wyl stande vntyll my death God willyng And knowe nothyng therein to alter nor to geue backe But yf any maÌ„ will geue backe any thyng let hym do it vpoÌ„ hys own conscience Hallowynge of churches Christenyng of billes Last of all is yet the Popes Iouglinge bagge behynde of foolyshe and chyldysshe Articles as of hallowynge Churches Christonynge of billes Baptisynge of aulter stones and biddynge of Gosshippes therevnto that gaue somewhat thereto c. Which Baptisynge is a slaunder and mocke of the holy Baptisme so that it ought not to be suffered After that of halowyng of lyghtes candels palmes Lakes wafers spyces and worthes c whiche neuertheles can neyther be called halowed nor yet be hallowed but is a mere mocke and deceyte And of suche iugglynge castes an innumerable sorte whiche we committe vnto theyr God and to themselues to worshyppe vntyl they waxe wery Vve wyl not be entangled therewith ¶ The confessyon or knoweledgynge of the faythe of Doctor Marten Luther FOr as moche as I se that sectes errours from day to day do more and more increase and that SataÌ„ doth not ceasse from hys fury and Tyrannye To thintent that not from hencefurthe durynge my lyfe or after my deceasse any myght come take holde of me falsely interpretate my writtynges for to stablysshe theyr errours thereby euen as the Sacramentaryes and Anabaptistes began to do So wyll I by thys writtynge before God and all the worlde knoweledge my fayth from pece to pece whereby I intende to abyde and perseuere vntyll my death and therein whiche God vouchesafe to graunte me to departe out of thys world and to come before the iudgement seate of oure Lorde Iesus Christe And yf any man after my deceasse shoulde saye yf Luther were a lyue nowe he woulde teache and take this or that article otherwyse for he hath not scanded examyned it sufficiently c. To thys I answer nowe as then and than as nowe That I by the grace of God haue moost diligently and moost earnestly remembred and pouÌ„dered al these Articles and haue examyned searched and often retracted them agayne and agayne throughout the scripture and wil so surely stedfastely fighte for them as I haue all ready foughten for the Sacramente of the aulter I am not now dronken nor vnaduised I knowe right well what I saye And also feele ryghtwel what charge it is vnto me agaynst the commynge of oure Lorde Iesus Christ to the last iudgement Therfore let no maÌ„ make a geste or a trifelynge matter of it For it is earnest vnto me For I knowe Satan by Gods grace a greate parte Seyng he can peruerte and tangle the worde of God and scripture what woulde he not do with myne or with other mennes wordes I First I beleue with herte the hygh Article of the godly maiestye That Father Sonne Holy Ghooste three seuerall persons is one ryghte onely naturall true God maker of heauen and earthe in all thynges contrary to the Arrianes Macedoniens Sabellines and suche lyke heresyes Gene. i. accordyng as all that hath beÌ„ holden and kepte hitherto bothe in the Romysshe Churche and in all the worlde by the Christen Churches Second person in God II Secondarely I beleue and knowe that the Scripture teacheth vs that the seconde Person in God namely the Sonne is onely become very man of the holy Ghoost conceyued withoute the helpe of man and borne of the pure blessed virgyn Mary as of a ryghte naturall mother accordyng as al the same S. Luke doth clearly describe Luc. i. and as the Prophetes haue declared So that not the Father or the holy Ghoost dyd become man as certeyn heretykes haue taught Also that God the Sonne hath not onely taken vpon hym the body withoute a Soule as certeyn heretykes haue taught But also the Soul that is a whole perfecte manhode And the ryght seede or Chylde promysed to Abraham and Dauid and is borne a naturall sonne of Mary In euery condition and shape a ryght man euen as I am my selfe and al other excepte that he was borne without synne onely of the virgyn by the holy Ghoost And that thesame man is verye God as an euerlastynge inseparable person become of God and man so that Mary the blessed virgyn is a very right mother not onely of the man Christe Nestorianes as the Nestorians teache but of the sonne of God as saynt Lucas sayth Luc. i That holy one whiche shall be borne in thy shal be called the Sonne of God That is my Lorde and the Lorde of all men Iesus Christe the onely ryght natural sonne of God Mary very God and man The sonne of God suffered for vs. Also I beleue that the same sonne of God and Mary oure Lorde Iesus Christe suffered for vs wretched synners was crucifyed dead and buried Vvhereby he dyd delyuer vs from synne death and euerlastyng wrathe of God through hys innocent bloude and that he rose agayne the thyrde daye from death and ascended into heauen and sitteth on the ryghthand of God the Father almightye a Lord aboue all Lordes Kynge ouer al Kynges and aboue al creatures in heaueÌ„ earth and vnder the earth ouer death and lyfe ouer synne and ryghteousnes Al men borne in synne For I knowledge and can testifie by the scripture that al meÌ„ cam of one man Adam and of thesame thorough the byrthe brynge with them and inherite the fal trespas synne whiche thesame Adam in Paradys Gen. iij throughe the deuyls wickednes dyd perpetrate and so with hym are borne in synne lyue and dye and must be condemned to euerlastynge death Yf not Iesus Christe were come to succour vs and as an innocent lambe had taken vpon hym al oure transgressyons and synnes satisfyed for vs by hys passyon and yet dayly standeth and maketh intercessyon for vs as a true mercyfull mediatour Sauiour and onely priest and Bysshop of oure soules Esa liij Rom. ij Gal. iij. i. Tim. ij Heb vij ix Io xvij i. Ioh ij Hereby do I reiecte and condemne as for a mere errour all such doctrine as commendeth our free wyl as that whih stryueth cleane against such helpe and grace of oure sauyour Iesus Christe For seynge without Christe death and synne be oure Lordes the deuyl oure God and Prince there can be no strength nor power no witte nor vnderstandyng whereby we be able to prepare oure selues or to thinke towardes the righteousnes and lyfe But must he blynded and captyue at the deuyls and synnes owne commaundement to do to thinke whatsoeuer pleaseth him and is contrary to God and hys commaundementes Newe olde Pelagians In lyke maner do I also condemne bothe new old Pelagianes Original synne that wil not graunte the originall synne to be synne but that it should be a lacke or impedimeÌ„t But for as much as death goeth ouer al men must nedes the original synne be no â—mal faulte but an excedyng great
oure Churches and doctrines are condemned There do we boaste and thanke God whiche gratiousely hath kept vs that we are not founde with you in such damnable obedience For there standeth God which forbiddeth vs saynge Eeue vnto Cesare that which is Cesares and geue vnto God that which is goddes Psal .cxv. he hath geuen the heauen vnto the Lorde But the earthe vnto the Chyldren of men heaueÌ„ or the kyngdom of heaueÌ„ goeth not to loue of the Emperour And god can not be themperours loâ—e maÌ„ But themperour ought and must be called goddes lonemaÌ„ And as Sprach sayth also God hath ordeyned to the laudes Dominions But in Israel is he Lord hym selfe God will alone hym selfe rule in the church Suche rule did he neuer geue froÌ„ hym or oute of his haÌ„d as the lx Psal witnesseth God speaketh in his holynes Therfore must ye Papistes fyghte oute this Article of Obedience with God hym selfe and not with vs and make vs certeyn and sure before that we as ye do maye geue vnto themperour that which is Goddes Or elles we will not do it But take youre sklaundrynge lyenge for great ioye where with ye beare vs witnes and knowledge that we take not froÌ„ God that which is his and geue it to themperour and so ye helpe vs with youre pestiferous lyes to boaste this trueth that we lyue not in youre accursed obedience For God hath coÌ„mauÌ„ded theÌ„perour ye all his augels and creatures that they shall teache none other worde in his kyngdome that is in his church as S. Paul Gal. i. shuteth a terrible thonderbolt sayinge yf an Angell froÌ„ heauen teache you any other thinge theÌ„ that ye haue receyued hold hym accursed Galat. i Nowe haue we aboue recyted retteyn of the innumerable newelties of other doctrine that is as S. Paull dothe here cal it Anathema accursing damnation malediction wherewith youre Popysshe newe whore and deuills church is filled Therfore can not the Emperour nor any other creatur compell vs to suche accursed obedience yea he ought to kepe hym selfe with vs from it yf he will not with S. Paules thunderbolt be accursed and strykeÌ„ into the pitte of hell God hath committed vnto themperour ynough more than he is able to execute namely the kyngedome of the earthe that is body and Goodes ther hath his office an ende Yf he aboue that layeth hande on the kyngdome of God then dothe he robbe God of his owne whiche is called Sacrelegium Sacrilege or Goddes thefte Or as S. Paul Phil ij doth name it Phil. ij RapinaÌ„ diuinitatis Yf a maÌ„ be lyke vnto God whiche he can not be the same must he inteÌ„de to robbe it For it can not be geuen vnto hym here to is an onely heyr alone he hath not robbed it nor willed to robbe it as the deuill in heauen and AdaÌ„ did in Paradys But it is geuen vnto hym froÌ„ the father euerlastingly and borne vnto hym by nature They that now do entice the good Emperour Charlles to this or do such thinge vnder his Seall be euen as holy Creatures as the Serpent in Paradys The Emperour shoulde continue vnder God And attende to the office vnto hym appoynted as wel as all Creatures For God will here that is in the churche speake alone and suffer none other Lyke that I may declare it playnely as a maryed man or a brydegrome may wil distribute many maner of offices in his house he maye call the one seruaunte Emperoure and the other kynge and committe vnto them al his goodes to this his landes to the other his vynearde Cattell fysshes raymeÌ„t money and Goodes But in the ChaÌ„ber