a Crosse representeth vnto vs the Passion and consequently the Incarnation of the Sonne of God the passing from the left shoulder to the right and not from the right to the left signifyeth that by the Passion of our Sauiour we are transferred from sinne vnto grace from transitorie things vnto eternall from death to life S To what purpose is this signe of the Crosse made M First it is made to shew that wee are Christians to wit souldiers of our chiefe Emperour Christ because this signe is as it were an ensigne or liuerie which distinguisheth the soldiers of Christ from all the enemies of the Holie Church to wit Gentils Iewes Turkes Heretiks besides this signe is made to call for Gods helpe in all our works because with this signe the most holie Trinitie is called to help by meanes of the passion of our Sauiour and therefore good Christians vse to make this signe when they arise from bed wheÌ„ they goe to sleepe and in the beginning of all other things which they haue to do finally this signe is made to arme vs against all temptations of the Deuill because the Diuel is a fraid of this signe and flyeth from it as malefactors doe when they see the signe of the officers of Iustice and often-times by meanes of this signe of the holie Crosse a man escapeth many dangers aswell spirituall as temporal when he maketh it with faith and trust of Gods mercy and of the merits of Christ our Sauiour CHAP. 3. The declaration of the Creede S NOwe comming to the first part of this doctrine I desire to learne the Creede M The Creede contayneth twelue parts which are called Articles and they are twelue according to the number of the twelue Apostles who composed the same and are these 1 I Beleeue in God the Father almightie Creator of heauen and earth 2 And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. 3 Who was conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4 Suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucifyed dead and buried descended into Hell 5 The third day he rose again from death 6 Ascended into heauen siâ—â—eth at the right hand of God the Father almightie 7 From thence hee shall come to judge the quicke and the dead 8 I beleeue in the Holie Ghost 9 The holie Catholike Church the Communion of Saints 10 Remission of sinnes 11 Resurrection of the flesh 12 Life euerlasting Amen S May it please you declare to mee the first article word by word What signifyeth I beleeue M It signifyeth I hold for certaine and for most true all that is contayned in these twelue articles and the reason is this because the same God hath taught the holy Apostles these sentences and the holy Apostles the Church and the Church doth teach them vs and because it is impossible that God should saye that which is false I therefore beleeue these things more certainely then those I see with mine eyes and feele with my hands S What meaneth In God M It meaneth that we ought to beleeue firmely that there is a God albeit we do not see him with corporal eies this God is one only therefore it is said in God and not in Gods And you must not imagine that god is like to any corporal thing how great or faire so euer it be but you must thinke that God is a spiritual thing which euer was foreuer shal be hath made the whole filleth the whole gouerneth the whole knoweth seeth euery thing finally what thing soeuer is represented vnto our eies or vnto our imagination you must say that this which now is represeÌ„ted vnto me is not god because God is a thinge infinitelie better S Wherefore is it said that God is a Father M Because he is truly the Father of his onlie begotten Son of whom we shal speake in the second article and also because he is the Father of al good men not by nature but by adoption and finally because he is the father of al creatures not by nature or by adoption but by creation as we shal say hereafter in this same article S Wherefore is he called Almighty M Because it is a proper title of God and albeit God hath manie proper titles as eternal infinite vnmeasurable and others yet in this place the most fit is that he is omnipotent because it may not seeme hard vnto vs to beleeue that hee hath made heauen and earth of nothing as in the words following is added For that vnto him who can do al that he wil thereby is omnipotent nothing can be hard And if you should say vnto me God can not dye nor sinne and therefore it semeth not that he can do al things I would answere you that to dye or to sinne is not power but impotencie as when it is said of a most valiant soldier that hee can ouercome al and that he cannot be ouercome of anie it doth not preindicate his force to say that he cannot be ouercome because that he can be ouercome is not streÌ„gth but weaknes S What is signified by Creator M It signifieth that God hath made al thinges of nothing and he alone can bring them againe vnto nothing The Angels Men and also Diuels can make and vnmake some things but they can not make them otherwise then of some kinde of matter which was before neither can they vnmake theÌ„ but by changing them into some other thing as a Maison cannot make a house of nothing but he must haue stones lyme and wood neither can he destroy it in bringing it to nothing but into stones dust wood and such like so that God only is called is a creator because he only hath no need of any matter to make all things S Why is he called creator of heaueÌ„ and earth hath not God also made the ayre the water stones trees men and all other things M By heauen and earth is also vnderstood all that is in heauen and earth as he that saith a man hath a bodie a soule meaneth also that he hath al things belonging to a bodie as veines bloud bones sinewes and the rest all things belonging vnto a soule as vnderstanding will memorie internal and external senses and the rest so that by heauen is vnderstood the ayre where birds vse to be all things aboue where the clouds the stars are wherevpon it is said the birds of heaueÌ„ the clouds of heauen the stars of heauen finally the Angels By the earth is vnderstood al that is compassed by the aire as the waters of the sea of the riuers which are in the lower partes of the earth also al liue creatures plants stones mettals and all other things which are found in the earth or in the sea it is therefore said that God is creator of heauen earth because these two are the principall parts of the world the one aboue in the which the Angels remaine and the other
