A15857:916
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years…H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares…
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years of age, he caused to be published in the name of himself & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his own latin copy, as in so grave a mans work is requisite: for the profit of all the unlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his judgement in matters of faith.H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares of age, he caused to bee published in the name of himselfe & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his ovvne latine copie, as in so graue a mans worke is requisite: for the profite of all the vnlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his iudgement in matters of faith.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1599Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1599
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Sith then the ministry of teaching doth require such manifold labour: there have bin also many sorts or orders of ministers appointed to this ministry. And first of all readers, whose office was in some pulpit or high place, to rehearse the divine scriptures. Now this rehearsal of the scriptures was instituted to this ⟨p. 334⟩end, that the language and manner of phrase, in the scripture, and the scripture it self also might so be made better known and more familiar to the people. For within one year they read over all the bible to the people: where as they which shall expound the scriptures, are not able to perform more than some one part, and that not greatnether, in one years space. And mean while by the only reading of the holy Bible to the people, the knowledge of all the principles of our salvation, was wonderfully confirmed: for the same are still again and again repeated in each of the holy books, and are declared by other & other words, so that the people might often, by the following readings, learn that which by the former they could not so well conceive: And by this very means the peoples judgement was strengthened, aswell in religion, as also in the expositions of scriptures, and in all doctrine, which was brought unto them either by the lawful curates & teachers of the church, or by others. For this cause this office of only reading the Scriptures to the people, was greatly esteemed in the ancient churches: neither were any chosen for this ministry, unless they were commended for singular piety. Which we may know aswell by other monuments of the ancient fathers, as especially by two epistles of Saint Cyprian, as the five Epist. of Aurelius the reader ordained, & the 5 & 3. Epist. book 2. of Saturus, and in the 4. book ⟨p. 335⟩of Celerinus, Celestinus. To these readers were afterwards also added queristers or singing men, which ordered and directed the singing of the psalms and hymns. For the reading of the holy Scriptures, it is, by Gods grace, very well appointed in the churches of England: if so be that there were meet men ordained, which might add a gravity and a religion worthy the divine ministry in the holy readings. Let them therefore diligently weigh & consider whose mouth they make themselves, which read the holy books unto the people in their sacred assemblies: even the mouth of the Lord Almighty:
Sith then the ministerie of teaching doth require such manifold labour: there haue bin also many sorts or orders of ministers appointed to this ministerie. And first of all readers, whose office was in some pulpit or high place, to rehearse the diuine scriptures. Now this rehearsall of the scriptures was instituted to this