or in the Brydes bedde maye no seruauÌ„t be found whether he be called Emperour or kynge For that is death sayeth Salo. Prouer. vi for that perteyneth onely to the brydegrom And here ought the bryde to hear nor know none other worde but onely her Brydegromes As Iohn the Baptist sayeth he that hath the bryde the same is the Brydegrome Iohn iij Euen so can wil God suffer none other besydes hym in the church There should nothinge but he hym selfe or his worde be hearde or elles shoulde she be a whore and not his Bryde By this may men will vnderstande what ye Popysshe asshes make whan ye calle vs Stirrers of Sedition because we doo not obeye with you the Emperours commaundementes Namely this doo ye make ye knowledge that we leaue the spouse of Christe immaculate to her Lorde Christe and also his bedde vndefiled 〈…〉 trewe obedient Iosephes Gene. xxxix and minister besydes in oure appointed Offices Contrary wyse that ye as the burnynge whoremongers and aduoutrers that is damnable robbers of God or heuenly Sedicioners do breake into the Lordes Bryde chamber will make of his spouse a harlott But he stryketh you with blyndnes euen as the Sodomites that ye can not fynd the dore and permitteth you therfore to fynd whores and Aduoutrers lyke vnto your selues Whiche obeye vnto you and goo to the deuill with you And SuÌ„ma as is aforesayd Fyght it oute before with God that we may heare and learne somwhat elles in the Churche contrary to Goddes worde Item that youre aboue reherserd new percels be Goddes worde And that ye are the holy Churche Then shall ye haue righte and we shall gladly be obedient what doth it preuayle I praye you That ye crye the Consequente so loude and lette the Antecedente alone For the stryâ—… is not aboute the Consequente as ye madde foules do crye But aboute the Antecedent Ponatur Ecclesia cer to et obedientia sequetur necessario E contra Non posita Ecclesia Nulla sequitur obedientia Ex natura relatiuorum Yf there be elles yet a sparkle of logyke with in you This be at this time sayde of the Churche agaynste the sclaunderous mouthe of the Papistes ⧠The thre Symboles or Confessions of the Fayth of Christe vsed in the Churche vnifourmely The Symbole of the Apostles THe fyrst Symbolum or ConfessioÌ„ of the Apostles is truely the prettyest which briefly and rightly comprehendeth the Articles of oure Faythe very goodly and is also easy to learne for the children and the symple and soundeth thus I beleue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earthe And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne oure Lorde whyche was conceyued by the holy Ghoste borne of the virgyn Mary Suffered vnder Ponce Pilate was crucifyed dead buried And descended into hell And the thyrde daye he rose agayn from death he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the righte hande of God the father almyghtie From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade I beleue in the holy Ghoost The holy Catholyke Churche The communion of saynctes The forgeuenes of synnes The resurrection of the body And the lyfe euerlastinge Amen Symbolum Athanasij THe secoÌ„d Symbolum of Athanasius is longer settethoute more rychely and plenteously the one Article because of the ArriaÌ„s namely that Iesus
and ful of good workes Insomuche that we therevpon dyd parte and sell vnto other of oure good workes and the ouerplus more than was necessary vnto vs for to obtayne saluation Thys is true there are sealles writtynges examples ynough in hande These had no nede of repentaunce for what shoulde they repente seynge in euyl thoughtes they dyd not consente what shoulde they confesse why lest they dyd abhorre wordes Vvherfore shoulde they satisfye seynge they were not giltye of the dede So that they also myght sel vnto other poore Synners thâ—yr ryghteousnes whiche was more then requisite Such Sayntes were also the Pharisees and Scribâ—s in Christes tyme. Iohn Baptiste the ryghte preather of repentaunce Here cometh the fyery Angell S. Iohn the ryght Preacher of penaunce and stryketh with a thonder bolthe together in one heape sayng Repent Nowe thincke they we haue repented al ready These do thynke we haue no nede of repentaunce Mat. iij But Iohn sayth Repente bothe for ye are false repenters than are these false saynetes and haue bothe nede of remissyon of synnes for as muche as ye bothe do not yet knowe what the ryght synne is I omitte that ye shoulde repente it or eschewe it There is none good of you ye are ful of vnbelefe blyndenes and ignoraunce of God and hys wyl For there is he manifestly of whose plentifulnes all we must receyue grace for grace and no man without hym can be righteous before God Ioh. i Therfore yf ye wyl repente repente truely For your penaunce is in vayne And ye Hypocrytes that haue no nede of repentaunce ye progenye of vypers who hath certified you that ye should escape froÌ„ the wrath of God to come Euen so preacheth also S. Paul Ro. iij. saynge There is none that vnderstandeth none ryghteous none that seketh after God none that doth good no not one They are al gone oute of the waye and are made vnprofitable Rom. iij Psalm .xiiij. liij L. xliij And Act. xvij But nowe God bid beth all men euery where repente Al men sayth he none excepte that is a man Act. xvij Right repentaunce Thys repentaunce teacheth vs to knowe the sinne namely that with vs all is lost and that euen heare and skynne be naught that we muste be renewed and become other menne Thys repentaunce is not patched vnparfect and beggerly as the other whiche repented the actuall synne neither is it also vnsure as the other For she disputeth not which be synne and which be no synne But she breaketh al in peces and sayth That it is al synne and nothynge but synne with vs. what shoulde we seke longe and make diuision distinction or difference Contrition Therfore is also here contrition not vnsure for there remayneth nothyng whereby we might thynke any good to satisfye for synne But a bare and sure fayntnes in all that we are thynke speake or do c. Confessyon In lyke maner can also confessyon not be false vnsure or vnperfect for whosoeuer confesseth that al thynges are no thynge but synne with hym comprehendeth al synnes and leaueth none be hynd neyther doth he also for gette any Satisfaction Euen so can not the satisfaction also be vnsure for she is not oure vnsure synful worke But the passyou and bloude of the innocent lambe of God which beareth the synnes of the worlde Right repentaunce Of thys repentaunce preacheth S. Iohn and after hym Christe in the Gospell and we also With thys repentaunce do we thruste doune to the grounde the Pope and al whatsoeuer is buylded vpon oure good workes For it is al buylded vpon a rotteÌ„ vyle grounde whiche is called good workes or lawe notwithstaÌ„dyng that there is no good worke but all euyll workes And that no man fulfylleth the lawe as Christ Ioh. vij sayth but al men transgresse it Ioh. vij Therfore is that buyldyng altogether false lyes and hypocrisy where as it semeth to be moost holy and moost fayrest And thys repentaunce continueth amonge the Christians vntyll death for she sighteth with the remnaunt of synne in the flesshe throughoute the whole lyfe As Saint Paul Rom. vij witnesseth that he dyd stryne with the lawe of hys membres c. Ro. vij And that not by hys owne power but through the gyfte of the holy goost which also followeth the forgeuenes of synnes The same gyfte clenseth and wepeth away dayly the remanaunt of synne and laboureth to make man ryght pure and holy Of thys knoweth neyther Pope Theologians Iuristes nor any man But it is a doctryne from heauen declared by the Gospel and must be called heresy amonge the vngodly sainctes Agayne yf there shoulde come any sectysshe spirites as paradueÌ„ture there are some ready at hand at the tyme of commotion come euen to myne owne face which holde opinion that al such as ones haue receyued the spirite or remissyon of synnes or are become Christians afterwardes synne agayn do continue neuertheles in faithe and that suche synnes are nothynge preiudicial vnto theÌ„ and crye thus Do what thou lyst yf thou doest beleue all is nothyng for fayth quencheth al synne c. And say moreouer yf any man synne after the fayth and spirite that thaÌ„ he hath neuer hadde the faith and spirite a ryght Of suche frantike men haue I had many before me And I feare that yet in some there reigneth suche a deuyll Therefore is it necessary to knowe and also to teache that yf the holy people aboue that that they yet haue and feale the original synne agaynste the whiche also they dayly repente and stryue any waye fal in open synne as Dauid in aduoutry murther and blasphemye of God ij Re. xi that as then the faith and spirite hath ben awaye For the holy goost suffereth not synne to beare rule and to gette the vpper hande that the be committed But hyndereth and defeÌ„deth that she caÌ„ not do what she wyll But yf she doth what she wyll then is fayth gone and the spirite is not there for it is as Saynt Iohn sayth i. Ioh iii whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not and can not synne And it is also very true as the same Saint Iohn writteth i. Iohn i yf we saye that we haue no synne we lye and goddes trueth is not in vs. Of the Gospell We wyll nowe retourne agayne to the Gospell whiche geueth not alwayes one manner of waye counsail helpe and remedy agaynst synne for God is aboundantly ryche in his grace Fyrst thorough the worde by the mouth of the preacher wherein is preached remissyoÌ„ of synnes throughout all the worlde which is the proper offyce of the gospel Secondly through baptisme Thirdely by the blessed Sacrament of the aulter Fourthely by the power and aucthoryte of the keyes and also per mutuum colloquium et consolationem fratrum Matthei xviii Vbi duo fuerunt congregati c. Of Baptisme Baptysme is nothynge elles but
