depryued of all the ryghte clayme and interest whiche they myght haue pretended to haue had in me by thauctoritie of that sentence or by reason of any synne that euer I had or haue commytted be it originall or actuall And that the dyuel with all his power craft subtilitie and malice is now subdued and made captyue not onely vnto me but also vnto all thother faythfull people and right beleuers in Iesu Christe that euer was or shal be syth the tyme of Christis sayde descendynge in to hell And that our sauiour Iesu Christe hath also by this his passyon and this his descendynge in to hel payed my raunsome and hath merited and deserued that neither my soule neither the soules of any suche as be righte beleuers in Christe shall come therin or shall fynally be encombered with any tytle or accusation that the dyuell canne obiecte ageynst vs or laye vnto our charge And I beleue that this our sauyour Iesu Christe after he had thus in sowle conquered and spoyled the dyuell and hell of all theyr force power and tyranny and made them subiecte vnto me and all true christen men in lyke case as they were vnto Adam before his fall he returned agayne frome hell lyke a moste mighty kyng and conquerour in triumphe and glorie and came vnto the sepulchre where his blessed bodye laye buryed and so resumynge and takyng agayn the very same body vppon hym the thyrde daye after his sayde death he lyued agayne and so rose out of that sepulchre in his naturall and perfyte manhode that is to say in his soule and in the selfe same body whiche was borne of the virgin Mary and dyd hange vpon the crosse And I beleue also and professe that after he had so done he lyued in the world by the space of .xl. dayes in the whiche time he was conuersant dyd eate and drynke with his apostles and his disciples and preached vnto them auctorysed them to go forthe into the worlde to manyfest and declare that he was the very Christe the very Messias the veray god and man which was promysed in scripture to come and saue and to redeme all those that wolde beleue in hym And I beleue assuredly that by this descendynge of Christe into hell and this his resurrection agayne from deathe to lyfe Christe hathe meryted and deserued for me and all trewe and faythfull christen men not onely that our sowles shall neuer come into helle but also that we shall here in this lyfe be perfytely iustifyed in the syght and acceptation of god and shall haue suche grace myght and power gyuen vnto vs by hym that we shal be made able therby to subdue to mortyfie and to extinguysshe our olde Adam and all our carnall and fleshely concupiscences in suche sorte that synne shall neuer afterwarde reigne in our mortall bodyes but that we shall be holly delyuered from the kyngdome of synne and from spyrituall deathe and shall be resuscytated and regenerated into the newe lyfe of the spyryte and grace And where as I and all other chrysten men shuld haue ben the moste myserable of all other creatures in the worlde and shulde haue dyed lyke heathens and pagans without all hope of euerlastynge lyfe or ofrysynge agayne after our death yf Christe our heed and sauiour had not rysen agayne to lyfe after his deathe I beleue and truste nowe assuredly that by the vertue and efficacie of this desendynge of Christe in to helle and of his resurrection agayne from death to lyfe not onely our corporall dethe and all the afflictions whiche we maye susteine in this worlde shal not annoy vs but shall rather tourne vnto our profyte and be as entrees and occasyons of our greatter glorie but also that we shall after our corporall deathe be preserued from the captiuitie of hell and shall be made parttakers of Christis resurrection that is to say that we shall aryse and lyue ageyne in the selfe same bodyes and sowles that we nowe haue and so shall vtterly ouercome deathe in lyke maner as our heed and our sauiour Ihesu Christ hath done before vs and shal fynally lyue with hym immortally in ioye and felycitie The sence and interpretation of the .vi. Article I Beleue assuredly and constantly do professe that this our sauiour Iesu Christ after he had perfitely accomplished perfourmed the hole misterie of the redemption of mankynde by his incarnation his byrthe his passion his deathe his buriall his dyscendynge into hell and rysynge agayne from deathe to lyfe and after he had ben here in erthe conuersaunt with his Apostles and dyscyples by the space of xl dayes after his sayde resurrection the same fortieth day whan he was amonge his sayde Apostelles he in theyr syght ascended vp agayne in to heuen in the very same his naturall bodye whiche was borne of the blessyd virgin his mother and was crucified vppon the crosse And so dyd withdrawe his corporall presence from the syghte of his apostels and from the syght of all other creatures here in erthe to the intente they shulde frome thensforthe eleuate and lyfte vp theyr hole hartes theyr myndes theyr desyres and all theyr affections from erthely thynges and frome all carnall and worldely cures towardes heuen and heuenly thynges and so shulde prepare theyr hartes and make theym selfes mete and apte to receyue the holy gooste and his spirituall gyftes whiche he wolde sende downe in to the worlde sone after his sayd ascention And I beleue in lyke maner that this our sauiour Iesu Christe after he was retourned into heuen beinge very god and very man in one person all myghty god his father did constitute and sette hym vpon his ryghte hande Ephe. i. and that euer sythe that tyme he hath so sytte and so shal sytte eternally that is to say almyghty god his father dyd cōmunicate and gyue vnto hym glorie honour felicitie power and euerlastynge monarchie gouernaunce rule and dominion ouer all the pryncipates potestates powers dominations and ouer all creatures that can be named either in this worlde or in the worlde to come And soo ordeyned that he shulde be kynge of all kynges and lorde of al lordes and that all thynges in heuen and erthe shulde be caste vnder his feete and made subiecte vnto hym And that he shulde be thonly heed of the catholyque churche and that the same churche shulde be the body vnder that heed And lykewise as the heed alwaye excelleth al thother membres so Christe shulde excelle incomparably in honour and dignitie all the membres of his sayd body the churche and that he shulde be thonly perfectyon and consummation of the same And I beleue also and professe that this our sauiour Iesu Christe beinge thus constituted and set vpon the right hande of his father was and is also constituted to be not onely the eternall kynge the heed the lorde and gouernoure of his body the catholyque churche but also to be the onely eternall priest and byshop of
dyuell hym selfe coulde euer fynde in hym suspycion of any the leaste crime or offence that myght be deuysed yet the blynde ignoraunt Iewes replete with enuy and malyce and the very membres of the dyuell by whom they were prouoked and enduced there vnto laboured contynually by all crafte and meanes they coulde to dystroye hym and at lengthe conspirynge to gether and subornatynge false wytnesse they toke hym and after they had bet hym and spyt in his face and vsed all the vilany they coulde vnto hym they bounde and brought hym before one Pontius Pilatus beynge then the chiefe iudge in Hierusalem vnder the Emperour of Rome and there they mooste falsely accused hym as a subuerter of the lawes of god and as a person that seduced the people and moued sedicion amonge them and as a traitour against themperour of Rome And I beleue that our sauiour Iesu Christe beynge thus moste falsely and wrongfully accused and broughte before the sayde iudge was at length in publyque and open iudgemente condempned by the sentence of the sayde iudge to be nayled vnto a crosse and to be hanged vpon the same to the intent he shulde so suffre that kynde of death whiche amonge the Iewes was euer mooste abhorred and detested and accompted to be the moost shamefull and cursed of all others And I beleue that after this sentence and iudgement thus pronounced and gyuen contrarye to all Iustyce and equitie the Iewes dyd take this innocent Iesu Christe our sauyour and fyrst of all byndyng hym fast to a pyller pressyng with great violence a crowne of thorne vpon his heed they dyd not onely mooste spitefully mocke hym and scorne hym but they also most cruelly scorged tourmented and afflicted hym finally they crucified hym that is to saye they nayled hym throughe handes and feete vnto a crosse and so hanged hym vp vpon the same on a certayne hyll called Caluarie And I beleue also and professe that he hanged there vpon the same crosse betwene two theues whiche were malefactours vntyll he was deade and his soule departed from his body And that after he was thus deade one Ioseph ab Aramathia beinge one of Christis disciples certayne other deuout men women whiche also beleued in Christ opteyned lycence of the sayde Iudge to take downe this blessed bodye of our sauyour Iesu Chryste frome the sayde Crosse And that whan they hadde so done they wrapped and folded the same body in a clene syndone and so layde it and buryed it in a newe graue or sepulchre whiche the sayde Ioseph had made of stone wherin there was neuer man buryed before And I beleue that our sauyour Iesu Christ in al the tyme of his moste bytter and greuouse passyon and in suffrynge this moste vyle and shamefull deathe not onely endured and susteyned all the peynes and iniuries and all the opprobries and ignominies whiche were done vnto hym therin mooste patiently without resystaunce and lyke an innocent lambe not openynge ones his mouthe to the contrarye but also that he dyd wyllyngly and gladly without force or constrainte of any power suffre this crosse and this kynde of deathe and his soule also to departe from his body And I beleue that by this passion and dethe of our sauiour Iesu Christe not onely my corporall deathe is so destroyed that it shal neuer haue power to hurte me but rather it is made holsome and profytable vnto me but also that all my synnes and the synnes also of all them that do beleue in hym and folowe hym be mortyfyed and deed that is to say all the guilte and offence therof and also the damnation and payne due for the same is clerely extyncted abolyshed and washed away so that the same shal not afterwarde be imputed or inflycted vnto me And therfore woll I haue this passyon and this death in my dayly remembraunce And I woll not onely glorye and reioyce contynually therin and gyue all the thankes I can vnto god for the same consyderynge I haue and shall assuredly attayne therby my redemption my iustyfycation my reconcilyation vnto goddis fauour and lyfe euerlastynge but I woll also endeuour my selfe to my possyble power and by the helpe of god to folowe this my sauyour Iesu Chryste in the bearynge of myne owne crosse accordynge to the wyll and commaundement of god that is to say I woll dayly labour and study to mortyfie and kyll my carnal affections and to subdue them vnto the spyryte and I woll paciently beare all the aduersyties afflictions and punyshementes that god shall sende vnto me in this worlde and I woll in my harte hate abhorre and detest all synne consyderynge that the same was euer so odiouse and dyspleasaunt vnto god that nothynge in the worlde coulde worthyly satysfie and contente hym for the same but onely the death and the bloud of his onely and most dere beloued sonne Iesu Chryste The sence and interpretation of the fyfth Artycle I Beleue assuredly with my harte and with my mouthe I do professe that this our sauyour Iesu christe after he was thus deed vpon the crosse he descended immedyatly in his soule downe into hell leauynge his mooste blessed body here in erthe and that at his comynge thyther by the incomparable myght and force of his godheed he entred into hell And lyke as that myghty man Luke xi of whome saynt Luke speaketh whiche entryng into the house of an other stronge man fyrste ouercame hym and bounde hym hande and foote and afterwarde spoylynge hym of all his armure and strength wherin he trusted toke also awaye from hym all the goodes substaunce he had Iud. xiiii and lyke as stronge Sampson slewe the mighty Lyon and toke out of his mouth the swete hony euen so our sauyour Iesu Chryst at his sayd entre into hell fyrst he conquered and oppressed bothe the dyuell and hell and also deathe it selfe wherunto al mankynde was condempned and so bounde theym faste that is to saye restrayned the power and tyrrannye whiche they had before and exercysed ouer all mankynde that they neuer hadde sythe that tyme nor neuer shall haue any power fynally to hurte or annoy any of them that do faythefully byleue in Iesu Christe and afterwarde he spoyled helle and delyuered and brought with hym from thens all the soules of those ryghtuouse and good menne whiche from the fal of Adam died in the fauour of god and in the faith and bylefe of this our sauiour Iesu Christe whiche was then to come And I beleue that by this descendynge of our sauiour Iesu Christe in to hel not only his electe people whiche were holden there as captyues were delyuered from thens but also that the sentence and iudgement of the malediction and of eternal damnation whiche god hym selfe mooste rightfully pronounced vpon Adam and all his posteritie and so consequently vpon me was clerely dissolued satisfied released and dyscharged and that the dyuel and hell bothe haue vtterly loste and be