are now liuing but also those which haue ben from the beginning and shal be vntil the end of the world And therefore it is not only called one but also Catholike that is to say vniuersal because it is extended to all places and to all times S For what reason is the Church called one onlie if it conteine so great a multitude of men M It is called one onelie because it hath one onlie head which is Christ and his one Vicar in earth the Bishop of Rome and againe because it liueth by one and the same spirit and hath one and the same law As a kingdome is called one because it hath one onlie king and the same lawes though in that kingdome there be manie prouinces manie more Cities or townes S Wherefore is it saide that this Church is holie seeing there are manie wicked men in it M It is called holie for three reasons first because the head there of which is Christ is most holie like as one that hath a fayre faice is said to be a faire man though he haue some crooked finger or some blot on his breast or shoulders Secondly because all faithfull people are holy by faith and profession for they haue one moste true and diuine faith and make profession of the holie Sacraments and of a most iuste law which doth not command any thing but that which is good and forbiddeth nothing but that which is euill Thirdly because there are alwaies in the Church some assuredly good not onely by faith and profession but by vertues and maners also Whereas among Iewes Turkes Heretiks and such like people who are out of the Church none at all can truely be good S What signifyeth the Communion of Saints M It signifyeth that the body of the holie Church is in such sort vnited that of the good of one member all the rest doe participate whereby how many soeuer there bee in farre countries though we do not knowe them yet their Masses diuine offices other prayers and good workes helpe vs also And this Communion is not onely heere vpon earth but our Masses prayers and other good workes helpe those that be in Purgatorie And the prayers of such as are in heauen helpe vs the soules also in Purgatorie S If this be so it needeth not to pray for any in particular nor to procure Masse to be said for this or for that soule in Purgatorie seeing all good is common M It is not so Because Masse praiers and other good workes though they be in some sort cōmon vnto al yet they help more such as they are done for in particular then others S What shall wee say of such as are excommunicated do they also participate of the good workes of the faithfull or no M For this they are called excommunicated because they haue not the communion of the Saints for they are like bowes cut from the tree or like members separated from the bodie which do not enjoy the good humors that are spread amongst the other bowes and vnited members And by this you may gather what account is to be made of excommunication seeing he cannot haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother S Are then the excommunicated out of the Church as the Iewes and other Infidels be M So it is but there is this difference that the Iewes and Turkes are out of the Church because they neuer entred in being neuer baptised the Heretikes which are baptised and haue lost their faith are out because they are gone foorth and fled away of themselues and therefore the Church enforceth them by diuers punishments to returne vnto the Holy faith As when a sheepe flyeth from the fold the shepheard forceth him with his stafe to returne But other excommunicated which haue baptisme and faith and did enter in and not goe out of themselues are driuen out by force As when the shepheard driueth foorth an infected sheepe and leaueth the same a pray for the Wolfe Yet true it is that the Church driueth not out the excommunicated to the end they should euer remaine out but to the end they should repent of their disobedience and demaund to returne being humbled and so bee receiued againe into the bosome of their mother and to the communion of Saints Of the tenth article S VVHat is signified by the remission of sins which is the tenth article M This is the first of those three principal benefites which are found in the Church For which it is needful to know that al men are borne sinners and enimies to God and after increasing they passe from euil to worse vntil by the grace of God their sinnes be remitted and so become his friends and children This grace which is so great is not found other where thē in the holie church In which are the holie Sacramēts namely Baptisme Penance which as heauenlie medicins curemen of al spiritual diseases which are sinnes S I pray you declare vnto me a little better how great this benifite is of remission of sinnes M In the world is not found a greater euil then sinne is not onely for that al euills in this life and in the life to come do spring from it but also for that sinne is the cause that man becommeth