of the bloude were ordayned seuerally and namely the bread oughte to be broken to be dystributed But these in the Sacryfice of their Masse where as I haue sayde before there is no Communion and consequently no Sacrament of the Supper but an horrible prophanation of the sacrament make 3. morsels of that which they séeke no more in Heauen by faith But they say they holde in their handes â–ª and so eate their soppes wine what say they then to Iulie one of their Popes which did expresly forbid them to wet the breade in the wine The sacrament of the supper oughte to serue vs as a ladder for to ascende vp to heauen by faith and there to embrace him which is represented in the supper by signes and visible ceremonies By reason wherof they also yet sing Sursum corda that is to say not to staye themselues vpon visible signes on the earth but to lyfte vp their heartes and mynds on hye for to eschewe all Idolatrie but these after they haue song it doe proue themselues lyers going clean contrary willing the people to stay and gase vpon that which they holde in their hands and do worshyp it as very God furely a thyng so detestable that it is maruell that the earthe dothe not open and swalowe them vp The sacramentes be ordained to be ministred and vsed as hath ben saide according to the word of god And therfore without this vse and ministration they be no sacramentes as S. Augustine declaâ—eth playnly speaking of the bread of the supper saying suche things be honorable and religious things but not maruelious or miraculous things but these contrariwise close it in their boxes worship it as very God and yet the wormes wyll eate it they make it rest some certayne dayes of the yeare and make him to walke some other dayes Whiâ—h was instituted by Pope Vrbane the fourth a boute the yeare 1264. for the Christian church did neuer know what that ment which they cal in som places the feast of god or corpus christi but since â—97 yeres which declareth sufficiently which â—orm and order of the Church is nowe eyther theirs or this which we now hold Certainely it is maruell that they doe not reserue and cause to walke or to leade about the wine as well as the bread for the one is as precious as the other It were out of order to saye they feare the wine wil eger or waxe palled For they holde that it is no more wine but the pure bloud of the Lord the which being glorified is no more subiecte to corruption But howe muche wanteth it after theyr doctrine that Saincte Hierome is not an heretik the which spake honorably of Exuperius Byshop of Tholouse for that he kepte the bloude in a cuppe of glasse and the body in a basket of osiers without any pompe What shal becom of al the auncient Churche whiche gaue the breade not into the mouthe but into the handes of the faythfull What shall become of the tyme of Saynte Ciprian where there were women which wythout reprehention dyd kéepe the residue in their coffers Althoughe there were in it wée confesse Superstition procéeding of ignorance but yet this was far from Idolatrie the whiche wée sée at thys day maynteyned with all kynde of crueltie as though we dyd not beléeue in God to say this whiche is true that we must séeke Iesus Chryste in Heauen by fayth
the fyrst place I wyl speake of the Pope for as much as he calleth himselfe head of the Church with the Cardinals the Suffraganes Officials Proctours Vicars Chaplains Prouostes Priors with all their sequels I put in the seconde place the Archbyshoppes Bishoppes Curates Cannons Priests Deacons subdeacons Clarkes and such other officers As concerning the order of S. Peter and S. Paule ▪ S. Iherome wytnesseth sufficiently as appeareth also by theyr epistles For in y ◠beginning there was no dyfference betweene Priest and Byshop But if they wyll regard that which hath happened since the bishop of Rome hath be not his limites and bondes assigned as the other ▪ Metropolitanes ▪ had in the fyrst counsell of Nicene confyrmed by the subsequence ▪ When S. Irene and S. Ciprian wrote to the Bishoppe of Rome yea in reprouing him sharplye did they call him by any other name then brother and fellowe Gregory the fyrst ▪ dyd he not detest the name and offyce of head Byshop or Patriarke declaring in more then twelue sundrye textes that it is the verie tytle of Antechriste Who hath conuocated the auncient vniuersall Sinodes Who hath assygned the place and the time Who hath enioyed namely the Bishoppes of Rome as well as all other to be there but the Emperour If they beléeue not vs nor the actes of the Counselles let them beléeue the requestes intercessions and excuses contayned in the Epystles of Leo the first a man amonge the rest full of ambition whiche neuerthelesse did not once thinke of that which his Successours hath vsurped Gregorie the first which they holde as a Saint did he cal the Emperour any otherwyse then his soueraigne Lorde Namely did not he witnes that it is by the commaundement of the Emperour that he was Bishoppe Much lesse then dyd the Pope make the Emperours In the tyme of Constantine in the cause of a Byshop of Carthage named Cecilian was not the Bishoppe of Rome with other Bishops Delegates as Iudges appoynted by the Emperour And afterwarde because there was an appeale from his iudgement the Byshop of Arle was hée not sent as Delegate by the Emperour for to knowe the cause of the appeale When Leo the first would extoll his preheminence by his Embassadours in the counsell of Calcedon although that whiche he pretended was a small thing in respecte of that which is done since was it not put backe and denyed quycklie by the Counsell Was it not expressely forbydden in the counsel Mileuitane where as Saynte Augustine was that from Affrica they should not appeale ouer the Sea And when thrée Popes one after another to wéete Zozinius Boniface and Celestine alleadged in the sixt counsell of Carthage a false Canon of the counsell of Nicene for to vsurpe iurisdyction ouer Affrica this falsehood was it not dyscouered and condempned by expresse letters In the whiche it is also declared to Celestine that hée hath not to doo to sende neyther Legates nor other of his parte into Affrica for as muche as it was not so ordayned in the Churche nor in no wyse to be receyued Now these testimonies being most true and certain by what tytle doth he call himselfe successour of Saint Peter and heade of the Churche vnder the shadowe of ordynaunces which they alleadged notoriously false and attributed vniustly to thrise whom they lyst As hath heretofore bene sayde and partlie also made by them selues after theyr owne appetyte agaynst God and all the auncient decrées of whome they woulde seeme to be the defenders Or shall it be for that about the yeare 607. Boniface the fowrth dyd bye fyrst of this horrible monster Phocas murderer of Maurice the Emperour his Maister the tytle of vniuersal head or Bishop which Gregorie his predecessour so earnestlye dyd refuse saying that it was the verye manifest tytle of Antichriste Or shall it bee because that Zacharie and Steuen the seconde for the rewarde of theyr cruelties and infamous treasons receyued the seigniorie of Italye whiche they afterward dyd call the patrimony of saint Peter This shall suffice them for this tyme for if it be néedefull to enter into further matter there is well wherewith to banket them of another sort Concerning Cardinals it were néedefull that they shoulde fyrst of all declare from whence they bee come the whiche were verye diffycill for them Certaynly if we wyll beléeue the godly iuglyng of that Synode which they haue attrybuted to Syluester Pope theyr natiuitie dyd begin at Constanstine But there is yet worsse then in so long a tyme and in so many Counsels so many bookes of the auncient Doctours there is made no more mencion of my Lord Cardinals tytles then if they had neuer béene hatched Wherefore if there were any then it must appeare that their office charge was very small And in déede it is euydently sene by that which they alledge of Syluester that they were none other but Deacons that is to say dystrybuters of the goodes of the poore euery one in hys quarter of the Towne of Rome at that time being deuided in 7. quarters which they called Cardines It is then no maruayle though they be not named by such thynges as concerne the affayres of the true doctrine or the gouernement thereof wherein they are not séene neyther doo they vnderstande what it meaneth But afterwarde when theyr Byshoppe was exalted the Priests of Rome would also bée a lofte and by this meanes the name of Cardinall was geuen to them and their authority encreased and grew vp For it was more then reason but that they shoulde haue part of the bootye And for to hyde or dissimule theyr originall they haue agreed to be called Cardinals as if they were those vpon whom the catholyke Churche were stayed as a gate hangeth vpon his post For Cardo signifieth a gate or doore poste But they are not determyned to leaue their tytle so long as they adde to them as Saynt Crosse Saynt Sabine and other The which declare yet playne their oryginall and firste offyce Yet that not withstandyng by a long space it was thought a straunge thing that a Cardynall of Rome should hold a Bishoprike for he could not haue it at Rome where hée must doo hys offyce of Elder or of Deacon and so féede his flocke And for to bee a Byshoppe and not to preache was a thyng no lesse straunge then to sée a Shephearde dwell in a Citie and be called Shephearde and to receyue the wages without kéeping or féeding any Sheepe Farre was it from theyr custome to bée absent from theyr charge and offyce or to haue a Vicar vnder them and yet lesse to kéepe them in the courts of kings and Princes and to be charged with Abbyes and Byshoprikes But after the horrible confusion was come then theyr charges and offyces were conuerted into dignities and my Lorde the Pope desyred no better then by these traffykes and meanes to entertaine himselfe with Kings
of God and coūteth the blood of the newe Testament an vnholie thing But some haue not onely troden vnder foote but also mocked despised and most cruelly brent the Testament and woorde of the eternall God and also tormented and shamefully murdered his true and faythfull seruauntes and preachers the deere members of Iesus Christ his sonne And most blasphe ▪ mously contemning the holy sacraments truely mynistred and all godly ecclesiasticall orders and discipline To redresse of these enormities must come by y ◠magistrates for they are powers ordayned and exalted of God for the same entent ▪ If they be not redressed and that short ▪ lie in stéede of the comfortable promises of God wée shalbe oppressed with the terryble plagues whiche hée threatneth to the breakers of his lawe As dearth warre pestilence and other his scourges as wée be threatened now of late by the punyshmente of our neyghbours in Fraunce Happy are those that can bée admonyshed by the fall of others and amend I would thinke my labour well bestowed if I mought obtayne of your honor and other that be of a godly meaninge to reade this ouer with good delyberation and Iudgement And also suche as be in doubte whiche is the true religion And those that thinke we be in an errour I would to God they woulde vouchesafe to reade and conferre it with the scriptures and doctours as is noted in the margine And in reading to put a syde disdayne contempte and all singular and pryuate affections And then I doubte not but God wyll open vnto them further knowledge and mooue them to be more studious in Gods word and also haue a better opinion of the true religion I haue for my Countryes sake translated this godly and necessarye woorke wherevnto I haue added nothyng of myne owne but symple and playnelye according to my small vnderstanding I haue kepte the wordes and meanyng of the authoritie as neare as our English wyl suffer mée rather shewing mee selfe homelye and playne then by ouer muche fynenesse to dissent from the mynde of hym who in the feare of God and for his Bretherns sake set it foorth Humblye beséechynge youre honour and all godlye Readers to take this my small labour in good parte and accept my good meaning which tendeth to the profite of my Country men and especiallye to the glorie of God and aduauncement of his kingdome Who prospere and maintaine your honour in his feare long to continue enrytching you with all good blessinges and gouerninge you and yours by his holye spirite vntyll he shall call you to come vnto him selfe there to continue in his glorious kingdom for euer and euer Amen This vvhole Worke or confession consisteth of .vij. principall poinctes The first number signifieth the article The second the leafe THe fyrste poinct intreating of the Trinitie contayneth these thrée articles 1 Of the vnitie of God Folio 1 2 Of the Trinitie of personnes distinct in one vnitie of substance Eodem 3 Of the eternall prouidence of God Eodem ¶ The second poinct intreating of God the Father containeth these fowre articles 1 Of the person of the Father fol. 2 2 How the father is creatour and preseruour of all thinges Eodem 3 Of the creation of Angelles Eodem 4 The works of y e trinity are inseparable eodē ¶ The thirde poinct intreating of Iesus Christ the onelye Sonne of God containeth these 26 articles 1 Of the diuinitie of the Sonne fol. 3 2 The Sonne onely mediatour betwéene God and his elect eternally ordayned Eodem 3 God is perfectly iust and mercifull Eodem 4 God is immutable Eodem 5 The counsell of God doeth not exclude the seconde causes Eodem 6 Man was created