or lesse accordynge to that naturall disposition portion and place whiche it hath within the same body Euen so I beleue that what soeuer spirytuall gyfte or treasure is gyuen by god vnto any one parte or membre of this mysticall body of Christe all though the same be gyuen particularly vnto this membre and not vnto an other yet the fruyte and meryte therof shall by reason of that incomprehensible vnion and bande of charite whiche is betwene them redounde necessaryly vnto the profyte edifieng and increase in Christis body of all the other membres particularly in so moche that there shall nede no mans auctorite to dyspence distribute the same or to apply it vnto this mēbre or that lyke as the bishop of Rome pretended to do by vertu of his pardons but yf the mēbre The bisshop of Romes pardons whiche shal receyue this tresure be a lyuinge membre in this mysticall body not putrified or cutte of from the same I beleue assuredly that he shall be made participant of the sayde treasure and shall haue and enioy the fruite and benefyte of the same and that in suche quantitie and measure as for the rate proportion and qualitie of the spirituall lyfe faythe and charite whiche he hath in the same body shall be expedient and necessarie for hym to haue And I beleue that I beinge vnited and corporated as a lyuynge membre into this catholyque churche as vndoubtedly I trust that I am not onely Christe hym selfe beinge heed of this body and the infinite treasure of all goodnes and all the holy sayntes and membres of the same body do and shall necessarily helpe me loue me pray for me care for me weye on my syde comforte me and assyste me in all my necessities here in this worlde but also that I shall be made partaker of the frute benifite and treasure of Christis moost blessed lyfe and his bytter passyon and of all the holy lyfe passions and pacience and of all the prayers and other good workes of faithe and charitie whiche haue ben or shall be done or susteyned by any and euery one of all those faithfull and rightuous people whiche euer haue ben or shal be membres of this catholique churche And I beleue that in this catholique churche I and all the lyuely and quycke membres of the same shall contynually and from tyme to tyme so longe as we shal lyue here on erth obteyne remission and forgyuenes of all our synnes aswell originall as actuall by the merites of Christis bloude and his passion and by the vertue and efficacie of Christis sacramentes instituted by hym for that purpose so oft as we shal worthily receyue the same And lyke as it is not in the power of any man to dispense minister or distribute any parte of that nutriment whiche he receyueth in at his mouthe vnto any membre whiche eyther is mortified and deed in his body or that is cut of from the same Euen so I beleue assuredly that neyther Christis bloude nor his sacramentes nor any of the graces of the holy goost nor any good worke in the worlde do or can any thynge profyte to remission and forgyuenes of synne or saluation vnto any person whiche is in veray dede out of the catholyque church as longe as he shall so stande and continue out of the same For I beleue assuredly that out of this catholyque churche there neither is nor can be any suche cōmunion of sainctes or remission of synnes as is before rehersed but that lyke as all the people and beastes whiche at the tyme of Noes floude were out of his arke of shyp Genes vii were all drowned and perished euen so all the people of the world be they Iewes Turques Saracenes or of any other nation what so euer it be whiche either for theyr infidelitie heresie or scisme or for theyr induratenes and obstinate perseuerynge in mortall synne be separated and diuided from the membres of the sayde catholyque churche and soo shall fynally be founde either to be out of the same churche or els to be as deed membres therin shall vtterlye perysshe and be dampned for euer The sense and interpretation of the .xi. and xii Artycle I Beleue stedfastly in my harte and with my mouthe I do professe that at the daye of the generall dome or iugement whan Christ shal come syt to iudge both quicke and deade almyghty god shall by the operacyon of his holy spyryte stire and rayse vp agayne the veray flesshe and bodyes of all men women and chylderne bothe good and badde christened and heathen that euer lyued here in this worlde from the begynnynge of the same and dyed before that daye And althoughe the sayde flesshe and bodyes were deed before and buryed yea and consumed by fyre or water or by any other meanes dystroyed yet I beleue that god shall of his infynyte power make them all at that daye hole and parfyte agayne and so euery man generally shall resume and take agayne the very selfe same body and flesshe whiche they had whyle they lyued here on erthe and so shall ryse from deathe and lyue agayne in the very selfe same body and sowle whiche they had before And I beleue that euery man beyng thus made perfite mā in body and sowle shall at that daye appere before the hyghe Iudge our sauiour Iesu Christe and there shall make a strayt accompte of his owne propre workes and dedes suche as he dyd good or yuell while he lyued here in the worlde And accordynge there vnto shall be iudged to receyue bothe in body and soule to gether eyther euerlastynge ioye and bliffe or elles euerlastynge peyne and woo And I Beleue that I my selfe shall the same daye ryse againe in this very fleshe and body whiche I nowe haue and in none other Euen lyke as our sauyour Ihesu Christe of whose misticall body I am a porcion or membre dyd aryse from deth to lyfe in the selfe same naturall body whiche he had whan he was borne of his mother and crucified vpon the crosse And after that I shall be so rysen ageyne from dethe to lyfe I beleue that I and all true penitent synners that euer dyed or shall dye in the fayth of Christ i. Cor. xv shall than be perfytely sanctified purified and delyuered from all contagion of synne and from all corruption and mortalitie of the fleshe and shal haue euerlastynge lyfe in glorie with god in his kyngedom not for by nor through the workes of rightuousnes whiche we shall haue done for all passions and marterdomes Titū iii. that maye be suffred in this worlde Rom. viii be nothynge comparable to the glory whiche we shall then receaue and shall be shewed vnto vs but by thonely grace goodnes and mercy of god and by and for the redempcion whiche is in Christe Iesu that is to saye for and by his most preciouse deathe and most peynfull passion Rom. vii For I beleue
that the guerdon rewarde and stypende of synne wherwith we be all manifolde wayes polluted bespotted and defyled is deathe yea and that euerlastynge And that it is by the onely grace and mercy of god that we repentynge vs of our synnes and beleuynge stedfastely in his promyses shall haue euelastynge lyfe in Iesu Christe our lorde Amen⸫ HERE FOLOVVE CERTAYNE NOTES and obseruations necessary to be taught vnto the people for the better inducynge of them vnto the ryght vnderstandynge of the foresayde Crede FIrste it is to be noted that all and synguler the .xii. Artycles cōteyned in this Crede be so necessarie to be beleued for mans saluation that who so euer beynge ones taughte wol not constātly beleue them or wol obstinatly affirme the cōtrary of them he or they can not be the veray membres of Christe and his espouse the churche but be very infydelles or heretyques and membres of the dyuell with whom they shall perpetually be dampned Seconde it is to be noted that all true chrysten men ought and must most constantly beleue maynteyne and defende all those thynges to be true not onely whiche be comprehended in this Crede and in the other two symboles or Credes wherof the one was made in the councell of Nece the other was made by that holy man Athanasius but also all other thynges whiche be comprehended in the hole body and canon of the Bible Thyrdely that al true christen men ought must not only repute take and holde all the same thynges for the mooste holy moste sure and moste certayne and infallible wordes of god and suche as neyther ought ne can be altered or conuelled by any contrary opinion or auctoritie but also muste take and interpretate all the same thynges accordynge to the selfe same sentence and interpretation whiche the wordes of scrypture do purporte and sygnyfye and the holy approued doctours of the churche do intreate defende the same Fourthely that all true chrysten men ought and muste vtterly refuse and condempne all those opinions contrarye to the sayde .xii. Artycles of our Crede whiche were of longe tyme paste condempned in the foure holy councelles that is to saye in the councell of Nece Constantinople Ephesis and Calcidonense and all other sithe that tyme in any pointe consonant to the same The notes of the fyrste Article In the fyrst artycle of this Crede two thynges be also specially to be noted The fyrste is that herin is declared the infinite goodnes of god towardes mankynde in that he created this hole worlde for mans sake onely therby dystributed suche parte of his felicite vnto man as was conuenient for him to receyue The belefe and knowlege wherof is the fyrst entre to knowe that god is a spirituall an inuisible substance or nature of infinite power and eternall without beginning or endynge and of incomprehensyble knowlege wysedom goodnes iustice and mercy c. For surely that worke of creation is so marueylous that nothynge in the worlde neither man nor aungell coude performe or accomplyshe the same but onely such a substāce or nature as is before rehersed whiche is god hym selfe By this belefe also and knowlege we be stired to fere and drede god and to loue and praise god with all our hartis considering that he did create vs euen lyke vnto his owne image similitude and endewed vs with all perfections bothe in soule body whiche were necessary for vs to haue and dyd put vs in the most excellent state of beinge hauyng all other creatures subiecte and obedient vnto vs. And so by this Article we be taught not onely what is the diuine essence and beinge of god the father what is his wyll what is his power and what is his worke and operation the knowlege wherof distroyeth infinite errours and heresies but also what fayth loue drede honour laude praise and thankes he requireth that all christen men shuld at all tymes as well in prosperite as in aduersitie gyue vnto hym for the manifolde and excellent gyftes whiche they receyue dayly and howrely at his handes And surely yf all christen men wolde oftimes call this article to theyr remembrance wold busily exercise theyr meditations therin and wold vnfaynedly and with all theyr hartes professe the same no doubte but theyr hartes wolde waxe warme and wolde be inflamed to loue god and wolde be prompt redye glad and wyllyng to serue hym and to fulfyll his wyll and commandementes to theyr possyble powers and wolde take in good parte without grutchynge or malygnynge all syckenesse and aduersyties and what so euer state of lyfe god sendeth vnto them and wolde gyue hym thankes and prayse therfore and wolde vse all goddes creatures and spende the gyftes whiche he hath giuen vnto them to his honour and glorie and fynally they wolde abhorre and deteste in theyr hartes all superstytion and ydolatrie all charmes wytchecraftes and sorceries all blasphemie and desperation pryde and arrogancie all couetousenes and ambicion all desyre of reuengynge and malyce and all other vices whiche reygne nowe in the worlde For surely who so euer beleueth inwardely with his hart that god is his father and reputeth hym as his sonne and that the same god is of infynyte myght and power of infynite knowlege and wysedom of infinite mercy goodnes of infynite trouth and iustyce as he is in dede no doubt that person woll be very lothe and a frayde to contrary or resyst his wyll in any thyng or to haue any thyng for his god and his father besyde or without hym or to loue or preferre money or any thynge elles in the worlde before hym or to put affiaunce truste delectacion or pleasure in any thynge more than in hym or besyde hym Neyther woll he gladly seeke helpe at the dyuelles handes by any meane of wytchecraftes or sorcerye or any suche other craftes inuented by the dyuell Neyther woll he commytte those thynges in the syghte of God whiche he is ashamed to commytte in the presence of men Neyther woll he murmure agaynste god nor muse for that he sendeth to some one man helthe chyldern ryches and other the felicities of this worlde and vnto hym or some other man he sendeth syckenes pouertie and other aduersyties Neyther woll he despayre of remyssyon of his synnes and so go peraduenture and murder hym selfe Neyther wolle he reioyce defyte or glorye in his malyce and euyll lyuynge but woll ratherlyue in feare and drede of euerlastynge deathe whiche is due vnto all them whiche seruynge the dyuell the worlde and the flesshe lyueth in securitie without feare and repentaunce And fynally to conclude surely who so euer beleueth in his harte that god dyd create this hole worlde and all thynges that be therin onely for mannes sake and for his vse and commoditie noo doubte he coulde tourne his eyes no where but he shulde incontynently be stirred and rauisshed in his harte to honour to praise and to laude the infynite
