A simple, and religious consultation of vs Herman by the grace of God Archebishop of Colone, and prince Electour. [et] c. by what meanes a Christian reformation, and founded in Gods worde, of doctrine, administration of the deuine sacramentes, of ceremonies, and the hole cure of soules, and other ecclesiastical ministeries may be begon among men committed to our pastorall charge, vntil the Lorde graunt a better to be appoynted either by a free, and Christian cou[n]sayle, general, or national, or elles by the states of the empire of the natio[n] of Germanie, gathered together in the holye Gost

Of Doctrine.

OUR sauiour Gods sonne Iesus Christ, which cam into this world to the intent to open that wonder ful, and hyd wil of God concer∣nyng the saluation of mankynd, after this sort spake to his disciples, and to all them that are called to the ministery of his Gos∣pel: As the father hath sente me, so I sende you. And in another place: Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to euery cre∣ature, teachyng theim to kepe all thynges that I haue cōmaunded you. Further God eternal, the father of our Lord Iesu Chryst, spake thus from heauen of hys sonne: Him heare ye. Wherefore, let vs constitute hym a Doctoure of authoritie, and iudge of all writinges. Peruse Cypriās boke. ij. Epistle iij. And that Christ ought only to be heard, the father witnesseth also from heauen, say∣ing: this is my sonne, in whom I am well pleased, heare hym. Wherfore, if Christ on∣ly oughte to be hearde, we must not looke, what any mā before vs hath thought good to bee doone, but what Christe fyrste dyd, whych is before all.

Forasmuch as thā this doctrine of God the father, and of oure Lorde Jesus Chryst is taught in no wrytinges, but in the wry∣tynges of the Propheies, and the Apostles,

and seyng that there is none other doctrine wherin the wyll of God from the begyn∣nyng concernyng mannes saluation, is set furth with more certayne and strong testi∣monies, Paule saiyng also that the churche is buylded therupon, it is ryght necessary, that al the ministers of the Gospel read of∣ten, & pondre the hole deuine scripture, with the feare of God, and exquisite diligence, both that they them selues maye be better learned, and also that they may enstruct o∣ther of the euerlastyng wyl of God, of the law of synne, of the wrath of God, of grace and ryghteousnes promysed for Chryst the mediatour, of lyfe euerlastyng, and paynes euerlasting, which the dispisers of the word must nedes suffre.

This wysdome, as Paule witnesseth to the Corinth. doth far excel al mans wisdom For he saith: we speake the wisdome of God in mistery, which is hid, whych God prede∣stinated before the worldes, vnto our glory whyche none of the prynces of this worlde hath knowne, but God hath opened it vnto vs by his spirit. i. Corin. xi. Wherefore for∣asmuch as God hathe propouned vnto vs this his holesome and heauenlye doctryne onely in the writynges of the Prophetes, & of the holy Apostles, and because we can∣not

receiue the same certaine, and vndouted els where, al shepherdes & preachers ought to exercyse them selues diligently daye and nyght in these holy and deuyne bokes, that they may be apter to teach other. As the ho¦ly Gost requireth it in them by name, that they declare and shewe them selues appro∣ued to God, and such workemen of Christ, as nede not to be ashamed of their myniste∣ry, and whych also may rightly deuide the word of truth, and teach other with fruite. ij. Timoth. ij. Item that they holde fast that faythful word, whych is accordyng to doc∣tryne that they may bee able to exhort tho∣rough holsome doctrine, and to conuince the agaynsayers therof Titu. i.

