diuerse places nor in many places at one very tyme but so in one according to the nature of his glorious body that then hee cannot be in anye other otherwise he should not be a true and naturall body but a shadow that is to saye a thing appearing and not being the which is false and altogether against our faith And therfore I say and confesse the true and naturall body of Christe to be in heauen and that from thence he shall not departe vntyll he hath put all his enemies vnder his féete and come for to iudge both the quick and the dead The .xxxviii. Article I Beléeue when the number of the elect children of God shal be accomplished the Lorde Iesus in that same bodye with which hee suffered with which he roase and ascended into heauen shall come with great power and maiestie visibly in a clowde euen as he ascended and that shal be to iudge the quick and the dead and shall geue vnto euery one according to Iustice vnto the good which shal be founde among them after theyr goodnesse and to the wicked after their naughtines That iudgement shal be general that is to say all shal be called and summoned to appeare personally by the voice of the Aungell to which all shall appeare aswell the good as euyll the elect as reprobate that euery one doo make and render vp his accompt and reckoning before the iudiciall seate of Christe of all thinges done by them in this world be it good or ill yea for euery idle worde the which the world doth not thinke to be sin Then shall all those be saued which shal be found written in the booke of lyfe The .xxxix. Article I Beleeue that then shal be made the totall and last seperation of the good from the wicked of the elect from the reprobate the which nowe are mingled together as the good fishes and badde in the nettes the chaffe with the corne and the darnell with the wheate But when the haruest commeth he which hath the fanne in his handes will make the seperation and wil put the corne aside in his garner but the chaf and tares shal be cast into the fyre for to burne eternally Then shal be perfectlye declared and knowen the iustice and mercy of the Lorde with the fruite of the Crosse and blood of Iesus Christe the which now wee know onely but in parte Then the good and elect shal know the stone vpon which they builded theyr fayth and hope and shall not be confounded And the wicked shall also knowe the stone vpon which they stumbled the which they reiected coÌ„temned and despised and shal be confounded Then the Lorde Iesus shall make an ende of his office and ministrie for his mistical body shal be altogether accomplished with all his members and shall render the kingdome and his spowse which is the Church vnto God his father al faire glorious erreprehensible and acceptable without spot or wrinckle or any such thing Then shal be perfectly vanquished and confounded Sathan hell sinne and death and all the other aduersaries of Christe whoe at this present do exercise yet tirrany ouer all his members holding them vnder their griefes bondes and snares But then wee as people rauished for Ioy will reherse the words that are written O Death where is thy stinge O Hel where is thy victory But thanks be vnto GOD which hath geuen vs victorye through Iesus Christe our Lorde The xl Article I Beléeue that that Iudgement being meruelous terrible and feareful vnto the wicked and reprobate is much to be desired and of great consolation vnto the good faythfull and elect for asmuch as theÌ„ their total redemption to wéete of body shal be ended and that they shall receiue the fruit of their labors Their Innocencie shal be openly declared and known of all the worlde and they shall sée the vengaunce and condemnation of the wicked which haue tirrannously afflicted and tormented them in this world whose iniquitye and wickednesse shal be manifested by the Lorde and cleerely knowen of all to theyr great confusion and to the honor and glory of the iust children of God the which shal be in perfect peace and traÌ„quillitie and shall haue full ioye and fruition of all that which the Lorde hath promised and prepared for them that loue him Which the eye hath not séene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entered into mans harte Therefore I tarry and looke for that great day of retribution with a great desire as the same which bringeth and declareth vnto me my chiefest goodnesse The .xli. Article I Beléeue that wee shall not all dye but we shal be all changed in a moment that is to say that in that latter day and general iudgement some shal be found lyuing which shal neuer dye by seperation of the body and soule but shall abide so alyue eternally that Christe maye be knowen Lorde and Iudge of the quick and the dead and his grace and merite may be founde greater then the sinne of Adam For as sin hath raigned to death In like-maner must grace raign through Iesus Christ to eternall lyfe Neuerthelesse they shal be chaunged and transformed from corruption into incorruption from mortallity to immortallity from despising into glory insomuch that they shal be the chiefest of of all the giftes graces and benefites which the Lorde shall geue vnto those which before were dead whome they shall not go before but all together shal be rauished in the clowdes before in the ayre and also they shall be alwayes together with the Lorde BEholde for the seconde point of my faith touching Iesus Christe the second person of the Trinitie and of the restoration and repairing of man don by him Let vs now come vnto the third point which is of the holie Ghoste by whome man is restored maintained and keept in his being I beleeue in the holy Ghoste The .xlii. Article I Beléeue that the holy Ghost is one diuine persoÌ„ distinct from the father and the son procéeding of them both equall in all thorow all and coeternall with them by whom the Church hath byn alwayes is yet and shal be ruled conducted directâ—d and gouerned vntill the consumation of this world by whome also haue spoken al the holy Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles of our Lorde Iesus Christe Therefore I beléeue nor receiue any other Vicar or Lieuetenant of Christ in earth within his Church but the holy Ghost which cannot be receiued of the wicked The .xliii. Article I Beléeue that the holy Ghost is the wages and ernest of our celestiall enheritance by whom we are assured assertained and liuely perswaded in our consciences that wee are the children of God and adoptiue brethreÌ„ of Iesus Christe and consequentlye Coheyres of eternall lyfe That is also the finger of God the which printeth in our mindes the
