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 the confirmacion of thildren baptised And sōlemne profession of theyr fayth in Christ, and of therir obedience to be she∣wed to Christe, and to his congregation.

THys custome hath beene obserued in the olde, and newe testament, of the institution of God, that those, whych in theyr first infancie were receiued into the grace of the Lord, a mong the olde people, by circumsicion, and in the newe people by baptisme, assone as they had vnderstanded this benifite of God, whiche they had receyued, and assone as they hadde a fore conceyued fayth in God, they them selues shoulde professe theyre fayth in the congregacion, and they them selues shoulde bynde them selues to the obedience of God, and of the cōgregacion.

At whyche confession of fayth, and pro∣fession of obedience in the cōgregacion they were wonte to bee solemly confirmed of the congregacion in religion, thoroughe praier, and some token of Goddes confirmacion, which vnder Moses consisted in sacrifices, and oblations, and in the tyme of the Go∣spell, in layinge on of handes and partici∣pation of the supper of the Lord. For this is the nature of true, and liuelye fayth, that e∣ueri man desireth to sette forth, and magni∣fye the benifites, that god hath shewed him, and for his parte to offer, and cōsecrate him∣selfe, to the glorifiynge of his name with all offices of godlines. Wherfor the Psal. xxii.

singeth of the is my prayse, in the great con∣gregacion. Psal. xxxv, I wyl giue thankes vnto the in a greate assemble. et. ce.

❧ Forthermore we are so grafted in Christ thorough Baptisme, and so made the members of his bodye, that is to saye, of the congregacion, and so ioyned in Christ to o∣ther members of Christ, that we must serue al them, with whom we haue anye aquain∣taunce any perticipacion of kindnes, cheifely for the furtheraunce of godlines, & religion, and afterwarde also in thynges necessarye for this present life, I meane that one of vs ac¦knoledge another, and embrace one another in Christe with sincere loue. And fyrst that we teach one another, warne, correct, cōforte and exhorte in those thynges, that pertaine to a new lyfe in Christ. Secōdly that we al∣so helpe one another in thynges necessarye for this present lyfe, with coūcel, worke, and seruise.

Therfore the comunion of both liues in Christe the Lord, and the recompensation of good turnes one to another, requireth that euerie man openly offere and giue himselfe to this felowshyppe of the outwarde, and inward man, and to this change an recom∣pensacion of benefites. Seynge than, that this confession of fayth, and geuyng of our

selues to the obedience of Christe, and com∣mendacion of his church, which the very na∣ture of fayth, and necessite of this cōmunica∣cion of Christe requireth, canne not be done in baptisme, whan infantes be baptised, it must nedes be done of them, that were bap∣tised in their infantie, whan they be meetely wel enstructed of relegion, and whan they some what vnderstande those greate benifi¦tes that we giue in baptisme.

But whan they solemly professe their fayth, and obedience before the cōgregacion the verie nature of fayth requireth agayne, that the cōgregacion praie for them solemli, and desire for them the encrease of the holye gost, that he wyll confirme, and preserue thē in the fayth of Christe, and obedience of the congregacion, and that he will euer leade hym into all truethe. And for asmuche as such praier made in the name of Christ, and truste of his promises can not bee but effec∣tuous, it pertanieth to the mynisterie of the congregacion, to strengthen theym with the confirmacion of the hollye Gost, for whom the churche hath prayed. Therefore oure el∣ders folowinge the exemple of Christ, and the Apostle did vse laiyng on of handes, as a signe, at this confirmacion.

This ceremonie thā obserued in the fayth of

Christ because it is vndoutedly the office of faith, and christian loue, agreable all maner of wayes to the wordes, and institutions of the Lord, and edifiyng the religion of Christ we wyl that it be restored in the congregaci¦on to a godlie, and holesome vse, all abuses remoued, that haue crepte into the place of this ceremonie, whiche howe shameful, and noysome they were to oure religion euerie Christian manne maye easelye iudge.

Heretofore this ministerie of confirmacion was a peculier worcke of a suffragayne.