In which deuine precept propouned to al teachers & ministers of congregations, the pastours, and preachers shall obserue dili∣gently. Fyrst, that it is required of thē, that in teachyng they hold fast the certayne, and faythful word, that is to say: to whych cer∣tayne, and vndouted fayth ought to be ge∣uē. Wherof it foloweth, that thei must take ryght diligent hede, that they myngle none opinions of men, with their doctryne, and preachyng, but that they teache religiously and deliuer to the people the syncere worde of God. For this saiyng is euer true, Eue∣ry

man is a lyar. Psalm. Cxvi. And Paule saith. The natural man vnderstandeth not those thynges that be of the spirite of God for thei be folyshnes vnto hym, and he can∣not perceiue them. i. Cori. ij. After the same sort sayth Esay. xl. Al flesh is grasse, and al the glory therof is as the flour of the felde, the grasse wythereth, and the floure fadeth. But the word of the lorde abideth for euer. Seing then that men of theyr owne nature be deceyued, and can not of them selues vn∣derstande the doctrine of grace, and seinge that theyr glorie or excellencie (by whiche worde the prophete would chiefely signi∣fie mannes wysedome) falleth awaye lyke a floure, howe can mannes reason, and wis∣dome, when it is not guyded and directed by the spirite and worde of God, perceyue and teache anie certentie, and truth, chiefely concernyng diuine matters, and the restitu∣tion of man. And although al christian men haue the spirite of God, whiche as he lea∣deth eche one into all truth, as muche as is sufficient for his owne saluation, and for the profitte of the congregation, so he hath wit∣nessed in man the gospell of Christe wyth goodly bookes, and wrytynges, and doeth euen vnto thys daye wytnesse, and preache neuerthelesse fleshe and bloude abyde in al,

men, be they neuer so holy, and spiritual, as longe as they lyue here, whiche fleshe and bloude perceyue not the thynges that per∣tayne vnto God. The sense and vnderstan∣dyng of the fleshe remayneth, whiche stry∣ueth agaynst God. Wherfore in thys lyfe there neyther hath ben, nor is anie man en∣dued wyth so great holines, or doctrine, but that it hath chaunced hym often to fall, and to be deceyued. Wherefore as Saynte Au∣gustine, so lykewyse other fathers and olde doctours allowed not all the writinges and sentences of them, whiche had taughte ey∣ther before them, or in theyr tyme for thys cause, that those thynges came from men so excellent in godlines, and learnynge, but as farre as euerie man confirmed his doc∣trine, and sentence with the worde of God, and sure reasons. And they counted those onely reasons to be sure and certaine, which thei perceiued to be deriued out of the word of God. Of which sort those be, with which S. Paule proueth that a woman muste co∣uer hyr heade in the congregation, and kepe silence, and not teache men. i. the Corhinth. xi. and. xiiii For the apostle cōfirmeth these thynges wyth thys reason namely because the worde of God testifieth that the womā is of the man, that she was made after the

man, and first admitted the gyle of Satan Item that she oughte to be subiecte to hy husbande.

Wherfore al cōfirmations of godlie do∣ctrine consiste in the onely testimonie of the scripture, vpon wihche scripture al that we either beleue or teache of God, and oure Christe oughte to be grounded. For thys scripture only setteth before vs the word of God vnmixte, and certayne (wherunto one∣ly we ought to giue credence in diuine mat∣ters) for it was not taught of mē, but of the holy goste from heauen as. S. Petre wyt∣nesseth, sayinge: knowe this first, that euerie prophetical scripture is not of priuate inter∣pretation. For prophecie was not at anie tyme brought by the wyl of man, but the holy mē of God spake, being stirred of the holie goste, ii. Petre. i.

Wherfore all doctrines of men in the cō∣gregation that are not grounded vpon the worde of God, taughte in the holy scriptu∣res be vnprofitable, & pernicious, as Christ witnesseth and Esay. But the holye scrip∣ture is a certayne, and a holesome doctrine vnto vs as Paul teacheth, wher as he saith Euerye scrypture enspired from God, is profitable for doctrine, for reprouing, for in struction which is in ryghteousnes, that the

man of God may be perfect, prepared vnto euery good worke. ij. Timo. iij.

