The Account Reckoning and Confession of Faith, Dedication

The Account Reckoning and Confession of Faith · Dedication

To all hys faythfull brethren and ſyſters other willyngly fled or tyrannouſly exyled out of Englande for Chriſtes Goſpel ſake, Thomas Cotſforde wyſſheth from God the father thorow our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt much increaſe of fayth, godly knowlege and conſtancie in Chriſtes holy religion.

DEarly beloued, whan I wyth a lamentable hert conſyder wyth my ſelfe the myſerable ſtare of Englande my natiue cū treye, and the great ouerthrowe of Chriſtes pure religiō there, ſythe y^e moſte dolorouſe death of our moſte godly and vertuouſe prince, Kynge Edwarde the ſyxt: and agayne remembrynge howe Idolatrie, ſuperſticion, Papiſtrie, and al kyndes of falſe worſhippinge of God hathe in ſo ſhorte tyme ouerflowed ſo noble a realme: and what an infinite nombre (which wythin theſe two yeares paſt bare a fayre face towards true religion) are now ſuddenly turned backe to worſhip the beaſt, that is, to enbrace the Babilonicall ſtrumpet, and to taſte agayne of the cuppe of her abhominacions, I can ſcantlye refrayne myne herte from ſobbynge, and myne eyes from diſtillynge of teares. Alaſſe for pytie, what a great nōbre of Goddes people is thys day within Englād, that in theyr hertes do deteſte & abhorre that falſe worſhippinge and great diſhonourynge of God nowe violently (I wyl not ſaye tyrannouſly) thruſt into eueryevery churche and chappel, and wolde wyth all theyr hertes (yf they knew whyche waye to bringe it to paſſe) flye out of that Babylon nowe the great cytie of ſynne and confuſion? And contrary wyſe it wolde pytie any true chriſten mā nes herte to remembre how many ther are wythin that realme (which are fully perſuaded in theyr conſciences concerninge true religion) that myght wel enough eſcape and come away, & yet wyl not: but ſome of them had rather wyth moſte manyfeſt and ſhamefull ydolatrie pollute both theyr ſoules and theyr bodies, than they wolde forſake the pā parynge of theyr paunches, & theyr beſt beloued God the wycked Mā mon. Other ther be that ſtāde in defence that they maye tary wel enoughe and cōmūnicate wyth the ydolatrers: but I maruell wyth what conſciences they can other reade or heare theſe and ſuche lyke places of ſcripture here followynge:

2. Cor. 6.2 Cor 6Beare not a ſtraunge yoke (ſayeth ſaynt Paule) wyth the vnbeleuers: for What felowſhip hath righteouſnes wyth vnryghteouſnes? What cōpany hath lyght wyth darkeneſſe? What cōcorde hath Chriſte wyth Belial? &c. Howe agreeth the temple of God wyth ymages? And it foloweth: Come awaye out from amonge them, and ſeparate youre ſelues (ſayeth the Lorde) and touche none vncleane thynge, ſo wyl I receaue you. &c. Doutleſſe me thynke that thys texte reherſed ſhulde ſore nyppe theyr conſciences cōſydering that the Lorde hymſelfe ſpeaketh it.

Apoc. 18.Rev 18Let them weye alſo thys ſcripture: Come awaye my people from Babilon (that is, from that cytie, realme, towne, village, houſe, familie and company, whiche openly diſhonoureth God by ydolatrie, ſuperſticion and falſe worſhippyng) that ye be not partakers of her ſinnes, that ye receaue not of ther plages.

