A Christian Instruction Containing the Law and the Gospel, Chapter 42 – Chapter 53
Of the Supper, and of the Maſſe of the Papiſtes, and of the principall pointes wherin it is different and contrary to the true Supper. Chap. 42.
SEing then that the inſtitution of the holy Supper of the Lorde, and the ende for the whiche it was ordeined, is wholly ouerthrown in the Maſſe & ſupper of the Papiſts, it is plain, yt neither the one nor the other, not only can not be accōpted for the Supper of the Lorde, nor celebrated to ſuche an ende: But ouer and aboue that, who ſoeuer will be accompted a chriſtian, and a partaker of the true table of the Lorde, maye in no wyſe communicate nor aſſiſt, neyther at the Maſſe, nor Supper of the Papiſtes, if hée wyll not communicate at the Lordes table,1. Cor. 11. e. Luke. 22. b and at the diuels table altogether. For fyrſte, where Saincte Paule ſayeth playnelye, that wee muſt ſhewe the Lordes death, in his Supper, and that nothing be declared nor ſayde in the Churche, but in ſuche a toung as all men may vnderſtand. All is ſayde in the Maſſe and ſupper of the Papiſte, in a toung which the poore people vnderſtande not: And they doe not declare vntounto them the Inſtitution of the holye Supper of the Lorde. The whyche thyng is euen of as greate effecte, as yf there were no worde of God at all, ſéeing it is not vnderſtoode: Without whyche woorde, the Supper can not bée the Supper. Moreouer, the ſignes are there ſo confounded with the things which they ſignifie, that they be all one thing: wherefore that is as much as to hauehave ſacramēts without ſignes. Thirdly, the bread & wine are there worſhipped as Idols, and as Gods newly made, wherein there is not one idoll onelyonly, but two, as if the bloude were ſeparate from the body. Fourthly, they be there alſo offered in ſteade of Ieſus Chryſte, in ſuche ſorte as the maſſe is holden for a Sacrifice made for the redemption of ſoules: It is holden alſo for a meritorious woorke, whyche bryngeth Saluation vntounto men, as doth the Deathe and Paſſion of Chryſte.
Fyfthely is, that albéeit there be a certayne kynde of Communyon in the common Supper of the people, yet in their Maſſes there is none at all: For ſo much as the Préeſt whiche ſaith it, maketh his ſupper all alone, not admitting any one therevnto. Wherefore ſuch a ſupper may better be called an Excommunication, than a communication. For there is no communication nor communion where nothing is common, and where one man alone taketh all that whiche ſhould be diſtributed to al men in common. Now then if there were none other faulte in the maſſe but only theſe fiue, ſo muche lacketh it to be accompted the Supper of the Lorde, that not only all the true vſe of the ſame is there wholy ouerthrowen, but alſo Ieſus Chriſte is therein fully renounced, by thoſe whiche communicate there, or beleue it. And by the ſame meane the vertue & efficacie of the death and paſſion of Chriſte, is there vtterly of none effecte and aboliſhed.
Of the proofe that eueryevery man oughte to make of him ſelfe, to communicate worthily at the ſupper, and of the things required in the ſame. Chap. 43.
FVrder ſeing that the holy ſupper is ordeyned to ſuche an ende, as hath bene alredy declared, none may communicate in the ſame, but to his condemnation,3. Thing…. which cōmeth not with theſe thrée things following. The firſt is, a true acknowledging and ſorowfulneſſe for his ſinnes towards God, whiche can not be withoute true confeſſion of the ſame towards god. The ſecond is a ſtedfaſt beliefe of the forgiueneſſe of his ſinnes by Ieſus Chriſte, and a true aſſurance of ſaluation through him. The thirde is a true and perfecte charitie towardes our neybor.1. Iohn. 1. b 1. Corin. 10. d. &. 12. f. For this holy Sacramēt requireth all theſe things for ſo much as it is the ſacramente of the agréemēt and vnion that we hauehave wyth God by Ieſus Chriſte, and with all hys Church and all the true members of the ſame. Wherefore it muſt be of neceſſitie, that eueryevery mā examine him ſelfe in theſe points, that he may go to it worthily, and not to his condemnation, according to the doctrine of Sainct Paule to that purpoſe.
Of the penance and ſanctification of the Chriſtians, and of the true originall of the ſame, & of al good works. Chap. 44.