synne as s Paul saith Rom. vi i. Co. xv The reward of synne is death And agayn synne is deathes styng Ose xiij So saith also Dauid Psal li. Psal li. Beholde I was shapen in wickednes in synne hath my mother coÌ„ceyued me Be saith not My mother hath conceyued me with synnes but I I I am shapen in wickednes and my mother hath conceyned me in sinne That is I am groweÌ„ of sinful seede in my mothers woÌ„be as may be gathered of the Ebrewe texte Furthermore I do reiecte and condemne also as mere deuelysh sectes errours al orders rewels cloysters mynsters and al what soeuer of men besydes and without the scripture is inuented and instituted stablysshed with vowes plightynges notwithstondyng that many great Saynctes haue lyued therein and as the electes of God at thys tyme thereby haue beÌ„ seduced and yet at the last by the faith in Iesu Christ were delyuered escaped For seyng such orders inpusters sectes to that intent haue lyued and are kepte that by suche wayes workes men wil and maye be saued and escape from synne and death So is it an open abhominable blaspemy and denyeng of the onely helpe and grace of â—ure onely Sauyour and Mediatour Iesus Christe Act. iiij For there is none other name geuen vnto vs whereby we maye be saued but onely thys whiche is called Iesus Christe And it is impossyble that there shoulde be more Sauyours wayes or meanes to be saued than through the onely righteousnes whiche is oure sauyour Iesus Christe whiche is geuen vs freely and setforth of God as oure onelye mercy seate Rom. iij. Rom. iij It were wel good yf Cloysters or inpysters were kepte and mainteyned to thys yntent that yonge people therein myght be taught the worde of God the Scripture and Godly nourtoure whereby myght be educated brought vp and prepared men of learnynge and discretion apte for Bysshoppes Curates and all maner of mynisters of the churche and also meÌ„ of learnynge and discretion for the gouernaunce of the publyke weale and honest discrete learned women whiche afterwarde myght knowe howe to kepe house Christenly and to brynge vp childreÌ„ But to seke there a waye of saluation that is a deuelyshe doctryne and a fayth diabolical .i. Timot. iiij i. tim iiij Holy orders of God instituted But the holy orders and ryghte Mynsters of God instituted are these three Priesthode matrimony and teÌ„porall power Church ministers Al suche as are found in the cure or ministration of the word be in a holy ryght good ordre and state acceptable vnto God as they that preache minister the Sacramentes they that procure and further the coÌ„mon boxe clarkes boyes or seruauntes that serue suche persons c. All these be pure holye workes before God Father mother In lyke maner whosoeuer is a Father and mother and ruleth hys own house honestly and bryngeth vp chyldren in Goddes seruyce Thys is also mere holynes and a holy worke and a holy order ChildreÌ„ Familie Item where as the chyldren or familye be obedyent to theyr parentes or rulers is also mere holynes and whosoeuer is founde therein is a lyuynge sayncte vpon earth In lyke maner also Prynces or superiours Iudges Offycers Chauncelers Scrybes seruauntes maydeÌ„s and al they that do serue such moreouer al such as mekely obey is al mere holynes and a holy lyfe before God Superiours Subiectes Because that these three states or orders are comprehended and establyshed in Gods worde for whatsoeuer is grounded vpon Goddes worde must nedes be holy for Goddes worde is holy and sanctifyeth althynges that be of it or in it ChristiaÌ„ Charite Besydes these thre estates or Orders is nowe the commune order of Christian Charitie and loue wherein meÌ„ do not onely serue the thre orders but also euery nedy person in general in al maner of benefytes as to refresshe the hungry and the thursty c. to forgâ—ue vnto the enemyes Matth. xxv To praye for all men vpon earthe suffre al maner of wronge vpon earth Beholde these are called good workes euery one And yet is none of these Orders a waye to saluation But the onely way remayneth aboue all these namely the sayth in Iesus Christ To be holy to be saued For there is great difference betwene to be holy and to be saued We are saued onely throughe Christ But we be holy bothe through suche fayth and also by suche godly estates and orders The vngodly maye also haue many holy thynges and yet are they not saued thereby for oure God will haue suche workes of vs to hys prayse and glorye and all they that so are saued in the faythe of Christe doo suche workes and kepe suche Orders The estate of wydowes and virgyns And whatsoeuer hath ben sayde of the state of matrimony the same muste also be vnderstande of the estate of Wydowes and virgins for they belonge also to the house and to the house kepynge Yf nowe these orders and godly estates do not worke saluation what shoulde than the deuelysh mynsters and cloysters doo which are come vp bare naked without Goddes worde and besydes that striue and rage furiously against the onely waye of fayth Holy Ghoost Thyrdely I beleue in the holye Goost which with the father and the sonne is very God and from the Father and the sonne euerlastingly procedeth But a seueral person in a Godly substaunce and nature Through the which as a lyuely euerlastynge Godly gyfte grace are al faythful people garnysshed with fayth and other spiritual gyftes raysed vp froÌ„ death delyuered from synne and made ioyful and confortable bolde and sure in conscience For thys is oure reioysing yf we do feele the witnes of thys spirite in oure hartes that God wyll be oure father forgeue oure synnes and hathe geuen to vs euerlastynge lyfe freely And that al through the merites of Christe whiche by hys death hath purchased for vs suche a spirite and that we oure selues through oure workes can deserue nothyng but is geuen to al them that heare the worde of God and embrace it These are the three Persons and one God whiche hath geuen hym self whole and all vnto vs with al that he is and hath Father The father geueth hym selfe vnto vs with heauen and earth and all creatures that they must serue and be profitable vnto vs. Howe be it this gyfte was darkened through the fall of Adam and become vnprofitable Sonne Therfore dyd afterwarde the sonne also geue hym selfe vnto vs al hys workes death wysedome and ryghteousnes and reconcyled vs to the father whereby we are quickened agayne and iustifyed and also maye knowe and haue agayne the Father with hys gyftes And because that thys grace could profite no man yf the were kept so close and hydden that she coulde not come vnto vs. Holy Ghoost Therfore cometh the holy Ghooste and geueth hym selfe also whole
of the vyrgyn Mary And became man crucifyed also for vs vnder PoÌ„ce Pilate suffred and buryed And rose agayne the thyrde day accordyng to the scriptures and asceÌ„ded into heauen and sitteth on the ryght hande of the father and shal come agayn with glorye to iudge the quicke and the deade whose kyngdome shall be endeles And in the Lorde the holy ghoost which quickeneth which proce deth froÌ„ the father the sonne whiche with the father and the Sonne together is worshypped and together is glorifyed which hath spoken through the Prophetes And one holye Catholyke and Apostolyke Churche I knoweledge one baptisme to the remission of synnes and I abyde the resurrection of the dead and the lyfe of the world to come AMEN ⧠A singular and fruteful maner of prayeng vsed by the famous clarke Doctour Marten Luther and comppleâ—… at the desyre and instaunce of a special frende of hys vpon the Lordes prayer the tenne commaundementes and the xij Articles of the Christen fayth no lesse necessary then profitable FYrst whan I fele that through straung dedes or thoughtes I am be come colde and vnlusty to prayer euen as the fleshe and the deuyl are alwaies ready to lette and hynder prayer I take my boke of Psalmes get me into my chaÌ„bre or yf the day time so requyre into the churche to the congregation and begynne mouthely by my selfe to saye the Tenne commaundementes the Crede and after as the tyme doth serue me certayne sayenges of Christe Paule or Psalmes euen as the chyldren do Therfore is it good that the prayer be vsed for the fyrste worke in the mornynge and for the last in the euenynge And that a man beware with all diligence of these false deceyuable thoughtes whiche saye Tarye a littel within thys houre wyl I pray I must do thys or that before for by suche cogitations and thoughtes commeth a man from prayer vpon workes whiche do holde and compasse hym in such wyse that nothynge is done in prayer that daye And albeit that some workes may be fall whiche be as good as prayer or better specyally whan necessitye doth requyre them as there goeth a Prouerbe vnder the name of Saynte Ierome Euery worke of the faythful is a prayer And another Prouerbe he that laboureth or worketh truely prayeth double Whiche must be spoken out of thys ground That a faithful man in hys labour doth feare and honour God and thynketh on his coÌ„maundementes so that he wyll do wronge to no man nor steale nor circumuent or deceyue any man And suche cogitations make doubteles of hys worke a prayer and besydes that a sacrifyce of prayse To the contrary wherof it muste also be true that the worke of an infidel is a mere cursyng and he that worketh vnfaythfully curseth double for the cogitacyons and thoughtes of hys harte are suche that he despyseth God and thynketh to transgresse hys commaundemeÌ„tes to do hys neighboure wrong to steale and to deceyue suche cogitatioÌ„s what are they elles but mere cursynges agaynst God man by the whiche hys worke labour becoÌ„meth also a double curse whereby he curseth hym self suche men do also remayne at the last beggers and of no reputation Of thys continual prayer doth Christ speake vndoubtedly Luc. xi Luce. xi that we oughte to praye withoute ceasyng for we must be ware of synne and wrong withoute ceasyng whiche can not be done yf we do not feare God and haue his commaundemeÌ„tes before oure eyes as the first Psalme saith Blessed is that man which thinketh on the lawe of god nyght day Psal i. Howe be it we must also beware that we do not vse oure selues from the ryght prayer and prescribe vnto our selues at the laste necessary workes which