to declare the Iustice and mercy of God Foli 4 7 Why it was necessarye that the fyrste man should be created good and pure Eodem 8 It was necessary that man should fall from his puritie Eodem 9 How God hath created men good Foli 5 10 How mā brought himself w t all his posterity culpable of the first seconde death Eodem 11 The way which leadeth to y ◠first death Eodē 12 The fyrst death can not be eternall Eodem 13 The way which leadeth to y ◠secōd death eodē 14 What free wyll remayneth in man after sinne Foli 6 15 A briefe summe of originall sinne Eodem 16 Howe God turneth mannes sinne to his glorie Foli 7 17 Iesus Christ the onely mediatour ordained and promised Eodem 18 The agreement and difference of the olde and new Testament Foli 8 19 Wherefore it behoued Iesus Christ to be a very naturall man in body and soule without synne Eodem 20 Wherfore was it néedeful that Iesus Christ should be very God Folio 9 21 Howe the mistery of our saluation was fulfilled in Iesus Christ Foli 10 22 The two natures were vnited and knitte in one personne from the fyrst instaunt of the conception Eodem 23 The Vyrgine Marye is Mother of Iesus Christe God and man Eodem 24 The summe of the accomplishment of our saluation in Iesus Christ folio 11 25 Howe Iesus Christe beinge ascended into heauen is neuerthelesse here on earth wyth his flocke Fol. 12 26 There can be no other true Relygion then this Folio 13 ¶ The iiii poynt intreating of the holye ghost containeth the 15. Articles 1 Of the person of the holy ghost Folio 13 2 Of the effectes properlye consydered in the holy Ghost fol. 14 3 The holy Ghost maketh vs partakers of Iesus Christ by fayth onely Eodem 4 What meanes the holy ghost vseth to create and maintaine faith in vs. Eodem 5 How necessary faith is what faith is fol. 15 6 What is the obiect of the true fayth and of what force it is Fol. 16 7 How this is to be vnderstand which we say as Saint Paule sayth that we be iustified by onely fayth Eodem 8 To be assured of our saluation by faythe in Iesus Christe is nothing lesse then arrogancie or presumption fol. 17 9 Faythe findeth in Iesus Christe all that is necessary to saluation fol. 18 10 Of the remedy which faith findeth in Iesus Christ only against y e first assault of y e first tēptation groūded vpon y e multitude of our syns what assuraunce there is in this case eyther vpon the saints or vpon our selues Eodem 11 The remedy which only fayth findeth in Iesus Christe onely against the second assault of the first temptation grounded vpon this that we be vnfurnished of the righteousnesse which God requireth of vs. fol. 22 12 The thyrde assault of the same temptation grounded vppon the naturall corruption of originall sinne which is within vs. Fol. 23 13 The remedy against the seconde temptation whether we haue faith or not fol. 24 14 Those do slaunder vs falsely which say that we disalow good workes fol. 26 15 The first differēce in the mater of good works is which be good and which be euyll fol. 27 16 Which be
the most excellent works and the qualities of true praier according to the work of God and the authoritye of the aunciente doctors of the Church folio 28 17 The secōd differēce of y e mater of good works is to know from whence they procéede fol. 31 18 The thyrde dyfference in the matter of good workes is to knowe wherevnto they be good fol. 33 19 To what ende good works do serue vs before God and before men foli 34 20 Remedies against the laste and most daungerous temptation which is whether we be saued or not fol. 37 21 Of two instrumentes wherewith the holye Ghoste is serued to create fayth in the hartes of his electe to wéete the worde of God and the sacraments foli 42 22 What is that we call the word of God and of the two partes that is to say the lawe and the Gospel Eodem 23 What dyfference there is betwene the law and the Gospell folio 43 24 After what maner the preaching of the law serueth the holy ghost fo 46 25 Of the other part of the word of god caled the gospel of what autoritie it is wherfore howe and to what ende it is written foli 48 26 How the gospel comprehendeth in substance all the bookes of the olde testament fo 50 27 Howe it is to be vnderstande that we haue spoken of the authority of the word written and if it be necessarye to traunslate it into all languages folio 51 28 Howe the holye ghost is serued with the exteriour preachinge of the Gospell to create fayth in the hartes of the elect and to harden the reprobate fol. 52 29 Another fruite of the preaching of the lawe after the preaching of the Gospel begynneth to worke folio 53 30 The seconde meane which the holye ghoste vseth to make vs reioyce in Iesus Christ and wherfore the lord is not only content with the symple preaching of his word fol. 55 31 The diffynition of that which is called Sacrament folio 57 32 The difference betwen the sacraments of y e olde couenaunt and those of the new fo 58 33 Whereby the false sacraments be knowen from the true and the abuse of them from the right vsage Eodem 34 Which things be common to the preaching of the word and to the sacraments fol. 59 35 What things belong properly to the sacramentes hauing respect to the ende wherefore they were ordained of God folio 60 36 Howe there is but two Sacraments in the Christian Church fol. 63 37 The fowre points which be to be consydered in the declaration of this matter Eodem 38 The first point is to vnderstand what we do meane by the name of sygnes in this matter of Sacramentes and wherfore the Lord dyd chuse for sygnes the most vulgar and cōmon thinges Eodem 39 What followeth the errour of those which take awaye the substaunce from the sygnes in the sacrament foli 65 40 What mutation or change is in the things which he vsed in the sacrament Eodem 41 From whence proceedeth this alteration the errour of those which make a charme or sorcery of the the ▪ sacramental words fo 66 42 The Sacramentes to be no Sacramentes without the vse of them Eodem 43 The seconde poynt is the thing sygnified in the sacrament Eodem 44 The thyrd poynt is howe Iesus Christ is ioygned with the sygnes Eodem 45 The distinction of sygnes and of the thing sygnified Folio 67 46 The maner to communicate aswel y ◠signes of the sacraments as the thing signified eodē 47 Application of all that is beforesayde of the sacrament of Baptisme foli 68 48 For what cause the young chyldren of the faithfull be Baptised foli 70 49 Applycation of all that goeth before of the Sacrament of the Supper and the ryght vse therof foli 71 50 The conclusion of the matter of the Sacraments foli 76 51 Wherfore y e holy ghost is called y ◠consolator or comfortour and to what purpose and ende the afflictions of the faithful serueth Eodem ¶ The v. poynt intreating of the Church containeth the 43. Articles 1 That there hath alwayes béene and ouer shalbe a Churche out of the whiche there is no saluation Foli 77 2 There can be but one true Church Fol. 78 3 Wherfore we call the Church catholik eodē 4 In what thynge lyeth the Communion of Saynts Eodem 5 The Churche hath but one heade that is to saye Iesus Christe to whome there néedeth no lieuetenaunt foli 79 6 The communion of the Sayntes letteth nor hindereth not the diuersytie of offices among the faithfull fol 80 7 The markes whereby we maye discerne the false Church from the true fol. 81 8 Which be the true members of y ◠church fo 82 9 The marks or tokens of the Churche be not alwaies in one estate and how it ought to be gouerned fol. 83 10 Wherein consisteth the duetie and autority of the Church generally Folio 84 11 Of the autority of the vniuersal counselles and first what is an vniuersall counsel Eodē 12 Howe farre wée maye dyfferre from the counselles folio 85 13 To whom it pertaineth to cal a coūsel fo 86 14 Howe those ought to bee chosen whiche the churches do send to the counsels folio 87 15 Euery man ought to be heard in the counsel prouided that there be no confusion fol. 88 16 Who ought to procéede or to be chiefe in the counsell folio 89 17 How far extendeth the power of the coūsels and why they be ordained in the church fo 91 18 The first point to consider the case wel when or at what time they shoulde set vp publique lawes in the Churche folio 93 19 The secōd poynt which is to be considered in the Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces folio 95 20 The third consideration that ought to be had in Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces folio 96 21 What is to be aunswered to those whiche alleadge counselles against vs. folio 97 22 Of particular counselles as of nations or prouinces Foli 98 23 Howe manye sortes of speciall gouernours there be in the Churche Eodem 24 The office of Apostles Euangelists Prophetes in the primatiue Church folio 99 25 Of the office of pastours doctours fol. 100 26 The dyfference betwéene Pastours and Doctours folio 101 27 The pastours and doctours be but instrumentes by the which God conducteth the mynisterye of his worde Eodem 28 The markes and tokens of false Doctours and Pastours fol ▪ 102 29 Of degrées which ought to be among ministers of the worde according as they be disseuered by companies folio 104 30 The second degrée of Ecclesiasticall offices which is the office of deacons the distribution of the goodes of the Church foli 105 31 Of the fowre orders whiche they call minores ordine foli 107 32 The third degre of ecclesiastical offices which is the iurisdiction office of the elders fol. 108 33 To what purpose and ende serueth the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and
whiche bée the parâ—es therof Foli 109 34 What is y e office of y â— elders in y e church fo 110. 35 How y e eclâ—sâ—astical electioÌ„s ought to be fo 11â— 36 Of the qualities conditions of those which they ought to elect folio 112 37 The order maner to geue the voices fo 11â— 38 Of confyrmation and consecration of the persons elect Eodem 39 Of mariage of fasting and of the difference of dayes and meates Eodem 40 Of the second part of the ecclesyasticall iurisdiction concerning correction foli 116 41 What excommunication is and what the right vse therof is fol. 118 42 Of the ciuile and Christian magistrate and to what ende his office tendeth fol. 120 43 how far they are bouÌ„d to obey y e magi fo 121 ¶ The .vi. poynct intreating of the last iudgemeÌ„t containeth only this .i. article 1 What it is that we do beléeue and hope of the last Iudgement folio 122 ¶ The vii point discoursing a briefe coparison betwene the doctrine of the papistes and this of the Catholick church containeth these 15. articles â— The papists worshippe a false God which is neither righteous nor mercifull Foli 124 â— If y â— doctrine of y â— papists be true if followeth that Iesus Christ is not very man foli 125 â— The papistes abolyshe the true intercession â— Iesus Christ of none effect foli 126 4 The papistes doctrine maketh the oblation of Iesus Christ fol. 127 â— The papists do not acknowledge Iesus christ to be the perfect declarer of the wyll of God neyther the holy Scripture to be a suffycient doctrine of saluation foli 128 6 The papistes spoyle Iesus Christ of his office of head of the Church fol. 129 7 By the doctrine of the papistes we can in no wyse vnderstande howe mortall the naturall sicknesse of mankinde is foli 131 8 Another execrable errour of the papists in the vsing of the only medicine of health which is in the benefite of Iesus Christ Eodem 9 They knowe not the papistrie the exercise of the lawe of God or the Gospel foli 133 10 They knowe not what good workes bée in the papistry fol. 135 11 In the papistry they know not what is a sacrament nor what is the vse therof foli 13â— 12 In the papistrye there is no Ecclesyasticaâ— gouernment foli 16â— 13 The abuse whiche is committed in the seconde parte of Ecclesyasticall offices which be Deacons foli 17â— 14 Of the abuse which is committed in the order of priesthoode and in the gouernement oâ— their spyrituall iurisdiction fol. 17â— 15 The Papistes be manifestly culpable of reâ— bellyon against the magistrate fol. 18◠¶ Another bryefe consession of fayth according to the same here before and the same author The ende of the Table The Printer to the Reader AFter I had read this confession seene the great rytches of spiritual doctrine which is therein contained I thought I shoulde do a thing acceptable and also profitable if for your comfort I dyd make a Table setting in order the principall matter contayned herein the which thing I did for your commoditie and easynes reade it therfore with dilygence O would to God that King prince and other noble parsonages of the worlde which be so ciuill informed of the doctrine whiche we teache by those which serue in the Church for their bellyes sake woulde vouchsafe to haue patience to reade or cause to heare read that which is herein coÌ„tained and I beleeue they would not be so angrie nor haue so euyll opinion of vs as they haue But some wyll take good hede inough to beware that the wynde of those Bookes shall not touch such estates For if they do some of them wyll not laugh at it in the end Nowe God which hath the hartes of Kinges in his hande graunt them his spyrite of prudence and dyscretion to discerne the lyght from darknesse and geue place to the King of Kinges the Lord Iesus Christ whose lieuetenants they be that he maye rayne peaceable among his by the scepter of his worde and that all humaine traditions and superstitions full of Idolatrie may be taken away and throwen downe ¶ Certaine textes of the new Testament by the which euery faythfull christian