Againe, let them remembre this ſayeng of the prophete Elias:3. Reg. 18.1 Kgs 18 Why halt ye betwene two opinions? Yf the Lorde be the true God folowe hym? But yf Baal be he, than folow hym.An excuſe But many excuſe them ſelues by a boke made and compiled by a great clerke that dyed wyth in theſe fyue yeres paſt: whych boke (as they ſaye) maketh muche for theyr purpoſe, that is, for goynge to the wycked Maſſe. &c. But ſurely, yf they weye that boke wel, it maketh nothynge for them at al: for he wrote that parte of hys boke for them that were but yonglynges in the true knowlege and vnderſtandynge of the myſteries of Chriſtes religion, and dwelt in ſuche a realme or cuntreye that were cleane ouerwhelmed wyth Papiſtrie, and not well reformed as was Englande. He wrote not that for them that hadde ben already wel nuſeled and exerciſed in true religion many yeares (as ſome of theſe excuſers hauehave) and are fullye perſuaded already in the greateſt miſteries of pure religion. I dare ſaye, yf he were alyue he wolde not iuſtifye, neither beare wyth theſe men, to whōe God hath geuen ſo plentie of true knowlege, and that ſo many yeares ago, but wolde mooſte ſharply rebuke them and tel them playnly, that theyr accompaniyng and fellouſhip in falſe worſhipping with ydolatrers ſhuld 1moſte manifeſtly extende: Fyrſt to the great diſhonour of the omnipotent 2Lorde their God. Secondarely to the accuſacion and condempnacion of theyr owne conſciences, hauynge ſo manyfeſt places of holye 3ſcripture agaynſt them: Thyrdly, to the great offence of their yonge and weake chriſten brethren, whych hauehave many yeares knowen theyr opinion 4touchyng religion. And finally, to the confirmacion of the olde cā cred and ruſtie Papiſtes in theyr groſſe erroures and blyndneſſe.

But the ſoreſt grefe of al vntounto myn herte (were it not that theyr bolde confeſſion of theyr fayth and ſtoute ſtanding and conſtant perſeuering in the ſame vntounto the death comforteth me agayne) is the tyrannicall ſlaughter and butcherlike murther of the ſaintes, whych were the true ſeruaūtes of God, the ſyncere preachers of the waye of ſaluacion, the veray martyrs, true wytneſſes and conſtant confeſſoures of the true fayth of Ieſus Chriſt, whych of late in Englande hauehave beſtowed theyr veray lyues for y^e teſtimony of that truth, whyche they hauehave in tymes paſt ſo faythfully preached to many thouſandes of Chriſten ſoules with in that realme.

