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the same. As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; so also the

O Almighty and everlasting God, who didst give to thine Apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach thy word Grant, we beseech thee, unto thy Church to love that word which he believed, and both to preach and receive the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Coll. for Saint Bartholomew's Day.

O Almighty God, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone; Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holy temple, acceptable unto thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Coll. for Saint Simon and Saint Jude's Day.

The church, or house of God, is a place appointed by the holy Scriptures, where the lively word of God ought to be read, taught, and heard, the Lord's holy name called upon by public prayer, hearty thanks given to his Majesty for his infinite and unspeakable benefits bestowed upon us, his holy sacraments duly and reverently administered; and that therefore all that be godly indeed ought both with diligence, as appointed, to repair together to the said church, and there with all reverence to use and behave themselves before the Lord. The said church thus godly used by the servants of the Lord, in the Lord's true service, for the effectual presence of God's grace, wherewith he doth by his holy word and promises endue his people there present and assembled, to the attainment as well of commodities worldly, necessary for us, as also of all heavenly gifts, and life everlasting, is called by the word of God (as it is indeed) the temple of the Lord, and the house of God. Hom. xiv. 1.

Neither is the Church of God such as it may not be dusked with some spot, or asketh not sometime reparation. Jewell. The true Church is an universal congregation or fellowship of God's faithful and elect people, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head

17. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. Prov. viii. 34. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. When they believed, Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Acts viii. 12. They continued stedfastly in the

Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts ii. 42. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you. 1 Cor. xi. 2, 23.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking

Church of Rome hath erred; not only in their

corner-stone. (Eph. ii. 19, 20.) And it hath always three notes or marks, whereby it is known: pure and sound doctrine; the sacraments ministered according to Christ's holy institution; and the right use of ecclesiastical discipline. This description of the Church is agreeable both to the Scriptures of God, and also to the doctrine of the ancient Fathers; so that none may justly find fault therewith.-Now if you will compare this with the Church of Rome-not as it was in the beginning, but as it is at present, and hath been for the space of nine hundred years and odd-you shall well perceive the state thereof to be so far wide from the nature of the true Church, that nothing can be more. For neither are they built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, retaining the sound and pure doctrine of Christ Jesus; neither yet do they order the sacraments, or else the ecclesiastical keys, in such sort as he did first institute and ordain them but have so intermingled their own traditions and inventions, by chopping and changing, by adding and plucking away, that now they may seem to be converted into a new guise. Whereof it followeth that the Popes, in not hearing Christ's voice, as they ought to do, but preferring their own decrees before the express word of God, do plainly argue to the world that they are not of Christ, nor yet possessed with his Spirit. Hom. xxviii. 2.

Let them compare our Churches and theirs together, and they shall see, that themselves have most shamefully gone from the Apostles, and we most justly have gone from them. For we, following the example of Christ, of the Apostles, and the holy Fathers, give the people the holy communion whole and perfect: but these men, contrary to all the Fathers, to all the Apostles, and contrary to Christ himself, do sever the sacraments, and pluck away one part from the people, and that with most notorious sacrilege, as Gelasius termeth it.- -We have brought again the Lord's supper unto Christ's institution, and have made it a communion in very deed, common and indifferent to a great number according to the name; for of that it is called a com

lies in hypocrisy, &c. 1 Tim. iv. 1. &c. Many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matt. xxiv. 11, 12. That day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition: who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shew

'ing himself that he is God.-Whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. 2 Thess. ii. 3, 4, 9, 10. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and

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living and manner of Ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith.

munion. But these men have changed all things contrary to Christ's institution, and have made a private mass of a holy communion and so it cometh to pass, that we give the Lord's supper unto the people, and they give them a vain pageant to gaze upon. -We affirm, together with the ancient Fathers, that the body of Christ is not eaten but of the good and faithful, and of those that are endued with the Spirit of Christ. Their doctrine is, that Christ's very body effectually, and as they speak really and substantially, may not only be eaten of the wicked and unfaithful men, but also, which is monstrous and horrible to be spoken, of mice and dogs.- -We use to pray in our churches after that fashion, as according to Paul's lesson the people may know what we pray, and may answer Amen with a general consent. These men, like sounding metal, yell out in the churches unknown and strange words without understanding, without knowledge, and without devotion: yea, and do it of purpose, because the people should understand nothing at all.