Forasmuch as than this scripture pro∣pheticall and inspired from God, is profi∣fable, and abundauntly sufficient for the per¦fecte knoweledge of true and holesome do∣ctrine, that the men of God maye be in∣structed. and prepared to euery good worke and further that all erroures, whiche be a∣gainst religiō & godlines, may be disclosed, and confuted, all pastours, and preachers muste alwaye needes take theyr sermons and doctrine out of the holy scripture. Thei muste also take diligent hede, leste at any tyme they mingle herewyth mannes do∣ctrines, and interpretations, that haue not flowen out of thys pure foūtayne of Gods worde. Wherefore that feaders and prea∣chers maye ryghtly instructe the people of Christe, out of these bokes of the holie gost, in all thynges that be profitable, and neces∣sarie to knowe for saluation, it is needefull that they geue thē selues to the studie of the holie scriptures wyth moste earnest, and cō∣tinuall care. And that they maye do thys thynge with more fruite and attayne to the true vnderstandynge of the holy scripture, let them pray continually wyth Godly pe∣titions that the holie gooste maye be increa∣sed

to them, whiche is the onely interpreter of the holy scripture. For the naturall man vnderstandeth it not, as he also vnderstan∣deth not other spirituall thynges, whiche thinge the Apostles teache vs sufficientlye wyth theyr owne example, whiche, as we reade in the last of Luke did not vnderstāde the scriptures, before that Christe opened theyr minde. The spirite thē before al thin∣ges muste be sought for, and obtained with faythfull prayer, the spirit I saye of vnder∣standyng the holy scripture a ryght both to the health, and profit of our selues, and also of other. Wherfore, it is nedeful that prea∣chers wythdrawe them selues from carnal and worldly busines, asmuch as the necessi∣tie of this present life wil suffre, & that they geue them selues throughly to all spirituall exercises, if they wyl both thē selues ryght∣ly vnderstand godlines, and the holie scrip∣tures, and also profitably administre and faythfully dispence to the congregation of God, the doctrine of saluation, that euerye one of them teach mē committed vnto their charge aswel the rude, as the quycke wyt∣ted, and learned the most holy Gospel, and doctrine of godlines vnto theyr saluation. Item that they bryng to passe through that their ministery that euery man surely per∣ceiue

the prophetical & euāgelical spech, and geue hede therunto with al diligēce, as to a cādel shining in a darke place, that they wa¦uer not like children, & be caried about with euery wynde of doctryne, but that folow∣ing the truth in loue thei grow in him in al thinges, which is the head, namely Christ.

Further, it is the office of pastours, and ministers of the word, that they exhorte thē that be ryghtlye instructed in the doctryne of godlines, and that they cal vpon them in¦stantly, that they abyde in that knowne do∣ctrine, beyng prepared and redy to suffre al thynges, rather than that they wyll depart from it, and that they testify them selues to be the chyldren of God with good workes, and a christian lyfe. For our aduersarye the Deuyl neuer kepeth holy day, but walketh about lyke a roaryng Lion, sekyng whom he maye deuoure, as Peter witnesseth. And this he doth not only within, with fiery dar¦tes of temptations, and fleshly intisementes agaynst the lawe of God, but also without with the persecutions, and assaultes of the myghtie, and further with hypocrisie, and a vayne shewe of false doctryne, as our day∣ly experience testifieth. Wherfore, Bishops and preachers must procure wyth al studye that they ryghte diligentlye warne, con∣forte,

and exhorte the weake in the fayth of Christ, that they labour to resyst manfully the olde enemy euer endeuouryng himselfe to assaulte on euerye syde the flocke of the Lord, and to continue in the fayth, as s. Pe∣ter teacheth vs. i. Peter. v. And also Paul to the Ephesians. vi. Chapter.

