moche god is displeased and what vengeaunce he hath alwayes taken and euer woll take for the transgression of the same For confirmation wherof we thynke it conueniente that all bysshops and preachers shall instruct and teache the people cōmytted vnto theyr spyrituall charge Fyrste howe that god in the tyme of Moyses lawe cōmaunded that who so euer commytted adulterie shulde be stoned to deathe Item howe Hemor kynge of Sichem He. xxxiiii and Sichem his sonne with all the men of the Citie were slayne and theyr wyues and chyldren were taken captiue and all theyr goodes within the Citie were robbed and spoyled bycause the sayde Sichem laye with Dina the doughter of Iacob and defyled her ¶ Item howe that almyghtye god after the chyldren of Israel hadde commytted adulterie with the women of Moab and Madian commaunded fyrste Nu. xxv that the heedes and rulers of the people shulde be hanged for that they suffred the people so to offende god And afterwarde commaunded also euery man to slee his neyghbour that hadde soo offended In so moche that there was slayne of that people the nombre of .xiiii. thousande And many moshulde haue ben slayn had not Phinees the sonne of Eleazar the high priest tourned the indignation of god from the chyldren of Israell For this Phinees whan he sawe Zamry chyefe of the tribe of Simeon in the presence of Moyses and all the people go vnto Cozby a troble mans doughter of the Madianites to commytte fornication with her he arose from among all the multitude and takynge a swerde in his hande wente into the howse where they were and thruste them bothe throughe the bealyes Whose feruent mynde and zeale god dyd so moche allowe that he dyd therfore bothe ceasse from further punyshement of the Israelites and also graunted to Phinees and his succession for euer the dignitie of the hyghe pryeste Iudi. x. Item howe the tribe and stocke of Beniamyn was so punysshed for the mayntenaunce of certayne persons of the Citie of Gabaa whiche had contrary to this cōmaundement shamefully abused a certayne mans wyfe that of .xxv. thousande and seuen hundreth men of armes there remayned on lyue but syxe hundreth Gene. xix Item howe almyghtye god for the transgressyon of this commandement caused brymstone and fyre to rayne downe frome heuen vpon all the countrey of Sodom and Gomor and so dystroyed the hole regyon bothe men and beastes and all that grewe vpon the erthe reseruynge onely Loth and his .iii. doughters These terryble examples and many other lyke almyghty god dyd shewe in tymes paste to the intente we shulde haue theym in our contynuall remembraunce and soo shulde euer stande in awe and feare to offende god For thoughe he doo not soo presentely punysshe vs here in this worlde as he dyd the persones before rehersed yet his longe patience and forbearynge is no allowance or forgyuenes of our offences yf we contynue styll in them but a sore accumulation and heapyng together of goddes wrathe and indygnation ageynste the daye of iugement At whiche tyme in stede of this temporall peyne Rom. ii we shall receyue euerlastyng peyne beynge as sayncte Poule saythe excluded frome the euerlastynge kyngedome of heuen and as Christe saythe in the gospell Mat. xxii et .xxv. et Luc. xiii and saynct Iohn̄ in the Apocalips We shall be caste in to the brennyng lake of hel where is fyre brymstone wepynge waylynge and gnastynge of tethe without ende ¶ Seconde we thynke it conuenyent that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted vnto theyr spirituall charge howe that in this commaundement not onely the vyces before rehersed be forbydden and prohibited but also the vertues contrary to them be required and commaunded That is to saye fydelytie and true kepynge of wedlocke in theym that be maryed contynence in them that be vnmaried and generally in al parsons shamefastnes and chastenes not onely of dedes but of wordes and maners countenaunce thoughtes And more ouer fastynge temperaunce watchynge laboure and all laufull thynges that conduce and helpe to chastitie And that therfore agaynste this commaundemente offende all they whiche do take any syngle woman or other mannes wyfe Math. v. or that in theyr hartes do couete and desyre for to haue them For as Christe sayth who soo euer eyeth a womman wysshynge to haue her hathe all redye commytted adulterye with her in his harte ¶ They also offende this commaundement that take in mariage Leu. xviii et xx or out of mariage any of theyr owne kynred or affinitie within the degrees forbydden by the lawes of god ¶ They also offende agaynste this commaundemente whiche abuse theym selfes or any other persones agaynste nature or abuse theyr wyues in the tyme of theyr menstruall purgation They also that do nourissh styre vp and prouoke them selues or any other to carnall lustes and pleasures of the body by vnclenly and wanton wordes tales songes syghtes touchynges gaye and wanton apparayle and lasciuiouse deckynge of theym selfes or any suche other wanton behauiour and entisement And also all those which procure any suche acte or that mynyster house lycence or place thereto And all counsaylours helpers and consenters to the same doo greuousely offende god and doo transgresse this commaundement ¶ Lykewise al they that auoyde not the causes hereof so moche as they conueniently maye as surfettyng slouth idelnes immoderate slepe and company of suche both men and women as be vnchaste and euyll dysposed be gyltie of the transgression of this commaundement ¶ The declaration of the eyght commaundement AS touchynge the eyght commaundement we thynke it conuenyent that all bysshops and preachers shall instructe and teache the people cōmytted vnto theyr spirituall charge Fyrste that vnder the name of Thefte or stealynge in this cōmaūdement is vnderstanded all maner of vnlauful takynge awaye occupienge or kepynge of an other mannes goodes whether it be by force extorcion oppression briberie vserie simonie vnlauful cheuesaunce or els by fals byenge sellynge eyther by false weyghtes or by false measure or by sellynge of a worse thyng for a better or a thynge coūterfaite for a trewe as gylte coper for trewe golde or glasse for precious stones and generally all maner of fraude or deceyte ¶ Item that lyke as the vices before rehersed be by this precepte forbydden euen soo sondry vertues contrarye to the sayde vices be by the same commaunded as to deale truely and playnely with our neyghbours in all thynges to gette our owne goodes truely to spende them lyberally vpon them that haue nede to fede the hungery to gyue drynke to the thirstie to clothe the naked to harborowe the harborlesse to comforte the sycke to visite the prisoners and fynally to helpe our neigbours with our lernyng good counceyll and exhortation and by all other good meanes that we can ¶ Seconde we thynke it conuenient that all bysshoppes and preachers shall instructe and teache the people commytted
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
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