O Englande, Englande, what a ſore buffet hath God now gyuē thee: Partlye, by reſtorynge that bloudſuckyng byſhop the Romyſhe Antichriſt to hys former vſurped authoritie in that goodly realme, contrarye to Goddes worde, contrarye to thyne owne lawes, and cōtrary vntounto al your othes, faith and fydelitie, to thy perpetual ſhame ſo longe as the worlde ſhal endure: And partly, by takynge awaye from thee ſuche notable Inſtrumentes, by whoſe mouthes thou haſt abūdantly herd God ſpeake vntounto thee, and moſte louyngly ſhewed thee how thou mighteſt be ſaued, and in ſteade of them in hys heauy diſpleaſure nowe ſuffreth thy ſhameleſſe ſhepherdes out of al pulpettes to fede the wyth too ſhameful lyes? And why? Doutleſſe moſte worthely. Becauſe, (as S. Paule ſayeth) thou receauedſt not the louelove of the truthe (when thou myghteſt hauehave hadde it) that thou myghteſt hauehave ben ſaued:2. Teſſ. 2. and therfore God ſhal ſende thee ſtronge deluſiō, that thou ſhuldeſt beleue lyes. But take hede. For prate they neuer ſo monſtrouſe lyes, glorious Gardener and butcherlyke Boner with other of that ruflynge route of Romyſhe rutters, ſhall ſet ſuche a glyſterynge gloſe vponupon them, and with ſuche counterfeted coloures ſet thē forth & paynt them, that thou ſhalte thynke them to be moſte certaine & Euangelicall truthes, and ſhalte be brought into ſuche dotage and ſo be bewitched, that thou ſhalt thynke, that cheſe is chalke, and chalk cheſe. Swete is ſowre, and ſowre ſwete, good is euel,Eſa. 5.Isa 5 and euel good, and conſequently, that truth is lyes, & lyes are truthes. And yet to ſay the truth it is maruel, that other the Pope, the Quene, the Nobilitie and commons of Englande, or any other bodye els where, ſhulde or can credite or beleue ſuche wethercockes & dubblefaced dreamers of myſchefe as Gardener and Boner are. Whoſe wrytynges agaynſt the wycked and vſurped authoritie of theyr louynge father nowe the Romyſhe byſhop, and the vnlawfull mariage of the Quenes mother with kinge Henry the eyght (for ſo they called them both than) ſhall to both theyr perpetuall ſhames remayne, whan they are bothe gone to the deuel, excepte they earneſtly repent in tyme, and ratifie agayne that, that they truely wrote than. For yf theyr wrytinges were than falſe, why dyd they (yf it were but for ſhame of the world) affirme any falſhed, and cauſe it to be wrytten and printed, excepte they wolde openly ſhewe them ſelues to be the very chyldrē of the deuell the father of al lyes & falſhed? Yf thoſe thinges that they wrote than were true, why do they nowe ſo ſhamefully deny them in al theyr wycked doynges? why do they not nowe ſticke vntounto the truth of them euē vntounto the death? VntoUnto death quod he? Naye. whoo there my frende. For bothe they hauehave alwaye ben moſte tenderly brought vp, and theyr fleſhe is to fyne, delicate, nyce and to tender to ſuffer ether impriſonment or death for the trueth ſake. Yea they had rather put fyue hundreth to death for affirmyng the truthe (as they hauehave done many already in theyr tyme) than they wolde either ſticke to it them ſelues, or ſuffer other godlye perſones to lyue, that wolde wyth tothe and nayle ſticke vntounto it. But here I wyl let paſſe theſe open enemies both to God, to the truth, and to all true Chriſtianes inhabitinge the realme of Englande, and cōmit them to the vnſearcheable iudgement of hym, whych knoweth beſte howe to vſe both them, and al other hys creatures to the ſettynge forth of hys glorye, and wyll nowe procede to my matter.

Whan I had in latin red the notable confeſſion of the fayth of that excellent learned mā Huldrik Zwinglius, I cōſydered (yf it were turned into Englyſhe) that it wolde be both profitable & confortable to a great multitude of my contrey folke, namely to them that are but yongelinges and weake in knowlege of true religion, wherof ſome perchaunce are in pryſon already for the goſpel ſake, and ſome ſhall hereafter be called before the Magiſtrates to gyue a rekening of theyr faith:A chriſtiā ought plaī ly & openly to confeſſe with his mouth, the right belefe of his herte. 2. Cor. 4.2 Cor 4 whervnto yf they ſhalbe requyred, ther is no remedy, but openly and playnly to confeſſe wyth theyr mouthes, what they beleue wyth theyr hertes, vnleſſe they wil forſake Chriſt and his open truthe, and ſo (whych God forbyd) runne into the haſarde of eternal damnaciō. Therfore they muſte vnfaynedly ſaye wyth S. Paule: I beleue, and therfore I ſpeake. For vndoutedly, yf euer we loke to be ſaued, the playne and open confeſſion of the mouthe muſte neceſſarelye go wyth the ryghte belefe of the herte, thoughe dredful death ſhulde immediatli folowe. Do beleue with the herte iuſtifieth (ſayeth S.Rom. 10.Rom 10 Paul) but to knowledge wyth the mouthe maketh a man ſafe. S. Peter lykewyſe voucheth the ſame, ſayeng:

1. Pet. 3.1 Pet 3Be ready alwayes to gyue a rekening or an anſwere to euerye man that aſketh you a reaſon of the hope that is in you, and that wyth mekneſſe and feare, hauyng a good conſcience.