is exhorted to render a confession of their â—aith before men Mathew 10. chap. Euery man which confesseth me before men him wyl I confesse before my father in heauen But he that denieth me before men him wyll I deny before my father which is in heauen Marke 8. Luke 9. chap. He that is ashamed of me my words in this adulterous sinfull generation the son of man shalbe ashamed of him when he shal come in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Roma 10. chap. The beléefe of the harte iustifieth but to confesse with the mouth maketh a man safe 2. Timothy 2. chap. If we deny Iesus Christ he wyl also deny vs. 1. Peter 3. chap. Be alwayes ready to answer to euery man y t demaundeth a reason of the hope that is in you For reading vvith Iudgement ye ought not be shent Therfore reade me oft the tyme is vvell spent ⧠Theodore de Beze to the Church of the Lord grace and peace in him AMong the errours whiche raigne at thys daye in the worlde about faith and ChristiaÌ„ religion there be two which me thinketh bee as the springs fountaines of al the others The first is that all which is done of a good intent is well done The second is that those which liue onely vpon the trafick or marchaundise of other mens soules haue persuaded the simple people that they neede not read y â— scriptures nor particularly enquire of euery poinct of that which they are bound to beleeue for to be saued But that it is sufficient to beléeue confusedly and in a generalitie as the church of Rome beléeueth and the rest to coÌ„mit to the Diuines or to the conscience of his curate Touching the first it is néedfull to defyne what intent is good what euill But to speak after their owne maner for as much as they beleue that all those which think they do well haue a good entent â–ª if it so were what woulde haue let sainct Pâ—ule to haue bene saued in his pharisaicall â—iâ—ing seyng that he was an earnest folower of the law of god giuen by Moises And as for that he persecuted the members of Iesus christ it was of ignoraunce supposing to haue done god good seruice as hee himselfe wytnesseth Yet this notwithstaÌ„ding he saith he was a persecutour and a Blasphemer so that God saued him of his singular grace and mercy The lyke case was of many of those which crucified Christ and stoned sainct Steuen thinkinge they did verye good seruice bicause they estemed theÌ„ to be false prophets enimies to God Neuertheles did their good meaning kepe them that they wer not horible murderers But if God gaue forgiuen them
by fayth and he that hath Iesus Christ hath all it foloweth that by him onelye our consciences haue wherein to be so pacified and so well contented and fullye satisfyed that namely we haue wherein to reioyce in our afflictions for as much as we knowe and be assured that they come not to vs at aduenture but bee sente of hym whoe hath reconciled vs vnto hymselfe by Iesus Christe entreating vs in the fame wyse that hee hath done hys owne Sonne and so by lyttle and lyttle to learne vs to hate sinne and despyse the worlde and moreouer by this meanes hee moueth vs to praye and call vnto him more earnestlye and deuoutlye and also chasticeth vs in trying and prouing our fayth and in fine maketh vs a shewe or a marke for all the world to looke at to declare how great is hys vertue and power in those which he hath armed and strengthened with his holye sririte Of the Church The fyft poynt 1. That there hath alvvaies beene and euer shall be a Church out of the vvhich there is no saluation ALl those thinges whereof we haue spoken to bee established and performed by the goodnesse of God be in vayne if there were not certaine people which felt and tasted of the fruict and commoditie hereof But for as much as Iesus Christ hath an eternall kingdome he can neuer be without subiectes it was meete then from the beginning of the world that there should be a church that is to saye a Congregation and assemble of people such as it hath pleased God to chuse by his grace y e which haue acknowledged and serued the true God according to his wyll by the meanes of Iesus Christ onely attayned by faith as it hath bene amply declared And wee must confesse moreouer by the same meanes that his Church and assemblye shal last for euer what soeuer assaults that all the Deuyls in hell can inuent or prepare against them Finallye it must be confessed necessarilye that wythout Iesus Christe there is no saluation And whosoeuer dieth not being a member of this congregation and assembly is excluded and locked out from Iesus Christe and from his saluation For the vertue to saue whiche is in Iesus Christ appertayneth not but to those whiche acknowledge him for their God and onely sauiour 2. There can be but one true church AS there is but one God â–ª one faith and one onelye Mediatour betwene God man euen Iesus Christe heade of his Churche So lykewise there can be but one Churche 3. VVherefore vve call the Churche catholyke FOr as much as God hath spred forth his Gospell that is to saye the preaching of saluation whiche is the Scepter of his kyngdome thorowe the vniuersall worlde and hath chosen of all nations such as séemed good to him For this cause there ought to bée confessed one catholike Church that is to saye a vniuersal Church Not that it comprehendeth al men generally for the greatest parte be not of it but because the faithfull be dispersed ouer all the earth according as the Lord hath chosen them not beyng restrayned to any certaine place tyme nor nation 4. In vvhat thyng lyeth the communion of sainctes BEcause the churche hath but one onely Lord soueraigne prince all the faithful in what place soeuer they be dispersed be conioyned knyt together as y e burgesies or inhabitants of one communaltie being all partakers of y â— same pryuiledges that is to say of the goods and treasures of Iesus Christ who for this cause is called their head as they be called the members of hym for that hee only by his vertue vniting and ioyning them to himselfe doeth quicken them iustifie them and sanctifye them wherfore none maye lawefully vse thys title head of the Churche but hee onely And beholde this is it that we call the communion or communaltye of sayntes For in the scripture this worde Sainte is attributed to all faithfull lyuing yet in this worlde for as much as they haue attained to Iesus Christ by fayth their onely righteousnes and sanctification 5. The churche hath but one heade that is to saye Iesus Christe to vvhome there needeth no lieu tenaunt IEsus Christ head of this Churche for the reason which we haue sayde wyll haue no companyon as the wyse woman in the scripture to the whiche the Church is compared hath but one Husbande and one body hath but one heade He hath no néede of any Successor for he is God lyuing eternallie nor any Vycar or Lieuetenaunt for wée haue all hys wyll by wrytinge And moreouer being God hée is euer present hym selfe in the myddest of hys Churche by his infinite power neuer departing from it as he him selfe hath promised â–ª which neyther Vycar nor Lieuetenaunt can doo And in déede the blindest man in the world may see whether those men hée toumbled and fallen beadlonge which woulde robbe or deprâ—ue Iesus Christe of this preheminence where as in déede they haue scarce one lyttle â—â—rner of the worlde to gouerne in comparyson of the whole worlde 9. The commuâ—ion of the Saintes letteth nor hindâ—râ—â—h not the diuersity of offyces amonge the faythfull IEsus Christe gouerneth his Churche so by his holye spirite that notwithstandyng he vseth men as instrumentes for to plant and to water as S. Paule speaketh moreouer be distributeth his giftes and graces diuerlly howe when and to whome seemeth good vnto him for the entertainment gouernment of all the bodye of the church in the whiche he wylleth all thynges to be done by good order and pollicy It is not Gods pleasure nor wyll that we should accept all the members of y â— church equal in their charges and offices and by this meanes brynge a confusion into the house of God But contrariwyse one of the principall differences that we haue with oure aduersaries is we require that the ecclesiasticall pollicie be established and set vp agayne according to the woorde of God with the aduyse and counsell of the auncient fathers whiche haue left vs theyr Canons for testimonies of the conduction and gouernement which they held in theyr tyme yet notwithstanding all thinges to be ruled by the worde of God â–ª and consider dilligentlye what thinges are expedient to be reteyned or to be altered for the edifycation of the Church For in matter of policye euerye man knoweth well that all thynges bee not conuenient in all tymes nor in al places marke I saye this is it that wee haue alwayes required and we yet earnestly require it But seing the negligence of manye and the small hope that we haue to bee prouided for in a generall or common consent force hath constrained certrine princes Lordes hauing knowen and seene the common disorders to prouide and sette orders in theyr owne countreyes as we doe sée Now they doe not well that fyll the eares of
Prynces that we be sedicious persones and Heretickes and that wee allowe no counselles nor ordinaūces of the Church which bee manifest slaunders and false rumours as yee maye perceiue it ye will geue vs hearynge as appertayneth and not to make our enterparties and enemyes Iudges of our owne causes 7. The markes vvhereby vve maye discerne the false Churche from the true WE require fyrste that there bee put a difference betweene the true Church and that whiche is not although they borrowe this name And also betwéene those whiche bee in suche wise wythin the Churche as they bee also of the Churche and of those whiche bee not of the Churche although they bee in the Churche For it is most certaine that Sathan desyreth and is busied to worke so that his Synagog bee esteemed for the true Churche and so longe as the Church striueth here on earth it is certayne and sure that the chaffe shall bee medled amongst the good grayne and the Cockle amonge the Wheate Nowe to the ende that we bee not deceiued if it be possible these differences be to be vnderstand The marke of the true of God there we acknowledge to be the true Church of god in what soeuer place it be howe small a number or lyttle apparance so ouer it hath before man 8. Whiche be the true members of the Church THose be of the Churche which haue the marke of Christians that is to say faith Those haue faith whych receiue the only sauioure Iesus Chryste as hath bin sayde b. Flying from synne following righteousnes that is to saye whiche loue and feare only the true and eternall God and their neyghbours according to the word of God without turning or swaruing eyther to the righte hande or to the lefte not but that there are great infirmites in the most perfitest and also there is greate dyfference betwene those in whom sinne reygneth fullye and those in whome there are yet but rem nantes of synne Briefe those same be of the true Church in whom the spirit whiche is the gifte of grace proper to the electe and not of nature striueth against the fleshe and whiche may saye with S. Paule I doe the euill whiche I would not that is to say to the which I giue no suche consent As those doe whiche be not regenerated by the spirite of God Beholde here those which be of the true Churche but as for the others of what estate or degrée soeuer they bée in the Churche yea though they were Apostles of as good auctoritie as euer was Iudas yet bee they not of the churche But assoone as God hath reuealed them they oughte to be reiected and eschued of all Christians so long as they be irreformable for suche be not of the churche this day in effect whiche may be or shall be to morrowe or when it shall please God who according to his eternall councell hath disposed the monethes and tymes in the whiche he will call his elect to himselfe 9 The markes or tokens of the Churche bée not alvvayes in one estate and hovve it oughte to bee gouerned FUrthermore we knowe that the markes and tokens of the true churche be not always in one estate nor they be not alwayes one concerning thēselues But God according to hys incomprehensible wisedome in punishing the ingratitude of the worlde sometimes withdraweth and taketh from vs parte of his light in suche wise that sometyme it séemeth that the Churche is at an ende or destroyed as we sée it happened in Israell in the time that Chryst came into this worlde For set the Iewes aparte there was not one trace or steppe of the true markes of the Churche in the worlde And as for Ierusalem what ignorance what corruption of doctrine what wyckednesse ▪ was there when Iesus Chryste the true Messias hadde no greater enimies than the blynde guides whyche conducted and taught the other But yet the Lord doth neuer take awaye the whole foundation of his Churche but alwayes hathe a certayne flocke somtime greater somtime smaller as him selfe declared to Helias Also we may sée howe it is come to passe in our time that there is no people in the worlde more abused than those whyche wold knit and tie the church to a certaine place and to the succession of those which they call byshoppes which in very déede be nothing lesse both by the word of God and by the auncient canons Whereby it is easy to shew that from the hed of them al to the smallest thei be excōmunicated cut off from y e church if they change not their life and māners Nowe the duty of the childrē of god is not only to serue god in what place soeuer they be or