be crucified and buryed with Christ through the mortification of theyr fleshe The .xxx. Article I Beléeue that euen as Iesus Christ was delyuered to death for our sinnes that so he arose agayne the thirde day for our iustification to immortall lyfe wherein hee declared hym selfe openly to be very God and very man triumphing ouer all his enemies hauing confounded and beaten downe all his enemies that is to say the worlde sinne death hell and Satan not so much for him selfe as for vs which beléeue in him knowing his victorie to be ours that in hym and through him we vanquishe those same enemies hauyng victorie ouer them to the honour of God and our great profite The .xxxi. Article I Beléeue consider that resurrection of Iesus Christ not only as touching the storie as the same of Lazarus or other lyke which haue bene miraculoslye raysed vp through the vertue and power of the Lord but also as the example and efficient cause thereof as the seales and markes of the general resurrection of al the beléeuers for as Christ is raysed the thirde day after his death through his diuine vertue into immortal lyfe so by the vertue of the same I hope to ryse one day in body and soule into eternall lyfe afterwards to be here in this world raysed in spirit through a newe and true fayth in newnes of lyfe mortifying and crucifiyng the fleshe with the affections and concupiscences of worlde the which ought to be dead and crucified vnto vs and we vnto it for we are buryed with Christ in his death by the baptisme that as he rose agayne from death by the glory of the father without euer dying any more that so we shoulde walke in newnes of life without euer seruing any more sinne seekyng alwayes chiefly the things aboue celestiall eternall Forsaking the earthly transitorie thinges of this world knowyng that we haue not here a continuall Citie but let vs séeke that which is to come The xxxii Article I Beléeue also and confesse that Iesus Christ the fourty day after his resurrection visibly and before all his Apostles eyes went vp into heauen that is to say in the maiestie of God his father in glory and eternall felicitie in which he was before he came into this miserable world for to be made man yea before the constitution of the world that is to say from euerlasting The xxxiii Article I Beléeue that he ascended in heauen for to accomplishe and fulfill and to make an end of his pilgrimage also for to prepare vs the place and to open the way for vs in heauen that we may there ascend after hym and folow hym as our head for to be eternally vnited with him in glory The which we begin here through fayth in like maner because that of the same he beautifieth his Church in sending the Comforter vnto his Apostles as hee promised them by which they should be comforted instructed and directed in all trueth and the Church susteyned mainteyned and defended against the wynds of Satan and all the gates of hell The .xxxiiii. Article I Also beléeue that he is ascended into heauen for to be there our Patrone Intercessor Mediator and Aduocate because that nowe he appeareth for vs before his fathers face obteyning for vs grace abundance of all goodnes In so much that I knowe nor receyue any other Mediator betwene God and men nor any other Aduocate nor Intercessor before GOD the father then his onely sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde Vnto him I drawe my selfe of him I content my selfe and any other I wyll not séeke nor looke for fearing to blaspheme the name of God giuing vnto the creature that which belongeth vnto the Creator or vnto the seruant that which apperteyneth vnto the maister The .xxxv. Article I Beléeue that all those which demaunde search or receyue any other Mediator Intercessor or Aduocate towards God the father then Iesus Christ his sonne doe abuse and dreame them selues greatly yea doe blaspheme against God and doe dishonour vnto Iesus Christ and to the Saintes by which they pray For as God the father woulde be knowen serued loued feared and honoured in his sonne Iesus Christ not by any other meanes so would he be prayed vnto and called vpon in his sonne and by the onely name of his sonne not otherwise For besides Iesus Christ there is no other god Herein I think not nor will not speake euil of the blessed Saints which are in heauen with the Lord but wyl honour and reuerence them as lawful faythfull seruants of the Lord as the Temple of the holy Ghost and true members of Christ and wyll haue them as myrrours and examples before my eyes for to folowe them aswel in their good lyfe conuersation as in their fayth and holy doctrine Furthermore of them or by them I look for none other thing knowing that all my goodnes ayde and helpe procéedeth from one onely God by the meanes of one onely Iesus Christ who hath made the Saintes worthie of his glory by his free grace by which also as I beleeue he wyl make me worthie with them for