notwithstandynge are not to the purpose are therby at the last made slouthful and vnlusty cold and yrkesome or lothsome to prayer for the deuil is not slouthful nor vnlusty or ydel aboute vs Also our flesshe is yet to quicke and iocunde inclyned and proued to synne and agaynst the spirite of prayer Iob .i. i. Pet. v Nowe whan the harte is warmed thorough such speakyng of the mouth is come to it self Then knele doune or stande with thy handes folden and thyne eyes erected into heauen and saye or thynke in the shortest maner that thou canst Oh God oure heaueÌ„ly father I am an vnworthy pore synner Lu. xviij not worthy to lyft vp myne eyes or handes towardes the or to praye notwithstandyng forasmuch as thou hast coÌ„maunded vs al to praye also hast promysed to heare vs and besydes that hast taught vs thy self bothe wordes and maner through thy dearly beloued sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christe I come vpon thys thy commaundement to be obedyent vnto the trustyng to thy gracyous promyse in the name of my Lord Iesus Christ I praye with all thy holy Christians in earth as he hath taught me Mat vij Luc. xi Ioh. xiiij xv xvi Mat. vi Luc. xi Our father whiche arte in heauen c. Hole oute from worde to worde The fyrst Peticyon After that repete one pece or as much as thou wilte namely the fyrste peticyoÌ„ Halowed be thy name and saye Oh Lorde God mercyfull Father vouchesafe I beseche the to sanctifye thy name bothe in oure selues and in al the worlde destroye and put doune al abhominacyon Idolatrye and heresye of the Turke of the Pope and of al false doctryne and erronyous spirites whiche falsely beare thy name and so shamefully abuse it and so abhominably blaspheme it saynge and boastyng that it is thy word and the churches coÌ„maundement notwithstandynge that it is the lye and deceyt of the deuyll whereby they seduce so many poore soules in all the worlde vnder thy name and besydes that also kyl shede innocent bloude persecute thynkyng thereby to do the a hygh seruyce O Lorde God here conuerte and lette Conuerte them that yet shall be conuerted that they with vs and we with them maye sanctifye and prayse thy name bothe with pure and true doctryne and also with a good holye lyfe and conuersation And resiste or let them that wyll not be conuerted that they maye cease to abuse blaspheme and dyshonour thy holye name and to seduce the poore people Amen The seconde Peticyon Thy kyngedome come sayenge Oh Lord God mercyful father thou seest that not onely the wisedome and discretion of the worlde blasphemeth thy name and geueth thyne honoure to the lye and to the deuyl But also al theyr power myght rychesse and honoure which thou hast geuen them vpon earth to rule in the worlde and to serue the with thesame is set and stryueth agaynst thy kyngdome they are great mighty and many thicke fatte and full and plage hynder and destroye the small heape of thy kyngdome Those that be weake despysed and feawe wyl they not suffre vpon earthe and thynke neuertheles thereby to do thy a hyghe Goddes seruice O Lorde God father almightye
handes full So that in the meane seasoÌ„ thei should forgette all children playes and foolyshnes of long gownes greate crownes broade gyrdels Bysshoppes and Cardinalles hattes or staues and suche other iugglynges When fyrst we hadde executed the Commaundementes and ordinaunce of God bothe in the spiritual and temporal estates theÌ„ shoulde we fynde tyme ynough to refourme meates garmentes cronnes and câ—pes But when thei deuoure suche camelles and in stede hereof wil see a moote let the beame alone and iudge the chippe than myght we also well forbeare the counsayll Therfore haue I set but fewe Articles For as muche as we besydes that haue of God so many commaundementes to do in the churche in the superiorite within the housse that we can neuer be able to perfourme them Vvho then or what doth it auayll to make besydes them many decrees and Statutes in the counsayl Specially seyng these chiefe poyntes commaunded of God are not regarded nor obserued Euen as though he should set by oure iuglynge tromperies because we treade hys earnest commaundementes vnder oure fete But oure synnes suppresse vs and suffre not God to be mercyfull vnto vs neyther do we also repente but will moreouer maynteyne and vpholde all abhomination O Lorde Iesu Christe kepe thou Counsayll thy selfe and delyuer thy people by thy gloryous commynge It is done with the Pope and hys adhereÌ„tes They wyll none of the Therfore helpe thou vs poore and miserable whiche sygh vnto the and seke the with earnest accordyng to the grace whiche thou haste geuen vs through the holye Ghoste which lyueth and reygneth with the and thy father praysed for euer and euer AMEN The fyrste parte is of the hygh Article of the Godly Maiestye as i THat Father Sonne and holy goost in one godly essence and nature three sondry Persones is one onely God whiche created heauen and earth ij That the father of none the Sonne of the father is borne the holy goost from the father and the sonne procedynge iij That not the father nor the Holye Ghoost but the Sonne is become man iiij That the Sonne so is become man that he was conceyued by the holye Ghoost withoute the helpe of man and borne of the pure holy virgin Mary After that suffred dyed was buryed DesceÌ„ded into hel rose again from the deade Ascended into heauen sittynge on the ryght hande of God shall come to iudge the quicke the deade c. As the Symbole of the Apostles Item of S. Athanasius and the common Cathechismus for Children do teache These Articles are in no controuersie nor variaunce for as moche as of bothe parties we knowledge and confesse the same wherfor it is nedeles to entreate further there of at this time ⧠The seconde parte is of those Articles that concerne the office worke of Iesu Christe or oure redemption Here is the fyrst and Chiefe Article THat Iesus Christe oure God and Lorde suffered death for oure synnes and rose agayne for oure Iustification Roma iiij And that he onely is the lambe of God which beareth the synnes of the worlde Iohan .i. And that God hath layde all oure synnes vpon hym Isaie liij Item They are all Synners and are iustifyed frelye withoute deseruing by his grace through the redeÌ„ption of Iesu Christe in his blonde c. Roma iij. For as muche nowe as this must be beleued and otherwyse can not be obteyned or comprehended by no worke lawe nor deseruinge So is it cleare euident and sure that onely suche faith maketh vs righteous As Roman .iij. S. Paull sayth We suppose that a man is iustifyed by faith withoute the dedes of the lawe Item That he onely be counted iuste and a iustifyer of hym that beleueth on Iesus From these Articles may noman shrynke nor geue backe any thinge yea though heauen and earthe shoulde fall and what soeuer will not abyde for there is none other Name geuen vnto men were in we maye be saned sayeth S. Peter Acto iiij And by his strypes we are healed Isaie liij And vpon this Article standeth all whatsoeuer we teache and lyue agaynst the Pope deuill and worlde Wherfore we must be very sure thereof doubte nothinge Or elles all is lost and the Pope and the deuill must obteyne the victory and right against vs. The â—… Article Masse in the Papacye That the masse in the Papacye is the greatest and mooste horrible Abhomination as that whiche directely and vyolently stryueth against this Chiefe Article And yet aboue and before all other Papisticall Idolatries hath ben moost hyest and fayrest For it is supposed That suche an offer or worke of the Masse done also by a leaude Person doth delyuer man from synne bothe here in this lyfe and yonder in Purgatorie Vvhich onely belongeth to the lambe of God as is aboue saide From this Article also may no man swarne or geue backe For the fyrst Article wil not suffer it And yf there were any Papistes of descretion any where men might common with them measurably and reasone with them after a gentle fasshion Namely wherfore they didde sticke so fast to the Masse Seynge it is nothinge but mannes inuention not commaunded of God And inuentions of man may we lette fall As Christe sayeth matthei .xv. In vayne do they worshippe me with preceptes of men Secondarely is it a thinge not necessary which withoute synne or feare may well be lefte Thirdely maye the Sacrament be had after a godlier and better waye yea onely after a Godlyer fasshson after Christes institution Vvhat is it then that for an inuented and on necessarye thinge which otherwyse may be had well and muche godlyer men wyl compelle the worlde to miserye and necessitie Let it be openly preached vnto the people howe that the masse as a thynge inuented by man may withoute synne be omitted and that noman is damned because he doth not regarde it But maye wel withoute masse and by a bolde meane be saued Vvhat wyl ye laye yf the masse as then do not fall by her selfe not onely among the folysshe people but also amonge all ryghteous godly discrete God fearynge hertes Moche more yf they heare that it is a daungerous thynge withoute Goddes worde and wyll imagyned and inuented Fourthely Seynge suche innumerable and ineffable abuses in all the worlde by byenge and sellinge of the masse are rysen ought men by reason to let her go and euen to resiste onely suche abuses althoughe she hadde in her selfe some good and commodious thynge Howe muche more oughte men to let her go for to auoyde suche abuses for euermore seynge that she is hole vnnecessary vnprofitable and daungerous and that men maye haue all thynges more necessarye profitabler and surer withoute the masse Fyftely for as muche nowe as the masse is or can be none other as the Canon and al Bokes saye but a worke of menne also of a leawde person whereby one wyll reconcyle hym self and other with hym to God obteyne and deserue grace and remissioÌ„ of