whatsoeuer ruin or decay there be in the Church but when it shall please God to establishe and build vp again her ruines decayes eyther here or in any other place not being bounde to anye people or Nation whatsoeuer they bo but when it pleaseth him to set vp again his standard whiche is y e ministration of his holy word y e duety I saye of y e children of God is to ioyne themselues to the true flocke separate themselues from those which be not Folowing the admonitions whiche the prophets gaue and also that the Lord sayd where the deade carkas is thither wyll the Egles resort 10 Wherein consisteth the duetie and authoritie of the Churche generally THese things considered we be come nowe to declare what is the power and auctoritie of the true Churche to the whiche wée may aunswere in one worde that shée consisteth in the obedience whiche she oweth to hir only spouse Iesus Christ as to GOD and to giue order for the seruice of Iesus Chryst considering that y ◠members be ordeyned for to ayde one an other But this ought to bée yet more fully expounded Wée wyll speake in the fyrst place of the auctoritie of the vniuersall Church and of the particular membres of the same I speake of those whiche haue charge of the ministration 11 Of the auctoritie of the Vniuersall Councels and first what is a vniuersall Councell THe name of vniuersall Church comprehendeth properlye the generall assemblie and congregation of all the faythfull togither But for as much as the Lorde did seatter and deuyde them into dyuers partes it was necessarye to vse distinction of parishes and dioces for to kéepe a certayne order Moreouer it is not expedient nor yet possyble that all those which make profession to be of the Church should be assembled togither one by one when it shalbe requisyte or nedefull to appoynt orders concerning the whole body of the Churche We call then the vniuersall Churche in this matter y ◠we haue to intreate of an assembly wherto all the churches as farforth as may be be gathered or assembled togither although it happen somtimes y ◠one man do appere
in the name of one whole Churche or of one whole nation When it shalbe expedient so to do it must then be vnderstaÌ„d what is the power autheritie of suche an assembly which they call generall councell â—â— Hovve far vve may differ from the councels SOme there be y t contemne the councels of y e church as things of nothing some other thynke that all that commeth from the couÌ„cels ought to be receiued as the word of God without exception But wée doo not agrée with the one nor the other For wée doubt not but the lord is amongst those which be lawfully called in his name as he hath promised although they wer but two or thrée then much lesse do we dout but that he gouerneth with greater power in y e greater coÌ„pany of his church which he gouerneth by his holy spirit And we knowe be assured that the truth of God is stedfastlier grounded thaÌ„ vpon nieÌ„ whatsoeuer they be for we al know not God as yet but in a part Moreouer experieÌ„ce sheweth vs sufficiently howe easy it is to abuse this title of councels namely what coÌ„trarietie there is amoÌ„g theÌ„ Wherfore we conclude y â— a meane must be kepte whiche is neither to despise theÌ„ nor yet to extol set them vp aboue god who only caÌ„not erre And saincte Augustine sayth the churche ought not to bee preferred before Iesus Christ For he iudgeth alwayes truely but the ecclesiasticall Iudges oftentimes may deceyue themselues truly so they doo For who condemned Iesus Christe A counsel lawfully assembled if we consyder the outewarde succession and appearaunce Who concluded that those whyche were baptysed by Heretykes shoulde bée rebaptysed A Councell of Affrica where as was sainct Cyprian And to be briefe if it shall be nedeful to consyder the inconstancie of the Iudgemente of the councels I speake namely of those whyche without controuersye haue ben gathered in the name of God It shall bée easye to declare that suche haue but a weake staye whiche haue no surer foundation But yet wée maruell of those whiche reproue and condemne vs as contemners of Councels whiche neuerthelesse will kéepe themselues no one iote of them Witnesse the councell of Basile which was abolished by all the Popes following and others Now to the ende that they may the better vnderstande whether oure sayings be conformable to the truthe of God or not sée what we shall saye in this matter hereafter 13. To vvhome it pertayneth to call a councell THe communaltie oughte to be assembled by order and then by authoritye of some one elected among them we doubte not but that it is the offyce of the magistrate to giue order and prouide that the ecclesiasticall estate maye bée well gouerned and ruled in peace and to encrease therein Now yf the chiefe Magistrate bee a Chrystian by his authoritye suche assemblies ought to come togither as it hathe euer beene practised in the Churche of God without contradiction vntill suche tyme as the ambition of the Patriarkes and especially they of Rome hathe reuersed and ouerturned the whole order Notwithstandynge we confesse that for lacke of Christian Princes or when they shall not do their dutie then must the Pastors which watche ouer the flocke take héede to those thyngs that be necessarie for the Churche but in suche sorte as all thinges maye be doone without ambition or disorder as wée sée howe the Churche of Antioche hath practised as it is written in the Actes of the Apostles 14 Hovve those oughte to be chosen vvhiche the Churches doe sende â—o the councels WHen it was requisite that thyngs shoulde be doone extraordinaryly in a Generall assemblie in the name of a whole Church or of a communaltie as if it were néedefull to sende one man or diuers or many men in the name of a whole parishe Diocesse or nation Although it were supposed that those persons whyche had the ordinarie charges and offices in the Churche were then the moste méetest to deale with the affaires in councels whiche was in that time when the offices were gyuen to suche persons as were most méete by a frée ecclesiasticall election whyche was then done with fastyng and prayer Yet neuerthelesse in those dayes there was great choyse so that all the church with a common consent had respect to chuse men whyche were indewed with giftes and graces of the holy Ghost as well in lyfe as in learning As it appeareth in the history conteined in the Acts of the Apostles concerning the first councell holden at Ierusalem where the Apostles were gathered together Muche more nowe when all is ouerturned and in stead of Pastours they are Mummers or Maskers as all the worde may sée Nowe who that woulde chuse and gather together into one heape and companye all the fylthye and abhominable rabble of the worlde let him assemble those whiche they now call Prelates of the church and he shall finde that from the greatest to the least they bée all bounde by theyr othe to maynteyne and vpholde the tyranny of him against whom the counsell shoulde be assembled and gathered And the whole rabble of them be entred into the Churche by brykes and symonie agaynst the commaundement of God agaynst the manacyng and threatninge of Sainct Peter agaynst all the customes of the primatiue Churche against all the auncient Cannons decrées and Councels whereby all suche personnes be excommunicated and throwen out of the Churche then muche lesse ought they to bée holden for Prelates and gouernoures of the Churche whylest there is suche disorders I saye what folyshnesse is it to all suche an assemblie a godly or lawful Councel where sâ—ant one can be founde whyche is a member of the true Churche of God We say then to assemble a lawfull councell those oughte not whiche be nothyng lesse than that they be called to enterprise anye thynge on theyr owne authoritie But the Churches oughte to assemble together wyth fastyng and earnest prayer with a common consent where it may be suffered or at the least with the beste order that may be doone euery churche to elect and appoynt those which be known to be vnreprouable in their lyues endued with the spirite of wysedome and vnderstanding and other giftes méete and necessarie to suche an office without respecte of crosses myters double crownes or any suche maskings vnder the which all the worlde may sée what knowledge or gifts of the holy Ghost dwelleth 15. Euery man ought to be heard in the councell Prouyded that there be no confusion FOr as muche as Hypocrites may deceyue a whole multitude and also the Holy Ghost distributeth his giftes and graces to whome hée séeth good and oftentymes to those whiche bee of least estimation as it hapned to Hieremie and to Amos at that tyme when all the Prelates of the churche had conspired against the truth of god and as we sée in our tyme the
vnder lx yeares and also to haue good testimony of her chaste lyfe and conuersation 31 Of the fowre orders which they call minores ordines BEsyde thys amonge the olde wryters there is mencyon of three degrees whiche afterwarde were called Minores ordines although some count of fowre and other count more There was also Porters or Vsshers which were called Ostiarii who kept at the gates of the Churche to open and to shutte especiallye because of the Cathacumines the excommunicated and the penytentes whiche were not permytted to be present at the mynistration of the Sacramentes There were those also which followed the Pastour ordynarylye as well to doo hym reuerence and honour as to be wytnesses of those thynges whiche hee dyd or sayde and also to acquaynt and make them selues knowen to the church and also to learne to knowe and exercise their offyces and those they called Acolites that is to say following and also they dyd vse to set them to other small affayres néedeful in the assemblie Moreouer there were those which they called Lectors who dyd reade openly the textes of the scripture which the pastour or doctour afterward expounded in the Church they ioygned to them Exorcistes that is to say coniurers the which office as I think is now ceased or at the least ought to cease in the Churche with the gyft of myracles which was not but for a time for to confyrme and stablyshe the veritye of the word of God newly declared and reuealed to the world they serued for all those small affaires which concerne the ecclesiasticall seruice To trye and proue by lytle and lytle those whome they myght afterwardes appoint to offyces of greater importaunce And whensoeuer good orders shall be set vp and appoynted in the Church for such or so good purposes wée wyll not gaynsaye or refuse them prouided that they haue respecte to that which is necessary to edification 32 The thirde degree of ecclesiasticall offyces whiche is the Iurisdiction and offyce of the elders THe thyrde estate of ecclesiasticall offices lieth in the spiritual iurisdiction y e which was committed to those who were called in the wryttinges of the Apostles auncient Doctours both counsels and canons partycullarly presbiter that is to say Senior or Elder which also somtimes be called gouernours by saint Paule and were chosen not onelye by the clargye but by all the body of the Churche as it appeareth euidently by the complaynt whiche saint Ambrose made that euen in his tyme certayne persons tooke vpon themselues this offyce And by that which S. Cyprian c hath wrytten wherein it is easye to gather that the Byshoppe proseded and was chiefe in this companye not for to rule and raygne ouer them but to doo nothyng without the aduyse of the Church Now this iurisdiction lyeth not in worldlie temporal thinges but altogether in those thinges whiche concerneth the conscience So that it is fully distinde from the offyce of a cyuill magistrate according as the lord Christ not only said to his Apostles but practised and S. Paule after him True it is that in the tyme when there were no magistrates which made profession or vowed openly to be Christians s Paule would that for to eschew slaunders and offences the faythfull should decyde and ende all controuersies among themselues when neede required but this was but for a certaine tyme. And surely as I thinke such persons were but as arbitrers chosen by the parties or at the least was an offyce distincte from those which we spake of Also it is certayne that euen vnder Christian Emperours the good Byshoppes haue beene maruelouslie letted and troubled about the ending of controuersies but it was more for to appoynt and agree the partyes by amiable and friendlye abytrement then to meddell the spyrituall Iurisdiction with the temporall And Saint Augustine sheweth plainely in many places how it gréeued him for that he was constrayned to employe and bestowe so much tyme for the importunitie of the people All Byshoppes haue not so done but rather haue desyred nothing more then to serue theyr ambition vnder the shadowe of holynes whereof it came to passe that the Emperours haue graunted to them more in this case then was needefull or appertayned to them or the profyte of the Churche required 33 To what purpose or ende serueth the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and which be the partes therof THe cause and purpose of the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction tendeth to one ende that is to saye that all the body of the Church in generall and euery member of the same in particular bee pâ—esorâ—ed and entertained in doctrine and wel doing according to the wyll and word of God Now the continuance hereof consisteth in good lawes and in the good obseruation of the