But forasmuche as al thinges in the church must be referred, ordained, and done for the commune profite of Christen menne, wee wil that hereafter this ministerye of confir∣macion, if it can not be done commodiously by a suffragayne, or not as it ought to be done, shalbe done by visitours, twyse a yere in principall solemnities. For where as at the begynninge, the office of confirmacion was only committed to bishoppes, bishop∣rikes were not so large as they be nowe, ne¦ther wer theyr dioces greater, than that the bishops might visit once a yere euery parish and here him selfe, and confirme the childrē beinge catechised, or instructed. But nowe the world is other wyse, and bishoprikes be after another fashion, so that it is impossi∣ble

that one byshoppe, or sustragaine maye wyth conueniēt leasure administre this con∣firmaciō in hys diocese. For euerie yere ther growe vp some in euerye churche, whome it shal be come to professe their fayth, and to be solemli cōfirmed. Wherefore forasmuch as euerie congregation hath neade of yerely lookinge to, and visitation, and solemne pro∣fession of fayth and confirmacion of them, which in age, and knoledge of Christ be gro¦wen so fare: the necessarie procuracion of the Lordes flocke committed vnto vs constray∣neth vs, that wee prouide that the congre∣gacion wante not a mete minister for thys purpose. For the health of the shepe of christ muste not serue the personnes of the myni∣sters, but the persones of the ministers must serue to their health, that al thinges maye be done according to this sayinge, al are yours whether it be Paule, or Apollo, or Cephas. i. Cor. iij.

And as S. Hierome witnesseth this con∣firmacion was not therefore the proper of∣fice of bishoppes in olde time, bicause it was not lawful for other to administre the same seing that euē commen ministers yea euerie Christen man, if ordinare ministres wāted, might minister Baptisme, a muche more ex¦cellent sacramēt, but it was cōmitted to by∣shops

peculiarly for this cause, that the by∣shops of euerie cōgregacion, mighte attaine more certaine knoledge, & might haue more holesome care, and charge while they them selues enquired euerie yere with what faith fulnes, and diligence the pastours hade in∣structed bothe the rest, and cheifly the yong children of Christ.

It holpe also togreater consent of religiō, and reuerence and obedience towardes the holie ministerie, when eureie one professed hys fayth, and obedience of Christe to one bishoppe.

But forasmuch as to many congregaci∣ons be cōmitted to the charge of one bishop, that euerie one can not be visited by one bi∣shoppe, or suffragane, we must neades pro∣cure that this office of examinacion, and con¦firmacion, which cannot bee deferred more than a yere without the great incommoditie of the congregacions, and peril of religion, bee executed by more personnes, seinge that it cannot be doone by one, howbeit the pa∣rish preistes in euery cōgregacion with their companions, certaine dayes before the com∣ming of the visiters, shal diligently prepare the children, whome they purpose to offre to confirmacion to make theyr confessyon of fayth, and profession of Christen communi¦on

and obediēce decētly and semely, whiche must be done of theym after this sorte. The demande. Dost thou professe thy selfe to be a christian▪ Answer. I professe. Demaunde. What is it to be a Christian: Answere. To be borne agayn in Christ, and to haue remi∣ssion of sinnes, and partipation of euerla∣stinge lyfe through him. Demaunde. Wher by trusteste thou, that these thynges be ge∣uen the? Answere. Bicause I am Baptised in the name of the father, the sonne, and the holie gost. Demaunde. What beleuest thou of God the father, the sonne, and the ho∣lie gooste: Answere. The same that the ar∣ticles of oure crede do comprehende. Demā. Rehearse them. Answer. I do beleue in God the father almightie. etc.

¶ Let the chylde in this place recite al the articles of the crede playnely, and distinctlie.

Demaun. What vnderstādest thou, whā thou sayest, I beleue in God the father, in the sonne, and in the holie goste: Answere. That they be three personnes of one sub∣stance, and power, and yet but one God. Demaun. Why sayest thou God almighti•• maker of heauen and earth? Answere. By∣cause I beleue that god, as he made al othe•• thynges, so he made me of nothynge by hi••

onely sonne, oure Lorde Iesus Christe, and preserueth, and gouerneth thorowe the same Iesus Christe alone, and is present in euerie place, and worketh all good thynges in all men, thorowe his onely euer wyse purpose and ryghtuous wyl. Demaund. How doest thou vnderstand the second article of Christ our Lorde? Answere. I knowledge thereby that our nature thorowe the fal of Adam is so corrupted, that no angell, nor man coulde purge oure synnes, and satisfie for them, so that it was necessarie that the eternal worde the sonne of God, shoulde be made man, cō∣ceyued of the holie goste, and borne of the substance of the virgin Marie, a verie man vndoubtedly, but wythout sinne, which tho∣rowe his death satisfied for our synnes, and thorowe his resurrection, and ascention into heauen, he sat vs wyth hym selfe in heauen∣ly thynges, to whom the father hath gyuen alpower in heauē and in earth, that he may gouerne vs, and restore in vs his owne I∣mage, and at length, when he shall come to iudge the quicke, and the deade, that he may ••ayse vs from the deade, and that he maye gyue to vs, whiche were perfectly framed againe to his owne Image, the enheritaunce of eternall bliffulnes in heauen, and deliuer other to be punished in euerlastynge fyre,