goodnes of almyghty god shewed vnto hym and all mankind in that partie and shuld also be afraide to vse the thynges created by god otherwyse than vnto his glory But it is to be feared least the mooste parte of them whiche pronounce and speke dayly this Article with theyr mouthe do not beleue the same with theyr hartes or yf they do beleue it that theyr belefe is but faynt and a colde belefe For we see no doubte the moste parte of christen people lyue in maruelous darkenes and blyndenes declarynge by theyr outwarde factes and dedes that they haue no respecte in the worlde to god nor that they knowlege hym to be theyr creatour or at the leaste they gyue vnto hym no suche feare and reuerence as is due vnto a lorde and maker nor no suche honoure and obedience as is dewe vnto a father Malac. i. nor no suche prayse and thankes as his sondrye benefytes and goodnes towardes vs do requyre All whiche thynges no doubte procede for that we haue not the ryght and harty feyth in god the father whiche is requyred in this fyrste artycle of our Crede The second thinge to be noted in this fyrst article is this maner of speakynge I beleue in God For therby no doubte is sygnifyed that we must not onely beleue stedfastly that god is and that he is true in all his wordes and promyses and that he is omnipotent and creatour of heuen and erthe and so forthe but we muste also with this beleue goo into god by loue and adhere onely vnto hym and that with all our harte and power and so continue and dwell styll in hym by loue It sygnyfyeth also that we muste obeye vnto his wyll and expresse the same our obedience as well in all our inwarde thoughtes and affectyons as also in all our outwarde actes and dedes and that we muste abhorre all tyranny and vyce and wysshe or desyre of god noo vayne or vngodlye thyng It sygnyfieth also that we must constantly and boldly betake and commytte our selfes and all ours holly vnto god and fyxe all our hole hope trust and confidence in hym and quyet our selfes in hym beleuynge perfytely and assuredly that he woll in dede shewe no lesse goodnesse loue mercy and fauour vnto vs than he promyseth by his worde to do and knowynge also for certayne that we and all the creatures in the worlde be conserued by his onely goodnes and hyghe prouydence and that without his specyall grace we shulde not be able to contynue on lyue the space of one mynute of an howre This maner of belefe we oughte to haue in no creature of god be it neuer so excellent but in god onely and therfore in this crede the sayde maner of speakynge is vsed onely in the thre Artycles whiche concerne the thre persons in Trinitie that is to say the father the sonne and the holy goost In the thyrde Article it is to be noted that the cause The notes of the thyrde Article why it was ordeyned by god that our sauiour Iesu Christ shulde be borne of a virgine and conceyued by thonly operation of the holy gooste whose worke is euer without all maner of synne was for that he was ordeyned and appoynted by god to come and delyuer mankynde from the captyuitie of the dyuell and the malediction whiche man was in and to redeme hym cleare from all synne deathe and damnation and to restore hym ageyne to the veray blessynge of god that is to say to Iustyce ryghtuousnes helth lyfe euerlastynge and all other the gyftes and graces of the holy gooste And for as moche as it was necessarye that he whiche shoulde worke this effecte shuld be hym selfe al blyssed al innocent all ryghtuouse all voyde and pure from synne and vtterly free and clere from the yocke and power of the dyuell therfore was it ordeyned by god that this chylde Iesu Christe shulde be so conceyued and borne as was sayde before For surely yf Christe shulde haue bene otherwyse borne or conceyued that is to saye of the seede of man and woman and by thacte of generation whiche is done betwene them he shulde haue ben borne in lyke synne in lyke fylthynes and iniquitie as all other the chyldren of men that euer was sith Adam or euer shal be be borne and conceyued But surely neyther was it cōuenient neither the wyll of god that Christ shulde by suche generation contracte any spotte of synne or shulde be subiecte to any parte of that malediction whiche was inflycted vnto Adam The notes of the .iiii. Article In the fourthe Article it is to be noted that the same dothe folowe vpon the seconde and the thyrde Articles For surely the cause why Christ was thus made man and borne of his mother was for that he shulde in the same nature of man not onely be conuersaunt in the worlde with other people and so partly by the example of his moste godlie and moste innocent and perfyte lyfe and partely by his meruaylous workes and miracles and partly by the heuenly doctrine of his gospell shulde induce the worlde vnto the ryght knowlege of the wyll of god his father and shulde declare vnto them his infinite mercy and goodnes towardes mankinde but also that he myght in the same nature whiche was mortall suffre deathe and so offre vppe the same his corporall deathe and his bloude in sacrifice vnto god his father as the sufficient hoste oblation or expiation and as the verye iuste price and valoure for the whiche god the father shulde holde hym selfe satisfied for all our synnes and offences and shulde remytte and forgeue vs the same and receyue vs agayne into his grace and fauour Whiche sacrifice and oblation Christe coulde not haue made by his deathe and by his bloude yf he shulde haue continued styll only god and shuld not haue taken also this our nature of man vpon hym In the fourthe Article it is also to be noted that it is the the wyll of god our father that we his sonnes and his children shulde in this worlde folowe our heed Christe in pacience and humilite and that we shulde beare our own crosse as Christe dyd his And that we shulde also hate and abhorre all synne knowynge for suretie that who so euer dothe not in his herte hate and abhorre synne but rather accompteth the breache and violation of goddis commaundement but as a lyght matter and of small weight and importaunce he estemeth not the price and valour of this passyon of Christe accordynge to the dignitie and worthynes therof but rather semeth to consent and as moche as in hym is to go aboute to cause Chryste to be crucified ageyne In the .v. article it is to be noted The notes of the fyfth Artycle Ro. x. that therin is included and conteyned the groundes and foundations of the greattest parte of all the misteries of our catholyque faythe In so moche that saynt Paule sayth that whosoeuer beleueth in his
Ioannes Lincoln Ioannes Bathonien Rolandus Couen et Lich. Thomas Elien Nicolaus Sarum Ioannes Bangor Edouardus Hereforden Hugo wigornien Ioannes Roffen Ricardus Cicestren Guilielmus Norwicen Guilielmus Meneuen Robertus Assauen Robertus Landauen Edouardus Eborum Cuthbertus Dunelmen Robertus Carliolen Ricardus wolman Archidiaconus Sudbur Gulielmus knyght Arch. Richemond Ioannes Bell Arch. Gloucestr Edmundus â—â—â—er Arch. Laicestr Gulielmus Skippe Arch. Dorsett Nicolaus Heeth Arch. Stafford Cuthbertus Marshal Arch. Notingham Ricardus Curren Arch. Oxon. Gulielmus Cliffe Galfridus Downes Robertus Okyng Radulphus Bradford Ricardus Smith Symon Mathew Ioannes Pryn Gulielmus Buckmaster Gulielmus May Nicolaus wotton Ricardus Coxe Ioannes Edmundes Thomas Robertson Ioannes Baker Thomas Baret Ioannes Hase Ioannes Tyson Sacrae theologiae iuris ecclesiastici et Ciuilis professores ¶ This boke called the Institution of a christen man conteyneth foure speciall partes wherof ¶ The fyrste parte conteyneth the exposytion of the Crede called thapostelles Crede ¶ The seconde parte conteyneth the Exposition or declaration of the seuen sacramentes ¶ The thyrde parte conteyneth the exposition of the tenne commaundementes ¶ The fourthe parte conteyneth the exposytion of the Pater noster and the Aue with the articles of Iustifycation and Purgatorie ¶ The crede called thapostels Crede 1 I BELEVE in god the father and that he is almyghty and creator of heuen and erth 2 AND I beleue in Iesu Christe and that he is his onely begotten sonne and our lorde 3 AND that he was conceyued by the holy goost and borne of the virgyn Mary 4 AND suffred passyon for our redempcion vnder a certayne Iuge whose name was Pontius Pilatus and so was crucified deed and buryed 5 AND that he descended into hell and rose agayn the thyrde day from death to lyfe 6 AND that he ascended afterwarde vp into heuen / and sytteth there vpon the right hande of almyghty god his father 7 AND that he shall come from thens at Domisday to iudge the quycke and deade 8 AND I beleue in the holy gooste 9 AND I beleue that there is one holy Catholyque and vniuersall churche 10 AND I beleue that there is in the same Churche communion of sayntes and remyssyon of synnes 11 AND I beleue that at Domisday al the people of the world that euer was or euer shall be vnto that daye shall then aryse agayne in the selfe same fleshe and body whiche they hadde whyle they lyued here in erth 12 AND I beleue that al thelecte people of god shal haue and enioye euerlastynge lyfe for theyr rewarde ¶ The sense and interpretacyon of the fyrst Article IN My harte I beleue assuredly and stedfastly with my mouth I professe knowledge that there is but one very god thre persons in trinitie the father the sonne the holy goost and that these thre persons be not thre goddis but all one god all of one nature and of one substaunce and all of one euerlastyng essence or being and al lyke and equall in myght power wysedome knowlege ryghtwysenes and all other thynges belongyng vnto the deitie And that besyde or without this god there is no other god And I beleue also and professe that god the father whiche to the fyrste person in Trinitie is not onely the god the lorde and the father of heuen and erth and all thynges conteyned therin by creation and gouernaunce but also that he is the father of his onely begotten sonne the seconde persone in Trinitie and that he dyd bygette hym of his owne substaunce by eternall generation that is to saye by generation that neuer hadde begynnynge And I beleue also and professe that all and synguler the wordes and sayinges of this god the father be they lawes preceptes promyses prophycyes or thretenynges and all that euer was spoken of hym or by hym in the hole body and canon of the newe and the olde testament is moste certaynly trewe and of suche infallyble verytie and trouthe that the same canne not be altered or conuelled by any contrary opynyon power or auctorytie And I promyse and professe that I do and woll not onely hope and loke surelye and without all doubte to atteyne and enioye all those thynges whiche god promyseth in holy scrypture vnto thelecte chylderne of god but also that I do and woll feare lefte those punyshementes and afflyctions whiche god in holy scrypture threteneth to caste vpon those persones whiche do transgresse his wyll and coÌ„maundementes shall fall vpon me yf I shall not lyke an obedient seruaunt and chylde studye to fulfylle and accomplyshe the same And I beleue also and professe that this god and this father is almyghty that is to saye that his power and myghte excelleth incomparably all the other powers in heuen and erth And that all other powers whiche be in heuen erthe or hell be nothyng as of them selfe but haue all theyr myght force and strengthe of hym onely and be all subiecte vnto his power and be ruled and gouerned therby and can not resyste or lette the same And I beleue also professe that this almighty god almyghty father dyd at the beginninge create forme make of nought heuen and erthe and all thynges conteyned in this worlde as well aungels mans sowle and al other thynges inuysyble as also all other vysyble creatures and that he dyd gyue vnto them all the power and myght whiche they haue And I beleue also and professe that among his other creatures he dyd create and make me and dydde gyue vnto me this my sowle my lyfe my body with all the membres that I haue great and small and all the wytte reason knowlege and vnderstandynge that I haue and fynally all the other outwarde substance possessyons and thynges that I haue or can haue in this worlde And I beleue also and professe that he is my very god my lorde and my father and that I am his seruaunte and his owne sonne by adoption and grace and the ryght enherytor of his kyngedome and that it procedeth and cometh of his mere goodnes onely withoute all my deserte that I am in this lyfe preserued and kepte from daungers and perylles And that I am susteygned nourysshed fedde clothed and that I haue helthe tranquyllytie reste peace or any other thynge necessary for this corporall lyfe I knowlege also and confesse that he suffreth and causeth the sonne the mone the sterres the daye the nyght the ayre the fyre the water the lande the see the fowles the fyshes the bestes all the frutes of the erthe to serue me for my profytte and my necessite And in lyke maner I confesse and knowlege that all bodily syckenes and aduersitie whiche do fortune vnto me in this worlde be sent vnto me by his hande and his visitation and that he punysheth me not to distroy me but onely to saue me and to reduce me agayne by penaunce vnto the ryght way of his lawes and his religion and so therby to proue me and to