By theſe and ſuche lyke authorities and examples of Goddes holye worde it dothe playnly appere: that yf the Magiſtrate or tyraūt demaūd of any a rekenynge of theyr belefe, they muſte in any wyſe boldly and conſtantly declare it, thoughe they ſe euen death before theyr eyes.

It is therfore no leſſe but playne hypocriſie, diſſimulacion and halfe a denial of the fayth of Chriſte, to beleue ryghtly wyth the herte, and for fear, flatery, lucre or worldly gayne to ſaye or do the contrarye. God graunt vsus all therfore to do as Ieſus the ſonne of Syrack ſayeth:

Stryue thou for the truthe (ſayeth he) vntounto death,Eccle. 4.Eccl 4 and God ſhall fyght for thee agaynſt thyne enemyes.

But here one of good knowlege wyl ſaye.Obiection. Syr I am not yet come vntounto that perfeccion to dye for my fayth ſake: neither to forſake my cū trey, and therfore I wyl abyde by it and tary here ſtyl.

I anſwere:Anſwere then I wyl aduyſe thee who ſoeuer thou arte, to make thy rekenyng wyth thy ſelfe before, Examyne thyne owne herte & conſyder well: whether thou doeſt vnfaynedly feele in thy ſelfe ſuche a ſtronge & ſtoute ſtomake, that thou canſt be content boldly to confeſſe & byde by thy fayth: and for the truth ſake wyllyngly and gladly forſake father, mother, ſyſter, brother, wyfe chyldren, and al worldly pleaſures, and further ſuffer therfore ſhame, rebuke, loſſe of all thy landes, goodes, and promocions, forſakyng of thy kynſfolke and frendes, lōge impriſonment, tyrannical tormentes, and finally moſte ſhamefull death: Yf thou (I ſaye) vnfaynedly feeleſt in thy ſelfe ſuche a luſty corage that thou canſt conſtantlye and wyth a ioyful herte do al theſe thynges for the louelove of thy Lorde, and for the truthe ſake, than on goddes name ſtande vntounto it and abyde all ſharpe ſtormes and tempeſtes,Eccle. 4 …Eccl 4 & God ſhall (as Syrak ſayeth) fyght for thee agaynſt thyne enemies. And ſo in al thy greateſt trouble thou ſhalte glorifie God.

But contrarie wyfe yf thou feele in thy ſelfe weakneſſe, and arte affrayed that thou arte not able to ſuffer all theſe thynges, doutynge that thou can not ſtande ſtably in the open confeſſion of thy ryght faythe & beleue, and paciently ſuffer al the afore named tormentes: Than I wil aduyſe the in any wyſe to followe Chriſtes aduertiſement and cōmaū dement,Math. 10.Matt 10 ſayeng: whā they perſecute you in one cytie (wherin is vnderſtanded village, towne, cuntrey or region) flye vntounto an other. For yf thou feeling in thy ſelfe ſuche weakneſſe wilt aduenture to tarye ſtyll, than beware of theſe terrible threatnynges of Chriſte, ſayeng: who ſo euer ſhall deny me before men,Math. 10.Matt 10 him wyl I alſo denye before my father whych is in heauē.Marc. 10.Mark 10 Agayne, who ſo euer ſhalbe aſhamed of me & of my wordes in this aduoutrouſe & ſinful generaciō: of him alſo ſhal the ſonne of man be aſhamed whā he cōmeth in the glorye of hys father wyth the holy Angels. Come awaye therfore ſpedely, and preuent theſe great daū gers of denyal of Chriſt, and of hys knowen truthe.