an enemie to God And what can be said worse then to be enimie vnto him who can do al that he wil and none can resist him who can defend him with whom God is angrie And contrariwise in this life a greater good can not be found then to be in grace for who can hurt him whom God defendeth al things being in the hands of God Briefly you know that amongst corporal thinges life is most esteemed because it is the foundation of al other good things and death is most abhorred because it is contrarie vnto life So then seeing sin is the spiritual death of the soule and the remission of sin is the life of the same soule you may easely consider how great a benefit is receiued in the church seeing in it only is the remission of sins Of the eleuenth article S VVHAT meaneth the resurrection of the flesh which is the eleuenth article M This is the second principal benefite of the Holy Church to wit that in the last daye all those whose sins shall be remitted shal returne to life S And others which are out of the Church or haue not remission of their sinnes shall not they returne also to life againe M Touching naturall life all shall returne to liue as the good so the bad but because the resurrection of the bad shall be for their perpetuall torment not for any good to thē therefore that life of theirs is called rather a death then a true life so the true resurrection to wit vnto life worthy to be desired shall not be of any but of the good which shall be found without sinne S I would know if the same bodies which wee now haue shall
Originall sinne is that in which we are borne and it commeth vnto vs by succession frō our first father Adam For you haue to know that when God made the first man and the first woman called Adam and Eue he gaue them seuen gifts First he gaue them his grace by which they were iuste and the friends of God his adopted children Secondly he gaue them great knowledge how to doe well and to shunne euill Thirdly he gaue them obedience of the flesh to the spirite that it should not be mooued to vnlawful desires against reasō Fourthly hee gaue them promptnes and great facilitie to do well and to flie euill and but one most easie commandement to obserue Fiftly hee freed them from all labour and feare For the earth brought foorth fruites sufficient for mans life of it self neither was there any thing that could hurt man Sixtly hee made them immortall that is that they should neuer haue dyed if they had not sinned Seauenthly hee would after some time haue translated thē into Heauen to such an eternal and glorious life as Angels haue But the first man and woman inueigled by the Diuell did not obserue that commandement and so they sinned against God and thereby lost those seuen giftes which I spoke of And because God gaue them those giftes not only for them selues but also for all their posteritie therefore they lost them for themselues and for vs all and made vs partakers of their sinne and of all their miseries as we should haue bene of all their graces and other benefites if they had not sinned This then is Original sinne an emnitie with God and a priuation of his grace with which priuation wee are borne Whereof proceedeth ignorance euil inclinations difficultie to do well and facilitie to do euill the paine trauel to prouide to liue the feares and periles in which we remaine most certaine death of the bodie also eternall death in hell if before we dye we be not deliuered of sinne returne not into the sauour of God S What remedie haue wee against this Originall sinne M It is already saide before that the remedie is the Passion death of Christ our Lorde For so God would that hee that should satisfie for the sinne of Adam should bee himselfe without sin and the same was God and man and so hee was infinitely acceptable to God and did obey not in an easie thing as that was which was commanded to Adam but in a most hard thing as was the ignominious death of the Crosse And this remedie is applyed to vs by holie Baptisme as hath bin saide And albeit God doth not straight-waies render vnto vs all those seauen gifts yet he hath restored to vs the most principall which is his grace by meanes whereof we are made iust the friends and children of God and heires of Heauen The other gifts shal be restored vnto vs hereafter with great increase in the other life if we behaue our selues well in this Cap. XVIII Of mortal and veniall sinne S DEclare vnto me now what is actuall sinne and how one is mortall and an other veniall M Actuall sinne is that which wee commit by our owne will when wee are come to the vse of reason As to steale to kill to sweare falsely and such like things contrarie to the law of God And it is mortal sinne when it depriueth vs of the grace of God which is the life of the soule maketh one worthie of eternal death in hell It is veniall sinne when it displeaseth God but not so much that it depriueth vs of his grace and meriteth punishment but not eternall S How shall I know whether the sin be mortal or venial M To know when a sinne is mortall you must obserue two rules one is that the sinne be contrarie to the charitie or loue of God or of our neighbour The other that it bee with full consent of the will For when either of these two things is wanting it is not mortall but veniall And a sinne is then said to bee a-against charitie when it is against the lawe in a matter of weight as when it is a sufficient offence to breake friendship but when it is in a small matter such as ordinarilie breaketh not friendship It is not then against charitie but is said not to be according to charitie And so such as commonly breaketh friendship is against the law because it is against