same And that y e lawes eyther be made touching the doctrine of saluation generally that is to wéete concerning their duetie which they owe to God and their neyghbours or concerning the regiment or manner of doing which euerye one ought to kéepe in his charge or office It followeth then that this iurisoiction ought to be deuided into two principall partes The first is concerning the authoritie to ordayne appoint those thinges whiche concerne as well doctrine and manners as the regiment which euery one ought to kéepe in his degrée The second in the punishing of those which offend in the obseruation of any of these two things But concerning the first parte which lyeth in the power to decrée or ordayne we haue alreadye declared here aboue that God hath receyued to him selfe fully and entirelye to preseribe lawes pertayning to the conscience for vs to walke in them vprightly before God and man Wherfore there resteth no more but the other part which concerneth the discipline and regimeÌ„t which is required that all thinges be done by good order as we haue treated amply in speaking of the authority of the body of the Church 34 VVhat is the office of the Elders in the Church IT is the office of the Elders principally to watche that the Church whiche is committed to them begouerned by good order according to the rule of the Gospel and that the ecclesiasticall lawes and ordinaunces eyther vniuersall or particular be mayntained and executed dilygentlye accordinge to their charge And if there shall happen any new inconuenience their duty is to prouide therefore by newe ordinaunces iniunctions conformable to the Christian religion charitie Without burdening of mens conscience neyther to charge the Churche with a multitude of lawes nor brynging in superstition according to that which hath beene sayde herebefore where it speaketh of couÌ„sels eyther to be done by theÌ„selues or to take the aduise and counsel of other churches and the sayd lawes and ordinances to be incontinent allowed auctorised by the magistrate if so be that he be a ChristiaÌ„ And for this cause in all the prymatiue Churche they haue beene accustomed to holde prouinciall
synodes twise a yeare It is their office lykewise when any peryl or dauÌ„ger doth happen among them to appoynt prayers fasting extraordinarilye to practise vse them in theyr churches when any such chauÌ„ces do happen with the consent of y e Christian magistrate if there be any so that the godly orders of the church may be maintained w t discipline And aboue al things let the word of god be diligeÌ„tly sincerely preached w t the sacraments truly ministred y e ecclesiastical goods wel gouerned althings wel ordred Their duty is also to elect men méete for the same I say elect for it caÌ„not be found that euer ther was any other lawful ecclesiastical vocation in the Christian Churche synce it was brought into any good order of gouernement but by the way of ellection except God called any extraordinarily without ordinary meanes Now concerning the election that it may be lawful behold the pointes which we consider therin First who ought to bee electours what persons ought to be elected and howe they ought to elect and howe to confirme the election 35 How the ecclesiasticall elections ought to be FOr the fyrste poyncte wée neyther fynde it a custome nor yet reasonable in the Churche of God that be which shoulde serue a Churche already erected can bee elected without the good wyll of the same Yet neuertheles according to the places and the conditions of the people it is requisyte that the ecclesiasticall gouernours haue fyrst a respect to those and appoynt most méetest then to aduertyse the people who oftentymes the greatest parte be ignoraunt who are méetest for them And in the primatyue Churche it happened sometyme that good Byshoppes haue named those which they desyred to haue for theyr successors but it was without respecte of their owne priuate or partycular affections And this nomination was none otherwyse then a declaration of theyr opinyon which incontinent after was consydered and examyned by the whole Church as we see by the example of S. Augustin and of Anastasius Moreouer the ecclesiasticall rulers ought to take order to preuent all things which may be a let or hyndrance that the election be not fréelye done as it appertayneth And first to be authorised by the Christian magistrate when God shall appoynt him after by good delyberation and admonitions But without the approbation and consent of the body of the Churche where they be the election cannot be lawfull Also good heâ—de must be takeÌ„ that this approbation and election of a multitude bee done without confusion As it was ordayned and decreed in the counsel of Laodicia The same order we see was kept in the election of saint Mathias of the deacons by the Apostles Such order also was dillygentlye kepte and obserued in the Church by a long space as it appeareth by all the auncient wryters especiallye when there was occasion to receyue any into the clergye as it appeareth by y â— S. CypriaÌ„ wrote And concerning priests that is to saye Elders there is a playne Canon for them which hath the tytle of Anaclete whiche they coumpt for the fowrth Byshop of Rome Item Leo first of that name in his Epistles hath expressed the same in a dosen places at the least S. Gregorie in his Epistles writeth the lyke And also let them consyder the maner of electing the Pope him self which Nicolas the secoÌ„d ordayned about a fiue C. yeares paste they shall find that the conseÌ„t of the people was among them although the Emperour dyd ratifie and allow altogether afterward 36 Of the qualities and conditions of those which they ought to elect AS concernynge the conditions requyred in those whiche shoulde be elected and chosen it is manyfestlye declared at large by the spyrite and worde of God Wherefore we maye conclude that hee which wyll dyspence with any for money or rewardes cannot be led but with the spirite of Sathan 37 The order and maner to geue the voyces COncerning the manner to elect wée find that fasting prayers were the beginning of the electioÌ„s the which don shortlie after in the most best and wysest maner they gaue their voices in the great feare of God after they had examined the lyues and sufficiencie of those which were named according as God ordained by Saint Paule 38 Of confyrmation and consecration of the persons elected COncerning the confyrmation consecratioÌ„ of the person elected it was done by laying handes vpon the head of him which was elected commendyng him to the Lord by the prayers of all the Churche whiche were there assembled which ceremony hath ben vsed from the law of Moises after retained and vsed by Iesus Christ by the apostles Neuertheles in the election of bishops this was added by the auncient Canons that the nexte Byshops should be there at the least to the number of thrée with the metropolitane 39 Of mariage of fasting and of the difference of dayes and meates BEcause that matrymonyall causes be partlie ecclesiasticall and also fasting pertayneth to theÌ„ exteriour discipline of the Churche I haue gathered in a fewe wordes that which we beléeue and vse according to the scripture We do not put any part of our saluation in those things that is to say either in mariage or virginity either in fleshe or fyshe eyther to eate or not to eate but we do stay and establishe our selues in Iesus Christ onely as hath bene saide afore And as for good workes wherein the Christians ought to exâ—â—â—yse them selues they do far excell these aforesayd according as is commaunded or forbydden in the two tables of the. â— commauÌ„dementes â–ª Yet notwithstanding we doo commende and prayse such thinges as farre forth as the spirite of God doth commend them to vs. That is to weete as foloweth Fyrst we know that y â— seat of chastity resteth in the hart And therfore let not those brag or boast of virginitye which doo abstayne from the outward acte but those in whom the natural concupisceÌ„ce is so mortified that they haue no néede of y â— remedy of mariage Secondarily we know by the worde of God by most euident experience that continency is a speciall gyft which God geueth to those whiche séemeth good to him And for as long tyme as it pleaseth him Thirdly to abstaine froÌ„ mariage is not a thing that of it selfe doeth make vs acceptable to God nor yet mariage But he that is vnmaried hath more leysure to execute the publike or particular office that God hath geuen him and in this respecte we prayse continencie as a thing which serueth vs to vse our vocation better and none otherwyse â–ª Concerning mariage first we say that it is ordained of God honorable in al estates as the holy scripture teacheth so that who so euer hath not the gyfte of continency that is to say who
degrées Concerning publike offences S. Paul wylleth that they should be reproued publikely for to redresse the slaunder and also practysed it him selfe in reprouing S. Peter If the most easiest meanes can profite it sufficeth if not they must procéede frō degrée to degrée vntyl they come to the last remedy w t such discretion that principally the honour of God may be kept that all maye be done to the edification of the body of the Churche As for offences which concerne the ecclesiasticall order there be aūcient canons ordayned from degrée to degrée yet neuertheles the rygour ought to bee moderated and out of them to chose those which bee most connenient for to edifie 41 vvhat excommunication is what the right vse thereof is THe ecclesiasticall corrections hath to degrées the firste is admonition Sometime easye and sometime sharpe according as the offēce of the case requyreth The second and last degrée is that we call excommunication wherin must be noted the poynt folowing First what is excommunication We cal excōmunication a sentence wherby the ecclesiasticall Seniors after lawfull knowledge of the cause dooth declare in the name and authoritie of God and his holy word that such or such one or many be iustlye excluded and seperated from y e company or communion of the Saynts that is to say y e Church of God by consequent delyuered to sathan for asmuch as without the Church there is no saluation yet not to continue for euer but so long as they continue vnreformed and vntil that they haue satisfied for the slander or offence geuen Secondly it must be vnderstande that such a power is not groūded vpon man for man hath no manner of power ouer the soule but by the authoritye of God who vseth them in the Churche as organes and instrumentes by whome hee speaketh therefore it is not to be doubted but such sentences be ratified and confyrmed in heauen For as muche as Iesus Christ hath so sayde and promised to all his church in the person of hys xii Apostles vnder the name of keies of the kingdome of heauen and to bynde and vnbinde as also S. Paule practised the lyke with the Churche of Corinthe and others Yet neuertheles the Churche ought after lawful satisfactiō to receyue him again which hath bene cast out that is to saye if afterward be shall satisfy to the Church make amends for the publyke offence according to the ordinaunce of the Church sufficient proofes had of true amendment as farre foorth as man may iudge And there is no doubte but such absolutary sentence is ratifyed and confirmed in heauen Thirdly it is to be noted diligently that such authoritie neuer pertayneth to one man alone except God worketh at any tyme extraordinarilye but to the whole ecclesiasticall senate Fourthly this is not geuen to al those whiche call them selues of the Churche but to the true ecclesiastical senate lawfullye and cannonicallye elected as wee haue sayde for to gouerne the affayres of the Church The fift poynt is y ◠the very true ecclesiasticall senate cannot nor may not vse it at their wyls as we see al men be subiect to many infirmities But this power is lymitted appointed by the worde of God And for this cause Iesus Christ and his Apostles despised the excommunications of the Scrybes Pharisees And according to y e same Irene a most auncient Bishop of Lyons reproued verye sharplye the temerious excommunication which Victor Bishoppe of Rome made about the yeere of God a hundred nynetie and eight which declareth very well what was the primatiue or first be gynninge of the Byshoppes of Rome where as then they walked in vpryght conscience And there were other Bysshops y ◠vnderstoode their office and one of the causes that the prouincial and nationall counsels were ordained and holden for was to heare and decide the causes of those whiche complayned of theyr pastors Also it appeareth sufficiently thorowout the whole ecclesiasticall hystorye howe the Byshoppes in these cases ought to helpe one another to edyfye without ambition Beside this the Metropolitans ought to be content thēseues with their lymites and ought to doo nothyng without the deuise of theyr brethrē in their Iurisdiction But ambition hath so wrought that of longe tyme the Bishops of the principall townes and aboue all hée of Rome hath drawn all to themselues witnesseth the falsehood of Boniface whiche was discouered and reuealed at the Counsell of Carthage where as was S. Augustine where it was ordayned that those of the Clergie of Affrica which appealed ouer the sea to Rome should be deposed from theyr office For the sixt poynt it is to bee noted to what end excommunication was ordayned of God First that the church of God shoulde he as pure as might be possyble and that there myght be no occasion to think that it should be a refuge or den of the wicked Secondly for feare that the infected shoulde not defyle those whiche were whole Thirdly if it were possible y ◠the synner might bée brought home to the flocke againe It followeth then that this punishment must be applyed and vsed for to edifie as may be expedient and that there be good héede taken least they confounde the sinner by too much heauynes and sorowr when he geueth a sgyne of repentaunce but ther to mitigate the punishment when néede shall require ▪ 42 Of the ciuill and Christiā magistrate and to what ende his office tendeth IT resteth nowe to speake of Magistrates which bee in their estate the pryncipall members of the Churche ordained of God yea namely aboue al others in their estate To these appertayneth the doing execution of ciuyll and temporall affayres so as their subiectes maye lyue in peace By reason whereof the taxes and subsidies are due vnto them and to them appertayneth to vse the swoord which God hath geuen thē for the preseruation aswell of the countreyes which be committed to them as also for the defence and mayntenaunce of good lawes and punishment of the euyll and wicked doers Secondlye the duetye and offyce of the magistrates is not to regarde simplye the peace and concorde of subiectes but principallye for thys ende that the peace and concorde maye tende to the honour and glorie of God that all men maye lyue not onelye in a certayne ciuyll honestye but also with pyetie and true worshyppe of God ▪ as wytnesseth Saynte Paule For thys cause especiallye it appertayneth to the Magistrate that the Lawes whiche hée vseth and executeth maye bée conformable to the wyll of God and pryncipallye to geue order that the relygyon bee perfecte and holye and that all the Churche bee ordered accordynge to the woorde of God forbyddyng and punyshynge as the case requyreth All those which trouble the Churche or concerning the discipline thereof Also Dauid discribed the estate of a faithfull Prince