whiche haue obstinately despised him. De∣maund. What is the meanyng of the thirde article: Answere. Thus, that Christe the Lorde hath gyuē the holy goste to vs, which thorowe the ministerie of the Gospel gathe∣reth togyther the faythfull into his congre∣gation, wherin they must be euer steared vp vnto repentaunce, and vnto fayth, and to re∣ceyue remission of synnes by the worde of God, and sacramētes of the communion of Christ, and so in leadyng a lyfe holie, godly, and profitable to theyr neyghbours, wyth a good cōscience, that they loke for Christ the sauiour, which shal take thē vp to him selfe in heauen out of thys worlde, and shall also rayse vp agayne theyr bodies in the daye of iudgement vnto an heauenlie life. Demaun. Doest thou then surelie beleue al these thin∣ges? Answere. I beleue them al, and I praye God, that he wyl vouchsafe to encrease this fayth in me. Demaunde. What ought thys fayth to worke in the. Answ. That I doubte nothynge, but that God, and the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christe, whiche wyth this his sonne, sent vs his word, and gaue vs all thynges, is the only true God, that he made all thynges of nothynge, that he onely wor∣keth, and gyueth all good thynges, and that he wyl shewe hym selfe a father vnto me al∣so,

for the same his sōnes sake our Lorde Ie∣sus Christe, that he washed me from synnes wyth holie Baptisme, that he gaue me his holie spirite, that he incorporated me to his deare sonne, & so receiued me into his church and adopted me, to be his sonne, and heyre, that also he wyll keepe me in his congrega∣tion, gyue me in the same repentaunce, and remission of synnes, and the communion of his sonne, that thorowe hym I may euer cal vpō his name with childrens trust, and that in the renuing of my self, I may profit day∣ly vnto his Image, furthemore I beleue that thorowe his worde and sacramentes he wyll confirme, and encrease the same in me, so that I maye studie continually to sancti∣fie his name, and to serue his congregation wyth all maner of good workes, tyl he take me out of thys worlde vnto heauenlie ioyes and the blessed resurrection. Al which thyn∣ges I acknowledge that thei be perfourmed vnto me, and shal be thorowe the onely free mercie of the heauenlie father, and thorowe the inestable merite of his sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christ. Demaund. God and our hea∣uenlie father encrease and confirme this thy fayth, thorowe his sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christe. Amen. Doest thou thynke then, and doest thou acknowledge in thys fayth, that

thou art verily the sonne of god, & his hey••e the brother, and ioynt heyre of our lorde Ie∣su Christ, and therfore a mēbre of his bodie, which the cōgregation is? Ans. I thinke so, & acknowledge trustyng in the most certeyne promise of Gods beniuolēce and in the me∣rite of our lorde Iesus Christ. Dem. Doeth that please the thē, and doest thou allowe it, and wilte thou continue in the same, that thy godfathers promised, and professed in thy name at holy baptisme, when in thy steede thei renoūced Satā, & the world, and bound the to Christe and to his congregation that thou shouldest be thorowlie obedient to the Gospel: Ans. I allowe these thinges, and by the healpe of our Lorde Iesus Christ, I wyl cōtinue in the same vnto thende. Dem. And doest thou thy selfe renounce Satan, and all his workes, wyth thy herte, and mouth here in the syght of God, and before his holie cō∣gregation: Ans. I renounce. Dema. And the worlde, and all his cōcupiscences: Ans. I re∣nounce. Dema. And doest thou wholy giue selfe vnto al obedience of Christ and his cō∣gregation? Ans. I wholy giue ouer my selfe thereunto. Dema. How wast thou first ad∣opted, of God to be his sonne, & to be recey∣ued into his cōgregation: Ans. By holie bap¦tisme. Dema. What is baptisme: The la••••e••

of regeneration, wherby I am washed from sinnes, and grafted in Christe the Lorde, and haue put him vpon me. Dem. Wilt thou cō¦tinue in this cōmuniō of Christ vnto thende? Ans. I will by the healpe of our Lorde Iesu Christ. Dem. What requireth this cōmuniō of Christe: Ans. That I cōtinue in this doc∣trine, that I haue cōfessed, & in al the articles of our fayeth, and that I beleue that I haue remission of sinnes in Christ the Lord, & that I am iustified, acceptable to God, and heyre of euerlastynge lyfe, for this deare beloued sōnes sake, & not thorow myne owne merite of rigtuousnes, further that I studie to liue according to al the cōmaūdementes of God And that I may go forwarde in this know∣ledge of God, and obediēce, it requireth that I diligently heare the worde of God by the ministers chiefely vpō the sūdaies, and holy dayes, and if the Elders of the congregati∣on, or other that wyll shewe me suche loue, do reproue me of sinne, that I take it in good parte, and amende my lyfe, that I also tho∣row a sincere zeale of Christ, & their health, warne my neighbours liuing il, and inordi∣nately, and amende them if I can, but if I cā not, that I take other wyth me, whiche I thinke may do more wyth them, and if they wyl not heare them neither, that I bring the