to be their companion in glory because that al together doe giue honor prayse and glory vnto him alone for euer and euer The .xxxvi. Article I Beléeue that the same Iesus Christ is set downe at the ryght hande of God the father almightie That is to say that he raigneth in one selfe maiestie and equall power with God his father by whom he so gouerneth his vntill the consummation of the world that no power of the aduersary can hurt them without his permission and wil Also the father hath made and constituted him Lord and Ruler ouer all creatures celestiall and terrestriall geuing him all power ouer heauen and earth when he eleuated him aboue all principallitie and power vertue and seignory and aboue euery name which is named not onelye in this worlde but also in that to come And hath assubiected all thinges vnder his feete Constituting him aboue all thinges to be the head of the Church the which is his body And therefore I receiue not nor acknowledge anye other to be the head of the church but one only Christ who hath geuen his bloud for to wash her from her filthinesse and to heale her of her woundes who keepeth nurrisheth defendeth and gouerneth her by his spirite He is the only head and foundation of the Church vpon whome euery one ought to builde according to his vocation The .xxxvii. Article I Beléeue that Iesus Christe is ascended into heauen and that hee is there corporallye that is to say in flesh bone body and soule So that he is not nor cannot be by such meanes and fashion here below on the earth with vs for asmuch as his body although that it be glorious cannot be in
his worde For as God is a spyrite so woulde he be serued in spyrite and trueth The .lxxxv. Article I Beléeue that all the seruyng of GOD which is done without hys worde and commaundement to be Idolatrie and wickednesse I call Idolatry after the fashion of the Prophetes not onely that which is done to the honor of an Idoll or of strange Gods. But also that which is done for the honor of the liuing God without his worde and commaundement Therefore Idolaters are not onelie those which do worshyp and serue Idols and straunge Gods as the Ethnickes Panymes and such lyke But also all those which worshyppe and serue the true God of heauen after their fantasie or traditions of men without fayth without the worde and otherwise then God commaūded And on the other syde I call those faithfull which do acknowledge and serue one onely God of heauen after his worde and commaundement of whome all the works aswell externall and internall corporall as spyrituall are the true seruing of the Lorde for that they are done in the fayth of the sonne of God and according to the vocation of the Lord according to which euery faithfull person ought to walk The .lxxxvi. Article I Beléeue and confesse that it is not lawfull for any Christian to be assistant neither in spirite nor body to the sacrifices of Idolaters nor also to enter into their Temples whylest they are doing their Idolatries Sacrifices except it be for to rebuke thē in shewing them their abuse and to teach them the trueth as the holy Prophets and Apostles haue done and not for to dyssemble as Hypocrites For if the body be a creature of God as it is as the soule is the Temple of the holy Ghost and member of the misticall body of Christe If it must one day ryse againe and possesse the eternall lyfe with the soule it must also necessarily be that it be altogether geuen vnto the seruing of God in this world with the soule and spyrite Otherwise they cannot be ioygned together after the generall resurrection but being seperated the one should be in heauen with God whome be loued and the other in hell with the diuell whome hee serued the which is an impossyble thing Therefore I saye that all those dissymulations to bee a verie renouncing of Christe and of his Gospel In lyke manner I beleeue confesse that all those fayninges and false shewes by which the veritie of the Gospell is hidden and the word of God despised or by which the ignoraunt and Infidel is confirmed in his error or by which the weake is offended are not of God but of Satan altogether contrary vnto the truth of the word Therfore we must not halt on both sides but go vprightly before that great God which séeth beholdeth knoweth all things yea before they are begun The .lxxxvii. Article I Do also beléeue that the beginning of all Idolatryes was the excogitation and fyrst inuention of Images the which also were made to the abhomination and offence of the Soules of men and are as snares and nettes to the féete of the ignoraunt for to make them stumble Therefore they ought not to be honoured serued adored nor suffred in the Temples or Churches nor in the places where the Christiās doo assemble them selues together for to heare and vnderstand the word but altogether to be taken away destroied as the seconde commaundement of God doth well declare and that by the publyke authoritie of the Magistrate and not by the priuate authoritie of one perticular man. For the woodde of the gybbit by which one doth Iustice is blessed of God But the Image made with mans hande is curssed of God and he that maketh it with it Therefore we ought to kéepe our selues from Images aboue all thinges BEholde what I beleeue of the catholike Church and of the thinges concerning the same and that is for the fourth point of my faith Nowe remaineth to speake of the fruites proceeding from it and what I receyue by that faith which are three in number VVherof the first is The forgeuenesse of sinnes The .lxxxviii. Article I Beléeue that all those which are come and which shall come of the race or lyne of Adam generallye are conceiued and borne in iniquity corruption except one onely Iesus Christe and that they are