By these defenced cities, I mean, those churches, which were once builded upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, and afterwards were repaired again out of the gospel and truly reformed: and so do hold the same foundations of the Apostles doctrine firm and fast with the holy scriptures, understanding & expounding the same, according to the sound interpretations of the ancient fathers. These foundations the church was wont to comprehend in that short form of doctrine, which they call the catechism: wherein is contained the Apostles creed, the Lords prayer, and the ten commandments. The creed briefly showeth, both what we must believe, and in whom we must place the whole hope of our salvation. The Lords prayer manifestly directeth us, both who is to be prayed unto, and what is to be prayed for, as also for what causes God is only to be called upon, and that we ask all that we ask, of him only: namely because his only is the kingdom, the power, and the glory: by which addition our assured hope is kindled unto prayer. The decalogue or ten commandments, very briefly and plainly prescribeth, how we must behave our selves to god-ward, with what ⟨image 7⟩•••uice we must worship him: in what sort also we must live with our neighbours: & how we must die unto our selves, that is, to our concupiscence, in withdrawing from it evermore, all such things as it coveteth, against the law of god. Unto these three, & those chief parts of the catechism is joined a fourth part: the doctrine of the sacraments, which by a Synecdoche, is wholly comprehended in the great creed (as they call it) under the name of baptism. All these things summarily gathered out of the holy scriptures, & reduced into a brief compendiary, we doubt not with the whole ancient church to call the foundations of all christian religion. And because heretics, when they durst not simply deny these foundations, were ever wont to wrest & yet do wrest and wring the same for the most part, by false interpretations, to their own heresies: therefore that the true churches may be discerned from the conventicles of heretics: we must understand and expound those principles and chief points of doctrine in no other sense, then as the ancient church, agreeably to the scriptures, by common consent, specially in the best approved counsels, expounded them.
By these defensed cities, I meane, those churches, which were once builded vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, and afterwardes were repaired againe out of the gospel and truely reformed: and so do hold the same foundatiōs of the Apostles doctrine firme and fast with the holy scriptures, vnderstāding & expoūding the same, according to the sound interpretations of the auncient fathers. These foundations the church was wont to comprehēd in that short forme of doctrin, which they cal the catechisme: wherein is contained the Apostles creed, the Lords praier, and the ten cō mandements. The creede brieflie sheweth, both what we must beleeue, and in whome we must place the whole hope of our saluation. The Lords praier manifestly directeth vs, both who is to be prayed vnto, and what is to bee prayed for, as also for what causes God is onely to bee called vppon, and that we aske all that we aske, of him onely: namely because his onely is the kingdome, the power, and the glory: by which addition our assured hope is kindled vnto praier. The decalogue or ten commandemēts, very briefly and plainely prescribeth, how wee must behaue our selues to god-ward, with what ⟨image 7⟩•••uice we must worship him: in what sort also we must liue with our neighbours: & how we must die vnto our selues, that is, to our cōcupiscence, in withdrawing frō it euermore, all such things as it coueteth, against the law of god. Vnto these three, & those chiefe partes of the catechisme is ioyned a fourth part: the doctrine of the sacramēts, which by a Synecàoche, is whollie comprehended in the great creed (as they cal it) vnder the name of baptisme. All these thinges summarily gathered out of the holy scriptures, & reduced into a briefe compēdiary, we doubt not with the whole auncient church to cal the foūdations of al christian religion. And because heretikes, when they durst not simplie denie these foundations, were euer wont to wrest & yet do wrest and wring the same for the most part, by false interpretations, to their owne heresies: therefore that the true churches may bee discerned from the conuenticles of heretikes: we must vnderstand and expound those principles and chiefe pointes of doctrine in no other sense, then as the auncient church, agreeably to the scriptures, by common consent, specially in the best approued counsailes, expounded them.