whole matter before the elders of the cōgre∣gatiōs, whō if they despise to heare, & be ther¦fore excōmunicated, that I take thē for hea∣thē, & publicanes, and auoide their cōpanies asmuch as my vocacion wil suffer, and ciuile busines wyth them, and their necessitie accor¦dyng to the word of God. Demaūd. What doeth the communion of the congregacion of Christ require beside? Answ. It requireth also, that I receyue the supper of the Lorde with other Christian men, to whom I come, and with whom I dwell, as one, that is one breade, and one bodie with them in Christe. Demaunde. What is this sacramēt? Ans. It is the communion of the bodye, and bloude of Christ, whiche in the Lordes supper, whā it is celebrated accordinge to the institution of the lord, be truly exhibited with the bread and wine? De. To what vse doest thou re∣ceiue the bodie, and bloude of the Lord. Ans∣wer. That mi fayth in him, and truste of the newe, and eternal testament, of the grace of God, redemptiō of Christ, and communion wyth hym, maye be confirmed in me more, and more, and that I maye lyue lesse to my selfe, & more in hym, & that he may repaire a new & holy life in me For as cōcerning mine owne flesh, and bloud, I canne do nothyng but sinne, and lyue an vngodly lyfe. Demā.

What more doeth the communion of the

congregation require? Ans. That I adde my prayers to the commen prayers of the churche, that I come together with thē, and gyue their oblations and almes lyberally to the vse of the pore, and so behaue my selfe in al thynges as a mēbre of Christe ioyned in Christe, and cleauynge togyther with all godly men, and that I acknowledge, and re∣uerently vse in all thynges, those, whom the Lorde hath made feeders of his cōgregatiōs curates of soules, and elders, as it becometh an obedient sonne of God, finally that I be thankeful for these exceadinge benifittes, the Gospel, and cōmunion of his sōne our Lorde Iesus Christ. Dema. Wilt thou faythfully perfourme, and obserue, al these thynges, as thou haste nowe professed. I wyll, by the healpe of oure Lorde Iesus Christe.

After that one of the chyldrē hath rehear∣sed a ful cōfession of his fayth, & hath profes∣sed the obedience of Christ before the whole cōgregation, it shal be sufficient to propoune questiōs to the other childrē after thys sorte. Demaūd. Doest thou also thy sonne beleue, and cōfesse, and wylt thou wholy gyue ouer thy selfe vnto the cōmunion, and obedience of Christ, and his cōgregatiō, as thou hear∣dest euen now thys childe to beleue, and cō∣fesse, that he woulde bynde hym selfe to the

obedience of Christe, and his congregation.

❧ Here it shall suffice, that euerie one answere thus for hym selfe.

I beleue, and confesse the same, and yelde vp my selfe to Christe, and his cōgregation, trusting in the grace and healpe of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ. But where chyl∣dren be not so exercised in the knowledge of religion, that they can answere by herte ac∣cording to the prescribed fourme, the visiter, whiche shal administer confirmation, muste reade al the answers to suche children, and it shalbe sufficient, if they answere simply, that they beleue the thinges, that were read, how be it he shall labour so to declare all thinges vnto them, that they may vnderstande what thei go about, and what thei cōfesse, and pro¦fesse. Howbeit they must be diligently war∣ned, that they remēbre, that they stand in the sight of god, whō they cā not deceyue, which beholdeth the herte. And that therefore they must procure with al reuerēce, that they de∣clare the same thinge in their lyfe, that they professe wyth their mouth, and thynke in their herte.