charitie which is the end of the law such as commonly breaketh not frendship is not against the law but not acording to the law because it is not against charitie but not according to charitie Take an exāple to steale a great quantitie of money is a mortal sinne because it is against the law of God being in a matter of weight and in the iudgement of most men sufficient to breake frendship and so is against charitie but to steale a farthing or a pinne or a like thing is not a mortall sinne but a venial because it is in a small matter which although it be not according to charitie yet it is not against charitie because it is not a thing that in reason can breake frendship In like manner we may say of being voluntarie For when a thing is against the law in a matter of weight and fully voluntarie it is a mortall sinne but if it be not fully voluntarie as if one haue a thought or a sodaine desire to steale or to kill or to blaspheme and presently perceiueth his error before he fully consent with his will it is only a veniall sin Therefore a man must stand vpon his gard and presently as he is aware of an euil thought or desire he must driue it away before they geue consent Chap. XIX Of the seuen Capitall sinnes S I Desire now to know which be the most principall sinnes to the end I may flie them with more diligence M Some sinnes are more principal because they are as fountaines or roots of others and therefore called capital and these are seuen Others are more principall for that they are more hard to be pardoned and are called sins against the Holie Ghost and they are six Finally there are others more principall because they are more manifestly enormious and against all reason and therfore it is said that they crie for reuenge to Heauen and they are foure S Which are the Capitall sinnes M They are these Pride or as others call it Vainglorie Couetousnes Lecherie Enuie Glutonie Anger and Sloath. S Wherefore are they called capitall M They are not called capitall because they are mortal for many sins are mortall and are not capitall as blasphemie and murder and many capital which are not alwaies mortal as gluttony anger sloath But they are called capitall because they are heads of many others which proceed from them as branches from the roote and riuers from the fountaines S What is Pride what sinnes doth it bring forth and what is the remedie
that the holie Ghost did this worke of the Incarnation Did not the Father and the Sonne also concurre therein M That which one Diuine Person worketh the other two worke likewise the same because they haue one and the same power wisdome and goodnesse yet notwithstanding the workes of power be attributed vnto the Father those of wisdome vnto the Son those of loue vnto the Holie Ghost and because this was a worke of the highest loue of God towards mankinde it is therefore attributed vnto the holy ghost S I would haue some example to vnderstand how all the three diuine Persons haue concurred to the Incarnation and yet the Sonne is onlie Incarnate M WheÌ„ one man putteth on a garment two others do help to cloth him three do then concur to the clothing of him yet one only is clothed so all the three diuine Persons concur to worke the Incarnation of the Sonne of God but onely the Sonne is incarnate and made man S Wherefore is it added in the article Borne of the Virgin Marie M Because in this also there is a strange mysterie that is that the Sonne of God came foorth of the wombe of his Mother at the end of the ninth moneth without paine or harme of his said Mother not leauing any signe there at all euen as hee did when rising from death he went out of the close Sepulchre and when he entred and went foorth of the chamber where his Disciples were the doores being shut there vpon it is saide that the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ was alwaies a Virgin before his birth in his birth and after his birth Of the fourth Article S VVHat meaneth that which followeth in the fourth article Hee suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucified dead buried M This Article conteineth the most profitable mysterie of our redemption and the summe is that Christ after he had conuersed in this world about thirtie three yeares and had taught with his most holy life his doctrine and his miracles the way of saluation was vnjustly caused by Pontius Pilate who was gouernour of Iewrie to be whipped and nayled vpon a Crosse vpon the which hee dyed and by certaine holy men was buried S Concerning this mysterie there do occurre vnto me some doubts I desire by you to be cleered of theÌ„ to the end I may be the more grateful vnto God for so great a benefite by how much I shall the better vnderstand it Tell me then if Christ be the Sonne of God omnipotent how happened it that he was not deliuered by his Father out of the handes of Pilate Or rather if the same Christ be God wherefore did hee not deliuer himselfe M Christ could if hee would haue deliuered himselfe by a thousande meanes out of the handes of Pilate Yea more the whole world had not bin able to do him any euil if he had not bin willing and this is clearely seene because he knew foretolde vnto his Disciples that the Iewes would seeke to put him to death that they would whippe him stone him and finallie kill him Yet he did not hide himselfe but went to meete his enemies And when they sought to take him and knew him not hee said vnto them himselfe hee was that man for whom they sought at which time also they al faling backwards as dead meÌ„ he did not depart thence as he might haue done but expected permitted them to recouer theÌ„selues after he suffred him selfe to be taken bound led like