all sinners transgressors of the lawe and wyll of God And according to their nature corrupted the chyldren of wrath worthy of Gods iudgemēt of condempnation eternall death hauing all néede of the grace mercy of God and of the blood of Christe to be shead For God hath enclosed all men vnder sinne that hée shoulde shewe mercie vnto all thorow Iesus Christ our Lorde The .lxxxix. Article I Beléeue that the knowledge of sin procéedeth from the law but the forgeuenes pardon of the same commeth from the Gospell and is geuen vnto vs thorow the only grace mercie of God in the blood of Iesus Christ kéeping the faith that we haue in him by which wee are reputed righteous before God and not thorowe our good works or merites nor by the merites of the purest creature celestiall or terrestiall For I do not know nor receyue any other merites thē those of my good Lord master and onely sauiour Iesus Christe who hath merited satisfied aboundantly for vs and hath payd the debt for all his in cancelating the hand wryting and obligation which was against vs and taking it away frō the midst of vs hath fixed it in the Crosse The lxxxx Article I Beléeue that that iustifying fayth is a pure singuler gyft of God the which is commonly geuen by the hearing of the word vpon which onely it is builded and not vpon the doctrines and traditions of men I call the iustifying faith a certayne assuraunce and sure peswasion of the good wyll loue grace goodnes and mercy of God towardes vs by which we are assured and verely perswaded in our harts of the mercy fauour and beneuolence of God the Father that he is for vs towards vs against vs and wil be vnto vs a mercifull father to pardon our sinnes to geue grace to adopt vs for his children and to constitute vs to be his heyres in the eternall life and that altogether fréely in his sonne and thorow his onely sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and not thorow our merites or good workes That faith can doo all thinges and nothing is impossible to it the which is neuer perfect nor great inough in vs therefore we ought alwayes to pray with the Apostles saying Lord encrease our faith helpe our vnbeléefe For that onely doth comfort vs maketh vs holy righteous and agreeable before the Lorde doth make and declare vs to bee the chyldren of God and heyres of eternall life The which also is the mother
and terrestiall for the seruice of man to the ende that by his creatures he should come vnto the knowledg of the Creator that also he hath made fashoned Mā for him selfe that of him and by him he shoulde be knowne loued feared serued and honored this is the soueraigne goodnesse of man and that in him shoulde shine the Image of the heauenlye vertues and perfections in al good works the which GOD hath prepared that we should walke in thē vnto his honor and glorye and to the confusiō of the aduersary and by that meanes the ruine of the Angels was restored and man possessed the eternal kingdome made and prepared for him before the constitution of the worlde The .vii. Article I Beléeue the same man to haue byn constituted by the Lorde God mayster and ruler ouer al creatures the which he did loose by his sinne aswell for him selfe as for all his posteritie the which domination and segniory I beléeue nowe to appertaine vnto one onely Iesus Christ very GOD and man and vnto those to whome he wil bestow it as are the faythfull and not vnto the infidels and reprobate The .viii. Article I Beleue the first mā thorow the subtilty and craft of Sathan to be fallē from the excellentnesse in whiche God created him agreeing thorow his free wil which then he had to the canteloas suggestion of the Serpent wherby he hath lost the benefits which the Lord gaue vnto him In so much that of wise he became foolish of iust vniust of true a lyer of perfect altogether vnperfect hauing afterwarde a will altogether depraued which can not nor will not agrée with the will of GOD but altogether vnto the will of the Deuil the world the flesh and of sinne not able to do anye thing of him selfe but euill for that he is altogeather carnall captiue bonde and sould vnder sin Beholde the free or rather the bonde will of man for the estate of of this present lyfe The .ix. Article I Beléeue that that discorde and corruption of nature was not onely in Adam because of his sin but also in all men generally which descend from him one onelye Iesus Christ except insomuch that they are all according to theyr nature corrupted vnrighteous lyers ignoraunt ingratefull and vnperfect altogether Not being able according to their nature to do think speake nor will any thing which pleaseth God vntyll such time as they are regenerated and renewed by the spirite of God. The .x. Article I Beléeue that this corruption of nature otherwise called originall sin is the beginning roote of all other sins by which do come vnto vs all the miseries calamities and aduersities whiche we suffer in this lyfe aswell in bodye as in spirite and in the ende double death to wit of body and soule These are the fruites and rewardes for sinne But although that the same is due and common vnto all men generallye yet neuerthelesse the Lorde through his mercye hath reserued a certaine number to him only knowen whome he hath drawne from this corrupted masse hath sanctified and clensed them in the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ And by that meanes hath made the vessels of election to honor apt and fit to all good workes And therfore The .xi. Article I Beléeue that the Father in Iesus Christ his Son by the holy Ghost hath elected and chosen those that be his according to his good wil before the foundation constitution of the world whome he hath predestinated to eternall lyfe because they were his