Summa he kan not do it Notwitstondinge all the premisses coulde not helpe the Christianite and there shoulde ryse many more sectes than before For seynge mē sholde not be bounde to obey suche a heade by the commandemēt of God But of mannes good will it shoulde very lightely and sone be despised at the last not be estemed as a membre And also it must not allwayes be at rome or in any other place But whersoeuer and in what Churche God had geuen suche a man as shoulde be mete for the same O what a wylde and dissolute thinge shoulde that be Therfore can the Churche be neuer better gouerned and mayntayned Than that we all lyue vnder one heade Christe And that the Bysshoppes lyke in office although they be vnlyke in gyftes earnestly agree and holde together in vnitie of doctrine Faythe Sacramētes Prayers and workes of loue According to the writtinge of S. Ierome That the Priestes of Alexandria together in cōmune did gouerne the Churches As the Apostles did also And after them all Bysshoppes in the whole Christianite vntill the tyme that the Pope did exalte his heade aboue all To sette hymselfe aboue agaynst God This part sheweth euidētly that he is the right Antichrist which hath set exalted hym selfe aboue and agaynst Christe whylest he will not suffer the Christiās to be saued withoute his iurisdiction whiche notwithstondinge is vayne not ordeyned of God nor commaunded This is called properly to sette hym selfe aboue God agaynst God as saynt Paul sayth Such thynges doth neyther Turk nor Tatter be they neuer so greate enemyes to the Christians But permitte to beleue in Christ whosoeuer wil takyng bodely tribute obedience of the Christians But the Pope wyl not suffer to beleue but sayth mē ought to obey him and so doynge they shoulde be saued Howe be it Thys wyl we not do but rather dye therfore in the name of god Thys cometh al thereby that he Iure diuino would be called the superiour ouer the Christen Church Therfore hath he made him self equal with Christ hath set him self aboue Christe as the head After that a Lorde of the Churche and laste of all hath suffred hym selfe to be boasted Lorde of all the worlde and euen a GOD in earth In so much that he presumed also to cōmaunde the Angels in heauē Popysh doctryne And whan a distinction is made betwene the Papisticall doctryne the holy scripture or an egal comparyson it apereth euidently that the popyshe doctryne euen where as it is beste is taken oute of the ciuile and Heathen lawes and teacheth worldly busynes and iudgementes decrees as hys decrees declare After that doth she teache ceremonyes of Churches rayment meates Personnes and of suche chyldren games vysers and fowles babels innumerable But in all these not one worde of Christe faythe and Goddes commaundementes Tast of all is it nothynge but al deuelysshe wheras he setteth furthe hys lyes of masses purgatory Cloysteringes propre workes and Goddes seruyces whiche is euen the ryght Papacye ouer and aboue god condemneth slayeth punyshed al Christians that do not exaite and worshyp suche hys abhomination aboue all thynges Papistcal gouernaunce Therfore as littel as we may worshyppe the deuyl hym selfe for a Lord or God euen so lyttel may we also suffer hys Apostle the Pope or Antichrist in his iurisdiction to be our Lorde or head for lyes and murther destructiō of body soule euerlastingly thys is proprely his papistical gouernaunce Euen as I haue declared the same in many bookes In these foure Articles shall they haue ynough to condēne in the Counsayll For they can nor will not leaue or graunte vnto vs the least membre of any of the sayde Articles wherfore we must be sure of this and stedfastely truste that God hath apprehended his aduersary and shall suppresse hym bothe by his spirite and also by his comynge Amen For in the Counsayll shall we not stande before the Emperour or tēporall powers as at Augspurg which made a very gracious Proclamation and caused the matter to be heard fauourably But we shall stande there before the Pope the deuill hym selfe whiche intendeth not to heare But euen to condemne murther and to cōpelle to Idolatrye Vvherfore here we may not kysse his fete or saye ye are my souereique Lorde But euen as in Dachary the Angell said to the deuill God reproue the Datan The thyrde Parte of the Articles ☞ The peeces or Articles following may we with learned and discrete persons or amonge oure selues dispute and discusse for the Pope and his kyngdome doth not passe muche vpon them For by thē is no Conscience but money honour and power is all Of Synne Originall synne HEre must we knowledge as S. Paull Rom. v. sayth That Synne came by that onely man Adam through whose disobedience all men are become Synners subiecte vnto death the deuill This is called the Originall Synne or capitall synne The frutes of this synne are consequently the euill workes which in the tenne cōmaundementes Frutes of the original synne are forbiddē as vnbeleue false fayth Idolatry to be without the frutes of god arrogācye dispayre blyndnes sūma not to knowe god nor to regarde him Cōsequently to lye to sweare by the name of god Not to pray not to worshippe not to regarde gods word disobediēce vnto the parentes murther vnclenlynes to steale to begyle c. This original synne is suche a very depe euyll destructiō of nature that no witte doth knowe her but must be beleued through the reuelatiō of the scripture Psal li. Ro. v. Exo. xxxiii Gene. iii. Therfore is it nothynge but errour blyndnes contrary to this Article whatsoeuer Theologiens haue taught Doctryne of the scoole theologiens i Namely That after the originall fal of Adam the natural power and strength of man remayned hole and vncorrupt And that man haue of nature a ryght discretiō a good wil euē as the Philosophers teache the same ii Item that man hath a free wil to do good to leaue euyl contrariwyse to leaue the good vndone and to do that whiche is euyll iii Item that man maye by naturell power and strength do and kepe all the commaundementes of God iiii Item that he may of naturall power loue God aboue al thynges and hys neyghbour as hym selfe v Item whan man doth so much as lyeth in hym that than God geueth hym hys grace vi Itē that whā he wyll receyue the sacrament it is not necessary to haue a good purpose to do good But that it is sufficient that he haue not an euyll purpose to do syn so excedynge good is nature the Sacrament so mighty vii That it is not grounded in the Scripture that the holy gost with hys grace and assistence be necessary and requisite for to do good workes Suche and such lyke Articles many be trough misvnderstandynge and ignoraunce bothe of
synne and also of Christ our sauyour crepte in and they be euen the ryghte doctryne of the heathen which we can not suffer For yf thys doctryne be true then dyed CHRISTE in vayne seynge there is no wicknednes or synne in maÌ„ wherfore he ought to dye Or elles he dyed onely for the body and not for the soule also forsomuche as the soule is safe and onely the body worthy of deathe Of the lawe Wherfore the lawe is geuen Here holde we that the lawe is geuen of God fyrst for to anoyde synne by threatenynge and feare of punishement And also by promyses and offeringe of grace and benefites Howbe it all this as concernyng iniquitie for as muche as synne hathe wrought in man is very euill chaunced Rawe wicked persons For some are thereby become worse As they that be enemy to the lawe because she forbiddeth that whiche they woulde fayne do And coÌ„maundeth that whiche they are not willinge to do In so moche that wher as they may coÌ„uenieÌ„tly withoute punysshemeÌ„t they do more agaynst the sawe nowe than they did before These are eueÌ„ suche rawe and wicked persons which ceasse not to do wickedly where as they maye haue tyme and place Ipocrytes and false sainctes The other become blynde and arrogaunt thinckynge that they do kepe and can kepe the lawe of theyr owne strength as euen nowe was rehersed aboue of the Scool TheologieÌ„s Out of these come the Ipocrites and false saynctes Offyce power of the lawe But the Chiefe and pryncipal office or power of the law is that she opeÌ„ the originall synne with al her frutes and shewe vnto man how depely his nature is fallen and howe miserably it is destroyed as vnto whome the lawe must declare that he hath no God nor yet regardeth God but worshyppeth straunge Goddes which before or without the lawe he coulde not haue beleued Therewith becometh he fearfull humble abasshed desperate and would fayne be holpen but knoweth not howe and beginneth to become enemy vnto God and to murmure c. This is it that Saynte Paule sayth Rom. iii. The lawe causeth wrath And Rom. v. Synne increasseth thorough the lawe Roma iii. v. Of Penaunce Thys offyce kepeth the newe Testament and teacheth the same also as S. Paule Rom. i. doth saynge The wrath of God apereth from heauen agaynst al men Rom. i. Item iii. All men are debters before God And no man is ryghteous before hym Rom. iij And Christe Ioh. xvi The holy gost shal rebuke the world of Synne Ioh. xvi This is eueÌ„ the thoÌ„derbolt of god wherewith he striketh downe al in one heape bothe the open synners and the false saynctes suffereth none to haue right but dryueth them all together into feare desperation Thys is the hammer as Ieremy sayth Ie. xxiij my worde is a haÌ„mer that breaketh harde stones Right contrition This is not actiua contritio a made repentaunce But passiua contritio the ryght repentaunce of the harte the sufferyng and fellynge of death Beginnyng of ryght penaunce And thys is euen the beginnynge of the ryghte Penaunce and man must here heare this sentence It is al in vayne with you all whether ye are open synners or saynetes ye muste al become and do otherwyse than ye are and do yet Be ye as great wyse myghtye and holy as ye wyl here is no man ryghteous Promyse of grace But vnto thys offyce doth the newe Testament by and by minister adde the comfortable promise of grace through the Gospel whiche muste be beleued as Christe sayeth Marc. i. Repente and beleue the gospel Mar. i. That is become and do otherwise and beleue my promyse And a littel before hym Iohn is named A preacher of repentaunce for the remission of synnes That is he shoulde rebuke them all make them synners