A confession of faith made by common consent of divers reformed churches beyond the…A confession of fayth made by common consent of diuers reformed churches beyonde the…

But concerning the manner of conception of the virgin Mary, not only the holy Scriptures ⟨image 25⟩do not teach it, but neither any of the ancient writers do make mention of it. And although I do willingly and reverently believe her perpetual Virginity unto death, yet (as I once answered ¹to an impudent Monk in thy presence most noble Prince) this thing pertaineth nothing to the mystery of our Salvation. For it is sufficient for us to believe that which is done in deed, & declared by the Evangelists that Christ our Saviour was conceived by the holy Ghost, and borne of the virgin Mary. And that the infants ought to be Baptised, & that Baptism may not be reiterate, we do not gather of any bare Tradition without the word of God. As for those other things how can the holy Scriptures express them? the which could not be established in the Church, but that the authority of the word of God must first be overthrown, as may be proved with most evident reasons. But this much at this present, for we do not undertake now to declare every particular matter. Wherefore I come ⟨image 26⟩to that kind of Traditions, whereby ²something is taken from the doctrine of the word of God written, as when the one part of the Supper of the Lord is taken away from the Lay men: and when unto the words of Paul that calleth the forbidding of marriage, and the law of forbidding of meats, the doctrine of Devils: there is added the exception of an advised vow, and an other general exception, which many will have to be available in all points, Except it please our Lord the Pope otherwise. But who ³I pray you that tendereth the glory of God as he ought to do, can suffer such cursed sacrilege? for assuredly if it be lawful to take away any thing from that doctrine written, then is it necessary that like as these men have counted the doctrine taught by the holy Ghost a little before, to be halting and unperfect, and to want somewhat, so now in other things, they may say, that it is redundant & superfluous: neither of the which two things any good mans ears can hear without ⟨image 26⟩