Children by adoption hauing greater care of them without any comparisō then the best Father could haue of the best childe of this world not suffering that any thing should come frō the heauens aboue or from the earth beneath but it shoulde be for theyr vtilitye and great profit The .xii. Article I Beléeue that the father by his Son with the holy Ghost from the beginning hath alwaies seene to the restoring of man to whom he manifested him selfe yea after the sinne making vnto him a promise of the blessed seede by which the Serpents head must be broken and the faythfull ought to receyue blessing by that promise afterwardes oftentymes confirmed and ratefyed to the holye fathers the man otherwise in despaire in his sinne being releued ayded and comforted hath lyued in hope vnto the exhibiting and accomplishing of the same The xiii Article I Do also beléeue that after this promise the Lorde hath prescribed and geuen the lawe of the commaundementes to man promising life vnto those that kéepe them and death vnto those that transgresse them and he geueth them not that man shoulde seeke iustification health or lyfe in them but for the pollicie peace and tranquilitie of his people for to defende the good and to chastice correct the wicked and to houlde and kéepe euery one in his office And chiefly that by the same man should better know him selfe his disease poorenesse and imperfection And by that meanes should haue occasion to humble him selfe before the law geuer and to seeke remedy health and lyfe otherwise to wit in the holy seede promised which is Iesus Christ For that cause it is called a Scoolemayster for to come vnto Christ the which also serueth vs as a glasse for to knowe our vices our spirituall leprosie and to augment that knowledge In like manner it serueth vs for an accuser to accuse vs before the Lorde and instéede of a seuere cruell Iudge for to declare the wrath iudgement of GOD vpon vs the condemnation and eternal death by that meanes to feare vs and to make vs in dispayre vntyll such tyme as we be comforted by the Gospel which is the faith in Iesus Christ by the which we are exempt and deliuered from all those maledictious These are the Offices of the lawe the which are tourned to vs in goodnesse by the sayth of the Gospell the which hath oppositiue offices and altogether contrary Furthermore I confesse that the law of God is good right holy and perfect and wheras it bringeth nothing to perfection the faulte is not in it but in vs which are altogether imperfecte nor we can not anye thing at all accomplish it not to touch it with the least finger And therfore The .xiiii. Article I Beléeue and confesse Iesus Christ to be the fulnesse the ende and consūmation of the lawe to the righteousnesse of all beleeuers to whom by whom onely al the promises of the father are fulfilled whoe also alone hath perfectly satisfied the lawe the which none among men could do for somuch as the lawe commaundeth impossible thinges to the corruptible man the which neuerthelesse he shall fulfill not in working but in beleeuing as also the lawe is fulfilled by fayth and not by workes and by that meanes he shall finde the righteousnesse of fayth
be put on the crosse and to be crucified betwéene two théeues as though he had bene the prince and captaine of them the which he endured and suffred willingly and innocently without deseruing it for otherwise he had not satisfied for vs and his crosse had profited vs nothing at all The .xxiiii. Article I Beléeue also that he beyng on the same crosse dying and yéelding vp his spirit to God his father that he descended into hell that is to say that he verely felte and experimented the great distresse and payne of death with the paynes flames of hell that is to say the great furor ire and the seuere iudgement of God vpon hym as though he had bene man and halfe damned insomuch that he was constrayned to crye with a loude voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Beholde simplie what I vnderstand by the descending of Christ into hell Furthermore I know that this Article was not at the first in the Créede and that many haue vnderstanded and interpreted it otherwyse and haue thought Christ verely and in very deede to haue descended into hell into the place of the dampned aleadging the text of Saint Peter the which I confesse to be couered and hyd frō me at this present The Lord graunt vs to open the gate and giue vs entrance into those mysteries The .xxv. Article I Beléeue all that to haue bene done not for hym which neuer dyd any sinne in whose mouth there was neuer found any fraude nor lying but for vs poore and miserable sinners whose place he helde in the crosse as a pledge where he represented the person of al the sinners which euer haue bene are or shal be vntil the end of the worlde And because that those haue by their sinnes deserued to féele and trye the extreme dolours of death to be forsaken of God and of all creatures to féele the furor yre and seuere iudgement of God vpon them Christ who was their pledge dyd satisfie for them in the crosse did feele all that same and that to affranchise vs delyuer vs from all these paynes from the furor yre and iudgement of God from condemnation and eternal death Herein I reiect and estéeme as fables al the lymbe of the fathers and of litle children purgatorie and other suche follyes dreames and abuses which men inuented and founde out without the word of God. For I beléeue and receaue but two places in the other worlde to wit paradise for the faythfull elect with the Angels and hel for the Infidels and reprobate with the dyuels The .xxvi. Article I Beléeue consider that death and passion as also al other mysteries of Iesus Christ not onely as touching the historie