exercyse me in pacience and other vertues and also to signifie vnto me the great cure and fatherly loue and goodnes whiche he beareth towardes me And therfore I woll haue none other god but onely this god whiche by his almyghtie power hath created and made heuen and erthe and all thynges conteyned in the same Neyther woll I glory or put my truste and confidence in myne owne power force strength ryches lernyng science wysedome or any thynge els what so euer I haue or shall haue and possesse in this worlde Neyther woll I glory or put my confydence in any other man or creature of this worlde be it in heuen hell or in erthe nor in any crafte of Magicke sorcerie charmes wytchecraftes or any other false artes subtiled and inuented by the diuell but I woll put my hole hope my hole truste and confydence in god onely and in hym onely woll I glorye and gyue all honour and glorie vnto hym and vnto hym only and vnto his gouernaunce woll I commytte and submytte my selfe my goodes and all that euer I haue withoute fearynge or regardynge the malyce the crafte or power of the deuyll or any of his membres whiche myght enduce me to the contrary Neither woll I desyre any sygne to tempte god but I woll trust fermely faythfully vnto hym And although he shall sende any aduersitie vnto me / or shall dyfferre and tarye his pleasure in grauntynge suche requeste and petytion / as I shall make vnto hym yet woll not I murmur or grudge therat nor go aboute to prescribe or appoynt vnto hym any ende any tyme / any measure or season but I woll commytte all to his wyll with a pure and a stedfast faythe and woll pacyently abyde the tyme whiche vnto hym shall be thoughte moste expedient for me This faythe I reteyne stedfastely engraued in my harte and I promyse by the grace helpe of god neuer to swarue or declyne from the same for any argumente persuasyon or auctoritie that maye be obiected nor for any worldly affection or respecte of pleasure payne persecution or torment what so euer shall fortune vnto me From this trust and confidence woll I neuer be brought althoughe all the men in the worlde shulde forsake me and persecute me Neyther woll I the lesse truste in god for that I am a man of great power force and auctorytie endewed withall suffycyencies in this worlde ne yet bicause I want the possessions of this worlde and am but wretched and poore / rude and vnlerned and dispysed of all men nor fynally bycause I am a wretched synner For syth this God is the almyghtye lorde and maker of all thynges and hath all thynges vnder his handes and gouernaunce what can I lacke that he can not gyue or do vnto me if it be his wyll so to do And syth he is my father I am assured that for the fatherlye loue and pytie whiche he hath and beareth vnto me he woll not onely care for me but he woll be also continually present with me by his grace and fauour and woll contynually gouerne and directe me ayde and assyste me and prouyde that that shall be beste for me and woll also forgyue me all the synnes that I euer commytted or haue done contrary to his commaundemente so ofte as I shall by trewe and vnfeyned penaunce retourne vnto hym with all my harte and shall applie my hole mynde purpose and endeuour to amende my noughtie lyfe and to obserue his commaundementes ¶ The sense and interpretation of the seconde Article I BELEVE constantly in my harte with my mouth I do professe knowlege that Iesu Christ is thonly begoten sonne of almyghty god the father that he was begoten of his godly nature and substance eternally before the worlde was made or formed and that he is veray god / equall with god the father and tholy goost in substance and all other thynges belongynge vnto the godheed And I beleue lykewyse that this Ihesu Chryst was eternally preordeyned and appoynted by the decree of the hole Trinitie to be our lorde that is to say to be thonely redemer and Sauyour of mankynde and to reduce and brynge the same from vnder the dominion of the dyuell and synne vnto his onely dominion kyngedome lordeshyppe and gouernaunce And I beleue lykewyse that this Iesu Christe is true in al his wordes and promyses or rather that he is verye trouthe it selfe And that all thynges whiche be spoken of hym or by him in holye scrypture be certaynly and infallibly true And I beleue also and professe that Iesu Christ is not only Iesus and lorde to all menne that beleue in hym but also that he is my Iesus my god and my lorde For where as of my nature I was borne in synne in the indignation and dyspleasure of god was the veray chylde of wrath condemned to euerlastynge death subiecte and thrall to the power of the dyuell and synne hauyng al the pryncypall partes or portions of my soule as my reson vnderstanding and my free wyll and all thother powers of my soule and body not onely so destituted depryued of the gyftes of god wherwith they were fyrste endewed but also so blynded corrupted and poisoned with errour ignoraūce and carnall concupiscence that neyther my sayd powers coude exercyse the natural function and offyce for the whiche they were ordeyned by god at the fyrste creation nor I by theym coulde doo or thynke anye thynge whiche myghte be acceptable to god but was vtterly deade to god and all godlye thynges and vtterlye vnable and insuffycyente of myne owne selfe to obserue the leaste parte of goddis commaundementes and vtterlye inclyned and redy to runne heedlynge into all kyndes of synne and myschyefe I beleue I saye that I beynge in this case Iesu Chryste by sufferynge of moste paynfull and shamefull deth vpon the Crosse and by shedynge of his most preciouse blode and by that gloryouse victorie whiche he had whan he descendynge into helle and there ouercommynge bothe the diuell and dethe rose agayne the thyrde daye from dethe to lyfe and so ascended into heuen hath nowe pacyfyed his fathers indignation towardes me and hath reconcyled me agayne into his fauour and that he hath loosed and delyuered me from the yoke and tyranny of deathe of the dyuell and of synne and hath made me so free from theym that they shall not fynally hurte or annoy me and that he hath powred out plentyfully his holy spyryte and his graces vppon me specyally faythe to illumyne and directe my reasone and iudgement and charytie to dyrecte my wyll and affections towardes god Wherby I am so perfectly restored to the lyght and knowledge of god to the spyrytuall feare and drede of god and vnto the loue of hym and myne neyghboure that with his grace I am nowe redye to obey and able to fulfyll and accomplysshe his wylle and commaundementes Besydes all this he hath brought and delyuered me from
darkenes and blyndenes to lyght from deathe to lyfe and from synne to Iustyce and he hath taken me into his protection and made me as his owne peculyar possessyon and he hath planted and grafted me into his owne bodye and made me a membre of the same and he hath communicated and made me partycypant of his iustyce his power his lyfe his felycytie and of all his goodes so that nowe I may boldly say and byleue as in dede I do perfytely byleue that by his passyon his dethe his blode and his conquerynge of dethe of synne and of the dyuel by his resurreccion and ascension he hath made a sufficient expiation or propiciation towardes god that is to say a suffycyente satisfaction and recompence as welle for my origynal synne as also for all the actuall synnes that euer I haue commytted and that I am so clerely rydde from all the guylte of my sayde offences from the euerlastynge payne due for the same that neyther synne nor deathe nor helle shall be able or haue any power to hurte me or to let me but that after this transytorye lyfe I shall ascende in to heuen there to raygne with my Sauyour Christ perpetually in glorye and felicytie All whiche thynges consydered I may worthyly call him my Ihesus that is to say my sauyour and my Christ that is to saye myne annoynted kynge and prieste and my lorde that is to saye my redemer and gouernour For he hathe doone and fulfylled the verye offyce bothe of a prieste and of a kynge and of a lorde Of a prieste in that he hath offered vp his blessed bodye and bloude in the Altare of the Crosse for the satysfaction of my synnes And of a kynge and lorde in that he hath lyke a moste myghty conquerour ouercome and vtterly oppressed his ennemyes whiche were also myne ennemyes and hath spoyled theym of the possessyon of mankynde whiche they wanne before by fraude and deceyte by lieng and blasphemy and hath brought vs nowe into his possession and dominion to reygne ouer vs in mercy and loue lyke a moste louynge lorde and gouernour Fynally I beleue assuredly also professe that this redemption and iustyfication of mankynde coulde not haue bene wrought / nor brought to passe by any other meanes in the worlde but by the meanes of this Iesu Christe goddis onely sonne and that neuer man coulde yet / nor neuer shal be hable to come vnto god the father or to beleue in hym or to attayn his fauour by his owne wytte or reason or by his owne scyence and lernynge or by any his owne workes or by what so euer maye be named in heuen or in erthe but by the faythe in the name and power of Iesu Chryste and by the gyftes and graces of his holy spyryte And therfore syth he is my Iesu Chryste and my lorde I woll put my hoole truste and confydence in hym and woll haue the selfe same faythe and affyaunce in hym in all poyntes which I haue in god the father And I woll knowledge hym for my onely lorde and woll obeye all his cōmaundemētes durynge my lyfe without any grutchynge And I am sure that whyle he is my lorde and gouernour I vnder his protection neyther synne neyther the dyuell nor yet deathe nor helle / can do me any hurte The sense and interpretation of the thyrde Artycle I Beleue in my harte assuredly and constantely do professe that whan the tyme was come in the which it was before ordeyned and appoynted by the decree of the hoole Trinitie that mankynde shulde be saued and redemed this Iesu Chryste the seconde person in Trinitie and veray god descended from heuen into erthe to take vppon hym the veray habyte forme and nature of man and in the same nature to worke to suffer and fulfyll all those thynges whiche were necessary for our redemption And I beleue also and professe that he so descendyng from heuen dyd lyght downe into the wombe of a most blessed virgin called Marie and that he dyd there take vppon hym our nature and was conceyued begotten and borne of her veray fleshe nature and substance and so dyd vnite and conioyne togyther the same nature of man with his Godheed in one persone with suche an indyssoluble and inseparable knotte and bonde that he beinge one persone Iesu Chryste was than and euer shall be in the same person veray persyte god and veray perfyte man And I beleue also and professe that this moste blessed virgine conceyued this her chylde Iesu Chryste without spotte or blotte of synne or carnall concupyscence and without any cōmixtion or coniunction had betwene her and any mortall man or any other creature in heuen or erthe And that the holy goost the thyrde person in trinitie descendynge also from heuen lighted downe in to this moste blessed virgin there of her fleshe substaūce wrought this ineffable incomprehensyble worke of the Incarnation of this chylde Iesu Chryste And I beleue also and professe that this worke and operation of the holy goost was all holy without any synne or impurite that it was done without any violation or detriment vnto the virginitie of that blessed virgin saynt Mary And I beleue also that this chylde Iesu Chryste was not onely thus conceyued without synne but also that he was borne in lyke maner of his sayde moste blessed mother and that she both in the conception and also in the byrth and natiuitie of this her chylde and euer after reteyned stil her virginitie pure and immaculate and as clere without blotte as she was at the tyme that she was fyrst borne And I beleue that this conception and Natiuitie of our sayde sauiour was ordeyned to be thus pure holy and vndefyled to thintent that al fylthines and malediction wherwith the conception and byrthe of me and of all other men that euer were sithe Adam or shal be and al the filthines and malyce of the synnes of the hole worlde as well origynal as actuall shulde therby be puryfyed purged and made cleane The sence and interpretation of the fourthe Artycle I Beleue assuredly in my harte and with my mouthe I do professe that this Christe very god and man after he was thus cōceyued and borne of his blessed mother waxed and lyued forthe here in the worlde vntyll he came vnto the age of .xxxii. yeres and aboue and that in all this tyme of his lyfe he suffered and endured for our sakes and for our welthe moche boiely afflyction moche laboure and trauaylle moche hungre thurste and pouertie moche iniurie and ignominie and many other the myseries and infirmities wherunto all mortall men be subiecte And I beleue that although this our sauyour Iesu Christ passed ouer all the hole course of his sayde lyfe euen from his Natyuitie vntyll his deathe in suche perfyte obedience vnto the lawes of god and man and in suche perfyte innocencie of lyuynge that neyther any man in the worlde nor the