But at what tyme and in what place such consolations and exhortations ought to be vsed, it can not be certainly prescribed. For it is not onely requisite opēly in pulpettes, but often at other tymes, & in other places, as occasiō suffreth & necessitie requireth. As s. Paule with greate grauitie admonisheth Timothe. I besech the (sayeth he) before God, and the Lord Iesus Christ, which shal iudge the quicke, and the dead in his appea¦ring and in his kingdom, preach the word, calle vpon them in tyme, out of tyme, re∣proue, rebuke, exhorte with al softnes, and doctrine The Apostle approueth the same thinge also with his owne exemple, in that last sermō, which he made at Miletes to the elders of the congregations. Youe knowe (saieth he) from the first daye that I entred in to Asia, after what sorte I was with you at al tymes, seruinge the Lorde God with al humblenes of minde, wyth many teares, and temptations, whiche chaūced vnto me

throw the conspiracie of the Iewes, howe I with drew no parte of those thinges that mighte be for your profith, but I shewed vn¦to you, and taughte you openly, and in eue∣rie house, testifiynge both to the Iewes and to the Gretians that repētaunce, that is to∣wards God, and that faith, that is toward our lorde Iesus. Take hede therfore to your selues, and to the hole flocke. Item, watch ye, remēbringe that by the space of .iii. yeres I ceased not nyght nor daye with teares to warne euerie man. And in the first epistle to the Thess. the .ii. cha. You be wytnesses and you know, how we were affectioned towar¦des euerie one of you, as a father is towar∣des his Children, desiring you, confortinge and beseching, that ye woulde walke wor∣thely of God, whiche hath called you in to his kingdom and glorie. And it is necessary that such exhortatiōs be done grauely with a certaine Godly vehemencie of minde, and feruentnes that they may moue the people, and stere vp good affecions in mennes min¦des, whereby they maye labour to conti∣new, and go forth in the way of the Lorde▪ which thinge Paule signified by this say∣ynge that he maye be able to exhorte &c. It shal much further thys grauitie and vehe∣mencie, if the preachers with the comman∣dementes

of God shal diligently sette forth and declare the threates also, terrible exem∣ples of Goddes wrath, that the people mai be fraied from sinninge. Item if they shall sette forth the mercie, and promises of God with no••able exemples of Goddes helpe & deliueraunce that in like maner men maye he allured to trust more constantly in God and to loue hym, and so beinge inflamed with the zealle, and loue of God they may goe forth in al good worekes, and valiaunt¦ly suffre, & ouercome afflictions for the glo¦rie of the Lorde. The feeders thā and prea∣chers, that wil faythfully serue theyr voca∣tion must necessarely not only be furnished to exhort the sorowful, and to comforte the weake, but also they muste be readie, and haue a burnning zeale therunto. For the ob∣taininge of both whyche thinges as they haue neede of continual readinge, and stu∣diyng of the scripture so they haue neede of continual prayer, and all other spirituall ex∣ercises, and therfore also of great werines, lest by anie meane they be entangled in the busynesses of thys lyfe, and carnall cares. Thirdly it is required of feeders, & curates of Christes people that they be able also to confute the agaynsayers, and aduersaries wyth euident, and effectuall testimonies of

the scripture. For Satan is busiest in thys poynte that he maye corrupte the perfecte and sincere doctrine, raysyng vp sundry he∣resies, that the fayeth of Christe being sha∣ken, and at the laste abolished, he maye sta∣blishe, and mayntayne his owne tirannie. Hereof it commeth, that as we haue redde that in the tyme of the Apostles, and Mar∣tyres longe sithens it happened, and a•• al o∣ther tymes when the pure doctrine of God hath bene sincerely preached, so in oure time also newe heretikes sprynge dayly, whiche labour, and establishe their wicked doctrine with depraued testimonies of the scriptures as. S. Petre wryteth, that such men euen in his tome beganne to wrest the writinges of S. Paule that be hearde to vnderstande, as the other scriptures vnto theyr owne destru¦ction. Neither is it meruayle that Sa••ā wor¦keth thys thynge in his ministers, I meane that he laboureth to corrupt, and ouerthrow the doctrine of godlines (whiche is taughte in the scripture onely) by the testimonies of the scripture it selfe, but the same being de∣praued and corrupted. For wyth thys arte he durste assayle the Lorde Christe, when in the holie Citie Hierusalem, he sette him v∣pon the pinacle of the temple, and sayed vn∣to him, if thou be the sonne of God cast thy