that they might knowe what they were before God and knowledge them selues as damned people and so to be prepared for the Lorde to receyue hys grace of him to hope and accepte remissyou of synnes For thus sayth Christe him selfe Luce xxiiij That repentaunce and remissyon of synnes muste be preached in hys name amonge all nations Luce. xxiiij Offyce of the lawe without additioÌ„ of the Gospel But where as the lawe doth dryue thys her offyce onely withoute additioÌ„ of the Gospell there is death and hell And man must dispayre eueÌ„ as Saul and Iudas dyd accordyng to the saynge of Saynt Paul The lawe slayeth through Synne Comforte of the Gospell And agayn The gospel doth not alwayes vse one manner or fâ—ssyon to geue coÌ„forte and forgeuenes But by the worde sacracrament and suche lyke as we shall heare to thintent that the redemptioÌ„ be plenteous by God accordynge as the C. xxx Psalm sayeth agaynst the great captiuite of synne Psalm C. xxx But nowe must we make a comparyson betwene the false penaunce of the Sophistes and the righte Peuaunce whereby they may bothe so moche the better be vnderstande ¶ Of the false Papisticall Penaunce Vnpossyble was it that they should teache ryght of Penaunce whylest they knewe not the ryght synne For as is sayd aboue they holde a wroÌ„g opinion coÌ„cernyng the original synne Doctrine of the scoole Theologyens For they saye that the naturall powers of man dyd remayne hole and vncorrupte And that the discretion of man can teache ryght and the wyl of man can do ryght thereafter And that God vndoubtedly geueth hys grace whan a man doth so muche as is in hym after hys free wyli Out of thys must nedes followe that they onely repented the Actuall Synne as euyll thoughtes whereunto the Actuall dede dyd consente for euyl motyons lustes desyres and appetites was no synne with them euil wordes and euyll workes whiche the free wyll myght and coulde fulwell haue left vndone And to suche penaunce they putte three partes Contrition Confessyon and satisfaction with thys comforte promyse that yf a man hadde ryghte contrition were duely shryuen and made satisfaction than hadde he there by deserued forgeuenes and had made satisfaction for the synne before God And so they taught the people in Penaunce to truste in theyr owne workes Thereby came thys worde in vsage when the common Shrifte or Confessyon was read to the people Spare me Lorde god c. preserue my lyfe vntyl I may do penaunce for my synnes and amende my lyfe Here was no Christ nor any thing of fayth remembred But men did hope by theyr owne workes to ouercome â—ynne to quenche it before God To that intent dyd we also become Priestes and freers because we woulde sette oure selues agaynst synne Contrition As touchynge contrition thus was the matter handled for asmuch as noman was able to cal to remembraunce al hys synnes specially such as were coÌ„mitted throughout the hole yere they dyd coÌ„ueye the matter thus wheÌ„ the forgotten synnes came afterwardes to
and al vnto vs which teacheth vs to knoweledge suche benefytes of Christ shewed vnto vs helpeth vs to receyue and kepe them profitably to vse and distribute them to increasse forther them And doth euen thesame inwardely and outewardely In wardely through faithe and other spiritual benefites Outewardely through the Gospell through Baptisme the Sacramente of the aulter through the whiche as by thre meanes or wayes he cometh vnto vs and putteth in our mynde the death of Christ in vs and maketh it profitable to oure saluation Baptisme Therfore do I holde and knowe that lyke as there is but one Gospell and one Christe Euen so is there also no more but one Baptisme And the Baptisme in it selfe is a Godly Ordinaunce euen as his Gospell is also And lyke as the Gospell is not false or vntrewe because some doo falsely vse or teache or beleue the same Euen so is not Baptisme false or vntrue all though some did receyue it or geue it withoute faith or did otherwyse abuse it Anabaptistes Donatistes Wherfore I do vtterly reiecte and condemne the doctrine of the Anabaptistes and Donatistes and whatsoeuer they be that Baptise agayne Euen so do I speake knoweledge Supper of the Lord also of the Supper of the Lorde that euen there by the very body and bloud in breade and wyne monthely is eaten and dronken Allthough the Prieste whiche dothe minister the same or they that do receyue it did not beleue or did other wayes abuse it For it standeth not in mannes beleue or vnbeleue But in Goddes worde and ordeyninge Excepte that they before did alter falsely interpretate Goddes worde and Ordinaunce as the present enemies of the Sacramente do whiche in dede haue nothinge but breade and wyne Because they haue not also the wordes and ordinaunce instituted of God But haue peruerted and altered the same after theyr owne fanthasye One holy Catholike Church After this I beleue that there is one holy Catholike Churche vpon earth that is the felloweshippe and nomber or congregation of all Christians through oute the whole worlde the onely Spouse of Christe and his misticall body whereof also he is the onely heade and that the Bisshoppes or curates are not heades nor Lordes nor brydegromes of the same but ministers frendes and as that worde Bysshop sygnifyeth Ouerseers surueyours and Purueyers Christianite dispersed in al the worlde And thesame Christianite is not onely vnder the Romysshe Churche or Pope but dispersed throughoute the whole worlde as the Prophetes haue shewed Psal ij Psa xix that the Gospell of Christe shoulde come in al the worlde Psal ij Psalm xix So that vnder the Pope Turkes Perses Tatters and euery where the Christianite is dispersed bodely But congregated spiritually in one Gospel and faythe vnder one heade whiche is Christe For the Papacye is vndoubtedly the ryght kyngdome of Antichriste or the ryght tyrannye agaynst Christe which sitteth in the tempel of God and ruleth with traditions of men as Christe Matth. xxiiij and Paul .ij. Thessa ij do declare Matth. xxiiij ij thess ij Howe be it besydes thys also the Turke and al here syes wheresoeuer they be belonge also to thys abhomynation which is prophecyed to stande in the holy place But nothynge lyke vnto the Pope Remissyon of synnes In thys Christianite and whereas she is there is remissyon of synnes that is a kyngedome of grace and of the ryght Pardon For euen there is the Gospel Baptisme the sacrament of the aulter wherein remission of synnes is offered geuen and receyued euen there is also Christe and his spirite and God And withoute thys Christianite is no saluation nor remissyon of synnes But euerlastynge death and damnation Although there be great apearaunce of holynes and many good workes yet all is in vayne And thys remissyon of synnes is not at one tyme as in Baptisme to be loked fore Nonates as the Nonates do teache but as oftē and many tymes as man hath nede of the same vntyl the houre of death Popysh Pardon But the Pardon which the Romyshe Churche hath and geueth is a blasphemous seduction and deception not onely because that it is a seueral thing inuented and set vp ouer and besides the cōmune remission Which through oute the whole Christianite through the Gospell and Sacramentes is geuen and thereby the commune remission is dishonoured and fet at nought but also because it stablyssheth and groundeth the Satisfaction for synnes vpon mennes workes and merites of Saynctes Notwithstādinge that onely Christ can satisfye for vs and hath satisfyed for vs. To praye for the deade For the deade for as moche as the Scripture maketh no mention there of holde I that of free intention it is no synne thus or in lyke maner to praye Lorde God yf the Soule be in suche case that she maye be helped vouchesaf to be mercifull vnto her c. And whē that is done ones or twyse then lett it suffise But the diriges and Soule masses and yerely myndes are not auayliable And it is the deuills fayre or market Purgatorie Vve haue also nothing in the Scriptur of Purgatorie and it was surely brought vp by Robyn good fellowe or by suche illusiōs of the deuill Therfore holde I that it be not necessary to beleue one howe be it all thinges are possible vnto God And he coulde punysshe the Soules well ynough after their departinge frō the body But he hath not declared it by worde or writtinge wherfor also he will not haue it beleued how be it I know will a Purgatorie besydes but of that is not to be taught in the congregation nor yet to be hādled agaynst it with foundations and vigilies Vvorshipping of saynctes Of worshipping of Saynctes haue other taken in hand before me And it pleaseth me I beleue it also that onely Christe ought to be worshipped as oure mediatour this geueth the Scripture and it is sure Of worshippinge of Saynctes is nothing in Scripture Therfore must it nedes be vnsure and not to be beleued Vnctiō The vnctiō Yf she wer kepte according to the Gospell Mar. vi Iac. v. myght be suffered Mar. vi Iaco. v. But to make a Sacramēt there of is in vayn For euē as in the place of diriges Soul masses well might be made a sermō of death euerlasting lyfe And so prayed by the buryal and rememberyng oure ende as it appeareth that the elders haue done do were it also well done that men wente to the speke prayng geuynge good exhortacyons And yf mē woulde anoynte hym with oyle besydes shoulde be free and at liberte in the name of God Confessyon Of Confession holde I and knowe that she oughte to be free withoute compulsyon not bounde with lawes to any tyme person or fasshyon But for as muche the absolutyon whiche is spoken therein and receaued which is none other but Goddes owne worde and