his sayde churche that is to saye to be the onely patrone and aduocate and thonely mediatour betwene god and mankynde and the onely intercessor for the synnes of all them that ryghtfully beleue in hym And I beleue that accordynge therunto our sauiour Iesu Christ is of his owne goodnes not onely more redy alwayes than any other creature in the worlde is to helpe me by his mediacyon and intercession but also that whan so euer I do inuocate and calle vpon hym in ryght fayth and hope with full intent and purpose to amende and retourne from my noughty lyfe he presenteth and exhibiteth vnto the sight of his father his moste blessed body as it was wounded crucified and offred vp in sacrifyce for the redemption of mankynde and so from tyme to tyme maketh continuall request and intercession vnto god his father for the remission of all my synnes and for my reconciliation vnto his fauour and finally doth obteyne that god so reconciled woll vouchsafe to sende downe his holy spyrite to dwell within my harte there to rule to gouerne and to sanctifie me with all my thoughtes and dedes and to comforte and strengthe me with all spirituall gyftes necessary to the attaynynge of euerlastynge lyfe And therfore sithe my heed and my sauiour Iesu Christ ascended vp into heuen and sytteth there vpon the ryght hand of his father and maketh there continuall intercession for me I shall neuer from hens forthe by the grace of god seke nor set my felicitie in any worldly thynge but shall alwayes vse the creatures and ordynaunces of this worlde and all worldly thynges as a passynger or a pylgrime vseth the commodities of a straunge countrey wherin he intendeth not to tary but to passe forthe vntyll he shall come vnto his owne dwellynge place And I shall conuerte my hole cure desyre and study from these erthely pleasures to the attaynynge of that heuenly and euerlastynge life whiche is prepared and ordeyned for me And beinge assured of so good so louynge and therwith so myghty a gouernour mediatour and aduocate in heuen as Chryst is I woll by the helpe of his grace from hens forth continue styll perseuer vnder his kyngedome his tuicion and his gouernaunce and so being I woll accompt my selfe safe and sure in all maner aduersities and agaynst all maner aduersaries and enmyes And I woll neuer by the helpe and grace of god seke other gouernour or mediatour nor all the displeasures iniuries or aduersities in the worlde nor all the malyce crafte and subtilitie of the dyuell nor all the multitude or burden of my sinnes shall cause me to distruste or dispayre of helpe at his handes nor yet shall make me afrayde to prosecute this my said desyre and purpose or cause me to desyst from the same The sence and interpretation of the seuenth Artycle I Beleue assuredly and constanly do professe that our sauiour Iesu Christ beyng thus ascended in to heuen sette there on the right hand of almighty god his father shall at the laste ende of the worlde whiche we call Domesday retourne ones ageyne and come from heuen and appere vnto all the people of the worlde both quicke and deed in his perfyte manhode and in the selfe same body wherin he ascended to the inestimable comforte and reioyce of the good and to the extreme terrour confusyon of the wycked And although our sauiour Iesu Christ at his fyrst aduent or commyng into the world which was whan he came to be incarnate appered in the habyte and fourme of a very lowe seruaunt and of an abiecte person in all humblenes pouertie affliction and myserie and suffred him selfe to be iniustly iudged and condempned to dethe by others and although he hath euer syth that tyme and euer shal vntyl Domesday vse his mercy and longe pacience and suffrance towardes the wretched synners of the worlde inuitinge alwayes and callynge them from tyme to tyme to repentance yet I beleue assuredly that at his seconde aduent or commynge he shall appere in the high and almighty power glorie and maiestie of his kyngedome and beinge accompanyed with all the orders of aungelles waytinge vpon hym as his ministres Matth. xxv Apoc. i. he shall sytte openly in the clowdes of the ayre and shall iudge all the worlde quicke and deed and that straitely accordynge to trouthe and iustice and accordynge as he hathe promysed and thretned to do by his holy worde expressed in scripture that is to say accordynge to euery mannes owne workes and dedes done by hym while he lyued in the world without sparyng or fauourynge or shewynge of mercy vnto any whiche haue not deserued the same in theyr lyfe tyme. And I beleue assuredly that at this day whan Christ shal thus sytte in the seate or throne of his iudgement all the people of the worlde quicke dead that is to saye aswell al those whiche shall be founde on lyfe in the worlde at the daye of this seconde aduent or commynge of Christ as also al those whiche euer sythe the creation of Adam lyued here in this worlde and dyed before that daye shall come and appere before the presence of Christe in theyr very bodyes and sowles And whan they shal be so gathered and assembled togyther our sauiour Iesu Christe shall pronounce the extreme or fynall sentence and iudgement of euerlastynge saluation vpon all those persones Ro. ii whiche in theyr lyfe tyme obeyed and conformed them selfe vnto the wylle of god and exercysed the workes of ryght belefe and charytie and so perseuerynge in well doynge soughte in theyr hartes and dedes the honoure and glorye of god and lyfe immortall And contrarye vppon all those whiche in theyr lyfetyme were contentious and dyd repugne agaynst the wyll of god and folowed iniustice and iniquitie rather than trouthe and vertue our sauyour Christe shall than and there pronounce the sentence of euerlastynge punyshement and dampnation And I beleue that our sauyour Iesu Christe shall also than and there calle a parte and make a perfyte separation or diuysyon betwene these two sortes of people that is to saye betwene the shepe and the gootes the corne and the chaffe the good and the bad the blessed and the cursed the membres of his bodye and the membres of the dyuell And so settynge the good and the blessed vppon his ryght hande he shall cleerely and perfytely rydde delyuer and redeme them for euer from the power and malyce of the wycked and from all paynes and euyll and so take them all vp with hym into heuen there to be crowned and rewarded in body and sowle with honour glorie and euerlastynge ioye and peace whiche was prepared for them from the begynnynge of the worlde And contrary he shall sette all the other whiche shall be iuged to euerlastynge peyne and death vpon his lefte hande and so shall sende them downe into hell there to be punysshed in body and soule eternally with fyre that neuer shall haue ende whiche was
harte that god the father dyd resuscitate and raise vppe his sonne Christe from deathe to lyfe he shall be saued And in an other place he sayth that who soeuer beleueth not i. Cor. xv that Christe is rysen from deathe to lyfe it is not possible his synnes shulde be remytted It is also to be noted in this Article that the victory and conqueste whiche Christe hadde ouer deathe hell and the dyuell hym selfe with all theyr power and tyranny besyde that it proceded of the infinite mercy and goodnes of god towardes vs it was also founded vpon veray Iustyce For surely like as the sinne of man his disobedience was the only meane and cause wherfore god ordeyned and suffred that deth and the dyuel shuld haue and occupy suche dominion tyrranny ouer all mankynde as they had Euen so was it contrary to the wyll and ordynaunce of god that dethe hell or the dyuell shulde haue or exercyse any power or auctoritie where as no synne reygned In so moche that yf man had neuer synned he shulde neuer haue dyed but shulde haue ben immortall nor neuer shulde haue descended into helle but shulde euer haue had the superyoritie ouer the dyuell deathe and helle and shulde haue had theym alwayes subdewed vnto hym And therfore sythe the dyuell hym selfe dyd perfytely knowe that our sauyour Iesu Christe expressed in all his lyfe mooste exacte and mooste perfyte obedyence vnto the lawes and wyll of god and soo fulfylled and satysfyed the same in euerye poynte to the vttermost that there coulde neuer be founde vntrewthe or deceyte in his mouthe nor any spotte or blotte of fylthynesse or impuritie in any parte of all his lyuynge and yet that not withstandynge knowynge hym to be a veray naturalle manne laboured procured and caused the Iewes to kylle this innocente Christe and to put hym vnto mooste sharpe and bytter deathe contrarye to all equitie and Iustyce and all to the intente that he myghte after his sayde deathe haue Christe with hym downe into helle as one of his captyues and so there to exercyse his tyrannye vppon hym lyke as he hadde doone ouer all other men from the begynnynge of the worlde vntyll that tyme No doubte but the dyuelle in this doynge dydde extreme and manyfeste wronge and vtterly exceded the lymyttes of the power gyuen vnto hym And therfore god consyderynge this hyghe presumption and malyce of the dyuelle and this intollerable abuse of his sayde power dydde sende his onely begotten sonne downe into hell there to condempne the dyuell of this extreme iniquytie and to conquere to spoyle Ro. viii and depryue hym not onely of the possessyon of all the sowles of the ryghtuouse menne whyche by his crafte and subtylytie he had before reduced and brought vnder his domynyon but also restrayned hym of the power and auctorytie whiche he by deathe and helle hadde ouer mankynde All whiche thynges Chryste dydde not by the myght of his godlye power onely but for and vppon this iuste and reasonable cause gyuen vnto hym on the behalfe of the dyuel whiche for the causes aforesayde mooste worthyly deserued to be serued so The notes of the syxte Artycle ¶ In the .vi. Article thre thynges be speciallye to be noted and remembred Fyrste that in the person of Iesu Christe there was and is conioyned and vnited togyther inseparably bothe the nature of god and the nature of manne And that by reason of this indissoluble vnitie of these two natures holye scrypture vseth sometymes to attrybute and gyue vnto the same personne of Christe those thynges whiche doo apperteygne vnto his humanytie althoughe the same canne not be veryfyed in hym as towchynge his godheed And therfore althowghe Christe as towchynge his godheed was euer presente in heuen and was euer equall in glorye with his father Yet forasmoche as concernynge his manhode he was neuer in heuen nor dydde neuer sytte there endewed with suche power and glorye before this his ascenscyon therfore it is sayde trewely in this Crede that Christe ascended into heuen and that almyghtye god the father dydde at his sayde commynge thyther sette hym there vppon his ryght hande ¶ Secondely it is to be noted that this ascension of Christe into heuen was not onely veray necessarye but also moche profytable for all trewe christen men and that for many causes One is for that Christe declared therby veray manyfestely that he was nat onely manne but that he was also veray god And therfore hir foloweth in this Artycle He sytteth on the ryght hande of his father not as inferiour in godheed but as equall vnto hym An other is for that he hath ben euer syth that tyme our contynuall aduocate sollicitour vnto god his father accordynge to the sayinge of saynt Paule Hebr. iiii wrytynge vnto the Hebrues where he sayth in this maner Christe ascended into heuen to thintent he shuld euer appere euer be present in the syght of god as a mediator and intercessor for vs. And in an other place also he faythe Iesus the sonne of god dyd penetrate ascende aboue all the heuens to be our great byshop wherfore let vs fermely and stedfastely beleue that we haue a great byshoppe in heuen that is to saye a greate and a perpetuall medyatour and intercessour for vs. And that the same our byshoppe is not onely of suche infynyte myght and power that he is fully hable to saue all them that woll inuocate and byleue in god the father by hym but also that he hauyng perfyte knowlege of all the infyrmities of our fleshe and mortalitie and hauyng tasted by experience in his owne body all the tentacions of the same synne onely excepted he woll also gladly and wyllyngely haue pitie and compassion of vs and woll be alwayes redy to saue vs. Wherfore lette vs put our hole truste and confydence in hym And so let vs boldely goo by prayer and inuocation vnto the throne of grace that we maye obteyne mercy and fynde grace and fauour helpe succour and comfort in tyme of our nede and necessitie And Sayncte Iohn̄ the Apostle also wryteth conformely here vnto in his fyrste Epystle where he sayth I exhorte and praye you good christen people i. Ioan. ii flee from synne and synne no more Not withstandynge yf any of you shall fortune to commytte any deadely synne yet let hym consider and remembre that Iesu Christe whiche fulfylled al Iustice for vs and by the sacrifienge and offerynge vp of his preciouse bloude made due satisfaction and propiciation vnto god his father not onely for all our synnes but also for the synnes of all the worlde is nowe our continuall and perpetuall aduocate our patrone and defendour before the throne of his father and maketh contynuall intercession and prayer for the remyssyon of all our synnes An other cause is for that yf Christe had not ascended we shuld haue lacked all the graces and gyftes of the holy goost whiche