a meeke Lambe where they would S For What cause did Christ being innocent suffer him selfe to be vniustly crucified and slaine M For manie reasons But the principal reason was to satisfie vnto God for our sinnes For you haue to know that the offence is measured according to the dignitie of him who is offended and contrariewise the satisfaction is measured according to the dignitie of him who doth satisfie as for example if a seruant should geue his Prince a blow it should be esteemed a most greeuous offence according to the greatnes of the prince but if a prince should giue his seruant a blowe it were a smal matter according to the base estate of the seruant And contrariwise if a seruant take off his cappe vnto his Prince it is but little esteemed but if the Prince should take off his vnto his seruant it would be a notable fauour according to the rule we speake of Now because the first man and with him al we haue offended God who is of so infinite dignitie the offence did require infinite satisfaction and because there was neither man nor Angel of so great dignitie therefore the Sonne of God came who being God and of infinite dignitie hauing taken mortal flesh in the same flesh he submitted him selfe for the honour of God to the death of the Crosse and so satisfied with his paines for our faults S What other cause is there for which Christ would suffer so bitter a death M To teach vs by his example the vertues of Patience Humilitie Obedience and of Charitie which are foure vertues signified in the foure extreame parts of the Crosse because greater patience can not be found then to suffer vniustly so ignominious a death nor greater humilitie then for the Lord of all Lordes to submit him selfe to be crucified betwixt thieues nor greater obedience then to be willing rather to die then not to fulfil the commandement of his Father nor greater charitie then to yeeld his life to saue his enimies And you must know that Charitie is more shewed in deedes then in wordes more in suffering then in doing And so Christ who would not only bestow vpon vs infinit benifits but suffer also die for vs hath shewed that he loueth vs most ardently S Seeing Christ is God and man as you saied before and it semeth that God can not suffer nor die how do we then say that he suffered and died M Christ being God and man can suffer not suffer die not die for in that he is God could neither suffer nor die but as he is man he could both suffer and die and therefore I â—old you that being God hee was made man to satisfie for our sinnes suffering the paines of death in his most holie flesh which he could not haue done if he had not been man S If Christ haue satisfied his Father for the sinnes of all men whence â—ommeth it that so many are damned that we haue neede to doe penance for our sinnes M Christ hath satisfied for the sins â—f all men but it is necessarie to apâ—lie this satisfaction in particular to â—his man and to that man which is one by faith by the Sacraments by good workes and particularlie by penance therefore we haue neede â—o do penance other good works though Christ haue suffered and wrought for vs And the cause that many are daÌ„ned or remaine enemies to God is for that either they
wil not haue faith as Iewes Turkes Heritikes or because they wil not receiue the Sacraments as those that wil not be baptised or wil not confesse their sinnes or wil not do such penance as they can for their sins nor resolue to liue conformably to the law of God S I would haue some example to vnderstand this M Take the example of one which should take great paines and with sweate and labours should gaine so much money as were sufficient to pay al the debts of this citie and should put the same in a bank to the end it should be geuen vnto al such as should bring a warant from him this man surely had satisfied for al somuch as lieth in him yet manie might remaine stil in debt for that they would not either for pride or for slouth or for some other cause demand his warant and carie it to the bank to receiue the money S What signifieth He descended into hel and what doth hel signifie in this place M Hel is the lowest deepest place in this world to wit the midle of the earth And the Scripture in manie places putteth heauen as opposite vnto hel as the highest place vnto the lowest But in this depth of the earth there are foure as it were great caues one for the damned which is the deepest of al and so it is agreable that the proud Diuels and the men which imitate them be in the lowest place and furthest from heauen that can be In the second caue which is something higher are those soules which suffer the paines of Purgatorie In the third which is yet higher are the soules of those children that die with out Baptisme who do not suffer torments of fire but onely the perpetuall priuation of eternall felicity In the fourth which is the highest remained the soules of the Patriarchs Prophets and other Holie men that dyed before the comming of Christ for albeit those holy soules had not any thing to be purged yet they could not enter into glory before Christ by his death had opened the gate of eternall life therefore they remained in that higher place called the place of holy Fathers otherwise Abrahams bosome where they suffered no paines at all but enjoyed a sweete repose expecting the comming of our Lord with great joy And so we read in the Gospel that the soule of that poore beggar Lazarus was carried by an Angell to rest in the bosome of Abraham where hee was seene by the rich glutton who burning in flames of hell cast vp his eyes and saw Lazarus in a farre higher place remayning in great joy and consolation enjoying