selfe downe. For it is wrytten, he hath geuē cōmaundement to his angelles concerninge the, they shal beare the in theyr handes, leste perchaunce thou shouldest hurte thy fote at a stone. Psal. xci.

Wherfore let the faythfull ministers of Christe knowe that the more sincerely they preach the true word of God, with so much the greater diligence, and laboure shal Sa∣tan lay in awayte for them, and theyr flocke and shall endeuoure him selfe by reason of the simplicitie of the comen people, & weake∣nes of theyr iudgement, to begyle thē wyth depraued scriptures. For when he seeth that men wyll admitte no authoritie, but the au∣thoritie of the scripture, he also layeth no∣thynge more to theyr charge then scripture, that he maye more cōmodiously creepe into them that be accustomed to heare the scrip∣ture onely, and thrust in his lyes more ease∣ly, that the pastours, and ministers of the cō¦gregation may disclose this gyle of Satan, and stoppe the mouthes of Sophisters his ministers, and eyther preserue or cal againe the flocke cōmitted vnto them from wycked errours, they must watche, and labour with singuler diligence, and care in this behalfe. For as the Apostle sayeth, there be many vntreatable, and vayne ianglers, begylers

of myndes, which ouerthrow whole houses teachynge thynges that oughte not to be taughte for fylthy gayne, whose mouthes muste be stopped. Tite. i.

But that such may be more cōmodiously and groundly conuinced, and cōfuted, these rules chiefely, are to be obserued. Fyrste that the articles of oure fayth be confirmed wyth sure, and euident testimonies of the scripture. The seconde rule is, that the wor∣des in sentences and testimonies, which are alledged in disputation, be compared toge∣ther, after the propre sense of the scripture wythout sophistrie, and that thorow suche conferryng the true sētence of the holie gost may be drawen forth, concerning anie que∣stion of religion.

The thyrde rule is that darke sentences be declared with other places that are plain open, and pertaining to the controuersie. As when Arrius denied that the sonne of God sprange out of the substaunce of the father, and that he was god by nature, he corrupted the true sentence of thys saiyng. And God was the worde. For he sayed, that thys vo∣cable God in this place did not signifie god which by nature, & almightines is God but some excellent creature passinge all other in maiestie, & dignitee. This false interpretati∣on

holy goste by the apostle Paule hath layed vpon all bishoppes, and ministers of cōgre∣gations, when he sayeth thus: A bishoppe muste holde faste the faythfull worde, that he maye be able to exhorte, and confute the agaynsayers. Of which prouince, and bur∣then we wyll al pastours, and preachers to be admonished, that they maye busely exer∣cise them selues, day and night in the studie of the holy scriptures, and so that they may vse their ministerie wyth ample fruite, and therfore that they wythdrawe them selues not onely from worldely intisementes, and carnall concupiscences, but also from al oc∣cupations, and businesses of the worlde, as muche as the vse of thys present lyfe wyll suffre, that they maye all togyther applye so harde, and diuine a ministerie, and exe∣cute theyr office wyth al diligence. And yet this labour ought not to greue them, which the religion of theyr office requireth, seinge that otherwise it is the parte of euerie Chri¦stian mā to cōsume the whole course of hys lyfe in the study of Goddes worde. For we can not entre in to the kingdom of God, ex¦cepte we be borne agayne. As for this rege∣neration it cōsisteth not of mortal seede, but of immortal seede, and euerlastinge, that is to say of the worde of God that liueth, and