But afterwarde this custom was abolyshed in Constantinople by Nectarius predecessour to S. Iohn Chrisostome who afterwarde speciallye condempned thys auricular Confestion And yet there was in that tyme no such seruitude or bondage ioyned to it nor was neuer vsed or done by Nectarius nor yet Chrisostom had not approued it as to haue bene ordained of God eyther necessary or profitable to the Church Concerning satisfaction we knowe thanked be God that true repentaunce requyreth that he whiche hath offended shall satisfye to hym that is offended as much as maye be possible Moreouer we receyue and embrace with good moderation the auncient custome of the ecclesiastycall disciplyne toward those which haue offended the Church and which desire to be vnited againe into the flock but as to God to appose and set againste his wrath any other thing then y e only satisfaction of Iesus Christ we say affirme boldly that it is the most wicked excreable blasphemy that can be For consider their penaunce as they call them for the most part be vile Idolatries superstitious infamies partly of their owne nature as Pylgrimages Masses prayers nuÌ„bred compted and none vnderstande them worshipping of Idols such other abhominations couered vnder y e shadow of good ententes partly because of the abuse of fasting almoses afflictions of body all the which things and such other lyke tende to Idolatry when they ioyne to them the opinion of deseruing or merite in mingling them with the bloud of Christ ¶ Of the extreme vnction called anealing AmoÌ„g other things wherunto a past or is bouÌ„d we do count y e visitatioÌ„ of y e sick whom he ought to comfort to assure theÌ„ of theyr saluation as is required according to the contents of the word of God Now the apostles other of the ancient Church so long as y e gyft of miracles endured haue vsed in theyr visitations not only this ceremony of laying on of haÌ„ds but also oyle wherewith they annointed the sycke not after forme of medicine nor yet to make an ordinary sacrament in the Church For they themselues neuer vsed it and yet muche les dyd they blesse or worshyp the oyle or to crosse it or to ioyne it to certaine vertues and in briefe nothing les then to coniure or charme it But to assure the sicke person certainly by this visyble signe and ceremony But these men on the contrarie they come neuer to the sick but as do the Rauens to the carrayne and also knowe well that the gyft of healing by miracles was not geuen to the Church 〈…〉 for a certain tyme. Neuertheles they haue retayned and kepte the sygnâ— and marke yea as necessarye to saluation for soules abolishing the benefyte of Iesus Christe after they haue vtterly disguised it with a thousande manner of apyshe playes at the least For the Apostles vsed not the oyle but in those whiche they healed myraculously Therefore these ought to be ashamed not onely to vse as they falsely alleadge as the Apostles dyd but vse it in those which be out of all bope of lyfe by reason wherof they call extreame vnction or the last annoynting Of orders Concerning theyr orders as they call theÌ„ Nay what disordex was there euer so great in the whole world For they be not yet accorded how many ther be For one nameth seuen the other nyne and some thyrtéene But to speake as it is we may answere truely that there is no one order in altogether â–ª And as concerning offyces we shall shewe hereafter that they haue not retained one of those whiche God dyd appoint in his Church And for their sacramentes as they call them where is any one word or promise of God in their trompery Secondly concerning the Ceremonies whiche they doo vse in their orders caÌ„ they shew any one of them ordained of God By what title then shoulde they be sacramentes But consider we the same more nearely It appeareth that in the Church of God the persons lawfully called and elected for to serue aswell to to the word as the gouernement of the ecclesiasticall affayres were as consecrated dedicated to God by the ceremony of laying on of handes with the prayers of the whole Churche But these people not content with this simplycitie what they haue done They haue quite put awaye the custome of the auncieÌ„t Church â–ª brought in this which foloweth yea with a strange language Of the clericall tonsure First their must be a clericall tonsure where as they clyp thrée or fowre lyttle â—eaires in his crowne and he must haue a lytle blow on the eare and then put his head in a surplyse as they call it and behold a Priest ready made able to haue a benefice paying honestly for it and to be exempte from the secular magistrate in time of néede except being of age he wer maried to a widow or were twise maried Behold the foundation of the Popish clergie as comfortable agréeing to the worde of God the auncient Cannons as the diuels be to the Angels Item if one looke on the ceremonies of the iiij orders which they call Minores they geue the keyes of the Temple into the handâ— of those which they call Ostiarie A booke to handle to those they call Lectors to their Exorcists certain forms and maners of coniurations and to their Acolytes they gaue tapers and crewets to touche Notwythstandinge those which receyue these fayre sacramentes haue neyther Temples to shutte nor Bybles to reade nor Diuels to coniure nor Bishops to folowe and what more they receyue all those offices at one tyme together Who is it now that séeth not that all this is a verye apyshe playe and mockery to God and his Church Also for the thrée orders which they cal Maiores beholde howe it goeth Those which they call Deacons receyue a stole vppon their lefte arme with a text of the Gospell chopped in péeces Then my Lord the Byshoppe without callyng or Byshopryke putteth hys handes vpon him to make vp the measure of the auncient ceremony And yet notwithstanding these godly misteries they playe all in a straunge and vnknowen language And howe shall hée bee a Deacon whiche hath no goods for the poore to distribute No for it is not geuen him in charge by my Lord Byshop But to put wine in the chalice and bread on the paten â–ª To make cleane the alter and dresse it fayre to beare the crosse to synge the Gospell and the Pystle to the people in a straunge tongue and to doo other apyshe playe in theyr highe masse Beholde howe correspondent the Deacons in the Churche of God were wyth these of the papistry The subdeacons receyue of the Bishop the Chalyce and the paten And of the archdeacons the crewettes with water for as they saye theyr office is to beare the crewette and the to well to geue the Priest to washe to set the implementes for the masse vpon the aulter to
Hierarchie is 13 The abuse which is commytted in the seconde partie of ecclesiasticall offyces which be Deacons COncerning those whiche ought to wayte and watche vppon the doctrine and prayers let vs come first to the dispensation of the goodes of the poore for the which it was declared that the Deacons were principallye established Also in the Papistrie what examination what election or what order is there in the making of Deacons and Subdeacons what charge also is geuen them Forsoothe to bee able to iuggell in theyr mommerie to bee assistaunt at the renouncinge of the sacrifice and intercession of Iesus Christe as hath bene declared before in the thyrde and fowrth Article to syng a gobbet of the History of the Gospell or of an Epistle in an vnknowen language and without exposition to handell the Challice to holde the Crewetes to receyue the offeryng whereof the poore shall haue nothing to geue the Paxâ— to saye Ita missa est in a hye Masse But in what Churche forsoothe where they maye And for howe long Untyll they them selues maye be Priestes euen the first day And because that long time before he be a Priest that is to weete before hée haue the office of doctrine or of ecclesiasticall iurisdiction according to the olde Canons be must be for a tyme exercised and proned in these base offyces Therefore it was néedefull for these Maister Apes to worke some inuention for to saye they kéepe the auncient decrées Nowe I praye you these thinges consydered by what title dare these wycked wretches bée called Deacons against the testimony of the scripture against all the auncient decrées and Doctours For the which they spake of the offyce of the Deacons in the ministration of the Sacrament of the supper howe can it agree with that which is dyrectly against it And especially of Archdeacons by what tytle are they called by that name consyderinge they haue not followed one iotte of their office And for the admynistration of the goodes of the Churche where is the distrybution of fowre partes ordayned by auncient Counselles as it hath bene amplye declared in the thyrtie Article of the fyfte poynt From whence commeth that euerye Benefyce as they call it hath hys reuenue a parte But that the Lordes coate whiche the Souldiors woulde not teare is by them parted into infinyte peeces Where is the fowrth parte committed to the Byshoppe and howe is it dystributed I report mée to theyr whoores to Bawdes to Dogges to Hawkes Popengayes and Byrdes to Horses and Cookes Where be the Cleargye that ought to be norished with his fowrth portion But rather in what Churche haue they any learned Clarkes or Schollers I report mée to the Cathedrall Churches and Collegyalles as they doo call them where the bootye and spoyle is parted Where is the fowrth parte of the poore I reporte mée to those whiche kéepe the accoumptes of Hospytalles howe muche they be holpen by the part of those which haue the goods of the Churches Where is the fowrth part for the reparation not of theyr superfluous Palaces vnméete for Christian men and yet lesse for the entertaynement of such horryble Idolatries But to mayntayne the buyldynges necessarye for the congregations I report mée to those that sée it Beholde in summe the godly order of this Ecclesiastical Hierarchie in these poyntes 14 Of the abuse which is commytted in the order of Priesthoode and in the gouernment of theyr spirituall iurisdiction IF it bée néedefull to speake of the abuse whiche is commytted in the thyrde part of Ecclesiasticall offyces of the which hath bene spoken in the fifte poynt in the Artycles 32. 33. 34. and other following by what ende maye we begynne to enter into so great a confusion Fyrst by what authoritie haue they chaunged for the moste parte the nature of the spyrituall iurisdiction of the Churche into a mâ—ere temporalitie appertayninge onelye to the Ciuyll Magistrate by all ryght both diuine and humaine Secondly although the Priestes or Elders be especially ordained to do their offyce by Gods woorde from whence commeth it that it is so out of vse in all the Papacie For I doubt not of that I speake and also it is manyfest throughout the Scripture and by all the auncient Counselles and Doctours that those which be called Priestes at this daye be no more lyke that they beare the name of then blacke is lyke whyte For after theyr manner what is it to bée a Priest It is to haue authoritie to Sacrifice and to offer vp Iesus Christe for the quycke and for the deade that is to saye in one worde to turne the rootes vpwarde as much as in them is of all the grounde of our saluation as in other places hath bene sayde And from thence is it sprong that of Gouernours they haue made hyreling Sacrificers for wages And so there is become two sortes of Priestes that is to weete the Beneficed and the poore hyrelinges whiche lyue vnder the other and bée more busyed in offeringes aswell in their dayly butchery for mony as Iudas was as also affyrming theyr office to saue and dampne for money yea of those which be so occupyed to dampne them selues that they are forced to haue Uicars vnder them to dampne others And to aduaunce this occupation they muste yet haue goodlye Bulles and Dispensations to dystribute to all that commeth paying honestly for it to the ende that those which lyue to eate vp deuour and dampne all the worlde as muche as in them lyeth also maye deuour and dampne one another by priuiledge For truelye it is easye to sée in this confusion whiche is apparaunt to all the worlde and to those whiche bée of the best of them if theyr bellye doo not ouercome theyr consciences that the Diuell fyndeth hym selfe as it were combered and ouerladen to receyue so manye at once and woulde inuent some maner of way that eache maye come in bys ranke and order drawing and tollyng after him his companie a thyng certaynly moste miserable and pitifull amongst the Christian people Notwithstanding who hath this iurisdiction whiche deuowreth the quycke and the deade vnder the name of the Churche I wyll not enter here into the great bottomlesse court of Rome but I leaue it to be scanned to Saint Barnard in his bookes De consideratione to Pope â—â—gene although that which they then dyd was nothyng in respecte of this whiche is nowe But I wyll speake of the Ordinarie Fyrst my Lorde Byshoppe maister Offyciall maister Uicar theyr Promoters Procurers and suche lyke haue taken the place of my maisters the Sacrificers On the other side the Canons as well in theyr Chapiter as in theyr dygnities Capitularies lykewyse haue taken theyr part â–ª Nowe for the first that is the Officialles and their sequell who hath set them in thys degrée Truelie the same Spyrite that doeth conducte them as the experyence declareth For as I haue sayde in other places it was not possyble to haue brought them