the fruits of his former patience S Into which of these foure partes of Hell did Christ descend after his death M There is no doubt but hee descended into the place of holy Fathers and suddainely made them blessed after led thē with him in to the kingdome of heauē He made himselfe also seene vnto all the other parts of hell terrifying the Diuels as a victorious Triumpher threatning the damned as a supreame Iudge comforting the soules in Purgatorie as their Aduocate and deliuerer So that Christ descended into Hell as a King vseth sometimes to repaire into prisons to visite prisoners and to shew fauour to whom it pleaseth him S If Christ was dead his body did lye in the sepulchre then he did not whollie descend into hell but onely the soule of Christ and how is it then said that Christ descended into hell M Death had force to separate the soule of Christ from his body but it could not separate either the soule or the bodie from the Diuine person of the same Christ And therefore we beleeue that the Diuine person of Christ remained with his bodie in the sepulcre that the same person descēded with his soule into hel Of the fift Article S HOw is it true that our Lord rose from death the third day seeing that from Friday in the euening when he was buried vnto the night before Sunday when hee rose there wanteth of two whole daies M We doe not say that Christ rose after three whole daies but the third daye which is most true For he was buried on Friday which is the first day though not a whole day and so hee remained in the Sepulchre all Saterday and a part of Sundaie which is the third day For the natural day beginning the night before at the setting of the Sunne the first houre after the Sunne-setting is the first of the day following S. For what cause did not Christ rise streight after his death but would expect the third day M Because he would shew that he was truely dead he would remaine there in the graue so long as sufficed to prooue this truth Moreouer I would haue you considder that like as Christ liued amongst men thirtie three or thirty foure yeares so hee would stay amongst the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres For so many they are if you put together one houre of Friday for hee was buried an houre before Sunne-setting twentie foure houres of the Saturday and eight or nine houres of Sunday For he rose after midnight towards the beginning of the morning S Why is it said of Christ that hee rose and of other dead as of Lazarus and the Widdowes sonne that they were raysed from death M The reason is because Christ being the Son of God rose of himself to wit by vertue of his God-head he reunited his soule to his bodie so began to liue againe But other dead men can not returne to life by their owne power And therefore it is said they were raised by others As we al at the day of Iudgment shal be raised by Christ S Is there anie other difference betwixt the Resurrection of Christ of others which returned to life before him M There is this difference that the others rose mortal therefore they died againe but Christ rose immortal neither can he euer die anie more Of the sixt Article S Now let vs come vnto the sixt article which is of the Ascension I desire to know how long our Sauiour remained vpon earth after his Resurrection and for what cause M He remained fourtie dayes as you may consider by numbring the dayes betwixt the feasts of his Resurection and Ascension And the reason of his so long stay was because he would with manie diuers apparitions establish the Mysterie of his most true Resurrection For that the same seemeth as it were the most hard And he that beleeueth it hath no difficultie to beleeue the rest For he that riseth was certainly dead before And he that was dead was first borne And so he that beleueth the Resurrection of Christ findeth no labour in beleeuing his death and natiuitie And likewise for so much as the earth is not a conuenient place for glorious bodies but heauen therefore he that beleueth the Resurrection of our Sauiour can
easely beleeue his going vp into heauen S I would know the cause wherefore it is said that Christ went vp into heauen and of his most holie Mother it is said that she was assumpted or taken vp into heauen not that she ascended or went vp M The reason is easie For that Christ being God and man went vp into heauen by his owne powre as he also rose by his owne powre But his Mother who is a meere creature though most worthie amongst all others was raysed from death and assumpted vnto the kingdome of heauen not by her owne power but by the power of God S What meaneth He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie M You must not imagine that the Father is on the left-hande of the Sonne nor that the Father is in middest hauing his Sonne on the right-hand and the Holie-Ghost on the left corporally For as well the Father as the Sonne according to his God-head and the Holie Ghost are euery where Neither can it be properly said that one is on the right-hand of an other but to bee at the right hand in this article signifieth to be in equal height glorie and maiestie because when one is side by side of an other one is not higher nor lower then the other And to vnderstand this maner of speach the holie Scripture in the Psalme 109. which beginneth Dixit Dominus Domino meo c. doth once saye that the Sonne doeth sitte at the right hand of the Father and an other time saith that the Father is at the right hand of the Sonne instructing vs that they are in deed in equal height as we haue said So that Christ when he went vp into heauen ascended aboue all the Quyars and orders of the Angels of the blessed soules