tisme, is sinne agaynst the holy ghost, and vnpardonable. Wherefore, the graunt of repentaunce is not to be denyed to such as fal into sinne after baptisme. After we haue receaued the holy ghost, we may depart from grace geuen, and fall into sinne, and by the grace of god (we5 may) aryse agayne and amende our lyues. And therefore, they are to be condemned, whiche say they can no more sinne as long as they lyue here, or denie the place of forgeuenesse to suche as truely repent.

Predestination to lyfe, is the euerlastyng purpose of God, wherby (before the foundations of the world were layd) he hath constantly decreed by his councell secrete to vs, to deliuer from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christe out of mankynde, and to bryng 15 them by Christe to euerlastyng saluation, as vessels made to honour. Wherfore they which be indued with so excellent a benefite of God, be called accordyng to Gods purpose by his spirite workyng in due season: they through grace obey the callyng: they be iustified freely: 20 they be made sonnes of God by adoption: they be made lyke the image of his onelye begotten sonne Jesus Christe: they walke religiously in good workes, and at length by gods mercy, they attaine to euerlastyng felicitie.

As the godly consyderation of predestination, and our 25 election in Christe, is full of sweete, pleasaunt, and vnspeakeable comfort to godly persons, and such as feele in them selues the working of the spirite of Christe, mortifying the workes of the fleshe, and theyr earthly members, and drawyng vp theyr mynde to hygh and 30 heauenly thinges, aswell because it doth greatly establyshe and confirme theyr fayth of eternall saluation to be enioyed through Christ, as because it doth feruently kindle their loue towardes God: So, for curious and carnal

persons, lacking the spirite of Christe, to haue continually before theyr eyes the sentence of Gods predestination, is a moste daungerous downefall, whereby the deuyll doth thrust them either into desperation, or into rechlesnesse of most vncleane liuing, no lesse perilous than despera-5 tion.

Furthermore, we must receaue Gods promises in such wyse, as they be generally set foorth to vs in holy scripture and in our doynges, that wyl of God is to be folowed, which we haue expreslye declared vnto vs in 10 the worde of God.

18. Of obtaynyng eternall saluation, only by the name of Christe.

They also are to be had accursed, that presume to say, that euery man shalbe saued by the lawe or sect which 15 he professeth, so that he be diligent to frame his lyfe according to that lawe, and the lyght of nature. For holye scripture doth set out vnto vs onlye the name of Jesus Christe, whereby men must be saued.

19. Of the Church.

The visible Church of Christe, is a congregation of faythfull men, in the which the pure worde of God is preached, and the Sacramentes be duely ministred, accordyng to Christes ordinaunce in all those thynges that of necessitie are requisite to the same.

As the Church of Hierusalem, Alexandria, and Antioche haue erred so also the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their lyuing and maner of ceremonies, but also in matters of fayth.

20. Of the aucthoritie of the Church.

The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and aucthoritie in controversies of fayth: And yet it is

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not lawful for the Church to ordayne any thyng that is contrarie to Gods worde written, neyther may it so expounde one place of scripture, that it be repugnaunt to another. Wherefore, although the Churche be a witnesse and a keper of holy writ: yet, as it ought not to 5 decree any thyng agaynst the same, so besides the same, ought it not to enforce any thing to be beleued for necessitie of saluation.

21. Of the aucthoritie of generall Counselles.

Generall Counsels may not be gathered together with- 10 out the commaundement and wyll of princes. And when they be gathered together (forasmuche as they be an assemblie of men, wherof all be not gouerned with the spirite and word of God) they may erre, and sometyme haue erred, euen in thinges parteynyng vnto God. Wher-15 fore, thinges ordayned by them as necessary to saluation, haue neyther strength nor aucthoritie, vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy scripture.

22. Of Purgatorie.

The Romishe doctrine concernyng purgatorie, pardons, 20 worshipping and adoration aswell of images, as of reliques, and also inuocation of Saintes, is a fonde thing, vainly inuented, and grounded vpon no warrantie of Scripture, but rather repugnaunt to the worde of God.

23. Of ministryng in the congregation.

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It is not lawful for any man to take vpon hym the office of publique preachyng, or ministring the Sacramentes in the congregation, before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to iudge lawfully called and sent, whiche be chosen and 30 called to this worke by men who haue publique aucthor

itie geuen vnto them in the congregation, to call and sende ministers into the Lordes vineyarde.

24. Of speakyng in the congregation, in such a tongue as the people understandeth.

It is a thing playnely repugnaunt to the worde of God, 5 and the custome of the primitiue Churche, to haue publique prayer in the Churche, or to minister the Sacramentes, in a tongue not vnderstanded of the people.

25. Of the Sacramentes.

Sacramentes ordayned of Christe, be not only badges 10 or tokens of Christian mens profession: but rather they be certaine sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good wyll towardes vs, by the which he doth worke inuisible in vs, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirme our fayth in hym.

There are two Sacramentes ordayned of Christe our Lorde in the Gospell, that is to say, Baptisme, and the Supper of the Lorde.

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Those fyue, commonly called Sacramentes, that is to say, Confirmation, Penaunce, Orders, Matrimonie, and 20 extreme Unction, are not to be compted for Sacramentes of the Gospel, being such as haue growen partly of the corrupt folowing of the Apostles, partly are states of life alowed in the scriptures: but yet haue not lyke nature of Sacramentes with Baptisme and the Lordes Supper, for 25 that they haue not any visible signe or ceremonie ordayned of God.

The Sacramentes were not ordayned of Christ to be gased vpon, or to be caryed about: but that we shoulde duely vse them. And in such only, as worthyly receaue 30 the same, they haue a wholesome effect or operation: But they that receaue them vnworthyly, purchase to them selues damnation, as S. Paul sayth.

26. Of the vnworthynesse of the ministers, which hinder not the effect of the Sacramentes.

Although in the visible Churche the euyl be euer myngled with the good, and sometime the euyll haue cheefe aucthoritie in the ministration of the worde and 5 Sacramentes: yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their owne name, but in Christes, and do minister by his commission and aucthoritie, we may vse their ministerie, both in hearing the word of God, and in the receauing of the Sacramentes. Neither is the effecte of Christes ordi- 10 naunce taken away by their wickednesse, nor the grace of Gods gyftes diminished from such as by fayth and ryghtly do receaue the Sacramentes ministered vnto them, which be effectuall, because of Christes institution and promise, although they be ministred by euyll men.

Neuerthelesse, it apparteyneth to the discipline of the Churche, that enquirie be made of euyl ministers, and that they be accused by those that haue knowledge of their offences and finally, beyng founde gyltie by iust iudgement, be deposed.

27. Of Baptisme.

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Baptisme is not only a signe of profession, and marke of difference, whereby Christian men are discerned from other that be not christened: but is also a signe of regeneration or newe byrth, whereby, as by an instrument, 25 they that receaue baptisme rightly, are grafted into the Church: the promises of the forgeuenesse of sinne, and of our adoption to be the sonnes of God, by the holy ghost, are visibly signed and sealed: fayth is confyrmed: and grace increased by vertue of prayer vnto God. The 30 baptisme of young children, is in any wyse to be retayned in the Churche, as most agreable with the institution of Christe.