of the worde of god or some other good and heauenly doctrine so that they do it quietely without distourbance of other that be in the churche or els let them occupie their myndes with some holsom godly meditations wherby they maye be the better And they that can rede maye be well occupied vpon the holy day yf they rede vnto other suchche good workes whiche maye be vnto them in stede of a sermon For al thynges that edifie mans sowle in our lorde god be good and holsome sermons And truely yf men wolde occupie them selfes vpon the holy dayes and spende the same dayes holly after this fourme and maner not onely in the howse of god but also in their owne howses they shulde therby eschewe moche vice confounde their auncient ennemy the deuyll moche edyfie both them selfes and other finally obteigne moche grace and hygh rewarde of almyghty god ¶ Thyrdly we thynke it conuenient that all byshoppes and prechers shall instruct and teache the people committed vnto theyr spirituall charge to haue speciall regarde that they be not ouer scrupulous or rather superstitious in absteynynge from bodily labour vpon the holyday For not withstanding al that is afore spoken it is not ment but that in tyme of necessitie we may vpon the holyday gyue our selfe to labour as for sauinge of our corne cattall whan it is in daunger or lykely to be distroyed yf remedy be not had in tyme. For this lesson our sauiour doth teache vs in the gospell and we nede to haue noo scruple ne grudge in consience in suche case of necessitie to labour on the holydayes but rathre we shulde offende yf we shoulde for scrupulositie not saue that god hath sent for the sustenance and relyefe of his people ¶ Fynally we thynke it cōuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge howe agaynste this commaundement generally do offende all they whiche woll not ceasse and reste from theyr owne carnall wylles and pleasure that god maye worke in them after his pleasure and wyll ¶ Item al they whiche hauynge no laufull impediment do not gyue them selfe vpon the holy daye to here the worde of god to remembre the benefytes of god to gyue thankes for the same to praye to exercise suche other holy workes as be appoynted for the same but as commonly is vsed passe the tyme eyther in idlenes in glottony in ryot or in plays or other vayne and ydell pastyme For surely suche kepynge of the holy day is not accordyng to thintente and meanynge of this cōmandement but after the vsage and custome of the Iewes and doth not please god but doth moche more offende hym and prouoke his indignation and wroth towardes vs. For as sainct Austen saythe of the Iewes they shulde be better occupied labourynge in theyr feldes and to be at the plough than to be idle at home And women shoulde better bestowe theyr tyme in spynninge of wolle than vpon the sabot daye to lose theyr tyme in leapyng and daunsynge and other idle wanton lose tyme. Item that all they do offende agaynst this commandemēt whiche do here the worde of god and gyue not good hede there vnto that they maye vnderstande it and lerne it or yf they do lerne it yet they endeuour not them selfes to remembre it or yf they remembre it yet they study not to folowe it ¶ Item that all they do breake this commaundement also whiche in masse tyme doo occupye theyr myndes with other matiers and lyke vnkynde people remembre not the passion and deathe of Christe nor gyue thankes vnto hym Whiche thynges in the masse tyme they ought specyally to do for the masse is ordeyned to be a perpetuall memorie of the same And lyke wyse do all those whiche in suche tyme as the commune prayers be made or the worde of god is taught not onely them selfes do gyue none attendaunce therto but also by walkynge talkynge and other euyll demeanour let other that wolde well vse them selfes And lyke wyse doo all they whiche do not obserue but despyse suche laudable ceremonies of the churche as set forthe goddis honoure or apperteyne to good ordre to be vsed in the churche ¶ And therfore concernynge suche ceremonyes of the churche we thynke it conuenyent that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that althoughe the sayde ceremonies haue no power to remytte synne yet they be very expediente thinges to stirre and cause vs to lyfte vp our myndes vnto god and to put vs in contynuall remembraunce of those spiritual thynges whiche be sygnyfied by them As sprinklyng of holy water doth put vs in remembraunce of our baptysme and the blode of Christe sprinkeled for our redemption vpon the Crosse Gyuynge of holy breade doth put vs in remembrance of the sacrament of the Altare whiche we oughte to receyue in ryght charitie and also that all christen men be one bodye mysticall of Christe as the breade is made of many graynes and yet but one lofe Bearynge of candels on Candelmas daye doth put vs in remembraunce of Christe the spirituall lyghte of whom Simeon dyd prophecie as is redde in the churche that day Gyuynge of ashes on Ashe wenysday doth put vs in remembraunce that euery chrysten man in the begynnynge of lente and penaunce shulde consydre that he is but Ashes and erthe and therto shall retourne Bearynge of palmes on palmesonday dothe put vs in remembraunce of the receyunge of Christe into Hierusalem a lyttell before his deth and that we muste haue the same desire to receyue hym into our hartes Crepynge to the crosse and humblynge our selfes to Christe on good fryday before the Crosse and there offerynge vnto Christe before the same and kyssynge of it putteth vs in remembraunce of our redemption by Christe made vpon the crosse And so fynally the settynge vp of the sepulture of Chryste whose body after his deathe was buryed The halowynge of the Fonte and other lyke exorcismes benedictions done by the ministers of Christis churche and all other lyke laudable customes rytes and ceremonies doo put vs in remembraunce of some spirituall thynge And that therfore they be not to be contemned and cast away but be to be vsed and contynued as thynges good and laudable for the purposes abouesayde ¶ The declaration of the fifth commaundement AS touchynge the fyfth commaundement we thynke it conuenient that all bysshops and preachers shall instructe teache the people cōmytted to theyr spiritual charge First that by this word Father is vnderstanded here not only the naturall father and mother whiche dyd carnally begette vs and broughte vs vppe but also the spirituall father by whom we be spiritually regenerated nourisshed in Christe and all other gouernours and rulers vnder whome we be nourisshed and brought vp or ordered and guyded And all thoughe this commaundement make expresse mention onely of the chyldren or inferiours to
Christe in the gospell where he declareth Math. v. That we shulde neyther hurte any man in dede nor speke of hym or vnto hym maliciously or contemptuously with our tongues nor beare malyce or angre in our hartis but that we shulde loue them Rom. x. that hate vs saye well by them that saye euyll by vs and do good to them that do euyll to vs. And accordynge to the same sayinge of Christe saynct Iohn̄ also saythe That he that hateth his neyghbour is a manqueller ¶ Item that it is not forbydden by this cōmaundement i. Ioā iii. but that all rulers and gouernours as princes Iudges fathers maysters and suche other maye for the correction of them whiche be vnder theyr gouernaunce vse suche maner of punysshemente eyther by rebukefulle and sharpe wordes or by bodyly chastysynge as the lawes of euery realme do permytte And not onely they maye doo thus but also they be bounde so to do and offende god yf they do it not as is before declared in the fyfte commaundement ¶ Item that all rulers muste be ware and take hede that in their corrections or punysshementes they do not procede vppon any priuate malyce of theyr hartes or dysplesure towardes any man or for any lucre fauoure or feare of any person but that they haue their eie consyderation onely vpon the reformation and amendement of the person whom they do correcte or elles vpon the good ordre and quyetnes of the common weale so that styll there may remayne in theyr hartes charitie and loue towardes the persone whom they punysshe And lyke as the father loueth his chylde euen whan he beateth hym euen so a good iudge whan he gyueth sentence of deth vpon any gyltie persone although he shewe outwardly cruelnes and rigour yet inwardly he ought to loue the person and to be sory and heuy for his offences and for the deathe whiche he hym selfe by the lawe dothe and muste nedes condempne hym vnto ¶ Item that althoughe inferiour rulers or gouernours maye correcte and punysshe suche as be vnder theyr gouernaunce yet they maye not punysshe by deathe mutilate mayme or imprison them or vse any corporall violence towardes them other wyse than is permytted by the hyghe gouernour that is to saye by the prynce and his lawes from whome all such auctoritie dothe come For no man may kylle or vse suche bodyly cohercion but onely pryncis and they whiche haue auctoritie from princis Ne the sayde prynces ne any for them maye do the same but by and accordynge to the iuste ordre of theyr lawes ¶ Item that no subiectes maye drawe the swerde sauyng for laufull defence without theyr princis lycence And that it is theyr duetie to drawe theyr swerdes for the defence of theyr prynce and the realme whan soo euer the prynce shall commaunde them so to do And that for no cause what so euer it be they maye drawe theyr swerdes agaynst theyr prynce nor agaynste any other without his consent or commandement as is aforesayde And althoughe princis do other wyse then they ought to do yet god hathe assygned no iuges ouer them in this worlde but woll haue the iugement of them reserued to hym selfe and woll punysshe whan he seeth his tyme. And for amendement of suche prynces that do otherwyse thanne they shulde do Prouer. i. the people muste praye to god whiche hath the hartes of pryncis in his handis that he maye soo turne theyr hartis vnto hym that they may vse the sworde which he hath gyuen them vnto his pleasure ¶ Seconde we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and pleachers shall diligently frome tyme to tyme instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that ageynste this cōmaundement offende all they which do kylle mayme or hurte any man without iuste order of the lawe or gyueth counsayle ayde fauoure prouocation or consent thervnto Item that all they whiche may yf they wol by theyr auctoritie or lawfull meanes delyuer a man from wrongefull deathe mutilation hurte or iniurie and woll not doo it but woll wynke therat and dissimule it be transgressours of this commaundement Item that all iudges whiche seing no sufficient matter or cause of deathe or that vpon a lyght tryall without sufficient examination and dyscussyon gyueth sentence of deathe or that whan the mater and cause of deathe is sufficient and the triall good yet delyteth in the deathe of the persone be transgressours of this commaundement And lyke wyse be al those whiche in the causes of lyfe and deathe beynge empanelled vpon Enquestes doo lyghtly condempne or endicte any person without sufficient euidence examination and discussyon of the informations gyuen vnto them And more ouer all those whiche eyther in suche causes do gyue false euydence or information or wyttyngely contrary to theyr owne conscience or doubtynge of the trouth of those informations or without sufficient examination do promote enforce or maynteyne suche euydences enformations or inditementes do also breke this commaundement And lyke wyse do all they whiche wyllyngly do kyl them selfe for any maner of cause for so to doo there canne be no pretence of laufull cause ne of iuste ordre And therfore he that so doth kylleth at ones both body and soule And fynally al they whiche be in hatrede and malice with theyr neyghbours and eyther speake wordes of contempte despyte checkyng cursynge and suche other or els publysshe their neyghbours offences to theyr sclaunder rather than to their amendemente and generally all they that lyue in ire malyce enuy and murmurynge at other mennes welthe or reioysyng at other mens trouble or hurte or suche other lyke they offende all ageinst this precepte ¶ The declaration of the seuenth commaundement AS touchynge the seuenth commaundement we thinke it conueniente that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirytuall charge Fyrste that this worde Adulterie dothe in this commaundement signifie not onely the vnlaufull commixtion of a maried man with any other woman than his own wyfe or els of a maried woman with any other manne than her owne husbande but also all maner of vnlaufull copulation betwene man and woman maried or vnmaried and all maner of vnlaufull vse of those partes whiche be ordeyned for generation whither it be by adulterie fornication inceste or any other meane although it be in laufull matrimonie For in laufull Matrimonie a man maye cōmytte adulterye and lyue vnchaste euen with his owne wyfe yf they doo vnmesurably serue theyr flesshely appetite and luste and of suche the dyuell hath power Thobi vi as the Angel Raphael sayd vnto Thobie They that marie in suche wise that they exclude god out of theyr myndes and gyue them selues to their owne carnall lustes as it were a horse or a mule whiche haue noo reason vpon suche persons the dyuell hath power Item that all christen people ought hyghly to regarde the obseruation of this commaundement consyderynge howe