But thys my poore and ſymple aduice good brethrē and ſyſters toucheth nothynge at al any of vsus that are already come awaye for the goſpel ſake. For (God be prayſed therfore) we hauehave obeyed Chriſtes voice both ſpeakynge in S. Iohn & in S. Paule. In S. Iohns Reuelacion thus ſayeth Chriſt:Apoc, 18. Come away my people from Babylō, that ye be not partakers of her ſynnes, that ye receaue not of her plages. In S. Paul thus ſayeth the Lorde:2. Cor 6.2 Cor 6 Come out frō amonge them, and ſeperate youre ſelues from them (ſayeth the Lord) and touche none vncleane thynge: ſo wyll I receaue you, and wyl be a father vntounto you, and ye ſhalbe my ſonnes and doughters, ſayeth the Lorde almyghtye.

Loo, theſe two ſcriptures I hauehave reherſed agayne, both for our ſinguler comforte, and for the comfortes of al them, that ſhall do the lyke that we hauehave done by cōmynge awaye. And in wayinge of theſe two aforeſayd ſcriptures I can not but moch reioyſe and prayſe God on oure behalfe, and that for diuers conſyderacions followynge:

1Fyrſt by cōmyng away we hauehave declared oure ſelues to be Chriſtes people. For Chriſte ſayeth: come awaye my people from Babylon.

Marke that he calleth the flyers frō ydolatrie hys people. Seyng thā in thus flyinge awaye we are accompted by this place of ſcripture to be of Chriſtes people, hauehave we not muche cauſe in our hertes to reioyſe & gloritie God? I thinke we hauehave.

2Agayne, for that we hauehave obeyde the Lordes voyce ſayeng: Come away: Come out from amōge them: Separate your ſelues from them: touche none vncleane thynge, we ſhal vndoutedly be partakers of the bleſſynges mencioned in the holye ſcriptures:Deut. 28. Leui. 26.Deut 28 Thē yf we be partakers of Goddes bleſſynges, it is a plaine aſſurance that God is on our ſyde. Yf God be on our ſyde, who thā can finally preuayle agaynſt vsus? Doutleſſe, neither Reyſer, Kinge, Quene tyraunt, deuel, death nor hell.

3Further, in commyg awaye we hauehave declared that we vtterly deteſt and abhorre al Idolatrye, ſuperſticyon, papiſtrie and falſe worſhippinge of God, and not to be partakers of them and other abhominacyons, whych nowe ouerflowe that noble realme of England: by reaſon wherof we ſhal and that moſt fortunatly auoyde and eſcape ſuche greate plages as now hāge ouer it. For which cauſe let vsus dayly more & more ſtudye to be thanckful vntounto the Lorde.

4Finally, as we hauehave obeyed (bleſſed be God therfore) thoſe commaū dementes: Comme awaye: Comme out from amonge them: Separate your ſelues from them: touch no vnclean thynge: So ſhal we be parttakers of theſe promeſes followinge, that is: ſo wyl I receaue you: and wyl be a father vntounto you: & ye ſhallbe my ſonnes and doughters, ſayth the Lorde almyghtie.

Theſe ſwete promeſes and ſpiritual confortatiues let vsus be myndful of both whan we laye vsus down to reſt, & whē we ryſe vp agayn. And giuegive God moſt hertie thanckes both for them, and for that grace that he gaue vsus to leaue our countrey, liuynges and promocyons and cō me awaye.

But here a papiſt wyl ſaye that I am out of my witte,Obiection to ſaye that we are fortunate with commynge awaye, nowe ſuffering greuouſe exyle, diſpatched of our lyuinges, forſaken of our kynſfolke, and out of the Quenes fauoure. Thys (wyl he ſaye) is to cōme out of Goddes bleſſyng into a warme ſonne.

Anſwere.I anſwere: The fleaſſh and carnal reaſon wyl iudge no leſſe. But yf we iudge after the rule of holy ſcripture, it is qwyte contrarie: For all Chriſtes ſcholars muſte ſuffer trouble in thys worlde. As S. Paul affirmeth,2. Tim. 3.2 Tim 3 ſayinge: Al they whyche wyl lyue godly in Chriſt Ieſu ſhal ſuffer perſecucion. Thys exile therfore is our croſſe, whych we muſte eſteme to be ſwete vntounto vsus for Chriſtes ſake,Mat. 10.Matt 10 becauſe he ſayeth: he that taketh not hys croſſe and foloweth me, is not worthye of me. And: yf a man come to me, and hate not hys father and mother, and wyfe & chyldren,Luce. 14. and brethren and ſyſters, yea and hys owne lyfe alſo, he can not be my diſciple.

