A Christian instruction, containing the law and the Gospel Also a summary of the…

P. It shall be easy for thee to resolve, if thou consider what it is to be a man, & what is his nature: for thou canst not deny, that who so hath an humane body & a soul participant of reason & understanding, is a man.

P. It shal be easy for thée to resolue, if thou cōsider what it is to be a man, & what is his nature: for thou canste not denie, yt who so hath an humane body & a soule participāt of reason & vnderstanding, is a man.

M. I grant it.

M. I graunt it.

P. No more canst thou deny, that a child, how young soever he be, is ⟨p. 352⟩compounded of such a body and such a soul, notwithstanding that men do not yet see in effect in him, so great a perfection of the body, and of reason and understanding, and of other gifts, as well of the body as of the spirit, as in a perfect man.

P. No more canst thou denie, that a chylde, howe yong soeuer he be, is ⟨p. 352⟩compounded of suche a bodie and suche a soule, notwithstanding yt men do not yet sée in effecte in him, so great a perfection of the bodie, and of reason and vnderstanding, and of other gifts, as wel of the bodie as of the spirite, as in a perfecte man.

P. No, for so much as he hath in him all the parts that make a very man, and the seeds of all things required in mans nature, notwithstanding that the fruits as yet appear not, for albeit that a thing begone, be not yet fully perfected, it followeth not for all that, but that the beginnings are true and sound, and that it is true and perfect, forsomuch as is already of it.

P. No, for somuche as he hath in him all the partes that make a verie man, and the séedes of all things required in mans nature, notwythstanding that the frutes as yet appeare not, for albéeit that a thing begone, be not yet fully perfected, it followeth not for all that, but that the beginnings are true and sounde, and that it is true and perfect, forsomuch as is alreadie of it.

M. Thou wilt then say in like sort, that albeit that repentance, faith and charity, be not in us so great & so perfect, that no more may be wished for, yet for all that they leave not to be ⟨p. 353⟩true and whole, provided that we have the true seeds thereof in us, and the true beginnings of all the parts required in the same.

M. Thou wilt then saye in lyke sorte, that albeit that repentaunce, faith and charitie, be not in vs so greate & so perfect, that no more may be wished for, yet for all that they leaue not to be ⟨p. 353⟩true and whole, prouided that wée haue the true séedes therof in vs, and the true beginnings of all the partes required in the same.

P. Thou hast very well comprehended that which I would have said. And forasmuch as all these things are already begun in us, by the grace of God, we do daily continue the reading of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments, to the end we may daily grow more & more, in that which is already begun in us, and that we may be daily the better confirmed, to wit, in true repentance and true faith & charity,¹ and in all the other gifts of god, even until the time that from the infancy in the which we now are concerning these gifts and graces, we do come even to the age of a perfect man, and that we do therein daily profit as the child doth daily grow until the time that he be a perfect man.

P. Thou hast very well cōprehended that whiche I would haue saide. And forasmuch as all these things are alredy begon in vs, by the grace of God, we do dayly continue the reading of the Gospell and the administration of the Sacramentes, to the ende we may daily growe more & more, in that which is alredy begon in vs, and that we may be dayly the better confirmed, to witte, in true repentance and true faith & charitie,¹ and in all the other gifts of god, euen vntil the time that from the infancie in the whiche wée now are cōcerning these gifts and graces, we do come euen to ye age of a perfect mā, and that we do therein dayly profite as the childe dothe dayly growe vntill the time that he be a perfect man.

1. 1Ephes. 4. c.

How greatly necessary the ministry of the Church and prayer is for all men during this life.

Hovv greatly necessarie the ministerie of the Church and prayer is for al men during this life.

M. I Am now well resolved touching this point, whereby I do conclude that there is in the world no man so perfect, ⟨p. 354⟩who hath not always need of the ministry of the church, & of all the parts and things the which it comprehendeth.

M. I Am now wel resolued touching this pointe, whereby I do conclude that there is in the world no man so perfecte, ⟨p. 354⟩who hath not alwayes néede of the ministery of the church, & of al the partes and things the which it comprehendeth.

P. I have yet forgotten to tell thee that with the diligence that we ought to use in the study of the holy scriptures & communion of the sacraments, to the end the graces of god may be daily increased more & more in us: we have also the invocation of the name of God, & prayer, the which serveth us greatly to that end: wherefore we ought therein to be very attentive & continual.

P. I haue yet forgottē to tel thée that with the diligence that we ought to vse in the studie of the holy scriptures & communiō of the sacramentes, to the end the graces of god may be dayly encreased more & more in vs: we haue also the inuocation of the name of God, & prayer, the which serueth vs greatly to yt ende: wherfore we ought therein to be very attentiue & continuall.

M. Seeing that thou art now come upon the matter of invocation & prayer, me thinketh it were good that we did speak somewhat amply of it. For it seemeth to me that we have spoken very little of it, as in passing it over, when that thou gavest me as in brief, the exposition of the commandments of the law, upon the which thou didst briefly declare unto me, how that those of the first table did comprehend faith & the invocation of the name of god, which proceedeth from the same, as the true fruit and true witness of the Faith.

M. Seing yt thou art now come vpon the matter of inuocation & prayer, mée thinketh it were good yt wée dyd speake somwhat amply of it. For it séemeth to mée yt we haue spoken very litle of it, as in passing it ouer, when that thou gauest me as in briefe, ye exposition of the commaundements of ye law, vpō the which thou didst briefly declare vnto mée, how that those of the first table did comprehend faith & the inuocation of the name of god, which procéedeth from the same, as ye true frute and true witnesse of the Faith.

Of the discipline of the church, and of the principal parts of the same.

Of the discipline of the church, and of the principall partes of the same.

P. I Had determined to have spoken somewhat more fully, for so much as Jesus Christ hath given a certain form & rule. But because we have yet to speak of the discipline of the Church, & that it is so joined with the ministry of the same, that it cannot be well ruled nor conserved without that discipline, we will first speak so far as the matter that we handle now requireth it, and then afterward we will conclude the whole by the invocation of the name of God, and by prayer.

P. I Had determined to haue spokē somwhat more fully, for so much as Iesus Christ hath giuen a certaine forme & rule. But bicause wée haue yet to speake of the discipline of the Church, & that it is so ioyned with the ministery of the same, that it cānot bée wel ruled nor conserued without yt discipline, wée wil first speake so farre as the matter that wée handle nowe requireth it, and then afterwarde we will conclude the whole by the inuocation of the name of God, and by praier.

The. 20. dialogue is of the discipline, censures and consistories of the Church.

The. 20. dialogue is of the discipline, censures and consistories of the Churche.

Of the discipline of the Church, and of the principal parts of the same.

Of the discipline of the Church, and of the principall partes of the same.

M. Seeing we are come to the point of the discipline of the church, declare unto me then what thou meanest by the same.

M. SEyng wée are come to the point of the discipline of the church, declare vnto mée then what thou meanest by the same.