which he caried with him ariued vnto the high throne of God and there stayed not going aboue his Father neither remayning vnder him but resting as we may say side by his father as equal with him in glory greatnes S Seeing Christ is God and man I would know if he sit at the right hand of the Father as he is God onlie or as he is also man M Christ as he is God is equal to the Father as he is man he is lesse then the Father yet for so much as Christ God and man are not two Christes nor two persons but one Christ onelie and one person onlie therefore it is saide that Christ God and man sitteth at the right hand of the Father And so the humanitie of our Lord to wit his flesh and soule â—re in the throne of God on the right hand of God the father Not by their proper worthines but because they are vnited to the person of the true and natural Son of God S I would haue some similitude to vnderstande this M Take the similitude of a kings robe wheÌ„ the king being vested with his purple robe sitteth in his royal throne al the Princes of his kingdome sit below him the kings robe is in a more eminent place then the Nobles them selues are because it is in the selfe same throne with the King And this is done not because the robe is of equal dignitie with the king but because it is ioyned to the King as his proper garment So the flesh and the soule of Christ do sitte aboue al the Cherubims and Seraphims in the same seat with God not by the dignitie of their owne nature but because they are vnited vnto God not onely as the garment is vnto the king but in much nearer sorte to wit by personal vnion As hath bene said Of the seuenth Article S FRom thence he shal come to iudge the quicke the dead When shall this comming of our Lord be M It shal be at the end of the world For you are to vnderstand that this world is to haue an end and to bee destroied with an inundation of fire which wil burne all thinges vpon the earth And there shal be no more dayes nor nights nor Mariages nor marchandise or anie of these things which you now see So that in the last day of this world which no man can know how neere it is nor how long hence Christ wil come downe from heauen to make the general Iudgment And these words From thence he shal come do forewarne vs not to beleeue anie that shal cal him selfe Christ or that would deceiue vs as Antichrist wil endeuour to do towards the end of the world For that the true Christ wil not come forth of anie desert or obscure place but wil come from the highest heauen with so much glorie and maiestie as no man can doubt whether it be he or no. Like as when the Sun riseth it commeth with so much light as no man can doubt whether lt be the Sun or no. S Wherefore do we say that he shal iudge the quicke and the dead shall not al men be dead at that time and all then rise againe M By the quick and the dead may be vnderstood the good which liue with the spirituall life of grace and the bad which are spiritually dead by sin But it is true also that Christ will come to iudge the quicke and the dead corporally because at that day many shal be dead and manie shall be found aliue Who though they be liuing in that last daye and some also shall bee young or children yet all shall die in an instant and suddenly rise againe thereby to pay the debt of death S I haue heard many times that whosoeuer dyeth in mortall sinne goeth presently vnto hell and whosoeuer dyeth in the grace of God goeth presently to Purgatorie or to heauen how then are all to be judged the sentence being already giueÌ„ M At the death of euery one the particular judgement is giuen of that soule which departed from the bodie but after at the last day there shall be an vniuersall judgement of the whole world And this for manny causes First for Gods honour because manie nowe seeing bad-men in prosperitie and good-men afflicted imagine that God doeth not gouerne the world well But at that time it shall be cleerly seen how God hath seene noted all things and how with great justice he hath giuen vnto the bad some temporall prosperitie in recompence of some good works of theirs of smal momeÌ„t intending afterwards to giue them eternall paine for their mortall sins And contrariwise vnto the good he hath geuen temporal affliction for punishmeÌ„t of some veniall sinnes or to geue them occasion to make them do penance intending afterwards to reward them with an infinite treasure of glorie for their good workes Secondly for the glorie of Christ because he being vniustly condemned and by manie not knowne nor honored as he ought to be it is reason there should be a day when al the world shal know him honour him either by force or for loue as their true king Lord of al.
obey or giue eare vnto them no otherwise then if they were our enimies Finally we are bound to reuerence our father mother in bearing them respect and honoring them in words exterior behauior as is conuenient so great account God made of this in the olde testament that he commanded that who soeuer durst curse his father or mother should be killed S I know not for what cause the law of God hath cōmanded the children that they should help their father mother to assist them hath not also commanded the fathers mothers that they should helpe succour their children especially whiles they are little haue need of helpe M Truely the bonde is reciprocall and all one betwixt the parents and the children For euen as the childrē are bound to help to reuerence and to obey their parents so the parents are bound to prouide for the children not only meate clothes but also that they be taught and instructed But the law of parents towardes their children is so naturall and ordinarie that