all manner of persons, of what estate, either Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill, soeuer they bee; so as no other forraine power hath or ought to haue any superiority ouer them.

58. Wee doe professe that the supreame gouernement of all estates within the said Realmes and Dominions, in all causes, as well Ecclesiasticall as Temporall, doth of right appertaine to the Kings highnes. Neither doe we giue

vnto him hereby the administration of the Word and Sacraments, or the power of the Keyes: but that prerogatiue onely, which we see to haue been alwaies giuen vnto all godly Princes in holy Scripture by God himselfe ; that is, that hee should containe all estates and degree committed to his charge by God, whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill, within their duty, and restraine the stubborne and euill doers with the power of the Ciuill swoorde.

59. The Pope neither of himselfe, nor by any authoritie of the Church or Sea of Rome, or by any other meanes with any other, hath any power or authoritie to depose the King, or dispose any of his Kingdomes or Dominions, or to authorise any other Prince to inuade or annoy him or his Countries, or to discharge any of his subiects of their allegeance and obedience to his Maiestie, or to giue licence or leaue to any of them to beare armes, raise tumult, or to offer any violence or hurt to his Royall person, state, or gouernement, or to any of his subiects within his Maiesties Dominions.

60. That Princes which be excommunicated or depriued by the Pope, may be deposed or murthered by their subiects,

61. The lawes of the Realme may punish Christian men with death for heynous and grieuous offences.

62. It is lawfull for Christian men, at the commandement of the Magistrate, to beare armes, and to serue in iust wars.

Of our duty towards our Neighbours.

63. Ovr duty towards our neighbours is, to loue them as our selues, and to do to all men as we would they should doe to us; to honourand obey our Superiours, to preserue the safety of mens persons, as also their chastitie, goods, and good names; to beare no malice nor hatred in our hearts; to keepe our bodies in temperance, sobernes, and chastitie; to be true and iust in all our doings; not to couet other mens goodes, but labour truely to get our owne liuing, and to doe our dutie in that estate of life vnto which it pleaseth God to call us.

64. For the preseruation of the chastitie of mens persons, wedlocke is commaunded vnto all men that stand in need thereof. Neither is there any prohibition by the word of God, but that the ministers of the Church may enter into the state of Matrimony: they being no where commaunded by Gods Law, either to vow the estate of single life, or to abstaine from marriage. Therefore it is lawfull also for the, as well as for all other Christian men, to marrie at their owne discretion, as they shall iudge the same to serue better to godlines.

65. The riches and goodes of Christians are not common, as touching the right, title, and possession of the same as certaine Anabaptists falsely affirme. Notwithstanding euerie man ought of such things as hee possesseth,

liberally to giue almes to the poore, according to his ability.

66. Faith giuen, is to be kept, even with Hereticks and Infidells.

67. The Popish doctrine of Equiuocation & mentall Reseruation, is most vngodly, and tendeth plainely to the subuersion of all humaine society.

Of the Church, and outward ministery of the Gospell.

68. There is but one Catholike Church (out of which there is no saluation) containing the uniuersall cōpany of all the Saints that euer were, are, or shalbe, gathered together in one body, vnder one head Christ Iesus: part whereof is already in heaven triumphant, part as yet militant heere vpon earth. And because this Church consisteth of all those, and those alone, which are elected by God vnto saluation, & regenerated by the power of his spirit, the number of whome is knowen only vnto God himselfe : therefore it is called the Catholike or vniversall, and the Inuisible Church.

69. But particular and visible Churches (consisting of those who make profession of the faith of Christ, and liue vnder the outward meanes of saluation) be many in number: wherein the more or lesse sincerly according to Christs institution, the word of God is taught, the Sacraments are administred, and the authority of the Keyes is vsed, the more or lesse pure are such Churches to bee accounted.

70. Although in the visible Church the euill bee euer mingled with the good, and sometimes the euill haue chiefe authoritie in the ministration of the word & Sacraments:

yet, for as much as they doe not the same in their owne name, but in Christs, and minister by his commission and authority, we may vse their ministery both in hearing the word and in receauing the Sacraments. Neither is the effect of Christs ordinance taken away by their wickednesse : nor the grace of Gods gifts diminished from such as by faith. and rightly doe receaue the Sacraments ministred vnto them; which are effectuall, because of Christs institution and promise, although they be ministred by euill men. Neuerthelesse it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that inquiry be made of euill ministers, and that they be accused by those that haue knowledge of their offences, and finally being found guiltie, by iust iudgement bee deposed.

71. It is not lawful for any man to take vpon him the office of publike preaching or ministring the Sacraments in the Church, vnless hee bee first lawfully called and sent to execute the same. And those we ought to iudge lawfully called and sent, which bee chosen and called to this worke by men who haue publike authoritie giuen them in the Church, to call and send ministers into the Lords vineyard.

72. To haue publike prayer in the Church, or to administer the Sacraments in a tongue not vnderstood of the people, is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God, and the custome of the Primitiue Church.

73. That person which by publike denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the vnitie of the Church, and excommunicate, ought to bee taken of the whole multitude of the faithfull, as a Heathen and Publican, vntill by

Repentance he be openly reconciled and receaued into the Church, by the iudgement of such as haue authoritie in that behalfe.

74. God hath giuen power to his ministers, not simply to forgiue sinnes, (which prerogatiue he hath reserued onely to himselfe) but in his name to declare and pronounce vnto such as truely repent and vnfainedly beleeue his holy Gospell, the absolution and forgiuenesse of sinnes. Neither is it Gods pleasure that his people should bee tied to make a particular confession of all their knowen sinnes vnto any mortall man: howsoeuer any person grieued in his conscience, vpon any speciall cause, may well resorte vnto any godly and learned Minister, to receaue aduise and comfort at his hands.

Of the authoritie of the Church, generall Councells, and

Bishop of Rome.

75. It is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing that is contrary to Gods word: neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore although the Church bee a witnesse, and a keeper of holy writt: yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought it not inforce any thing to be beleeued vpon necessitie of saluation.

76. Generall Councells may not be gathered together without the commaundement and will of Princes; and when they be gathered together (for as much as they be an assembly of men not alwaies gouerned with the spirit and word of God) they may erre, and sometimes haue erred, euen in things pertaining to the rule of pietie. Wherefore