as a patrone and example for to imitate and folow as the same of holy men which haue died for the Lordes quarrel But also chiefly touching the cause fruites and vse of the same thereby to knowe the grauitie burthen of my synnes the grace and mercie of the father and the loue of the sonne by which we are reconciled with God deliuered from the tirannie of the deuil released and restored into the libertie of the spirit That is the glasse without spot for to make vs know our fylthines The lauer or cleare fountaine for to washe clense vs and the infinite treasure for to satisfie and content our creditors Of whom and by whom onely Gods deuine iustice hath bene fully satisfied for all the synnes of all those which haue bene are and shal be vntill the end of the world And therefore I beléeue and confesse the condemnation of Iesus Christ to be my absolution his crucifiyng to be my deliueraunce his descending into hell to be my ascending into heauen his death to be my lyfe his blood to be my washyng and purgatorie by whom onely I am washed purified made cleane from all my sinnes so that I neither receaue nor beléeue that there is any other purgatorie neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come by which I may be purged but the onely blood of Iesus Christ by which all is purged and made cleane for euer The .xxvii. Article I Beléeue that Iesus Christ by the sacrifice of his body that he offred vpon the trée of the crosse hath defaced and destroyed sinne death and Sathan with al his kingdome hath altogether consummated and finished the worke of our redemption hath ended and abolished all other sacrifices insomuch that from hencefoorth we must not looke nor séeke for any other propiciatorie sacrifice then this neither for the lyuing nor for the dead For if we sinne wyllingly after that we haue receyued the knowledge of the trueth there remayneth no other sacrifice for the remission of synnes then this here by which Christ alone hath consecrated for euer all those which are sanctified And therefore The xxviii Article I Beléeue the holye Supper of the Lord not to be a sacrifice but onely a remembrance and commemoration of that holy sacrifice of Iesus Christ Therefore it ought not to be adored and woorshipped as God nor Christ to be in the same but onely in him selfe out of all corruptible elements In like maner I beleeue and confesse that the papisticall Masse is an inuention and ordinance of man a sacrifice of Antichrist and a forsaking of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ that is to say of his death and passion that it is a stynking and infectious sepulchre which couereth and hydeth the merite of the blood of Christ And therefore it ought to be abolished and the holy Supper of the Lord restored and set agayne in his fyrst estate The .xxix. Article I Also doo beleue that as the Prophet Ionas was in the Whales bellye which is a place of corruption thrée dayes and three nightes without being any thyng at all corrupted from whome he came out the thyrde day without any hurt safe sounde that euen so Iesus Christ after his death was put into a newe sepulchre which is a place of corruption within which he was thrée dayes and thrée nightes not being touched with any infection stynking or corruption but alwayes abode safe and sound for to declare the vertue of his blood for to accomplishe the writing of the holy Prophets and for to verefie the veritie aswel of his body as of his death with which I beléeue the lawe to be buryed abrogated and abolished to the faythfull not as touching the obligation that they shoulde be no more bounde to lyue and walke after the same but onely as touching the condemnation that is to say that the transgression of the same doeth not condemne them at the iudgement of God through the faith that they haue in Christ And therefore within one sepulchre I comprehend thrée things buryed that is to say Christ the law and all the faythfull which ought to
good Patron and foundation which is Iesus Christe the righteous Therfore I call it myllitant looking for the triumphant of the blessed where there shal be but peace iâ—ie and eternall saluation The .liii. Article I Beléeue that the Lorde hath geuen vnto vs three signes or principall markes by which we may knowe that Church that is to say the word the Sacramentes and the disciplyne I call the word onely that which was reuealed by the holy Ghost vnto the holye Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles of Iesus Christe the which is contained in the cononicall bookes of the olde and new testament by which we are mundified and receiue the very same and altogether asmuch as by the Sacraments That is to say that Iesus Christe geueth and communicateth himselfe vnto vs by the word of faith aswell without saying better as by the Sacraments although it be after another manner and fashion The .liiii. Article I Beléeue that word of God to be of more greater authoritie then the Church the which alone sufficiently declareth and teacheth vnto vs all thinges concerning our saluation what we must doo or not doo That is the true patron and perfect rule after which al the faithful ought to gouern and direct their life without declining either to the right hand or left without chainging anye thing or diminishing knowing that all the workes of God are perfect and chiefly his word The lv Article I Beléeue that as one onely Iesus Christ amongst al men is holy and true and all other are sinners and lyers that also amongst al doctrines his onelye doctrine is holye and true and all other are vncleane and full of lyinges That doctrine is the fountaine of life the lampe and pyller of fyre for to guide vs The bread of the soule and the vertue of GOD to the saluation of all