But, as we warned before, al the chyldrē one by one muste be exercised, and prepared hereunto, and diligētly examined the wieke before, by the ministers and Elders of eue∣rie

congregation, and the pastours and El∣ders must bring no childrē before the visiter to be cōfirmed, but such as they trust, know the summe of religion, and beleue truely in Christe. It is not to be required precisely, that the childrē answer featly cōcerning the wordes, for it chaūceth oftē, that they which be wel enstructed in the knowledge of faith can not verie handsomely vtter the thynges that they meane, chiefly in an open place, ei∣ther for shame or some other weaknesse of minde. Wherefore we muste more regarde, which childrē truly vnderstāde the thynges that perteine to religion, then which cā feat∣ly declare them with wordes, wherein those excell moore often, whiche haue lesse godlie myndes. Nowe further, when the children, which shalbe confirmed, haue confessed their fayth, and professed the obediēce of the Go∣spell, the cōgregation muste be warned, that they humbly pray for these chyldrē. Whose prayer the pastoure shall offre to the Lorde, wyth suche a collecte.

❧ The Collecte.

Almightie, and merciful God, heauēly fa¦ther, whiche onely workest in vs to wil and to performe the thynges that please the, and be good in dede, we besech the for these chil∣drē, whō thou hast gyuen to thy church, and

hast begottē againe to thy selfe by holy bap¦tisme, and in whom thou haste powred that light, that they acknowledge and cōfesse be∣fore the cōgregatiō thy grace, and benifittes towardes them selues, and their redemption in Christ Iesu, and wil wholy giue ouer thē selues to the, and thy congregation, to be obedient to thy cōmaundementes, confirme this thy worke, which thou hast wrought in them, encrease in them the gift of thy spirite that euer going forwarde in the knowledge and obedience of thy Gospell, in thy cōgre∣gation, they may cōtinue to thende, and that they go no where aside from that fayth, and obedience of the Gospell, whiche they haue now confessed and professed, beinge seduced thorowe some peruerse doctrine, or dryuen forth by the lustes of the fleshe. Graūt them that they luckely springinge vp in thy sonne our Lorde Iesu Christe, the heade of vs all, may grow into him tyl they come to mānes age fully, and perfectly in al wysedome, ho∣lines and rightuousnes, that they may more fully know, and more feruently loue the, the father, and thy sōne our Lorde Iesus Christ and that they may confesse, exhalt, and mag∣nifie the same more earnestly, and effectuous¦ly before their neyghbours, both in wordes and deedes. And as thou haste promised vs,

that thou wilt giue vs, what so euer we shal aske of the in the name of thy deare sonne, & as thy sonne promised vs, that thou woul∣dest gyue vs requirynge the, a good spirite much more prōptly, then any father gyueth his children good thinges, when they praye him: so giue these chyldrē the thinge, that we pray the for, thorowe thy sonne Christ, that when we shal now say our hādes vpō them in thy name and shall certifie them by thys signe, that thy fatherly hande shall be euer stretched forth vpon thē, and that they shall neuer wante thy holy spirite to keepe, leade, and gouerne thē in the way of health, and in a very christian life, graunt thou, I say, vn∣to them, that they maye acknowledge these thinges wyth true fayth, and that they may certeynly beleue, that thou wilte defende thē with thy almightie ryghte hande, and keepe them frō al euil, and deliuer them, and leade them to al good workes. Finally that thou wylt neuer take thy holy spirite from them thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christ.

❧ Here the pastour laying his hā∣des vpon them, shal say.

O Lorde Iesu Christ the sonne of God, which saidest in the Gospel. If you then be∣inge euyl, cā gyue good gyftes to your chil∣dren, howe muche more shal my father giue

the holie goste to them, that aske hym. Item, If two consent together vpon the earth. etc. Confirme thys thy seruante wyth thy holie spirite, that he may cōtinue in the obedience of thy Gospell, and strongly resist the diuel and his owne weakenes, and not greue the holie goste, or trouble or offende thy churche wyth sclaunders, but that his whole lyfe maye serue to the prayse of thy glorie, his owne health and commune profitte of thy congregation, as thou hast prescribed to vs, and as thou haste promised that thou wylte gyue to them that aske the. Amen.

❧ After thys lette the Hymne be songe. Nowe al thankes. etc.

Nowe a good whyle sithens the signe of oyle was wonte to be vsed in confirmation but bycause they abused thys signe moost superstitiously, and forasmuche as also a∣monge christian men, signes and shadowes of spiritual thinges ought not to be so much regarded, as the thynge, and trueth it selfe, the signe of layinge on of handes shall be sufficient in thys ministration, whiche the Apostles, and olde fathers thoughte suffi∣cient. And that thys Ceremonie maye be hādled wyth greater granitie, and reuerence and wyth more fruite both of the chyldren and of the whole congregation, the deanes

wyth the visiters, or parishe priestes, of eue∣rie congregation, shal chose out suche a place in the temples frō whence the cōfession, and profession of the chyldren, and other thinges that muste be done there wyth all, maye be clearely hearde, and perceyued of the whole congregation.