also ought to be receyued none otherwyse then yf God dyd speake it hym selfe So do I take confessyon for suche Absolutions sake to be a wholesome confortable profitable thynge wherein a sorowful miserable conscience may seke and fynd conforte and helpe Rehersal of synnes And whosoeuer doth despyse it that he despyseth Goddes word and is not worthy of the sacrament howe be it the rehersall of synnes is not necessary but it is sufficient that a man notifye that thyng which at that same tyme doth pricke or encombre his conscience Matrimony Priesthode Euen so nede not men also to make a Sacrament of matrimony priesthode For they are neuertheles holye orders ynough in them selues Therfore is penaunce nothing elles but the exercyse power of baptisme That these two sacramentes remayne baptisme and the supper of the Lorde besydes the Gospell wherein the holye Ghoost doth plenteously offer geue and worde remissyon of synnes vnto vs. Masse But for al abhominatiōs do I hold the masse whiche is preached and sold for an oblation or sacrifyce and good worke wherevpon now all mynsters and cloysters do stande but God willynge shal shortly be layde For although I haue ben a great shameful abhominable synner and haue spente and loste my youthe also damnably yet are these my greatest synnes that I haue ben suche a holy freer with so many masses by the space of xv yeres haue so abhominably offended martyred and plaged my deare Lord. But thankes and prayse be geuen vnto hys inestimable goodnes for euer that he hath brought me oute of suche abhomination and yet dayly preserueth me althoughe I am very vnthankeful and strengthened me in fayth Chastite Pouertie Obedience Wherfore I haue perswaded and yet do perswade to leaue and forsake the mynsters and cloysters with their vowes to geue themselues abroade in the ryght order of Christe to thintent that men may escape frō such abhominatyon of masses and blasphemous holynes as chastise pouerte obedience whereby men intende to be saued for as godly as it was in the primitiue churche to kepe virgyns so abhominable is it nowe that men thereby denye the helpe grace of christ For we cā lyue wel ynough virgyns wydowes and chaste withoute suche blasphemous abhomination Images Images belles masse garmentes dechynge and trymynge or Churches aulter lyghtes and suche lyke holde I indifferent and at libertie Howe be it I take Images oute of the scripture and of good hystoryes very profitable wherfore I holde not with the destroyers of al Images Resurrection of the deade Laste of all I beleue the resurrection of the deade at the last daye bothe of the good and the badde that euē there euery man maye receyue in his body accordynge to hys deseruinge and that the good shal lyue perpetually with Christe and the wicked dye euerlastingly with the deuyll and hys Angels For I holde not with them that teache That the deuyls also shall at the laste come to saluation Thys is my faythe for thus beleue all true Christians and thus teacheth vs the holye Scripture But what soeuer I haue here spoken to litle shal my bokes sufficiently testifie declare Vvherfore I desyre al faythful hartes to beare my recorde to praye for me that in thys fayth I may perseuere and make myne ende For whiche God forbidde yf I shoulde throughe temptation persecution or necessite of death saye any other thyng It should be false and I will knoweledge openly by thys that it is false and of the deuils inspiratiō whereunto helpe my my Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ blessed for euer and euer AMEN Of the right Olde Church what where and who she is and where by she maye be knowen THe cause wher fore the papistes do cal vs heretykes is thys They saye that we be fallē frō the holy churche haue set vp another newe churche Here vpon is to be answered For as muche as they boaste thēselues that they be the ryght churche so ought thei to proue the same yf thei by any ground for we desyre not much groūd proue the same then will we yelde oure selues come and saye Peccauimus miserere nostri But yf they cā not proue it thē must thei nedes confesse be it willyngly or vnwillyngly that they be not the churche that we cā not be heretikes for falling frō that vyle church Yea whylest there is no mediation so muste we be the church of Christ they the churche of the deuil or cōtrariwise Therfore lyeth very much on this poynt that mē proue which is the tru church As lōg as that profe is not there it is in vayn that the one part boaste thē selues the church cal the other heretykes The one partie must nedes be false wrōg Two maner of churches But there be two maner of churches frō the beginnyng of the world vntill the end the which s Angustyn calleth Cayn Abel And the Lorde Christe cōmaundeth vs that we should not receyue the false church discerueth him selfe two churches one true another false Math. vij Beware of false Prophetes which come vnto you is shepes clothynge c. mat vij Vvheras Prophetes be euē there be churches wherein thei teache Yf the Prophetes be false thā be the churches false also which beleue follow the prophetes Now could we neuer as yet hitherto obtayn of the papistes that they would shew wherfore that they are the right church but they stande onely vpon the saynge of Mat .xviii. That men muste heare the churche or elles they must be lost Matth. xviij And yet in the same place Christ saith not who where or what the church is but wheresoeuer the church is euen there should mē heare her Euē thatsame do we cōfesse say also but we aske where who is the church of christ not of the name but of the beyng do we aske Lyke as yf I should aske a dronken man beyng halfstepyng half wakyng or a foole I praye the tell me who or where is the Church And he shoulde answer me tenne tymes one after another nothing elles but thus mē ought to heare the Churche Howe shoulde I heare the church not knowing who or where she is Yea saye they we Papistes haue abydē in the first old church frō the Apostles time hitherto therfore be we rightly descēded frō the olde churche remayne hitherto but ye be fallē frō vs are become a new churche agaynst vs. Answer But howe then yf I should proue that we abyde by the right old church yea that we be the right old church and that ye be fallē from vs that is frō the old church haue reared a newe church againste the old church that same let vs heare Baptisme Fyrste wil nor can no man denye this that we as wel as the papistes came out of the holy baptisme are called christians of the same Now is baptisme no newe thinge nor
not hold hym gyltelesse that taketh his name in vayne Fyrst I do learne that I must kepe the name of God Glorious Holy and cleane that I shall not sweare curse or lye thereby that I shall not be proude sekynge myne owne honour name but that I shall humbly worship adore prayse and boast hys name And let all this be myne honour and reioysinge that he is my God and that I am his poore creature and vnworthy seruaunte Secondarely I do thanke hym of his glorious gyft that he hath reueled and geuen me his name that I may boast of his name and be called a seruaunt or Creature of God c. That his name is my refuge as a sure hold as Salomon sayeth to the which the Righteous doth flye and is saued and defended Thyrdely I do cōfesse knoweledge myne abhominable greuous synnes which I haue committed against this cōmaūdemēt frō my youth wher as I haue not onely left worshipping boastinge and honouringe of his name but also haue ben vnthākeful for suche giftes haue abused the same to al maner of vngraciousnes with swearing lyeng deceyuing c. Wherfore I am sory and desyre grace and mercy c. Fourthly I do praye for helpe and strength that I may from hence furth learne thys commaundement and kepe my selfe from suche shamefull vnthankefulnes abuse synnes agaynst hys holy name but that I maye be founde thākeful and in the true feare and honour of hys name And as I haue sayde before in the Pater noster so do I admonysshe agayne that in case the holy Ghooste shoulde come amonge suche thoughtes begynne to preache in thy harte with rychely illumyned cogitations Then geue hym the honour let these cogitacyons go whiche thou hast takē in hande be styl and heare hym that can do it better than thou And whatsoeuer he preacheth the same marke and note it then shalt thou se marueylous thynges as Dauid sayth in the lawes of God The thyrde commaundemēt Remember the Sabboth daye that thou sanctifye it Herein do I learne fyrste that the Sabboth is iustituted not for to go ydell nor for carnal pleasures but that he shoulde of vs be sanctifyed but through oure workes and doynges is he not sanctifyed for our worhes are not holy but through the word of GOD whiche onely is 〈◊〉 hole pure and holy sanctifyeth all whatsoeuer is accompanyed with it whether it be tyme place person worke rest c. For throughe the worde are oure workes also made holy as Paul saith i. thi iiij i. Thi. iiij That also al creatures are sanctifyed through the worde and prayer Therfore do I knowledge herein that at the furthest vpon the holy daye I ought to heare and to remembre the worde of God and after that to thanke hym in the same worde and lande hym for al hys benefytes and to pray for my selfe and al the world whosoeuer doeth thus vse hym selfe vpon the holy day doeth sauctifye the Sabboth daye he that doeth it not doeth worse than they that laboure or worke vpon it Secondarely I do geue thankes in thys commaundement for this greate fayre bene fyte and grace of God that he hath geuē vs his word preaching and commaunded vs specially to vse it vpon the Sabboth daye which treasure no mans harte is able sufficiently to remembre for hys worde is the onelye lyghte in the darkenes of thys lyfe and the worde of lyfe of conforte and of al saluation And wheresoeuer thys swete and holesome worde is not there is nothynge but fearfull and horryble darkenes errour corruption death all euyll and the Deuyls owne Tyrannye as we see dayely before oure owne eyes Thyrdely I do confesse and knoweledge my greuous synnes and my shameful vnthankefulnes that I haue so lewdely spent the holye dayes in my tyme and so contemptuousely despysed hys holy worde and haue ben so stouthful vnlusty lothsome to heare thesame I omitte that I should haue desyred it mooste hartely or that euer I shoulde haue geuen hym thankes for it so haue suffered my deare Lorde and God to preache vnto me in vayn not regardyng this noble treasure but treadynge it vnder my fete