beléeuers Therefore the same onely for all occasion ought to be aduaunced preached heard vnderstanded and receiued thorow out the whole worlde to the consolation and health of the beléeuers and to the greatest condempnation of the vnbeleeuers wicked and reprobate For as the Manna in the wildernesse gaue vnto some wormes and to other some good meate and Christe was set and geuen as a stone of offence to the ruine of the wicked and resurrection of the good So the word of the Gospell is vnto some a sauor of death in death and vnto other a sauor of lyfe in lyfe the which onely I receiue and take for my guide after which I will liue and dye The .lvi. Article I Beléeue that the reading of that word or Gospell ought not nor can not be forbidden or prohibited anye man whatsoeuer of what estate or coÌ„dition soeuer he be But ought to be commoÌ„ vnto all the world aswell men as womeÌ„ yea also in a vulgar coÌ„mon languag vnderstaÌ„d of al for asmuch as to al generally it is directed the promises of the Lord contained in the same appertaineth vnto all whereby Antechrist with all his do exercise great and cruell tiranny vpon all the faithfull children of God aswell for that he taketh from them and forbiddeth them the reading thereof setting before them his dreames cannons and damnable traditions in stéede of the same But also for that he forbiddeth and commaundeth in any indifferent things vpon paine of deadly sin and eternall condempnation which is a true note and marke of Antechrist The .lvii. Article I Beléeue that holy euangelical doctrine to haue byn confirmed in his time by diuine miracles aswell by Iesus Christ the prophets Apostls as by other faythfull and good ministers of the same So that it is not neede now to haue or demauÌ„d other but to content our selues with that which hath byn made and to beléeue simply in the onely worde without séeking any further Watching and alwayes taking héede that we be not deceiued by the false myracles of Antechriste of which the worlde is at this daye full whiche are doon and wrought by the opperation of sathan for to conforme all idolatries errors abuses and iniquities in blinding the poore ignoraunt people The Lorde doth permit the same iustlye because they well not receiue the spirite of trueth for to be saued He permitteth that they should receiue the spirite of lyinges with the effecacie of abusion for to be condempned for that they haue allowed lying and iniquitie And haue reiected righteousnesse and trueth Then the true myracles are done by the onely vertue of God for the confirmation of his doctrine and are geuen vnto the Infidelles and not vnto the beleeuers but the prophesie that is to saye the worde is geuen vnto the faythfull and beléeuers The .lviii. Article I Do also beléeue the holy Sacraments which are the second mark of the true Church to be the signes of the Alliance made betwéene God and vs by Iesus Christ seales of the Lordes promise and externe and visible Symboles of the inwarde faith the which are onely two in number to weete Baptisme and the holye Supper of the Lorde These are not voyde and emptye signes but full That is to saye not onely significatiue signes but also exhibitiue of the thinge they signify indeede as wee wyll declare hereafter GOD wylling Touching the other fyue whiche are receaued and exercised with great abuse and superstition in the papisticall Church to wéete Confyrmation Confession Maryage laying on of handes otherwise called order and vnction I saye all those to haue beene ecclesiasticall ceremonies whiche the holy Fathers haue vsed in their tyme holyly without anye superstition whiche also we may at this daye vse after theyr example so that it be doon without error abuse and superstition Alwayes saued the christian and euangellicall lybertye the whiche delyuereth our consciences from all externall Ceremonies instituted by menne wythout the woorde of God. The .lix. Article I Beléeue that the Baptisme is the signe of the new alliance betwéene god and vs made by Iesus Christ and the marke of the Christians in the Gospell as of late the Circumcision was the mark of the Iewes vnder the law That it is also an exterior washing doon by water signifiing an interior washing in the spirit don by the blood of Christe the which ought to be geuen and bestowed aswell to the litle Children as to the olde ones according to the ordinance of Iesus Christe and that once only without reiterating it That is the red Sea within which Pharao that is to saye the Diuell with his prouokementes of sinne is altogether drowned and the Israelites passed thorow the middes safe And afterwardes walked thorow the wildernesse of this worlde with great anguish werynesse and troubles vsed daylye the celestiall Manna which is the holye worde of the Lorde vntyll they entred by death into the Lande of the celestiall promise The lx Article I Beléeue also that the Baptisme is