counsayle and exhorte hym And no doubte this louyng correction woll make hym beware and take hede that he offende no more But yf we tell his defautes fyrste to one and after to an nother and charge euery one to kepe counceyll as though we had tolde it to no mo this is no amendement of his faulte but a declaration of our owne and a reprehension of our selfes in that we vttre forthe vnto other that thynge whiche we our selues iudge not to be vttered And surely we condempne our selfes therin For we shulde fyrste haue kepte it secrete our selues if we wolde that an other man shulde not vttre the same And therfore the wyse man saythe Eccle. xix If thou haste herde anye thynge agaynst thy neyghbour let it dye within the and be sure it woll not burste the. And agaynst backebiters speketh the prophete Dauid Psal C. who so euer priuely sclaundereth his neyghbour hym woll I destroye And they also offende this cōmaundement whiche gladly gyue eares be redy to here suche backbyters For as saynte Bernarde saythe Lyke as the backbiter carieth the dyuell in his mouthe so the herer caryeth the dyuell in his eare For the detractour is not glad to tell Pro. xxv but to hym that is glad to here And the wyse man saythe That lyke as the wynde driueth away the rayne euen so doth as harde and a dysplesant countenaunce dryue awaye the tongue of the backebyters and maketh them abasshed They also breake this cōmaundement whiche with flaterynge and double tongues go aboute to please suche as be gladde to here complayntes Iudges also whiche gyue sentence contrary to that whiche they knowe to be true and they that in iudgemente doo hyde and suppresse the trouthe and they that make any false plees to the delaye and hynderaunce of iustyce or any other wyse do stoppe iustice and inquestes whiche vppon lyghte groundes or vpon groūdes not well examyned or dyscussed gyue verdycte be transgressours and breakers of this commaundement ¶ And aboue other they do transgresse this cōmaundement whiche in preachynge or other wyse do teache or maynteyne any false or erronious doctrine contrarye to the worde of god or that do teache fables or mens fantasies and imagynations affirmynge them to be the word of god For suche be not false witnes of worldly matiers but false witnes of god ¶ The declaration of the tenthe commaundement AS concernynge the tenthe commaundemente we thinke it conuenient that al bishops and prechers shal instructe and teache the people commytted vnto their spirituall charge Fyrst that where as in thother cōmaundementes before rehersed be forbydden all wordes dedes and counceyll whiche be agaynst goddis pleasure and the loue of our neyghbours In this laste precepte be forbydden the inwarde affections of our hertes For in this laste precepte is forbydde al inwarde motion desire delite inclination and affection vnto euyll Whiche thynges be so roted planted in all vs the chyldren of Adam euen from the fyrste houre of our byrthe that althoughe by the inspiration of the holy gooste and the grace of god gyuen vnto vs we do entende neuer soo well and wolde moste gladly eschewe al euyll yet there remayneth in vs a disposition and redynes vnto suche thynges as be contrarie to the wil and cōmaundement of god In so moche that yf the grace of god dyd not helpe vs to staye and resyste our owne noughtynes and delyte vnto synne the same our concupiscence and naughtynes shulde be soo moche that we shulde runne hedlynge in to all myschyefe and that at euery lyght occasyon our nature is so corrupte and we be so farre from the perfyte obedience vnto goddes wyll whiche we had in the state of innocency and yet styll ought to haue And of this corruption of our nature and redynes vnto yuell complaineth saint Paule in his epistle vnto the Romains Rom. vii where he declareth at lengthe that the nature of man is soo full of concupiscence and yuell affections that no man dothe or can of hym selfe satisfie or fulfyll the lawe of god And that the lawe condemneth all men as transgressours And that therfore euery man for his saluatyon must haue refuge vnto the grace mercy of god obteyned by our sauyour Iesu Christe I knowe sayth saynct Paule that in me that is to saye in my flesshe dwelleth no goodnes For I haue a good wyl but I fynde not howe to performe it For I doo not that good thyng whiche I wolde but I do that yuell whiche I wolde not And yf I do that I wolde not then it is not I that doo it but synne that dwelleth in me Thus fynde I by the lawe that whan I wolde do good yuell is present with me for I delyte in the lawe of god as concernynge myne inwarde mā but I see an other lawe in the partis of my body whiche rebelleth contynually ageynst the lawe of my mynde and subdueth me vnto the lawe of synne whiche is in the partes of my body O wretched man that I am who shall delyuer me from this body of death The grace of god by Iesu Christe By these wordes of saynct Paule it appereth what concupiscence corruption and yuell resteth contynually in the nature of man by reason wherof thoughe he be neuer soo well mynded yet he is stayed letted and hyndered frome the perfyte accomplysshement of goddes wyl and cōmaundementes ¶ Seconde we thynke it conuenyente that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that notwithstandynge that this corruption and concupiscence be damnable in all them that be not baptysed although they neuer commytte any actuall offence yet vnto vs that be renued by baptysme in the ryght fayth of Chryste it is neyther dampnable nor yet culpable yf we by the spirite and grace of god endeuoure and apply our selues to withstande and resyst it and do not gyue our selues to lyue after the motions and desyres therof And therfore saynct Paule vppon the wordes before reherced inferreth and sayth Ro. viii That there is no dampnation nowe vnto them that be in Christ Iesu which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite And anon after he sayth If you lyue after the flesshe you shall dye but yf by the spirite you mortifie the dedes of the body you shall lyue ¶ Thyrdly we thynke it conueniente that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that lyke as in the fyfthe cōmaundement vnder the name of father and mother is vnderstande all superiours And in the syxte commaundement vnder the name of kyllynge is vnderstande all wrathe and reuengynge And in the seuenth commaundement vnder the name of adulterie is vnderstande all vnchaste lyuynge And in the .viii. commaundement vnder the name of thefte is vnderstande all deceytfull dealynge with our neyghbours And in the .ix. commaundement vnder the name of false wytnes is vnderstande
here in this worlde they care not or lytell regarde the wyl pleasure and cōmaundementes of god And therfore surely we haue greatte nede contynually to pray accordynge to Christes doctrine in this thyrde petition for ayde vnto our heuenly father that being thus clothed and encombred with this corruptyble flesshe here in this worlde whiche dulleth and draweth downe mannes mynde as the wyse man sayth It may please hym to graūt vs the grace that so longe as we lyue here we maye fulfylle his wyll in all thynges and not our owne and so to haue a dwellynge place in his citie And contrarye that the dyuelle may neuer haue power to take vs and to bringe vs vnto his citie and possessyon ¶ The sense and interpretation of the fourth Petition O Oure heuenly father we beseche the gyue vs this daye our dayly breadde Gyue vs meate drynke and clothynge for oure bodyes Sende vs encrease of corne fruyte and catayle Gyue vs helthe and strengthe reste and peace that we may leade a peasible and a quiete life in al godlines and honestie Graunte vs good successe in all our busynes helpe in aduersytie and peril Graunt vs we beseche the all thynges conuenient for our necessitie in this temporalle lyfe And to thē to whom thou doest vouchsafe to gyue more than theyr owne portion necessarie for theyr vocation and degree gyue thy grace that they maye be thy dylygent and true dyspensatours and stewardes to dystrybute that they haue ouer and aboue that is necessarie consyderynge theyr astate and degree to them that haue nede of it For so good lorde thou doest prouyde for thy poore people that haue nothyng by thē whiche haue of thy gyfte suffycyent to relieue them selfe and other And gyue also thy grace to vs that we haue not to moche solicitude and care for these transytorye and vnstable thynges but that our hartes may be fyxed in thynges whiche be eternall and in thy kyngedome whiche is euerlastynge And yet more ouer good lorde not onely giue vs our necessaries but also conserue that thou dost gyue vs cause that it maye come to our vse by vs to the poore people for whome by vs thou hast prouided Giue vs grace that we may be fed and nourisshed with al the lyfe of Christ that is to say bothe his wordes workes And that they maye be to vs an effectual example spectacle of al vertues Graunt that al they that preache thy worde may profytably godly preache the thy sonne Iesu Christ through all the worlde And that all we whiche here thy worde preached maye so be fed therwith that not onely we may outwardely receaue the same but also digest it within our hartes and that it maye soo worke and fede euery parte of vs that it may appere in all the actes and dedes of oure lyfe Graunte that the holy sacramente of the Altare whiche is the breade of lyfe and the veray flesshe and bloode of thy sonne Iesu Christe maye be purely mynystred and dystrybuted to the comforte and benefyte of all vs thy people and that we also may receaue the same with a ryght faythe and perfyte charytie at all tymes when we ought to receaue the same and specyally agaynst our deathe and departynge out of this worlde soo that we maye be than spiritually fedde with the same to our saluation and therby enioy the lyfe euerlastynge Gyue vs an inwarde hungre thyrste to haue thy worde and the ryghtuous lyuynge taught in the same Graunte this also mercyfull father that all false doctrines contrary to thy worde whiche fedeth not but poysoneth and kylleth the soule may be vtterly extincte and cast awaye out of thy Churche so that we maye be fedde as well with the true doctrine of thy worde as with all other thinges necessary for vs in this lyfe ¶ For the better vnderstandynge of this fourthe petition we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge Fyrste howe that our lorde teacheth vs not in this petition to aske any superfluous thynges or thynges of pleasure or delyte but onely thynges sufficient And therfore he byddeth vs onely aske breade wherin is not mente superfluous ryches or great substaunce or habundaunce of thynges aboue our estate and condycyon but suche thynges onely as be necessary and suffycyent for euery man in his degree And that this is the meanynge of this worde i. Tim. vi saynct Paule declareth at good lengthe where he sayth we haue brought nothyng in to this worlde ne shal take any thing with vs whā we shall departe hense And therfore yf we haue meate and drinke and clothe that is to say thynges sufficient we ought to holde our selfe contente For they that set theyr myndes on ryches and woll haue superfluities more than nedeth or is expedient to theyr vocation they fall into dangerous temptations and into the snares of the dyuell and into many and vnprofytable and noysome desyres whiche drowne men into perdicion and euerlastynge damnation for the sprynge and rote of all euyls is suche superfluous desyre Prou. iii. The wyse man also makynge his suite to our lorde sayth Gyue me neyther pouertie ne excesse but only thinges sufficient for my liuing left that hauynge to moche I be prouoked to denye god and to forgette who is the lorde and on the other syde lest that by pouertie constrayned I falle vnto thefte and forsweare the name of my god These two wyse men the one of the olde the other of the newe testamente agree with the lesson of our sauyour Bothe aske breade that is thynges necessary and bothe refuse and renounce superfluities as thynges vnprofytable daungerous and noysome ¶ Seconde that in these wordes of our sauyour Iesu Christ be reproued all those persones whiche eate not theyr owne breade but deuoureth other mens breade Of whiche sorte be all those whiche lyue of rauyn and spoyles of thefte of extorcyon of crafte and deceyte Item all they whiche neyther laboure with theyr handes nor otherwyse apply theyr study industry and dylygence to some thynge whiche is good and beneficial in the cōmune weale and to the honour of god but lyue in ease reste ydelnes and wanton pleasures without doynge or carynge for any suche thynge Item all they whiche beyng called in this worlde vnto any roume office or auctoritie do abuse the same and do not employ them selfe accordyng to theyr vocation ¶ Thyrdely that althoughe we be bounde by labour or other laufull meanes to prouyde for our selfes frome tyme to tyme a suffycyent lyuynge yet we muste surely beleue and truste that oure father in heuen prouydeth for vs also and that all our owne prouysyon and industrie is in vayne without his prouysyon For it is he that gyueth vnto vs and taketh from vs at his pleasure more or lesse Therfore not withstandynge all our owne laboure industrye and dylygence yet we must thanke hym
