For Christ painted it by that godly allegory of the .x. virgins, of whom some were ⟨image 15⟩wise and some fools. This church also ofte• time is called elect & chosen, although it be not this first church without spot but after the judgement of man judging the church of god to be elect even so is this known church for their sensible outward knowledginge called also elect in our opinion. For we judge them also faithful & elect which profess Christ at baptism and be called christen. So spake Peter saying unto thel•ct which be scattered through Pontum. &c.1 Where under the name of the elect he understandeth all that were of the churches unto whom he writeth, and not t•ē only which are properly chosen of the Lord, for as these were unknown unto Peter,2 so could he not write unto them. At last. The church is taken for any particular company or congregation of this universal & sensible church, as the church of Rome of Ausb•ough, Lyence. And yet is the church otherwise taken and many ways which it needeth not now to recite. Here therefore I believe that there is one church of them which have the same one spirit that assureth them that they be verily th• children of the family of God, and these are the first fruits of the churches. This church I believe err not in the truth, that is to say in these first principal ⟨image 15⟩articles of the faith upon the which our christen religion standeth and is founded. I believe also the universal sensible church to be one, while it holdeth this true confession spoken of before. And I believe them to be of the same church who soever by christen profession obeyeth it according unto the written word and promise. I believe Isaac, Jacob, Judah, being infants and all that were of the seed of Abraham, and also those infants whose parents in the primitive church at the preaching of the apostles turned unto christ to be of this church. For Is•ac & o•her of the old fathers, except they had ben of the church, they had not received the bag and cognisance thereof. Sith they w•re then of the church being infants, then a• well thereof must our infants & little once be of the church to. Wherefore I believe and know,3 that the infants consigned with the sacrament of baptism be of the church.
For Christe paynted it by that godly allegorye of the .x. virgyns, of whom some were ⟨image 15⟩wyse and some foles. This churche also ofte• tyme is called electe & chosen, althoughe it be not this fyrste churche without spotte but after the iudgemēt of man iudgyng the church of god to be elect euen so is this knowē churche for their sensyble outwarde knowledgīge called also electe in our opynion. For we iudge them also faythfull & electe which professe Christ at baptisme and be called christen. So spake Peter sayng vnto thel•ct which be scatred throughe Pontum. &c.1 Vvhere vnder the name of the electe he vnders•andeth all that were of the churches vnto whom he wryteth, and not t•ē onely which are properly chosen of the Lorde, for as these were vnknowne vnto Peter,2 so coulde he not wryte vnto them. At last. The churche is taken for any partyculare cōpany or cōgregacion of this vnyuersall & sensyble church, as the church of Rome of Ausb•ough, Lyence. And yet is ye churc•e othe•wyse taken and many wayes whiche it nedeth not nowe to recyte. Here therfore I beleue that there is one churche of thē whiche haue the same one spyrite that assureth thē that they be verely th• chyldren of the family of God, and these are the fyrst fruites of the churches. This churche I beleue erre not in the truth, that is to saye in these fyrst pryncypall ⟨image 15⟩articles of the fayth vpon the which our christen relygion standeth and is foūded. I beleue also the vnyuersall sensyble churche to be one, whyle it holdeth this true confession spoken of before. And I beleue them to be of the same churche who soeuer by christen profession obeyth it accordynge vnto the wryttē worde and promyse. I beleue Isaac, Iacob, Iuda, beynge infantes and all that were of the sead of Abrahā, and also those infantes whose parentes in the prymatyue churche at the prechyng of thapostles turned vnto christ to be of this church. For Is•ac & o•her of the olde fathers, excepte they had ben of the churche, they had not receyued ye bagge and cognysance therof. Syth they wre then of the churche beyng infantes, then a well therof must our infātes & lytle ons be of the churche to. Vvherfore I beleue and know,
- 1•. Pet. i.
- 2The third •a•ynge of the church.The thyrde •a•ynge of the churche.
- 3The fathers & mothers and church acknowledge them infants to be of the church.The fathers & motheres and churc•e acknowledge them infātes to be of the church.