the entrance of the Church a washing of regeneration and a renewing in the holye Ghost by which we renownce our selues Sathan the flesh sinne and the worlde for hauing layd away the olde man with all his concupicences we put on the newe man which is Iesus Christe in righteousnesse and holinesse with whome we dye and are buried in his death that as Christe is rysen from death by the glorye of the Father so should we walke in newnesse of life mortifiyng alwayes that which is of vs in vs for to destroy and roote out the body of sinne The .lxi. Article I Beléeue that that baptisme ought to be administred not with oyle salt spittle or such like things but only in pure and cleane water in the name of the Father the sonne and of the holye Ghoste after the ordinance and institution of God without chaunging any thing adding or diminishing and that altogether in a vulgare and common language vnderstanded of all forasmuch as all that which is doon or sayde in the Churche of Christe ought to be vnderstanded and knowen of all the faythfull By that Baptisme wee are chaunged and transformed from the Children of wrath sinne dyuell and perdition into the children of God of grace and saluation For to bee heyres of GOD and coheyres with Christe in eternall lyfe And therefore it ought to be geuen and bestowed onely to reasonable creatures which are capable of those thinges and not vnto vels or such like things whiche cannot receyue it nor exercyse the thinges sygnifyed by the same The .lxii. Article I Beléeue that Baptisme of water not to bee so necessary vnto saluation that man cannot be saued without it in case of necessitye Also I doubt not of the saluation of the litle Infanntes which dye without Baptisme but that they are saued in the fayth of theyr parentes aswell as if they were baptised as also in tymes past the litle Chyldren vnder the lawe whiche dyed without Circumcision were saued in the fayth of theyr parentes I vnderstande that onely of the children of the faythfull to whome the promyses of the Lorde appertayned and not to the Infidels and reprobate The .lxiii. Article I Beléeue that the holye Sacrament of the Supper is a holye and externe Ceremonye instituted by Iesus Christe in his Gospell one day ebefore his death vnder the likenesse of breade and wine in remembrance and recordation of his death and passion hauyng and contayning in it the promyse of the forgeuenesse of synnes by whych we perticipate truly the body and blood of Iesus Christe and are nurrished and fed in the Lordes house which is his Church after that we are entred in the same by the Baptisme That also ought to be geuen and bestowed vnto all vnder both kindes after the ordinance commaundement of Christe against which it is not lawfull to attempt any thing The .lxiiii. Article I Beléeue that in that holye Sacrament the signes or Symboles are not in any wise chainged but that they abide wholye in theyr nature That is to say that the bread is not changed nor transubstantiated as the Caphardes and false Doctors haue taught deceiuing the poore people into the body of Iesus Christ neither the wine transustantiated into hys blood But that the bread abydeth alwayes bread and the wine wine euerye one in his proper and first nature For the wordes which Christe spake vnto his Apostles in geuing the bread saying This is my body I do vnderstand and beléeue it to be spoken by a figure called Metonimia whiche is a kinde of speaking verye common in the holye scriptures as the holy scriptures and ecclesiasticall Doctors Ireneus Cyprian Tertulian Ambrose Augustine Chrysostome and such other haue vnderstanded and declared by theyr writinges who lyued before the Counsell of Lateran in which was concluded the transubstantiation of the bread into the body of Christe and the wine into his blood and geuen for an article of faith to the great dishonor of God and offence of all the Church in the yeere of our Lorde .1050 by pope Leo the ninth in whiche tyme Sathan was then let loose as was foreshewed in the Apocalips troubled the Church of Christe more then it was before The .lxv. Article I Beléeue that all that Sacrament lieth and consisteth in vsing so that in not vsing that bread and that wine do differ nothing from other cōmon bread and wine which men vse commonly in their houses therfore I beléeue not that the body of Christ is contayned tyed or enclosed in that bread vnder that bread or with that bread neither the blood in that wine vnder that wine or with that wine But I beleeue and confesse his body to be in heauen at the right hande of the Father as we haue declared before and that as often and when we vse that bread and that wine according to the ordinance and institution of Christ that truly and indéede we receyue his body and his blood The .lxvi. Article I Beleeue that that receyuing is doone not carnallye or corporally but in spyrite thorow a lyuelye and true fayth That is to saye that the body and blood of Christe are not geuen to the mouth or belly for the nurrishing of the bodye but to our fayth for nurrishing of the spirite and inwarde manne to eternall lyfe And for to doo that it is not needefull that Christe descende from heauen for to come vnto vs but that we ascende vnto him addressing our hartes thorow lyuely fayth an hygh to the right hand of the father where he sitteth from whence we looke for our redemption and not to séeke it in these corruptible elementes The .lxvii. Article I Beléeue that that holye Supper is a Sacrament of fayth vnto the faythfull onely and not for the infidelles in which one fyndeth and receyueth that that one bringeth thyther and no more except it be peraduenture augmentation of fayth grace and vertue and therfore in the same those onelye doo receyue and finde Iesus Christ to saluatiō which bringe it with them thorow a lyuely and true fayth But others doo finde and receyue there onely the externe and visible Symboles and that to their condempnation as Iudas and other such wicked and reprobate The .lxviii. Article I Beléeue that that Sacrament containeth two thinges one which is terrestriall carnall and vsible another which is celestiall spirituall and inuisible and I do confesse that as our body and inward man receyueth the terrestriall and visible thing which is the bread and the wine by which it is alymented and nurrished that also verely our spirit and inward man receiued the celestiall spirituall thing signified by the bread wine to wete the body and blood of Christe So that we are made one with him bone of his bones flesh of his flesh perticipating with him in all righteousnesse