there is no neede of any other written law to put Parents in mind of their bond towards their children But contrariwise it is often seene that children are not answerable in loue towardes their parents And therfore it was necessary to admonish them by this commandement of their dutie neither is God contented with a bare commandement but hath adjoyned a promise and a threatning to make them obserue it S I would gladly know what promise and threatning that is M Vnto this fourth commandemēt God adjoyneth these wordes that thou maist liue long vpon the earth Meaning that those who honour their father and mother shall haue for rewarde to liue long and those who do not honour them shall haue amongst other punishmēts this particular not to liue long And it is a very iust punishment For there is no reason thar he enioy long life who dtshonoreth those of whom he receiued the same life S There occurreth vnto me to demand whether this that hath been said of the father mother be vnderstood also of other superriors who towardes vs haue the place of parents M It is very wel considered of you For indeed this commandement is extended vnto al Superiors as wel Ecclesiastical as temporal Of the fifth Commandement S DEclare now if you please the fiifth commandement M This commandement chiefly forbiddeth murder to wit to kil men For to kil other liuing things is not forbidden by this precept And the reason is because liuing things wen created for man and therefore where it is needeful that he serue himself of the life of those liuing creatures he may kil them but one man is not created for an other man but for God and therefore one man is not maister of an other mans life And so it is not lawfull for one man to kill an other S Notwithstāding we see that Princes and Gouernours put thieues and other malefactors to death who neuerthelesse are men it is not holden that they do euil herein but wel M Princes and Gouernours that haue publique authoritie put malefactors to death not as masters of mens liues but as ministers of God as S. Paul saith Because God willeth and commandeth that malefactors be punished killed when they deserue it that good men may be safe and liue in peace And for this purpose God hath geuen the sword into the handes of Princes and Rulers to do iustice in defending the good and chastising the bad And so when by publique authoritie a malefactor is put to death it is not called murder but an act of iustice and whereas the commandement of God saith Thou shalt not kil it is vnderstood by thy priuat authority S I haue heare a doubt whether this commandement forbiddeth a man to kil him selfe as it forbiddeth to kil an other M Without all doubt this commandement forbiddeth to kil himselfe because no man is maister of his owne life man being made not by himself but by God And therefore no man by priuat authoritie can take the life from himself And if any holie men not to lose their faith or their chastitie haue killed them selues it is to be thought that they had particular and cleare inspiration from God to doe it which otherwise could not be excused frō most grieuous sinne For that who killeth himselfe killeth a man and so committeth murder which is a sin principally forbidden in this fift precept of the lawe S Wherfore do you say principally M Because not only to kill is forbidden but also to hurt to beat or to doe anie other injurie whatsoeuer to the body person of our neighbor Yea Christ our Lord in the holie Gospell declaring this commandement forbiddeth also disdaine hatred rancour reuiling other like passionat behauiour and speaches which vsually are the cause roote of murders And contrariwise willeth that we be meeke and curteous procuring peace and concord with all men Of the sixt Commandement S VVHat is contained in the sixt commandement M The prohibition of adulterie is principally therein cōtained Which is to sinne with an other mans wife And for that next vnto life honour or honestie is most esteemed in this world therefore next after the commandement not to kill with great reason adulterie is forbid by which honestie is lost S Wherefore doe you say principally M Because in the ten commandements which are lawes of Iustice those sinnes are principally forbid by which injustice is more manifestly committed of which sort is adulterie But besides this all other sortes of carnall sinnes are also secondarily forbidden as sacriledge which is to sinne with a person consecrated to God incest which is to sinne with those of our owne kindred deflowring which is to sinne with a virgin fornication which is to sinne with a woman corrupted and single as a Widow or a harlot and other sortes of sinnes more abhominable which ought not so much as to be named amongst Christians S Albeit I doe beleeue that all is true which you haue saide yet I would be glad to vnderstand where vpon it is grounded that fornication is a sinne for that he seemeth not to do any harme or injurie vnto any that committeth simply fornication M It is grounded in all lawes in the law of Nature in the written lawe and in the law of Grace In the lawe of nature it is found that the Patriarch Iudas would haue put to death a woman called Thamar who had bin his sonnes wife and being now widdow was founde with childe Whereby it appeareth that in that time before the Law of Moses was giuen by the instinct of nature men did know that fornication was sinne After in the lawe of Moses fornication is forbidden in many places And in the Epistles of S. Paul wee reade many times that fornicators shall not enter into the glorie of heauen Neither is it true that fornication doth no hurt nor injurie to anie For it hurteth the same