AS concerning the repentance and pē nance which is required of eueryevery chriſtian, the holy Scripture vnderſtandeth not thereby, that whiche improperly the Papiſts call pennance. For they through greate abuſe and ignoraunce of the language, do call penance, their ſatiſfactions, by the whiche they thinke to ſatiſfie God, by their owne works, and by their Ceremonies and ſuperſtitions. But the worde of God taketh pennance and repentance, for a true acknowledging and ſorowe for ſinne, the which true acknowledging and true diſpleaſure do procéede of the true feare of God, and of a true reuerence and louelove towardes him, conioyned with a certayne aſſurance of his goodneſſe and merciemercy, and with a true amendmente of life, by the whiche a chriſtian man doth dedicate him ſelfe to the ſeruice of God, as in time before he was dedicated to the ſeruice of the Deuill, to the end he may ſerue to iuſtice and holyneſſe, where before he ſerued ſinne & iniquitie.Gala. 5 For in this lyeth the ſanctification of man, the which ſanctificatiō is the very frute of true faith, which worketh thorough charitie, as ſhe is the originall of eueryevery good worke.
Of the true and Chriſtian confeſsion and abſolution, and of the remiſsion of ſinnes. Chap. 45.
AS concerning confeſſion and abſolution, the worde of God doth not acknowlege or receiue any ſuch, as the Papiſts do make in the eare of their préeſts,Eſay 4.3 d Pſalm 32. b & 103. b. to hauehave abſolution and remiſſion of theyr ſinnes by them. For the holy Scriptures ſhewe vsus none other that can pardon ſins, but only God. And by conſequent they appoint vsus none other, to whom we muſt make confeſſion, for to obteyne abſolution and pardon. In like ſorte we hauehave no example in all the true ſeruantes of God, of any other confeſſion and abſolution for the remiſſion of ſinnes towardes God, the which he giueth not but in his Churche, and to the true members of the ſame.
Of the power of miniſters of the Church, to pardon or reteyne ſinnes. Chap. 46
AS for the miniſters of the Churche, they hauehave none other power to pardon or reteyne them, but ſo farre as they vſe the keyes whiche the Lorde hath committed vntounto them, as to the miniſters of his Churche, to whome he hath giuen them, and in ſo doing they do declare by his worde, howe the ſinnes be forgiuen to thoſe that beléeue, and reteyned to the vnbeleuing. This is the true abſolution of the Chriſtian Churche, by the which God doth ratifie, and binde or vnbinde in heauen, that which they declare and do binde or loſe vppon earth by his worde, and in his name. For this power is giuen vntounto them,Matth. 10. b bicauſe he ſpeaketh by their mouth, and it is he himſelfe that bindeth and looſeth, and that dothe pardon and retayne ſinnes, by that ſame very worde, whereof they are but miniſters. This is the true and lawfull vſe of the keyes, the whiche the Lorde hath giuen to his Church: the execution whereof the Churche hath ſince committed to the miniſters, the whiche ſhe hath choſen therevnto by lawfull vocation.
Of brotherly reconciliation. Chap. 47.
Matth. 18.MOreouer, euen as God woulde that eueryevery man ſhould confeſſe his faults, to obteine forgiueneſſe, euen ſo he would that ſuche as hauehave offended,Matth. 5 d. Iames. 5. d. either the Churche in generall, or any of the members of the ſame and of their brethren in particuler, ſhould acknowledge and confeſſe their faulte, ſo farre forth as the true diſcipline of the Churche and Chriſtian Charitie do require, and that they reconcile themſelues with thoſe whome they hauehave offended, and hauehave done wrong vntounto. For ſuch thing is required, to repaire the ſlander and offence which they hauehave made, & to entertain the peace, the vnion, and the Chriſtian charitie in the Church.
Of the ſatiſfaction towarde our neighboure. Chap. 48.
THis reconciliation bringeth with it alſo ſatiſfactiō of that wherin eueryevery mā is bounde to his brother, ſo farre forth as he ſhall be able to do by Chriſtian charitie. For albeit, that there is none other but the ſatiſfaction of Ieſus Chriſte only, that may ſatiſfie for vsus at the iudgement of God, yet for all that the ſame doth not aboliſh this ſatiſfaction, which is to ſatiſfie vntounto men, for ſo much as it is a frute of the true repentance and of the true iuſtification and ſanctification of a Chrſtian man. For it is not a ſigne that a mā doth in dede repente him of his faulte, and of the wrong that he hath done to his brother, ſo long as he ſhall not recompence him according to the meanes that God ſhall giuegive him.
Of the Churche and of the foundation of the ſame, and of hir head. Chap. 49.