happeÌ„ of this Certainly y â— which Iesus Christ said if the blind lead the blind both falleth into y e pyt Here ye may sée y e heaueÌ„ whether this which they cal faith may bring vs vnto But ther is yet more for namely they say maintain so shamles are they y â— to be assured of electioÌ„ saluatioÌ„ in Iesus christ to pray w t al trust assurance as saith s Iames is a presuÌ„ption but to trust in good workes as they cal theÌ„ to stay wait vpon whatsoeuer they teach of their own brain this is no presuÌ„ption after their doctrin but a true catholike deuotion Behold the 2. point of theyr fayth y â— is to wete to beleue al y â— which séemeth good to them not so hardy to enquire whether y â— be according to y e scripture or no. Now y â— reason why for sooth because whosoeuer hath a Myter a crosse can neuer erre in the fayth And aboue all the Pope yea although he led into hel soules by cartloads as themselues are not ashamed to declare by wryting to theyr Cannons reuersyng and ouerthrowing the worde of God and all the auncient counselles But who shall beleeue them but he that wyll be deceyued willingly Looke what was prophesied by the Apostles of them and ye shall see it as cleare as the Sunne in a fayre day come to passe 9 They know not in the papistry the exercise of the lawe of God or the gospell WE haue declared that the lawe of God is the onelye perfyte rule of iustyce before hym and that it pertayneth to one onely God to bynde the consciences But these here on the contrarie ceasse not to heape lawes vppon lawes not onelye aboue but also againste the lawe of God whiche they make voyde by their owne ordinaunces We haue also declared by the manifest Scripture that the yoake of the ceremoniall lawe is put awaye by the comming of Iesus Christe in whome lyeth the fulfilling of all that was fygured by the ceremonies of the lawe But these felowes haue on the contrary so abolyshed the Ceremonies of the lawe that they haue made a C. for one yea of their owne fantasye notwithstanding that the Apostles yea namely those of whome they vaunt and boast to haue their auctority haue clearlye determined the contrarye Item where as the lawe is not geuen vs for to séeke our saluation therein but for to declare to vs our condempnation and that wée shoulde séeke health and lyfe in Iesus Christe onelye besyde other exercises of the whiche wée haue spoken in other places these cleane contrarye doo not onely seeke their saluation whiche is as muche as if they soughte theyr lyfe in the death but muche worse as if the commaundementes of God dyd not condempne vs inough they haue ioyned put to them and doo ioyne dayly newe lynkes and snares to strayne the poore conscience Yet notwithstanding haue no shame to saye that those which holde them to the pure woorde of God and hys doctrine séeke a carnal libertie but God and his angels be wytnes whether they séeke it or we If y â— abuse be great in the vse of the lawe in vs yet is it worse on y e other part in y e ignorance malice of the word of God which we call gospell that is to say good newes for asmuch as it set teth forth declareth to all beléeuers a righteousnes fréely in the blood of Iesus Christ which only delyuereth vs from y e curse malediction which the lawe pronounceth vs culpable But these people be very diligent to syng it by peeces and chop it in a language which they vnderstande not to sense him y â— pronounceth it and to hang it about their necks after the manner of Sorcerers but to preach it or make it to be vnderstande diligentlye and purelye this shoulde be founde verye straunge Excepte some one certayne daye in the yeare that one doo preache that séemeth good to him selfe to kéepe an order in theyr couent Moreouer they thynke that the Gospell is no other thing but an other lawe more perfecte than the olde lawe and so they abolyshe entierly the vse of the Gospell sending vs to our owne workes 10 They know not what good workes are in the papistrie THe errour is not lesse in this which concerneth the fruites of faith than in that whiche toucheth the faythe it self For it apeareth by that which we haue declared héere before in the articles 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. and. 19. of the fowrth poynt that we entend nothing lesse than to reproue good workes when on the contrarie we maintaine that regeneration from whence good works doth procéede is inseparable conioygned with fayth in such sort that he is a lyar which saith he beléeueth in God and notwithstanding studyeth not to lyue after y e rule of God But these persons contrariwise neither know from whence springeth good workes whiche he acceptable to God nor what they be nor to what purpose they do serue And notwithstaÌ„ding they wyll say to them that lyst to heare them that they be the aduocates of good workes But we beleeue that whosoeuer wyll looke narrowlye to their doctrine or to their lyfe or to bothe wyll confesse that it beseemeth them as well to speake of good workes as for common harlottes to dispute of the nature and excellencie of chastitie But principallye howe haue they turned into an execrable blasphemye the most excellent worke y â— is to say praier For ouer and beside the abolishing of the passion of Iesus Christ they vse to ioyne and accompanye it with the merytes of whome they lyst and sowe together the textes of the Scripture at their pleasure without any reason hyerynge other to pray for them babling in an vnknowen language to the most part of them whiche do pray as the popingaies speake in a cage and would paye God by coâ—nt or by tale Yea they wyll aduaunce and set foorth all this for satisfaction and paimeÌ„t for sinnes as well of the lyuing as of the dead What is all this any other thing than to mocke God openly what so euer good intent or custome they can alleage 11 In the papistry they know not what is a Sacrament nor what is the vse therof A Monge al the horrible corruptions which are seene in the papistry this of the Sacraments is maruellous as I hope that those wyll confesse which haue wel considered that which we haue summarily sayd here before Now for to declare here all the abuses it shoulde be a matter to long for the which me thinketh it sufficient to touche the principall poyntes Fyrst these great Theologians know not well what a Sacrament is nor to what ende God hath ordained the sacramentes for all his Churche Neyther be contented to haue polluted the holy baptisme and abolished the holy Communion of our Lord as we shall say hereafter but also of a symple Ceremonye
of the laying on ▪ of handes they haue made fowre Sacraments that is to saye confirmation penance the orders annealing And moreouer because the number of 7. pleaseth them very wel they would also haue mariage a sacrament wherof we wyll speake something briefly First of confyrmation Concerning confirmation it is certain that the true auncient Byshops examined those whiche were baptised in theyr infancie and caused them to render confession of theyr fayth when they were come of age for to confirme them And after in laying handes vpon theyr heade which is a most ancient ceremonie the which Iesus Christe his Apostles haue vsed commended thē to God The same also was done to those which were seduced by Heretykes and after were teturned to the Church Nowe for vs God be thanked this examynation and instruction is reestablyshed and dilygently exercysed in our Churches But these contrarywise hauing vtterly abolyshed the cause of any such manner of doings notwithstanding haue made a fayre sacrament without worde promise or ordynaunce of God after they haue put to theyr creame oyle what they lyst else because y e laying on of hands with prayer séemeth to them to be a verye lyght thing Finally for to ioyne an execrable blasphemy to theyr ignorance haue not ben ashamed to prefer theyr sacramēt of confirmation before the holye baptisme as theyr Canons declareth playnly Of penance It hath bene declared here aboue in y e articles 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. and. 19. of the. 4 poynt which be the causes the effects of true penance then much lesse would we abolish penance Moreouer in the article 46. of the sayde fowrthe poynt we haue shewed howe Baptysme is the true Sacrament ordayned of God by expresse testimony on the scripture But these not content with the ordinances of God vnder this shadow that opē and publyke sinners according to the discipline of the Churche of the which I haue spoken in his place were reconcyled to the congregation with prayer and imposition of handes after they had fulfylled that which was enioyned them by y e ecclesyastical senate not to saitsfice to God but for to amende the slaunder and to geue sufficient testimonye of theyr amendement these I saye vnder this shadowe haue confounded and ouerthrowen all together in making a newe Sacrament of penaunce of which they make three partes to wéete contrition of the harte confession of the mouth in the Priestes eare satisfaction by works Whereof we doo principally reproue thess which followe Fyrst of their owne braine and fantasie onely they haue brought in this Sacrament which can not be but false because there is no worde of God for it Secondlye for that they requyre as necessarye to saluation all the partes aboue sayde wherein they shew themselues not as Phisitions but very murderers or killers of the consciences as it shall be sayde hereafter Thyrdlye they requyre an entyre and full perfection in all the aforesayde three partes ▪ the which is impossible for man to doo So all men maye sée to what ende theyr doctrine tendeth Item for to make vp the whole heape of wickednesse they adde to it this blasphemy that by the merytes of those things theyr sinnes be pardoned And so by thys meanes abolish and make of none effect the benefite of him by whose bloud our soules be purified and made cleane In the fyfte place ▪ because they shall not slaunder vs ye shall perceyue howe we doo vnder stande of these three partes of theyr penance Of contrition Concerninge the contrition of the harte wee know that the verye true amendment of a Christian must beginne by the feelyng of his synnes as wée haue sayd in the article 23. of the fowrth poynt but in such wyse that it may be a way to lead vs to the frée mercy of God and not to thinke to wype out our sinnes by the merite of our contrition which is not a meryte of ryghteousnesse but a sorrowe due to our sinne Of confession As of confession we finde fyue kynds the which we teach and practise warely and dilygently according to the worde of God not for to séeke therein remission of the sinnes but as fruites and effectes of the true féeling of our sinnes The fyrste is publyke confessyon of the whole Churche towardes God when they do assemble themselues ordinarylye to heare the worde of God or extraordynarily in some afflictions or trouble The seconde is of euery one partycularly opening his harte ordinarilye before God to aske pardon of him after the example of the Publican The thirde is when a synner extraordinarilye touched with the true zeale of God commeth so farre as to confesse openly his myserie and the mercy of God towardes him after the example of Dauid and many other The fowrth is particularlye that is to wéete when a synner desyringe consolation and assuraunce of his saluation commeth to hys neyghbour and principallye to his Pastor whose offyce is to shewe the vse of the worde of God as well to the whole flocke which is committed to him as to euery person particularlye But hée muste take héede howe hée layeth this yoake vppon theyr consciences for God hath not made it as a lawe And also there ▪ must bee héede taken more nearer that they ioygne not nor attribute absolution eyther to the person of the Pastour or to the vertue of certaine wordes pronounced Nor to any other thing thē to the pure grace of God in Iesus Christ apprehended by faith As is declared to vs by his worde as hath bene spoken before in the Articles 25. 26. 27. 28 of the fift poynt The first is when a sinner reconcyleth himselfe to him whom he hath offended be it to one particular person or to many or to the whole Church which is a confession reknowledging of syns ordained of God which foloweth alwayes a true repentaunce Beholde then the maner of knowledging our synnes grounded vpon the holy scriptures and teacheth vs moreouer that none can be sufficiently sory and penitent for his sinne But concerning the necessity to confesse our sinnes to priests as they call them leauing out nothyng at all as if remission of sinnes depended vppon such a recytall we dare by Gods word boldly affirme that it is a very deuellishe and wycked ordinaunce wherof no fruit can ensue in the Church of God As also it appeareth y ◠it was neuer instituted of God by the opinion of the canonistes but by Innocent the thyrde It is apparant that of a long tyme there was in some Churches a certain person ordained among the elders or auncients for the vse of the fowrth and fift kinde of confession wherof we haue spoken But there is no cause why to impose this law to any people or to binde the consciences to a thynge impossyble that is to saye to perfyte recytall of all his synnes much lesse to establishe the remission of sinnes in the same