-But not to tarry about rehearsing all points, wherein we and they differ, for they have well nigh no end, we turn the Scriptures into all tongues: they scant suffer them to be had abroad in any tongue.- -We allure the people to read and to hear God's word; they drive the people from it.- -We desire to have our cause known to all the world; they flee to come to any trial.-We lean unto knowledge; they unto ignorance: we trust unto light; they unto darkness. -We reverence, as it becometh us, the writings of the Apostles and Prophets; and they burn them.Finally, we in God's cause desire to stand to God's only judgments; they will stand only to their own. Wherefore if they will weigh all these things with a quiet mind, and fully bent to hear and to learn, they will not only allow this determination of ours, who have forsaken errors and followed Christ and his Apostles, but themselves also will forsake their own selves, and join of their own accord to our side, to go with us. Jewell.

doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears

from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Tim. iv. 1-4. Of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Acts xx. 30.

preface

to prayer book.

a

XX. Of the Authority of the Church.

THE Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in Controversies of

a We do not read that Moses ordained, by order of law, any days of public fast throughout the whole year, more than that one day. The Jews notwithstanding had more times of common fasting; which the prophet Zachary (viii. 19,) reciteth to be the fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth month. But for that it appeareth not in the Levitical law when they were instituted; it is to be judged, that those other times of fasting, more than the fast of the seventh month, were ordained among the Jews by the appointment of their governors; rather of devotion, than by an express commandment given from God. Hom. xvi. 1.

We know well enough, that the same word which was opened by Christ, and spread abroad by the Apostles, is sufficient both to our salvation, and also to upold and maintain all truth, and to confound all manner of heresy. By that word only do we condemn all sorts of old heretics. As for the Arians, the Eutychians, the Marcionites, the Ebionites, the Valentinians, the Carpocratians, the Tatians, the Novatians, and shortly all them

a Let all things be done decently and in order―unto edifying. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Cor. xiv. 40, 26, 33. For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting. Tit. i. 5. The rest will I set in order when I come. 1 Cor. xi. 34.

b Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves. Heb. xiii. 17. There rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. -Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.- -And they wrote letters by them after this manner: The apostles, and elders, and brethren, send greeting unto the brethren which are of the

Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and
Cilicia. Forasmuch as
we have
heard, that certain which went out
from us have troubled you with
words, subverting your souls, say-
ing, Ye must be circumcised, and
keep the law; to whom we gave no
such commandment: it seemed good
unto us, being assembled with one
accord, to send chosen men unto
you.- -For it seemed to the Holy
Ghost and to us, to lay upon you
no greater burden than these ne-
cessary things: That ye abstain
from meats offered to idols, and
from blood, and from things stran-
gled, and from fornication: from
which if ye keep yourselves, ye
shall do well. Fare ye well. Acts
xv. 5, 6, 22—25, 28, 29.
they went through the cities, they
delivered them the decrees for to
keep that were ordained of the
apostles and elders which were
at Jerusalem. And so were the
churches established in the faith,
and increased in number daily.
Acts xvi. 4, 5.

And as

Faith and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's words written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a

which have a wicked opinion, either of God the Father, or of Christ, or of the Holy Ghost, or of any other point of Christian religion, for so much as they be confuted by the Gospel of Christ, we plainly pronounce them for detestable and damned persons, and defy them even unto the devil. Neither do we leave them so, but we also severely and straitly hold them in by lawful and politic punishments if they fortune to break out any where, and bewray themselves. Jewell.

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They be the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, whereupon is built the Church of God: they be the very sure and infallible rule, whereby may be tried whether the Church do swerve or err, and whereunto all ecclesiastical doctrine ought to be called to account: and that against these Scriptures neither law nor ordinance nor any custom ought to be heard: no, though Paul himself, or an angel from heaven, should come and teach the contrary. Jewell. See Art. VI.

Our Saviour taketh not and needeth not any testimony of man; and that which is once confirmed by the certainty of his eternal word, hath no more need of the confirmation of man's doctrine and writings, than the bright sun at noon-tide hath need of the light of a little candle to put away darkness, and increase his light. Hom. xiv. 1.

. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the traditions of men as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, if a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or mother; making the word of God of

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d If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. 1 Pet. iv. 11. To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Is. viii. 20. Let us prophesy (expound) according to the proportion (analogy) of faith. Rom. xii. 6. It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Matt. xiii. 11. Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye

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