And touchynge our perſecucion and exile let vsus patiently beare it. For Chriſt ſuffred muche more perſecucion for vsus. And was compelled in hys infancie (kynge Herode ſekynge to deſtroye him) to flye away out of his owne natiue cuntrey into a ſtraunge lande,Matth. …2Matt 2 and there to tary a lōge tyme tyl the death of his perſecutour.

As for the Quenes diſpleaſure towardes vsus (though perchaunce ſo me other cauſes are pretended) it is doutles for y^e goſpel ſake. Therfore let vsus ſtrongly beare it, and cōmitte our hole cauſe vntounto God, & let hym alone wyth the redreſſe therof, and dayly praye for her true conuerſion vntounto y^e enbracynge of Chriſtes true religion.

But concernynge the ſpoyle of your landes, goodes and poſſeſſiōs, and the lawles robberie of oure lyuynges and benefices, let vsus gladlye cōmitte them into the handes of God, and he wyl moſte ſurely (whā he ſeeth conueniēt tyme) recōpence eueryevery peny to the vttermoſte, other one waye, or els an other: other ſpiritually, or bodely, or both.Let vsus truſt ſurly to Chriſtes, payment. Let vsus truſte ſurely to Chriſtes recompenſacion, whyche promyſeth to vsus (I ſaye to vsus) repayment, ſayeng:

Matth. 19Matt 19EueryEvery one that forſaketh houſe, or brethren, or ſyſters, or father, or mother, or wyfe, or children, or lāde for my names ſake, ſhal receaue an hundreth folde, and ſhall inherite euerlaſtyng lyfe. Lo here Chriſt ſayeth: EueryEvery one. whyche conſydered, than ſaye I, that he dothe not except vsus, nether any that hath done as we hauehave done. For hys promyſe is vniuerſal.The promyſe is vniuerſal. And as the promyſe is vniuerſal, ſo is alſo the perfourmance therof, yf man continueth faythfull in hys callynge.

Luc. 18.Luke 18Saynt Luke reherſyng thys ſayeng of Chriſt, ſayeth thus. Verelye I ſay vntounto you: Ther is no mā that hath forſaken houſe, eyther father or mother, eyther brethren or wyfe, or chyldrē (for the kyngdome of goddes ſake) whyche ſhall not receaue muche more in thys worlde, and in the world to come lyfe euerlaſting. As thoughe Chriſt ſhulde thus ſay: No man for my cauſe ſhal ſuffer dā mage here, but ſhall enioye muche more againe for it, both in this lyfe, and in the lyfe to come.

Marc, 10.S. Marke telleth Chriſtes tale after thys ſorte: Verely I ſaye vntounto you: There is no man that hath forſaken houſe, or brethren, or ſyſters, or father, or mother, or wyfe, or children, or landes, for my ſake and the goſpels, but he ſhall receaue an hundreth folde nowe in this lyfe, houſes and brethren, and ſyſters, and mothers, and chyldren, and lādes with perſecucions, and in the worlde to come eternal lyfe.Hundreth fold.

Thys hundrethfolde ſignifyeth a mynde muche better content and ſatiſfyed with that porcion be it neuer ſo lytel that God ſhall gyue one towardes hys fyndyng in hys exyle & aduerſitie, than wyth that great abū daunce had in tyme of proſperitie.

Chriſtianes for Goddes glorie forſaking theyr houſes and goodes, for one houſe forſaken ſhalbe many times moſte hertely welcome to many godly mennes houses. Yea the faythful ſhal ſo gladlye receaue thē and charitably intreat them, that they ſhall thynke them ſelues fortunate to hauehave in theyr houſes ſuche ſtraungers and geaſtes.Act. 10.Acts 10

So thought Symon the Tāner that lodged Peter, & lykewyſe Cornelius the captayne.