nature is sore geuen to superstition shoulde abuse these thinges For if they should see any great preparation or some gorgeous or exquisyte Ceremonies they woulde staye and be vtterly occupyed in these external pomps And in stéede wher they shoulde by these markes ascende vpward into heauen by faith and there embrace the thinges which to vs are signyfied by these markes and tokens yet contrariwise forgetting heauen would stay altogether in these outward markes and there woulde search his saluation Therfore those dyd wholy altogether corrupt the vse of the Sacraments the which not content with the simple and bare institution of Iesus Christe haue burdened and charged the Churche with infinite Ceremonies so that of a Christianitye they haue made not onely a Iewery but also a Paganrye The Sacraments be ordayned of God for the same and purpose that the woord lyuelye declared is without Sacrament that is to saye to be meanes to vs to serue and ayde vs more and more to vnite and ioyne vs to Iesus Christe by fayth the which cannot be wythout the word For the word declareth to vs that which God doth represent and ratifie by them for as much as they be disible signes of the spirituall coniunction whiche we haue with Iesus Christe Nowe there is 4. pryncipall poyntes to consider in thys matter the fyrst what the signes bee the seconde what is the thyng signifyed and ratifyed by them the thyrde what is the coniunction of the signes and the thing signified the fowrth howe we may communycate with the signes and the thinges signified The signes bée as well thinges néedefull to serue vs in the Sacramentes whiche be water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Supper as be the Ceremonies and manners of doings or ordinances by the woorde of God in the vse of them as we shall saye hereafter The thing signified is Iesus Christe with all his goodnesse by the which we be united together with him to haue eternal lyfe The signes be not transported or transubstantiated into the thing signified but bee conioyned with the same not by pronounciation of certayne woordes but by the ordynance of Iesus Christe author of the Sacramentes and not by a corporall manner or naturall but onely so as God offereth alwayes spyritually that which is signified by the corporall signes The meanes to communicate with the signes is visible naturall but the thing signified that is Iesus Christe with all his goodnesse is receyued spyrituallye by fayth onelye as is sayde before Then it followeth those that be not in the faith receyue but the bare signes but be neuer thelesse culpable as well for that they receyue but the bare signe vnworthely as also for that they haue no respect nor regarde to the thing which was offered to them and signifyed that is to say Iesus Christe with all hys goodnesse the whiche they haue reiected by their wyckednesse The signe of Baptisme is water with the whiche wée bée wete according to the ordynance of God in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost The water representeth to vs the bloud of Iesus Christe which was shed for the remyssion of synnes as the visible water is shedde vpon our bodyes the which sanctifieth vs to lyue righteously as was sayde before And forasmuch as the Sacramentes ought to procéede after the word because that the thing for the which they wer ordained to signify and zeale into our harts canot be receyued but by fayth fayth is geuen to vs thorow the preachyng of the woorde Yet neuertheles concernyng the yong chyldren of the faythful we do communycate and receyue them into Baptisme although as yet they be not capable to heare the doctrine or to make confession as they ought to doo if they were come to age yet neuerthesse they be comprised in the couenant with their fathers for the which by consequent the marke or signe may not nor ought not to be denied them The second vse of Baptisme is to ioyne vs together to lyue all with one accorde without changing putting too or diminishing the marke or badge we all heare In the holy Supper of the Lorde celebrated according to his holy ordinaunce without changing or putting too or diminishing the bread is a Sacrament to vs that is to say a seale and marke of y ◠very body of Iesus Christe which ascended vp to the ryght hand of God his father after his death resurrection The wyne lykewyse to vs is the Sacrament of the very blood of him which shedde it for vs. The breaking of the bread to vs representeth the precious body of Iesus Christe to bée broken with the sorrowes and paynes of death the powring forth of the wine the shedding of his precious bloud the Mynister geuing vs bread wyne representeth Iesus Christ geuing him selfe to vs. In that we take eate drinke the breade and wine testifieth to vs and sealeth into our hartes the vnity and knot of our bodyes with Iesus Christe to possesse hym more more with all his goodnes to eternall lyfe Not with téeth or mouth but with true liuely fayth which lyfteth vs vp into heauen spyritually to embrace hym and yet neuerthelesse most truely whiche is our norishment to euerlasting blysse as the bread and wyne corporallye and visibly receyued doth entertayn and noorysh vs in this corporall lyfe For we doubt not but God wyll accomplyshe and fulfyll that whiche hee promyseth by hys woorde and offereth by his Sacramentes to all beléeuers The second vse of the holy supper is to vnite vs together as members of one body lyke as we do eate of one bread made of many graines of wheate and drynk of one Wyne made of many grapes to bee partakers with Iesus Christ And as wée must eate daylye to entertaine and preserue vs in this lyfe so likewyse it is requisite to come to this spyrituall Table as often as is possyble the which cannot be in Baptisme For it is sufficient to be once entred into y ◠church neuer to depart Lykewise forasmuch as it is requyred that euery man proue and examine himselfe to wete publikely and openly to auowe and declare the death of the Lord with thankesgeuing in the holy Communion Also it appeareth that it appertayneth not to those that bée not meete to receiue it to wete litle children whiche neuerthelesse be saued forasmuch as they be comprised in the couenaunt of saluation with theyr fathers neyther appertayneth it to those whiche bée not instructed or do not vnderstande the law of God or haue not so much profited as to make profession of theyr fayth nor lykewyse to those which be declared excōmunicated that is to say throwen out of the communion and company of the faithful by the lawful iudgement of the Church Beholde in summe what is the doctrine of our saluation thorow Iesus Christ only by the meanes of our faith And whosoeuer receyueth this doctrine the which cannot be but wher
it is faithfully preached the Sacraments truly ministred according to the order establyshed by the worde of God is a member of the church of Iesus Christ which is called catholik that is to saye vniuersall and out of that Church is no saluation Moreouer all congregatioÌ„s and assembles whatsoeuer they bee which hath not those markes although they call them selues the Churche of Iesus Christ a thousande times what soeuer place or succession they alledge or shew forth can be no other but the â–ª Sinagoge of Satan wherin there is but damnation And therfore it is good néedefull for all men to separate them selues and depart from them according as S. Peter sayde saue your selues from this peruers generation speaking of Aarons successors and of the Church of Ierusalem FINIS â— Rom. 1. â— b Deu. 4. â— Ephe. 4. â— a Mat. 28. d 1. Ioh. 5. b b Act. 17. f Deu. 4. b a Ephe. 1. b Mat. 20. c Pro. 16. a b Act. 2 d 4. e. Rom. 9. d Ioh. 1. â— Gen. â— Heb. 1. a xi a. Iohn 1. â— Colos â— â— b Heb. 1. d. c Iohn 8. f d 2. Pet. 2. a Luke 8. d e Actes 23. a Ihon. 1. a 17. a a 2. Tim. 2. â— 2. Tim. â— â—â—od 2â— b â— Cor. 6. c Exod. 34. a Rom. 31. c Ephe. 1. b. â— Sam. 12. c â— Cor. â—â— â— Rom 9. c Exod. 9. â— Rom. 9. c a Rom. 11. d Gene. 1. d. Exod. 7. d a Gen. 2. â— Rom. 5. â— Reade â— Aug. in the 13. boke de ciuitate dei 2. 12. 13 14-Chap Gen. 6. â— Phil. 15. b Iohn 3. a. Li. de perfectione iusticiae c Lib enchiridion ad laurentium chap. 30. Li. 2. de precatorum meritis cap. 13. Rom. i. c b Ihon. 3. a Rom. 8 p. c Li. de derfectione iusticia d Li. 3. ad ob â—i facium a Rom. 3. c b Rom. 3. d c Rom. 8. f Rom 9 c Epist 103 ad 〈…〉 Gen. 3. c Deut. â—8 â—â— sam 7. b Heb. 13. â— 1. Tim. 1. â— 1. cor 10. â— Reade all the epistle to the Ebrues Ierimi 〈…〉 â–ª Heb. â— â— a 1. Tim. 2. a. Ihon. 1. b b Matth. 3. c Rom â–ª 5. d c Rom. 3. d Act. 20. f d Rom. 8. a Rom. 5. d e Rom. 14. d a Iohn â— b. other places infinite b Esaye â–ª 43. b â— c Rom 3. d Iohn 14. b â— Cor. 5. d Rom. 5. c. 2. Cor. 15. g Colos 2 b a Esaie 7 â— b Rom â–ª 1 â–ª a Phil 2 a c Heb. 4. d. d Math â— e a Math. 1 c Luke 1 c a Math. 1 c Luke 1 d a Ephe. 2 b b Math. 11 d 1 Pet. 2 d 3 c Esaye 53. b. c Rom. 5 d Math. 3 d d Iohn 15 e e Esaie 53. a f Colos 2. â— g Gala. 3. b. h Act. â— c. i The 6 to the Romanes and thorovvâ—ut almost in all S â–ª pauls Epistles Act. 3. a Iohn 14. a 1. Timo 2 Math. 28. d a Luke 24. f b Act. 1 â–ª a c Math. 28 b d Math. 28. d e Act. 3. a f Act. 3 d g Episto 57 aÌ„d Dardanu a Rom. 3 d b i. Tim. 2 b c 2. Cor. 5 d Rom. 8 c Collo 2 c d Rom 5 b e Rom. 8 â— g â— Cor. 2. a a Gene. 1. a b Iohn 14 b c Rom. 8. b d Math. 2. d a Gene. 1. a b Rom. 8 â–ª b â–ª c Ephe 1 a a Ephe. 1 c b Iohn 3. b a Math 28 d Actes 9. a Roma 10. c Iames. i c 2. Peter i d a Roma 8. 1. Cor. 2. b Luke 23 c Iohn 3 d Psal 51 e Prouer. 40 f Iohn 1 g Iohn 12 h Iohn 3 b i Iames. â— d k 1. Cor. 2 c Rom. 8 m Ephe. 3 n First sermoÌ„ of the anunciation a Rom. 10 b Gala. 1 b b Iohn 17. 1. Cor. 1. d c Math. 1 Roma 6 d Roma 5 e Rom. 8 a Rom. 5. â— Gala 2 Phil. 3 b 2. Tim. 1 â— Titus 3. a Hebr. 11. b a Roma 6. Hebre. 10. b First sermoÌ„ of the anuntiatioâ— a Roma 1. Gala. 3. b Iohn 17. c Roma 7. a Roma 5. b Augustine the merites of Sayntes first reason a Psalm 143 b Psalm 16 d 2. Cor. 4. a e Philip. 3 * Second reason * Thirde reason * Fowrth reason Acts. 8. d g Math. 7. â— h Esai 1. c i Roma 4. a k Gala. 12. d l Roma 3. d m Luke 17 â–ª â— n Psal 143. â— o Roma 3. â— p Roma 3. d q 1. Lor. 5. d r Roma â— d Phil. 2. a Å¿ Roma 8. a t Colos â— c v Gala 3. b x 1. Peter a. b y Roma â— v Ephe. 5. b Iohn 6. a 1. Peter 1. d Iames. 1. a aa Iob. 13. c bb 2. Cor. 6. b Hebr. 12. b cc 2. Sam. 7 a Deut. 17. d Gala. 3. b Roma 4. c b Math 3. b 〈…〉 p. 2. a â—saâ— â—3 d c Roma 5. b d Galat. 3. b e Colos 1. â— 2. Cor. â— â— f Ephe. 1. b. g Iohn 1. b. a Roma 7. c b Iob. 4. d Psalm 5. c c Psal 44 d Ierem. 1. b d Roma 7. c e Roma 3. d f Galat. 5. c g 2. Lor. 4. a h 2. Lor. 6. d i Ephe. 4. d k Lolof 2. â— m Math. 1. d n Hebr. 2. d l Roma 6. a o Gene. 1. d p Roma 8. a a Roma 8. c. 2. Cor. 2. c 1. Iohâ— 4. e b Rom. 8. a 1. Cor. 2. d 1. Iohn 5. d c Roma 8. c. d Roma 6. a 1. Iohn 1. c. e Iohn 3. â— Ephe. 4. â— f Rom. 7. â— g S. Paul to the Romanes and almoste thorowout all his epistles 1. Pere 4. â— Roma 6. a 2. Cor. 4. Philip. 4. d. n Ephe. 1. d. o Roma 8. c. p 1. Lor. 2. d. q Roma 8. b. r Roma 6. g. 8. c. Å¿ Roma 7. d. Philip. 2. b. t Roma 12. c v Iohn 5. d. x 1. Pete 1. b y Iohn 8. e â–ª z 1. Iohn 2. b. Psal 119 Leuit. 18. Deut. 4. a Esai 1. c Math. 15. a 1. Lor. 8. c Roma 14 This is approoued thorowe the whole scripture Iames. 1. a Roma 10. Math. 21. d Hebr. 4. d b Roma 14. c Roma 10. c. d 1. Cor. 14. b. e Roma 8. Math. 20. f Iohn 14. g Cimo 2. b h Iohn 15. b i Math. 26. d k Ephe. 1. b. Homili 12 de Cananitide m S. Chriso â–ª in the same place n S. Chriso in the homely of the profite vpon the gospel o S. Ambro. vppon the Epistle to the Rom. Marke 6. thorowout the chapt 1. Cori. 7. cha whole 1. Cor. 7. d Româ— 14. e 1. Cor. 8. c a Esai 9. a. Luke 1. g. Actes 2. b. b Roma 5. b. Ephe. 2. a c Iohn 6. c. d Iohn 3. 1. Peter 1. e Deut. 30 Ierim 24. f Ezech. 11. g Psalm â—1 Ezech. 16. Ephe. 1. h Philip. 2. â— i 1.