abideth for euer, as Petre witnesseth. More¦ouer whan we are so borne agayne, and rē¦nued we haue neede of spirituall meat also which like wise is the word of God, where vnto S. Petre allureth vs, saiynge, Couette that reasonable milke not of the bodye, but of the mind, which knoweth no gile newly borne childrē, that ye may growe thorough it. Finally whan we growe forth, being fed vp, and nouryshed by the worde of God Satā seaseth not to assaut vs, and to resist, hym we haue neede of spiritual weapons and armour out of the worde of God, as, Paule witnesseth, saiynge: The swerde of the spirite, is the worde of god. Ephe. vi.

Seinge than the beginninge, the middle and the ende of oure newe lyfe, that is to say regeneration in to the saide lyfe, the en∣crease of it. and victorie agaynst Satan, con¦sisseth of the worde of God, the feeders of congregations maye easely see, in to what daunger of Goddes wrath they runne if anie be not parttakers of this regeneration thorough theyr negligence, or if they that be borne agayne of the spirite wante the feedinge of goddes worde, and the cheri∣shinge of holesome doctrine, of exhortation, or if they falle from the lyfe, and commu∣nion of Christe beinge sedused thoroughe

false doctrines of men wherefore they that haue this office must euer with al diligence continue in readinge, doctrine, praier, and other exercises spiritual that they maie saie with that faythful seruaunte, Lorde thou deliueredest to me ten talētes, and lo I haue gained other ten. And that they maie heare agayne wel done faythful seruaunte, thou wast faithful ouer fewe thinges, I wil sette the ouer manie Entre in to the ioye of thy Lorde. Wherfore that feeders, and al mini∣sters of congregations may the better vn∣derstande and handle the holye scripture, we wil opē vnto thē a certaine way, and we wyll declare in ordre the more notable pla∣ces of the Chrystiane doctrine, not that we would haue them to tary in these pla∣ces, but because we desire to haue them brought by these more easelie to the holy scrip∣ture it selfe, out of which afterward they may be in∣structed more fully, and perfect∣ly.

Notes

• Iohn. x. Marke the last Chap.
• Mat. iii. xvii.
• All preachin∣ges ought to be taken out of the holie scriptures.
• Ephe. ij
• S. Ciprian to Pompeius a∣gaynst Ste∣phanes Epi∣stle. I•• beho∣ueth a byshop not only to teach but al∣so to learne. For he dothe better teache which dayely encreaseth, and profiteth in learnynge better thyn∣ges. Se. s. Augu. also, boke. v. of Baptis∣me agaynste the Donati∣stes, Cha. xvi
• Ther be ma▪
• Augustine. I can not denie nether ought to denie, that as in oure el∣ders them sel¦ues, so there be many thin¦ges in so ma∣nie my wor∣kes, that may be blamed wyth ryghte iudgement, and no rashe∣nes at all.
• The same an¦tour in the E¦pistle to saint Hierome.
• Howe we muste iudge of the wry∣tynges of the fathers.
• Vppon what foundation al godly doctri∣ne ought to stand.
• Math. xv. Esay. xxix.
• That prea∣chers ought to praie for e••¦crease of the holigost, & not to bewrapped in busynesses of thys lyfe.
• ii. of Petre. i.
• Ephe. iiij.
• Howe neede∣ful exhortati∣ons be.
• i. of Petre. v. Chap.
• Exhortation to godlines, is euer nede∣ful.
• ij. Timot. iiij.
• Let exhortati∣ō be vehemēt and ernest.
• Howe er∣rours and de∣prauations of Gods worde must be refu∣sed.
• i. of Petre the la••t Chap.
• Math. iiii.
• Rules to re∣proue, and cō∣fute heretikes
• An exāple of the disputati∣on against Ar¦rius
• Iohn. i.
• i. Petri. i. i. Petri. ij.