Act. 16.Acts 16So were Paulus and Sylas at Philippos moſte gladly takē to lodgynge wyth godly Lydia the ſeller of purple, whych ſayd vntounto them: Yf ye thynke that I beleue on the Lorde, come into myne houſe and abyde there. I could here bryng you exemples of Abraham, Iob and Dauid, whyche for theyr patient ſufferyng exyle, ſpoyle, and loſſe of lande and cuntrey, were muche more abū dantly enriched of God afterward, than they were before.

But here my good brethren and ſyſters,Iouianus & Valentinianus. I praye you marke the exā ples of two noble gentlemē, the one named Iouianus and y^e other Valē tinianus, beyng both of the in hygh fauour and authoritie, and were Capitaynes of a thouſande men a pece vnderunder Iulianus the Emperoure, whych in the begynnyng profeſſed Chriſt but afterwards forſoke him, and perſecutyng the Chriſtianes became a playne Apoſtata. Thys wycked Emperour by a lawe cōmaunded al hys men of warre vnderunder payne of loſynge theyr promocions to do ſacrifice vntounto hys falſe Goddes.In hiſto. Tripar. lib. 7. ca. 1 Es Theodoricut. li. 4. cap. 1. Iouianus notwythſtādyng rather than he wolde obey a wycked commaundement of a wycked Emperour, and ſo denye and ſclaūder the profeſſion of his fayth in Chriſt, choſe vtterly to forſake and departe frō hys great promocion. For whyche cauſe Chriſt wel recompenſed hym. For after the worthy cruel death of that wycked Emperour, Iouianus was aduaunſed to be Emperoure nexte after hym.

So lykewyſe the noble gentelmā Valentinianus beynge a chriſtian folowynge hys maiſter the ſaid wicked Emperour Iulianus whan he wente to the Temple of hys falſe Goddes,Theodoricus li. 4. ca 5. & Tripar. hiſt. li. 6. cap. 35. was of the heythen Preſte be ſprincled wyth holy water. And beynge greued therwyth, for the zeale that he bare vntounto Chriſte, gaue the preſte a blowe of the eare, & boldlye ſayde:So may one rightly ſaye of the Papiſtes holy water. that wyth that water he was rather polluted than purged. For whych thynge, he was firſt impriſoned, and than exiled and banyſhed. Neuertheles for hys feruente zeale in gyuynge the heythen preſte a blowe, Chriſt afterwardes wel recompenſed hym. For next after the death of the ſayd Emperour Iouianus, was he exalted to be Emperour of Rome. So is it playne, y^t for their great loſſes of their ꝓmocions for the profeſſiō of their fayth ſake, Chriſt euen in thys lyfe recompenſed eyther of them an hūdreth fold. I coulde brynge mo hiſtories to the confirmacion of this matter, but I wyl for thys tyme content my ſelfe with theſe. But yet one leſſō derely beloued let eueryevery one of vsus learne of S. Paule, and ſaye wyth hym euen from the very herte thus:Philip. 4.Phil 4 I hauehave learned in what ſo euer ſtate I am therwith to be content. I know howe to be lowe, and I knowe how to excede: EueryEvery where and in all thynges I am inſtructed both to be ful and to be hongrye, both to hauehave plentie, and to ſuffer nede. I can do all thynges throughe Chriſte that ſtrenghneth me.