whiche he vseth to be no synne or els if he take it for synne yet he careth not for it but eyther vpon vayne truste of the mercy of god whiche is in dede no right trust but a veray presumption he wol contynue styl in purpose to synne or els vpon vayn hope of longe lyfe he wol prolonge differre delay to do penance for the same vntyll the laste ende of his lyfe And so ofte tymes preuented with sodayne dethe dieth without repentance Wherfore consyderynge howe daungerous it is to falle into synne and howe harde it is to aryse the chiefe and the beste way is to resyst with goddes helpe the fyrst suggestyon vnto synne and not to suffre it to remayne with vs but as soone as may be to put it cleane out of our myndes For if we suffre it to haue place in our hartes any whyle it is great peryl leste that consent and dede wyll folowe shortly after ¶ Seconde that our sauyoure Iesu Christe teacheth vs not in this syxte petition to praye vnto god our father that we shulde be clerely without al temptation but that he wol not suffre vs to be led into temptation that is to saye when we be tempted that he suffre vs not to be ouercome therwith For surely temptations be profytable yf they doo not ouercome vs. And therfore sayncte Paule sayth The trewe and faythfull god wol not suffre vs to be tempted aboue that we maye beare but he woll turne temptation to our profite i. Cor. i. that we may susteyne it ouercome it And saynt Iames sayth Iacob i. Thynke that you haue a gret cause of ioy when you be troubled with dyuers temptations For the tryinge of your fayth bringeth pacience pacience maketh ê‘fit worke so that you maye be parfyte and sounde lackynge nothynge And almyghty god also exhorteth vs Apoca. ii and calleth vpon vs to fyghte agaynste temptations sayinge He that hath the victorie against them I shall gyue hym to eate of the tree of lyfe Ibidem And agayne he sayth He that ouercoÌ„meth them shall not be hurte with the seconde deathe And sayncte Paule sayth ii Tim. ii No man shall be crowned excepte he fyght yea and that as he ought to fyght that is to saye excepte he defende hym selfe and resiste his ennemies at all poyntes to his power Ioan. xvi And our saluiour gyueth vs a good courage to fyghte in this battayle where he sayth Be of good comforte for I haue ouercome the world that is to say I haue had the victorie of all sinnes and temptations And so shall you haue yf the defaulte be not in your selfes for you fyght with an aduersarie whiche is all redy vanquysshed and ouercome ¶ The sense and interpretation of the seuenth petition O Father kepe vs from the daunger of water and fyre from thonder lyghtenynge and hayle kepe vs from hungre and derth kepe vs from warre and manslaughter kepe vs from thy moste greuouse strokes the pestylence and all other dyseases kepe vs from sodeyne death kepe vs from all yuelles and perylles of the body yf it be thy pleasure so to do But moste specyally kepe vs from synne and all thynges that maye displease the. delyuer vs from thy straycte iudgemente at our deathe and at the laste daye of dome Turne neuer thy face from vs moste louynge father Loke neuer awaye from vs least we turne from the vnto the worlde the flesshe and the dyuell Good lorde graunte vnto vs all these our suetes and peticions accordynge to our humble requeste and desyre Amen ¶ For the better vnderstandynge of this laste petition we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge Fyrste that lyke as in the syxte petition Christe taught vs to desyre of our heuenly father that we shulde not be ouercome with temptation ne brought into synne so now in this seuenth and last petition he teacheth vs to praye hym that yf by fraylenes we fall into synne he woll sone delyuer vs from it not to let vs contynue in it not to let it take rote in vs not to suffre synne to reygne vpon vs but to delyuer vs and make vs free frome it This synne is the excedynge yuell from the whiche in this petition we desyre to be delyuered And thoughe in this petition be also comprehended all yuelles in this worlde as syckenes pouertie derthe with other lyke aduersyties yet chiefely it is to be vnderstanded of synne whiche onely of it selfe is yuell and ought euer without condition to be eschewed And as for other aduersities neyther we can ne ought to refuse when god shall sende theÌ„ neyther we ought to praye for the eschewynge of them otherwyse than with this condition If goddes pleasure so be ¶ Seconde that nothynge can be called proprely and of it selfe yuel but onely synne And that all other thynges what soo euer they be be the workes and creatures of god whiche neyther made ony thynge yuell nor can do any thynge that is yuell Many thynges we suffre in this worlde and take them for yuell but they be not yuell of them selfe All afflictions dyseases punysshementes and turmentes of this body all the trouble and anguysshes of the soule all the troubles of this worlde and al aduersities be good and necessary instrumentes of god for our saluation For god hym selfe who can not say other than trouth sayth Those that I loue I chastise Apoca. iii Prou. iii. Hebr. xii And agayne the apostle sayth He receyueth none but whom he skurgeth This is the tyme of skurgynge purgynge and skowrynge And the tyme to come is the tyme of reste ease and blysse And surely there is no better token that we be in the fauour of god than that he doth skourge vs and trieth and fyneth vs lyke golde in the fyre whyles we be in this worlde As contrary there is no more certayne token of his indignation towardes vs thanne to suffre vs styll to lyue in prosperitie and to haue all thynges after our wyll and pleasure and neuer to nyppe vs or touche vs with aduersitie Therfore our sauyour Christe Iesu who knoweth what is beste for vs teacheth vs not cheifely to praye and desyre to be delyuered from worldely afflictions trouble and aduersitie whiche god sendeth abundantly euen to them whome he beste loueth and with whom he is best pleased but the yuel which we moost chiefly shulde praye to be delyuered from is synne whiche of it selfe is so yuell that in no wyse he can be pleased therwith And bycause our hole studye and endeuoure in this worlde oughte to be to please god therfore oure contynuall prayer shulde be that we myghte specyally aboue all thynges be preserued from synne and eternall punysshement for the same ¶ The Aue Maria. HAyle Mary full of grace the lorde is with the. Blessed arte thou amonges women And blessed is the fruyte of thy
the hole trinitie yet the thyng was not done and accomplysshed without or before her consent was graūted for the which so solemne a messanger was sent And how hygh grace was this that after the defaulte made throughe the perswasion of the fyrst womā our mother Eua by whom Adam was broughte in to dysobedience this blessed virgin was electe to be the instrument of our reparation in that she was chosen to beare the sauyour and redemer of the worlde And is not this a wonderfull prerogatiue to see a virgin to be a mother and agaynste the generall sentence of the malediction of Eua to conceyue brynge forthe her chylde without synne And who can esteme that meruaylous solace and comforte whiche was in her harte whan she enbraced that chylde and nourysshed it with her pappes had contynually company of suche a sonne so many yeres togyther Wherfore we may worthyly say that she is the moost blessed of al other women And to the intent that all good christen men shulde repute and take her soo beholde the prouidence of god that wolde by an nother witnesse confirme the same For euen the same wordes that the aungell spake the blessed matron saint Elisabeth spake also and where the aungell made an ende there she began The aungell made an ende of his salutation with these wordes Blessed arte thou among women The blessed matrone began her salutation with the same wordes declaryng that she was enspired with the same spirite that sent the aungel that they were bothe ministers of the hole Trinitie the one from heuen the other in erthe And afterwarde she added these wordes and sayd And blessed is the fruict of thy wombe These be not the wordes of the aungell but of saynct Elisabeth For whan the virgin Marie came to salute her the sayd Elisabeth beyng inspired with the holy goost and knowyng that the virgin Marie was conceyued spake these wordes of the fruict that the virgin shulde brynge forthe And here is also an other wonderfull thynge to be noted for as it appereth in the gospell the chylde in saynt Elisabethes wombe that is to saye saynct Iohn̄ whiche yet had scant lyfe gaue testimony to this fruict that this fruict shulde saue hym and all the worlde and as a prophete he lepte for ioye in his mothers bealy And althoughe he coulde not yet speake yet neuer the lesse he declared by suche sygnes and tokens as he coulde that blessed was the fruict of that wombe This is the fruict that the aungell spake of sayinge his name shall be Iesus that is to saye a Sauyoure for he shall saue his people from theyr synnes And well he may be called the blessed fruict whiche hathe saued vs and geuen vs lyfe contrarye to the cursed fruict whiche Eue gaue to Adam by whiche we were dystroyed and brought to deathe but blessed is the fruict of this wombe whiche is the fruict of lyfe euerlastynge ¶ Fifthely we thynkh it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that this Aue Maria is not proprely a prayer as the pater noster is For a prayer proprely hath wordes of petition supplication request and suite but this Aue Maria hath no suche Neuer the lesse the churche hath vsed to adioyn it to the ende of the Pater noster as an hymne laude and prayse partly of our lord and sauyour Iesu Christ for our redemption and partely of the blessed virgin for her humble consent gyuen and expressed to the aungell at this salutation Laudes prayses and thankes be in this Aue Maria principally gyuen and yelded to our lorde as to the auctour of our sayd redemption but herewith also the virgin lacketh not her laudes prayse and thankes for her excellent and synguler vertues and chiefely for that she humbly consented accordynge to the sayinge of the holy matron saynt Elisabeth when she sayde vnto this virgin Blessed arte thou that dyddest gyue truste and credence to the aungelles wordes for all thynges that haue bene spoken to the shall be perfourmed ¶ The article of Iustification AS touching the order and cause of our Iustification we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that this worde Iustification signifieth remyssyon of our synnes and our acceptation or reconciliation into the grace fauour of god that is to say our perfyte renouation in Christ ¶ Item that synners attayne this iustification by contrition and faythe ioyned with charitie after suche sorte and maner as is before mencioned and declared in the sacrament of penaunce Not as thoughe oure contrycyon or faythe or any workes procedynge therof can worthyly meryte or deserue to attayne the sayde iustification For the onely mercye and grace of the father promysed frely vnto vs for his sonnes sake Iesu Christ and the merytes of his bloode and passyon be the onely suffycyent and worthy causes therof And yet that not withstandynge to the attaynynge of the same Iustification god requyreth to be in vs not onely inwarde contrycyon perfite faythe and charitie certayne hope and confidence with all other spiritual graces and mocions whiche as was sayde before muste necessarylye concurre in remyssyon of our synnes that is to saye our Iustification but also he requyreth and commaundeth vs that after we be iustified we muste also haue good workes of charitie and obedyence towardes god in the obseruynge and fulfyllynge outwardely of his lawes and commaundementes For althoughe acceptation to euerlastynge lyfe be conioyned with iustification yet our good workes be necessaryly requyred to the attaynynge of euerlastynge lyfe And we beynge iustified be necessaryly bounde and it is our necessary duetie to do good workes accordynge to the sayinge of saynct Paule we be bounde Rom. viii not to lyue accordynge to the flesshe and to flesshely appetites for yf we lyue so we shall vndoutedly be damned And contrary yf we woll mortifie the dedes of our flesshe and lyue accordynge to the spirite we shall be saued For who so euer be led by the spyryte of god they be the chyldren of god Matt. xix And Christ sayth If you woll come to heuen kepe the commaundementes And saynct Paule spekynge of yuell workes saythe Gala. v. Who soo euer commytte synfull dedes shall neuer come to heuen Wherfore all good chrysten people must vnderstande and beleue certaynely that god necessaryly requyreth of vs to do good workes commaunded by hym and that not onely outwarde and ciuyle workes but also the inwarde spirituall motions and graces of the holy goost that is to saye To drede and feare god to loue god to haue ferme confidence and trust in god to inuocate and call vpon god to haue pacience in all aduersities to hate synne and to haue certayne purpose and wyl not to synne agayne and suche other lyke motions and vertues Matt. v. For Christe saythe we muste not onely doo outwarde cyuyle good workes but we must also haue these foresayd inwarde spirituall mocyons consentyng and agreable to the lawe of god The article of Purgatorye FOr as moche as due order of charitie requyreth and the boke of Machabees and dyuers auncient doctours playnely shewen that it is a veray good a charytable dede to pray for sowles departed And for as moche also as suche vsage hath contynewed in the churche so many yeres euen from the begynnynge we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shal instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge that no man ought to be greued with the contynuaunce of the same that it standeth with the veray dewe order of charitie that chrysten men shulde pray for the sowles departed and commyt them in our prayers to goddes mercy and also to cause other to pray for them in masses exequies to gyue almes to other to pray for them wherby they maye be relyued and holpen of some parte of theyr peyne But for as moche as the place where they be the name therof kynde of peynes there also be to vs vncertayne by Scripture Therfore this with al other thynges be to be remytted to almyghty god vnto whose mercye it is mete and conueniente for vs to commende them trustynge that god accepteth oure prayers for them referrynge the reste holly to god to whome is knowen theyr estate and condicion Wherfore it is moche necessarie that suche abuses be clerely put awaye whiche vnder the name of purgatorie hathe bene aduaunced as to make men beleue that throughe the bysshop of Romes pardons soules might clerely be delyuered out of purgatorie and all the peynes of it or the masses sayd at Scala celi or other where in any place or before any ymage myght lykewyse delyuer them from all theyr peyne and sende them streyght to heuen and other lyke abuses LONDINI IN AEDIBVS THOMAE BERTHELETI REGII IMPRESSORIS AN. M.D.XXXVII CVM PRIVILEGIO