THis faith and doctrine, is the true faith and doctrine of ye true Chriſtiā church, vppon the whiche ſhe is builded, and by the which ſhe doth communicate of al the benefites of Ieſus Chriſte, of whiche we hauehave ſpoken heretofore.a. Cor. 12. d. Epheſ. 1. d Galath. 1. d For we vnderſtande by the Churche, the felowſhip and cōmunaltie of all the true faithful, which are the members of the body of Ieſus Chriſte, whiche do acknowledge him for their only head, and none other whatſoeuer: but do condemne the Pope whiche maketh himſelfe the head, as very Antichriſte. And in like ſorte they do alſo accompt the Church the which acknowledgeth him for hir head, not for a true chriſtian Churche, but for a Sinagogue of Sathan.
Of the markes whereby to knovve in thys world, which is the true Church, and who are to be accoumpted for true members of the ſame. Chap. 50.
THe marks whereby men may knowe in this world which is the true church of Ieſus Chriſt, are theſe, to wit, the lawfull adminiſtration of the pure worde of God, and of his holy Sacraments, and the allowing of the ſame, with true obedience towards the miniſterie the whiche the Lorde hath therin ordeyned. I do comprehende vnderunder this alowing and obedience, the ſubmiſſion and the diſcipline, the which Ieſus Chriſt hath ordeyned in his Church, and the pure and full obſeruation of the ſame, as it hath bin obſerued and practiſed in the ancient Churche, ruled by the doctrine of the Apoſtles. On the contrary, the marks of the Sinagoge of Sathā, and of the members of the ſame are the cōtempt & reiectiō of ye holy word, and of the true vſage of the Sacraments, and of the lawful diſcipline, which ought to ſerue as Chriſtiā pollicie, in the church of the Lorde.
Of the Magiſtrate. Chap. 51.
ANd as the true Church doth acknowledge the miniſters of the Goſpell, as the true miniſters of God, ordeyned by him. For the adminiſtration of ſpirituall things, euen ſo doth ſhe acknowledge the magiſtrates as miniſters of his Iuſtice, ordeyned by him for the conſeruation of the publique peace,Rom. 13. a. b 1. Peter. 2. c. 1. Timo. 3. a. and therefore ſhe doth willingly ſubmit hir ſelfe to them, in all thinges for God. For ſhe knoweth very well that God wold, that eueryevery mā ſhuld be ſubiecte vntounto them, in all things which are of their charge, and that they whiche reſiſte the ſame, reſiſt the ordinance of God, & do ſet vp themſelues againſt him.
Of Mariage. 52.
AS concernyng Mariage, albeit to ſpeake properlye, the Chriſtian Churche accoumpteth it not for a Sacrament, as doe the Papiſts, and in ſuche ſort, as they hold for ſacraments baptiſme and the Supper: yet notwithſtandyng, ſhe accompteth it a holy ordinance ordeyned of God, and not of men, and for the lawfull coniunction of the man and of the woman, whereby God hath willed, that mankinde ſhoulde be conſerued and multiplied. And therfore ſhe doth allowe and aduowe it for an honorable eſtate vntounto al men, of what eſtate or condition ſo euer they be, & accompteth the bed vnſpotted, and the remedie the which God hathe ordeyned againſte the incontinencie of all thoſe which hauehave not the gift. Contrarily, ſhe accompteth for vnlawful coniunction, and for abhominable whooredom and pollution condemned of God, all other coniunction betwéene man and woman, and dothe condemne as falſe Prophetes, and Apoſtates of the faithe, and miniſters of Antichriſte, all thoſe whiche forbidde any manner of perſone to marrie, that is capable, and in what place or tyme ſo euer it bée.
Of the doctrine of the Churche, and of mans traditions, and of thoſe whiche she doth acknowledge for true or falſe miniſters. Cha. 53.
FOr final concluſion, as the Church holdeth, receyueth and alloweth for heauenly and diuine doctrine, all the doctrine conteyned in the Canonicall bookes of the holy Bible, as well of the olde as of the newe Teſtament, and taketh it for the true foundation of hir Faythe: On the contrarie, ſhée dothe reiect and condemne all doctrine that is contrarie to the ſame, as diuelliſhe doctrine, and all traditions of men, whereby they will honour him according to their owne fantaſie: For the Churche knoweth by the very teſtimonie of GOD,Eſay. 29. d Matth 15. a Marke. 7. b that hée is ſerued in vain with the traditions of men: And therfore ſhe can not acknowledge any for true miniſters of the Lorde, but ſuche as bryng his pure worde, but dothe reiect all thoſe whiche in ſteade thereof, doe bring to hir the doctrine of men.
The ende.