Thus makynge an ende of my longe bablyng wyth you dearly beloued brethren and ſyſters, I here preſent vntounto you the notable confeſſion of the fayth of y^e greate learned man Huldrik Zwinglius, whych I hauehave after my groſſe knowlege lately tranſlated out of laten for the inſtruccion and comfort of the true Chriſtianes of Englande. And whā I had tranſlated it within leſſe thā one leafe of the laſt ende, one of our brethren ſhewed it to me tranſlated already many yeares ago and printed at Zurik. Whych thynge had almoſte cauſed me to ſuppreſſe my tranſlacion: had not an other after that tolde me, that of the old tranſlacion ther was but a ſmale nombre printed, & many of them were loſte. In conſyderacion wherof, he aduyſed me & that earneſtly to put forth thys my tranſlacion, bothe for the profyte of many of my Chriſtē brethren whych neuer red the former tranſlacion, and alſo for the reuiuyng of ſo worthy a confeſſion, and ſo hauehave I done.

I hauehave alſo added thervnto two lytle Epiſtles of myn owne: the one conteynyng my poore and ſymple iudgement concernyng the confeſſion of ſynnes, howe farre the holye ſcripture wyl beare therwyth. And what I thynke touchynge eare confeſſiō nowe reuyued agayne in Englande. The other Epiſtle is an anſwere to the demaunde of a godlye lady moſte inſtātly deſyryng me to declare vntounto her y^e true meaning of an hard texte of y^e vi…cha of S. Paules Epiſtle to the Hebrues, & alſo what is the ſynne againſt the holy ghoſt, and howe and wherin it differreth from all other ſynnes.

Theſe thynges wrytten after my rude maner and nowe put forth in printe I beſech you take in good worth, and of your Charitie remembre me in youre dayly prayers

p. 1VVe whyche preache the Goſpel in cyties, townes and villages, of chriſtē felowſhip O Charles noble Emperour conſecrated & holy appointed to equitie and ryghteouſnes, hauehave longe deſyrouſly loked-for when a rekenyng of oure fayth, whych both we hauehave & profeſſe, ſhuld be required of vsus. And whyle we ſtād thus in a redynes, it is ſayd, rather of comon brute, then of any ſure and certayne meſſage or tydynges, that many alredy hauehave prepared and furniſhed the order, ſumme and fourme of their fayth and religion, which they maye ſpedely preſent vntounto you. And here are we in great doute and perplexitie, for on the one part y^e louelove of truthe and great deſyre of comō quietnes pricketh vsus forwarde to do the ſame our ſelues, that we ſe other do: And on the other ſyde, ſhortneſſe of tyme afrayeth vsus, Partlye, for that we muſte do al thynges to haſtely, & paſſe them ouer to lyghtly, becauſe of your great haſte, (for ſo the rumour goeth that you wyl make haſte from thenſe.) And partly, becauſe we whiche are preachers of goddes worde in p. 2cyties, townes and villages are placed farther abrode, than we can in ſo ſhorte a tyme aſſemble and take aduiſemēt, what were moſte mete to writ vntounto your hyghneſſe. Wherfore ſeyng that we hauehave alredy ſene the confeſſion of the fayth of other, yea and alſo the confutacion of their aduerſaries (which neuertheleſſe ſemed to be prepared before any thinge (touching that) was demaūded of them) I thought it was not vnmere yf I alſo priuatly without the hynderaūce of my contreyfolke ſhulde forthwith declare a reaſon and rekenyng of my fayth. For although other matters require ſofte and eaſy haſte, yet in this thyng quicke ſpede is to be made, leſt (y^e matter ſlouthfully paſſed ouer) we ſhulde fall in daunger other of ſuſpicious ſilence, or els of preſumptuouſe negligence. Lo therfore (O moſte myghty Emperoure) here I offer vntounto youre maieſtye the ſumme of my fayth on this condicion, that I maye alſo wytneſſe therby my ſelfe to commit and ſuffer the iudgemēt not only of theſe articles, but alſo of al other whych I hauehave hertofore at any tyme wrytten, or by the goodnes of God hereafter p. 3ſhal wryt, not to one only, neither yet to a fewe, but to the hole Churche of Chriſt ſo farre as it pronounceth by the rule and inſpiracion of Goddes worde and ſpirite.