which he hath suffered of me with mere godly pacience and bountyfulnes and hath not therfore ceassed frō preachyng vnto me stilfurth and from callynge me to the saluacyon of my soul with al fatherly and Godly loue and faythfulnes wherfore I am sory and crye for mercy and forgeuenes Fourthly I do praye for my selfe and for al the worlde that our heauēly father vouchesafe to kepe vs by his holy worde and not to take thesame from vs because of oure synnes vnthankefulnes and slouthfulnes That he wyll preserue vs from all sectysshe and erronyous spirites and false doetrynes and sende vs faythfull true labourers in hys haruest that is true and good curates preachers Geue vs grace also that we maye humbly heare receyue and honour the wordes of them as his owne worde and besydes that maye hartely thanke laube hym for it The fourth commaundement Thou shalt honour thy father and thy mother Fyrst do I learne here to knowe God my creatour howe wonderfully he hath shapen me with body and soule and geuen me lyfe through my pareutes and hath geuen them the mynd that they as the fruyie of theyr body haue serued me with all theyr power brought me into the worlde educated me tēded me gouerned me brought me vp with great diligence care daunger labour and trauayle and hath preserued me hys creation vnto this houre in body and soule from innumerable daungers and necessities and hath also oftentymes delyuered me from them as though he created me a newe euery houre For the deuyll woulde not haue vs lyue the space of one moment Secondarely I do thanke our ryche and bountyful creatour for me self and for al the worlde that in thys cōmaundement he hath instituted and preserued the increase multiplication and entretaynement of mankynd that is house and Towne beynge or oeconomyam and Politiam for withoute these two beynges or regimentes the worlde were not able to continue one yere seyng withoure worldely gouernaunce there can be no peace where no peace is there can be no house holde where no housholde is there can neyther chyldren be broughte furthe nor educated And the estate of fatherhode and motherhode shoulde altogether ceasse But therfore is thys cōmaundement ordeyned which kepeth and entretayneth bothe housekepyng and Townekepynge and commaundeth the chyldren and the subiectes obedience It doth also loke to it that it be done or yf it be not done it leaueth not the transgressours vnpunysshed If thys were not the children through theyr disobediēce would haue destroyed and made waste the housekepynge long a goo and the subiectes through theyr sediciou in lyke maner the Towneshyp or Townekepyng for so much as the numbre of them doth farre excede the numbre of parentes rulers Therfor is this benefite also inexplicable
confesse with thy mouthe wherefore thou hast nothing to reioyce of before God but that thou arte nothinge at all and that he is thy maker and creatour and can tourne the to nothinge euery momente Of this light knoweth the imagination of man nothinge at all Many highe learned men haue sought and searched what heauen and earth Man and creature might be but they haue not founde it But here sayth oure belefe that God made all thinges of nought Here is the pleasaunt garden of the soule to walke in in the workes of God howe be it it is to longe to writte of it at this tyme. Secondarely ought we here to geue thankes that we through the goodnes of God are made of nought and are dayly preserued of nought suche a goodly creation whiche hath body and soule discretion and the fyne wittes c. and ordeyned Lordes and rulers ouer the earth fysshes foules cattel Hither belongeth the i.ij and .iij. chapiter of Gene. Thirdely ought we to confesse to lamente our vnbeleue and vnthankefulnes that we haue not regarded beleued remēbred nor knowledgede thesame worse then the vnreasonable cattell c. Fourthely to praye for a true and sure faith that we maye from hence-furth earnestly beleue take the true God for our Creatour accordinge to the sayenge of this Article The seconde Article of the redemption And in Iesu Christe his onely sonne our Lord. c. Here shyneth agayne as greate a lighte and teacheth vs Howe we are redemed through Christ the Sonne of God from death wherein we are fallē after our creation through the synne of Adam and must eternally perysshe And here is it tyme lyke as in the fyrst Article thou must also counte thy self for one amonge the creatures of God and doubte nothinge therein Euen so muste thou counte thy selfe also for oure amonge them that are redemed and doubte nothinge at all And set by euery worde the fyrste worde oure as Iesus Christe oure Lorde euen so lyke wyse oure suffered Oure dead oure rysen that he be all hole oures And that thon arte also vnder the same oure euen as the worde it selfe doth geue it Secondarely we ought hartely to geue thankes for this great grace and be glad of this redemption Thirdely bitterly to Lamente and to confesse oure shamefull vnbeleue doubtefulnes concerninge this grace Oh what a heape shalte thou fynde here for to remembre howe muche Idolatrye thou haste vsed contrary to this with so many seruynges of saynctes and innumerable workes of thyne owne whiche haue ben quite and cleane against this redemption Fourthely muste thou praye that God wil kepe the by the true and syncere faith in Christ thy Lord frō hence furth vnto the ende The thyrde Article of the Sanctification I beleue in the holy Ghoost c. This is the thyrde greate lighte whiche teacheth vs. Where this Creatour and redemer in earthe externally is to be founde and to be taken and where al thinges shall become at the last whereof there were muche to say And briefly this is the summe Whersoeuer the holy Catholyke Churche is there is founde God the Creatour God the redemer and God the holy Ghoost that is to saye whiche dayly sanctified through forgeuenes of synnes c. And the Churche is whersoeuer Goddes worde is truely preached and knowledged of this faythe Here haste thou agayne many thinges to remembre of all that the holy Ghoost doeth dayly exercyse in the churche c. Therfore geue here thankes that thou arte also come and called into this Church Confesse and Lamente thyne vnbeleue and vnthankefulnes that thou hast not regarded all this And praye for a righte sure faythe whiche maye continue and abyde vntill thou comest where as all thing shall continue for euer that is after the resurrection of the deade in the lyfe euerlastinge AMEN A prayer agaynste the Pope the Turkes the Mortall enemies of Christ and of his Churche HEuēly Father ful well haue we deserued to be corrected of the. But correcte vs Lorde thy selfe accordinge to thy mercy and not after thy fury It is better for vs to geue oure selues into the correctiō of thy handes than in the handes of men or of the enemy as Dauid prayed also For great is thy mercy We haue synned agaynste the and haue transgressed thy commaundementes But thou God almightie Father knowest that we haue not synned agaynst the deuill Pope or Turkes And that they also haue no authorite nor power vs to correcte Howe be it thou canst and mayest vse them as thy fearful scourge agaynst vs which agaynst the haue offended and deserued all myschief Yea deare God heuenly father we haue done no synne against thē wherfore they might lawfully punyssh vs. But muche rather would they that we with thē most abhominably shoulde synne against the. For they regard it not yf we to the were disobedient blasphemed the vsed al maner of Idolatry as they do went aboute with false doctryne false fayth and with lyes and committed agaynst the aduoutry vnclenlynes murther thefte robbery Sorcery and al maner of enyl But this is our trespasse against them that we preache beleue knowledge the God the father to be the onely true God and thy welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and the holy ghoost to be one onely God yea thys is the synne that we committe agaynst them but yf we shoulde denye the then shoulde the deuil world pope and turcke fulwel leaue vs in rest accordynge to the saynge of thy deare Sonne yf ye were of the worlde the worlde woulde loue her owne c. Here shewe thy mercy O merciful father ouer vs and earnest iudge ouer oure enemyes for they are more thyne enemyes then oures Because that when they persecute and stryke vs then do they persecute and stryke thy for the world which we preache beleue and knowledge is not oures but thyne and the work of thy holy ghost in vs. The deuil wil not suffre such thynges but in steade of the he wyl be our god in stede of thy word he wil stablis she lyes in vs. The Turke wil set hys Machometh in the rowme of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ For he speaketh euyl of hym and sayth That he is no ryght God and that hys Machomet is hyer and better then he Yf it be synne that we holde knoweledge and boaste the father and the Sonne and the holy Ghoost for the true onely God Then arte thou the synner thy selfe whiche workest thys in vs and commaundest vs to do it Therfore do they hate stryke and correcte thy selfe whē they for such matters do hate stryke or punysshe vs. Wherfore awake O Lorde God sanctifye thy name whome they blaspheme strengthen thy kingdom whiche they distourbe in vs let thy wyl be done whiche they will quenche in vs and suffer not thy self so to be troaden vnder fete for our synnes sake of them that do not correcte our synnes in vs but woulde quenche in vs thy holy worde name and worke to thintent that thou shouldest be no God haue no people to preache beleue and knoweledge the. Vouchesafe o Lorde gracyously to heare this oure petitiō and do accordynge to oure beleue and truste By the deare Sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christe whiche lyneth and raygneth with the and the holye Ghooste worlde without ende AMEN FINIS ☞ Seke peace and ensue it Psal xxxiij i. Pet. iiij ⧠Imprinted for Gwalter Lynne dwellyng vpon Somers kaye by Byllinges gate In the yeare of oure Lorde God M.D.Xlviij ⧠Cum Gratia et Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum